Jeremiah 5:31
the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule at their direction; my people love to have it so, but what will you do when the end comes?
English Standard Version (ESV)
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What's easily missed is that the people weren't just passively going along; they actively "loved" this arrangement where false prophets and corrupt priests gave them easy messages and spiritual comfort. Their enjoyment of this deception is the most shocking part, setting them up for the inevitable, devastating consequences when their illusions crumble.
Jeremiah is denouncing a spiritual crisis where religious leaders are spreading lies and the people are willingly embracing them, creating a deeply corrupt system. This situation isn't just a minor disagreement; it's a widespread, "astonishing and horrible thing" happening in the very heart of Judah, leading to the imminent destruction that the people refuse to acknowledge.
Imagine a team where the leaders are supposed to guide people toward truth, but instead, they're in cahoots with those spreading dangerous lies. That’s the picture Jeremiah paints.
Jeremiah reveals a deeply disturbing partnership in Judah: false prophets and corrupt priests.
The False Prophets
These weren't just mistaken individuals; they were actively 'prophesying falsely.' Their messages weren't from God but were deceptive lies, likely offering comfort and prosperity to a people who craved easy answers. They twisted God’s will for their own gain.
The Corrupt Priests
The priests, who should have been upholding God's law and guiding the people, were complicit. The text suggests they 'bear rule by their means' – meaning they governed, or at least maintained their authority and influence, because of these false prophecies. They benefited from the deception, creating a stable system of lies that enriched them and kept the people comfortable.
Mutual Benefit
This wasn't an accidental alignment. It was a system where each group supported the other. The prophets provided the pleasing lies, and the priests used their authority to endorse and enforce these deceptions. It was a spiritual marketplace where truth was sacrificed for power and popularity.
It’s one thing for leaders to mislead; it’s another when the people actively want to be deceived. Jeremiah hits hard at the heart of the nation's problem.
The most astonishing part of this corruption wasn't just the leaders, but the people's enthusiastic embrace of it.
A Willing Embrace
Jeremiah states plainly, 'my people love to have it so.' This wasn't mere passive acceptance. They loved the lies. They preferred the smooth words of the false prophets over the challenging truths of God's messengers. They wanted comfort, not correction; validation, not conviction.
Understand the original words
nābîʾ · Hebrew Noun
An individual who speaks under divine inspiration, conveying God's message to His people. While true prophets are empowered by the Holy Spirit, false prophets operate out of their own imagination or for personal gain, leading the people away from God's truth.
nābāʾ šeqer · Hebrew Verb
To communicate a message believed to be from God. Falsely prophesying involves speaking messages that contradict God's revealed will, often to provide comfort or validation to those who refuse to repent.
kōhēn · Hebrew Noun
Those set apart by God for the ministry of the temple, offering sacrifices and teaching the law. Their role is to facilitate the relationship between God and His people, and when they fail, they lead the congregation into spiritual corruption.
This verse captures a critical moment where the religious and political leadership, along with the people, have embraced a deceptive spiritual narrative. The false prophets offer comforting lies, the priests support this system for their own gain, and the people willingly follow, blind to the impending doom.
Late 8th Century BC
Prophetic Warnings Against Corruption
Prophets like Amos and Isaiah had previously denounced the spiritual and moral decay within Judah, including corruption within the priesthood. However, the nation still clung to the idea of the prophets as a source of hope.
c. 627 BC - 586 BC
Jeremiah's Ministry Begins
Jeremiah begins his prophetic ministry during a time of great political instability and spiritual decline in Judah, facing increasing opposition from false prophets and a corrupt religious establishment.
c. 609 BC
Josiah's Reforms Undermined
King Josiah's religious reforms aimed at purifying worship had been significant. However, after his death, many in positions of power and the populace reverted to old, corrupt practices, rendering the reforms largely ineffective.
c. 597 BC— this verse
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon deports King Jehoiachin and many skilled workers and elites to Babylon. This event served as a stark warning, yet many in Jerusalem, influenced by false prophets, still believed disaster would not come.
This passage echoes Jeremiah's complaint, highlighting how corrupt leaders (prophets and priests) pervert justice and lead people astray, all while claiming divine authority. Both passages show a deep societal rot where those in power disregard true righteousness.
2 Timothy 4:3Paul warns Timothy about a future time when people will not tolerate sound teaching but will 'accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires.' This strongly parallels Jeremiah's 'my people love to have it so,' illustrating a timeless human tendency to prefer comforting falsehoods over challenging truths.
Ezekiel 13:10This chapter describes prophets who build up a flimsy wall, plastering it with whitewash, and crying 'Peace! Peace!' when there is no peace. This directly illustrates the 'prophesy falsely' aspect of Jeremiah 5:31, showing how prophets offered false hope and security to a people unwilling to face their sin.
Romans 1:28Paul describes people who 'did not see fit to acknowledge God, and so God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.' This connects with Jeremiah's 'my people love to have it so,' pointing to a willful turning away from God that leads to a hardened heart and a preference for sin.
Jeremiah 23:16-17calvinJeremiah 5:30-31: "A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land;"
- Stupor (vel, res stupenda) et foeditas in terra (vel, res pudenda; sr, unde nomen deductum est, significat proprie cogitare vel reputare; sed videtur per antiphrasin Deus hoc loco, ut aliis quibusdam, notare rem prodigiosam, quae non cadit sub sensum humanum, quasi diceret hoc non posse concipi neque apprehendi hominis mente; scio hoc posse videri novum, sed tamen subest optima ratio, ut mihi videtur. Postea addit.…
cambridgeJeremiah 5:31: "The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?"
31 . “When Amos and Isaiah attacked the priesthood of Judah, they still felt that there remained the Prophets on whom the nation could fall back. But when Jeremiah mourned for Israel, he felt that there was no reserve in Judah. And when the Priesthood closed in hostile array around him, he felt that, as far as Jerusalem was concerned…
What's easily missed is that the people weren't just passively going along; they actively "loved" this arrangement where false prophets and corrupt priests gave them easy messages and spiritual comfort. Their enjoyment of this deception is the most shocking part, setting them up for the inevitable, devastating consequences when their illusions crumble.
Jeremiah is denouncing a spiritual crisis where religious leaders are spreading lies and the people are willingly embracing them, creating a deeply corrupt system. This situation isn't just a minor disagreement; it's a widespread, "astonishing and horrible thing" happening in the very heart of Judah, leading to the imminent destruction that the people refuse to acknowledge.
Jeremiah is denouncing a spiritual crisis where religious leaders are spreading lies and the people are willingly embracing them, creating a deeply corrupt system. This situation isn't just a minor disagreement; it's a widespread, "astonishing and horrible thing" happening in the very heart of Judah, leading to the imminent destruction that the people refuse to acknowledge.
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The Appeal of Easy Religion
Why would people love such a state? Because false prophecy often promises peace, prosperity, and impunity—exactly what a sinful people desires. It lightens the burden of obedience and removes the fear of judgment. It allows people to continue in their sins without feeling condemned. It's a religion tailored to human desires, not divine commands.
The Deadly Consequence
This love for deception blinded them to the impending doom. They were so content in their comfortable lies that they couldn't see the destruction barreling toward them. Their enjoyment of the falsehood would lead to unimaginable suffering when reality finally hit.
Comfortable lies have a shelf life. Jeremiah’s final question cuts through the pleasant deception to the terrifying reality awaiting Judah.
The entire passage builds to a stark, unavoidable question about the future. It’s not just a prediction; it’s a warning about accountability.
The Question of Accountability
'But what will you do when the end comes?' This question isn't about finding a way out of judgment; it's about the utter helplessness that awaits those who have built their lives on falsehood. The 'end' refers to the inevitable divine judgment that will sweep away their false security.
The Failure of False Security
Their system of false prophets and complicit priests offered a false sense of security. They believed their city, their temple, and their way of life were protected by God, despite their corruption. But the 'end' reveals the hollowness of this security. When judgment arrives, there will be no one to turn to, no comforting lie to escape the consequences.
A Final Warning
Jeremiah’s words are a powerful reminder that God holds His people accountable. While He desires repentance and offers grace, He will not endlessly tolerate willful deception and a love for lies. The ultimate consequence is facing the fullness of His judgment alone, with no comforting prophet, no ruling priest, and no self-deception to offer solace.
rāḏâ · Hebrew Verb
To exercise authority, lead, or govern. In a biblical context, it implies taking responsibility for the spiritual and moral direction of the community, which should be done according to God's standard.
ʾāhaḇ · Hebrew Verb
The act of following or worshiping God, or—in a negative sense—clinging to sin and rebellion. It represents the deepest orientation of the heart, showing where a person finds their ultimate satisfaction.
ʾaḥărîṯ · Hebrew Noun
The culmination or final conclusion of a historical era, a period of judgment, or a specific divine purpose. It signifies the point where the patience of God gives way to divine intervention or historical consequence.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
The Babylonians return, destroy Jerusalem and the Temple, and deport the remaining population. This catastrophic event was the 'end' that Jeremiah warned about, a direct consequence of the people's persistent rebellion and their love for false teachings.
Here, Jeremiah himself directly confronts the false prophets, warning them and the people not to listen to their 'futile talk' which speaks of visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord. This passage directly shows the conflict Jeremiah faced and the deceptive message of the false prophets mentioned in 5:31.
"the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule at their direction; my people love to have it so, but what will you do when the end comes?" — What's easily missed is that the people weren't just passively going along; they actively "loved" this arrangement where false prophets and corrupt priests gave them easy messages and spiritual comfo…
