They are all stubbornly rebellious, going about with slanders; they are bronze and iron; all of them act corruptly.
English Standard Version (ESV)
What's striking here is that their rebellion isn't just an internal state; it's an active, "walking" habit, like someone carrying slander around as their trade. They aren't just flawed; they're fundamentally base, like cheap metals—bronze and iron instead of precious gold—meaning they're not only corrupt but also unyielding in their corruption.
They are all stubbornly rebellious, going about with slanders; they are bronze and iron; all of them act corruptly.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah has just described the impending destruction of Jerusalem, likening the city to a furnace where metals are tested for purity but revealing only dross. This verse continues that harsh assessment, labeling the people not as flawed but as inherently rebellious and corrupt, spreading malicious gossip and stubbornly resisting any attempt at purification or correction. The metaphor of base metals like copper and iron underscores their worthlessness and hardness of heart, showing that all efforts to refine them have failed.
Jeremiah doesn't just call them rebels; he uses a phrase that sounds almost like a grammatical error. What does this 'superlative' rebellion truly mean?
Jeremiah calls the people "rebels of rebels." This isn't just a strong way to say they are rebellious; it's like saying they are the 'worst of the worst' or the 'most rebellious of all rebels.' It points to a rebellion that has become the very core of who they are. It’s not just an action they take, but a state of being they live in.
This kind of deep-seated rebellion means they've moved beyond simple disobedience. They’ve embraced defiance, making it their identity. It’s the kind of rebellion that’s stubborn, ingrained, and probably inherited through generations, much like a family trait that keeps showing up.
The people aren't just rebellious; they're constantly on the move, spreading something harmful. What is it, and why is it so significant?
Jeremiah says they are "going about with slanders." This paints a picture of people actively spreading rumors, gossip, and false accusations. Think of it like a relentless rumor mill, where lies are constantly being manufactured and distributed.
This wasn't just idle chatter; it was a purposeful activity. They were mobile, restless, and eager to spread their harmful words. This often targeted people like Jeremiah himself, undermining the truth he was trying to share. It’s the ancient equivalent of people who constantly stir up trouble and divide others with their words.
Ask a follow-up
They are compared to metals, but not the precious ones. What does this imagery reveal about their spiritual state and God's judgment?
Jeremiah likens them to "bronze and iron." These aren't the noble metals like gold or silver; they represent base, common, and often impure metals. This imagery signifies several things:
This is not a compliment; it's a declaration of their corrupted character and the futility of their ways. All attempts to refine them prove useless, as the dross cannot be separated.
Understand the original words
sarah sarim · Hebrew Adjective/Verb phrase
A character trait describing those who intentionally and persistently set themselves against God's law and authority, marked by an unyielding heart.
rakil · Hebrew Noun
False speech or malicious reports intended to damage the reputation of others; it is condemned in Scripture as a violation of love for one's neighbor.
mashchit · Hebrew Verb
To act in a way that is depraved, morally rotten, or spoiled; it signifies a departure from the standard of righteousness God has established.
The vivid imagery of Jeremiah 6:28 likens the people of Judah to base, unrefined metals like bronze and iron. This resonates deeply with their historical context of repeated national crises, including deportations and the ultimate destruction of Jerusalem, where their persistent rebellion and corruption prevented any true purification or deliverance.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and the Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers the northern Kingdom of Israel, exiling many of its people and scattering them throughout the empire. This event serves as a stark warning to the southern Kingdom of Judah about the consequences of disobedience.
c. 701 BC
Assyrian Siege of Jerusalem
Under King Sennacherib, the Assyrian army campaigns in Judah, conquering many cities and besieging Jerusalem. Though Jerusalem is miraculously spared, the event instills fear and highlights Judah's vulnerability.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon deports a group of Judean nobles and skilled workers, including the prophet Daniel, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of Judah's vassalage to Babylon.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Following a rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar again deports Jerusalem's elite, including the prophet Ezekiel, and installs a puppet king. This further weakens the kingdom and its spiritual leadership.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
Nebuchadnezzar's forces utterly destroy Jerusalem and its magnificent Temple, ending the Davidic monarchy and exiling the majority of the remaining population to Babylon. This is the cataclysmic event Jeremiah has been prophesying against.
c. 540 BC
Second Isaiah Prophetic Ministry
During the Babylonian exile, the prophet known as Second Isaiah delivers powerful messages of hope and restoration, emphasizing God's sovereign power and His unwavering love for His people.
This passage uses similar imagery of metals like copper, iron, tin, and lead to describe a people who are impure and have turned away from God.
Malachi 3:3This verse speaks of God refining the sons of Levi like metal, paralleling Jeremiah's imagery of metals used to describe people who cannot be purified by fire because of their impurity.
Proverbs 11:13This proverb highlights the danger of a gossip or slanderer, connecting with Jeremiah's description of the people 'walking with slanders'.
Romans 3:23This verse states that 'all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,' which resonates with Jeremiah's depiction of a people universally rebellious and corrupt.
Isaiah 1:22Isaiah describes Jerusalem's rulers as rebels and companions of thieves, comparing them to silver mixed with dross, which echoes Jeremiah's use of base metals to depict moral corruption.
pulpitJeremiah 6:28: "They are all grievous revolters, walking with slanders: they are brass and iron; they are all corrupters."
Verse 28. - Grievous revolters; literally, rebels of rebels. Walking; rather, going about, as a peddler with his wares (so Proverbs 11:13; Proverbs 20:19; Leviticus 19:16). Jeremiah had good reason to specify this characteristic of his enemies (see Jeremiah 18:18). Brass and Iron; rather, copper and iron, in short, base metal,
ellicottJeremiah 6:28: "They are all grievous revolters, walking with slanders: they are brass and iron; they are all corrupters."
(28) Grievous revolters . . . —Literally, rebels of rebels, as a Hebraism for the worst type of rebellion. Walking with slanders.—The phrase was a common one (Leviticus 19:16; Proverbs 11:13; Proverbs 20:19), and pointed to the restless eagerness of the tale-bearer to spread his falsehoods. (Comp. 1Timothy 5:13, “wandering about . . . idle tattlers.”) Brass and iron.—Base m…
What's striking here is that their rebellion isn't just an internal state; it's an active, "walking" habit, like someone carrying slander around as their trade. They aren't just flawed; they're fundamentally base, like cheap metals—bronze and iron instead of precious gold—meaning they're not only corrupt but also unyielding in their corruption.
Jeremiah has just described the impending destruction of Jerusalem, likening the city to a furnace where metals are tested for purity but revealing only dross. This verse continues that harsh assessment, labeling the people not as flawed but as inherently rebellious and corrupt, spreading malicious gossip and stubbornly resisting any attempt at purification or correction. The metaphor of base metals like copper and iron underscores their worthlessness and hardness of heart, showing that all efforts to refine them have failed.
Jeremiah has just described the impending destruction of Jerusalem, likening the city to a furnace where metals are tested for purity but revealing only dross. This verse continues that harsh assessment, labeling the people not as flawed but as inherently rebellious and corrupt, spreading malicious gossip and stubbornly resisting any attempt at purification or correction. The metaphor of base metals like copper and iron underscores their worthlessness and hardness of heart, showing that all efforts to refine them have failed.
"They are all stubbornly rebellious, going about with slanders; they are bronze and iron; all of them act corruptly." — What's striking here is that their rebellion isn't just an internal state; it's an active, "walking" habit, like someone carrying slander around as their trade. They aren't just flawed; they're funda…
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Last reviewed October 2026