King James Version

What Does Jeremiah 32:23 Mean?

Jeremiah 32:23 in the King James Version says “And they came in, and possessed it; but they obeyed not thy voice, neither walked in thy law; they have done nothing of ...” — study this verse from Jeremiah chapter 32 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And they came in, and possessed it; but they obeyed not thy voice, neither walked in thy law; they have done nothing of all that thou commandedst them to do: therefore thou hast caused all this evil to come upon them:”

Jeremiah 32:23 · KJV

Context

21

And hast brought forth thy people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs, and with wonders, and with a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with great terror;

22

And hast given them this land, which thou didst swear to their fathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey;

23

And they came in, and possessed it; but they obeyed not thy voice, neither walked in thy law; they have done nothing of all that thou commandedst them to do: therefore thou hast caused all this evil to come upon them:

24

Behold the mounts, they are come unto the city to take it; and the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans, that fight against it, because of the sword, and of the famine, and of the pestilence: and what thou hast spoken is come to pass; and, behold, thou seest it. mounts: or, engines of shot

25

And thou hast said unto me, O Lord GOD, Buy thee the field for money, and take witnesses; for the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans. for the: or, though the

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Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
And they came in, and possessed it; but they obeyed not thy voice, neither walked in thy law—Jeremiah acknowledges the tragic irony: God fulfilled His promise by giving Israel the land, but Israel failed to fulfill their covenant obligation. Shama be-qolekha (שָׁמַע בְּקוֹלֶךָ, obeyed Your voice) means to hear with the intent to obey—covenant faithfulness required listening to God's commands and acting accordingly. Halak be-toratekha (הָלַךְ בְּתוֹרָתֶךָ, walked in Your law) pictures lifestyle obedience—not isolated acts but a consistent pattern of life shaped by God's Torah. Israel's failure was comprehensive: they have done nothing of all that thou commandedst them to do. The hyperbolic nothing emphasizes the totality of their disobedience. While individual Israelites remained faithful, corporately the nation persistently violated the covenant.

Therefore thou hast caused all this evil to come upon them—The Hebrew bo et kol-hara'ah hazot (בֹא אֶת־כָּל־הָרָעָה הַזֹּאת, brought all this calamity) attributes the Babylonian destruction directly to divine judgment, not merely political misfortune. The 'evil' (ra'ah) is not moral evil but calamity, disaster, judgment—the covenant curses of Deuteronomy 28:15-68 coming to fulfillment. Jeremiah doesn't accuse God of injustice; he confesses that Israel's rebellion necessitated judgment. This sets up the tension his prayer addresses: God is perfectly just in judging Israel, yet He also promised future blessing. How can both be true? God's answer (vv. 26-44) reveals that judgment is not God's final word—restoration will follow the purifying discipline of exile.

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Historical & Cultural Context

Jeremiah summarizes eight centuries of covenant unfaithfulness. From the golden calf incident at Sinai (Exodus 32) through the judges' cycles of apostasy and deliverance (Judges 2:11-23), the divided kingdom's pervasive idolatry (1 Kings 11-2 Kings 17), and Judah's final descent into religious syncretism and social injustice (2 Kings 21-25), Israel repeatedly violated the covenant. God sent prophets to call for repentance (2 Kings 17:13-14), but the people refused to listen. Jeremiah himself ministered for over forty years, warning that continued rebellion would bring Babylonian conquest (Jeremiah 25:1-14), yet the nation rejected his message. The 'evil' that came upon them included Jerusalem's destruction, the temple's burning, mass deportation, and loss of land and sovereignty—precisely the curses Moses had warned of (Deuteronomy 28:47-68). Yet even in pronouncing this judgment, God had promised eventual restoration (Deuteronomy 30:1-10, Jeremiah 29:10-14), demonstrating that His covenant faithfulness transcends even necessary discipline. This pattern of judgment followed by grace is fulfilled ultimately in Christ, who bore judgment for sin so believers could receive eternal restoration.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does Israel's comprehensive disobedience ('done nothing of all that thou commandedst') illustrate humanity's total inability to achieve righteousness apart from grace?
  2. What does it mean that God 'caused all this evil to come upon them,' and how does this relate to divine sovereignty over historical events?
  3. How should the certainty that God judges persistent rebellion shape both personal holiness and evangelistic urgency?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 23 words
וַיָּבֹ֜אוּ1 of 23

“And they came in”

H935

to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)

וַיִּֽרְשׁ֣וּ2 of 23

“and possessed”

H3423

to occupy (by driving out previous tenants, and possessing in their place); by implication, to seize, to rob, to inherit; also to expel, to impoverish

אֹתָ֗הּ3 of 23
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

וְלֹֽא4 of 23
H3808

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles

שָׁמְע֤וּ5 of 23

“it but they obeyed”

H8085

to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)

בְקוֹלֶ֙ךָ֙6 of 23

“not thy voice”

H6963

a voice or sound

וּבְתֹרָותְךָ֣7 of 23

“in thy law”

H8451

a precept or statute, especially the decalogue or pentateuch

לֹא8 of 23
H3808

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles

הָלָ֔כוּ9 of 23

“neither walked”

H1980

to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)

אֵת֩10 of 23
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

כָּל11 of 23
H3605

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

אֲשֶׁ֨ר12 of 23
H834

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc

צִוִּ֧יתָה13 of 23

“nothing of all that thou commandedst”

H6680

(intensively) to constitute, enjoin

לָהֶ֛ם14 of 23
H0
עָשׂ֑וּ15 of 23

“them to do”

H6213

to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application

לֹ֣א16 of 23
H3808

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles

עָשׂ֑וּ17 of 23

“them to do”

H6213

to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application

וַתַּקְרֵ֣א18 of 23

“to come”

H7122

to encounter, whether accidentally or in a hostile manner

אֹתָ֔ם19 of 23
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

אֵ֥ת20 of 23
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

כָּל21 of 23
H3605

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

הָרָעָ֖ה22 of 23

“therefore thou hast caused all this evil”

H7451

bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral)

הַזֹּֽאת׃23 of 23
H2063

this (often used adverb)

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Jeremiah. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Jeremiah 32:23 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Jeremiah 32:23 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Ezra 9:7Daniel 9:10-14Psalms 78:54-55Psalms 44:2-3Lamentations 1:18Galatians 3:10

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