Thus saith the LORD unto this people, Thus have they loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet, therefore the LORD doth not accept them; he will now remember their iniquity, and visit their sins.

JEREMIAH 14:10KJV
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Jeremiah 14:10 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 14:10 mean?

Jeremiah 14:10 says that the LORD is speaking to the people of Judah, declaring that because they have chosen to wander away from Him and not restrain themselves from wrongdoing, He will no longer accept them but will instead remember their sins and hold them accountable. The verse explains that their persistent unfaithfulness has led to God’s rejection and coming judgment.

In this verse, God is addressing the nation through the prophet Jeremiah during a time of crisis, likely a drought or disaster. The people are described as loving to "wander," meaning they keep turning away from God’s ways. The LORD’s response is not just disappointment but a decision to act—He will now remember (take account of) their iniquity and "visit" (bring consequences for) their sins, showing that their actions have reached a point where God will no longer overlook them.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 14:10

  • "Wander" (נָעָה, na‘ah): This word carries the sense of roaming or straying, often used for sheep that leave the safety of the flock. Here, it paints a picture of the people deliberately leaving God’s path.
  • "Refrained" (חָשַׁךְ, chashakh): This word means to hold back or restrain. The verse says the people "have not refrained their feet," emphasizing their unwillingness to stop themselves from going astray.
  • "Remember" (זָכַר, zakhar): In Hebrew thought, for God to "remember" iniquity means to call it to mind for the purpose of judgment, not just recollection. It signals a shift from patience to action.
  • "Visit" (פָּקַד, paqad): This word often means to attend to or punish. Here, it means God will bring consequences for their sins, not just notice them.

Why Jeremiah 14:10 matters

  • This verse clarifies that God’s patience has limits; persistent rebellion leads to a point where God will no longer overlook wrongdoing.
  • The language of "wandering" and "not refraining their feet" highlights that the people’s unfaithfulness is a matter of ongoing choice, not a one-time mistake.
  • Jeremiah 14:10 sets the stage for the rest of the chapter, explaining why God will not respond to the people’s prayers for relief during their crisis—because their hearts have not changed.

Where else these words appear

“refrained” Hebrew H2820 · used in 28 verses

  • Genesis 20:6 And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.
  • Job 16:5 But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief.
  • Proverbs 11:24 There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.

“wander” Hebrew H5128 · used in 36 verses

  • Genesis 4:12 When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.
  • Job 16:4 I also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake mine head at you.
  • Isaiah 24:20 The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.

“accept” Hebrew H7521 · used in 55 verses

  • Genesis 33:10 And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand: for therefore I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me.
  • 2 Chronicles 36:21 To fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.
  • Psalms 149:4 For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.