Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place.

JEREMIAH 14:13KJV
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Jeremiah 14:13 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 14:13 mean?

Jeremiah 14:13 shows the prophet Jeremiah speaking to God, troubled because other prophets are telling the people that they will not face war or famine, but instead will have guaranteed peace. Jeremiah is expressing confusion and concern that these messages from the prophets contradict the warnings God has given him about coming judgment.

Jeremiah is talking directly to God, using a cry of distress ("Ah, Lord GOD!") as he brings up what the other prophets are saying to the people of Judah. The situation is tense: God has told Jeremiah that disaster is coming because of the people's unfaithfulness, but these other prophets are giving the people false hope, promising safety and peace. This verse highlights the conflict between Jeremiah's true message from God and the reassuring but deceptive words of the other prophets.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 14:13

  • The word "Ah" (אֲהָהּ, 'ahāh) is a Hebrew cry of distress or alarm, showing Jeremiah's deep concern and emotional struggle as he speaks to God.
  • "Assured" (אֱמֶת, 'emet) means "truth" or "certainty." The false prophets are not just promising peace, but claiming it is guaranteed and reliable, which makes their message even more misleading.
  • "Peace" (שָׁלוֹם, shālōm) in Hebrew means more than just the absence of conflict; it includes well-being, safety, and wholeness. The prophets are promising a complete sense of security, not just an end to war or famine.

Why Jeremiah 14:13 matters

  • This verse makes clear that not every religious message or prophecy is from God, even if it sounds comforting or hopeful.
  • Jeremiah 14:13 highlights the personal struggle of a true prophet who must speak an unpopular truth while others offer easier answers.
  • The verse sets up the tension in the chapter between God's warnings and the people's desire to believe in a more pleasant future, helping readers understand why judgment was so shocking to many in Judah.

Where else these words appear

“Ah” Hebrew H162 · used in 15 verses

  • Joshua 7:7 And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord GOD, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan!
  • 2 Kings 6:5 But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed.
  • Ezekiel 4:14 Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! behold, my soul hath not been polluted: for from my youth up even till now have I not eaten of that which dieth of itself, or is torn in pieces; neither came there abominable flesh into my mouth.

“famine” Hebrew H7458 · used in 88 verses

  • Genesis 12:10 And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land.
  • 2 Kings 25:3 And on the ninth day of the fourth month the famine prevailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people of the land.
  • Jeremiah 32:24 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.

“assured” Hebrew H571 · used in 125 verses

  • Genesis 24:27 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master's brethren.
  • Psalms 26:3 For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth.
  • Proverbs 22:21 That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?