And of them shall be taken up a curse by all the captivity of Judah which are in Babylon, saying, The LORD make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire;

JEREMIAH 29:22KJV
Know the Bible

Jeremiah 29:22 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 29:22 mean?

Jeremiah 29:22 says that the names of Zedekiah and Ahab, two men from Judah, would become a curse among the Jewish exiles in Babylon, with people saying, “May the LORD make you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire.” This means their fate would serve as a warning and a byword for disaster among the exiles.

In this verse, Jeremiah is speaking to the Jewish people who have been taken captive to Babylon. He refers to Zedekiah and Ahab, two men who suffered a terrible death by fire at the hands of the Babylonian king, as examples of what happens to those who act against God’s will. The verse shows how their punishment became a saying or curse among the exiles, highlighting the seriousness of their wrongdoing and the lasting impact of their fate.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 29:22

  • curse (קְלָלָה, qelalah): This word means a spoken wish of harm or disaster. Here, it shows that Zedekiah and Ahab’s names became a warning or negative example, not just a bad memory.
  • captivity (גּוֹלָה, golah): This term refers to those taken away from their homeland. It emphasizes that Jeremiah is addressing the Jewish exiles living in Babylon, far from Judah.
  • roasted (קָלָה, qalah): This word means to burn or roast. The verse uses it to describe the brutal execution of Zedekiah and Ahab, making clear the severity of their punishment.
  • fire (אֵשׁ, esh): The use of “fire” underlines the violent and public nature of their death, which would have left a strong impression on the exiles.

Why Jeremiah 29:22 matters

  • Jeremiah 29:22 clarifies that the curse was not just a private warning but became a common saying among the exiles, showing how deeply the event affected the community.
  • The verse highlights the seriousness of rebellion or false prophecy by showing that the consequences were not only personal but also became a lesson for others.
  • This verse connects to the larger message of Jeremiah 29, where Jeremiah warns the exiles against listening to false prophets and urges them to seek God even in a foreign land.

Where else these words appear

“roasted” Hebrew H7033 · used in 4 verses

  • Leviticus 2:14 And if thou offer a meat offering of thy firstfruits unto the LORD, thou shalt offer for the meat offering of thy firstfruits green ears of corn dried by the fire, even corn beaten out of full ears.
  • Joshua 5:11 And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day.
  • Psalms 38:7 For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh.

“captivity” Hebrew H1546 · used in 14 verses

  • 2 Kings 25:27 And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, that Evilmerodach king of Babylon in the year that he began to reign did lift up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah out of prison;
  • Jeremiah 28:4 And I will bring again to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, with all the captives of Judah, that went into Babylon, saith the LORD: for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.
  • Ezekiel 33:21 And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth month, in the fifth day of the month, that one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me, saying, The city is smitten.

“curse” Hebrew H7045 · used in 33 verses

  • Genesis 27:12 My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing.
  • Deuteronomy 29:27 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against this land, to bring upon it all the curses that are written in this book:
  • Proverbs 26:2 As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.

“Zedekiah” Hebrew H6667 · used in 62 verses

  • 1 Kings 22:11 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron: and he said, Thus saith the LORD, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have consumed them.
  • Jeremiah 27:12 I spake also to Zedekiah king of Judah according to all these words, saying, Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, and live.
  • Jeremiah 38:14 Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took Jeremiah the prophet unto him into the third entry that is in the house of the LORD: and the king said unto Jeremiah, I will ask thee a thing; hide nothing from me.