For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have only done evil before me from their youth: for the children of Israel have only provoked me to anger with the work of their hands, saith the LORD.

JEREMIAH 32:30KJV
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Jeremiah 32:30 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 32:30 mean?

Jeremiah 32:30 states that both Israel and Judah have consistently done evil in God’s sight since their earliest days, and that their actions have continually provoked God’s anger. The verse emphasizes the long-standing pattern of disobedience and wrongdoing by the people, as declared by the LORD.

In this verse, the prophet Jeremiah is relaying God’s words to the people of Jerusalem during a time when the city is under threat from Babylon. God is explaining why judgment is coming: the people’s history has been marked by rebellion and idolatry, described as “the work of their hands.” This verse highlights the seriousness and duration of their unfaithfulness, not just a recent failing but a deep-rooted problem.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 32:30

  • “Children” (בֵּן, ben): This word, used for both Israel and Judah, means “sons” or “descendants.” It stresses that the indictment is against the entire people, not just individuals or leaders.
  • “Evil” (רַע, ra‘): This term often refers to moral wrongdoing or wickedness. Here, it points to actions that violate God’s commands, especially idolatry and injustice.
  • “Work” (מַעֲשֶׂה, ma‘aseh) and “hands” (יָד, yad): Together, “the work of their hands” is a Hebrew way of describing what people actively do, especially in making idols or committing acts that turn away from God.
  • “Anger” (כָּעַס, ka‘as): This word means to provoke or anger. The verse stresses that the people’s actions have not just disappointed God but have stirred up His righteous anger over a long period.

Why Jeremiah 32:30 matters

  • Jeremiah 32:30 clarifies that the coming judgment is not sudden or unfair, but the result of a long history of persistent wrongdoing by the people.
  • The verse connects the fate of both Israel (the northern kingdom) and Judah (the southern kingdom), showing that both share responsibility for turning away from God.
  • By describing the evil as “the work of their hands,” the verse points to deliberate choices and actions, not just accidental mistakes, highlighting the seriousness of their rebellion.

Where else these words appear

“youth” Hebrew H5271 · used in 46 verses

  • Genesis 8:21 And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.
  • Psalms 127:4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.
  • Jeremiah 48:11 Moab hath been at ease from his youth, and he hath settled on his lees, and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither hath he gone into captivity: therefore his taste remained in him, and his scent is not changed.

“anger” Hebrew H3707 · used in 53 verses

  • Deuteronomy 4:25 When thou shalt beget children, and children's children, and ye shall have remained long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, and shall do evil in the sight of the LORD thy God, to provoke him to anger:
  • 1 Kings 22:53 For he served Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked to anger the LORD God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.
  • Ecclesiastes 5:17 All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.