They are all grievous revolters, walking with slanders: they are brass and iron; they are all corrupters.

JEREMIAH 6:28KJV
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Jeremiah 6:28 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 6:28 mean?

Jeremiah 6:28 describes the people as stubborn rebels who constantly spread harmful talk and are compared to hard metals like brass and iron, showing that they are deeply corrupt. The verse paints a picture of a community that is resistant to change and full of moral decay.

In this verse, God is speaking through the prophet Jeremiah about the people of Jerusalem and Judah. The situation is one of warning: Jeremiah is describing how the people have turned away from what is right, not just occasionally, but as a pattern of life. The comparison to brass and iron highlights their hardness and unwillingness to be refined or improved, underlining how deeply their corruption runs.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 6:28

  • "grievous" (סָרֵי, sarei; H5493) means "turned aside" or "obstinate," emphasizing that the people are not just making mistakes but are willfully rebellious.
  • "revolters" (סָרָרִים, sararim; H5637) refers to those who stubbornly refuse to obey, reinforcing the idea of deliberate resistance.
  • "slanders" (רָכִיל, rakhil; H7400) means "malicious gossip" or "slander," showing that their wrongdoing includes harmful speech, not just actions.
  • "brass" (נְחֹשֶׁת, nechoshet; H5178) and "iron" (בַּרְזֶל, barzel; H1270) both refer to hard metals, symbolizing how the people's hearts are tough and unyielding, not easily shaped or corrected.
  • "corrupters" (מַשְׁחִיתִים, mashchitim; H7843) means "those who destroy" or "corrupt," making clear that their influence is not neutral but actively harmful.

Why Jeremiah 6:28 matters

  • This verse clears up the idea that the people's problem was just minor mistakes; it shows their rebellion was deep and willful.
  • The use of metal imagery stresses how difficult it would be to change or reform these people, connecting to the broader theme of judgment in Jeremiah.
  • Understanding the specific words for "slander" and "corrupt" highlights that the people's sin involved both their speech and their actions, giving a fuller picture of their moral state.