“They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you.”
My Notes
What Does Jeremiah 23:17 Mean?
Jeremiah 23:17 exposes a specific kind of spiritual danger — false prophets telling people exactly what they want to hear. "They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace." These aren't outsiders attacking Israel; they're religious leaders, speaking in God's name, assuring people who are actively rejecting God that everything will be fine.
The second half sharpens the indictment: "and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you." The marginal note tells us "imagination" can also be translated "stubbornness." These prophets are looking at people who are stubbornly walking their own way — away from God's commands, away from His covenant — and handing them a false sense of security. They're not just failing to warn; they're actively reinforcing the very behavior that's leading to destruction.
This verse sits within a broader oracle against the shepherds and prophets of Judah who have failed catastrophically in their calling. God's fury here isn't abstract — it's deeply personal. These leaders were supposed to speak His words, and instead they manufactured comfortable lies. The people who "despise me" aren't being challenged or called back; they're being told God approves of exactly where they are.
Reflection Questions
- 1.Whose voice do you most trust right now — and does that person ever tell you things you don't want to hear?
- 2.Is there an area where you've been walking 'after the imagination of your own heart' and looking for reassurance that it's okay?
- 3.How do you distinguish between genuine peace from God and the false peace of simply avoiding hard truths?
- 4.What would it cost you to listen to the uncomfortable voice instead of the comforting one this week?
Devotional
There's a version of this that's alive and well today — voices that tell you what you want to hear instead of what you need to hear. Not necessarily from a pulpit. It might be the friend who validates every choice you make without ever asking hard questions. It might be your own internal narrative that says, "I'm fine, God's fine with me, nothing needs to change."
Jeremiah is naming something you've probably felt but couldn't articulate: the danger of cheap comfort. "Ye shall have peace" sounds wonderful — who doesn't want peace? But peace disconnected from truth isn't peace at all. It's a sedative. It numbs you to the very things God is trying to wake you up to.
The phrase "walketh after the imagination of his own heart" might be the most convicting part. It's describing someone who has made their own desires the compass for their life and then found voices to confirm that direction. Ask yourself honestly: are you seeking counsel that challenges you, or are you curating an echo chamber? God's actual voice will sometimes unsettle you, redirect you, even grieve you — and that's how you know it's real. The voices that only ever say "no evil shall come upon you" might be the most dangerous ones in your life.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
They say still unto them that despise me,.... That despised the word, worship, and ordinances of the Lord; with such…
Still - “Continually.” This verse gives the chief test by which the false prophet is to be detected, namely, that his…
Here is a long lesson for the false prophets. As none were more bitter and spiteful against God's true prophets than…
that despise me, The Lord hath said, Ye The mg. is supported by Syr., and is to be preferred, involving only a change of…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture