Jeremiah 18:23Yet, Yahweh, you know all their counsel against me to kill me; don't forgive their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from your sight; but let them be overthrown before you; deal you with them in the time of your anger.
The setting
Jerusalem, ~605 BC. Jeremiah discovers a death plot by his own people. He's beyond human help — only divine intervention can save him now.
The emotion here: beyond human forgiveness, desperate for divine justice
The original word
machashebeth (מַחֲשֶׁבֶת) — thoughts, plans, devices; deliberate scheming, not impulsive anger
Why it matters
This is one of the 'imprecatory psalms' principle — asking God to curse enemies who oppose His purposes
Read with care
What most readers miss in Jeremiah 18:23
Jeremiah asks God NOT to forgive them — this isn't personal hatred but prophetic declaration that they've crossed a line
Common misconceptionThis seems un-Christian, but Jeremiah isn't being vindictive — he's a prophet declaring God's judgment on those who reject His word and try to kill His messenger.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Jeremiah 18:23
Bible Genome reading
Jeremiah 18:23 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Jeremiah 18:23 comes from the book of Jeremiah, written during the Divided Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Jeremiah. The dominant emotion in this verse is angry, with a comfort power of 10% and a tone that is lamenting. It belongs to the psalm genre of biblical literature. Key themes include imprecatory prayer, justice. Notable phrases: don't forgive their iniquity. This verse is a prayer.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same angry
“Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong.'”
— Joel 3:10
“You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!”
— Matthew 23:24
“Listen to this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who tell their husba…”
— Amos 4:1
“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can't stand your solemn assemblies.”
— Amos 5:21
“Your eyes shall not pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
— Deuteronomy 19:21
Your reflection
What does Jeremiah 18:23 mean to you, today?
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