Jeremiah 23:12Therefore their way shall be to them as slippery places in the darkness: they shall be driven on, and fall therein; for I will bring evil on them, even the year of their visitation, says Yahweh.
The setting
Jerusalem, ~605 BC. Jeremiah prophesies during Babylon's rise. False prophets promise peace while the city faces destruction. Modern-day Jerusalem, Israel still bears scars of this period.
The emotion here: heartbroken over shepherds who destroyed the flock he loved
The original word
mah'laq'qoth (מַחֲלַקּוֹת) — slippery places, treacherous ground where one cannot stand
Why it matters
Jeremiah was contemporary with Daniel and Ezekiel, all witnessing Babylon's conquest
Read with care
What most readers miss in Jeremiah 23:12
The 'year of visitation' was God's appointed time for judgment, not random disaster
Common misconceptionPeople think this is about personal enemies, but it's specifically about religious leaders who led God's people astray. The judgment isn't for regular sin—it's for spiritual malpractice.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Jeremiah 23:12
Bible Genome reading
Jeremiah 23:12 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Jeremiah 23:12 comes from the book of Jeremiah, written during the Divided Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Yahweh. The dominant emotion in this verse is angry, with a comfort power of 10% and a tone that is prophetic. It belongs to the prophecy genre of biblical literature. Key themes include divine judgment, consequences. Notable phrases: slippery places in darkness; driven on and fall. This verse contains a promise of God. This verse contains prophecy.
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 23:12 mean to you, today?
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