Jeremiah 23:15Therefore thus says Yahweh of Armies concerning the prophets: Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall; for from the prophets of Jerusalem is ungodliness gone forth into all the land.
The setting
Jerusalem, ~605 BC. Jeremiah stands in the temple courtyard, surrounded by false prophets promising peace while Babylon's army approaches. Modern-day Jerusalem, Israel.
The emotion here: furious at betrayal of sacred trust
The original word
la'anah (לַעֲנָה) — wormwood, a bitter herb causing nausea and death
Why it matters
Wormwood was used in ancient executions - a slow, bitter death by poisoning
Read with care
What most readers miss in Jeremiah 23:15
This isn't just punishment - it's poetic justice. They fed people lies, now they eat bitterness
Common misconceptionPeople think this is harsh, but Jeremiah is actually protecting vulnerable people from spiritual predators who were leading them to destruction.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Jeremiah 23:15
Bible Genome reading
Jeremiah 23:15 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Jeremiah 23:15 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 commanding. It belongs to the prophecy genre of biblical literature. Key themes include divine judgment, bitter consequences. Notable phrases: feed them with wormwood; water of gall. 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 23:15 mean to you, today?
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