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Now therefore why hast thou not reproved Jeremiah of Anathoth, which maketh himself a prophet to you?
Jeremiah 29:27 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB Now therefore, why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth, who makes himself a prophet to you,
  • BSB So now, why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth, who poses as a prophet among you?
  • NKJV Now therefore, why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth who makes himself a prophet to you?
  • NASB So now, why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth who prophesies to you,
  • NLT So why have you done nothing to stop Jeremiah from Anathoth, who pretends to be a prophet among you?

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Shemaiah demanded to know why Zephaniah had not rebuked Jeremiah for prophesying. He pressed for active suppression of the true prophet.

Overview

Shemaiah's accusing question assumes Jeremiah is a self-appointed pretender deserving rebuke. It pressures the priest to take official action against him. The verse shows how opposition to God's word often cloaks itself in religious zeal for order.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 12

  • Num 16:3And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?
  • Jer 29:26The LORD hath made thee priest in the stead of Jehoiada the priest, that ye should be officers in the house of the LORD, for every man that is mad, and maketh himself a prophet, that thou shouldest put him in prison, and in the stocks.
  • Jer 1:1The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin:
  • Jer 43:2–3Then spake Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men, saying unto Jeremiah, Thou speakest falsely: the LORD our God hath not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there:
  • 2 Chr 25:16And it came to pass, as he talked with him, that the king said unto him, Art thou made of the king’s counsel? forbear; why shouldest thou be smitten? Then the prophet forbare, and said, I know that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened unto my counsel.
  • Amos 7:12–13Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there:
  • Acts 4:17–21But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.
  • Acts 5:40And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
  • Acts 5:28Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.
  • 2 Tim 3:8Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
  • Matt 27:63Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.
  • John 11:47–53Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (2)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Jeremiah videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Jeremiah 29:27YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on JeremiahMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Against the failure of false shepherds Jeremiah promises the Righteous Branch, 'The LORD our righteousness,' and the new covenant written on the heart and sealed in the blood of Christ.

How Jeremiah 29:27 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.