Jeremiah 24:4
Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Original Language Analysis
Historical Context
The formula "the word of the LORD came" established prophetic authority in ancient Israel. Unlike pagan divination that relied on omens, entrails, or astrology, Israel's prophets received direct verbal revelation from Yahweh. This claim to divine speech made prophets dangerous—if genuine, they spoke with God's authority; if false, they committed capital blasphemy (Deuteronomy 18:20). Jeremiah faced constant opposition precisely because his messages contradicted popular expectation and conventional religious thinking. False prophets promised peace and quick restoration (Jeremiah 23:16-17, 28:1-4), while Jeremiah announced judgment and prolonged exile. The phrase "word of the LORD" functioned as Jeremiah's credential—he claimed no personal authority but stood on divine commission. Later fulfillment of his prophecies vindicated this claim and established his messages as canonical Scripture.
Questions for Reflection
- How does the phrase "word of the LORD" establish the authority of what follows, and why does this matter for how we read Scripture?
- What does the pattern of vision-plus-interpretation teach about the necessity of divine revelation for understanding spiritual realities?
- In what ways do contemporary religious teachers claim authority, and how can we discern genuine divine word from human opinion?
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Analysis & Commentary
Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying—this formulaic introduction signals fresh prophetic revelation. The Hebrew davar-YHWH (דְּבַר־יְהוָה, word of Yahweh) carries authority as God's direct communication, not human speculation. This phrase appears over 240 times in Jeremiah, more than any other prophetic book, emphasizing that Jeremiah spoke divine messages, not personal opinions.
The brief verse serves as a hinge between the vision's description (vv. 1-3) and its interpretation (vv. 5-10). This structure—vision, divine word, explanation—appears throughout prophetic literature and establishes that symbolic visions require authoritative interpretation. God alone determines the vision's meaning; human ingenuity cannot decode divine revelation. This principle remains vital: Scripture interprets Scripture, and the Holy Spirit illuminates meaning (1 Corinthians 2:10-14). The coming interpretation will shock Jeremiah's contemporaries by identifying the despised exiles as objects of divine favor and the confident Jerusalem residents as condemned rebels.