Jeremiah 33:19
And the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, saying,
Original Language Analysis
וַֽיְהִי֙
H1961
וַֽיְהִי֙
Strong's:
H1961
Word #:
1 of 6
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
דְּבַר
And the word
H1697
דְּבַר
And the word
Strong's:
H1697
Word #:
2 of 6
a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
יְהוָ֔ה
of the LORD
H3068
יְהוָ֔ה
of the LORD
Strong's:
H3068
Word #:
3 of 6
(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god
Historical Context
Prophetic consciousness in Israel understood 'the word of the LORD' as more than information—it was active, creative power (Isaiah 55:10-11). Jeremiah's reception of God's word often brought him suffering (Jeremiah 20:7-9), yet he could not refrain from speaking it. This marks authentic versus false prophecy.
Questions for Reflection
- How does recognizing Scripture as 'the word of the LORD' affect your approach to reading the Bible?
- What does God's initiative in revelation teach about the nature of saving faith (John 6:44)?
- How should the church today discern authentic proclamation of God's word versus human opinion?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
And the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah—This formulaic introduction (דְּבַר־יְהוָה, devar-YHWH) appears over 300 times in the prophets, authenticating divine origin. The phrase emphasizes God's initiative in revelation—the prophet is passive recipient, not originator.
This verse introduces the cosmic covenant analogy (v. 20-26) comparing God's promises to the fixed laws of nature. The word (dabar) is both message and event—God's speaking creates reality. In John 1:1, the eternal Logos (Word) becomes flesh, embodying God's self-revelation. Jeremiah consistently presents God as the initiating Speaker who breaks into human history with authoritative, irrevocable declarations.