What is the meaning of Jeremiah 22:27?

You

• The “you” is King Jehoiachin (also called Coniah) and, by extension, the royal line he represents (Jeremiah 22:24–25).

• God addresses him personally, underscoring individual accountability (2 Kings 24:15; Ezekiel 17:12).

• Though Jehoiachin was only eighteen when exiled, the Lord still holds him responsible for the nation’s rebellion, reminding us that position never cancels responsibility (Luke 12:48).

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will never return

• This is an irrevocable decree of judgment. Unlike earlier warnings that offered a path of repentance, this statement carries finality (Jeremiah 22:26).

• “Never” in this context is literal for Jehoiachin: he died in Babylon, though he enjoyed a measure of favor late in life (Jeremiah 52:31–34).

• The certainty of God’s word is highlighted—what He pronounces happens (Numbers 23:19; Isaiah 55:11).

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to the land

• “The land” is Judah, the covenant land God promised Abraham (Genesis 12:7).

• Losing the land signified broken fellowship, since the land was tied to God’s presence and blessing (Deuteronomy 28:63–64; Jeremiah 16:13).

• Exile fulfilled the covenant curses for persistent disobedience, proving God’s justice (Leviticus 26:33).

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for which you long

• Even hardened hearts still yearn for home; exile stirs that ache (Psalm 137:1–4).

• Longing alone cannot override judgment—only genuine repentance can bring restoration (Lamentations 5:21; Jeremiah 29:12–14).

• The verse highlights the tragedy of sin: it creates desires that can no longer be satisfied because the consequences are fixed (Galatians 6:7).

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summary

Jeremiah 22:27 is God’s firm declaration that King Jehoiachin, because of unrepentant sin, would die in Babylon and never set foot in Judah again. The verse demonstrates the personal nature of divine judgment, the unwavering certainty of God’s word, the covenant significance of the land, and the bittersweet reality that sinful choices can make even the deepest longings unreachable. While the nation would eventually return after seventy years (Jeremiah 29:10), this king would not—reminding us that God’s promises of restoration never nullify His righteous judgments on individual rebellion.