Print Page Options Listen to Jeremiah 17

17 “Judah’s sin is engraved with an iron tool,(A)
    inscribed with a flint point,
on the tablets of their hearts(B)
    and on the horns(C) of their altars.
Even their children remember
    their altars and Asherah poles[a](D)
beside the spreading trees
    and on the high hills.(E)
My mountain in the land
    and your[b] wealth and all your treasures
I will give away as plunder,(F)
    together with your high places,(G)
    because of sin throughout your country.(H)
Through your own fault you will lose
    the inheritance(I) I gave you.
I will enslave you to your enemies(J)
    in a land(K) you do not know,
for you have kindled my anger,
    and it will burn(L) forever.”

This is what the Lord says:

“Cursed is the one who trusts in man,(M)
    who draws strength from mere flesh
    and whose heart turns away from the Lord.(N)
That person will be like a bush in the wastelands;
    they will not see prosperity when it comes.
They will dwell in the parched places(O) of the desert,
    in a salt(P) land where no one lives.

“But blessed(Q) is the one who trusts(R) in the Lord,
    whose confidence is in him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water
    that sends out its roots by the stream.(S)
It does not fear when heat comes;
    its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought(T)
    and never fails to bear fruit.”(U)

The heart(V) is deceitful above all things
    and beyond cure.
    Who can understand it?

10 “I the Lord search the heart(W)
    and examine the mind,(X)
to reward(Y) each person according to their conduct,
    according to what their deeds deserve.”(Z)

11 Like a partridge that hatches eggs it did not lay
    are those who gain riches by unjust means.
When their lives are half gone, their riches will desert them,
    and in the end they will prove to be fools.(AA)

12 A glorious throne,(AB) exalted from the beginning,
    is the place of our sanctuary.
13 Lord, you are the hope(AC) of Israel;
    all who forsake(AD) you will be put to shame.
Those who turn away from you will be written in the dust(AE)
    because they have forsaken the Lord,
    the spring of living water.(AF)

14 Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed;(AG)
    save(AH) me and I will be saved,
    for you are the one I praise.(AI)
15 They keep saying to me,
    “Where is the word of the Lord?
    Let it now be fulfilled!”(AJ)
16 I have not run away from being your shepherd;
    you know I have not desired the day of despair.
    What passes my lips(AK) is open before you.
17 Do not be a terror(AL) to me;
    you are my refuge(AM) in the day of disaster.(AN)
18 Let my persecutors be put to shame,
    but keep me from shame;
let them be terrified,
    but keep me from terror.
Bring on them the day of disaster;
    destroy them with double destruction.(AO)

Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy

19 This is what the Lord said to me: “Go and stand at the Gate of the People,[c] through which the kings of Judah go in and out; stand also at all the other gates of Jerusalem.(AP) 20 Say to them, ‘Hear the word of the Lord, you kings of Judah and all people of Judah and everyone living in Jerusalem(AQ) who come through these gates.(AR) 21 This is what the Lord says: Be careful not to carry a load on the Sabbath(AS) day or bring it through the gates of Jerusalem. 22 Do not bring a load out of your houses or do any work on the Sabbath, but keep the Sabbath day holy, as I commanded your ancestors.(AT) 23 Yet they did not listen or pay attention;(AU) they were stiff-necked(AV) and would not listen or respond to discipline.(AW) 24 But if you are careful to obey me, declares the Lord, and bring no load through the gates of this city on the Sabbath, but keep the Sabbath day holy(AX) by not doing any work on it, 25 then kings who sit on David’s throne(AY) will come through the gates of this city with their officials. They and their officials will come riding in chariots and on horses, accompanied by the men of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, and this city will be inhabited forever.(AZ) 26 People will come from the towns of Judah and the villages around Jerusalem, from the territory of Benjamin and the western foothills, from the hill country and the Negev,(BA) bringing burnt offerings and sacrifices, grain offerings and incense, and bringing thank offerings to the house of the Lord. 27 But if you do not obey(BB) me to keep the Sabbath(BC) day holy by not carrying any load as you come through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will kindle an unquenchable fire(BD) in the gates of Jerusalem that will consume her fortresses.’”(BE)

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 17:2 That is, wooden symbols of the goddess Asherah
  2. Jeremiah 17:3 Or hills / and the mountains of the land. / Your
  3. Jeremiah 17:19 Or Army

17 The chattat Yehudah is written with an et barzel (iron pen), and with the tzipporen shamir (point of a diamond); it is engraved upon the luach (tablet) of their lev, and upon the karenot (horns) of your mizbechot (altars);

Whilst their banim remember their mizbechot and their asherim by the leafy trees upon the high hills.

O My mountain in the sadeh, I will give over thy wealth and all thy otzerot (treasures) as plunder, and thy high places for sin, throughout all thy territories.

And thou, even thyself, shalt let go of thine nachalah that I gave thee; and I will cause thee to serve thine oyevim in ha’aretz which thou knowest not; for ye have kindled an eish in Mine anger, which shall burn ad-olam (forever).

Thus saith Hashem: Arur (cursed) be the gever that trusteth in adam, and maketh basar his zero’a, and whose lev turneth away from Hashem.

For he shall be like the shrub in the aravah (desert), and shall not see when tov cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the midbar, in an eretz melechah (salt land) and not inhabited.

Baruch hagever asher yivtach baHashem (Blessed is the man that trusteth in Hashem), and whose mivtach (confidence) Hashem is.

For he shall be as an etz planted by the mayim, and that spreadeth out her shorashim (roots) by the brook, and shall not fear when chom (heat) cometh, but its leaf shall be green; and shall not be anxious in the shenat batzoret (year of drought), neither shall cease from yielding p’ri (fruit).

The lev (heart, mind) akov (is deceitful) above all things, and anush (incurable [in wickedness]); who can know it?

10 I, Hashem, search the lev, I test the kelayot (kidneys, i.e., most inward parts), requiting to every ish according to his drakhim, and according to the p’ri of his deeds.

11 As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth osher (riches), and not by mishpat, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a naval (fool).

12 A glorious high kisse from the beginning is the place of Mikdasheinu (our Beis HaMikdash).

13 Hashem, the Mikveh Yisroel, all that forsake Thee shall be put to shame, and they that turn away from Me shall be written down in ha’aretz, because they have forsaken Hashem, the Makor Mayim Chayyim (Fountain of Living Waters).

14 Heal me, Hashem, and I shall be healed; hoshi’eini (save me), and I shall be saved; for Thou art my tehillah (praise).

15 Hinei, they say unto me, Where is the Devar Hashem? Let it come now.

16 As for me, I have not hastened away from being a ro’eh (shepherd) to follow Thee; neither did I lust for the woeful day; Thou knowest; that which came out of my lips was before Thee.

17 Be not a mechittah (terror) unto me; Thou art my refuge in the Yom Ra’ah (Day of Evil, Day of Disaster, Day of Doom).

18 Let them be ashamed that persecute me, but let not me be put to shame; let them be dismayed, but let not me be dismayed; bring upon them the Yom Ra’ah, and destroy them with mishneh (double) destruction.

19 Thus said Hashem unto me; Go and stand in the Sha’ar Bnei HaAm, whereby the melachim of Yehudah come in, and by the which they go out, and in all the Sha’arei Yerushalayim;

20 And say unto them, Hear ye the Devar Hashem, ye melachim of Yehudah, and all Yehudah, and all the inhabitants of Yerushalayim, that enter in by these she’arim (gates);

21 Thus saith Hashem: Be shomer over your nefashot, and bear no massa (burden) on Shabbos, nor bring through the Sha’arei Yerushalayim;

22 Neither carry forth a massa (burden) out of your batim (houses) on Shabbos, neither do ye any melachah (work), but keep Shabbos set apart as kodesh, just as I commanded Avoteichem.

23 But they obeyed not, neither inclined their ozen (ear), but made their stubborn neck stiff, that they might not hear, nor receive musar (discipline).

24 And it shall come to pass, if ye diligently pay heed unto Me, saith Hashem, to bring in no massa (burden) through the she’arim (gates) of this city on the day of Shabbos, but keep the day of Shabbos holy, to do no melachah (work) therein;

25 Then shall there enter into the she’arim (gates) of this city melachim and sarim sitting upon the kisse Dovid, riding in chariots and on susim, they, and their sarim, the Ish Yehudah, and the inhabitants of Yerushalayim; and this city shall be inhabited l’olam (forever).

26 And they shall come from the towns of Yehudah, and from the places around Yerushalayim, and from Eretz Binyamin, and from the Shephalah (Lowlands), and from the har (hill country), and from the Negev bringing olah (burnt offering), and zevach (sacrifice), and minchah (grain offering), and levonah (frankincense), and bringing todah (thank offering), unto the Bais Hashem.

27 But if ye will not pay heed unto Me to keep the day of Shabbos holy, and not to bear a massa (burden), when entering in at the She’arim of Yerushalayim on the day of Shabbos; then will I kindle an eish in the she’arim thereof, and it shall devour the fortresses of Yerushalayim, and it shall not be quenched.

Book name not found: jeremiah for the version: SBL Greek New Testament.

Judah’s Sin and Punishment

17 “The sin of Judah
    is inscribed with an iron chisel—
engraved with a diamond point on their stony hearts
    and on the corners of their altars.
Even their children go to worship
    at their pagan altars and Asherah poles,
beneath every green tree
    and on every high hill.
So I will hand over my holy mountain—
    along with all your wealth and treasures
    and your pagan shrines—
as plunder to your enemies,
    for sin runs rampant in your land.
The wonderful possession I have reserved for you
    will slip from your hands.
I will tell your enemies to take you
    as captives to a foreign land.
For my anger blazes like a fire
    that will burn forever.”

Wisdom from the Lord

This is what the Lord says:
“Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans,
    who rely on human strength
    and turn their hearts away from the Lord.
They are like stunted shrubs in the desert,
    with no hope for the future.
They will live in the barren wilderness,
    in an uninhabited salty land.

“But blessed are those who trust in the Lord
    and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.
They are like trees planted along a riverbank,
    with roots that reach deep into the water.
Such trees are not bothered by the heat
    or worried by long months of drought.
Their leaves stay green,
    and they never stop producing fruit.

“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things,
    and desperately wicked.
    Who really knows how bad it is?
10 But I, the Lord, search all hearts
    and examine secret motives.
I give all people their due rewards,
    according to what their actions deserve.”

Jeremiah’s Trust in the Lord

11 Like a partridge that hatches eggs she has not laid,
    so are those who get their wealth by unjust means.
At midlife they will lose their riches;
    in the end, they will become poor old fools.
12 But we worship at your throne—
    eternal, high, and glorious!
13 O Lord, the hope of Israel,
    all who turn away from you will be disgraced.
They will be buried in the dust of the earth,
    for they have abandoned the Lord, the fountain of living water.

14 O Lord, if you heal me, I will be truly healed;
    if you save me, I will be truly saved.
    My praises are for you alone!
15 People scoff at me and say,
“What is this ‘message from the Lord’ you talk about?
    Why don’t your predictions come true?”

16 Lord, I have not abandoned my job
    as a shepherd for your people.
I have not urged you to send disaster.
    You have heard everything I’ve said.
17 Lord, don’t terrorize me!
    You alone are my hope in the day of disaster.
18 Bring shame and dismay on all who persecute me,
    but don’t let me experience shame and dismay.
Bring a day of terror on them.
    Yes, bring double destruction upon them!

Observing the Sabbath

19 This is what the Lord said to me: “Go and stand in the gates of Jerusalem, first in the gate where the king goes in and out, and then in each of the other gates. 20 Say to all the people, ‘Listen to this message from the Lord, you kings of Judah and all you people of Judah and everyone living in Jerusalem. 21 This is what the Lord says: Listen to my warning! Stop carrying on your trade at Jerusalem’s gates on the Sabbath day. 22 Do not do your work on the Sabbath, but make it a holy day. I gave this command to your ancestors, 23 but they did not listen or obey. They stubbornly refused to pay attention or accept my discipline.

24 “‘But if you obey me, says the Lord, and do not carry on your trade at the gates or work on the Sabbath day, and if you keep it holy, 25 then kings and their officials will go in and out of these gates forever. There will always be a descendant of David sitting on the throne here in Jerusalem. Kings and their officials will always ride in and out among the people of Judah in chariots and on horses, and this city will remain forever. 26 And from all around Jerusalem, from the towns of Judah and Benjamin, from the western foothills[a] and the hill country and the Negev, the people will come with their burnt offerings and sacrifices. They will bring their grain offerings, frankincense, and thanksgiving offerings to the Lord’s Temple.

27 “‘But if you do not listen to me and refuse to keep the Sabbath holy, and if on the Sabbath day you bring loads of merchandise through the gates of Jerusalem just as on other days, then I will set fire to these gates. The fire will spread to the palaces, and no one will be able to put out the roaring flames.’”

Footnotes

  1. 17:26 Hebrew the Shephelah.

The Deceitful Heart

17 The (A)sin of Judah is written with an (B)iron stylus;
With a diamond point it is (C)engraved on the tablet of their hearts
And on the horns of [a]their altars,
As they remember their (D)children,
So they remember their altars and their [b](E)Asherim
By (F)green trees on the high hills.
(G)Mountain of Mine in the countryside,
I will (H)turn over your wealth and all your treasures as plunder,
Your high places for sin throughout your borders.
And you will, even of yourself, (I)let go of your inheritance
That I gave you;
And I will make you serve your (J)enemies
In the (K)land which you do not know;
For you have (L)kindled a fire in My anger
Which will burn forever.

This is what the Lord says:
(M)Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind
And makes (N)flesh his [c]strength,
And whose heart turns away from the Lord.
For he will be like a (O)bush in the desert,
And will not see when prosperity comes,
But will live in stony wastes in the wilderness,
A (P)land of salt that is not inhabited.
(Q)Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
And whose (R)trust is the Lord.
For he will be like a (S)tree planted by the water
That extends its roots by a stream,
And does not fear when the heat comes;
But its leaves will be green,
And it will not be anxious in a year of (T)drought,
Nor cease to yield fruit.

“The (U)heart is more (V)deceitful than all else
And is desperately (W)sick;
Who can understand it?
10 I, the Lord, (X)search the heart,
I test the [d]mind,
(Y)To give to each person according to his ways,
According to the [e]results of his deeds.
11 As a partridge that hatches eggs which it has not laid,
So is a person who (Z)makes a fortune, but unjustly;
In the middle of his days it will abandon him,
And in [f]the end he will be a (AA)fool.”

12 (AB)A glorious throne on high from the beginning
Is the place of our sanctuary.
13 Lord, the (AC)hope of Israel,
All who (AD)abandon You will be put to shame.
Those who turn [g]away on earth will be (AE)written down,
Because they have forsaken the fountain of living water, that is the Lord.
14 (AF)Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed;
(AG)Save me and I will be saved,
For You are my (AH)praise.
15 Look, they keep (AI)saying to me,
“Where is the word of the Lord?
Let it come now!”
16 But as for me, I have not hurried away from being a shepherd following after You,
Nor have I longed for the disastrous day;
(AJ)You Yourself know that the utterance of my lips
Was in Your presence.
17 Do not be a (AK)terror to me;
You are my (AL)refuge in a day of disaster.
18 Let those who persecute me be (AM)put to shame, but as for me, (AN)let me not be put to shame;
Let them be dismayed, but let me not be dismayed.
(AO)Bring on them a day of disaster,
And crush them with double destruction!

The Sabbath Must Be Kept

19 This is what the Lord said to me: “Go and stand at the [h]public gate, through which the kings of Judah come in and go out, as well as at all the gates of Jerusalem; 20 and say to them, ‘(AP)Listen to the word of the Lord, you (AQ)kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all inhabitants of Jerusalem who come in through these gates. 21 This is what the Lord says: “(AR)Take care for yourselves, and (AS)do not carry any [i]load on the Sabbath day or bring anything in through the gates of Jerusalem. 22 You shall not bring a load out of your houses on the Sabbath day (AT)nor do any work, but keep the Sabbath day holy, just as I (AU)commanded your [j]forefathers. 23 Yet they (AV)did not listen or incline their ears, but (AW)stiffened their necks so as not to listen or accept discipline.

24 “But it will come about, if you (AX)give your attention to Me,” declares the Lord, “to (AY)bring no load in through the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, (AZ)but to keep the Sabbath day holy by doing no work on it, 25 (BA)then there will come in through the gates of this city kings and officials (BB)sitting on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they and their officials, the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and this (BC)city will be inhabited forever. 26 They will come in from the (BD)cities of Judah and from the areas surrounding Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin, from the (BE)lowland, from the hill country, and from the (BF)Negev, bringing burnt offerings, sacrifices, grain offerings, and frankincense, and bringing sacrifices of thanksgiving to the house of the Lord. 27 But (BG)if you do not listen to Me, to keep the Sabbath day holy by not carrying a load and coming in through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then (BH)I will set fire to its gates, and it will (BI)devour the palaces of Jerusalem and (BJ)not go out.”’”

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 17:1 As in ancient versions; MT your
  2. Jeremiah 17:2 I.e., wooden symbols of a female deity (Asherah)
  3. Jeremiah 17:5 Lit arm
  4. Jeremiah 17:10 Lit kidneys
  5. Jeremiah 17:10 Lit fruit
  6. Jeremiah 17:11 Lit his
  7. Jeremiah 17:13 Lit away from Me
  8. Jeremiah 17:19 Lit gate of the sons of the people
  9. Jeremiah 17:21 Or burden
  10. Jeremiah 17:22 Lit fathers