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A Test Case: Keeping the Sabbath

19 The Lord told me, “Go, stand in the gate of the people,[a] where the kings of Judah come in and go out, and in the other gates of Jerusalem as well. 20 Say to them, ‘Kings of Judah, all Judah, and all the residents of Jerusalem entering these gates, hear this message from the Lord. 21 This is what the Lord says: “Be careful! On the Sabbath day, don’t carry any load or bring anything through the gates of Jerusalem. 22 Don’t bring any load out of your houses on the Sabbath day, nor are you to do any work. You are to consecrate[b] the Sabbath day, just as I commanded your ancestors. 23 But they didn’t listen, nor did they pay attention.[c] They were determined[d] not to listen and not to accept instruction.[e] 24 If you listen to me carefully,” declares the Lord, “and don’t bring a load through the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, and you consecrate the Sabbath day and don’t do any work on it, 25 then kings and princes, sitting on the throne of David will come through the gates of this city. They, their princes, the men of Judah, and the residents of Jerusalem will come riding in chariots and on horses, and this city will be inhabited forever. 26 They’ll come from the cities of Judah, from the places around Jerusalem, from the territory of Benjamin, from the Shephelah,[f] from the hill country, and from the Negev,[g] bringing burnt offerings, sacrifices, grain offerings, and incense, and bringing thanksgiving offerings to the Lord’s Temple. 27 But if you don’t listen to me, to consecrate the Sabbath day and not carry any load as you enter the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I’ll start a fire in its gates. It will consume the palaces of Jerusalem and won’t be extinguished.”’”

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 17:19 Lit. gate of the sons of the people
  2. Jeremiah 17:22 I.e. set it apart
  3. Jeremiah 17:23 Lit. incline the ear
  4. Jeremiah 17:23 Lit. stiffened their necks
  5. Jeremiah 17:23 Or discipline
  6. Jeremiah 17:26 I.e. the verdant central lowlands of Israel; cf. Josh 10:40
  7. Jeremiah 17:26 I.e. southern region of Israel; cf. Josh 10:40

The Sabbath Day

19 Thus said Yahweh to me, “Go, and you must stand in the People’s Gate[a] through which the kings of Judah enter, and through which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem. 20 And you must say to them, ‘Hear the word of Yahweh, kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem who enter through these gates. 21 Thus says Yahweh, “Be on your guard for the sake of yourselves, that you must not carry a burden on the day of the Sabbath, and you must not bring it[b] through the gates of Jerusalem. 22 And you must not carry a burden from your houses on the day of the Sabbath, and you must not do any work. But you must declare holy the day of Sabbath, just as I commanded your ancestors.[c] 23 Yet they did not listen, and they did not incline their ear, and they hardened their neck so as to not hear, nor to receive discipline.

24 “And it will happen, if you carefully listen to me,” declares[d] Yahweh, “to bring no burden through the gates of this city on the day of the Sabbath, but to declare holy the day of Sabbath, not to do on it any work, 25 then kings and officials who sit on the throne of David will enter through the gates of this city riding in chariots[e] and on horses, they, and their officials, the people of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and this city will be inhabited forever.[f] 26 And they will come from the towns of Judah, and from all around Jerusalem, and from the land of Benjamin, and from the Shephelah, and from the hill country, and from the Negev, bringing burnt offerings,[g] and sacrifices,[h] and grain offerings,[i] and frankincense, and bringing thank offerings[j] to the house of Yahweh. 27 But if you do not listen to me, to declare holy the day of the Sabbath, and to not carry a burden and enter through the gates of Jerusalem on the day of the Sabbath, then I will kindle a fire in its gates, and it will devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it will not be quenched.”’”

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 17:19 Literally “gate of the sons/children of the people”
  2. Jeremiah 17:21 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  3. Jeremiah 17:22 Or “fathers”
  4. Jeremiah 17:24 Literally “a declaration of”
  5. Jeremiah 17:25 Hebrew “chariot”
  6. Jeremiah 17:25 Literally “to eternity”
  7. Jeremiah 17:26 Hebrew “burnt offering”
  8. Jeremiah 17:26 Hebrew “sacrifice”
  9. Jeremiah 17:26 Hebrew “grain offering”
  10. Jeremiah 17:26 Hebrew “thank offering”