Jeremiah 1:17 kjv

Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them.

Jeremiah 1:17 nkjv

"Therefore prepare yourself and arise, And speak to them all that I command you. Do not be dismayed before their faces, Lest I dismay you before them.

Jeremiah 1:17 niv

"Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them.

Jeremiah 1:17 esv

But you, dress yourself for work; arise, and say to them everything that I command you. Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them.

Jeremiah 1:17 nlt

"Get up and prepare for action.
Go out and tell them everything I tell you to say.
Do not be afraid of them,
or I will make you look foolish in front of them.

Jeremiah 1 verses

Jeremiah 1 17 Meaning

Jeremiah 1:17 serves as a crucial command from the LORD to His prophet, Jeremiah, following his divine call. It charges Jeremiah with immediate and full preparation, unwavering resolve, and complete obedience in proclaiming God's messages to the challenging and often hostile nation. The verse emphasizes the necessity of courageous proclamation without fear of human opposition, warning of divine disfavor should Jeremiah yield to intimidation. It's a foundational mandate for prophetic ministry, highlighting absolute fidelity to God's word above all human considerations.

Jeremiah 1 17 Context

Jeremiah 1:17 immediately follows God's commissioning of Jeremiah (1:4-10) and the two prophetic visions (1:11-16) that outline the nature and imminence of judgment upon Judah. In the preceding verses, Jeremiah expresses his inadequacy and youthfulness, which God counters with assurances of His presence, empowerment, and divine words. The visions – the almond branch signifying watchfulness over His word and the boiling pot tilting from the North – establish the certainty of impending judgment from the Babylonian empire.

Verse 17 transitions from divine assurance to a direct, actionable command. It prepares Jeremiah for the challenging ministry revealed by the visions. The prophet is not only commissioned but also explicitly warned against the primary obstacle to faithful ministry: the fear of man. His audience (v. 18) includes kings, officials, priests, and the people of the land – precisely those whose rejection and opposition would prove most formidable. Historically, Judah at this time was in a state of religious decline, marked by widespread idolatry and social injustice, even under King Josiah's reforms. The later kings would resist God's word through Jeremiah, leading to the prophesied destruction. Jeremiah's mission would expose deep-seated sin and call for national repentance, a message universally unpopular, requiring extraordinary courage from the prophet.

Jeremiah 1 17 Word analysis

• וְאַתָּה (wə'attâ) - "But you": The initial "but" (Heb. waw) implies a strong contrast, shifting focus from God's revelations to Jeremiah's specific responsibility. The emphatic "you" directs the command squarely and personally to Jeremiah, emphasizing his unique and individual accountability.
• חֲגֹר מָתְנֶיךָ (ḥagor māṯneyḵā) - "dress yourself for work" / "gird up your loins": This is an ancient Hebrew idiom. ḥagor (gird up/bind on) and māṯneyḵā (your loins/waist). People in the ancient Near East wore long, flowing garments. To work or engage in vigorous activity (like running, fighting, or laborious tasks), they would tuck up their robes into their belts around their waists to allow for freedom of movement. It signifies readiness for arduous labor, mental and spiritual preparation, and decisive action without delay.
• קוּם (qûm) - "arise": An imperative verb, "stand up" or "get up." It denotes active engagement and a shift from passivity or hesitation to a stance of immediate obedience and action. It calls for purposeful initiation of the task.
• וְדַבֵּר אֲלֵיהֶם (wəḏabbēr 'ălêhem) - "and say to them": dabbēr means "speak" or "proclaim." It's an intensive verb, suggesting a forceful, clear, and comprehensive delivery. "To them" (kings, officials, priests, people, v. 18) identifies the influential and often resistant audience Jeremiah must confront.
• אֵת כֹּל אֲשֶׁר אֲצַוֶּךָּ ('ēt kol 'ăšer 'aṣawwêkāh) - "everything that I command you": This phrase highlights the absolute totality and non-negotiability of the divine message. Jeremiah is forbidden to edit, withhold, or add to God's words, irrespective of their unpopularity or personal cost. It underscores God's sovereignty over His message.
• אַל־תֵּחַת מִפְּנֵיהֶם ('al-tēḥat mippnêhem) - "Do not be dismayed by them": tēḥat comes from the root ḥātat (to be broken, shattered, terrified, disheartened, dismayed). The phrase is a strong prohibition against allowing the appearance or influence of his formidable human audience to cause fear, intimidation, or internal collapse in Jeremiah. It is a command against spiritual and emotional paralysis in the face of opposition.
• פֶּן־אֲחִתְּךָ לִפְנֵיהֶם (pen-'aḥitəḵā lifnêhem) - "lest I dismay you before them": This presents the dire consequence of disobedience rooted in fear. pen (lest, otherwise) introduces a warning of what God will do if Jeremiah fails. The same root ḥātat is used here, implying that if Jeremiah is dismayed by his opponents, God himself will cause Jeremiah to be dismayed/shattered in their presence, stripping him of divine support and exposing him to the very fear he succumbed to. It's a divine pledge to enforce accountability and underscores God's sovereignty.
• Words-group Analysis:
  • "But you, gird up your loins and arise and speak...": This cluster sets the immediate and urgent tone for Jeremiah's response to his call. It's an imperative for internal resolve (gird up loins) leading to external action (arise and speak). It combines mental readiness with physical movement and verbal proclamation.
  • "everything that I command you": This clause sets the stringent boundary of prophetic fidelity. The prophet is merely a messenger, a conduit, without authority to alter or censor the divine word. This commitment to 'everything' distinguishes a true prophet from false ones.
  • "Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them": This critical phrase encapsulates the essence of courage required. It presents a divine ultimatum: fear of man leads to a loss of divine backing, resulting in God allowing the very intimidation Jeremiah fears to consume him. This underscores that true strength in ministry comes solely from divine enablement and courage in obedience, not from personal bravery.

Jeremiah 1 17 Bonus section

The emphasis on Jeremiah's individual obedience and courage in Jeremiah 1:17 directly prefaces the "fortified city, iron pillar, and bronze wall" imagery of Jeremiah 1:18. This suggests that the internal fortitude (girding up, no dismay) is a prerequisite for God's external protection and empowerment for the prophet to withstand opposition. It teaches that while God promises protection, a prophet's role requires personal resolve against fear. The act of "girding up" also connects to the posture of vigilance and readiness seen in Exodus 12:11 for the Passover, implying a constant state of readiness for God's command. This verse can also be seen as a direct counter-polemic to the human inclination to seek popular approval or to adjust spiritual messages for social acceptance. God's message must be delivered completely and fearlessly.

Jeremiah 1 17 Commentary

Jeremiah 1:17 marks a pivotal moment in the prophet's call, moving from reassurance to resolute command. The mandate "gird up your loins; arise and say" vividly instructs Jeremiah to cast off hesitation and fully engage in the arduous task ahead. This ancient imagery evokes total preparedness—physical, mental, and spiritual—for battle or demanding labor. Jeremiah's mission would not be one of ease but of direct confrontation with a spiritually hardened nation.

The core of the instruction is the uncompromising charge to proclaim "everything that I command you." This is fundamental to faithful prophecy; the prophet is merely God's mouthpiece, without liberty to omit, dilute, or soften the divine word, regardless of its unpopularity. This full obedience is vital for maintaining the integrity and authority of God's message.

The stern warning, "Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them," reveals the central temptation Jeremiah would face: the fear of man. God directly connects Jeremiah's internal courage to God's ongoing support. If Jeremiah allows the opposition of kings, priests, and the populace to cause him to falter or to self-censor, God warns that He Himself will abandon Jeremiah to the very despair and humiliation he sought to avoid. This isn't divine pettiness but a critical principle of covenant partnership: God enables those who obey and withdraws support from those who, through fear, shrink from His commission. True power for ministry doesn't come from human bravery alone, but from courageous trust in God's backing and a resolve to obey His complete word. The verse establishes the foundational requirement for prophetic integrity: radical, fearless obedience born of faith in God's presence and power.