Jeremiah 11 7

Jeremiah 11:7 kjv

For I earnestly protested unto your fathers in the day that I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even unto this day, rising early and protesting, saying, Obey my voice.

Jeremiah 11:7 nkjv

For I earnestly exhorted your fathers in the day I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, until this day, rising early and exhorting, saying, "Obey My voice."

Jeremiah 11:7 niv

From the time I brought your ancestors up from Egypt until today, I warned them again and again, saying, "Obey me."

Jeremiah 11:7 esv

For I solemnly warned your fathers when I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, warning them persistently, even to this day, saying, Obey my voice.

Jeremiah 11:7 nlt

For I solemnly warned your ancestors when I brought them out of Egypt, "Obey me!" I have repeated this warning over and over to this day,

Jeremiah 11 verses

Jeremiah 11 7 Meaning

Jeremiah 11:7 proclaims God's consistent and persistent efforts to warn the generations of Israel. From the moment He delivered their ancestors out of Egyptian bondage, even up to Jeremiah's own time, God tirelessly admonished them. His core message, delivered with diligent earnestness, was a simple command: "Obey My voice." This verse highlights God's unwavering faithfulness to His covenant people, juxtaposed with their historical pattern of repeated disobedience.

Jeremiah 11 7 Context

Jeremiah 11 falls within the broader context of Jeremiah's prophetic ministry to the southern kingdom of Judah, primarily during the reigns of Josiah, Jehoiakim, and Zedekiah, leading up to the Babylonian exile. Chapter 11 specifically centers on the concept of the covenant (likely the Mosaic Covenant, reaffirmed by Josiah's reforms a few years prior to this prophecy). God reminds Judah of the blessings of obedience and the curses of disobedience outlined in the covenant, indicating that they have thoroughly broken it. The message is one of impending judgment because the people, despite being warned, persisted in idolatry and injustice. Jeremiah himself becomes an embodiment of God's persistent but rejected word. Verse 7 specifically looks back through Israel's history to establish a long-standing pattern of divine warning and human failure to respond, making Judah's current transgression not an isolated incident, but the culmination of centuries of rebellion.

Jeremiah 11 7 Word analysis

• For: (Hebrew: כִּי, kî) Introduces the reason or justification for the impending judgment and God's disappointment.
• I earnestly warned: (Hebrew: הַעֵד הַעִידוֹתִי, haʿēd heʿîdōṯî) This is a double infinitive absolute construction of the verb עֻד (ʿūḏ), meaning "to testify," "to warn," or "to admonish." The doubling intensifies the action, conveying an emphatic sense of "indeed warned," "solemnly warned," or "most earnestly warned." It underscores God's persistent and unwavering effort.
• your fathers: Refers collectively to the preceding generations of Israel, encompassing their entire national history from the Exodus to Jeremiah's contemporary audience. It highlights the generational pattern of their rebellion.
• in the day that I brought them up: Establishes the historical starting point for God's warnings—the moment of Israel's birth as a nation, redeemed from slavery. This act of redemption served as the foundation of the covenant and their relationship with God.
• out of the land of Egypt: Specifies the pivotal event of the Exodus, which defines Israel's identity and their initial commitment to the LORD. It's the point from which God's claim on them and His warnings began.
• even to this day: Stretches the timeframe across centuries, demonstrating the unbroken continuity and enduring patience of God's warnings right up to Jeremiah's prophetic era, emphasizing the current generation's culpability within a long history.
• rising early and warning them: (Hebrew: הַשְׁכֵּם וְהָעֵד, haškēm wəhāʿēḏ) This is a crucial phrase.
  • rising early (הַשְׁכֵּם, haškēm, from שָׁכַם šāḵam): An anthropomorphic expression. It means "to do something diligently," "to do something without delay," or "to begin early in the morning." Here, applied to God, it conveys His tireless initiative, earnestness, and relentless effort, akin to someone getting up before dawn to meticulously carry out an important task. It speaks of divine zeal and constant readiness to address His people.
  • and warning them: (וְהָעֵד, wəhāʿēḏ, from עֻד ʿūḏ) Reiterates the verb for warning, underscoring the consistent message accompanying God's persistent effort. This phrase depicts God as a diligent messenger, continuously and promptly delivering His message.
• saying: Introduces the content of the divine warning.
• ‘Obey My voice.’: (שְׁמַע בְּקוֹלִי, šĕmaʿ bĕqôlî) This is the essence of the covenant demand and the consistent message of God's warnings.
  • Obey: (שְׁמַע, šĕmaʿ, from שָׁמַע šāmaʿ) In Hebrew, šāmaʿ means not only "to hear" but also "to listen attentively" and "to obey." In this covenantal context, it specifically means active, faithful obedience rather than mere auditory perception.
  • My voice: Refers to God's divine commands, instructions, and covenant stipulations as conveyed through His Law, prophets, and providential guidance. It emphasizes His rightful authority and the direct, personal nature of His communication.

Jeremiah 11 7 Bonus section

The anthropomorphism of "rising early" for God speaks to His profound love and unwavering commitment. It suggests that even before the sun was up, metaphorically speaking, God was diligently preparing to address His people, tirelessly seeking their welfare and warning them away from destructive paths. This level of persistent care often goes unacknowledged by humanity. The recurring phrase "obey My voice" encapsulates the core spiritual requirement throughout the Old Covenant, representing the essence of walking in covenant relationship with God—active listening and responsive action to His revealed will, not merely intellectual assent.

Jeremiah 11 7 Commentary

Jeremiah 11:7 functions as a divine historical recap and lament, serving to justify the coming judgment by revealing the deep-seated, systemic disobedience of Israel. It portrays God as an intensely faithful, long-suffering Father who, from the very inception of their nation in the Exodus, tirelessly (as seen in "rising early") and repeatedly "earnestly warned" His children. The persistent message remained foundational to their identity: "Obey My voice." This was not an isolated command but the consistent thread throughout their history. The verse powerfully contrasts God's unfailing, proactive grace in communicating His will with the nation's consistent, unyielding failure to respond obediently, thus highlighting their inexcusable guilt and the tragic inevitability of the covenant curses now coming to fruition. It underscores that God's judgment is neither arbitrary nor sudden, but the just consequence of a prolonged, wilful rejection of His patient warnings and benevolent authority.