Jeremiah 17 1

Jeremiah 17:1 kjv

The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars;

Jeremiah 17:1 nkjv

"The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron; With the point of a diamond it is engraved On the tablet of their heart, And on the horns of your altars,

Jeremiah 17:1 niv

"Judah's sin is engraved with an iron tool, inscribed with a flint point, on the tablets of their hearts and on the horns of their altars.

Jeremiah 17:1 esv

"The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron; with a point of diamond it is engraved on the tablet of their heart, and on the horns of their altars,

Jeremiah 17:1 nlt

"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.

Jeremiah 17 verses

Jeremiah 17 1 Meaning

The sin of Judah is indelibly recorded. It is etched with the point of an iron pen, and with the tip of a diamond. This inscription is made upon the table of their heart and upon the horns of their altars. This signifies that their transgression is not merely a thought or a spoken word, but a deep-seated, ingrained, and prominent feature of their being and their worship. It is permanent, evident, and widely displayed, both in their innermost selves and in their outward religious practices.

Jeremiah 17 1 Context

Jeremiah 17:1 appears in a section of Jeremiah's prophecy (chapters 11-20) that is often referred to as the "Book of Woes" or a period of intense judgment and lamentation. This particular verse is part of a broader discourse where Jeremiah is proclaiming God's judgment against Judah for their unfaithfulness and idolatry. The surrounding verses highlight their persistent sin and rebellion, which are characterized as being deeply embedded and conspicuously displayed in their worship. This chapter continues to emphasize the inevitable consequences of their sin due to their idolatry and departure from God.

Jeremiah 17 1 Word Analysis

• "The sin": (Hebrew: חֵטְאָת - chet'ot) - refers to the offense against God, rebellion, moral failing, transgression. This singular form emphasizes the pervasive nature of sin within the nation.
• "of Judah": (Hebrew: יְהוּדָה - Yehudah) - refers to the southern kingdom of Israel, which is now experiencing God's judgment.
• "is written": (Hebrew: חַטִּישׁ - chatush) - This is a piel infinitive construct form of the root chatash which means "to engrave," "to write," or "to record." The use of the passive voice here indicates that God is the one doing the inscribing.
• "with a pen": (Hebrew: שֶׁ֣פֶר - shepher) - a writing instrument, often made of reed or metal.
• "of iron": (Hebrew: בַּרְזֶ֣ל - barzel) - signifies strength, permanence, hardness, and indelibility. This contrasts with softer materials.
• "with the point": (Hebrew: וּמַּרְחֵ֣שׁ - umarchēsh) - refers to the tip or stylus of the writing instrument, emphasizing the precise and deliberate nature of the inscription.
• "of diamond": (Hebrew: וּפִ֣י לַ֔יְחִיד - ufī la‘yakhīd) - The word 'diamond' (likely a more accurate interpretation is corundum or a very hard gem) emphasizes an even greater level of hardness and permanence, making the inscription absolutely unchangeable.
• "it is": (implied by context)
• "upon": (Hebrew: עַל־ - ‘al) - indicates the surface or place of inscription.
• "the table": (Hebrew: לֻח֣וֹת - luchot) - refers to writing tablets or perhaps even their innermost being, metaphorically referred to as a tablet. This could allude to the stone tablets of the Law.
• "of their heart": (Hebrew: לִבָּ֔ם - libam) - the seat of emotions, intellect, will, and inner life. This indicates that their sin is internal and deeply ingrained.
• "and": (Hebrew: וְ - ve) - conjunction.
• "upon": (Hebrew: עַל־ - ‘al) - indicates the surface or place of inscription.
• "the horns": (Hebrew: קַרְנ֖וֹת - qarnot) - refers to the projections or corners of their altars. This symbolizes prominent and conspicuous places of worship and sacrifice, indicating the public and deliberate nature of their idolatrous worship.
• "of their altars": (Hebrew: מִזְבְּח֣וֹתָם - mizbachotam) - the places where sacrifices were offered, a direct reference to their religious practice, which was defiled by idolatry.

Words-group analysis:

• "pen of iron with a point of diamond": This strong imagery highlights the permanence and severity of Judah's sin. Unlike ink that can be erased, this is engraved with an indestructible tool, signifying that their transgression is not easily removed or forgotten by God.
• "upon the table of their heart": This shows the sin has become a fundamental part of their identity and inner disposition. It's not a casual or external failing but has infiltrated their core being.
• "upon the horns of their altars": This points to the public and religious dimension of their sin. Their worship itself is marked by their corrupted practices, making their devotion to God hypocritical and their allegiance divided.

Jeremiah 17 1 Bonus Section

The imagery of engraving on tables, especially the mention of "table of their heart," evokes the commandments written on stone tablets given to Moses (Exodus 31:18). Jeremiah is suggesting that Judah's disobedience has effectively "rewritten" the divine covenant, replacing God's law with their own sinful patterns. This contrast with the prophetic promise of the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:33; Hebrews 8:10) is striking: God will write His law on their hearts through the New Covenant, signifying internal transformation and obedience. Jeremiah 17:1, however, depicts a different kind of inscription – a damning record of rebellion etched permanently into the very fabric of their being and their flawed religious system. The "horns of the altars" also specifically reference pagan practices that were often mixed with or substituted for true worship, marking those places with defilement.

Jeremiah 17 1 Commentary

Jeremiah 17:1 vividly describes the deep-seated and evident nature of Judah's sin. It's not an abstract or easily forgotten offense; it is as if it's permanently engraved. The instruments used – iron pen and diamond point – emphasize permanence and extreme hardness, implying that the sin is unalterable by human effort. The inscription on both "the table of their heart" and "the horns of their altars" reveals a comprehensive corruption. It signifies that their sin is internal, affecting their very core of being, and also external, manifesting itself prominently in their acts of worship. This dual inscription shows that their rebellion against God permeates both their innermost selves and their most public religious expressions. Their outwardly practiced worship is tainted and defined by their inner spiritual infidelity. God's knowledge and judgment of this sin are thus absolute and irremovable.