Jeremiah 17:16 kjv
As for me, I have not hastened from being a pastor to follow thee: neither have I desired the woeful day; thou knowest: that which came out of my lips was right before thee.
Jeremiah 17:16 nkjv
As for me, I have not hurried away from being a shepherd who follows You, Nor have I desired the woeful day; You know what came out of my lips; It was right there before You.
Jeremiah 17:16 niv
I have not run away from being your shepherd; you know I have not desired the day of despair. What passes my lips is open before you.
Jeremiah 17:16 esv
I have not run away from being your shepherd, nor have I desired the day of sickness. You know what came out of my lips; it was before your face.
Jeremiah 17:16 nlt
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.
Jeremiah 17 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Dt 18:18-19 | "I will raise up for them a prophet... and he shall speak to them all that I command him." | Prophet speaks only God's words. |
| Num 22:38 | "The word that God puts in my mouth, that I must speak." | Prophet bound by divine utterance. |
| Jer 1:7-8 | "Go to all whom I send you... For I am with you to deliver you." | God's commissioning despite fear. |
| Ezek 2:7 | "You shall speak my words to them, whether they hear or refuse to hear..." | Prophet's duty to declare God's message. |
| Jer 8:21-9:1 | "For the brokenness of the daughter of my people I am broken..." | Jeremiah's deep grief over judgment. |
| Lk 19:41-44 | "When he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it..." | Jesus' sorrow for impending judgment. |
| Hos 11:8 | "How can I give you up, O Ephraim? ... My heart is turned within me..." | God's compassionate grief for His people. |
| Ezek 34:2 | "Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves... you do not feed the sheep." | Contrast with false, self-serving shepherds. |
| Isa 40:11 | "He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms..." | Divine shepherd, model for prophetic role. |
| Jn 10:11 | "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." | Jesus as the ultimate faithful shepherd. |
| 1 Pet 5:2 | "Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight..." | Apostolic instruction for pastoral duty. |
| Jer 17:10 | "I the LORD search the heart and test the mind..." | God's intimate knowledge of human motives. |
| 1 Sam 16:7 | "...for the LORD looks on the heart." | God assesses inner motives, not outward appearance. |
| Ps 139:1-4 | "O LORD, you have searched me and known me! ... You discern my thoughts from afar." | God's omnipresent, all-knowing awareness. |
| Heb 4:13 | "no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed..." | God's absolute knowledge of everything. |
| Job 23:10 | "But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold." | Self-defense before God's discerning eye. |
| Ps 26:1-3 | "Vindicate me, O LORD... I have walked in your truth." | Plea for vindication based on integrity. |
| Lk 9:54-55 | "...Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down...? But he turned and rebuked them." | Rebuking desire for vengeful destruction. |
| Prov 24:17-18 | "Do not rejoice when your enemy falls... lest the LORD see it and be displeased." | Principle against gloating over adversity. |
| Jer 1:9-10 | "Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. See, I have set you..." | Divine source and power of prophetic word. |
| Isa 55:10-11 | "so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty..." | Assurance of God's word's effectiveness. |
| Amos 7:10-12 | Amaziah accuses Amos of conspiracy and prophesying against the king. | False accusations against true prophets. |
| Jer 20:7-8 | "O LORD, you have deceived me... for I cry out, 'Violence! Destruction!' | Jeremiah's deep distress and compulsion. |
Jeremiah 17 verses
Jeremiah 17 16 Meaning
Jeremiah, facing severe ridicule and disbelief from the people who doubt his prophecies of impending disaster, humbly declares his integrity and faithfulness directly to God. He asserts that he has never shirked his demanding prophetic duty, symbolized as being a shepherd after God, nor has he maliciously desired or rejoiced in the "woeful day" of judgment he foretells. He appeals to God's all-knowing presence, affirming that God Himself is the ultimate witness to the truthfulness, divine origin, and genuine sorrow behind every word he has uttered from his lips.
Jeremiah 17 16 Context
Jeremiah 17 is part of a larger section (chapters 11-20) detailing Jeremiah's personal struggles and laments amidst his prophetic ministry, often called "confessions." The chapter begins with Judah's incurable sinfulness and a declaration of their deserved punishment. Jeremiah transitions from God's pronouncements to a prayerful intercession and lament. In verse 15, he recounts the taunts of the people, who challenge his prophecies by asking, "Where is the word of the LORD? Let it come!" This verse (16) is Jeremiah's response and self-defense directly to God. It highlights the prophet's personal agony and the weighty responsibility of delivering unwelcome messages, contrasting his faithful, mournful burden with the mocking disbelief of those around him and the malicious intent of false prophets. He seeks divine vindication for his integrity.
Jeremiah 17 16 Word analysis
- As for me (וַאֲנִי, va'ani): The emphatic "I" or "But I" contrasts Jeremiah with the scoffers (v.15) or highlights his personal, individual stance before God, distinct from any others. It signals a shift to his personal experience and defense.
- I have not hastened away (לֹֽא־אַ֣צְתִּי, lo'-atzti): The Hebrew verb "atzti" (אֻץ, utz) implies not rushing, shrinking back, or departing quickly. It denotes an unwillingness to abandon or avoid a difficult task. Jeremiah did not seek to escape the burdensome role God placed on him.
- from being a shepherd (מֵרֹעֶ֔ה, mero'eh): The preposition 'from' (min) with 'ro'eh' (shepherd/pasturing) implies not departing from the activity or role of pastoring. It metaphorically represents his prophetic calling to guide and watch over God's people, even when that involves declaring hard truths, paralleling God's own shepherding and challenging corrupt leaders who failed as shepherds.
- after you (אַחֲרֶ֖יךָ, achareykha): This means "following after you, Lord." It indicates Jeremiah's submission to God's leadership in his shepherding role; he acts according to God's divine will and guidance.
- nor have I desired (לֹא־אִוִּיתִ֖י, lo'-ivitii): The verb "iviti" (אָוָה, avah) means to long for, crave, or desire. Jeremiah emphatically states he had no malicious desire or yearning for the disaster he announced.
- the woeful day (וְיֹ֥ום אָנ֛וּשׁ, veyom anush): The "woeful day" (literally "day of incurable sickness/grievousness") refers to the prophesied day of judgment, disaster, and destruction upon Judah. It highlights the severe and inescapable nature of the coming punishment.
- you know what went out of my lips (וְאַתָּה֙ יָדַ֔עְתָּ מוֹצָ֥א שְׂפָתַ֖י, ve'attah yadata motza sfatai): A direct appeal to God's omniscience. Jeremiah's integrity and the divine origin of his prophecies are affirmed, emphasizing that God, the ultimate judge, bears witness to his every word.
- it was before you (נֹ֥כַח פָּנֶֽיךָ׃ nokhach paneykha): "Before your face" or "in your presence" reiterates God's direct knowledge and confirms that Jeremiah's pronouncements were made in complete awareness of God, sourced from Him, and delivered without any secret ill intent.
Jeremiah 17 16 Bonus section
The metaphor of the prophet as a shepherd carries significant weight, aligning Jeremiah not with corrupt earthly kings or priests who exploited their flocks, but with the divine Shepherd (Psalm 23, Isa 40:11). This highlights the contrast between Jeremiah's sacrificial care for his people (even in announcing judgment) and the self-serving actions of Judah's leaders who neglected and scattered the flock (Jer 23:1-4, Ezek 34). Jeremiah's plea also reflects a common theme of righteous suffering found in the Psalms, where an individual seeks vindication from God against false accusers, emphasizing internal integrity over external appearances. This deep theological understanding provides strength to persevere in faithful ministry, even when misunderstood or reviled.
Jeremiah 17 16 Commentary
Jeremiah 17:16 stands as a powerful testament to a prophet's profound loyalty and personal suffering in delivering God's challenging word. It is a heartfelt defense against public scorn and internal despair, where Jeremiah articulates the dual burden of his calling: unwavering dedication to his "shepherd" duty (proclaiming God's word to His people, even if they were resistant sheep), and an absolute lack of malicious pleasure in the judgment he announced. His insistence that he did not "hasten away" signifies an unflinching resolve despite the overwhelming difficulty, loneliness, and rejection his prophetic role brought. He didn't avoid the suffering of the message or the personal cost. Furthermore, his strong denial of having "desired the woeful day" directly counters the common accusation against prophets that they gloated over future disasters, or perhaps even an internal temptation to be proven right. Instead, he speaks for a God who laments the necessity of judgment, echoing God's own heart. His final appeal, "you know what went out of my lips; it was before you," serves as both a plea for vindication and a declaration of ultimate truth: his words were not his own, but God's, spoken with purity of motive and sorrow in the presence of the Almighty Himself. It underpins the sincerity and divine authority of his otherwise unwelcome message, urging faith in the prophetic word despite its bitter taste.