Jeremiah 17 20

Jeremiah 17:20 kjv

And say unto them, Hear ye the word of the LORD, ye kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that enter in by these gates:

Jeremiah 17:20 nkjv

and say to them, 'Hear the word of the LORD, you kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, who enter by these gates.

Jeremiah 17:20 niv

Say to them, 'Hear the word of the LORD, you kings of Judah and all people of Judah and everyone living in Jerusalem who come through these gates.

Jeremiah 17:20 esv

and say: 'Hear the word of the LORD, you kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, who enter by these gates.

Jeremiah 17:20 nlt

Say to all the people, 'Listen to this message from the LORD, you kings of Judah and all you people of Judah and everyone living in Jerusalem.

Jeremiah 17 verses

Jeremiah 17 20 Meaning

Jeremiah 17:20 delivers a divine mandate from the Lord, through the prophet Jeremiah, to specifically address the leaders ("kings") and all the people of Judah, with a particular focus on the residents of Jerusalem who are actively involved in the city's daily life, symbolized by their entry through its gates. This declaration calls for a serious heeding of God's word, which in the immediate subsequent verses, is centered on the solemn observance of the Sabbath as a sign of their covenant faithfulness. It underscores both the leadership's responsibility and the entire community's accountability before God.

Jeremiah 17 20 Context

Jeremiah chapter 17 is a stark reminder of humanity's inclination towards self-reliance ("cursed is the man who trusts in man," v.5) versus the blessing of trusting in God alone. Verses 1-18 cover the incurable sin of Judah etched on their hearts, the consequences of relying on human strength, and Jeremiah's personal prayer for vindication amidst suffering. Verse 19 begins a distinct prophetic message, delivered by Jeremiah at specific public locations: the gates of Jerusalem. This message, continuing to verse 27, is God's direct charge to the people and their leaders regarding the proper observance of the Sabbath. This specific setting at the gates underscores the public nature of both the transgression (commerce, transport through gates on Sabbath) and the call to repentance, making verse 20 the initial command to gather the attention of all responsible parties before laying out the Sabbath instruction and its accompanying promises or warnings. Historically, Judah was in a state of spiritual decline, facing imminent Babylonian threat, and often engaged in covenant-breaking acts, including the profaning of the Sabbath, a core sign of their covenant with Yahweh.

Jeremiah 17 20 Word analysis

• and say to them (וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵיהֶ֗ם - ve'amarta aleihem):
  • ve'amarta: From amar, "to say, speak, declare." Imperative, active voice. It is a direct command from God to Jeremiah, signifying divine authority. Jeremiah is merely God's mouthpiece, not offering his own opinion.
  • aleihem: "to them." Emphasizes the direct address to the specified audience.
• Hear (שִׁמְעוּ֙ - shim'u):
  • From shama, "to hear, listen, obey, understand." This is the quintessential Hebrew call to attention and obedience, often translated as "listen up and obey." It implies not just passive reception but active engagement and compliance. It is the root of "Shema," a foundational command in Judaism.
• the word of the Lord (דְּבַר־יְהוָ֔ה - devar-YHWH):
  • devar: "word, message, thing, matter." Emphasizes the divine origin and nature of the message; it is not Jeremiah's personal counsel but Yahweh's authoritative pronouncement.
  • YHWH: The sacred name of God, revealing His personal, covenantal relationship with Israel. Reinforces the divine and binding nature of the message.
• you kings of Judah (מַלְכֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֗ה - malchei Yehudah):
  • malchei: "kings." Addresses the political and spiritual leadership, holding them primarily responsible for guiding the nation in covenant faithfulness. This highlights their direct accountability for the nation's spiritual condition.
  • Yehudah: The southern kingdom, distinct from Israel (the northern kingdom, which had already fallen).
• and all Judah (וְכׇל־יְהוּדָה֙ - vechol Yehudah):
  • vechol: "and all." Broadens the scope beyond just the kings, including the entire populace, indicating collective responsibility and a call to national repentance. No one is exempt from hearing God's word.
• and all inhabitants of Jerusalem (וְכֹל֙ יֹשְׁבֵ֣י יְרוּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם - vechol yoshvei Yerushalayim):
  • yoshvei: "inhabitants, those who dwell." Specifically targeting the residents of the capital city.
  • Yerushalayim: Jerusalem, the political and religious heart of Judah, the location of the Temple. Its inhabitants had particular responsibility and privilege but also a greater potential for hypocrisy.
• who enter by these gates (הַבָּאִ֖ים בַּשְּׁעָרִ֥ים הָאֵֽלֶּה - habba'im bashsha'arim ha'elleh):
  • habba'im: "the ones who come, enter." A participle, indicating an ongoing action or status. These are the people actively moving in and out of the city.
  • bashsha'arim: "through the gates."
  • ha'elleh: "these."
  • Words-group Analysis: "who enter by these gates": This phrase is particularly significant. City gates were not merely entry points; they were the centers of public life: commerce, legal proceedings, social gatherings, and proclamation of decrees. By addressing those who "enter by these gates," God is targeting the specific activities of Sabbath profanation that occurred at the city's commercial hubs, as detailed in the verses immediately following (Jer 17:21-27) and echoed later in Nehemiah's reforms (Neh 13:19). It grounds the spiritual command in the everyday public life of the people and implies the collective failure visible at these public nexus points.

Jeremiah 17 20 Bonus section

The instruction to deliver this message "in the gates" is crucial. Gates, in ancient Near Eastern cities, represented more than just entry and exit points. They were the civic heart, the place where:

• Justice was administered (Deut 21:19, Amos 5:15).
• Commerce and trade flourished (2 Kgs 7:1, Neh 13:19).
• Public proclamations were made (Prov 1:21, Isa 29:21).
• Leaders sat and engaged in public life (Ruth 4:1-12, Ps 9:14).
• Strategic defense of the city occurred.By instructing Jeremiah to address "who enter by these gates," God targets the exact venue of the transgression against the Sabbath (e.g., carrying burdens, doing commerce) and asserts divine authority over every aspect of public life, demanding that economic activity and civil conduct align with His covenant laws. This also means that a failure to observe the Sabbath at the gates represented a public, visible rejection of their covenant God and an open invitation for His judgment.

Jeremiah 17 20 Commentary

Jeremiah 17:20 acts as a solemn prelude to a crucial message concerning covenant fidelity, specifically articulated through Sabbath observance. The Lord, through Jeremiah, commands an attentive hearing ("Hear!") from all levels of Judean society—from its governing "kings" down to "all Judah" and especially the "inhabitants of Jerusalem" whose daily public activities pass "by these gates." This comprehensive address underscores the principle that obedience to God's word, particularly regarding His established statutes like the Sabbath, is a collective responsibility affecting both national leadership and individual daily life. The direct proclamation at the city gates highlights the public and widespread nature of the people's disobedience and simultaneously calls for a public and comprehensive repentance, signifying that their very public square—their commerce and daily routine—was to be brought under God's law. Their future welfare, prosperity, and survival, as detailed in the verses that follow, were directly tied to their faithful adherence to this foundational sign of the covenant.