Jeremiah 17:20 meaning, Cross Ref, ai commentary KJV NIV ESV NLT

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 20 Cross References

Verse	Text	Reference
Exo 20:8	"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy."	Explicit command for Sabbath observance.
Exo 31:14-15	"You shall keep the Sabbath, to distinguish it: it is holy to you. ... Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall be put to death."	Consequence for Sabbath violation.
Isa 56:2, 4, 6	"Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath from profaning it... For thus says the LORD: 'To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths... who choose what pleases me... I will give in my house and within my walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.'"	Blessing for Sabbath observance.
Isa 58:13-14	"If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy day of the LORD honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking your own ([yet])... then you shall take delight in the LORD..."	Prosperity linked to Sabbath honor.
Neh 13:15-18	Describes Nehemiah confronting and punishing those working on the Sabbath in Jerusalem.	Historical example of enforcing Sabbath in Jerusalem.
Matt 12:1-8	Jesus' discourse on the Sabbath and the authority of the Son of Man over the Sabbath.	Jesus upholds the spirit of the Sabbath.
Luke 4:16	"And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read."	Jesus habitually observed the Sabbath.
Acts 16:13	"On the Sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer..."	Early Christians observed the Sabbath.
Jer 7:1-15	Jeremiah confronts the people for their iniquities at the Temple, warning of its destruction.	Context of Jeremiah's prophecy against Judah's disobedience.
Jer 22:1-5	Judgment on the house of David for unrighteousness.	General theme of obedience and consequences.

Jeremiah 17 verses

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

Jeremiah 17 20 Meaning

The verse emphasizes the Lord's command to Jeremiah to uphold and rigorously enforce the Sabbath commandment, specifically within the gates of Jerusalem. It signifies the importance of respecting the sanctity of the Sabbath for national well-being and divine favor. Disobedience would lead to destruction, illustrating the severe consequences of disregarding God's statutes.

Jeremiah 17 20 Context

Jeremiah 17 is part of a broader prophecy condemning the sins of Judah, particularly their deep-seated idolatry and unfaithfulness to God. The chapter begins with a stark pronouncement on Judah's sin, written "with a pen of iron" and "with a point of diamond" on their hearts (Jer 17:1). This signifies the indelible nature of their sin. Following this, Jeremiah contrasts the cursed life of one who trusts in man with the blessed life of one who trusts in the LORD (Jer 17:5-8). He then exposes the deceitfulness and sickness of the human heart (Jer 17:9-10).

Verse 17:19-20 specifically follows Jeremiah's prophetic commission to stand in the "Gate of the LORD's House" to announce the impending doom for Judah if they do not cease their evil deeds. The instruction to guard the Sabbath at the gates of Jerusalem is a crucial element in this message, linking national obedience to divine protection and emphasizing the societal implications of respecting God's laws. This was a direct challenge to the prevalent disregard for the Sabbath, which was a symptom of their general apostasy. The failure to observe the Sabbath was a manifestation of their turning away from the LORD and pursuing their own desires, which they were doing on a national scale.

Jeremiah 17 20 Word Analysis

Thus (כֹּ֣ה - ko) - Thus, so, in this way. Indicates the following statement is a direct instruction or decree.
says (אָמַ֥ר - amar) - says, speaks, tells. The divine pronouncement.
the LORD (יְהוָ֥ה - Yahweh) - The covenant name of God, emphasizing His personal relationship and authority over Israel.
Go (הִנֵּ֤ה - hinneh) - Behold, look, see. An attention-grabbing particle.
stand (עָמַ֣ד - amad) - stand, station oneself. Implies a firm, resolute position.
in (בְּ - be) - in, at, by. Preposition indicating location.
the Gate (שַׁ֨עַר - sha'ar) - gate, entrance. A significant place for public assembly and pronouncements.
of (שֶׂ֔מֶךְ - samek) - Not found in original Hebrew for this verse. There is no Hebrew word "semekh" here. The structure is "the Gate of the King" and "the Gates of the LORD".
the LORD's (יְהוָ֖ה - Yahweh) - Possessive case, referring to the gate belonging to the LORD.
House (בֵּית֙ - beith) - house, temple. Refers to the Temple in Jerusalem.
and (וְ - we) - and. Conjunction.
in (בְּ־ - be-) - in, at, by. Preposition indicating location.
the Gate (שַׁ֥עַר - sha'ar) - gate, entrance.
of (־אֶ֙שֶׁר֙ - asher) - who, which, that. Relative pronoun. The gate "which."
Judah (יְהוּדָ֑ה - Yehudah) - Judah, the southern kingdom, referring to the people and their city.
and (וּבְ־ - uve-) - and in.
in (בְּ־ - be-) - in, at, by.
all (כָּל־ - kol-) - all, every.
the Gates (שַׁעֲרֵ֣י - sha'arei) - gates (plural).
of (־קֹ֔דֶשׁ - qodesh) - holy, sacred. Indicating the gates associated with the holy city.
Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם - Yerushalayim) - Jerusalem, the capital city and religious center.
proclaim (קְרָא־ - qera-) - proclaim, cry out, call. A strong imperative to announce publicly.
therein (בָּ֔הּ - bah) - therein, in it. Referring back to Jerusalem and its gates.
this (זֶ֤ה - zeh) - this.
word (דָּבָ֛ר - davar) - word, thing, matter, speech. The message being delivered.
and (וְאָמַרְתָּ֤ - ve'amarta) - and you shall say. The directive for Jeremiah to speak the message.
Hear (שְׁמַ֣עוּ - shəma'u) - hear, listen. An imperative calling for attention.
the word (אֶת־דְּבַ֣ר - et-davar) - the word.
of (יְהוָ֔ה - Yahweh) - of the LORD.
O Kings (מַלְכֵ֣י - malchei) - kings (plural). Directly addressing the leadership.
of (יְהוּדָ֔ה - Yehudah) - of Judah.
and (וְ־ - we-) - and.
of (עַל־כָּל־ - al-kol-) - over all.
all (כָּל־ - kol-) - all.
those (יוֹשְׁבֵ֥י - yoshevei) - inhabitants, dwellers.
in (בְּ־ - be-) - in.
Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם - Yerushalayim) - Jerusalem.
by (בְּ־ - be-) - by, through.
all (בְּכָל־ - bechol-) - through all, by all.
its (שְׁעָרֶ֑יהָ - shə'areha) - its gates.
Hear (שְׁמָעוּ - Shəma'u) - hear, listen. Another imperative, emphasizing reception of the message.
the word (דְּבַר־ - davar-) - word.
of (יְהוָ֑ה - Yahweh) - of the LORD.

Group of words analysis:

"Go, stand in the gate of the LORD's House": This is a direct command to enter the public square of religious and national life, the very place associated with God’s presence and authority. It sets the stage for a message with grave national importance.
"and proclaim there this word": The "word" is not just any message, but the specific message God is giving Jeremiah to speak, signifying its divine origin and authority.
"Hear, O Kings of Judah, and all inhabitants of Jerusalem!": This is a direct address to the entire leadership and populace, underscoring the comprehensive nature of the sin and the forthcoming judgment. It signifies that the violation of the Sabbath impacts all levels of society.
"Hear the word of the LORD": This phrase is repeated, doubling the emphasis on the importance and source of the message. It's a call to divine attention and obedience.
"proclaim therein this word and say, Hear...": The structure links the act of proclamation to the content of the hearing. Jeremiah must announce that others must hear.

Jeremiah 17 20 Bonus Section

The call to stand "in the gate of the LORD's House" and also in "all the gates of Jerusalem" is significant. The gates of Jerusalem were crucial points of commerce, justice, and social interaction. Proclaiming a message here meant it would be heard by those engaged in the very activities that should cease on the Sabbath. This was a polemic against the prevailing casual attitude toward the Sabbath, where trading and personal business likely continued unchecked within the city's main thoroughfares and portals. The prophets often used places of worship or public gathering to issue God's decrees. This instruction demonstrates that adherence to the Sabbath was seen as a fundamental marker of covenant faithfulness for the entire nation.

Jeremiah 17 20 Commentary

Jeremiah is commanded to deliver a public and authoritative message concerning the observance of the Sabbath day, specifically at the entrances of Jerusalem, including the prominent Gate of the LORD's House. This directive underscores that the sanctity of the Sabbath was not merely a private religious observance but a matter of national importance and public conduct. The kings and people of Judah are explicitly called to listen to God's word, highlighting their responsibility to uphold His laws. The repetition of "Hear the word of the LORD" emphasizes the gravity of the message and the divine authority behind it. The instruction serves as a stark warning, tying national covenant faithfulness and prosperity directly to obedience in this foundational commandment. The failure to heed this message and to sanctify the Sabbath would directly lead to the devastation that God would bring upon their city. This highlights that disrespect for God's holy times is an act of disrespect towards God Himself, with severe covenantal consequences.