Jeremiah 17:24 kjv
And it shall come to pass, if ye diligently hearken unto me, saith the LORD, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but hallow the sabbath day, to do no work therein;
Jeremiah 17:24 nkjv
"And it shall be, if you heed Me carefully," says the LORD, "to bring no burden through the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, but hallow the Sabbath day, to do no work in it,
Jeremiah 17:24 niv
But if you are careful to obey me, declares the LORD, and bring no load through the gates of this city on the Sabbath, but keep the Sabbath day holy by not doing any work on it,
Jeremiah 17:24 esv
"'But if you listen to me, declares the LORD, and bring in no burden by the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, but keep the Sabbath day holy and do no work on it,
Jeremiah 17:24 nlt
"'But if you obey me, says the LORD, and do not carry on your trade at the gates or work on the Sabbath day, and if you keep it holy,
Jeremiah 17 24 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 20:8-11 | "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work..." | Foundational command for Sabbath observance |
| Deut 5:12-15 | "Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy... Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt..." | Sabbath rest as a memorial of deliverance |
| Exod 31:13-17 | "It is a sign between me and you throughout your generations..." | Sabbath as an eternal covenant sign |
| Num 15:32-36 | An Israelite punished for gathering sticks on the Sabbath, demonstrating severity. | The gravity of profaning the Sabbath |
| Neh 13:15-22 | Nehemiah confronted those profaning the Sabbath by commercial activities at the gates. | Direct post-exilic parallel to Jeremiah's concern |
| Isa 58:13-14 | "If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath... call the Sabbath a delight... then you shall take delight in the Lord." | Blessings linked to honoring the Sabbath |
| Ezek 20:12-24 | God recounts Israel's repeated profanation of His Sabbaths as a reason for judgment and exile. | Sabbath breaking as a major cause for judgment |
| Hos 2:11 | "I will put an end to all her mirth, her feasts, her new moons, her Sabbaths, and all her appointed feasts." | Judgment includes removal of sacred times |
| Isa 56:2, 6-7 | Blessings for keeping the Sabbath, extending to foreigners joining God's covenant. | Universal appeal and blessing for Sabbath-keepers |
| Lev 23:3 | "Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation." | Defines Sabbath as holy time for assembly |
| Jer 17:21 | "Take care for the sake of your lives, and do not carry a burden on the Sabbath day..." | Immediate preceding command in Jeremiah |
| Jer 17:27 | "But if you will not listen to me to keep the Sabbath day holy... I will kindle a fire in its gates..." | The dire consequences of Sabbath disobedience |
| Mk 2:27-28 | "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath." | Jesus' teaching on the purpose of Sabbath |
| Lk 6:1-5 | Jesus allows disciples to pick grain on the Sabbath, prioritizing human need. | Mercy and necessity override rigid interpretations |
| Heb 4:9-11 | "So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God..." | Spiritual, eschatological rest for believers |
| Matt 12:1-13 | Jesus heals on the Sabbath, affirming it is lawful to do good on this day. | Principle of good works and mercy on the Sabbath |
| Rom 14:5-6 | "One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike." | Diversity in observance of days under the New Covenant |
| Col 2:16-17 | "Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath." | Sabbath regulations as a shadow pointing to Christ |
| Acts 20:7 | "On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread..." | Early Christian practice of gathering on the first day |
| Rev 1:10 | "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day..." | New Testament reference to "the Lord's Day" |
| Neh 10:31 | The people's covenant pledge not to buy or sell on the Sabbath. | Covenant renewal after exile including Sabbath |
| Isa 1:13 | God rejects Israel's defiled Sabbaths, linking them to hypocrisy. | Rejected rituals when heart is not right |
Jeremiah 17 verses
Jeremiah 17 24 Meaning
Jeremiah 17:24 is a pivotal command within a larger oracle on the Sabbath, outlining a divine conditional offer for the people of Judah. It calls for diligent obedience to the Lord by prohibiting the transport of commercial goods through Jerusalem's city gates on the Sabbath day. Instead, the command is to actively consecrate the Sabbath, setting it apart as holy, and refraining from all ordinary labor, thereby dedicating it entirely to the Lord. This act of national obedience to God's covenant stipulation was presented as the path to avert judgment and secure national stability and blessing.
Jeremiah 17 24 Context
Jeremiah 17:24 is part of a direct prophetic address by Jeremiah concerning Jerusalem's fidelity to God's covenant, particularly regarding the Sabbath (Jer 17:19-27). This oracle is specifically delivered at the "gates of the children of the people" (v. 19), underscoring its public and national importance. Chapter 17 as a whole contrasts Judah's deep-seated idolatry and reliance on human strength (v. 1-11) with the blessing of trusting the Lord (v. 7-8). The immediate context of verses 19-27 warns that while God remains Jerusalem's only hope (v. 12-13), their fate hangs on their corporate obedience to the Sabbath command. During Jeremiah's ministry (late 7th to early 6th century BCE), Judah was teetering on the brink of Babylonian invasion and exile, largely due to systemic disobedience, including a disregard for the Sabbath, transforming it from a holy day into a common market day.
Jeremiah 17 24 Word analysis
- But if you diligently obey me: The Hebrew construction וְהָיָה אִם-שָׁמוֹעַ תִּשְׁמְעוּ אֵלַי (v'hayah im-shamoa' tishma'u eilay) uses the infinitive absolute with the imperfect verb ("hearing you will hear"). This intensifies the meaning, emphasizing a crucial, determined, and continuous act of listening and adhering. It's a call to genuine, heartfelt submission to God's instructions.
- declares the Lord: (נְאֻם-יְהוָה, ne'um-YHWH). A common prophetic formula that authenticates the message as coming directly from Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel. It emphasizes divine authority and the binding nature of the command.
- to bring no burden: (לְבִלְתִּי הָבִיא מַשָּׂא, l'bilti havi massa). "Massa" (מַשָּׂא) means a load, burden, or cargo. In context, it primarily refers to goods transported for trade or commercial activity, not personal, essential items. This highlights the profaning of the Sabbath for economic gain.
- through the gates: The city gates were crucial points for trade, justice, public announcements, and social interaction. Forbidding commercial traffic specifically at the gates meant directly confronting the most public and prevalent form of Sabbath desecration.
- of this city: Refers specifically to Jerusalem, the capital and religious center of Judah. The spiritual health of Jerusalem profoundly impacted the nation.
- on the Sabbath day: (בְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת, b'yom haShabbat). Explicitly names the weekly holy day. The Mosaic Law designates this day for cessation of ordinary labor and for spiritual devotion.
- but keep the Sabbath day holy: (וְקִדַּשְׁתֶּם אֶת-יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת, v'kidashtem et-yom haShabbat). From the Hebrew verb קָדַשׁ (qadash), meaning to set apart, consecrate, or make holy. This is a positive command. It means treating the day as sacred, distinct from other days, devoted to God.
- and do no work on it: (וְלֹא תַּעֲשׂוּ כָל-מְלָאכָה, v'lo ta'asu chol-m'lakha). "M'lakha" (מְלָאכָה) encompasses all usual labor, business, or craftsmanship. This negative command clarifies the practical aspect of "keeping it holy" – cessation from secular pursuits to focus on the sacred.
- diligently obey me... bring no burden... but keep... holy and do no work: This grouping shows a negative prohibition followed by a positive command. The intensive "diligently obey" sets the tone for specific actions: refrain from defiling acts (carrying burdens) and engage in sanctifying acts (keeping it holy by ceasing work). This dual aspect emphasizes both abstinence from profanation and active consecration.
- no burden through the gates of this city on the Sabbath day: This phrase pinpoints the precise act of transgression—commercial activity disrupting the sacredness of the city's public space on the appointed day of rest. It shows a disregard for God's presence and laws within the very heart of the covenant community.
- keep the Sabbath day holy and do no work on it: This pair underscores the purpose of Sabbath: not merely inactivity, but consecrated activity. It signifies a turning from personal gain or worldly pursuits towards recognizing God's sovereignty over time and life.
Jeremiah 17 24 Bonus section
This command in Jeremiah holds significant implications for understanding the relationship between outward observance and inward heart. The emphasis on the "gates" (public spaces of commerce) reveals that Sabbath breaking was not merely a private sin but a national, communal desecration visible to all, thereby eroding Judah's distinct identity as God's people. Jeremiah's message here is directly relevant to the themes of Israel's election, the purpose of the law, and the conditional nature of the Old Covenant. While the specific legal injunctions for Sabbath observance fall under the Mosaic Law, the underlying principle of honoring God with designated time, resting from worldly anxieties, and seeking spiritual nourishment resonates deeply even in the New Testament concept of spiritual rest and "the Lord's Day." This historical prophetic utterance thus connects the physical Sabbath rest with a deeper, internal posture of trust in God's provision.
Jeremiah 17 24 Commentary
Jeremiah 17:24 offers Judah a lifeline amidst its escalating disobedience. It distills the comprehensive Sabbath command into specific, actionable steps primarily focused on refraining from commercial activity at Jerusalem's gates. The prophet underscores that the Sabbath was not just a religious ritual but a public demonstration of a nation's loyalty to God. Its violation at the city gates symbolized a systemic spiritual sickness where economic gain eclipsed divine law. The call to "diligently obey" stresses that mere outward compliance was insufficient; it demanded a sincere heart of obedience. This instruction wasn't merely about abstaining from work but about actively sanctifying the day, setting it apart as sacred time, acknowledging God's dominion over all life. It challenged Judah to choose between temporal prosperity (through breaking the Sabbath) and eternal covenant blessings. Its failure to heed this warning led directly to the predicted national calamity (Jer 17:27) and ultimately the Babylonian exile, a stark reminder that national blessing is intertwined with corporate faithfulness to God's clear commands.