Jeremiah 17 4

Jeremiah 17:4 kjv

And thou, even thyself, shalt discontinue from thine heritage that I gave thee; and I will cause thee to serve thine enemies in the land which thou knowest not: for ye have kindled a fire in mine anger, which shall burn for ever.

Jeremiah 17:4 nkjv

And you, even yourself, Shall let go of your heritage which I gave you; And I will cause you to serve your enemies In the land which you do not know; For you have kindled a fire in My anger which shall burn forever."

Jeremiah 17:4 niv

Through your own fault you will lose the inheritance I gave you. I will enslave you to your enemies in a land you do not know, for you have kindled my anger, and it will burn forever."

Jeremiah 17:4 esv

You shall loosen your hand from your heritage that I gave to you, and I will make you serve your enemies in a land that you do not know, for in my anger a fire is kindled that shall burn forever."

Jeremiah 17:4 nlt

The wonderful possession I have reserved for you
will slip from your hands.
I will tell your enemies to take you
as captives to a foreign land.
For my anger blazes like a fire
that will burn forever."

Jeremiah 17 verses

Jeremiah 17 4 Meaning

You shall utterly fail, your sown seeds benefiting another man. This signifies a complete and irreversible loss of possessions and inheritance, where one's labor is for naught, ultimately enjoyed by an outsider due to divine judgment.

Jeremiah 17 4 Context

Jeremiah 17 is situated within the broader context of Jeremiah's ministry, a period marked by the impending Babylonian conquest of Judah. The prophet confronts the deep-seated idolatry and moral corruption of Judah, which has alienated them from God. This chapter specifically addresses the unrepentant sinfulness of the people, particularly the leaders and populace who outwardly profess to follow the Lord while their hearts remain distant. God declares that due to their persistent sin and abandonment of His covenant, Judah will face severe judgment, leading to the loss of their land and prosperity, with their achievements and bounty falling into the hands of their enemies.

Jeremiah 17 4 Word Analysis

• And (וְ - ve): A conjunctive particle, linking the preceding declaration of God's anger with the following consequence.
• you (אַתָּה - attah): Second person masculine singular pronoun, directly addressing the people of Judah.
• have utterly failed (נָחַלְתָּ—עַד—חֵפֶץ - nachalta--ad--chephetz): This combination expresses a complete and thorough loss or failure to inherit. "Nachal" (נָחַל) means to inherit or possess, but here in conjunction with "ad" (עַד - to, until, exceedingly) and implying a negative outcome, it conveys dispossession. "Chephetz" (חֵפֶץ) can mean delight or desire, but in a negative construction, it points to something desired that will not be obtained. It speaks of a loss so profound that it negates all desire and effort to secure what was meant to be theirs. This emphasizes a complete failing in obtaining or retaining what God had allotted.
• in (בְּ - be): Preposition indicating the sphere or circumstance of the failure.
• your (קֶרֶב - qerev): Possessive pronoun, relating the failure to the innermost being or the midst of the people, signifying the thoroughness of the spiritual and material collapse originating from within.
• fields (שְׂדֹת - sedot): Plural of "sad" (שָׂדֶה), meaning field or land, representing their agricultural wealth and sustenance.
• And (וְ - ve): Conjunction linking the first part of the consequence to the second.
• your (שְׂדֹת — וּ — זֶרַע - sedot--u--zera): Again, the possessive pronoun relating to their sown seed.
• sown (זֶרַע - zera): Means seed, offspring, or sowing. Here, it refers to what they have planted, the fruit of their labor in agriculture.
• shall not benefit (לֹא — יֹאכַל — לְאַחֵר - lo--yochal--le'acher): A strong negative construction. "Lo" (לֹא) is a negation. "Yochal" (יֹאכַל) means to eat or consume. "Le'acher" (לְאַחֵר) means to another, or a different person. The phrase implies that the fruits of their planting will not be consumed by them, but by someone else. It denotes utter futility of their agricultural efforts, a complete reversal where their labor yields no personal benefit.
• another (זָר - zar): Means stranger, foreigner, or an outsider. This highlights that the produce will be enjoyed by those outside their community or lineage, signifying dispossession by foreign powers or oppressors.

Jeremiah 17 4 Bonus Section

This verse is part of a larger prophetic indictment of Judah's persistent apostasy. The use of "utterly failed" and the imagery of sown seed going to another resonate with earlier covenant curses found in Deuteronomy 28, particularly concerning the loss of land and produce in case of disobedience. This prediction foreshadows the actual historical events of the Babylonian conquest, where the land of Judah was devastated and its produce seized by the Chaldeans. The prophecy underscores God's justice and faithfulness to His covenant warnings; while judgment is severe, it is also a response to the people's own choices and rejection of divine provision. The loss of "sown seed" highlights not just agricultural failure but also the loss of generational blessings and future prospects that are meant to be passed on within the covenant community.

Jeremiah 17 4 Commentary

Jeremiah 17:4 is a stark declaration of divine judgment against Judah. It foretells a complete forfeiture of their land and its produce due to their ingrained sin and defiance of God's covenant. The phrase "utterly failed" signifies an irrevocable loss, where even the very seeds planted, representing hope and future sustenance, will not yield benefit to the sower but will be consumed by a stranger. This is a consequence of their spiritual adultery, their turning away from the Lord. The loss is not merely material; it signifies a total breakdown of their inheritance and covenantal promises due to their rebellion, aligning with the principles of sowing and reaping found throughout Scripture.