Jeremiah 35 15

Jeremiah 35:15 kjv

I have sent also unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, Return ye now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and go not after other gods to serve them, and ye shall dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers: but ye have not inclined your ear, nor hearkened unto me.

Jeremiah 35:15 nkjv

I have also sent to you all My servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, 'Turn now everyone from his evil way, amend your doings, and do not go after other gods to serve them; then you will dwell in the land which I have given you and your fathers.' But you have not inclined your ear, nor obeyed Me.

Jeremiah 35:15 niv

Again and again I sent all my servants the prophets to you. They said, "Each of you must turn from your wicked ways and reform your actions; do not follow other gods to serve them. Then you will live in the land I have given to you and your ancestors." But you have not paid attention or listened to me.

Jeremiah 35:15 esv

I have sent to you all my servants the prophets, sending them persistently, saying, 'Turn now every one of you from his evil way, and amend your deeds, and do not go after other gods to serve them, and then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to you and your fathers.' But you did not incline your ear or listen to me.

Jeremiah 35:15 nlt

Time after time I sent you prophets, who told you, "Turn from your wicked ways, and start doing things right. Stop worshiping other gods so that you might live in peace here in the land I have given to you and your ancestors." But you would not listen to me or obey me.

Jeremiah 35 verses

Jeremiah 35 15 meaning

Jeremiah 35:15 encapsulates God's lament over His people Judah's persistent disobedience. It details God's consistent and earnest efforts to call them to repentance through numerous prophets. The core message relayed by these prophets was a straightforward summons: to turn away from their evil ways, to amend their actions, and to cease worshiping other gods. This call was coupled with the promise that obedience would secure their continued dwelling in the land God had given to their ancestors. However, the verse concludes by highlighting Judah's stark failure: they neither paid heed to God's messages nor obeyed His commands.

Jeremiah 35 15 Context

Jeremiah 35 presents a striking object lesson designed by God for the people of Judah. Just before this verse, Jeremiah is commanded by the Lord to bring the Rechabites, a nomadic group known for their strict adherence to their ancestor Jonadab's commands, into the temple and offer them wine. The Rechabites, in stark contrast to the surrounding populace, steadfastly refuse, citing their ancestor's command not to drink wine, build houses, sow seeds, or plant vineyards, but to dwell in tents. God then uses their unwavering obedience to a human command as a mirror to Judah's glaring failure to obey the divine commands of the Almighty. This specific verse, Jeremiah 35:15, is God's direct accusation to Judah, highlighting His sustained, merciful efforts to warn and recall them to covenant faithfulness through generations of prophets, all of which they have wilfully ignored. It serves as a stark comparison, magnifying Judah's culpability in light of the Rechabites' steadfast loyalty to their tradition.

Jeremiah 35 15 Word analysis

• I have also sent to you all My servants the prophets:
  • Sent (Heb. שָׁלַח - shalach): Denotes a deliberate and authoritative commission, emphasizing God's direct involvement in calling His people back. It highlights the divine initiative.
  • My servants the prophets (Heb. עֲבָדַי הַנְּבִאִים - avadai hanevi'im): Emphasizes their direct allegiance and accountability to God. "All" underscores the continuous, collective, and extensive nature of God's outreach through numerous individuals over time. They were God's spokespersons, relaying His exact words.
• rising up early and sending them:
  • Rising up early (Heb. הַשְׁׁכִּים וְשָׁלֹחַ - hashkim v'shalach): This idiom powerfully conveys God's earnestness, diligence, and tireless commitment. It signifies His sustained, proactive, and unceasing effort, likening Him to a concerned master or father who wakes early to ensure the well-being and proper instruction of his household. It indicates divine patience and long-suffering.
• saying, 'Return now every one of you from his evil way, and amend your doings, and do not go after other gods to serve them;
  • Return (Heb. שׁוּב - shuv): A foundational term in prophetic literature, meaning to "turn back," "repent," or "revert" to God. It calls for a fundamental change in direction, a moral and spiritual redirection away from apostasy.
  • Evil way (Heb. דַרְכּוֹ הָרָעָה - darko hara'ah): Refers to sinful conduct, rebellious living, idolatrous practices, and disobedience to the Mosaic covenant. It encompasses both personal actions and collective national sin.
  • Amend your doings (Heb. הֵטִיבוּ מַעַלְלֵיכֶם - hetivu ma'alaleikhem): Translates literally as "make good your doings." This isn't merely ceasing evil but actively performing righteousness, demonstrating a tangible and visible change in behavior, reflecting genuine repentance.
  • Other gods (Heb. אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים - elohim acherim): A direct prohibition against idolatry, which was the core transgression violating the first and second commandments and a primary reason for God's judgment on Israel. It denotes false deities and practices associated with them.
  • To serve them (Heb. לְעָבְדָם - le'ovdam): To worship, dedicate oneself to, and submit to the authority of false gods. This highlights the explicit rejection of God's exclusive claim on their devotion.
• then you will dwell in the land which I have given to you and your fathers.'
  • Dwell in the land (Heb. וּשְׁבוּ עַל-הָאֲדָמָה - u'shvu al-ha'adamah): A conditional promise tied directly to covenant faithfulness, often seen in Deuteronomy. It signifies security, prosperity, and the fulfillment of God's covenant with Abraham. Continued residence was a direct blessing of obedience.
  • Given to you and your fathers: Reinforces God's proprietary rights and faithfulness to His ancestral promises. The land was an inheritance, but one whose retention depended on allegiance to the Giver.
• But you have not inclined your ear nor obeyed Me.
  • But (Heb. וְלֹא - v'lo): A stark adversative conjunction highlighting the painful contrast between God's diligent efforts and Israel's stubborn refusal.
  • Inclined your ear (Heb. הִטִּיתֶם אֶת-אׇזְנְכֶם - hittitem et-oznekhem): To turn one's ear to listen attentively, a metaphor for heeding and understanding. Its negation signifies wilful deafness, an unwillingness to receive or process the divine message. It represents the rejection of God's word on an intellectual and volitional level.
  • Obeyed Me (Heb. וַתִּשְׁמְעוּ לִי - vattishme'u li): To hear and act accordingly, demonstrating active submission to divine authority. This goes beyond mere listening to actual compliance and puts into practice the divine commands. Its negation shows practical rebellion.

Jeremiah 35 15 Bonus section

This verse stands as a powerful microcosm of the prophetic tradition in the Old Testament. Many scholars point to its structure—God's action (sending prophets), the divine message (call to repentance and covenant reaffirmation), and the people's response (disobedience)—as a common pattern throughout prophetic books, indicating a theological consistent narrative of divine longsuffering. The phrase "rising up early and sending them" appears eleven times in Jeremiah (e.g., Jer 7:13, 25; 11:7; 25:3, 4; 26:5; 29:19; 32:33; 35:14, 15; 44:4) emphasizing God's earnestness and relentless pursuit of His people, illustrating a deep theological truth about God's desire for reconciliation. The Rechabite story in chapter 35, preceding this verse, amplifies Judah's failure by presenting a less-privileged group showing greater loyalty to a human command than Judah displayed toward divine commands, serving as a legal and moral indictment.

Jeremiah 35 15 Commentary

Jeremiah 35:15 encapsulates God's poignant lament over His chosen people, revealing both His unwavering commitment and their consistent rebellion. It emphasizes the exhaustive measures God undertook to recall Judah to faithfulness, employing "all My servants the prophets" with persistent urgency, "rising up early" – a metaphor for divine eagerness and sustained effort. The consistent prophetic message was a three-fold call to genuine repentance: abandon evil conduct, rectify current actions, and forsake idolatry, thus honoring the exclusive worship of the One True God. This call came with an intrinsic covenant promise: obedience would ensure continued prosperity and dwelling in the ancestral land. Yet, despite generations of such pleas, Judah persistently failed, exhibiting both spiritual deafness ("not inclined your ear") and active rebellion ("nor obeyed Me"). The verse vividly illustrates God's divine pathos and the profound human tragedy of chosen rebellion in the face of persistent grace.