Jeremiah 6 10

Jeremiah 6:10 kjv

To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it.

Jeremiah 6:10 nkjv

To whom shall I speak and give warning, That they may hear? Indeed their ear is uncircumcised, And they cannot give heed. Behold, the word of the LORD is a reproach to them; They have no delight in it.

Jeremiah 6:10 niv

To whom can I speak and give warning? Who will listen to me? Their ears are closed so they cannot hear. The word of the LORD is offensive to them; they find no pleasure in it.

Jeremiah 6:10 esv

To whom shall I speak and give warning, that they may hear? Behold, their ears are uncircumcised, they cannot listen; behold, the word of the LORD is to them an object of scorn; they take no pleasure in it.

Jeremiah 6:10 nlt

To whom can I give warning?
Who will listen when I speak?
Their ears are closed,
and they cannot hear.
They scorn the word of the LORD.
They don't want to listen at all.

Jeremiah 6 verses

Jeremiah 6 10 Meaning

Jeremiah 6:10 expresses God's and the prophet Jeremiah's deep lament and frustration over Judah's pervasive spiritual insensitivity. Despite divine warnings, the people have become incapable of truly hearing or heeding God's word because their "ear is uncircumcised," signifying spiritual blockage and impurity. As a result, the very message of the Lord, meant for their instruction and salvation, is viewed by them with disdain and actively rejected, bringing them no joy or desire.

Jeremiah 6 10 Context

Jeremiah chapter 6 details God's imminent judgment on Judah, particularly Jerusalem, through a foreign invader from the north, implicitly Babylon. The city is portrayed as morally bankrupt, rife with violence, deceit, and covetousness (vv. 6-7). Both false prophets and priests offer shallow assurances of peace, preventing true repentance (vv. 13-14). In this atmosphere of widespread spiritual decay, Jeremiah's lament in verse 10 is deeply personal yet universally applicable, reflecting God's anguish. It stands as a rhetorical question expressing profound despair, not that there's no one to speak to, but that there's no one willing to listen and be warned. This inability to hear and the disdain for God's message are presented as the core reasons for the coming devastation, highlighting Judah's deep-seated rebellion and spiritual blindness, which is a key theme across Jeremiah's prophecy.

Jeremiah 6 10 Word analysis

• To whom shall I speak and give warning: This is a rhetorical question, Hebrew: 'el-mi adabberah v'a'idah. It underscores the prophet's profound sense of futility and despair. The implication is that everyone has hardened their hearts, making the message ineffective.

• give warning: Hebrew: 'a'idah, from the root ʿûd, meaning to bear witness, admonish, caution, or protest. It denotes the prophet's responsibility to deliver a clear and unequivocal message about impending judgment and the path to salvation, highlighting consequences.

• that they may hear?: Hebrew: v'yishmau. This indicates the purpose of the speaking and warning. It signifies more than physical hearing; it implies receptive listening, understanding, and obedience—the desired outcome that is utterly absent.

• Behold: Hebrew: Hinnēh. This exclamation acts as a solemn call to attention, introducing a stark and significant reality, emphasizing the severity of the diagnosis.

• their ear is uncircumcised: Hebrew: ʿorlāh ʾoznām. This is a crucial metaphor. ʿorlāh literally refers to the foreskin, implying impurity, blockage, or being cut off. An "uncircumcised ear" metaphorically means it is unresponsive, insensitive, closed, or obstructed from hearing spiritual truth. It indicates a spiritual dullness, inability to discern or receive God's voice, akin to a spiritual impurity that prevents proper function.

• and they cannot listen: Hebrew: ūlō' yûklû l'hakshib. The verb hakshib means to pay close attention, to give diligent heed. Their "uncircumcised ear" makes them physically unable to give the kind of serious attention required for the message to penetrate and transform, indicating a deep spiritual disability rooted in stubbornness.

• behold: Hebrew: Hinnēh. Again, it emphasizes a new, equally dire observation, compounding the prophet's sorrow.

• the word of the LORD: Hebrew: debar YHWH. This refers to the divine revelation, the authoritative message, prophecy, and covenantal instruction emanating directly from God. It is truth and life, the foundation of their identity as God's people.

• is to them an object of scorn: Hebrew: hay'tah lāhem l'ḥerpāh. ḥerpāh means reproach, disgrace, insult, or shame. The people not only ignore God's word but actively despise it, viewing it as shameful, foolish, or offensive. They hold it in contempt, directly mocking divine authority.

• they take no pleasure in it: Hebrew: lō' yeḥpeṣû-bāh. The verb ḥāphēṣ means to delight in, desire, take pleasure in, or cherish. This phrase signifies a complete absence of desire, affection, or joy for God's word. Instead of valuing it as precious, they find it distasteful or undesirable, demonstrating profound spiritual aversion.

• Words-group Analysis

  • "To whom shall I speak and give warning, that they may hear?": This initial question conveys the deep lament and personal anguish of Jeremiah, speaking for God, about the ineffectiveness of divine communication. It highlights the profound resistance of the people, rendering prophetic efforts seemingly useless.
  • "Behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot listen": This phrase succinctly identifies the root problem. The "uncircumcised ear" represents an inner spiritual impurity or blockage that physically prevents effective hearing of God's commands and counsel, not a mere lack of auditory function but a moral and spiritual one that leads to inability to pay heed.
  • "behold, the word of the LORD is to them an object of scorn; they take no pleasure in it": These concluding clauses illustrate the devastating consequence of the spiritual deafness. Not only do they not hear, but they actively hold God's authoritative, life-giving message in contempt and find no joy in it. This reflects a comprehensive and rebellious rejection of divine authority and grace.

Jeremiah 6 10 Bonus section

The concept of an "uncircumcised ear" or "uncircumcised heart" (cf. Acts 7:51) is a profound biblical idea that transcends mere ritual. While physical circumcision was a sign of the Abrahamic covenant, prophets like Jeremiah (Jer 4:4), Moses (Deut 10:16; 30:6), and later Stephen, consistently highlight the need for an inward circumcision – the cutting away of stubbornness, pride, and sin that block spiritual receptivity. This verse emphasizes that the issue isn't a deficiency in God's message or the prophet's delivery, but a deep-seated spiritual ailment within the people themselves. This inability to listen, rooted in active scorn, reveals the tragic paradox: God’s own people found His sacred word, meant to guide and save them, offensive and distasteful. This prophetic lament foreshadows the continued rejection of divine messengers, culminating in Christ, who similarly grieved over Jerusalem’s unwillingness to gather under His wings. It underscores the sobering truth that those who reject divine light inevitably choose darkness and its consequences.

Jeremiah 6 10 Commentary

Jeremiah 6:10 provides a stark theological diagnosis of spiritual rebellion, demonstrating God's profound grief through the prophet's lament. It vividly portrays a people so spiritually hardened that they are deaf to divine warning, not from an inability to perceive sound, but from an "uncircumcised ear"—a metaphor for a closed, impure heart unwilling to receive spiritual truth. This goes beyond simple apathy; they actively scorn and find no pleasure in the word of the LORD. This outright contempt for God's revealed will signifies a terminal spiritual condition where repeated grace and persistent calls to repentance are met with defiant rejection, paving the way for inevitable judgment.