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

This verse describes a consequence for failing to heed God's commands and warnings. The people of Judah are declared unable to be saved because they have rejected the divine message. Their rejection renders them ineffective and doomed, signifying that their supposed wisdom and guidance are also corrupted and useless.

Jeremiah 6 10 Context

Jeremiah 6:10 is situated within a broader prophetic discourse concerning Judah's impending judgment due to their persistent idolatry, moral decay, and rejection of God's word. The preceding verses describe the looming Babylonian invasion and the call for Jerusalem to purify herself to avert destruction. This verse encapsulates the utter spiritual bankruptcy of the people and their leaders, rendering all attempts at deliverance futile. The prophet emphasizes that God's word, intended as a message of life and guidance, has become an object of scorn, highlighting the depth of their rebellion. The consequences are dire: they are so thoroughly entrenched in their sin that even wisdom and counsel are ineffectual, making their judgment inevitable. The surrounding prophecies of Jeremiah consistently lament Judah's spiritual unfaithfulness and predict severe consequences, underscoring the themes of divine wrath and the unbreakable nature of God's justice when His covenant people repeatedly disobey.

Jeremiah 6 10 Word Analysis

• "To whom" (Al mi): From the preposition "al" (unto, against, upon) and the interrogative pronoun "mi" (who). It questions the recipient of the prophetic warning.
• "shall I speak" (edabber): From the verb "dabar" (to speak, talk, tell). Jeremiah questions where else he can deliver God's message, implying all avenues of effective communication are closed.
• "and give warning" (vehoghadhti): From the verb "higgid" (to tell, declare, announce, proclaim). This is a piel form, emphasizing making known. It refers to the act of conveying God's prophetic warnings.
• "that they may hear?" (lema'an yishma'u): From the preposition "lema'an" (for the purpose of, so that) and the verb "shama" (to hear, listen, obey). It expresses the desired outcome of speaking, which is not being met.
• "Indeed" (ki-hen): A strong affirmation, "ki" (indeed, surely, for) followed by "hen" (behold, lo, surely). It emphasizes the certainty of the following statement.
• "their ear is uncircumcised" (oznamah aymulah): "Oznam" (ear) and "aymulah" (uncircumcised, unprovided for, unopened). This is a metaphor for spiritual deafness or inability to receive and understand God's message, going beyond a physical uncircumcision. It speaks to a condition of the heart and mind preventing obedience.
• "and they cannot heed." (ve'enamla lashmoa): "Ve" (and) and "en" (not, there is not) combined with the verb "shama" in an infinitive form. It explicitly states their inability to listen or pay attention, reinforcing the "uncircumcised ear" metaphor.
• "Behold" (hen): Interjection drawing attention.
• "the word of the LORD" (dabar YHWH): The authoritative message delivered by God.
• "has become a reproach unto them" (li-qelev hayah lahem): "Liqev" (scorn, contempt, reproach) and "hayah" (to be, become). The divine word, meant to be revered, is now mocked and disdained.
• "they have no delight in it." (ve'ein-hem tafetz bô): "Tafetz" (delight, desire, pleasure, will). They find no joy or satisfaction in God's commands or prophecies.
• "Therefore" (ala-ken): Introducing the consequence of their rejection.
• "I will heap calamity upon them" (ebro'h asot ha’alêhem): "Ebor" (to come upon, overflow, bring upon) in the Hiphil conjugation, meaning to bring upon or cause to overflow. "Asot" is a collective noun for calamity or punishment. "Ha'alêhem" means upon them.
• "I will appoint unto them" (wîti et): From the verb "nafatstsa" (to appoint, set, station, scatter). It implies assigning a severe form of punishment.
• "my severest punishment" (nqamatî haqqashot): "Niqmah" (vengeance, punishment) and "haqqashot" (the hard, severe, difficult ones, referring to punishments). God will inflict the harshest judgments.

Words/Group of Words Analysis:

• "their ear is uncircumcised" (oznamah aymulah): This idiom parallels the physical need for circumcision as a sign of covenant. Here, spiritual "uncircumcision" means an inability to hear and respond to God's voice. It reflects a deeply ingrained spiritual blockage, likely due to habitual disobedience and turning to other gods, rendering them unreceptive to divine truth, similar to the stubbornness rebuked in Deuteronomy 10:16.
• "Behold, the word of the LORD has become a reproach unto them" (hen dabar YHWH li-qelev hayah lahem): This highlights a profound reversal. God's word, a source of life and guidance, is now a target of contempt. This scorn stems from their preferred false prophets and their corrupt rulers who do not prioritize divine instruction, making them susceptible to mockery and disbelief towards Jeremiah's true message.
• "my severest punishment" (nqamatî haqqashot): This phrase indicates that God will not hold back in His judgment. The use of the plural "haqqashot" suggests a compounding and multifaceted series of judgments rather than a single punitive action, emphasizing the severity and totality of the impending doom.

Jeremiah 6 10 Bonus Section

The concept of an "uncircumcised ear" is a potent metaphor for spiritual receptivity. It echoes the physical rite of circumcision, signifying an inward disposition towards God's covenant. To have an uncircumcised ear is to be spiritually insensitive, resistant to the truth, and ultimately, incapable of obedience. This imagery is potent in ancient Near Eastern cultures, where attentive hearing was directly linked to understanding and acting upon what was heard, often within judicial or political contexts. Jeremiah's charge here is not a physical defect, but a deep-seated, chosen rebellion that blinds their understanding and hardens their hearts, rendering God’s warnings useless. This verse underscores the crucial biblical principle that God's word is a two-edged sword: life-giving to the obedient, but a source of judgment to the rebellious who refuse its counsel.

Jeremiah 6 10 Commentary

Jeremiah's pronouncement is one of utter hopelessness for the generation addressed. God's messengers, including Jeremiah himself, have spoken, but the people are spiritually deaf, their ears "uncircumcised" – meaning they are unwilling and unable to truly hear and obey God's commands. The very message of salvation and warning from the LORD has become an object of scorn and ridicule. This rejection is not merely an oversight but a willful contempt, demonstrated by their lack of "delight" in God's truth. Because they have forsaken God's way, He declares He will bring upon them the worst of calamities, a punishment so severe and multifaceted that it seals their fate. Their current path has made them impervious to divine wisdom or earthly remedies; there is no "balm in Gilead," no healing for a wound that has festered due to persistent refusal to submit to the divine Physician. This spiritual hardening leads to utter destruction and scattering, leaving them without any means of escape or recovery.