Jeremiah 6 17

Jeremiah 6:17 kjv

Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.

Jeremiah 6:17 nkjv

Also, I set watchmen over you, saying, 'Listen to the sound of the trumpet!' But they said, 'We will not listen.'

Jeremiah 6:17 niv

I appointed watchmen over you and said, 'Listen to the sound of the trumpet!' But you said, 'We will not listen.'

Jeremiah 6:17 esv

I set watchmen over you, saying, 'Pay attention to the sound of the trumpet!' But they said, 'We will not pay attention.'

Jeremiah 6:17 nlt

I posted watchmen over you who said,
'Listen for the sound of the alarm.'
But you replied,
'No! We won't pay attention!'

Jeremiah 6 verses

Jeremiah 6 17 Meaning

This verse declares that God established watchmen over Israel, giving them a divine commission to listen to the sound of the trumpet. This imagery emphasizes God's desire for His people to heed His warnings and respond to His calls for repentance and obedience, ultimately for their preservation.

Jeremiah 6 17 Context

Jeremiah 6 is situated in a period of intense national crisis for Judah. The Babylonian Empire, under Nebuchadnezzar, was advancing towards Jerusalem. The prophet Jeremiah had been delivering messages of doom and calling the people to repent. However, many were resistant, clinging to a false sense of security and relying on their own strength or superficial religious practices. This verse follows warnings about the impending invasion, emphasizing that God, in His faithfulness, had appointed and alerted watchmen (prophets) to sound the alarm. The call to listen to the trumpet signifies a final opportunity for the people to heed the divine warnings and avert judgment. The overarching theme of Jeremiah 6 is God's impending judgment on Jerusalem due to their persistent sin and unfaithfulness, and this verse highlights God's proactive communication of that impending danger.

Jeremiah 6 17 Word Analysis

• Listen (Shema'): (Hebrew: שמע) - A fundamental Hebrew word meaning "hear," "listen," "obey," or "heed." It carries a strong sense of attentive listening leading to action or compliance. It implies more than just auditory reception; it signifies a reception of the message with an intention to respond. This is a recurring and significant word in the Old Testament, often used in covenantal contexts and in God's direct address to His people.
• I (Anokhi): (Hebrew: אנכי) - The first-person singular pronoun. Here, it emphasizes God's personal action and direct involvement in establishing these watchmen.
• Am setting (Natan): (Hebrew: נתן) - Literally "to give" or "to put." In this context, it signifies God's deliberate act of appointing or assigning individuals to a specific role and responsibility.
• Watchmen (Tzofeh): (Hebrew: צֹפֶה) - One who watches, guards, or spies. It refers to sentinels on towers whose duty was to observe the approach of enemies and sound an alarm. In a spiritual sense, it refers to prophets who discern danger and warn the people of God.
• Over you (Al-yedechem): (Hebrew: על-ידכם) - "Upon your hands" or "by your side," implying proximity and direct assignment over them.
• Listen (Shemu'a): (Hebrew: שְׁמוּעָה) - Derived from the root shama, meaning "a sound," "a report," or "tidings." Here, it refers specifically to the sound or signal.
• For the sound (El-qol): (Hebrew: אל-קול) - "To the voice" or "unto the sound." This indicates direction of attention towards a specific auditory signal.
• Of the trumpet (Hashofar): (Hebrew: השופר) - Refers to the ram's horn trumpet, which was used for various signals, including calling assemblies, sounding alarms, and proclaiming festivals or acts of war. Its sound was distinctive and urgent.

Words-Group Analysis

• "I am setting watchmen over you": This phrase encapsulates God's active commissioning of prophets. It underscores that their role was not self-appointed but divinely ordained, carrying God's authority and message.
• "Listen for the sound of the trumpet": This highlights the urgency and importance of the prophetic message. The trumpet was a clear, undeniable signal of impending danger or important event, requiring immediate attention and response.

Jeremiah 6 17 Bonus Section

The imagery of the watchman and the trumpet is rich and multifaceted in biblical thought. It speaks to a divine system of warning and accountability. In the New Testament, this theme of watchfulness and attentive hearing is echoed, particularly in relation to the return of Christ. The prophets, by listening to the "sound of the trumpet," were essentially being trained to discern the voice of God in a turbulent world. This requires a deep spiritual connection and obedience, mirroring the shepherd's intimate knowledge of his sheep, as alluded to in Acts 20:28. The failure of watchmen, as seen in passages like Isaiah 56:10, points to a profound spiritual danger where the absence of clear prophetic voice leads to spiritual chaos. Jeremiah's message here is a call to heed divine counsel, a fundamental principle for enduring faithfulness and avoiding spiritual and national destruction.

Jeremiah 6 17 Commentary

Jeremiah 6:17 serves as a stark reminder of God's desire for His people's well-being and His persistent efforts to warn them of impending danger. God, in His sovereign mercy, establishes watchmen—prophets like Jeremiah—to discern spiritual threats and vocalize them. The emphasis on "listening" and "the sound of the trumpet" points to the necessity of attentiveness and responsiveness to divine communication. Just as a city relies on its sentinels and the trumpet's call for survival, spiritual communities depend on those who can accurately interpret God's word and sound the alarm against sin and its consequences. The verse implores the audience to recognize the authenticity of the prophetic voice and the gravity of the message being delivered. It's a call to wake up from complacency and heed God’s voice through His appointed messengers before it is too late.