Jeremiah 6 27

Jeremiah 6:27 kjv

I have set thee for a tower and a fortress among my people, that thou mayest know and try their way.

Jeremiah 6:27 nkjv

"I have set you as an assayer and a fortress among My people, That you may know and test their way.

Jeremiah 6:27 niv

"I have made you a tester of metals and my people the ore, that you may observe and test their ways.

Jeremiah 6:27 esv

"I have made you a tester of metals among my people, that you may know and test their ways.

Jeremiah 6:27 nlt

"Jeremiah, I have made you a tester of metals,
that you may determine the quality of my people.

Jeremiah 6 verses

Jeremiah 6 27 Meaning

Jeremiah 6:27 depicts God's solemn commissioning of the prophet Jeremiah. He is divinely appointed as an "assayer" (one who tests metals for purity) and is made a "stronghold" among the people of Judah. His profound role is to rigorously examine and expose the true, corrupted spiritual state of the nation, discerning the deep-seated impurities of their hearts and ways, much like a refiner determines the quality of metal. This divine assignment grants Jeremiah the discernment to accurately reveal Judah's pervasive sin, while also endowing him with resilience against the opposition his challenging message will inevitably provoke.

Jeremiah 6 27 Context

Jeremiah chapter 6 details God's imminent judgment on Jerusalem due to its persistent sin, unrepentance, and idolatry. The chapter portrays a city ripe for destruction, facing invasion from the north (vv. 1-8). The people have forsaken God's covenant, showing no shame in their detestable practices (vv. 9-15). Despite divine warnings and pleas to return to "the ancient paths" (v. 16), they defiantly refuse to listen (v. 17). God therefore declares judgment upon them, emphasizing that even their religious rituals are an abomination (vv. 18-20). The impending siege is vividly described (vv. 21-26). Within this dire situation, verse 27 marks God's direct appointment of Jeremiah. His task is to rigorously evaluate Judah, acting as a spiritual metallurgist to reveal their profound corruption, culminating in the declaration that they are "rejected silver" (v. 30), entirely devoid of purity. Historically, this prophecy occurs during the final decades of the Kingdom of Judah, before its fall to Babylon, a period characterized by widespread religious syncretism and moral decay, often in direct contravention of the Mosaic covenant. Jeremiah's prophetic voice stands in sharp contrast to the false prophets who promised peace despite the impending disaster.

Jeremiah 6 27 Word analysis

• I have made you (נְתַתִּיךָ, nətattîḵā): This phrase highlights divine agency and deliberate commissioning. It signifies God's absolute sovereignty in choosing and appointing Jeremiah for this specific and demanding task. This is not a self-assumed role but a divine mandate.
• an assayer (בָּחוֹן, bāḥôn): From the root בָּחַן (bāḥan), meaning "to test, examine, prove, try." An assayer is a skilled craftsman who tests precious metals for their purity. Jeremiah's role is to apply a rigorous, divine standard to discern the spiritual genuineness of the people, separating true faith from counterfeit religiosity. The imagery is drawn from metallurgy, where impurities (dross) are identified and removed through intense heat.
• and tester / a stronghold (מִבְצָר, miḇṣār): This word, as found in the Masoretic Text, typically means "fortress" or "stronghold." If understood this way, it implies that God has not only commissioned Jeremiah for a difficult task but has also made him resilient, a protected, firm stance against the very people he must expose. This resonates strongly with Jer 1:18, where God makes Jeremiah a "fortified city, an iron pillar." However, some ancient translations (e.g., LXX) and modern commentaries interpret this term contextually or as an alternative reading (e.g., mivḥan), linking it to the previous word and thus translating it as a second "tester" or "refiner." This lexical ambiguity reveals the dual nature of Jeremiah's divine empowerment: discernment to test and strength to endure. Here we emphasize the "stronghold" meaning as per the most common understanding of the MT, signifying divine protection and resilience.
• among my people (בְעַמִּי, bəʿammî): This phrase is loaded with pathos. It refers to the covenant people of Israel/Judah. The tragedy is that God's own chosen people require such an intense process of assaying, highlighting their deep departure from the covenant.
• that you may know (לְמַעַן תֵּדַע, ləmaʿan tēḏaʿ): The purpose clause for Jeremiah's commission. "To know" (יָדַע, yādaʿ) implies an intimate, experiential, and complete understanding, not merely intellectual awareness. Jeremiah must deeply comprehend the truth about Judah's moral and spiritual state.
• and assay (וּבָחַנְתָּ, ūḇāḥantā): This is the active verb form, directly instructing Jeremiah to perform the testing. It reaffirms his primary function. The repetition of the root בָּחַן underscores the intensity and primary focus of his task.
• their way (אֶת־דַּרְכָּם, ʾet-darkām): "Their way" refers to their conduct, lifestyle, spiritual path, and character. Jeremiah is to expose the inner realities and the external manifestations of their moral and spiritual corruption.

Words-group analysis:

• "an assayer...a stronghold among my people": This pairing illustrates the unique and challenging position of the prophet. He is endowed with both incisive discernment to evaluate a corrupted populace and divine fortitude to withstand the backlash of speaking an unwelcome truth to those who identify as God's own. His "stronghold" nature protects him from capitulating or being overcome by their resistance.
• "that you may know and assay their way": This phrase details the direct objective of Jeremiah's role. It is a comprehensive charge to penetrate beneath superficial appearances and deeply understand and expose the root of Judah's spiritual malady and sinful practices. The coupling of "know" with "assay" suggests an understanding that precedes, informs, and guides the actual testing and proclamation.

Jeremiah 6 27 Bonus section

The metallurgical imagery used here and in other passages like Jer 9:7-8, Zech 13:9, and Mal 3:2-3 underscores a fundamental biblical truth: God actively purifies His people, sometimes through judgment. Jeremiah's prophetic assaying is a part of this process, identifying the spiritual "dross" (as mentioned in Jer 6:28-30) that God must remove. This also has Messianic echoes, as Jesus Himself functions as the ultimate "refiner" of hearts (Mal 3:3). The unique emphasis on Jeremiah as a "stronghold" within this verse connects him powerfully to his initial calling in Jeremiah 1, where God declares, "I have made you today a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls against the whole land" (Jer 1:18). This theme suggests that God provides not only the commission but also the necessary divine fortitude for His servants to carry out incredibly difficult and often perilous tasks among a rebellious people. The task is not to change the people by this assaying (Jer 6:29 implies it’s too late), but to authenticate God’s just verdict by thoroughly exposing their unredeemable condition.

Jeremiah 6 27 Commentary

Jeremiah 6:27 is a pivotal verse, encapsulating the core of Jeremiah's prophetic ministry. God does not merely call Jeremiah to preach; He actively transforms him into an instrument of divine investigation and revelation. As an "assayer," Jeremiah is equipped to apply God's righteous standards, scrutinizing the spiritual composition of a nation that claims a covenant relationship with the Lord but lives in overt rebellion. This metaphor vividly portrays the intensity of his mission – to uncover impurities that lie hidden or are deliberately ignored. The interpretation of the second term, "stronghold," is crucial. It positions Jeremiah not merely as a diagnostic tool but as a divinely protected figure, able to stand firm against the overwhelming spiritual decay and violent opposition he would face. This divine strengthening allows him to execute his difficult mandate without succumbing to fear or despair. His purpose is profound: to know and reveal "their way," piercing through external piety to the inner corruption of heart and conduct, ultimately demonstrating Judah's moral insolvency to justify God's impending judgment. This demanding role highlights the burden and loneliness of the prophet chosen to speak an unpopular truth.

• Example for Practical Usage: In today's context, leaders (pastors, teachers) are called to be spiritual assayers in a moral and spiritual landscape that can appear genuine but often harbors hidden sin. This requires deep scriptural knowledge, discernment, and courage to lovingly but firmly call people to genuine repentance, rather than merely affirming comfortable truths. This also serves as an example for individuals to prayerfully ask God for spiritual discernment in their own lives and within their communities, to "assay" their own ways against biblical truth.