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 is a divine declaration that God has appointed Jeremiah as an overseer among his people, specifically charged to test and examine them like ore that is smelted. This verse emphasizes the critical, investigative role God has given Jeremiah to expose the impurities of sin within Judah and to declare the consequences. Jeremiah's ministry is thus characterized by discerning and proclaiming God's judgment against a rebellious nation.

Jeremiah 6 27 Context

Jeremiah 6:27 is situated within the larger prophetic pronouncements against Judah, particularly focusing on the spiritual and moral decay of Jerusalem. The preceding verses (Jeremiah 6:23-26) describe the imminent Babylonian invasion, portraying them as a formidable force from the north, bringing terror and devastation. This verse serves as an explanation for this impending doom, highlighting God's ordainment of Jeremiah's ministry as a diagnostic tool to expose the deep-seated corruption within the nation. The prophet's role is likened to a metal tester, a process designed to identify and separate the precious metal (righteousness) from the dross (sin). This highlights the gravity of Judah's apostasy and the thoroughness of God's judgment that will cleanse His people, albeit through severe means. The immediate context is one of impending war and divine judgment upon a people who have turned away from God.

Jeremiah 6 27 Word Analysis

• וְצִוִּיתִיךָ (və·ṣi·wi·tî·ḵā): "and I will appoint you."
  • צִוָּה (ṣi·wāh): This root implies to command, order, charge, or appoint. It signifies a divine commission and authority bestowed upon Jeremiah. God is not merely selecting him, but actively charging him with a specific task and responsibility. This is consistent with Jeremiah's initial call in Jeremiah 1:10, where God declared He had set him over nations and kingdoms.
• לִהְיוֹת (lih·yō·wṯ): "to be."
  • Indicates the purpose or state Jeremiah is to enter into by God’s appointment.
• פָּקוּד (pā·qūḏ): "an overseer," "a visitor," or "one who inspects."
  • The verb form (paqad) can mean to visit, number, muster, appoint, or punish. In this context, it denotes an official inspection or scrutiny, implying an authoritative role of examination and assessment. It carries a sense of being appointed to oversee and to bring judgment or consequence. This relates to God "visiting" His people for judgment.
• בְּעַמִּי (bə·‘am·mî): "among my people."
  • Specifies the sphere of Jeremiah's visitation, indicating that his work is focused within the community of Israel, God's covenant people.
• לִהְיוֹת (lih·yō·wṯ): "to be."
  • Another instance of "to be," linking the role of overseer to the subsequent description of testing.
• בֹּחֵן (bō·ḥên): "a tester," "one who tries," or "one who examines."
  • This is a participle from the root בָּחַן (bā·ḥan), which means to examine, test, prove, or assay. It specifically evokes the image of refining metals.
• וּמְחַקֵּר (ū·mə·ḥaq·qêr): "and a scrutinizer," "one who probes" or "searches thoroughly."
  • This is a Hiphil (causative) participle from the root חָקַר (ḥā·qar), meaning to search out, investigate, or examine. It intensifies the testing, suggesting a deep and meticulous examination to uncover hidden impurities or falsehoods. It speaks to a thoroughness in discerning the truth.
• מִתּוֹכָם (mit·tō·ḵām): "from among them," "from within them."
  • Emphasizes that the testing and scrutiny are to be carried out on the internal composition of the people themselves, not just their external actions. The impurities are within the very fabric of the nation.

Group by Words Analysis:

• "I have made you an overseer and a tester": This phrase establishes the core of Jeremiah’s divinely ordained task. He is appointed to observe, evaluate, and meticulously examine, much like someone assessing the purity of metal. The combined imagery of "overseer" and "tester" signifies both authority to watch and the function to discern and expose what is hidden or corrupt.
• "tester and scrutinizer": The pairing of "tester" (bochen) and "scrutinizer" (meḥaqer) intensifies the diagnostic nature of Jeremiah's prophetic office. "Bochen" implies a standard of testing, like a refiner's fire, while "meḥaqer" denotes an even deeper investigation, probing for every trace of impurity. Together, they convey a relentless and thorough exposure of sin.
• "among my people, from among them": This repetition stresses that the examination is internal to the community of faith. Jeremiah's task is not merely to observe an external enemy, but to probe the heart of Judah, revealing the corruption that lies within their own ranks and societal structures. God's people are themselves the object of this severe testing.

Jeremiah 6 27 Bonus Section

The imagery of testing metals is a recurring theme in Scripture, emphasizing God’s attribute of holiness and His standard for His people. Just as refined gold or silver are pure and valuable, God desires His people to be purified from sin, reflecting His own holiness. The process of refinement, while painful, ultimately leads to a more precious and useful outcome. This speaks to God’s redemptive purposes even within judgment – to purify and preserve a remnant, making them instruments fit for His use. The analogy also highlights God’s absolute knowledge; He knows the exact measure of impurity and when the refining process is complete. Jeremiah’s own tears and anguish (Jer 9:1, Jer 13:17) reflected the painful process of identifying and proclaiming the "dross" within Judah.

Jeremiah 6 27 Commentary

Jeremiah's commission here is likened to a silversmith or goldsmith testing metals in a furnace. This is not about merely pointing out individual sins but about diagnosing the nation's deep-seated corruption, its spiritual dross that pollutes its relationship with God. Jeremiah’s ministry was to be invasive, burning away the impurities of false worship, idolatry, social injustice, and misplaced trust. The "tester" role implies bringing God’s Word and standards to bear upon the people to reveal their true condition. The "scrutinizer" implies that no deceit or hidden sin would escape his prophetic investigation. This meant bringing severe truth, even judgment, to cleanse and purify, ensuring that what remained was genuinely of God. The divine assignment of this rigorous diagnostic role underscores the profound failure of Judah to maintain their covenant purity.