Jeremiah 7 2

Jeremiah 7:2 kjv

Stand in the gate of the LORD's house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the LORD, all ye of Judah, that enter in at these gates to worship the LORD.

Jeremiah 7:2 nkjv

"Stand in the gate of the LORD's house, and proclaim there this word, and say, 'Hear the word of the LORD, all you of Judah who enter in at these gates to worship the LORD!' "

Jeremiah 7:2 niv

"Stand at the gate of the LORD's house and there proclaim this message: "?'Hear the word of the LORD, all you people of Judah who come through these gates to worship the LORD.

Jeremiah 7:2 esv

"Stand in the gate of the LORD's house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the LORD, all you men of Judah who enter these gates to worship the LORD.

Jeremiah 7:2 nlt

"Go to the entrance of the LORD's Temple, and give this message to the people: 'O Judah, listen to this message from the LORD! Listen to it, all of you who worship here!

Jeremiah 7 verses

Jeremiah 7 2 Meaning

Jeremiah 7:2 is a divine command delivered to the prophet Jeremiah. It instructs him to take a prominent public position at the very entrance of the Jerusalem Temple, a place of significant spiritual and communal gathering for the people of Judah. There, he is to declare a specific message from God directly to all the people entering to perform acts of worship. The core instruction within the proclamation is an urgent call for them to "Hear the word of the LORD," emphasizing that despite their ritualistic attendance, their true listening and obedience to God's covenant are lacking, making their worship vain and their perceived security false.

Jeremiah 7 2 Context

Jeremiah 7:2 serves as the direct introduction to Jeremiah's "Temple Sermon," one of the most pivotal and confrontational speeches in his prophecy, spanning much of chapter 7. Historically, this sermon took place around 605 BCE, early in King Jehoiakim's reign. The people of Judah were deeply entrenched in a false sense of security, believing that merely possessing the Temple of the LORD in Jerusalem guaranteed their inviolability and God's protection, regardless of their widespread idolatry, injustice, and disobedience to the covenant. This chapter stands as a prophetic indictment against such shallow faith and a warning that God would not tolerate hypocritical worship. Jeremiah, under divine command, challenges the very foundation of their false assurance at the sacred heart of their national and religious identity.

Jeremiah 7 2 Word analysis

• Stand: The Hebrew verb is amad (עָמַד). It suggests not merely passively being present but taking a firm, authoritative, and deliberate posture. It signifies a stance of readiness for action, often associated with a public announcement or service (e.g., as a witness or spokesman).
• in the gate: The Hebrew is b'sha'ar (בְּשַׁעַר). The "gate" (שַׁעַר - sha'ar) was a crucial and prominent public space in ancient cities. It was the hub of legal proceedings, commercial transactions, and social gatherings. Standing at the gate implies maximal public visibility and audibility for the proclamation. It contrasts the intimate spiritual encounter one might expect within the Temple courts with a stark public declaration of judgment.
• of the LORD'S house: Beit Yahweh (בֵּית יְהוָה). This refers to the Solomonic Temple in Jerusalem, understood as God's dwelling place on Earth. Its holiness and status were central to Judahite identity and security, making the choice of location for Jeremiah's message incredibly potent and provocative, directly confronting their misplaced trust.
• and proclaim there this word: V'qarata sham et-hadavar hazzeh (וְקָרָאתָ שָׁם אֶת־הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה). Qarata (קְרָאתָ) means to call out, to announce, or to preach. It implies a loud, public, and official declaration. "This word" (הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה - hadavar hazzeh) specifically refers to the subsequent message, emphasizing its divine origin and definitive nature. It is not Jeremiah's opinion but God's utterance.
• and say: V'amarta (וְאָמַרְתָּ). A straightforward instruction to speak forth the divine message.
• Hear: The Hebrew is Shime'u (שִׁמְעוּ). This is the plural imperative form of shama (שָׁמַע). It implies far more than mere auditory perception; it denotes attentive listening leading to understanding and, crucially, obedience. This term is central to Israel's covenant with God ("Shema Israel" - Hear, O Israel).
• the word of the LORD: Davar Yahweh (דְּבַר־יְהוָה). This phrase frequently introduces divine pronouncements in prophetic literature, affirming their authority, infallibility, and direct communication from God Himself. It underscores that this message is non-negotiable and requires a response.
• all you of Judah: Kol Yehudah (כָּל־יְהוּדָה). This emphasizes the comprehensive scope of the message. It's addressed not just to a specific group or leaders, but to every individual, highlighting the communal responsibility and pervasive nature of the problem.
• who enter in at these gates: Haba'im basha'arim ha'elleh (הַבָּאִים בַּשְּׁעָרִים הָאֵלֶּה). This identifies the specific audience: those physically present and actively engaged in the outward religious acts of approaching the Temple. It underlines the direct and immediate confrontation with their hypocrisy.
• to worship the LORD: L'hishtachavot l'Yahweh (לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֺת לַיהוָה). Hishtachavot is from the verb shachah, meaning to bow down or prostrate oneself, signifying acts of adoration, reverence, and submission. This phrase pinpoints the precise activity that God is challenging, highlighting the emptiness of their worship in the absence of genuine heart and life transformation.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Stand in the gate of the LORD'S house, and proclaim there this word": This phrase establishes the divine stage and dramatic setting. The gate of the Temple, typically a symbol of security and God's presence, becomes the very location for His stern rebuke. It transforms a place of expected blessing into a point of confronting national delusion, showcasing God's willingness to expose hypocrisy where it is most hidden, under the guise of piety.
• "Hear the word of the LORD, all you of Judah who enter in at these gates to worship the LORD": This powerful command highlights the central conflict of the sermon. The very act of entering to "worship the LORD" is ironically juxtaposed with the urgent need to "Hear the word of the LORD." This challenges the superficiality of their religious practice, indicating that their physical presence and ritual acts are meaningless without a true, obedient reception of God's revealed will. Their going to worship is the problem, not the solution, when unaccompanied by genuine change.

Jeremiah 7 2 Bonus section

The choice of the Temple gate as the place for proclamation is a profound prophetic act. The gates represented not only access but also public forums, a convergence point for the people of God, and often a place for legal pronouncements. Jeremiah’s act thus served as a public trial, where the nation was indicted. Furthermore, by addressing "all you of Judah," God emphasized that the responsibility for covenant breach lay with the entire nation, not just their leaders. The sermon fundamentally dismantled the popular, superstitious belief that the physical Temple, God's dwelling place, made Jerusalem immune to destruction, a delusion similar to that countered in Matthew 3:7-10 concerning those who boasted of Abraham as their father. God's message unequivocally conveyed that His presence and protection are conditional on faithfulness, not on the mere existence of a building.

Jeremiah 7 2 Commentary

Jeremiah 7:2 sets the stage for one of the most critical prophecies against the spiritual decay of Judah. By commanding Jeremiah to stand at the Temple gate, God deliberately chose the very locus of their false security for the proclamation of judgment. This was not a message meant for private counsel but a public, inescapable confrontation. The phrase "Hear the word of the LORD" is a stark call back to the core covenant demand for obedience (shema), challenging a people who performed rituals yet ignored God's true requirements of justice, righteousness, and love (cf. Micah 6:8). The prophet's instruction highlights God's impatience with mere religious formality (worshipping externally) when the heart and deeds were far from Him. It is a divine statement that proximity to sacred spaces or performance of rituals does not equate to a right relationship with God if true obedience and covenant faithfulness are absent.