Jeremiah 7:23 kjv
But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.
Jeremiah 7:23 nkjv
But this is what I commanded them, saying, 'Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.'
Jeremiah 7:23 niv
but I gave them this command: Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in obedience to all I command you, that it may go well with you.
Jeremiah 7:23 esv
But this command I gave them: 'Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.'
Jeremiah 7:23 nlt
This is what I told them: 'Obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Do everything as I say, and all will be well!'
Jeremiah 7 23 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 7:23 | "But this thing I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God...' " | Jeremiah 7:23 (main verse) |
| Deuteronomy 11:26 | "Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse," | Conditional blessings/curses |
| Exodus 19:5 | "Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant..." | Covenant obedience |
| Leviticus 26:3 | "If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments, and perform them," | Promise of prosperity |
| Joshua 1:8 | "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth..." | Importance of obedience to the Law |
| 1 Samuel 15:22 | "To obey is better than sacrifice..." | Obedience over ritual |
| Psalm 40:8 | "I delight to do Your will, O my God..." | Delight in God's will |
| Isaiah 1:19 | "If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land;" | Willingness and obedience |
| Isaiah 55:2 | "Hearken diligently to Me, and eat that which is good..." | Listening to God |
| Jeremiah 3:14 | "Return, O backsliding children,” says the LORD; “for I am married to you." | God's faithfulness |
| Jeremiah 11:4 | "which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt..." | Covenant commands |
| Jeremiah 13:10 | "This evil people, who refuse to hear My words, who follow the imagination of their heart..." | Refusal to hear |
| Jeremiah 13:27 | "I have seen your adulteries and your neighings, the lewdness of your prostitution..." | Covenant unfaithfulness |
| Jeremiah 17:23 | "but they did not obey or incline their ear, but made their neck stiff..." | Stiffness of neck |
| Jeremiah 31:33 | "But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days..." | New Covenant |
| Ezekiel 36:27 | "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes..." | Spirit enabling obedience |
| Zechariah 7:11 | "But they refused to heed, and strained their ears not to hear..." | Refusal to hear |
| Acts 7:51 | "You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit..." | Resisting the Spirit |
| Romans 6:17 | "But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered." | Obedience from the heart |
| Hebrews 3:7-8 | "Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, ‘Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts..." | Hearing and not hardening |
| 1 Peter 1:14 | "As obedient children, do not conform yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;" | Obedient children |
| Revelation 2:5 | "Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works..." | Repentance and return |
Jeremiah 7 verses
Jeremiah 7 23 Meaning
This verse commands obedience to God's voice as the foundation for the covenant relationship between God and Israel. It states that faithfulness and hearing God are paramount, which leads to prosperity and well-being. Disobedience, conversely, results in punishment.
Jeremiah 7 23 Context
Jeremiah 7:1-15 vividly describes Jeremiah standing at the temple gate, prophesying judgment upon Jerusalem. This chapter is known as the "Temple Sermon." Jeremiah contrasts the people's misplaced trust in the temple's physical presence with their ongoing disobedience and idolatry. The people believed the temple made them immune to judgment, a notion God vehemently rejects. Jeremiah calls them to cease their evil deeds, to live justly, and to not trust in deceptive words. Verse 23 is a central command within this larger discourse, underscoring God's foundational demand for obedience, which has been consistently disregarded by Israel throughout their history.
Jeremiah 7 23 Word Analysis
- וְזֹאת (vəzōt): "And this." Connects this command to preceding accusations and warnings. It emphasizes the singular, crucial instruction given.
- הַדָּבָר (haddāḇār): "the word" or "the command." Refers specifically to the totality of God's instructions, encompassing His law and commandments.
- אֲשֶׁר (ʾăšer): "which." Relative pronoun linking the command to its content.
- צִוִּיתִי (ṣiwwîtî): "I commanded." First-person singular, indicating direct divine authority and pronouncement.
- אֹתָם (ʾōtām): "them." Refers to the people of Israel.
- לֵאמֹר (lēʾmōr): "saying." Introduces the direct quote of the commandment.
- שִׁמְעוּ (šəmaʿū): "Obey" or "Hear." Imperative, plural. The root shama' (שׁמע) means more than just auditory perception; it implies listening with understanding, heeding, and responding obediently. This is a foundational concept in the covenant.
- בְּקֹלִי (bəqōlî): "My voice." Refers to God's spoken word and His authoritative commands, not just sounds.
- וְהָיִיתִי (wəhāyîṯî): "And I will be." Consequential, indicating a resultant state or relationship.
- לָכֶם (lāḵem): "to you" or "your." Pertaining to the people.
- לֵאלֹהִים (lēʾlōhîm): "for God" or "as God." God asserts His role as their God, contingent on their obedience.
- וְאַתֶּם (wəʾattem): "And you." Emphasis on the people's part in the reciprocal relationship.
- תִּהְיוּ (tihyū): "will be." Future tense, plural, describing their state.
- לִי (lî): "to Me" or "Mine." They are to belong to God as His covenant people.
- לְעָם (ləʿām): "for a people." Designated and set apart for God's purpose.
Group Analysis:
- "Obey My voice": This phrase highlights the essence of covenant relationship – active listening and submission to God's revealed will. It prioritizes hearing and doing over mere presence or ritual.
- "and I will be your God, and you shall be My people": This establishes the reciprocal nature of the covenant. God's continued presence and role as their God is directly tied to their obedience, and their status as His people is similarly conditional.
Jeremiah 7 23 Bonus Section
The concept of "hearing" ( shama') in Hebrew has a rich semantic range that extends beyond simple auditory reception. It implies not just listening but understanding, heeding, and ultimately acting upon what is heard. This profound meaning is central to Israel's covenant relationship with God, emphasizing that true worship and fellowship stem from an obedient heart, not just outward rituals. The persistent disobedience of Israel, marked by a failure to shama', led to God's pronouncements of judgment, but also held the hope of future restoration contingent upon a renewed obedience enabled by a new covenant and the indwelling Spirit, as prophesied in Jeremiah 31:33 and Ezekiel 36:27. The New Testament further amplifies this, with Jesus Himself stating, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me" (John 10:27).
Jeremiah 7 23 Commentary
Jeremiah 7:23 is the very heart of God's indictment against Israel in the Temple Sermon. It is not just about external religious observance; it is about the fundamental posture of the heart towards God's word. God commanded them, "Obey My voice." This "voice" encompasses all His prior revelations and statutes, which they had persistently ignored in favor of their own ways and the corrupting influences of surrounding nations.
The phrase "I will be your God" is the pinnacle of God's promise within the Abrahamic covenant. It signifies divine presence, protection, provision, and fellowship. However, this promise is inextricably linked to their reciprocal commitment: "and you shall be My people." This means they were to live as a people set apart, reflecting God's character and holiness. Their obedience was the evidence of their belonging to God.
Israel had a deep-seated tendency to rebel, described as "stiff-necked" (Exodus 32:9, Deuteronomy 9:13). They would hear God's word, but fail to internalize or act upon it. This verse encapsulates the core of their failure and the reason for impending judgment. Their reliance on the physical temple and the ritual sacrifices had become a substitute for genuine obedience. God clarifies that the entire apparatus of worship was predicated on a life lived in accordance with His word. When that foundation is missing, the structure of worship, no matter how grand, is hollow and destined for destruction. This principle of obedience as the gateway to God's blessings and continued covenant relationship remains foundational in Christian theology, as echoed in the New Testament emphasis on hearing Jesus’ voice and living by His teachings.