Jeremiah Chapter 17

From The Open Bible Project

17:1 The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, [and] with the point of a diamond: it is engraved on the tablet of their heart, and on the horns of your altars;

• (a) The remembrance of their contempt of God cannot pass, although for a time he defers the punishment, for it will be revealed to men and angels.
• (b) Instead of the law of God, they have written idolatry and all abomination in their heart.
• (c) Your sins appear in all the altars that you have erected to idols.

17:2 while their children remember their altars and their Asherim by the green trees on the high hills.

• (d) Some read, "So that their children remember their altars", that is, follow their father’s wickedness.

17:3 My mountain in the field, I will give your substance and all your treasures for a spoil, [and] your high places, because of sin, throughout all your borders.

• (e) Zion that was my mountain, will now be left as a waste field.

17:4 You, even of yourself, shall discontinue from your heritage that I gave you; and I will cause you to serve your enemies in the land which you don't know: for you have kindled a fire in my anger which shall burn forever.

• (f) Because you would not give the land rest, at such times, days and years as I appointed, you will after this be carried away and it will rest for lack of labourers.

17:5 Thus says Yahweh: Cursed is the man who trusts in man, and makes flesh his arm, and whose heart departs from Yahweh.

• (g) The Jews were given to worldly policies and thought to make themselves strong by the friendship of the Egyptians, (Isaiah 31:3) and strangers and in the mean time did not depend on God, and therefore he denounces God’s plagues against them, showing that they prefer corruptible man to God, who is immortal, (Isaiah 2:22; Jeremiah 48:6,7).

17:6 For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good comes, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, a salt land and not inhabited.

17:7 Blessed is the man who trusts in Yahweh, and whose trust Yahweh is.

17:8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, who spreads out its roots by the river, and shall not fear when heat comes, but its leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

• (h) Read (Psalms 1:3).

17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt: who can know it?

• (i) Because the wicked always have some excuse to defend their doings he shows that their own lewd imaginations deceive them and bring them to these hardships: but God will examine their deeds by the malice of their hearts, (2:13).

17:10 I, Yahweh, search the mind, I try the heart, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.

17:11 As the partridge that sits on [eggs] which she has not laid, so is he who gets riches, and not by right; in the midst of his days they shall leave him, and at his end he shall be a fool.

• (k) As the patriarch by calling gathered others who forsake her when they see she is not their mother: so the covetous man is forsaken of his riches because he comes by them falsely.

17:12 A glorious throne, [set] on high from the beginning, is the place of our sanctuary.

• (l) Showing that the godly ought to glory in nothing, but in God who exalts his, and has left a sign of his favour in his temple.

17:13 Yahweh, the hope of Israel, all who forsake you shall be disappointed. Those who depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken Yahweh, the spring of living waters.

• (m) Their names will not be registered in the book of life.

17:14 Heal me, O Yahweh, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for you are my praise.

• (n) He desires God to preserve him that he fall not into temptation, considering the great contempt of God’s word, and the multitude that fall from God.

17:15 Behold, they tell me, Where is the word of Yahweh? let it come now.

• (o) The wicked say that my prophecy will not come to pass, because you deferred the time of your vengeance.

17:16 As for me, I have not hurried from being a shepherd after you; neither have I desired the woeful day; you know: that which came out of my lips was before your face.

• (p) I am assured of my calling, and therefore know that the thing which you speak by me will come to pass, and that I speak not of any worldly affection.

17:17 Don't be a terror to me: you are my refuge in the day of evil.

• (q) However the wicked deal rigorously with me, yet let me find comfort in you.

17:18 Let them be disappointed who persecute me, but let not me be disappointed; let them be dismayed, but don't let me be dismayed; bring on them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction.

• (r) Read (Jeremiah 11:20).

17:19 Thus said Yahweh to me: Go, and stand in the gate of the children of the people, through which the kings of Judah come in, and by which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem;

• (s) While your doctrine may best be understood both by high and low.

17:20 and tell them, Hear the word of Yahweh, you kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that enter in by these gates:

17:21 Thus says Yahweh, Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the Sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem;

• (t) By naming the Sabbath day, he comprehends the thing that is signified by it, for if they transgressed in the ceremony, they must be guilty of the rest, read (Exodus 20:8) and by the breaking of this one commandment, he makes them transgressors of the whole law, as the first and second table are contained in it.

17:22 neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath day holy, neither do any work: but make the Sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers.

17:23 But they didn't listen, neither turn their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, and might not receive instruction.

17:24 It shall happen, if you diligently listen to me, says Yahweh, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, but to make the Sabbath day holy, to do no work therein;

17:25 then shall there enter in by the gates of this city kings and princes sitting on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and this city shall remain forever.

17:26 They shall come from the cities of Judah, and from the places around Jerusalem, and from the land of Benjamin, and from the lowland, and from the hill country, and from the South, bringing burnt offerings, and sacrifices, and meal offerings, and frankincense, and bringing [sacrifices of] thanksgiving, to the house of Yahweh.

17:27 But if you will not listen to me to make the Sabbath day holy, and not to bear a burden and enter in at the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in its gates, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.