Jeremiah 17 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

Jeremiah 17

The Sin of Judah

17:1 “The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron; with a point of diamond it is engraved on the tablet of their heart, and on the horns of their altars, 2 while their children remember their altars and their Asherim, beside every green tree and on the high hills, 3 on the mountains in the open country. Your wealth and all your treasures I will give for spoil as the price of your high places for sin throughout all your territory. 4 You shall loosen your hand from your heritage that I gave to you, and I will make you serve your enemies in a land that you do not know, for in my anger a fire is kindled that shall burn forever.”

5   Thus says the LORD:
  “Cursed is the man who trusts in man
    and makes flesh his strength,¹
    whose heart turns away from the LORD.
6   He is like a shrub in the desert,
    and shall not see any good come.
  He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness,
    in an uninhabited salt land.
7   “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
    whose trust is the LORD.
8   He is like a tree planted by water,
    that sends out its roots by the stream,
  and does not fear when heat comes,
    for its leaves remain green,
  and is not anxious in the year of drought,
    for it does not cease to bear fruit.”
9   The heart is deceitful above all things,
    and desperately sick;
    who can understand it?
10   “I the LORD search the heart
    and test the mind,²
  to give every man according to his ways,
    according to the fruit of his deeds.”
11   Like the partridge that gathers a brood that she did not hatch,
    so is he who gets riches but not by justice;
  in the midst of his days they will leave him,
    and at his end he will be a fool.
12   A glorious throne set on high from the beginning
    is the place of our sanctuary.
13   O LORD, the hope of Israel,
    all who forsake you shall be put to shame;
  those who turn away from you³ shall be written in the earth,
    for they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living water.

Jeremiah Prays for Deliverance

14   Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed;
    save me, and I shall be saved,
    for you are my praise.
15   Behold, they say to me,
    “Where is the word of the LORD?
    Let it come!”
16   I have not run away from being your shepherd,
    nor have I desired the day of sickness.
  You know what came out of my lips;
    it was before your face.
17   Be not a terror to me;
    you are my refuge in the day of disaster.
18   Let those be put to shame who persecute me,
    but let me not be put to shame;
  let them be dismayed,
    but let me not be dismayed;
  bring upon them the day of disaster;
    destroy them with double destruction!

Keep the Sabbath Holy

19 Thus said the LORD to me: “Go and stand in the People’s Gate, by which the kings of Judah enter and by which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem, 20 and say: ‘Hear the word of the LORD, you kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, who enter by these gates. 21 Thus says the LORD: Take care for the sake of your lives, and do not bear a burden on the Sabbath day or bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem. 22 And do not carry a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath or do any work, but keep the Sabbath day holy, as I commanded your fathers. 23 Yet they did not listen or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck, that they might not hear and receive instruction.

24 “‘But if you listen to me, declares the LORD, and bring in no burden by the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, but keep the Sabbath day holy and do no work on it, 25 then there shall enter by the gates of this city kings and princes who sit on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they and their officials, the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And this city shall be inhabited forever. 26 And people shall come from the cities of Judah and the places around Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin, from the Shephelah, from the hill country, and from the Negeb, bringing burnt offerings and sacrifices, grain offerings and frankincense, and bringing thank offerings to the house of the LORD. 27 But if you do not listen to me, to keep the Sabbath day holy, and not to bear a burden and enter by the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will kindle a fire in its gates, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem and shall not be quenched.’”

Footnotes

[1] 17:5 Hebrew arm
[2] 17:10 Hebrew kidneys
[3] 17:13 Hebrew me

Commentary

v1-2: Sins were deeply engraved in their hearts and lives, even the children being knowledgeable about their sins. The irony is that the Ten Commandments were engraved on tablets of stone (Ex 32.15-16). The reference to ‘altars’ is to pagan altars, not those associated with worship of the true God.

v3: See 15.13; they would lose their wealth and treasure.

v4: See 16.13; they would be taken to another land. And this was their fault.

v5-6: The futility of depending upon men; such are cursed, and will forfeit God’s blessings. Jeremiah’s message is clear and uncompromising, presenting two alternatives for the people. The wording here echoes Psalm 1.

v7-8: The contrast; trust in God brings fruitfulness even in barren times. Roots spread out by a river will continue to receive water even in times of drought. There is confidence in God instead of normal human anxiety.

v9-10: In the context of trust in God, or in unbelief, we are reminded about the tendency towards deceit in the human heart. We may think we are trusting, or obeying, or listening, when we are not. We can hide nothing from God, certainly not our unreal faith, or our pretended obedience. We see too that God has a reward, whatever our circumstances.

Humans are driven mainly by the heart rather than the will. But, since the heart is 'deceitful.' It needs to be changed by the power of God.

v11: An example of deceit and wickedness; one who gains riches improperly; he will suffer loss. God is neither mocked nor deceived.

v12-13: The contrasting alternatives; cling to God, or forsake Him. Faith in God involves a deep respect, and a deep devotion and love.

God is the hope of Israel, but Israel did not hope in God. Such is the folly of those who depart from the Lord God. For Jeremiah, who was genuinely suffering, his hope was truly in the God of hope.

v14-18: Jeremiah’s prayer;

v14: His dependence upon God, “Heal me … save me.” Jeremiah gave praise only to God; he stood out as one who trusted God, and he suffered for his faith.

v15: The word of the Lord had not yet been fulfilled, compare 2 Pet 3.4. People who do not believe anyway still scoff at the “delay” in the fulfilment of God’s promises.

v16: Jeremiah had been faithful, as a shepherd of the people, a man of integrity, open before God.

v17: Jeremiah believed what he had spoken out, and looked to God to preserve him when the promise disasters occurred.

v18: He remained confident that God’s hand would be upon him; in the impending disaster, God would keep him. It was painful for him bringing those words, knowing that God would fulfil them,

v19-27: Proper observance of the Sabbath; which was a special sign in Israel, and a testimony to the Gentiles. Failure to obey indicated a deeper issue of rebellion against God.

v19-20: Jeremiah’s words were addressed first to the leaders of the people. Reference to “kings” suggests that Jeremiah had brought these words more than once, as one king after another came and went.

v21-22: God had commanded concerning the Sabbath, and Jeremiah’s words were not new, but took the people back to the Ten Commandments. The Sabbath was a particular sign that Israel were the people of God. The failure to maintain this command was a denial of the call of God upon the nation.

v23: The Lord’s diagnosis; the people were stiff-necked, and refused to obey. Each time Jeremiah went out to them, they refused to hear and obey.

v24-26: If the people were to obey then there was great blessing promised; strong leadership, peace in the nation, and spiritual revival.

v27: If, however, the people persisted in their disobedience, then judgment was assured.