Jeremiah 17:15

17:15 Listen to what they are saying to me. ¹ 

They are saying, “Where are the things the Lord threatens us with?

Come on! Let’s see them happen!” ² 

Jeremiah 17:18-19

17:18 May those who persecute me be disgraced.

Do not let me be disgraced.

May they be dismayed.

Do not let me be dismayed.

Bring days of disaster on them.

Bring on them the destruction they deserve.” ³ 

Observance of the Sabbath Day Is a Key to the Future ⁴ 

17:19 The Lord told me, “Go and stand in the People’s Gate ⁵  through which the kings of Judah enter and leave the city. Then go and stand in all the other gates of the city of Jerusalem. ⁶ 

[17:15]  ¹ tn Heb “Behold, they are saying to me.”

[17:15]  ² tn Heb “Where is the word of the Lord. Let it come [or come to pass] please.”

[17:18]  ³ tn Or “complete destruction.” See the translator’s note on 16:18.

[17:19]  ⁵ sn Observance of the Sabbath day (and the Sabbatical year) appears to have been a litmus test of the nation’s spirituality since it is mentioned in a number of passages besides this one (cf., e.g., Isa 56:2, 6; 58:13; Neh 13:15-18). Perhaps this is because the Sabbath day was the sign of the Mosaic covenant (Exod 31:13-17) just as the rainbow was the sign of the Noahic covenant (Gen 9:12, 13, 17) and circumcision was the sign of the Abrahamic covenant (Gen 17:11). This was not the only command they failed to obey, nor was their failure to obey this one the sole determining factor in the Lord’s decision to destroy Judah (cf. 7:23- 24; 11:7-8 in their contexts).

[17:19]  ⁶ sn The identity and location of the People’s Gate is uncertain since it is mentioned nowhere else in the Hebrew Bible. Some identify it with the Benjamin Gate mentioned in Jer 37:13; 38:7 (cf. NAB), but there is no textual support for this in the Hebrew Bible or in any of the ancient versions.

[17:19]  ⁷ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.