New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Jeremiah 17
1
"Judah's sin is carved with an iron tool. It is written with a sharp stone. It is carved on the tablets of their hearts. It is written on the horns that stick out from the corners of their altars.
Reference
2
Even their children offer sacrifices to other gods on those altars. They use the poles that were made to worship the goddess Asherah. They worship strange gods beside the green trees and on the high hills.
Reference
Parallel theme
2 Chronicles 24:18
Jeremiah 2:20
Isaiah 1:29
Judges 3:7
Sacrifice
Isaiah 17:8
Jeremiah 7:18
2 Chronicles 33:3
3
I will give away my holy Mount Zion to the Babylonians. Your enemies will carry off your wealth and all of your treasures. I will give away your high places. That will happen because you have sinned. You have done it all through your country.
Reference
4
You will lose the land I gave you. And it will be your own fault. I will make you slaves to your enemies. You will serve them in a land you have not had anything to do with before. You have set my anger on fire. It will burn forever."
Reference
5
The Lord says, "Those who trust in man are under my curse. They depend on human strength. Their hearts turn away from me.
Reference
Faith
Isaiah 36:6
Parallel theme
Isaiah 2:22
Psalm 62:9
Ezekiel 6:9
References Lord
2 Chronicles 32:8
Psalm 18:21
Isaiah 59:15
Hosea 1:2
6
They will be like a bush in a dry and empty land. They will not enjoy success when it comes. They will live in dry places in the desert. It is a land of salt where no one else lives.
Reference
Parallel theme
Job 20:17
Psalm 1:4
Deuteronomy 29:23
Job 39:6
Jeremiah 48:6
Judges 9:45
Zephaniah 2:9
7
"But I will bless any man who trusts in me. I will show my favor to the one who depends on me.
Reference
Blessing
Isaiah 30:18
Faith
Psalm 40:4
Psalm 34:8
Psalm 125:1
Proverbs 16:20
Psalm 84:12
Psalm 2:12
Ephesians 1:12
Hope
Psalm 146:5
8
He will be like a tree that is planted near water. It sends out its roots beside a stream. It is not afraid when heat comes. Its leaves are always green. It does not worry when there is no rain. It always bears fruit."
Reference
9
A human heart is more dishonest than anything else. It can't be healed. Who can understand it?
Reference
10
The Lord says, "I look deep down inside human hearts. I see what is in people's minds. I reward a man in keeping with his conduct. I bless him based on what he has done."
Reference
Parallel theme
Romans 8:27
Revelation 2:23
Jeremiah 32:19
Revelation 22:12
Matthew 16:27
References Lord
1 Samuel 16:7
Jeremiah 11:20
Jeremiah 20:12
1 Chronicles 28:9
Psalm 62:12
11
Some people get rich in the wrong way. They are like a partridge that hatches eggs it didn't lay. When their lives are half over, their riches will desert them. In the end they will prove how foolish they have been.
Reference
12
Our temple is where the Lord's glorious throne is. From the beginning it has been high and lifted up.
Reference
Glory
Jeremiah 14:21
Parallel theme
Jeremiah 3:17
Ezekiel 43:7
Ezekiel 1:26
Revelation 3:21
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 4:16
Temple
Psalm 96:6
Isaiah 6:1
13
Lord, you are Israel's only hope. Everyone who deserts you will be put to shame. The names of those who turn away from you will be listed among the dead. Lord, they have deserted you. You are the spring of water that gives life.
Reference
Hope
Jeremiah 14:8
Parallel theme
Revelation 7:17
Revelation 22:1
John 4:10
John 4:14
Revelation 21:6
Luke 10:20
Revelation 20:15
References Lord
Isaiah 1:28
Isaiah 66:5
14
Lord, heal me. Then I will be healed. Save me from my enemies. Then I will be saved. You are the one I praise.
Reference
Parallel theme
Deuteronomy 32:39
References Lord
Psalm 6:2
Luke 4:18
Jeremiah 31:18
Resurrection
Deuteronomy 10:21
Psalm 109:1
Salvation
Psalm 106:47
Jeremiah 15:20
Psalm 6:4
Matthew 14:30
15
They keep saying to me, "What has happened to the message the Lord gave you? Let it come true right now!"
Reference
Parallel theme
Isaiah 5:19
16
I haven't run away from being the shepherd of your people. You know I haven't wanted the day of Jerusalem's fall to come. You are aware of every word that comes from my lips.
Reference
18
Let those who attack me be put to shame. But keep me from shame. Let them be terrified. But keep me from terror. Bring the day of trouble on them. Destroy them once and for all.
Reference
19
The Lord said to me, "Go. Stand at the city gate where the people gather together. That is where the kings of Judah go in and out. Also go to all of the other gates of Jerusalem.
Reference
📍 People s Gate
20
Say, 'Listen to the Lord's message, you kings of Judah and all of you people of Judah and Jerusalem. You always come through these gates.
Reference
21
" 'The Lord says, "Make sure you do not carry a load on the Sabbath day. Do not bring it through the gates of Jerusalem.
Reference
Parallel theme
Mark 4:24
Deuteronomy 4:9
Deuteronomy 11:16
Proverbs 4:23
Luke 8:18
References Lord
Deuteronomy 4:15
Deuteronomy 4:23
Joshua 23:11
22
Do not bring a load out of your houses on the Sabbath. Do not do any work on that day. Instead, keep the Sabbath day holy. Do as I commanded your people long ago.
Reference
23
But they did not listen. They did not pay any attention to me. They were stubborn. They would not listen or pay attention when I corrected them.
Reference
Creation
Jeremiah 11:10
Parallel theme
Proverbs 29:1
Jeremiah 19:15
Isaiah 48:4
Acts 7:51
Jeremiah 32:33
Ezekiel 20:21
Zephaniah 3:7
24
" ' "Be careful to obey me," announces the Lord. "Do not bring a load through the gates of this city on the Sabbath. Instead, keep the Sabbath day holy. Do not do any work on it.
Reference
25
" ' "Then kings who sit on David's throne will come through the gates of this city. They and their officials will come riding in chariots and on horses. The people of Judah and Jerusalem will come along with them. And this city will always have people living in it.
Reference
Kingdom
Jeremiah 22:4
Isaiah 9:7
Jeremiah 33:21
2 Samuel 7:16
References David
Jeremiah 33:15
Jeremiah 33:17
References Jerusalem
Hebrews 12:22
26
Some will come from the towns of Judah. And some will come in from the villages around Jerusalem. Others will come from the territory of Benjamin. And others will come in from the western hills. Still others will come from the central hill country and the Negev Desert. All of them will bring burnt offerings and sacrifices. They will come bringing grain offerings, incense and thank offerings. They will take all of those offerings to my house.
Reference
References Lord
Jeremiah 32:44
Jeremiah 33:13
Zechariah 7:7
Resurrection
Jeremiah 33:11
Sacrifice
Psalm 107:22
Psalm 116:17
27
" ' "But what if you do not obey me? Suppose you do not keep the Sabbath day holy. And suppose you carry a load through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath. Then I will start a fire that can't be put out. It will begin at the gates of Jerusalem. It will destroy its mighty towers." ' "
Reference
Parallel theme
Jeremiah 7:20
Jeremiah 21:14
Amos 1:14
Ezekiel 22:8
Lamentations 4:11
Isaiah 1:20
Jeremiah 49:27
References Jerusalem
2 Kings 25:9
Jeremiah 52:13
Jeremiah 39:8
Summary of Jeremiah 17
Jeremiah 17 focuses strongly on the condition of the human heart, the danger of trusting human strength, and the importance of trusting and obeying God.
The chapter begins by describing Judah's sin as something deeply engraved into the people.
Their rebellion is not a temporary mistake.
It has become part of their way of life.
Even their children know the pagan religious practices of their parents, showing that idolatry has been passed from one generation to another.
Because of this persistent rebellion, Judah will lose its wealth, land, and independence.
The people will eventually be taken into a foreign country and forced to serve their enemies.
One of the chapter's most important contrasts appears in verses 5–8.
Jeremiah presents two different ways of living.
The first is trusting in human beings and human strength.
Such a person is compared to a dry desert shrub.
The second is trusting in the Lord.
That person is compared to a tree planted beside water.
The contrast is powerful.
The desert shrub depends on limited resources and becomes dry when difficult conditions arrive.
The tree beside water has a deeper source of life.
Even when drought comes, its roots continue reaching toward water.
The message is that circumstances do not determine whether a person can remain spiritually fruitful; the deeper question is where that person's trust is rooted.
Jeremiah then moves inward.
He says that the human heart is deeply deceptive.
People can convince themselves that their motives are good even when they are not.
God, however, sees beyond appearances.
He examines the heart and tests the mind.
This means that God does not judge merely what people say publicly.
He sees the motivations, desires, and intentions underneath their actions.
The chapter also warns against dishonest wealth.
Jeremiah compares wealth gained improperly to a bird sitting on eggs that it did not lay.
The bird may appear to possess something valuable, but eventually the deception is exposed and the supposed wealth disappears.
This is a reminder that wealth obtained through injustice cannot provide permanent security.
Jeremiah then turns to his own situation.
He asks God to heal and save him.
Some people are mocking him because his warnings have not yet happened.
They essentially ask, "Where is the disaster you keep talking about?"
Jeremiah reminds God that he did not invent the message and did not desire the destruction himself.
He simply delivered what God told him to say.
This reveals another important aspect of Jeremiah's character.
He is not a prophet who enjoys announcing disaster.
He carries the message because he believes he has been called to do so.
The final part of the chapter focuses on the Sabbath.
God tells Jeremiah to stand at the gates of Jerusalem and publicly warn the people and their leaders.
They are commanded not to carry commercial or ordinary work burdens through the city gates on the Sabbath.
The Sabbath was intended to be a holy day of rest.
The issue is therefore larger than one particular rule.
It demonstrates whether the people are willing to trust God's commands and order their lives around Him.
God gives the people a choice.
If they listen and obey, Jerusalem can continue as a living city with kings, citizens, worshipers, and economic activity.
But if they refuse, the consequences will be severe.
The chapter ends with a warning that fire will consume Jerusalem's gates and palaces.
Historically, this points toward the destruction of Jerusalem by Babylon in 586 BC.
The chapter therefore connects personal faith, national behavior, economic justice, worship, Sabbath observance, and political survival.
The central message is that the real foundation of a person's life is determined by what he or she trusts; those who depend on human strength, dishonest wealth, religious appearance, or their own understanding will eventually discover that these things cannot provide lasting security, while those who trust God are compared to a deeply rooted tree that continues to live and produce fruit even during drought, and Judah is warned that its deeply established rebellion must be replaced by genuine obedience, including respect for God's commands concerning justice, worship, and the Sabbath, because the nation's future depends not on military strength or political alliances but on whether its people will return to the Lord and trust Him.
The chapter begins by describing Judah's sin as something deeply engraved into the people.
Their rebellion is not a temporary mistake.
It has become part of their way of life.
Even their children know the pagan religious practices of their parents, showing that idolatry has been passed from one generation to another.
Because of this persistent rebellion, Judah will lose its wealth, land, and independence.
The people will eventually be taken into a foreign country and forced to serve their enemies.
One of the chapter's most important contrasts appears in verses 5–8.
Jeremiah presents two different ways of living.
The first is trusting in human beings and human strength.
Such a person is compared to a dry desert shrub.
The second is trusting in the Lord.
That person is compared to a tree planted beside water.
The contrast is powerful.
The desert shrub depends on limited resources and becomes dry when difficult conditions arrive.
The tree beside water has a deeper source of life.
Even when drought comes, its roots continue reaching toward water.
The message is that circumstances do not determine whether a person can remain spiritually fruitful; the deeper question is where that person's trust is rooted.
Jeremiah then moves inward.
He says that the human heart is deeply deceptive.
People can convince themselves that their motives are good even when they are not.
God, however, sees beyond appearances.
He examines the heart and tests the mind.
This means that God does not judge merely what people say publicly.
He sees the motivations, desires, and intentions underneath their actions.
The chapter also warns against dishonest wealth.
Jeremiah compares wealth gained improperly to a bird sitting on eggs that it did not lay.
The bird may appear to possess something valuable, but eventually the deception is exposed and the supposed wealth disappears.
This is a reminder that wealth obtained through injustice cannot provide permanent security.
Jeremiah then turns to his own situation.
He asks God to heal and save him.
Some people are mocking him because his warnings have not yet happened.
They essentially ask, "Where is the disaster you keep talking about?"
Jeremiah reminds God that he did not invent the message and did not desire the destruction himself.
He simply delivered what God told him to say.
This reveals another important aspect of Jeremiah's character.
He is not a prophet who enjoys announcing disaster.
He carries the message because he believes he has been called to do so.
The final part of the chapter focuses on the Sabbath.
God tells Jeremiah to stand at the gates of Jerusalem and publicly warn the people and their leaders.
They are commanded not to carry commercial or ordinary work burdens through the city gates on the Sabbath.
The Sabbath was intended to be a holy day of rest.
The issue is therefore larger than one particular rule.
It demonstrates whether the people are willing to trust God's commands and order their lives around Him.
God gives the people a choice.
If they listen and obey, Jerusalem can continue as a living city with kings, citizens, worshipers, and economic activity.
But if they refuse, the consequences will be severe.
The chapter ends with a warning that fire will consume Jerusalem's gates and palaces.
Historically, this points toward the destruction of Jerusalem by Babylon in 586 BC.
The chapter therefore connects personal faith, national behavior, economic justice, worship, Sabbath observance, and political survival.
The central message is that the real foundation of a person's life is determined by what he or she trusts; those who depend on human strength, dishonest wealth, religious appearance, or their own understanding will eventually discover that these things cannot provide lasting security, while those who trust God are compared to a deeply rooted tree that continues to live and produce fruit even during drought, and Judah is warned that its deeply established rebellion must be replaced by genuine obedience, including respect for God's commands concerning justice, worship, and the Sabbath, because the nation's future depends not on military strength or political alliances but on whether its people will return to the Lord and trust Him.