Jeremiah 17:16 But I have not run away from being Your shepherd; I have not desired the day of despair. You know that the utterance of my lips was spoken in Your presence.

Bible > Jeremiah > Chapter 17 > Verse 16

◄ Jeremiah 17:16 ►

New International Version
I have not run away from being your shepherd; you know I have not desired the day of despair. What passes my lips is open before you.

New Living Translation
LORD, I have not abandoned my job as a shepherd for your people. I have not urged you to send disaster. You have heard everything I’ve said.

English Standard Version
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.

Berean Standard Bible
But I have not run away from being Your shepherd; I have not desired the day of despair. You know that the utterance of my lips was spoken in Your presence.

King James Bible
As for me, I have not hastened from being a pastor to follow thee: neither have I desired the woeful day; thou knowest: that which came out of my lips was right before thee.

New King James Version
As for me, I have not hurried away from being a shepherd who follows You, Nor have I desired the woeful day; You know what came out of my lips; It was right there before You.

New American Standard Bible
But as for me, I have not hurried away from being a shepherd following after You, Nor have I longed for the disastrous day; You Yourself know that the utterance of my lips Was in Your presence.

NASB 1995
But as for me, I have not hurried away from being a shepherd after You, Nor have I longed for the woeful day; You Yourself know that the utterance of my lips Was in Your presence.

NASB 1977
But as for me, I have not hurried away from being a shepherd after Thee, Nor have I longed for the woeful day; Thou Thyself knowest the utterance of my lips Was in Thy presence.

Legacy Standard Bible
But as for me, I have not hurried away from being a shepherd after You, Nor have I longed for the sickening day; You Yourself know that the utterance of my lips Was in Your presence.

Amplified Bible
But as for me, I have not tried to escape from being a shepherd [walking] after You, Nor have I longed for the woeful day [of judgment]; You know that, whatever I said Was [spoken] in Your presence and was from You.

Christian Standard Bible
But I have not run away from being your shepherd, and I have not longed for the fatal day. You know my words were spoken in your presence.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But I have not run away from being Your shepherd, and I have not longed for the fatal day. You know my words were spoken in Your presence.

American Standard Version
As for me, I have not hastened from being a shepherd after thee; neither have I desired the woeful day; thou knowest: that which came out of my lips was before thy face.

Contemporary English Version
Our LORD, you chose me to care for your people, and that's what I have done. You know everything I have said, and I have never once asked you to punish them.

English Revised Version
As for me, I have not hastened from being a shepherd after thee; neither have I desired the woeful day; thou knowest: that which came out of my lips was before thy face.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I have not run away from being your shepherd, and I have not longed for the day of destruction. You know what came out of my mouth.

Good News Translation
But, LORD, I never urged you to bring disaster on them; I did not wish a time of trouble for them. LORD, you know this; you know what I have said.

International Standard Version
I haven't run away from being your shepherd, and I haven't longed for the day of sickness. You know what comes out from my lips, it's open before you.

Majority Standard Bible
But I have not run away from being Your shepherd; I have not desired the day of despair. You know that the utterance of my lips was spoken in Your presence.

NET Bible
But I have not pestered you to bring disaster. I have not desired the time of irreparable devastation. You know that. You are fully aware of every word that I have spoken.

New Heart English Bible
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.

Webster's Bible Translation
As for me, I have not hastened from being a pastor to follow thee: neither have I desired the woeful day; thou knowest: that which was uttered by my lips was right before thee.

World English Bible
As for me, I have not hurried from being a shepherd after you. I haven’t desired the woeful day. You know. That which came out of my lips was before your face.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
And I did not hurry from feeding after You, "" And I have not desired the desperate day, "" You have known the produce of my lips, "" It has been before Your face,

Young's Literal Translation
And I hastened not from feeding after Thee, And the desperate day I have not desired, Thou -- Thou hast known, The produce of my lips, before Thy face it hath been,

Smith's Literal Translation
And I withdrew not from following after thee; I desired not man's day, thou knewest: the going forth of my lips was straight before thee.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And I am not troubled, following thee for my pastor, and I have not desired the day of man, thou knowest. That which went out of my lips, hath been right in thy sight.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But I am not troubled; I am following you as my shepherd. And I have not desired the day of man, as you know. That which has gone forth from my lips has been right in your sight.

New American Bible
Yet I did not press you to send disaster; the day without remedy I have not desired. You know what passed my lips; it is present before you.

New Revised Standard Version
But I have not run away from being a shepherd in your service, nor have I desired the fatal day. You know what came from my lips; it was before your face.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
As for me, I have not urged thee to bring evil; nor have I desired any man's woeful day; thou knowest; that which came out of my lips was before thy face.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And I have not given up on you in evil. You know that I have not coveted a day of a son of man, and anything that proceeded from my lips was before your face

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
As for me, I have not hastened from being a shepherd after Thee; Neither have I desired the woeful day; thou knowest it; That which came out of my lips was manifest before Thee.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
But I have not been weary of following thee, nor have I desired the day of man; thou knowest; the words that proceed out of my lips are before thy face.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Jeremiah's Prayer for Deliverance
…15Behold, they keep saying to me, “Where is the word of the LORD? Let it come now!” 16But I have not run away from being Your shepherd; I have not desired the day of despair. You know that the utterance of my lips was spoken in Your presence. 17Do not become a terror to me; You are my refuge in the day of disaster.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Ezekiel 3:17-19
“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from My mouth, give them a warning from Me. / If I say to the wicked man, ‘You will surely die,’ but you do not warn him or speak out to warn him from his wicked way to save his life, that wicked man will die in his iniquity, and I will hold you responsible for his blood. / But if you warn a wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness and his wicked way, he will die in his iniquity, but you will have saved yourself.

Isaiah 6:8-10
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying: “Whom shall I send? Who will go for Us?” And I said: “Here am I. Send me!” / And He replied: “Go and tell this people, ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ / Make the hearts of this people calloused; deafen their ears and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”

Amos 3:7-8
Surely the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets. / The lion has roared—who will not fear? The Lord GOD has spoken—who will not prophesy?

1 Kings 22:14
But Micaiah said, “As surely as the LORD lives, I will speak whatever the LORD tells me.”

Ezekiel 33:7-9
As for you, O son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word from My mouth and give them the warning from Me. / If I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you will surely die,’ but you do not speak out to dissuade him from his way, then that wicked man will die in his iniquity, yet I will hold you accountable for his blood. / But if you warn the wicked man to turn from his way, and he does not turn from it, he will die in his iniquity, but you will have saved your life.

Acts 20:26-27
Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. / For I did not shrink back from declaring to you the whole will of God.

2 Timothy 4:2
Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction.

Matthew 10:27
What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the housetops.

Acts 18:6
But when they opposed and insulted him, he shook out his garments and told them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”

1 Corinthians 9:16
Yet when I preach the gospel, I have no reason to boast, because I am obligated to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!

Isaiah 49:4
But I said, “I have labored in vain, I have spent My strength in futility and vanity; yet My vindication is with the LORD, and My reward is with My God.”

John 12:49-50
I have not spoken on My own, but the Father who sent Me has commanded Me what to say and how to say it. / And I know that His command leads to eternal life. So I speak exactly what the Father has told Me to say.”

2 Corinthians 2:17
For we are not like so many others, who peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as men sent from God.

Ezekiel 2:7
But speak My words to them, whether they listen or refuse to listen, for they are rebellious.

1 Thessalonians 2:4
Instead, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, not in order to please men but God, who examines our hearts.

Treasury of Scripture

As for me, I have not hastened from being a pastor to follow you: neither have I desired the woeful day; you know: that which came out of my lips was right before you.

I have.

Jeremiah 1:4-10
Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, …

Jeremiah 20:9
Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.

Ezekiel 3:14-19
So the spirit lifted me up, and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the LORD was strong upon me…

to follow thee.

Jeremiah 4:19,20
My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart maketh a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, because thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war…

Jeremiah 9:1
Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!

Jeremiah 13:17
But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the LORD'S flock is carried away captive.

that.

Acts 20:20,27
And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house, …

2 Corinthians 1:12
For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.

2 Corinthians 2:17
For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.

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Death-Giving Desired Despair Desperate Face Fatal Feeding Follow Following Hastened Hoping Hurried Lips Manifest Passes Presence Pressed Produce Quickly Right Shepherd Thou Trouble Utterance Uttered

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Jeremiah 17

1. The captivity of Judah for her sin.
5. Trust in man is cursed;
7. in God is blessed.
9. The deceitful heart cannot deceive God.
12. The salvation of God.
15. The prophet complains of the mockers of his prophecy.
19. He is sent to renew the covenant in hallowing the Sabbath.

Berean Study Bible

But I have not run away
The phrase "run away" in Hebrew is "lo' 'atzti," which conveys a sense of not fleeing or abandoning one's post. Jeremiah, as a prophet, faced immense opposition and persecution, yet he remained steadfast in his calling. This reflects the commitment and courage required to fulfill God's mission, even when faced with adversity. Historically, prophets were often rejected by their own people, yet Jeremiah's resolve serves as an example of unwavering faithfulness.

from being Your shepherd
The term "shepherd" is "ro'eh" in Hebrew, symbolizing leadership and guidance. In the biblical context, a shepherd is responsible for the care and protection of the flock, which in Jeremiah's case, refers to the people of Israel. This imagery is deeply rooted in the pastoral culture of ancient Israel, where shepherds were seen as protectors and providers. Jeremiah's role as a spiritual shepherd underscores his dedication to guiding the people according to God's will, despite their resistance.

nor have I desired the day of despair
"Desired" in Hebrew is "lo' hith'avti," indicating a longing or wish. Jeremiah did not wish for "the day of despair," which refers to the impending judgment and calamity that would befall Judah due to their disobedience. This highlights Jeremiah's compassion and his hope for repentance and restoration rather than destruction. The "day of despair" is a prophetic warning, emphasizing the consequences of turning away from God.

You know what came from my lips
The phrase "You know" is "yadata," emphasizing God's omniscience. Jeremiah acknowledges that God is fully aware of his words and intentions. This reflects the intimate relationship between the prophet and God, where Jeremiah speaks with sincerity and truthfulness. The "lips" symbolize the spoken word, which in the prophetic tradition, carries the weight of divine authority and truth.

it was spoken in Your presence
"Spoken" in Hebrew is "ne'emar," indicating the act of declaring or proclaiming. Jeremiah asserts that his words were uttered "in Your presence," or "lefaneyka," signifying that his prophecies were delivered with an awareness of God's immediate presence and authority. This underscores the accountability and reverence with which Jeremiah approached his prophetic ministry. The presence of God is a central theme in the Bible, reminding believers of the divine oversight and guidance in all aspects of life.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(16) I have not hastened . . .--The words of the English Version are somewhat obscure, and a better rendering would perhaps be, I have not been quick to withdraw from my work in following thee, as a shepherd and guide of the people. A possible meaning, adopted by some commentators, would be, "I have not hastened from my work as a shepherd (in the literal sense) to follow thee," as presenting a parallel to the words of Amos (Amos 7:14-15); and, though we cannot get beyond conjecture, it is quite possible that Jeremiah, in his youth, before the call of Jeremiah 1:4, may have been employed in the pasture grounds that belonged to Anathoth as a city of the priests (Numbers 35:4; Joshua 21:4; Joshua 21:18; 1Chronicles 6:60). It is to some extent in favour of this view, that throughout the book the work of the shepherd, when used figuratively, answers to the work of the ruler, and not to that of the prophet. What he means, if we keep the version given above, is that he had not been too slack in his obedience, but neither had he been over eager. He had no desire to see the woful day that would fulfil his predictions. What had come from his lips was just what he had been bidden to say and no more (Jeremiah 15:16-19), and thus he had spoken as in the sight of God. The interpolated word "right" mars rather than mends the meaning, . . .

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 16. - I have not hastened from being a pastor to follow thee; i.e. I have not eagerly withdrawn from following thee as a shepherd (or prophet). The prophet does not follow his own vague inclinations; he is but an under-shepherd, and waits on the will of his superior. He is, as Hosea calls him (Hosea 9:7, Hebrew), "the man of the Spirit." If God leads any one, whether people or individuals, it is through the agency of the Spirit (Isaiah 63:11, 12); and it is the characteristic of the typical prophet that his ear is "wakened morning by morning" to receive his daily lesson. Only by thus "following" the Divine Leader, can a prophet act as pastor to his people. [The construction is, however, rather simplified by the rendering - a perfectly legitimate one... from following thee as a companion.] The woeful day. The word for "woeful" is the same rendered "desperately wicked" (ver. 9); the "day" of Judah's calamity is metaphorically "sick," like the heart of man. So, other words being used, Isaiah 17:11 (end). Was right before thee; rather (since some adjective must be supplied), was manifest before thee. He appeals to the all-seeing Eye as a witness to his fidelity to his mission.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

But I
וַאֲנִ֞י (wa·’ă·nî)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 589: I

have not
לֹא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

run away
אַ֣צְתִּי ׀ (’aṣ·tî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 213: To press, to be close, hurry, withdraw

from being Your shepherd;
מֵרֹעֶ֣ה (mê·rō·‘eh)
Preposition-m | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 7462: To tend a, flock, pasture it, in, to graze, to rule, to associate with

I have not
לֹ֥א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

desired
הִתְאַוֵּ֖יתִי (hiṯ·’aw·wê·ṯî)
Verb - Hitpael - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 183: To incline, desire

the day
וְי֥וֹם (wə·yō·wm)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3117: A day

of despair.
אָנ֛וּשׁ (’ā·nūš)
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular
Strong's 605: To be frail, feeble, melancholy

You
אַתָּ֣ה (’at·tāh)
Pronoun - second person masculine singular
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

know
יָדָ֑עְתָּ (yā·ḏā·‘ə·tā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 3045: To know

that the utterance
מוֹצָ֣א (mō·w·ṣā)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4161: A place or act of going forth, issue, export, source, spring

of my lips
שְׂפָתַ֔י (śə·p̄ā·ṯay)
Noun - fdc | first person common singular
Strong's 8193: The lip, language, a margin

was [spoken]
הָיָֽה׃ (hā·yāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

in
נֹ֥כַח (nō·ḵaḥ)
Preposition
Strong's 5227: The front part, opposite, in front of, forward, in behalf of

Your presence.
פָּנֶ֖יךָ (pā·ne·ḵā)
Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 6440: The face

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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 17:16 As for me I have not hurried (Jer.)