Jeremiah 17:20
New International Version
Say to them, ‘Hear the word of the LORD, you kings of Judah and all people of Judah and everyone living in Jerusalem who come through these gates.

New Living Translation
Say to all the people, ‘Listen to this message from the LORD, you kings of Judah and all you people of Judah and everyone living in Jerusalem.

English Standard Version
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.

Berean Standard Bible
Say to them, ‘Hear the word of the LORD, O kings of Judah, all people of Judah and Jerusalem who enter through these gates.

King James Bible
And say unto them, Hear ye the word of the LORD, ye kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that enter in by these gates:

New King James Version
and say to them, ‘Hear the word of the LORD, you kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, who enter by these gates.

New American Standard Bible
and say to them, ‘Listen to the word of the LORD, you kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all inhabitants of Jerusalem who come in through these gates.

NASB 1995
and say to them, ‘Listen to the word of the LORD, kings of Judah, and all Judah and all inhabitants of Jerusalem who come in through these gates:

NASB 1977
and say to them, ‘Listen to the word of the LORD, kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all inhabitants of Jerusalem, who come in through these gates:

Legacy Standard Bible
and say to them, ‘Listen to the word of Yahweh, kings of Judah and all Judah and all inhabitants of Jerusalem who come in through these gates:

Amplified Bible
and say to them, ‘Listen to the word of the LORD, kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the people of Jerusalem who enter through these gates.

Christian Standard Bible
Announce to them, ‘Hear the word of the LORD, kings of Judah, all Judah, and all the residents of Jerusalem who enter through these gates.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Announce to them: Hear the word of the LORD, kings of Judah, all Judah, and all the residents of Jerusalem who enter through these gates.

American Standard Version
and say unto them, Hear ye the word of Jehovah, ye kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that enter in by these gates:

English Revised Version
and say unto them, Hear ye the word of the LORD, ye kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that enter in by these gates;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Tell everyone: "Listen to the word of the LORD, you kings of Judah, all the people of Judah, and all those who live in Jerusalem, and go through these gates.

Good News Translation
Tell the kings and all the people of Judah and everyone who lives in Jerusalem and enters these gates, to listen to what I say.

International Standard Version
Say to them, 'Kings of Judah, all Judah, and all the residents of Jerusalem entering these gates, hear this message from the LORD.

Majority Standard Bible
Say to them, ‘Hear the word of the LORD, O kings of Judah, all people of Judah and Jerusalem who enter through these gates.

NET Bible
As you stand in those places announce, 'Listen, all you people who pass through these gates. Listen, all you kings of Judah, all you people of Judah and all you citizens of Jerusalem. Listen to what the LORD says.

New Heart English Bible
and tell them, 'Hear the word of the LORD, you kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that enter in by these gates:

Webster's Bible Translation
And say to them, Hear ye the word of the LORD, ye kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that enter by these gates:

World English Bible
Tell them, ‘Hear Yahweh’s word, you kings of Judah, all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that enter in by these gates:
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and you have said to them: Hear a word of YHWH, you kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all inhabitants of Jerusalem, who are coming in by these gates,”

Young's Literal Translation
and thou hast said unto them: Hear a word of Jehovah, ye kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all inhabitants of Jerusalem, who are coming in by these gates,

Smith's Literal Translation
And say to them, Hear the word of Jehovah, ye kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all inhabiting Jerusalem, coming in by these gates:
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And thou shalt say to them: Hear the word of the Lord, ye kings of Juda, and all Juda, and all the inhabitant of Jerusalem, that enter in by these gates.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And you shall say to them: Listen to the word of the Lord, O kings of Judah, and all of Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, who enter through these gates.”

New American Bible
There say to them: Hear the word of the LORD, you kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all you inhabitants of Jerusalem who enter these gates!

New Revised Standard Version
and say to them: Hear the word of the LORD, you kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, who enter by these gates.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And say to them, Hear the word of the LORD, you kings of Judah and all the house of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem who enter by these gates.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And say to them: “Hear the word of LORD JEHOVAH, Kings of Judea, and all the house of Judea, and all of the inhabitants of Jerusalem who enter in these gates!
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
and say unto them: Hear ye the word of the LORD, ye kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that enter in by these gates;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
and thou shalt say to them, Hear the word of the Lord, ye kings of Juda, and all Judea, and all Jerusalem, all who go in at these gates:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Sabbath Renewed
19This is what the LORD said to me: “Go and stand at the gate of the people, through which the kings of Judah go in and out; and stand at all the other gates of Jerusalem. 20Say to them, ‘Hear the word of the LORD, O kings of Judah, all people of Judah and Jerusalem who enter through these gates. 21This is what the LORD says: Take heed for yourselves; do not carry a load or bring it through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day.…

Cross References
Exodus 20:8-11
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. / Six days you shall labor and do all your work, / but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God, on which you must not do any work—neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant or livestock, nor the foreigner within your gates. ...

Nehemiah 13:15-22
In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, along with wine, grapes, and figs. All kinds of goods were being brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. So I warned them against selling food on that day. / Additionally, men of Tyre who lived there were importing fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah in Jerusalem. / Then I rebuked the nobles of Judah and asked, “What is this evil you are doing—profaning the Sabbath day? ...

Isaiah 56:2
Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without profaning it and keeps his hand from doing any evil.”

Isaiah 58:13-14
If you turn your foot from breaking the Sabbath, from doing as you please on My holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight, and the LORD’s holy day honorable, if you honor it by not going your own way or seeking your own pleasure or speaking idle words, / then you will delight yourself in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the land and feed you with the heritage of your father Jacob.” For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

Ezekiel 20:12-24
I also gave them My Sabbaths as a sign between us, so that they would know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them. / Yet the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness. They did not follow My statutes and they rejected My ordinances—though the man who does these things will live by them—and they utterly profaned My Sabbaths. Then I resolved to pour out My wrath upon them and put an end to them in the wilderness. / But I acted for the sake of My name, so that it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out. ...

Deuteronomy 5:12-15
Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the LORD your God has commanded you. / Six days you shall labor and do all your work, / but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God, on which you must not do any work—neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your ox or donkey or any of your livestock, nor the foreigner within your gates, so that your manservant and maidservant may rest as you do. ...

Leviticus 26:2
You must keep My Sabbaths and have reverence for My sanctuary. I am the LORD.

2 Chronicles 36:21
So the land enjoyed its Sabbath rest all the days of the desolation, until seventy years were completed, in fulfillment of the word of the LORD spoken through Jeremiah.

Amos 8:5
asking, “When will the New Moon be over, that we may sell grain? When will the Sabbath end, that we may market wheat? Let us reduce the ephah and increase the shekel; let us cheat with dishonest scales.

Matthew 12:8
For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

Mark 2:27-28
Then Jesus declared, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. / Therefore, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

Luke 6:5
Then Jesus declared, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

John 5:16-18
Now because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jews began to persecute Him. / But Jesus answered them, “To this very day My Father is at His work, and I too am working.” / Because of this, the Jews tried all the harder to kill Him. Not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but He was even calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.

Matthew 5:17-19
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them. / For I tell you truly, until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. / So then, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do likewise will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever practices and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Colossians 2:16-17
Therefore let no one judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a feast, a New Moon, or a Sabbath. / These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts it belongs to Christ.


Treasury of Scripture

And say to them, Hear you the word of the LORD, you kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that enter in by these gates:

Jeremiah 13:18
Say unto the king and to the queen, Humble yourselves, sit down: for your principalities shall come down, even the crown of your glory.

Jeremiah 19:3
And say, Hear ye the word of the LORD, O kings of Judah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem; Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, the which whosoever heareth, his ears shall tingle.

Jeremiah 22:2
And say, Hear the word of the LORD, O king of Judah, that sittest upon the throne of David, thou, and thy servants, and thy people that enter in by these gates:

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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.














Say to them
This phrase indicates a direct command from God to the prophet Jeremiah. The Hebrew root for "say" is "אָמַר" (amar), which is often used in the context of divine communication. This highlights the role of the prophet as a mouthpiece for God, emphasizing the importance of obedience and the weight of the message being delivered. In a historical context, prophets were often seen as intermediaries between God and His people, tasked with delivering messages that were crucial for the spiritual and moral direction of the nation.

Hear the word of the LORD
The Hebrew word for "hear" is "שָׁמַע" (shama), which implies not just listening but also understanding and obeying. This call to hear is a recurring theme in the Bible, underscoring the importance of being attentive to God's instructions. The "word of the LORD" signifies divine revelation, which carries authority and demands a response. In the conservative Christian perspective, this phrase reminds believers of the necessity to prioritize God's word in their lives, recognizing it as the ultimate guide for faith and practice.

you kings of Judah
This phrase addresses the political leaders of Judah, highlighting their responsibility in leading the nation according to God's statutes. The kings were expected to be examples of faithfulness and obedience, guiding the people in righteousness. Historically, the kings of Judah had a significant influence on the spiritual state of the nation, and their actions often determined the nation's fate. This serves as a reminder of the accountability of leaders before God and the impact of their leadership on the people they govern.

and all people of Judah and Jerusalem
Here, the message is extended to the entire population, not just the leaders. This inclusivity underscores the communal aspect of God's covenant with His people. Every individual, regardless of status, is called to heed God's word. In the historical context, Judah and Jerusalem were the heart of the Jewish nation, representing both the political and spiritual centers. This phrase emphasizes that God's message is for everyone, reinforcing the idea that all are equal before God and share in the responsibility to follow His commands.

who enter through these gates
The gates of a city were significant in ancient times, serving as places of commerce, legal transactions, and public discourse. They were also symbolic of the city's strength and security. By addressing those who enter through the gates, the message is directed at those who are actively participating in the life of the city. This phrase can be seen as a call to integrity and righteousness in all aspects of public and private life. In a spiritual sense, it serves as a reminder that one's actions and decisions, both within and outside the community, should reflect a commitment to God's word.

Verse 20. - Jeremiah addresses himself first of all to the kings of Judah. As it would be very unnatural for a public orator to appeal to the yet unborn members of the reigning dynasty, and as there are several indications that the "house of David" was able at this period, as also in that of Isaiah, to exercise a decisive political and civil influence, even, as appears from Jeremiah 21:11, 12, monopolizing the judicial functions, it is natural to suppose that "kings of Judah" is here used in a very special sense, via. of the members of the various branches of the royal family ("The sons of the king," Zephaniah 1:8; comp. Jeremiah 36:26, "Jerahmeel, a king's son"), and their descendants, who received the royal title by courtesy (parallels for this will be found in Gesenius's 'Hebrew Thesaurus,' s.v.me'lek). The queen-mother was probably the leader of this plan; "the mistress," as she was called (see on Jeremiah 13:18), and the royal princes (among whom the "house of Nathan," Zechariah 12:12, would doubtless be reckoned), constituted in fact a body almost as numerous as they did (according to Brugsch Bey) in Egypt, and politically much more influential; so much so indeed that only a king of unusual force of character, like Hezekiah or Josiah, could venture, and that timidly, to oppose them. The weak-principled Zedekiah seems to have been entirely dominated by this powerful caste, and to have been little more than a maire du palais (the same sense of the phrase is required in Jeremiah 19:8, and probably in Jeremiah 25:18).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Say
וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ (wə·’ā·mar·tā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to them,
אֲ֠לֵיהֶם (’ă·lê·hem)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

‘Hear
שִׁמְע֨וּ (šim·‘ū)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

the word
דְבַר־ (ḏə·ḇar-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

of the LORD,
יְהוָ֜ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

O kings
מַלְכֵ֤י (mal·ḵê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 4428: A king

of Judah,
יְהוּדָה֙ (yə·hū·ḏāh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3063: Judah -- 'praised', a son of Jacob, also the southern kingdom, also four Israelites

all [people]
וְכָל־ (wə·ḵāl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

of Judah
יְהוּדָ֔ה (yə·hū·ḏāh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3063: Judah -- 'praised', a son of Jacob, also the southern kingdom, also four Israelites

[and]
וְכֹ֖ל (wə·ḵōl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

Jerusalem
יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם (yə·rū·šā·lim)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3389: Jerusalem -- probably 'foundation of peace', capital city of all Israel

who enter
הַבָּאִ֖ים (hab·bā·’îm)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

through these
הָאֵֽלֶּה׃ (hā·’êl·leh)
Article | Pronoun - common plural
Strong's 428: These, those

gates.
בַּשְּׁעָרִ֥ים (baš·šə·‘ā·rîm)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8179: An opening, door, gate


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 17:20 And tell them Hear you the word (Jer.)
Jeremiah 17:19
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