Jeremiah 17:23
New International Version
Yet they did not listen or pay attention; they were stiff-necked and would not listen or respond to discipline.

New Living Translation
but they did not listen or obey. They stubbornly refused to pay attention or accept my discipline.

English Standard Version
Yet they did not listen or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck, that they might not hear and receive instruction.

Berean Standard Bible
Yet they would not listen or incline their ear, but they stiffened their necks and would not listen or receive My discipline.

King James Bible
But they obeyed not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, nor receive instruction.

New King James Version
But they did not obey nor incline their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear nor receive instruction.

New American Standard Bible
Yet they did not listen or incline their ears, but stiffened their necks so as not to listen or accept discipline.

NASB 1995
“Yet they did not listen or incline their ears, but stiffened their necks in order not to listen or take correction.

NASB 1977
“Yet they did not listen or incline their ears, but stiffened their necks in order not to listen or take correction.

Legacy Standard Bible
Yet they did not listen or incline their ears, but stiffened their necks in order not to listen or receive discipline.

Amplified Bible
Yet they would not listen and obey and control their behavior; but they were stiff-necked in order not to hear and take instruction.

Christian Standard Bible
They wouldn’t listen or pay attention but became obstinate, not listening or accepting discipline.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
They wouldn’t listen or pay attention but became obstinate, not listening or accepting discipline.

American Standard Version
But they hearkened not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, and might not receive instruction.

English Revised Version
But they hearkened not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, and might not receive instruction.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Your ancestors did not obey me or pay attention to me. They were impossible to deal with and would not listen or accept discipline.

Good News Translation
Their ancestors did not listen to me or pay any attention. Instead, they became stubborn; they would not obey me or learn from me.

International Standard Version
But they didn't listen, nor did they pay attention. They were determined not to listen and not to accept instruction.

Majority Standard Bible
Yet they would not listen or incline their ear, but they stiffened their necks and would not listen or receive My discipline.

NET Bible
Your ancestors, however, did not listen to me or pay any attention to me. They stubbornly refused to pay attention or to respond to any discipline.'

New Heart English Bible
But they did not listen, neither turn their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, and might not receive instruction.

Webster's Bible Translation
But they obeyed not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, nor receive instruction.

World English Bible
But they didn’t listen. They didn’t turn their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, and might not receive instruction.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And they have not listened nor inclined their ear, "" And they stiffen their neck not to hear, "" And not to receive instruction.

Young's Literal Translation
And they have not hearkened nor inclined their ear, And they stiffen their neck not to hear, And not to receive instruction.

Smith's Literal Translation
And they heard not, and they inclined not their ear, and they will harden their neck not to hear, and not to receive instruction.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
But they did not hear, nor incline their ear: but hardened their neck, that they might not hear me, and might not receive instruction.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But they did not listen, nor did they incline their ear. Instead, they hardened their neck, lest they listen to me and receive discipline.

New American Bible
though they did not listen or give ear, but stiffened their necks so they could not hear or take correction.

New Revised Standard Version
Yet they did not listen or incline their ear; they stiffened their necks and would not hear or receive instruction.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
But they did not obey, neither inclined their ear, but hardened their neck that they, might not hear nor receive instruction.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And they did not hear, and they did not incline their ears to hear, and they stiffened their neck that they would not listen, and they would not receive instruction
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
but they hearkened not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, nor receive instruction.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
But they hearkened not, and inclined not their ear, but stiffened their neck more than their fathers did, so as not to hear me, and not to receive correction.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Sabbath Renewed
22You must not carry a load out of your houses or do any work on the Sabbath day, but you must keep the Sabbath day holy, just as I commanded your forefathers. 23Yet they would not listen or incline their ear, but they stiffened their necks and would not listen or receive My discipline. 24If, however, you listen carefully to Me, says the LORD, and bring no load through the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, and keep the Sabbath day holy, and do no work on it,…

Cross References
Ezekiel 20:13
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.

Nehemiah 9:29
You admonished them to turn back to Your law, but they were arrogant and disobeyed Your commandments. They sinned against Your ordinances, by which a man will live if he practices them. They turned a stubborn shoulder; they stiffened their necks and would not obey.

2 Kings 17:14
But they would not listen, and they stiffened their necks like their fathers, who did not believe the LORD their God.

Isaiah 48:4
For I knew that you are stubborn; your neck is iron and your forehead is bronze.

Zechariah 7:11-12
But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder; they stopped up their ears from hearing. / They made their hearts like flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the LORD of Hosts had sent by His Spirit through the earlier prophets. Therefore great anger came from the LORD of Hosts.

Psalm 81:11-12
But My people would not listen to Me, and Israel would not obey Me. / So I gave them up to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.

Deuteronomy 31:27
For I know how rebellious and stiff-necked you are. If you are already rebelling against the LORD while I am still alive, how much more will you rebel after my death!

2 Chronicles 36:16
But they mocked the messengers of God, despising His words and scoffing at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD against His people was stirred up beyond remedy.

Isaiah 30:9
These are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to obey the LORD’s instruction.

Acts 7:51
You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit, just as your fathers did.

Matthew 23:37
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!

Romans 10:21
But as for Israel he says: “All day long I have held out My hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.”

Hebrews 3:7-8
Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear His voice, / do not harden your hearts, as you did in the rebellion, in the day of testing in the wilderness,

John 5:39-40
You pore over the Scriptures because you presume that by them you possess eternal life. These are the very words that testify about Me, / yet you refuse to come to Me to have life.

Matthew 13:15
For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.’


Treasury of Scripture

But they obeyed not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, nor receive instruction.

they obeyed.

Jeremiah 7:24-26
But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward…

Jeremiah 11:10
They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, which refused to hear my words; and they went after other gods to serve them: the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with their fathers.

Jeremiah 16:11,12
Then shalt thou say unto them, Because your fathers have forsaken me, saith the LORD, and have walked after other gods, and have served them, and have worshipped them, and have forsaken me, and have not kept my law; …

made.

Proverbs 29:1
He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.

nor.

Jeremiah 6:8
Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee; lest I make thee desolate, a land not inhabited.

Jeremiah 32:33
And they have turned unto me the back, and not the face: though I taught them, rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not hearkened to receive instruction.

Jeremiah 35:15
I have sent also unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, Return ye now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and go not after other gods to serve them, and ye shall dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers: but ye have not inclined your ear, nor hearkened unto me.

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Attention Correction Ear Ears Hear Hearkened Incline Inclined Instruction Neck Necks Obeyed Order Pay Receive Respond Stiff Stiffen Stiffened Stiff-Necked Teaching Turn
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Attention Correction Ear Ears Hear Hearkened Incline Inclined Instruction Neck Necks Obeyed Order Pay Receive Respond Stiff Stiffen Stiffened Stiff-Necked Teaching Turn
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.














Yet they would not listen
The phrase "Yet they would not listen" underscores a persistent refusal to heed God's word. The Hebrew root for "listen" is "שָׁמַע" (shama), which implies not just hearing but obeying. This reflects a deeper spiritual rebellion, as listening in the biblical sense involves a readiness to act upon what is heard. Historically, this was a time when Judah was repeatedly warned by prophets, yet they chose to ignore divine guidance, leading to their downfall.

or incline their ear
To "incline their ear" suggests a deliberate act of paying attention. The Hebrew "הִטּוּ" (hittu) conveys the idea of bending or stretching towards something. This phrase indicates a willful neglect of God's messages. In the ancient Near Eastern context, inclining one's ear was a sign of respect and willingness to learn, which Judah failed to demonstrate.

but they stiffened their necks
The imagery of "stiffened their necks" is vivid, portraying obstinacy and pride. The Hebrew "קָשָׁה" (qashah) means to harden or make stubborn. This metaphor is drawn from the behavior of oxen that resist the yoke, symbolizing Judah's resistance to divine authority. Archaeologically, this reflects a common agrarian image familiar to the original audience, emphasizing their rebellion against God's leadership.

and would not listen
Reiterating the earlier refusal to "listen," this phrase emphasizes the gravity of their disobedience. The repetition serves to highlight the continuous nature of their rebellion. Scripturally, this echoes the recurring theme of Israel's history, where God’s people often turned a deaf ear to His commands, leading to judgment.

or receive My discipline
"Receive My discipline" speaks to the corrective measures God intended for their benefit. The Hebrew "מוּסָר" (musar) refers to instruction or correction, akin to a loving father's guidance. Historically, this discipline was meant to restore and redirect Judah, yet their refusal to accept it led to severe consequences. This phrase reminds believers of the importance of accepting God's correction as an act of love and a path to spiritual growth.

Verse 23. - This verse is modeled on Jeremiah 7:26, 28.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Yet they would not
וְלֹ֣א (wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

listen
שָֽׁמְע֔וּ (šā·mə·‘ū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

or incline
הִטּ֖וּ (hiṭ·ṭū)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 5186: To stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bend

their ear,
אָזְנָ֑ם (’ā·zə·nām)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 241: Broadness, the ear

but they stiffened
וַיַּקְשׁוּ֙ (way·yaq·šū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7185: To be hard, severe or fierce

their necks
עָרְפָּ֔ם (‘ā·rə·pām)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 6203: The nape, back of the neck, the back

and would not
לְבִלְתִּ֣י (lə·ḇil·tî)
Preposition-l
Strong's 1115: A failure of, not, except, without, unless, besides, because not, until

listen
שְׁמ֔וֹעַ (šə·mō·w·a‘)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

or receive
קַ֥חַת (qa·ḥaṯ)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 3947: To take

My discipline.
מוּסָֽר׃ (mū·sār)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4148: Chastisement, reproof, warning, instruction, restraint


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 17:23 But they didn't listen neither turn their (Jer.)
Jeremiah 17:22
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