The big picture
Jeremiah 17 opens in verse 1 with “The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 14 with “Heal me, O LORD , and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my…”, and closes in verse 27 with “But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the sabbath day, and not to bear a burden…” Repeated or prominent terms include LORD, gates, Jerusalem, sabbath, Judah. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Jeremiah · King James Version · 27Jeremiah 17:1-7
1–7: The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a…
Jeremiah 17:1–7 opens with “The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is graven…” and reaches “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD , and whose hope the LORD is.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jeremiah 17 develops its own movement around LORD, gates, Jerusalem, sabbath, Judah, with particular weight carried by LORD, altars, heart.
Context that brings the passage to life
“The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is graven upon the table of their…” Naming Judah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“Whilst their children remember their altars and their groves by the green trees upon the high hills.” Naming Whilst keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“O my mountain in the field, I will give thy substance and all thy treasures to the spoil, and thy high places for sin…” The line’s distinctive content terms include borders, field, high. Its relationship to verses 2 and 4 shows what work it does in this passage.
Jeremiah 17:1-7
King James Version1The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars;
2Whilst their children remember their altars and their groves by the green trees upon the high hills.
3O my mountain in the field, I will give thy substance and all thy treasures to the spoil, and thy high places for sin, throughout all thy borders.
4And thou, even thyself, shalt discontinue from thine heritage that I gave thee; and I will cause thee to serve thine enemies in the land which thou knowest not: for ye have kindled a fire in mine anger, which shall burn for ever.
5Thus saith the LORD ; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD .
6For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.
7Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD , and whose hope the LORD is.
Jeremiah 17:8-14
8–14: For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out…
Jeremiah 17:8–14 opens with “For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river…” and reaches “Heal me, O LORD , and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jeremiah 17 develops its own movement around LORD, gates, Jerusalem, sabbath, Judah, with particular weight carried by LORD, fruit, heart.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
Jeremiah 17:8-14
King James Version8For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.
9The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
10I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
11As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool.
12A glorious high throne from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary.
13O LORD , the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD , the fountain of living waters.
14Heal me, O LORD , and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise.
Jeremiah 17:15-21
15–21: Behold, they say unto me, Where is the word of the LORD ? let it come…
Jeremiah 17:15–21 opens with “Behold, they say unto me, Where is the word of the LORD ? let it come now.” and reaches “Thus saith the LORD ; Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the sabbath day, nor bring…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jeremiah 17 develops its own movement around LORD, gates, Jerusalem, sabbath, Judah, with particular weight carried by LORD, gates, Jerusalem.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Behold, they say unto me, Where is the word of the LORD ? let it come now.” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
“As for me, I have not hastened from being a pastor to follow thee: neither have I desired the woeful day; thou…” The line’s distinctive content terms include desired, follow, hastened. Its relationship to verses 15 and 17 shows what work it does in this passage.
Jeremiah 17:15-21
King James Version15Behold, they say unto me, Where is the word of the LORD ? let it come now.
16As 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.
17Be not a terror unto me: thou art my hope in the day of evil.
18Let them be confounded that persecute me, but let not me be confounded: let them be dismayed, but let not me be dismayed: bring upon them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction.
19Thus said the LORD unto me; Go and stand in the gate of the children of the people, whereby the kings of Judah come in, and by the which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem;
20And 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:
21Thus saith the LORD ; Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem;
Jeremiah 17:22-27
22–27: Neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the sabbath day…
Jeremiah 17:22–27 opens with “Neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the sabbath day, neither do ye any work, but…” and reaches “But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the sabbath day, and not to bear a burden, even…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jeremiah 17 develops its own movement around LORD, gates, Jerusalem, sabbath, Judah, with particular weight carried by sabbath, gates, Jerusalem.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the sabbath day, neither do ye any work, but hallow ye the sabbath…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“But they obeyed not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, nor receive…” The line’s distinctive content terms include hear, inclined, instruction. Its relationship to verses 22 and 24 shows what work it does in this passage.
“And it shall come to pass, if ye diligently hearken unto me, saith the LORD , to bring in no burden through the gates…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Jeremiah 17:22-27
King James Version22Neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the sabbath day, neither do ye any work, but hallow ye the sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers.
23But they obeyed not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, nor receive instruction.
24And it shall come to pass, if ye diligently hearken unto me, saith the LORD , to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but hallow the sabbath day, to do no work therein;
25Then shall there enter into the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: and this city shall remain for ever.
26And they shall come from the cities of Judah, and from the places about Jerusalem, and from the land of Benjamin, and from the plain, and from the mountains, and from the south, bringing burnt offerings, and sacrifices, and meat offerings, and incense, and bringing sacrifices of praise, unto the house of the LORD .
27But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the sabbath day, and not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Jeremiah 17:1 begins with “The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your…”
Where the chapter turns
Jeremiah 17:15 forms a natural hinge: “Behold, they say unto me, Where is the word of the LORD ? let it come now.”
The final note
Jeremiah 17:27 leaves the reader with “But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the sabbath day, and not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day; then…”
A word trail through the chapter
The words LORD, gates, Jerusalem, sabbath, Judah, burden help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What does the covenant promise besides descendants?
Kings, land and an enduring relationship in which God is their God.
How are Isaac and Ishmael distinguished without erasing either?
Isaac carries the named covenant line; Ishmael is heard and promised fruitfulness and twelve princes.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.