Jeremiah 17

1 “The sin [guilt, or punishment for sin] of Judah [the tribe descended from Judah, the son of Jacob] is written [recorded, inscribed] with an iron [strong, harsh] stylus, engraved [scratched, carved] with a diamond [thorn, sharp stone] point on the tablets [polished slates] of their hearts [inner beings, feelings, will, and intellect] and on the horns [corners] of their altars [places of sacrifice, worship]. word study 2 Even their children [sons, descendants] remember [to recall, mark] their altars [places of sacrifice] and Asherah poles [a wooden pole or grove of the goddess Asherah] by the green [fresh, luxuriant] trees and on the high [elevated, powerful] hills [small hills]. word study 3 O My mountain [hill, sacred hill] in the countryside [field, open land], I will give over your wealth [substance, strength] and all your treasures [valuables, riches] as plunder [spoils, booty], because of the sin [guilt, rebellion] of your high places [pagan shrines, idolatrous altars], within all your borders [boundaries, territories]. word study 4 And you yourself [even of your own accord] will relinquish [let go, release] the inheritance [heritage, birthright] that I gave you. I will enslave [cause to serve, make a servant] you to your enemies [adversaries, those who hate you] in a land [country, territory] that you do not know [are unfamiliar with], for you have kindled [started a fire, ignited] My anger [wrath, indignation]; it will burn [be on fire, blaze] forever [always, eternally].” word study 5 This is what the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] says: “Cursed [to be utterly doomed, under divine judgment] is the man who trusts [has confidence, relies] in mankind [human beings, frail and weak], who makes the flesh [human strength, bodily power] his strength [arm, source of power] and turns [departs, withdraws] his heart [inner being, will, and intellect] from the LORD [the sovereign God, Yehovah]. word study 6 He will be like a shrub [juniper, a naked tree] in the desert [wilderness, a dry and barren land]; he will not see [perceive or experience] when prosperity [good, welfare] comes. He will dwell [reside, inhabit] in the parched [dry, barren] places of the desert [wilderness, a salt land], in a salt [barren, desolate] land where no one lives [inhabits, has a home]. word study 7 But blessed [highly favored, fortunate] is the man who trusts [has faith, relies] in the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], whose confidence [trust, refuge] is in Him [Yehovah, as his hope and expectation]. word study 8 He is like a tree [firmly rooted] planted by the waters that sends out its roots [into the river] toward the stream. It does not fear [or be anxious, have no dread] when the heat [or drought, extreme temperature] comes, and its leaves [remain fresh] are always green. It does not worry [or be careful, have no concern] in a year of drought [or famine, scarcity], nor does it cease [or stop, fail to produce] to produce fruit [or yield, bring forth]. word study 9 The heart [insidious, not straight or honest] is deceitful [crooked, exceedingly corrupt] above all things [everything, all else] and beyond cure [incurable, desperately wicked]. Who [what person, which one] can understand [know, ascertain by seeing] it? word study 10 I, the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], search [examine closely, investigate] the heart [feelings, will, and intellect]; I examine [test, prove] the mind [kidneys] to reward [give, recompense] a man [individual, person] according to his way [path, manner of life], by what his deeds [actions] deserve [are worthy of, according to the fruit of his doings]. word study 11 Like a partridge [a bird known for its distinctive call] hatching eggs it did not lay [without producing young, as if stolen from another nest] is the man who makes a fortune [gathers wealth] unjustly [without right, not by mishpāt]. In the middle [half] of his days [years] his riches [wealth] will desert [forsake] him, and in the end [latter part] he will be [exist as] the fool [a foolish person, acting stupidly or wickedly].” word study 12 A glorious [glorious high, exalted] throne [a seat of power], exalted [set on high, raised up] from the [very] beginning [from the first, primary], is the [sacred, holy] place [location, region] of our [holy, set apart] sanctuary [temple, sacred space]. word study 13 O LORD [Yehovah], the hope of Israel, all who abandon [forsake, turn away from] You will be put to shame [be ashamed, disgraced]. All who turn away [depart, go away] will be written in the dust [in the earth, like names that vanish], for they have abandoned [forsaken, loosened] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], the fountain [source, spring] of living water [fresh water, spiritual refreshment]. word study 14 Heal me, O LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God], and I will be healed [made whole, restored to health]; save me [rescue, deliver me from danger], and I will be saved [preserved, freed from trouble], for You [the One I praise and worship] are my praise [my song of thanksgiving, my Tehillah]. word study 15 Behold [look, see], they [those who oppose me] keep saying to me, “Where [in what place, at what time] is the word [message, declaration] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God]? Let it come [approach, arrive] now [at this moment, without delay]!” word study 16 But I [as a shepherd, a pastor] have not run away [hastened, hurried] from being Your [divine, heavenly] shepherd; I have not desired [longed for, wished] the day [time, period] of despair [trouble, misery, being incurable]. You know [are aware, understand] that the utterance [words, speech] of my lips [language, mouth] was spoken [declared, uttered] in Your [divine, heavenly] presence [face, before You]. word study 17 Do not [in no way, never] become a terror [source of fear, dread] to me; You [the Lord, my Hope] are my refuge [safe haven, shelter] in the day [time of trouble, period of distress] of disaster [evil, calamity]. word study 18 Let my persecutors [those who pursue me with hostile intent] be put to shame [confounded, disappointed], but do not let me be put to shame [ashamed, humiliated]. Let them be terrified [dismayed, affrighted], but do not let me be terrified [afraid, overcome with fear]. Bring upon them the day [time, period] of disaster [evil, adversity] and shatter them with double [second, repeated] destruction [breaking, shattering]. word study 19 This is what the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said to me: “Go [to walk, proceed] and stand [to take a strong stance, be stationed] at the gate [entrance, doorway] of the people [nation, community], through which the kings [rulers, monarchs] of Judah [the tribe descended from Judah] go in and out [enter and exit]; and stand at all [every, the entirety of] the other gates [entrances, doorways] of Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital of Palestine]. word study 20 Say to them, ‘Hear [listen attentively, obey] the word [divine message, declaration] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], O kings [royal rulers, sovereigns] of Judah [the tribe descended from Judah], all people [inhabitants, citizens] of Judah [the region, the kingdom] and Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital] who enter [come in, pass through] through these [specific, designated] gates [city entrances, doors]. word study 21 This is what the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] says: Take heed [be careful, pay attention] for yourselves [your souls, your inner being]; do not carry [lift, bear] a load [burden, message from God] or bring [come, enter] it through the gates [entrances, doors] of Jerusalem [the city of peace] on the Sabbath day [the day of rest, the seventh day]. word study 22 You must not [under any circumstances] carry a load [burden, heavy weight] out of your houses [homes, dwelling places] or do any work [labor, employment] on the Sabbath day [day of rest, holy day], but you must keep the Sabbath day [set it apart, consecrate it] holy [sacred, dedicated to God], just as I commanded [gave orders to, instructed] your forefathers [ancestors, fathers]. word study 23 Yet they would not [refused to, disobeyed] listen [hear and obey, give attention] or incline their ear [stretch out their ear, pay attention], but they stiffened [hardened, made stubborn] their necks [the back of the neck] and would not [declined to, were unwilling to] listen [hear and receive] or receive [take in, accept] My discipline [correction, instruction, guidance]. word study 24 If, however, you listen [diligently hearken, pay attention] carefully to Me, says the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], and bring no load [burden, message from God] through the gates [entrances, doorways] of this city on the Sabbath day [day of rest, holy day], and keep the Sabbath day [set apart as holy, consecrate] holy, and do no work [labor, employment] on it [the day of rest], word study 25 then kings [rulers, monarchs] and princes [leaders, nobles] will enter through the gates [entrances, doors] of this city [Jerusalem, the holy city]. They will sit [dwell, reign] on the throne [seat of power, royal chair] of David [the king of Israel, a descendant of Judah], riding [travelling, journeying] in chariots [vehicles, carriages] and on horses [steeds, mounts] with their officials [princes, attendants], along with the men [people, inhabitants] of Judah [the tribe, the region] and the residents [inhabitants, citizens] of Jerusalem [the city of peace], and this city [the holy city, Jerusalem] will be inhabited [lived in, populated] forever [always, eternally]. word study 26 And people will come from the cities [towns, urban areas] of Judah [the tribe descended from Judah, son of Jacob] and the places [surroundings, neighborhoods] around Jerusalem [the city of peace, capital of Palestine], from the land [territory, region] of Benjamin [son of the right hand, the youngest son of Jacob], and from the foothills [lowlands, Shephelah], the hill country [mountains, highlands], and the Negev [the southern district, south country], bringing burnt offerings [sacrifices, gifts to be completely consumed by fire] and sacrifices [offerings, flesh presented to God], grain offerings [meal offerings, gifts of flour or bread] and frankincense [a white resin, used for incense], and thank offerings [sacrifices of praise, expressions of gratitude] to the house [temple, dwelling place] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God]. word study 27 But if you do not listen [refuse to hear, disobey] to Me to keep the Sabbath day [day of rest, holy day] holy [set apart, consecrated] by not carrying [lifting, bearing] a load [burden, weight] while entering [coming, going] the gates [entrances, doors] of Jerusalem [city of peace, capital city] on the Sabbath day [day of rest, Lord’s day], then I will kindle [start, ignite] an unquenchable [unstoppable, never-ending] fire [flame, blaze] in its gates [entrances, doors] to consume [devour, destroy] the citadels [strongholds, fortresses] of Jerusalem [city of God, holy city].’” word study