Verse (Click for Chapter) 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. 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. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleYet they would not listen or incline their ear, but they stiffened their necks and would not listen or receive My discipline. 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 VersionAnd 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 BibleBut 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 BibleBut 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 1917but 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. Jump to Previous Attention Correction Ear Ears Hear Hearkened Incline Inclined Instruction Neck Necks Obeyed Order Pay Receive Respond Stiff Stiffen Stiffened Stiff-Necked Teaching TurnJump to Next Attention Correction Ear Ears Hear Hearkened Incline Inclined Instruction Neck Necks Obeyed Order Pay Receive Respond Stiff Stiffen Stiffened Stiff-Necked Teaching TurnJeremiah 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 This phrase highlights the persistent disobedience of the people of Judah. Throughout the book of Jeremiah, God repeatedly calls His people to repentance, but they refuse to heed His warnings. This reflects a pattern seen throughout the Old Testament, where Israel often turns away from God despite His continuous guidance and provision (e.g., Judges 2:17). The refusal to listen is a sign of spiritual rebellion and a hardened heart. or incline their ear but they stiffened their necks and would not listen or receive My discipline Persons / Places / Events 1. JeremiahA prophet called by God to deliver messages of warning and hope to the people of Judah. His ministry spanned the reigns of several kings and was marked by calls for repentance and warnings of impending judgment. 2. Judah The southern kingdom of Israel, which was often rebuked by God through prophets like Jeremiah for their disobedience and idolatry. 3. God The sovereign Lord who communicates His will and discipline through His prophets, seeking the repentance and restoration of His people. 4. The People of Judah The recipients of Jeremiah's message, characterized by their persistent disobedience and refusal to heed God's warnings. 5. Stiff-necked A term used to describe the stubbornness and rebellious nature of the people, indicating their unwillingness to submit to God's authority. Teaching Points The Danger of DisobediencePersistent disobedience leads to spiritual hardening, making it difficult to hear and respond to God's voice. The Importance of Listening Actively listening to God's word and inclining our ears to His instruction is crucial for spiritual growth and obedience. The Consequences of Stubbornness A stiff-necked attitude can lead to missed opportunities for repentance and restoration, resulting in God's discipline. Receiving God's Discipline Embrace God's discipline as an expression of His love and a tool for refining our character and faith. The Call to Repentance God continually calls His people to turn from their ways and return to Him, offering forgiveness and restoration. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Jeremiah 17:23?2. How does Jeremiah 17:23 highlight the importance of obeying God's commandments today? 3. What consequences did Israel face for not listening, as mentioned in Jeremiah 17:23? 4. How can we ensure our hearts are not "stubborn" like in Jeremiah 17:23? 5. Compare Jeremiah 17:23 with Exodus 20:8-11 on observing the Sabbath. 6. How can we apply the lesson of obedience from Jeremiah 17:23 in daily life? 7. Why did the Israelites refuse to listen in Jeremiah 17:23? 8. How does Jeremiah 17:23 reflect human nature's resistance to divine instruction? 9. What historical context led to the disobedience mentioned in Jeremiah 17:23? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Jeremiah 17? 11. Did God separate from Israel? 12. What does the Bible say about circumcision? 13. How does Jeremiah 3:12-14 depict limitless mercy when texts like 2 Kings 17:6-23 suggest God's patience eventually ran out? 14. How do we reconcile Lamentations 3:31-33, where God claims not to afflict willingly, with the harsh judgments described throughout the Old Testament? What Does Jeremiah 17:23 Mean Yet they would not listenJeremiah has just relayed God’s gracious command to “bring no load out of your houses on the Sabbath” (Jeremiah 17:22). The very next words expose Judah’s response: “Yet they would not listen.” •To “listen” in Scripture is not passive; it means hearing with the intent to obey (Deuteronomy 6:4-5). •Jeremiah earlier lamented, “Yet they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubbornness of their evil hearts” (Jeremiah 7:24). •The pattern stretches back generations: “The LORD, the God of their fathers, sent word to them again and again… but they mocked God’s messengers” (2 Chronicles 36:15-16). Refusal to listen is the first step toward every subsequent act of rebellion. Nor incline their ear “Inclining the ear” pictures a deliberate leaning in, a posture of eagerness. •God pleads, “Incline your ear and come to Me; listen, that your soul may live” (Isaiah 55:3). •When the prophets rose early to speak, the people “did not incline their ear to listen” (Jeremiah 34:14). Ignoring God is therefore not accidental; it is a conscious choice to stay unmoved by His voice. But they stiffened their necks The imagery shifts from hearing to posture. A stiff neck belongs to an ox that refuses the yoke. •In the wilderness God said, “I have seen this people, and behold, they are a stiff-necked people” (Exodus 32:9). •Stephen echoed the charge: “You stiff-necked people… you always resist the Holy Spirit” (Acts 7:51). Stiff-necked hearts resist God’s rightful claim of lordship, preferring self-rule to humble submission. Would not listen The phrase repeats, driving home the willful pattern. •“Yet they did not listen or turn their ear, but walked in the stubbornness of their hearts” (Jeremiah 11:8). •Repetition signals that the issue is not lack of information; it is hardened wills. God’s Word was clear, the covenant terms plain, the prophets persistent—still the nation dug in. Or receive My discipline Discipline is evidence of covenant love (Proverbs 3:11-12; Hebrews 12:5-6). Judah treats it as an intrusion instead of mercy. •Jeremiah cries, “O LORD, You struck them, but they felt no pain; You crushed them, but they refused correction” (Jeremiah 5:3). •Zephaniah says, “She heeded no voice, she accepted no correction” (Zephaniah 3:2). Rejecting discipline leaves only judgment, because God will not perpetually endure contempt for His holiness. summary Jeremiah 17:23 lays out a tragic chain: refusal to listen, unwillingness to lean in, stubborn resistance, repeated deafness, and rejection of loving correction. Each phrase intensifies the indictment, revealing sin as deliberate, persistent rebellion against a patient and holy God. The verse warns that when people close their ears and stiffen their necks, they cut themselves off from the life, rest, and protection the Lord longs to give. Verse 23. - This verse is modeled on Jeremiah 7:26, 28.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Yet they would notוְלֹ֣א (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 Links Jeremiah 17:23 NIVJeremiah 17:23 NLT Jeremiah 17:23 ESV Jeremiah 17:23 NASB Jeremiah 17:23 KJV Jeremiah 17:23 BibleApps.com Jeremiah 17:23 Biblia Paralela Jeremiah 17:23 Chinese Bible Jeremiah 17:23 French Bible Jeremiah 17:23 Catholic Bible OT Prophets: Jeremiah 17:23 But they didn't listen neither turn their (Jer.) |
    |