The Meaning of Jeremiah 17:27 Explained

Jeremiah 17:27

KJV: 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 will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.

YLT: And if ye do not hearken unto me to sanctify the day of rest, And so as not to bear a burden, And to come in at the gates of Jerusalem on the day of rest, Then I have kindled a fire in its gates, And it hath consumed the high places of Jerusalem, And it is not quenched!'

Darby: But if ye will not hearken unto me, to hallow the sabbath day and not to bear a burden and enter in through 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.

ASV: But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the sabbath day, and not to bear a burden and enter 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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 will I kindle  a fire  in the gates  thereof, and it shall devour  the palaces  of Jerusalem,  and it shall not be quenched. 

What does Jeremiah 17:27 Mean?

Verse Meaning

However, if the people did not observe the Sabbath Day to keep it holy (different from other days), the Lord would consume Jerusalem with unquenchable fire. Notice the prominence in these promises and threats, of: the throne of David, the temple, and the city of Jerusalem. These comprised the basic elements of the national and religious life of the covenant people.
It was not just the fourth commandment that the people were responsible to keep, of course. Jeremiah might have chosen to preach on any of the other nine commandments, and he may have done so at other times. This message is probably representative of many similar sermons that the prophet delivered-calling the people back to obedience to the covenant. It was repentance that would postpone judgment, not just obedience to the fourth commandment. Yet the fourth commandment had special significance. Sabbath observance recognized Yahweh as Creator and Redeemer, and so witnessed against idolatry. It guaranteed God"s people rest, which they could not obtain from idols. And it was one of the unique features of Israel"s religion, because it signified the special covenant relationship between Yahweh and Israel.

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 17:27 mean?

But if not you will heed Me to consecrate - day the Sabbath and such as not carrying a burden and when entering the gates of Jerusalem on day the Sabbath then I will kindle a fire in its gates and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem and not it shall be quenched -
וְאִם־ לֹ֨א תִשְׁמְע֜וּ אֵלַ֗י לְקַדֵּשׁ֙ אֶת־ י֣וֹם הַשַּׁבָּ֔ת וּלְבִלְתִּ֣י ׀ שְׂאֵ֣ת מַשָּׂ֗א וּבֹ֛א בְּשַׁעֲרֵ֥י יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם בְּי֣וֹם הַשַּׁבָּ֑ת וְהִצַּ֧תִּי אֵ֣שׁ בִּשְׁעָרֶ֗יהָ וְאָֽכְלָ֛ה אַרְמְנ֥וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם וְלֹ֥א תִכְבֶּֽה פ

וְאִם־  But  if 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Conjunction
Root: אִם  
Sense: if.
תִשְׁמְע֜וּ  you  will  heed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
אֵלַ֗י  Me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
לְקַדֵּשׁ֙  to  consecrate 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: קָדַשׁ  
Sense: to consecrate, sanctify, prepare, dedicate, be hallowed, be holy, be sanctified, be separate.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
י֣וֹם  day 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַשַּׁבָּ֔ת  the  Sabbath 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: שַׁבָּת  
Sense: Sabbath.
וּלְבִלְתִּ֣י ׀  and  such  as  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l
Root: בִּלְתִּי  
Sense: not, except adv.
שְׂאֵ֣ת  carrying 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
מַשָּׂ֗א  a  burden 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַשָּׂא 
Sense: load, bearing, tribute, burden, lifting.
וּבֹ֛א  and  when  entering 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
בְּשַׁעֲרֵ֥י  the  gates 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: שַׁעַר  
Sense: gate.
יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם  of  Jerusalem 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יְרוּשָׁלַםִ  
Sense: the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split.
בְּי֣וֹם  on  day 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַשַּׁבָּ֑ת  the  Sabbath 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: שַׁבָּת  
Sense: Sabbath.
וְהִצַּ֧תִּי  then  I  will  kindle 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: יָצַת  
Sense: to kindle, burn, set on fire.
אֵ֣שׁ  a  fire 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: אֵשׁ  
Sense: fire.
בִּשְׁעָרֶ֗יהָ  in  its  gates 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person feminine singular
Root: שַׁעַר  
Sense: gate.
וְאָֽכְלָ֛ה  and  it  shall  devour 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
אַרְמְנ֥וֹת  the  palaces 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אַרְמֹון  
Sense: citadel, palace, fortress.
יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם  of  Jerusalem 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יְרוּשָׁלַםִ  
Sense: the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split.
וְלֹ֥א  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
תִכְבֶּֽה  it  shall  be  quenched 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: כָּבָה  
Sense: to quench, put out, be put out, be quenched, be extinguished.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation