The Meaning of Jeremiah 17:4 Explained

Jeremiah 17:4

KJV: And 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.

YLT: And thou hast let go -- even through thyself, Of thine inheritance that I gave to thee, And I have caused thee to serve thine enemies, In a land that thou hast not known, For a fire ye have kindled in Mine anger, Unto the age it doth burn.

Darby: And of thyself thou shalt let go thine inheritance which I gave thee; and I will cause thee to serve thine enemies in a land that thou knowest not; for ye have kindled a fire in mine anger, it shall burn for ever.

ASV: And thou, even of thyself, shalt discontinue from thy 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And 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. 

What does Jeremiah 17:4 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Judeans would voluntarily let the inheritance that God had given them, namely, their land, drop into their enemy"s hands (cf. Jeremiah 15:14; 2 Kings 25:13-17). They would serve this enemy in a strange land because they had aroused the Lord"s anger by their sin.
"The irony is clear: Judah has forsaken or abandoned her covenantal inheritance. Therefore Yahweh will abandon Judah to her enemies, and she will find herself exiled from her inheritance in a land that she had not known." [1]
Jeremiah 17:5-8 seem to be proverbs (or psalm verses), that the writer cited and grouped to make his own point. They contrast the wickedness of trusting man with the blessedness of trusting God.

Context Summary

Jeremiah 17:1-14 - Human And Divine Help Contrasted
The Jews were always seeking alliance either with Egypt or Babylon. What was true of them applies to us all; but we cannot depend upon human aid, without departing from the Lord. The heath is probably the juniper, a lonely tree, dwelling in arid wastes, unvisited by dew. The soul that rests on God is watered from His throne. The roots of such are fed from the hidden springs of Eternity. The heart is deceitful; it tends constantly to substitute the arm of flesh for the living God. Desperately wicked means "incurably sick." It was the ancient notion that the partridge stole the eggs of other birds and hatched them as her own. The covetous man is sure to reap disappointment. He steals other people's goods, but is driven off the nest before they hatch out for the benefit of himself. God's glorious throne is a defense to all who trust Him; while those who depart from Him shall be forgotten, as a sentence written in the sand is obliterated by the next puff of wind. Contrast Job 19:23-24. [source]

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 17:4 mean?

And you shall let go and even yourself of your heritage which I gave you and I will cause you to serve - your enemies in the land not you do know for a fire you have kindled in My anger for ever [which] shall burn -
וְשָׁמַטְתָּ֗ה וּבְךָ֙ מִנַּחֲלָֽתְךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נָתַ֣תִּי לָ֔ךְ וְהַעֲבַדְתִּ֙יךָ֙ אֶת־ אֹ֣יְבֶ֔יךָ בָּאָ֖רֶץ לֹֽא־ יָדָ֑עְתָּ כִּֽי־ אֵ֛שׁ קְדַחְתֶּ֥ם בְּאַפִּ֖י עַד־ עוֹלָ֥ם תּוּקָֽד ס

וְשָׁמַטְתָּ֗ה  And  you  shall  let  go 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַט  
Sense: to release, let drop or loose or rest or fall.
וּבְךָ֙  and  even  yourself 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition, second person masculine singular
מִנַּחֲלָֽתְךָ֙  of  your  heritage 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: נַחֲלָה  
Sense: possession, property, inheritance, heritage.
נָתַ֣תִּי  I  gave 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
וְהַעֲבַדְתִּ֙יךָ֙  and  I  will  cause  you  to  serve 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular, second person masculine singular
Root: עָבַד  
Sense: to work, serve.
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.
אֹ֣יְבֶ֔יךָ  your  enemies 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֹיֵב  
Sense: (Qal) enemy.
בָּאָ֖רֶץ  in  the  land 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
יָדָ֑עְתָּ  you  do  know 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
אֵ֛שׁ  a  fire 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: אֵשׁ  
Sense: fire.
קְדַחְתֶּ֥ם  you  have  kindled 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: קָדַח  
Sense: to kindle, be kindled.
בְּאַפִּ֖י  in  My  anger 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אַף 
Sense: nostril, nose, face.
עוֹלָ֥ם  ever 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹולָם  
Sense: long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world.
תּוּקָֽד  [which]  shall  burn 
Parse: Verb, Hofal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: יָקַד 
Sense: to burn, kindle, be kindled.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation