The Meaning of Jeremiah 3:17 Explained

Jeremiah 3:17

KJV: At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart.

YLT: At that time they cry to Jerusalem, 'O throne of Jehovah,' And gathered unto her hath been all the nations, For the name of Jehovah, to Jerusalem, Nor do they go any more after the stubbornness of their evil heart.

Darby: At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of Jehovah; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of Jehovah, to Jerusalem; and they shall no more walk after the stubbornness of their evil heart.

ASV: At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of Jehovah; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of Jehovah, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the stubbornness of their evil heart.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

At that time  they shall call  Jerusalem  the throne  of the LORD;  and all the nations  shall be gathered  unto it, to the name  of the LORD,  to Jerusalem:  neither shall they walk  any more after  the imagination  of their evil  heart. 

What does Jeremiah 3:17 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The reason for these future Israelites" lack of interest in the ark, in that day, will be: the Lord Himself will be enthroned in Jerusalem. The whole city will be known as "The Throne of the LORD," not just the ark (cf. Leviticus 16:2; Leviticus 16:13; 2 Kings 19:15; Psalm 80:1; Ezekiel 48:35).
"There is unquestionably a Messianic expectation here (cf. Jeremiah 5:18; Jeremiah 31:1; Jeremiah 33:16; Hosea 3:5, etc.)." [1]
People from the Gentile nations would also come to Jerusalem, as God would draw them, because of the reputation of Yahweh (cf. Isaiah 2:2-3; Isaiah 56:6-8; Isaiah 60:11-14; Micah 4:1-2). Their hearts would be different then, and they would comply with God"s will rather than stubbornly resist it (cf. Jeremiah 31:33-34).

Context Summary

Jeremiah 3:11-25 - Pleading With Faithless Children
The people of the northern kingdom, to whom this appeal is especially addressed, were more excusable than Judah, because their privileges had been less. God judges us according to our opportunities. How precious the invitation and promise of Jeremiah 3:12! Confession is an essential condition that must be fulfilled by us. See 1 John 1:7. Zion shall yet be the center of a restored Israel, Jeremiah 3:14; Jeremiah 3:18. In Jeremiah 3:21-25 the voices of the people in confession and prayer mingle with Jehovah's encouraging their return. When we lie down in broken-hearted shame and penitence, we are very near to being lifted to the bosom of God. Compare Jeremiah 3:25 with Jeremiah 4:1. The return of the Chosen People to the God of their fathers will be the cause of revival and quickening throughout the earth. Compare Jeremiah 4:2 with Romans 11:12. [source]

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 3

1  God's great mercy to Judah the polluted land
6  Judah is worse than Israel
12  The promises of the gospel to the penitent
20  Israel reproved, and called by God, makes a solemn confession of their sins

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 3:17 mean?

At time that shall be called Jerusalem the Throne of Yahweh and shall be gathered to it all the nations to the name of Yahweh to Jerusalem and No shall they follow more after the dictates of their hearts evil -
בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֗יא יִקְרְא֤וּ לִירוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ כִּסֵּ֣א יְהוָ֔ה וְנִקְוּ֨וּ אֵלֶ֧יהָ כָֽל־ הַגּוֹיִ֛ם לְשֵׁ֥ם יְהוָ֖ה לִירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וְלֹא־ יֵלְכ֣וּ ע֔וֹד אַחֲרֵ֕י שְׁרִר֖וּת לִבָּ֥ם הָרָֽע ס

בָּעֵ֣ת  At  time 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: עֵת  
Sense: time.
הַהִ֗יא  that 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person feminine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
יִקְרְא֤וּ  shall  be  called 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
לִירוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙  Jerusalem 
Parse: Preposition-l, 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.
כִּסֵּ֣א  the  Throne 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כִּסֵּא 
Sense: seat (of honour), throne, seat, stool.
יְהוָ֔ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וְנִקְוּ֨וּ  and  shall  be  gathered 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: קָוָה 
Sense: to wait, look for, hope, expect.
אֵלֶ֧יהָ  to  it 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
הַגּוֹיִ֛ם  the  nations 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
לְשֵׁ֥ם  to  the  name 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
יְהוָ֖ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לִירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם  to  Jerusalem 
Parse: Preposition-l, 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.
וְלֹא־  and  No 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יֵלְכ֣וּ  shall  they  follow 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
ע֔וֹד  more 
Parse: Adverb
Root: עֹוד  
Sense: a going round, continuance adv.
אַחֲרֵ֕י  after 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
שְׁרִר֖וּת  the  dictates 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: שְׁרִרוּת  
Sense: stubbornness, hardness, firmness.
לִבָּ֥ם  of  their  hearts 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.
הָרָֽע  evil 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation