Jeremiah 7:26
in Jeremiah 7Yet they would not listen to Me or incline their ear, but they stiffened their necks and did more evil than their fathers.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff: they did worse than their fathers.
KJV
Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers.
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This verse in Jeremiah 7
Commentary
7 notes on this verseIn a manner most germane to this parable, He said by Jeremiah: "Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people; and ye shall walk in all my ways, which I have commanded you." This is the invitation of God. "But," says He, "they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear." This is the refusal of the people. "They departed, and walked every one in the imagination of their evil heart." "I have bought a field-and I have bought some oxen-and I have married a wife."
This site's exposition
They went backward and not forward
on Jeremiah 7:24-28
The record runs from the exodus generation to this one, a people who “followed the stubborn inclinations of their own evil hearts”. Prophets were sent “again and again”, yet they “did more evil than their fathers”. Jeremiah must preach though told “they will not listen to you”.
This site's exposition
they stiffened their necks
A stiffened neck is the ox that refuses the yoke. Matthew Henry calls it the settled temper, passed from fathers to sons until it ruined them at last, each generation worse than the one before.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
The wrath of the Lord, therefore, is just. It is kindled and poured out on a contemptuous and stiff-necked people who are unwilling to hear the words of God. Yet, as we said above, how God continued to send prophets to them all day long and even through the night!
(Verse 26) And I sent to you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, 'Turn now everyone from his evil way and amend your doings, and do not go after other gods to serve them, and you shall dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers.' But you have not inclined your ear nor listened to me. Instead, you have stiffened your neck and done worse than your fathers. Therefore, the anger of the Lord was kindled against this people, and it has poured out and not been quenched.'
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
This had been their way and manner all along; they were of the same stubborn refractory disposition with those that went before them; it had all along been the genius of the nation, and an evil genius it was, that continually haunted them till it ruined them at last. Their practice and character were still the same. They are worse, and not better, than their fathers.
Yet they hearkened not unto me,.... Speaking by the prophets: nor inclined their ear; to what was said to them; would not listen to it, and much less obey what was commanded them: but hardened their neck; and so became stiffnecked, and would not submit to bear the yoke of the law: they did worse than their fathers; every generation grew more and more wicked, and went on to be so until the measure of their iniquity was filled up; hence it follows:
The words behind it
12 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְל֤וֹא | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| שָׁמְעוּ֙ | shameu | they listened | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| אֵלַ֔י | ʾelai | to me | H413 → | 5510 times |
| וְלֹ֥א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| הִטּ֖וּ | hitu | they inclined | H5186 → | 214 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אָזְנָ֑ם | ʾazenam | ear their | H241 → | 187 times |
| וַיַּקְשׁוּ֙ | vaiyakshu | and they stiffened | H7185 → | 28 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| עָרְפָּ֔ם | ʾarepam | neck their | H6203 → | 33 times |
| הֵרֵ֖עוּ | hereu | they did evil | H7489 → | 107 times |
| מֵאֲבוֹתָֽם׃ | meavotam | more than ancestors their | H1 → | 1212 times |
וְל֤וֹאand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
שָׁמְעוּ֙they listened
shameuH8085 →1159 times
אֵלַ֔יto me
ʾelaiH413 →5510 times
וְלֹ֥אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
הִטּ֖וּthey inclined
hituH5186 →214 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
אָזְנָ֑םear their
ʾazenamH241 →187 times
וַיַּקְשׁוּ֙and they stiffened
vaiyakshuH7185 →28 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
עָרְפָּ֔םneck their
ʾarepamH6203 →33 times
הֵרֵ֖עוּthey did evil
hereuH7489 →107 times
מֵאֲבוֹתָֽם׃more than ancestors their
meavotamH1 →1212 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Jeremiah 7:24Yet they did not listen or incline their ear, but they followed the stubborn inclinations of their own evil hearts. They went backward and not forward.
it leads to
- Psalms 81:11–12
But My people would not listen to Me, and Israel would not obey Me.
- Deuteronomy 29:19
because when such a person hears the words of this oath, he invokes a blessing on himself, saying, ‘I will have peace, even though I walk in the stubbornness of my own heart.’ This…
- Jeremiah 8:5
Why then have these people turned away? Why does Jerusalem always turn away? They cling to deceit; they refuse to return.
- Psalms 81:11–12
Through
Jeremiah 16:12And you have done more evil than your fathers. See how each of you follows the stubbornness of his evil heart instead of obeying Me.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 13:10
These evil people, who refuse to listen to My words, who follow the stubbornness of their own hearts, and who go after other gods to serve and worship them, they will be like this…
- Jeremiah 13:10
Through
Matthew 23:32Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your fathers.
it leads to
- Genesis 15:16
In the fourth generation your descendants will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”
- Genesis 15:16
Through
2 Chronicles 30:8Now do not stiffen your necks as your fathers did. Submit to the LORD and come to His sanctuary, which He has consecrated forever. Serve the LORD your God, so that His fierce anger…
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 29:10
Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the LORD, the God of Israel, so that His fierce anger will turn away from us.
- Exodus 32:9
The LORD also said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and they are indeed a stiff-necked people.
- 2 Chronicles 29:10
Through
Jeremiah 19:15“This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘Behold, I am about to bring on this city and on all the villages around it every disaster I have pronounced against…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 17:23
Yet they would not listen or incline their ear, but they stiffened their necks and would not listen or receive My discipline.
- Jeremiah 17:23
Where this verse is studied
About Jeremiah
This page draws on Jerome, SIX BOOKS ON JEREMIAH 2:42.1; Jerome, Commentary on Jeremiah; John Calvin, Commentary on Jeremiah and Lamentations; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Tertullian, The Five Books Against Marcion, Book 4.