Jeremiah 17:24

24 "'But now, take seriously what I tell you. Quit desecrating the Sabbath by busily going about your own work, and keep the Sabbath day holy by not doing business as usual.

Jeremiah 17:24 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 17:24

And it shall come to pass
Or, "yet it shall come to pass" ^F6; so it shall be, notwithstanding all former disobedience and rebellion: if ye diligently hearken unto me, saith the Lord;
or, "in hearing hear" {g}; hearken attentively, and readily obey the command given, before mentioned, so as to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the sabbath
day;
to be bought or sold, or to be wrought on or with; and so likewise to carry nothing out of their houses or city, which, though not expressed, is understood as before; and this respects not only the city of Jerusalem, but all other cities and towns in Judea; for the word of the Lord, concerning this matter, was sent to all Judah, the whole land of Judea, ( Jeremiah 17:20 ) ; but hallow the sabbath day, to do no work therein;
one part of the sanctification of the sabbath lay in a cessation from all servile work, though not wholly, but also in the observance of religious worship, and the one was in order to the other; for, unless they abstained from worldly business, they could not be at leisure to attend divine service.

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FOOTNOTES:

F6 (hyhw) "tamen erit", Gataker; "erit autem", Cocceius.
F7 (Nwemvt emv) "audiendo audiveritis", Pagninus, Montanus, Schmidt.

Jeremiah 17:24 In-Context

22 Don't use the Sabbath to do business as usual. Keep the Sabbath day holy, as I commanded your ancestors.

23 They never did it, as you know. They paid no attention to what I said and went about their own business, refusing to be guided or instructed by me.

24 "'But now, take seriously what I tell you. Quit desecrating the Sabbath by busily going about your own work, and keep the Sabbath day holy by not doing business as usual.

25 Then kings from the time of David and their officials will continue to ride through these gates on horses or in chariots. The people of Judah and citizens of Jerusalem will continue to pass through them, too. Jerusalem will always be filled with people.

26 People will stream in from all over Judah, from the province of Benjamin, from the Jerusalem suburbs, from foothills and mountains and deserts. They'll come to worship, bringing all kinds of offerings - animals, grains, incense, expressions of thanks - into the Sanctuary of God.