Jeremías 17:5-15

5 La sabiduría del Señor
Esto dice el Señor
:
«Malditos son los que ponen su confianza en simples seres humanos,
que se apoyan en la fuerza humana
y apartan el corazón del Señor
.

6 Son como los arbustos raquíticos del desierto,
sin esperanza para el futuro.
Vivirán en lugares desolados,
en tierra despoblada y salada.

7 »Pero benditos son los que confían en el Señor
y han hecho que el Señor
sea su esperanza y confianza.

8 Son como árboles plantados junto a la ribera de un río
con raíces que se hunden en las aguas.
A esos árboles no les afecta el calor
ni temen los largos meses de sequía.
Sus hojas están siempre verdes
y nunca dejan de producir fruto.

9 »El corazón humano es lo más engañoso que hay,
y extremadamente perverso.
¿Quién realmente sabe qué tan malo es?

10 Pero yo, el Señor
, investigo todos los corazones
y examino las intenciones secretas.
A todos les doy la debida recompensa,
según lo merecen sus acciones».

11 Jeremías confía en el Señor
Los que acaparan riquezas en forma injusta
son como las perdices que empollan los huevos que no han puesto.
En la mitad de la vida perderán sus riquezas;
al final, se volverán unos pobres viejos tontos.

12 Pero nosotros adoramos frente a tu trono:
¡eterno, puesto en alto y glorioso!

13 Oh Señor
, esperanza de Israel,
serán avergonzados todos los que se alejan de ti.
Serán enterrados en el polvo de la tierra,
porque han abandonado al Señor
, la fuente de agua viva.

14 Oh Señor
, si me sanas, seré verdaderamente sano;
si me salvas, seré verdaderamente salvo.
¡Mis alabanzas son solo para ti!

15 La gente se burla de mí y dice:
«¿Cuál es este “mensaje del Señor
” del que hablas?
¿Por qué no se cumplen tus predicciones?».

Jeremías 17:5-15 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 17

This chapter is a further prophecy of the destruction of the Jews, with the causes of it, their sins, as their idolatry, which was notorious; of which their own consciences, their altars, and their children, were witnesses, Jer 17:1,2 for which they are threatened with the spoil of their substance and treasure, and discontinuance in their land, Jer 17:3,4 as also their confidence in an arm of flesh, which brought the curse of God upon them, when such are blessed that trust in him; and the difference between those that trust in men and those that trust in the Lord is illustrated by very apt similes, Jer 17:5-8, the source of which vain confidence is the wicked heart of man, known to none but God, Jer 17:9,10 and the vanity of it is exposed by a partridge sitting on eggs without hatching them, Jer 17:11, and their departure from God, by trusting in the creature, and in outward things, is aggravated by their temple being the throne and seat of the divine Majesty; by what God is to his people that trust in him; and by the shame and ruin that follow an apostasy from him, Jer 17:12,13, wherefore the prophet, sensible of his own backslidings, prays to be healed and saved by the Lord, who should have all the praise and glory, Jer 17:14 and then relates the scoffs of the people at the word of God by him, another cause of their ruin; declares his own innocence and integrity; prays for protection and security from fear in a time of trouble; and for confusion, terror, and destruction to his persecutors, Jer 17:15-18, then follows an order to him from the Lord, to go and stand in the gate of the city, and exhort all ranks of men to the observation of the sabbath, with directions how to keep it, which had not been observed by their fathers, and which was another cause of their ruin, Jer 17:19-23, and the chapter is closed with promises of blessings in city, court, and country, in church and state, should they religiously observe the sabbath day; but if they profaned it, the city of Jerusalem, and its palaces, should be burnt with fire, Jer 17:24-27.