The Sabbath Day. The general tone and emphasis of this paragraph, which makes a particular ceremonial ordinance the condition of permanent survival, relate it rather to the period of Nehemiah 13:15-22 than to that of Jeremiah. The prophecy is uttered in the gate (Jeremiah 7:2), because of the Sabbath traffic through it; nothing is known of this particular gate. In Jeremiah 17:21 and Jeremiah 17:25 read as mg.; omit and princes in Jeremiah 17:25; Jeremiah 17:26 designates the districts around the small post-exilic community, viz. the lowland or Shephelah, towards Philistia, the hill-country around Hebron, and the south, the country S. of Judah (pp. 31f.). For the burnt-offering, and sacrifice (i.e peace-offering) see Exodus 20:24; for the meal-offering (mg.), Leviticus 2:1 ff.; for the frankincense, Jeremiah 6:20; for the thanksgiving offering, Leviticus 7:12; Jeremiah 17:27 b is drawn from the refrain of Amos 1:3; Amos 2:5; cf. Jeremiah 21:14; Jeremiah 49:27; Jeremiah 50:32.
Jeremiah 17:19-27
19 Thus said the LORD unto me; Go and stand in the gate of the children of the people, whereby the kings of Judah come in, and by the which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem;
20 And say unto them, Hear ye the word of the LORD, ye kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that enter in by these gates:
21 Thus saith the LORD; Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem;
22 Neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the sabbath day, neither do ye any work, but hallow ye the sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers.
23 But they obeyed not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, nor receive instruction.
24 And it shall come to pass, if ye diligently hearken unto me, saith the LORD, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but hallow the sabbath day, to do no work therein;
25 Then shall there enter into the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: and this city shall remain for ever.
26 And they shall come from the cities of Judah, and from the places about Jerusalem, and from the land of Benjamin, and from the plain, and from the mountains, and from the south, bringing burnt offerings, and sacrifices, and meat offerings, and incense, and bringing sacrifices of praise, unto the house of the LORD.
27 But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the sabbath day, and not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.