King James Version

What Does Jeremiah 1:17 Mean?

Jeremiah 1:17 in the King James Version says “Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces...” — study this verse from Jeremiah chapter 1 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them. confound: or, break to pieces”

Jeremiah 1:17 · KJV

Context

15

For, lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north, saith the LORD; and they shall come, and they shall set every one his throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all the walls thereof round about, and against all the cities of Judah.

16

And I will utter my judgments against them touching all their wickedness, who have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands.

17

Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them. confound: or, break to pieces

18

For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land.

19

And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee.

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Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
God returns to addressing Jeremiah personally, providing encouragement before opposition: 'Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee.' The command 'gird up thy loins' (ata motnekha, אַתָּה מָתְנֶיךָ) is a Hebrew idiom meaning to tuck long robes into a belt for action—preparing for activity, battle, or journey. It signifies readiness, determination, and resolve. The sequence 'arise, and speak' connects action (standing up to address) with proclamation—public prophetic declaration. The content must be 'all that I command thee' (et kol-asher anokhi atsavvekha, אֵת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי אֲצַוֶּךָּ)—complete obedience without selective editing. Then comes a stern warning: 'be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them.' The verb 'be not dismayed' (al-techat, אַל־תֵּחַת, from chatat, חָתַת) means don't be shattered, terrified, or broken down. 'At their faces' repeats the earlier concern (verse 8)—human intimidation and opposition. The consequence is sobering: 'lest I confound thee before them'—if Jeremiah lets fear silence him, God Himself will cause his humiliation. This reveals that greater danger comes from disobedience to God than opposition from men.

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Historical & Cultural Context

This warning proved necessary throughout Jeremiah's ministry. He faced continuous pressure to soften or silence his message: family threats (Jeremiah 12:6), priests' beating and imprisonment (Jeremiah 20:1-2), false prophets' public contradiction (Jeremiah 28), mob violence (Jeremiah 26:8-9), royal contempt (Jehoiakim burning his scroll, Jeremiah 36), and officials' attempt to kill him (cistern imprisonment, Jeremiah 38:6). At times Jeremiah wavered, expressing desire to quit (Jeremiah 20:9), yet God's word burned within him irrepressibly. The warning 'lest I confound thee before them' meant that human-pleasing compromise would result in greater shame than faithful proclamation. This principle applies to all Christian witness: we must fear God more than man (Matthew 10:28), and faithfulness to truth matters more than audience approval (Galatians 1:10). Those who soften God's message to avoid offense ultimately experience greater loss than those who boldly proclaim it.

Reflection Questions

  1. What does the command to 'gird up thy loins' suggest about the spiritual preparation and resolved determination required for faithful witness?
  2. How does recognizing that compromise brings divine 'confounding' help prioritize fearing God over fearing human opposition?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 17 words
וְאַתָּה֙1 of 17
H859

thou and thee, or (plural) ye and you

תֶּאְזֹ֣ר2 of 17

“Thou therefore gird up”

H247

to belt

מָתְנֶ֔יךָ3 of 17

“thy loins”

H4975

properly, the waist or small of the back; only in plural the loins

וְקַמְתָּ֙4 of 17

“and arise”

H6965

to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative)

וְדִבַּרְתָּ֣5 of 17

“and speak”

H1696

perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue

אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם6 of 17
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

אֵ֛ת7 of 17
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

כָּל8 of 17
H3605

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

אֲשֶׁ֥ר9 of 17
H834

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc

אָנֹכִ֖י10 of 17
H595

i

אֲצַוֶּ֑ךָּ11 of 17

“unto them all that I command”

H6680

(intensively) to constitute, enjoin

אַל12 of 17
H408

not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (job 24:25) as a noun, nothing

אֲחִתְּךָ֖13 of 17

“lest I confound”

H2865

properly, to prostrate; hence, to break down, either (literally) by violence, or (figuratively) by confusion and fear

לִפְנֵיהֶֽם׃14 of 17

“at their faces”

H6440

the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi

פֶּֽן15 of 17
H6435

properly, removal; used only (in the construction) adverb as conjunction, lest

אֲחִתְּךָ֖16 of 17

“lest I confound”

H2865

properly, to prostrate; hence, to break down, either (literally) by violence, or (figuratively) by confusion and fear

לִפְנֵיהֶֽם׃17 of 17

“at their faces”

H6440

the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Jeremiah. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Jeremiah 1:17 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Jeremiah 1:17 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Jeremiah 1:7-81 Kings 18:46Luke 12:351 Peter 1:13Ezekiel 3:14-18Exodus 7:2

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