King James Version

What Does Jeremiah 7:23 Mean?

“But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.”

Context

Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Put your burnt offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat flesh.

For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices: concerning: Heb. concerning the matter of

But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.

But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward. imagination: or, stubbornness went: Heb. were

Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day I have even sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them:

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Commentary

Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(23) **But this thing commanded I them.**—The words that follow are a composite quotation, partly from the lately re-found Deuteronomy (Deuteronomy 5:33), partly from the words that were strictly true of the “day” when Israel came out of Egypt (Exodus 19:5), partly from the very book which seemed to be most characterised by sacrificial ritual, Leviticus (Leviticus 26:12). The influence of Jeremiah’s teaching on later Jewish thought is shown by the fact that this very section of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 7:21-28) appears in the Synagogue ritual as the *Haphtara, *or second lesson from the prophets, after Leviticus 6-8, as the *Parashah, *or first lesson from the Law. The Synagogue worship, indeed, was, in the nature of the case, the result of the teaching of scribes and prophets rather than of priests, and therefore a witness for the spiritual truth symbolised in sacrifice, and not for the perpetuation of the symbol.

Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.

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 7:23 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.