The Meaning of Jeremiah 22:21 Explained

Jeremiah 22:21

KJV: I spake unto thee in thy prosperity; but thou saidst, I will not hear. This hath been thy manner from thy youth, that thou obeyedst not my voice.

YLT: I have spoken unto thee in thine ease, Thou hast said, 'I do not hearken,' This is thy way from thy youth, For thou hast not hearkened to My voice.

Darby: I spoke unto thee in thy prosperity; but thou saidst, I will not hear. This hath been thy way from thy youth, that thou hearkenedst not unto my voice.

ASV: I spake unto thee in thy prosperity; but thou saidst, I will not hear. This hath been thy manner from thy youth, that thou obeyedst not my voice.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

I spake  unto thee in thy prosperity;  [but] thou saidst,  I will not hear.  This [hath been] thy manner  from thy youth,  that thou obeyedst  not my voice. 

What does Jeremiah 22:21 Mean?

Verse Meaning

When Jerusalem was prosperous, in the days of David and Song of Solomon , the Lord had appealed to the people to obey His covenant, but they would not listen. That had been their practice since early in their history as a nation.

Context Summary

Jeremiah 22:1-30 - The Folly Of Idolatry
Jeremiah 10:1-10
We are here introduced into an idol-factory. Contrasted with the manufactured idols is the majesty of our God. There is none like Him. His name is great in might; He is the King of the nations, the true and living God, and the everlasting King! Christian, fear not or be dismayed when enemies plot against you. It is a vain device that they frame. To hide in God is a sure defence from all that man can do for our hurt. O thou true and living Savior, in thy wounds harried and faithful souls become strong and brave again.
Jeremiah 10:19-25
The prophet now bids the people prepare for their captivity. Their city would be as when a shepherd removed his slight and insubstantial tent, leaving no trace. But Jeremiah's soul is lacerated and torn with the message he must needs announce. Are we called to be shepherds? Let us see to it that we seek the Lord; so only shall our flocks not be scattered, Jeremiah 10:21. Are we in perplexity as to our path in life? It is not for us to direct ourselves, but to look up for God's sure guidance, which will be given to the soul that waits for it, Jeremiah 10:23. Are we being corrected? Let us be patient; it is only when we endure without complaining that our trial works out the highest good, and God will not give us more than we can bear, Jeremiah 10:24. [source]

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 22

1  He exhorts to repentance, with promises and threats
10  The judgment of Shallum;
13  of Jehoiakim;
20  and of Coniah

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 22:21 mean?

I spoke to you in your prosperity [But] you said not I will hear This [has been] your manner from your youth that not you did obey My voice
דִּבַּ֤רְתִּי אֵלַ֙יִךְ֙ בְּשַׁלְוֺתַ֔יִךְ אָמַ֖רְתְּ לֹ֣א אֶשְׁמָ֑ע זֶ֤ה דַרְכֵּךְ֙ מִנְּעוּרַ֔יִךְ כִּ֥י לֹֽא־ שָׁמַ֖עַתְּ בְּקוֹלִֽי

דִּבַּ֤רְתִּי  I  spoke 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
אֵלַ֙יִךְ֙  to  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person feminine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
בְּשַׁלְוֺתַ֔יִךְ  in  your  prosperity 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine plural construct, second person feminine singular
Root: שַׁלְוָה  
Sense: quietness, ease, prosperity.
אָמַ֖רְתְּ  [But]  you  said 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person feminine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֶשְׁמָ֑ע  I  will  hear 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
זֶ֤ה  This  [has  been] 
Parse: Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
דַרְכֵּךְ֙  your  manner 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct, second person feminine singular
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
מִנְּעוּרַ֔יִךְ  from  your  youth 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person feminine singular
Root: נְעוּרִים 
Sense: youth, early life.
כִּ֥י  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
שָׁמַ֖עַתְּ  you  did  obey 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person feminine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
בְּקוֹלִֽי  My  voice 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.