The Meaning of Jeremiah 25:4 Explained

Jeremiah 25:4

KJV: And the LORD hath sent unto you all his servants the prophets, rising early and sending them; but ye have not hearkened, nor inclined your ear to hear.

YLT: And Jehovah hath sent unto you all His servants, the prophets, rising early and sending, and ye have not hearkened, nor inclined your ear to hear, saying:

Darby: And Jehovah hath sent unto you all his servants the prophets, rising early and sending; but ye have not hearkened, nor inclined your ear to hear,

ASV: And Jehovah hath sent unto you all his servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, (but ye have not hearkened, nor inclined your ear to hear,)

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the LORD  hath sent  unto you all his servants  the prophets,  rising early  and sending  [them]; but ye have not hearkened,  nor inclined  your ear  to hear. 

What does Jeremiah 25:4 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Lord had repeatedly sent other prophets to them-true prophets-but the people did not listen to them, either. Contemporary prophets included Uriah ( Jeremiah 26:20-23), Zephaniah , and Habakkuk.

Context Summary

Jeremiah 25:1-38 - Shepherds That Mislead God's Flock
It is God's purpose to care for His people through shepherds (pastors) who are responsible to Him. Jesus our Lord is the Branch into which we may be grafted. He is our King who saves us and clothes us with His own spotless righteousness. God finds us in Him, Philippians 3:9. Because He reigns, we are saved and dwell in safety. When we are brought into contact with false shepherds, whether the failure be in doctrine or example, let us ask for the broken heart of Jeremiah 23:9.
God is everywhere present; as the latter paragraph indicates, He is near at hand to overhear the blasphemy of those who deride religion, and to be a very present help in time of trouble. If He fills heaven and earth, can He not fill thy heart? If His Word is like fire, let it cleanse thee! If it is as a hammer, let it pulverize thy pride! Let those of us who essay to teach and preach, not steal our words from our neighbors, or utter our own, but receive them from the source of all truth. [source]

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 25

1  Jeremiah, reproving the Jews' disobedience to the prophets,
8  foretells the seventy years' captivity;
12  and after that, the destruction of Babylon
15  Under the type of a cup of wine he foreshows the destruction of all nations
34  The howling of the shepherds

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 25:4 mean?

And has sent Yahweh to you - all His servants the prophets rising early and sending [them] but not you have listened nor inclined your ear to hear
וְשָׁלַח֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֲלֵיכֶ֜ם אֶֽת־ כָּל־ עֲבָדָ֧יו הַנְּבִאִ֛ים הַשְׁכֵּ֥ם וְשָׁלֹ֖חַ וְלֹ֣א שְׁמַעְתֶּ֑ם וְלֹֽא־ הִטִּיתֶ֥ם אָזְנְכֶ֖ם לִשְׁמֹֽעַ

וְשָׁלַח֩  And  has  sent 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
יְהוָ֨ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֲלֵיכֶ֜ם  to  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
אֶֽת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
עֲבָדָ֧יו  His  servants 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
הַנְּבִאִ֛ים  the  prophets 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: נָבִיא  
Sense: spokesman, speaker, prophet.
הַשְׁכֵּ֥ם  rising  early 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Infinitive absolute
Root: שָׁכַם  
Sense: to rise or start early.
וְשָׁלֹ֖חַ  and  sending  [them] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
וְלֹ֣א  but  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
שְׁמַעְתֶּ֑ם  you  have  listened 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
וְלֹֽא־  nor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
הִטִּיתֶ֥ם  inclined 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: נָטָה 
Sense: to stretch out, extend, spread out, pitch, turn, pervert, incline, bend, bow.
אָזְנְכֶ֖ם  your  ear 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אֹזֶן  
Sense: ear, as part of the body.
לִשְׁמֹֽעַ  to  hear 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.