The Meaning of Jeremiah 6:17 Explained

Jeremiah 6:17

KJV: Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.

YLT: And I have raised up for you watchmen, Attend ye to the voice of the trumpet. And they say, 'We do not attend.'

Darby: Also I have set watchmen over you: Hearken ye to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.

ASV: And I set watchmen over you,'saying , Hearken to the sound of the trumpet; but they said, We will not hearken.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Also I set  watchmen  over you, [saying], Hearken  to the sound  of the trumpet.  But they said,  We will not hearken. 

What does Jeremiah 6:17 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Lord had set prophets over the people to warn them of their wicked ways, but the people refused to listen to them.

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 6

1  The enemies sent against Judah,
4  encourage themselves
6  God sets them on work because of their sins
9  The prophet laments the judgments of God because of their sins
18  He proclaims God's wrath
26  He calls the people to mourn for the judgment on their sins

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 6:17 mean?

And I set over you watchmen [saying] Listen to the sound of the trumpet But they said not we will listen
וַהֲקִמֹתִ֤י עֲלֵיכֶם֙ צֹפִ֔ים הַקְשִׁ֖יבוּ לְק֣וֹל שׁוֹפָ֑ר וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ לֹ֥א נַקְשִֽׁיב

וַהֲקִמֹתִ֤י  And  I  set 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
עֲלֵיכֶם֙  over  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
צֹפִ֔ים  watchmen 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: צָפָה  
Sense: to look out or about, spy, keep watch, observe, watch.
הַקְשִׁ֖יבוּ  [saying]  Listen 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: קָשַׁב  
Sense: to hear, be attentive, heed, incline (of ears), attend (of ears), hearken, pay attention, listen.
לְק֣וֹל  to  the  sound 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
שׁוֹפָ֑ר  of  the  trumpet 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֹׁופָר  
Sense: horn, ram’s horn.
וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ  But  they  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
נַקְשִֽׁיב  we  will  listen 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, first person common plural
Root: קָשַׁב  
Sense: to hear, be attentive, heed, incline (of ears), attend (of ears), hearken, pay attention, listen.