The Meaning of Jeremiah 7:23 Explained

Jeremiah 7:23

KJV: 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.

YLT: But this thing I commanded them, saying: Hearken to My voice, And I have been to you for God, And ye -- ye are to Me for a people, And have walked in all the way that I command you, So that it is well for you.

Darby: but I commanded them this thing, saying, Hearken unto my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people; and walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.

ASV: but this thing I commanded them, saying, Hearken unto my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people; and walk ye in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Jeremiah 7:23 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Obedience to His words is what He commanded them first. It was more important that they obey Him than that they follow the procedures involved in presenting sacrifices that only symbolized their obedience and rectified their disobedience. His ancient command to obey also contained promises of blessing if they would obey. Yahweh had promised to adopt Israel into a uniquely intimate relationship with Himself that would be beneficial for the Israelites ( Exodus 19:5-6).

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 7

1  Jeremiah is sent to call to true repentance, to prevent the Jews' captivity
8  He rejects their vain confidence,
12  by the example of Shiloh
17  He threatens them for their idolatry
21  He rejects the sacrifices of the disobedient
29  He exhorts to mourn for their abominations in Tophet;
32  and the judgments for the same

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 7:23 mean?

For but - thing this [is] what I commanded them saying Obey My voice and I will be your God and you shall be My people and walk in all the ways that I have commanded you that it may be well with you
כִּ֣י אִֽם־ אֶת־ הַדָּבָ֣ר הַ֠זֶּה צִוִּ֨יתִי אוֹתָ֤ם לֵאמֹר֙ שִׁמְע֣וּ בְקוֹלִ֔י וְהָיִ֤יתִי לָכֶם֙ לֵֽאלֹהִ֔ים וְאַתֶּ֖ם תִּֽהְיוּ־ לִ֣י לְעָ֑ם וַהֲלַכְתֶּ֗ם בְּכָל־ הַדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֲצַוֶּ֣ה אֶתְכֶ֔ם לְמַ֖עַן יִיטַ֥ב לָכֶֽם

אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַדָּבָ֣ר  thing 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
הַ֠זֶּה  this  [is] 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
צִוִּ֨יתִי  what  I  commanded 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: צָוָה  
Sense: to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order.
לֵאמֹר֙  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
שִׁמְע֣וּ  Obey 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
בְקוֹלִ֔י  My  voice 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
וְהָיִ֤יתִי  and  I  will  be 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לָכֶם֙  your 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
לֵֽאלֹהִ֔ים  God 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
וְאַתֶּ֖ם  and  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, second person masculine plural
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
תִּֽהְיוּ־  shall  be 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לִ֣י  My 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
לְעָ֑ם  people 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
וַהֲלַכְתֶּ֗ם  and  walk 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
בְּכָל־  in  all 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הַדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙  the  ways 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
אֲצַוֶּ֣ה  I  have  commanded 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: צָוָה  
Sense: to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order.
לְמַ֖עַן  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: לְמַעַן 
Sense: purpose, intent prep.
יִיטַ֥ב  it  may  be  well 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָטַב  
Sense: to be good, be pleasing, be well, be glad.
לָכֶֽם  with  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural