Jeremiah 17:23 (ASV)

Passage

But they hearkened not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, and might not receive instruction.

Nearby Context

Jeremiah 17:21 Thus saith Jehovah, Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem;

Jeremiah 17:22 neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the sabbath day, neither do ye any work: but hallow ye the sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers.

Jeremiah 17:23 But they hearkened not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, and might not receive instruction.

Jeremiah 17:24 And it shall come to pass, if ye diligently hearken unto me, saith Jehovah, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but to hallow the sabbath day, to do no work therein;

Jeremiah 17:25 then shall there enter in by the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and this city shall remain for ever.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "hearkened", "neither", "inclined", "neck", "stiff", and "might". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "hearkened" and "neither", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 22's "neither carry forth a burden out of..." into verse 24's "And it shall come to pass if...", so "hearkened" and "neither" belong inside that flow. In Jeremiah context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "hearkened" and "neither" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.