Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but everyone walked in the stubbornness of his evil heart. Therefore I brought upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but they did not.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse highlights that God's covenant wasn't just a set of rules, but a living testament with inherent consequences. When Israel refused to "obey or incline their ear," they weren't merely breaking laws; they were actively triggering the "words of this covenant"—meaning the curses and judgments meticulously laid out for disobedience.
Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but everyone walked in the stubbornness of his evil heart. Therefore I brought upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but they did not.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
God commands Jeremiah to proclaim the covenant's terms throughout Judah's cities, highlighting their historical disobedience. The people, however, have ignored God's commands and followed their own stubborn desires, leading God to declare that the covenant's threats and consequences are now being fully enacted upon them. This message directly follows God's directive to the prophet and sets up the subsequent lament and plea for mercy.
Why is it so hard to truly listen to God, even when His commands are laid out clearly? Jeremiah confronts a people who refuse to hear.
Jeremiah is sent by God to proclaim the covenant's commands in the cities and streets. This wasn't a gentle reminder; it was a direct call to obedience. Yet, the people's response is stark: 'they did not obey or incline their ear.'
A Deliberate Refusal
This wasn't accidental ignorance. To 'incline their ear' implies a willing, focused attention. They actively chose not to listen. It’s like someone talking to you, and you consciously turn away, refusing to process what they’re saying. Their inaction was a choice.
The Consequence of Silence
Their refusal to listen meant they didn't 'do' the covenant commands. The consequence? God would 'bring upon them all the words of this covenant.' This doesn't just mean the blessings, but the warnings and curses also detailed within the covenant agreement, a direct result of their deliberate deafness.
What does it mean to walk 'in the stubbornness of his evil heart'? This phrase reveals a deep-seated rebellion that guides every step.
The verse pinpoints the source of their disobedience: 'everyone walked in the stubbornness of his evil heart.' This isn't just about isolated bad choices; it describes a way of life.
The Heart as the Control Center
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In Scripture, the heart is often depicted as the core of a person's being – the source of thoughts, desires, and motivations. When the heart is described as 'stubborn' and 'evil,' it means a fundamental resistance to God's ways and a deep-seated preference for self-will and sin. Their entire walk, their daily actions, were dictated by this internal rebellion.
A Pattern of Rebellion
This wasn't a new problem for Israel. The commentaries note the similarity to other passages describing a persistent, ingrained resistance to God. It’s a pattern of behavior that stems from a heart that is fundamentally opposed to God's character and commands, leading them further away from Him with every step.
Understand the original words
lebab · Hebrew Noun
A figurative expression for the internal disposition or moral nature of a person. It is the seat of the will and decision-making, which in its fallen state is prone to rebellion against God.
Jeremiah's message comes at a time when the consequences of breaking the covenant are no longer abstract threats but tangible realities, with Jerusalem on the brink of utter destruction and exile.
c. 722 BC
Fall of the Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers the Northern Kingdom of Israel, leading to the exile of many of its people. This event serves as a stark warning to the Southern Kingdom of Judah about the consequences of disobedience to God's covenant.
609 BC
Josiah's Reforms and Death
King Josiah institutes religious reforms after the Book of the Law is discovered, attempting to renew the covenant. However, he dies in battle against the Egyptians, a tragic event that throws Judah into political instability.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Under King Nebuchadnezzar, Babylon begins its rise to power, and the first wave of Judean exiles, including some nobility and likely Daniel, are taken to Babylon. This marks the beginning of Judah's subservience to Babylon.
c. 597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Following a rebellion, King Nebuchadnezzar deports more Judeans, including King Jehoiachin and the prophet Ezekiel. Judah becomes a Babylonian vassal state, setting the stage for further conflict.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar razes Jerusalem and its temple, exiling the majority of the remaining population to Babylon. This catastrophic event fulfills God's warnings about the covenant's curses for disobedience.
586 BC— this verse
Jeremiah Delivers His Message
In the midst of Judah's increasing rebellion and the looming threat of Babylonian invasion, Jeremiah is commanded by God to proclaim the covenant's stipulations and the inevitable consequences of their persistent disobedience. He laments their stubborn refusal to heed God's warnings, even as judgment is at hand.
This passage lays out the curses of the covenant, directly paralleling Jeremiah's statement that God brought the 'words of this covenant' upon them because of their disobedience.
Psalm 81:11This psalm laments Israel's stubborn refusal to listen to God's voice, reflecting the same theme of willful disobedience found in Jeremiah 11:8.
Romans 2:8Paul echoes the consequence of disobedience, stating that God will bring wrath and fury upon those who pursue evil and reject truth, aligning with God's judgment described in Jeremiah.
Hebrews 8:9This New Testament passage speaks of a new covenant because the old one was broken, highlighting the historical reality of Israel's failure to 'do' the commands of the covenant as Jeremiah records.
Isaiah 5:20This prophetic warning describes those who call evil good and good evil, mirroring the 'stubbornness of their evil heart' that caused Israel to walk contrary to God's commands.
calvinJeremiah 11:6-8: "Then the LORD said unto me, Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, Hear ye the words of this covenant, and do them."
Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked every one in the imagination of their evil heart: therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do; but they did them not.
Et non audierunt et non inclinarunt aurem suam; et ambularunt quisque post pravita…
cambridgeJeremiah 11:8: "Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked every one in the imagination of their evil heart: therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do; but they did them not."
8 . stubbornness ] Cp. ch. Jeremiah 3:17 .
The verse highlights that God's covenant wasn't just a set of rules, but a living testament with inherent consequences. When Israel refused to "obey or incline their ear," they weren't merely breaking laws; they were actively triggering the "words of this covenant"—meaning the curses and judgments meticulously laid out for disobedience.
God commands Jeremiah to proclaim the covenant's terms throughout Judah's cities, highlighting their historical disobedience. The people, however, have ignored God's commands and followed their own stubborn desires, leading God to declare that the covenant's threats and consequences are now being fully enacted upon them. This message directly follows God's directive to the prophet and sets up the subsequent lament and plea for mercy.
God commands Jeremiah to proclaim the covenant's terms throughout Judah's cities, highlighting their historical disobedience. The people, however, have ignored God's commands and followed their own stubborn desires, leading God to declare that the covenant's threats and consequences are now being fully enacted upon them. This message directly follows God's directive to the prophet and sets up the subsequent lament and plea for mercy.
"Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but everyone walked in the stubbornness of his evil heart. Therefore I brought upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but they did not.”" — The verse highlights that God's covenant wasn't just a set of rules, but a living testament with inherent consequences. When Israel refused to "obey or incline their ear," they weren't merely breakin…
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Last reviewed October 2026