Jeremiah 17:21
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The verse isn't just saying "don't work on the Sabbath"; it's specifically about "bearing a burden" and bringing it through the gates of Jerusalem. This highlights how the profanation of the Sabbath wasn't just a private matter, but a public, brazen display of disrespect for God happening right at the city's entry points, where worship and judgment were most visible.
Thus says the LORD: Take care for the sake of your lives, and do not bear a burden on the Sabbath day or bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah has been delivering a stark message about Judah's deep-seated corruption, predicting their imminent destruction. He was commanded to stand at the gates of Jerusalem, where kings and people entered and exited, to publicly proclaim God's word. This specific instruction to guard the Sabbath, forbidding any "burden" or commerce from entering the city's gates, highlights a critical point of national disobedience that reveals their utter contempt for God's law.
Jeremiah is delivering a serious warning from God. What's at stake when the Sabbath is ignored?
The command to keep the Sabbath holy wasn't just about following rules; it was deeply connected to the well-being and spiritual health of the people. God tells them to 'take care for the sake of your lives' (or 'in your souls'). This means that honoring the Sabbath was essential for their survival, both physically and spiritually.
When they neglected the Sabbath, they weren't just breaking a commandment; they were opening the door to all sorts of other sins and ultimately inviting God's judgment. It was a sign that they were losing touch with God and His ways.
The image of carrying burdens through the city gates on the Sabbath is stark. What does this specific prohibition reveal?
Jeremiah specifically calls out the act of bearing a burden and bringing it in through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath. This wasn't just about avoiding manual labor in general; it was about preventing commerce and business from invading the holy day.
Imagine people bringing their produce, livestock, or goods to sell at the city gates, even on the Sabbath. This turned a day meant for rest, worship, and remembering God into just another market day. It showed a deep disrespect for God's command and a prioritizing of earthly gain over spiritual devotion. This open violation in a public, central place like the city gates was a brazen defiance.
Understand the original words
Ask a follow-up
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal covenant name of the Creator God, revealed to Moses, emphasizing His faithfulness and eternal nature as the Redeemer of Israel.
shabbath · Hebrew Noun
A day set apart by God for rest and worship, commemorating His creation and His deliverance of Israel, serving as a sign of the covenant relationship.
massa' · Hebrew Noun
A load, weight, or task; metaphorically used for labor, responsibility, or heavy burdens that disrupt the holy rest mandated by God.
sha'ar · Hebrew Noun
The primary points of entry and defensive structures for an ancient city, serving as the center for commerce, judicial proceedings, and public life.
This command from Jeremiah highlights how the profanation of the Sabbath was seen as a profound symptom and even a contributing cause of national collapse, leading to the Babylonian exile.
Late 8th century BC
Assyrian influence and reforms
Hezekiah's religious reforms included a renewed emphasis on Sabbath observance and temple worship, pushing back against syncretistic practices.
605 BC
First Babylonian deportation
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon begins deporting Jewish elites to Babylon, a significant blow to Judah's political and religious institutions.
597 BC
Second Babylonian deportation
More Jews, including King Jehoiachin and the prophet Ezekiel, are exiled to Babylon following a rebellion.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
Babylonian forces under Nebuchadnezzar conquer Jerusalem, destroy Solomon's Temple, and exile the majority of the population, marking the end of the Judean kingdom.
c. 586 BC— this verse
Jeremiah prophesies the Sabbath's importance
Jeremiah delivers this prophecy, likely during or just before the final siege of Jerusalem, warning against the widespread profanation of the Sabbath as a symptom of deep spiritual decay.
c. 586 BC
Post-exilic reforms under Nehemiah
After the return from exile, Nehemiah enforces strict Sabbath observance, forbidding commerce and the carrying of burdens through the city gates on the Sabbath.
This passage lays out the original commandment to keep the Sabbath day holy, making it clear that no work is to be done, establishing the foundational principle Jeremiah's message calls the people back to.
Nehemiah 13:15-19This passage describes a very similar situation in post-exilic Jerusalem where Nehemiah had to confront the people for profaning the Sabbath by trading and carrying burdens through the gates, showing this was a recurring issue of national disobedience.
Isaiah 58:13-14Here, the prophet Isaiah links the honor of the Sabbath with delighting in the Lord and finding a rich inheritance, contrasting Jeremiah's warning of judgment with a promise of blessing for Sabbath observance.
Ezekiel 22:26This verse directly accuses the priests and rulers of profaning holy things, including the Sabbath, showing that the failure to uphold the sanctity of the Sabbath was a systemic problem indicative of a deeper spiritual decay.
clarkeJeremiah 17:21: "Thus saith the LORD; Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem;"
Take heed to yourselves and bear no burden - From this and the following verses we find the ruin of the Jews attributed to the breach of the Sabbath; as this led to a neglect of sacrifice, the ordinances of religion, and all public worship, so it necessarily brought with it all immorality. This breach of the Sabbath was that which let in upon them all…
calvinJeremiah 17:19-21: "Thus said the LORD unto me; Go and stand in the gate of the children of the people, whereby the kings of Judah come in, and by the which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem;"
Sic dixit mihi Jehova, Vade et sta in porta filiorum populi; per quam ingrediuntur reges Jehudah, et per quam egrediuntur, (ad verbum, e qua egrediuntur in ipsa; sed vv est supervacuum,) et onmibus portis Jerusalem:
And say unto them, Hear ye the word of the LORD, ye kings of Judah,…
The verse isn't just saying "don't work on the Sabbath"; it's specifically about "bearing a burden" and bringing it through the gates of Jerusalem. This highlights how the profanation of the Sabbath wasn't just a private matter, but a public, brazen display of disrespect for God happening right at the city's entry points, where worship and judgment were most visible.
Jeremiah has been delivering a stark message about Judah's deep-seated corruption, predicting their imminent destruction. He was commanded to stand at the gates of Jerusalem, where kings and people entered and exited, to publicly proclaim God's word. This specific instruction to guard the Sabbath, forbidding any "burden" or commerce from entering the city's gates, highlights a critical point of national disobedience that reveals their utter contempt for God's law.
Jeremiah has been delivering a stark message about Judah's deep-seated corruption, predicting their imminent destruction. He was commanded to stand at the gates of Jerusalem, where kings and people entered and exited, to publicly proclaim God's word. This specific instruction to guard the Sabbath, forbidding any "burden" or commerce from entering the city's gates, highlights a critical point of national disobedience that reveals their utter contempt for God's law.
"Thus says the LORD: Take care for the sake of your lives, and do not bear a burden on the Sabbath day or bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem." — The verse isn't just saying "don't work on the Sabbath"; it's specifically about "bearing a burden" and bringing it through the gates of Jerusalem. This highlights how the profanation of the Sabbat…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
