Jeremiah 17:1
The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars;
Jeremiah 17:1 in other translations
| BSB | “The sin of Judah is written with an iron stylus, engraved with a diamond point on the tablets of their hearts and on the horns of their altars. |
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| WEB | “The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond. It is engraved on the tablet of their heart, and on the horns of your altars. |
| ASV | The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is graven upon the tablet of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars; |
| YLT | The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, With the point of a diamond, Graven on the tablet of their heart, And on the horns of your altars, |
| DARBY | The sin of Judah is written with a style of iron, with the point of a diamond, engraven upon the tablet of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars; |
| BBE | The sin of Judah is recorded with a pen of iron, and with the sharp point of a jewel it is cut on their hearts of stone, and on the horns of their altars for a sign to them: |
| Webster | The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars; |
What does Jeremiah 17:1 mean?
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Introduction
This chapter begins with setting forth the very strong bias which the people of Judah had to idolatry, with the fatal consequences, Jer 17:1-4. The happiness of the man that trusted in Jehovah is then beautifully contrasted with the opposite character, Jer 17:5-8. God alone knows the deceitfulness and wretchedness of the heart of man, Jer 17:9, Jer 17:10. The comparison of a bird's hatching the eggs of another of a different species, which will soon forsake her, is highly expressive of the vanity of ill-acquired riches, which often disappoint the owner, Jer 17:11. The prophet continues the same subject in his own person, appeals to God for his sincerity, and prays that the evil intended him by his enemies may revert on their own heads, Jer 17:12-18. The remaining part of the chapter is a distinct prophecy relating to the due observance of the Sabbath, enforced both by promises and threatenings, Jer 17:19-27. Verse 1 The sin of Judah - Idolatry. Is written with a pen of iron - It is deeply and indelibly written in their heart, and shall be as indelibly written in their punishment. Writing with the point of a diamond must refer to glass, or some vitrified substance, as it is distinguished here from engraving with a steel burine, or graver. Their altars show what the deities are which they worship. There may be reference here to the different methods of recording events in those days: - 1. A pen or stile of iron, for engraving on lead or wood. 2. A point of a diamond, for writing on vitreous substances. 3. Writing on tables of brass or copper. 4. Writing on the horns of the altars the names of the deities worshipped there. This is probable. In several parts of India, and all through Ceylon, an iron or steel pen is used universally; with these the natives form the letters by incisions on the outer rind of the palm leaf. Books written in this way are very durable. This pen is broad at the top, has a very fine sharp point, and is sharp at one side as a knife, to shave and prepare the palm leaf. A pen of this description now lies before me.Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Jeremiah 17:1-4
Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain
Jeremiah 17:1 in the original Hebrew
Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.
Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).
Cross references for Jeremiah 17:1
- Proverbs 3:3
Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
- 2 Corinthians 3:3
Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
- Proverbs 7:3
Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.
- Leviticus 4:25
And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out his blood at the bottom of the altar of burnt offering.
- Job 19:23-24
Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book! That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!
- Leviticus 4:17-18
And the priest shall dip his finger in some of the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before the Lord, even before the vail. And he shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar which is before the Lord, that is in the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall pour out all the blood at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
- Hosea 12:11
Is there iniquity in Gilead? surely they are vanity: they sacrifice bullocks in Gilgal; yea, their altars are as heaps in the furrows of the fields.
Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
5 Trust in man is cursed;
7 in God is blessed.
9 The deceitful heart cannot deceive God.
12 The salvation of God.
15 The prophet complains of the mockers of his prophecy.
19 He is sent to renew the covenant in hallowing the sabbath.
written.
Job 19:23,24
point. Heb. nail. graven.
Pr 3:3; 7:3; 2Co 3:3
and upon.
Le 4:17,18,25; Ho 12:11
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain
Context
- Jeremiah 17:1
The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars;
- Jeremiah 17:2
Whilst their children remember their altars and their groves by the green trees upon the high hills.
Jeremiah 17:1 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | EL pecado de Judá escrito está con cincel de hierro, y con punta de diamante: esculpido está en la tabla de su corazón, y en los lados de vuestros altares; |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Le péché de Juda est écrit avec un style de fer, avec une pointe de diamant; il est gravé sur la table de leur cœur, et sur les cornes de leurs autels, |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Die Sünde Judas ist geschrieben mit eisernem Griffel, mit diamantener Spitze; sie ist eingegraben in die Tafel ihres Herzens und an die Hörner eurer Altäre. |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Peccatum Juda scriptum est stylo ferreo in ungue adamantino, exaratum super latitudinem cordis eorum, et in cornibus ararum eorum. |