Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version I warned you when you felt secure, but you said, ‘I will not listen!’ This has been your way from your youth; you have not obeyed me. New Living Translation I warned you when you were prosperous, but you replied, ‘Don’t bother me.’ You have been that way since childhood— you simply will not obey me! English Standard Version I spoke to you in your prosperity, but you said, ‘I will not listen.’ This has been your way from your youth, that you have not obeyed my voice. Berean Standard Bible I warned you when you were secure. You said, ‘I will not listen.’ This has been your way from youth, that you have not obeyed My voice. Berean Literal Bible I spoke to you in your prosperity, you said, ‘I will not listen.’ This is your way from your youth, that you would not listen to My voice. King James Bible I spake unto thee in thy prosperity; but thou saidst, I will not hear. This hath been thy manner from thy youth, that thou obeyedst not my voice. New King James Version I spoke to you in your prosperity, But you said, ‘I will not hear.’ This has been your manner from your youth, That you did not obey My voice. New American Standard Bible “I spoke to you in your prosperity; But you said, ‘I will not listen!’ This has been your way from your youth, That you have not obeyed My voice. NASB 1995 “I spoke to you in your prosperity; But you said, ‘I will not listen!’ This has been your practice from your youth, That you have not obeyed My voice. NASB 1977 “I spoke to you in your prosperity; But you said, ‘I will not listen!’ This has been your practice from your youth, That you have not obeyed My voice. Legacy Standard Bible I spoke to you in your prosperity, But you said, ‘I will not listen!’ This has been your way from your youth, That you have not listened to My voice. Amplified Bible “I spoke to you in your [times of] prosperity, But you said, ‘I will not listen!’ This has been your attitude and practice from your youth; You have not obeyed My voice. Berean Annotated Bible I warned you when you were secure. You said, ‘I will not listen. This has been your way from youth, that you have not obeyed My voice. Christian Standard Bible I spoke to you when you were secure. You said, “I will not listen.” This has been your way since youth; indeed, you have never listened to me. Holman Christian Standard Bible I spoke to you when you were secure. You said, “I will not listen.” This has been your way since youth; indeed, you have never listened to Me. American Standard Version I spake unto thee in thy prosperity; but thou saidst, I will not hear. This hath been thy manner from thy youth, that thou obeyedst not my voice. Contemporary English Version When times were good, I warned you. But you ignored me, just as you have done since Israel was young. English Revised Version I spake unto thee in thy prosperity; but thou saidst, I will not hear. This hath been thy manner from thy youth, that thou obeyedst not my voice. GOD'S WORD® Translation I spoke to you when you were prosperous, but you said that you wouldn't listen. This is how you've been ever since you were young. You don't listen to me. Good News Translation The LORD spoke to you when you were prosperous, but you refused to listen. That is what you've done all your life; you never would obey the LORD. International Standard Version I spoke to you when you were secure, but you said, "I won't listen!" This has been your way since your youth, for you haven't obeyed me. NET Bible While you were feeling secure I gave you warning. But you said, "I refuse to listen to you." That is the way you have acted from your earliest history onward. Indeed, you have never paid attention to me. New Heart English Bible I spoke to you in your prosperity; but you said, 'I will not hear.' This has been your way from your youth, that you did not obey my voice. Webster's Bible Translation I spoke to thee in thy prosperity; but thou saidest, I will not hear. This hath been thy manner from thy youth, that thou hast not obeyed my voice. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleI warned you when you were secure. You said, ‘I will not listen.’ This has been your way from youth, that you have not obeyed My voice. World English Bible I spoke to you in your prosperity, but you said, ‘I will not listen.’ This has been your way from your youth, that you didn’t obey my voice. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionI have spoken to you in your ease, "" You have said, I do not listen, "" This [is] your way from your youth, "" For you have not listened to My voice. Berean Literal Bible I spoke to you in your prosperity, you said, ‘I will not listen.’ This is your way from your youth, that you would not listen to My voice. Young's Literal Translation I have spoken unto thee in thine ease, Thou hast said, 'I do not hearken,' This is thy way from thy youth, For thou hast not hearkened to My voice. Smith's Literal Translation I spake to thee in thy, securities, thou saidst, I will not hear. This thy way from thy youth, for thou heardest not to my voice. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleI spoke to thee in thy properity: and thoiu saidst: I will not hear: this hath been thy way from thy youth, because thou hast not heard my voice. Catholic Public Domain Version I spoke to you in your abundance, and you said, ‘I will not listen.’ This has been your way from your youth, for you have not listened to my voice. New American Bible I spoke to you when you were secure, but you answered, “I will not listen.” This has been your way from your youth, not to listen to my voice. New Revised Standard Version I spoke to you in your prosperity, but you said, “I will not listen.” This has been your way from your youth, for you have not obeyed my voice. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleI spoke to you in your prosperity; but you said, I will not listen. This has been your way from your youth, you did not obey my voice. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And I have spoken to you in your prosperity, and you said: “I will not listen.” This is your way from your youth, and you have not listened to my voice OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917I spoke unto thee in thy prosperity, But thou saidst: 'I will not hear.' This hath been thy manner from thy youth, That thou hearkenedst not to My voice. Brenton Septuagint Translation I spoke to thee on occasion of thy trespass, but thou saidst, I will not hearken. This has been thy way from thy youth, thou hast not hearkened to my voice. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context A Warning about Jehoiakim…20Go up to Lebanon and cry out; raise your voice in Bashan; cry out from Abarim, for all your lovers have been crushed. 21I warned you when you were secure. You said, ‘I will not listen.’ This has been your way from youth, that you have not obeyed My voice. 22The wind will drive away all your shepherds, and your lovers will go into captivity. Then you will be ashamed and humiliated because of all your wickedness.… Cross References I warned you when you were secure. Deuteronomy 8:11-14 Be careful not to forget the LORD your God by failing to keep His commandments and ordinances and statutes, which I am giving you this day. / Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses in which to dwell, / and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all that you have is multiplied, … Deuteronomy 6:10-12 And when the LORD your God brings you into the land He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that He would give you—a land with great and splendid cities that you did not build, / with houses full of every good thing with which you did not fill them, with wells that you did not dig, and with vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant—and when you eat and are satisfied, / be careful not to forget the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 2 Chronicles 36:15-16 Again and again the LORD, the God of their fathers, sent word to His people through His messengers because He had compassion on them and on His dwelling place. / But they mocked the messengers of God, despising His words and scoffing at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD against His people was stirred up beyond remedy. You said, ‘I will not listen.’ Proverbs 1:24-25 Because you refused my call, and no one took my outstretched hand, / because you neglected all my counsel, and wanted none of my correction, Zechariah 7:11-13 But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder; they stopped up their ears from hearing. / They made their hearts like flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the LORD of Hosts had sent by His Spirit through the earlier prophets. Therefore great anger came from the LORD of Hosts. / And just as I had called and they would not listen, so when they called I would not listen, says the LORD of Hosts. Ezekiel 3:7 But the house of Israel will be unwilling to listen to you, since they are unwilling to listen to Me. For the whole house of Israel is hard-headed and hard-hearted. This has been your way from youth, Jeremiah 32:30 For the children of Israel and of Judah have done nothing but evil in My sight from their youth; indeed, they have done nothing but provoke Me to anger by the work of their hands, declares the LORD. Jeremiah 3:25 Let us lie down in our shame; let our disgrace cover us. We have sinned against the LORD our God, both we and our fathers; from our youth even to this day we have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God.” Deuteronomy 9:24 You have been rebelling against the LORD since the day I came to know you. that you have not obeyed My voice. Jeremiah 7:23-24 but this is what I commanded them: Obey Me, and I will be your God, and you will be My people. You must walk in all the ways I have commanded you, so that it may go well with you. / Yet they did not listen or incline their ear, but they followed the stubborn inclinations of their own evil hearts. They went backward and not forward. 1 Samuel 12:15 But if you disobey the LORD and rebel against His command, then the hand of the LORD will be against you as it was against your fathers. Deuteronomy 28:15 If, however, you do not obey the LORD your God by carefully following all His commandments and statutes I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: Isaiah 30:9-11 These are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to obey the LORD’s instruction. / They say to the seers, “Stop seeing visions!” and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us the truth! Speak to us pleasant words; prophesy illusions. / Get out of the way; turn off the road. Rid us of the Holy One of Israel!” Hosea 11:2 But the more I called Israel, the farther they departed from Me. They sacrificed to the Baals and burned incense to carved images. Amos 4:6-11 “I afflicted all your cities with cleanness of teeth and all your towns with lack of bread, yet you did not return to Me,” declares the LORD. / “I also withheld the rain from you when the harvest was three months away. I sent rain on one city but withheld it from another. One field received rain; another without rain withered. / People staggered from city to city for water to drink, but they were not satisfied; yet you did not return to Me,” declares the LORD. … Psalm 81:11-12 But My people would not listen to Me, and Israel would not obey Me. / So I gave them up to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices. Treasury of Scripture I spoke to you in your prosperity; but you said, I will not hear. This has been your manner from your youth, that you obeyed not my voice. I spake. Jeremiah 2:31 O generation, see ye the word of the LORD. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? a land of darkness? wherefore say my people, We are lords; we will come no more unto thee? Jeremiah 6:16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. Jeremiah 35:15 I have sent also unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, Return ye now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and go not after other gods to serve them, and ye shall dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers: but ye have not inclined your ear, nor hearkened unto me. prosperity. Jeremiah 3:25 We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us: for we have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even unto this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God. Jeremiah 7:22-28 For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices: … Jeremiah 32:30 For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have only done evil before me from their youth: for the children of Israel have only provoked me to anger with the work of their hands, saith the LORD. Jump to Previous Ear Earliest Ease Felt Hear Hearken Hearkened Hearkenedst Manner Obey Obeyed Obeyedst Practice Prosperity Secure Time Voice Warned Way Well-Being Word YouthJump to Next Ear Earliest Ease Felt Hear Hearken Hearkened Hearkenedst Manner Obey Obeyed Obeyedst Practice Prosperity Secure Time Voice Warned Way Well-Being Word YouthJeremiah 22 1. He exhorts to repentance, with promises and threats.10. The judgment of Shallum; 13. of Jehoiakim; 20. and of Coniah. I warned you when you were secure. This phrase highlights God's proactive communication with His people during times of peace and prosperity. Historically, Judah experienced periods of security, such as during the reigns of kings like Josiah, when reforms were made, and the nation was relatively stable. The warning signifies God's desire for repentance and obedience, even when external threats seem distant. This reflects a recurring biblical theme where God warns His people through prophets (e.g., Isaiah, Ezekiel) to turn from their ways before judgment comes. The security mentioned can also be seen as a test of faithfulness, as prosperity often leads to complacency and spiritual neglect. You said, ‘I will not listen.’ This has been your way from youth, that you have not obeyed My voice. Persons / Places / Events 1. JeremiahA prophet called by God to deliver messages of warning and hope to the people of Judah. His ministry spanned the reigns of several kings, and he often faced opposition and persecution. 2. Judah The southern kingdom of Israel, which was often warned by prophets like Jeremiah about impending judgment due to their disobedience and idolatry. 3. God's Warnings Throughout the history of Israel and Judah, God sent prophets to warn the people to turn from their sinful ways and return to Him. 4. Youth of Judah Refers to the early history of the nation, indicating a long-standing pattern of disobedience and rebellion against God's commands. 5. Security The false sense of safety and complacency that the people of Judah felt, leading them to ignore God's warnings. Teaching Points The Danger of ComplacencyFeeling secure can lead to spiritual complacency, where we ignore God's warnings and fail to heed His voice. The Pattern of Disobedience Disobedience can become a habitual pattern if not addressed. It's crucial to break cycles of sin early. The Importance of Listening to God God speaks through His Word and His messengers. We must cultivate a heart that listens and responds to His voice. Consequences of Ignoring God Ignoring God's warnings can lead to severe consequences, both spiritually and physically. Repentance and Return Despite past disobedience, God always offers a path to repentance and restoration. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Jeremiah 22:21?2. How does Jeremiah 22:21 illustrate the consequences of ignoring God's voice from youth? 3. What does "I spoke to you in your prosperity" reveal about human nature? 4. How can we ensure we listen to God during times of prosperity? 5. Compare Jeremiah 22:21 with Proverbs 1:24-25 on ignoring God's call. 6. What steps can we take to avoid a hardened heart towards God's word? 7. What does Jeremiah 22:21 reveal about the consequences of ignoring God's warnings? 8. How does Jeremiah 22:21 challenge our understanding of obedience to God? 9. Why is listening to God's voice emphasized in Jeremiah 22:21? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Jeremiah 22? 11. What does 'Your house will be left desolate' mean? 12. How did Judah's kings follow or stray from God? 13. Jeremiah 7:4: How can this passage imply the temple offers no protection despite other texts suggesting God's presence there protects His people? 14. What will happen to the righteous and the wicked? What Does Jeremiah 22:21 Mean I warned youGod never leaves His people in the dark. From the earliest days He faithfully sent prophets “rising early and speaking” (Jeremiah 7:25) to call Judah back. His warnings are acts of covenant love, not threats from a distant monarch (2 Chronicles 36:15-16). They echo the heart of a Father who “does not willingly afflict or grieve the children of men” (Lamentations 3:33). When He says, “I warned you,” He is reminding Judah—and us—that judgment never falls without ample, gracious notice (Amos 3:7; 2 Peter 3:9). • God’s pattern: revelation → warning → time to repent • Judah’s pattern: acknowledgment → temporary reform → relapse (Jeremiah 34:8-11) when you were secure The warning came “when you were secure,” during seasons of prosperity under kings like Josiah, when the temple bustled and the treasury was full (Jeremiah 22:15). Ease bred complacency. Deuteronomy 32:15 pictures Israel “growing fat and kicking” once the pressure lifted. Hosea 13:6 adds, “When they had pasture, they became satisfied; then their hearts were lifted up.” False security muffles God’s voice (Revelation 3:17). • Blessings misread as endorsements • Comfort becoming a cushion against conviction • Present-day caution: material calm is not moral approval You said, ‘I will not listen.’ Judah’s rebellion was not passive; it was verbal, willful defiance. Earlier God lamented, “They said, ‘We will not walk in it’” when He set the ancient paths before them (Jeremiah 6:16-17). Zechariah 7:11-12 describes the same stiff-necked refusal, and Stephen indicts it in Acts 7:51. Saying “I will not listen” turns a deaf ear to the very words that could spare them. It is the spiritual equivalent of slamming a door in God’s face. • Deliberate rejection, not ignorance • Sin expressed in stubborn speech (Psalm 12:4) • Every “no” hardens the heart a little more (Hebrews 3:13) This has been your way from youth The phrase traces a lifelong habit. From the wilderness onward, Israel’s story was marked by murmuring, idolatry, and broken vows (Deuteronomy 9:7; Judges 2:19). Jeremiah 3:25 admits, “We have sinned… from our youth even to this day.” The prophet is exposing a generational pattern, not a momentary slip. • Sin’s grooves run deep; early choices set trajectories • National history mirrors personal biography—youthful patterns persist (Psalm 78:8) • God’s memory is perfect; He knows the long arc of rebellion that you have not obeyed My voice Disobedience is the core charge. “To obey is better than sacrifice,” Samuel told Saul (1 Samuel 15:22). Jesus echoes it: “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15). James adds, “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only” (James 1:22). Judah’s selective hearing produced selective obedience—functionally none at all. • Hearing without heeding equals contempt • Obedience proves the reality of faith (Romans 1:5) • God’s voice demands response, not merely respect summary Jeremiah 22:21 is God’s gentle yet firm indictment: He had warned Judah in times of comfort, but she defiantly refused to listen. This refusal wasn’t new; it stretched back to her earliest days. The root issue was ongoing, willful disobedience to God’s voice. The verse reminds us that warnings arise from love, prosperity can dull spiritual ears, repeated “no’s” harden the heart, long-standing patterns matter, and true hearing means obeying. (21) In thy prosperity.--Literally, prosperities. The word is used, as in Proverbs 1:32; Ezekiel 16:49; Psalm 30:6, in reference to what in old English was called "security," the careless, reckless temper engendered by outward prosperity. The plural is used to include all the forms of that temper that had been manifested in the course of centuries.Verse 21. - From thy youth; i.e. from the time that thou didst become a nation (comp. Jeremiah 2:2; Hosea 2:15). It is the Exodus which is referred to.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew I warnedדִּבַּ֤רְתִּי (dib·bar·tî) Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue you אֵלַ֙יִךְ֙ (’ê·la·yiḵ) Preposition | second person feminine singular Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to when you were secure. בְּשַׁלְוֺתַ֔יִךְ (bə·šal·wō·ṯa·yiḵ) Preposition-b | Noun - feminine plural construct | second person feminine singular Strong's 7962: Quietness, ease You said, אָמַ֖רְתְּ (’ā·mart) Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person feminine singular Strong's 559: To utter, say ‘I will not לֹ֣א (lō) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no listen.’ אֶשְׁמָ֑ע (’eš·mā‘) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently This זֶ֤ה (zeh) Pronoun - masculine singular Strong's 2088: This, that has been your way דַרְכֵּךְ֙ (ḏar·kêḵ) Noun - common singular construct | second person feminine singular Strong's 1870: A road, a course of life, mode of action from youth, מִנְּעוּרַ֔יִךְ (min·nə·‘ū·ra·yiḵ) Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singular Strong's 5271: Youth, the state, the persons that כִּ֥י (kî) Conjunction Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction you have not לֹֽא־ (lō-) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no you obeyed שָׁמַ֖עַתְּ (šā·ma·‘at) Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person feminine singular Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently My voice. בְּקוֹלִֽי׃ (bə·qō·w·lî) Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular Strong's 6963: A voice, sound Links Jeremiah 22:21 NIVJeremiah 22:21 NLT Jeremiah 22:21 ESV Jeremiah 22:21 NASB Jeremiah 22:21 KJV Jeremiah 22:21 BibleApps.com Jeremiah 22:21 Biblia Paralela Jeremiah 22:21 Chinese Bible Jeremiah 22:21 French Bible Jeremiah 22:21 Catholic Bible OT Prophets: Jeremiah 22:21 I spoke to you in your prosperity (Jer.) |
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