Jeremiah 22:5

But if you do not obey these words, then I swear by Myself, declares the LORD, that this house will become a pile of rubble.’”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The LORD speaks through Jeremiah to the ruling house of Judah regarding covenant obedience. This declaration follows immediately after a conditional promise of royal protection in the preceding verse.

The words — The Hebrew לֹ֣א תִשְׁמְעוּ (lo' tishme'u) translates literally as "you will not listen," establishing the condition for the coming judgment. נִשְׁבַּ֙עְתִּי (nishba'ti) means "I have sworn," functioning as a divine self-attestation.

The thread — The oath formula "I swear by Myself, declares the LORD" appears in Genesis 22:16 and Amos 6:8 to confirm irreversible divine action. The conditional structure mirrors Jeremiah 17:27, which ties the city's survival directly to obedience to specific commands.

Why it lands — The text states that disobedience to the stated commands will result in the palace becoming rubble. It places the cause of destruction on the rulers' failure to comply rather than on arbitrary divine preference.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְאִם֙ve./'Imand/ if לֹ֣אlo'not תִשְׁמְע֔וּtish.me.'Uyou will listen to אֶת־'et-<obj.>הַדְּבָרִ֖יםha./de.va.Rimthe/ words הָאֵ֑לֶּהha./'E.leh<the>/ theseבִּ֤יb/iby <the>/ myselfנִשְׁבַּ֙עְתִּי֙nish.Ba'.tiI swear נְאֻם־ne.'um-[the] utterance of יְהוָ֔הYah.wehYahweh כִּי־ki-that לְחָרְבָּ֥הle./cha.re.Bah<into>/ a ruin יִֽהְיֶ֖הyih.Yehit will become הַבַּ֥יִתha./Ba.yitthe/ house הַזֶּֽה׃ סha./Zeh<the>/ this

King James Version

But if ye will not hear these words, I swear by myself, saith the Lord, that this house shall become a desolation.

Cross-references

Amos 6:8 The Lord GOD has sworn by Himself—the LORD, the God of Hosts, has declared: “I abhor Jacob’s pride and detest his citadels, so I will deliver up the city and everything in it.”
Genesis 22:16 saying, “By Myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your only son,
Jeremiah 17:27 But if you do not listen to Me to keep the Sabbath day holy by not carrying a load while entering the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will kindle an unquenchable fire in its gates to consume the citadels of Jerusalem.’”
Hebrews 6:13 When God made His promise to Abraham, since He had no one greater to swear by, He swore by Himself,
Deuteronomy 32:40 For I lift up My hand to heaven and declare: As surely as I live forever,
Isaiah 1:20 But if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
Jeremiah 7:13 And now, because you have done all these things, declares the LORD, and because I have spoken to you again and again but you would not listen, and I have called to you but you would not answer,
Jeremiah 26:6 then I will make this house like Shiloh, and I will make this city an object of cursing among all the nations of the earth.’”
Jeremiah 39:8 The Chaldeans set fire to the palace of the king and to the houses of the people, and they broke down the walls of Jerusalem.
Numbers 14:28 So tell them: As surely as I live, declares the LORD, I will do to you exactly as I heard you say.