Jeremiah 25:3

KJV

From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, even unto this day, that [is] the three and twentieth year, the word of the LORD hath come unto me, and I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye have not hearkened.

KJV (with Strong's)

From the thirteenth {H7969}{H6240} year {H8141} of Josiah {H2977} the son {H1121} of Amon {H526} king {H4428} of Judah {H3063}, even unto this day {H3117}, that is the three {H7969} and twentieth {H6242} year {H8141}, the word {H1697} of the LORD {H3068} hath come unto me, and I have spoken {H1696} unto you, rising early {H7925} and speaking {H1696}; but ye have not hearkened {H8085}.

Complete Jewish Bible

"For twenty-three years, since the thirteenth year of Yoshiyahu the son of Amon, king of Y'hudah, until today, the word of ADONAI has come to me; and I have proclaimed it to you on numerous occasions; but you haven't listened.

Berean Standard Bible

“From the thirteenth year of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah until this very day—twenty-three years—the word of the LORD has come to me, and I have spoken to you again and again, but you have not listened.

American Standard Version

From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, even unto this day, these three and twenty years, the word of Jehovah hath come unto me, and I have spoken unto you, rising up early and speaking; but ye have not hearkened.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Jeremiah 25:3 serves as a poignant introduction to the Lord's impending judgment on Judah, highlighting the remarkable duration and diligent faithfulness of Jeremiah's prophetic ministry. For twenty-three years, from the thirteenth year of King Josiah's reign until the present day, Jeremiah consistently delivered the authoritative word of the LORD, speaking with earnest and persistent effort. Despite God's unwavering patience and consistent warnings, the people of Judah stubbornly refused to listen or obey, setting the tragic stage for the severe divine consequences detailed in the subsequent prophecies.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Jeremiah 25:3 acts as a crucial chronological and thematic pivot within the book of Jeremiah. It immediately precedes the comprehensive prophecy of Judah's seventy-year Babylonian captivity, detailed in [Jeremiah 25:9-11](/jeremiah/25-9-11 "Jeremiah 25:9-11 - Prophecy of Babylonian Captivity"). This verse establishes the long period of divine warning that preceded the judgment, underscoring God's justice and longsuffering patience. It connects directly to Jeremiah's initial call in the [thirteenth year of Josiah](/jeremiah/1-2 "Jeremiah 1:2 - Jeremiah's Call") and sets the stage for the pronouncements against Judah and the surrounding nations that follow. The verse thus functions as a summary statement of Jeremiah's faithful, yet largely unheeded, ministry leading up to this climactic prophecy of national discipline.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The period described, spanning from Josiah's thirteenth year (c. 627 BC) to the twenty-third year of Jeremiah's ministry (c. 605 BC), was a tumultuous and pivotal era for Judah. King Josiah's reign saw a significant spiritual revival and reform, particularly after the discovery of the Book of the Law ([2 Kings 22](/2_kings/22 "2 Kings 22 - Josiah's Reforms")). However, after Josiah's untimely death in 609 BC, his successors—Jehoiakim and Jehoiachin—quickly reverted to widespread idolatry and apostasy, systematically undoing much of his work. Geopolitically, Judah was caught between the declining Assyrian Empire and the rapidly rising powers of Babylon and Egypt. Jeremiah's ministry occurred during this precarious situation, with his prophecies often warning against relying on human alliances and consistently urging genuine repentance towards the LORD. Culturally, the people were deeply entrenched in syncretistic worship, pervasive social injustice, and a false sense of security due to the presence of the Temple in Jerusalem.

* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully encapsulates several overarching themes central to Jeremiah and the broader prophetic tradition. Firstly, it highlights **Divine Patience and Persistent Warning**. God, through Jeremiah, repeatedly and earnestly called His people to repentance, demonstrating His profound longsuffering and His desire for their restoration rather than their destruction. This is a consistent motif throughout Scripture, as seen in passages like [Jeremiah 7:25](/jeremiah/7-25 "Jeremiah 7:25 - God's Persistent Sending of Prophets") and [2 Chronicles 36:15](/2_chronicles/36-15 "2 Chronicles 36:15 - God's Compassion and Warning"). Secondly, the verse underscores **Human Disobedience and Stubbornness**. Despite the clarity, consistency, and urgency of the divine message, Judah's categorical refusal to "hearken" reveals a deep-seated spiritual rebellion and a hardened heart, illustrating the tragic consequences of rejecting God's grace. Finally, it portrays **Prophetic Faithfulness**. Jeremiah's unwavering commitment to delivering God's unpopular and often perilous message, even in the face of widespread rejection, ridicule, and persecution, exemplifies the prophet's arduous and often thankless task of speaking divine truth to power and people.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Word (Hebrew, _dâbâr'_):** This term (H1697) is central to the verse, denoting "the word" of the LORD. It signifies not merely spoken sounds, but a divine utterance that carries inherent authority, purpose, and creative power. It can refer to a message, a command, a matter, or even a thing or affair. In this context, it emphasizes the authoritative, revealed communication directly from God to Jeremiah, which then becomes the content of Jeremiah's proclamation. The "word of the LORD" is active, potent, and demands a decisive response from its hearers.
* **Spoken (Hebrew, _dâbar'_):** The verb (H1696), from which _dâbâr_ (H1697) derives, means "to speak," "to declare," or "to command." Here, it describes Jeremiah's active and diligent role in proclaiming the divine message. Coupled with the phrase "rising early," it conveys the extraordinary diligence and persistence of his verbal ministry. It highlights the direct, oral transmission of God's message from prophet to people, emphasizing the clarity, accessibility, and urgency of the warnings given.
* **Hearkened (Hebrew, _shâmaʻ'_):** This crucial verb (H8085) means "to hear intelligently," often implying "to listen attentively," "to understand," and, most importantly, "to obey." Judah's failure to "hearken" is not merely a lack of auditory perception but a profound spiritual and volitional refusal to accept, internalize, and act upon the word of the LORD. It signifies a deep-seated rebellion, a deliberate closing of the heart, and a rejection of God's authority and grace, leading directly to their impending judgment.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, even unto this day, that [is] the three and twentieth year":** This clause precisely dates the commencement and duration of Jeremiah's active prophetic ministry. It establishes the historical context, grounding the prophecy in a specific period of Judah's history, spanning from the relatively righteous reign of Josiah into the more corrupt reigns that followed. The "three and twentieth year" marks a significant and extended period of consistent divine warning, highlighting God's enduring patience before the inevitable onset of judgment.
* **"the word of the LORD hath come unto me":** This phrase emphasizes the divine origin and inherent authority of Jeremiah's message. Jeremiah is not speaking his own thoughts, opinions, or political analyses, but is a faithful conduit for God's direct and sovereign revelation. This underscores the profound gravity of the message and the weighty responsibility of both the prophet to deliver it faithfully and the people to receive it reverently and respond obediently.
* **"and I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking":** This part details Jeremiah's faithful and diligent execution of his prophetic commission. The idiom "rising early and speaking" (Hebrew: _shakam v'dabber_) is a powerful expression signifying earnestness, persistence, and tireless effort. It conveys that God, through His prophet, left no stone unturned, making every conceivable effort to reach His people with His warnings and calls to repentance. It implies a relentless, consistent, and urgent communication, demonstrating God's profound desire for their turning.
* **"but ye have not hearkened":** This final, stark declaration reveals the tragic and lamentable outcome of God's persistent efforts. Despite the clear, consistent, and urgent warnings delivered over more than two decades, Judah categorically refused to listen, understand, or obey. This highlights their profound spiritual deafness and stubborn rebellion, which ultimately necessitated the severe judgment that was to come, making their culpability undeniable.

#### Literary Devices
The verse employs several significant literary devices that amplify its message. The most prominent is the **Idiom** "rising early and speaking" (_shakam v'dabber_). This phrase, common in Jeremiah and other prophetic books, is a vivid **anthropomorphism** portraying God's tireless and earnest effort to communicate with His people, as if He is waking up early to ensure His message is delivered. It underscores His unwavering commitment, diligence, and patience. There is also a strong **Contrast** established between God's persistent and diligent communication (through Jeremiah) and Judah's consistent and stubborn refusal to "hearken." This antithesis highlights the profound spiritual chasm between divine grace and human rebellion, emphasizing the people's culpability. Furthermore, the precise **Chronological Marker** at the beginning of the verse ("From the thirteenth year... unto this day... the three and twentieth year") serves to underscore the long duration of God's patience and the extensive opportunity given to Judah for repentance, making their eventual judgment all the more just and unavoidable.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 25:3 profoundly illustrates the tension between God's unwavering patience and humanity's persistent rebellion. It reveals a God who is not quick to condemn but is longsuffering, repeatedly extending grace and opportunity for repentance through His chosen messengers. This divine characteristic is foundational to biblical theology, emphasizing God's desire for relationship and restoration, rather than immediate judgment. However, the verse also starkly portrays the grave consequences of unheeded warnings and hardened hearts. Judah's refusal to "hearken" demonstrates that divine judgment is not arbitrary but a just and necessary response to prolonged and deliberate disobedience. This dynamic serves as a timeless theological principle: God's grace is abundant, but it is not infinite in the face of unrepentant sin. The faithfulness of the prophet, Jeremiah, in delivering this difficult message, even when rejected, also highlights the divine imperative for truth to be spoken, regardless of its popular reception or the personal cost to the messenger.

* [Jeremiah 7:25](/jeremiah/7-25 "Jeremiah 7:25 - God's Persistent Sending of Prophets")
* [2 Chronicles 36:15](/2_chronicles/36-15 "2 Chronicles 36:15 - God's Compassion and Warning")
* [2 Peter 3:9](/2_peter/3-9 "2 Peter 3:9 - The Lord's Patience for Repentance")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah 25:3 offers profound and challenging lessons for contemporary believers. It confronts us with the reality of God's incredible patience and His persistent desire for us to walk in obedient relationship with Him. Just as Judah was given ample warning and opportunity for repentance, God continues to speak to us today through His inspired Word, the indwelling Holy Spirit, and the community of faith. The crucial question for us is whether we are truly "hearkening"—listening with an ear to understand, internalize, and obey—or if we are, like ancient Judah, hardening our hearts to His voice, perhaps through distraction, apathy, or deliberate disobedience. This verse calls us to a posture of profound humility and immediate responsiveness, reminding us that spiritual apathy and prolonged disobedience carry significant and often painful consequences. It encourages us to cherish God's longsuffering and to respond with gratitude and immediate repentance when His Spirit convicts us or His Word calls us to a deeper walk of faith and obedience. Our diligence in seeking and obeying God's will should mirror His diligence in revealing it.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of your life might you be "not hearkening" to God's word, despite repeated warnings or gentle nudges from His Spirit?**
* **How does God's persistent communication with Judah, spanning 23 years, deepen your understanding of His patience, justice, and unwavering character?**
* **What practical steps can you take to cultivate a more responsive and obedient heart to God's voice in your daily life and decisions?**
* **How does Jeremiah's faithfulness in delivering an unpopular and difficult message inspire you in your own witness, discipleship, or service to Christ?**

### FAQ
**What is the significance of the 23 years mentioned in Jeremiah 25:3?**

Answer: The 23 years signify the extensive duration of Jeremiah's prophetic ministry up to the point of this pivotal prophecy. It began in the [thirteenth year of King Josiah](/jeremiah/1-2 "Jeremiah 1:2 - Jeremiah's Call") (around 627 BC) and continued through the reigns of Jehoiakim, leading up to the fourth year of Jehoiakim (around 605 BC), which was the year of the Battle of Carchemish and the decisive rise of Babylonian dominance. This long period underscores God's immense patience and His consistent, diligent effort to warn His people and call them to repentance before bringing the severe judgment of exile. It highlights that the judgment was not sudden or arbitrary but came only after decades of unheeded divine appeals and opportunities for turning back to the Lord.

**What does the phrase "rising early and speaking" imply about God's communication?**

Answer: The phrase "rising early and speaking" (Hebrew: _shakam v'dabber_) is a powerful idiom used throughout Jeremiah to convey earnestness, diligence, and relentless persistence. It anthropomorphically depicts God as making every possible effort, as if waking up early to ensure His message is delivered. It implies that God was tireless, relentless, and urgent in His communication with Judah, leaving no stone unturned in His attempts to warn them and call them back to Himself. This idiom emphasizes the clarity, consistency, and compassionate urgency of the divine warnings, making Judah's persistent lack of response all the more culpable. This profound idiom is also found in [Jeremiah 7:25](/jeremiah/7-25 "Jeremiah 7:25 - God's Persistent Sending of Prophets") and [2 Chronicles 36:15](/2_chronicles/36-15 "2 Chronicles 36:15 - God's Compassion and Warning").

**Why didn't Judah "hearken" to Jeremiah's warnings, despite God's persistence?**

Answer: Judah's failure to "hearken" (meaning to listen intelligently and obey) stemmed from a deep-seated spiritual rebellion, pervasive idolatry, and a profound hardening of hearts. Despite Josiah's significant reforms, the nation's spiritual condition quickly deteriorated after his death. They preferred the comforting lies of false prophets who promised peace, clung stubbornly to their syncretistic and idolatrous practices, and trusted in precarious political alliances rather than placing their faith in the LORD. Their ears were closed to the uncomfortable truth of Jeremiah's message because it demanded repentance, a radical change in lifestyle, and an abandonment of their cherished sins. This pervasive spiritual apathy and stubbornness ultimately led them down a path of inevitable judgment, as detailed in the subsequent prophecies of the seventy-year Babylonian captivity.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Jeremiah 25:3, with its poignant portrayal of God's persistent warnings through His prophet and Judah's stubborn refusal to "hearken," finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. God's "word" (H1697), which came to Jeremiah, is perfectly embodied in Christ, who is Himself the [Logos, the Word made flesh](/john/1-14 "John 1:14 - The Word Became Flesh"), through whom God has spoken His [final and complete revelation](/hebrews/1-1-2 "Hebrews 1:1-2 - God's Final Word in His Son"). Just as Jeremiah "rose early and spoke" with tireless diligence, Jesus, the supreme Prophet, tirelessly proclaimed the kingdom of God, teaching, healing, and calling His people to repentance. He lamented over Jerusalem, saying, "[How often would I have gathered your children together... but you were not willing!](/matthew/23-37 "Matthew 23:37 - Jesus' Lament Over Jerusalem")" echoing the very lament of Jeremiah 25:3. The profound rejection Jeremiah faced foreshadows the ultimate rejection of the Messiah, who was "[despised and rejected by men](/isaiah/53-3 "Isaiah 53:3 - Christ Rejected by Men")" by His own people, despite His perfect life and clear message of salvation. Yet, in Christ, the call to "hearken" is transformed from a national imperative to a personal invitation. Those who are His "sheep hear His voice," and they "follow Him" ([John 10:27](/john/10-27 "John 10:27 - Jesus' Sheep Hear His Voice")). Thus, while Judah failed to hearken to the prophetic word, in Christ, God provides the ultimate means for humanity to hear and obey, offering salvation and reconciliation to all who respond in faith. His weeping over Jerusalem in [Luke 19:41-44](/luke/19-41-44 "Luke 19:41-44 - Jesus Weeps Over Jerusalem") is the divine heart of Jeremiah's lament, revealing the sorrow of God over an unheeding people, yet still extending the offer of grace through His own atoning sacrifice.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Jeremiah 11:7

For I earnestly protested unto your fathers in the day [that] I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, [even] unto this day, rising early and protesting, saying, Obey my voice.

Jeremiah 1:2

To whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.

Jeremiah 26:5

To hearken to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I sent unto you, both rising up early, and sending [them], but ye have not hearkened;

Jeremiah 7:13

And now, because ye have done all these works, saith the LORD, and I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not;

Jeremiah 29:19

Because they have not hearkened to my words, saith the LORD, which I sent unto them by my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending [them]; but ye would not hear, saith the LORD.

2 Chronicles 34:8

¶ Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land, and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of the LORD his God.

2 Chronicles 34:3

For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images.