Jeremiah 17:20 — ExegesisTAB

Jeremiah 17:20 begins with the verb veamar­ta {וְאָמַרְתָּ | wə-ʾā-mar-tā} ‘and you shall say,’ a Qal perfect in second person masculine singular with prefixed vav, functioning here as an imperative-like formula directing the prophet’s speech. The addressees are introduced by the prepositional phrase aleihem {אֲלֵיהֶם | ʾă-lê-hem} ‘to them,’ followed by the plural imperative shimʿu {שִׁמְעוּ | šim-ʿû} ‘hear,’ creating a call to communal attention. The phrase devar-Yahweh {דְבַר־יְהוָה | də-var Yə-hō-wāh} forms a construct linking ‘word’ to the divine name, denoting God’s authoritative communication. Successive construct chains specify the audience: mal­khei Yehudah {מַלְכֵי יְהוּדָה | mal-kê yə-hū-ḏāh} ‘kings of Judah,’ ve­khol Yehudah {וְכֹל יְהוּדָה | wə-ḵōl yə-hū-ḏāh} ‘and all Judah,’ and ve­khol yoshvei Yerushalayim {וְכֹל יֹשְׁבֵי יְרוּשָׁלִַם | wə-ḵōl yōš-ḇê yə-rū-šā-lai-im} ‘and all inhabitants of Jerusalem.’ The participle habbaʾim {הַבָּאִים | hab-bā-ʾîm} ‘those who enter’ combined with the prepositional phrase bash­shaʿarim haʾeleh {בַּשְּׁעָרִים הָאֵלֶּה | baš-šə-ʿā-rîm hā-ʾêl-leh} ‘by these gates’ functions as a relative clause, delimiting the group as everyone coming through Jerusalem’s gates. The English translations preserve the Hebrew’s sequence and vocative form, ensuring clarity and emphasis on divine agency and audience identification.