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◄ Jeremiah 7:26►

New International Version
But they did not listen to me or pay attention. They were stiff-necked and did more evil than their ancestors.’

New Living Translation
But my people have not listened to me or even tried to hear. They have been stubborn and sinful—even worse than their ancestors.

English Standard Version
Yet they did not listen to me or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck. They did worse than their fathers.

Berean Standard Bible
Yet they would not listen to Me or incline their ear, but they stiffened their necks and did more evil than their fathers.

King James Bible
Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers.

New King James Version
Yet they did not obey Me or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck. They did worse than their fathers.

New American Standard Bible
Yet they did not listen to Me or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck; they did more evil than their fathers.

NASB 1995
“Yet they did not listen to Me or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck; they did more evil than their fathers.

NASB 1977
“Yet they did not listen to Me or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck; they did evil more than their fathers.

Legacy Standard Bible
Yet they did not listen to Me or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck; they did more evil than their fathers.

Amplified Bible
Yet they did not listen to Meand obey Me or bend their ear [to hear Me], but stiffened their neck; they did more eviland behaved worse than their fathers.

Christian Standard Bible
However, my people wouldn’t listen to me or pay attention but became obstinate; they did more evil than their ancestors.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
However, they wouldn’t listen to Me or pay attention but became obstinate; they did more evil than their ancestors.

American Standard Version
yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff: they did worse than their fathers.

Contemporary English Version
But you have ignored me and become even more stubborn and sinful than your ancestors ever were!

English Revised Version
yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff: they did worse than their fathers.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
But you didn't obey me or pay attention to me. You became impossible to deal with, and you were worse than your ancestors.

Good News Translation
Yet no one listened or paid any attention. Instead, you became more stubborn and rebellious than your ancestors.

International Standard Version
But they didn't listen to me, and they didn't pay attention. They stiffened their necks, and they did more evil than their ancestors.

NET Bible
But your ancestors did not listen to me nor pay attention to me. They became obstinate and were more wicked than even their own forefathers.'"

New Heart English Bible
yet they did not listen to me, nor inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff: they did worse than their fathers."

Webster's Bible Translation
Yet they hearkened not to me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers.

Majority Text Translations

Majority Standard Bible
Yet they would not listen to Me or incline their ear, but they stiffened their necks and did more evil than their fathers.

World English Bible
Yet they didn’t listen to me or incline their ear, but made their neck stiff. They did worse than their fathers.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
And they have not listened to Me, "" Nor inclined their ear—and they harden their neck, "" They have done evil above their fathers.

Young's Literal Translation
And they have not hearkened unto Me, Nor inclined their ear, and harden their neck, They have done evil above their fathers.

Smith's Literal Translation
And they heard not to me and they inclined not their ear, and they will harden their neck: they did evil above their fathers.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And they have not hearkened to me: nor inclined their ear: but have hardened their neck, and have done worse than their fathers.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But they have not listened to me, nor have they inclined their ear. Instead, they have stiffened their neck, and they have behaved worse than their fathers did.

New American Bible
Yet they have not listened to me nor have they paid attention; they have stiffened their necks and done worse than their ancestors.

New Revised Standard Version
yet they did not listen to me, or pay attention, but they stiffened their necks. They did worse than their ancestors did.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
I sent them in advance to warn them; but they did not listen nor incline their ear toward me, but hardened their necks more than their fathers.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And they did not hear, and they did not incline their ears to me, and they hardened their necks more than their fathers

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
yet they hearkened not unto Me, nor inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff; they did worse than their fathers.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
but they hearkened not to me, and their ear gave no heed; and they made their neck harder than their fathers.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Judah's Idolatry Persists
…25From the day your fathers came out of the land of Egypt until this day, I have sent you all My servants the prophets again and again.26Yet they would not listen to Me or incline their ear,but they stiffened their necks and did more evil than their fathers.27When you tell them all these things, they will not listen to you. When you call to them, they will not answer.…

Berean Standard Bible ·Download

Cross References

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.

Nehemiah 9:26
But they were disobedient and rebelled against You; they flung Your law behind their backs. They killed Your prophets, who had admonished them to return to You. They committed terrible blasphemies.

Matthew 23:37
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!

Acts 7:51-52
You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit, just as your fathers did. / Which of the prophets did your fathers fail to persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One. And now you are His betrayers and murderers—

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!”

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.

Zechariah 7:11-12
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.

2 Kings 17:13-14
Yet through all His prophets and seers, the LORD warned Israel and Judah, saying, “Turn from your wicked ways and keep My commandments and statutes, according to the entire Law that I commanded your fathers and delivered to you through My servants the prophets.” / But they would not listen, and they stiffened their necks like their fathers, who did not believe the LORD their God.

Hosea 9:7
The days of punishment have come; the days of retribution have arrived—let Israel know it. The prophet is called a fool, and the inspired man insane, because of the greatness of your iniquity and hostility.

Luke 11:47-48
Woe to you! For you build tombs for the prophets, but it was your fathers who killed them. / So you are witnesses consenting to the deeds of your fathers: They killed the prophets, and you build their tombs.

2 Chronicles 24:19
Nevertheless, the LORD sent prophets to bring the people back to Him and to testify against them, but they would not listen.

Jeremiah 25:4
And the LORD has sent all His servants the prophets to you again and again, but you have not listened or inclined your ear to hear.

Jeremiah 35:15
Again and again I have sent you all My servants the prophets, proclaiming: ‘Turn now, each of you, from your wicked ways, and correct your actions. Do not go after other gods to serve them. Live in the land that I have given to you and your fathers.’ But you have not inclined your ear or listened to Me.

Jeremiah 44:4-5
Yet I sent you all My servants the prophets again and again, saying: ‘Do not do this detestable thing that I hate.’ / But they did not listen or incline their ears; they did not turn from their wickedness or stop burning incense to other gods.

Matthew 21:34-36
When the harvest time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit. / But the tenants seized his servants. They beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. / Again, he sent other servants, more than the first group. But the tenants did the same to them.

Treasury of Scripture

Yet they listened not to me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers.

they hearkened.

Jeremiah 7:24
But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counselsand in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.

Jeremiah 6:17
Also I set watchmen over you,saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.

Jeremiah 11:8
Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked every one in the imagination of their evil heart: therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commandedthem to do; but they didthem not.

but.

Jeremiah 19:15
Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon this city and upon all her towns all the evil that I have pronounced against it, because they have hardened their necks, that they might not hear my words.

2 Kings 17:14
Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the LORD their God.

2 Chronicles 30:8
Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fatherswere, but yield yourselves unto the LORD, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the LORD your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you.

they did.

Jeremiah 16:12
And ye have done worse than your fathers; for, behold, ye walk every one after the imagination of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me:

Matthew 21:38
But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.

Matthew 23:32
Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.

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Jeremiah 7

1.Jeremiah is sent to call to true repentance, to prevent the Jews' captivity.
8.He rejects their vain confidence,
12.by the example of Shiloh.
17.He threatens them for their idolatry.
21.He rejects the sacrifices of the disobedient.
29.He exhorts to mourn for their abominations in Tophet;
32.and the judgments for the same.

Study Bible

Book ◦ Chapter

Yet they would not listen to Me
This phrase highlights the persistent disobedience of the Israelites. Throughout the Old Testament, God repeatedly sent prophets to guide His people, but they often ignored His messages (Jeremiah 25:4). This refusal to listen is a recurring theme, illustrating the spiritual stubbornness of Israel. The phrase underscores the importance of obedience to God's word, a principle emphasized inDeuteronomy 28, where blessings and curses are outlined based on Israel's adherence to God's commands.

or incline their ear
The imagery of inclining the ear suggests a deliberate act of attentiveness and willingness to understand. In the ancient Near Eastern context, listening was not just hearing words but also acting upon them.Proverbs 2:2 uses similar language to describe the pursuit of wisdom. The Israelites' failure to incline their ear signifies a deeper spiritual apathy and resistance to divine instruction.

but they stiffened their necks
This metaphor of a stiff neck is often used in the Bible to describe obstinacy and rebellion against God (Exodus 32:9). In an agrarian society, a stiff-necked animal would resist the guidance of its master, symbolizing Israel's refusal to submit to God's authority. This phrase also connects to the broader biblical narrative of human rebellion, beginning with Adam and Eve's disobedience inGenesis 3.

and did more evil than their fathers
This statement indicates a generational decline in faithfulness and morality. The comparison to their fathers suggests a worsening condition, as each generation strayed further from God's covenant. This pattern of increasing sinfulness is seen throughout the history of Israel, leading to the eventual exile. It serves as a warning of the consequences of turning away from God, as seen in the cycles of sin and redemption in the Book of Judges.

Persons / Places / Events

1.Jeremiah
A 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 was marked by his deep emotional connection to his people and his unwavering commitment to God's message.

2.Judah
The southern kingdom of Israel, which was facing imminent judgment due to its persistent idolatry and disobedience to God. Jeremiah's prophecies were primarily directed toward this kingdom.

3.The Fathers
Refers to the ancestors of the people of Judah, who had also disobeyed God. The current generation was being compared unfavorably to them, indicating a worsening spiritual condition.

4.Stiffened Necks
A metaphor used to describe the stubbornness and rebellion of the people. In Hebrew, the term (qashah) conveys the idea of being hard or difficult, often used to describe obstinacy.

5.God's Warnings
The repeated messages and warnings given by God through His prophets, urging the people to repent and return to Him. Despite these warnings, the people continued in their disobedience.

Teaching Points

The Danger of Stubbornness
Stubbornness against God's will leads to spiritual decline and judgment. We must remain open and responsive to God's guidance.

Generational Sin
Each generation is responsible for its own actions. We must learn from the past and strive to break cycles of disobedience.

The Importance of Listening
Actively listening to God's word is crucial. We should incline our ears and hearts to His teachings and be willing to change.

Repentance and Return
God continually calls His people to repentance. We should regularly examine our lives and turn back to God when we stray.

The Role of Prophets and Leaders
God uses leaders to guide and warn His people. We should respect and heed the messages of those who speak God's truth.

Bible Study Questions and Answers

1.What is the meaning of Jeremiah 7:26?

2.How can we avoid the stubbornness described in Jeremiah 7:26 in our lives?

3.What does Jeremiah 7:26 teach about listening to God's voice today?

4.How does Jeremiah 7:26 connect with Hebrews 3:15 about hardening hearts?

5.In what ways can we "incline our ear" to God's guidance daily?

6.How can church leaders encourage obedience as warned in Jeremiah 7:26?

7.Why did the Israelites consistently refuse to listen to God in Jeremiah 7:26?

8.How does Jeremiah 7:26 reflect human nature's resistance to divine authority?

9.What historical context led to the Israelites' disobedience in Jeremiah 7:26?

10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Jeremiah 7?

11.Why would a just God, as portrayed in Ezekiel 35, enact collective punishment on entire generations of Edom?

12.In Ezekiel 3:6-7, why would God say foreign nations would be more receptive than Israel--does historical evidence support this claim?

13.Jeremiah 16:10-12 implies children are punished for ancestors' sins--does this contradict Deuteronomy 24:16, where each person is held responsible only for their own sin?

14.Why does Jeremiah in 44:2-6 attribute Jerusalem's fall solely to idol worship, while other passages cite Babylon's unstoppable conquest?

What Does Jeremiah 7:26 Mean

Yet they would not listen to Me

- God repeats a lament heard throughout prophetic writings: His people hear the words but refuse to obey (Jeremiah 25:4;Luke 11:28).

- “Listen” in Scripture always carries the sense of active, trusting obedience (James 1:22).

- The verse assumes God’s prior faithfulness—He has clearly spoken, warned, and invited (Isaiah 55:6). Their refusal is willful, not from lack of revelation.

Or incline their ear

- The picture is of leaning in to catch every word; Israel instead turns away (Jeremiah 17:23).

- True hearing involves deliberate attention, humility, and a readiness to change (Psalm 78:1;Isaiah 55:3).

- The contrast highlights that even minimal openness—“inclining” the ear—was absent.

But they stiffened their necks

- A “stiff neck” evokes an ox refusing its yoke (Exodus 32:9;Deuteronomy 10:16).

- The posture signals pride, resistance to correction, and self-reliance (Proverbs 29:1;Acts 7:51).

- Hardened hearts shut out conviction, making repentance increasingly unlikely.

And did more evil than their fathers

- Sin deepens when ignored; each generation drifted further (Jeremiah 16:12;Judges 2:19).

- Spiritual decline rarely plateaus; it accelerates unless interrupted by repentance (2 Timothy 3:13).

- God’s righteous judgment intensifies because accumulated revelation has been spurned (Luke 12:47–48).

summary

Jeremiah 7:26 lays out a tragic downward spiral: refusal to obey, refusal even to listen, hard-hearted resistance, and finally a worsening legacy of evil. The verse underscores God’s faithfulness in speaking and the urgent need for responsive, humble obedience, warning that hardening the heart today breeds deeper sin tomorrow.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(26)Worse than their fathers.--The rapid survey of the past makes it doubtful whether the comparison is made between the generations that came out of Egypt and their immediate followers, or between those followers and their successors. Probably the general thought was that the whole history of Israel had been one of progressive deterioration, reaching its climax in the generation in which Jeremiah lived. His words find a striking parallel in the complaint of the Roman historian (Livy,Praef),or of the poet :--

"'tasparentum, pejor avis, tulit

Nos nequiores."--Hor.,Od. iii. 6.

"Our fathers' age, more stained with crime

Than were their sires in older time,

Has brought us forth a later race

Yet more iniquitous and base."

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

Yet they would not
וְל֤וֹא(wə·lō·w)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808:Not, no

listen
שָׁמְעוּ֙(šā·mə·‘ū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 8085:To hear intelligently

to Me
אֵלַ֔י(’ê·lay)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's 413:Near, with, among, to

[or]
וְלֹ֥א(wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808:Not, no

incline
הִטּ֖וּ(hiṭ·ṭū)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 5186:To stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bend

their ear,
אָזְנָ֑ם(’ā·zə·nām)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 241:Broadness, the ear

but they stiffened
וַיַּקְשׁוּ֙(way·yaq·šū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7185:To be hard, severe or fierce

their necks
עָרְפָּ֔ם(‘ā·rə·pām)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 6203:The nape, back of the neck, the back

[and] did more evil
הֵרֵ֖עוּ(hê·rê·‘ū)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 7489:To spoil, to make, good for, nothing, bad

than their fathers.’
מֵאֲבוֹתָֽם׃(mê·’ă·ḇō·w·ṯām)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 1:Father

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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 7:26 Yet they didn't listen to me (Jer.)