Yet they did not listen or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck, that they might not hear and receive instruction.
Here the Prophet exaggerates their crime, — that the Jews had not now begun for the first time to violate this precept of the Law; for he reminds them that the Sabbath had been before violated by their fathers. We have said elsewhere that men are less excusable when the children follow the bad examples of their fathers.
These verses are a sermon concerning sabbath-sanctification. It is a word which the prophet received from the Lord, and was ordered to deliver in the most solemn and public manner to the people; for they were sent not only to reprove sin, and to press obedience, in general, but they must descend to particulars.
Commenting on Jeremiah 17:19-27
But they obeyed not,.... Or, "heard not" (c); so as to observe and do; that is, their fathers did not; this command was very early disobeyed, and more or less in all intervening times: neither inclined their ear; or listened attentively to what was said to them; but if they heard at all, it was in a very indifferent and careless manner, as if they...