Definition: 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.
Explanation: Okay, let’s break down this verse from Jeremiah 25:3. It’s a pretty dramatic statement about God’s message and how people respond to it. Here's the explanation in simpler terms: Basically, this verse says: “God told me something important back then, around the 13th year of King Josiah, and I spoke to him. But people didn't listen.” Let’s unpack that a little further: Jeremiah 25: This is a prophecy – a prediction about the future. Jeremiah was a prophet who was told by God to write down what would happen. “The thirteenth year of Josiah…” This tells us when it happened – around 13 years ago. King Josiah was the leader of Judah (a region in Israel). “…the three and twentieth year…” This is a crucial detail – it's about exactly 32 years after Josiah’s reign. It’s a long time ago! “The word of the LORD hath come unto me, and I have spoken unto you…” This means God spoke to Jeremiah directly. He gave him a message. "...but ye have not hearkened." This is the big part. “Hearkened” means to listen or pay attention. But people – the people of Judah – didn’t listen to what Jeremiah said. They didn't understand, they didn't believe, and they didn't follow his instructions. What does this verse mean in a broader sense? It speaks about a time when God was trying to communicate with His people through a prophet (Jeremiah). When that message wasn’t received, it meant that the people were resisting or refusing to accept it. It suggests a period of upheaval and judgment because of those failures to listen. Important Note: This verse is often interpreted as a warning about Israel's history – specifically, its rebellion against God. It points to a time when God was trying to correct a serious wrong and that the people needed to change their ways. --- Do you want me to: Explain another part of the scripture? Discuss the context of the story?