Jeremiah 6:20

Jeremiah 6:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me.
• New International Version (NIV)What do I care about incense from Sheba or sweet calamus from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable; your sacrifices do not please me.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)What use to me is frankincense that comes from Sheba, or sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing to me.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For what purpose to Me Comes frankincense from Sheba, And sweet cane from a far country? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, Nor your sacrifices sweet to Me.”

Context of Jeremiah 6:20

18So listen to me, all you nations. Look carefully! See what will happen to my people. 19Hear me, all people on the earth. I will cause great trouble for my people. I will punish them as a result of their wrong thoughts. They have not listened to my messages. They have turned against my law. They may offer to me sweet incense that comes from Sheba. But that does not please me. The spices that they bring from lands far away do not please me either. I will not accept the burnt offerings or other sacrifices that they offer to me.’ 21So this is what the Lord says: ‘I will send troubles to make these people fall down. Fathers and their children will all fall to the ground. Their friends and their neighbours will die.’ 22This is what the Lord says: ‘Look! An army is coming from the north. A great nation is preparing to attack you from a place that is far away.

Jeremiah 6:20 word by word

לָמָּה־זֶּ֨ה לִ֤י לְבוֹנָה֙ מִשְּׁבָ֣א תָב֔וֹא וְקָנֶ֥ה הַטּ֖וֹב מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מֶרְחָ֑ק עֹלֽוֹתֵיכֶם֙ לֹ֣א לְרָצ֔וֹן וְזִבְחֵיכֶ֖ם לֹא־עָ֥רְבוּ לִֽי׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• To what purpose comethבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• there to me incenseלְבֹנָהlebônâh lebônâh · frankincenseH3828
• from Shebaשְׁבָאshebâ' · ShebaH7614
• and the sweetטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
• caneקָנֶהqâneh · branch: stemH7070
• from a farמֶרְחָקmerchâq · distanceH4801
• countryאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• your burnt offeringsעֹלָה‛ôlâh ‛ôlâh · burnt offeringH5930
• not acceptableרָצוֹןrâtsôn râtsôn · acceptanceH7522
• nor your sacrificesזֶ֫בַחzebach · sacrificeH2077
• sweetעָרַב‛ârêb · to pleaseH6149

Cross-references for Jeremiah 6:20

• Psalms 40:6You do not really want sacrifices and offerings. I understand that! You do not ask for burnt offerings or sin offerings.
• Psalms 50:7He says, ‘Listen to me, my people, and I will speak to you. I have something to say against you, Israel. I am God, your God.
• Psalms 66:3Say to God, ‘You do great things! Your great power makes your enemies afraid. They come to you and they bend down to the ground.
• Isaiah 1:11The Lord says, ‘All your sacrifices are not important to me. I have received too many sacrifices that you have burned as gifts to me. I have received too many sheep and fat animals. I do not want any more blood from bulls, goats and lambs that you have offered to me as sacrifices. They do not give me any pleasure.
• Isaiah 66:3You may kill a bull as a sacrifice to me, but you might also kill a man. You may offer a lamb to me as a sacrifice, but you might also break a dog's neck to offer to your idols. You may give me a grain offering, but you also offer pigs' blood. You may burn incense to worship me but you also worship false gods. Yes, these people have chosen how they want to live. They love to do these disgusting things.
• Ezekiel 20:39Israel's people, this is what the Almighty Lord says to you: Now, every one of you, go to serve your idols! But after that, you will listen to me. You will no longer insult my holy name. You will no longer give gifts to your idols.
• Amos 5:21The Lord says, ‘When you have your festivals, I hate them! When you meet to worship me, it does not make me happy!
• Micah 6:6‘I come to meet with the Lord,’ you say. ‘I must know what to bring when I come. I bend down to worship him. I must know what to offer when I bend down. He is God and he is greater than everything. Perhaps he would like it if I burn young cows one year old for him.
• 1 Kings 10:1The Queen of Sheba heard news that Solomon was a great king who served the Lord. So she came to ask Solomon some difficult questions to see how wise he was.
• Isaiah 60:6Traders will bring things on their camels so that your roads are full. Young camels will come from Midian and from Ephah. People will come from Sheba. They will bring gold and incense. They will sing aloud to praise the Lord.
• Ezekiel 27:22Traders from Sheba and Raamah came to buy things from you. They brought the best kinds of spices, jewels and gold to sell to you.
• Isaiah 43:23You did not bring sheep to me as burnt offerings. You did not make sacrifices to me, to show that you respect me. I did not make it difficult for you, when I asked you to bring offerings to me. When I asked you to burn incense to worship me, that should not have made you tired.
• Jeremiah 7:21The Lord Almighty, Israel's God, says this to Judah's people: ‘You should eat the meat from your burnt offerings, as well as your other sacrifices. You are not offering them to me!

Commentaries on Jeremiah 6:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Incense frown Sheba - Sheba was in Arabian famous for the best incense. It was situated towards the southern extremity of the peninsula of Arabia; and was, in respect of Judea, a far country. And the sweet cane from a far country - The calamus aromaticus, which, when dried and pulverized, yields a very fine aromatic smell; see on Isaiah 43:24; (note). This was employed in making the holy anointing oil. See Exodus 30:23.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-30Verses 18-30 God rejects their outward services, as worthless to atone for their sins. Sacrifice and incense were to direct them to a Mediator; but when offered to purchase a license to go on in sin, they provoke God. The sins of God's professing people make them an easy prey to their enemies. They dare not show themselves. Saints may rejoice in hope of God's mercies, though they see them only in the promise: sinners must mourn for fear of God's…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20The Lord found the offerings of expensive frankincense and fragrant perfumes offensive because of the people's rebellion (Jeremiah 7:21–23; Exodus 30:23; Psalms 40:6; 50:7–9; Isaiah 1:11; 43:24; 66:3; Amos 5:21; Micah 6:6–7).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. Literally, "To what purpose is this to Me, that incense cometh to Me?" incense ... cane--(Is 43:24; 60:6). No external services are accepted by God without obedience of the heart and life (Jr 7:21; Psa 50:7-9; Is 1:11; Mi 6:6, &c.). sweet ... sweet--antithesis. Your sweet cane is not sweet to Me. The calamus.Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 6:20

• Calamus
• Commerce
• Formalism
• Frankincense
• Hypocrisy
• Offerings
• Sheba

In the dictionaries

• Sheba
• Sweet Cane
• Calamus
• Cane
• Cruel
• Frankincense
• Mount
• Reprobate
• Wallow
• Criticism

Commentaries on Jeremiah 6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings