But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me.
Parallel translations
- WEB But my people didn’t listen to my voice. Israel desired none of me.
- BSB But My people would not listen to Me, and Israel would not obey Me.
- NKJV “But My people would not heed My voice, And Israel would have none of Me.
- NASB ¶“But My people did not listen to My voice, And Israel did not obey Me.
- NLT “But no, my people wouldn’t listen. Israel did not want me around.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Despite this, God's people refused to listen, and Israel wanted nothing of Him. The tragedy of stubborn unbelief is laid bare.
Overview
The generous offer of v. 10 meets human refusal, as Israel would not heed God's voice or desire Him. This exposes the deep problem of a hardened heart that spurns grace. It is a sober warning, echoed in the New Testament's call not to harden hearts as Israel did (Heb. 3:7-19).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Jer 7:23–24But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.
- Deut 32:18Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee.
- Jer 2:11–13Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.
- Exod 32:1And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
- Zech 7:11But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear.
- Deut 32:15But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.
- Prov 1:30They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.
- Heb 10:29Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
- Ps 106:12–13Then believed they his words; they sang his praise.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 81:11 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.