Why must Jeremiah go and stand in the “People’s Gate, by which the kings of Judah enter and by which they go out”?

This final passage (Jeremiah 17:19–27) marks a change in topic with its focus on Sabbath observance and it seems unrelated to what has come before. However, if we remember that keeping the Sabbath was a key aspect of the Lord’s covenant with Israel, then it becomes clear how this passage relates to the previous passages. Observing the Sabbath was one of the most important ways that Israel was supposed to show its trust in the Lord as their provider and redeemer (Exodus 20:8–11; Deuteronomy 5:12–15). The Sabbath symbolizes the state of being at rest when a people are in a right relationship with the Creator of all things (Genesis 2:1–3). The Sabbath was a key index of the nation’s spiritual commitment to the Lord, challenging them as to whether the Lord or their own economic and personal interests were to be the ultimate determinant of their lifestyle.¹ Against this background it is not surprising that Judah’s failure to observe the Sabbath was a key sign of the nation's deep-seated rejection of the Lord and his covenant that has been described in Jeremiah 16:1–17:18.

The passage starts with the Lord instructing Jeremiah to Go and stand in the People’s Gate, by which the kings of Judah enter and by which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem. It is not certain where these particular gates were located, but what is clear is that Jeremiah is to deliver his message at a place where many would hear it, especially the king who played an important role in leading the nation in observing the Sabbath. It is probable that this sermon was originally delivered during the reign of Josiah. Sabbath observance had all but disappeared during the reign of Manasseh and so the people had to be reminded of its importance.²