Jeremiah
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Jeremiah 7
Jeremiah 7
1The word that came to Jeremiah from Jehovah, saying, 2Stand in the gate of Jehovah’s house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of Jehovah, all ye of Judah, that enter in at these gates to worship Jehovah.
3Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place.
1The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
2Stand in the gate of the LORD’s house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the LORD, all ye of Judah, that enter in at these gates to worship the LORD.
3Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place.
Commentary · verses 1-3
4Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah, are these.
5For if ye thoroughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye thoroughly execute justice between a man and his neighbor; 6if ye oppress not the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your own hurt: 7then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, from of old even for evermore.
4Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these.
5For if ye throughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye throughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour;
6If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt:
7Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever.
Commentary · verses 4-7
These were the conditions the Jews needed to meet in order to dwell in blessings with God forever.
8Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit.
8Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit.
Commentary · verse 8
Lying words cannot profit. Profitable words have a right WHY/HOW. Lying words do not even have a right WHAT.
9Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods that ye have not known, 10and come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered; that ye may do all these abominations?
9Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not;
10And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations?
Commentary · verses 9-10
It seemed the Jews would commit abominations and then ask for deliverance in God's house only to go and commit more abominations. This sounded like unmerited favor which was (and is?) used as an excuse to continue to do things your own way.
11Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it, saith Jehovah.
11Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD.
Commentary · verse 11
Jesus quoted this in Mark 11:17.
12But go ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh, where I caused my name to dwell at the first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel.
12But go ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh, where I set my name at the first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel.
Commentary · verse 12
God wanted the people to see how Just He was. He wanted them to go to the place where the Ark of the Covenant was before it came to Jerusalem and to see that even in a place that was once Most Holy had been destroyed for sin.
13And now, because ye have done all these works, saith Jehovah, and I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not: 14therefore will I do unto the house which is called by my name, wherein ye trust, and unto the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I did to Shiloh.
13And now, because ye have done all these works, saith the LORD, and I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not;
14Therefore will I do unto this house, which is called by my name, wherein ye trust, and unto the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh.
Commentary · verses 13-14
Because of their actions being the same as the actions of those in Shiloh, God would do to them the same as He did to Shiloh…because God was Just.
15And I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your brethren, even the whole seed of Ephraim.
16Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me; for I will not hear thee.
15And I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your brethren, even the whole seed of Ephraim.
16Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me: for I will not hear thee.
Commentary · verses 15-16
God said to not even pray for the people because He would not hear it. We have seen that prayer only worked from the position of Justice. So far, the entire Book of Jeremiah showed God stated these people were on the wrong side of Justice so there was no reason for them to pray because God would not be able to respond.
17Seest thou not what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem?
18The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead the dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink-offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger.
17Seest thou not what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem?
18The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger.
Commentary · verses 17-18
The Jews were making sacrifices to false gods. This put them on the wrong side of Justice and caused God's anger towards them through Justice.
19Do they provoke me to anger? saith Jehovah; do they not provoke themselves, to the confusion of their own faces?
20Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, mine anger and my wrath shall be poured out upon this place, upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground; and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched.
19Do they provoke me to anger? saith the LORD: do they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their own faces?
20Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, mine anger and my fury shall be poured out upon this place, upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground; and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched.
Commentary · verses 19-20
The people were not the sole focus of God's judgment. He also judged the land they lived on.
21Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Add your burnt-offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat ye flesh.
22For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt-offerings or sacrifices: 23but this thing I commanded them, saying, Hearken unto my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people; and walk ye in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.
24But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in their own counsels and in the stubbornness of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.
21Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Put your burnt offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat flesh.
22For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices:
23But 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.
24But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.
Commentary · verses 21-24
From the time of the Exodus, God commanded the people to obey His Voice and He would then be their God, but they did not listen.
25Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day, I have sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them: 26yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff: they did worse than their fathers.
25Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day I have even sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them:
26Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers.
Commentary · verses 25-26
From that time, God had given Israel prophets who daily proclaimed God's Word to the people, but they did not listen.
27And thou shalt speak all these words unto them; but they will not hearken to thee: thou shalt also call unto them; but they will not answer thee.
28And thou shalt say unto them, This is the nation that hath not hearkened to the voice of Jehovah their God, nor received instruction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth.
27Therefore thou shalt speak all these words unto them; but they will not hearken to thee: thou shalt also call unto them; but they will not answer thee.
28But thou shalt say unto them, This is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the LORD their God, nor receiveth correction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth.
Commentary · verses 27-28
Although the Jews would not listen to or answer Jeremiah, God still sent Jeremiah to correct the people and proclaim repentance. Jeremiah must have only been focused on doing God's commands or this would have been brutal. Notice, even though God knew the hearts of His people and their pride, He still corrected them. This was Just. There was no way that the sins of Israel were God's fault. He continually facilitated their growth.
29Cut off thy hair, O Jerusalem, and cast it away, and take up a lamentation on the bare heights; for Jehovah hath rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath.
29Cut off thine hair, O Jerusalem, and cast it away, and take up a lamentation on high places; for the LORD hath rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath.
Commentary · verse 29
A call to mourn for the imminent destruction. Cutting off hair was a sign of disgrace and ruin.
30For the children of Judah have done that which is evil in my sight, saith Jehovah: they have set their abominations in the house which is called by my name, to defile it.
31And they have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded not, neither came it into my mind.
30For the children of Judah have done evil in my sight, saith the LORD: they have set their abominations in the house which is called by my name, to pollute it.
31And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart.
Commentary · verses 30-31
The Jews built altars to false gods and burnt their children in the fire they made for these idols. Notice, God said that these abominations did not come "into my mind." This proved that God being omniscient meant that God had all the information available. If God knew everything that was ever going to happen (in the absence of causes) before it happened, would this verse not make Him out to be a liar and therefore not God?
32Therefore, behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that it shall no more be called Topheth, nor The valley of the son of Hinnom, but The valley of Slaughter: for they shall bury in Topheth, till there be no place to bury.
32Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that it shall no more be called Tophet, nor the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of slaughter: for they shall bury in Tophet, till there be no place.
Commentary · verse 32
Topheth would be named the Valley of Slaughter because of all the dead in that place.
33And the dead bodies of this people shall be food for the birds of the heavens, and for the beasts of the earth; and none shall frighten them away.
33And the carcases of this people shall be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth; and none shall fray them away.
Commentary · verse 33
Dead bodies of people would be unburied and would be food for birds and beasts.
34Then will I cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride; for the land shall become a waste.
34Then will I cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride: for the land shall be desolate.
Commentary · verse 34
Again, the imagery of the profitability of Marriage. God proved the utter unprofitability of the land by its lack of Marriages.
God told Jeremiah to stand in the gate of the house of God and proclaim repentance to the people. God told them to "amend" their ways. The word "amend" meant "to be good." God wanted their actions to be Right and Just.