Jeremiah 5:7

Jeremiah 5:7 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)How shall I pardon thee for this? thy children have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are no gods: when I had fed them to the full, they then committed adultery, and assembled themselves by troops in the harlots’ houses.
• New International Version (NIV)“Why should I forgive you? Your children have forsaken me and sworn by gods that are not gods. I supplied all their needs, yet they committed adultery and thronged to the houses of prostitutes.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"How can I pardon you? Your children have forsaken me and have sworn by those who are no gods. When I fed them to the full, they committed adultery and trooped to the houses of whores.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“How shall I pardon you for this? Your children have forsaken Me And sworn by those that are not gods. When I had fed them to the full, Then they committed adultery And assembled themselves by troops in the harlots’ houses.

Context of Jeremiah 5:7

5I will go to the great [men] And speak to them, For they [must] know the way of the Lord, The ordinance of their God.” But [I found the reverse to be true, that] they too had all alike broken the yoke [of God’s law] And had burst the bonds [of obedience to Him]. 6Therefore a lion from the forest will kill them, A wolf of the deserts will destroy them, A leopard is watching their cities. Everyone who goes out of them shall be torn in pieces, Because their transgressions are many, Their desertions of faith are countless. “Why should I [overlook these offenses and] forgive you? Your children have abandoned (rejected) Me And sworn [their oaths] by those who are not gods. When I had fed them until they were full [and bound them to Me by a promise], They committed [spiritual] adultery, Assembling in troops at the houses of prostitutes (idols). 8They were like well-fed, lusty stallions, Each one neighing after his neighbor’s wife. 9Shall I not punish them [for these things]?” says the Lord; “Shall I not avenge Myself On a nation such as this?”

Jeremiah 5:7 word by word

אֵ֤י לָזֹאת֙ אֶֽסְלַֽח לָ֔ךְ בָּנַ֣יִךְ עֲזָב֔וּנִי וַיִּשָּׁבְע֖וּ בְּלֹ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים וָאַשְׂבִּ֤עַ אוֹתָם֙ וַיִּנְאָ֔פוּ וּבֵ֥ית זוֹנָ֖ה יִתְגֹּדָֽדוּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Howאַי'ay · where?H335
• shall I pardonסָלַחsâlach · to forgiveH5545
• thee for thisזֹאתzô'th · thisH2063
• thy childrenבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• have forsakenעָזַב‛âzab · to leave: forsakeH5800
• me, and swornשָׁבַעshâba‛ · to swearH7650
• noלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• godsאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• they then committed adulteryנָאַףnâ'aph · to commit adulteryH5003
• and assembled themselves by troopsגָּדַדgâdad · to cutH1413
• in the harlots’זָנָהzânâh · to fornicateH2181
• housesבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004

Cross-references for Jeremiah 5:7

• Jeremiah 3:19“Then I said, ‘How [gloriously and honorably] I would set you among My children And give you a pleasant land—a wonderful heritage, The most beautiful inheritance of the nations!’ And I said, ‘You shall call Me, My Father And not turn away from following Me.’
• Hosea 11:8How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I surrender you, O Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart recoils within Me; All My compassions are kindled together [for My nation of Israel].
• Matthew 23:37“ O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who murders the prophets and stones [to death] those [messengers] who are sent to her [by God]! How often I wanted to gather your children together [around Me], as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.
• Jeremiah 12:16And if these [neighboring nations] will diligently learn the ways of My people, to swear by My Name, saying, ‘As the Lord lives’—even as they taught My people to swear by Baal, then they will be built up among My people.
• Joshua 23:7so that you do not associate with these nations which remain among you, or mention the name of their gods, or make anyone swear [an oath by them], or serve them, or bow down to them.
• Hosea 4:15Though you, Israel, play the prostitute [by worshiping idols], Do not let Judah become guilty [of the same thing]; And do not go to Gilgal [where idols are worshiped], Or go up to Beth-aven (House of Wickedness), Nor swear [oaths in idolatrous worship, saying], “As the Lord lives!”
• Amos 8:14Those who swear [their oaths] by the sin (guilt) of Samaria or Ashimah (a pagan goddess), Who say, ‘By the life of your god [the golden calf], O Dan!’ And [swear], ‘By the life of the way of [idolatrous] Beersheba,’ They shall fall and not rise again.”
• Zephaniah 1:5And those who bow down and worship the host of heaven [the sun, the moon, and the stars] on their housetops And those who bow down and swear [oaths] to [and pretend to worship] the Lord and [yet also] swear by [the pagan god called] Milcom [god of the Ammonites],
• Jeremiah 2:11Has a nation [ever] changed gods Even though they were not gods [but merely man-made objects]? But My people have exchanged their Glory (the true God) For that [man-made idol] which does not benefit [them].
• Deuteronomy 32:21They have made Me jealous with what is not God; They have provoked Me to anger with their idols. So I will make them jealous with those who are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.
• 1 Corinthians 8:4In this matter, then, of eating food offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world [it has no real existence], and that there is no God but one.
• Galatians 4:8But at that time, when you did not know [the true] God and were unacquainted with Him, you [Gentiles] were slaves to those [pagan] things which by [their very] nature were not and could not be gods at all.
• Jeremiah 2:31O generation [that you are], consider and regard carefully the word of the Lord. Have I been a wilderness to Israel [like a land without food], A land of thick and deep darkness [like a path without light]? Why do My people say, ‘We [have broken loose and we] are free to roam [at will]; We will no longer come to You’?
• Deuteronomy 32:15“But Jeshurun (Israel) became fat and kicked [at God]. You became fat, thick, sleek, and obstinate! Then he abandoned God who had made him, And scorned the Rock of his salvation.
• Ezekiel 16:49Behold, this was the sin of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters (outlying cities) had arrogance, abundant food, and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy.
• Hosea 13:6When they had their pasture, they became satisfied, And being satisfied, their heart became proud (self-centered); Therefore they forgot Me.

Commentaries on Jeremiah 5:7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7In the harlots' houses - In places consecrated to idolatry. In the language of the prophets, adultery generally signifies idolatry. This we have often seen.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7Rather, Why, “for what reason” should “I pardon thee?” When … - Or, “though I bound them to me by oath, yet they committed adultery.” The harlots‘ houses - The harlot‘s house, i. e., the temple of an idol; the prophet had also in view (see Jeremiah 5:8) the unchastity which accompanied most forms of nature-worship.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7-8These verses list the evidence of sins the people committed, such as: rejecting the Lord worshiping pagan gods engaging in sexual misconduct (Jeremiah 7:9; 12:16; Numbers 25:1–3; Deuteronomy 32:21; Joshua 23:7; Zephaniah 1:5; Galatians 4:8) Idolatry and adultery were closely linked in Israel because both broke an exclusive covenant.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. It would not be consistent with God's holiness to let such wickedness pass unpunished. sworn by--(Jr 5:2; Jr 4:2); that is, worshipped. no gods--(De 32:21). fed ... to the full--so the Keri (Hebrew Margin) reads. God's bountifulness is contrasted with their apostasy (De 32:15). Prosperity, the gift of God, designed to lead men to Him, often produces the opposite effect. The Hebrew Chetib (text) reads: "I bound them (to Me) by oath," namely, in the…Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 5:7

• Adultery
• Backsliders
• Idolatry
• Ingratitude
• Oath
• Prosperity
• Rich, the
• Sin

In the dictionaries

• Correction
• Deceit
• Crime; Crimes
• Exodus, the Book of
• Gods
• Harlot
• Jeremiah (2)

Commentaries on Jeremiah 5

• 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
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings