New International Version
Jeremiah 5:7
7“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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)“How can I pardon you? For even your children have turned from me. They have sworn by gods that are not gods at all! I fed my people until they were full. But they thanked me by committing adultery and lining up at the brothels.
Context of Jeremiah 5:7
5So I will go to the leaders and speak to them; surely they know the way of the Lord, the requirements of their God.” But with one accord they too had broken off the yoke and torn off the bonds. 6Therefore a lion from the forest will attack them, a wolf from the desert will ravage them, a leopard will lie in wait near their towns to tear to pieces any who venture out, for their rebellion is great and their backslidings many. “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. 8They are well-fed, lusty stallions, each neighing for another man’s wife. 9Should I not punish them for this?” declares the Lord. “Should I not avenge myself on such a nation as this?
Read all of Jeremiah 5Jeremiah 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“I myself said, “ ‘How gladly would I treat you like my children and give you a pleasant land, the most beautiful inheritance of any nation.’ I thought you would call me ‘Father’ and not turn away from following me.
- Hosea 11:8“How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboyim? My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused.
- Matthew 23:37“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.
- Jeremiah 12:16And if they learn well the ways of my people and swear by my name, saying, ‘As surely as the Lord lives’—even as they once taught my people to swear by Baal—then they will be established among my people.
- Joshua 23:7Do not associate with these nations that remain among you; do not invoke the names of their gods or swear by them. You must not serve them or bow down to them.
- Hosea 4:15“Though you, Israel, commit adultery, do not let Judah become guilty. “Do not go to Gilgal; do not go up to Beth Aven. And do not swear, ‘As surely as the Lord lives!’
- Amos 8:14Those who swear by the sin of Samaria— who say, ‘As surely as your god lives, Dan,’ or, ‘As surely as the god of Beersheba lives’— they will fall, never to rise again.”
- Zephaniah 1:5those who bow down on the roofs to worship the starry host, those who bow down and swear by the Lord and who also swear by Molek,
- Jeremiah 2:11Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.) But my people have exchanged their glorious God for worthless idols.
- Deuteronomy 32:21They made me jealous by what is no god and angered me with their worthless idols. I will make them envious by those who are not a people; I will make them angry by a nation that has no understanding.
- 1 Corinthians 8:4So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world” and that “There is no God but one.”
- Galatians 4:8Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.
- Jeremiah 2:31“You of this generation, consider the word of the Lord: “Have I been a desert to Israel or a land of great darkness? Why do my people say, ‘We are free to roam; we will come to you no more’?
- Deuteronomy 32:15Jeshurun grew fat and kicked; filled with food, they became heavy and sleek. They abandoned the God who made them and rejected the Rock their Savior.
- Ezekiel 16:49“ ‘Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.
- Hosea 13:6When I fed them, they were satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; then 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
In the dictionaries
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
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