Jeremiah 14 7

Jeremiah 14:7 kjv

O LORD, though our iniquities testify against us, do thou it for thy name's sake: for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against thee.

Jeremiah 14:7 nkjv

O LORD, though our iniquities testify against us, Do it for Your name's sake; For our backslidings are many, We have sinned against You.

Jeremiah 14:7 niv

Although our sins testify against us, do something, LORD, for the sake of your name. For we have often rebelled; we have sinned against you.

Jeremiah 14:7 esv

"Though our iniquities testify against us, act, O LORD, for your name's sake; for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against you.

Jeremiah 14:7 nlt

The people say, "Our wickedness has caught up with us, LORD,
but help us for the sake of your own reputation.
We have turned away from you
and sinned against you again and again.

Jeremiah 14 verses

Jeremiah 14 7 Meaning

Jeremiah 14:7 is a desperate communal prayer of the people of Judah amidst divine judgment, likely a severe drought. They confess their abundant iniquities and backslidings, acknowledging their guilt. Despite this overwhelming sin, their plea is not based on their own worthiness, but a fervent appeal to God (YHWH) to act and intervene, purely for the sake of His own holy name, reputation, and covenant faithfulness. It highlights a pivotal moment where human failure confronts divine character, prompting an appeal to God's self-interest in maintaining His glory.

Jeremiah 14 7 Context

Jeremiah 14:7 is embedded within the first part of a "Drought Lament" (Jer 14:1-16), a section where the prophet Jeremiah relays God's word concerning a severe drought afflicting Judah. Verses 2-6 vividly describe the devastation: Judah mourns, city gates languish, fields are parched, and animals suffer excruciating thirst. This widespread desolation is a direct consequence of divine judgment upon the nation for its pervasive idolatry, covenant breaking, and social injustice, repeatedly prophesied by Jeremiah. Verse 7 initiates a communal prayer or confession of the people. While they acknowledge their sin as the cause of their plight, their appeal shifts from their own dire circumstances to God's inherent character. Historically, this period aligns with the reigns of kings Jehoiakim and Zedekiah, a time of political instability, spiritual apostasy, and looming Babylonian exile. The drought served as a stark, tangible manifestation of God's promised curses for disobedience (Lev 26, Deut 28), directly challenging any pagan beliefs in other deities providing rain, by showing Yahweh's supreme control.

Jeremiah 14 7 Word analysis

• Though: This conjunctive word establishes a concessive clause, acknowledging a truth (their sin) that stands in tension with the subsequent plea (God's action). It signals a candid admission despite hoping for a different outcome.
• our iniquities: Hebrew: `awon` (עָוֹן). This term signifies perversity, moral depravity, guilt, and even the punishment for sin. It speaks to a deep, inherent twistedness and spiritual deviation. The plural "iniquities" emphasizes the vast extent and multiplicity of their wrongdoing, pointing to a state of being rather than isolated acts. "Our" stresses collective responsibility.
• testify against us: Implies a courtroom scenario, where their actions serve as undeniable evidence, accusing them before God. Their guilt is self-evident and self-condemning, providing a just basis for the current divine judgment.
• O LORD: Hebrew: YHWH (יְהוָה). This is the sacred, personal covenant name of God, revealing Him as the eternally existent, faithful, and redeeming God of Israel. Addressing Him by this name is an appeal to His covenant relationship and His unchanging character, even when they have broken their side of the covenant.
• do Thou act: A direct, imperative plea for divine intervention. It signifies that human effort is futile in this desperate situation, and only God's sovereign power can bring about relief and restoration. It is a petition for God to initiate an action on their behalf.
• for Thy name's sake: Hebrew: lemaʿan shimkha (לְמַעַן שְׁמֶךָ). This is the absolute core of the plea. It means for the sake of Your reputation, glory, honor, and known character. The motivation is not the people's merit or suffering, but God's own holiness and consistency. His `name` encapsulates all that He is and all that He has revealed Himself to be. If Judah perishes, God's promise and power might be questioned by the nations. This demonstrates a theocentric appeal.
• for our backslidings: Hebrew: meshubah (מְשׁוּבָה). This term specifically refers to spiritual turning away, apostasy, defection, and stubborn refusal to follow God's path. It highlights an unfaithfulness in the covenant relationship.
• are many: Reinforces the depth and pervasiveness of their apostasy. It mirrors "our iniquities" in emphasizing the overwhelming scale of their sin, underlining their utter lack of claim to mercy based on merit.
• we have sinned against Thee: Hebrew: chata (חָטָא) - to miss the mark, to err, to fall short. This is a direct, fundamental confession of specific acts of wrongdoing. Crucially, "against Thee" specifies the nature of sin as primarily an offense against God Himself and His righteous standards, rather than merely a societal transgression or personal failure.

• "Though our iniquities testify against us, O LORD": This opening phrase establishes a stark paradox. The "though" acknowledges their profound guilt (`awon`) which speaks for itself, demanding judgment. Yet, this confession immediately pivots to an address to `YHWH`, implying a desperate hope in His covenant character despite their deserved punishment. It sets up the tension between justice and mercy.
• "do Thou act for Thy name's sake": This is the heart of the plea, bypassing any claim to righteousness on their part. The focus shifts entirely to God's inherent being and reputation. It's an appeal for God to uphold His own integrity, fulfill His covenant promises (indirectly), and demonstrate His unique power and mercy to the nations, which would otherwise misinterpret Israel's destruction as a sign of their God's weakness or inability.
• "for our backslidings are many, we have sinned against Thee": This re-emphasizes and confirms the initial admission of guilt. "Backslidings" (`meshubah`) denote their ongoing, wilful defection from God's way, while "sinned" (`chata`) signifies specific acts of missing God's moral mark. The repetition underlines the overwhelming quantity and serious nature of their offense, establishing the gravity of their situation and solidifying the theological necessity for God to act based on His character alone.

Jeremiah 14 7 Bonus section

This verse reflects a recurring motif throughout the Old Testament where Israel appeals to God's self-interest in His own glory and name when they are facing annihilation. It demonstrates a sophisticated theological understanding, albeit imperfectly applied at times by the people themselves, that God's ultimate motivation is always centered on Himself. This motif is seen with Moses' intercession, where he strategically reminds God that destroying Israel would cause the Egyptians and other nations to question YHWH's power and ability. It subtly moves the ground of appeal from anthropocentric pleading to theocentric reality. Furthermore, this plea anticipates God's later, more explicit statements through Ezekiel (e.g., Ezek 36:22-23), where He declares He will restore Israel "not for your sake, but for My holy name, which you have profaned." This underscores the enduring principle that even in salvation and mercy, God's primary purpose is the vindication and glorification of His own sovereign being.

Jeremiah 14 7 Commentary

Jeremiah 14:7 encapsulates a profound tension within the covenant relationship between God and Israel. Faced with severe drought, recognized as divine judgment for their pervasive sin, the people articulate a confession. They acknowledge the immense scale of their moral depravity (iniquities) and spiritual unfaithfulness (backslidings), recognizing that these stand as irrefutable evidence against them. Crucially, their subsequent appeal to YHWH is not rooted in any claim of personal merit, remorse, or the severity of their suffering, but entirely in God's holy character and reputation. They beseech Him to act "for Thy name's sake," implying that His glory, covenant faithfulness, and the perception of His power among the nations would be diminished if His people were utterly destroyed without His intervention. While a necessary step, this lament, within the broader context of Jeremiah, is presented by the prophet as often superficial; it acknowledges sin but may lack the radical heart change that God truly seeks. It underscores that God's actions are ultimately for His own glory, offering a window into divine mercy that transcends human deservingness.