Jeremiah 5 7

Jeremiah 5:7 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.

Jeremiah 5:7 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.

Jeremiah 5:7 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.

Jeremiah 5:7 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.

Jeremiah 5:7 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.

Jeremiah 5 verses

Jeremiah 5 7 Meaning

Jeremiah 5:7 laments Judah's profound disloyalty to God, expressing the divine dilemma of how to justly forgive such persistent and severe sin. Despite God's abundant provision and faithfulness, the people have explicitly forsaken Him, sworn by non-existent deities, engaged in spiritual adultery, and actively participated in idolatrous and immoral practices, displaying a complete disregard for their covenant relationship with the Lord.

Jeremiah 5 7 Context

Jeremiah chapter 5 depicts God's deep anguish and condemnation over the moral and spiritual decay rampant in Judah, especially in Jerusalem. The city is portrayed as spiritually bankrupt, with no one left who truly seeks justice or faithfulness (Jer 5:1). God calls upon Jeremiah to "run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem" to find such a person. The people, from the lowest to the highest, have uniformly turned away from God, hardening their faces like flint against Him (Jer 5:3). This specific verse, Jeremiah 5:7, encapsulates the depth of their rebellion, highlighting the ingratitude for divine provision, the explicit rejection of the covenant through idolatry (swearing by false gods), and widespread moral corruption (spiritual and possibly physical adultery). The historical context is the period just prior to the Babylonian exile, a time of profound spiritual decline and political instability in Judah. The nation had continually pursued alliances with foreign powers and adopted their religious practices, most notably Baal worship, which involved sensuous cultic rituals.

Jeremiah 5 7 Word analysis

• How shall I pardon you for this? (אֵיכָה אֶסְלַח־לָךְ לָזֹאת - 'Eykha 'eslakh-lakh lazo't?)
  • אֵיכָה ('Eykha): "How," "Alas!" It's an interrogative of lamentation, expressing sorrow, disbelief, and rhetorical hopelessness from God's perspective. It highlights the profound gravity of the offense, suggesting it's almost impossible for divine justice and mercy to reconcile in this situation.
  • אֶסְלַח־לָךְ ('eslakh-lakh): "I shall pardon you." From the verb salach (סָלַח), meaning "to forgive," "pardon." The rhetorical question underscores that their sin is not a minor transgression but a fundamental breach of their relationship with God, making a simple pardon unthinkable without serious consequences.
  • לָזֹאת (lazo't): "for this," referring to the accumulated actions described in the rest of the verse. It indicates a direct link between their specific sins and the unpardoned state.
• Your children have forsaken Me (בָּנַיִךְ עָזְבֻנִי - Banayikh 'azvuni)
  • בָּנַיִךְ (Banayikh): "Your children" (feminine singular suffix 'you,' referring to Jerusalem/Judah as mother). Represents the people, the collective offspring of God's covenant with Israel. It emphasizes the parental relationship God holds with them and highlights the filial betrayal involved.
  • עָזְבֻנִי ('azvuni): "have forsaken Me," "abandoned Me." A strong verb ('azav, עָזַב) signifying a deliberate and complete renunciation of relationship or commitment. It’s not just neglecting, but actively turning away and abandoning the covenant Lord.
• and sworn by those who are not gods (וַיִּשָּׁבְעוּ בְּלֹא אֱלֹהִים - vayyishav'u b'lo 'elohim)
  • וַיִּשָּׁבְעוּ (vayyishav'u): "and sworn." From the verb shava' (שָׁבַע), "to swear," "take an oath." This denotes a solemn act of allegiance or affirmation, in this case, a binding commitment to false deities like Baal or Asherah. Oath-taking by another god signifies a formal allegiance to that deity, a direct violation of the First Commandment (Exo 20:3).
  • בְּלֹא אֱלֹהִים (b'lo 'elohim): "by those who are not gods." Explicitly labels the false gods as non-existent or powerless entities, highlighting the absurdity and futility of their worship. This is a polemical statement against pagan beliefs, emphasizing God's uniqueness as the only true divine power.
• When I fed them to the full (וָאַשְׂבִּיעַ אוֹתָם - va'ashbia' otam)
  • וָאַשְׂבִּיעַ (va'ashbia'): "When I fed to the full," "I filled them with food." From the verb sava' (שָׂבַע), meaning "to be satisfied," "have enough," "be full." This emphasizes God's abundant provision and blessings, not mere sustenance. It highlights their deep ingratitude and contrasts His lavish grace with their faithless response. This often refers to material prosperity that God had given them.
• then they committed adultery (וַיְנָאֲפוּ - vayna'afu)
  • וַיְנָאֲפוּ (vayna'afu): "then they committed adultery." From the verb na'af (נָאַף), "to commit adultery," "play the harlot." In prophetic literature, this primarily refers to spiritual adultery – Israel's unfaithfulness to God, her divine husband, by worshipping other gods (e.g., Eze 16, Hos 2-3). It indicates a betrayal of the covenant relationship which is likened to a marriage.
• and assembled themselves by troops in the harlots' houses. (וּבֵית זוֹנָה יִתְגּוֹדָדוּ - uvēt zonah yitgōdadū)
  • וּבֵית זוֹנָה (uvēt zonah): "and in the house of a harlot." Can refer to a literal brothel or, in the context of cultic harlotry, a pagan temple or shrine where ritual prostitution took place as part of fertility cults (e.g., Baal and Asherah worship). Given the preceding "committed adultery," this implies both widespread literal sexual immorality and direct involvement in the immoral practices associated with idolatry.
  • יִתְגּוֹדָדוּ (yitgōdadū): "they rushed together," "thronged," "assembled in groups." From the Hithpael form of gadad (גּוּד). While gadad can also mean "to cut oneself" (as in 1 Kings 18:28, referring to ecstatic self-mutilation), the context of "harlots' houses" strongly suggests an interpretation of "gathering together," "crowding," or "banding together" for immoral or idolatrous activities. This emphasizes the enthusiastic, collective, and widespread participation in these illicit behaviors.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "How shall I pardon you for this? Your children have forsaken Me and sworn by those who are not gods." This phrase connects God's deep pain and the difficulty of forgiveness with the direct act of apostasy: abandoning Him and pledging allegiance to non-gods. It underlines the core covenant breach.
• "When I fed them to the full, then they committed adultery and assembled themselves by troops in the harlots' houses." This section highlights the shocking ingratitude and spiritual promiscuity. Despite God's abundant material blessings ("fed them to the full"), the people directly repaid His goodness with betrayal (spiritual adultery) and open, eager participation in the lowest forms of idolatrous worship and possibly physical immorality, underscoring the pervasiveness of their rebellion.

Jeremiah 5 7 Bonus section

The rhetorical question, "How shall I pardon you for this?" is a divine lament. It underscores that while God is merciful, His mercy is not limitless in the face of persistent, unrepentant, and intentional sin that utterly disregards His covenant and goodness. It's not a statement of God's inability to forgive, but rather His just unwillingness to forgive an unremitting, defiant, and profound breach of relationship without first exercising judgment to purify. This verse serves as a legal indictment, presenting irrefutable evidence of Judah's guilt. The progression of sins – forsaking God, swearing by idols, then spiritual adultery despite provision – demonstrates a deliberate and worsening pattern of rebellion. The term "harlots' houses" likely encompasses both the spiritual whoredom of idolatry and its accompanying physical immoralities, highlighting how pervasive Judah's spiritual corruption was, contaminating every aspect of their societal and religious life.

Jeremiah 5 7 Commentary

Jeremiah 5:7 paints a vivid and painful picture of God's righteous indignation and bewilderment at Judah's relentless apostasy. It highlights a critical divine dilemma: how can justice be served and a relationship of forgiveness maintained when such blatant, comprehensive betrayal is at play? The core issues are profound ingratitude and covenant breaking. Despite God's identity as their sole provider ("fed them to the full") – a common theme reminding Israel of the manna in the wilderness and the land's prosperity – Judah had completely turned their backs on Him. Their abandonment (forsaking God) was not passive but active, marked by formal allegiance to false gods through oath-taking. This demonstrated not just neglect, but outright devotion to idols. Furthermore, this spiritual unfaithfulness, depicted as "adultery," was intertwined with explicit immoral practices, signified by "assembling by troops in the harlots' houses," implying eager participation in the cultic prostitution prevalent in Baal worship or widespread literal immorality. The passage underlines that divine blessings were met with profound contempt and a deeper descent into sin, making judgment an inevitable and necessary response. It exposes the spiritual bankruptcy of the nation where the depth of sin precluded God's customary grace for the sake of His justice and holiness.