Jeremiah 7:4 kjv
Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these.
Jeremiah 7:4 nkjv
Do not trust in these lying words, saying, 'The temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD are these.'
Jeremiah 7:4 niv
Do not trust in deceptive words and say, "This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD!"
Jeremiah 7:4 esv
Do not trust in these deceptive words: 'This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.'
Jeremiah 7:4 nlt
But don't be fooled by those who promise you safety simply because the LORD's Temple is here. They chant, "The LORD's Temple is here! The LORD's Temple is here!"
Jeremiah 7 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 7:5 | "But if you truly amend your ways and your deeds, if you truly practice justice one with another," | Jer 7:5 |
| Jeremiah 7:6 | "if you do not oppress the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place," | Jer 7:6 |
| Jeremiah 7:7 | "then I will let you dwell in this land, in the land that I gave to your fathers forever and ever." | Jer 7:7 |
| Isaiah 1:11-15 | "What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord... Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;" | Isa 1:11-15 |
| Micah 3:11 | "Her chiefs are selling decisions for bribes, her priests are teaching for hire..." | Mic 3:11 |
| Psalms 50:8-15 | "I do not reprove you for your sacrifices; your burnt offerings are continually before me." | Psa 50:8-15 |
| Matthew 23:38 | "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her!" | Matt 23:38 |
| Acts 7:49-50 | "'Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me?'" | Acts 7:49-50 |
| John 4:21-24 | "The hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father." | John 4:21-24 |
| Hosea 6:6 | "For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God, not burnt offerings." | Hos 6:6 |
| Amos 5:21-24 | "I hate; I despise your festivals, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies." | Amos 5:21-24 |
| Romans 2:28-29 | "For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward..." | Rom 2:28-29 |
| 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 | "Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?" | 1 Cor 3:16-17 |
| 1 Corinthians 6:19 | "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?" | 1 Cor 6:19 |
| Hebrews 10:19-22 | "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus," | Heb 10:19-22 |
| 1 Peter 2:4-5 | "As you come to him, a living stone..." | 1 Pet 2:4-5 |
| Jeremiah 22:5 | "For if you do not obey these words, as I live, declares the Lord, this house shall become a desolation." | Jer 22:5 |
| Deuteronomy 12:11 | "Then to the place that the Lord your God will choose to make his name dwell there..." | Deut 12:11 |
| Jeremiah 26:4-6 | "If you will not listen to me, to walk in my law that I have set before you..." | Jer 26:4-6 |
Jeremiah 7 verses
Jeremiah 7 4 Meaning
This verse signifies that the people of Judah were wrongly presuming they were safe and secure simply because the Temple of the Lord stood in Jerusalem. They mistakenly believed that the physical presence of God's house guaranteed His protection, regardless of their obedience to His commands. This reliance on a mere structure, devoid of genuine repentance and faithfulness, was a perversion of God's covenant.
Jeremiah 7 4 Context
In Jeremiah chapter 7, the prophet stands at the entrance of the Temple in Jerusalem, delivering a stern message to the people who have gathered for worship. This chapter follows God's instruction to Jeremiah to pronounce judgment against Jerusalem. The backdrop is the impending threat of Babylonian invasion, a consequence of Judah's prolonged apostasy and disobedience. The people were participating in outward religious rituals, like going to the Temple, but their hearts were far from God, and their societal practices were marked by injustice and sin. Jeremiah's message here directly challenges their misplaced trust in the Temple and calls them to genuine repentance and obedience.
Jeremiah 7 4 Word analysis
- "Trust" (Hebrew: סָמַךְ - samak): Implies leaning upon, supporting oneself, or depending on something. Here, it highlights a misplaced confidence, a reliance on the physical Temple rather than on God's covenant faithfulness.
- "Ye": Refers to the plural "you," addressing the entire nation of Judah.
- "Words" (Hebrew: דָּבָר - dabar): Denotes not just spoken utterances but also God's commands, laws, and pronouncements. It signifies the entirety of God's revealed will.
- "Of this place": Refers specifically to the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem.
- "To trust": Reinforces the idea of misplaced reliance.
- "The words of this place": Implies that they were trusting in the rituals or the physical existence of the Temple, not in the divine message associated with it. This contrasts with trusting in God's promises and commands as spoken through prophets.
- "These": Refers to the specific words or commands previously given by God, likely outlined in the preceding verses and in the Law.
Words-group by words-group analysis
- "Trust ye not in lying words": This phrase directly confronts the deceptive basis of their security. They were believing a false narrative, likely stemming from their own wishful thinking or misleading pronouncements from false prophets, that the Temple itself was a guarantor of perpetual safety, irrespective of their conduct.
- "Saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these": The repetition of "The temple of the LORD" emphasizes their almost superstitious fixation on the building. It was not about worship or obedience, but a talismanic belief that possessing the physical structure of the Temple made them immune to divine judgment. This echoes the understanding of the sacred space as a place where God’s presence resided, but they perverted this truth into a magical charm.
Jeremiah 7 4 Bonus section
The emphasis on "The temple of the LORD" being the locus of their misplaced trust reflects a misunderstanding of God's dwelling. While God's presence was uniquely associated with the Temple, it was not a dwelling that God could not abandon or destroy if His people were unfaithful. Jeremiah’s prophecy here foreshadows the destruction of the Temple by the Babylonians, validating his message and demonstrating that God's commitment was to a covenant-keeping people, not merely to bricks and mortar. This passage is a foundational text for understanding that true worship is both outward in action and inward in heart, and that mere affiliation with religious structures or traditions cannot substitute for personal righteousness and a relationship with God. The concept of God’s presence in a specific place, the Temple, is crucial in the Old Testament, but Jeremiah corrects the popular misunderstanding of its implications for unfaithful people.
Jeremiah 7 4 Commentary
Jeremiah 7:4 serves as a critical pronouncement against the religious hypocrisy of Judah. Their assurance was built not on a foundation of faith and obedience to God's revealed will, but on a mere association with the physical structure of the Temple. They were leveraging the sanctity of God's dwelling place as a shield against consequences they rightfully deserved due to their rampant sin. The prophet clarifies that true security comes not from outward religious observance or holy places, but from internal transformation, demonstrated by adherence to God's covenant and a life of righteousness. Their misplaced trust in "lying words" — meaning deceptive assurances or their own faulty reasoning — about the Temple’s invincibility set them up for divine judgment. This verse underscores the principle that God's presence and protection are conditional upon obedience and a genuine relationship with Him.