Jeremiah 7 5

Jeremiah 7:5 kjv

For if ye throughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye throughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour;

Jeremiah 7:5 nkjv

"For if you thoroughly amend your ways and your doings, if you thoroughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbor,

Jeremiah 7:5 niv

If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly,

Jeremiah 7:5 esv

"For if you truly amend your ways and your deeds, if you truly execute justice one with another,

Jeremiah 7:5 nlt

But I will be merciful only if you stop your evil thoughts and deeds and start treating each other with justice;

Jeremiah 7 verses

Jeremiah 7 5 Meaning

Jeremiah 7:5 serves as a fundamental condition presented by God through Jeremiah. It declares that divine favor and the ability to dwell securely in the land are contingent not upon mere religious observance or the presence of the Temple, but upon a radical, sincere, and demonstrable change in the people's entire way of life and specific ethical actions. Specifically, it calls for a return to genuine social justice and righteous dealings in all interpersonal relationships.

Jeremiah 7 5 Context

Jeremiah 7:5 is a critical part of Jeremiah's "Temple Sermon," delivered at the gate of the Temple in Jerusalem. This discourse confronts the prevalent false security among the people of Judah, who believed their city and lives were inviolable due to the presence of God's Temple (Jer 7:4). The historical setting is the reign of King Jehoiakim, a period characterized by significant moral decay and a return to idolatrous practices despite the earlier reforms under King Josiah. Jeremiah's message directly challenged their reliance on superficial religious rituals and institutions while neglecting the core tenets of the Mosaic covenant: obedience, ethical conduct, and social justice. He warns that unless they truly repent and amend their collective and individual behavior, their perceived invulnerability will be shattered, leading to destruction, much like the northern kingdom (Israel) and its shrine at Shiloh (Jer 7:12-15). The verse, therefore, highlights God's demand for genuine heart transformation evidenced by righteous living, rather than empty ceremonialism.

Jeremiah 7 5 Word analysis

• For if (כִּי אִם): "For if." This introductory conjunction emphasizes the conditional nature of God's blessing. It links directly to the preceding warnings, signaling that their future depends entirely on their response.
• you truly amend (הֵיטֵיב תֵּיטִיבוּ - heitev tetivu): "truly make good," "diligently do well," "surely improve."
  • הֵיטֵיב (heitev): Infinitive absolute from the root יטב (yatav - to be good, make good, do well). It intensifies the verb.
  • תֵּיטִיבוּ (tetivu): Imperfect verb, "you will do good."
  • This construction indicates a complete, thorough, and sincere amendment, not a superficial or half-hearted change. It implies a transformation that affects their entire moral and spiritual disposition.
• your ways (אֶת־דַּרְכֵיכֶם - et darkechem):
  • דַּרְכֵיכֶם (darkechem): Plural of דֶּרֶךְ (derekh), meaning "way," "path," "course of life," or "conduct."
  • This refers to the overarching pattern of one's life, moral habits, and overall lifestyle choices. It speaks to the general direction and character of their existence.
• and your deeds (וְאֶת־מַעַלְלֵיכֶם - ve'et ma'alaleichem):
  • מַעַלְלֵיכֶם (ma'alaleichem): Plural of מַעֲלָל (ma'alal), meaning "deed," "action," or "practice." While sometimes carrying a negative connotation (evil deeds), here it refers to specific, observable actions resulting from their "ways."
  • The pairing of "ways" and "deeds" covers both the inward disposition and outward expression of one's life. It calls for reform both in overall moral trajectory and in specific, daily behaviors.
• if you truly execute (אִם־עָשׂוֹ תַעֲשׂוּ - im aso ta'asu): "truly do," "diligently perform."
  • עָשׂוֹ (aso): Infinitive absolute from the root עשׂה (asah - to do, make, execute).
  • תַעֲשׂוּ (ta'asu): Imperfect verb, "you will do."
  • Similar to the previous intensive construction, this emphasizes a sincere and complete dedication to performing the action.
• justice (מִשְׁפָּט - mishpat): "justice," "judgment," "equity," "righteous dealing."
  • מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat): A pivotal term in the Hebrew Bible. It encompasses not just legal judgments but ethical rectitude, fair dealing, defending the rights of the vulnerable (widows, orphans, foreigners, the poor), and maintaining proper social order. It is practical, manifest righteousness.
• one with another (בֵּין אִישׁ וּבֵין רֵעֵהוּ - bein ish u'bein re'ehu): "between a man and his neighbor/fellow."
  • אִישׁ (ish): "man," "person."
  • רֵעֵהוּ (re'ehu): "his neighbor," "his friend," "his companion," referring to anyone within the community, especially fellow Israelites.
  • This phrase concretizes mishpat, grounding it in everyday interpersonal relationships. It emphasizes that justice isn't just an abstract societal concept, but something to be actively and fairly practiced between individuals in their daily interactions.

Jeremiah 7 5 Bonus section

The highly intensive verbal structures, known as the infinitive absolute with a finite verb (e.g., heitev tetivu), are a distinct stylistic feature in Hebrew. They elevate the importance and demand for the action being described. This choice of grammar indicates that God's requirement here is not merely for some slight improvement or perfunctory performance, but for a wholehearted, undeniable, and profound change in character and conduct. This precise phrasing appears again in Jeremiah 26:13, where it functions identically as a conditional call to repentance to avert impending judgment. This reiteration within the book of Jeremiah signifies a consistent core message from the prophet to the people during this critical period, reinforcing God's unyielding demand for inner change leading to outer, just actions.

Jeremiah 7 5 Commentary

Jeremiah 7:5 stands as a profound summary of prophetic theology. It asserts that genuine faith is not passive or ritualistic but actively engaged in moral transformation and social responsibility. The emphatic, doubled verbal constructions ("truly amend," "truly execute") underscore the earnestness and completeness of the change God demands. This call directly challenges the common ancient Near Eastern, and indeed universal, tendency to separate religious devotion from ethical living. For the people of Judah, trusting in the physical presence of the Temple without embodying God's character in their "ways" and "deeds" – particularly in how they treated their neighbors through "justice" – was a severe delusion. This verse serves as a timeless principle: divine favor is not earned through rituals alone, but through sincere repentance and practical righteousness, fundamentally manifested in just and compassionate relationships within the community.