Jeremiah 7 6

Jeremiah 7:6 kjv

If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt:

Jeremiah 7:6 nkjv

if you do not oppress the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place, or walk after other gods to your hurt,

Jeremiah 7:6 niv

if you do not oppress the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm,

Jeremiah 7:6 esv

if you do not oppress the sojourner, the fatherless, or the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own harm,

Jeremiah 7:6 nlt

only if you stop exploiting foreigners, orphans, and widows; only if you stop your murdering; and only if you stop harming yourselves by worshiping idols.

Jeremiah 7 verses

Jeremiah 7 6 Meaning

Jeremiah 7:6 outlines the critical conditions God presents for Judah to continue inhabiting the land of promise. It stipulates that if the people cease oppressing the most vulnerable societal groups—the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow—and refrain from shedding innocent blood, especially within the sacred confines of Jerusalem, and crucially, if they stop pursuing other gods, which inevitably leads to their own detriment, then God will allow them to remain. This verse highlights that true covenant faithfulness demands not just religious observance but profound social justice, respect for human life, and exclusive devotion to Yahweh, revealing the severe consequences of their pervasive sin.

Jeremiah 7 6 Context

Jeremiah chapter 7 introduces the "Temple Sermon," one of Jeremiah's most potent prophecies, delivered at the gate of the Lord's house in Jerusalem. The people of Judah were operating under a false sense of security, believing that the physical presence of God's Temple in their city guaranteed divine protection and negated the need for genuine repentance or obedience to the Law. They proudly chanted, "The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are these!" (Jer 7:4), convinced of their immunity from judgment despite their pervasive sin.

Verse 6 is a crucial component of God's counter-argument. Jeremiah articulates specific, non-negotiable ethical and spiritual demands from God, directly contrasting them with the people's sinful practices outlined in subsequent verses (Jer 7:9). The verse implies that the covenant promises of dwelling in the land are conditional upon moral purity and unwavering devotion to Yahweh. Historically, this message was delivered during the late 7th century BCE, a tumultuous period prior to the Babylonian exile, likely during the reign of King Jehoiakim, when Judah faced increasing pressure from regional powers. Despite some superficial reforms during King Josiah's earlier reign, the heart of the people had not genuinely turned back to God, and societal injustices and idolatry continued unabated, making God's urgent call for true repentance paramount for their survival.

Jeremiah 7 6 Word analysis

• if you do not oppress (לֹא־תַעֲשֹׁק - lo tya’asoq): This imperative clause utilizes the negative particle lo ("not") with the verb ya'asoq ("to oppress," "exploit," "extort"). It signifies a forceful and direct prohibition against exploiting or abusing the rights of the powerless. This act involves leveraging one's position to deny justice or take advantage of another, particularly the vulnerable.
• the foreigner (גֵר - ger): Refers to a resident alien or sojourner, a non-native living among the Israelites. Foreigners often lacked land, established family networks, or full legal status, making them highly susceptible to exploitation. God's Law repeatedly mandated their protection and fair treatment, reminding Israel of their own history as sojourners in Egypt (Exod 22:21).
• the fatherless (יָתוֹם - yatom): Specifically an orphan, usually defined as having lost their father. In ancient patriarchal societies, the father was typically the primary protector, provider, and legal representative, so their loss left the yatom incredibly vulnerable to injustice and poverty.
• or the widow (וְאַלְמָנָה - ve'almanah): A woman whose husband had died. Widows in ancient Near Eastern societies frequently lost economic and social security without a male protector, becoming susceptible to destitution and exploitation. These three groups (ger, yatom, almanah) are consistently presented as the most vulnerable in Israelite society.
• and do not shed (וְדָם...לֹא־תִשְׁפְּכוּ - ve'dam...lo tishpekhu): The negative lo ("not") combines with tishpekhu ("you shall pour out" or "shed") to emphatically forbid the act of violent killing.
• innocent blood (נָקִי - naki): Dam means blood; naki means "innocent," "guiltless," or "blameless." This phrase explicitly refers to the unjust taking of human life, murder. The shedding of dam naki was a grave transgression, deemed to defile both the individual and the land (Num 35:33-34).
• in this place (בַּמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה - bamaqom hazzeh): Bamaqom means "in the place," and hazzeh means "this." This phrase directly points to Jerusalem, God's chosen city and the site of His holy Temple. Committing such egregious sins—especially murder—within or near this sacred space magnified the sin into a profound act of sacrilege against God's presence.
• and if you do not follow (וְאַחֲרֵי אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים לֹא תֵלֵכוּ - ve'acharey elohim acherim lo telekhu): The phrase halakh acharey ("to walk after" or "to follow after") signifies devoted allegiance and service, typically to a deity. Coupled with lo ("not"), it prohibits idol worship.
• other gods (אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים - elohim acherim): Elohim (gods/God) and acherim (other, foreign). This denotes the pagan deities of surrounding nations (e.g., Baal, Asherah, Molech) whose worship was a direct violation of the foundational commandments concerning exclusive worship of Yahweh (Exod 20:3).
• to your own harm (לְרָע לָכֶם - le'ra lakhem): Le'ra means "for evil" or "for harm/disaster"; lakhem means "to/for you" (plural). This crucial addition highlights the intrinsic consequences of idolatry: it is not merely an offense against God but inherently self-destructive. Following other gods inevitably leads to suffering, misfortune, and judgment for the worshippers themselves, contrary to their well-being.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Oppress the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow": This recurring biblical triad represents society's most vulnerable. God's unwavering concern for these groups serves as a fundamental benchmark for righteousness and compassion within Israel. Failure to protect them signals a deep moral decay and a profound betrayal of the covenant's ethical demands, which mirrors God's own character as their defender (Deut 10:18).
• "Shed innocent blood in this place": This specific phrase underscores the double sin of murder (violating the sanctity of life created in God's image) combined with the desecration of the sacred ground of Jerusalem, implying that even the perceived holiness of the city could not cover for such heinous acts but rather highlighted their gravity. It speaks to a deep-seated rejection of justice and the value of human life.
• "Follow other gods to your own harm": This phrase directly confronts the people's idolatry as both a spiritual rebellion against Yahweh and an act of profound self-destruction. Unlike the life and blessings offered by Yahweh, devotion to elohim acherim ultimately brings only detriment and ruin, emphasizing the rational and loving nature of God's command for exclusive worship, which is designed for their ultimate well-being.

Jeremiah 7 6 Bonus section

The structure of Jeremiah 7:5-7 often noted by scholars to be chiastic or having a conditional-consequence pattern. Verse 6 here functions as a set of specific conditions (part of the 'if' clause) detailing the genuine acts of righteousness that are prerequisite for the "then" clause of dwelling securely in the land (verse 7). This verse implicitly polemicizes against the prevalent syncretism and religious hypocrisy of the time, where the people thought they could worship Yahweh at the Temple while also engaging in Canaanite practices and committing social injustices. It directly challenges the assumption that God's covenant implies unconditional protection regardless of moral conduct, revealing that true worship is holistic, encompassing ethics and spiritual loyalty. The triad of "foreigner, fatherless, and widow" not only highlights God's justice but also serves as a potent reminder of Israel's own historical experience of vulnerability (Deut 10:18), making their oppression of these groups a hypocritical failure to remember and embody their covenant identity.

Jeremiah 7 6 Commentary

Jeremiah 7:6 cuts through the superficial religious piety of Judah, asserting that God's covenant blessings—specifically the right to dwell in the land—are conditioned upon a lifestyle of true righteousness rather than mere ritualistic observance. The verse presents three non-negotiable demands: radical social justice (protection of the vulnerable, representing active love for neighbor), unwavering respect for human life (prohibition of innocent bloodshed, a foundation of divine law, intensified by its location in the holy city), and absolute monotheistic fidelity (exclusive devotion to Yahweh, against the insidious practice of idolatry). The concluding phrase, "to your own harm," serves as a poignant warning, revealing that their deviation from God's commands was not merely an offense against Him, but an inherently self-destructive path that invited inevitable catastrophe upon themselves. It challenges any notion of passive faith, demanding instead an active, transformative obedience in every sphere of life.

• Examples for practical usage:
  • Actively challenging and dismantling systems that perpetuate injustice or exploitation against any marginalized group in society.
  • Valuing human life and advocating for peace and justice, condemning all forms of violence and oppression against the innocent.
  • Examining personal allegiances and prioritizing God above all worldly pursuits, whether wealth, power, or personal ambition, recognizing the detrimental nature of any idol.