Jeremiah 7 9

Jeremiah 7:9 kjv

Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not;

Jeremiah 7:9 nkjv

Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal, and walk after other gods whom you do not know,

Jeremiah 7:9 niv

"?'Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known,

Jeremiah 7:9 esv

Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known,

Jeremiah 7:9 nlt

Do you really think you can steal, murder, commit adultery, lie, and burn incense to Baal and all those other new gods of yours,

Jeremiah 7 verses

Jeremiah 7 9 Meaning

This verse condemns a false sense of security rooted in outward religious practice, specifically the temple, while ignoring inward faithfulness and obedience to God's covenant. It highlights the hollowness of religious ritual divorced from righteous living and the certainty of divine judgment for hypocrisy.

Jeremiah 7 9 Context

Jeremiah chapter 7 is part of Jeremiah's prophetic ministry in the late 7th and early 6th centuries BCE, a tumultuous period leading up to the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem and the destruction of Solomon's Temple. This specific message was delivered at the entrance to the Temple itself, a prominent public location. The people of Judah had recently experienced defeat by Egypt and were seeking reassurance, relying on the Temple and its rituals as a guarantee of God's protection. Jeremiah's message here counters this misplaced faith, revealing that their continued sins, despite their religious observances, have sealed their fate. They were placing trust in the physical structure of the Temple, believing it made them immune to judgment, while their actions directly violated the covenant they professed to uphold. The polemic is against both outward religious hypocrisy and syncretism with neighboring pagan practices.

Jeremiah 7 9 Word analysis

• will: expresses a conditional or interrogative statement regarding future action.
• ye: second-person plural pronoun, referring to the people addressed.
• commit: to perpetrate, enact, or perform a deed, often negative or criminal.
• adultery: violation of the marriage covenant through sexual unfaithfulness (Hebrew: _na'af_).
• swear: to make a solemn promise, often invoking a deity or sacred entity, here used in a false context.
• falsely: contrary to truth or fact; dishonestly (Hebrew: _shav_, often relating to idols or false oaths).
• burn: to offer by consuming with fire, a component of sacrifice (Hebrew: _qatar_, meaning to smoke or burn incense).
• incense: aromatic substances burned to produce a fragrance, part of worship and pagan rituals.
• Baal: a title meaning "lord" or "master," referring to a chief Canaanite deity widely worshipped.
• after: in accordance with; following.
• other: different from one already mentioned or known.
• gods: divine beings, here referring to pagan deities worshiped by surrounding nations.
• have: possess or hold.
• not: negation.
• known: to be aware of or acquainted with.

• steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal, and follow other gods you have not known: This phrase presents a stark contrast between outward worship (offering incense, the presumed sanctuary of the Temple) and inward disobedience. It lists specific violations of the Ten Commandments and covenant obligations, highlighting the corruption within the nation. The inclusion of "Baal" and "other gods" points to the prevalence of syncretism and idolatry, directly against God's singular command. The cumulative effect is the exposure of a people whose religious activities are a hollow facade over a foundation of sin and apostasy.

Jeremiah 7 9 Bonus section

This verse directly addresses the theological error of "temple security," a belief that God’s favor was automatically assured simply because the Temple stood in Jerusalem. Jeremiah’s message here is a forceful refutation of this concept, echoing themes found in earlier prophets like Amos and Isaiah who condemned empty religious displays. It prefigures Jesus’ cleansing of the Temple, where He quoted Isaiah 56:7, "My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations," highlighting how it had been misused. The "gods you have not known" points to a reckless and forbidden adoption of foreign religious practices, a clear violation of the first commandment to have no other gods. The depth of sin described implies a widespread societal decay that went unchecked, even as people continued their outward worship.

Jeremiah 7 9 Commentary

Jeremiah 7:9 starkly confronts the people of Judah with their spiritual bankruptcy. Despite their physical presence in and adherence to rituals at the Temple, their hearts were far from God, evidenced by their rampant commission of severe sins. Stealing, murder, adultery, false oaths, and idolatry were not peripheral issues; they were deeply embedded societal and personal failings. The reference to burning incense to Baal and following unknown gods signifies a profound betrayal of the covenant relationship with Yahweh. This verse is a critical reminder that religious observance without a corresponding ethical and moral transformation is utterly valueless in God's eyes. It predicts that such hypocrisy will inevitably lead to judgment, not divine favor. The trust placed in the physical Temple was a dangerous delusion, as God’s presence and blessing were conditional upon obedience, not geographical location or ritual performance.