Jeremiah 5:7

If the MT. be right, the transition to Jehovah's words is an abrupt one. Du., however, considers that an abbreviation of the common formula "Thus saith Jehovah" was misunderstood and so brought about a corruption of the text. He would accordingly restore thus: How can I pardon them, saith the Lord; they have, etc.

I had fed them to the full not as mg. made them swear, meaning, had bound them to me by oath. They had made use of their prosperity only as facilitating and inciting to sin. Cp. Deuteronomy 32:15.

The last part of the verse may be understood to include the sense of faithlessness to their Divine Spouse, but Jeremiah 5:8 seems clearly to indicate a reference to the impure rites which accompanied idolatry.

assembled themselves in troops The verb in MT. suggests bands of marauders (cp. e.g. 2 Kings 5:2). As this is an unsuitable sense here, it is better (with LXX) to read by a slight alteration in the Hebrew (where d and r are very similar letters), made themselves sojourners(yithgorârufor yithgodâdu).