Jeremiah 5:7

How shall I pardon thee for this? thy children have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are no gods: when I had fed them to the full, they then committed adultery, and assembled themselves by troops in the harlots' houses. It would not be consistent with God's holiness to let such wickedness pass unpunished. It would not be consistent with God's holiness to let such wickedness pass unpunished. SWORN BY - (Jeremiah 5:2; Jeremiah 4:2); i:e., worshipped. NO GODS - (Deuteronomy 32:21, "They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; ... and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people:" 'retribution in kin...

There is here what rhetoricians call a conference: for God seems here to seek the judgment of the adverse party, with whom he contends, on the cause between them, though it was sufficiently clear; and this is a proof of confidence. When advocates wish to shew that there is nothing doubtful or obscure, they thus deliberate with the opposite party, — “Why, I will propose the matter privately to yourself; have you anything to say? Even if you were at liberty to determine the question, would not reason compel you to pronounce such a judgment as this?” So now God shews that he was constrained, as it were, by necessity to inflict on the Jews a most severe punishment, and intimates that he was not, as it were, at liberty to do otherwise. “If I am, “he says, “the judge of the world, is it possible that they can escape unpunished, who thus openly provoke me? Should I not expose to ridicule my glo...

1-9 None could be found who behaved as upright and godly men. But the Lord saw the true character of the people through all their disguises. The poor were ignorant, and therefore they were wicked. What can be expected but works of darkness, from people that know nothing of God and religion? There are God's poor, who, notwithstanding poverty, know the way of the Lord, walk in it, and do their duty; but these were willingly ignorant, and their ignorance would not be their excuse. The rich were insolent and haughty, and the abuse of God's favours made their sin worse....

Verse Jeremiah 5:7. _IN THE HARLOTS' HOUSES._] In places consecrated to idolatry. In the language of the prophets, adultery generally signifies _idolatry_. This we have often seen....

Rather, Why, “for what reason” should “I pardon thee?” WHEN ... - Or, “though I bound them to me by oath, yet they committed adultery.” THE HARLOTS’ HOUSES - The harlot’s house, i. e., the temple of an idol; the prophet had also in view (see Jeremiah 5:8) the unchastity which accompanied most forms of nature-worship....

EXPOSITION Is the punishment thought too severe? Then let the moral condition of Jerusalem be inquired into. Must not such transgressions precipitate its people into ruin? There are four well-marked sections or strophes. JEREMIAH 5:1 Gladly would Jehovah pardon, if his people showed but a gleam of sound morality. But they are all deaf to the warning voice—the Law of God is flagrantly violated. In particular the marriage tie, as well the typical one between man and woman as the anti-typical between the people and its God, is openly disregarded (comp. Hosea 4:1; Micah 7:2; Isaiah 64:6,...

HOW SHALL I PARDON THEE FOR THIS?.... Because of their manifold transgressions, and multiplied backslidings; or "wherefore, or for what, shall I pardon thee?" r as the Targum; can any reason be given why I should? what goodness is there in thee, or done by thee, that I should do this unto thee? The particle אי, according to Kimchi, is a word of exclamation; and, according to Jarchi, of admiration; and may be rendered, "oh! for this shall I pardon?" how can it be? R. Menachem; in Jarchi, takes it to be the same with אין, "not"; and to be rendered, not for this will I pardon; and so is an affirmation, and fixed resolution not to pardon, and that for the following reasons: THY CHILDREN HAVE FORSAKEN ME; my worship, as the Targum interprets it; that is, the children of Jerusalem, the inhabitants of it, the common people, as distinguished from their fathers, the civil and ecclesiastical rule...

CHAPTER 5 _ 1. The apostate conditions of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 5:1) _ 2. The impending judgment (Jeremiah 5:10) 3. Sowing and reaping (Jeremiah 5:19) 4. The horrible thing (Jeremiah 5:30) Jeremiah 5:1. So degenerate had the inhabitants of Jerusalem become that the Lord promised if but one man could be found in the city who executed judgment and sought the truth, He would pardon Jerusalem. It was a general apostasy. A similar apostasy is predicted for the end of our age. “Nevertheless when the Son of Man

THE SINS OF JERUSALEM. Jeremiah is bidden to seek even one man in Jerusalem, for whose sake Yahweh may spare the city (_cf._ Genesis 18:16), one man of justice and faithfulness (_mg.) ;_ even the oaths they swear by Yahweh mean nothing. The prophet confesses that it is this lack of faithfulness that has brought a hard discipline on the city, though in vain; yet he turns from the man in the street to those of high degree, for _they_ (emph.) know the ordinances of Yahweh only to find them united in disobedience (Jeremiah 5:5; for the figure of the rebellious oxen, _cf._ Jeremiah 2:20). So comes the foe, like forest lion, or desert wolf (_mg.),_ or lurking leopard; since Yahweh's provision of a fer

CHILDREN. sons. FORSAKEN ME. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 32:15; Deuteronomy 32:21). SWORN. Compare Jeremiah 5:2. FED THEM TO THE FULL. So in many codices, with two early printed editions, Aramaean, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate; but some codices, with five early printed editions, read "made them swear". COMMITTED ADULTERY. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 20:14.Deuteronomy 5:18; Deutero