Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 7:8
Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit.
8. that cannot profit ] Or perhaps, so that ye profit not.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
8 11. See introd. note on the section.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Behold; take notice of it, and think of it seriously.
Ye trust in lying words; either flattering yourselves with your own conceits, whereby, in your discourses, you strengthen one another; or depending upon the delusions of your false prophets, Jer 5:31; 23:26,27; or rather, bolstering yourselves up upon your privileges or bare ceremonies, which you so much boast of, as Jer 7:4; all which he tells them will profit them nothing.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
8. that cannot profitMAURERtranslates, “so that you profit nothing” (see Jer 7:4;Jer 5:31).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Behold, ye trust in lying words,…. What they are dissuaded from, Jer 7:4, is here affirmed they did, and which is introduced with a note of asseveration, attention, and admiration; it being a certain thing that they did so; and was what was worthy of their consideration and serious reflection upon; and it was astonishing that they should, since so to do was of no advantage to them, but the contrary:
that cannot profit; temple worship and service, legal sacrifices and ceremonies, could not take away sin, and expiate the guilt of it; or justify men, and render them acceptable to God; these, without faith in the blood and sacrifice of Christ, were of no avail; and especially could never be thought to be of any use and profit, when such gross abominations were indulged by them as are next mentioned.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Va. 8-11: DISPLACED TRUST
1. The lying words in which Judah has come to trust are unprofitable, (vs. 4; Jer 13:25; Jer 23:32; Jer 28:15-17).
2. The incense smoke ascending from the temple does not conceal from the eyes of the Most High the despicable acts and attitudes of those who expect His protection.
a. Jeremiah observes their practice of: stealing, (Exo 20:3; Exo 20:13 -16); murder, adultery and perjury.
b. Where such things are permitted, the very presence of the pretending worshipper in the sanctuary is blasphemy before the name of Jehovah and a profaning of His holy place!
c. Beside this, they still burn incense to Baal (Jer 11:13; Jer 11:17; Jer 32:29), and walk after other gods, (vs. 6; Jer 19:4).
3. Yet, a people guilty of such despicable disobedience of rebellion and unbelief, they have the audacity to stand before the Lord, in the house that is called by His name, and say: “WE ARE SAFE” (vs. 10, 30; Jer 32:34-35; Eze 23:39).
a. Mere observance of specified religious forms and rituals, which do not change one’s life and actions, is worthless!
b. So today, church membership is an abomination to God if those resting in it are practicing a LIE; if their hearts are not bowed in loving loyalty and devotion to the Lord who purchased them with His own precious blood! (Rom 6:4; Rom 8:11).
4. The Lord, who observes from on high, inquires: “Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers In your eyes?” (vs. 11; comp. Mat 21:13; Mar 11:17; Luk 19:46).
a. A “robber’s den” is a haven of protection and security for those who abuse their fellowmen.
b. God declares that, for the sake of those who have suffered abuse at the hands of these robbers, this hiding-place WILL BE DESTROYED!
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
He again teaches what we observed yesterday, — that the glorying of the Jews was foolish, while they boasted of the Temple and of their sacrifices to God. He calls their boastings the words of falsehood, as we have explained, because they wholly turned to a contrary end what God had instituted. It was his will that sacrifices should be offered to him in the Temple — to what purpose? To preserve unity of faith among the whole people. And sacrifices, what was their design? To shew the people that they deserved eternal death, and also that they were to flee to God for mercy, there being no other expiation but the blood of Christ. But there was no repentance, they were not sorry for their sins; nay, as we shall presently see, they took liberty to indulge more in them on account of their ceremonies, which yet ought to have been the means of leading them to repentance. They were then the words of falsehood when they separated the signs from their ends. The reality and the sign ought indeed to be distinguished the one from the other; but it is an intolerable divorce, when men lay hold on naked signs and overlook the reality. There was in the sacrifices the reality which I have now mentioned: they were reminded by the spectacle that they were worthy of eternal death; and then, they were to exercise penitence, and thus to flee to God’s mercy. As there was no account made of Christ, no care for repentance, no sorrow for sins, no fear of God, no humility, it was an impious separation of what ought to have been united.
We now then more clearly see why the Prophet designates as words of falsehood, that false glorying in which hypocrites indulge, in opposition to God, when they would have him satisfied with naked ceremonies. Hence he adds, that they were words that could not profit, as though he had said, “As ye seek to trifle with God, so he will also frustrate your design.” It is indeed certain that they dealt dishonestly with God, when they attempted to satisfy his judgment by frigid ceremonies. He therefore shews that a reward was prepared for them; for they would at length find, that no fruit would come from their false dealings. It follows —
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
B. A Fallacious Assumption Jer. 7:8-11
TRANSLATION
(8) Behold, you are trusting in the words of the worthless lie. (9) Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, sware falsely, offer incense to Baal, walk after other gods which you do not know (10) and then come and stand before Me in this house which is called by My Name and say, We are safe; in order to do all these abominations? (11) Has this house which is called by My Name become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen this (oracle of the LORD).
COMMENTS
God cannot continue to allow His people to dwell in the Promised Land so long as they continue to trust in deceitful words (Jer. 7:8). In Jer. 7:4 the prophet has already given an example of the words of the worthless lie. The fact that the Lord has His Temple in Jerusalem will profit them nothing if they continue to live godless lives. The people were engaging in every conceivable sinful activity: stealing, murder, adultery, false swearing, worship of false gods (Jer. 7:9). Yet they would come and stand before God in His house and think that because they had expressed this outward concern for the Lord they were completely safe from all harm, The regular visits to the Temple made no difference in the lives of these hypocrites. They went to the services to keep God on their side. As long as He was on their side they could practice their abominations with immunity. What a distortion of religion! What a fallacious assumption! With amazement the Lord asks, Has this house which is called by My Name become a den of robbers in your eyes? The Temple had become to the people of Judah no more than a refuge into which they would flee after committing their criminal acts. But God has seen all. He knows their hearts. He is aware of their evil intentions and sinful attitudes. He is not deceived by the outward manifestations of religious zeal.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(8) Lying words.With special reference to those already cited in Jer. 7:4.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
The Warning Example of Shiloh
v. 8. Behold, ye trust in lying words, v. 9. Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, v. 10. and come and stand before Me in this house, v. 11. Is this house, which is called by My name, v. 12. But go ye now unto My place which was in Shiloh, where I set My name at the first, v. 13. And now, because ye have done all these works, saith the Lord, v. 14. therefore will I do unto this house, which is called by My name, wherein ye trust, v. 15. And I will cast you out of My sight,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
From what is said in these verses of men talking as if delivered to do evil, it should seem, that there were in the Prophet’s days, as well as in ours, persons who took occasion from the doctrine of free grace, to contend for the heresy of fatality: and by reducing men to the character of mere machines, would do away all the consequences of evil. But as this is levelled against the sovereignty of God, so is it refuted by the word of God. All men are by nature disposed since the fall, not delivered, but disposed to evil: and grace only it is that makes the whole difference between one man and another. To tell God therefore, in justification or apology for ourselves, that we are delivered to do evil, is to charge God foolishly, and to make him the Author of our sins. The Lord in a fine strain, most plainly and fully refutes it. Is my house, are my ordinances, or my word, are these things ministers to this purpose? Nay, do you not remember, how little respect was had to place, or person, that even Shiloh, I forsook, and retired from it, in consequence of the corruptions of the people, in times of worship. See 1Sa 4:4-11 . Reader! think how truly deplorable that state must be, which is trusting to a name to live, while virtually dead before God?
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jer 7:8 Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit.
Ver. 8. Behold, ye trust, &c. ] See on Jer 7:4 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Jer 7:8-11
8Behold, you are trusting in deceptive words to no avail. 9Will you steal, murder, and commit adultery and swear falsely, and offer sacrifices to Baal and walk after other gods that you have not known, 10then come and stand before Me in this house, which is called by My name, and say, ‘We are delivered!’-that you may do all these abominations? 11Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of robbers in your sight? Behold, I, even I, have seen it, declares the LORD.
Jer 7:8 See note at Jer 7:4.
Jer 7:9 This is a summary of the Sinai revelation (i.e., Ten Commantments)
1. steal – BDB 170, KB 198, Qal INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE
2. murder – BDB 953, KB 1283, Qal INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE
3. commit adultery – BDB 610, KB 658, Qal INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE
4. swear falsely – BDB 989, KB 1396, Niphal INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE
5. offer sacrifices to Ba’al – BDB 882, KB 1094, Piel INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE
6. walk after other gods – BDB 229, IB 246, Qal INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE
SPECIAL TOPIC: NOTES ON Exodus 20
Jer 7:10 then come and stand before Me in this house Both VERBS are Qal PERFECTS (settled condition). This shows the hypocrisy of formal religion apart from personal lifestyle faith and obedience (cf. 1Ki 8:23; Eze 23:36-45; Luk 6:46).
in this house, which is called by My name This is a recurrent title for Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem (cf. 1Ki 8:43; 2Ch 6:33; 2Ch 20:9; Jer 7:10-11; Jer 7:14; Jer 7:30; Jer 25:29; Jer 32:34; Jer 34:15). It is thus titled because YHWH, symbolically dwells there between the wings of the cherubim over the ark of the covenant.
We are delivered This is a Niphal PERFECT (BDB 664, KB 717). They thought that religious acts in a religious place would bring deliverance (i.e., no defeat and exile by Babylon, cf. Jer 39:17).
that you may do all these abominations The covenant people turned their faith into a license to sin! Ritual replaced lifestyle faithfulness! Our life reveals our true self (cf. Matthew 7).
Jer 7:11 den of robbers What a shocking phrase to describe Solomon’s temple in light of 1 Kings 8. Jesus uses this same phrase in Mat 21:13; Mar 11:17; Luk 19:46 to describe the temple procedures of His day.
NASB, NKJV I, even I, have seen it
NRSVI, at any rate, can see straight
TEVI have seen what you are doing
NJBYou know, I too am watching
LXXAnd I, behold, I have seen it
JPSOAAs for Me, I have been watching
REBI warn you, I myself have seen all this
The Hebrew is ambiguous but the sense is clear.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Jer 7:8-11
Jer 7:8-11
Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit. Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods that ye have not known, and come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered; that ye may do all these abominations? Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it, saith Jehovah.
The sins enumerated here constituted violations of the Decalogue as given in Exodus and Deuteronomy. The specific commandments broken were the 1st, 2nd, 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th, with the necessary inference that the 10th also was broken, stealing and adultery both being a direct result of the covetousness forbidden in the last commandment. As Green noted, “This amounted to a near-total breach of the covenant stipulations.”
“Here is further and conclusive evidence of Jeremiah’s deep anchorage in the Mosaic faith.”
We are delivered…
(Jer 7:10). The Jews actually believed that merely because they frequented the temple and brought their sacrifices as usual, that, they were fully protected in the commission of every crime in the catalogue, all of this on the mere grounds of their external presentation of themselves before God at the place called by his name. They deluded themselves into thinking they were safe no matter what they did.
Behold, I, even I have seen it, saith Jehovah…
(Jer 7:11). Anchor Bible suggests a paraphrase here: God says, Look! I’m not blind! Of course, I’ve seen it! F12
Is this house. become a den of robbers …..
(Jer 7:11)? These very words were spoken by Christ himself as a solemn indictment of the temple during his personal ministry, Ye made it (the temple) a den of robbers (Mat 21:13). This is a reference to the blasphemous manner in which the Jews used that temple. The Hebrew word here actually means a robber’s ‘cave,’ The figure is that of a den, or cave, or some other supposedly safe and secure place to which robbers retired after each of their crimes. What a terrible misuse of holy religion was this abuse by the Jews.
A Fallacious Assumption Jer 7:8-11
God cannot continue to allow His people to dwell in the Promised Land so long as they continue to trust in deceitful words (Jer 7:8). In Jer 7:4 the prophet has already given an example of the words of the worthless lie. The fact that the Lord has His Temple in Jerusalem will profit them nothing if they continue to live godless lives. The people were engaging in every conceivable sinful activity: stealing, murder, adultery, false swearing, worship of false gods (Jer 7:9). Yet they would come and stand before God in His house and think that because they had expressed this outward concern for the Lord they were completely safe from all harm, The regular visits to the Temple made no difference in the lives of these hypocrites. They went to the services to keep God on their side. As long as He was on their side they could practice their abominations with immunity. What a distortion of religion! What a fallacious assumption! With amazement the Lord asks, Has this house which is called by My Name become a den of robbers in your eyes? The Temple had become to the people of Judah no more than a refuge into which they would flee after committing their criminal acts. But God has seen all. He knows their hearts. He is aware of their evil intentions and sinful attitudes. He is not deceived by the outward manifestations of religious zeal.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
trust
(See Scofield “Psa 2:12”).
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
ye trust: Jer 7:4, Jer 4:10, Jer 5:31, Jer 8:10, Jer 14:13, Jer 14:14, Jer 23:14-16, Jer 23:26, Jer 23:32, Isa 28:15, Isa 30:10, Eze 13:6-16
Reciprocal: 1Sa 4:3 – Let us Isa 1:15 – your hands Isa 28:20 – the bed Isa 58:1 – spare Isa 59:3 – your lips Isa 59:4 – trust Isa 59:12 – our transgressions Isa 61:8 – I hate Jer 2:8 – do not Jer 5:4 – General Jer 11:15 – to do Jer 30:15 – for the Eze 9:9 – The iniquity Eze 14:3 – should Eze 23:39 – they came Mic 3:11 – yet Joh 18:28 – and they 1Co 13:3 – profiteth 2Ti 2:14 – to no Jam 2:14 – What
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
A REFUGE OF LIES
Lying words, that cannot profit.
Jer 7:8
I. God tears open the lying words of many who worship Him, and what does He find?Hypocrisy, fraud, a festering mass of corruption, a fixed determination that nothing shall be true which interferes with their pleasures, their emoluments, their privileges. Love, brotherhood, humility, mercy, faith; these things they do not believe in. What they seek is the maintenance of their own position, the advancement of their own interest. To all such He says, Ye shall become as Shiloh, bankrupt, deserted, lost.
II. So let me be true, for I worship the God of truth.
(1) True to myself. In my thoughts seeking honestly to gain the verity and certainty of things, especially the things which are highest and deepest. In my speech uttering only what I feel. In my life, abhorring the very appearance of dissimulation and craft.
(2) True to my neighbour, and, most of all, true to my God. Trusting Him with a clinging trust. Feeling for Him a fervent affection. Following hard after Him whatever the cost may be. Begging Him daily to see if there is any wicked way in me, and to lead me in the way everlasting.
Illustration
The privileges of a form of godliness are often the pride and confidence of those that are strangers and enemies to the power of it. It is common for those that are furthest from God to boast themselves most of their being near to the Church.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
Jer 7:8-10. This completes the line of thought pertaining to the inconsistency of the people of Judah. After committing all the abominations mentioned in the preceding verse, they had the boldness to come into the temple of the true God for worship. They were not coming for the purpose of making atonement for their many Iniquities, for that would have been very appropriate. Instead, they even declared they were delivered to do these things which means they were justified in doing them.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Jer 7:8-11. Behold, ye trust in lying words Uttered by your false prophets, who promise you peace, and sooth you up in your impenitence. Will ye steal, murder, &c. Jeremiah does not charge them with the transgression of the ritual law of Moses, but with the breach of the weightier matters of the moral law. Thus the prophets showed the Jews a more excellent way of serving God than by relying upon external ceremonies of their worship, which might have prepared their minds for the reception of the gospel. And come and stand before me, &c. Will ye be guilty of the vilest immoralities, even such as the common interest, as well as the common sense, of mankind must reprobate? Will ye swear falsely? A crime which all nations have always held in abhorrence? Will ye burn incense to Baal? A dunghill deity, that sets up as a rival with the great Jehovah; and, not content with that, will you walk after other gods too, whom ye know not And by all these crimes put a daring affront upon the Lord of hosts? Will you exchange a God, of whose power and goodness you have had such long experience, for gods of whose ability and willingness to help you know nothing? And when you have thus done the most you can to affront and insult the infinite and eternal Jehovah, your creator and preserver, your governor and judge, will you have the effrontery and impudence to come and stand before him in this house, which is called by his name, and in which his name is called upon, under a pretence of worshipping and serving him stand before him as servants, waiting his commands, as suppliants, expecting his favour? Will you act in open rebellion against him, and yet rank yourselves among his subjects, among the best of them? By this it would seem you think that either he doth not discover, or doth not dislike your wicked practices; to imagine either of which is to put the highest indignity possible upon him. It is as if you should say, We are delivered to do all these abominations If they had not the face to say this in so many words, yet their actions spoke it aloud. God had many times delivered them, as they could not but acknowledge, and had been a present help to them when otherwise they must have perished. By these means he designed to bring them to himself; by his goodness to lead them to repentance; but they, resolving notwithstanding to persist in their abominations, said, in effect, in direct contradiction to Gods true intent, in showing them this kindness, that he had delivered them to put them again into a capacity of rebelling against him. Will ye, says the prophet, interpret the deliverances God hath formerly vouchsafed you, as so many licenses to commit new crimes? Or, do you think, when you offer your propitiatory sacrifices, that they will wipe away the guilt of all your past offences, and that you may securely return to your former wicked practices, having such a certain and easy method of obtaining pardon? Is this house, &c., become a den of robbers in your eyes? Do you think it was built, not only to be a rendezvous of, but a place of shelter to, the vilest malefactors; who perform an outward service to me there, that they may continue the more securely in their sins? Mark well, reader, those that think to excuse themselves in unchristian practices, with the Christian name, and sin the more boldly and securely, because there is a sin-offering provided, do in effect make Gods house of prayer a den of thieves; as the priests did in Christs time, Mat 21:13. But could they thus impose upon God? no, Behold, I have seen it, saith the Lord Have seen the real iniquity through the counterfeit and dissembled piety. Though men may deceive one another with the show of devotion, yet they cannot deceive God.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The prophet also explained what the Lord meant by trusting in deceptive words (Jer 7:4), which they had been trusting in but without benefit.