The word that came to Jeremiah ,.... The Word of prophecy, as the Targum: from the Lord, saying ; this begins a new prophecy. This verse, and the beginning of the next, are wanting in the Septuagint version. read more
Stand in the gate of the Lord's house ,.... That is, of the temple, and the court of it. This gate, as Kimchi says, was the eastern gate, which was the principal gate of all; see Jeremiah 26:2 , and proclaim there this word, and say ; with a loud voice, as follows: hear ye the word of the Lord, all ye of Judah ; the inhabitants of the several parts of Judea, which came to the temple to worship; very probably it was a feast day, as Calvin conjectures; either the passover, or... read more
Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel ,.... The Lord of armies above and below in general, and the God of Israel in particular; wherefore they ought to hearken to what he was about to say, and to be obedient to him: amend your ways and your doings ; or, "make them good" F12 היטיבו דרכיכם "bonas facite vias vestras", V. L. Munster, Pagninus, Montanus; "efficite", &c.; Junius & Tremellius, Piscator. ; which shows that they were bad, and were not agreeable to the... read more
Trust ye not in lying words ,.... In the words of the lying prophets, as the Targum; and to the same purpose is the Arabic version, "do not trust in lying words, for the false prophets do not profit you in anything;' the things in which they trusted, and in which the false prophets taught them to place their confidence, were their coming up to the temple at certain times for religious exercises, and their attendance on temple service and worship, offering of sacrifices, and the like. The... read more
For if ye thoroughly amend your ways and your doings ,.... Or, "if ye make your ways good, and do your works well", which is what is exhorted to Jeremiah 7:3 , and respects the duties of the moral law; which are more acceptable to God than legal sacrifices, when done from right principles, and with right views, from love, in faith, and to the glory of God; which is doing good works well; the particulars of which follow: if you thoroughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour ... read more
If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow ,.... Who have none to help them, and who ought to have mercy and compassion shown them, as well as justice done them; and should not be injured by private men in their persons and properties, and much less oppressed in courts of judicature by those who should be the patrons and defenders of them: and shed not innocent blood in this place : in the temple, where the sanhedrim, or great court of judicature, sat; for this does... read more
The word that came to Jeremiah - This prophecy is supposed to have been delivered in the first year of the reign of Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, who, far from following the example of his pious father, restored idolatry, maintained bad priests and worse prophets, and filled Jerusalem with abominations of all kinds. read more
Stand in the gate of the Lord's house - There was a show of public worship kept up. The temple was considered God's residence; the usual ceremonies of religion restored by Josiah were still observed; and the people were led to consider the temple and its services as sacred things, which would be preservatives to them in case of the threatened invasion. read more
The temple of the Lord - In the Chaldee the passage stands thus: - "Do not trust in the words of lying prophets, which say, Before the temple of the Lord ye shall worship; Before the temple of the Lord ye shall sacrifice; Before the temple of the Lord ye shall adore; thrice in the year ye shall appear before it." This the Targumist supposes to have been the reason why the words are here thrice repeated. They rather seem to express the conviction which the people had, that they should be safe... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 7:1-15
These verses begin another sermon, which is continued in this and the two following chapters, much to the same effect with those before, to reason them to repentance. Observe, I. The orders given to the prophet to preach this sermon; for he had not only a general commission, but particular directions and instructions for every message he delivered. This was a word that came to him from the Lord, Jer. 7:1. We are not told when this sermon was to be preached; but are told, 1. Where it must be... read more