Jeremiah 9:7
Jeremiah 9:7 in Multiple Translations
Therefore this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Behold, I will refine them and test them, for what else can I do because of the daughter of My people?
Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, I will melt them, and try them; for how shall I do for the daughter of my people?
Therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts, Behold, I will melt them, and try them; for how else should I do, because of the daughter of my people?
So the Lord of armies has said, See, I will make them soft in the fire and put them to the test; this I will do because of their evil-doing.
So this is what the Lord Almighty says: Look, I'm going to test them and purify them like metal in a furnace. What else can I do because of what my people have done?
Therefore thus sayth the Lord of hostes, Behold, I wil melt them, and trie them: for what should I els do for the daughter of my people?
Therefore, thus said Jehovah of Hosts: Lo, I am refining them, and have tried them, For how do I do because of the daughter of My people?
Therefore the LORD of Armies says, “Behold, I will melt them and test them; for how should I deal with the daughter of my people?
Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, I will melt them, and try them; for how shall I do for the daughter of my people?
Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts: Behold I will melt, and try them: for what else shall I do before the daughter of my people?
Therefore I, the Commander of the armies of angels, say this: Listen carefully to what I say: I will cause my people to experience great afflictions, like a metalworker puts metal in a hot fire [MET] to completely burn out the impure bits. Because of all the evil things that my people have done, there is absolutely nothing else [RHQ] that I can do.
Berean Amplified Bible — Jeremiah 9:7
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Jeremiah 9:7 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
חֵ֥ץ
שוחט
שָׁח֛וּט
לְשׁוֹנָ֖/ם
מִרְמָ֣ה
דִבֵּ֑ר
בְּ/פִ֗י/ו
שָׁל֤וֹם
אֶת
רֵעֵ֨/הוּ֙
יְדַבֵּ֔ר
וּ/בְ/קִרְבּ֖/וֹ
יָשִׂ֥ים
אָרְבּֽ/וֹ
חֵ֥ץ
chêts
H2671
arrow
N-ms
שוחט
shâchaṭ
H7819
to slaughter
V-Qal
שָׁח֛וּט
shâchaṭ
H7819
to slaughter
V-Qal-Inf-c
לְשׁוֹנָ֖/ם
lâshôwn
H3956
tongue
N-cs | Suff
מִרְמָ֣ה
mirmâh
H4820
deceit
N-fs
דִבֵּ֑ר
dâbar
H1696
to speak
V-Piel-Perf-3ms
בְּ/פִ֗י/ו
peh
H6310
lip
Prep | N-ms | Suff
שָׁל֤וֹם
shâlôwm
H7965
Peace
N-ms
אֶת
ʼêth
H854
with
Prep
רֵעֵ֨/הוּ֙
rêaʻ
H7453
neighbor
N-ms | Suff
יְדַבֵּ֔ר
dâbar
H1696
to speak
V-Piel-Imperf-3ms
וּ/בְ/קִרְבּ֖/וֹ
qereb
H7130
entrails
Conj | Prep | N-ms | Suff
יָשִׂ֥ים
sûwm
H7760
to set
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms
אָרְבּֽ/וֹ
ʼôreb
H696
ambush
N-ms | Suff
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
Use ← → arrow keys to navigate between words.
Hebrew Word Reference — Jeremiah 9:7
חֵ֥ץ
chêts
H2671
"arrow"
N-ms
An arrow is a sharp object shot from a bow, used for hunting or battle, like those used by archers in the book of Judges. It can also symbolize God's powerful judgment.
Definition: arrow
Usage: Occurs in 42 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] archer, arrow, dart, shaft, staff, wound. See also: Genesis 49:23; Psalms 91:5; Psalms 7:14.
שוחט
shâchaṭ
H7819
"to slaughter"
V-Qal
This Hebrew word means to slaughter, often used in the context of sacrifice or massacre, as seen in the KJV translations of kill, offer, or slay.
Definition: v 1) to kill, slaughter, beat 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to slaughter 1a1a) beast for food 1a1b) sacrifice 1a1c) person in human sacrifice 1a1d) beaten, hammered (of shekels) 1b) (Niphal) to be slaughtered, be slain (of food or sacrifice) Also means: sha.chat (שָׁחוּט "beaten" H7820)
Usage: Occurs in 70 OT verses. KJV: kill, offer, shoot out, slay, slaughter. See also: Genesis 22:10; Leviticus 16:15; Isaiah 22:13.
שָׁח֛וּט
shâchaṭ
H7819
"to slaughter"
V-Qal-Inf-c
This Hebrew word means to slaughter, often used in the context of sacrifice or massacre, as seen in the KJV translations of kill, offer, or slay.
Definition: v 1) to kill, slaughter, beat 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to slaughter 1a1a) beast for food 1a1b) sacrifice 1a1c) person in human sacrifice 1a1d) beaten, hammered (of shekels) 1b) (Niphal) to be slaughtered, be slain (of food or sacrifice) Also means: sha.chat (שָׁחוּט "beaten" H7820)
Usage: Occurs in 70 OT verses. KJV: kill, offer, shoot out, slay, slaughter. See also: Genesis 22:10; Leviticus 16:15; Isaiah 22:13.
לְשׁוֹנָ֖/ם
lâshôwn
H3956
"tongue"
N-cs | Suff
The tongue, used for eating, speaking, or describing a language. In the Bible, it appears in many books, including Genesis 11:1 and Acts 2:4.
Definition: : tongue/words 1) tongue 1a) tongue (of men) 1a1) tongue (literal) 1a2) tongue (organ of speech) 1b) language 1c) tongue (of animals) 1d) tongue (of fire) 1e) wedge, bay of sea (tongue-shaped)
Usage: Occurs in 115 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] babbler, bay, [phrase] evil speaker, language, talker, tongue, wedge. See also: Genesis 10:5; Psalms 126:2; Psalms 5:10.
מִרְמָ֣ה
mirmâh
H4820
"deceit"
N-fs
This Hebrew word means deceit or cheating, like when someone tricks or lies to another person. It appears in stories about dishonest people, like in Jeremiah 8:10, where the prophet talks about the deceit of the Israelites. The word is often translated as 'deceit' or 'craft' in English Bibles.
Definition: deceit, treachery
Usage: Occurs in 38 OT verses. KJV: craft, deceit(-ful, -fully), false, feigned, guile, subtilly, treachery. See also: Genesis 27:35; Proverbs 11:1; Psalms 5:7.
דִבֵּ֑ר
dâbar
H1696
"to speak"
V-Piel-Perf-3ms
To speak or communicate, like God speaking to Moses in Exodus or a king commanding his people. It can also mean to promise or warn someone.
Definition: : speak/tell/command 1) to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing 1a) (Qal) to speak 1b) (Niphal) to speak with one another, talk 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to speak 1c2) to promise 1d) (Pual) to be spoken 1e) (Hithpael) to speak 1f) (Hiphil) to lead away, put to flight
Usage: Occurs in 1049 OT verses. KJV: answer, appoint, bid, command, commune, declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse, say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think, use (entreaties), utter, [idiom] well, [idiom] work. See also: Genesis 8:15; Exodus 12:25; Leviticus 23:9.
בְּ/פִ֗י/ו
peh
H6310
"lip"
Prep | N-ms | Suff
In the Bible, this Hebrew word refers to the mouth, lips, or edge of something, and can also mean a portion or side of something. It is often used to describe speech or the act of speaking. This word appears in various forms, such as mouth, lip, or edge.
Definition: : lip/mouth peh 1) mouth 1a) mouth (of man) 1b) mouth (as organ of speech) 1c) mouth (of animals) 1d) mouth, opening, orifice (of a well, river, etc) 1e) extremity, end pim 2) a weight equal to one third of a shekel, occurs only in 1Sa 13:21
Usage: Occurs in 460 OT verses. KJV: accord(-ing as, -ing to), after, appointment, assent, collar, command(-ment), [idiom] eat, edge, end, entry, [phrase] file, hole, [idiom] in, mind, mouth, part, portion, [idiom] (should) say(-ing), sentence, skirt, sound, speech, [idiom] spoken, talk, tenor, [idiom] to, [phrase] two-edged, wish, word. See also: Genesis 4:11; Deuteronomy 21:17; Ezra 9:11.
שָׁל֤וֹם
shâlôwm
H7965
"Peace"
N-ms
This Hebrew word for peace, shalom, means completeness, wellness, and friendship, and is often used to describe God's relationship with humanity, as seen in the covenant with the Israelites. It encompasses physical and spiritual health, prosperity, and harmony.
Definition: This name means completeness, peace Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)
Usage: Occurs in 209 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] do, familiar, [idiom] fare, favour, [phrase] friend, [idiom] great, (good) health, ([idiom] perfect, such as be at) peace(-able, -ably), prosper(-ity, -ous), rest, safe(-ty), salute, welfare, ([idiom] all is, be) well, [idiom] wholly. See also: Genesis 15:15; Esther 2:11; Psalms 4:9.
אֶת
ʼêth
H854
"with"
Prep
This Hebrew preposition means 'with' or 'near', indicating a close relationship or physical proximity. It's used in Genesis 1:26 to describe God's relationship with humanity, and in many other places to show connection or closeness.
Definition: 1) with, near, together with 1a) with, together with 1b) with (of relationship) 1c) near (of place) 1d) with (poss.) 1e) from...with, from (with other prep)
Usage: Occurs in 787 OT verses. KJV: against, among, before, by, for, from, in(-to), (out) of, with. Often with another prepositional prefix. See also: Genesis 4:1; Genesis 42:32; Numbers 1:5.
רֵעֵ֨/הוּ֙
rêaʻ
H7453
"neighbor"
N-ms | Suff
A neighbor or friend is what this word means, describing someone close to you. It can also refer to a companion, fellow citizen, or another person, and is often translated as brother or friend.
Definition: 1) friend, companion, fellow, another person 1a) friend, intimate 1b) fellow, fellow-citizen, another person (weaker sense) 1c) other, another (reciprocal phrase)
Usage: Occurs in 173 OT verses. KJV: brother, companion, fellow, friend, husband, lover, neighbour, [idiom] (an-) other. See also: Genesis 11:3; Job 42:7; Psalms 12:3.
יְדַבֵּ֔ר
dâbar
H1696
"to speak"
V-Piel-Imperf-3ms
To speak or communicate, like God speaking to Moses in Exodus or a king commanding his people. It can also mean to promise or warn someone.
Definition: : speak/tell/command 1) to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing 1a) (Qal) to speak 1b) (Niphal) to speak with one another, talk 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to speak 1c2) to promise 1d) (Pual) to be spoken 1e) (Hithpael) to speak 1f) (Hiphil) to lead away, put to flight
Usage: Occurs in 1049 OT verses. KJV: answer, appoint, bid, command, commune, declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse, say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think, use (entreaties), utter, [idiom] well, [idiom] work. See also: Genesis 8:15; Exodus 12:25; Leviticus 23:9.
וּ/בְ/קִרְבּ֖/וֹ
qereb
H7130
"entrails"
Conj | Prep | N-ms | Suff
This Hebrew word means the inner part or midst of something, whether physical or emotional, and can refer to the entrails of an animal or the seat of thought and emotion. In 1 Kings 17:21, it describes Elijah's emotional plea to God.
Definition: : among/within 1) midst, among, inner part, middle 1a) inward part 1a1) physical sense 1a2) as seat of thought and emotion 1a3) as faculty of thought and emotion 1b) in the midst, among, from among (of a number of persons) 1c) entrails (of sacrificial animals) Also means: qe.rev (קֶ֫רֶב ": inner_parts" H7130H)
Usage: Occurs in 220 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] among, [idiom] before, bowels, [idiom] unto charge, [phrase] eat (up), [idiom] heart, [idiom] him, [idiom] in, inward ([idiom] -ly, part, -s, thought), midst, [phrase] out of, purtenance, [idiom] therein, [idiom] through, [idiom] within self. See also: Genesis 18:12; Joshua 7:12; Psalms 5:10.
יָשִׂ֥ים
sûwm
H7760
"to set"
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms
This Hebrew word means to put or place something, and is used in many different ways in the Bible, such as to appoint or determine something. It is first used in Genesis to describe God's creation. In the KJV, it is translated as 'appoint' or 'set' in various contexts.
Definition: : make/establish 1) to put, place, set, appoint, make 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to put, set, lay, put or lay upon, lay (violent) hands on 1a2) to set, direct, direct toward 1a2a) to extend (compassion) (fig) 1a3) to set, ordain, establish, found, appoint, constitute, make, determine, fix 1a4) to set, station, put, set in place, plant, fix 1a5) to make, make for, transform into, constitute, fashion, work, bring to pass, appoint, give 1b) (Hiphil) to set or make for a sign 1c) (Hophal) to be set
Usage: Occurs in 550 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] any wise, appoint, bring, call (a name), care, cast in, change, charge, commit, consider, convey, determine, [phrase] disguise, dispose, do, get, give, heap up, hold, impute, lay (down, up), leave, look, make (out), mark, [phrase] name, [idiom] on, ordain, order, [phrase] paint, place, preserve, purpose, put (on), [phrase] regard, rehearse, reward, (cause to) set (on, up), shew, [phrase] stedfastly, take, [idiom] tell, [phrase] tread down, (over-)turn, [idiom] wholly, work. See also: Genesis 2:8; Leviticus 20:5; 1 Samuel 21:13.
אָרְבּֽ/וֹ
ʼôreb
H696
"ambush"
N-ms | Suff
The Hebrew word for ambush or a hiding place, it can also mean treachery or deceit. In the Bible, it is often used to describe a surprise attack. It appears in stories like Joshua 8:14.
Definition: 1) ambuscade, hiding place 2) treachery, deceit (fig.)
Usage: Occurs in 1 OT verses. KJV: wait. See also: Jeremiah 9:7.
Study Notes — Jeremiah 9:7
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Jeremiah 9:7 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Jeremiah 9:7
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Jeremiah 9:7
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Jeremiah 9:7
- Trapp's Commentary on Jeremiah 9:7
- Ellicott's Commentary on Jeremiah 9:7
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Jeremiah 9:7
- Cambridge Bible on Jeremiah 9:7
- Whedon's Commentary on Jeremiah 9:7
- Sermons on Jeremiah 9:7
Context — A Lament over Zion
5Each one betrays his friend; no one tells the truth. They have taught their tongues to lie; they wear themselves out committing iniquity.
6You dwell in the midst of deception; in their deceit they refuse to know Me,” declares the LORD.
7Therefore this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Behold, I will refine them and test them, for what else can I do because of the daughter of My people?
8Their tongues are deadly arrows; they speak deception. With his mouth a man speaks peace to his neighbor, but in his heart he sets a trap for him. 9Should I not punish them for these things? declares the LORD. Should I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?”Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaiah 1:25 | I will turn My hand against you; I will thoroughly purge your dross; I will remove all your impurities. |
| 2 | Jeremiah 6:27 | “I have appointed you to examine My people like ore, so you may know and try their ways. |
| 3 | Malachi 3:3 | And He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver. Then they will present offerings to the LORD in righteousness. |
| 4 | Isaiah 48:10 | See, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. |
| 5 | Zechariah 13:9 | This third I will bring through the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are My people,’ and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God.’” |
| 6 | Hosea 11:8–9 | How could I give you up, O Ephraim? How could I surrender you, O Israel? How could I make you like Admah? How could I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart is turned within Me; My compassion is stirred! I will not execute the full fury of My anger; I will not turn back to destroy Ephraim. For I am God and not man— the Holy One among you— and I will not come in wrath. |
| 7 | 1 Peter 1:7 | so that the proven character of your faith—more precious than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. |
| 8 | 1 Peter 4:12 | Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial that has come upon you, as though something strange were happening to you. |
| 9 | Ezekiel 22:18–22 | “Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to Me. All of them are copper, tin, iron, and lead inside the furnace; they are but the dross of silver. Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because all of you have become dross, behold, I will gather you into Jerusalem. Just as one gathers silver, copper, iron, lead, and tin into the furnace to melt with a fiery blast, so I will gather you in My anger and wrath, leave you there, and melt you. Yes, I will gather you together and blow on you with the fire of My wrath, and you will be melted within the city. As silver is melted in a furnace, so you will be melted within the city. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have poured out My wrath upon you.’” |
| 10 | Jeremiah 6:29–30 | The bellows blow fiercely, blasting away the lead with fire. The refining proceeds in vain, for the wicked are not purged. They are called rejected silver, because the LORD has rejected them.” |
Jeremiah 9:7 Summary
This verse means that God is going to refine and test His people, which is like purifying silver in a furnace, to make them pure and strong. He does this because He loves them and wants to help them, especially those who are suffering and oppressed. Just like a parent disciplines their child to help them grow and learn, God disciplines His people to help them become more like Him, as seen in Proverbs 3:11-12 and Hebrews 12:5-6. By trusting in God's refining and testing process, we can become more pure, strong, and faithful, just as God desires for us.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean for God to 'refine' and 'test' His people?
This means God will purify and prove the hearts of His people, much like silver is refined in a furnace, as seen in Psalm 66:10 and Isaiah 48:10, to reveal their true character and faithfulness.
Why does God say 'because of the daughter of My people'?
The 'daughter of My people' refers to the vulnerable and innocent among God's people, such as the poor, widows, and orphans, as seen in Isaiah 10:2, and God is motivated to act because of their suffering and oppression.
Is God's refining and testing a form of punishment or discipline?
While God's refining and testing can be a form of discipline, as seen in Hebrews 12:10-11, its ultimate purpose is to purify and restore His people, not to punish them, as seen in Zechariah 13:9 and Malachi 3:3.
How does this verse relate to God's love for His people?
This verse shows that God's love for His people is not passive, but active and transformative, as seen in Jeremiah 31:3 and Hosea 11:1-4, and He is willing to take drastic measures to refine and restore them to a right relationship with Himself.
Reflection Questions
- What are the ways in which I have been refined and tested by God, and how have I responded to these experiences?
- How can I trust God's refining and testing process in my life, even when it is difficult or painful?
- What are the areas of my life where I need to be purified and restored, and how can I surrender these areas to God?
- How can I be a source of comfort and support to those who are being refined and tested by God, just as God is a refuge for the vulnerable and oppressed?
Gill's Exposition on Jeremiah 9:7
Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts,.... Because of this deceit and hypocrisy, and lying: behold, I will melt them, and try them: as the refiner does his gold and silver, by putting them into the
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Jeremiah 9:7
Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, I will melt them, and try them; for how shall I do for the daughter of my people? I will melt them and try them - by sending calamities on them.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Jeremiah 9:7
I will melt them, and try them; the same metaphor used ; try them by melting them, i.e. either I will try what lesser afflictions will do before I do utterly destroy them; or rather, I will bring judgment upon them, the fire and fury of the Chaldean war, that shall clear away their dross from among them, and purge away those deceits in which they trust, that fire remnant may be purified, ; as when the dross is separated from metals, the rest remains pure: see on . How shall I do? q. d. There is no remedy, I have tried all other means, and they have been ineffectual, any people will take no wanting; they are grown to such a height of impiety, that I can do no less, though they are any people, . Or God doth expostulate with them, How can you expect that I should treat you otherwise, that have so provoked me, and whose impieties have redounded so much to any dishonour?
Trapp's Commentary on Jeremiah 9:7
Jeremiah 9:7 Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, I will melt them, and try them; for how shall I do for the daughter of my people?Ver. 7. Behold, I will melt them and try them.] I will cast them into the fiery crucible of sharp affliction. A metaphor from metallaries. See Jeremiah 6:29. For how should I do for the daughter of my people?] i.e., How should I do otherwise? What can I do less to them though they are my people, since they are so shamelessly, so lawlessly wicked? An unruly patient maketh a cruel physician; a desperate disease must have a desperate remedy.
Ellicott's Commentary on Jeremiah 9:7
(7) I will melt them, and try them.—The prophet, speaking in the name of Jehovah, falls back upon the imagery of Jer 6:28-30; Isaiah 48:10. The evil has come to such a pass that nothing is left but the melting of the fiery furnace of affliction. How else could He act for the daughter of His people? The phrase throws us back upon Jeremiah 8:21-22. The balm of Gilead had proved ineffectual. The disease required a severer remedy.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Jeremiah 9:7
Verse 7. Behold, I will melt them] I will put them in the furnace of affliction, and see if this will be a means of purging away their dross. See Clarke on Jeremiah 6:27.
Cambridge Bible on Jeremiah 9:7
7. melt] the same Hebrew word as “refining” in Jeremiah 6:29, where see note, and cp. Zechariah 13:9. how else should] or, how (terribly) will. because of the daughter] LXX probably rightly has because of the evil of the daughter, etc. Cp. Jeremiah 7:12, Jeremiah 32:32.
Whedon's Commentary on Jeremiah 9:7
7. I will melt them… try them — Even their punishment is not simply retributive, but rather, corrective. God punishes for their sake and not for his own. He puts them into the crucible, not to torture, but to purify.
Sermons on Jeremiah 9:7
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
Their Dregs and Dross by Thomas Brooks | Thomas Brooks emphasizes that God uses severe providences and fiery trials to refine and purify His people from sin, much like how gold and silver are refined in fire. He illustrat |
|
Brought to a Safe Place by David Wilkerson | David Wilkerson emphasizes that even the most faithful Christians can face overwhelming trials and suffering, which may lead them to question God's presence in their pain. He reass |
|
The Problem of Unbelief by Bill McLeod | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of allowing God to refine and purify us. He references Isaiah 1, where God promises to remove impurities from His people like |
|
The Word of Knowledge by the Same Spirit by Smith Wigglesworth | Smith Wigglesworth emphasizes the importance of the word of knowledge through the Holy Spirit, urging believers to fully embrace God's revelation and mix it with faith for it to be |
|
|
It Was Good for Me to Be Afflicted! by Thomas Brooks | Thomas Brooks emphasizes the transformative power of affliction in the life of a believer, asserting that trials serve to purify the soul, reveal sin, and deepen one's relationship |
|
Eradication, Suppression, or Counteraction, Which? by Charles William Butler | Charles William Butler delves into the theological terms 'eradication,' 'suppression,' and 'counteraction' in Christian holiness, emphasizing the need to base doctrines on the trut |
|
Isaiah and Jerusalem by A.B. Simpson | A.B. Simpson explores the profound messages of the prophet Isaiah, emphasizing his dual focus on sin and judgment for Jerusalem, alongside a hopeful vision of redemption and restor |