Jeremiah 7

God causeth his people to be exhoeted to true repentance, and ceasing from their vain confidence in their vain confidence in the outward worship of God and the Temple,with an upbraidind of their wivked and impudent abuse thereof, vers. 1 , etc. He threateneth them with the example of salv, 12. He forbiddeth the Prophet to pray for the people, because of their idolatrous outrages, 16. He exhorteth them to mourn for the abominations of Prophet, in the valley of the son hinnom, 29.

1. The word that came to Jeremia, from the LORD, saying:

2. Stand in the gates of the LORD's house, [That is, the Temple, as vers.4.] and proclaim here this word,and say: Hear the word of the LORD, O all Juda, ye that enter in thorow these gates, to worship the LORD. [Hebr. Properly, to bow yourselves, or, to bow down before the LORD. See Genes.24. On vers 26.]

3. Thus saith the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel; Make your wayes and dealings good: [Whereas your conversation and dealing at present is wicked, therefore amend it so, as that departing from evil, ye purpose and practise thing that is good, that is, truly repent. See below, vers.5. and chap.18.11, etc. The word amending, signifieth otherwise to make a thing that is good, yet better, and so to grow and increase in goodness] then will I cause you to dwell in this place [To wit,settle you from age to age in your habitation, as below vers 7.]

4. Trust not in false words, [Hebr. words or, things of lying, or, of falsehood; that is, whereby you should come short and deceive yourselves. So below vers.8] saying: The temple of the LORD, THE temple of the LORD are thefe.[As it were pointing with the finger at the building of the Temple, wherein the Court, the Holy place, and the Holy ofHolies, were all of them called Holy places, and habitations of the Lord. This was the vain compfor and confindence of the false Prophets, whereby they hardned the people in their wickednes: To wit, that there were no danger, because they had the Temple, and the Temple- worshop among them, wherey they thought to be sufficiently secured, although in the mean while they lived wickedly, and thereby prophaned all things,as is shewd in the sequel. Oth. These things( to wit, our services) (pertain to) the Temple : the meaning being one, and the fame with the former.]

5. but if ye shall truly make good your wayes: if ye shall truly do judgement [Hebr. Making good, shall make good, and doing judgement, shall do judgement] between the man, and between his neighbour: Compare above chap 5.28]

6. (If ye) shall not oppresse the stranger, the fatherless and wiow, [See 1Sai 10.1,2:] and shed no innecent blood in this place. [See isa 59.7] and shall not walk after other gods, to your evil: For which you should be fain to fare ill]

7. Then will i cause you to dwell in this place, in the Land, that i gave to your father, from age to age. [That is, from one age to another; that is, for ever.]

8. Behold, ye trust in false words, [As above vers .] that profit not.

9. Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear false, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not?

10. And (then) come and stand my face in this house, [As if the Lord should sa, Are ye not ashamed to deal to hypocritically and wickedly?] which is called by my Name, [Hebr. Upon which my Name is called, or, proclaimed. So vers 11.14,30 and below chap 14.9. and 15 16 etc. Compare the phrase with Isai 4 1.] and say, We are delivered, [That is, There is no cause to fear, we are now free and out of danger, we shall cerainly worship] to do all thse abominations? [That is, to give your selves this leave and liberty, and to harden your selves more and more in this wikednes, and to go on in it. Oth. That we may do all these abominations]

11. Is then this house, which is aclled by my Name, a den of murderers [Hebr. Properly, breakers though, breakers in; that is, such as use violence, high – way men, theeves, robbers, murderers. See Psal 17. on vers 4] inyour eyes? [That is, do ye so esteem of it? Is it in your judgement such an house , etc? Compare Matth 21.13. Mark 11:17. Luke 19:46] Behold , i have also seen it, saith the LORD. [As if God should say, Are ye not ashamed to commit such abominations in my fight, before mine eyes? Know therefore also, that i do behold it, and i will requite it: for, etc]

12. For go your wayes now unto my place, wich was at Silo, where i caused my Name to dwell [See Psal 78.60. and compare 1 Kings 8:13. with the annotat] at the first, [After that Joshua had taken possetion of the Landof Cannan. See Joshua 18:1] and see what i did to it, captive by Philistines. See 1 Sam 4.11 Psal 78. 60,61. and afterward caused the ten tribes, under which Silo lay, to be carried away cative into Assyria. See vers 14.15] because of the wickedness on my people Israel.

13. And now, because ye do all these works, saith the LORD, and i spake unto you, being up early, and speaking, [That is, sending my Prophets unto you early, and be-times, constantly and continually, with fingular diligence. See 2 Chron 36 on vers 15 so below vers25. And chap 11.7 and so often in this book] but ye heard not, i called you, but answered not: [see Proverbs 1:24 Isaiah 65:12 and 66.4]

14. Therefore will i do [By the Babylonians] unto this house, which is called by my Name, wherein ye trust, and unto this place, which i gave to you, and to your fathers, according as i have done to Silo.

15. And i will cast yoe away from my face;[Compare 2Kings 17 on vers 18] like as i have cast away all your breathern, the whole seed of Epharaim.[meaning, the ten tribes comprehended often under the name of Epharaim ( As the greatest, chiefest , and noblest tribes) which where caried away out of their own Land into Assyria. See 2 Kings 17 vers 6 , 23 and 18. 11]

16. Thou then, pray not for this people neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, [The LORD speaketh this to Jeremiah] neither run apon me: [By interceding, or speaking for them. See Job 21:15. so below chap 27.18] for i will not hear thee .

17. Seest thou not what they do inthe citie of Judah, and in the streats of Jerusalem?

18. The childern gather up wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the weman need to dore to make; [That is bake] figures cake [With idolatrous figures, as some expound the Hebrew word] for the Melecheth of Heaven, [The Hebrew word that is here left in the text, is diversly expounded by the learned. Some trunslate it in the Queen of Heaven; whereby some do understand the Moon; others, some great star. Other render it, the work or , workmenship of Heaven; that is the whole firmament with all the stars. Compare below chap 8.2 and 19.13. and 44. 17,18,19,25 .] to offer [Or testing to power out see Psal 16 on vers 4 . so below chap 19.13 and 32.29. and 44.17,18,19& c .] drink- offerings unto other Gods, to vex me. [Or, to prvoke me to anger: the meaning of the whole verse is, There are all made and distructed with there idoltry.]

19. Do they vex me, saith the LORD? (do they) not (do it) to them selves? [Or, is it not to, or, against themselves?] to the confusion of their (own) face?

20. Therefore thus saith the Lord LORD; Behold , mine anger, and my fury shall be poured out upon this place, upon men, and upon beasts, [Hebr. Upon the men, and upon he beast] and upon the tree of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground : and (it) shall burn, and not be quenched.

21. Thus saith the LORD of Host, the God of Israel: Put your burnt – offering unto your slay – offerings, and eat flesh. [As if the Lord should say; Offer as much you will, and fill yur selves full with the thank offerings: ye do this for your selves, not to serve me by it, (Compare Hosea 8:13.) as is showed in the sequel]

22. For i spakenot unto your father, nor commanded them, in the da when i brought them forth out of the Land of Egypt, concerning matters of burnt – offering or slay offering. [The meaning is , This was not the chiefest thing that i commanded them, as ye hypocrites conveive of it, but such sincere obedence, which they have not yeilded unto me, and ye yet lesse do yeed, as folloeth. See of such use of the word not, Hos.6. On vers 6. and below chap 16. on vers. 14.]

23. But this thing commanded i them, saying, Heartken to my voice, [See Deut.6.3.] so will i be a God unto you, [See Genes. 17. on vers 7. Compare Exodus 19:5. Levit 26.12] and ye shall be people unto me: See Deut 7. on vers. 6.] and walk in all they way, that i shall command you, that it may go well with you.

24. But they be hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walk in the counfels,inthe opinion [see above chap 3.on vers 17] of their evil heart: and they turned [Heb. Became, or, were] backward, and not forward. [Hebr according to, or, before the face. That is, they turned their neck, or, back, and not their face towards me, as above chap 2.27. and below chap 32.33,etc]

25. From that day, that your father were come forth out of the Land of Egypt, unto this day, i have sent unto you all my servants, the Prophets, daily, being up early and fending. [That is, sealonably and constantly fending. Compare above vers.13.]

26. But they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear: but they hardened their neck, [See Exod 32. on v.9 also below chap 17.23. and 19.15 Nehem 9.17,29] they made it worse than theiir fathers.

27. Also thou shalt speak all these words unto them, but they shall not hearken unto thee: thou shalt indeed call unto them, but they shall not answer thee.

28. Therefore say unto them; this is the people, that hearkeneth not unto the voice of the LORD their God, nor receiveth discipline; [See above chap 5.1.] is perished, and destroyed [Or, cut off] from their their mouth.[That is, they all deal hypocritically, unfaithfully , and falsely, they keep not their word nor faith with their God]

29. Cut off the hair of thine head, [A token of great mourning. See Job 1:20, Isia 15.2 and below chap 16 on vers 6. The Hebrew word signifieth such kinde of hair, that a man hath let grow long, and from fame root cometh also the word Nezirite, of which see Numb.6.2,5. And Judges 13:5. (O Jerusalem) and cast it away, and take up a Lamentation upon the high places: for the LORD hath rejected and for saken the generation [See Psal 12. on v.8] of his indignation.[r, running up, or, over- running anger; Or, (as lome) that had provoked his wrath, it cometh all to one sense. Compare Deut.32.on vers 19.]

30. For the children of Juda have done that have done that which is evil in mine eyes, saith the LORD : they have set their abominations[as above chap.4.1.] in the house [The Temple] which is aclled my Name, [As above vers 10.] to pollute it.

31. And they have built the high places of Topheth, [See of abomination, 2 Kings 23 on vers 10] which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, [2 Kings 23:10 called the valley of the children (Hebr. Sons) of Hinnom. See there and below chap 32.35.] to burn their sons and their daughters with fire: which i commanded not, [But indeed have sharply forbidden, and abhorred it. See Leviticus 18:21] neither came (it) into mine heart. {Or, ascended up into, or, upon mine heart. It is spoken of God after the manner of men; as we use to say, it never came into my minde, it came not once into my heart, it never vascended into my thoughts; meaning that i should command them such abominations, or, thst i should be pleaded with them. Compare above chap 3.16. and below 19. and 32.35. and 51.50. also Ezech. The same phrase is used somewhat otherwise below chap 44.21. for, to lay to heart, or that something cometh up into the heart, to observe and to punish it]

32. Therefore behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that it shall no more be called Topheth, nor the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of murder: and they shall [Or, men shall,&c.] bury in Topheth, [This place, which the idolatrous Jews by their abominable Idolatry held to be very holy, shall be then polluted by dead bodies of the slain. So below chapter 19.11,13] be because there shall be no place. [Oth, till there be no more place]

33. And the carcases [Hebr. The carase. So below chap 16.4 and 34.20 etc] of this people shall be meat for the fowls of Heaven, and for the beast of the earth : See Deut.28.26 below chap 34.25] and none shall sray them away.[Chafe away the fowls, or the beasts from the carcafes]

34. And i will cause to sease fro the Cities of Juda , and from the street of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bride groom and the voice of the bride : [Compare Isai 24.7 below chapter 16.9 and 25.10 Ezech 26.13 Hosea 2:11] for the Land shall become a defolation. [Compare above chap 6.8]