Jeremiah 7:16

16 The Lord said, "Jeremiah, do not pray for these people. Do not cry or pray on their behalf; do not plead with me, for I will not listen to you.

Jeremiah 7:16 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 7:16

Therefore pray not thou for this people
These are the words of the Lord to the Prophet Jeremiah, forbidding him to pray for the people of the Jews; which he either was doing, or about to do, and which, from the great affection he had for them, he was inclined unto; wherefore, to show how much the Lord was displeased with them, and how determined he was to punish them with captivity, he orders the prophet not to make any supplication for them: neither lift up cry nor prayer for them;
referring to the gestures of lifting up the eyes and hands in prayer, and also to the frame of the heart, in the exercise of faith and holy confidence: "cry" and "prayer" are put together, because prayer is sometimes made, especially when persons are in great distress, with strong cryings and tears; see ( Hebrews 5:7 ) : neither make intercession to me;
or, "meet me" ^F15; or come between him and this people, and so act the part of a mediator, of which office intercession is a branch; it properly belongs to Christ. The Jews say

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 there is no (heygp) , "meeting", but prayer, or that is always intended by it; for proof of which they cite this passage: for I will not hear thee;
on the behalf of them, being so highly provoked by them, and determined they should go into captivity; see ( Jeremiah 15:1 ) .
F15 (yb egpt law) "et ne oecurras mihi", Calvin; "et ne obsistas mihi", V. L. "et ne intervenias apud me", Tigurine version.
F16 T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 26. 2. Taanith, fol. 7. 2. & 8. 1. Sota, fol. 14. 1. & Sanhedrin, fol. 95. 2.

Jeremiah 7:16 In-Context

14 And so, what I did to Shiloh I will do to this Temple of mine, in which you trust. Here in this place that I gave to your ancestors and you, I will do the same thing that I did to Shiloh.

15 I will drive you out of my sight as I drove out your relatives, the people of Israel. I, the Lord, have spoken."

16 The Lord said, "Jeremiah, do not pray for these people. Do not cry or pray on their behalf; do not plead with me, for I will not listen to you.

17 Don't you see what they are doing in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem?

18 The children gather firewood, the men build fires, and the women mix dough to bake cakes for the goddess they call the Queen of Heaven. They also pour out offerings of wine to other gods, in order to hurt me.