Jeremiah 5:9

9 ¹Shall I not punish them for these things? declares the LORD; and shall I not avenge myself on a nation such as this?

Jeremiah 5:9 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 5:9

Shall I not visit for these things? saith the Lord
For such adulteries and lasciviousness, and that in a way of punishment. The Targum adds,

``to bring evil upon them;''

the evil of punishment for the evil of sin: and shall not my soul be avenged upon such a nation as this?
which cannot delight in sin, but hates it; and therefore must punish for it; vindictive and punitive justice is essential to God; as sin is contrary to his nature, it is agreeable to it to punish for it; he cannot but do it; and he does avenge all sin, either on the sinner himself, or on his surety.

Jeremiah 5:9 In-Context

7 "How can I pardon you? Your children have forsaken me and have sworn by those who are no gods. When I fed them to the full, they committed adultery and trooped to the houses of whores.

8 They were well-fed, lusty stallions, each neighing for his neighbor's wife.

9 Shall I not punish them for these things? declares the LORD; and shall I not avenge myself on a nation such as this?

10 "Go up through her vine rows and destroy, but make not a full end; strip away her branches, for they are not the LORD's.

11 For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have been utterly treacherous to me, declares the LORD.

Cross References

• 1. ver. 29; Jeremiah 9:9; [Romans 2:2]