Jeremiah 9:7

7 Therefore, thus says Yahweh of hosts: "Look, I [am] about to refine them, and I will test them, for what else can I do, because of the {presence} of the daughter of my people?

Jeremiah 9:7 Meaning and Commentary

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 fire of afflictions, and thereby remove their dross and corruption from them. So the Targum,

``behold, I will bring distress upon them, and melt them, and try them.''

For how shall I do for the daughter of my people?
the sense is, what could be done otherwise or better? what was more fit or proper to be done, than to melt and try them, and purge away their sin, "from the face of the daughter of my people", as the words may be rendered? The Septuagint version is, "what shall I do from the face of the wickedness of my people?" and so the Targum,

``what shall I do from before the sins of the congregation of my people?''

that is, by way of resentment of them, and in order to remove them.

Jeremiah 9:7 In-Context

5 And everyone deceives his neighbor, and they do not speak [the] truth, they have taught their tongues to speak lies, they are tired [from] going astray.

6 Your dwelling [is] in the midst of deceit, upon deceit they refuse to know me," {declares} Yahweh.

7 Therefore, thus says Yahweh of hosts: "Look, I [am] about to refine them, and I will test them, for what else can I do, because of the {presence} of the daughter of my people?

8 Their tongue [is] a murderous arrow, it speaks deceit. With his mouth he speaks peace with his neighbor, but in his inner parts he sets up his ambush.

9 Because of these [things] shall I not punish them?" {declares} Yahweh, "On a nation that [is] like this shall I not take revenge?