Jeremiah 6:20

20 For what purpose to Me Comes frankincense from Sheba, And sweet cane from a far country? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, Nor your sacrifices sweet to Me."

Jeremiah 6:20 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 6:20

To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba
In Persia or Arabia, from whence incense was brought, and perhaps the best; see ( Isaiah 60:6 ) , and yet the offering of this was of no esteem with God, when the words of the prophet, and the law of his mouth, were despised; see ( Isaiah 1:13 ) : and the sweet cane from a far country?
either from the same place, Sheba, which was a country afar off, ( Joel 3:8 ) , or from India, as Jerom interprets it; this was one of the spices in the anointing oil, ( Exodus 30:23 ) and though this was of divine appointment, and an omission of it is complained of, ( Isaiah 43:24 ) yet when this was brought with a hypocritical heart, and to atone for neglects of the moral law, and sins committed against that, it was rejected by the Lord: your burnt, offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet
unto me:
being offered up with a wicked mind, and without faith in Christ, and in order to expiate the guilt of black crimes unrepented of, and continued in; they were not grateful to God, nor could he smell a sweet savour in them, but loathed and abhorred them; see ( Isaiah 1:11 ) .

Jeremiah 6:20 In-Context

18 Therefore hear, you nations, And know, O congregation, what is among them.

19 Hear, O earth! Behold, I will certainly bring calamity on this people-- The fruit of their thoughts, Because they have not heeded My words, Nor My law, but rejected it.

20 For what purpose to Me Comes frankincense from Sheba, And sweet cane from a far country? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, Nor your sacrifices sweet to Me."

21 Therefore thus says the Lord: "Behold, I will lay stumbling blocks before this people, And the fathers and the sons together shall fall on them. The neighbor and his friend shall perish."

22 Thus says the Lord: "Behold, a people comes from the north country, And a great nation will be raised from the farthest parts of the earth.