Jeremiah 7:16

16 Therefore do not thou pray for this people, neither take thou praising and prayer for them; and against-stand thou not me, for I shall not hear thee. (And so do not thou pray for this people, neither make thou praising or prayer for them; and do not thou stand before me for them, for I shall not listen to thee.)

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 I shall do to this house, wherein my name is called to help, and in which house ye have trust, and to the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I did to Shiloh. (so now I shall do to this House, where my name is called on for help/which is called by my name, and in which House ye have trust, yea, to the place which I gave to you and your forefathers, what I did to Shiloh.)

15 And I shall cast you forth from my face, as I casted forth all your brethren, all the seed of Ephraim.

16 Therefore do not thou pray for this people, neither take thou praising and prayer for them; and against-stand thou not me, for I shall not hear thee. (And so do not thou pray for this people, neither make thou praising or prayer for them; and do not thou stand before me for them, for I shall not listen to thee.)

17 Whether thou seest not, what these men do in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem?

18 The sons gather sticks, and the fathers kindle a fire; and women sprinkle together (the) inner fatness, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, (and) to make sacrifice (of wine) to alien gods, and to stir me to wrathfulness. (The sons gather sticks, and their fathers kindle a fire, and the women altogether sprinkle the inner fatness, to make cakes for the queen of heaven, and they also offer a wine offering to strange, or foreign, gods, all to stir me to anger.)