Jeremiah 7:17

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

Jeremiah 7:17 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 7:17

Seest thou not what they do in the cities Judah
Not in one city only, but in all of and particularly the chief of them; as follows: and in the streets of Jerusalem?
these words, with what is said next, show the reason why the prophet was forbid to pray for this people, and the Lord was so provoked with them as to cast them out of his sight; and he appeals to the prophet, and to what he saw, or which he might see; for what was done was done not in secret, but openly, in the very streets of the city; by which he might be sufficiently convinced it was but just with God to do what he determined to do with them.

Jeremiah 7:17 In-Context

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.)

19 Whether they stir me to wrathfulness? saith the Lord; whether they stir not themselves into [the] shame of their cheer? (Do they hurt me? saith the Lord; rather, do they not cover themselves with shame?)