Jeremiah 7:8-11
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The phrase "lying words" here doesn't just refer to outright falsehoods from false prophets; it points to a deeper deception where religious practices become a substitute for genuine obedience. The people believed their rituals and their temple worship offered them protection and benefit, but these "words" of their actions were empty because they didn't align with their moral actions.
“Behold, you trust in deceptive words to no avail. Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, ‘We are delivered!’—only to go on doing all these abominations? Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I myself have seen it, declares the LORD.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah is confronting the people of Jerusalem who are coming to worship at the Temple. He's just told them that God's name is called upon this house, but they've turned it into a den of robbers through their wicked actions. Now, he directly accuses them of relying on empty promises and deceptive words rather than genuine repentance, highlighting that these hollow assurances will ultimately bring them no good.
What if the words you trust are leading you nowhere? Jeremiah calls out a dangerous kind of confidence that’s built on a lie.
Jeremiah confronts the people of Judah with their misplaced trust. They are clinging to 'deceptive words' – empty promises and false assurances – that offer no real benefit. These aren't just idle phrases; they represent a deep-seated reliance on things that won't actually save them. This could be the smooth talk of false prophets who promise peace and security, or perhaps a self-deception that their religious practices alone guarantee God’s favor, even while they live in sin. The core issue is a trust that is fundamentally misplaced, offering no lasting profit or true salvation.
Their worship was loud, but their lives were loud with sin. What’s the true cost of a faith that’s all show and no substance?
The people of Judah were engaging in religious rituals, likely coming to the Temple and performing outward acts of worship. However, Jeremiah highlights a stark contrast between their religious performance and their actual behavior. They were involved in serious moral failings like stealing, murdering, and idolatry. Their trust wasn't in God's heart, but in the 'lying words' that perhaps suggested their temple attendance or sacrifices would somehow cover their sin. This teaches us that God isn't impressed by empty religious acts. True worship involves a transformed life where our actions align with our devotion. Relying on ceremonies without genuine repentance and obedience is a deceptive trust that ultimately profits nothing.
Understand the original words
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batach · Hebrew Verb
To rely on, put confidence in, or feel secure in something or someone. In a spiritual sense, trust should be placed in the Lord; trusting in deceptive things leads to vanity and spiritual ruin.
ganav · Hebrew Verb
The taking of something that does not belong to you, violating the commandment against theft. It represents a lack of respect for another’s property and for God’s provision.
ratsach · Hebrew Verb
The act of killing a human being, forbidden by the moral law of God. It is a fundamental violation of the sanctity of human life, which is made in the image of God.
na'aph · Hebrew Verb
Sexual relations between a married person and someone other than their spouse. It is a serious moral transgression that violates the covenant of marriage and reflects unfaithfulness to God’s design for human relationships.
shava sheqer · Hebrew Verb phrase
Bearing false witness or giving an untrue testimony under oath. This act is detestable to God as it perverts justice and misuses the sacred invocation of His name.
Ba'al · Hebrew Noun
A Canaanite storm god. Worship of Baal was a frequent trap for ancient Israel, representing the abandonment of the Covenant with Yahweh for the pursuit of material fertility and power.
to'ebah · Hebrew Noun
Something detestable, loathsome, or morally repugnant to God. It often refers to idolatrous practices or gross sins that violate the holiness of God and defile His people.
bayith · Hebrew Noun
A physical structure dedicated to the worship of God, representing His presence among His people; in the Old Testament, it primarily refers to the Tabernacle or the Temple in Jerusalem.
mearah · Hebrew Noun
A term used to describe a place where people hide or retreat; metaphorically, it denotes a place where wicked or corrupt people feel secure in their wrongdoing.
parits · Hebrew Noun
One who seizes property by force or fraud; in a spiritual sense, it refers to those who exploit their position or God’s provision for selfish, sinful ends.
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal, covenantal name of the God of Israel (YHWH), signifying His self-existence, faithfulness to His promises, and supreme authority.
The people of Judah, facing escalating threats from Babylon, clung to a false sense of security. They believed their trust in the Temple and its rituals would save them, despite their moral and spiritual corruption. Jeremiah's message, delivered during the Babylonian invasions, starkly contrasts this misplaced confidence with the reality of God's judgment on disobedience.
Late 8th Century BC
Assyrian Siege of Jerusalem
Under King Hezekiah, Jerusalem successfully withstands a siege by the Assyrian army led by Sennacherib. This event fostered a strong sense of divine protection and chosenness among the people.
626 BC
Josiah's Religious Reforms Begin
King Josiah initiates sweeping reforms, centralizing worship in Jerusalem and destroying idolatrous practices. This period likely saw increased emphasis on Jerusalem's Temple as the sole legitimate place of worship.
c. 609 BC
Death of King Josiah
Josiah is killed in battle at Megiddo, leading to political instability and a weakening of his reforms. This marked a turning point, and subsequent rulers were less devoted to spiritual renewal.
605 BC— this verse
First Deportation to Babylon
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquers Judah and carries off prominent citizens, including members of the royal family and educated elite, to Babylon. Jeremiah's ministry is active during this escalating crisis.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Following a rebellion, Jerusalem is besieged again, and King Jehoiachin along with thousands more citizens, including the prophet Ezekiel, are exiled to Babylon. The Temple is damaged but not destroyed.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
Nebuchadnezzar's forces finally destroy Jerusalem, its walls, and the First Temple. The remaining population is largely exiled to Babylon, marking the end of Judah as an independent kingdom.
This passage directly parallels Jeremiah 7:8, highlighting how prophets preach lies and the people love to have it so, emphasizing the deceptive words that offer no true profit.
Matthew 7:21-23Jesus warns that many who claim to do miracles in His name will be rejected, echoing Jeremiah's message that empty words and false confidence in religious practices are ultimately of no avail.
Isaiah 29:13-14This passage speaks of people honoring God with their lips but having hearts far from Him, showing that outward religious acts without sincere obedience are 'vain worship' and will not profit, much like the 'lying words' Jeremiah condemns.
Romans 10:14-17This passage discusses the importance of hearing and believing the true message, contrasting it with a reliance on something else; it connects to Jeremiah's critique by showing that trust in anything other than God's word, especially deceptive words, leads to futility.
cambridgeJeremiah 7:8: "Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit."
8 . that cannot profit ] Or perhaps, so that ye profit not . 8–11 . See introd. note on the section.
ellicottJeremiah 7:8: "Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit."
(8) Lying words. —With special reference to those already cited in Jeremiah 7:4 .
The phrase "lying words" here doesn't just refer to outright falsehoods from false prophets; it points to a deeper deception where religious practices become a substitute for genuine obedience. The people believed their rituals and their temple worship offered them protection and benefit, but these "words" of their actions were empty because they didn't align with their moral actions.
Jeremiah is confronting the people of Jerusalem who are coming to worship at the Temple. He's just told them that God's name is called upon this house, but they've turned it into a den of robbers through their wicked actions. Now, he directly accuses them of relying on empty promises and deceptive words rather than genuine repentance, highlighting that these hollow assurances will ultimately bring them no good.
Jeremiah is confronting the people of Jerusalem who are coming to worship at the Temple. He's just told them that God's name is called upon this house, but they've turned it into a den of robbers through their wicked actions. Now, he directly accuses them of relying on empty promises and deceptive words rather than genuine repentance, highlighting that these hollow assurances will ultimately bring them no good.
"“Behold, you trust in deceptive words to no avail. Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which is c…" — The phrase "lying words" here doesn't just refer to outright falsehoods from false prophets; it points to a deeper deception where religious practices become a substitute for genuine obedience. The p…
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Last reviewed October 2026
