Jeremiah 7:9-10
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The prophet doesn't just list their sins; he highlights their utter ignorance of the gods they were serving, contrasting it with the God they should have known through His mighty acts. This wasn't just casual disobedience; it was a profound rejection of the one true God who had revealed Himself so powerfully to them.
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?
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah confronts the people of Judah who are committing terrible sins like theft, murder, and adultery, even while participating in idolatrous worship of Baal and other foreign gods. They then come to the Temple in Jerusalem, a place dedicated to God, assuming their presence and sacrifices grant them immunity for their wickedness. The prophet is exposing their hypocrisy, revealing that God sees their sin and that their outward religious acts are meaningless when their hearts and actions are far from Him.
Jeremiah throws a whole heap of offenses at the people. What's the significance of mixing these particular sins together?
Notice how Jeremiah lists actions against their neighbors (steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely) right alongside actions against God (offerings to Baal, pursuing other gods). This isn't accidental.
Two Tables, One Disgrace
Jeremiah’s point is that their spiritual state was completely broken. They couldn't separate their actions towards people from their actions towards God. True worship isn't just about what happens inside the temple; it's about how you live your life outside it.
Why does Jeremiah emphasize that these other gods were 'unknown'?
This phrase, 'other gods that you have not known,' is a crucial detail. It points to a deep spiritual delusion.
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The Danger of the Unfamiliar
Understand the original words
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.
Jeremiah's fiery words in the Temple reveal a nation caught in a dangerous deception. They performed religious rituals while steeped in sin and idolatry, believing their participation in worship at God's house granted them impunity. Jeremiah exposes this hypocrisy, highlighting that God sees their hearts and actions, not just their outward shows.
c. 931 BC
Division of the Kingdom
Following King Solomon's death, the united kingdom of Israel splits into two: the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah. This division exacerbates religious and political instability.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The Assyrian Empire conquers the Northern Kingdom of Israel, deporting many of its inhabitants. Judah, though spared, is deeply affected and warned by this event.
c. 626 BC
Jeremiah Begins Prophesying
Jeremiah is called by God to prophesy in Judah during a time of spiritual decay and impending Babylonian threat. His ministry spans decades, including the final years of the kingdom.
c. 605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquers Judah and deports a first group of Judeans, including noble youths like Daniel, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of Judah's decline.
c. 597 BC
Second Babylonian Deportation
Babylon deports more Judeans, including the prophet Ezekiel and King Jehoiachin, after a revolt. Jerusalem's temple is despoiled.
c. 586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
The Babylonians, under Nebuchadnezzar, finally destroy Jerusalem and its magnificent Temple. The remaining population is exiled to Babylon, ending the Davidic monarchy in Judah.
During Jeremiah's Ministry (c. 626-586 BC)— this verse
Jeremiah's Temple Sermon
Jeremiah delivers his powerful sermon in the Jerusalem Temple, denouncing the people's hypocrisy: their outward religious observance masks rampant sin and idolatry, making God's house a 'den of robbers'.
This passage lays out the first two commandments, directly contrasting the commandment against having other gods and the commandment against coveting, which underpins sins like stealing and adultery mentioned in Jeremiah.
Isaiah 1:10-15Similar to Jeremiah, Isaiah denounces the empty religious rituals of his people who are also committing widespread sin, highlighting God's rejection of their worship when it's not accompanied by justice and righteousness.
Micah 6:6-8Micah's prophecy echoes Jeremiah's concern by questioning what kind of offerings and worship would be acceptable to God, ultimately pointing to the need for justice, mercy, and humility rather than mere outward rituals.
Matthew 7:21-23Jesus directly addresses the danger of performing religious acts, like prophesying or casting out demons in His name, while not doing the will of the Father, mirroring Jeremiah's condemnation of the Jews' hollow worship.
Romans 2:21-24Paul critiques the hypocrisy of those who outwardly adhere to the law but inwardly sin, showing how their actions bring disgrace to God's name, a theme powerfully illustrated in Jeremiah's prophecy.
calvinJeremiah 7:9-11: "Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not;"
Et venientes et stantes coram facie mea in domo hac (hoc est, in hoc templo,) super quam (vel, super quod) invocatum est nomen meum, dicetis, Liberati sumus ad faciendum (ut faciamus) omnes abominationes istas.
Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD.…
pulpitJeremiah 7:9: "Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not;"
Verse 9. - Will ye steal, etc.? rather, What I stealing, murdering, etc.? The construction is formed by a series of infinitives, preceded by an interrogative expressing extreme surprise, equivalent to "Is this your way of life - a course of theft, and so forth?"
The prophet doesn't just list their sins; he highlights their utter ignorance of the gods they were serving, contrasting it with the God they should have known through His mighty acts. This wasn't just casual disobedience; it was a profound rejection of the one true God who had revealed Himself so powerfully to them.
Jeremiah confronts the people of Judah who are committing terrible sins like theft, murder, and adultery, even while participating in idolatrous worship of Baal and other foreign gods. They then come to the Temple in Jerusalem, a place dedicated to God, assuming their presence and sacrifices grant them immunity for their wickedness. The prophet is exposing their hypocrisy, revealing that God sees their sin and that their outward religious acts are meaningless when their hearts and actions are far from Him.
Jeremiah confronts the people of Judah who are committing terrible sins like theft, murder, and adultery, even while participating in idolatrous worship of Baal and other foreign gods. They then come to the Temple in Jerusalem, a place dedicated to God, assuming their presence and sacrifices grant them immunity for their wickedness. The prophet is exposing their hypocrisy, revealing that God sees their sin and that their outward religious acts are meaningless when their hearts and actions are far from Him.
"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…" — The prophet doesn't just list their sins; he highlights their utter ignorance of the gods they were serving, contrasting it with the God they should have known through His mighty acts. This wasn'…
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Last reviewed October 2026
