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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Jeremiah 7:16–20. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
God had shown them, in the foregoing verses, that the temple and the service of it, of which they boasted and in which they trusted, should not avail to prevent the judgment threatened. But there was another thing which might stand them in some stead, and which yet they had no value for, and that was the prophet's intercession for them; his prayers would do them more good than their own pleas: now here that support is taken from them; and their case is said indeed who have lost their interest in the prayers of God's ministers and people.
I.God here forbids the prophet to pray for them (Jer 7:16):
"The decree has gone forth, their ruin is resolved on, therefore pray not thou for this people, that is, pray not for the preventing of this judgment threatened; they have sinned unto death, and therefore pray not for their life, but for the life of their souls," Jo1 5:16. See here,
1.That God's prophets are praying men; Jeremiah foretold the destruction of Judah and Jerusalem, and yet prayed for their preservation, not knowing that the decree was absolute; and it is the will of God that we pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Even when we threaten sinners with damnation we must pray for their salvation, that they may turn and live. Jeremiah was hated, and persecuted, and reproached, by the children of his people, and yet he prayed for them; for it becomes us to render good for evil.
2.That God's praying prophets have a great interest in heaven, how little soever they have on earth. When God has determined to destroy this people, he bespeaks the prophet not to pray for them, because he would not have his prayers to lie (as prophets' prayers seldom did) unanswered. God said to Moses, Let me alone, Exo 22:10.
3.It is an ill omen to a people when God restrains the spirits of his ministers and people from praying for them, and gives them to see their case so desperate that they have no heart to speak a good word for them.
4.Those that will not regard good ministers' preaching cannot expect any benefit by their praying. If you will not hear us when we speak from God to you, God will not hear us when we speak to him for you.
II.He gives him a reason for this prohibition.
Praying breath is too precious a thing to be lost and thrown away upon a people hardened in sin and marked for ruin.
1.They are resolved to persist in their rebellion against God, and will not be turned back by the prophet's preaching. For this he appeals to the prophet himself, and his own inspection and observation (Jer 7:17): Seest thou not what they do openly and publicly, without either shame or fear, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? This intimates both that the sin was evident and could not be denied and that the sinners were impudent and would not be reclaimed; they committed their wickedness even in the prophet's presence and under his eye; he saw what they did, and yet they did it, which was an affront to his office, and to him whose officer he was, and bade defiance to both. Now observe,
(1.)What the sin is with which they are here charged - it is idolatry, Jer 7:18. Their idolatrous respects are paid to the queen of heaven, the moon, either in an image or in the original, or both. They worshipped it probably under the name of Ashtaroth, or some other of their goddesses, being in love with the brightness in which they saw the moon walk, and thinking themselves indebted to her for her benign influences or fearing her malignant ones, Job 31:26. The worshipping of the moon was much in use among the heathen nations, Jer 44:17, Jer 44:19. Some read it the frame or workmanship of heaven. The whole celestial globe with all its ornaments and powers was the object of their adoration. They worshipped the host of heaven, Act 7:42. The homage they should have paid to their Prince they paid to the statues that beautified the frontispiece of his palace; they worshipped the creatures instead of him that made them, the servants instead of him that commands them, and the gifts instead of him that gave them. With the queen of heaven they worshipped other gods, images of things not only in heaven above, but in earth beneath, and in the waters under the earth; for those that forsake the true God wander endlessly after false ones. To these deities of their own making they offer cakes for meat-offerings, and pour out drink-offerings, as if they had their meat and drink from them and were obliged to make to them their acknowledgments: and see how busy they are, and how every hand is employed in the service of these idols, according as they used to be employed in their domestic services. The children were sent to gather wood; the fathers kindled the fire to heat the oven, being of the poorer sort that could not afford to keep servants to do it, yet they would rather do it themselves than it should be undone; the women kneaded the dough with their own hands, for perhaps, though they had servants to do it, they took a pride in showing their zeal for their idols by doing it themselves. Let us be instructed, even by this bad example, in the service of our God.
[1.]Let us honour him with our substance, as those that have our subsistence from him, and eat and drink to the glory of him from whom we have our meat and drink.
[2.]Let us not decline the hardest services, nor disdain to stoop to the meanest, by which God may be honoured; for none shall kindle a fire on God's altar for nought. Let us think it an honour to be employed in any work for God.
[3.]Let us bring up our children in the acts of devotion; let them, as they are capable, be employed in doing something towards the keeping up of religious exercises.
(2.)What is the direct tendency of this sin: "It is that they may provoke me to anger; they cannot design any thing else in it. But (Jer 7:19) do they provoke me to anger? Is it because I am hard to be pleased, or easily provoked? Or am I to bear the blame of the resentment? No; it is their own doing; they may thank themselves, and they alone shall bear it." Is it against God that they provoke him to wrath? Is he the worse for it? Does it do him any real damage? No; is it not against themselves, to the confusion of their own faces? It is malice against God, but it is impotent malice; it cannot hurt him: nay, it is foolish malice; it will hurt themselves. They show their spite against God, but they do the spite to themselves. Canst thou think any other than that a people, thus desperately set upon their own ruin, should be abandoned?
2.God is resolved to proceed in his judgments against them, and will not be turned back by the prophet's prayers (Jer 7:20): Thus saith the Lord God, and what he saith he will not unsay, nor can all the world gainsay it; hear it therefore, and tremble. "Behold, my anger and my fury shall be poured out upon this place, as the flood of waters was upon the old world or the shower of fire and brimstone upon Sodom; since they will anger me, let them see what will come of it." They shall soon find,
(1.)That there is no escaping this deluge of fire, either by flying from it or fencing against it; it shall be poured out on this place, though it be a holy place, the Lord's house. It shall reach both man and beast, like the plagues of Egypt, and, like some of them, shall destroy the trees of the field and the fruit of the ground, which they had designed and prepared for Baal, and of which they had made cakes to the queen of heaven.
(2.)There is no extinguishing it: It shall burn and shall not be quenched; prayers and tears shall then avail nothing. When his wrath is kindled but a little, much more when it is kindled to such a degree, there shall be no quenching it. God's wrath is that fire unquenchable which eternity itself will not see the period of. Depart, you cursed, into everlasting fire.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
2 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
This is why God threatens punishment, so that by fear he may destroy contempt, and when the threat alone is sufficient to cause fear in us he does not permit us to undergo the actual trial. See, for instance, what he says to Jeremiah, “Do you not see what they do? Their fathers light a fire, their children gather sticks together, their women knead dough to make cakes for the queen of heaven.” It is to be feared lest the same kind of thing be said also concerning us.
(Verse 20) Therefore, thus says the Lord God: Behold, my wrath and my indignation have been poured out (or have dripped) upon this place, upon men and upon animals, upon the trees of the region, and upon the fruits of the earth; and it shall burn and not be extinguished. He who said before: Do they provoke me to anger? How now does he say: Behold, my wrath and my indignation have dripped upon this place? And here is the meaning: I, indeed, naturally do not get angry, but they act in such a way as to provoke me to anger, and I seem to change my nature. Therefore, they try to make me angry as much as they can. And beautifully, he does not say that my anger was poured out on this place, but that it dripped: to signify a moderate punishment. But if in a drop of anger there is such harshness, what will happen if the entire rain pours out? But even a mixed feeling of indignation can be understood in such a way that what he did not want to do for a long time, he is compelled to do because of the multitude of sins. But when God becomes angry, both humans and the things that belong to humans will experience a similar destruction. And it will be set on fire, he says, no doubt because of the rage of the Lord, and it will not be extinguished, because the people do not act in a way that can extinguish it.
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Summary
Jeremiah 7:20 serves as a profound and terrifying prophetic declaration from the Lord GOD, announcing a comprehensive and inescapable divine judgment upon the unfaithful people of Judah and the land of Jerusalem. This verse vividly portrays the intensity of God's righteous anger and consuming fury, which is depicted as being "poured out" with overwhelming force. The scope of this judgment is all-encompassing, affecting not only humanity but also the animal kingdom, the vegetation, and the very ground itself. The declaration that this judgment "shall burn, and shall not be quenched" underscores its irreversible, devastating, and final nature, a direct and just consequence of the nation's persistent idolatry, moral corruption, and flagrant breach of their covenant with God.
Context
Literary Context
Jeremiah 7:20 stands as a climactic and chilling pronouncement within Jeremiah's "Temple Sermon," a pivotal address delivered at the very gates of the Lord's house, as introduced in Jeremiah 7:1. The preceding verses meticulously dismantle the people's misplaced confidence in the physical Temple, exposing their hollow chant, "The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these" (Jeremiah 7:4). Jeremiah systematically details their pervasive moral and spiritual decay, cataloging a litany of covenant violations including theft, murder, adultery, perjury, and rampant idolatry (Jeremiah 7:9). The prophet warns that God will abandon His dwelling in Jerusalem, just as He had previously forsaken His sanctuary at Shiloh due to Israel's wickedness (Jeremiah 7:12-14). Consequently, verse 20 functions as the severe and inevitable conclusion to this indictment, articulating the full, unmitigated extent of the judgment that awaits a people who have consistently spurned God's gracious calls to repentance and genuine obedience.
Historical & Cultural Context
The prophecy of Jeremiah 7:20 is firmly situated in the late 7th century BCE, during the turbulent reign of King Jehoiakim (609-598 BCE) in Judah. This period was marked by a tragic regression into idolatry and social injustice, undoing many of the reforms initiated by Jehoiakim's father, King Josiah. Despite Josiah's earnest efforts to restore covenant faithfulness, the people had quickly reverted to syncretistic worship, integrating foreign deities and practices, even within the sacred precincts of the Jerusalem Temple. Culturally, there was a widespread and deeply entrenched belief that the mere presence of the Temple in Jerusalem, as God's chosen dwelling place, rendered the city and its inhabitants inviolable from divine judgment. Jeremiah vehemently challenges this dangerous presumption. The comprehensive nature of the judgment described in the verse—affecting "man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground"—resonates with ancient Near Eastern understandings of divine wrath, where the desolation of a land's fertility and well-being was a direct and visible sign of divine disfavor, often actualized through military invasion, siege, and subsequent ecological devastation.
Key Themes
The overarching theme of Jeremiah 7 is the critical distinction between superficial ritualism and genuine covenant faithfulness. The people's reliance on the physical Temple and outward religious acts, devoid of inward transformation, is exposed as a dangerous delusion. This leads directly to the theme of divine judgment and its comprehensive, inescapable scope. God's "anger" and "fury" are not capricious emotions but a righteous, just, and necessary response to persistent covenant infidelity and profound moral corruption. The judgment encompasses every facet of life and creation, underscoring the pervasive nature of sin's impact. The powerful declaration that the burning "shall not be quenched" introduces the theme of irreversible consequence and the unstoppable, consuming nature of divine wrath once it is unleashed. This imagery of unquenchable fire is a recurring motif throughout prophetic literature, signifying a judgment that fully accomplishes its destructive purpose, as seen in other warnings of impending doom (e.g., Isaiah 1:31 and Isaiah 66:24). Ultimately, the passage powerfully underscores the severe repercussions of covenant breach and the urgent call for genuine repentance and a return to authentic obedience to God.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This term literally refers to the "nose" or "nostril," but idiomatically signifies the "face" and, more profoundly, "ire" or "wrath." This metaphorical extension arises from the visible physical manifestations of intense emotion, such as rapid breathing or flaring nostrils. In this context, ʼaph denotes God's righteous indignation, a powerful and consuming displeasure that is a just and holy response to the profound sin and rebellion of His people.
This primitive root means "to flow forth" or "to liquify." It is often used to describe a forceful, abundant, and unrestrained discharge, akin to liquid being violently emptied from a vessel. Here, its use vividly portrays the full, unreserved, and overwhelming release of God's wrath, indicating that His judgment will be complete, without mitigation, and utterly devastating in its impact.
This root signifies "to expire" or "to extinguish," typically applied to fire or light. The emphatic declaration that the burning "shall not be quenched" underscores the absolute, unstoppable, and irreversible nature of God's judgment once it has commenced. It conveys that this divine act of justice will not be mitigated, diverted, or put out by any human effort until its destructive and purificatory purpose is fully and finally accomplished.
Verse Breakdown
"Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD;"
This authoritative preamble establishes the divine origin and unassailable certainty of the pronouncement. It is not Jeremiah's personal opinion or a human conjecture, but a direct, solemn, and binding declaration from Yahweh (H3069, Yᵉhôvih), the sovereign covenant Lord (H136, ʼĂdônây), spoken through His prophet. This phrase underscores the gravity and inevitability of the message that follows.
"Behold, mine anger and my fury shall be poured out upon this place,"
This clause immediately declares the specific target and the intense nature of God's wrath. "This place" (H4725, mâqôwm) unequivocally refers to Jerusalem and the land of Judah, the very epicenter of the people's covenant violations. The pairing of "anger" (H639, ʼaph) and "fury" (H2534, chêmâh) intensifies the description of God's righteous indignation, emphasizing its depth, vehemence, and consuming power, likened to a liquid violently discharged.
"upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground;"
This expands the scope of the impending judgment to be utterly comprehensive and all-encompassing. It signifies a total desolation that will spare nothing and no one—neither human life (H120, ʼâdâm), nor the animal kingdom (H929, bᵉhêmâh), nor the very agricultural productivity (H6529, pᵉrîy) of the land (H127, ʼădâmâh), including its natural vegetation (H6086, ʻêts) and cultivated fields (H7704, sâdeh). This sweeping destruction underscores the pervasive nature of the sin that provoked such a universal catastrophe, impacting the entire created order.
"and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched."
This final clause describes both the nature and the permanence of the divine judgment. The imagery of "burning" (H1197, bâʻar) signifies consuming, purifying, and utterly destructive power, akin to a raging wildfire. The emphatic declaration that it "shall not be quenched" (H3518, kâbâh) highlights the irreversible, unstoppable, and complete character of this divine act. Once initiated, this judgment will run its full course, achieving its devastating purpose without any possibility of being put out, mitigated, or averted by human intervention.
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 7:20 masterfully employs several potent literary devices to convey the dire gravity and comprehensive nature of God's message. The most prominent is Imagery, particularly the vivid and dual imagery of liquid and fire. God's "anger and fury" are powerfully personified as a substance that can be "poured out," creating a visceral mental picture of an overwhelming, unstoppable deluge of divine wrath. This liquid imagery then seamlessly transitions into the potent metaphor of fire ("it shall burn"), which is further intensified by the declaration that it "shall not be quenched." This hyperbolic extension of the judgment to encompass "man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground" serves to underscore the absolute, total, and inescapable nature of the impending desolation, leaving no aspect of life or land untouched. The deliberate repetition of the preposition "upon" (anaphora) in the exhaustive list of targets ("upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees... and upon the fruit...") creates a rhythmic emphasis, reinforcing the comprehensive and inescapable reach of the divine judgment.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Jeremiah 7:20 profoundly illustrates the foundational biblical truth of God's absolute holiness and unwavering justice. It reveals that divine wrath is not an arbitrary outburst but a righteous, necessary, and just response to persistent, unrepentant sin and flagrant covenant unfaithfulness. The passage powerfully underscores the principle that outward religious observance, ritualistic adherence, or reliance on sacred symbols (like the Temple) without genuine inward transformation and obedient living is not only futile but an affront to God, leading inevitably to severe consequences. The comprehensive nature of the judgment, affecting humanity, animals, and the very land itself, signifies that sin has cosmic implications, disrupting not only the human-divine relationship but also the harmony of the created order, reflecting the profound brokenness of the covenant. This passage serves as a stark and timeless reminder that while God is infinitely merciful and patient, His justice will ultimately prevail, and His warnings are to be received with the utmost seriousness and humility.
Reflection and Application
Jeremiah 7:20 stands as a timeless and deeply sobering reminder that God is indeed holy and just, and that His boundless patience with unrepentant sin does have a limit. For believers today, this passage compels a profound and honest examination of our own hearts, our spiritual practices, and our walk with God. It serves as a powerful challenge to any tendency to presume upon God's grace, to rely on external religious acts, or to find a false sense of security in church affiliation or denominational identity, without genuine repentance, a transformed life, and a heart truly devoted to Christ. True worship, as this passage implicitly defines it, involves far more than mere ritual or attendance; it demands a life lived in humble obedience to God's commands, characterized by justice, righteousness, and unwavering faithfulness. We are called to take God's warnings seriously, understanding that while He is indeed rich in mercy and slow to anger, He is also righteous in judgment. This verse encourages us to cultivate a deep, authentic, and vibrant relationship with God, one marked by humility, active obedience, and a sincere desire to honor His covenant, rather than mistaking religious activity for true, life-altering devotion.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why is God's anger described as so severe and comprehensive in this verse?
God's anger in Jeremiah 7:20 is depicted as severe and comprehensive because it is a righteous and just response to the severe and comprehensive rebellion of His covenant people. The Israelites, particularly those in Judah, had repeatedly and flagrantly broken their covenant with God, engaging in widespread idolatry, social injustice, and profound immorality, even within the sacred precincts of the Temple itself (as meticulously detailed in Jeremiah 7:9-10). Their sin was not isolated or superficial but permeated every aspect of their society and had, in a sense, defiled the very land. Therefore, God's judgment is portrayed as all-encompassing—affecting "man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground"—to demonstrate that the consequences of their unfaithfulness would impact every sphere of their existence, leading to total desolation. This comprehensive judgment powerfully underscores the holiness of God and the profound gravity of covenant disobedience.
What does it mean that God's judgment "shall not be quenched"?
The phrase "shall not be quenched" emphasizes the unstoppable, irreversible, and complete nature of the divine judgment once it is unleashed. It signifies that the fire of God's wrath, once kindled, will burn until it has fully accomplished its destructive and purifying purpose, consuming everything it is poured out upon. This is not a temporary or partial judgment that can be easily mitigated or extinguished by human effort, false repentance, or superficial rituals. Instead, it speaks to a final and decisive act of God's justice that will run its full course, bringing about the promised desolation without any possibility of being put out or averted until its objective is fully realized. This imagery is consistent with other prophetic warnings of unquenchable fire, signifying a judgment that is both thorough and enduring in its consequences, as seen in passages like Isaiah 66:24 and Ezekiel 20:47-48.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Jeremiah 7:20, with its vivid and terrifying portrayal of unquenchable divine wrath poured out upon a rebellious people and their defiled land, finds its ultimate and profound Christ-centered fulfillment in two crucial ways. First, for all who believe, Jesus Christ is the one who, in His perfect obedience and sacrificial atonement, bore the full, unmitigated outpouring of God's righteous anger against sin. On the cross, the "fury" and "wrath" that humanity justly deserved were "poured out" upon the sinless Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, thereby allowing all who trust in Him to escape the consuming fire of eternal judgment. Through His atoning sacrifice, the holy justice of God was fully satisfied, and the "burning" wrath for sin was effectively "quenched" for all who are "in Christ," ushering in a new covenant of grace, forgiveness, and reconciliation with God (as powerfully articulated in Romans 5:9 and 2 Corinthians 5:21). Second, for those who persistently reject Christ and His saving work, the imagery of unquenchable fire points to the terrifying reality of the eternal consequences of unrepentant sin. Jesus Himself spoke repeatedly of an "unquenchable fire" prepared for the devil and his angels, which will be the ultimate and eternal destiny of all who refuse to believe and obey the Gospel (Matthew 3:12 and Matthew 25:41). Thus, Jeremiah's prophecy not only foreshadows the horrific reality of God's just judgment for those outside of Christ but also gloriously anticipates the wrath-absorbing, life-giving work of Christ for all who are found in Him.