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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 7:21–28. His two-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
God, having shown the people that the temple would not protect them while they polluted it with their wickedness, here shows them that their sacrifices would not atone for them, nor be accepted, while they went on in disobedience. See with what contempt he here speaks of their ceremonial service (Jer 7:21). "Put your burnt-offerings to your sacrifices; go on in them as long as you please; add one sort of sacrifice to another; turn your burnt-offerings (which were to be wholly burnt to the honour of God) into peace-offerings" (which the offerer himself had a considerable share of), "that you may eat flesh, for that is all the good you are likely to have from your sacrifices, a good meal's meat or two; but expect not any other benefit by them while you live at this loose rate. Keep your sacrifices to yourselves" (so some understand it); "let them be served up at your own table, for they are no way acceptable at God's altars." For the opening of this,
I.He shows them that obedience was the only thing he required of them, Jer 7:22, Jer 7:23.
He appeals to the original contract, by which they were first formed into a people, when they were brought out of Egypt. God made them a kingdom of priests to himself, not that he might be regaled with their sacrifices, as the devils, whom the heathen worshipped, which are represented as eating with pleasure the fat of their sacrifices and drinking the wine of their drink-offerings, Deu 32:38. No: Will God eat the flesh of bulls? Psa 50:13. I spoke not to your fathers concerning burnt-offerings or sacrifices, not of them at first. The precepts of the moral law were given before the ceremonial institutions; and those came afterwards, as trials of their obedience and assistances to their repentance and faith. The Levitical law begins thus: If any man of you will bring an offering, he must do so and so (Lev 1:2, Lev 2:1), as if it were intended rather to regulate sacrifice than to require it. But that which God commanded, which he bound them to by his supreme authority and which he insisted upon as the condition of the covenant, was, Obey my voice; see Exo 15:26, where this was the statute and the ordinance by which God proved them: Hearken diligently to the voice of the Lord thy God. The condition of their being God's peculiar people was this (Exo 19:5), If you will obey my voice indeed. "Make conscience of the duties of natural religion, observe positive institutions from a principle of obedience, and then I will be your God and you shall be my people," which is the greatest honour, happiness, and satisfaction, that any of the children of men are capable of. "Let your conversation be regular, and in every thing study to comply with the will and word of God; walk within the bounds that I have set you, and in all the ways that I have commanded you, and then you may assure yourselves that it shall be well with you." The demand here is very reasonable, that we should be directed by Infinite Wisdom to that which is fit, that he that made us should command us, and that he should give us law who gives us our being and all the supports of it; and the promise is very encouraging: Let God's will be your rule and his favour shall be your felicity.
II.He shows them that disobedience was the only thing for which he had a quarrel with them.
He would not reprove them for their sacrifices, for the omission of them; they had been continually before him (Psa 50:8); with them they hoped to bribe God, and purchase a license to go on in sin. That therefore which God had all along laid to their charge was breaking his commandments in the course of their conversation, while they observed them, in some instances, in the course of their devotion, Jer 7:24, Jer 7:25, etc.
1.They set up their own will in competition with the will of God: They hearkened not to God and to his law; they never heeded that; it was to them as if it had never been given or were of no force; they inclined not their ear to attend to it, much less their hearts to comply with it. But they would have their own way, would do as they chose, and not as they were bidden. Their own counsels were their guide, and not the dictates of divine wisdom; that shall be lawful and good with them which they think so, though the word of God says quite contrary. The imagination of their evil heart, the appetites and passions of it, shall be a law to them, and they will walk in the way of it, and in the sight of their eyes.
2.If they began well, yet they did not proceed, but soon flew off. They went backward, when they talked of making a captain, and returning to Egypt again, and would not go forward under God's conduct. They promised fair: All that the Lord shall say unto us we well do; and, if they would but have kept in that good mind, all would have been well; but, instead of going on in the way of duty, they drew back into the way of sin, and were worse than ever.
3.When God sent to them by word of mouth to put them in mind of the written word, which was the business of the prophets, it was all one; still they were disobedient. God had servants of his among them in every age, since they came out of Egypt unto this day, some or other to tell them of their faults and put them in mind of their duty, whom he rose up early to send (as before, Jer 7:13), as men rise up early to call servants to their work; but they were as deaf to the prophets as they were to the law (Jer 7:26): Yet they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear. This had been their way and manner all along; they were of the same stubborn refractory disposition with those that went before them; it had all along been the genius of the nation, and an evil genius it was, that continually haunted them till it ruined them at last.
4.Their practice and character were still the same. They are worse, and not better, than their fathers. (1.) Jeremiah can himself witness against them that they were disobedient, or he shall soon find it so (Jer 7:27): "Thou shalt speak all these words to them, shalt particularly charge them with disobedience and obstinacy. But even that will not work upon them: They will not hearken to thee, nor heed thee. Thou shalt go, and call to them with all the plainness and earnestness imaginable, but they will not answer thee; they will either give thee no answer at all or not an obedient answer; they will not come at thy call." (2.) He must therefore own that they deserved the character of a disobedient people, that were ripe for destruction, and must go to them and tell them so to their faces (Jer 7:28): "Say unto them, This is a nation that obeys not the voice of the Lord their God. They are notorious for their obstinacy; they sacrifice to the Lord as their God, but they will not be ruled by him as their God; they will not receive either the instruction of his word or the correction of his rod; they will not be reclaimed or reformed by either. Truth has perished among them; they cannot receive it; they will not submit to it nor be governed by it. They will not speak truth; there is no believing a word they say, for it is cut off from their mouth, and lying comes in the room of it. They are false both to God and man."
Historical interpretation
Three Centuries of Reception
4 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.
He has therefore abolished these things, that the new law of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is without the yoke of necessity, might have a human oblation. And again He says to them, "Did I command your fathers, when they went out from the land of Egypt, to offer unto Me burnt-offerings and sacrifices? But this rather I commanded them, Let no one of you cherish any evil in his heart against his neighbour, and love not an oath of falsehood." We ought therefore, being possessed of understanding, to perceive the gracious intention of our Father; for He speaks to us, desirous that we, not going astray like them, should ask how we may approach Him. To us, then, He declares, "A sacrifice [pleasing] to God is a broken spirit; a smell of sweet savour to the Lord is a heart that glorifieth Him that made it." We ought therefore, brethren, carefully to inquire concerning our salvation, lest the wicked one, having made his entrance by deceit, should hurl us forth from our [true] life.
You are blessed who are delivered from the curse. Christ, the Son of God, by his coming has confirmed and completed the law but has taken away the additional precepts, although not all of them, yet at least the more grievous ones. He confirmed the former and abolished the latter, and he has again set the free will of humankind at liberty. He does not subject them to the penalty of a temporal death but gives laws to them according to another constitution. For this reason, he says, “If anyone will come after me, let him come.” And again, “Will you also go away?” And besides, before his coming he refused the sacrifices of the people, while they frequently offered them, when they sinned against him and thought he was to be appeased by sacrifices but not by repentance.
(Verse 21 onwards) Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices, and eat the flesh. For I did not speak to your fathers, or command them concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices when I brought them out of the land of Egypt. But this is what I commanded them, saying, 'Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.' When He condemns the temple, He consequently condemns the sacrifices as well; and He indirectly accuses them because they offer victims not out of reverence for Him, but out of a desire for feasts. Moreover, when He says, 'I did not speak with your fathers, nor did I command them concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices, it is clearly understood that He first gave the Decalogue on stone tablets, written by the finger of God, and after the offense of idolatry and the worship of the golden calf, He then ordered sacrifices to be made to Him instead of to the demons, thus setting aside the pure worship of God's commandments and allowing the offering of blood and the desire for meat.
It is made clear also from this that the obsolete prescriptions of the law had been imposed because of Israel’s limitations. Since they had learned in Egypt how to sacrifice to idols, he wanted to separate them from those practices—in all the prophets he rejects them, remember—yet out of consideration for their limitations he utters this remark, “Eat flesh,” that is, Although I reject the sacrifices, I shall not oppose your partaking of flesh. After all, he declares in the law that those wishing to partake of flesh in their own cities and towns should “perform the sacrifice, but pour out the blood on the ground and then partake of the sacrifice,” not as though they were offering it as a sacrifice but as ordinary flesh, as part of the prohibition imposed on performing sacred rites outside the designated place.
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Summary
Jeremiah 7:21 presents a profoundly ironic and scathing declaration from the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, directly confronting the people of Judah with the emptiness of their religious practices. Through this verse, God sarcastically instructs them to combine their most sacred burnt offerings with their common sacrifices and consume the flesh themselves, thereby rejecting their insincere worship and demonstrating His utter disdain for ritualistic adherence devoid of genuine obedience, heartfelt repentance, and a transformed life. It serves as a powerful indictment against hypocrisy, emphasizing that outward religious acts are meaningless and even offensive when disconnected from true covenant faithfulness.
Context
Literary Context
Jeremiah 7:21 is a climactic and deeply ironic statement embedded within Jeremiah's powerful "Temple Sermon," spanning Jeremiah 7:1-15. This sermon was delivered at the very gate of the Jerusalem Temple, where the people of Judah, particularly those residing in the capital, clung to a false sense of security, chanting, "The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these!" They erroneously believed that the physical presence of God's house guaranteed their immunity from divine judgment, despite their rampant idolatry, social injustice, and moral depravity. Jeremiah, commanded by God to "Stand in the gate of the LORD's house" and issue a dire call to "Amend your ways and your doings," systematically dismantles this dangerous delusion. Verse 21, therefore, serves as a shocking and ultimate rejection of their perfunctory and disingenuous offerings, revealing God's profound contempt for their ritualistic piety when it was utterly divorced from true righteousness and covenant fidelity.
Historical & Cultural Context
The prophetic ministry of Jeremiah unfolded during a period of intense political and spiritual turmoil in Judah, leading up to the devastating Babylonian exile. Central to the people's worldview was "Zion theology," a belief in Jerusalem's and the Temple's inviolability, which had become dangerously distorted into a complacent reliance on external religious forms rather than genuine covenant relationship. The sacrificial system was the cornerstone of Israelite worship, meticulously prescribed by the Mosaic Law. Burnt offerings ('olah) were unique in that the entire animal was consumed by fire on the altar, symbolizing complete dedication to God and atonement, with no portion eaten by humans. Other sacrifices (zebach), such as peace offerings, involved a communal meal where portions were eaten by priests and worshipers after a part was offered to God. By Jeremiah's era, however, these sacred rituals had often devolved into mechanical, insincere acts, frequently performed alongside pagan practices or without any sincere devotion. God's command in Jeremiah 7:21 was thus not merely a theological statement but a culturally shocking and deeply offensive indictment, subverting the very purpose of their most sacred offerings.
Key Themes
Jeremiah 7:21 powerfully encapsulates several foundational themes prevalent throughout the book of Jeremiah and the broader prophetic corpus. A primary theme is the rejection of empty ritualism, wherein God unequivocally declares that religious acts performed without genuine faith, sincere obedience, or a repentant heart are not only meaningless but an abomination to Him. The people meticulously observed ceremonial duties while simultaneously neglecting their covenant responsibilities, engaging in a litany of sins including "stealing, murdering, and committing adultery" before presuming to offer sacrifices. This leads directly to the theme of the prioritization of obedience over sacrifice, a consistent prophetic message forcefully articulated by Samuel to King Saul: "To obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams." Finally, the verse profoundly highlights God's displeasure with hypocrisy, exposing His righteous indignation toward a people who outwardly professed devotion through their offerings but lived in blatant rebellion against His moral and ethical laws, effectively transforming His sacred house into a "den of robbers."
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
Meaning "a step or (collectively, stairs, as ascending); usually a holocaust (as going up in smoke); ascent, burnt offering (sacrifice), go up to." This refers specifically to a whole burnt offering, where the entire animal was consumed by fire on the altar, symbolizing complete dedication and atonement to God. No portion of this offering was to be eaten by humans. In this context, God's command to "put" these with other sacrifices and "eat flesh" is a direct and shocking subversion of its sacred purpose, stripping it of its meaning due to the people's profound insincerity and lack of genuine devotion.
Meaning "properly, a slaughter, i.e. the flesh of an animal; by implication, a sacrifice (the victim or the act); offer(-ing), sacrifice." This is a more general term for "sacrifice," often referring to peace offerings or fellowship offerings, where a portion was burned for God, but the remainder was shared and eaten by the priests and worshipers in a communal meal, signifying fellowship and communion. By juxtaposing the ʻôlâh (burnt offering) with zebach (sacrifices) and commanding them to "eat flesh," God is ironically instructing them to treat even the most exclusive and dedicated offering as if it were a common meal, thereby nullifying its sacred significance and revealing its worthlessness in His sight.
A primitive root meaning "to eat (literally or figuratively); [idiom] at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up), feed (with), food, [idiom] freely, [idiom] in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay) meat, [idiom] quite." In this verse, the imperative command to "eat flesh" carries profound irony. While eating the flesh of certain sacrifices (like peace offerings) was a prescribed part of communal worship, applying this command to burnt offerings, which were wholly consumed by fire for God, signifies God's absolute rejection of the offering. It implies that since their offerings are not acceptable to Him and hold no spiritual value, the people might as well consume them themselves, as they are of no use or pleasure to God.
Verse Breakdown
"Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel;"
This solemn introductory formula establishes the absolute divine authority and unchallengeable identity of the speaker. "The LORD of hosts" (Hebrew: Yᵉhôvâh tsâbâʼ, H3068, H6635) emphasizes God's supreme power and sovereignty over all creation, including heavenly armies and earthly forces, underscoring the immense gravity and certainty of His ensuing pronouncement. "The God of Israel" (Hebrew: ʼĕlôhîym Yisrâʼêl, H430, H3478) highlights His unique and intimate covenant relationship with His chosen people, making His condemnation all the more poignant and devastating as it comes from their own faithful, covenant-keeping God. This weighty and authoritative introduction starkly contrasts with the shocking and ironic command that follows, intensifying its impact and underscoring the depth of God's displeasure.
"Put your burnt offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat flesh."
This is the core of God's biting, ironic declaration, conveying His utter rejection of Judah's insincere worship. In Israelite worship, burnt offerings (ʻôlâh, H5930) were entirely consumed by fire on the altar, symbolizing complete dedication to God and atonement, with no portion eaten by humans. Other sacrifices (zebach, H2077), particularly peace offerings, involved a portion being burned for God, but the remainder was shared and eaten by priests and worshipers in a communal meal, signifying fellowship. By commanding them to "Put your burnt offerings unto your sacrifices" (Hebrew: çâphâh ʻôlâh ʻal zebach, H5595, H5930, H2077), meaning to add or join them together, and then to "eat flesh" (Hebrew: ʼâkal bâsâr, H398, H1320), the Lord is sarcastically telling them, "Go ahead, mix up your sacred rituals; consume everything yourselves. Your offerings are so devoid of true devotion and obedience that I have no desire for them; they might as well all be treated as common meals for your own consumption, for they hold no sacred value to Me." This command effectively nullifies the sacredness of their offerings, revealing God's profound rejection of their hypocritical worship.
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 7:21 masterfully employs several potent literary devices to convey God's severe message. The most prominent and striking device is Irony, specifically sarcasm. God's command, "Put your burnt offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat flesh," is not a literal directive for a new sacrificial practice but a bitterly scornful dismissal of their current, insincere ones. Burnt offerings were, by definition, meant to be entirely consumed by fire as an offering to God; telling the people to eat them is a sarcastic gesture of rejection, indicating that their offerings are so unacceptable and offensive that God wants no part of them. This irony powerfully underscores the profound spiritual disconnect between the people's outward religious performance and their inward rebellion. Additionally, there is an element of Anthropomorphism, as God expresses human-like disdain, frustration, and a sense of being fed up, making His emotional rejection palpable and relatable. The statement also functions as a form of Hyperbole, exaggerating the rejection of their sacrifices to emphasize the extreme severity of their sin and the depth of God's displeasure, thereby shocking the audience into recognizing their grievous error.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Jeremiah 7:21 profoundly articulates a consistent and foundational biblical principle: God values genuine obedience, a contrite heart, and righteous living far above mere external religious rituals or ceremonial adherence. This verse serves as a powerful and timeless reminder that true worship is not measured by the quantity or precision of outward acts, but by the authenticity of the heart's devotion and the integrity of one's relationship with God. When religious practices become a superficial substitute for moral integrity, social justice, or sincere devotion, they are not only meaningless but become an abomination in the eyes of the Lord. This prophetic critique of empty ritualism resonates throughout the Old Testament, emphasizing that God desires righteousness, justice, and mercy from His people as the true expression of their covenant relationship, not just the perfunctory offering of burnt sacrifices.
Reflection and Application
Jeremiah 7:21 stands as a timeless mirror for believers today, compelling us to deeply scrutinize the sincerity and authenticity of our own worship and spiritual practices. It challenges us to honestly ask whether our acts of service, consistent church attendance, financial giving, or daily devotional routines are truly rooted in genuine love for God and a fervent desire to obey His Word, or if they have subtly devolved into mere habits, perceived obligations, or outward performances designed for human approval or a false sense of security. The Lord's sarcastic and cutting rejection of Judah's offerings serves as a stark reminder that He desires our hearts above all else—a heart that is humble, repentant, and profoundly committed to living out faith in daily righteousness, justice, and compassion. This profound passage calls us to cultivate an authentic, living relationship with God, one where our actions consistently align with our confession, and our devotion is expressed through a life that honors Him in every sphere, rather than relying on empty gestures, ritualistic comfort, or a superficial adherence to religious forms.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why is God telling them to eat the sacrifices?
God is not literally instituting a new sacrificial practice where burnt offerings are to be consumed by the people. Instead, this is a powerful, ironic, and intensely sarcastic statement. Burnt offerings (ʻôlâh) were uniquely meant to be entirely consumed by fire on the altar, symbolizing complete dedication to God, with no portion eaten by humans. By telling the people to "put your burnt offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat flesh," God is expressing His profound and utter rejection and disdain for their insincere and hypocritical worship. He is essentially saying, "Your offerings are so devoid of true devotion and obedience that I have no desire for them. They are worthless to me, and hold no sacred value in My sight, so you might as well consume them yourselves." It underscores that the heart and intent behind the offering, not just the act itself, is what truly matters to God.
What is the "Temple Sermon" in Jeremiah?
The "Temple Sermon" refers to the significant prophetic message delivered by Jeremiah at the gate of the LORD's house in Jerusalem, recorded in Jeremiah 7:1-15. God commanded Jeremiah to stand there and deliver a message to the people of Judah who were entering the Temple for worship. The core of the sermon was a direct and forceful challenge to their false sense of security, which was based solely on the physical presence of the Temple in Jerusalem. The people mistakenly believed that as long as the Temple stood, Jerusalem was inviolable and they were immune from divine judgment, despite their widespread idolatry, social injustice, and moral corruption (e.g., Jeremiah 7:9-10). Jeremiah called them to "amend their ways and their doings" and warned them that God would destroy the Temple and send them into exile, just as He had done with the tabernacle at Shiloh (Jeremiah 7:12-14). Jeremiah 7:21 is a specific, pointed indictment within this broader sermon, highlighting God's rejection of their empty religious rituals.
Does God reject all sacrifices in the Old Testament?
No, God does not reject all sacrifices in the Old Testament. The sacrificial system was divinely instituted as a crucial means for atonement, worship, and fellowship with God under the Mosaic Covenant. It was a prescribed part of Israel's covenant relationship with the LORD. However, God consistently rejected sacrifices that were offered with an insincere heart, without genuine repentance, or as a substitute for obedience and righteous living. Prophets like Samuel (1 Samuel 15:22), Isaiah (Isaiah 1:11-17), Amos (Amos 5:21-24), and Hosea (Hosea 6:6) all emphasized that God desired mercy, justice, and the true knowledge of Him more than mere burnt offerings or ritualistic performance. Jeremiah 7:21 fits squarely within this consistent prophetic tradition, highlighting that it was the heart condition and moral conduct of the people that rendered their sacrifices unacceptable, not the sacrifices themselves as a divinely ordained concept.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Jeremiah 7:21, with its stark and powerful rejection of empty ritualism and insincere worship, finds its ultimate fulfillment and profound resolution in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The entire Old Testament sacrificial system, including burnt offerings and other prescribed sacrifices, served as a divinely ordained foreshadowing, pointing forward to the perfect, once-for-all sacrifice of Christ. The author of Hebrews eloquently explains that the blood of bulls and goats could never truly take away sins (Hebrews 10:4), serving only as a temporary covering and a mere shadow of the good things to come (Hebrews 10:1). Jesus, as the ultimate Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, offered Himself "once for all" (Hebrews 10:10), thereby perfectly fulfilling the law and ending the need for repeated animal sacrifices. Furthermore, Jesus Himself emphasized that true worship is not confined to a physical temple or ritualistic performance, but is to be offered "in spirit and truth" (John 4:23-24), echoing Jeremiah's prophetic message that God desires a transformed heart and genuine obedience over mere external acts. Believers are now called to present their bodies as "a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship" (Romans 12:1), demonstrating that the fulfillment of the sacrificial system in Christ leads to a life of holistic devotion, where every aspect of our being is offered to God, not through ritualistic performance, but through authentic faith and obedient living empowered by the Holy Spirit.