Jeremiah 7:21

¶ Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Put your burnt offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat flesh.

Thus saith {H559} the LORD {H3068} of hosts {H6635}, the God {H430} of Israel {H3478}; Put {H5595} your burnt offerings {H5930} unto your sacrifices {H2077}, and eat {H398} flesh {H1320}.

Thus says ADONAI-Tzva'ot, the God of Isra'el: "You may as well eat the meat of your burnt offerings along with that of your sacrifices.

This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: Add your burnt offerings to your other sacrifices and eat the meat yourselves!

Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Add your burnt-offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat ye flesh.

Jeremiah 7:21 is a sharp, ironic declaration from the Lord through the prophet Jeremiah, delivered during his famous "Temple Sermon." This verse highlights God's profound displeasure with the empty ritualism practiced by the people of Judah.

Context

This verse is part of a powerful denunciation of the people's false security in the Jerusalem Temple. The inhabitants of Judah believed that as long as the Temple stood in their midst, they were immune to divine judgment, despite their widespread idolatry, social injustice, and moral corruption. They would repeatedly say, "The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these." Jeremiah, however, challenged them to amend their ways and their doings, emphasizing that outward religious observance without inward transformation and obedience was meaningless to God. The Lord's command in verse 21 is a sarcastic rejection of their perfunctory offerings.

Key Themes

  • Rejection of Empty Ritualism: The core message is that God despises religious acts performed without genuine faith, obedience, or a repentant heart. The people were meticulous in their sacrifices but negligent in their covenant responsibilities.
  • Prioritization of Obedience: God consistently values obedience to His commands over mere animal sacrifices. This sentiment is echoed throughout the Old Testament, such as when Samuel tells King Saul, "To obey is better than sacrifice".
  • God's Displeasure with Hypocrisy: The Lord's sarcasm reveals His deep frustration with the hypocrisy of a people who professed devotion through offerings but lived in open rebellion against His laws.

Linguistic Insight

The KJV phrase "Put your burnt offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat flesh" carries a strong ironic tone. In ancient Israelite worship, a burnt offering (Hebrew: 'olah) was entirely consumed by fire on the altar, symbolizing complete dedication to God, with no portion eaten by humans. In contrast, other sacrifices, particularly peace offerings (Hebrew: zevach shlamim), involved a portion being burned for God, but the remainder was shared and eaten by the priests and worshipers in a communal meal, signifying fellowship. By telling them to "put your burnt offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat flesh," the Lord is sarcastically saying, "Go ahead, mix up your sacred rituals, consume everything yourself. Your offerings are so devoid of true devotion that I have no desire for them; they might as well all be treated as common meals for your own consumption." It underscores that the spirit of the offering, not just the act, is what truly matters to God.

Significance and Application

Jeremiah 7:21 serves as a timeless reminder that true worship extends far beyond outward religious practices. For believers today, this verse challenges us to examine our own hearts and motivations. Are our acts of service, church attendance, or charitable giving rooted in genuine love for God and obedience to His Word, or are they mere rituals performed out of habit, obligation, or for outward appearance? The Lord desires a broken spirit and a contrite heart, not empty gestures. This passage encourages us to pursue a life of authentic faith, where our actions align with our confession, and our devotion is expressed through a life of righteousness and justice, echoing the call for doing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Hosea 8:13

    They sacrifice flesh [for] the sacrifices of mine offerings, and eat [it; but] the LORD accepteth them not; now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt.

  • Jeremiah 6:20

    To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings [are] not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me.

  • Isaiah 1:11

    To what purpose [is] the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.

  • Isaiah 1:15

    And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.

  • Amos 5:21

    ¶ I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.

  • Amos 5:23

    Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols.

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