Jer 4:2, 5:7 | JFB | STEP | 2. And thou —rather, "And if (carried on from ) thou shalt swear, 'Jehovah liveth,' in truth, &c.", that is, if thou shalt worship Him (for we swear by the God whom we worship; compare ) in sincerity, &c. and the nations —Rather, this is apodosis to the "if"; then shall the nations bless themselves in (by) Him" ( ). The conversion of the nations will be the consequence of Israel's conversion ( ).

Jeremiah 4:2

2. And thou—rather, "And if (carried on from Jer 4:1) thou shalt swear, 'Jehovah liveth,' in truth, &c.", that is, if thou shalt worship Him (for we swear by the God whom we worship; compare De 6:13; 10:20; Isa 19:18; Am 8:14) in sincerity, &c.

and the nations—Rather, this is apodosis to the "if"; then shall the nations bless themselves in (by) Him" (Isa 65:16). The conversion of the nations will be the consequence of Israel's conversion (Ps 102:13, 15; Ro 11:12, 15).

Jeremiah 5:7

7. It would not be consistent with God's holiness to let such wickedness pass unpunished.

sworn by— (Jer 5:2; Jer 4:2); that is, worshipped.

no gods— (De 32:21).

fed . . . to the full—so the Keri (Hebrew Margin) reads. God's bountifulness is contrasted with their apostasy (De 32:15). Prosperity, the gift of God, designed to lead men to Him, often produces the opposite effect. The Hebrew Chetib (text) reads: "I bound them (to Me) by oath," namely, in the marriage covenant, sealed at Sinai between God and Israel; in contrast to which stands their "adultery"; the antithesis favors this.

adultery . . . harlots' houses—spiritually: idolatry in temples of idols; but literal prostitution is also included, being frequently part of idol-worship: for example, in the worship of the Babylonian Mylitta.