Jer 8:4-17 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Jer 8:4-17: 8:4-17 These three short poems were probably delivered during Jehoiakim’s reign. Summary for Jer 8:4-7: 8:4-7 These verses itemize the evidence of Judah’s sins. The people had fallen into idolatrous ritual sex and followed the ways of idol worship. They remained in their delusions because their minds and hearts were trapped by lies , a term that is often applied to idols (5:3 , 6 ; 7:24 ; 9:6 ; Prov 24:16 ; Isa 44:20 ; Amos 5:2 ; Mic 7:8 ).

Summary for Jer 8:4-17: 8:4-17 ^a These three short poems were probably delivered during Jehoiakim’s reign.
Summary for Jer 8:4-7: 8:4-7 ^b These verses itemize the evidence of Judah’s sins. The people had fallen into idolatrous ritual sex and followed the ways of idol worship. They remained in their delusions because their minds and hearts were trapped by lies, a term that is often applied to idols (5:3 ^c, 6 ^d; 7:24 ^e; 9:6 ^f; Prov 24:16 ^g; Isa 44:20 ^h; Amos 5:2 ⁱ; Mic 7:8 ^j).
8:6 ^k The Lord, who can listen to everything (cp. Luke 12:3 ^l), heard the people even when they talked in private. Not a word correlated with reality, and no one was sorry for doing wrong. Like a horse galloping into battle with no thought of death or danger, they did not consider the consequences of their sins.
8:7 ^m stork ... turtledove ... swallow ... crane: The Creator gave certain birds the ability to navigate the sky from summer nesting places to winter feeding grounds, and they always follow those instincts precisely. By contrast, the people of Israel ignored God’s revelations and the covenant laws he had established.
Summary for Jer 8:8-13: 8:8-13 ⁿ The people protested God’s judgment because they possessed the word of the Lord. God condemned them because they did not put his word into practice (cp. Matt 7:26 ^o; Jas 1:22-25 ^p). 8:8 ^q The teachers, highly valued in the government and in the Temple, included priests and non-priestly Levites. They were experts in explaining the Sinai covenant, and they were honored for their knowledge of covenant doctrine and the fine points of the legal system related to it. Now they were promoting the pagan viewpoints of King Jehoiakim and his officials as an updated word of the Lord (cp. study note on 2:23). The Lord called these new doctrines lies.
Summary for Jer 8:9-10: 8:9-10 ^r The phrase wise teachers is sarcastic—the Lord called their teachings foolishness and exposed their motivation as greed (cp. Job 28:28 ^s). This sin ruled the lives of the prophets and priests, making all of them frauds.
Summary for Jer 8:10-12: 8:10-12 ^t These verses repeat 6:13-15 ^u.
8:13 ^v Having presented the evidence (see study note on 8:4-7), the Lord now decreed the punishment of the elite sinners. They would be consumed, along with the land’s produce.

• I, the Lord, have spoken: The Lord placed his authority behind his decree.
Summary for Jer 8:14-15: 8:14-15 ^w These people had heard Jeremiah publicly deliver the decree of the Lord; they now realized that they deserved their punishment because they had sinned against the Lord. Though their doom was sealed, they still did not seek forgiveness for their sins.
8:16 ^x See 6:22-23 ^y.