Jeremiah 5:7

"Therefore a lion out of the forest will kill them. A wolf of the evenings will destroy them. A leopard will watch against their cities. Everyone who goes out there will be torn in pieces, because their transgressions are many and their backsliding has increased."

Key Reflection

In Jeremiah 5:7, the prophet vividly describes the impending judgment that would befall Judah and Jerusalem through a series of natural disasters and attacks by predators and enemies. The imagery of a lion from the forest, a wolf at dusk, and a leopard watching over their cities conveys the idea of relentless and multifaceted threats. These beasts symbolized the destructive forces that would tear apart the people, reflecting the severity of their sins and the increasing moral decay that had led to divine judgment. The original audience would have understood these images as direct warnings from God, emphasizing the dire consequences of their disobedience and idolatry.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

Rather, Why, “for what reason” should “I pardon thee?” When ... -Or, “though I bound them to me by oath, yet they committed adultery.” The harlots’ houses -The harlot’s house, i. e., the temple of an idol; the prophet had also in view (seeJeremiah 5:8) the unchastity which accompanied most forms of nature-worship.

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