Jeremiah 5:7 Meaning and Explanation
“How shall I pardon thee for this? thy children have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are no gods: when I had fed them to the full, they then committed adultery, and assembled themselves by troops in the harlots' houses.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →God's anguished rhetorical question exposes their ingratitude: fed abundantly, they betray Him with false gods and sexual sin.
The Context of Jeremiah 5:7
God expresses why forgiveness is impossible: fed generously, the people have betrayed Him with idolatry and adultery.
What Does Jeremiah 5:7 Mean?
God's grief and bewilderment frame this verse: 'How shall I pardon thee?' implies that pardon has become impossible. The children have forsaken God and sworn by false gods, breaking the first covenant command. Yet the verse intensifies the betrayal: God had provided abundantly—'fed them to the full'—and in response, they committed adultery. The adultery is both literal (visits to harlots' houses) and spiritual (unfaithfulness to God), described as systematic ('assembled themselves by troops').
The pattern reveals deepest ingratitude. Provision and care met with contempt and betrayal. The false gods mentioned here represent idolatry and covenant breaking; the physical adultery represents moral corruption. Both stem from the same root: rejection of God's authority and provision. The verse shows that sin is not born from hardship but flourishes in the context of divine generosity spurned.
Frequently Asked Questions About Jeremiah 5:7
What does Jeremiah 5:7 mean?
God's anguished rhetorical question exposes their ingratitude: fed abundantly, they betray Him with false gods and sexual sin.
What is the context of Jeremiah 5:7?
God expresses why forgiveness is impossible: fed generously, the people have betrayed Him with idolatry and adultery.