The Meaning of Jeremiah 7:22 Explained

Jeremiah 7:22

KJV: For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices:

YLT: For I did not speak with your fathers, Nor did I command them in the day of My bringing them out of the land of Egypt, Concerning the matters of burnt-offering and sacrifice,

Darby: For I spoke not unto your fathers, nor commanded them concerning burnt-offerings and sacrifices, in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt;

ASV: For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt-offerings or sacrifices:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For I spake  not unto your fathers,  nor commanded  them in the day  that I brought them out  of the land  of Egypt,  concerning  burnt offerings  or sacrifices: 

What does Jeremiah 7:22 Mean?

Study Notes

nor commanded
Cf. , note 2, the threefold giving of the law. The command concerning burnt-offerings and sacrifices was not given to the people till they had broken the decalogue, the law of obedience.
shalt not make
There is a threefold giving of the law. First, orally, in Exodus 20:1-17 . This was pure law, with no provision of priesthood and sacrifice for failure, and was accompanied by the "judgments"; Exodus 21:1 to Exodus 23:13 ; relating to the relations of Hebrew with Hebrew; to which were added Exodus 23:14-19 directions for keeping three annual feasts, and Exodus 23:20-33 instructions for the conquest of Canaan. These words Moses communicated to the people. Exodus 24:3-8 . Immediately, in the persons of their elders, they were admitted to the fellowship of God. Exodus 24:9-11 .
Second, Moses was then called up to receive the tables of stone. Exodus 24:12-18 . The story then divides. Moses, in the mount, receives the gracious instructions concerning the tabernacle, priesthood, and sacrifice (Exodus 25-31.) Meantime (Exodus 32.), the people, led by Aaron, break the first commandment. Moses, returning, breaks the tables "written with the finger of God."; Exodus 31:18 ; Exodus 32:16-19 .
Third, the second tables were made by Moses, and the law again written by the hand of Jehovah Exodus 34:1 ; Exodus 34:28 ; Exodus 34:29 ; Deuteronomy 10:4 .

Verse Meaning

God could say this because burnt offerings and sacrifices were not His primary concern. This should have been clear to the people as they remembered what He had commanded them when He redeemed them as a nation. He had given them the Decalog, which called for righteous conduct, before He gave them the cultic legislation, which specified the ritual of worship (cf. Exodus 20:1-17; Exodus 24:1-8). He had not given them the laws concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices until after they broke the Decalog.

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 7

1  Jeremiah is sent to call to true repentance, to prevent the Jews' captivity
8  He rejects their vain confidence,
12  by the example of Shiloh
17  He threatens them for their idolatry
21  He rejects the sacrifices of the disobedient
29  He exhorts to mourn for their abominations in Tophet;
32  and the judgments for the same

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 7:22 mean?

For not I did speak to your fathers or command them in the day - that I brought them out of the land of Egypt concerning - burnt offerings or sacrifices
כִּ֠י לֹֽא־ דִבַּ֤רְתִּי אֶת־ אֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶם֙ וְלֹ֣א צִוִּיתִ֔ים בְּי֛וֹם [הוציא] (הוֹצִיאִ֥י) אוֹתָ֖ם מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם עַל־ דִּבְרֵ֥י עוֹלָ֖ה וָזָֽבַח

דִבַּ֤רְתִּי  I  did  speak 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
אֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶם֙  your  fathers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
צִוִּיתִ֔ים  command  them 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, first person common singular, third person masculine plural
Root: צָוָה  
Sense: to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order.
בְּי֛וֹם  in  the  day 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
[הוציא]  - 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
(הוֹצִיאִ֥י)  that  I  brought 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct, first person common singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
מֵאֶ֣רֶץ  out  of  the  land 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
מִצְרָ֑יִם  of  Egypt 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.
עַל־  concerning 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
דִּבְרֵ֥י  - 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
עוֹלָ֖ה  burnt  offerings 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֹלָה  
Sense: whole burnt offering.
וָזָֽבַח  or  sacrifices 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: זֶבַח  
Sense: sacrifice.