Shall I not avenge myself?
asks the Lord. Much like the question at the start of Jeremiah 5:7, this question has only one answer. The Lord must and will avenge himself. He must act to vindicate his own holiness by punishing those who have violated his covenant. I will take vengeance on my adversaries and will repay those who hate me
(Deuteronomy 32:41). Judah is no longer the Lord’s people, but they are rather these people.
There is alienation between Judah and the Lord. They have in effect become his enemy and he is absolutely justified in his punishment of their deliberate rebellion against him and his commands.1
This section began with a hint of hope in Jeremiah 5:1. Maybe there is still a remnant of justice and truth in Jerusalem that can lead to pardon and reconciliation with the Lord. But by the time we get to Jeremiah 5:9 all hope is lost. All the religious reforms that Josiah has put in place has done nothing to change the people. Morality in Jerusalem, starting with its leadership, has continued to spiral downwards and judgment is inevitable.2
9 Ne châtierais-je pas ces choses-là, dit l'Eternel, Ne me vengerais-je pas d'une pareille nation?