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Jeremiah 6:27
I have set theefor a towerand a fortress among my people, that thou mayest know and try their way.

Ezekiel 8:6-18
He said furthermore unto me, Son of man, seest thou what they do?even the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here, that I should go far off from my sanctuary? but turn thee yet again,and thou shalt see greater abominations…

Ezekiel 14:23
And they shall comfort you, when ye see their ways and their doings: and ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, saith the Lord GOD.

what they are doing
The actions referred to here are the idolatrous practices and sinful behaviors of the people of Judah. This includes worshiping false gods, engaging in rituals that are abominable to the Lord, and turning away from the covenant relationship with God. The phrase underscores the seriousness of their actions, which are in direct violation of the commandments given to them.

in the cities of Judah
Judah was the southern kingdom of Israel, consisting of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. The cities of Judah were centers of political, economic, and religious life. The mention of "cities" indicates that the idolatry and sin were widespread, not confined to rural areas or isolated incidents. This widespread corruption reflects a systemic failure in the society to uphold the laws and worship of Yahweh.

and in the streets of Jerusalem?
Jerusalem, the capital city, was the spiritual and political heart of Judah. The reference to the "streets" of Jerusalem suggests that the idolatrous practices were not hidden but were public and pervasive. Jerusalem was home to the Temple, the center of Jewish worship, making the presence of idolatry there particularly egregious. This highlights the depth of the people's rebellion against God, as they defiled the very city that was meant to be holy. The public nature of these actions indicates a societal acceptance of sin, contrasting sharply with the city's intended role as a beacon of God's presence and law.

God opens with a piercing question to His prophet. It is not because Jeremiah is blind to the nation’s sin, but because the Lord wants him (and us) to feel the weight of it.

• The question underscores divine awareness—“The eyes of the LORD roam to and fro over all the earth” (2 Chronicles 16:9).

• It invites personal responsibility; if Jeremiah can see, then the people should have seen as well, echoingIsaiah 1:3 where the ox knows its owner but Israel does not.

• It exposes hardened hearts; they ignored repeated warnings (Jeremiah 7:13), proving that seeing and obeying are inseparable in God’s economy (James 1:22).

The Lord points to deliberate, ongoing actions rather than momentary lapses.

• Idolatry: “You steal and murder… then come and stand before Me… and say, ‘We are delivered!’” (Jeremiah 7:9-10).

• Family-wide rebellion: fathers gather wood, children kindle the fire, mothers knead dough “to make cakes to the queen of heaven” (Jeremiah 7:18), illustrating how sin had woven itself into daily routines.

• Social injustice: shedding innocent blood (Jeremiah 7:6) and oppressing the sojourner, orphan, and widow mirrors the corrupt days before the exile (Ezekiel 22:6-12).

These deeds are calculated offenses, confirmingRomans 1:32—people “know God’s righteous decree” yet “continue to do such things.”

Sin is not limited to a fringe group; it saturates the land.

• Every town had its own altar to Baal (Jeremiah 11:13), mirroring earlier northern apostasy (2 Kings 17:9-12).

• The spread shows covenant unfaithfulness on a national scale, fulfillingDeuteronomy 29:25-27: “Because they forsook the covenant… and served other gods.”

• Judgment, therefore, will also be nationwide—“I will silence the towns of Judah” (Jeremiah 25:10).

The capital, which housed the temple, is no exception; its public squares are stages for rebellion.

•Jeremiah 5:1 records God’s challenge to find one righteous person in Jerusalem’s streets—proof of comprehensive corruption.

• The very place of worship becomes a den of robbers (Jeremiah 7:11), a condition Jesus later cites inMatthew 21:13, linking first-temple apostasy with His own generation’s hypocrisy.

• God’s lament over the city anticipates later sorrow—“When He drew near and saw the city, He wept over it” (Luke 19:41), showing continuity in divine grief over persistent sin.

Jeremiah 7:17 shows God inviting His prophet to witness the depth and breadth of Judah’s rebellion. The Lord sees everything; the people’s sin is active and willful; it pervades every locale, even Jerusalem’s sacred streets. Recognizing the Lord’s omniscient gaze and the seriousness of covenant violation keeps our own hearts tender, urging us to root out hidden idols and align every public and private act with His righteous standards.