Jeremiah5
New International Version
1“Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem, look around and consider, search through her squares. If you can find but one person who deals honestly and seeks the truth, I will forgive this city.
2Although they say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’ still they are swearing falsely.”
3Lord, do not your eyes look for truth? You struck them, but they felt no pain; you crushed them, but they refused correction. They made their faces harder than stone and refused to repent.
4I thought, “These are only the poor; they are foolish, for they do not know the way of the Lord, the requirements of their God.
5So I will go to the leaders and speak to them; surely they know the way of the Lord, the requirements of their God.” But with one accord they too had broken off the yoke and torn off the bonds.
6Therefore a lion from the forest will attack them, a wolf from the desert will ravage them, a leopard will lie in wait near their towns to tear to pieces any who venture out, for their rebellion is great and their backslidings many.
7“Why should I forgive you? Your children have forsaken me and sworn by gods that are not gods. I supplied all their needs, yet they committed adultery and thronged to the houses of prostitutes.
8They are well-fed, lusty stallions, each neighing for another man’s wife.
9Should I not punish them for this?” declares the Lord. “Should I not avenge myself on such a nation as this?
10“Go through her vineyards and ravage them, but do not destroy them completely. Strip off her branches, for these people do not belong to the Lord.
11The people of Israel and the people of Judah have been utterly unfaithful to me,” declares the Lord.
12They have lied about the Lord; they said, “He will do nothing! No harm will come to us; we will never see sword or famine.
13The prophets are but wind and the word is not in them; so let what they say be done to them.”
14Therefore this is what the Lord God Almighty says: “Because the people have spoken these words, I will make my words in your mouth a fire and these people the wood it consumes.
15People of Israel,” declares the Lord, “I am bringing a distant nation against you— an ancient and enduring nation, a people whose language you do not know, whose speech you do not understand.
16Their quivers are like an open grave; all of them are mighty warriors.
17They will devour your harvests and food, devour your sons and daughters; they will devour your flocks and herds, devour your vines and fig trees. With the sword they will destroy the fortified cities in which you trust.
18“Yet even in those days,” declares the Lord, “I will not destroy you completely.
19And when the people ask, ‘Why has the Lord our God done all this to us?’ you will tell them, ‘As you have forsaken me and served foreign gods in your own land, so now you will serve foreigners in a land not your own.’
20“Announce this to the descendants of Jacob and proclaim it in Judah:
21Hear this, you foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear:
22Should you not fear me?” declares the Lord. “Should you not tremble in my presence? I made the sand a boundary for the sea, an everlasting barrier it cannot cross. The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail; they may roar, but they cannot cross it.
23But these people have stubborn and rebellious hearts; they have turned aside and gone away.
24They do not say to themselves, ‘Let us fear the Lord our God, who gives autumn and spring rains in season, who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest.’
25Your wrongdoings have kept these away; your sins have deprived you of good.
26“Among my people are the wicked who lie in wait like men who snare birds and like those who set traps to catch people.
27Like cages full of birds, their houses are full of deceit; they have become rich and powerful
28and have grown fat and sleek. Their evil deeds have no limit; they do not seek justice. They do not promote the case of the fatherless; they do not defend the just cause of the poor.
29Should I not punish them for this?” declares the Lord. “Should I not avenge myself on such a nation as this?
30“A horrible and shocking thing has happened in the land:
31The prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way. But what will you do in the end?
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Jeremiah 5.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The Jews' profession of religion was hypocritical. (1-9). The cruel proceedings of their enemies. (10-18). Their apostacy and idolatry. (19-31).
vv1-9
None could be found who behaved as upright and godly men. But the Lord saw the true character of the people through all their disguises. The poor were ignorant, and therefore they were wicked. What can be expected but works of darkness, from people that know nothing of God and religion? There are God's poor, who, notwithstanding poverty, know the way of the Lord, walk in it, and do their duty; but these were willingly ignorant, and their ignorance would not be their excuse. The rich were insolent and haughty, and the abuse of God's favours made their sin worse.
vv10-18
Multitudes are ruined by believing that God will not be so strict as his word says he will; by this artifice Satan undid mankind. Sinners are not willing to own any thing to be God's word, that tends to part them from, or to disquiet them in, their sins. Mocking and misusing the Lord's messengers, filled the measure of their iniquity. God can bring trouble upon us from places and causes very remote. He has mercy in store for his people, therefore will set bounds to this desolating judgment. Let us not overlook the "nevertheless," 18. This is the Lord's covenant with Israel. He thereby proclaims his holiness, and his utter displeasure against sin while sparing the sinner, Ps. 89:30-35.
vv19-31
Unhumbled hearts are ready to charge God with being unjust in their afflictions. But they may read their sin in their punishment. If men will inquire wherefore the Lord doeth hard things unto them, let them think of their sins. The restless waves obeyed the Divine decree, that they should not pass the sandy shores, which were as much a restraint as lofty mountains; but they burst all restraints of God's law, and were wholly gone into wickedness. Neither did they consider their interest. While the Lord, year after year, reserves to us the appointed weeks of harvest, men live on his bounty; yet they transgress against him. Sin deprives us of God's blessings; it makes the heaven as brass, and the earth as iron. Certainly the things of this world are not the best things; and we are not to think, that, because evil men prosper, God allows their practices. Though sentence against evil works is not executed speedily, it will be executed. Shall I not visit for these things? This speaks the certainty and the necessity of God's judgments. Let those who walk in bad ways consider that an end will come, and there will be bitterness in the latter end.
Key Words
שׁוּט: properly, to push forth; (but used only figuratively) to lash, i.e. (the sea with oars) to row; by implication, to travel
חוּץ: properly, separate by awall, i.e. outside, outdoors
יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם: Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine
רָאָה: to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)
יָדַע: to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)
בָּקַשׁ: to search out (by any method, specifically in worship or prayer); by implication, to strive after
רְחֹב: a width, i.e. (concretely) avenue or area
מָצָא: properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present
אִישׁ: a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
עָשָׂה: to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application
Cross References
Jeremiah 5Sparing of the city conditional on finding an upright man; echoes scarcity of godly men.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Failing to learn or repent from divine affliction; making faces harder than rock.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Rebelling and committing apostasy after being fed to the full with God's bounty.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
The curse of a swift, ancient nation of an unknown tongue brought from afar.
Supported by JFB
Searching for a single righteous man to stand in the gap to prevent ruin.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Swearing by the name of the Lord, but hypocritically and not in truth.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Lascivious neighbors described under literal and spiritual adultery in Jerusalem.
Supported by JFB
The command to execute severe judgment while mercifully choosing not to make a full end.
Supported by JFB
God making the word in the prophet's mouth a consuming, devouring fire.
Supported by JFB
God setting the sand as a bound for the proud waves of the sea.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The Lord alone gives rain, both former and latter, as a sign of sovereignty.
Supported by JFB
Professing to know God with their mouths, but in works denying Him.
Supported by JFB
Comparing rapacious, corrupt rulers and enemies to predatory wolves of the evening.
Supported by JFB
Refrain repeating the absolute certainty of divine visitation and vengeance on this nation.
Supported by JFB
The treacherous house of Israel behaving like a wife departing from her husband.
Supported by JFB