Focused Passage

Jeremiah 17:5-8

The Engraved Sin, the Deceitful Heart, and the Sabbath Test

The chapter moves from Judah's engraved sin and forfeited inheritance, to a wisdom contrast between cursed trust in man and blessed trust in the LORD, to the LORD's search of the deceitful heart, to a proverb against unjust gain, to Jeremiah's confession of the LORD as sanctuary and fountain, to his prayer for healing and vindication, and finally to a covenant Sabbath test at Jerusalem's gates with promised blessing for obedience and fiery judgment for refusal.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

5 This is what the LORD says: “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind, who makes mere flesh his strength and turns his heart from the LORD.

6 He will be like a shrub in the desert; he will not see when prosperity comes. He will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives.

7 But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him.

8 He is like a tree planted by the waters that sends out its roots toward the stream. It does not fear when the heat comes, and its leaves are always green. It does not worry in a year of drought, nor does it cease to produce fruit.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 5

Cross-references

Psalms 118:8 Classic cross-references Psalms 20:7 Classic cross-references Psalms 146:3 Classic cross-references Isaiah 2:22 Classic cross-references 2 Chronicles 32:8 Classic cross-references

Original words

This is what כֹּ֣ה׀ H3541 Adverb the LORD יְהוָ֗ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular says אָמַ֣ר H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Cursed is אָר֤וּר H779 Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular the man הַגֶּ֙בֶר֙ H1397 Article | Noun - masculine singular who אֲשֶׁ֣ר H834 Pronoun - relative trusts יִבְטַ֣ח H982 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular in mankind בָּֽאָדָ֔ם H120 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular who makes וְשָׂ֥ם H7760 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular mere flesh בָּשָׂ֖ר H1320 Noun - masculine singular his strength זְרֹע֑וֹ H2220 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular and turns יָס֥וּר H5493 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular his heart לִבּֽוֹ׃ H3820 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular from וּמִן־ H4480 Conjunctive waw | Preposition the LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular

BSB notes

Hebrew arm

Verse 6

Cross-references

Job 20:17 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 29:23 Classic cross-references Psalms 1:4 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 29:32 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 48:6 Classic cross-references

Original words

He will be וְהָיָה֙ H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular like a shrub כְּעַרְעָ֣ר H6176 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular in the desert בָּֽעֲרָבָ֔ה H6160 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular he will not וְלֹ֥א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle see יִרְאֶ֖ה H7200 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular when כִּי־ H3588 Conjunction prosperity ט֑וֹב H2896 Noun - masculine singular comes יָב֣וֹא H935 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular He will dwell וְשָׁכַ֤ן H7931 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular in the parched places חֲרֵרִים֙ H2788 Noun - masculine plural of the desert בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר H4057 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular in a salt מְלֵחָ֖ה H4420 Noun - feminine singular land אֶ֥רֶץ H776 Noun - feminine singular construct where no וְלֹ֥א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle one lives תֵשֵֽׁב׃ס H3427 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular

Verse 7

Cross-references

Proverbs 3:5 Classic cross-references Isaiah 26:3 Classic cross-references Psalms 34:8 Classic cross-references Psalms 40:4 Classic cross-references Psalms 37:3 Classic cross-references

Original words

But blessed בָּר֣וּךְ H1288 Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular [is] the man הַגֶּ֔בֶר H1397 Article | Noun - masculine singular who אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative trusts יִבְטַ֖ח H982 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular in the LORD בַּֽיהוָ֑ה H3068 Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singular whose confidence מִבְטַחֽוֹ׃ H4009 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular is וְהָיָ֥ה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular in [Him] יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular

Verse 8

Cross-references

Psalms 1:3 Classic cross-references Colossians 2:7 Classic cross-references Isaiah 58:11 Classic cross-references Ezekiel 47:12 Classic cross-references Psalms 92:12 Classic cross-references

Original words

He is וְהָיָ֞ה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular like a tree כְּעֵ֣ץ׀ H6086 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular planted שָׁת֣וּל H8362 Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular by עַל־ H5921 Preposition the waters מַ֗יִם H4325 Noun - masculine plural that sends out its roots שָֽׁרָשָׁ֔יו H8328 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular . . . יְשַׁלַּ֣ח H7971 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular toward וְעַל־ H5921 Conjunctive waw | Preposition the stream יוּבַל֙ H3105 Noun - masculine singular It does not וְלֹ֤א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle fear יִרָא H3372 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular when כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction the heat חֹ֔ם H2527 Noun - masculine singular comes יָבֹ֣א H935 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular and its leaves עָלֵ֖הוּ H5929 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular are always וְהָיָ֥ה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular green רַֽעֲנָ֑ן H7488 Adjective - masculine singular It does not לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle worry יִדְאָ֔ג H1672 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular . . . וְלֹ֥א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle in a year וּבִשְׁנַ֤ת H8141 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct of drought בַּצֹּ֙רֶת֙ H1226 Noun - feminine singular [nor] does it cease יָמִ֖ישׁ H4185 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular to produce מֵעֲשׂ֥וֹת H6213 Preposition-m | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct fruit פֶּֽרִי׃ H6529 Noun - masculine singular

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