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

5This 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.

6He 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.

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

8He 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

Original words

This is whatכֹּ֣ה׀H3541Adverbthe LORDיְהוָ֗הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularsaysאָמַ֣רH559Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularCursed isאָר֤וּרH779Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singularthe manהַגֶּ֙בֶר֙H1397Article | Noun - masculine singularwhoאֲשֶׁ֣רH834Pronoun - relativetrustsיִבְטַ֣חH982Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularin mankindבָּֽאָדָ֔םH120Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularwho makesוְשָׂ֥םH7760Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularmere fleshבָּשָׂ֖רH1320Noun - masculine singularhis strengthזְרֹע֑וֹH2220Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularand turnsיָס֥וּרH5493Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularhis heartלִבּֽוֹ׃H3820Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularfromוּמִן־H4480Conjunctive waw | Prepositionthe LORDיְהוָ֖הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Hebrew arm
Verse 6

Original words

He will beוְהָיָה֙H1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularlike a shrubכְּעַרְעָ֣רH6176Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singularin the desertבָּֽעֲרָבָ֔הH6160Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singularhe will notוְלֹ֥אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particleseeיִרְאֶ֖הH7200Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularwhenכִּי־H3588Conjunctionprosperityט֑וֹבH2896Noun - masculine singularcomesיָב֣וֹאH935Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularHe will dwellוְשָׁכַ֤ןH7931Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularin the parched placesחֲרֵרִים֙H2788Noun - masculine pluralof the desertבַּמִּדְבָּ֔רH4057Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularin a saltמְלֵחָ֖הH4420Noun - feminine singularlandאֶ֥רֶץH776Noun - feminine singular constructwhere noוְלֹ֥אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particleone livesתֵשֵֽׁב׃סH3427Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Verse 7

Original words

But blessedבָּר֣וּךְH1288Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular[is] the manהַגֶּ֔בֶרH1397Article | Noun - masculine singularwhoאֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relativetrustsיִבְטַ֖חH982Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularin the LORDבַּֽיהוָ֑הH3068Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singularwhose confidenceמִבְטַחֽוֹ׃H4009Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularisוְהָיָ֥הH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularin [Him]יְהוָ֖הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 8

Original words

He isוְהָיָ֞הH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularlike a treeכְּעֵ֣ץ׀H6086Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singularplantedשָׁת֣וּלH8362Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singularbyעַל־H5921Prepositionthe watersמַ֗יִםH4325Noun - masculine pluralthat sends out its rootsשָֽׁרָשָׁ֔יוH8328Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular. . .יְשַׁלַּ֣חH7971Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singulartowardוְעַל־H5921Conjunctive waw | Prepositionthe streamיוּבַל֙H3105Noun - masculine singularIt does notוְלֹ֤אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particlefearיִרָאH3372Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularwhenכִּֽי־H3588Conjunctionthe heatחֹ֔םH2527Noun - masculine singularcomesיָבֹ֣אH935Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularand its leavesעָלֵ֖הוּH5929Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularare alwaysוְהָיָ֥הH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singulargreenרַֽעֲנָ֑ןH7488Adjective - masculine singularIt does notלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particleworryיִדְאָ֔גH1672Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .וְלֹ֥אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particlein a yearוּבִשְׁנַ֤תH8141Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular constructof droughtבַּצֹּ֙רֶת֙H1226Noun - feminine singular[nor] does it ceaseיָמִ֖ישׁH4185Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singularto produceמֵעֲשׂ֥וֹתH6213Preposition-m | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructfruitפֶּֽרִי׃H6529Noun - masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.