Focused Passage

Jeremiah 5:26-31

Search Jerusalem: No Truth, No Justice, and No Fear of the LORD

The chapter moves from a citywide search for one just and truthful person, to the exposure of stubborn rebellion among poor and great alike, to the announcement of enemy judgment, to charges of unbelief and false prophecy, to creation-based rebuke for lacking fear of the LORD, and finally to social injustice, leadership corruption, and the terrifying fact that the people love it so.

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

26For among My people are wicked men; they watch like fowlers lying in wait; they set a trap to catch men.

27Like cages full of birds, so their houses are full of deceit. Therefore they have become powerful and rich.

28They have grown fat and sleek, and have excelled in the deeds of the wicked. They have not taken up the cause of the fatherless, that they might prosper; nor have they defended the rights of the needy.

29Should I not punish them for these things?” declares the LORD. “Should I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?

30A horrible and shocking thing has happened in the land.

31The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own authority. My people love it so, but what will you do in the end?

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 26

Cross-references

Psalms 25:15Classic cross-references Proverbs 1:11Classic cross-references Isaiah 32:7Classic cross-references Micah 7:2Classic cross-references Psalms 64:5Classic cross-references

Original words

Forכִּי־H3588Conjunctionamongנִמְצְא֥וּH4672Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common pluralMy peopleבְעַמִּ֖יH5971Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularare wicked menרְשָׁעִ֑יםH7563Adjective - masculine pluralthey watchיָשׁוּר֙H7789Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularlike fowlersיְקוּשִׁ֔יםH3353Noun - masculine plurallying in waitכְּשַׁ֣ךְH7918Preposition-k | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructthey setהִצִּ֥יבוּH5324Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plurala trapמַשְׁחִ֖יתH4889Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singularto catchיִלְכֹּֽדוּ׃H3920Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralmenאֲנָשִׁ֥יםH582Noun - masculine plural

Verse 27

Cross-references

1 Timothy 6:10Classic cross-references Isaiah 59:14Classic cross-references Jeremiah 12:1Classic cross-references Jeremiah 9:6Classic cross-references Isaiah 3:14Classic cross-references

Original words

Like cagesכִּכְלוּב֙H3619Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singularfull ofמָ֣לֵאH4392Adjective - masculine singularbirdsע֔וֹףH5775Noun - masculine singularsoכֵּ֥ןH3651Adverbtheir housesבָּתֵּיהֶ֖םH1004Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine pluralare full ofמְלֵאִ֣יםH4392Adjective - masculine pluraldeceitמִרְמָ֑הH4820Noun - feminine singularThereforeעַל־H5921Preposition. . .כֵּ֥ןH3651Adverbthey have become powerfulגָּדְל֖וּH1431Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluraland richוַֽיַּעֲשִֽׁירוּ׃H6238Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural

Verse 28

Cross-references

Psalms 68:5Classic cross-references Isaiah 1:23Classic cross-references Psalms 82:3Classic cross-references Zechariah 7:10Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 32:15Classic cross-references

Original words

They have grown fatשָׁמְנ֣וּH8080Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluraland sleekעָשְׁת֗וּH6245Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralandגַּ֚םH1571Conjunctionhave excelledעָֽבְר֣וּH5674Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralin the deedsדִבְרֵי־H1697Noun - masculine plural constructof the wickedרָ֔עH7451Adjective - masculine singularThey have notלֹא־H3808Adverb - Negative particletaken up the causeדִּ֣יןH1779Noun - masculine singular. . .דָ֔נוּH1777Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural. . .דִּ֥יןH1779Noun - masculine singular constructof the fatherlessיָת֖וֹםH3490Noun - masculine singularthat they might prosperוְיַצְלִ֑יחוּH6743Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine pluralnor have theyלֹ֥אH3808Adverb - Negative particledefendedשָׁפָֽטוּ׃H8199Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralthe rightsוּמִשְׁפַּ֥טH4941Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructof the needyאֶבְיוֹנִ֖יםH34Noun - masculine plural

Verse 29

Cross-references

Jeremiah 9:9Classic cross-references Jeremiah 5:9Classic cross-references Malachi 3:5Classic cross-references Isaiah 65:7Classic cross-references James 5:4Classic cross-references

Original words

Should I notלֹֽא־H3808Adverb - Negative particlepunish themאֶפְקֹ֖דH6485Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularforהַֽעַל־H5921Prepositionthese things?אֵ֥לֶּהH428Pronoun - common pluraldeclaresנְאֻם־H5002Noun - masculine singular constructthe LORDיְהֹוָ֑הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularאִ֚םאִ֚םH518ConjunctionShould I notלֹ֥אH3808Adverb - Negative particleavengeתִתְנַקֵּ֖םH5358Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person feminine singularMyselfנַפְשִֽׁי׃סH5315Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singularon such a nationבְּג֣וֹיH1471Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular-אֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativeas thisכָּזֶ֔הH2088Preposition-k | Pronoun - masculine singular

Verse 30

Cross-references

Malachi 1:6Classic cross-references Hosea 6:10Classic cross-references Jeremiah 18:13Classic cross-references Jeremiah 23:14Classic cross-references Jeremiah 22:22Classic cross-references

Original words

A horribleשַׁמָּה֙H8047Noun - feminine singularand shocking thingוְשַׁ֣עֲרוּרָ֔הH8186Conjunctive waw | Adjective - feminine singularhas happenedנִהְיְתָ֖הH1961Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person feminine singularin the landבָּאָֽרֶץ׃H776Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular

Verse 31

Cross-references

2 Timothy 4:3Classic cross-references 1 John 4:1Classic cross-references Ezekiel 13:6Classic cross-references Luke 6:26Classic cross-references 1 Peter 4:7Classic cross-references

Original words

The prophetsהַנְּבִיאִ֞יםH5030Article | Noun - masculine pluralprophesyנִבְּא֣וּ־H5012Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common pluralfalselyבַשֶּׁ֗קֶרH8267Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularand the priestsוְהַכֹּהֲנִים֙H3548Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine pluralruleיִרְדּ֣וּH7287Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralbyעַל־H5921Prepositiontheir own authorityיְדֵיהֶ֔םH3027Noun - feminine dual construct | third person masculine pluralMy peopleוְעַמִּ֖יH5971Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularloveאָ֣הֲבוּH157Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralit soכֵ֑ןH3651Adverbbut whatוּמַֽה־H4100Conjunctive waw | Interrogativewill you doתַּעֲשׂ֖וּH6213Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine pluralin the endלְאַחֲרִיתָֽהּ׃H319Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular

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