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

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

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

28 They 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.

29 Should I not punish them for these things?” 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.

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

Original words

For כִּי־ H3588 Conjunction among נִמְצְא֥וּ H4672 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural My people בְעַמִּ֖י H5971 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular are wicked men רְשָׁעִ֑ים H7563 Adjective - masculine plural they watch יָשׁוּר֙ H7789 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular like fowlers יְקוּשִׁ֔ים H3353 Noun - masculine plural lying in wait כְּשַׁ֣ךְ H7918 Preposition-k | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct they set הִצִּ֥יבוּ H5324 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural a trap מַשְׁחִ֖ית H4889 Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular to catch יִלְכֹּֽדוּ׃ H3920 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural men אֲנָשִׁ֥ים H582 Noun - masculine plural

Verse 27

Cross-references

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

Original words

Like cages כִּכְלוּב֙ H3619 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular full of מָ֣לֵא H4392 Adjective - masculine singular birds ע֔וֹף H5775 Noun - masculine singular so כֵּ֥ן H3651 Adverb their houses בָּתֵּיהֶ֖ם H1004 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural are full of מְלֵאִ֣ים H4392 Adjective - masculine plural deceit מִרְמָ֑ה H4820 Noun - feminine singular Therefore עַל־ H5921 Preposition . . . כֵּ֥ן H3651 Adverb they have become powerful גָּדְל֖וּ H1431 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural and rich וַֽיַּעֲשִֽׁירוּ׃ H6238 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural

Verse 28

Cross-references

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

Original words

They have grown fat שָׁמְנ֣וּ H8080 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural and sleek עָשְׁת֗וּ H6245 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural and גַּ֚ם H1571 Conjunction have excelled עָֽבְר֣וּ H5674 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural in the deeds דִבְרֵי־ H1697 Noun - masculine plural construct of the wicked רָ֔ע H7451 Adjective - masculine singular They have not לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle taken up the cause דִּ֣ין H1779 Noun - masculine singular . . . דָ֔נוּ H1777 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural . . . דִּ֥ין H1779 Noun - masculine singular construct of the fatherless יָת֖וֹם H3490 Noun - masculine singular that they might prosper וְיַצְלִ֑יחוּ H6743 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural nor have they לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle defended שָׁפָֽטוּ׃ H8199 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural the rights וּמִשְׁפַּ֥ט H4941 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct of the needy אֶבְיוֹנִ֖ים H34 Noun - masculine plural

Verse 29

Cross-references

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

Original words

Should I not לֹֽא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle punish them אֶפְקֹ֖ד H6485 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular for הַֽעַל־ H5921 Preposition these things? אֵ֥לֶּה H428 Pronoun - common plural declares נְאֻם־ H5002 Noun - masculine singular construct the LORD יְהֹוָ֑ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular אִ֚ם אִ֚ם H518 Conjunction Should I not לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle avenge תִתְנַקֵּ֖ם H5358 Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person feminine singular Myself נַפְשִֽׁי׃ס H5315 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular on such a nation בְּג֣וֹי H1471 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular - אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative as this כָּזֶ֔ה H2088 Preposition-k | Pronoun - masculine singular

Verse 30

Cross-references

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

Original words

A horrible שַׁמָּה֙ H8047 Noun - feminine singular and shocking thing וְשַׁ֣עֲרוּרָ֔ה H8186 Conjunctive waw | Adjective - feminine singular has happened נִהְיְתָ֖ה H1961 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person feminine singular in the land בָּאָֽרֶץ׃ H776 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular

Verse 31

Cross-references

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

Original words

The prophets הַנְּבִיאִ֞ים H5030 Article | Noun - masculine plural prophesy נִבְּא֣וּ־ H5012 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural falsely בַשֶּׁ֗קֶר H8267 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular and the priests וְהַכֹּהֲנִים֙ H3548 Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine plural rule יִרְדּ֣וּ H7287 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural by עַל־ H5921 Preposition their own authority יְדֵיהֶ֔ם H3027 Noun - feminine dual construct | third person masculine plural My people וְעַמִּ֖י H5971 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular love אָ֣הֲבוּ H157 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural it so כֵ֑ן H3651 Adverb but what וּמַֽה־ H4100 Conjunctive waw | Interrogative will you do תַּעֲשׂ֖וּ H6213 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural in the end לְאַחֲרִיתָֽהּ׃ H319 Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular

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