Focused Passage

Jeremiah 9:1-6

Let the One Who Boasts Boast in Knowing the LORD

The chapter moves from Jeremiah's overwhelming grief, to the LORD's exposure of a society trained in falsehood, to the refining judgment of the people, to a lament over ruined land and scattered bones, to the summoning of mourning women, to the call to reject boasting in wisdom, strength, and riches, and finally to the warning that outward circumcision without heart reality leaves Judah under judgment with the nations.

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

1Oh, that my head were a spring of water, and my eyes a fountain of tears! I would weep day and night over the slain daughter of my people.

2If only I had a traveler’s lodge in the wilderness, I would abandon my people and depart from them, for they are all adulterers, a crowd of faithless people.

3“They bend their tongues like bows; lies prevail over truth in the land. For they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not take Me into account,” declares the LORD.

4“Let everyone guard against his neighbor; do not trust any brother, for every brother deals craftily, and every friend spreads slander.

5Each one betrays his friend; no one tells the truth. They have taught their tongues to lie; they wear themselves out committing iniquity.

6You dwell in the midst of deception; in their deceit they refuse to know Me,” declares the LORD.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Cross-references

Psalms 119:136Classic cross-references Romans 12:15Classic cross-references Jeremiah 13:17Classic cross-references 1 Corinthians 13:6Classic cross-references Isaiah 22:4Classic cross-references

Original words

-מִֽי־H4310InterjectionOh, thatיִתֵּ֤ןH5414Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularmy headרֹאשִׁי֙H7218Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularwere a spring of waterמַ֔יִםH4325Noun - masculine pluraland my eyesוְעֵינִ֖יH5869Conjunctive waw | Noun - common singular construct | first person common singulara fountainמְק֣וֹרH4726Noun - masculine singular constructof tearsדִּמְעָ֑הH1832Noun - feminine singularI would weepוְאֶבְכֶּה֙H1058Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singulardayיוֹמָ֣םH3119Adverband nightוָלַ֔יְלָהH3915Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular-אֵ֖תH853Direct object markerover the slainחַֽלְלֵ֥יH2491Noun - masculine plural constructdaughterבַת־H1323Noun - feminine singular constructof my peopleעַמִּֽי׃H5971Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular

Verse 2

Cross-references

Luke 6:45Classic cross-references Psalms 55:7Classic cross-references Proverbs 26:25Classic cross-references Hosea 7:4Classic cross-references Jeremiah 23:10Classic cross-references

Original words

If onlyמִֽי־H4310Interrogative. . .יִתְּנֵ֣נִיH5414Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singularI had a traveler’sאֹֽרְחִ֔יםH732Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plurallodgeמְלוֹן֙H4411Noun - masculine singular constructin the wildernessבַמִּדְבָּ֗רH4057Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularI would abandonוְאֶֽעֶזְבָה֙H5800Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markermy peopleעַמִּ֔יH5971Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularand departוְאֵלְכָ֖הH1980Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singularfrom themמֵֽאִתָּ֑םH854Preposition-m | Direct object marker | third person masculine pluralforכִּ֤יH3588Conjunctionthey are allכֻלָּם֙H3605Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine pluraladulterersמְנָ֣אֲפִ֔יםH5003Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plurala crowdעֲצֶ֖רֶתH6116Noun - feminine singular constructof faithless peopleבֹּגְדִֽים׃H898Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural

Verse 3

Cross-references

James 3:5Classic cross-references Isaiah 6:5Classic cross-references Psalms 5:9Classic cross-references Matthew 15:11Classic cross-references Isaiah 1:3Classic cross-references

Original words

They bendוַֽיַּדְרְכ֤וּH1869Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralאֶת־אֶת־H853Direct object markertheir tonguesלְשׁוֹנָם֙H3956Noun - common singular construct | third person masculine plurallike bowsקַשְׁתָּ֣םH7198Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine pluralliesשֶׁ֔קֶרH8267Noun - masculine singularprevailגָּבְר֣וּH1396Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluraloverוְלֹ֥אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particletruthלֶאֱמוּנָ֖הH530Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singularin the landבָאָ֑רֶץH776Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singularForכִּי֩H3588Conjunctionthey proceedיָצָ֛אוּH3318Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural-וְאֹתִ֥יH853Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker | first person common singularfrom evilמֵרָעָ֨הH7451Preposition-m | Adjective - feminine singulartoאֶל־H413Prepositionevilרָעָ֧ה׀H7451Adjective - feminine singularand they do notלֹֽא־H3808Adverb - Negative particletake Me into accountיָדָ֖עוּH3045Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluraldeclaresנְאֻם־H5002Noun - masculine singular constructthe LORDיְהוָֽה׃סH3068Noun - proper - masculine singular

Verse 4

Cross-references

Micah 7:5Classic cross-references Jeremiah 12:6Classic cross-references Psalms 116:11Classic cross-references Proverbs 26:24Classic cross-references Psalms 55:13Classic cross-references

Original words

Let everyoneאִ֤ישׁH376Noun - masculine singularguardהִשָּׁמֵ֔רוּH8104Verb - Nifal - Imperative - masculine pluralagainstוְעַל־H5921Conjunctive waw | Prepositionhis neighborמֵרֵעֵ֙הוּ֙H7453Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singulardo notאַל־H408Adverbtrustתִּבְטָ֑חוּH982Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine pluralanyכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructbrotherאָ֖חH251Noun - masculine singularforכִּ֤יH3588Conjunctioneveryכָל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructbrotherאָח֙H251Noun - masculine singulardeals craftilyעָק֣וֹבH6117Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute. . .יַעְקֹ֔בH6117Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularand everyוְכָל־H3605Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructfriendרֵ֖עַH7453Noun - masculine singularspreadsיַהֲלֹֽךְ׃H1980Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularslanderרָכִ֥ילH7400Noun - masculine singular

Verse 5

Cross-references

Jeremiah 13:23Classic cross-references Ezekiel 24:12Classic cross-references Habakkuk 2:13Classic cross-references Isaiah 57:10Classic cross-references Isaiah 59:13Classic cross-references

Original words

Each oneוְאִ֤ישׁH376Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularbetraysיְהָתֵ֔לּוּH2048Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralhis friendבְּרֵעֵ֙הוּ֙H7453Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularnoלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particleone tellsיְדַבֵּ֑רוּH1696Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralthe truthוֶאֱמֶ֖תH571Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singularThey have taughtלִמְּד֧וּH3925Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common pluraltheir tonguesלְשׁוֹנָ֛םH3956Noun - common singular construct | third person masculine pluralto lieדַּבֶּר־H1696Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct. . .שֶׁ֖קֶרH8267Noun - masculine singularthey wear themselves outנִלְאֽוּ׃H3811Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common pluralcommitting iniquityהַעֲוֵ֥הH5753Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute

Verse 6

Cross-references

Romans 1:28Classic cross-references Jeremiah 8:5Classic cross-references Hosea 4:6Classic cross-references Hosea 6:7Classic cross-references Jeremiah 13:10Classic cross-references

Original words

You dwellשִׁבְתְּךָ֖H3427Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | second person masculine singularin the midstבְּת֣וֹךְH8432Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructof deceptionמִרְמָ֑הH4820Noun - feminine singularin their deceitבְּמִרְמָ֛הH4820Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singularthey refuseמֵאֲנ֥וּH3985Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common pluralto knowדַֽעַת־H3045Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructMeאוֹתִ֖יH853Direct object marker | first person common singulardeclaresנְאֻם־H5002Noun - masculine singular constructthe LORDיְהוָֽה׃סH3068Noun - proper - masculine singular

BSB notes

That is, Jeremiah dwells (the Hebrew is singular)

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