Focused Passage

Jeremiah 9:7-11

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

7Therefore this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Behold, I will refine them and test them, for what else can I do because of the daughter of My people?

8Their tongues are deadly arrows; they speak deception. With his mouth a man speaks peace to his neighbor, but in his heart he sets a trap for him.

9Should I not punish them for these things? declares the LORD. Should I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?”

10I will take up a weeping and wailing for the mountains, a dirge over the wilderness pasture, for they have been scorched so no one passes through, and the lowing of cattle is not heard. Both the birds of the air and the beasts have fled; they have gone away.

11“And I will make Jerusalem a heap of rubble, a haunt for jackals; and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation, without inhabitant.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 7

Cross-references

Isaiah 48:10Classic cross-references Isaiah 1:25Classic cross-references 1 Peter 1:7Classic cross-references Jeremiah 6:27Classic cross-references Malachi 3:3Classic cross-references

Original words

Thereforeלָכֵ֗ןH3651Adverbthis is whatכֹּ֤הH3541Adverbthe LORDיְהוָ֣הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularof Hostsצְבָא֔וֹתH6635Noun - common pluralsaysאָמַר֙H559Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularBeholdהִנְנִ֥יH2005Interjection | first person common singularI will refine themצוֹרְפָ֖םH6884Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct | third person masculine pluraland test themוּבְחַנְתִּ֑יםH974Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular | third person masculine pluralforכִּֽי־H3588Conjunctionwhatאֵ֣יךְH349Interjectionelse can I doאֶעֱשֶׂ֔הH6213Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularbecause ofמִפְּנֵ֖יH6440Preposition-m | Noun - common plural constructthe daughterבַּת־H1323Noun - feminine singular constructof My peopleעַמִּֽי׃H5971Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular

BSB notes

LXX because of the wickedness of

Verse 8

Cross-references

Psalms 28:3Classic cross-references Psalms 12:2Classic cross-references Jeremiah 9:3Classic cross-references Proverbs 26:24Classic cross-references Micah 6:12Classic cross-references

Original words

Their tonguesלְשׁוֹנָ֖םH3956Noun - common singular construct | third person masculine pluralare deadlyשׁוֹחֵטH7819Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singulararrowsחֵ֥ץH2671Noun - masculine singularthey speakדִבֵּ֑רH1696Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singulardeceptionמִרְמָ֣הH4820Noun - feminine singularWith his mouthבְּפִ֗יוH6310Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singulara man speaksיְדַבֵּ֔רH1696Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singularpeaceשָׁל֤וֹםH7965Noun - masculine singulartoאֶת־H854Prepositionhis neighborרֵעֵ֙הוּ֙H7453Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularbut in his heartוּבְקִרְבּ֖וֹH7130Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularhe setsיָשִׂ֥יםH7760Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singulara trap for himאָרְבּֽוֹ׃H696Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular

Verse 9

Cross-references

Jeremiah 5:29Classic cross-references Jeremiah 5:9Classic cross-references Leviticus 18:25Classic cross-references Isaiah 1:24Classic cross-references

Original words

Should I notלֹֽא־H3808Adverb - Negative particlepunishאֶפְקָד־H6485Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularthemבָּ֖םPreposition | third person masculine pluralforהַעַל־H5921Prepositionthese thingsאֵ֥לֶּהH428Pronoun - common pluraldeclaresנְאֻם־H5002Noun - masculine singular constructthe LORDיְהוָ֑הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularShould I notלֹ֥אH3808Adverb - Negative particleavengeתִתְנַקֵּ֖םH5358Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person feminine singularMyselfנַפְשִֽׁי׃סH5315Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singularonאִ֚םH518Conjunctionsuch a nationבְּג֣וֹיH1471Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular-אֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativeas thisכָּזֶ֔הH2088Preposition-k | Pronoun - masculine singular

Verse 10

Cross-references

Jeremiah 4:23Classic cross-references Jeremiah 12:4Classic cross-references Joel 1:19Classic cross-references Hosea 4:3Classic cross-references Jeremiah 23:10Classic cross-references

Original words

I will take upאֶשָּׂ֧אH5375Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singulara weepingבְכִ֣יH1065Noun - masculine singularand wailingוָנֶ֗הִיH5092Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularforעַל־H5921Prepositionthe mountainsהֶ֨הָרִ֜יםH2022Article | Noun - masculine plurala dirgeקִינָ֔הH7015Noun - feminine singularoverוְעַל־H5921Conjunctive waw | Prepositionthe wildernessמִדְבָּר֙H4057Noun - masculine singularpastureנְא֤וֹתH4999Noun - feminine plural constructforכִּ֤יH3588Conjunctionthey have been scorchedנִצְּתוּ֙H3341Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common pluralso noמִבְּלִי־H1097Preposition-m | Adverboneאִ֣ישׁH376Noun - masculine singularpasses throughעֹבֵ֔רH5674Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularand the lowingק֣וֹלH6963Noun - masculine singular constructof cattleמִקְנֶ֑הH4735Noun - masculine singularis notוְלֹ֥אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particleheardשָׁמְע֖וּH8085Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralBoth the birdsמֵע֤וֹףH5775Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular constructof the airהַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙H8064Article | Noun - masculine pluralandוְעַד־H5704Conjunctive waw | Prepositionthe beastsבְּהֵמָ֔הH929Noun - feminine singularhave fledנָדְד֖וּH5074Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralthey have gone awayהָלָֽכוּ׃H1980Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural

Verse 11

Cross-references

Leviticus 26:32Classic cross-references Isaiah 25:2Classic cross-references Isaiah 34:13Classic cross-references Jeremiah 10:22Classic cross-references Jeremiah 34:22Classic cross-references

Original words

And I will makeוְנָתַתִּ֧יH5414Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerJerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֛םH3389Noun - proper - feminine singulara heap of rubbleלְגַלִּ֖יםH1530Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plurala hauntמְע֣וֹןH4583Noun - masculine singular constructfor jackalsתַּנִּ֑יםH8577Noun - common plural-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerand I will makeאֶתֵּ֥ןH5414Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularthe citiesעָרֵ֧יH5892Noun - feminine plural constructof Judahיְהוּדָ֛הH3063Noun - proper - masculine singulara desolationשְׁמָמָ֖הH8077Noun - feminine singularwithoutמִבְּלִ֖יH1097Preposition-m | Adverbinhabitantיוֹשֵֽׁב׃סH3427Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular

BSB notes

Or serpents or dragons

Read full chapter context All Jeremiah chapters

<- Jeremiah 8 Jeremiah 9 Jeremiah 10 ->