1 Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it.
2 And though they say, The LORD liveth; surely they swear falsely.
3 O LORD, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.
4 Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish: for they know not the way of the LORD, nor the judgment of their God.
5 I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they have known the way of the LORD, and the judgment of their God: but these have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds.
6 Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, and a wolf of the evenings shall spoil them, a leopard shall watch over their cities: every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces: because their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are increased.
7 How shall I pardon thee for this? thy children have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are no gods: when I had fed them to the full, they then committed adultery, and assembled themselves by troops in the harlots' houses.
8 They were as fed horses in the morning: every one neighed after his neighbour's wife.
9 Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD: and shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
10 Go ye up upon her walls, and destroy; but make not a full end: take away her battlements; for they are not the LORD's.
11 For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me, saith the LORD.
12 They have belied the LORD, and said, It is not he; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine:
13 And the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them: thus shall it be done unto them.
14 Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.
15 Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith the LORD: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say.
16 Their quiver is as an open sepulchre, they are all mighty men.
17 And they shall eat up thine harvest, and thy bread, which thy sons and thy daughters should eat: they shall eat up thy flocks and thine herds: they shall eat up thy vines and thy fig trees: they shall impoverish thy fenced cities, wherein thou trustedst, with the sword.
18 Nevertheless in those days, saith the LORD, I will not make a full end with you.
19 And it shall come to pass, when ye shall say, Wherefore doeth the LORD our God all these things unto us? then shalt thou answer them, Like as ye have forsaken me, and served strange gods in your land, so shall ye serve strangers in a land that is not your's.
20 Declare this in the house of Jacob, and publish it in Judah, saying,
21 Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not:
22 Fear ye not me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?
23 But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone.
24 Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest.
25 Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you.
26 For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men.
27 As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich.
28 They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge.
29 Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
30 A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land;
31 The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?
1 Run ye to and fro H7751 through the streets H2351 of Jerusalem, H3389 and see H7200 now, and know, H3045 and seek H1245 in the broad places H7339 thereof, if ye can find H4672 a man, H376 if there be H3426 any that executeth H6213 judgment, H4941 that seeketh H1245 the truth; H530 and I will pardon H5545 it.
2 And though they say, H559 The LORD H3068 liveth; H2416 surely they swear H7650 falsely. H8267
3 O LORD, H3068 are not thine eyes H5869 upon the truth? H530 thou hast stricken H5221 them, but they have not grieved; H2342 thou hast consumed H3615 them, but they have refused H3985 to receive H3947 correction: H4148 they have made their faces H6440 harder H2388 than a rock; H5553 they have refused H3985 to return. H7725
4 Therefore I said, H559 Surely these are poor; H1800 they are foolish: H2973 for they know H3045 not the way H1870 of the LORD, H3068 nor the judgment H4941 of their God. H430
5 I will get H3212 me unto the great men, H1419 and will speak H1696 unto them; for they have known H3045 the way H1870 of the LORD, H3068 and the judgment H4941 of their God: H430 but these have altogether H3162 broken H7665 the yoke, H5923 and burst H5423 the bonds. H4147
6 Wherefore a lion H738 out of the forest H3293 shall slay H5221 them, and a wolf H2061 of the evenings H6160 shall spoil H7703 them, a leopard H5246 shall watch H8245 over their cities: H5892 every one that goeth out H3318 thence shall H2007 be torn in pieces: H2963 because their transgressions H6588 are many, H7231 and their backslidings H4878 are increased. H6105
7 How H335 shall I pardon H5545 thee for this? H2063 thy children H1121 have forsaken H5800 me, and sworn H7650 by them that are no H3808 gods: H430 when I had fed them to the full, H7650 they then committed adultery, H5003 and assembled themselves by troops H1413 in the harlots' H2181 houses. H1004
8 They were as fed H2109 horses H5483 in the morning: H7904 every one H376 neighed H6670 after his neighbour's H7453 wife. H802
9 Shall I not visit H6485 for these things? saith H5002 the LORD: H3068 and shall not my soul H5315 be avenged H5358 on such a nation H1471 as this?
10 Go ye up H5927 upon her walls, H8284 and destroy; H7843 but make H6213 not a full end: H3617 take away H5493 her battlements; H5189 for they are not the LORD'S. H3068
11 For the house H1004 of Israel H3478 and the house H1004 of Judah H3063 have dealt very H898 treacherously H898 against me, saith H5002 the LORD. H3068
12 They have belied H3584 the LORD, H3068 and said, H559 It is not he; neither shall evil H7451 come H935 upon us; neither shall we see H7200 sword H2719 nor famine: H7458
13 And the prophets H5030 shall become wind, H7307 and the word H1696 is not in them: thus shall it be done H6213 unto them.
14 Wherefore thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 God H430 of hosts, H6635 Because ye speak H1696 this word, H1697 behold, I will make H5414 my words H1697 in thy mouth H6310 fire, H784 and this people H5971 wood, H6086 and it shall devour H398 them.
15 Lo, I will bring H935 a nation H1471 upon you from far, H4801 O house H1004 of Israel, H3478 saith H5002 the LORD: H3068 it is a mighty H386 nation, H1471 it is an ancient H5769 nation, H1471 a nation H1471 whose language H3956 thou knowest H3045 not, neither understandest H8085 what they say. H1696
16 Their quiver H827 is as an open H6605 sepulchre, H6913 they are all mighty men. H1368
17 And they shall eat up H398 thine harvest, H7105 and thy bread, H3899 which thy sons H1121 and thy daughters H1323 should eat: H398 they shall eat up H398 thy flocks H6629 and thine herds: H1241 they shall eat up H398 thy vines H1612 and thy fig trees: H8384 they shall impoverish H7567 thy fenced H4013 cities, H5892 wherein thou H2007 trustedst, H982 with the sword. H2719
18 Nevertheless in those days, H3117 saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 I will not make H6213 a full end H3617 with you.
19 And it shall come to pass, when ye shall say, H559 Wherefore H8478 H4100 doeth H6213 the LORD H3068 our God H430 all these things unto us? then shalt thou answer H559 them, Like as ye have forsaken H5800 me, and served H5647 strange H5236 gods H430 in your land, H776 so shall ye serve H5647 strangers H2114 in a land H776 that is not yours.
20 Declare H5046 this in the house H1004 of Jacob, H3290 and publish H8085 it in Judah, H3063 saying, H559
21 Hear H8085 now this, O foolish H5530 people, H5971 and without understanding; H3820 which have eyes, H5869 and see H7200 not; which have ears, H241 and hear H8085 not:
22 Fear H3372 ye not me? saith H5002 the LORD: H3068 will ye not tremble H2342 at my presence, H6440 which have placed H7760 the sand H2344 for the bound H1366 of the sea H3220 by a perpetual H5769 decree, H2706 that it cannot pass H5674 it: and though the waves H1530 thereof toss H1607 themselves, yet can they not prevail; H3201 though they roar, H1993 yet can they not pass over H5674 it?
23 But this people H5971 hath a revolting H5637 and a rebellious H4784 heart; H3820 they are revolted H5493 and gone. H3212
24 Neither say H559 they in their heart, H3824 Let us now fear H3372 the LORD H3068 our God, H430 that giveth H5414 rain, H1653 both the former H3138 and the latter, H4456 in his season: H6256 he reserveth H8104 unto us the appointed H2708 weeks H7620 of the harvest. H7105
25 Your iniquities H5771 have turned away H5186 these things, and your sins H2403 have withholden H4513 good H2896 things from you.
26 For among my people H5971 are found H4672 wicked H7563 men: they lay wait, H7789 as he that setteth H7918 snares; H3353 they set H5324 a trap, H4889 they catch H3920 men. H582
27 As a cage H3619 is full H4392 of birds, H5775 so are their houses H1004 full H4392 of deceit: H4820 therefore they are become great, H1431 and waxen rich. H6238
28 They are waxen fat, H8080 they shine: H6245 yea, they overpass H5674 the deeds H1697 of the wicked: H7451 they judge H1777 not the cause, H1779 the cause of the fatherless, H3490 yet they prosper; H6743 and the right H4941 of the needy H34 do they not judge. H8199
29 Shall I not visit H6485 for these things? saith H5002 the LORD: H3068 shall not my soul H5315 be avenged H5358 on such a nation H1471 as this?
30 A wonderful H8047 and horrible thing H8186 is committed H1961 in the land; H776
31 The prophets H5030 prophesy H5012 falsely, H8267 and the priests H3548 bear rule H7287 by their means; H3027 and my people H5971 love H157 to have it so: and what will ye do H6213 in the end H319 thereof?
1 Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that doeth justly, that seeketh truth; and I will pardon her.
2 And though they say, As Jehovah liveth; surely they swear falsely.
3 O Jehovah, do not thine eyes look upon truth? thou hast stricken them, but they were not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.
4 Then I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish; for they know not the way of Jehovah, nor the law of their God:
5 I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they know the way of Jehovah, and the law of their God. But these with one accord have broken the yoke, and burst the bonds.
6 Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, a wolf of the evenings shall destroy them, a leopard shall watch against their cities; every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces; because their transgressions are many, `and' their backslidings are increased.
7 How can I pardon thee? thy children have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are no gods: when I had fed them to the full, they committed adultery, and assembled themselves in troops at the harlots' houses.
8 They were as fed horses roaming at large; every one neighed after his neighbor's wife.
9 Shall I not visit for these things? saith Jehovah; and shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
10 Go ye up upon her walls, and destroy; but make not a full end: take away her branches; for they are not Jehovah's.
11 For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me, saith Jehovah.
12 They have denied Jehovah, and said, It is not he; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine:
13 and the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them: thus shall it be done unto them.
14 Wherefore thus saith Jehovah, the God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.
15 Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith Jehovah: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say.
16 Their quiver is an open sepulchre, they are all mighty men.
17 And they shall eat up thy harvest, and thy bread, `which' thy sons and thy daughters should eat; they shall eat up thy flocks and thy herds; they shall eat up thy vines and thy fig-trees; they shall beat down thy fortified cities, wherein thou trustest, with the sword.
18 But even in those days, saith Jehovah, I will not make a full end with you.
19 And it shall come to pass, when ye shall say, Wherefore hath Jehovah our God done all these things unto us? then shalt thou say unto them, Like as ye have forsaken me, and served foreign gods in your land, so shall ye serve strangers in a land that is not yours.
20 Declare ye this in the house of Jacob, and publish it in Judah, saying,
21 Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; that have eyes, and see not; that have ears, and hear not:
22 Fear ye not me? saith Jehovah: will ye not tremble at my presence, who have placed the sand for the bound of the sea, by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it? and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it.
23 But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone.
24 Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear Jehovah our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in its season; that preserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest.
25 Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good from you.
26 For among my people are found wicked men: they watch, as fowlers lie in wait; they set a trap, they catch men.
27 As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxed rich.
28 They are waxed fat, they shine: yea, they overpass in deeds of wickedness; they plead not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, that they may prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge.
29 Shall I not visit for these things? saith Jehovah; shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
30 A wonderful and horrible thing is come to pass in the land:
31 the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?
1 Go to and fro in streets of Jerusalem, And see, I pray you, and know, And seek in her broad places, if ye find a man, If there be one doing judgment, seeking stedfastness -- Then am I propitious to her.
2 And if they say, `Jehovah liveth,' Surely to a falsehood they swear.
3 Jehovah, Thine eyes, are they not on stedfastness? Thou hast smitten them, and they have not grieved, Thou hast consumed them, They have refused to receive instruction, They made their faces harder than a rock, They have refused to turn back.
4 And I -- I said, `Surely these `are' poor, They have been foolish, For they have not known the way of Jehovah, The judgment of their God.
5 I get me to the great, and I speak with them, For they have known the way of Jehovah, The judgment of their God.' Surely they together have broken the yoke, They have drawn away the bands.
6 Therefore smitten them hath a lion out of the forest, A wolf of the deserts doth spoil them, A leopard is watching over their cities, Every one who is going out of them is torn, For many have been their transgressions, Mighty have been their backslidings.
7 For this I am not propitious to thee, Thy sons have forsaken Me, And are satisfied by that which is not god, I satisfy them, and they commit adultery, And at the house of a harlot They gather themselves together.
8 Fed horses -- they have been early risers, Each to the wife of his neighbour they neigh.
9 For these do I not lay a charge? An affirmation of Jehovah, And on a nation such as this, Doth not My soul avenge itself?
10 Go ye up on her walls, and destroy, And a completion make not, Turn aside her branches, for they `are' not Jehovah's,
11 For dealt treacherously against Me have the house of Israel, And the house of Judah, an affirmation of Jehovah.
12 They have lied against Jehovah, And they say, ``It is' not He, Nor come in against us doth evil, Yea, sword and famine we do not see.
13 And the prophets become wind, And the word is not in them,' -- thus it is done by them.
14 Therefore, thus said Jehovah, God of Hosts, Because of your speaking this word, Lo, I am making My words in thy mouth become fire, And this people wood, and it hath devoured them.
15 Lo, I am bringing against you a nation from afar, O house of Israel, an affirmation of Jehovah, A nation -- strong it `is', a nation -- from of old it `is', A nation -- thou knowest not its tongue, Nor understandest what it speaketh.
16 Its quiver `is' as an open sepulchre, All of them -- mighty ones.
17 And it hath consumed thy harvest and thy bread, They consume thy sons, and thy daughters, It consumeth thy flock, and thy herd, It consumeth thy vine, and thy fig-tree, It maketh poor thy fenced cities, In which thou art trusting -- by the sword.
18 And even in those days, an affirmation of Jehovah, I do not make you a completion.
19 And it hath come to pass, when ye say, `For what hath Jehovah our God done to us all these?' That thou hast said unto them, `As ye have forsaken Me, And serve the gods of a foreigner in your land, So do ye serve strangers in a land not yours.
20 Declare ye this in the house of Jacob, And sound ye it in Judah, saying,
21 Hear ye, I pray you, this, O people, foolish and without heart, Eyes they have, and they see not, Ears they have, and they hear not.
22 Me do ye not fear, an affirmation of Jehovah? From My presence are ye not pained? Who hath made sand the border of the sea, A limit age-during, and it passeth not over it, They shake themselves, and they are not able, Yea, sounded have its billows, and they pass not over.
23 And this people hath an apostate and rebellious heart, They have turned aside, and they go on.
24 And they have not said in their heart, `Let us fear, we pray you, Jehovah our God, who is giving rain, The sprinkling and the gathered, in its season, The appointed weeks of harvest He keepeth for us.'
25 Your iniquities have turned these away, And your sins have kept the good from you.
26 For the wicked have been found among My people. It looketh about the covering of snares, They have set up a trap -- men they capture.
27 As a cage full of fowls, So their houses are full of deceit, Therefore they have been great, and are rich.
28 They have been fat, they have shone, Yea, they have overpassed the acts of the evil, Judgment they have not judged, The judgment of the fatherless -- and they prosper, And the judgment of the needy they have not judged.
29 For these do not I inspect, an affirmation of Jehovah, On a nation such as this, Doth not My soul avenge itself?
30 An astonishing and horrible thing hath been in the land.
31 The prophets have prophesied falsely, And the priests bear rule by their means, And My people have loved `it' so, And what do they at its latter end?
1 Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broadways thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be [any] that doeth justice, that seeketh fidelity; and I will pardon it.
2 And if they say, [As] Jehovah liveth! surely they swear falsely.
3 Jehovah, are not thine eyes upon fidelity? Thou hast smitten them, but they are not sore; thou hast consumed them, they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.
4 And I said, Surely these are the wretched ones, they are foolish; for they know not the way of Jehovah, the judgment of their God.
5 I will go unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they know the way of Jehovah, the judgment of their God; but these have altogether broken the yoke, have burst the bonds.
6 Therefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, a wolf of the evenings shall waste them; the leopard lurketh against their cities, every one that goeth out thence is torn in pieces: for their transgressions are multiplied, their backslidings are increased.
7 Wherefore should I pardon thee? Thy children have forsaken me, and swear by them that are not God. I have satiated them, and they have committed adultery, and they troop to the harlots' house.
8 [As] well fed horses, they roam about, every one neigheth after his neighbour's wife.
9 Shall I not visit for these things? saith Jehovah, and shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
10 Go up upon her walls, and destroy; but make not a full end; take away her battlements, for they are not Jehovah's.
11 For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me, saith Jehovah.
12 They have denied Jehovah, and say, He is not; and evil shall not come upon us, nor shall we see sword nor famine;
13 and the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them: thus shall it be done unto them.
14 Therefore thus saith Jehovah, the God of hosts: Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.
15 Behold, I bring a nation upon you from afar, house of Israel, saith Jehovah: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest thou what they say.
16 Their quiver is as an open sepulchre; they are all mighty men.
17 And they shall eat up thy harvest and thy bread, they shall eat up thy sons and thy daughters, they shall eat up thy flocks and thy herds, they shall eat up thy vines and thy fig-trees; they shall destroy with the sword thy strong cities, wherein thou trustedst.
18 Nevertheless in those days, saith Jehovah, I will not make a full end with you.
19 And it shall come to pass, when ye shall say, Wherefore hath Jehovah our God done all these things unto us? then shalt thou say to them, As ye have forsaken me, and served strange gods in your land, so shall ye serve strangers in a land that is not yours.
20 Declare this in the house of Jacob, and publish it in Judah, saying,
21 Hear now this, O foolish and heartless people, who have eyes and see not; who have ears, and hear not.
22 Will ye not fear me? saith Jehovah. Will ye not tremble at my presence, who have set the sand a bound for the sea by a perpetual decree, and it shall not pass it? and its waves toss themselves, but they do not prevail; and they roar, yet can they not pass over it?
23 But this people hath a stubborn and a rebellious heart; they have turned aside and are gone.
24 And they say not in their heart, Let us now fear Jehovah our God, that giveth rain, both the early and the latter, in its season; who preserveth unto us the appointed weeks of harvest.
25 Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden from you what is good.
26 For among my people are found wicked [men]: they lay wait, as fowlers stoop down; they set a trap, they catch men.
27 As a cage full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and have enriched themselves.
28 They are become fat, they shine, yea, they surpass in deeds of wickedness; they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, and they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not adjudge.
29 Shall I not visit for these things? saith Jehovah; shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
30 An appalling and horrible thing is committed in the land:
31 the prophets prophesy falsehood, and the priests rule by their means; and my people love [to have it] so. But what will ye do in the end thereof?
1 Run you back and forth through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places of it, if you can find a man, if there are any who does justly, who seeks truth; and I will pardon her.
2 Though they say, As Yahweh lives; surely they swear falsely.
3 O Yahweh, don't your eyes look on truth? you have stricken them, but they were not grieved; you have consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.
4 Then I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish; for they don't know the way of Yahweh, nor the law of their God:
5 I will get me to the great men, and will speak to them; for they know the way of Yahweh, and the law of their God. But these with one accord have broken the yoke, and burst the bonds.
6 Therefore a lion out of the forest shall kill them, a wolf of the evenings shall destroy them, a leopard shall watch against their cities; everyone who goes out there shall be torn in pieces; because their transgressions are many, [and] their backsliding is increased.
7 How can I pardon you? your children have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are no gods: when I had fed them to the full, they committed adultery, and assembled themselves in troops at the prostitutes' houses.
8 They were as fed horses roaming at large; everyone neighed after his neighbor's wife.
9 Shall I not visit for these things? says Yahweh; and shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
10 Go up on her walls, and destroy; but don't make a full end: take away her branches; for they are not Yahweh's.
11 For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me, says Yahweh.
12 They have denied Yahweh, and said, It is not he; neither shall evil come on us; neither shall we see sword nor famine:
13 and the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them: thus shall it be done to them.
14 Therefore thus says Yahweh, the God of hosts, Because you speak this word, behold, I will make my words in your mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.
15 Behold, I will bring a nation on you from far, house of Israel, says Yahweh: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language you don't know, neither understand what they say.
16 Their quiver is an open tomb, they are all mighty men.
17 They shall eat up your harvest, and your bread, [which] your sons and your daughters should eat; they shall eat up your flocks and your herds; they shall eat up your vines and your fig trees; they shall beat down your fortified cities, in which you trust, with the sword.
18 But even in those days, says Yahweh, I will not make a full end with you.
19 It shall happen, when you shall say, Why has Yahweh our God done all these things to us? then shall you say to them, Like as you have forsaken me, and served foreign gods in your land, so shall you serve strangers in a land that is not yours.
20 Declare you this in the house of Jacob, and publish it in Judah, saying,
21 Hear now this, foolish people, and without understanding; who have eyes, and don't see; who have ears, and don't hear:
22 Don't you fear me? says Yahweh: won't you tremble at my presence, who have placed the sand for the bound of the sea, by a perpetual decree, that it can't pass it? and though the waves of it toss themselves, yet they can't prevail; though they roar, yet they can't pass over it.
23 But this people has a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone.
24 Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear Yahweh our God, who gives rain, both the former and the latter, in its season; who preserves to us the appointed weeks of the harvest.
25 Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withheld good from you.
26 For among my people are found wicked men: they watch, as fowlers lie in wait; they set a trap, they catch men.
27 As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and grew rich.
28 They are grew fat, they shine: yes, they overpass in deeds of wickedness; they don't plead the cause, the cause of the fatherless, that they may prosper; and the right of the needy they don't judge.
29 Shall I not visit for these things? says Yahweh; shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
30 A wonderful and horrible thing is happen in the land:
31 the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will you do in the end of it?
1 Go quickly through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and get knowledge, and make a search in her wide places if there is a man, if there is one in her who is upright, who keeps faith; and she will have my forgiveness.
2 And though they say, By the living Lord; truly their oaths are false.
3 O Lord, do not your eyes see good faith? you have given them punishment, but they were not troubled; you have sent destruction on them, but they did not take your teaching to heart: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they would not come back.
4 Then I said, But these are the poor: they are foolish, for they have no knowledge of the way of the Lord or of the behaviour desired by their God.
5 I will go to the great men and have talk with them; for they have knowledge of the way of the Lord and of the behaviour desired by their God. But as for these, their one purpose is a broken yoke and burst bands.
6 And so a lion from the woods will put them to death, a wolf of the waste land will make them waste, a leopard will keep watch on their towns, and everyone who goes out from them will be food for the beasts; because of the great number of their sins and the increase of their wrongdoing.
7 How is it possible for you to have my forgiveness for this? your children have given me up, taking their oaths by those who are no gods: when I had given them food in full measure, they were false to their wives, taking their pleasure in the houses of loose women.
8 They were full of desire, like horses after a meal of grain: everyone went after his neighbour's wife.
9 Am I not to give punishment for these things? says the Lord: will not my soul take payment from such a nation as this?
10 Go up against her vines and make waste; let the destruction be complete: take away her branches, for they are not the Lord's.
11 For the people of Israel and the people of Judah have been very false to me, says the Lord.
12 They would have nothing to do with the Lord, saying, He will do nothing, and no evil will come to us; we will not see the sword or be short of food:
13 And the prophets will become wind, and the word is not in them; so it will be done to them.
14 For this reason the Lord, the God of armies, has said: Because you have said this, I will make my words in your mouth a fire, and this people wood, and they will be burned up by it.
15 See, I will send you a nation from far away, O people of Israel, says the Lord; a strong nation and an old nation, a nation whose language is strange to you, so that you may not get the sense of their words.
16 Their arrows give certain death, they are all men of war.
17 They will take all the produce of your fields, which would have been food for your sons and your daughters: they will take your flocks and your herds: they will take all your vines and your fig-trees: and with the sword they will make waste your walled towns in which you put your faith.
18 But even in those days, says the Lord, I will not let your destruction be complete.
19 And it will come about, when you say, Why has the Lord our God done all these things to us? that you will say to them, As you gave me up, making yourselves servants to strange gods in your land, so will you be servants to strange men in a land which is not yours.
20 Say this openly in Jacob and give it out in Judah, saying,
21 Give ear now to this, O foolish people without sense; who have eyes but see nothing, and ears without the power of hearing:
22 Have you no fear of me? says the Lord; will you not be shaking with fear before me, who have put the sand as a limit for the sea, by an eternal order, so that it may not go past it? and though it is ever in motion, it is not able to have its way; though the sound of its waves is loud, they are not able to go past it.
23 But the heart of this people is uncontrolled and turned away from me; they are broken loose and gone.
24 And they do not say in their hearts, Now let us give worship to our God, who gives the rain, the winter and the spring rain, at the right time; who keeps for us the ordered weeks of the grain-cutting.
25 Through your evil-doing these things have been turned away, and your sins have kept back good from you.
26 For there are sinners among my people: they keep watch, like men watching for birds; they put a net and take men in it.
27 As the fowl-house is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: for this reason they have become great and have got wealth.
28 They have become fat and strong: they have gone far in works of evil: they give no support to the cause of the child without a father, so that they may do well; they do not see that the poor man gets his rights.
29 Am I not to give punishment for these things? says the Lord: will not my soul take payment from such a nation as this?
30 A thing of wonder and fear has come about in the land;
31 The prophets give false words and the priests give decisions by their direction; and my people are glad to have it so: and what will you do in the end?
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Jeremiah 5
Commentary on Jeremiah 5 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 5
Jer 5:1-31. The Cause of the Judgments to Be Inflicted Is the Universal Corruption of the People.
1. a man—As the pious Josiah, Baruch, and Zephaniah lived in Jerusalem at that time, Jeremiah must here mean the mass of the people, the king, his counsellors, the false prophets, and the priests, as distinguished from the faithful few, whom God had openly separated from the reprobate people; among the latter not even one just person was to be found (Isa 9:16) [Calvin]; the godly, moreover, were forbidden to intercede for them (Jer 7:16; compare Ge 18:23, &c.; Ps 12:1; Eze 22:30).
see … know—look … ascertain.
judgment—justice, righteousness.
pardon it—rather, her.
2. (Tit 1:16).
swear falsely—not a judicial oath; but their profession of the worship of Jehovah is insincere (Jer 5:7; Jer 4:2). The reformation under Josiah was merely superficial in the case of the majority.
3. eyes upon the truth—(De 32:4; 2Ch 16:9). "Truth" is in contrast with "swear falsely" (Jer 5:2). The false-professing Jews could expect nothing but judgments from the God of truth.
stricken … not grieved—(Jer 2:30; Isa 1:5; 9:13).
refused … correction—(Jer 7:28; Zep 3:2).
4. poor—rather, "the poor." He supposes for the moment that this utter depravity is confined to the uninstructed poor, and that he would find a different state of things in the higher ranks: but there he finds unbridled profligacy.
5. they have known—rather, "they must know." The prophet supposes it as probable, considering their position.
but these—I found the very reverse to be the case.
burst … bonds—set God's law at defiance (Ps 2:3).
6. lion … wolf … leopard—the strongest, the most ravenous, and the swiftest, respectively, of beasts: illustrating the formidable character of the Babylonians.
of the evenings—Others not so well translate, of the deserts. The plural means that it goes forth every evening to seek its prey (Ps 104:20; Hab 1:8; Zep 3:3).
leopard … watch … cities—(Ho 13:7). It shall lie in wait about their cities.
7. It would not be consistent with God's holiness to let such wickedness pass unpunished.
sworn by—(Jer 5:2; Jer 4:2); that is, worshipped.
no gods—(De 32:21).
fed … to the full—so the Keri (Hebrew Margin) reads. God's bountifulness is contrasted with their apostasy (De 32:15). Prosperity, the gift of God, designed to lead men to Him, often produces the opposite effect. The Hebrew Chetib (text) reads: "I bound them (to Me) by oath," namely, in the marriage covenant, sealed at Sinai between God and Israel; in contrast to which stands their "adultery"; the antithesis favors this.
adultery … harlots' houses—spiritually: idolatry in temples of idols; but literal prostitution is also included, being frequently part of idol-worship: for example, in the worship of the Babylonian Mylitta.
8. in the morning—(Isa 5:11). "Rising early in the morning" is a phrase for unceasing eagerness in any pursuit; such was the Jews' avidity after idol-worship. Maurer translates from a different Hebrew root, "continually wander to and fro," inflamed with lust (Jer 2:23). But English Version is simpler (compare Jer 13:27; Eze 22:11).
9. (Jer 5:29; Jer 9:9; 44:22).
10. Abrupt apostrophe to the Babylonians, to take Jerusalem, but not to destroy the nation utterly (see on Jer 4:27).
battlements—rather, tendrils [Maurer]: the state being compared to a vine (Jer 12:10), the stem of which was to be spared, while the tendrils (the chief men) were to be removed.
11. (Jer 3:20).
12. belied—denied.
It is not he—rather, "(Jehovah) is not He," that is, the true and only God (Jer 14:22; De 32:39; Isa 43:10, 13). By their idolatry they virtually denied Him. Or, referring to what follows, and to Jer 5:9, "(Jehovah) is not," namely, about to be the punisher of our sins (Jer 14:13; Isa 28:15).
13. Continuation of the unbelieving language of the Jews.
the prophets—who prophesy punishment coming on us.
the word—the Holy Spirit, who speaks through true prophets, is not in them [Maurer]. Or else, "There is no word (divine communication) in them" (Ho 1:2) [Rosenmuller].
thus, &c.—Their ill-omened prophecies shall fall on themselves.
14. ye … thy … this people—He turns away from addressing the people to the prophet; implying that He puts them to a distance from Him, and only communicates with them through His prophet (Jer 5:19).
fire … wood—Thy denunciations of judgments shall be fulfilled and shall consume them as fire does wood. In Jer 23:29 it is the penetrating energy of fire which is the point of comparison.
15. (Jer 1:15; 6:22). Alluding to De 28:49, &c.
Israel—that is, Judah.
mighty—from an Arabic root, "enduring." The fourfold repetition of "nation" heightens the force.
ancient—The Chaldeans came originally from the Carduchian and Armenian mountains north of Mesopotamia, whence they immigrated into Babylonia; like all mountaineers, they were brave and hardy (see on Isa 23:13).
language … knowest not—Isa 36:11 shows that Aramaic was not understood by the "multitude," but only by the educated classes [Maurer]. Henderson refers it to the original language of the Babylonians, which, he thinks, they brought with them from their native hills, akin to the Persic, not to the Aramaic, or any other Semitic tongue, the parent of the modern Kurd.
16. open sepulchre—(Compare Ps 5:9). Their quiver is all-devouring, as the grave opened to receive the dead: as many as are the arrows, so many are the deaths.
17. (Le 26:16).
18. Not even in those days of judgments, will God utterly exterminate His people.
I will not make a full end with you—(Jer 5:10; Jer 4:27).
19. Retribution in kind. As ye have forsaken Me (Jer 2:13), so shall ye be forsaken by Me. As ye have served strange (foreign) gods in your land, so shall ye serve strangers (foreigners) in a land not yours. Compare the similar retribution in De 28:47, 48.
21. eyes … ears, and—Translate, "and yet" (compare De 29:4; Isa 6:9). Having powers of perception, they did not use them: still they were responsible for the exercise of them.
22. sand—Though made up of particles easily shifting about, I render it sufficient to curb the violence of the sea. Such is your monstrous perversity, that the raging, senseless sea sooner obeys Me, than ye do who profess to be intelligent [Calvin], (Job 26:10; 38:10, 11; Pr 8:29; Re 15:4).
23. (Jer 6:28).
24. rain … former … latter—The "former" falls from the middle of October to the beginning of December. The "latter," or spring rain in Palestine, falls before harvest in March and April, and is essential for ripening the crops (De 11:14; Joe 2:23).
weeks of … harvest—the seven weeks between passover and pentecost, beginning on the sixteenth of Nisan (De 16:9). By God's special providence no rain fell in Palestine during the harvest weeks, so that harvest work went on without interruption (see Ge 8:22).
25. National guilt had caused the suspension of these national mercies mentioned in Jer 5:24 (compare Jer 3:3).
26. (Pr 1:11, 17, 18; Hab 1:15).
as he that setteth snares—rather, "as fowlers crouch" [Maurer].
trap—literally, "destruction": the instrument of destruction.
catch men—not as Peter, to save (Lu 5:10), but to destroy men.
27. full of deceit—full of treasures got by deceit.
rich—(Ps 73:12, 18-20).
28. shine—the effect of fatness on the skin (De 32:15). They live a life of self-indulgence.
overpass … the wicked—exceed even the Gentiles in wickedness (Jer 2:33; Eze 5:6, 7).
judge not … fatherless—(Isa 1:23).
yet … prosper—(Jer 12:1).
29. (Jer 5:9; Mal 3:5).
30. (Jer 23:14; Ho 6:10).
31. bear rule by their means—literally, "according to their hands," that is, under their guidance (1Ch 25:3). As a sample of the priests lending themselves to the deceits of the false prophets, to gain influence over the people, see Jer 29:24-32.
love to have it so—(Mic 2:11).
end thereof—the fatal issue of this sinful course when divine judgments shall come.