Jeremiah 5:21

Judgment

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 yours.

²⁰ Declare this in the house of Jacob, and publish it in Judah, saying,

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.

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: “Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear.
KJV: Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not:
WEB: ‘Hear this now, foolish people without understanding, who have eyes, and don’t see, who have ears, and don’t hear:
ASV: Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; that have eyes, and see not; that have ears, and hear not:
DARBY: Hear now this, O foolish and heartless people, who have eyes and see not; who have ears, and hear not.
BLB: “Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; unto them [are] eyes, and they do not see, unto them [are] ears, and they do not hear.

ÅB: Hør dette, du uvettige og uforstandige folk, som har øyne, men ikke ser, som har ører, men ikke hører!
OTB: Hør dette, dere sanseløse og tåpelige folk, som har øyne men ikke ser, som har ører men ikke hører:
B1930: Hør dette, du uvettige og uforstandige folk, som har øine, men ikke ser, som har ører, men ikke hører!

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Acts 28:26
Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive:
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Ezekiel 12:2
Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house.
Read in context
Isaiah 6:9–10
And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.
Read in context
Romans 11:8
(According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.
Read in context
John 12:40
He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.
Read in context
Matthew 13:13–15
Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
Read in context
Jeremiah 4:22
For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.
Read in context
Mark 8:18
Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?
Read in context