Jeremiah 5:4
2 Although they say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives,’ they are swearing falsely.”
3 O LORD, do not Your eyes look for truth? You struck them, but they felt no pain. You finished them off, but they refused to accept discipline. They have made their faces harder than stone and refused to repent.
Then I said, “They are only the poor; they have played the fool, for they do not know the way of the LORD, the justice of their God.
5 I will go to the powerful and speak to them. Surely they know the way of the LORD, the justice of their God.” But they too, with one accord, had broken the yoke and torn off the chains.
6 Therefore a lion from the forest will strike them down, a wolf from the desert will ravage them. A leopard will lie in wait near their cities, and everyone who ventures out will be torn to pieces. For their rebellious acts are many, and their unfaithful deeds are numerous.
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
- Then I said, “They are only the poor; they have played the fool, for they do not know the way of the LORD, the justice of their God.
- KJV
- 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.
- WEB
- Then I said, “Surely these are poor. They are foolish; for they don’t know the LORD’s way, nor the law of their God.
- ASV
- Then I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish; for they know not the way of Jehovah, nor the law of their God:
- DARBY
- 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.
- BLB
- And I said, “Surely these [are] poor; they are foolish, for they do not know the way of YHWH, the justice of their God.
- ÅB
- Da sa jeg: Det er bare småfolk[^1]; de er uforstandige, for de kjenner ikke Herrens vei, sin Guds rett;
- OTB
- Jeg tenkte, “Disse er bare de fattige; de er tåpelige, for de kjenner ikke Herrens vei, deres Guds dom.
- B1930
- Da sa jeg: Det er bare småfolk; de er uforstandige, for de kjenner ikke Herrens vei, sin Guds rett; / < som har båret sig således at; JER 5, 3.>
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Hosea 4:6
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you as My priests. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children.
Read in contextJeremiah 8:7
Even the stork in the sky knows her appointed seasons. The turtledove, the swift, and the thrush keep their time of migration, but My people do not know the requirements of the LORD.
Read in contextIsaiah 28:9–13
Whom is He trying to teach? To whom is He explaining His message? To infants just weaned from milk? To babies removed from the breast?
Read in contextMatthew 11:5
The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.
Read in contextJeremiah 4:22
“For My people are fools; they have not known Me. They are foolish children, without understanding. They are skilled in doing evil, but they know not how to do good.”
Read in contextJeremiah 7:8
But look, you keep trusting in deceptive words to no avail.
Read in contextIsaiah 27:11
When its limbs are dry, they are broken off. Women come and use them for kindling; for this is a people without understanding. Therefore their Maker has no compassion on them, and their Creator shows them no favor.
Read in contextJohn 7:48–49
“Have any of the rulers or Pharisees believed in Him?
Read in context