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Jeremiah 9:3

Words and speechTruth and honesty

1 Oh, 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.

2 If 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.

“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.

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

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Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
“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.
KJV
And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the LORD.
WEB
“They bend their tongue, as their bow, for falsehood. They have grown strong in the land, but not for truth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they don’t know me,” says the LORD.
ASV
And they bend their tongue, [as it were] their bow, for falsehood; and they are grown strong in the land, but not for truth: for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith Jehovah.
DARBY
And they bend their tongue, their bow of falsehood, and not for fidelity are they valiant in the land; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith Jehovah.
BLB
“And they bend their tongues [like] their bow [in] deception, and they are not mighty for the truth on the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not know Me!” A declaration of YHWH.
ÅB
De spenner sin tunge som en bue til løgn, og ikke på redelig vis er de blitt sterke i landet, men fra ondt til ondt er de gått fram, og meg kjenner de ikke, sier Herren.
OTB
"De spenner sine tunger som buer for å skyte løgn; det er ikke ved sannhet de seirer i landet. De går fra det ene onde til det andre; de kjenner meg ikke," sier Herren.
B1930
De spenner sin tunge som en bue til løgn, og ikke på redelig vis er de blitt sterke i landet, men fra ondt til ondt er de gått frem, og mig kjenner de ikke, sier Herren.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Jeremiah 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.”

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  • Jeremiah 9:8

    Their 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.

    Read in context

  • Judges 2:10

    After that whole generation had also been gathered to their fathers, another generation rose up who did not know the LORD or the works that He had done for Israel.

    Read in context

  • Isaiah 59:13–15

    rebelling and denying the LORD, turning away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering lies from the heart.

    Read in context

  • Romans 3:13

    “Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The venom of vipers is on their lips.”

    Read in context

  • 1 Samuel 2:12

    Now the sons of Eli were wicked men; they had no regard for the LORD

    Read in context

  • Romans 1:16

    I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, then to the Greek.

    Read in context

  • Isaiah 59:3–5

    For your hands are stained with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, and your tongue mutters injustice.

    Read in context