Jeremiah · Berean Standard Bible
Jeremiah 5 Berean Standard Bible
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 “Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem. Look now and take note; search her squares. If you can find a single person, anyone who acts justly, anyone who seeks the truth, then I will forgive the city.
1 “Run back and forth through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in its wide places, if you can find a man, if there is anyone who does justly, who seeks truth, then I will pardon her.
2 Although they say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives,’ they are swearing falsely.”
2 Though they say, ‘As Yahweh lives,’ surely they swear 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.
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, “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.
4 Then I said, “Surely these are poor. They are foolish; for they don’t know Yahweh’s way, nor the law 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.
5 I will go 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 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.
6 Therefore a lion out of the forest will kill them. A wolf of the evenings will destroy them. A leopard will watch against their cities. Everyone who goes out there will be torn in pieces, because their transgressions are many and their backsliding has increased.
7 “Why should I forgive you? Your children have forsaken Me and sworn by gods that are not gods. I satisfied their needs, yet they committed adultery and assembled at the houses of prostitutes.
7 “How can I pardon you? Your children have forsaken me, and sworn by what 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 are well-fed, lusty stallions, each neighing after his neighbor’s wife.
8 They were as fed horses roaming at large. Everyone neighed after his neighbor’s wife.
9 Should I not punish them for these things?” declares the LORD. “Should I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?
9 Shouldn’t I punish them for these things?” says Yahweh. “Shouldn’t my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
10 Go up through her vineyards and ravage them, but do not finish them off. Strip off her branches, for they do not belong to the LORD.
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 been utterly unfaithful to Me,” declares the LORD.
11 For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me,” says Yahweh.
12 They have lied about the LORD and said: “He will not do anything; harm will not come to us; we will not see sword or famine.
12 They have denied Yahweh, and said, “It is not he. Evil won’t come on us. We won’t see sword or famine.
13 The prophets are but wind, for the word is not in them. So let their own predictions befall them.”
13 The prophets will become wind, and the word is not in them. Thus it will be done to them.”
14 Therefore this is what the LORD God of Hosts says: “Because you have spoken this word, I will make My words a fire in your mouth and this people the wood it consumes.
14 Therefore Yahweh, the God of Armies says, “Because you speak this word, behold, I will make my words in your mouth fire, and this people wood, and it will devour them.
15 Behold, I am bringing a distant nation against you, O house of Israel,” declares the LORD. “It is an established nation, an ancient nation, a nation whose language you do not know and whose speech you do not understand.
15 Behold, I will bring a nation on you from far away, house of Israel,” says Yahweh. “It is a mighty nation. It is an ancient nation, a nation whose language you don’t know and don’t understand what they say.
16 Their quivers are like open graves; they are all mighty men.
16 Their quiver is an open tomb. They are all mighty men.
17 They will devour your harvest and food; they will consume your sons and daughters; they will eat up your flocks and herds; they will feed on your vines and fig trees. With the sword they will destroy the fortified cities in which you trust.”
17 They will eat up your harvest and your bread, which your sons and your daughters should eat. They will eat up your flocks and your herds. They will eat up your vines and your fig trees. They will beat down your fortified cities in which you trust with the sword.
18 “Yet even in those days,” declares the LORD, “I will not make a full end of you.
18 “But even in those days,” says Yahweh, “I will not make a full end of you.
19 And when the people ask, ‘For what offense has the LORD our God done all these things to us?’ You are to tell them, ‘Just as you have forsaken Me and served foreign gods in your land, so will you serve foreigners in a land that is not your own.’”
19 It will happen when you say, ‘Why has Yahweh our God done all these things to us?’ Then you shall say to them, ‘Just as you have forsaken me and served foreign gods in your land, so you will serve strangers in a land that is not yours.’
20 Declare this in the house of Jacob and proclaim it in Judah:
20 “Declare this in the house of Jacob, and publish it in Judah, saying,
21 “Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear.
21 ‘Hear this now, foolish people without understanding, who have eyes, and don’t see, who have ears, and don’t hear:
22 Do you not fear Me?” declares the LORD. “Do you not tremble before Me, the One who set the sand as the boundary for the sea, an enduring barrier it cannot cross? The waves surge, but they cannot prevail. They roar but cannot cross it.
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? Though its waves toss themselves, yet they can’t prevail. Though they roar, they still can’t pass over it.’
23 But these people have stubborn and rebellious hearts. They have turned aside and gone away.
23 “But this people has a revolting and a rebellious heart. They have revolted and gone.
24 They have not said in their hearts, ‘Let us fear the LORD our God, who gives the rains, both autumn and spring, in season, who keeps for us the appointed weeks of harvest.’
24 They don’t say in their heart, ‘Let’s 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 diverted these from you; your sins have deprived you of My bounty.
25 “Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withheld good from you.
26 For among My people are wicked men; they watch like fowlers lying in wait; they set a trap to catch men.
26 For wicked men are found among my people. They watch, as fowlers lie in wait. They set a trap. They catch men.
27 Like cages full of birds, so their houses are full of deceit. Therefore they have become powerful and rich.
27 As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit. Therefore they have become great, and grew rich.
28 They have grown fat and sleek, and have excelled in the deeds of the wicked. They have not taken up the cause of the fatherless, that they might prosper; nor have they defended the rights of the needy.
28 They have grown fat. They shine; yes, they excel in deeds of wickedness. They don’t plead the cause, the cause of the fatherless, that they may prosper; and they don’t defend the rights of the needy.
29 Should I not punish them for these things?” declares the LORD. “Should I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?
29 “Shouldn’t I punish for these things?” says Yahweh. “Shouldn’t my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
30 A horrible and shocking thing has happened in the land.
30 “An astonishing and horrible thing has happened in the land.
31 The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own authority. My people love it so, but what will you do in the end?
31 The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own authority; and my people love to have it so. What will you do in the end of it?
Cross references (30)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Genesis 18:23–32; 2 Chronicles 16:9; Ezekiel 22:30; Psalm 14:3; Psalm 53:2–4
- 2 Titus 1:16; Jeremiah 4:2; Leviticus 19:12; 2 Timothy 3:5; Hosea 4:1–2
- 3 Jeremiah 7:28; Jeremiah 2:30; 2 Chronicles 16:9; Zephaniah 3:7; Isaiah 9:13
- 4 Hosea 4:6; Jeremiah 8:7; Isaiah 28:9–13; Matthew 11:5; Jeremiah 4:22
- 5 Jeremiah 2:20; James 2:5–7; Luke 18:24; Luke 19:14; Acts 4:26–27
- 6 Jeremiah 4:7; Habakkuk 1:8; Ezekiel 22:27; Zephaniah 3:3; Revelation 13:2
- 7 Galatians 4:8; Joshua 23:7; Deuteronomy 32:21; Jeremiah 2:11; Zephaniah 1:5
- 8 Jeremiah 13:27; 2 Samuel 11:2–4; Ezekiel 22:11; Deuteronomy 5:18; Exodus 20:14
- 9 Jeremiah 9:9; Jeremiah 5:29; Isaiah 1:24; Lamentations 4:22; Nahum 1:2
- 10 Jeremiah 4:27; Hosea 1:9; Amos 9:8; Matthew 22:7; Psalm 78:61–62
- 11 Jeremiah 3:20; Isaiah 48:8; Jeremiah 3:6–11; Hosea 5:7; Hosea 6:7
- 12 2 Chronicles 36:16; Isaiah 28:14–15; Jeremiah 43:2–3; Ezekiel 12:22–28; Jeremiah 23:14–17
- 13 Jeremiah 14:15; Jeremiah 14:13; Job 8:2; Jeremiah 20:8–11; Jeremiah 18:18
- 14 Jeremiah 23:29; Jeremiah 1:9; Hosea 6:5; Revelation 11:5–6; Zechariah 1:6
- 15 Deuteronomy 28:49; Jeremiah 4:16; Isaiah 33:19; Isaiah 28:11; Isaiah 5:26
- 16 Isaiah 5:28; Psalm 5:9; Romans 3:13
- 17 Leviticus 26:16; Deuteronomy 28:33; Hosea 8:14; Jeremiah 50:7; Jeremiah 4:26
- 18 Jeremiah 5:10; Jeremiah 4:27; Romans 11:1–5; Ezekiel 9:8; Ezekiel 11:13
- 19 1 Kings 9:8–9; Deuteronomy 28:47–48; Jeremiah 22:8–9; Jeremiah 13:22; Jeremiah 16:13
- 21 Acts 28:26; Ezekiel 12:2; Isaiah 6:9–10; Romans 11:8; John 12:40
- 22 Job 38:10–11; Psalm 104:9; Job 26:10; Proverbs 8:29; Deuteronomy 28:58
- 23 Jeremiah 6:28; Deuteronomy 21:18; Hebrews 3:12; Psalm 95:10; Hosea 11:7
- 24 Psalm 147:8; Genesis 8:22; Joel 2:23; Jeremiah 14:22; Acts 14:17
- 25 Isaiah 59:2; Psalm 107:34; Psalm 107:17; Deuteronomy 28:23–24; Jeremiah 2:17–19
- 26 Proverbs 1:11; Psalm 64:5; Jeremiah 18:22; Ezekiel 22:2–12; Psalm 10:9–10
- 27 Jeremiah 9:6; Amos 8:4–6; Proverbs 1:11–13; Micah 1:12; Revelation 18:2
- 28 Isaiah 1:23; Deuteronomy 32:15; Psalm 73:12; Zechariah 7:10; Jeremiah 7:6
- 29 Jeremiah 5:9; Malachi 3:5; James 5:4; Jeremiah 9:9
- 30 Jeremiah 23:14; Hosea 6:10; Isaiah 1:2; Jeremiah 2:12
- 31 Ezekiel 13:6; Jeremiah 14:14; Micah 2:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:9–11; 2 Timothy 4:3–4
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Wherefore the prophet David says, "Man, being placed in honour, is made like unto cattle." And again Jeremiah says, "They are become like horses, furious about females; each one neighed after his neighbour's wife." And Isaiah, when preaching in Judea, and reasoning with Israel, termed them "rulers of Sodom" and "people of Gomorrah;" intimating that they were like the Sodomites …
… of the synagogue of the Jews: "A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land: the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests applaud them with their hands; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?" O eloquence, which is the more terrible from its purity, and the more crushing from …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
"Fear ye not me, saith the Lord....which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea." A grain of sand, the weakest thing possible, curbs the violence of the ocean.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 8 (1895)