Logos Bible Study

Jeremiah 9:3–5

The NET BibleOther versions

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The Lord Laments That He Has No Choice But to Judge Them

9:3The Lord says,7

“These people are like soldiers who have readied their bows.

Their tongues are always ready to shoot out lies.8

They have become powerful in the land,

but they have not done so by honest means.9

Indeed, they do one evil thing after another10

and do not pay attention to me.11

9:4Everyone must be on his guard around his friends.

He must not even trust any of his relatives.12

For every one of them will find some way to cheat him.13

And all of his friends will tell lies about him.

9:5One friend deceives another

and no one tells the truth.

These people have trained themselves14 to tell lies.

They do wrong and are unable to repent.

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Footnotes

  1. 7 The words “The Lord says” have been moved up from the end of the verse to make clear that a change in speaker has occurred.
  2. 8 Heb “They have readied [or strung] their tongue as their bow for lies.”
  3. 9 Heb “but not through honesty.”
  4. 10 Heb “they go from evil to evil.”
  5. 11 Or “do not acknowledge me”; Heb “do not know me.” But “knowing” in Hebrew thought often involves more than intellectual knowledge; it involves emotional and volitional commitment as well. For יָדַע meaning “acknowledge” see 1 Chr 28:9; Isa 29:21; Hos 2:20; Prov 3:6. This word is also found in ancient Near Eastern treaty contexts where it has the idea of a vassal king acknowledging the sovereignty of a greater king (cf. H. Huffmon, “The Treaty Background of Hebrew yada,” 181 [1966]: 31–37).
  6. 12 Heb “Be on your guard … Do not trust.” The verbs are second masculine plural of direct address and there seems no way to translate literally and not give the mistaken impression that Jeremiah is being addressed. This is another example of the tendency in Hebrew style to turn from description to direct address (a figure of speech called apostrophe).
  7. 13 Heb “cheating, each of them will cheat.” There is perhaps an intentional pun and allusion here to Gen 27:36 and the wordplay on the name Jacob there. The text here reads עָקוֹב יַעְקֹב (’aqob ya’qob).
  8. 14 Heb “their tongues.” However, this is probably not a natural idiom in contemporary English and the tongue may stand as a part for the whole anyway.

The NET Bible First Edition, Copyright 1996-2005 by Biblical Studies Press

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

They bend their tongue like a bow;

falsehood and not truth has grown strong in the land;

for they proceed from evil to evil,

and they do not know me, declares the Lord.

Let everyone beware of his neighbor,

and put no trust in any brother,

for every brother is a deceiver,

and every neighbor goes about as a slanderer.

Everyone deceives his neighbor,

and no one speaks the truth;

they have taught their tongue to speak lies;

they weary themselves committing iniquity.

Copyright 2001 Crossway Bibles

NIVNew International Version (2011)

“They make ready their tongue

like a bow, to shoot lies;

it is not by truth

that they triumph in the land.

They go from one sin to another;

they do not acknowledge me,”

declares the Lord.

“Beware of your friends;

do not trust anyone in your clan.

For every one of them is a deceiver,

and every friend a slanderer.

Friend deceives friend,

and no one speaks the truth.

They have taught their tongues to lie;

they weary themselves with sinning.

Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica, Inc.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

They bent their tongues like their bows;

lies and not faithfulness prevail in the land,

for they proceed from one evil to another,

and they do not take me into account.

This is the Lord’s declaration.

Everyone has to be on guard against his friend.

Don’t trust any brother,

for every brother will certainly deceive,

and every friend spread slander.

Each one betrays his friend;

no one tells the truth.

They have taught their tongues to speak lies;

they wear themselves out doing wrong.

Copyright 2017 Holman Bible Publishers

NLTNew Living Translation

“My people bend their tongues like bows

to shoot out lies.

They refuse to stand up for the truth.

They only go from bad to worse.

They do not know me,”

says the Lord.

“Beware of your neighbor!

Don’t even trust your brother!

For brother takes advantage of brother,

and friend slanders friend.

They all fool and defraud each other;

no one tells the truth.

With practiced tongues they tell lies;

they wear themselves out with all their sinning.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And they bend their tongue like their bow,

for falsehood and not truth is superior in the land,

for they go forth from evil to evil,

and they do not know me,” declares Yahweh.

“Let everyone be on your guard against his neighbor,

and you must not trust in any brother,

for everyone surely betrays,

and every neighbor goes about with slander.

And everyone deceives his neighbor,

and they do not speak the truth,

they have taught their tongues to speak lies,

they are tired from going astray.

Copyright 2012 Lexham Press

KJV 1900King James Version

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.

Take ye heed every one of his neighbour,

And trust ye not in any brother:

For every brother will utterly supplant,

And every neighbour will walk with slanders.

And they will deceive every one his neighbour,

And will not speak the truth:

They have taught their tongue to speak lies,

And weary themselves to commit iniquity.

Public Domain