Jeremiah 9:3-9
International Standard Version
3 They use their tongues like a bow.
Lies rather than truth fly throughout[a] the land.
They progress from one evil to another,
and they don’t know me,”
declares the Lord.
4 “Beware of your neighbors, and don’t trust
any of your relatives.
For all of your relatives act deceitfully,
and every friend goes around as a slanderer.
5 People deceive their friends,
and they don’t tell the truth.
They have taught their tongues to tell lies.
They exhaust themselves practicing evil.[b]
6 You yourself live in the midst of deception,
and because they are deceived they do not know me,”
declares the Lord.
7 Therefore, this is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies says:
“Look, I’m about to refine and test them.
Because they’re my people, what else can I do?[c]
8 Their tongue is a deadly arrow
that speaks deceit.
With his mouth a person says, ‘Peace,’ to his friend,
but inwardly he sets a trap for him.
9 Should I not punish them for these things?”[d]
asks the Lord,
“and should I not avenge myself on a nation like this?”
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 9:3 Lit. prevail in
- Jeremiah 9:5 Or themselves with iniquity
- Jeremiah 9:7 Lit. because of the daughter of my people
- Jeremiah 9:9 Or punish these people
Jeremiah 9:3-9
Lexham English Bible
3 And they bend their tongue like their bow,
for falsehood and not truth is superior in the land,
for they go forth[a] from evil to evil,
and they do not know me,” declares[b] Yahweh.
A Nation Characterized by Deceit
4 “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.
5 And everyone deceives his neighbor,
and they do not speak the truth,
they have taught their tongues[c] to speak lies,[d]
they are tired from going astray.
6 Your dwelling is in the midst of deceit,
upon[e] deceit they refuse to know me,” declares[f] Yahweh.
7 Therefore, thus says Yahweh of hosts:
“Look, I am about to refine them,
and I will test them,
for what else can I do,
because of the presence[g] of the daughter of my people?
8 Their tongue is a murderous arrow,
it speaks deceit.
With his mouth he speaks peace with his neighbor,
but in his inner parts he sets up his ambush.
9 Because of these things shall I not punish them?” declares[h] Yahweh,
“On a nation that is like this shall I not take revenge?
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 9:3 Or “proceed”
- Jeremiah 9:3 Literally “a declaration of”
- Jeremiah 9:5 Hebrew “tongue”
- Jeremiah 9:5 Hebrew “lie”
- Jeremiah 9:6 Or “through”
- Jeremiah 9:6 Literally “a declaration of”
- Jeremiah 9:7 Literally “faces”
- Jeremiah 9:9 Literally “a declaration of”
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