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“They (A)bend their tongue like their bow;
Lies and unfaithfulness prevail in the land,
For they (B)go onward from evil to evil,
And they (C)do not know Me,” declares Yahweh.
“Let everyone (D)beware of his neighbor,
And (E)do not trust any brother,
Because every (F)brother [a]surely supplants,
And every neighbor (G)goes about as a slanderer.
Everyone (H)deceives his neighbor
And does not speak the truth;
They have taught their tongue to speak lies;
They (I)weary themselves committing iniquity.
Your (J)habitation is in the midst of deceit;
Through deceit they (K)refuse to know Me,” declares Yahweh.

Therefore thus says Yahweh of hosts,

“Behold, I will refine them and (L)test them;
For (M)what else can I do, because of the daughter of My people?
Their (N)tongue is a slaughtering arrow;
It speaks deceit;
With his mouth one (O)speaks peace to his neighbor,
But inwardly he (P)sets an ambush for him.
(Q)Shall I not punish them for these things?” declares Yahweh.
“On a nation such as this
Shall I not avenge Myself?

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 9:4 Heb sounds like Jacob (a play on words)

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

“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[c] to speak lies,[d]
    they are tired from going astray.
Your dwelling is in the midst of deceit,
    upon[e] deceit they refuse to know me,” declares[f] Yahweh.

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?
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.
Because of these things shall I not punish them?” declares[h] Yahweh,
“On a nation that is like this shall I not take revenge?

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 9:3 Or “proceed”
  2. Jeremiah 9:3 Literally “a declaration of”
  3. Jeremiah 9:5 Hebrew “tongue”
  4. Jeremiah 9:5 Hebrew “lie”
  5. Jeremiah 9:6 Or “through”
  6. Jeremiah 9:6 Literally “a declaration of”
  7. Jeremiah 9:7 Literally “faces”
  8. Jeremiah 9:9 Literally “a declaration of”