Jeremiah 9:3-9
New King James Version
3 “And like their bow (A)they have bent their tongues for lies.
They are not valiant for the truth on the earth.
For they proceed from (B)evil to evil,
And they (C)do not know Me,” says the Lord.
4 “Everyone(D) take heed to his [a]neighbor,
And do not trust any brother;
For every brother will utterly supplant,
And every neighbor will (E)walk with slanderers.
5 Everyone will (F)deceive his neighbor,
And will not speak the truth;
They have taught their tongue to speak lies;
They weary themselves to commit iniquity.
6 Your dwelling place is in the midst of deceit;
Through deceit they refuse to know Me,” says the Lord.
7 Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts:
“Behold, (G)I will refine them and [b]try them;
(H)For how shall I deal with the daughter of My people?
8 Their tongue is an arrow shot out;
It speaks (I)deceit;
One speaks (J)peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth,
But [c]in his heart he [d]lies in wait.
9 (K)Shall I not punish them for these things?” says the Lord.
“Shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?”
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 9:4 friend
- Jeremiah 9:7 test
- Jeremiah 9:8 Inwardly he
- Jeremiah 9:8 sets his ambush
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”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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