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”
Jeremiah 9:3-9
Holman Christian Standard Bible
3 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.(A)
This is the Lord’s declaration.
Imminent Ruin and Exile
4 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.(B)
5 Each one betrays his friend;
no one tells the truth.
They have taught their tongues to speak lies;
they wear themselves out doing wrong.
6 You live in a world of deception.[a]
In their deception they refuse to know Me.(C)
This is the Lord’s declaration.
7 Therefore, this is what the Lord of Hosts says:
I am about to refine them and test them,(D)
for what else can I do
because of My dear[b] people?[c]
8 Their tongues are deadly arrows—
they speak deception.(E)
With his mouth
a man speaks peaceably with his friend,
but inwardly he sets up an ambush.
9 Should I not punish them for these things?
This is the Lord’s declaration.
Should I not avenge Myself(F)
on such a nation as this?
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 9:6 LXX reads Oppression on oppression, deceit on deceit
- Jeremiah 9:7 Lit of the daughter of My
- Jeremiah 9:7 LXX, Tg read because of their evils
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