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Jeremiah 5
Jeremiah 5:1
General Information:
Jeremiah often wrote prophecy in the form of poetry. Hebrew poetry uses different kinds of parallelism. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/writing-poetry and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-parallelism)
Rush about through the streets
"Go quickly through the streets"
Then look and think about this
"look and find out"
city squares
broad and open places in a city where people can gather
who is acting justly
"who does what is just"
Jeremiah 5:2
Although they say
The word "they" refers to the people of Jerusalem.
As Yahweh lives
"as surely as Yahweh is alive." The people use this expression to show that what they say next is certainly true. This is a way of making a solemn promise. See how you translated this in Jeremiah 4:2. Alternate translation: "I solemnly swear" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-idiom)
Jeremiah 5:3
do your eyes not look for faithfulness?
Jeremiah uses this question to emphasize that what Yahweh really wants is faithfulness. Wanting people to be faithful is spoken of as looking for faithfulness. Alternate translation: "you look for faithfulness." or "you want people to be faithful." (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rquestion and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
You struck the people, but they do not feel pain.
God punished his people in various ways. Here it is spoken of as if he hit them. Alternate translation: "You punish the people, but they do not pay attention" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
they still refuse to receive discipline
Here "to receive discipline" represents learning from discipline to do what is right. Alternate translation: "they still refuse to learn their lesson" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
They make their faces harder than rock
Hard faces represents the expression on their faces that shows that they are stubborn. The simile "harder than rock" shows that the people are extremely stubborn. Alternate translation: "They are extremely stubborn" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-simile)
Jeremiah 5:4
So I said
Jeremiah is speaking.
Jeremiah 5:5
But they all broke their yoke together; they all tore apart the chains that bound them to God.
The yoke and chains represent the law which bind God and his people. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
Jeremiah 5:6
So a lion ... A wolf ... A lurking panther
These are dangerous animals that can kill people. Possible meanings are that 1) this really is about wild animals killing people or 2) these wild animals are metaphors for enemy armies. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
So a lion ... A wolf ... A lurking panther ... torn apart
One possible meaning is that these are metaphors for enemy armies who will attack Judah. Alternate translation: "Like a lion from the thicket, a wolf from the Arabah, and a lurking panther, enemy armies will come against their cities, attack them, and destroy them. Anyone who goes outside his city will be killed" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
thicket
a set of bushes that grew closely together.
wolf
a large wild dangerous dog
lurking
watching for an opportunity to attack
panther
a large wild dangerous cat
For their transgressions increase
The abstract noun "transgressions" can be translated with the verb "sin." Alternate translation: "For they sin much" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-abstractnouns)
Their acts of faithlessness are unlimited
The abstract nouns in "acts of faithlessness" can be translated as "the faithless things they do." Alternate translation: "The faithless things they do are many" or "They do many faithless things" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-abstractnouns)
Jeremiah 5:7
Why should I pardon these people?
Yahweh uses this question to emphasize that he has no reason to pardon these people. Alternate translation: "Because of the things that they do, I cannot pardon these people." (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rquestion)
these people
the people of Jerusalem
Your sons
Yahweh is speaking to Jerusalem as though she were a woman who had children. Jerusalem's "sons" represent the people of Jerusalem. Alternate translation: "The people of Jerusalem" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-personification)
I fed them fully
Providing all they needed is spoken of as feeding them. Alternate translation: "I gave them everything they needed" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
they committed adultery and walked in great numbers to the houses of prostitutes
This may be a metaphor for being unfaithful to God and worshiping idols, but idol worship also included prostitution. Alternate translation: "they were unfaithful to me and went in large numbers to the houses of prostitutes" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
walked in great numbers to the houses of prostitutes
"went in large groups to the houses of prostitutes" or "large groups of them went to the houses of prostitutes"
Jeremiah 5:8
They were horses in heat ... neighed to his neighbor's wife
Because the God speaks of them as if they were horses that wanted to mate with other horses. Alternate translation: "They were like horses in heat ... neighed to his neighbor's wife" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
in heat
ready to mate
mate
when animals breed to reproduce
Each man neighed to his neighbor's wife
Male horses neigh loudly to female horses when they want to mate with them. Alternate translation: "Like horses who mate with more than one horse, these men wanted to sleep with other men's wives" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
Jeremiah 5:9
So should I not punish them ... and should I not avenge myself on a nation that is like this?
Yahweh uses this question to emphasize that the things that they are doing are so bad that he will no have mercy but will punish them. Alternate translation: "Because they do these things, I will punish them ... I will certainly get revenge for myself against them." (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rquestion)
this is Yahweh's declaration
Yahweh speaks of himself by name to express the certainty of what he is declaring. See how you translated this in Jeremiah 1:8. Alternate translation: "this is what Yahweh has declared" or "this is what I, Yahweh, have declared" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-123person)
Jeremiah 5:10
Connecting Statement:
Yahweh continues to speak. Here he speaks to the enemies of Israel.
Go up onto her vineyards' terraces
In verses 10-13 Yahweh speaks to Israel's enemies. This can be made clear in the quotation. Alternate translation: "You enemies of Israel, go up onto her vineyards' terraces" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-explicit)
Go up onto her vineyards' terraces and destroy
Yahweh speaks of Israel and Judah as if they were a vineyard and the people there were vines. Alternate translation: "Go up into Israel and Judah, which are like a vineyard to me, and destroy them" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
do not bring complete destruction to them
"do not completely destroy them"
Trim their vines, since those vines do not come from Yahweh
The word "their" refers to the vineyards. Yahweh speaks of the people of Israel and Judah as if they were vines. Alternate translation: "like farmers who trim the vines of a vineyard, you must remove many of the people of Israel and Judah, because they do not belong to Yahweh" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
Jeremiah 5:11
For the houses of Israel and Judah
The word "house" is a metonym for a person's descendants. In this case it refers to the people of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Alternate translation: "For the people of Israel and Judah" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)
this is Yahweh's declaration
Yahweh speaks of himself by name to express the certainty of what he is declaring. See how you translated this in Jeremiah 1:8. Alternate translation: "this is what Yahweh has declared" or "this is what I, Yahweh, have declared" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-123person)
Jeremiah 5:12
They have spoken falsely about Yahweh and they said
"They have spoken falsely about Yahweh by saying"
no harm will come upon us, and we will not see sword or famine
These two sentences say the same thing, the second is more specific than the first. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-parallelism)
no harm will come upon us
The idiom "come upon us" means "happen to us." Alternate translation: "No harm will happen to us" or "no one will harm us" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-idiom)
we will not see sword or famine
Here "see" is a metaphor for experience, and "sword" is a metonym for war. Alternate translation: "we will not experience war or famine" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)
Jeremiah 5:13
The prophets will become wind
Here "prophets" is a metonym that represents what the prophets say, and "wind" is a metaphor for something that does not do anything. Alternate translation: "The prophets words are just noisy wind" or "The prophets make noise like the wind, but what they prophesy will not happen" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
the word is not in them
Here "the word" refers to God's message. Alternate translation: "God's message is not in them" or "the messages that they speak are not from God" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-explicit)
so let what they say be done to them
It can be stated clearly what kinds of things the prophets were talking about. Alternate translation: "so let the harm that the prophets talk about come to them" or "since the prophets say that bad things will happen to us, let those bad things happen to the prophets" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-explicit)
Jeremiah 5:14
Because you
The word "you" refers to the people of Israel and Judah.
have said this
See what the people said in Jeremiah 5:12.
see
"look" or "listen" or "pay attention to what I am about to tell you"
I am about to place my word in your mouth
Here "place my word in your mouth" represents causing Jeremiah to speak God's message. Alternate translation: "I will cause you to speak my message" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
It will be like a fire, and this people will be like wood
Yahweh speaks of his message as if it were a fire, and of his people as if they were wood. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-simile)
For it will consume them
"For my message will consume them." Yahweh's message was about how he would punish his people, so he speaks as if his message would destroy them as a fire destroys wood. Alternate translation: "For when you speak my message, it will destroy the people of Israel as fire destroys wood" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
Jeremiah 5:15
against you
"to attack you." The word "you" refers to the people of Israel.
it is a lasting nation, an ancient nation
These phrases mean basically the same thing and emphasize how long the nation has existed. This refers to the nation from far away that Yahweh will bring against Israel. Alternate translation: "it is a very old and enduring nation" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-doublet)
a lasting nation
"an enduring nation" or "a very strong nation"
It is a nation whose language you do not know, nor will you understand what they say
These phrases mean the same thing and emphasize that the Israelites do not know the language of those people. It may imply that the Israelites have not had much contact with them. Alternate translation: "It is a nation whose language you will not understand at all" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-parallelism)
Jeremiah 5:16
Connecting Statement:
Yahweh continues to speak to the people of Israel.
Its quiver ... They are all soldiers
Here "Its quiver" represents the enemy nation's army, and the arrows in the quiver represent the soldiers in the army. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)
quiver
a container for holding arrows
Its quiver is like an open tomb
An open tomb is one that is prepared to have many dead bodies put in it. The enemy army will kill many people. Alternate translation: "That nation's army will use their arrows and kill many people" or "Because of the arrows of its army, many people will die and be buried" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-simile)
Jeremiah 5:17
They will eat
The word "They" refers to the army of that nation.
They will beat down with a sword your fortified cities
The sword is a synecdoche for all of the different weapons that people use in war. Alternate translation: "They will use their weapons to conquer your strong cities that you trusted to protect you" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-synecdoche)
your fortified cities
Fortified cities had a wall around them to protect the people inside from their enemies outside.
in which you put your trust
"that you thought were strong enough to keep you safe"
Jeremiah 5:18
Connecting Statement:
Yahweh continues to speak to the people of Israel and Jeremiah.
do not intend to destroy
"will not destroy"
Jeremiah 5:19
done all these things to us
The phrase "these things" refers to sending armies to attack them. Alternate translation: "done all these things to harm us" or "sent foreign armies to attack us" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-explicit)
Just as you ... served foreign gods in your land, so you must also serve strangers
Here "served foreign gods" represents worshiping foreign gods. God would punish them for serving foreign gods by making them serve foreign people. Alternate translation: "Because you ... worshiped foreign gods in your land, you will have to serve foreigners" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
Jeremiah 5:20
Connecting Statement:
Yahweh continues to speak to the people of Israel.
Report this
"Tell this"
the house of Jacob
The word "house" is a metonym for the family that lives in the house. In this case it refers to Jacob's descendants. Translate "house of Jacob" as in Jeremiah 2:4. Alternate translation: "descendants of Jacob" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)
let it be heard in Judah
This can be expressed in active from. Alternate translation: "Let those in Judah hear it" or "announce it in Judah" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
Jeremiah 5:21
who have no understanding
"who do not understand" or "who understand nothing"
you cannot see
Here "cannot see" is a metonym for not understanding. Alternate translation: "you do not understand" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)
you cannot hear
Here "cannot hear" represents not understanding. "Alternate translation: "you do not understand" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)
Jeremiah 5:22
Do you not fear me ... face?
Yahweh uses this question to emphasize that the people are extremely foolish because they do not fear Yahweh. Alternate translation: "It is foolish that you do not fear me ... face!" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rquestion)
or tremble before my face
The trembling would be because of fear, and being "before my face" represents being aware of who God is. Alternate translation: "or shake with fear because of me" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-explicit and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)
I have placed a border of sand against the sea
"I placed the sand as the border for the sea"
an ongoing decree that it does not violate
God speaks of the ocean not going past the border of sand as if the border were a law, and as if the ocean were a person who obeys the law. Alternate translation: "an everlasting limit that it cannot cross" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
rises and falls
"moves back and forth"
it does not violate it
"the ocean does not violate my decree." God speaks of ocean not going past the border of sand as if the border were a law, and as if the ocean were a person who obeys the law. Alternate translation: "it does not succeed in going past the border" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
Jeremiah 5:23
General Information:
Yahweh continues to speak to the people of Israel.
this people has a stubborn heart. It turns
The people's heart represents their attitude toward God. If Yahweh is speaking to the people, this can also be expressed with the word "you." Alternate translation: "but you people have a stubborn heart. You turn" or "but you people are stubborn. You turn" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-123person)
It turns away in rebellion and goes away
The word "it" refers to the people. Here "goes away" represents disobeying God. Alternate translation: "They rebel and disobey me" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
Jeremiah 5:24
they do not say in their hearts
Here "their hearts" represent their thoughts, and "say" represents thinking. Alternate translation: "they do not think" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
keeping the fixed weeks of the harvest for us
Here "keeping the fixed weeks of the harvest" represents making sure that those weeks happen at the right time. Alternate translation: "making sure for us that the weeks of harvest happen when they are supposed to" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-explicit)
Jeremiah 5:25
Your iniquities
The word "Your" refers to the descendants of Jacob and the people of Judah.
these things
This refers to the rains and the harvests.
Your sins have stopped good from coming to you
Good things "coming" represents good things happening. "Because of your sins, good things have stopped happening to you" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
Jeremiah 5:26
General Information:
Yahweh continues to speak.
For wicked men are found with my people
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "For I have found wicked men among my people" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
They watch as someone crouches to capture birds
God speaks of wicked people wanting to harm someone as if they were waiting to capture birds. Alternate translation: "Like someone hiding and waiting to capture birds" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-simile)
they set a trap and catch people
God speaks of wicked people intentionally harming others as if they were setting a trap. Alternate translation: "They set things up so that they can take advantage of people" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
Jeremiah 5:27
Like a cage full of birds, their houses are full of deceit
Here "deceit" represents the things that were taken by deceit. Alternate translation: Like a cage full of birds that a hunter has caught, wicked people's houses are full of things that they have taken by deceiving people (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-simile and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)
they grow large and become rich
Here "large" represents powerful. Alternate translation: "these wicked people become powerful and rich" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
Jeremiah 5:28
they shine with well-being
Possible meanings are 1) their skin shines because of the healthy food they eat, or 2) their body is smooth because of the muscle and fat between their bones and skin. It indicates that they eat well.
They crossed over all bounds of wickedness
Doing all kinds of wicked things is spoken of as if there were a boundary separating some wicked things from things that are even more wicked. Alternate translation: "They do all kinds of wicked things" or "They even do the most wicked things" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
They do not plead the cause of the people, or the cause of the orphan
"They do not plead with the rulers to give the people and the orphans what they need" or "They do not plead with the rulers to give justice to the people and the orphans"
they have not given justice to the needy
"they have not helped the needy by doing what is just for them"
Jeremiah 5:29
Should I not punish ... a nation like this?
Yahweh uses this question to emphasize that the things that they are doing are so bad that he will no have mercy but will punish them. See how you translated a similar sentence in Jeremiah 5:9. Alternate translation: "So I will punish them, this is Yahweh's declaration. I will certainly get revenge for myself against them."(See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rquestion)
this is Yahweh's declaration
Yahweh speaks of himself by name to express the certainty of what he is declaring. See how you translated this in Jeremiah 1:8. Alternate translation: "this is what Yahweh has declared" or "this is what I, Yahweh, have declared" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-123person)
Jeremiah 5:30
General Information:
Yahweh continues to speak.
Atrocities and horrors have occurred
This can be stated more actively. Alternate translation: "People do terrible and horrible things" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-explicit)
in the land
Here "the land" refers to the land of Israel.' Alternate translation: "in the land of Israel" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-explicit)
Jeremiah 5:31
The prophets prophesy with deceit, and the priests rule with their own power
These are the atrocities and horrors that are spoken of in verse 30.
The prophets prophesy with deceit
"The prophets prophesy lies" or "The prophets tell lies when they prophesy"
the priests rule with their own power
Possible meanings are 1) the priests do not submit to God's authority. Alternate translation: "the priests rule by their own authority" or 2) the priests rule according to the directions of the prophets (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-explicit)
but what will happen in the end?
"but what will you do at the end of all of this?" Yahweh uses this question to emphasize that the people will regret being wicked when he punishes them for it. Alternate translation: "but in the end I will punish you and you will be regret your wicked behavior" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rquestion and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-explicit)