Jeremiah 4:22

Jeremiah 4:22 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.
• New International Version (NIV)“My people are fools; they do not know me. They are senseless children; they have no understanding. They are skilled in doing evil; they know not how to do good.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)"For my people are foolish; they know me not; they are stupid children; they have no understanding. They are 'wise'—in doing evil! But how to do good they know not."
• New King James Version (NKJV)“For My people are foolish, They have not known Me. They are silly children, And they have no understanding. They are wise to do evil, But to do good they have no knowledge.”

Context of Jeremiah 4:22

20News of one [terrible] disaster comes close after another, For the whole land is devastated; Suddenly my tents are spoiled and destroyed, My [tent] curtains [ruined] in a moment. 21How long [O Lord] must I see the banner [marking the way for flight] And hear the sound of the trumpet [urging the people to run for safety]? “For My people are stupid and foolish,” [says the Lord to Jeremiah]; “They do not know Me; They are foolish children And have no understanding. They are shrewd [enough] to do evil, But they do not know [how] to do good.” 23I looked at the earth [in my vision], and behold, it was [as at the time of creation] formless and void; And to the heavens, and they had no light. 24I looked at the mountains, and behold, they were trembling, And all the hills moved back and forth.

Jeremiah 4:22 word by word

כִּ֣י׀ אֱוִ֣יל עַמִּ֗י אוֹתִי֙ לֹ֣א יָדָ֔עוּ בָּנִ֤ים סְכָלִים֙ הֵ֔מָּה וְלֹ֥א נְבוֹנִ֖ים הֵ֑מָּה חֲכָמִ֥ים הֵ֙מָּה֙ לְהָרַ֔ע וּלְהֵיטִ֖יב לֹ֥א יָדָֽעוּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• For my peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• foolishאֱוִיל'ĕvîyl · fool(ish)H191
• they have not knownיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• sottishסָכָלsâkâl · foolH5530
• childrenבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• and they have none understandingבִּיןbîyn · to understandH995
• wiseחָכָםchâkâm · wiseH2450
• to do evilרָעַעrâ‛a‛ · be evilH7489
• but to do goodיָטַבyâţab · be goodH3190

Cross-references for Jeremiah 4:22

• Jeremiah 5:4Then I said, “[Surely] these are only the poor (uneducated); They are [sinfully] foolish and have no [spiritual] understanding, For they do not know the way of the Lord Or the ordinance of their God [and the requirements of His just and righteous law].
• Jeremiah 8:7Even the stork in the sky Knows her seasons [of migration], And the turtledove, the swallow and the crane Observe the time of their return. But My people do not know The law of the Lord.
• Deuteronomy 32:6Do you thus repay the Lord, O foolish and unwise people? Is not He your Father who has acquired you [as His own]? He has made you and established you [as a nation].
• Psalms 14:1The [spiritually ignorant] fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they have committed repulsive and unspeakable deeds; There is no one who does good.
• Isaiah 1:3The ox [instinctively] knows its owner, And the donkey its master’s feeding trough, But Israel does not know [Me as Lord], My people do not understand.”
• Isaiah 6:9And He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on listening, but do not understand; Keep on looking, but do not comprehend.’
• Isaiah 27:11When its branches are dry, they are broken off; The women come and make a fire with them. For they are not a people of understanding, Therefore He who made them will not have compassion on them, And He who created them will not be gracious to them.
• Psalms 49:10For he sees that even wise men die; The fool and the stupid alike perish And leave their wealth to others.
• Jeremiah 42:19The Lord has spoken to you, O remnant of Judah, “Do not go into Egypt!” Know with certainty that I [Jeremiah] have warned you and testified to you this day
• Hosea 4:1Hear the word of the Lord, you children of Israel, For the Lord has a [legal] case with the inhabitants of the land, Because there is no faithfulness [no steadfast love, no dependability] or loyalty or kindness Or knowledge of God [from personal experience with Him] in the land.
• Matthew 23:16“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears [an oath] by the sanctuary of the temple, that is nothing (non-binding); but whoever swears [an oath] by the gold of the temple is obligated [as a debtor to fulfill his vow and keep his promise].’
• Romans 1:22Claiming to be wise, they became fools,
• Romans 3:11There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God.
• Hosea 5:4Their [immoral] practices will not permit them To return to their God, For the spirit of prostitution is within them And they do not know the Lord [they do not recognize, appreciate, heed or cherish Him].
• John 16:3And they will do these things because they have not known the Father or Me.
• Romans 1:28And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God or consider Him worth knowing [as their Creator], God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do things which are improper and repulsive,

Commentaries on Jeremiah 4:22

• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-31Verses 19-31 The prophet had no pleasure in delivering messages of wrath. He is shown in a vision the whole land in confusion. Compared with what it was, every thing is out of order; but the ruin of the Jewish nation would not be final. Every end of our comforts is not a full end. Though the Lord may correct his people very severely, yet he will not cast them off. Ornaments and false colouring would be of no avail. No outward privileges or profession, no…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2222. Jehovah's reply; they cannot be otherwise than miserable, since they persevere in sin. The repetition of clauses gives greater force to the sentiment. wise ... evil ... to do good ... no knowledge--reversing the rule (Ro 16:19) "wise unto ... good, simple concerning evil."Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 4:22

• Blindness
• Condescension of God
• Israel, Prophecies Concerning
• War
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Bless
• Fallow
• Pain
• Wise
• Backslide
• Fool; Folly
• Genesis
• Jeremiah (2)
• Sottish
• Wisdom

Commentaries on Jeremiah 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings