Jeremiah 5:1

Jeremiah 5:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it.
• New International Version (NIV)“Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem, look around and consider, search through her squares. If you can find but one person who deals honestly and seeks the truth, I will forgive this city.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, look and take note! Search her squares to see if you can find a man, one who does justice and seeks truth, that I may pardon her.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem; See now and know; And seek in her open places If you can find a man, If there is anyone who executes judgment, Who seeks the truth, And I will pardon her.

Context of Jeremiah 5:1

“Roam back and forth through the streets of Jerusalem, And look now and take note. And look in her open squares To see if you can find a man [as Abraham sought in Sodom], One who is just, who [has integrity and moral courage and] seeks truth (faithfulness); Then I will pardon Jerusalem—[for the sake of one uncompromisingly righteous person]. 2And though they say, ‘As the Lord lives,’ Surely they swear [their oaths] falsely.” 3O Lord, do not Your eyes look for truth? You [have seen their faithless heart and] have stricken them, But they did not weaken; You have consumed them, But they refused to take correction or instruction. They have made their faces harder than rock; They have refused to repent and return to You.

Jeremiah 5:1 word by word

שׁוֹטְט֞וּ בְּחוּצ֣וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֗ם וּרְאוּ־נָ֤א וּדְעוּ֙ וּבַקְשׁ֣וּ בִרְחוֹבוֹתֶ֔יהָ אִם־תִּמְצְא֣וּ אִ֔ישׁ אִם־יֵ֛שׁ עֹשֶׂ֥ה מִשְׁפָּ֖ט מְבַקֵּ֣שׁ אֱמוּנָ֑ה וְאֶסְלַ֖ח לָֽהּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Run ye to and froשׁוּטshûţ · to roveH7751
• through the streetsחוּץchûts chûts · outsideH2351
• of Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlaim yerûshâlayim · JerusalemH3389
• and seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• now, and knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• and seekבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
• in the broad placesרְחוֹבrechôb rechôb · street/plazaH7339
• thereof, if ye can findמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
• a manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• if there beיֵשׁyêsh · thereH3426
• that executethעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• judgmentמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justiceH4941
• the truthאֱמוּנָה'ĕmûnâh 'ĕmûnâh · faithfulnessH530
• and I will pardonסָלַחsâlach · to forgiveH5545

Cross-references for Jeremiah 5:1

• 2 Chronicles 16:9For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth so that He may support those whose heart is completely His. You have acted foolishly in this; therefore, from now on you will have wars.”
• Daniel 12:4But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the scroll until the end of time. Many will go back and forth and search anxiously [through the scroll], and knowledge [of the purpose of God as revealed by His prophets] will [greatly] increase.”
• Joel 2:9They rush over the city, They run on the wall; They climb up into the houses, They enter at the windows like a thief.
• Amos 8:12People shall stagger from sea to sea [to the very ends of the earth] And from the north even to the east; They will roam here and there to seek the word of the Lord [longing for it as essential for life], But they will not find it.
• Zechariah 2:4and he said to the second angel, “Run, speak to that young man, saying, ‘Jerusalem will be inhabited [like villages] without walls [spreading out into the open country] because of the great number of people and livestock in it.
• Proverbs 8:3Beside the gates, at the entrance to the city, At the entrance of the doors, she cries out:
• Luke 14:21So the servant came back and reported this to his master. Then [his master,] the head of the household, became angry [at the rejections of his invitation] and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and the lanes of the city and bring in here the poor and the disabled and the blind and the lame.’
• 1 Kings 19:20He left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “Please let me kiss my father and mother [goodbye], then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go on back; for what have I done to [stop] you?”
• Proverbs 20:6Many a man proclaims his own loyalty and goodness, But who can find a faithful and trustworthy man?
• Ezekiel 22:30I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for [the sake of] the land, that I would not destroy it, but I found no one [not even one].
• Genesis 18:23Abraham approached [the Lord] and said, “Will You really sweep away the righteous (those who do right) with the wicked (those who do evil)?
• Psalms 12:1Save and help and rescue, Lord, for godly people cease to be, For the faithful vanish from among the sons of men.
• Psalms 14:3They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one.
• Psalms 53:2God has looked down from heaven upon the children of men To see if there is anyone who understands, Who seeks after God [who requires Him, who longs for Him as essential to life].
• Micah 7:1Woe is me (judgment is coming)! For I am Like one who gathers the summer fruits, like one who gleans the vintage grapes. There is not a cluster of grapes to eat, No first-ripe fig which my appetite craves.
• Proverbs 2:4If you seek skillful and godly wisdom as you would silver And search for her as you would hidden treasures;

Commentaries on Jeremiah 5:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Broad places - Market-places, and those where there was most public resort. If ye can find a man - A certain philosopher went through the streets of Athens with a lighted lamp in his hand; and being asked what he sought, answered, "I am seeking to find a Man." So in Jerusalem none was found, on the most diligent search, who acted worthy the character of a rational being. I will pardon it - I will spare the city for the sake of one righteous person. So at…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1The broad places - The open spaces next the gates, and other places of concourse. A man - Or, anyone. That executeth - “That” practiceth. Truth - uprightness, probity (so in Jeremiah 5:3).Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The Jews' profession of religion was hypocritical. (Jr 5:1-9) The cruel proceedings of their enemies. (Jr 5:10-18) Their apostacy and idolatry. (Jr 5:19-31) Verses 1-9 None could be found who behaved as upright and godly men. But the Lord saw the true character of the people through all their disguises. The poor were ignorant, and therefore they were wicked. What can be expected but works of darkness, from people that know nothing of God and religion?…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-2A just person follows God's laws and treats others fairly. An honest person is reliable, truthful, and loyal to God. Jeremiah found neither justice nor honesty. Although some people were under oath, their claims of innocence were false. Their actions showed they had lied under oath (Genesis 4:2; 7:9; Genesis 18:23–32; Isaiah 48:1; Ezekiel 22:30; Titus 1:15–16).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-311. a man--As the pious Josiah, Baruch, and Zephaniah lived in Jerusalem at that time, Jeremiah must here mean the mass of the people, the king, his counsellors, the false prophets, and the priests, as distinguished from the faithful few, whom God had openly separated from the reprobate people; among the latter not even one just person was to be found (Is 9:16) [Calvin]; the godly, moreover, were forbidden to intercede for them (Jr 7:16; compare Ge 18:23…Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 5:1

• Backsliders
• Idolatry
• Intercession
• Sin

In the dictionaries

• Jerusalem
• Correction
• Deceit
• Anthropology
• Broad
• City
• Exodus, the Book of
• Jeremiah (2)

Commentaries on Jeremiah 5

• 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