Jeremiah 6:16

Jeremiah 6:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.
• New International Version (NIV)This is what the Lord says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
• English Standard Version (ESV)Thus says the Lord: "Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in it.'
• New King James Version (NKJV)Thus says the Lord: “Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

Context of Jeremiah 6:16

14They have treated superficially the [bloody] broken wound of My people, Saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ When there is no peace. 15Were they ashamed because they had committed disgusting and vile things? No, they were not at all ashamed; They did not even know how to blush [at their idolatry]. Therefore they will fall among those who fall; At the time that I punish them They will be overthrown,” says the Lord. Thus says the Lord, “Stand by the roads and look; ask for the ancient paths, Where the good way is; then walk in it, And you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it!’ 17I have set watchmen (prophets) over you, Saying, ‘Listen and pay attention to the [warning] sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not listen.’ 18Therefore hear, O [Gentile] nations, And see, O congregation, what [vengeful act] is to be done to them.

Jeremiah 6:16 word by word

כֹּ֣ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֡ה עִמְדוּ֩ עַל־דְּרָכִ֨ים וּרְא֜וּ וְשַׁאֲל֣וּ׀ לִנְתִב֣וֹת עוֹלָ֗ם אֵי־זֶ֨ה דֶ֤רֶךְ הַטּוֹב֙ וּלְכוּ־בָ֔הּ וּמִצְא֥וּ מַרְגּ֖וֹעַ לְנַפְשְׁכֶ֑ם וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ לֹ֥א נֵלֵֽךְ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thus saithאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• Standעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
• ye in the waysדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: roadH1870
• and seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• and askשָׁאַלshâ'al shâ'êl · to askH7592
• for the oldעוֹלָם‛ôlâm ‛ôlâm · forever: antiquityH5769
• pathsנְתִיבָהnâthîyb nethîybâh nethibâh · pathH5410
• the goodטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
• and walkיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• therein, and ye shall findמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
• restמַרְגּוֹעַmargôa‛ · restH4771
• for your soulsנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soulH5315

Cross-references for Jeremiah 6:16

• Jeremiah 18:15Yet My people have forgotten Me; They burn incense to worthless gods, They have stumbled from their ways From the ancient roads, To walk in pathways, Not on a highway,
• Deuteronomy 32:7Remember the days of old, Consider the years of many generations. Ask your father, and he will inform you, Your elders, and they will tell you.
• Isaiah 8:20[Direct those people] to the law and to the testimony! If their teachings are not in accord with this word, it is because they have no dawn.
• Malachi 4:4“Remember [with thoughtful concern] the Law of Moses My servant, the statutes and the ordinances which I commanded him on [Mount] Horeb [to give] to all Israel.
• Luke 16:29But Abraham said, ‘They have [the Scriptures given by] Moses and the [writings of the] Prophets; let them listen to them.’
• John 5:39You search and keep on searching and examining the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and yet it is those [very Scriptures] that testify about Me;
• John 5:46For if you believed and relied on [the Scriptures written by] Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me [personally].
• Acts 17:11Now these people were more noble and open-minded than those in Thessalonica, so they received the message [of salvation through faith in the Christ] with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.
• Romans 4:1What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather humanly speaking, has found? [Has he obtained a favored standing?]
• Hebrews 6:12so that you will not be [spiritually] sluggish, but [will instead be] imitators of those who through faith [lean on God with absolute trust and confidence in Him and in His power] and by patient endurance [even when suffering] are [now] inheriting the promises.
• Hebrews 11:2For by this [kind of] faith the men of old gained [divine] approval.
• Hebrews 12:1Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who by faith have testified to the truth of God’s absolute faithfulness], stripping off every unnecessary weight and the sin which so easily and cleverly entangles us, let us run with endurance and active persistence the race that is set before us,
• Jeremiah 7:23But this thing I did command them: ‘Listen to and obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people; and you will walk in all the way which I command you, so that it may be well with you.’
• Isaiah 2:5O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord.
• Isaiah 30:21Your ears will hear a word behind you, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right or to the left.
• John 12:35So Jesus said to them, “The Light is among you [only] a little while longer. Walk while you have the Light [keep on living by it], so that darkness will not overtake you. He who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going [he is drifting aimlessly].

Commentaries on Jeremiah 6:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see - Let us observe the metaphor. A traveler is going to a particular city; he comes to a place where the road divides into several paths, he is afraid of going astray; he stops short, - endeavors to find out the right path: he cannot fix his choice. At last he sees another traveler; he inquires of him, gets proper directions - proceeds on his journey - arrives at the desired place - and reposes after his…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-17Verses 9-17 When the Lord arises to take vengeance, no sinners of any age or rank, or of either sex escape. They were set upon the world, and wholly carried away by the love of it. If we judge of this sin by God's word, we find multitudes in every station and rank given up to it. Those are to be reckoned our worst and most dangerous enemies, who flatter us in a sinful way. Oh that men would be wise for their souls! Ask for the old paths; the way of…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16Following God's ancient laws (Malachi 4:4) would bring peace to people's souls (compare Matthew 11:29).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. Image from travellers who have lost their road, stopping and inquiring which is the right way on which they once had been, but from which they have wandered. old paths--Idolatry and apostasy are the modern way; the worship of God the old way. Evil is not coeval with good, but a modern degeneracy from good. The forsaking of God is not, in a true sense, a "way cast up" at all (Jr 18:15; Psa 139:24; Mal 4:4). rest--(Is 28:12; Mt 11:29).Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 6:16

• Backsliders
• Impenitence
• Repentance
• Walking
• Way

In the dictionaries

• Cruel
• Mount
• Reprobate
• Wallow
• Jeremiah (2)
• Sheshach
• soul, self

Commentaries on Jeremiah 6

• 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
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings