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

“Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem. Look now and take note; search her squares. If you can find a single person, anyone who acts justly, anyone who seeks the truth, then I will forgive the city. 2Although they say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives,’ they are swearing falsely.” 3O LORD, do not Your eyes look for truth? You struck them, but they felt no pain. You finished them off, but they refused to accept discipline. They have made their faces harder than stone and refused to repent.

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

• Go up and downשׁוּטshûţ · to roveH7751
• the streetsחוּץchûts chûts · outsideH2351
• of Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlaim yerûshâlayim · JerusalemH3389
• Lookרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• nowנָאnâ' · pleaseH4994
• and take noteיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• searchבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
• her squaresרְחוֹבrechôb rechôb · street/plazaH7339
• Ifאִם'im · ifH518
• you can findמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
• a single personאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• a single personיֵשׁyêsh · thereH3426
• who actsעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• justlyמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justiceH4941
• the truthאֱמוּנָה'ĕmûnâh 'ĕmûnâh · faithfulnessH530
• then I will forgiveסָלַחsâlach · to forgiveH5545

Cross-references for Jeremiah 5:1

• 2 Chronicles 16:9For the eyes of the LORD roam to and fro over all the earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are fully devoted to Him. You have acted foolishly in this matter. From now on, therefore, you will be at war.”
• Daniel 12:4But you, Daniel, shut up these words and seal the book until the time of the end. Many will roam to and fro, and knowledge will increase.”
• Joel 2:9They storm the city; they run along the wall; they climb into houses, entering through windows like thieves.
• Amos 8:12People will stagger from sea to sea and roam from north to east, seeking the word of the LORD, but they will not find it.
• Zechariah 2:4and said to him, “Run and tell that young man: ‘Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the multitude of men and livestock within it.
• Proverbs 8:3Beside the gates to the city, at the entrances she cries out:
• Luke 14:21The servant returned and reported all this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the city, and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’
• 1 Kings 19:20So Elisha left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and mother goodbye, and then I will follow you.” “Go on back,” Elijah replied, “for what have I done to you?”
• Proverbs 20:6Many a man proclaims his loving devotion, but who can find a trustworthy man?
• Ezekiel 22:30I searched for a man among them to repair the wall and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, so that I should not destroy it. But I found no one.
• Genesis 18:23Abraham stepped forward and said, “Will You really sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
• Psalms 12:1Help, O LORD, for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men.
• Psalms 14:3All have turned away, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.
• Psalms 53:2God looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if any understand, if any seek God.
• Micah 7:1Woe is me! For I am like one gathering summer fruit at the gleaning of the vineyard; there is no cluster to eat, no early fig that I crave.
• Proverbs 2:4if you seek it like silver and search it out like hidden treasure,

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