Christian Standard Bible
Jeremiah 4:22
22“For my people are fools; they do not know me. They are foolish children, without understanding. They are skilled in doing what is evil, but they do not know how to do what is good.”
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
20Disaster after disaster is reported because the whole land is destroyed. Suddenly my tents are destroyed, my tent curtains, in a moment. 21How long must I see the signal flag and hear the sound of the ram’s horn? “For my people are fools; they do not know me. They are foolish children, without understanding. They are skilled in doing what is evil, but they do not know how to do what is good.” 23I looked at the earth, and it was formless and empty. I looked to the heavens, and their light was gone. 24I looked at the mountains, and they were quaking; all the hills shook.
Read all of Jeremiah 4Jeremiah 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 thought: They are just the poor; they have been foolish. For they don’t understand the way of the Lord, the justice of their God.
- Jeremiah 8:7Even storks in the sky know their seasons. Turtledoves, swallows, and cranes are aware of their migration, but my people do not know the requirements of the Lord.
- Deuteronomy 32:6Is this how you repay the Lord, you foolish and senseless people? Isn’t he your Father and Creator? Didn’t he make you and sustain you?
- Psalms 14:1The fool says in his heart, “There’s no God.” They are corrupt; they do vile deeds. There is no one who does good.
- Isaiah 1:3The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master’s feeding trough, but Israel does not know; my people do not understand.”
- Isaiah 6:9And he replied: Go! Say to these people: Keep listening, but do not understand; keep looking, but do not perceive.
- Isaiah 27:11When its branches dry out, they will be broken off. Women will come and make fires with them, for they are not a people with understanding. Therefore their Maker will not have compassion on them, and their Creator will not be gracious to them.
- Psalms 49:10For one can see that the wise die; the foolish and stupid also pass away. Then they leave their wealth to others.
- Jeremiah 42:19The Lord has spoken concerning you, remnant of Judah: ‘Don’t go to Egypt.’ Know for certain that I have warned you today!
- Hosea 4:1Hear the word of the Lord, people of Israel, for the Lord has a case against the inhabitants of the land: There is no truth, no faithful love, and no knowledge of God in the land!
- Matthew 23:16“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever takes an oath by the temple, it means nothing. But whoever takes an oath by the gold of the temple is bound by his oath.’
- Romans 1:22Claiming to be wise, they became fools
- Romans 3:11There is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God.
- Hosea 5:4Their actions do not allow them to return to their God, for a spirit of promiscuity is among them, and they do not know the Lord.
- John 16:3They will do these things because they haven’t known the Father or me.
- Romans 1:28And because they did not think it worthwhile to acknowledge God, God delivered them over to a corrupt mind so that they do what is not right.
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
In the dictionaries
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
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