Christian Standard Bible
Jeremiah 5:1
1Roam through the streets of Jerusalem. Investigate; search in her squares. If you find one person, any who acts justly, who pursues faithfulness, then I will forgive her.
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 through the streets of Jerusalem. Investigate; search in her squares. If you find one person, any who acts justly, who pursues faithfulness, then I will forgive her. 2When they say, “As the Lord lives,” they are swearing falsely. 3Lord, don’t your eyes look for faithfulness? You have struck them, but they felt no pain. You finished them off, but they refused to accept discipline. They made their faces harder than rock, and they refused to return.
Read all of Jeremiah 5Jeremiah 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 roam throughout the earth to show himself strong for those who are wholeheartedly devoted to him. You have been foolish in this matter. Therefore, you will have wars from now on.”
- Daniel 12:4“But you, Daniel, keep these words secret and seal the book until the time of the end. Many will roam about, and knowledge will increase.”
- Joel 2:9They storm the city; they run on the wall; they climb into the houses; they enter through the 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 2:4He said to him, “Run and tell this young man: Jerusalem will be inhabited without walls because of the number of people and animals in it.”
- Proverbs 8:3Beside the gates leading into the city, at the main entrance, she cries out:
- Luke 14:21“So the servant came back and reported these things to his master. Then in anger, the master of the house told his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the city, and bring in here the poor, maimed, blind, and lame.’
- 1 Kings 19:20Elisha left the oxen, ran to follow Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and mother, and then I will follow you.” “Go on back,” he replied, “for what have I done to you?”
- Proverbs 20:6Many a person proclaims his own loyalty, but who can find a trustworthy person?
- Ezekiel 22:30I searched for a man among them who would repair the wall and stand in the gap before me on behalf of the land so that I might 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, Lord, for no faithful one remains; the loyal have disappeared from the human race.
- Psalms 14:3All have turned away; all alike have become corrupt. There is no one who does good, not even one.
- Psalms 53:2God looks down from heaven on the human race to see if there is one who is wise, one who seeks God.
- Micah 7:1How sad for me! For I am like one who — when the summer fruit has been gathered after the gleaning of the grape harvest — finds no grape cluster to eat, no early fig, which I crave.
- Proverbs 2:4if you seek it like silver and search for it 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
In the dictionaries
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
Christian Standard Bible — © 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
Commentaries