Jeremiah 5:6

Jeremiah 5:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, and a wolf of the evenings shall spoil them, a leopard shall watch over their cities: every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces: because their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are increased.
• New International Version (NIV)Therefore a lion from the forest will attack them, a wolf from the desert will ravage them, a leopard will lie in wait near their towns to tear to pieces any who venture out, for their rebellion is great and their backslidings many.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Therefore a lion from the forest shall strike them down; a wolf from the desert shall devastate them. A leopard is watching their cities; everyone who goes out of them shall be torn in pieces, because their transgressions are many, their apostasies are great.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore a lion from the forest shall slay them, A wolf of the deserts shall destroy them; A leopard will watch over their cities. Everyone who goes out from there shall be torn in pieces, Because their transgressions are many; Their backslidings have increased.

Context of Jeremiah 5:6

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. 5I will go to the powerful and speak to them. Surely they know the way of the Lord, the justice of their God. However, these also had broken the yoke and torn off the chains. Therefore, a lion from the forest will strike them down. A wolf from arid plains will ravage them. A leopard stalks their cities. Anyone who leaves them will be torn to pieces because their rebellious acts are many, their unfaithful deeds numerous. 7Why should I forgive you? Your children have abandoned me and sworn by those who are not gods. I satisfied their needs, yet they committed adultery; they gashed themselves at the prostitute’s house. 8They are well-fed, eager stallions, each neighing after someone else’s wife.

Jeremiah 5:6 word by word

עַל־כֵּן֩ הִכָּ֨ם אַרְיֵ֜ה מִיַּ֗עַר זְאֵ֤ב עֲרָבוֹת֙ יְשָׁדְדֵ֔ם נָמֵ֤ר שֹׁקֵד֙ עַל־עָ֣רֵיהֶ֔ם כָּל־הַיּוֹצֵ֥א מֵהֵ֖נָּה יִטָּרֵ֑ף כִּ֤י רַבּוּ֙ פִּשְׁעֵיהֶ֔ם עָצְמ֖וּ מְשׁוּבוֹתֵיהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Wherefore a lionאַרְיֵה'ărîy 'aryêh · lionH738
• out of the forestיַ֫עַרya‛ar · woodH3293
• shall slayנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
• a wolfזְאֵבze'êb · wolfH2061
• of the eveningsעֲרָבָה‛ărâbâh · plainH6160
• shall spoilשָׁדַדshâdad · to ruinH7703
• them, a leopardנָמֵרnâmêr · leopardH5246
• shall watchשָׁקַדshâqad · to watchH8245
• over their citiesעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• every one that goeth outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
• thence shallהֵנָּהhênnâh · they(fem.)H2007
• be torn in piecesטָרַףţâraph · to tearH2963
• because their transgressionsפֶּ֫שַׁעpesha‛ · transgressionH6588
• are manyרָבַבrâbab · to multiplyH7231
• their backslidingsמְשׁוּבָהmeshûbâh meshûbâh · faithlessnessH4878
• are increasedעָצֹם‛âtsam · be vastH6105

Cross-references for Jeremiah 5:6

• Jeremiah 2:15The young lions have roared at him; they have roared loudly. They have laid waste his land. His cities are in ruins, without inhabitants.
• Jeremiah 4:7A lion has gone up from his thicket; a destroyer of nations has set out. He has left his lair to make your land a waste. Your cities will be reduced to uninhabited ruins.
• Jeremiah 25:38He has left his den like a lion, for their land has become a desolation because of the sword of the oppressor, because of his burning anger.
• Jeremiah 49:19“Look, it will be like a lion coming from the thickets of the Jordan to the watered grazing land. I will chase Edom away from her land in a flash. I will appoint whoever is chosen for her. For who is like me? Who will issue me a summons? Who is the shepherd who can stand against me?”
• Ezekiel 14:16Even if these three men were in it, as I live” — the declaration of the Lord God — “they could not rescue their sons or daughters. They alone would be rescued, but the land would be desolate.
• Daniel 7:4“The first was like a lion but had eagle’s wings. I continued watching until its wings were torn off. It was lifted up from the ground, set on its feet like a man, and given a human mind.
• Hosea 5:14For I am like a lion to Ephraim and like a young lion to the house of Judah. Yes, I will tear them to pieces and depart. I will carry them off, and no one can rescue them.
• Hosea 13:7So I will be like a lion to them; I will lurk like a leopard on the path.
• Amos 5:18Woe to you who long for the day of the Lord! What will the day of the Lord be for you? It will be darkness and not light.
• Nahum 2:11Where is the lions’ lair, or the feeding ground of the young lions, where the lion and lioness prowled, and the lion’s cub, with nothing to frighten them away?
• Psalms 104:20You bring darkness, and it becomes night, when all the forest animals stir.
• Ezekiel 22:27“Her officials within her are like wolves tearing their prey, shedding blood, and destroying lives in order to make profit dishonestly.
• Habakkuk 1:8Their horses are swifter than leopards and more fierce than wolves of the night. Their horsemen charge ahead; their horsemen come from distant lands. They fly like eagles, swooping to devour.
• Zephaniah 3:3The princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are wolves of the night, which leave nothing for the morning.
• Daniel 7:6“After this, while I was watching, suddenly another beast appeared. It was like a leopard with four wings of a bird on its back. It had four heads, and it was given dominion.
• Revelation 13:2The beast I saw was like a leopard, its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. The dragon gave the beast his power, his throne, and great authority.

Commentaries on Jeremiah 5:6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6Wherefore a lion - Nebuchadnezzar, according to the general opinion; who is called here a lion for his courage and violence, a bear for his rapaciousness, and a leopard for his activity. Dahler supposes the Scythians to be intended, both here and in Jeremiah 4:7.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6Evenings - See the margin. From its habit of skulking about in the twilight the wolf is often called the “evening wolf” Habakkuk 1:8; Zephaniah 3:3, but the word used here means a sandy desert. Leopard - panther.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6The Babylonians would attack like a lion, a wolf, and a leopard. These fierce animals could destroy human life. The people's rebellion and sins were very serious to the Lord (Jeremiah 4:7; 30:14–15; Psalm 104:20; Ezekiel 22:27; Hosea 13:7; Habakkuk 1:8; Zephaniah 3:3).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. lion ... wolf ... leopard--the strongest, the most ravenous, and the swiftest, respectively, of beasts: illustrating the formidable character of the Babylonians. of the evenings--Others not so well translate, of the deserts. The plural means that it goes forth every evening to seek its prey (Psa 104:20; Ha 1:8; Zep 3:3). leopard ... watch ... cities--(Ho 13:7). It shall lie in wait about their cities.Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 5:6

• Backsliders
• Idolatry
• Leopard
• Lion
• Wolf

In the dictionaries

• Correction
• Deceit
• Evening
• Forest
• Leopard
• Lions
• Wolf
• Even; Evening; Eventide
• 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