Jeremiah 17:5

Jeremiah 17:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord.
• New International Version (NIV)This is what the Lord says: “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Thus says the Lord: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the Lord.

Context of Jeremiah 17:5

3They also worship their false gods on the mountains and in the fields. So I will cause enemies to take all your valuable things. They will take your riches for themselves. That will be the price that you pay for your sins. You have done evil things everywhere in the land. 4I gave you this land to be your home for ever. But it will no longer belong to you. Your enemies will take you to a land that you do not know. You will be their slaves. You have made me very angry, like a fire that nobody can stop.’ The Lord says, ‘I will curse those who only trust people to help them. They think that human strength will save them, and they turn away from me, the Lord. 6They will be like a bush that grows in the desert. It grows in a place where nobody can live. The ground is very dry and is spoiled by salt. Even when good times come, those people will not receive any good thing. 7The Lord blesses people who trust in him. They know that the Lord will help them.

Jeremiah 17:5 word by word

כֹּ֣ה׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה אָר֤וּר הַגֶּ֙בֶר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִבְטַ֣ח בָּֽאָדָ֔ם וְשָׂ֥ם בָּשָׂ֖ר זְרֹע֑וֹ וּמִן־יְהוָ֖ה יָס֥וּר לִבּֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thus saithאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• Cursedאָרַר'ârar · to curseH779
• the manגָּבֶרgeber · great manH1397
• that trustethבָּטַחbâţach · to trustH982
• in manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• and makethשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: makeH7760
• fleshבָּשָׂרbâώâr · fleshH1320
• his armזְרוֹעַzerôa‛ zerôa‛ zerô‛âh zerô‛âh · armH2220
• and whose heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• departethסוּרsûr ώûr · to turn aside: turn asideH5493

Cross-references for Jeremiah 17:5

• Psalms 62:9People are only as light as a breath! Whoever they are, they are not important. If you try to weigh them, all together, they weigh less than a breath of air.
• Psalms 118:8It is better to go to the Lord to keep you safe, than to trust in people.
• Psalms 146:3Do not trust in human leaders. No human can save you.
• Isaiah 2:22Do not trust people to help you. They are weak and they will all die one day. They are not strong enough to help you.
• Isaiah 30:1The Lord says, ‘It will be very bad for you, my children who have turned against me. You have decided what to do, but you did not ask me about it. You have made an agreement with Egypt, but without my Spirit's help. In that way, you continue to do more and more sins.
• Isaiah 31:1It will be very bad for those people who expect that Egypt will help them. They think that Egypt's many horses and chariots will keep them safe. They trust the power of Egypt's strong soldiers who ride on horses. But those people do not trust the Holy God of Israel. They do not ask the Lord to help them.
• Isaiah 36:6Yes, you think that Egypt is strong enough to help you. But you should not trust Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. He is like a weak stick. If you use it to walk with, it will break! A broken piece of stick will make a hole through your hand and give you much pain! That is the trouble that the king of Egypt brings to everyone who trusts him to help them.
• Ezekiel 29:6Then all the people who live in Egypt will know that I am the Lord. Israel's people thought that you would help them. But you were only like a weak stick for them.
• 2 Chronicles 32:8He has only the strength of human soldiers to help him. But we have the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles!’ After King Hezekiah of Judah said that to his men, they felt brave and strong.
• Isaiah 31:3The men in Egypt are human. They are not God. Their horses are weak animals, not powerful spirits. When the Lord lifts up his hand to punish them, the strong helpers will not be able to stand. The people who expected them to help will fall down too. They will all come to an end together.
• Psalms 18:21I have obeyed the Lord's commands. I have not turned against my God.
• Isaiah 59:15Nobody can speak the truth. If anyone tries to stop doing evil things, other people will attack him. The Lord saw how his people were living. He saw that there was no justice. It made him very sad.
• Ezekiel 6:9When they are living as prisoners among those other nations, they will remember me. They will realize that they made me very sad because they were not faithful to me. They stopped worshipping me. Instead, they chose to worship idols. Then they will be ashamed of themselves, because of all the disgusting things which they have done.
• Hosea 1:2The Lord began to speak to Hosea with a message for his people. The Lord said to Hosea, ‘Go and marry a prostitute. She will give birth to children for you, as a prostitute. That will show how my people have not been faithful to me. They have turned away from me, the Lord, and they have served other gods.’
• Hebrews 3:12So be careful, my Christian friends. Do not refuse to trust God. That would be a very bad thing to do. Do not turn away from the God who lives for ever.

Commentaries on Jeremiah 17:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Cursed be the man that trusteth in man - This reprehends their vain confidence in trusting in Egypt, which was too feeble itself to help, and, had it been otherwise, too ill disposed towards them to help them heartily. An arm of flesh is put here for a weak and ineffectual support. And he who, in reference to the salvation of his soul, trusts in an arm of flesh - in himself or others, or in any thing he has done or suffered, will inherit a curse instead…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5-18Verses 5-18 In the rest of the prophecy Jeremiah dwells upon the moral faults which had led to Judah‘s ruin. Jeremiah 17:6 Like the heath - Or, “like a destitute man” Psalm 102:17. The verbs “he shall see” (or fear) and “shall inhabit” plainly show that a man is here meant and not a plant. Jeremiah 17:8 The river - Or, “water-course” Isaiah 30:25, made for purposes of irrigation. Shall not see - Or, “shall not fear Jeremiah 17:6.” God‘s people feel…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-11Verses 5-11 He who puts confidence in man, shall be like the heath in a desert, a naked tree, a sorry shrub, the product of barren ground, useless and worthless. Those who trust to their own righteousness and strength, and think they can do without Christ, make flesh their arm, and their souls cannot prosper in graces or comforts. Those who make God their Hope, shall flourish like a tree always green, whose leaf does not wither. They shall be fixed in…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5Trust is a mindset that leads to obedience (see Jeremiah 11:4; Deuteronomy 27:15–26).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. Referring to the Jews' proneness to rely on Egypt, in its fear of Assyria and Babylon (Is 31:1, 3). trusteth--This word is emphatic. We may expect help from men, so far as God enables them to help us, but we must rest our trust in God alone (Psa 62:5).Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 17:5

• Apostasy
• Confidence
• False Confidence
• Heart
• Idolatry
• Self-Righteousness

In the dictionaries

• Asa
• Discontinue
• Hallow
• Hatch
• Salt
• Sit
• Confidence
• Flesh

Commentaries on Jeremiah 17

• 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