English Standard Version
Jeremiah 4:22
22"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."
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.”
- 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.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)“My people are foolish and do not know me,” says the Lord. “They are stupid children who have no understanding. They are clever enough at doing wrong, but they have no idea how to do right!”
Context of Jeremiah 4:22
20Crash follows hard on crash; the whole land is laid waste. Suddenly my tents are laid waste, my curtains in a moment. 21How long must I see the standard and hear the sound of the trumpet? "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." 23I looked on the earth, and behold, it was without form and void; and to the heavens, and they had no light. 24I looked on the mountains, and behold, they were quaking, and all the hills moved to and fro.
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 said, "These are only the poor; they have no sense; for they do not know the way of the Lord, the justice of their God.
- Jeremiah 8:7Even the stork in the heavens knows her times, and the turtledove, swallow, and crane keep the time of their coming, but my people know not the rules of the Lord.
- Deuteronomy 32:6Do you thus repay the Lord, you foolish and senseless people? Is not he your father, who created you, who made you and established you?
- Psalms 14:1The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good.
- Isaiah 1:3The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master's crib, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand."
- Isaiah 6:9And he said, "Go, and say to this people: "'Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.'
- Isaiah 27:11When its boughs are dry, they are broken; women come and make a fire of them. For this is a people without discernment; therefore he who made them will not have compassion on them; he who formed them will show them no favor.
- Psalms 49:10For he sees that even the wise die; the fool and the stupid alike must perish and leave their wealth to others.
- Jeremiah 42:19The Lord has said to you, O remnant of Judah, 'Do not go to Egypt.' Know for a certainty that I have warned you this day
- Hosea 4:1Hear the word of the Lord, O children of Israel, for the Lord has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land. There is no faithfulness or steadfast love, and no knowledge of God in the land;
- Matthew 23:16"Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.'
- Romans 1:22Claiming to be wise, they became fools,
- Romans 3:11no one understands; no one seeks for God.
- Hosea 5:4Their deeds do not permit them to return to their God. For the spirit of whoredom is within them, and they know not the Lord.
- John 16:3And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me.
- Romans 1:28And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries