English Standard Version
Jeremiah 9:3
3They bend their tongue like a bow; falsehood and not truth has grown strong in the land; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not know me, declares the Lord.
Jeremiah 9:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the Lord.
- New International Version (NIV)“They make ready their tongue like a bow, to shoot lies; it is not by truth that they triumph in the land. They go from one sin to another; they do not acknowledge me,” declares the Lord.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“And like their bow they have bent their tongues for lies. They are not valiant for the truth on the earth. For they proceed from evil to evil, And they do not know Me,” says the Lord.
- New Living Translation (NLT)“My people bend their tongues like bows to shoot out lies. They refuse to stand up for the truth. They only go from bad to worse. They do not know me,” says the Lord.
Context of Jeremiah 9:3
1Oh that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people! 2Oh that I had in the desert a travelers' lodging place, that I might leave my people and go away from them! For they are all adulterers, a company of treacherous men. They bend their tongue like a bow; falsehood and not truth has grown strong in the land; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not know me, declares the Lord. 4Let everyone beware of his neighbor, and put no trust in any brother, for every brother is a deceiver, and every neighbor goes about as a slanderer. 5Everyone deceives his neighbor, and no one speaks the truth; they have taught their tongue to speak lies; they weary themselves committing iniquity.
Read all of Jeremiah 9Jeremiah 9:3 word by word
וַֽיַּדְרְכ֤וּ אֶת־לְשׁוֹנָם֙ קַשְׁתָּ֣ם שֶׁ֔קֶר וְלֹ֥א לֶאֱמוּנָ֖ה גָּבְר֣וּ בָאָ֑רֶץ כִּי֩ מֵרָעָ֨ה אֶל־רָעָ֧ה׀ יָצָ֛אוּ וְאֹתִ֥י לֹֽא־יָדָ֖עוּ נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And they bendדָּרַךְdârak · to treadH1869
- their tonguesלָשׁוֹןlâshôn lâshôn leshônâh · tongueH3956
- their bowקֶ֫שֶׁתqesheth · bowH7198
- liesשֶׁ֫קֶרsheqer · deceptionH8267
- but they are not valiantגָּבַרgâbar · to prevailH1396
- for the truthאֱמוּנָה'ĕmûnâh 'ĕmûnâh · faithfulnessH530
- upon the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- for they proceedיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
- from evilרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: evilH7451
- and they knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- not me, saithנְאֻםne'ûm · utteranceH5002
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
Cross-references for Jeremiah 9:3
- Jeremiah 9:5Everyone deceives his neighbor, and no one speaks the truth; they have taught their tongue to speak lies; they weary themselves committing iniquity.
- Psalms 52:2Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit.
- Psalms 64:3who whet their tongues like swords, who aim bitter words like arrows,
- Psalms 120:2Deliver me, O Lord, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue.
- Isaiah 59:3For your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies; your tongue mutters wickedness.
- Micah 7:3Their hands are on what is evil, to do it well; the prince and the judge ask for a bribe, and the great man utters the evil desire of his soul; thus they weave it together.
- Romans 3:13"Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive." "The venom of asps is under their lips."
- Matthew 10:31Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
- Mark 8:38For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."
- Romans 1:16For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
- Philippians 1:28and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God.
- Jude 1:3Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.
- Revelation 12:11And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.
- Jeremiah 7:26Yet they did not listen to me or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck. They did worse than their fathers.
- 2 Timothy 3:13while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
- Jeremiah 4:22"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."
Commentaries on Jeremiah 9:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3They bend their tongues like their bow for lies - And their lies are such that they as fully take away life as the keenest arrow shot from the best strung bow. The false prophets told the people that there was no desolation at hand: the people believed them; made no preparation for their defense; did not return to the Lord; and the sword came and destroyed them. They are not valiant for the truth - They are bold in sin, and courageous to support their…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2-9Verses 2-9 From their punishment the prophet now turns to their sins. Jeremiah 9:2 The prophet utters the wish that he might be spared his daily striving, and in some lone wilderness give way to his sorrow, without restraint. A lodging place - It was usual to build in the desert, either by private charity or at the public expense, caravanserais, to receive travelers for a single night, who had however to bring their own supplies with them. An assembly…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3The Lord did not scold Jeremiah for his outburst. Instead, the Lord listed the charges against his people. The comparison with bows shows that the people's lies were meant to harm others.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. bend ... tongues ... for lies--that is, with lies as their arrows; they direct lies on their tongue as their bow (Psa 64:3, 4). not valiant for ... truth--(Jr 7:28). Maurer translates, "They do not prevail by truth" or faith (Psa 12:4). Their tongue, not faith, is their weapon. upon ... earth--rather, "in the land." know not me--(Ho 4:1).Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 9:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Jeremiah 9
- 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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