God’s Word Translation
Jeremiah 45:5
5Are you looking for great things for yourself? Don’t look for them, because I’m going to bring disaster on all people, declares the Lord. But wherever you go I will let you escape with your life.’ ”
Jeremiah 45:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not: for, behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh, saith the Lord: but thy life will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest.
- New International Version (NIV)Should you then seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them. For I will bring disaster on all people, declares the Lord, but wherever you go I will let you escape with your life.’ ”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And do you seek great things for yourself? Seek them not, for behold, I am bringing disaster upon all flesh, declares the Lord. But I will give you your life as a prize of war in all places to which you may go."
- New King James Version (NKJV)And do you seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them; for behold, I will bring adversity on all flesh,” says the Lord. “But I will give your life to you as a prize in all places, wherever you go.” ’ ”
Context of Jeremiah 45:5
3You said, ‘I’m so miserable! The Lord has added grief to my pain. I’m worn out from groaning. I can’t find any rest.’ 4“Say this to Baruch, ‘This is what the Lord says: I will tear down what I have built. I will uproot what I have planted throughout the earth. Are you looking for great things for yourself? Don’t look for them, because I’m going to bring disaster on all people, declares the Lord. But wherever you go I will let you escape with your life.’ ”
Read all of Jeremiah 45Jeremiah 45:5 word by word
וְאַתָּ֛ה תְּבַקֶּשׁ־לְךָ֥ גְדֹל֖וֹת אַל־תְּבַקֵּ֑שׁ כִּ֡י הִנְנִי֩ מֵבִ֨יא רָעָ֤ה עַל־כָּל־בָּשָׂר֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה וְנָתַתִּ֨י לְךָ֤ אֶֽת־נַפְשְׁךָ֙ לְשָׁלָ֔ל עַ֥ל כָּל־הַמְּקֹמ֖וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר תֵּֽלֶךְ־שָֽׁם׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And seekestבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
- thou great thingsגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
- not: for, behold, I will bringבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
- evilרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: harmH7451
- upon all fleshבָּשָׂרbâώâr · fleshH1320
- saithנְאֻםne'ûm · utteranceH5002
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- but thy lifeנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315
- will I giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- unto thee for a preyשָׁלָלshâlâl · spoilH7998
- in all placesמָקוֹםmâqôm mâqôm meqômâh meqômâh · placeH4725
- whither thou goestיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
Cross-references for Jeremiah 45:5
- 2 Kings 5:26Then Elisha said to him, “I went with you in spirit when the man turned around in his chariot to speak to you. How could you accept silver, clothes, olive orchards, vineyards, sheep, cattle, or slaves?
- Romans 12:16Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be arrogant, but be friendly to humble people. Don’t think that you are smarter than you really are.
- 1 Corinthians 7:26Because of the present crisis I believe it is good for people to remain as they are.
- 1 Timothy 6:6A godly life brings huge profits to people who are content with what they have.
- Hebrews 13:5Don’t love money. Be happy with what you have because God has said, “I will never abandon you or leave you.”
- Matthew 6:25“So I tell you to stop worrying about what you will eat, drink, or wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothes?
- Jeremiah 25:26all the kings of the north, near and far, one after another—all the kingdoms of the earth. Last of all, the king of Sheshach will drink from the cup.
- Genesis 6:12God saw the world and how corrupt it was because all people on earth lived evil lives.
- Isaiah 66:16The Lord will judge with fire, and he will judge all people with his sword. Many people will be struck dead by the Lord.
- Zephaniah 3:8The Lord declares, “Just wait! One day I will stand up as a witness. I have decided to gather nations, to bring kingdoms together, and to pour my rage, my burning anger, on them. The whole land will be consumed by my fiery fury.
- Jeremiah 21:9Those who live in this city will die in the war, famine, or plague. Those of you who go out and surrender to the Babylonians will live. You will escape with your lives.
- Jeremiah 38:2They heard Jeremiah say, “This is what the Lord says: Those who stay in this city will die in wars, famines, or plagues. But those who surrender to the Babylonians will live. They will escape with their lives.
- Jeremiah 39:18I will certainly rescue you. You will not die in war. You will escape with your life because you trusted me, declares the Lord.’ ”
Commentaries on Jeremiah 45:5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5And seekest thou great things for thyself? - Nothing better can be expected of this people: thy hopes in reference to them are vain. Expect no national amendment, till national judgments have taken place. And as for any benefit to thyself, think it sufficient that God has determined to preserve thy life amidst all these dangers. But thy life will I give unto thee for a prey - This is a proverbial expression. We have met with it before, Jeremiah 21:9…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5Baruch could rely on divine protection, regardless of the troubles he faced. The chapters before this one show that the Lord kept this promise. Baruch was with Jeremiah when they went to Egypt.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. seekest thou great things for thyself--Thou art over-fastidious and self-seeking. When My own peculiar people, a "whole" nation (Jr 45:4), and the temple, are being given to ruin, dost thou expect to be exempt from all hardship? Baruch had raised his expectations too high in this world, and this made his distresses harder to be borne. The frowns of the world would not disquiet us if we did not so eagerly covet its smiles. What folly to seek great…Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 45:5
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Jeremiah 45
- 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
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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