God’s Word Translation
Jeremiah 5:28
28They grow big and fat. Their evil deeds have no limits. They have no respect for the rights of others. They have no respect for the rights of orphans. But they still prosper. They don’t defend the rights of the poor.
Jeremiah 5:28 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge.
- New International Version (NIV)and have grown fat and sleek. Their evil deeds have no limit; they do not seek justice. They do not promote the case of the fatherless; they do not defend the just cause of the poor.
- English Standard Version (ESV)they have grown fat and sleek. They know no bounds in deeds of evil; they judge not with justice the cause of the fatherless, to make it prosper, and they do not defend the rights of the needy.
- New King James Version (NKJV)They have grown fat, they are sleek; Yes, they surpass the deeds of the wicked; They do not plead the cause, The cause of the fatherless; Yet they prosper, And the right of the needy they do not defend.
Context of Jeremiah 5:28
26“Wicked people are found among my people. They lie in ambush like bird catchers. They set traps and catch people. 27Like cages filled with birds, their houses are filled with deceit. That is why they become powerful and rich. They grow big and fat. Their evil deeds have no limits. They have no respect for the rights of others. They have no respect for the rights of orphans. But they still prosper. They don’t defend the rights of the poor. 29I will punish them for these things,” declares the Lord. “I will punish this nation. 30“Something horrible and disgusting is happening in the land:
Read all of Jeremiah 5Jeremiah 5:28 word by word
שָׁמְנ֣וּ עָשְׁת֗וּ גַּ֚ם עָֽבְר֣וּ דִבְרֵי־רָ֔ע דִּ֣ין לֹא־דָ֔נוּ דִּ֥ין יָת֖וֹם וְיַצְלִ֑יחוּ וּמִשְׁפַּ֥ט אֶבְיוֹנִ֖ים לֹ֥א שָׁפָֽטוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- They are waxen fatשָׁמֵןshâman · to grow fatH8080
- they shineעָשַׁת‛âshath · to gleamH6245
- yea, they overpassעָבַר‛âbar · to pass: trespassH5674
- the deedsדָּבָרdâbâr · word: deedH1697
- of the wickedרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
- they judgeדִּיןdîyn dûn · to judgeH1777
- not the causeדִּיןdîyn dûn · judgmentH1779
- the cause of the fatherlessיָתוֹםyâthôm · orphanH3490
- yet they prosperצָלֵחַtsâlach tsâlêach · to prosperH6743
- and the rightמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justiceH4941
- of the needyאֶבְיוֹן'ebyôn · needyH34
- do they not judgeשָׁפַטshâphaţ · to judgeH8199
Cross-references for Jeremiah 5:28
- Deuteronomy 32:15Jeshurun got fat and disrespectful. (You got fat! You were stuffed! You were gorged!) They abandoned the God who made them and treated the rock of their salvation like a fool.
- Job 15:27“His face is bloated with fat, and he is fat around the waist.
- Job 21:23One person dies in his prime and feels altogether happy and contented.
- Psalms 73:6That is why they wear arrogance like a necklace and acts of violence like clothing.
- Psalms 119:70Their hearts are cold and insensitive, ⌞yet⌟ I am happy with your teachings.
- Amos 4:1Listen to this message, you cows of Bashan who live on Mount Samaria. You women oppress the poor and abuse the needy. You say to your husbands, “Get some wine! Let’s drink!”
- James 5:4The wages you refused to pay the people who harvested your fields shout ⌞to God⌟ against you. The Lord of Armies has heard the cries of those who gather the crops.
- Jeremiah 2:33You carefully planned ways to look for love. You taught your ways to wicked women.
- Ezekiel 5:6The people of Jerusalem have rebelled against my rules and my laws more than the surrounding nations. They have rejected my rules, and they don’t live by my laws.
- Ezekiel 16:47You didn’t follow their ways. You didn’t do the same disgusting things that they did. It only took you a little time to be more corrupt than they ever were.
- 1 Corinthians 5:1Your own members are aware that there is sexual sin going on among them. This kind of sin is not even heard of among unbelievers—a man is actually married to his father’s wife.
- Jeremiah 22:15Do you think you’re a better king than others because you use more cedar? Your father ate and drank and did what is fair and right. Everything went well for him.
- Job 29:12because I rescued the poor who called ⌞for help⌟ and the orphans who had no one to help them.
- Psalms 72:4May he grant justice to the people who are oppressed. May he save the children of needy people and crush their oppressor.
- Psalms 82:2“How long are you going to judge unfairly? How long are you going to side with wicked people?” Selah
- Isaiah 1:23Your rulers are rebels, friends with thieves. They all love bribes and run after gifts. They never defend orphans. They don’t notice the widows’ pleas.
Commentaries on Jeremiah 5:28
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 28They judge not the cause, yet they prosper - Perhaps we might be justified in translating, "And shall they prosper?"Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20-31Verses 20-31 Against the God (1) of Creation Jeremiah 5:22, and (2) of Providence Jeremiah 5:24, They sin, not merely by apostasy, but by a general immorality extending to all classes Jeremiah 5:25-28. It is in this immorality that their idolatry has its root. Jeremiah 5:22 The sea is the symbol of restless and indomitable energy, chafing against all resistance, and dashing to pieces the works whereby man endeavors to restrain its fury. Yet God has…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-31Verses 19-31 Unhumbled hearts are ready to charge God with being unjust in their afflictions. But they may read their sin in their punishment. If men will inquire wherefore the Lord doeth hard things unto them, let them think of their sins. The restless waves obeyed the Divine decree, that they should not pass the sandy shores, which were as much a restraint as lofty mountains; but they burst all restraints of God's law, and were wholly gone into…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 26-28In Jerusalem, some wicked men became wealthy by oppressing orphans and the poor (Jeremiah 7:6).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2828. shine--the effect of fatness on the skin (De 32:15). They live a life of self-indulgence. overpass ... the wicked--exceed even the Gentiles in wickedness (Jr 2:33; Eze 5:6, 7). judge not ... fatherless--(Is 1:23). yet ... prosper--(Jr 12:1).Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 5:28
In the dictionaries
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
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