Jeremiah 4:22

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.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)"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."
• 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.”

Context of Jeremiah 4:22

20Disaster on disaster is proclaimed, For the whole land is devastated; Suddenly my tents are devastated, My curtains in an instant. 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 And have no understanding. They are shrewd to do evil, But to do good they do not know.” 23I looked on the earth, and behold, it was formless 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.

Jeremiah 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

• For My peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• are foolishאֱוִיל'ĕvîyl · fool(ish)H191
• They knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• They are stupidסָכָלsâkâl · foolH5530
• childrenבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• And haveבִּיןbîyn · to understandH995
• noלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• They are shrewdחָכָםchâkâm · wiseH2450
• doרָעַעrâ‛a‛ · be evilH7489
• evilרָעַעrâ‛a‛ · be evilH7489
• But to doיָטַבyâţab · be goodH3190

Cross-references for Jeremiah 4:22

• Jeremiah 5:4Then I said, “They are only the poor, They are foolish; For they do not know the way of the Lord Or the ordinance of their God.
• Jeremiah 8:7Even the stork in the sky Knows her seasons; And the turtledove and the swift and the thrush Observe the time of their migration; But My people do not know The ordinance of the Lord.
• Deuteronomy 32:6Do you thus repay the Lord, O foolish and unwise people? Is not He your Father who has bought you? He has made you and established you.
• Psalms 14:1The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; There is no one who does good.
• Isaiah 1:3An ox knows its owner, And a donkey its master’s manger, But Israel does not know, My people do not understand.”
• Isaiah 6:9He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on listening, but do not perceive; Keep on looking, but do not understand.’
• Isaiah 27:11When its limbs are dry, they are broken off; Women come and make a fire with them, For they are not a people of discernment, Therefore their Maker will not have compassion on them. And their Creator will not be gracious to them.
• Psalms 49:10For he sees that even wise men die; The stupid and the senseless alike perish And leave their wealth to others.
• Jeremiah 42:19The Lord has spoken to you, O remnant of Judah, “Do not go into Egypt!” You should clearly understand that today I have testified against you.
• Hosea 4:1Listen to the word of the Lord, O sons of Israel, For the Lord has a case against the inhabitants of the land, Because there is no faithfulness or kindness Or knowledge of God in the land.
• Matthew 23:16“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple is obligated.’
• Romans 1:22Professing to be wise, they became fools,
• Romans 3:11There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God;
• Hosea 5:4Their deeds will not allow them To return to their God. For a spirit of harlotry is within them, And they do not know the Lord.
• John 16:3These things they will do because they have not known the Father or Me.
• Romans 1:28And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper,

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

• Blindness
• Condescension of God
• Israel, Prophecies Concerning
• War
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Bless
• Fallow
• Pain
• Wise
• Backslide
• Fool; Folly
• Genesis
• Jeremiah (2)
• Sottish
• Wisdom

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