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 upon disaster is proclaimed, For the whole land is devastated; Suddenly my tents are devastated, And my curtains in an instant. 21How long must I see the flag And hear the sound of the trumpet? “For My people are foolish, They do not know Me; They are foolish children And have no understanding. They are skillful at doing evil, But they do not know how to do good.” 23I looked at the earth, and behold, it was a formless and desolate emptiness; And to the heavens, and they had no light. 24I looked on the mountains, and behold, they were quaking, And all the hills jolted back and forth.

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 do not knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• They are foolishסָכָלsâkâl · foolH5530
• childrenבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• And haveבִּיןbîyn · to understandH995
• noלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• They are skillfulחָכָםchâkâm · wiseH2450
• doingרָעַעrâ‛a‛ · be evilH7489
• evilרָעַעrâ‛a‛ · be evilH7489
• how 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 judgment of their God.
• Jeremiah 8:7Even the stork in the sky Knows her seasons; And the turtledove, the swallow, and the crane Keep to the time of their migration; But My people do not know The judgment of the Lord.
• Deuteronomy 32:6Is this what you do to the Lord, You foolish and unwise people? Is He not your Father who has purchased 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 detestable acts; 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 6:9And He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on listening, but do not understand; And keep on looking, but do not gain knowledge.’
• 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 people die; The foolish and the stupid alike perish And leave their wealth to others.
• Jeremiah 42:19The Lord has spoken to you, you remnant of Judah, “Do not go to Egypt!” You know for certain that I have admonished you today.
• Hosea 4:1Listen to the word of the Lord, you sons of Israel, Because the Lord has a case against the inhabitants of the land, For there is no faithfulness, nor loyalty, Nor 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 1:22Claiming to be wise, they became fools,
• Romans 3:11There is no one who understands, There is no one who seeks out God;
• Hosea 5:4Their deeds will not allow them To return to their God. For a spirit of infidelity is within them, And they do not know the Lord.
• John 16:3These things they will do because they have not known the Father nor Me.
• Romans 1:28And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a depraved mind, to do those things that 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