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

20I see one destruction after another taking place, so that the whole land lies in ruins. I see our tents suddenly destroyed, their curtains torn down in a mere instant. 21“How long must I see the enemy’s battle flags and hear the military signals of their bugles?” The Lord answered, “This will happen because my people are foolish. They do not know me. They are like children who have no sense. They have no understanding. They are skilled at doing evil. They do not know how to do good.” 23“I looked at the land and saw that it was an empty wasteland. I looked up at the sky, and its light had vanished. 24I looked at the mountains and saw that they were shaking. All the hills were swaying 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• For my peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• foolishאֱוִיל'ĕvîyl · fool(ish)H191
• they have not knownיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• sottishסָכָלsâkâl · foolH5530
• childrenבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• and they have none understandingבִּיןbîyn · to understandH995
• wiseחָכָםchâkâm · wiseH2450
• to do evilרָעַעrâ‛a‛ · be evilH7489
• but to do goodיָטַבyâţab · be goodH3190

Cross-references for Jeremiah 4:22

• Jeremiah 5:4I thought, “Surely it is only the ignorant poor who act this way. They act like fools because they do not know what the Lord demands. They do not know what their God requires of them.
• Jeremiah 8:7Even the stork knows when it is time to move on. The turtledove, swallow, and crane recognize the normal times for their migration. But my people pay no attention to what I, the Lord, require of them.
• Deuteronomy 32:6Is this how you repay the Lord, you foolish, unwise people? Is he not your father, your creator? He has made you and established you.
• Psalms 14:1Fools say to themselves, “There is no God.” They sin and commit evil deeds; none of them does what is right.
• Isaiah 1:3An ox recognizes its owner, a donkey recognizes where its owner puts its food; but Israel does not recognize me, my people do not understand.”
• Isaiah 6:9He said, “Go and tell these people: ‘Listen continually, but don’t understand! Look continually, but don’t perceive!’
• Isaiah 27:11When its branches get brittle, they break; women come and use them for kindling. For these people lack understanding, therefore the one who made them has no compassion on them; the one who formed them has no mercy on them.
• Psalms 49:10Surely one sees that even wise people die; fools and spiritually insensitive people all pass away and leave their wealth to others.
• Jeremiah 42:19“The Lord has told you people who remain in Judah, ‘Do not go to Egypt.’ Be very sure of this: I warn you here and now.
• Hosea 4:1Hear the word of the Lord, you Israelites! For the Lord has a covenant lawsuit against the people of Israel. For there is neither faithfulness nor loyalty in the land, nor do they acknowledge God.
• Matthew 23:16“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple is bound by nothing. But whoever swears by the gold of the temple is bound by the oath.’
• Romans 1:22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools
• Romans 3:11there is no one who understands, there is no one who seeks God.
• Hosea 5:4Their wicked deeds do not allow them to return to their God; because a spirit of idolatry controls their heart, and they do not acknowledge the Lord.
• John 16:3They will do these things because they have not known the Father or me.
• Romans 1:28And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what should not be done.

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