Jeremiah 45:5

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

3‘You have said, “I feel so hopeless! For the Lord has added sorrow to my suffering. I am worn out from groaning. I can’t find any rest.”’” 4The Lord told Jeremiah, “Tell Baruch, ‘The Lord says, “I am about to tear down what I have built and to uproot what I have planted. I will do this throughout the whole earth. Are you looking for great things for yourself? Do not look for such things. For I, the Lord, affirm that I am about to bring disaster on all humanity. But I will allow you to escape with your life wherever you go.”’”

Jeremiah 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 5:26Elisha replied, “I was there in spirit when a man turned and got down from his chariot to meet you. This is not the proper time to accept silver or to accept clothes, olive groves, vineyards, sheep, cattle, and male and female servants.
• Romans 12:16Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty but associate with the lowly. Do not be conceited.
• 1 Corinthians 7:26Because of the impending crisis I think it best for you to remain as you are.
• 1 Timothy 6:6Now godliness combined with contentment brings great profit.
• Hebrews 13:5Your conduct must be free from the love of money and you must be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you and I will never abandon you.”
• Matthew 6:25“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t there more to life than food and more to the body than clothing?
• Jeremiah 25:26all the kings of the north, whether near or far from one another; and all the other kingdoms which are on the face of the earth. After all of them have drunk the wine of the Lord’s wrath, the king of Babylon must drink it.
• Genesis 6:12God saw the earth, and indeed it was ruined, for all living creatures on the earth were sinful.
• Isaiah 66:16For the Lord judges all humanity with fire and his sword; the Lord will kill many.
• Zephaniah 3:8Therefore you must wait patiently for me,” says the Lord, “for the day when I attack and take plunder. I have decided to gather nations together and assemble kingdoms, so I can pour out my fury on them – all my raging anger. For the whole earth will be consumed by my fiery anger.
• Jeremiah 21:9Those who stay in this city will die in battle or of starvation or disease. Those who leave the city and surrender to the Babylonians who are besieging it will live. They will escape with their lives.
• Jeremiah 38:2“The Lord says, ‘Those who stay in this city will die in battle or of starvation or disease. Those who leave the city and surrender to the Babylonians will live. They will escape with their lives.’”
• Jeremiah 39:18I will certainly save you. You will not fall victim to violence. You will escape with your life because you trust in me. I, the Lord, affirm it!”’”

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

• Humility

In the dictionaries

• Baruch
• Bible, the
• Jeremiah (2)

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