New International Version
Jeremiah 9:3
3“They make ready their tongue like a bow, to shoot lies; it is not by truth that they triumph in the land. They go from one sin to another; they do not acknowledge me,” declares the Lord.
Jeremiah 9:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the Lord.
- English Standard Version (ESV)They bend their tongue like a bow; falsehood and not truth has grown strong in the land; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not know me, declares the Lord.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“And like their bow they have bent their tongues for lies. They are not valiant for the truth on the earth. For they proceed from evil to evil, And they do not know Me,” says the Lord.
- New Living Translation (NLT)“My people bend their tongues like bows to shoot out lies. They refuse to stand up for the truth. They only go from bad to worse. They do not know me,” says the Lord.
Context of Jeremiah 9:3
1Oh, that my head were a spring of water and my eyes a fountain of tears! I would weep day and night for the slain of my people. 2Oh, that I had in the desert a lodging place for travelers, so that I might leave my people and go away from them; for they are all adulterers, a crowd of unfaithful people. “They make ready their tongue like a bow, to shoot lies; it is not by truth that they triumph in the land. They go from one sin to another; they do not acknowledge me,” declares the Lord. 4“Beware of your friends; do not trust anyone in your clan. For every one of them is a deceiver, and every friend a slanderer. 5Friend deceives friend, and no one speaks the truth. They have taught their tongues to lie; they weary themselves with sinning.
Read all of Jeremiah 9Jeremiah 9:3 word by word
וַֽיַּדְרְכ֤וּ אֶת־לְשׁוֹנָם֙ קַשְׁתָּ֣ם שֶׁ֔קֶר וְלֹ֥א לֶאֱמוּנָ֖ה גָּבְר֣וּ בָאָ֑רֶץ כִּי֩ מֵרָעָ֨ה אֶל־רָעָ֧ה׀ יָצָ֛אוּ וְאֹתִ֥י לֹֽא־יָדָ֖עוּ נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And they bendדָּרַךְdârak · to treadH1869
- their tonguesלָשׁוֹןlâshôn lâshôn leshônâh · tongueH3956
- their bowקֶ֫שֶׁתqesheth · bowH7198
- liesשֶׁ֫קֶרsheqer · deceptionH8267
- but they are not valiantגָּבַרgâbar · to prevailH1396
- for the truthאֱמוּנָה'ĕmûnâh 'ĕmûnâh · faithfulnessH530
- upon the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- for they proceedיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
- from evilרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: evilH7451
- and they knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- not me, saithנְאֻםne'ûm · utteranceH5002
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
Cross-references for Jeremiah 9:3
- Jeremiah 9:5Friend deceives friend, and no one speaks the truth. They have taught their tongues to lie; they weary themselves with sinning.
- Psalms 52:2You who practice deceit, your tongue plots destruction; it is like a sharpened razor.
- Psalms 64:3They sharpen their tongues like swords and aim cruel words like deadly arrows.
- Psalms 120:2Save me, Lord, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues.
- Isaiah 59:3For your hands are stained with blood, your fingers with guilt. Your lips have spoken falsely, and your tongue mutters wicked things.
- Micah 7:3Both hands are skilled in doing evil; the ruler demands gifts, the judge accepts bribes, the powerful dictate what they desire— they all conspire together.
- Romans 3:13“Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The poison of vipers is on their lips.”
- Matthew 10:31So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
- Mark 8:38If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”
- Romans 1:16For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.
- Philippians 1:28without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God.
- Jude 1:3Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people.
- Revelation 12:11They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.
- Jeremiah 7:26But they did not listen to me or pay attention. They were stiff-necked and did more evil than their ancestors.’
- 2 Timothy 3:13while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
- Jeremiah 4:22“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.”
Commentaries on Jeremiah 9:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3They bend their tongues like their bow for lies - And their lies are such that they as fully take away life as the keenest arrow shot from the best strung bow. The false prophets told the people that there was no desolation at hand: the people believed them; made no preparation for their defense; did not return to the Lord; and the sword came and destroyed them. They are not valiant for the truth - They are bold in sin, and courageous to support their…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2-9Verses 2-9 From their punishment the prophet now turns to their sins. Jeremiah 9:2 The prophet utters the wish that he might be spared his daily striving, and in some lone wilderness give way to his sorrow, without restraint. A lodging place - It was usual to build in the desert, either by private charity or at the public expense, caravanserais, to receive travelers for a single night, who had however to bring their own supplies with them. An assembly…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3The Lord did not scold Jeremiah for his outburst. Instead, the Lord listed the charges against his people. The comparison with bows shows that the people's lies were meant to harm others.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. bend ... tongues ... for lies--that is, with lies as their arrows; they direct lies on their tongue as their bow (Psa 64:3, 4). not valiant for ... truth--(Jr 7:28). Maurer translates, "They do not prevail by truth" or faith (Psa 12:4). Their tongue, not faith, is their weapon. upon ... earth--rather, "in the land." know not me--(Ho 4:1).Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 9:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Jeremiah 9
- 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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