New King James Version
Jeremiah 45:5
5And 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.” ’ ”
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 Living Translation (NLT)Are you seeking great things for yourself? Don’t do it! I will bring great disaster upon all these people; but I will give you your life as a reward wherever you go. I, the Lord, have spoken!’”
Context of Jeremiah 45:5
3‘You said, “Woe is me now! For the Lord has added grief to my sorrow. I fainted in my sighing, and I find no rest.” ’ 4“Thus you shall say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Behold, what I have built I will break down, and what I have planted I will pluck up, that is, this whole land. 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.” ’ ”
Read all of Jeremiah 45Jeremiah 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 5:26Then he said to him, “Did not my heart go with you when the man turned back from his chariot to meet you? Is it time to receive money and to receive clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male and female servants?
- Romans 12:16Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
- 1 Corinthians 7:26I suppose therefore that this is good because of the present distress—that it is good for a man to remain as he is:
- 1 Timothy 6:6Now godliness with contentment is great gain.
- Hebrews 13:5Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
- Matthew 6:25“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
- Jeremiah 25:26all the kings of the north, far and near, one with another; and all the kingdoms of the world which are on the face of the earth. Also the king of Sheshach shall drink after them.
- Genesis 6:12So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.
- Isaiah 66:16For by fire and by His sword The Lord will judge all flesh; And the slain of the Lord shall be many.
- Zephaniah 3:8“Therefore wait for Me,” says the Lord, “Until the day I rise up for plunder; My determination is to gather the nations To My assembly of kingdoms, To pour on them My indignation, All My fierce anger; All the earth shall be devoured With the fire of My jealousy.
- Jeremiah 21:9He who remains in this city shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence; but he who goes out and defects to the Chaldeans who besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be as a prize to him.
- Jeremiah 38:2“Thus says the Lord: ‘He who remains in this city shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence; but he who goes over to the Chaldeans shall live; his life shall be as a prize to him, and he shall live.’
- Jeremiah 39:18For I will surely deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword; but your life shall be as a prize to you, because you have put your trust in Me,” says the Lord.’ ”
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
In the dictionaries
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries