New Living Translation
Jeremiah 5:1
1“Run up and down every street in Jerusalem,” says the Lord. “Look high and low; search throughout the city! If you can find even one just and honest person, I will not destroy the city.
Jeremiah 5:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it.
- New International Version (NIV)“Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem, look around and consider, search through her squares. If you can find but one person who deals honestly and seeks the truth, I will forgive this city.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, look and take note! Search her squares to see if you can find a man, one who does justice and seeks truth, that I may pardon her.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem; See now and know; And seek in her open places If you can find a man, If there is anyone who executes judgment, Who seeks the truth, And I will pardon her.
Context of Jeremiah 5:1
“Run up and down every street in Jerusalem,” says the Lord. “Look high and low; search throughout the city! If you can find even one just and honest person, I will not destroy the city. 2But even when they are under oath, saying, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’ they are still telling lies!” 3Lord, you are searching for honesty. You struck your people, but they paid no attention. You crushed them, but they refused to be corrected. They are determined, with faces set like stone; they have refused to repent.
Read all of Jeremiah 5Jeremiah 5:1 word by word
שׁוֹטְט֞וּ בְּחוּצ֣וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֗ם וּרְאוּ־נָ֤א וּדְעוּ֙ וּבַקְשׁ֣וּ בִרְחוֹבוֹתֶ֔יהָ אִם־תִּמְצְא֣וּ אִ֔ישׁ אִם־יֵ֛שׁ עֹשֶׂ֥ה מִשְׁפָּ֖ט מְבַקֵּ֣שׁ אֱמוּנָ֑ה וְאֶסְלַ֖ח לָֽהּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Run ye to and froשׁוּטshûţ · to roveH7751
- through the streetsחוּץchûts chûts · outsideH2351
- of Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlaim yerûshâlayim · JerusalemH3389
- and seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- now, and knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- and seekבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
- in the broad placesרְחוֹבrechôb rechôb · street/plazaH7339
- thereof, if ye can findמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
- a manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- if there beיֵשׁyêsh · thereH3426
- that executethעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- judgmentמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justiceH4941
- the truthאֱמוּנָה'ĕmûnâh 'ĕmûnâh · faithfulnessH530
- and I will pardonסָלַחsâlach · to forgiveH5545
Cross-references for Jeremiah 5:1
- 2 Chronicles 16:9The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. What a fool you have been! From now on you will be at war.”
- Daniel 12:4But you, Daniel, keep this prophecy a secret; seal up the book until the time of the end, when many will rush here and there, and knowledge will increase.”
- Joel 2:9They swarm over the city and run along its walls. They enter all the houses, climbing like thieves through the windows.
- Amos 8:12People will stagger from sea to sea and wander from border to border searching for the word of the Lord, but they will not find it.
- Zechariah 2:4The other angel said, “Hurry, and say to that young man, ‘Jerusalem will someday be so full of people and livestock that there won’t be room enough for everyone! Many will live outside the city walls.
- Proverbs 8:3By the gates at the entrance to the town, on the road leading in, she cries aloud,
- Luke 14:21“The servant returned and told his master what they had said. His master was furious and said, ‘Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’
- 1 Kings 19:20Elisha left the oxen standing there, ran after Elijah, and said to him, “First let me go and kiss my father and mother good-bye, and then I will go with you!” Elijah replied, “Go on back, but think about what I have done to you.”
- Proverbs 20:6Many will say they are loyal friends, but who can find one who is truly reliable?
- Ezekiel 22:30“I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one.
- Genesis 18:23Abraham approached him and said, “Will you sweep away both the righteous and the wicked?
- Psalms 12:1Help, O Lord, for the godly are fast disappearing! The faithful have vanished from the earth!
- Psalms 14:3But no, all have turned away; all have become corrupt. No one does good, not a single one!
- Psalms 53:2God looks down from heaven on the entire human race; he looks to see if anyone is truly wise, if anyone seeks God.
- Micah 7:1How miserable I am! I feel like the fruit picker after the harvest who can find nothing to eat. Not a cluster of grapes or a single early fig can be found to satisfy my hunger.
- Proverbs 2:4Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures.
Commentaries on Jeremiah 5:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Broad places - Market-places, and those where there was most public resort. If ye can find a man - A certain philosopher went through the streets of Athens with a lighted lamp in his hand; and being asked what he sought, answered, "I am seeking to find a Man." So in Jerusalem none was found, on the most diligent search, who acted worthy the character of a rational being. I will pardon it - I will spare the city for the sake of one righteous person. So at…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1The broad places - The open spaces next the gates, and other places of concourse. A man - Or, anyone. That executeth - “That” practiceth. Truth - uprightness, probity (so in Jeremiah 5:3).Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The Jews' profession of religion was hypocritical. (Jr 5:1-9) The cruel proceedings of their enemies. (Jr 5:10-18) Their apostacy and idolatry. (Jr 5:19-31) Verses 1-9 None could be found who behaved as upright and godly men. But the Lord saw the true character of the people through all their disguises. The poor were ignorant, and therefore they were wicked. What can be expected but works of darkness, from people that know nothing of God and religion?…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-2A just person follows God's laws and treats others fairly. An honest person is reliable, truthful, and loyal to God. Jeremiah found neither justice nor honesty. Although some people were under oath, their claims of innocence were false. Their actions showed they had lied under oath (Genesis 4:2; 7:9; Genesis 18:23–32; Isaiah 48:1; Ezekiel 22:30; Titus 1:15–16).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-311. a man--As the pious Josiah, Baruch, and Zephaniah lived in Jerusalem at that time, Jeremiah must here mean the mass of the people, the king, his counsellors, the false prophets, and the priests, as distinguished from the faithful few, whom God had openly separated from the reprobate people; among the latter not even one just person was to be found (Is 9:16) [Calvin]; the godly, moreover, were forbidden to intercede for them (Jr 7:16; compare Ge 18:23…Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 5:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Jeremiah 5
- 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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