Jeremiah 5:6

Jeremiah 5:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, and a wolf of the evenings shall spoil them, a leopard shall watch over their cities: every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces: because their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are increased.
• New International Version (NIV)Therefore a lion from the forest will attack them, a wolf from the desert will ravage them, a leopard will lie in wait near their towns to tear to pieces any who venture out, for their rebellion is great and their backslidings many.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Therefore a lion from the forest shall strike them down; a wolf from the desert shall devastate them. A leopard is watching their cities; everyone who goes out of them shall be torn in pieces, because their transgressions are many, their apostasies are great.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore a lion from the forest shall slay them, A wolf of the deserts shall destroy them; A leopard will watch over their cities. Everyone who goes out from there shall be torn in pieces, Because their transgressions are many; Their backslidings have increased.

Context of Jeremiah 5:6

4Then I said, “But what can we expect from the poor? They are ignorant. They don’t know the ways of the Lord. They don’t understand God’s laws. 5So I will go and speak to their leaders. Surely they know the ways of the Lord and understand God’s laws.” But the leaders, too, as one man, had thrown off God’s yoke and broken his chains. So now a lion from the forest will attack them; a wolf from the desert will pounce on them. A leopard will lurk near their towns, tearing apart any who dare to venture out. For their rebellion is great, and their sins are many. 7“How can I pardon you? For even your children have turned from me. They have sworn by gods that are not gods at all! I fed my people until they were full. But they thanked me by committing adultery and lining up at the brothels. 8They are well-fed, lusty stallions, each neighing for his neighbor’s wife.

Jeremiah 5:6 word by word

עַל־כֵּן֩ הִכָּ֨ם אַרְיֵ֜ה מִיַּ֗עַר זְאֵ֤ב עֲרָבוֹת֙ יְשָׁדְדֵ֔ם נָמֵ֤ר שֹׁקֵד֙ עַל־עָ֣רֵיהֶ֔ם כָּל־הַיּוֹצֵ֥א מֵהֵ֖נָּה יִטָּרֵ֑ף כִּ֤י רַבּוּ֙ פִּשְׁעֵיהֶ֔ם עָצְמ֖וּ מְשׁוּבוֹתֵיהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Wherefore a lionאַרְיֵה'ărîy 'aryêh · lionH738
• out of the forestיַ֫עַרya‛ar · woodH3293
• shall slayנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
• a wolfזְאֵבze'êb · wolfH2061
• of the eveningsעֲרָבָה‛ărâbâh · plainH6160
• shall spoilשָׁדַדshâdad · to ruinH7703
• them, a leopardנָמֵרnâmêr · leopardH5246
• shall watchשָׁקַדshâqad · to watchH8245
• over their citiesעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• every one that goeth outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
• thence shallהֵנָּהhênnâh · they(fem.)H2007
• be torn in piecesטָרַףţâraph · to tearH2963
• because their transgressionsפֶּ֫שַׁעpesha‛ · transgressionH6588
• are manyרָבַבrâbab · to multiplyH7231
• their backslidingsמְשׁוּבָהmeshûbâh meshûbâh · faithlessnessH4878
• are increasedעָצֹם‛âtsam · be vastH6105

Cross-references for Jeremiah 5:6

• Jeremiah 2:15Strong lions have roared against him, and the land has been destroyed. The towns are now in ruins, and no one lives in them anymore.
• Jeremiah 4:7A lion stalks from its den, a destroyer of nations. It has left its lair and is headed your way. It’s going to devastate your land! Your towns will lie in ruins, with no one living in them anymore.
• Jeremiah 25:38He has left his den like a strong lion seeking its prey, and their land will be made desolate by the sword of the enemy and the Lord’s fierce anger.
• Jeremiah 49:19I will come like a lion from the thickets of the Jordan, leaping on the sheep in the pasture. I will chase Edom from its land, and I will appoint the leader of my choice. For who is like me, and who can challenge me? What ruler can oppose my will?”
• Ezekiel 14:16As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, even if those three men were there, they wouldn’t be able to save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved, but the land would be made desolate.
• Daniel 7:4The first beast was like a lion with eagles’ wings. As I watched, its wings were pulled off, and it was left standing with its two hind feet on the ground, like a human being. And it was given a human mind.
• Hosea 5:14I will be like a lion to Israel, like a strong young lion to Judah. I will tear them to pieces! I will carry them off, and no one will be left to rescue them.
• Hosea 13:7So now I will attack you like a lion, like a leopard that lurks along the road.
• Amos 5:18What sorrow awaits you who say, “If only the day of the Lord were here!” You have no idea what you are wishing for. That day will bring darkness, not light.
• Nahum 2:11Where now is that great Nineveh, that den filled with young lions? It was a place where people—like lions and their cubs— walked freely and without fear.
• Psalms 104:20You send the darkness, and it becomes night, when all the forest animals prowl about.
• Ezekiel 22:27Your leaders are like wolves who tear apart their victims. They actually destroy people’s lives for money!
• Habakkuk 1:8Their horses are swifter than cheetahs and fiercer than wolves at dusk. Their charioteers charge from far away. Like eagles, they swoop down to devour their prey.
• Zephaniah 3:3Its leaders are like roaring lions hunting for their victims. Its judges are like ravenous wolves at evening time, who by dawn have left no trace of their prey.
• Daniel 7:6Then the third of these strange beasts appeared, and it looked like a leopard. It had four bird’s wings on its back, and it had four heads. Great authority was given to this beast.
• Revelation 13:2This beast looked like a leopard, but it had the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion! And the dragon gave the beast his own power and throne and great authority.

Commentaries on Jeremiah 5:6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6Wherefore a lion - Nebuchadnezzar, according to the general opinion; who is called here a lion for his courage and violence, a bear for his rapaciousness, and a leopard for his activity. Dahler supposes the Scythians to be intended, both here and in Jeremiah 4:7.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6Evenings - See the margin. From its habit of skulking about in the twilight the wolf is often called the “evening wolf” Habakkuk 1:8; Zephaniah 3:3, but the word used here means a sandy desert. Leopard - panther.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6The Babylonians would attack like a lion, a wolf, and a leopard. These fierce animals could destroy human life. The people's rebellion and sins were very serious to the Lord (Jeremiah 4:7; 30:14–15; Psalm 104:20; Ezekiel 22:27; Hosea 13:7; Habakkuk 1:8; Zephaniah 3:3).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. lion ... wolf ... leopard--the strongest, the most ravenous, and the swiftest, respectively, of beasts: illustrating the formidable character of the Babylonians. of the evenings--Others not so well translate, of the deserts. The plural means that it goes forth every evening to seek its prey (Psa 104:20; Ha 1:8; Zep 3:3). leopard ... watch ... cities--(Ho 13:7). It shall lie in wait about their cities.Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 5:6

• Backsliders
• Idolatry
• Leopard
• Lion
• Wolf

In the dictionaries

• Correction
• Deceit
• Evening
• Forest
• Leopard
• Lions
• Wolf
• Even; Evening; Eventide
• Exodus, the Book of
• Jeremiah (2)

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