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: These are only the poor. They are foolish. For they do not know the way of Adonai, the ordinance of their God. 5I will go to the distinguished and speak to them. Surely they know the way of Adonai, the ordinance of their God. But they too had broken the yoke and torn off the bonds. Therefore a lion from the forest will kill them. A desert wolf will ravage them. A leopard watches over their cities. Everyone who ventures out will be torn to pieces, For their rebellion is great, their backslidings frequent. 7“Why therefore should I forgive you? Your children have forsaken Me and sworn by those who are not gods. Even though I fed them well, they committed adultery and thronged to the prostitute houses. 8They are well-fed, lustful 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 2:15Young lions have roared at him they have roared loudly. They made his land a waste— his cities are in ruins and uninhabited.
• Jeremiah 4:7A lion has come up from his thicket— a destroyer of nations has set out. He has left his place to make your land a wasteland. Your cities will lie in ruins, without inhabitant.
• Jeremiah 25:38He has left His lair, like a lion. For their land has become a waste, because of the fury of the oppressor and because of His fierce anger.
• Jeremiah 49:19Look, it is like a lion coming up from the thickets of the Jordan to a secure pasture—for abruptly I will make him run away from it. I appoint over it whomever I choose. For who is like Me? Who will summon me to court? What shepherd stands up to Me?”
• Ezekiel 14:16even if these three men were in it, as I live, says Adonai, they will not deliver sons or daughters. They would only deliver themselves, but the land will be desolate.
• Daniel 7:4“The first was like a lion with eagle’s wings. As I watched, its wings were pulled off and it was lifted off the ground. It was made to stand upon two feet like a man, and the heart of a human was given to it.
• Hosea 5:14For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, and like a young lion to the house of Judah. I, even I, will tear and go away. I will carry off, and nobody will rescue.
• Hosea 13:7So I became like a lion to them— like a leopard lying in wait by the way.
• Amos 5:18Oy to you—longing for the Day of Adonai! What would it be for you? The Day of Adonai will be darkness and not light.
• Nahum 2:11Emptiness, desolation, waste! Heart melting, knees buckling, anguish in all the loins, all their faces grown pale!
• Psalms 104:20You bring darkness, so it becomes night, when all the beasts of the forest prowl.
• Ezekiel 22:27Her princes in her midst are like wolves tearing at prey, spilling blood and destroying lives for dishonest gain.
• Habakkuk 1:8Its horses are swifter than leopards, fiercer than wolves at dusk. Its horsemen come galloping. Its horsemen are coming from afar. They fly like a vulture, swooping down to eat.
• Zephaniah 3:3Her princes within her are roaring lions. Her judges are wolves of the night, leaving nothing but bones for morning.
• Daniel 7:6“After that I looked, and behold, there was another one like a leopard. On its back it had four wings like those of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and it was given authority to rule.
• Revelation 13:2Now the beast that I saw was like a leopard, his feet like a bear’s, and his mouth like a lion’s. And the dragon gave him his power and his 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