Tree of Life Version
Jeremiah 9:3
3Beware, everyone, of your neighbor! Don’t even trust a brother. For every brother grabs like Jacob and every neighbor spreads slander.
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.
- New International Version (NIV)“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.
- 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.
Context of Jeremiah 9:3
1If only I had a travelers’ lodging place in the wilderness, then I might leave my people and get away from them! For they are all adulterers, a bunch of traitors. 2They bend their tongue like a bow. Lies, not faithfulness, prevail in the land. “For they go from evil to evil and do not know Me,” says Adonai. Beware, everyone, of your neighbor! Don’t even trust a brother. For every brother grabs like Jacob and every neighbor spreads slander. 4Everyone deceives his neighbor and does not speak the truth. They taught their tongue to speak lies. They wear themselves out doing wrong. 5“You dwell in the midst of deceit. In deceit they refuse to know Me.” It is a declaration of Adonai.
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 9:5“You dwell in the midst of deceit. In deceit they refuse to know Me.” It is a declaration of Adonai.
- Psalms 52:2when Doeg the Edomite came and reported to Saul telling him, “David went to Ahimelech’s house.”
- Psalms 64:3Hide me from the conspiracy of evildoers, from the tumult of workers of iniquity,
- Psalms 120:2Adonai, deliver my soul from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue.
- Isaiah 59:3For your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with iniquity. Your lips have spoken lies, your tongue mutters wickedness.
- Micah 7:3Both hands are diligent at doing evil. The official and the judge ask for a bribe. The distinguished man utters a desire of his soul. Thus they weave it together.
- Romans 3:13Their throat is an open grave; with their tongues they keep deceiving. The poison of vipers is under their lips.
- Matthew 10:31So do not fear; you are worth more than many sparrows.
- Mark 8:38For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this unfaithful and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels!”
- Romans 1:16For I am not ashamed of the Good News, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who trusts—to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
- Philippians 1:28and not being frightened in any way by your opponents. For them this is a sign of destruction, but for you salvation—and that from God.
- Jude 1:3Loved ones, though very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I felt it necessary to write to you urging you to continue to contend for the faith that was once for all handed down to the kedoshim.
- Revelation 12:11They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives even in the face of death.
- Jeremiah 7:26they did not listen to Me or pay attention. Rather, they stiffened their neck, doing more evil than their fathers.
- 2 Timothy 3:13But evil men and imposters will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
- Jeremiah 4:22“For My people are foolish. They do not know Me. They are senseless children, and they have no understanding. They are wise to do evil, but to do good they do not know.”
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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