שֹׁוטְטוּ בְּחוּצֹות יְרוּשָׁלִַם וּרְאוּ־נָא וּדְעוּ וּבַקְשׁוּ בִרְחֹובֹותֶיהָ אִם־תִּמְצְאוּ אִישׁ אִם־יֵשׁ עֹשֶׂה מִשְׁפָּט   5:1  מְבַקֵּש אֱמוּנָה וְאֶסְלַח לָהּ׃

Jere. 5:1   “Run to and fro on the streets of Jerusalem,

                            and see now, and know!

                   Then seek in its broad places!

                            If you can find anyone,

                    if there is a doer of justice who seeks truth,

                            then I will pardon her.”

The pronoun her at the end of the verse refers to Jerusalem.

וְאִם חַי־יְהֹוָה יֹאמֵרוּ לָכֵן לַשֶּׁקֶר יִשָּׁבֵעוּ׃   5:2

Jere. 5:2   “And if, they would utter, ‘As the Lord lives,’

                            surely they would swear falsely.”

יְהֹוָה עֵינֶיךָ הֲלֹוא לֶאֱמוּנָה הִכִּיתָה אֹתָם וְלֹא־חָלוּ כִּלִּיתָם מֵאֲנוּ קַחַת מוּסָר חִזְּקוּ פְנֵיהֶם מִסֶּלַע    5:3

מֵאֲנוּ לָשׁוּב׃

Jere. 5:3   Oh Lord, Your “eyes,”

                            are they not toward the truth?

                    You strike them, yet they are not shaken;

                            consume them, they refuse to accept correction.

                    Their faces are harder than a rock;

                             they refuse to repent.

וַאֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי אַךְ־דַּלִּים הֵם נֹואֲלוּ כִּי לֹא יָדְעוּ דֶּרֶךְ יְהוָה מִשְׁפַּט אֱלֹהֵיהֶם׃   5:4

Jere. 5:4   So I have said,

                             “Truly they are weak; they are foolish;

                    for they do not understand the way of the Lord,

                              the judgment of their God.”

אֵלֲכָה־לִּי אֶל־הַגְּדֹלִים וַאֲדַבְּרָה אֹותָם כִּי הֵמָּה יָדְעוּ דֶּרֶךְ יְהוָה מִשְׁפַּט אֱלֹהֵיהֶם אַךְ הֵמָּה יַחְדָּוּ   5:5        שָׁבְרוּ עֹל נִתְּקוּ מֹוסֵרֹות׃

Jere. 5:5   I would get myself to the great ones

                             and address them,

                   for they understand the way of the Lord,

                             the judgment of their God.

                   But they likewise have broken the yoke,

                             plucked off the bonds.

עַל־כֵּן הִכָּם אַרְיֵה מִיַּעַר זְאֵב עֲרָבֹות יְשָׁדְדֵם נָמֵר שֹׁקֵד עַל־עָרֵיהֶם כָּל־הַיֹּוצֵא מֵהֵנָּה יִטָּרֵף כִּי רַבּו   5:6 ּ פִּשְׁעֵיהֶם עָצְמוּ (מְשֻׁבֹותֵיהֶם) [מְשׁוּבֹותֵיהֶם]׃

Jere. 5:6   Therefore a lion from the forest smites them,

                            a wolf of the plains shall ravage them,

                    a leopard watches over their cities.

                            Everyone who goes out from them

                    shall be torn to pieces.

                            For their transgressions are many,

                     their backslidings are more.

The last word in this verse (in the parentheses) has a vav missing at the third letter position.  The correct spelling is in the brackets.

אֵי לָזֹאת (אֶסְלֹוחַ־) [אֶסְלַח־]לָךְ בָּנַיִךְ עֲזָבוּנִי וַיִּשָּׁבְעוּ בְּלֹא אֱלֹהִים וָאַשְׂבִּעַ אֹותָם וַיִּנְאָפוּ וּבֵית   5:7  נִתְּקוּ מֹוסֵרֹות׃

Jere. 5:7   “How could I pardon you for this?

                             Your children had forsaken Me

                    that they swore by non-gods.

                             Even would I satiate them,

                    yet they commit adultery,

                             and they assemble in troops

                    the house of the harlot.

In this verse the word in parentheses has an extra vav (in the fourth letter position).  The correction is in the brackets.

סוּסִים מְיֻזָּנִים מַשְׁכִּים הָיוּ אִישׁ אֶל־אֵשֶׁת רֵעֵהוּ יִצְהָלוּ׃   5:8

Jere. 5:8   Well-fed stretching horses they became,

                             they would neigh each to the wife of his neighbor.

הַעַל־אֵלֶּה לֹוא־אֶפְקֹד נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה וְאִם בְּגֹוי אֲשֶׁר־כָּזֶה לֹא תִתְנַקֵּם נַפְשִׁי׃   5:9

Jere. 5:9   “Shall I not reckon because of these things,”

                             declares the Lord,

                   “and shall My ‘soul’ not be avenged

                             with a nation that is like this?”

עֲלוּ בְשָׁרֹותֶיהָ וְשַׁחֵתוּ וְכָלָה אַל־תַּעֲשׂוּ הָסִירוּ נְטִישֹׁותֶיהָ כִּי לֹוא לַיהוָה הֵמָּה׃   5:10

Jere. 5:10   Go up on her walls and destroy!

                             But you shall not make a complete destruction.

                      Remove her shoots,

                              for they are not unto the Lord.

כִּי בָגֹוד בָּגְדוּ בִּי בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבֵית יְהוּדָה נְאֻם־יְהוָה׃   5:11

Jere. 5:11   “For the house of Israel and the house of Judah

                              have dealt very deceitfully with Me,”

                     declares the Lord.

כִּחֲשׁוּ בַּיהוָה וַיֹּאמְרוּ לֹא־הוּא וְלֹא־תָבֹוא עָלֵינוּ רָעָה וְחֶרֶב וְרָעָב לֹוא נִרְאֶה׃   5:12

Jere. 5:12   They have failed with the Lord,

                              as they have said,

                      “He is not,

                              and evil shall not come upon us,

                      and we shall not see sword and famine,

וְהַנְּבִיאִים יִהְיוּ לְרוּחַ וְהַדִּבֵּר אֵין בָּהֶם כֹּה יֵעָשֶׂה לָהֶם׃   5:13

Jere. 5:13   and the prophets will be like wind,

                              as the word is not in them.”

                     So it shall be done to them.

לָכֵן כֹּה־אָמַר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי צְבָאֹות יַעַן דַּבֶּרְכֶם אֶת־הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה הִנְנִי נֹתֵן דְּבָרַי בְּפִיךָ לְאֵשׁ וְהָעָם   5:14  הַזֶּה עֵצִים וַאֲכָלָתַם׃

Jere. 5:14   Therefore thus says the Lord, God of hosts:

                               “Because of your speaking this thing,

                      behold, I am making My word

                                to be fire in your mouth,

                      and this people wood,

                                and it shall devour them.”

עֲלֵיכֶם גֹּוי מִמֶּרְחָק בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ גֹּוי אֵיתָן הוּא גֹּוי מֵעֹולָם הוּא גֹּוי לֹא־תֵדַע לְשֹׁנֹו וְלֹא   5:15 תִשְׁמַע מַה־יְדַבֵּר׃

Jere. 5:15   “Behold, I am bringing upon you

                                 a nation from afar, O house of Israel,”

                     declares the Lord.

                                 “A mighty nation it is.

                     An ancient nation it is,

                                 a nation you will not know of its language,

                     so you will not understand what it speaks.”

אַשְׁפָּתֹו כְּקֶבֶר פָּתוּחַ כֻּלָּם גִּבֹּורִים׃   5:16

Jere. 5:16   “Its quiver is like an opened sepulcher;

                                 all of them are valiant men.”

וְאָכַל קְצִירְךָ וְלַחְמֶךָ יֹאכְלוּ בָּנֶיךָ וּבְנֹותֶיךָ יֹאכַל צֹאנְךָ וּבְקָרֶךָ יֹאכַל גַּפְנְךָ וּתְאֵנָתֶךָ יְרֹשֵׁשׁ עָרֵי    5:17 מִבְצָרֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה בֹּוטֵחַ בָּהֵנָּה בֶּחָרֶב׃

Jere. 5:17   “And it shall eat up your harvest and your bread.

                                They shall devour your sons and your daughters.

                      It shall consume your flocks and your herds.

                                 It shall consume your vines and your fig trees.

                     With the sword it shall demolish

                                 the cities of your fortifications

                       in which you are trusting.”

וְגַם בַּיָּמִים הָהֵמָּה נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה לֹא־אֶעֱשֶׂה אִתְּכֶם כָּלָה׃   5:18

Jere. 5:18   “Yet even in those days,” says the Lord,

                                 “I will not make a complete end with you.”

וְהָיָה כִּי תֹאמְרוּ תַּחַת מֶה עָשָׂה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ לָנוּ אֶת־כָּל־אֵלֶּה וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵיהֶם כַּאֲשֶׁר עֲזַבְתֶּם   5:19ּ  אֹותִי וַתַּעַבְדו אֱלֹהֵי נֵכָר בְּאַרְצְכֶם כֵּן תַּעַבְדוּ זָרִים בְּאֶרֶץ לֹא לָכֶם׃

Jere. 5:19   So it shall be, when you shall say,

                                  “For what reason did the Lord, our God,

                        do all these things to us?”

                                  that You shall say to them,

                        “As you have forsaken Me

                                  and served the gods of strangers in your land,

                        so you shall serve strangers in a land not yours.”

הַגִּידוּ זֹאת בְּבֵית יַעֲקֹב וְהַשְׁמִיעוּהָ בִיהוּדָה לֵאמֹר׃   5:20

Jere. 5:20    Declare this in the house of Jacob,

                                  and announce it in Judah, saying,

שִׁמְעוּ־נָא זֹאת עַם סָכָל וְאֵין לֵב עֵינַיִם לָהֶם וְלֹא יִרְאוּ אָזְנַיִם לָהֶם וְלֹא יִשְׁמָעוּ׃   5:21

Jere. 5:21   Hear this now, foolish people

                                  that is without understanding

                      (eyes are theirs, but they cannot see;

                                  ears are theirs, but they cannot hear):

הַאֹותִי לֹא־תִירָאוּ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה אִם מִפָּנַי לֹא תָחִילוּ אֲשֶׁר־שַׂמְתִּי חֹול גְּבוּל לַיָּם חָק־עֹולָם וְלֹאּ   5:22  יַעַבְרֶנְהו וַיִּתְגָּעֲשׁוּ וְלֹא יוּכָלוּ וְהָמוּ גַלָּיו וְלֹא יַעַבְרֻנְהוּ׃

Jere. 5:22   “You will not fear Me,” declares the Lord?

                                 “You will not also tremble in My presence,

                      Who made sand a boundary for the sea,

                                 a timeless limit that it cannot pass it?

                      Though its waves roar,

                                 and toss themselves,

                      yet they cannot prevail,

                                 yet they cannot pass over it?”

וְלָעָם הַזֶּה הָיָה לֵב סֹורֵר וּמֹורֶה סָרוּ וַיֵּלֵכוּ׃   5:23

Jere. 5:23   But this people has

                                 a stubborn and disobedient heart.

                     They revolt, and are gone.

וְלֹא־אָמְרוּ בִלְבָבָם נִירָא נָא אֶת־יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ הַנֹּתֵן גֶּשֶׁם (וְיֹרֶה) [יֹורֶה] וּמַלְקֹושׁ בְּעִתֹּו שְׁבֻעֹות   5:24 יִשְׁמָר־לָנוּ׃

Jere. 5:24   And they do not say in their heart,

                                 “Now we will revere the Lord, our God,

                     Giver of rain, the early and the latter in its season,

                                 the appointed weeks of the harvest

                     He may keep for us.”

The word in error in this verse (in the parentheses) has the vav and yad interchanged.  The correction appears in the brackets.

עֲוֹנֹותֵיכֶם הִטּוּ־אֵלֶּה וְחַטֹּאותֵיכֶם מָנְעוּ הַטֹּוב מִכֶּם׃   5:25

Jere. 5:25   “Your iniquities have turned these things away,

                                 and your sins have kept back good from you.”

כִּי־נִמְצְאוּ בְעַמִּי רְשָׁעִים יָשׁוּר כְּשַׁךְ יְקוּשִׁים הִצִּיבוּ מַשְׁחִית אֲנָשִׁים יִלְכֹּדוּ׃   5:26

Jere. 5:26   “For wicked men are found among My people.

                                 It might observe, like fowlers lying in wait.

                     They set a trap, they might catch men.”

כִּכְלוּב מָלֵא עֹוף כֵּן בָּתֵּיהֶם מְלֵאִים מִרְמָה עַל־כֵּן גָּדְלוּ וַיַּעֲשִׁירוּ׃   5:27

Jere. 5:27   Like a cage is full of birds,

                                 so their houses are full of deceits.

                     Because of this they have become great

                                 and made themselves rich.

שָׁמְנוּ עָשְׁתוּ גַּם עָבְרוּ דִבְרֵי־רָע דִּין לֹא־דָנוּ דִּין יָתֹום וְיַצְלִיחוּ וּמִשְׁפַּט אֶבְיֹונִים לֹא שָׁפָטוּ׃   5:28

Jere. 5:28   They have become fat,

                                 they have become sleek.

                      Yes, they surpass deeds of wickedness.

                                The cause they do not plead,

                       the cause of the fatherless,

                                 by which they would prosper,

                       and the right of the needy they do not judge.

הַעַל־אֵלֶּה לֹא־אֶפְקֹד נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה אִם בְּגֹוי אֲשֶׁר־כָּזֶה לֹא תִתְנַקֵּם נַפְשִׁי׃   5:29

Jere. 5:29   “Against these things, should I not reckon,”

                                 declares the Lord?

                      “Should My ‘soul’ not be avenged

                                 on a nation such as this?”

שַׁמָּה וְשַׁעֲרוּרָה נִהְיְתָה בָּאָרֶץ׃   5:30

Jere. 5:30   “A devastation and a horrible thing

                                 has happened in the land.”

הַנְּבִיאִים נִבְּאוּ־בַשֶּׁקֶר וְהַכֹּהֲנִים יִרְדּוּ עַל־יְדֵיהֶם וְעַמִּי אָהֲבוּ כֵן וּמַה־תַּעֲשׂוּ לְאַחֲרִיתָהּ׃   5:31

Jere. 5:31   “The prophets prophesy with falsehood,

                                 and the priests are diminished by their hand,

                     and My people love thus.

                                Then what will you do by the end of it?”

As to the question Jeremiah has the Lord asking in the last English line, most other translators have interpreted it to refer to the end times.  I think it’s more immediate than that.  I believe the Lord is asking (rhetorically) what will the people do once this “punishment” has been completed.  Will they learn from it?  Will they understand what has happened to them?

[Return to Jeremiah Chapters]   [Prev.:  Jere. 4]   [Next:  Jere. 6]