Jeremiah 9:8

8 Their tongue is a murderous arrow; it speaketh deceit. [A man] speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but in his heart he layeth his ambush.

Jeremiah 9:8 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 9:8

Their tongue is as an arrow shot out
As an arrow out of a bow, which moves swiftly, and comes with great force; or, "drawn out" {u}; as out of a quiver. The word is used of gold, and rendered "beaten gold", ( 1 Kings 10:16 ) , gold drawn out into plates; and here of an arrow drawn out of a quiver; and so it is interpreted in the Talmud ^F23; or is "wounding", as the Septuagint, or "slaying" ^F24; denoting the mischief and injury done to the characters of men, by a deceitful, detracting, and calumniating tongue. The Targum is, "as a sharp arrow their tongue"; which pierces deep, and is deadly; (See Gill on Jeremiah 9:3), it speaketh deceit;
deceitful words, by which men are imposed upon, and are led into wrong ways of thinking and acting: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth;
salutes him in a friendly manner; wishes him all health, peace, and prosperity; professes a sincere and cordial friendship for him, and pretends a strong affection to him: but in his heart he layeth wait;
to draw him into snares, and circumvent, trick, and defraud him.

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FOOTNOTES:

F21 (jxwv) "extensa, [vel] tracta", Vatablus
F23 T. Bab. Cholin, fol. 30. 2. & Gloss. in ib.
F24 Jugulans, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.

Jeremiah 9:8 In-Context

6 Thy habitation is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know me, saith Jehovah.

7 Therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Behold, I will melt them, and try them; for how else could I do for the daughter of my people?

8 Their tongue is a murderous arrow; it speaketh deceit. [A man] speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but in his heart he layeth his ambush.

9 Shall I not visit them for these [things]? saith Jehovah; shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

10 For the mountains will I take up weeping and wailing, and for the pastures of the wilderness, a lamentation; for they are burnt up, so that none passeth through them; and the voice of the cattle is not heard. Both the fowl of the heavens and the beasts are fled; they are gone.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or 'friend,' as ver. 4: see ch. 3.1.