Jeremiah 5:26

26 "Jeremiah, some of my people are evil. They hide and wait just as people hide to catch birds. They set traps for men.

Jeremiah 5:26 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 5:26

For among my people are found wicked men
Not a few only, but in general they appeared to be so, upon an inquiry into their character and conduct; for otherwise it would not have been so difficult to find a good man among them, as is suggested ( Jeremiah 5:1 ) , they lay wait as he that setteth snares;
or, "they look about" ^F3; that is, as Kimchi interprets it, every man looks in the ways, to see if a man passed by, that he might rob him of what he had; as a man that lays snares, or sets a trap to catch birds in: or, "everyone looks out, when they that lay snares rest" ^F4; and so they are more diligent and constant in catching men than such persons are in catching birds: they set a trap;
or "dig a pit, or ditch" ^F5; for men to fall in; see ( Psalms 7:15 ) : they catch men;
and rob them of their substance; or by their ill examples and counsels draw them into sin, and so into ruin; or circumvent them in trade and business.

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FOOTNOTES:

F3 (rwvy) "aspicit", Vatablus, i. e. "quisque eorum", Piscator; "aspicient", Pagninus.
F4 (Myvwqy Kvk rwvy) "contemplatur quisque, cum quiescunt aucupes", De Dieu; so Ben Melech; "et cum resident aucupes", Piscator, Gataker; "sit quiet and unmoved, that they may not frighten the birds by any noise, watching and expecting when they would get into the net"; so Gussetius.
F5 (tyxvm wbyuh) "fodiunt foveas", Tigurine version.

Jeremiah 5:26 In-Context

24 You do not say to yourselves, "Let us have respect for the LORD our God. He sends rain in the fall and the spring. He promises us that the harvest will come at the same time each year."

25 But the things you have done wrong have robbed you of those gifts. Your sins have kept those good things far away from you.'

26 "Jeremiah, some of my people are evil. They hide and wait just as people hide to catch birds. They set traps for men.

27 A hunter uses tricks to fill his cage with birds. And my people have filled their houses with a lot of goods. They have become rich and powerful.

28 They have grown fat and heavy. There is no limit to the evil things they do. In court they do not state the case of children whose fathers have died. They do not stand up for poor people.