Jeremiah 5:26

26 quia inventi sunt in populo meo impii insidiantes quasi aucupes laqueos ponentes et pedicas ad capiendos viros

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.


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 et non dixerunt in corde suo metuamus Dominum Deum nostrum qui dat nobis pluviam temporaneam et serotinam in tempore suo plenitudinem annuae messis custodientem nobis
25 iniquitates nostrae declinaverunt haec et peccata nostra prohibuerunt bonum a nobis
26 quia inventi sunt in populo meo impii insidiantes quasi aucupes laqueos ponentes et pedicas ad capiendos viros
27 sicut decipula plena avibus sic domus eorum plenae dolo ideo magnificati sunt et ditati
28 incrassati sunt et inpinguati et praeterierunt sermones meos pessime causam non iudicaverunt causam pupilli non direxerunt et iudicium pauperum non iudicaverunt
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.