Jeremiah 9:5

5 Everyone deceives his neighbor, and no one speaks the truth; they have taught their tongue to speak lies; they weary themselves committing iniquity.

Jeremiah 9:5 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 9:5

And they will deceive everyone his neighbour
In conversation, with lying words; and in trade and commerce, by art and tricking: and will not speak the truth;
with respect to facts they report, or goods they sell: they have taught their tongue to speak lies;
and become so accustomed to lying that they cannot do otherwise; it is as it were natural to them: and weary themselves to commit iniquity;
spared no pains to come at it, nor any in it, and go on even to weariness; are more laborious and indefatigable in committing sin than good men are in doing good; which shows great folly and stupidity. The Targum is,

``they are become foolish, they have erred.''

Jeremiah 9:5 In-Context

3 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.

4 Let everyone beware of his neighbor, and put no trust in any brother, for every brother is a deceiver, and every neighbor goes about as a slanderer.

5 Everyone deceives his neighbor, and no one speaks the truth; they have taught their tongue to speak lies; they weary themselves committing iniquity.

6 Heaping oppression upon oppression, and deceit upon deceit, they refuse to know me, declares the Lord.

7 Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: “Behold, I will refine them and test them, for what else can I do, because of my people?