Jeremiah 8:5

5 Why has this people, Jerusalem, turned away [in] enduring apostasy? They have kept hold of deceit, they have refused to return.

Jeremiah 8:5 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 8:5

Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a
perpetual backsliding?
&c.] These people fill into sin, and rise not again by repentance; they turn out of the good ways of God and religion, and return not again; they backslide and revolt from the Lord, and they continue in their revolt and rebellion; their backsliding is an everlasting one; there is no hope of their repentance and recovery: it is a vehement and passionate expostulation about the people of the Jews, founded upon the former general observation, showing them to be the worst of all people: it is a common saying, "it is a long lane that has no turning"; but these people, having departed from the Lord, return no more. A very learned man renders the words, "why does Jerusalem turn away this people with an obstinate aversion?" ^F2 that is, the rulers and governors of Jerusalem, as in ( Matthew 23:37 ) or rather thus, "why does a stubborn aversion turn away this people, O Jerusalem?" and so they are an address to the magistrates and inhabitants of Jerusalem. They hold fast deceit;
practise it, and continue in the practice of it, both with God and man: they refuse to return:
to the Lord, to his worship, and to the right ways of holiness and truth, from whence they had erred; see ( Jeremiah 5:3 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F2 (txun hbvm Mlvwry hzh Meh hbbwv ewdm) "quare avertit hunc populum Hierosolyma aversione pertinaci? [vel] quare avertit populum hunc", O Jerusalem, "aversio pertinax?" De Dieu.

Jeremiah 8:5 In-Context

3 And death will be preferred to life by all the remaining of this evil clan in all the remaining places where I have driven them away," {declares} Yahweh.

4 "And you shall say to them, 'Thus asks Yahweh: "Do men fall and not stand up? If one turns away does he not return?

5 Why has this people, Jerusalem, turned away [in] enduring apostasy? They have kept hold of deceit, they have refused to return.

6 I have listened attentively, and I have listened. They do not speak honestly, there is no man [who] regrets his wickedness, saying, 'What have I done?' All of them [are] turning to their ways of running, like a horse plunging into battle.

7 Even [the] stork in heaven knows its appointed time, and [the] turtledove, and [the] swallow, and [the] song bird, they observe the time of their coming. But my people do not know the ordinance of Yahweh.

Footnotes

• [a] Or "repent"