Jeremiah 8:5

5 "Why then has this people, Jerusalem, ¹Turned away in continual apostasy? They ²hold fast to deceit, They ³refuse 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 chosen rather than life by all the remnant that remains of this evil family, that remains in all the places to which I have driven them," declares the LORD of hosts.

4 "You shall say to them, 'Thus says the LORD , "Do men fall and not get up again? Does one turn away and not repent?

5 "Why then has this people, Jerusalem, Turned away in continual apostasy? They hold fast to deceit, They refuse to return.

6 "I have listened and heard, They have spoken what is not right; No man repented of his wickedness, Saying, 'What have I done?' Everyone turned to his course, Like a horse charging into the battle.

7 "Even the stork in the sky Knows her seasons; And the turtledove and the swift and the thrush Observe the time of their migration; But My people do not know The ordinance of the LORD .

Cross References

• 1. Jeremiah 5:6; Jeremiah 7:24
• 2. Jeremiah 5:27; Jeremiah 9:6
• 3. Jeremiah 5:3