Jeremiah 9:8

8 sagitta vulnerans lingua eorum dolum locuta est in ore suo pacem cum amico suo loquitur et occulte ponit ei insidias

Jeremiah 9:8 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 9:8

Their tongue is as an arrow shot out
As an arrow out of a bow, which moves swiftly, and comes with great force; or, "drawn out" {u}; as out of a quiver. The word is used of gold, and rendered "beaten gold", ( 1 Kings 10:16 ) , gold drawn out into plates; and here of an arrow drawn out of a quiver; and so it is interpreted in the Talmud F23; or is "wounding", as the Septuagint, or "slaying" F24; denoting the mischief and injury done to the characters of men, by a deceitful, detracting, and calumniating tongue. The Targum is, "as a sharp arrow their tongue"; which pierces deep, and is deadly; (See Gill on Jeremiah 9:3), it speaketh deceit;
deceitful words, by which men are imposed upon, and are led into wrong ways of thinking and acting: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth;
salutes him in a friendly manner; wishes him all health, peace, and prosperity; professes a sincere and cordial friendship for him, and pretends a strong affection to him: but in his heart he layeth wait;
to draw him into snares, and circumvent, trick, and defraud him.


FOOTNOTES:

F21 (jxwv) "extensa, [vel] tracta", Vatablus
F23 T. Bab. Cholin, fol. 30. 2. & Gloss. in ib.
F24 Jugulans, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.

Jeremiah 9:8 In-Context

6 habitatio tua in medio doli in dolo rennuerunt scire me dicit Dominus
7 propterea haec dicit Dominus exercituum ecce ego conflabo et probabo eos quid enim aliud faciam a facie filiae populi mei
8 sagitta vulnerans lingua eorum dolum locuta est in ore suo pacem cum amico suo loquitur et occulte ponit ei insidias
9 numquid super his non visitabo dicit Dominus aut in gentem huiuscemodi non ulciscetur anima mea
10 super montes adsumam fletum ac lamentum et super speciosa deserti planctum quoniam incensa sunt eo quod non sit vir pertransiens et non audierunt vocem possidentis a volucre caeli usque ad pecora transmigraverunt et recesserunt
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.