Jeremiah 9:5

5 And a man shall scorn his brother, and shall not speak truth; for they taught their tongue to speak leasing; they travailed to do wickedly. (And a man shall mock his brother, and shall not speak the truth; for they taught their tongues to speak lies; they laboured to do wickedly.)

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 and they held forth their tongue as a bow of leasing, and not of truth. They be comforted in (the) earth, for they went out from evil to evil, and they knew not me, saith the Lord. (and they put forth their tongues like bows sending out lies, and not truth. They be made comfortable on the earth, as they go from evil to evil, and they do not even know me, saith the Lord.)
4 Each man keep him(self) from his neighbour, and have no trust in any brother of him; for why each brother deceiving shall deceive, and each friend shall go guilefully (for each brother shall deceive, and each friend shall be deceitful).
5 And a man shall scorn his brother, and shall not speak truth; for they taught their tongue to speak leasing; they travailed to do wickedly. (And a man shall mock his brother, and shall not speak the truth; for they taught their tongues to speak lies; they laboured to do wickedly.)
6 Thy dwelling is in the midst of guile; in guile they forsook to know me, saith the Lord.
7 Therefore the Lord of hosts saith these things, Lo! I shall well (them) together, and I shall prove them; for why what other thing shall I do from the face of the daughter of my people? (for what else shall I do with my people?)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.