Jeremiah

Jeremiah 8:5–10

⁵Why then have these people turned away?

Why does Jerusalem always turn away?

They cling to deceit;

they refuse to return.

⁶I have listened and heard;

they do not speak what is right.

No one repents of his wickedness,

asking, ‘What have I done?’

Everyone has pursued his own course

like a horse charging into battle.

⁷Even the stork in the sky

knows her appointed seasons.

The turtledove, the swift, and the thrush^a

keep their time of migration,

but My people do not know

the requirements of the LORD.

⁸How can you say, ‘We are wise,

and the Law of the LORD is with us,’

when in fact the lying pen of the scribes

has produced a deception?

⁹The wise will be put to shame;

they will be dismayed and trapped.

Since they have rejected the word of the LORD,

what wisdom do they really have?

¹⁰Therefore I will give their wives to other men

and their fields to new owners.

For from the least of them to the greatest,

all are greedy for gain;

from prophet to priest,

all practice deceit.

Footnotes

a 8:7 The precise identification of some of these birds is uncertain.

Read all of Jeremiah 8

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Jeremiah 8:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Why	מַדּ֨וּעַ	mad·dū·a‘	Interrogative	H4069 wherefore?
have these	הַזֶּ֛ה	haz·zeh	Article; Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
people	הָעָ֥ם	hā·‘ām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5971 people
turned away	שׁוֹבְבָ֜ה	šō·wḇ·ḇāh	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H7725 turn back, return
Why does Jerusalem	יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם	yə·rū·šā·lim	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H3389 Jerusalem
always turn away	מְשֻׁבָ֣ה	mə·šu·ḇāh	Noun - feminine singular	H4878 turning back, apostasy
They cling	הֶחֱזִ֙יקוּ֙	he·ḥĕ·zî·qū	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural	H2388 be or grow firm, strong, strengthen
to deceit	בַּתַּרְמִ֔ית	bat·tar·mîṯ	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine singular	H8649 fraud
they refuse	מֵאֲנ֖וּ	mê·’ă·nū	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural	H3985 refuse
to return	לָשֽׁוּב׃	lā·šūḇ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H7725 turn back, return

Jeremiah 8:6

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
I have listened	הִקְשַׁ֤בְתִּי	hiq·šaḇ·tî	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singular	H7181 incline, attend
and heard	וָֽאֶשְׁמָע֙	wā·’eš·mā‘	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular	H8085 hear
they do not	לוֹא־	lō·w-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
speak	יְדַבֵּ֔רוּ	yə·ḏab·bê·rū	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H1696 speak
what is right	כֵ֣ן	ḵên	Adjective - masculine singular	H3651 right, veritable, honest
No	אֵ֣ין	’ên	Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
one	אִ֗ישׁ	’îš	Noun - masculine singular	H376 man
repents	נִחָם֙	ni·ḥām	Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular	H5162 be sorry, console
of his	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
wickedness	רָ֣עָת֔וֹ	rā·‘ā·ṯōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H7451 bad, evil
asking	לֵאמֹ֖ר	lê·mōr	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H559 utter, say
What	מֶ֣ה	meh	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
have I done	עָשִׂ֑יתִי	‘ā·śî·ṯî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H6213 do, make
Everyone	כֻּלֹּ֗ה	kul·lōh	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3605 the whole, all
has pursued	שָׁ֚ב	šāb̲	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H7725 turn back, return
his own course	בִּמְרֻצוֹתָם	bim·ru·ṣō·ṯå̄m	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H4794 running
like a horse	כְּס֥וּס	kə·sūs	Preposition-k; Noun - masculine singular	H5483 swallow or swift
charging	שׁוֹטֵ֖ף	šō·w·ṭêp̄	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H7857 overflow, rinse or wash off
into battle	בַּמִּלְחָמָֽה׃	bam·mil·ḥā·māh	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine singular	H4421 battle, war

Jeremiah 8:7

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Even	גַּם־	gam-	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
the stork	חֲסִידָ֣ה	ḥă·sî·ḏāh	Noun - feminine singular	H2624 stork
in the sky	בַשָּׁמַ֗יִם	ḇaš·šā·ma·yim	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H8064 sky, aloft
knows	יָֽדְעָה֙	yā·ḏə·‘āh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H3045 know
her appointed seasons	מֽוֹעֲדֶ֔יהָ	mō·w·‘ă·ḏe·hā	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person feminine singular	H4150 appointed time, place, meeting
The turtledove	וְתֹ֤ר	wə·ṯōr	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular	H8449 turtle-dove
the swift	וְסוּס	wə·sūs	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H5483 swallow or swift
and the thrush	וְעָג֔וּר	wə·‘ā·ḡūr	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H5693 crane
keep	שָׁמְר֖וּ	šā·mə·rū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H8104 keep, watch, preserve
their time	עֵ֣ת	‘êṯ	Noun - common singular construct	H6256 time
of migration	בֹּאָ֑נָה	bō·’ā·nāh	Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; third person feminine plural	H935 come in, come, go in, go
but My people	וְעַמִּ֕י	wə·‘am·mî	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H5971 people
do not	לֹ֣א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
know	יָֽדְע֔וּ	yā·ḏə·‘ū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H3045 know
the requirements	מִשְׁפַּ֥ט	miš·paṭ	Noun - masculine singular construct	H4941 judgment
of the LORD	יְהוָֽה׃	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh

Jeremiah 8:8

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
How	אֵיכָ֤ה	’ê·ḵāh	Interjection	H349 How?
can you say	תֹֽאמְרוּ֙	ṯō·mə·rū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural	H559 utter, say
We	אֲנַ֔חְנוּ	’ă·naḥ·nū	Pronoun - first person common plural	H587 we
are wise	חֲכָמִ֣ים	ḥă·ḵā·mîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H2450 wise
and the Law	וְתוֹרַ֥ת	wə·ṯō·w·raṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular construct	H8451 direction, instruction, law
of the LORD	יְהוָ֖ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
is with us	אִתָּ֑נוּ	’it·tā·nū	Preposition; first person common plural	H854 with
when in fact	אָכֵן֙	’ā·ḵên	Adverb	H403 surely, truly
the lying	לַשֶּׁ֣קֶר	laš·še·qer	Preposition-l, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H8267 deception, disappointment, falsehood
pen	עֵ֖ט	‘êṭ	Noun - masculine singular construct	H5842 stylus
of the scribes	סֹפְרִֽים׃	sō·p̄ə·rîm	Noun - masculine plural	H5608 count
has produced	עָשָׂ֔ה	‘ā·śāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
a deception	שֶׁ֥קֶר	še·qer	Noun - masculine singular construct	H8267 deception, disappointment, falsehood

Jeremiah 8:9

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The wise	חֲכָמִ֔ים	ḥă·ḵā·mîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H2450 wise
will be put to shame	הֹבִ֣ישׁוּ	hō·ḇî·šū	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural	H954 be ashamed
they will be dismayed	חַ֖תּוּ	ḥat·tū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H2865 be shattered, dismayed
and trapped	וַיִּלָּכֵ֑דוּ	way·yil·lā·ḵê·ḏū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H3920 capture, seize, take (by lot)
Since	הִנֵּ֤ה	hin·nêh	Interjection	H2009 lo! behold!
they have rejected	מָאָ֔סוּ	mā·’ā·sū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H3988 reject
the word	בִדְבַר־	ḇiḏ·ḇar-	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H1697 speech, word
of the LORD	יְהוָה֙	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
what	מֶ֖ה	meh	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
wisdom	וְחָכְמַֽת־	wə·ḥā·ḵə·maṯ-	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular construct	H2451 wisdom
do they really have	לָהֶֽם׃ס	lā·hem	Preposition; third person masculine plural

Jeremiah 8:10

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Therefore	לָכֵן֩	lā·ḵên	Adverb	H3651 right, veritable, honest
I will give	אֶתֵּ֨ן	’et·tên	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular	H5414 give, put, set
their wives	נְשֵׁיהֶ֜ם	nə·šê·hem	Noun - feminine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H802 woman, wife, female
to other men	לַאֲחֵרִ֗ים	la·’ă·ḥê·rîm	Preposition-l; Adjective - masculine plural	H312 another
their fields	שְׂדֽוֹתֵיהֶם֙	śə·ḏō·w·ṯê·hem	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H7704 id.
to new owners	לְי֣וֹרְשִׁ֔ים	lə·yō·wr·šîm	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H3423 take possession of, inherit, dispossess
For	כִּ֤י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
from the least	מִקָּטֹן֙	miq·qā·ṭōn	Preposition-m; Adjective - masculine singular	H6996 small, young, unimportant
to	וְעַד־	wə·‘aḏ-	Conjunctive waw; Preposition	H5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
the greatest	גָּד֔וֹל	gā·ḏō·wl	Adjective - masculine singular	H1419 great
all	כֻּלֹּ֖ה	kul·lōh	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3605 the whole, all
are greedy	בֹּצֵ֣עַ	bō·ṣê·a‘	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H1214 cut off, break off, gain by violence
for gain	בָּ֑צַע	bā·ṣa‘	Noun - masculine singular	H1215 gain made by violence, unjust gain, profit
from prophet	מִנָּבִיא֙	min·nā·ḇî	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular	H5030 spokesman, speaker, prophet
to	וְעַד־	wə·‘aḏ-	Conjunctive waw; Preposition	H5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
priest	כֹּהֵ֔ן	kō·hên	Noun - masculine singular	H3548 priest
all	כֻּלֹּ֖ה	kul·lōh	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3605 the whole, all
practice	עֹ֥שֶׂה	‘ō·śeh	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H6213 do, make
deceit	שָּֽׁקֶר׃	šā·qer	Noun - masculine singular	H8267 deception, disappointment, falsehood