Jeremiah 9:3

King James Version with Strong's Numbers

And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the LORD.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

אִ֤ישׁ מֵרֵעֵ֙הוּ֙ הִשָּׁמֵ֔רוּ וְעַל־כָּל־אָ֖ח אַל־תִּבְטָ֑חוּ כִּ֤י כָל־אָח֙ עָק֣וֹב יַעְקֹ֔ב וְכָל־רֵ֖עַ רָכִ֥יל יַהֲלֹֽךְ׃

Transliteration

'îš from-rē'ēhû hiššāmērû wĕ'al-kol-'āḥ 'al-tibṭāḥû kî kol-'āḥ 'āqôb ya'qōb wĕkol-rēa' rākîl yahălōk

Grammar Details

• *'îš*: masculine noun, singular - man/each person
• *rē'ēhû*: masculine noun with 3rd person masculine singular suffix and prefixed preposition - from his neighbor
• *hiššāmērû*: imperative verb, 2nd person masculine plural, niphal - be on guard/beware
• *wĕ'al*: conjunction + preposition - and against
• *kol*: noun, construct state - all of/every
• *'āḥ*: masculine noun - brother
• *'al-tibṭāḥû*: negative particle + imperfect verb, 2nd person masculine plural, jussive - do not trust
• *kî*: conjunction - for/because
• *'āqôb*: infinitive absolute - supplanting/deceiving
• *ya'qōb*: imperfect verb, 3rd person masculine singular - he will supplant/deceive
• *wĕkol*: conjunction + noun, construct state - and every
• *rēa'*: masculine noun - friend/neighbor
• *rākîl*: masculine noun - slanderer/talebearer
• *yahălōk*: imperfect verb, 3rd person masculine singular - he will walk/go about

Word Meanings

• *'îš*: man/each person/anyone
• *rē'ēhû*: his neighbor/friend/companion
• *hiššāmērû*: be on guard/beware/take heed
• *'āḥ*: brother/kinsman/relative
• *tibṭāḥû*: trust/have confidence in/rely on
• *'āqôb ya'qōb*: utterly deceives/thoroughly supplants/completely betrays (emphatic construction)
• *rēa'*: friend/neighbor/companion
• *rākîl*: slanderer/talebearer/gossiper
• *yahălōk*: walks/goes about/proceeds

Referenced Verses

• Jer 9:8 : 8 Their tongue is as an arrow shot out; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but in heart he layeth his wait.
• Judg 2:10 : 10 And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.
• Jer 4:22 : 22 For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.
• Isa 59:13-15 : 13 In transgressing and lying against the LORD, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood. 14 And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. 15 Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.
• 1 Sam 2:12 : 12 Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD.
• Rom 3:13 : 13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
• 2 Cor 4:4-6 : 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. 6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
• Phil 1:28 : 28 And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.
• 2 Tim 3:13 : 13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
• Jude 1:3 : 3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
• Rev 12:11 : 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
• Ps 52:2-4 : 2 Thy tongue deviseth{H8799)} mischiefs; like a sharp{H8794)} razor, working{H8802)} deceitfully. 3 Thou lovest{H8804)} evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak{H8763)} righteousness. Selah. 4 Thou lovest{H8804)} all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue.
• Ps 64:3-4 : 3 Who whet{H8804)} their tongue like a sword, and bend{H8804)} their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words: 4 That they may shoot{H8800)} in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot{H8686)} at him, and fear{H8799)} not.
• Ps 120:2-4 : 2 Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue. 3 What shall be given unto thee? or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue? 4 Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper.
• Isa 59:3-5 : 3 For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness. 4 None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity. 5 They hatch cockatrice' eggs, and weave the spider's web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper.
• Jer 22:16 : 16 He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well with him: was not this to know me? saith the LORD.
• Jer 31:34 : 34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
• Hos 4:1-3 : 1 Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. 2 By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood. 3 Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.
• Mic 7:3-5 : 3 That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up. 4 The best of them is as a brier: the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh; now shall be their perplexity. 5 Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.
• Matt 10:31-33 : 31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. 32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. 33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
• Mark 8:38 : 38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
• John 8:54-55 : 54 Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: 55 Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying.
• John 17:3 : 3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
• Rom 1:16 : 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
• Rom 1:28 : 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
• Jer 7:26 : 26 Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers.
• Jer 9:5 : 5 And they will deceive every one his neighbour, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity.