Jeremiah 5:6
New International Version
Therefore a lion from the forest will attack them, a wolf from the desert will ravage them, a leopard will lie in wait near their towns to tear to pieces any who venture out, for their rebellion is great and their backslidings many.

New Living Translation
So now a lion from the forest will attack them; a wolf from the desert will pounce on them. A leopard will lurk near their towns, tearing apart any who dare to venture out. For their rebellion is great, and their sins are many.

English Standard Version
Therefore a lion from the forest shall strike them down; a wolf from the desert shall devastate them. A leopard is watching their cities; everyone who goes out of them shall be torn in pieces, because their transgressions are many, their apostasies are great.

Berean Standard Bible
Therefore a lion from the forest will strike them down, a wolf from the desert will ravage them. A leopard will lie in wait near their cities, and everyone who ventures out will be torn to pieces. For their rebellious acts are many, and their unfaithful deeds are numerous.

King James Bible
Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, and a wolf of the evenings shall spoil them, a leopard shall watch over their cities: every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces: because their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are increased.

New King James Version
Therefore a lion from the forest shall slay them, A wolf of the deserts shall destroy them; A leopard will watch over their cities. Everyone who goes out from there shall be torn in pieces, Because their transgressions are many; Their backslidings have increased.

New American Standard Bible
Therefore a lion from the forest will kill them, A wolf of the deserts will destroy them, A leopard is watching their cities. Everyone who goes out of them will be torn in pieces, Because their wrongdoings are many, Their apostasies are numerous.

NASB 1995
Therefore a lion from the forest will slay them, A wolf of the deserts will destroy them, A leopard is watching their cities. Everyone who goes out of them will be torn in pieces, Because their transgressions are many, Their apostasies are numerous.

NASB 1977
Therefore a lion from the forest shall slay them, A wolf of the deserts shall destroy them, A leopard is watching their cities. Everyone who goes out of them shall be torn in pieces, Because their transgressions are many, Their apostasies are numerous.

Legacy Standard Bible
Therefore a lion from the forest will strike them down; A wolf of the deserts will devastate them; A leopard is watching their cities. Everyone who goes out of them will be torn in pieces Because their transgressions are many; Their acts of faithlessness are mighty.

Amplified Bible
Therefore a lion from the forest will kill them, A wolf of the deserts will destroy them, A leopard is watching their cities. Everyone who goes out of them shall be torn in pieces, Because their transgressions are many, Their desertions of faith are countless.

Christian Standard Bible
Therefore, a lion from the forest will strike them down. A wolf from arid plains will ravage them. A leopard stalks their cities. Anyone who leaves them will be torn to pieces because their rebellious acts are many, their unfaithful deeds numerous.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Therefore, a lion from the forest will strike them down. A wolf from an arid plain will ravage them. A leopard keeps watch over their cities. Anyone who leaves them will be torn to pieces because their rebellious acts are many, their unfaithful deeds numerous.

American Standard Version
Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, a wolf of the evenings shall destroy them, a leopard shall watch against their cities; every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces; because their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are increased.

Contemporary English Version
The people have rebelled and rejected the LORD too many times. So enemies will attack like lions from the forest or wolves from the desert. Those enemies will watch the towns of Judah, and like leopards they will tear to pieces whoever goes outside.

English Revised Version
Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, a wolf of the evenings shall spoil them, a leopard shall watch over their cities, every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces: because their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are increased.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
That is why a lion from the forest will attack them. A wolf from the wilderness will destroy them. A leopard will lie in ambush outside their cities. All who leave the cities will be torn to pieces, because they rebel so often and they become more and more unfaithful.

Good News Translation
That is why lions from the forest will kill them; wolves from the desert will tear them to pieces, and leopards will prowl through their towns. If those people go out, they will be torn apart because their sins are numerous and time after time they have turned from God.

International Standard Version
Therefore a lion from the forest will attack them, a wolf from the desert will devastate them. A leopard is watching their towns, and everyone who goes out of them will be torn to pieces. For their transgressions are many, and their apostasies numerous.

Majority Standard Bible
Therefore a lion from the forest will strike them down, a wolf from the desert will ravage them. A leopard will lie in wait near their cities, and everyone who ventures out will be torn to pieces. For their rebellious acts are many, and their unfaithful deeds are numerous.

NET Bible
So like a lion from the thicket their enemies will kill them. Like a wolf from the desert they will destroy them. Like a leopard they will lie in wait outside their cities and totally destroy anyone who ventures out. For they have rebelled so much and done so many unfaithful things.

New Heart English Bible
Therefore a lion out of the forest shall kill them, a wolf of the evenings shall destroy them, a leopard shall watch against their cities; everyone who goes out there shall be torn in pieces; because their transgressions are many, and their backsliding is increased.

Webster's Bible Translation
Wherefore a lion from the forest shall slay them, and a wolf of the evenings shall spoil them, a leopard shall watch over their cities: every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces: because their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are increased.

World English Bible
Therefore a lion out of the forest will kill them. A wolf of the evenings will destroy them. A leopard will watch against their cities. Everyone who goes out there will be torn in pieces, because their transgressions are many and their backsliding has increased.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Therefore a lion out of the forest has struck them, "" A wolf of the deserts spoils them, "" A leopard is watching over their cities, "" Everyone who is going out of them is torn, "" For their transgressions have been many, "" Their backslidings have been mighty.

Young's Literal Translation
Therefore smitten them hath a lion out of the forest, A wolf of the deserts doth spoil them, A leopard is watching over their cities, Every one who is going out of them is torn, For many have been their transgressions, Mighty have been their backslidings.

Smith's Literal Translation
For this, a lion from the forest struck them, a wolf of the deserts will destroy them, the panther watched over their cities: every one going forth from thence shall be torn in pieces; for their transgressions were multiplied, their turnings away were strong.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Wherefore a lion out of the wood hath slain them, a wolf in the evening, hath spoiled them, a leopard watcheth for their cities: every one that shall go out thence shall be taken, because their transgressions are multiplied, their rebellions are strengthened.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For this reason, a lion from the forest has struck them down, a wolf toward evening has laid waste to them, a leopard lies in wait over their cities. All who go out from there will be taken. For their transgressions have been multiplied; their rebellions have been strengthened.

New American Bible
Therefore, lions from the forest slay them, wolves of the desert ravage them, Leopards keep watch round their cities: all who come out are torn to pieces, For their crimes are many, their rebellions numerous.

New Revised Standard Version
Therefore a lion from the forest shall kill them, a wolf from the desert shall destroy them. A leopard is watching against their cities; everyone who goes out of them shall be torn in pieces— because their transgressions are many, their apostasies are great.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Therefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them and hungry wolves of the evening shall tear them in pieces; a leopard shall lie in wait over their cities; every one that goes out thence shall be torn in pieces, because their transgressions are multiplied and become so strong that they will not repent.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Because of this, a lion from a forest shall crush them and evening wolves shall tear them apart. A leopard shall lay wait over their cities. Everyone who goes out of them shall be torn apart, because their crimes have increased and they are hardened that they will not return to God
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Wherefore a lion out of the forest doth slay them, A wolf of the deserts doth spoil them, A leopard watcheth over their cities, Every one that goeth out thence is torn in pieces; Because their transgressions are many, Their backslidings are increased.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Therefore has a lion out of the forest smitten them, and a wolf has destroyed them even to their houses, and a leopard has watched against their cities: all that go forth from them shall be hunted: for they have multiplied their ungodliness, they have strengthened themselves in their revoltings.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
No One is Just
5I will go to the powerful and speak to them. Surely they know the way of the LORD, the justice of their God.” But they too, with one accord, had broken the yoke and torn off the chains. 6Therefore a lion from the forest will strike them down, a wolf from the desert will ravage them. A leopard will lie in wait near their cities, and everyone who ventures out will be torn to pieces. For their rebellious acts are many, and their unfaithful deeds are numerous. 7“Why should I forgive you? Your children have forsaken Me and sworn by gods that are not gods. I satisfied their needs, yet they committed adultery and assembled at the houses of prostitutes.…

Cross References
Hosea 13:7-8
So like a lion I will pounce on them; like a leopard I will lurk by the path. / Like a bear robbed of her cubs I will attack them, and I will tear open their chests. There I will devour them like a lion, like a wild beast tearing them apart.

Amos 5:19
It will be like a man who flees from a lion, only to encounter a bear, or who enters his house and rests his hand against the wall, only to be bitten by a snake.

Isaiah 5:29
Their roaring is like that of a lion; they roar like young lions. They growl and seize their prey; they carry it away, and no one can rescue it.

Lamentations 3:10
He is a bear lying in wait, a lion hiding in ambush.

Ezekiel 22:25
The conspiracy of the princes in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing its prey. They devour the people, seize the treasures and precious things, and multiply the widows within her.

Hosea 5:14
For I am like a lion to Ephraim and like a young lion to the house of Judah. I, even I, will tear them to pieces and then go away. I will carry them off where no one can rescue them.

Isaiah 31:4
For this is what the LORD has said to me: “Like a lion roaring or a young lion over its prey—and though a band of shepherds is called out against it, it is not terrified by their shouting or subdued by their clamor—so the LORD of Hosts will come down to do battle on Mount Zion and its heights.

2 Kings 17:25-26
Now when the settlers first lived there, they did not worship the LORD, so He sent lions among them, which killed some of them. / So they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, “The peoples that you have removed and placed in the cities of Samaria do not know the requirements of the God of the land. Because of this, He has sent lions among them, which are indeed killing them off.”

Proverbs 28:15
Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked ruler over a helpless people.

Zephaniah 3:3
Her princes are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves, leaving nothing for the morning.

Matthew 7:15
Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

1 Peter 5:8
Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Revelation 13:2
The beast I saw was like a leopard, with the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.

Acts 20:29
I know that after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.

Matthew 10:16
Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.


Treasury of Scripture

Why a lion out of the forest shall slay them, and a wolf of the evenings shall spoil them, a leopard shall watch over their cities: every one that goes out there shall be torn in pieces: because their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are increased.

a lion.

Jeremiah 2:15
The young lions roared upon him, and yelled, and they made his land waste: his cities are burned without inhabitant.

Jeremiah 4:7
The lion is come up from his thicket, and the destroyer of the Gentiles is on his way; he is gone forth from his place to make thy land desolate; and thy cities shall be laid waste, without an inhabitant.

Jeremiah 25:38
He hath forsaken his covert, as the lion: for their land is desolate because of the fierceness of the oppressor, and because of his fierce anger.

and a wolf.

Psalm 104:20
Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth.

Ezekiel 22:27
Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.

Habakkuk 1:8
Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat.

evenings.

Daniel 7:6
After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.

Hosea 13:7
Therefore I will be unto them as a lion: as a leopard by the way will I observe them:

Revelation 13:2
And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

because.

Jeremiah 2:17,19
Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, when he led thee by the way? …

Jeremiah 9:12-14
Who is the wise man, that may understand this? and who is he to whom the mouth of the LORD hath spoken, that he may declare it, for what the land perisheth and is burned up like a wilderness, that none passeth through? …

Jeremiah 14:7
O LORD, though our iniquities testify against us, do thou it for thy name's sake: for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against thee.

increased.

Jump to Previous
Backsliding Backslidings Cities Deserts Destroy Evenings Forest Goes Increased Kill Lion Pieces Slay Spoil Thence Torn Transgressions Watch Watcheth Wherefore Wolf
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Backsliding Backslidings Cities Deserts Destroy Evenings Forest Goes Increased Kill Lion Pieces Slay Spoil Thence Torn Transgressions Watch Watcheth Wherefore Wolf
Jeremiah 5
1. The judgments of God upon the people, for their perverseness;
7. for their adultery;
10. for their impiety;
15. for their worship of idols;
19. for their contempt of God;
25. and for their great corruption in the civil state;
30. and ecclesiastical.














Therefore
This word connects the judgment described in this verse to the preceding context. In the Hebrew text, the word is "לָכֵן" (lakhen), which serves as a bridge from the people's sins to the consequences they will face. It emphasizes the certainty and inevitability of God's judgment due to Israel's persistent disobedience.

a lion from the forest
The lion, "אַרְיֵה" (aryeh) in Hebrew, symbolizes strength and ferocity. In the ancient Near East, lions were feared predators, often used metaphorically in Scripture to represent powerful enemies or divine judgment. The forest, or "יַעַר" (ya'ar), suggests a place of danger and unpredictability, highlighting the threat that will come upon the people.

will attack them
The Hebrew verb "יַכֵּם" (yakem) conveys a sense of aggression and violence. This action is not random but a direct consequence of the people's actions. It underscores the theme of divine retribution that runs throughout the prophetic literature.

a wolf from the desert
Wolves, "זְאֵב" (ze'ev) in Hebrew, are known for their cunning and pack mentality. The desert, or "עֲרָבוֹת" (aravot), represents a barren, inhospitable environment. This imagery suggests a relentless and strategic assault on the people, further illustrating the severity of their punishment.

will ravage them
The verb "יְשָׁדֵד" (yeshoded) implies destruction and plundering. It paints a picture of devastation, where nothing is left untouched. This reflects the comprehensive nature of the judgment that will befall the nation due to their sins.

a leopard will lie in wait
Leopards, "נָמֵר" (namer) in Hebrew, are known for their stealth and patience. The phrase "lie in wait" suggests a calculated and inevitable attack. This imagery conveys the idea that the consequences of sin are unavoidable and will strike when least expected.

near their cities
Cities, "עָרֵיהֶם" (areihem), were centers of security and civilization. The fact that danger lurks near these places of refuge indicates that no place is safe from the impending judgment. It serves as a warning that sin affects all aspects of life, even those areas considered secure.

Everyone who ventures out
This phrase highlights the universality of the threat. No one is exempt from the consequences of sin. It serves as a sobering reminder of the pervasive nature of disobedience and its impact on the community.

will be torn to pieces
The Hebrew "יִטָּרֵף" (yittaref) conveys a violent and brutal end. This graphic imagery underscores the seriousness of the judgment and the severity of the people's sins. It is a call to repentance and a return to righteousness.

because their transgressions are many
Transgressions, "פִּשְׁעֵיהֶם" (pishehem), refer to willful acts of rebellion against God. The multitude of these acts highlights the depth of the people's disobedience. It serves as a reminder of the importance of faithfulness and obedience to God's commands.

their apostasies are numerous
Apostasies, "מְשֻׁבוֹתֵיהֶם" (meshuvotehem), indicate a turning away from faith. The repetition of the idea of abundance ("many" and "numerous") emphasizes the extent of the people's unfaithfulness. It is a call to recognize the gravity of abandoning one's covenant with God and the need for sincere repentance.

(6) A lion out of the forest.--The imagery is vivid in itself. The three forms of animal ferocity, lion, wolf, leopard--representing, perhaps, the three phases of simple fierceness, ravenousness, and cunning; possibly even three oppressors in whom those attributes were to be impersonated--are brought together to embody the cruelty of the invader. The three animals were all common in Palestine, but it seems a weak rendering of the prophet's words to take them literally as simply predicting that the land would be ravaged by the beasts of prey.

A wolf of the evenings.--Better, as in the margin, of the deserts; but the term "evening," as applied to the habits of the beast of prey prowling in the darkness, is supported by Habakkuk 1:8; Zephaniah 3:3. The same three animals appear in the symbolism of the first canto of Dante's Inferno, and the coincidence can hardly be thought of as accidental.

A leopard shall watch . . .--There is no adequate reason for substituting "panther." The leopard finds its place in the Fauna of Syria (Hosea 13:7; Habakkuk 1:8). The "watching" is that of the crouching beast making ready for its spring.

Verse 6. - This verse reminds us of a famous passage in the first canto of Dante's 'Commedia,' in which Dante the pilgrim is successively opposed by three wild beasts - a panther, a lion, and a she-wolf. That the poet had Jeremiah in his mind cannot be doubted. The deep knowledge of the Scriptures possessed by medieval theologians (and such was Dante) may put many Protestants to shame. Curiously enough, whereas the early commentators on Dante interpret these wild beasts of vices, the moderns find historical references to nations. On the other hand, while modern expositors explain Jeremiah's wild beasts as symbols of calamities, Rashi and St. Jerome understand them of the Chaldeans, Persians, and Greeks. A lion out of the forest. The first of a series of figures for the cruel invaders of Judah (comp. Jeremiah 4:7). The frequent references (see also Jeremiah 12:8; Jeremiah 25:38; Jeremiah 49:19; Jeremiah 50:4) show how common the lion was in the hills and valleys of the land of Israel. A wolf of the evenings; i.e. a wolf which goes out to seek for prey in the evening. So the Peshito, Targum, Vulgate (comp. "wolves of the evening," Habakkuk 1:8; Zephaniah 3:3). But there is no evidence that 'erebh, evening, has for its plural 'arabhoth, which is, in fact, the regular plural of arabah, desert. Render, therefore, a wolf of the deserts, i.e. one which has its den in the deserts, and falls upon the cultivated parts when it is hungry. Luther, "the wolf out of the desert." A leopard; rather, a panther. The Chaldeans are compared to this animal, on account of its swiftness, in Habakkuk 1:8.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Therefore
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

a lion
אַרְיֵ֜ה (’ar·yêh)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 738: A lion

from the forest
מִיַּ֗עַר (mî·ya·‘ar)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3293: A copse of bushes, a forest, honey in the comb

will strike them down,
הִכָּ֨ם (hik·kām)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural
Strong's 5221: To strike

a wolf
זְאֵ֤ב (zə·’êḇ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2061: A wolf

from the desert
עֲרָבוֹת֙ (‘ă·rā·ḇō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 6160: Arabah -- a steppe or desert plain, also a desert valley running south from the Sea of Galilee

will ravage them.
יְשָׁדְדֵ֔ם (yə·šā·ḏə·ḏêm)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural
Strong's 7703: To deal violently with, despoil, devastate, ruin

A leopard
נָמֵ֤ר (nā·mêr)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5246: A leopard

will lie in wait
שֹׁקֵד֙ (šō·qêḏ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 8245: To be alert, sleepless, to be on the lookout

near
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

their cities,
עָ֣רֵיהֶ֔ם (‘ā·rê·hem)
Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 5892: Excitement

[and] everyone
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

who ventures out
הַיּוֹצֵ֥א (hay·yō·w·ṣê)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim

will be torn to pieces.
יִטָּרֵ֑ף (yiṭ·ṭā·rêp̄)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2963: To pluck off, pull to pieces, to supply with food

For
כִּ֤י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

their rebellious acts
פִּשְׁעֵיהֶ֔ם (piš·‘ê·hem)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 6588: Transgression

are many,
רַבּוּ֙ (rab·bū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 7231: To cast together, increase, in number, to multiply by the myriad

[and] their unfaithful deeds
מְשׁוּבוֹתֵיהֶֽם׃‪‬ (mə·šū·ḇō·w·ṯê·hem)
Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 4878: Turning back, apostasy

are numerous.
עָצְמ֖וּ (‘ā·ṣə·mū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 6105: To bind fast, close, powerful, numerous, to crunch the bones


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 5:6 Therefore a lion out of the forest (Jer.)
Jeremiah 5:5
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