Jeremiah 5:4 I thought, "These are only the poor; they are foolish, for they do not know the way of the LORD, the requirements of their God.

◄ Jeremiah 5:4 ►

Parallel Verses

New International Version
I thought, "These are only the poor; they are foolish, for they do not know the way of the LORD, the requirements of their God.

English Standard Version
Then I said, “These are only the poor; they have no sense; for they do not know the way of the LORD, the justice of their God.

New American Standard Bible
Then I said, "They are only the poor, They are foolish; For they do not know the way of the LORD Or the ordinance of their God.

King James Bible
Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish: for they know not the way of the LORD, nor the judgment of their God.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then I thought: They are just the poor; they have played the fool. For they don't understand the way of the LORD, the justice of their God.

International Standard Version
Then I said, "These are only the poor, they're foolish, for they don't know the LORD's way, the requirement of their God.

American Standard Version
Then I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish; for they know not the way of Jehovah, nor the law of their God:

Douay-Rheims Bible
But I said: Perhaps these are poor and foolish, that know not the way of the Lord, the judgement of their God.

Darby Bible Translation
And I said, Surely these are the wretched ones, they are foolish; for they know not the way of Jehovah, the judgment of their God.

Young's Literal Translation
And I -- I said, 'Surely these are poor, They have been foolish, For they have not known the way of Jehovah, The judgment of their God.

Cross References

Isaiah 27:11
When the boughs thereof are withered, they shall be broken off: the women come, and set them on fire: for it is a people of no understanding: therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them, and he that formed them will show them no favor.

Jeremiah 4:22
For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are silly children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.

Jeremiah 8:7
Yes, the stork in the heaven knows her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD.

Jeremiah 9:3
And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth on the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, said the LORD.

Jeremiah 10:8
But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a doctrine of vanities.

Hosea 4:6
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you, that you shall be no priest to me: seeing you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children.

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Commentaries

Matthew Henry's Commentary

5:1-9 None could be found who behaved as upright and godly men. But the Lord saw the true character of the people through all their disguises. The poor were ignorant, and therefore they were wicked. What can be expected but works of darkness, from people that know nothing of God and religion? There are God's poor, who, notwithstanding poverty, know the way of the Lord, walk in it, and do their duty; but these were willingly ignorant, and their ignorance would not be their excuse. The rich were insolent and haughty, and the abuse of God's favours made their sin worse.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

4. poor—rather, "the poor." He supposes for the moment that this utter depravity is confined to the uninstructed poor, and that he would find a different state of things in the higher ranks: but there he finds unbridled profligacy.