Their tongues are deadly arrows; they speak deception. With his mouth a man speaks peace to his neighbor, but in his heart he sets a trap for him. Their tongue is a deadly arrowThe imagery of the "tongue" as a "deadly arrow" is powerful and evocative. In Hebrew, the word for "tongue" is "לָשׁוֹן" (lashon), which often symbolizes speech or language. The metaphor of a "deadly arrow" suggests something that is both precise and lethal. Arrows in ancient warfare were tools of silent death, striking from a distance without warning. This imagery underscores the destructive power of deceitful words, which can wound and kill relationships and trust. The tongue, though small, can cause great harm, as echoed in James 3:5-6, where the tongue is described as a fire, a world of iniquity. it speaks deceitfully
The Hebrew root for "deceitfully" is "רָמָה" (ramah), which means to betray or to deal treacherously. This highlights the intentional nature of the deceit being described. The deceitful speech is not accidental but a deliberate act of betrayal. In the context of Jeremiah, the people of Judah were engaging in falsehoods and treachery, not only against each other but also against God. This deceit is a reflection of their spiritual state, where their outward expressions do not match their inner realities. With his mouth a man speaks peace to his neighbor
The phrase "speaks peace" uses the Hebrew word "שָׁלוֹם" (shalom), which is rich in meaning, encompassing peace, completeness, and welfare. To speak "shalom" is to offer a blessing of wholeness and harmony. However, the duplicity here is stark; the outward expression of peace is contradicted by the inward intention. This reflects a common biblical theme where outward appearances do not align with inner truths, as seen in Jesus' rebuke of the Pharisees in Matthew 23:27, where they are likened to whitewashed tombs. but in his heart he sets a trap for him
The "heart" in Hebrew, "לֵב" (lev), is the center of thought, emotion, and intention. It is the seat of one's true self. The act of setting a "trap" (Hebrew "אָרַב" - arab) indicates premeditated malice. This duplicity is a grave sin, as it violates the command to love one's neighbor as oneself (Leviticus 19:18). The heart's intentions are hidden from human eyes but are fully visible to God, who judges the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). This verse serves as a warning against hypocrisy and the dangers of a divided heart, calling believers to integrity and sincerity in their relationships with others. Persons / Places / Events 1. JeremiahThe prophet who conveyed God's messages to the people of Judah, warning them of their sinful ways and the impending judgment. 2. People of JudahThe audience of Jeremiah's prophecy, known for their deceitful and hypocritical behavior during this period. 3. GodThe ultimate speaker through Jeremiah, expressing His displeasure with the people's deceit and hypocrisy. 4. NeighborsRepresents the individuals within the community who are victims of deceit and false peace. 5. JerusalemThe central place where these events and prophecies are directed, as the heart of Judah's spiritual and social life. Teaching Points The Power of WordsWords can be as destructive as weapons. We must be mindful of how we use our tongues, ensuring our speech aligns with our faith. Hypocrisy in RelationshipsSpeaking peace while harboring ill intentions is a form of hypocrisy that God detests. True Christian living requires integrity in both words and actions. Heart and Mouth AlignmentOur external expressions should reflect our internal convictions. As believers, we are called to be genuine in our interactions with others. God's Displeasure with DeceitGod sees beyond our words to the intentions of our hearts. We must strive for honesty and transparency in our dealings with others. Repentance and TransformationRecognizing deceit in our lives should lead us to repentance and a transformation of heart, seeking God's help to align our speech with His truth. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the imagery of a "deadly arrow" in Jeremiah 9:8 help us understand the impact of deceitful speech? 2. In what ways can we ensure that our words and intentions align with each other in our daily interactions? 3. How does the warning against hypocrisy in Jeremiah 9:8 relate to Jesus' teachings in the New Testament? 4. What practical steps can we take to guard our hearts against setting traps for others, as described in this verse? 5. How can we apply the lessons from Jeremiah 9:8 to foster genuine and honest relationships within our church community? Connections to Other Scriptures Psalm 55:21This verse speaks of words that are smoother than butter but harbor war, similar to the deceitful speech described in Jeremiah 9:8. Proverbs 26:24-26These verses warn about the deceitful nature of those who disguise their hatred with charming words, paralleling the hypocrisy mentioned in Jeremiah. Matthew 15:8Jesus quotes Isaiah, highlighting the hypocrisy of honoring God with lips while hearts are far from Him, echoing the deceitful nature of the people in Jeremiah's time. James 3:8This verse discusses the untamable nature of the tongue, full of deadly poison, which aligns with the imagery of a "deadly arrow" in Jeremiah 9:8. People JeremiahPlaces Ammon, Edom, Egypt, Gilead, Jerusalem, Moab, ZionTopics Ambush, Arrow, Causing, Cordially, Deadly, Death, Deceit, Deceitfully, Heart, Inwardly, Layeth, Lays, Mouth, Murderous, Neighbor, Neighbour, Peace, Peaceably, Plans, Says, Secretly, Sets, Sharpened, Shot, Slaughtering, Speaketh, Speaks, Spoken, Tongue, Trap, Wait, WaitingDictionary of Bible Themes Jeremiah 9:8 5193 tongue
5210 arrows
5589 trap
5863 flattery
8767 hypocrisy Jeremiah 9:1-9 5550 speech, negative Jeremiah 9:4-9 8715 dishonesty, and God Jeremiah 9:6-9 5920 pretence Jeremiah 9:7-9 4351 refining Jeremiah 9:8-9 6147 deceit, practice Library India's Ills and England's Sorrows
It would seem as if some men had been sent into this world for the very purpose of being the world's weepers. God's great house is thoroughly furnished with everything, everything that can express the thoughts and the emotions of the inhabitant, God hath made. I find in nature, plants to be everlasting weepers. There by the lonely brook, where the maiden cast away her life, the willow weeps for ever; and there in the grave yard where men lie slumbering till the trumpet of the archangel shall awaken …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 3: 1857"Boast not Thyself of To-Morrow, for Thou Knowest not what a Day May Bring Forth. "
Prov. xxvii. 1.--"Boast not thyself of to-morrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth." There are some peculiar gifts that God hath given to man in his first creation, and endued his nature with, beyond other living creatures, which being rightly ordered and improved towards the right objects, do advance the soul of man to a wonderful height of happiness, that no other sublunary creature is capable of. But by reason of man's fall into sin, these are quite disordered and turned out of …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning Characters and Names of Messiah
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. S uch was the triumphant exultation of the Old Testament Church! Their noblest hopes were founded upon the promise of MESSIAH; their most sublime songs were derived from the prospect of His Advent. By faith, which is the substance of things hoped for, they considered the gracious declarations …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1 How the Simple and the Crafty are to be Admonished.
(Admonition 12.) Differently to be admonished are the simple and the insincere. The simple are to be praised for studying never to say what is false, but to be admonished to know how sometimes to be silent about what is true. For, as falsehood has always harmed him that speaks it, so sometimes the hearing of truth has done harm to some. Wherefore the Lord before His disciples, tempering His speech with silence, says, I have many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now (Joh. xvi. 12). …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great Original Sin
Q-16: DID ALL MANKIND FALL IN ADAM'S FIRST TRANSGRESSION? A: The covenant being made with Adam, not only for himself, but for his posterity, all mankind descending from him, by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him in his first transgression. 'By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin,' &c. Rom 5:12. Adam being a representative person, while he stood, we stood; when he fell, we fell, We sinned in Adam; so it is in the text, In whom all have sinned.' Adam was the head …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity A Sermon on Isaiah xxvi. By John Knox.
[In the Prospectus of our Publication it was stated, that one discourse, at least, would be given in each number. A strict adherence to this arrangement, however, it is found, would exclude from our pages some of the most talented discourses of our early Divines; and it is therefore deemed expedient to depart from it as occasion may require. The following Sermon will occupy two numbers, and we hope, that from its intrinsic value, its historical interest, and the illustrious name of its author, it …
John Knox—The Pulpit Of The Reformation, Nos. 1, 2 and 3. Thoughts Upon Worldly-Riches. Sect. Ii.
TIMOTHY after his Conversion to the Christian Faith, being found to be a Man of great Parts, Learning, and Piety, and so every way qualified for the work of the Ministry, St. Paul who had planted a Church at Ephesus the Metropolis or chief City of all Asia, left him to dress and propagate it, after his departure from it, giving him Power to ordain Elders or Priests, and to visit and exercise Jurisdiction over them, to see they did not teach false Doctrines, 1 Tim. i. 3. That they be unblameable in …
William Beveridge—Private Thoughts Upon a Christian Life The Knowledge of God
'The Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.' I Sam 2:2. Glorious things are spoken of God; he transcends our thoughts, and the praises of angels. God's glory lies chiefly in his attributes, which are the several beams by which the divine nature shines forth. Among other of his orient excellencies, this is not the least, The Lord is a God of knowledge; or as the Hebrew word is, A God of knowledges.' Through the bright mirror of his own essence, he has a full idea and cognisance …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity Jeremiah
The interest of the book of Jeremiah is unique. On the one hand, it is our most reliable and elaborate source for the long period of history which it covers; on the other, it presents us with prophecy in its most intensely human phase, manifesting itself through a strangely attractive personality that was subject to like doubts and passions with ourselves. At his call, in 626 B.C., he was young and inexperienced, i. 6, so that he cannot have been born earlier than 650. The political and religious …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Jeremiah 9:8 NIVJeremiah 9:8 NLTJeremiah 9:8 ESVJeremiah 9:8 NASBJeremiah 9:8 KJV
Jeremiah 9:8 Commentaries
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