Jeremia 5:26

Lutherbibel

Denn man findet unter meinem Volk Gottlose, die den Leuten nachstellen und Fallen zurichten, sie zu fangen, wie die Vogler tun.

Parallel Translations

Schlachter Bibel (1951)
Denn unter meinem Volke finden sich Gottlose; sie liegen auf der Lauer, ducken sich wie Vogelsteller; sie stellen Fallen, um Menschen zu fangen.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

For: Jeremiah 4:22, Isaiah 58:1, Ezekiel 22:2-12

lay wait: or, pry as fowlers lie in wait, Jeremiah 18:22, 1 Samuel 19:10, 1 Samuel 19:11, Psalms 10:9, Psalms 10:10, Psalms 64:5, Proverbs 1:11, Proverbs 1:17, Proverbs 1:18, Habakkuk 1:14, Habakkuk 1:15

catch: Luke 5:10

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 18:21 - a snare Psalms 25:15 - out Psalms 55:11 - deceit Psalms 124:7 - as a bird Proverbs 4:17 - General Proverbs 12:6 - words Proverbs 12:12 - desireth Proverbs 14:17 - a man Isaiah 32:7 - instruments Isaiah 33:15 - shaketh Jeremiah 2:13 - For my Ezekiel 22:13 - thy dishonest Ezekiel 22:29 - people Hosea 4:2 - swearing Amos 4:1 - which oppress Micah 6:10 - the treasures Micah 6:12 - the rich Micah 7:2 - hunt Acts 20:3 - the Jews

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For among my people are found wicked men,.... Not a few only, but in general they appeared to be so, upon an inquiry into their character and conduct; for otherwise it would not have been so difficult to find a good man among them, as is suggested Jeremiah 5:1,

they lay wait as he that setteth snares; or, "they look about" c; that is, as Kimchi interprets it, every man looks in the ways, to see if a man passed by, that he might rob him of what he had; as a man that lays snares, or sets a trap to catch birds in: or, "everyone looks out, when they that lay snares rest" d; and so they are more diligent and constant in catching men than such persons are in catching birds:

they set a trap; or "dig a pit, or ditch" e; for men to fall in; see Psalms 7:15:

they catch men; and rob them of their substance; or by their ill examples and counsels draw them into sin, and so into ruin; or circumvent them in trade and business.

c ישור "aspicit", Vatablus, i. e. "quisque eorum", Piscator; "aspicient", Pagninus. d ישור כשך יקושים "contemplatur quisque, cum quiescunt aucupes", De Dieu; so Ben Melech; "et cum resident aucupes", Piscator, Gataker; "sit quiet and unmoved, that they may not frighten the birds by any noise, watching and expecting when they would get into the net"; so Gussetius. e הציבו משחית "fodiunt foveas", Tigurine version.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Against the God

(1) of Creation Jeremiah 5:22, and

(2) of Providence Jeremiah 5:24,

They sin, not merely by apostasy, but by a general immorality extending to all classes Jeremiah 5:25-28. It is in this immorality that their idolatry has its root.

Jeremiah 5:22

The sea is the symbol of restless and indomitable energy, chafing against all resistance, and dashing to pieces the works whereby man endeavors to restrain its fury. Yet God has imposed upon it laws which it must obey, and keeps it in its appointed place, not by barriers of iron but by a belt of sand. Modern science has shown that the resisting power of sand is enormous. A wave which would shatter rocks fails powerless upon sand.

Can they not prevail - The opposite of “thou couldest” Jeremiah 3:5. The sea, the mightiest of God’s works, cannot prevail, cannot break God’s laws, because He has not endowed it with free-will. Man, physically impotent, can prevail, because, being made in God’s image, he is free.

Jeremiah 5:23

The heart, or will of the Jews was first “revolting,” literally a will that “drew back” from God, because it disliked His service; and secondly it was “rebellious,” a will that actively resisted Him. Compare Deuteronomy 21:18, Deuteronomy 21:20.

Jeremiah 5:24

As God’s Providence addresses itself chiefly to the thoughtful, Jeremiah says in their heart. By the intelligent study of God’s dealings men perceive that they are not merely acts of power but also of love.

The appointed weeks - literally, He guardeth, maintaineth, for us the weeks which are the statutes or settled laws “of the harvest.” These were the seven weeks from the Passover to Pentecost, and were as important for the ingathering of the crops as the rainy seasons for their nourishment.

Jeremiah 5:25

It was not that the rains did not fall, or that the harvest weeks were less bright; the good was there, but the wickedness of the community blocked up the channels, through which it shou d have reached the people. The lawlessness and injustice of the times kept the mass of the people in poverty.

Jeremiah 5:26

Rather, he spieth about like the crouching down of fowlers; they have set the fatal snare; “they catch men.”

Trap - literally, “The destroyer;” it was probably a gin, which strangled the birds caught in it.

Jeremiah 5:27

Deceit - The wealth gained by deceit and fraud.

Jeremiah 5:28

Fatness is admired in the East as a sign of wealth.

They shine - This word is used of the sleekness of the skin, soft and smooth as ivory.

They overpass the deeds of the wicked - literally, “They have overpassed words of wickedness,” i. e., they go to excess in wickedness.

Yet they prosper - Or, that they (the orphans) may prosper, enjoy their rights.

Jeremiah 5:30

Rather, A terrible “and horrible thing” has happened “in the land.”

Jeremiah 5:31

Bear rule by their means - Rather, “The priests” rule at their hands, i. e., govern according to their false prophecies, guidance, and directions.

My people love to have it so - False teaching lightens the yoke of God’s Law, and removes His fear from the conscience: and with this, man is ready to be content.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Jeremiah 5:26. They lay wait, as he that setteth snares — A metaphor taken from fowlers, who, having fixed their nets, lie down and keep out of sight, that when birds come, they may be ready to draw and entangle them.