Jeremiah 9:4
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“Let everyone guard against his neighbor; do not trust any brother, for every brother deals craftily, and every friend spreads slander.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
In this chapter the prophet goes on faithfully to reprove sin and to threaten God's judgments for it, and yet bitterly to lament both, as one that neither rejoiced at iniquity nor was glad at calamities. I. He here expresses his great grief for the miseries of Judah and Jerusalem, and his detestation of their sins, which brought those miseries upon them (Jer 9:1-11). II. He justifies God in the greatness of the destruction brought upon them (Jer 9:9-16). III. He calls upon others to bewail the woeful case of Judah and Jerusalem (Jer 9:17-22). IV. He shows them the folly and vanity of trusting in their own strength or wisdom, or the privileges of their circumcision, or any thing but God only (Jer 9:23-26).
Open source ↗9:4-6 The lie of idolatry was at the root of an entire culture of deceit. • The word brother, as a synonym for neighbor, indicates that even the closest relationships were polluted with fraud.
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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You must not go about spreading slander among your people. You must not endanger the life of your neighbor. I am the LORD.
The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool.
All are hardened rebels, walking around as slanderers. They are bronze and iron; all of them are corrupt.
Like a club or sword or sharp arrow is a man who bears false witness against his neighbor.
who has no slander on his tongue, who does no harm to his neighbor, who casts no scorn on his friend,
Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death.
There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to Him:
Among you are slanderous men bent on bloodshed; within you are those who eat on the mountain shrines and commit acts of indecency.
a false witness who gives false testimony, and one who stirs up discord among brothers.
Even your brothers— your own father’s household— even they have betrayed you; even they have cried aloud against you. Do not trust them, though they speak well of you.