"Let everyone guard against his neighbor; do not trust any brother, for every brother deals craftily, and every friend spreads slander. Let every one of you bewareThe Hebrew word for "beware" is "שָׁמַר" (shamar), which means to guard, keep, or watch over. In the context of Jeremiah, this is a call to vigilance and caution. The prophet Jeremiah is urging the people to be on guard against deceit and betrayal. This reflects the spiritual and moral decay of the society at the time, where trust had eroded, and individuals needed to be cautious even with those close to them. This serves as a timeless reminder for believers to be discerning and wise, guarding their hearts and minds against influences that could lead them astray. of his neighbor
The term "neighbor" in Hebrew is "רֵעַ" (rea), which can refer to a friend, companion, or fellow citizen. In the ancient Near Eastern context, community and relationships were vital for survival and prosperity. However, Jeremiah highlights a breakdown in these relationships, where neighbors, who should be sources of support and trust, have become potential threats. This reflects the broader theme of societal corruption and the need for a return to covenantal faithfulness and integrity. do not trust any brother
The Hebrew word for "trust" is "בָּטַח" (batach), meaning to rely on or have confidence in. The use of "brother" (אָח, ach) signifies not just familial relationships but also close associations within the community. Jeremiah's warning underscores the pervasive unfaithfulness and treachery among the people, even among those who should be most trustworthy. This serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of sin and the importance of fostering genuine, trustworthy relationships grounded in faith and righteousness. For every brother will utterly supplant
The phrase "utterly supplant" comes from the Hebrew "עָקַב" (aqab), which means to deceive or overreach. This is the same root used in the name Jacob, who was known for his cunning and deceptive actions. Jeremiah uses this strong language to convey the extent of deceitfulness that had infiltrated the community. It is a call to recognize the destructive power of sin and the need for repentance and transformation through God's grace. and every neighbor goes about as a slanderer
The word "slanderer" is translated from the Hebrew "רָכִיל" (rakil), which refers to a talebearer or one who spreads false reports. This highlights the destructive nature of gossip and falsehoods within the community. In a society where words hold significant power, the spread of slander can lead to division, mistrust, and the breakdown of communal bonds. Jeremiah's message is a call to uphold truth and integrity, reflecting the character of God in our interactions with others. Persons / Places / Events 1. JeremiahA prophet called by God to deliver messages of warning and judgment to the people of Judah. His ministry spanned the reigns of several kings and was marked by themes of repentance and impending judgment. 2. JudahThe southern kingdom of Israel, which was facing imminent judgment due to its persistent idolatry and disobedience to God. 3. Neighbors and BrothersSymbolic of the people within the community of Judah, highlighting the breakdown of trust and integrity among them. 4. SupplantingThe Hebrew root word (aqab) is used here, meaning to deceive or to take by the heel, reminiscent of Jacob's deception of Esau. 5. SlanderThe act of spreading false or damaging statements, indicating the moral decay and betrayal among the people. Teaching Points The Breakdown of TrustTrust is foundational to relationships, and its breakdown is a sign of moral and spiritual decay. In Jeremiah's time, this was a symptom of the people's rebellion against God. The Consequences of SinSin not only affects our relationship with God but also with others. The deceit and slander among the people of Judah illustrate how sin can permeate and destroy community bonds. The Call to IntegrityAs believers, we are called to be people of integrity, reflecting God's truth and love in our relationships. This involves being trustworthy and refraining from deceit and slander. The Importance of DiscernmentIn a world where trust can be easily broken, discernment is crucial. We must seek God's wisdom to navigate relationships and guard against deceit. Hope in RestorationDespite the grim picture painted in Jeremiah, God's desire is for repentance and restoration. We are reminded of the hope and renewal found in Christ. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the breakdown of trust in Jeremiah 9:4 reflect the spiritual state of Judah, and what parallels can we draw to our society today? 2. In what ways can the account of Jacob and Esau help us understand the concept of "supplanting" in our own relationships? 3. How can we apply the teachings of Jeremiah 9:4 to foster trust and integrity within our communities and churches? 4. What role does discernment play in maintaining healthy relationships, and how can we cultivate it according to biblical principles? 5. How does the message of hope and restoration in the book of Jeremiah encourage us to seek reconciliation and healing in our broken relationships? Connections to Other Scriptures Genesis 27The account of Jacob and Esau, where Jacob supplants Esau, provides a backdrop for understanding the term "supplant" used in Jeremiah 9:4. Micah 7:5-6Similar warnings about trust within families and communities, emphasizing the pervasive nature of sin and betrayal. Matthew 10:21Jesus speaks of betrayal within families, echoing the themes of distrust and division found in Jeremiah. People JeremiahPlaces Ammon, Edom, Egypt, Gilead, Jerusalem, Moab, ZionTopics Acteth, Beware, Brother, Brothers, Certainly, Confide, Craftily, Deals, Deceiver, Evil, Faith, Friend, Friends, Goes, Guard, Heed, Neighbor, Neighbour, Saying, Slander, Slanderer, Slanderously, Slanders, Subtly, Supplant, Supplanter, Supplanteth, Tricking, Trust, Utterly, Walk, WatchDictionary of Bible Themes Jeremiah 9:4 5914 optimism
8032 trust, lack of
8354 trustworthiness
8719 distrust Jeremiah 9:1-9 5550 speech, negative Jeremiah 9:4-5 5692 friends, bad
6146 deceit, and God Jeremiah 9:4-6 5951 slander Jeremiah 9:4-9 8715 dishonesty, and God 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 9:4 NIVJeremiah 9:4 NLTJeremiah 9:4 ESVJeremiah 9:4 NASBJeremiah 9:4 KJV
Jeremiah 9:4 Commentaries
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