Jeremiah 5:26
Jeremiah 5:26 in Multiple Translations
For among My people are wicked men; they watch like fowlers lying in wait; they set a trap to catch men.
For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men.
For among my people are found wicked men: they watch, as fowlers lie in wait; they set a trap, they catch men.
For there are sinners among my people: they keep watch, like men watching for birds; they put a net and take men in it.
For there are wicked men among my people. They're like bird-trappers, secretly watching and waiting to catch people in their snare.
For among my people are founde wicked persons, that lay waite as hee that setteth snares: they haue made a pit, to catch men.
For the wicked have been found among My people. It looketh about the covering of snares, They have set up a trap — men they capture.
For wicked men are found among my people. They watch, as fowlers lie in wait. They set a trap. They catch men.
For among my people are found wicked men : they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men.
For among my people are found wicked men, that lie in wait as fowlers, setting snares and traps to catch men.
Among my people are wicked people who hide along the roads to ambush/attack people like [SIM] men who hunt birds ◄put out nets/set traps► to catch them.
Berean Amplified Bible — Jeremiah 5:26
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Jeremiah 5:26 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
כִּי
נִמְצְא֥וּ
בְ/עַמִּ֖/י
רְשָׁעִ֑ים
יָשׁוּר֙
כְּ/שַׁ֣ךְ
יְקוּשִׁ֔ים
הִצִּ֥יבוּ
מַשְׁחִ֖ית
אֲנָשִׁ֥ים
יִלְכֹּֽדוּ
כִּי
kîy
H3588
for
Conj
נִמְצְא֥וּ
mâtsâʼ
H4672
to find
V-Niphal-Perf-3cp
בְ/עַמִּ֖/י
ʻam
H5971
Amaw
Prep | N-ms | Suff
רְשָׁעִ֑ים
râshâʻ
H7563
wicked
Adj
יָשׁוּר֙
shûwr
H7789
to see
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms
כְּ/שַׁ֣ךְ
shâkak
H7918
to subside
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a
יְקוּשִׁ֔ים
yâqûwsh
H3353
fowler
N-mp
הִצִּ֥יבוּ
nâtsab
H5324
to stand
V-Hiphil-Perf-3cp
מַשְׁחִ֖ית
mashchîyth
H4889
destruction
N-ms
אֲנָשִׁ֥ים
ʼîysh
H376
man
N-mp
יִלְכֹּֽדוּ
lâkad
H3920
to capture
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Jeremiah 5:26
כִּי
kîy
H3588
"for"
Conj
A conjunction used to show cause or connection, as in Genesis 2:23 where Adam says the woman is bone of his bone because she was taken out of him. It is often translated as 'for', 'because', or 'since'.
Definition: 1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since 1a) that 1a1) yea, indeed 1b) when (of time) 1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force) 1c) because, since (causal connection) 1d) but (after negative) 1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if 1f) but rather, but 1g) except that 1h) only, nevertheless 1i) surely 1j) that is 1k) but if 1l) for though 1m) forasmuch as, for therefore
Usage: Occurs in 3910 OT verses. KJV: and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + till, truly, + until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet. See also: Genesis 1:4; Genesis 26:16; Genesis 42:15.
נִמְצְא֥וּ
mâtsâʼ
H4672
"to find"
V-Niphal-Perf-3cp
Matsa means to find or attain something, whether it is a physical object, a person, or a condition, as seen in various KJV translations.
Definition: 1) to find, attain to 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to find 1a1a) to find, secure, acquire, get (thing sought) 1a1b) to find (what is lost) 1a1c) to meet, encounter 1a1d) to find (a condition) 1a1e) to learn, devise 1a2) to find out 1a2a) to find out 1a2b) to detect 1a2c) to guess 1a3) to come upon, light upon 1a3a) to happen upon, meet, fall in with 1a3b) to hit 1a3c) to befall 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be found 1b1a) to be encountered, be lighted upon, be discovered 1b1b) to appear, be recognised 1b1c) to be discovered, be detected 1b1d) to be gained, be secured 1b2) to be, be found 1b2a) to be found in 1b2b) to be in the possession of 1b2c) to be found in (a place), happen to be 1b2d) to be left (after war) 1b2e) to be present 1b2f) to prove to be 1b2g) to be found sufficient, be enough 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to cause to find, attain 1c2) to cause to light upon, come upon, come 1c3) to cause to encounter 1c4) to present (offering)
Usage: Occurs in 425 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] be able, befall, being, catch, [idiom] certainly, (cause to) come (on, to, to hand), deliver, be enough (cause to) find(-ing, occasion, out), get (hold upon), [idiom] have (here), be here, hit, be left, light (up-) on, meet (with), [idiom] occasion serve, (be) present, ready, speed, suffice, take hold on. See also: Genesis 2:20; Deuteronomy 22:3; 2 Kings 9:35.
בְ/עַמִּ֖/י
ʻam
H5971
"Amaw"
Prep | N-ms | Suff
A people or nation is what this Hebrew word represents, like the nation of Israel in Exodus 33:13. It can also mean a tribe, troops, or attendants, and is used to describe a group of people gathered together. The word is often used to refer to the people of God.
Definition: This name means nation, people
Usage: Occurs in 1655 OT verses. KJV: folk, men, nation, people. See also: Genesis 11:6; Exodus 16:4; Leviticus 17:9.
רְשָׁעִ֑ים
râshâʻ
H7563
"wicked"
Adj
This word describes someone who is morally wrong, a bad person who is guilty of crime or sin against God or others. It is used to describe the wicked in biblical stories, such as in the book of Genesis.
Definition: 1) wicked, criminal 1a) guilty one, one guilty of crime (subst) 1b) wicked (hostile to God) 1c) wicked, guilty of sin (against God or man)
Usage: Occurs in 248 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] condemned, guilty, ungodly, wicked (man), that did wrong. See also: Genesis 18:23; Psalms 101:8; Psalms 1:1.
יָשׁוּר֙
shûwr
H7789
"to see"
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms
To see or observe something, like a spy watching from a distance, as in the story of Moses sending scouts to Canaan. It can also mean to care for or regard someone, showing concern for their well-being. This word is used in many biblical stories.
Definition: 1) to see, behold, observe, regard 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to behold, observe 1a2) to regard 1a3) to watch, watch (stealthily), lie in wait
Usage: Occurs in 16 OT verses. KJV: behold, lay wait, look, observe, perceive, regard, see. See also: Numbers 23:9; Job 34:29; Jeremiah 5:26.
כְּ/שַׁ֣ךְ
shâkak
H7918
"to subside"
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a
To subside means to calm down or decrease in intensity, like a flood receding. In the Bible, it can also mean to appease or pacify someone. This word is used in various contexts, including Psalm 65:7.
Definition: 1) to subside, abate, decrease 1a) (Qal) to abate 1b) (Hiphil) to allay
Usage: Occurs in 5 OT verses. KJV: appease, assuage, make to cease, pacify, set. See also: Genesis 8:1; Esther 2:1; Jeremiah 5:26.
יְקוּשִׁ֔ים
yâqûwsh
H3353
"fowler"
N-mp
This word also means a fowler, referring to a person who sets traps to catch birds, or the trap itself, as described in the Bible.
Definition: fowler, trapper, bait-layer
Usage: Occurs in 3 OT verses. KJV: fowler, snare. See also: Psalms 91:3; Proverbs 6:5; Jeremiah 5:26.
הִצִּ֥יבוּ
nâtsab
H5324
"to stand"
V-Hiphil-Perf-3cp
To stand or station oneself, either physically or as an appointed official. This word is used in various contexts, including setting up a monument or establishing a leader. It can also mean to stand firm or be established in a position.
Definition: 1) to stand, take one's stand, stand upright, be set (over), establish 1a) (Niphal) 1a1) to station oneself, take one's stand 1a2) to stand, be stationed 1a3) to stand, take an upright position 1a4) to be stationed, be appointed 1a5) deputy, prefect, appointed, deputed (subst) 1a6) to stand firm 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to station, set 1b2) to set up, erect 1b3) to cause to stand erect 1b4) to fix, establish 1c) (Hophal) to be fixed, be determined, be stationary
Usage: Occurs in 75 OT verses. KJV: appointed, deputy, erect, establish, [idiom] Huzzah (by mistake for a proper name), lay, officer, pillar, present, rear up, set (over, up), settle, sharpen, establish, (make to) stand(-ing, still, up, upright), best state. See also: Genesis 18:2; 1 Samuel 15:12; Psalms 39:6.
מַשְׁחִ֖ית
mashchîyth
H4889
"destruction"
N-ms
This word means destruction or ruin, like the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19. It can also refer to corruption or a trap, emphasizing the negative consequences of sin.
Definition: ruin, destruction
Usage: Occurs in 11 OT verses. KJV: corruption, (to) destroy(-ing), destruction, trap, [idiom] utterly. See also: Exodus 12:13; Jeremiah 51:25; Jeremiah 5:26.
אֲנָשִׁ֥ים
ʼîysh
H376
"man"
N-mp
The Hebrew word for man, referring to a male person or individual, is used in the Bible to describe humans in contrast to God or animals, as seen in Genesis and Psalms. It can also mean husband or servant. In the KJV, it is translated as man or male.
Definition: : man 1) man 1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female) 1b) husband 1c) human being, person (in contrast to God) 1d) servant 1e) mankind 1f) champion 1g) great man 2) whosoever 3) each (adjective)
Usage: Occurs in 1851 OT verses. KJV: also, another, any (man), a certain, [phrase] champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), [phrase] none, one, people, person, [phrase] steward, what (man) soever, whoso(-ever), worthy. Compare H802 (אִשָּׁה). See also: Genesis 2:23; Genesis 42:25; Exodus 32:23.
יִלְכֹּֽדוּ
lâkad
H3920
"to capture"
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp
This verb means to capture or seize, often using a net or trap. In the Bible, it is used to describe taking control of something or someone, and is also used figuratively to describe being caught or stuck in a situation.
Definition: 1) to capture, take, seize 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to capture, seize 1a2) to capture (of men) (fig.) 1a3) to take (by lot) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be captured 1b2) to be caught (of men in trap, snare) (fig.) 1c) (Hithpael) to grasp each other
Usage: Occurs in 112 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] at all, catch (self), be frozen, be holden, stick together, take. See also: Numbers 21:32; 2 Kings 18:10; Psalms 9:16.
Study Notes — Jeremiah 5:26
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Jeremiah 5:26 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Jeremiah 5:26
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Jeremiah 5:26
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Jeremiah 5:26
- Trapp's Commentary on Jeremiah 5:26
- Ellicott's Commentary on Jeremiah 5:26
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Jeremiah 5:26
- Cambridge Bible on Jeremiah 5:26
- Whedon's Commentary on Jeremiah 5:26
- Sermons on Jeremiah 5:26
Context — Judgment Proclaimed
24They have not said in their hearts, ‘Let us fear the LORD our God, who gives the rains, both autumn and spring, in season, who keeps for us the appointed weeks of harvest.’
25Your iniquities have diverted these from you; your sins have deprived you of My bounty.
26For among My people are wicked men; they watch like fowlers lying in wait; they set a trap to catch men.
27Like cages full of birds, so their houses are full of deceit. Therefore they have become powerful and rich. 28They have grown fat and sleek, and have excelled in the deeds of the wicked. They have not taken up the cause of the fatherless, that they might prosper; nor have they defended the rights of the needy.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proverbs 1:11 | If they say, “Come along, let us lie in wait for blood, let us ambush the innocent without cause, |
| 2 | Psalms 64:5 | They hold fast to their evil purpose; they speak of hiding their snares. “Who will see them?” they say. |
| 3 | Ezekiel 22:2–12 | “As for you, son of man, will you judge her? Will you pass judgment on the city of bloodshed? Then confront her with all her abominations and tell her that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘O city who brings her own doom by shedding blood within her walls and making idols to defile herself, you are guilty of the blood you have shed, and you are defiled by the idols you have made. You have brought your days to a close and have come to the end of your years. Therefore I have made you a reproach to the nations and a mockery to all the lands. Those near and far will mock you, O infamous city, full of turmoil. See how every prince of Israel within you has used his power to shed blood. Father and mother are treated with contempt. Within your walls the foreign resident is exploited, the fatherless and the widow are oppressed. You have despised My holy things and profaned My Sabbaths. Among you are slanderous men bent on bloodshed; within you are those who eat on the mountain shrines and commit acts of indecency. In you they have uncovered the nakedness of their fathers; in you they violate women during their menstrual impurity. One man commits an abomination with his neighbor’s wife; another wickedly defiles his daughter-in-law; and yet another violates his sister, his own father’s daughter. In you they take bribes to shed blood. You engage in usury, take excess interest, and extort your neighbors. But Me you have forgotten, declares the Lord GOD. |
| 4 | Jeremiah 18:22 | Let a cry be heard from their houses when You suddenly bring raiders against them, for they have dug a pit to capture me and have hidden snares for my feet. |
| 5 | Psalms 10:9–10 | He lies in wait like a lion in a thicket; he lurks to seize the oppressed; he catches the lowly in his net. They are crushed and beaten down; the hapless fall prey to his strength. |
| 6 | 1 Samuel 19:10–11 | Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear. But the spear struck the wall and David eluded him, ran away, and escaped that night. Then Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch him and kill him in the morning. But David’s wife Michal warned him, “If you do not run for your life tonight, tomorrow you will be dead!” |
| 7 | Habakkuk 1:14–15 | You have made men like the fish of the sea, like creeping things that have no ruler. The foe pulls all of them up with a hook; he catches them in his dragnet, and gathers them in his fishing net; so he rejoices gladly. |
| 8 | Isaiah 58:1 | “Cry aloud, do not hold back! Raise your voice like a ram’s horn. Declare to My people their transgression and to the house of Jacob their sins. |
| 9 | Proverbs 1:17–18 | How futile it is to spread the net where any bird can see it! But they lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush their own lives. |
| 10 | Jeremiah 4:22 | “For My people are fools; they have not known Me. They are foolish children, without understanding. They are skilled in doing evil, but they know not how to do good.” |
Jeremiah 5:26 Summary
This verse is talking about people who claim to be Christians but are actually doing bad things and trying to hurt others. They are like hunters waiting for the perfect moment to catch their prey, and they use deceit and lies to trap people. This is why it's so important to be careful about who we trust and to always check our actions and words against what the Bible says, as encouraged in 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22. We should also be people who help and care for others, rather than trying to hurt them, as seen in Galatians 6:2.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of wicked men is God talking about in Jeremiah 5:26?
The wicked men in this verse are those who claim to be part of God's people but are actually working against Him, much like the Pharisees in Jesus' time, as seen in Matthew 23:27, who appeared righteous on the outside but were full of hypocrisy and sin on the inside.
What does it mean to 'watch like fowlers lying in wait'?
This phrase means to wait patiently and quietly for the perfect moment to strike, much like a hunter waits for prey, as seen in Psalm 10:9, where the wicked man lies in wait like a lion in a thicket to catch the innocent.
How do these wicked men set traps for others?
These wicked men set traps for others through deception and deceit, as mentioned in Jeremiah 5:27, where their houses are full of deceit, much like the deceitful practices of the wicked in Proverbs 1:11-14, who lure the innocent into their snares.
What is the consequence of having such wicked men among God's people?
The consequence is that God's people are deprived of His bounty and blessings, as seen in Jeremiah 5:25, where it says their sins have deprived them of God's bounty, much like the Israelites in the wilderness who were punished for their disobedience in Numbers 14:20-23.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways that I might be unknowingly setting traps for others through my words or actions, and how can I repent of these sins?
- How can I discern between those who are truly of God and those who are wicked men lurking among God's people, as warned in 2 Corinthians 11:13-15?
- In what ways can I be a positive influence among God's people, and how can I help to expose the deeds of darkness, as encouraged in Ephesians 5:11?
- What are some practical steps I can take to protect myself and my loved ones from the traps set by wicked men, and how can I trust in God's sovereignty and protection, as seen in Psalm 121:1-8?
Gill's Exposition on Jeremiah 5:26
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
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Jeremiah 5:26
For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men. They lay wait ... set a trap ... catch men - (Proverbs 1:11; Proverbs 1:17-18; Habakkuk 1:15).
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Jeremiah 5:26
Among my people are found wicked men; I need not search for such among the heathen nations, for they are found even among them that are called by my name, whereas all my people ought to have been holy. They lay wait, or contemplate mischievous designs, under deceits, as fowlers do hide themselves, when they watch the birds coming to the snare or net, ; and therefore the next expression, he that setteth snares, is but a periphrasis for a fowler, the Hebrew word being always so taken, , and elsewhere; or they pry, i.e. they narrowly look where they may get an advantage; hence enemies are called priers, or observers, as you may frequently find in the Psalms 27:11 56:2 59:10 92:11. They set a trap, they catch men; intimating the success of their wicked policies in bringing their wicked decrees to pass, , as false witnesses and trespassers use to do, when they go about to insnare men that are innocent; such a trap did Jezebel lay for Naboth, ,10. Such a one was that conspiracy of more than forty men against Paul, .
Trapp's Commentary on Jeremiah 5:26
Jeremiah 5:26 For among my people are found wicked [men]: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men.Ver. 26. For among my people are found wicked men.] This was as bad as to find a nettle in a garden, unchastity in a virgin, or the devil in paradise. All the Lord’ s people are or ought to be holy. They lie in wait.] Or, Watch; or, Prey. See on Micah 7:2. They set a trap, they catch men.] To spoil them or slay them. Such a one was Otto, the Pope’ s Muscipulator (as the story styleth him), i.e., micecatcher, sent hither by Gregory IX to rake and take away our money. Tetzelius, sent by Leo X into Germany, was another.
Ellicott's Commentary on Jeremiah 5:26
(26) They lay wait.—Literally, he lieth in wait (used of the leopard in Hosea 13:7), as in the crouching down of fowlers: they have set the snare. The indefinite singular in the first clause brings before us the picture of isolated guilt, the plural that of confederate evil.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Jeremiah 5:26
Verse 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.
Cambridge Bible on Jeremiah 5:26
26. are found wicked men] men of such great wickedness as to infect all. set a trap] lit. a destroyer. For an illustration of a bird-trap see on Amos 3:5 (C.B.). These men stealthily attack the poor and honest. Cp. Isaiah 29:21; Micah 7:2. they catch men] They by their wiles do as Nimrod is supposed by ancient commentators to have done by force. The Targ. on Genesis 10:9 speaks of him as “a hunter of the sons of men.”
Whedon's Commentary on Jeremiah 5:26
26-28. Wicked men — The fact of their rebellion, as well as its extent and bitter fruits, is set forth in the prevalent corruption.
Sermons on Jeremiah 5:26
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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When Religion Wants to Be Worshipped by Carter Conlon | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the immediate effect of Satan's fallen nature being embraced by humanity and how it influenced religious practices. The story of Cain and Abel |
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A Life of Self Acknowlegement by Zac Poonen | This sermon emphasizes the importance of discipline in various aspects of life, such as time management, financial stewardship, and controlling bodily desires. It also highlights t |
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Are We Preaching the Gospel? by K.C. Moser | The preacher delves into the dual meanings of 'oxus' in the Bible, highlighting its representation of rapid motion and sharpness, particularly in the book of Revelation. This sharp |
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1 Timothy 1:1, 2 by St. John Chrysostom | John Chrysostom preaches about the dignity of an Apostle, emphasizing Paul's humility in being called by the commandment of God as an Apostle of Jesus Christ. Paul's authority as a |
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Secrets of Happy Home Life by J.R. Miller | Greek Word Studies preaches about the dangers of trickery, using the term 'kubeia' to illustrate how some manipulate the Word of God for personal gain, similar to loaded dice used |
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The Christian in Complete Armour - Part 8 by William Gurnall | William Gurnall preaches about the strengthening power of sincerity in a Christian's spirit, emphasizing how sincerity acts as a girdle that fortifies the believer in their spiritu |
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A Great Apostasy by David Wilkerson | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of maintaining a childlike trust and confidence in God. He criticizes the modern methods and techniques used in churches and |