Jeremiah 9:4
A focused desk for reading, commentary, cross-references, original language notes, and your own observations.
Jeremiah 9:4
4 Take ye heed every one of his neighbour, and trust ye not in any brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbour will walk with slanders.
Chapter Context
Jeremiah 9 is a prophetic oracle chapter in the Old Testament that explores themes of truth, hope, judgment. Written during the final years of Judah and early exile (c. 627-580 BCE), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: Prophesied during Judah's final years as Babylon became the dominant power.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
- Verses 13-20: Central message and teachings
- Verses 21-26: Conclusion and application
This chapter is significant because it contributes to the biblical metanarrative of redemption. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within Jeremiah and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
Jeremiah 9:4
4 Take ye heed every one of his neighbour, and trust ye not in any brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbour will walk with slanders.
Analysis
This verse warns against trusting neighbors: 'Take ye heed every one of his neighbour, and trust ye not in any brother.' The Hebrew shameru (שִׁמְרוּ, guard yourselves) and al-tivtachu (אַל־תִּבְטְחוּ, do not trust) indicate pervasive social breakdown. 'For every brother will utterly supplant' uses the Hebrew aqov ya'aqov (עָקוֹב יַעֲקֹב), a wordplay on Jacob's name—who 'supplanted' his brother Esau (Genesis 25:26, 27:36). The society has become a nation of Jacobs, everyone deceiving everyone. 'And every neighbour will walk with slanders' (rakhil, רָכִיל, slander, tale-bearing) indicates gossip and false witness as normal behavior. Trust, the foundation of community, has collapsed entirely.
Historical Context
The reference to Jacob's supplanting recalls patriarchal history, suggesting the nation has degenerated to primordial treachery. Social breakdown during Jeremiah's era reflected political instability and moral chaos. Court intrigues, false accusations, and betrayal characterized Judah's final decades. Jeremiah himself experienced betrayal by family (11:21, 12:6) and fellow citizens (38:4-6). Micah 7:5-6 describes similar social dissolution.
Reflection
- What does the Jacob wordplay suggest about how covenant people can degenerate to their ancestors' worst traits?
- How does the breakdown of social trust relate to the breakdown of covenant faithfulness to God?
Cross-References
- Faith: Jeremiah 12:6
- Parallel theme: Jeremiah 6:28, Genesis 32:28, Leviticus 19:16, Psalms 15:3, Proverbs 10:18, 25:18