Jeremiah 3 · Verse 5

Jeremiah 3:5

Will he reserve his anger for ever? will he keep it to the end? Behold, thou hast spoken and done evil things as thou couldest.
Jeremiah 3:5, King James Version

Jeremiah 3:5 in other translations

BSBWill He be angry forever? Will He be indignant to the end?’ This you have spoken, but you keep doing all the evil you can.”
WEB“‘Will he retain his anger forever? Will he keep it to the end?’ Behold, you have spoken and have done evil things, and have had your way.”
ASVWill he retain his anger for ever? will he keep it to the end? Behold, thou hast spoken and hast done evil things, and hast had thy way.
YLTDoth He keep to the age? watch for ever?' Lo, these things thou hast spoken, And thou dost the evil things, and prevailest.
DARBYWill he keep his anger for ever? Will he preserve it perpetually? Behold, thou hast spoken and hast done evil things, and thou art so determined.
BBEWill he be angry for ever? will he keep his wrath to the end? These things you have said, and have done evil and have had your way.
WebsterWill he retain his anger for ever? will he keep it to the end? Behold, thou hast spoken and done evil things as thou couldst.

What does Jeremiah 3:5 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
5. he--"thou," the second person, had preceded. The change to the third person implies a putting away of God to a greater distance from them; instead of repenting and forsaking their idols, they merely deprecate the continuance of their punishment. Jr 3:12 and Psa 103:9, answer their question in the event of their penitence. spoken and--rather (God's reply to them), "Thou hast spoken (thus), and yet (all the while) thou hast done evil," &c. as thou couldest--with all thy might; with incorrigible persistency [Calvin].

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 5 Will he reserve his anger for ever? - Why should not wrath be continued against thee, as thou continuest transgression against the Lord?

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Jeremiah 3:1-5

Exhortations to repentance. (Jr 3:1-5) Judah more guilty than Israel. (Jr 3:6-11) But pardon is promised. (Jr 3:12-20) The children of Israel express their sorrow and repentance. (Jr 3:21-25) Verses 1-5 In repentance, it is good to think upon the sins of which we have been guilty, and the places and companies where they have been committed. How gently the Lord had corrected them! In receiving penitents, he is God…

Read the full comment on Jeremiah 3:1-5 →

Jeremiah 3:5 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

הֲיִנְטֹ֣רha.yin.Tor¿ will he maintainH5201
לְעוֹלָ֔םle.'o.Lamfor everH5769
אִם\־'im-or?H518
יִשְׁמֹ֖רyish.Morwill he keepH8104
לָנֶ֑צַחla.Ne.tzachto perpetuityH5331
הִנֵּ֥הhi.Nehhere!H2009
דִבַּ֛רְתְּdi.bar.tiyou spokeH1696
וַתַּעֲשִׂ֥יva.ta.'a.Siand you didH6213
הָרָע֖וֹתha.ra.'ot<the> wicked thingsH7451
וַתּוּכָֽל\׃\ \פva.tu.Khaland you were ableH3201

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Jeremiah 3:5

  • Ezekiel 22:6

    Behold, the princes of Israel, every one were in thee to their power to shed blood.

  • Jeremiah 3:12

    Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger for ever.

  • Isaiah 57:16

    For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.

  • Micah 2:1

    Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.

  • Micah 7:3

    That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up.

  • Isaiah 64:9

    Be not wroth very sore, O Lord, neither remember iniquity for ever: behold, see, we beseech thee, we are all thy people.

  • Psalms 103:8-9

    The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.

  • Psalms 85:5

    Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations?

  • Psalms 77:7-9

    Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more? Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore? Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah.

  • Zephaniah 3:1-5

    Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city! She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the Lord; she drew not near to her God. Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow. Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law. …

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
he reserve.
12; Ps 77:7-9; 85:5; 103:8,9; Isa 57:16; 64:9
thou hast spoken.
Eze 22:6; Mic 2:1; 7:3; Zep 3:1-5

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Jeremiah 3:4

    Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My father, thou art the guide of my youth?

  • Jeremiah 3:5

    Will he reserve his anger for ever? will he keep it to the end? Behold, thou hast spoken and done evil things as thou couldest.

  • Jeremiah 3:6

    The Lord said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot.

Read all of Jeremiah 3

Jeremiah 3:5 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		¿Guardará su enojo para siempre? ¿eternalmente lo guardará? He aquí que has hablado y hecho cuantas maldades pudiste.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Gardera-t-il à toujours sa colère, la conservera -t-il à jamais? Voici, tu as parlé, et tu as fait les choses mauvaises et tu as su les accomplir.
German
Elberfelder 1871		wird er ewiglich nachtragen, wird er immerdar Zorn bewahren? Siehe, so redest du, und begehst Übeltaten und setzest sie durch.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		numquid irasceris in perpetuum, aut perseverabis in finem? ecce locuta es, et fecisti mala, et potuisti.