Jeremiah 5:1
Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it.
Jeremiah 5:1 in other translations
| BSB | “Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem. Look now and take note; search her squares. If you can find a single person, anyone who acts justly, anyone who seeks the truth, then I will forgive the city. |
|---|---|
| WEB | “Run back and forth through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in its wide places, if you can find a man, if there is anyone who does justly, who seeks truth, then I will pardon her. |
| ASV | Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that doeth justly, that seeketh truth; and I will pardon her. |
| YLT | Go to and fro in streets of Jerusalem, And see, I pray you, and know, And seek in her broad places, if ye find a man, If there be one doing judgment, seeking stedfastness--Then am I propitious to her. |
| DARBY | Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broadways thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that doeth justice, that seeketh fidelity; and I will pardon it. |
| BBE | Go quickly through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and get knowledge, and make a search in her wide places if there is a man, if there is one in her who is upright, who keeps faith; and she will have my forgiveness. |
| Webster | Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in its broad places, if ye can find a man, if there is any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it. |
What does Jeremiah 5:1 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
Jr 5:1-31. The Cause of the Judgments to Be Inflicted Is the Universal Corruption of the People.
1. a man--As the pious Josiah, Baruch, and Zephaniah lived in Jerusalem at that time, Jeremiah must here mean the mass of the people, the king, his counsellors, the false prophets, and the priests, as distinguished from the faithful few, whom God had openly separated from the reprobate people; among the latter not even one just person was to be found (Is 9:16) [Calvin]; the godly, moreover, were forbidden to intercede for them (Jr 7:16; compare Ge 18:23, &c.; Psa 12:1; Eze 22:30). see ... know--look ... ascertain. judgment--justice, righteousness. pardon it--rather, her.Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Introduction
The prophet, having described the judgments impending over his countrymen, enlarges on the corruptions which prevailed among them. Their profession of religion was all false and hypocritical, Jer 5:1, Jer 5:2. Though corrected, they were not amended, but persisted in their guilt, Jer 5:3. This was not the case with the low and ignorant only, Jer 5:4; but more egregiously so with those of the higher order, from whose knowledge and opportunities better things might have been expected, Jer 5:5. God therefore threatens them with the most cruel enemies, Jer 5:6; and appeals to themselves if they should be permitted to practice such sins unpunished, Jer 5:7-9. He then commands their enemies to raze the walls of Jerusalem, Jer 5:10; that devoted city whose inhabitants added to all their other sins the highest contempt of God's word and prophets, Jer 5:11-13. Wherefore his word, in the mouth of his prophet, shall be as fire to consume them, Jer 5:14; the Chaldean forces shall cruelly addict them, Jer 5:15-17; and farther judgments await then as the consequence of their apostasy and idolatry, Jer 5:18, Jer 5:19. The chapter closes with a most melancholy picture of the moral condition of the Jewish people at that period which immediately preceded the Babylonish captivity, Jer 5:20-31. Verse 1 Broad places - Market-places, and those where there was most public resort. If ye can find a man - A certain philosopher went through the streets of Athens with a lighted lamp in his hand; and being asked what he sought, answered, "I am seeking to find a Man." So in Jerusalem none was found, on the most diligent search, who acted worthy the character of a rational being. I will pardon it - I will spare the city for the sake of one righteous person. So at the intercession of Abraham, God would have spared Sodom if there had been ten righteous persons found in it; Gen 18:26.Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Jeremiah 5:1-9
Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain
Jeremiah 5:1 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.
Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).
Cross references for Jeremiah 5:1
- Genesis 18:23-32
And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? And the Lord said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes. …
- 2 Chronicles 16:9
For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
- Ezekiel 22:30
And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.
- Psalms 14:3
They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
- Psalms 53:2-4
God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God. Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread: they have not called upon God.
- Isaiah 59:4
None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.
- Isaiah 59:14-15
And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.
- Micah 7:1-2
Woe is me! for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grapegleanings of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat: my soul desired the firstripe fruit. The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net.
- Proverbs 20:6
Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?
- Psalms 12:1
To the chief Musician upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David. Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.
- Daniel 12:4
But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
- Song of Solomon 3:2
I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.
Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
7 for their adultery;
10 for their impiety;
15 for their worship of idols;
19 for their contempt of God;
25 and for their great corruption in the civil state;
30 and ecclesiastical.
Run ye.
2Ch 16:9; Da 12:4; Joe 2:9; Am 8:12; Zec 2:4
seek.
Pr 8:3; So 3:2; Lu 14:21
if ye can.
1Ki 19:10; Pr 20:6; Eze 22:30
if there.
Ge 18:23-32; Ps 12:1; 14:3; 53:2-4; Mic 7:1,2
that seeketh.
Pr 2:4-6; 23:23; Isa 59:4,14,15; 2Th 2:10
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain
Context
- Jeremiah 5:1
Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it.
- Jeremiah 5:2
And though they say, The Lord liveth; surely they swear falsely.
Jeremiah 5:1 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | DISCURRID por las plazas de Jerusalem, y mirad ahora, y sabed, y buscad en sus plazas si halláis hombre, si hay alguno que haga juicio, que busque verdad; y yo la perdonaré. |
|---|---|
| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | *Courez çà et là par les rues de Jérusalem, et regardez et sachez et cherchez dans ses places si vous trouvez un homme, s’il y a quelqu’un qui fasse ce qui est droit, qui cherche la fidélité, et je pardonnerai à la ville. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Durchstreifet die Gassen Jerusalems, und sehet doch und erkundet und suchet auf ihren Plätzen, ob ihr jemand findet, ob einer da ist, der Recht übt, der Treue sucht: so will ich ihr vergeben. |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Circuite vias Jerusalem, et aspicite, et considerate, et quærite in plateis ejus, an inveniatis virum facientem judicium, et quærentem fidem: et propitius ero ei. |