Jeremiah 5 · Verse 28

Jeremiah 5:28

They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge.
Jeremiah 5:28, King James Version

Jeremiah 5:28 in other translations

BSBThey 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.
WEBThey have grown fat. They shine; yes, they excel in deeds of wickedness. They don’t plead the cause, the cause of the fatherless, that they may prosper; and they don’t defend the rights of the needy.
ASVThey are waxed fat, they shine: yea, they overpass in deeds of wickedness; they plead not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, that they may prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge.
YLTThey have been fat, they have shone, Yea, they have overpassed the acts of the evil, Judgment they have not judged, The judgment of the fatherless--and they prosper, And the judgment of the needy they have not judged.
DARBYThey are become fat, they shine, yea, they surpass in deeds of wickedness; they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, and they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not adjudge.
BBEThey have become fat and strong: they have gone far in works of evil: they give no support to the cause of the child without a father, so that they may do well; they do not see that the poor man gets his rights.
WebsterThey have become fat, they shine: yes, they surpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge.

What does Jeremiah 5:28 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
28. shine--the effect of fatness on the skin (De 32:15). They live a life of self-indulgence. overpass ... the wicked--exceed even the Gentiles in wickedness (Jr 2:33; Eze 5:6, 7). judge not ... fatherless--(Is 1:23). yet ... prosper--(Jr 12:1).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 28 They judge not the cause, yet they prosper - Perhaps we might be justified in translating, "And shall they prosper?"

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Jeremiah 5:19-31

Unhumbled hearts are ready to charge God with being unjust in their afflictions. But they may read their sin in their punishment. If men will inquire wherefore the Lord doeth hard things unto them, let them think of their sins. The restless waves obeyed the Divine decree, that they should not pass the sandy shores, which were as much a restraint as lofty mountains; but they burst all restraints of God's law, and…

Read the full comment on Jeremiah 5:19-31 →

Jeremiah 5:28 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.

שָׁמְנ֣וּsha.me.Nuthey have become fatH8080
עָשְׁת֗וּ'a.she.Tuthey have become smoothH6245
גַּ֚םgamalsoH1571
עָֽבְר֣וּ'a.ve.Ruthey have transgressedH5674
דִבְרֵי\־div.rei-matters ofH1697
רָ֔עRa'evilH7451
דִּ֣יןdina causeH1779
לֹא\־lo'-notH3808
דָ֔נוּDa.nuthey have pleadedH1777
דִּ֥יןdin[the] cause ofH1779
יָת֖וֹםya.Tom[the] fatherlessH3490
וְיַצְלִ֑יחוּve.yatz.Li.chuso they may have successH6743
וּמִשְׁפַּ֥טu.mish.Patand [the] justice ofH4941
אֶבְיוֹנִ֖ים'ev.yo.Nimneedy [people]H34
לֹ֥אlo'notH3808
שָׁפָֽטוּ\׃sha.Fa.tuthey have judgedH8199

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

Cross references for Jeremiah 5:28

  • Isaiah 1:23

    Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.

  • Deuteronomy 32:15

    But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.

  • Psalms 73:12

    Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.

  • Zechariah 7:10

    And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.

  • Jeremiah 7:6

    If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt:

  • Job 15:27-28

    Because he covereth his face with his fatness, and maketh collops of fat on his flanks. And he dwelleth in desolate cities, and in houses which no man inhabiteth, which are ready to become heaps.

  • Psalms 72:4

    He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.

  • Amos 4:1

    Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, which oppress the poor, which crush the needy, which say to their masters, Bring, and let us drink.

  • Job 29:12-14

    Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem.

  • Jeremiah 12:1

    Righteous art thou, O Lord, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?

  • Psalms 119:70

    Their heart is as fat as grease; but I delight in thy law.

  • Ezekiel 16:47-52

    Yet hast thou not walked after their ways, nor done after their abominations: but, as if that were a very little thing, thou wast corrupted more than they in all thy ways. As I live, saith the Lord God, Sodom thy sister hath not done, she nor her daughters, as thou hast done, thou and thy daughters. Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good. …

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
waxen.
De 32:15; Job 15:27,28; 21:23,24; Ps 73:6,7,12; 119:70; Am 4:1
Jas 5:4,5
overpass.
2:33; Eze 5:6,7; 16:47-52; 1Co 5:1
judge.
22:15-19; Job 29:12-14; Ps 72:4; 82:2-4; Isa 1:23; Zec 7:10
yet.
12:1; Job 12:6; Ps 73:12

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

Context

  • Jeremiah 5:27

    As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich.

  • Jeremiah 5:28

    They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge.

  • Jeremiah 5:29

    Shall I not visit for these things? saith the Lord: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

Read all of Jeremiah 5

Jeremiah 5:28 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Engordaron y pusiéronse lustrosos, y sobrepujaron los hechos del malo: no juzgaron la causa, la causa del huérfano; con todo hiciéronse prósperos, y la causa de los pobres no juzgaron.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Ils sont devenus gras et luisants, aussi ils débordent de méchancetés; ils ne jugent pas la cause, la cause de l’orphelin, et ils prospèrent; et ils ne font pas droit aux pauvres.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Sie sind fett, sie sind glatt; ja, sie überschreiten das Maß der Bosheit. Die Rechtssache richten sie nicht, die Rechtssache der Waisen, so daß es ihnen gelingen könnte; und die Rechtssache der Armen entscheiden sie nicht
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Incrassati sunt et impinguati, et præterierunt sermones meos pessime. Causam viduæ non judicaverunt, causam pupilli non direxerunt, et judicium pauperum non judicaverunt.