Jeremiah 6 · Verse 16

Jeremiah 6:16

Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.
Jeremiah 6:16, King James Version

Jeremiah 6:16 in other translations

BSBThis is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look. Ask for the ancient paths: ‘Where is the good way?’ Then walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it!’
WEBThe LORD says, “Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, ‘Where is the good way?’ and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
ASVThus saith Jehovah, Stand ye in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way; and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls: but they said, We will not walk therein.
YLTThus said Jehovah: Stand ye by the ways and see, and ask for paths of old, Where is this--the good way? and go ye in it, And find rest for yourselves. And they say, ‘We do not go.'
DARBYThus saith Jehovah: Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the ancient paths, which is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.
BBEThis is what the Lord has said: Take your place looking out on the ways; make search for the old roads, saying, Where is the good way? and go in it that you may have rest for your souls. But they said, We will not go in it.
WebsterThus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk in it, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk in it.

What does Jeremiah 6:16 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
16. Image from travellers who have lost their road, stopping and inquiring which is the right way on which they once had been, but from which they have wandered. old paths--Idolatry and apostasy are the modern way; the worship of God the old way. Evil is not coeval with good, but a modern degeneracy from good. The forsaking of God is not, in a true sense, a "way cast up" at all (Jr 18:15; Psa 139:24; Mal 4:4). rest--(Is 28:12; Mt 11:29).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 16 Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see - Let us observe the metaphor. A traveler is going to a particular city; he comes to a place where the road divides into several paths, he is afraid of going astray; he stops short, - endeavors to find out the right path: he cannot fix his choice. At last he sees another traveler; he inquires of him, gets proper directions - proceeds on his journey - arrives at the desired place - and reposes after his fatigue. There is an excellent sermon on these words in the works of our first poet, Geoffrey Chaucer; it is among the Canterbury Tales, and is called Chaucer's Tale. The text, I find, was read by him as it appears in my old MS. Bible: - Standith upon weies and seeth, and asketh of the olde pathes; What is the good weie? and goth in it, and gee schul fynden refreschimg to your soulis. The soul needs rest; it can only find this by walking in the good way. The good way is that which has been trodden by the saints from the beginning: it is the old way, the way of faith and holiness. Believe, Love, Obey; be holy, and be happy. This is the way; let us inquire for it, and walk in it. But these bad people said, We will not walk in it. Then they took another way, walked over the precipice, and fell into the bottomless pit; where, instead of rest, they find: - - a fiery deluge, fed With ever-burning sulfur, unconsumed.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Jeremiah 6:9-17

When the Lord arises to take vengeance, no sinners of any age or rank, or of either sex escape. They were set upon the world, and wholly carried away by the love of it. If we judge of this sin by God's word, we find multitudes in every station and rank given up to it. Those are to be reckoned our worst and most dangerous enemies, who flatter us in a sinful way. Oh that men would be wise for their souls! Ask for the…

Read the full comment on Jeremiah 6:9-17 →

Jeremiah 6:16 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.

כֹּ֣הkohthusH3541
אָמַ֣ר'a.Marhe saysH559
יְהוָ֡הYah.wehYahwehH3068
עִמְדוּ֩'im.DustandH5975
עַל\־'al-atH5921
דְּרָכִ֨יםde.ra.Khim[the] roadsH1870
וּרְא֜וּu.re.'Uand lookH7200
וְשַׁאֲל֣וּ\׀ve.sha.'a.Luand askH7592
לִנְתִב֣וֹתlin.ti.Votof paths ofH5410
עוֹלָ֗םo.Lamancient timeH5769
אֵי\־'ei-where?H335
זֶ֨הzehthisH2088
דֶ֤רֶךְDe.rekh[is] [the] way ofH1870
הַטּוֹב֙ha.tOvthe goodH2896
וּלְכוּ\־u.le.khu-and walkH1980
בָ֔הּVahin <the> it
וּמִצְא֥וּu.mitz.'Uand findH4672
מַרְגּ֖וֹעַmar.Go.a'restH4771
לְנַפְשְׁכֶ֑םle.naf.she.Khemfor self yourH5315
וַיֹּאמְר֖וּvai.yo.me.Ruand they saidH559
לֹ֥אlo'notH3808
נֵלֵֽךְ\׃ne.Lekhwe will walkH1980

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

Cross references for Jeremiah 6:16

  • Isaiah 30:21

    And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.

  • Deuteronomy 32:7

    Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee.

  • Jeremiah 18:15

    Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up;

  • Matthew 11:28-29

    Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

  • Jeremiah 7:23

    But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.

  • Colossians 2:6

    As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:

  • Isaiah 2:5

    O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord.

  • John 12:35

    Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.

  • Jeremiah 18:12

    And they said, There is no hope: but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart.

  • Jeremiah 22:21

    I spake unto thee in thy prosperity; but thou saidst, I will not hear. This hath been thy manner from thy youth, that thou obeyedst not my voice.

  • Hebrews 11:2-12:1

    For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. …

  • John 13:17

    If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Stand.
18:15; De 32:7; So 1:7,8; Isa 8:20; Mal 4:4; Lu 16:29; Joh 5:39
Joh 5:46,47; Ac 17:11; Ro 4:1-6,12; Heb 6:12; 11:2-40; 12:1
and walk.
7:23; Isa 2:5; 30:21; Joh 12:35; 13:17; Col 2:6
ye shall.
Isa 28:12; Mt 11:28,29
We will.
2:25; 18:12; 22:21; 44:16; Mt 21:28-32

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

Context

  • Jeremiah 6:15

    Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the Lord.

  • Jeremiah 6:16

    Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.

  • Jeremiah 6:17

    Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.

Read all of Jeremiah 6

Jeremiah 6:16 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Así dijo Jehová: Paraos en los caminos, y mirad, y preguntad por las sendas antiguas, cuál sea el buen camino, y andad por él, y hallaréis descanso para vuestra alma. Mas dijeron: No andaremos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Ainsi dit l’ Éternel: Tenez-vous sur les chemins, et regardez, et enquérez-vous touchant les sentiers anciens, quelle est la bonne voie; et marchez-y, et vous trouverez du repos pour vos âmes. Mais ils ont dit: Nous n’y marcherons pas.
German
Elberfelder 1871		So spricht Jehova: Tretet auf die Wege, und sehet und fraget nach den Pfaden der Vorzeit, welches der Weg des Guten sei, und wandelt darauf; so werdet ihr Ruhe finden für eure Seelen. Aber sie sprechen: Wir wollen nicht darauf wandeln.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Hæc dicit Dominus: State super vias, et videte, et interrogate de semitis antiquis quæ sit via bona, et ambulate in ea: et invenietis refrigerium animabus vestris. Et dixerunt: Non ambulabimus.