King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
As a cage is full of birds, so [are] their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich.
Complete Jewish Bible:
Their houses are as full of fraud as a cage full of birds. They grow rich and great,
Berean Standard Bible:
Like cages full of birds, so their houses are full of deceit. Therefore they have become powerful and rich.
American Standard Version:
As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxed rich.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
As a cage{H3619} is full{H4392} of birds{H5775}, so are their houses{H1004} full{H4392} of deceit{H4820}: therefore they are become great{H1431}, and waxen rich{H6238}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Amos 8:4
- ¶ Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail,
Amos 8:6
- That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; [yea], and sell the refuse of the wheat?
Jeremiah 9:6
- Thine habitation [is] in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know me, saith the LORD.
Hosea 12:7
- ¶ [He is] a merchant, the balances of deceit [are] in his hand: he loveth to oppress.
Hosea 12:8
- And Ephraim said, Yet I am become rich, I have found me out substance: [in] all my labours they shall find none iniquity in me that [were] sin.
Revelation 18:2
- And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
Micah 1:12
- For the inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for good: but evil came down from the LORD unto the gate of Jerusalem.
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Commentary for Jeremiah 5:27
Jeremiah 5:27 is a verse from the Old Testament book of Jeremiah, who was a prophet in the Southern Kingdom of Judah during the late 7th and early 6th centuries BCE. This verse is part of a larger prophetic oracle against the people of Judah and Jerusalem, specifically their leaders and the wealthy classes. In this context, Jeremiah is condemning the moral corruption that has taken hold in the society, particularly among those who have gained power and wealth through unjust means.
The verse uses a powerful metaphor to convey its message: "As a cage is full of birds, so [are] their houses full of deceit." This imagery suggests that just as a cage might be crowded with a multitude of birds, the homes of the wealthy and powerful are filled with lies and treachery. The comparison implies that deceit is as commonplace and prevalent in their lives as birds in a cage. The latter part of the verse, "therefore they are become great, and waxen rich," indicates that this dishonesty has been the source of their elevated social status and material prosperity.
The themes of Jeremiah 5:27 include the condemnation of societal corruption, the critique of wealth acquired through immoral means, and the prophetic warning against the consequences of such behavior. Historically, this verse reflects the period leading up to the Babylonian Exile, when Judah's leaders were often more concerned with personal gain than with the welfare of their people or the worship of the true God. Jeremiah's message is a call to repentance and a warning that such behavior cannot continue without inviting divine judgment. The verse speaks to the timeless issues of social justice, integrity, and the dangers of prioritizing wealth and power over righteousness and equity.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H3619
There are 3 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: כְּלוּב
Transliteration: kᵉlûwb
Pronunciation: kel-oob'
Description: xlit kᵉlûb corrected to kᵉlûwb; from the same as כֶּלֶב; a bird-trap (as furnished with a clap-stick or treadle to spring it); hence, a basket (as resembling a wicker cage); basket, cage. - Strong's Number: H4392
There are 64 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מָלֵא
Transliteration: mâlêʼ
Pronunciation: maw-lay'
Description: from מָלֵא; full (literally or figuratively) or filling (literally); also (concretely) fulness; adverbially, fully; [idiom] she that was with child, fill(-ed, -ed with), full(-ly), multitude, as is worth. - Strong's Number: H5775
There are 70 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עוֹף
Transliteration: ʻôwph
Pronunciation: ofe
Description: from עוּף; a bird (as covered with feathers, or rather as covering with wings), often collectively; bird, that flieth, flying, fowl. - Strong's Number: H1004
There are 1718 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בַּיִת
Transliteration: bayith
Pronunciation: bah'-yith
Description: probably from בָּנָה abbreviated; a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.); court, daughter, door, [phrase] dungeon, family, [phrase] forth of, [idiom] great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter) house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, [phrase] prison, [phrase] steward, [phrase] tablet, temple, web, [phrase] within(-out). - Strong's Number: H4820
There are 38 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מִרְמָה
Transliteration: mirmâh
Pronunciation: meer-maw'
Description: from רָמָה in the sense of deceiving; fraud; craft, deceit(-ful, -fully), false, feigned, guile, subtilly, treachery. - Strong's Number: H1431
There are 112 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: גָּדַל
Transliteration: gâdal
Pronunciation: gaw-dal'
Description: a primitive root; properly, to twist (compare גְּדִל), i.e.; to be (causatively make) large (in various senses, as in body, mind, estate or honor, also in pride); advance, boast, bring up, exceed, excellent, be(-come, do, give, make, wax), great(-er, come to... estate, [phrase] things), grow(up), increase, lift up, magnify(-ifical), be much set by, nourish (up), pass, promote, proudly (spoken), tower. - Strong's Number: H6238
There are 17 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עָשַׁר
Transliteration: ʻâshar
Pronunciation: aw-shar'
Description: a primitive root; properly, to accumulate; chiefly (specifically) to grow (causatively, make) rich; be(-come, en-, make, make self, wax) rich, make (1 Kings 22:48 marg). See עָשָׂר.