TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Jeremiah 5:1–9. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Here is, I. A challenge to produce any one right honest man, or at least any considerable number of such, in Jerusalem, Jer 5:1. Jerusalem had become like the old world, in which all flesh had corrupted their way. There were some perhaps who flattered themselves with hopes that there were yet many good men in Jerusalem, who would stand in the gap to turn away the wrath of God; and there might be others who boasted of its being the holy city and thought that this would save it. But God bids them search the town, and intimates that they should scarcely find a man in it who executed judgment and made conscience of what he said and did: "Look in the streets, where they make their appearance and converse together, and in the broad places, where they keep their markets; see if you can find a man, a magistrate (so some), that executes judgment, and administers justice impartially, that will put the laws in execution against vice and profaneness." When the faithful thus cease and fail it is time to cry Woe is me! (Mic 7:1, Mic 7:2), high time to cry, Help Lord, Psa 12:1. "If there be here and there a man that is truly conscientious, and does at least speak the truth, yet you shall not find him in the streets and broad places; he dares not appear publicly, lest he should be abused and run down. Truth has fallen in the street (Isa 59:14), and is forced to seek for corners." So pleasing would it be to God to find any such that for their sake he would pardon the city; if there were but ten righteous men in Sodom, if but one of a thousand, of ten thousand, in Jerusalem, it should be spared. See how ready God is to forgive, how swift to show mercy. But it might be said, "What do you make of those in Jerusalem that continue to make profession of religion and relation to God? Are not they men for whose sakes Jerusalem may be spared?" No, for they are not sincere in their profession (Jer 5:2): They say, The Lord liveth, and will swear by his name only, but they swear falsely, that is, 1. They are not sincere in the profession they make of respect to God, but are false to him; they honour him with their lips, but their hearts are far from him. 2. Though they appeal to God only, they make no conscience of calling him to witness to a lie. Though they do not swear by idols, they forswear themselves, which is no less an affront to God, as the God of truth, than the other is as the only true God.
II.A complaint which the prophet makes to God of the obstinacy and wilfulness of these people.
God had appealed to their eyes (Jer 5:1); but here the prophet appeals to his eyes (Jer 5:3): "Are not thy eyes upon the truth? Dost thou not see every man's true character? And is not this the truth of their character, that they have made their faces harder than a rock?" Or, "Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward part; but where is it to be found among the men of this generation? For though they say, The Lord liveth, yet they never regard him; thou hast stricken them with one affliction after another, but they have not grieved for the affliction, they have been as stocks and stones under it, much less have they grieved for the sin by which they have brought it upon themselves. Thou hast gone further yet, hast consumed them, hast corrected them yet more severely; but they have refused to receive correction, to accommodate themselves to thy design in correcting them and to answer to it. They would not receive instruction by the correction. The have set themselves to outface the divine sentence and to outbrave the execution of it, for they have made their faces harder than a rock; they cannot change countenance, neither blush for shame nor look pale for fear, cannot be beaten back from the pursuit of their lusts, whatever check is given them; for, though often called to it, they have refused to return, and would go forward, right or wrong, as the horse into the battle."
III.The trial made both of rich and poor, and the bad character given of both.
1.The poor were ignorant, and therefore they were wicked. He found many that refused to return, for whom he was willing to make the best excuse their case would bear, and it was this (Jer 5:4): "Surely, these are poor, they are foolish. They never had the advantage of a good education, nor have they wherewithal to help themselves now with the means of instruction. They are forced to work hard for their living, and have no time nor capacity for reading or hearing, so that they know not the way of the Lord, nor the judgments of their God; they understand neither the way in which God by his precepts will have them to walk towards him nor the way in which he by his providence is walking towards them." Note,
(1.)Prevailing ignorance is the lamentable cause of abounding impiety and iniquity. What can one expect but works of darkness from brutish sottish people that know nothing of God and religion, but choose to sit in darkness?
(2.)This is commonly a reigning sin among poor people. There are the devil's poor as well as God's, who, notwithstanding their poverty, might know the way of the Lord, so as to walk in it and do their duty, without being book-learned; but they are willingly ignorant, and therefore their ignorance will not be their excuse.
2.The rich were insolent and haughty, and therefore they were wicked (Jer 5:5): "I will get me to the great men, and see if I can find them more pliable to the word and providence of God. I will speak to them, preach at court, in hopes to make some impression upon men of polite literature. But all in vain; for, though they know the way of the Lord and the judgment of their God, yet they are too stiff to stoop to his government: These have altogether broken the yoke and burst the bonds. They know their Master's will, but are resolved to have their own will, to walk in the way of their heart and in the sight of their eyes. They think themselves too goodly to be controlled, too big to be corrected, even by the sovereign Lord of all himself. They are for breaking even his bands asunder, Psa 2:3. The poor are weak, the rich are wilful, and so neither do their duty."
IV.Some particular sins specified, which they were notoriously guilty of, and which cried most loudly to heaven for vengeance.
Their transgressions indeed were many, of many kinds and often repeated, and their backslidings were increased; they added to the number of them and grew more and more impudent in them, Jer 5:6. But two sins especially were justly to be looked upon as unpardonable crimes: - 1. Their spiritual whoredom, giving that honour to idols which is due to God only. "Thy children have forsaken me, to whom they were born and dedicated and under whom they have been brought up, and they have sworn by those that are no gods, have made their appeal to them as if they had been omniscient and their proper judges." This is here put for all acts of religious worship due to God only, but with which they had honoured their idols. They have sworn to them (so it may be read), have joined themselves to them and covenanted with them. Those that forsake God make a bad change for those that are no gods. 2. Their corporal whoredom. Because they had forsaken God and served idols, he gave them up to vile affections; and those that dishonoured him were left to dishonour themselves and their own families. They committed adultery most scandalously, without sense of shame or fear of punishment, for they assembled themselves by troops in the harlots' houses and did not blush to be seen by one another in the most scandalous places. So impudent and violent was their lust, so impatient of check, and so eager to be gratified, that they became perfect beasts (Jer 5:8); like high-fed horses, they neighed every one after his neighbour's wife, Jer 5:8. Unbridled lusts make men like natural brute beasts, such monstrous odious things are they. And that which aggravated their sin was that it was the abuse of God's favours to them: When they were fed to the full, then their lusts grew thus furious. Fulness of bread was fuel to the fire of Sodom's lusts. Sine Cerere et Bacchio friget Venu - Luxurious living feeds the flames of lust. Fasting would help to tame the unruly evil that is so full of deadly poison, and bring the body into subjection.
V.A threatening of God's wrath against them for their wickedness and the universal debauchery of their land.
1.The particular judgment that is threatened, Jer 5:6. A foreign enemy shall break in upon them, get dominion over them, and shall lay waste: their country shall be as if it were overrun and perfectly mastered by wild beasts. This enemy shall be,
(1.)Like a lion of the forest; so strong, so furious, so irresistible; and he shall slay them.
(2.)Like a wolf of the evening, which comes out at night, when he is hungry, to seek his prey, and is very fierce and ravenous; and the noise both of the lions' roaring and of the wolves' howling is very hideous.
(3.)Like a leopard, which is very swift and very cruel, and withal careful not to miss his prey. The army of the enemy shall watch over their cities so strictly as to put the inhabitants to this sad dilemma - if they stay in, they are starved; if they stir out, they are stabbed; Every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces, which intimates that in many places the enemy gave no quarter. And all this bloody work is owing to the multitude of their transgressions. It is sin that makes the great slaughter.
2.An appeal to themselves concerning the equity of it (Jer 5:9); "Shall I not visit for these things? Can you yourselves think that the God whose name is Jealous will let such idolatries go unpunished, or that a God of infinite purity will connive at such abominable uncleanness?" These are things that must be reckoned for, else the honour of God's government cannot be maintained, nor his laws saved from contempt; but sinners will be tempted to think him altogether such a one as themselves, contrary to that conviction of their own consciences concerning the judgment of God which is necessary to be supported, That those who do such things are worthy of death, Rom 1:32. Observe, when God punishes sin, he is said to visit for it, or enquire into it; for he weighs the cause before he passes sentence. Sinners have reason to expect punishment upon the account of God's holiness, to which sin is highly offensive, as well as upon the account of his justice, to which it renders us obnoxious; this is intimated in that, Shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this? It is not only the word of God, but his soul, that takes vengeance. And he has national judgments wherewith to take vengeance for national sins. Such nations as this was cannot long go unpunished. How shall I pardon thee for this? Jer 5:7. Not but that those who have been guilty of these sins have found mercy with God, as to their eternal state (Manasseh himself did, though so much accessory to the iniquity of these times); but nations, as such, being rewardable and punishable only in this life, it would not be for the glory of God to let a nation so very wicked as this pass without some manifest tokens of his displeasure.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
2 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
(Chapter 5 - Verse 1, 2) Go around the streets of Jerusalem and look, observe, and search its squares, whether you find a man who does justice and seeks faithfulness. I will be merciful to him. But even if, by the living Lord, they say and falsely swear this. Great is the love of justice, as God did not deliver the city (Genesis 18) according to the request of Abraham and the response of God for the sake of ten righteous men, but if He finds even one in the now perishing Jerusalem who does justice and seeks faithfulness (or, as Symmachus translated, truth), then God will have mercy on Jerusalem. And because it could happen that some would be found among the people who would feign the worship of God and swear by God, this is prevented so that God is not pleased by empty words but by the truth of faith, and He says: I do not love those who swear by me and swear falsely, but rather those whose hearts and lips are in agreement.
After the address of the Lord in which he commanded, “go throughout Jerusalem,” and so on, the prophet addresses the Lord in return: “Lord, your eyes look for faith,” which is ʾemûnā in Hebrew, referring not to the works of the Jews, in which they exulted according to ceremonies of the law, but to the faith of Christians, through which we are saved by faith. In this chapter, therefore, we learn that supplications are brought for the correction of our faults. This is why he says, “You struck them, and they did not grieve; you wore them out, but they refused to accept discipline.” For Jerusalem was emended through many torments and chastisements and was found to have no shame for their faults after all of this, but with rock-hard shamelessness on their brow, they would not convert to the better way.
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Summary
Jeremiah 5:1 presents a profound and urgent divine challenge, revealing God's exhaustive search for even a single righteous individual within the streets and public squares of Jerusalem. This verse encapsulates the deep moral decay and spiritual bankruptcy of Judah, where the absence of justice and truth was so pervasive that it threatened to unleash God's severe judgment upon the city. Yet, it simultaneously highlights God's enduring mercy, offering a conditional promise of pardon for the entire city if just one person could be found who truly lived out His covenantal demands for righteousness and faithfulness.
Context
Literary Context
Jeremiah 5:1 initiates a new, intense section of divine indictment against Judah, immediately following chapter 4's lament over the impending destruction and the people's spiritual blindness. This verse serves as a dramatic, almost desperate, divine dare, setting the stage for the detailed enumeration of Jerusalem's widespread sins that permeates the remainder of chapter 5. The subsequent verses meticulously elaborate on the pervasive nature of their iniquity, revealing how all strata of society—from the poor and lowly to the wealthy and influential, from false prophets to corrupt priests—had systematically turned away from God's ways. The seemingly impossible search for "a man" in verse 1 underscores the profound spiritual emptiness and moral vacuum that had developed, making the subsequent descriptions of their idolatry, social oppression, and rebellion against God's covenant even more poignant and justification for the impending divine judgment.
Historical & Cultural Context
The prophet Jeremiah ministered during a tumultuous period in Judah's history, spanning the reigns of its last kings (Josiah, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, Zedekiah) from the late 7th to early 6th century BC. Jerusalem, as the capital, was the vibrant heart of the nation's religious, political, and economic life. Despite the significant reforms initiated by King Josiah, the people quickly reverted to widespread idolatry and systemic social injustice after his death. The cultural landscape was deeply marked by religious syncretism, where the worship of Yahweh was carelessly mingled with the pagan practices of surrounding nations, and a flagrant disregard for the ethical demands of the Mosaic Law. Economically, the powerful elite routinely oppressed the vulnerable, and the legal system was rife with corruption. Jeremiah's prophetic message was delivered against the ominous backdrop of the rising Babylonian empire, which God would ultimately use as His instrument of judgment, making the urgent call for righteousness in Jerusalem a final, desperate plea before the inevitable exile.
Key Themes
Jeremiah 5:1 contributes significantly to several overarching themes within the book of Jeremiah and the broader prophetic corpus. Firstly, it powerfully illustrates the theme of Profound Moral Depravity, demonstrating that the absence of righteousness was not an isolated incident but a pervasive national condition, reaching a point where God Himself struggles to find an upright individual. This echoes the comprehensive moral decline seen in the pre-flood world where every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. Secondly, it highlights God's Divine Search for Righteousness, revealing His earnest desire for His people to live in accordance with His covenant. This divine quest for integrity and truth is a testament to God's character, showing His willingness to avert judgment if genuine repentance and faithfulness could be found, reminiscent of Abraham's persistent intercession for Sodom in Genesis 18, where God was willing to spare the city for the sake of a few righteous individuals. Lastly, the verse underscores the theme of Conditional Pardon, emphasizing God's boundless mercy even in the face of widespread sin. The promise "and I will pardon it" reveals that judgment is not God's first desire, but rather a last resort when His people stubbornly refuse to return to Him, as seen in His repeated calls for repentance throughout Jeremiah and other prophetic books like Isaiah 1:18-20.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This term refers to an individual, specifically a male person. In this context, it signifies not merely any human being, but a person of moral integrity and upright character, someone who stands out from the corrupt populace. The divine search for "a man" implies a desperate quest for any individual who embodies the desired qualities of justice and truth, highlighting the extreme scarcity of such people in Jerusalem. It underscores the profound moral vacuum.
This term is rich in meaning, referring primarily to a verdict or a formal decree, but also abstractly to justice, right, and ordinance. It encompasses fair dealings, upholding the rights of the vulnerable and oppressed, and living in accordance with God's established laws and moral order. In essence, it speaks to righteous governance and ethical behavior in society, reflecting God's own character of justice.
This word signifies firmness, security, fidelity, and trustworthiness. More than just intellectual accuracy or factual correctness, 'emunah speaks to steadfast loyalty, integrity, and a deep-seated commitment to God and His covenant. It describes a life lived in sincerity and honesty, reflecting faithfulness in character and action, embodying reliability and consistency with divine principles.
Verse Breakdown
"Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem"
This is an urgent, almost frantic command, likely addressed to the prophet Jeremiah himself, or perhaps to divine messengers. It paints a vivid picture of a diligent, exhaustive search within the very heart of the nation's spiritual, political, and social life—Jerusalem's public spaces. The "streets" and "broad places" represent the common areas where daily life, commerce, and justice (or injustice) unfolded, indicating that the corruption was not hidden but openly practiced.
"and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof"
These successive imperatives ("see," "know," "seek") emphasize the thoroughness, intentionality, and active nature of the divine search. It's not a casual glance but a deep investigation ("know" implies experiential knowledge) and an active pursuit ("seek"). The repetition reinforces the idea that no stone should be left unturned in this divine inquiry, highlighting God's earnest desire to find a reason for mercy.
"if ye can find a man, if there be [any] that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth"
This is the core of the divine challenge and the criteria for the search. The "man" is not just any male, but an individual of moral uprightness and integrity. The two defining characteristics are "executeth judgment" (actively living justly, upholding righteousness in their actions and interactions) and "seeketh the truth" (demonstrating faithfulness, integrity, and loyal commitment to God's covenant). The rhetorical nature of the "if" implies the extreme unlikelihood, almost impossibility, of finding such a person, underscoring the depth of Judah's moral decay.
"and I will pardon it."
This conditional promise reveals God's profound mercy and His enduring desire for reconciliation rather than destruction. Despite the pervasive sin and the apparent absence of righteousness, God is willing to spare the entire city if even one truly righteous individual can be found. This highlights the immense value God places on righteousness and the potential power of even a remnant of faithfulness to influence divine judgment and secure corporate blessing.
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 5:1 is rich in Imperative verbs ("Run," "see," "know," "seek"), which collectively convey the urgency, directness, and divine authority of God's command. The verse functions as a powerful Rhetorical Question or a divine challenge, where the implied answer is that no such person can be found, thereby dramatically highlighting the depth of Judah's depravity and the pervasive nature of its sin. The act of God "searching" for a righteous person is a form of Anthropomorphism, attributing human-like actions and emotions (earnest desire, disappointment) to God to make His character and His earnest longing for His people's return comprehensible to human understanding. Furthermore, the phrase "if ye can find a man" employs Hyperbole to emphasize the extreme scarcity of righteousness within Jerusalem, suggesting that the moral landscape is so barren that finding even one upright individual is an almost impossible task, underscoring the pervasive corruption and the dire state of the nation.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Jeremiah 5:1 profoundly illustrates God's unwavering commitment to justice and truth, revealing His deep disappointment when His covenant people abandon these foundational principles. The divine search for "a man" underscores the critical importance of individual righteousness within a community, demonstrating that the spiritual health and moral standing of a nation are intrinsically linked to the integrity and faithfulness of its people. This passage serves as a stark reminder that God's patience, though vast and long-suffering, is not infinite, and persistent rebellion against His moral order inevitably leads to judgment. Yet, even in the face of such widespread sin, God's offer of pardon, contingent on the discovery of even one righteous person, highlights His boundless mercy and His desire for reconciliation and restoration rather than immediate destruction.
Reflection and Application
Jeremiah 5:1 stands as a timeless mirror, reflecting the state of our own hearts, our communities, and our nations. It challenges us to move beyond superficial religiosity, outward conformity, or mere intellectual assent to truth, and instead embrace a life characterized by genuine justice and unwavering truth in action. In a world often marked by moral relativism, systemic injustice, corruption, and a casual disregard for objective truth, this verse calls us to be the "man" or "woman" God is searching for—individuals who actively embody righteousness in their personal lives, professional conduct, and public interactions. It reminds us that our personal integrity and commitment to God's standards have profound implications, not just for ourselves, but for the spiritual health and well-being of our families, churches, and nations. The divine call to "run to and fro" is an urgent invitation to diligently pursue and embody these virtues, recognizing that our faithfulness, even as a small remnant, can be a beacon of hope and a catalyst for divine mercy in a world desperately in need of God's transforming presence and redemptive power.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does it mean to "execute judgment" and "seek the truth" in this context?
To "execute judgment" (Hebrew: mishpâṭ) means to live justly, to act righteously, and to uphold moral and ethical standards in all dealings. It encompasses fair treatment of others, especially the vulnerable, and adherence to God's laws and principles of justice. To "seek the truth" (Hebrew: ʼĕmûwnâh) goes beyond mere intellectual assent to facts; it signifies a deep commitment to faithfulness, integrity, and trustworthiness. It implies a life lived in steadfast loyalty to God and His covenant, characterized by sincerity and honesty in character and action. Ultimately, it's about embodying God's righteous character in daily life, not just knowing about it.
Why would God pardon an entire city for the sake of one righteous person?
This question highlights God's profound mercy and His desire for reconciliation rather than judgment. While the verse emphasizes the scarcity of righteousness, it also underscores the immense value God places on it. The principle seen here, and in Genesis 18 with Abraham's plea for Sodom, is that a righteous remnant can serve as a point of intercession, a moral anchor, and a demonstration of God's grace. It reveals that God is always looking for a reason to show mercy, and even a single individual's faithfulness can be a powerful testimony that delays or diverts impending judgment. It speaks to the transformative power of one life lived fully for God, demonstrating that true righteousness has profound corporate implications.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Jeremiah 5:1, with its desperate divine search for "a man" who executes judgment and seeks truth, profoundly foreshadows the ultimate and perfect fulfillment found in the person and work of Jesus Christ. In Jeremiah's day, no such man could be found, highlighting humanity's utter failure to meet God's righteous standard and the pervasive nature of sin's grip on creation. However, the New Testament reveals the one truly righteous Man, Jesus of Nazareth, who perfectly "executed judgment" by living a life of impeccable justice, upholding God's law in every detail, and demonstrating perfect love and mercy toward all. He alone "sought the truth" with unwavering fidelity, embodying 'emunah in His very being, declaring Himself to be the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). He was the sinless Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, perfectly fulfilling all righteousness on behalf of a fallen humanity. Because of His singular, perfect righteousness and His atoning sacrifice on the cross, God's promise of pardon, which was conditional and unfulfilled in Jeremiah's time, is now freely offered to all who believe in Him. Through Christ, the divine search for "a man" is definitively answered, and His perfect life and atoning death become the basis for the "pardon" not just for a city, but for all humanity who turn to Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). He is the one righteous man through whose obedience many are made righteous (Romans 5:19).