TRV
Translation
King James Version
For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me, saith the LORD.
Complete Jewish Bible
"For the house of Isra'el and the house of Y'hudah have thoroughly betrayed me," says ADONAI.
Berean Standard Bible
For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have been utterly unfaithful to Me,” declares the LORD.
American Standard Version
For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me, saith Jehovah.
World English Bible Messianic
For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me,” says the LORD.
Geneva Bible (1599)
For the house of Israel, and the house of Iudah haue grieuously trespassed against me, saith the Lord.
Young's Literal Translation
For dealt treacherously against Me have the house of Israel, And the house of Judah, an affirmation of Jehovah.
In the KJVVerse 19,070 of 31,102
Study This Verse
Commentary on Jeremiah 5 verses 10–19
10 ¶ Go ye up upon her walls, and destroy; but make not a full end: take away her battlements; for they are not the LORD'S.
11 For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me, saith the LORD.
12 They have belied the LORD, and said, It is not he; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine:
13 And the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them: thus shall it be done unto them.
14 Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.
15 Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith the LORD: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say.
16 Their quiver is as an open sepulchre, they are all mighty men.
17 And they shall eat up thine harvest, and thy bread, which thy sons and thy daughters should eat: they shall eat up thy flocks and thine herds: they shall eat up thy vines and thy fig trees: they shall impoverish thy fenced cities, wherein thou trustedst, with the sword.
18 Nevertheless in those days, saith the LORD, I will not make a full end with you.
19 And it shall come to pass, when ye shall say, Wherefore doeth the LORD our God all these things unto us? then shalt thou answer them, Like as ye have forsaken me, and served strange gods in your land, so shall ye serve strangers in a land that is not yours.
We may observe in these verses, as before,
I. The sin of this people, upon which the commission signed against them is grounded. God disowns them and dooms them to destruction, Jer 5:10. But is there not a cause? Yes; for, 1. They have deserted the law of God (Jer 5:11): The house of Israel and the house of Judah, though at variance with one another, yet both agreed to deal very treacherously against God. They forsook the worship of him, and therein violated their covenants with him; they revolted from him, and played the hypocrite with him. 2. They have defied the judgments of God and given the lie to his threatenings in the mouth of his prophets, Jer 5:12, Jer 5:13. They were often told that evil would certainly come upon them; they must expect some desolating judgment, sword or famine; but they were secure and said, We shall have peace, though we go on. For, (1.) They did not fear what God is. They belied him, and confronted the dictates even of natural light concerning him; for they said, "It is not he, that is, he is not such a one as we have been made to believe he is; he does not see, or not regard, or will not require it; and therefore no evil shall come upon us." Multitudes are ruined by being made to believe that God will not be so strict with them as his word says he will; nay, by this artifice Satan undid us all: You shall not surely die. So here: Neither shall we see sword nor famine. Vain hopes of impunity are the deceitful support of all impiety. (2.) They did not fear what God said. The prophets gave them fair warning, but they turned it off with a jest: "They do but talk so, because it is their trade; they are words of course, and words are but wind. It is not the word of the Lord that is in them; it is only the language of their melancholy fancy or their ill-will to their country, because they are not preferred." Note, Impenitent sinners are not willing to own any thing to be the word of God that makes against them, that tends either to part them from, or disquiet them in, their sins. They threaten the prophets: "They shall become wind, shall pass away unregarded, and thus shall it be done unto them; what they threaten against us we will inflict upon them. Do they frighten us with famine? Let them be fed with the bread of affliction." So Micaiah was, Kg1 22:27. "Do they tell us of the sword? Let them perish by the sword," Jer 2:30. Thus their mocking and misusing God's messengers filled the measure of their iniquity.
II. The punishment of this people for their sin. 1. The threatenings they laughed at shall be executed (Jer 5:14): Because you speak this word of contempt concerning the prophets, and the word in their mouths, therefore God will put honour upon them and their words, for not one iota or tittle of them shall fall to the ground, Sa1 3:19. Here God turns to the prophet Jeremiah, who had been thus bantered, and perhaps had been a little uneasy at it: Behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire. God owns them for his words, though men denied them, and will as surely make them to take effect as the fire consumes combustible material that is in its way. The word shall be fire and the people wood. Sinners by sin make themselves fuel to that wrath of God which is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men in the scripture. The word of God will certainly be too hard for those that contend with it. Those shall break who will not bow before it. 2. The enemy they thought themselves in no danger of shall be brought upon them. God gives them their commission (Jer 5:10): "Go you up upon her walls, mount them, trample upon them, tread them down. Walls of stone, before the divine commission, shall be but mud walls. Having made yourselves masters of the walls, you may destroy at pleasure. You may take away her battlements, and leave the fenced fortified cities to lie open; for her battlements are not the Lord's he does not own them and therefore will not protect and fortify them." They were not erected in his fear, nor with a dependence upon him; the people have trusted to them more than to God, and therefore they are not his. When the city is filled with sin God will not patronise the fortifications of it, and then they are paper walls. What can defend us when he who is our defence, and the defender of all our defences, has departed from us? Num 14:9. What is not of God cannot stand, not stand long, nor stand us in any stead. What dreadful work these invaders should make is here described (Jer 5:15): Lo, I will bring a nation upon you, O house of Israel! Note, God has all nations at his command, does what he pleases with them and makes what use he pleases of them. And sometimes he is pleased to make the nations of the earth, the heathen nations, a scourge to the house of Israel, when that has become a hypocritical nation. This nation of the Chaldeans is here said to be a remote nation; it is brought upon them from afar, and therefore will make the greater spoil and the longer stay, that the soldiers may pay themselves well for so long a march. "It is a nation that thou hast had no commerce with, by reason of their distance, and therefore canst not expect to find favour with." God can bring trouble upon us from places and causes very remote. It is a mighty nation, that there is no making head against, an ancient nation, that value themselves upon their antiquity and will therefore be the more haughty and imperious. It is a nation whose language thou knowest not; they spoke the Syriac tongue, which the Jews at that time were not acquainted with, as appears, Kg2 18:26. The difference of language would make it the more difficult to treat with them of peace. Compare this with the threatening, Deu 28:49, which it seems to have a reference to, for the law and the prophets exactly agree. They are well armed: Their quiver is as an open sepulchre; their arrows shall fly so thick, hit so sure, and wound so deep, that they shall be reckoned to breathe nothing but death and slaughter: they are able-bodied, all effective, mighty men, Jer 5:16. And, when they have made themselves masters of the country, they shall devour all before them, and reckon all their own that they can lay their hands on, Jer 5:17. (1.) They shall strip the country, shall not only sustain, but surfeit, their soldiers with the rich products of this fruitful land. "They shall not store up (then it might possibly by retrieved), but eat up thy harvest in the field and thy bread in the house, which thy sons and thy daughters should eat." Note, What we have we have for our families, and it is a comfort to see our sons and daughters eating that which we have taken care and pains for. But it is a grievous vexation to see it devoured by strangers and enemies, to see their camps victualled with our stores, while those that are dear to us are perishing for want of it: this also is according to the curse of the law, Deu 28:33. "They shall eat up thy flocks and herds, out of which thou hast taken sacrifices for thy idols; they shall not leave thee the fruit of thy vines and fig-trees." (2.) They shall starve the towns: "They shall impoverish thy fenced cities" (and what fence is there against poverty, when it comes like an armed man?), "those cities wherein thou trustedst to be a protection to the country." Note, It is just with God to impoverish that which we make our confidence. They shall impoverish them with the sword, cutting off all provisions from coming to them and intercepting trade and commerce, which will impoverish even fenced cities.
III. An intimation of the tender compassion God has yet for them. The enemy is commissioned to destroy and lay waste, but must not make a full end, Jer 5:10. Though they make a great slaughter, yet some must be left to live; though they make a great spoil, yet something must be left to live upon, for God has said it (Jer 5:18) with a non obstante - a nevertheless to the present desolation: "Even in those days, dismal as they are, I will not make a full end with you;" and, if God will not, the enemy shall not. God has mercy in store for his people, and therefore will set bounds to this desolating judgment. Hitherto it shall come, and no further.
IV. The justification of God in these proceedings against them. As he will appear to be gracious in not making a full end with them, so he will appear to be righteous in coming so near it, and will have it acknowledged that he has done them no wrong, Jer 5:19. Observe, 1. A reason demanded, insolently demanded, by the people for these judgments. They will say "Wherefore doth the Lord our God do all this unto us? What provocation have we given him, or what quarrel has he with us?" As if against such a sinful nation there did not appear cause enough of action. Note, Unhumbled hearts are ready to charge God with injustice in their afflictions, and pretend they have to seek for the cause of them when it is written in the forehead of them. But, 2. Here is a reason immediately assigned. The prophet is instructed what answer to give them; for God will be justified when he speaks, though he speaks with ever so much terror. He must tell them that God does this against them for what they have done against him, and that they may, if they please, read their sin in their punishment. Do not they know very well that they have forsaken God, and therefore can they think it strange if he has forsaken them? Have they forgotten how often they served gods in their own land, that good land, in the abundance of the fruits of which they ought to have served God with gladness of heart? and therefore is it not just with God to make them serve strangers in a strange land, where they can call nothing their own, as he has threatened to do? Deu 28:47, Deu 28:48. Those that are fond of strangers, to strangers let them go.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 10–19. Public domain.
Copy as
Clement of AlexandriaAD 215
The Instructor Book 1
Accusation is the censure of wrongdoers. This mode of instruction God employs by David, when he says, “The people whom I did not know served me, and when their ears heard they obeyed me. Sons of strangers came to me, and halted from their ways.” And by Jeremiah: “And I gave her a divorce decree, but covenant-breaking Judah did not fear.” And again: “And the house of Israel disregarded me. The house of Judah lied to the Lord.”
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Jeremiah
(Vers. 10, 11.) Ascendite muros ejus (sive propugnacula) et dissipate: consummationem autem nolite facere. Auferte propagines ejus (sive sustentacula) quia non sunt Domini. Praevaricatione enim praevaricata est in me domus Israel, et domus Juda, dicit Dominus. Imperat gentibus, de quibus supra dixerat: Percussit eos leo de silva, lupus vastavit eos, et pardus in civitatibus eorum, ut ascendant muros Jerusalem, sive propugnacula, et dissipent eam: consummationem autem non faciant, ut salventur reliquiae, et sit qui annuntiet in gentibus gloriam Dei, severitatique miscetclementiam. And he commanded that its branches or supports be taken away, all the help that he had lost by his own fault, because it had transgressed against God (or the Lord), the house of Israel, and the house of Judah, signifying the ten tribes and the two. Let the Church hear this, that the walls and defenses of those who have no hope in the Lord and transgress against Him may quickly be destroyed, but let there not be complete destruction because of the mercy of the judge, and not because of the merits of the offenders.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
Copy as
Continue studying Jeremiah 5:11 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
SefariaThe Hebrew text with Rashi and centuries of Jewish commentary.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
SUMMARY
Jeremiah 5:11 delivers a profound divine indictment against both the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah, declaring their egregious and persistent unfaithfulness to the covenant relationship with the LORD. This verse encapsulates the core reason for God's impending judgment, highlighting a deep-seated spiritual betrayal that permeates the entire nation, warranting the severe consequences that Jeremiah prophesies. It serves as a definitive statement of their collective guilt, emphasizing the depth of their rebellion against their divine Suzerain.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 5:11 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its message. The most prominent is Personification, as God is presented as a betrayed party, personally wronged by the actions of Israel and Judah. This evokes a sense of deep relational pain and disappointment, transforming a legal indictment into a deeply emotional one, highlighting the broken heart of God over His people's rebellion. The phrase "dealt very treacherously" utilizes Repetition (specifically, an infinitive absolute preceding the verb bâgad) for Emphasis, intensifying the meaning of "treachery" to signify a profound, deliberate, and persistent betrayal rather than a casual misstep. This rhetorical device underscores the gravity and habitual nature of their sin. Furthermore, the verse implicitly draws on the Metaphor of a covenant as a marriage, where Israel and Judah are portrayed as unfaithful spouses who have committed spiritual adultery against their divine Husband. This deepens the sense of betrayal and covenant breaking, making the spiritual unfaithfulness tangible and relatable. Finally, the entire verse functions as a Legal Indictment, presenting a clear charge from the divine Judge against the accused, setting the stage for the pronouncement and execution of judgment.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 5:11 stands as a stark reminder of the sanctity of the covenant relationship between God and His people, and the profound consequences of unfaithfulness. It reveals God's character as both holy and just, who takes His covenant promises and the devotion of His people with utmost seriousness. The "treachery" described here is not merely a moral failing but a direct assault on the divine-human bond, demonstrating a pattern of spiritual adultery and rebellion that permeated the national identity of both Israel and Judah. This unfaithfulness, rooted in idolatry and social injustice, ultimately severed their privileged relationship with God and necessitated divine judgment as a righteous response to their persistent rebellion. The verse underscores that God's judgment is not arbitrary but a just consequence of His people's deliberate and sustained turning away from Him, affirming His unchanging righteousness and commitment to His own holiness.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah 5:11 serves as a timeless mirror for self-examination, urging us to consider the depth of our own faithfulness to God. The "treachery" of ancient Israel and Judah, characterized by a deliberate and persistent turning away from God, prompts us to reflect on areas in our lives where we might be subtly or overtly unfaithful to our covenant relationship with the LORD. Are there "idols" in our modern lives—whether success, comfort, material possessions, or even relationships—that subtly usurp God's rightful place in our hearts? This verse calls us to a radical honesty about our priorities and allegiances. It reminds us that true faithfulness is not merely about avoiding overt sin but about cultivating a wholehearted devotion to God, honoring Him in our thoughts, words, and actions. While God is infinitely merciful and patient, this passage also underscores that persistent unfaithfulness has consequences, both individually and corporately. It is a call to repentance, a renewed commitment to living lives that genuinely honor God, and a recognition that our relationship with Him is the most sacred trust we possess, demanding our unwavering loyalty and love.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "dealt very treacherously" mean in this context?
Answer: The phrase "dealt very treacherously" (Hebrew: bâgad) signifies a profound and deliberate betrayal of trust, often used in the context of breaking a solemn covenant or oath. It implies a deep-seated unfaithfulness, akin to marital infidelity, where the relationship with God, established through the covenant, has been systematically violated. The repetition of the root word emphasizes the intensity and habitual nature of this betrayal, indicating that it was not an accidental lapse but a persistent pattern of turning away from the LORD and His commands. This treachery manifested in idolatry, social injustice, and a general disregard for God's law, as detailed throughout Jeremiah chapters 2-6.
Why are both "the house of Israel" and "the house of Judah" mentioned if Israel had already fallen?
Answer: The mention of both "the house of Israel" (the Northern Kingdom) and "the house of Judah" (the Southern Kingdom) serves several purposes. Firstly, it highlights the pervasive nature of the unfaithfulness across the entire covenant people, demonstrating that both divisions of the nation had collectively abandoned God. Secondly, the fall of the Northern Kingdom to Assyria in 722 BCE served as a historical precedent and a stark warning to Judah. By mentioning Israel, Jeremiah reminds Judah that their sister kingdom suffered judgment for similar sins, implying that Judah's continued treachery would lead to a similar, if not worse, fate. It underscores the consistent pattern of rebellion and God's consistent response of righteous judgment across the generations of His people, as seen in 2 Kings 17:7-18.
Does God still judge nations today for their unfaithfulness?
Answer: While the specific covenant relationship between God and ancient Israel is unique, the principle that nations are accountable to God for their moral and spiritual conduct remains a biblical theme. God is sovereign over all nations and history Psalm 22:28. The Bible teaches that God's character is unchanging, and He is a God of justice who opposes wickedness. While modern judgment may not always manifest as direct, immediate military invasion as in ancient Israel, societal decay, moral decline, and the consequences of rejecting divine principles can be seen as forms of judgment. Ultimately, all nations and individuals will stand before God's ultimate judgment Revelation 20:11-15. The call for nations and their leaders to acknowledge God and pursue righteousness is a recurring biblical imperative, reminding us that true prosperity and peace are rooted in divine favor and obedience.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Jeremiah 5:11, with its stark indictment of Israel and Judah's profound treachery against the LORD, finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in several profound ways. First, Jesus Christ emerges as the perfectly faithful Israelite, the true "Son of God" who never dealt treacherously against His Father, unlike the nation of Israel Matthew 3:17. Where Israel failed to uphold the covenant, Christ perfectly fulfilled its righteous demands, living a life of absolute obedience and devotion to God, even to the point of death on a cross Philippians 2:8. Second, the treachery of humanity, epitomized by Israel and Judah's unfaithfulness, ultimately led to the need for a divine solution to sin's pervasive power. Christ, the innocent Lamb of God, bore the judgment for this very treachery and all human unfaithfulness on the cross, becoming sin for us so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God 2 Corinthians 5:21. He absorbed the divine wrath that was due to a treacherous humanity, offering Himself as the ultimate propitiation for our sins Romans 3:25. Third, the new covenant established through Christ's blood fundamentally addresses the problem of Israel's broken covenant, promising not merely external laws but an internal transformation of the heart, where God's law is written on the hearts of believers, enabling a genuine and enduring faithfulness that Israel of old could not maintain Hebrews 8:6-13. Through Christ, those who believe are reconciled to God, no longer defined by their treachery but by His perfect faithfulness and the imputed righteousness received through faith Romans 5:8-10. Thus, Christ is the answer to humanity's deep-seated treachery, offering forgiveness, a new heart, and the power to live in true faithfulness to the LORD, establishing a relationship founded on His perfect obedience rather than our flawed efforts.