TRV
Translation
King James Version
For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men.
Complete Jewish Bible
"For among my people there are wicked men, who, like fowlers, lie in wait and set traps to catch their fellow human beings.
Berean Standard Bible
For among My people are wicked men; they watch like fowlers lying in wait; they set a trap to catch men.
American Standard Version
For among my people are found wicked men: they watch, as fowlers lie in wait; they set a trap, they catch men.
World English Bible Messianic
For among my people are found wicked men. They watch, as fowlers lie in wait. They set a trap. They catch men.
Geneva Bible (1599)
For among my people are founde wicked persons, that lay waite as hee that setteth snares: they haue made a pit, to catch men.
Young's Literal Translation
For the wicked have been found among My people. It looketh about the covering of snares, They have set up a trap--men they capture.
In the KJVVerse 19,085 of 31,102
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Commentary on Jeremiah 5 verses 25–31
25 ¶ Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you.
26 For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men.
27 As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich.
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.
29 Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
30 A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land;
31 The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?
I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points
Here, I. The prophet shows them what mischief their sins had done them: They have turned away these things (Jer 5:25), the former and the latter rain, which they used to have in due season (Jer 5:24), but which had of late been withheld (Jer 3:3), by reason of which the appointed weeks of harvest had sometimes disappointed them. "It is your sin that has withholden good from you, when God was ready to bestow it upon you." Note, It is sin that stops the current of God's favour to us, and deprives us of the blessings we used to receive. It is that which makes the heavens as brass and the earth as iron.
II. He shows them how great their sins were, how heinous and provoking. When they had forsaken the worship of the true God, even moral honesty was lost among them: Among my people are found wicked men (Jer 5:26), some of the worst of men, and so much the worse they were for being found among God's people. 1. They were spiteful and malicious. Such are properly wicked men, men that delight in doing mischief. They were found (that is, caught) in the very act of their wickedness. As hunters or fowlers lay snares for their game, so did they lie in wait to catch men, and made a sport of it, and took as much pleasure in it as if they had been entrapping beasts or birds. They contrives ways of doing mischief to good people (whom they hated for their goodness), especially to those that faithfully reproved them (Isa 29:21), or to those that stood in the way of their preferment or whom they supposed to have affronted them or done them a diskindness, or to those whose estates they coveted; so Jezebel ensnared Naboth for his vineyard. Nay, they did mischief for mischief's sake. 2. They were false and treacherous (Jer 5:27): "As a cage, or coop, is full of birds, and of food for them to fatten them for the table, so are their houses full of deceit, of wealth obtained by fraudulent practices or of arts and methods of defrauding. All the business of their families is done with deceit; whoever deals with them, they will cheat him if they can, which is easily done by those who make no conscience of what they say and do. Herein they overpass the deed of the wicked, Jer 5:28. Those that act by deceit, with a colour of law and justice, do more mischief perhaps than those wicked men (Jer 5:26) that carry all before them by open force and violence; or they are worse than the heathen themselves, yea, the worst of them. And (would you think it?) they prosper in these wicked courses and therefore their hearts are hardened in them. They are greedy of the world, because they find it flows in upon them, and they stick not at any wickedness in pursuit of it, because they find that it is so far from hindering their prosperity that it furthers it: They have become great in the world; they have waxen rich, and thrive upon it. They have wherewithal to make provision for the flesh to fulfill all the lusts of it, to which they are very indulgent, so that they have waxen fat with living at ease and bathing themselves in all the delights of sense. They are sleek and smooth: The shine; they look fair and gay; every body admires them. And they pass by matters of evil (so some read the following words); they escape the evils which one would expect their sins should bring upon them; they are not in trouble as other men, much less as we might expect bad men," Psa 73:5, etc. 3. When they had grown great, and had got power in their hands, they did not do that good with it which they ought to have done: They judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, and the right of the needy. The fatherless are often needy, always need assistance and advice, and advantage is taken of their helpless condition to do them an injury. Who should succour them then but the great and rich? What have men wealth for but to do good with it? But these would take no cognizance of any such distressed cases: they had not so much sense of justice, or compassion for the injured; or, if they did concern themselves in the cause, it was not to do right, but to protect those that did wrong. And yet they prosper still; God layeth not folly to them. Certainly then the things of this world are not the best things, for often-times the worst men have the most of them; yet we are not to think that, because they prosper, God allows of their practices. No; though sentence against their evil works be not executed speedily, it will be executed. 4. There was a general corruption of all orders and degrees of men among them (Jer 5:30, Jer 5:31); A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land. The degeneracy of such a people, so privileged and advanced, was a wonderful thing, and to be viewed with amazement. How could they ever break through so many obligations? It was a horrible thing, a thing to be detested and the consequences of it dreaded. To frighten ourselves from sin, let us call it a horrible thing. What was the matter? In short, this: (1.) The leaders misled the people: The prophets prophesy falsely, counterfeit a commission from heaven when they are factors for hell. Religion is never more dangerously attacked than under colour and pretence of divine revelation. But why did not the priests, who had power in their hands for that purpose, restrain these false prophets? Alas! instead of doing that they made use of them as the tools of their ambition and tyranny: The priests bear rule by their means; they supported themselves in their grandeur and wealth, their laziness and luxury, their impositions and oppressions, by the help of the false prophets and their interest in the people. Thus they were in a combination against every thing that was good, and strengthened one another's hands in evil. (2.) The people were well enough pleased to be so misled: "They are my people," says God, "and should have stood up for me, and borne their testimony against the wickedness of their priests and prophets; but they love to have it so." If the priests and prophets will let them alone in their sins, they will give them no disturbance in theirs. They love to be ridden with a loose rein, and like those rulers very well that will not restrain their lusts and those teachers that will not reprove them.
III. He shows them how fatal the consequences of this would certainly be. Let them consider,
1.What the reckoning would be for their wickedness (Jer 5:29): Shall not I visit for these things? as before, Jer 5:9. Sometimes mercy rejoices against judgment: How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? Here, judgment is reasoning against mercy: Shall I not visit? We are sure that Infinite Wisdom knows how to accommodate the matter between them. The manner of expression is very emphatic, and denotes, (1.) The certainty and necessity of God's judgments: Shall not my soul be avenged? Yes, without doubt, vengeance will come, it must come, if the sinner repent not. (2.) The justice and equity of God's judgments; he appeals to the sinner's own conscience, Do not those deserve to be punished that have been guilty of such abominations? Shall he not be avenged on such a nation, such a wicked provoking nation as this?
2.What the direct tendency of their wickedness was: What will you do in the end thereof? That is, (1.) "What a pitch of wickedness will you come to at last! What will you do? What will you not do that is base and wicked. What will this grow to? You will certainly grow worse and worse, till you have filled up the measure of your iniquity." (2.) "What a pit of destruction will you come to at last! When things are brought to such a pass as this, nothing can be expected from you but a deluge of sin, so nothing can be expected from God but a deluge of wrath; and what will you do when that shall come?" Note, Those that walk in bad ways would do well to consider the tendency of them both to greater sin and utter ruin. An end will come; the end of a wicked life will come, when it will be all called over again, and without doubt will be bitterness in the latter end.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 25–31. Public domain.
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JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Jeremiah
(Verse 26.) Because there were found among my people wicked ones plotting like bird catchers, setting snares and traps to capture men; like a net full of birds, so is their house full of deceit. Why did a temporary and late rain deviate from them, and all good things not come? The reasons are given: because there were found among his people wicked ones. He did not say, the unjust and sinners (as the new heresy wants), but the wicked. Impiety openly denies God; if it confesses error iniquity and sin, it easily turns God to mercy. And as we said: Insidious like bird-catchers, and it is not found in the Septuagint, Aquila and Symmachus translated Jasir (), like the net of a bird-catcher, so that even he who seems good and upright among them may lay snares like a bird-catcher, while they hunt each other to death, and bring ruin and loss to others, filling their own houses, so that the saying of the philosophers is fulfilled: Every rich person is either unjust or the heir of an unjust person. And if only these things were done by those who seem to be outside, and whom the Lord judges; and not in our gatherings, which are filled by the root of all evils, greed (Colossians III), so that we do not consider the faces of those who come to us, but their hands.
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.
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SUMMARY
Jeremiah 5:26 delivers a profound and searing indictment of the pervasive moral corruption within Judah, God's covenant people. It vividly portrays the wicked among them not merely as disobedient, but as cunning and predatory individuals, akin to fowlers or hunters who meticulously set traps and snares to ensnare and exploit unsuspecting victims. This verse underscores the insidious and calculated nature of their sin, which was not merely overt rebellion but a deliberate, internal betrayal of justice and righteousness, preying upon the most vulnerable within their own community and thereby necessitating divine judgment.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 5:26 is exceptionally rich in Imagery, particularly that of hunting and trapping. The wicked are vividly depicted as cunning fowlers or hunters, patiently laying Snares and meticulously setting Traps to capture their unsuspecting prey. This creates a powerful and disturbing mental picture of predatory behavior, emphasizing the stealth, malice, and calculated nature of their actions. The phrase "as he that setteth snares" functions as a potent Simile, directly comparing the wicked to a hunter, thereby clarifying their insidious methods and the deliberate intent behind their exploitation. There is also a profound element of Irony in the phrase "among my people," as it highlights the shocking betrayal of covenant righteousness by those who should have been exemplars of justice and compassion. The actions described, such as "lay wait" and "catch men," imbue the wicked with a malevolent agency, making their exploitation palpable and revealing the depth of their moral depravity.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 5:26 profoundly illustrates the tragic reality of covenant infidelity and rampant social injustice within God's chosen nation. The shocking presence of such predatory wickedness "among my people" signifies a deep spiritual apostasy, where the very fabric of their relationship with God and with one another has been fundamentally corrupted. This verse serves as a stark and necessary reminder that outward religious affiliation or a privileged covenant status does not guarantee inward righteousness or ethical conduct. It underscores God's unwavering commitment to justice and His profound abhorrence of exploitation, particularly when perpetrated by those who bear His sacred name. The calculated nature of their sin, likened to setting traps, reveals a deliberate disregard for the vulnerable and a perversion of the divine law that commanded steadfast care for the marginalized. This pervasive moral decay ultimately necessitates divine judgment, as the holy and just God cannot tolerate such systemic injustice and betrayal among His people indefinitely.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah 5:26 serves as a powerful and convicting mirror for any community, including the contemporary church, urging a sober and honest assessment of its internal spiritual and ethical health. It challenges us to recognize that true godliness is not merely expressed in outward worship, eloquent doctrinal statements, or impressive religious activities, but is profoundly and authentically demonstrated in how we treat one another, especially the most vulnerable among us. The insidious nature of the "traps" laid by the wicked reminds us that sin often operates subtly, through manipulation, deceit, systemic injustices, and quiet complicity, rather than just overt rebellion. We are therefore called to cultivate spiritual discernment, to courageously expose and actively dismantle structures of exploitation, and to passionately champion justice, protecting those who are susceptible to being "caught" and exploited. Furthermore, this verse compels deep self-examination, prompting us to honestly ask if we, perhaps unknowingly, contribute to or benefit from systems that exploit others, or if we harbor predatory attitudes in our own hearts. Our faith must manifest in righteous living, compassionate action, and a zealous pursuit of justice, reflecting God's holy character in all our interactions and societal engagements.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Who are "my people" in this context, and why is it significant that wickedness is found among them?
Answer: In Jeremiah 5:26, "my people" refers to the nation of Judah, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, with whom God had established a unique and sacred covenant relationship (e.g., Exodus 19:5-6). It is profoundly significant that wickedness is found among them because they were chosen to be a light to the nations, a people set apart to display God's righteousness, justice, and faithfulness to the world. Their internal corruption represented a fundamental betrayal of their covenant identity and divine purpose. It highlighted that their religious rituals and outward expressions of piety had become hollow, failing to genuinely transform their hearts and actions, leading to a deep spiritual hypocrisy that ultimately provoked God's righteous judgment.
What kind of "traps" or "snares" are being referred to in this verse?
Answer: The "traps" and "snares" are not literal hunting devices but serve as a powerful and chilling metaphor for the cunning, deceptive, and premeditated methods employed by the wicked to exploit and harm others. These would have encompassed various forms of social, economic, and legal injustices prevalent in ancient Judah. Examples might include defrauding the poor and vulnerable, manipulating legal systems to dispossess the defenseless, charging exorbitant interest rates, engaging in dishonest business practices, or abusing positions of power to oppress the marginalized. The imagery emphasizes the calculated and insidious nature of their actions, designed to ensnare unsuspecting victims for personal gain, mirroring the predatory behavior of a hunter who stalks and captures its prey.
How does this verse relate to God's justice and the theme of judgment in Jeremiah?
Answer: Jeremiah 5:26 serves as a crucial piece of evidence that powerfully justifies God's impending judgment on Judah. The pervasive and predatory wickedness described here demonstrates that the nation had fundamentally departed from God's righteous standards and covenant obligations. God, as a perfectly just and holy God, cannot and will not overlook such widespread injustice, moral depravity, and exploitation, especially when it occurs among His own people whom He called to be righteous. This verse underscores that divine judgment is not arbitrary or capricious but a necessary, righteous, and inevitable response to persistent sin, unrepentant rebellion, and the systemic failure to uphold justice. It highlights that God's justice demands accountability for those who exploit and oppress, ensuring that their hidden schemes and predatory actions will not go unpunished.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Jeremiah 5:26 vividly exposes the depth of human depravity and the pervasive, predatory nature of sin, even within a covenant community. This stark reality points directly to the absolute necessity of Christ for humanity's redemption. The "wicked men" who "lay wait" and "catch men" reveal the profound brokenness of humanity's fallen state, demonstrating how sin transforms individuals into predators against their own kind, seeking to exploit and destroy. Jesus Christ, however, stands in radical and perfect contrast to this picture of human brokenness and malice. He is the perfectly righteous one, untainted by such predatory sin, who came not to ensnare but to liberate. While the wicked "catch men" for destruction and personal gain, Jesus declared His mission to make His disciples "fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19), but for the divine purpose of salvation and eternal life. He fearlessly exposed the hidden wickedness and spiritual hypocrisy of His own generation's religious leaders, just as Jeremiah did for Judah (Matthew 23:27-28). Ultimately, Christ's sacrificial death on the cross and His glorious resurrection broke the power of sin and death, freeing humanity from the ultimate trap set by the enemy (Hebrews 2:14-15). He is the true Lamb of God, who, by His perfect sacrifice, takes away the sin of the world, offering redemption and liberation from the very wickedness that ensnared Judah and continues to ensnare all humanity (John 1:29). In Him, the justice of God is fully satisfied, and a path to true righteousness, spiritual liberation, and eternal life is graciously provided for all who believe.