TRV
Translation
King James Version
The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them?
Complete Jewish Bible
The wise are put to shame, alarmed, entrapped. They have rejected the word of ADONAI, so what wisdom do they have?
Berean Standard Bible
The wise will be put to shame; they will be dismayed and trapped. Since they have rejected the word of the LORD, what wisdom do they really have?
American Standard Version
The wise men are put to shame, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of Jehovah; and what manner of wisdom is in them?
World English Bible Messianic
The wise men are disappointed. They are dismayed and trapped. Behold, they have rejected the LORD’s word. What kind of wisdom is in them?
Geneva Bible (1599)
The wise men are ashamed: they are afraid and taken. loe, they haue reiected the word of the Lord, and what wisdome is in them?
Young's Literal Translation
Ashamed have been the wise, They have been affrighted, and are captured, Lo, against a word of Jehovah they kicked, And the wisdom of what--have they?
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In the KJVVerse 19,163 of 31,102
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Commentary on Jeremiah 8 verses 4–12
4 ¶ Moreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD; Shall they fall, and not arise? shall he turn away, and not return?
5 Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return.
6 I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle.
7 Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD.
8 How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain.
9 The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them?
10 Therefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall inherit them: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.
11 For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.
12 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.
The prophet here is instructed to set before this people the folly of their impenitence, which was it that brought this ruin upon them. They are here represented as the most stupid senseless people in the world, that would not be made wise by all the methods that Infinite Wisdom took to bring them to themselves and their right mind, and so to prevent the ruin that was coming upon them.
I. They would not attend to the dictates of reason. They would not act in the affairs of their souls with the same common prudence with which they acted in other things. Sinners would become saints if they would but show themselves men, and religion would soon rule them if right reason might. Observe it here. Come, and let us reason together, saith the Lord (Jer 8:4, Jer 8:5): Shall men fall and not arise? If men happen to fall to the ground, to fall into the dirt, will they not get up again as fast as they can? They are not such fools as to lie still when they are down. Shall a man turn aside out of the right way? Yes, the most careful traveller may miss his way; but then, as soon as he is aware of it, will he not return? Yes, certainly he will, with all speed, and will thank him that showed him his mistake. Thus men do in other things. Why then has this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? Why do not they, when they have fallen into sin, hasten to get up again by repentance? Why do not they, when they see they have missed their way, correct their error and reform? No man in his wits will go on in a way that he knows will never bring him to his journey's end; why then has this people slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? See the nature of sin - it is a backsliding it is going back from the right way, not only into a by-path, but into a contrary path, back from the way that leads to life to that which leads to utter destruction. And this backsliding, if almighty grace do not interpose to prevent it, will be a perpetual backsliding. The sinner not only wanders endlessly, but proceeds end-ways towards ruin. The same subtlety of the tempter that brings men to sin holds them fast in it, and they contribute to their own captivity: They hold fast deceit. Sin is a great cheat, and they hold it fast; they love it dearly, and resolve to stick to it, and baffle all the methods God takes to separate between them and their sins. The excuses they make for their sins are deceits, and so are all their hopes of impunity; yet they hold fast these, and will not be undeceived, and therefore they refuse to return. Note, There is some deceit or other which those hold fast that go on wilfully in sinful ways, some lie in their right hand, by which they keep hold of their sins.
II. They would not attend to the dictates of conscience, which is our reason reflecting upon ourselves and our own actions, Jer 8:6. Observe, 1. What expectations there were from them, that they would bethink themselves: I hearkened and heard. The prophet listened to see what effect his preaching had upon them; God himself listened, as one that desires not the death of sinners, that would have been glad to hear any thing that promised repentance, that would certainly have heard it if there had been any thing said of that tendency, and would soon have answered it with comfort, as he did David when he said, I will confess, Psa 32:5. God looks upon men when they have done amiss (Job 33:27), to see what they will do next; he hearkens and hears. 2. How these expectations were disappointed: They spoke not aright, as I thought they would have done. They did not only not do right, but not so much as speak right; God could not get a good word from them, nothing on which to ground any favour to them or hopes concerning them. There was none of them that spoke aright, none that repented him of his wickedness. those that have sinned then, and then only, speak aright when they speak of repenting; and it is sad when those that have made so much work for repentance do not say a word of repenting. Not only did God not find any repenting of the national wickedness, which might have helped to empty the measure of public guilt, but none repented of that particular wickedness which he knew himself guilty of. (1.) They did not so much as take the first step towards repentance; they did not so much as say, What have I done? There was no motion towards it, not the least sign or token of it. Note, True repentance beings in a serious and impartial inquiry into ourselves, what have we done, arising from a conviction that we have done amiss. (2.) They were so far from repenting of their sins that they went on resolutely in their sins: Every one turned to his course, his wicked course, that course of sin which he had chosen and accustomed himself to, as the horse rushes into the battle, eager upon action, and scorning to be curbed. How the horse rushes into the battle is elegantly described, Job 39:21, etc. He mocks at fear and is not affrighted. Thus the daring sinner laughs at the threatenings of the word as bugbears, and runs violently upon the instruments of death and slaughter, and nothing will be restrained from him.
III. They would not attend to the dictates of providence, nor understand the voice of God in them, Jer 8:7. It is an instance of their sottishness that, though they are God's people, and therefore should readily understand his mind upon every intimation of it, yet they know not the judgment of the Lord; they apprehend not the meaning either of a mercy or an affliction, not how to accommodate themselves to either, nor to answer God's intention in either. They know not how to improve the seasons of grave that God affords them when he sends them his prophets, nor how to make use of the rebukes they are under when his voice cries in the city. They discern not the signs of the times (Mat 16:3), nor are aware how God is dealing with them. They know not that way of duty which God had prescribed them, though it be written both in their hearts and in their books. 2. It is an aggravation of their sottishness that there is so much sagacity in the inferior creatures. The stork in the heaven knows her appointed times of coming and continuing; so do other season-birds, the turtle, the crane, and the swallow. These by a natural instinct change their quarters, as the temper of the air alters; they come when the spring comes, and go, we know not whither, when the winter approaches, probably into warmer climates, as some birds come with winter and go when that is over.
IV. They would not attend to the dictates of the written word. They say, We are wise; but how can they say so? Jer 8:8. With what face can they pretend to any thing of wisdom, when they do not understand themselves so well as the brute-creatures? Why, truly, they think they are wise because the law of the Lord is with them, the book of the law and the interpreters of it; and their neighbours, for the same reason, conclude they are wise, Deu 4:6. But their pretensions are groundless for all this: Lo, certainly in vain made he it; surely never any people had Bibles to so little purpose as they have. They might as well have been without the law, unless they had made a better use of it. God has indeed made it able to make men wise to salvation, but as to them it is made so in vain, for they are never the wiser for it: The pen of the scribes, of those that first wrote the law and of those that now write expositions of it, is in vain. Both the favour of their God and the labour of their scribes are lost upon them; they receive the grace of God therein in vain. Note, There are many that enjoy abundance of the means of grace, that have great plenty of Bibles and ministers, but they have them in vain; they do not answer the end of their having them. But it might be said, They have some wise men among them, to whom the law and the pen of the scribes are not in vain. To this it is answered (Jer 8:9): The wise men are ashamed, that is, they have reasons to be so, that they have not made a better use of their wisdom, and lived more up to it. They are confounded and taken; all their wisdom has not served to keep them from those courses that tend to their ruin. They are taken in the same snares that others of their neighbours, who have not pretended to so much wisdom, are taken in, and filled with the same confusion. Those that have more knowledge than others, and yet do no better than others for their own souls, have reason to be ashamed. They talk of their wisdom, but, Lo, they have rejected the word of the Lord; they would not be governed by it, would not follow its direction, would not do what they knew; and then what wisdom is in them? None to any purpose; none that will be found to their praise at the great day, how much soever it is found to their pride now. The pretenders to wisdom, who said, "We are wise and the law of the Lord is with us," were the priests and the false prophets; with them the prophet here deals plainly. 1. He threatens the judgments of God against them. Their families and estates shall be ruined (Jer 8:10): Their wives shall be given to others, when they are taken captives, and their fields. shall be taken from them by their victorious enemy and shall be given to those that shall inherit them, not only strip them for once, but take possession of them as their own and acquire a property in them as their own and acquire a property in them, which they shall transmit to their posterity. And (Jer 8:12), notwithstanding all their pretensions to wisdom and sanctity, they shall fall among those that fall; for, if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall together into the ditch. In the time of their visitation, when the wickedness of the land comes to be enquired into, it will be found that they have contributed to it more than any, and therefore they shall be sure to be cast down and cast out. 2. He gives a reason for these judgments (Jer 8:10-12), even the same account of their badness which we meet with before (Jer 6:13-15), where it was opened at large. (1.) They were greedy of the wealth of this world, which is bad enough in any, but worst in prophets and priests, who should be best acquainted with another world and therefore should be most dead to this. But these, from the least to the greatest, were given to covetousness. The priests teach for hire and the prophets divine for money, Mic 3:11. (2.) They made no conscience of speaking truth, no, not when they spoke as priests and prophets: Every one deals falsely, looks one way and rows another. There is no such thing as sincerity among them. (3.) They flattered people in their sins, and so flattered them into destruction. They pretended to be the physicians of the state, but knew not how to apply proper remedies to its growing maladies; they healed them slightly, killed the patient with palliative cures, silencing their fears and complaints with, "Peace, peace, all is well, and there is no danger," when the God of heaven was proceeding in his controversy with them, so that there could be no peace to them. (4.) When it was made to appear how basely they prevaricated they were not at all ashamed of it, but rather gloried in it, (Jer 8:12): They could not blush, so perfectly lost were they to all sense of virtue and honour. When they were convicted of the grossest forgeries they would justify what they had done, and laugh at those whom they had imposed upon. Such as these were ripe for ruin.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 4–12. Public domain.
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JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Jeremiah
(Verse 9) The wise are confused, terrified and captured. For they have rejected the word of the Lord, and there is no wisdom in them. Not because they are wise who do these things; but rather, He calls the wise so that they may be condemned under judgment and their wisdom may be proven foolishness, as the Apostle Paul says: 'You who teach others, do you not teach yourself?' (Romans 2:21). And because they have rejected the word of the Lord, therefore there is no wisdom in them. Therefore, those who destroy doctrine with their actions boast in vain of their knowledge of the law.
Cyril of AlexandriaAD 444
COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 131
The blessed prophet Jeremiah loudly condemned both the ignorance and pride of the [unfaithful] Jews. He rebukes them in these words, "How can you say, 'We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us'? But behold, the lying pen of the scribes has made it into a lie. The wise people shall be put to shame. They shall be dismayed and taken. Behold, they have rejected the Word of the Lord, so what wisdom is in them?" For being neither wise nor acquainted with the sacred Scriptures, though the scribes and Pharisees falsely assumed to themselves the reputation of being learned in the law, they rejected the Word of God. For when the Only-begotten had become man, they did not receive him or yield their neck obediently to the summons that he addressed to them by the gospel. Because, therefore, by their wicked conduct they rejected the Word of God, they were themselves rejected, being condemned by God's just decree. He said, by the voice of Jeremiah, "Call them rejected silver because the Lord has rejected them." And again, "Shave your head, and cast it away, and take lamentation on your lips because the Lord has rejected and thrust away the generation that has done these things." And what these things are the God of all has declared to us, saying, "Hear, O earth: behold! I am bringing on this people evils, the fruit of their turning away, because they regarded not my word and have rejected my law."
Salvian the PresbyterAD 500
THE GOVERNANCE OF GOD 4:1
What is a holy title without merit but an ornament set in the mud? The Holy Scriptures have testified to this in writing: “A golden ring in a swine’s snout, a woman fair and foolish.” And in us the title Christian is like a golden ornament. If we use it unworthily, we seem to be swine with an ornament.…For this reason, our God spoke elsewhere about the Hebrew people to the prophet, saying, “Call his name, Not Beloved.” And again to the Jews, “You are not my people, and I am not your God.” But he showed clearly elsewhere why he said this about them, for he said, “They have forsaken the Lord, the vein of living waters.” And again: “For they have cast away the word of the Lord, and there is no wisdom in them.”
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 8:9 delivers a scathing indictment against the supposed "wise men" of Judah, exposing the utter futility and shame of human wisdom when it stands in opposition to or in rejection of divine revelation. The verse portrays a people, led by those who should have known better, facing inevitable disgrace and capture because their counsel and understanding were not rooted in the authoritative word of the LORD, ultimately rendering their boasted wisdom hollow and non-existent.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Jeremiah 8:9 is situated within a larger prophetic lament (Jeremiah 8:4-17) where the prophet mourns Judah's spiritual stubbornness and impending judgment. Preceding verses (Jeremiah 8:4-8) highlight the nation's persistent backsliding, their refusal to repent, and their deceptive claim to possess the law of the LORD while acting contrary to it. Jeremiah 8:8 in particular, directly sets up verse 9 by stating, "How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain." This accusation immediately precedes the condemnation of the wise in verse 9, linking their false wisdom directly to their mishandling and rejection of God's law. The verses that follow (Jeremiah 8:10-12) describe the consequences of this rejection: their houses and fields will be given to others, and all, from prophet to priest, are greedy and deceitful, leading to a false sense of peace.
Historical & Cultural Context: Jeremiah ministered during the late 7th and early 6th centuries BC, a period of profound geopolitical instability and moral decline in Judah, prior to the Babylonian exile. The "wise men" (Hebrew: chakhamim) in this context would have included royal counselors, scribes, legal experts, and those who interpreted and applied the Mosaic Law. They were the intellectual and spiritual elite, expected to provide sound guidance based on tradition, experience, and divine instruction. However, during Jeremiah's time, many of these figures had become corrupted, offering counsel that prioritized political expediency or popular opinion over the clear commands of Yahweh. Their "wisdom" was worldly, relying on alliances with foreign powers or superficial religious rituals rather than genuine repentance and trust in God. This verse critiques a culture where intellectual pride and self-reliance had supplanted humble submission to God's revealed truth.
Key Themes: This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in Jeremiah and the broader prophetic literature. It underscores the Futility of Human Wisdom Apart from God, demonstrating that intellectual prowess or strategic planning, when divorced from divine revelation, leads to shame and disaster. It highlights the Rejection of God's Word as the Root Cause of Apostasy, emphasizing that Judah's downfall stems from their deliberate and contemptuous dismissal of the LORD's commands and warnings, as seen in passages like Jeremiah 6:10 and Jeremiah 7:23-24. Furthermore, it implicitly defines True Wisdom as Obedience to God, contrasting the false wisdom of the "wise men" with the genuine understanding that comes from fearing the LORD and adhering to His statutes, a theme echoed throughout the book of Proverbs.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 8:9 employs several potent Literary Devices to convey its message. The most prominent is Irony, as the prophet refers to "wise men" who are, in fact, utterly foolish because they have rejected the very source of true wisdom. Their supposed insight leads them to shame and capture, directly contradicting the expected outcome of wisdom. The verse also utilizes a powerful Rhetorical Question at its conclusion: "and what wisdom is in them?" This question is not meant to be answered literally but to emphatically underscore the absence of genuine wisdom in those who spurn God's word. It forces the audience to confront the logical consequence of their actions. Furthermore, there is an element of Contrast between the perceived wisdom of men and the true wisdom that comes from the LORD, highlighting the vast chasm between human understanding and divine revelation.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 8:9 powerfully articulates a foundational biblical truth: true wisdom is not an inherent human capacity or a product of worldly intellect, but rather a gift and outcome of humble submission to God's revealed word. The "wise men" of Judah, by rejecting the very source of divine truth, demonstrated that their wisdom was ultimately foolishness, incapable of discerning God's will or averting His judgment. This verse serves as a timeless warning against intellectual arrogance and the dangers of separating knowledge from its divine foundation, emphasizing that genuine insight and security are found only in adherence to the LORD's commands.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah 8:9 serves as a profound mirror for every generation, challenging our assumptions about what constitutes true wisdom. In a world that often prioritizes human ingenuity, technological advancement, and self-derived philosophies, this verse reminds us that the ultimate standard for truth and guidance remains the unchanging word of God. When individuals, institutions, or nations reject divine principles, they inevitably find themselves "ashamed, dismayed, and taken" by the consequences of their own flawed counsel. This calls us to a posture of humility, recognizing that our intellect, no matter how sharp, is insufficient without divine illumination. It compels us to diligently study God's word, not merely as an academic exercise, but as the very source of life, discernment, and genuine understanding for navigating the complexities of existence. To truly be wise is to embrace the word of the LORD, allowing it to shape our thoughts, decisions, and actions, thereby avoiding the shame and dismay that accompany self-reliance.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does it mean that "the wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken"?
Answer: This phrase describes the humiliating and disastrous consequences awaiting those who relied on their own human wisdom rather than God's word. "Ashamed" (Hebrew: yâbêsh) implies public disgrace, confusion, and disappointment when their plans fail. "Dismayed" (Hebrew: châthath) suggests being terrified, broken down by fear and confusion, indicating a loss of courage and hope. "Taken" (Hebrew: lâkad) means to be caught or captured, likely referring to their impending subjugation by foreign powers (Babylon) or being ensnared by their own flawed strategies. Their supposed wisdom proved utterly ineffective in the face of divine judgment and external threats, leading to their utter downfall and humiliation.
Who are the "wise men" referred to in this verse?
Answer: The "wise men" (Hebrew: chakhamim) in ancient Israel were typically a class of individuals who held positions of influence as counselors, scribes, legal experts, and interpreters of the law. They were the intellectual elite, responsible for advising kings, teaching the people, and preserving national traditions, often drawing from both practical experience and the divine law. In Jeremiah's context, these were the leaders, priests, and scribes who should have guided the nation according to God's covenant but instead offered deceptive counsel or relied on human reasoning, leading Judah astray. Their wisdom was worldly and self-serving, rather than rooted in the fear of the LORD.
How does rejecting "the word of the LORD" relate to their lack of wisdom?
Answer: Jeremiah 8:9 directly links the wise men's shame and dismay to their rejection of "the word of the LORD." This is the core theological point: true wisdom (Hebrew: chokmâh) in the biblical sense is not merely intellectual capacity or shrewdness, but a moral and spiritual discernment that originates from God. By deliberately spurning God's revealed will, His commands, and His warnings, these wise men cut themselves off from the only legitimate source of genuine wisdom. Their human intellect, divorced from divine truth, became foolishness, incapable of providing true guidance or salvation. The rhetorical question, "and what wisdom is in them?" highlights that without God's word, their wisdom is non-existent or utterly worthless, leading only to ruin. This concept is foundational to biblical wisdom literature, as seen in Proverbs 1:7.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Jeremiah 8:9, with its indictment of human wisdom apart from God's word, finds its ultimate fulfillment and resolution in the person of Jesus Christ. The "wise men" of Jeremiah's day rejected the prophetic word, leading to their shame and destruction. Similarly, in the New Testament, the religious leaders and "wise" of Israel often rejected the living Word of God, Jesus Himself, as highlighted in John 1:11. Their reliance on human traditions and interpretations, rather than the true wisdom embodied in Christ, led them to crucify the very source of life and truth. However, what appeared as foolishness to the world—the cross—is revealed as the ultimate wisdom of God for salvation, as articulated by Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:23-24. In Christ, all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden (Colossians 2:3), and He is made to us wisdom from God (1 Corinthians 1:30). Thus, Jeremiah's lament over rejected wisdom points forward to the divine wisdom fully manifested in Jesus, whose word, unlike that rejected by Judah's wise men, brings life, salvation, and true understanding to all who embrace it.