Jeremiah 17 5

Jeremiah 17:5 kjv

Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.

Jeremiah 17:5 nkjv

Thus says the LORD: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the LORD.

Jeremiah 17:5 niv

This is what the LORD says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the LORD.

Jeremiah 17:5 esv

Thus says the LORD: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the LORD.

Jeremiah 17:5 nlt

This is what the LORD says:
"Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans,
who rely on human strength
and turn their hearts away from the LORD.

Jeremiah 17 verses

Jeremiah 17 5 Meaning

Jeremiah 17:5 declares a divine pronouncement against those who place their ultimate trust and reliance in human strength or wisdom instead of the Lord. This misdirected trust is identified as a fundamental spiritual departure, leading to a state of being "cursed" by God. It signifies an abandonment of divine dependence for fallible human capability, resulting in separation from God’s provision and blessing.

Jeremiah 17 5 Context

Jeremiah chapter 17 is part of the prophet's laments and oracles to Judah during a period of grave national crisis. Judah faces imminent destruction and exile at the hands of Babylon due to its persistent idolatry and disobedience. The preceding verses (17:1-4) vividly describe Judah's deeply ingrained sin, "engraved... upon the tablet of their heart" and altars, resulting in the divine decree of punishment and dispossession of their inheritance.

Verse 5 introduces a stark contrast, initiating a wisdom-style teaching that continues through verse 8. It serves as a polemic against the prevalent political and cultural tendency of the time: Judah, like many nations then, often sought alliances with powerful human kingdoms (such as Egypt) for protection against rising threats, rather than placing their full reliance on YHWH, their covenant God. This verse challenges the very foundation of where security, power, and hope were placed by the people and their leaders, setting up the subsequent blessedness of trusting in the Lord as the true alternative. It directly addresses the spiritual core of their apostasy—a heart turned away from God.

Jeremiah 17 5 Word analysis

• Thus says the Lord (כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה - Koh Amar YHWH): A standard prophetic formula asserting direct divine authority. This is not Jeremiah's opinion but a pronouncement from the sovereign God of Israel, YHWH, indicating absolute truth and weight.
• Cursed (אָרוּר - Arur): A powerful legal and covenantal term, signifying a state of divine condemnation, separation from God's favor, and impending misfortune. It implies a pronouncement of severe consequences, contrasting sharply with 'blessed' (as seen in Jer 17:7).
• is the man (הַגֶּבֶר - haggever): Literally "the mighty man" or "the strong man." While it refers to any individual, the choice of gever emphasizes that even those perceived as strong, capable, or authoritative (kings, generals, or wise advisors) are subject to this curse if their trust is misplaced.
• who trusts (יִבְטַח - yivtakh): Implies a deep reliance, a confident security, or a feeling of safety found in something or someone. It speaks to the ultimate object of one's hope and dependence.
• in man (בָּאָדָם - ba'adam): Referring to humanity in general. The term adam suggests fragility and mortality (from adamah, earth/dust). It contrasts the finite, temporal, and inherently weak nature of humankind with the infinite power and eternality of God.
• And makes (וְשָׂם - v'sam): "Puts," "sets," or "places." This verb indicates a deliberate choice to establish something as a foundation or source of strength.
• flesh (בָּשָׂר - basar): Refers to the physical body and human nature, often with connotations of weakness, transience, and mortality, especially when contrasted with the divine Spirit. Here, it signifies human ability, resources, wisdom, or material power, devoid of divine spiritual empowerment.
• his strength (זְרֹעוֹ - zero'o): Literally "his arm." The arm is a universal symbol of power, might, and capability, often associated with military strength or capacity for action. Making "flesh his arm" means relying on human means, efforts, and self-sufficiency as the ultimate source of power and protection.
• Whose heart (וּמִלִּבּוֹ - u'milibbo): The "heart" (לֵב - lev) in Hebrew thought represents the totality of the inner person – the seat of intellect, will, emotion, and moral consciousness. It's the core of one's being, the center of spiritual allegiance.
• departs (יָסוּר - yasur): "Turns away," "swerves," or "strays." This signifies an intentional spiritual turning or alienation, an act of going astray from the right path or object of allegiance. It’s an active departure rather than a passive drifting.
• from the Lord (מֵיְהוָה - meYHWH): From Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel. This specifies the crucial element: misplaced trust in humanity leads to an active spiritual disengagement and disloyalty from the Creator who is the rightful object of all trust.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Cursed is the man who trusts in man": This phrase introduces the central theological pronouncement. It’s a sweeping declaration of divine disapproval on the act of ultimate reliance upon finite humanity, contrasting God's omnipotence with human limitation. It sets up a fundamental principle for covenant living.
• "And makes flesh his strength": This phrase elaborates on how trusting in man manifests. It’s not just a passive belief, but an active choosing to find power, capability, and security in human resources, political alliances, military might, personal cleverness, or material wealth. "Flesh" inherently signifies frailty when viewed against divine power.
• "Whose heart departs from the Lord": This concluding phrase reveals the deeper spiritual reality behind the misplaced trust. It's not merely an error in judgment, but an internal, core abandonment of YHWH. The ultimate result and implicit reason for the curse is a disloyal heart, signifying a break in the intimate relationship between God and His people, where true trust ought to reside. These three aspects form an interconnected warning about the spiritual danger of idolatry of humanity.

Jeremiah 17 5 Bonus section

The strong imagery of "makes flesh his strength/arm" emphasizes relying on human strength or resourcefulness which is by nature fallible, temporal, and limited, unlike God’s omnipotence. This directly opposes the consistent biblical message that "the battle belongs to the Lord" (1 Sam 17:47) and that "salvation belongs to the Lord" (Ps 3:8). The immediate context of Jer 17:5-8 presents a contrasting parallelism: the cursed state of trusting in man (described as a parched shrub in a desert) versus the blessed state of trusting in the Lord (described as a tree planted by water, yielding fruit). This provides not only a warning but also a clear, life-giving alternative. This verse served as a pointed rebuke to Judah's kings and leaders who sought alliances with Egypt or Babylon against God's will, relying on human military power rather than divine protection. The principle extends beyond political alliances to all forms of humanistic trust in our personal and collective lives.

Jeremiah 17 5 Commentary

Jeremiah 17:5 presents a foundational spiritual principle through a stark prophetic oracle. It is a divine condemnation, not against healthy human interaction, but against the misplaced, ultimate reliance on human power, wisdom, or resources. Such reliance is fundamentally "cursed" because it signifies a profound turning away from God Himself. The verse highlights that seeking ultimate security in "flesh" – denoting limited human capability and transient earthly power – inevitably leads to a "heart that departs from the Lord." This isn't merely a practical mistake, but a theological and spiritual betrayal, forsaking the eternal, living God for what is temporary and finite. The consequence of this spiritual apostasy is a withdrawal of divine favor, resulting in a life devoid of true sustenance and blessing. It acts as a profound warning that where our ultimate trust is placed, there our true allegiance lies, defining the very nature of our relationship with God.