Jeremiah 5 5

Jeremiah 5:5 kjv

I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they have known the way of the LORD, and the judgment of their God: but these have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds.

Jeremiah 5:5 nkjv

I will go to the great men and speak to them, For they have known the way of the LORD, The judgment of their God." But these have altogether broken the yoke And burst the bonds.

Jeremiah 5:5 niv

So I will go to the leaders and speak to them; surely they know the way of the LORD, the requirements of their God." But with one accord they too had broken off the yoke and torn off the bonds.

Jeremiah 5:5 esv

I will go to the great and will speak to them, for they know the way of the LORD, the justice of their God." But they all alike had broken the yoke; they had burst the bonds.

Jeremiah 5:5 nlt

So I will go and speak to their leaders.
Surely they know the ways of the LORD
and understand God's laws."
But the leaders, too, as one man,
had thrown off God's yoke
and broken his chains.

Jeremiah 5 verses

Jeremiah 5 5 Meaning

Jeremiah 5:5 depicts the prophet's (or God's) next phase in searching for righteous people in Jerusalem. After finding the common folk ("poor" and "foolish" in v.4) ignorant of God's ways, the hope turns to the "great men"—the powerful, learned, and influential members of society. The expectation is that these leaders, due to their education and position, would certainly "know the way of the Lord and the judgment of their God." However, the verse reveals a more severe indictment: far from merely being ignorant, these prominent individuals had knowingly and defiantly rejected God's authority and covenant obligations, vividly illustrated by their having "altogether broken the yoke and burst the bonds." Their knowing made their rebellion all the more egregious, leaving no segment of society innocent before God.

Jeremiah 5 5 Context

Jeremiah 5 stands as a profound indictment of Judah's spiritual and moral decay just prior to its fall to Babylon. The chapter opens with God's challenge in verse 1 for Jeremiah to search Jerusalem's streets to find even one righteous person who "practices justice and seeks truth" – a search that proves fruitless. This verse then continues that search, first examining the common people in verse 4, who are deemed "poor" and "foolish" for their ignorance of God's ways. Jeremiah 5:5 represents a shift in focus; it reflects a last, desperate hope that perhaps the societal elite, those with presumed wisdom, education, and leadership responsibilities, would demonstrate loyalty to God. However, this hope is quickly shattered, as these "great men" are found to be not merely ignorant, but culpably defiant. Their position and knowledge render their rebellion even more grievous, signifying a pervasive national apostasy from the top down. Historically, this aligns with a period when Judah's kings (Jehoiakim, Zedekiah) and leaders often ignored Jeremiah's warnings, engaging in idolatry and breaking the covenant.

Jeremiah 5 5 Word analysis

• I will go: Hebrew: 'elekh (אֵלְכָה). This is a strong, intentional first-person verb, emphasizing Jeremiah's personal mission or God's directed inquiry through the prophet. It suggests a deliberate move, a direct effort to find the truth, transitioning from the 'poor' in verse 4.
• to the great: Hebrew: gĕdōlīm (גְּדֹלִים). This refers to the influential, wealthy, powerful, and educated class. It includes nobility, priests, scribes, judges, and high-ranking officials. The contrast with the "poor" (dallim) and "foolish" ('ĕwîliym) of verse 4 is striking, implying a hierarchical progression in God's judgment and search. They are precisely the ones who should set an example and preserve truth.
• and will speak to them: Hebrew: 'ĕdabbĕrâ (וַאֲדַבְּרָה). This denotes a serious, deliberate utterance. The prophet (or God through the prophet) intends to engage directly, bringing forth God's message or uncovering their true spiritual state.
• for they have known: Hebrew: yāda'û (יָדְעוּ). This verb "to know" often implies experiential or relational knowledge, not just intellectual assent. In this context, it is deeply ironic. They had access to divine revelation, through the Torah, the Temple, and prophetic teaching. Their failure was not one of ignorance but of willful disregard despite their knowledge. This makes their sin more heinous than those who might have truly been ignorant (v. 4).
• the way of the Lord: Hebrew: derekh YHWH (דֶּרֶךְ־יְהוָה). This signifies God's moral precepts, His divine will, the covenant requirements, the righteous path He prescribed for His people, encompassing both His commands and His character.
• and the judgment of their God: Hebrew: mishpaṭ 'Elohim (וּמִשְׁפַּט אֱלֹהֵיהֶם). This refers to God's ordinances, His established decrees, righteous laws, and the justice He upholds and requires. The phrase "their God" (referring to YHWH) emphasizes their covenant relationship, which deepened their culpability.
• but these: This phrase strongly indicates a direct contrast or antithesis to the expectation set in the preceding clause. Despite knowing, they acted contrarily.
• have altogether broken: Hebrew: šābar (שָׁבְרוּ) combined with 'al-nāšîm (עַל־נָשִׂים) meaning "completely" or "entirely." The verb šābar means "to break, smash, shatter." This suggests a violent, deliberate, and thorough act of demolition. The adverb "altogether" intensifies the completeness of their rebellion.
• the yoke: Hebrew: 'al (עֹל). The "yoke" symbolizes submission, labor, obedience, or a burden. In a covenant context, it represents the obligation to obey God's laws. To "break the yoke" signifies a defiant rejection of God's sovereignty and His moral claims upon them.
• and burst: Hebrew: nāt̠aq (נִתְּקוּ). This verb means "to tear off, rip apart, pull off, separate." It implies a forceful and destructive severance, often of a rope or bond. This parallels "broken," amplifying the violent nature of their rejection.
• the bonds: Hebrew: mōsarōt̠ (מוֹסֵרוֹת). This refers to cords, fetters, bands, or restraints. It complements "yoke" by further depicting instruments of control or obligation. Bursting these bonds represents an ardent desire for unrestricted freedom from all divine authority and restraint, a total throwing off of God's laws and covenant stipulations.

Words-group analysis:

• "have known the way of the Lord, and the judgment of their God": This phrase highlights the profound hypocrisy and deliberate nature of their sin. Their status implied access to knowledge, yet their actions contradicted it. This distinguishes their sin from mere ignorance, escalating their guilt significantly.
• "have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds": These two parallel phrases are vivid metaphors emphasizing the total and violent repudiation of God's covenant authority. "Yoke" and "bonds" are not just laws, but symbols of relationship and allegiance. Their breaking suggests an intentional, decisive, and rebellious act against their divine Master, indicative of a society unwilling to be constrained by God's commands.

Jeremiah 5 5 Bonus Section

• The progression from Jeremiah 5:1 (find one just man), to 5:4 (common people are ignorant), to 5:5 (great men know but willfully rebel) demonstrates a methodical and escalating divine inquiry into Judah's spiritual state, finding no segment of society innocent before God.
• This verse profoundly challenges the assumption that knowledge automatically leads to righteousness or wisdom. It reveals that knowledge can, in fact, exacerbate one's sin if it leads to defiant rejection rather than humble submission.
• The "yoke" imagery has a powerful spiritual parallel in the New Testament with Jesus' invitation in Matthew 11:29-30, "Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." This contrasts sharply with Judah's violent rejection of God's good and righteous "yoke" and "bonds," which were meant for their peace and prosperity.

Jeremiah 5 5 Commentary

Jeremiah 5:5 paints a somber picture of widespread apostasy, particularly among those expected to be righteous. The passage moves from an impossible search for truth-seekers (v.1) and finding ignorance among the common folk (v.4) to the devastating revelation that even the leaders, the gĕdōlīm, were utterly faithless. Their culpability is amplified by their "knowing" – they had intellectual and theological access to God's "way" and "judgment," making their rebellion willful, not unwitting. The vivid imagery of "breaking the yoke" and "bursting the bonds" powerfully illustrates a defiant refusal to submit to God's rule and His covenant demands. It's an act of unbridled rebellion, opting for lawlessness over divine constraint. This means that judgment upon Judah was not an arbitrary act but a just response to the comprehensive spiritual rebellion spanning all societal levels, underscoring that privileged access to truth often correlates with greater accountability when rejected.

• Practical application: Just as knowing the truth brings greater accountability, so too should those in positions of leadership or greater knowledge within faith communities recognize their profound responsibility to model obedience and reverence, lest their own knowing become a greater condemnation. Ignorance is lamentable, but deliberate defiance despite knowledge is truly damning.