Jeremiah 8:10 kjv
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.
Jeremiah 8:10 nkjv
Therefore I will give their wives to others, And their fields to those who will inherit them; Because from the least even to the greatest Everyone is given to covetousness; From the prophet even to the priest Everyone deals falsely.
Jeremiah 8:10 niv
Therefore I will give their wives to other men and their fields to new owners. From the least to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; prophets and priests alike, all practice deceit.
Jeremiah 8:10 esv
Therefore I will give their wives to others and their fields to conquerors, because from the least to the greatest everyone is greedy for unjust gain; from prophet to priest, everyone deals falsely.
Jeremiah 8:10 nlt
I will give their wives to others
and their farms to strangers.
From the least to the greatest,
their lives are ruled by greed.
Yes, even my prophets and priests are like that.
They are all frauds.
Jeremiah 8 10 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jer 6:13 | "For from the least of them even to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for unjust gain; and from the prophet even to the priest, everyone deals falsely." | Direct parallel, highlights consistent, pervasive corruption in Judah. |
| Deut 28:30-32 | "You shall betroth a wife, but another man shall violate her. You shall build a house, but you shall not live in it... Your sons and your daughters shall be given to another people..." | Covenant curse for disobedience: loss of family and property to enemies. |
| Isa 5:8-9 | "Woe to those who join house to house, who add field to field... The Lord of hosts has sworn: 'Surely many houses shall be desolate... and fields large and beautiful, without inhabitant.'" | Condemnation of land hoarding, similar judgment of desolation and loss of land. |
| Mic 3:5, 11 | "Thus says the Lord concerning the prophets... whose leaders give judgment for a bribe; its priests teach for a price; its prophets practice divination for money..." | Corruption of religious leaders driven by greed, paralleling Jeremiah. |
| Isa 56:11 | "The dogs have a mighty appetite; they never have enough... all are bent on their own gain, each to his own quarter." | Prophetic indictment against greedy spiritual leaders as "greedy dogs." |
| Ezek 22:25-29 | "Her prophets have daubed for them with whitewash... Her priests have violated my law... Her princes in her midst are like wolves tearing prey... The people of the land have practiced extortion and committed robbery..." | Comprehensive societal corruption from top to bottom, including priests and prophets. |
| Zep 3:4 | "Her prophets are treacherous, faithless men; her priests profane what is holy, they do violence to the law." | Direct criticism of corrupt priests and prophets, echoing Jeremiah's complaint. |
| Lam 5:11 | "They ravished women in Zion, young women in the cities of Judah." | Fulfillment of the judgment regarding women being taken. |
| Matt 6:24 | "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money." | Jesus' teaching on the incompatibility of serving God and material wealth (mammon). |
| 1 Tim 6:10 | "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs." | New Testament principle on the destructive nature of avarice. |
| Col 3:5 | "Put to death therefore what is earthly in you... covetousness, which is idolatry." | Greed equated with idolatry, linking it to spiritual unfaithfulness. |
| Prov 15:27 | "Whoever is greedy for unjust gain troubles his own household, but he who hates bribes will live." | Wisdom literature warning against greedy gain and its destructive effects. |
| Psa 58:3 | "The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray from birth, speaking lies." | General condition of human depravity and deceit, evident in Judah. |
| Jer 14:14 | "The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them... They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds." | God's condemnation of false prophets spreading lies, further evidence of widespread deceit. |
| Hos 4:1-2 | "There is no faithfulness or steadfast love, and no knowledge of God in the land; there is swearing, lying, murder, stealing, and adultery..." | Hosea's earlier description of Israel's pervasive moral decay and deceit. |
| Rom 1:18 | "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth." | Universal principle of God's wrath against sin, evident in Judah's judgment. |
| Eph 5:5 | "For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God." | Link between covetousness (greed) and disqualification from God's inheritance. |
| Tit 1:7-8, 10-11 | "For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach... not greedy for dishonest gain... For there are many unruly people, empty talkers and deceivers... They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole households by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach." | Qualifications for church leaders contrasted with those greedy for dishonest gain. |
| Hab 2:9-10 | "Woe to him who gets evil gain for his house, setting his nest on high to be safe from the reach of harm! You have devised shame for your house by cutting off many peoples..." | Prophetic warning against ill-gotten gains leading to self-destruction and shame. |
| Exo 20:17 | "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's." | The tenth commandment directly addressing the root of greed. |
Jeremiah 8 verses
Jeremiah 8 10 Meaning
Jeremiah 8:10 is a divine declaration of impending judgment upon Judah. Because of the pervasive and systemic greed and falsehood that permeated all levels of their society, from the lowest citizen to the highest religious and civil leaders, the Lord pronounces severe consequences: their homes, families, and land will be taken away and given to foreign invaders. This signifies complete national humiliation, loss of inheritance, and divine retribution for their covenant unfaithfulness.
Jeremiah 8 10 Context
Jeremiah 8:10 is embedded within a passage (Jer 8:4-17) where the prophet pronounces God's unyielding judgment on Judah for their stubborn idolatry, refusal to repent, and their persistent spiritual deafness. The chapter begins with God asking why Judah has not returned to Him, even as migratory birds know their seasons, yet His people do not know His law (v. 7). This verse is a direct consequence announced by God in response to their profound moral and spiritual decay. The false prophets and priests had assured the people of "peace, peace" when there was no true peace (v. 11), leading to a deluded sense of security that was completely unfounded given their widespread corruption. Jeremiah repeatedly laments the spiritual blindness and incurable wound of his people, whose iniquity had spread to every stratum of society. The historical context is the period leading up to the Babylonian invasion and the destruction of Jerusalem, specifically the reigns of Jehoiakim and Zedekiah, when the nation had become entrenched in sin despite Jeremiah's earnest and consistent warnings. The leadership—both civil and religious—was complicit in the nation's spiritual apostasy and social injustice, setting a dreadful example for the entire population.
Jeremiah 8 10 Word analysis
Word-by-word analysis:
- Therefore (לָכֵן - lakhen): Connects directly to the preceding pronouncements of judgment (e.g., v. 9: "they have rejected the word of the Lord") and establishes a cause-and-effect relationship: because of their pervasive sin, these severe consequences will follow. It emphasizes divine retribution.
- I will give: This is a direct declaration from the Lord (Yahweh), underscoring His sovereignty and active involvement in enacting judgment. It's not a passive outcome, but an intentional divine action.
- their wives: Represents personal humiliation, loss of family, and complete vulnerability. In ancient cultures, the conquest of women by victors was a stark symbol of utter defeat and desecration, the ultimate loss of security and identity for a nation.
- to others: Signifies foreigners, enemies, or invaders. It emphasizes the alienation from God's protection and the transfer of possession to those outside the covenant community.
- and their fields: Refers to their land, which in Israel was divinely gifted as an inheritance and central to their covenant identity, representing security, livelihood, and blessings from God. Its loss implies forfeiture of covenant promises and forced displacement.
- to new owners (לְיוֹרְשִׁים - l'yoreshim): Literally "to inheritors" or "possessors." This signifies the legal and permanent transfer of ownership of their sacred, ancestral land to foreign entities, representing the complete breakdown of their societal structure and their covenant with God.
- for: Introduces the reason or justification for the severe judgment.
- from the least: The lowest social status, common people.
- even to the greatest: The highest social status, influential leaders. This phrasing is a merism, meaning it covers all people without exception.
- everyone: Emphasizes the universal spread of sin; no one is innocent.
- is greedy for gain (בּוֹצֵעַ בָּצַע - botzea batza): Lit. "cuts a cut," implying illicit profit, extortion, or seeking advantage through dishonest means. It denotes insatiable covetousness and unjust enrichment at others' expense, which corrupts justice and social harmony.
- from the prophet: Those divinely appointed to speak God's word and guide the people morally and spiritually.
- even to the priest: Those responsible for teaching God's law, leading worship, and mediating between God and people. This pairing again functions as a merism, pointing to the widespread corruption within religious leadership.
- everyone: Reiterates the totality of the corruption, specifically targeting those who should be guardians of truth.
- deals falsely (עֹשֶׂה שָׁקֶר - oseh shaqer): Literally "does falsehood" or "practices deceit." This means they engage in lies, fraud, and misrepresentation, undermining trust, justice, and the very foundation of the covenant relationship.
Words-group analysis:
- "Therefore I will give their wives to others, and their fields to new owners": This clause pronounces specific and devastating judgment directly corresponding to covenant curses. The loss of wives implies personal degradation and loss of family, while the loss of fields signifies the forfeiture of the land God gave them, directly overturning God's blessing and identity as His people. It’s a reciprocal judgment for their spiritual prostitution and covetousness for illicit gain, highlighting the consequences of broken covenant.
- "for from the least even to the greatest, everyone is greedy for gain; from the prophet even to the priest, everyone deals falsely": This is a powerful, parallel explanation for the judgment. The two merisms ("least to greatest" and "prophet to priest") emphatically declare the universality of corruption. No part of society, from common citizen to sacred office, was untouched by avarice and deceit. The religious leaders, in particular, who should have been moral beacons, had themselves become exemplars of greed and falsehood, exacerbating the nation's spiritual crisis. The phrase "greedy for gain" (botzea batza) is a powerful idiom for illicit profit, and "deals falsely" (oseh shaqer) implies a systemic practice of dishonesty, not isolated incidents.
Jeremiah 8 10 Bonus section
The specific judgments mentioned – "wives to others" and "fields to new owners" – resonate deeply with the curses outlined in the Mosaic Covenant, particularly in Deuteronomy 28. This demonstrates that God's judgment is not arbitrary but consistent with His covenant stipulations. By rejecting God's law and pursuing selfish gain, Judah was explicitly inviting these curses upon themselves. The irony is poignant: the very leaders meant to protect the people and teach God's word (prophets and priests) are highlighted as chief among the offenders. This spiritual blindness of the leaders corrupted the entire populace, rendering them utterly unresponsive to God's warnings. Their "falsehood" extended to proclaiming peace when there was no peace (Jer 8:11), giving the people a delusive sense of security that facilitated their descent into unrepentant sin and ultimate destruction. This verse reveals not only God's holiness and justice but also the profound grief He experiences over His people's determined self-destruction.
Jeremiah 8 10 Commentary
Jeremiah 8:10 starkly portrays God's just judgment on a nation that had utterly abandoned Him, leading to profound moral and spiritual decay. The twin sins of "greed for gain" and "dealing falsely" had so saturated Judah, from every common person to every appointed spiritual guide, that their society was rotten to its core. This widespread corruption, particularly among the prophets and priests who were meant to uphold truth and justice, represents a catastrophic failure of leadership and spiritual guidance. God's response is a terrifying reciprocal judgment: those who sought illicit gain would lose their God-given inheritance – their land – and those who dealt falsely would suffer the indignity and horror of having their wives given to invaders. This verse serves as a chilling reminder that spiritual apostasy inevitably leads to moral collapse, systemic injustice, and ultimately, divine chastisement, affecting all aspects of life – family, property, and national identity. The Lord, who values justice and truth, will not tolerate such pervasive corruption within His covenant people.