Jeremiah 8:6 kjv
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.
Jeremiah 8:6 nkjv
I listened and heard, But they do not speak aright. No man repented of his wickedness, Saying, 'What have I done?' Everyone turned to his own course, As the horse rushes into the battle.
Jeremiah 8:6 niv
I have listened attentively, but they do not say what is right. None of them repent of their wickedness, saying, "What have I done?" Each pursues their own course like a horse charging into battle.
Jeremiah 8:6 esv
I have paid attention and listened, but they have not spoken rightly; no man relents of his evil, saying, 'What have I done?' Everyone turns to his own course, like a horse plunging headlong into battle.
Jeremiah 8:6 nlt
I listen to their conversations
and don't hear a word of truth.
Is anyone sorry for doing wrong?
Does anyone say, "What a terrible thing I have done"?
No! All are running down the path of sin
as swiftly as a horse galloping into battle!
Jeremiah 8 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 8:6 | "No one repents of his wickedness, saying, ‘What have I done?’" | (Self-reference) |
| Psalm 32:5 | "I confess my transgressions to the Lord…and you forgave…" | Forgiveness through confession |
| Proverbs 14:12 | "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." | Spiritual delusion |
| Isaiah 9:13 | "Yet my people have not turned to me, nor sought me in all their distress." | Lack of seeking God |
| Ezekiel 14:6 | "Repent and turn yourselves away from your idols…" | Call to repentance |
| Matthew 3:2 | "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." | Jesus' call to repentance |
| Luke 13:3 | "No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish." | Necessity of repentance |
| Acts 3:19 | "Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out." | Repentance and forgiveness |
| Romans 2:4 | "Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?" | God's kindness leads to repentance |
| 2 Corinthians 7:10 | "For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret…" | True repentance |
| Jeremiah 3:25 | "Let us also join ourselves with the LORD in his covenant, and to confess our iniquity..." | Confession of iniquity |
| Jeremiah 4:14 | "Wash your heart from evil, O Jerusalem, that you may be saved! How long shall your vain thoughts lodge within you?" | Call to purity |
| Jeremiah 5:3 | "O LORD, do not your eyes look for truth? You have struck them, but they felt no anguish…" | Lack of divine perception |
| Jeremiah 7:26 | "Yet they did not listen to me or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck, they did worse than their fathers." | Stubbornness |
| Isaiah 6:9-10 | "Go, and tell this people, ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand…lest they turn and I heal them.'" | Spiritual dullness |
| Jeremiah 2:19 | "Your wickedness will correct you, and your backslidings will rebuke you…" | Consequences of sin |
| Jeremiah 6:15 | "Were they ashamed by the abomination they had committed? No, they were not at all ashamed; they could not even blush." | Shamelessness |
| Jeremiah 15:5 | "Who will have compassion on you, O Jerusalem, or who will lament for you?" | Lament for apostasy |
| Jeremiah 18:11 | "Go, therefore, and speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem…" | Warning of judgment |
| John 12:40 | "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they should see with their eyes and understand with their heart…" | Isaiah's prophecy applied to unbelief |
| Hosea 11:7 | "My people are bent on turning away from me…" | Persistent turning away |
Jeremiah 8 verses
Jeremiah 8 6 Meaning
The verse expresses a profound sorrow and repentance concerning the people's inability to learn and their persistent straying from God's path, indicating a spiritual blindness and hardness of heart that leads to their downfall.
Jeremiah 8 6 Context
Jeremiah chapter 8 continues the prophet's lamentation over Jerusalem and Judah. The preceding verses (8:4-5) speak of the people's stubborn persistence in sin, their refusal to turn back, and their idolatrous practices. Verse 6, therefore, serves as a stark illustration of this ongoing apostasy, highlighting the absence of remorse and the deep spiritual disconnect from God. The historical context is one of impending Babylonian conquest, a consequence of Judah's continued disobedience and spiritual adultery, mirroring the behavior of their ancestors. The nation was turning away from the covenant relationship with God for foreign deities and human reliance, oblivious to the coming judgment.
Jeremiah 8 6 Word Analysis
וְאֵינֶנּוּ (v'eynenú): "and there is not" / "and he is not". This "and" connects this verse as a continuation or consequence of the previous statement. The absence highlights the deficiency in the people's response.
שָׁב (shav): "turned back" / "repented". The verb implies a turning from something to something else. Here, it signifies the absence of a return to God. The root is "sub" (to turn).
מֵרָעָתוֹ (m'ra'ató): "from his wickedness" / "from his evil". This indicates the specific object that should have been abandoned. "Ra" (רע) is a fundamental word for evil, harm, or disaster. The possessive "his" refers back to "each" person implied.
לֵאמֹר (le'mor): "saying" / "to say". This introduces the direct, yet absent, verbal expression of repentance. The specific words of self-accusation are what are missing.
מָה (mah): "What". An interrogative pronoun introducing the question of their actions.
עָשִׂיתִי (asiti): "I have done". The first-person singular verb of "to do" or "to make." The absence of this personal, self-critical question ("What have I done?") is the core of the problem described.
Grouped analysis: The entire verse paints a picture of spiritual inertia. The connective "and" (וְ) emphasizes this is a consistent state. The lack of "turning back" (שָׁב) from their "wickedness" (מֵרָעָתוֹ) highlights a deep-seated sin. The specific absence of the self-reflective question "What have I done?" (מָה עָשִׂיתִי) points to a pervasive lack of self-awareness and accountability, a crucial component of genuine repentance.
Jeremiah 8 6 Bonus Section
The lack of introspection ("What have I done?") signifies a spiritual void where self-condemnation or Godly sorrow for sin should reside. This can be contrasted with David's prayer in Psalm 51:3, "For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me." Jeremiah's accusation underscores that Judah's disobedience is not merely action, but an ingrained attitude characterized by an absence of remorse, a theme reiterated in prophetic literature. The prophets frequently called for this self-reflection as the first step toward national restoration. This verse powerfully illustrates the concept of "seared conscience" (1 Timothy 4:2).
Jeremiah 8 6 Commentary
This verse vividly portrays the spiritual complacency of Judah. True repentance involves a personal realization of sin and a vocal confession, asking "What have I done?" This introspective self-examination is absent, indicating a profound disconnect from God and an unwillingness to acknowledge their culpability. They continue in their wrong ways without any internal reflection or regret, a condition that blinds them to God’s warnings and makes them susceptible to judgment. This lack of repentance is a symptom of a hardened heart, impervious to the truth and the consequences of their actions.