Jer 9:3 | NETfull | STEP | The Lord says, “These people are like soldiers who have readied their bows. Their tongues are always ready to shoot out lies. They have become powerful in the land, but they have not done so by honest means. Indeed, they do one evil thing after another and do not pay attention to me.

Jeremiah 9:3

The Lord Laments That He Has No Choice But to Judge Them

3 The Lord says, ^{▼▼ The words “The Lord says” have been moved up from the end of the verse to make clear that a change in speaker has occurred.}

“These people are like soldiers who have readied their bows.
Their tongues are always ready to shoot out lies. ^{▼▼ Heb “They have readied [or strung] their tongue as their bow for lies.”}
They have become powerful in the land,
but they have not done so by honest means. ^{▼▼ Heb “but not through honesty.”}
Indeed, they do one evil thing after another ^{▼▼ Heb “they go from evil to evil.”}
and do not pay attention to me. ^{▼▼ Or “do not acknowledge me”; Heb “do not know me.” But “knowing” in Hebrew thought often involves more than intellectual knowledge; it involves emotional and volitional commitment as well. For יָדַע meaning “acknowledge” see 1 Chr 28:9; Isa 29:21; Hos 2:20; Prov 3:6. This word is also found in ancient Near Eastern treaty contexts where it has the idea of a vassal king acknowledging the sovereignty of a greater king (cf. H. Huffmon, “The Treaty Background of Hebrew yada,” BASOR 181 [1966]: 31-37).}