The Bible Says
Jeremiah 5:4-6 Meaning

When Jeremiah, a prophet who ministered to the people of Judah between approximately 627 BC and 580 BC, observes the spiritual condition of his community, he declares, "Then I said, ‘They are only the poor, They are foolish; For they do not know the way of the LORD Or the ordinance of their God’" (v. 4). He identifies a lack of understanding among the common people, seeing this ignorance as a grave problem because they are missing the ordinance God laid out for them. Despite their material poverty, their true impoverishment is their separation from divine wisdom. Jeremiah’s ministry took place primarily in Jerusalem, the capital city of Judah in the southern region of Israel, where he repeatedly appealed to the people to return to the LORD their God.

Jeremiah 5:4 underscores that the ignorance the people exhibit is not merely a lack of knowledge but a willful dismissal of God’s revealed truth. The prophet’s lament reveals his frustration; he expects that at least those who lead or have learning would uphold the standard of godly living. However, it is clear that even the basic aspects of God’s law and ordinance are not understood or practiced by the poor or the foolish. Their condition serves as a lesson, echoing a broader biblical theme that spiritual discernment comes from a reverent relationship with God (Proverbs 1:7).

In reflecting on verse 4, we see a parallel to the New Testament teaching where Jesus also encountered people who did not grasp His words because they did not choose to align themselves with His ways (Matthew 13:14-15). Knowledge of God requires humility and a heart that is hungry to know Him. Jeremiah finds these attributes lacking amidst Judah.

Seeking a more promising audience, Jeremiah proclaims, "I will go to the great And will speak to them, For they know the way of the LORD And the ordinance of their God" (v. 5). He now seeks those in leadership, so see if the educated might be more attuned to God’s guidance. Since these individuals held positions of influence, maybe they will demonstrate faithfulness to the covenant and correct the missteps of the people.

Yet, the verse continues with a sobering reality: "But they too, with one accord, have broken the yoke And burst the bonds" (v. 5). This dramatic image highlights how even the great leaders have rejected God’s rule, throwing off the divine guidance symbolized by the yoke. Their collective rebellion mirrors the disobedience of the masses, revealing that sin touched every social stratum of Judah’s society.

In this middle ground between despair and hope, Jeremiah discerns that neither the poor nor the great uphold righteousness. His disappointment sets the stage for the warning that follows, emphasizing that rejecting divine instruction leads to destructive consequences. When leaders, like those at the head of Judah, fail to act responsibly, corruption spreads and shapes the spiritual tone of an entire community (Luke 6:39). Jeremiah 5:5 thus points to the urgent need for repentance among all classes of people.

Building on these warnings, Jeremiah concludes, "Therefore a lion from the forest will slay them, A wolf of the deserts will destroy them, A leopard is watching their cities. Everyone who goes out of them will be torn in pieces, Because their transgressions are many, Their apostasies are numerous" (v. 6). Using animal imagery, the prophet likens the consequences of sin to the wild beasts that ravage the land. Each beast-lion, wolf, and leopard-symbolizes looming judgment that will catch the people unprepared.

The references to these animals also speak of God’s sovereign justice. Like the lion’s roar that instills dread, this warning sounds an alarm. Life in Jerusalem, a hub of worship and kingly leadership, is left under threat because the people’s many transgressions and apostasies have provoked God’s hand. Jeremiah’s vivid depiction confronts Judah with the gravity of straying from the covenant, and no one is beyond the reach of divine retribution.

The verse’s concluding statement, "Because their transgressions are many, Their apostasies are numerous" (v. 6), captures the heart of the problem. Revolt against God is not a fleeting lapse; it is a deep-seated pattern that demands judgment. Jeremiah’s prophecy serves as both a warning and a call to repentance, clarifying that disobedience results in devastating consequences, yet there remains hope if the people change course and return to the ways of the LORD (Jeremiah 3:12-13).