Jeremiah 5:21

Translations

Modern

“Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear.

Traditional

Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not:

Literal

“Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; unto them are eyes, and they do not see, unto them are ears, and they do not hear.

Latin

Audi, popule stulte, qui non habes cor: qui habentes oculos, non videtis; et aures, et non auditis.

Original

Hebrew

English

“Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear.

Notes

Jeremiah 5:20–21

in the house of Jacob: In the Old Testament, "Jacob" and "Israel" are often used interchangeably. They can refer to the patriarch or the nation.
To be foolish means to act rashly and immorally, ignoring consequences.
senseless: This literally means no heart. When "heart" is negative, it means a person or group does not want to do moral acts and rejects intelligent behavior that pleases God.
The people's ears and eyes worked (see study note on Jeremiah 6:10), but they stubbornly ignored the true meaning of what they heard and saw (Isaiah 6:9; Ezekiel 12:2; Mark 8:18).

Events

Prophecies of Jeremiahc. 628 BC

Related verses

Ezekiel 12:2
“Son of man, you are living in a rebellious house. They have eyes to see but do not see, and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious house.
Acts 28:26
‘Go to this people and say, “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.”
Isaiah 6:9–10
And He replied: “Go and tell this people, ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’
Romans 11:8
…as it is written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see, and ears that could not hear, to this very day.”
John 12:40
“He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so that they cannot see with their eyes, and understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.”
Jeremiah 4:22
“For My people are fools; they have not known Me. They are foolish children, without understanding. They are skilled in doing evil, but they know not how to do good.”
Matthew 13:13–15
This is why I speak to them in parables: ‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.’
Mark 8:18
‘Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear?’ And do you not remember?
Psalm 94:8
Take notice, O senseless among the people! O fools, when will you be wise?
Jeremiah 8:7
Even the stork in the sky knows her appointed seasons. The turtledove, the swift, and the thrush keep their time of migration, but My people do not know the requirements of the LORD.
Proverbs 17:16
Why should the fool have money in his hand with no intention of buying wisdom?
Isaiah 44:18
They do not comprehend or discern, for He has shut their eyes so they cannot see and closed their minds so they cannot understand.

Glossary

Book of Jeremiah Jeremiah (Person)

Topics

Backsliders: Backsliding of Israel Blindness: Spiritual Impenitence: General Scriptures Concerning Spiritual Blindness: The Wicked are In

Jeremiah 5:21

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