Jeremiah 17:5-6
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The verse powerfully contrasts trusting in "man" (implying strength or a person) with relying on "flesh," which emphasizes inherent weakness and mortality. This repetition highlights the utter folly of seeking salvation or security in anything other than God, presenting it not just as a mistake, but as a turning away from the divine source of life itself.
Thus says the LORD: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the LORD. He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah is addressing the people of Judah, who are facing imminent threats from powerful empires. Instead of relying on God's promised protection, they've repeatedly sought alliances with Egypt and other nations, a reliance the prophet denounces. This verse, and the imagery that follows, highlights the ultimate futility and curse of turning away from God for security found in human strength.
Ever felt like you're trying to carry the world on your shoulders, relying on your own strength or the help of others?
Jeremiah kicks off this section with a powerful declaration: 'Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength.' This isn't just a minor suggestion; it's a profound warning.
What is 'Flesh' Here?
When the Bible talks about 'flesh,' it's often referring to humanity in its fallen, mortal state – weak, frail, and prone to sin. So, 'making flesh your strength' means putting your ultimate reliance on human power, wisdom, or resources, instead of on God.
The Real Issue: A Turned Heart
Crucially, this misplaced trust isn't just an external action; it's rooted in the heart. The verse continues, 'whose heart turns away from the LORD.' This highlights a deep truth: when we trust in anything or anyone other than God, our hearts inevitably drift away from Him. It's not about never seeking help from people, but about where your ultimate security and hope lie. When that trust shifts from the eternal God to the temporary human, a curse, a spiritual alienation, follows.
What does it really mean to be 'cursed' in the eyes of God?
The word 'cursed' (Hebrew: alah) here isn't just a mild inconvenience; it signifies a state of being under divine displeasure, separation, and ruin. It’s the opposite of the blessing God intends for His people.
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Barrenness and Futility
Jeremiah doesn't leave us to guess what this curse looks like. The following verse (though not included in your text) paints a stark picture: the one who trusts in man will be 'like a shrub in the desert, unable to grow, fruitless, and living in a barren land.'
This imagery speaks volumes:
This is the inevitable outcome when we anchor our hope in the unreliable and temporary instead of the eternal and faithful God.
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The sovereign, self-existent God of the covenant, who reveals Himself to His people and fulfills His promises.
arur · Hebrew Adjective/Participle
A formal pronouncement of judgment or separation from divine favor, often resulting from disobedience or placing trust in creatures rather than the Creator.
batach · Hebrew Verb
To rely upon, lean on, or place confidence in something or someone. In a spiritual sense, it is the act of faith, and when misdirected toward humanity, it becomes idolatry.
basar · Hebrew Noun
Human nature in its frailty, weakness, and mortality, often used in contrast to the eternal, sovereign power of God.
This verse speaks directly to the people of Judah as they faced the overwhelming power of Babylon. Their recurring attempts to find security by forming alliances with Egypt, rather than trusting solely in God, led to repeated devastation and exile. The 'arm of flesh' was their misplaced confidence in human strength and political maneuvering, which ultimately failed them.
c. 700s BC
Assyrian Empire Dominance
The powerful Assyrian Empire exerted significant influence and control over the region, including Judah, leading to alliances and attempts at appeasement by Judah.
c. 626-609 BC
Neo-Babylonian Empire Rises
The Neo-Babylonian Empire emerged as a major power, challenging Assyrian dominance and becoming a new threat to Judah.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar's forces defeated Egyptian and Assyrian armies at Carchemish and subsequently besieged Jerusalem, leading to the first deportation of Jewish nobles and skilled workers to Babylon, including the prophet Daniel.
c. 597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Following a rebellion by King Jehoiakim, Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem again, resulting in a second, larger deportation of people and treasures to Babylon, including the prophet Ezekiel.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
After further rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar completely destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple, with most of the remaining population deported to Babylon.
c. 550s BC
Rise of the Persian Empire
The Persian Empire under Cyrus the Great began to rise, eventually conquering the Neo-Babylonian Empire, which would later allow some exiles to return to Judah.
This Psalm directly echoes Jeremiah's warning, cautioning against putting trust in human leaders, who are unable to provide ultimate salvation. It highlights the folly of relying on anything less than the God who made heaven and earth.
Isaiah 31:1-3Here, Isaiah also rebukes reliance on Egypt, describing 'horses and chariots' as 'flesh and not spirit,' emphasizing their weakness compared to God's power. This passage shows a similar prophetic condemnation of seeking strength from human alliances over divine help.
Jeremiah 2:36This verse shows God's displeasure with Judah's shifting alliances, comparing their reliance on foreign powers to a 'well-worn path.' It illustrates the 'heart turning away from the LORD' that Jeremiah 17:5 condemns, as they sought security elsewhere.
Jeremiah 17:7-8These verses provide a powerful contrast, presenting the beatitude for those who trust in the LORD, describing them as blessed and flourishing like a tree planted by water. This directly answers the curse pronounced in verse 5, showing the abundant life found in divine trust versus the barrenness of human reliance.
John 5:44Jesus confronts the religious leaders who sought praise from one another rather than from God, stating they were unable to believe. This New Testament passage speaks to the same core issue: seeking validation and security from human approval or strength instead of from God.
clarkeJeremiah 17:5: "Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD."
Cursed be the man that trusteth in man - This reprehends their vain confidence in trusting in Egypt, which was too feeble itself to help, and, had it been otherwise, too ill disposed towards them to help them heartily. An arm of flesh is put here for a weak and ineffectual support. And he who, in reference to the salvation of his soul, trusts in an arm…
calvinJeremiah 17:5-6: "Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD."
- Et erit quasi myrica (sic vertunt communiter) in deserto, et non videbit cum veniet bonum (id est, in foecunditas,) et habitabit in siccitatibus in deserto, in terra salsuginis, et quae non habitatur.
The Prophet, I doubt not, prefixed this sentence to many of his discourses, for it was neccssary often to repeat it, as the Jews were so refractory…
The verse powerfully contrasts trusting in "man" (implying strength or a person) with relying on "flesh," which emphasizes inherent weakness and mortality. This repetition highlights the utter folly of seeking salvation or security in anything other than God, presenting it not just as a mistake, but as a turning away from the divine source of life itself.
Jeremiah is addressing the people of Judah, who are facing imminent threats from powerful empires. Instead of relying on God's promised protection, they've repeatedly sought alliances with Egypt and other nations, a reliance the prophet denounces. This verse, and the imagery that follows, highlights the ultimate futility and curse of turning away from God for security found in human strength.
Jeremiah is addressing the people of Judah, who are facing imminent threats from powerful empires. Instead of relying on God's promised protection, they've repeatedly sought alliances with Egypt and other nations, a reliance the prophet denounces. This verse, and the imagery that follows, highlights the ultimate futility and curse of turning away from God for security found in human strength.
"Thus says the LORD: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the LORD. He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell…" — The verse powerfully contrasts trusting in "man" (implying strength or a person) with relying on "flesh," which emphasizes inherent weakness and mortality. This repetition highlights the utter folly…
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Last reviewed October 2026
