Jeremiah 17:5-7
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The verse isn't just saying not to trust people; it’s highlighting a deep spiritual truth. When we make "flesh" our strength, we’re essentially devaluing God by seeking security from something inherently frail and temporary, which inherently means our hearts have already turned away from the One who is eternal.
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. “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah is launching a strong rebuke against Judah, highlighting their misguided reliance on foreign alliances, particularly with Egypt, for security against looming threats like Babylon. This verse serves as a sharp condemnation of their misplaced trust, emphasizing that turning to human strength ("flesh") is a betrayal of their covenant with God and a direct departure from Him. The subsequent verses will contrast this curse with a blessing for those who trust in the Lord.
Ever felt like you're leaning on a friend, but they just don't have the strength to hold you up? Jeremiah cuts straight to the heart of this feeling, calling out a specific kind of reliance that leads to ruin.
Jeremiah 17:5 starts with a powerful declaration: 'Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength.' This isn't just a casual suggestion; it's a divine pronouncement. The commentary highlights that 'flesh' here is used to represent human beings in their frailty and weakness. When we 'make flesh our strength,' we're essentially banking our hopes, our security, and our future on something inherently unstable and temporary. This was particularly relevant for the Israelites, who often sought alliances with human nations like Egypt for protection, rather than relying on God's unfailing power. It’s a warning against seeking ultimate security in anything or anyone other than the Lord.
It’s easy to say we trust God, but what’s really going on in our hearts? Jeremiah shows us that where we place our ultimate confidence reveals where our heart truly lies.
The verse continues, 'and whose heart turns away from the LORD.' This phrase is crucial. Trusting in human strength isn't just an external action; it’s a deep internal shift. When our confidence moves from God to people or circumstances, our hearts are literally turning away from Him. The commentaries explain that this departure is often subtle. We might still go through the motions of worship, but if our deepest reliance is elsewhere, God is being honored with our lips but not truly with our hearts. This 'turning away' is not just a passive drift; it’s an active rejection of God’s sovereignty and sufficiency. It implies that God is no longer seen as the ultimate source of security and provision.
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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.
baruk · Hebrew Adjective
A state of divine favor, prosperity, and spiritual well-being resulting from a right relationship with God and obedience to His Word. It implies a condition of happiness and security that is independent of external circumstances.
batach · Hebrew Verb
To rely on, lean upon, or place full confidence in someone or something. In a biblical sense, it denotes active faith and total dependence on God’s character and promises.
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The covenant name of the Creator God of Israel, indicating His self-existence, eternity, and faithfulness to His people. It is the name revealed to Moses at the burning bush, emphasizing God's personal relationship with His creation.
This verse speaks powerfully to the people of Judah as they navigated a complex geopolitical landscape, caught between the crushing might of Assyria and Babylon. Their leaders often looked to Egypt for aid, a choice Jeremiah condemned as a misplaced trust that turned their hearts away from the Lord.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The northern Kingdom of Israel falls to the Assyrian Empire, serving as a stark warning to Judah about the consequences of Assyrian power and the unreliability of foreign alliances.
c. 701 BC
Assyrian Invasion of Judah
King Sennacherib of Assyria invades Judah and besieges Jerusalem, leading King Hezekiah to seek relief through tribute and ultimately divine intervention, highlighting Judah's vulnerability.
626 BC
Babylonian Rebellion
Nabopolassar, a Babylonian governor, rebels against Assyrian rule, marking the beginning of the Neo-Babylonian Empire and shifting the major geopolitical threat in the region.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Following the Battle of Carchemish, Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon conquers Judah and deports a group of its elite, including Daniel, to Babylon, signaling the rise of Babylonian dominance.
c. 597 BC— this verse
Second Deportation to Babylon
After a period of vassalage and rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar II again besieges Jerusalem and deports more of the population and King Jehoiachin to Babylon, including the prophet Ezekiel.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar's forces finally destroy Jerusalem and its Temple, leading to a final, massive deportation of Judeans to Babylon, marking the end of the Davidic monarchy.
This psalm echoes Jeremiah's warning, urging us to pour out our hearts to God and trust Him, for He is our refuge and salvation, directly contrasting misplaced trust in human strength.
Isaiah 31:1-3Isaiah directly rebukes reliance on Egypt for help, calling it an 'arm of flesh' and warning that their strength will be 'ashamed' because it is not from the Lord, mirroring Jeremiah's message.
John 5:45Jesus confronts those who rely on Moses for their standing before God, stating that Moses himself will be their accuser because their hearts have not truly trusted in Him (Jesus), reflecting the theme of misplaced trust.
Jeremiah 17:7-8This passage directly contrasts the curse in verse 5 with a blessing on those who trust in the Lord, describing them as a tree planted by water, bearing fruit and thriving, beautifully illustrating the outcome of true trust.
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 isn't just saying not to trust people; it’s highlighting a deep spiritual truth. When we make "flesh" our strength, we’re essentially devaluing God by seeking security from something inherently frail and temporary, which inherently means our hearts have already turned away from the One who is eternal.
Jeremiah is launching a strong rebuke against Judah, highlighting their misguided reliance on foreign alliances, particularly with Egypt, for security against looming threats like Babylon. This verse serves as a sharp condemnation of their misplaced trust, emphasizing that turning to human strength ("flesh") is a betrayal of their covenant with God and a direct departure from Him. The subsequent verses will contrast this curse with a blessing for those who trust in the Lord.
Jeremiah is launching a strong rebuke against Judah, highlighting their misguided reliance on foreign alliances, particularly with Egypt, for security against looming threats like Babylon. This verse serves as a sharp condemnation of their misplaced trust, emphasizing that turning to human strength ("flesh") is a betrayal of their covenant with God and a direct departure from Him. The subsequent verses will contrast this curse with a blessing for those who trust in the Lord.
"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 isn't just saying not to trust people; it’s highlighting a deep spiritual truth. When we make "flesh" our strength, we’re essentially devaluing God by seeking security from something inhere…
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Last reviewed October 2026
