For wicked men are found among my people; they lurk like fowlers lying in wait. They set a trap; they catch men.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The prophecy isn't just about finding wicked individuals, but that "wicked men are found among my people," highlighting that the corruption wasn't an external threat but an internal decay within God's chosen community. This points to a chilling reality: the most dangerous traps are often set by those who should be trusted, disguised within the familiar landscape of God's people.
For wicked men are found among my people; they lurk like fowlers lying in wait. They set a trap; they catch men.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah has just been discussing how the people of Judah, despite being God's chosen people, have become so corrupt that even natural phenomena like the sea obey God's commands more readily than they do. He's explaining that the reason for their impending judgment isn't some mystery; it's because wicked individuals are rampant among them, actively plotting and setting traps to ensnare others. This isn't just about a few bad apples; the prophet paints a picture of widespread deception and exploitation, akin to fowlers cunningly luring birds to their doom.
Jeremiah declares that wicked people aren't just out there, but right here, 'among my people.' What does this shocking truth reveal about God's perspective on His own chosen community?
This verse hits hard because it exposes a deep spiritual problem within God's covenant people. It wasn't just about outsiders being bad; it was about the 'wicked' being found within the community supposedly set apart for God.
A General Condemnation
Calvin points out that this isn't a condemnation of a few individuals. The prophet is declaring that iniquity had so permeated the people that 'wicked men' were simply a characteristic of the nation. It was a widespread issue, not an isolated incident.
Manifest and Unavoidable Guilt
When Jeremiah says they were 'found,' it implies their sin wasn't hidden. They were caught, convicted, and their guilt was evident. This removes any excuse they might have had for claiming ignorance or innocence. Their sins were out in the open, making their betrayal of God even more disgraceful.
The verse paints a vivid picture of people 'lurking like fowlers' and setting traps. What does this dangerous metaphor tell us about how sin operates and ensnares individuals?
The imagery of fowlers and traps is incredibly powerful. It’s not just about overt evil, but about the deceptive and calculated nature of sin. These weren't accidents; they were deliberate schemes designed to capture and destroy.
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Deception and Hidden Danger
Fowlers hide, they wait patiently, and they use lures. This is exactly how sin and those who promote it work. They don't always announce their intentions. Instead, they 'lie in wait,' observing and planning, much like a leopard described in Hosea 13:7. They set up 'destroyers' – instruments of ruin – to ensnare the unsuspecting.
A Success in Destruction
The goal is clear: 'they catch men.' This captures the devastating success of their wicked plots. They bring about ruin, just as Jezebel's plot against Naboth shows (1 Kings 21). These spiritual traps lead people away from God and into destruction, often through deceitful means and wicked decrees.
Understand the original words
rasha' · Hebrew Adjective
General term for those who disregard God's law, characterized by moral depravity, rebellion against divine authority, and the practice of evil.
moqesh · Hebrew Noun
The act of capturing or ensnaring, often used metaphorically in Scripture to describe deceitful schemes, hidden dangers, or the entrapment of the unwary by the wicked.
Jeremiah delivers this prophecy during the final, catastrophic days of Judah, just before and during the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem. The 'wicked men' are not outsiders but are found *within* God's chosen people, corrupting justice and ensnaring the innocent, making the judgment even more severe.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The northern Kingdom of Israel (capital Samaria) falls to the Assyrian Empire, leading to the exile of many Israelites and the resettlement of foreigners in the land.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Under Nebuchadnezzar II, Jerusalem is besieged, and many prominent Judeans, including Daniel, are exiled to Babylon. This marks the beginning of the Babylonian captivity.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Following a rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar deports more Judeans, including King Jehoiachin and the prophet Ezekiel, to Babylon. Jerusalem's temple is looted.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling the remaining population (except a few poor farmers) to Babylon. This is a catastrophic event for Judah.
c. 586-570 BC
Jeremiah's Ministry Continues in Egypt
After the fall of Jerusalem, Jeremiah is taken to Egypt by Judean refugees. He continues to prophesy during this period of exile and despair.
This passage also uses the imagery of a fowler and his snare, highlighting God's protection for those who trust in Him against hidden dangers, mirroring Jeremiah's depiction of wicked men setting traps.
Proverbs 1:11This verse in Proverbs warns against those who plot to shed blood and lie in wait for the innocent, directly aligning with Jeremiah's description of wicked men who set traps to catch others.
1 Kings 21:9This historical account of Jezebel framing Naboth for treason showcases a real-life instance of wicked men using deception and traps to unjustly condemn an innocent person, just as Jeremiah describes.
Acts 23:13The conspiracy of over forty Jewish men to ambush and kill Paul demonstrates a New Testament example of a group laying a dangerous trap, echoing the violent plots Jeremiah condemns among his people.
calvinJeremiah 5:26: "For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men."
- Quia inventi sunt (aut, inveniuntur) in populo meo scelerati; aspicient (hoc est, astute observabunt) secundum ponere laqueos (hoc est, ac si decipulas tenderent;) perditionem locant, in qua homines capiant.
What the previous verse contains is here confirmed, -- that the Jews, through their own fault, had deprived themselves of God's favor. It was necessary…
pooleJeremiah 5:26: "For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men."
Among my people are found wicked men; I need not search for such among the heathen nations, for they are found even among them that are called by my name, whereas all my people ought to have been holy. They lay wait, or contemplate mischievous designs, under deceits, as fowlers do hide themselves, when they watch the birds coming to the snare or net, Proverbs 1:1…
The prophecy isn't just about finding wicked individuals, but that "wicked men are found among my people," highlighting that the corruption wasn't an external threat but an internal decay within God's chosen community. This points to a chilling reality: the most dangerous traps are often set by those who should be trusted, disguised within the familiar landscape of God's people.
Jeremiah has just been discussing how the people of Judah, despite being God's chosen people, have become so corrupt that even natural phenomena like the sea obey God's commands more readily than they do. He's explaining that the reason for their impending judgment isn't some mystery; it's because wicked individuals are rampant among them, actively plotting and setting traps to ensnare others. This isn't just about a few bad apples; the prophet paints a picture of widespread deception and exploitation, akin to fowlers cunningly luring birds to their doom.
Jeremiah has just been discussing how the people of Judah, despite being God's chosen people, have become so corrupt that even natural phenomena like the sea obey God's commands more readily than they do. He's explaining that the reason for their impending judgment isn't some mystery; it's because wicked individuals are rampant among them, actively plotting and setting traps to ensnare others. This isn't just about a few bad apples; the prophet paints a picture of widespread deception and exploitation, akin to fowlers cunningly luring birds to their doom.
"For wicked men are found among my people; they lurk like fowlers lying in wait. They set a trap; they catch men." — The prophecy isn't just about finding wicked individuals, but that "wicked men are found among my people," highlighting that the corruption wasn't an external threat but an internal decay within God'…
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Last reviewed October 2026