Then I said, “These are only the poor; they have no sense; for they do not know the way of the LORD, the justice of their God.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah isn't just saying the poor are uneducated; he's confessing his own assumption that their sin stems from ignorance, a plea of sorts. He quickly realizes, however, that this isn't an excuse, as the "way of the Lord" and "justice of their God" encompass a whole system of understanding and practice that they've willfully neglected.
Then I said, “These are only the poor; they have no sense; for they do not know the way of the LORD, the justice of their God.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah has been commanded to search Jerusalem for just one person who seeks truth and justice, but he finds none. In this verse, he offers a potential, though ultimately inadequate, explanation: perhaps the widespread wickedness is simply due to the ignorance of the poor, who lack understanding of God's ways. However, the narrative quickly moves on to reveal that even the wealthy and influential are corrupt, showing that this lack of knowledge isn't an excuse but a symptom of a deeper societal decay.
Jeremiah seems to offer a 'get out of jail free' card for the poor, suggesting their actions are simply a result of not knowing better. But is this really the full story?
Jeremiah, looking at the societal breakdown, initially frames the actions of the poor as a consequence of their lack of understanding. He uses the phrase 'These are only the poor; they have no sense...' as if to say, 'What else can you expect from those who haven't been taught?' This isn't necessarily a dismissive statement, but rather an observation that their poverty has led to a lack of religious instruction, and thus, a lack of knowledge of God's ways. It's a human tendency to attribute certain behaviors to circumstance, especially ignorance. However, as we'll see, this is only part of the picture.
What does it mean to 'know the way of the Lord' and 'the justice of their God'?
The verse points to two crucial elements that the poor, in Jeremiah's initial assessment, lack: 'the way of the LORD' and 'the justice of their God.'
The Way of the Lord
This refers to the path God desires His people to walk – His commands, His will, His overall design for life. It's about understanding God's expectations and how to live in alignment with Him.
The Justice of Their God
This speaks to God's righteous standards, His fairness, and the way He expects His people to act justly. It's not just about His decrees, but about the character and ethical framework He establishes. It can also refer to His 'judgments' – the patterns of His providential dealings and how He responds to sin and righteousness.
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When people don't know these things, their actions will inevitably go astray, reflecting a deep spiritual and moral deficit.
Is ignorance always an excuse? Jeremiah’s message carries a warning that simply not knowing might not be the whole story, even for the poor.
While Jeremiah initially presents the poor's actions as stemming from ignorance ('they have no sense; for they do not know...'), the broader context of Jeremiah 5 and the prophets' messages often includes a layer of willful disregard. The scholarly notes hint at this: Henry mentions they 'were willingly ignorant,' and Wesley points out the 'vulgar, that understand but little, of less conscience than the better sort.'
This means that while lack of instruction is a factor, there’s also a responsibility to seek truth. God's 'way' and 'justice' are not meant to be hidden secrets. The problem isn't just that they don't know, but that they often don't want to know or don't seek to know. This willful ignorance, paired with sin, leads to a deeper depravity that even poverty cannot excuse in God's eyes.
Jeremiah's lament over the poor's ignorance isn't an excuse for their sin, but a reflection of a societal failure. The spiritual and educational neglect, especially following the decline of Josiah's reforms and amidst looming exiles, left many unprepared to 'know the way of the Lord' or His justice.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers the Northern Kingdom of Israel, exiling its people and scattering them. This event significantly weakened the spiritual and national identity of many Israelites.
c. 628-609 BC
Early Ministry of Jeremiah
Jeremiah begins his prophetic ministry during the reign of King Josiah, a time of religious reform. However, these reforms did not penetrate deeply into the lives of the common people.
609 BC
Death of King Josiah
Josiah is killed in battle at Megiddo, halting his reforms and plunging Judah into political and spiritual turmoil. This marked a turning point towards further decline.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquers Judah and carries away a first group of captives, including some of the royal family and nobility. This event demonstrated Babylon's growing power.
c. 600 BC— this verse
Jeremiah's Prophecy to the Common People
Jeremiah delivers this prophecy, lamenting the widespread ignorance and sin among the poor and common people of Jerusalem. He notes their lack of knowledge of God's ways and justice, attributing their actions to this ignorance.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar deports a larger group of Judeans, including the prophet Ezekiel, after a rebellion. This further weakened the nation and highlighted the ongoing consequences of disobedience.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
The Babylonians completely destroy Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling the remaining population. This marked the end of Judah as an independent kingdom and a fulfillment of God's judgment.
This passage echoes Jeremiah's sentiment by directly stating that God's people are destroyed due to a lack of knowledge of Him, similar to how Jeremiah attributes the people's foolishness to not knowing the Lord's way.
Matthew 9:36Jesus' compassion for the crowds, seeing them as 'harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd,' parallels Jeremiah's observation of the people's lost and ignorant state due to a lack of spiritual guidance.
Proverbs 30:9This verse highlights the temptation for the poor to 'curse God and die' when in hardship, resonating with the idea that poverty can sometimes be associated with a lack of understanding or a weakened grasp of God's ways.
Jeremiah 8:7This verse directly contrasts the ignorance of the people with the knowledge that should be present, stating 'even the stork in the heavens knows her times,' reinforcing the idea that their failure to know the Lord's judgment is a profound spiritual deficiency.
pooleJeremiah 5:4: "Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish: for they know not the way of the LORD, nor the judgment of their God."
Therefore I said; or, perhaps, I said with myself; not, possibly, that he thought so, but that he might thus express himself, as men use to speak. Surely these are poor; poor, low-spirited, or of the meanest rank among the vulgar, understand but little; either men of greater ignorance, John 7:49 , and therefore said not to know the way of the Lord; see…
pulpitJeremiah 5:4: "Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish: for they know not the way of the LORD, nor the judgment of their God."
Verse 4. - Therefore I said; rather, and as for me, I said. They are foolish; rather, they act foolishly (as Numbers 12:11). For; rather, because. Their want of religious instruction is the cause of their faulty conduct. In fact, it was only after the return from Babylon that any popular schools were founded in Judaea, and not till shortly before the d…
Jeremiah isn't just saying the poor are uneducated; he's confessing his own assumption that their sin stems from ignorance, a plea of sorts. He quickly realizes, however, that this isn't an excuse, as the "way of the Lord" and "justice of their God" encompass a whole system of understanding and practice that they've willfully neglected.
Jeremiah has been commanded to search Jerusalem for just one person who seeks truth and justice, but he finds none. In this verse, he offers a potential, though ultimately inadequate, explanation: perhaps the widespread wickedness is simply due to the ignorance of the poor, who lack understanding of God's ways. However, the narrative quickly moves on to reveal that even the wealthy and influential are corrupt, showing that this lack of knowledge isn't an excuse but a symptom of a deeper societal decay.
Jeremiah has been commanded to search Jerusalem for just one person who seeks truth and justice, but he finds none. In this verse, he offers a potential, though ultimately inadequate, explanation: perhaps the widespread wickedness is simply due to the ignorance of the poor, who lack understanding of God's ways. However, the narrative quickly moves on to reveal that even the wealthy and influential are corrupt, showing that this lack of knowledge isn't an excuse but a symptom of a deeper societal decay.
"Then I said, “These are only the poor; they have no sense; for they do not know the way of the LORD, the justice of their God." — Jeremiah isn't just saying the poor are uneducated; he's confessing his own assumption that their sin stems from ignorance, a plea of sorts. He quickly realizes, however, that this isn't an excuse, a…
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Last reviewed October 2026