Jeremiah 9:3
They bend their tongue like a bow; falsehood and not truth has grown strong in the land; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not know me, declares the LORD.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
This verse reveals a chilling progression: instead of using their courage for truth, they actively hone their lies like a skilled archer prepares a deadly shot. Their "valor" is reserved for deceit, showcasing a deep-seated rejection of God, which fuels their relentless descent from one evil act to another.
Jeremiah is exposing the deep corruption within Judah, highlighting how deceit and falsehood have become the norm, replacing any commitment to truth. This isn't just idle gossip; it's a deliberate, skillful use of their tongues to spread lies, contrasting sharply with a lack of courage to uphold what is right. The prophet emphasizes that this pervasive wickedness stems from a fundamental disconnect from God, a willful ignorance of His character and commands.
Ever notice how some words can feel like a direct attack, sharper than any arrow? Jeremiah uses a powerful image to describe how destructive speech can be.
Jeremiah paints a vivid picture: "They bend their tongue like a bow; falsehood and not truth has grown strong in the land." This isn't just casual talk; it's intentional and destructive.
Crafting Lies
Think about a bow being readied for an arrow. It takes effort, precision, and purpose. Jeremiah says their tongues are like that—carefully bent and aimed, not at targets, but at spreading lies. Their words are deliberately crafted to deceive and harm.
The Power of the Tongue
The analogy highlights the deadly impact of their words. Just as an arrow can pierce and kill, their lies inflict deep wounds, corrupting truth and destroying trust. They aren't just making mistakes; they are actively weaponizing their speech.
Truth Suppressed
"Falsehood and not truth has grown strong." This means lies aren't just present; they're dominant. The truth is being actively suppressed, pushed aside by the force of these well-aimed falsehoods. It's a land where deception reigns.
It's one thing to be bad at something, but another to be actively unwilling to stand up for what's right. Jeremiah calls out a concerning lack of courage.
The verse continues, "but they are not valiant for the truth."
Courageous in Sin, Cowardly in Truth
This phrase points to a disturbing paradox: they are bold and active when it comes to spreading lies and doing evil, but they lack any strength or courage when it comes to defending truth or righteousness. They are 'mighty' in their wickedness, but 'not mighty' for what is good.
Abandoning Faithfulness
Understand the original words
sheqer · Hebrew Noun
Refers to untruthfulness, deceit, and vanity; in scripture, it is the antithesis of the faithfulness and reliability (truth) found in God.
yada · Hebrew Verb
In the biblical sense, knowing God is not merely intellectual awareness but an experiential, relational intimacy based on covenant obedience and trust.
Yahweh · Hebrew Proper Noun
The covenant name of God, YHWH, which signifies His self-existence, eternal nature, and His faithfulness to His redemptive promises.
Jeremiah's condemnation of deceitful tongues and unfaithfulness hits hardest in the context of Judah's impending destruction. The people's willful ignorance of God and their embrace of lies, rather than truth, directly led to their downfall and exile, illustrating a profound connection between a nation's moral compass and its destiny.
Late 8th century BC
Assyrian expansion and tribute
The Assyrian Empire, under rulers like Tiglath-Pileser III and Sargon II, exerted significant power over the region, demanding tribute and often deporting populations. This created a climate of instability and fear, contributing to the moral decay Jeremiah addresses.
c. 605 BC
First Babylonian deportation
Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon initiates the first major deportation of Jewish people, including nobles and skilled laborers, to Babylon. This event marks the beginning of the Babylonian exile, a period of profound national trauma and spiritual crisis for Judah.
c. 597 BC
Second Babylonian deportation
A second, larger deportation occurs following a rebellion by King Jehoiachin. This exile further destabilizes Judah and intensifies the sense of impending doom that Jeremiah preached.
c. 586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
This Psalm uses the same vivid imagery of a tongue bent like a bow to shoot out lies as arrows, highlighting a consistent theme of deceitful speech being a weapon.
Isaiah 59:14-15This passage describes a society where truth has stumbled in the streets and justice is turned back, resonating with Jeremiah's lament about falsehood prevailing and a lack of valor for truth.
Matthew 15:7-9Jesus quotes Isaiah here, condemning those who honor God with their lips but whose hearts are far from Him, mirroring Jeremiah's critique of people whose actions (bent tongues for lies) reveal their true spiritual state and lack of true knowledge of God.
Romans 1:28-32Paul describes people who, because they did not see fit to acknowledge God, were given over to a debased mind and practiced all sorts of evil, directly linking the 'knowing not me, declares the LORD' of Jeremiah to a descent into wickedness.
2 Timothy 3:13This verse warns that evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived, which echoes Jeremiah's assessment that they 'proceed from evil to evil.'
barnesJeremiah 9:3: "And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the LORD."
Rather, "And they bend their tongue to be their bow of lies, i. e." just as men before a battle get their bows ready, so they of set purpose make ready to do mischief, only their arrows are lying words: "neither do they rule faithfully in the land, i. e." Judaea.
clarkeJeremiah 9:3: "And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the LORD."
They bend their tongues like their bow for lies - And their lies are such that they as fully take away life as the keenest arrow shot from the best strung bow. The false prophets told the people that there was no desolation at hand: the people believed them; made no preparation for their defense; did…
This verse reveals a chilling progression: instead of using their courage for truth, they actively hone their lies like a skilled archer prepares a deadly shot. Their "valor" is reserved for deceit, showcasing a deep-seated rejection of God, which fuels their relentless descent from one evil act to another.
Jeremiah is exposing the deep corruption within Judah, highlighting how deceit and falsehood have become the norm, replacing any commitment to truth. This isn't just idle gossip; it's a deliberate, skillful use of their tongues to spread lies, contrasting sharply with a lack of courage to uphold what is right. The prophet emphasizes that this pervasive wickedness stems from a fundamental disconnect from God, a willful ignorance of His character and commands.
Jeremiah is exposing the deep corruption within Judah, highlighting how deceit and falsehood have become the norm, replacing any commitment to truth. This isn't just idle gossip; it's a deliberate, skillful use of their tongues to spread lies, contrasting sharply with a lack of courage to uphold what is right. The prophet emphasizes that this pervasive wickedness stems from a fundamental disconnect from God, a willful ignorance of His character and commands.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Jeremiah 9:3 is available in the Sola app.
Commentators suggest "truth" here also implies faithfulness and integrity. They aren't just failing to speak up for truth; they are abandoning faithfulness in their actions and dealings. They won't champion what is right, especially if it's difficult or unpopular.
A Land Without Champions
This creates a spiritual vacuum. When those with influence refuse to be "valiant for the truth," deception and evil can flourish unchecked. There's no one standing firm, no one willing to risk their reputation or comfort for righteousness.
Jeremiah pinpoints the ultimate source of all this deceit and unfaithfulness. It's not just bad habits; it's a deep-seated spiritual condition.
The verse concludes with a profound diagnosis: "for they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not know me, declares the LORD."
Escalating Wickedness
"They proceed from evil to evil" means they don't just repeat their sins; they get worse. Each act of wickedness doesn't lead to repentance but to deeper entanglement in sin. They are on a downward spiral, becoming more hardened and brazen in their corruption.
The Core Problem: Ignorance of God
Jeremiah identifies the root cause: "they do not know me." This isn't about lacking intellectual information about God. It's about a profound lack of intimate, experiential knowledge—a failure to recognize who God is, to acknowledge His authority, and to live in awe and obedience to Him.
A Life Without Divine Reference
When people don't truly know God, they lose their moral compass. Without His truth as their standard and His love as their motivation, they are left to their own flawed desires and sinful patterns. This ignorance leads directly to the deceitful tongues and the lack of courage for truth we see earlier in the verse.
Nebuchadnezzar finally destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, ending the Davidic monarchy and scattering the remaining population. This catastrophic event is the ultimate consequence of the pervasive corruption and faithlessness Jeremiah condemned.
c. 586 BC - 538 BC
Babylonian Exile
The majority of the surviving Judeans live in exile in Babylon. During this time, the prophetic messages of Jeremiah and others are preserved and reinterpreted, shaping the community's identity and hope for return.
"They bend their tongue like a bow; falsehood and not truth has grown strong in the land; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not know me, declares the LORD." — This verse reveals a chilling progression: instead of using their courage for truth, they actively hone their lies like a skilled archer prepares a deadly shot. Their "valor" is reserved for deceit,…
