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Read the Bible

New King James Version

Jeremiah 9:2

Oh, that I had in the wilderness A lodging place for travelers; That I might leave my people, And go from them! For they are all adulterers, An assembly of treacherous men.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Church;   Company;   Patriotism;   Sin;   Zeal, Religious;   Thompson Chain Reference - Association-Separation;   Solitude;   Wayfaring Man;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Prophets;  

Dictionaries:

- Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Knowledge of God;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Bible;   Inn;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Lodge;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Hospitality;   Jeremiah;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Inn;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Wayfaring Man;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Inn;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Commerce;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Inn;   Jeremiah (2);   Solemn;   Wayfaring Man;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Calumny;   Didascalia;   Ethics;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
If only I had a traveler’s lodging placein the wilderness,I would abandon my peopleand depart from them,for they are all adulterers,a solemn assembly of treacherous people.
Hebrew Names Version
Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging-place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them! for they are all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men.
King James Version
Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them! for they be all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men.
English Standard Version
Oh that I had in the desert a travelers' lodging place, that I might leave my people and go away from them! For they are all adulterers, a company of treacherous men.
New American Standard Bible
Oh that I had in the desert A travelers' lodging place; So that I might leave my people And go away from them! For all of them are adulterers, An assembly of treacherous people.
New Century Version
I wish I had a place in the desert— a house where travelers spend the night— so I could leave my people. I could go away from them, because they are all unfaithful to God; they are all turning against him.
Amplified Bible
Oh that I had in the wilderness A lodging place (a mere shelter) for wayfaring men, That I might leave my people And go away from them! For they are all adulterers [worshiping idols instead of the LORD], [They are] an assembly of treacherous men [of weak character, men without integrity].
World English Bible
Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging-place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them! for they are all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Oh, that I had in the wildernes a cottage of wayfaring men, that I might leaue my people, and go from them: for they be all adulterers & an assembly of rebels,
Legacy Standard Bible
Oh that I had in the desertA travelers' lodging place,That I might leave my peopleAnd go from them!For all of them are adulterers,A solemn assembly of treacherous men.
Berean Standard Bible
If only I had a traveler's lodge in the wilderness, I would abandon my people and depart from them, for they are all adulterers, a crowd of faithless people.
Contemporary English Version
I wish I could go into the desert and find a hiding place from all who are treacherous and unfaithful to God.
Complete Jewish Bible
They bend their tongues, their ‘bow' of falsehood, and hold sway in the land, but not for truth. For they go from evil to evil, and me they do not know," says Adonai .
Darby Translation
Oh that I had in the wilderness a traveller's lodging-place, that I might leave my people, and go away from them! For they are all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men.
Easy-to-Read Version
If only I had a place in the desert— a house where travelers spend the night— so I could leave my people. I could go away from them, because they are all unfaithful to God. They have all turned against him.
George Lamsa Translation
Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men, that I might leave my people and go away from them! For they are all adulterers, an assembly of liars.
Good News Translation
I wish I had a place to stay in the desert where I could get away from my people. They are all unfaithful, a mob of traitors.
Lexham English Bible
Oh that I had in the desert a place of overnight lodging for travelers, that I may leave my people and go from them, for all of them are adulterers, a band of traitors.
Literal Translation
Oh, that I had a lodging place for travelers in the wilderness, that I might leave my people and go away from them! For they are all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous ones.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Wolde God that I had a cotage some where farre from folke, that I might leaue my people, and go from the: for they be all aduoutrers and a shrenckinge sorte.
American Standard Version
Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging-place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them! for they are all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men.
Bible in Basic English
If only I had in the waste land a night's resting-place for travellers, so that I might go away, far from my people! for they are all untrue, a band of false men.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And they bend their tongue, their bow of falsehood; and they are grown mighty in the land, but not for truth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and Me they know not, saith the LORD.
King James Version (1611)
Oh that I had in the wildernesse a lodging place of wayfaring men, that I might leaue my people, and goe from them: for they be all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Woulde God that I had a cottage somewhere farre from folke, that I might leaue my people and go from them, for they be all adulterers and a shrinking sort.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Who would give me a most distant lodge in the wilderness, that I might leave my people, and depart from them? for they all commit adultery, an assembly of treacherous men.
English Revised Version
Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them! for they be all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Who schal yyue me in to a wildirnesse of dyuerse weigoeris? And I schal forsake my puple, and Y schal go awei fro hem. For whi alle ben auowteris, and the cumpenyes of trespassouris ayens the lawe;
Update Bible Version
Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging-place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them! for they are all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men.
Webster's Bible Translation
Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging-place of way-faring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them! for they [are] all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men.
New English Translation
I wish I had a lodging place in the desert where I could spend some time like a weary traveler. Then I would desert my people and walk away from them because they are all unfaithful to God, a congregation of people that has been disloyal to him.
New Living Translation
Oh, that I could go away and forget my people and live in a travelers' shack in the desert. For they are all adulterers— a pack of treacherous liars.
New Life Bible
If only I had a place in the desert for travelers to stay, that I might leave my people, and go away from them! For none of them are faithful. They are a gathering of men who cannot be trusted.
New Revised Standard
O that I had in the desert a traveler's lodging place, that I might leave my people and go away from them! For they are all adulterers, a band of traitors.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Oh that I had in the wilderness, a wayfarers lodge, That I might leave my people, and go from them, - For they all, are Adulterers, An assemblage of traitors;
Douay-Rheims Bible
Who will give me in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men, and I will leave my people, and depart from them? because they are all adulterers, an assembly of transgressors.
Revised Standard Version
O that I had in the desert a wayfarers' lodging place, that I might leave my people and go away from them! For they are all adulterers, a company of treacherous men.
Young's Literal Translation
Who doth give me in a wilderness A lodging-place of travellers? And I leave my people, and go from them, For all of them [are] adulterers, An assembly of treacherous ones.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Oh that I had in the desert A wayfarers' lodging place; That I might leave my people And go from them! For all of them are adulterers, An assembly of treacherous men.

Contextual Overview

1 Oh, that my head were waters, And my eyes a fountain of tears, That I might weep day and night For the slain of the daughter of my people! 2 Oh, that I had in the wilderness A lodging place for travelers; That I might leave my people, And go from them! For they are all adulterers, An assembly of treacherous men. 3 "And like their bow they have bent their tongues for lies. They are not valiant for the truth on the earth. For they proceed from evil to evil, And they do not know Me," says the LORD. 4 "Everyone take heed to his neighbor, And do not trust any brother; For every brother will utterly supplant, And every neighbor will walk with slanderers. 5 Everyone will deceive his neighbor, And will not speak the truth; They have taught their tongue to speak lies; They weary themselves to commit iniquity. 6 Your dwelling place is in the midst of deceit; Through deceit they refuse to know Me," says the LORD. 7 Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts: "Behold, I will refine them and try them; For how shall I deal with the daughter of My people? 8 Their tongue is an arrow shot out; It speaks deceit; One speaks peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth, But in his heart he lies in wait. 9 Shall I not punish them for these things?" says the LORD. "Shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?" 10 I will take up a weeping and wailing for the mountains, And for the dwelling places of the wilderness a lamentation, Because they are burned up, So that no one can pass through; Nor can men hear the voice of the cattle. Both the birds of the heavens and the beasts have fled; They are gone.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

that I had: Psalms 55:6-8, Psalms 120:5-7, Micah 7:1-7

for: Jeremiah 5:7, Jeremiah 5:8, Jeremiah 23:10, Ezekiel 22:10, Ezekiel 22:11, Hosea 4:2, Hosea 7:4, James 4:4

an assembly: Jeremiah 12:1, Jeremiah 12:6, Hosea 5:7, Hosea 6:7, Micah 7:2-5, Zephaniah 3:4, Malachi 2:11

Reciprocal: Judges 16:6 - General 1 Samuel 15:35 - Samuel mourned 1 Kings 19:9 - unto a cave Psalms 12:2 - They Psalms 36:4 - setteth Psalms 55:7 - General Proverbs 21:19 - better Proverbs 26:25 - speaketh fair Ecclesiastes 4:3 - who Isaiah 59:13 - speaking Jeremiah 2:29 - ye all have Jeremiah 7:9 - steal Jeremiah 13:22 - the greatness Ezekiel 21:24 - your transgressions Hosea 7:1 - they commit Hosea 7:3 - General Micah 6:12 - spoken Habakkuk 1:3 - General Luke 6:45 - and an Romans 2:22 - adultery

Cross-References

Genesis 1:28
Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
Genesis 2:19
Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name.
Genesis 9:4
But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood.
Genesis 9:8
Then God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying:
Genesis 9:20
And Noah began to be a farmer, and he planted a vineyard.
Genesis 9:22
And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside.
Genesis 9:23
But Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and went backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father's nakedness.
Genesis 35:5
And they journeyed, and the terror of God was upon the cities that were all around them, and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob.
Leviticus 26:6
I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and none will make you afraid; I will rid the land of evil beasts, and the sword will not go through your land.
Leviticus 26:22
I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children, destroy your livestock, and make you few in number; and your highways shall be desolate.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men,.... Such as travellers take up with in a desert, when they are benighted, and cannot reach a town or village. This the prophet chose, partly that he might have an opportunity to give vent to his grief, being alone; for which reason he did not desire to be in cities and populous places, where he might be amused and diverted while his people were in distress: and partly to show his sympathy, not being able to bear the sight of their misery; and also some degree of indignation at their impieties, which had brought ruin upon them; on account of which it was more eligible to dwell with the wild beasts of the desert than with them in his native country: wherefore it follows,

that I might leave my people, and go from them; which of itself was not desirable; no man chooses to leave his country, his own people, and his father's house, and go into distant lands and strange countries; and especially into a wilderness, where there is neither suitable food nor agreeable company: wherefore this shows, that there must be something very bad, and very provoking, to lead him to take such a step as this: the reason follows,

for they be all adulterers; either in a literal or figurative sense; the latter seems rather intended; for though corporeal fornication and adultery might greatly prevail among them, yet not to such a height as that "all" of them were guilty; whereas idolatry did generally obtain among them: an assembly of treacherous men; not a few only, but in general they were apostates from God and from true religion, and treacherous to one another. The Septuagint calls them "a synod"; and Joseph Kimchi interprets it "a kingdom"; deriving the word from עצר, as it signifies to have rule and dominion; denoting, that the kingdom in general was false and perfidious.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

From their punishment the prophet now turns to their sins.

Jeremiah 9:2

The prophet utters the wish that he might be spared his daily striving, and in some lone wilderness give way to his sorrow, without restraint.

A lodging place - It was usual to build in the desert, either by private charity or at the public expense, caravanserais, to receive travelers for a single night, who had however to bring their own supplies with them.

An assembly - Or, a gang.

Treacherous - Faithless toward one another.

Jeremiah 9:3

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.

Jeremiah 9:4

In a state of such utter lawlessness, the bonds of mutual confidence are relaxed, and suspicion takes its place.

Utterly supplant - An allusion to the name of Jacob Genesis 27:36. It might be rendered, “every brother is a thorough Jacob.”

Will walk with slanders - Or, slandereth.

Jeremiah 9:6

A continuation of the warning given in Jeremiah 9:4. “Trust no one: for thou dwellest surrounded by deceit on every side.” Their rejection of God is the result of their want of honesty in their dealings with one another 1 John 4:20.

Jeremiah 9:7

I will melt them, and try them - The punishment is corrective rather than retributive. The terms used are those of the refiner of metals, the first being the smelting to separate the pure metal from the ore; the second the testing to see whether the metal is pure, or still mixed with alloy. God will put the nation into the crucible of tribulation, that whatever is evil being consumed in the fire, all there is in them of good may be purified.

For how shall I do ... - Rather, “for how” else could I act with reference to the “daughter of my people?”

Jeremiah 9:8

An arrow shot out - Rather, “a murderous arrow.”

In heart he layeth his wait - Rather, “inwardly he layeth his ambush.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Jeremiah 9:2. O that I had in the wilderness — In the eastern countries there are no such inns or houses of entertainment as those in Europe. There are in different places public buildings called caravanserais, where travellers may lodge: but they are without furniture of any kind, and without food. Indeed they are often without a roof, being mere walls for a protection against the wild beasts of the desert. I wish to hide myself any where, in the most uncomfortable circumstances, that I may not be obliged any longer to witness the abominations of this people who are shortly to be visited with the most grievous punishments. Several interpreters suppose this to be the speech of GOD. I cannot receive this. I believe this verse to be spoken by the prophet, and that God proceeds with the next verse, and so on to the ninth inclusive.


 
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