Jeremiah 45:5
in Jeremiah 45But as for you, do you seek great things for yourself? Stop seeking! For I will bring disaster on every living creature, declares the LORD, but wherever you go, I will grant your life as a spoil of war.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not; for, behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh, saith Jehovah; but thy life will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest.
KJV
And seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not: for, behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh, saith the Lord: but thy life will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest.
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This verse in Jeremiah 45
Commentary
4 notes on this verseAnd seekest thou great things for thyself? - Nothing better can be expected of this people: thy hopes in reference to them are vain. Expect no national amendment, till national judgments have taken place. And as for any benefit to thyself, think it sufficient that God has determined to preserve thy life amidst all these dangers. But thy life will I give unto thee for a prey - This is a proverbial expression. We have met with it before, Jer 21:9, Jer 38:2, Jer 39:18; and it appears to have this meaning.
This site's exposition
Thus shalt thou say unto him, The Lord saith thus; Behold, that which I have built will I break down
on Jeremiah 45:4-5
The answer does not exempt Baruch from the book's larger verdict, the same Lord breaking down what he built and plucking up what he planted across the whole land, so the scribe's private grief is set inside a catastrophe too large to be about him alone. The rebuke, seekest thou great things for thyself, seek them not, reads to the bench as gentle rather than harsh, refusing Baruch nothing but ambition in a burning house. The closing promise, thy life will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest, repeats word for word the promise made to Ebed-melech at 39:18 and to Jeremiah himself, binding the scribe's safety to his master's and to the Ethiopian's.
The record, by era
The Reformation1 voice
But the reason I have stated ought to be borne in mind, that this book we have now in our hands was not written by Jeremiah himself, but that it contains collected summaries, afterwards formed into one volume. Here is told us a special prophecy concerning Baruch, who, as we know, was the Prophet's scribe, and not only his scribe or amanuensis, but also his disciple.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Dost thou expect to be rich and honourable and to make a figure now? "It is absurd for thee to be now painting thy own cabin. Canst thou expect to be high when all are brought low, to be full when all about thee are empty?" To seek ourselves more than the public welfare, especially to seek great things to ourselves when the public is in danger, is very unbecoming Israelites.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
And you seek great things for yourself? [“Great things” means] prophecies. Cf. “Please tell me all the great things etc.” (II Kings:4). “Call to me..and I will tell you great, etc,” (above:3).
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
and it is all the land that is being judged with this uprooting and tearing down.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
26 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְאַתָּ֛ה | veatah | and you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| תְּבַקֶּשׁ־ | tevakesh- | you are seeking | H1245 → | 225 times |
| לְךָ֥ | lekha | for <the> yourself | ||
| גְדֹל֖וֹת | gedolot | great [things] | H1419 → | 526 times |
| אַל־ | ʾal- | may not | H408 → | 724 times |
| תְּבַקֵּ֑שׁ | tevakesh | you seek [them] | H1245 → | 225 times |
| כִּ֡י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| הִנְנִי֩ | hini | here I | H2005 → | 316 times |
| מֵבִ֨יא | mevi' | [am] about to bring | H935 → | 2568 times |
| רָעָ֤ה | raah | calamity | H7451 → | 662 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| בָּשָׂר֙ | basar | flesh | H1320 → | 270 times |
| נְאֻם־ | neum- | [the] utterance of | H5002 → | 376 times |
| יְהוָ֔ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וְנָתַתִּ֨י | venatati | and I will give | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| לְךָ֤ | lekha | to <the> you | ||
| אֶֽת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| נַפְשְׁךָ֙ | nafshekha | life your | H5315 → | 754 times |
| לְשָׁלָ֔ל | leshalal | to plunder | H7998 → | 73 times |
| עַ֥ל | ʾal | at | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הַמְּקֹמ֖וֹת | hamekomot | the places | H4725 → | 401 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | where | H834 → | 5497 times |
| תֵּֽלֶךְ־ | telekh- | you will go | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| שָֽׁם׃ ס | sham | there | H8033 → | 834 times |
וְאַתָּ֛הand you
veatahH859 →1094 times
תְּבַקֶּשׁ־you are seeking
tevakesh-H1245 →225 times
לְךָ֥for <the> yourself
lekha
גְדֹל֖וֹתgreat [things]
gedolotH1419 →526 times
אַל־may not
ʾal-H408 →724 times
תְּבַקֵּ֑שׁyou seek [them]
tevakeshH1245 →225 times
כִּ֡יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
הִנְנִי֩here I
hiniH2005 →316 times
מֵבִ֨יא[am] about to bring
mevi'H935 →2568 times
רָעָ֤הcalamity
raahH7451 →662 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
בָּשָׂר֙flesh
basarH1320 →270 times
נְאֻם־[the] utterance of
neum-H5002 →376 times
יְהוָ֔הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
וְנָתַתִּ֨יand I will give
venatatiH5414 →2011 times
לְךָ֤to <the> you
lekha
אֶֽת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
נַפְשְׁךָ֙life your
nafshekhaH5315 →754 times
לְשָׁלָ֔לto plunder
leshalalH7998 →73 times
עַ֥לat
ʾalH5921 →5755 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
הַמְּקֹמ֖וֹתthe places
hamekomotH4725 →401 times
אֲשֶׁ֥רwhere
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
תֵּֽלֶךְ־you will go
telekh-H1980 →1546 times
שָֽׁם׃ סthere
shamH8033 →834 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Hebrews 13:5Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for God has said: “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.”
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 31:8
The LORD Himself goes before you; He will be with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid or discouraged.”
- Joshua 1:5
No one shall stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so will I be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
- Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or terrified of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”
- 1 Samuel 12:22
Indeed, for the sake of His great name, the LORD will not abandon His people, because He was pleased to make you His own.
- Isaiah 41:17
The poor and needy seek water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. I, the LORD, will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
- Deuteronomy 31:8
Through
Romans 12:16Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but enjoy the company of the lowly. Do not be conceited.
it leads to
- 1 Peter 3:8
Finally, all of you, be like-minded and sympathetic, love as brothers, be tenderhearted and humble.
- Proverbs 3:7
Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
- James 3:13–17
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good conduct, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
- 1 Peter 3:8
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
On this verse
On this chapter
About Jeremiah
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.