Jeremiah 6:13
in Jeremiah 6“For from the least of them to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; from prophet to priest, all practice deceit.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.
KJV
For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.
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This verse in Jeremiah 6
Commentary
7 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Given to covetousness - literally, everyone has gained gains. The temper of mind which gains the world is not that which gains heaven. Falsely - Rather, “fraudulently.”
This site's exposition
Their houses will be turned over to others
on Jeremiah 6:12-15
The corruption named at 5:31 is now total, “from the least of them to the greatest”. From it comes the book's best-known false comfort, “saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace at all”. The line “they do not even know how to blush” names a conscience past feeling.
This site's exposition
from the least of them to the greatest
Barnes renders greedy for gain literally as everyone has gained gains. Prophet and priest practice deceit, which Barnes renders as fraud. No rank is spared the charge.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Vers. 13 seqq.) For I will stretch out my hand over the inhabitants of the land, declares the Lord. From the least of them to the greatest, they all pursue greed, and from prophet to priest, they all practice deceit. They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, 'Peace, peace,' when there is no peace.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
7 As a fountain casteth out her waters, so she casteth out her wickedness: violence and spoil is heard in her; before me continually is grief and wounds. 8 Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee; lest I make thee desolate, a land not inhabited. Judgment threatened against Judah and Jerusalem.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:94%@v6-8
): " From the least of them even to the greatest, old and young, rich and poor, high and low, those of all ranks, professions, and employments, every one is given to covetousness, greedy of filthy lucre, all for what they can get, per fas per nefas--right or wrong; " and this made them oppressive and violent (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation
For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them,....
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
easily It is easy for the false prophets to pronounce with their mouths and to say, “You shall have peace,” and with this thing they heal with their speech the breach destined to come upon them.
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. 5 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
13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּ֤י | ki | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| מִקְּטַנָּם֙ | miketanam | from little their | H6996 → | 101 times |
| וְעַד־ | vead- | and unto | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| גְּדוֹלָ֔ם | gedolam | great their | H1419 → | 526 times |
| כֻּלּ֖וֹ | kulo | all of it | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| בּוֹצֵ֣עַ | botzea' | [is] gaining | H1214 → | |
| בָּ֑צַע | batza' | unjust gain | H1215 → | 23 times |
| וּמִנָּבִיא֙ | uminavi' | and from prophet | H5030 → | 314 times |
| וְעַד־ | vead- | and unto | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| כֹּהֵ֔ן | kohen | priest | H3548 → | 750 times |
| כֻּלּ֖וֹ | kulo | all of him | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| עֹ֥שֶׂה | ʾoseh | [is] doing | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| שָּֽׁקֶר׃ | shaker | falsehood | H8267 → | 113 times |
כִּ֤יthat
kiH3588 →4482 times
מִקְּטַנָּם֙from little their
miketanamH6996 →101 times
וְעַד־and unto
vead-H5704 →1261 times
גְּדוֹלָ֔םgreat their
gedolamH1419 →526 times
כֻּלּ֖וֹall of it
kuloH3605 →5413 times
בּוֹצֵ֣עַ[is] gaining
botzea'H1214 →
בָּ֑צַעunjust gain
batza'H1215 →23 times
וּמִנָּבִיא֙and from prophet
uminavi'H5030 →314 times
וְעַד־and unto
vead-H5704 →1261 times
כֹּהֵ֔ןpriest
kohenH3548 →750 times
כֻּלּ֖וֹall of him
kuloH3605 →5413 times
עֹ֥שֶׂה[is] doing
ʾosehH6213 →2628 times
שָּֽׁקֶר׃falsehood
shakerH8267 →113 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
Micah 3:11Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets practice divination for money. Yet they lean upon the LORD, saying, “Is not the LORD among us? No disaster…
it leads to
- Isaiah 1:23
Your rulers are rebels, friends of thieves. They all love bribes and chasing after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, and the plea of the widow never comes before them.
- Micah 3:5
This is what the LORD says: “As for the prophets who lead My people astray, who proclaim peace while they chew with their teeth, but declare war against one who puts nothing in their…
- Jeremiah 7:4
Do not trust in deceptive words, chanting: ‘This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.’
- Titus 1:11
who must be silenced. For the sake of dishonorable gain, they undermine entire households and teach things they should not.
- Acts 8:18–20
When Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money.
- Isaiah 1:23
Through
Jeremiah 8:10Therefore I will give their wives to other men and their fields to new owners. For from the least of them to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; from prophet to priest, all…
it leads to
- Ezekiel 33:31
So My people come to you as usual, sit before you, and hear your words; but they do not put them into practice. Although they express love with their mouths, their hearts pursue dishonest…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Jeremiah 6:12–13
Their houses will be turned over to others, their fields and wives as well, for I will stretch out My hand against the inhabitants of the land,” declares the LORD.
- Ezekiel 33:31
Through
Jeremiah 23:11“For both prophet and priest are ungodly; even in My house I have found their wickedness,” declares the LORD.
it leads to
- Zephaniah 3:4
Her prophets are reckless, faithless men. Her priests profane the sanctuary; they do violence to the law.
- Zephaniah 3:4
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Jeremiah
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jerome, Commentary on Jeremiah; John Calvin, Commentary on Jeremiah and Lamentations; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.