Jeremiah 9:8
New International Version
Their tongue is a deadly arrow; it speaks deceitfully. With their mouths they all speak cordially to their neighbors, but in their hearts they set traps for them.

New Living Translation
For their tongues shoot lies like poisoned arrows. They speak friendly words to their neighbors while scheming in their heart to kill them.

English Standard Version
Their tongue is a deadly arrow; it speaks deceitfully; with his mouth each speaks peace to his neighbor, but in his heart he plans an ambush for him.

Berean Standard Bible
Their tongues are deadly arrows; they speak deception. With his mouth a man speaks peace to his neighbor, but in his heart he sets a trap for him.

King James Bible
Their tongue is as an arrow shot out; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but in heart he layeth his wait.

New King James Version
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.

New American Standard Bible
“Their tongue is a deadly arrow; It speaks deceit; With his mouth one speaks peace to his neighbor, But inwardly he sets an ambush for him.

NASB 1995
“Their tongue is a deadly arrow; It speaks deceit; With his mouth one speaks peace to his neighbor, But inwardly he sets an ambush for him.

NASB 1977
“Their tongue is a deadly arrow; It speaks deceit; With his mouth one speaks peace to his neighbor, But inwardly he sets an ambush for him.

Legacy Standard Bible
Their tongue is a slaughtering arrow; It speaks deceit; With his mouth one speaks peace to his neighbor, But inwardly he sets an ambush for him.

Amplified Bible
“Their tongue is a murderous arrow; It speaks deceit; With his mouth one speaks peace to his neighbor, But in his heart he lays traps and waits in ambush for him.

Christian Standard Bible
Their tongues are deadly arrows — they speak deception. With his mouth one speaks peaceably with his friend, but inwardly he sets up an ambush.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Their tongues are deadly arrows— they speak deception. With his mouth a man speaks peaceably with his friend, but inwardly he sets up an ambush.

American Standard Version
Their tongue is a deadly arrow; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth, but in his heart he layeth wait for him.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Their tongue is as a sharp arrow and it speaks deceit in its mouth. A man speaks peace with his neighbor, and within himself he plots an ambush

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Their tongue is a wounding arrow; the words of their mouth are deceitful: one speaks peaceably to his neighbour, but in himself retains enmity.

Contemporary English Version
They say they want peace, but this lie is deadly, like an arrow that strikes when you least expect it.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Their tongue is a piercing arrow, it hath spoken deceit: with his mouth one speaketh peace with his friend, and secretly he lieth in wait for him.

English Revised Version
Their tongue is a deadly arrow; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but in his heart he layeth wait for him.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Their tongues are like deadly arrows. They speak deceitfully. People speak politely to their neighbors, but they think of ways to set traps for them.

Good News Translation
Their tongues are like deadly arrows; they always tell lies. Everyone speaks friendly words to their neighbors, but they are really setting a trap for them.

International Standard Version
Their tongue is a deadly arrow that speaks deceit. With his mouth a person says, 'Peace,' to his friend, but inwardly he sets a trap for him.

JPS Tanakh 1917
Their tongue is a sharpened arrow, It speaketh deceit; One speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, But in his heart he layeth wait for him.

Literal Standard Version
Their tongue [is] a slaughtering arrow, | It has spoken deceit in its mouth, | It speaks peace with its neighbor, | And in its heart it lays its ambush,

Majority Standard Bible
Their tongues are deadly arrows; they speak deception. With his mouth a man speaks peace to his neighbor, but in his heart he sets a trap for him.

New American Bible
A murderous arrow is their tongue, their mouths utter deceit; They speak peaceably with their neighbors, but in their hearts they lay an ambush!

NET Bible
Their tongues are like deadly arrows. They are always telling lies. Friendly words for their neighbors come from their mouths. But their minds are thinking up ways to trap them.

New Revised Standard Version
Their tongue is a deadly arrow; it speaks deceit through the mouth. They all speak friendly words to their neighbors, but inwardly are planning to lay an ambush.

New Heart English Bible
Their tongue is a deadly arrow; it speaks deceit: one speaks peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth, but in his heart he lies in wait for him.

Webster's Bible Translation
Their tongue is as an arrow shot out; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth, but in heart he layeth his wait.

World English Bible
Their tongue is a deadly arrow. It speaks deceit. One speaks peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth, but in his heart, he waits to ambush him.

Young's Literal Translation
A slaughtering arrow is their tongue, Deceit it hath spoken in its mouth, Peace with its neighbour it speaketh, And in its heart it layeth its ambush,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
A Lament over Zion
7Therefore this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Behold, I will refine them and test them, for what else can I do because of the daughter of My people? 8Their tongues are deadly arrows; they speak deception. With his mouth a man speaks peace to his neighbor, but in his heart he sets a trap for him. 9Should I not punish them for these things? declares the LORD. Should I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?”…

Cross References
Psalm 12:2
They lie to one another; they speak with flattering lips and a double heart.

Psalm 28:3
Do not drag me away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, who speak peace to their neighbors while malice is in their hearts.

Psalm 35:20
For they do not speak peace, but they devise deceitful schemes against those who live quietly in the land.

Proverbs 25:18
Like a club or sword or sharp arrow is a man who bears false witness against his neighbor.

Proverbs 26:25
When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart.

Jeremiah 5:26
For among My people are wicked men; they watch like fowlers lying in wait; they set a trap to catch men.

Jeremiah 9:3
"They bend their tongues like bows; lies prevail over truth in the land. For they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not take Me into account," declares the LORD.


Treasury of Scripture

Their tongue is as an arrow shot out; it speaks deceit: one speaks peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth, but in heart he lays his wait.

tongue.

Jeremiah 9:3,5
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…

Psalm 12:2
They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.

Psalm 57:4
My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.

one.

2 Samuel 3:27
And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there under the fifth rib, that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.

2 Samuel 20:9,10
And Joab said to Amasa, Art thou in health, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him…

Psalm 28:3
Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts.

in heart.

Jump to Previous
Ambush Arrow Causing Cordially Deadly Death Deceit Deceitfully Heart Inwardly Lays Mouth Murderous Neighbor Neighbour Peace Peaceably Secretly Sets Sharpened Shot Slaughtering Speaketh Speaks Tongue Trap Wait Waiting Words
Jump to Next
Ambush Arrow Causing Cordially Deadly Death Deceit Deceitfully Heart Inwardly Lays Mouth Murderous Neighbor Neighbour Peace Peaceably Secretly Sets Sharpened Shot Slaughtering Speaketh Speaks Tongue Trap Wait Waiting Words
Jeremiah 9
1. Jeremiah laments the people for their manifold sins;
9. and for their judgment.
12. Disobedience is the cause of their bitter calamity.
17. He exhorts to mourn for their destruction;
23. and to trust not in themselves, but in God.
25. He threatens both Jews and Gentiles.














(8) An arrow shot out.--Better, an arrow that pierceth, or slayeth.

In heart.--More literally, inwardly.

Verse 8. - (Comp. Psalm 55:21.) As an arrow shot out; rather, as a sharpened arrow; but this is based on the marginal reading, and is itself a slightly forced rendering. The Hebrew text (i.e. the consonants), and also the Septuagint and Vulgate, have "as a murderous arrow."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Their tongues
לְשׁוֹנָ֖ם (lə·šō·w·nām)
Noun - common singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 3956: The tongue

are deadly
שָׁח֛וּט (šā·ḥūṭ)
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular
Strong's 7819: To slaughter, beat

arrows;
חֵ֥ץ (ḥêṣ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2671: A piercer, an arrow, a wound, thunderbolt, the shaft of a, spear

they speak
דִבֵּ֑ר (ḏib·bêr)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

deception.
מִרְמָ֣ה (mir·māh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4820: Deceit, treachery

With his mouth
בְּפִ֗יו (bə·p̄îw)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6310: The mouth, edge, portion, side, according to

a man speaks
יְדַבֵּ֔ר (yə·ḏab·bêr)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

peace
שָׁל֤וֹם (šā·lō·wm)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7965: Safe, well, happy, friendly, welfare, health, prosperity, peace

to
אֶת־ (’eṯ-)
Preposition
Strong's 854: Nearness, near, with, by, at, among

his neighbor,
רֵעֵ֙הוּ֙ (rê·‘ê·hū)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7453: Friend, companion, fellow

but in his heart
וּבְקִרְבּ֖וֹ (ū·ḇə·qir·bōw)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7130: The nearest part, the center

he sets
יָשִׂ֥ים (yā·śîm)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7760: Put -- to put, place, set

a trap for him.
אָרְבּֽוֹ׃ (’ā·rə·bōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 696: An ambuscade


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 9:8 Their tongue is a deadly arrow (Jer.)
Jeremiah 9:7
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