The Meaning of Jeremiah 5:26 Explained

Jeremiah 5:26

KJV: For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men.

YLT: For the wicked have been found among My people. It looketh about the covering of snares, They have set up a trap -- men they capture.

Darby: For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as fowlers stoop down; they set a trap, they catch men.

ASV: For among my people are found wicked men: they watch, as fowlers lie in wait; they set a trap, they catch men.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For among my people  are found  wicked  [men]: they lay wait,  as he that setteth  snares;  they set  a trap,  they catch  men. 

What does Jeremiah 5:26 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 5

1  The judgments of God upon the people, for their perverseness;
7  for their adultery;
10  for their impiety;
15  for their worship of idols;
19  for their contempt of God;
25  and for their great corruption in the civil state;
30  and ecclesiastical

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 5:26 mean?

For are found among My people wicked [men] they lie in wait as one who sets snares they set a trap men they catch
כִּי־ נִמְצְא֥וּ בְעַמִּ֖י רְשָׁעִ֑ים יָשׁוּר֙ כְּשַׁ֣ךְ יְקוּשִׁ֔ים הִצִּ֥יבוּ מַשְׁחִ֖ית אֲנָשִׁ֥ים יִלְכֹּֽדוּ

נִמְצְא֥וּ  are  found 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: מָצָא  
Sense: to find, attain to.
בְעַמִּ֖י  among  My  people 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
רְשָׁעִ֑ים  wicked  [men] 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: רָשָׁע  
Sense: wicked, criminal.
יָשׁוּר֙  they  lie  in  wait 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שׁוּר  
Sense: to see, behold, observe, regard.
כְּשַׁ֣ךְ  as  one  who  sets 
Parse: Preposition-k, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: שָׁכַךְ  
Sense: to subside, abate, decrease.
יְקוּשִׁ֔ים  snares 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: יָקוּשׁ  
Sense: fowler, trapper, bait-layer.
הִצִּ֥יבוּ  they  set 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: הֻצַּב 
Sense: to stand, take one’s stand, stand upright, be set (over), establish.
מַשְׁחִ֖ית  a  trap 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: מַשְׁחִית  
Sense: ruin, destruction.
אֲנָשִׁ֥ים  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱנׄושׁ 
Sense: man, mortal man, person, mankind.
יִלְכֹּֽדוּ  they  catch 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: לָכַד  
Sense: to capture, take, seize.