The Meaning of Jeremiah 6:13 Explained

Jeremiah 6:13

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.

YLT: For from their least unto their greatest, Every one is gaining dishonest gain, And from prophet even unto priest, Every one is dealing falsely,

Darby: 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.

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 Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Jeremiah 6:13 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Everyone was guilty and worthy of judgment, from all levels of society including the false prophets and the unfaithful priests. They all behaved selfishly and deceived others (cf. Jeremiah 4:3-5).

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 6

1  The enemies sent against Judah,
4  encourage themselves
6  God sets them on work because of their sins
9  The prophet laments the judgments of God because of their sins
18  He proclaims God's wrath
26  He calls the people to mourn for the judgment on their sins

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 6:13 mean?

Because from the least of them and even to the greatest of them Everyone [is] given to covetousness and from the prophet the priest deals falsely
כִּ֤י מִקְּטַנָּם֙ וְעַד־ גְּדוֹלָ֔ם כֻּלּ֖וֹ בּוֹצֵ֣עַ בָּ֑צַע וּמִנָּבִיא֙ כֹּהֵ֔ן עֹ֥שֶׂה שָּֽׁקֶר

כִּ֤י  Because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
מִקְּטַנָּם֙  from  the  least  of  them 
Parse: Preposition-m, Adjective, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: קָטָן 
Sense: young, small, insignificant, unimportant.
וְעַד־  and  even  to 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
גְּדוֹלָ֔ם  the  greatest  of  them 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
כֻּלּ֖וֹ  Everyone 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
בּוֹצֵ֣עַ  [is]  given  to 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: בָּצַע  
Sense: to cut off, break off, gain by unrighteous violence, get, finish, be covetous, be greedy.
בָּ֑צַע  covetousness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֶּצַע  
Sense: profit, unjust gain, gain (profit) acquired by violence.
וּמִנָּבִיא֙  and  from  the  prophet 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נָבִיא  
Sense: spokesman, speaker, prophet.
כֹּהֵ֔ן  the  priest 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
עֹ֥שֶׂה  deals 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
שָּֽׁקֶר  falsely 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֶׁקֶר  
Sense: lie, deception, disappointment, falsehood.