The Meaning of Jeremiah 8:6 Explained

Jeremiah 8:6

KJV: I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle.

YLT: I have given attention, yea, I hearken, They do not speak right, No man hath repented of his wickedness, Saying, What have I done? Every one hath turned to his courses, As a horse is rushing into battle.

Darby: I hearkened and heard: they speak not what is right; there is no man who repenteth him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? Every one turneth to his course, like a horse rushing into the battle.

ASV: I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repenteth him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turneth to his course, as a horse that rusheth headlong in the battle.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

I hearkened  and heard,  [but] they spake not aright:  no man  repented  him of  his wickedness,  saying,  What have I done?  every one turned  to his course,  as the horse  rusheth  into the battle. 

What does Jeremiah 8:6 Mean?

Study Notes

repented
.
Repentance (O.T.), Summary: In the O.T., repentance is the English word used to translate the Heb. nacham, to be "eased" or "comforted." It is used of both God and man. Notwithstanding the literal meaning of nacham, it is evident, from a study of all the passages, that the sacred writers use it in the sense of metanoia in the N.T.--a change of mind. Matthew 3:2 (See Scofield " Acts 17:30 ") . As in the N.T., such change of mind is often accompanied by contrition and self-judgment. When applied to God the word is used phenomenally according to O.T. custom. God seems to change His mind. The phenomena are such as, in the case of man, would indicate a change of mind.

Verse Meaning

The Lord had heard what the people were saying, which was not right. They were refusing to acknowledge their sin (cf. Jeremiah 5:1-3). They were headed for trouble, like a horse rushing headlong into battle.

Context Summary

Jeremiah 8:4-22 - False Promises Of Peace
This chapter is filled with denunciation of the unreasonable and infatuated obstinacy of Israel. As the horse rushes madly to the fight, so were the people set on evil. The very birds that were sensitive to the laws of migration, and obeyed the call of the sunnier clime, were more impressible than the Chosen People. God often calls us out of the stormy winter blasts to lands of sunny fellowship, but we will not heed. From Jeremiah 5:10 onward we have a description of the desolation about to visit the land. Notwithstanding the promises of false prophets, the invader overran the country and the exiled people might readily begin to question why such a fate had befallen them. To this there was but one answer. Their sin had cut them off from God's protecting care. Is not this the reason why harvests pass and summers end, and the years roll on, and still you are not saved? There is balm for your wounds, and a physician for your healing, but you do not avail yourselves of them; and God's love is powerless, however greatly He desires to help you, until you return. The father would do anything for the prodigal, but He has no chance so long as the prodigal remains in the far-land. [source]

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 8

1  The calamity of the Jews, both dead and alive
4  He upbraids their foolish and shameless impenitency
13  He shows their grievous judgment;
18  and bewails their desperate estate

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 8:6 mean?

I listened and heard not aright [But] they do speak No man repented of his wickedness Saying what have I done Everyone turned - to his own course as the horse rushes into the battle
הִקְשַׁ֤בְתִּי וָֽאֶשְׁמָע֙ לוֹא־ כֵ֣ן יְדַבֵּ֔רוּ אֵ֣ין אִ֗ישׁ נִחָם֙ עַל־ רָ֣עָת֔וֹ לֵאמֹ֖ר מֶ֣ה ؟ עָשִׂ֑יתִי כֻּלֹּ֗ה שָׁ֚ב [במרצותם] (בִּמְר֣וּצָתָ֔ם) כְּס֥וּס שׁוֹטֵ֖ף בַּמִּלְחָמָֽה

הִקְשַׁ֤בְתִּי  I  listened 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: קָשַׁב  
Sense: to hear, be attentive, heed, incline (of ears), attend (of ears), hearken, pay attention, listen.
וָֽאֶשְׁמָע֙  and  heard 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
כֵ֣ן  aright 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: כֵּן 
Sense: so, therefore, thus.
יְדַבֵּ֔רוּ  [But]  they  do  speak 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
אֵ֣ין  No 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
אִ֗ישׁ  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
נִחָם֙  repented 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נָחַם  
Sense: to be sorry, console oneself, repent, regret, comfort, be comforted.
רָ֣עָת֔וֹ  his  wickedness 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
לֵאמֹ֖ר  Saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
؟ עָשִׂ֑יתִי  have  I  done 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
כֻּלֹּ֗ה  Everyone 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
שָׁ֚ב  turned 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
[במרצותם]  - 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine plural
(בִּמְר֣וּצָתָ֔ם)  to  his  own  course 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: מְרוּצָה  
Sense: running, course (of life).
כְּס֥וּס  as  the  horse 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular
Root: סוּס 
Sense: swallow, swift.
שׁוֹטֵ֖ף  rushes 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׁטַף  
Sense: to wash, rinse, overflow, engulf, rinse or wash off.
בַּמִּלְחָמָֽה  into  the  battle 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִלְחָמָה  
Sense: battle, war.