The Meaning of Jeremiah 8:10 Explained

Jeremiah 8:10

KJV: Therefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall inherit them: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.

YLT: Therefore, I give their wives to others, Their fields to dispossessors, For from the least even unto the greatest, Every one is gaining dishonest gain, From prophet even unto priest, every one is dealing falsely.

Darby: Therefore will I give their wives unto others, their fields to those that shall possess them; for every one, from the least even unto the greatest, is given to covetousness; from the prophet even unto the priest, every one dealeth falsely.

ASV: Therefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall possess them: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness; from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Therefore will I give  their wives  unto others,  [and] their fields  to them that shall inherit  [them]: for every one from the least  even unto the greatest  is given  to covetousness,  from the prophet  even unto the priest  every one dealeth  falsely. 

What does Jeremiah 8:10 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Since all the spiritual leaders, from the least to the greatest, lived for money and persisted in their deceit, the Lord would give their wives and fields to new owners, namely, the invaders (cf. Deuteronomy 28:30).
"Dark is the day when people reject God"s Word. Darker it is when the ministers of the Word betray their holy commission. [1]

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 8:10 mean?

Therefore I will give - their wives to others [And] their fields to those who will inherit [them] because from the least and even to the greatest Everyone is given to covetousness from the prophet the priest deals falsely
לָכֵן֩ אֶתֵּ֨ן אֶת־ נְשֵׁיהֶ֜ם לַאֲחֵרִ֗ים שְׂדֽוֹתֵיהֶם֙ לְי֣וֹרְשִׁ֔ים כִּ֤י מִקָּטֹן֙ וְעַד־ גָּד֔וֹל כֻּלֹּ֖ה בֹּצֵ֣עַ בָּ֑צַע מִנָּבִיא֙ כֹּהֵ֔ן עֹ֥שֶׂה שָּֽׁקֶר

אֶתֵּ֨ן  I  will  give 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
נְשֵׁיהֶ֜ם  their  wives 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
לַאֲחֵרִ֗ים  to  others 
Parse: Preposition-l, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: אַחֵר  
Sense: another, other, following.
שְׂדֽוֹתֵיהֶם֙  [And]  their  fields 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׂדֶה 
Sense: field, land.
לְי֣וֹרְשִׁ֔ים  to  those  who  will  inherit  [them] 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: יָרַשׁ  
Sense: to seize, dispossess, take possession off, inherit, disinherit, occupy, impoverish, be an heir.
כִּ֤י  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
מִקָּטֹן֙  from  the  least 
Parse: Preposition-m, Adjective, masculine singular
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.
גָּד֔וֹל  the  greatest 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
כֻּלֹּ֖ה  Everyone 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
בֹּצֵ֣עַ  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.
מִנָּבִיא֙  from  the  prophet 
Parse: 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.