The Meaning of Jeremiah 9:24 Explained

Jeremiah 9:24

KJV: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.

YLT: But -- in this let the boaster boast himself, In understanding and knowing Me, For I am Jehovah, doing kindness, Judgment, and righteousness, in the earth, For in these I have delighted, An affirmation of Jehovah.

Darby: but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am Jehovah, who exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth; for in these things I delight, saith Jehovah.

ASV: but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he hath understanding, and knoweth me, that I am Jehovah who exerciseth lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith Jehovah.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But let him that glorieth  glory  in this, that he understandeth  and knoweth  me, that I [am] the LORD  which exercise  lovingkindness,  judgment,  and righteousness,  in the earth:  for in these [things] I delight,  saith  the LORD. 

What does Jeremiah 9:24 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Instead, the person who felt satisfied should "boast" because he or she understood and knew Yahweh as a God who loves and practices loyal love (loyalty, lovingkindness, steadfast love, unfailing devotion, merciful love, Heb. hesed), justice (Heb. mishpat), and righteousness (right, integrity, deliverance, salvation, Heb. sedaqa) on the earth. Truly knowing the Lord in this way implies participating with Him in valuing and practicing these essential covenant virtues. The standard is not social custom or community consensus, but the character and will of Yahweh (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:31; 2 Corinthians 10:17; James 1:9).
". . . true religion consists in a personal and existential knowledge of God, and in a commitment to those qualities displayed by Yahweh himself-unfailing loyalty, justice, and right dealing." [1]
This verse is a concise summary of Israel"s religion at its highest (cf. Micah 6:8). For Israel, true religion consisted of acknowledging the sovereignty of God over all of life, and allowing Him to produce the qualities that distinguish Him in the lives of all His people.
"It is not reliance on one"s own wisdom and strength that brings well-being, but the knowledge of the Lord and of His dealings in grace and justice (ix22-25)." [2]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 9:24 mean?

that but in this let him who glories glory that he understands and knows Me I [am] Yahweh exercising lovingkindness judgment and righteousness in the earth for in these I delight says Yahweh -
כִּ֣י אִם־ בְּזֹ֞את יִתְהַלֵּ֣ל הַמִּתְהַלֵּ֗ל הַשְׂכֵּל֮ וְיָדֹ֣עַ אוֹתִי֒ אֲנִ֣י יְהוָ֔ה עֹ֥שֶׂה חֶ֛סֶד מִשְׁפָּ֥ט וּצְדָקָ֖ה בָּאָ֑רֶץ כִּֽי־ בְאֵ֥לֶּה חָפַ֖צְתִּי נְאֻם־ יְהוָֽה ס

כִּ֣י  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
בְּזֹ֞את  in  this 
Parse: Preposition-b, Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
יִתְהַלֵּ֣ל  let  him  who  glories 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הָלַל 
Sense: to shine.
הַמִּתְהַלֵּ֗ל  glory 
Parse: Article, Verb, Hitpael, Participle, masculine singular
Root: הָלַל 
Sense: to shine.
הַשְׂכֵּל֮  that  he  understands 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Infinitive absolute
Root: שָׂכַל 
Sense: to be prudent, be circumspect, wisely understand, prosper.
וְיָדֹ֣עַ  and  knows 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
אוֹתִי֒  Me 
Parse: Direct object marker, first person common singular
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אֲנִ֣י  I  [am] 
Parse: Pronoun, first person common singular
Root: אֲנִי  
Sense: I (first pers.
יְהוָ֔ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
עֹ֥שֶׂה  exercising 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
חֶ֛סֶד  lovingkindness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֶסֶד 
Sense: goodness, kindness, faithfulness.
מִשְׁפָּ֥ט  judgment 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁפָּט  
Sense: judgment, justice, ordinance.
וּצְדָקָ֖ה  and  righteousness 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular
Root: צְדָקָה  
Sense: justice, righteousness.
בָּאָ֑רֶץ  in  the  earth 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
בְאֵ֥לֶּה  in  these 
Parse: Preposition-b, Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
חָפַ֖צְתִּי  I  delight 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: חָפֵץ 
Sense: to delight in, take pleasure in, desire, be pleased with.
נְאֻם־  says 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: נְאֻם  
Sense: (Qal) utterance, declaration (of prophet).
יְהוָֽה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation