Jeremiah 9:3

My Notes

What Does Jeremiah 9:3 Mean?

God describes his people's moral condition through Jeremiah: they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the LORD.

They bend their tongues like their bow for lies — the tongue is compared to a weapon. As a warrior bends a bow to launch arrows, these people bend their tongues to launch lies. The lying is not casual or accidental. It is deliberate — aimed, drawn, released with intention. The tongue is weaponized.

But they are not valiant for the truth — the contrast is devastating. They are brave for lies — they will bend the bow, take the shot, risk the consequences. But for truth? No courage. No valor. They are warriors for deception and cowards for honesty. The asymmetry reveals their character: bold in evil, timid in good.

Upon the earth — the scope is public. This is not private sin. Their lies dominate the public sphere. Truth has been driven from the earth — not because it does not exist but because no one is brave enough to stand for it.

For they proceed from evil to evil — the trajectory is consistent. Not from evil to neutral. Not from evil to occasional good. From evil to evil — one wickedness leading to the next in unbroken progression. The direction is always downward.

And they know not me, saith the LORD — the root cause. Everything flows from this: they do not know God. The lying, the cowardice about truth, the progression from evil to evil — all of it traces back to the absence of knowing God. The LORD speaks in first person: they know not me. The disconnect is personal.

Reflection Questions

• 1.What does the image of bending the tongue 'like a bow for lies' reveal about the deliberate nature of deception?
• 2.Why are people often brave for lies but cowards for truth — and where do you see this pattern?
• 3.How does 'they know not me' function as the root cause of every other sin described?
• 4.Where are you being called to be 'valiant for truth' in a context where lies are easier?

Devotional

They bend their tongues like their bow for lies. The image is vivid: the tongue as a weapon. Drawn back like a bowstring. Aimed at a target. Released with intention. These are not people who accidentally exaggerate. They are skilled liars — practiced, deliberate, weaponizing language to deceive.

But they are not valiant for the truth. They are brave enough to lie. Bold enough to deceive. Courageous enough to bend the bow and shoot. But for truth? Cowards. They will not stand for what is honest. They will not risk anything to speak what is real. Brave for lies. Cowards for truth.

This is one of the most piercing descriptions of a corrupt society in Scripture. Not that truth does not exist — but that nobody is brave enough to stand for it. The liars are courageous. The truth-tellers have disappeared. And the result: evil proceeds to evil, an unbroken chain of wickedness with no one willing to interrupt it.

And they know not me, saith the LORD. This is the root. Every symptom — the lying, the cowardice, the escalating evil — traces back to one cause: they do not know God. Not that they lack information about God. They lack relationship with him. And a people who do not know God will eventually become people who are brave for lies and cowards for truth.

Are you valiant for truth? Not just privately honest but publicly courageous? In a culture where lies are bold and truth is timid, are you bending your tongue like a bow for honesty — or staying silent because truth costs more than lies?

Commentary

Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.

Cross References

Related passages throughout Scripture