Jeremiah 4:22
For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.
Study Note
Study Note
God's lament 'For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge' is a devastating inversion of wisdom: Israel has become expert in wickedness and incompetent in goodness. The accusation 'they have not known me' ('oti lo yada'u') is the covenantal indictment Hosea makes central to his whole prophecy (Hosea 4:1, 6) — ignorance of God is not intellectual but relational, a failure of covenantal intimacy. The 'wise to do evil' paradox anticipates Isaiah 5:20's 'woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil' — the moral inversion that characterises a culture that has systematically cultivated the wrong orientation. Romans 3:11-12's catena ('there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God') draws on this prophetic tradition of comprehensive human moral failure.
Other Translations
For my people are foolish, they know me not; they are sottish children, and they have no understanding; they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.
For my people <FI>are<Fi> foolish, me they have not known, Foolish sons <FI>are<Fi> they, yea, they <FI>are<Fi> not intelligent, Wise <FI>are<Fi> they to do evil, And to do good they have not known.
For my people are foolish, they have no knowledge of me; they are evil-minded children, without sense, all of them: they are wise in evil-doing, but have no knowledge of doing good.
Cross References
The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not …
And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive …
Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with …
When the boughs thereof are withered, they shall be broken off: the women come, and set them on fire: for …
For the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets …
And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, …
Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that …
Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not.
Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish: for they know not the way of the Lord, nor …
Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear …