Jeremiah 5:6 · Bible study
Jeremiah 5:6 Commentary: God Sends Beasts of Judgment
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
A study of Jeremiah 5:6: the lion, wolf, and leopard as symbols of judgment, their identity (Babylon vs.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God's judgment through foreign invaders is as certain and devastating as predators stalking their prey.
- Key words: Lion (Nebuchadnezzar/great king), wolf of the deserts (not “evenings”; H6160 עֲרָבָה means desert plain), leopard (swift, stealthy).
- Main debate: Whether the beasts represent a single Babylonian invasion (majority view) or a succession of empires (Jarchi: Babylon, Media, Greece).
- Theological theme: Divine judgment is proportional to persistent sin; God uses nations as instruments of discipline.
- Best use: A sobering call to repentance, especially during seasons of self-examination (e.g., Lent) or when a community has drifted from God.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Therefore a lion from the forest will strike them down, a wolf from the desert will ravage them. A leopard will lie in wait near their cities, and everyone who ventures out will be torn to pieces. For their rebellious acts are many, and their unfaithful deeds are numerous.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Therefore a lion out of the forest will kill them. A wolf of the evenings will destroy them. A leopard will watch against their cities. Everyone who goes out there will be torn in pieces, because their transgressions are many and their backsliding has increased.
KJV King James Version 1769
Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, and a wolf of the evenings shall spoil them, a leopard shall watch over their cities: every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces: because their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are increased.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, a wolf of the evenings shall destroy them, a leopard shall watch against their cities; every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces; because their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are increased.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Therefore smitten them hath a lion out of the forest, A wolf of the deserts doth spoil them, A leopard is watching over their cities, Every one who is going out of them is torn, For many have been their transgressions, Mighty have been their backslidings.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Therefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, a wolf of the evenings shall waste them; the leopard lurketh against their cities, every one that goeth out thence is torn in pieces: for their transgressions are multiplied, their backslidings are increased.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Wherefore a lion out of the wood hath slain them, a wolf in the evening hath spoiled them, a leopard watcheth for their cities: every one that shall go out thence shall be taken, because their transgressions are multiplied, their rebellions are strengthened.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Por tanto, león del monte los herirá, destruirálos lobo del desierto, tigre acechará sobre sus ciudades; cualquiera que de ellas saliere, será arrebatado: porque sus rebeliones se han multiplicado, hanse aumentado sus deslealtades.
Por isso um leão do bosque os ferirá; um lobo do deserto os destruirá; um leopardo vigiará sobre suas cidades; qualquer um que delas sair, será despedaçado; pois suas transgressões se multiplicaram, foram numerosas suas infidelidades.
C’ est pourquoi le lion de la forêt les tue,
Darum wird sie auch der Löwe, der aus dem Walde kommt, zerreißen, und der Wolf aus der Wüste wird sie verderben, und der Parder wird um ihre Städte lauern; alle, die daselbst herausgehen, wird er fressen. Denn ihrer Sünden sind zuviel, und sie bleiben verstockt in ihrem Ungehorsam.
Daarom heeft hen een leeuw uit het woud verslagen, een wolf der wildernissen zal hen verwoesten; een luipaard waakt tegen hun steden; al wie uit dezelve uitgaat, zal verscheurd worden; want hun overtredingen zijn vermenigvuldigd, hun afkeringen zijn machtig veel geworden.
Perciò il leone della foresta li uccide, il lupo del deserto li distrugge, il leopardo sta in agguato presso le loro città; chiunque ne uscirà sarà sbranato, perché le loro trasgressioni son numerose, le loro infedeltà sono aumentate.
Przetoż ich pobije lew z lasu, wilk wieczorny wygubi ich, lampart czyhać będzie u miast ich. Ktokolwiek wyjdzie z nich, rozszarpany będzie; bo się rozmnożyły przestępstwa ich, i zmogły się odwrócenia ich.
За то поразит их лев из леса, волк пустынный опустошит их, барс будет подстерегать у городов их: кто выйдет из них, будет растерзан; ибо умножились преступления их, усилились отступничества их.
因此，林中 的獅子 必害死他們；晚上（或譯：野地）的豺狼 必滅絕他們；豹子 要在 城外 窺伺他們。凡 出 城的 必被撕碎；因為 他們的罪過 極多，背道的事 也加增了。
And so a lion from the woods will put them to death, a wolf of the waste land will make them waste, a leopard will keep watch on their towns, and everyone who goes out from them will be food for the beasts; because of the great number of their sins and the increase of their wrongdoing.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Jeremiah 5:6
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree the three predatory animals represent foreign invaders who will carry out God's judgment on Judah. Most identify them with the Babylonian army led by Nebuchadnezzar, the lion for courage and strength, the wolf for greed and rapacity, the leopard for speed and stealthy ambushes. Gill, Wesley and Adam Clarke all explicitly name Nebuchadnezzar as the lion, with the wolf and leopard depicting different aspects of his army. Calvin also takes the verbs as future tense, describing punishment still to come. A minority view, mentioned by Adam Clarke, suggests the Scythians from Jeremiah 4:7. Jarchi, cited by Gill, applies the lion to Babylon, the wolf to Media, and the leopard to Greece, reading the verse as a succession of empires. All traditions nevertheless hold that the beasts are not literal wild animals but enemies whom God uses to punish a people whose transgressions have multiplied.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Babylonian army (most commentators): The lion from the forest echoes Jer 4:7, where Nebuchadnezzar is clearly intended; the geopolitical context points to Babylon.
- Successive empires (Jarchi, Jerome): The distinctive traits of each beast (lion=strength, wolf=rapacity, leopard=speed) are matched to Babylon, Media, and Greece in sequence.
- Scythian invaders (Dahler via Clarke): Jer 4:7 also mentions a lion from the north; the Scythians were active in the region during Jeremiah's early ministry, but this view has few adherents.
What is clear: The beasts represent enemy forces sent by God as judgment due to Judah's multiplied transgressions and apostasies.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identity of the beasts | They represent agents of divine judgment, not literal wild animals. | Most commentators identify them as the Babylonian army (Gill, Wesley, Clarke, Matthew Henry). A minority see the Scythians (Clarke citing Dahler) or a successive list of empires (Jarchi: Babylon, Media, Greece). |
| Translation of 'wolf of the evenings' | The original Hebrew word is not the usual term for 'evening' but a homograph. | Calvin, Cambridge Bible, Barnes, Keil & Delitzsch argue it means 'deserts' (ערבות). The KJV, NKJV, and some English versions follow the Targum and Vulgate in reading 'evenings,' which yields a vivid but likely less accurate image of a hungry wolf at dusk. |
| Temporality of the judgment | The verse describes a coming judgment that the people have deserved. | Calvin argues the verbs are future, pointing to still-future punishment. Others (Adam Clarke) note some render the verbs as past, viewing the verse as a retrospective explanation of already-suffered calamities. The Hebrew tense forms allow either reading. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Jeremiah prophesied during the final decades of the kingdom of Judah, roughly 627, 586 BC. The chapter opens with God challenging anyone to find a single person in Jerusalem who does justice and seeks truth (Jer 5:1). Even the elite, the “great men” of verse 5, have broken God’s yoke. The Assyrian Empire had fallen, and Babylon was rising under Nebuchadnezzar II. After the death of the reformer-king Josiah in 609 BC, Judah slid back into idolatry and social injustice. Jeremiah’s earlier warnings (Jer 4:7) had already compared the coming invader to a lion from its thicket, so the imagery in 5:6 continues that metaphor.
The Hebrew word ‛aravot (translated “evenings” in some versions) actually means “desert plains” or “wilderness.” Calvin notes that the plural ending -ot distinguishes it from the word for “evening,” which ends in -im. The Cambridge Bible and Barnes agree: the wolf comes from the desert, preserving the parallel with “forest.” The leopard’s act of “watching over” cities (shoqed means to be wakeful or alert) suggests an ambush, no one who ventures out will escape. The three animals thus depict a coordinated, relentless enemy that leaves no escape.
The verse culminates in a two-part reason clause: “their transgressions are many, and their backslidings have increased.” The Hebrew verbs rabu (they are many) and atzmu (they are numerous) underscore that the judgment is not disproportionate. It is a direct response to Judah’s multiplied rebellion, a theme echoed throughout the prophets (Isa 59:12; Ezra 9:6). God does not punish without cause; the people’s own choices have sealed their fate.
Textual Notes
Reception History
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The certainty of judgment. God sends three beasts in sequence, lion, wolf, leopard, each representing the irresistible power of the coming invader. No human defense can stand.
- The cause of judgment. The reason is stated plainly: “their transgressions are many, and their backslidings have increased.” Sin has a cumulative effect; persistent rebellion invites divine discipline.
- The scope of judgment. “Everyone who goes out there will be torn in pieces.” The net is cast over every city; no one who tries to flee will escape. The judgment is total in its reach.
Five-point outline
- The lion from the forest, represents the strength and ferocity of the enemy (Babylon). A king who devours like the king of beasts.
- The wolf from the desert, not “evening wolf” but “desert wolf,” emphasizing the desolate origin and ravenous nature of the invader.
- The leopard watching over cities, the stealth and speed of the enemy, lying in ambush. The participle “watching” suggests constant, alert danger.
- No escape, “everyone who goes out is torn.” The siege mentality: exiting the city means death. God has closed every exit.
- The reason: abundant sin, the judgment fits the crime. Note the plural: “transgressions” and “backslidings” (apostasies) are numerous. God’s patience has limits when sin becomes a way of life.
Illustration hooks
- The warning signs, a doctor who tells a patient their labs are critical, but the patient ignores the results until a heart attack strikes. Jeremiah’s earlier warnings were the warning signs; Judah ignored them.
- The three predators, think of a farm surrounded by a lion, a wolf, and a leopard. Each attacks from a different angle; together they make any movement deadly. Sin isolates us from God’s protection and leaves us exposed.
Questions your congregation is asking
- “Does God punish people today in similar ways, or was that only for ancient Israel?”
- “How do I know if the difficult circumstances in my life are discipline from God or just normal hardship?”
- “Is there any hope after the lion comes? Does the chapter offer any way out?”
Leading a Discussion
Jeremiah 5:6 forms the climax of a strophe (verses 1, 6) that exposes the total corruption of Jerusalem. God had searched for a single righteous person, and found none. Even the educated and powerful had “broken the yoke” and “burst the bonds” of God’s covenant. This verse announces the consequence: judgment in the form of predators that leave no escape. The discussion questions will help your group trace the connection between sin and its consequences, and consider how this Old Testament warning applies to us.
Discussion questions
- Read Jeremiah 5:1, 6. What does God ask the prophet to do in verse 1? Why is this search relevant for understanding the judgment in verse 6?
- The lion, wolf, and leopard each have different traits, strength, greed, stealth. What do these characteristics tell you about the kind of judgment Judah faces?
- The Hebrew word translated “evenings” in some versions actually means “deserts.” How does that change your picture of the wolf? What does it suggest about the origin of the invaders?
- Why does the verse include the reason “because their transgressions are many and their backslidings have increased”? What does that reveal about God’s character?
- Jeremiah 2:19 says “your own wickedness will correct you, and your backsliding will rebuke you.” How does that idea connect with the judgment in 5:6?
- Compare this passage with Isaiah 59:12. How do the prophets consistently link sin and suffering? In what ways can this understanding be misused?
- If someone today feels “torn to pieces” by the consequences of their choices, how can Christians offer both honesty about sin and hope for restoration?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Numbers 32:14 | “Behold, you have risen up in your fathers’ place, an increase of sinful men, to increase the fierce anger of Yahweh toward Israel. |
| Ezra 9:6 | and I said, “My God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have increased over our head, and our guiltiness has grown up to the heavens. |
| Ezra 10:10 | Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have trespassed, and have married foreign women, increasing the guilt of Israel. |
| Psalms 104:20 | You make darkness, and it is night, in which all the animals of the forest prowl. |
| Isaiah 59:12 | For our transgressions are multiplied before you, and our sins testify against us; for our transgressions are with us, and as for our iniquities, we know them: |
| Jeremiah 2:15 | The young lions have roared at him and raised their voices. They have made his land waste. His cities are burned up, without inhabitant. |
| Jeremiah 2:17 | “Haven’t you brought this on yourself, in that you have forsaken Yahweh your God, when he led you by the way? |
| Jeremiah 2:19 | “Your own wickedness will correct you, and your backsliding will rebuke you. Know therefore and see that it is an evil and bitter thing, that you have forsaken Yahweh your God, and that my fear is not in you,” says the Lord, Yahweh of Armies. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that most interpreters identify the lion as Nebuchadnezzar, whose courage, greed, and speed are pictured by the lion, bear, and leopard. He also mentions that Dahler instead applies the same verse to the Scythians.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes observes that while the wolf is often called the "evening wolf" for its habit of prowling at twilight, the Hebrew word actually used in this verse does not refer to the wolf or evening at all; it means a sandy desert. He also states that the leopard mentioned here is a panther.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin insists God's judgment is moderate, not overly harsh as the wicked charge. He grounds this in a specific Hebrew point: the wolf in this verse comes from the desert, not the evening—a mistranslation that, in his view, has misled commentators and obscured God's measured justice.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentator identifies the wild beast imagery as metaphorical, not literal. He also notes a textual correction: "evenings" should be read as "deserts" to preserve the intended parallel with "forest," a mistake arising from the similarity of two Hebrew words.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes interpret the lion, wolf and leopard as distinct foreign enemies God sends to punish an unrepentant people. Each animal attacks in a different way, reinforcing that every escape route is cut off. The devastation is matched to the scale of the people's rebellion, which has grown beyond ordinary trespass.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill identifies the lion, wolf, and leopard as specific figures in the Babylonian conquest: the lion is King Nebuchadnezzar, the wolf is his army, and the leopard is his princes. He presents this as a divine judgment for the people's many transgressions and increased backsliding.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that the lion, wolf, and leopard represent the Babylonians at their most dangerous: strongest, most ravenous, and swiftest. The phrase "of the evenings" means the beast stalks prey every evening, not "of the deserts." The leopard lying in wait pictures Babylon surrounding cities to attack.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch insist that God's statement about finding no righteous person in Jerusalem is not rhetorical exaggeration but simple truth from the divine perspective. Before the all-seeing eye of God, no human is pure, and the righteous are so few they cannot sway the moral state of the whole. They also note that the people's oath by God's name is condemned not for invoking false gods but for swearing falsely.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights God's shocking challenge to find even a single person in Jerusalem who pursues justice and truth, with the remarkable promise to pardon the whole city for one such person. This underlines the depth of Judah's moral collapse, where even those who claimed to know the Lord had become hardened beyond reform.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley explains that the lion, wolf, and leopard each capture a different quality of Nebuchadnezzar and the Chaldean army: the lion points to power, courage, and pride; the wolf to greed and insatiable hunger; the leopard to speed, vigilance, and cunning.