Jeremiah 5:16

5:16 All of its soldiers are strong and mighty. ¹ 

Their arrows will send you to your grave. ² 

Jeremiah 5:6

5:6 So like a lion from the thicket their enemies will kill them.

Like a wolf from the desert they will destroy them.

Like a leopard they will lie in wait outside their cities

and totally destroy anyone who ventures out. ³ 

For they have rebelled so much

and done so many unfaithful things. ⁴ 

[5:16]  ¹ tn Heb “All of them are mighty warriors.”

[5:16]  ² tn Heb “his quiver [is] an open grave.” The order of the lines has been reversed to make the transition from “nation” to “their arrows” easier.

[5:6]  ³ tn Heb “So a lion from the thicket will kill them. A wolf from the desert will destroy them. A leopard will watch outside their cities. Anyone who goes out from them will be torn in pieces.” However, it is unlikely that, in the context of judgment that Jeremiah has previously been describing, literal lions are meant. The animals are metaphorical for their enemies. Compare Jer 4:7.

[5:6]  ⁴ tn Heb “their rebellions are so many and their unfaithful acts so numerous.”