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“Walk the ways of Jerusalem, where the poor usually sit, ... and look in the hundred places, where the rich walk, if you find a man from among the princes doing justice or a poor man seeking faith” (Jer. 5:1), that is, walking in the way of righteousness and truth. And you won't find any. From this it is clear what a general damage to morals there was between the Jews at that time. And in Sodom, the most depraved city, the Lord looked for ten righteous people, but in Jerusalem, which boasts that it is the dwelling of the righteous, the Lord looks for at least one righteous person, but does not find it. “And behold, with one accord they broke the yoke and broke the bonds” (Jer. 5:5), that is, the Jews of every rank and in every place became apostates and despisers of the law. “For this reason, let the lion smite them.” The prophet calls Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, a lion. "And the wolves of the evening will plunder them." He calls the hordes of Nebuchadnezzar wolves. “And the lynx was vigilant over their cities” (Jer. 5:6) to catch and tear to pieces everyone coming out of the gates. The prophet points to the time when some Jews will be oppressed by their enemies by open force, and others by cunning. “She filled them and committed adultery” (Jer. 5:7). He increased their blessings as soon as their hearts desired, but they loved false gods and committed adultery with idols, that is, they served them. “The horses of misogynists rushed into the house of... harlots, each one neighing at his sincere wife” (Jer. 5:7–8). They committed adultery not only because they worshiped their false gods, but also because they indulged in lust and love of women. “Behold, I will bring a tongue against you from afar, O house of Israel, saith the Lord.” Since you did not listen to the prophets and despised My goodness, I will bring disaster upon you, and not as happened before, not from nearby countries, such as Aram (Syria) and Egypt, but from the distant, northern borders. “I will bring upon you... a strong tongue, an old tongue” (Jer. 5:15), - the people of the Chaldeans, who from the days of the fisher Nimrod (Mic. 5:6) were accustomed to weapons and warfare. “For wickedness is found among my people, and I have set nets like barriers so that men can catch them... Like a cage is set full of birds, so their houses are full of flattery” (Jer. 5:26-27). The prophet refers to birds of prey, the hawk and the kite, which catch small birds and fill their nests with prey. Under the image of them, the prophet shows the rich Jews who plotted against their poor neighbors in order to steal their property, but also hints at those deceitful people who are not in the forests, as usually are fishers, but in their homes they catch the simple-minded and, as it is written, “think iniquity in their lies” (Ps. 35:5). They invite their neighbors to themselves, into their homes, and there they plot evil against their brothers in order to increase their property by deception; but even having increased their wealth, they did not settle down in their ways, but their insolence only increased and increased and, having become even more stiff-necked (hard-hearted), they continue to walk along the same paths of self-will, confident that no one can stop their desires, and that the truth of God will not punish them. You might be interested in: