אִ֤ישׁ מֵרֵעֵ֨הוּ֙ הִשָּׁמֵ֔רוּ וְעַל־כָּל־אָ֖ח אַל־תִּבְטָ֑חוּ כִּ֤י כָל־אָח֙ עָקֹ֣וב יַעְקֹ֔ב וְכָל־רֵ֖עַ רָכִ֥יל יַהֲלֹֽךְ׃
(Jeremiah 9:3)
Each one, guard yourself from his neighbor, and in every brother do not trust; for every brother will utterly deal deceitfully, and every friend goes about as a slanderer.
Jeremiah 9:3 provides an extraordinary example of how Hebrew grammar intensifies prophetic denunciation. Through a careful interplay of imperatives, prohibitions, and wordplay, the prophet depicts a society corroded by distrust and betrayal. Every grammatical choice reinforces the breakdown of communal bonds. The verse is saturated with commands (הִשָּׁמֵרוּ), prohibitions (אַל־תִּבְטָחוּ), and repetitive verbal forms (עָקֹוב יַעֲקֹב) that create sharp rhetorical effects. This lesson explores these features in depth, demonstrating how syntax and morphology become tools of prophetic lament.
The Reflexive Imperative: הִשָּׁמֵרוּ
The command begins: אִישׁ מֵרֵעֵהוּ הִשָּׁמֵרוּ — “Each one, guard yourself from his neighbor.”
- הִשָּׁמֵרוּ: Niphal imperative 2mp from שׁמר, with reflexive sense: “be on guard, protect yourselves.”
- The form here does not mean “keep” in the normal sense but “beware” or “be cautious.”
- The object of suspicion is מֵרֵעֵהוּ — “from his neighbor.”
Grammatically, the imperative directs individuals to withdraw trust. Instead of commands that unite or encourage faithfulness, the syntax here demands self-protection, dramatizing societal collapse.
The Prohibition: אַל־תִּבְטָחוּ
The next clause intensifies: וְעַל־כָּל־אָח אַל־תִּבְטָחוּ — “And in every brother, do not trust.”
- אַל: negative particle used for prohibitions with the imperfect.
- תִּבְטָחוּ: Qal imperfect 2mp of בָּטַח, “to trust.”
- Together: “Do not trust.” The imperfect is negated not as a prediction but as a directive prohibition.
Syntax again paints distrust as absolute. Not even kinship (אָח) is safe. The prohibition matches the reflexive imperative, forming a parallel: guard yourselves… do not trust.
Wordplay: עָקֹוב יַעֲקֹב
The explanation comes with biting wordplay: כִּי כָל־אָח עָקֹוב יַעֲקֹב — “for every brother will utterly deal deceitfully.”
- עָקֹוב: adjective “deceitful, crooked.”
- יַעֲקֹב: Qal imperfect 3ms of עקב, “to supplant, act deceitfully.”
- The repetition of the root עקב produces assonance and emphasis, reinforcing deceit with a pun: “every brother will Jacob (supplant).”
This deliberate punning may recall the patriarch Jacob, whose very name is linked with grasping and deceit (עָקֵב, “heel”). The prophet uses morphology and sound to intensify the accusation.
The Slandering Friend: רָכִיל יַהֲלֹךְ
The verse closes with: וְכָל־רֵעַ רָכִיל יַהֲלֹךְ — “and every friend goes about as a slanderer.”
- רֵעַ: “friend, companion.”
- רָכִיל: “slanderer, talebearer.” Derived from root meaning “to go about,” often used metaphorically for gossip that circulates.
- יַהֲלֹךְ: Qal imperfect 3ms of הלך, “to walk, go about.”
The verb יַהֲלֹךְ literally means “goes around.” Combined with רָכִיל, the phrase depicts slander as something that roams the streets, ever moving and spreading. The grammar enacts the restless circulation of rumors.
Parsing Table of Key Forms
| Form | Parsing | Literal Sense | Grammatical Insight |
|---|---|---|---|
| הִשָּׁמֵרוּ | Niphal imperative 2mp | “Guard yourselves!” | Reflexive imperative of caution |
| אַל־תִּבְטָחוּ | Qal imperfect 2mp negated with אַל | “Do not trust” | Prohibition formula |
| עָקֹוב יַעֲקֹב | Adjective + imperfect verb of עקב | “Deceitful he will deal deceitfully” | Wordplay intensifies accusation |
| רָכִיל יַהֲלֹךְ | Noun + imperfect 3ms of הלך | “A slanderer goes about” | Depicts slander as mobile and restless |
Masoretic Accents and Cadence
The accents divide the verse into balanced clauses: (1) imperative command, (2) prohibition, (3) wordplay explanation, (4) slanderous conclusion. This symmetry enhances oral delivery, letting hearers feel the crescendo of distrust—neighbor, brother, friend—all untrustworthy. Grammar and rhythm together dramatize social collapse.
The Echo of Distrust
Jeremiah 9:3 portrays the corrosion of trust in Judah not with abstract descriptions but with grammatical force. Imperatives order caution, prohibitions ban reliance, wordplay ridicules deceit, and imperfect verbs paint betrayal as habitual. Grammar becomes prophecy: the morphology of distrust echoes in every imperative and every repeated root. For students of Biblical Hebrew, this verse exemplifies how syntax and sound converge to deliver not only meaning but the felt experience of societal breakdown.