28 They are all grievous revolters, walking with slanders: they are brass and iron; they are all corrupters.
28 They are all hardened rebels, going about to slander. They are bronze and iron; they all act corruptly.
28 They are all stubbornly rebellious, going about with slanders; they are bronze and iron; all of them act corruptly.
28 They're a thickheaded, hard-nosed bunch, rotten to the core, the lot of them.
28 They are all stubborn rebels, walking as slanderers. They are bronze and iron, They are all corrupters;
28 They are the worst kind of rebel, full of slander. They are as hard as bronze and iron, and they lead others into corruption.
4 "Beware of your friends; do not trust anyone in your clan. For every one of them is a deceiver,
4 Let everyone beware of his neighbor, and put no trust in any brother, for every brother is a deceiver, and every neighbor goes about as a slanderer.
4 "Be wary of even longtime neighbors. Don't even trust your grandmother! Brother schemes against brother, like old cheating Jacob. Friend against friend spreads malicious gossip.
4 "Everyone take heed to his neighbor, And do not trust any brother; For every brother will utterly supplant, And every neighbor will walk with slanderers.
4 "Beware of your neighbor! Don't even trust your brother! For brother takes advantage of brother, and friend slanders friend.
(Read Jeremiah 9:1-11)
Jeremiah wept much, yet wished he could weep more, that he might rouse the people to a due sense of the hand of God. But even the desert, without communion with God, through Christ Jesus, and the influences of the Holy Spirit, must be a place for temptation and evil; while, with these blessings, we may live in holiness in crowded cities. The people accustomed their tongues to lies. So false were they, that a brother could not be trusted. In trading and bargaining they said any thing for their own advantage, though they knew it to be false. But God marked their sin. Where no knowledge of God is, what good can be expected? He has many ways of turning a fruitful land into barrenness for the wickedness of those that dwell therein.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Jeremiah 6:28
Commentary on Jeremiah 6:18-30
(Read Jeremiah 6:18-30)
God rejects their outward services, as worthless to atone for their sins. Sacrifice and incense were to direct them to a Mediator; but when offered to purchase a license to go on in sin, they provoke God. The sins of God's professing people make them an easy prey to their enemies. They dare not show themselves. Saints may rejoice in hope of God's mercies, though they see them only in the promise: sinners must mourn for fear of God's judgments, though they see them only in the threatenings. They are the worst of revolters, and are all corrupters. Sinners soon become tempters. They are compared to ore supposed to have good metal in it, but which proves all dross. Nothing will prevail to part between them and their sins. Reprobate silver shall they be called, useless and worthless. When warnings, corrections, rebukes, and all means of grace, leave men unrenewed, they will be left, as rejected of God, to everlasting misery. Let us pray, then, that we may be refined by the Lord, as silver is refined.