What Does Jeremiah 8:6 Mean?

“I hearkened”

to prick up the ears, i.e., hearken

“and heard”

to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles

properly, set upright; hence (figuratively as adjective) just; but usually (as adverb or conjunction) rightly or so (in various applications to manner

“but they spake not aright”

perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue

a nonentity; generally used as a negative particle

“no man”

a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)

“repented”

properly, to sigh, i.e., breathe strongly; by implication, to be sorry, i.e., (in a favorable sense) to pity, console or (reflexively) rue; or (unfavo

“him of”

above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications

“his wickedness”

bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral)

“saying”

to say (used with great latitude)

properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and

“What have I done”

to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

“every one turned”

to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point);

“to his course”

a race (the act), whether the manner or the progress

“as the horse”

a horse (as leaping)

“rusheth”

to gush; by implication, to inundate, cleanse; by analogy, to gallop, conquer

“into the battle”

a battle (i.e., the engagement); generally, war (i.e., war-fare)