Jeremiah 6:13"For from the least of them even to the greatest of them, everyone is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even to the priest, everyone deals falsely.
The setting
Jerusalem, 620 BC. The temple still operates, priests still perform sacrifices, but everyone has a price...
The emotion here: heartbroken at complete moral collapse
The original word
beṣa' (בצע) — cutting off a piece for yourself, like skimming from the top
Why it matters
Even the priests were charging extra fees for sacrifices and keeping temple donations for themselves
Read with care
What most readers miss in Jeremiah 6:13
The phrase 'from prophet to priest' means the spiritual leaders — the people who should protect truth — are the worst offenders
Common misconceptionPeople think this is about secular corruption, but God is specifically heartbroken that His own priests and prophets — those representing Him — are the greediest and most dishonest of all.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Jeremiah 6:13
Bible Genome reading
Jeremiah 6:13 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Jeremiah 6:13 comes from the book of Jeremiah, written during the Divided Kingdom period. The dominant emotion in this verse is angry, with a comfort power of 10% and a tone that is prophetic. It belongs to the prophecy genre of biblical literature. Key themes include universal corruption, greed, religious hypocrisy. Notable phrases: least to greatest; given to covetousness; deals falsely. This verse contains prophecy.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same angry
“Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong.'”
— Joel 3:10
“You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!”
— Matthew 23:24
“Listen to this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who tell their husba…”
— Amos 4:1
“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can't stand your solemn assemblies.”
— Amos 5:21
“Your eyes shall not pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
— Deuteronomy 19:21
Your reflection
What does Jeremiah 6:13 mean to you, today?
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