John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 9:4

"Take ye heed every one of his neighbor, and trust ye not in any brother; for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbor will go about with slanders." — Jeremiah 9:4 (ASV)

In this verse, the Prophet describes the extreme wickedness of the people. Although thefts, robberies, frauds, slaughters, perjuries, and sorceries sometimes prevail, some regard for close relatives usually remains. However, it is monstrous when all familial affections are destroyed. Since then, even in the most wicked individuals, some natural affections (called storge by philosophers) remain, it follows that people depart entirely from nature and become like wild beasts when these affections no longer exist. This is the meaning of what is said here.

There is a similar passage in Micah 7:5-6. The idea is indeed more fully expanded there, for the Prophet adds:

“From her who sleeps in your bosom guard the doors of your mouth; for the son lies in wait for his father, and the daughter delivers up her mother to death; and the chief enemies of man are his own domestics.”

The prophets then mainly agree in showing that there was no humanity left among them; for the son, forgetful of his duty, rose up against his father, and everyone was treacherous towards his own friend, and a brother did not spare his own brother.

Let a man then guard himself: this is not an admonition, as if the Prophet exhorted men to be wary. Instead, he only shows that there was no fidelity, for everyone was treacherous and unfaithful towards his own friend, and even a brother acted unjustly towards his own brother.

It therefore follows that the Jews are charged with being natural monsters. They were deservedly objects of detestation when they cast aside all care for their own kin and, as much as they could, destroyed everything resembling humanity.

He says that brothers by supplanting supplanted; that is, they craftily deceived and circumvented their own brothers.

The verb עקב okob, is to be taken metaphorically. It is derived from the heel of the foot and means to oppress the simple by secret arts. He also says that all friends acted fraudulently.

We have spoken of this kind of language in connection with Jeremiah 6:28, for we found the same complaint there. The Prophet then said the Jews were like iron and brass because they had hardened themselves to be capable of any cruelty.

This sort of language often occurs when the word רכיל, rekil, is connected with the verb הלך elak. The most learned linguists say that this word rekil is never found in Scripture except in connection with the verb "to go" or "to walk."

They therefore conclude that a particular type of person is meant: one who goes about veiled or deceitfully, and rambles and runs here and there to find opportunities for deceiving and cheating. It cannot be taken here to mean slandering, as we have also stated regarding chapter six; that interpretation is too weak.

It is indeed found in this sense in Leviticus 19:16: “Go not about a slanderer among your people.”

Some render it there as “a whisperer.” But the Prophet no doubt condemns here the frauds and deceitful crafts by which they deceived and cheated one another, for רכל, recal signifies a merchant.

And as traders often act cunningly and practice crafty artifices, the Hebrews call that man רכיל racal, that is, fraudulent and wickedly crafty, whose object is to deceive and cheat. We see that this is the meaning in this place, as it designates those who circumvented one another. For the Prophet says that those who trusted in brothers or friends were foolish, and he gives the reason: because brothers supplanted one another, and friends went about fraudulently.