John Gill Commentary Jeremiah 5:12

"They have denied Jehovah, and said, It is not he; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine:" — Jeremiah 5:12 (ASV)

They have belied the Lord, and said, it is not he
Or, "denied the Lord" ^F24 , as some render the words, saying that there was no God; which, though they might not deliver in express words, yet since they denied his providence, and disbelieved his word by his prophets, it was tacitly denying that there was a God, or that the Lord was God.

The meaning of the phrase "not he" may be, he takes no notice of what is done by us; he does not concern himself with our affairs; nor has he given any such orders to our enemies, as above; nor said these things by the prophets which are alleged.

neither shall evil come upon us ;
they speak of: neither shall we see sword nor famine ;
war and sieges, and famine, the consequence of them.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F24: (hwhyb wvxkw) "egaverunt Dominum", V. L. Pagninus; "abnegant", Piscator; "abnegarunt Jehovam", Cocceius, Schmidt.