Jeremiah 5:12

“They have belied the Lord, and said, it is not he, etc.] Or, “denied the Lord”f118, as some render the words, saying that there was no God; which, though they might not deliver in express words, yet inasmuch as 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 pretended: neither shall evil come upon us; they speak of: neither shall we see sword nor famine; war and…”

“belied--denied. It is not he--rather, "(Jehovah) is not HE," that is, the true and only God (Jer 14:22; Deu 32:39; Isa 43:10, Isa 43:13). By their idolatry they virtually denied Him. Or, referring to what follows, and to Jer 5:9, "(Jehovah) is not," namely, about to be the punisher of our sins (Jer 14:13; Isa 28:15).”

“It is not he - i. e., Who speaks by the prophets. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Belied - Not believing that these words of the prophet were God's word. Jeremiah 5:13”

“5:12-13 Even with the enemy looming on the northern horizon, the people thought that nothing bad would happen to them (14:13; Isa 47:8). They did not respect God’s prophets (literally the prophets) either. • Some interpreters end the people’s quote with Jer 5:12 and attribute 5:13 to the Lord. The windbags would then refer to false prophets.”

“have belied: Jer 5:31, Jer 4:10, Jer 14:13, Jer 14:14, Jer 23:14-17, Jer 28:15-17, Jer 43:2, Jer 43:3; Deu 29:19; Sa1 6:9; Ch2 36:16; Isa 28:14, Isa 28:15; Eze 12:22-28, Eze 13:6; Mic 2:11, Mic 3:11; Hab 1:5, Hab 1:6; Jo1 5:10 neither: Jer 23:17, Jer 28:4; Psa 10:6; Th1 5:2, Th1 5:3 Jeremiah 5:13”