12 They have belied the Lord, and said, It is not he; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine:
12 They have lied about the Lord; they said, "He will do nothing! No harm will come to us; we will never see sword or famine.
12 They have spoken falsely of the Lord and have said, 'He will do nothing; no disaster will come upon us, nor shall we see sword or famine.
12 "They've spread lies about God. They've said, 'There's nothing to him. Nothing bad will happen to us, neither famine nor war will come our way.
12 They have lied about the Lord, And said, "It is not He. Neither will evil come upon us, Nor shall we see sword or famine.
12 "They have lied about the Lord and said, 'He won't bother us! No disasters will come upon us. There will be no war or famine.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Jeremiah 5:12
Commentary on Jeremiah 5:10-18
(Read Jeremiah 5:10-18)
Multitudes are ruined by believing that God will not be so strict as his word says he will; by this artifice Satan undid mankind. Sinners are not willing to own any thing to be God's word, that tends to part them from, or to disquiet them in, their sins. Mocking and misusing the Lord's messengers, filled the measure of their iniquity. God can bring trouble upon us from places and causes very remote. He has mercy in store for his people, therefore will set bounds to this desolating judgment. Let us not overlook the "nevertheless," Psalm 89:30-35.