שֶׁ֫קֶר

From the study of Isaiah 59:3

Range of meaning

Falsehood, deception, betrayal; something that fails or lets you down. It applies to false witnesses (Exod 20:16; Deut 19:18), false prophets (Jer 14:14), false weights and dealings, and empty trust (Jer 7:4, 'trust not in lying words').

Against the English

'Lies' (BSB, KJV, WEB, ESV) and 'falsehood' (YLT, NASB) are both good. The legal setting is the main thing a reader may miss.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the law, 'ed sheqer (false witness) is a capital-level threat to justice. In Jeremiah and Isaiah sheqer is tied to rotten courts and to false security.

From the study of Jeremiah 3:10

Range of meaning

A lie, falsehood or deception, or something that turns out empty and fails the person who trusts it. It is used for false witness (Exod 20:16), lying words, false prophecy, and idols that are 'a lie' (Jer 10:14; 16:19). M. A. Klopfenstein's study of falsehood in the Hebrew Bible stresses its basic sense: what breaks a relationship by failing to be what it claims to be.

Against the English

BSB, WEB and ESV have '(only) in pretense'. KJV has 'feignedly'. YLT has 'with falsehood'. NASB has 'in deception'. 'Pretense' and 'feignedly' suggest play-acting. Sheqer is wider. The return itself was a lie: false to reality, whether or not Judah knew it was pretending.

Used elsewhere in the period

Sheqer is used about 113 times in the Hebrew Bible, and roughly a third of them are in Jeremiah. Examples: 'Do not trust in deceptive words (divrei ha-sheqer): "The temple of Yahweh!"' (7:4, 8). 'The lying pen of the scribes' (8:8). Prophets who 'prophesy sheqer in my name' (14:14; 23:25–26; 27–29).

From the study of Proverbs 21:6

Range of meaning

Falsehood, deception, a lie; also what is groundless or fraudulent. Typical uses: 'false witness' (ʿēd šeqer, Exod 20:16 has a close equivalent; Prov 6:19; 14:5; 19:5, 9), false weights and scales in trade (compare Prov 11:1; 20:23), lying prophets (Jer 14:14).

Against the English

'Lying tongue' (KJV, WEB, BSB) is accurate. The Hebrew 'tongue of falsehood' describes the speech as having a character, not just one false statement.

Used elsewhere in the period

Proverbs uses lĕšôn šeqer several times: 6:17 (among the things the LORD hates), 12:19 ('a lying tongue lasts only a moment'), 26:28. The Septuagint renders it 'false tongue' (glōssē pseudei).