James 5:5 - Exposition

Further description of their sin. Ye have lived in pleasure ( ἐτρυφήσατε , here only) on the earth, and been wanton ( ἐσπαλατήσατε , only here and 1 Timothy 5:6 ); ye have nourished your hearts in a day of slaughter. The ὡς of the Received Text (" as in a day," etc., A.V) is quite wrong; it is wanting in א , A, B, Latt., Memphitic. The clause seems to imply that they were like brute beasts, feeding securely on the very day of their slaughter. Vulgate (Clem), in die occisionis ; but Codex Amiat., in diem occisionis. The actual expression, ἐν ἡμέρᾳ σφαγῆς , may have been suggested by Jeremiah 12:3 , "Prepare them for the day of slaughter ( LXX ., εἰς ἡμέραν σφαγῆς αὐτῶν ) . "