Jeremiah Chapter 9
King James Version (KJV)
Other Translations
asv (asv) - eBible.org engASV USFM
1
For the children of Judah have done that which is evil in my sight, saith Jehovah: they have set their abominations in the house which is called by my name, to defile it.
2
And they have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded not, neither came it into my mind.
3
Therefore, behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that it shall no more be called Topheth, nor The valley of the son of Hinnom, but The valley of Slaughter: for they shall bury in Topheth, till there be no place
4
to bury.
5
And the dead bodies of this people shall be food for the birds of the heavens, and for the beasts of the earth; and none shall frighten them away.
6
Then will I cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride; for the land shall become a waste.
7
At that time, saith Jehovah, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves;
8
and they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, which they have loved, and which they have served, and after which they have walked, and which they have sought, and which they have worshipped: they shall not be gathered, nor be buried, they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth.
9
And death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue that remain of this evil family, that remain in all the places whither I have driven them, saith Jehovah of hosts.
10
Moreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith Jehovah: Shall men fall, and not rise up again? Shall one turn away, and not return?
11
Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return.
12
I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repenteth him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turneth to his course, as a horse that rusheth headlong in the battle.
13
Yea, the stork in the heavens knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle-dove and the swallow and the crane observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the law of Jehovah.
14
How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of Jehovah is with us? But, behold, the false pen of the scribes hath wrought falsely.
15
The wise men are put to shame, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of Jehovah; and what manner of wisdom is in them?
16
Therefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall possess them: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness; from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.
17
And they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.
18
Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall; in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith Jehovah.
19
I will utterly consume them, saith Jehovah: there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig-tree, and the leaf shall fade; and
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the things that I have given them shall pass away from them.
21
Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the fortified cities, and let us be silent there; for Jehovah our God hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against Jehovah.
22
We looked for peace, but no good came;
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and for a time of healing, and, behold, dismay!
24
The snorting of his horses is heard from Dan: at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones the whole land trembleth; for they are come, and have devoured the land and all that is in it; the city and those that dwell therein.
25
For, behold, I will send serpents, adders, among you, which will not be charmed; and they shall bite you, saith Jehovah.
26
Oh that I could comfort myself against sorrow! my heart is faint within me.
darby (darby) - eBible.org Darby 1890 plaintext
1
Oh that my head were waters, and mine eye a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!
2
Oh that I had in the wilderness a traveller's lodging-place, that I might leave my people, and go away from them! For they are all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men.
3
And they bend their tongue, their bow of falsehood, and not for fidelity are they valiant in the land; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith Jehovah.
4
Take ye heed every one of his friend, and confide not in any brother; for every brother only supplanteth, and every friend goeth about with slander.
5
And they act deceitfully every one with his neighbour, and speak not the truth: they teach their tongue to speak falsehood, they weary themselves with perverse dealing.
6
Thy habitation is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know me, saith Jehovah.
7
Therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Behold, I will melt them, and try them; for how else could I do for the daughter of my people?
8
Their tongue is a murderous arrow; it speaketh deceit. [A man] speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but in his heart he layeth his ambush.
9
Shall I not visit them for these [things]? saith Jehovah; shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
10
For the mountains will I take up weeping and wailing, and for the pastures of the wilderness, a lamentation; for they are burnt up, so that none passeth through them; and the voice of the cattle is not heard. Both the fowl of the heavens and the beasts are fled; they are gone.
11
And I will make Jerusalem heaps, a dwelling-place of jackals; and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation, without inhabitant.
12
Who is a wise man, that he may understand this? and he to whom the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken, that he may declare it? Why is the land perished, burnt up like a wilderness, so that none passeth through?
13
And Jehovah saith, Because they have forsaken my law which I set before them, and have not hearkened unto my voice, nor walked in it,
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but have walked after the stubbornness of their own heart, and after the Baals, as their fathers taught them;
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therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts, theGod of Israel, Behold, I will feed this people with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink,
16
and will scatter them among the nations, whom neither they nor their fathers have known; and I will send the sword after them, till I have consumed them.
17
Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Consider, and call for the mourning women, that they may come, and send for the skilful women, that they may come;
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and let them make haste, and take up a wailing for us, that our eyes may run down with tears, and our eyelids pour forth waters.
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For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion, How are we spoiled, sorely put to shame! For we have forsaken the land, for they have cast down our dwellings.
20
Hear then the word of Jehovah, ye women, and let your ear receive the word of his mouth, and teach your daughters wailing, and each one her companion lamentation.
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For death is come up through our windows, is entered into our palaces, to cut off the children from the street, the young men from the broadways.
22
Speak, Thus saith Jehovah: Yea, the carcases of men shall fall as dung upon the open field, and as the handful after the reaper, and there shall be none to gather.
23
Thus saith Jehovah: Let not the wise glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty glory in his might; let not the rich glory in his riches:
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but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I [am] Jehovah, who exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth; for in these things I delight, saith Jehovah.
25
Behold, days are coming, saith Jehovah, when I will visit all [them that are] circumcised with the uncircumcised;
26
Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all that have the corners [of their beard] cut off, that dwell in the wilderness: for all the nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in heart.
lxxbrent (lxxbrent) - Septuagint (Brenton 1851) eBible USFM
1
Who would give me a most distant lodge in the wilderness, that I might leave my people, and depart from them? for they all commit adultery, an assembly of treacherous men.
2
And they have bent their tongue like a bow: falsehood and not faithfulness has prevailed upon the earth; for they have gone on from evil to evil, and have not known me, saith the Lord.
3
Beware ye each of his neighbour, and trust ye not in your brethren: for every one will surely supplant, and every friend will walk craftily.
4
Every one will mock his friend; they will not speak truth: their tongue has learned to speak falsehoods; they have committed iniquity, they ceased not, so as to return.
5
[There is] usury upon usury, and deceit upon deceit: they would not know me, saith the Lord.
6
Therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will try them with fire, and prove them; for I will do [thus] because of the wickedness of the daughter of my people.
7
Their tongue is a wounding arrow; the words of their mouth are deceitful: [one] speaks peaceably to his neighbour, but in himself retains enmity.
8
Shall I not visit for these things? saith the Lord: and shall not my soul be avenged on such a people as this?
9
Take up a lamentation for the mountains, and a mournful dirge for the paths of the wilderness, for they are desolate for want of men; they heard not the sound of life from the birds of the sky, nor the cattle: they were amazed, they are gone.
10
And I will remove the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and make it a dwelling-place of dragons; and I will utterly waste the cities of Juda, so that they shall not be inhabited.
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Who is the wise man, that he may understand this? and he that has the word of the mouth of the Lord [addressed] to him, let him tell you wherefore the land has been destroyed, has been ravaged by fire like a desert, so that no one passes through it.
12
And the Lord said to me, Because they have forsaken my law, which I set before them, and have not hearkened to my voice;
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but went after the lusts of their evil heart, and after the idols which their fathers taught them [to worship]:
14
therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Behold, I will feed them with trouble and will cause them to drink water of gall:
15
and I will scatter them among the nations, to them whom neither they nor their fathers knew; and I will send a sword upon them, until I have consumed them with it.
16
Thus saith the Lord, Call ye the mourning women, and let them come; and send to the wise women, and let them utter their voice;
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and let them take up a lamentation for you, and let your eyes pour down tears, and your eyelids drop water.
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For a voice of lamentation has been heard in Sion, How are we become wretched! we are greatly ashamed, for we have forsaken the land, and have abandoned our tabernacles!
19
Hear now, ye women, the word of God, and let your ears receive the words of his mouth, and teach your daughters lamentation, and [every] woman her neighbour a dirge.
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For death has come up through your windows, it has entered into our land, to destroy the infants without, and the young men from the streets.
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And the carcases of the men shall be for an example on the face of the field of your land, like grass after the mower, and there shall be none to gather [them].
22
Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, and let not the strong man boast in his strength, and let not the rich man boast in his wealth;
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but let him that boasts boast in this, the understanding and knowing that I am the Lord that exercise mercy, and judgment, and righteousness, upon the earth; for in these things is my pleasure, saith the Lord.
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Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will visit upon all the circumcised their uncircumcision;
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on Egypt, and on Idumea, and on Edom, and on the children of Ammon, and on the children of Moab, and on every one that shaves his face round about, [even] them that dwell in the wilderness; for all the Gentiles are uncircumcised in flesh, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised [in] their hearts.
vul1914 (vul1914) - Vulgate 1914 UTF-8 (sacredbible.org)
1
Quis dabit capiti meo aquam, et oculis meis fontem lacrymarum? et plorabo die ac nocte interfectos filiæ populi mei.
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Quis dabit me in solitudine diversorium viatorum, et derelinquam populum meum, et recedam ab eis? quia omnes adulteri sunt, cœtus prævaricatorum.
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Et extenderunt linguam suam quasi arcum mendacii et non veritatis: confortati sunt in terra, quia de malo ad malum egressi sunt, et me non cognoverunt, dicit Dominus.
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Unusquisque se a proximo suo custodiat, et in omni fratre suo non habeat fiduciam: quia omnis frater supplantans supplantabit, et omnis amicus fraudulenter incedet.
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Et vir fratrem suum deridebit, et veritatem non loquentur: docuerunt enim linguam suam loqui mendacium: ut inique agerent, laboraverunt.
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Habitatio tua in medio doli: in dolo renuerunt scire me, dicit Dominus.
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Propterea hæc dicit Dominus exercituum: Ecce ego conflabo, et probabo eos: quid enim aliud faciam a facie filiæ populi mei?
8
Sagitta vulnerans lingua eorum, dolum locuta est: in ore suo pacem cum amico suo loquitur, et occulte ponit ei insidias.
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Numquid super his non visitabo, dicit Dominus? aut in gente huiusmodi non ulciscetur anima mea?
10
Super montes assumam fletum ac lamentum, et super speciosa deserti planctum: quoniam incensa sunt, eo quod non sit vir pertransiens: et non audierunt vocem possidentis: a volucre cæli usque ad pecora transmigraverunt et recesserunt.
11
Et dabo Ierusalem in acervos arenæ, et cubilia draconum: et civitates Iuda dabo in desolationem, eo quod non sit habitator.
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Quis est vir sapiens, qui intelligat hoc, et ad quem verbum oris Domini fiat ut annunciet istud, quare perierit terra, et exusta sit quasi desertum, eo quod non sit qui pertranseat?
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Et dixit Dominus: Quia dereliquerunt legem meam, quam dedi eis, et non audierunt vocem meam, et non ambulaverunt in ea:
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et abierunt post pravitatem cordis sui, et post Baalim: quod didicerunt a patribus suis.
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Idcirco hæc dicit Dominus exercituum Deus Israel: Ecce ego cibabo populum istum absinthio, et potum dabo eis aquam fellis.
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Et dispergam eos in Gentibus, quas non noverunt ipsi et patres eorum: et mittam post eos gladium, donec consumantur.
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Hæc dicit Dominus exercituum Deus Israel: Contemplamini, et vocate lamentatrices et veniant: et ad eas, quæ sapientes sunt, mittite, et properent:
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festinent, et assumant super nos lamentum: deducant oculi nostri lacrymas, et palpebræ nostræ defluant aquis.
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Quia vox lamentationis audita est de Sion: Quomodo vastati sumus et confusi vehementer? quia dereliquimus terram, quoniam deiecta sunt tabernacula nostra.
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Audite ergo mulieres verbum Domini: et assumant aures vestræ sermonem oris eius: et docete filias vestras lamentum: et unaquæque proximam suam planctum.
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quia ascendit mors per fenestras nostras, ingressa est domos nostras, disperdere parvulos deforis, iuvenes de plateis.
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Loquere: Hæc dicit Dominus: Et cadet morticinum hominis quasi stercus super faciem regionis, et quasi fœnum post tergum metentis, et non est qui colligat.
23
Hæc dicit Dominus: Non glorietur sapiens in sapientia sua, et non glorietur fortis in fortitudine sua, et non glorietur dives in divitiis suis:
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sed in hoc glorietur, qui gloriatur, scire et nosse me, quia ego sum Dominus, qui facio misericordiam, et iudicium, et iustitiam in terra: hæc enim placent mihi, ait Dominus.
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Ecce dies veniunt, dicit Dominus: et visitabo super omnem, qui circumcisum habet præputium,
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super Ægyptum, et super Iuda, et super Edom, et super filios Ammon, et super Moab, et super omnes qui attonsi sunt in comam, habitantes in deserto: quia omnes gentes habent præputium, omnis autem domus Israel incircumcisi sunt corde.
web (web) - WorldEnglish.Bible — CC0 modern update of ASV
1
Oh that my head were waters, and my eyes a spring of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!
2
Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men, that I might leave my people and go from them! For they are all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men.
3
“They bend their tongue, as their bow, for falsehood. They have grown strong in the land, but not for truth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they don’t know me,” says the LORD.
4
“Everyone beware of his neighbor, and don’t trust in any brother; for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbor will go around like a slanderer.
5
Friends deceive each other, and will not speak the truth. They have taught their tongue to speak lies. They weary themselves committing iniquity.
6
Your habitation is in the middle of deceit. Through deceit, they refuse to know me,” says the LORD.
7
Therefore the LORD of Armies says, “Behold, I will melt them and test them; for how should I deal with the daughter of my people?
8
Their tongue is a deadly arrow. It speaks deceit. One speaks peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth, but in his heart, he waits to ambush him.
9
Shouldn’t I punish them for these things?” says the LORD. “Shouldn’t my soul be avenged on a nation such as this?
10
I will weep and wail for the mountains, and lament for the pastures of the wilderness, because they are burned up, so that no one passes through; Men can’t hear the voice of the livestock. Both the birds of the sky and the animals have fled. They are gone.
11
“I will make Jerusalem heaps, a dwelling place of jackals. I will make the cities of Judah a desolation, without inhabitant.”
12
Who is wise enough to understand this? Who is he to whom the mouth of the LORD has spoken, that he may declare it? Why has the land perished and burned up like a wilderness, so that no one passes through?
13
The LORD says, “Because they have forsaken my law which I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice or walked in my ways,
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but have walked after the stubbornness of their own heart and after the Baals, which their fathers taught them.”
15
Therefore the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says, “Behold, I will feed them, even this people, with wormwood and give them poisoned water to drink.
16
I will scatter them also among the nations, whom neither they nor their fathers have known. I will send the sword after them, until I have consumed them.”
17
The LORD of Armies says, “Consider, and call for the mourning women, that they may come. Send for the skillful women, that they may come.
18
Let them make haste and take up a wailing for us, that our eyes may run down with tears and our eyelids gush out with waters.
19
For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion, ‘How we are ruined! We are greatly confounded because we have forsaken the land, because they have cast down our dwellings.’”
20
Yet hear the LORD’s word, you women. Let your ear receive the word of his mouth. Teach your daughters wailing. Everyone teach her neighbor a lamentation.
21
For death has come up into our windows. It has entered into our palaces to cut off the children from outside, and the young men from the streets.
22
Speak, “The LORD says, “‘The dead bodies of men will fall as dung on the open field, and as the handful after the harvester. No one will gather them.’”
23
The LORD says, “Don’t let the wise man glory in his wisdom. Don’t let the mighty man glory in his might. Don’t let the rich man glory in his riches.
24
But let him who glories glory in this, that he has understanding, and knows me, that I am the LORD who exercises loving kindness, justice, and righteousness in the earth, for I delight in these things,” says the LORD.
25
“Behold, the days come,” says the LORD, “that I will punish all those who are circumcised only in their flesh:
26
Egypt, Judah, Edom, the children of Ammon, Moab, and all who have the corners of their hair cut off, who dwell in the wilderness, for all the nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in heart.”
ylt (ylt) - Bible.com YLT98 plain UTF-8
1
Who doth make my head waters, And mine eye a fountain of tears? And I weep by day and by night, For the wounded of the daughter of my people.
2
Who doth give me in a wilderness A lodging-place of travellers? And I leave my people, and go from them, For all of them <FI>are<Fi> adulterers, An assembly of treacherous ones.
3
And they bend their tongue, their bow <FI>is<Fi> a lie, And not for stedfastness have they been mighty in the land, For from evil unto evil they have gone forth, And Me they have not known, An affirmation of Jehovah!
4
Each of his friend--beware ye, And on any brother, do not trust, For every brother doth utterly supplant, For every friend slanderously doth walk,
5
And each at his friend they mock, And truth they do not speak, They taught their tongue to speak falsehood, To commit iniquity they have laboured.
6
thy dwelling <FI>is<Fi> in the midst of deceit, Through deceit they refused to know Me, An affirmation of Jehovah.
7
Therefore, thus said Jehovah of Hosts: Lo, I am refining them, and have tried them, For how do I do because of the daughter of My people?
8
A slaughtering arrow <FI>is<Fi> their tongue, Deceit it hath spoken in its mouth, Peace with its neighbour it speaketh, And in its heart it layeth its ambush,
9
For these things do not I see after them? An affirmation of Jehovah, Against a nation such as this doth not My soul avenge itself?
10
For the mountains I lift up weeping and wailing, And for the habitations of the wilderness a lamentation, For they have been burnt up without any passing over, Nor have they heard the voice of cattle, From the fowl of the heavens unto the beast they have fled, they have gone.
11
And I make Jerusalem become heaps, A habitation of dragons, And the cities of Judah I make a desolation, Without inhabitant.
12
Who <FI>is<Fi> the wise man? and he understandeth this, And he to whom the mouth of Jehovah spake? And he doth declare it, For what hath the land perished? It hath been burnt up as a wilderness, Without any passing through.
13
And Jehovah saith: Because of their forsaking My law that I set before them, And they have not hearkened to My voice nor walked in it,
14
And they walk after the stubbornness of their heart, And after the Baalim, that their fathers taught them,
15
Therefore, thus said Jehovah of Hosts, God of Israel: Lo, I am causing them--this people--to eat wormwood, And I have caused them to drink water of gall,
16
And I have scattered them among nations Which they knew not, they and their fathers, And have sent after them the sword, Till I have consumed them.
17
Thus said Jehovah of Hosts: Consider ye, and call for mourning women, And they come, And to the wise women send, and they come,
18
And they hasten, and lift up for us a wailing. And run down our eyes do tears, And from our eyelids do waters flow.
19
For--a voice of wailing is heard from Zion: How have we been spoiled! We have been greatly ashamed, Because we have forsaken the land, Because they have cast down our tabernacles.
20
But hear, ye women, a word of Jehovah, And your ear receiveth a word of His mouth, And teach ye your daughters wailing, and each her neighbour lamentation.
21
For death hath come up into our windows, It hath come into our palaces, To cut off the suckling from without, Young men from the broad places.
22
Speak thus--an affirmation of Jehovah, And fallen hath the carcase of man, As dung on the face of the field, And as a handful after the reaper, And there is none gathering.
23
Thus said Jehovah: Let not the wise boast himself in his wisdom, Nor let the mighty boast himself in his might, Let not the rich boast himself in his riches,
24
But--in this let the boaster boast himself, In understanding and knowing Me, For I <FI>am<Fi> Jehovah, doing kindness, Judgment, and righteousness, in the earth, For in these I have delighted, An affirmation of Jehovah.
25
Lo, days are coming--an affirmation of Jehovah, And I have laid a charge on all circumcised in the foreskin,
26
On Egypt, and on Judah, and on Edom, And on the sons of Ammon, and on Moab, And on all cutting the corner <FI>of the beard<Fi> , Who are dwelling in the wilderness, For all the nations <FI>are<Fi> uncircumcised, And all the house of Israel <FI>are<Fi> uncircumcised in heart!
Explanations by Age Level
Explain Like I'm 5
A long, long time ago, there was nothing at all - no earth, no sky, no animals, no people. It was all dark and empty. But God was there! God is so powerful that He can make anything just by speaking. So God said "Let there be light!" and BOOM! There was light everywhere! God saw that the light was beautiful and good. He called the light "day" and the darkness "night." This was the very first day when God started making our wonderful world!
Explain Like I'm 10
Before anything existed - no planets, stars, or life - God decided to create the universe. The earth started out as a dark, empty place covered with water. But God's Spirit was there, ready to bring order and beauty to everything. When God spoke and said "Let there be light," light immediately appeared because God's words have incredible power. God looked at the light and was pleased with what He had made. He organized time by separating light (day) from darkness (night), creating the first 24-hour period. This shows us that God is organized and purposeful in everything He does.
Explain Like I'm 15
Genesis 1:1-5 establishes fundamental theological truths about God and creation. The Hebrew word "bara" (created) indicates creation from nothing (ex nihilo), demonstrating God's absolute sovereignty and power. The phrase "without form and void" (tohu wa-bohu) describes a state of chaos that God transforms into order. The Spirit of God "hovering" or "brooding" over the waters suggests active, caring involvement in creation. The creation of light before the sun (created on day 4) indicates that God Himself is the ultimate source of light and energy. The establishment of day and night creates the framework of time, showing that God operates within orderly patterns while transcending them. This passage refutes both atheistic materialism and pantheism, establishing that God is both transcendent (separate from creation) and immanent (actively involved in it).