King James Version

Jeremiah 18:21

Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and pour out their blood by the force of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of their children, and be widows; and let their men be put to death; let their young men be slain by the sword in battle.

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Hebrew

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לָכֵן֩lakhento as... asכֵּןpreposition, adverb — “to as... as”H3651properly, set upright; hence (figuratively as adjective) just; but usually (as adverb or conjunction) rightly or so (in various applications to manner, time and relation; often with other particles)[phrase] after that (this, -ward, -wards), as... as, [phrase] (for-) asmuch as yet, [phrase] be (for which) cause, [phrase] following, howbeit, in (the) like (manner, -wise), [idiom] the more, right, (even) so, state, straightway, such (th…תֵּ֨ןtengiveנָתַןverb, qal, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “give”, a commandH5414to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] wi…אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).בְּנֵיהֶ֜םbeneyhemsonבֵּןnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “son”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1121a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)[phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, […לָרָעָ֗בlaraavto hungerרָעָבpreposition, with the article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “to hunger”, the ordinary formH7458hunger (more or less extensive)dearth, famine, [phrase] famished, hunger.וְהַגִּרֵם֮vehagiremand flow awayנָגַרconjunction, verb, hiphil, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, singular, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “and flow away”, a commandH5064to flow; figuratively, to stretch out; causatively, to pour out or down; figuratively, to deliver overfall, flow away, pour down (out), run, shed, spilt, trickle down.עַלalaboveעַלpreposition — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…יְדֵיyedehandיָדnoun, common, both genders, dual, construct — “hand”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3027a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),([phrase] be) able, [idiom] about, [phrase] armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, [idiom] bounty, [phrase] broad, (broken-) handed, [idiom] by, charge, coast, [phrase] consecrate, [phrase] creditor, custody, debt, dominion, […חֶרֶב֒cherevknifeחֶרֶבnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “knife”, the ordinary formH2719drought; also a cutting instrument (from its destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp implementaxe, dagger, knife, mattock, sword, tool.וְתִֽהְיֶ֨נָהvetihyenahand beהָיָהconjunction, verb, qal, jussive, 3rd person, feminine, plural — “and be”, a wish or indirect commandH1961to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use.נְשֵׁיהֶ֤םnesheyhemeachאִשָּׁהnoun, common, feminine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “each”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH802a woman(adulter) ess, each, every, female, [idiom] many, [phrase] none, one, [phrase] together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English.שַׁכֻּלוֹת֙shakulotbereaved of childrenשַׁכּוּלadjective, adjective, feminine, plural, absolute — “bereaved of children”, the ordinary formH7909bereavedbarren, bereaved (robbed) of children (whelps).וְאַלְמָנ֔וֹתvealmanotand desolate houseאַלְמָנָהconjunction, noun, common, feminine, plural, absolute — “and desolate house”, the ordinary formH490a widow; also a desolate placedesolate house (palace), widow.וְאַ֨נְשֵׁיהֶ֔םveansheyhemand a certainאִישׁconjunction, noun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “and a certain”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH376a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)also, another, any (man), a certain, [phrase] champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), [phrase] none, one, people, person, [phra…יִֽהְי֖וּyihyvbeהָיָהverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “be”, an unfinished actionH1961to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use.הֲרֻ֣גֵיharugedestroyהָרַגverb, qal, passive participle, construct — “destroy”, a verb used as a describing wordH2026to smite with deadly intentdestroy, out of hand, kill, murder(-er), put to (death), make (slaughter), slay(-er), [idiom] surely.מָ֑וֶתmavetdeadמָוֶתnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “dead”, the ordinary formH4194death (natural or violent); concretely, the dead, their place or state (hades); figuratively, pestilence, ruin(be) dead(-ly), death, die(-d).בַּח֣וּרֵיהֶ֔םbachureyhemyoungבָּחוּרnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “young”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH970properly, selected, i.e. a youth (often collective)(choice) young (man), chosen, [idiom] hole.מֻכֵּיmukestrikeנָכָהverb, hophal, passive participle, construct — “strike”, a verb used as a describing wordH5221to strike (lightly or severely, literally or figuratively)beat, cast forth, clap, give (wounds), [idiom] go forward, [idiom] indeed, kill, make (slaughter), murderer, punish, slaughter, slay(-er, -ing), smite(-r, -ing), strike, be stricken, (give) stripes, [idiom] surely, wound.חֶ֖רֶבcherevknifeחֶרֶבnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “knife”, the ordinary formH2719drought; also a cutting instrument (from its destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp implementaxe, dagger, knife, mattock, sword, tool.בַּמִּלְחָמָֽהbamilchamahin battleמִלְחָמָהpreposition, with the article, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “in battle”, the ordinary formH4421a battle (i.e. the engagement); generally, war (i.e. warfare)battle, fight(-ing), war(-rior).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and hurl them to the power of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of their children, and widows; and let their men be slain of death, and their young men smitten of the sword in battle.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and give them over to the power of the sword; and let their wives become childless, and widows; and let their men be slain of death, and their young men smitten of the sword in battle.

Young’s Literal Translation

Therefore, give up their sons to famine, And cause them to run on the sides of the sword, And their wives are bereaved and widows, And their men are slain by death, Their young men smitten by sword in battle,

World English Bible

Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and give them over to the power of the sword. Let their wives become childless and widows. Let their men be killed and their young men struck by the sword in battle.

Darby Translation

Therefore give up their children to the famine, and deliver them over to the power of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of children and be widows; and let their men be swept off by death, their young men be smitten by the sword in battle.

Douay-Rheims

Therefore deliver up their children to famine, and bring them into the hands of the sword: let their wives be bereaved of children and widows: and let their husbands be slain by death: let their young men be stabbed with the sword in battle.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Therefore do thou deliver their sons to famine, and gather them to the power of the sword: let their women be childless and widows; and let their men be cut off by death, and their young men fall by the sword in war.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Διατοῦτο δὸς τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτῶν εἰς λιμὸν, καὶ ἄθροισον αὐτοὺς εἰς χεῖρας μαχαίρας· γενέσθωσαν αἱ γυναῖκες αὐτῶν ἄτεκνοι καὶ χῆραι, καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες αὐτῶν γενέσθωσαν ἀνῃρημένοι θανάτῳ, καὶ οἱ νεανίσκοι αὐτῶν πεπτωκότες μαχαίρᾳ ἐν πολέμῳ.