King James Version

Jeremiah 2:13

For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

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Hebrew

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כִּֽיkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “assured”H3588(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexedand, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + til…שְׁתַּ֥יִםshetayimtwoשְׁנַיִםadjective, cardinal, feminine, dual, absolute — “two”, the ordinary formH8147two; also (as ordinal) twofoldboth, couple, double, second, twain, [phrase] twelfth, [phrase] twelve, [phrase] twenty (sixscore) thousand, twice, two.רָע֖וֹתraotbadרַעnoun, common, feminine, plural, absolute — “bad”, the ordinary formH7451bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral)adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, [phrase] displease(-ure), distress, evil((-favouredness), man, thing), [phrase] exceedingly, [idiom] great, grief(-vous), harm, heavy, hurt(-ful), ill (favoured), [phrase] mark, mischief(-vous), misery…עָשָׂ֣הasahdoעָשָׂהverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “do”, a completed actionH6213to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest applicationaccomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, f…עַמִּ֑יamipeopleעַםnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “people”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5971a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flockfolk, men, nation, people.אֹתִ֨יotiobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “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).עָזְב֜וּazevvcommit selfעָזַבverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “commit self”, a completed actionH5800to loosen, i.e. relinquish, permit, etc.commit self, fail, forsake, fortify, help, leave (destitute, off), refuse, [idiom] surely.מְק֣וֹרmeqorfountainמָקוֹרnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “fountain”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4726properly, something dug, i.e. a (general) source (of water, even when naturally flowing; also of tears, blood (by euphemism, of the female pudenda); figuratively, of happiness, wisdom, progeny)fountain, issue, spring, well(-spring).מַ֣יִםmayimwaterמַיִםnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “water”, the ordinary formH4325water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen[phrase] piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)).חַיִּ֗יםchayimlifeחַיadjective, adjective, masculine, plural, absolute — “life”, the ordinary formH2416alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether literally or figuratively[phrase] age, alive, appetite, (wild) beast, company, congregation, life(-time), live(-ly), living (creature, thing), maintenance, [phrase] merry, multitude, [phrase] (be) old, quick, raw, running, springing, troop.לַחְצֹ֤בlachtsovto cutחָצַבpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to cut”, the to-form of the verbH2672to cut or carve (wood, stone or other material); by implication, to hew, split, square, quarry, engravecut, dig, divide, grave, hew (out, -er), made, mason.לָהֶם֙lahemtoלָהֶם֙preposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “to”toבֹּאר֔וֹתborotcisternבֹּארnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “cistern”, the ordinary formH877a cisterncistern.בֹּארֹת֙borotcisternבֹּארnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “cistern”, the ordinary formH877a cisterncistern.נִשְׁבָּרִ֔יםnishbarimbreakשָׁבַרverb, niphal, passive participle, absolute — “break”, a verb used as a describing wordH7665to burst (literally or figuratively)break (down, off, in pieces, up), broken (-hearted), bring to the birth, crush, destroy, hurt, quench, [idiom] quite, tear, view (by mistake for H7663 (שָׂבַר)).אֲשֶׁ֥רasherbecauseאֲשֶׁרparticle, relative — “because”H834who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.[idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever,…לֹאlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…יָכִ֖לוּyakhilvabideכּוּלverb, hiphil, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “abide”, an unfinished actionH3557properly, to keep in; hence, to measure; figuratively, to maintain (in various senses)(be able to, can) abide, bear, comprehend, contain, feed, forbearing, guide, hold(-ing in), nourish(-er), be present, make provision, receive, sustain, provide sustenance (victuals).הַמָּֽיִםhamayimthe waterמַיִםdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “the water”, the ordinary formH4325water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen[phrase] piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

For My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

Young’s Literal Translation

For two evils hath My people done, Me they have forsaken, a fountain of living waters, To hew out for themselves wells — broken wells, That contain not the waters.

World English Bible

“For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the spring of living waters, and cut out cisterns for themselves: broken cisterns that can’t hold water.

Darby Translation

For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, to hew them out cisterns, broken cisterns that hold no water.

Douay-Rheims

For my people have done two evils. They have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and have digged to themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

For My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

For my people has committed two faults , and evil ones: they have forsaken me, the fountain of water of life, and hewn out for themselves broken cisterns, which will not be able to hold water.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ὅτι δύο καὶ πονηρὰ ἐποίησεν ὁ λαός μου· ἐμὲ ἐγκατέλιπον πηγὴν ὕδατος ζωῆς, καὶ ὤρυξαν ἑαυτοῖς λάκκους συντετριμμένους, οἳ οὐ δυνήσονται ὕδωρ συνέχειν.