King James Version

Jeremiah 2:31

O generation, see ye the word of the LORD. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? a land of darkness? wherefore say my people, We are lords; we will come no more unto thee?

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Hebrew

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הַדּ֗וֹרhadorthe ageדּוֹרdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the age”, the ordinary formH1755properly, a revolution of time, i.e. an age or generation; also a dwellingage, [idiom] evermore, generation, (n-) ever, posterity.אַתֶּם֙atemtheeאַתָּהpronoun, personal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “thee”H859thou and thee, or (plural) ye and youthee, thou, ye, you.רְא֣וּrevseeרָאָהverb, qal, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “see”, a commandH7200to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)advise self, appear, approve, behold, [idiom] certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), m…דְבַרdevarcauseדָּבָרnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “cause”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1697a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a causeact, advice, affair, answer, [idiom] any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, [phrase] chronicles, commandment, [idiom] commune(-ication), [phrase] concern(-ing), [phrase] confer, counsel, [phrase] dea…יְהוָ֔הyehvahJehovahיְהֹוָהnoun, proper name — “Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).הֲמִדְבָּ֤רhamidbardesertמִדְבָּרparticle, interrogative, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “desert”, the ordinary formH4057a pasture (i.e. open field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert; also speech (including its organs)desert, south, speech, wilderness.הָיִ֨יתִי֙hayitibeהָיָהverb, qal, perfect, 1st person, common, singular — “be”, a completed 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.לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לleyisraelto Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלpreposition, noun, proper name — “to Israel”H3478Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterityIsrael.אִ֛םimoh thatאִםconjunction — “oh that”H518used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not(and, can-, doubtless, if, that) (not), [phrase] but, either, [phrase] except, [phrase] more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or, [phrase] save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, [phrase] surely (no more, none, not), t…אֶ֥רֶץeretsearthאֶרֶץnoun, common, both genders, singular, construct — “earth”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH776the earth (at large, or partitively a land)[idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world.מַאְפֵּ֖לְיָ֑הmapeleyahdarknessמַאְפֵלְיָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “darkness”, the ordinary formH3991opaquenessdarkness.מַדּ֜וּעַmaduawhyמַדּוּעַparticle, interrogative — “why”H4069what (is) known?; i.e. (by implication) (adverbially) why?how, wherefore, why.אָמְר֤וּamervsayאָמַרverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “say”, a completed actionH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…עַמִּי֙amipeopleעַםnoun, 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.רַ֔דְנוּradnvhave the dominionרוּדverb, qal, perfect, 1st person, common, plural — “have the dominion”, a completed actionH7300to tramp about, i.e. ramble (free or disconsolate)have the dominion, be lord, mourn, rule.לֽוֹאlono , -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…נָב֥וֹאnavoto comeבּוֹאverb, qal, imperfect, 1st person, common, plural — “to come”, an unfinished actionH935to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat,…ע֖וֹדodagainעוֹדadverb — “again”H5750properly, iteration or continuance; used only adverbially (with or without preposition), again, repeatedly, still, moreagain, [idiom] all life long, at all, besides, but, else, further(-more), henceforth, (any) longer, (any) more(-over), [idiom] once, since, (be) still, when, (good, the) while (having being), (as, because, whether, while) yet (within).אֵלֶֽיךָeleykhaamongאֵלpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

O generation, see ye the word of the LORD: have I been a wilderness unto Israel? or a land of thick darkness? Wherefore say My people: 'We roam at large; we will come no more unto Thee'?

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

O generation, see ye the word of Jehovah. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? or a land of thick darkness? wherefore say my people, We are broken loose; we will come no more unto thee?

Young’s Literal Translation

O generation, see ye the word of Jehovah: A wilderness have I been to Israel? A land of thick darkness? Wherefore have My people said, 'We mourned, We come not in again unto Thee.'

World English Bible

Generation, consider Yahweh’s word. Have I been a wilderness to Israel? Or a land of thick darkness? Why do my people say, ‘We have broken loose. We will come to you no more’?

Darby Translation

O generation, mark ye the word of Jehovah. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel, or a land of thick darkness? Wherefore say my people, We have dominion; we will come no more unto thee?

Douay-Rheims

See ye the word of the Lord: Am I become a wilderness to Israel, or a lateward springing land? why then have my people said: We are revolted, we will come to thee no more.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

O generation, see ye the word of the LORD: have I been a wilderness unto Israel? or a land of thick darkness? Wherefore say My people: 'We roam at large; we will come no more unto Thee'?

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Hear ye the word of the Lord: thus saith the Lord, Have I been a wilderness or a dry land to Israel? wherefore has my people said, We will not be ruled over, and will not come to thee any more?

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἀκούσατε λόγον Κυρίου· τάδε λέγει Κύριος, μὴ ἔρημος ἐγενόμην τῷ Ἰσραὴλ ἢ γῆ κεχερσωμένη; διατί εἶπεν ὁ λαός μου, οὐ κυριευθησόμεθα, καὶ οὐχ ἥξομεν πρὸς σὲ ἔτι;