King James Version

Jeremiah 6:23

They shall lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses, set in array as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion.

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Hebrew

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קֶ֣שֶׁתqeshetbowקֶשֶׁתnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “bow”, the ordinary formH7198a bow, forshooting (hence, figuratively, strength) or the iris[idiom] arch(-er), [phrase] arrow, bow(-man, -shot).וְכִיד֞וֹןvekhidonand lanceכִּידוֹןconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “and lance”, the ordinary formH3591properly, something to strike with, i.e. a dartlance, shield, spear, target.יַחֲזִ֗יקוּyachaziqvbe constantחָזַקverb, hiphil, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “be constant”, an unfinished actionH2388to fasten upon; hence, to seize, be strong (figuratively, courageous, causatively strengthen, cure, help, repair, fortify), obstinate; to bind, restrain, conqueraid, amend, [idiom] calker, catch, cleave, confirm, be constant, constrain, continue, be of good (take) courage(-ous, -ly), encourage (self), be established, fasten, force, fortify, make hard, harden, help, (lay) hold (fast), lean, maintai…אַכְזָרִ֥יakhzaricruelאַכְזָרִיadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “cruel”, the ordinary formH394terriblecruel (one).הוּא֙huas for herהוּאpronoun, personal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “as for her”H1931he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or arehe, as for her, him(-self), it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they, this, those, which (is), who.וְלֹ֣אveloand no , -r,לֹאconjunction, particle, negative — “and 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…יְרַחֵ֔מוּyerachemvloveרָחַםverb, piel, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “love”, an unfinished actionH7355to fondle; by implication, to love, especially to compassionatehave compassion (on, upon), love, (find, have, obtain, shew) mercy(-iful, on, upon), (have) pity, Ruhamah, [idiom] surely.קוֹלָם֙qolamsoundקוֹלnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “sound”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6963a voice or sound[phrase] aloud, bleating, crackling, cry ([phrase] out), fame, lightness, lowing, noise, [phrase] hold peace, (pro-) claim, proclamation, [phrase] sing, sound, [phrase] spark, thunder(-ing), voice, [phrase] yell.כַּיָּ֣םkayamas seaיָםpreposition, with the article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “as sea”, the ordinary formH3220a sea (as breaking in noisy surf) or large body of water; specifically (with the article), the Mediterranean Sea; sometimes a large river, or an artifical basin; locally, the west, or (rarely) the southsea ([idiom] -faring man, (-shore)), south, west (-ern, side, -ward).יֶהֱמֶ֔הyehemehbe disquietedהָמָהverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “be disquieted”, an unfinished actionH1993to make a loud sound (like English 'hum'); by implication, to be in great commotion or tumult, to rage, war, moan, clamorclamorous, concourse, cry aloud, be disquieted, loud, mourn, be moved, make a noise, rage, roar, sound, be troubled, make in tumult, tumultuous, be in an uproar.וְעַלvealand aboveעַלconjunction, preposition — “and 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,…סוּסִ֖יםsusimhorse . Compare H6571סוּסnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “horse . Compare H6571”, the ordinary formH5483a horse (as leaping); also a swallow (from its rapid flight)crane, horse (-back, -hoof). Compare H6571 (פָּרָשׁ).יִרְכָּ֑בוּyirkavvon backרָכַבverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “on back”, an unfinished actionH7392to ride (on an animal or in a vehicle); causatively, to place upon (for riding or generally), to despatchbring (on (horse-) back), carry, get (oneself) up, on (horse-) back, put, (cause to, make to) ride (in a chariot, on, -r), set.עָר֗וּךְarukheput in arrayעָרַךְverb, qal, passive participle, absolute — “put in array”, a verb used as a describing wordH6186to set in a row, i.e. arrange, put in order (in a very wide variety of applications)put (set) (the battle, self) in array, compare, direct, equal, esteem, estimate, expert (in war), furnish, handle, join (battle), ordain, (lay, put, reckon up, set) (in) order, prepare, tax, value.כְּאִישׁ֙keishas a certainאִישׁpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “as a certain”, the ordinary formH376a 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…לַמִּלְחָמָ֔הlamilchamahto battleמִלְחָמָהpreposition, with the article, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “to battle”, the ordinary formH4421a battle (i.e. the engagement); generally, war (i.e. warfare)battle, fight(-ing), war(-rior).עָלַ֖יִךְalayikhaboveעַלpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, feminine, singular — “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,…בַּתbatdaughterבַּתnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct — “daughter”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1323a daughter (used in the same wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and figuratively)apple (of the eye), branch, company, daughter, [idiom] first, [idiom] old, [phrase] owl, town, village.צִיּֽוֹןtsionZionצִיּוֹןnoun, proper name — “Zion”H6726Tsijon (as a permanent capital), a mountain of JerusalemZion.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

They lay hold on bow and spear, they are cruel, and have no compassion; their voice is like the roaring sea, and they ride upon horses; set in array, as a man for war, against thee, O daughter of Zion.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

They lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea, and they ride upon horses, every one set in array, as a man to the battle, against thee, O daughter of Zion.

Young’s Literal Translation

Bow and javelin they take hold of, Fierce it [is], and they have no mercy, Their voice as a sea doth sound, And on horses they ride, set in array as a man of war, Against thee, O daughter of Zion.

World English Bible

They take hold of bow and spear. They are cruel, and have no mercy. Their voice roars like the sea, and they ride on horses, everyone set in array, as a man to the battle, against you, daughter of Zion.”

Darby Translation

They lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses, set in array as a man for the battle, against thee, daughter of Zion.

Douay-Rheims

They shall lay hold on arrow and shield: they are cruel, and will have no mercy. Their voice shall roar like the sea: and they shall mount upon horses, prepared as men for war, against thee, O daughter of Sion.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

They shall lay hold on bow and spear; the people is fierce, and will have no mercy; their voice is as the roaring sea; they shall array themselves for war against thee as fire on horses and chariots, O daughter of Sion.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Τόξον καὶ ζιβύνην κρατήσουσιν· ἰταμός ἐστι, καὶ οὐκ ἐλεήσει· φωνὴ αὐτοῦ, ὡς θάλασσα κυμαίνουσα· ἐφʼ ἵπποις καὶ ἅρμασι παρατάξεται ὡς πῦρ εἰς πόλεμον πρὸς σὲ, θύγατερ Σιών.