God’s Word Translation
Jeremiah 14:17
17“Say this to them: ‘My eyes flow with tears day and night without stopping because my dear people will suffer massive destruction. It will be a very serious blow.’ ”
Jeremiah 14:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Therefore thou shalt say this word unto them; Let mine eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease: for the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous blow.
- New International Version (NIV)“Speak this word to them: “ ‘Let my eyes overflow with tears night and day without ceasing; for the Virgin Daughter, my people, has suffered a grievous wound, a crushing blow.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"You shall say to them this word: 'Let my eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease, for the virgin daughter of my people is shattered with a great wound, with a very grievous blow.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Therefore you shall say this word to them: ‘Let my eyes flow with tears night and day, And let them not cease; For the virgin daughter of my people Has been broken with a mighty stroke, with a very severe blow.
Context of Jeremiah 14:17
15“I didn’t send these prophets. Yet, they prophesy in my name that there will be no wars or famines in this land. So this is what I, the Lord, say about them: Wars and famines will bring an end to these prophets. 16The people they prophesy to will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem. They will be victims of famines and wars. No one will bury them, their wives, their sons, or their daughters. I will pour on them the destruction that they deserve. “Say this to them: ‘My eyes flow with tears day and night without stopping because my dear people will suffer massive destruction. It will be a very serious blow.’ ” 18If I go to the field, I see those killed because of war. If I go to the city, I see those sick because of famine. Prophets and priests wander through a land they haven’t heard of. 19Have you completely rejected Judah? Do you despise Zion? Why have you struck us so hard that we cannot heal? We hope for peace, but no good comes from it. We hope for a time of healing, but there’s only terror.
Read all of Jeremiah 14Jeremiah 14:17 word by word
וְאָמַרְתָּ֤ אֲלֵיהֶם֙ אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה תֵּרַ֨דְנָה עֵינַ֥י דִּמְעָ֛ה לַ֥יְלָה וְיוֹמָ֖ם וְאַל־תִּדְמֶ֑ינָה כִּי֩ שֶׁ֨בֶר גָּד֜וֹל נִשְׁבְּרָ֗ה בְּתוּלַת֙ בַּת־עַמִּ֔י מַכָּ֖ה נַחְלָ֥ה מְאֹֽד׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Therefore thou shalt sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- this wordדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
- unto them; Let mine eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
- run downיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
- with tearsדִּמְעָהdim‛âh · tearsH1832
- nightלַ֫יְלָהlayil lêyl layelâh · nightH3915
- and dayיוֹמָםyômâm · by dayH3119
- and let them not ceaseדָּמָהdâmâh · to ceaseH1820
- for the virginבְּתוּלָהbethûlâh · virginH1330
- daughterבַּתbath · daughterH1323
- of my peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- is brokenשָׁבַרshâbar · to breakH7665
- with a greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
- breachשֶׁ֫בֶרsheber shêber · breakingH7667
- with a veryמְאֹדme'ôd · muchH3966
- grievousחָלָהchâlâh · be weak: grievedH2470
- blowמַכָּהmakkâh makkeh · woundH4347
Cross-references for Jeremiah 14:17
- Jeremiah 8:18Sorrow has overwhelmed me. I am sick at heart!
- Jeremiah 9:1“I wish that my head were ⌞filled with⌟ water and my eyes were a fountain of tears so that I could cry day and night for my dear people who have been killed.
- Jeremiah 13:17If you won’t listen, I will cry secretly over your arrogance. I will cry bitterly, and my eyes will flow with tears because the Lord’s flock will be taken captive.
- Psalms 80:4O Lord God, commander of armies, how long will you smolder in anger against the prayer of your people?
- Psalms 119:136Streams of tears flow from my eyes because others do not follow your teachings.
- Lamentations 1:16I’m crying because of ⌞all⌟ these things. My eyes—my eyes flow with tears. No one can give me the comfort I need to keep me alive. Everyone is too far away from me. My children are devastated because my enemies have won.”
- Lamentations 2:18The hearts of Jerusalem’s people cried out to the Lord, the wall of Zion’s people. Let your tears run down like a river day and night. Don’t let them stop. Don’t let your eyes rest.
- Lamentations 3:48“Streams of tears run down from my eyes over the ruin of my dear people.
- Isaiah 37:22This is the message that the Lord speaks to him, ‘My dear people in Zion despise you and laugh at you. My people in Jerusalem shake their heads behind your back.
- Lamentations 1:15The Lord has treated all the warriors inside my ⌞walls⌟ with contempt. He called an army to defeat my young men. The Lord trampled the people of Judah in a winepress.
- Lamentations 2:13“What example can I give you? What parallel can I show you, people of Jerusalem? What comparison can I make that will comfort you, beloved people of Zion? Your wounds are as deep as the sea. Who can heal you?
- Amos 5:2The people of Israel have fallen, never to rise again. They lie abandoned in their own land. There is no one to help them.
- Jeremiah 30:14All your lovers have forgotten you, and they don’t want you anymore. I’ve punished you as an enemy would. I’ve corrected you as a cruel person would. You are very wicked, and you have many sins.
- Psalms 39:10Remove the sickness you laid upon me. My life is over because you struck me with your hand.
- Micah 6:13I have begun to strike you with heavy blows and to ruin you because of your sins.
Commentaries on Jeremiah 14:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17For the virgin daughter of my people is broken - First, the land was sadly distressed by Pharaoh-necho, king of Egypt. Secondly, it was laid under a heavy tribute by Nebuchadnezzar. And, thirdly, it was nearly desolated by a famine afterwards. In a few years all these calamities fell upon them; these might be well called a great breach, a very grievous blow.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17A message from God to the effect that the calamity would be so overwhelming as to cause perpetual weeping; it is set before the people under the representation of Jeremiah‘s own sorrow. The virgin daughter of my people - The epithet testifies to God‘s previous care of Judah. She had been as jealously guarded from other nations as virgins are in an oriental household (compare Song of Song of Solomon 4:12 ).Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-22Verses 17-22 Jeremiah acknowledged his own sins, and those of the people, but pleaded with the Lord to remember his covenant. In their distress none of the idols of the Gentiles could help them, nor could the heavens give rain of themselves. The Lord will always have a people to plead with him at his mercy-seat. He will heal every truly repenting sinner. Should he not see fit to hear our prayers on behalf of our guilty land, he will certainly bless with…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17-18As he looked at Judah's state, God clearly showed his sadness through a short poem. The Lord does not enjoy the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 18:23; 33:11).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. (Jr 9:1; La 1:16). Jeremiah is desired to weep ceaselessly for the calamities coming on his nation (called a "virgin," as being heretofore never under foreign yoke), (Is 23:4).Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 14:17
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Jeremiah 14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries