God’s Word Translation
Jeremiah 8:7
7Even storks know when it’s time to return. Mourning doves, swallows, and cranes know when it’s time to migrate. But my people don’t know that I, the Lord, am urging them to return.
Jeremiah 8:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the Lord.
- New International Version (NIV)Even the stork in the sky knows her appointed seasons, and the dove, the swift and the thrush observe the time of their migration. But my people do not know the requirements of the Lord.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Even the stork in the heavens knows her times, and the turtledove, swallow, and crane keep the time of their coming, but my people know not the rules of the Lord.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Even the stork in the heavens Knows her appointed times; And the turtledove, the swift, and the swallow Observe the time of their coming. But My people do not know the judgment of the Lord.
Context of Jeremiah 8:7
5The people of Jerusalem turned away from me without ever returning. They still cling to deceit. They refuse to return. 6I have paid attention and listened, but they weren’t honest. They don’t turn away from their wickedness and ask, “What have we done?” They go their own ways like horses charging into battle. Even storks know when it’s time to return. Mourning doves, swallows, and cranes know when it’s time to migrate. But my people don’t know that I, the Lord, am urging them to return. 8“ ‘How can you say that you are wise and that you have the Lord’s teachings? The scribes have used their pens to turn these teachings into lies. 9Wise people are put to shame, confused, and trapped. They have rejected the Lord’s word. They don’t really have any wisdom.
Read all of Jeremiah 8Jeremiah 8:7 word by word
גַּם־חֲסִידָ֣ה בַשָּׁמַ֗יִם יָֽדְעָה֙ מֽוֹעֲדֶ֔יהָ וְתֹ֤ר וְסִיס֙ וְעָג֔וּר שָׁמְר֖וּ אֶת־עֵ֣ת בֹּאָ֑נָה וְעַמִּ֕י לֹ֣א יָֽדְע֔וּ אֵ֖ת מִשְׁפַּ֥ט יְהוָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Yea, the storkחֲסִידָהchăsîydâh · storkH2624
- in the heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
- knowethיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- her appointed timesמוֹעֵדmô‛êd mô‛êd mô‛âdâh · meeting: time appointedH4150
- and the turtleתֹּרtôr tôr · turtledoveH8449
- and the craneסוּסsûs sûs · swallowH5483
- and the swallowעָגוּר‛âgûr · craneH5693
- observeשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: obeyH8104
- the timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
- of their comingבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- but my peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- not the judgmentמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justice: judgementH4941
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
Cross-references for Jeremiah 8:7
- Proverbs 6:6Consider the ant, you lazy bum. Watch its ways, and become wise.
- Isaiah 1:3Oxen know their owners, and donkeys know where their masters feed them. But Israel doesn’t know ⌞its owner⌟. My people don’t understand ⌞who feeds them⌟.
- Jeremiah 5:4I thought, “These are poor, foolish people. They don’t know the way of the Lord and the justice that God demands.
- Isaiah 5:12At their feasts there are lyres and harps, tambourines and flutes, and wine. Yet, they don’t pay attention to what the Lord is doing or see what his hands have done.
Commentaries on Jeremiah 8:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7The stork in the heaven - The birds of passage know the times of their going and return, and punctually observe them; they obey the dictates of nature, but my people do not obey my law.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7Jeremiah appeals to the obedience which migratory birds render to the law of their natures. The “stork” arrives in Palestine about March 21, and after a six weeks‘ halt departs for the north of Europe. It takes its flight by day, at a vast height in the air (“in the heaven”). The appearance of the “turtle-dove” is one of the pleasant signs of the approach of spring. The crane and the swallow - Rather, “the swift and the crane.”Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-13Verses 4-13 What brought this ruin? 1. The people would not attend to reason; they would not act in the affairs of their souls with common prudence. Sin is backsliding; it is going back from the way that leads to life, to that which leads to destruction. 2. They would not attend to the warning of conscience. They did not take the first step towards repentance: true repentance begins in serious inquiry as to what we have done, from conviction that we have…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7stork...turtledove...swift...thrush: The Creator gave these birds the ability to navigate the sky from summer nesting places to winter feeding grounds, and they always follow those instincts precisely. In contrast, the people of Israel ignored God's revelations and the covenant laws he had established.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. The instinct of the migratory birds leads them with unfailing regularity to return every spring from their winter abodes in summer climes (So 2:12); but God's people will not return to Him even when the winter of His wrath is past, and He invites them back to the spring of His favor. in the heaven--emphatical. The birds whose very element is the air, in which they are never at rest, yet show a steady sagacity, which God's people do not. times--namely…Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 8:7
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Jeremiah 8
- 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
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