New International Version
Jeremiah 6:23
23They are armed with bow and spear; they are cruel and show no mercy. They sound like the roaring sea as they ride on their horses; they come like men in battle formation to attack you, Daughter Zion.”
Jeremiah 6:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)They lay hold on bow and javelin; they are cruel and have no mercy; the sound of them is like the roaring sea; they ride on horses, set in array as a man for battle, against you, O daughter of Zion!"
- New King James Version (NKJV)They will lay hold on bow and spear; They are cruel and have no mercy; Their voice roars like the sea; And they ride on horses, As men of war set in array against you, O daughter of Zion.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)They are armed with bows and spears. They are cruel and show no mercy. They sound like a roaring sea as they ride forward on horses. They are coming in battle formation, planning to destroy you, beautiful Jerusalem.”
Context of Jeremiah 6:23
21Therefore this is what the Lord says: “I will put obstacles before this people. Parents and children alike will stumble over them; neighbors and friends will perish.” 22This is what the Lord says: “Look, an army is coming from the land of the north; a great nation is being stirred up from the ends of the earth. They are armed with bow and spear; they are cruel and show no mercy. They sound like the roaring sea as they ride on their horses; they come like men in battle formation to attack you, Daughter Zion.” 24We have heard reports about them, and our hands hang limp. Anguish has gripped us, pain like that of a woman in labor. 25Do not go out to the fields or walk on the roads, for the enemy has a sword, and there is terror on every side.
Read all of Jeremiah 6Jeremiah 6:23 word by word
קֶ֣שֶׁת וְכִיד֞וֹן יַחֲזִ֗יקוּ אַכְזָרִ֥י הוּא֙ וְלֹ֣א יְרַחֵ֔מוּ קוֹלָם֙ כַּיָּ֣ם יֶהֱמֶ֔ה וְעַל־סוּסִ֖ים יִרְכָּ֑בוּ עָר֗וּךְ כְּאִישׁ֙ לַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה עָלַ֖יִךְ בַּת־צִיּֽוֹן׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- They shall lay holdחָזַקchâzaq · to strengthen: holdH2388
- on bowקֶ֫שֶׁתqesheth · bowH7198
- and spearכִּידוֹןkîydôn · javelinH3591
- cruelאַכְזָרִי'akzârîy · cruelH394
- and have no mercyרָחַםrâcham · to have compassionH7355
- their voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voice: soundH6963
- roarethהָמָהhâmâh · to roarH1993
- like the seaיָםyâm · seaH3220
- and they rideרָכַבrâkab · to rideH7392
- upon horsesסוּסsûs sûs · horseH5483
- set in arrayעָרַךְ‛ârak · to arrangeH6186
- as menאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- for warמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
- against thee, O daughterבַּתbath · daughterH1323
- of Zionצִיּוֹןtsîyôn · ZionH6726
Cross-references for Jeremiah 6:23
- Jeremiah 5:16Their quivers are like an open grave; all of them are mighty warriors.
- Jeremiah 50:42They are armed with bows and spears; they are cruel and without mercy. They sound like the roaring sea as they ride on their horses; they come like men in battle formation to attack you, Daughter Babylon.
- Isaiah 13:18Their bows will strike down the young men; they will have no mercy on infants, nor will they look with compassion on children.
- Ezekiel 23:22“Therefore, Oholibah, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will stir up your lovers against you, those you turned away from in disgust, and I will bring them against you from every side—
- Habakkuk 1:6I am raising up the Babylonians, that ruthless and impetuous people, who sweep across the whole earth to seize dwellings not their own.
- Jeremiah 30:14All your allies have forgotten you; they care nothing for you. I have struck you as an enemy would and punished you as would the cruel, because your guilt is so great and your sins so many.
- Isaiah 19:4I will hand the Egyptians over to the power of a cruel master, and a fierce king will rule over them,” declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty.
- Jeremiah 4:13Look! He advances like the clouds, his chariots come like a whirlwind, his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us! We are ruined!
- Isaiah 5:26He lifts up a banner for the distant nations, he whistles for those at the ends of the earth. Here they come, swiftly and speedily!
- Luke 21:25“There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea.
Commentaries on Jeremiah 6:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23They shall lay hold on bow and spear - Still pointing out the Chaldeans: or according to Dahler, the Scythians, who had before their invasion of Palestine overrun many parts of Asia, and had spread consternation wherever their name was heard.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-30Verses 18-30 God rejects their outward services, as worthless to atone for their sins. Sacrifice and incense were to direct them to a Mediator; but when offered to purchase a license to go on in sin, they provoke God. The sins of God's professing people make them an easy prey to their enemies. They dare not show themselves. Saints may rejoice in hope of God's mercies, though they see them only in the promise: sinners must mourn for fear of God's…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 22-23The Lord reminded the people that the coming invasion was real. The soldiers had actual bows and spears (Isaiah 13:18). roars like the sea: The noise from thousands of soldiers with horses and chariots must have been terrifying (Isaiah 5:27–30).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2323. like the sea--(Is 5:30). as men for war--not that they were like warriors, for they were warriors; but "arrayed most perfectly as warriors" [Maurer].Read the comment
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Jeremiah 6
- 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
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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Commentaries