Revised Literal Translation
Jeremiah 8:14
14Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the defenced cities, and let us be silent there: for Yhwh our God hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against Yhwh.1
Jeremiah 8:14 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the defenced cities, and let us be silent there: for the Lord our God hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against the Lord.
- New International Version (NIV)Why are we sitting here? Gather together! Let us flee to the fortified cities and perish there! For the Lord our God has doomed us to perish and given us poisoned water to drink, because we have sinned against him.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Why do we sit still? Gather together; let us go into the fortified cities and perish there, for the Lord our God has doomed us to perish and has given us poisoned water to drink, because we have sinned against the Lord.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Why do we sit still? Assemble yourselves, And let us enter the fortified cities, And let us be silent there. For the Lord our God has put us to silence And given us water of gall to drink, Because we have sinned against the Lord.
Context of Jeremiah 8:14
12Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith Yhwh. 13I will surely consume them, saith Yhwh: there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade; and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them. Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the defenced cities, and let us be silent there: for Yhwh our God hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against Yhwh. 15We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and behold trouble! 16The snorting of his horses was heard from Dan: the whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones; for they are come, and have devoured the land, and all that is in it; the city, and those that dwell therein.
Read all of Jeremiah 8Jeremiah 8:14 word by word
עַל־מָה֙ אֲנַ֣חְנוּ יֹֽשְׁבִ֔ים הֵֽאָסְפ֗וּ וְנָב֛וֹא אֶל־עָרֵ֥י הַמִּבְצָ֖ר וְנִדְּמָה־שָּׁ֑ם כִּי֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֵ֤ינוּ הֲדִמָּ֙נוּ֙ וַיַּשְׁקֵ֣נוּ מֵי־רֹ֔אשׁ כִּ֥י חָטָ֖אנוּ לַיהוָֽה׃Read the interlinear
- Why do we sit stillיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- assembleאָסַף'âsaph · to gatherH622
- yourselves, and let us enterבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- into the defencedמִבְצָרmibtsâr mibtsârâh · fortificationH4013
- citiesעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
- and let us be silentדָּמַםdâmam · to silence: destroyedH1826
- there: for Yhwhיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- our Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- and given us waterמַיmayim · waterH4325
- of gallרֹאשׁrô'sh rôsh · poisonH7219
- to drinkשָׁקָהshâqâh · to water: drinkH8248
- because we have sinnedחָטָאchâţâ' · to sinH2398
Cross-references for Jeremiah 8:14
- 2 Kings 7:3And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die?
- Jeremiah 4:5Declare ye in Judah, and publish in Jerusalem; and say, Blow ye the trumpet in the land: cry, gather together, and say, Assemble yourselves, and let us go into the defenced cities.
- Jeremiah 35:11But it came to pass, when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up into the land, that we said, Come, and let us go to Jerusalem for fear of the army of the Chaldeans, and for fear of the army of the Syrians: so we dwell at Jerusalem.
- 2 Samuel 20:6And David said to Abishai, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom: take thou thy lord’s servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fenced cities, and escape us.
- Leviticus 10:3Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that Yhwh spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.
- Psalms 39:2I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred.
- Lamentations 3:27It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.
- Amos 6:10And a man’s uncle shall take him up, and he that burneth him, to bring out the bones out of the house, and shall say unto him that is by the sides of the house, Is there yet any with thee? and he shall say, No. Then shall he say, Hold thy tongue: for we may not make mention of the name of Yhwh.
- Habakkuk 2:20But Yhwh is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.
- Zechariah 2:13Be silent, O all flesh, before Yhwh: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation.
- Jeremiah 9:13And Yhwh saith, Because they have forsaken my law which I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice, neither walked therein;
- Jeremiah 23:15Therefore thus saith Yhwh of Armies concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land.
- Numbers 5:18And the priest shall set the woman before Yhwh, and uncover the woman’s head, and put the offering of memorial in her hands, which is the jealousy offering: and the priest shall have in his hand the bitter water that causeth the curse:
- Deuteronomy 32:32For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter:
- Psalms 69:21They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
- Lamentations 3:19Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.
Commentaries on Jeremiah 8:14
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14The people rouse one another to exertion. “Why,” they ask, “do we remain here to be overwhelmed?” They are ready now to follow the command given (see the marginal reference), but with the conviction that all hope is over. Let us be silent there - Rather, let us perish there, literally “be put to silence.” Water of gall - i. e., poison. The word rendered “gall” was probably the belladonna, or night-shade, to the “berries” of which the grapes of Israel were…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-22Verses 14-22 At length they begin to see the hand of God lifted up. And when God appears against us, every thing that is against us appears formidable. As salvation only can be found in the Lord, so the present moment should be seized. Is there no medicine proper for a sick and dying kingdom? Is there no skilful, faithful hand to apply the medicine? Yes, God is able to help and to heal them. If sinners die of their wounds, their blood is upon their own…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14-15The people heard Jeremiah announce the Lord's decree. They realized they deserved punishment for sinning against the Lord. Even though their fate was decided, they did not ask for forgiveness.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1414. assemble--for defense. let us be silent--not assault the enemy, but merely defend ourselves in quiet, until the storm blow over. put us to silence--brought us to that state that we can no longer resist the foe; implying silent despair. water of gall--literally, "water of the poisonous plant," perhaps the poppy (Jr 9:15; 23:15).Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 8:14
In the dictionaries
Notes
- 1. Jeremiah 8:14 gall: or, poison. ↩
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
Revised Literal Translation — © 2018 Michael W. Jones, Sr. — GPL
Commentaries