Jeremiah 15:2
1 Then the LORD said to me: “Even if Moses and Samuel should stand before Me, My heart would not go out to this people. Send them from My presence, and let them go.
If they ask you, ‘Where shall we go?’ you are to tell them that this is what the LORD says: ‘Those destined for death, to death; those destined for the sword, to the sword; those destined for famine, to famine; and those destined for captivity, to captivity.’
3 I will appoint over them four kinds of destroyers, declares the LORD: the sword to kill, the dogs to drag away, and the birds of the air and beasts of the earth to devour and destroy.
4 I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth because of what Manasseh son of Hezekiah king of Judah did in Jerusalem.
This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- If they ask you, ‘Where shall we go?’ you are to tell them that this is what the LORD says: ‘Those destined for death, to death; those destined for the sword, to the sword; those destined for famine, to famine; and those destined for captivity, to captivity.’
- KJV
- And it shall come to pass, if they say unto thee, Whither shall we go forth? then thou shalt tell them, Thus saith the LORD; Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for the captivity, to the captivity.
- WEB
- It will happen when they ask you, ‘Where shall we go out?’ then you shall tell them, ‘The LORD says: “Such as are for death, to death; such as are for the sword, to the sword; such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for captivity, to captivity.”’
- ASV
- And it shall come to pass, when they say unto thee, Whither shall we go forth? then thou shalt tell them, Thus saith Jehovah: Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for captivity, to captivity.
- DARBY
- And it shall come to pass, if they say unto thee, Whither shall we go forth? then thou shalt tell them, Thus saith Jehovah: Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for captivity, to captivity.
- BLB
- And it will come to pass, if they say to you ‘Where should we go?’ That you shall say to them, thus says YHWH: ‘Those unto death—unto death, and those unto the sword—unto the sword, and those unto the famine—unto the famine, and those unto captivity—unto captivity!’
- ÅB
- Og når de sier til deg: Hvor skal vi gå hen? - da skal du svare dem: Så sier Herren: Den som hører døden[^1] til, til døden, og den som hører sverdet til, til sverdet, og den som hører hungeren til, til hungeren, og den som hører fangenskapet til, til fangenskapet.
- OTB
- Og når de spør deg: ‘Hvor skal vi gå?’ skal du si til dem: ‘Dette sier Herren: “De som er bestemt for døden, til døden; de for sverdet, til sverdet; de for hungersnød, til hungersnød; de for fangenskap, til fangenskap.”’
- B1930
- Og når de sier til dig: Hvor skal vi gå hen? - da skal du svare dem: Så sier Herren: Den som hører døden til, til døden, og den som hører sverdet til, til sverdet, og den som hører hungeren til, til hungeren, og den som hører fangenskapet til, til fangenskapet. / < d.e. pesten.>
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Jeremiah 43:11
He will come and strike down the land of Egypt, bringing death to those destined for death, captivity to those destined for captivity, and the sword to those destined for the sword.
Read in contextZechariah 11:9
Then I said, “I will no longer shepherd you. Let the dying die, and the perishing perish; and let those who remain devour one another’s flesh.”
Read in contextRevelation 6:3–8
And when the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!”
Read in contextEzekiel 5:2
When the days of the siege have ended, you are to burn up a third of the hair inside the city; you are also to take a third and slash it with the sword all around the city; and you are to scatter a third to the wind. For I will unleash a sword behind them.
Read in contextRevelation 13:10
“If anyone is destined for captivity, into captivity he will go; if anyone is to die by the sword, by the sword he must be killed.” Here is a call for the perseverance and faith of the saints.
Read in contextEzekiel 5:12
A third of your people will die by plague or be consumed by famine within you, a third will fall by the sword outside your walls, and a third I will scatter to every wind and unleash a sword behind them.
Read in contextJeremiah 14:12
Although they may fast, I will not listen to their cry; although they may offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Instead, I will finish them off by sword and famine and plague.”
Read in contextIsaiah 24:18
Whoever flees the sound of panic will fall into the pit, and whoever climbs from the pit will be caught in the snare. For the windows of heaven are open, and the foundations of the earth are shaken.
Read in context