Jeremiah 16:4

² “You must not marry or have sons or daughters in this place.”

³ For this is what the LORD says concerning the sons and daughters born in this place, and the mothers who bore them, and the fathers who fathered them in this land:

“They will die from deadly diseases. They will not be mourned or buried, but will lie like dung on the ground. They will be finished off by sword and famine, and their corpses will become food for the birds of the air and beasts of the earth.”

⁵ Indeed, this is what the LORD says: “Do not enter a house where there is a funeral meal. Do not go to mourn or show sympathy, for I have removed from this people My peace, My loving devotion, and My compassion,” declares the LORD.

⁶ “Both great and small will die in this land. They will not be buried or mourned, nor will anyone cut himself or shave his head for them.

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: “They will die from deadly diseases. They will not be mourned or buried, but will lie like dung on the ground. They will be finished off by sword and famine, and their corpses will become food for the birds of the air and beasts of the earth.”
KJV: They shall die of grievous deaths; they shall not be lamented; neither shall they be buried; but they shall be as dung upon the face of the earth: and they shall be consumed by the sword, and by famine; and their carcases shall be meat for the fowls of heaven, and for the beasts of the earth.
WEB: “They will die grievous deaths. They will not be lamented, neither will they be buried. They will be as dung on the surface of the ground. They will be consumed by the sword and by famine. Their dead bodies will be food for the birds of the sky and for the animals of the earth.”
ASV: They shall die grievous deaths: they shall not be lamented, neither shall they be buried; they shall be as dung upon the face of the ground; and they shall be consumed by the sword, and by famine; and their dead bodies shall be food for the birds of the heavens, and for the beasts of the earth.
DARBY: They shall die of painful deaths; they shall not be lamented, neither shall they be buried; they shall be as dung upon the face of the ground, and they shall be consumed by the sword, and by famine, and their carcases shall be food for the fowl of the heavens and for the beasts of the earth.
BLB: “They will die diseased deaths; they will not be mourned, and they will not be buried; they will be like dung upon the face of the ground, and by the sword and by famine they will be finished off, and their corpses shall be as food for the birds of the heavens and for the beast of the earth.”

ÅB: En smertefull død skal de dø, ingen skal gråte over dem, og ingen begrave dem; til gjødsel på marken skal de bli, og ved sverd og hungersnød skal de omkomme, og deres lik skal bli til føde for himmelens fugler og for jordens dyr.
OTB: "De skal dø av grusomme sykdommer; de skal ikke bli sørget over eller begravet; de skal være som gjødsel på jordens overflate. De skal omkomme ved sverdet og ved hungersnød, og deres lik skal være mat for himmelens fugler og jordens dyr."
B1930: En smertefull død skal de dø, ingen skal gråte over dem, og ingen begrave dem; til gjødsel på marken skal de bli, og ved sverd og hungersnød skal de omkomme, og deres lik skal bli til føde for himmelens fugler og for jordens dyr.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Jeremiah 25:33
Those slain by the LORD on that day will be spread from one end of the earth to the other. They will not be mourned, gathered, or buried. They will be like dung lying on the ground.
Read in context
Psalms 83:10
who perished at Endor and became like dung on the ground.
Read in context
Jeremiah 9:22
Declare that this is what the LORD says: “The corpses of men will fall like dung upon the open field, like newly cut grain behind the reaper, with no one to gather it.”
Read in context
Zephaniah 1:17
I will bring such distress on mankind that they will walk like the blind, because they have sinned against the LORD. Their blood will be poured out like dust and their flesh like dung.
Read in context
Jeremiah 34:20
I will deliver into the hands of their enemies who seek their lives. Their corpses will become food for the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth.
Read in context
Jeremiah 22:18–19
Therefore this is what the LORD says concerning Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah: “They will not mourn for him: ‘Alas, my brother! Alas, my sister!’ They will not mourn for him: ‘Alas, my master! Alas, his splendor!’
Read in context
Jeremiah 15:2–3
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.’
Read in context
Jeremiah 7:33
The corpses of this people will become food for the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and there will be no one to scare them away.
Read in context