Jeremiah 4:20

¹⁸ Thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee; this is thy wickedness, because it is bitter, because it reacheth unto thine heart.

¹⁹ My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart maketh a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, because thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.

Destruction upon destruction is cried; for the whole land is spoiled: suddenly are my tents spoiled, and my curtains in a moment.

²¹ How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet?

²² For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: Disaster after disaster is proclaimed, for the whole land is laid waste. My tents are destroyed in an instant, my curtains in a moment.
KJV: Destruction upon destruction is cried; for the whole land is spoiled: suddenly are my tents spoiled, and my curtains in a moment.
WEB: Destruction on destruction is decreed, for the whole land is laid waste. Suddenly my tents are destroyed, and my curtains gone in a moment.
ASV: Destruction upon destruction is cried; for the whole land is laid waste: suddenly are my tents destroyed, [and] my curtains in a moment.
DARBY: Destruction upon destruction is proclaimed; for the whole land is wasted: suddenly are my tents laid waste, my curtains, in a moment.
BLB: Destruction upon destruction is called out; for all the land is brought to ruin! Suddenly my tents are left in ruins, [and] my curtains [in] a moment.

ÅB: Ødeleggelse på ødeleggelse roper de om; for hele landet er ødelagt; brått er mine telt ødelagt, i et øyeblikk mine telttepper.
OTB: Ulykke på ulykke blir kunngjort; hele landet er ødelagt. I et øyeblikk er mine telt ødelagt, mine tilfluktssteder på et øyeblikk.
B1930: Ødeleggelse på ødeleggelse roper de om; for hele landet er ødelagt; brått er mine telt ødelagt, i et øieblikk mine telttepper.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Psalms 42:7
Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.
Read in context
Joel 1:15
Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.
Read in context
2 Thessalonians 1:9
Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
Read in context
Ezekiel 7:25–26
Destruction cometh; and they shall seek peace, and there shall be none.
Read in context
Matthew 10:28
And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Read in context
Isaiah 33:20
Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken.
Read in context
Isaiah 13:6
Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.
Read in context
Leviticus 26:18
And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.
Read in context