Jeremiah 7:33
31 They have built the high places of Topheth in the Valley of Hinnom so they could burn their sons and daughters in the fire—something I never commanded, nor did it even enter My mind.
32 So behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when this place will no longer be called Topheth and the Valley of Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter. For they will bury the dead in Topheth until there is no more room.
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.
34 I will remove from the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem the sounds of joy and gladness and the voices of the bride and bridegroom, for the land will become a wasteland.”
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
- 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.
- KJV
- And the carcases of this people shall be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth; and none shall fray them away.
- WEB
- The dead bodies of this people will be food for the birds of the sky, and for the animals of the earth. No one will frighten them away.
- ASV
- And the dead bodies of this people shall be food for the birds of the heavens, and for the beasts of the earth; and none shall frighten them away.
- DARBY
- And the carcases of this people shall be food for the fowl of the heavens, and for the beasts of the earth; and none shall scare [them] away.
- BLB
- The corpses of this people will be for food for the birds of the heavens and for the beast of the earth, and there will no one to scare them away.
- ÅB
- Og dette folks døde kropper skal bli til føde for himmelens fugler og for jordens dyr, uten at noen skremmer dem bort.
- OTB
- Likene av dette folket skal bli mat for himmelens fugler og jordens dyr, og ingen skal skremme dem bort.
- B1930
- Og dette folks døde kropper skal bli til føde for himmelens fugler og for jordens dyr, uten at nogen skremmer dem bort.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Jeremiah 12:9
Is not My inheritance to Me like a speckled bird of prey with other birds of prey circling against her? Go, gather all the beasts of the field; bring them to devour her.
Read in contextDeuteronomy 28:26
Your corpses will be food for all the birds of the air and beasts of the earth, with no one to scare them away.
Read in contextRevelation 19:17–18
Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out in a loud voice to all the birds flying overhead, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God,
Read in contextJeremiah 8:1–2
“At that time,” declares the LORD, “the bones of the kings of Judah, the bones of the officials, the bones of the priests, the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the people of Jerusalem will be removed from their graves.
Read in contextJeremiah 16:4
“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.”
Read in contextJeremiah 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 contextEzekiel 39:4
On the mountains of Israel you will fall—you and all your troops and the nations with you. I will give you as food to every kind of ravenous bird and wild beast.
Read in contextJeremiah 19:7
And in this place I will ruin the plans of Judah and Jerusalem. I will make them fall by the sword before their enemies, by the hands of those who seek their lives, and I will give their carcasses as food to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth.
Read in context