Jeremiah 8:2

Judgment

¹ “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.

They will be exposed to the sun and moon, and to all the host of heaven which they have loved, served, followed, consulted, and worshiped. Their bones will not be gathered up or buried, but will become like dung lying on the ground.

³ And wherever I have banished them, the remnant of this evil family will choose death over life,” declares the LORD of Hosts.

⁴ So you are to tell them this is what the LORD says: “Do men fall and not get up again? Does one turn away and not return?

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 be exposed to the sun and moon, and to all the host of heaven which they have loved, served, followed, consulted, and worshiped. Their bones will not be gathered up or buried, but will become like dung lying on the ground.
KJV: And they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, whom they have loved, and whom they have served, and after whom they have walked, and whom they have sought, and whom they have worshipped: they shall not be gathered, nor be buried; they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth.
WEB: They will spread them before the sun, the moon, and all the army of the sky, which they have loved, which they have served, after which they have walked, which they have sought, and which they have worshiped. They will not be gathered or be buried. They will be like dung on the surface of the earth.
ASV: and they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, which they have loved, and which they have served, and after which they have walked, and which they have sought, and which they have worshipped: they shall not be gathered, nor be buried, they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth.
DARBY: and they shall spread them out to the sun and to the moon and to all the host of the heavens, which they have loved, and which they have served, and after which they have walked, and which they have sought, and which they have worshipped: they shall not be gathered, nor be buried; they shall be for dung upon the face of the ground.
BLB: And they will spread them out before the sun, and before the moon, and before all the host of the heavens, which they have loved, and which they have served, and which they have walked after them, and which they have sought, and which they have bowed down to them. They will not be gathered, and they will be buried; they will be like dung over the face of the land.

ÅB: Og de skal brede dem ut for solen og månen og hele himmelens hær, som de elsket og dyrket, som de fulgte og søkte og tilba; de skal ikke samles og ikke begraves; til gjødsel utover jorden skal de bli.
OTB: De skal spres ut foran solen, månen og alle stjernene på himmelen, som de har elsket og tjent, og som de har fulgt, rådspurt og tilbedt. De skal ikke samles eller begraves, men skal være som gjødsel på jordens overflate.
B1930: Og de skal brede dem ut for solen og månen og hele himmelens hær, som de elsket og dyrket, som de fulgte og søkte og tilbad; de skal ikke samles og ikke begraves; til gjødsel utover jorden skal de bli.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

2 Kings 23:5
Josiah also did away with the idolatrous priests ordained by the kings of Judah to burn incense on the high places of the cities of Judah and in the places all around Jerusalem—those who had burned incense to Baal, to the sun and moon, to the constellations, and to all the host of heaven.
Read in context
Deuteronomy 4:19
When you look to the heavens and see the sun and moon and stars—all the host of heaven—do not be enticed to bow down and worship what the LORD your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven.
Read in context
Zephaniah 1:5
those who bow on the rooftops to worship the host of heaven, those who bow down and swear by the LORD but also swear by Milcom,
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
Acts 7:42
But God turned away from them and gave them over to the worship of the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: ‘Did you bring Me sacrifices and offerings forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
Read in context
2 Kings 21:3
For he rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had destroyed, and he raised up altars for Baal. He made an Asherah pole, as King Ahab of Israel had done, and he worshiped and served all the host of heaven.
Read in context
Jeremiah 19:13
The houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah will be defiled like that place, Topheth—all the houses on whose rooftops they burned incense to all the host of heaven and poured out drink offerings to other gods.”
Read in context
Jeremiah 22:19
He will be buried like a donkey, dragged away and thrown outside the gates of Jerusalem.
Read in context