King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of them that remain of this evil family, which remain in all the places whither I have driven them, saith the LORD of hosts.
Complete Jewish Bible:
All the survivors of this evil family who remain wherever I have driven them will prefer death to life," says ADONAI-Tzva'ot.
Berean Standard Bible:
And wherever I have banished them, the remnant of this evil family will choose death over life,” declares the LORD of Hosts.
American Standard Version:
And death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue that remain of this evil family, that remain in all the places whither I have driven them, saith Jehovah of hosts.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And death{H4194} shall be chosen{H977} rather than life{H2416} by all the residue{H7611} of them that remain{H7604} of this evil{H7451} family{H4940}, which remain{H7604} in all the places{H4725} whither I have driven{H5080} them, saith{H5002} the LORD{H3068} of hosts{H6635}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Revelation 9:6
- And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
Jeremiah 29:14
- And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.
Jeremiah 23:8
- But, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.
Jeremiah 23:3
- And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.
Job 7:15
- So that my soul chooseth strangling, [and] death rather than my life.
Job 7:16
- I loathe [it]; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days [are] vanity.
Deuteronomy 30:4
- If [any] of thine be driven out unto the outmost [parts] of heaven, from thence will the LORD thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee:
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Commentary for Jeremiah 8:3
Jeremiah 8:3 is a verse that captures a moment of dire prophecy within the broader context of the Book of Jeremiah, which chronicles the prophetic messages and activities of the prophet Jeremiah during a tumultuous period in Judah's history. This verse is part of a larger section where Jeremiah laments over the impending judgment of Judah and Jerusalem due to their idolatry and disobedience to God's laws.
The historical context of this verse is set against the backdrop of the waning years of the Kingdom of Judah, around the 7th to 6th centuries BCE. During this time, the Assyrian Empire was in decline, and the Babylonian Empire was on the rise. Jeremiah's prophetic career spanned the reigns of several Judahite kings, and he witnessed the gradual disintegration of Judah's political and religious institutions.
In Jeremiah 8:3, the themes of divine judgment and the consequences of sin are prominent. The verse speaks of a time when the remnants of the evil family—a reference to the people of Judah who have persisted in their wickedness—will face such despair that they would prefer death over life. This stark imagery reflects the depth of the crisis that the people will face as a result of their apostasy. The phrase "which remain in all the places whither I have driven them" suggests that the judgment will encompass not only those within Judah but also those who have been scattered or exiled to other lands. The mention of "the LORD of hosts" emphasizes God's sovereignty and power over all nations and circumstances.
This verse is a poignant reflection on the consequences of turning away from God. It serves as a warning that the people's choices have dire ramifications, and it foreshadows the suffering that will come as a result of God's judgment, which is both a punishment and a call to repentance. Jeremiah's message is one of urgency, aimed at prompting the people to return to the Lord before it is too late. The verse encapsulates the gravity of the situation facing Judah and the tragic outcomes that await if they do not heed the warnings of the prophet.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H4194
There are 155 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מָוֶת
Transliteration: mâveth
Pronunciation: maw'-veth
Description: from מוּת; death (natural or violent); concretely, the dead, their place or state (hades); figuratively, pestilence, ruin; (be) dead(-ly), death, die(-d). - Strong's Number: H977
There are 164 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בָּחַר
Transliteration: bâchar
Pronunciation: baw-khar'
Description: a primitive root; properly, to try, i.e. (by implication) select; acceptable, appoint, choose (choice), excellent, join, be rather, require. - Strong's Number: H2416
There are 452 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: חַי
Transliteration: chay
Pronunciation: khah'-ee
Description: from חָיָה; alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether literally or figuratively; [phrase] age, alive, appetite, (wild) beast, company, congregation, life(-time), live(-ly), living (creature, thing), maintenance, [phrase] merry, multitude, [phrase] (be) old, quick, raw, running, springing, troop. - Strong's Number: H7611
There are 66 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שְׁאֵרִית
Transliteration: shᵉʼêrîyth
Pronunciation: sheh-ay-reeth'
Description: from שָׁאַר; a remainder or residual (surviving, final) portion; that had escaped, be left, posterity, remain(-der), remnant, residue, rest. - Strong's Number: H7604
There are 123 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׁאַר
Transliteration: shâʼar
Pronunciation: shaw-ar'
Description: a primitive root; properly, to swell up, i.e. be (causatively, make) redundant; leave, (be) left, let, remain, remnant, reserve, the rest. - Strong's Number: H7451
There are 623 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: רַע
Transliteration: raʻ
Pronunciation: rah
Description: from רָעַע; bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral); adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, [phrase] displease(-ure), distress, evil((-favouredness), man, thing), [phrase] exceedingly, [idiom] great, grief(-vous), harm, heavy, hurt(-ful), ill (favoured), [phrase] mark, mischief(-vous), misery, naught(-ty), noisome, [phrase] not please, sad(-ly), sore, sorrow, trouble, vex, wicked(-ly, -ness, one), worse(-st), wretchedness, wrong. (Incl. feminine raaah; as adjective or noun.). - Strong's Number: H4940
There are 224 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מִשְׁפָּחָה
Transliteration: mishpâchâh
Pronunciation: mish-paw-khaw'
Description: from שָׁפָה (compare שִׁפְחָה); a family, i.e. circle of relatives; figuratively, a class (of persons), a species (of animals) or sort (of things); by extension a tribe or people; family, kind(-red). - Strong's Number: H4725
There are 379 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מָקוֹם
Transliteration: mâqôwm
Pronunciation: maw-kome'
Description: or מָקֹם; also (feminine) מְקוֹמָה; or מְקֹמָה; from קוּם; properly, a standing, i.e. a spot; but used widely of a locality (general or specific); also (figuratively) of a condition (of body or mind); country, [idiom] home, [idiom] open, place, room, space, [idiom] whither(-soever). - Strong's Number: H5080
There are 51 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נָדַח
Transliteration: nâdach
Pronunciation: naw-dakh'
Description: a primitive root; to push off; used in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively (to expel, mislead, strike, inflict, etc.); banish, bring, cast down (out), chase, compel, draw away, drive (away, out, quite), fetch a stroke, force, go away, outcast, thrust away (out), withdraw. - Strong's Number: H5002
There are 358 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נְאֻם
Transliteration: nᵉʼum
Pronunciation: neh-oom'
Description: from נָאַם; an oracle; (hath) said, saith. - Strong's Number: H3068
There are 5521 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יְהֹוָה
Transliteration: Yᵉhôvâh
Pronunciation: yeh-ho-vaw'
Description: from הָיָה; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God; Jehovah, the Lord. Compare יָהּ, יְהֹוִה. - Strong's Number: H6635
There are 463 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: צָבָא
Transliteration: tsâbâʼ
Pronunciation: tsaw-baw'
Description: or (feminine) צְבָאָה; from צָבָא; a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized forwar (an army); by implication, a campaign, literally or figuratively (specifically, hardship, worship); appointed time, ([phrase]) army, ([phrase]) battle, company, host, service, soldiers, waiting upon, war(-fare).