Jeremiah 6:20

Bible in Basic English

To what purpose does sweet perfume come to me from Sheba, and spices from a far country? your burned offerings give me no pleasure, your offerings of beasts are not pleasing to me.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
What use to me is frankincense from Shebaor sweet cane from a distant land?Your burnt offerings are not acceptable;your sacrifices do not please me.

Hebrew Names Version
To what purpose comes there to me frankincense from Sheva, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing to me.

King James Version
To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me.

English Standard Version
What use to me is frankincense that comes from Sheba, or sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing to me.

New American Standard Bible
"For what purpose does frankincense come to Me from Sheba, And the sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable And your sacrifices are not pleasing to Me."

New Century Version
Why do you bring me offerings of incense from the land of Sheba? Why do you bring me sweet-smelling cane from a faraway land? Your burnt offerings will not be accepted; your sacrifices do not please me."

Amplified Bible
"For what purpose does frankincense come to Me from Sheba And the sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable And your sacrifices are not sweet and pleasing to Me."

World English Bible
To what purpose comes there to me frankincense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing to me.

Geneva Bible (1587)
To what purpose bringest thou mee incense from Sheba, and sweete calamus from a farre countrey? Your burnt offerings are not pleasant, nor your sacrifices sweete vnto me.

Legacy Standard Bible
For what purpose does frankincense come to Me from ShebaAnd the sweet cane from a distant land?Your burnt offerings are not acceptable,And your sacrifices are not pleasing to Me."

Berean Standard Bible
What use to Me is frankincense from Sheba or sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable; your sacrifices do not please Me."

Contemporary English Version
People of Judah, you bring me incense from Sheba and spices from distant lands. You offer sacrifices of all kinds. But why bother? I hate these gifts of yours!

Complete Jewish Bible
What do I care about incense from Sh'va or sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are unacceptable, your sacrifices don't please me."

Darby Translation
To what purpose should there come to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? Your burnt-offerings are not acceptable, nor are your sacrifices pleasing unto me.

Easy-to-Read Version
"Why do you bring me incense from the country of Sheba? Why do you bring me sweet-smelling cane from a faraway country? Your burnt offerings don't make me happy. Your sacrifices don't please me."

George Lamsa Translation
To what purpose do you bring to me incense from Sheba and the cane of sweet incense from a far country? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable to me, nor do your sacrifices please me.

Good News Translation
What do I care about the incense they bring me from Sheba, or the spices from a distant land? I will not accept their offerings or be pleased with their sacrifices.

Lexham English Bible
What is this to me? Frankincense comes from Sheba, and the precious spice reed from a distant land. Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, your sacrifices are not pleasing to me."

Literal Translation
Why is this to Me? Frankincense comes from Sheba, and the good cane from a far land? Your burnt offerings are not for acceptance, nor are your sacrifices sweet to Me.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Wherfore bringe ye me incense from Saba, & swete smellinge Calamus from farre countrees? Youre burnt offeringes displease me, and I reioyse not in youre sacrifices.

American Standard Version
To what purpose cometh there to me frankincense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt-offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing unto me.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
To what purpose is to Me the frankincense that cometh from Sheba, and the sweet cane, from a far country? Your burnt-offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing unto Me.

King James Version (1611)
To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba? and the sweet cane from a farre countrey? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet vnto me.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Wherefore bryng ye me incense from Saba, and sweete smelling calamus from farre countreys? your burnt offeringes displease me, and I reioyce not in your sacrifices.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Wherefore do ye bring me frankincense from Saba, and cinnamon from a land afar off? your whole-burnt-offerings are not acceptable, and your sacrifices have not been pleasant to me.

English Revised Version
To what purpose cometh there to me frankincense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing unto me.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Wherto bryngen ye to me encense fro Saba, and a tre of spicerie smellynge swetli fro a fer lond? Youre brent sacrifices ben not acceptid, and youre slayn sacrifices plesiden not me.

Update Bible Version
To what purpose does frankincense from Sheba come to me, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt-offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing to me.

Webster's Bible Translation
To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a distant country? your burnt-offerings [are] not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet to me.

New English Translation
I take no delight when they offer up to me frankincense that comes from Sheba or sweet-smelling cane imported from a faraway land. I cannot accept the burnt offerings they bring me. I get no pleasure from the sacrifices they offer to me.'

New King James Version
For what purpose to Me Comes frankincense from Sheba, And sweet cane from a far country? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, Nor your sacrifices sweet to Me."

New Living Translation
There's no use offering me sweet frankincense from Sheba. Keep your fragrant calamus imported from distant lands! I will not accept your burnt offerings. Your sacrifices have no pleasing aroma for me."

New Life Bible
Why does special perfume come to Me from Sheba, or sweet spices from a far away land? I will not receive your burnt gifts on the altar in worship. The gifts you give on the altar are not pleasing to Me."

New Revised Standard
Of what use to me is frankincense that comes from Sheba, or sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor are your sacrifices pleasing to me.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
What then is it to me that - Frankincense from Shebah come in, or Sweet cane from a land afar off? Your own ascending-offerings, are not acceptable, Nor are, your sacrifices, pleasing to me.

Douay-Rheims Bible
To what purpose do you bring me frankincense from Saba, and the sweet smelling cane from a far country? your holocausts are not acceptable, nor are your sacrifices pleasing to me.

Revised Standard Version
To what purpose does frankincense come to me from Sheba, or sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing to me.

Young's Literal Translation
Why [is] this to Me? frankincense from Sheba cometh, And the sweet cane from a land afar off, Your burnt-offerings [are] not for acceptance, And your sacrifices have not been sweet to Me.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"For what purpose does frankincense come to Me from Sheba And the sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable And your sacrifices are not pleasing to Me."

Contextual Overview

¹⁸ So then, give ear, you nations, and ••• Three dots are used where it is no longer possible to be certain of the true sense of the Hebrew words, and for this reason no attempt has been made to put them into Basic English. ¹⁹ Give ear, O earth: see, I will make evil come on this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not given attention to my words, and they would have nothing to do with my law. ²⁰ To what purpose does sweet perfume come to me from Sheba, and spices from a far country? your burned offerings give me no pleasure, your offerings of beasts are not pleasing to me. ²¹ For this reason the Lord has said, See, I will put stones in the way of this people: and the fathers and the sons together will go falling over them; the neighbour and his friend will come to destruction. ²² The Lord has said, See, a people is coming from the north country, a great nation will be put in motion from the inmost parts of the earth. ²³ Bows and spears are in their hands; they are cruel and have no mercy; their voice is like the thunder of the sea, and they go on horses; everyone in his place like men going to the fight, against you, O daughter of Zion. ²⁴ The news of it has come to our ears; our hands have become feeble: trouble has come on us and pain, like the pain of a woman in childbirth. ²⁵ Go not out into the field or by the way; for there is the sword of the attacker, and fear on every side. ²⁶ O daughter of my people, put on haircloth, rolling yourself in the dust: give yourself to sorrow, as for an only son, with most bitter cries of grief; for he who makes waste will come on us suddenly. ²⁷ I have made you a tester among my people, so that you may have knowledge of their way and put it to the test.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

To what: Psalms 40:6, Psalms 50:7-13, Psalms 50:16, Psalms 50:17, Psalms 66:3, Isaiah 1:11, Isaiah 66:3, Ezekiel 20:39, Amos 5:21, Amos 5:22, Micah 6:6-8

Sheba: 1 Kings 10:1, 1 Kings 10:2, 1 Kings 10:10, Isaiah 60:6, Ezekiel 27:22

sweet cane: Isaiah 43:23, Isaiah 43:24

your burnt: Jeremiah 7:21-23

Reciprocal: Genesis 4:7 - If thou doest well Exodus 29:18 - a burnt offering Exodus 30:23 - thee principal Leviticus 10:19 - should Proverbs 15:8 - sacrifice Proverbs 21:27 - sacrifice Jeremiah 14:10 - the Lord Jeremiah 14:12 - and when Hosea 9:4 - neither Joel 3:8 - far off Malachi 1:10 - I have Malachi 2:13 - insomuch Romans 12:1 - acceptable Ephesians 5:10 - acceptable 1 Timothy 4:8 - bodily Hebrews 10:4 - not Hebrews 10:5 - Sacrifice

Cross-References

Genesis 1:28
And God gave them his blessing and said to them, Be fertile and have increase, and make the earth full and be masters of it; be rulers over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing moving on the earth.

Genesis 2:19
And from the earth the Lord God made every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and took them to the man to see what names he would give them: and whatever name he gave to any living thing, that was its name.

Genesis 6:8
But Noah had grace in the eyes of God.

Genesis 6:11
And the earth was evil in God's eyes and full of violent ways.

Genesis 6:12
And God, looking on the earth, saw that it was evil: for the way of all flesh had become evil on the earth.

Genesis 6:16
You are to put a window in the ark, a cubit from the roof, and a door in the side of it, and you are to make it with a lower and second and third floors.

Genesis 6:20
Two of every sort of bird and cattle and of every sort of living thing which goes on the earth will you take with you to keep them from destruction.

John 5:40
And still you have no desire to come to me so that you may have life.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba,.... In Persia or Arabia, from whence incense was brought, and perhaps the best; see Isaiah 60:6, and yet the offering of this was of no esteem with God, when the words of the prophet, and the law of his mouth, were despised; see Isaiah 1:13:

and the sweet cane from a far country? either from the same place, Sheba, which was a country afar off, Joel 3:8, or from India, as Jerom interprets it; this was one of the spices in the anointing oil,

Exodus 30:23 and though this was of divine appointment, and an omission of it is complained of, Isaiah 43:24 yet when this was brought with a hypocritical heart, and to atone for neglects of the moral law, and sins committed against that, it was rejected by the Lord:

your burnt, offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me: being offered up with a wicked mind, and without faith in Christ, and in order to expiate the guilt of black crimes unrepented of, and continued in; they were not grateful to God, nor could he smell a sweet savour in them, but loathed and abhorred them; see Isaiah 1:11.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The sweet cane - The same as the scented cane of Exodus 30:23 (see the note).

Your burnt offerings - The rejection of ritual observances is proclaimed by the two prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah, who chiefly assisted the two pious kings, Hezekiah and Josiah, in restoring the temple-service. God rejects not the ceremonial service, but the substitution of it for personal holiness and morality. Compare 1 Samuel 15:22; Isaiah 1:11; Micah 6:6-8.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Jeremiah 6:20. Incense frown Sheba — Sheba was in Arabia, famous for the best incense. It was situated towards the southern extremity of the peninsula of Arabia; and was, in respect of Judea, a far country.

And the sweet cane from a far country — The calamus aromaticus, which, when dried and pulverized, yields a very fine aromatic smell; see on Isaiah 43:24. This was employed in making the holy anointing oil. See Exodus 30:23.