Jeremiah 13:21

Easy-to-Read Version

I will let your enemies become your rulers— people you once trusted with your secrets. What will you say then? Surely you will feel great pain, like a woman giving birth.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
What will you say when he appointsclose friends as leaders over you,ones you yourself trained?Won’t labor pains seize you,as they do a woman in labor?

Hebrew Names Version
What will you say, when he shall set over you as head those whom you have yourself taught to be friends to you? shall not sorrows take hold of you, as of a woman in travail?

King James Version
What wilt thou say when he shall punish thee? for thou hast taught them to be captains, and as chief over thee: shall not sorrows take thee, as a woman in travail?

English Standard Version
What will you say when they set as head over you those whom you yourself have taught to be friends to you? Will not pangs take hold of you like those of a woman in labor?

New American Standard Bible
"What will you say when He appoints over you— And you yourself had taught them— Former companions to be head over you? Will sharp pains not take hold of you Like a woman in childbirth?

New Century Version
What will you say when they appoint as your heads those you had thought were your friends? Won't you have much pain and trouble, like a woman giving birth to a baby?

Amplified Bible
"What will you say [O Jerusalem] when the LORD appoints [foreign nations to rule] over you— Those former friends and allies whom you have encouraged [to be your companions]— Will not pain seize you Like [that of] a woman in childbirth?

World English Bible
What will you say, when he shall set over you as head those whom you have yourself taught to be friends to you? shall not sorrows take hold of you, as of a woman in travail?

Geneva Bible (1587)
What wilt thou saye, when hee shall visite thee? (for thou hast taught them to be captaines and as chiefe ouer thee) shall not sorow take thee as a woman in trauaile?

Legacy Standard Bible
What will you say when He appoints over you—And you yourself had taught them—Former companions to be head over you?Will not pangs seize youLike a woman in childbirth?

Berean Standard Bible
What will you say when He sets over you close allies whom you yourself trained? Will not pangs of anguish grip you, as they do a woman in labor?

Contemporary English Version
You once trusted them to help, but now I'll let them rule you. What do you say about that? You will be in pain like a woman giving birth.

Complete Jewish Bible
When he sets over you as rulers those you trained to be allies, what will you say? Won't pains seize you like those of a woman in labor?

Darby Translation
What wilt thou say when he shall visit thee, since thou thyself hast trained them to be princes in chief over thee? Shall not sorrows take thee, as a woman in travail?

George Lamsa Translation
What will you say when he shall punish you? For you have taught the people a doctrine which has caused them to be trodden under foot; behold, you shall be seized with pain as a woman in travail.

Good News Translation
What will you say when people you thought were your friends conquer you and rule over you? You will be in pain like a woman giving birth.

Lexham English Bible
What will you say when he sets over you— and you have taught them—allies as head over you? Will not labor pains take hold of you, like a woman giving birth?

Literal Translation
What will you say when He visits you? For you taught them to be rulers over you for a head. Will not birth pangs seize you like a woman bearing?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
To whom wilt thou make thy mone, when they come vpon the? for thou hast taught the thy self, and made the masters ouer the. Shal not sorowe come vpo the, as on a woman trauelinge with childe?

American Standard Version
What wilt thou say, when he shall set over thee as head those whom thou hast thyself taught to be friends to thee? shall not sorrows take hold of thee, as of a woman in travail?

Bible in Basic English
What will you say when he puts over you those whom you yourself have made your friends? will not pains take you like a woman in childbirth?

JPS Old Testament (1917)
What wilt thou say, when He shall set the friends over thee as head, whom thou thyself hast trained against thee? Shall not pangs take hold of thee, as of a woman in travail?

King James Version (1611)
What wilt thou say when he shall punish thee (for thou hast taught them to be captaines and as chiefe ouer thee) shall not sorrowes take thee as a woman in trauaile?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
To whom wilt thou make thy mone when the enemie shall come vpon thee? for thou hast taught them thy selfe, and made them maisters ouer thee: Shall not sorowe come vpon thee as on a woman trauaylyng with childe?

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
What wilt thou say when they shall visit thee, for thou didst teach them lessons for rule against thyself; shall not pangs seize thee as a woman in travail?

English Revised Version
What wilt thou say, when he shall set thy friends over thee as head, seeing thou thyself hast instructed them against thee? shall not sorrows take hold of thee, as of a woman in travail?

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
What schalt thou seie, whanne he schal visite thee? for thou hast tauyt hem ayens thee, and thou hast tauyt ayens thin heed. Whether sorewis han not take thee, as a womman trauelynge of child?

Update Bible Version
What will you say, when he shall set over you as head those whom you have yourself taught to be friends to you? shall not sorrows take hold of you, as of a woman in travail?

Webster's Bible Translation
What wilt thou say when he shall punish thee? for thou hast taught them [to be] captains, [and] as chief over thee: shall not sorrows take thee, as a woman in travail?

New English Translation
What will you say when the Lord appoints as rulers over you those allies that you, yourself, had actually prepared as such? Then anguish and agony will grip you like that of a woman giving birth to a baby.

New King James Version
What will you say when He punishes you? For you have taught them To be chieftains, to be head over you. Will not pangs seize you, Like a woman in labor?

New Living Translation
What will you say when the Lord takes the allies you have cultivated and appoints them as your rulers? Pangs of anguish will grip you, like those of a woman in labor!

New Life Bible
What will you say when He sets over you those whom you have taught and who were your friends? Will not pain take hold of you, like a woman giving birth?

New Revised Standard
What will you say when they set as head over you those whom you have trained to be your allies? Will not pangs take hold of you, like those of a woman in labor?

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
What wilt thou say when he shall bring punishment upon thee, Since, thou thyself, hast accustomed them to be over thee as friends in chief? Shall not, pangs, seize thee, as of a woman in childbirth?

Douay-Rheims Bible
What wilt thou say when he shall visit thee? for thou hast taught them against thee, and instructed them against thy own head: shall not sorrows lay hold on thee, as a woman in labour?

Revised Standard Version
What will you say when they set as head over you those whom you yourself have taught to be friends to you? Will not pangs take hold of you, like those of a woman in travail?

Young's Literal Translation
What dost thou say, when He looketh after thee? And thou -- thou hast taught them [to be] over thee -- leaders for head? Do not pangs seize thee as a travailing woman?

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"What will you say when He appoints over you— And you yourself had taught them— Former companions to be head over you? Will not pangs take hold of you Like a woman in childbirth?

Contextual Overview

¹² "Jeremiah, say to the people of Judah: ‘This is what the Lord , the God of Israel, says: Every wineskin should be filled with wine.' They will laugh and say to you, ‘Of course, we know that every wineskin should be filled with wine.' ¹³ Then you will say to them, ‘This is what the Lord says: I will make everyone who lives in this land helpless, like a drunken man. I am talking about the kings who sit on David's throne. I am also talking about the priests, the prophets, and all the people who live in Jerusalem. ¹⁴ I will make them stumble and fall against each other, even the fathers and sons.' This message is from the Lord . ‘I will not feel sorry or have pity for them. I will not allow compassion to stop me from destroying the people of Judah.'" ¹⁵ Listen and pay attention. The Lord has spoken to you. Do not be proud. ¹⁶ Honor the Lord your God. Praise him or he will bring darkness. Praise him before you fall on the dark hills. You people of Judah are hoping for light, but the Lord will turn the light into thick darkness. He will change it into the deepest gloom. ¹⁷ If you people of Judah don't listen to him, I will hide and cry. Your pride will cause me to cry. I will cry very hard. My eyes will overflow with tears, because the Lord 's flock will be captured. ¹⁸ Tell these things to the king and his wife, "Come down from your thrones. Your beautiful crowns have fallen from your heads." ¹⁹ The cities in the Negev are locked. No one can open them. All the people of Judah have been taken away as captives. They were carried away as prisoners. ²⁰ Jerusalem, look! The enemy is coming from the north! Where is the flock you were once in charge of? That beautiful flock is gone now. ²¹ I will let your enemies become your rulers— people you once trusted with your secrets. What will you say then? Surely you will feel great pain, like a woman giving birth.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

wilt: Jeremiah 5:31, Jeremiah 22:23, Isaiah 10:3, Ezekiel 28:9

punish: Heb. visit upon

for: 2 Kings 16:7, Isaiah 39:2-4

shall not: Jeremiah 4:31, Jeremiah 6:24, Jeremiah 30:6, Jeremiah 48:41, Isaiah 13:8, Isaiah 21:3, 1 Thessalonians 5:3

Reciprocal: Genesis 3:16 - in sorrow Jeremiah 4:30 - And when Jeremiah 23:2 - I Jeremiah 49:22 - the heart of the Jeremiah 51:47 - do judgment upon Ezekiel 22:14 - Thine heart Hosea 13:13 - sorrows Amos 3:2 - punish Mark 13:8 - sorrows

Gill's Notes on the Bible

What will thou say when he shall punish thee?.... Or, "visit upon thee" f; that is, either when God shall punish thee for thy sins, thou canst bring no charge of injustice against him, or murmur and repine at the punishment inflicted on thee; so Jarchi; to which agrees the Targum,

"when he shall visit on thee thy sin;''

or else, to which the following words seem to incline, when the enemy shall visit upon thee; so Kimchi and Abarbinel, when the Chaldeans shall come upon thee, and pay thee a visit, an unwelcome one; yet who wilt thou have to blame but thyself? so the Septuagint and Arabic versions render it, "when they shall visit thee"; these words are directed, not to the king, nor to the queen neither; but to the body of the people, the Jewish state, represented as a woman; who, upon consideration of things past, would have a great deal of reason to reflect upon themselves for what they had done in former times, which had led on to their ruin and destruction:

(for thou hast taught them to be captains, and as chief over thee;) the Jews showed the Assyrians the way into their country, used them to come thither, and taught them how to conquer them, and be masters over them; or, "hast taught them against thee" g; to thy hurt and detriment, to be captains or governors;

for an head, to have the rule over them: this was done by Ahaz, when he sent to Tiglathpileser king of Assyria to come and save him out of the hands of the kings of Syria and Israel, 2 Kings 16:7 and by Hezekiah, when he showed the messengers of the king of Babylon all his treasures; these were invitations and temptations to come and plunder them:

shall not sorrows take thee as a woman in travail? denoting the suddenness of their calamities; the sharpness and severity of them; and that they would be inevitable, and could not be prevented.

f כי יפקד עליך "quando visitabit super te"; Cocceius; "quum visitaverit super te", Schmidt. g ואת למדת אתם עליך "docuisti istos contra te", Piscator.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Translate, “What wilt thou say, O Jerusalem, when He, Yahweh, shall set over thee for head those whom thou hast taught to be thy bosom friends?” The foreign powers, whose friendship she has been courting, will become her tyrants.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Jeremiah 13:21. Thou hast taught them to be captains, and as chief over thee — This is said of their enemies, whether Assyrians or Chaldeans: for ever since Ahaz submitted himself to the king of Assyria, the kings of Judah never regained their independence. Their enemies were thus taught to be their lords and masters.