Lectionary Calendar
Monday, July 28th, 2025
the Week of Proper 12 / Ordinary 17
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Read the Bible

Good News Translation

Jeremiah 6:24

"We have heard the news," say the people of Jerusalem, "and our hands hang limp; we are seized by anguish and pain like a woman in labor.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Birth;   War;  

Dictionaries:

- Holman Bible Dictionary - Birth;   Kir-Hareseth;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Travail;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Anguish;   Fame;   Pain;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Cruelty;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
We have heard about it,and our hands have become weak.Distress has seized us—pain, like a woman in labor.
Hebrew Names Version
We have heard the report of it; our hands wax feeble: anguish has taken hold of us, [and] pangs as of a woman in travail.
King James Version
We have heard the fame thereof: our hands wax feeble: anguish hath taken hold of us, and pain, as of a woman in travail.
English Standard Version
We have heard the report of it; our hands fall helpless; anguish has taken hold of us, pain as of a woman in labor.
New American Standard Bible
We have heard the report of it; Our hands are limp. Anguish has seized us, Pain like that of a woman in childbirth.
New Century Version
We have heard the news about that army and are helpless from fear. We are gripped by our pain, like a woman having a baby.
Amplified Bible
We have heard the report of it; Our hands become limp and helpless. Anguish has gripped us, Pain like that of a woman in childbirth.
World English Bible
We have heard the report of it; our hands wax feeble: anguish has taken hold of us, [and] pangs as of a woman in travail.
Geneva Bible (1587)
We haue heard their fame, and our handes waxe feeble sorrowe is come vpon vs, as the sorrowe of a woman in trauaile.
Legacy Standard Bible
We have heard the report of it;Our hands are limp.Distress has taken hold of us,Pain as of a woman in childbirth.
Berean Standard Bible
"We have heard the reports; our hands are limp. Anguish has gripped us, pain like a woman in labor.
Contemporary English Version
Then the people said, "Just hearing about them makes us tremble with fear, and we twist and turn in pain like a woman giving birth."
Complete Jewish Bible
‘We have heard the news, and our hands fall limp; anguish has seized us, pain like a mother's in childbirth.'"
Darby Translation
We have heard the report thereof: our hands are grown feeble; anguish hath taken hold of us, pain as of a woman that travaileth.
Easy-to-Read Version
We have heard the news about that army, and we are paralyzed with fear. We feel trapped by our troubles, in pain like a woman giving birth.
George Lamsa Translation
We have heard the report of them; our hands wax feeble; anguish has taken hold of us, and pain as of a woman in travail.
Lexham English Bible
We have heard news of it, our hands grow slack, anxiety has grasped us, pain as a woman who gives birth.
Literal Translation
We have heard the rumor of it. Our hands have dropped down; anguish has seized us, pain like one giving birth.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then shal this crie be herde: Oure armes are feble, heuynes and sorow is come vpon vs, as vpon a woman trauelinge with childe.
American Standard Version
We have heard the report thereof; our hands wax feeble: anguish hath taken hold of us, and pangs as of a woman in travail.
Bible in Basic English
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.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
'We have heard the fame thereof, our hands wax feeble, anguish hath taken hold of us, and pain, as of a woman in travail.'
King James Version (1611)
We haue heard the fame thereof, our hands waxe feeble, anguish hath taken hold of vs, and paine as of a woman in trauaile.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
The fame of them haue we hearde, our armes are feeble, heauinesse and sorowe is come vpon vs, as vpon a woman trauayling with chylde.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
We have heard the report of them: our hands are weakened: anguish has seized us, the pangs as of a woman in travail.
English Revised Version
We have heard the fame thereof; our hands wax feeble: anguish hath taken hold of us, and pangs as of a woman in travail.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
We herden the fame therof, oure hondis ben `a clumsid; tribulacioun hath take vs, sorewis han take vs as a womman trauelinge of child.
Update Bible Version
We have heard the report thereof; our hands wax feeble: anguish has taken hold of us, [and] pangs as of a woman in travail.
Webster's Bible Translation
We have heard the fame of it: our hands become feeble: anguish hath taken hold of us, [and] pain, as of a woman in travail.
New English Translation
The people cry out, "We have heard reports about them! We have become helpless with fear! Anguish grips us, agony like that of a woman giving birth to a baby!
New King James Version
We have heard the report of it; Our hands grow feeble. Anguish has taken hold of us, Pain as of a woman in labor.
New Living Translation
We have heard reports about the enemy, and we wring our hands in fright. Pangs of anguish have gripped us, like those of a woman in labor.
New Life Bible
We have heard about it. Our hands fall weak. Suffering has taken hold of us, like the pain of a woman giving birth.
New Revised Standard
"We have heard news of them, our hands fall helpless; anguish has taken hold of us, pain as of a woman in labor.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
We have heard the report thereof, Relaxed are our hands, - Anguish, hath taken hold on us, Pangs, as on her that is giving birth.
Douay-Rheims Bible
We have heard the fame thereof, our hands grow feeble: anguish hath taken hold of us, as a woman in labour.
Revised Standard Version
We have heard the report of it, our hands fall helpless; anguish has taken hold of us, pain as of a woman in travail.
Young's Literal Translation
`We have heard its sound, feeble have been our hands, Distress hath seized us, pain as of a travailing woman.
THE MESSAGE
We've heard the news, and we're as limp as wet dishrags. We're paralyzed with fear. Terror has a death grip on our throats. Don't dare go outdoors! Don't leave the house! Death is on the prowl. Danger everywhere!
New American Standard Bible (1995)
We have heard the report of it; Our hands are limp. Anguish has seized us, Pain as of a woman in childbirth.

Contextual Overview

18 So the Lord said, "Listen, you nations, and learn what is going to happen to my people. 19 Listen, earth! As punishment for all their schemes I am bringing ruin on these people, because they have rejected my teaching and have not obeyed my words. 20 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. 21 And so I will make these people stumble and fall. Parents and children will die, and so will friends and neighbors." 22 The Lord says, "People are coming from a country in the north; a mighty nation far away is preparing for war. 23 They have taken up their bows and swords; they are cruel and merciless. They sound like the roaring sea, as they ride their horses. They are ready for battle against Jerusalem." 24 "We have heard the news," say the people of Jerusalem, "and our hands hang limp; we are seized by anguish and pain like a woman in labor. 25 We don't dare go to the countryside or walk on the roads, because our enemies are armed and terror is all around us." 26 The Lord says to his people, "Put on sackcloth and roll in ashes. Mourn with bitter tears as you would for an only child, because the one who comes to destroy you will suddenly attack. 27 Jeremiah, test my people, as you would test metal, and find out what they are like.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

We have: Jeremiah 4:6-9, Jeremiah 4:19-21, Isaiah 28:19, Ezekiel 21:6, Ezekiel 21:7, Habakkuk 3:16

anguish: Jeremiah 4:31, Jeremiah 13:21, Jeremiah 22:23, Jeremiah 30:6, Jeremiah 49:24, Jeremiah 50:43, Psalms 48:6, Proverbs 1:27, Proverbs 1:28, Isaiah 21:3, Micah 4:9, Micah 4:10, 1 Thessalonians 5:3

Reciprocal: Genesis 3:16 - in sorrow 2 Samuel 4:1 - his hands Isaiah 26:17 - General Jeremiah 8:18 - my Jeremiah 30:5 - a voice Jeremiah 48:41 - as the heart Jeremiah 49:22 - the heart of the Ezekiel 7:17 - hands Daniel 5:9 - changed Mark 13:8 - sorrows

Gill's Notes on the Bible

We have heard the fame thereof,.... Meaning not the prophet's report then, but the rumour of the enemy's coming from another quarter, at the time he was actually coming. These are the words of the people, upon such a rumour spread; or the words of the prophet, joining himself with them, describing their case, when it would be strongly reported, and they had reason to believe it, that the enemy was just coming, and very near:

our hands wax feeble; have no strength in them, shake and tremble like men that have a palsy, through fear and dread:

anguish hath taken hold of us; tribulation or affliction; or rather anguish of spirit, on hearing the news of the near approach of the enemy:

and pain, as of a woman in travail; which comes suddenly, and is very sharp; and this denotes that their destruction would come suddenly upon them, before they were aware, and be very severe.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The effect upon the Jewish people of the news of Nebuchadnezzars approach.

Wax feeble - Are relaxed. It is the opposite of what is said in Jeremiah 6:23 of the enemy, “They lay hold etc.” Terror makes the hands of the Jews hold their weapons with nerveless grasp.


 
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