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Friday, July 18th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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Read the Bible

Good News Translation

Jeremiah 6:6

The Lord Almighty has ordered these kings to cut down trees and build mounds in order to besiege Jerusalem. He has said, "I will punish this city because it is full of oppression.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Armies;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Trees;  

Dictionaries:

- Holman Bible Dictionary - Kir-Hareseth;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Mount;   Zechariah, Book of;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Battering ram;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Mount;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Oppression;   Siege;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
For this is what the Lord of Armies says:
Hebrew Names Version
For thus has the LORD of Hosts said, Hew you down trees, and cast up a mound against Yerushalayim: this is the city to be visited; she is wholly oppression in the midst of her.
King James Version
For thus hath the Lord of hosts said, Hew ye down trees, and cast a mount against Jerusalem: this is the city to be visited; she is wholly oppression in the midst of her.
English Standard Version
For thus says the Lord of hosts: "Cut down her trees; cast up a siege mound against Jerusalem. This is the city that must be punished; there is nothing but oppression within her.
New American Standard Bible
For this is what the LORD of armies says: "Cut down her trees And pile up an assault ramp against Jerusalem. This is the city to be punished, In whose midst there is only oppression.
New Century Version
This is what the Lord All-Powerful says: "Cut down the trees around Jerusalem, and build an attack ramp to the top of its walls. This city must be punished. Inside it is nothing but slavery.
Amplified Bible
For the LORD of hosts has said, "Cut down her trees And build a siege [mound] against Jerusalem. This is the city which must be punished; There is nothing but oppression inside her [walls].
World English Bible
For thus has Yahweh of Hosts said, Hew you down trees, and cast up a mound against Jerusalem: this is the city to be visited; she is wholly oppression in the midst of her.
Geneva Bible (1587)
For thus hath the Lord of hostes said, Hewe downe wood, and cast a mounte against Ierusalem: this citie must be visited: all oppression is in the middes of it.
Legacy Standard Bible
For thus says Yahweh of hosts,"Cut down her treesAnd cast up a siege against Jerusalem.This is the city to be punished,In whose midst there is only oppression.
Berean Standard Bible
For this is what the LORD of Hosts says: "Cut down the trees and raise a siege ramp against Jerusalem. This city must be punished; there is nothing but oppression in her midst.
Contemporary English Version
I am the Lord All-Powerful, and I will command these armies to chop down trees and build a ramp up to the walls of Jerusalem. People of Jerusalem, I must punish you for your injustice.
Complete Jewish Bible
For Adonai -Tzva'ot says this: "Cut down her trees, and raise a siege-ramp against Yerushalayim! This is the city to be punished; in her there is nothing but oppression.
Darby Translation
For thus hath Jehovah of hosts said: Hew ye down trees, and cast a mound against Jerusalem. She is the city to be visited; she is wholly oppression in the midst of her.
Easy-to-Read Version
This is what the Lord All-Powerful says: "Cut down the trees around Jerusalem, and build a siege mound against it. This city should be punished because inside there is no justice—only slavery.
George Lamsa Translation
For thus says the LORD of hosts, Hew down her trees and cast a mound against Jerusalem; this is the city to be visited with destruction; all of her calumnies are in the midst of her.
Lexham English Bible
For thus says Yahweh of hosts, "Cut down trees and heap up a siege ramp against Jerusalem. This is the city that must be punished, its oppression is in its midst.
Literal Translation
For so Jehovah of Hosts has said, Cut down her trees and pour out a mound against Jerusalem. She is the city to be visited. In her midst is oppression, all of her.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
for thus hath the LORDE of hoostes commaunded. Hew downe hir trees, and set vp bulworkes agaynst Ierusale. This is the cite that must be punished, for in her is all maliciousnes.
American Standard Version
For thus hath Jehovah of hosts said, Hew ye down trees, and cast up a mound against Jerusalem: this is the city to be visited; she is wholly oppression in the midst of her.
Bible in Basic English
For this is what the Lord of armies has said: Let trees be cut down and an earthwork be placed against Jerusalem: sorrow on the false town! inside her there is nothing but cruel ways.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
For thus hath the LORD of hosts said: hew ye down her trees, and cast up a mound against Jerusalem; this is the city to be punished; everywhere there is oppression in the midst of her.
King James Version (1611)
For thus hath the Lord of hostes said; Hew yee downe trees and cast a mount against Ierusalem: this is the citie to be visited, she is wholly oppression in the midst of her.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For thus hath the Lorde of hoastes commaunded, Hewe downe her trees, and set vp bulwarkes against Hierusalem: for the tyme is come that this citie must be punished, for in her is all maliciousnesse.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
For thus saith the Lord, Hew down her trees, array a numerous force against Jerusalem. O false city; there is all oppression in her.
English Revised Version
For thus hath the LORD of hosts said, Hew ye down trees, and cast up a mount against Jerusalem: this is the city to be visited; she is wholly oppression in the midst of her.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For the Lord of oostis seith these thingis, Kitte ye doun the tre therof, and schede ye erthe aboute Jerusalem; this is the citee of visitacioun; al fals caleng is in the myddis therof.
Update Bible Version
For thus has Yahweh of hosts said, Cut down trees, and cast up a mound against Jerusalem: this is the city to be visited; she is wholly oppression in the midst of her.
Webster's Bible Translation
For thus hath the LORD of hosts said, Hew ye down trees, and cast a mount against Jerusalem: this [is] the city to be visited; she [is] wholly oppression in the midst of her.
New English Translation
All of this is because the Lord who rules over all has said: ‘Cut down the trees around Jerusalem and build up a siege ramp against its walls. This is the city which is to be punished. Nothing but oppression happens in it.
New King James Version
For thus has the LORD of hosts said: "Cut down trees, And build a mound against Jerusalem. This is the city to be punished. She is full of oppression in her midst.
New Living Translation
This is what the Lord of Heaven's Armies says: "Cut down the trees for battering rams. Build siege ramps against the walls of Jerusalem. This is the city to be punished, for she is wicked through and through.
New Life Bible
For the Lord of All says, "Cut down her trees, and build a battle-wall against Jerusalem. This is the city to be punished. There is nothing but a sinful power that makes hard times for others within her.
New Revised Standard
For thus says the Lord of hosts: Cut down her trees; cast up a siege ramp against Jerusalem. This is the city that must be punished; there is nothing but oppression within her.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For, Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, Cut ye down timber, And cast up, against Jerusalem a mound, - That, is the city to be punished! There is, nothing, but oppression in her midst;
Douay-Rheims Bible
For thus saith the Lord of hosts: Hew down her trees, cast up a trench about Jerusalem: this is the city to be visited, all oppression is in the midst of her.
Revised Standard Version
For thus says the LORD of hosts: "Hew down her trees; cast up a siege mound against Jerusalem. This is the city which must be punished; there is nothing but oppression within her.
Young's Literal Translation
For thus said Jehovah of Hosts: Cut down her wood, And pour out against Jerusalem a mount, She [is] the city to be inspected, Wholly -- she is oppression in her midst.
THE MESSAGE
God -of-the-Angel-Armies gave the orders: "Chop down her trees. Build a siege ramp against Jerusalem, A city full of brutality, bursting with violence. Just as a well holds a good supply of water, she supplies wickedness nonstop. The streets echo the cries: ‘Violence! Rape!' Victims, bleeding and moaning, lie all over the place. You're in deep trouble, Jerusalem. You've pushed me to the limit. You're on the brink of being wiped out, being turned into a ghost town."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
For thus says the LORD of hosts, "Cut down her trees And cast up a siege against Jerusalem. This is the city to be punished, In whose midst there is only oppression.

Contextual Overview

1 People of Benjamin, run for safety! Escape from Jerusalem! Sound the trumpet in Tekoa and build a signal fire in Beth Haccherem. Disaster and destruction are about to come from the north. 2 The city of Zion is beautiful, but it will be destroyed; 3 kings will camp there with their armies. They will pitch their tents around the city, and each of them will camp wherever they want. 4 They will say, "Prepare to attack Jerusalem! Get ready! We'll attack at noon!" But then they will say, "It's too late, the day is almost over, and the evening shadows are growing long. 5 We'll attack by night; we'll destroy the city's fortresses." 6 The Lord Almighty has ordered these kings to cut down trees and build mounds in order to besiege Jerusalem. He has said, "I will punish this city because it is full of oppression. 7 As a well keeps its water fresh, so Jerusalem keeps its evil fresh. I hear violence and destruction in the city; sickness and wounds are all I see. 8 People of Jerusalem, let these troubles be a warning to you, or else I will abandon you; I will turn your city into a desert, a place where no one lives."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 20:20 - thou shalt build Jeremiah 20:8 - I cried Jeremiah 30:15 - for the Jeremiah 32:31 - this city Ezekiel 4:1 - even Ezekiel 5:5 - This Ezekiel 26:8 - cast a mount Daniel 11:15 - cast up Amos 4:1 - which oppress Micah 6:12 - the rich Zephaniah 3:1 - to the

Cross-References

Genesis 6:8
But the Lord was pleased with Noah.
Genesis 6:17
I am going to send a flood on the earth to destroy every living being. Everything on the earth will die,
Genesis 6:18
but I will make a covenant with you. Go into the boat with your wife, your sons, and their wives.
Exodus 32:14
So the Lord changed his mind and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.
Numbers 23:19
God is not like people, who lie; He is not a human who changes his mind. Whatever he promises, he does; He speaks, and it is done.
Deuteronomy 5:29
If only they would always feel this way! If only they would always honor me and obey all my commands, so that everything would go well with them and their descendants forever.
Deuteronomy 32:29
They fail to see why they were defeated; they cannot understand what happened.
Deuteronomy 32:36
The Lord will rescue his people when he sees that their strength is gone. He will have mercy on those who serve him, when he sees how helpless they are.
1 Samuel 15:11
"I am sorry that I made Saul king; he has turned away from me and disobeyed my commands." Samuel was angry, and all night long he pleaded with the Lord .
1 Samuel 15:29
Israel's majestic God does not lie or change his mind. He is not a human being—he does not change his mind."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For thus hath the Lord of hosts said,.... To the Chaldeans; for as it was the Lord that brought them out of their own country, and directed them to Jerusalem, and ordered them to prepare war against it; so they were as an army under his command, and he it was that ordered them to do this, and that, and the other thing: the whole affair was of the Lord, and the Jews had more to fear from him, who is the Lord of armies, than from the army of the Chaldeans; for, as they could do nothing without his divine permission, so, having that, there was a certainty of succeeding:

hew ye down trees, and cast a mount against Jerusalem: in the Hebrew text it is, "pour out a mount" q; the reason of which is, because there were a ditch or ditches about the city; and into these they poured in stones, and dirt, and trees, and pieces of wood, and so filled them up, and cast up a mount, on which they could raise their batteries, and demolish the walls and houses; hence mention is made of hewing down of trees, in order to cast the mount; for these were to be cut down, not so much to make battering rams, and other instruments of war, as to fill up the ditch, and raise the mount, so that the walls might be more easily battered and scaled: though some r interpret it of taking precise, fixed, determined counsel, about the war, and the manner of carrying it:

this is the city to be visited; or punished; not only that deserves to be so visited, but which would certainly be visited, and that immediately; its punishment was not far off; vengeance would soon be taken on it, and that for its sins: and so the Targum,

"this is the city whose sins are visited;''

as it follows:

she is wholly oppression in the midst of her; there were nothing but oppression and oppressors in her; not only full of oppressors, but oppression itself. This is instanced in for all kind of wickedness; the meaning is, that she was a sink of sin, and very wickedness itself.

q שפכו סללה "fundite aggerem", V. L. Munster, Tigurine version; "fundite vallum", Schmidt. r כרתו עצה "decidite, [vel] decernite consilium". So Gussetius, Ebr. Comment. p. 628.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Hew ye down trees - Rather, her trees: for the simple purpose of clearing the approaches.

Cast a mount - literally, pour: the earth was emptied out of the baskets, in which it was carried to the required spot upon the backs of laborers.

Wholly - Or,

“She “is the city” that is visited:

“Wholly oppression” is “in the midst of her!”

She is visited, - i. e., punished; she is ripe for punishment.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Jeremiah 6:6. Hew ye down trees — To form machines.

And cast a mount — That may overlook the city, on which to place our engines.

This is the city to be visited — We are sure of success, for their God will deliver it into our hands, for it is full of oppression, and he has consigned it to destruction.


 
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