Jeremiah 15:3

THE MESSAGE

"I've arranged for four kinds of punishment: death in battle, the corpses dropped off by killer dogs, the rest picked clean by vultures, the bones gnawed by hyenas. They'll be a sight to see, a sight to shock the whole world—and all because of Manasseh son of Hezekiah and all he did in Jerusalem.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“I will ordain four kinds of judgment for them”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“the sword to kill, the dogs to drag away, and the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the land to devour and destroy.

Hebrew Names Version
I will appoint over them four kinds, says the LORD: the sword to kill, and the dogs to tear, and the birds of the sky, and the animals of the eretz, to devour and to destroy.

King James Version
And I will appoint over them four kinds, saith the Lord : the sword to slay, and the dogs to tear, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the earth, to devour and destroy.

English Standard Version
I will appoint over them four kinds of destroyers, declares the Lord : the sword to kill, the dogs to tear, and the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth to devour and destroy.

New American Standard Bible
"And I will appoint over them four kinds of doom," declares the LORD: "the sword to kill, the dogs to drag away, and the birds of the sky and the animals of the earth to devour and destroy.

New Century Version
"I will send four kinds of destroyers against them," says the Lord . "I will send war to kill, dogs to drag the bodies away, and the birds of the air and wild animals to eat and destroy the bodies.

Amplified Bible
"I will appoint four kinds of destroyers over them," says the LORD, "the sword to slay, the dogs to tear and drag away, and the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth to devour and to destroy.

World English Bible
I will appoint over them four kinds, says Yahweh: the sword to kill, and the dogs to tear, and the birds of the sky, and the animals of the earth, to devour and to destroy.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And I wil appoint ouer them foure kindes, sayth the Lord, the sworde to slay, and the dogs to teare in pieces, and the soules of the heauen, and the beastes of the earth to deuoure, and to destroy.

Legacy Standard Bible
I will appoint over them four kinds of doom," declares Yahweh: "the sword to kill, the dogs to drag off, and the birds of the sky and the beasts of the earth to devour and bring to ruin.

Berean Standard Bible
I will appoint over them four kinds of destroyers, declares the LORD: the sword to kill, the dogs to drag away, and the birds of the air and beasts of the earth to devour and destroy.

Contemporary English Version
I will punish you in four different ways: You will be killed in war and your bodies dragged off by dogs, your flesh will be eaten by birds, and your bones will be chewed on by wild animals.

Complete Jewish Bible
"I will assign them four kinds [of scourges]," says Adonai , "the sword to kill, dogs to drag away, birds in the air and wild animals to devour and destroy.

Darby Translation
For I will visit them with four kinds [of punishments], saith Jehovah: the sword to slay, and dogs to tear, and the fowl of the heavens, and the beasts of the earth, to devour and to destroy.

Easy-to-Read Version
I will send four kinds of destroyers against them.' This message is from the Lord . ‘I will send the enemy with a sword to kill. I will send the dogs to drag their bodies away. I will send birds of the air and wild animals to eat and destroy their bodies.

George Lamsa Translation
And I will decree against them four kinds of afflictions, says the LORD: The sword to slay, the dogs to tear, and the fowls of the air and the wild beasts of the earth to devour and destroy.

Good News Translation
I, the Lord , have decided that four terrible things will happen to them: they will be killed in war; their bodies will be dragged off by dogs; birds will eat them, and wild animals will devour what is left over.

Lexham English Bible
"And I will summon over them four types of calamity," declares Yahweh, "the sword to kill, and the dogs to drag away, and the birds of the air and the wild animals of the earth to devour and to destroy.

Literal Translation
And I will set over them four kinds, says Jehovah: the sword to kill, and the dogs to drag off, and the birds of the heaven and the beast of the earth to devour and destroy.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For I will bringe foure plages vpon them, saieth the LORDE. The swearde shal stragle them, the dogges shal deuoure them, the foules of the ayre ad beestes of the earth shal eate them vp, and destroye them.

American Standard Version
And I will appoint over them four kinds, saith Jehovah: the sword to slay, and the dogs to tear, and the birds of the heavens, and the beasts of the earth, to devour and to destroy.

Bible in Basic English
And I will put over them four divisions, says the Lord: the sword causing death, dogs pulling the dead bodies about, and the birds of heaven, and the beasts of the earth to take their bodies for food and put an end to them.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And I will appoint over them four kinds, saith the LORD: the sword to slay, and the dogs to drag, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the earth, to devour and to destroy.

King James Version (1611)
And I will appoint ouer them foure kindes, saith the Lord, the sword to slay, and the dogs to teare, and the foules of the heauen, and the beasts of the earth to deuoure and destroy.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
For I wyll bryng foure plagues vpon them, saith the Lorde: The sworde shal slay them, the dogges shall teare them in peeces, the foules of the ayre and beastes of the earth shall eate them vp, and destroy them.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And I will punish them with four kinds of death, saith the Lord, the sword to slay, and the dogs to tear, and the wild beasts of the earth, and the birds of the sky to devour and destroy.

English Revised Version
And I will appoint over them four kinds, saith the LORD: the sword to slay, and the dogs to tear, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the earth, to devour and to destroy.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Y schal visite on hem foure spices, seith the Lord; a swerd to sleeynge, and doggis for to reende, and volatilis of the eir, and beestis of the erthe to deuoure and to distrie.

Update Bible Version
And I will appoint over them four kinds, says Yahweh: the sword to slay, and the dogs to tear, and the birds of the heavens, and the beasts of the earth, to devour and to destroy.

Webster's Bible Translation
And I will appoint over them four kinds, saith the LORD: the sword to slay, and the dogs to tear, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the earth, to devour and destroy.

New English Translation
"I will punish them in four different ways: I will have war kill them. I will have dogs drag off their dead bodies. I will have birds and wild beasts devour and destroy their corpses.

New King James Version
"And I will appoint over them four forms of destruction," says the LORD: "the sword to slay, the dogs to drag, the birds of the heavens and the beasts of the earth to devour and destroy.

New Living Translation
"I will send four kinds of destroyers against them," says the Lord . "I will send the sword to kill, the dogs to drag away, the vultures to devour, and the wild animals to finish up what is left.

New Life Bible
I will set over them four kinds of destroyers," says the Lord: "The sword to kill, the dogs to take away, and the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the earth to eat and destroy.

New Revised Standard
And I will appoint over them four kinds of destroyers, says the Lord : the sword to kill, the dogs to drag away, and the birds of the air and the wild animals of the earth to devour and destroy.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And I will set in charge over them - four species Declareth Yahweh, The sword to slay, and The dogs to trail along, - and The bird of the heavens and The beast of the earth to devour and to destroy.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And I will visit them with four kinds, saith the Lord: The sword to kill, and the dogs to tear, and the fowls of the air, and the beasts of the earth, to devour and to destroy.

Revised Standard Version
"I will appoint over them four kinds of destroyers, says the LORD: the sword to slay, the dogs to tear, and the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth to devour and destroy.

Young's Literal Translation
And I have appointed over them four kinds, an affirmation of Jehovah, The sword to slay, and the dogs to drag, And the fowl of the heavens, And the beast of the earth, to consume and to devour.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"I will appoint over them four kinds of doom," declares the LORD: "the sword to slay, the dogs to drag off, and the birds of the sky and the beasts of the earth to devour and destroy.

Contextual Overview

¹Then God said to me: "Jeremiah, even if Moses and Samuel stood here and made their case, I wouldn't feel a thing for this people. Get them out of here. Tell them to get lost! And if they ask you, ‘So where do we go?' tell them God says, "‘If you're assigned to die, go and die; if assigned to war, go and get killed; If assigned to starve, go starve; if assigned to exile, off to exile you go!' ³"I've arranged for four kinds of punishment: death in battle, the corpses dropped off by killer dogs, the rest picked clean by vultures, the bones gnawed by hyenas. They'll be a sight to see, a sight to shock the whole world—and all because of Manasseh son of Hezekiah and all he did in Jerusalem. ⁵ "Who do you think will feel sorry for you, Jerusalem? Who do you think will waste tears on you? Who will bother to take the time to ask, ‘So, how are things going?' ⁶"You left me, remember?" God 's Decree. "You turned your back and walked out. So I will grab you and hit you hard. I'm tired of letting you off the hook. I threw you to the four winds and let the winds scatter you like leaves. I made sure you'll lose everything, since nothing makes you change. I created more widows among you than grains of sand on the ocean beaches. At noon mothers will get the news of their sons killed in action. Sudden anguish for the mothers— all those terrible deaths. A mother of seven falls to the ground, gasping for breath, Robbed of her children in their prime. Her sun sets at high noon! Then I'll round up any of you that are left alive and see that you're killed by your enemies." God 's Decree.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I will: Jeremiah 7:33, Leviticus 26:16, Leviticus 26:22, Leviticus 26:25, Deuteronomy 28:26, 1 Kings 21:23, 1 Kings 21:24, 2 Kings 9:35-37, Isaiah 18:6, Isaiah 56:9, Isaiah 56:10, Ezekiel 14:21, Revelation 6:8, Revelation 19:17, Revelation 19:18

kinds: Heb. families

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 32:23 - heap mischiefs Deuteronomy 32:24 - the teeth 1 Kings 14:11 - that dieth 2 Kings 17:25 - the Lord sent Psalms 79:2 - General Psalms 79:3 - and there Isaiah 5:25 - torn Isaiah 15:9 - lions Jeremiah 14:12 - but Jeremiah 14:16 - be cast Jeremiah 15:9 - and the Jeremiah 16:4 - die Jeremiah 18:21 - let their wives Jeremiah 22:19 - General Jeremiah 29:17 - Behold Jeremiah 35:17 - Behold Jeremiah 47:6 - thou sword Ezekiel 5:17 - and evil Ezekiel 6:11 - fall Ezekiel 7:15 - General Ezekiel 14:13 - break Ezekiel 14:15 - noisome Ezekiel 22:5 - infamous and much vexed Ezekiel 33:2 - When I bring the sword upon a land Ezekiel 39:4 - I will Amos 4:10 - the stink Amos 5:19 - As if Zephaniah 1:17 - and their blood Zechariah 11:9 - that that dieth

Cross-References

Genesis 12:2
I'll make you a great nation and bless you. I'll make you famous; you'll be a blessing. I'll bless those who bless you; those who curse you I'll curse. All the families of the Earth will be blessed through you."

Proverbs 13:12
Unrelenting disappointment leaves you heartsick, but a sudden good break can turn life around.

Proverbs 29:21
If you let people treat you like a doormat, you'll be quite forgotten in the end.

Jeremiah 12:1
You are right, O God , and you set things right. I can't argue with that. But I do have some questions: Why do bad people have it so good? Why do con artists make it big? You planted them and they put down roots. They flourished and produced fruit. They talk as if they're old friends with you, but they couldn't care less about you. Meanwhile, you know me inside and out. You don't let me get by with a thing! Make them pay for the way they live, pay with their lives, like sheep marked for slaughter. How long do we have to put up with this— the country depressed, the farms in ruin— And all because of wickedness, these wicked lives? Even animals and birds are dying off Because they'll have nothing to do with God and think God has nothing to do with them.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And I will appoint over them four kinds, saith the Lord,.... Or four families x, and these very devouring ones; that is, four sorts of punishment; and so the Targum,

"four evil punishments;''

which are after mentioned. These are represented as under God, and at his beck and command; servants of his, that go and come at his pleasure, and do his will; and as being over men, and having power and authority to kill and to destroy by a divine commission:

the sword to slay: the first and chief of the four families or punishments, which had a commission from the Lord to sheath itself in his people, the Jews; even the sword of the enemy, the Chaldeans, drawn against them by a divine order and appointment:

and the dogs to tear; the carcasses of those that are slain with the sword: or "to draw" y; as the word signifies; it being the usual way of dogs to draw and drag the flesh about they are feeding on; this is another of the four families, and a very voracious one it is:

and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the earth, to devour and destroy; or "to eat, and to corrupt", the bodies of those that are slain by the sword. The meaning is, that such should not have a burial, but should be the food of fowls and wild beasts: these are the other two destroying families, which have their commission from the Lord for such service.

x ארבע משפחות "quatuor familias, [sive] cognationes", Vatablus, Tigurine version, Calvin. y לסחוב "ad trahendum", Calvin, Pagninus, Montanus, Junius Tremellius, Piscator, Schmidt so Ben Melech,

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Kinds - literally, as the margin, i. e., classes of things. The first is to destroy the living, the other three to mutilate and consume the dead.

To tear - literally, “to drag along the ground.” It forcibly expresses the contumely to which the bodies of the slain will be exposed.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Jeremiah 15:3. I will appoint over them four kinds — There shall appear four instruments of my justice.

1. The sword to slay.

2. The dogs to tear what is slain.

3. The fowls of the heaven to feed on the dead carcasses. And,

4. The wild beasts to destroy all that the fowls have left.