Lectionary Calendar
Sunday, July 20th, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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Read the Bible

New Living Translation

Jeremiah 4:21

How long must I see the battle flags and hear the trumpets of war?

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Condescension of God;   Israel, Prophecies Concerning;   Standard;   War;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Armies;  

Dictionaries:

- Easton Bible Dictionary - Ensign;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Kir-Hareseth;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Banner, Ensign, Standard;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Jeremiah;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Armies;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Banner;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
How long must I see the signal flagand hear the sound of the ram’s horn?
Hebrew Names Version
How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the shofar?
King James Version
How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet?
English Standard Version
How long must I see the standard and hear the sound of the trumpet?
New American Standard Bible
How long must I see the flag And hear the sound of the trumpet?
New Century Version
How long must I look at the war flag? How long must I listen to the war trumpet?
Amplified Bible
How long [O LORD] must I see the banner [marking the way for flight] And hear the sound of the trumpet [urging the people to run for safety]?
World English Bible
How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet?
Geneva Bible (1587)
Howe long shall I see the standert, and heare the sounde of the trumpet?
Legacy Standard Bible
How long must I see the standardAnd hear the sound of the trumpet?
Berean Standard Bible
How long must I see the signal flag and hear the sound of the trumpet?
Contemporary English Version
How long will I see enemy flags and hear their trumpets?
Complete Jewish Bible
How long must I see that signal and hear the shofar sound?
Darby Translation
How long shall I see the standard, [and] hear the sound of the trumpet?
Easy-to-Read Version
How long must I see the war flags? How long must I hear the war trumpets?
George Lamsa Translation
How long shall I see fugitives and hear the sound of the trumpet?
Good News Translation
How long must I see the battle raging and hear the blasts of trumpets?
Lexham English Bible
How long must I see the banner, and hear the sound of a horn?
Literal Translation
Until when must I see the banner and hear the sound of the ram's horn?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
How longe shall I se the tokens of warre, and heare the noyse of the trompettes?
American Standard Version
How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet?
Bible in Basic English
How long will I go on seeing the flag and hearing the sound of the war-horn?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
How long shall I see the standard, shall I hear the sound of the horn?
King James Version (1611)
How long shal I see the standard and heare the sound of the Trumpet?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Howe long shall I see the tokens of warre, and heare the noyse of the trumpettes?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
How long shall I see fugitives, and hear the sound of the trumpet?
English Revised Version
How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet?
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Hou longe schal Y se hem that fleen, schal Y here the vois of a clarioun?
Update Bible Version
How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet?
Webster's Bible Translation
How long shall I see the standard, [and] hear the sound of the trumpet?
New English Translation
"How long must I see the enemy's battle flags and hear the military signals of their bugles?"
New King James Version
How long will I see the standard, And hear the sound of the trumpet?
New Life Bible
How long must I see the flag and hear the sound of the horn?
New Revised Standard
How long must I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet?
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
How long shall I keep on seeing a standard, - continue to hear the sound of a horn?
Douay-Rheims Bible
How long shall I see men fleeing away, how long shall I hear the sound of the trumpet?
Revised Standard Version
How long must I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet?
Young's Literal Translation
Till when do I see an ensign? Do I hear the voice of a trumpet?
New American Standard Bible (1995)
How long must I see the standard And hear the sound of the trumpet?

Contextual Overview

19 My heart, my heart—I writhe in pain! My heart pounds within me! I cannot be still. For I have heard the blast of enemy trumpets and the roar of their battle cries. 20 Waves of destruction roll over the land, until it lies in complete desolation. Suddenly my tents are destroyed; in a moment my shelters are crushed. 21 How long must I see the battle flags and hear the trumpets of war? 22 "My people are foolish and do not know me," says the Lord . "They are stupid children who have no understanding. They are clever enough at doing wrong, but they have no idea how to do right!" 23 I looked at the earth, and it was empty and formless. I looked at the heavens, and there was no light. 24 I looked at the mountains and hills, and they trembled and shook. 25 I looked, and all the people were gone. All the birds of the sky had flown away. 26 I looked, and the fertile fields had become a wilderness. The towns lay in ruins, crushed by the Lord 's fierce anger. 27 This is what the Lord says: "The whole land will be ruined, but I will not destroy it completely. 28 The earth will mourn and the heavens will be draped in black because of my decree against my people. I have made up my mind and will not change it."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

How long: Jeremiah 4:14

shall I: Jeremiah 4:5, Jeremiah 4:6, Jeremiah 4:19, Jeremiah 6:1, 2 Chronicles 35:25, 2 Chronicles 36:3, 2 Chronicles 36:6, 2 Chronicles 36:7, 2 Chronicles 36:10, 2 Chronicles 36:17

Reciprocal: Numbers 10:9 - then ye shall 2 Samuel 2:26 - how long Jeremiah 42:14 - nor hear Jeremiah 47:6 - how long Jeremiah 48:3 - voice Micah 4:9 - why

Cross-References

Genesis 4:11
Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has swallowed your brother's blood.
Genesis 4:12
No longer will the ground yield good crops for you, no matter how hard you work! From now on you will be a homeless wanderer on the earth."
Genesis 31:27
Why did you slip away secretly? Why did you deceive me? And why didn't you say you wanted to leave? I would have given you a farewell feast, with singing and music, accompanied by tambourines and harps.
Job 21:12
They sing with tambourine and harp. They celebrate to the sound of the flute.
Isaiah 5:12
They furnish wine and lovely music at their grand parties— lyre and harp, tambourine and flute— but they never think about the Lord or notice what he is doing.
Amos 6:5
You sing trivial songs to the sound of the harp and fancy yourselves to be great musicians like David.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

How long shall I see the standard,.... "Ensign" or "banner" displayed; either by the watchmen placed on high hills or towers, who, when they see the enemy approaching, lift up their ensign or banner, and blow with their trumpets, to give the people warning and notice of it, and to call them to battle, and that they might prepare for the same, as Kimchi observes; or else by the Chaldean army, which came with colours flying, trumpets blowing, and set in array for battle, which was very terrible, as an army with banners is, Song of Solomon 6:4:

and hear the sound of the trumpet? either of the watchmen giving notice of danger, and summoning to battle, or of the enemy preparing to attack; see 1 Corinthians 14:8.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The standard - See Jeremiah 4:6. The alarm caused by the invasion is graphically described. The people are dispersed over the land following their usual pursuits, when tidings come of the enemy’s approach. The only chance of escape is a hasty flight. Flags stream from the hills to mark the safest route, while the blasts of the trumpet quicken the steps of the wavering.


 
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