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Wednesday, July 9th, 2025
the Week of Proper 9 / Ordinary 14
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World English Bible

Jeremiah 21:8

To this people you shall say, Thus says Yahweh: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Salvation;   Thompson Chain Reference - Nebuchadnezzar;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Babylon;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Babylon;   Egypt;   Jeremiah;   Judah, tribe and kingdom;   Zedekiah;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Remnant;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Jeremiah;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Numbers (2);  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom of Judah;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Four;   Literature, Sub-Apostolic;   Way;   Zedekiah (2);   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Didache;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for July 25;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“But tell this people, ‘This is what the Lord says: Look, I am setting before you the way of life and the way of death.
Hebrew Names Version
To this people you shall say, Thus says the LORD: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
King James Version
And unto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith the Lord ; Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.
English Standard Version
"And to this people you shall say: ‘Thus says the Lord : Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
New American Standard Bible
"You shall also say to this people, 'This is what the LORD says: "Behold, I am setting before you the way of life and the way of death.
New Century Version
"Also tell this to the people of Jerusalem: ‘This is what the Lord says: I will let you choose to live or die.
Amplified Bible
"And to this people you (Jeremiah) shall also say, 'Thus says the LORD, "Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And vnto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith the Lorde, Beholde, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.
Legacy Standard Bible
"You shall also say to this people, ‘Thus says Yahweh, "Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
Berean Standard Bible
You are also to say to this people, 'This is what the LORD says: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
Contemporary English Version
Then I told them that the Lord had said: People of Jerusalem, I, the Lord , give you the choice of life or death.
Complete Jewish Bible
"And here is what you are to tell this people: ‘ Adonai says: "Look! I am presenting you with the way of life and the way of death.
Darby Translation
And unto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.
Easy-to-Read Version
"Also tell the people of Jerusalem, ‘This is what the Lord says: Understand that I will let you choose to live or die.
George Lamsa Translation
And to this people you shall say, Thus says the LORD: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
Good News Translation
Then the Lord told me to say to the people, "Listen! I, the Lord , am giving you a choice between the way that leads to life and the way that leads to death.
Lexham English Bible
"And to this people you shall say, ‘Thus says Yahweh, "Look, I am setting before you the way of life and the way of death.
Literal Translation
And you shall say to this people, So says Jehovah, Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And vnto this people thou shalt saye: Thus saieth the LORDE: beholde, I laye before you the waye of life and deeth.
American Standard Version
And unto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
Bible in Basic English
And to this people you are to say, The Lord has said, See, I put before you the way of life and the way of death.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And unto this people thou shalt say: Thus saith the LORD: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
King James Version (1611)
And vnto this people thou shalt say; Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And vnto this people thou shalt say, thus saith the Lorde: Beholde, I lay before you the way of life and death.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And thou shalt say to this people, Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I have set before you the way of life, and the way of death.
English Revised Version
And unto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith the LORD: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And thou schalt seie to this puple, The Lord God seith these thingis, Lo! Y yyue bifore you the weie of lijf, and the weie of deth.
Update Bible Version
And to this people you shall say, Thus says Yahweh: Look, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
Webster's Bible Translation
And to this people thou shalt say, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.
New English Translation
"But tell the people of Jerusalem that the Lord says, ‘I will give you a choice between two courses of action. One will result in life; the other will result in death.
New King James Version
"Now you shall say to this people, "Thus says the LORD: "Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
New Living Translation
"Tell all the people, ‘This is what the Lord says: Take your choice of life or death!
New Life Bible
"Also tell the people, ‘The Lord says, "See, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
New Revised Standard
And to this people you shall say: Thus says the Lord : See, I am setting before you the way of life and the way of death.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And unto this people, shalt thou say, Thus, saith Yahweh, - Behold me! setting before you the way, of life, and the way of death:
Douay-Rheims Bible
And to this people thou shalt say: Thus saith the Lord: Behold I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.
Revised Standard Version
"And to this people you shall say: 'Thus says the LORD: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
Young's Literal Translation
And unto this people thou dost say, Thus said Jehovah: Lo, I am setting before you the way of life, And the way of death!
THE MESSAGE
"And then tell the people at large, ‘ God 's Message to you is this: Listen carefully. I'm giving you a choice: life or death. Whoever stays in this city will die—either in battle or by starvation or disease. But whoever goes out and surrenders to the Chaldeans who have surrounded the city will live. You'll lose everything—but not your life. I'm determined to see this city destroyed. I'm that angry with this place! God 's Decree. I'm going to give it to the king of Babylon, and he's going to burn it to the ground.'
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"You shall also say to this people, 'Thus says the LORD, "Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.

Contextual Overview

8 To this people you shall say, Thus says Yahweh: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death. 9 He who remains in this city shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence; but he who goes out, and passes over to the Chaldeans who besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be to him for a prey. 10 For I have set my face on this city for evil, and not for good, says Yahweh: it shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire. 11 Touching the house of the king of Judah, hear you the word of Yahweh: 12 House of David, thus says Yahweh, Execute justice in the morning, and deliver him who is robbed out of the hand of the oppressor, lest my wrath go forth like fire, and burn so that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings. 13 Behold, I am against you, O inhabitant of the valley, [and] of the rock of the plain, says Yahweh; you that say, Who shall come down against us? or who shall enter into our habitations? 14 I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings, says Yahweh; and I will kindle a fire in her forest, and it shall devour all that is round about her.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I set: Deuteronomy 11:26, Deuteronomy 30:15, Deuteronomy 30:19, Isaiah 1:19, Isaiah 1:20

Reciprocal: Proverbs 6:23 - the way Proverbs 15:24 - way Jeremiah 38:2 - He Jeremiah 38:17 - If thou Ezekiel 18:31 - for why Micah 6:16 - that

Cross-References

Genesis 19:3
He urged them greatly, and they came in with him, and entered into his house. He made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.
Genesis 26:30
He made them a feast, and they ate and drink.
Genesis 29:22
Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
Genesis 40:20
It happened the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast for all his servants, and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and the head of the chief baker among his servants.
Judges 14:10
His father went down to the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do.
Judges 14:12
Samson said to them, Let me now put forth a riddle to you: if you can declare it to me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing;
1 Samuel 1:22
But Hannah didn't go up; for she said to her husband, [I will not go up] until the child be weaned; and then I will bring him, that he may appear before Yahweh, and there abide forever.
1 Samuel 25:36
Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken: therefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light.
2 Samuel 3:20
So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. David made Abner and the men who were with him a feast.
1 Kings 3:15
Solomon awoke; and, behold, it was a dream: and he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace-offerings, and made a feast to all his servants.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And unto the people thou shalt say, thus saith the Lord,.... These are the words, not of the prophet to the messengers of the king, ordering or advising them what they each of them should say to the people; for the message by them is finished; but they are the words of the Lord to the prophet, directing him what he should say to the people at this critical juncture:

behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death; the way how to preserve their lives; and which, if they did not choose to take, would be inevitable death. The allusion seems to be to a phrase used by Moses, when he gave the law; obedience to which would issue in life, and disobedience in death, Deuteronomy 30:15.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Compare the marginal reference; but here the alternative is a life saved by desertion to the enemy, or a death by famine, pestilence, and the sword within the walls.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Jeremiah 21:8. Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death. — Meaning escape or destruction in the present instance. This is explained in the next verse.


 
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