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Thursday, April 9th, 2026
Thursday in Easter Week
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Read the Bible

Young's Literal Translation

Jeremiah 15:2

And it hath come to pass, when they say to thee, Whither do we go out? that thou hast said unto them, Thus said Jehovah: Those who [are] for death -- to death, And those who are for the sword, to the sword, And those who are for famine, to famine, And those who are for captivity, to captivity.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Backsliders;   Israel, Prophecies Concerning;  

Dictionaries:

- Fausset Bible Dictionary - Famine;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Pestilence;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Soul;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Ransom;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
If they ask you, ‘Where will we go?’ tell them: This is what the Lord says:
Hebrew Names Version
It shall happen, when they tell you, Where shall we go forth? then you shall tell them, Thus says the LORD: Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for captivity, to captivity.
King James Version
And it shall come to pass, if they say unto thee, Whither shall we go forth? then thou shalt tell them, Thus saith the Lord ; Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for the captivity, to the captivity.
English Standard Version
And when they ask you, ‘Where shall we go?' you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord : "‘Those who are for pestilence, to pestilence, and those who are for the sword, to the sword; those who are for famine, to famine, and those who are for captivity, to captivity.'
New American Standard Bible
"And it shall be that when they say to you, 'Where should we go?' then you are to tell them, 'This is what the LORD says: "Those destined for death, to death; And those destined for the sword, to the sword; And those destined for famine, to famine; And those destined for captivity, to captivity."'
New Century Version
When they ask you, ‘Where will we go?' tell them: ‘This is what the Lord says: Those who are meant to die will die. Those who are meant to die in war will die in war. Those who are meant to die from hunger will die from hunger. Those who are meant to be taken captive will be taken captive.'
Amplified Bible
"And it shall be that when they say to you, 'Where should we go?' then tell them, 'Thus says the LORD: "Those [destined] for death, to death; Those for the sword, to the sword; Those for famine, to famine; Those for captivity, to captivity."'
World English Bible
It shall happen, when they tell you, Where shall we go forth? then you shall tell them, Thus says Yahweh: Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for captivity, to captivity.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And if they say vnto thee, Whither shal we depart? then tell them, Thus saith the Lord, Such as are appointed to death, vnto death: and such as are for the sworde, to the sworde: and such as are for the famine, to the famine: and such as are for the captiuitie, to the captiuitie.
Legacy Standard Bible
And it will be that when they say to you, ‘Where should we go?' then you are to tell them, ‘Thus says Yahweh:"Those destined for death, to death;And those destined for the sword, to the sword;And those destined for famine, to famine;And those destined for captivity, to captivity."'
Berean Standard Bible
If they ask you, 'Where shall we go?' you are to tell them that this is what the LORD says: 'Those destined for death, to death; those destined for the sword, to the sword; those destined for famine, to famine; those destined for captivity, to captivity.'
Contemporary English Version
And when they ask where they are going, tell them that I, the Lord , have said: Some of you are going to die of horrible diseases. Others are going to die in war or from starvation. The rest will be led away to a foreign country.
Complete Jewish Bible
And when they ask you where they should go, tell them that this is what Adonai says: ‘Those destined for death — to death! Those destined for the sword — to the sword! Those destined for famine — to famine! Those destined for captivity — to captivity!'
Darby Translation
And it shall come to pass, if they say unto thee, Whither shall we go forth? then thou shalt tell them, Thus saith Jehovah: Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for captivity, to captivity.
Easy-to-Read Version
They might ask you, ‘Where will we go?' Tell them this is what the Lord says: "‘I have chosen some people to die. They will die. I have chosen some to be killed with swords. They will be killed with swords. I have chosen some to die from hunger. They will die from hunger. I have chosen some to be taken away to a foreign country. They will be prisoners there.
George Lamsa Translation
And it shall come to pass, if they say to you, Where shall we go? Then you shall tell them, Thus says the LORD: Those numbered for death, to death; and those numbered for the sword, to the sword; and those numbered for famine, to famine; and those numbered for captivity, to captivity.
Good News Translation
When they ask you where they should go, tell them that I have said: Some are doomed to die by disease— that's where they will go! Others are doomed to die in war— that's where they will go! Some are doomed to die of starvation— that's where they will go! Others are doomed to be taken away as prisoners— that's where they will go!
Lexham English Bible
And then if they say to you, ‘Where shall we go?' Then you shall say to them, ‘Thus says Yahweh, "Those who are destined for the plague, to the plague, and those who are destined for the sword, to the sword, and those who are destined for the famine, to the famine, and those who are destined for the captivity, to the captivity."'
Literal Translation
And it will be, if they say to you, Where shall we go? Then you will tell them, So says Jehovah, Those who are for death, go to death; and those for the sword, to the sword; and those for thefamine, to the famine; and those for thecaptivity, to the captivity.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And yf they saye vnto the: Whyther shal we go? The tell the: The LORDE geueth you this answere: Some vnto death, some to the swearde, some to honger, some in to captiuyte.
American Standard Version
And it shall come to pass, when they say unto thee, Whither shall we go forth? then thou shalt tell them, Thus saith Jehovah: Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for captivity, to captivity.
Bible in Basic English
And it will be, when they say to you, Where are we to go? then you are to say to them, The Lord has said, Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are to be in need of food, to need of food; and such as are to be taken away prisoners, to be taken away.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And it shall come to pass, when they say unto thee: Whither shall we go forth? then thou shall tell them: Thus saith the LORD: Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for captivity, to captivity.
King James Version (1611)
And it shall come to passe if they say vnto thee, Whither shall wee goe foorth? then thou shalt tell them; Thus saith the Lord, Such as are for death to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for the captiuitie, to the captiuitie.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And yf they say vnto thee, whyther shall we go? then tell them, The Lorde geueth you this aunswere: Some vnto death, some to the sworde, some to hunger, some into captiuitie.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And it shall be, if they say to thee, Whither shall we go forth? then thou shalt say to them, Thus saith the Lord; As many as are for death, to death; and as many as are for famine, to famine; and as many as are for the sword, to the sword; and as many as are for captivity, to captivity.
English Revised Version
And it shall come to pass, when they say unto thee, Whither shall we go forth? then thou shalt tell them, Thus saith the LORD: Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for captivity, to captivity.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
That if thei seien to thee, Whidur schulen we go out? thou schalt seie to hem, The Lord seith these thingis, Thei that to deth, to deth, and thei that to swerd, to swerd, and thei that to hungur, to hungur, and thei that to caitiftee, to caitifte.
Update Bible Version
And it shall come to pass, when they say to you, Where shall we go forth? then you shall tell them, Thus says Yahweh: Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for captivity, to captivity.
Webster's Bible Translation
And it shall come to pass, if they say to thee, Whither shall we go forth? then thou shalt tell them, Thus saith the LORD; Such as [are] for death, to death; and such as [are] for the sword, to the sword; and such as [are] for the famine, to the famine; and such as [are] for the captivity, to the captivity.
New English Translation
If they ask you, ‘Where should we go?' tell them the Lord says this: "Those who are destined to die of disease will go to death by disease. Those who are destined to die in war will go to death in war. Those who are destined to die of starvation will go to death by starvation. Those who are destined to go into exile will go into exile."
New King James Version
And it shall be, if they say to you, "Where should we go?' then you shall tell them, "Thus says the LORD: "Such as are for death, to death; And such as are for the sword, to the sword; And such as are for the famine, to the famine; And such as are for the captivity, to the captivity."'
New Living Translation
And if they say to you, ‘But where can we go?' tell them, ‘This is what the Lord says: "‘Those who are destined for death, to death; those who are destined for war, to war; those who are destined for famine, to famine; those who are destined for captivity, to captivity.'
New Life Bible
And when they ask you, ‘Where should we go?' then tell them, ‘The Lord says, "Those who are to die, to death, and those who are to be killed by the sword, to the sword. Those who are to go hungry, to hunger, and those who are to be taken away as prisoners, to be taken away.'
New Revised Standard
And when they say to you, "Where shall we go?" you shall say to them: Thus says the Lord : Those destined for pestilence, to pestilence, and those destined for the sword, to the sword; those destined for famine, to famine, and those destined for captivity, to captivity.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And it shall come to pass when they say unto thee Whither shall we go? Then shalt, thou say unto them, Thus saith Yahweh - Such as are for death, to death, and Such as are for t he sword, to the sword, and Such as are for famine, to the famine, and Such as are for captivity, to captivity.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And if they shall say unto thee: Whither shall we go forth? thou shalt say to them: Thus saith the Lord: Such as are for death, to death: and such as are for the sword, to the sword: and such as are for famine, to famine: and such as are for captivity, to captivity.
Revised Standard Version
And when they ask you, 'Where shall we go?' you shall say to them, 'Thus says the LORD: "Those who are for pestilence, to pestilence, and those who are for the sword, to the sword; those who are for famine, to famine, and those who are for captivity, to captivity."'
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"And it shall be that when they say to you, 'Where should we go?' then you are to tell them, 'Thus says the LORD: "Those destined for death, to death; And those destined for the sword, to the sword; And those destined for famine, to famine; And those destined for captivity, to captivity."'

Contextual Overview

1 And Jehovah saith unto me: Though Moses and Samuel should stand before Me, My soul is not toward this people, Send from before My face, and they go out. 2 And it hath come to pass, when they say to thee, Whither do we go out? that thou hast said unto them, Thus said Jehovah: Those who [are] for death -- to death, And those who are for the sword, to the sword, And those who are for famine, to famine, And those who are for captivity, to captivity. 3 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. 4 And I have given them for a trembling To all kingdoms of the earth, Because of Manasseh son of Hezekiah king of Judah, For that which he did in Jerusalem. 5 For who hath pity on thee, O Jerusalem? And who doth bemoan for thee? And who turneth aside to ask of thy welfare? 6 Thou -- thou hast left Me -- an affirmation of Jehovah, Backward thou goest, And I stretch out My hand against thee, And I destroy thee, I have been weary of repenting, 7 And I scatter them with a fan, in the gates the land, I bereaved, I have destroyed My people, From their ways they turned not back. 8 Its widows have been more to Me than the sand of the seas, I brought in to them -- against the mother -- A young man -- a spoiler -- at noon. I caused to fall upon her suddenly, wrath and trouble. 9 Languished hath the bearer of seven, She hath breathed out her spirit, Gone in hath her sun while yet day, It hath been ashamed and confounded, And their residue to the sword I give up before their enemies, An affirmation of Jehovah.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

for death: Jeremiah 14:12, Jeremiah 24:9, Jeremiah 24:10, Jeremiah 43:11, Isaiah 24:18, Ezekiel 5:2, Ezekiel 5:12, Ezekiel 14:21, Daniel 9:12, Amos 5:19, Zechariah 11:9, Revelation 6:3-8

Reciprocal: Leviticus 26:25 - will bring Deuteronomy 28:21 - General Deuteronomy 28:25 - removed Deuteronomy 32:23 - heap mischiefs 2 Kings 24:4 - which 2 Kings 25:11 - the rest Isaiah 6:9 - Go Jeremiah 6:21 - fathers Jeremiah 9:16 - and I Jeremiah 10:18 - I will Jeremiah 11:11 - which Jeremiah 12:12 - the sword Jeremiah 14:16 - be cast Jeremiah 15:9 - and the Jeremiah 16:4 - die Jeremiah 18:21 - let their wives Jeremiah 19:7 - I will cause Jeremiah 22:26 - General Jeremiah 29:17 - Behold Jeremiah 34:17 - to the sword Jeremiah 52:6 - the famine Jeremiah 52:15 - carried Ezekiel 6:11 - fall Ezekiel 7:15 - General Ezekiel 12:11 - remove and go Ezekiel 14:13 - break Ezekiel 21:3 - the righteous Ezekiel 21:9 - A sword Ezekiel 21:24 - ye shall Ezekiel 22:5 - infamous and much vexed Ezekiel 28:23 - I will send Ezekiel 33:2 - When I bring the sword upon a land Ezekiel 33:27 - surely Matthew 25:30 - cast Galatians 1:14 - traditions 1 John 5:16 - There Revelation 6:8 - kill

Cross-References

Genesis 15:1
After these things hath the word of Jehovah been unto Abram in a vision, saying, `Fear not, Abram, I [am] a shield to thee, thy reward [is] exceeding great.'
Genesis 15:2
And Abram saith, `Lord Jehovah, what dost Thou give to me, and I am going childless? and an acquired son in my house is Demmesek Eliezer.'
Genesis 15:3
And Abram saith, `Lo, to me Thou hast not given seed, and lo, a domestic doth heir me.'
Genesis 15:4
And lo, the word of Jehovah [is] unto him, saying, `This [one] doth not heir thee; but he who cometh out from thy bowels, he doth heir thee;'
Genesis 15:6
And he hath believed in Jehovah, and He reckoneth it to him -- righteousness.
Genesis 24:2
and Abraham saith unto his servant, the eldest of his house, who is ruling over all that he hath, `Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh,
Genesis 24:10
And the servant taketh ten camels of the camels of his lord and goeth, also of all the goods of his lord in his hand, and he riseth, and goeth unto Aram-Naharaim, unto the city of Nahor;
Genesis 25:21
And Isaac maketh entreaty to Jehovah before his wife, for she [is] barren: and Jehovah is entreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceiveth,
Genesis 39:9
none is greater in this house than I, and he hath not withheld from me anything, except thee, because thou [art] his wife; and how shall I do this great evil? -- then have I sinned against God.'
Genesis 43:19
And they come nigh unto the man who [is] over the house of Joseph, and speak unto him at the opening of the house,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And it shall come to pass, if they say unto thee,.... As doubtless they will, when this message is brought to them:

whither shall we go forth? in a jeering scornful manner, not believing that this would be their case:

then thou shall tell them, thus saith the Lord, such as are for death, to death; such as were appointed to death, or to die by the pestilence, which is often signified by death; they shall go forth unto it; or it shall meet them, and seize upon them, and take them away:

and such as are for the sword, to the sword; who are appointed to die by the sword of the enemy, into whose hands they should fall by attempting to escape out of the city, shall perish by it:

and such as are for the famine, to the famine; such as are appointed to die by that, shall die of it in the city, where they shall be besieged, and not be able to get out to fetch in any provisions, and where none can be brought, because of the enemy:

and such as are for the captivity, to the captivity; such as are spared from the pestilence, sword, and famine, and are designed to be carried captive into a strange land, shall be taken and carried thither; nor will it be in their power, or in any other's, to hinder any of the above things, to which they are appointed of God. According to the Jews, the latter of these is more grievous than the former; as the sword than death, and famine than the sword, so captivity than them all w.

w T. Bab Bava Bathra, fol. 8. 2.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Jeremiah 15:2. Whither shall we go forth? - Such as are for death, to death — Some shall be destroyed by the pestilence, here termed death. See Jeremiah 18:21. Others shall be slain by the sword in battle, and in the sackage of cities. Others shall perish by famine, shall be starved to death through the mere want of the necessaries of life; and the rest shall go into captivity. There shall be different sorts of punishments inflicted on them according to the nature of their transgressions. Some shall be punished in one way, and some in another.


 
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