Menu

Jeremiah 2:30

Jeremiah 2:30 in Multiple Translations

“I have struck your sons in vain; they accepted no discipline. Your own sword has devoured your prophets like a voracious lion.”

In vain have I smitten your children; they received no correction: your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.

In vain have I smitten your children; they received no correction: your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.

I gave your children blows to no purpose; they got no good from training: your sword has been the destruction of your prophets, like a death-giving lion.

It was pointless of me to punish your children because they refused to accept any discipline. You used your own swords to kill your prophets, destroying them like a ferocious lion.

I haue smitten your children in vaine, they receiued no correction: your owne sworde hath deuoured your Prophets like a destroying lyon.

In vain I have smitten your sons, Instruction they have not accepted, Devoured hath your sword your prophets, As a destroying lion.

“I have struck your children in vain. They received no correction. Your own sword has devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.

In vain have I smitten your children; they have received no correction: your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.

In vain have I struck your children, they have not received correction: your sword hath devoured your prophets, your generation is like a ravaging lion.

I punished some of you, but you did not learn anything from my doing that. You have killed many of the prophets that I sent to you, like [SIM] fierce lions kill other animals.

Study Highlights

Key words in the translations above are automatically highlighted. Names of God and Jesus are marked in purple, the Holy Spirit in orange, divine action verbs are underlined, and repeated key words are highlighted in yellow.

Enable Study Highlights
God & Jesus
Holy Spirit
Divine Actions
Repeated Words

Berean Amplified Bible — Jeremiah 2:30

BAB
Word Study

Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.

Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.

Jeremiah 2:30 Interlinear (Deep Study)

BIB
HEB לַ/שָּׁוְא֙ הִכֵּ֣יתִי אֶת בְּנֵי/כֶ֔ם מוּסָ֖ר לֹ֣א לָקָ֑חוּ אָכְלָ֧ה חַרְבְּ/כֶ֛ם נְבִֽיאֵי/כֶ֖ם כְּ/אַרְיֵ֥ה מַשְׁחִֽית
לַ/שָּׁוְא֙ shâvᵉʼ H7723 vanity Prep | N-ms
הִכֵּ֣יתִי nâkâh H5221 to smite V-Hiphil-Perf-1cs
אֶת ʼêth H853 Obj. DirObjM
בְּנֵי/כֶ֔ם bên H1121 son N-mp | Suff
מוּסָ֖ר mûwçâr H4148 discipline N-ms
לֹ֣א lôʼ H3808 not Part
לָקָ֑חוּ lâqach H3947 to take V-Qal-Perf-3cp
אָכְלָ֧ה ʼâkal H398 to eat V-Qal-Perf-3fs
חַרְבְּ/כֶ֛ם chereb H2719 sword N-fs | Suff
נְבִֽיאֵי/כֶ֖ם nâbîyʼ H5030 prophet N-mp | Suff
כְּ/אַרְיֵ֥ה ʼărîy H738 lion Prep | N-ms
מַשְׁחִֽית shâchath H7843 to ruin V-Hiphil
Hebrew Word Study

Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.

Use arrow keys to navigate between words.

Hebrew Word Reference — Jeremiah 2:30

לַ/שָּׁוְא֙ shâvᵉʼ H7723 "vanity" Prep | N-ms
Vanity or falsehood, this word describes something empty, useless, or deceitful, like the idols worshipped by the Israelites in Isaiah 41:29, or the lies and false promises spoken by false prophets in Jeremiah 23:25.
Definition: : false 1) emptiness, vanity, falsehood 1a) emptiness, nothingness, vanity 1b) emptiness of speech, lying 1c) worthlessness (of conduct) Also means: shav (שָׁוְא ": vain" H7723H)
Usage: Occurs in 48 OT verses. KJV: false(-ly), lie, lying, vain, vanity. See also: Exodus 20:7; Isaiah 1:13; Psalms 12:3.
הִכֵּ֣יתִי nâkâh H5221 "to smite" V-Hiphil-Perf-1cs
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to strike or hit something, and it's used in many different ways, like in Exodus when God strikes down the Egyptians. It can also mean to punish or destroy, as seen in Isaiah. The word is used to describe God's judgment.
Definition: 1) to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill 1a)(Niphal) to be stricken or smitten 1b) (Pual) to be stricken or smitten 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to smite, strike, beat, scourge, clap, applaud, give a thrust 1c2) to smite, kill, slay (man or beast) 1c3) to smite, attack, attack and destroy, conquer, subjugate, ravage 1c4) to smite, chastise, send judgment upon, punish, destroy 1d) (Hophal) to be smitten 1d1) to receive a blow 1d2) to be wounded 1d3) to be beaten 1d4) to be (fatally) smitten, be killed, be slain 1d5) to be attacked and captured 1d6) to be smitten (with disease) 1d7) to be blighted (of plants)
Usage: Occurs in 461 OT verses. KJV: beat, cast forth, clap, give (wounds), [idiom] go forward, [idiom] indeed, kill, make (slaughter), murderer, punish, slaughter, slay(-er, -ing), smite(-r, -ing), strike, be stricken, (give) stripes, [idiom] surely, wound. See also: Genesis 4:15; Joshua 10:20; 1 Samuel 29:5.
אֶת ʼêth H853 "Obj." DirObjM
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Definition: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
Usage: Occurs in 6782 OT verses. KJV: (as such unrepresented in English). See also: Genesis 1:1; Genesis 10:8; Genesis 19:21.
בְּנֵי/כֶ֔ם bên H1121 "son" N-mp | Suff
In the Bible, this word means a son or descendant, and can also refer to a grandson, nation, or quality. It appears in 1 Chronicles 24, describing a Levite named Beno. The word is used to show family relationships and inheritance.
Definition: : child/son
Usage: Occurs in 3653 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, [idiom] came up in, child, colt, [idiom] common, [idiom] corn, daughter, [idiom] of first, [phrase] firstborn, foal, [phrase] very fruitful, [phrase] postage, [idiom] in, [phrase] kid, [phrase] lamb, ([phrase]) man, meet, [phrase] mighty, [phrase] nephew, old, ([phrase]) people, [phrase] rebel, [phrase] robber, [idiom] servant born, [idiom] soldier, son, [phrase] spark, [phrase] steward, [phrase] stranger, [idiom] surely, them of, [phrase] tumultuous one, [phrase] valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth. See also: Genesis 3:16; Genesis 23:3; Genesis 34:18.
מוּסָ֖ר mûwçâr H4148 "discipline" N-ms
This Hebrew term means discipline or correction, often used to describe God's guidance. In Psalm 50:17, it warns against rejecting God's discipline, while in Proverbs 1:7, it emphasizes the importance of discipline in gaining wisdom. It involves learning from mistakes.
Definition: : discipline/punishment 1) discipline, chastening, correction 1a) discipline, correction 1b) chastening
Usage: Occurs in 50 OT verses. KJV: bond, chastening(-eth), chastisement, check, correction, discipline, doctrine, instruction, rebuke. See also: Deuteronomy 11:2; Proverbs 15:10; Psalms 50:17.
לֹ֣א lôʼ H3808 "not" Part
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Definition: 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Usage: Occurs in 3967 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as truly as, [phrase] of a truth, [phrase] verily, for want, [phrase] whether, without. See also: Genesis 2:5; Genesis 31:15; Exodus 4:9.
לָקָ֑חוּ lâqach H3947 "to take" V-Qal-Perf-3cp
This Hebrew word means to take or get something, and it is used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to take a wife, to take possession of something, or to receive a gift. For example, in Genesis 2:22, God takes a rib from Adam to create Eve.
Definition: : take 1) to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to take, take in the hand 1a2) to take and carry along 1a3) to take from, take out of, take, carry away, take away 1a4) to take to or for a person, procure, get, take possession of, select, choose, take in marriage, receive, accept 1a5) to take up or upon, put upon 1a6) to fetch 1a7) to take, lead, conduct 1a8) to take, capture, seize 1a9) to take, carry off 1a10) to take (vengeance) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be captured 1b2) to be taken away, be removed 1b3) to be taken, brought unto 1c) (Pual) 1c1) to be taken from or out of 1c2) to be stolen from 1c3) to be taken captive 1c4) to be taken away, be removed 1d) (Hophal) 1d1) to be taken unto, be brought unto 1d2) to be taken out of 1d3) to be taken away 1e) (Hithpael) 1e1) to take hold of oneself 1e2) to flash about (of lightning)
Usage: Occurs in 909 OT verses. KJV: accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, infold, [idiom] many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve, seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win. See also: Genesis 2:15; Genesis 34:17; Exodus 30:23.
אָכְלָ֧ה ʼâkal H398 "to eat" V-Qal-Perf-3fs
This word means to eat or devour, and it's used in many stories, including when Jesus fed the 5000 with fish and bread in the book of Matthew. It's about taking in nourishment and being satisfied.
Definition: 1) to eat, devour, burn up, feed 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to eat (human subject) 1a2) to eat, devour (of beasts and birds) 1a3) to devour, consume (of fire) 1a4) to devour, slay (of sword) 1a5) to devour, consume, destroy (inanimate subjects - ie, pestilence, drought) 1a6) to devour (of oppression) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be eaten (by men) 1b2) to be devoured, consumed (of fire) 1b3) to be wasted, destroyed (of flesh) 1c) (Pual) 1c1) to cause to eat, feed with 1c2) to cause to devour 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to feed 1d2) to cause to eat 1e) (Piel) 1e1) consume Aramaic equivalent: a.khal (אֲכַל "to devour" H0399)
Usage: Occurs in 703 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up), feed (with), food, [idiom] freely, [idiom] in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay) meat, [idiom] quite. See also: Genesis 2:16; Leviticus 6:9; Numbers 24:8.
חַרְבְּ/כֶ֛ם chereb H2719 "sword" N-fs | Suff
A sword or cutting instrument is what this Hebrew word refers to, including knives and tools for cutting stone. It is used in the Bible to describe weapons and sharp objects.
Definition: 1) sword, knife 1a) sword 1b) knife 1c) tools for cutting stone
Usage: Occurs in 372 OT verses. KJV: axe, dagger, knife, mattock, sword, tool. See also: Genesis 3:24; 2 Samuel 2:16; Psalms 7:13.
נְבִֽיאֵי/כֶ֖ם nâbîyʼ H5030 "prophet" N-mp | Suff
A prophet is someone who speaks for God, like a spokesperson. This word is used in the Bible to describe true and false prophets, like those in 1 and 2 Kings.
Definition: 1) spokesman, speaker, prophet 1a) prophet 1b) false prophet 1c) heathen prophet Aramaic equivalent: ne.vi (נְבִיא "prophet" H5029)
Usage: Occurs in 288 OT verses. KJV: prophecy, that prophesy, prophet. See also: Genesis 20:7; 2 Kings 24:2; Psalms 51:2.
כְּ/אַרְיֵ֥ה ʼărîy H738 "lion" Prep | N-ms
In biblical times, a lion was a symbol of strength and power, and is often mentioned in stories like Daniel in the lions' den. The word for lion appears in various forms, including pictures or images of lions, and is used in books like 1 Kings and 2 Kings.
Definition: 1) lion 1a) pictures or images of lions
Usage: Occurs in 71 OT verses. KJV: (young) lion, [phrase] pierce (from the margin). See also: Genesis 49:9; Proverbs 22:13; Psalms 7:3.
מַשְׁחִֽית shâchath H7843 "to ruin" V-Hiphil
This verb means to ruin or destroy something, and it is used in various forms throughout the Bible to describe corruption and decay.
Definition: 1) to destroy, corrupt, go to ruin, decay 1a) (Niphal) to be marred, be spoiled, be corrupted, be corrupt, be injured, be ruined, be rotted 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to spoil, ruin 1b2) to pervert, corrupt, deal corruptly (morally) 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to spoil, ruin, destroy 1c2) to pervert, corrupt (morally) 1c3) destroyer (participle) 1d) (Hophal) spoiled, ruined (participle) Aramaic equivalent: she.chat (שְׁחַת "to corrupt" H7844)
Usage: Occurs in 136 OT verses. KJV: batter, cast off, corrupt(-er, thing), destroy(-er, -uction), lose, mar, perish, spill, spoiler, [idiom] utterly, waste(-r). See also: Genesis 6:11; Psalms 14:1; Psalms 53:2.

Study Notes — Jeremiah 2:30

Show Verse Quote Highlights

Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1 Nehemiah 9:26 But they were disobedient and rebelled against You; they flung Your law behind their backs. They killed Your prophets, who had admonished them to return to You. They committed terrible blasphemies.
2 1 Thessalonians 2:15 who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and drove us out as well. They are displeasing to God and hostile to all men,
3 Acts 7:52 Which of the prophets did your fathers fail to persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One. And now you are His betrayers and murderers—
4 Isaiah 1:5 Why do you want more beatings? Why do you keep rebelling? Your head has a massive wound, and your whole heart is afflicted.
5 Jeremiah 5:3 O LORD, do not Your eyes look for truth? You struck them, but they felt no pain. You finished them off, but they refused to accept discipline. They have made their faces harder than stone and refused to repent.
6 Jeremiah 26:20–24 Now there was another man prophesying in the name of the LORD, Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath-jearim. He prophesied against this city and against this land the same things that Jeremiah did. King Jehoiakim and all his mighty men and officials heard his words, and the king sought to put him to death. But when Uriah found out about it, he fled in fear and went to Egypt. Then King Jehoiakim sent men to Egypt: Elnathan son of Achbor along with some other men. They brought Uriah out of Egypt and took him to King Jehoiakim, who had him put to the sword and his body thrown into the burial place of the common people. Nevertheless, Ahikam son of Shaphan supported Jeremiah, so he was not handed over to the people to be put to death.
7 Isaiah 9:13 But the people did not return to Him who struck them; they did not seek the LORD of Hosts.
8 Jeremiah 7:28 Therefore you must say to them, ‘This is the nation that would not listen to the voice of the LORD their God and would not receive correction. Truth has perished; it has disappeared from their lips.
9 Matthew 23:29 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous.
10 1 Kings 19:14 “I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of Hosts,” he replied, “but the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well.”

Jeremiah 2:30 Summary

[This verse is saying that God tried to correct and discipline His people, but they wouldn't listen or change their ways, similar to what happened in Isaiah 1:5 and Hosea 7:10. The people of Israel even hurt and killed the prophets who were trying to bring them back to God, just like Jesus warned in Matthew 23:29-31 and Luke 11:47-51. This shows us that when we reject God's truth and correction, we can end up hurting ourselves and others, but when we respond to God's discipline, we can experience restoration and healing, as promised in Jeremiah 31:18 and 1 Peter 5:10.]

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean when God says He struck the sons of Israel in vain?

This means that despite God's discipline and correction, the people of Israel did not respond or change their ways, similar to the hardness of heart described in Romans 11:25 and Isaiah 6:9-10.

Why did God's prophets get devoured like a voracious lion?

The prophets were persecuted and killed by their own people, as seen in Matthew 23:37 and Luke 13:34, because they spoke God's truth and called the people to repentance, which the people refused to accept.

What is the significance of the sword devouring the prophets?

The sword represents the violence and persecution that the prophets faced, and it symbolizes the self-destructive nature of Israel's rebellion against God, as warned in Deuteronomy 32:25 and Jeremiah 6:7.

How does this verse relate to our lives today?

This verse reminds us that God's discipline and correction are meant to lead us to repentance and restoration, as seen in Hebrews 12:5-11 and Revelation 3:19, and that rejecting God's truth can lead to self-destruction and spiritual harm.

Reflection Questions

  1. What are some ways that I have resisted God's discipline and correction in my own life, and how can I respond differently in the future?
  2. How can I be more like the prophets, speaking God's truth and calling others to repentance, even in the face of opposition or persecution?
  3. What are some areas in my life where I am 'devouring' or rejecting God's truth, and how can I turn back to Him in repentance and obedience?
  4. How can I balance the desire for freedom and autonomy with the need for submission to God's authority and discipline, as seen in Jeremiah 2:31 and Psalm 119:71?

Gill's Exposition on Jeremiah 2:30

In vain have I smitten your children,.... Or, "for vanity" (g); for vain speaking, for making vain oaths and vows; so it is explained in the Talmud (h); but the sense is, that the rod of chastisement

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Jeremiah 2:30

In vain have I smitten your children; they received no correction: your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion. - (Jeremiah 5:3; Jeremiah 6:29; Isaiah 1:5; Isaiah 9:13).

Matthew Poole's Commentary on Jeremiah 2:30

Your children; either your posterity, that you breed up like yourselves; or rather, your inhabitants in every city, they being frequently called the children of such a city, or such a place: children of Seir, , children, of the province, , and children of thy people, , and abundance more the like; and thus it is comprehensive both of parents and children. Correction, i.e. The fruit of correction, viz. instruction. The same word is rendered correction, , which signifies instruction, , and in other places; and so to be taken here: it notes their refractoriness, that though they were corrected, yet they would not be instructed; though God did smite them, yet the rod prevailed as little with them as the word. Your own sword hath devoured your prophets; either the sword that I have sent to destroy you hath destroyed your false prophets together with you, , and so it is both a prophecy and a threatening; or rather, you have been so far from receiving counsel and instruction, that you have, by the sword, and other ways of destruction, (which is to be understood by the sword,) murdered those that I sent to reprove your follies in the days of Asa, Joash, Manasseh, &c., . See ,35. Devoured; or, eaten up; a metaphor. Hence we read of the edge of the sword, which both in Hebrew and Greek is called the mouth of the sword, . Like a destroying lion; without respect or pity; with all manner of savage usage; see ; laying aside all humanity.

Trapp's Commentary on Jeremiah 2:30

Jeremiah 2:30 In vain have I smitten your children; they received no correction: your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.Ver. 30. In vain have I smitten your children.] My hammers have but beaten cold iron; ye are incorrigible, irreformable. See Isaiah 1:5. Your own sword hath devoured your prophets.] As it did in the days of Ahaz, Joash, Manasseh, of whom Josephus saith, that he slew some prophet of God every day. Like a destroying lion.] Cum saevitia summa, exuta omni humanitate. Ye have pulled them limb meal, and caused them to die piece meal. Lib. x. cap. 4.

Ellicott's Commentary on Jeremiah 2:30

(30) Your own sword hath devoured your prophets.—So in the long reign of Manasseh, the prophets who rebuked him had to do so at the risk of their lives. Isaiah, as the tradition ran, had been foremost among the sufferers. Much innocent blood had been shed from one end to another of Jerusalem (2 Kings 21:11-16).

Cambridge Bible on Jeremiah 2:30

30. your children] not literally such, nor yet young men slain in battle, but equivalent to the frequent expression “children of thy people” (e.g. Ezekiel 3:11; Ezekiel 33:2; Ezekiel 33:12; Ezekiel 33:17; Ezekiel 33:30), i.e. the people considered individually, as contrasted with the aggregate. your prophets] Some commentators make the reference to be to such events as those recorded in 1 Kings 18:4-13, or to some unknown outbreak of violence. But the passage may well point to the comparatively recent massacres by Manasseh, traditionally including Isaiah (Isaiah 21:16).

Barnes' Notes on Jeremiah 2:30

Your own sword hath detoured your prophets - An allusion probably to Manasseh 2 Kings 21:16. Death was the usual fate of the true prophet Nehemiah 9:26; Matthew 23:37.

Whedon's Commentary on Jeremiah 2:30

ISRAEL’S GUILT AND , Jeremiah 2:29-35.30. Sword hath devoured — See 1 Kings 18:4; 1 Kings 18:13; 1 Kings 19:10; 2 Kings 21:16, etc.

Sermons on Jeremiah 2:30

SermonDescription
Zac Poonen Driving Out the Money Changers by Zac Poonen This sermon emphasizes the importance of having the mind of Christ and being transformed to think like Him. It highlights the need for zeal for God's house, purity in the church, a
Art Katz Jap-08 God Requires the Past by Art Katz In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of acknowledging and confessing our sins and the sins of our ancestors. He specifically mentions the Jewish people and their
George Fox Epistle 25 by George Fox George Fox emphasizes the importance of walking in the light of God’s love and truth, urging believers to remain steadfast in their faith and avoid turning away from the light that
George Fox Epistle 56 by George Fox George Fox preaches about the importance of heeding the light of Christ within, which calls our minds away from worldly lusts and evil desires, and towards God for renewal and wors
T. Austin-Sparks The Voice of Jeremiah (Concluded) V by T. Austin-Sparks T. Austin-Sparks delves into the prophetic ministry, focusing on the inclusive and representative position of Jeremiah, highlighting the various characteristics and features of all
T. Austin-Sparks Abel and the Law of Life by T. Austin-Sparks T. Austin-Sparks delves into the conflict between the soul and the spirit, emphasizing the importance of walking in the spirit rather than in the flesh or soul. He draws parallels
Leonard Ravenhill Needed a Broken Body by Leonard Ravenhill In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of prayer and the role it plays in the lives of prophets. He shares a personal experience from 1940 when he was in Bath, Engla

Everything we make is available for free because of a generous community of supporters.

Donate