Jeremiah 8:17
Jeremiah 8:17 in Multiple Translations
“For behold, I will send snakes among you, vipers that cannot be charmed, and they will bite you,” declares the LORD.
For, behold, I will send serpents, cockatrices, among you, which will not be charmed, and they shall bite you, saith the LORD.
For, behold, I will send serpents, adders, among you, which will not be charmed; and they shall bite you, saith Jehovah.
See, I will send snakes and poison-snakes among you, against which the wonder-worker has no power; and they will give you wounds which may not be made well, says the Lord.
Watch out! I'm sending snakes among you, vipers that can't be charmed. They will come and bite you, declares the Lord.
For beholde, I will sende serpents, and cockatrices among you, which will not be charmed, and they shall sting you, sayth the Lord.
For, lo, I am sending among you serpents, Vipers that have no charmer, And they have bitten you, an affirmation of Jehovah.
“For, behold, I will send serpents, adders among you, which will not be charmed; and they will bite you,” says the LORD.
For behold, I will send serpents, cockatrices, among you, which will not be charmed, and they shall bite you, saith the LORD.
For behold I will send among you serpents, basilisks, against which there is no charm: and they shall bite you, saith the Lord.
Yahweh says, “I will send those enemy soldiers to Judah, and they will be like [MET] poisonous snakes among you. No one will be able to stop them from attacking you [MET]; they will attack you like snakes do, and kill you.”
Berean Amplified Bible — Jeremiah 8:17
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 8:17 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
כִּי֩
הִנְ/נִ֨י
מְשַׁלֵּ֜חַ
בָּ/כֶ֗ם
נְחָשִׁים֙
צִפְעֹנִ֔ים
אֲשֶׁ֥ר
אֵין
לָ/הֶ֖ם
לָ֑חַשׁ
וְ/נִשְּׁכ֥וּ
אֶתְ/כֶ֖ם
נְאֻם
יְהוָֽה
כִּי֩
kîy
H3588
for
Conj
הִנְ/נִ֨י
hên
H2005
look!
Part | Suff
מְשַׁלֵּ֜חַ
shâlach
H7971
to send
V-Piel
בָּ/כֶ֗ם
Prep | Suff
נְחָשִׁים֙
nâchâsh
H5175
serpent
N-mp
צִפְעֹנִ֔ים
tsephaʻ
H6848
serpent
N-mp
אֲשֶׁ֥ר
ʼăsher
H834
which
Rel
אֵין
ʼayin
H369
nothing
Part
לָ/הֶ֖ם
Prep | Suff
לָ֑חַשׁ
lachash
H3908
charm
N-ms
וְ/נִשְּׁכ֥וּ
nâshak
H5391
to bite
Conj | V-Piel-3cp
אֶתְ/כֶ֖ם
ʼêth
H853
Obj.
DirObjM | Suff
נְאֻם
nᵉʼum
H5002
utterance
N-ms
יְהוָֽה
Yᵉhôvâh
H3068
The Lord
N-proper
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Jeremiah 8:17
כִּי֩
kîy
H3588
"for"
Conj
A conjunction used to show cause or connection, as in Genesis 2:23 where Adam says the woman is bone of his bone because she was taken out of him. It is often translated as 'for', 'because', or 'since'.
Definition: 1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since 1a) that 1a1) yea, indeed 1b) when (of time) 1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force) 1c) because, since (causal connection) 1d) but (after negative) 1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if 1f) but rather, but 1g) except that 1h) only, nevertheless 1i) surely 1j) that is 1k) but if 1l) for though 1m) forasmuch as, for therefore
Usage: Occurs in 3910 OT verses. KJV: and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + till, truly, + until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet. See also: Genesis 1:4; Genesis 26:16; Genesis 42:15.
הִנְ/נִ֨י
hên
H2005
"look!"
Part | Suff
An expression meaning look or behold, used to get someone's attention, like in the prophet Isaiah's writings. It can also express surprise or introduce a hypothetical situation.
Definition: interj 1) behold, lo, though hypothetical part 2) if Aramaic equivalent: hen (הֵן "look!" H2006A)
Usage: Occurs in 311 OT verses. KJV: behold, if, lo, though. See also: Genesis 3:22; Job 2:6; Psalms 51:7.
מְשַׁלֵּ֜חַ
shâlach
H7971
"to send"
V-Piel
To send or depart is the meaning of this Hebrew word, which has various applications in the Bible. It can describe sending someone or something away, or letting something go.
Definition: : depart/send 1) to send, send away, let go, stretch out 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to send 1a2) to stretch out, extend, direct 1a3) to send away 1a4) to let loose 1b) (Niphal) to be sent 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to send off or away or out or forth, dismiss, give over, cast out 1c2) to let go, set free 1c3) to shoot forth (of branches) 1c4) to let down 1c5) to shoot 1d) (Pual) to be sent off, be put away, be divorced, be impelled 1e) (Hiphil) to send
Usage: Occurs in 790 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] any wise, appoint, bring (on the way), cast (away, out), conduct, [idiom] earnestly, forsake, give (up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose), push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send (away, forth, out), set, shoot (forth, out), sow, spread, stretch forth (out). See also: Genesis 3:22; Exodus 9:27; Joshua 14:11.
בָּ/כֶ֗ם
""
Prep | Suff
נְחָשִׁים֙
nâchâsh
H5175
"serpent"
N-mp
A serpent is a snake, often symbolizing evil, as in Genesis 3:1 where the serpent tempts Eve. It can also represent danger or harm.
Definition: 1) serpent, snake 1a) serpent 1b) image (of serpent) 1c) fleeing serpent (mythological)
Usage: Occurs in 28 OT verses. KJV: serpent. See also: Genesis 3:1; Psalms 58:5; Psalms 140:4.
צִפְעֹנִ֔ים
tsephaʻ
H6848
"serpent"
N-mp
This word refers to a poisonous serpent, like a viper, that hisses by thrusting out its tongue. In the Bible, it is often translated as adder or cockatrice, symbolizing danger and evil.
Definition: 1) poisonous serpent 1a) a viper snake or adder
Usage: Occurs in 5 OT verses. KJV: adder, cockatrice. See also: Proverbs 23:32; Isaiah 14:29; Isaiah 11:8.
אֲשֶׁ֥ר
ʼăsher
H834
"which"
Rel
This Hebrew word is a conjunction that connects ideas and events in the Bible, like in the book of Genesis, where it's used to describe the relationship between God and His creation.
Definition: A: 1) (relative part.) 1a) which, who 1b) that which 2) (conj) 2a) that (in obj clause) 2b) when 2c) since 2d) as 2e) conditional if B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which 2) (adv) 2a) where 3) (conj) 3a) in that, inasmuch as 3b) on account of C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which 2) from (the place) where 3) from (the fact) that, since D: Kaph+ 1) (conj.), according as, as, when 1a) according to that which, according as, as 1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since 1c) with a temporal force: when
Usage: Occurs in 4440 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever, when, where ([phrase] -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, [phrase] whither(-soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection. See also: Genesis 1:7; Genesis 20:9; Genesis 31:16.
אֵין
ʼayin
H369
"nothing"
Part
This word means nothing or not, often used to indicate the absence of something, as in Genesis 1:2 where the earth was without form. It emphasizes the idea of something lacking or non-existent.
Definition: 1) nothing, not, nought n 1a) nothing, nought neg 1b) not 1c) to have not (of possession) adv 1d) without w/prep 1e) for lack of
Usage: Occurs in 686 OT verses. KJV: else, except, fail, (father-) less, be gone, in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any, thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable), well-nigh, without. Compare H370 (אַיִן). See also: Genesis 2:5; Deuteronomy 14:27; 1 Kings 15:22.
לָ/הֶ֖ם
""
Prep | Suff
לָ֑חַשׁ
lachash
H3908
"charm"
N-ms
This Hebrew word means a whisper or private prayer, but also an incantation or charm, like serpent charming. In the Bible, it can refer to a magical amulet worn by women. It appears in various forms, including as a type of enchantment or earring.
Definition: 1) whispering, charming 1a) serpent-charming 1b) charms, amulets (worn by women) 1c) whisper (of prayer)
Usage: Occurs in 5 OT verses. KJV: charmed, earring, enchantment, orator, prayer. See also: Ecclesiastes 10:11; Isaiah 3:20; Isaiah 3:3.
וְ/נִשְּׁכ֥וּ
nâshak
H5391
"to bite"
Conj | V-Piel-3cp
This Hebrew word refers to paying interest on a loan, often with excessive or unfair rates. It is condemned in the Bible as usury, and is seen in passages like Exodus 22:25 and Leviticus 25:35-37. The concept of fair lending is emphasized in the book of Deuteronomy.
Definition: 1) to bite 1a) (Qal) to bite 1b) (Piel) to bite
Usage: Occurs in 14 OT verses. KJV: bite, lend upon usury. See also: Genesis 49:17; Ecclesiastes 10:8; Proverbs 23:32.
אֶתְ/כֶ֖ם
ʼêth
H853
"Obj."
DirObjM | Suff
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.
נְאֻם
nᵉʼum
H5002
"utterance"
N-ms
This word refers to an utterance or declaration from God, often through a prophet. It is used in the Bible to describe a revelation or message from God, like in Exodus or Numbers.
Definition: 1) (Qal) utterance, declaration (of prophet) 1a) utterance, declaration, revelation (of prophet in ecstatic state) 1b) utterance, declaration (elsewhere always preceding divine name)
Usage: Occurs in 358 OT verses. KJV: (hath) said, saith. See also: Genesis 22:16; Jeremiah 22:16; Psalms 36:2.
יְהוָֽה
Yᵉhôvâh
H3068
"The Lord"
N-proper
Yehovah is another name for God, often translated as 'the Lord'. It is a national name for God in the Jewish faith. This name is used throughout the Old Testament.
Definition: Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
Usage: Occurs in 5522 OT verses. KJV: Jehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה). See also: Genesis 2:4; Genesis 24:42; Exodus 8:8.
Study Notes — Jeremiah 8:17
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Jeremiah 8:17 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Jeremiah 8:17
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Jeremiah 8:17
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Jeremiah 8:17
- Trapp's Commentary on Jeremiah 8:17
- Ellicott's Commentary on Jeremiah 8:17
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Jeremiah 8:17
- Cambridge Bible on Jeremiah 8:17
- Barnes' Notes on Jeremiah 8:17
- Whedon's Commentary on Jeremiah 8:17
- Sermons on Jeremiah 8:17
Context — The People Respond
15We hoped for peace, but no good has come, for a time of healing, but there was only terror.
16The snorting of enemy horses is heard from Dan. At the sound of the neighing of mighty steeds, the whole land quakes. They come to devour the land and everything in it, the city and all who dwell in it.
17“For behold, I will send snakes among you, vipers that cannot be charmed, and they will bite you,” declares the LORD.
18My sorrow is beyond healing; my heart is faint within me. 19Listen to the cry of the daughter of my people from a land far away: “Is the LORD no longer in Zion? Is her King no longer there?” “Why have they provoked Me to anger with their carved images, with their worthless foreign idols?”Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ecclesiastes 10:11 | If the snake bites before it is charmed, there is no profit for the charmer. |
| 2 | Psalms 58:4–5 | Their venom is like the venom of a snake, like a cobra that shuts its ears, refusing to hear the tune of the charmer who skillfully weaves his spell. |
| 3 | Deuteronomy 32:24 | They will be wasted from hunger and ravaged by pestilence and bitter plague; I will send the fangs of wild beasts against them, with the venom of vipers that slither in the dust. |
| 4 | Numbers 21:6 | So the LORD sent venomous snakes among the people, and many of the Israelites were bitten and died. |
| 5 | Amos 5:19 | It will be like a man who flees from a lion, only to encounter a bear, or who enters his house and rests his hand against the wall, only to be bitten by a snake. |
| 6 | Isaiah 14:29 | Do not rejoice, all you Philistines, that the rod that struck you is broken. For a viper will spring from the root of the snake, and a flying serpent from its egg. |
| 7 | Amos 9:3 | Though they hide themselves atop Carmel, there I will track them and seize them; and though they hide from Me at the bottom of the sea, there I will command the serpent to bite them. |
| 8 | Revelation 9:19 | For the power of the horses was in their mouths and in their tails; indeed, their tails were like snakes, having heads with which to inflict harm. |
Jeremiah 8:17 Summary
[In Jeremiah 8:17, God warns His people that He will send judgment upon them in the form of snakes that cannot be charmed, which represents the danger and severity of His judgment, as seen in other parts of the Bible, such as Numbers 21:6 and Psalms 91:13. This verse is a reminder that God is a holy and just God who will not tolerate sin and rebellion, as seen in Deuteronomy 32:24 and Ezekiel 2:6. As believers, we can trust in God's sovereignty and protection, even when faced with danger or uncertainty, and seek to live in obedience to Him, as encouraged in Proverbs 3:5-6 and Isaiah 40:31.]
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean that God will send snakes among the people in Jeremiah 8:17?
This verse is a metaphor for the judgment and danger that God will bring upon His people as a result of their sin, similar to the snakes in Numbers 21:6 that God sent to punish the Israelites for their rebellion, and as warned in Deuteronomy 32:24.
Are the snakes in Jeremiah 8:17 real or symbolic?
The snakes in this verse are likely symbolic of the enemies of God's people, as seen in other parts of the Bible, such as in Psalms 91:13, where believers are protected from the snake's bite, and in Ezekiel 2:6, where the prophet is sent to a rebellious people who are like thorns and snakes.
Why does God say He will send snakes that cannot be charmed in Jeremiah 8:17?
The snakes that cannot be charmed represent the inevitability and severity of God's judgment, which cannot be avoided or escaped, as also seen in Isaiah 5:26-30, where God summons a nation from afar to execute His judgment.
How does Jeremiah 8:17 relate to the rest of the chapter?
This verse is part of a larger passage in Jeremiah 8 that describes the judgment and sorrow that will come upon God's people due to their sin and rebellion, as seen in Jeremiah 8:15 and Jeremiah 8:18-19, where the people cry out in despair and the prophet mourns the devastation of his people.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways that I may be rebelling against God, and how can I surrender to His will?
- How can I trust in God's sovereignty and protection, even when faced with danger or uncertainty, as seen in Jeremiah 8:17?
- What are some 'snakes' in my life that I need to beware of, and how can I seek God's protection and guidance?
- How can I be a source of comfort and hope to others who are facing judgment or hardship, as Jeremiah does in this passage?
Gill's Exposition on Jeremiah 8:17
For, behold, I will send serpents, cockatrices, among you,.... The Chaldeans, comparable to these noxious and hurtful creatures, because of the mischief they should do unto them.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Jeremiah 8:17
For, behold, I will send serpents, cockatrices, among you, which will not be charmed, and they shall bite you, saith the LORD. I - Yahweh.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Jeremiah 8:17
He proceeds in increasing of their terror: q.d. There will be no appeasing or allaying of their fury by any art or method; therefore represented by the cockatrice, called in Latin regulus, or king of serpents, as putting to flight all other serpents; but by apposition to serpents, showing what kind of serpent they shall be, a sort that cannot be charmed, viz. such an enemy as by no entreaty can be made exorable: see on . LXX. deadly serpents. They shall bite you; they shall afflict you with sore punishments, not only stings in their tails, as scorpions, but in their teeth, whereby they shall devour you, .
Trapp's Commentary on Jeremiah 8:17
Jeremiah 8:17 For, behold, I will send serpents, cockatrices, among you, which [will] not [be] charmed, and they shall bite you, saith the LORD.Ver. 17. Behold, I will send serpents, cockatrices,] i.e., Chaldees, no less virulent than serpents, as violent as horses. Serpentum tot sunt venena quot genera, tot pernicies quot species, tot dolores quot colores, saith an ancient. Serpents are of several sorts, but all poisonous and pernicious. The basilisk or cockatrice here instanced (the worst sort of serpents, say the Septuagint here) goeth not upon the belly, as other serpents, but erect from the middle part, and doth so infect the air, that by the pestilent breath coming therefrom fruits are killed, and men being but looked upon by it, and birds flying over it; stones also are broken thereby, and all other serpents put to flight. And they shall bite you.] There is an elegance in the original. Isidor., lib. xii. cap. 2. Diod., Piscator.
Ellicott's Commentary on Jeremiah 8:17
(17) Serpents, cockatrices.—There is a sudden change of figure, one new image of terror starting from the history of the fiery serpents of Num 21:6, or, possibly, from the connection of Dan with the “serpent” and “adder” in Genesis 49:17. It is not easy to identify the genus and species of the serpents of the Bible. Here the two words are in apposition. “Cockatrice,” however, cannot be right, that name belonging, as an English word, to legendary zoology. The Vulg. gives “basilisk.” In Proverbs 23:32 it is translated by “adder.” In any case it implies a hissing venomous snake (probably the cerastes or serpens regulus), and the symbolism which identified it with the Assyrian or Chaldæan power had already appeared in Isaiah 14:29. Which will not be charmed.—The figure is that of Psa 58:4-5. The “deaf adder” that “refuseth to hear the voice of the charmer” represents an implacable enemy waging a pitiless war. Serpent-charming, as in the case of the Egyptian sorcerers (Exodus 7:11), seems to have been from a very early time, as it is now, both in Egypt and India, one of the most prominent features of the natural magic of the East.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Jeremiah 8:17
Verse 17. I will send serpents] These were symbols of the enemies that were coming against them; a foe that would rather slay them and destroy the land than get booty and ransom.
Cambridge Bible on Jeremiah 8:17
17. basilisks] better (mg.) adders, for the basilisk was only fabulous. The creature here meant cannot be identified with certainty. See conjectures in Dr., pp. 351 f. No art of the charmer will avail against the foe here figured. The serpent-charming art is still kept up in the East. It is supposed that the sharp shrill sounds which the charmers produce by their voice or an instrument are the means by which the desired result is reached. They also “repeatedly breathe strongly into the face of the serpent and occasionally blow spittle, or some medicated composition upon them.” Thomson, op. cit. p. 154. 18–9:1. See summary at commencement of section.
Barnes' Notes on Jeremiah 8:17
I will send - Or, am sending. No prophet changes his metaphors so suddenly as Jeremiah. The invading army is now compared to snakes, whom no charming can soothe, and whose bite is fatal. Compare Numbers 21:5-6.
Whedon's Commentary on Jeremiah 8:17
16, 17. From Dan — The northern boundary of the land, and hence the place where the alarm of an enemy coming from the north would first be given. Strong ones — War horses. See Jeremiah 4:13; Jeremiah 4:29, etc.
Sermons on Jeremiah 8:17
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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Nebuchadnezzars Dream by Peter Bisset | In this sermon, the preacher draws parallels between the story of Daniel and the plight of sinners who are under the sentence of death. He emphasizes that it doesn't matter what me |
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John 1:1 by St. John Chrysostom | John Chrysostom emphasizes the divine inspiration behind the words spoken by the Apostle John, highlighting the heavenly wisdom and power that transcends human understanding. Despi |
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Why People Oppose the Doctrine by Harmon A. Baldwin | Harmon A. Baldwin addresses the various reasons for opposition to the doctrine and experience of entire sanctification. Some oppose due to false ideas of holiness standards, while |
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Interview - the Holocaust and the Jew by Art Katz | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes that the gospel is contrary to human understanding and intelligence, and can only be received through revelation. He shares his experience of |
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(Secrets of Victory) 6. God Has a Purpose in Every Trial by Zac Poonen | Zac Poonen preaches about how God's purpose in allowing challenges and hardships in our lives is to draw us closer to Him, leading us to repentance and blessing. He emphasizes that |
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Beyond the Signs by Richard E. Bieber | Richard E. Bieber preaches on the significance of the bronze serpent in the Bible, emphasizing that God's holiness accompanies His miraculous works, bringing judgment on those who |
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Ii Kings 18:1 by Chuck Smith | Chuck Smith discusses the significance of the brass serpent from Numbers 21, emphasizing how it symbolizes both sin and God's judgment. He explains that while the brass serpent was |