Jeremiah 5:16 — Word Study
WLCאַשְׁפָּת֖וֹ כְּקֶ֣בֶר פָּת֑וּחַ כֻּלָּ֖ם גִּבּוֹרִֽים׃
BSATheir quiversʼashpâh [containers for holding arrows, like a warrior's arsenal] are like openpâthach [exposed, uncovered] gravesqeber [sepulchres, places of death] they are allkôl [every one of them, without exception] mighty mengibbôwr [strong warriors, champions of war]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| אַשְׁפָּת֖וֹ | quiver its | Noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| כְּקֶ֣בֶר | [is] like a grave | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| פָּת֑וּחַ | open | Verb, Qal, participle (passive) masculine singular |
| כֻּלָּ֖ם | all of them | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| גִּבּוֹרִֽים׃ | [are] warriors | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Their quivers are like open graves; they are all mighty men. |
| KJV | Their quiver is as an open sepulchre, they are all mighty men. |
| ASV | Their quiver is an open sepulchre, they are all mighty men. |
| YLT | Its quiver [is] as an open sepulchre, All of them — mighty ones. |
| WEB | Their quiver is an open tomb. They are all mighty men. |
| BBE | Their arrows give certain death, they are all men of war. |
Where they part company is גִּבּוֹרִֽים — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence has a main clause followed by a predicate, creating a straightforward comparison.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbפָּתַח
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Jeremiah 5:16
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — A Warning to Israelgenerated
Jeremiah 5:16 presents a stark image of the enemy's might, comparing their quivers to open graves. This metaphor suggests that the warriors are not only armed but also bring death, emphasizing their power and the threat they pose to Israel. The surrounding verses set the context of a divine warning about the consequences of Israel's unfaithfulness, as the LORD declares the impending judgment through a distant nation.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 5:9 | For not a word they speak can be trusted; destruction lies within them. Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit. |
| 2 | Isaiah 5:28 | Their arrows are sharpened, and all their bows are strung. The hooves of their horses are like flint; their chariot wheels are like a whirlwind. |
| 3 | Romans 3:13 | “Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The venom of vipers is on their lips.” |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — גִּבּוֹרִֽים, gi.bo.Rimgenerated
The word גִּבּוֹר (gibbor) refers to a mighty man or warrior, often used to describe someone with great strength or valor. It is a common noun in the masculine plural form, indicating a group of strong individuals. The root implies strength and bravery, and it is frequently used in contexts that celebrate heroic deeds, such as in battles.
In this verse, the use of גִּבּוֹרִֽים emphasizes the formidable nature of the enemy, portraying them as champions of war who pose a significant threat to Israel. The comparison to graves further underscores the lethal implications of their might.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main clause centers around the subject אַשְׁפָּת֖וֹ (quivers) and its predicate גִּבּוֹרִֽים (mighty men). The prepositional phrase כְּקֶ֣בֶר (like a grave) modifies the subject, creating a vivid comparison.
The structure emphasizes the quivers as the subject, with the comparison to graves highlighting their significance. The use of a simile in Hebrew places weight on the visual imagery, enhancing the understanding of the warriors' deadly nature.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the word used for גִּבּוֹרִֽים is ἰσχυροὶ (ischyroi), which translates to 'strong' or 'mighty'. This choice reflects a direct interpretation of the Hebrew, maintaining the emphasis on strength and valor.
The translation captures the essence of the Hebrew text, focusing on the might of the warriors, though it does not include all the Hebrew terms, indicating a more streamlined approach in the Greek text.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Jeremiah 5:16 describes the quivers of the enemy as being like open graves, suggesting that they are deadly and powerful. The verse emphasizes that all of them are mighty men, highlighting their strength as warriors.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
This metaphor suggests that the quivers are not just containers for arrows but represent the deadly nature of the warriors, as open graves signify death.
The mighty men are the strong warriors of the invading nation, indicating their power and threat to Israel.
Graves symbolize death, and comparing the quivers to them emphasizes the lethal potential of the warriors, suggesting that they bring destruction.
This verse is part of a warning to Israel about the consequences of their unfaithfulness, highlighting the imminent threat posed by a distant nation.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does the imagery of quivers and graves say about the nature of the enemy?
- How can we understand the concept of might in our own lives in light of this verse?
- In what ways do we see the consequences of unfaithfulness in our own context?
- How can this verse encourage us to rely on God in times of threat or danger?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Jeremiah 5:16 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleTheir quiver is an open sepulchre,.... The Chaldeans used bows and arrows in fighting; and the quiver is a case for arrows; and the phrase denotes, that their arrows would do great execution, and be
Read John Gill on Jeremiah 5 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryTheir quiver is as an open sepulchre, they are all mighty men. Open sepulchre - (cf. Psalms 5:9). Their quiver is all-devouring, as the grave opened to receive the dead: as many as are the arrows, so many are the deaths.
Read Robert Jamieson on Jeremiah 5 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleQuiver; collectively expressed for quivers; a synecdoche for the whole military preparations, and a metonymy of the containing for the contained, viz. the arrows that will be shot out of them, called the sons of the quiver, ; bow and arrow being the chief weapons for war in those countries, and in those days. Is an open sepulchre; a proverbial speech, , relating to the dreadful havoc and destruction that will be made, devouring the living as the grave doth the dead, or making work for the greedy, devouring grave, that never saith it hath enough, . Or, they shall destroy many with one quiver, as one grave will swallow many dead, which may note their skill, and the success they shall have…
Read Matthew Poole on Jeremiah 5 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJeremiah 5:16 Their quiver [is] as an open sepulchre, they [are] all mighty men.Ver. 16. Their quiver is an open sepulchre.] As holding arrows that wound deadly, and that shall despatch many, being drenched in their gall.
Read John Trapp on Jeremiah 5 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(16) An open sepulchre.—Every arrow in the quivers of the Chaldæan bowmen was to be as a messenger of death, a blast or pestilence from the grave.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Jeremiah 5 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 16. Their quiver is an open sepulchre] They are such exact archers as never to miss their mark; every arrow is sure to slay one man.
Read AdamClarke on Jeremiah 5 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges16. Their quiver is an open sepulchre] Their arrows are deadly. Cp. Psalms 5:9. Their quiver] Cp. Jeremiah 4:29 (“bowmen”).
Read Cambridge on Jeremiah 5 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible16. Their quiver is as an open sepulchre — Some conjecture this language to be used in allusion to the shape of the quiver; others, with a more delicate poetical sensibility, say, Because filled with
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Jeremiah 5 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Their quivers are like open graves; they are all mighty men.
Their quiver is an open tomb. They are all mighty men.
Their quivers are like open graves; they are all mighty men.
All of its soldiers are strong and mighty. Their arrows will send you to your grave.
Tyndale line
Their quiver is as an open sepulchre, they are all mighty men.
Their quiver is an open sepulchre, they are all mighty men.
Their quiver is an open sepulchre, they are all mighty men.
Their quiver is as an open sepulcher, they are all mighty men.
Whose quiuer is as an open sepulchre: they are all very strong.
Strictly literal
Their quiver is as an open sepulchre; they are all mighty men.
Its quiver [is] as an open sepulchre, All of them — mighty ones.
Its quiver [is] as an open tomb, || All of them—mighty ones.
Their quiver is as an open sepulchre: they are all mighty men.
Its quiver is like an open tomb. They are all soldiers.
From the Latin
Their quiver is as an open sepulchre, they are all valiant.
Simplified
Their arrows bring death; they are all strong warriors.
Their arrows give certain death, they are all men of war.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text reads אַשְׁפָּת֖וֹ כְּקֶ֣בֶר פָּת֑וּחַ כֻּלָּ֖ם גִּבּוֹרִֽים׃, while the Septuagint matches only 2 of the 5 words, indicating a partial agreement in the translation. The differences highlight the challenges in rendering the original Hebrew into Greek while preserving the intended meaning.
אַשְׁפָּת֖וֹ כְּקֶ֣בֶר פָּת֑וּחַ כֻּלָּ֖ם גִּבּוֹרִֽים׃
2 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Jeremiah 5:16
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
אַשְׁפָּה (ashpah) refers to a quiver for arrows, possibly derived from a root meaning 'covering.' The term is used in a literal sense for a container of arrows and may also have figurative implications related to God's instruments. The entries consistently emphasize its primary meaning without significant disagreement.
אַשְׁפָּה n.f. quiver for arrows
base
H827 אַשְׁפָּה quiver for arrows
827 'ashpah ash-paw'
perhaps (feminine) from the same as 825 (in the sense of
covering); a quiver or arrow-case:--quiver.
see HEBREW for 0825
אַשְׁפָּה (ash.pah) — quiver.
1) quiver (for arrows)
1a) of home, of God's instruments (fig.)
N-fs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHNcfsc/Sp3ms
קֶ֫בֶר (qeber) refers to a grave or sepulchre, indicating a burial place. It is derived from the root word for 'to bury' and is used in contexts related to tombs. The entries consistently define it as a place of interment without notable disagreement.
קֶ֫בֶר 67 n.m. grave, sepulchre
base
H6913 קֶ֫בֶר grave, sepulchre
6913 qeber, keh'-ber
or (feminine) qibrah {kib-raw'}; from 6912; a
sepulchre:--burying place, grave, sepulchre.
see HEBREW for 06912
קֶ֫בֶר (qe.ver) — grave.
grave, sepulchre, tomb
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHR/Ncmsa
Grave
Among the ancient Hebrews graves were outside of cities in the open field (Luke 7:12; John 11:30). Kings (1 Kings 2:10) and prophets (1 Sam. 25:1) were generally buried within cities. Graves were generally grottoes or caves, natural or hewn out in rocks (Isa. 22:16; Matt. 27:60). There were family cemeteries (Gen. 47:29; 50:5; 2 Sam. 19:37). Public burial-places were assigned to the poor (Jer.…
[BURIAL, SEPULCHRES]
פָּתַח (pathach) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to open' and can refer to various actions such as opening doors, loosening restraints, or engraving. It has different forms, including Qal (to open), Niphal (to be opened), and Piel (to engrave). The entries highlight its literal and figurative uses, but there is some overlap in meaning regarding its applications in opening and engraving.
פָּתַח vb. open
Qal open sack
Niph. be opened
Pi. be opened
free, i.e. ungird, camels
loosen (and remove) sack-cloth
open gates, doors
Hithp. loosen thee the fetters of thy neck
base
[פָּתַח] vb. Pi. engrave
Pu. stones engraved with the engravings of a signet.
base
H6605a פָּתַח open .open sack
. be opened
. be opened . free, i.e. ungird, camels
. loosen (and remove) sack-cloth
. open gates, doors
. loosen thee the fetters of thy neck
H6605b פָּתַח Pi. engrave
6605 pathach paw-thakh'
a primitive root; to open wide (literally or figuratively);
specifically, to loosen, begin, plough, carve:--appear, break
forth, draw (out), let go free, (en-)grave(-n), loose (self),
(be, be set) open(-ing), put off, ungird, unstop, have vent.
פָּתַח (pa.tach) — to open.
1) to open
1a) (Qal) to open
1b) (Niphal) to be opened, be let loose, be thrown open
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to free
1c2) to loosen
1c3) to open, open oneself
1d) (Hithpael) to loose oneself
Aramaic equivalent: pe.tach (פְּתַח "to open" H6606)
פָּתַח (pa.tach) — to engrave.
1) to carve, engrave
1a) (Piel) to engrave
1b) (Pual) to be engraved
V-Qal-Inf-c — Verb · Qal · participle (passive) masculine singularHVqsmsa
o'-p'-n: In the Old Testament represents chiefly pathach, but also other words, as galah, "to uncover"; of the opening of the eyes in vision, etc. (thus Balaam, Nu 22:31; 24:4; compare Job 33:16; 36:10; Ps 119:18; Jer 32:11,14). In the New Testament the usual word is anoigo (of opening of mouth, eyes, heavens, doors, etc.). A peculiar word, trachelizomai (literally, to have the neck bent back, to be laid bare), is used for "laid open" before God in Heb 4:13.
כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.
כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all
with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every
Absolutely:
without the art., all things, all
with the art. הַכֹּל
where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned
in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)
base
H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every
. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all
. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned
. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)
3605 kol kole
or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;
hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a
plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any
(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as
many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,
whoso(-ever).
see HEBREW for 03634
כֹּל (kol) — all.
1) all, the whole
1a) all, the whole of
1b) any, each, every, anything
1c) totality, everything
Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp3mp
גִּבּוֹר (gibbor) means strong or mighty, and can refer to a powerful person, such as a warrior or chief. It is built from a root that implies strength and valor, covering meanings related to strength and bravery. The entries consistently emphasize its use to describe a strong man or mighty figure.
גִּבּוֹר 159 adj. strong, mighty
base
H1368 גִּבּוֹר strong, mighty
1368 gibbowr ghib-bore'
or (shortened) gibbor {ghib-bore'}; intensive from the same
as 1397; powerful; by implication, warrior, tyrant:--
champion, chief, X excel, giant, man, mighty (man, one),
strong (man), valiant man.
see HEBREW for 01397
גִּבּוֹר (gib.bor) — mighty man.
adj
1) strong, mighty
n m
2) strong man, brave man, mighty man
Adj — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa