Jeremiah 18:14
New International Version
Does the snow of Lebanon ever vanish from its rocky slopes? Do its cool waters from distant sources ever stop flowing?

New Living Translation
Does the snow ever disappear from the mountaintops of Lebanon? Do the cold streams flowing from those distant mountains ever run dry?

English Standard Version
Does the snow of Lebanon leave the crags of Sirion? Do the mountain waters run dry, the cold flowing streams?

Berean Standard Bible
Does the snow of Lebanon ever leave its rocky slopes? Or do its cool waters flowing from a distance ever run dry?

King James Bible
Will a man leave the snow of Lebanon which cometh from the rock of the field? or shall the cold flowing waters that come from another place be forsaken?

New King James Version
Will a man leave the snow water of Lebanon, Which comes from the rock of the field? Will the cold flowing waters be forsaken for strange waters?

New American Standard Bible
‘Does the snow of Lebanon leave the rock of the open country alone? Or is the cold flowing water from a foreign land ever dried up?

NASB 1995
Does the snow of Lebanon forsake the rock of the open country? Or is the cold flowing water from a foreign land ever snatched away?

NASB 1977
‘Does the snow of Lebanon forsake the rock of the open country? Or is the cold flowing water from a foreign land ever snatched away?

Legacy Standard Bible
Does the snow of Lebanon forsake the rock of the open country? Or is the cold flowing water from a strange land ever uprooted?

Amplified Bible
‘Will the snow of [Mount] Lebanon melt and vanish from its rocks [which tower above Israel]? Will the cold, rushing waters of foreign lands [that flow down from the distant land] be dried up?

Christian Standard Bible
Does the snow of Lebanon ever leave the highland crags? Or does cold water flowing from a distance ever fail?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Does the snow of Lebanon ever leave the highland crags? Or does cold water flowing from a distance ever fail?

American Standard Version
Shall the snow of Lebanon fail from the rock of the field? or shall the cold waters that flow down from afar be dried up?

Contemporary English Version
The snow on Lebanon's mountains never melts away, and the streams there never run dry.

English Revised Version
Shall the snow of Lebanon fail from the rock of the field? or shall the cold waters that flow down from afar be dried up?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The rocky slopes of Lebanon are never without snow. The cool mountain streams never dry up.

Good News Translation
Are Lebanon's rocky heights ever without snow? Do its cool mountain streams ever run dry?

International Standard Version
Does the snow of Lebanon ever vanish from its rocky slopes? Or does the cold water from a foreign land ever cease to flow?

Majority Standard Bible
Does the snow of Lebanon ever leave its rocky slopes? Or do its cool waters flowing from a distance ever run dry?

NET Bible
Does the snow ever completely vanish from the rocky slopes of Lebanon? Do the cool waters from those distant mountains ever cease to flow?

New Heart English Bible
Shall the snow of Lebanon fail from the rock of the field? Shall the cold waters that flow down from afar be dried up?

Webster's Bible Translation
Will a man leave the snow of Lebanon which cometh from the rock of the field? or shall the cold flowing waters that come from another place be forsaken?

World English Bible
Will the snow of Lebanon fail from the rock of the field? Will the cold waters that flow down from afar be dried up?
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Does snow of Lebanon "" Cease from the rock of the field? Will the cold strange [waters] that are flowing be forsaken?

Young's Literal Translation
Doth snow of Lebanon Cease from the rock of the field? Failed are the cold strange waters that flow?

Smith's Literal Translation
Shall the field cut loose from the rock the snow of Lebanon? or shall the cold flowing waters of an inundation be dried up?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Shall now the snow of Libanus fail from the rock of the field? or can the cold waters that gush out and run down, be taken away?

Catholic Public Domain Version
Do the snows of Lebanon fail to fall on the rocks of the field? Or are the cold waters, which burst forth and flow down, able to be rooted out?

New American Bible
Does the snow of Lebanon desert the rocky heights? Do the gushing waters dry up that flow fresh down the mountains?

New Revised Standard Version
Does the snow of Lebanon leave the crags of Sirion? Do the mountain waters run dry, the cold flowing streams?
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Does the green grass vanish from the mountain or the snow leave Lebanon? Does the cold water that gushes out and runs down cease from flowing?

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
If the snow departs from The Mount of Breasts and from Lebanon, and if foreign cold waters that flow are withheld
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Doth the snow of Lebanon fail From the rock of the field? Or are the strange cold flowing waters Plucked up?

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Will fertilising streams fail to flow from a rock, or snow fail from Libanus? will water violently impelled by the wind turn aside?
Audio Bible



Context
The Potter and the Clay
13Therefore this is what the LORD says: “Inquire among the nations: Who has ever heard things like these? Virgin Israel has done a most terrible thing. 14Does the snow of Lebanon ever leave its rocky slopes? Or do its cool waters flowing from a distance ever run dry? 15Yet My people have forgotten Me. They burn incense to worthless idols that make them stumble in their ways, leaving the ancient roads to walk on rutted bypaths instead of on the highway.…

Cross References
Isaiah 55:10-11
For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return without watering the earth, making it bud and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat, / so My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it.

Job 6:15-17
But my brothers are as faithless as wadis, as seasonal streams that overflow, / darkened because of the ice and the inflow of melting snow, / but ceasing in the dry season and vanishing from their channels in the heat.

Psalm 147:17-18
He casts forth His hail like pebbles. Who can withstand His icy blast? / He sends forth His word and melts them; He unleashes His winds, and the waters flow.

Isaiah 41:18
I will open rivers on the barren heights, and fountains in the middle of the valleys. I will turn the desert into a pool of water, and the dry land into flowing springs.

Isaiah 44:27
who says to the depths of the sea, ‘Be dry, and I will dry up your currents,’

Job 38:29-30
From whose womb does the ice emerge? Who gives birth to the frost from heaven, / when the waters become hard as stone and the surface of the deep is frozen?

Psalm 104:10-13
He sends forth springs in the valleys; they flow between the mountains. / They give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst. / The birds of the air nest beside the springs; they sing among the branches. ...

Isaiah 50:2
Why was no one there when I arrived? Why did no one answer when I called? Is My hand too short to redeem you? Or do I lack the strength to deliver you? Behold, My rebuke dries up the sea; I turn the rivers into a desert; the fish rot for lack of water and die of thirst.

Isaiah 35:6-7
Then the lame will leap like a deer and the mute tongue will shout for joy. For waters will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert. / The parched ground will become a pool, the thirsty land springs of water. In the haunt where jackals once lay, there will be grass and reeds and papyrus.

Psalm 107:33-35
He turns rivers into deserts, springs of water into thirsty ground, / and fruitful land into fields of salt, because of the wickedness of its dwellers. / He turns a desert into pools of water and a dry land into flowing springs.

Isaiah 43:19-20
Behold, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness and streams in the desert. / The beasts of the field will honor Me, the jackals and the ostriches, because I provide water in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My chosen people.

Matthew 7:24-27
Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. / The rain fell, the torrents raged, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because its foundation was on the rock. / But everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ...

John 4:13-14
Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again. / But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a fount of water springing up to eternal life.”

John 7:37-38
On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and called out in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. / Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said: ‘Streams of living water will flow from within him.’”

Revelation 22:1-2
Then the angel showed me a river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb / down the middle of the main street of the city. On either side of the river stood a tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit and yielding a fresh crop for each month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.


Treasury of Scripture

Will a man leave the snow of Lebanon which comes from the rock of the field? or shall the cold flowing waters that come from another place be forsaken?

Will.

John 6:68
Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

the snow, etc.

Jump to Previous
Afar Cease Cold Cool Country Distant Dried Dry Fail Failed Field Flow Flowing Foreign Forsake Forsaken Lebanon Mountains Open Plucked Rock Rocky Run Sirion Slopes Snatched Snow Sources Strange Streams Top Vanish Water Waters White
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Afar Cease Cold Cool Country Distant Dried Dry Fail Failed Field Flow Flowing Foreign Forsake Forsaken Lebanon Mountains Open Plucked Rock Rocky Run Sirion Slopes Snatched Snow Sources Strange Streams Top Vanish Water Waters White
Jeremiah 18
1. Under the type of a potter is shown God's absolute power in disposing of nations.
11. Judgments threatened to Judah for her strange revolt.
18. Jeremiah prays against his conspirators.














Does the snow of Lebanon
The snow of Lebanon refers to the perpetual snow found on the peaks of the Lebanon mountain range. In the Hebrew context, "Lebanon" (לְבָנוֹן) is often associated with purity and majesty due to its towering, snow-capped mountains. The snow symbolizes constancy and reliability, much like God's covenant with His people. Historically, Lebanon's snow was a source of fresh water, essential for life, and a metaphor for God's unchanging nature and provision.

ever leave its rocky slopes?
The phrase "rocky slopes" emphasizes the rugged and enduring nature of the mountains. In Hebrew, the word for "rocky" (צּוּר) can also mean "strong" or "fortress," suggesting stability and permanence. The rhetorical question implies that just as the snow does not abandon the mountains, God's faithfulness does not waver. The imagery of the snow remaining steadfast on the slopes serves as a reminder of God's unwavering presence and the natural order He established.

Or do its cool waters
The "cool waters" are the streams and rivers fed by the melting snow of Lebanon. In the Hebrew tradition, water is a symbol of life, purity, and refreshment. The coolness of the waters suggests refreshment and vitality, much like the spiritual renewal that comes from God. These waters are a source of sustenance and are emblematic of the life-giving Word of God, which nourishes and sustains the soul.

flowing from a distance
The phrase "flowing from a distance" indicates the origin of these waters from far-off, elevated places. This suggests a divine source, as the waters travel from the heights of Lebanon to the valleys below. The distance underscores the idea of God's provision reaching His people, no matter how far they may be. It reflects the concept of God's grace and blessings flowing from His heavenly throne to His creation.

ever run dry?
The rhetorical question "ever run dry?" challenges the listener to consider the reliability of God's provision. In the Hebrew context, dryness often symbolizes desolation and judgment, while flowing water represents blessing and abundance. The implied answer is that these waters do not run dry, just as God's love and mercy are inexhaustible. This serves as a reassurance of God's eternal faithfulness and the certainty of His promises.

(14) Will a man leave . . .?--The interpolated words "a man" pervert the meaning of the verse, which should run thus: Will the snow of Lebanon fail from the rock of the field? or shall the cold (or, with some commentators, "rushing ") flowing waters from afar (literally, strange, or, as some take it, that dash down) be dried up? The questions imply an answer in the negative, and assert in a more vivid form what had been expressed more distinctly, though less poetically, in Jeremiah 2:13. The strength of Jehovah was like the unfailing snow of Lebanon (the "white" or snow mountain, like Mont Blanc or Snowdon), like the dashing stream that flows from heights so distant that they belong to a strange country, and which along its whole course was never dried up, and yet men forsook that strength for their own devices. The "streams of Lebanon" appear as the type of cool refreshing waters in Song of Solomon 4:15. The term "rock of the field" is applied in Jeremiah 17:3; Jeremiah 21:13 to Jerusalem, but there is no reason why it should not be used of Lebanon or any other mountain soaring above the plain. The notion that the prophet spoke of the brook Gihon on Mount Zion, as fed, by an underground channel, from the snows of Lebanon, has not sufficient evidence to commend it, but the "dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion" (Psalm 133:3) presents, to say the least, a suggestive parallel. Possibly the prophet has the Jordan in his mind. Tacitus (Hist. v. 6) describes it as fed by the snows of Lebanon, the summit of which is, in his expressive language, faithful to its snows through the heat of summer.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Does the snow
שֶׁ֣לֶג (še·leḡ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7950: Snow

of Lebanon
לְבָנ֑וֹן (lə·ḇā·nō·wn)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3844: Lebanon -- a wooded mountain range on the northern border of Israel

ever leave
הֲיַעֲזֹ֥ב (hă·ya·‘ă·zōḇ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5800: To loosen, relinquish, permit

its rocky
מִצּ֛וּר (miṣ·ṣūr)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6697: A cliff, a rock, boulder, a refuge, an edge

slopes?
שָׂדַ֖י (śā·ḏay)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7704: Field, land

Or
אִם־ (’im-)
Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

do its cool
קָרִ֖ים (qā·rîm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 7119: Cool, quiet

waters
מַ֛יִם (ma·yim)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4325: Water, juice, urine, semen

flowing
נוֹזְלִֽים׃ (nō·wz·lîm)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 5140: To flow, trickle, drop, distill

from a distance
זָרִ֥ים (zā·rîm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 2114: To turn aside, to be a, foreigner, strange, profane, to commit adultery

ever run dry?
יִנָּתְשׁ֗וּ (yin·nā·ṯə·šū)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5428: To pull or pluck up, root out


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 18:14 Shall the snow of Lebanon fail (Jer.)
Jeremiah 18:13
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