Jeremiah 33:4 For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says about the houses of this city and the palaces of the kings of Judah that have been torn down for defense against the siege ramps and the sword:

◄ Jeremiah 33:4 ►

New International Version
For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says about the houses in this city and the royal palaces of Judah that have been torn down to be used against the siege ramps and the sword

New Living Translation
For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: You have torn down the houses of this city and even the king’s palace to get materials to strengthen the walls against the siege ramps and swords of the enemy.

English Standard Version
For thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city and the houses of the kings of Judah that were torn down to make a defense against the siege mounds and against the sword:

Berean Standard Bible
For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says about the houses of this city and the palaces of the kings of Judah that have been torn down for defense against the siege ramps and the sword:

King James Bible
For thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, which are thrown down by the mounts, and by the sword;

New King James Version
“For thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city and the houses of the kings of Judah, which have been pulled down to fortify against the siege mounds and the sword:

New American Standard Bible
For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel says concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah which have been torn down to make a defense against the assault ramps and the sword:

NASB 1995
“For thus says the LORD God of Israel concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah which are broken down to make a defense against the siege ramps and against the sword,

NASB 1977
“For thus says the LORD God of Israel concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, which are broken down to make a defense against the siege mounds and against the sword,

Legacy Standard Bible
For thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah which are torn down to make a defense against the siege ramps and against the sword,

Amplified Bible
For thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city and the houses of the kings of Judah which are torn down to make a defense against the siege ramps and against the sword,

Christian Standard Bible
For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says concerning the houses of this city and the palaces of Judah’s kings, the ones torn down for defense against the assault ramps and the sword:

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says concerning the houses of this city and the palaces of Judah’s kings, the ones torn down for defense against the siege ramps and the sword:

American Standard Version
For thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, which are broken down to make a defence against the mounds and against the sword;

English Revised Version
For thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, which are broken down to make a defence against the mounts, and against the sword:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The houses in this city and the palaces of the kings of Judah have been torn down to be used against the dirt ramps and weapons of the Babylonians. This is what the LORD God of Israel says about this:

Good News Translation
I, the LORD, the God of Israel, say that the houses of Jerusalem and the royal palace of Judah will be torn down as a result of the siege and the attack.

International Standard Version
For this is what the LORD God of Israel says about the houses of this city and the houses of the kings of Judah that were torn down to defend against the siege ramps and the sword,

Majority Standard Bible
For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says about the houses of this city and the palaces of the kings of Judah that have been torn down for defense against the siege ramps and the sword:

NET Bible
For I, the LORD God of Israel, have something more to say about the houses in this city and the royal buildings which have been torn down for defenses against the siege ramps and military incursions of the Babylonians:

New Heart English Bible
For thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, which are broken down to make a defense against the mounds and against the sword;

Webster's Bible Translation
For thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, which are thrown down by the mounts, and by the sword;

World English Bible
For Yahweh, the God of Israel, says concerning the houses of this city and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, which are broken down to make a defense against the mounds and against the sword:

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
For thus said YHWH, God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah that are broken down for the [siege] mounds, and for the tool;

Young's Literal Translation
For thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, that are broken down for the mounts, and for the tool;

Smith's Literal Translation
For thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, being torn away to the mounds and to the sword;

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
For thus saith the Lord the God of Israel to the houses of this city, and to the houses of the king of Juda, which rue destroyed, and to the bulwarks, and to the sword.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, to the houses of this city, and to the houses of the king of Judah, which have been destroyed, and to the fortifications, and to the sword

New American Bible
Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city and the houses of the kings of Judah, which are being torn down because of the siegeworks and the sword:

New Revised Standard Version
For thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city and the houses of the kings of Judah that were torn down to make a defense against the siege ramps and before the sword:

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
For thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, which the robbers have uprooted by the sword:

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
For thus says LORD JEHOVAH, God of Israel concerning the households of this city, the households of the Kings of Judea that bands of robbers uprooted by the sword:

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
For thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, which are broken down for mounds, and for ramparts;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
For thus saith the Lord concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the king of Juda, which have been pulled down for mounds and fortifications,

Audio Bible

Context

The Restoration of Israel
…3Call to Me, and I will answer and show you great and unsearchable things you do not know. 4For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says about the houses of this city and the palaces of the kings of Judah that have been torn down for defense against the siege ramps and the sword: 5The Chaldeans are coming to fight and to fill those places with the corpses of the men I will strike down in My anger and in My wrath. I have hidden My face from this city because of all its wickedness.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Isaiah 22:10
You counted the houses of Jerusalem and tore them down to strengthen the wall.

2 Kings 25:9
He burned down the house of the LORD, the royal palace, and all the houses of Jerusalem—every significant building.

Nehemiah 2:3
and replied to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should I not be sad when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”

Lamentations 2:7
The Lord has rejected His altar; He has abandoned His sanctuary; He has delivered the walls of her palaces into the hand of the enemy. They have raised a shout in the house of the LORD as on the day of an appointed feast.

Ezekiel 26:4
They will destroy the walls of Tyre and demolish her towers. I will scrape the soil from her and make her a bare rock.

2 Chronicles 36:19
Then the Chaldeans set fire to the house of God and broke down the wall of Jerusalem. They burned down all the palaces and destroyed every article of value.

Isaiah 5:5
Now I will tell you what I am about to do to My vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it will be consumed; I will tear down its wall, and it will be trampled.

Micah 3:12
Therefore, because of you, Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, and the temple mount a wooded ridge.

1 Kings 9:7-8
then I will cut off Israel from the land that I have given them, and I will banish from My presence this temple I have sanctified for My Name. Then Israel will become an object of scorn and ridicule among all peoples. / And when this temple has become a heap of rubble, all who pass by it will be appalled and will hiss and say, ‘Why has the LORD done such a thing to this land and to this temple?’

Psalm 79:1
A Psalm of Asaph. The nations, O God, have invaded Your inheritance; they have defiled Your holy temple and reduced Jerusalem to rubble.

Matthew 24:2
“Do you see all these things?” He replied. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

Luke 19:43-44
For the days will come upon you when your enemies will barricade you and surround you and hem you in on every side. / They will level you to the ground—you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God.”

Mark 13:2
“Do you see all these great buildings?” Jesus replied. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

Revelation 11:2
But exclude the courtyard outside the temple. Do not measure it, because it has been given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for 42 months.

Acts 6:14
For we have heard him say that Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.”

Treasury of Scripture

For thus said the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, which are thrown down by the mounts, and by the sword;

thrown.

Jeremiah 32:24
Behold the mounts, they are come unto the city to take it; and the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans, that fight against it, because of the sword, and of the famine, and of the pestilence: and what thou hast spoken is come to pass; and, behold, thou seest it.

Ezekiel 4:2
And lay siege against it, and build a fort against it, and cast a mount against it; set the camp also against it, and set battering rams against it round about.

Ezekiel 21:22
At his right hand was the divination for Jerusalem, to appoint captains, to open the mouth in the slaughter, to lift up the voice with shouting, to appoint battering rams against the gates, to cast a mount, and to build a fort.

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Jeremiah 33

1. God promises to the captivity a gracious return;
9. a joyful state;
12. a settled government;
15. Christ the branch of righteousness;
17. a continuance of kingdom and priesthood;
19. and a stability of a blessed seed.

Berean Study Bible

For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says
This phrase establishes the divine authority and origin of the message. The term "LORD" is translated from the Hebrew "YHWH," the sacred and personal name of God, emphasizing His covenant relationship with Israel. "The God of Israel" reaffirms His unique relationship with the nation, reminding them of His faithfulness and sovereignty. This introduction sets the tone for a message that is both authoritative and deeply personal, as it comes from the One who has been with Israel throughout their history.

concerning the houses of this city
The "houses of this city" refers to the dwellings within Jerusalem. Historically, Jerusalem was the center of Jewish life, both spiritually and politically. The mention of "houses" symbolizes the everyday life of the people, their families, and their community. In the context of Jeremiah's time, these houses were under threat due to the Babylonian siege, representing the vulnerability and impending judgment upon the city.

and the royal palaces of Judah
The "royal palaces" signify the seat of power and governance in Judah. These structures were not only political centers but also symbols of the Davidic dynasty and God's promises to David. The mention of their destruction highlights the severity of the judgment coming upon Judah, as even the most secure and prestigious places are not spared. It serves as a reminder of the consequences of the nation's disobedience and the failure of its leaders to uphold God's covenant.

that have been torn down
The phrase "torn down" indicates a state of destruction and desolation. In the Hebrew context, this destruction is both literal and symbolic, representing the dismantling of societal structures and the breaking down of what was once strong and secure. It reflects the fulfillment of prophetic warnings given by Jeremiah and other prophets about the consequences of turning away from God.

to defend against the siege ramps and the sword
"Siege ramps" and "the sword" are terms that describe the methods of warfare used by the Babylonians. Siege ramps were constructed to breach city walls, while "the sword" symbolizes the violence and death that accompany military conquest. This imagery conveys the dire situation facing Jerusalem, as the people resort to dismantling their own homes to fortify defenses against an overwhelming enemy. It underscores the desperation and futility of relying on human efforts rather than seeking divine intervention.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(4) Concerning the houses of this city . . .--The words point to the incident which was the occasion of the prophecy. The houses referred to had either been destroyed by the invaders, or, more probably, by the besieged, in order to erect a counter-work against the "mounts" which the Chaldaeans had set against it. The "swords" (the word is translated by "axes" in Ezekiel 26:9) include tools used for breaking down walls.

Pulpit Commentary

Verses 4-9. - The houses of Jerusalem, destroyed by the engines of the besiegers or filled with dead bodies, shall be restored; the captives shall be brought back; their sins shall be forgiven, and God be glorified. Verse 4. - By the mounts, and by the sword; rather, because of the mounds (see on Jeremiah 32:24) and because of the weapons of war. The latter are the warlike instruments used by the besiegers from their batteries or breastworks.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

For
כִּי֩ (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

this is what
כֹ֨ה (ḵōh)
Adverb
Strong's 3541: Like this, thus, here, now

the LORD,
יְהוָה֙ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

the God
אֱלֹהֵ֣י (’ĕ·lō·hê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

of Israel,
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

says
אָמַ֤ר (’ā·mar)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

about
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the houses
בָּתֵּי֙ (bāt·tê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1004: A house

of this
הַזֹּ֔את (haz·zōṯ)
Article | Pronoun - feminine singular
Strong's 2063: Hereby in it, likewise, the one other, same, she, so much, such deed, that,

city
הָעִ֣יר (hā·‘îr)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5892: Excitement

and the palaces
בָּתֵּ֖י (bāt·tê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1004: A house

of the kings
מַלְכֵ֣י (mal·ḵê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 4428: A king

of Judah
יְהוּדָ֑ה (yə·hū·ḏāh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3063: Judah -- 'praised', a son of Jacob, also the southern kingdom, also four Israelites

that have been torn down
הַנְּתֻצִ֕ים (han·nə·ṯu·ṣîm)
Article | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine plural
Strong's 5422: To pull down, break down

for defense against
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

the siege ramps
הַסֹּלְל֖וֹת (has·sō·lə·lō·wṯ)
Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 5550: A military mound, rampart of besiegers

and the sword:
הֶחָֽרֶב׃ (he·ḥā·reḇ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2719: Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword

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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 33:4 For thus says Yahweh the God (Jer.)