Jeremiah 6:26
New International Version
Put on sackcloth, my people, and roll in ashes; mourn with bitter wailing as for an only son, for suddenly the destroyer will come upon us.

New Living Translation
Oh, my people, dress yourselves in burlap and sit among the ashes. Mourn and weep bitterly, as for the loss of an only son. For suddenly the destroying armies will be upon you!

English Standard Version
O daughter of my people, put on sackcloth, and roll in ashes; make mourning as for an only son, most bitter lamentation, for suddenly the destroyer will come upon us.

Berean Standard Bible
O daughter of my people, dress yourselves in sackcloth and roll in ashes. Mourn with bitter wailing, as you would for an only son, for suddenly the destroyer will come upon us.

King James Bible
O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation: for the spoiler shall suddenly come upon us.

New King James Version
O daughter of my people, Dress in sackcloth And roll about in ashes! Make mourning as for an only son, most bitter lamentation; For the plunderer will suddenly come upon us.

New American Standard Bible
Daughter of my people, put on sackcloth And roll in ashes; Mourn as for an only son, A most bitter mourning. For suddenly the destroyer Will come against us.

NASB 1995
O daughter of my people, put on sackcloth And roll in ashes; Mourn as for an only son, A lamentation most bitter. For suddenly the destroyer Will come upon us.

NASB 1977
O daughter of my people, put on sackcloth And roll in ashes; Mourn as for an only son, A lamentation most bitter. For suddenly the destroyer Will come upon us.

Legacy Standard Bible
O daughter of my people, gird yourself with sackcloth And roll in ashes; Mourn as for an only son, A lamentation most bitter. For suddenly the destroyer Will come upon us.

Amplified Bible
O daughter of my people [says Jeremiah], Clothe yourself in sackcloth and wallow in ashes; Mourn [aloud] as for an only son, A most bitter cry [of sorrow and regret], For suddenly the destroyer will come upon us [on both prophet and people].

Christian Standard Bible
My dear people, dress yourselves in sackcloth and roll in the dust. Mourn as you would for an only son, a bitter lament, for suddenly the destroyer will come on us.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
My dear people, dress yourselves in sackcloth and roll in the dust. Mourn as you would for an only son, a bitter lament, for suddenly the destroyer will come on us.

American Standard Version
O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation; for the destroyer shall suddenly come upon us.

Contemporary English Version
and attacks without warning. So mourn, my people, as though your only child had died. Wear clothes made of sackcloth and roll in the ash pile."

English Revised Version
O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation; for the spoiler shall suddenly come upon us.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Wear sackcloth, and roll around in ashes, my people. Mourn as if you have lost your only child, and cry bitterly. The destroyer will suddenly attack us.

Good News Translation
The LORD says to his people, "Put on sackcloth and roll in ashes. Mourn with bitter tears as you would for an only child, because the one who comes to destroy you will suddenly attack.

International Standard Version
Daughter of my people, put on sackcloth and roll in ashes. Mourn with bitter wailing, as one mourns at the death of an only son. For the destroyer will come on us suddenly.

Majority Standard Bible
O daughter of my people, dress yourselves in sackcloth and roll in ashes. Mourn with bitter wailing, as you would for an only son, for suddenly the destroyer will come upon us.

NET Bible
So I said, "Oh, my dear people, put on sackcloth and roll in ashes. Mourn with painful sobs as though you had lost your only child. For any moment now that destructive army will come against us."

New Heart English Bible
"Daughter of my people, clothe yourself with sackcloth, and wallow in ashes. Mourn, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation; for the destroyer shall suddenly come on us."

Webster's Bible Translation
O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation: for the spoiler shall suddenly come upon us.

World English Bible
Daughter of my people, clothe yourself with sackcloth, and wallow in ashes! Mourn, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation, for the destroyer will suddenly come on us.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
O daughter of my people, "" Gird on sackcloth, "" And roll yourself in ashes, "" Make mourning [as for] an only one, "" A most bitter lamentation, "" For the spoiler suddenly comes against us.

Young's Literal Translation
O daughter of My people, Gird on sackcloth, and roll thyself in ashes, The mourning of an only one make for thee, A lamentation most bitter, For suddenly come doth the spoiler against us.

Smith's Literal Translation
O daughter of my people, gird on sackcloth, and roll thyself in ashes: make to thee the mourning of an only begotten, a wailing of bitterness; for he laying waste shall suddenly come upon us.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Gird thee with sackcloth, O daughter of my people, and sprinkle thee with ashes: make thee mourning as for an only son, a bitter lamentation, because the destroyer shall suddenly come upon us.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Wrap yourself in haircloth, O daughter of my people. And sprinkle yourself with ashes. Make a mourning for yourself, as for an only son, a bitter lamentation: ‘for the destroyer will overwhelm us suddenly.’

New American Bible
Daughter of my people, dress in sackcloth, roll in the ashes. Mourn as for an only child with bitter wailing: “How suddenly the destroyer comes upon us!”

New Revised Standard Version
O my poor people, put on sackcloth, and roll in ashes; make mourning as for an only child, most bitter lamentation: for suddenly the destroyer will come upon us.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
O daughter of my people, gird yourself with sackcloth and wallow in ashes; make for yourself mourning, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation; for the plunderers shall suddenly come upon you.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Daughter of my people, be clothed with sackcloth, and wallow in ashes, make for yourself grieving as for an only son, and bitter mourning, because suddenly the plunderer will come upon you
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth, And wallow thyself in ashes; Make thee mourning, as for an only son, Most bitter lamentation; For the spoiler shall suddenly come upon us.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
O daughter of my people, gird thyself with sackcloth: sprinkle thyself with ashes; make for thyself pitiable lamentation, as the mourning for a beloved son: for misery will come suddenly upon you.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
An Invasion from the North
25Do not go out to the fields; do not walk the road. For the enemy has a sword; terror is on every side. 26O daughter of my people, dress yourselves in sackcloth and roll in ashes. Mourn with bitter wailing, as you would for an only son, for suddenly the destroyer will come upon us. 27“I have appointed you to examine My people like ore, so you may know and try their ways.…

Cross References
Joel 1:13-14
Put on sackcloth and lament, O priests; wail, O ministers of the altar. Come, spend the night in sackcloth, O ministers of my God, because the grain and drink offerings are withheld from the house of your God. / Consecrate a fast; proclaim a solemn assembly! Gather the elders and all the residents of the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD.

Amos 8:10
I will turn your feasts into mourning and all your songs into lamentation. I will cause everyone to wear sackcloth and every head to be shaved. I will make it like a time of mourning for an only son, and its outcome like a bitter day.

Isaiah 22:12
On that day the Lord GOD of Hosts called for weeping and wailing, for shaven heads and the wearing of sackcloth.

Ezekiel 27:30-31
They will raise their voices for you and cry out bitterly. They will throw dust on their heads and roll in ashes. / They will shave their heads for you and wrap themselves in sackcloth. They will weep over you with anguish of soul and bitter mourning.

Lamentations 2:10
The elders of the Daughter of Zion sit on the ground in silence. They have thrown dust on their heads and put on sackcloth. The young women of Jerusalem have bowed their heads to the ground.

Micah 1:8
Because of this I will lament and wail; I will walk barefoot and naked. I will howl like a jackal and mourn like an ostrich.

Zechariah 12:10
Then I will pour out on the house of David and on the people of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and prayer, and they will look on Me, the One they have pierced. They will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for Him as one grieves for a firstborn son.

Matthew 11:21
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

Luke 19:41-44
As Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it / and said, “If only you had known on this day what would bring you peace! But now it is hidden from your eyes. / For the days will come upon you when your enemies will barricade you and surround you and hem you in on every side. ...

James 4:9
Grieve, mourn, and weep. Turn your laughter to mourning, and your joy to gloom.

Revelation 18:10
In fear of her torment, they will stand at a distance and cry out: “Woe, woe to the great city, the mighty city of Babylon! For in a single hour your judgment has come.”

Isaiah 3:26
And the gates of Zion will lament and mourn; destitute, she will sit on the ground.

Ezekiel 7:18
They will put on sackcloth, and terror will overwhelm them. Shame will cover all their faces, and all their heads will be shaved.

Hosea 10:5
The people of Samaria will fear for the calf of Beth-aven. Indeed, its people will mourn over it with its idolatrous priests—those who rejoiced in its glory—for it has been taken from them into exile.

2 Samuel 1:11-12
Then David took hold of his own clothes and tore them, and all the men who were with him did the same. / They mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the people of the LORD and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.


Treasury of Scripture

O daughter of my people, gird you with sackcloth, and wallow yourself in ashes: make you mourning, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation: for the spoiler shall suddenly come on us.

daughter.

Jeremiah 6:14
They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.

Jeremiah 4:11
At that time shall it be said to this people and to Jerusalem, A dry wind of the high places in the wilderness toward the daughter of my people, not to fan, nor to cleanse,

Jeremiah 8:19,21,22
Behold the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people because of them that dwell in a far country: Is not the LORD in Zion? is not her king in her? Why have they provoked me to anger with their graven images, and with strange vanities? …

gird.

Jeremiah 4:8
For this gird you with sackcloth, lament and howl: for the fierce anger of the LORD is not turned back from us.

Jeremiah 25:33,34
And the slain of the LORD shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground…

Isaiah 32:11
Tremble, ye women that are at ease; be troubled, ye careless ones: strip you, and make you bare, and gird sackcloth upon your loins.

make thee.

Jeremiah 9:1,10,17-22
Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people! …

Jeremiah 13:17
But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the LORD'S flock is carried away captive.

Isaiah 22:12
And in that day did the Lord GOD of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth:

for the.

Jeremiah 4:20
Destruction upon destruction is cried; for the whole land is spoiled: suddenly are my tents spoiled, and my curtains in a moment.

Jeremiah 12:12
The spoilers are come upon all high places through the wilderness: for the sword of the LORD shall devour from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land: no flesh shall have peace.

Jeremiah 15:8
Their widows are increased to me above the sand of the seas: I have brought upon them against the mother of the young men a spoiler at noonday: I have caused him to fall upon it suddenly, and terrors upon the city.

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Jeremiah 6
1. The enemies sent against Judah,
4. encourage themselves.
6. God sets them on work because of their sins.
9. The prophet laments the judgments of God because of their sins.
18. He proclaims God's wrath.
26. He calls the people to mourn for the judgment on their sins.














O daughter of my people
This phrase is a tender and personal address, indicating a deep relationship between God and the people of Israel. The term "daughter" is often used in the Hebrew Bible to denote a nation or city, suggesting a familial bond. The Hebrew word for "daughter" is "bat," which conveys a sense of belonging and identity. This phrase underscores God's paternal care and the intimate connection He desires with His people, despite their waywardness.

put on sackcloth
Sackcloth is a coarse material traditionally made from goat's hair, worn as a sign of mourning or repentance. The Hebrew word "saq" reflects a cultural practice of expressing deep sorrow or contrition. In ancient Israel, wearing sackcloth was a public demonstration of humility and penitence before God. This call to don sackcloth is an urgent appeal for the people to recognize their spiritual state and turn back to God with genuine remorse.

and roll in ashes
Rolling in ashes is another ancient Near Eastern custom associated with mourning and repentance. Ashes symbolize desolation and humility. The act of covering oneself in ashes is a physical manifestation of inner grief and acknowledgment of one's lowly state. This imagery is powerful, urging the people to fully embrace their need for repentance and to seek God's mercy earnestly.

Mourn as for an only son
The loss of an only son in ancient Israelite culture was considered one of the greatest tragedies, as it meant the end of a family line and loss of inheritance. The Hebrew word "misped" for mourning conveys profound grief. This comparison highlights the depth of sorrow that should accompany the people's repentance. It is a call to recognize the severity of their spiritual condition and the impending judgment.

a most bitter lamentation
The phrase "most bitter lamentation" emphasizes the intensity of the sorrow that should be felt. The Hebrew word "mar" means bitter, and it is often used to describe extreme emotional pain. This lamentation is not superficial but deeply felt, reflecting the seriousness of the situation. It is a call to genuine, heartfelt repentance, acknowledging the gravity of their sins.

for suddenly the destroyer will come upon us
The word "suddenly" indicates the unexpected and swift nature of the coming judgment. The Hebrew "pithom" suggests an element of surprise, underscoring the urgency of the call to repentance. The "destroyer" refers to the impending Babylonian invasion, a historical event that brought devastation to Jerusalem. This serves as a warning of the consequences of continued disobedience and a reminder of God's sovereignty over nations and history. The verse as a whole is a poignant call to repentance, urging the people to turn back to God before it is too late.

(26) Wallow thyself in ashes.--So in Jeremiah 25:34; Ezekiel 27:30. The ordinary sign of mourning was to sprinkle dust or ashes on the head (2Samuel 1:2; 2Samuel 13:19; Joshua 7:6). This, as in Jeremiah 25:34; Micah 1:10; Job 2:8, indicated more utter wretchedness and prostration. The English verb belongs to the class of those which were once used reflexively, and have now come to be intransitive. "Endeavour" supplies another example. . . . Verse 26. - Wallow thyself in ashes; rather, sprinkle thyself with ashes, a sign of mourning (2 Samuel 13:19; so Micah 1:10). Mourning, as for an only son. The Septuagint renders πένθος ἀγαπητοῦ (comp. Genesis 22:2, where in like manner the Septuagint renders, not "thine only son," but "thy beloved son"). Possibly this was to avoid a supposition which might have occurred to some readers (it has, in fact, occurred to several modern critics) that the "only son" was Adonis, who was certainly "mourned for" by some of the Israelites under the name of Thammuz (Ezekiel 8:14), and whose Phoenician name is given by Philo of Byblus as Ἰεούδ (i.e. probably Yakhidh, only begotten, the word used by Jeremiah; comp. Βηρούθ, equivalent to Berith). M. Renan found a vestige of the ancient festival of Adonis at Djebeil (the Phoenician Gebal) even at the present day. There would be nothing singular in the adoption of a common popular phrase by the prophet, in spite of its reference to a heathen custom (comp. Job 3:8), and the view in question gives additional force to the passage. But the ordinary explanation is perfectly tenable and more obvious. The phrase, "mourning [or, 'lamentation'] for an only begotten one," occurs again in Amos 8:10; Zechariah 12:10. In the last-mentioned passage it is parallel with "bitter weeping for a firstborn."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“O daughter
בַּת־ (baṯ-)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 1323: A daughter

of My people,
עַמִּ֤י (‘am·mî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

dress
חִגְרִי־ (ḥiḡ·rî-)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singular
Strong's 2296: To gird, gird on, gird oneself

yourselves in sackcloth
שָׂק֙ (śāq)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 8242: A mesh, coarse loose cloth, sacking, a bag

and roll
וְהִתְפַּלְּשִׁ֣י (wə·hiṯ·pal·lə·šî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Imperative - feminine singular
Strong's 6428: (act of mourning) perhaps to roll in

in ashes.
בָאֵ֔פֶר (ḇā·’ê·p̄er)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 665: Ashes

Mourn
אֵ֤בֶל (’ê·ḇel)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 60: Lamentation

with bitter
תַּמְרוּרִ֑ים (tam·rū·rîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8563: Bitterness

wailing,
מִסְפַּ֖ד (mis·paḏ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4553: A lamentation

as you would
עֲשִׂ֣י (‘ă·śî)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

for an only son,
יָחִיד֙ (yā·ḥîḏ)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 3173: United, sole, beloved, lonely, the life

for
כִּ֣י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

suddenly
פִתְאֹ֔ם (p̄iṯ·’ōm)
Adverb
Strong's 6597: Suddenness, suddenly

the destroyer
הַשֹּׁדֵ֖ד (haš·šō·ḏêḏ)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 7703: To deal violently with, despoil, devastate, ruin

will come
יָבֹ֥א (yā·ḇō)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

upon us.”
עָלֵֽינוּ׃ (‘ā·lê·nū)
Preposition | first person common plural
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 6:26 Daughter of my people gird you (Jer.)
Jeremiah 6:25
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