Jeremiah 8:14
New International Version
Why are we sitting here? Gather together! Let us flee to the fortified cities and perish there! For the LORD our God has doomed us to perish and given us poisoned water to drink, because we have sinned against him.

New Living Translation
“Then the people will say, ‘Why should we wait here to die? Come, let’s go to the fortified towns and die there. For the LORD our God has decreed our destruction and has given us a cup of poison to drink because we sinned against the LORD.

English Standard Version
Why do we sit still? Gather together; let us go into the fortified cities and perish there, for the LORD our God has doomed us to perish and has given us poisoned water to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD.

Berean Standard Bible
Why are we just sitting here? Gather together, let us flee to the fortified cities and perish there, for the LORD our God has doomed us. He has given us poisoned water to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD.

King James Bible
Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the defenced cities, and let us be silent there: for the LORD our God hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD.

New King James Version
“Why do we sit still? Assemble yourselves, And let us enter the fortified cities, And let us be silent there. For the LORD our God has put us to silence And given us water of gall to drink, Because we have sinned against the LORD.

New American Standard Bible
Why are we sitting still? Assemble yourselves, and let’s go into the fortified cities And perish there, For the LORD our God has doomed us And given us poisoned water to drink, Because we have sinned against the LORD.

NASB 1995
Why are we sitting still? Assemble yourselves, and let us go into the fortified cities And let us perish there, Because the LORD our God has doomed us And given us poisoned water to drink, For we have sinned against the LORD.

NASB 1977
Why are we sitting still? Assemble yourselves, and let us go into the fortified cities, And let us perish there, Because the LORD our God has doomed us And given us poisoned water to drink, For we have sinned against the LORD.

Legacy Standard Bible
Why are we sitting still? Gather yourselves, and let us go into the fortified cities And let us be silent there Because Yahweh our God has silenced us And given us poisoned water to drink, For we have sinned against Yahweh.

Amplified Bible
Why are we sitting still [the people wonder]? Assemble yourselves, and let us enter the fortified cities And let us die there, For the LORD our God has decreed our ruin And given us bitter and poisonous water to drink, Because we have sinned against the LORD.

Christian Standard Bible
Why are we just sitting here? Gather together; let’s enter the fortified cities and perish there, for the LORD our God has destroyed us. He has given us poisoned water to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Why are we just sitting here? Gather together; let us enter the fortified cities and perish there, for the LORD our God has destroyed us. He has given us poisoned water to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD.

American Standard Version
Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the fortified cities, and let us be silent there; for Jehovah our God hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against Jehovah.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And they shall say: “Why are we sitting? Be assembled and we shall enter the fortified cities, and we shall be silent there, because LORD JEHOVAH our God has silenced us, and he has made us drink bitter waters, for we have sinned against LORD JEHOVAH!

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the strong cities, and let us be cast out there: for God has cast us out, and made us drink water of gall, because we have sinned before him.

Contemporary English Version
The people of Judah say to each other, "What are we waiting for? Let's run to a town with walls and die there. We rebelled against the LORD, and we were sentenced to die by drinking poison.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the fenced city, and let us be silent there: for the Lord our God hath put us to silence, and hath given us water of gall to drink: for we have sinned against the Lord.

English Revised Version
Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the defenced cities, and let us be silent there: for the LORD our God hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Why are we just sitting here? Let's get up! Let's go into the fortified cities and die there. The LORD our God has condemned us to die. He has given us poison to drink because we have sinned against the LORD.

Good News Translation
"Why are we sitting still?" God's people ask. "Come on, we will run to the fortified cities and die there. The LORD our God has condemned us to die; he has given us poison to drink, because we have sinned against him.

International Standard Version
Why are we sitting here? Join together! Let's go to the fortified cities and perish there! For the LORD our God has condemned us to perish and given us poisoned water to drink, because we have sinned against him.

JPS Tanakh 1917
Why do we sit still? Assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the fortified cities, And let us be cut off there; For the LORD our God hath cut us off, And given us water of gall to drink, Because we have sinned against the LORD.

Literal Standard Version
Why are we sitting still? Be gathered, and we go into the fortified cities, | And we are silent there, | For our God YHWH has made us silent, | Indeed, He causes us to drink water of gall, | For we have sinned against YHWH.

Majority Standard Bible
Why are we just sitting here? Gather together, let us flee to the fortified cities and perish there, for the LORD our God has doomed us. He has given us poisoned water to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD.

New American Bible
Why do we remain here? Let us assemble and flee to the fortified cities, where we will meet our doom; For the LORD our God has doomed us, he has given us poisoned water to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD.

NET Bible
The people say, "Why are we just sitting here? Let us gather together inside the fortified cities. Let us at least die there fighting, since the LORD our God has condemned us to die. He has condemned us to drink the poison waters of judgment because we have sinned against him.

New Revised Standard Version
Why do we sit still? Gather together, let us go into the fortified cities and perish there; for the LORD our God has doomed us to perish, and has given us poisoned water to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD.

New Heart English Bible
"Why do we sit still? Assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the fortified cities, and let us be silent there; for the LORD our God has put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD.

Webster's Bible Translation
Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the fortified cities, and let us be silent there: for the LORD our God hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD.

World English Bible
“Why do we sit still? Assemble yourselves! Let’s enter into the fortified cities, and let’s be silent there; for Yahweh our God has put us to silence, and given us poisoned water to drink, because we have sinned against Yahweh.

Young's Literal Translation
Wherefore are we sitting still? Be gathered, and we go in to the fenced cities, And we are silent there, For Jehovah our God hath made us silent, Yea, He causeth us to drink water of gall, For we have sinned against Jehovah.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Judah's Sin and Punishment
13I will take away their harvest, declares the LORD. There will be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the tree, and even the leaf will wither. Whatever I have given them will be lost to them.” 14Why are we just sitting here? Gather together, let us flee to the fortified cities and perish there, for the LORD our God has doomed us. He has given us poisoned water to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD. 15We hoped for peace, but no good has come, for a time of healing, but there was only terror.…

Cross References
Matthew 27:34
they offered Him wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, He refused to drink it.

Deuteronomy 29:18
Make sure there is no man or woman, clan or tribe among you today whose heart turns away from the LORD our God to go and worship the gods of those nations. Make sure there is no root among you that bears such poisonous and bitter fruit,

2 Samuel 20:6
And David said to Abishai, "Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom. Take your lord's servants and pursue him, or he will find fortified cities and elude us."

Psalm 69:21
They poisoned my food with gall and gave me vinegar to quench my thirst.

Isaiah 47:5
"Sit in silence and go into darkness, O Daughter of Chaldea. For you will no longer be called the queen of kingdoms.

Jeremiah 3:25
Let us lie down in our shame; let our disgrace cover us. We have sinned against the LORD our God, both we and our fathers; from our youth even to this day we have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God."

Jeremiah 4:5
Announce in Judah, proclaim in Jerusalem, and say: "Blow the ram's horn throughout the land. Cry aloud and say, 'Assemble yourselves and let us flee to the fortified cities.'


Treasury of Scripture

Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the defended cities, and let us be silent there: for the LORD our God has put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD.

do.

2 Kings 7:3,4
And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die? …

enter.

Jeremiah 4:5,6
Declare ye in Judah, and publish in Jerusalem; and say, Blow ye the trumpet in the land: cry, gather together, and say, Assemble yourselves, and let us go into the defenced cities…

Jeremiah 35:11
But it came to pass, when Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon came up into the land, that we said, Come, and let us go to Jerusalem for fear of the army of the Chaldeans, and for fear of the army of the Syrians: so we dwell at Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 20:6
And David said to Abishai, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom: take thou thy lord's servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fenced cities, and escape us.

be silent.

Leviticus 10:3
Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.

Psalm 39:2
I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred.

Lamentations 3:27,28
It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth…

water.

Jeremiah 9:13
And the LORD saith, Because they have forsaken my law which I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice, neither walked therein;

Jeremiah 23:15
Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land.

Numbers 5:18-24
And the priest shall set the woman before the LORD, and uncover the woman's head, and put the offering of memorial in her hands, which is the jealousy offering: and the priest shall have in his hand the bitter water that causeth the curse: …

gall.

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Assemble Cities Cut Defenced Drink Enter Fortified Gall Silence Silent Sinned Sit Water Yourselves
Jeremiah 8
1. The calamity of the Jews, both dead and alive.
4. He upbraids their foolish and shameless impenitency.
13. He shows their grievous judgment;
18. and bewails their desperate estate.














(14) Why do we sit still? . . .--The cry of the people in answer to the threatening of Jehovah is brought in by the prophet with a startling dramatic vividness. They are ready to flee into the defenced cities, as the prophet had told them in Jeremiah 4:5, but it is without hope. They are going into the silence as of death, for to that silence Jehovah himself has brought them.

Water of gall.--The idea implied is that of poison as well as bitterness. It is uncertain what the "gall-plant" was; possibly, from its connection with "grapes" or "clusters," as in Deuteronomy 32:32, belladonna or colocynth is meant. Others have suggested the poppy, and this is in part confirmed by the narcotic properties implied in Matthew 27:34. In Deuteronomy 29:18 it is joined with "wormwood."

Verse 14. - Why do we sit still? The prophet transports us by a stroke of his pen into the midst of the fulfillment of his prophecy. The people of the country districts are represented as urging each other to flight. True, it is the resource of despair. No defensed cities can defend them against the judgment of Jehovah. Let us be silent; rather, let us perish; literally, let us be put to silence. Hath put us to silence; rather, hath caused us to perish; i.e. hath decreed our destruction. Water of gall; a phrase characteristic of our prophet (see Jeremiah 9:14; Jeremiah 23:15). It is a little difficult to find a rendering which shall suit all the passages in which rosh (gall) is mentioned. In Deuteronomy 32:33 (and so Job 20:16) it is clearly used for "venom" in general; and yet in Ver. 32 of the same chapter it obviously means a plant. Another general application of the term seems to have been to bitterness in general, the ideas of bitterness and poisonousness being taken as interchangeable. The Authorized Version may therefore stand.

Parallel Commentaries ...


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

are we
אֲנַ֣חְנוּ (’ă·naḥ·nū)
Pronoun - first person common plural
Strong's 587: We

just sitting here?
יֹֽשְׁבִ֔ים (yō·šə·ḇîm)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry

Gather together,
הֵֽאָסְפ֗וּ (hê·’ā·sə·p̄ū)
Verb - Nifal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 622: To gather for, any purpose, to receive, take away, remove

let us flee
וְנָב֛וֹא (wə·nā·ḇō·w)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common plural
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

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

the fortified
הַמִּבְצָ֖ר (ham·miḇ·ṣār)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4013: A fortification, castle, fortified city, a defender

cities
עָרֵ֥י (‘ā·rê)
Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 5892: Excitement

and perish
וְנִדְּמָה־ (wə·nid·də·māh-)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural
Strong's 1826: To be dumb, to be astonished, to stop, to perish

there,
שָּׁ֑ם (šām)
Adverb
Strong's 8033: There, then, thither

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

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

our God
אֱלֹהֵ֤ינוּ (’ĕ·lō·hê·nū)
Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

has doomed us.
הֲדִמָּ֙נוּ֙ (hă·ḏim·mā·nū)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular | first person common plural
Strong's 1826: To be dumb, to be astonished, to stop, to perish

He has given us poisoned
רֹ֔אשׁ (rōš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7219: A poisonous plant, the poppy, poison

water
מֵי־ (mê-)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 4325: Water, juice, urine, semen

to drink,
וַיַּשְׁקֵ֣נוּ (way·yaš·qê·nū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | first person common plural
Strong's 8248: To quaff, to irrigate, furnish a, potion to

because
כִּ֥י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

we have sinned
חָטָ֖אנוּ (ḥā·ṭā·nū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plural
Strong's 2398: To miss, to sin, to forfeit, lack, expiate, repent, lead astray, condemn

against the LORD.
לַיהוָֽה׃ (Yah·weh)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 8:14 Why do we sit still? Assemble yourselves (Jer.)
Jeremiah 8:13
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