Jeremiah 8:7
New International Version
Even the stork in the sky knows her appointed seasons, and the dove, the swift and the thrush observe the time of their migration. But my people do not know the requirements of the LORD.

New Living Translation
Even the stork that flies across the sky knows the time of her migration, as do the turtledove, the swallow, and the crane. They all return at the proper time each year. But not my people! They do not know the LORD’s laws.

English Standard Version
Even the stork in the heavens knows her times, and the turtledove, swallow, and crane keep the time of their coming, but my people know not the rules of the LORD.

Berean Standard Bible
Even the stork in the sky knows her appointed seasons. The turtledove, the swift, and the thrush keep their time of migration, but My people do not know the requirements of the LORD.

King James Bible
Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD.

New King James Version
“Even the stork in the heavens Knows her appointed times; And the turtledove, the swift, and the swallow Observe the time of their coming. But My people do not know the judgment of the LORD.

New American Standard Bible
“Even the stork in the sky Knows her seasons; And the turtledove, the swallow, and the crane Keep to the time of their migration; But My people do not know The judgment of the LORD.

NASB 1995
“Even the stork in the sky Knows her seasons; And the turtledove and the swift and the thrush Observe the time of their migration; But My people do not know The ordinance of the LORD.

NASB 1977
“Even the stork in the sky Knows her seasons; And the turtledove and the swift and the thrush Observe the time of their migration; But My people do not know The ordinance of the LORD.

Legacy Standard Bible
Even the stork in the sky Knows her seasons; And the turtledove and the swift and the crane Keep the time of their migration; But My people do not know The legal judgment of Yahweh.

Amplified Bible
“Even the stork in the sky Knows her seasons [of migration], And the turtledove, the swallow and the crane Observe the time of their return. But My people do not know The law of the LORD.

Christian Standard Bible
Even storks in the sky know their seasons. Turtledoves, swallows, and cranes are aware of their migration, but my people do not know the requirements of the LORD.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Even the stork in the sky knows her seasons. The turtledove, swallow, and crane are aware of their migration, but My people do not know the requirements of the LORD.

American Standard Version
Yea, the stork in the heavens knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle-dove and the swallow and the crane observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the law of Jehovah.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Also a stork in the sky knows her time, and a pigeon and a crane and a swallow keep the time of LORD JEHOVAH, and my people have not known the judgment of LORD JEHOVAH

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Yea, the stork in the heaven knows her time, also the turtle-dove and wild swallow; the sparrows observe the times of their coming in; but this my people knows not the judgments of the Lord.

Contemporary English Version
Storks, doves, swallows, and thrushes all know when it's time to fly away for the winter and when to come back. But you, my people, don't know what I demand.

Douay-Rheims Bible
The kite in the air hath known her time: the turtle, and the swallow, and the stork have observed the time of their coming: but my people have not known the judgment of the Lord.

English Revised Version
Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the swallow and the crane observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the ordinance of the LORD.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Even storks know when it's time to return. Mourning doves, swallows, and cranes know when it's time to migrate. But my people don't know that I, the LORD, am urging them to return.

Good News Translation
Even storks know when it is time to return; doves, swallows, and thrushes know when it is time to migrate. But, my people, you do not know the laws by which I rule you.

International Standard Version
Even the stork in the sky knows its seasons, and the dove, the swallow, and the crane observe the time for migration. But my people don't know the requirements of the LORD.

JPS Tanakh 1917
Yea, the stork in the heaven Knoweth her appointed times; And the turtle and the swallow and the crane Observe the time of their coming; But My people know not The ordinance of the LORD.

Literal Standard Version
Even a stork in the heavens has known her seasons, | And turtle, and swallow, and crane, | Have watched the time of their coming, | And—My people have not known the judgment of YHWH.

Majority Standard Bible
Even the stork in the sky knows her appointed seasons. The turtledove, the swift, and the thrush keep their time of migration, but My people do not know the requirements of the LORD.

New American Bible
Even the stork in the sky knows its seasons; Turtledove, swift, and thrush observe the time of their return, But my people do not know the order of the LORD.

NET Bible
Even the stork knows when it is time to move on. The turtledove, swallow, and crane recognize the normal times for their migration. But my people pay no attention to what I, the LORD, require of them.

New Revised Standard Version
Even the stork in the heavens knows its times; and the turtledove, swallow, and crane observe the time of their coming; but my people do not know the ordinance of the LORD.

New Heart English Bible
Yes, the stork in the sky knows her appointed times; and the turtledove and the swallow and the crane observe the time of their coming; but my people do not know the LORD's law.

Webster's Bible Translation
Yes, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD.

World English Bible
Yes, the stork in the sky knows her appointed times. The turtledove, the swallow, and the crane observe the time of their coming; but my people don’t know Yahweh’s law.

Young's Literal Translation
Even a stork in the heavens hath known her seasons, And turtle, and swallow, and crane, Have watched the time of their coming, And -- My people have not known the judgment of Jehovah.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Judah's Sin and Punishment
6I have listened and heard; they do not speak what is right. No one repents of his wickedness, asking, ‘What have I done?’ Everyone has pursued his own course like a horse charging into battle. 7Even the stork in the sky knows her appointed seasons. The turtledove, the swift, and the thrush keep their time of migration, but My people do not know the requirements of the LORD. 8How can you say, ‘We are wise, and the Law of the LORD is with us,’ when in fact the lying pen of the scribes has produced a deception?…

Cross References
Proverbs 6:6
Walk in the manner of the ant, O slacker; observe its ways and become wise.

Song of Solomon 2:12
The flowers have appeared in the countryside; the season of singing has come, and the cooing of turtledoves is heard in our land.

Isaiah 1:3
The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master's manger, but Israel does not know; My people do not understand."

Isaiah 27:11
When its limbs are dry, they are broken off. Women come and use them for kindling; for this is a people without understanding. Therefore their Maker has no compassion on them, and their Creator shows them no favor.

Jeremiah 5:4
Then I said, "They are only the poor; they have played the fool, for they do not know the way of the LORD, the justice of their God.

Zechariah 5:9
Then I lifted up my eyes and saw two women approaching, with the wind in their wings. Their wings were like those of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between heaven and earth.


Treasury of Scripture

Yes, the stork in the heaven knows her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD.

stork.

Proverbs 6:6-8
Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: …

Isaiah 1:3
The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.

turtle.

Song of Solomon 2:12
The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;

people.

Jeremiah 5:4
Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish: for they know not the way of the LORD, nor the judgment of their God.

Isaiah 1:3
The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.

Isaiah 5:12
And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the LORD, neither consider the operation of his hands.

know.

Jeremiah 5:4,5
Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish: for they know not the way of the LORD, nor the judgment of their God…

Jump to Previous
Appointed Conscious Crane Dove Fixed Heaven Judgment Law Observe Ordinance Requirements Seasons Sky Stork Swallow Swift Time Times Turtle Turtledove Turtle-Dove Watched
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Appointed Conscious Crane Dove Fixed Heaven Judgment Law Observe Ordinance Requirements Seasons Sky Stork Swallow Swift Time Times Turtle Turtledove Turtle-Dove Watched
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.














(7) The stork in the heaven.--The eye of the prophet looked on nature at once with the quick observation of one who is alive to all her changes, and with the profound thought of a poet finding inner meanings in all phenomena. The birds of the air obey their instincts as the law of their nature. Israel, with its fatal gift of freedom, resists that which is its law of life. The stork arrives in Palestine in March, and leaves for the north of Europe in April or May. The Hebrew name, chasideh (literally, the pious bird), indicating its care for its young, is suggestive, as also is the phrase "in the heavens," as applied to its characteristic mode of flight. The turtle-dove appears at the approach of spring (Song Song of Solomon 2:12).

The crane and the swallow.--In the judgment of Tristram and other modern naturalists, the words should change places, and perhaps "swift" take the place of swallow. The word for "swallow" in Psalm 84:3 is different. The same combination meets us in Isaiah 38:14.

Judgment.--Better, perhaps, ordinance, the appointed rule of life which brute creatures obey and man transgresses.

Verse 7. - The appeal to the regularity of animal instincts reminds us of Isaiah 1:3. Yea, the stork, etc. The minatory birds obey their instinct with the most unfailing regularity. Those referred to are:

(1) the stork, whose "regular and sudden return is one of the most interesting natural sights of Palestine. The expression 'stork in the heavens' refers to the immense height at which they fly during migration" (Tristram);

(2) the turtle, or turtle-dove, whose return is the sure sign of spring (Song of Solomon 2:11);

(3 and 4) the crane and the swallow, or rather, "the swift and the crane." These birds are again mentioned together in Isaiah 38:14 (the psalm of Hezekiah), where special reference is made to the penetrating quality of their note. "The whooping or trumpeting of the crane rings through the night air in spring, and the vast flocks which we noticed passing north near Beersheba were a wonderful sight." The introduction of the swallow in the Authorized Version is misleading, as that bird is not a regular migrant in Palestine. The note of the swift is a shrill scream. "No bird is more conspicuous by the suddenness of its return than the swift," is the remark of Canon Tristram, who saw large flocks passing northwards over Jerusalem, on the 12th of February ('Nat. Hist. of Bible,' p. 208). It is an interesting fact that the swift bears the same name (sus) in the vernacular Arabic as in the Hebrew of Jeremiah. The judgment; better, the law (see on Jeremiah 5:4).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Even
גַּם־ (gam-)
Conjunction
Strong's 1571: Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and

the stork
חֲסִידָ֣ה (ḥă·sî·ḏāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2624: The kind, bird, a stork

in the sky
בַשָּׁמַ֗יִם (ḇaš·šā·ma·yim)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8064: Heaven, sky

knows
יָֽדְעָה֙ (yā·ḏə·‘āh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 3045: To know

her appointed seasons.
מֽוֹעֲדֶ֔יהָ (mō·w·‘ă·ḏe·hā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 4150: Appointed time, place, or meeting

The turtledove,
וְתֹ֤ר (wə·ṯōr)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8449: A ring-dove, a term of endearment

the swift,
וְסִיס֙ (wə·sîs)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5483: A swallow, swift (type of bird)

and the thrush
וְעָג֔וּר (wə·‘ā·ḡūr)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5693: (a kind of bird) perhaps a crane

observe
שָׁמְר֖וּ (šā·mə·rū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 8104: To hedge about, guard, to protect, attend to

their time
עֵ֣ת (‘êṯ)
Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 6256: Time, now, when

of migration,
בֹּאָ֑נָה (bō·’ā·nāh)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person feminine plural
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

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

do not
לֹ֣א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

know
יָֽדְע֔וּ (yā·ḏə·‘ū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 3045: To know

the requirements
מִשְׁפַּ֥ט (miš·paṭ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4941: A verdict, a sentence, formal decree, divine law, penalty, justice, privilege, style

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


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 8:7 Yes the stork in the sky knows (Jer.)
Jeremiah 8:6
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