Jeremiah 12:16

KJV1611 – Modern English

And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of My people, to swear by My name, 'As the LORD lives,' as they taught My people to swear by Baal, then they shall be established in the midst of My people.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וְהָיָ֡ה אִם־לָמֹ֣ד יִלְמְדוּ֩ אֶת־דַּֽרְכֵ֨י עַמִּ֜י לְהִשָּׁבֵ֤עַ בִּשְׁמִי֙ חַי־יְהוָ֔ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר לִמְּדוּ֙ אֶת־עַמִּ֔י לְהִשָּׁבֵ֖עַ בַּבָּ֑עַל וְנִבְנ֖וּ בְּת֥וֹךְ עַמִּֽי׃

Transliteration

wə-hāyāh if-lāmōd they-yilmədû ʾet-darkê my-ʿammî to-hiššābēaʿ in-my-name life-YHWH as they-limmədû ʾet-my-ʿammî to-hiššābēaʿ by-babbāʿal wə-they-will-be-nibnû in-tôk my-ʿammî

Grammar Details

• *wə*: conjunction - and
• *hāyāh*: verb, Qal perfect, 3rd person masculine singular - it will be
• *lāmōd*: verb, Qal infinitive absolute - learning
• *yilmədû*: verb, Qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine plural - they will learn
• *ʾet*: direct object marker
• *darkê*: noun, masculine plural construct - ways of
• *ʿammî*: noun, masculine singular construct with 1st person singular suffix - my people
• *hiššābēaʿ*: verb, Niphal infinitive construct - to swear
• *YHWH*: divine name - LORD
• *limmədû*: verb, Piel perfect, 3rd person plural - they taught
• *babbāʿal*: noun, masculine singular with preposition and definite article - by Baal
• *nibnû*: verb, Niphal perfect, 3rd person plural - they will be built up
• *tôk*: noun, masculine singular construct - midst of

Word Meanings

• *lāmōd yilmədû*: surely learn/diligently learn
• *hiššābēaʿ*: to swear/to take oath
• *limmədû*: taught/instructed
• *nibnû*: be built up/be established/prosper

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  'And if they diligently learn the ways of my people and swear by my name, saying, "As surely as the LORD lives," just as they once taught my people to swear by Baal, then they will be established among my people.'

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, The LORD liveth; as they taught my people to swear by Baal; then shall they be built in the midst of my people.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently{H3925} learn{H3925} the ways{H1870} of my people,{H5971} to swear{H7650} by my name,{H8034} As Jehovah{H3068} liveth;{H2416} even as they taught{H3925} my people{H5971} to swear{H7650} by Baal;{H1168} then shall they be built{H1129} up in the midst{H8432} of my people.{H5971}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently{H3925}{(H8800)} learn{H3925}{(H8799)} the ways{H1870} of my people{H5971}, to swear{H7650}{(H8736)} by my name{H8034}, The LORD{H3068} liveth{H2416}; as they taught{H3925}{(H8765)} my people{H5971} to swear{H7650}{(H8736)} by Baal{H1168}; then shall they be built{H1129}{(H8738)} in the midst{H8432} of my people{H5971}.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  And yf they (namely that trouble my people) wil lerne ye wayes of them, to sweare by my name: The LORDE lyueth (like as they lerned my people to sweare by Baal) the shal they be rekened amoge my people.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And if they will learne the wayes of my people, to sweare by my Name, ( The Lord liueth, as they taught my people to sweare by Baal) then shall they be built in the middes of my people.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And yf they namely that trouble my people wyll learne the wayes of them to sweare by my name, the Lorde lyueth, lyke as they learned my people to sweare by Baal, then shall they be built among my people:

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, The LORD liveth; as they taught my people to swear by Baal; then shall they be built in the midst of my people.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  It shall happen, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, As Yahweh lives; even as they taught my people to swear by Baal; then shall they be built up in the midst of my people.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And it hath come to pass, If they learn well the ways of My people, To swear by My name, `Jehovah liveth,' As they taught My people to swear by Baal, Then they have been built up in the midst of My people.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, As Jehovah liveth; even as they taught my people to swear by Baal; then shall they be built up in the midst of my people.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, As Jehovah liveth; even as they taught my people to swear by Baal; then shall they be built up in the midst of my people.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And it will be that, if they give their minds to learning the ways of my people, using my name in their oaths, By the living Lord; as they have been teaching my people to take oaths by the Baal; then their place will be made certain among my people.

• World English Bible (2000)

  It shall happen, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, As Yahweh lives; even as they taught my people to swear by Baal; then shall they be built up in the midst of my people.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  But they must make sure to learn to follow the religious practices of my people. Once they taught my people to swear their oaths using the name of the god Baal. But then, they must swear oaths using my name, saying,“As surely as the LORD lives, I swear.” If they do these things, then they will be included among the people I call my own.

Referenced Verses

• Jer 4:2 : 2 And you shall swear, The LORD lives, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory.
• Josh 23:7 : 7 That you do not come among these nations, those that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause anyone to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves down to them:
• Zeph 1:5 : 5 And those that worship the host of heaven on the rooftops; and those that worship and that swear by the LORD, and also swear by Milcom;
• Zech 2:11 : 11 And many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and they shall be My people: and I will dwell in your midst, and you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you.
• Rom 11:17 : 17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them partake of the root and fatness of the olive tree,
• Rom 14:11 : 11 For it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
• 1 Cor 3:9 : 9 For we are workers together with God: you are God's field, you are God's building.
• Eph 2:19-22 : 19 Now therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God; 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone; 21 In whom all the building fitly framed together grows to a holy temple in the Lord: 22 In whom you also are built together for a habitation of God through the Spirit.
• 1 Pet 2:4-6 : 4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.
• Jer 5:2 : 2 And though they say, The LORD lives; surely they swear falsely.
• Deut 10:20-21 : 20 You shall fear the LORD your God; him you shall serve, and to him you shall hold fast, and swear by his name. 21 He is your praise, and he is your God, who has done for you these great and awesome things which your eyes have seen.
• Ps 106:35-36 : 35 But they were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works. 36 And they served their idols, which were a snare to them.
• Song 1:8 : 8 If you do not know, O fairest among women, follow the trail of the flock, and feed your young goats beside the shepherds' tents.
• Isa 9:18-21 : 18 For wickedness burns like the fire; it will devour the briers and thorns and will kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they will mount up like the lifting up of smoke. 19 Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts the land is burned and the people will be as fuel for the fire; no man will spare his brother. 20 And he will snatch on the right hand and be hungry; and he will eat on the left hand and not be satisfied; they will eat every man the flesh of his own arm. 21 Manasseh, Ephraim, and Ephraim, Manasseh; and they together will be against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
• Isa 19:23-25 : 23 In that day there shall be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrians shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptians into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians. 24 In that day Israel shall be the third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the land, 25 whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, 'Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance.'
• Isa 45:23 : 23 I have sworn by Myself, the word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that to Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.
• Isa 49:6 : 6 And he said, It is a light thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give you as a light to the Gentiles, that you may be my salvation to the end of the earth.
• Isa 56:5-6 : 5 Even unto them will I give in my house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. 6 Also the sons of the foreigner, who join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one who keeps the sabbath from polluting it, and takes hold of my covenant;
• Isa 65:16 : 16 So that he who blesses himself in the earth shall bless himself by the God of truth; and he who swears in the earth shall swear by the God of truth, because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hidden from my eyes.
• Jer 3:17 : 17 At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered to it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk anymore after the imagination of their evil heart.