Jeremiah 16:11

KJV1611 – Modern English

Then you shall say to them, Because your fathers have forsaken me, says the LORD, and have walked after other gods, and have served them, and have worshiped them, and have forsaken me, and have not kept my law.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵיהֶ֗ם עַל֩ אֲשֶׁר־עָזְב֨וּ אֲבוֹתֵיכֶ֤ם אוֹתִי֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה וַיֵּלְכ֗וּ אַֽחֲרֵי֙ אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֔ים וַיַּעַבְד֖וּם וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲו֣וּ לָהֶ֑ם וְאֹתִ֣י עָזָ֔בוּ וְאֶת־תּוֹרָתִ֖י לֹ֥א שָׁמָֽרוּ׃

Transliteration

And-ʾāmartā to-them: Because ʾăšer-ʿāzḇû ʾăḇôṯêḵem ʾôṯî nəʾum-YHWH and-wayyēləḵû after ʾĕlōhîm ʾăḥērîm and-wayyaʿaḇḏûm and-wayyištaḥăwû to-them and-me ʿāzāḇû and-ʾeṯ-tôrāṯî not šāmārû

Grammar Details

• *ʾāmartā*: qal perfect with waw consecutive, 2nd masculine singular - and you shall say
• *ʾăšer*: relative particle - that/which
• *ʿāzḇû*: qal perfect, 3rd common plural - they forsook/abandoned
• *ʾăḇôṯêḵem*: masculine plural noun + 2nd masculine plural suffix - your fathers
• *ʾôṯî*: direct object marker + 1st person singular suffix - me
• *nəʾum*: construct state, masculine singular - declaration of
• *YHWH*: divine name - LORD/Yahweh
• *wayyēləḵû*: qal imperfect with waw consecutive, 3rd masculine plural - and they went
• *ʾĕlōhîm*: masculine plural noun - gods
• *ʾăḥērîm*: masculine plural adjective - other/foreign
• *wayyaʿaḇḏûm*: qal imperfect with waw consecutive, 3rd masculine plural + 3rd masculine plural suffix - and they served them
• *wayyištaḥăwû*: hishtaphel imperfect with waw consecutive, 3rd masculine plural - and they bowed down
• *ʿāzāḇû*: qal perfect, 3rd common plural - they forsook/abandoned
• *tôrāṯî*: feminine singular noun + 1st person singular suffix - my law/instruction
• *šāmārû*: qal perfect, 3rd common plural - they kept/observed

Word Meanings

• *ʿāzaḇ*: forsake/abandon/leave
• *tôrāh*: law/instruction/teaching
• *šāmar*: keep/observe/guard

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  Then you are to answer them: 'It is because your ancestors abandoned Me,' declares the LORD, 'and followed other gods, served them, and worshiped them. But they abandoned Me and did not keep My law.

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  Then shalt thou say unto them, Because your fathers have forsaken me, saith the LORD, and have walked after other gods, and have served them, and have worshipped them, and have forsaken me, and have not kept my law;

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  Then shalt thou say{H559} unto them, Because your fathers{H1} have forsaken{H5800} me, saith{H5002} Jehovah,{H3068} and have walked{H3212} after{H310} other{H312} gods,{H430} and have served{H5647} them, and have worshipped{H7812} them, and have forsaken{H5800} me, and have not kept{H8104} my law;{H8451}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  Then shalt thou say{H559}{(H8804)} unto them, Because your fathers{H1} have forsaken{H5800}{(H8804)} me, saith{H5002}{(H8803)} the LORD{H3068}, and have walked{H3212}{(H8799)} after{H310} other{H312} gods{H430}, and have served{H5647}{(H8799)} them, and have worshipped{H7812}{(H8691)} them, and have forsaken{H5800}{(H8804)} me, and have not kept{H8104}{(H8804)} my law{H8451};

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Then make thou them this answere: Because youre fathers haue forsaken me (saieth the LORDE) and haue cleued vnto straunge goddes, whom they haue honoured and worshipped: but me haue they forsake, and haue not kepte my lawe.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Then shalt thou say vnto them, Because your fathers haue forsaken me, sayth the Lord, & haue walked after other gods, and haue serued them, and worshipped them, & haue forsaken me, and haue not kept my Law,

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  Then make thou them this aunswere: Because your fathers haue forsaken me, saith the Lorde, and haue walked after straunge gods, whom they honoured and worshipped: but me haue they forsaken, and haue not kept my lawe.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  Then shalt thou say unto them, Because your fathers have forsaken me, saith the LORD, and have walked after other gods, and have served them, and have worshipped them, and have forsaken me, and have not kept my law;

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Then shall you tell them, Because your fathers have forsaken me, says Yahweh, and have walked after other gods, and have served them, and have worshiped them, and have forsaken me, and have not kept my law;

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  Then thou hast said unto them: Because that your fathers have forsaken Me, An affirmation of Jehovah, And go after other gods, and serve them, And they bow themselves to them, And Me have forsaken, and My law not kept,

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Then shalt thou say unto them, Because your fathers have forsaken me, saith Jehovah, and have walked after other gods, and have served them, and have worshipped them, and have forsaken me, and have not kept my law;

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Then shalt thou say unto them, Because your fathers have forsaken me, saith Jehovah, and have walked after other gods, and have served them, and have worshipped them, and have forsaken me, and have not kept my law;

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  Then you will say to them, Because your fathers have given me up, says the Lord, and have gone after other gods and become their servants and their worshippers, and have given me up and have not kept my law;

• World English Bible (2000)

  Then you shall tell them, Because your fathers have forsaken me, says Yahweh, and have walked after other gods, and have served them, and have worshiped them, and have forsaken me, and have not kept my law;

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  Then tell them that the LORD says,‘It is because your ancestors rejected me and paid allegiance to other gods. They have served them and worshiped them. But they have rejected me and not obeyed my law.

Referenced Verses

• Ps 106:35-41 : 35 But they were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works. 36 And they served their idols, which were a snare to them. 37 Yes, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons, 38 And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; and the land was polluted with blood. 39 Thus they were defiled with their own works, and played the harlot with their own inventions. 40 Therefore the wrath of the LORD was kindled against his people, so much so that he abhorred his own inheritance. 41 And he gave them into the hand of the heathen; and those who hated them ruled over them.
• Jer 5:7-9 : 7 How shall I pardon you for this? Your children have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are no gods: when I had fed them to the full, they then committed adultery, and assembled themselves by troops in the harlots' houses. 8 They were like well-fed horses in the morning: everyone neighed after his neighbor's wife. 9 Shall I not visit for these things? says the LORD: and shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
• Jer 8:2 : 2 And they will spread them before the sun, the moon, and all the host of heaven, whom they have loved, whom they have served, after whom they have walked, whom they have sought, and whom they have worshipped. They will not be gathered nor buried; they will be dung upon the face of the earth.
• Deut 29:25-26 : 25 Then men shall say, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD God of their fathers, which he made with them when he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt: 26 For they went and served other gods, and worshipped them, gods whom they knew not, and whom he had not given to them:
• 1 Kgs 9:9 : 9 And they shall answer, Because they forsook the LORD their God, who brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have taken hold of other gods, and have worshiped them, and served them: therefore, the LORD has brought upon them all this evil.
• Neh 9:26-29 : 26 Nevertheless, they were disobedient and rebelled against You, cast Your law behind their backs, and killed Your prophets who testified against them, to turn them back to You, and they performed great provocations. 27 Therefore You delivered them into the hand of their enemies, who oppressed them. And in the time of their trouble, when they cried to You, You heard from heaven; and according to Your manifold mercies, You gave them deliverers who saved them from the hand of their enemies. 28 But after they had rest, they did evil again before You; therefore You abandoned them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had dominion over them. Yet when they returned and cried out to You, You heard from heaven, and many times delivered them according to Your mercies. 29 You testified against them, that You might bring them back to Your law. Yet they acted proudly and did not heed Your commandments but sinned against Your judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them. And they shrugged their shoulders, stiffened their necks, and would not hear.
• Jer 22:9 : 9 Then they shall answer, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD their God, and worshiped other gods, and served them.
• Ezek 11:21 : 21 But as for those whose hearts follow the hearts of their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their way upon their own heads, says the Lord GOD.
• 1 Pet 4:3 : 3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have done the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in sensuality, lusts, excess of wine, revelings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:
• Dan 9:10-12 : 10 Neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in His laws, which He set before us by His servants the prophets. 11 Yes, all Israel has transgressed Your law, even by departing, that they might not obey Your voice; therefore, the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against Him. 12 And He has confirmed His words, which He spoke against us and against our judges who judged us, by bringing upon us a great calamity: for under the whole heaven, such as has been done upon Jerusalem has not been done.
• Judg 2:12-13 : 12 And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, the gods of the people that were around them, and bowed themselves to them, and provoked the LORD to anger. 13 And they forsook the LORD and served Baal and Ashtaroth.
• Judg 10:13-14 : 13 Yet you have forsaken Me and served other gods; therefore, I will deliver you no more. 14 Go and cry to the gods which you have chosen; let them deliver you in your time of distress.
• Jer 9:14 : 14 But have walked after the imagination of their own heart, and after Baalim, which their fathers taught them:
• Jer 2:8 : 8 The priests did not say, Where is the LORD? and those who handle the law did not know me: the shepherds also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.