No Balm in Gilead

Jeremiah 8

The Lord foretells that the bones of Judah's kings, princes, priests, and prophets will be dug up and exposed to the sun and stars they worshipped, because the people have refused to turn back despite every warning. Jeremiah laments that even the birds know their appointed seasons while his people do not know the Lord's judgment, and grieves that there is no balm in Gilead to heal his people's wound.

About these editions

The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.

Thomson 1808Septuagint

Brenton 1851Septuagint

Greek · BrentonSeptuagint

KJV 1769Masoretic

JPS 1917Masoretic

ThomsonAT that time, saith the Lord, they shall carry out the bones of the kings of Juda, and the bones of his chiefs, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves;

BrentonAt that time, saith the Lord, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Juda, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves;

GreekἘν τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, λέγει Κύριος, ἐξοίσουσι τὰ ὀστᾶ τῶν βασιλέων Ἰούδα, καὶ τὰ ὀστᾶ τῶν ἀρχόντων αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὰ ὀστᾶ τῶν ἱερέων, καὶ τὰ ὀστᾶ προφητῶν, καὶ τὰ ὀστᾶ τῶν κατοικούντων ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἐκ τῶν τάφων αὐτῶν,

KJVAt that time, saith the LORD, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves:

JPSAt that time, saith the LORD, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves;

Thomsonand expose them to the sun and moon and to all the stars, and to all the host of heaven which they loved and served, and after which they went and to which they were attached, and to which they bowed down. They shall not be lamented nor buried; but shall be for a spectacle, on the face of the earth

Brentonand they shall spread them out to the sun, and the moon, and to all the stars, and to all the host of heaven, which they have loved, and which they have served, and after which they have walked, and to which they have held, and which they have worshipped; they shall not be mourned for, neither shall they be buried; but they shall be for an example on the face of the earth,

Greekκαὶ ψύξουσιν αὐτὰ πρὸς τὸν ἥλιον καὶ τὴν σελήνην, καὶ πρὸς πάντας τοὺς ἀστέρας, καὶ πρὸς πᾶσαν τὴν στρατιὰν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, ἃ ἠγάπησαν, καὶ οἷς ἐδούλευσαν, καὶ ὧν ἐπορεύθησαν ὀπίσω αὐτῶν, καὶ ὧν ἀντείχοντο, καὶ οἷς προσεκύνησαν αὐτοῖς· οὐ κοπήσονται, καὶ οὐ ταφήσονται, καὶ ἔσονται εἰς παράδειγμα ἐπὶ πρόσωπου τῆς γῆς,

KJVAnd they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, whom they have loved, and whom they have served, and after whom they have walked, and whom they have sought, and whom they have worshipped: they shall not be gathered, nor be buried; they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth.

JPSand they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, whom they have loved, and whom they have served, and after whom they have walked, and whom they have sought, and whom they have worshipped; they shall not be gathered, nor be buried, they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth.

Thomson(because they chose death rather than life) even to all the residue left of that generation, in every place whither I shall drive them.

Brentonbecause they chose death rather than life, even to all the remnant that are left of that family, in every place whither I shall drive them out.

Greekὅτι εἵλοντο τὸν θάνατον ἢ τὴν ζωὴν, καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς καταλοίποις τοῖς καταλειφθεῖσιν ἀπὸ τῆς γενεᾶς ἐκείνης, ἐν παντὶ τόπῳ οὗ ἐὰν ἐξώσω αὐτοὺς ἐκεῖ.

KJVAnd death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of them that remain of this evil family, which remain in all the places whither I have driven them, saith the LORD of hosts.

JPSAnd death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue that remain of this evil family, that remain in all the places whither I have driven them, saith the LORD of hosts.

ThomsonThus saith the Lord: Doth not he who falleth rise again? Or doth not he who turneth aside, return back?

BrentonFor thus saith the Lord, Shall not he that falls arise? or he that turns away, shall he not turn back again?

GreekὍτι τάδε λέγει Κύριος, μὴ ὁ πίπτων οὐκ ἀνίσταται; ἢ ὁ ἀποστρέφων οὐκ ἀναστρέφει;

KJVMoreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD; Shall they fall, and not arise? shall he turn away, and not return?

JPSMoreover thou shalt say unto them: Thus saith the LORD: Do men fall, and not rise up again? Doth one turn away, and not return?

ThomsonWhy then hath this My people shamefully turned aside, and persisted in their error and refused to return?

BrentonWherefore has this my people turned away with a shameless revolting, and strengthened themselves in their wilfulness, and refused to return?

GreekΔιατί ἀπέστρεψεν ὁ λαός μου οὗτος ἀποστροφὴν ἀναιδῆ, καὶ κατεκρατήθησαν ἐν τῇ προαιρέσει αὐτῶν, καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησαν τοῦ ἐπιστρέψαι;

KJV—

JPS—

ThomsonHearken now and hear! Will they not speak thus, There is not a man who repenteth of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? He who was running stopped in his course like a horse tired with whinnying.

BrentonHearken, I pray you, and hear: will they not speak thus, There is no man that repents of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? the runner has failed from his course, as a tired horse in his neighing.

Greekἐνωτίσασθε δὴ, καὶ ἀκούσατε· οὐχ οὕτω λαλήσουσιν, οὐκ ἔστιν ἄνθρωπος ὁ μετανοῶν ἀπὸ τῆς κακίας αὐτοῦ, λέγων, τί ἐποίησα; διέλιπεν ὁ τρέχων ἀπὸ τοῦ δρόμου αὐτοῦ, ὡς ἵππος κάθιδρος ἐν χρεμετισμῷ αὐτοῦ.

KJVI hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle.

JPSI attended and listened, but they spoke not aright; no man repenteth him of his wickedness, saying: ‘What have I done?’ Every one turneth away in his course, as a horse that rusheth headlong in the battle.

ThomsonThe stork in the heaven knoweth her season; so doth the dove and the swallow of the field; the ostriches observed the time of their coming; but My people do not know the judgments of the Lord.

BrentonYea, 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.

GreekΚαὶ ἡ ἀσίδα ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ἔγνω τὸν καιρὸν αὐτῆς, τρυγὼν καὶ χελιδὼν ἀγροῦ, στρουθία ἐφύλαξαν καιροὺς εἰσόδων ἑαυτῶν, ὁ δὲ λαός μου οὗτος οὐκ ἔγνω τὰ κρίματα Κυρίου.

KJVYea, 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.

JPSYea, 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.

ThomsonHow can you say, We are wise and the law of the Lord is with us? In vain was it made; the scribes had a lying pen.

BrentonHow will ye say, We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us? In vain have the scribes used a false pen.

GreekΠῶς ἐρεῖτε, ὅτι σοφοί ἐσμεν ἡμεῖς, καὶ νόμος Κυρίου μεθʼ ἡμῶν ἐστιν; εἰς μάτην ἐγενήθη σχοῖνος ψευδὴς γραμματεῦσιν.

KJVHow do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain.

JPSHow do ye say: ‘We are wise, and the Law of the LORD is with us’? Lo, certainly in vain hath wrought the vain pen of the scribes.

ThomsonThe wise are ashamed. They are indeed dismayed and taken, because they rejected the law of the Lord. What wisdom is in them?

BrentonThe wise men are ashamed, and alarmed, and taken; because they have rejected the word of the Lord; what wisdom is there in them?

GreekἨσχύνθησαν σοφοὶ, καὶ ἐπτοήθησαν καὶ ἑάλωσαν, ὅτι τὸν νόμον Κυρίου ἀπεδοκίμασαν· σοφία τίς ἐστιν ἐν αὐτοῖς;

KJVThe wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them?

JPSThe wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken; lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them?.

ThomsonTherefore I will give their wives to others and their

BrentonTherefore will I give their wives to others, and their fields to new inheritors; and they shall gather their fruits, saith the Lord.

GreekΔιατοῦτο δώσω τὰς γυναῖκας αὐτῶν ἑτέροις, καὶ τοὺς ἀγροὺς αὐτῶν τοῖς κληρονόμοις,

KJVTherefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall inherit them: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.

JPSTherefore will I give their wives unto others, And their fields to them that shall possess them; for from the least even unto the greatest every one is greedy for gain, from the prophet even unto the priest Every one dealeth falsely.

Thomsonfields to them who will take possession, that they may gather the products thereof, saith the Lord. (c) There is not a cluster on the vine nor is there a fig on the fig trees, even the leaves are fallen.

BrentonThere are no grapes on the vines, and there are no figs on the fig-trees, and the leaves have fallen off.

Greekκαὶ συνάξουσι τὰ γεννήματα αὐτῶν, λέγει Κύριος. Οὐκ ἔστι σταφυλὴ ἐν ταῖς ἀμπέλοις, καὶ οὐκ ἐστι σῦκα ἐν ταῖς συκαῖς, καὶ τὰ φύλλα κατεῤῥύηκεν.

KJVI will surely consume them, saith the LORD: there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade; and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them.

JPSI will utterly consume them, saith the LORD; there are no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig-tree, and the leaf is faded; and I gave them that which they transgress.

ThomsonWhy sit we still? Assemble and let us go into the fortified cities; and let us be cast off there; since God hath cast us off. He hath indeed given us water of gall to drink because we have sinned against Him.

BrentonWhy 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.

GreekἘπὶ τί ἡμεῖς καθήμεθα; συνάχθητε, καὶ εἰσέλθωμεν εἰς τὰς πόλεις τὰς ὀχυρὰς, καὶ ἀποῤῥιφῶμεν ἐκεῖ, ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς ἀπέῤῥιψεν ἡμᾶς, καὶ ἐπότισεν ἡμᾶς ὕδωρ χολῆς, ὅτι ἡμάρτομεν ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ.

KJVWhy 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.

JPS’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.

ThomsonWe assembled for peace; but there is no good; for a time of healing and behold trouble.

BrentonWe assembled for peace, but there was no prosperity; for a time of healing, but behold anxiety.

GreekΣυνήχθημεν εἰς εἰρήνην, καὶ οὐκ ἦν ἀγαθὰ, εἰς καιρὸν ἰάσεως, καὶ ἰδοὺ σπουδή.

KJVWe looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and behold trouble!

JPSWe looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of healing, and behold terror! ’

ThomsonFrom Dan we can hear the sound of the snorting of His horses; with the neighing of His cavalry the whole earth is shaken. (J) And He will come on and devour the land and the fulness thereof, the cities and them who dwell therein.

BrentonWe shall hear the neighing of his swift horses out of Dan: the whole land quaked at the sound of the neighing of his horses; and he shall come, and devour the land and the fulness of it; the city, and them that dwell in it.

GreekἘκ Δὰν ἀκουσόμεθα φωνὴν ὀξύτητος ἵππων αὐτοῦ· ἀπὸ φωνῆς χρεμετισμοῦ ἱππασίας ἵππων αὐτοῦ ἐσείσθη πᾶσα ἡ γῆ. καὶ ἥξει καὶ καταφάγεται τὴν γῆν, καὶ τὸ πλήρωμα αὐτῆς, πόλιν καὶ τοὺς κατοικοῦντας ἐν αὐτῇ.

KJVThe snorting of his horses was heard from Dan: the whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones; for they are come, and have devoured the land, and all that is in it; the city, and those that dwell therein.

JPSThe snorting of his horses is heard from Dan; at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones the whole land trembleth; for they are come, and have devoured the land and all that is in it, the city and those that dwell therein.

ThomsonFor behold I am sending against you deadly serpents, which cannot be charmed, and they will bite you

BrentonFor, behold, I send forth against you deadly serpents, which cannot be charmed, and they shall bite you

GreekΔιότι ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἐξαποστέλλω εἰς ὑμᾶς ὄφεις θανατοῦντας, οἷς οὐκ ἔστιν ἐπᾴσαι, καὶ δήξονται ὑμᾶς

KJVFor, behold, I will send serpents, cockatrices, among you, which will not be charmed, and they shall bite you, saith the LORD.

JPSFor, behold, I will send serpents, basilisks, among you, which will not be charmed; and they shall bite you, saith the LORD.

Thomson—

Brentonmortally with the pain of your distressed heart.

Greekἀνίατα μετʼ ὀδύνης καρδίας ὑμῶν ἀπορουμένης.

KJV—

JPS—

ThomsonHark! a sound of the cry of the daughter of My people from a distant land: Is not the Lord in Sion? Is He not king there? Because they provoked Me to anger with their graven images and with strange vanities.

BrentonBehold, there is a sound of the cry of the daughter of my people from a land afar off: Is not the Lord in Sion? is there not a king there? because they have provoked me with their graven images, and with strange vanities.

GreekἸδοὺ φωνὴ κραυγῆς θυγατρὸς λαοῦ μου ἀπὸ γῆς μακρόθεν· μὴ Κύριος οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν Σιών; ἢ βασιλεὺς οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκεῖ; διότι παρώργισάν με ἐν τοῖς γλυπτοῖς αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐν ματαίοις ἀλλοτρίοις.

KJVBehold 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?

JPSBehold the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people from a land far off: ‘Is not the LORD in Zion? Is not her King in her?’— ‘Why have they provoked Me with their graven images, and with strange vanities?’—

Thomson(p) The summer is past; the harvest is over and we are not saved,

BrentonThe summer is gone, the harvest is past, and we are not saved.

GreekΔιῆλθε θέρος, παρῆλθεν ἀμητὸς, καὶ ἡμεῖς οὐ διεσώθημεν.

KJVThe harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.

JPS’The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.’

Thomsonat the destruction of the daughter of my people I was whelmed in darkness: in distress I was seized with pangs like those of a woman in travail.

BrentonFor the breach of the daughter of my people I have been saddened: in my perplexity pangs have seized upon me as of a woman in travail.

GreekἘπὶ συντρίμματι θυγατρὸς λαοῦ μου ἐσκοτώθην· ἐν ἀπορίᾳ κατίσχυσάν με ὠδῖνες ὡς τικτούσης.

KJV—

JPSFor the hurt of the daughter of my people am I seized with anguish; I am black, appalment hath taken hold on me.

ThomsonIs there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why is not healing come for the daughter of my people?

BrentonAnd is there no balm in Galaad, or is there no physician there? why has not the healing of the daughter of my people taken place?

GreekΚαὶ μὴ ῥητίνη οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν Γαλαὰδ, ἢ ἰατρὸς οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκεῖ; διατί οὐκ ἀνέβη ἴασις θυγατρὸς λαοῦ μου;

KJVIs there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?

JPSIs there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?

Thomson—

BrentonWho will give water to my head, and a fountain of tears to my eyes? then would I weep for this my people day and night, even for the slain of the daughter of my people.

GreekΤίς δώσει κεφαλῇ μου ὕδωρ, καὶ ὀφθαλμοῖς μου πηγὴν δακρύων; καὶ κλαύσομαι τὸν λαόν μου τοῦτον ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτὸς, τοὺς τετραυματισμένους θυγατρὸς λαοῦ μου.

KJV—

JPSOh 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!