Be stunned by this, O heavens; be shocked and utterly appalled,” declares the LORD.
Parallel translations
- WEB “Be astonished, you heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid. Be very desolate,” says Yahweh.
- KJV Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the LORD.
- ESV Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate, declares the LORD,
- NKJV Be astonished, O heavens, at this, And be horribly afraid; Be very desolate,” says the Lord.
- NASB “Be appalled at this, you heavens, And shudder, be very desolate,” declares the Lord.
- NLT The heavens are shocked at such a thing and shrink back in horror and dismay,” says the Lord.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God calls the heavens to be appalled at Israel's apostasy. The offense is cosmic in scale.
Overview
Yahweh summons the heavens to be astonished, horrified, and desolate at His people's betrayal. The personified heavens act as witnesses in the covenant lawsuit, as in Moses' song. That creation itself should shudder underscores how monstrous it is to forsake the Creator.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Isa 1:2Listen, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the LORD has spoken: “I have raised children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against Me.
- Jer 22:29O land, land, land, hear the word of the LORD!
- Mic 6:2Hear, O mountains, the LORD’s indictment, you enduring foundations of the earth. For the LORD has a case against His people, and He will argue it against Israel:
- Jer 6:19Hear, O earth! I am bringing disaster on this people, the fruit of their own schemes, because they have paid no attention to My word and have rejected My instruction.
- Deut 32:1Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak; hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.
- Matt 27:45From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land.
- Matt 27:50–53When Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He yielded up His spirit.
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Against the failure of false shepherds Jeremiah promises the Righteous Branch, 'The LORD our righteousness,' and the new covenant written on the heart and sealed in the blood of Christ.
How Jeremiah 2:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.