O thou sword of the LORD, how long will it be ere thou be quiet? put up thyself into thy scabbard, rest, and be still.
Parallel translations
- WEB “‘You sword of Yahweh, how long will it be before you are quiet? Put yourself back into your scabbard; rest, and be still.’
- BSB ‘Alas, O sword of the LORD, how long until you rest? Return to your sheath; cease and be still!’
- NKJV “O you sword of the Lord, How long until you are quiet? Put yourself up into your scabbard, Rest and be still!
- NASB “Ah, sword of the Lord, How long will you not be quiet? Withdraw into your sheath; Rest and stay still.
- NLT “Now, O sword of the Lord, when will you be at rest again? Go back into your sheath; rest and be still.
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
The land cries out for the LORD's sword to stop and return to its sheath.
Overview
In poignant personification, the anguished people plead for the sword of judgment to rest and be still. The cry expresses the longing for the war to end, but it cannot dictate God's timing. It reminds readers that judgment proceeds at the LORD's command, and true rest is found only when His justice is satisfied, fully accomplished at the cross.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Ezek 21:3–5And say to the land of Israel, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I am against thee, and will draw forth my sword out of his sheath, and will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked.
- Jer 12:12The spoilers are come upon all high places through the wilderness: for the sword of the LORD shall devour from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land: no flesh shall have peace.
- John 18:11Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?
- Ezek 21:30Shall I cause it to return into his sheath? I will judge thee in the place where thou wast created, in the land of thy nativity.
- Jer 12:4How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of every field wither, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein? the beasts are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He shall not see our last end.
- Jer 4:21How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet?
- Deut 32:41–42If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me.
- 2 Sam 2:26Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour for ever? knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? how long shall it be then, ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren?
- 1 Chr 21:27And the LORD commanded the angel; and he put up his sword again into the sheath thereof.
- Isa 10:15Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? as if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were no wood.
- Isa 10:5O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation.
- Jer 15:3And I will appoint over them four kinds, saith the LORD: the sword to slay, and the dogs to tear, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the earth, to devour and destroy.
- Ezek 14:17Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off man and beast from it:
- Jer 25:27Therefore thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Drink ye, and be drunken, and spue, and fall, and rise no more, because of the sword which I will send among you.
- Ps 17:13Arise, O LORD, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword:
- Jer 51:20–23Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms;
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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 47:6 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.