The Meaning of Jeremiah 14:18 Explained

Jeremiah 14:18

KJV: If I go forth into the field, then behold the slain with the sword! and if I enter into the city, then behold them that are sick with famine! yea, both the prophet and the priest go about into a land that they know not.

YLT: If I have gone forth to the field, Then, lo, the pierced of the sword! And if I have entered the city, Then, lo, the diseased of famine! For both prophet and priest have gone up and down Unto a land that they knew not.

Darby: If I go forth into the field, behold the slain with the sword! and if I enter into the city, behold them that pine away with famine! For both prophet and priest shall go about into a land that they know not.

ASV: If I go forth into the field, then, behold, the slain with the sword! and if I enter into the city, then, behold, they that are sick with famine! for both the prophet and the priest go about in the land, and have no knowledge.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

If I go forth  into the field,  then behold the slain  with the sword!  and if I enter  into the city,  then behold them that are sick  with famine!  yea, both the prophet  and the priest  go about  into a land  that they know  not. 

What does Jeremiah 14:18 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Wherever Jeremiah went he saw dead corpses and people about to die from famine and its related diseases. Even the prophets and priests, who knew the land well, were wandering around in it as though they were in a foreign country.

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 14

1  The grievous famine,
7  causes Jeremiah to pray
10  The Lord will not be entreated for the people
13  false prophets are no excuse for them
17  Jeremiah is moved to complain for them

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 14:18 mean?

If I go out to the field and behold those slain with the sword and if I enter the city and behold those sick from famine Yes both prophet and priest go about in a land and not they do know -
אִם־ יָצָ֣אתִי הַשָּׂדֶ֗ה וְהִנֵּה֙ חַלְלֵי־ ! חֶ֔רֶב וְאִם֙ בָּ֣אתִי הָעִ֔יר וְהִנֵּ֖ה תַּחֲלוּאֵ֣י ! רָעָ֑ב כִּֽי־ גַם־ נָבִ֧יא גַם־ כֹּהֵ֛ן סָחֲר֥וּ אֶל־ אֶ֖רֶץ וְלֹ֥א יָדָֽעוּ ס

יָצָ֣אתִי  I  go  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
הַשָּׂדֶ֗ה  to  the  field 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׂדֶה 
Sense: field, land.
וְהִנֵּה֙  and  behold 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
חַלְלֵי־  those  slain  with 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: חָלָל 
Sense: slain, fatally wounded, pierced.
! חֶ֔רֶב  the  sword 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.
וְאִם֙  and  if 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Conjunction
Root: אִם  
Sense: if.
בָּ֣אתִי  I  enter 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
הָעִ֔יר  the  city 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
וְהִנֵּ֖ה  and  behold 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
תַּחֲלוּאֵ֣י  those  sick  from 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: תַּחֲלֻאִים  
Sense: diseases.
! רָעָ֑ב  famine 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: רָעָב  
Sense: famine, hunger.
כִּֽי־  Yes 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
גַם־  both 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
נָבִ֧יא  prophet 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: נָבִיא  
Sense: spokesman, speaker, prophet.
כֹּהֵ֛ן  priest 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
סָחֲר֥וּ  go  about 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: סָחַר  
Sense: to go around, go about, travel about in, go about in trade.
אֶ֖רֶץ  a  land 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
וְלֹ֥א  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יָדָֽעוּ  they  do  know 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation