Jeremiah 8 7

Jeremiah 8:7 kjv

Yea, 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.

Jeremiah 8:7 nkjv

"Even the stork in the heavens Knows her appointed times; And the turtledove, the swift, and the swallow Observe the time of their coming. But My people do not know the judgment of the LORD.

Jeremiah 8:7 niv

Even the stork in the sky knows her appointed seasons, and the dove, the swift and the thrush observe the time of their migration. But my people do not know the requirements of the LORD.

Jeremiah 8:7 esv

Even the stork in the heavens knows her times, and the turtledove, swallow, and crane keep the time of their coming, but my people know not the rules of the LORD.

Jeremiah 8:7 nlt

Even the stork that flies across the sky
knows the time of her migration,
as do the turtledove, the swallow, and the crane.
They all return at the proper time each year.
But not my people!
They do not know the LORD's laws.

Jeremiah 8 verses

Jeremiah 8 7 Meaning

Jeremiah 8:7 asserts a profound irony and indictment: even migratory birds, guided by instinct, unfailingly know and adhere to their appointed seasons for travel, demonstrating an innate understanding of order. In stark contrast, the people of God, Israel, fail to "know" – meaning to understand, acknowledge, and obey – the divine standard, law, and righteous way of the Lord, despite having received explicit revelation. This verse highlights Judah's deep spiritual blindness, stubborn rebellion, and refusal to respond to God's divine counsel, making them less perceptive than animals in observing the created order.

Jeremiah 8 7 Context

Jeremiah chapter 8 opens with a vivid description of God's impending judgment upon Judah for their unceasing apostasy. The immediate preceding verses (Jer 8:4-6) condemn the people for backsliding, persistently turning away from God, and refusing to return to Him, unlike people who, if they fall, naturally rise again. They are compared to horses rushing into battle without heed. This verse (Jer 8:7) then starkly contrasts their stubborn refusal with the inherent wisdom and obedience of the natural world, specifically migratory birds. It serves as a sharp rhetorical question and a lamentation, setting the stage for further rebukes against the false prophets and priests who proclaim "Peace, peace," when there is no peace (Jer 8:8-12), and the escalating divine wrath that follows. The historical context is Judah on the brink of Babylonian invasion, repeatedly warned by Jeremiah but consistently choosing idolatry and unfaithfulness.

Jeremiah 8 7 Word analysis

• Even the stork (וְגַם-חֲסִידָה, wəḡam-ḥăsîḏâ): "Even" (וְגַם, wəḡam) intensifies the comparison, emphasizing the unexpected lesson from an animal. The Hebrew ḥăsîḏâ means "stork," derived from ḥeseḏ (loyal love, kindness, steadfastness). This is deeply ironic. The bird named for its perceived faithfulness or loyalty (perhaps due to its meticulous parental care and punctual return) is contrasted with an unfaithful Israel. Its actions embody a form of "steadfastness" that God's people lack.
• in the heavens (בַּשָּׁמַיִם, baššāmāyim): Denotes its high flight path, observing celestial cues or simply the vastness of its journey, yet it maintains its internal compass.
• knows (יָדְעָה, yāḏĕʿâ): Refers to an instinctive, inherent, or observational knowledge. It's an experiential awareness, deeply embedded, not a reasoned intellectual process. This knowledge is sufficient for their migratory obedience.
• her appointed times (מוֹעֲדֶיהָ, môʿăḏeyhā): This plural form indicates specific, fixed, and recurring times or seasons. The singular môʿēd also refers to God's set feast days/festivals, implying a divine ordering not just of nature but of sacred covenant life. The birds know their mo'adim in nature, while Israel fails to know or keep God's mo'adim for worship and obedience.
• and the turtledove (וְתֹור וְסוּס, wəṯôr wəsûs): Hebrew lists three more birds: tor (תּוֹר) – turtledove; sis (סוּס) – swallow or swift.
• swallow, and crane (וְעָגוּר, wəʿāḡûr): agur (עָגוּר) – often translated "crane," sometimes another type of swallow or swift. The cumulative list emphasizes the consistent, universal obedience of diverse species within nature.
• observe the time of their coming (שָׁמְרוּ אֵת עֵת בֹּאָן, šāmrû ’êṯ ‘ēṯ bō’ān): "Observe" (šāmar) means to keep, guard, or watch. They heed, or respect, their precise, seasonable time of arrival. Their timing is exact and disciplined.
• but My people (וְעַמִּי, wəʿammî): "But" creates the sharp antithesis. "My people" highlights the covenantal relationship, intensifying God's lament and disappointment over their failure, as they are His chosen ones.
• know not (לֹא יָדְעוּ, lō’ yāḏĕʿû): A direct negation of the bird's inherent knowledge. Here, for humans, "to know" encompasses experiential understanding, acknowledgment, and faithful application of God's revealed will. Their "not knowing" is willful and rebellious, not ignorant.
• the judgment of the Lord (מִשְׁפַּט יְהוָה, mišpaṭ YHVH): mishpat (מִשְׁפַּט) signifies much more than mere judicial sentence; it refers to God's righteous rule, His ordinances, laws, standard of justice, right way of life, and the divinely ordered structure of society and covenant relationships. It represents the ethical and moral expectations inherent in their covenant with Yahweh.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Even the stork... knows her appointed times": This opening phrase sets up the surprising comparison, leveraging the inherent reliability of the created order as an illustration of consistent, instinctive wisdom. The deliberate movement, timing, and navigational accuracy of these tiny creatures in vast skies underscore a hidden obedience to the Creator's plan.
• "the turtledove, swallow, and crane observe the time of their coming": The inclusion of multiple species strengthens the point. This isn't an isolated phenomenon but a pervasive principle across the natural world. Each bird, though distinct, collectively displays an adherence to seasonal rhythms and divine mandates for migration.
• "but My people know not the judgment of the Lord": This phrase introduces the devastating contrast, pinpointing the spiritual tragedy. The "My people" underscores God's deep pain and disillusionment with His chosen nation. Their failure to "know" (experientially and obediently) God's "mishpat" (His righteous character, law, and justice) means they have abandoned the very foundation of their covenantal relationship and identity, becoming spiritually duller than migrating birds.

Jeremiah 8 7 Bonus section

The phrase "My people know not the judgment of the Lord" implies a failure at multiple levels for Judah:

1. A Failure of Discernment: They could not read the spiritual "signs of the times" regarding God's impending judgment through Babylon, whereas the birds discerned their seasonal changes.
2. A Failure of Obedience: They knew the Law intellectually but failed to implement it practically, especially in matters of social justice and loyalty to God. Their 'knowledge' (yada) was not intimate and transformative.
3. A Failure of Relationship: "To know the Lord" in the Old Testament is often a covenantal and relational concept, meaning to acknowledge His authority, trust Him, and live in alignment with His will. Judah failed to maintain this foundational relationship.
4. The "Shame" of Chasidah: The bird's Hebrew name chasidah (stork), often connected to hesed (loyal love/mercy), adds another layer of divine irony. The creature named for steadfastness, an attribute of God, displays this trait naturally, while God's covenant people, who should manifest hesed towards God and one another, fail to. This implies a deeper moral corruption than simple ignorance.

Jeremiah 8 7 Commentary

Jeremiah 8:7 serves as a poignant lament and a scathing indictment from God against Judah. The comparison of God's people to migratory birds is deeply humiliating. Birds operate on instinct, requiring no complex reasoning or moral deliberation; they simply follow the pattern God has woven into their nature, showing perfect fidelity to their seasonable migrations. They "know" in a consistent, practical way the commands ingrained within them by their Creator.

Conversely, "My people," those who had the Law, the prophets, and a personal covenant with God, "know not" the Lord's "mishpat"—His righteous standard, His just ways, His very character revealed through His commands. This isn't merely an intellectual oversight but a willful ignorance, a spiritual rebellion manifesting as a rejection of ethical conduct, justice, and the fundamental tenets of their covenant relationship. They demonstrate a blindness more profound than the instinctive awareness of animals, turning their backs on their Maker and His moral governance, leading inevitably to severe judgment. It speaks to a tragic reality: possessing divine revelation does not guarantee obedience; indeed, it intensifies culpability when disregarded.