Jeremiah 7:30–34

Every witness, in order

1. late 7th–6th century BC (by section; debated)

   The words as first spoken or written

   – No copy survives

   No original survives, and Jeremiah circulated in at least two ancient Hebrew editions: a shorter one behind the Old Greek and the longer one preserved as the Masoretic Text. The oldest copies are six fragmentary Qumran manuscripts (2QJer, 4QJer-a to 4QJer-e), from about 200 BC to the 1st century AD.

2. c. 200 BC (palaeography; reported)

   4QJer-a (4Q70), Qumran Cave 4

   ◐ Contains part of itDescends, through lost copies, from The words as first spoken or written

   How the site knows this: Described from a published transcription of the manuscript. Described in the site's own words from Martin Abegg's transcription (ETCBC/CACCHT Dead Sea Scrolls dataset v2.0.5); the transcription itself is not reproduced. Photographs and DJD XXXII not yet checked.

   Hebrew numbering: Jeremiah 7:30–34. A fragmentary copy: only parts of these verses survive, and in the transcription much of the passage is restored by the editors. What survives of vv. 28–34 agrees with the Masoretic Text, including "the high places of Topheth" and "which I commanded not"; the transcription marks two small scribal signs in v. 31.

3. Jerome c. AD 400, from Hebrew; edition 1592

   Latin Vulgate (Clementine)

   ✓ Contains this passageTranslated from the Hebrew text Jerome used

   How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: Clementine Vulgate (1592 edition).

   quia fecerunt filii Juda malum in oculis meis, dicit Dominus. Posuerunt offendicula sua in domo in qua invocatum est nomen meum, ut polluerent eam: et ædificaverunt excelsa Topheth, quæ est in valle filii Ennom, ut incenderent filios suos et filias suas igni, quæ non præcepi, nec cogitavi in corde meo. Ideo ecce dies venient, dicit Dominus, et non dicetur amplius Topheth, et vallis filii Ennom, sed vallis interfectionis: et sepelient in Topheth, eo quod non sit locus. Et erit morticinum populi hujus in cibos volucribus cæli et bestiis terræ, et non erit qui abigat. Et quiescere faciam de urbibus Juda, et de plateis Jerusalem, vocem gaudii et vocem lætitiæ, vocem sponsi et vocem sponsæ: in desolationem enim erit terra.

   Latin numbering: Jeremiah 7:30–34. Jerome translated Jeremiah from Hebrew (c. AD 400).

4. AD 1008

   Masoretic Text (Leningrad Codex)

   ✓ Contains this passageDescends, through lost copies, from The words as first spoken or written

   How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: Westminster Leningrad Codex, a digital transcription of the Leningrad Codex.

   כִּֽי־עָשׂ֨וּ בְנֵי־יְהוּדָ֥ה הָרַ֛ע בְּעֵינַ֖י נְאֻום־יְהוָ֑ה שָׂ֣מוּ שִׁקּֽוּצֵיהֶ֗ם בַּבַּ֛יִת אֲשֶׁר־נִקְרָא־שְׁמִ֥י עָלָ֖יו לְטַמְּאֽוֹ׃ וּבָנ֞וּ בָּמ֣וֹת הַתֹּ֗פֶת אֲשֶׁר֙ בְּגֵ֣יא בֶן־הִנֹּ֔ם לִשְׂרֹ֛ף אֶת־בְּנֵיהֶ֥ם וְאֶת־בְּנֹתֵיהֶ֖ם בָּאֵ֑שׁ אֲשֶׁר֙ לֹ֣א צִוִּ֔יתִי וְלֹ֥א עָלְתָ֖ה עַל־לִבִּֽי׃ לָכֵ֞ן הִנֵּֽה־יָמִ֤ים בָּאִים֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה וְלֹא־יֵאָמֵ֨ר ע֤וֹד הַתֹּ֙פֶת֙ וְגֵ֣יא בֶן־הִנֹּ֔ם כִּ֖י אִם־גֵּ֣יא הַהֲרֵגָ֑ה וְקָבְר֥וּ בְתֹ֖פֶת מֵאֵ֥ין מָקֽוֹם׃ וְֽהָ֨יְתָ֜ה נִבְלַ֨ת הָעָ֤ם הַזֶּה֙ לְמַֽאֲכָ֔ל לְע֥וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וּלְבֶהֱמַ֣ת הָאָ֑רֶץ וְאֵ֖ין מַחֲרִֽיד׃ וְהִשְׁבַּתִּ֣י ׀ מֵעָרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֗ה וּמֵֽחֻצוֹת֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם ק֤וֹל שָׂשׂוֹן֙ וְק֣וֹל שִׂמְחָ֔ה ק֥וֹל חָתָ֖ן וְק֣וֹל כַּלָּ֑ה כִּ֥י לְחָרְבָּ֖ה תִּהְיֶ֥ה הָאָֽרֶץ׃

   They have built the high places of Topheth in the Valley of Ben-Hinnom to burn their sons and daughters in the fire, which I did not command, nor did it come into my mind (v. 31)

   Hebrew numbering: Jeremiah 7:30–34.

5. 1611

   King James Bible

   ✓ Contains this passageTranslated from printed Masoretic Hebrew

   How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: King James Version (1769 text).

   For the children of Judah have done evil in my sight, saith the Lord: they have set their abominations in the house which is called by my name, to pollute it. And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart. Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more be called Tophet, nor the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of slaughter: for they shall bury in Tophet, till there be no place. And the carcases of this people shall be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth; and none shall fray them away. Then will I cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride: for the land shall be desolate.

6. Greek translation c. 2nd century BC; French 1872

   Greek Jeremiah (library: Giguet's French)

   ✓ Contains this passageTranslated from the Old Greek Jeremiah (a shorter edition)

   How the site knows this: Known here only through a translation.

   Car les enfants de Juda ont fait le mal devant moi, dit le Seigneur; ils ont introduit leurs abominations dans la maison où était invoqué mon nom, afin de le profaner. Et ils ont bâti l’autel de Tapheth dans la vallée des fils d’Ennom pour y brûler par le feu leurs fils et leurs filles, sacrifice que je ne leur ai point prescrit et auquel je n’ai jamais songé en mon cœur. À cause de cela, voilà que les jours arrivent, dit le Seigneur, et on ne dira plus: L’autel de Tapheth, la vallée des fils d’Ennom; mais, la vallée des égorgés; et on inhumera les morts en Tapheth, parce qu’on n’aura point d’autre place. Et les morts de ce peuple seront la proie des oiseaux du ciel et des bêtes fauves des champs; et nul ne sera là pour les chasser. Et dans les villes de Juda et dans les rues de Jérusalem je ferai taire la voix de la joie et de l’allégresse, la voix du fiancé et de la fiancée; car toute la terre sera devenue une solitude.

   Greek (digital file) numbering: Jeremiah 7:30–34. Giguet's 1872 French of a printed Greek text (D check only), in the Greek book's own order and verse numbering; a C check needs Ziegler's Göttingen Jeremiah or Rahlfs–Hanhart.