Jeremiah 49:11 — Word Study
WLCעָזְבָ֥ה יְתֹמֶ֖יךָ אֲנִ֣י אֲחַיֶּ֑ה וְאַלְמְנֹתֶ֖יךָ עָלַ֥י תִּבְטָֽחוּ׃ ס
BSAAbandonʻâzab [leave, forsake] your orphansyâthôwm [fatherless children, without a guardian] ◂Iʼănîy [the Lord, the Protector] will preserve their liveschâyâh▸ [keep alive, sustain, existence, being] Let your widowsʼalmânâh [women without husbands, vulnerable] trustbâṭach▸ [have faith, rely] in Meʻal [the Rock, the Refuge]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| עָזְבָ֥ה | leave ! | Verb qal imperative second person masculine singular, suffix |
| יְתֹמֶ֖יךָ | fatherless your | Noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| אֲנִ֣י | I | Pronoun |
| אֲחַיֶּ֑ה | I will preserve [them] alive | Verb, Piel, imperfect first person common singular |
| וְאַלְמְנֹתֶ֖יךָ | and widows your | Conjunction, noun common feminine plural construct, suffix |
| עָלַ֥י | on me | Preposition, suffix |
| תִּבְטָֽחוּ׃ ס | let them rely | Verb, Qal, imperfect second person masculine plural |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Abandon your orphans; I will preserve their lives. Let your widows trust in Me.” |
| KJV | Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; and let thy widows trust in me. |
| ASV | Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; and let thy widows trust in me. |
| YLT | Leave thine orphans — I do keep alive, And thy widows — on Me trust ye, |
| WEB | Leave your fatherless children. I will preserve them alive. Let your widows trust in me.” |
| BBE | Put in my care your children who have no father, and I will keep them safe; and let your widows put their faith in me. |
Where they part company is in the interpretation of עָזְבָ֥ה — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence consists of one main clause and two subordinate clauses, emphasizing the commands and promises from God.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectאֲנִי
verbחָיָה
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Jeremiah 49:11
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Judgment Against Edomgenerated
Jeremiah 49:11 presents a stark contrast between abandonment and divine protection. The verse addresses the plight of orphans and widows, emphasizing God's role as a protector amidst the impending judgment on Edom. This reflects the broader biblical theme of God's concern for the vulnerable, as seen in other passages like Psalm 68:5.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deuteronomy 10:18 | He executes justice for the fatherless and widow, and He loves the foreigner, giving him food and clothing. |
| 2 | Psalm 10:14–18 | But You have regarded trouble and grief; You see to repay it by Your hand. The victim entrusts himself to You; You are the helper of the fatherless. |
| 3 | Psalm 68:5 | A father of the fatherless, and a defender of the widows, is God in His holy habitation. |
| 4 | Psalm 82:3 | Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; uphold the rights of the afflicted and oppressed. |
| 5 | Psalm 146:9 | The LORD protects foreigners; He sustains the fatherless and the widow, but the ways of the wicked He frustrates. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 11 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — עָזְבָ֥ה, 'a.ze.Vahgenerated
The verb עָזַב (azab) is a qal imperative, urging the action of leaving or forsaking. This word carries a sense of abandonment, often implying a deep emotional weight, as seen in other biblical contexts where it signifies isolation or neglect.
Its usage here highlights the stark choice presented to the people: to abandon the vulnerable or to trust in God's promise of preservation. The divine passive in the latter part of the verse emphasizes God's active role in sustaining life.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
In this study, we consider the verse as rendered in the Berean Standard Bible, which aligns closely with the KJV and ASV in its wording.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main finite verb is אֲחַיֶּ֑ה, I will preserve, governing the promise of life for the orphans and the call for widows to trust. The structure emphasizes God's protective promise as the focal point.
The sentence is built around this promise, with the imperative to abandon orphans setting the context for God's assurance, creating a contrast between human action and divine intervention.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint uses ὑπολείπεσθαι for עָזְבָ֥ה, which translates to 'to be left behind'. This choice suggests a nuance of abandonment that is more passive compared to the active command in the Hebrew.
The Greek rendering reflects a broader interpretation of the abandonment, emphasizing the consequences of leaving the vulnerable without support.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Jeremiah 49:11 instructs the people to abandon their orphans but promises that God will preserve their lives. It also encourages widows to trust in Him. This verse highlights God's protective nature towards those who are vulnerable.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Abandoning orphans refers to neglecting those who are fatherless and vulnerable, which is seen as a serious moral failing in the biblical context.
God promises to sustain and protect the lives of orphans, ensuring they are cared for even when human support fails.
Trusting in God is crucial for widows, as they often face vulnerability and need assurance of God's provision and protection.
By identifying Himself as the Protector, God emphasizes His role in safeguarding the vulnerable, reinforcing His commitment to care for those in need.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways can I actively support orphans and widows in my community?
- How can I deepen my trust in God during difficult times?
- What does it mean for me to rely on God as my Refuge?
- How can I encourage others to trust in God's promises?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Jeremiah 49:11 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleLeave thy fatherless children, I will preserve [them] alive,.... Leave them with me; commit them to my care; I will provide for them; they shall have food and raiment, and want nothing to make them
Read John Gill on Jeremiah 49 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryLeave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; and let thy widows trust in me. Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; and let thy widows trust in me.
Read Robert Jamieson on Jeremiah 49 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThe only question upon this verse is, whether, in the whole of it, it be a promise or a threatening: if it be a promise, the sense is, that though this great destruction should come upon the body of the Edomites, yet God would take care of some of their fatherless children, whose parents being carried into captivity, they had none to provide for them: if it be taken as an ironical threatening, it soundeth ruin to those as well as the rest, and I will is as much as I will not. But others think that these are rather to be understood with the supply of some other words, There is not, or there shall be none to say, Leave thy fatherless children, &c.; and whoso considereth those words in the…
Read Matthew Poole on Jeremiah 49 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJeremiah 49:11 Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve [them] alive; and let thy widows trust in me.Ver. 11. Leave thy fatherless children, &c.] Thus God speaketh to the profane Edomites in derision, but to all true Israelites in serious sadness: and so it is very comfortable, and must needs be a good stay of mind to a dying saint, as it was to Claviger, a dutch divine He was held happy of whom Cassiodore saith, So many sons, so many counsellors to the state, but he is happier that can say, So many children, so many of God’ s clients, heaven’ s heirs, &c. Selnec., Paedag. Christ., par. 2. p. 379. Quot dedit familiae iuvenes, tot reddidit Curiae consulares.
Read John Trapp on Jeremiah 49 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(11) Leave thy fatherless children . . .—Were the words uttered in the stern irony of one who veils & threat in the form of a promise, as some have thought, or was there even in the case of Edom a mingling of pity for the helpless? The latter view seems truer to the prophet’s character (Jeremiah 48:36). If the sentence was passed which left the wives of Edom widows, and their children orphans, yet God had not forgotten that He was the God of the widow and the fatherless.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Jeremiah 49 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 11. Leave thy fatherless children] The connexion of this with the context is not easy to be discerned; but, as a general maxim, it is of great importance. Widows and orphans are the peculiar care of God. He is as the best of fathers to the one, and the most loving of husbands to the other. Even the widows and orphans of Esau, who escape the general destruction, shall be taken care of by the Lord.
Read AdamClarke on Jeremiah 49 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges11. A remarkable v. and decidedly Jeremianic in character, as compared with the attitude which later days would have assumed towards an enemy so bitterly hated. On the other hand, it is extremely abrupt in the midst of denunciation. We may take it as meaning, Fathers and husbands are dead, but Jehovah will protect children and widows.
Read Cambridge on Jeremiah 49 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible11. Thy fatherless children, I will preserve — God’s mercy then, is not taken away from them, but restrained.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Jeremiah 49 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Abandon your orphans; I will preserve their lives. Let your widows trust in Me.”
Leave your fatherless children. I will preserve them alive. Let your widows trust in me.”
Abandon your orphans; I will preserve their lives. Let your widows trust in Me.”
Leave your orphans behind and I will keep them alive. Your widows too can depend on me.”
Tyndale line
Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; and let thy widows trust in me.
Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; and let thy widows trust in me.
Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; and let thy widows trust in me.
Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; and let thy widows trust in me.
Leaue thy fathers children, and I will preserue them aliue, and let thy widowes trust in me.
Strictly literal
Leave thine orphans, I will preserve them alive; and let thy widows trust in me.
Leave thine orphans — I do keep alive, And thy widows — on Me trust ye,
Leave your orphans—I keep alive, || And your widows—trust on Me,
Leave thy fatherless children, I will have to preserve them alive: and thy widows must trust in me.
Leave your orphans behind. I will take care of their lives, and your widows can trust in me.”
From the Latin
Leave thy fatherless children: I will make them live: and thy widows shall hope in me.
Simplified
However, you can leave your orphans to me because I will protect them. Have your widows put their trust in me.
Put in my care your children who have no father, and I will keep them safe; and let your widows put their faith in me.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree in their wording, with five of the seven words matching. The Septuagint's word order and phrasing, however, differ, reflecting its own interpretative choices.
עָזְבָ֥ה יְתֹמֶ֖יךָ אֲנִ֣י אֲחַיֶּ֑ה וְאַלְמְנֹתֶ֖יךָ עָלַ֥י תִּבְטָֽחוּ׃ ס
5 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Jeremiah 49:11
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
עָזַב (azab) is a Hebrew verb meaning to leave, forsake, or let loose. It encompasses a range of actions from abandoning or neglecting to setting free. The entries suggest it can also imply restoration or repair, though this aspect is less emphasized. Notably, the term can describe both active and passive states, such as being forsaken or deserted.
עָזַב 213 vb. leave, forsake, loose
Qal
leave, c. acc.
leave, abandon, forsake
let loose, set free, let go
Niph.
be left to
be forsaken, of house of God
H5800a עָזַב leave, forsake, loose .. leave, c. acc.
. leave, abandon, forsake
. let loose, set free, let go
. . be left to
. be forsaken, of house of God
. (or Qal pass.) be deserted, of city
H5800b עָזַב restore, repair(?)
5800 `azab aw-zab'
a primitive root; to loosen, i.e. relinquish, permit,
etc.:--commit self, fail, forsake, fortify, help, leave
(destitute, off), refuse, X surely.
עָזַב (a.zav) — to leave: forsake.
1) to leave, loose, forsake
1a) (Qal) to leave
1a1) to depart from, leave behind, leave, let alone
1a2) to leave, abandon, forsake, neglect, apostatise
1a3) to let loose, set free, let go, free
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be left to
1b2) to be forsaken
1c) (Pual) to be deserted
עָזַב (a.zav) — to restore.
1) to restore, repair
1a) (Qal) to repair
עָזַב (a.zav) — to leave: release.
1) to leave, loose, forsake
1a) (Qal) to leave
1a1) to depart from, leave behind, leave, let alone
1a2) to leave, abandon, forsake, neglect, apostatise
1a3) to let loose, set free, let go, free
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be left to
1b2) to be forsaken
1c) (Pual) to be deserted
עָזַב (a.zav) — Forsaken.
This name means to restore, repair
Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
עָזַב (a.zav) — to leave: neglect.
V-Qal-Impv-2ms | Suff — Verb qal imperative second person masculine singular · suffixHVqv2ms/Sh
יָתוֹם (yathowm) means 'orphan' and is derived from a root that suggests loneliness or bereavement. The term specifically refers to a fatherless child or a bereaved person. All entries consistently define it in this way, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
יָתוֹם n.[m.] orphan
base
H3490 יָתוֹם orphan
3490 yathowm yaw-thome'
from an unused root meaning to be lonely; a bereaved
person:--fatherless (child), orphan.
יָתוֹם (ya.tom) — orphan.
an orphan, fatherless
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp2ms
אֲנִי, transliterated as aniy, is a first-person singular pronoun meaning 'I' or 'me.' It is often used for emphasis and can also imply possession, as in 'mine' or 'myself.' The word is derived from a form that indicates self-reference, and it appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament.
אֲנִי, אָ֑נִי pron. 1s. comm. I
base
H589 אֲנִי, אָ֑נִי I
589 'aniy an-ee'
contracted from 595; I:--I, (as for) me, mine, myself, we, X
which, X who.
see HEBREW for 0595
אֲנִי (a.ni) — I.
I (first pers. sing. -usually used for emphasis)
Pron — PronounHPp1bs
חָיָה (chayah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to live or have life, encompassing both literal and figurative senses. It includes various nuances such as reviving, preserving life, and restoring health. The entries detail its use in different stems, with Qal focusing on living and being quickened, while Piel and Hiphil emphasize giving life and reviving. No specific verse references are provided.
חָיָה 283 vb. live
Qal 203
live
be quickened, revive
Pi.
preserve alive, let live
give life
quicken, revive, refresh
Hiph.
preserve alive, let live
quicken, revive
base
H2421 חָיָה live .. live
. be quickened, revive
. . preserve alive, let live
. give life
. quicken, revive, refresh
. . preserve alive, let live
. quicken, revive
2421 chayah khaw-yaw'
a primitive root (compare 2331, 2421); to live, whether
literally or figuratively; causatively, to revive:--keep
(leave, make) alive, X certainly, give (promise) life, (let,
suffer to) live, nourish up, preserve (alive), quicken,
recover, repair, restore (to life), revive, (X God) save
(alive, life, lives), X surely, be whole.
see HEBREW for 02331
see HEBREW for 02421
חָיָה (cha.yah) — to live.
1) to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to live
1a1a) to have life
1a1b) to continue in life, remain alive
1a1c) to sustain life, to live on or upon
1a1d) to live (prosperously)
1a2) to revive, be quickened
1a2a) from sickness
1a2b) from discouragement
1a2c) from faintness
1a2d) from death
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to preserve alive, let live
1b2) to give life
1b3) to quicken, revive, refresh
1b3a) to restore to life
1b3b) to cause to grow
1b3c) to restore
1b3d) to revive
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to preserve alive, let live
1c2) to quicken, revive
1c2a) to restore (to health)
1c2b) to revive
1c2c) to restore to life
V-Piel-Imperf-1cs — Verb · Piel · imperfect first person common singularHVpi1cs
a-liv' (chai, "living"; zao, "to live," anazao, "to live again"): These Hebrew and Greek originals are the chief terms for life in both Testaments. They cover all life, including soul and spirit, although primarily referring to physical vitality. Striking examples may be cited: "Is your father yet alive?" (Ge 43:7); "To whom he also showed himself alive" (Ac 1:3). Often used of God: "the living God" (Jos 3:10); also of the resurrection life: "In Christ shall all be made alive" (1Co 15:22); of the soul's regenerate life: "Reckon .... yourselves .... alive unto God," "as those that are alive from the dead" (Ro 6:11:13 the…
The Hebrew word אַלְמָנָה (*almanah*) means 'widow' and is derived from the root of another word. It can also refer to a desolate place, such as a desolate house or palace. The entries consistently emphasize its primary meaning as 'widow'.
אַלְמָנָה 61 n.f. widow
base
H490 אַלְמָנָה widow
490 'almanah al-maw-naw'
fem of 488; a widow; also a desolate place:--desolate house
(palace), widow.
see HEBREW for 0488
אַלְמָנָה (al.ma.nah) — widow.
widow
Conj | N-fp | Suff — Conjunction · noun common feminine plural construct · suffixHC/Ncfpc/Sp2ms
The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.
כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
base
עַל, עָ֑ל
subst. height
As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against
Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed
—
of clothing, etc., which any one wears
With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it
Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him
Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him
על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him
חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)
H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears
. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it
. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him
. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him
. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him
. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)
5921 `al al
properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the
singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a
particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always
in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great
variety of applications (as follow):--above, according
to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because
of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both
and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in
(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,
through(-out), to, touching, X with.
see HEBREW for 05920
עַל (al) — upon.
prep
1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against
1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards
1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)
1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)
1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)
1e) over (of suspension or extension)
1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)
1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)
1h) to (as a dative)
[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.
conj
Prep | Suff — Preposition · suffixHRd/Sp1bs
בָּטַח (batach) is a Hebrew verb meaning to trust or have confidence. It conveys a sense of security and boldness, both in a personal sense and when causing others to feel secure. The entries indicate its use in different forms, such as Qal and Hiphil, covering aspects of trust and confidence.
בָּטַח vb. trust
Qal
trust
be confident
Hiph. cause to trust, make secure
base
H982 בָּטַח trust . trust
. be confident
982 batach baw-takh'
a primitive root; properly, to hie for refuge (but not so
precipitately as 2620); figuratively, to trust, be confident
or sure:--be bold (confident, secure, sure), careless (one,
woman), put confidence, (make to) hope, (put, make to) trust.
see HEBREW for 02620
בָּטַח (ba.tach) — to trust.
1) to trust
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to trust, trust in
1a2) to have confidence, be confident
1a3) to be bold
1a4) to be secure
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to cause to trust, make secure
2) (TWOT) to feel safe, be careless
V-Qal-Juss-3fp — Verb · Qal · imperfect second person masculine pluralHVqi2mp