2 Kings 21:12

21:12 So this is what the Lord God of Israel says, ‘I am about to bring disaster on Jerusalem and Judah. The news will reverberate in the ears of those who hear about it. ¹ 

Isaiah 28:19

28:19 Whenever it sweeps by, it will overtake you;

indeed, ²  every morning it will sweep by,

it will come through during the day and the night.” ³ 

When this announcement is understood,

it will cause nothing but terror.

Jeremiah 19:3

19:3 Say, ‘Listen to what the Lord says, you kings of Judah and citizens of Jerusalem! ⁴  The Lord God of Israel who rules over all ⁵  says, “I will bring a disaster on this place ⁶  that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it ring! ⁷ 

Luke 21:26

21:26 People will be fainting from fear ⁸  and from the expectation of what is coming on the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ⁹ 

¹ tn Heb “so that everyone who hears it, his two ears will quiver.”

² tn Or “for” (KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV).

³ tn The words “it will come through” are supplied in the translation. The verb “will sweep by” does double duty in the parallel structure.

⁴ map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.

⁵ tn Heb “Yahweh of armies, the God of Israel.”

⁶ sn Careful comparison of the use of this term throughout this passage and comparison with 7:31-33 which is parallel to several verses in this passage will show that the reference is to the Valley of Ben Hinnom which will become a Valley of Slaughter (see v. 6 and 7:32).

⁷ tn Heb “which everyone who hears it [or about it] his ears will ring.” This is proverbial for a tremendous disaster. See 1 Sam 3:11; 2 Kgs 21:12 for similar prophecies.

⁸ tn According to L&N 23.184 this could be mainly a psychological experience rather than actual loss of consciousness. It could also refer to complete discouragement because of fear, leading people to give up hope (L&N 25.293).

⁹ sn An allusion to Isa 34:4. The heavens were seen as the abode of heavenly forces, so their shaking indicates distress in the spiritual realm. Although some take the powers as a reference to bodies in the heavens (like stars and planets, “the heavenly bodies,” NIV) this is not as likely.