4:2 You must be truthful, honest and upright
when you take an oath saying, ‘As surely as the Lord lives!’ 6
If you do, 7 the nations will pray to be as blessed by him as you are
and will make him the object of their boasting.” 8
6:10 I answered, 9
“Who would listen
if I spoke to them and warned them? 10
Their ears are so closed 11
that they cannot hear!
Indeed, 12 what the Lord says is offensive to them.
They do not like it at all. 13
9:3 The Lord says, 14
“These people are like soldiers who have readied their bows.
Their tongues are always ready to shoot out lies. 15
They have become powerful in the land,
but they have not done so by honest means. 16
Indeed, they do one evil thing after another 17
and do not pay attention to me. 18
10:12 The Lord is the one who 19 by his power made the earth.
He is the one who by his wisdom established the world.
And by his understanding he spread out the skies.
11:6 The Lord said to me, “Announce all the following words in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem: ‘Listen to the terms of my covenant with you 20 and carry them out!
12:2 You plant them like trees and they put down their roots. 26
They grow prosperous and are very fruitful. 27
They always talk about you,
but they really care nothing about you. 28
19:14 Then Jeremiah left Topheth where the Lord had sent him to give that prophecy. He went to the Lord’s temple and stood 29 in its courtyard and called out to all the people.
22:24 The Lord says, 33
“As surely as I am the living God, you, Jeconiah, 34 king of Judah, son of Jehoiakim, will not be the earthly representative of my authority. Indeed, I will take that right away from you. 35
23:1 The Lord says, 36 “The leaders of my people are sure to be judged. 37 They were supposed to watch over my people like shepherds watch over their sheep. But they are causing my people to be destroyed and scattered. 38
23:11 Moreover, 39 the Lord says, 40
“Both the prophets and priests are godless.
I have even found them doing evil in my temple!
25:31 The sounds of battle 41 will resound to the ends of the earth.
For the Lord will bring charges against the nations. 42
He will pass judgment on all humankind
and will hand the wicked over to be killed in war.’ 43
The Lord so affirms it! 44
26:20 Now there was another man 45 who prophesied as the Lord’s representative 46 against this city and this land just as Jeremiah did. His name was Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath Jearim. 47
31:7 Moreover, 54 the Lord says,
“Sing for joy for the descendants of Jacob.
Utter glad shouts for that foremost of the nations. 55
Make your praises heard. 56
Then say, ‘Lord, rescue your people.
Deliver those of Israel who remain alive.’ 57
31:14 I will provide the priests with abundant provisions. 58
My people will be filled to the full with the good things I provide.”
31:16 The Lord says to her, 59
“Stop crying! Do not shed any more tears! 60
For your heartfelt repentance 61 will be rewarded.
Your children will return from the land of the enemy.
I, the Lord, affirm it! 62
31:36 The Lord affirms, 63 “The descendants of Israel will not
cease forever to be a nation in my sight.
That could only happen if the fixed ordering of the heavenly lights
were to cease to operate before me.” 64
31:37 The Lord says, “I will not reject all the descendants of Israel
because of all that they have done. 65
That could only happen if the heavens above could be measured
or the foundations of the earth below could all be explored,” 66
says the Lord. 67
31:38 “Indeed a time is coming,” 68 says the Lord, 69 “when the city of Jerusalem 70 will be rebuilt as my special city. 71 It will be built from the Tower of Hananel westward to the Corner Gate. 72
38:14 Some time later 75 Zedekiah sent and had Jeremiah brought to him at the third entrance 76 of the Lord’s temple. The king said to Jeremiah, “I would like to ask you a question. Do not hide anything from me when you answer.” 77
46:18 I the King, whose name is the Lord who rules over all, 81 swear this:
I swear as surely as I live that 82 a conqueror is coming.
He will be as imposing as Mount Tabor is among the mountains,
as Mount Carmel is against the backdrop of the sea. 83
51:6 Get out of Babylonia quickly, you foreign people. 84
Flee to save your lives.
Do not let yourselves be killed because of her sins.
For it is time for the Lord to wreak his revenge.
He will pay Babylonia 85 back for what she has done. 86
51:17 All idolaters will prove to be stupid and ignorant.
Every goldsmith will be disgraced by the idol he made.
For the image he forges is merely a sham.
There is no breath in any of those idols.
1 tn The Hebrew particle (the vav [ו] consecutive), which is often rendered in some English versions as “and” and in others is simply left untranslated, is rendered here epexegetically, reflecting a summary statement.
2 sn The Hebrew idiom (literally “I will speak my judgments against”) is found three other times in Jeremiah (4:12; 39:5; 52:9), where it is followed by the carrying out of the sentence. Here the carrying out of the sentence precedes in v. 15.
3 tn Heb “on them.” The antecedent goes back to Jerusalem and the cities of Judah (i.e., the people in them) in v. 15.
4 tn I.e., idols.
5 sn Heb “the first fruits of his harvest.” Many commentators see the figure here as having theological significance for the calling of the Gentiles. It is likely, however, that in this context the metaphor – here rendered as a simile – is intended to bring out the special relationship and inviolability that Israel had with God. As the first fruits were the special possession of the
6 tn Heb “If you [= you must, see the translator’s note on the word “do” later in this verse] swear/take an oath, ‘As the
7 tn 4:1-2a consists of a number of “if” clauses, two of which are formally introduced by the Hebrew particle אִם (’im) while the others are introduced by the conjunction “and,” followed by a conjunction (“and” = “then”) with a perfect in 4:2b which introduces the consequence. The translation “You must…. If you do,” was chosen to avoid a long and complicated sentence.
8 tn Heb “bless themselves in him and make their boasts in him.”
9 tn These words are not in the text but are supplied in the translation for clarity.
10 tn Or “To whom shall I speak? To whom shall I give warning? Who will listen?” Heb “Unto whom shall I speak and give warning that they may listen?”
11 tn Heb “are uncircumcised.”
12 tn Heb “Behold!”
13 tn Heb “They do not take pleasure in it.”
14 tn The words “The
15 tn Heb “They have readied [or strung] their tongue as their bow for lies.”
16 tn Heb “but not through honesty.”
17 tn Heb “they go from evil to evil.”
18 tn Or “do not acknowledge me”; Heb “do not know me.” But “knowing” in Hebrew thought often involves more than intellectual knowledge; it involves emotional and volitional commitment as well. For יָדַע meaning “acknowledge” see 1 Chr 28:9; Isa 29:21; Hos 2:20; Prov 3:6. This word is also found in ancient Near Eastern treaty contexts where it has the idea of a vassal king acknowledging the sovereignty of a greater king (cf. H. Huffmon, “The Treaty Background of Hebrew yada,” BASOR 181 [1966]: 31-37).
19 tn The words “The
20 tn Heb “the terms of this covenant.” However, this was a separate message and the ambiguity of “this” could still cause some confusion.
21 tn Heb “Then the towns of Judah and those living in Jerusalem will…”
22 tn The Hebrew construction is emphatic involving the use of an infinitive of the verb before the verb itself (Heb “saving they will not save”). For this construction to give emphasis to an antithesis, cf. GKC 343 §113.p.
23 tn This is again an attempt to render the Hebrew particle כִּי (ki) contextually. The nuance is a little hard to establish due to the nature of the rhetoric of the passage which utilizes the figure of apostrophe where the
24 sn Cf. Jer 2:28.
25 tn Heb “For [or Indeed] the number of your [sing.] cities are your [sing.] gods, Judah, and the number of the streets of Jerusalem [or perhaps (your) streets, Jerusalem] you [plur.] have set up altars to the shameful thing, altars to sacrifice to Baal.” This passage involves a figure of speech where the speaker turns from describing something about someone to addressing him/her directly (a figure called apostrophe). This figure is not common in contemporary English literature or conversation and translating literally would lead to confusion on the part of some readers. Hence, the translation retains the third person in keeping with the rest of the context. The shift from singular “your cities” to plural “you have set up” is interpreted contextually to refer to a shift in addressing Judah to addressing the citizens of Jerusalem whose streets are being talked about. The appositional clause, “altars to sacrifice to Baal” has been collapsed with the preceding clause to better identify what the shameful thing is and to eliminate a complex construction. The length of this sentence runs contrary to the usual practice of breaking up long complex sentences in Hebrew into shorter equivalent ones in English. However, breaking up this sentence and possibly losing the connecting link with the preceding used to introduce it might lead to misunderstanding.
26 tn Heb “You planted them and they took root.”
27 tn Heb “they grow and produce fruit.” For the nuance “grow” for the verb which normally means “go, walk,” see BDB 232 s.v. חָלַךְ Qal.I.3 and compare Hos 14:7.
28 tn Heb “You are near in their mouths, but far from their kidneys.” The figure of substitution is being used here, “mouth” for “words” and “kidneys” for passions and affections. A contemporary equivalent might be, “your name is always on their lips, but their hearts are far from you.”
29 tn Heb “And Jeremiah entered from Topheth where the
30 tn The verb used here is often used of seeking information through a prophet (e.g., 2 Kgs 1:16; 8:8) and hence many translate “inquire of the
31 tn The dominant spelling of this name is actually Nebuchadrezzar which is closer to his Babylonian name Nebu kudduri uzzur. An alternate spelling which is found 6 times in the book of Jeremiah and 17 times elsewhere is Nebuchadnezzar which is the form of the name that is usually used in English versions.
32 tn Heb “Perhaps the
33 tn Heb “Oracle of the
34 tn Heb “Coniah.” This is the spelling of this king’s name here and in v. 28 and 37:1. Elsewhere in Jeremiah he is called Jeconiah (24:1; 27:20; 28:4; 29:2 [see also 1 Chr 3:16, 17; Esth 2:6]) and Jehoiachin (52:31, 33 [see also 2 Kgs 24:6, 8, 12, 15; 25:27, 29; 2 Chr 36:8, 9; Ezek 1:2]). For the sake of consistency the present translation uses the name Jeconiah throughout.
35 tn Heb “As surely as I live, Jeconiah, King of Judah, son of Jehoiakim will not be a signet ring on my right hand. Indeed I will tear you off from it [i.e., pull you off of my finger as a signet ring].” The signet ring was the king’s seal by which he verified all his legal and political transactions. To have the signet ring was to exercise authority in the king’s name. For examples of this see Gen 41:42, 43; 1 Kgs 21:8; Esth 3:10; 8:2. The figure has been interpreted in the translation for the sake of clarity. The particles כִּי אִם (ki ’im) that stand after the oath formula “As I live” introduce a negative statement according to the usage of Hebrew grammar (cf. BDB 474 s.v. כִּי אִם 1.a and BDB 50 s.v. אִם 1.b[2] and compare 2 Sam 3:35). The particle כִּי that stands in front of “I will tear you off” introduces a positive affirmation according to the same rules of Hebrew grammar (cf. BDB 472 s.v. כִּי 1.c and compare 1 Sam 14:39, 44). The
36 tn Heb “Oracle of the
37 sn Heb This particle once again introduces a judgment speech. The indictment is found in v. 1 and the announcement of judgment in v. 2. This leads into an oracle of deliverance in vv. 3-4. See also the note on the word “judged” in 22:13.
38 tn Heb “Woe to the shepherds who are killing and scattering the sheep of my pasture.” See the study note on 22:13 for the significance of “Sure to be judged” (Heb “Woe”) See the study note for the significance of the metaphor introduced here.
39 tn The particle כִּי (ki) which begins this verse is parallel to the one at the beginning of the preceding verse. However, the connection is too distant to render it “for.” “Moreover” is intended to draw the parallel. The words “the
40 tn Heb “Oracle of the
41 tn For the use of this word see Amos 2:2; Hos 10:14; Ps 74:23. See also the usage in Isa 66:6 which is very similar to the metaphorical usage here.
42 tn Heb “the
43 tn Heb “give the wicked over to the sword.”
44 tn Heb “Oracle of the
45 sn This is a brief parenthetical narrative about an otherwise unknown prophet who was executed for saying the same things Jeremiah did. It is put here to show the real danger that Jeremiah faced for saying what he did. There is nothing in the narrative here to show any involvement by Jehoiakim. This was a “lynch mob” instigated by the priests and false prophets which was stymied by the royal officials supported by some of the elders of Judah. Since it is disjunctive or parenthetical it is unclear whether this incident happened before or after that in the main narrative being reported.
46 tn Heb “in the name of the
47 tn Heb “Now also a man was prophesying in the name of the
48 sn There is a play on words here in Hebrew between “did not send you” and “will…remove you.” The two verbs are from the same root word in Hebrew. The first is the simple active and the second is the intensive.
49 sn In giving people false assurances of restoration when the
50 tn See the translator’s note on 7:13 for an explanation of this idiom.
51 tn Heb “Oracle of the
52 tn The word “exiles” is not in the text. It is supplied in the translation to clarify the referent of “you.”
53 tn Heb “Oracle of the
54 tn See the translator’s notes on 30:5, 12.
55 tn Heb “for the head/chief of the nations.” See BDB 911 s.v. רֹאשׁ 3.c and compare usage in Ps 18:44 referring to David as the “chief” or “foremost ruler” of the nations.
56 tn It is unclear who the addressees of the masculine plural imperatives are in this verse. Possibly they are the implied exiles who are viewed as in the process of returning and praying for their fellow countrymen.
57 tc Or “The
58 tn Heb “I will satiate the priests with fat.” However, the word translated “fat” refers literally to the fat ashes of the sacrifices (see Lev 1:16; 4:2 and cf. BDB 206 s.v. דֶּשֶׁן 2. The word is used more abstractly for “abundance” or “rich food” (see Job 36:16 and BDB 206 s.v. דֶּשֶׁן 1). The people and the priests were prohibited from eating the fat (Lev 7:23-24).
59 tn The words “to her” are not in the text but are implicit from the context. They are supplied in the translation for clarity.
60 tn Heb “Refrain your voice from crying and your eyes from tears.”
61 tn Heb “your work.” Contextually her “work” refers to her weeping and refusing to be comforted, that is, signs of genuine repentance (v. 15).
62 tn Heb “Oracle of the
63 tn Heb “Oracle of the
64 tn Heb “‘If these fixed orderings were to fail to be present before me,’ oracle of the
65 sn This answers Jeremiah’s question in 14:19.
66 tn Heb “If the heavens above could be measured or the foundations of the earth below be explored, then also I could reject all the seed of Israel for all they have done.”
67 tn Heb “Oracle of the
68 tc The words “is coming” (בָּאִים, ba’im) are not in the written text (Kethib) but are supplied in the margin (Qere), in several Hebrew
69 tn Heb “Oracle of the
70 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
71 tn Heb “the city will be built to [or for] the
72 tn The word “westward” is not in the text but is supplied in the translation to give some orientation.
73 tn Heb “the house of the Rechabites.” “House” is used here in terms of “household” or “family” (cf. BDB 109 s.v. בַּיִת 5.a, b).
74 sn This refers to one of the rooms built on the outside of the temple that were used as living quarters for the priests and for storage rooms (cf. Neh 13:4-5; 1 Kgs 6:5; 1 Chr 28:12; 2 Chr 31:11 and compare Ezek 41:1-14).
75 tn The words “Some time later” are not in the text but are a way of translating the conjunction “And” or “Then” that introduces this narrative.
76 sn The precise location of this entrance is unknown since it is mentioned nowhere else in the OT. Many commentators equate this with the “king’s outer entry” (mentioned in 2 Kgs 16:18) which appears to have been a private entryway between the temple and the palace.
77 tn The words “when you answer” are not in the text but are implicit in the connection. They are supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity and smoothness of style.
78 tn There appears to be a deliberate shift in the pronouns used in vv. 2-5. “You” refers to the people living in Egypt who are being addressed (v. 2) and to the people of present and past generations to whom the
79 tn Heb “They did not listen or incline their ear [= pay attention] by turning from their wickedness by not sacrificing to other gods.” The לְ (lamed) + the negative + the infinitive is again epexegetical. The sentence has been restructured and more idiomatic English expressions have been used to better conform with contemporary English style but an attempt has been made to retain the basic relationships of subordination.
80 tn Heb “Because you have sacrificed and you have sinned against the
81 tn Heb “Yahweh of armies.” For the significance of this title see the note at 2:19.
82 tn Heb “As I live, oracle of the King, whose….” The indirect quote has been chosen to create a smoother English sentence and avoid embedding a quote within a quote.
83 tn Heb “Like Tabor among the mountains and like Carmel by the sea he will come.” The addition of “conqueror” and “imposing” are implicit from the context and from the metaphor. They have been supplied in the translation to give the reader some idea of the meaning of the verse.
84 tn The words “you foreign people” are not in the text and many think the referent is the exiles of Judah. While this is clearly the case in v. 45 the referent seems broader here where the context speaks of every man going to his own country (v. 9).
85 tn Heb “her.”
86 tn Heb “paying to her a recompense [i.e., a payment in kind].”