1:10 Listen to the Lord’s word,
you leaders of Sodom! 2
Pay attention to our God’s rebuke, 3
people of Gomorrah!
28:14 Therefore, listen to the Lord’s word,
you who mock,
you rulers of these people
who reside in Jerusalem! 4
34:1 Come near, you nations, and listen!
Pay attention, you people!
The earth and everything it contains must listen,
the world and everything that lives in it. 5
66:5 Hear the word of the Lord,
you who respect what he has to say! 6
Your countrymen, 7 who hate you
and exclude you, supposedly for the sake of my name,
say, “May the Lord be glorified,
then we will witness your joy.” 8
But they will be put to shame.
2:4 Now listen to what the Lord has to say, you descendants 9 of Jacob,
all you family groups from the nation 10 of Israel.
9:20 I said, 13
“So now, 14 you wailing women, hear what the Lord says. 15
Open your ears to the words from his mouth.
Teach your daughters this mournful song,
and each of you teach your neighbor 16 this lament.
1 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Micaiah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
2 sn Building on the simile of v. 9, the prophet sarcastically addresses the leaders and people of Jerusalem as if they were leaders and residents of ancient Sodom and Gomorrah. The sarcasm is appropriate, for if the judgment is comparable to Sodom’s, that must mean that the sin which prompted the judgment is comparable as well.
3 tn Heb “to the instruction of our God.” In this context, which is highly accusatory and threatening, תּוֹרָה (torah, “law, instruction”) does not refer to mere teaching, but to corrective teaching and rebuke.
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 “the world and its offspring”; NASB “the world and all that springs from it.”
6 tn Heb “who tremble at his word.”
7 tn Heb “brothers” (so NASB, NIV); NRSV “Your own people”; NLT “Your close relatives.”
8 tn Or “so that we might witness your joy.” The point of this statement is unclear.
9 tn Heb “house.”
10 tn Heb “house.”
11 tn Heb “Proclaim there…” The adverb is unnecessary in English style.
12 sn That is, all those who have passed through the gates of the outer court and are standing in the courtyard of the temple.
13 tn The words “I said” are not in the text. The text merely has “Indeed, yes.” The words are supplied in the translation to indicate that the speaker is still Jeremiah though he now is not talking about the mourning woman but is talking to them. See the notes on 9:17-18 for further explanation.
14 tn It is a little difficult to explain how the Hebrew particle כִּי (ki) is functioning here. W. L. Holladay (Jeremiah [Hermeneia], 1:311) may be correct in seeing it as introducing the contents of what those who call for the mourning women are to say. In this case, Jeremiah picks up the task as representative of the people.
15 tn Heb “Listen to the word of the
16 tn Heb “Teach…mournful song, and each woman her neighbor lady…”
17 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
18 tn Heb “Yahweh of armies, the God of Israel.”
19 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).
20 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.
21 tn Heb “However, hear the word of the
22 tn Heb “by the sword.”
23 tn The verb, which literally means “to drip,” appears to be a synonym of “to prophesy,” but it might carry a derogatory tone here, perhaps alluding to the impassioned, frenzied way in which prophets sometimes delivered their messages. If so, one could translate, “to drivel; to foam at the mouth” (see HALOT 694 s.v. נטף).
24 tn Or “who is victorious”; traditionally, “who overcomes.”