Jeremiah 2:29

2:29 “Why do you try to refute me? ¹ 

All of you have rebelled against me,”

says the Lord.

Jeremiah 2:33

2:33 “My, how good you have become

at chasing after your lovers! ² 

Why, you could even teach prostitutes a thing or two! ³ 

Jeremiah 15:21

15:21 “I will deliver you from the power of the wicked.

I will free you from the clutches of violent people.”

Jeremiah 23:1

New Leaders over a Regathered Remnant

23:1 The Lord says, ⁴  “The leaders of my people are sure to be judged. ⁵  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. ⁶ 

Jeremiah 25:35

25:35 The leaders will not be able to run away and hide. ⁷ 

The shepherds of the flocks will not be able to escape.

Jeremiah 31:30

31:30 Rather, each person will die for his own sins. The teeth of the person who eats the sour grapes will themselves grow numb. ⁸ 

¹ sn This is still part of the Lord’s case against Israel. See 2:9 for the use of the same Hebrew verb. The Lord here denies their counter claims that they do not deserve to be punished.

² tn Heb “How good you have made your ways to seek love.”

³ tn Heb “so that even the wicked women you teach your ways.”

³ tn Heb “Oracle of the Lord.”

⁴ 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.

⁵ 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.

⁴ tn Heb “Flight [or “place of escape”] will perish from the shepherds.”

⁵ sn The Lord answers their charge by stating that each person is responsible for his own sin and will himself bear the consequences. Ezek 18 has a more extended treatment of this and shows that this extends not just to the link between parents and children but between former behavior and future behavior of the same individual. To a certain extent the principle articulated here is anticipatory of the statement in v. 34 which refers to the forgiveness of former sins.