29:16 I was a father 1 to the needy,
and I investigated the case of the person I did not know;
31:13 “If I have disregarded the right of my male servants
or my female servants
when they disputed 2 with me,
16:5 Then a trustworthy king will be established;
he will rule in a reliable manner,
this one from David’s family. 3
He will be sure to make just decisions
and will be experienced in executing justice. 4
59:4 No one is concerned about justice; 5
no one sets forth his case truthfully.
They depend on false words 6 and tell lies;
they conceive of oppression 7
and give birth to sin.
59:14 Justice is driven back;
godliness 8 stands far off.
Indeed, 9 honesty stumbles in the city square
and morality is not even able to enter.
59:15 Honesty has disappeared;
the one who tries to avoid evil is robbed.
The Lord watches and is displeased, 10
for there is no justice.
5:1 The Lord said, 11
“Go up and down 12 through the streets of Jerusalem. 13
Look around and see for yourselves.
Search through its public squares.
See if any of you can find a single person
who deals honestly and tries to be truthful. 14
If you can, 15 then I will not punish this city. 16
1 sn The word “father” does not have a wide range of meanings in the OT. But there are places that it is metaphorical, especially in a legal setting like this where the poor need aid.
2 tn This construction is an adverbial clause using the temporal preposition, the infinitive from רִיב (riv, “contend”), and the suffix which is the subjective genitive.
3 tn Heb “and a throne will be established in faithfulness, and he will sit on it in reliability, in the tent of David.”
4 tn Heb “one who judges and seeks justice, and one experienced in fairness.” Many understand מְהִר (mÿhir) to mean “quick, prompt” (see BDB 555 s.v. מָהִיר), but HALOT 552 s.v. מָהִיר offers the meaning “skillful, experienced,” and translates the phrase in v. 5 “zealous for what is right.”
5 tn Heb “no one pleads with justice.”
6 tn Heb “nothing”; NAB “emptiness.”
7 tn Or “trouble” (NIV), or “harm.”
8 tn Or “righteousness” (ASV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); KJV, NAB “justice.”
9 tn Or “for” (KJV, NRSV).
10 tn Heb “and it is displeasing in his eyes.”
11 tn These words are not in the text, but since the words at the end are obviously those of the
12 tn It is not clear who is being addressed here. The verbs are plural so they are not addressed to Jeremiah per se. Since the passage is talking about the people of Jerusalem, it is unlikely they are addressed here except perhaps rhetorically. Some have suggested that the heavenly court is being addressed here as in Job 1:6-8; 2:1-3. It is clear from Jer 23:18, 22; Amos 3:7 that the prophets had access to this heavenly counsel through visions (cf. 1 Kgs 22:19-23), so Jeremiah could have been privy to this speech through that means. Though these are the most likely addressee, it is too presumptuous to supply such an explicit addressee without clearer indication in the text. The translation will just have to run the risk of the probable erroneous assumption by most English readers that the addressee is Jeremiah.
13 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
14 tn Heb “who does justice and seeks faithfulness.”
15 tn Heb “squares. If you can find…if there is one person…then I will…”
16 tn Heb “forgive [or pardon] it.”
17 sn This law was given in Lev 25:36.
18 tn Heb, “turns back his hand.”
19 tn Heb “justice of truth.”
20 sn For a similar reference to true and righteous judgment see Mic 6:8.