Discovery BoxJeremiah 1:6
Context1:6 I answered, “Oh, Lord God, 1 I really 2 do not know how to speak well enough for that, 3 for I am too young.” 4
Jeremiah 5:21
Context5:21 Tell them: ‘Hear this,
you foolish people who have no understanding,
who have eyes but do not discern,
who have ears but do not perceive: 5
Jeremiah 8:17
Context“Yes indeed, 7 I am sending an enemy against you
that will be like poisonous snakes which cannot be charmed away. 8
And they will inflict fatal wounds on you.” 9
Jeremiah 15:21
Context15:21 “I will deliver you from the power of the wicked.
I will free you from the clutches of violent people.”
Jeremiah 26:14
Context26:14 As to my case, I am in your power. 10 Do to me what you deem fair and proper.
Jeremiah 46:24
Context46:24 Poor dear Egypt 11 will be put to shame.
She will be handed over to the people from the north.”
Jeremiah 48:25
Context48:25 Moab’s might will be crushed. Its power will be broken. 12 I, the Lord, affirm it! 13
Jeremiah 49:38
Context49:38 I will establish my sovereignty over Elam. 14
I will destroy their king and their leaders,” 15 says the Lord. 16
[1:6] 2 tn Heb “Behold, I do not know how to speak.” The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, commonly rendered “behold”) often introduces a speech and calls special attention to a specific word or the statement as a whole (see IBHS 675-78 §40.2.1).
[1:6] 3 tn The words “well enough for that” are implicit and are supplied in the translation for clarity. Jeremiah is not claiming an absolute inability to speak.
[1:6] 4 tn Heb “I am a boy/youth.” The Hebrew word can refer to an infant (Exod 2:6), a young boy (1 Sam 2:11), a teenager (Gen 21:12), or a young man (2 Sam 18:5). The translation is deliberately ambiguous since it is unclear how old Jeremiah was when he was called to begin prophesying.
[5:21] 5 tn Heb “they have eyes but they do not see, they have ears but they do not hear.”
[8:17] 9 tn These words which are at the end of the Hebrew verse are brought forward to show at the outset the shift in speaker.
[8:17] 10 tn Heb “Indeed [or For] behold!” The translation is intended to convey some of the connection that is suggested by the Hebrew particle כִּי (ki) at the beginning of the verse.
[8:17] 11 tn Heb “I am sending against you snakes, poisonous ones which cannot be charmed.” In the light of the context literal snakes are scarcely meant. So the metaphor is turned into a simile to prevent possible confusion. For a similar metaphorical use of animals for enemies see 5:6.
[8:17] 12 tn Heb “they will bite you.” There does not appear to be any way to avoid the possible confusion that literal snakes are meant here except to paraphrase. Possibly one could say “And they will attack you and ‘bite’ you,” but the enclosing of the word “bite” in quotations might lead to even further confusion.
[26:14] 13 tn Heb “And I, behold I am in your hand.” Hand is quite commonly used for “power” or “control” in biblical contexts.
[46:24] 17 tn Heb “Daughter Egypt.” See the translator’s note on v. 19.
[48:25] 21 tn Heb “The horn of Moab will be cut off. His arm will be broken.” “Horn” and “arm” are both symbols of strength (see BDB 902 s.v. קֶרֶן 2 [and compare usage in Lam 2:3] and BDB 284 s.v. זְרוֹעַ 2 [and compare usage in 1 Sam 2:31]). The figures have been interpreted for the sake of clarity.
[48:25] 22 tn Heb “Oracle of the
[49:38] 25 tn Or “I will sit in judgment over Elam”; Heb “I will set up my throne in Elam.” Commentators are divided over whether this refers to a king sitting in judgment over his captured enemies or whether it refers to formally establishing his rule over the country. Those who argue for the former idea point to the supposed parallels in 1:15 (which the present translation understands not to refer to this but to setting up siege) and 43:8-13. The parallelism in the verse here, however, argues that it refers to the
[49:38] 26 tn Heb “I will destroy king and leaders from there.”
