Jeremiah 17:11

17:11 The person who gathers wealth by unjust means

is like the partridge that broods over eggs but does not hatch them. ¹ 

Before his life is half over he will lose his ill-gotten gains. ² 

At the end of his life it will be clear he was a fool.” ³ 

Jeremiah 20:15

20:15 Cursed be the man

who made my father very glad

when he brought him the news

that a baby boy had been born to him! ⁴ 

Jeremiah 30:6

30:6 Ask yourselves this and consider it carefully: ⁵ 

Have you ever seen a man give birth to a baby?

Why then do I see all these strong men

grabbing their stomachs in pain like ⁶  a woman giving birth?

And why do their faces

turn so deathly pale?

[17:11]  ¹ tn The meaning of this line is somewhat uncertain. The word translated “broods over” occurs only here and Isa 34:15. It is often defined on the basis of an Aramaic cognate which means “to gather” with an extended meaning of “to gather together under her to hatch.” Many commentators go back to a Rabbinic explanation that the partridge steals the eggs of other birds and hatches them out only to see the birds depart when they recognize that she is not the mother. Modern studies question the validity of this zoologically. Moreover, W. L. Holladay contests the validity on the basis of the wording “and she does hatch them” (Heb “bring them to birth”). See W. L. Holladay, Jeremiah (Hermeneia), 1:498, and see also P. C. Craigie, P. H. Kelley, J. F. Drinkard, Jeremiah 1-25 (WBC), 229. The point of the comparison is that the rich gather their wealth but they do not get to see the fruits of it.

[17:11]  ² tn The Hebrew text merely says “it.” But the antecedent might be ambiguous in English so the reference to wealth gained by unjust means is here reiterated for clarity.

[17:11]  ³ tn Heb “he will be [= prove to be] a fool.”

[20:15]  ⁴ tn Heb “Cursed be the man who brought my father the news saying, ‘A son, a male, has been born to you,’ making glad his joy.” This verse has been restructured for English stylistic purposes.

[30:6]  ⁷ tn Heb “Ask and see/consider.”

[30:6]  ⁸ tn Heb “with their hands on their loins.” The word rendered “loins” refers to the area between the ribs and the thighs.