Jeremiah 25:35-37

25:35 The leaders will not be able to run away and hide. ¹ 

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

25:36 Listen to the cries of anguish of the leaders.

Listen to the wails of the shepherds of the flocks.

They are wailing because the Lord

is about to destroy their lands. ² 

25:37 Their peaceful dwelling places will be laid waste ³ 

by the fierce anger of the Lord. ⁴ 

[25:35]  ¹ tn Heb “Flight [or “place of escape”] will perish from the shepherds.”

[25:36]  ² tn Heb “their pastures,” i.e., the place where they “shepherd” their “flocks.” The verb tenses in this section are not as clear as in the preceding. The participle in this verse is followed by a vav consecutive perfect like the imperatives in v. 34. The verbs in v. 38 are perfects but they can be and probably should be understood as prophetic like the perfect in v. 31 (נְתָנָם, nÿtanam) which is surrounded by imperfects, participles, and vav consecutive perfects.

[25:37]  ³ tn For this meaning of the verb used here see HALOT 217 s.v. דָּמַם Nif. Elsewhere it refers to people dying (see, e.g., Jer 49:26; 50:30) hence some see a reference to “lifeless.”

[25:37]  ⁴ tn Heb “because of the burning anger of the Lord.”