Jeremiah 3:24

3:24 From earliest times our worship of that shameful god, Baal,

has taken away ¹  all that our ancestors ²  worked for.

It has taken away our flocks and our herds,

and even our sons and daughters.

Jeremiah 46:14

46:14 “Make an announcement throughout Egypt.

Proclaim it in Migdol, Memphis, and Tahpanhes. ³ 

‘Take your positions and prepare to do battle.

For the enemy army is destroying all the nations around you.’ ⁴ 

[3:24]  ¹ tn Heb “From our youth the shameful thing has eaten up…” The shameful thing is specifically identified as Baal in Jer 11:13. Compare also the shift in certain names such as Ishbaal (“man of Baal”) to Ishbosheth (“man of shame”).

[3:24]  ² tn Heb “fathers” (also in v. 25).

[46:14]  ³ tn Heb “Declare in Egypt and announce in Migdol and announce in Noph [= Memphis] and in Tahpanhes.” The sentence has been restructured to reflect the fact that the first command is a general one, followed by announcements in specific (representative?) cities.

[46:14]  ⁴ tn Heb “For the sword devours those who surround you.” The “sword” is again figurative of destructive forces. Here it is a reference to the forces of Nebuchadnezzar which have already destroyed the Egyptian forces at Carchemish and have made victorious forays into the Philistine plain.