Jeremiah 44:2-3

44:2 “The Lord God of Israel who rules over all ¹  says, ‘You have seen all the disaster I brought on Jerusalem ²  and all the towns of Judah. Indeed, they now lie in ruins and are deserted. ³  44:3 This happened because of the wickedness the people living there did. ⁴  They made me angry ⁵  by worshiping and offering sacrifice to ⁶  other gods whom neither they nor you nor your ancestors ⁷  previously knew. ⁸ 

[44:2]  ¹ tn Heb “Yahweh of armies, the God of Israel.” Compare 7:3 and see the study note on 2:19 for explanation and translation of this title.

[44:2]  ² map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[44:2]  ³ tn Heb “Behold, they are in ruins this day and there is no one living in them.”

[44:3]  ⁴ tn Heb “they.” The referent must be supplied from the preceding, i.e., Jerusalem and all the towns of Judah. “They” are those who have experienced the disaster and are distinct from those being addressed and their ancestors (44:3b).

[44:3]  ⁵ tn Heb “thus making me angry.” However, this is a good place to break the sentence to create a shorter sentence that is more in keeping with contemporary English style.

[44:3]  ⁶ tn Heb “by going to offer sacrifice in serving/worshiping.” The second לְ (lamed) + infinitive is epexegetical of the first (cf. IBHS 608-9 §36.2.3e).

[44:3]  ⁷ tn Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 9, 10, 17, 21).

[44:3]  ⁸ sn Compare Jer 19:4 for the same thought and see also 7:9.