Jeremiah 5:21

5:21 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: ¹ 

Jeremiah 11:12

11:12 Then those living in the towns of Judah and in Jerusalem will ²  go and cry out for help to the gods to whom they have been sacrificing. However, those gods will by no means ³  be able to save them when disaster strikes them.

Jeremiah 16:6

16:6 Rich and poor alike will die in this land. They will not be buried or mourned. People will not cut their bodies or shave off their hair to show their grief for them. ⁴ 

Jeremiah 32:22

32:22 You kept the promise that you swore on oath to their ancestors. ⁵  You gave them a land flowing with milk and honey. ⁶ 

Jeremiah 32:39

32:39 I will give them a single-minded purpose to live in a way that always shows respect for me. They will want to do that for ⁷  their own good and the good of the children who descend from them.

[5:21]  ¹ tn Heb “they have eyes but they do not see, they have ears but they do not hear.”

[11:12]  ² tn Heb “Then the towns of Judah and those living in Jerusalem will…”

[11:12]  ³ tn The Hebrew construction is emphatic involving the use of an infinitive of the verb before the verb itself (Heb “saving they will not save”). For this construction to give emphasis to an antithesis, cf. GKC 343 §113.p.

[16:6]  ³ sn These were apparently pagan customs associated with mourning (Isa 15:2; Jer 47:5) which were forbidden in Israel (Lev 19:8; 21:5) but apparently practiced anyway (Jer 41:5).

[32:22]  ⁴ tn Heb “fathers.”

[32:22]  ⁵ tn For an alternative translation of the expression “a land flowing with milk and honey” see the translator’s note on 11:5.

[32:39]  ⁵ tn Heb “I will give to them one heart and one way to [= in order that they may] fear me all the days for good to them.” The phrase “one heart” refers both to unanimity of will and accord (cf. 1 Chr 12:38 [12:39 HT]; 2 Chr 30:12) and to singleness of purpose or intent (cf. Ezek 11:19 and see BDB 525 s.v. ֵלב 4 where reference is made to “inclinations, resolutions, and determinations of the will”). The phrase “one way” refers to one way of life or conduct (cf. BDB 203 s.v. דֶּרֶךְ 6.a where reference is made to moral action and character), a way of life that is further qualified by the goal of showing “fear, reverence, respect” for the Lord. The Hebrew sentence has been broken up to avoid a long complex sentence in English which is contrary to contemporary English style. However, an attempt has been made to preserve all the connections of the original.