Jeremiah 5:27-29

5:27 Like a cage filled with the birds that have been caught, ¹ 

their houses are filled with the gains of their fraud and deceit. ² 

That is how they have gotten so rich and powerful. ³ 

5:28 That is how ⁴  they have grown fat and sleek. ⁵ 

There is no limit to the evil things they do. ⁶ 

They do not plead the cause of the fatherless in such a way as to win it.

They do not defend the rights of the poor.

5:29 I will certainly punish them for doing such things!” says the Lord.

“I will certainly bring retribution on such a nation as this! ⁷ 

[5:27]  ¹ tn The words, “that have been caught” are not in the text but are implicit in the comparison.

[5:27]  ² tn Heb “are filled with deceit.” The translation assumes a figure of speech of cause for effect (metonymy). Compare the same word in the same figure in Zeph 1:9.

[5:27]  ³ tn Heb “therefore they have gotten great and rich.”

[5:28]  ⁴ tn These words are not in the text but are supplied in the translation to show that this line is parallel with the preceding.

[5:28]  ⁵ tn The meaning of this word is uncertain. This verb occurs only here. The lexicons generally relate it to the word translated “plate” in Song 5:14 and understand it to mean “smooth, shiny” (so BDB 799 s.v. I עֶשֶׁת) or “fat” (so HALOT 850 s.v. II עֶשֶׁת). The word in Song 5:14 more likely means “smooth” than “plate” (so TEV). So “sleek” is most likely here.

[5:28]  ⁶ tn Heb “they cross over/transgress with respect to matters of evil.”

[5:29]  ⁷ tn Heb “Should I not punish…? Should I not bring retribution…?” The rhetorical questions function as emphatic declarations.