Jeremiah 6:7

6:7 As a well continually pours out fresh water

so it continually pours out wicked deeds. ¹ 

Sounds of violence and destruction echo throughout it. ² 

All I see are sick and wounded people.’ ³ 

Jeremiah 20:8

20:8 For whenever I prophesy, ⁴  I must cry out, ⁵ 

“Violence and destruction are coming!” ⁶ 

This message from the Lord ⁷  has made me

an object of continual insults and derision.

[6:7]  ¹ tc Heb “As a well makes cool/fresh its water, she makes cool/fresh her wickedness.” The translation follows the reading proposed by the Masoretes (Qere) which reads a rare form of the word “well” (בַּיִר [bayir] for בְּאֵר [bÿ’er]) in place of the form written in the text (Kethib, בּוֹר [bor]), which means “cistern.” The latter noun is masculine and the pronoun “its” is feminine. If indeed בַּיִר (bayir) is a byform of בְּאֵר (be’er), which is feminine, it would agree in gender with the pronoun. It also forms a more appropriate comparison since cisterns do not hold fresh water.

[6:7]  ² tn Heb “Violence and destruction are heard in it.”

[6:7]  ³ tn Heb “Sickness and wound are continually before my face.”

[20:8]  ⁴ tn Heb “speak,” but the speaking is in the context of speaking as a prophet.

[20:8]  ⁵ tn Heb “I cry out, I proclaim.”

[20:8]  ⁶ tn Heb “Violence and destruction.”

[20:8]  ⁷ tn Heb “the word of the Lord.” For the use of כִּי…כִּי (ki…ki) here in the sense of “for…and” see KBL 432 s.v. כּי 10.