Jeremiah 7:15

7:15 And I will drive you out of my sight just like I drove out your relatives, the people of Israel.’” ¹ 

Jeremiah 10:8

10:8 The people of those nations ²  are both stupid and foolish.

Instruction from a wooden idol is worthless! ³ 

Jeremiah 23:1

New Leaders over a Regathered Remnant

23:1 The Lord says, ⁴  “The leaders of my people are sure to be judged. ⁵  They were supposed to watch over my people like shepherds watch over their sheep. But they are causing my people to be destroyed and scattered. ⁶ 

Jeremiah 23:11

23:11 Moreover, ⁷  the Lord says, ⁸ 

“Both the prophets and priests are godless.

I have even found them doing evil in my temple!

Jeremiah 38:5

38:5 King Zedekiah said to them, “Very well, you can do what you want with him. ⁹  For I cannot do anything to stop you.” ¹⁰ 

Jeremiah 52:2

52:2 He did what displeased the Lord ¹¹  just as Jehoiakim had done.

[7:15]  ¹ tn Heb “the descendants of Ephraim.” However, Ephraim here stands (as it often does) for all the northern tribes of Israel.

[10:8]  ² tn Or “Those wise people and kings are…” It is unclear whether the subject is the “they” of the nations in the preceding verse, or the wise people and kings referred to. The text merely has “they.”

[10:8]  ³ tn Heb “The instruction of vanities [worthless idols] is wood.” The meaning of this line is a little uncertain. Various proposals have been made to make sense, most of which involve radical emendation of the text. For some examples see J. A. Thompson, Jeremiah (NICOT), 323-24, fn 6. However, this is probably a case of the bold predication that discussed in GKC 452 §141.d, some examples of which may be seen in Ps 109:4 “I am prayer,” and Ps 120:7 “I am peace.”

[23:1]  ³ tn Heb “Oracle of the Lord.”

[23:1]  ⁴ sn Heb This particle once again introduces a judgment speech. The indictment is found in v. 1 and the announcement of judgment in v. 2. This leads into an oracle of deliverance in vv. 3-4. See also the note on the word “judged” in 22:13.

[23:1]  ⁵ tn Heb “Woe to the shepherds who are killing and scattering the sheep of my pasture.” See the study note on 22:13 for the significance of “Sure to be judged” (Heb “Woe”) See the study note for the significance of the metaphor introduced here.

[23:11]  ⁴ tn The particle כִּי (ki) which begins this verse is parallel to the one at the beginning of the preceding verse. However, the connection is too distant to render it “for.” “Moreover” is intended to draw the parallel. The words “the Lord says” (Heb “Oracle of the Lord”) have been drawn up to the front to introduce the shift in speaker from Jeremiah, who describes his agitated state, to God, who describes the sins of the prophets and priests and his consequent judgment on them.

[23:11]  ⁵ tn Heb “Oracle of the Lord.”

[38:5]  ⁵ tn Heb “Behold, he is in your hands [= power/control].”

[38:5]  ⁶ tn Heb “For the king cannot do a thing with/against you.” The personal pronoun “I” is substituted in the English translation due to differences in style; Hebrew style often uses the third person or the title in speaking of oneself but English rarely if ever does. Compare the common paraphrasis of “your servant” for “I” in Hebrew (cf. BDB 714 s.v. עֶבֶד 6 and usage in 1 Sam 20:7, 8) and compare the usage in Pss 63:11 (63:12 HT); 61:6 (61:7 HT) where the king is praying for himself. For the meaning of יָכֹל (yakhol) as “to be able to do anything,” see BDB 407 s.v. יָכֹל 1.g.

[52:2]  ⁶ tn Heb “what was evil in the eyes of the Lord.”