Jeremiah 8:15

8:15 We hoped for good fortune, but nothing good has come of it.

We hoped for a time of relief, but instead we experience terror. ¹ 

Jeremiah 13:16

13:16 Show the Lord your God the respect that is due him. ² 

Do it before he brings the darkness of disaster. ³ 

Do it before you stumble ⁴  into distress

like a traveler on the mountains at twilight. ⁵ 

Do it before he turns the light of deliverance you hope for

into the darkness and gloom of exile. ⁶ 

Jeremiah 3:17

3:17 At that time the city of Jerusalem ⁷  will be called the Lord’s throne. All nations will gather there in Jerusalem to honor the Lord’s name. ⁸  They will no longer follow the stubborn inclinations of their own evil hearts. ⁹ 

Jeremiah 14:19

14:19 Then I said,

“Lord, ¹⁰  have you completely rejected the nation of Judah?

Do you despise ¹¹  the city of Zion?

Why have you struck us with such force

that we are beyond recovery? ¹² 

We hope for peace, but nothing good has come of it.

We hope for a time of relief from our troubles, but experience terror. ¹³ 

Jeremiah 14:22

14:22 Do any of the worthless idols ¹⁴  of the nations cause rain to fall?

Do the skies themselves send showers?

Is it not you, O Lord our God, who does this? ¹⁵ 

So we put our hopes in you ¹⁶ 

because you alone do all this.”

[8:15]  ¹ tn Heb “[We hoped] for a time of healing but behold terror.”

[13:16]  ² tn Heb “Give glory/respect to the Lord your God.” For this nuance of the word “glory” (כָּבוֹד, kavod), see BDB 459 s.v. כָּבוֹד 6.b and compare the usage in Mal 1:6 and Josh 7:19.

[13:16]  ³ tn The words “of disaster” are not in the text. They are supplied in the translation to explain the significance of the metaphor to readers who may not be acquainted with the metaphorical use of light and darkness for salvation and joy and distress and sorrow respectively.

[13:16]  ⁴ tn Heb “your feet stumble.”

[13:16]  ⁵ tn Heb “you stumble on the mountains at twilight.” The added words are again supplied in the translation to help explain the metaphor to the uninitiated reader.

[13:16]  ⁶ tn Heb “and while you hope for light he will turn it into deep darkness and make [it] into gloom.” The meaning of the metaphor is again explained through the addition of the “of” phrases for readers who are unacquainted with the metaphorical use of these terms.

[3:17]  ³ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[3:17]  ⁴ tn Heb “will gather to the name of the Lord.”

[3:17]  ⁵ tn Heb “the stubbornness of their evil hearts.”

[14:19]  ⁴ tn The words, “Then I said, ‘Lord” are not in the Hebrew text. It is obvious from the context that the Lord is addressee. The question of the identity of the speaker is the same as that raised in vv. 7-9 and the arguments set forth there are applicable here as well. Jeremiah is here identifying with the people and doing what they refuse to do, i.e., confess their sins and express their trust in him.

[14:19]  ⁵ tn Heb “does your soul despise.” Here as in many places the word “soul” stands as part for whole for the person himself emphasizing emotional and volitional aspects of the person. However, in contemporary English one does not regularly speak of the “soul” in contexts such as this but of the person.

[14:19]  ⁶ tn Heb “Why have you struck us and there is no healing for us.” The statement involves poetic exaggeration (hyperbole) for rhetorical effect.

[14:19]  ⁷ tn Heb “[We hope] for a time of healing but behold terror.”

[14:22]  ⁵ tn The word הֶבֶל (hevel), often translated “vanities”, is a common pejorative epithet for idols or false gods. See already in 8:19 and 10:8.

[14:22]  ⁶ tn Heb “Is it not you, O Lord our God?” The words “who does” are supplied in the translation for English style.

[14:22]  ⁷ tn The rhetorical negatives are balanced by a rhetorical positive.