Jeremiah 9:20

9:20 I said, ¹ 

“So now, ²  you wailing women, hear what the Lord says. ³ 

Open your ears to the words from his mouth.

Teach your daughters this mournful song,

and each of you teach your neighbor ⁴  this lament.

Jeremiah 35:8

35:8 We and our wives and our sons and daughters have obeyed everything our ancestor Jonadab commanded us. We have never drunk wine. ⁵ 

Jeremiah 52:1

The Fall of Jerusalem

52:1 ⁶ Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he ruled in Jerusalem ⁷  for eleven years. His mother’s name was Hamutal ⁸  daughter of Jeremiah, from Libnah.

[9:20]  ¹ tn The words “I said” are not in the text. The text merely has “Indeed, yes.” The words are supplied in the translation to indicate that the speaker is still Jeremiah though he now is not talking about the mourning woman but is talking to them. See the notes on 9:17-18 for further explanation.

[9:20]  ² tn It is a little difficult to explain how the Hebrew particle כִּי (ki) is functioning here. W. L. Holladay (Jeremiah [Hermeneia], 1:311) may be correct in seeing it as introducing the contents of what those who call for the mourning women are to say. In this case, Jeremiah picks up the task as representative of the people.

[9:20]  ³ tn Heb “Listen to the word of the Lord.”

[9:20]  ⁴ tn Heb “Teach…mournful song, and each woman her neighbor lady…”

[35:8]  ⁵ tn Heb “We have not drunk wine all our days.” Actually vv. 8b-9a are a series of infinitive constructs plus the negative לְבִלְתִּי (lÿvilti) explaining the particulars of how they have obeyed, i.e., by not drinking wine…and by not building….” The more direct declarative statement is used here to shorten the sentence and is more in keeping with contemporary style.

[52:1]  ⁹ sn This final chapter does not mention Jeremiah, but its description of the downfall of Jerusalem and exile of the people validates the prophet’s ministry.

[52:1]  ¹⁰ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[52:1]  ¹¹ tn Some textual witnesses support the Kethib (consonantal text) in reading “Hamital.”