Psalms 131:2

131:2 Indeed ¹  I am composed and quiet, ² 

like a young child carried by its mother; ³ 

I am content like the young child I carry. ⁴ 

Jeremiah 51:59

51:59 This is the order Jeremiah the prophet gave to Seraiah son of Neriah, son of Mahseiah, when he went to King Zedekiah of Judah in Babylon during the fourth year of his reign. ⁵  (Seraiah was a quartermaster.) ⁶ 

Jeremiah 51:1

51:1 The Lord says,

“I will cause a destructive wind ⁷  to blow

against ⁸  Babylon and the people who inhabit Babylonia. ⁹ 

Jeremiah 4:11

4:11 “At that time the people of Judah and Jerusalem ¹⁰  will be told,

‘A scorching wind will sweep down

from the hilltops in the desert on ¹¹  my dear people. ¹² 

It will not be a gentle breeze

for winnowing the grain and blowing away the chaff. ¹³ 

Jeremiah 4:2

4:2 You must be truthful, honest and upright

when you take an oath saying, ‘As surely as the Lord lives!’ ¹⁴ 

If you do, ¹⁵  the nations will pray to be as blessed by him as you are

and will make him the object of their boasting.” ¹⁶ 

Jeremiah 3:12

The Lord Calls on Israel and Judah to Repent

3:12 “Go and shout this message to my people in the countries in the north. ¹⁷  Tell them,

‘Come back to me, wayward Israel,’ says the Lord.

‘I will not continue to look on you with displeasure. ¹⁸ 

For I am merciful,’ says the Lord.

‘I will not be angry with you forever.

Jeremiah 3:1

3:1 “If a man divorces his wife

and she leaves him and becomes another man’s wife,

he may not take her back again. ¹⁹ 

Doing that would utterly defile the land. ²⁰ 

But you, Israel, have given yourself as a prostitute to many gods. ²¹ 

So what makes you think you can return to me?” ²² 

says the Lord.

Jeremiah 2:2

2:2 “Go and declare in the hearing of the people of Jerusalem: ²³  ‘This is what the Lord says: “I have fond memories of you, ²⁴  how devoted you were to me in your early years. ²⁵  I remember how you loved me like a new bride; you followed me through the wilderness, through a land that had never been planted.

[131:2]  ¹ tn Or “but.”

[131:2]  ² tn Heb “I make level and make quiet my soul.”

[131:2]  ³ tn Heb “like a weaned [one] upon his mother.”

[131:2]  ⁴ tn Heb “like the weaned [one] upon me, my soul.”

[51:59]  ⁵ sn This would be 582 b.c.

[51:59]  ⁶ tn Heb “an officer of rest.”

[51:1]  ⁷ sn The destructive wind is a figurative reference to the “foreign people” who will “winnow” Babylon and drive out all the people (v. 2). This figure has already been used in 4:11-12 and in 49:36. See the study note on 4:11-12 and the translator’s notes on 22:22 and 49:36.

[51:1]  ⁸ tn Or “I will arouse the spirit of hostility of a destroying nation”; Heb “I will stir up against Babylon…a destroying wind [or the spirit of a destroyer].” The word רוּחַ (ruakh) can refer to either a wind (BDB 924 s.v. רוּחַ 2.a) or a spirit (BDB 925 s.v. רוּחַ 2.g). It can be construed as either a noun followed by an adjectival participle (so, “a destroying wind”) or a noun followed by another noun in the “of” relationship (a construct or genitival relationship; so, “spirit of a destroyer”). The same noun with this same verb is translated “stir up the spirit of” in 1 Chr 5:26; 2 Chr 21:16; 36:22; Hag 1:14; and most importantly in Jer 51:11 where it refers to the king of the Medes. However, the majority of the exegetical tradition (all the commentaries consulted and all the English versions except NASB and NIV) opt for the “destructive wind” primarily because of the figure of winnowing that is found in the next verse. The translation follows the main line exegetical tradition here for that same reason.

[51:1]  ⁹ sn Heb “the people who live in Leb-qamai.” “Leb-qamai” is a code name for “Chaldeans” formed on the principle of substituting the last letter of the alphabet for the first, the next to the last for the second, and so on. This same principle is used in referring to Babylon in 25:26 and 51:41 as “Sheshach.” See the study note on 25:26 where further details are given. There is no consensus on why the code name is used because the terms Babylon and Chaldeans (= Babylonians) have appeared regularly in this prophecy or collection of prophecies.

[4:11]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “this people and Jerusalem.”

[4:11]  ¹¹ tn Heb “A scorching wind from the hilltops in the desert toward…”

[4:11]  ¹² tn Heb “daughter of my people.” The term “daughter of” is appositional to “my people” and is supplied in the translation as a term of sympathy and endearment. Compare the common expression “daughter of Zion.”

[4:11]  ¹³ tn Heb “not for winnowing and not for cleansing.” The words “It will not be a gentle breeze” are not in the text but are implicit in the connection. They are supplied in the translation here for clarification.

[4:2]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “If you [= you must, see the translator’s note on the word “do” later in this verse] swear/take an oath, ‘As the Lord lives,’ in truth, justice, and righteousness…”

[4:2]  ¹⁵ tn 4:1-2a consists of a number of “if” clauses, two of which are formally introduced by the Hebrew particle אִם (’im) while the others are introduced by the conjunction “and,” followed by a conjunction (“and” = “then”) with a perfect in 4:2b which introduces the consequence. The translation “You must…. If you do,” was chosen to avoid a long and complicated sentence.

[4:2]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “bless themselves in him and make their boasts in him.”

[3:12]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “Go and proclaim these words to the north.” The translation assumes that the message is directed toward the exiles of northern Israel who have been scattered in the provinces of Assyria to the north.

[3:12]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “I will not cause my face to fall on you.”

[3:1]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “May he go back to her again?” The question is rhetorical and expects a negative answer.

[3:1]  ²⁰ tn Heb “Would the land not be utterly defiled?” The stative is here rendered actively to connect better with the preceding. The question is rhetorical and expects a positive answer.

[3:1]  ²¹ tn Heb “But you have played the prostitute with many lovers.”

[3:1]  ²² tn Heb “Returning to me.” The form is the bare infinitive which the KJV and ASV have interpreted as an imperative “Yet, return to me!” However, it is more likely that a question is intended, expressing surprise in the light of the law alluded to and the facts cited. For the use of the infinitive absolute in the place of a finite verb, cf. GKC 346 §113.ee. For the introduction of a question without a question marker, cf. GKC 473 §150.a.

[2:2]  ²³ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[2:2]  ²⁴ tn Heb “I remember to/for you.”

[2:2]  ²⁵ tn Heb “the loyal love of your youth.”