Jeremiah 12:16

12:16 But they must make sure you learn to follow the religious practices of my people. 1  Once they taught my people to swear their oaths using the name of the god Baal. 2  But then, they must swear oaths using my name, saying, “As surely as the Lord lives, I swear.” 3  If they do these things, 4  then they will be included among the people I call my own. 5 

Jeremiah 40:4

40:4 But now, Jeremiah, today I will set you free 6  from the chains on your wrists. If you would like to come to Babylon with me, come along and I will take care of you. 7  But if you prefer not to come to Babylon with me, you are not required to do so. 8  You are free to go anywhere in the land you want to go. 9  Go wherever you choose.” 10 

1 tn Heb “the ways of my people.” For this nuance of the word “ways” compare 10:2 and the notes there.

2 tn Heb “taught my people to swear by Baal.”

3 tn The words “I swear” are not in the text but are implicit to the oath formula. They are supplied in the translation for clarity.

4 tn The words “If they do this” are not in the text. They are part of an attempt to break up a Hebrew sentence which is long and complex into equivalent shorter sentences consistent with contemporary English style. Verse 16 in Hebrew is all one sentence with a long complex conditional clause followed by a short consequence: “If they carefully learn the ways of my people to swear by name, ‘By the life of the Lord,’ as they taught my people to swear by Baal, then they will be built up in the midst of my people.” The translation strives to create the same contingencies and modifications by breaking up the sentence into shorter sentences in accord with contemporary English style.

5 tn Heb “they will be built up among my people.” The expression “be built up among” is without parallel. However, what is involved here is conceptually parallel to the ideas expressed in Isa 19:23-25 and Zech 14:16-19. That is, these people will be allowed to live on their own land, to worship the Lord there, and to come to Jerusalem to celebrate the feasts. To translate literally would be meaningless or misleading for many readers.

6 tn The verb here is an example of the perfect of resolve where the speaker announces his intention to do something according to IBHS 488-89 §30.5.1d. The word “Jeremiah” is supplied in the translation to avoid the possible misunderstanding that the you is still plural.

7 tn Or “look out for you.” See 39:12 and the translator’s note there.

8 tn Or “Stay here”; Heb “Forbear.” The imperative is used in a permissive sense; “you may forbear.” See GKC 324 §110.b and compare usage in Gen 50:6.

9 tn Heb “See all the land [or the whole land] is before you.” For this idiom see BDB 817 s.v. פָּנֶה II.4.a(f) and compare the usage in Gen 20:15; 47:6.

10 tn Heb “Unto the good and the right in your eyes to go, go there.”