Jeremiah 2:14

Israel’s Reliance on Foreign Alliances (not on God)

2:14 “Israel is not a slave, is he?

He was not born into slavery, was he?¹

If not, why then is he being carried off?

Jeremiah 7:19

7:19 But I am not really the one being troubled!”² says the Lord. “Rather they are bringing trouble on themselves to their own shame!³

Jeremiah 8:21

8:21 My heart is crushed because my dear people⁴ are being crushed.⁵

I go about crying and grieving. I am overwhelmed with dismay.⁶

Jeremiah 49:33

49:33 “Hazor will become a permanent wasteland,

a place where only jackals live.⁷

No one will live there.

No human being will settle in it.”⁸

¹tn Heb “Is Israel a slave? Or is he a house born slave?” The questions are rhetorical, expecting a negative answer.

sn The Lord is here contrasting Israel’s lofty status as the Lord’s bride and special possession, which he had earlier reminded her of (see 2:2-3), with her current status of servitude to Egypt and Assyria.

²tn Heb “Is it I whom they provoke?” The rhetorical question expects a negative answer which is made explicit in the translation.

³tn Heb “Is it not themselves to their own shame?” The rhetorical question expects a positive answer which is made explicit in the translation.

⁴tn Heb “daughter of my people.” For the translation given here see 4:11 and the note on the phrase “dear people” there.

⁵tn Heb “Because of the crushing of the daughter of my people I am crushed.”

⁶tn Heb “I go about in black [i.e., mourning clothes]. Dismay has seized me.”

⁷sn Compare Jer 9:11.

⁸sn Compare Jer 49:18 and 50:40 where the same thing is said about Edom and Babylon.