Jeremiah 25:3-7

25:3 “For the last twenty-three years, from the thirteenth year that Josiah son of Amon was ruling in Judah¹ until now, the Lord has been speaking to me. I told you over and over again² what he said.³ But you would not listen. 25:4 Over and over again⁴ the Lord has sent⁵ his servants the prophets to you. But you have not listened or paid attention.⁶ 25:5 He said through them,⁷ ‘Each of you must turn from your wicked ways and stop doing the evil things you are doing.⁸ If you do, I will allow you to continue to live here in the land that I gave to you and your ancestors as a lasting possession.⁹ 25:6 Do not pay allegiance to¹⁰ other gods and worship and serve them. Do not make me angry by the things that you do.¹¹ Then I will not cause you any harm.’ 25:7 So, now the Lord says,¹² ‘You have not listened to me. But¹³ you have made me angry by the things that you have done.¹⁴ Thus you have brought harm on yourselves.’

¹sn The year referred to would be 627 b.c. The same year is referred to in 1:2 in reference to his call to be a prophet.

²tn For the idiom involved here see the notes at 7:13 and 11:7.

³tn The words “what he said” are not in the text but are implicit. They are supplied in the translation for clarity.

⁴tn For the idiom involved here see the notes at 7:13 and 11:7.

⁵tn The vav consecutive with the perfect in a past narrative is a little unusual. Here it is probably indicating repeated action in past time in keeping with the idiom that precedes and follows it. See GKC 332 §112.f for other possible examples.

⁶tn Heb “inclined your ear to hear.” This is idiomatic for “paying attention.” It is often parallel with “listen” as here or with “pay attention” (see, e.g., Prov 4:20; 51:1).

⁷tn Heb “saying.” The infinitive goes back to “he sent”; i.e., “he sent, saying.”

⁸tn Heb “Turn [masc. pl.] each person from his wicked way and from the evil of your [masc. pl.] doings.” See the same demand in 23:22.

⁹tn Heb “gave to you and your fathers with reference to from ancient times even unto forever.” See the same idiom in 7:7.

¹⁰tn Heb “follow after.” See the translator’s note on 2:5 for this idiom.

¹¹tn Heb “make me angry with the work of your hands.” The term “work of your own hands” is often interpreted as a reference to idolatry as is clearly the case in Isa 2:8; 37:19. However, the parallelism in 25:14 and the context in 32:30 show that it is more general and refers to what they have done. That is likely the meaning here as well.

¹²tn Heb “Oracle of the Lord.”

¹³tn This is a rather clear case where the Hebrew particle לְמַעַן (lÿma’an) introduces a consequence and not a purpose, contrary to the dictum of BDB 775 s.v. מַעַן note 1. They have not listened to him in order to make him angry but with the result that they have made him angry by going their own way. Jeremiah appears to use this particle for result rather than purpose on several other occasions (see, e.g., 7:18, 19; 27:10, 15; 32:29).

¹⁴tn Heb “make me angry with the work of your hands.” The term “work of your own hands” is often interpreted as a reference to idolatry as is clearly the case in Isa 2:8; 37:19. However, the parallelism in 25:14 and the context in 32:30 show that it is more general and refers to what they have done. That is likely the meaning here as well.