Jeremiah 6:9

6:9 This is what the Lord who rules over all 1  said to me: 2 

“Those who remain in Israel will be

like the grapes thoroughly gleaned 3  from a vine.

So go over them again, as though you were a grape harvester

passing your hand over the branches one last time.” 4 

Jeremiah 25:3

25:3 “For the last twenty-three years, from the thirteenth year that Josiah son of Amon was ruling in Judah 5  until now, the Lord has been speaking to me. I told you over and over again 6  what he said. 7  But you would not listen.

1 tn Heb “Yahweh of armies.”

sn For an explanation of the significance of this title see the study note on 2:19.

2 tn The words “to me” are not in the text but are supplied in the translation for clarity.

3 tn Heb “They will thoroughly glean those who are left in Israel like a vine.” That is, they will be carried off by judgment. It is not necessary to read the verb forms here as two imperatives or an infinitive absolute followed by an imperative as some English versions and commentaries do. This is an example of a third plural verb used impersonally and translated as a passive (cf. GKC 460 §144.g).

4 tn Heb “Pass your hand back over the branches like a grape harvester.” The translation is intended to clarify the metaphor that Jeremiah should try to rescue some from the coming destruction.

5 sn 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.

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

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