Jeremiah 7:22-23

7:22 Consider this:¹ When I spoke to your ancestors after I brought them out of Egypt, I did not merely give them commands about burnt offerings and sacrifices. 7:23 I also explicitly commanded them:² “Obey me. If you do, I³ will be your God and you will be my people. Live exactly the way I tell you⁴ and things will go well with you.”

¹tn Heb “For” but this introduces a long explanation about the relative importance of sacrifice and obedience.

²tn Verses 22-23a read in Hebrew, “I did not speak with your ancestors and I did not command them when I brought them out of Egypt about words/matters concerning burnt offering and sacrifice, but I commanded them this word:” Some modern commentators have explained this passage as an evidence for the lateness of the Pentateuchal instruction regarding sacrifice or a denial that sacrifice was practiced during the period of the wilderness wandering. However, it is better explained as an example of what R. de Vaux calls a dialectical negative, i.e., “not so much this as that” or “not this without that” (Ancient Israel, 454-56). For other examples of this same argument see Isa 1:10-17; Hos 6:4-6; Amos 5:21-25.

³tn Heb “Obey me and I will be.” The translation is equivalent syntactically but brings out the emphasis in the command.

⁴tn Heb “Walk in all the way that I command you.”