Discovery BoxJeremiah 13:17 
Context13:17 But if you will not pay attention to this warning, 1
I will weep alone because of your arrogant pride.
I will weep bitterly and my eyes will overflow with tears 2
because you, the Lord’s flock, 3 will be carried 4 into exile.”
Jeremiah 31:9
Context31:9 They will come back shedding tears of contrition.
I will bring them back praying prayers of repentance. 5
I will lead them besides streams of water,
along smooth paths where they will never stumble. 6
I will do this because I am Israel’s father;
Ephraim 7 is my firstborn son.’”
1 tn Heb “If you will not listen to it.” For the use of the feminine singular pronoun to refer to the idea(s) expressed in the preceding verse(s), see GKC 440-41 §135.p.
2 tn Heb “Tearing [my eye] will tear and my eye will run down [= flow] with tears.”
sn The depth of Jeremiah’s sorrow for the sad plight of his people, if they refuse to repent, is emphasized by the triple repetition of the word “tears” twice in an emphatic verbal expression (Hebrew infinitive before finite verb) and once in the noun.
3 tn Heb “because the
4 tn The verb is once again in the form of “as good as done” (the Hebrew prophetic perfect).
5 tn Heb “They will come with weeping; I will bring them with supplication.” The ideas of contrition and repentance are implicit from the context (cf. vv. 18-19) and are supplied for clarity.
6 sn Jer 31:8-9 are reminiscent of the “New Exodus” motif of Isa 40-66 which has already been referred to in Jer 16:14-15; 23:7-8. See especially Isa 35:3-10; 40:3-5, 11; 41:17-20; 42:14-17; 43:16-21; 49:9-13. As there, the New Exodus will so outstrip the old that the old will pale in comparison and be almost forgotten (see Jer 23:7-8).
7 sn Ephraim was the second son of Joseph who was elevated to a place of prominence in the family of Jacob by the patriarch’s special blessing. It was the strongest tribe in northern Israel and Samaria lay in its territory. It is often used as a poetic parallel for Israel as here. The poetry is not speaking of two separate entities here; it is a way of repeating an idea for emphasis. Moreover, there is no intent to show special preference for northern Israel over Judah. All Israel is metaphorically God’s son and the object of his special care and concern (Exod 4:22; Deut 32:6).
