Discovery BoxJeremiah 29:17-18 
Context29:17 The Lord who rules over all 1 says, ‘I will bring war, 2 starvation, and disease on them. I will treat them like figs that are so rotten 3 they cannot be eaten. 29:18 I will chase after them with war, 4 starvation, and disease. I will make all the kingdoms of the earth horrified at what happens to them. I will make them examples of those who are cursed, objects of horror, hissing scorn, and ridicule among all the nations where I exile them.
1 tn Heb “Yahweh of armies.” See the study note on 2:19 for explanation of this title.
2 tn Heb “the sword.”
3 tn The meaning of this word is somewhat uncertain. It occurs only here in the Hebrew Bible. BDB 1045 s.v. שֹׁעָר relates it to the noun “horrible thing” (translated “something shocking”) in Jer 5:30; 23:14 and defines it as “horrid, disgusting.” HALOT 1495 s.v. שֹׁעָר relates it to the same noun and define it as “rotten; corrupt.” That nuance is accepted here.
sn Compare Jer 24:8-10 in its context for the figure here.
4 tn Heb “with the sword.”
