Discovery BoxJeremiah 6:12-15 
Context6:12 Their houses will be turned over to others
as will their fields and their wives.
For I will unleash my power 1
against those who live in this land,”
says the Lord.
6:13 “That is because, from the least important to the most important of them,
all of them are greedy for dishonest gain.
Prophets and priests alike,
all of them practice deceit.
6:14 They offer only superficial help
for the harm my people have suffered. 2
They say, ‘Everything will be all right!’
But everything is not all right! 3
6:15 Are they ashamed because they have done such shameful things?
No, they are not at all ashamed.
They do not even know how to blush!
So they will die, just like others have died. 4
They will be brought to ruin when I punish them,”
says the Lord.
1 tn Heb “I will reach out my hand.” This figure involves both comparing God to a person (anthropomorphism) and substitution (metonymy) where hand is put for the actions or exertions of the hand. A common use of “hand” is for the exertion of power or strength (cf. BDB 290 s.v. יָד 2 and 289-90 s.v. יָד 1.e(2); cf. Deut 34:12; Ps 78:42; Jer 16:21).
2 tn Heb “They heal [= bandage] the wound of my people lightly”; TEV “They act as if my people’s wounds were only scratches.”
3 tn Heb “They say, ‘Peace! Peace!’ and there is no peace!”
4 tn Heb “They will fall among the fallen.”
