Discovery BoxJeremiah 6:8-10 
Context6:8 So 1 take warning, Jerusalem,
or I will abandon you in disgust 2
and make you desolate,
a place where no one can live.”
6:9 This is what the Lord who rules over all 3 said to me: 4
“Those who remain in Israel will be
like the grapes thoroughly gleaned 5 from a vine.
So go over them again, as though you were a grape harvester
passing your hand over the branches one last time.” 6
“Who would listen
if I spoke to them and warned them? 8
Their ears are so closed 9
that they cannot hear!
Indeed, 10 what the Lord says is offensive to them.
They do not like it at all. 11
1 tn This word is not in the text but is supplied in the translation. Jeremiah uses a figure of speech (enallage) where the speaker turns from talking about someone to address him/her directly.
2 tn Heb “lest my soul [= I] becomes disgusted with you.”
sn The wordplay begun with “sound…in Tekoa” in v. 1 and continued with “they will pitch” in v. 3 is concluded here with “turn away” (וּבִתְקוֹעַ תִּקְעוּ [uvitqoa’ tiq’u] in v. 1, תָּקְעוּ [taq’u] in v. 3 and תֵּקַע [teqa’] here).
3 tn Heb “Yahweh of armies.”
sn For an explanation of the significance of this title see the study note on 2:19.
4 tn The words “to me” are not in the text but are supplied in the translation for clarity.
5 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).
6 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.
7 tn These words are not in the text but are supplied in the translation for clarity.
8 tn Or “To whom shall I speak? To whom shall I give warning? Who will listen?” Heb “Unto whom shall I speak and give warning that they may listen?”
9 tn Heb “are uncircumcised.”
10 tn Heb “Behold!”
11 tn Heb “They do not take pleasure in it.”
