Discovery BoxJeremiah 9:17-18 
Context9:17 The Lord who rules over all 1 told me to say to this people, 2
“Take note of what I say. 3
Call for the women who mourn for the dead!
Summon those who are the most skilled at it!” 4
9:18 I said, “Indeed, 5 let them come quickly and sing a song of mourning for us.
Let them wail loudly until tears stream from our own eyes
and our eyelids overflow with water.
1 tn Heb “Yahweh of armies.”
sn For the significance of this title see the notes at 2:19 and 7:3.
2 tn Heb “Thus says Yahweh of armies.” However, without some addition it is not clear to whom the command is addressed. The words are supplied in the translation for clarity and to help resolve a rather confusing issue of who is speaking throughout vv. 16-21. As has been evident throughout the translation, the speaker is not always indicated. Sometimes it is not even clear who the speaker is. In general the translation and the notes have reflected the general consensus in identifying who it is. Here, however, there is a good deal of confusion about who is speaking in vv. 18, 20-21. The Greek translation has the
3 tn Heb “Consider!”
4 tn Heb “Call for the mourning women that they may come and send for the wise/skilled women that they may come.” The verbs here are masculine plural, addressed to the people.
5 tn The words “And I said, ‘Indeed” are not in the text. They have been supplied in the translation to try and help clarify who the speaker is who identifies with the lament of the people.
