Jeremiah 14:9

Why should you be like someone who is helpless, ¹  like a champion ²  who cannot save anyone? You are indeed with us, ³  and we belong to you. ⁴  Do not abandon us!”

Ex 29:45,46; Le 26:11,12; Nu 11:23; Nu 14:15,16; De 23:14; 1Sa 12:22; Ps 27:9; Ps 44:23-26; Ps 46:5; Isa 12:6; Isa 50:1,2; Isa 51:9; Isa 59:1; Isa 63:19; Jer 15:16; Da 9:18,19; Zec 2:5; 2Co 6:16; Heb 13:5; Re 21:3

¹ tn This is the only time this word occurs in the Hebrew Bible. The lexicons generally take it to mean “confused” or “surprised” (cf., e.g., BDB 187 s.v. דָּהַם). However, the word has been found in a letter from the seventh century in a passage where it must mean something like “be helpless”; see W. L. Holladay, Jeremiah (Hermeneia), 1:433, for discussion and bibliography of an article where this letter is dealt with.

² tn Heb “mighty man, warrior.” For this nuance see 1 Sam 17:51 where it parallels a technical term used of Goliath used earlier in 17:4, 23.

³ tn Heb “in our midst.”

⁴ tn Heb “Your name is called upon us.” See Jer 7:10, 11, 14, 30 for this idiom with respect to the temple and see the notes on Jer 7:10.