Jeremiah 49:9 
Context| NET © | If grape pickers came to pick your grapes, would they not leave a few grapes behind? 1 If robbers came at night, would they not pillage only what they needed? 2 |
| NIV © | If grape-pickers came to you, would they not leave a few grapes? If thieves came during the night, would they not steal only as much as they wanted? |
| NASB © | "If grape gatherers came to you, Would they not leave gleanings? If thieves came by night, They would destroy only until they had enough. |
| NLT © | Those who harvest grapes always leave a few for the poor. If thieves came at night, even they would not take everything. |
| MSG © | When harvesters work your fields, don't they leave gleanings? When burglars break into your house, don't they take only what they want? |
| BBE © | If men came to get your grapes, would they not let some be uncut on the vines? if thieves came by night, would they not make waste till they had enough? |
| NRSV © | If grape-gatherers came to you, would they not leave gleanings? If thieves came by night, even they would pillage only what they wanted. |
| NKJV © | If grape–gatherers came to you, Would they not leave some gleaning grapes? If thieves by night, Would they not destroy until they have enough? |
| KJV | |
| NASB © | |
| HEBREW | |
| LXXM | |
| NET © [draft] ITL | |
| NET © | If grape pickers came to pick your grapes, would they not leave a few grapes behind? 1 If robbers came at night, would they not pillage only what they needed? 2 |
| NET © Notes |
1 tn The translation of this verse is generally based on the parallels in Obad 5. There the second line has a ה interrogative in front of it. The question can still be assumed because questions can be asked in Hebrew without a formal marker (cf. GKC 473 §150.a and BDB 519 s.v. לֹא 1.a[e] and compare usage in 2 Kgs 5:26). 2 tn The tense and nuance of the verb translated “pillage” are both different than the verb in Obad 5. There the verb is the imperfect of גָּנַב (ganav, “to steal”). Here the verb is the perfect of a verb which means to “ruin” or “spoil.” The English versions and commentaries, however, almost all render the verb here in much the same way as in Obad 5. The nuance must mean they only “ruin, destroy” (by stealing) only as much as they need (Heb “their sufficiency”), and the verb is used as metonymical substitute, effect for cause. The perfect must be some kind of a future perfect; “would they not have destroyed only…” The negative question is carried over by ellipsis from the preceding lines. |
