Jeremiah 7:26

But your ancestors ¹  did not listen to me nor pay attention to me. They became obstinate ²  and were more wicked than even their own forefathers.’”

But they did not listen to me or pay attention. They were stiff-necked and did more evil than their forefathers.’

"Yet they did not listen to Me or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck; they did more evil than their fathers.

But my people have not listened to me or even tried to hear. They have been stubborn and sinful––even worse than their ancestors.

but do you think the people listened? Not once. Stubborn as mules and worse than their ancestors!'

But still they took no note and would not give ear, but they made their necks stiff, doing worse than their fathers.

yet they did not listen to me, or pay attention, but they stiffened their necks. They did worse than their ancestors did.

"Yet they did not obey Me or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck. They did worse than their fathers.

But your ancestors ¹  did not listen to me nor pay attention to me. They became obstinate ²  and were more wicked than even their own forefathers.’”

¹ tn Or “But your predecessors…”; Heb “But they….” There is a confusing interchange in the pronouns in vv. 25-26 which has led to some leveling in the ancient versions and the modern English versions. What is involved here are four levels of referents, the “you” of the present generation (vv. 21-22a), the ancestors who were delivered from Egypt (i.e., the “they” of vv. 22b-24), the “you” of v. 25 which involves all the Israelites from the Exodus to the time of speaking, and the “they” of v. 26 which cannot be the ancestors of vv. 22-24 (since they cannot be more wicked than themselves) but must be an indefinite entity which is a part of the “you” of v. 25, i.e., the more immediate ancestors of the present generation. If this is kept in mind, there is no need to level the pronouns to “they” and “them” or to “you” and “your” as some of the ancient versions and modern English versions have done.

² tn Heb “hardened [or made stiff] their neck.”