translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: JER

label: NET translator note

text: English versions and commentaries differ on the number of officials named here and the exact spelling of their names. For a good discussion of the options see F. B. Huey, Jeremiah, Lamentations (NAC), 341, n. 71. Most commentaries follow the general lead of J. Bright ( Jeremiah [AB], 243) as the present translation has done here. However, the second name is not emended on the basis of v. 13 as Bright does, nor is the second Nergal-Sharezer regarded as the same man as the first and the information on the two combined as he does. The first Nergal-Sharezer is generally identified on the basis of Babylonian records as the man who usurped the throne from Nebuchadnezzar’s son, Awel-Marduk or Evil-Merodach as he is known in the OT ( Jer 52:31 ; 2 Kgs 25:27 ). The present translation renders the two technical Babylonian terms “Rab-Saris” (only in Jer 39:3, 13 ; 2 Kgs 18:17 ) and “Rab-Mag” (only in Jer 39:3, 13 ) as “chief officer” and “high official” without knowing precisely what offices they held. This has been done to give the modern reader some feeling of their high position without specifying exactly what their precise positions were (i.e., the generic has been used for the [unknown] specific).


text: Heb “sat.” The precise meaning of this phrase is not altogether clear, but J. Bright ( Jeremiah [AB], 243) is undoubtedly correct in assuming that it had to do with setting up a provisional military government over the city.


text: The Hebrew style here is typically full or redundant, giving a general subject first and then listing the specifics. The Hebrew text reads: “Then all the officers of the king of Babylon came and sat in the Middle Gate, Nergal-Sharezer…and all the rest of the officers of the king of Babylon.” In the translation the general subject has been eliminated and the list of the “real” subjects used instead; this eliminates the dashes or commas typical of some modern English versions. sn The identification of the location of the Middle Gate is uncertain since it is mentioned nowhere else in the OT.


text: Heb “The Chaldeans.” See the study note on 21:4 for explanation.


text: For location see Map5-B2 ; Map6-E1 ; Map7-E1 ; Map8-E3 ; Map10-A2 ; Map11-A1 .


text: Heb “fetters of bronze.” The more generic “chains” is used in the translation because “fetters” is a word unfamiliar to most modern readers.


text: Heb “Chaldean.” See the study note on 21:4 for explanation.


label: NET textual note

text: The reading here is based on an emendation following the parallels in Jer 52:13 and 2 Kgs 25:9 . The Hebrew text here does not have “the temple of the Lord ” and reads merely “house of the people.” The text here is probably corrupt. It reads וְאֶת־בֵּית הָעָם ( vÿ ’ et-bet ha ’ am , “and the house of the people”), which many explain as a collective use of בַּיִת ( bayit ). However, no parallels are cited by any of the commentaries, grammars, or lexicons for such a use. It is more likely that the words יְהוָה וְאֶת־בָּתֵּי ( yÿhvah vÿ ’ et-bate ) have fallen out of the text due to similar beginnings. The words וְאֶת־בֵּית יהוה ( vÿ ’ et-bet yhwh ) are found in the parallel texts cited in the marginal note. The Greek version is no help here because vv. 4-13 are omitted, probably due to the similarities in ending of vv. 3, 13 (i.e., homoioteleuton of מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל , melekh bavel ).


text: For the meaning of this phrase see BDB 371 s.v. טַבָּח 2 and compare the usage in Gen 39:1 .


text: The translation is based on an emendation of the text which leaves out “the rest of the people who were left” as a double writing of the same phrase at the beginning of the verse. Some commentators emend the phrase “the rest of the people who were left” ( הַנִּשְׁאָרִים וְאֶת יֶתֶר הָעָם , hannish ’ arim vÿ ’ et yeter ha ’ am ) to read “the rest of the craftsmen who were left” ( וְאֶת יֶתֶר הָאָמוֹן הַנִּשְׁאָרִים , vÿ ’ et yeter ha ’ amon hannish ’ arim ) on the basis of the parallel in Jer 52:15 (which does not have הַנִּשְׁאָרִים , hannish ’ arim ). However, it is easier to explain the phrase as a dittography of the phrase at the beginning (which is exactly the same except הָעִיר [ ha ’ ir ] follows it). The text is redundant because it refers twice to the same group of people. The Hebrew text reads: “And the rest of the people who were left in the city and the deserters who had deserted to him and the rest of the people Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, carried into exile to Babylon.” The text has also been divided up to create two shorter sentences to better conform with contemporary English style.


text: Heb “Nebuzaradan, the captain of the royal guard.” However, the subject is clear from the preceding and contemporary English style would normally avoid repeating the proper name and title.


text: Heb “And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon commanded concerning Jeremiah by the hand of Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, saying.” Since Nebuchadnezzar is at Riblah (v. 6 ) and Nebuzaradan and the other officers named in the next verse are at Jerusalem, the vav consecutive imperfect should again be translated as a pluperfect (see 38:2 and the translator’s notes there for explanation). For the meaning of “through” or “through the agency of” for the phrase בְּיַד ( bÿyad ) see BDB 391 s.v. יָד 5.d. The sentence has been broken up to better conform with contemporary English style.


text: Heb “Get [or fetch] him.” The referent is supplied for clarity.


text: Or “take care of him”; Heb “set your eyes on him.” For the meaning of this idiom see BDB 963 s.v. שִׂים 2.c and compare 24:6 where the phrase “for good” is added.


text: Heb “Don’t do anything evil [= harmful] to him.”


text: See the translator’s notes on 39:3, 9 for the names and titles here.


text: The meaning of the last phrase is uncertain. An alternate translation is “to take him home with him.” The text reads literally “to bring him into the house.” However, it is unclear whether “the house” refers to Jeremiah’s house or to Gedaliah’s. The fact that Nebuzaradan later offers Jeremiah the option of going back to Gedaliah ( 40:5 ) suggests that the house is here Gedaliah’s where Jeremiah would be looked out for in accord with Nebuchadnezzar’s command (v. 12 ).


text: Many translate this last clause as a conclusion or summary remark, “So Jeremiah stayed…” However, it is better to translate it as an adversative because it probably refers to the fact that rather than staying with Gedaliah in the governor’s residence Jeremiah stayed among the people. That is how he wound up being led off as a prisoner to Ramah. See further the study note on 40:1 . According to IBHS 550 §33.2.1d the vav ( ו ) consecutive can have either of these values (see examples 11 and 12 for the adversative or contrastive nuance).


text: Heb “Now the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah while he…saying.” The form of this clause is disjunctive showing that it does not follow the preceding events in either chronological or logical sequence. For a discussion of the form and function of such disjunctive clauses see IBHS 650-52 §39.2.3. This example most closely fits the description and function of example 12, Ruth 4:18, 21-22 on p. 652.


text: Heb “Behold, I will bring to pass my words against this city for evil/disaster and not for good/good fortune.” For the form of the verb מֵבִי ([ mevi ] Kethib , מֵבִיא [ mevi ’] Qere ) see GKC 206-7 §74. k , where the same form is noted for the Kethib in 2 Sam 5:2 ; 1 Kgs 21:21 ; Jer 19:15 all of which occur before a word beginning with א . For the nuance “carry out” (or “bring to pass”) see BDB 99 s.v. בּוֹא Hiph.2.b.


text: Heb “And they [= my words for disaster] will come to pass [= happen] before you on that day [i.e., the day that I bring them to pass/carry them out].”


text: Heb “But I will rescue you on that day” (referring to the same day mentioned in the preceding verse).


text: Heb “Oracle of the Lord .”


text: Heb “your life will be to you for spoil.” For the meaning of this idiom see the study note on 21:9 and compare the usage in 21:9; 38:2; 45:4 .