Jer 9:16-21 | NET2full | STEP | I will scatter them among nations that neither they nor their ancestors have known anything about . I will send people chasing after them with swords until I have destroyed them.’”

‏ Jeremiah 9:16-21

16 I will scatter them among nations that neither they nor their ancestors ^{▼▼tn Heb “fathers.”} have known anything about. I will send people chasing after them with swords ^{▼▼tn Heb “I will send the sword after them.” The sword here is probably not completely literal but refers to death by violent means, including death by the sword.} until I have destroyed them.’” ^{▼▼sn He will destroy them but not completely. See Jer 5:18; 30:11; 46:28.}

17 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies ^{▼▼tn Heb “Yahweh of Armies.”} ^{▼▼sn For the significance of this title see the notes at 2:19 and 7:3.} told me to say to this people: ^{▼▼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 Lord speaking throughout with second plural pronouns in vv. 18, 21 and the absence of the first line in v. 22. It would be hard to explain how the MT arose if the Greek reflected the original text. Critical commentators such as J. Bright, W. Holladay, and W. McKane resolve the issue by dropping out the introductory formula in v. 17 and the first line of v. 22 and assigning the whole lament to Jeremiah. It seems obvious from the first plural pronouns and the content of v. 18 (and probably v. 21 as well), and from the fact that the Lord is referred to in other than the first person in v. 20, that he is not the speaker of those verses. The translation attempts to resolve the issue by having Jeremiah report the Lord’s command in v. 17 and letting the rest of the speech be essentially that of Jeremiah. It should be admitted, however, that the issue is far from resolved. Most English versions simply ignore the problem. The GNB (= TEV) is a rare exception.}
“Take note of what I say. ^{▼▼tn Heb “Consider!”}
Call for the women who mourn for the dead!
Summon those who are the most skilled at it!” ^{▼▼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.}
18 I said, “Indeed, ^{▼▼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.} 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.
19 For the sound of wailing is soon to be heard in Zion,
‘We are utterly ruined! ^{▼▼tn Heb “How we are ruined!”} We are completely disgraced!
For we have left our land,
for our houses have been torn down!’” ^{▼▼tn Or “For we have left…because they have thrown down….” These probably offer parallel reasons for the cries, “We are utterly ruined…disgraced!” since the reason for leaving is not simply the destruction of their houses.}

20 I said, ^{▼▼tn The words “I said” are not in the text. The text merely has, “Indeed, yes.” The words are supplied in the translation to indicate that the speaker is still Jeremiah, though he now is not talking about the mourning woman but is talking to them. See the notes on 9:17-18 for further explanation.}
“So now, ^{▼▼tn It is a little difficult to explain how the Hebrew particle כִּי (ki) is functioning here. W. L. Holladay (Jeremiah [Hermeneia], 1:311) may be correct in seeing it as introducing the contents of what those who call for the mourning women are to say. In this case, Jeremiah picks up the task as representative of the people.} you wailing women, listen to the Lord’s message. ^{▼▼tn Heb “Listen to the word of the Lord.”} ^{▼▼sn In this context the “word of the Lord” that they are to listen for is the word of the lament that they are to teach their daughters and neighbors.}
Open your ears to the message from his mouth.
Teach your daughters this mournful song,
and let every woman teach her neighbor this lament.
21 ‘Death has climbed in ^{▼▼sn Here Death is personified (treated as though it were a person). Some have seen as possible background to this lament an allusion to Mesopotamian mythology where the demon Lamastu climbs in through the windows of houses and over their walls to kill children and babies.} through our windows.
It has entered into our fortified houses.
It has taken away our children who play in the streets.
It has taken away our young men who gather in the city squares.’