Jer 16:11 | NETfull | STEP | Then tell them that the Lord says, ‘It is because your ancestors rejected me and paid allegiance to other gods. They have served them and worshiped them. But they have rejected me and not obeyed my law.

Jeremiah 16:11

11 Then tell them that the Lord says, ^{▼▼ These two sentences have been recast in English to break up a long Hebrew sentence and incorporate the oracular formula “says the Lord (Heb ‘oracle of the Lord’)” which occurs after “Your fathers abandoned me.” In Hebrew the two sentences read: “When you tell them these things and they say, ‘…’, then tell them, ‘Because your ancestors abandoned me,’ oracle of the Lord.”} ‘It is because your ancestors ^{▼▼ Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 12, 13, 15, 19).} rejected me and paid allegiance to ^{▼▼ Heb “followed after.” See the translator’s note at 2:5 for the explanation of the idiom.} other gods. They have served them and worshiped them. But they have rejected me and not obeyed my law. ^{▼▼ Heb “But me they have abandoned and my law they have not kept.” The objects are thrown forward to bring out the contrast which has rhetorical force. However, such a sentence in English would be highly unnatural.}