Jer 8:18-9:1 | NETfull | STEP | Then I said, “There is no cure for my grief! I am sick at heart!

Jeremiah 8:18-22

18 Then I said, ^{▼▼ The words, “Then I said” are not in the text but there is a general consensus that the words of vv. 18–19a are the words of Jeremiah. These words are supplied in the translation for clarity.}

“There is no cure ^{▼▼ The meaning of this word is uncertain. The translation is based on the redivision and repointing of a word that occurs only here in the MT and whose pattern of formation is unparalleled in the Hebrew Bible. The MT reads מַבְלִיגִיתִי (mavligiti) which BDB provisionally derives from a verb root meaning “to gleam” or “to shine.” However, BDB notes that the text is dubious (cf. BDB 114 s.v. מַבְלִיגִית). The text is commonly emended to מִבְּלִי גְּהֹת (mibb^eli g^ehot) which is a Qal infinitive from a verb meaning “to heal” preceded by a compound negative “for lack of, to be at a loss for” (cf., e.g., HALOT 514 s.v. מַבְלִיגִית and 174 s.v. גּהה). This reading is supported by the Greek text which has an adjective meaning “incurable,” which is, however, connected with the preceding verse, i.e., “they will bite you incurably.”} for my grief!
I am sick at heart!
19 I hear my dear people ^{▼▼ Heb “daughter of my people.” For the translation given here see 4:11 and the note on the phrase “dear people” there.} crying out ^{▼▼ Heb “Behold the voice of the crying of the daughter of my people.”}
throughout the length and breadth of the land. ^{▼▼ Heb “Land of distances, i.e., of wide extent.” For parallel usage cf. Isa 33:17.}
They are crying, ‘Is the Lord no longer in Zion?
Is her divine King ^{▼▼ Heb “her King” but this might be misunderstood by some to refer to the Davidic ruler even with the capitalization.} no longer there?’”
The Lord answers, ^{▼▼ The words, “The Lord would answer” are not in the text but are implicit from the words that follow. They are supplied in the translation for clarity. Another option would be to add “And I can just hear the Lord reply.”}
“Why then do they provoke me to anger with their images,
with their worthless foreign idols?” ^{▼▼ The people’s cry and the Lord’s interruption reflect the same argument that was set forth in the preceding chapter. They have misguided confidence that the Lord is with them regardless of their actions and he responds that their actions have provoked him to the point of judging them. See especially 7:4 and 7:30.}
20 “They cry, ^{▼▼ The words “They say” are not in the text; they are supplied in the translation to make clear that the lament of the people begun in v. 19b is continued here after the interruption of the Lord’s words in v. 19c.} ‘Harvest time has come and gone, and the summer is over, ^{▼▼ Heb “Harvest time has passed, the summer is over.”} ^{▼▼ This appears to be a proverbial statement for “time marches on.” The people appear to be expressing their frustration that the Lord has not gone about his business of rescuing them as they expected. For a similar misguided feeling based on the offering of shallow repentance see Hos 6:1–3 (and note the Lord’s reply in 6:4–6).}
and still we have not been delivered.’
21 My heart is crushed because my dear people ^{▼▼ Heb “daughter of my people.” For the translation given here see 4:11 and the note on the phrase “dear people” there.} are being crushed. ^{▼▼ Heb “Because of the crushing of the daughter of my people I am crushed.”}
I go about crying and grieving. I am overwhelmed with dismay. ^{▼▼ Heb “I go about in black [i.e., mourning clothes]. Dismay has seized me.”}
22 There is still medicinal ointment ^{▼▼ Heb “balm.” The more familiar “ointment” has been used in the translation, supplemented with the adjective “medicinal.”} ^{▼▼ This medicinal ointment (Heb “balm”) consisted of the gum or resin from a tree that grows in Egypt and Palestine and was thought to have medicinal value (see also Jer 46:11).} available in Gilead!
There is still a physician there! ^{▼▼ Heb “Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there?” In this context the questions are rhetorical and expect a positive answer, which is made explicit in the translation.} ^{▼▼ The prophet means by this metaphor that there are still means available for healing the spiritual ills of his people, mainly repentance, obedience to the law, and sole allegiance to God, and still people available who will apply this medicine to them, namely prophets like himself.}
Why then have my dear people ^{▼▼ Heb “daughter of my people.” For the translation given here see 4:11 and the note on the phrase “dear people” there.}
not been restored to health? ^{▼▼ Or more clearly, “restored to spiritual health”; Heb “Why then has healing not come to my dear people?”} ^{▼▼ Jeremiah is lamenting that though there is a remedy available for the recovery of his people they have not availed themselves of it.}

Jeremiah 9:1

1 [Heb. 8:23] ^{▼▼ Beginning with 9:1, the verse numbers through 9:26 in the English Bible differ from the verse numbers in the Hebrew text (BHS), with 9:1 ET = 8:23 HT, 9:2 ET = 9:1 HT, 9:3 ET = 9:2 HT, etc., through 9:26 ET = 9:25 HT. Beginning with 10:1 the verse numbers in the ET and HT are again the same.} I wish that my head were a well full of water ^{▼▼ Heb “I wish that my head were water.”}
and my eyes were a fountain full of tears!
If they were, I could cry day and night
for those of my dear people ^{▼▼ Heb “daughter of my people.” For the translation given here see 4:11 and the note on the phrase “dear people” there.} who have been killed.