40 They have made me jealous. The “jealousy” of God is not a spirit of pettiness prompted by his insecurity, but righteous indignation caused by the disloyalty of his people to his covenant grace (see note on the word “God” in ). The jealousy of Israel, however (see next line), will be envy because of God’s lavish attention to another nation. This is an ironic wordplay. See H. Peels, 3:.
41 Heb “what is not a god,” or a “nondeity.”
42 Heb “their empty (things).” The Hebrew term used here to refer pejoratively to the false gods is הֶבֶל (hevel, “futile” or “futility”), used frequently in Ecclesiastes (e.g., Eccl 1:1, “Futile! Futile!” laments the Teacher, “Absolutely futile! Everything is futile!”).
43 Heb “what is not a people,” or a “nonpeople.” The “nonpeople” (לֹא־עָם, lo’-’am) referred to here are Gentiles who someday would become God’s people in the fullest sense (cf. Hos 1:9; 2:23).
44 Heb “a foolish nation” (so , , ); “a nation that has no understanding”; “I will provoke their fury by blessing the foolish Gentiles.”
45 Or “to the lowest depths of the earth”; cf. “to the depths of the nether world”; “to the realm of death below”; “to the depths of the grave.” Sheol refers here not to hell and hell-fire—a much later concept—but to the innermost parts of the earth, as low down as one could get. The parallel with “the foundations of the mountains” makes this clear (cf. Pss 9:17; 16:10; 139:8; Isa 14:9, 15; Amos 9:2).

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

They have made me jealous with what is no god;

they have provoked me to anger with their idols.

So I will make them jealous with those who are no people;

I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.

For a fire is kindled by my anger,

and it burns to the depths of Sheol,

devours the earth and its increase,

and sets on fire the foundations of the mountains.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

They made me jealous by what is no god

and angered me with their worthless idols.

I will make them envious by those who are not a people;

I will make them angry by a nation that has no understanding.

For a fire will be kindled by my wrath,

one that burns down to the realm of the dead below.

It will devour the earth and its harvests

and set afire the foundations of the mountains.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

They have provoked my jealousy

with what is not a god;

they have enraged me with their worthless idols.

So I will provoke their jealousy

with what is not a people;

I will enrage them with a foolish nation.

For fire has been kindled because of my anger

and burns to the depths of Sheol;

it devours the land and its produce,

and scorches the foundations of the mountains.

NLTNew Living Translation

They have roused my jealousy by worshiping things that are not God;

they have provoked my anger with their useless idols.

Now I will rouse their jealousy through people who are not even a people;

I will provoke their anger through the foolish Gentiles.

For my anger blazes forth like fire

and burns to the depths of the grave.

It devours the earth and all its crops

and ignites the foundations of the mountains.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

They annoyed me with what is not a god;

they provoked me with their idols.

So I will make them jealous with those not a people,

with a foolish nation I will provoke them.

For a fire was kindled by my anger,

and it burned up to the depths of Sheol,

and it devoured the earth and its produce,

and it set afire the foundation of the mountains.

KJV 1900King James Version

They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God;

They have provoked me to anger with their vanities:

And I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people;

I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.

For a fire is kindled in mine anger,

And shall burn unto the lowest hell,

And shall consume the earth with her increase,

And set on fire the foundations of the mountains.

Public Domain