23 The words “The Lord told me to say” are not in the text. They have been supplied in the translation for clarity. This text has been treated in two very different ways depending upon how one views the connection of the words “and to/concerning the household of the King of Judah, ‘Hear the word of the Lord: …’ ” with the preceding and following. Some treat the words that follow as a continuation of Jeremiah’s response to the delegation sent by Zedekiah (cf. vv. 3, 8). Others treat this as introducing a new set of oracles parallel to those in 23:9–40 which are introduced by the heading “to/concerning the prophets.” There are three reasons why this is the more probable connection: (1) the parallelism in expression with 23:9; (2) the other introductions in vv. 3, 8 use the preposition אֶל (’el) instead of לְ (lé) used here, and they have the formal introduction “you shall say …”; (3) the warning or challenge here would mitigate the judgment pronounced on the king and the city in vv. 4–7. Verses 8–9 are different. They are not a mitigation but an offer of escape for those who surrender. Hence, these words are a title “Now concerning the royal court.” (The vav [ו] that introduces this is disjunctive = “Now.”) However, since the imperative that follows is masculine plural and addressed to the royal house, something needs to be added to introduce it. Hence the translation supplies “The Lord told me to say” to avoid confusion or mistakenly connecting it with the preceding.
24 Heb “house” or “household.” It is clear from 22:1–6 that this involved the King, the royal family, and the court officials.
25 Heb “house of David.” This is essentially equivalent to the royal court in v. 11.
26 Heb “to the morning” = “morning by morning” or “each morning.” See Isa 33:2 and Amos 4:4 for parallel usage.
27 The kings of Israel and Judah were responsible for justice. See Pss 122:5. The king himself was the final court of appeals judging from the incident of David with the wise woman of Tekoa (2 Sam 14), Solomon and the two prostitutes (1 Kgs 3:16–28), and Absalom’s attempts to win the hearts of the people of Israel by interfering with due process (2 Sam 15:2–4). How the system was designed to operate may be seen from 2 Chr 19:4–11.
28 Heb “from the hand [or power] of.”
29 Heb “Lest my wrath go out like fire and burn with no one to put it out because of the evil of your deeds.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

“And to the house of the king of Judah say, ‘Hear the word of the Lord, O house of David! Thus says the Lord:

“ ‘Execute justice in the morning,

and deliver from the hand of the oppressor

him who has been robbed,

lest my wrath go forth like fire,

and burn with none to quench it,

because of your evil deeds.’ ”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

“Moreover, say to the royal house of Judah, ‘Hear the word of the Lord. This is what the Lord says to you, house of David:

“ ‘Administer justice every morning;

rescue from the hand of the oppressor

the one who has been robbed,

or my wrath will break out and burn like fire

because of the evil you have done—

burn with no one to quench it.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

“And to the house of the king of Judah say this: ‘Hear the word of the Lord! House of David, this is what the Lord says:

Administer justice every morning,

and rescue the victim of robbery

from his oppressor,

or my anger will flare up like fire

and burn unquenchably

because of your evil deeds.

NLTNew Living Translation

“Say to the royal family of Judah, ‘Listen to this message from the Lord! This is what the Lord says to the dynasty of David:

“ ‘Give justice each morning to the people you judge!

Help those who have been robbed;

rescue them from their oppressors.

Otherwise, my anger will burn like an unquenchable fire

because of all your sins.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

“And to the house of the king of Judah, ‘Hear the word of Yahweh, O house of David, thus says Yahweh,

“Execute judgment in the morning, justice,

and deliver the one who has been seized

from the hand of the oppressor,

lest my wrath goes forth like the fire and it burns,

and there is no one who quenches it

because of the evil of your deeds.

And touching the house of the king of Judah, say, Hear ye the word of the Lord; O house of David, thus saith the Lord; Execute judgment in the morning, and deliver him that is spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor, lest my fury go out like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.

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Jeremiah 21:11–12

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Warnings to the Royal Court

Footnotes