Jeremiah 40:2–6

Footnotes

1. 5 Heb “Because you [masc. ] sinned against the Lord and did not hearken to his voice [a common idiom for “obey him”], this thing has happened to you [masc. ].”
2. 6 The verb here is an example of the perfect of resolve where the speaker announces his intention to do something according to §30.5.1d. The word “Jeremiah” is supplied in the translation to avoid the possible misunderstanding that the you is still plural.
3. 7 Or “look out for you.” See 39:12 and the translator’s note there.
4. 8 Or “Stay here”; Heb “Forbear.” The imperative is used in a permissive sense; “you may forbear.” See §110.b and compare usage in Gen 50:6.
5. 9 Heb “See all the land [or the whole land] is before you.” For this idiom see 817 פָּנֶה II.4.a(f) and compare the usage in Gen 20:15; 47:6.
6. 10 Heb “Unto the good and the right in your eyes to go, go there.”
7. 11 Or “Before Jeremiah could answer, the captain of the guard added.” Or “But if you remain, then go back.” The meaning of the first part of v. 5 is uncertain. The text is either very cryptic here or is corrupt, perhaps beyond restoration. The Hebrew text reads, “and he was not yet turning and return to Gedaliah” (וְעוֹדֶנּוּ לֹא־יָשׁוּב וְשֻׁבָה אֶל־גְּדַלְיָה) which is very cryptic. The Greek version lacks everything in v. 4 after “I will look out for you” and begins v. 5 with “But if not, run, return to Gedaliah” (= וְאִם לֹא רוּץ וְשֻׁבָה אֶל־גְּדַלְיָה). The Latin version reads the same as the Hebrew in v. 4 but reads “and don’t come with me but stay with Gedaliah” (= a possible Hebrew text of וְעִמָּדִי לֹא תָּשׁוּב וְשֵׁבָה אֶת־גְּדַלְיָה). The version reads “But if you are remaining then return to Gedaliah” (reading a possible Hebrew text of יֹשֵׁב וְשֻׁבָה אֶל־גְּדַלְיָה וְעוֹדְךָ לֻא with an abnormal writing of a conditional particle normally written לוּ [lu] and normally introducing conditions assumed to be untrue or reading וְעוֹדְךָ לְיֹשֵׁב וְשֻׁבָה אֶל־גְּדַלְיָה with an emphatic לְ [lé, see §11.2.10i] and an informally introduced condition). does not explain the Hebrew base for its reading but accepts the as the original. It does appear to be the most likely alternative if the Hebrew is not accepted. However, the fact that none of the versions agree and all appear to be smoother than the Hebrew text suggests that they were dealing with an awkward original that they were trying to smooth out. Hence it is perhaps best to retain the Hebrew and make the best sense possible out of it. The most common reading of the Hebrew text as it stands is “and while he was not yet turning [= but before he was able to turn (to go)] [Nebuzaradan continued], ‘Go back to Gedaliah.’ ” (The imperfect in this case is an imperfect of capability [see §31.4c, examples 2, 4, 5].) That is the reading that is adopted here. and appear to accept a minor emendation of the verb “turn to leave” (יָשׁוּב, yashuv, a Qal imperfect) to “answer” (יָשִׁיב, yashiv, a Hiphil imperfect with an elided object [see 999 שׁוּב Hiph.3 and compare 2 Chr 10:16]). All of this shows that the meaning of the text at this point is very uncertain.
8. 12 Heb “set him over/ made him overseer over.” See 823–24 פָּקִיד Hiph.1 and compare usage in Gen 39:4–5.
9. 13 Heb “Go back to Gedaliah … and live with him among the people.” The long Hebrew sentence has been restructured to better conform with contemporary English style.
10. 14 Mizpah. It is generally agreed that this is the Mizpah that was on the border between Benjamin and Judah. It was located approximately eight miles north of Jerusalem and had been an important military and religious center from the time of the judges on (cf., e.g., Judg 20:1–3; 1 Sam 7:5–14; 1 Sam 10:17; 1 Kgs 15:22). It was not far from Ramah which was approximately four miles north of Jerusalem.
11. 15 Heb “So Jeremiah went to Gedaliah … and lived with him among the people who had been left in the land.” The long Hebrew sentence has been divided in two to better conform with contemporary English style.