1

Jeremiah 31:1-34

(31:1)

.Interesting use of the expression on this context – משפחות

1לכל משפחות

(31:2)

2מצא

I = “shew favour, be gracious”.3 חנן I = "favour, grace" under BDB 336a. Root חן

escape”.4“ = שרד survivor (from a defeat)” under BDB 975a. Root“ = שריד

.II = "be at rest, repose", Hiphil "give rest, cause to repose" under BDB 921a רגעProbably = Arb raja⁽a “return, return to rest (after wanderings)”.

5עם

6הלוך

(31:3)

7לי

8אהבת

,be, or become, far“ = רחק distant, far, distance” under BDB 935a. Root“ = רחוקdistant”.1 “Septuagint τω γενει = למשפחת”.2 “Septuagint, Symmachus 1s” so “I found”.3 Septuagint θερμον = חם (Latin lupinum = θερμον)”.4 “Propose ובירושלם שרידים compare a”. I do not fully understand this but the Masoretic Text as is creates some interpretive problems. James Limberg (Interpretation commentary) likes this solution. Which is…?5 “Septuagint, Aquila μετα = עם”.6 “Read הולך compare Aquila, Symmachus”. The infinitive absolute is a little awkward here.7 “Septuagint αυτοω, read לו”. 8 “A few manuscripts, Septuagint אהבת”. Not a huge difference.

2

.”be extended, conduct, take“ משך draw, drag" under BDB 604a. Arm" = משךArm masaka “grasp and hold”. Also Akk mašku “skin (perhaps also march)”.

Literally “I have drawn/dragged you faithful-love = I have – משכתיך חסדcontinued my faithful love toward you”?

(31:4)

Tough verse with some unusual vocabulary.

.disappears ה Qal prefix 1cs + 2fs suffix. The 3rd (!) בנה Wow. Note form – אבנךAnd the connecting vowel between a prefixed form and suffix is usually (always?) I class – rather than A class for suffix form.

reappears with י* Niphal suffix (!) 2fs. The original 3rd בנה Yow. Note form – נבניתa consonantal suffix.

So “I will (re)build you and you are(? Will be?) rebuilt”. The shift from prefixed to suffix is awkward but correct.

בתולה sever, separate”? Wait does“ = ברל virgin” under BDB 143b. Root“ = בתולהmean virgin or young-woman-of-marriageable-age?

Arb ⁽adwa(y) .(!) עידות II = "ornament, deck oneself" under BDB 725b. Arm עדה“mange, scab”, ⁽idā(n) “broad stone (for covering cave)”.

?”drum“ = תפף timbrel, tambourine” under BDB 1074a. Root“ = תף

dance” under BDB 298a.9“ = מחול

.laugh” under BDB 965b“ = שחק

(31:5)

.plant” under BDB 642a“ = נטע

.vineyard” under BDB 501b“ = כרם

9 “Septuagint (Syriac, Targum) μετα συναγωγης = בקהל compare 13a-a“. Seems a little odd here but maybe.

3

III = “pollute, defile, profane”, Hiphil also “begin” under BDB 320a. Arb חללḥalla “undo, become free, lawful, free from obligation or tie”. Arm חלל. Wait! Or…?

II = “play the pipe, pipe”, Piel “pipe” under BDB 320a. Denominative. Very חללrare. Akk ḫālalu (according to Dl). So… “and they will play the pipes”? BDB does not list this instance.10

11נטעו נטעים וחללו

(31:6)

I “watch, guard, keep” under BDB 665b. Akk naṣāru “watch = נצרover, protect”. OArm נצר “protect”. Arm נטר. Arb naḍara “look at, consider, examine”.

Note use of ציון without a preposition or locative ה. “Let us go (to) Zion”.

12קראו נצרים

(31:7)

.Qal imperative 2mf רנן give a ringing cry” under BDB 943a. Note form“ = רנן

13שמחה

.”neigh, cry shilly” under BDB 843b. Arb nahala “neigh“ = צהל

.rest, residue, remnant, remainder” under BDB 984b“ = שארית

14את־שארית ישראל

15עמך

10 “Septuagint και αινεσατε = והללו compare Syriac”. So…?11 “Addition? Compare Deuteronomy 28:30b”.12 “Septuagint λκησεως απολογουμενων (-νου)”. So…?13 “Septuagint* omits”.14 “Septuagint (Targum) εσωσε, read הושיע so ‘Hosea’?”15 “Septuagint, Targum have 3s suffix so ‘his people’”. Part of a pattern?

4

(31:8)

.north” under BDB 860b“ = צפון

.gather, collect” under BDB 867b“ = קבץ

flank, side, (dual) extreme parts, recesses” under BDB 438a. Root“ = ירכה or ירכה.”(meaning dubious)“ = ירך

.blind” under BDB 734b“ = עור

.lame” under BDB 820b“ = פסח

16בם עור ופסח

locative lo ־ה with הן hither” under BDB 244b. Perhaps from II“ = הנהhitherwards! or perhaps akin to Arb hunā hinnā “here”.

(31:9)

17יבאו

חנן supplication for favour” under BDB 337b. Root“ (only plural abstract) = תחנון– Arm חנן. Arb ḥanna “yearn towards, long for, be merciful, compassionate, favourable, inclined towards”. Sab חן in PN. Ph חנן in חן “favour”. Akk annu “grace, favour”.18

.Hiphil “conduct, bear along (especially in procession)” under BDB 384b = יבלArb יבל. Zinj יבל. Akk abālu “bring, conduct”. Arb wabala “run vehemently (of horse), pursue sharpe, pour down rain”. Note form אובילם Hiphil יבל prefix 1cs + 3mp suffix.

.torrent, torrent-valley, wady” under BDB 636a. Akk naḫlu“ = נחל

stumble, stagger, totter” under BDB 505a. Syr “give offence (occasion for“ = כשלstumbling)”. Arb kasila “be heasy, sluggish”.

16 “Septuagint εν εορτη Φασεκ = במועד פסח”. Interesting!17 “Septuagint εξηλθον = יצאו so ‘they will go out’”. Why “go out” instead of “come in”? Has the point of reference changed?18 “Septuagint και εν παρακλησει, read ובתנחומים”. Did scribe misread the text?

5

.”rise early, first-born“ = בכר first-born” under BDB 114a. Root“ = בכר

(31:10)

betake oneself (to a place for“ = אוה I = “cost, region” under BDB 15b. Root איdwelling), be tenderly inclined”.

.distant place, distance” under BDB 935b“ = מרחק

scatter, fan, winnow” under BDB 279b. Arb ḏarā “cause to fly, scatter (of“ = זרהwind), winnow”. Arm דרא.

.Note heavy suffix – יקבצנו

.”III = Niphal “be lacking, fail עדר flock, herd” under BDB 727b. Root“ = עדר

(31:11)

.ransom” under BDB 804a“ = פדה

.redeem, act as kinsman” under BDB 145a“ = גאל

(31:12)

be high, exalted, rise”.19“ = רום height (poetic)” under BDB 928b. Root“ = מרום

II = “shine, beam” under BDB 626a. Akk nuru “light”. Arb nahiru(n). Arm נהרillustrious”.20“ נהירא shine”. Palm“ נהר

.”(dubious)“ = דגן corn, grain (of cereals)” under BDB 186ab. Root“ = דגנ

21על־דגן

take possession“ = ירש must, fresh or new wine” under BDB 440b. Root“ = תירושof, inherit, dispossess”.

19 “Septuagint εν τω ορει, compare Targum, Vulgate; read probably בהרים and delete ציון”.20 “Aquila και εκστησονται”.21 “Septuagint επι γην σιτου (και οινου…)”.

6

.I = “fresh oil” (newly appeared) under BDB 844a. Rare יצהר

.cattle, herd, ox” under BDB 133a“ = בקר

.”cover, surround, defend“ = גנן enclosure, garden” under BDB 171a. Root“ = גן

.”be saturated, drink one’s fill“ = רוה watered” under BDB 924a. Rare. Root“ = רוה

22כגן רוה

become faint, languish” under BDB 178a. Arb daʾʾaba “toil, weary“ = דאבoneself”.

(31:27)

(31:28)

.”be circumspect“ שקד watch, wake” under BDB 1052a. Ph“ = שקד

.pull or pluck up, root out” under BDB 684b“ = נתש

.pull down, break down, or out” under BDB 683a“ = נתץ

throw down, break or tear down” under BDB 248b. Arab“ = הרסharasa “bruise, bray, pound, crush”.

(31:29)

.unripe or sour grapes (colloquial)” under BDB 126a. Rare“ = בסרAram בוסרא. Arb busru(n) “unripe dates”.

.קהא be blunt, dull” under BDB 874a. Rare. Arm“ = קהה

(31:30)

(31:31)

22 “Septuagint ωσπερ ξυλον εγκαρπον, compare Genesis 1:11, Psalm 148:9”.

7

23ואת־בית יהודה

.”new“ = חדש new” under BDB 294a. Root“ = חדש

(31:32)

be or grow firm, strong, strengthen”, Hiphil “make strong; take or keep“ = חזקhold of, seize, grasp” under BDB 304a. Arm חזק “bind on or about, gird on”. Arb ḥazaqa “bind, squeeze”.

,”Akk parāru “destroy .פרר Hiphil “break, frustrate” under BDB 830a. JArm = פררII “shatter”. Note form הפרו Hiphil affix 3cp.

marry, rule over” under BDB 127a. Arb baʿala “own, possess (especially“ = בעלwife or concubine)”. Akk bēlu. Sab 24.בעל

(31:33)

25בית ישראל

(31:34)

.”learn“ (rare) למד exercise in, learn”, Piel “teach” under BDB 540b. Arm“ = למדAkk lamādu “learn”.

.forgive, pardon” under BDB 699a“ = סלח

23 “Added - compare verse 33”.24 “Septuagint ημελησα and Syriac bsjt = געלתי? vel = MT? read MT compare Aquila εκυριευσα, Vulgate dominatus sum”. This is tough. Either ‘and I was a husband/master to them’ or ‘and I exiled them’.25 “A few manuscripts בני”. There is a serious point here. I have hypothesized that בני was the normal way to express “people/nation of” in Judahite Hebrew and בית was the normal way to express “people/house of” in Israelean or non-Judahite Hebrew (compare Assyrian references). In other words in Jerusalem people normally say “sons/children of Israel” but in the northern kingdom they would say “house of”.