Since we left off burning incense … to her: This is best understood as a reference to the reforms set in motion by King Josiah, who attempted to do away with all idolatry in Judah and Jerusalem. However, following his death in the battle of Megiddo (604 B.C.), things doubtless began to turn for the worse and the people must have become disillusioned.

We have lacked everything can be expressed as “we have had nothing that we needed.”

Consumed, as elsewhere in this chapter, means to be killed. See verse 12.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Jeremiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2003. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .