Section 3:6–18
If the people again start to give the LORD what they owe him, he will again bless them
Notice that this section also starts with the “Statement, Question, Response” pattern. However this time the sequence is expanded. The “Statement-Question” part occurs twice before a longer “Response” is given. (Another difference is that the second statement begins with a short question.) The “Statement-Question-Response” pattern marks the beginning of a new section.
3:6 is a transitional verse, as 2:17 was. Again, it is recommended that you take it as the first verse of this new section.
Paragraph 3:6–12
3:6
As this is a new section, it may be helpful in some languages to begin this verse with a speech clause like, “The LORD says.” This will make it clear that the LORD was still speaking, the same as he was doing at the end of the previous section.
3:6a
Because: The Hebrew word ki which the Berean Standard Bible translates as Because introduces the reason for the following statement in 3:6b. Some ways to express the connection in English are:
Since, I, the Lord, do not go back on my promises, you, sons of Jacob, have not perished. (NET Bible)
-or-
I am the Lord, and I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already completely destroyed. (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
I am the Lord, and I do not change. And so you, the descendants of Jacob, are not yet completely lost. (Good News Translation)
I, the LORD, do not change: The people of Israel had not kept the LORD’s covenant. And in 2:17–3:5, the LORD warned them that he would judge them. So a reader might expect that the LORD would abandon the people of Israel and destroy them completely. But what the LORD said here was contrary to that expectation. He was reminding the people that he never changes, and therefore, in spite of all their unfaithfulness, he would still keep his covenant with them. So this section, 3:6–18, called the people of Israel to repent and begin to follow him again.
3:6b
you descendants of Jacob: This refers to the people of Israel. It may be helpful to your readers to use a footnote to explain that the expression descendants of Jacob here refers to the people of Israel.
Jacob: The name Jacob, rather than “Israel,” is often used in passages which focus on the weakness of the people of Israel. The name Jacob reminds people of a human being with weaknesses and frailty. “Israel” was the name God gave Jacob when he gave him a special position as the ancestor of the people of Israel.
have not been destroyed: The Hebrew verb which the Berean Standard Bible translates as have not been destroyed has the basic meaning of “bring to an end.” Scholars understand it in different ways in this verse:
(1) It means “have not been destroyed” or “have not ceased to exist.” In this context it implies that God had not destroyed the people of Israel because he never changes. This implies that he will remain faithful to the covenant he made with them. For example:
So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. (New International Version)
(2) It means “have not ceased to be sons (descendants) of Jacob.” This interpretation follows the LXX. It probably involves an implied reference to the meaning of the name “Jacob,” that is, “deceiver.” In this context it implies that they have not ceased to be deceivers like their ancestor Jacob. This meaning relates closely to the idea of the following verse. For example:
and you have not ceased to be children of Jacob. (Revised English Bible)
It is recommended that you follow option (1).
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