For similar judgments against Israel, see 5.7; 16.19-20. The people of Israel have committed a grievous sin, so terrible that it goes beyond even what the heathen have done.
Has a nation changed its gods…? expects a negative answer, which is the basis for Good News Translation “No other nation has ever changed its gods….” In some languages it will be clearer to say “changed the gods they worship.” Changed, of course, does not mean to change the gods into something else, but to exchange them for some other object of worship. For gods see the discussion at 1.16. Although the heathen nations worship gods that in reality are no gods, they still maintain their loyalty to them. No gods must be understood in the sense of “gods that are not real” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “And they are not even gods!”). The expression might need to be expanded for clarity, as in “even though those gods [or, things] they worship are not really gods!”
Their glory is a difficult expression to translate. It does not in this context refer to any splendor or honor of the people, but to God who is their glory. The noun glory, when used of God, summarizes all that he is—his power and greatness, but especially his splendor and majesty. New Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible, and New International Version have “exchanged their Glory.” Although the use of the capital “G” may be an effective device for sophisticated readers, it is of no help whatsoever for persons who must depend upon hearing the Scripture read. Another rendering is “exchanged the very thing that brings them honor and splendor for something that can do nothing for them at all.” Good News Translation attempts a meaningful rendering: “exchanged me, the God who has brought them honor….” The restructuring of Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch is better yet: “But my people have exchanged me for gods who cannot help them; and they did this even though they have seen my full glory.”
For that which does not profit repeats the thought of verse 8: “and went after things that do not profit.” As in that verse, so here the reference is to the gods of the Canaanites: “for a god altogether powerless” (Revised English Bible). Thus an emphatic contrast is made between the God of Israel who has power to protect his people (“the God of glory”) and the gods of the Canaanite religion which have no power to save their worshipers. Translators might have to say “for gods who can’t do anything for them [or, to help them].”
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 .