The LORD now explains to Jeremiah what the example of the Rechabites means for all the people.

Translators will need to give special attention to the layers of discourse which are in these verses (the word … came … Thus says … say). Here again we must choose between direct and indirect discourse for the various possibilities of restructuring.

Thus says the LORD: See 2.2.

The LORD of hosts: See 2.19.

Men … inhabitants …: Both terms include both men and women (Good News Translation “the people of Judah and Jerusalem”).

Will you not receive instruction and listen to my words?: This negative rhetorical question may be difficult for some readers to sort out. Good News Translation is much simpler: “I, the LORD, ask you why you refuse to listen to me and to obey my instructions.” In the Good News Translation restructuring, the order of receive instruction and listen to my words has been reversed. The Hebrew is, in fact, more literally “receive instruction to listen to my words.” For the phrase receive instruction, see 17.23. Listen to my words means “obey me.”

Says the LORD: This is the third time in these two verses that the Hebrew indicates the LORD is speaking; in many languages this repetition will make the text seem less emphatic, whereas in Hebrew repetition strengthens.

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 .