In this verse, as elsewhere (see verse 6), sons is best understood as “descendants,” and father as “ancestor.”

The command … has been kept: In many languages translators will prefer an active construction; for example, “Jonadab’s descendants have obeyed his command….” (Good News Translation).

I have spoken: In Hebrew the pronoun I is emphatic, contrasting strongly with Jonadab’s giving commands to his descendants. Good News Translation brings out this emphasis with “But I,” and New Revised Standard Version has “But I myself.” New Jerusalem Bible has “But to me.”

Persistently: See 7.13.

As elsewhere (see 16.12), listened really means “obeyed” (so Good News Translation).

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 .