Verses 24-30 contain further words of judgment on the Jews who fled to Egypt.
Jeremiah said to all the people and all the women: Since what follows is directed to the women in particular (see verse 25), a number of scholars omit all the people and. However, there is no textual basis for this omission, and so New Jerusalem Bible renders “Further, Jeremiah said to all the people, and particularly to all the women.” Good News Translation has “I told all the people, especially the women.” Good News Translation also shifts the narrative to a first person reference (“I told”). This is to avoid the complicated series of quotations within quotations involved in verses 24-25, which is also the reason that Good News Translation has placed these two verses together.
Thus says the LORD: See 2.2.
The LORD of hosts: See 2.19.
You … have declared with your mouths: This is merely a strong way of saying “you said” or “you promised.” Since it is followed by We will surely perform our vows, Good News Translation renders it as “you … have made solemn promises.” See also 5.2 and 7.9 for a discussion on vowing.
Fulfilled it with your hands: In the present context, this means “you have done what you said you would.” Good News Translation renders “you have kept your promises.” For this clause along with the previous one, New American Bible has “You and your wives have stated your intentions, and kept them in fact.” For this expression, see also 1Kgs 8.15.
The queen of heaven: See 7.18, where Good News Translation identifies her as “the goddess they call the Queen of Heaven” (see also verse 17).
Burn incense is perhaps better understood as “offer sacrifices” (Good News Translation). See verse 3 and 1.16.
Pour out libations; that is, “pour out wine offerings” (Good News Translation). See verses 17, 18, 19.
Then confirm your vows and perform your vows!: This must be taken as a word of irony or satire. New Jerusalem Bible, at a rather high level, translates “Very well, keep your vows, perform them punctiliously!” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch says “Well good, keep your promises and fulfill your vows!”
The LORD’s quote in verse 25 can often be made more natural with some restructuring; for example:
• Both you and your wives have said that you will fulfill the vows you made to give offerings to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her. You have said it, and you have done it. Very well, by all means, keep your promise and fulfill the vows you made!”
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 .