In Hebrew the pronoun you is given the place of emphasis. Since it refers to Jeremiah, some translators begin “As for you, Jeremiah.” Good News Translation makes both participants clear: “The LORD said, ‘Jeremiah, do not….’ ”

The verb pray and the noun prayer derive from the same stem in Hebrew, and are the most general terms used of this activity in the Old Testament. Here, however, they seem to be used in parallel with the verb rendered intercede. This verb has the meaning of “urge strongly” or “put pressure on,” though when used of prayer it is generally translated “intercede” or “pray in behalf of” (see 27.18). The same verb, though in a different form, is found also in 15.11 (Revised Standard Version “pleaded”) and 36.25 (Revised Standard Version “urged”). Compare 11.14; 14.11, where Jeremiah is further instructed not to pray for the people; see also 15.1.

Elsewhere in Jeremiah the noun translated cry is found in 11.14 and 14.12. Although in other contexts it may mean a shout of joy (Isa 14.7, “singing” in Revised Standard Version), it is here used in quite the opposite sense. Cry or prayer should not be seen as two separate things, but rather the second modifies the first: “prayerful shout [or, cry].”

Here pray, lift up cry or prayer, and intercede are an example of parallelism with some intensification in the series. For that reason the three statements should be retained: “Do not pray [to me] for these people, don’t cry [or, shout] out to me in prayer, and don’t press me on their account [or, don’t plead with me about them].”

The statement for I do not hear you may be rendered as “for I won’t listen to you.”

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 .