{"id":368,"date":"2024-01-08T01:09:51","date_gmt":"2024-01-07T17:09:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/?p=368"},"modified":"2024-01-10T01:14:06","modified_gmt":"2024-01-09T17:14:06","slug":"double-punishment-jeremiah-1618","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/ptr-art-calaguas\/double-punishment-jeremiah-1618\/","title":{"rendered":"Double Punishment? \u2013 Jeremiah 16:18"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

by Ptr. Art Calaguas<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shalom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The war between Israel and the Hamas goes on. The Hezbollah in Lebanon and Houthis in Yemen are still trying to engage Israel (and its allies) in multiple fronts. Around a hundred live hostages, including the remaining women and children including a baby are still held somewhere in Gaza. Let us continue to pray for the release of all hostages and a just end to this war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last time, we studied a part of Isaiah 40 which was discussed by the (late) evangelical scholar, Dr. Meredith G. Kline, in his published theological study named \u201cDouble Trouble\u201d in the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society<\/em> 32.2 (June 1989): 171-179. Dr. Kline\u2019s study focused on the Hebrew text of Isaiah 40:2 and the theological question concerning God\u2019s justice with the use of the Hebrew \u05db\u05b4\u05bc\u05e4\u05b0\u05dc\u05b7\u0596\u05d9\u05b4\u05dd (\u201ckiphlayim\u201d from \u05db\u05b6\u05bc\u05e4\u05b6\u05dc \u201ckephel\u201d). His study concludes that this word can be more correctly translated to mean \u201cequivalent\u201d or \u201cmatching image\u201d or \u201cduplicate\u201d instead of \u201ctwofold\u201d or \u201cdouble\u201d or \u201ctwice\u201d in quantity or value. Dr. Kline believes that the \u201cnotion of an inequitable double payment\u201d for sin is inappropriate with the character of God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As mentioned before, it is not only the word \u05db\u05b6\u05bc\u05e4\u05b6\u05dc (\u201ckephel\u201d) which was studied; Dr. Kline also took a look at other Hebrew and Greek words that may have been improperly translated in the past. In the light of God\u2019s righteous \u201cscales of justice\u201d we will see that a word in two (2) places in Jeremiah would also need a retranslation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeremiah 16:18 is one of these places that Dr. Kline identified; we will study this now. In context, in Jeremiah 16 the prophet speaks about the LORD\u2019s judgment against Judah even as restoration is prophesied as well. However, that restoration will only come after the people of Judah are repaid by God for their wickedness, sin and defilement of the land (a.k.a. God\u2019s property\/inheritance). The recompense is traditionally translated as \u201cdouble.\u201d The Hebrew text of Jeremiah 16:18 is given below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u05d5\u05b0\u05e9\u05b4\u05c1\u05dc\u05b7\u05bc\u05de\u05b0\u05ea\u05b4\u05bc\u05a3\u05d9 \u05e8\u05b4\u05bd\u05d0\u05e9\u05b9\u05c1\u05d5\u05e0\u05b8\u0597\u05d4 \u05de\u05b4\u05e9\u05b0\u05c1\u05e0\u05b5\u05a4\u05d4<\/mark> \u05e2\u05b2\u05d5\u05b9\u05e0\u05b8\u05dd\u0599 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d7\u05b7\u05d8\u05b8\u05bc\u05d0\u05ea\u05b8\u0594\u05dd \u05e2\u05b7\u0596\u05dc \u05d7\u05b7\u05dc\u05b0\u05bc\u05dc\u05b8\u05a3\u05dd \u05d0\u05b6\u05ea\u05be\u05d0\u05b7\u05e8\u05b0\u05e6\u05b4\u0591\u05d9 \u05d1\u05b0\u05bc\u05e0\u05b4\u05d1\u05b0\u05dc\u05b7\u05a4\u05ea \u05e9\u05b4\u05c1\u05e7\u05bc\u05bd\u05d5\u05bc\u05e6\u05b5\u05d9\u05d4\u05b6\u05dd\u0599 \u05d5\u05b0\u05ea\u05b9\u05d5\u05e2\u05b2\u05d1\u05b9\u05a3\u05d5\u05ea\u05b5\u05d9\u05d4\u05b6\u0594\u05dd \u05de\u05b8\u05dc\u05b0\u05d0\u0596\u05d5\u05bc \u05d0\u05b6\u05ea\u05be\u05e0\u05b7\u05d7\u05b2\u05dc\u05b8\u05ea\u05b4\u05bd\u05d9\u05c3\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A quick survey of the English translations show that the highlighted word \u05de\u05b4\u05e9\u05b0\u05c1\u05e0\u05b5\u05a4\u05d4<\/mark> (\u201cmishneh\u201d) has been translated as \u201cdouble\u201d or a synonym in 31 out of 32 different Bibles found in https:\/\/biblehub.com\/jeremiah\/16-18.htm<\/a>. For example, the New King James Version (NKJV) puts it this way:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

18<\/sup>And first I will repay double <\/mark>for their iniquity and their sin, because they have defiled My land; they have filled My inheritance with the carcasses of their detestable and abominable idols.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The English Standard Version (ESV) translates the verse this way:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

18<\/sup>But first I will doubly<\/mark> repay their iniquity and their sin, because they have polluted my land with the carcasses of their detestable idols, and have filled my inheritance with their abominations.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The God\u2019s Word Translation offers a more direct way of saying double:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

18<\/sup>First, I will have them pay twice<\/mark> as much for their wickedness and their sin, because they have polluted my land. They have filled my property with the lifeless statues of their detestable and disgusting idols.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Literal Standard Version uses what may be a less understandable or unclear way:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

18<\/sup>And I have repaid a first\u2014A second time<\/mark>\u2014their iniquity and their sin, | Because of their defiling My land, | With the carcass of their detestable things, | Indeed, their abominations have filled My inheritance.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Young\u2019s Literal Translation seems to be the model of the Literal Standard Version as they share similar ways of translating the verse: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

18<\/sup>And I have recompensed a first — A second time<\/mark> — their iniquity and their sin, Because of their polluting My land, With the carcase of their detestable things, Yea, their abominable things have filled Mine inheritance.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

All the above translations give the notion of double punishment or twofold retribution. An exception may be from the New English Translation (NET) Bible which renders the verse with some ambiguity this way:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

18<\/sup>Before I restore them I will punish them in full<\/mark> for their sins and the wrongs they have done. For they have polluted my land with the lifeless statues of their disgusting idols. They have filled the land I have claimed as my own with their detestable idols.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

But this ambiguity of what \u201cin full\u201d actually means can be taken away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Kline does say that Hebrew \u05de\u05b4\u05e9\u05b0\u05c1\u05e0\u05b5\u05a4\u05d4<\/mark> (\u201cmishneh\u201d) can be used to mean \u201cdouble\u201d in other contexts (e.g., Exodus 16:5, 22 regarding the gathering of twice the quantity of manna and quail on the 6th<\/sup> day to observe the Sabbath). But for Jeremiah 16:18 in context, and knowing God\u2019s character, it is not hard to see that this word is being used to mean a commensurate or appropriate equivalent punishment. This recalls Dr. Kline\u2019s earlier treatment of the Hebrew \u05db\u05b4\u05bc\u05e4\u05b0\u05dc\u05b7\u0596\u05d9\u05b4\u05dd (\u201ckiphlayim\u201d from \u05db\u05b6\u05bc\u05e4\u05b6\u05dc \u201ckephel\u201d) in Isaiah 40:2.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our God is just, fair and righteous. Even if God hates sin, we can trust that he will execute judgment with fairness and mete out the proportionate recompense. God upholds his justice in the equity of divine punishment. Simply put, one can expect matching punishment for one\u2019s sins and iniquities. Here now is my (quite literal) formal equivalence translation of Jeremiah 16:18 using Dr. Kline\u2019s suggested word meaning that does away with the incorrect notion of twofold retribution:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

18<\/sup>And I will repay first an equivalent<\/mark> for their iniquity and their sin; on account of their defiling my land; with the carcass of their detestable things and their abominations they filled my property.<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We will continue next week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

God bless us all.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Ptr. Art Calaguas Shalom. The war between Israel and the Hamas goes on. The Hezbollah in Lebanon and Houthis in Yemen are still trying to engage Israel (and its allies) in multiple fronts. Around a hundred live hostages, including the remaining women and children including a baby are still held somewhere in Gaza. Let…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[6,7,9,8,5],"class_list":["post-368","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ptr-art-calaguas","tag-church-of-the-risen-lord","tag-crl","tag-spiritual-refreshment-of-the-day","tag-upcemi","tag-upcrl"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/368","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=368"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/368\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":369,"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/368\/revisions\/369"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=368"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=368"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=368"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}