3.1 KiB
General Information:
Yahweh is speaking to Jeremiah. God speaks of the people of Israel being very sinful as if they were silver that was full of impurities. God speaks of punishing Israel to make them stop sinning as if he were boiling silver and lead in a hot fire in order to remove the impurities from the silver. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)
one who tests my people like one would test metal
Yahweh compares Jeremiah testing his people to a person who tests metal to see how good it is. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-simile)
their ways
"their behavior" or "how they live"
who go about slandering others
"and constantly slander other people"
All of them are bronze and iron
Bronze and iron are hard metals. Yahweh speaks of the people being stubborn as if they were hard like bronze and iron. AT: "All of them are hard like bronze and iron" or "All of them are stubborn, as hard as bronze and iron" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)
The bellows are scorched by the fire that is burning them; the lead is consumed in the flames
God speaks of punishing his people as if they were silver and he was boiling the silver in a very hot fire. These phrases emphasize that the the one boiling the metal was working very hard. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit)
The bellows are scorched by the fire that is burning them
The fire is so hot that it burns the bellows. This can be stated in active form. This very hot fire represents God's judgment. AT: "The fire is so hot that it scorches the bellows" or "The punishment is so severe that it is like a fire that even burns the bellows" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor and rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive)
The bellows are scorched
Bellows are a tool used to blow large amounts of air into a burning fire to make the fire hotter. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown)
the lead is consumed in the flames
The silver has so many impurities in it that the lead is used up before it can remove them all. This represents the people of Israel being so full of sin, that they continue to sin even after God punishes them. AT: "the silver is so full of impurities, that the lead that is used to remove them is used up" or "they are like silver that is so full of impurities that the lead cannot remove them all" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit and rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)
The refining continues among them
This can be stated in active form. AT: "You will continue to refine them" or "You will continue to try to purify them" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive)
because the evil is not removed
God speaks of Israel continuing to be evil as if they were silver and the impurities remained in the silver. This can be stated in active form. AT: "because the evil remains" or "the impurities remain" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive)
They will be called rejected silver
This can be stated in active form. AT: "People will call the people of Israel 'worthless silver'" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive)