unfoldingWord_en_tn/jer/02/14.md

# Is Israel a slave? Was he born in his master's home? So why has he become plunder?

Though Yahweh was speaking to the people of Israel, he used the third person as though he were talking to someone else about Israel. AT: "Israel, are you a slave? Were you born at home? So why have you become plunder?" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-123person]])

# Is Israel a slave? Was he born in his master's home?

Yahweh uses these questions to tell why Israel should not have become plunder. AT: "Israel is not a slave. Israel was not born at home." (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]])

# Was he born in his master's home

Here "born in his master's home" is metonym for being born into slavery. AT: "Was he born a slave" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]])

# So why has he become plunder?

Yahweh uses this question to indicate that Israel should not have become plunder. AT: "So he should not have become plunder." (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]])

# So why has he become plunder

Here "become plunder" represents being attacked and taken as captives to another country. AT: "So why has Israel been taken away as captives" or "So why have Israel's enemies taken Israel away as captives" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# Young lions roared against him. They made a lot of noise

God speaks of Israel's enemies attacking Israel as if the enemies were lions roaring and attacking Israel. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# made his land a horror

This represents destroying the land in such a way that people will feel horror when they see it. AT: "destroyed Israel's land" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]])

# Young lions roared

A roar is a loud sound that a wild animal makes when it attacks.

# His cities are destroyed without any inhabitants

This can be stated in active form. AT: "They have destroyed Israel's cities and now no one lives in them" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]])

# inhabitants

people who live in a certain place

# Memphis and Tahpanhes

These are the names of two cities in Egypt. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]])

# will shave your skull

The Egyptians shaved the head of their slaves to mark them as slaves.

# will shave your skull

Some versions interpret the Hebrew text as "have cracked your skull."

# Did you not do this to yourselves when you abandoned Yahweh your God, while he was leading you along the way?

Yahweh uses this question to remind Israel that it is their own fault that their enemies attacked them. AT: "You caused this yourselves by abandoning Yahweh your God while he was leading you along the way." (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]])

# translationWords

* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/israel]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/servant]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/lion]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/skull]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/god]]