# Only if the highest heavens can be measured, and only if the earth's foundation below can be discovered, will I reject all of Israel's descendants

Yahweh speaks of situations that will never happen to assure his people that he will never reject all of Isreal's descendants. Alternate translation: "Just as the highest heavens can never be measured, and the earth's foundation below can never be discovered, I will never reject all of Israel's descendants" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-hypo]])

# the highest heavens ... earth's foundation

These phrases refer to the whole of creation. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-merism]])

# the earth's foundation below can be discovered

This can be translated in active form. Alternate translation: "someone can dig all the way down to the earth's foundation" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive]])

# foundation below

"deepest part." The "foundation" is the part of a house on which every other part rests.

# reject

throw away or refuse to take

# this is Yahweh's declaration

Yahweh speaks of himself by name to express the certainty of what he is declaring. See how you translated this in [Jeremiah 1:8](../01/08.md). Alternate translation: "this is what Yahweh has declared" or "this is what I, Yahweh, have declared" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-123person]])