en_tn_condensed/jer/02/04.md

# house of Jacob and every family in the house of Israel

Jacob and Israel were two names for one man, and these two phrases refer to the same group of people. AT: "all you descendants of Jacob" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism]])

# house of Jacob

The word "house" is a metonym for the family that lives in the house. In this case it refers to Jacob's descendants. AT: "descendants of Jacob" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]])

# the house of Israel

The word "house" is a metonym for the family that lives in the house. In this case it refers to Israel's descendants, who had become the nation of Israel. AT: "the Israelites" or "the Israelite people group" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]])

# What did your fathers find wrong with me, that they went far from following me? That they went after useless idols and became useless themselves?

Yahweh uses these questions to say that since he has done no wrong, his people should not have rejected him and worshiped idols. AT: "I did nothing wrong to your forefathers, so they should not have gone far from following me, and they should not have gone after useless idols. By doing that they themselves have become useless!" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]])

# they went far from following me

This represents rejecting God and refusing to be loyal to him. AT: "they rejected me" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# they went after useless idols

This represents choosing to be loyal to idols and worship them. AT: "they worshiped useless idols" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# useless

"worthless"

# They did not say

It is implied that they should have said what follows. AT: "They should have said" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]])

# Where is Yahweh, who brought us ... Egypt?

This rhetorical question would have been used to show the people's need of Yahweh. AT: "We need Yahweh. He is the one who brought us ... Egypt." (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]])

# Where is Yahweh, who led us ... lives?

This rhetorical question would have been used to show the people's need of Yahweh. AT: "We need Yahweh. He is the one who led us ... lives." (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]])

# a land of drought and deep darkness

A "land of drought" is a land that does not have enough water. Here "deep darkness" is a metaphor for danger. AT: "a dangerous land where there is not enough water" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])