The word translated rebuked is sometimes rendered “reprimanded.” But in this sentence it is clear that Shemaiah is not suggesting to Zephaniah that he merely speak a warning to Jeremiah, but that he put him in the stocks and the iron collar. Good News Translation is quite clear: “Why haven’t you done this?”

Prophesying: This means “speaking as a prophet” (Good News Translation) or “poses as a prophet” (New English Bible).

To you: The Hebrew is plural, represented in Good News Translation by “to the people.” It is equally possible to say “to you all.”

The question could be asking for an answer to the query why? or it could be making a forceful point, so that some translators will have:

• You should have done this to Jeremiah of Anathoth, who has been speaking as a prophet to the people.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Jeremiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2003. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .