g-g Septuagint reads, “who have lost heart.”
a-a Meaning of Heb. uncertain; emendation yields “And not be appeased,/Says our Redeemer, whose name is LORD of Hosts,/The Holy One of Israel.”
b-b Meaning of Heb. uncertain; emendation yields “bribe.”
c-c Taking ‘aras as a variant of ‘asar; cf. 2 Chron. 20.37.
d Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
a Emendation yields “loins.”
b Heb. “they.”
c-c Emendation yields “the holy people.”
d-d Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
e These words are supplied in some ancient versions; cf. v. 9.
f Heb. “them.”
g I.e., I foretola’ it through prophets.
h-h Lit. “and His spirit.”
a I.e., the agent of good fortune; cf. 42.1–4; 51.4–5.
b-b Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Emendation yields “Whose being is despised,/Whose body is detested”; cf. 51.23.
c-c See note b-b at 42.6.
d 1QIsa reads “the Syenians”; cf. Ezek. 30.6.
e-e Lit. “of your bereavement.”
f Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
a The mother (the country) has not been formally divorced, nor the children (the people) sold because of poverty. Therefore there is no obstacle to their restoration.
b-b Change of vocalization yields “on the parched ground”; cf. 44.3.
c-c Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
d I.e., as opponents in court; cf. Num. 35.12.
e-e Emendation yields “Lighters of.”
a-a Several mss. read “O peoples…O nations”; cf. end of this verse and v. 5.
b I.e., through My servant Israel; cf. 42.1–4; 49.6.
c-c Lit. “judge.”
d-d Emendation yields “like gnats.”
e Heb. sas, another word for “moth.”
f Names of primeval monsters.
g Meaning of verse uncertain. Emendation yields (cf. Jer. 11.19; Job 14.7–9) “Quickly the tree buds anew;/It does not die though cut down, | And its sap does not fail.”
h-h I.e., I have chosen you to be a prophet-nation; cf. 49.2; 59.21.
i Emendation yields “stretched out”; cf. Syriac version and v. 13.
j To guide a drunken parent home was a recognized filial duty in ancient Canaan and Egypt.
k-k Several ancient versions render “who can.”
l A figure of speech for a dire fate; cf. Jer. 25.15 ff.
a Whereas the Israelites themselves sought hospitality in Egypt, Assyria (i.e., the Chaldean Empire) has exiled them by force.
b Cf. Ezra 1.7–8; 5.14–15.
c Heb. “you.”
d Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
a-a I.e., the vindication which the arm of the LORD effects.
b-b Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
c-c I.e., as a leper; cf. Lev. 13.45 ff.
d-d Emendation yields “And his tomb with evildoers.”
e Emendation yields “His arm,” i.e., His vindication; cf. v. 1 with note.
f I.e., the arm of the Lord; see preceding note.
g For this sense of da‘ath see 11.2, 9.
a-a Lit. “Let the cloths of your dwelling extend.”
b I.e., the foreigners who had occupied regions from which Israelites had been exiled; cf. 2 Kings 17.24.
c Other Heb. mss. and the ancient versions read “days.”
d Taking pukh as a byform of nophekh; so already Rashi.
e Meaning of verse uncertain.
a-a Cf. 2 Sam. 22.44–45//Ps. 18.44–45.
b Cf. Targum; others “witness.”
c Emendation yields “words”; cf. v. 11 and 40.8.
d-d Lit. “seed for the sower and bread for the eater.”
e I.e., leave the Babylonian exile.
a Heb. “his.”
b Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
c-c Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Emendation yields “Neither do the shepherds ever know sufficiency (hon).” Cf. hon in Prov. 30.15, 16.
a-a Heb. “They shall have rest on their couches.”
b Lit. “she acts the harlot.”
c I.e., in some frenzied idolatrous rite.
d Heb. “under.”
e-e Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
f The cult-trees referred to above in v. 5.
g I.e., with the objects behind door and doorpost.
h Like Ugaritic yd, from root ydd, “to love.”
i Or “Molech.”
j I.e., you have brought tribute to alien cults as to a king.
k-k Emendation yields “Them you dreaded and feared, / And so you gave them thought.”
l-l Emendation yields “and shut My eyes.”
m-m Lit. “your retribution and your deeds.”
n-n Brought up from v. 13 for clarity.
o I.e., Israel’s. Cf. “My people,” v. 14.
p-p Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Emendation yields “When they have walked broken in the contrition of their hearts.”
q Lit. “the vigor of”; cf. Eccl. 12.1 and postbiblical bori.
r The Heb. nib is otherwise unknown; its meaning is inferred from that of nid (cf. the verb nad “to condole”) in the parallel expression in Job 16.5.
a-a Change of vocalization yields “lawlessness”; cf. mutteh, Ezek. 9.9.
b-b Lit. “Extending the finger.”
c Some Heb. mss. and ancient versions read “bread.”
d-d Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
e-e Lit. “turn back your foot from.”
f-f Cf. Ps. 37.4; Job 22.26–27; 27.10.
a Or “blood.”
b-b Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Emendation yields “In the daytime.…”
c Lit. “heart”; see note at 33.18 and frequently elsewhere.
d Cf. Ps. 98.1–2.
e-e Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
f Or (with a number of mss. and editions) “see.”
g I.e., the gift of prophecy; cf., e.g., 61.1.
h Israel is to be a prophet-nation; cf. 51.16.
a Emendation yields “coastlands.”
b-b Emendation yields “The vessels of the coastlands are gathering.”
c-c See note at 2.16.
d I.e., of the people of the coastlands.
e Lit. “breasts of kings” or “breasts of kingdoms.”
f So 1QIsa, Septuagint, and Targum.
a-a Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
b-b Emendation yields “They inherited disgrace as their portion.”
c-c Emendation yields “the robbing of wages.”
a-a Change of vocalization yields “He who rebuilds you.”
b I.e., the watchmen just mentioned.
c See note at 40.10.
a-a Meaning of Heb. uncertain; emendation yields “striding.”
b-b Change of vocalization yields “Who contest triumphantly”; cf. 19.20.
c Lit. “in a press.”
d-d Emendation yields “Peoples, and.…”
e Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
f-f Many mss. read wesidqathi “My victorious [right hand]”; cf. 59.16.
g-g Many mss. and Targum read “I shattered them in”; cf. 14.25.
h-h Ancient versions read “So He was their Deliverer/9In all their troubles./No [so kethib] angel or messenger,/His own Presence delivered them.” Cf. Deut. 4.37 and note.
i Heb. “he.”
j-j Heb. moshe ‘ammo, a play on the name Moshe (Moses).
k So many mss. and ancient versions; other texts “shepherds.”
l-l Emendation yields “guided them.”
m Heb. “me.” Emendation yields “[Where are] Your yearning and Your love?/Let them not be restrained!”
n-n Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
a Meaning of vv. 1–4 uncertain.
b Heb. “Him.”
c-c Emendation yields “Because You have hidden Yourself we have offended.” For the thought cf. 63.17.
d-d Emendation yields “delivered us into the hands of.…”
a-a Lit. “I let Myself be inquired of.…”
b-b Taking qedashtikha as equivalent to qiddashtikha,/cf. Ezek. 49.19; others “For I am holier than thou.”
c-c Brought up from v. 7 for clarity.
d Heb. “your.”
e Taking rishonah as equivalent to beroshah; cf. Lev. 5.24; Jer. 16.18. Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
f Emendation yields “Jeshimon,” the bleak southeast corner of the Jordan Valley; cf. Num. 21.20; 23.8.
g Names of heathen deities.
h-h I.e., a name to be used in blessing.
i Lit. “wear out.”
j-j Emendation yields “in vain.”
k See note at 11.9.
a Vv. 3–4 refer to practitioners of idolatrous rites; cf. v. 17 and 57.5–8; 65.1–12.
b Lit. “break the necks of.”
c Heb. mazkir refers to giving the “token portion” (’azkarah); cf. Lev. 2.2, etc.
d Lit. “My name.”
e Cf. Akkadiam zāizu, Arabic zāizat, “udder.”
f-f Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
g Exact construction of this verse uncertain; for the insertions in brackets, cf. Kimhi.
h-h Some Heb. mss. read “priests and Levites.”
Jeremiah
1 The words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests at Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin. 2The word of the LORD came to him in the days of King Josiah son of Amon of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign, 3and throughout the days of King Jehoiakim son of Josiah of Judah, and until the end of the eleventh year of King Zedekiah son of Josiah of Judah, when Jerusalem went into exile in the fifth month.
4The word of the LORD came to me:
5Before I created you in the womb, I selected you;
Before you were born, I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet concerning the nations.
6I replied:
Ah, Lord GOD!
I don’t know how to speak,
For I am still a boy.
7And the LORD said to me:
Do not say, “I am still a boy,”
But go wherever I send you
And speak whatever I command you.
8Have no fear of them,
For I am with you to deliver you
—declares the LORD.
9The LORD put out His hand and touched my mouth, and the LORD said to me: Herewith I put My words into your mouth.
10See, I appoint you this day
Over nations and kingdoms:
To uproot and to pull down,
To destroy and to overthrow,
To build and to plant.
11The word of the LORD came to me: What do you see, Jeremiah? I replied: I see a branch of an almond tree.a
12The LORD said to me:
You have seen right,
For I am watchfulb to bring My word to pass.
13And the word of the LORD came to me a second time: What do you see? I replied:
I see a steaming pot,
c-Tipped away from the north.-c
14And the LORD said to me:
From the north shall disaster break loose
Upon all the inhabitants of the land!
15For I am summoning all the peoples
of the kingdoms of the north
—declares the LORD.
They shall come, and shall each set up a throne
Before the gates of Jerusalem,
Against its walls roundabout,
And against all the towns of Judah.
16And I will argue My case against themd
For all their wickedness:
They have forsaken Me
And sacrificed to other gods
And worshiped the works of their hands.
17So you, gird up your loins,
Arise and speak to them
All that I command you.
Do not break down before them,
Lest I break you before them.
18I make you this day
A fortified city,
And an iron pillar,
And bronze walls
Against the whole land—
Against Judah’s kings and officers,
And against its priests and citizens.e
19They will attack you,
But they shall not overcome you;
For I am with you—declares the LORD—to save you.
2 The word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2Go proclaim to Jerusalem: Thus said the LORD:
I accounted to your favor
The devotion of your youth,
Your love as a bride—
How you followed Me in the wilderness,
In a land not sown.
3Israel was holy to the LORD,
The first fruits of His harvest.
All who ate of it were held guilty;
Disaster befell them
—declares the LORD.
4Hear the word of the LORD, O House of Jacob,
Every clan of the House of Israel!
5Thus said the LORD:
What wrong did your fathers find in
