The Sin and Punishment of Judah
חַטַּ֣את יְהוּדָ֗ה כְּתוּבָ֛ה בְּעֵ֥ט בַּרְזֶ֖ל בְּצִפֹּ֣רֶן שָׁמִ֑יר חֲרוּשָׁה֙ עַל־ל֣וּחַ לִבָּ֔ם וּלְקַרְנ֖וֹת מִזְבְּחוֹתֵיכֶֽם׃
“The sin of Judah is written with an iron stylus, engraved with a diamond point on the tablets of their hearts and on the horns of their altars.
כִּזְכֹּ֤ר בְּנֵיהֶם֙ מִזְבְּחוֹתָ֔ם וַאֲשֵׁרֵיהֶ֖ם עַל־עֵ֣ץ רַֽעֲנָ֑ן עַ֖ל גְּבָע֥וֹת הַגְּבֹהֽוֹת׃
Even their children remember their altars and Asherah poles by the green trees and on the high hills.
הֲרָרִי֙ בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה חֵילְךָ֥ כָל־אוֹצְרוֹתֶ֖יךָ לָבַ֣ז אֶתֵּ֑ן בָּמֹתֶ֕יךָ בְּחַטָּ֖את בְּכָל־גְּבוּלֶֽיךָ׃
O My mountain in the countryside, I will give over your wealth and all your treasures as plunder, because of the sin of your high places, within all your borders.
וְשָׁמַטְתָּ֗ה וּבְךָ֙ מִנַּחֲלָֽתְךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נָתַ֣תִּי לָ֔ךְ וְהַעֲבַדְתִּ֙יךָ֙ אֶת־אֹ֣יְבֶ֔יךָ בָּאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־יָדָ֑עְתָּ כִּֽי־אֵ֛שׁ קְדַחְתֶּ֥ם בְּאַפִּ֖י עַד־עוֹלָ֥ם תּוּקָֽד׃ ס
And you yourself will relinquish the inheritance that I gave you. I will enslave you to your enemies in a land that you do not know, for you have kindled My anger; it will burn forever.”
כֹּ֣ה׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה אָר֤וּר הַגֶּ֙בֶר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִבְטַ֣ח בָּֽאָדָ֔ם וְשָׂ֥ם בָּשָׂ֖ר זְרֹע֑וֹ וּמִן־יְהוָ֖ה יָס֥וּר לִבּֽוֹ׃
This is what the LORD says: “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind, who makes mere flesh his strength and turns his heart from the LORD.
וְהָיָה֙ כְּעַרְעָ֣ר בָּֽעֲרָבָ֔ה וְלֹ֥א יִרְאֶ֖ה כִּי־יָב֣וֹא ט֑וֹב וְשָׁכַ֤ן חֲרֵרִים֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר אֶ֥רֶץ מְלֵחָ֖ה וְלֹ֥א תֵשֵֽׁב׃ ס
He will be like a shrub in the desert; he will not see when prosperity comes. He will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives.
בָּר֣וּךְ הַגֶּ֔בֶר אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִבְטַ֖ח בַּֽיהוָ֑ה וְהָיָ֥ה יְהוָ֖ה מִבְטַחֽוֹ׃
But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him.
וְהָיָ֞ה כְּעֵ֣ץ׀ שָׁת֣וּל עַל־מַ֗יִם וְעַל־יוּבַל֙ יְשַׁלַּ֣ח שָֽׁרָשָׁ֔יו וְלֹ֤א יִרְאֶה֙ כִּֽי־יָבֹ֣א חֹ֔ם וְהָיָ֥ה עָלֵ֖הוּ רַֽעֲנָ֑ן וּבִשְׁנַ֤ת בַּצֹּ֙רֶת֙ לֹ֣א יִדְאָ֔ג וְלֹ֥א יָמִ֖ישׁ מֵעֲשׂ֥וֹת פֶּֽרִי׃
He is like a tree planted by the waters that sends out its roots toward the stream. It does not fear when the heat comes, and its leaves are always green. It does not worry in a year of drought, nor does it cease to produce fruit.
עָקֹ֥ב הַלֵּ֛ב מִכֹּ֖ל וְאָנֻ֣שׁ ה֑וּא מִ֖י יֵדָעֶֽנּוּ׃
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
אֲנִ֧י יְהוָ֛ה חֹקֵ֥ר לֵ֖ב בֹּחֵ֣ן כְּלָי֑וֹת וְלָתֵ֤ת לְאִישׁ֙ כִּדְרָכָ֔יו כִּפְרִ֖י מַעֲלָלָֽיו׃ ס
I, the LORD, search the heart; I examine the mind to reward a man according to his way, by what his deeds deserve.
קֹרֵ֤א דָגַר֙ וְלֹ֣א יָלָ֔ד עֹ֥שֶׂה עֹ֖שֶׁר וְלֹ֣א בְמִשְׁפָּ֑ט בַּחֲצִ֤י יָמָיו֙ יַעַזְבֶ֔נּוּ וּבְאַחֲרִית֖וֹ יִהְיֶ֥ה נָבָֽל׃
Like a partridge hatching eggs it did not lay is the man who makes a fortune unjustly. In the middle of his days his riches will desert him, and in the end he will be the fool.”
Jeremiah’s Prayer for Deliverance
כִּסֵּ֣א כָב֔וֹד מָר֖וֹם מֵֽרִאשׁ֑וֹן מְק֖וֹם מִקְדָּשֵֽׁנוּ׃
A glorious throne, exalted from the beginning, is the place of our sanctuary.
מִקְוֵ֤ה יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ יְהוָ֔ה כָּל־עֹזְבֶ֖יךָ יֵבֹ֑שׁוּ וְסוּרַי֙ בָּאָ֣רֶץ יִכָּתֵ֔בוּ כִּ֥י עָזְב֛וּ מְק֥וֹר מַֽיִם־חַיִּ֖ים אֶת־יְהוָֽה׃ ס
O LORD, the hope of Israel, all who abandon You will be put to shame. All who turn away will be written in the dust, for they have abandoned the LORD, the fountain of living water.
רְפָאֵ֤נִי יְהוָה֙ וְאֵ֣רָפֵ֔א הוֹשִׁיעֵ֖נִי וְאִוָּשֵׁ֑עָה כִּ֥י תְהִלָּתִ֖י אָֽתָּה׃
Heal me, O LORD, and I will be healed; save me, and I will be saved, for You are my praise.
הִנֵּה־הֵ֕מָּה אֹמְרִ֖ים אֵלָ֑י אַיֵּ֥ה דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה יָ֥בוֹא נָֽא׃
Behold, they keep saying to me, “Where is the word of the LORD? Let it come now!”
וַאֲנִ֞י לֹא־אַ֣צְתִּי׀ מֵרֹעֶ֣ה אַחֲרֶ֗יךָ וְי֥וֹם אָנ֛וּשׁ לֹ֥א הִתְאַוֵּ֖יתִי אַתָּ֣ה יָדָ֑עְתָּ מוֹצָ֣א שְׂפָתַ֔י נֹ֥כַח פָּנֶ֖יךָ הָיָֽה׃
But I have not run away from being Your shepherd; I have not desired the day of despair. You know that the utterance of my lips was spoken in Your presence.
אַל־תִּֽהְיֵה־לִ֖י לִמְחִתָּ֑ה מַֽחֲסִי־אַ֖תָּה בְּי֥וֹם רָעָֽה׃
Do not become a terror to me; You are my refuge in the day of disaster.
יֵבֹ֤שׁוּ רֹדְפַי֙ וְאַל־אֵבֹ֣שָׁה אָ֔נִי יֵחַ֣תּוּ הֵ֔מָּה וְאַל־אֵחַ֖תָּה אָ֑נִי הָבִ֤יא עֲלֵיהֶם֙ י֣וֹם רָעָ֔ה וּמִשְׁנֶ֥ה שִׁבָּר֖וֹן שָׁבְרֵֽם׃ ס
Let my persecutors be put to shame, but do not let me be put to shame. Let them be terrified, but do not let me be terrified. Bring upon them the day of disaster and shatter them with double destruction.
Restoring the Sabbath
כֹּה־אָמַ֨ר יְהוָ֜ה אֵלַ֗י הָלֹ֤ךְ וְעָֽמַדְתָּ֙ בְּשַׁ֣עַר בְּנֵֽי־הָעָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָבֹ֤אוּ בוֹ֙ מַלְכֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה וַאֲשֶׁ֖ר יֵ֣צְאוּ ב֑וֹ וּבְכֹ֖ל שַׁעֲרֵ֥י יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃
This is what the LORD said to me: “Go and stand at the gate of the people, through which the kings of Judah go in and out; and stand at all the other gates of Jerusalem.
וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲ֠לֵיהֶם שִׁמְע֨וּ דְבַר־יְהוָ֜ה מַלְכֵ֤י יְהוּדָה֙ וְכָל־יְהוּדָ֔ה וְכֹ֖ל יֹשְׁבֵ֣י יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם הַבָּאִ֖ים בַּשְּׁעָרִ֥ים הָאֵֽלֶּה׃ ס
Say to them, ‘Hear the word of the LORD, O kings of Judah, all people of Judah and Jerusalem who enter through these gates.
כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה הִשָּׁמְר֖וּ בְּנַפְשֽׁוֹתֵיכֶ֑ם וְאַל־תִּשְׂא֤וּ מַשָּׂא֙ בְּי֣וֹם הַשַּׁבָּ֔ת וַהֲבֵאתֶ֖ם בְּשַׁעֲרֵ֥י יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃
This is what the LORD says: Take heed for yourselves; do not carry a load or bring it through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day.
וְלֹא־תוֹצִ֨יאוּ מַשָּׂ֤א מִבָּֽתֵּיכֶם֙ בְּי֣וֹם הַשַּׁבָּ֔ת וְכָל־מְלָאכָ֖ה לֹ֣א תַֽעֲשׂ֑וּ וְקִדַּשְׁתֶּם֙ אֶת־י֣וֹם הַשַּׁבָּ֔ת כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוִּ֖יתִי אֶת־אֲבוֹתֵיכֶֽם׃
You must not carry a load out of your houses or do any work on the Sabbath day, but you must keep the Sabbath day holy, just as I commanded your forefathers.
וְלֹ֣א שָֽׁמְע֔וּ וְלֹ֥א הִטּ֖וּ אֶת־אָזְנָ֑ם וַיַּקְשׁוּ֙ אֶת־עָרְפָּ֔ם לְבִלְתִּ֣י שְׁמ֔וֹעַ וּלְבִלְתִּ֖י קַ֥חַת מוּסָֽר׃
Yet they would not listen or incline their ear, but they stiffened their necks and would not listen or receive My discipline.
וְ֠הָיָה אִם־שָׁמֹ֨עַ תִּשְׁמְע֤וּן אֵלַי֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה לְבִלְתִּ֣י׀ הָבִ֣יא מַשָּׂ֗א בְּשַׁעֲרֵ֛י הָעִ֥יר הַזֹּ֖את בְּי֣וֹם הַשַּׁבָּ֑ת וּלְקַדֵּשׁ֙ אֶת־י֣וֹם הַשַּׁבָּ֔ת לְבִלְתִּ֥י עֲשֽׂוֹת־בּ֖וֹ כָּל־מְלָאכָֽה׃
If, however, you listen carefully to Me, says the LORD, and bring no load through the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, and keep the Sabbath day holy, and do no work on it,
וּבָ֣אוּ בְשַׁעֲרֵ֣י הָעִ֣יר הַזֹּ֡את מְלָכִ֣ים׀ וְשָׂרִ֡ים יֹשְׁבִים֩ עַל־כִּסֵּ֨א דָוִ֜ד רֹכְבִ֣ים׀ בָּרֶ֣כֶב וּבַסּוּסִ֗ים הֵ֚מָּה וְשָׂ֣רֵיהֶ֔ם אִ֥ישׁ יְהוּדָ֖ה וְיֹשְׁבֵ֣י יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וְיָשְׁבָ֥ה הָֽעִיר־הַזֹּ֖את לְעוֹלָֽם׃
then kings and princes will enter through the gates of this city. They will sit on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses with their officials, along with the men of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem, and this city will be inhabited forever.
וּבָ֣אוּ מֵעָרֵֽי־יְ֠הוּדָה וּמִסְּבִיב֨וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֜ם וּמֵאֶ֣רֶץ בִּנְיָמִ֗ן וּמִן־הַשְּׁפֵלָ֤ה וּמִן־הָהָר֙ וּמִן־הַנֶּ֔גֶב מְבִאִ֛ים עוֹלָ֥ה וְזֶ֖בַח וּמִנְחָ֣ה וּלְבוֹנָ֑ה וּמְבִאֵ֥י תוֹדָ֖ה בֵּ֥ית יְהוָֽה׃
And people will come from the cities of Judah and the places around Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin, and from the foothills, the hill country, and the Negev, bringing burnt offerings and sacrifices, grain offerings and frankincense, and thank offerings to the house of the LORD.
וְאִם־לֹ֨א תִשְׁמְע֜וּ אֵלַ֗י לְקַדֵּשׁ֙ אֶת־י֣וֹם הַשַּׁבָּ֔ת וּלְבִלְתִּ֣י׀ שְׂאֵ֣ת מַשָּׂ֗א וּבֹ֛א בְּשַׁעֲרֵ֥י יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם בְּי֣וֹם הַשַּׁבָּ֑ת וְהִצַּ֧תִּי אֵ֣שׁ בִּשְׁעָרֶ֗יהָ וְאָֽכְלָ֛ה אַרְמְנ֥וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם וְלֹ֥א תִכְבֶּֽה׃ פ
But if you do not listen to Me to keep the Sabbath day holy by not carrying a load while entering the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will kindle an unquenchable fire in its gates to consume the citadels of Jerusalem.’”