The wordהַדָּבָרthatאֲשֶׁרcameהָיָהto Jeremiahאֶל יִרְמְיָהוּfromמֵאֵתYHWH,יְהוָהwhen Nebuchadnezzarוּנְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּרkingמֶלֶךְof Babylonבָּבֶלand allוְכָלhis armyחֵילוֹand allוְכָלthe kingdomsמַמְלְכוֹתof the earthאֶרֶץunder the dominionמֶמְשֶׁלֶתof his handיָדוֹand allוְכָלthe peoplesהָעַמִּיםwere fightingנִלְחָמִיםagainst Jerusalemעַל יְרוּשָׁלִַםand against allוְעַל כָּלits cities,עָרֶיהָsaying:לֵאמֹר
“ThusכֹּהsaysאָמַרYHWH,יְהוָהthe Elohimאֱלֹהֵיof Israel:יִשְׂרָאֵלGoהָלֹךְand speakוְאָמַרְתָּto Zedekiahאֶל צִדְקִיָּהוּkingמֶלֶךְof Judah,יְהוּדָהand sayוְאָמַרְתָּto him:אֵלָיוThusכֹּהsaysאָמַרYHWH:יְהוָהLook, I amהִנְנִיgivingנֹתֵןthis cityאֶת הָעִיר הַזֹּאתinto the handבְּיַדof the kingמֶלֶךְof Babylon,בָּבֶלand he will burn itוּשְׂרָפָהּwith fire.בָּאֵשׁ
And youוְאַתָּהwill notלֹאescapeתִמָּלֵטfrom his hand,מִיָּדוֹbutכִּיyou will surely be seizedתָּפֹשׂ תִּתָּפֵשׂand into his handוּבְיָדוֹyou will be given;תִּנָּתֵןand your eyesוְעֵינֶיךָwill seeתִּרְאֶינָהthe eyesאֶת עֵינֵיof the kingמֶלֶךְof Babylon,בָּבֶלand his mouthוּפִיהוּwill speakיְדַבֵּרwith your mouth,אֶת פִּיךָand to Babylonוּבָבֶלyou will go.תָּבוֹא
Yetאַךְhearשְׁמַעthe wordדְּבַרof YHWH,יְהוָהZedekiahצִדְקִיָּהוּkingמֶלֶךְof Judah!יְהוּדָהThusכֹּהsaysאָמַרYHWHיְהוָהconcerning you:עָלֶיךָYou will notלֹאdieתָמוּתby the sword.בֶּחָרֶב
In peaceבְּשָׁלוֹםyou will die;תָּמוּתand as with the burningsוּכְמִשְׂרְפוֹתfor your fathers,אֲבוֹתֶיךָthe formerהָרִאשֹׁנִיםkingsהַמְּלָכִיםwhoאֲשֶׁרwereהָיוּbefore you,לְפָנֶיךָsoכֵּןthey will burnיִשְׂרְפוּfor you,לָךְandוְ‘Alas,הוֹיlord!’אָדוֹןthey will lamentיִסְפְּדוּfor you;לָךְforכִּיIאֲנִיhave spokenדִבַּרְתִּיthe word,דָבָרdeclaresנְאֻםYHWH.”יְהוָה
And Jeremiahוַ יִרְמְיָהוּthe prophetהַנָּבִיאspokeיְדַבֵּרto Zedekiahאֶל צִדְקִיָּהוּkingמֶלֶךְof Judahיְהוּדָהallאֵת כָּלthese wordsהַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּהin Jerusalem,בִּירוּשָׁלִָם
while the armyוְחֵילof the kingמֶלֶךְof Babylonבָּבֶלwas fightingנִלְחָמִיםagainst Jerusalemעַל יְרוּשָׁלִַםand against allוְעַל כָּלthe citiesעָרֵיof Judahיְהוּדָהthat were left,הַנּוֹתָרוֹתagainst Lachishאֶל לָכִישׁand against Azekah;וְאֶל עֲזֵקָהforכִּיtheseהֵנָּהwere leftנִשְׁאֲרוּamong the citiesבְּעָרֵיof Judahיְהוּדָהas fortifiedמִבְצָרcities.עָרֵי
The wordהַדָּבָרthatאֲשֶׁרcameהָיָהto Jeremiahאֶל יִרְמְיָהוּfromמֵאֵתYHWH,יְהוָהafterאַחֲרֵיKingהַמֶּלֶךְZedekiahצִדְקִיָּהוּhad madeכְּרֹתa covenantבְּרִיתwith allאֶת כָּלthe peopleהָעָםwho wereאֲשֶׁרin Jerusalem,בִּירוּשָׁלִַםto proclaimלִקְרֹאlibertyדְּרוֹרto them,לָהֶם
that eachלְ אִישׁshould letשַׁלַּחhis slaveאֶת עַבְדּוֹand eachוְאִישׁhis slave woman,אֶת שִׁפְחָתוֹthe Hebrew manהָעִבְרִיand the Hebrew woman,וְהָעִבְרִיָּהgo free,שַׁלַּח חָפְשִׁיםso that no oneלְבִלְתִּי אִישׁshould keep them as slaves,עֲבָד בָּםa Jew,בִּיהוּדִיhis brother.אָחִיהוּ
And allוַ כָלthe princesהַשָּׂרִיםand allוְכָלthe peopleהָעָםobeyed,יִּשְׁמְעוּwhoאֲשֶׁרhad enteredבָּאוּinto the covenantבַבְּרִיתthat eachלְ אִישׁshould letשַׁלַּחhis slaveאֶת עַבְדּוֹand eachוְאִישׁhis slave womanאֶת שִׁפְחָתוֹgo free,חָפְשִׁיםso as notלְבִלְתִּיto keep them as slavesעֲבָד בָּםany longer;עוֹדthey obeyedוַיִּשְׁמְעוּandוַlet them go.יְשַׁלֵּחוּ
Butוַafterwardאַחֲרֵי כֵןthey turned back,יָּשׁוּבוּand brought backוַיָּשִׁבוּthe slavesאֶת הָעֲבָדִיםand the slave womenוְאֶת הַשְּׁפָחוֹתwhomאֲשֶׁרthey had let goשִׁלְּחוּfree,חָפְשִׁיםand subjected themוַיִּכְבְּשׁוּםto be slavesלַעֲבָדִיםand slave women.וְלִשְׁפָחוֹת
And the wordוַיְהִי דְבַרof YHWHיְהוָהcame to Jeremiahאֶל יִרְמְיָהוּfromמֵאֵתYHWH,יְהוָהsaying,לֵאמֹר
“ThusכֹּהsaysאָמַרYHWH,יְהוָהthe Elohimאֱלֹהֵיof Israel:יִשְׂרָאֵלIאָנֹכִיmadeכָּרַתִּיa covenantבְרִיתwith your fathersאֶת אֲבוֹתֵיכֶםon the dayבְּיוֹםI brought them outהוֹצִאִי אוֹתָםof the landמֵאֶרֶץof Egypt,מִצְרַיִםout of the houseמִבֵּיתof slaves,עֲבָדִיםsaying:לֵאמֹר
At the endמִקֵּץof sevenשֶׁבַעyearsשָׁנִיםyou shall let go,תְּשַׁלְּחוּeach one,אִישׁhis brotherאֶת אָחִיוthe Hebrew,הָעִבְרִיwhoאֲשֶׁרhas been soldיִמָּכֵרto youלְךָand has served youוַעֲבָדְךָsixשֵׁשׁyears;שָׁנִיםand you shall let him goוְשִׁלַּחְתּוֹfreeחָפְשִׁיfrom you.מֵעִמָּךְButוְyour fathersאֲבוֹתֵיכֶםdid notלֹאlistenשָׁמְעוּto me,אֵלַיnorוְלֹאinclineהִטּוּtheir ear.אֶת אָזְנָם
And youוַ אַתֶּםhad turned backתָּשֻׁבוּtoday,הַיּוֹםand had doneוַתַּעֲשׂוּwhat is rightאֶת הַיָּשָׁרin my eyes,בְּעֵינַיproclaimingלִקְרֹאliberty,דְרוֹרeach oneאִישׁto his neighbor,לְרֵעֵהוּand you had madeוַתִּכְרְתוּa covenantבְרִיתbefore meלְפָנַיin the houseבַּבַּיִתover whichאֲשֶׁר עָלָיוmy nameשְׁמִיis called.נִקְרָא
But you turned backוַתָּשֻׁבוּand profanedוַתְּחַלְּלוּmy name,אֶת שְׁמִיand brought back,וַתָּשִׁבוּeach one,אִישׁhis slaveאֶת עַבְדּוֹand each oneוְאִישׁhis slave woman,אֶת שִׁפְחָתוֹwhomאֲשֶׁרyou had let goשִׁלַּחְתֶּםfreeחָפְשִׁיםat their own will,לְנַפְשָׁםand you subjected themוַתִּכְבְּשׁוּ אֹתָםto beלִהְיוֹתyourלָכֶםslavesלַעֲבָדִיםand slave women.וְלִשְׁפָחוֹת
ThereforeלָכֵןthusכֹּהsaysאָמַרYHWH:יְהוָהYouאַתֶּםhave notלֹאlistenedשְׁמַעְתֶּםto meאֵלַיto proclaimלִקְרֹאliberty,דְרוֹרeach oneאִישׁto his brotherלְאָחִיוand each oneוְאִישׁto his neighbor;לְרֵעֵהוּlook, I amהִנְנִיproclaimingקֹרֵאto youלָכֶםliberty,דְּרוֹרdeclaresנְאֻםYHWH,יְהוָהto the sword,אֶל הַחֶרֶבto the pestilence,אֶל הַדֶּבֶרand to the famine;וְאֶל הָרָעָבand I will make youוְנָתַתִּי אֶתְכֶםa terrorלְזַעֲוָהto allלְכֹלthe kingdomsמַמְלְכוֹתof the earth.הָאָרֶץ
And I will makeוְנָתַתִּיthe menאֶת הָאֲנָשִׁיםwho transgressedהָעֹבְרִיםmy covenant,אֶת בְּרִתִיwhoאֲשֶׁרdid notלֹאcarry outהֵקִימוּthe wordsאֶת דִּבְרֵיof the covenantהַבְּרִיתthatאֲשֶׁרthey madeכָּרְתוּbefore me,לְפָנָיlike the calfהָעֵגֶלthatאֲשֶׁרthey cutכָּרְתוּin twoלִשְׁנַיִםand passedוַיַּעַבְרוּbetweenבֵּיןits halves:בְּתָרָיו
the princesשָׂרֵיof Judahיְהוּדָהand the princesוְשָׂרֵיof Jerusalem,יְרוּשָׁלִַםthe court officialsהַסָּרִסִיםand the priestsוְהַכֹּהֲנִיםand allוְכֹלthe peopleעַםof the landהָאָרֶץwho passedהָעֹבְרִיםbetweenבֵּיןthe halvesבִּתְרֵיof the calf;הָעֵגֶל
and I will give themוְנָתַתִּי אוֹתָםinto the handבְּיַדof their enemiesאֹיְבֵיהֶםand into the handוּבְיַדof those who seekמְבַקְשֵׁיtheir life;נַפְשָׁםand their corpsesוְ נִבְלָתָםwill beהָיְתָהfoodלְמַאֲכָלfor the birdsלְעוֹףof the heavensהַשָּׁמַיִםand for the beastsוּלְבֶהֱמַתof the earth.הָאָרֶץ
And Zedekiahוְאֶת צִדְקִיָּהוּkingמֶלֶךְof Judahיְהוּדָהand his princesוְאֶת שָׂרָיוI will giveאֶתֵּןinto the handבְּיַדof their enemiesאֹיְבֵיהֶםand into the handוּבְיַדof those who seekמְבַקְשֵׁיtheir life,נַפְשָׁםand into the handוּבְיַדof the armyחֵילof the kingמֶלֶךְof Babylonבָּבֶלthat has withdrawnהָעֹלִיםfrom you.מֵעֲלֵיכֶם
Look, I amהִנְנִיgiving the command,מְצַוֶּהdeclaresנְאֻםYHWH,יְהוָהand I will bring them backוַהֲשִׁבֹתִיםto this city,אֶל הָעִיר הַזֹּאתand they will fightוְנִלְחֲמוּagainst itעָלֶיהָand capture itוּלְכָדוּהָand burn itוּשְׂרָפֻהָwith fire;בָאֵשׁand the citiesוְאֶת עָרֵיof JudahיְהוּדָהI will makeאֶתֵּןa desolation,שְׁמָמָהwithoutמֵאֵיןinhabitant.”יֹשֵׁב