Jeremiah 33:14–16
God promises to keep his good word with a branch of righteousness for David
Study it word by word14Look, days are coming, declares YHWH, when I will fulfill the good word that I have spoken to the house of Israel and concerning the house of Judah.
15In those days and at that time I will cause to sprout for David a sprout of righteousness, and he will do justice and righteousness in the land.
16In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely; and this is the name by which they will call her: ‘YHWH, our righteousness.’
In its context
12Thus says YHWH Tsevaot: Once more there will be in this place that is laid waste, without human being or even livestock, and in all its cities, a dwelling of shepherds who make the flock lie down.
13In the cities of the hill country, in the cities of the Shephelah, and in the cities of the Negev, and in the land of Benjamin, and in the surroundings of Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, the flock will again pass under the hands of the one who counts them, says YHWH.
…
17For thus says YHWH: David will never lack a man sitting on the throne of the house of Israel;
18and the priests, the Levites, will never lack a man before me offering burnt offering, and offering up in smoke grain offering, and making sacrifice all the days.”
Its words in the original
- יָמִיםyamim· day
Day: the hours of light, or a whole day from one evening to the next. Also an indefinite time or age ("in the day that...", "in those days").
- בָּאִיםbaim· come, go in, bring
Come, arrive, go in, enter. In the causative form, "bring" or "carry in". "Go in to" a woman is to have marital relations with her.
- נְאֻםneum· declaration
Solemn declaration. "Declares YHWH" is the formula that marks words as spoken by God himself.
- יְהוָהyehva· YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
- הֲקִמֹתִיhakimoti· rise, stand, establish
Rise, stand up; also stand firm, establish or fulfill something. "Rise against" is to attack.
- דָּבָרdavar· word, matter, thing
Word; what is said. Also "matter" or "thing": what is spoken about, an affair, an event.
- טּוֹבtov· good
Good in the widest sense: pleasant, beautiful, useful, right, of good quality. As a noun, "good", "good things", "well-being".
- דִּבַּרְתִּיdibarti· speak
Speak, talk, say; also promise or command.
- בֵּיתbet· house, household
House. Also the family that lives in it ("the house of Noah") and someone's descendants ("the house of David"); also a temple, "the house of God".
- יִשְׂרָאֵלyisrael· Israel
Israel, the new name Jacob received from God, explained as "you have striven with God" (Genesis 32:28); then the name of the people that came from him and, after the division, of the northern kingdom.
- יְהוּדָהyehuda· Judah
Judah, the fourth son of Jacob and Leah; also the tribe that came from him and its land, and later the southern kingdom; King David came from it. The name sounds like "give thanks". Borne also by other Israelites.
- עֵתet· time
Time, moment, season; "now".
- אַצְמִיחַatsmiach· sprout
Sprout, spring up; begin to grow.
- דָוִדdavid· David
David, youngest son of Jesse, of Bethlehem; the second king of Israel. The name means "beloved."
- צֶמַחtsemach· growth, sprout
What springs from the ground: plants, vegetation; a shoot.
- צְדָקָהtsedaka· righteousness
Righteousness: being right with God and acting rightly with others; justice.
- עָשָׂהasa· do, make
Do, make, in the widest sense: build, produce, carry out, keep (a command), prepare.
- מִשְׁפָּטmishpat· justice, judgment
What is right and the decision that establishes it: the judgment of a judge, someone's right, a rule or ordinance, a custom. "Do righteousness and justice" is to treat each one as is due.
- אָרֶץarets· earth, land
The earth, in two senses: the whole world in contrast with the heavens, or a particular country or region ("the land of Egypt").
- תִּוָּשַׁעtivasha· save
Save: deliver someone from danger or from an oppressor. From this root come the names Joshua and Jesus.
- ירוּשָׁלִַםyrushalaim· Jerusalem
Jerusalem: a city in the hill country that later became David's capital and the place of the temple.
- תִּשְׁכּוֹןtishkon· dwell
Dwell, settle and live; in the causative form, set, make to dwell.
- בֶטַחvetach· security, safely
Security, confidence; living "securely", without fear. Sometimes unsuspecting.
- יִקְרָאyikra· call, proclaim
Call: speak out to someone, summon, invite, give a name, proclaim; also read aloud. "Call on the name of YHWH" is to pray to him and worship him.
- צִדְקֵtsidke· righteousness, what is right
Righteousness: what is right, what is as it should be; just (weights, judgment).