| 1The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord-when Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon and all his army and all the kingdoms of the land of his rule and all the peoples were waging war against Jerusalem and against all its cities-saying: |
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אהַדָּבָ֛ר אֲשֶׁר־הָיָ֥ה אֶל־יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ מֵאֵ֣ת יְהֹוָ֑ה וּנְבֽוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֣ר מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֣ל | וְכָל־חֵיל֡וֹ וְכָל־מַמְלְכ֣וֹת אֶרֶץ֩ מֶמְשֶׁ֨לֶת יָד֜וֹ וְכָל־הָעַמִּ֗ים נִלְחָמִ֧ים עַל־יְרֽוּשָׁלִַ֛ם וְעַל־כָּל־עָרֶ֖יהָ לֵאמֹֽר: |
| 2So said the Lord God of Israel, Go and say to Zedekiah king of Judah, and you shall say to him: So said the Lord: Behold I deliver this city into the hand[s] of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire. |
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בכֹּֽה־אָמַ֚ר יְהֹוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הָלֹךְ֙ וְאָ֣מַרְתָּ֔ אֶל־צִדְקִיָּ֖הוּ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֑ה וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֵלָ֗יו כֹּה אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה הִֽנְנִ֨י נֹתֵ֜ן אֶת־הָעִ֚יר הַזֹּאת֙ בְּיַ֣ד מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֔ל וּשְׂרָפָ֖הּ בָּאֵֽשׁ: |
| 3And you shall not escape from his hand[s], for you shall surely be seized, and you shall be delivered into his hand[s], and your eyes shall see the eyes of the king of Babylon, and his mouth shall speak with your mouth, and you shall come to Babylon. |
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גוְאַתָּ֗ה לֹא תִמָּלֵט֙ מִיָּד֔וֹ כִּי תָּפֹ֣שׂ תִּתָּפֵ֔שׂ וּבְיָד֖וֹ תִּנָּתֵ֑ן וְ֠עֵינֶיךָ אֶת־עֵינֵ֨י מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֜ל תִּרְאֶ֗ינָה וּפִ֛יהוּ אֶת־פִּ֥יךָ יְדַבֵּ֖ר וּבָבֶ֥ל תָּבֽוֹא: |
| 4But hearken to the word of the Lord, O Zedekiah king of Judah. So said the Lord concerning you; You shall not die by the sword. |
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דאַךְ שְׁמַ֣ע דְּבַר־יְהֹוָ֔ה צִדְקִיָּ֖הוּ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֑ה כֹּֽה־אָמַ֚ר יְהֹוָה֙ עָלֶ֔יךָ לֹ֥א תָמ֖וּת בֶּחָֽרֶב: |
| 5You shall die in peace, and with the burnings of your forefathers, the first kings, who were before you, they shall burn for you, and "Ah lord" shall they lament you, for I have spoken a word, says the Lord. |
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הבְּשָׁל֣וֹם תָּמ֗וּת וּֽבְמִשְׂרְפ֣וֹת ֽאֲ֠בוֹתֶיךָ הַמְּלָכִ֨ים הָרִֽאשֹׁנִ֜ים אֲשֶׁר־הָי֣וּ לְפָנֶ֗יךָ כֵּן יִשְׂרְפוּ־לָ֔ךְ וְה֥וֹי אָד֖וֹן יִסְפְּדוּ־לָ֑ךְ כִּֽי־דָבָ֥ר אֲנִֽי־דִבַּ֖רְתִּי נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה: |
| You shall die in peace. Our Sages stated that Nebuchadnezzar died during his lifetime (Moed Katan 28b), for all the days of Nebuchadnezzar his prisoners were not freed from their imprisonment, and when Nebuchadnezzar died, Zedekiah emerged from the prison. He died the next day and was buried with pomp. |
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בשלום תמות.
אמרו רבותינו שמת נבוכדנצר בימיו שכל ימי נ"נ לא יצאו אסיריו מאסיריהם וכשמת נבוכדנצר יצא צדקיה מבית האסורים ולמחרת מת וקברוהו בכבוד:
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| and with the burnings of your forefathers. So was their custom, to burn for the kings their bier and the utensils they used. |
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ובמשרפות אבותיך.
כך היה דרכם לשרוף על המלכי' מטתן וכלי תשמישן:
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| 6And Jeremiah the prophet spoke to Zedekiah king of Judah all these words in Jerusalem. |
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ווַיְדַבֵּר֙ יִרְמְיָ֣הוּ הַנָּבִ֔יא אֶל־צִדְקִיָּ֖הוּ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֑ה אֵ֛ת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה בִּירֽוּשָׁלִָֽם: |
| 7And the army of the king of Babylon was waging war against Jerusalem and against all the remaining cities of Judah, against Lachish and against Azekah, because they were the fortified cities left among the cities of Judah. |
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זוְחֵ֣יל מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֗ל נִלְחָמִים֙ עַל־יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם וְעַ֛ל כָּל־עָרֵ֥י יְהוּדָ֖ה הַנּֽוֹתָר֑וֹת אֶל־לָכִישׁ֙ וְאֶל־עֲזֵקָ֔ה כִּ֣י הֵ֗נָּה נִשְׁאֲר֛וּ בְּעָרֵ֥י יְהוּדָ֖ה עָרֵ֥י מִבְצָֽר: |
| 8The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord after King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people who were in Jerusalem, to proclaim freedom to them; |
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חהַדָּבָ֛ר אֲשֶׁר־הָיָ֥ה אֶל־יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ מֵאֵ֣ת יְהֹוָ֑ה אַֽחֲרֵ֡י כְּרֹת֩ הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ צִדְקִיָּ֜הוּ בְּרִ֗ית אֶת־כָּל־הָעָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בִּירֽוּשָׁלִַ֔ם לִקְרֹ֥א לָהֶ֖ם דְּרֽוֹר: |
| after King Zedekiah had made a covenant. In the seventh year of his reign. So we learned it in Seder Olam (ch. 26): “And it came to pass in the seventh year… men came of the elders of Judah (sic) to inquire of the Lord” (Ezekiel 20:1). They said to Ezekiel, ‘The slave of a priest whom his owner sold, what is the ruling regarding whether he may eat of the priest’s due?’ That is to say, because they wanted to say that they should not be punished for infracting the commandment by returning the slaves. |
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אחרי כרות המלך.
בשנה השביעית למלכו כך שנינו בסדר עולם ויהי בשנה השביעית באו אנשים מזקני יהודה לדרוש את ה' אמרו ליחזקאל עבד כהן שמכרו רבו מהו שיאכל בתרומה כלומר לפי שהיו רוצין לומר לא נענש על המצות על שהחזירו את העבדי':
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| 9That every man should let his manservant and every man his maidservant, a Jew and a Jewess go free, that none should hold his Jewish brother as a slave. |
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טלְ֠שַׁלַּח אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־עַבְדּ֞וֹ וְאִ֧ישׁ אֶת־שִׁפְחָת֛וֹ הָֽעִבְרִ֥י וְהָֽעִבְרִיָּ֖ה חָפְשִׁ֑ים לְבִלְתִּ֧י עֲבָד־בָּ֛ם בִּיהוּדִ֥י אָחִ֖יהוּ אִֽישׁ: |
| 10Now all the princes and all the people who had entered into the covenant hearkened that every one should let his manservant and everyone his maidservant go free, no longer holding them in slavery; then they obeyed and let them go. |
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יוַיִּשְׁמְעוּ֩ כָל־הַשָּׂרִ֨ים וְכָל־הָעָ֜ם אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֣אוּ בַבְּרִ֗ית לְ֠שַׁלַּח אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־עַבְדּ֞וֹ וְאִ֚ישׁ אֶת־שִׁפְחָתוֹ֙ חָפְשִׁ֔ים לְבִלְתִּ֥י עֲבָד־בָּ֖ם ע֑וֹד וַיִּשְׁמְע֖וּ וַיְשַׁלֵּֽחוּ: |
| 11But afterwards they turned and brought back the manservants and the maidservants whom they had let free, and forcibly made them into manservants and maidservants. |
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יאוַיָּשׁ֙וּבוּ֙ אַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֔ן וַיָּשִׁ֗יבוּ אֶת־הָֽעֲבָדִים֙ וְאֶת־הַשְּׁפָח֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר שִׁלְּח֖וּ חָפְשִׁ֑ים וַיִּכְבְּשׁ֔וּם (כתיב וַיִּכְבְּישׁ֔וּם) לַֽעֲבָדִ֖ים וְלִשְׁפָחֽוֹת: |
| 12Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying: |
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יבוַיְהִ֚י דְבַר־יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־יִרְמְיָ֔הוּ מֵאֵ֥ת יְהֹוָ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר: |
| 13So says the Lord God of Israel; I made a covenant with your fathers on the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slaves, saying: |
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יגכֹּֽה־אָמַ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אָֽנֹכִ֗י כָּרַ֚תִּי בְרִית֙ אֶת־אֲב֣וֹתֵיכֶ֔ם בְּי֨וֹם הֽוֹצִאִ֚י אוֹתָם֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם מִבֵּ֥ית עֲבָדִ֖ים לֵאמֹֽר: |
| 14"At the end of seven years you shall let go every man his brother Jew who has been sold to you, and when he has served you for six years you shall let him go free from you"; but your forefathers did not obey Me, nor did they incline their ear[s]. |
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ידמִקֵּ֣ץ שֶׁ֣בַע שָׁנִ֡ים תְּֽשַׁלְּח֡וּ אִישׁ֩ אֶת־אָחִ֨יו הָעִבְרִ֜י אֲשֶׁ֧ר יִמָּכֵ֣ר לְךָ֗ וַֽעֲבָֽדְךָ֙ שֵׁ֣שׁ שָׁנִ֔ים וְשִׁלַּחְתּ֥וֹ חָפְשִׁ֖י מֵֽעִמָּ֑ךְ וְלֹא־שָֽׁמְע֚וּ אֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶם֙ אֵלַ֔י וְלֹ֥א הִטּ֖וּ אֶת־אָזְנָֽם: |
| 15And now this day you turned and did what was right in My sight by proclaiming liberty every man to his neighbor, and you made a covenant before Me in the House upon which My Name is called. |
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טווַתָּשֻׁ֨בוּ אַתֶּ֜ם הַיּ֗וֹם וַתַּֽעֲשׂ֚וּ אֶת־הַיָּשָׁר֙ בְּעֵינַ֔י לִקְרֹ֥א דְר֖וֹר אִ֣ישׁ לְרֵעֵ֑הוּ וַתִּכְרְת֚וּ בְרִית֙ לְפָנַ֔י בַּבַּ֕יִת אֲשֶׁר־נִקְרָ֥א שְׁמִ֖י עָלָֽיו: |
| 16But then you turned and profaned My Name, and you took back, each man his manservant and each man his maidservant, whom you had let free to themselves, and forced them to be manservants and maidservants to you. |
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טזוַתָּשֻׁ֙בוּ֙ וַתְּחַלְּל֣וּ אֶת־שְׁמִ֔י וַתָּשִׁ֗בוּ אִ֚ישׁ אֶת־עַבְדּוֹ֙ וְאִ֣ישׁ אֶת־שִׁפְחָת֔וֹ אֲשֶׁר־שִׁלַּחְתֶּ֥ם חָפְשִׁ֖ים לְנַפְשָׁ֑ם וַתִּכְבְּשׁ֣וּ אֹתָ֔ם לִֽהְי֣וֹת לָכֶ֔ם לַֽעֲבָדִ֖ים וְלִשְׁפָחֽוֹת: |
| 17Therefore, so says the Lord: You have not hearkened to Me to proclaim freedom, every one to his brother and every one to his neighbor; behold I proclaim freedom to you, says the Lord, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine, and I will make you an object of horror to all the kingdoms of the earth. |
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יזלָכֵן֘ כֹּֽה־אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָה֒ אַתֶּם֙ לֹֽא־שְׁמַעְתֶּ֣ם אֵלַ֔י לִקְרֹ֣א דְר֔וֹר אִ֥ישׁ לְאָחִ֖יו וְאִ֣ישׁ לְרֵעֵ֑הוּ הִנְנִ֣י קֹרֵא֩ לָכֶ֨ם דְּר֜וֹר נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֗ה אֶל־הַחֶ֙רֶב֙ אֶל־הַדֶּ֣בֶר וְאֶל־הָֽרָעָ֔ב וְנָֽתַתִּ֚י אֶתְכֶם֙ לְזַֽעֲוָ֔ה (כתיב לְזַֽוֲעָ֔ה) לְכֹ֖ל מַמְלְכ֥וֹת הָאָֽרֶץ: |
| behold I proclaim freedom to you. from Me, that I am not your master to save you, and you shall be free to the sword and to the famine. |
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הנני קורא לכם דרור.
מאתי שאינו אדון לכם להציל ותהיו הפקר אל החרב ואל הרעב:
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| 18And I will deliver the men who have transgressed My covenant, who have not kept the words of the covenant which they made before Me when they cut the calf in two and passed between its parts. |
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יחוְנָֽתַתִּ֣י אֶת־הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֗ים הָעֹֽבְרִים֙ אֶת־בְּרִתִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֚ר לֹֽא־הֵקִ֙ימוּ֙ אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֣י הַבְּרִ֔ית אֲשֶׁ֥ר כָּֽרְת֖וּ לְפָנָ֑י הָעֵ֙גֶל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר כָּֽרְת֣וּ לִשְׁנַ֔יִם וַיַּֽעַבְר֖וּ בֵּ֥ין בְּתָרָֽיו: |
| when they cut the calf in two. When they returned and forced them to be slaves, they all made a covenant to rebel against the Omnipresent and cut a calf in two and passed between its parts to rebel against Him, and that was a strong covenant and a final one, saying, So shall the one who transgresses be cut and divided. |
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העגל אשר כרתו לשנים.
כשחזרו וכבשום כרתו כולם ברית למרוד במקום וכרתו העגל לשנים ועברו בין בתריו למרוד בו והיא היתה ברית חזקה וגמורה לאמר ככה יבתר ויחלק העובר עליה:
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| 19The princes of Judah and the princes of Jerusalem, the officers and the priests, and all the people of the land who passed between the parts of the calf. |
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יטשָׂרֵ֨י יְהוּדָ֜ה וְשָׂרֵ֣י יְרֽוּשָׁלִַ֗ם הַסָּֽרִסִים֙ וְהַכֹּֽ֣הֲנִ֔ים וְכֹ֖ל עַ֣ם הָאָ֑רֶץ הָעֹ֣בְרִ֔ים בֵּ֖ין בִּתְרֵ֥י הָעֵֽגֶל: |
| 20I will deliver them into the hand[s] of their enemies and into the hand[s] of those who seek their lives, and their dead bodies shall become food for the birds of the heavens and for the beasts of the earth. |
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כוְנָֽתַתִּ֚י אוֹתָם֙ בְּיַ֣ד אֹֽיְבֵיהֶ֔ם וּבְיַ֖ד מְבַקְשֵׁ֣י נַפְשָׁ֑ם וְהָֽיְתָ֚ה נִבְלָתָם֙ לְמַֽאֲכָ֔ל לְע֥וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וּלְבֶֽהֱמַ֥ת הָאָֽרֶץ: |
| 21And Zedekiah, king of Judah, and his princes I will deliver into the hand[s] of their enemies and into the hand[s] of those who seek their lives, and into the hand[s] of the army of the king of Babylon who have gone up away from you. |
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כאוְאֶת־צִדְקִיָּ֨הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֜ה וְאֶת־שָׂרָ֗יו אֶתֵּן֙ בְּיַ֣ד אֹֽיְבֵיהֶ֔ם וּבְיַ֖ד מְבַקְשֵׁ֣י נַפְשָׁ֑ם וּבְיַ֗ד חֵיל מֶ֣לֶךְ בָּבֶ֔ל הָֽעֹלִ֖ים מֵֽעֲלֵיכֶֽם: |
| who have gone up away from you. because of the army of Pharaoh that came out of Egypt, as is explained in this Book (37:5). |
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העולים מעליכם.
מפני חיל פרעה שיצא ממצרים כמו שמפורש בספר זה (ל"ז):
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| 22Behold I command, says the Lord, and I will return them to this city, and they shall fight against it and capture it, and burn it with fire, and the cities of Judah I will make desolate without an inhabitant. |
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כבהִֽנְנִ֨י מְצַוֶּ֜ה נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֗ה וַֽהֲשִֽׁ֨בֹתִ֜ים אֶל־הָעִ֚יר הַזֹּאת֙ וְנִלְחֲמ֣וּ עָלֶ֔יהָ וּלְכָד֖וּהָ וּשְׂרָפֻ֣הָ בָאֵ֑שׁ וְאֶת־עָרֵ֧י יְהוּדָ֛ה אֶתֵּ֥ן שְׁמָמָ֖ה מֵאֵ֥ין ישֵֽׁב: |
| Behold I command. that Pharaoh’s army return to his land, and the Chaldeans return upon you. |
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הנני מצוה.
ושב חיל פרעה לארצו והכשדים ישובו עליכם:
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