Chapter 44

1The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews dwelling in the land of Egypt, those dwelling in Migdol and in Tahpanhes and in Noph and in the land of Pathros, saying:   אהַדָּבָר֙ אֲשֶׁר הָיָ֣ה אֶל־יִרְמְיָ֔הוּ אֶל כָּל־הַיְּהוּדִ֔ים הַיֹּֽשְׁבִ֖ים בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם הַיֹּֽשְׁבִ֚ים בְּמִגְדֹּל֙ וּבְתַחְפַּנְחֵ֣ס וּבְנֹ֔ף וּבְאֶ֥רֶץ פַּתְר֖וֹס לֵאמֹֽר:
2So said the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel; You saw all the evil that I brought upon Jerusalem and upon all the cities of Judah, and behold, they are waste, and there are no inhabitants in them,   בכֹּֽה־אָמַ֞ר יְהֹוָ֚ה צְבָאוֹת֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אַתֶּ֣ם רְאִיתֶ֔ם אֵ֚ת כָּל־הָֽרָעָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֚ר הֵבֵ֙אתִי֙ עַל־יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם וְעַ֖ל כָּל־עָרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֑ה וְהִנָּ֚ם חָרְבָּה֙ הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה וְאֵ֥ין בָּהֶ֖ם יוֹשֵֽׁב:
3because of their evil, which they did to provoke Me, to go to burn incense to worship other gods, which they did not know, [neither did] you nor your forefathers.   גמִפְּנֵ֣י רָֽעָתָ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֚ר עָשׂוּ֙ לְהַכְעִסֵ֔נִי לָלֶ֣כֶת לְקַטֵּ֔ר לַֽעֲבֹ֖ד לֵֽאלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֑ים אֲשֶׁר֙ לֹ֣א יְדָע֔וּם הֵ֖מָּה אַתֶּ֥ם וַֽאֲבֹֽתֵיכֶֽם:
4And I sent to you all My servants the prophets, sending them betimes, saying: Now do not do this abominable thing which I hate.   דוָֽאֶשְׁלַ֚ח אֲלֵיכֶם֙ אֶת־כָּל־עֲבָדַ֣י הַנְּבִיאִ֔ים הַשְׁכֵּ֥ים וְשָׁלֹ֖חַ לֵאמֹ֑ר אַל־נָ֣א תַֽעֲשׂ֔וּ אֵ֛ת דְּבַר־הַתֹּֽעֵבָ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׂנֵֽאתִי:
5But they did not hearken, nor did they incline their ear[s] to repent of their evil, not to burn incense to other gods.   הוְלֹ֚א שָֽׁמְעוּ֙ וְלֹא־הִטּ֣וּ אֶת־אָזְנָ֔ם לָשׁ֖וּב מֵרָֽעָתָ֑ם לְבִלְתִּ֥י קַטֵּ֖ר לֵֽאלֹהִ֥ים אֲחֵרִֽים:
6And My anger and My fury were poured out, and it burnt in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, and they have become waste and desolate as this day.   ווַתִּתַּ֚ךְ חֲמָתִי֙ וְאַפִּ֔י וַתִּבְעַר֙ בְּעָרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה וּבְחֻצ֖וֹת יְרֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וַתִּֽהְיֶ֛ינָה לְחָרְבָּ֥ה לִשְׁמָמָ֖ה כַּיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה:
7And now, so said the Lord God of Hosts, the God of Israel; Why do you do this great evil to your souls, to cut off from you man and woman, child and suckling from the midst of Judah, not to leave over a remnant for yourselves,   זוְעַתָּ֡ה כֹּֽה־אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָה֩ אֱלֹהֵ֨י צְבָא֜וֹת אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לָמָה֩ אַתֶּ֨ם עֹשִׂ֜ים רָעָ֚ה גְדוֹלָה֙ אֶל־נַפְשֹׁ֣תֵכֶ֔ם לְהַכְרִ֨ית לָכֶ֧ם אִישׁ־וְאִשָּׁ֛ה עוֹלֵ֥ל וְיוֹנֵ֖ק מִתּ֣וֹךְ יְהוּדָ֑ה לְבִלְתִּ֛י הוֹתִ֥יר לָכֶ֖ם שְׁאֵרִֽית:
8to provoke Me with the deeds of your hands, to burn incense to other gods in the land of Egypt where you are coming to sojourn, in order to cut yourselves off and in order for you to become a curse and a reproach among all the nations of the earth.   חלְהַכְעִסֵ֙נִי֙ בְּמַֽעֲשֵׂ֣י יְדֵיכֶ֔ם לְקַטֵּ֞ר לֵֽאלֹהִ֚ים אֲחֵרִים֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם אֲשֶׁר־אַתֶּ֥ם בָּאִ֖ים לָג֣וּר שָׁ֑ם לְמַ֙עַן֙ הַכְרִ֣ית לָכֶ֔ם וּלְמַ֚עַן הֱיֽוֹתְכֶם֙ לִקְלָלָ֣ה וּלְחֶרְפָּ֔ה בְּכֹ֖ל גּוֹיֵ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ:
9Have you forgotten the evils of your forefathers and the evils of the kings of Judah and the evils of his wives and the evils of your wives, that they did in the land of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem?   טהַֽשְׁכַחְתֶּם֩ אֶת־רָע֨וֹת אֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶ֜ם וְאֶת־רָע֣וֹת | מַלְכֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֗ה וְאֵת֙ רָע֣וֹת נָשָׁ֔יו וְאֵת֙ רָעֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם וְאֵ֖ת רָעֹ֣ת נְשֵׁיכֶ֑ם אֲשֶׁ֚ר עָשׂוּ֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ יְהוּדָ֔ה וּבְחֻצ֖וֹת יְרֽוּשָׁלִָֽם:
10They were not crushed until this day, and they did not fear, and they did not walk in My Law and in My statutes that I placed before you and before your forefathers.   ילֹ֣א דֻכְּא֔וּ עַ֖ד הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה וְלֹ֣א יָֽרְא֗וּ וְלֹא־הָֽלְכ֚וּ בְתֽוֹרָתִי֙ וּבְחֻקֹּתַ֔י אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥תִּי לִפְנֵיכֶ֖ם וְלִפְנֵ֥י אֲבוֹתֵיכֶֽם:
They were not crushed: Their hearts were not crushed because of their evil.   לא דוכאו: לבם מרעתם:
11Therefore, so said the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel; Behold I direct My face against you for evil and to cut off all of Judah.   יאלָכֵ֗ן כֹּֽה־אָמַ֞ר יְהֹוָ֚ה צְבָאוֹת֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הִנְנִ֨י שָׂ֥ם פָּנַ֛י בָּכֶ֖ם לְרָעָ֑ה וּלְהַכְרִ֖ית אֶת־כָּל־יְהוּדָֽה:
12And I will take the remnant of Judah that directed their faces to come to the land of Egypt to sojourn there, and all shall be consumed; in the land of Egypt they shall fall, by the sword and by famine they shall be consumed, both great and small shall die by the sword and by famine, and they shall be for an oath, for bewilderment, and for a curse and a reproach.   יבוְלָֽקַחְתִּ֞י אֶת־שְׁאֵרִ֣ית יְהוּדָ֗ה אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֨מוּ פְנֵיהֶ֜ם לָב֣וֹא אֶֽרֶץ־מִצְרַיִם֘ לָג֣וּר שָׁם֒ וְתַ֨מּוּ כֹ֜ל בְּאֶ֧רֶץ מִצְרַ֣יִם יִפֹּ֗לוּ בַּחֶ֚רֶב בָּֽרָעָב֙ יִתַּ֔מּוּ מִקָּטֹן֙ וְעַד־גָּד֔וֹל בַּחֶ֥רֶב וּבָֽרָעָ֖ב יָמֻ֑תוּ וְהָיוּ֙ לְאָלָ֣ה לְשַׁמָּ֔ה וְלִקְלָלָ֖ה וּלְחֶרְפָּֽה:
13And I will visit upon those dwelling in the land of Egypt as I visited upon Jerusalem, by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence.   יגוּפָֽקַדְתִּ֗י עַ֚ל הַיּֽוֹשְׁבִים֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר פָּקַ֖דְתִּי עַל־יְרֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם בַּחֶ֥רֶב בָּֽרָעָ֖ב וּבַדָּֽבֶר:
14There shall be neither fugitive nor survivor to the remnant of Judah coming to sojourn there in the land of Egypt and to return to the land of Judah, for they mislead themselves to return to dwell there, for only fugitives shall return.   ידוְלֹ֨א יִהְיֶ֜ה פָּלִ֚יט וְשָׂרִיד֙ לִשְׁאֵרִ֣ית יְהוּדָ֔ה הַבָּאִ֥ים לָגוּר־שָׁ֖ם בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם וְלָשׁ֣וּב | אֶ֣רֶץ יְהוּדָ֗ה אֲשֶׁר־הֵ֜מָּה מְנַשְּׂאִ֚ים אֶת־נַפְשָׁם֙ לָשׁוּב֙ לָשֶׁ֣בֶת שָׁ֔ם כִּ֥י לֹֽא־יָשׁ֖וּבוּ כִּ֥י אִם־פְּלֵטִֽים:
only fugitives: Jeremiah and Baruch returned from there, for Nebuchadnezzar exiled them when the land of Egypt was delivered into his hand in the twenty-seventh year of his reign (Ezek. 29:17). So we learned in Seder Olam (ch. 26).   כי אם פליטים: ירמיה וברוך חזרו לשם שהגלה נבוכדנאצר כשנתנה ארץ מצרים בידו בעשרים ושבע למלכו (יחזקאל כט) כך שנויה בסדר עולם:
15And all the men who knew that their wives burned incense to other gods and all the women standing [in] a great assembly, and all the people dwelling in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying,   טווַיַּֽעֲנ֣וּ אֶֽת־יִרְמְיָ֗הוּ כָּל־הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֚ים הַיֹּֽדְעִים֙ כִּֽי־מְקַטְּר֚וֹת נְשֵׁיהֶם֙ לֵֽאלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֔ים וְכָל־הַנָּשִׁ֥ים הָעֹֽמְד֖וֹת קָהָ֣ל גָּד֑וֹל וְכָל־הָעָ֛ם הַיֹּֽשְׁבִ֥ים בְּאֶֽרֶץ־מִצְרַ֖יִם בְּפַתְר֥וֹס לֵאמֹֽר:
16"The word that you spoke to us in the name of the Lord, we will not hearken to you.   טזהַדָּבָ֛ר אֲשֶׁר־דִּבַּ֥רְתָּ אֵלֵ֖ינוּ בְּשֵׁ֣ם יְהֹוָ֑ה אֵינֶ֥נּוּ שֹֽׁמְעִ֖ים אֵלֶֽיךָ:
17But we will do everything that has emanated from our mouth, to burn incense to the queen of heaven and to pour libations to her, as we did, we, our forefathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, and we were sated with bread, and we were well, and we saw no evil.   יזכִּ֩י עָשׂ֨ה נַֽעֲשֶׂ֜ה אֶת־כָּל־הַדָּבָ֣ר | אֲשֶׁר־יָצָ֣א מִפִּ֗ינוּ לְקַטֵּ֞ר לִמְלֶ֣כֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם֘ וְהַסֵּֽיךְ־לָ֣הּ נְסָכִים֒ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשִׂ֜ינוּ אֲנַ֚חְנוּ וַֽאֲבֹתֵ֙ינוּ֙ מְלָכֵ֣ינוּ וְשָׂרֵ֔ינוּ בְּעָרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה וּבְחֻצ֖וֹת יְרֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וַנִּשְׂבַּֽע־לֶ֙חֶם֙ וַנִּֽהְיֶ֣ה טוֹבִ֔ים וְרָעָ֖ה לֹ֥א רָאִֽינוּ:
18But since we stopped burning incense to the queen of heaven and pouring libations to her, we lack everything, and we have been consumed by the sword and by famine.   יחוּמִן־אָ֡ז חָדַ֜לְנוּ לְקַטֵּ֨ר לִמְלֶ֧כֶת הַשָּׁמַ֛יִם וְהַסֵּֽךְ־לָ֥הּ נְסָכִ֖ים חָסַ֣רְנוּ כֹ֑ל וּבַחֶ֥רֶב וּבָֽרָעָ֖ב תָּֽמְנוּ:
19And when we burn incense to the queen of heaven and pour libations to her, did we make her cakes in her image without our husbands, or pour out libations to her?"   יטוְכִֽי־אֲנַ֚חְנוּ מְקַטְּרִים֙ לִמְלֶ֣כֶת הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וּלְהַסֵּ֥ךְ לָ֖הּ נְסָכִ֑ים הֲמִבַּלְעֲדֵ֣י אֲנָשֵׁ֗ינוּ עָשִׂ֨ינוּ לָ֚הּ כַּוָּנִים֙ לְהַ֣עֲצִבָ֔ה וְהַסֵּ֥ךְ לָ֖הּ נְסָכִֽים:
without our husbands: Without their knowledge.   המבלעדי אנשינו: שלא מדעתם:
cakes in her image: Heb. כונים להעצבה, molds in the shape of idols (idols in the shape of a young lady as above ch. 22:28).   כוונים להעציבה: דפוסים כדמות עצבים (עצבים דמות עלמה כמו לעיל כב):
20And Jeremiah said to all the people, to the men, to the women, and to all the people who answered him a word, saying,   כוַיֹּ֥אמֶר יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ אֶל־כָּל־הָעָ֑ם עַל־הַגְּבָרִ֚ים וְעַל־הַנָּשִׁים֙ וְעַל־כָּל־הָעָ֔ם הָֽעֹנִ֥ים אֹת֛וֹ דָּבָ֖ר לֵאמֹֽר:
21"The incense that you burnt in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, you and your forefathers, your kings and your princes, and the people of the land, did not the Lord remember them and did it not enter His heart?   כאהֲל֣וֹא אֶת־הַקִּטֵּ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֨ר קִטַּרְתֶּ֜ם בְּעָרֵ֚י יְהוּדָה֙ וּבְחֻצ֣וֹת יְרֽוּשָׁלִַ֔ם אַתֶּ֧ם וַֽאֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶ֛ם מַלְכֵיכֶ֥ם וְשָׂרֵיכֶ֖ם וְעַ֣ם הָאָ֑רֶץ אֹתָם֙ זָכַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה וַתַּֽעֲלֶ֖ה עַל־לִבּֽוֹ:
22And He could no longer bear because of the evil of your deeds, because of the abominations that you committed, and your land became waste and desolation and a curse, without an inhabitant as this day.   כבוְלֹֽא־יוּכַל֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה ע֜וֹד לָשֵׂ֗את מִפְּנֵי֙ רֹ֣עַ מַֽעַלְלֵיכֶ֔ם מִפְּנֵ֥י הַתּֽוֹעֵבֹ֖ת אֲשֶׁ֣ר עֲשִׂיתֶ֑ם וַתְּהִ֣י אַ֠רְצְכֶם לְחָרְבָּ֨ה וּלְשַׁמָּ֧ה וְלִקְלָלָ֛ה מֵאֵ֥ין יוֹשֵׁ֖ב כְּהַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה:
And He could no longer bear: Heb. ולא יוּכַל, like ולא יָכוֹל, and He could not.   ולא יוכל ה' עוד לשאת: כמו ולא יכול:
23Because you burnt incense and because you sinned against the Lord, and you did not hearken to the voice of the Lord, and you did not walk in His Law and in His statutes and in His testimonies; therefore, this evil has befallen you as of this day."   כגמִפְּנֵי֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר קִטַּרְתֶּ֜ם וַֽאֲשֶׁ֧ר חֲטָאתֶ֣ם לַֽיהֹוָ֗ה וְלֹ֚א שְׁמַעְתֶּם֙ בְּק֣וֹל יְהֹוָ֔ה וּבְתֹֽרָת֧וֹ וּבְחֻקּוֹתָ֛יו וּבְעֵֽדְו‍ֹתָ֖יו לֹ֣א הֲלַכְתֶּ֑ם עַל־כֵּ֞ן קָרָ֥את אֶתְכֶ֛ם הָֽרָעָ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את כַּיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה:
24And Jeremiah said to all the people and to all the women: Hearken to the word of the Lord, all of Judah that is in the land of Egypt.   כדוַיֹּ֚אמֶר יִרְמְיָ֙הוּ֙ אֶל־כָּל־הָעָ֔ם וְאֶ֖ל כָּל־הַנָּשִׁ֑ים שִׁמְעוּ֙ דְּבַר־יְהֹוָ֔ה כָּל־יְהוּדָ֕ה אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
25So said the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, saying: You and your wives; as you have spoken with your mouth, so have you fulfilled with your hands, saying, "We will surely execute our vows, as we have vowed to burn incense to the queen of heaven and to pour libations to her." You shall surely fulfill your vows and you shall surely execute your vows.   כהכֹּֽה־אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָֽה־צְבָאוֹת֩ אֱלֹהֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל לֵאמֹ֗ר אַתֶּ֨ם וּנְשֵׁיכֶ֜ם וַתְּדַבֵּ֣רְנָה בְּפִיכֶם֘ וּבִֽידֵיכֶ֣ם מִלֵּאתֶ֣ם | לֵאמֹר֒ עָשׂ֨ה נַֽעֲשֶׂ֜ה אֶת־נְדָרֵ֗ינוּ אֲשֶׁ֚ר נָדַ֙רְנוּ֙ לְקַטֵּר֙ לִמְלֶ֣כֶת הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וּלְהַסֵּ֥ךְ לָ֖הּ נְסָכִ֑ים הָקֵ֚ים תָּקִ֙ימְנָה֙ אֶת־נִדְרֵיכֶ֔ם וְעָשׂ֥ה תַֽעֲשֶׂ֖ינָה אֶת־נִדְרֵיכֶֽם:
26Therefore, hearken to the word of the Lord, all of Judah dwelling in the land of Egypt; Behold, I have sworn by My great name, said the Lord, that My name shall no longer be called by the mouth of any man of Judah, saying, "As the Lord God lives," throughout the land of Egypt.   כולָכֵן֙ שִׁמְע֣וּ דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֔ה כָּל־יְהוּדָ֕ה הַיֹּֽשְׁבִ֖ים בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם הִֽנְנִ֨י נִשְׁבַּ֜עְתִּי בִּשְׁמִ֚י הַגָּדוֹל֙ אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה אִם־יִֽהְיֶה֩ ע֨וֹד שְׁמִ֜י נִקְרָ֣א | בְּפִ֣י | כָּל־אִ֣ישׁ יְהוּדָ֗ה אֹמֵ֛ר חַי־אֲדֹנָ֥י יֱהֹוִ֖ה בְּכָל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
27Behold, I visit upon them for evil and not for good, and every man of Judah who is in the land of Egypt shall be consumed by the sword, and by famine until they are completely destroyed.   כזהִֽנְנִ֨י שֹׁקֵ֧ד עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם לְרָעָ֖ה וְלֹ֣א לְטוֹבָ֑ה וְתַמּוּ֩ כָל־אִ֨ישׁ יְהוּדָ֜ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר בְּאֶ֧רֶץ־מִצְרַ֛יִם בַּחֶ֥רֶב וּבָרָעָ֖ב עַד־כְּלוֹתָֽם:
28And fugitives of the sword [who] shall return from the land of Egypt to the land of Judah [shall be] few in number, and all the remnant of Judah that came to the land of Egypt to sojourn there shall know whose word shall stand, whether Mine or theirs.   כחוּפְלִיטֵ֨י חֶ֜רֶב יְשֻׁב֨וּן מִן־אֶ֧רֶץ מִצְרַ֛יִם אֶ֥רֶץ יְהוּדָ֖ה מְתֵ֣י מִסְפָּ֑ר וְֽיָדְע֞וּ כָּל־שְׁאֵרִ֣ית יְהוּדָ֗ה הַבָּאִ֚ים לְאֶֽרֶץ־מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ לָג֣וּר שָׁ֔ם דְּבַר־מִ֥י יָק֖וּם מִמֶּ֥נִּי וּמֵהֶֽם:
29And this shall be to you the sign, says the Lord, that I will visit upon you in this place, in order that you know that My words shall surely stand against you for evil.   כטוְזֹ֨את־לָכֶ֚ם הָאוֹת֙ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֔ה כִּֽי־פֹקֵ֥ד אֲנִ֛י עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם בַּמָּק֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה לְמַ֙עַן֙ תֵּֽדְע֔וּ כִּי֩ ק֨וֹם יָק֧וּמוּ דְבָרַ֛י עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם לְרָעָֽה:
30So said the Lord: Behold I deliver Pharaoh Hophra, the king of Egypt, into the hand[s] of his enemies and into the hand[s] of those who seek his life, as I delivered Zedekiah, the king of Judah, into the hand[s] of Nebuchadrezzar, the king of Babylon, his enemy and the one who sought his life.   לכֹּ֣ה | אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֗ה הִֽנְנִ֣י נֹ֠תֵן אֶת־פַּרְעֹ֨ה חָפְרַ֚ע מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ בְּיַ֣ד אֹֽיְבָ֔יו וּבְיַ֖ד מְבַקְשֵׁ֣י נַפְשׁ֑וֹ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֨ר נָתַ֜תִּי אֶת־צִדְקִיָּ֣הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֗ה בְּיַ֨ד נְבֽוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֧ר מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֛ל אֹֽיְב֖וֹ וּמְבַקֵּ֥שׁ נַפְשֽׁוֹ:
Pharaoh Hophra: Heb. פרעה חפרע, rendered by Jonathan as פרעֹה תבירה, the broken Pharaoh, and this ‘heth’ serves instead of a ‘heh.’   פרעה חפרע: פרעה תבירא וחי"ת זו משמשת במקו' ה"א: