בְּרֵאשִׁ֗ית מַמְלְכ֛וּת יְהוֹיָקִ֥ים בֶּן־יֹאשִׁיָּ֖הוּ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֑ה הָיָה֙ הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה מֵאֵ֥ת יְהוָ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר׃ At the beginning of the reign of King Jehoiakim son of Josiah of Judah, this word came from GOD:
כֹּ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה עֲמֹד֮ בַּחֲצַ֣ר בֵּית־יְהוָה֒ וְדִבַּרְתָּ֞ עַל־כָּל־עָרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֗ה הַבָּאִים֙ לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֺ֣ת בֵּית־יְהוָ֔ה אֵ֚ת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוִּיתִ֖יךָ לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֲלֵיהֶ֑ם אַל־תִּגְרַ֖ע דָּבָֽר׃ “Thus said GOD: Stand in the court of the House of GOD, and speak to [the inhabitants of] all the towns of Judah, who are coming to worship in the House of GOD, all the words that I command you to speak to them. Do not omit anything.
אוּלַ֣י יִשְׁמְע֔וּ וְיָשֻׁ֕בוּ אִ֖ישׁ מִדַּרְכּ֣וֹ הָרָעָ֑ה וְנִחַמְתִּ֣י אֶל־הָרָעָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָנֹכִ֤י חֹשֵׁב֙ לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת לָהֶ֔ם מִפְּנֵ֖י רֹ֥עַ מַעַלְלֵיהֶֽם׃ Perhaps they will listen and turn back, each from their own evil way, that I may renounce the punishment I am planning to bring upon them for their wicked acts.
וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם כֹּ֖ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה אִם־לֹ֤א תִשְׁמְעוּ֙ אֵלַ֔י לָלֶ֙כֶת֙ בְּת֣וֹרָתִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֖תִּי לִפְנֵיכֶֽם׃ “Say to them: Thus said GOD: If you do not obey Me, abiding by the Teaching that I have set before you,
לִשְׁמֹ֗עַ עַל־דִּבְרֵ֨י עֲבָדַ֣י הַנְּבִאִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר אָנֹכִ֖י שֹׁלֵ֣חַ אֲלֵיכֶ֑ם וְהַשְׁכֵּ֥ם וְשָׁלֹ֖חַ וְלֹ֥א שְׁמַעְתֶּֽם׃ heeding the words of My servants the prophets whom I have been sending to you persistently—but you have not heeded—
וְנָתַתִּ֛י אֶת־הַבַּ֥יִת הַזֶּ֖ה כְּשִׁלֹ֑ה וְאֶת־הָעִ֤יר הזאתה [הַזֹּאת֙] אֶתֵּ֣ן לִקְלָלָ֔ה לְכֹ֖ל גּוֹיֵ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (ס) then I will make this House like Shiloh, and I will make this city a curseaa curse Cf. note at 24.9. for all the nations of earth.”
וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֛וּ הַכֹּהֲנִ֥ים וְהַנְּבִאִ֖ים וְכָל־הָעָ֑ם אֶֽת־יִרְמְיָ֔הוּ מְדַבֵּ֛ר אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה בְּבֵ֥ית יְהוָֽה׃ The priests and prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the House of GOD.
וַיְהִ֣י ׀ כְּכַלּ֣וֹת יִרְמְיָ֗הוּ לְדַבֵּר֙ אֵ֣ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֣ה יְהוָ֔ה לְדַבֵּ֖ר אֶל־כָּל־הָעָ֑ם וַיִּתְפְּשׂ֨וּ אֹת֜וֹ הַכֹּהֲנִ֧ים וְהַנְּבִאִ֛ים וְכָל־הָעָ֥ם לֵאמֹ֖ר מ֥וֹת תָּמֽוּת׃ And when Jeremiah finished speaking all that GOD had commanded him to speak to all the people, the priests and the prophets and all the people seized him, shouting, “You shall die!
מַדּוּעַ֩ נִבֵּ֨יתָ בְשֵׁם־יְהוָ֜ה לֵאמֹ֗ר כְּשִׁלוֹ֙ יִֽהְיֶה֙ הַבַּ֣יִת הַזֶּ֔ה וְהָעִ֥יר הַזֹּ֛את תֶּחֱרַ֖ב מֵאֵ֣ין יוֹשֵׁ֑ב וַיִּקָּהֵ֧ל כָּל־הָעָ֛ם אֶֽל־יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ בְּבֵ֥ית יְהוָֽה׃ How dare you prophesy in the name of GOD that this House shall become like Shiloh and this city be made desolate, without inhabitants?” And all the people crowded about Jeremiah in the House of GOD.
וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֣וּ ׀ שָׂרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֗ה אֵ֚ת הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה וַיַּעֲל֥וּ מִבֵּית־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה וַיֵּֽשְׁב֛וּ בְּפֶ֥תַח שַֽׁעַר־יְהוָ֖ה הֶחָדָֽשׁ׃ (ס) When the officials of Judah heard about this, they went up from the king’s palace to the House of GOD and held a session at the entrance of the New Gate of the House ofbthe House of So many mss. and ancient versions; other mss. and the editions omit these words. GOD.
וַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּ הַכֹּהֲנִ֤ים וְהַנְּבִאִים֙ אֶל־הַשָּׂרִ֔ים וְאֶל־כָּל־הָעָ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר מִשְׁפַּט־מָ֙וֶת֙ לָאִ֣ישׁ הַזֶּ֔ה כִּ֤י נִבָּא֙ אֶל־הָעִ֣יר הַזֹּ֔את כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר שְׁמַעְתֶּ֖ם בְּאָזְנֵיכֶֽם׃ The priests and prophets said to the officials and to all the people, “This man deserves the death penalty, for he has prophesied against this city, as you yourselves have heard.”
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יִרְמְיָ֙הוּ֙ אֶל־כָּל־הַשָּׂרִ֔ים וְאֶל־כָּל־הָעָ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר יְהוָ֣ה שְׁלָחַ֗נִי לְהִנָּבֵ֞א אֶל־הַבַּ֤יִת הַזֶּה֙ וְאֶל־הָעִ֣יר הַזֹּ֔את אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר שְׁמַעְתֶּֽם׃ Jeremiah said to the officials and to all the people, “It was GOD who sent me to prophesy against this House and this city all the words you heard.
וְעַתָּ֗ה הֵיטִ֤יבוּ דַרְכֵיכֶם֙ וּמַ֣עַלְלֵיכֶ֔ם וְשִׁמְע֕וּ בְּק֖וֹל יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם וְיִנָּחֵ֣ם יְהוָ֔ה אֶל־הָ֣רָעָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבֶּ֖ר עֲלֵיכֶֽם׃ Therefore mend your ways and your acts, and heed the ETERNAL your God, that GOD may renounce the punishment that has been decreed for you.
וַאֲנִ֖י הִנְנִ֣י בְיֶדְכֶ֑ם עֲשׂוּ־לִ֛י כַּטּ֥וֹב וְכַיָּשָׁ֖ר בְּעֵינֵיכֶֽם׃ As for me, I am in your hands: do to me what seems good and right to you.
אַ֣ךְ ׀ יָדֹ֣עַ תֵּדְע֗וּ כִּ֣י אִם־מְמִתִ֣ים אַתֶּם֮ אֹתִי֒ כִּי־דָ֣ם נָקִ֗י אַתֶּם֙ נֹתְנִ֣ים עֲלֵיכֶ֔ם וְאֶל־הָעִ֥יר הַזֹּ֖את וְאֶל־יֹשְׁבֶ֑יהָ כִּ֣י בֶאֱמֶ֗ת שְׁלָחַ֤נִי יְהוָה֙ עֲלֵיכֶ֔ם לְדַבֵּר֙ בְּאָזְנֵיכֶ֔ם אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵֽלֶּה׃ (ס) But know that if you put me to death, you and this city and its inhabitants will be guilty of shedding an innocent’s blood. For in truth GOD has sent me to you, to speak all these words to you.”
וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ הַשָּׂרִים֙ וְכָל־הָעָ֔ם אֶל־הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים וְאֶל־הַנְּבִיאִ֑ים אֵין־לָאִ֤ישׁ הַזֶּה֙ מִשְׁפַּט־מָ֔וֶת כִּ֗י בְּשֵׁ֛ם יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ דִּבֶּ֥ר אֵלֵֽינוּ׃ Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and prophets, “This man does not deserve the death penalty, for he spoke to us in the name of the ETERNAL our God.”
וַיָּקֻ֣מוּ אֲנָשִׁ֔ים מִזִּקְנֵ֖י הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ אֶל־כָּל־קְהַ֥ל הָעָ֖ם לֵאמֹֽר׃ And some of the elders of the land arose and said to the entire assemblage of the people,
מיכיה [מִיכָה֙] הַמּ֣וֹרַשְׁתִּ֔י הָיָ֣ה נִבָּ֔א בִּימֵ֖י חִזְקִיָּ֣הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֑ה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֶל־כָּל־עַם֩ יְהוּדָ֨ה לֵאמֹ֜ר כֹּֽה־אָמַ֣ר ׀ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֗וֹת צִיּ֞וֹן שָׂדֶ֤ה תֵֽחָרֵשׁ֙ וִירוּשָׁלַ֙יִם֙ עִיִּ֣ים תִּֽהְיֶ֔ה וְהַ֥ר הַבַּ֖יִת לְבָמ֥וֹת יָֽעַר׃ “Micah the Morashtite, who prophesied in the days of King Hezekiah of Judah, said to all the people of Judah: ‘Thus said GOD of Hosts:
Zion shall be plowed as a field,
Jerusalem shall become heaps of ruins
And the Temple Mount a shrine in the woods.’cZion shall … shrine in the woods Cf. Mic. 3.12.
הֶהָמֵ֣ת הֱ֠מִתֻהוּ חִזְקִיָּ֨הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֜ה וְכָל־יְהוּדָ֗ה הֲלֹא֮ יָרֵ֣א אֶת־יְהוָה֒ וַיְחַל֙ אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה וַיִּנָּ֣חֶם יְהוָ֔ה אֶל־הָרָעָ֖ה אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֣ר עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם וַאֲנַ֗חְנוּ עֹשִׂ֛ים רָעָ֥ה גְדוֹלָ֖ה עַל־נַפְשׁוֹתֵֽינוּ׃ Did King Hezekiah of Judah, and all Judah, put him to death? Did he not rather fear GOD and implore GOD, so that GOD renounced the punishment He had decreed against them? We are about to do great injury to ourselves!”
וְגַם־אִ֗ישׁ הָיָ֤ה מִתְנַבֵּא֙ בְּשֵׁ֣ם יְהוָ֔ה אֽוּרִיָּ֙הוּ֙ בֶּֽן־שְׁמַעְיָ֔הוּ מִקִּרְיַ֖ת הַיְּעָרִ֑ים וַיִּנָּבֵ֞א עַל־הָעִ֤יר הַזֹּאת֙ וְעַל־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את כְּכֹ֖ל דִּבְרֵ֥י יִרְמְיָֽהוּ׃ There was also a man prophesying in the name of GOD, Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath-jearim, who prophesied against this city and this land the same things as Jeremiah.
וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע הַמֶּֽלֶךְ־יְ֠הוֹיָקִים וְכָל־גִּבּוֹרָ֤יו וְכָל־הַשָּׂרִים֙ אֶת־דְּבָרָ֔יו וַיְבַקֵּ֥שׁ הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ הֲמִית֑וֹ וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ע אוּרִיָּ֙הוּ֙ וַיִּרָ֔א וַיִּבְרַ֖ח וַיָּבֹ֥א מִצְרָֽיִם׃ King Jehoiakim and all his warriors and all the officials heard about his address, and the king wanted to put him to death. Uriah heard of this and fled in fear, and came to Egypt.
וַיִּשְׁלַ֞ח הַמֶּ֧לֶךְ יְהוֹיָקִ֛ים אֲנָשִׁ֖ים מִצְרָ֑יִם אֵ֣ת אֶלְנָתָ֧ן בֶּן־עַכְבּ֛וֹר וַאֲנָשִׁ֥ים אִתּ֖וֹ אֶל־מִצְרָֽיִם׃ But King Jehoiakim sent agents—Elnathan son of Achbor and several men under him—to Egypt.
וַיּוֹצִ֨יאוּ אֶת־אוּרִיָּ֜הוּ מִמִּצְרַ֗יִם וַיְבִאֻ֙הוּ֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ יְהוֹיָקִ֔ים וַיַּכֵּ֖הוּ בֶּחָ֑רֶב וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ֙ אֶת־נִבְלָת֔וֹ אֶל־קִבְרֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י הָעָֽם׃ They took Uriah out of Egypt and brought him to King Jehoiakim, who had him put to the sword and his body thrown into the burial place of the common people.
אַ֗ךְ יַ֚ד אֲחִיקָ֣ם בֶּן־שָׁפָ֔ן הָיְתָ֖ה אֶֽת־יִרְמְיָ֑הוּ לְבִלְתִּ֛י תֵּת־אֹת֥וֹ בְיַד־הָעָ֖ם לַהֲמִיתֽוֹ׃ (פ) However, Ahikam son of Shaphan protected Jeremiah, so that he was not handed over to the people for execution.