1
Now these are the words of the letter which Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the rest of the elders of the exile, the priests, the prophets and all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.
ayib'N;ht05030 h'y.m.rIyt03414 x;l'vt07971 r,v]a r,peS;ht05612 yer.biDt01697 h,Lea.w ? ~yin]h{K;h -l,a.w h'lw{G;ht01473 yen.qiz r,t,yt03499 -l,a ~i'l'v.Wryimt03389 ? h'l.g,ht01540 r,v]a ~'['ht05971 -l'K -l,a.w ~yiayib.N;ht05030 -l,a.w ? h'l,b'Bt0894 ~i;l'v.Wryimt03389 r;Ca,n.d;k.Wb.nt05019
2
(This was after King Jeconiah and the queen mother, the court officials, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen and the smiths had departed from Jerusalem.)
~yisyir'S;h.wt05631 h'ryib.G;h.wt01377 .$,l,M;ht04428 -h'y.n'k.yt03204 taec yer]x;at0310 ? reG.s;M;h.wt04525 v'r'x,h.wt02796 ~i;l'v.Wryiwt03389 h'd.Wh.yt03063 yer'f ? ~i'l'v.Wryim<03389)>
3
The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, saying,
h'Yiq.lix(whomt02518(whom -n,B h'y.r;m.g.Wt01587 !'p'v -n,b h'f'[.l,at0501 d;y.Bt03027 ? r;Ca,n.d;k.Wb.n -l,a h'd.Wh.yt03063 -.k,l,m h'Yiq.dic x;l'vt07971 r,v]a ? r{mael h'l,b'Bt0894 l,b'B<0894)> .$,l,mt04428
4
"Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon,
h'lw{G;ht01473 -l'k.l lea'r.fIyt03478 yeh{l/at0430 tw{a'b.ct06635 h'wh.yt03068 r;m'at0559 h{K ? h'l,b'Bt0894 ~i;l'v.Wryimt03389 yityel.gih -r,v]a
5
'Build houses and live in them; and plant gardens and eat their produce.
.Wl.kia.wt0398 tw{N;g .W[.jin.wt05193 .Wbev.w ~yiT'bt01004 .Wn.B ? !'y.riPt06529 -t,a
6
'Take wives and become the fathers of sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there and do not decrease.
tw{n'b.W ~yin'B .Wdyilw{h.w ~yiv'n .Wx.q ? .Wn.T ~,kyetw{n.B -t,a.w ~yiv'n ~,kyen.bil .Wx.q.W ? .Wj'[.miT -l;a.wt04591 ~'v -.Wb.r.W tw{n'b.Wt01121 ~yin'B h'n.d;let.w ~yiv'n]a;l
7
'Seek the welfare of the city where * I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare.'
yityel.gih r,v]a ryi['ht05892 ~w{l.vt07965 -t,a .Wv.rid.w ? h'wh.yt03068 -l,a H'd][;b .Wl.l;P.tih.wt06419 h'M'v ~,k.t,a ? ~w{l'vt07965 ~,k'l h,y.hIy H'mw{l.vib yiK
8
"For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, 'Do not let your prophets who are in your midst and your diviners deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams which they dream.
lea'r.fIyt03478 yeh{l/at0430 tw{a'b.ct06635 h'wh.yt03068 r;m'at0559 h{k yiK ? ~,k.B.riq.Bt07130 -r,v]a ~,kyeayib.nt05030 ~,k'l .WayiV;y -l;a ? ~,kyet{m{l]x -l,a .W[.m.viTt08085 -l;a.w ~,kyem.s{q.w ? ~yim.l.x;m ~,T;a r,v]a
9
'For they prophesy falsely to you in My name; I have not sent them,' declares the LORD.
~yiT.x;l.vt07971 a{l yim.viB ~,k'l ~yia.Bint05012 ~eh r,q,v.bt08267 yiK ? h'wh.yt03068 -mUa.n
10
"For thus says the LORD, 'When seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place.
l,b'b.lt0894 ta{l.mt04390 yip.l yiK h'wh.yt03068 r;m'at0559 h{k -yiK ? ~,kyel][ yit{miq]h;w ~,k.t,a d{q.p,at06485 h'n'vt08141 ~yi[.bivt07657 ? ~w{q'M;ht06965 -l,a ~,k.t,a byiv'h.l bw{J;h yir'b.Dt01697 -t,a ? h,Z;h
11
'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.
yik{n'a r,v]a t{b'v]x;M;ht02803 -t,a yiT.[;d'y yik{n'a yiK ? ~w{l'vt07965 tw{b.v.x;mt04284 h'wh.yt03068 -mUa.n ~,kyel][ bev{x ? h'w.qit.wt08615 tyir]x;at0319 ~,k'l tet'l h'['r.lt07451 a{l.w
12
'Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
y'lea ~,T.l;L;P.tih.wt06419 ~,T.k;l]h;w yit{a ~,ta'r.q.Wt07121 ? ~,kyel]a yiT.[;m'v.wt08085
13
'You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.
~,k.b;b.lt03824 -l'k.B yinUv.r.dit yiK ~,ta'c.m.Wt04672 yit{a ~,T.v;Qib.Wt01245
14
'I will be found by you,' declares the LORD, 'and I will restore your fortunes and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where * I have driven you,' declares the LORD, 'and I will bring you back to the place from where * I sent you into exile.'
~,k.tyib.v -t,a yiT.b;v.wt07725 h'wh.yt03068 -mUa.n ~,k'l yitaec.min.wt04672 ? tw{mw{q.M;ht04725 -l'Kim.W ~Iyw{G;ht01471 -l'Kim ~,k.t,a yiT.c;Biq.w ? yit{biv]h;w h'wh.yt03068 -mUa.n ~'v ~,k.t,a yiT.x;Dih r,v]a ? ~,k.t,a yityel.gih -r,v]a ~w{q'M;ht04725 -l,a ~,k.t,a ? ~'Vim
15
"Because you have said, 'The LORD has raised up prophets for us in Babylon '-
h'l,b'Bt0894 ~yiaib.nt05030 h'wh.yt03068 .Wn'l ~yiqeh ~,T.r;m]at0559 yiK
16
for thus says the LORD concerning the king who sits on the throne of David, and concerning all the people who dwell in this city, your brothers who did not go with you into exile -
bevw{Y;ht03068 .$,l,M;ht04428 -l,a h'wh.yt01473 r;m'at0559 h{k -yiK ? bevw{Y;h ~'['ht05971 -l'K -l,a.w diw'dt01732 aeSiKt03678 -l,a ? ~,k.Tia .Wa.c'y -a{l r,v]a ~,kyex]at0251 ta{Z;h ryi['Bt05892 ? h'lw{G;B
17
thus says the LORD of hosts, 'Behold, I am sending upon them the sword, famine and pestilence, and I will make them like split-open figs that cannot be eaten due to rottenness.
~'B ;xeL;v.mt07971 yin.niht08384 tw{a'b.ct06635 h'wh.yt03068 r;m'at0559 h{K ? yiT;t'n.w r,b'D;ht01698 -t,a.w b'['r'ht07458 -t,a b,r,x;ht02719 -t,a ? h'n.l;k'aett0398 -a{l r,v]a ~yir'[{V;ht08182 ~yinea.T;K ~'tw{a ? ;[{remt07455
18
'I will pursue them with the sword, with famine and with pestilence; and I will make them a terror to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse and a horror and a hissing, and a reproach among all the nations where * I have driven them,
~yiT;t.n.W r,b'D;b.Wt01698 b'['r'Bt07458 b,r,x;Bt02719 ~,hyer]x;at0310 yiT.p;d'r.w ? h'M;v.l.Wt08047 h'l'a.lt0423 #,r'a'ht0776 tw{k.l.m;mt04467 l{k.l h'['w.zilt02113 ? ~yiT.x;Dih -r,v]a ~Iyw{G;ht01471 -l'k.B h'P.r,x.l.Wt02781 h'qer.vil.wt08322 ? ~'v
19
because * they have not listened to My words,' declares the LORD, 'which I sent to them again and again by My servants the prophets; but you did not listen,' declares the LORD.
h'wh.yt03068 -mUa.n y;r'b.Dt01697 -l,a .W[.m'vt08085 -a{l -r,v]a t;x;T ? ~yiaib.N;h y;d'b][t05650 -t,a ~,hyel]a yiT.x;l'vt07971 r,v]a ? h'wh.yt03068 -mUa.n ~,T.[;m.vt08085 a{l.w ;x{l'v.wt07971 ~eK.v;ht07925
20
"You, therefore, hear the word of the LORD, all you exiles, whom I have sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon.
yiT.x;Livt07971 -r,v]a h'lw{G;ht01473 -l'K h'wh.yt03068 -r;b.dt01697 .W[.mivt08085 ~,T;a.w ? h'l,b'Bt0894 ~i;l'v.Wryimt03389
21
"Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah and concerning Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying to you falsely in My name, 'Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will slay them before your eyes.
b'a.x;at0256 -l,a lea'r.fIyt03478 yeh{l/at0430 tw{a'b.ct06635 h'wh.yt03068 r;m'at0559 -h{K ? h'yef][;mt04641 -n,b .Wh'Yiq.dict06667 -l,a.w h'y'lw{qt06964 -n,B ? ~'t{a !et{n yin.niht05221 r,q'vt08267 yim.viB ~,k'l ~yia.BiN;ht05012 ? ~,kyenye[.l ~'Kih.w l,b'Bt0894 -.k,l,m r;Ca,r.d;k.Wb.n d;y.Bt03027
22
'Because of them a curse will be used by all the exiles from Judah who are in Babylon, saying, "May the LORD make you like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire,
r,v]at0784 h'd.Wh.yt03063 t.Wl'Gt01546 l{k.l h'l'l.qt07045 ~,hem x;QUl.w ? b'x,a.k.Wt0256 .Wh'Yiq.dic.Kt06667 h'wh.yt03068 '$.mif.y r{maelt0559 l,b'b.Bt0894 ? vea'B l,b'Bt0894 -.k,l,m ~'l'q -r,v]a
23
because * they have acted foolishly in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbors' wives and have spoken words in My name falsely, which I did not command them; and I am He who knows and am a witness," declares the LORD.' "
lea'r.fIy.B h'l'b.nt03478 .Wf'[t05039 r,v]a !;[;y ? yim.viB r'b'dt08267 .Wr.B;d.y;w ~,hye[ert01696 yev.nt01697 -t,a<07453'> .Wp]a;n.y;w ? h'wh.y -mUa.nt03068 de['w ;[ed{y.Wht05707 yik{n'a.w ~ityi.Wic aw{l r,v]a r,q,v
24
To Shemaiah the Nehelamite you shall speak, saying,
r{maelt0559 r;ma{Tt0559 yim'l/x,N;ht05161 .Wh'y.[;m.vt08098 -l,a.w
25
"Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, 'Because * you have sent letters in your own name to all the people who are in Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, and to all the priests, saying,
r{maelt0559 lea'r.fIyt03478 yeh{l/at0430 tw{a'b.ct06635 h'wh.yt03068 r;m'at0559 -h{K ? -l'K -l,a ~yir'p.st05612 h'k.miv.b 'T.x;l'vt07971 h'T;a r,v]a !;[;y ? h'yef][;m -n,b h'y.n;p.ct06846 -l,a.w ~i;l'v.WryiBt03389 r,v]a ~'['ht05971 ? r{maelt0559 ~yin]h{K;h -l'K l,a.w !eh{K;h
26
"The LORD has made you priest instead of Jehoiada the priest, to be the overseer in the house of the LORD over every madman who prophesies, to put him in the stocks and in the iron collar,
tw{y.hilt03068 !eh{K;ht03548 ['d'yw{h.yt03077 t;x;T !eh{k '$.n't.n h'wh.yt03068 ? aeB;n.tim.Wt05012 ['GUv.mt07696 vyiat0376 -l'k.l h'wh.yt03548 tyeBt01004 ~yidiq.P ? q{nyiC;ht06729 -l,a.w t,k,P.h;M;ht04115 -l,a w{t{a h'T;t'n.w
27
now then, why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth who prophesies to you?
yit{t.N]['ht06069 .Wh'y.m.rIy.Bt03414 'T.r;['gt01605 a{l h'M'l h'T;[.w ? ~,k'l aeB;n.tiM;ht05012
28
"For he has sent to us in Babylon, saying, 'The exile will be long; build houses and live in them and plant gardens and eat their produce.' ""'
h'KUr]a r{maelt0559 l,b'Bt0894 .Wnyelea x;l'vt07971 !eK -l;[ yiK ? .Wl.kia.wt0398 tw{N;g .W[.jin.wt05193 .Wbev.w ~yiT'bt01004 .Wn.B ayih ? !,hyir.Pt06529 -t,a
29
Zephaniah the priest read this letter to Jeremiah the prophet.
yen.z'a.B h,Z;h r,peS;ht05612 -t,a !eh{K;ht03548 h'y.n;p.ct06846 a'r.qiY;wt07121 ? ayib'N;ht05030 .Wh'y.m.rIyt03414
30
Then came the word of the LORD to Jeremiah, saying,
r{maelt0559 .Wh'y.m.rIyt03414 -l,a h'wh.yt03068 -r;b.Dt01697 yih.y;w
31
"Send to all the exiles, saying, 'Thus says the LORD concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite, "Because * Shemaiah has prophesied to you, although I did not send him, and he has made you trust in a lie,"
h'wh.yt03068 r;m'at0559 h{K r{maelt0559 h'lw{G;ht01473 -l'K -l;[ x;l.vt07971 ? ~,k'l a'Bint05012 r,v]a !;[;y yim'l/x,N;ht05161 h'y.[;m.vt08098 -l,a ? ~,k.t,a x;j.b;Y;wt0982 wyiT.x;l.vt07971 a{l yin]a;w h'y.[;m.vt08098 ? r,q'vt08267 -l;[
32
therefore thus says the LORD, "Behold, I am about to punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his descendants; he will not have anyone living among this people, and he will not see the good that I am about to do to My people," declares the LORD, "because he has preached rebellion against the LORD.""'
h'y.[;m.vt08098 -l;[ deq{pt06485 yin.niht05161 h'wh.yt03068 r;m'at0559 -h{K !ek'l ? vyiat0376 w{l h,y.hIy -a{l w{[.r;zt02233 -l;[.w yim'l/x,N;h ? bw{J;b h,a.rIyt07200 -a{l.w h,Z;h ~'['ht05971 -.kw{t.B bevw{y ? h'r'st05627 -yiK h'wh.yt03068 -mUa.n yiM;[.l -h,f{[ yin]a -r,v]a ? h'wh.y -l;[ r,Bidt01696