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;h h'y.m.rIy x;l'v r,v]a r,peS;h yer.biD h,Lea.w ? ~yin]h{K;h -l,a.w h'lw{G;h yen.qiz r,t,y -l,a ~i'l'v.Wryim ? h'l.g,h r,v]a ~'['h -l'K -l,a.w ~yiayib.N;h -l,a.w ? h'l,b'B ~i;l'v.Wryim r;Ca,n.d;k.Wb.n
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.w h'ryib.G;h.w .$,l,M;h -h'y.n'k.y taec yer]x;a ? reG.s;M;h.w v'r'x,h.w ~i;l'v.Wryiw h'd.Wh.y yer'f ? ~i'l'v.Wryim<03389)>
3
The letter was sent by the
hand of
Elasah the
son of
Shaphan, and
Gemariah the
son of
Hilkiah,
whom Zedekiah king of
Judah sent to
Babylon to
Nebuchadnezzar king of
Babylon,
saying,
h'Yiq.lix(whom(whom -n,B h'y.r;m.g.W !'p'v -n,b h'f'[.l,a d;y.B ? r;Ca,n.d;k.Wb.n -l,a h'd.Wh.y -.k,l,m h'Yiq.dic x;l'v r,v]a ? r{mael h'l,b'B l,b'B<0894)> .$,l,m
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;h -l'k.l lea'r.fIy yeh{l/a tw{a'b.c h'wh.y r;m'a h{K ? h'l,b'B ~i;l'v.Wryim yityel.gih -r,v]a
5
'Build houses and
live in them; and
plant gardens and
eat their
produce.
.Wl.kia.w tw{N;g .W[.jin.w .Wbev.w ~yiT'b .Wn.B ? !'y.riP -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.w ~'v -.Wb.r.W tw{n'b.W ~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['h ~w{l.v -t,a .Wv.rid.w ? h'wh.y -l,a H'd][;b .Wl.l;P.tih.w h'M'v ~,k.t,a ? ~w{l'v ~,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.fIy yeh{l/a tw{a'b.c h'wh.y r;m'a h{k yiK ? ~,k.B.riq.B -r,v]a ~,kyeayib.n ~,k'l .WayiV;y -l;a ? ~,kyet{m{l]x -l,a .W[.m.viT -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.v a{l yim.viB ~,k'l ~yia.Bin ~eh r,q,v.b yiK ? h'wh.y -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.l ta{l.m yip.l yiK h'wh.y r;m'a h{k -yiK ? ~,kyel][ yit{miq]h;w ~,k.t,a d{q.p,a h'n'v ~yi[.biv ? ~w{q'M;h -l,a ~,k.t,a byiv'h.l bw{J;h yir'b.D -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;h -t,a yiT.[;d'y yik{n'a yiK ? ~w{l'v tw{b.v.x;m h'wh.y -mUa.n ~,kyel][ bev{x ? h'w.qit.w tyir]x;a ~,k'l tet'l h'['r.l 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.w ~,T.k;l]h;w yit{a ~,ta'r.q.W ? ~,kyel]a yiT.[;m'v.w
13
'You will
seek Me and
find Me
when you
search for Me with
all your
heart.
~,k.b;b.l -l'k.B yinUv.r.dit yiK ~,ta'c.m.W yit{a ~,T.v;Qib.W
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.w h'wh.y -mUa.n ~,k'l yitaec.min.w ? tw{mw{q.M;h -l'Kim.W ~Iyw{G;h -l'Kim ~,k.t,a yiT.c;Biq.w ? yit{biv]h;w h'wh.y -mUa.n ~'v ~,k.t,a yiT.x;Dih r,v]a ? ~,k.t,a yityel.gih -r,v]a ~w{q'M;h -l,a ~,k.t,a ? ~'Vim
15
"Because you have
said, 'The
LORD has
raised up
prophets for us in
Babylon '-
h'l,b'B ~yiaib.n h'wh.y .Wn'l ~yiqeh ~,T.r;m]a 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;h .$,l,M;h -l,a h'wh.y r;m'a h{k -yiK ? bevw{Y;h ~'['h -l'K -l,a.w diw'd aeSiK -l,a ? ~,k.Tia .Wa.c'y -a{l r,v]a ~,kyex]a ta{Z;h ryi['B ? 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.m yin.nih tw{a'b.c h'wh.y r;m'a h{K ? yiT;t'n.w r,b'D;h -t,a.w b'['r'h -t,a b,r,x;h -t,a ? h'n.l;k'aet -a{l r,v]a ~yir'[{V;h ~yinea.T;K ~'tw{a ? ;[{rem
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.W b'['r'B b,r,x;B ~,hyer]x;a yiT.p;d'r.w ? h'M;v.l.W h'l'a.l #,r'a'h tw{k.l.m;m l{k.l h'['w.zil ? ~yiT.x;Dih -r,v]a ~Iyw{G;h -l'k.B h'P.r,x.l.W h'qer.vil.w ? ~'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.y -mUa.n y;r'b.D -l,a .W[.m'v -a{l -r,v]a t;x;T ? ~yiaib.N;h y;d'b][ -t,a ~,hyel]a yiT.x;l'v r,v]a ? h'wh.y -mUa.n ~,T.[;m.v a{l.w ;x{l'v.w ~eK.v;h
20
"You, therefore,
hear the
word of the
LORD,
all you
exiles,
whom I have
sent away from
Jerusalem to
Babylon.
yiT.x;Liv -r,v]a h'lw{G;h -l'K h'wh.y -r;b.d .W[.miv ~,T;a.w ? h'l,b'B ~i;l'v.Wryim
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;a -l,a lea'r.fIy yeh{l/a tw{a'b.c h'wh.y r;m'a -h{K ? h'yef][;m -n,b .Wh'Yiq.dic -l,a.w h'y'lw{q -n,B ? ~'t{a !et{n yin.nih r,q'v yim.viB ~,k'l ~yia.BiN;h ? ~,kyenye[.l ~'Kih.w l,b'B -.k,l,m r;Ca,r.d;k.Wb.n d;y.B
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]a h'd.Wh.y t.Wl'G l{k.l h'l'l.q ~,hem x;QUl.w ? b'x,a.k.W .Wh'Yiq.dic.K h'wh.y '$.mif.y r{mael l,b'b.B ? vea'B l,b'B -.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.n .Wf'[ r,v]a !;[;y ? yim.viB r'b'd .Wr.B;d.y;w ~,hye[er yev.n -t,a<07453'> .Wp]a;n.y;w ? h'wh.y -mUa.n de['w ;[ed{y.Wh yik{n'a.w ~ityi.Wic aw{l r,v]a r,q,v
24
To
Shemaiah the
Nehelamite you shall
speak,
saying,
r{mael r;ma{T yim'l/x,N;h .Wh'y.[;m.v -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{mael lea'r.fIy yeh{l/a tw{a'b.c h'wh.y r;m'a -h{K ? -l'K -l,a ~yir'p.s h'k.miv.b 'T.x;l'v h'T;a r,v]a !;[;y ? h'yef][;m -n,b h'y.n;p.c -l,a.w ~i;l'v.WryiB r,v]a ~'['h ? r{mael ~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.hil !eh{K;h ['d'yw{h.y t;x;T !eh{k '$.n't.n h'wh.y ? aeB;n.tim.W ['GUv.m vyia -l'k.l h'wh.y tyeB ~yidiq.P ? q{nyiC;h -l,a.w t,k,P.h;M;h -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]['h .Wh'y.m.rIy.B 'T.r;['g a{l h'M'l h'T;[.w ? ~,k'l aeB;n.tiM;h
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{mael l,b'B .Wnyelea x;l'v !eK -l;[ yiK ? .Wl.kia.w tw{N;g .W[.jin.w .Wbev.w ~yiT'b .Wn.B ayih ? !,hyir.P -t,a
29
Zephaniah the
priest read this letter to
Jeremiah the
prophet.
yen.z'a.B h,Z;h r,peS;h -t,a !eh{K;h h'y.n;p.c a'r.qiY;w ? ayib'N;h .Wh'y.m.rIy
30
Then
came the
word of the
LORD to
Jeremiah,
saying,
r{mael .Wh'y.m.rIy -l,a h'wh.y -r;b.D 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.y r;m'a h{K r{mael h'lw{G;h -l'K -l;[ x;l.v ? ~,k'l a'Bin r,v]a !;[;y yim'l/x,N;h h'y.[;m.v -l,a ? ~,k.t,a x;j.b;Y;w wyiT.x;l.v a{l yin]a;w h'y.[;m.v ? r,q'v -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.v -l;[ deq{p yin.nih h'wh.y r;m'a -h{K !ek'l ? vyia w{l h,y.hIy -a{l w{[.r;z -l;[.w yim'l/x,N;h ? bw{J;b h,a.rIy -a{l.w h,Z;h ~'['h -.kw{t.B bevw{y ? h'r's -yiK h'wh.y -mUa.n yiM;[.l -h,f{[ yin]a -r,v]a ? h'wh.y -l;[ r,Bid