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Jeremiah 1

ื™ืจืžื™ื”ื• ืคืจืง ืืณ

Section: ื ื‘ื™ืื™ื ยท ื ื‘ื™ืื™ื ืื—ืจื•ื ื™ื | Book: Jeremiah | Chapter: 1 of 52 | Day: 214 of 742

Date: September 13, 2026

ืงืœืื•ื“ ืขืœ ื”ื ืดืš

The first chapter of Yirmiyahu is the prophetโ€™s call narrative, and it is unlike any other in Tanakh. Yeshayahu is lifted into the throne room and sees the Seraphim; Yechezkel sees the chariot by the river Kevar. Yirmiyahu sees nothing at all at first โ€” he simply hears a word, and the word is about him: โ€œBefore I formed you in the belly I knew you, and before you came out of the womb I sanctified you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.โ€ The vocation precedes the man. Radak understands this designation as reaching back before birth because the prophetโ€™s fitness was known to the One who forms him, and the effect on the reader is to remove any possibility that Yirmiyahu chose this. Everything that follows in the book โ€” the beatings, the pit, the forbidden marriage, the forty years of speaking to a city that will not turn โ€” is already implicit in a calling the prophet never volunteered for.

Yirmiyahuโ€™s response is a refusal, and the tradition heard in it a deliberate echo. โ€œAh, my Lord God, behold I do not know how to speak, for I am a boyโ€ (ื”ื ื” ืœื ื™ื“ืขืชื™ ื“ื‘ืจ ื›ื™ ื ืขืจ ืื ื›ื™). Moshe said something very close at the burning bush, and Hashem overrides the objection here as He did there: do not say I am a boy, for wherever I send you, you shall go. Rashi, drawing on the midrashic tradition, reads the self-description against the backdrop of Moshe โ€” the prophet who protests his unfitness is standing in a recognized line. But the override comes with a gesture no other navi receives in quite this form: Hashem stretches out His hand and touches Yirmiyahuโ€™s mouth, saying, โ€œBehold, I have put My words in your mouth.โ€ Yeshayahuโ€™s lips were purged with a coal from the altar; Yirmiyahuโ€™s are filled directly. The mouth that will curse the day of its own birth is commissioned by touch.

Then comes the verse that functions as the table of contents for the entire book: โ€œSee, I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms, to uproot and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plantโ€ (ืœื ืชื•ืฉ ื•ืœื ืชื•ืฅ ื•ืœื”ืื‘ื™ื“ ื•ืœื”ืจื•ืก ืœื‘ื ื•ืช ื•ืœื ื˜ื•ืข). Four verbs of demolition, two of construction. The imbalance is not accidental, and any reader who has finished the book will recognize it as an accurate summary: the overwhelming weight of Yirmiyahuโ€™s forty years is destruction, and yet the sentence does not end there. Building and planting are the last words of the charge. The field bought at Anatot in the tenth year of Tzidkiyahu, the letter to the exiles telling them to build houses and plant gardens, the covenant written on the heart โ€” all of it is the fulfillment of the last two verbs, held in reserve through the long work of the first four.

The chapter closes with two visions that are deliberately paired. The first is a branch of an almond tree, ืžืงืœ ืฉืงื“, and it turns on a pun rather than an image: shaked, the almond, and shoked, watching. โ€œYou have seen well, for I am watchful over My word to perform it.โ€ The almond is the first tree to blossom in the land, and the vision says that the divine word is not dormant but early and awake. The second vision is a seething pot tipped from the north, and here the meaning is geopolitical and terrifying: from the north the evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land. Rashi and the meforshim identify the northern power as Bavel, and the tipping of the pot as the moment the disaster is poured out. Together the two visions establish the bookโ€™s method โ€” a word that is being watched over, and a catastrophe already coming to the boil.

The final verses return to the prophet himself and to the promise that is not a promise of success. Gird up your loins, Hashem tells him, and do not be dismayed before them lest I dismay you before them โ€” a warning sharper than the reader expects, since the danger to Yirmiyahu is not only the kings and priests but his own fear. And then the image that will govern the rest of his life: I have made you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls against the whole land, against the kings of Yehudah, its princes, its priests, and the people of the land. They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you. Note precisely what is guaranteed and what is not. Yirmiyahu is not told that they will listen, or repent, or that the city will stand. He is told only that his opponents will fail to silence him. That is the whole assurance he is given, and by the end of the book โ€” with Yerushalayim burned, the prophet dragged to Egypt against his will, and the scroll rewritten after Yehoyakim fed it to the fire โ€” it turns out to have been exactly true.

ืคืจืง ืืณ ยท Chapter 1

ืคืกื•ืง ืืณ ยท Verse 1

Hebrew:

ื“ึผึดื‘ึฐืจึตึฅื™ ื™ึดืจึฐืžึฐื™ึธึ–ื”ื•ึผ ื‘ึผึถืŸึพื—ึดืœึฐืงึดื™ึผึธึ‘ื”ื•ึผ ืžึดืŸึพื”ึทื›ึผึนึฝื”ึฒื ึดื™ืึ™ ืึฒืฉืึถึฃืจ ื‘ึผึทืขึฒื ึธืชึ”ื•ึนืช ื‘ึผึฐืึถึ–ืจึถืฅ ื‘ึผึดื ึฐื™ึธืžึดึฝืŸืƒ

English:

The words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests at Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin.

The book opens by naming its author as a kohen from Anatot, a priestly town in the territory of Binyamin just north of Yerushalayim. Rashi cites the tradition that Yirmiyahu descended from Rachav, so that the son of a woman of tainted reputation whose deeds were proper is sent to rebuke Israel, of legitimate lineage but corrupted deeds.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื“ื‘ืจื™ ื™ืจืžื™ื”ื• ื‘ืŸ ื—ืœืงื™ื”ื• ื•ื’ื•'. ืœื™ืชื™ ื‘ืจ ืงืœืงืœืชื ื“ืชืงื ืŸ ืขื•ื‘ื“ื•ื”ื™ ื™ืจืžื™ื” ื‘ื ืžืจื—ื‘ ื”ื–ื•ื ื” ื•ืœื•ื›ื— ื‘ืจ ืžืชืงื ืชื ื“ืžืงืœืงืœืŸ ืขื•ื‘ื“ื•ื”ื™ ืืœื• ื™ืฉืจืืœ ืฉืงืœืงืœื• ืžืขืฉื™ื”ืŸ ืฉื‘ืื• ืžื–ืจืข ื›ืฉืจ:
The words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah Let the son of the corrupt woman, whose deeds are proper Jeremiah was descended from Rahab the harlot and let him reprove the son of the righteous woman whose deeds are corrupt these are Israel who corrupted their deeds who are descended from legitimate seed.

ืคืกื•ืง ื‘ืณ ยท Verse 2

Hebrew:

ืึฒืฉืึถึจืจ ื”ึธื™ึธึคื” ื“ึฐื‘ึทืจึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธื”ึ™ ืึตืœึธึ”ื™ื• ื‘ึผึดื™ืžึตึ›ื™ ื™ึนืืฉืึดื™ึผึธึฅื”ื•ึผ ื‘ึถืŸึพืึธืžึ–ื•ึนืŸ ืžึถึฃืœึถืšึฐ ื™ึฐื”ื•ึผื“ึธึ‘ื” ื‘ึผึดืฉืึฐืœึนืฉืึพืขึถืฉื‚ึฐืจึตึฅื” ืฉืึธื ึธึ–ื” ืœึฐืžื‡ืœึฐื›ึฝื•ึนืƒ

English:

The word of GOD came to him in the days of King Josiah son of Amon of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign,

The prophecy is dated to the thirteenth year of Yoshiyahu, the reforming king -- meaning Yirmiyahu began speaking while the kingdom was at its religious high point and its destruction still decades away. Rashi notes that this was when the Shechinah first began to rest upon him.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืืฉืจ ื”ื™ื” ื“ื‘ืจ ื”' ืืœื™ื• ื•ื’ื•'. ืืฉืจ ื”ืชื—ื™ืœื” ืฉื›ื™ื ื” ืœืฉืจื•ืช ืขืœื™ื• ื‘ืื•ืชื• ื”ื–ืžืŸ:
To whom the word of the Lord came Upon whom the Shechinah commenced to rest at that time.

ืคืกื•ืง ื’ืณ ยท Verse 3

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึฐื”ึดึ—ื™ ื‘ึผึดื™ืžึตึจื™ ื™ึฐื”ื•ึนื™ึธืงึดึคื™ื ื‘ึผึถืŸึพื™ึนืืฉืึดื™ึผึธึ™ื”ื•ึผึ™ ืžึถึฃืœึถืšึฐ ื™ึฐื”ื•ึผื“ึธึ”ื” ืขึทื“ึพืชึผึนืึ™ ืขึทืฉืึฐืชึผึตึฃื™ ืขึถืฉื‚ึฐืจึตึฃื” ืฉืึธื ึธึ”ื” ืœึฐืฆึดื“ึฐืงึดื™ึผึธึฅื”ื•ึผ ื‘ึถืŸึพื™ึนืืฉืึดื™ึผึธึ–ื”ื•ึผ ืžึถึฃืœึถืšึฐ ื™ึฐื”ื•ึผื“ึธึ‘ื” ืขึทื“ึพื’ึผึฐืœึฅื•ึนืช ื™ึฐืจื•ึผืฉืึธืœึทึ–อึดื ื‘ึผึทื—ึนึฅื“ึถืฉื ื”ึทื—ึฒืžึดื™ืฉืึดึฝื™ืƒย {ืค}

English:

and throughout the days of King Jehoiakim son of Josiah of Judah, and until the end of the eleventh year of King Zedekiah son of Josiah of Judah, when Jerusalem went into exile in the fifth month.

The superscription extends the prophet's career through Yehoyakim and to the eleventh year of Tzidkiyahu, when Yerushalayim went into exile in the fifth month. Rashi lays out the full span, and the verse quietly tells the reader the ending before the story begins: this is a prophet whose entire working life is bracketed by the destruction he failed to prevent.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ื™ื”ื™ ื‘ื™ืžื™ ื™ื”ื•ื™ืงื™ื. ื•ื™ื”ื™ ื ื‘ื™ื ื›ืœ ื™ืžื™ ื™ืืฉื™ื”ื• ื”ื ื•ืชืจื™ื ื•ื™ืžื™ ื™ื”ื•ื™ืงื™ื ื‘ื ื• ื•ื™ืžื™ ืฆื“ืงื™ื”ื• ื‘ื ื• ืขื“ ืชื•ื ืขืฉืชื™ ืขืฉืจื” ืฉื ื” ื”ื™ื ื”ืฉื ื” ืขื“ ื’ืœื•ืช ื™ืจื•ืฉืœื™ื ื‘ื—ื“ืฉ ื”ื—ืžื™ืฉื™:
And he was in the days of Jehoiakim And he was a prophet all the remaining days of Josiah, the days of his son Jehoiakim, and the days of his son Zedekiah, until the end of the eleventh year that is the year until the exile of Jerusalem in the fifth month.

ืคืกื•ืง ื“ืณ ยท Verse 4

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึฐื”ึดึฅื™ ื“ึฐื‘ึทืจึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ–ื” ืึตืœึทึฅื™ ืœึตืืžึนึฝืจืƒ

English:

The word of GOD came to me:

A single short verse marks the shift from the editorial superscription to the prophet's own voice. From here to the end of the chapter, Yirmiyahu speaks in the first person about what happened to him.

ืคืกื•ืง ื”ืณ ยท Verse 5

Hebrew:

ื‘ึผึฐื˜ึถึจืจึถื (ืืฆื•ืจืš) [ืึถืฆึผื‡ืจึฐืšึธึค] ื‘ึทื‘ึผึถึ™ื˜ึถืŸึ™ ื™ึฐื“ึทืขึฐืชึผึดึ”ื™ืšึธ ื•ึผื‘ึฐื˜ึถึ›ืจึถื ืชึผึตืฆึตึฅื ืžึตืจึถึ–ื—ึถื ื”ึดืงึฐื“ึผึทืฉืึฐืชึผึดึ‘ื™ืšึธ ื ึธื‘ึดึฅื™ื ืœึทื’ึผื•ึนื™ึดึ–ื ื ึฐืชึทืชึผึดึฝื™ืšึธืƒ

English:

Before I created you in the womb, I selected you; Before you were born, I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet concerning the nations.

The most famous verse of the call: before forming him in the womb Hashem knew him, before he emerged He sanctified him, and appointed him a prophet to the nations. Radak explains that the designation reaches back before birth because his fitness was known to the One who forms him -- the vocation precedes the man, and Yirmiyahu never chose it.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื‘ื˜ืจื ืืฆืจืš ื‘ื‘ื˜ืŸ ื•ื’ื•'. ืžื™ืžื™ ืื“ื ื”ืจืืฉื•ืŸ ื”ืจืื”ื• ื”ืงื‘"ื” ืœืื“ื ื“ื•ืจ ื•ื“ื•ืจ ื•ื ื‘ื™ืื™ื•: ืืฆืจืš. ืœืฉื•ืŸ ืฆื•ืจื”: ื™ื“ืขืชื™ืš. ืงื ื™ื™ื•ืฉื˜"ื•ื™ ื‘ืœืขื– ื›ืžื• ืœื ื ื•ื“ืขืชื™ ืœื”ื (ืฉืžื•ืช ื•ืณ:ื’ืณ): ื”ืงื“ืฉืชื™ืš. ื–ืžื ืชื™ืš ืœื›ืš: ื ื‘ื™ื ืœื’ื•ื™ื. ืœื™ืฉืจืืœ ืฉื”ื™ื• ื ื•ื”ื’ื™ื ืขืฆืžื ื›ืขื›ื•"ื ื›ืš ื ื“ืจืฉ ื‘ืกืคืจื™ ื ื‘ื™ื ืžืงืจื‘ืš ื•ื’ื•' (ื“ื‘ืจื™ื ื™ืดื—:ื˜ืดื•) ื™ืงื™ื ืœืš ื•ืœื ืœืžื›ื—ื™ืฉื™ ืชื•ืจื” ื”ื ืžื” ืื ื™ ืžืงื™ื™ื ื ื‘ื™ื ืœื’ื•ื™ื ื ืชืชื™ืš ื‘ื‘ื ื™ ื™ืฉืจืืœ ืฉื”ื™ื• ื ื•ื”ื’ื™ื ื›ืขื›ื•"ื ื“"ื ื‘ื˜ืจื ืชืฆื ืžืจื—ื ื”ืงื“ืฉืชื™ืš ืขืœื™ืš ืืžืจืชื™ ืœืžืฉื” ื ื‘ื™ื ืืงื™ื ืœื”ื ื›ืžื•ืš (ื“ื‘ืจื™ื ื™ืดื—:ื™ืดื—) ื–ื” ื”ื•ื›ื™ื—ื ื•ื–ื” ื”ื•ื›ื™ื—ื ื–ื” ื ืชื ื‘ื ืืจื‘ืขื™ื ืฉื ื” ื•ื–ื” ื ืชื ื‘ื ืืจื‘ืขื™ื ืฉื ื”:
When I had not yet formed you in the womb, etc. Since the days of the first man. The Holy One, blessed be He, showed Adam each generation and its prophets. I...formed you Heb. ืืฆืจืš, an expression of ืฆื•ืจื”, a form. I knew you connois toi in O.F. Comp. (Exodus 6:3), "I was not known (ื ื•ื“ืขืชึผื™) to them." I appointed you I appointed you for this. a prophet to the nations To Israel, who behave like the nations. In this manner it is expounded in Sifrei on the verse: "A prophet from your midst, etc." (Deut. 18:15), will set up for you and not for those who deny the Torah. How then do I fulfill "A prophet to the nations I made you"? To the children of Israel who deport themselves with the customs of the nations. It can further be interpreted: "A prophet for the nations," like "About the nations," to give them to drink the cup of poison, to prophesy retribution upon them, as it is said: "Take this cup of the wine of wrath from My hand, you shall give all the nations to drink of it" (infra 25:15). Another explanation of "When you had not yet emerged from the womb I appointed you" is: Concerning you I said to Moses: "I will set up a prophet...like you" (Deut. 18:18). This one reproved them, and this one reproved them. This one prophesied for forty years and this one prophesied for forty years.

ืคืกื•ืง ื•ืณ ยท Verse 6

Hebrew:

ื•ึธืึนืžึทึ—ืจ ืึฒื”ึธื”ึผึ™ ืึฒื“ึนื ึธึฃื™ ื™ึฑื”ึนื•ึดึ”ื” ื”ึดื ึผึตึฅื” ืœึนึฝืึพื™ึธื“ึทึ–ืขึฐืชึผึดื™ ื“ึผึทื‘ึผึตึ‘ืจ ื›ึผึดื™ึพื ึทึ–ืขึทืจ ืึธื ึนึฝื›ึดื™ืƒย {ืก} ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย 

English:

I replied: Ah, my Sovereign GOD! I donโ€™t know how to speak, For I am still a boy.

Yirmiyahu refuses, pleading that he does not know how to speak because he is a boy (naar). Rashi addresses the self-description directly; the objection deliberately echoes Moshe at the burning bush, and it is the last moment in the book at which the prophet has any chance of declining.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืื”ื”. ืœ' ื™ื™ืœืœ ืงื•ื ืคืœื™ื™ื "ื˜ ื‘ืœืข"ื–: ื›ื™ ื ืขืจ ืื ื›ื™. ืื™ื ื™ ื›ื“ืื™ ืœื”ื•ื›ื™ื—ืŸ ืžืฉื” ื”ื•ื›ื™ื—ืŸ ืกืžื•ืš ืœืžื™ืชืชื• ื›ื‘ืจ ื ื—ืฉื‘ ื‘ืขื™ื ื™ื”ื ื‘ื›ืžื” ื ืกื™ื ืฉืขืฉื” ืœื”ื ื”ื•ืฆื™ืื ืžืžืฆืจื™ื ื•ืงืจืข ืœื”ื ืืช ื”ื™ื ื”ื•ืจื™ื“ ืืช ื”ืžืŸ ื”ื’ื™ื– ืืช ื”ืฉืœื™ื• ื ืชืŸ ืœื”ื ืืช ื”ืชื•ืจื” ื”ืขืœื” ืืช ื”ื‘ืืจ ืื ื™ ื‘ืชื—ืœืช ืฉืœื™ื—ื•ืชื™ ืื ื™ ื‘ื ืœื”ื•ื›ื™ื—ื:
Alas This is an expression of wailing (konpljjnt in O.F.). for I am a youth I am not worthy to reprove them. Moses reproved them shortly before his death, when he was already esteemed in their eyes through the many miracles that he had performed for them. He had taken them out of Egypt, split the Reed Sea for them, brought down the manna, caused the quails to fly, given them the Torah, brought up the well. I come to reprove them at the beginning of my mission.

ืคืกื•ืง ื–ืณ ยท Verse 7

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึผึนึคืืžึถืจ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธื”ึ™ ืึตืœึทึ”ื™ ืึทืœึพืชึผึนืืžึทึ–ืจ ื ึทึฃืขึทืจ ืึธื ึนึ‘ื›ึดื™ ื›ึผึดึ ื™ ืขึทึฝืœึพื›ึผื‡ืœึพืึฒืฉืึถึคืจ ืึถึฝืฉืึฐืœึธื—ึฒืšึธึ™ ืชึผึตืœึตึ”ืšึฐ ื•ึฐืึตึ›ืช ื›ึผื‡ืœึพืึฒืฉืึถึฅืจ ืึฒืฆึทื•ึผึฐืšึธึ– ืชึผึฐื“ึทื‘ึผึตึฝืจืƒ

English:

And GOD said to me: Do not say, โ€œI am still a boy,โ€ But go wherever I send you And speak whatever I command you.

The refusal is overridden in the same terms Moshe's was: do not say you are a boy, for you shall go wherever I send you and speak whatever I command. Rashi notes the force of the command -- the prophet's youth is simply not a relevant consideration once the sending has been decided.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืขืœ ื›ืœ ืืฉืจ ืืฉืœื—ืš. ืืœ ื”ืขื›ื•"ื: ื•ืืช ื›ืœ ืืฉืจ ืืฆื•ืš. ืœื™ืฉืจืืœ ืชื“ื‘ืจ:
wherever I send you to the heathens. and whatever I command you to Israel, you shall speak.

ืคืกื•ืง ื—ืณ ยท Verse 8

Hebrew:

ืึทืœึพืชึผึดื™ืจึธึ–ื ืžึดืคึผึฐื ึตื™ื”ึถึ‘ื ื›ึผึดึฝื™ึพืึดืชึผึฐืšึธึฅ ืึฒื ึดึ›ื™ ืœึฐื”ึทืฆึผึดืœึถึ–ืšึธ ื ึฐืึปืึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

Have no fear of them, For I am with you to deliver you โ€”declares GOD.

Do not fear them, for I am with you to deliver you. The commentators note that the assurance is of rescue, not of a friendly reception -- an early signal that Yirmiyahu's audience will be hostile and that the promise covers only his survival.

ืคืกื•ืง ื˜ืณ ยท Verse 9

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึผึดืฉืึฐืœึทึคื— ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธื”ึ™ ืึถืชึพื™ึธื“ึ”ื•ึน ื•ึทื™ึผึทื’ึผึทึ–ืข ืขึทืœึพืคึผึดึ‘ื™ ื•ึทื™ึผึนึคืืžึถืจ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธื”ึ™ ืึตืœึทึ”ื™ ื”ึดื ึผึตึ›ื” ื ึธืชึทึฅืชึผึดื™ ื“ึฐื‘ึธืจึทึ–ื™ ื‘ึผึฐืคึดึฝื™ืšึธืƒ

English:

GOD reached out and touched my mouth, and GOD said to me: Herewith I put My words into your mouth.

Hashem stretches out His hand and touches the prophet's mouth: behold, I have placed My words in your mouth. Rashi understands this as the physical conferral of prophecy. Where Yeshayahu's lips were purged by a coal from the altar, Yirmiyahu's are filled directly by the divine hand.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ื™ืฉืœื— ื”' ืืช ื™ื“ื•. ื›ืœ ืฉืœื™ื—ื•ืช ืฉื”ื•ื ืืฆืœ ื™ื“ ืœืฉื•ืŸ ื”ื•ืฉื˜ื” ืœ"ื ื›ืชืจื’ื•ื ื•ืฉืœื— ื”' ื™ืช ืคืชื’ืžื™ ื ื‘ื™ืื•ืชื™ื”:
And the Lord stretched forth His hand Every sending mentioned concerning a hand is an expression of stretching forth. Another explanation is like the Targum: And the Lord sent the words of His prophecy.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืณ ยท Verse 10

Hebrew:

ืจึฐืึตึžื” ื”ึดืคึฐืงึทื“ึฐืชึผึดึฃื™ืšึธโ€‰ื€ ื”ึทื™ึผึฃื•ึนื ื”ึทื–ึผึถึ—ื” ืขึทืœึพื”ึทื’ึผื•ึนื™ึดืึ™ ื•ึฐืขึทืœึพื”ึทืžึผึทืžึฐืœึธื›ึ”ื•ึนืช ืœึดื ึฐืชึฅื•ึนืฉื ื•ึฐืœึดื ึฐืชึ–ื•ึนืฅ ื•ึผืœึฐื”ึทืึฒื‘ึดึฃื™ื“ ื•ึฐืœึทื”ึฒืจึ‘ื•ึนืก ืœึดื‘ึฐื ึ–ื•ึนืช ื•ึฐืœึดื ึฐื˜ึฝื•ึนืขึทืƒย {ืค}

English:

See, I appoint you this day Over nations and kingdoms: To uproot and to pull down, To destroy and to overthrow, To build and to plant.

The charge that serves as the book's table of contents: appointed over nations and kingdoms to uproot, pull down, destroy, and overthrow -- and then to build and to plant. Rashi treats the sequence as the actual shape of the prophet's work; four verbs of demolition to two of construction is an accurate ratio for the forty years that follow, but the building is what the charge ends on.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื”ืคืงื“ืชื™ืš. ืžื ื•ืชื™ืš ืขืœ ื”ืขื›ื•"ื: ืœื ืชื•ืฉ ื•ืœื ืชื•ืฅ. ื“ื™ืกืคืฆื™ืจ ื‘ืœืขื–:
I have appointed you I have appointed you over the heathens. to uproot and to crush (depayser in French, to uproot) and over Israel to build and to plant if they heed. So did Jonathan paraphrase it.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื ยท Verse 11

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึฐื”ึดึคื™ ื“ึฐื‘ึทืจึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธื”ึ™ ืึตืœึทึฃื™ ืœึตืืžึนึ”ืจ ืžึธื”ึพืึทืชึผึธึฅื” ืจึนืึถึ–ื” ื™ึดืจึฐืžึฐื™ึธึ‘ื”ื•ึผ ื•ึธืึนืžึทึ•ืจ ืžึทืงึผึตึฅืœ ืฉืึธืงึตึ–ื“ ืึฒื ึดึฅื™ ืจึนืึถึฝื”ืƒ

English:

The word of GOD came to me: What do you see, Jeremiah? I replied: I see a branch of an almond tree.

The first vision: a branch of an almond tree (makel shaked). Rashi explains the significance of the almond, which is the earliest tree to blossom in the land. The vision works by wordplay rather than image, and the answer comes in the next verse.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืžืงืœ ืฉืงื“. ืžื ื“ื•ืœื™"ืจ ื‘ืœืขื–, ื•ื™ื•ื ืชืŸ ืชืจื’ื ืžืงืœ ืฉืงื“ ืžืœืš ื“ืžื•ื—ื™ ืœืื‘ืืฉื:
a rod of an almond tree (amendleer in O.F.) Jonathan, however, renders: A King who hastens to do evil.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื‘ ยท Verse 12

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึผึนึงืืžึถืจ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ›ื” ืึตืœึทึ–ื™ ื”ึตื™ื˜ึทึฃื‘ึฐืชึผึธ ืœึดืจึฐืึ‘ื•ึนืช ื›ึผึดึฝื™ึพืฉืึนืงึตึฅื“ ืึฒื ึดึ›ื™ ืขึทืœึพื“ึผึฐื‘ึธืจึดึ–ื™ ืœึทืขึฒืฉื‚ึนืชึฝื•ึนืƒย {ืก} ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย 

English:

GOD said to me: You have seen right, For I am watchful to bring My word to pass.

The pun is unlocked: shaked (almond) yields shoked (watching) -- I am watchful over My word to perform it. Rashi draws out the connection to the almond's early blossoming. The divine word is not dormant; it ripens ahead of everything else.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื”ื™ื˜ื‘ืช ืœืจืื•ืช. ื”ืฉืงื“ ื”ื–ื” ื”ื•ื ืžืžื”ืจ ืœื”ื•ืฆื™ื ืคืจื— ืงื•ื“ื ืœื›ืœ ื”ืื™ืœื ื•ืช ืืฃ ืื ื™ ืžืžื”ืจ ืœืขืฉื•ืช ื“ื‘ืจื™, ื•ืžื“ืจืฉ ืื’ื“ื” ื”ืฉืงื“ ื”ื–ื” ื”ื•ื ืžืฉืขืช ื—ื ื™ื˜ืชื• ืขื“ ื’ืžืจ ื‘ื™ืฉื•ืœื• ืขืฉืจื™ื ื•ืื—ื“ ื™ื•ื ื›ืžื ื™ืŸ ื™ืžื™ื ืฉื‘ื™ืŸ ืฉื‘ืขื” ืขืฉืจ ื‘ืชืžื•ื– ืฉื‘ื• ื”ื•ื‘ืงืขื” ื”ืขื™ืจ ืœืชืฉืขื” ื‘ืื‘ ืฉื‘ื• ื ืฉืจืฃ ื”ื‘ื™ืช:
You have seen well This almond tree hastens to blossom before all other trees. I, too, hasten to perform My word. And the Midrash Aggadah (Ecc. Rabbah 12:8) explains: An almond tree takes twenty-one days from its blossoming until it is completely ripe, as the number of days between the seventeenth of Tammuz, when the city was broken into, until the ninth of Ab, when the Temple was burnt.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื’ ยท Verse 13

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึฐื”ึดึจื™ ื“ึฐื‘ึทืจึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึคื”โ€‰ื€โ€‰ืึตืœึทื™ึ™ ืฉืึตื ึดึฃื™ืช ืœึตืืžึนึ”ืจ ืžึธึฅื” ืึทืชึผึธึ–ื” ืจึนืึถึ‘ื” ื•ึธืึนืžึทึ—ืจ ืกึดึคื™ืจ ื ึธืคึ™ื•ึผื—ึทึ™ ืึฒื ึดึฃื™ ืจึนืึถึ”ื” ื•ึผืคึธื ึธึ–ื™ื• ืžึดืคึผึฐื ึตึฅื™ ืฆึธืคึฝื•ึนื ึธื”ืƒ

English:

And the word of GOD came to me a second time: What do you see? I replied: I see a steaming pot, Tipped away from the north.

The second vision: a seething pot tipped away from the north. Rashi identifies the imagery of the boiling pot as the coming affliction, and the direction of the tipping is the whole point -- disaster will be poured out from the northern quarter.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืกื™ืจ ื ืคื•ื—. ืจื•ืชื— ื‘ื•ื™ื™ืœื "ื˜ ื‘ืœืขื–: ื•ืคื ื™ื•. ืจืชื™ื—ื•ืชื™ื• ืืฉื™ืฉืื•ื ื“ื™"ืฉ ื‘ืœืขื–:
a bubbling pot [lit. blown up,] seething (boillant in French). whose foam [lit. and its face,] its seething (et ses ondes in O.F.) [and its waves].

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื“ ยท Verse 14

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึผึนึฅืืžึถืจ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ–ื” ืึตืœึธึ‘ื™ ืžึดืฆึผึธืคื•ึนืŸึ™ ืชึผึดืคึผึธืชึทึฃื— ื”ึธืจึธืขึธึ”ื” ืขึทึฅืœ ื›ึผื‡ืœึพื™ึนืฉืึฐื‘ึตึ–ื™ ื”ึธืึธึฝืจึถืฅืƒ

English:

And GOD said to me: From the north shall disaster break loose Upon all the inhabitants of the land!

The vision is decoded: from the north the evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land. Rashi and the meforshim identify the northern power as Bavel, whose armies would approach Yehudah from that direction rather than straight across the desert.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืžืฆืคื•ืŸ ืชืคืชื— ื”ืจืขื”. ื‘ื‘ืœ ืœืฆืคื•ื ื” ืฉืœ ืืจืฅ ื™ืฉืจืืœ ื”ื™ื:
From the north the misfortune will break forth Babylon is on the north of Eretz Israel.

ืคืกื•ืง ื˜ืดื• ยท Verse 15

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึดึฃื™โ€‰ื€ ื”ึดื ึฐื ึดึฃื™ ืงึนืจึตึ—ื ืœึฐื›ื‡ึฝืœึพืžึดืฉืึฐืคึผึฐื—ึ›ื•ึนืช ืžึทืžึฐืœึฐื›ึฅื•ึนืช ืฆึธืคึ–ื•ึนื ึธื” ื ึฐืึปืึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ‘ื” ื•ึผื‘ึธึกืื•ึผ ื•ึฐึฝื ึธืชึฐื ื•ึผึฉ ืึดึจื™ืฉื ื›ึผึดืกึฐืึœื•ึน ืคึผึถึฃืชึทื—โ€‰ื€ ืฉืึทืขึฒืจึตึฃื™ ื™ึฐืจื•ึผืฉืึธืœึทึ—อึดื ื•ึฐืขึทึคืœ ื›ึผื‡ืœึพื—ื•ึนืžึนืชึถึ™ื™ื”ึธึ™ ืกึธื‘ึดึ”ื™ื‘ ื•ึฐืขึทึ–ืœ ื›ึผื‡ืœึพืขึธืจึตึฅื™ ื™ึฐื”ื•ึผื“ึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

For I am summoning all the peoples Of the kingdoms of the north โ€”declares GOD. They shall come, and shall each set up a throne Before the gates of Jerusalem, Against its walls round about, And against all the towns of Judah.

The northern kingdoms are summoned, and each will set its throne at the entrance of the gates of Yerushalayim -- the posture of conquerors holding court in a captured city. Radak explains the image of the thrones as the establishment of foreign rule over the city and the towns of Yehudah.

ืคืกื•ืง ื˜ืดื– ยท Verse 16

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐื“ึดื‘ึผึทืจึฐืชึผึดึคื™ ืžึดืฉืึฐืคึผึธื˜ึทื™ึ™ ืื•ึนืชึธึ”ื ืขึทึ–ืœ ื›ึผื‡ืœึพืจึธืขึธืชึธึ‘ื ืึฒืฉืึถึฃืจ ืขึฒื–ึธื‘ึ—ื•ึผื ึดื™ ื•ึทึฝื™ึฐืงึทื˜ึผึฐืจื•ึผึ™ ืœึตืืœึนื”ึดึฃื™ื ืึฒื—ึตืจึดึ”ื™ื ื•ึทื™ึผึดึฝืฉืึฐืชึผึทื—ึฒื•ึ–ื•ึผ ืœึฐืžึทืขึฒืฉื‚ึตึฅื™ ื™ึฐื“ึตื™ื”ึถึฝืืƒ

English:

And I will argue My case against them For all their wickedness: They have forsaken Me And sacrificed to other gods And worshiped the works of their hands.

Hashem states the charge on which judgment is pronounced: they forsook Me, burned incense to other gods, and bowed to the works of their own hands. Rashi comments on the indictment. The destruction of the previous verses is not arbitrary geopolitics but a verdict with stated grounds.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ื“ื‘ืจืชื™ ืžืฉืคื˜ื™ ืื•ืชื. ืืชื•ื•ื›ื— ืขืžื ืขื ื™ื”ื•ื“ื” ื•ื™ืจื•ืฉืœื™ื:
And I will utter My judgments against them I will debate with them, with Judah and Jerusalem.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื– ยท Verse 17

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐืึทืชึผึธื”ึ™ ืชึผึถืึฐื–ึนึฃืจ ืžื‡ืชึฐื ึถึ”ื™ืšึธ ื•ึฐืงึทืžึฐืชึผึธึ™ ื•ึฐื“ึดื‘ึผึทืจึฐืชึผึธึฃ ืึฒืœึตื™ื”ึถึ”ื ืึตึ›ืช ื›ึผื‡ืœึพืึฒืฉืึถึฅืจ ืึธื ึนื›ึดึ–ื™ ืึฒืฆึทื•ึผึถึ‘ืšึผึธ ืึทืœึพืชึผึตื—ึทืชึ™ ืžึดืคึผึฐื ึตื™ื”ึถึ”ื ืคึผึถึฝืŸึพืึฒื—ึดืชึผึฐืšึธึ– ืœึดืคึฐื ึตื™ื”ึถึฝืืƒ

English:

So you, gird up your loins, Arise and speak to them All that I command you. Do not break down before them, Lest I break you before them.

Gird your loins, arise, and speak all that I command -- and do not be dismayed before them, lest I dismay you before them. Rashi draws out the sharpness of the warning: the prophet's own fear is itself a danger, and losing nerve before his audience would forfeit the protection he has just been promised.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืชืื–ื•ืจ ืžืชื ื™ืš. ืœ' ื–ื™ืจื•ื– ื›ืื™ืฉ ื—ื™ืœ:
And you shall gird your loins This is an expression of quickening like a man of valor.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื— ยท Verse 18

Hebrew:

ื•ึทืึฒื ึดึžื™ ื”ึดื ึผึตึงื” ื ึฐืชึทืชึผึดึฃื™ืšึธ ื”ึทื™ึผึ—ื•ึนื ืœึฐืขึดึจื™ืจ ืžึดื‘ึฐืฆึธึœืจ ื•ึผืœึฐืขึทืžึผึฅื•ึผื“ ื‘ึผึทืจึฐื–ึถึ›ืœ ื•ึผืœึฐื—ึนืžึฅื•ึนืช ื ึฐื—ึนึ–ืฉืึถืช ืขึทืœึพื›ึผื‡ืœึพื”ึธืึธึ‘ืจึถืฅ ืœึฐืžึทืœึฐื›ึตึคื™ ื™ึฐื”ื•ึผื“ึธื”ึ™ ืœึฐืฉื‚ึธืจึถึ”ื™ื”ึธ ืœึฐื›ึนื”ึฒื ึถึ–ื™ื”ึธ ื•ึผืœึฐืขึทึฅื ื”ึธืึธึฝืจึถืฅืƒ

English:

I make you this day A fortified city, And an iron pillar, And bronze walls Against the whole landโ€” Against Judahโ€™s kings and officers, And against its priests and citizens.

The promise of endurance in three images: a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls against the whole land -- against the kings of Yehudah, its princes, its priests, and the people. Rashi and Radak note the comprehensiveness of the opposition; every stratum of society is listed, and the prophet is made a fortress rather than given an army.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืœืžืœื›ื™ ื™ื”ื•ื“ื”. ื›ื ื’ื“ ืžืœื›ื™ ื™ื”ื•ื“ื”:
against the Kings of Judah lit. to the Kings of Judah.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื˜ ยท Verse 19

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐื ึดืœึฐื—ึฒืžึฅื•ึผ ืึตืœึถึ–ื™ืšึธ ื•ึฐืœึนืึพื™ึฃื•ึผื›ึฐืœื•ึผ ืœึธึ‘ืšึฐ ื›ึผึดื™ึพืึดืชึผึฐืšึธึฅ ืึฒื ึดึ›ื™ ื ึฐืึปืึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ–ื” ืœึฐื”ึทืฆึผึดื™ืœึถึฝืšึธืƒย {ืค}

English:

They will attack you, But they shall not overcome you; For I am with youโ€”declares GODโ€”to save you.

The chapter ends with a guarantee that is carefully limited: they will fight against you, but they shall not prevail, for I am with you to deliver you. Radak comments on the assurance of rescue. Yirmiyahu is never told his listeners will repent or that the city will stand -- only that his enemies will fail to silence him, which is precisely what the rest of the book records.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ื ืœื—ืžื• ืืœื™ืš. ื•ื™ื”ื•ืŸ ื“ื™ื ื™ืŸ ื•ืžื’ื™ื—ื™ืŸ ืœืงื‘ืœืš ืœืžืกืชืจ ื™ืช ืคืชื’ืžื™ ื ื‘ื•ืืชืš:
And they shall fight against you They shall quarrel and fight against you to refute the words of your prophecy.

โ† Isaiah 66 | Jeremiah 2 โ†’

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