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Jeremiah 2

ื™ืจืžื™ื”ื• ืคืจืง ื‘ืณ

Section: ื ื‘ื™ืื™ื ยท ื ื‘ื™ืื™ื ืื—ืจื•ื ื™ื | Book: Jeremiah | Chapter: 2 of 52 | Day: 215 of 742

Date: September 14, 2026

ืงืœืื•ื“ ืขืœ ื”ื ืดืš

Chapter 2 opens the body of Sefer Yirmiyahu, and it does so in a form that Chazal and the classical commentators recognized immediately: the riv, the covenant lawsuit. God is at once the aggrieved party and the judge, and the prophet is the process-server. The vocabulary is legal throughout - arivh itchem (I will contend with you) in verse 9, lamah tarivu elai (why do you contend with Me) in verse 29, hineni nishpat otach (I bring you to judgment) in verse 35 - and the chapterโ€™s argumentative shape follows suit: a statement of the prior relationship, a demand for the defendantโ€™s grievance, a survey of comparative evidence, an itemization of the offenses, and a rejection of the defense. Radak on verse 9 notes that the prophetโ€™s word oud (still, again) signals that this reproof continues what was already begun against the fathers; the case has been open a long time.

What is startling is where the lawsuit begins. Not with the indictment but with a memory of love: zacharti lach chesed neโ€™urayich, ahavat kelulotayich, lechtech acharai bamidbar beโ€™eretz lo zeruโ€™ah - I remember for you the devotion of your youth, your bridal love, how you went after Me in the wilderness, in a land unsown. Rashi reads this as an open door rather than a mere reminiscence: if you would return to Me, he explains, I would desire to have mercy on you, for I remember your youthful chesed - your following My messengers Moshe and Aharon out of a settled land into a desert with no provisions for the way, because you believed in Me. Metzudat David locates the bridal love specifically at Sinai, the kallah under her chuppah receiving the Torah, and Radak likewise takes kelulotayich from kallah, Knesset Yisrael as bride and the Holy One as groom. That marriage metaphor, once established, governs everything that follows in the chapter, and the reader who forgets it will misread the harshness of verses 20 through 25. Every accusation of zenut later on is an accusation made inside a marriage, which is precisely why it hurts.

The lawsuit proper begins with a question that is almost plaintive: mah matzeโ€™u avoteichem bi avel - what wrong did your fathers find in Me? The accused is invited to state a grievance, and none is forthcoming. Instead the chapter turns to comparative evidence. Cross to the isles of Kittim, send to Kedar, look carefully: hahemir goy elohim vehemah lo elohim - has a nation ever exchanged its gods, and those are not gods at all? Rashi, following Targum Yonatan, notes that the Kittim and Kedarites were tent-dwellers and herdsmen who wandered from pasture to pasture and carried their gods with them wherever they camped, while God carried Israel until He settled them - and they abandoned Him. Rashi also cites the teaching of Chazal that the Kittim worshipped water and Kedar worshipped fire, and though each knew that water quenches fire, neither abandoned its god. The rhetorical force is devastating precisely because the standard being invoked is so low: mere loyalty to the false. Israel exchanged kevodo, its glory, for belo yoโ€™il, for what does not profit.

At the structural center of the chapter stands the image that has defined the book ever since: ki shtayim raโ€™ot asah ami, oti azvu mekor mayim chayim, lachtzov lahem borot, borot nishbarim asher lo yachilu hamayim. Rashi spells out why this is a twofold wrong rather than a single one: had they exchanged their deity for something equivalent, that would be one evil; but to forsake Me, who am a spring of living water, in order to follow idols that are like cisterns of collected water, broken and cracked, whose water seeps away through the cracks - that is two. Radak develops the image with unusual care: a spring is superior in two ways, that its water comes from itself rather than from elsewhere, and that it does not run out; whereas a cistern must be quarried by hand, holds only what rain happens to fill it with, and is finished when that runs out - and a cracked one is finished immediately. Metzudat David extends the same logic to the astral cults, which at best receive their influence from Above and cannot even retain what they receive. The image is not simply about idolatry; it is about the strange human preference for the labor-intensive, derivative, and leaky over the free, self-renewing, and inexhaustible. Verse 18 turns that image into political satire: what is the good of going to Egypt to drink the waters of Shichor, or to Ashur to drink the waters of the River? The nation that abandoned a spring is now trudging to two foreign rivers to beg for a drink - and Rashi is pointed about the irony of drinking from the Nile, in which your infant sons were once drowned.

The indictment then works its way through every leadership class in verse 8, and the completeness of the failure is the point: the kohanim, whose profession is to stand before God, never asked ayeh Hashem; the tofsei haTorah, whom Rashi identifies as the Sanhedrin and Radak as those who study the Torah but not lishmah - learning with the mouth and not the heart - did not know Me; the roโ€™im, the shepherd-kings, rebelled; and the neviโ€™im prophesied by Baal. Verse 26 will repeat the list at the moment of exposure: kings, officers, priests, and prophets all shamed like a thief caught in the act, and Radak sharpens the analogy - a habitual thief feels no shame; the shame belongs to the man who was presumed trustworthy. Against all this the people mount the one defense the chapter refuses outright: lo nitmeti, acharei habeโ€™alim lo halachti - I am not defiled, I have not gone after the Baalim. The prophet answers with the valley, with Baโ€™al Peโ€™or, and with the images of the restless young camel and the wild ass in heat, whose passion no one can turn back. Even ritual scrubbing is useless: though you wash with natron and use much borit, nichtam avonech lefanai, your guilt is stained before Me - Rashi connecting the indelible stain to the sin of the Golden Calf, of which some measure is present in every visitation that comes upon Israel.

The chapter closes where it began, in the language of a broken marriage and a failed foreign policy, with hands on the head in the posture of mourning. Yet the memory of verse 2 does not disappear from the book; it becomes the seed of chapter 31โ€™s promise, where the same chesed neโ€™urim and the same wilderness reappear as grounds for return rather than for accusation. That is the essential architecture of Sefer Yirmiyahu, and chapter 2 sets it in place: the harshest prophet in Tanakh opens his indictment by telling Israel that God remembers her at her best.

ืคืจืง ื‘ืณ ยท Chapter 2

ืคืกื•ืง ืืณ ยท Verse 1

Hebrew:

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

English:

The word of GOD came to me, saying,

ืคืกื•ืง ื‘ืณ ยท Verse 2

Hebrew:

ื”ึธืœึนึกืšึฐ ื•ึฐึฝืงึธืจึธึฉืืชึธึฉ ื‘ึฐืื‡ื–ึฐื ึตึจื™ ื™ึฐืจื•ึผืฉืึธืœึทึœอึดื ืœึตืืžึนึ—ืจ ื›ึผึนึšื” ืึธืžึทึฃืจ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ”ื” ื–ึธื›ึทึคืจึฐืชึผึดื™ ืœึธืšึฐึ™ ื—ึถึฃืกึถื“ ื ึฐืขื•ึผืจึทึ”ื™ึดืšึฐ ืึทื”ึฒื‘ึทึ–ืช ื›ึผึฐืœื•ึผืœึนืชึธึ‘ื™ึดืšึฐ ืœึถื›ึฐืชึผึตึคืšึฐ ืึทึฝื—ึฒืจึทื™ึ™ ื‘ึผึทืžึผึดื“ึฐื‘ึผึธึ”ืจ ื‘ึผึฐืึถึ–ืจึถืฅ ืœึนึฅื ื–ึฐืจื•ึผืขึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

Go proclaim to Jerusalem: Thus said GOD: I accounted to your favor The devotion of your youth, Your love as a brideโ€” How you followed Me in the wilderness, In a land not sown.

The reproof opens not with accusation but with tenderness: God remembers the chesed of Israel's youth and her bridal love, how she followed Him into an unsown wilderness. Rashi reads this as an open invitation - were you to return to Me, I would desire to have mercy on you - and identifies that youthful chesed as the faith to leave a settled land for a desert with no provisions; Metzudat David locates the bridal love at Sinai, Israel as a kallah under her chuppah.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื–ื›ืจืชื™ ืœืš. ืื ื”ื™ื™ืชื ืฉื‘ื™ื ืืœื™ ืชืื•ื•ืชื™ ืœืจื—ื ืขืœื™ื›ื ื›ื™ ื–ื›ืจืช ื—ืกื“ ื ืขื•ืจื™ืš ื•ืื”ื‘ืช ื›ืœื™ืœืช ื—ื•ืคืชืš ืฉื”ื›ืœืœืชื™ืš ืœื—ื•ืคื” ื•ืœ' ื”ื›ื ืกื” ื”ื•ื, ื›ืœื•ืœื•ืชื™ืš ื ื•ืฆื™"ืฉ ื‘ืœืขื–, ื•ืžื” ื”ื•ื ื—ืกื“ ื ืขื•ืจื™ืš ืœื›ืชืš ืื—ืจ ืฉืœื•ื—ื™ ืžืฉื” ื•ืื”ืจืŸ ืžืืจืฅ ื ื•ืฉื‘ืช ื™ืฆืืชื ืœืžื“ื‘ืจ ื•ืื™ืŸ ืฆื“ื” ืœื“ืจืš ื›ื™ ื”ืืžื ืชื ื‘ื™:
I remember to you Were you to return to Me, I would desire to have mercy on you for I remember the loving kindness of your youth and the love of the nuptials of your wedding canopy, when I brought you into the wedding canopy, and this (ื›ืœื•ืœืชื™ืš) is an expression of bringing in. Your nuptials (Noces in O.F.). Now what was the loving kindness of your youth? Your following My messengers, Moses and Aaron, from an inhabited land to the desert without provisions for the way since you believed in Me.

ืคืกื•ืง ื’ืณ ยท Verse 3

Hebrew:

ืงึนึคื“ึถืฉื ื™ึดืฉื‚ึฐืจึธืึตืœึ™ ืœึทื™ื”ึนื•ึธึ”ื” ืจึตืืฉืึดึ–ื™ืช ืชึผึฐื‘ื•ึผืึธืชึนึ‘ื” ื›ึผื‡ืœึพืึนื›ึฐืœึธึฃื™ื• ื™ึถืึฐืฉืึธึ”ืžื•ึผ ืจึธืขึธึ›ื” ืชึผึธื‘ึนึฅื ืึฒืœึตื™ื”ึถึ–ื ื ึฐืึปืึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึฝื”ืƒย {ืค}

English:

Israel was holy to GOD, The first fruits of Godโ€™s harvest. All who ate of it were held guilty; Disaster befell them โ€”declares GOD.

Israel is called kodesh laHashem, reishit tevuato - holy to God, the first of His harvest - and whoever consumes it bears guilt. Rashi and Radak both read the image through terumah and the pre-Omer harvest, forbidden to outsiders; Metzudat David draws the practical consequence, that even when Israel is handed over to the nations for her sins, God ultimately exacts payment from those who harmed her.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืงื“ืฉ ื™ืฉืจืืœ. ื›ืชืจื•ืžื”: ืจืืฉื™ืช ืชื‘ื•ืืชื”. ื›ืจืืฉื™ืช ืงืฆื™ืจ ืœืคื ื™ ื”ืขื•ืžืจ ืฉืืกื•ืจ ื‘ืื›ื™ืœื” ื•ื”ืื•ื›ืœื• ืžืชื—ื™ื™ื‘ ื›ืŸ ื›ืœ ืื•ื›ืœื™ื• ื™ืืฉืžื• ื›ืŸ ืช"ื™:
Israel is holy like terumah. the first of His grain Like the first of the harvest before the Omer, which it is forbidden to eat, and whoever eats it is liable, so will all those who eat him be guilty. So did Jonathan render it.

ืคืกื•ืง ื“ืณ ยท Verse 4

Hebrew:

ืฉืึดืžึฐืขึฅื•ึผ ื“ึฐื‘ึทืจึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ–ื” ื‘ึผึตึฃื™ืช ื™ึทืขึฒืงึนึ‘ื‘ ื•ึฐื›ื‡ึฝืœึพืžึดืฉืึฐืคึผึฐื—ึ–ื•ึนืช ื‘ึผึตึฅื™ืช ื™ึดืฉื‚ึฐืจึธืึตึฝืœืƒ

English:

Hear the word of GOD, O House of Jacob, Every clan of the House of Israel!

ืคืกื•ืง ื”ืณ ยท Verse 5

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึนึฃื”โ€‰ื€ ืึธืžึทึฃืจ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ—ื” ืžึทื”ึพืžึผึธืฆึฐืึจื•ึผ ืึฒื‘ื•ึนืชึตื™ื›ึถึฅื ื‘ึผึดื™ึ™ ืขึธึ”ื•ึถืœ ื›ึผึดึฅื™ ืจึธื—ึฒืงึ–ื•ึผ ืžึตืขึธืœึธึ‘ื™ ื•ึทื™ึผึตึฅืœึฐื›ึ›ื•ึผ ืึทื—ึฒืจึตึฅื™ ื”ึทื”ึถึ–ื‘ึถืœ ื•ึทื™ึผึถื”ึฐื‘ึผึธึฝืœื•ึผืƒ

English:

Thus said GOD: What wrong did your ancestors find in Me That they abandoned Me And went after delusion and were deluded?

The lawsuit proper begins with the defendant invited to state a grievance: what wrong (avel) did your fathers find in Me that they went far from Me? Metzudat David notes the bitter wordplay - they went after the hevel, the emptiness of idolatry, and so became hevel themselves, their dominion brought down to the ground - while Radak identifies the fathers here as the generations who entered the land and served idols there.

ืคืกื•ืง ื•ืณ ยท Verse 6

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐืœึนึฃื ืึธึฝืžึฐืจึ”ื•ึผ ืึทื™ึผึตึฃื” ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ”ื” ื”ึทืžึผึทืขึฒืœึถึฅื” ืึนืชึธึ–ื ื•ึผ ืžึตืึถึฃืจึถืฅ ืžึดืฆึฐืจึธึ‘ื™ึดื ื”ึทืžึผื•ึนืœึดึจื™ืšึฐ ืึนืชึธึœื ื•ึผ ื‘ึผึทืžึผึดื“ึฐื‘ึผึธึ—ืจ ื‘ึผึฐืึถึจืจึถืฅ ืขึฒืจึธื‘ึธึคื” ื•ึฐืฉืื•ึผื—ึธื”ึ™ ื‘ึผึฐืึถึ™ืจึถืฅึ™ ืฆึดื™ึผึธึฃื” ื•ึฐืฆึทืœึฐืžึธึ”ื•ึถืช ื‘ึผึฐืึถึ—ืจึถืฅ ืœึนืึพืขึธึคื‘ึทืจ ื‘ึผึธื”ึผึ™ ืึดึ”ื™ืฉื ื•ึฐืœึนืึพื™ึธืฉืึทึฅื‘ ืึธื“ึธึ–ื ืฉืึธึฝืืƒ

English:

They never asked themselves, โ€œWhere is GOD, Who brought us up from the land of Egypt, Who led us through the wilderness, A land of deserts and pits, A land of drought and darkness, A land nobody had traversed, Where no human being had dwelt?โ€

The charge is one of forgetting: they never said ayeh Hashem, where is the God who brought us up from Egypt and led us through a land of desert and pits, drought and deep shadow, where no one had passed and no one had dwelt. Rashi supplies the unspoken clause - they did not ask where God is, that we should go after other gods - and Radak draws out the aggadic point that no one had ever settled there because Adam had never decreed that place for settlement.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ืœื ืืžืจื• ืื™ื” ื”'. ื›ื™ ื ืœืš ืื—ืจื™ ืืœื”ื™ื ืื—ืจื™': ืขืจื‘ื”. ืคืœื ื•ืจ"ื ื‘ืœืขื–: ื•ืฉื•ื—ื”. ื ื˜ื•ื™ื” ืื™ื ืคื•ื•ืฉื™ื"ื” ื‘ืœืขื–: ืฆื™ื”. ื“ื™ืฉื’ืื˜"ื” ื‘ืœืขื–: ื•ืฆืœืžื•ืช. ืœืฉื•ืŸ ื—ืฉืš:
And they did not say, Where is the Lord that we should follow other gods? plains Heb. ืขืจื‘ื” (planure in O.F.), related to pianoro in Old Italian, meaning 'a plateau.' and pits Heb. ื•ืฉื•ื—ื” (enfosses in O.F.), pitted. waste Heb. ืฆื™ื” (degat in French). and darkness Heb. ื•ืฆืœืžื•ืช. An expression of darkness.

ืคืกื•ืง ื–ืณ ยท Verse 7

Hebrew:

ื•ึธืึธื‘ึดึคื™ื ืึถืชึฐื›ึถืึ™ ืึถืœึพืึถึฃืจึถืฅ ื”ึทื›ึผึทืจึฐืžึถึ”ืœ ืœึถืึฑื›ึนึฅืœ ืคึผึดืจึฐื™ึธึ–ื”ึผ ื•ึฐื˜ื•ึผื‘ึธึ‘ื”ึผ ื•ึทืชึผึธื‘ึนึ™ืื•ึผึ™ ื•ึทืชึผึฐื˜ึทืžึผึฐืึฃื•ึผ ืึถืชึพืึทืจึฐืฆึดึ”ื™ ื•ึฐื ึทื—ึฒืœึธืชึดึฅื™ ืฉื‚ึทืžึฐืชึผึถึ–ื ืœึฐืชื•ึนืขึตื‘ึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

I brought you to this country of farmland To enjoy its fruit and its bounty; But you came and defiled My land, You made My possession abhorrent.

God brought them into eretz hakarmel, a land of orchards and vineyards, to eat its fruit and its goodness - and they came and defiled it. Rashi and Radak both explain karmel as land richly planted, and Radak notes the force of calling it My land and My inheritance: this is the land fit for the Shechinah to rest upon, chosen from all lands for a reason known to the wise.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืืœ ืืจืฅ ื”ื›ืจืžืœ. ืœืืจืขื ื“ื™ืฉืจืืœ ื“ื”ื•ืช ืžื ืฆื‘ื ื›ื›ืจืžืœื, ืคื™ืจืฉ ื ื˜ื•ืขื” ื›ื™ืขืจ:
to a forest land To the land of Israel which is planted like ื›ืจืžืœ, meaning: planted like a forest.

ืคืกื•ืง ื—ืณ ยท Verse 8

Hebrew:

ื”ึทื›ึผึนื”ึฒื ึดึ—ื™ื ืœึนึคื ืึธึฝืžึฐืจื•ึผึ™ ืึทื™ึผึตึฃื” ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ”ื” ื•ึฐืชึนืคึฐืฉื‚ึตึคื™ ื”ึทืชึผื•ึนืจึธื”ึ™ ืœึนึฃื ื™ึฐื“ึธืขึ”ื•ึผื ึดื™ ื•ึฐื”ึธืจึนืขึดึ–ื™ื ืคึผึธึฃืฉืึฐืขื•ึผ ื‘ึดึ‘ื™ ื•ึฐื”ึทื ึผึฐื‘ึดืึดื™ืึ™ ื ึดื‘ึผึฐืึฃื•ึผ ื‘ึทื‘ึผึทึ”ืขึทืœ ื•ึฐืึทื—ึฒืจึตึฅื™ ืœึนึฝืึพื™ื•ึนืขึดึ–ืœื•ึผ ื”ึธืœึธึฝื›ื•ึผืƒ

English:

The priests never asked themselves, โ€œWhere is GOD?โ€ The guardians of the Teaching ignored Me; The rulers rebelled against Me, And the prophets prophesied by Baal And followed what can do no good.

The indictment now runs through every leadership class, and the completeness of the failure is the point: priests who never asked ayeh Hashem, guardians of the Torah who did not know Me, rulers who rebelled, prophets who prophesied by Baal. Rashi identifies the tofsei haTorah as the Sanhedrin and the ro'im as the kings; Radak sharpens the second charge - they studied with the mouth and not the heart, and lo yeda'uni means precisely that learning without good thought and good deeds is not knowledge of Torah at all.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืชื•ืคืฉื™ ื”ืชื•ืจื”. ืกื ื”ื“ืจื™ืŸ: ื•ื”ืจื•ืขื™ื. ื”ืžืœื›ื™ื: ื ื‘ืื• ื‘ื‘ืขืœ. ื‘ืฉื ื”ื‘ืขืœ:
and those who hold onto the Torah The Sanhedrin. and the rulers the kings. prophesied by Baal In the name of Baal.

ืคืกื•ืง ื˜ืณ ยท Verse 9

Hebrew:

ืœึธื›ึตึ—ืŸ ืขึนึ›ื“ ืึธืจึดึฅื™ื‘ ืึดืชึผึฐื›ึถึ–ื ื ึฐืึปืึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ‘ื” ื•ึฐืึถืชึพื‘ึผึฐื ึตึฅื™ ื‘ึฐื ึตื™ื›ึถึ–ื ืึธืจึดึฝื™ื‘ืƒ

English:

Oh, I will go on accusing you โ€”declares GODโ€” And I will accuse your childrenโ€™s children!

God announces that the lawsuit will continue - I will still contend with you, and with your children's children. Rashi reads oud as a stay of execution: before I bring misfortune upon you I will still argue with you through My prophets, though I have contended with you many days already. Radak adds that the word looks back to verse 5 - what I said of your fathers I must say of you, and will need to say of your descendants too.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืขื•ื“ ืืจื™ื‘. ื˜ืจื ืื‘ื™ื ืขืœื™ื›ื ืจืขื” ืืชื•ื•ื›ื— ืขืžื›ื ืขื•ื“ ืข"ื™ ื ื‘ื™ืื™ ืืข"ืคื™ ืฉืจื‘ืชื™ ืขืžื›ื ื›ื‘ืจ ื™ืžื™ื ืจื‘ื™ื:
Therefore, I will still contend Before I bring misfortune upon you, I will still contend with you through My prophets, although I have already contended with you many days.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืณ ยท Verse 10

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึดึฃื™ ืขึดื‘ึฐืจึžื•ึผ ืึดื™ึผึตึคื™ ื›ึดืชึผึดื™ึผึดื™ืึ™ ื•ึผืจึฐืึ”ื•ึผ ื•ึฐืงึตื“ึธึ›ืจ ืฉืึดืœึฐื—ึฅื•ึผ ื•ึฐื”ึดึฝืชึฐื‘ึผื•ึนื ึฐื ึ–ื•ึผ ืžึฐืึนึ‘ื“ ื•ึผืจึฐืึ•ื•ึผ ื”ึตึฅืŸ ื”ึธื™ึฐืชึธึ–ื” ื›ึผึธื–ึนึฝืืชืƒ

English:

Just cross over to the isles of the Kittim and look, Send to Kedar and observe carefully; See if aught like this has ever happened:

The court now calls for comparative evidence: cross to the isles of Kittim, send to Kedar, and look carefully whether anything like this has ever happened. Rashi, following Targum Yonatan, notes that these were tent-dwellers who wandered from pasture to pasture and carried their gods along wherever they camped - unlike Israel, whom God carried until He settled her; and he cites the teaching of Chazal that Kittim worshipped water and Kedar worshipped fire, and though each knew water quenches fire, neither abandoned its god.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืื™ื™ ื›ืชื™ื™ื. ืœืื™ื™ ื›ืชื™ื™ื: ืื™ื™. ืื™ืฉืœ"ืฉ ื‘ืœืขื–: ื•ืงื“ืจ ืฉืœื—ื•. ื•ืœืงื“ืจ ืฉืœื—ื• ืœืจืื•ืช ืžื ื”ื’ื: ื•ื”ืชื‘ื•ื ื ื• ืžืื“. ื•ืฉื™ืžื• ืœื‘ ืœื”ืกืชื›ืœ ื‘ื“ื‘ืจ ื™ืคื”: ื”ืŸ. ื›ืžื• ืื, ืื ื”ืžื™ืจ ื’ื•ื™ ืžื”ื ืืช ืืœื”ื™ื• ื•ืืข"ืค ืฉื”ืžื” ืœื ืืœื”ื™ื ื•ืขืžื™ ื”ืžื™ืจ ืืช ื›ื‘ื•ื“ื• ืืฉืจ ื‘ื• ื”ื™ื” ื ื›ื‘ื“ ื•ื›ืชื™ื™ื ื•ืงื“ืจื™ื™ื ื™ื•ืฉื‘ื™ ืื•ื”ืœื™ื ื•ืจื•ืขื™ ืžืงื ื” ื•ื ื•ืกืขื™ื ื•ื”ื•ืœื›ื™ื ื•ืžื˜ืœื˜ืœื™ืŸ ืžืžืจืขื” ืœืžืจืขื” ื•ืžืžื“ื‘ืจ ืœืžื“ื‘ืจ ื•ื ื•ืฉืื™ื ืืช ืืœื”ื™ื”ื ืขืžื”ื ืœืžืงื•ื ืฉื—ื•ื ื™ื ืฉื ื•ืื ื™ ื ืฉืืชื™ ืืชื›ื ืขื“ ืืฉืจ ืงื‘ืขืชื™ ืืชื›ื ื•ื”ื ื—ืชื ืื•ืชื™ ื›ืš ืช"ื™ ื•ืจื‘ื•ืชื™ื ื• ืืžืจื• ื›ืชื™ื™ื ืขื•ื‘ื“ื™ื ืœืžื™ื ื•ืงื“ืจื™ื™ื ืขื•ื‘ื“ื™ื ืœืืฉ ื•ืืข"ืค ืฉื™ื•ื“ืขื™ื ืฉื”ืžื™ื ืžื›ื‘ื™ืŸ ืืช ื”ืืฉ ืœื ื”ื ื™ื—ื• ืืช ืืœื”ื™ื”ื:
the isles of the Kittites To the isles of the Kittites. ืื™ื™ is (isles in French). and send to Kedar And send to Kedar to see their custom. and consider diligently And put your heart to it to consider the matter diligently. whether Heb. ื”ืŸ, like ืื, if. Whether either of those nations exchanged its god although they are no gods, yet My nation exchanged their glory, with which they were honored. The Kittites and the Kedarites were tent dwellers and cattle herders, who would travel, go, and wander from pasture to pasture and from desert to desert, and they carry their gods with them to the place where they encamp. But I carried you until I established you, yet you forsook Me. This is how Jonathan paraphrased it. Our Sages said however: The Kittites worshipped water and the Kedarites worshipped fire. And although they know that water quenches fire, they did not forsake their god.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื ยท Verse 11

Hebrew:

ื”ึทื”ึตื™ืžึดึฅื™ืจ ื’ึผื•ึนื™ึ™ ืึฑืœึนื”ึดึ”ื™ื ื•ึฐื”ึตึ–ืžึผึธื” ืœึนึฃื ืึฑืœึนื”ึดึ‘ื™ื ื•ึฐืขึทืžึผึดึ›ื™ ื”ึตืžึดึฅื™ืจ ื›ึผึฐื‘ื•ึนื“ึ–ื•ึน ื‘ึผึฐืœึฅื•ึนื ื™ื•ึนืขึดึฝื™ืœืƒ

English:

Has any nation changed its gods Even though they are no-gods? But My people has exchanged its glory For what can do no good.

The comparison yields its verdict: no nation has ever exchanged its gods, though they are no-gods at all, yet My people exchanged its glory for what cannot profit. Metzudat David states the asymmetry plainly - the nations held fast to deities that were nothing, while Israel traded away the honor of the Divine Presence itself; Rashi glosses belo yo'il as an idol in which there is no benefit whatsoever.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื‘ืœื ื™ื•ืขื™ืœ. ื‘ืขื›ื•"ื ืฉืื™ืŸ ื‘ื” ืชื•ืขืœืช:
for what does not avail For an idol that does not avail.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื‘ ยท Verse 12

Hebrew:

ืฉืึนึฅืžึผื•ึผ ืฉืึธืžึทึ–ื™ึดื ืขึทืœึพื–ึนึ‘ืืช ื•ึฐืฉื‚ึทืขึฒืจึ›ื•ึผ ื—ื‡ืจึฐื‘ึฅื•ึผ ืžึฐืึนึ–ื“ ื ึฐืึปืึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

Be appalled, O heavens, at this; Be horrified, utterly dazed! โ€”says GOD.

The heavens themselves are summoned as witnesses and told to be appalled, to storm, to be utterly desolate. Rashi reads shomu as an imperative of astonishment and hears in charvu me'od an anticipation of the Temple's destruction - be desolate as though you yourselves were being laid waste; Radak takes it more broadly, that the world deserves to be laid waste over an evil like this.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืฉืžื• ืฉืžื™ื. ืœ' ืชืžื”ื•ืŸ ื›ืžื• ื”ืฉืชื•ืžืžื• ื•ื”ื•ื ืœืฉื•ืŸ ืฆื•ื•ื™ ื›ืžื• ืื ื›ื” ื™ืืžืจื• ืืœื™ื ื• ื“ื•ืžื• (ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื ื™ืดื“:ื˜ืณ): ื•ืฉืขืจื•. ืœืฉื•ืŸ ืกืขืจ: ื—ืจื‘ื• ืžืื“. ื›ืื™ืœื• ืืชื ื ื—ืจื‘ื™ื ืขืœ ื‘ื™ืช ื”ืžืงื“ืฉ ืฉืขืชื™ื“ ืœื™ื—ืจื‘:
O heavens, be astonished Heb. ืฉืžื•, an expression of astonishment, like ื”ืฉืชื•ืžืžื•ึผ. It is the imperative form, with the same vowel points as (I Sam. 14:9): "If they say thus to us, "Wait (ื“ึผืžึผื•ึผ)." and storm Heb. ื•ืฉืขืจื•, an expression of ืกืขืจ, a storm. become very desolate As though you are becoming desolate because of the Temple that is destined to be destroyed.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื’ ยท Verse 13

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึดึฝื™ึพืฉืึฐืชึผึทึฅื™ึดื ืจึธืขึ–ื•ึนืช ืขึธืฉื‚ึธึฃื” ืขึทืžึผึดึ‘ื™ ืึนืชึดึจื™ ืขึธื–ึฐื‘ึœื•ึผ ืžึฐืงึฃื•ึนืจโ€‰ื€ ืžึทึฃื™ึดื ื—ึทื™ึผึดึ—ื™ื ืœึทื—ึฐืฆึนึคื‘ ืœึธื”ึถืึ™ ื‘ึผึนืืจึ”ื•ึนืช ื‘ึผึนืืจึนืชึ™ ื ึดืฉืึฐื‘ึผึธืจึดึ”ื™ื ืึฒืฉืึถึฅืจ ืœึนึฝืึพื™ึธื›ึดึ–ืœื•ึผ ื”ึทืžึผึธึฝื™ึดืืƒ

English:

For My people have done a twofold wrong: They have forsaken Me, the Fount of living waters, And hewed out for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, That cannot even hold water.

This is the central image of the entire book: My people have done a twofold wrong - they forsook Me, the fount of living waters, to hew out for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that hold no water. Rashi explains precisely why it is twofold: exchanging one deity for an equal would be one evil, but abandoning a living spring for cracked cisterns whose water seeps away is two. Radak develops the contrast at length - a spring needs no water from elsewhere and never runs dry, while a cistern must be quarried by hand, holds only borrowed rainwater, and when broken retains nothing at all.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืฉืชื™ื ืจืขื•ืช. ืื ื”ืžื™ืจื• ื™ืจืืชื ื‘ื›ื™ื•ืฆื ื‘ื” ื™ืฉ ื›ืืŸ ืจืขื” ืื—ืช ื•ืขื›ืฉื™ื• ืฉืื•ืชื™ ืขื–ื‘ื• ืฉืื ื™ ืžืงื•ืจ ืžื™ื ื—ื™ื™ื ืœืœื›ืช ืื—ืจื™ ื”ืขื›ื•"ื ืฉื”ื ื›ื‘ื•ืจื•ืช ืฉืœ ืžื™ื ืžื›ื•ื ืกื™ืŸ ื•ื ืฉื‘ืจื™ืŸ ื•ื ืกื“ืงื™ืŸ ื•ืžื™ืžื™ื”ื ื ื‘ืœืขื™ื ื‘ืกื“ืงื™ื”ื ื”ืจื™ ืฉืชื™ื ืจืขื•ืช: ืœื—ืฆื•ื‘. ืœื—ืคื•ืจ: ืืฉืจ ืœื ื™ื›ื™ืœื•. ื˜ื™ื ื“ืจื•ื "ื˜ ื‘ืœืขื– ืืช ืžื™ืžื™ื”ื ืฉื”ืžื™ื ืžื˜ืฉื˜ืฉื™ืŸ ืืช ืฉืคืชื ื•ื›ื•ืชืœื™ื”ื ื•ื”ื ื ื•ืคืœื™ืŸ:
two evils Had they exchanged their Deity [lit. their fear] for one His equal, it would be one evil, and now that they have forsaken Me, that I am a spring of living waters, to follow idols, which are like cisterns of stored up water, and they are broken and cracked, and their water is absorbed in their cracks, these are two evils. to dig Heb. ืœื—ืฆื‘, lit. to hew. that do not hold (Tendront in O.F.) their water, for the water will make their edge and their walls muddy, and they cave in.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื“ ยท Verse 14

Hebrew:

ื”ึทืขึถึ™ื‘ึถื“ึ™ ื™ึดืฉื‚ึฐืจึธืึตึ”ืœ ืึดืึพื™ึฐืœึดึฅื™ื“ ื‘ึผึทึ–ื™ึดืช ื”ึ‘ื•ึผื ืžึทื“ึผึ–ื•ึผืขึท ื”ึธื™ึธึฅื” ืœึธื‘ึทึฝื–ืƒ

English:

Is Israel a bondman? Is he a home-born slave? Then why is he given over to plunder?

The prophet asks whether Israel is a purchased slave or a house-born one, that she should be given over to plunder. Radak makes the argument explicit: Israel is called God's firstborn son, and a father watches over a son as a master does not watch over a slave - so how can she be abandoned to her enemies? Metzudat David frames it as a question about hashgachah, whether Israel has been left to mere chance like a servant beneath his master's individual notice.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื™ืœื™ื“ ื‘ื™ืช. ื‘ืŸ ื”ืืžื”:
Is he a home born slave? The son of a maidservant.

ืคืกื•ืง ื˜ืดื• ยท Verse 15

Hebrew:

ืขึธืœึธื™ื•ึ™ ื™ึดืฉืึฐืึฒื’ึฃื•ึผ ื›ึฐืคึดืจึดึ”ื™ื ื ึธืชึฐื ึ–ื•ึผ ืงื•ึนืœึธึ‘ื ื•ึทื™ึผึธืฉืึดึคื™ืชื•ึผ ืึทืจึฐืฆื•ึนึ™ ืœึฐืฉืึทืžึผึธึ”ื” ืขึธืจึธึฅื™ื• (ื ืฆืชื”) [ื ึดืฆึผึฐืชึ–ื•ึผ] ืžึดื‘ึผึฐืœึดึฅื™ ื™ึนืฉืึตึฝื‘ืƒ

English:

Lions have roared over him, Have raised their cries. They have made his land a waste, His cities desolate, without inhabitants.

Lions have roared over him and made his land a desolation, his cities burned and emptied of inhabitants. Rashi identifies the kefirim as kings, and Radak reads the whole verse as Israel's own bewildered question - why has this happened to us? - to which the prophet's answer comes in verse 17: your forsaking of the Lord your God has done this to you.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื™ืฉืื’ื•. ืฉื•ืื’ื™ื ืœ' ื”ื•ื•ื”: ื›ืคื™ืจื™ื. ืžืœื›ื™ื: ื ืฆืชื•. ื ืฆืชื• ื‘ืืฉ:
roar roar, a present tense. young lions Symbolic of kings. were burnt were burnt with fire.

ืคืกื•ืง ื˜ืดื– ยท Verse 16

Hebrew:

ื’ึผึทืึพื‘ึผึฐื ึตื™ึพื ึนึ–ืฃ (ื•ืชื—ืคื ืก) [ื•ึฐืชึทื—ึฐืคึผึทื ึฐื—ึตึ‘ืก] ื™ึดืจึฐืขึ–ื•ึผืšึฐ ืงื‡ื“ึฐืงึนึฝื“ืƒ

English:

Those, too, in Noph and Tahpanhes Will lay bare your head.

Even the sons of Noph and Tachpanches, the very Egyptians in whom Judah trusted, will break her skull. Rashi explains yir'uch as an expression of crushing, and Radak reads the verse as the prophet turning the people's own words back on them: those you go down to Egypt to beg help from are the ones who will shatter you, and all of this is the fruit of forsaking God.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื’ื ื‘ื ื™ ื ื•ืฃ ื•ืชื—ืคื ื—ืก. ื”ื ืžืฆืจื™ื ืฉืืชื ื‘ื•ื˜ื—ื™ื ืขืœื™ื”ื ืœืขื–ืจื”: ื™ืจืขื•ืš ืงื“ืงื•ื“. ืœ' ืจืฆื™ืฆื” ื›ื“ืžืชืจื’ืžื™ื ืŸ ื•ืจืฆื•ืฅ ื•ืจืขืขื•:
Also the children of Noph and Tahpanhes They are the Egyptians upon whom you trust for aid. will break your crown They will break your skull. ื™ืจืขื•ึผืš is an expression of breaking (ืจืฆื™ืฆื”), as we translate ื•ืจืฆื•ืฅ, "and crushed" (Deut. 28:33), ื•ึผืจืขื™ืข.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื– ยท Verse 17

Hebrew:

ื”ึฒืœื•ึนืึพื–ึนึ–ืืช ืชึผึทืขึฒืฉื‚ึถื”ึพืœึผึธึ‘ืšึฐ ืขื‡ื–ึฐื‘ึตืšึฐึ™ ืึถืชึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึฃื” ืึฑืœึนื”ึทึ”ื™ึดืšึฐ ื‘ึผึฐืขึตึ–ืช ืžื•ึนืœึดื›ึตึฅืšึฐ ื‘ึผึทื“ึผึธึฝืจึถืšึฐืƒ

English:

See, that is the price you have paid For forsaking the ETERNAL your God Who led you in the way.

Here is the answer to the question of verse 14: this is what you have done to yourself by forsaking the Lord your God at the very time He was leading you on the way. Metzudat David underscores the theological stakes - this is not the abandonment of chance but the operation of justice, punishment and not accident - while Radak notes that ba-derech with the definite article means the known way, the road her earliest ancestors walked.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื”ืœื ื–ืืช ืชืขืฉื” ืœืš. ื”ืœื ืืช ื”ืจืขื” ื•ืืช ื”ืคื•ืจืขื ื•ืช ื”ื–ืืช ืชื’ืจื•ื ืœืš ื”ืืฉืžื” ื•ื”ืขื•ืŸ ืืฉืจ ืขื–ื‘ืช ืืช ื”' ืืœื”ื™ืš: ื‘ืขืช ืžื•ืœื™ื›ืš ื‘ื“ืจืš. ืฉื”ื™ื” ืžืœืžื“ ืื•ืชืš ื“ืจืš ื”ื˜ื•ื‘ื” ื•ื”ื™ืฉืจื”:
Is not this caused to you Is not this misfortune and this retribution caused to you by the guilt and the iniquity that you have forsaken the Lord your God? at the time He leads you by the way For He would teach you the good and the straight way.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื— ยท Verse 18

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐืขึทืชึผึธึ—ื” ืžึทื”ึพืœึผึธืšึฐึ™ ืœึฐื“ึถึฃืจึถืšึฐ ืžึดืฆึฐืจึทึ”ื™ึดื ืœึดืฉืึฐืชึผึ–ื•ึนืช ืžึตึฃื™ ืฉืึดื—ึ‘ื•ึนืจ ื•ึผืžึทื”ึพืœึผึธืšึฐึ™ ืœึฐื“ึถึฃืจึถืšึฐ ืึทืฉืึผึ”ื•ึผืจ ืœึดืฉืึฐืชึผึ–ื•ึนืช ืžึตึฅื™ ื ึธื”ึธึฝืจืƒ

English:

What, then, is the good of your going to Egypt To drink the waters of the Nile? And what is the good of your going to Assyria To drink the waters of the Euphrates?

The image of living waters turns political: what is the good of going to Egypt to drink the waters of Shichor, or to Ashur to drink the waters of the River? Rashi names Shichor as the Nile and points to the irony - the same river in which your infant sons were drowned - while Radak notes the absurdity of trudging distant roads for help when the help you need is already at home, if only you would walk straight.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืžื” ืœืš ืœื“ืจืš ืžืฆืจื™ื. ืœืžื” ืชืขื–ื‘ื™ ืื•ืชื™ ื•ืชื‘ื˜ื—ื™ ืขืœ ืžืฆืจื™ื: ืœืฉืชื•ืช ืžื™ ืฉื™ื—ื•ืจ. ืฉื˜ื‘ืขื• ื–ื›ื•ืจื™ื›ื ื‘ื ื™ืœื•ืก ืฉื™ื—ื•ืจ ื”ื•ื ื ื™ืœื•ืก ื›ืžื” ืฉื ืืžืจ ืžืŸ ื”ืฉื™ื—ื•ืจ ืืฉืจ ืขืœ ืคื ื™ ืžืฆืจื™ื ื‘ืกืคืจ ื™ื”ื•ืฉืข (ื™ืดื’:ื’ืณ): ื•ืžื” ืœืš. ืœืžืจื•ื“ ื‘ื™ ืœืžืขืŸ ืชื’ืœื™ ืœื“ืจืš ืืฉื•ืจ ืœืžืขื‘ืจ ื ื”ืจ ืคืจืช:
what have you to do in the way of Egypt Why do you leave Me and trust in Egypt? to drink the water of the Shihor For they drowned your male children in the Nile. Shihor is the Nile, as it is said: "From the Shihor which is before Egypt," in the Book of Joshua (13:3). and what have you to do to rebel against Me so that you should be exiled to the way of Assyria, to the other side of the Euphrates River?

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื˜ ยท Verse 19

Hebrew:

ืชึผึฐื™ึทืกึผึฐืจึตึฃืšึฐ ืจึธืขึธืชึตึ—ืšึฐ ื•ึผืžึฐืฉืึปื‘ื•ึนืชึทึ™ื™ึดืšึฐึ™ ืชึผึฝื•ึนื›ึดื—ึปึ”ืšึฐ ื•ึผื“ึฐืขึดึคื™ ื•ึผืจึฐืึดื™ึ™ ื›ึผึดึฝื™ึพืจึทึฃืข ื•ึธืžึธึ”ืจ ืขื‡ื–ึฐื‘ึตึ–ืšึฐ ืึถืชึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึฃื” ืึฑืœึนื”ึธึ‘ื™ึดืšึฐ ื•ึฐืœึนึคื ืคึทื—ึฐื“ึผึธืชึดื™ึ™ ืึตืœึทึ”ื™ึดืšึฐ ื ึฐืึปืึพืึฒื“ึนื ึธึฅื™ ื™ึฑื”ึนื•ึดึ–ื” ืฆึฐื‘ึธืึฝื•ึนืชืƒ

English:

Let your misfortune reprove you, Let your afflictions rebuke you; Mark well how bad and bitter it is That you forsake the ETERNAL your God, That awe for Me is not in you โ€”declares my Sovereign GOD of Hosts.

Let your own evil chastise you and your backslidings rebuke you; know and see how bad and bitter it is to forsake the Lord your God, and that awe of Me is not in you. Rashi glosses meshuvotayich from the shovavim, the wayward children of chapter 3, and Radak explains that the punishment is itself the teacher - having tasted often enough that evil deeds bring evil consequences, you should need no other mussar.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืชื™ืกืจืš ืจืขืชืš. ืกื•ืฃ ืฉืจืขืชืš ืชื‘ื™ื ืขืœื™ืš ื™ืกื•ืจื™ืŸ: ื•ืžืฉื•ื‘ื•ืชื™ืš. ืœ' ื‘ื ื™ื ืฉื•ื‘ื‘ื™ื (ืœืงืžืŸ ื’): ืชื•ื›ื™ื—ื•ืš. ืœ' ืžื•ืกืจ: ื•ืœื ืคื—ื“ืชื™. ืคื—ื“ ืฉืœื™ ืœื ื”ื™ื” ื‘ืœื‘ืš ืœื™ืจื ืื•ืชื™:
Your evil will chastise you Eventually, your evil will bring suffering upon you. and your backslidings, Heb. ื•ืžืฉื‘ื•ืชื™ืš, an expression related to "backsliding children (ืฉื•ื‘ื‘ื™ื)" (infra 3:22). will reprove you Heb. ืชื•ื›ื—ืš, an expression of reproof. and the fear of Me was not My fear was not in your heart that you should fear Me.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืณ ยท Verse 20

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึดึฃื™ ืžึตืขื•ึนืœึธึžื ืฉืึธื‘ึทึฃืจึฐืชึผึดื™ ืขึปืœึผึตึ—ืšึฐ ื ึดืชึผึทึ™ืงึฐืชึผึดื™ึ™ ืžื•ึนืกึฐืจื•ึนืชึทึ”ื™ึดืšึฐ ื•ึทืชึผึนืืžึฐืจึดึ–ื™ ืœึนึฃื (ืืขื‘ื•ื“) [ืึถืขึฑื‘ึ‘ื•ึนืจ] ื›ึผึดึฃื™ ืขึทึฝืœึพื›ึผื‡ืœึพื’ึผึดื‘ึฐืขึธึžื” ื’ึผึฐื‘ึนื”ึธึ—ื” ื•ึฐืชึทึ™ื—ึทืชึ™ ื›ึผื‡ืœึพืขึตึฃืฅ ืจึทืขึฒื ึธึ”ืŸ ืึทึ–ืชึผึฐ ืฆึนืขึธึฅื” ื–ึนื ึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

For long ago you broke your yoke, Tore off your yoke-bands, And said, โ€œI will not work!โ€ On every high hill and under every verdant tree, You recline as a whore.

God recalls breaking Israel's yoke and snapping her bonds, and her promise never again to transgress - a promise contradicted on every high hill and under every leafy tree, where she sprawls as a harlot. Metzudat David compares her to the harlot of Mishlei whose feet do not stay at home, moving from one idolatrous shrine to the next; Radak reads tzo'ah zonah as one who clings briefly to a lover, then desires another, the same metaphor Yechezkel builds his own prophecies upon.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืฉื‘ืจืชื™ ืขืœืš. ื”ืขื•ืœ ืฉืœ ืขืฅ ื ื•ืคืœ ื‘ื• ืœ' ืฉื‘ื™ืจื” ื•ื”ืžื•ืกืจื•ืช ืฉื”ืŸ ืฉืœ ืขื•ืจ ื ื•ืคืœ ื‘ื”ืŸ ืœืฉื•ืŸ ื ืชื™ืงื”: ืžื•ืกืจื•ืชื™ืš. ื”ื ืจืฆื•ืขื•ืช ืฉืงื•ืฉืจื™ืŸ ื‘ื”ื ื”ืขื•ืœ: ื•ืชืืžืจื™ ืœื ืืขื‘ื•ืจ. ืขืœ ื“ื‘ืจื™ืš: ื›ื™ ืขืœ ื›ืœ ื’ื‘ืขื”. ืืš ืืชื” ืœื ืฉืžืจืช ื”ื‘ื˜ื—ืชืš ื•ืขืœ ื›ืœ ื’ื‘ืขื” ืืช ืฆื•ืขื” ืœ' ืžืฉื›ื‘ ื•ืžืฆืข ื›ื™ ืžืฉืžืฉ ืœ' ืืœื:
I broke your yoke To the wooden yoke an expression of breaking applies, and to the yoke-bands which are of leather an expression of tearing open applies. yoke-bands [ืžื•ืกืจื•ืชื™ืš are the] ropes used to shackle the yoke [to the animal]. and you said, "I will not transgress." your words. but on every lofty hill Put you did not keep your promise, for on every lofty hill you recline (ืฆืขื”). This is an expression of a bed and a sheet (ืžืฆืข). [The word] ื›ื™ serves as an expression of 'but.'

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื ยท Verse 21

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐืึธึฝื ึนื›ึดื™ึ™ ื ึฐื˜ึทืขึฐืชึผึดึฃื™ืšึฐ ืฉื‚ื•ึนืจึตึ”ืง ื›ึผึปืœึผึนึ–ื” ื–ึถึฃืจึทืข ืึฑืžึถึ‘ืช ื•ึฐืึตื™ืšึฐึ™ ื ึถื”ึฐืคึผึทึฃื›ึฐืชึผึฐ ืœึดึ”ื™ ืกื•ึผืจึตึ–ื™ ื”ึทื’ึผึถึฅืคึถืŸ ื ื‡ื›ึฐืจึดื™ึผึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

I planted you with noble vines, All with choicest seed; Alas, I find you changed Into a base, an alien vine!

I planted you a sorek, a choice vine, entirely of true seed - how have you turned into a degenerate, alien vine? Rashi identifies the noble stock as descent from righteous ancestors and cites a midrashic reading of sorek as the six hundred and six mitzvot added to the seven of Bnei Noach; Metzudat David and Radak both trace the zera emet to Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov, and ask how such a planting produced fruit foreign to its own root.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื ื˜ืขืชื™ืš ืฉื•ืจืง. ืฉื•ืจืง ื”ื•ื ื–ืžื•ืจื•ืช ื’ืคืŸ ื˜ื•ื‘ ื›ืœื•ืžืจ ื‘ื ื™ ืื‘ื•ืช ื›ืฉืจื™ื ื•ืฆื“ื™ืงื™ื ื•ืžื“ืจืฉื• ื ื˜ืขืชื™ืš ืฉื•ืจืง ื”ื•ืกืคืชื™ ืœืš ืขืœ ืฉื‘ืข ืžืฆื•ืช ืฉืœ ื‘ื ื™ ื ื— ืฉืฉ ืžืื•ืช ื•ืฉืฉ ื›ืžื ื™ืŸ ืฉื•ืจืง: ืกื•ืจื™. ื“ื™ืฉื˜ื•ืจืœื˜ื•ืจ"ืฉ ื‘ืœืข"ื–: ื’ืคืŸ ื ื›ืจื™ื”. ื”ืฆื•ืžื—ืช ื‘ื™ืขืจื™ื:
I planted you a noble vine stock Heb. ืฉื•ืจืง is the branches of a good vine, that is to say the children of pious and righteous fathers. Its midrashic interpretation is: I planted you ืฉื•ืจืง. I added for you to the seven commandments of the children of Noah, six hundred and six, as is the numerical value of ืฉื•ืจืง. degenerate Heb. ืกื•ึผืจื™ (Destoultours in O.F). wild vine that grows in the forests.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื‘ ยท Verse 22

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึดึคื™ ืึดืึพืชึผึฐื›ึทื‘ึผึฐืกึดื™ึ™ ื‘ึผึทื ึผึถึ”ืชึถืจ ื•ึฐืชึทืจึฐื‘ึผึดื™ึพืœึธึ–ืšึฐ ื‘ึผึนืจึดึ‘ื™ืช ื ึดื›ึฐืชึผึธึคื ืขึฒื•ึบื ึตืšึฐึ™ ืœึฐืคึธื ึทึ”ื™ ื ึฐืึปึ–ื ืึฒื“ึนื ึธึฅื™ ื™ึฑื”ึนื•ึดึฝื”ืƒ

English:

Though you wash with natron And use much lye, Your guilt is ingrained before Me โ€”declares my Sovereign GOD.

Though you wash with natron and use much lye, your guilt is stained before Me. Rashi identifies the ineradicable stain with the sin of the Golden Calf, of which some measure attends every reckoning that comes upon Israel; Metzudat David reads it as public piety that cannot scrub away private sin, while Radak grapples with the tension against teshuvah and concludes that some sins are cleansed only when suffering completes what repentance begins.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื‘ื ืชืจ. ืžื™ืŸ ืื“ืžื” ืฉื—ืคื™ืŸ ื•ืฉืคื™ืŸ ื‘ื” ืืช ื”ื‘ื’ื“ื™ื: ื‘ื•ืจื™ืช. ื ืงื™ื•ืŸ ื›ืžื• ื•ื‘ืจ ืœื‘ื‘ (ืชื”ื™ืœื™ื ื›ืดื“:ื“ืณ) ื•ื™ืฉ ืœื•ืขื–ื™ื ื‘ื•ืจื™ืช ืฉืื‘ื•"ืŸ ื‘ืœืขื–: ื ื›ืชื ืขื•ื ืš. ื”ื ื›ืจื•ืฉื ื›ืชืžื ื“ืœื ื“ื›ื™ ื›ืŸ ืกื’ื™ืื• ื—ื•ื‘ื™ืš ืงื“ืžื™: ื›ืชื. ื˜ืืง"ื ื‘ืœืขื–: ืขื•ื ืš. ืขืœ ืขื•ืŸ ื”ืขื’ืœ ื ืืžืจ ืฉื”ื•ื ืงื™ื™ื ืœืขื•ืœื ื›ืžื• ืฉื ืืžืจ ื•ื‘ื™ื•ื ืคืงื“ื™ ื•ืคืงื“ืชื™ ืขืœื™ื”ื (ืฉืžื•ืช ืœืดื‘:ืœืดื“) ื›ืœ ืคืงื™ื“ื•ืช ื”ื‘ืื•ืช ืขืœ ื™ืฉืจืืœ ื™ื”ื™ื” ืžืงืฆืช ืขื•ืŸ ื”ืขื’ืœ ื‘ื”ื:
with natron A type of earth with which garments are cleansed and rubbed. soap Heb. ื‘ึผึนืจึดื™ืช, cleanliness. Comp. "And pure (ื•ึผื‘ึทืจ) of heart" (Ps. 24:4). Some explain ื‘ึผึนืจึดื™ืช as savon in French, soap. your iniquity is stained Jon. renders: Like the mark of a stain that is unclean, so have your sins increased before Me. ื›ืชื is tka in O.F. your iniquity This is said concerning the iniquity of the 'Golden Calf,' which remains in existence forever, as it is stated: "And on the day of My visitation, I will visit upon them their sin" (Exodus 32:34). All visitations that come upon Israel have part of the iniquity of the Golden Calf in them.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื’ ยท Verse 23

Hebrew:

ืึตึฃื™ืšึฐ ืชึผึนืืžึฐืจึดึžื™ ืœึนึฃื ื ึดื˜ึฐืžึตึ—ืืชึดื™ ืึทื—ึฒืจึตึคื™ ื”ึทื‘ึผึฐืขึธืœึดื™ืึ™ ืœึนึฃื ื”ึธืœึทึ”ื›ึฐืชึผึดื™ ืจึฐืึดึคื™ ื“ึทืจึฐื›ึผึตืšึฐึ™ ื‘ึผึทื’ึผึทึ”ื™ึฐื ื“ึผึฐืขึดึ–ื™ ืžึถึฃื” ืขึธืฉื‚ึดึ‘ื™ืช ื‘ึผึดื›ึฐืจึธึฅื” ืงึทืœึผึธึ–ื” ืžึฐืฉื‚ึธืจึถึฅื›ึถืช ื“ึผึฐืจึธื›ึถึฝื™ื”ึธืƒ

English:

How can you say, โ€œI am not defiled, I have not gone after the Baalimโ€? Look at your deeds in the Valley, Consider what you have done! Like a lustful she-camel, Restlessly running about,

The people's defense is stated and demolished in a single breath: how can you say I am not defiled, I have not gone after the Baalim? Look at your way in the valley. Rashi and Metzudat David both read the valley as Ba'al Pe'or - that is where the habit began and it has never been broken - and the verse's image of a swift young she-camel who lashes herself to her own paths captures exactly that: not a lapse but an ingrained course.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืจืื™ ื“ืจื›ืš ื‘ื’ื™ื. ืžื” ืขืฉื™ืช ืžื•ืœ ื‘ื™ืช ืคืขื•ืจ ื•ืขื•ื“ ืขืชื” ืืช ืžื—ื–ืงืช ื‘ืื•ืชื• ื”ื“ืจืš ื›ื‘ื›ืจื” ืงืœื” ื”ืžืฉืจื›ืช ื“ืจื›ื™ื”: ื‘ื›ืจื”. ื’ืžืœื” ื ืงื‘ื” ื‘ื—ื•ืจื” ืฉื”ื™ื ืื•ื”ื‘ืช ืœื ื•ืข ื‘ื›ืจื™ ืžื“ื™ืŸ (ื™ืฉืขื™ื”ื• ืกืณ:ื•ืณ) ืžืชื•ืจื’ื ื”ื•ื’ื ื™ ืžื“ื™ืŸ ื•ื”ื ื’ืžืœื™ื ื‘ื—ื•ืจื™ื ื›ืžื• ืฉืžืฆื™ื ื• ื‘ืกื ื”ื“ืจื™ืŸ ื ืคื™ืฉื™ ื’ืžืœื™ ืกื‘ื™ ื“ื˜ืขื™ื ื™ ืžืฉื›ื™ ื“ื”ื•ื’ื ื™: ืžืฉืจื›ืช. ืžื—ื–ืงืช ื‘ื“ืจื›ื™ ื ืขื•ืจื™ื” ืœ' ืžืกืจื™ืš ืกืจื™ืš ื•ื™ืฉ ืœื—ื‘ืจื• ืขื ืฉืจื•ืš ื”ื ืขืœ (ื‘ืจืืฉื™ืช ื™ืดื“:ื›ืดื’) ืงื•ืฉืจืช ื“ืจื›ื™ ื ืขืจื•ืชื” ื‘ืœื‘ื”:
See your way in the valley See what you have done opposite Beth-Peor, and until now you adhere to that way like a swift she camel clinging to her ways. young she-camel Heb. ื‘ื›ืจื”, a young female camel, that loves to wander. "The young camels (ื‘ื›ืจื™) of Midian" (Isa. 60:6) is translated "and they are young camels," as we find in Sanhedrin 52a: There are many old camels laden with the skins of young camels (ื”ื•ื’ื ื™). clinging Adhering to the ways of her youth, an expression similar to: "it would have clung (ืžืกืจื™ืš ืกืจื™ืš)" (Chullin 51a). This may be associated with "a shoe thong (ืฉืจื•ืš ื ืขืœ)" (Gen. 14:23). She binds the ways of her youth in her heart.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื“ ยท Verse 24

Hebrew:

ืคึผึถึฃืจึถื”โ€‰ื€ ืœึดืžึผึปึฃื“ ืžึดื“ึฐื‘ึผึธึ—ืจ ื‘ึผึฐืึทื•ึผึทึคืช (ื ืคืฉื•) [ื ึทืคึฐืฉืึธื”ึผึ™] ืฉืึธืึฒืคึธึฃื” ืจึ”ื•ึผื—ึท ืชึผึทืึฒื ึธืชึธึ–ื”ึผ ืžึดึฃื™ ื™ึฐืฉืึดื™ื‘ึถึ‘ื ึผึธื” ื›ึผื‡ืœึพืžึฐื‘ึทืงึฐืฉืึถึ™ื™ื”ึธึ™ ืœึนึฃื ื™ึดื™ืขึธึ”ืคื•ึผ ื‘ึผึฐื—ื‡ื“ึฐืฉืึธึ–ื”ึผ ื™ึดืžึฐืฆึธืึฝื•ึผื ึฐื”ึธืƒ

English:

Or like a wild ass used to the desert, Snuffing the wind in her eagerness, Whose passion none can restrain, None that seek her need grow wearyโ€” In her season, theyโ€™ll find her!

The second animal image is a wild ass at home in the desert, snuffing the wind in her craving, whose passion none can turn back; her pursuers need not tire themselves, for in her month they will find her. Rashi and Metzudat David both read that month as Av, the month whose weeping was fixed for the generations at the time of the spies, when Israel will finally be taken; Radak offers the alternative that it is the month when her pregnancy makes her heavy and easy to catch.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืคืจื”. ืฉืœื•ื•ืื˜ื™ืง"ื• ื‘ืœืขื– ื•ื™ืฉ ืœื•ืขื–ื™ืŸ ืงื•ืœื™ื™"ืŸ ื‘ืœืขื–: ืœืžื•ื“ ืžื“ื‘ืจ. ื”ืœืžื•ื“ ืœื”ื™ื•ืช ื‘ืžื“ื‘ืจื•ืช ื›ืŸ ืื•ื”ื‘ืช ืœื ื•ืข: ืฉืืคื” ืจื•ื—. ืคื•ืชื—ืช ืืช ืคื™ื” ื•ืฉื•ืืคืช ืจื•ื— ื•ืœืขื•ืœื ื”ื•ื ื—ื•ื–ืจ ืœืžืงื•ืžื•: ืชืื ืชื” ืžื™ ื™ืฉื™ื‘ื ื”. ืื•ืชื” ืžื“ืช ืชื ื™ื ื™ื ืฉื™ืฉ ื‘ื” ื›ื™ ื’ื ื”ืชื ื™ืŸ ืฉื•ืืฃ ืจื•ื— ื›ืžื” ืฉื ืืžืจ ืฉืืคื” ืจื•ื— ื›ืชื ื™ื (ื™ืจืžื™ื” ื™ื“) ืžื™ ื™ืฉื™ื‘ื ื” ืžืื•ืชื” ืžื“ื” ื›ืŸ ืืชื ืžื™ ื™ื•ื›ืœ ืœื”ืฉื™ื‘ื›ื ืžื“ืจื›ื›ื ื”ืจืขื”: ื›ืœ ืžื‘ืงืฉื™ื” ืœื ื™ื™ืขืคื•. ื›ื™ ืขืœ ื—ื ื ื™ื™ืขืคื• ืฉืœื ื™ื•ื›ืœื• ืœื”ืฉื™ื’ื” ื•ืžื” ืกื•ืคื” ื‘ื—ื“ืฉื” ื™ืžืฆืื•ื ื” ื—ื“ืฉ ืื—ื“ ื™ืฉ ื‘ืฉื ื” ืฉื”ื™ื ื™ืฉื ื” ื›ืœ ื”ื—ื“ืฉ ื•ืื– ื”ื™ื ื ืœื›ื“ืช ืืฃ ืืชื ื—ื“ืฉ ืื—ื“ (ื”ื•ื ืื‘) ื”ื•ื›ืŸ ืœื›ื ื›ื‘ืจ ืžื™ืžื•ืช ื”ืžืจื’ืœื™ื ืฉืงื‘ืขื• ืื‘ื•ืชื™ื›ื ื‘ื›ื™ื™ืช ื—ื ื ื‘ื• ืชืœื›ื“ื• ืชืื ืชื”. ืฉื•"ืŸ ื“ื’ืจื•ื ืžื™ื "ื˜ ื‘ืœืขื– ื•ื›ืŸ ืช"ื™ ื›ื™ืจื•ื“ื, ื“"ื ืœ' ื™ืœืœื” ื›ืžื• ืชืื ื™ื” ื•ืื ื™ื” (ืื™ื›ื” ื‘) ืœ"ื ืฉืืงื•ื ื˜ืจื™ื"ื” ื‘ืœืขื– ื›ืžื• ืชืื ืช ืฉื™ืœื” (ื™ื”ื•ืฉืข ื˜ื–):
A wild donkey (salvatico in O.F.) wild, and some interpret it as poulain in O.F., a foal. accustomed to the desert Accustomed to be in the deserts, so she loves to wander. that snuffs up the wind She opens her mouth and snuffs up the wind, and he always returns to his place. her tendency like the sea creatures, who can hinder her? That trait of the sea creatures that she has, for also the sea creature snuffs up the wind, as it is said: "They snuff up the wind like sea creatures" (infra 14:6). Who can hinder her from that trait? So it is with you who can return you from your evil way? her tendency like a sea creature Son dagronemant in O.F., dragon nature. Jonathan rendered it in this manner, ื›ืขืจื•ื“ื”. Another explanation: It is an expression of wailing, comp. "moaning and wailing". all who seek her will not weary For they will weary needlessly, for they will be unable to overtake her. What will her end be? In her month, they will find her. There is one month in the year that she sleeps for the whole month, and then she is captured. You, too, - one month (viz. Ab) was already prepared for you from the days of the spies, when your forefathers established it as a time of vain weeping, therein, you will be captured. (ืชึผืื ื™ื” ื•ืื ื™ื”) (Lam. 2:5). Another explanation: (sa contree in French,) her country, comp. Taanath Shiloh (Josh. 16:6).

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื” ยท Verse 25

Hebrew:

ืžึดื ึฐืขึดึคื™ ืจึทื’ึฐืœึตืšึฐึ™ ืžึดื™ึผึธื—ึตึ”ืฃ (ื•ื’ื•ืจื ืš) [ื•ึผื’ึฐืจื•ึนื ึตึ–ืšึฐ] ืžึดืฆึผึดืžึฐืึธึ‘ื” ื•ึทืชึผึนืืžึฐืจึดึฃื™ ื ื•ึนืึธึ”ืฉื ืœึ•ื•ึนื ื›ึผึดึฝื™ึพืึธื”ึทึฅื‘ึฐืชึผึดื™ ื–ึธืจึดึ–ื™ื ื•ึฐืึทื—ึฒืจึตื™ื”ึถึฅื ืึตืœึตึฝืšึฐืƒ

English:

Save your foot from going bare, And your throat from thirst. But you say, โ€œIt is no use. No, I love the strangers, And after them I must go.โ€

The prophets plead: keep your foot from going barefoot and your throat from thirst - spare yourself the exile road - and the people answer no'ash, it is hopeless, I love the strangers and after them I will go. Rashi reads no'ash as a dismissal of the prophets themselves, a shrug of unconcern; Radak hears it as despair turned into policy - my heart has given up on walking after God, and I go instead after those I see prospering.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืžื ืขื™ ืจื’ืœืš ืžื™ื—ืฃ. ื–ื• ื”ื™ื ืžื“ืชืš ื›ืคืจื ื”ืื•ื”ื‘ืช ืœื ื•ืข ื ื‘ื™ืื™ ืื•ืžืจื™' ืœื™ืš ืžื ืขื™ ืขืฆืžืš ืžืขื›ื•"ื ืฉืœื ืชืœื›ื™ ื™ื—ืฃ ื‘ื’ื•ืœื” ื•ืžื ืขื™ ื’ืจื•ื ืš ืžืœืžื•ืช ื‘ืฆืžื ื•ืชืืžืจื™ ืขืœ ื“ื‘ืจื™ ื”ื ื‘ื™ืื™ื ื ื•ืืฉ ืื™ืŸ ืžื™ื—ื•ืฉ ื ื•ืืฉืชื™ ื‘ื“ื‘ืจื™ื›ื, ื ื•ืืฉ ื ื•ืงืœื™ื™"ืจ ื‘ืœืข"ื–:
Withhold your foot from going barefoot This your habit, like the wild donkey that loves to wander. My prophets say to you, "Withhold your foot from idolatry lest you go barefoot into exile and withhold your throat from dying of thirst." but you said concerning the words of the prophets. I despair It is of no concern. I despair of your words. ื ื•ืืฉ is (nonkalajjr in O.F.) nonchalair in modern French.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื• ยท Verse 26

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึฐื‘ึนึคืฉืึถืช ื’ึผึทื ึผึธื‘ึ™ ื›ึผึดึฃื™ ื™ึดืžึผึธืฆึตึ”ื ื›ึผึตึฅืŸ ื”ึนื‘ึดึ–ื™ืฉืื•ึผ ื‘ึผึตึฃื™ืช ื™ึดืฉื‚ึฐืจึธืึตึ‘ืœ ื”ึตึคืžึผึธื” ืžึทืœึฐื›ึตื™ื”ึถืึ™ ืฉื‚ึธืจึตื™ื”ึถึ”ื ื•ึฐื›ึนื”ึฒื ึตื™ื”ึถึ–ื ื•ึผื ึฐื‘ึดื™ืึตื™ื”ึถึฝืืƒ

English:

Like a thief chagrined when caught, So is the House of Israel chagrinedโ€” They, their kings, their officers, And their priests and prophets.

Like the shame of a thief when he is caught, so is the House of Israel shamed - they, their kings, their officers, their priests and their prophets. Rashi and Radak both stress the precise point of the analogy: a known thief feels no shame, but a man presumed trustworthy who is caught is humiliated - and Israel, held to be the people of God, was found serving idols like all the nations.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื›ื™ ื™ืžืฆื. ื‘ืชื—ืœื” ื›ืฉื”ื•ื ื ืžืฆื ื’ื ื‘ ื•ื”ื•ื ื”ื™ื” ืžื•ื—ื–ืง ื ืืžืŸ ื›ืš ืช"ื™:
when he is found out At the beginning, when he is found to be a thief, and he was presumed to be faithful. In this manner, Jonathan rendered it.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื– ยท Verse 27

Hebrew:

ืึนืžึฐืจึดึจื™ื ืœึธืขึตึœืฅ ืึธึฃื‘ึดื™ ืึทึ—ืชึผึธื” ื•ึฐืœึธืึถึ™ื‘ึถืŸึ™ ืึทึฃืชึผึฐ (ื™ืœื“ืชื ื™) [ื™ึฐืœึดื“ึฐืชึผึธึ”ื ื•ึผ] ื›ึผึดึฝื™ึพืคึธื ึฅื•ึผ ืึตืœึทึ›ื™ ืขึนึ–ืจึถืฃ ื•ึฐืœึนึฃื ืคึธื ึดึ‘ื™ื ื•ึผื‘ึฐืขึตึคืช ืจึธืขึธืชึธืึ™ ื™ึนึฝืืžึฐืจึ”ื•ึผ ืงึ–ื•ึผืžึธื” ื•ึฐื”ื•ึนืฉืึดื™ืขึตึฝื ื•ึผืƒ

English:

They said to wood, โ€œYou are my father,โ€ To stone, โ€œYou gave birth to me,โ€ While to Me they turned their backs And not their faces. But in their hour of calamity they cry, โ€œArise and save us!โ€

They say to wood you are my father and to stone you gave birth to me, turning their backs to God and not their faces - yet in the hour of trouble they cry arise and save us. Rashi cites Targum Yonatan that in the moment of calamity they deny their idols and confess before God, and Radak points to Tzidkiyahu's request that Yirmiyahu seek God on his behalf as the historical instance of exactly this reflex.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ื‘ืขืช ืจืขืชื ื™ืืžืจื•. ืืœื™ ืงื•ืžื” ื•ื”ื•ืฉื™ืขื ื• ื•ื›ืŸ ืช"ื™ ื•ื‘ืขื™ื“ืŸ ื“ื‘ื™ืฉืชื ืืชื™ื ืขืœื™ื”ื•ืŸ ื›ืคืจื™ืŸ ื‘ื˜ืขื•ืชื”ื•ืŸ ื•ืžื•ื“ืŸ ืงื“ืžื™ ื•ืืžืจื™ืŸ ืจื—ื ืขืœื ื ื•ืคืจื•ืงื ื:
and at the time of their misfortune they say i.e., they say to Me, "Arise and save us." Jonathan, too, translates in this manner: And at the time that misfortune befalls them, they deny their idols and confess before Me, and say. "Have mercy upon us and save us."

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื— ยท Verse 28

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐืึทื™ึผึตึคื” ืึฑืœึนื”ึถึ™ื™ืšึธึ™ ืึฒืฉืึถึฃืจ ืขึธืฉื‚ึดึฃื™ืชึธ ืœึผึธึ”ืšึฐ ื™ึธืงึ•ื•ึผืžื•ึผ ืึดืึพื™ื•ึนืฉืึดื™ืขึ–ื•ึผืšึธ ื‘ึผึฐืขึตึฃืช ืจึธืขึธืชึถึ‘ืšึธ ื›ึผึดึšื™ ืžึดืกึฐืคึผึทึฃืจ ืขึธืจึถึ”ื™ืšึธ ื”ึธื™ึฅื•ึผ ืึฑืœึนื”ึถึ–ื™ืšึธ ื™ึฐื”ื•ึผื“ึธึฝื”ืƒย {ืก} ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย 

English:

And where are those gods You made for yourself? Let them arise and save you, if they can, In your hour of calamity. For your gods have become, O Judah, As many as your towns!

God answers their cry with their own theology: where are the gods you made for yourself? Let them arise and save you - for your gods have become as many as your towns, O Judah. Rashi notes that every city had its own separate deity, and Radak reads the closing clause as the reply to any denial: if you claim you have no other gods, count your cities.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืžืกืคืจ ืขืจื™ืš ื”ื™ื• ืืœื”ื™ืš. ื‘ื›ืœ ืขื™ืจ ื•ืขื™ืจ ืืœื•ื” ืื—ืจ:
as many as your cities were your gods In every city was another god.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื˜ ยท Verse 29

Hebrew:

ืœึธึฅืžึผึธื” ืชึธืจึดึ–ื™ื‘ื•ึผ ืึตืœึธึ‘ื™ ื›ึผึปืœึผึฐื›ึถึ›ื ืคึผึฐืฉืึทืขึฐืชึผึถึฅื ื‘ึผึดึ–ื™ ื ึฐืึปืึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

Why do you call Me to account? You have all rebelled against Me โ€”declares GOD.

Why do you contend with Me? All of you have rebelled against Me. Metzudat David hears the people's complaint as a grievance that God is not rescuing them, and the answer as a challenge to name any merit; Rashi adds the sobering note that kulchem includes even the righteous, quoting the proverb that when the thorn burns, the cabbage suffers alongside it.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืœืžื” ืชืจื™ื‘ื•. ืื™ืš ืชื‘ื•ืื• ืœื”ืชื•ื•ื›ื— ื‘ืจื™ื‘ ื•ืœื•ืžืจ ืœื ื—ื˜ืื ื•: ื›ื•ืœื›ื ืคืฉืขืชื ื‘ื™. ืืฃ ื”ืฆื“ื™ืงื™ื ื‘ืžืฉืžืข ื”ื™ื™ื ื• ื“ืืžืจื™ ืื™ื ืฉื™ ื‘ื”ื“ื™ ื”ื•ืฆื ืœืงื™ื ื›ืจื‘ื:
Why do you contend How do you come to contend with the quarrel and say, "We do not sin"? All of you have rebelled against Me Even the righteous are meant. This is what people say, "With the thorn the cabbage suffers."

ืคืกื•ืง ืœืณ ยท Verse 30

Hebrew:

ืœึทืฉืึผึธื•ึฐืึ™ ื”ึดื›ึผึตึฃื™ืชึดื™ ืึถืชึพื‘ึผึฐื ึตื™ื›ึถึ”ื ืžื•ึผืกึธึ–ืจ ืœึนึฃื ืœึธืงึธึ‘ื—ื•ึผ ืึธื›ึฐืœึธึงื” ื—ึทืจึฐื‘ึผึฐื›ึถึ›ื ื ึฐื‘ึดื™ืึตื™ื›ึถึ–ื ื›ึผึฐืึทืจึฐื™ึตึฅื” ืžึทืฉืึฐื—ึดึฝื™ืชืƒ

English:

To no purpose did I smite your children; They would not accept correction. Your sword has devoured your prophets Like a ravening lion.

In vain I struck your children - they took no lesson; your sword devoured your prophets like a ravening lion. Rashi and Metzudat David identify the murdered prophets as Zechariah and Yeshayahu; Radak records his father's alternative reading, that neviechem means your own false prophets, whom you killed when they told you what you did not want to hear, and that killing them destroyed you body and soul.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืœืฉื•ื ื”ื›ื™ืชื™. ืขืœ ื—ื ื ื›ื™ ืœื ื”ื•ืขื™ืœ ืฉื™ืงื—ื• ืžื•ืกืจ: ืื›ืœื” ื—ืจื‘ื›ื. ืืช ื ื‘ื™ืื›ื, ื”ืจื’ืชื ืืช ื–ื›ืจื™ื” ื•ื™ืฉืขื™ื”:
In vain have I smitten For no purpose, for it did not avail that they should receive correction. Your sword devoured your prophets, Zechariah and Isaiah.

ืคืกื•ืง ืœืดื ยท Verse 31

Hebrew:

ื”ึทื“ึผึ—ื•ึนืจ ืึทืชึผึถืึ™ ืจึฐืึฃื•ึผ ื“ึฐื‘ึทืจึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ”ื” ื”ึฒืžึดื“ึฐื‘ึผึธึคืจ ื”ึธื™ึดึ™ื™ืชึดื™ึ™ ืœึฐื™ึดืฉื‚ึฐืจึธืึตึ”ืœ ืึดึ›ื ืึถึฅืจึถืฅ ืžึทืึฐืคึผึตึ–ืœึฐื™ึธึ‘ื” ืžึทื“ึผึœื•ึผืขึท ืึธืžึฐืจึคื•ึผ ืขึทืžึผึดื™ึ™ ืจึทึ”ื“ึฐื ื•ึผ ืœึฝื•ึนืึพื ึธื‘ึฅื•ึนื ืขึ–ื•ึนื“ ืึตืœึถึฝื™ืšึธืƒ

English:

O generation, behold the word of GOD! Have I been like a desert to Israel, Or like a land of deep gloom? Then why do My people say, โ€œWe have broken loose, We will not come to You anymore?โ€

O generation, see the word of God: have I been a wilderness to Israel, a land of thick darkness, that My people say we have broken free and will not come to You again? Rashi transmits the midrash that Yirmiyahu produced the jar of manna and told them to look at how the word of God provides; Radak notes that the prophet says re'u rather than shim'u for exactly this reason, and reads radnu as a claim of self-sufficient sovereignty.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืจืื• ื“ื‘ืจ ื”'. ื”ื•ืฆื™ื ืœื”ื ืฆื ืฆื ืช ื”ืžืŸ ืืžืจ ืœื”ื ืจืื• ื›ืืŸ ืžื” ื“ื‘ืจ ื”' ืžื•ืขื™ืœ ื”ืžื“ื‘ืจ ื”ื™ื™ืชื™ ืœื™ืฉืจืืœ. ืœ' ืชื™ืžื” ื”ื•ื ืœื›ืš ื ืงื•ื“ื” ืž"ื ืจืคื™ ื•ื”"ื ื‘ื—ื˜ืฃ ืคืชื— ื›ืœื•ื ื ื“ืžื” ืœืื‘ื•ืชื™ื›ื ืฉื”ื•ื ืžื“ื‘ืจ ื›ืฉื”ืœื›ื• ื‘ื• ืฉื”ื•ืจื“ืชื™ ืœื”ื ืœื—ื ื–ื” ื“ื‘ืจ ื™ื•ื ื‘ื™ื•ืžื•: ืžืืคืœื™ื”. ืœ' ื—ืฉืš: ืžื“ื•ืข ืืžืจื• ืขืžื™ ืจื“ื ื•. ื ื‘ื“ืœื ื• ืžืžืš ื›ืžื• ื”ืจื•ื“ื” ืคืช ืžืŸ ื”ืชื ื•ืจ ื›ืš ืžื“ืจืฉ ืจื‘ื™ ืชื ื—ื•ืžื ื•ืžื ื—ื ืคื™ืจืฉ ืจื“ื ื• ืœ' ื™ืจื™ื“ื” ื•ืขื•ื“ ืคื ื™ื ืื—ืจื™ื:
See the word of the Lord He took out to them the jar of manna. He said to them, "See here how helpful the word of the Lord is." was I a desert to Israel Heb. ื”ืžื“ื‘ืจ. This is the interrogative form. Therefore, the 'mem' is punctuated 'weak,' i.e., without a 'dagesh' and the 'heh' with a 'hataph- pattah.' Did it seem to your forefathers that it was a desert when they traversed it? For I brought down for them this bread, the necessity of each day in its day. thick darkness ืžืืคืœื™ื”, an expression of darkness. Why have My people said, "We have been separated..."? Heb. ืจื“ื ื•, we have been separated from You. Like one who separates (ืจื•ื“ึถื”) bread from the oven. So is the midrash of Rabbi Tanhuma (Bamidbar 2). Menahem, however, explains ืจื“ื ื•ึผ as an expression of descending (ื™ืจื™ื“ื”) and also in other manners (Machbereth Menahem, p. 162).

ืคืกื•ืง ืœืดื‘ ยท Verse 32

Hebrew:

ื”ึฒืชึดืฉืึฐื›ึผึทึคื— ื‘ึผึฐืชื•ึผืœึธื”ึ™ ืขึถื“ึฐื™ึธึ”ื”ึผ ื›ึผึทืœึผึธึ–ื” ืงึดืฉืึผึปืจึถึ‘ื™ื”ึธ ื•ึฐืขึทืžึผึดึฃื™ ืฉืึฐื›ึตื—ึ”ื•ึผื ึดื™ ื™ึธืžึดึ–ื™ื ืึตึฅื™ืŸ ืžึดืกึฐืคึผึธึฝืจืƒ

English:

Can a maiden forget her jewels, A bride her adornments? Yet My people have forgotten Meโ€” Days without number.

Can a maiden forget her jewelry, a bride her adornments? Yet My people have forgotten Me days without number. Metzudat David observes that a person never forgets what she most needs, and Radak returns to the wedding imagery of verse 2 - Israel was a kallah at Sinai, and the forgetting is a bride forgetting the very day of her betrothal.

ืคืกื•ืง ืœืดื’ ยท Verse 33

Hebrew:

ืžึทื”ึพืชึผึตื™ื˜ึดึฅื‘ึดื™ ื“ึทืจึฐื›ึผึตึ–ืšึฐ ืœึฐื‘ึทืงึผึตึฃืฉื ืึทื”ึฒื‘ึธึ‘ื” ืœึธื›ึตืŸึ™ ื’ึผึทึฃื ืึถืชึพื”ึธืจึธืขึ”ื•ึนืช (ืœืžื“ืชื™) [ืœึดืžึผึทึ–ื“ึฐืชึผึฐ] ืึถืชึพื“ึผึฐืจึธื›ึธึฝื™ึดืšึฐืƒ

English:

How skillfully you plan your way To seek out love! Why, you have even taught The worst of women your ways.

How skillfully you improve your way to seek love - you have even taught the wicked women your ways. Rashi reads teitivi as adorning oneself to meet one's lovers, comparing Izevel painting her face, and understands the second half as searching out the most corrupt path of all; Metzudat David and Radak both take it further - Israel became so expert in evil that the idolatrous nations learned from her.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืชื™ื˜ื™ื‘ื™. ืชืงืฉื˜ื™ ืขืฆืžืš ืœืงืจืืช ื ื•ืืคื™ืš ื›ืžื• (ืžืœื›ื™ื ื‘ ื˜) ื•ืชื™ื˜ื‘ ืจืืฉื” ื“ืื™ื–ื‘ืœ ื‘ืคืจ' ื™ื”ื•ื: ื’ื ืืช ื”ืจืขื•ืช ืœืžื“ืช. ื—ื–ืจืช ืขืœ ื›ืœ ืจื•ืข ื“ืจืš ืœืœืžื•ื“ ืืช ื”ืžืงื•ืœืงืœืช ืฉื‘ื›ื•ืœื: ื’ื. ืœ' ืืคื™ืœื• ืœื›ืŸ. ืœ' ืฉื‘ื•ืขืช ืืžืช ืืš ืืช ื”ื“ืจืš ื”ืจืขื” ืฉื‘ื›ืœ ื”ื“ืจื›ื™ื ืœืžื“ืช ืœืขืฆืžืš: ืœืžื“ืช. ื”ื ื”ื’ืช:
How you adorn Heb. ืชื™ื˜ื‘ื™. You adorn yourself to greet your adulterers. Comp. "And she adorned her head" (I Kings 9:30) concerning Jezebel in the section dealing with Jehu. even to the most evil you accustomed You searched throughout all the evil ways to learn the most corrupt of them all. ื’ื is an expression of 'even.' verily Heb. ืœื›ืŸ, an expression of a true oath. Verily, to the most evil way of all the ways you accustomed yourself. you accustomed Heb. ืœืžื“ืช, lit. you taught.

ืคืกื•ืง ืœืดื“ ยท Verse 34

Hebrew:

ื’ึผึทึคื ื‘ึผึดื›ึฐื ึธืคึทึ™ื™ึดืšึฐึ™ ื ึดืžึฐืฆึฐืึ”ื•ึผ ื“ึผึทึ›ื ื ึทืคึฐืฉืึฅื•ึนืช ืึถื‘ึฐื™ื•ึนื ึดึ–ื™ื ื ึฐืงึดื™ึผึดึ‘ื™ื ืœึนึฝืึพื‘ึทืžึผึทื—ึฐืชึผึถึฅืจึถืช ืžึฐืฆึธืืชึดึ–ื™ื ื›ึผึดึฅื™ ืขึทืœึพื›ึผื‡ืœึพืึตึฝืœึผึถื”ืƒ

English:

Moreover, on your garments is found The lifeblood of the innocent poorโ€” You did not catch them breaking in. Yet, despite all these things,

On your skirts is found the lifeblood of innocent paupers, and you did not find them breaking in. Rashi and Radak both invoke the law of the tunneling thief, for whom there is no bloodguilt: these were not intruders caught in the act but innocents, and Rashi suggests they were killed for rebuking you. Metzudat David stresses that the blood was not hidden but visible on the garment - the crime was committed openly and without shame.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื‘ืžื—ืชืจืช ืžืฆืืชื™ื. ืœื ืžืฆืืช ืื•ืชื ื‘ืžื—ืชืจืช ื›ืฉื”ืจื’ืช ืื•ืชื: ืžืฆืืชื™ื. ื›ื” ื™ืืžืจ ืœื ืงื‘ื” ืœ' ืคืขืœืช, ื•ื”ืจื‘ื” ื™ืฉ ื‘ืกืคืจ (ื™ื—ื–ืงืืœ ื˜"ื–, ื "ื—) ืืช ื ืฉืืชื™ื: ื›ื™ ืขืœ ื›ืœ ืืœื”. ืฉื”ื™ื• ืžื•ื›ื™ื—ื™ื ืื•ืชืš ื‘ื“ื‘ืจื™ื ื”ืืœื”:
you did not find them breaking in You did not find them breaking in when you slew them. you did not find them So does Scripture say for a feminine second person singular, and there are many such examples in the Book of Ezekiel (16:58), "You bore them (ื ืฉืืชื™ื)." but for all these i.e., because they were reproving you for all these things.

ืคืกื•ืง ืœืดื” ยท Verse 35

Hebrew:

ื•ึทืชึผึนึฝืืžึฐืจึดื™ึ™ ื›ึผึดึฃื™ ื ึดืงึผึตึ”ื™ืชึดื™ ืึทึ›ืšึฐ ืฉืึธึฅื‘ ืึทืคึผึ–ื•ึน ืžึดืžึผึถึ‘ื ึผึดื™ ื”ึดื ึฐื ึดื™ึ™ ื ึดืฉืึฐืคึผึธึฃื˜ ืื•ึนืชึธึ”ืšึฐ ืขึทืœึพืื‡ืžึฐืจึตึ–ืšึฐ ืœึนึฅื ื—ึธื˜ึธึฝืืชึดื™ืƒ

English:

You say, โ€œI have been acquitted; Surely, Godโ€™s anger has turned away from me.โ€ Lo, I will bring you to judgment For saying, โ€œI have not sinned.โ€

And you say I am innocent, His anger has surely turned from me - therefore I bring you to judgment for saying I have not sinned. Metzudat David explains that the denial itself draws a separate penalty beyond the sin, and Radak invokes the saying of the wise that denying a sin is two sins; Rashi notes the words are said belibech, in the heart, which is where self-acquittal usually happens.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ืชืืžืจื™. ื‘ืœื‘ืš: ื›ื™ ื ืงื™ืชื™. ืืฉืจ ื–ื›ืื” ืื ื™ ื ืคืฉื™: ื ืฉืคื˜ ืื•ืชืš. ื‘ื ืขืžืš ื‘ืžืฉืคื˜:
And you said i.e., you said in your heart. But I am innocent That I have purified my soul. I contend with you I will come with you in judgment.

ืคืกื•ืง ืœืดื• ยท Verse 36

Hebrew:

ืžึทื”ึพืชึผึตื–ึฐืœึดึฅื™ ืžึฐืึนึ–ื“ ืœึฐืฉืึทื ึผึฃื•ึนืช ืึถืชึพื“ึผึทืจึฐื›ึผึตึ‘ืšึฐ ื’ึผึทึคื ืžึดืžึผึดืฆึฐืจึทึ™ื™ึดืึ™ ืชึผึตื‘ึนึ”ืฉืึดื™ ื›ึผึทืึฒืฉืึถืจึพื‘ึผึนึ–ืฉืึฐืชึผึฐ ืžึตืึทืฉืึผึฝื•ึผืจืƒ

English:

How you cheapen yourself, By changing your course! You shall be put to shame through Egypt, Just as you were put to shame through Assyria.

How lightly you go about changing your course - you will be shamed by Egypt as you were shamed by Ashur. Rashi and Metzudat David both point to Achaz, who leaned on the king of Ashur and got oppression rather than support, and Radak extends the pattern to Yehoachaz's tribute to Pharaoh Necho, help that never came when Bavel advanced.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืชื–ืœื™. ืœืฉื•ืŸ ื–ืœื–ื•ืœ: ืœืฉื ื•ืช ืืช ื“ืจื›ืš. ืœืขื–ื•ื‘ ืื•ืชื™ ื•ืœืกืžื•ืš ืขืœ ืžืฆืจื™ื ืœืขื–ืจื” ื‘ื™ืžื™ ื™ื”ื•ื™ืงื™ื ื•ืฆื“ืงื™ื”ื• (ืœืงืžืŸ ืœ"ื•): ืœืฉื ื•ืช. ืœ' ืฉื™ื ื•ื™: ื›ืืฉืจ ื‘ื•ืฉืช ืžืืฉื•ืจ. ืฉืกืžืš ืื—ื– ืขืœื™ื• ื•ื™ืฆืจ ืœื• ื•ืœื ื—ื–ืงื• ื›ืžื” ืฉื ืืžืจ (ื‘ื“"ื” ื›ื—):
degrade yourself Heb. ืชื–ืœื™, an expression of degradation. to change your way To leave Me and to rely on Egypt for aid in the days of Jehoiakim and Zedekiah (infra 37). to change Heb. ืœืฉื ื•ืช, an expression of change. as you were ashamed through Assyria Upon whom Ahaz relied and "he oppressed him and did not strengthen him" (II Chron. 28:20).

ืคืกื•ืง ืœืดื– ยท Verse 37

Hebrew:

ื’ึผึทึฃื ืžึตืึตึฅืช ื–ึถื”ึ™ ืชึผึตึฝืฆึฐืึดึ”ื™ ื•ึฐื™ึธื“ึทึ–ื™ึดืšึฐ ืขึทืœึพืจึนืืฉืึตึ‘ืšึฐ ื›ึผึดึฝื™ึพืžึธืึทึคืก ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธื”ึ™ ื‘ึผึฐืžึดื‘ึฐื˜ึทื—ึทึ”ื™ึดืšึฐ ื•ึฐืœึนึฅื ืชึทืฆึฐืœึดึ–ื™ื—ึดื™ ืœึธื”ึถึฝืืƒ

English:

From this way, too, you will come out With your hands on your head; For GOD has rejected those you trust, You will not prosper with them.

From this one too you will come out with your hands on your head, for God has rejected those you trust, and you will not prosper through them. Radak explains the gesture from Tamar in II Shmuel, who put her hand on her head and went crying out - the posture of a woman mourning her own ruin; Metzudat David reads the closing line as a rejection of the alliance itself, so that Judah will not even find favor in Egypt's eyes.

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