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Jeremiah 22

ื™ืจืžื™ื”ื• ืคืจืง ื›ืดื‘

Section: ื ื‘ื™ืื™ื ยท ื ื‘ื™ืื™ื ืื—ืจื•ื ื™ื | Book: Jeremiah | Chapter: 22 of 52 | Day: 235 of 742

Date: October 4, 2026

ืงืœืื•ื“ ืขืœ ื”ื ืดืš

Chapter 22 continues directly from the closing charge of chapter 21, where the house of David was told to render judgment in the morning, but it widens that brief warning into a sustained prophetic review of the last kings of Yehudah. Yirmiyahu is commanded to go down to the house of the king of Judah (ืจื“ ื‘ื™ืช ืžืœืš ื™ื”ื•ื“ื”), and Radak draws a precise topographical inference from the verb: the prophecy came to him on the Temple Mount, and the royal palace lay below it, so he had to descend to deliver it. Radak adds that although the call to justice had already been spoken to the house of David, God sent the prophet to repeat it in the palace itself, this time with an explicit promise of good if they would listen. The chapter is therefore built as a kind of dynastic audit. It opens with a general conditional address to the throne (verses 1-9), and then moves king by king through the sons and grandson of Yoshiyahu: the one who goes into exile and will not return (verses 10-12), Yehoyakim the builder of unjust palaces (verses 13-19), the city herself personified as a woman crying from the heights (verses 20-23), and finally Konyahu, the young king Yehoyachin, who is torn off like a signet ring and inscribed as childless (verses 24-30).

The opening oracle is shaped with the same stark conditionality that runs through Sefer Devarim. Do justice and righteousness (ืขืฉื• ืžืฉืคื˜ ื•ืฆื“ืงื”), rescue the robbed from the oppressor, do not wrong the stranger, the orphan and the widow, and shed no innocent blood in this place. Rashi and Metzudat David both read al tonu (ืืœ ืชื•ื ื•) as referring to onaโ€™at devarim, wounding with words, while Metzudat David distinguishes it from al tachmosu, the monetary oppression that follows: the king is responsible for his subjectsโ€™ dignity as well as their property. If the kings keep this command, then kings of Davidโ€™s line will continue to ride through these gates in chariots and on horses; if not, God swears by Himself (ื‘ื™ ื ืฉื‘ืขืชื™) that this palace will become a ruin. The next image is one of tender esteem turned into threat: you are Gilead to Me, the summit of the Lebanon (ื’ืœืขื“ ืืชื” ืœื™ ืจืืฉ ื”ืœื‘ื ื•ืŸ). Radak and Metzudat David explain that just as the whole of Transjordan was called by the name of Gilead because it was the chief city, so Zion and Jerusalem, the seat of the king, were the head of all the land; Rashi, following the midrash, hears in Gilead a hint to the Temple, the source of balm and healing for the world. Yet even so, God will make it a wilderness. The destroyers will be consecrated (ื•ืงื“ืฉืชื™) against it, each with his weapons, and they will cut down its choicest cedars, which Radak identifies with the cedar paneling of the royal houses, soon to be burned when Nevuzaradan set fire to the house of the LORD and the house of the king. The nations passing by will ask why, and the answer echoes the curse passages of Devarim 29 almost word for word: because they forsook the covenant of the LORD their God.

Verses 10-12 introduce the most haunting paradox of the chapter: do not weep for the dead, weep rather for the one who goes away, for he will never return to see the land of his birth. The commentators disagree sharply about the identities. Rashi, following Chazal, identifies the dead man as Yehoyakim and the one who goes as Yehoyachin and Tzidkiyahu, and draws the startling conclusion that Yehoyakimโ€™s ignominious death was preferable to Yehoyachinโ€™s long life of captivity, even with the royal allowance granted him in Babylon at the end of the book. Shallum son of Yoshiyahu in verse 11 is also contested: Rashi and Metzudat David follow Chazal in identifying him with Tzidkiyahu, the fourth son named in Divrei HaYamim, while Radak prefers Yehoyachin and cites Ibn Ezraโ€™s view that he is Yehoachaz, who was carried off to Egypt by Pharaoh Necho and died there. Historically, Yehoachaz is the most natural reading, since he was the son who succeeded Yoshiyahu directly and was deported within three months. Whatever the identification, the theological point is unchanged: exile is worse than death, because death in oneโ€™s own land with burial among oneโ€™s fathers is a completed life, while exile is an open wound. Radak also preserves the rabbinic halachic application of the verse, which regulates the periods of mourning: do not weep for the dead excessively, but three days for weeping and seven for eulogy.

The center of the chapter is the great woe oracle against Yehoyakim (ื”ื•ื™ ื‘ื•ื ื” ื‘ื™ืชื• ื‘ืœื ืฆื“ืง), one of the most pointed pieces of social criticism in all of Neviโ€™im. The king builds his house without righteousness and his upper chambers without justice, making his neighbor work for nothing and withholding his wages. The description of the palace is almost architectural: a house of great dimensions, airy upper rooms, windows cut out, paneled in cedar and painted with vermilion (ืฉืฉืจ). Radak and Metzudat David explain that the rooms were built spacious so that the wind could cool them in summer, a luxury purchased with stolen labor. Then comes the devastating comparison with his father: is this what makes you a king, that you compete in cedar? Your father ate and drank, and did justice and righteousness, and it was well with him. Radakโ€™s reading is careful here. The prophet does not condemn pleasure as such; Yoshiyahu also ate and drank as kings do, but his enjoyment rested on justice. Metzudat David suggests that Yehoyakim may even have afflicted himself with fasting while doing evil, imagining that asceticism would atone for oppression, and the prophet rejects that exchange entirely. Verse 16 then gives one of the most profound definitions of religious knowledge in Tanakh: he judged the cause of the poor and needy, then it was well; is not this to know Me? (ื”ืœื ื”ื™ื ื”ื“ืขืช ืื•ืชื™). Metzudat David explains that to show mercy to the poor is to cleave to Godโ€™s own ways, and Radak refers the reader back to 9:22-23, let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, where knowing God is defined as knowing that He does kindness, justice and righteousness in the earth. Yehoyakimโ€™s end matches his life: no one will mourn him with the cry of ah my brother or ah lord, and he will be buried with the burial of a donkey, dragged and cast beyond the gates of Jerusalem.

The final movement turns to Yerushalayim and then to Yehoyachin. The city is told to climb the Lebanon and cry out, to raise her voice in Bashan, because all her lovers are broken; Radak and Metzudat David identify these lovers as Assyria and Egypt, the allies in whom Judah trusted instead of God, both of whom were crushed by Nevuchadnetzar. The one who dwells in the Lebanon, nesting among the cedars, will find no grace when birth pangs seize her. Then comes the oath against Konyahu, the shortened and diminished form of Yechonyahu, which Radak notes is itself a mark of contempt: even if he were a signet ring on My right hand, from there I would tear you off. Radak and Rashi both preserve the famous aggadic reading built on the unusual form atkenkha (ืืชืงื ืš): in the very place where he was torn away, there he was repaired, for Yehoyachin repented in the Babylonian prison. The chapter ends with a triple cry, land, land, land, hear the word of the LORD (ืืจืฅ ืืจืฅ ืืจืฅ), and the decree that Konyahu be inscribed as childless (ืขืจื™ืจื™), a man none of whose seed will sit on the throne of David. Yet the tradition refused to let this be the final word. Radak and Metzudat David both note that Zerubavel, his grandson, later ruled in Yehudah, and Radak cites the rabbinic teaching that great is repentance, for it tears up a personโ€™s decree: because Yehoyachin repented, the curse was reversed, and Chaggai would later declare of Zerubavel, I will make you as a signet (Chaggai 2:23). The signet torn off in Yirmiyahu 22 is restored in the return from exile, and the line of David, which this chapter seems to close, remains open for the promise that chapter 23 will announce.

ืคืจืง ื›ืดื‘ ยท Chapter 22

ืคืกื•ืง ืืณ ยท Verse 1

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึนึšื” ืึธืžึทึฃืจ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ”ื” ืจึตึ–ื“ ื‘ึผึตึฝื™ืชึพืžึถึฃืœึถืšึฐ ื™ึฐื”ื•ึผื“ึธึ‘ื” ื•ึฐื“ึดื‘ึผึทืจึฐืชึผึธึฃ ืฉืึธึ”ื ืึถืชึพื”ึทื“ึผึธื‘ึธึ–ืจ ื”ึทื–ึผึถึฝื”ืƒ

English:

Thus said GOD: Go down to the palace of the king of Judah, where you shall utter this word.

Yirmiyahu is sent down to the royal palace to deliver a message directly to the king. Radak infers from the verb 'go down' that the prophecy came to him on the Temple Mount, above the palace. He adds that although the call for justice had already been given to the house of David in the previous chapter, the prophet was sent to repeat it in the king's own house, now with a promise of good if they would listen.

ืคืกื•ืง ื‘ืณ ยท Verse 2

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐืึธึฝืžึทืจึฐืชึผึธึ™ ืฉืึฐืžึทึฃืข ื“ึผึฐื‘ึทืจึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ”ื” ืžึถึฃืœึถืšึฐ ื™ึฐื”ื•ึผื“ึธึ”ื” ื”ึทื™ึผึนืฉืึตึ–ื‘ ืขึทืœึพื›ึผึดืกึผึตึฃื ื“ึธื•ึดึ‘ื“ ืึทืชึผึธึคื” ื•ึทืขึฒื‘ึธื“ึถึ™ื™ืšึธึ™ ื•ึฐืขึทืžึผึฐืšึธึ” ื”ึทื‘ึผึธืึดึ–ื™ื ื‘ึผึทืฉืึผึฐืขึธืจึดึฅื™ื ื”ึธืึตึฝืœึผึถื”ืƒ

English:

Say: โ€œHear the word of GOD: O king of Judah, you who sit on the throne of David, and your courtiers and your subjects who enter these gates!

The address is directed at the whole royal establishment: the king who sits on David's throne, his servants, and the people who enter the palace gates. Metzudat David stresses that the king and his servants alike must listen, and identifies 'these gates' as the gates of the royal house. Radak weighs whether the gates are those of the Temple courtyard, but notes that the chariots of verse 4 point to the palace, since no one rides into the Temple court.

ืคืกื•ืง ื’ืณ ยท Verse 3

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึนึฃื”โ€‰ื€ ืึธืžึทึฃืจ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ—ื” ืขึฒืฉื‚ึคื•ึผ ืžึดืฉืึฐืคึผึธื˜ึ™ ื•ึผืฆึฐื“ึธืงึธึ”ื” ื•ึฐื”ึทืฆึผึดึฅื™ืœื•ึผ ื’ึธื–ึ–ื•ึผืœ ืžึดื™ึผึทึฃื“ ืขึธืฉืึ‘ื•ึนืง ื•ึฐื’ึตืจึฉ ื™ึธืชึจื•ึนื ื•ึฐืึทืœึฐืžึธื ึธึคื” ืึทืœึพืชึผึนื ื•ึผึ™ ืึทืœึพืชึผึทื—ึฐืžึนึ”ืกื•ึผ ื•ึฐื“ึธึฃื ื ึธืงึดึ”ื™ ืึทึฝืœึพืชึผึดืฉืึฐืคึผึฐื›ึ–ื•ึผ ื‘ึผึทืžึผึธืงึฅื•ึนื ื”ึทื–ึผึถึฝื”ืƒ

English:

Thus said GOD: Do what is just and right; rescue from the defrauder anyone who is robbed; do not wrong the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow; commit no lawless act, and do not shed the blood of the innocent in this place.

The core demand of kingship is stated in the language of Torah law: do justice and righteousness, rescue the robbed, do not wrong the stranger, orphan and widow, and do not shed innocent blood. Rashi and Metzudat David read 'do no wrong' (ืืœ ืชื•ื ื•) as ona'at devarim, hurtful words, while Metzudat David explains 'do no violence' as monetary oppression. The king is responsible for both the dignity and the property of the vulnerable.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืืœ ืชื•ื ื•. ื–ื• ืื•ื ืืช ื“ื‘ืจื™ื:
do no wrong This means taunting with words.

ืคืกื•ืง ื“ืณ ยท Verse 4

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึดึคื™ ืึดืึพืขึธืฉื‚ื•ึนึ™ ืชึผึทืขึฒืฉื‚ึ”ื•ึผ ืึถืชึพื”ึทื“ึผึธื‘ึธึ–ืจ ื”ึทื–ึผึถึ‘ื” ื•ึผื‘ึธึฃืื•ึผ ื‘ึฐืฉืึทืขึฒืจึตึฃื™ ื”ึทื‘ึผึทึฃื™ึดืช ื”ึทื–ึผึถึกื” ืžึฐืœึธื›ึดื™ืึฉ ื™ึนืฉืึฐื‘ึดึจื™ื ืœึฐื“ึธื•ึดึœื“ ืขึทืœึพื›ึผึดืกึฐืึ—ื•ึน ืจึนึฝื›ึฐื‘ึดื™ืึ™ ื‘ึผึธืจึถึฃื›ึถื‘ ื•ึผื‘ึทืกึผื•ึผืกึดึ”ื™ื ื”ึฅื•ึผื ื•ึทืขึฒื‘ึธื“ึธึ–ื• ื•ึฐืขึทืžึผึฝื•ึนืƒ

English:

For if you fulfill this command, then through the gates of this palace shall enter kings of Davidโ€™s line who sit upon his throne, riding horse-drawn chariots, with their courtiers and their subjects.

The promise side of the conditional: if the kings truly carry out this command, the Davidic dynasty will continue, with kings of David's line riding through these gates in chariots and on horses, accompanied by their servants and people. Metzudat David explains the chariot as the vehicle fit for a king. Radak comments on the grammar of the emphatic 'if you surely do,' underlining that the promise depends entirely on performance.

ืคืกื•ืง ื”ืณ ยท Verse 5

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐืึดืึ™ ืœึนึฃื ืชึดืฉืึฐืžึฐืขึ”ื•ึผ ืึถืชึพื”ึทื“ึผึฐื‘ึธืจึดึ–ื™ื ื”ึธืึตึ‘ืœึผึถื” ื‘ึผึดึคื™ ื ึดืฉืึฐื‘ึผึทึ™ืขึฐืชึผึดื™ึ™ ื ึฐืึปืึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ”ื” ื›ึผึดึฝื™ึพืœึฐื—ื‡ืจึฐื‘ึผึธึฅื” ื™ึดึฝื”ึฐื™ึถึ–ื” ื”ึทื‘ึผึทึฅื™ึดืช ื”ึทื–ึผึถึฝื”ืƒย {ืค}

English:

But if you do not heed these commands, I swear by Myselfโ€”declares GODโ€”that this palace shall become a ruin.โ€

The warning side: if they do not listen, God swears by Himself that this palace will become a ruin. The divine oath makes the threat irrevocable. Metzudat David adds that the palace will be so desolate that no one will pass through its gates, a direct reversal of the procession of kings pictured in the previous verse, while Radak simply notes that the verse is self-explanatory.

ืคืกื•ืง ื•ืณ ยท Verse 6

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึดื™ึพื›ึนึฃื”โ€‰ื€ ืึธืžึทึฃืจ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ—ื” ืขึทืœึพื‘ึผึตื™ืชึ™ ืžึถึฃืœึถืšึฐ ื™ึฐื”ื•ึผื“ึธึ”ื” ื’ึผึดืœึฐืขึธึฅื“ ืึทืชึผึธึ›ื” ืœึดึ–ื™ ืจึนึฃืืฉื ื”ึทืœึผึฐื‘ึธื ึ‘ื•ึนืŸ ืึดืึพืœึนึคื ืึฒืฉืึดึฝื™ืชึฐืšึธึ™ ืžึดื“ึฐื‘ึผึธึ”ืจ ืขึธืจึดึ–ื™ื ืœึนึฅื (ื ื•ืฉื‘ื”) [ื ื•ึนืฉืึธึฝื‘ื•ึผ] ืƒ

English:

For thus said GOD concerning the royal palace of Judah: You are as Gilead to Me, As the summit of Lebanon; But I will make you a desert, Uninhabited towns.

God addresses the royal house with a surprising image of esteem: you are Gilead to Me, the summit of the Lebanon. Radak and Metzudat David explain that just as all of Transjordan was called by the name of Gilead, its chief city, so Zion and Jerusalem were the head of the whole land. Rashi reads Gilead as a hint to the Temple, source of balm for the world. Even so, God swears to turn it into a wilderness.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื’ืœืขื“ ืืชื” ืœื™ ื•ื’ื•'. ืื™ืœื• ืืช ื—ื‘ื™ื‘ ืงื“ืžื™ ื›ื‘ื™ืช ืžืงื“ืฉื ื“ืจื ื‘ืจื™ืฉ ื˜ื•ืจื™ื ืื ืœื ืืฉื•ื™ื ืš ืžื“ื‘ืจื: ื’ืœืขื“ ืืชื”. ื”ืžืงื“ืฉ ืฉืžืžื ื• ืฆืจื™ ื•ืจืคื•ืื” ืœื›ืœ ื”ืขื•ืœื:
You are [as] Gilead to Me, etc. Even if you are as dear to Me as the Temple, which is high on the mountain peaks, I swear that I will make you a desert. You are [as] Gilead The Temple from which balm and healing emanate to the whole world.

ืคืกื•ืง ื–ืณ ยท Verse 7

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐืงึดื“ึผึทืฉืึฐืชึผึดึฅื™ ืขึธืœึถึ›ื™ืšึธ ืžึทืฉืึฐื—ึดืชึดึ–ื™ื ืึดึฃื™ืฉื ื•ึฐื›ึตืœึธึ‘ื™ื• ื•ึฐื›ึธึฝืจึฐืชื•ึผึ™ ืžึดื‘ึฐื—ึทึฃืจ ืึฒืจึธื–ึถึ”ื™ืšึธ ื•ึฐื”ึดืคึผึดึ–ื™ืœื•ึผ ืขึทืœึพื”ึธืึตึฝืฉืืƒ

English:

I will appoint destroyers against you, Each with his tools; They shall cut down your choicest cedars And make them fall into the fire.

God will 'consecrate' destroyers against the palace, each with his weapons, and they will cut down its choicest cedars and cast them into the fire. Rashi notes that the cedar imagery follows naturally from comparing the house to the Lebanon. Radak identifies the cedars with the cedar-paneled roofs of the royal buildings and connects the verse to Nevuzaradan burning the house of the LORD and the house of the king.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ืงื“ืฉืชื™. ื•ื–ืžื ืชื™: ื•ื›ืจืชื• ืžื‘ื—ืจ ืืจื–ื™ืš. ืœืคื™ ืฉื“ืžื•ื”ื• ืœืœื‘ื ื•ืŸ ื ื•ืคืœ ื›ืืŸ ื”ืœ' ื”ื–ื”:
And I will prepare and I will prepare. and they will cut your choice cedars Since he compares him to the Lebanon, this expression is appropriate.

ืคืกื•ืง ื—ืณ ยท Verse 8

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐืขึธึฝื‘ึฐืจื•ึผึ™ ื’ึผื•ึนื™ึดึฃื ืจึทื‘ึผึดึ”ื™ื ืขึทึ–ืœ ื”ึธืขึดึฃื™ืจ ื”ึทื–ึผึนึ‘ืืช ื•ึฐืึธึฝืžึฐืจื•ึผึ™ ืึดึฃื™ืฉื ืึถืœึพืจึตืขึตึ”ื”ื•ึผ ืขึทืœึพืžึถึจื” ืขึธืฉื‚ึธึคื” ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธื”ึ™ ื›ึผึธึ”ื›ึธื” ืœึธืขึดึฅื™ืจ ื”ึทื’ึผึฐื“ื•ึนืœึธึ–ื” ื”ึทื–ึผึนึฝืืชืƒ

English:

And when many nations pass by this city and people ask one another, โ€œWhy did GOD do thus to that great city?โ€

Many nations will pass by the ruined city and ask one another why the LORD did such a thing to this great city. The scene of foreign onlookers asking 'why' deliberately echoes the curses of Devarim 29, where the nations ask the same question about the devastated land. Metzudat David glosses the phrasing of the question, while Radak notes that the verse is plain in meaning.

ืคืกื•ืง ื˜ืณ ยท Verse 9

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐืึธึฃืžึฐืจึ”ื•ึผ ืขึทึšืœ ืึฒืฉืึถึฃืจ ืขึธื–ึฐื‘ึ”ื•ึผ ืึถืชึพื‘ึผึฐืจึดึฅื™ืช ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ–ื” ืึฑืœึนื”ึตื™ื”ึถึ‘ื ื•ึทื™ึผึดึฝืฉืึฐืชึผึทื—ึฒื•ึ›ื•ึผ ืœึตืืœึนื”ึดึฅื™ื ืึฒื—ึตืจึดึ–ื™ื ื•ึทื™ึผึทืขึทื‘ึฐื“ึฝื•ึผืืƒย {ืก} ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย 

English:

the reply will be, โ€œBecause they forsook the covenant with the ETERNAL their God and bowed down to other gods and served them.โ€

The answer given by the onlookers: because they forsook the covenant of the LORD their God and bowed down to other gods. Metzudat David explains that it is their own companions who will answer them. The destruction is thus understood even by outsiders not as a political accident but as the fulfillment of the covenant's terms, precisely as the Torah had foretold.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืณ ยท Verse 10

Hebrew:

ืึทืœึพืชึผึดื‘ึฐื›ึผึฃื•ึผ ืœึฐืžึตึ”ืช ื•ึฐืึทืœึพืชึผึธื ึปึ–ื“ื•ึผ ืœึ‘ื•ึน ื‘ึผึฐื›ึคื•ึผ ื‘ึธื›ื•ึนึ™ ืœึทื”ึนืœึตึ”ืšึฐ ื›ึผึดึฃื™ ืœึนึคื ื™ึธืฉืื•ึผื‘ึ™ ืขึ”ื•ึนื“ ื•ึฐืจึธืึธึ–ื” ืึถืชึพืึถึฅืจึถืฅ ืžื•ึนืœึทื“ึฐืชึผึฝื•ึนืƒ

English:

Do not weep for the dead And do not lament for him; Weep rather for him who is leaving, For he shall never come back To see the land of his birth!

A haunting paradox: do not weep for the dead, but weep bitterly for the one who goes away, for he will never return to see his native land. Rashi and Radak identify the dead as Yehoyakim and the exile as Yehoyachin, concluding that Yehoyakim's death was preferable to a long life of captivity. Metzudat David explains that one who dies and is buried with his fathers needs no tears. Radak also cites the rabbinic mourning periods derived from this verse.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืืœ ืชื‘ื›ื• ืœืžืช. ืœื™ื”ื•ื™ืงื™ื ืฉื™ืžื•ืช ืœืคื ื™ ื”ืฉืขืจ ื›ืฉื™ืกื—ื‘ื•ื”ื• ืœื”ื’ืœื•ืชื•: ื‘ื›ื• ืœื”ื•ืœืš. ืœื™ื”ื•ื™ื›ื™ืŸ ื•ืœืฆื“ืงื™ื”ื• ืืžื•ืจ ืžืขืชื” ื—ื‘ื™ื‘ื” ืžื™ืชืชื• ืฉืœ ื™ื”ื•ื™ืงื™ื ืฉื ืืžืจ ื‘ื• ื•ื ื‘ืœืชื• ืชื”ื™ื” ืžื•ืฉืœื›ืช ืœื—ื•ืจื‘ ื‘ื™ื•ื ื•ืœืงืจื— ื‘ืœื™ืœื” (ืœืงืžืŸ ืœื•) ืžื—ื™ื™ื• ืฉืœ ื™ื”ื•ื™ื›ื™ืŸ ืฉื ืืžืจ ื‘ื• ื•ืืจื•ื—ืชื• ืืจื•ื—ืช ืชืžื™ื“ ื•ื’ื•' (ืœืงืžืŸ ื ื‘):
Weep not for the dead Namely, for Jehoiakim, who will die before the gate, when they drag him into exile. weep for him who goes For Jehoiachin and for Zedekiah. Deduce from here that Jehoiakim's death, concerning which it is stated (infra 36:30): "And his carcass shall be cast to the heat by day and to the cold at night," is preferable to the life of Jehoiachin, about whom it is stated (52:34): "And his meals, regular meals, etc."

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื ยท Verse 11

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึดึฃื™ ื›ึนึฃื” ืึธึฝืžึทืจึพื™ึฐึ ื”ึนื•ึธึ ื” ืึถืœึพืฉืึทืœึผึปึจื ื‘ึผึถืŸึพื™ึนืืฉืึดื™ึผึธึœื”ื•ึผ ืžึถึฃืœึถืšึฐ ื™ึฐื”ื•ึผื“ึธึ—ื” ื”ึทืžึผึนืœึตืšึฐึ™ ืชึผึทึšื—ึทืช ื™ึนืืฉืึดื™ึผึธึฃื”ื•ึผ ืึธื‘ึดึ”ื™ื• ืึฒืฉืึถึฅืจ ื™ึธืฆึธึ–ื ืžึดืŸึพื”ึทืžึผึธืงึฃื•ึนื ื”ึทื–ึผึถึ‘ื” ืœึนืึพื™ึธืฉืึฅื•ึผื‘ ืฉืึธึ–ื ืขึฝื•ึนื“ืƒ

English:

For thus said GOD concerning Shallum son of King Josiah of Judah, who succeeded his father Josiah as king, but who has gone forth from this place: He shall never come back.

The exile is named as Shallum son of Yoshiyahu, who reigned in his father's place and has gone out never to return. Rashi and Metzudat David follow Chazal in identifying Shallum as Tzidkiyahu, the fourth son listed in Divrei HaYamim; Rashi adds that the prophecy speaks as if the exile had already happened. Radak identifies him instead as Yehoyachin, and cites Ibn Ezra's view that he is Yehoachaz, who died in Egypt.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืืœ ืฉืœื•ื. ื”ื•ื ืฆื“ืงื™ื”ื• ื•ื›ืš ื ืงืจื (ื‘ื“ื”"ื ื’) ื•ื”ืจื‘ื™ืขื™ ืฉืœื•ื ื•ืงืจืื• ืจื‘ื™ืขื™ ืœืžืœื›ื•ืช ื‘ื‘ื ื™ ื™ืืฉื™ื”ื• ืฉื‘ืชื—ืœื” ืžืœืš ื™ื”ื•ืื—ื– ื•ืื—"ื› ื™ื”ื•ื™ืงื™ื ื•ืื—ืจื™ื• ื™ื”ื•ื™ื›ื™ืŸ ื•ืื—ืจื™ื• ืฆื“ืงื™ื”ื•: ืืฉืจ ื™ืฆื. ื•ืืข"ืค ืฉืœื ื™ืฆื ืขื“ื™ื™ืŸ ืžืชื ื‘ื ืขืœื™ื• ื›ืืœื• ื™ืฆื:
concerning Shallum That is Zedekiah, and that is what he was called in I Chron. (3:14): "the fourth Shallum." And he called him the Fourth, meaning the fourth to assume the kingship of Josiah's sons, for first Jehoaha, reigned, then Jehoiakim, and after him Jehoiachin, and after him Zedekiah. who left Even though he hadn't left yet, he prophesied as if he had already left.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื‘ ยท Verse 12

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึดึ—ื™ ื‘ึผึดืžึฐืงึ›ื•ึนื ืึฒืฉืึถืจึพื”ึดื’ึฐืœึฅื•ึผ ืึนืชึ–ื•ึน ืฉืึธึฃื ื™ึธืžึ‘ื•ึผืช ื•ึฐืึถืชึพื”ึธืึธึฅืจึถืฅ ื”ึทื–ึผึนึ–ืืช ืœึนืึพื™ึดืจึฐืึถึฅื” ืขึฝื•ึนื“ืƒย {ืก} ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย 

English:

He shall die in the place to which he was exiled, and he shall not see this land again.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื’ ยท Verse 13

Hebrew:

ื”ึฃื•ึนื™ ื‘ึผึนื ึถึคื” ื‘ึตื™ืชื•ึนึ™ ื‘ึผึฐึฝืœึนืึพืฆึถึ”ื“ึถืง ื•ึทืขึฒืœึดื™ึผื•ึนืชึธึ–ื™ื• ื‘ึผึฐืœึนึฃื ืžึดืฉืึฐืคึผึธึ‘ื˜ ื‘ึผึฐืจึตืขึตึ™ื”ื•ึผึ™ ื™ึทืขึฒื‘ึนึฃื“ ื—ึดื ึผึธึ”ื ื•ึผืคึนืขึฒืœึ–ื•ึน ืœึนึฅื ื™ึดืชึผึถืŸึพืœึฝื•ึนืƒ

English:

Ha! He who builds his house with unfairness And his upper chambers with injustice, Who makes his neighbors work without pay And does not give them their wages,

The woe oracle against Yehoyakim begins: woe to him who builds his house without righteousness and his upper rooms without justice, who works his neighbor for nothing and does not pay his wages. Rashi, Radak and Metzudat David all identify the target as Yehoyakim, as the end of the passage makes explicit. Radak explains that he hired laborers for his building works and then withheld their pay, violating the Torah's command on wages.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื”ื•ื™ ื‘ื•ื ื” ื‘ื™ืชื•. ืขืœ ื™ื”ื•ื™ืงื™ื ื”ื•ื ืื•ืžืจ ืฉื”ื•ื ื”ื™ื” ืจืฉืข ื•ืกื•ืฃ ื”ืขื ื™ืŸ ืžื•ื›ื™ื— ืœื›ืŸ ื›ื” ืืžืจ ื”' ืืœ ื™ื”ื•ื™ืงื™ื ื•ื’ื•':
Woe to him who builds his house He is saying this about Jehoiakim, who was a wicked man, and the end of the section proves this: "Therefore, so said the Lord about Jehoiakim."

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื“ ยท Verse 14

Hebrew:

ื”ึธืึนืžึตึ—ืจ ืึถื‘ึฐื ึถื”ึพืœึผึดื™ึ™ ื‘ึผึตึฃื™ืช ืžึดื“ึผึ”ื•ึนืช ื•ึทืขึฒืœึดื™ึผึ–ื•ึนืช ืžึฐืจึปื•ึผึธื—ึดึ‘ื™ื ื•ึฐืงึธึคืจึทึฝืข ืœื•ึนึ™ ื—ึทืœึผื•ึนื ึธึ”ื™ ื•ึฐืกึธืคึฃื•ึผืŸ ื‘ึผึธืึธึ”ืจึถื– ื•ึผืžึธืฉืึ–ื•ึนื—ึท ื‘ึผึทืฉืึผึธืฉืึทึฝืจืƒ

English:

Who thinks: I will build me a vast palace With spacious upper chambers, Provided with windows, Paneled in cedar, Painted with vermilion!

Yehoyakim's ambitions are described in almost architectural detail: a house of great dimensions, airy upper chambers, windows cut out, cedar paneling, and vermilion paint. Rashi explains 'a house of measures' as a large house, citing the spies' 'men of great stature.' Metzudat David and Radak explain that the upper rooms were built spacious with many windows so the wind would cool them in summer, a luxury built on stolen labor.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื‘ื™ืช ืžื“ื•ืช. ื‘ื™ืช ื’ื“ื•ืœ ื›ืžื• ืื ืฉื™ ืžื“ื•ืช (ื‘ืžื“ื‘ืจ ื™ืดื’:ืœืดื‘) ืฉื™ืฉ ื‘ื”ืŸ ืžื” ืœืžื“ื•ื“: ื•ืงืจืข ืœื•. ื•ื”ืจื—ื™ื‘ ืœื•, ืื—ืจื™ื ื”ื’ื™ื”ื• ื•ืงืจืข ืœื• ื•ืคืชื— ืœื• ื•ื›ืŸ ื•ืชืงืจืขื™ ื‘ืคื•ืš (ืœืขื™ืœ ื™ื“) ืงืจืขืช ืฉืžื™ื ื™ืจื“ืช (ื™ืฉืขื™ื”ื• ืกืดื’:ื™ืดื˜) ื›ื•ืœืŸ ืœืฉื•ืŸ ืคืชื™ื—ื”: ื•ืกืคื•ืŸ ื‘ืืจื–. ืžืกื›ืš ื”ื’ื’ ื‘ืืจื–ื™ื: ื•ืžืฉื•ื— ื‘ืฉืฉืจ. ื•ืžืฆื™ื™ืจ ื‘ืกืžืžื ื™ื, ืช"ื™ ื‘ืฉืฉืจ ืฆื‘ืข ื”ื•ื ืžืžื™ืŸ ื”ืฆื™ื•ืจื™ื, ืœ"ื ื•ืžืฉื•ื— ื‘ืฉืฉืจ ื›ืžื• ื—ื•ื˜ ื”ืžืฉื—ื” ืืœื™ื™ื ืื "ื˜ ืื ืฉื™ื ื•ืคืœ"ื ื‘ืœืขื–:
a wide house a large house. Cf. (Num. 13:32) "Men of great stature (ืึทื ึนึฐืฉึตื™ ืžึดื“ึผื•ึนืช)," who have what to measure. and he cuts out...for himself And he widens for himself (Some emend: And he opens for himself) Comp. (supra 4:30) "that you enlarge (ื•ึทืชึผึดืงึฐืจึฐืขึดื™)...with paint." Also (Isaiah 63:19), "Had You rent (ืงึธืจึทืขึฐืชึผึฐ) the heavens, had You descended." They are all an expression of opening. and ceiled with cedar He covers the roof with cedars. and painted with vermilion painted with dyes, so does Jonathan render. ื‘ึผืฉึผืึธืฉึผืึทืจ is a color of a type used for painting. Another explanation: ื•ึผืžึธืฉึผืื•ึนื—ึท ื‘ึผึดืฉึผืึธืฉึผืึทืจ is like a cord used for measuring (ื—ื•ึผื˜ ื”ึทืžึผึดืฉึผืึฐื—ึธื”) ([a] lignant en sinople in O.F.), drawing green lines, delineate with a green color.

ืคืกื•ืง ื˜ืดื• ยท Verse 15

Hebrew:

ื”ึฒืชึดึฝืžึฐืœึนึ”ืšึฐ ื›ึผึดึฅื™ ืึทืชึผึธึ–ื” ืžึฐืชึทื—ึฒืจึถึฃื” ื‘ึธืึธึ‘ืจึถื– ืึธื‘ึดึœื™ืšึธ ื”ึฒืœึงื•ึนื ืึธื›ึทึฃืœ ื•ึฐืฉืึธืชึธึ—ื” ื•ึฐืขึธืฉื‚ึธึคื” ืžึดืฉืึฐืคึผึธื˜ึ™ ื•ึผืฆึฐื“ึธืงึธึ”ื” ืึธึ–ื– ื˜ึฅื•ึนื‘ ืœึฝื•ึนืƒ

English:

Do you think you are more a king Because you compete in cedar? Your father ate and drank And dispensed justice and equityโ€” Then all went well with him.

The prophet asks whether competing in cedar makes one a king, and contrasts Yehoyakim with his father Yoshiyahu, who ate and drank, did justice and righteousness, and it was well with him. Radak stresses that pleasure itself is not condemned: Yoshiyahu enjoyed his life as kings do, but rightly. Metzudat David suggests Yehoyakim may have fasted while doing evil, thinking asceticism would atone. Rashi contrasts Yehoyakim's oppression with his father's humility.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื”ืชืžืœื•ืš. ื”ืชืืจื™ืš ื™ืžื™ื ืขืœ ืฉืืชื” ืžืชื—ืจื” ืœื”ื›ื‘ื™ื“ ืขืœ ืžืžืฉืœืชืš ืœื”ื•ื“ื™ืข ืฉืืชื” ืžืœืš: ืื‘ื™ืš. ื™ืืฉื™ื”ื• ืฉื”ืชื ื”ื’ ื‘ืขื ื•ื” ื”ืœื ืื›ืœ ื•ืฉืชื” ื•ืจืื” ื˜ื•ื‘ ื›ืœ ื™ืžื™ ื—ื™ื™ื•:
Shall you reign Will you live long that you contend to make your rule oppressive to let all know that you are a king? your father Josiah, who demeaned himself with humility, did he not eat and drink and enjoy pleasure all the days of his life?

ืคืกื•ืง ื˜ืดื– ยท Verse 16

Hebrew:

ื“ึผึธึ›ืŸ ื“ึผึดื™ืŸึพืขึธื ึดึฅื™ ื•ึฐืึถื‘ึฐื™ึ–ื•ึนืŸ ืึธึฃื– ื˜ึ‘ื•ึนื‘ ื”ึฒืœื•ึนืึพื”ึดึ›ื™ื ื”ึทื“ึผึทึฅืขึทืช ืึนืชึดึ–ื™ ื ึฐืึปืึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

He upheld the rights of the poor and needyโ€” Then all was well. That is truly heeding Me โ€”declares GOD.

Yoshiyahu judged the cause of the poor and needy and it was well; is not this to know Me, says the LORD. This is one of Tanakh's great definitions of the knowledge of God. Metzudat David explains that showing mercy to the poor is cleaving to God's own ways, since He is merciful to them. Radak refers the reader back to his comment on 9:22-23, where knowing God means knowing that He does kindness, justice and righteousness.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื– ยท Verse 17

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึดึฃื™ ืึตึคื™ืŸ ืขึตื™ื ึถึ™ื™ืšึธึ™ ื•ึฐืœึดื‘ึผึฐืšึธึ” ื›ึผึดึ–ื™ ืึดืึพืขึทืœึพื‘ึผึดืฆึฐืขึถึ‘ืšึธ ื•ึฐืขึทึคืœ ื“ึผึทึฝืึพื”ึทื ึผึธืงึดื™ึ™ ืœึดืฉืึฐืคึผึ”ื•ึนืšึฐ ื•ึฐืขึทืœึพื”ึธืขึนึฅืฉืึถืง ื•ึฐืขึทืœึพื”ึทืžึผึฐืจื•ึผืฆึธึ–ื” ืœึทืขึฒืฉื‚ึฝื•ึนืชืƒย {ืก} ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย 

English:

But your eyes and your mind are only On ill-gotten gains, On shedding the blood of the innocent, On committing fraud and violence.

Yehoyakim's eyes and heart are set only on gain, on shedding innocent blood, on oppression and on crushing the weak. Rashi and Radak explain ha-meruchah as crushing the poor, citing Shmuel's 'whom have I oppressed, whom have I crushed.' Radak distinguishes oppression of money from crushing of the body, and connects the verse to the abominations of Yehoyakim recorded in Divrei HaYamim. Metzudat David contrasts this with any claim to piety through self-denial.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืขืœ ื‘ืฆืขืš. ืœื’ื–ื•ืœ ืžืžื•ืŸ: ื”ืžืจื•ืฆื”. ืจื™ืฆื•ืฅ ื“ืœื™ื ื•ืขื•ืฉืง ื™ื•ื›ื™ื— ืขืœื™ื• ื›ื™ ืขืฉื•ืง ื•ืจืฆื•ืฅ ืชืžื™ื“ ืกืžื•ื›ื™ืŸ ื‘ืœืฉื•ืŸ ืžืงืจื ื•ื›ืŸ ืืช ืžื™ ืขืฉืงืชื™ ื•ืืช ืžื™ ืจืฆื•ืชื™ (ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื ื™ืดื‘:ื’ืณ):
on your gain to steal money. the crushing the crushing of the poor, and ืขึนืฉึถืง, oppression proves it, for 'oppressed' and 'crushed' are always juxtaposed in the language of the Scriptures. Cf. (I Sam. 12: 3) "Whom did I oppress or whom did I crush?"

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื— ยท Verse 18

Hebrew:

ืœึธื›ึตึžืŸ ื›ึผึนื”ึพืึธืžึทึฃืจ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ—ื” ืึถืœึพื™ึฐื”ื•ึนื™ึธืงึดึคื™ื ื‘ึผึถืŸึพื™ึนืืฉืึดื™ึผึธึ™ื”ื•ึผึ™ ืžึถึฃืœึถืšึฐ ื™ึฐื”ื•ึผื“ึธึ”ื” ืœึนืึพื™ึดืกึฐืคึผึฐื“ึฃื•ึผ ืœึ”ื•ึน ื”ึฅื•ึนื™ ืึธื—ึดึ–ื™ ื•ึฐื”ึฃื•ึนื™ ืึธื—ึ‘ื•ึนืช ืœึนืึพื™ึดืกึฐืคึผึฐื“ึฃื•ึผ ืœึ”ื•ึน ื”ึฅื•ึนื™ ืึธื“ึ–ื•ึนืŸ ื•ึฐื”ึฅื•ึนื™ ื”ึนื“ึนึฝื”ืƒ

English:

Assuredly, thus said GOD concerning Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah: They shall not mourn for him, โ€œAh, brother! Ah, sister!โ€ They shall not mourn for him, โ€œAh, lord! Ah, his majesty!โ€

Therefore Yehoyakim will not be mourned: no one will cry 'alas my brother, alas sister' or 'alas lord, alas his majesty.' Metzudat David explains the first pair as the laments of relatives and the second as the laments of his servants over his lost kingship. Radak suggests that 'alas sister' may refer to Yehoyakim's wife, and Rashi reads the final cry as 'woe for his glory.' A king who oppressed his people will die unlamented.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ื”ื•ื™ ื”ื“ื”. ื”ื•ื™ ืขืœ ืชืคืืจืชื•:
Hoe, his glory! Woe for his glory.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื˜ ยท Verse 19

Hebrew:

ืงึฐื‘ื•ึผืจึทึฅืช ื—ึฒืžึ–ื•ึนืจ ื™ึดืงึผึธื‘ึตึ‘ืจ ืกึธื—ึฃื•ึนื‘ ื•ึฐื”ึทืฉืึฐืœึตึ”ืšึฐ ืžึตื”ึธึ–ืœึฐืึธื” ืœึฐืฉืึทืขึฒืจึตึฅื™ ื™ึฐืจื•ึผืฉืึธืœึธึฝอึดืืƒย {ืก} ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย 

English:

He shall have the burial of a donkey, Dragged out and left lying Outside the gates of Jerusalem.

Yehoyakim will receive the burial of a donkey, dragged away and cast beyond the gates of Jerusalem. Rashi explains, citing Targum Yonatan, that as a donkey's carcass is dragged off, so his body will be dragged. Radak and Metzudat David explain that he died outside Jerusalem as he was being led into exile, and the Chaldeans did not allow him to be buried at all, fulfilling the prophecy of 36:30.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืงื‘ื•ืจืช ื—ืžื•ืจ ื™ืงื‘ืจ. ื›ืžื” ื“ืžืฉื’ืจื™ืŸ ื™ืช ื ื‘ืœืช ื—ืžืจื ื›ืŸ ื™ืฉื’ืจื•ืŸ ื™ืช ื ื‘ื™ืœืชื™ื” (ืช"ื™). ื™ืฉื’ืจื•ืŸ. ื™ืกื—ื‘ื•ืŸ:
A donkey's burial As they drag the carcass of a donkey, so will they drag his carcass. The word ื™ึนึฐืฉึทื’ึผึฐืจื•ึผืŸ used by Targum Jonathan means, they will drag.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืณ ยท Verse 20

Hebrew:

ืขึฒืœึดึคื™ ื”ึทืœึผึฐื‘ึธื ื•ึนืŸึ™ ื•ึผึฝืฆึฐืขึธึ”ืงึดื™ ื•ึผื‘ึทื‘ึผึธืฉืึธึ–ืŸ ืชึผึฐื ึดึฃื™ ืงื•ึนืœึตึ‘ืšึฐ ื•ึฐืฆึทึฝืขึฒืงึดื™ึ™ ืžึตืขึฒื‘ึธืจึดึ”ื™ื ื›ึผึดึฅื™ ื ึดืฉืึฐื‘ึผึฐืจึ–ื•ึผ ื›ึผื‡ืœึพืžึฐืึทื”ึฒื‘ึธึฝื™ึดืšึฐืƒ

English:

Climb Lebanon and cry out, Raise your voice in Bashan, Cry out from Abarim, For all your lovers are crushed.

The prophet turns to Jerusalem personified: climb the Lebanon and cry out, raise your voice in Bashan and from Avarim, for all your lovers are broken. Radak and Metzudat David identify the lovers as Assyria and Egypt, the allies in whom Judah trusted instead of God, both crushed by Nevuchadnetzar. Rashi, following Targum Yonatan, reads the Lebanon as the Temple and Bashan as the gates of the Temple Mount.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืขืœื™ ื”ืœื‘ื ื•ืŸ ื•ืฆืขืงื™. ืกืงื™ ืœื‘ื™ืช ืžืงื“ืฉื ื•ืฆื•ื•ื—ื™: ื•ื‘ื‘ืฉืŸ ืชื ื™ ืงื•ืœืš. ืขืœ ื”ื‘ืฉืŸ ืฉื™ื—ืจื‘ ื•ื™"ืช ื•ื‘ืชืจืขื™ ื˜ื•ืจ ื‘ื™ืชื ื•ืื™ื ื™ ื™ื•ื“ืข ืœืคืจืฉ ื”ืื™ืš ื ื•ืคืœ ืœืฉื•ืŸ ื‘ืฉืŸ ื‘ืฉืขืจื™ ื”ืจ ื”ื‘ื™ืช ืื ืœื ื‘ืฉื‘ื™ืœ ื”ื“ืœืชื•ืช ืฉืขื•ืฉื™ืŸ ืžืืœื•ื ื™ ื”ื‘ืฉืŸ ื•ื”ื•ื ืฉื ืžืงื•ื ืื• ืœืฉื•ืŸ ื‘ืฉืŸ ืžืงื•ื ื‘ืงืข' ืจื—ื‘ื” ื›ืŸ ื”ื™ืงืฃ ื”ืจ ื”ื‘ื™ืช ืžื’ืจืฉ ืจื™ื•ื— ืœื‘ื”"ืž: ื•ืฆืขืงื™ ืžืขื‘ืจื™ื. ื•ืฆื•ื—ื™ ืขืœ ืžื’ื™ื–ืชื ื•ื”ื ืœืฉื•ืŸ ืžืงื•ื:
Ascend the Lebanon and cry Go up to the Temple and cry. and on Bashan give forth your voice On Bashan which will be destroyed. And Jonathan paraphrased: And in the gates of the Temple Mount. And I do not know how to explain how the expression 'Bashan' fits to the gates of the Temple Mount, unless it is because of the doors which they make from the terebinths of Bashan, and that is the name of a place, or the expression, 'Bashan' denotes a place of a wide valley. So is the area of the Temple Mount an open area around the Temple. and cry for Avarim And cry for Megizatha. They are place names.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื ยท Verse 21

Hebrew:

ื“ึผึดื‘ึผึทึคืจึฐืชึผึดื™ ืึตืœึทึ™ื™ึดืšึฐึ™ ื‘ึผึฐืฉืึทืœึฐื•ึบืชึทึ”ื™ึดืšึฐ ืึธืžึทึ–ืจึฐืชึผึฐ ืœึนึฃื ืึถืฉืึฐืžึธึ‘ืข ื–ึถึคื” ื“ึทืจึฐื›ึผึตืšึฐึ™ ืžึดื ึผึฐืขื•ึผืจึทึ”ื™ึดืšึฐ ื›ึผึดึฅื™ ืœึนืึพืฉืึธืžึทึ–ืขึทืชึผึฐ ื‘ึผึฐืงื•ึนืœึดึฝื™ืƒ

English:

I spoke to you when you were prosperous; You said, โ€œI will not listen.โ€ That was your way ever since your youth, You would not heed Me.

God spoke to Israel in their times of tranquility, but they said 'I will not listen'; this has been their way since youth. Rashi and Metzudat David explain that the warnings came while the people still lived in peace. Radak notes the plural 'tranquilities,' recalling many periods of blessing, and interprets 'from your youth' as the generation of the wilderness, the nation's youth, when their pattern of refusal was first established.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื‘ืฉืœื•ืชื™ืš. ื›ืฉื”ื™ื™ืช ื‘ืฉืœื•':
in your peaceful times when you lived in peace.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื‘ ยท Verse 22

Hebrew:

ื›ึผื‡ืœึพืจึนืขึทึ™ื™ึดืšึฐึ™ ืชึผึดืจึฐืขึถื”ึพืจึ”ื•ึผื—ึท ื•ึผึฝืžึฐืึทื”ึฒื‘ึทึ–ื™ึดืšึฐ ื‘ึผึทืฉืึผึฐื‘ึดึฃื™ ื™ึตืœึตึ‘ื›ื•ึผ ื›ึผึดึฃื™ ืึธึคื– ืชึผึตื‘ึนึ™ืฉืึดื™ึ™ ื•ึฐื ึดื›ึฐืœึทึ”ืžึฐืชึผึฐ ืžึดื›ึผึนึ–ืœ ืจึธืขึธืชึตึฝืšึฐืƒ

English:

All your shepherds shall be devoured by the wind, And your lovers shall go into captivity. Then you shall be shamed and humiliated Because of all your depravity.

All of Judah's shepherds will be shepherded by the wind, and her lovers will go into captivity; then she will be ashamed of all her wickedness. Rashi reads the shepherds as the kings of Judah, broken by the east wind. Radak and Metzudat David read them as the kings of Assyria and Egypt, who led and sustained Judah, and who will be scattered. Only when her false supports collapse will Judah feel shame.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื›ืœ ืจื•ืขื™ืš. ื›ืœ ืžืœื›ื™ืš: ืชืจืขื” ืจื•ื—. ืจื•ื— ืงื“ื™ื ืชืจื•ืฆืฆื:
All your shepherds All your kings. shall be broken by the wind The east wind shall break them.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื’ ยท Verse 23

Hebrew:

(ื™ืฉื‘ืชื™) [ื™ึนืฉืึทื‘ึฐืชึผึฐึ™] ื‘ึผึทืœึผึฐื‘ึธื ึ”ื•ึนืŸ (ืžืงื ื ืชื™) [ืžึฐืงึปื ึผึทึ–ื ึฐืชึผึฐ] ื‘ึผึธืึฒืจึธื–ึดึ‘ื™ื ืžึทื”ึพื ึผึตื—ึทื ึฐืชึผึฐึ™ ื‘ึผึฐื‘ึนืึพืœึธึฃืšึฐ ื—ึฒื‘ึธืœึดึ”ื™ื ื—ึดึ–ื™ืœ ื›ึผึทื™ึผึนืœึตื“ึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

You who dwell in Lebanon, Nestled among the cedars, How much grace will you have When pains come upon you, Travail as in childbirth!

The one who dwells in the Lebanon, nesting among the cedars, will find little grace when pangs like those of childbirth come upon her. Metzudat David and Rashi explain the image as the nobles dwelling in cedar-paneled houses, whose luxury will win them no favor in the enemy's eyes. Rashi cites Menachem and Dunash on the word nechant, while Radak analyzes the unusual forms yoshavt and mekunant with their extra yod.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืžืงื•ื ื ืช ื‘ืืจื–ื™'. ืฉืฉืžืช ืงื ืš ื‘ืžื’ื“ืœื•ืช ื‘ืชื™ ืืจื–ื™' ืœื‘ื ื•ืช ื‘ืชื™ ืžื“ื•ืช: ืžื” ื ื—ื ืช. ืžื” ืžืฆืืช ื—ืŸ ื‘ืฉื‘ื™ืœ ื’ื•ื‘ื” ืžื’ื“ืœื™ื™ืš ื‘ืขื™ื ื™ ืฉื•ื“ื“ื™ืš ื‘ื‘ื ืœืš ื—ื‘ืœื™ื ืฉืœ ืœื™ื“ื” ื•ืžื ื—ื ืคืชืจ ื ื—ื ืช ืœ' ื—ื ื™ื” ืื‘ืœ ื“ื•ื ืฉ ืคืชืจ ืื•ืชื• ืœ' ื—ืŸ:
who nest in the cedars For you placed your nest in the towers of the cedar houses to build wide houses. how gracious shall you be What grace have you found because of the height of your towers, in the eyes of your plunderers, when birth pangs come upon you. And Menahem interpreted ื ึตื—ึทื ึฐืชึผึฐ as an expression of camping, but Dunash interpreted it as an expression of grace.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื“ ยท Verse 24

Hebrew:

ื—ึทื™ึพืึธึ˜ื ึดื™ึฎ ื ึฐืึปืึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธื”ึ’ ื›ึผึดึฃื™ ืึดืึพื™ึดื”ึฐื™ึถึžื” ื›ึผื‡ื ึฐื™ึธึคื”ื•ึผ ื‘ึถืŸึพื™ึฐื”ึฝื•ึนื™ึธืงึดื™ืึ™ ืžึถึฃืœึถืšึฐ ื™ึฐื”ื•ึผื“ึธึ”ื” ื—ื•ึนืชึธึ–ื ืขึทืœึพื™ึทึฃื“ ื™ึฐืžึดื™ื ึดึ‘ื™ ื›ึผึดึฅื™ ืžึดืฉืึผึธึ–ื ืึถืชึผึฐืงึถึฝื ึฐืšึผึธืƒ

English:

As I liveโ€”declares GODโ€”if you, O King Coniah, son of Jehoiakim, of Judah, were a signet on my right hand, I would tear you off even from there.

God swears that even if Konyahu son of Yehoyakim were a signet ring on His right hand, He would tear him off. Radak notes that the shortened name Konyahu is itself a mark of diminishment. Rashi and Radak cite the aggadic reading of atkenkha: where he was torn away, there he was repaired, because he repented in Babylon. Metzudat David explains that although he is of David's seed, God will nonetheless abandon him.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื—ื•ืชื ืขืœ ื™ื“ ื™ืžื™ื ื™. ื—ืงื•ืง ื•ื—ืชื•ื ื‘ืชื•ืš ื‘ืฉืจ ื–ืจื•ืขื™: ืืชืงื ืš. ืื ืชืงืš ืœืฉื•ืŸ ื”ืชื™ืงื ื›ืฆืืŸ ืœื˜ื‘ื—ื” (ืœืขื™ืœ ื™ื‘) ืขื“ ื”ืชื™ืงื ื• ืื•ืชื (ื™ื”ื•ืฉืข ื—ืณ:ื•ืณ) ื•ื”ื ื•"ืŸ ื™ืชื™ืจื” ื‘ื• ื•ืžื“ืจืฉ ืื’ื“ื” ื‘ืžืงื•ื ืฉื ืชืง ื ืชืงืŸ ืฉืขืฉื” ืชืฉื•ื‘ื” ื‘ื‘ื‘ืœ ื•ื ืฉืืœ ื”ืงื‘"ื” ืขืœ ืฉื ืฉื‘ืข ื›ืชื‘ื• ืืช ื”ืื™ืฉ ื”ื–ื” ืขืจื™ืจื™ (ื›ืืŸ) ื•ื ื•ืœื“ ืœื• ื–ืจื•ื‘ื‘ืœ ื‘ื‘ื‘ืœ ื•ื ืืžืจ ืœื• ืขืœ ืคื™ ื”ื ื‘ื™ื ื‘ื™ื•ื ื”ื”ื•ื ืืงื—ืš ื–ืจื•ื‘ื‘ืœ ื‘ืŸ ืฉืืœืชื™ืืœ ืขื‘ื“ื™ ื•ืฉืžืชื™ืš ื›ื—ื•ืชื (ืœืงืžืŸ ืกื•ืฃ ืž"ื’) ื›ืœืคื™ ืฉืืžืจ ืœืื‘ื™ื• ืื ื™ื”ื™ื” ื—ื•ืชื ืขืœ ื™ื“ ื™ืžื™ื ื™ ืื ืชืงื ื•:
a signet Engraved and sealed in the flesh of My arm. I will remove you Cf. (supra 12:3) "Draw them out (ื”ืชึดืงึตื) like sheep to the slaughter" (Jos. 8:6) "Until we have drawn (ื”ืชึดืงึตื™ื ื•ึผ) them." And the 'nun' is superfluous. And, according to the Midrash Aggadah (Pesikta d'Rav Kahana, p. 163a): In the place to which he was removed (ื ึดืชึผึทืง), there he was rectified (ื ึดืชึฐืงึทืŸ), for he repented in Babylon, and the Holy One, blessed be He, applied for absolution of the oath He had sworn, "Inscribe this man childless." and Zerubbabel was born to him in Babylon, and it was said to him through the prophet (Haggai 2:23), "On that day...I will take you, Zerubbabel, and I will make you as a signet," directed toward what He said to his father, "Though...be a signet on My right arm,...I will remove him (sic)."

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื” ยท Verse 25

Hebrew:

ื•ึผื ึฐืชึทืชึผึดึ—ื™ืšึธ ื‘ึผึฐื™ึทื“ึ™ ืžึฐื‘ึทืงึฐืฉืึตึฃื™ ื ึทืคึฐืฉืึถึ”ืšึธ ื•ึผื‘ึฐื™ึทึ›ื“ ืึฒืฉืึถืจึพืึทืชึผึธึฅื” ื™ึธื’ึ–ื•ึนืจ ืžึดืคึผึฐื ึตื™ื”ึถึ‘ื ื•ึผื‘ึฐื™ึทึ›ื“ ื ึฐื‘ื•ึผื›ึทื“ึฐืจึถืืฆึผึทึฅืจ ืžึถืœึถืšึฐึพื‘ึผึธื‘ึถึ–ืœ ื•ึผื‘ึฐื™ึทึฅื“ ื”ึทื›ึผึทืฉื‚ึฐื“ึผึดึฝื™ืืƒ

English:

I will deliver you into the hands of those who seek your life, into the hands of those you dread, into the hands of King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon and into the hands of the Chaldeans.

Yehoyachin will be handed over to those who seek his life, whom he dreads, to Nevuchadretzar king of Babylon and to the Chaldeans. Metzudat David and Radak both note the repeated 'into the hand of' as a deliberate multiplication meant to magnify and frighten. Radak explains each element: his enemies will show no pity, he will have no strength to stand against them, and both king and nation are fierce and unrelenting.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื• ยท Verse 26

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐื”ึตื˜ึทืœึฐืชึผึดึฃื™ ืึนืชึฐืšึธึ— ื•ึฐืึถึฝืชึพืึดืžึผึฐืšึธึ™ ืึฒืฉืึถึฃืจ ื™ึฐืœึธื“ึทึ”ืชึฐืšึธ ืขึทึšืœ ื”ึธืึธึฃืจึถืฅ ืึทื—ึถึ”ืจึถืช ืึฒืฉืึถึฅืจ ืœึนึฝืึพื™ึปืœึผึทื“ึฐืชึผึถึ–ื ืฉืึธึ‘ื ื•ึฐืฉืึธึ–ื ืชึผึธืžึฝื•ึผืชื•ึผืƒ

English:

I will hurl you and the mother who bore you into another land, where you were not born; there you shall both die.

God will hurl Yehoyachin and the mother who bore him into a foreign land, and there they will die. Rashi and Radak explain the verb as casting away. Metzudat David and Radak read the mention of his mother as a charge that she raised him in her evil ways, which is why Sefer Melachim names the queen mother. Radak adds that dying in a land without family, an impure land, is itself part of the curse.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ื”ื˜ืœืชื™. ืœืฉื•ืŸ ื”ืฉืœื›ื”:
And I will cast an expression of throwing.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื– ยท Verse 27

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐืขึทืœึพื”ึธืึธึ—ืจึถืฅ ืึฒืฉืึถืจึพื”ึตึ›ื ืžึฐื ึทืฉื‚ึผึฐืึดึฅื™ื ืึถืชึพื ึทืคึฐืฉืึธึ–ื ืœึธืฉืึฃื•ึผื‘ ืฉืึธึ‘ื ืฉืึธึ–ืžึผึธื” ืœึนึฅื ื™ึธืฉืึฝื•ึผื‘ื•ึผืƒย {ืค}

English:

They shall not return to the land that they yearn to come back to.

They will not return to the land to which they lift up their souls to return. Rashi explains that they console themselves with the hope of return, and Metzudat David that they elevate and reassure themselves with it. Radak identifies the source of this false hope: the false prophets like Chananyah, who promised that the Temple vessels and the exiles would soon be brought back from Babylon.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืžื ืฉืื™ื ืืช ื ืคืฉื. ืœืฉื•ืŸ ืชื ื—ื•ืžื™ื ืฉื ืคืฉื ืžืชื ืฉืื” ืœื”ืชื ื—ื ื•ืœื•ืžืจ ืขื•ื“ ื ืฉื•ื‘ ืœืืจืฆื ื•:
they long This is an expression of consolation, that their soul lifts itself to console itself and to say, "We will again return to our land."

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื— ยท Verse 28

Hebrew:

ื”ึทืขึถึจืฆึถื‘ ื ึดื‘ึฐื–ึถึœื” ื ึธืคึ—ื•ึผืฅ ื”ึธืึดึคื™ืฉื ื”ึทื–ึผึถื”ึ™ ื›ึผื‡ื ึฐื™ึธึ”ื”ื•ึผ ืึดึจืึพื›ึผึฐืœึดึ”ื™ ืึตึฅื™ืŸ ื—ึตึ–ืคึถืฅ ื‘ึผึ‘ื•ึน ืžึทื“ึผึคื•ึผืขึท ื”ึฝื•ึผื˜ึฐืœื•ึผึ™ ื”ึฃื•ึผื ื•ึฐื–ึทืจึฐืขึ”ื•ึน ื•ึฐื”ึปึจืฉืึฐืœึฐื›ึ”ื•ึผ ืขึทืœึพื”ึธืึธึ–ืจึถืฅ ืึฒืฉืึถึฅืจ ืœึนืึพื™ึธื“ึธึฝืขื•ึผืƒ

English:

Is this man Coniah A wretched broken pot, A vessel no one wants? Why are he and his offspring hurled out, And cast away in a land they knew not?

The prophet asks with pathos: is this man Konyahu a despised, shattered vessel, an object no one wants? Why then are he and his seed hurled into a land they did not know? Rashi and Radak read the question as rhetorical. Radak derives etzev from atzabim, idols, a worthless image that is cast out and smashed, and notes that the mention of his seed seems to conflict with his being called childless in verse 30.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื”ืขืฆื‘ ื ื‘ื–ื”. ืชืžื™ื” ื”ื•ื ืฉืžื ืฆื•ืจื” ื ืฉื‘ืจ ื•ื ื‘ื–ื” ื”ืื™ืฉ ื”ื–ื” ืฉื”ื•ืฉืœืš ืžืขืœ ืคื ื™ ื›ืžื™ ืฉืื™ืŸ ื—ืคืฅ ื‘ื•: ื ืคื•ืฅ. ื ืฉื‘ืจ ื›ืžื• ื›ื›ืœื™ ื™ื•ืฆืจ ืชื ืคืฆื (ืชื”ื™ืœื™ื ื‘ืณ:ื˜ืณ) ื•ืื—ืจื™ื ื”ื’ื™ื”ื• ื”ืขืฆื‘ ื›ืžื• ื”ืขืฆื‘ื™ื ืžืขืฆื‘ื™ืŸ ืืช ื”ืงื˜ืŸ ื‘ืžืกื›' ืฉื‘ืช ื›ืœื•ืžืจ ื”ืืชื” ื ื‘ื–' ื•ื ืคื•ืฅ ื‘ืขื™ื ื™ืš ื›ืขื•ืœืœ ืงื˜ืŸ ืฉืžืขืฆื‘ื™ืŸ ืื•ืชื• ืžื™ืœื•ื™ื™ืœื™"ืจ ื‘ืœืขื– ืื™ืŸ ื–ื” ื›ื“ื™: ื”ื•ื˜ืœื•. ื”ื•ืฉืœื›ื•, ืœ' ื”ืฉืœื›ื” ืฉืื™ืŸ ืœื” ืชืงื•ืžื” ื›ืžื• ื›ื™ ื™ืคื•ืœ ืœื ื™ื•ื˜ืœ (ืฉื ืœื–):
Is...a despised... image It is a rhetorical question. Is this man a broken and despised image, that he was cast away from My face like a vessel in which there is no use? shattered broken. Cf. (Psalms 2: 8) "Like a potter's vessel you shall shatter them (ืชึผึฐื ึทืคึผึฐืฆึตื)." [Others annotated: ื”ึทืขึถืฆึถื‘ is like the idols (ื”ึธืขึฒืฆึทื‘ึผึดื™ื). "We may swathe (ืžึฐืขึทืฆึผึฐื‘ึดื™ืŸ) an infant" in Tractate Shabbath 22:6. That is to say, "Are you despised and broken in your eyes like a small infant who is being swathed (emmailloter in French)? This one is not worthy." cast away thrown, an expression of throwing that has no restoration. Comp. (Psalms 37:24), "If he falls, he will not be cast off (ื™ื•ึผื˜ึธืœ)."

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื˜ ยท Verse 29

Hebrew:

ืึถึฅืจึถืฅ ืึถึ–ืจึถืฅ ืึธึ‘ืจึถืฅ ืฉืึดืžึฐืขึดึ–ื™ ื“ึผึฐื‘ึทืจึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

O land, land, land, Hear the word of GOD!

The triple call, 'land, land, land, hear the word of the LORD,' summons the whole land to witness the decree. Rashi and Metzudat David read the repetition as describing the land most exalted among all lands; Rashi also mentions the three regions of Judea, Transjordan and Galilee. Radak explains triple repetition as an intensifying idiom, like 'the Temple of the LORD' thrice in chapter 7, addressed to the people of the land.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืืจืฅ ืืจืฅ ืืจืฅ. ืžืืจืฆื• ื’ืœื” ืืœ ืืจืฅ ืื—ืจืช ื•ืืช ืืจืฅ ื™ืฉืจืืœ ืฉืžืขื™ ื“ื‘ืจ ื”', ื“"ื ืืจืฅ ืืจืฅ ืืจืฅ, ืืจืฅ ืฉื”ื•ื ืืจืฅ ืฉื‘ืืจืฆื•ืช ืฉื”ื™ืชื” ื—ืฉื•ื‘ื” ืฉื‘ื›ื•ืœืŸ, ื“"ื ืืจืฅ ื™ืฉืจืืœ ืฉืœืฉ ืืจืฆื•ืช ื”ื™ื• ื‘ื” ื™ื”ื•ื“ื” ื•ืขื‘ืจ ื”ื™ืจื“ืŸ ื•ื”ื’ืœื™ืœ:
O land, land, land A land that is a land among lands, the most esteemed of all of them. Another explanation: Eretz Israel had three lands in it. Judea, Transjordania, and Galilee.

ืคืกื•ืง ืœืณ ยท Verse 30

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึนึฃื”โ€‰ื€ ืึธืžึทึฃืจ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ—ื” ื›ึผึดืชึฐื‘ึžื•ึผ ืึถืชึพื”ึธืึดึคื™ืฉื ื”ึทื–ึผึถื”ึ™ ืขึฒืจึดื™ืจึดึ”ื™ ื’ึผึถึ–ื‘ึถืจ ืœึนืึพื™ึดืฆึฐืœึทึฃื— ื‘ึผึฐื™ึธืžึธึ‘ื™ื• ื›ึผึดื™ึฉ ืœึนึจื ื™ึดืฆึฐืœึทึœื— ืžึดื–ึผึทืจึฐืขึ—ื•ึน ืึดึšื™ืฉื ื™ึนืฉืึตื‘ึ™ ืขึทืœึพื›ึผึดืกึผึตึฃื ื“ึธื•ึดึ”ื“ ื•ึผืžึนืฉืึตึฅืœ ืขึ–ื•ึนื“ ื‘ึผึดื™ื”ื•ึผื“ึธึฝื”ืƒย {ืค}

English:

Thus said GOD: Record this man as without succession, One who shall never be found acceptable; For none of his offspring shall be accepted To sit on the throne of David And to rule again in Judah.

Konyahu is to be inscribed childless, a man who will not prosper in his days, and none of his seed will sit on David's throne. Metzudat David and Radak note that Zerubavel, his grandson, later ruled in Judah. Radak cites Chazal: great is repentance, which tears up a person's decree, for Yehoyachin repented in prison and the curse was reversed. Metzudat David limits the decree to his own lifetime. Rashi explains the command to inscribe.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื’ื‘ืจ. ืืฉืจ ืœื ื™ืฆืœื— ื‘ื™ืžื™ื• ื›ืชื‘ื•ื”ื•:
a man who will not prosper in his days Inscribe him.

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