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Jeremiah 23

ื™ืจืžื™ื”ื• ืคืจืง ื›ืดื’

Section: ื ื‘ื™ืื™ื ยท ื ื‘ื™ืื™ื ืื—ืจื•ื ื™ื | Book: Jeremiah | Chapter: 23 of 52 | Day: 236 of 742

Date: October 5, 2026

ืงืœืื•ื“ ืขืœ ื”ื ืดืš

Chapter 23 brings to a close the long collection of oracles concerning the kings of Yehudah that opened with Tzidkiyahuโ€™s embassy in chapter 21, and then turns without pause to a second collection, headed simply โ€œconcerning the prophetsโ€ (ืœื ื‘ื™ืื™ื). The two halves of the chapter belong together more closely than their different subjects suggest. Kings and prophets were the two institutions charged with guiding the nation, the one through justice and the other through the word of God, and Yirmiyahu indicts both for the same failure: they have led the flock astray. The chapter thus completes a diagnosis that has been building since the siege oracle โ€” the catastrophe is not an accident of international politics but the harvest of a leadership that told the people what they wanted to hear and ruled them for its own benefit. Yet the chapter also contains, in its first eight verses, one of the most luminous promises in the book, so that the reader passes from the ruin of the shepherds to the rising of a righteous branch before descending again into the confusion of lying visions.

The opening woe, โ€œwoe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the flock of My pastureโ€ (ื”ื•ื™ ืจืขื™ื ืžืื‘ื“ื™ื ื•ืžืคืฆื™ื ืืช ืฆืืŸ ืžืจืขื™ืชื™), gathers up the preceding denunciations of Shallum, Yehoyakim and Konyahu in chapter 22 into a single image. Rashi identifies the shepherds simply as the kings of Yehudah, and Radak draws out the pointed possessive: the flock is Mine, for I Myself was their shepherd when they listened to My voice, and it was only after you took over the tending that they were led in an evil way and scattered into exile. Verse 2 turns on an untranslatable play on the root ืคืงื“. The kings did not attend to the flock (ื•ืœื ืคืงื“ืชื ืื•ืชื), so God will attend to them โ€” that is, visit upon them โ€” the evil of their deeds (ื”ื ื ื™ ืคืงื“ ืขืœื™ื›ื ืืช ืจืข ืžืขืœืœื™ื›ื). Radak explains that they should have noticed where the people were and what they were doing, and understood that the exile was the consequence of sin. The same root returns in verse 4, where the flock under its new shepherds will lack nothing (ื•ืœื ื™ืคืงื“ื•), a word Rashi glosses from the census after the war with Midyan, in which not a man of Israel was missing. Between neglect and restoration stands Godโ€™s own promise to act where the kings would not: I Myself will gather the remnant of My flock from all the lands. Metzudat David notes the sobering word remnant โ€” most will perish and few will remain โ€” while Radak weighs whether the passage speaks of the return from Babylon or of the final ingathering, and concludes that the latter is correct.

The promise then crystallizes into the figure of the righteous branch of David (ืฆืžื— ืฆื“ื™ืง), a king who will reign and prosper and do justice and righteousness in the land. Both Metzudat David and Radak state plainly that this is the King Mashiach, and Radak explains the botanical image: his emergence into the world will be like the sprouting of a plant, which multiplies, for when a righteous king arises, righteousness spreads among those around him. His name will be ื”ืณ ืฆื“ืงื ื•, the LORD is our righteousness. Rashi reads it as a statement about the era rather than a divine title for the king โ€” the LORD will vindicate us in this oneโ€™s days โ€” and Radak compares it to Moshe calling his altar ื”ืณ ื ืกื™ or Yaakov naming his altar El Elohei Yisrael, names that proclaim what God does rather than what the named thing is. The name also carries an unmistakable literary edge. The reigning king was Tzidkiyahu, whose name means the LORD is my righteousness, and whose reign was the very opposite of what his name proclaimed. The promised king bears the same two elements reversed and made collective: not my righteousness but ours, and not in name only but in deed. Verses 7-8 then repeat, almost word for word, the oath formula of 16:14-15: the day will come when Israel swears no longer by the God who brought them up from Egypt but by the God who brought them up from the land of the north. Radak notes the repetition and explains that Scripture doubles its words in order to strengthen the matter; Metzudat David adds that the later redemption will so eclipse the first that it will displace it in the language of oaths.

With verse 9 the tone collapses. My heart is broken within me, all my bones tremble, I am like a drunken man, because of the LORD and because of His holy words. Rashi explains that the prophetโ€™s heart breaks at the words of those prophets who say you shall have peace, having himself heard the evil decree from God. The ensuing indictment is sweeping. The land is full of adulterers and mourns because of false oaths; prophet and priest alike are corrupt (ื—ื ืคื•), and even in My house I have found their evil, which Rashi identifies with the idol placed in the Temple. The most arresting comparison comes in verses 13-14. In the prophets of Shomron God saw something unseemly: they prophesied by Baal and led Israel astray. Radak recalls the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal in the days of Achav. But in the prophets of Yerushalayim He sees something worse, a horror (ืฉืขืจื•ืจื”): they do not invoke Baal at all, they speak in the name of the LORD, and precisely thereby they strengthen the hands of evildoers so that no one turns back from his wickedness. Radak underlines the point: the prophets of Jerusalem did not prophesy by Baal, but their way was evil. A false prophet of the true God is more dangerous than an honest idolater, because he borrows the authority of heaven to anaesthetize conscience. For this reason all of them have become like Sedom, and the people like Amorah.

The heart of the anti-prophetic collection is a meditation on what distinguishes true prophecy from its counterfeit. The first test is the council of God (ืกื•ื“ ื”ืณ): who among these has stood in it and seen and heard His word? Metzudat David answers that the wicked are not fit for prophecy at all, while one who listened to Godโ€™s word and kept His commandments, as Yirmiyahu did, is the one who hears it. The second test is moral: had they stood in My council, they would have made My people hear My words and turned them back from their evil ways. Rashi reads the same verse as a charge that they should have taught the Torah rather than cause the people to stray. The third test concerns the nature of the experience itself. The false prophets cry I have dreamed, I have dreamed, and God answers with an agricultural contrast: what has the straw to do with the grain (ืžื” ืœืชื‘ืŸ ืืช ื”ื‘ืจ)? Then comes the chapterโ€™s most celebrated line, is not My word like fire, says the LORD, and like a hammer that shatters rock? Rashi explains that the prophetic word comes upon a true prophet with overwhelming force, citing Yirmiyahuโ€™s own confession in chapter 20 that it was in his heart like a burning fire; Radak reads it as a statement of efficacy, that nothing can stand against Godโ€™s word to annul it. The Sages, in Sanhedrin 34a and Shabbat 88b, took the hammer in yet another direction: just as a hammer striking a rock scatters it into many sparks, so a single verse yields many meanings. The same verse thus serves the Talmud as a charter for the inexhaustible depth of Torah interpretation.

The chapter ends with a triple threat and a pun. Three times God declares ื”ื ื ื™ ืขืœ ื”ื ื‘ื™ืื™ื, against those who steal My words from one another, those who smooth their tongues and intone oracles, and those who prophesy lying dreams. Radak sees three distinct classes of false prophet here, and Rashi gives the first a concrete face: Chananyah son of Azzur, who heard Yirmiyahu prophesy against Elam in the upper market and repeated the formula in the lower market about Babylon, dressing his own wishful thinking in borrowed words. The closing section plays on the word ืžืฉื, which means both an oracle and a burden. The people mockingly ask the prophet, what is the burden of the LORD today, and Rashi hears the derision: his prophecy is a burden to them. Godโ€™s reply turns the joke on its tellers. You ask what the burden is? You are the burden, and I will cast you off. The very word is then forbidden; henceforth they are to ask only what the LORD has answered or spoken. Radak explains that God, who searches the heart, knew that when they said massa they meant heaviness, and so the word itself had become a vehicle of contempt. The final verses complete the pun with a grim wordplay on ื ืฉื and ื ืฉื”: I will lift you up and cast you off, I will utterly forget you, and I will bring upon you an everlasting reproach that shall not be forgotten. A people that treated the word of God as a load to be shrugged off will itself be shrugged off โ€” and yet the same chapter has already promised that the scattered flock will one day be gathered under a king whose very name is righteousness.

ืคืจืง ื›ืดื’ ยท Chapter 23

ืคืกื•ืง ืืณ ยท Verse 1

Hebrew:

ื”ึฃื•ึนื™ ืจึนืขึดึ—ื™ื ืžึฐืึทื‘ึผึฐื“ึดึงื™ื ื•ึผืžึฐืคึดืฆึดึ›ื™ื ืึถืชึพืฆึนึฅืืŸ ืžึทืจึฐืขึดื™ืชึดึ–ื™ ื ึฐืึปืึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึฝื”ืƒย {ืก} ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย 

English:

Ah, shepherds who let the flock of My pasture stray and scatter!โ€”declares GOD.

The chapter opens with a woe against the shepherds who destroy and scatter the flock of God's pasture. Rashi identifies the shepherds as the kings of Yehudah, gathering up the denunciations of chapter 22. Radak stresses the possessive 'My pasture': God Himself shepherded Israel while they listened to Him, and only under these kings were they led astray into exile. Metzudat David calls Israel the flock for whom God is Shepherd.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื”ื•ื™ ืจื•ืขื™ื. ืžืœื›ื™ ื™ื”ื•ื“ื”:
Woe to the shepherds The kings of Judah.

ืคืกื•ืง ื‘ืณ ยท Verse 2

Hebrew:

ืœึธึ ื›ึตึ ืŸ ื›ึผึนื”ึพืึธืžึทึจืจ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึœื” ืึฑืœึนื”ึตึฃื™ ื™ึดืฉื‚ึฐืจึธืึตึ—ืœ ืขึทึฝืœึพื”ึธืจึนืขึดื™ืึฎ ื”ึธืจึนืขึดึฃื™ื ืึถืชึพืขึทืžึผึดื™ึ’ ืึทืชึผึถึžื ื”ึฒืคึดืฆึนืชึถึคื ืึถืชึพืฆึนืื ึดื™ึ™ ื•ึทืชึผึทื“ึผึดื—ึ”ื•ึผื ื•ึฐืœึนึฅื ืคึฐืงึทื“ึฐืชึผึถึ–ื ืึนืชึธึ‘ื ื”ึดื ึฐื ึดึจื™ ืคึนืงึตึงื“ ืขึฒืœึตื™ื›ึถึ›ื ืึถืชึพืจึนึฅืขึท ืžึทืขึทืœึฐืœึตื™ื›ึถึ–ื ื ึฐืึปืึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

Assuredly, thus said the ETERNAL, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who should tend My people: It is you who let My flock scatter and go astray. You gave no thought to them, but I am going to give thought to you, for your wicked actsโ€”declares GOD.

A play on the root pakad drives the verse: the kings did not attend to the flock, so God will attend to -- that is, visit upon -- them the evil of their deeds. Rashi glosses 'you did not take care of them' as a failure to watch over them. Radak adds that they should have noticed what the people were doing and understood that exile was the fruit of sin; Metzudat David calls the punishment measured recompense.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืœื ืคืงื“ืชื ืื•ืชื. ืœื ื ื–ื”ืจืชื ืœืฉื•ืžืจื:
and have not taken care of them You were not careful to watch them.

ืคืกื•ืง ื’ืณ ยท Verse 3

Hebrew:

ื•ึทืึฒื ึดึ—ื™ ืึฒืงึทื‘ึผึตืฅึ™ ืึถืชึพืฉืึฐืึตืจึดึฃื™ืช ืฆึนืื ึดึ”ื™ ืžึดื›ึผึนืœึ™ ื”ึธืึฒืจึธืฆึ”ื•ึนืช ืึฒืฉืึถืจึพื”ึดื“ึผึทึฅื—ึฐืชึผึดื™ ืึนืชึธึ–ื ืฉืึธึ‘ื ื•ึทื”ึฒืฉืึดื‘ึนืชึดึฅื™ ืึถืชึฐื”ึถึ›ืŸ ืขึทืœึพื ึฐื•ึตื”ึถึ–ืŸ ื•ึผืคึธืจึฅื•ึผ ื•ึฐืจึธื‘ึฝื•ึผืƒ

English:

And I Myself will gather the remnant of My flock from all the lands to which I have banished them, and I will bring them back to their pasture, where they shall be fertile and increase.

Where the kings failed, God Himself will act: He will gather the remnant of His flock from every land of exile and return them to their fold, where they will be fruitful and multiply. Metzudat David notes the word remnant -- most will perish and only a few remain. Radak weighs whether this refers to the return from Babylon or to the final ingathering, and concludes that the latter reading is correct.

ืคืกื•ืง ื“ืณ ยท Verse 4

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื”ึฒืงึดืžึนืชึดึงื™ ืขึฒืœึตื™ื”ึถึ›ื ืจึนืขึดึ–ื™ื ื•ึฐืจึธืขึ‘ื•ึผื ื•ึฐืœึนืึพื™ึดึฝื™ืจึฐืึจื•ึผ ืขึงื•ึนื“ ื•ึฐืœึนืึพื™ึตื—ึทึ›ืชึผื•ึผ ื•ึฐืœึนึฅื ื™ึดืคึผึธืงึตึ–ื“ื•ึผ ื ึฐืึปืึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึฝื”ืƒย {ืก} ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย 

English:

And I will appoint over them shepherds who will tend them; they shall no longer fear or be dismayed, and none of them shall be missingโ€”declares GOD.

God will raise up faithful shepherds who will truly tend the flock, and the people will no longer fear, be dismayed, or be missing. Rashi and Radak both connect 'none shall be missing' (velo yipakedu) to the census after the war with Midyan, where not one man was lacking -- closing the wordplay on pakad begun in verse 2. Metzudat David reads the fearlessness as freedom from oppression by the nations.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ืœื ื™ืคืงื“ื•. ื•ืœื ื™ื—ืกืจื• ืœืฉื•ืŸ ื•ืœื ื ืคืงื“ ืžืžื ื• ืื™ืฉ (ื‘ืžื“ื‘ืจ ืœื):
nor shall [any of them] be missing and they shall not be missing. (Cf. Num. 31:49) "And no one of us was missing (ื ืคืงื“)."

ืคืกื•ืง ื”ืณ ยท Verse 5

Hebrew:

ื”ึดื ึผึตึจื” ื™ึธืžึดึคื™ื ื‘ึผึธืึดื™ืึ™ ื ึฐืึปืึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ”ื” ื•ึทื”ึฒืงึดืžึนืชึดึฅื™ ืœึฐื“ึธื•ึดึ–ื“ ืฆึถึฃืžึทื— ืฆึทื“ึผึดึ‘ื™ืง ื•ึผืžึธึคืœึทืšึฐ ืžึถึ™ืœึถืšึฐึ™ ื•ึฐื”ึดืฉื‚ึฐื›ึผึดึ”ื™ืœ ื•ึฐืขึธืฉื‚ึธึ›ื” ืžึดืฉืึฐืคึผึธึฅื˜ ื•ึผืฆึฐื“ึธืงึธึ–ื” ื‘ึผึธืึธึฝืจึถืฅืƒ

English:

See, a time is comingโ€”declares GODโ€”when I will raise up a true branch of Davidโ€™s line. He shall reign as king and shall prosper, and he shall do what is just and right in the land.

The promise crystallizes in the figure of a righteous branch (tzemach tzaddik) raised up for David, a king who will reign wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land. Metzudat David and Radak both state that this is the King Mashiach. Radak explains the botanical image: as a sprouting plant multiplies, so when a righteous king arises, righteousness will spread through the world around him. Rashi glosses 'prosper' as acting with understanding.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ื”ืฉื›ื™ืœ. ื•ื™ืฆืœื™ื—:
and prosper Heb. ื•ื”ืฉื›ึผื™ืœ.

ืคืกื•ืง ื•ืณ ยท Verse 6

Hebrew:

ื‘ึผึฐื™ึธืžึธื™ื•ึ™ ืชึผึดื•ึผึธืฉืึทึฃืข ื™ึฐื”ื•ึผื“ึธึ”ื” ื•ึฐื™ึดืฉื‚ึฐืจึธืึตึ–ืœ ื™ึดืฉืึฐื›ึผึนึฃืŸ ืœึธื‘ึถึ‘ื˜ึทื— ื•ึฐื–ึถื”ึพืฉืึผึฐืžึฅื•ึน ืึฒึฝืฉืึถืจึพื™ึดืงึฐืจึฐืึ–ื•ึน ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึฅื”โ€‰ื€โ€‰ืฆึดื“ึฐืงึตึฝื ื•ึผืƒย {ืค}

English:

In his days Judah shall be delivered and Israel shall dwell secure. And this is the name by which he shall be called: โ€œGOD is our Vindicator.โ€

In his days both Yehudah and Yisrael will be saved and dwell securely, and he will be called 'HaShem Tzidkenu' -- the LORD is our righteousness. Rashi reads the name as describing the era: the LORD will vindicate us in this one's days. Radak compares it to altars named 'HaShem Nissi', names proclaiming what God does. Metzudat David notes the contrast with the Second Temple, when only Yehudah returned; the name also reverses the failed king Tzidkiyahu.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื”' ืฆื“ืงื ื•. ื”' ืžืฆื“ื™ืง ืื•ืชื ื• ื‘ื™ืžื™ื• ืฉืœ ื–ื”:
The Lord is our righteousness The Lord will vindicate us during this one's days.

ืคืกื•ืง ื–ืณ ยท Verse 7

Hebrew:

ืœึธื›ึตึ›ืŸ ื”ึดื ึผึตื”ึพื™ึธืžึดึฅื™ื ื‘ึผึธืึดึ–ื™ื ื ึฐืึปืึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ‘ื” ื•ึฐืœึนืึพื™ึนึคืืžึฐืจื•ึผ ืขื•ึนื“ึ™ ื—ึทื™ึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ”ื” ืึฒืฉืึถึงืจ ื”ึถืขึฑืœึธึ›ื” ืึถืชึพื‘ึผึฐื ึตึฅื™ ื™ึดืฉื‚ึฐืจึธืึตึ–ืœ ืžึตืึถึฅืจึถืฅ ืžึดืฆึฐืจึธึฝื™ึดืืƒ

English:

Assuredly, a time is comingโ€”declares GODโ€”when it shall no more be said, โ€œAs GOD lives, who brought the Israelites out of the land of Egypt,โ€

The coming redemption will be so great that people will no longer swear 'as the LORD lives who brought Israel up from Egypt'. Radak observes that these two verses already appeared in chapter 16, with slight variations, and explains that Scripture repeats itself to strengthen the matter. Metzudat David explains that the oath formula will change because the later redemption will be considered even more significant than the Exodus.

ืคืกื•ืง ื—ืณ ยท Verse 8

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึดึฃื™ ืึดืึพื—ึทื™ึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ—ื” ืึฒืฉืึถึฃืจ ื”ึถืขึฑืœึธื”ึฉ ื•ึทืึฒืฉืึถึจืจ ื”ึตื‘ึดึœื™ื ืึถืชึพื–ึถึจืจึทืข ื‘ึผึตึคื™ืช ื™ึดืฉื‚ึฐืจึธืึตืœึ™ ืžึตืึถึฃืจึถืฅ ืฆึธืคึ”ื•ึนื ึธื” ื•ึผืžึดื›ึผึนืœึ™ ื”ึธืึฒืจึธืฆึ”ื•ึนืช ืึฒืฉืึถึฅืจ ื”ึดื“ึผึทื—ึฐืชึผึดึ–ื™ื ืฉืึธึ‘ื ื•ึฐื™ึธืฉืึฐื‘ึ–ื•ึผ ืขึทืœึพืึทื“ึฐืžึธืชึธึฝืืƒย {ืค}

English:

but rather, โ€œAs GOD lives, who brought out and led the offspring of the House of Israel from the northland and from all the lands to which I have banished them.โ€ And they shall dwell upon their own soil.

Instead the oath will invoke the God who brought the descendants of Israel from the land of the north and from all the lands of their dispersion, so that they dwell on their own soil. Metzudat David explains that the later redemption will be mentioned more often because of its greater importance, and notes the shift of voice in 'where I have driven them', which is God's own speech embedded in the people's oath.

ืคืกื•ืง ื˜ืณ ยท Verse 9

Hebrew:

ืœึทื ึผึฐื‘ึดืึดึžื™ื ื ึดืฉืึฐื‘ึผึทึงืจ ืœึดื‘ึผึดึฃื™ ื‘ึฐืงึดืจึฐื‘ึผึดึ—ื™ ืจึธึฝื—ึฒืคื•ึผึ™ ื›ึผื‡ืœึพืขึทืฆึฐืžื•ึนืชึทึ”ื™ ื”ึธื™ึดึ™ื™ืชึดื™ึ™ ื›ึผึฐืึดึฃื™ืฉื ืฉืึดื›ึผึ”ื•ึนืจ ื•ึผื›ึฐื’ึถึ–ื‘ึถืจ ืขึฒื‘ึธึฃืจื•ึน ื™ึธึ‘ื™ึดืŸ ืžึดืคึผึฐื ึตึฃื™ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ”ื” ื•ึผืžึดืคึผึฐื ึตึ–ื™ ื“ึผึดื‘ึฐืจึตึฅื™ ืงื‡ื“ึฐืฉืึฝื•ึนืƒ

English:

Concerning the prophets. My heart is crushed within me, All my bones are trembling; I have become like someone drunk, Like one overcome by wineโ€” Because of GOD and because of Godโ€™s holy word.

A new section opens, headed 'concerning the prophets', and the prophet's composure breaks: his heart is shattered, his bones tremble, he reels like a drunkard. Rashi explains that his anguish comes from the prophets who promise peace, while he himself has heard God's evil decree. Radak adds that were it not for these false prophets, the people would have repented at the rebukes of the true prophets. Metzudat David sees God's name profaned through them.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืœื ื‘ื™ืื™ื ื ืฉื‘ืจ ืœื‘ื™ ื‘ืงืจื‘ื™. ืœื“ื‘ืจื™ ื”ื ื‘ื™ืื™ื ื”ืื•ืžืจื™ื ืฉืœื•ื ื™ื”ื™ื” ืœื›ื ื ืฉื‘ืจ ืœื‘ื™. ืจื—ืคื•. ื”ื•ืœื›ื™ื ื•ื ืขื™ื ื›ื›ื ืคื™ ืฆืคื•ืจ ื”ืžืจื—ืฃ ืขืœ ืงื ื• ื˜ืจื ื‘ืœื™ืจ"ื˜ ื‘ืœืขื–: ืžืคื ื™ ื”'. ืฉืื ื™ ืฉื•ืžืข ืžืžื ื• ื’ื–ื™ืจื” ืจืขื” ื–ืืช:
Because of the prophets my heart is broken within me Because of the words of the prophets who say, "You shall have peace," my heart is broken. shake sway like the wings of a bird who hovers over his nest, (trenblent in O.F.) tremble. because of the Lord For I heard from Him this evil decree.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืณ ยท Verse 10

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึดึคื™ ืžึฐื ึธึฝืึฒืคึดื™ืึ™ ืžึธืœึฐืึธึฃื” ื”ึธืึธึ”ืจึถืฅ ื›ึผึดึฝื™ึพืžึดืคึผึฐื ึตึคื™ ืึธืœึธื”ึ™ ืึธื‘ึฐืœึธึฃื” ื”ึธืึธึ”ืจึถืฅ ื™ึธื‘ึฐืฉืึ–ื•ึผ ื ึฐืึฃื•ึนืช ืžึดื“ึฐื‘ึผึธึ‘ืจ ื•ึทืชึผึฐื”ึดึคื™ ืžึฐืจึฝื•ึผืฆึธืชึธืึ™ ืจึธืขึธึ”ื” ื•ึผื’ึฐื‘ื•ึผืจึธืชึธึ–ื ืœึนืึพื›ึตึฝืŸืƒ

English:

For the land is full of adulterers, The land mourns because of a curse; The pastures of the wilderness are dried up. For they run to do evil, They strain to do wrong.

The land is full of adulterers and mourns because of false oaths; the pastures of the wilderness have dried up, and the people's zeal is only for evil. Rashi reads the curse as false oaths and 'mourns' as destruction. Radak asks how the false prophets could promise peace when the people can see with their own eyes that the land is ruined through adultery and perjury. Metzudat David ties the adultery to the prophets' influence.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืžืคื ื™ ืืœื”. ืฉื‘ื•ืขืช ืฉืงืจ: ืื‘ืœื”. ื—ืจื‘ื”: ืžืจื•ืฆืชื. ืงื•ืจืฉ"ื ื‘ืœืขื– ื•ื™"ืช ืœ' ืจืฆื•ืŸ: ืœื ื›ืŸ. ืœื ื‘ื“ื™ืŸ:
because of oaths False oaths. mourns i.e., is destroyed. their eagerness (course in French,) their course, their running. But Jonathan renders it as an expression of desire. not right Not according to the law.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื ยท Verse 11

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึดึฝื™ึพื’ึทืึพื ึธื‘ึดึฅื™ื ื’ึทืึพื›ึผึนื”ึตึ–ืŸ ื—ึธื ึตึ‘ืคื•ึผ ื’ึผึทืึพื‘ึผึฐื‘ึตื™ืชึดึ›ื™ ืžึธืฆึธึฅืืชึดื™ ืจึธืขึธืชึธึ–ื ื ึฐืึปืึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

For both prophet and priest are godless; Even in My House I find their wickedness โ€”declares GOD.

Both prophet and priest are corrupt, and even in God's own house their wickedness is found. Rashi stresses that these are the very people from whom everyone learns, and identifies the evil in the Temple with the idol placed there. Metzudat David specifies the false prophet and the priest of Baal who offered sacrifices to other gods in the Sanctuary, while Radak defines chanfu as wickedness and showing favor.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื’ื ื ื‘ื™ื ื’ื ื›ื”ืŸ. ืืคื™ืœื• ืืœื• ืฉื”ื›ืœ ืœืžื™ื“ื™ืŸ ืžื”ื: ื’ื ื‘ื‘ื™ืชื™ ืžืฆืืชื™ ืจืขืชื. ืฉื”ืขืžื™ื“ื• ื“ืžื•ืช ื‘ื”ื™ื›ืœ:
both prophet and priest Even these, from whom everyone learns. even in My house have I found their evil For they placed an image in the Temple.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื‘ ยท Verse 12

Hebrew:

ืœึธื›ึตืŸึฉ ื™ึดื”ึฐื™ึถึจื” ื“ึทืจึฐื›ึผึธึœื ืœึธื”ึถึ—ื ื›ึผึทื—ึฒืœึทืงึฐืœึทืงึผื•ึนืชึ™ ื‘ึผึธืึฒืคึตืœึธึ”ื” ื™ึดื“ึผึทึ–ื—ื•ึผ ื•ึฐื ึธึฃืคึฐืœื•ึผ ื‘ึธึ‘ื”ึผ ื›ึผึดื™ึพืึธื‘ึดึจื™ื ืขึฒืœึตื™ื”ึถึฅื ืจึธืขึธึ›ื” ืฉืึฐื ึทึฅืช ืคึผึฐืงึปื“ึผึธืชึธึ–ื ื ึฐืึปืึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

Assuredly, Their path shall become Like slippery ground; They shall be thrust into darkness And there they shall fall; For I will bring disaster upon them, The year of their doom โ€”declares GOD.

Their path will become like slippery ground in darkness; they will be pushed and fall, when God brings the year of their reckoning. Rashi describes a double stumbling: slippery ground alone trips a man, and darkness alone trips him, but together the fall is certain. Radak counts three causes -- slippery path, darkness, and being pushed from behind -- to convey how swift the fall will be. Metzudat David explains the verse's second half as its cause.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื›ื—ืœืงืœืงื•ืช. ืืจืฅ ื—ืœืงื” ืฉื”ืจื’ืœ ืžื—ืœืงืช ื‘ื” ื•ื”ืื“ื ื ื•ืคืœ: ื›ื—ืœืงืœืงื•ืช ื‘ืืคืœื”. ื›ืฉืœื•ืŸ ืขืœ ื›ืฉืœื•ืŸ ื—ืœืงืœืงื•ืช ื‘ืื•ืจ ื™ืฉ ื›ืฉืœื•ืŸ ืืคืœื” ื‘ืœื ื—ืœืงืœืงื•ืช ื™ืฉ ื›ืฉืœื•ืŸ:
like slippery places Smooth ground upon which the foot slips and the person falls. like slippery places in the dark Stumbling upon stumbling. On slippery places in the light there is stumbling. In the dark without slippery places, there is stumbling.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื’ ยท Verse 13

Hebrew:

ื•ึผื‘ึดื ึฐื‘ึดื™ืึตึฅื™ ืฉืึนืžึฐืจึ–ื•ึนืŸ ืจึธืึดึฃื™ืชึดื™ ืชึดืคึฐืœึธึ‘ื” ื”ึดื ึผึทื‘ึผึฐืึฃื•ึผ ื‘ึทื‘ึผึทึ”ืขึทืœ ื•ึทื™ึผึทืชึฐืขึฅื•ึผ ืึถืชึพืขึทืžึผึดึ–ื™ ืึถืชึพื™ึดืฉื‚ึฐืจึธืึตึฝืœืƒ

English:

In the prophets of Samaria I saw a repulsive thing: They prophesied by Baal And led My people Israel astray.

In the prophets of Shomron God saw something unseemly: they prophesied by Baal and led His people Israel astray. Rashi notes this was before the northern kingdom's exile. Radak recalls the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal in Achav's day slain by Eliyahu, and those later killed by Yehu, and observes that in Jerusalem no prophets of Baal arose -- setting up the startling comparison of the next verse.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ื‘ื ื‘ื™ืื™ ืฉื•ืžืจื•ืŸ ืจืื™ืชื™ ืชืคืœ'. ืงื•ื“ื ืฉื’ืœื•:
And in the prophets of Samaria I saw unseemliness before they were exiled.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื“ ยท Verse 14

Hebrew:

ื•ึผื‘ึดื ึฐื‘ึดืึตึจื™ ื™ึฐืจื•ึผืฉืึธืœึทึœอึดื ืจึธืึดึฃื™ืชึดื™ ืฉืึทืขึฒืจื•ึผืจึธึ—ื” ื ึธืึžื•ึนืฃ ื•ึฐื”ึธืœึนึคืšึฐ ื‘ึผึทืฉืึผึถึ™ืงึถืจึ™ ื•ึฐื—ึดื–ึผึฐืงื•ึผึ™ ื™ึฐื“ึตึฃื™ ืžึฐืจึตืขึดึ”ื™ื ืœึฐื‘ึดึจืœึฐืชึผึดื™ึพืฉืึธึ”ื‘ื•ึผ ืึดึ–ื™ืฉื ืžึตืจึธืขึธืชึ‘ื•ึน ื”ึธื™ื•ึผึพืœึดึคื™ ื›ึปืœึผึธืึ™ ื›ึผึดืกึฐื“ึนึ”ื ื•ึฐื™ึนืฉืึฐื‘ึถึ–ื™ื”ึธ ื›ึผึทืขึฒืžึนืจึธึฝื”ืƒย {ืค}

English:

But what I see in the prophets of Jerusalem Is something horrifying: Adultery and false dealing. They encourage evildoers, So that no one turns back from their own wickedness. To Me they are all like Sodom, And [all] its inhabitants like Gomorrah.

Yet in the prophets of Jerusalem God sees something worse, a horror: adultery, walking in falsehood, and strengthening the hands of evildoers so that none repents. Rashi explains that they tell the wicked 'you shall have peace'. Radak stresses that they did not prophesy by Baal but their way was evil. Metzudat David identifies 'all of them' as the people of Yehudah, become like Sedom and Amorah.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ื‘ื ื‘ื™ืื™ ื™ืจื•ืฉืœื™ื. ืื ื™ ืจื•ืื” ืขืชื” ืฉืขืจื•ืจื” ื“ื‘ืจ ืžื’ื•ื ื”: ื•ื—ื–ืงื• ื™ื“ื™ ืžืจืขื™ื. ืื•ืžืจื™ื ืœืจืฉืขื™ื ืฉืœื•ื ื™ื”ื™ื” ืœื›ื: ืœื‘ืœืชื™ ืฉื‘ื•. ืฉืœื ื™ืฉื•ื‘ื• ื”ืžืจื™ืขื™ื ืื™ืฉ ืžืจืขืชื•:
And in the prophets of Jerusalem I now see. a horrible thing a shameful thing. and they encouraged evil doers They say to the wicked, "You shall have peace." that none returns So that the evildoers would not return each one from his evil.

ืคืกื•ืง ื˜ืดื• ยท Verse 15

Hebrew:

ืœึธื›ึตึžืŸ ื›ึผึนื”ึพืึธืžึทึจืจ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึคื” ืฆึฐื‘ึธืื•ึนืชึ™ ืขึทืœึพื”ึทื ึผึฐื‘ึดืึดึ”ื™ื ื”ึดื ึฐื ึดึจื™ ืžึทืึฒื›ึดึคื™ืœ ืื•ึนืชึธืึ™ ืœึทืขึฒื ึธึ”ื” ื•ึฐื”ึดืฉืึฐืงึดืชึดึ–ื™ื ืžึตื™ึพืจึนึ‘ืืฉื ื›ึผึดึ—ื™ ืžึตืึตืชึ™ ื ึฐื‘ึดื™ืึตึฃื™ ื™ึฐืจื•ึผืฉืึธืœึทึ”อึดื ื™ึธืฆึฐืึธึฅื” ื—ึฒื ึปืคึผึธึ–ื” ืœึฐื›ื‡ืœึพื”ึธืึธึฝืจึถืฅืƒย {ืค}

English:

Assuredly, thus said GOD of Hosts concerning the prophets: I am going to make them eat wormwood And drink a bitter draft; For from the prophets of Jerusalem Godlessness has gone forth to the whole land.

Therefore God will feed these prophets wormwood and give them poisoned water to drink, for from the prophets of Jerusalem corruption has gone out to the whole land. Radak explains the bitter drink as a deadly affliction, and defines chanufah as flattery that beautifies wicked deeds and refrains from rebuke. Metzudat David extends the corruption to the whole people, who now flatter their own evil inclination.

ืคืกื•ืง ื˜ืดื– ยท Verse 16

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึนื”ึพืึธืžึทึžืจ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึฃื” ืฆึฐื‘ึธืึ—ื•ึนืช ืึทึฝืœึพืชึผึดืฉืึฐืžึฐืขึžื•ึผ ืขึทืœึพื“ึผึดื‘ึฐืจึตึคื™ ื”ึทื ึผึฐื‘ึดืึดื™ืึ™ ื”ึทื ึผึดื‘ึผึฐืึดึฃื™ื ืœึธื›ึถึ”ื ืžึทื”ึฐื‘ึผึดืœึดึฅื™ื ื”ึตึ–ืžึผึธื” ืึถืชึฐื›ึถึ‘ื ื—ึฒื–ึคื•ึนืŸ ืœึดื‘ึผึธืึ™ ื™ึฐื“ึทื‘ึผึตึ”ืจื•ึผ ืœึนึ–ื ืžึดืคึผึดึฅื™ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

Thus said GOD of Hosts: Do not listen to the words of the prophets Who prophesy to you. They are deluding you, The prophecies they speak are from their own minds, Not from the mouth of GOD.

God commands the people directly not to listen to these prophets, who fill them with vain hopes and speak a vision of their own heart, not from the mouth of the LORD. Radak explains that they seduce with empty words of 'peace will be yours'. Metzudat David defines 'the vision of their heart' as imaginings they invent, since they have seen nothing in prophecy.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื– ยท Verse 17

Hebrew:

ืึนืžึฐืจึดึคื™ื ืึธืžื•ึนืจึ™ ืœึดึฝืžึฐื ึทืึฒืฆึทึ”ื™ ื“ึผึดื‘ึผึถึฃืจ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ”ื” ืฉืึธืœึ–ื•ึนื ื™ึดื”ึฐื™ึถึฃื” ืœึธื›ึถึ‘ื ื•ึฐึ ื›ึนึ ืœ ื”ึนืœึตึžืšึฐ ื‘ึผึดืฉืึฐืจึดืจึคื•ึผืช ืœึดื‘ึผื•ึนึ™ ืึธึฝืžึฐืจึ”ื•ึผ ืœึนืึพืชึธื‘ึฅื•ึนื ืขึฒืœึตื™ื›ึถึ–ื ืจึธืขึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

They declare to those who despise Me: GOD has said: โ€œAll shall be well with youโ€; And to all who follow their willful hearts they say: โ€œNo evil shall befall you.โ€

The false prophets habitually assure those who despise God that He has promised peace, and tell everyone who follows the stubbornness of his heart that no evil will come. Metzudat David stresses the habitual doubled verb: this is their constant refrain. Radak notes the grammar of the infinitive after the verb, which intensifies the action, and Rashi supplies the implied 'and to everyone who follows' his heart.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ื›ืœ ื”ื•ืœืš ื‘ืฉืจื™ืจื•ืช ืœื‘ื• ื•ื’ื•'. ื•ืœื›ืœ ื”ื•ืœืš ื‘ืฉืจื™ืจื•ืช ืœื‘ื• ื•ื’ื•':
and everyone who follows the view of his heart And to everyone who follows the view of his heart, etc.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื— ยท Verse 18

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึดึฃื™ ืžึดึคื™ ืขึธืžึทื“ึ™ ื‘ึผึฐืกึฃื•ึนื“ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ”ื” ื•ึฐื™ึตึ–ืจึถื ื•ึฐื™ึดืฉืึฐืžึทึฃืข ืึถืชึพื“ึผึฐื‘ึธืจึ‘ื•ึน ืžึดื™ึพื”ึดืงึฐืฉืึดึฅื™ื‘ (ื“ื‘ืจื™) [ื“ึผึฐื‘ึธืจึ–ื•ึน] ื•ึทื™ึผึดืฉืึฐืžึธึฝืขืƒย {ืก} ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย 

English:

But he who has stood in GODโ€™s council, And seen, and heard Godโ€™s wordโ€” He who has listened to that word must obey.

Who among them has stood in the council of the LORD (sod HaShem), seen and heard His word? Rashi distinguishes the two hearings: the first is literal hearing, the second is acceptance -- only one who heeded God's Torah and commandments can truly hear His word. Metzudat David answers that the wicked are unfit for prophecy, while one like Yirmiyahu, who heeded God's voice, is the one who hears it.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืžื™ ืขืžื“ ื‘ืกื•ื“ ื”'. ื•ื™ืฉืžืข ืืช ื”ื ื’ื–ืจ ืžืœืคื ื™ื• ืื•ืชื• ืฉื”ืงืฉื™ื‘ ื“ื‘ืจ ืชื•ืจืชื• ื•ื™ืฉืžืข ืœืžืฆื•ืชื™ื• ื•ืœื ื”ืจืฉืขื™ื ื”ืืœื” ืฉืžื™ืขื” ื”ืจืืฉื•ื ื” ืฉื‘ืžืงืจื ื–ื” ืฉืžื™ืขื” ืžืžืฉ ืฉืžื™ืขื” ื”ืื—ืจื•ื ื” ืงื‘ืœื”:
For who stood in the council of the Lord and will hear what is decreed by Him? He who hearkened to the word of His Torah and listened to His commandments, but not these wicked men. The first expression of ึนืฉึฐืžึดื™ืขึธื” in the verse is actual hearing; the latter expression of ึนืฉึฐืžึดื™ืขึธื” is an expression of acceptance.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื˜ ยท Verse 19

Hebrew:

ื”ึดื ึผึตึฃื”โ€‰ื€ ืกึทืขึฒืจึทึฃืช ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ—ื” ื—ึตืžึธื”ึ™ ื™ึธึฝืฆึฐืึธึ”ื” ื•ึฐืกึทึ–ืขึทืจ ืžึดืชึฐื—ื•ึนืœึตึ‘ืœ ืขึทึ›ืœ ืจึนึฅืืฉื ืจึฐืฉืึธืขึดึ–ื™ื ื™ึธื—ึฝื•ึผืœืƒ

English:

Lo, GODโ€™s storm goes forth in fury, A whirling storm, It shall whirl down upon the heads of the wicked.

A storm of the LORD goes forth in fury, a whirling tempest that will settle on the heads of the wicked. Rashi reads mitcholel as a storm seeking a place to rest, which comes to rest on the wicked. Metzudat David identifies the wicked as the false prophets. Radak notes the prophetic past tense for a future event, and suggests the prophecy reaches ultimately to the days of Mashiach, when all the wicked will cease.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืžืชื—ื•ืœืœ. ืžืฉืชื›ืŸ ืžื—ื–ืจ ืœืฉื›ื•ืŸ ื•ืขืœ ืจืืฉ ืจืฉืขื™ื ื™ืฉื›ื•ืŸ:
a whirling A resting storm, a storm which seeks to rest, and it shall rest on the heads of the wicked.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืณ ยท Verse 20

Hebrew:

ืœึนึคื ื™ึธืฉืื•ึผื‘ึ™ ืึทืฃึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ”ื” ืขึทื“ึพืขึฒืฉื‚ึนืชึฅื•ึน ื•ึฐืขึทื“ึพื”ึฒืงึดื™ืžึ–ื•ึน ืžึฐื–ึดืžึผึฃื•ึนืช ืœึดื‘ึผึ‘ื•ึน ื‘ึผึฐืึทึฝื—ึฒืจึดื™ืชึ™ ื”ึทื™ึผึธืžึดึ”ื™ื ืชึผึดืชึฐื‘ึผึฅื•ึนื ึฐื ื•ึผ ื‘ึธึ–ื”ึผ ื‘ึผึดื™ื ึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

The anger of GOD shall not turn back Till it has fulfilled and completed Godโ€™s purposes. In the days to come You shall clearly perceive it.

God's anger will not turn back until He has carried out the purposes of His heart; in the end of days you will understand it clearly. Rashi glosses 'purposes' as thoughts. Metzudat David explains that even if fulfillment is delayed, in the end they will see that God never relented. Radak places the end of days in the messianic era, when the downfall of the wicked will make the prophecy plain.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืžื–ืžื•ืช. ืœืฉื•ืŸ ืžื—ืฉื‘ื”:
the plans of an expression of thought.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื ยท Verse 21

Hebrew:

ืœึนืึพืฉืึธืœึทึฅื—ึฐืชึผึดื™ ืึถืชึพื”ึทื ึผึฐื‘ึดืึดึ–ื™ื ื•ึฐื”ึตึฃื ืจึธึ‘ืฆื•ึผ ืœึนืึพื“ึดื‘ึผึทึฅืจึฐืชึผึดื™ ืึฒืœึตื™ื”ึถึ–ื ื•ึฐื”ึตึฅื ื ึดื‘ึผึธึฝืื•ึผืƒ

English:

I did not send those prophets, But they rushed in; I did not speak to them, Yet they prophesied.

God did not send these prophets, yet they ran; He did not speak to them, yet they prophesied. Metzudat David explains that they rushed with the haste of real messengers, although they had heard nothing from God. Radak adds that they hurried to tell the people words they had invented in God's name. The contrast with Yirmiyahu, who resisted his mission in chapter 1, is implicit.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื‘ ยท Verse 22

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐืึดืึพืขึธืžึฐื“ึ–ื•ึผ ื‘ึผึฐืกื•ึนื“ึดึ‘ื™ ื•ึฐื™ึทืฉืึฐืžึดึคืขื•ึผ ื“ึฐื‘ึธืจึทื™ึ™ ืึถืชึพืขึทืžึผึดึ”ื™ ื•ึดึฝื™ืฉืึดื‘ื•ึผืึ™ ืžึดื“ึผึทืจึฐื›ึผึธึฃื ื”ึธืจึธึ”ืข ื•ึผืžึตืจึนึ–ืขึท ืžึทืขึทืœึฐืœึตื™ื”ึถึฝืืƒย {ืก} ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย 

English:

If they have stood in My council, Let them announce My words to My people And make them turn back From their evil ways and wicked acts.

The moral test of prophecy: had they truly stood in God's council, they would have made His people hear His words and turned them back from their evil ways. Rashi says they should have taught God's Torah rather than lead the people astray. Metzudat David and Radak read the verse as a conditional -- if their claim were true, the result would be repentance, not the strengthening of evildoers.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ืื ืขืžื“ื• ื‘ืกื•ื“ื™ ื•ื™ืฉืžื™ืขื• ื“ื‘ืจื™ ื•ื’ื•'. ื”ื™ื” ืœื”ื ืœื”ืฉืžื™ืข ื“ื‘ืจื™ ื•ืชื•ืจืชื™ ืืช ืขืžื™ ื•ืœื ืœื”ื˜ืขื•ืชื ื‘ื” ืžืขืœื™:
And if they stood in My council, they should have let My people hear My word, etc. They should have let My people hear My words and My Torah, rather than cause them to stray away from Me.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื’ ยท Verse 23

Hebrew:

ื”ึทืึฑืœึนื”ึตึงื™ ืžึดืงึผึธืจึนึ›ื‘ ืึธึ–ื ึดื™ ื ึฐืึปืึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ‘ื” ื•ึฐืœึนึฅื ืึฑืœึนื”ึตึ–ื™ ืžึตืจึธื—ึนึฝืงืƒ

English:

Am I only a God near at hand โ€”says GODโ€” And not a God far away?

Am I a God only near at hand and not a God far off? Rashi explains: do I see only what is close to Me, with no power to judge the lower creatures? Metzudat David reads it similarly as a rhetorical question. Radak contrasts the eternal God with the new gods lately come, who neither see nor hear; God hears the false prophets speaking in His name.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื”ืืœื”ื™ ืžืงืจื•ื‘. ืฉืื™ื ื™ ืจื•ืื” ืืœื ื‘ืกืžื•ืš ืœื™ ื•ืื™ืŸ ื‘ื™ ื›ื— ืœืฉืคื•ื˜ ืืช ื”ืชื—ืชื•ื ื™ื ืฉื”ื ืจื—ื•ืงื™ื ืžืžื ื™ ื•ืื™ื ื™ ื™ื•ื“ืข ื‘ืžืขืฉื™ื”ื:
Am I a God from near that I do not see but what is close to Me and have I no power to judge the lower creatures that are far from Me and do I not know of their deeds?

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื“ ยท Verse 24

Hebrew:

ืึดืึพื™ึดืกึผึธืชึตึจืจ ืึดึงื™ืฉื ื‘ึผึทืžึผึดืกึฐืชึผึธืจึดึ›ื™ื ื•ึทืึฒื ึดึฅื™ ืœึนึฝืึพืึถืจึฐืึถึ–ื ึผื•ึผ ื ึฐืึปืึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ‘ื” ื”ึฒืœึจื•ึนื ืึถืชึพื”ึทืฉืึผึธืžึทึงื™ึดื ื•ึฐืึถืชึพื”ึธืึธึ›ืจึถืฅ ืึฒื ึดึฅื™ ืžึธืœึตึ–ื ื ึฐืึปืึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

If somebody enters a hiding place, Do I not see them? โ€”says GOD. For I fill both heaven and earth โ€”declares GOD.

Can a man hide in secret places and God not see him? God fills heaven and earth. Rashi explains this as a doubled rhetorical question in the manner of Scripture. Radak carefully notes that 'I fill' is metaphorical, since God has no body occupying space; it means that His providence extends everywhere. Metzudat David concludes that even the hiding place itself is where God is.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืื ื™ืกืชืจ ืื™ืฉ. ื–ื”ื• ื›ืคืœ ืชืžื™ื”ื” ื”ืืœื”ื™ ืžืงืจื•ื‘ ื›ื“ืจืš ื›ืœ ืชืžื™ื”ื•ืช ื”ื›ืคื•ืœื•ืช:
Can a man hide in secret places This is a repetition of the question, 'Am I a God from near,' according to the manner of all double questions.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื” ยท Verse 25

Hebrew:

ืฉืึธืžึทึ—ืขึฐืชึผึดื™ ืึตึคืช ืึฒืฉืึถืจึพืึธึฝืžึฐืจื•ึผึ™ ื”ึทื ึผึฐื‘ึดืึดึ”ื™ื ื”ึทึฝื ึผึดื‘ึผึฐืึดึฅื™ื ื‘ึผึดืฉืึฐืžึดึ›ื™ ืฉืึถึ–ืงึถืจ ืœึตืืžึนึ‘ืจ ื—ึธืœึทึ–ืžึฐืชึผึดื™ ื—ึธืœึธึฝืžึฐืชึผึดื™ืƒ

English:

I have heard what the prophets say, who prophesy falsely in My name: โ€œI had a dream, I had a dream.โ€

Because nothing is hidden from Him, God has heard the prophets who prophesy falsely in His name, crying 'I have dreamed, I have dreamed'. Metzudat David explains that they present ordinary imaginative dreams as if they were prophetic dreams. Radak notes that the repeated verb conveys emphasis: they insisted their dream was a dream of prophecy.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื• ยท Verse 26

Hebrew:

ืขึทื“ึพืžึธืชึทึ—ื™ ื”ึฒื™ึตึ›ืฉื ื‘ึผึฐืœึตึฅื‘ ื”ึทื ึผึฐื‘ึดืึดึ–ื™ื ื ึดื‘ึผึฐืึตึฃื™ ื”ึทืฉืึผึธึ‘ืงึถืจ ื•ึผื ึฐื‘ึดื™ืึตึ–ื™ ืชึผึทืจึฐืžึดึฅืช ืœึดื‘ึผึธึฝืืƒ

English:

How long will there be in the minds of the prophets who prophesy falsehoodโ€”the prophets of their own deceitful mindsโ€”

How long will this continue in the heart of the prophets who prophesy falsehood, the prophets of their own heart's deceit? Rashi reads it as a question whether they truly intend to carry out their scheme. Metzudat David sharpens the point: they know perfectly well there is no comparison between a fantasy and a prophetic dream, yet speak cunningly as though there were. Radak explains 'deceit of their heart' as prophecy born of self-deception.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืขื“ ืžืชื™. ื™ื ื‘ืื• ืฉืงืจ ื•ื›ื™ ื™ืฉ ื‘ืœื‘ื ืฉืœ ื”ื ื‘ื™ืื™ื ื”ืœืœื• ื”ื ื‘ืื™ื ืฉืงืจ ืœืงื™ื™ื ืžื—ืฉื‘ื•ืชื ืฉื”ื ื—ื•ืฉื‘ื™ื ืœื”ืฉื›ื™ื— ืืช ืขืžื™ ืฉืžื™ ื•ื’ื•': ืชืจืžื™ืช. ืœืฉื•ืŸ ืžืจืžื”:
How long [will this be]? That they will prophesy falsely? Do these prophets who prophesy falsely have in their heart to execute their thoughts that they are thinking to cause My people to forget My name, etc.? deceit an expression of ืžึดืจึฐืžึธื”, deceit.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื– ยท Verse 27

Hebrew:

ื”ึทื—ึนืฉืึฐื‘ึดึ—ื™ื ืœึฐื”ึทืฉืึฐื›ึผึดึคื™ื—ึท ืึถืชึพืขึทืžึผึดื™ึ™ ืฉืึฐืžึดึ”ื™ ื‘ึผึทื—ึฒืœึฃื•ึนืžึนืชึธึ”ื ืึฒืฉืึถึฅืจ ื™ึฐืกึทืคึผึฐืจึ–ื•ึผ ืึดึฃื™ืฉื ืœึฐืจึตืขึตึ‘ื”ื•ึผ ื›ึผึทืึฒืฉืึถึจืจ ืฉืึธื›ึฐื—ึงื•ึผ ืึฒื‘ื•ึนืชึธึ›ื ืึถืชึพืฉืึฐืžึดึ–ื™ ื‘ึผึทื‘ึผึธึฝืขึทืœืƒ

English:

the plan to make My people forget My name, by means of the dreams that they tell each other, just as their ancestors forgot My name because of Baal?

Their plan is to make God's people forget His name through the dreams they tell one another, just as their fathers forgot His name through Baal. Radak explains that they keep the people from hearing the true prophets, as the prophets of Baal once did, so that God's name is forgotten through dreams as it once was through idolatry. Metzudat David notes that dream-telling had become their whole occupation.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื— ยท Verse 28

Hebrew:

ื”ึทื ึผึธื‘ึดึžื™ื ืึฒืฉืึถืจึพืึดืชึผึคื•ึน ื—ึฒืœื•ึนืึ™ ื™ึฐืกึทืคึผึตึฃืจ ื—ึฒืœึ”ื•ึนื ื•ึทืึฒืฉืึถึคืจ ื“ึผึฐื‘ึธืจึดื™ึ™ ืึดืชึผึ”ื•ึน ื™ึฐื“ึทื‘ึผึตึฅืจ ื“ึผึฐื‘ึธืจึดึ–ื™ ืึฑืžึถึ‘ืช ืžึทื”ึพืœึทืชึผึถึฅื‘ึถืŸ ืึถืชึพื”ึทื‘ึผึธึ–ืจ ื ึฐืึปืึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream; and let the one who has received My word report My word faithfully! How can straw be compared to grain?โ€”says GOD.

Let the prophet who has a dream tell it as a dream, and let the one who has God's word speak it truthfully -- what has straw to do with grain? Rashi reads the image as falsehood against truth. Radak observes that ordinary dreams arise from waking thoughts and are rarely true, whereas a prophecy is wholly true. Metzudat David explains straw and grain as imaginative dream versus prophetic dream.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื™ืกืคืจ ื—ืœื•ื. ื™ืกืคืจื ื• ืœ' ื”ื‘ืื™ ื›ืฉืืจ ื—ืœื•ืžื•ืช ื•ืœื ื™ื—ื–ืงื ื• ื‘ื“ื‘ืจื™ ื ื‘ื•ืื”: ืžื” ืœืชื‘ืŸ ืืช ื”ื‘ืจ. ืžื” ืขื ื™ืŸ ืฉืงืจ ืืฆืœ ืืžืช: ืืช ื”ื‘ืจ. ืขื ื”ื‘ืจ:
let him tell a dream Let him tell it as vain talk like other dreams, and let him not presume it as words of prophecy. What has the straw to do with the wheat? What has falsehood to do with truth? with the wheat like ืขึดื-ื”ึทื‘ึผึธืจ.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื˜ ยท Verse 29

Hebrew:

ื”ึฒืœึจื•ึนื ื›ึนึงื” ื“ึฐื‘ึธืจึดึ›ื™ ื›ึผึธืึตึ–ืฉื ื ึฐืึปืึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ‘ื” ื•ึผื›ึฐืคึทื˜ึผึดึ–ื™ืฉื ื™ึฐืคึนึฅืฆึตึฝืฅ ืกึธึฝืœึทืขืƒย {ืก} ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย 

English:

Behold, My word is like fireโ€”declares GODโ€”and like a hammer that shatters rock!

Is not My word like fire, says the LORD, and like a hammer that shatters rock? Rashi explains that true prophecy seizes the prophet with overwhelming force, citing Yirmiyahu's own 'burning fire' in chapter 20. Radak reads it as efficacy: nothing can annul God's word. Metzudat David contrasts the intensity of a prophetic dream with a faint fantasy. The Sages drew from the hammer that one verse yields many meanings.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื”ืœื ื›ื” ื“ื‘ืจื™ ื›ืืฉ. ืœื ื”ื™ื” ืœื”ื ืœื˜ืขื•ืช ื•ืœื“ืžื•ืช ื—ืœื•ืžื•ืช ืœื•ืžืจ ืฉื”ื ื ื‘ื•ืื” ื›ื™ ื“ื‘ืจ ื ื‘ื•ืื” ื›ืฉื‘ืื” ื‘ืคื™ ื”ื ื‘ื™ื ื‘ื’ื‘ื•ืจื” ื”ื™ื ื‘ืื” ื‘ื• ื›ืืฉ ื‘ื•ืขืจืช ื›ืขื ื™ืŸ ืฉื ืืžืจ ื•ืชื”ื™ ื‘ืœื‘ื™ ื›ืืฉ ื‘ื•ืขืจืช (ืœืขื™ืœ ื›) ื•ืื•ืžืจ ื•ื™ื“ ื”' ืขืœื™ ื—ื–ืงื” (ื™ื—ื–ืงืืœ ื’ืณ:ื™ืดื“): ื•ื›ืคื˜ื™ืฉ. ืคื™"ืง ื‘ืœืขื– ื•ื™ืฉ ืื•ืžืจ ืžืจื˜ื™ื™"ืœ ื‘ืœืขื–:
Is not My word so like fire? They should not have erred to compare their dreams to say that they are prophecy, for the prophetic word, when it comes to a prophet, it comes into him with force like a burning fire, as the matter is stated (supra 20:9): "And it was in my heart like a burning fire," and (Ezekiel 3:14): "And the hand of the Lord became strong upon me." and as a hammer (pic in French), a pick. And some say (marteau in French), a hammer.

ืคืกื•ืง ืœืณ ยท Verse 30

Hebrew:

ืœึธื›ึตึ›ืŸ ื”ึดื ึฐื ึดึฅื™ ืขึทืœึพื”ึทื ึผึฐื‘ึดืึดึ–ื™ื ื ึฐืึปืึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ‘ื” ืžึฐื’ึทื ึผึฐื‘ึตึฃื™ ื“ึฐื‘ึธืจึทึ”ื™ ืึดึ–ื™ืฉื ืžึตืึตึฅืช ืจึตืขึตึฝื”ื•ึผืƒ

English:

Assuredly, I am going to deal with the prophetsโ€”declares GODโ€”who steal My words from one another.

Therefore God is against the prophets who steal His words from one another. Rashi gives a concrete example: Chananyah son of Azzur heard Yirmiyahu prophesy against Elam in the upper market and repeated the formula in the lower market about Babylon. Radak notes that 'hineni' appears three times because there were three kinds of false prophets. Metzudat David explains that they claimed true prophets' words as their own.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืžื’ื ื‘ื™ ื“ื‘ืจื™ ืื™ืฉ ืžืืช ืจืขื”ื•. ืื™ืฉ ืžืืช ืจืขื”ื• ื™ืฉ ืœื”ื ืžืจื’ืœื™ื ืืฆืœ ื ื‘ื™ืื™ ื”ืืžืช ื•ืฉื•ืžืขื™ืŸ ืกื’ื ื•ืŸ ืฉืœื”ื ืฉื”ื ืžืชื ื‘ืื™ื ื‘ื• ื•ืื•ืžืจื™ืŸ ื ื‘ื•ืืช ืฉืงืจ ื‘ืื•ืชื• ืœ' ื›ืžื• ืฉืขืฉื” ื—ื ื ื™ื” ื‘ืŸ ืขื–ื•ืจ ืฉืžืข ืืช ื™ืจืžื™ื” ืžืชื ื‘ื ื‘ืฉื•ืง ื”ืขืœื™ื•ืŸ ื”ื ื ื™ ืฉื•ื‘ืจ ืืช ืงืฉืช ืขื™ืœื ื•ื”ื•ื ื ื™ื‘ื ื‘ืฉื•ืง ื”ืชื—ืชื•ืŸ ืฉื‘ืจืชื™ ืืช ืขื•ืœ ืžืœืš ื‘ื‘ืœ (ืœืงืžืŸ ื›ื—) ื›ืžื• ืฉืืžืจื• ืจื‘ื•ืชื™ื ื• ื‘ืกื ื”ื“ืจื™ืŸ:
those who steal My wards from one another They have spies who spy upon the true prophets, who listen to their expression with which they prophesy and say false prophecies with that same expression, as Hananiah son of Azzur did. He heard Jeremiah prophesying in the upper marketplace, "Behold I break the bow of Elam," and he prophesied in the lower marketplace, "I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon" (28:2), as our Rabbis wrote in Sanhedrin 89a.

ืคืกื•ืง ืœืดื ยท Verse 31

Hebrew:

ื”ึดื ึฐื ึดึฅื™ ืขึทืœึพื”ึทื ึผึฐื‘ึดื™ืึดึ–ื ื ึฐืึปืึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ‘ื” ื”ึทืœึผึนืงึฐื—ึดึฃื™ื ืœึฐืฉืื•ึนื ึธึ”ื ื•ึทึฝื™ึผึดื ึฐืึฒืžึ–ื•ึผ ื ึฐืึปึฝืืƒ

English:

I am going to deal with the prophetsโ€”declares GODโ€”who wag their tongues and make oracular utterances.

God is against the prophets who take up their tongues and intone oracles. Rashi explains that they train their tongues to say 'says the LORD' like the true prophets, so that people will believe their falsehoods. Radak reads the verse as smoothing the tongue, comparing the seductive speech of Mishlei. Metzudat David adds that they sweeten their inventions and phrase them in prophetic idiom.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื”ืœื•ืงื—ื™ื ืœืฉื•ื ื. ื”ืžืœืžื“ื™ื ืœืฉื•ื ื ืœื•ืžืจ ืฉืงืจื™ื”ื ื‘ืœ' ื ืื ื”' ื›ื ื‘ื™ืื™ ื”ืืžืช ืœืžืขืŸ ื™ืืžื™ื ื• ื‘ื:
those who train their tongues who teach their tongues to say their falsehoods with the expression, "Says the Lord," like the true prophets, so that they should believe them.

ืคืกื•ืง ืœืดื‘ ยท Verse 32

Hebrew:

ื”ึดึ ื ึฐื ึดึ ื™ ืขึทึฝืœึพื ึดื‘ึผึฐืึตึžื™ ื—ึฒืœึนืžึฅื•ึนืช ืฉืึถึ™ืงึถืจึ™ ื ึฐืึปืึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ”ื” ื•ึทึฝื™ึฐืกึทืคึผึฐืจื•ึผืึ™ ื•ึทื™ึผึทืชึฐืขึฃื•ึผ ืึถืชึพืขึทืžึผึดึ”ื™ ื‘ึผึฐืฉืึดืงึฐืจึตื™ื”ึถึ–ื ื•ึผื‘ึฐืคึทื—ึฒื–ื•ึผืชึธึ‘ื ื•ึฐืึธื ึนื›ึดึจื™ ืœึนึฝืึพืฉืึฐืœึทื—ึฐืชึผึดึœื™ื ื•ึฐืœึนึฃื ืฆึดื•ึผึดื™ืชึดึ—ื™ื ื•ึฐื”ื•ึนืขึตึ›ื™ืœ ืœึนืึพื™ื•ึนืขึดึฅื™ืœื•ึผ ืœึธืขึธืึพื”ึทื–ึผึถึ–ื” ื ึฐืึปืึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

I am going to deal with those who prophesy lying dreamsโ€”declares GODโ€”who relate them to lead My people astray with their reckless lies, when I did not send them or command them. They do this people no goodโ€”declares GOD.

God is against those who prophesy lying dreams and lead His people astray with their falsehoods and recklessness, though He never sent them; they bring no benefit at all. Rashi glosses pachazutam as bewilderment. Radak defines it as lightness of mind, like the reckless men of Shoftim. Metzudat David emphasizes that they speak deliberately, knowing their dreams are mere fantasy.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ื‘ืคื—ื–ื•ืชื. ืœ' ืชืžื”ื•ืŸ ืื™ืฉื˜ื•ืจื“ื™ื–ื•"ืŸ ื‘ืœืขื–:
with their bewilderment an expression of wonder (estordisoun in O. F.).

ืคืกื•ืง ืœืดื’ ยท Verse 33

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐื›ึดึฝื™ึพื™ึดืฉืึฐืึธืœึฐืšึธึฉ ื”ึธืขึธึจื ื”ึทื–ึผึถึœื” ืึฝื•ึนึพื”ึทื ึผึธื‘ึดึคื™ื ืึฝื•ึนึพื›ึนื”ึตืŸึ™ ืœึตืืžึนึ”ืจ ืžึทื”ึพืžึผึทืฉื‚ึผึธึ–ื ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ‘ื” ื•ึฐืึธืžึทืจึฐืชึผึธึค ืึฒืœึตื™ื”ึถืึ™ ืึถืชึพืžึทื”ึพืžึผึทืฉื‚ึผึธึ”ื ื•ึฐื ึธื˜ึทืฉืึฐืชึผึดึฅื™ ืึถืชึฐื›ึถึ–ื ื ึฐืึปืึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

And when this peopleโ€”or a prophet or a priestโ€”asks you, โ€œWhat is the burden of GOD?โ€ you shall answer them, โ€œWhat is the burden? I will cast you offโ€โ€”declares GOD.

The chapter turns on the double meaning of massa, both oracle and burden. When the people mockingly ask 'what is the burden of the LORD', Rashi hears the derision -- prophecy was a burden to them -- and God answers: you are the burden, and I will cast you off. Radak says that God, who searches hearts, knew they meant heaviness. Metzudat David likens the casting off to dropping a heavy load.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืžื” ืžืฉื ื”'. ืœืฉื•ืŸ ืฉื—ื•ืง ืœืคื™ ืฉื ื‘ื•ืืชื• ืœื”ื ืœืžืฉื: ื•ืืžืจืช ืืœื™ื”ื ืืช ืžื” ืžืฉื ื•ื ื˜ืฉืชื™ ื•ื’ื•'. ืื•ืžืจื™ื ืœื›ื ืžื” ื”ืžืฉื, ืืชื ืœืžืฉื ืœื”ืงื‘"ื” ื•ื”ื•ื ืืžืจ ืฉื™ื˜ื•ืฉ ื•ื™ืฉืœื™ืš ืืชื›ื ืžืขืœ ื–ืจื•ืขื•ืชื™ื• ืžืฉืžื™ื ืืจืฅ ื›ืš ืฉืžืขืชื™: ื•ื ื˜ืฉืชื™. ื•ืขื–ื‘ืชื™:
"What is the burden of the Lord?" This is an expression of derision, for his prophecy is a burden to them. you shall say to them, "What burden? And I will forsake you, etc." They say to you (sic), "What is the burden?" You are the burden of the Holy One, blessed be He, and He says that He will forsake you and cast you off His arms from heaven to earth. So I heard. and I will forsake Heb. ื•ึฐืขึธื–ึทื‘ึฐืชึผึดื™.

ืคืกื•ืง ืœืดื“ ยท Verse 34

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐื”ึทื ึผึธื‘ึดึคื™ื ื•ึฐื”ึทื›ึผึนื”ึตืŸึ™ ื•ึฐื”ึธืขึธึ”ื ืึฒืฉืึถึฅืจ ื™ึนืืžึทึ–ืจ ืžึทืฉื‚ึผึธึฃื ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ‘ื” ื•ึผืคึธืงึทื“ึฐืชึผึดึ›ื™ ืขึทืœึพื”ึธืึดึฅื™ืฉื ื”ึทื”ึ–ื•ึผื ื•ึฐืขึทืœึพื‘ึผึตื™ืชึฝื•ึนืƒ

English:

As for the prophet or priest or layperson who shall say โ€œthe burden of GOD,โ€ I will punish them and their household.

Any prophet, priest or ordinary person who says 'the burden of the LORD' will be punished together with his household. Metzudat David explains that beyond the general casting off threatened in the previous verse, God will now requite this sin specifically upon the individual speaker and his house. Radak simply remarks that the verse is self-explanatory.

ืคืกื•ืง ืœืดื” ยท Verse 35

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึนึฅื” ืชึนืืžึฐืจึ›ื•ึผ ืึดึฅื™ืฉื ืขึทืœึพืจึตืขึตึ–ื”ื•ึผ ื•ึฐืึดึฃื™ืฉื ืึถืœึพืึธื—ึดึ‘ื™ื• ืžึถื”ึพืขึธื ึธึฃื” ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ”ื” ื•ึผืžึทื”ึพื“ึผึดื‘ึผึถึ–ืจ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

Thus you shall all speak to your neighbors and to your kin, โ€œWhat has GOD answered?โ€ or โ€œWhat has GOD spoken?โ€

Instead, each person is to ask his fellow 'What has the LORD answered?' or 'What has the LORD spoken?' Metzudat David distinguishes the two phrasings: the first for an answer to a question put to God, the second for a word given unprompted. Radak explains that 'answer' here simply means speaking, as in 'and Iyov answered'.

ืคืกื•ืง ืœืดื• ยท Verse 36

Hebrew:

ื•ึผืžึทืฉื‚ึผึธึฅื ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ–ื” ืœึนึฃื ืชึดื–ึฐื›ึผึฐืจื•ึผึพืขึ‘ื•ึนื“ ื›ึผึดึฃื™ ื”ึทืžึผึทืฉื‚ึผึธึ—ื ื™ึดึฝื”ึฐื™ึถื”ึ™ ืœึฐืึดึฃื™ืฉื ื“ึผึฐื‘ึธืจึ”ื•ึน ื•ึทื”ึฒืคึทื›ึฐืชึผึถึ—ื ืึถืชึพื“ึผึดื‘ึฐืจึตื™ึ™ ืึฑืœึนื”ึดึฃื™ื ื—ึทื™ึผึดึ”ื™ื ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึฅื” ืฆึฐื‘ึธืึ–ื•ึนืช ืึฑืœึนื”ึตึฝื™ื ื•ึผืƒ

English:

But do not mention โ€œthe burden of GODโ€ anymore. Does anyone regard their own word as a โ€œburden,โ€ that you pervert the words of the living God, GOD of Hosts, our God?

The word massa must no longer be mentioned, for each man's own word will become his burden, since they have perverted the words of the living God. Rashi and Radak read the verse as exposing that, though massa can mean prophecy, in their hearts it meant only burden. Metzudat David notes that a true prophet does feel God's word as a burden he cannot hold back, as Yirmiyahu confessed in chapter 20.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื›ื™ ื”ืžืฉื ื™ื”ื™ื” ืœืื™ืฉ ื“ื‘ืจื•. ืืข"ืค ืฉืืชื ืžื”ืคื›ื™ืŸ ืืช ื”ืžืฉื ืœื’ื ืื™ ืžืฉื ื“ื‘ืจ ื”' ืœืื™ืฉ ื“ื‘ืจื• ื•ืœืื™ืฉ ืขืฆืชื• ื”ื•ื ืžื’ืœื”ื• ื•ืืชื ืžื”ืคื›ื™ืŸ ืื•ืชื• ืœืœืฉื•ืŸ ืžืฉืื•ื™ ื–ื• ืœื ืฉืžืขืชื™ ื›ืŸ ื•ื”ื™ื ืขื™ืงืจ ืื‘ืœ ื›ืš ืฉืžืขืชื™ ื›ื™ ื”ืžืฉืื•ื™ ื™ื”ื™' ืžืฉืื•ื™ ืฉืœ ืคื•ืจืขื ื•ืช ืœืžื™ ืฉืื•ืžืจื• ื”ืฉื•ืืœ ืžื” ืžืฉื, ืข"ื ืžืฉื ื”' ืœ' ื ื‘ื•ืื” ื”ื•ื ื•ื”ื™ื” ื”ื ื‘ื™ื ื”ืฉืงืจ ืฉื•ืืœ ืœื ื‘ื™ื ื”ืืžืช ืœืืžืจ ืœื• ืืช ื“ื‘ืจ ื”ืงื‘"ื” ื‘ืœ' ืฉื‘ื ื”ืกื™ื’ื ื•ืŸ ืืœื™ื• ื•ื”ืกื™ื’ื ื•ืŸ ืœื ื”ื™ื” ืžืคืจืฉ ื”ื“ื™ื‘ื•ืจ ื›ืœ ื›ืš ื•ื”ื™ื” ื ื‘ื™ื ื”ืฉืงืจ ืžื”ืคืš ืืช ื”ืคื™' ืœืฆื“ ืื—ืจ ื•ื”ื™ื” ืžื“ื‘ืจ ื‘ื“ื•ื’ืžืช ื ื‘ื™ื ื”ืืžืช ื›ื“ื™ ืฉื™ืืžื™ื ื• ื‘ื• ื•ื›ืŸ ืขืฉื” ื—ื ื ื™ื” ื‘ืŸ ืขื–ื•ืจ ืœื›ืŸ ื”ื•ื ืื•ืžืจ ืืœ ืชืฉืืœื• ืžืฉื ื”' ืืช ืœ' ื”ืกื’ื ื•ืŸ ืืœื ืžื” ื“ื‘ืจ ื•ืžื” ืขื ื” ืืช ืคื™ืจื•ืฉ ื”ื“ื‘ืจ ืฉืืœื• ืœื ื‘ื™ื ืืžืช ืœืืžืจ ืœื”ื ืžื” ื”ืงื‘"ื” ืื•ืžืจ ื•ืœื”ื™ื›ืŸ ื ื•ื˜ื™ืŸ ืืช ื“ื‘ืจื™ื•: ื›ื™ ื”ืžืฉื ื™ื”ื™ื” ืœืื™ืฉ ื“ื‘ืจื•. ืกื™ื’ื ื•ืŸ ืกืชื ื”ืงื‘"ื” ืืžืจื• ืกืชื ืœืื™ืฉ ืขืฆืชื• ืฉืื™ื ื• ื—ืฉื•ื“ ืœื”ืคื›ื• ื•ืืชื ืฉื•ืืœื™' ืื•ืชื• ื›ื“ื™ ืœื”ืคื›ื• ื•ื”ืคื›ืชื ืืช ื“ื‘ืจื™ ื”ืงื‘"ื” ื•ื–ื”ื• ืฉืืžืจ ืœืžืขืœื” ืžื’ื ื‘ื™ ื“ื‘ืจื™ ืื™ืฉ ืžืืช ืจืขื”ื• (ื›ืืŸ) ื’ื ื–ื” ืœืฉื•ืŸ ืžื™ื•ืชืจ:
For the burden shall be to the man of His word Although you pervert the massa into a pejorative, the prophecy (ืžืฉื) of the word of the Lord shall be to the man of His word, and to the man of His counsel He reveals it, but you pervert it to an expression of a burden. This interpretation I did not hear, but it is the main interpretation. But this is how I heard it, namely that the burden shall be a burden of retribution for the one who says it, who asks, "What is the burden?" Another interpretation: ืžืฉื is an expression of prophecy, and the false prophet would ask the true prophet to tell him the word of the Holy One, blessed be He, in the language in which the expression came to him, and the expression did not explain the speech adequately. Therefore, the false prophet would pervert it to another meaning and would speak after the fashion of the true prophet in order that they should believe him. And so did Hananiah son of Azzur do. Therefore, he says, "Do not ask the prophecy of the Lord," the language of the expression, but "What did He speak?" or "What did He reply?" The explanation of the words you shall ask the true prophet to tell you what the Holy One, blessed be He, says, and to what His words are inclined. for the prophecy shall be for the man of His word The unexplained expression the Holy One, blessed be He, said unexplained to the man of His counsel, who is not suspected of perverting it, but you ask it in order to pervert it, and you pervert the words of the Holy One, blessed be He, and that is what is stated above (v. 30): "those who steal My words from one another." This too is a correct explanation.

ืคืกื•ืง ืœืดื– ยท Verse 37

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึนึฅื” ืชึนืืžึทึ–ืจ ืึถืœึพื”ึทื ึผึธื‘ึดึ‘ื™ื ืžึถื”ึพืขึธื ึธึฃืšึฐ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ”ื” ื•ึผืžึทื”ึพื“ึผึดื‘ึผึถึ–ืจ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

Thus you shall speak to the prophet: โ€œWhat did GOD answer you?โ€ or โ€œWhat did GOD speak?โ€

The instruction is repeated for addressing the prophet himself: ask him 'What did the LORD answer you?' or 'What did the LORD speak?' Rashi explains this applies when coming to ask God's words of the prophet. Metzudat David adds that even though prophecy may weigh on the prophet like a burden, the people may still not use the word; Radak remarks that the verse is self-explanatory.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื›ื” ืชืืžืจ ืืœ ื”ื ื‘ื™ื. ื›ืฉืืชื ื‘ืื™ื ืœืฉืื•ืœ ื“ื‘ืจื™ ืžืืช ื”ื ื‘ื™ื:
So shall you say to the prophet when you come to ask My words of the prophet.

ืคืกื•ืง ืœืดื— ยท Verse 38

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐืึดืึพืžึทืฉื‚ึผึธึฃื ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธื”ึฎ ืชึผึนืืžึตึ’ืจื•ึผึ’ ืœึธื›ึตึ—ืŸ ื›ึผึนึšื” ืึธืžึทึฃืจ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ”ื” ื™ึทึงืขึทืŸ ืึฒืžื‡ืจึฐื›ึถึ›ื ืึถืชึพื”ึทื“ึผึธื‘ึธึฅืจ ื”ึทื–ึผึถึ–ื” ืžึทืฉื‚ึผึธึฃื ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ‘ื” ื•ึธืึถืฉืึฐืœึทึคื— ืึฒืœึตื™ื›ึถืึ™ ืœึตืืžึนึ”ืจ ืœึนึฅื ืชึนืืžึฐืจึ–ื•ึผ ืžึทืฉื‚ึผึธึฅื ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

But if you say โ€œthe burden of GODโ€โ€”assuredly, thus said GOD: Because you said this thing, โ€œthe burden of GOD,โ€ whereas I sent word to you not to say โ€œthe burden of GOD,โ€

If, despite God's explicit warning, they persist in saying 'the burden of the LORD', judgment will follow. Metzudat David stresses the aggravating circumstance: God had already sent word forbidding the expression, and still they did not listen. Radak remarks that the verse is self-explanatory, as the defiance speaks for itself.

ืคืกื•ืง ืœืดื˜ ยท Verse 39

Hebrew:

ืœึธื›ึตึฃืŸ ื”ึดื ึฐื ึดึ”ื™ ื•ึฐื ึธืฉืึดึฅื™ืชึดื™ ืึถืชึฐื›ึถึ–ื ื ึธืฉืึนึ‘ื ื•ึฐื ึธื˜ึทืฉืึฐืชึผึดึฃื™ ืึถืชึฐื›ึถึ—ื ื•ึฐืึถืชึพื”ึธืขึดื™ืจึ™ ืึฒืฉืึถึจืจ ื ึธืชึทึงืชึผึดื™ ืœึธื›ึถึ›ื ื•ึฐืœึทืึฒื‘ื•ึนืชึตื™ื›ึถึ–ื ืžึตืขึทึฅืœ ืคึผึธื ึธึฝื™ืƒ

English:

I will utterly forget you and I will cast you away from My presence, together with the city that I gave to you and your ancestors.

Therefore God will utterly forget them and cast them off from His presence, together with the city He gave to them and their fathers -- a pun on massa, since venashiti echoes both lifting and forgetting. Rashi connects the verb to displacement. Metzudat David calls it measure for measure: they called His word a burden, so He will drop them like one. Radak explains that as they forgot His word, He will forget them.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ื ืฉื™ืชื™. ืœ' ื’ื™ื“ ื”ื ืฉื” (ื‘ืจืืฉื™ืช ืœืดื‘:ืœืดื’) ื•ืœ' ื•ื ืฉืชื” ื’ื‘ื•ืจืชื (ืœืงืžืŸ ื ื) ืงื•ืคืฅ ื•ืžื˜ืœื˜ืœ ืžืžืงื•ื ืœืžืงื•ื:
and I will exile an expression of "the sinew that was dislocated (ื’ึดื™ื“ ื”ึทื ึผึนึธืฉึถื”)" (Gen. 32:33), and an expression of "their might has failed (ื ึนึธืฉึฐืชึธื”)," it jumps and moves from place to place.

ืคืกื•ืง ืžืณ ยท Verse 40

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐื ึธืชึทืชึผึดึฅื™ ืขึฒืœึตื™ื›ึถึ–ื ื—ึถืจึฐืคึผึทึฃืช ืขื•ึนืœึธึ‘ื ื•ึผื›ึฐืœึดืžึผึฃื•ึผืช ืขื•ึนืœึธึ”ื ืึฒืฉืึถึ–ืจ ืœึนึฅื ืชึดืฉืึผึธื›ึตึฝื—ึทืƒย {ืค}

English:

And I will lay upon you a disgrace for all time, shame for all time, which shall never be forgotten.

The chapter ends with everlasting reproach and eternal shame that will not be forgotten. Metzudat David explains 'everlasting' as a very long time: the disgrace of going into Babylonian captivity will be remembered for generations because of its magnitude. Radak comments only on the grammatical form of the word for shame. The bleak close contrasts with the chapter's opening promise of the gathered flock and the righteous branch.

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