שִׁמְעוּ זֹאת בֵּית יַעֲקֹב הַנִּקְרָאִים בְּשֵׁם יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמִמֵּי יְהוּדָה יָצָאוּ הַנִּשְׁבָּעִים בְּשֵׁם ה' וּבֵאלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל יַזְכִּירוּ לֹא בֶאֱמֶת וְלֹא בִצְדָקָה

Hear this, house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel and who emerged from the waters of Judah. This prophecy refers mainly to the people of Judah, both the prophet’s contemporaries and future generations, who take an oath in the name of the Lord and mention the God of Israel. They thereby declare that He is their God, but it is not an oath taken in truth, nor is it taken in righteousness. Their self-identification as believers in God is not serious and their oaths in His name are not reliable.

כִּי מֵעִיר הַקֹּדֶשׁ נִקְרָאוּ וְעַל אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל נִסְמָכוּ ה' צְבָאוֹת שְׁמוֹ

For they are called the people from the holy city, their native Jerusalem, and they rely on the God of Israel; the Lord of hosts is His name. He gives them all their power and authority.

הָרִאשֹׁנוֹת מֵאָז הִגַּדְתִּי וּמִפִּי יָצְאוּ וְאַשְׁמִיעֵם פִּתְאֹם עָשִׂיתִי וַתָּבֹאנָה

I told of the first things, events, beforehand; they emerged from My mouth and I announced them in advance; suddenly I did so, and they came to pass.

מִדַּעְתִּי כִּי קָשֶׁה אָתָּה וְגִיד בַּרְזֶל עָרְפֶּךָ וּמִצְחֲךָ נְחוּשָׁה

Because of My knowing that you are difficult, and your neck is an iron sinew and your forehead is made of bronze, you resist accepting reproach;

ואַגִּיד לְךָ מֵאָז בְּטֶרֶם תָּבוֹא הִשְׁמַעְתִּיךָ פֶּן תֹּאמַר עָצְבִּי עָשָׂם וּפִסְלִי וְנִסְכִּי צִוָּם

therefore, I told you beforehand, before it, the event, came to pass I announced it to you; lest you say: My effigy made them; my idol and my cast image commanded them. I informed you in advance so that you would recognize that I am the One in charge of events.

שָׁמַעְתָּ חֲזֵה כֻּלָּהּ וְאַתֶּם הֲלוֹא תַגִּידוּ הִשְׁמַעְתִּיךָ חֲדָשׁוֹת מֵעַתָּה וּנְצֻרוֹת וְלֹא יְדַעְתָּם

What you heard, see how it all comes to pass; you, won’t you tell that I have announced new matters to you from now, hidden matters that you did not know.

עַתָּה נִבְרְאוּ וְלֹא מֵאָז ולִפְנֵי יוֹם וְלֹא שְׁמַעְתָּם פֶּן תֹּאמַר הִנֵּה יְדַעְתִּין

Now they, these new events, were created and not beforehand, and a day ago you did not hear them, lest you say: Behold, I already knew them.

גַּם לֹא שָׁמַעְתָּ גַּם לֹא יָדַעְתָּ גַּם מֵאָז לֹא פִתְּחָה אָזְנֶךָ כִּי יָדַעְתִּי בָּגוֹד תִּבְגּוֹד וּפֹשֵׁעַ מִבֶּטֶן קֹרָא לָךְ

However, despite the fulfillment of the prophecies and warnings, you had not heard, you also did not know; also beforehand your ear was not open. You do not listen to Me; you do not open your hearts and ears. For I knew that eventually you would commit a betrayal, and you are called a transgressor from the womb. This has always been your characteristic behavior.

לְמַעַן שְׁמִי אַאֲרִיךְ אַפִּי וּתְהִלָּתִי אֶחֱטָם לָךְ לְבִלְתִּי הַכְרִיתֶךָ

Nevertheless, for My name’s sake I will defer My wrath; I will not punish you immediately. Literally this means: I will lengthen, since when an angry person calms down, his breaths lengthen. And for the sake of My praise I will forbear for you, so as not to eliminate you.

הִנֵּה צְרַפְתִּיךָ וְלֹא בְכָסֶף בְּחַרְתִּיךָ בְּכוּר עֹנִי

Behold, I have refined you, but not like a silversmith, who refines silver by burning away the dross so that only pure silver remains. Rather, I chose you through the crucible of affliction. Instead of destroying you like dross, I have afflicted you with the poverty and suffering of exile so that you will emerge refined. This is what is meant by the phrase “I will defer My wrath” in the previous verse.

לְמַעֲנִי לְמַעֲנִי אֶעֱשֶׂה כִּי אֵיךְ יֵחָל ! וּכְבוֹדִי לְאַחֵר לֹא אֶתֵּן!

For My own sake, for My own sake I will do so, as how will it, My name, be profaned? I will not give My glory to another. Your continued existence is due to the fact that I protect My honor and because you are associated with Me.

שְׁמַע אֵלַי יַעֲקֹב וְיִשְׂרָאֵל מְקֹרָאִי אֲנִי הוּא אֲנִי רִאשׁוֹן אַף אֲנִי אַחֲרוֹן

Although the people do not pay attention to his reproach, the prophet continues to encourage them to listen to him. He tells them about God’s greatness and declares that He, and not their false gods, is the Creator of everything: Heed Me, Jacob and Israel, My appointed ones. Alternatively, this means: Who is called by My name, or: Who was named by Me. I am He; I am the first; also, I am the last. I am the Creator, and I will continue to exist even after the entire world has ceased.

אַף יָדִי יָסְדָה אֶרֶץ וִימִינִי טִפְּחָה שָׁמָיִם קֹרֵא אֲנִי אֲלֵיהֶם יַעַמְדוּ יַחְדָּו

My hand also laid the foundation of the earth, and My right hand measured the heavens, has determined their structure; I appointed them by name, or: I commanded them; they immediately stand together at My calling.

הִקָּבְצוּ כֻלְּכֶם וּשֲׁמָעוּ מִי בָהֶם הִגִּיד אֶת אֵלֶּה ה' אֲהֵבוֹ יַעֲשֶׂה חֶפְצוֹ בְּבָבֶל וזְרֹעוֹ כַּשְׂדִּים!

Gather yourselves, all of you, Israel, and take heed; who among them, the idol worshippers, was told these things? That the Lord loves him; that He will act on His desire against Babylon and will direct His arm against the Chaldeans. Of whom can it be said, other than you, that the Lord loves them and will redeem them from Babylonia?

אֲנִי אֲנִי דִּבַּרְתִּי אַף קְרָאתִיו הֲבִיאֹתִיו וְהִצְלִיחַ דַּרְכּוֹ

I, it is I, who has spoken, I also have called him, the savior; I brought him and made his way successful.

קִרְבוּ אֵלַי שִׁמְעוּ זֹאת לֹא מֵרֹאשׁ בַּסֵּתֶר דִּבַּרְתִּי מֵעֵת הֱיוֹתָהּ שָׁם אָנִי וְעַתָּה ה' אֱלֹהִים שְׁלָחַנִי וְרוּחוֹ

The prophet speaks in the first person: Approach me, hear this: From the beginning, I did not speak my prophecy in secret, but in public; from the time that it, the decree of the destruction of Babylon, was set, there I was, and now the Lord God sent me and in His spirit He gave me my prophecies to deliver to you.

כֹּה אָמַר ה' גֹּאַלְךָ קְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ מְלַמֶּדְךָ לְהוֹעִיל מַדְרִיכֲךָ בְּדֶרֶךְ תֵּלֵךְ

So said the Lord, your Redeemer, Holy One of Israel: I am the Lord your God, who teaches you for your good, who guides you on the way that you should go.

לוּא הִקְשַׁבְתָּ לְמִצְוֹתָי – וַיְהִי כַנָּהָר שְׁלוֹמֶךָ וְצִדְקָתְךָ כְּגַלֵּי הַיָּם

Had you listened to My commandments, followed My instructions, then your peace would be great and flowing like a river, and your righteousness, your success, would be immense like the waves of the sea.

וַיְהִי כַחוֹל זַרְעֶךָ וְצֶאֱצָאֵי מֵעֶיךָ כִּמְעֹתָיו לֹא יִכָּרֵת וְלֹא יִשָּׁמֵד שְׁמוֹ מִלְּפָנָי

Your descendants would be as plentiful as the sand, and the offspring of your innards like its grains; their name would not be excised and would not be destroyed from before Me.

צְאוּ מִבָּבֶל בִּרְחוּ מִכַּשְׂדִּים בְּקוֹל רִנָּה הַגִּידוּ הַשְׁמִיעוּ זֹאת הוֹצִיאוּהָ עַד קְצֵה הָאָרֶץ אִמְרוּ גָּאַל ה' עַבְדּוֹ יַעֲקֹב

Emerge from Babylon, flee from the Chaldeans, not like those who escape from the sword, but rather proclaim with a singing voice, announce this, that the redemption has arrived, disseminate it to the ends of the earth; say: The Lord has redeemed His servant Jacob.

וְלֹא צָמְאוּ בָּחֳרָבוֹת הוֹלִיכָם מַיִם מִצּוּר הִזִּיל לָמוֹ וַיִּבְקַע צוּר וַיָּזֻבוּ מָיִם

They, Israel, did not thirst even when He led them through the deserts, on their exodus from Egypt; He caused water from the rock to flow for them, He split a rock and water gushed. This memory will accompany the Jewish people on their exodus from Babylonia as well.

אֵין שָׁלוֹם אָמַר ה' לָרְשָׁעִים

Unlike you, who will eventually leave Babylonia and return to your land, there is no peace, said the Lord, for the wicked. They will have no rectification; they will perish in Babylonia.