כֹּה אָמַר ה' רֵד בֵּית־מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה וְדִבַּרְתָּ שָׁם אֶת־הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה

So said the Lord to Jeremiah: Go down to the house of the king of Judah, and speak there this matter.

וְאָמַרְתָּ שְׁמַע דְּבַר־ה' מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה הַיֹּשֵׁב עַל־כִּסֵּא דָוִד אַתָּה וַעֲבָדֶיךָ וְעַמְּךָ הַבָּאִים בַּשְּׁעָרִים הָאֵלֶּה

Say: Hear the word of the Lord, king of Judah, who sits upon the throne of David, you and your servants and your people, who come through these gates.

כֹּה אָמַר ה' עֲשׂוּ מִשְׁפָּט וּצְדָקָה וְהַצִּילוּ גָזוּל מִיַּד עָשׁוֹק וְגֵר יָתוֹם וְאַלְמָנָה אַל־תֹּנוּ אַל־תַּחְמֹסוּ וְדָם נָקִי אַל־תִּשְׁפְּכוּ בַּמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה

So said the Lord: Perform justice and righteousness, and deliver the robbed from the hand of the exploiter, and do not mistreat the stranger, the orphan, or the widow by cheating, short-changing, or otherwise causing them distress, and do not extort, by compelling them to sell their property against their wishes, and innocent blood do not shed in this place.

כִּי אִם־עָשׂוֹ תַּעֲשׂוּ אֶת־הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה וּבָאוּ בְשַׁעֲרֵי הַבַּיִת הַזֶּה מְלָכִים יֹשְׁבִים לְדָוִד עַל־כִּסְאוֹ רֹכְבִים בָּרֶכֶב וּבַסּוּסִים הוּא וַעֲבָדָו וְעַמּוֹ

For if you perform this matter of justice and righteousness as required of you, like King David himself, as it is stated: David reigned over all Israel; and David performed justice and righteousness for all his people, then kings sitting for David upon his throne will enter through the gates of this house, riding in chariots and on horses, he and his servants and his people.

וְאִם לֹא תִשְׁמְעוּ אֶת־הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה – בִּי נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי נְאֻם־ה' כִּי־לְחָרְבָּה יִהְיֶה הַבַּיִת הַזֶּה

But if you do not heed these words, I have taken an oath by Myself – the utterance of the Lord – that this house will become a ruin.

כִּי־כֹה אָמַר ה' עַל־בֵּית מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה גִּלְעָד אַתָּה לִי רֹאשׁ הַלְּבָנוֹן אִם־לֹא אֲשִׁיתְךָ מִדְבָּר עָרִים לֹא נוֹשָׁבוּ

For so said the Lord concerning the house of the king of Judah: You are like Gilad to Me, as precious to Me as the summit of the Lebanon mountain range, with its glorious cedar trees. Gilad was a region renowned for its lush vegetation. Alternatively, the verse means: You, the glorious summit of Lebanon, have become like Gilad, which I destroyed due to the corruption of its inhabitants. And yet, will I not render you a wilderness, uninhabited cities? I take an oath that I will.

וְקִדַּשְׁתִּי עָלֶיךָ מַשְׁחִתִים אִישׁ וְכֵלָיו וְכָרְתוּ מִבְחַר אֲרָזֶיךָ וְהִפִּילוּ עַל־הָאֵשׁ

I will summon destroyers against you, each man with his weapons, and they will cut down your choice cedars and cast them into the fire.

וְעָבְרוּ גּוֹיִם רַבִּים עַל הָעִיר הַזֹּאת וְאָמְרוּ אִישׁ אֶל־רֵעֵהוּ עַל־מֶה עָשָׂה ה' כָּכָה לָעִיר הַגְּדוֹלָה הַזֹּאת

Afterward, many nations will pass by this city, and each man will say to his neighbor: For what did the Lord do so to this great city?

וְאָמְרוּ עַל אֲשֶׁר עָזְבוּ אֶת־בְּרִית ה' אֱלֹהֵיהֶם וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ לֵאלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים וַיַּעַבְדוּם

They will say: It is because they forsook the covenant of the Lord their God, and they prostrated themselves to other gods, and they worshipped them. For this reason, the land of Judah was destroyed and Jerusalem rendered desolate.

אַל־תִּבְכּוּ לְמֵת וְאַל־תָּנֻדוּ לוֹ בְּכוּ בָכוֹ לַהֹלֵךְ כִּי לֹא יָשׁוּב עוֹד וְרָאָה אֶת־אֶרֶץ מוֹלַדְתּוֹ

Do not weep for the dead and do not bewail him, as he is no longer suffering; rather, weep for him who goes forth into exile, as he will not return again and see the land of his birth.

כִּי־כֹה אָמַר־ה' אֶל שַׁלֻּם בֶּן־יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה הַמֹּלֵךְ תַּחַת יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ אָבִיו אֲשֶׁר יָצָא מִן־הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה לֹא־יָשׁוּב שָׁם עוֹד

For so said the Lord concerning Shalum son of Yoshiyahu king of Judah, who reigns in place of Yoshiyahu his father, who departed from this place: He will not return there, to the place from where he came, anymore. After the king of Egypt killed Yoshiyahu, he took his son Shalum to Egypt. The prophet states that Shalum will not return.

כִּי בִּמְקוֹם אֲשֶׁר־הִגְלוּ אֹתוֹ – שָׁם יָמוּת וְאֶת־הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת לֹא־יִרְאֶה עוֹד

For in the place where they exiled him, there he will die, and this land he will see no more.

הוֹי בֹּנֶה בֵיתוֹ בְּלֹא־צֶדֶק ועֲלִיּוֹתָיו בְּלֹא מִשְׁפָּט – בְּרֵעֵהוּ יַעֲבֹד חִנָּם וּפֹעֲלוֹ לֹא יִתֶּן־לוֹ

The reign of Yoshiyahu’s firstborn son, Yeho’ahaz, was followed by that of his second son, Yehoyakim, who was subjugated by the king of Babylon. The prophet criticizes his behavior: Woe! He builds his house without righteousness, and his upper stories without justice, works his neighbor without pay, and does not give him his wages. The king uses workers but does not pay them for their labor.

הָאֹמֵר אֶבְנֶה־לִּי בֵּית מִדּוֹת וַעֲלִיּוֹת מְרֻוָּחִים וְקָרַע לוֹ חַלּוֹנָי וְסָפוּן בָּאָרֶז וּמָשׁוֹחַ בַּשָּׁשַׁר

Woe to one who says: I will build myself an impressive edifice as a home, and spacious upper stories, and who opens airy windows for himself, and it, the house, is paneled with cedar wood, and covered with red paint, so that it would be conspicuous in its magnificence.

הֲתִמְלֹךְ כִּי אַתָּה מְתַחֲרֶה בָאָרֶז אָבִיךָ הֲלוֹא אָכַל וְשָׁתָה וְעָשָׂה מִשְׁפָּט וּצְדָקָה אָז טוֹב לוֹ

Will you continue to reign, because you compete with other kings with the cedar of your palace? Didn’t your father, Yoshiyahu, eat and drink in the manner of kings, and yet he would also perform justice and righteousness? Then it was good for him.

דָּן דִּין־עָנִי וְאֶבְיוֹן אָז טוֹב הֲלֹא הִיא הַדַּעַת אֹתִי נְאֻם־ה'

He adjudicated the case of the poor and the indigent, and then it was good for him. Isn’t that kind of leadership the knowledge of Me? – the utterance of the Lord. By performing justice and righteousness, one knows God and cleaves to His ways.

כִּי אֵין עֵינֶיךָ וְלִבְּךָ כִּי אִם־עַל־בִּצְעֶךָ וְעַל דַּם־הַנָּקִי לִשְׁפּוֹךְ וְעַל־הָעֹשֶׁק וְעַל־הַמְּרוּצָה לַעֲשׂוֹת

For you, Yehoyakim, your eyes and your heart are only on your lucre, your monetary gain, and on the blood of the innocent to shed, and for exploitation and for corruption to perform. You are a small, despicable man, who seeks only to seize a bit more property, without concern for honesty or justice.

לָכֵן כֹּה־אָמַר ה' אֶל יְהוֹיָקִים בֶּן־יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה לֹא־יִסְפְּדוּ לוֹ הוֹי אָחִי וְהוֹי אָחוֹת לֹא־יִסְפְּדוּ לוֹ הוֹי אָדוֹן וְהוֹי הֹדֹה

Therefore, so said the Lord concerning Yehoyakim son of Yoshiyahu king of Judah: Ultimately, they will not lament him with the conventional formula: Woe, my brother, or: Woe, my sister. They will not lament him: Woe, lord, or: Woe, his majesty, as is customary in the lamenting for a king.

קְבוּרַת חֲמוֹר יִקָּבֵר סָחוֹב וְהַשְׁלֵךְ מֵהָלְאָה לְשַׁעֲרֵי יְרוּשָׁלִָם

He will be buried the burial of a donkey, cast away and abandoned like the carcass of a donkey, dragged in a humiliating manner and cast beyond the gates of Jerusalem. This was Yehoyakim’s fate, when Nebuchadnezzar came to punish him for his rebellion.

עֲלִי הַלְּבָנוֹן וּצֳעָקִי וּבַבָּשָׁן תְּנִי קוֹלֵךְ וְצַעֲקִי מֵעֲבָרִים כִּי נִשְׁבְּרוּ כָּל־מְאַהֲבָיִךְ

Here the prophet addresses the daughter of Zion, which is the symbolic representation of the nation: Go up to the Lebanon and cry out, and in the Bashan raise your voice in weeping. You should climb mountains to call for help, and cry out from Avarim, or: Cry from all sides [avarim], as all your lovers, those with whom you made covenants, were destroyed. The residents of Jerusalem sought to rebel against Nebuchadnezzar, but they found no support from any of the powerful political players of the region, as all were subjugated under the harsh control of the king of Babylon. Years of diplomacy, including obtaining commitments from other nations, were to no avail.

דִּבַּרְתִּי אֵלַיִךְ בְּשַׁלְוֹתַיִךְ אָמַרְתְּ לֹא אֶשְׁמָע זֶה דַרְכֵּךְ מִנְּעוּרַיִךְ כִּי לֹא־שָׁמַעַתְּ בְּקוֹלִי

I spoke to you in your former state of tranquility, and you said: I will not hear. You had no interest in listening to My messages. This was your way from your youth, for you did not heed My voice ever.

כָּל־רֹעַיִךְ תִּרְעֶה רוּחַ וּמְאַהֲבַיִךְ בַּשְּׁבִי יֵלֵכוּ כִּי אָז תֵּבֹשִׁי וְנִכְלַמְתְּ מִכֹּל רָעָתֵךְ

All your shepherds, your rulers, the wind will blast and break, or: The wind will carry away; and your lovers, those with whom you maintained ties of friendship, will go into captivity, for then you will be ashamed and humiliated due to all your evildoing.

יֹשַׁבְתְּ בַּלְּבָנוֹן מְקֻנַּנְתְּ בָּאֲרָזִים מַה־נֵּחַנְתְּ בְּבֹא־לָךְ חֲבָלִים חִיל כַּיֹּלֵדָה

You who dwell in the Lebanon, who nest in the cedars. This is referring to the king’s palace, which is called: The House of the Forest of the Lebanon. It might be a reference to the Temple as well. Although you feel elevated and protected, what grace will there be for you when pangs come to you, pain and trembling like a woman in childbirth?

חַי־אָנִי נְאֻם־ה' כִּי אִם־יִהְיֶה כָּנְיָהוּ בֶן־יְהוֹיָקִים מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה חוֹתָם עַל־יַד יְמִינִי – כִּי מִשָּׁם אֶתְּקֶנְךָּ

After the death of Yehoyakim, his son Yehoyakhin, referred to here as Konyahu, was crowned king in his stead. Jeremiah prophesies a harsh fate for him as well: As I live – the utterance of the Lord – for even if Konyahu son of Yehoyakim king of Judah would be like a permanent signet ring upon My right hand, then even from there I would sever you.

וּנְתַתִּיךָ בְּיַד מְבַקְשֵׁי נַפְשֶׁךָ וּבְיַד אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּה יָגוֹר מִפְּנֵיהֶם וּבְיַד נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּר מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶל וּבְיַד הַכַּשְׂדִּים

I will deliver you into the hand of the seekers of your life, and into the hand of those from whom you are afraid, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of the Chaldeans. Yehoyakhin thought that he might avoid a tragic end because his father was already dead, and the king of Babylon might pardon him; but his hopes were dashed.

וְהֵטַלְתִּי אֹתְךָ וְאֶת־אִמְּךָ אֲשֶׁר יְלָדַתְךָ עַל הָאָרֶץ אַחֶרֶת אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יֻלַּדְתֶּם שָׁם וְשָׁם תָּמוּתוּ

I will cast you and your mother who bore you into another land where you were not born, and there you will die. The king and his mother are both destined to be exiled to Babylonia.

וְעַל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר הֵם מְנַשְּׂאִים אֶת־נַפְשָׁם לָשׁוּב שָׁם – שָׁמָּה לֹא יָשׁוּבוּ

And to the land to which they yearn to return, there they will not return.

הַעֶצֶב נִבְזֶה נָפוּץ הָאִישׁ הַזֶּה כָּנְיָהוּ אִם־כְּלִי אֵין חֵפֶץ בּוֹ ! מַדּוּעַ הוּטְלוּ הוּא וְזַרְעוֹ וְהֻשְׁלְכוּ עַל־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יָדָעוּ !

Is this man Konyahu a spurned, broken idol? Is he an unwanted, worthless vessel? Why have they been thrown away, he and his descendants, and cast aside upon the land that they did not know, even though he did not act as wickedly as his father?

אֶרֶץ אֶרֶץ אָרֶץ שִׁמְעִי דְּבַר־ה'

Land, land, land, hear the word of the Lord.

כֹּה אָמַר ה' כִּתְבוּ אֶת־הָאִישׁ הַזֶּה עֲרִירִי גֶּבֶר לֹא־יִצְלַח בְּיָמָיו כִּי לֹא יִצְלַח מִזַּרְעוֹ אִישׁ יֹשֵׁב עַל־כִּסֵּא דָוִד וּמֹשֵׁל עוֹד בִּיהוּדָה

So said the Lord: Write and mark this man, Konyahu, as childless, a man who will not succeed in his days; as, even if he will father children, no man of his descendants will succeed, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling anymore in Judah. This will be the end of both the man and the royal dynasty.