הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר־הָיָה אֶל־יִרְמְיָהוּ מֵאֵת ה' וּנְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּר מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶל וְכָל־חֵילוֹ וְכָל־מַמְלְכוֹת אֶרֶץ מֶמְשֶׁלֶת יָדוֹ וְכָל־הָעַמִּים נִלְחָמִים עַל־יְרוּשָׁלִַם וְעַל־כָּל־עָרֶיהָ לֵאמֹר

The message that was to Jeremiah from the Lord, as Nebuchadrezzar, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and his entire army, and all the kingdoms of the land of his dominion, the lands under his control, and all the peoples who were with him, were making war against Jerusalem and against all its neighboring cities, saying:

כֹּה־אָמַר ה' אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הָלֹךְ וְאָמַרְתָּ אֶל־צִדְקִיָּהוּ מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה וְאָמַרְתָּ אֵלָיו כֹּה אָמַר ה' הִנְנִי נֹתֵן אֶת־הָעִיר הַזֹּאת בְּיַד מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶל וּשְׂרָפָהּ בָּאֵשׁ

So said the Lord, God of Israel: Go and state to Tzidkiyahu king of Judah and say to him the following discouraging statement: So said the Lord: Behold, I am delivering this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will burn it in fire. There is no hope for Jerusalem. Unlike Nebuchadnezzar’s previous conquest of Judah, this time he will not merely send a portion of the people into exile and replace the king; rather, he will destroy the entire city and set it ablaze.

וְאַתָּה לֹא תִמָּלֵט מִיָּדוֹ כִּי תָּפֹשׂ תִּתָּפֵשׂ וּבְיָדוֹ תִּנָּתֵן וְעֵינֶיךָ אֶת־עֵינֵי מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶל תִּרְאֶינָה וּפִיהוּ אֶת פִּיךָ יְדַבֵּר וּבָבֶל תָּבוֹא

And you will not escape from his hand; rather, any attempt to flee will fail, as you will be seized, and you will be delivered into his hand, and your eyes will see the eyes of the king of Babylon, and his mouth will speak to your mouth, and you will come to Babylon in exile.

אַךְ שְׁמַע דְּבַר־ה' צִדְקִיָּהוּ מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה כֹּה־אָמַר ה' עָלֶיךָ לֹא תָמוּת בֶּחָרֶב

However, hear the word of the Lord, Tzidkiyahu king of Judah: So said the Lord in your regard: You will not die by the sword.

בְּשָׁלוֹם תָּמוּת וּבְמִשְׂרְפוֹת אֲבוֹתֶיךָ הַמְּלָכִים הָרִאשֹׁנִים אֲשֶׁר־הָיוּ לְפָנֶיךָ כֵּן יִשְׂרְפוּ־לָךְ וְהוֹי אָדוֹן יִסְפְּדוּ־לָךְ כִּי־דָבָר אֲנִי־דִבַּרְתִּי נְאֻם־ה'

You will die peacefully, and like the customary conflagrations for your fathers, in which incense was burned along with items that belonged to the deceased, in honor of the former kings who were before you, so will they burn for you; and woe, lord, they will lament you, for I have spoken a statement, the decree has been issued – this is the utterance of the Lord.

וַיְדַבֵּר יִרְמְיָהוּ הַנָּבִיא אֶל־צִדְקִיָּהוּ מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה אֵת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה בִּירוּשָׁלִָם

Jeremiah the prophet spoke to Tzidkiyahu king of Judah all these matters in Jerusalem. Jeremiah conveyed to Tzidkiyahu the harsh prophecy of Jerusalem’s total destruction and that the sole saving grace for the king was that he would not die by the sword. In those circumstances, Tzidkiyahu might well have preferred death.

וְחֵיל מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶל נִלְחָמִים עַל־יְרוּשָׁלִַם וְעַל כָּל־עָרֵי יְהוּדָה הַנּוֹתָרוֹת אֶל לָכִישׁ וְאֶל עֲזֵקָה כִּי הֵנָּה נִשְׁאֲרוּ בְּעָרֵי יְהוּדָה עָרֵי מִבְצָר

And the army of the king of Babylon was making war against Jerusalem and against all the remaining cities of Judah: Against Lakhish and against Azeka, for they remained among the cities of Judah, fortified cities.

הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר־הָיָה אֶל־יִרְמְיָהוּ מֵאֵת ה' אַחֲרֵי כְּרֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ צִדְקִיָּהוּ בְּרִית אֶת כָּל־הָעָם אֲשֶׁר בִּירוּשָׁלַם לִקְרֹא לָהֶם דְּרוֹר

This is the message that was to Jeremiah from the Lord, after King Tzidkiyahu established a covenant with the entire people that was in Jerusalem, to proclaim liberty for them.

לְשַׁלַּח אִישׁ אֶת־עַבְדּוֹ וְאִישׁ אֶת־שִׁפְחָתוֹ הָעִבְרִי וְהָעִבְרִיָּה חָפְשִׁים לְבִלְתִּי עֲבָד־בָּם בִּיהוּדִי אָחִיהוּ אִישׁ

King Tzidkiyahu’s proclamation called for each man to set his slave free, and each man his maidservant, the Hebrew man or the Hebrew woman, so that no man would enslave a Jew, his brother. Apparently, the explicit Torah commandment requiring the release of a Hebrew slave at prescribed times was not observed at all. It is possible that the Hebrew slaves were aware of their right of emancipation, but their pleas were ignored, and anyone sold into slavery would remain in that state for many years.

וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ כָל־הַשָּׂרִים וְכָל־הָעָם אֲשֶׁר־בָּאוּ בַבְּרִית לְשַׁלַּח אִישׁ אֶת־עַבְדּוֹ וְאִישׁ אֶת־שִׁפְחָתוֹ חָפְשִׁים לְבִלְתִּי עֲבָד־בָּם עוֹד וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ וַיְשַׁלֵּחוּ

All the princes and all the people who entered into the covenant heeded, to set free each man his slave and each man his maidservant so as not to enslave them any longer, and they heeded, and they set them free. This covenant was enacted in an impressive public ceremony and evoked an immediate response. However, full implementation of Tzidkiyahu’s plan required extensive changes in the mechanisms of the state and the societal constructs.

וַיָּשׁוּבוּ אַחֲרֵי־כֵן וַיָּשִׁבוּ אֶת־הָעֲבָדִים וְאֶת־הַשְּׁפָחוֹת אֲשֶׁר שִׁלְּחוּ חָפְשִׁים וַיִּכְבְּשׁוּם לַעֲבָדִים וְלִשְׁפָחוֹת

Indeed, after the impression of the beautiful ceremony wore off, thereafter they reneged and brought back the slaves and the maidservants, whom they had set free, and they subjugated them as slaves and as maidservants. Technically, the freed slaves were permitted to return to their ancestral properties, as mandated by the Torah. Practically, however, it was difficult to exercise this right. Evidently, their former masters had the ability to force them back into servitude; perhaps a special patrol unit helped these masters retrieve their former slaves.

וַיְהִי דְבַר־ה' אֶל־יִרְמְיָהוּ מֵאֵת ה' לֵאמֹר׃

Now that the chapter has provided the context for Jeremiah’s prophecy, this verse introduces it once again, after the original introduction in verse 8. The word of the Lord was with Jeremiah from the Lord, saying:

כֹּה־אָמַר ה' אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אָנֹכִי כָּרַתִּי בְרִית אֶת־אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם בְּיוֹם הוֹצִאִי אוֹתָם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם מִבֵּית עֲבָדִים לֵאמֹר׃

So said the Lord, God of Israel: I established a covenant with your fathers at Sinai, on the day, during the period, that I took them out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, saying:

מִקֵּץ שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים תְּשַׁלְּחוּ אִישׁ אֶת־אָחִיו הָעִבְרִי אֲשֶׁר יִמָּכֵר לְךָ וַעֲבָדְךָ שֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים וְשִׁלַּחְתּוֹ חָפְשִׁי מֵעִמָּךְ וְלֹא־שָׁמְעוּ אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם אֵלַי וְלֹא הִטּוּ אֶת־אָזְנָם

At the end of seven years, with the advent of the seventh year, you shall set free each man his Hebrew brother, who will be sold to you; he shall serve you six years and you shall set him free from you. But your fathers did not heed Me to fulfill this commandment, and they did not incline their ear.

וַתָּשֻׁבוּ אַתֶּם הַיּוֹם וַתַּעֲשׂוּ אֶת־הַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינַי לִקְרֹא דְרוֹר אִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ וַתִּכְרְתוּ בְרִית לְפָנַי בַּבַּיִת אֲשֶׁר־נִקְרָא שְׁמִי עָלָיו

You repented today, or: You returned to Me today, and you performed that which is upright in My eyes, to proclaim liberty, each man for his neighbor. And this commendable decision was not performed in private, between each master and slave; rather, you established a covenant before Me in the House upon which My name is called. The festive ceremony was conducted in the Temple. Presumably, all the wealthy, slave-owning families participated in the ceremony.

וַתָּשֻׁבוּ וַתְּחַלְּלוּ אֶת־שְׁמִי וַתָּשִׁבוּ אִישׁ אֶת־עַבְדּוֹ וְאִישׁ אֶת־שִׁפְחָתוֹ אֲשֶׁר־שִׁלַּחְתֶּם חָפְשִׁים לְנַפְשָׁם וַתִּכְבְּשׁוּ אֹתָם לִהְיוֹת לָכֶם לַעֲבָדִים וְלִשְׁפָחוֹת

But you subsequently reneged and profaned My name, and you brought back each man his slave and each man his maidservant, whom you had set free to themselves, and you subjugated them to be slaves and maidservants for you. Not only did you fail to fulfill My commandment, but you also violated the pledges which you accepted upon yourselves in My House.

לָכֵן כֹּה־אָמַר ה' אַתֶּם לֹא־שְׁמַעְתֶּם אֵלַי לִקְרֹא דְרוֹר אִישׁ לְאָחִיו וְאִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ — הִנְנִי קֹרֵא לָכֶם דְּרוֹר נְאֻם־ה' — אֶל־הַחֶרֶב אֶל־הַדֶּבֶר וְאֶל־הָרָעָב וְנָתַתִּי אֶתְכֶם לְזַעֲוָה לְכֹל מַמְלְכוֹת הָאָרֶץ

Therefore, so said the Lord: You did not heed Me to proclaim liberty, each man for his brother and each man for his neighbor; consequently, behold, I am proclaiming for you a very different liberty – the utterance of the Lord – a liberty for the sword, for pestilence, and for famine. Since you refused to free your slaves, I will release My own servants, these various afflictions and epidemics, which will wreak devastation upon you. Accordingly, the besieged residents of Jerusalem suffered from famine and disease. And I will render you a horror for all the kingdoms of the earth. Other cities conquered by Nebuchadnezzar were not completely destroyed; by contrast, Jerusalem was left in ruins.

וְנָתַתִּי אֶת־הָאֲנָשִׁים הָעֹבְרִים אֶת בְּרִתִי אֲשֶׁר לֹא־הֵקִימוּ אֶת־דִּבְרֵי הַבְּרִית אֲשֶׁר כָּרְתוּ לְפָנָי הָעֵגֶל אֲשֶׁר כָּרְתוּ לִשְׁנַיִם וַיַּעַבְרוּ בֵּין בְּתָרָיו

I will deliver the people who violated My ancient covenant that I made with them, who did not fulfill the matters of the present covenant that they made before Me, by means of the calf that they cut in two and they passed between its pieces. They entered into a covenant in the same dramatic and ritualistic manner in which Abraham entered into the Covenant between the Parts with God.

שָׂרֵי יְהוּדָה וְשָׂרֵי יְרוּשָׁלַם הַסָּרִסִים וְהַכֹּהֲנִים וְכֹל עַם הָאָרֶץ הָעֹבְרִים בֵּין בִּתְרֵי הָעֵגֶל

That ceremony was held in the official presence of the princes of Judah and the princes of Jerusalem, the officials of the king’s palace, and the priests, and all the people of the land, who passed between the pieces of the calf.

וְנָתַתִּי אוֹתָם בְּיַד אֹיְבֵיהֶם וּבְיַד מְבַקְשֵׁי נַפְשָׁם וְהָיְתָה נִבְלָתָם לְמַאֲכָל לְעוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם וּלְבֶהֱמַת הָאָרֶץ

I will deliver them into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of the seekers of their life, and their corpses will be food for the birds of the heavens and for the animals of the earth. In this covenant ceremony, the calf represents the bond and commitment of loyalty between the people and God. Now that this symbol has been rendered meaningless by the actions of the oppressive slave masters, the calf will now represent the people’s abandonment to the vagaries of chance and neglect. Ultimately, the fate of those who violated the covenant will be like that of the calf, whose carcass was left for wild beasts.

וְאֶת־צִדְקִיָּהוּ מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה וְאֶת־שָׂרָיו אֶתֵּן בְּיַד אֹיְבֵיהֶם וּבְיַד מְבַקְשֵׁי נַפְשָׁם וּבְיַד חֵיל מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל הָעֹלִים מֵעֲלֵיכֶם

And Tzidkiyahu king of Judah and his princes I will deliver into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of the seekers of their life, and into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon, who have withdrawn, departed, from you. The Babylonian army had temporarily retreated from Jerusalem in order to confront the advancing Egyptian army.

הִנְנִי מְצַוֶּה נְאֻם־ה' וַהֲשִׁבֹתִים אֶל־הָעִיר הַזֹּאת וְנִלְחֲמוּ עָלֶיהָ וּלְכָדוּהָ וּשְׂרָפֻהָ בָאֵשׁ וְאֶת־עָרֵי יְהוּדָה אֶתֵּן שְׁמָמָה מֵאֵין ישֵׁב

Behold, I am commanding with regard to the Babylonians – the utterance of the Lord – and I will return them to this city; and they will make war against it, and they will capture it, and they will burn it in fire, and the cities of Judah I will render desolation, without inhabitant.