The customs of the peoples are vanity — a tree cut from the forest, decked with silver and gold, like a pillar in a garden of cucumbers; 'Hashem God is the true God'; not in man that walks is it to direct his steps.
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
Hear you the word which Hashem speaks to you, O house of Israel;
verse value 2884
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 33 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֛ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "that" (אֲשֶׁ֨ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·word" (אֶת־הַדָּבָ֗ר, 6 letters). The root דבר appears 2 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "that" (root אשר, 459x in Jeremiah); "upon·you" (root על, 276x in Jeremiah). Full calculation: שִׁמְע֣וּ [hear] (416) + אֶת־הַדָּבָ֗ר [the·word] (612) + אֲשֶׁ֨ר [that] (501) + דִּבֶּ֧ר [speaks] (206) + יְהֹוָ֛ה [Hashem] (26) + עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם [upon·you] (170) + בֵּ֥ית [house·of] (412) + יִשְׂרָאֵֽל [Israel] (541) = 2884.
thus says Hashem: Learn not the way of the nations, And be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; For the nations are dismayed at them.
verse value 3823
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 58 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֗ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "thus" (כֹּ֣ה, 2 letters) and the longest is "learn·not" (אַל־תִּלְמָ֔דוּ, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 64: the·nations, the·nations. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "learn·not" (אַל־תִּלְמָ֔דוּ), "and·from·signs·of" (וּמֵאֹת֥וֹת), "not·be·dismayed" (אַל־תֵּחָ֑תּוּ). The root איל appears 3 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "said" (root אמר, 476x in Jeremiah); "to·way" (root איל, 293x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root אות ("and·from·signs·of") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'not·be·dismayed', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 3 words. Full calculation: כֹּ֣ה [thus] (25) + אָמַ֣ר [said] (241) + יְהֹוָ֗ה [Hashem] (26) + אֶל־דֶּ֤רֶךְ [to·way] (255) + הַגּוֹיִם֙ [the·nations] (64) + אַל־תִּלְמָ֔דוּ [learn·not] (511) + וּמֵאֹת֥וֹת [and·from·signs·of] (853) + הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם [heaven] (395) + אַל־תֵּחָ֑תּוּ [not·be·dismayed] (845) + כִּי־יֵחַ֥תּוּ [for·they·are·dismayed] (454) + הַגּוֹיִ֖ם [the·nations] (64) + מֵהֵֽמָּה [than·them] (90) = 3823.
Rashi
"Do not learn the way of the nations." And then, "do not be dismayed by the signs of the heavens"—from when the sun is eclipsed and when the [heavenly] lights are eclipsed.
Radak
Thus said the Lord: "el derekh ha-goyim" ["to/concerning the way of the nations"] — this is like [saying] "et derekh ha-goyim," [i.e., here "el" functions as "et," the sign of the direct object]. And similar to it: "asaprah el choq" ["I will tell of the decree"] (Psalms 2:7), and "vayirdefu el Midyan" ["and they pursued Midian"] (Judges 7:25). It [the verse] says: Do not learn the way of the idolaters, since you are circumcised as a sign and a covenant between Me and you — keep My ways, and not the ways of the idolaters.
And do not be dismayed by the signs of the heavens. Now if you would say: "Let us serve the stars, as the idolaters do, for they rule over the earth, and their signs are visible to bring good and evil, like the sun, which has dominion on earth over crops and fruits, as it is written, 'and with the precious yield of the sun' [Deuteronomy 33:14] — if we serve it, our crops will increase, and if we do not serve it, it will harm us and our crops will diminish; and we should also be afraid of its darkening, which is a bad omen for the world" — do not be dismayed by it or by any other of the stars, for they are My servants, the doers of My word. And if you serve the Master, you will not need the servant; but if you serve the servant, the Master will become angry and send a blight upon your crops, contrary to your intentions.
"For the nations shall be dismayed by them." Even though the non-Jews are dismayed by them, you should not be dismayed, for if you serve Him, they have no permission to harm you, and their darkening [i.e., eclipses] will not damage you. And if they act according to their world's governance, there will be the preservation of the world, and sometimes destruction will come to individuals in the course of their path. This is for the remainder of the nations, as it says, "which the Lord your God has divided to all the nations," whether for good or for evil. But you He has taken; if you serve Him with a whole heart, He will save you from all harm of the decrees of the stars. And also the non-Jews' service will not benefit them, for the Master is worthy to be served, not the servant. Therefore, their service will not save them from their harm.
Metzudat David
"To the way, etc." – Do not learn to walk in the way of the nations, to serve the idols that are made for the constellations of the heavens.
And from the signs. This means: Do not think that because of their worship you will be saved from the evils indicated concerning them through the conjunctions of the stars and the eclipses of the luminaries, for you have no reason to fear these, for the idolaters will fear them.
Metzudat Zion
And from the signs. The word is from "sign" and "token":
Techatu [you shall be dismayed]. The matter is one of fear and brokenness.
Malbim
"Do not learn the way of the nations" — if you do not learn the way of the nations to walk in their paths, then you will not be dismayed by the signs of the heavens, since the nations are dismayed by them, for you are placed under the providence of the Lord, not under the constellations. Only when you learn the way of the nations will you depart from the guidance of providence. Likewise, do not think that idols are effective for eliciting favor from the stars.
For the customs of the peoples are vanity; For it is but a tree which one cuts out of the forest, The work of the hands of the workman with the axe.
verse value 3047
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 44 letters. The shortest word is "vanity" (הֶ֣בֶל, 3 letters) and the longest is "for·customs·of" (כִּֽי־חֻקּ֥וֹת, 6 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "for·customs·of" (כִּֽי־חֻקּ֥וֹת), "the·peoples" (הָעַמִּ֖ים), "for·tree" (כִּי־עֵץ֙). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for·tree" (root כי, 318x in Jeremiah); "the·peoples" (root עם, 86x in Jeremiah); "it" (root הוא, 69x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root חרש ("hands·of·craftsman") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'it', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 6 words. Full calculation: כִּֽי־חֻקּ֥וֹת [for·customs·of] (544) + הָעַמִּ֖ים [the·peoples] (165) + הֶ֣בֶל [vanity] (37) + ה֑וּא [it] (12) + כִּי־עֵץ֙ [for·tree] (190) + מִיַּ֣עַר [from·forest] (320) + כְּרָת֔וֹ [cut·it] (626) + מַעֲשֵׂ֥ה [deed] (415) + יְדֵי־חָרָ֖שׁ [hands·of·craftsman] (532) + בַּֽמַּעֲצָֽד [with·the·axe] (206) = 3047.
Rashi
"Craftsman." Artisan:
"Adze." "Doldoyra" in the vernacular (Old French):
Radak
“For the statutes of the nations.” See to what this worship brought them: for from the worship of the stars they came to the worship of idols. For their priests would say to them: “This image was made in the place of the sun, and it was made for its honor; and whoever worships it is as if he worships the sun.” Just like the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar made for the sun. And so they would make images for the other stars. And these are the “statutes” that the priests of the idols established for them as a fixed rule, and they accustomed them to this belief, until the years lengthened with this belief, until the masses came to think that this image does good and does evil. And this is vanity, a thing with no substance, for this image is wood, and its maker cut it from the forest. It is the work of the hands of a craftsman who fitted it with a chisel, which they call a “doldoyira” in the vernacular. And this image has no action of its own; how then can it do good, and how can it do evil, as these fools imagine? And this is vanity without equal.
Metzudat David
For statutes. Which [refers to] the statutes of the idolaters, which are vanity, even for them, in that they make an image of the heavenly host and serve it.
"For a tree": This means that even if the power were in the hands of the heavenly host to turn evil into good through the service of them, nevertheless it is vanity to serve the image, for behold, it is merely a tree cut from the forest, and it is the work of an artisan's hands with the tool of a carver.
Metzudat Zion
For. Which:
Chukim. The matter refers to a fixed decree:
Charash [craftsman]. A wood-artisan:
"במעצד" – this is the name of a large tool used for cutting; similarly, "the iron-smith with his chisel" (Isaiah 44:12).
Malbim
"For the customs of the nations are to make idols and cakes for the Queen of Heaven; it is vanity, for it is wood and does not act upon the higher realms. For 'wood' recounts the disgrace of the idol from the aspect of matter, form, efficient cause, and final cause. Regarding the matter, it says 'wood,' meaning it is the matter of wood, and not some specific type of wood, but rather wood from the forest like all other trees. And regarding the efficient cause, it says 'the work of the hands of a craftsman,' meaning not by means of a special tool, but only with an adze."
They deck it with silver and with gold, They fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
verse value 2013
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 42 letters. The shortest word is "in·silver" (בְּכֶ֥סֶף, 4 letters) and the longest is "in·nails" (בְּמַסְמְר֧וֹת, 7 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·with·gold" (וּבְזָהָ֖ב), "beautify·it" (יְיַפֵּ֑הוּ), "in·nails" (בְּמַסְמְר֧וֹת). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·not" (root לא, 307x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'beautify·it', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 5 words. Full calculation: בְּכֶ֥סֶף [in·silver] (162) + וּבְזָהָ֖ב [and·with·gold] (22) + יְיַפֵּ֑הוּ [beautify·it] (111) + בְּמַסְמְר֧וֹת [in·nails] (748) + וּבְמַקָּב֛וֹת [and·with·hammers] (556) + יְחַזְּק֖וּם [strengthen·them] (171) + וְל֥וֹא [and·not] (43) + יָפִֽיק [obtains] (200) = 2013.
Rashi
Nails. "Kloyish" in the vernacular:
"And hammers." A hammer; "martil" in the vernacular:
"Yafik" [does not totter]. [Meaning] he bends his knees; an expression related to "pukah" (1 Samuel 25:31) and "ufiq birkayim" (Nahum 2:10).
Radak
"With silver and gold he adorned it." Since it was a tree, he covered it with silver and gold so that it would be beautiful and pleasing to the eyes of those who saw it, and thus enter their hearts to worship it.
"They shall strengthen them." The plates of silver and gold shall strengthen them on the wood with nails, and the hammers shall strike upon them, so that it does not "yafik" [totter] — meaning that it shall not depart from its proper form nor falter, related to the term "u-fik birkayim" (buckling at the knees). One could also interpret it in light of the term "ve-tafek la-ra'ev" (you shall extend yourself to the hungry), and this would be an intransitive verb (po'al omed), meaning that it shall not move from its place.
Metzudat David
"He beautifies it." He beautifies the form by covering it with silver and gold, and strengthens the covering upon it by means of nails and by striking with hammers.
"And it shall not totter." So that it will not fail: this means that it will not be ruined by the plating separating from it.
Metzudat Zion
"with nails" – with pegs; and likewise, "and iron in abundance, for nails" (I Chronicles 22).
And "u-vamakevot" (and with the hammers). This is the hammer, as in "and she put the hammer in her hand" (Judges 4:21); and it is called so because one of its ends is sharp, to pierce stones with it.
"Yafik" [it shall totter]. A matter of stumbling, as in "and a tottering of the knees" (Nahum 2):
Malbim
Regarding the phrase “with silver,” which refers to the outer form, it states “with silver and with gold” only to beautify it on top for ornamentation. The silver is not part of its body; rather, they shall strengthen it with nails so that it does not detach from the wood.
They are like a pillar in a garden of cucumbers, and speak not; They must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, Neither is it in them to do good.
verse value 4052
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 70 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·also·to·do·good" (וְגַם־הֵיטֵ֖יב, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 85: from·them, and·also·to·do·good. 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "as·a·palm·tree·of" (כְּתֹ֨מֶר), "hammered·work" (מִקְשָׁ֥ה), "surely·borne" (נָשׂ֥וֹא). The root הם appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 318x in Jeremiah); "and·not" (root לא, 307x in Jeremiah); "not·fear" (root איל, 293x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'they·will·step', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 7 words.
Rashi
"Like a hammered palm tree." He strikes them with a hammer until he sets it upright, with a form like a palm tree.
Do not fear them. If you separate from them, they will not harm you.
And even the word "he will do good" is not among them. If you serve them, "he will do good" is like "to do good":
Radak
"Like a hammered palm." Just as the palm tree is straight, having no crookedness in its trunk, for its branches are above and its entire body is straight, so too a hammered work is uniform; thus the image stands erect, straight in the form of a human being. And they do not speak, for there is no animating spirit within them; all the more so do they not converse. This is what it says: “They shall be carried, they shall be carried.” If one moves them from place to place, they shall be carried, for they do not walk with their feet. And since they are thus, do not trust in them, and do not fear them, for they cannot do harm.
And also, "they do not do good" does not apply to them. They lack the power to do good. The form "tomer" is like "tamar" (palm tree); and so it also occurs with a cholam, as in "and she sat under the tomer [palm]" (Judges 4:5). "Yinnasu" [ינשוא] has its letters transposed, for the correct form would be "yinnasu" [ינשאו]; and likewise "nasu" [as it appears elsewhere] is like "nasu" [נשאו].
Metzudat David
Like the date-palm, they are rigid. This means that there is no distinction between these forms and the form of a date-palm tree made by striking with a metal hammer, for they too are like it, and cannot speak like it.
"Naso yinnasu." From the necessity of carrying it on the shoulder, since they do not walk by themselves, it follows that since this is so, there is no greater vanity than this.
"Fear not them." This means: And now, Israel, do not fear even the heavenly host itself, for they have no power to do you harm, nor do they have the power to do good to any of you, for everything comes to you through the providence of the Omnipresent.
Metzudat Zion
"Mikshah" [hammered work]. It refers to the striking of the hammer; and similarly, "one piece of hammered work" (Exodus 5):
“Nish’u yinsh’u.” The term derives from the word for a burden and load.
"They will stride." It concerns steps and walking, like "those who are fine in stride" (Proverbs 30:29):
"They will do harm." From the language of "ra'ah" (evil/harm):
"Otam" [them]. [Meaning] with them; and similarly, "and I will speak with you" (Ezekiel 2:1):
Malbim
Like a scarecrow, and in contrast to the inner form, it says that it lacks the form of the speaking soul, for they are like a scarecrow, hard and they will not speak; nor do they possess the form of the vital soul, which is motion, for they are carried along but do not walk of their own accord. And regarding the purpose you might imagine they have, namely to do evil or good, it says: Do not think that they will do evil of their own choice, and therefore do not fear them; do not fear, for they will not do evil. Nor should you think that any good or success will be attained through them by virtue of their inherent potency, as with all things possessing such potency, for they do not even do good.
There is none like to You, O Hashem; You are great, and Your name is great in might.
verse value 1289
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 33 letters. Notable word values: "like·you" (כָּמ֖וֹךָ) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "you" (אַתָּ֛ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "in·strength" (בִּגְבוּרָֽה, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·great" (וְגָד֥וֹל), "in·strength" (בִּגְבוּרָֽה). The root גדול appears 2 times in this verse. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "your·name" (root שם, 122x in Jeremiah); "without" (root אין, 88x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root כמו ("like·you") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 5 words. Full calculation: מֵאֵ֥ין [without] (101) + כָּמ֖וֹךָ [like·you] (86) + יְהֹוָ֑ה [Hashem] (26) + גָּד֥וֹל [great] (43) + אַתָּ֛ה [you] (406) + וְגָד֥וֹל [and·great] (49) + שִׁמְךָ֖ [your·name] (360) + בִּגְבוּרָֽה [in·strength] (218) = 1289.
Radak
"There is none like You." From what we see and know that there is none like You, neither among the upper realms nor among the lower realms, we have come to know that You are great, and great is Your name in might. And it says "You," and it says "Your name," to inform us that He is His name, and His name is He.
Metzudat David
"There is none like You"—From what we see, that there is no one like You, O Lord; therefore, You are great above all the host of heaven.
“With might.” In that you exert might over them to nullify their instruction.
Malbim
"There is none like You, O Lord" means: But You, O Lord, encompass all perfections, so that no one is found perfect like You. For "You are great": "Great" is a relative term, meaning great in comparison to that which is smaller than it, and it is also conceivable that there is something greater than it. But You are great in Your very essence, not in a relative sense. Similarly, "Only You are great," because You are the first of causes and the last of effects. "And great is Your name in might": This means that there are those who are great in themselves but from whom no actions emanate outward, like a great sage who grasps all things but lacks the power to bring them into existence. And there are those whose name is great but who are not great in themselves, like a mighty warrior whose name is great through his strength and power, despite not being great in himself because he does not comprehend things as they are. But You are great through Your own essence and Your wisdom, for You are the source of wisdom, and great is Your name through might and power. (And this implies that there were those who depicted the Lord as a sage who arranged all things through His wisdom, but they did not attribute to Him the power to bring things into effect. Therefore, they attributed to Him many assistants in governance, and chose many deities who, in their opinion, were the agents and rulers according to the wisdom He established, so that the Lord was like a sage who arranges and oversees everything, and they were the mighty ones who brought everything into effect. And there were those who said the opposite: that His might, not His wisdom, was His attribute—meaning He had the power to bring everything into existence, but He needed counselors, and that the signs of the heavens indicated the counsel and decrees emanating from His counselors. From these two perspectives, they feared the signs of the heavens and served other gods, either by attributing to them the power to complete governance, or by attributing to them the counsel of governance itself. Against this, it is said: For You are great in the wisdom of arranging all things, and also great is Your name in might to bring everything into existence and to govern everything alone, with no assistant to You, neither in counsel nor in might.) And therefore, "Who will not fear You, O King of the nations?" Since everything emanates from You, it follows that awe is fitting only for You, for both regarding wisdom and regarding might and power, this is known by all the sages of the nations and in all their kingdoms that there is none like You: the sages grasp Your wisdom, and the kings [grasp] Your power.
Who would not fear You, O king of the nations? For it befits You; Forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their royalty, There is none like to You.
verse value 1967
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 56 letters. Notable word values: "like·you" (כָּמֽוֹךָ) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "who?" (מִ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·in·all·their·royalty" (וּבְכׇל־מַלְכוּתָ֖ם, 10 letters). Words sharing gematria 64: the·nations, the·nations. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "will·fear·you" (יִרָֽאֲךָ֙), "pertained·to" (יָאָ֑תָה), "in·all·wise·men·of" (בְכׇל־חַכְמֵ֧י). The root גוי appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 318x in Jeremiah); "not" (root לא, 307x in Jeremiah); "king" (root מלך, 253x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'pertained·to', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 6 words. Full calculation: מִ֣י [who?] (50) + לֹ֤א [not] (31) + יִרָֽאֲךָ֙ [will·fear·you] (231) + מֶ֣לֶךְ [king] (90) + הַגּוֹיִ֔ם [the·nations] (64) + כִּ֥י [for] (30) + לְךָ֖ [to·you] (50) + יָאָ֑תָה [pertained·to] (416) + כִּ֣י [for] (30) + בְכׇל־חַכְמֵ֧י [in·all·wise·men·of] (130) + הַגּוֹיִ֛ם [the·nations] (64) + וּבְכׇל־מַלְכוּתָ֖ם [and·in·all·their·royalty] (594) + מֵאֵ֥ין [without] (101) + כָּמֽוֹךָ [like·you] (86) = 1967.
Rashi
"To You it is fitting." To You it is becoming.
Radak
“Who will not fear You?” — It is written with the enduring yod alone, and the first radical [yod] of the verb is omitted from the written text, while the [remaining] yod is drawn out with a ga'ya [a secondary stress mark] to indicate the missing yod. He says, “Who will not fear You?” because He said, “Do not fear them.” He is saying that they are not worthy to be feared, but as for You, who will not fear You? Even the idolaters who serve idols ought to fear You, for You are King over them.
“For it is fitting for You.” The kingship is not for another; that is to say, it is fitting for You, and it is proper to ascribe it to You and not to another. For all the wise men of the nations and all their kingdoms proclaim, “There is none like You,” and they do not serve the stars except because they are intermediaries between You and them. And it calls them “the wise men of the nations” because they know that the idol is nothing, and if they were to serve the stars, they would not serve them except because they are Your ministers, being intermediaries. Nevertheless, they sin, for there is no need for an intermediary between God and man, for “The Lord is high, yet He regards the lowly.” But the masses think that the idols do good and evil, because they have become accustomed to their worship. And he said, “and in all their kingdoms,” for kings are mostly wise, and there are also wise and knowledgeable people with them, who know and recognize that the kingdom of a human being is a kingdom that is interrupted, and there is no enduring kingdom except for the Lord.
Metzudat David
“Who will not fear You?”—Who will not be awestruck by You? You are King over all the nations.
"For it is fitting for You." For it is pleasing to You, the matter of the fear [of God].
"For in all the wise men, etc." – For the fear of You is firmly implanted in the heart of all the wise men, etc., because they see that there is none like You, even among the heavenly host (but they might think that the service is also beneficial for them).
Metzudat Zion
"Yatoh." The term "ratzuy" (acceptable/desirable) is similar to "vaye'otu hakohanim" (and the priests consented) (2 Kings 13).
But they are altogether brutish and foolish: The vanities by which they are instructed are but a stock;
verse value 1402
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 30 letters. The shortest word is "tree" (עֵ֥ץ, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·they·are·foolish" (וְיִכְסָ֑לוּ, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·as·one" (וּבְאַחַ֖ת), "they·will·burn" (יִבְעֲר֣וּ), "and·they·are·foolish" (וְיִכְסָ֑לוּ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "you" (root הוא, 69x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·they·are·foolish', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: וּבְאַחַ֖ת [and·as·one] (417) + יִבְעֲר֣וּ [they·will·burn] (288) + וְיִכְסָ֑לוּ [and·they·are·foolish] (132) + מוּסַ֥ר [discipline] (306) + הֲבָלִ֖ים [vanities] (87) + עֵ֥ץ [tree] (160) + הֽוּא [you] (12) = 1402.
Rashi
"But in one thing they are brutish." [Referring to] idol-worshippers. And what is this "one thing"? The discipline of vanities from their wood [idol], and they are chastened by it. "Yiv'aru" is an expression of folly, and so too "ve-yichsalu."
Radak
"And in one." The sages of the nations, as one, will become brutish and foolish, for they instruct the people to worship idols, which are mere vanities and wood, for it is overlaid with silver and gold, and it has no power of its own, for it is made from the lowest of existing things, namely the inanimate, for existing things are three: living, growing, and inanimate.
Metzudat David
"And in one matter." In one matter they are all brutish and foolish:
"The instruction of vanities." This refers to the fact that they chastise and reprove the people for serving the vanities of idolatry, for surely it is but wood; and if so, why should they serve it? And the meaning is that even according to their error, which holds that service benefits the heavenly host, it is certainly folly to think that service would also benefit an idol made of wood.
Metzudat Zion
"They are brutish." From the language of "ba'ar" (brutish) and "shoteh" (fool), and similarly, "a brutish man does not know" (Psalms 92:7):
"And they become foolish." From the root of "kesil" (fool):
Musar. The matter of reproof:
Malbim
And in one [instance] they become brutish and foolish: regarding the fact that they serve an idol of wood, this is not because they deny Your wisdom and power, for everyone knows this, as it is stated, "For in all places incense is offered to My name, and My name is awesome among the nations." Rather, they do this out of a certain foolishness, which is what they say: "The moral order is but a wooden idol." This means that although the general moral governance emanates from the Supreme Guide and His infinite wisdom, nevertheless, the moral governance of this lower world—which is a world of vanity, change, transformation, decay, and loss—and the moral governance inherent in it cannot be perfect, since this world is not prepared to receive perfection. Therefore, one cannot say that its moral order, i.e., its moral governance, emanates from the Ultimate Perfection. Consequently, they attribute it to inferior and lesser guides, just as the governance by which the offspring of this lower world are conducted is vanity and has no substance. Therefore, they said that the moral order of these vain things is a wooden idol, to which it is attributed, because this world is not worthy of a more perfect moral order.
Silver beaten into plates which is brought from Tarshish, And gold from Uphaz, The work of the craftsman and of the hands of the goldsmith; Blue and purple is their clothing; They are all the work of skilful men.
verse value 5473
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 68 letters. Verse gematria: 5473 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "silver" (כֶּ֣סֶף, 3 letters) and the longest is "from·Tarshish" (מִתַּרְשִׁ֣ישׁ, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 415: deed, deed. 10 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "beaten" (מְרֻקָּ֞ע), "from·Tarshish" (מִתַּרְשִׁ֣ישׁ), "shall·be·brought" (יוּבָ֗א). The root מעשה appears 2 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "shall·be·brought" (root בוא, 211x in Jeremiah); "all·of·them" (root כל, 167x in Jeremiah); "and·the·hands·of" (root יד, 98x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'smelting', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 6 words.
Rashi
"Beaten flat." [Meaning] flattened, rolled thin:
Radak
"Beaten silver." From [the verse] "And they beat out sheets of gold" (Exodus 39:3), [we learn that] they beat out the gold sheets to cover the wooden idol with them, to beautify it. Furthermore, they exert themselves to bring good silver from Tarshish and gold from Uphaz, even though these places are distant from them. Moreover, they clothe them in blue and purple, embroidered with the work of skilled artisans, in fine workmanship. All of this is to appear beautiful in the eyes of the masses, so that reverence for them will enter their hearts, and they will believe in them and serve them.
Metzudat David
“Hammered silver.” Sheets of silver were brought from Tarshish to overlay the form with them, and the gold they took from the gold of Uphaz to beautify the form with it.
"The work of a craftsman." Every idol is made through the work of a craftsman and the hands of a goldsmith: the craftsman made the wood, and the hands of the goldsmith made the overlay.
"Their garments." The garments of the idols [were made] of blue and purple:
"The work of skilled craftsmen, all of them." All the garments are the work of skilled craftsmen, and it is as if one were to say: How would skilled craftsmen engage in such a foolish matter?
Metzudat Zion
"Meruka" [beaten flat]. It means flattened to make sheets; and similarly, "and they shall make them into hammered plates" (Numbers 17:3):
From Tarshish. A place name:
"Me'ufaz" [from Uphaz]. It is a type of fine gold; and similarly, "with fine gold of Uphaz" (Daniel 10:5):
“Blue and purple.” These are the names of important types of dyes:
Malbim
"Hammered silver": He replies to them, "How can you say that the idol, which is made of wood, serves as a moral guide and a model for conduct? Is it not true that even the silver they hammer onto the wood lacks significance, since it is brought from Tarshish? And the gold overlaid on the silver is the work of an artisan, possessing no excellence either in terms of its origin or in terms of the craftsman. Moreover, the blue and purple fabrics of their garments are the work of skilled artisans, the work of human beings, and they possess no divine excellence whatsoever. But the Lord God is truth. The definition of truth is the agreement between what is said about a thing and the actual existence of that thing in reality. This means that the idols are falsehood, because the attributes ascribed to them do not correspond to reality. However, the praises uttered about the Lord do correspond to His reality. He explains this by saying, 'He is the living God and King of the world.' This means that in His own essence, He is not like the gods of the nations, which are dead corpses, for He is the source of life. And in terms of the providence that emanates from Him, He is King of the world, for He guides and rules over all by His wrath. It appears that the stargazers interpreted the signs that appeared at that time (as it is written, 'Do not be afraid of the signs of the heavens') as referring to the earthquake that occurred then in several lands. And this is what the prophet says: Know that the earth does not shake by the power of the celestial signs, but rather it shakes because of His wrath."
But Hashem God is the true God, He is the living God, and the everlasting King; At His wrath the earth trembles, And the nations are not able to abide His indignation.
verse value 2834
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 61 letters. Notable word values: "God" (אֱלֹהִים֙) = 86, equal to Elohim. Verse gematria: 2834 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "truth" (אֱמֶ֔ת, 3 letters) and the longest is "He·is·God" (הֽוּא־אֱלֹהִ֥ים, 8 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "He·is·God" (הֽוּא־אֱלֹהִ֥ים), "from·his·wrath" (מִקִּצְפּוֹ֙), "will·quake" (תִּרְעַ֣שׁ). 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "and·king·of" (root מלך, 253x in Jeremiah); "earth" (root ארץ, 245x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root קצף ("from·his·wrath") in Jeremiah. First appearance of the root זעם ("his·indignation") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'ever', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 6 words. Full calculation: וַיהֹוָ֤ה [and·Hashem] (32) + אֱלֹהִים֙ [God] (86) + אֱמֶ֔ת [truth] (441) + הֽוּא־אֱלֹהִ֥ים [He·is·God] (98) + חַיִּ֖ים [living] (68) + וּמֶ֣לֶךְ [and·king·of] (96) + עוֹלָ֑ם [ever] (146) + מִקִּצְפּוֹ֙ [from·his·wrath] (316) + תִּרְעַ֣שׁ [will·quake] (970) + הָאָ֔רֶץ [earth] (296) + וְלֹא־יָכִ֥לוּ [and·not·are·able] (103) + גוֹיִ֖ם [nations] (59) + זַעְמֽוֹ [his·indignation] (123) = 2834.
Rashi
"And the Lord, He is the God of truth." Why? Because He is the living God and King forever, therefore He is able to fulfill His words. But flesh and blood says, "I will do," and then dies, or his strength fails, or he loses his wealth, and he is unable to fulfill it.
Radak
"And the Lord is the true God." These gods that they make to worship them are false and dead, for they are not gods and there is no power in them. But the Lord is the true God, who is Master over all the gods—and these are the stars. He alone is the true God, who has power over all and judges all. And those other than Him are not true, even though they are called gods, for their power is only from Him. He alone is the true Power and the true Judge, whose power and governance are not dependent on another.
"He is the living God." He is the true Living One, whose life does not depend on another, for His life is from Himself, whereas all other living beings derive their life from Him. And He said "living" in the plural form, like "Gods" and "holy ones," which is a way of expressing honor. And He is the eternal King. And you will recognize this, for at His anger the earth trembles, and the nations cannot endure His wrath. There is no power in them to save themselves from Him when He becomes angry with them, nor can they contain or bear His wrath. And the trembling of the earth is an allegory for the destruction of the inhabitants of the land, whatever nation it may be. And they will be able to recognize that it is from Him, for He informs them beforehand, before the calamity comes, through His servants, the prophets.
“The earth shall quake.” We can also interpret this according to its plain meaning, that a city and its inhabitants will be swallowed up at times by an earthquake.
Metzudat David
And the Lord. But the Lord, God, is truth; He is the living God, meaning He is the life of all created beings, and He is the King who rules over the entire world. At His wrath, all the inhabitants of the earth tremble, and all the nations cannot endure His anger, for He does whatever He pleases, and there is none comparable to Him among all the host of heaven.
Metzudat Zion
“From His anger.” The word is from the root *qatsaf*, meaning “anger and wrath.”
"תרעש" – The meaning is movement and shaking.
יכילו. The meaning is "to endure," as in "Who can bear it?" (Joel 2:11).
Thus shall you say to them: ‘The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, these shall perish from the earth, and from under the heavens.’
verse value 3322
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 60 letters. Notable word values: "these" (אֵֽלֶּה) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "not" (לָ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·from·under" (וּמִן־תְּח֥וֹת, 7 letters). 9 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "thus" (כִּדְנָה֙), "you·shall·say" (תֵּאמְר֣וּן), "to·them" (לְה֔וֹם). The root אלה appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "you·shall·say" (root אמר, 476x in Jeremiah); "not" (root לא, 307x in Jeremiah); "they·made" (root עבד, 73x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'they·made', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 5 words. Full calculation: כִּדְנָה֙ [thus] (79) + תֵּאמְר֣וּן [you·shall·say] (697) + לְה֔וֹם [to·them] (81) + אֱלָ֣הַיָּ֔א [the·gods] (47) + דִּֽי־שְׁמַיָּ֥א [that·the·heavens] (365) + וְאַרְקָ֖א [and·the·earth] (308) + לָ֣א [not] (31) + עֲבַ֑דוּ [they·made] (82) + יֵאבַ֧דוּ [shall·perish] (23) + מֵאַרְעָ֛א [from·the·earth] (312) + וּמִן־תְּח֥וֹת [and·from·under] (910) + שְׁמַיָּ֖א [the·heavens] (351) + אֵֽלֶּה [these] (36) = 3322.
Rashi
Thus you shall say: “This is the letter that Jeremiah sent to Yechanyah and his exiles in the exile, to answer the Chaldeans in Aramaic: if they say to them, ‘Serve idols’.”
Radak
Thus shall you say to them. This is the statement of God which sent Jeremiah to Babylon, to the children of the exile, so that they would answer the Chaldeans in this manner: when the Chaldeans would say to them, "Serve our gods," they would answer them, "The gods who did not make the heavens and the earth shall perish from the earth and from under these heavens." And He wrote this statement for them in Aramaic, so that they would say it to the Chaldeans in their language. And what is said, "Thus shall you say to them," is also a warning to Israel, and it is in Aramaic, so that there not be a division in the verse, half Hebrew and half Aramaic. And it says "to them" with a mem, for sometimes it comes with a mem, as is found in Ezra, and similarly, "they say to them," even though in most cases it comes with a nun.
"These" is both Hebrew and Aramaic. We also find it in Ezra: "these vessels" (Ezra 5:15). It is written as "eleh" and read as "el," and "el" and "eleh" are one, like "these lands." And it says "these" because they are visible to human beings, even though they are exalted.
"U-arka": The meaning is "land." And in the words of our Sages of blessed memory, four names are given to it, corresponding to its four seasons: eretz, tevel, adama, and arka. And the Targum translates the verse exactly as it stands in the column [of the Hebrew text], and did not elaborate in Aramaic, because the matter was not yet interrupted until "[For] the Lord of Hosts is His name." All of this is a response that the children of Israel will say to them [the nations]: "For we will not serve those deities who did not make the heavens and the earth, but [we serve] the God who made the earth with His strength." And they will understand the Hebrew, and they will say to them in Aramaic. But the opening of the matter, Jeremiah sent to them in Aramaic. And so Jonathan [ben Uzziel] explained in this matter: "He made the earth with His strength," [meaning] "Thus you will say to them: 'We serve [the One] who made the earth with His strength.'" And the truth is that Israel did not serve idolatry from the time they were exiled. And regarding the fact that they prostrated themselves before the image that Nebuchadnezzar set up, they were coerced. And even so, they were punished for this in the days of Haman, had it not been that God had mercy on them, as they said: "Why were the Israelites of that generation liable to destruction? Because they prostrated themselves before the image."
Metzudat David
Just as it is written here, so too did the Prophet say to Israel that they should say to the nations who serve the host of heaven:
“Elahya.” The gods who did not make the heavens and the earth shall perish from the land and from beneath these heavens which the Omnipresent, blessed be He, made. This means: It is fitting that the name of divinity be lost from them in all the places that the true God created, for what do they have to do with these places? (And since for this reason He commanded to say to the Chaldeans, He spoke in the Aramaic language, a language that the Chaldeans recognize; and therefore He began and said, “Thus shall you say to them,” also in the Aramaic language.)
Metzudat Zion
Like this. Like this:
"Lahom." "Lahem" (to them). And we found in Aramaic that the mem is used in place of the nun, such as "ve-chen amerin lahom" ("and thus they say to them") (Ezra 5:3).
"Eleh" [these]. In this word, the Aramaic language is like the Hebrew language; and likewise, "these vessels" (ibid.).
Malbim
Thus you shall say to them: Since they admit that the Lord created the heavens and the earth, how then did they designate the idols as "gods," seeing that they created nothing? And even if you were to say that they created other worlds, nevertheless, since they did not make the heavens and the earth—meaning the heavens and the earth in which we dwell—they shall be destroyed from the earth and from beneath these heavens. That is to say: What right do they have to these heavens and earth which they did not create? Let them dwell in the other heavens and earth which they created, not in a place that is not theirs.
He that has made the earth by His power, That has established the world by His wisdom, And has stretched out the heavens by His understanding;
verse value 3056
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 38 letters. Notable word values: "strength" (בְּכֹח֔וֹ) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "doing" (עֹשֵׂ֥ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·by·His·understanding" (וּבִתְבוּנָת֖וֹ, 8 letters). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "land" (root ארץ, 245x in Jeremiah); "doing" (root עשה, 147x in Jeremiah); "heaven" (root שמים, 33x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root כח ("strength") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·his·wisdom', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 3 words. Full calculation: עֹשֵׂ֥ה [doing] (375) + אֶ֙רֶץ֙ [land] (291) + בְּכֹח֔וֹ [strength] (36) + מֵכִ֥ין [who·sets·firm] (120) + תֵּבֵ֖ל [world] (432) + בְּחׇכְמָת֑וֹ [in·his·wisdom] (476) + וּבִתְבוּנָת֖וֹ [and·by·His·understanding] (872) + נָטָ֥ה [stretched] (64) + שָׁמָֽיִם [heaven] (390) = 3056.
Rashi
"[He] stretched out." "Tindish" in the vernacular:
Radak
"He makes the earth by His strength." To Him who made the earth by His strength, we serve. And the mention of "by His strength" concerning the earth is because the celestial spheres run upon it around continuously, with a power that has no interruption, coming from Him, blessed be He. And with that same power, the earth stands suspended in the middle, not moving this way or that, even by the width of a hair, as it is written: "Who hangs the earth upon nothing" (Job 26:7). A person does not know in what manner, except that the wise man discerns that it is by the power of the rotation that it stands in the middle without any support. Even though there is another reason, that by its nature it is to stand in the center because it is heavy, nevertheless, God placed this nature within it, and from His power is everything.
"Who established the world by His wisdom." "The world" refers to the inhabited regions of the earth, and God prepared them by His wisdom with flowing rivers and gushing springs, without which habitation would not be possible, and in which all grass and every fruit-bearing tree necessary for human and animal habitation, as well as all other benefits found therein, grow. He did all of this with wisdom.
And with His understanding He stretched out the heavens. That is, He stretched them out like a tent for Him to dwell beneath, as it is stated, “And He stretched them out like a tent to dwell in.” And a tent is shaped like a hemisphere. We do not perceive of the heavens except the hemisphere that is above the earth; rather, we discern that there is another hemisphere, for they are spherical. Their stretching out, their course, and their running from east to west and from west to east—all of this was accomplished by His understanding, which cannot be comprehended.
Metzudat David
"He makes the earth by His power." Now [the verse] comes to complete its statement, which it made: "The Lord God is truth," etc., and it said, "It is He who makes the earth by His power."
“Preparing the earth.” The inhabited places: He prepares in them, with His wisdom, all the things that are needed there.
"Who stretches out the heavens." He speaks in a borrowed [metaphorical] expression, from the stretching out of a tent.
Metzudat Zion
"tevel" – these are the places inhabited by human beings.
Malbim
He makes, but the Lord Himself made these heavens and earth: the earth He made in general by His power and might; and the inhabited part of the earth, which is a portion of the earth, He prepared by His wisdom so that it would be fit for human habitation, and that all would find therein all their needs; and the heavens He stretched over them like a tent by His understanding. (And He said “He makes the earth” in the present tense, because He is constantly making and preparing, and renews every day the works of creation through His constant providence.)
At the sound of His giving a multitude of waters in the heavens, When He causes the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; When He makes lightnings with the rain, And brings forth the wind out of His treasuries;
verse value 4979
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 67 letters. Verse gematria: 4979 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "to·give" (תִּתּ֜וֹ, 3 letters) and the longest is "from·his·treasuries" (מֵאֹצְרֹתָֽיו, 7 letters). The root ארץ appears 2 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "land" (root ארץ, 245x in Jeremiah); "did" (root עשה, 147x in Jeremiah); "to·give" (root נתן, 141x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root קצה ("from·end·of") in Jeremiah. First appearance of the root אוצר ("from·his·treasuries") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'earth', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 6 words.
Rashi
"To His voice." At the time when the voice comes, He causes a multitude of waters to be in the heavens.
"Vapors." [Meaning] clouds:
Lightning. In the vernacular: "flandoris."
Radak
"To the voice of His utterance, the waters in the heavens." And so we serve Him according to the voice of His utterance: the multitude of waters in the heavens, which is the air called the firmament. For we know that He is the One who gives rain, as it is said, "He who gives rain upon the face of the earth," and not the idols, as it is said, "Do the worthless things of the nations make it rain? Or do the heavens give showers? Behold, it is You, our God." And we, Israel, who are a portion of the Lord, blessed be He, and His people, acknowledge Him, that it is in His hand to do all that has been mentioned. The heavens do not give the rain, for there is no water in them; rather, He places it in them after the vapor ascends from the ends of the earth, as it is said, "And a mist shall ascend from the earth and water the whole face of the ground." And the waters do not ascend from the earth, but rather vapor ascends from the earth, which He causes to ascend by the nature He placed within it. And the Lord transforms it into water in the air by the power He placed within it. This is what is meant by: "To the voice of His utterance, the waters in the heavens."
"Vapors rise" (וַיַּעֲלֶה נְשִׂאִים). The vav of "vaya'aleh" (and He raises) is like the vav of "vayered" (and he went down) from performing the sin-offering and the burnt-offering [Leviticus 9:22], which is explained thus: after he went down from performing the burnt-offering, he lifted up his hands over the people and blessed them. Similarly, "Behold, You were angry, and we sinned" [Isaiah 64:4] means that after we sinned, You became angry. So too "vaya'aleh nesi'im" (and He causes the mists to rise) — after He causes the mists to rise, He gives the water; for it is on account of [their being in] a particular place that the vapor there turns back into water. And when it says "from the end of the earth," this is the statement of the philosophers, who say that the vapors rise from the directions of north and south — that is "from the end of the earth," the directions far from habitation. "Eretz" is written [defectively], "ha'aretz" is read, and the meaning is the same.
“Lightning for the rain He made.” And furthermore, He performs a great wonder in the descent of the rain: lightning descends together with the rain, and the lightning is fire, yet the water does not extinguish it. And what is meant by “at His voice” is the rumbling at the beginning of the rain, from which one hears a sound; and similarly it says, “for the voice of the multitude of rain.”
"And He brings forth wind from His treasuries." He remembers the rain, and He remembers the wind, for on account of the "Nesi'im" that ascend from the earth, there will be rain and there will be wind. For there are two vapors that ascend from the earth, which He calls "Nesi'im" due to their bearing upward from the earth. One is moist, and it is called "Ed" (vapor), and from it comes the rain. The other is dry, and from it comes the wind, and it is called "Kitor" (fume). And what He said, "from His treasuries," is because it hovers and is not visible, like something placed in a treasury.
Metzudat David
"At the sound of His giving." Because of His giving, the sound of the waters in the atmosphere of the heavens, then He raises the clouds to the height of the heavens.
"From the end of the earth." This means that when they are visible to the eye, appearing at the lowest parts of the firmament, at the end of the earth, He then raises them up to face the place where He desires to send rain there.
Lightning. When the rain comes, lightning flashes, and the rain does not extinguish them.
"And He brings out." He brings out the wind from its storehouse:
Metzudat Zion
“Lekol.” The lamed comes in place of “because of,” and similarly, “Open your mouth for the mute” (Proverbs 31:8).
"Tito." The word is in the form of "netina" (giving).
"Hamon." The word is derived from the meaning of "noise and clamor."
"And He caused to ascend." The vav comes in place of "then," just as in "if she bears a female, she shall be unclean for two weeks" (Leviticus 12:5), meaning "then she shall be unclean."
Nesi'im. "Clouds," because they lift themselves upward; and likewise, "[He] raises the clouds" (Psalms 135:7).
Malbim
To the voice, and particularly is His wisdom and His particular providence elucidated from the descent of the rain and the formation of the clouds (as is explained at length in Job chapters 36 and 37), from the voice that calls out and proclaims His providence, that He gives abundance of waters in the heavens, which is in the air of respiration, which is the place of the ascent of the vapors (which are called the firmament and the heavens in the Account of Creation, as stated above), and vapors rise from the end of the earth, which are the mists that ascend from the earth and gather in the place of the thick cloud cover, and that these vapors and the rising drops of water are filled with wind and air, by means of which they are condensed and obscured, and the air becomes pure and clear through the electricity and the element of fire, which bursts the vapors on the wings of the wind. And it was from the wisdom of the Lord that He made lightning for the rain: at the time He desires that the rain descend, He separates from them the element of fire and the electricity, and the lightning is formed, and thereby the wind finds its way out from its storehouses, releasing the element of wind stored in the vapors, and consequently the rain is formed, as is known in the wisdom of nature.
Every man is proved to be brutish, without knowledge, Every goldsmith is put to shame by the graven image, His molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.
verse value 2943
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 44 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֛י, 2 letters) and the longest is "every·goldsmith" (כׇּל־צוֹרֵ֖ף, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "every·goldsmith" (כׇּל־צוֹרֵ֖ף). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 318x in Jeremiah); "lie" (root שקר, 36x in Jeremiah); "all·man" (root אדם, 26x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'from·idol', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 5 words. Full calculation: נִבְעַ֤ר [was·burned] (322) + כׇּל־אָדָם֙ [all·man] (95) + מִדַּ֔עַת [from·knowledge] (514) + הֹבִ֥ישׁ [is·put·to·shame] (317) + כׇּל־צוֹרֵ֖ף [every·goldsmith] (426) + מִפָּ֑סֶל [from·idol] (210) + כִּ֛י [for] (30) + שֶׁ֥קֶר [lie] (600) + נִסְכּ֖וֹ [his·libation] (136) + וְלֹא־ר֥וּחַ [and·not·breath] (251) + בָּֽם [in·them] (42) = 2943.
Rashi
"Grown brutish." The term is like "a brutish man" (Psalms 92:7); and likewise, "the shepherds have grown brutish" (here).
"His molten image." The term is related to the word for a cast image [masekhah]:
Radak
"Every man has grown brutish, devoid of knowledge." [Devoid] of the knowledge of his own wisdom, by which he performs deeds with wisdom.
"Every goldsmith is put to shame because of the idol." And every goldsmith is put to shame by his idol, for he is unable to make this, yet he calls it "a god" — he deserves to be put to shame, for "his molten image is a falsehood" [כִּי שֶׁקֶר נִסְכּוֹ]; for the sake of a falsehood he covered it with gold, for it avails nothing at all except to deceive the people, and it is a falsehood.
For there is no spirit in them. In the idols, and he poured and covered them with gold and silver without need:
"His molten image" (נִסְכּוֹ). The meaning is covering and overlaying, as in "the web that is woven" (הַמַּסֵּכָה הַנְּסוּכָה) [Isaiah 25:7], and "the jars of the libation" (קְשׂוֹת הַנָּסֶךְ) [Numbers 4:7].
Metzudat David
"נבער" (he is brutish/senseless). Every person who worships the idol is rendered brutish, lacking knowledge within him, and every goldsmith who fashions the form of the celestial bodies will receive shame from the form of the celestial bodies, upon seeing that the molten image he cast is false, and there is no living spirit in any of them.
Metzudat Zion
Niv'ar. The meaning is "brutish" and "foolish."
“From knowledge.” [This is derived] from the fact that there is “knowledge” in it; and similarly, “And he rejected you from being king” (1 Samuel 16), which means: from being king.
"Hoveish." From the meaning of "shame."
"His molten image." This refers to an idol made by casting metal, and similarly, "molten gods" (Exodus 34:17):
Malbim
"נבער" (brutish/senseless): And all the investigators of nature are confounded from knowing how He established these laws so that they would be constant and arranged in a calculated measure, whereby rain would always descend in its season according to the land's need, in measure and weight. Now, when they examined the workings of nature, the investigators strove to assign a natural law to every thing, and those who failed to establish natural laws attributed matters to hidden things and higher powers, and from this they arrived at the worship of idols. But when they behold the wisdom of God and His power in comprehensive and constant matters, such as the formation of rain, thunder, and lightning, there every person is confounded from knowing this through investigation. And even the idolaters cannot attribute this to their idols, for the rain descends always in its season. But every goldsmith is put to shame by his idol, for if one were to pray to it for rain, he would know that "their pouring out is a falsehood," meaning that he would see in it three deficiencies: 1. He has no reason to expect that it will fulfill his prayer, for what the prophets of Baal promise in its name is falsehood. 2. There is in it not even any spirit of wisdom or life, by which one might judge that it possesses divine power, for "there is no spirit in them." 3. He will not find in it even any special natural power, as is found in many things with special powers, such as in the magnet stone and the like, for "they are vanity, the work of delusion." And besides this, at the time of their visitation they will perish, and then it will be clarified that they are nothing. (And this corresponds to what is said: Against "And the Lord is the true God," it says "their pouring out is a falsehood." Against "a living God," it says "there is no spirit in them." Against "King of eternity," it says "they are vanity." Against "at His wrath the earth trembles," it says "at the time of their visitation they will perish.")
They are vanity, a work of delusion; In the time of their visitation they shall perish.
verse value 2611
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "vanity" (הֶ֣בֶל, 3 letters) and the longest is "errors" (תַּעְתֻּעִ֑ים, 6 letters). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "abundance" (root הם, 132x in Jeremiah); "in·time·of" (root עת, 34x in Jeremiah); "perish" (root אבד, 28x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'errors', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: הֶ֣בֶל [vanity] (37) + הֵ֔מָּה [abundance] (50) + מַעֲשֵׂ֖ה [deed] (415) + תַּעְתֻּעִ֑ים [errors] (990) + בְּעֵ֥ת [in·time·of] (472) + פְּקֻדָּתָ֖ם [their·reckoning] (624) + יֹאבֵֽדוּ [perish] (23) = 2611.
Rashi
"At the time of their punishment." When I shall bring judgment upon them:
Radak
"Vanity" (הֶבֶל). "In their hour of doom, they shall perish" — as it says above, "they shall perish from the earth" [Jeremiah 10:11]. And "their doom" is the doom of Babylon, for God recalled her iniquity against her, and Media and Persia destroyed her. Then the doom of the idols came as well, in that they perished from their divinity and their worship, as it says, "Bel has bowed down, Nebo stoops; their idols became a burden for beast and cattle," etc. [Isaiah 46:1] — meaning, that they broke them and loaded them upon the beasts, that is to say, the silver and gold that were on them.
Metzudat David
"Work of deceit." They are the work of the hands of those who stray from the path of reason.
"At the time of their reckoning." At the time when the Omnipresent will take note to exact retribution from them, then they will perish without any hope of restoration.
Metzudat Zion
Deceptions. From the word "to err":
"Their visitation." The matter of [divine] providence:
Not like these is the portion of Jacob; For He is the former of all things, And Israel is the tribe of His inheritance; Hashem of hosts is His name.
verse value 3033
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 51 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֥ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "portion·of" (חֵ֣לֶק, 3 letters) and the longest is "not·as·these" (לֹֽא־כְאֵ֜לֶּה, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "rod" (שֵׁ֖בֶט). 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "all" (root כל, 167x in Jeremiah); "his·name" (root שם, 122x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root חלק ("portion·of") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'his·inheritance', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 3 words. Full calculation: לֹֽא־כְאֵ֜לֶּה [not·as·these] (87) + חֵ֣לֶק [portion·of] (138) + יַעֲקֹ֗ב [Jacob] (182) + כִּֽי־יוֹצֵ֤ר [for·former·of] (336) + הַכֹּל֙ [all] (55) + ה֔וּא [He] (12) + וְיִ֨שְׂרָאֵ֔ל [and·Israel] (547) + שֵׁ֖בֶט [rod] (311) + נַחֲלָת֑וֹ [his·inheritance] (494) + יְהֹוָ֥ה [Hashem] (26) + צְבָא֖וֹת [hosts] (499) + שְׁמֽוֹ [his·name] (346) = 3033.
Radak
"Not like these is the portion of Jacob." Not like these idols, which are the portion of those [nations], is the portion of Jacob; for He is the Former of all, and Israel is the tribe of His inheritance. And we will not serve any other than Him, for He is the Former of all, and there is nothing else formed and created besides Him. And He chose Israel as an inheritance, that they should serve Him, and He would be their portion, and they [would be] His inheritance and His portion. And even though we have been exiled, we have not abandoned Him; and because we abandoned Him in our land, we were exiled from it. And this we recognize and acknowledge: "God of Hosts is His Name" — that He is the Master of the hosts above and below, and the Master is fitting to be served, not the stars, which are His hosts. All these words the prophet Jeremiah sent to the elders of Israel who were in the Babylonian exile, who had been exiled first with Jehoiachin, that they should respond with these words to the Chaldeans, if they should wish to entice them to idol-worship. And the sage of the Kuzari explained "in the time of their doom they shall perish" — if you examine them and search into them, they will amount to nothing, like a forged thing, which if one searches into it, one will find the deception. But the divine matter — whatever you search into, you will find it [genuine] like gold.
Metzudat David
"Not like these." Not like the form of these stars is the God of Jacob, who is given as a portion:
For He is the One who forms all things. Not like the form of stars, which are the work of human hands, for the portion of Jacob is the One who forms all things.
"And Israel." And He chose Israel so that each one of his tribes would be a tribe of His inheritance.
"The Lord of Hosts is His Name, for He rules over the hosts above and below."
Malbim
Not like these [idols], return to what was stated at the beginning of the matter: “Do not learn the way of the nations,” for the portion of Jacob is not like these. They, even according to the belief of their worshippers, are not creators, whereas the Lord is the Creator. They, even according to the belief of their worshippers, are appointed only over one particular matter, whereas the Lord creates everything. And likewise, one should not fear them, lest it be assumed that the Lord has handed us over under their dominion and supervision, for Israel is the tribe of His inheritance, who are not given over to the celestial constellations. And His name is the Lord of Hosts, Who rules over all the hosts to do with them as He desires. Therefore, “Gather your submission from the land,” meaning: why do you submit to other nations, and to the host of heaven? Gather your submission from the land, O daughter of Judah, who dwells in siege.
Gather up your wares from the ground, O you that abide in the siege.
verse value 2814
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 27 letters. The shortest word is "gather" (אִסְפִּ֥י, 4 letters) and the longest is "your·bundle" (כִּנְעָתֵ֑ךְ, 5 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "gather" (אִסְפִּ֥י), "your·bundle" (כִּנְעָתֵ֑ךְ). The root ישב appears 2 times in this verse. 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "from·land·of" (root ארץ, 245x in Jeremiah); "dwelling" (root ישב, 147x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root מצור ("siege-enclosure") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'your·bundle', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: אִסְפִּ֥י [gather] (151) + מֵאֶ֖רֶץ [from·land·of] (331) + כִּנְעָתֵ֑ךְ [your·bundle] (560) + (ישבתי) [dwelling] (722) + יֹשֶׁ֖בֶת [dwelling] (712) + בַּמָּצֽוֹר [siege-enclosure] (338) = 2814.
Rashi
"Gather up from the land your bundle." [Meaning:] Hide [it away]. And per Targum Yonatan: "Gather in from the land your merchandise," like "Canaan, in whose hand are scales of deceit" (Hosea 11). And Menachem interpreted "your bundle" [כנעתך] as a term of humiliation and lowliness, and "gather up" as a term of bowing down: "Bow down and lower yourself, more than the lowliness of the earth, in your humiliation" — [addressing] Jerusalem, which now sits under siege.
Radak
"Gather from your land of subjugation." This is directed against Babylon: Do not boast now against Israel because they were exiled among you, for it was not due to your righteousness. And you should not say to them that they should serve idols because you are now ruling over the nations. For behold, the voice of the Lord says to you, O Babylon: 'Gather from the land your subjugation'—the subjugation that you used to impose upon the nations, gather it up, for you will no longer subjugate them. The meaning of "gather" is similar to "withdraw your hand." And the Targum [Jonathan] translates: "Gather from the land your merchandise." This interprets "your subjugation" [instead] as deriving from the Canaanites, the nobles of the land.
"You have sat in a siege." This refers to the fact that you are seated in a strong place, and you thought that no nation would gain dominion over you. The term "siege" (matzor) denotes strength, as it is written, "Tyre has built herself a rampart (matzor)," and Targum Jonathan renders it: "who dwells in strength, in walled cities." And some say it is derived from the phrase "and you shall build a siege-wall," interpreting it to mean: you are destined to sit in a siege. The text writes "yoshavti" (I dwelt) with an additional yod, similar to "ohavti" (I loved) in the phrase "[a heifer] that loves to thresh," yet it is read as "yoshevet" (dwelling), and the meaning is the same.
Metzudat David
"Gather." You, who dwell in fortified Jerusalem, gather your merchandise from the countryside into the city, so that you too may remain there.
Metzudat Zion
Aspi. The matter of "gathering in" is like [the verse] "and no man had gathered them" (Judges 19:15):
"Your merchandise." The term refers to wares, as in: "and she delivers a sash to the merchant" (Proverbs 31:24):
"Under siege." The matter is that of a fortress, so called because it [a city] cannot be conquered without a siege, and likewise, "fortified cities" (2 Chronicles 8):
For thus says Hashem: Behold, I will sling out the inhabitants of the land at this time, and will distress them, that they may feel it.
verse value 3396
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 56 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֔ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "said" (אָמַ֣ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "inhabitants·of" (אֶת־יוֹשְׁבֵ֥י, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "slinging" (קוֹלֵ֛עַ), "and·I·will·distress" (וַהֲצֵרֹ֥תִי), "they·will·find" (יִמְצָֽאוּ). 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "said" (root אמר, 476x in Jeremiah); "for·thus" (root כי, 318x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root צרר ("and·I·will·distress") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'this', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 4 words. Full calculation: כִּי־כֹה֙ [for·thus] (55) + אָמַ֣ר [said] (241) + יְהֹוָ֔ה [Hashem] (26) + הִנְנִ֥י [they] (115) + קוֹלֵ֛עַ [slinging] (206) + אֶת־יוֹשְׁבֵ֥י [inhabitants·of] (729) + הָאָ֖רֶץ [earth] (296) + בַּפַּ֣עַם [in·the·this·time] (192) + הַזֹּ֑את [this] (413) + וַהֲצֵרֹ֥תִי [and·I·will·distress] (711) + לָהֶ֖ם [to·them] (75) + לְמַ֥עַן [so·that] (190) + יִמְצָֽאוּ [they·will·find] (147) = 3396.
Rashi
Slinging. This refers to one who throws a stone with a sling:
"למען" – so that they may find the reward for their labor.
Radak
"For thus says the Lord: A sling." Just as one hurls a stone with a sling, so too shall every single nation be cast out from their place, and they shall all be exiled—not only Israel. Therefore, do not speak boastfully against them. And similarly, Jeremiah prophesied against Edom and Moab, and likewise against the others, as it is written: "At this time." For they were all punished through Nebuchadnezzar, and afterward he himself was punished, and Babylon was captured at the beginning of the reign of his grandson.
"And I will distress them, that they may be found." What I spoke concerning them through My servants the prophets, that they may know that everything is from Me. And "I will distress"—this refers to the matter of distress and hardship. And the sage Ibn Ezra interpreted it thus: that the Lord will bring slingers upon them and will constrict their place, the reason being that they will be gathered together in one place so that the slingers may find them. And my master and father, of blessed memory, interpreted it in connection with the following verse: "that they may find" [their] troubles, until each one of them will say, "Woe is me because of my ruin," for Israel is struck. And "ve-hatsarti" is accented on the penultimate syllable, the accent on the resh. And the Targum [renders it]: "And I will afflict them, so that they receive their punishment."
Metzudat David
"I am slinging." This means: You too will not remain there, for this time I will cast the inhabitants of the city far away, like a person who casts a stone with a sling. And it is as if He said: Do not think that you will now be strengthened in the city's stronghold as you were in the past when Sennacherib came upon you, for this time you will no longer be strengthened.
And I will bring distress upon them. I will bring upon them afflictions, so that they may receive the recompense that is fitting for them.
Metzudat Zion
"Kolea" (slinging). The matter of hurling a stone by means of an instrument designated for this purpose, and similarly, "and he slung [a stone] and struck the Philistine" (I Samuel 17):
"And I will harass [them]." From the language of "tzar" (distress) and "nezek" (damage):
Malbim
For thus says the Lord: The evil that has befallen you is not from the battle [array], but from the Lord. He said, "Behold, I am slinging; I will hurl them with the sling beyond their border, and there I will distress them," so that they may find the Lord when they seek Him, as it is stated, "And the Lord shall scatter you among the peoples... and from there you shall seek the Lord your God, and you shall find Him."
Woe is me for my hurt! My wound is grievous; But I said: ‘This is but a sickness, And I must bear it.’
verse value 2395
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 41 letters. The shortest word is "to·me" (לִי֙, 2 letters) and the longest is "upon·breaking" (עַל־שִׁבְרִ֔י, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "upon·breaking" (עַל־שִׁבְרִ֔י), "my·blow" (מַכָּתִ֑י), "and·I·will·bear·it" (וְאֶשָּׂאֶֽנּוּ). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "I·utteranced" (root אמר, 476x in Jeremiah); "this" (root זה, 123x in Jeremiah); "and·I" (root אני, 52x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'my·blow', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 6 words. Full calculation: א֥וֹי [woe! alas! oh!] (17) + לִי֙ [to·me] (40) + עַל־שִׁבְרִ֔י [upon·breaking] (612) + נַחְלָ֖ה [toward·the·Wadi·of] (93) + מַכָּתִ֑י [my·blow] (470) + וַאֲנִ֣י [and·I] (67) + אָמַ֔רְתִּי [I·utteranced] (651) + אַ֛ךְ [indeed] (21) + זֶ֥ה [this] (12) + חֳלִ֖י [sickness] (48) + וְאֶשָּׂאֶֽנּוּ [and·I·will·bear·it] (364) = 2395.
Rashi
"Grievous [is my wound]." A term denoting illness:
"And I shall bear it." Targum Yonatan: "ve'esuvarneih" [and I shall bear it]; "ashuparirloy" in the vernacular.
Radak
"Woe to me because of my ruin!" The prophet said this because, since he spoke of the calamity that will befall the inhabitants of the land—meaning the other nations that are destined to come—he said: in any case, "Woe to me because of my ruin," for Israel is struck first.
"Grievous is my wound." The chet [in "nichlah"] carries a shva alone. "Nichlah" means "painful," that is, it is a severe blow. And I thought this was [merely] a sickness that I could bear, but I cannot, for my tent has been plundered.
Metzudat David
"Woe to me, etc." This is the statement of the prophet who laments the troubles of Israel:
"My wound is severe." The blow that comes to me contains much sickness.
"And I said": At first, I thought that this too was merely a common ailment, and that I could bear it and endure it, as one says, "But it is not so," and the matter is abbreviated, as it is understood.
Metzudat Zion
"Severe." From the language of illness:
"And I shall bear it." The word is from the root of "burden" and "carrying a load":
Malbim
Woe to me! Based on this, the prophet cries out over the breaking of his people, since it is providential, [coming] through the Lord, and because they turned away from Him. "Woe to me, for my breaking"—meaning that my breaking has two deficiencies: A. the external breaking; B. that my wound is severe [נחלה מכתי], joined to which is an internal blow, and it is very severe. "And I said, 'Ah, this is my sickness'"—meaning I thought that I had only this one sickness alone, namely, a single, specific illness, and that I could bear and endure it. But I saw that I have many and enduring sicknesses, for "my tent is plundered." And even if I wished to pitch another tent, all my cords are broken—the cords that bind the tent. And even if I were to find cords also, behold, my children have departed from me and no longer exist, so that no one stretches out my tent anymore. All of this explains the external breaking. Now he explains what was said, "my wound is severe" [נחלה מכתי], namely that the cause of this is an internal blow.
My tent is spoiled, And all my cords are broken; My children are gone forth of me, and they are not; There is none to stretch forth my tent any more, And to set up my curtains.
verse value 3109
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 57 letters. The shortest word is "was·dealt·violently·with" (שֻׁדָּ֔ד, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·all·my·cords" (וְכׇל־מֵיתָרַ֖י, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 46: my·tent, my·tent. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·all·my·cords" (וְכׇל־מֵיתָרַ֖י), "went·out·from·me" (יְצָאֻ֙נִי֙), "none·pitching" (אֵין־נֹטֶ֥ה). The root אהל appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·they·are·not" (root אין, 88x in Jeremiah); "went·out·from·me" (root יצא, 73x in Jeremiah); "anymore" (root עוד, 60x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'were·drawn·away', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 8 words. Full calculation: אׇהֳלִ֣י [my·tent] (46) + שֻׁדָּ֔ד [was·dealt·violently·with] (308) + וְכׇל־מֵיתָרַ֖י [and·all·my·cords] (716) + נִתָּ֑קוּ [were·drawn·away] (556) + בָּנַ֤י [my·sons] (62) + יְצָאֻ֙נִי֙ [went·out·from·me] (161) + וְאֵינָ֔ם [and·they·are·not] (107) + אֵין־נֹטֶ֥ה [none·pitching] (125) + עוֹד֙ [anymore] (80) + אׇֽהֳלִ֔י [my·tent] (46) + וּמֵקִ֖ים [and·to·set·up] (196) + יְרִיעוֹתָֽי [my·cloths] (706) = 3109.
Rashi
"יצאוני" – "They have gone out from me." Jerusalem says this:
Radak
“My tent.” Jerusalem is likened to a tent, and the cities of Judah are like the ropes that secure the tent.
"My children have gone forth from me." For the people are like children to the prophet who disciplines them, just as a father disciplines his son, if they listen to him.
"יצאוני" – "They went out from me," meaning that they were exiled along with Yehoyachin. And likewise "חזקתני ותוכל" ["You overpowered me, and prevailed"] is [used] like "You prevailed against me."
"There is no longer one who pitches my tent." If I were to say "still," it would imply that there is yet a king who will pitch the tent that has been plundered; but I have seen that there is no such one. And there is no place for the curtains of the tent that have fallen, for the tent is made of curtains.
Metzudat David
"And all its cords were loosed." All the ropes of the tent were uprooted from their place. This is an allegory for the destruction of Jerusalem and the Holy Temple.
“‘My children have gone out from me.’ My children have departed from me, and they are no more; if so, who remains to pitch my tent and set up the place of the tent’s curtains?”
Metzudat Zion
"Is plundered." The matter of oppression:
"Meitarai" (my cords). The ropes of the tent, and similarly, "fresh cords" (Judges 17):
They were severed. They were displaced from their place:
"and establishes." From the root meaning "to establish":
"יריעותי" (My curtains). The matter of a curtain (וילון):
For the shepherds are become brutish, And have not inquired of Hashem; Therefore they have not prospered, And all their flocks are scattered.
verse value 3276
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 51 letters. Verse gematria: 3276 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֤י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·all·their·pasture" (וְכׇל־מַרְעִיתָ֖ם, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 31: not, not. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "they·were·burned" (נִבְעֲרוּ֙), "sought" (דָרָ֑שׁוּ), "and·all·their·pasture" (וְכׇל־מַרְעִיתָ֖ם). The root לא appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "for" (root כי, 318x in Jeremiah); "not" (root לא, 307x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'sought', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 5 words. Full calculation: כִּ֤י [for] (30) + נִבְעֲרוּ֙ [they·were·burned] (328) + הָרֹעִ֔ים [the·shepherds] (325) + וְאֶת־יְהֹוָ֖ה [and·Hashem] (433) + לֹ֣א [not] (31) + דָרָ֑שׁוּ [sought] (510) + עַל־כֵּן֙ [therefore] (170) + לֹ֣א [not] (31) + הִשְׂכִּ֔ילוּ [they·regarded] (371) + וְכׇל־מַרְעִיתָ֖ם [and·all·their·pasture] (816) + נָפֽוֹצָה [was·scattered] (231) = 3276.
Rashi
The shepherds. The kings:
They did not prosper. They did not succeed in their reign, as it is stated, "In all that he turns, he succeeds" (Proverbs 17:8).
"Their flock." [I.e.,] the sheep of their flock.
Radak
"For the shepherds have become brutish." Therefore, the tent is no longer pitched, and the shepherds are Jehoiachin and Zedekiah, who were kings—for the king is called a shepherd. And so Targum Jonathan renders: "for the kings became foolish."
They did not prosper. They did not succeed, as [in the case of] "David prospered in all his ways," and those similar to him [i.e., Josiah]. But Jehoiachin and Zedekiah, because they did not seek the Lord as Josiah did, therefore did not succeed in their kingship as he succeeded, as it is written concerning them: "and all their flock is scattered"—the flock that they shepherded, they being Israel, who were scattered in exile.
Metzudat David
"For the shepherds have become brutish." The leaders of the people were slaughtered.
They did not understand. They did not succeed, for one who succeeds appears to act with understanding.
"And all their flock." That is, all the sheep of their flock have been scattered here and there. This means that the people of the nation went into exile, and he spoke his words as if the event had already occurred, for thus he saw it in the prophetic vision.
Metzudat Zion
"נבערו" (they became brutish). The word is from the terms בער, meaning "brutish," and שוטה, meaning "a fool."
"Heshkilu" – the matter of success; and similarly, "And David was successful in all his ways" (I Samuel 18:14).
"Their pasture." The word is a noun meaning "pasture," and the phrase means: "The flock of their pasture."
Nefutzah. The matter of scattering:
Malbim
For the shepherds have become brutish, and they did not seek the Lord; and this is the reason that they did not understand their deeds to guard the tent and the flock; therefore, their pasture is scattered. (And since He compared them to a flock and shepherds, He employed the term "tent," which applies to the tent of shepherds.)
Hark! a report, behold, it comes, And a great commotion out of the north country, To make the cities of Judah desolate, A dwelling-place of jackals.
verse value 3939
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 56 letters. Verse gematria: 3939 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "voice" (ק֤וֹל, 3 letters) and the longest is "report" (שְׁמוּעָה֙, 5 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·quaking" (וְרַ֥עַשׁ), "the·cities·of" (אֶת־עָרֵ֧י). 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "from·land·of" (root ארץ, 245x in Jeremiah); "going·in" (root בוא, 211x in Jeremiah); "Judah" (root יהודה, 134x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'north', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 6 words. Full calculation: ק֤וֹל [voice] (136) + שְׁמוּעָה֙ [report] (421) + הִנֵּ֣ה [they] (60) + בָאָ֔ה [going·in] (8) + וְרַ֥עַשׁ [and·quaking] (576) + גָּד֖וֹל [great] (43) + מֵאֶ֣רֶץ [from·land·of] (331) + צָפ֑וֹן [north] (226) + לָשׂ֞וּם [to·put] (376) + אֶת־עָרֵ֧י [the·cities·of] (681) + יְהוּדָ֛ה [Judah] (30) + שְׁמָמָ֖ה [devastation] (385) + מְע֥וֹן [dwelling·of] (166) + תַּנִּֽים [jackals] (500) = 3939.
Radak
“A voice of rumor”: The voice that we hear, and a great tumult in alarming rumors, like the tumult that comes from the land of the north—that is to say, we heard that Nebuchadnezzar has departed from his place. This was the voice, but they did not say to which place he would come. And the prophet said, having seen in prophecy, that he would come to make the cities of Judah desolate.
Metzudat David
“From the land of the north.” This is Babylonia.
"A dwelling of jackals." [This is] to be a habitation for jackals that dwell in a desolate place.
Metzudat Zion
And a commotion. The matter is of movement and shaking.
Ma'on. A dwelling place:
Tannim. A species of serpent:
Malbim
"A voice of news": It is explained in Ezekiel (21:24) that Nebuchadnezzar departed from his land and stood at the crossroads to practice divination and cast lots, whether he should go against the children of Ammon or against Jerusalem. The lot fell upon Jerusalem. The prophet sees this in his vision and prays to the Lord that He turn His face toward the children of Ammon and not toward Jerusalem. This is what it says: "Behold, a voice of news comes"—that Nebuchadnezzar has departed from his place. And afterward comes a great tumult, for the purpose of his march is to lay waste the cities of Judah. Yet I know, O Lord, that man's way is not his own; that is to say, the choice of the path, as to which way he will go, is not man's but God's. And even if he chooses a path, it is not that a man walks and prepares his step; even the walking and the stepping are from the Lord. Therefore, You can restrain him so that he will not choose his path toward Jerusalem, but rather toward Rabbah of the children of Ammon. And even though he has already chosen this path, You can restrain his steps so that he will not be able to go. Therefore, I request that the Lord discipline me only with justice. Since You desire to discipline us for our iniquity, let the discipline be only according to justice and according to the measure of the sin, and not in Your anger, for anger does not distinguish between good and evil. Instead of going to Jerusalem, let him go to Rabbah of the children of Ammon. And there pour out Your fury upon the nations that do not know You, namely, Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and also upon the individual families found among them who knew that there is a God, yet they did not call upon Your name, for they called upon the name of Baal. For He devoured Jacob again and again; He devoured him and then devoured him a second time. And after He had devoured him for His pleasure, He consumed him completely and laid waste his dwelling. And some explain this regarding Rabbah of the children of Ammon, who were also adversaries of Judah. Or regarding Nebuchadnezzar, who came against Jerusalem three times, as it is stated: "They were exiled in seven, they were exiled in eight, they were exiled in eighteen." And therefore, His three statements are repeated three times.
O Hashem, I know that man’s way is not his own; It is not in man to direct his steps as he walks. .
verse value 1975
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 41 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֔ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֛י, 2 letters) and the longest is "not·to·man" (לֹֽא־לְאִ֣ישׁ, 6 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "to·the·man" (לָאָדָ֖ם), "his·way" (דַּרְכּ֑וֹ), "not·to·man" (לֹֽא־לְאִ֣ישׁ). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "for" (root כי, 318x in Jeremiah); "not" (root לא, 307x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'his·way', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 4 words. Full calculation: יָדַ֣עְתִּי [I·know] (494) + יְהֹוָ֔ה [Hashem] (26) + כִּ֛י [for] (30) + לֹ֥א [not] (31) + לָאָדָ֖ם [to·the·man] (75) + דַּרְכּ֑וֹ [his·way] (230) + לֹֽא־לְאִ֣ישׁ [not·to·man] (372) + הֹלֵ֔ךְ [going] (55) + וְהָכִ֖ין [and·to·direct] (91) + אֶֽת־צַעֲדֽוֹ [his·step] (571) = 1975.
Rashi
It is not for man that his way [is his own]. For the evil inclination that You created in him has led him astray from the path. A further interpretation: "I know, O LORD, that man's way is not his own [to control]"—no person has the power in his hand to make his own way succeed; and if not by Your decree, the enemy has no power to destroy Your house.
Radak
"I know, O LORD": Its interpretation is as my father and master, of blessed memory, explained: For it was said of Nebuchadnezzar that his intention was directed toward the children of Ammon, as it states, "For the king of Babylon stood at the fork of the road" — for his intention was toward the children of Ammon when he set out from his place. And when he was at the fork of the road, where there were two paths — one to the children of Ammon and one to Jerusalem — he stood in his intention, as if he were reconsidering the intention he had held at first. But God changed his spirit and altered his divinations, [bringing him] to come to Jerusalem, on account of Zedekiah, who violated his oath and profaned the Name. And so the prophet said, "I know, O LORD, that not to man" — the lamed [of לאדם] is vocalized with a kamatz, [indicating] knowledge of the specific, known man, namely Nebuchadnezzar.
It is not within a person’s power. That is to say, it is not under his control, for You change his will.
Not to a man who is going. Likewise, not to a man who is going in the world, for one who travels on a road cannot prepare his step, since he does not know what will befall him, and the preparation is not in his hand, as David said: “The steps of a man are established by the Lord, and He delights in his way.”
Metzudat David
"I know, O Lord." This is the statement of the men of Judah, who will say: "You, O Lord, indeed I know that there was no person among all the men of Judah who had the proper path to walk in."
"Not to a man." There is not found among us a man who was walking and setting his pace to go in the straight path, but rather they went according to what happened and by chance.
Metzudat Zion
"צעדו" (They step). The matter of steps and walking, as it is written: "ויהי כי צעהו" (and it came to pass when they stepped) (II Samuel 6).
O Hashem, correct me, but in measure; Not in Your anger, lest You diminish me.
verse value 1651
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 30 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֖ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 1651 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֖ה, 4 letters) and the longest is "lest·you·diminish·me" (פֶּן־תַּמְעִטֵֽנִי, 8 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "discipline·me" (יַסְּרֵ֥נִי), "indeed·in·judgment" (אַךְ־בְּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט), "to" (אַל־בְּאַפְּךָ֖). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "to" (root איל, 293x in Jeremiah); "indeed·in·judgment" (root משפט, 32x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root מעט ("lest·you·diminish·me") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'indeed·in·judgment', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: יַסְּרֵ֥נִי [discipline·me] (330) + יְהֹוָ֖ה [Hashem] (26) + אַךְ־בְּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט [indeed·in·judgment] (452) + אַל־בְּאַפְּךָ֖ [to] (134) + פֶּן־תַּמְעִטֵֽנִי [lest·you·diminish·me] (709) = 1651.
Rashi
“Only in judgment.” [This refers to] afflictions.
In the matter of judgment. In the vernacular: "Yoshtitsa."
"Only in justice." The Targum: "But with judgment restrained."
"Not in Your wrath." Lest it be total destruction.
Radak
"Discipline me, O LORD, but only with justice": Its meaning is as Rabbi Jonah explained: the prophet speaks in the language of Israel, in the singular, as a general expression. Seeing Nebuchadnezzar coming to the land of Judah to make everything desolate, he said: "I know that this is discipline with which You are disciplining us; it is good that You discipline us only with justice, as we are able to bear — not in Your anger, lest You diminish me; for if You discipline me in Your anger, You will diminish me from being a nation." And so too the Targum renders: "Chastisements have come upon them," etc., [as cited above]. And so too, "I will chastise you with justice, and I will not utterly acquit you."
Metzudat David
"Chastise me, O LORD." But nonetheless [I ask that You] chastise me, O LORD, but in judgment — meaning, let the afflictions be by way of justice, afflictions alone that come to open the ear to reproof; but do not chastise me in Your anger, in the manner of one who takes vengeance, lest I become diminished more and more until nothing remains of me.
Metzudat Zion
In judgment. This means: in a judgment that is fit to open the ear to discipline. And similarly it says: “I will discipline you with judgment” (below, 30).
Pour out Your wrath upon the nations that know You not, And upon the families that call not on Your name; For they have devoured Jacob, Indeed, they have devoured him and consumed him, And have laid waste his habitation.
verse value 5455
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 81 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "over·the·nations" (עַל־הַגּוֹיִם֙, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 501: that, that. 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "Your·wrath" (חֲמָתְךָ֗), "not·know·You" (לֹֽא־יְדָע֔וּךָ), "in·Your·name" (בְּשִׁמְךָ֖). The root אשר appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that" (root אשר, 459x in Jeremiah); "not" (root לא, 307x in Jeremiah); "and·upon" (root על, 276x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root נוה ("and·His·habitation") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'call', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 6 words.
Rashi
"Akhalu" [they devoured]. In the vernacular: "devoreront," and likewise "va'akholuhu."
Radak
“Pour out Your wrath.” If You have anger and wrath, pour them out upon the nations that do not know You, and upon the families of the kingdoms that have not called upon Your name. For Israel, even though they have sinned before You, have not completely departed from under Your dominion, nor have they intermingled with another people; rather, they are distinct from all the idolaters, they observe the majority of the commandments, they call upon Your name, and they pray before You. And even though their hearts are not properly directed, they will yet return in repentance, for their hope has not been lost from them, and even today there are pious individuals among them.
"Families." [Used] just like "nations," for a nation is called a "family," as in: "And if the family of Egypt does not go up" (Zechariah 14:18).
"For they have eaten." And even though they are the rod of Your anger against Israel, You were only slightly angry [with Israel], yet they helped to increase the harm; so they deserve to be punished, and upon them pour out Your wrath.
"And his homestead have they laid desolate." As its Targum renders: "and their dwellings have they laid waste." And it is possible to interpret that he spoke concerning the Temple, and spoke of the future.
Metzudat David
"Pour out." [Pour out] Your wrath upon the nations, to wreak vengeance upon them.
"Whom they did not know." This means that they did not wish to know You or to invoke Your Name.
“For they have devoured Jacob, and have devoured him.” This means: time after time.
"And they have consumed him, and laid waste his dwelling place." They both consumed him, and also laid waste his dwelling place; this is [a reference to] the Temple (Beit HaMikdash).
Metzudat Zion
"אכלו" (they devoured), "ואכלהו" (and they devoured him). The matter of destruction:
"ויכלהו" (and they consumed him). From the language of consumption/destruction (כליון):
"נוהו" (his dwelling). The matter of a dwelling place, as in "וזורה על נוהו" (and it is scattered upon his dwelling) (Job 18:15):
"השמו" (they made [it] desolate). From the language of desolation (שממון):
Radak