No wife, no sons or daughters, no house of mourning, no house of feasting — the prophet's life itself the sign; yet behold, days come when it shall no more be said 'Hashem lives, that brought up Israel out of Egypt,' but out of the land of the north.
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
You shall not take you a wife, neither shall you have sons or daughters in this place.
verse value 1784
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 36 letters. The shortest word is "to·you" (לְךָ֖, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·not·they·shall·be" (וְלֹֽא־יִהְי֤וּ, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 50: to·you, to·you. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "not·you·shall·take" (לֹא־תִקַּ֥ח), "and·not·they·shall·be" (וְלֹֽא־יִהְי֤וּ). The root לך appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·not·they·shall·be" (root היה, 250x in Jeremiah); "this" (root זה, 123x in Jeremiah); "not·you·shall·take" (root לקח, 65x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'wife', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 6 words. Full calculation: לֹא־תִקַּ֥ח [not·you·shall·take] (539) + לְךָ֖ [to·you] (50) + אִשָּׁ֑ה [wife] (306) + וְלֹֽא־יִהְי֤וּ [and·not·they·shall·be] (68) + לְךָ֙ [to·you] (50) + בָּנִ֣ים [son] (102) + וּבָנ֔וֹת [and·daughters] (464) + בַּמָּק֖וֹם [in·the·place] (188) + הַזֶּֽה [this] (17) = 1784.
Radak
"Do not take a wife for yourself." Here is a difficulty: Why did God command him not to take a wife and not to beget sons and daughters? It is because a decree was issued concerning the sons and daughters born in this place that they would die by famine. Was Jeremiah not worthy that his children should live by his merit? And behold, infants do not die except because of the sin of their fathers. Yet Jeremiah had no sin for which his children should die due to his iniquity. Furthermore, even though a decree was issued that they would die by sword and famine, the decree applied to some of them and not to all of them, for exile was also decreed upon them. And behold, it is said in the prophecy of Ezekiel regarding Jerusalem: "And behold, a remnant remains in it, those who bring forth sons and daughters." Moreover, even regarding the fathers and mothers, it was decreed that they would die, yet not all of them died, for some of them went into exile. And in this manner it is said in the prophecy of Ezekiel: "They would not save sons or daughters; they alone would be saved." Why did the righteous fathers not save their children, since they are like them? For the young children have no sin for which they should die, except that they die because of the sin of their fathers. And if the fathers are righteous, why should the children die? What I see in this matter is that in this place, namely in Anathoth, this prophecy was spoken to him, and he was warned not to take a wife and not to beget sons and daughters there, because a decree was issued concerning the sons and daughters born in Anathoth. And similarly, it was said above regarding the men of Anathoth: "And there shall be no remnant for them, for I will bring disaster upon the men of Anathoth in the year of their visitation." It is said that there shall be no remnant for the men of Anathoth. But in Jerusalem there will be a remnant and a deliverance, as is said in the prophecy of Ezekiel: "And behold, a remnant remains in it, those who bring forth sons and daughters." Since this decree was issued concerning all the men of Anathoth, if Jeremiah had sons and daughters there, they would perish along with the others, as it is said: "For judgment shall return unto righteousness," as we explained in its place, that one righteous person will be destroyed among two thousand guilty men, as was said to Lot, "Lest you be swept away in the iniquity of the city." All the more so for those who have no merit of their own, such as sons and daughters. And if Jeremiah had sons and daughters in Anathoth and he had taken them out of Anathoth before the decree came, they would not have been destroyed with the others. But his relatives, the men of Anathoth, would not have allowed it, for they did not believe in the prophecy. Therefore, God said to him that he should not have sons and daughters there, for they would be destroyed because of the sin of the city. And even Jeremiah himself, being in Anathoth, perhaps would not be saved among them all. And what is said, "they alone will be saved," refers to when there are three righteous people in one city, as it is said: "Noah, Daniel, and Job in its midst." It does not say one righteous person alone, but when there are three or more, they will be saved, for the merits of the three will combine to save them. And if there are ten of them, by their righteousness they will save the entire city, as it is said: "I will spare the whole place for their sake." And if they save them from death, perhaps they do not save them from exile or from another punishment. And what is said in the Song of Afflictions: "A thousand shall fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; it shall not come near you"—this does not happen to every righteous person, but only to one upon whom Divine providence constantly rests and does not depart from him, as it is said of him: "Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name." And even though a decree was issued concerning the men of Anathoth that there would be no remnant among them, they did have a remnant who did repentance at the time of the conquest of the land, for we find in the return from the Babylonian exile: "The men of Anathoth, one hundred and twenty-eight." Nevertheless, God commanded Jeremiah according to what their decree was initially, and He did not reveal their repentance to Jeremiah, because the Lord said to him that their decree was severe, to the extent that God commanded him not to take a wife in that place.
Metzudat David
"And they shall not be, etc." – "Lest you have sons, etc.":
Malbim
In this place, in Anathoth, for them it was decreed that they should have no remnant (above, 11:21):
For thus says Hashem concerning the sons and concerning the daughters that are born in this place, and concerning their mothers that bore them, and concerning their fathers that begot them in this land:
verse value 4740
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 85 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֗ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "said" (אָמַ֣ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·upon·the·daughters·that·are·born" (וְעַל־הַבָּנ֔וֹת, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 447: them, them. 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "upon·the·sons" (עַל־הַבָּנִים֙), "and·upon·the·daughters·that·are·born" (וְעַל־הַבָּנ֔וֹת), "the·new-born" (הַיִּלּוֹדִ֖ים). The root ילד appears 3 times in this verse. 12 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). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'this', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 8 words.
Radak
"For thus...the newborns." ["Ha-yeludim"] is a descriptive noun (adjective); and so too is "ha-yeludim" [used] in "born in the wilderness" [Joshua 5:5].
Metzudat David
The ones who beget them. Those who cause their mothers to conceive.
Malbim
Regarding the sons born in this place, in the city of Anathoth, and their mothers, etc., in this land—even throughout the entire land—since the decree of complete destruction was issued against the fathers wherever they might be, but against the young sons it was decreed only regarding those born in the city of Anathoth, not those born in another city; therefore, it is mentioned in Ezra that men of Anathoth went up upon their return in the days of Ezra, for they were among those born to the men of Anathoth in other cities.
They shall die of grievous deaths; they shall not be lamented, neither shall they be buried, they shall be as dung upon the face of the ground; and they shall be consumed by the sword, and by famine; and their carcasses shall be meat for the fowls of heaven, and for the beasts of the earth.
verse value 5430
Insights
Verse structure: 21 words, 96 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֤א, 2 letters) and the longest is "diseases" (תַחֲלֻאִ֜ים, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 31: not, they·will·be. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "deaths·of" (מְמוֹתֵ֨י), "diseases" (תַחֲלֻאִ֜ים). The root לא appears 2 times in this verse. 18 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "not" (root לא, 307x in Jeremiah); "they·will·be" (root היה, 250x in Jeremiah); "earth" (root ארץ, 245x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'they·will·be', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 10 words.
Radak
"Mimotei" [From the deaths of]. It is a noun on the pattern of "kemevo'ei" ["like the entrances of"] "a breached city," and without the extra mem, [the form would be] "motei chala'im tamut" [she shall die deaths of illness]. And it ["motei"] is a plural form from "mavet" [death], meaning: they shall die deaths of illnesses. And "illnesses" means: they shall die by the illness of famine, as stated above, "and if I come to the city, behold, the illnesses of famine" [Jeremiah 14:18]. And so did Jonathan render it: "From the illnesses of famine they shall die." And if this were not its interpretation, what would "they shall die deaths of illnesses" mean? All people die of illness if they do not die by the sword! Rather, this is its interpretation, as Jonathan rendered it.
They shall not mourn, nor shall they bury. For since each one will be preoccupied with himself, there will be no leisure to mourn or to bury.
Metzudat David
“From the deaths of diseases.” From the deaths caused by the diseases of famine they will die, as it is stated: “And if I come to the city, and behold, there are diseases of famine” (above 14).
They shall not be lamented. For they will be preoccupied with their distress:
"And they shall not be buried." This refers to a situation where they become exceedingly numerous, and there is insufficient capacity to bury them, so that they are cast upon the face of the ground like refuse.
"For food, etc." – Since they will not be buried.
"And the beast of the land." This means the wild animal of the land, for the wild animal is included in the category of beast.
Metzudat Zion
"Tachalu'im." From the word "choli" (illness):
"To dung." To manure:
Malbim
Regarding the deaths: initially, they will die from illnesses, before they can be mourned, and they will not even be buried, for people will be afraid to touch them after their death. They will become like dung upon the face of the earth, so that the animals will not yet find them to eat their corpses. Afterwards, the survivors of the plague will be destroyed by the sword and by famine, and then the birds and animals will find them to eat their flesh.
For thus says Hashem: Enter not into the house of mourning, neither go to lament, neither bemoan them; for I have taken away My peace from this people, says Hashem, even mercy and compassion.
verse value 5908
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 89 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֗ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "said" (אָמַ֣ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·the·compassion" (וְאֶת־הָרַחֲמִֽים, 9 letters). 9 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "not·you·shall·enter" (אַל־תָּבוֹא֙), "cry" (מַרְזֵ֔חַ), "and·not·you·shall·go" (וְאַל־תֵּלֵ֣ךְ). The root יהוה appears 2 times in this verse. 17 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). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·them', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 8 words.
Rashi
"A house of marzeiach." A feast. In the Sifrei, in the portion of Beit Peor, I found: "They returned to making themselves marzichin"; but our Rabbis explained 'marzeiach' as mourning.
"Tanod" [you shall wail in lamentation].
"For I have gathered up My peace, etc." When Abraham, their father, practiced charity and justice, I bestowed upon his offspring kindness and mercy, and "the Lord your God will keep for you the covenant and the kindness" (Deuteronomy 7:12) and "He will show you mercy" (ibid. 13). But they turned justice into wormwood, and cast righteousness to the ground (Amos 5:7). Therefore, I too have returned and gathered back to Myself My kindness and My mercy.
I have gathered. "Atuoyish" in the vernacular is like "God has taken away my reproach" (Genesis 30:23):
Radak
"For thus...a house of mourning [beit marzeiach]." "A house of mourning" — so did our Sages of blessed memory explain it; and so too [is the word used in] "and the revelry of the sprawlers shall cease" [Amos 6:7]. And my master and father, of blessed memory, explained that "marzeiach" is a term denoting the raising of the voice, whether in weeping or in joy; and so too is it in Arabic, "marzach."
"And do not be shaken by them." With a cholam, and its meaning we explained above.
“For I have gathered up My peace from this people.” The peace, kindness, and compassion that I was giving to this people, I have taken them from them and gathered them up to Myself. And since I have gathered up My peace from them, you shall not inquire after their well-being, neither in their mourning nor in their rejoicing.
Metzudat David
“Thus, etc.” – This means: “Thus said the Lord to me, etc., in order that it may be a sign.”
"Beit Marzeach": To the house of mourning, to comfort him.
And do not move. It is the custom of comforters to shake the head.
"For I have withdrawn." This means: this is a sign for them that I have put an end to My peace toward them, and I will not deal kindly with them, nor will I have mercy on them.
Metzudat Zion
"Beit marzeach." A house of mourning. And likewise, "the revelry of the sprawled ones shall pass away" (Amos 6:7):
"Tanod." From the language of nedidah (swaying/wandering):
To them. Upon them:
"I have gathered." The matter of destruction is like the phrase "I have gathered them" (above, 8).
Malbim
"Do not enter a house of mourning, which is the person in a state of aninut (between death and burial) at the time when the deceased is being buried, when people come to inquire after the well-being of the living; and do not go to eulogize the dead; and do not approach mourners to comfort them. And he explains regarding 'Do not enter a house of mourning': 'For I have gathered up my peace, so that there is no one to inquire after the well-being of the living.' And regarding 'Do not go to eulogize,' which is an act of kindness toward the dead, He said, 'Kindness.' And regarding 'Do not approach them,' which is from the aspect of compassion, He said, 'Compassion.'"
Both the great and the small shall die in this land; they shall not be buried; neither shall men lament for them, nor cut themselves, nor make themselves bald for them;
verse value 2969
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 59 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·not·they·shall·lament" (וְלֹא־יִסְפְּד֣וּ, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 318: they·shall·be·buried, make·himself·bald. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·they·shall·die" (וּמֵ֨תוּ), "and·young" (וּקְטַנִּ֛ים), "and·not·they·shall·lament" (וְלֹא־יִסְפְּד֣וּ). The root לא appears 3 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "not" (root לא, 307x in Jeremiah); "in·the·land" (root ארץ, 245x in Jeremiah); "to·them" (root הם, 132x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root גדד ("cut·himself") in Jeremiah. First appearance of the root קרח ("make·himself·bald") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'they·shall·be·buried', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 7 words. Full calculation: וּמֵ֨תוּ [and·they·shall·die] (452) + גְדֹלִ֧ים [great] (87) + וּקְטַנִּ֛ים [and·young] (215) + בָּאָ֥רֶץ [in·the·land] (293) + הַזֹּ֖את [this] (413) + לֹ֣א [not] (31) + יִקָּבֵ֑רוּ [they·shall·be·buried] (318) + וְלֹא־יִסְפְּד֣וּ [and·not·they·shall·lament] (197) + לָהֶ֔ם [to·them] (75) + וְלֹ֣א [and·not] (37) + יִתְגֹּדַ֔ד [cut·himself] (421) + וְלֹ֥א [and·not] (37) + יִקָּרֵ֖חַ [make·himself·bald] (318) + לָהֶֽם [to·them] (75) = 2969.
Rashi
And the great and the small shall die. And since all are to die, what point is there for you to lament?
"They shall not gash themselves, nor make themselves bald for them." This is the custom of mourners: to tear their flesh, to gash their skin, and to shave a bald patch on their heads. Nevertheless, it is forbidden for Israelites to do so. It is mentioned here only by way of analogy to mourning.
Radak
And they shall die. They shall not gash themselves nor make a bald spot for them, and even though it is forbidden for Israel to do so, as it is written, "You shall not gash yourselves, nor make a baldness between your eyes for the dead," perhaps they were doing so according to the customs of the nations, just as they were committing other transgressions according to the customs of the nations. And it says that they will not have leisure to perform the things that are done for the dead, neither words of mourning nor words of consolation.
Metzudat David
"They shall not be buried." On account of the multitude [of the dead].
"And they shall not lament for them." On account of being preoccupied by the troubles.
"And they shall not tear themselves." This means they shall not scratch their flesh, nor shall they pluck out the hair of their heads, because they will be confused in their distress and will not pay attention to their dead. (And although the Torah forbade scratching and making a bald patch on account of a dead person, nevertheless their custom was to do so, which was not according to the law.)
Metzudat Zion
"Yitgoded." The matter of gashing the flesh, as in "and they gashed themselves according to their custom" (I Kings 8):
Yiqareach. The meaning is the plucking of hair, as in "karechi ve-gazi" (Micah 1:16).
Malbim
"And they shall die," and also in this land, which is included in the general category of the Land of Judah, both the great and the small shall die. They shall not be buried; no action whatsoever that is performed for the dead shall be done. Initially, the mourners gash themselves and shave their hair, then they lament, and thereafter they bury. The verse states, "They shall not be buried," and furthermore, "they shall not lament," etc., meaning that they shall not begin to attend to them in any manner.
neither shall men break bread for them in mourning, to comfort them for the dead; neither shall men give them the cup of consolation to drink for their father or for their mother.
verse value 3087
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 58 letters. Notable word values: "cup" (כּ֣וֹס) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "to·them" (לָהֶ֛ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·not·they·shall·break·bread" (וְלֹא־יִפְרְס֥וּ, 8 letters). 9 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·not·they·shall·break·bread" (וְלֹא־יִפְרְס֥וּ), "upon·truly" (עַל־אֵ֖בֶל), "to·comfort·him" (לְנַחֲמ֣וֹ). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "upon·father of an individual" (root על, 276x in Jeremiah); "to·them" (root הם, 132x in Jeremiah); "and·concerning·his·mother" (root עול, 57x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root כוס ("cup") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'for·the·dead', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 6 words. Full calculation: וְלֹא־יִפְרְס֥וּ [and·not·they·shall·break·bread] (393) + לָהֶ֛ם [to·them] (75) + עַל־אֵ֖בֶל [upon·truly] (133) + לְנַחֲמ֣וֹ [to·comfort·him] (134) + עַל־מֵ֑ת [for·the·dead] (540) + וְלֹֽא־יַשְׁק֤וּ [and·not·they·shall·give·to·drink] (453) + אוֹתָם֙ [them] (447) + כּ֣וֹס [cup] (86) + תַּנְחוּמִ֔ים [consolation] (554) + עַל־אָבִ֖יו [upon·father of an individual] (119) + וְעַל־אִמּֽוֹ [and·concerning·his·mother] (153) = 3087.
Rashi
"They shall not break bread." This is a term of breaking, as in (Daniel 5:25) "MENE MENE TEKEL U-PHARSIN" – for they used to feed the mourners in the town square and break off for them [bread with] the blessing of HaMotzi, [as in] "for he shall bless the sacrifice" (1 Samuel 9:13). Targum Yonatan renders: "for he breaks the food."
"And they shall not give them drink, etc." This is the reason for what I said: do not go to lament.
Radak
"And they shall not spread [break bread]." It is written with a samekh, and its meaning is like "Zion spreads out her hands" [Lamentations 1:17] — the spreading of the hands in mourning, and clapping palm against palm. And the explanation is: "they shall not spread [their hands]" nor gash themselves for the dead, nor be comforted by the living. My master and father, of blessed memory, explained: "they shall not spread" as in the way that bread is spread out and broken for a mourner when they console him [with the mourner's meal]. This is what it says: "to comfort him for his dead," and it says "for his father and for his mother" in the singular, whereas the verses [elsewhere] use the plural, meaning each one for his father and for his mother. And so did Jonathan translate: "a man for his father and for his mother."
Metzudat David
And they shall not spread for them. They shall not spread for them the piece of bread that requires the blessing of HaMotzi, in order to comfort the mourner regarding his deceased (for at the first meal, the mourner does not eat from his own provisions, and others serve him from theirs).
"And they shall not make them drink." For the custom is to offer mourners the cup of consolation; but at that time they would be preoccupied with their grief and would not perform the proper actions.
“On his father.” [Meaning:] for each individual — regarding his own father and his own mother.
Metzudat Zion
They shall break [bread]. From the term *prusah* (a slice) and *shevirah* (breaking), as it is written: “Share your bread with the hungry” (Isaiah 58:7).
Kos. That is to say, a cup of wine.
Malbim
And no, nor should they engage in the needs of mourners, which is the custom to feed them a convalescent meal from others’ provisions, and to break the bread into two pieces—they shall not break it. And even if the deceased was their father or mother, they shall not offer them a cup of consolation to soothe their grief.
And you shall not go into the house of feasting to sit with them, to eat and to drink.
verse value 4005
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 32 letters. The shortest word is "to·dwell" (לָשֶׁ֣בֶת, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·house·of·feasting" (וּבֵית־מִשְׁתֶּ֥ה, 8 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·house·of·feasting" (וּבֵית־מִשְׁתֶּ֥ה), "and·to·drink" (וְלִשְׁתּֽוֹת). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "not·you·shall·enter" (root בוא, 211x in Jeremiah); "to·dwell" (root ישב, 147x in Jeremiah); "to·eat" (root אכל, 44x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'them', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 2 words. Full calculation: וּבֵית־מִשְׁתֶּ֥ה [and·house·of·feasting] (1163) + לֹֽא־תָב֖וֹא [not·you·shall·enter] (440) + לָשֶׁ֣בֶת [to·dwell] (732) + אוֹתָ֑ם [them] (447) + לֶאֱכֹ֖ל [to·eat] (81) + וְלִשְׁתּֽוֹת [and·to·drink] (1142) = 4005.
Rashi
"And a house of feasting." Which I told you above, "You shall not enter," this is the reason: "Behold, I am about to banish [joy and gladness] from this place, etc."
Radak
And the house of feasting. These verses are explained up to this point: “Behold, days are coming.”
Metzudat David
And a house of feasting. To a house of feasting for weddings you shall not come to sit with them to eat and drink, and this is in order that it may serve for them as a sign and a token.
Metzudat Zion
A feast. The term refers to a meal, as in “he made a feast” (Esther 1:3).
"To sit." From the language of sitting:
Them. With them:
Malbim
And a house: likewise, you shall not enter a house of a feast, even if not to rejoice, but merely to sit with them in fellowship in their honor; and even not for your own needs, to eat and drink.
For thus says Hashem of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will cause to cease out of this place, Before your eyes and in your days, The voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, The voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride.
verse value 5009
Insights
Verse structure: 21 words, 86 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֤ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "for" (כִּי֩, 2 letters) and the longest is "from·the·place" (מִן־הַמָּק֥וֹם, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 142: and·voice·of, and·voice·of. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "making·cease" (מַשְׁבִּ֜ית), "and·in·your·days" (וּבִימֵיכֶ֑ם). The root קול appears 4 times in this verse. 18 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "said" (root אמר, 476x in Jeremiah); "for" (root כי, 318x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·in·your·days', dividing the verse into phrases of 13 and 8 words.
Metzudat David
"I am about to abolish." I will nullify and withhold [it] from this place, etc.:
“Before your eyes and in your days.” It is the same [thing], and the matter is repeated in different words:
“The voice of the bridegroom.” The voice of the bridegroom’s joy.
Metzudat Zion
"Causing to cease." The term denotes nullification, as in the phrase "the oppressor has ceased" (Isaiah 14:4).
Malbim
For behold, I will cause to cease from this place, before your eyes, the cessation will last many days in your days, meaning all the days of that generation until seventy years when they returned from exile, the voice of joy and even the voice of bridegroom and bride without joy and gladness shall not be heard.
And it shall come to pass, when you shall tell this people all these words, and they shall say to you: ‘Wherefore has Hashem pronounced all this great evil against us? or what is our iniquity? or what is our sin that we have committed against Hashem our God?’
verse value 4928
Insights
Verse structure: 26 words, 109 letters. Notable word values: "and·it·shall·be" (וְהָיָ֗ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֤י, 2 letters) and the longest is "all·the·words" (כׇּל־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 51: and·what?, and·what?. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "you·shall·tell" (תַגִּיד֙), "our·iniquity" (עֲוֺנֵ֙נוּ֙), "our·purgation·offering" (חַטָּאתֵ֔נוּ). The root דבר appears 2 times in this verse. 22 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "and·they·shall·say" (root אמר, 476x in Jeremiah); "that" (root אשר, 459x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'these', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 18 words.
Radak
On "why has God spoken" — [the word] "mah" [why] is vocalized with a segol, and it is one of the twenty-four instances of "mah" vocalized with a segol, all of them adjacent to a chet or ayin, and the like [the closing abbreviation "דכו' במ"ז" is obscure in the source and cannot be confidently rendered].
"Our iniquity." Without a yod, and likewise "our sin" is in the singular form.
Metzudat David
And they will say to you. And if they say to you:
"On what account." For what reason:
Malbim
And they will say to you: 1. On what account has the Lord spoken against us specifically? Did not the preceding generations also sin, like the generation of Manasseh, yet He did not bring calamity upon them? 2. And what is our guilt, that we have not sinned at all, neither intentionally nor unintentionally?
then shall you say to them: ‘Because your fathers have forsaken Me, says Hashem, and have walked after other gods, and have served them, and have worshipped them, and have forsaken Me, and have not kept My law;
verse value 6519
Insights
Verse structure: 19 words, 95 letters. Notable word values: "to·them" (אֲלֵיהֶ֗ם) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "upon" (עַל֩, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·law" (וְאֶת־תּוֹרָתִ֖י, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 417: me, and·me. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "that·they·forsook" (אֲשֶׁר־עָזְב֨וּ), "and·law" (וְאֶת־תּוֹרָתִ֖י). The root אחר appears 2 times in this verse. 17 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "says·Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "and·you·shall·say" (root אמר, 476x in Jeremiah); "that·they·forsook" (root אשר, 459x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·them', dividing the verse into phrases of 14 and 5 words.
Metzudat David
"And they have forsaken Me." They did not believe in Me with their hearts, and they did not observe My Torah.
Malbim
And you shall say to them, that there is a difference between them and their ancestors, in that their ancestors forgot the Torah completely and knew nothing of it at all, so that everything they did was due to the fact that they knew the Torah not at all, and they were like a child who was taken captive among the nations, who knows nothing of his ancestors' Torah, so that everything he does is a single unintentional error. And this is what the verse says: "Because your fathers forsook Me…" and "they went…"—all of this was because they forsook Me and did not keep My Torah, meaning they did not keep the Torah at all. And consequently, because they did not know the Torah, they forsook the Lord and served other gods. But as for you, you have acted worse than your ancestors, in that you know the Torah, yet you each go after the stubbornness of your evil heart, refusing to listen to Me. You do not wish to heed the words of the Torah, even though you know it, due to the stubbornness of your heart; for every commandment you seek out arguments and heretical pretexts so that you will not need to listen to Me. Accordingly, your ancestors, because they did not listen to Me, went after the stubbornness of their hearts. But you are the opposite: because you go after the stubbornness of your hearts, consequently you do not listen to Me. Thus, the wickedness of your ancestors was due to foolishness and error, whereas your wickedness is by the counsel of intellect and willful intent. Your ancestors did not know the Torah, but you know it and prepare yourselves to rebel against it.
and you have done worse than your fathers; for, behold, you walk every one after the stubbornness of his evil heart, so that you hearken not to Me;
verse value 5585
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 61 letters. The shortest word is "man" (אִ֚ישׁ, 3 letters) and the longest is "from·your·fathers" (מֵאֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶ֑ם, 8 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "you·did·ill" (הֲרֵעֹתֶ֥ם), "from·your·fathers" (מֵאֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶ֑ם), "and·behold·you" (וְהִנְּכֶ֣ם). The root רעע appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·me" (root אל, 204x in Jeremiah); "hear" (root שמע, 184x in Jeremiah); "man" (root איש, 153x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'from·your·fathers', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 9 words. Full calculation: וְאַתֶּ֛ם [and·you] (447) + הֲרֵעֹתֶ֥ם [you·did·ill] (715) + לַעֲשׂ֖וֹת [to·do] (806) + מֵאֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶ֑ם [from·your·fathers] (519) + וְהִנְּכֶ֣ם [and·behold·you] (121) + הֹלְכִ֗ים [go] (105) + אִ֚ישׁ [man] (311) + אַֽחֲרֵי֙ [after] (219) + שְׁרִר֣וּת [stubbornness] (1106) + לִבּֽוֹ־הָרָ֔ע [his·heart·the·evil] (313) + לְבִלְתִּ֖י [and·not·to] (472) + שְׁמֹ֥עַ [hear] (410) + אֵלָֽי [to·me] (41) = 5585.
Radak
"And you have acted wickedly." This is derived from the principle of "visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children," which applies only when the children cling to the deeds of their fathers.
Metzudat David
“You have done evil.” You have done evil even more than your fathers.
And you. And behold, you are going, each man after what his evil heart shows him and he desires it.
“Lest they listen to Me.” This means that the very essence of desire is that they not listen to Me.
Metzudat Zion
Shirirut. The matter of seeing and gazing:
“L’baltei.” Like “levali.”
therefore will I cast you out of this land into a land that you have not known, neither you nor your fathers; and there shall you serve other gods day and night; forasmuch as I will show you no favour.’
verse value 7129
Insights
Verse structure: 20 words, 93 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·your·fathers" (וַאֲבוֹתֵיכֶ֑ם, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 501: that, that. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·you·shall·serve·there" (וַעֲבַדְתֶּם־שָׁ֞ם), "God" (אֶת־אֱלֹהִ֤ים), "not·I·will·give" (לֹא־אֶתֵּ֥ן). The root ארץ appears 2 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that" (root אשר, 459x in Jeremiah); "not" (root לא, 307x in Jeremiah); "from·upon" (root על, 276x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root טול ("and·I·will·cast") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·your·fathers', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 9 words.
Rashi
"And you shall serve there other gods." Jonathan [ben Uzziel] translates: "And you shall worship there the peoples who worship idols."
Radak
And I will cast. Its meaning is: And I will throw.
"And you shall serve there other gods, day and night." As its Targum [Jonathan] renders: "And you shall worship there [other gods]," etc., as stated in the previous column.
Chaninah. "Mercy" – meaning that the enemies will not show you mercy, but rather they will oppress you with hard labor.
Metzudat David
And I will cast. Therefore I will cast you out, etc.:
"Whom you did not know." From long ago, both you and your fathers: "other gods," etc.
"As for..." – "Because I will not grant you favor in the eyes of the nations, therefore you shall serve them day and night, and you shall find no rest."
Metzudat Zion
"and I cast." The term denotes the act of throwing, as in "and they cast the vessels" (Jonah 1:5).
Chanina. From the word for grace:
Malbim
"And I will cast you," therefore I will cast you out, etc., and you will serve there just as you served in rebellion in the Land of Israel to anger the Lord, so too will you serve there by force, because I will not grant you pardon, and they will compel you to serve foreign gods.
Therefore, behold, the days come, says Hashem, that it shall no more be said: 'As Hashem lives, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt,'
verse value 3168
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 63 letters. Verse gematria: 3168 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "therefore" (לָכֵ֛ן, 3 letters) and the longest is "behold·days" (הִנֵּה־יָמִ֥ים, 7 letters). The root יהוה appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "says·Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "and·not·will·be·said" (root אמר, 476x in Jeremiah); "that" (root אשר, 459x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root בני ("the·sons·of") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'says·Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 9 words. Full calculation: לָכֵ֛ן [therefore] (100) + הִנֵּה־יָמִ֥ים [behold·days] (160) + בָּאִ֖ים [going·in] (53) + נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֑ה [says·Hashem] (117) + וְלֹא־יֵאָמֵ֥ר [and·not·will·be·said] (288) + עוֹד֙ [again] (80) + חַי־יְהֹוָ֔ה [as·Hashem·lives] (44) + אֲשֶׁ֧ר [that] (501) + הֶעֱלָ֛ה [brought·up] (110) + אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י [the·sons·of] (463) + יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל [Israel] (541) + מֵאֶ֥רֶץ [from·land·of] (331) + מִצְרָֽיִם [Egypt] (380) = 3168.
Rashi
"Therefore": This is language of an oath. Even though you have been faithless to Me, it is an oath in My hand that I will redeem you.
And he shall not say again, etc. Our Sages expounded (Berakhot 12b): It is not that the Exodus from Egypt is to be uprooted from its place, but rather the final redemption is the primary matter, and the Exodus from Egypt is secondary to it.
Radak
"Therefore, behold, the days are coming." This refers to the future. The prophet said to them this consolation after the punishment. And God sent to them regarding this matter through His prophets both punishment and consolation, so that they would not say, "Our hope is lost." For even though He will exact punishment from them for their evil deeds, in the end of days there will be hope for them.
And they shall no longer say, “As the Lord lives.” When a person takes an oath and says, “As the Lord lives,” it is the custom of the world to attach to the mention of the Lord a reference to one of His deeds or wonders, as Zedekiah said, “As the Lord lives, who has given us this breath,” and similarly they would say, “As the Lord lives, who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt.” And it says, “Behold, days are coming,” that they shall not say, “As the Lord lives, who brought up,” etc. And this will be in the days of the Messiah, at the ingathering of the exiles.
Metzudat David
Therefore. This means: Since the troubles will be so numerous, therefore the redemption from Babylonia will be exceedingly significant, for then no one will say anymore, "As the Lord lives, who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt."
Metzudat Zion
He brought it up. The word is from the root "aliyah" (ascent).
Malbim
Therefore, behold, days are coming—meaning that from this aspect, the miracle of the final redemption will be greater than the miracle of the Exodus from Egypt, to the extent that they will no longer say, "As the Lord lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt," but rather, "As the Lord lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north and from all the lands where He had driven them," etc. This is for three reasons: 1. There they were in one land, whereas then [in the future] it will be from the land of the north and from all the lands. 2. The sins for which they were exiled to the servitude of the kingdoms were great sins, to the point that He cast them off there like one who casts off his rebellious son and banishes him from his house, making it difficult to bring him back. 3. The redemption then will be more precious in their eyes than the first redemption, because at that time the Land of Israel was not yet theirs; but now they have already merited the land and have already inherited it, so that the joy will be greater if they return to their land. And this is what it says, "And I will return them to the land that I gave to their fathers."
but: ‘As Hashem lives, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the countries whither He had driven them’; and I will bring them back into their land that I gave to their fathers.
verse value 7186
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 83 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "if·as·Hashem·lives" (אִם־חַי־יְהֹוָ֗ה, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 501: that, that, that. 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "He·drove·them" (הִדִּיחָ֖ם). The root אשר appears 3 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "if·as·Hashem·lives" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "that" (root אשר, 459x in Jeremiah); "for" (root כי, 318x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'name', dividing the verse into phrases of 13 and 5 words.
Radak
"Who has banished them": The banishers are the kings of the nations who exile them. And Jonathan [ben Uzziel] rendered it in the Targum: "They shall no longer speak of the might of the Lord, Who brought up the children of Israel, etc." And this matter is a subject of dispute among the words of our Sages of blessed memory. Some say that the Exodus from Egypt should not be mentioned at all, and others say that it should be mentioned, but that the subjugation to kingdoms is the primary theme, and the Exodus from Egypt is secondary to it.
Metzudat David
"But rather" (ki im). For then, in their oath, they will say, "As the Lord lives, who brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north and from the rest of the countries to which He had driven them," for that redemption will be considered more significant, and they will make more mention of that redemption.
"And I will restore them." Thus they will say in their oath: "As the Lord lives, who brought up... and who I restored them to their land" (this is the wording of the Omnipresent, [as if] speaking of Himself; but they would say instead, "and He restored them, to [the land] which He gave...," speaking of Him in the third person).
Metzudat Zion
He drove them away. The word is from the root of "driving away" (dechiyah).
"And I will bring them back." From the language of restoration:
“Upon their land.” “To their land.”
Behold, I will send for many fishers, says Hashem, and they shall fish them; and afterward I will send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the clefts of the rocks.
verse value 3499
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 92 letters. The shortest word is "sending" (שֹׁלֵ֜חַ, 3 letters) and the longest is "says·Hashem" (נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֖ה, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 146: and·they·will·hunt·them, and·from·upon. 11 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "for·fishermen" (לְדַיָּגִ֥ים), "and·they·will·fish·them" (וְדִיג֑וּם), "I·will·send" (אֶשְׁלַח֙). The root שלח appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "says·Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "from·upon" (root על, 276x in Jeremiah); "all·hill" (root כל, 167x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·they·will·fish·them', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 11 words.
Rashi
"And they shall haul them out." Just as a fisherman draws [a fish] out from the place where it grew [i.e., its habitat], so too will these capture them within the city. And what becomes of a fish once it is caught? It dies. So I will bring slayers upon them, and afterward I will send hunters after those who remain and those fleeing from the sword, onto the mountains and the hills, and they will hunt them down to exile them into captivity.
Radak
"Behold, I am sending for fishermen." It is written with a vav, like "fishermen stood beside it," and it is read with a yod, "to the fishermen" — and the matter is the same; it is a term for those who hunt fish.
"Ve-digum" [and they shall catch them]. Its expected form is "vehidgum," like "maddua eilai rabbot," whose expected form is "harbot." He now says, "Behold, I am sending for fishermen," meaning that He will stir up their spirit to come, as if He had sent to them that they should come. The simile is like the simile of catching fish, and like the simile of hunting beasts and birds. The simile of the fish is concerning those who die by the sword, for fish die when they are caught, when they are brought up from the water. And the simile of the beasts is concerning the exiles, for hunters of beasts and birds catch them alive, and they do not die in the act of catching them, unless they are killed afterward. And so did Jonathan translate: "le-dayagim" as "le-amin ketolin" [to nations of slayers] "ve-yiktelinun" [and they shall kill them].
Metzudat David
"I behold, I am sending." He returns to his earlier words to say: Behold, the troubles will increase greatly, and initially I will send many fishermen, etc.—meaning, those who hunt fish.
"Vedigum" (and they shall haul them out). [Meaning] he will catch the fish. And it means: at first, the nations will take captive those found within the city, just like these fishermen who catch fish in the place of their growth, gathering them all into his net.
Tzidim. They are the hunters of animals:
"From above every mountain." This means that even those who flee to the mountains will be captured, just as a hunter pursues game into the mountains to hunt the animals.
"And from the clefts." [Meaning] those who flee onto the crags of the rocks.
Metzudat Zion
For fishermen. Those who catch fish:
And [the word] "digom" means: they will hunt fish. Similarly, "olal ya'ollu" (above 6) means: they will gather the gleanings.
"And from the clefts." Thus is called the name of the protruding rock, and likewise in the cleft of the rock (above, 13):
Malbim
Behold, now he will explain how He will exile them from the land: First, I will send fishermen who catch many fish at one time with a net; and after only a few remain, hiding in caves and on the mountains, I will send many hunters to search for them and capture them from every mountain, etc.
For Mine eyes are upon all their ways, They are not hid from My face; Neither is their iniquity concealed from Mine eyes.
verse value 2266
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 47 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֤י, 2 letters) and the longest is "upon·all·their·ways" (עַל־כׇּל־דַּרְכֵיהֶ֔ם, 10 letters). Words sharing gematria 140: my·eyes, my·eyes. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "upon·all·their·ways" (עַל־כׇּל־דַּרְכֵיהֶ֔ם), "they·were·hidden" (נִסְתְּר֖וּ), "and·not·is·hidden" (וְלֹֽא־נִצְפַּ֥ן). The root עין appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 318x in Jeremiah); "not" (root לא, 307x in Jeremiah); "from·before·me" (root פנים, 126x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root סתר ("they·were·hidden") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'from·before·me', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 4 words. Full calculation: כִּ֤י [for] (30) + עֵינַי֙ [my·eyes] (140) + עַל־כׇּל־דַּרְכֵיהֶ֔ם [upon·all·their·ways] (429) + לֹ֥א [not] (31) + נִסְתְּר֖וּ [they·were·hidden] (716) + מִלְּפָנָ֑י [from·before·me] (210) + וְלֹֽא־נִצְפַּ֥ן [and·not·is·hidden] (307) + עֲוֺנָ֖ם [their·iniquity] (166) + מִנֶּ֥גֶד [from·opposite] (97) + עֵינָֽי [my·eyes] (140) = 2266.
Radak
"For My eyes" – not as they say, "The Lord does not see us."
Metzudat David
For Mine eyes. I watch over all their ways:
"They were not hidden, etc." The matter is repeated in what is stated, and it is repeated again, saying, "and they were not concealed, etc."—this is for the sake of emphasizing the matter.
Metzudat Zion
Nitzpan. The meaning is concealment, as in: “He layeth up [sound wisdom] for the upright” (Proverbs 2:7), where the word “yitzpon” conveys hiding away or storing up.
Malbim
"For My eyes are upon all their ways," meaning: I observe both the "ways," which are the paths of the soul and the character traits from which sins grow, and the sins themselves, which are the evil deeds. Now, the ways of the soul, such as cruelty, arrogance, and vengeance, are dependent upon knowledge; therefore it says, "they are not hidden from Me," that is, because of My knowledge. And the sins themselves, which are the evil deeds, are dependent upon physical sight; therefore it says, "they are not concealed from before My eyes." Meaning: There is a distinction between the judgments of the Lord and the judgments of flesh and blood. Flesh and blood looks only at the deed, but the Lord also scrutinizes the ways of the soul and the character traits from which the deeds will grow, as it is stated, "For a person's work He will repay him, and according to his way He will cause it to befall him" (Job 34).
And first I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double; Because they have profaned My land; They have filled Mine inheritance With the carcasses of their detestable things and their abominations.
verse value 6239
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 71 letters. The shortest word is "upon" (עַ֖ל, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·their·abominations" (וְתוֹעֲב֣וֹתֵיהֶ֔ם, 10 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "first" (רִאשׁוֹנָ֗ה), "double" (מִשְׁנֵ֤ה), "their·profaning" (חַלְּלָ֣ם). 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "upon" (root על, 276x in Jeremiah); "land" (root ארץ, 245x in Jeremiah); "they·filled" (root מלא, 30x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root משנה ("double") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'land', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 5 words. Full calculation: וְשִׁלַּמְתִּ֣י [and·I·will·repay] (786) + רִאשׁוֹנָ֗ה [first] (562) + מִשְׁנֵ֤ה [double] (395) + עֲוֺנָם֙ [their·iniquity] (166) + וְחַטָּאתָ֔ם [and·their·purgation·offering] (464) + עַ֖ל [upon] (100) + חַלְּלָ֣ם [their·profaning] (108) + אֶת־אַרְצִ֑י [land] (702) + בְּנִבְלַ֤ת [in·carcass·of] (484) + שִׁקּֽוּצֵיהֶם֙ [their·detestable·things] (551) + וְתוֹעֲב֣וֹתֵיהֶ֔ם [and·their·abominations] (945) + מָלְא֖וּ [they·filled] (77) + אֶת־נַחֲלָתִֽי [possession] (899) = 6239.
Rashi
"Double for their iniquity." [This refers to] those who repeated their iniquity, to commit the sins of their fathers [in addition to their own]. And Yonatan translated accordingly: "And I will repay a second time as [I did] the first time, double for one."
Radak
"And I will recompense them first." At first I will punish them for defiling the land, which is a pure land, and they defiled it — for the land cannot bear abominations and evil deeds, as it is said, "the foreign gods of the land" [Deut. 31:16], and as it is said, "and let him teach them the practice of the god of the land" [II Kings 17:27], and as it is said, "and the land shall not vomit you out when you defile it, as it vomited out the nation that was before you" [Lev. 18:28]. For even though I did not command them nor warn them concerning the abominations — just as I did not command nor warn the nations that dwelt there beforehand — nevertheless the land could not bear those abominations and vomited them out. For even though the nations were not commanded, God had nonetheless given them intellect and understanding, and by the way of intellect one ought to guard against all abominations and against serving other gods, wood and stone; how much more so Israel, who were commanded, so that it is only just that the land vomit them out. Therefore He will punish them first for defiling the land. And what he said, "double their iniquity," means their iniquities and the iniquities of their fathers, as it is said, "visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children," which applies when they hold on to their fathers' deeds, as it continues, "of those who hate Me." And Yonatan translated: "And I will repay a second [punishment] as the first, one for two, for their guilt and their sins, because they profaned the land of the house of My Presence." And what he said, "with the corpses of their detestable things and their idols," means the measure of their detestable things and their idols. In the same manner it is said, "and I will cast detestable things upon you and treat you with contempt," for the worship of a detestable thing is an ugly and disgraceful matter. What he said, "My land and My possession," [refers to] the land fitting for Me, for My Presence to dwell in it. And so it says, "and you came and defiled My land, and made My possession an abomination," for it is holier than all the lands, for a reason known to those who understand knowledge.
Metzudat David
"And I will repay first." Before the Redemption comes, I will first repay them for how they repeated the iniquity of their fathers, so as to double it against them once more.
"With the carcass." [Referring to] that which the idolaters set up in it [the land].
"and their abominations." With their abominations they have filled My inheritance; and the matter is doubled in what is stated:
Metzudat Zion
Mishneh. From the language of "two" (shenayim) and doubling (kefel).
Their defiling [of My land]. From the language of profanation (chillul).
their detestable things. From the language of "abomination" and "swarming creature":
Malbim
"And I will repay," and despite all this, I will first repay the punishment for their sins and transgressions that they committed in deed, not for the ways and traits hidden in the depths of the soul, because their sins are of two kinds: 1. That they desecrated My land by not observing the Sabbatical year and the commandments dependent on the land, and also that they defiled the land with their deeds, as it is stated, "For the blood pollutes the land" ... "and the land shall not vomit you out for defiling it," and 2. What they did against the Temple, for they filled My inheritance with the carcasses of their abominations, like Manasseh who set up an idol in the Temple. And this is what I will repay first, because ways and thoughts are hidden matters between them and the Omnipresent.
O Hashem, my strength, and my stronghold, And my refuge, in the day of affliction, To You shall the nations come From the ends of the earth, and shall say: ‘Our fathers have inherited nought but lies, Vanity and things wherein there is no profit.’
verse value 3147
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 81 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֞ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "my·strength" (עֻזִּ֧י, 3 letters) and the longest is "from·ends·of·earth" (מֵֽאַפְסֵי־אָ֔רֶץ, 8 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "my·strength" (עֻזִּ֧י), "and·my·stronghold" (וּמָעֻזִּ֛י), "and·my·flight" (וּמְנוּסִ֖י). 17 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "and·let·them·say" (root אמר, 476x in Jeremiah); "they·will·go·in" (root בוא, 211x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root מנוס ("and·my·flight") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'trouble', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 11 words.
Rashi
"The LORD is my strength, my stronghold, and my refuge." In the vernacular, this is called "antiphymon," and Menachem grouped it under the term of "wonder," as in "You have given a banner to those who fear You, to rally around it" (Psalms 60:6), and likewise "The LORD is my banner" (Exodus 7). And Dunash explained it as literally meaning "refuge."
“Nations shall come to you.” In the end, the nations will return to you and serve You with one accord. And as for your people, what did they do for themselves? They made gods for themselves, yet they are not gods.
“From the ends.” Like “from the extremities.”
They inherited. It is in the sense of inheritance.
"Beneficial." A term denoting benefit.
Radak
"The Lord is my strength, my stronghold, and my refuge." The prophet said, by way of exclamation: "You, O Lord, are my strength against those who fight with me, and I flee to You on the day of my distress." These are the ones I rebuke for idolatry, who do not wish to turn from their evil way. And I know that a time will come when even the distant nations will repent and come to You. From the ends of the earth they will come to You, to this place, and they will say, "Surely our fathers inherited falsehood, vanity." And this will be in the days of the Messiah. And in his saying "inherited," it means that they served idolatry generation after generation, an inheritance passed from fathers to sons.
"And there is no benefit in them." [This] explains, concerning "other gods," that there is no benefit whatsoever to be derived from them, no usefulness at all.
Metzudat David
"The Lord is my strength and my fortress." The prophet said, "You, O Lord, are my strength," and he doubled the word to emphasize the matter.
"On a day of distress." When distress comes, I flee to You for refuge; this is a rhetorical device to say: "Then I will trust in You."
"Unto Thee." Indeed, I know that the end of the matter will be that the nations from the ends of the earth will come to You to believe in You, and they will say: "The idols which our fathers inherited to be gods for them are but falsehood and vanity, and there is no benefit in them."
Metzudat Zion
"My strength and my fortress." The matter of strength:
"ומנוסי" – from the language of "ניסה" (fleeing) and flight.
“From the ends.” From the extremities, for “at the ends of the earth” is as if it were nothingness and cessation.
מועיל. From the word "תועלת" (benefit):
Malbim
"The Lord is my strength" – the prophet turned his face to pray concerning what the Lord said to him, that He would punish them for the sin of idolatry which they served. Why should He punish them? Is it not a matter that has no reality in it, and is merely like the play of children? And just as Moses our teacher, peace be upon him, argued: "Who is jealous of whom?" as stated in the Midrash. And if it is because through this they denied the Lord, behold, You are my strength and my stronghold, and they all know Your divinity. And behold, in the future, nations will come to You from the ends of the earth and will recognize that their fathers inherited falsehood. And if so, why should You be jealous of idols?
Shall a man make to himself gods, And they are no gods?
verse value 730
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 26 letters. Notable word values: "God" (אֱלֹהִ֑ים) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֥א, 2 letters) and the longest is "will·he·make·for·himself" (הֲיַעֲשֶׂה־לּ֥וֹ, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 86: God, God. 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "will·he·make·for·himself" (הֲיַעֲשֶׂה־לּ֥וֹ). The root אלהים appears 2 times in this verse. 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "not" (root לא, 307x in Jeremiah); "will·he·make·for·himself" (root עשה, 147x in Jeremiah); "God" (root אלהים, 140x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'God', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: הֲיַעֲשֶׂה־לּ֥וֹ [will·he·make·for·himself] (426) + אָדָ֖ם [man] (45) + אֱלֹהִ֑ים [God] (86) + וְהֵ֖מָּה [and·they] (56) + לֹ֥א [not] (31) + אֱלֹהִֽים [God] (86) = 730.
Radak
"Will [man] make for himself... gods?" [The gods so made] will not do what is proper to a god — that they should answer them when they call upon them and help them out of their distress. This is what the nations will say when they come to You and confess their sin, and wonder how this belief could have entered their minds.
Metzudat David
“Shall it be made?” Is it fitting that a person, through his own handiwork, should make a god for himself? Are not human beings themselves not gods? And how could their handiwork be better than they are?
Malbim
"Shall a man make gods for himself? Yet they are not gods! Why, then, should You be jealous over such worthless words?" Therefore, the Lord answered him: "I am not jealous of idolatry, which has no reality in it. Rather, it is precisely because they choose something that has no reality and deny Me that I desire to punish them. This is so that they may know My hand and My might, so that they may recognize that I am the Guide and the Watcher, and that I am able to change the course of events according to My will. And they shall know that My name is the Lord. Likewise, because in the future all nations will recognize the glory of the Lord, I wish to inform them at this time, so that Israel will immediately know and recognize the power of the Lord and His kingship. (And another interpretation is that when it says, 'Therefore I am making it known to them,' this refers to all the nations. For by bringing Nebuchadnezzar upon them all, they will all recognize the power of the Lord. And the reason I will punish Judah is because the sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, etc.)."
Therefore, behold, I will cause them to know, This once will I cause them to know My hand and My might; And they shall know that My name is Hashem.
verse value 3076
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 55 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָֽה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "therefore" (לָכֵן֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·strength" (וְאֶת־גְּבוּרָתִ֑י, 9 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "causing·them·to·know" (מֽוֹדִיעָ֔ם), "I·will·cause·them·to·know" (אוֹדִיעֵ֥ם), "and·strength" (וְאֶת־גְּבוּרָתִ֑י). The root ידע appears 3 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "for·name" (root כי, 318x in Jeremiah); "they" (root הן, 130x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·strength', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 3 words. Full calculation: לָכֵן֙ [therefore] (100) + הִנְנִ֣י [they] (115) + מֽוֹדִיעָ֔ם [causing·them·to·know] (170) + בַּפַּ֣עַם [in·the·this·time] (192) + הַזֹּ֔את [this] (413) + אוֹדִיעֵ֥ם [I·will·cause·them·to·know] (131) + אֶת־יָדִ֖י [hand] (425) + וְאֶת־גְּבוּרָתִ֑י [and·strength] (1028) + וְיָדְע֖וּ [and·they·shall·know] (96) + כִּֽי־שְׁמִ֥י [for·name] (380) + יְהֹוָֽה [Hashem] (26) = 3076.
Rashi
"For My name is the Lord." According to its plain meaning: [He is] the ruler and sovereign to carry out His decree.
Radak
"Therefore." God said to Him: "Therefore, behold, I am revealing Myself to those who do not wish to return, for this time I will reveal My hand to them."
"And they shall know that My name is HaShem." Just as it says, "For I am HaShem," for He is His name, and His name is He.
Metzudat David
"Therefore." He [the prophet] speaks in place of the Lord: 'I will make known to them the power of My hand and My might,' and then they will know that My name is the Lord, which denotes absolute power, and they will no longer be confused in this matter as they were in the past.
Radak