The fall retold in the annals' voice: the two pillars, the sea, and the vessels of brass and silver and gold carried away and numbered; the captivities counted by souls; and in the thirty-seventh year, Evil-merodach lifts up the head of Jehoiachin and sets his throne above the thrones of the kings that were with him in Babylon.
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.
verse value 5161
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 75 letters. Verse gematria: 5161 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "year" (שָׁנָה֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "daughter·of·Jeremiah" (בַּֽת־יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 415: and·one, and·one. 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "son·of·twenty" (בֶּן־עֶשְׂרִ֨ים), "in·his·reigning" (בְמׇלְכ֔וֹ), "his·mother" (אִמּ֔וֹ). The root אחד appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "in·his·reigning" (root מלך, 253x in Jeremiah); "son·of·twenty" (root בין, 146x in Jeremiah); "and·name·of" (root שם, 122x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·Jerusalem', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 6 words.
Radak
"He was twenty-one years old." This portion, until the end of the book, is written at the end of the Book of Kings, and there we explained it as well, including its structure. In [our commentary on] Kings we explained the matter of the pillars; but there are new matters here that were not explained there. The matter of the pomegranates is also clarified there. And likewise, the discrepancies between the two passages we explained there. And what we still have to explain in this portion, we will explain.
Metzudat David
"When he reigned." At the time that he became king:
And he did that which was evil in the sight of Hashem, according to all that Jehoiakim had done.
verse value 1946
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 31 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "the·evil" (הָרַ֖ע, 3 letters) and the longest is "that·he·did" (אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֖ה, 6 letters). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "that·he·did" (root אשר, 459x in Jeremiah); "as·them" (root כל, 167x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיַּ֥עַשׂ [and·did] (386) + הָרַ֖ע [the·evil] (275) + בְּעֵינֵ֣י [in·eyes·of] (142) + יְהֹוָ֑ה [Hashem] (26) + כְּכֹ֥ל [as·them] (70) + אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֖ה [that·he·did] (876) + יְהוֹיָקִֽם [Jehoiakim] (171) = 1946.
Malbim
(2-4) "And he did evil" – I have already explained [this] in II Kings 24, that the evil consisted in his failure to heed the words of Jeremiah and in his transgression of the oath he had sworn to Nebuchadnezzar. And this was because it was due to the anger of the Lord, etc., for the generation was wicked, and therefore it came about that he rebelled against the king of Babylon.
For through the anger of Hashem did it come to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, until He had cast them out from His presence. And Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
verse value 3060
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 64 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֗ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 3060 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "until·He·cast·out" (עַד־הִשְׁלִיכ֥וֹ, 8 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "through·the·anger·of" (עַל־אַ֣ף), "until·He·cast·out" (עַד־הִשְׁלִיכ֥וֹ), "his·face" (פָּנָ֑יו). The root על appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "for" (root כי, 318x in Jeremiah); "through·the·anger·of" (root על, 276x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'his·face', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 4 words. Full calculation: כִּ֣י [for] (30) + עַל־אַ֣ף [through·the·anger·of] (181) + יְהֹוָ֗ה [Hashem] (26) + הָֽיְתָה֙ [was] (420) + בִּירוּשָׁלִַ֣ם [in·Jerusalem] (588) + וִֽיהוּדָ֔ה [and·Judah] (36) + עַד־הִשְׁלִיכ֥וֹ [until·He·cast·out] (445) + אוֹתָ֖ם [them] (447) + מֵעַ֣ל [from·upon] (140) + פָּנָ֑יו [his·face] (146) + וַיִּמְרֹ֥ד [and·he·rebelled] (260) + צִדְקִיָּ֖הוּ [Zedekiah] (215) + בְּמֶ֥לֶךְ [king] (92) + בָּבֶֽל [Babylon] (34) = 3060.
Rashi
"For it was because of the anger of the Lord." It caused Zedekiah's rebellion against the king of Babylon, which was the beginning of the destruction.
Metzudat David
"For the anger of the Lord." Because the anger of the Lord was so great against Jerusalem and Judah, to the extent that He cast them off from before Him, therefore He stirred the heart of Zedekiah to rebel against the king of Babylon, so as to be a cause for the exile, to send them away from before Him.
And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, and encamped against it; and they built forts against it round about.
verse value 5608
Insights
Verse structure: 20 words, 98 letters. The shortest word is "went·in" (בָּ֠א, 2 letters) and the longest is "Nebuchadrezzar" (נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֨ר, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 115: on, on. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "the·tenth" (הָעֲשִׂירִי֮), "and·they·encamped" (וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ), "bulwark" (דָּיֵ֖ק). The root על appears 3 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "upon·Jerusalem" (root על, 276x in Jeremiah); "king" (root מלך, 253x in Jeremiah); "and·it·was" (root היה, 250x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'on', dividing the verse into phrases of 16 and 4 words.
Rashi
"Dayek" [the siege wall/rampart]. Karkom.
Metzudat David
"Of his reign." Of the reign of Zedekiah:
A "dik" is a tower built opposite the city in order to capture it.
Metzudat Zion
A "dik" is the tower built to capture a city; likewise, "and you shall build upon it a dik" (Ezekiel 4:2).
So the city was besieged to the eleventh year of king Zedekiah.
verse value 3151
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 36 letters. The shortest word is "until" (עַ֚ד, 2 letters) and the longest is "Zedekiah" (צִדְקִיָּֽהוּ, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·came" (וַתָּבֹ֥א). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·the·king" (root מלך, 253x in Jeremiah); "and·came" (root בוא, 211x in Jeremiah); "the·city" (root עיר, 117x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'siege-enclosure', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 6 words. Full calculation: וַתָּבֹ֥א [and·came] (409) + הָעִ֖יר [the·city] (285) + בַּמָּצ֑וֹר [siege-enclosure] (338) + עַ֚ד [until] (74) + עַשְׁתֵּ֣י [one] (780) + עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה [ten] (575) + שָׁנָ֔ה [year] (355) + לַמֶּ֖לֶךְ [to·the·king] (120) + צִדְקִיָּֽהוּ [Zedekiah] (215) = 3151.
Metzudat David
"And the city came under siege." The city stood, with the siege surrounding it, until [the eleventh year of King Zedekiah], etc.:
Metzudat Zion
“On a besieged city.” The army that surrounds a city in order to capture it is called the besiegers, because they are besieging the inhabitants of the city.
In the fourth month, in the ninth day of the month, the famine was sore in the city, so that there was no bread for the people of the land.
verse value 2991
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 48 letters. The shortest word is "bread" (לֶ֖חֶם, 3 letters) and the longest is "fourth" (הָרְבִיעִי֙, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·strengthened" (וַיֶּחֱזַ֥ק), "and·there·was·not" (וְלֹא־הָיָ֥ה). The root חדש appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·there·was·not" (root היה, 250x in Jeremiah); "earth" (root ארץ, 245x in Jeremiah); "in·the·city" (root עיר, 117x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·the·city', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 4 words. Full calculation: בַּחֹ֤דֶשׁ [in·the·month] (314) + הָרְבִיעִי֙ [fourth] (297) + בְּתִשְׁעָ֣ה [in·nine] (777) + לַחֹ֔דֶשׁ [to·the·month] (342) + וַיֶּחֱזַ֥ק [and·strengthened] (131) + הָרָעָ֖ב [famine] (277) + בָּעִ֑יר [in·the·city] (282) + וְלֹא־הָיָ֥ה [and·there·was·not] (57) + לֶ֖חֶם [bread] (78) + לְעַ֥ם [to·the·people] (140) + הָאָֽרֶץ [earth] (296) = 2991.
Then a breach was made in the city, and all the men of war fled, and went forth out of the city by night by the way of the gate between the two walls, which was by the king’s garden—now the Chaldeans were against the city round about—and they went by the way of the Arabah.
verse value 5672
Insights
Verse structure: 20 words, 96 letters. The shortest word is "way" (דֶּ֜רֶךְ, 3 letters) and the longest is "between·the·walls" (בֵּין־הַחֹמֹתַ֙יִם֙, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 224: way, way. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·it·burst·asunder" (וַתִּבָּקַ֣ע), "they·will·go·through" (יִבְרְחוּ֩), "between·the·walls" (בֵּין־הַחֹמֹתַ֙יִם֙). The root עיר appears 3 times in this verse. 17 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that" (root אשר, 459x in Jeremiah); "by·the·garden·of" (root על, 276x in Jeremiah); "king" (root מלך, 253x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'around', dividing the verse into phrases of 17 and 3 words.
Rashi
They shall flee. Like [the word] "they fled."
"The path of the gate between the walls." He had a cave from his house to the plains of Jericho, and I have already explained this in this book (31).
Metzudat David
"And the city was breached." The army of Nebuchadnezzar breached its wall, and it was as if it breached of its own accord, for the men of Jerusalem were weakened by famine and could not stand against them to hinder their advance.
They shall flee. They were fleeing:
"By the gate, etc." – By the gate that stands between the two walls which are near the king’s garden.
"The way of the Arabah." On the path leading to the plains of Jericho.
Metzudat Zion
"And it was breached." The matter of opening:
Malbim
"And the city was breached" — through the famine, the people broke through to go out to the king of Babylon, as stated above in chapter 39. And through this, the Chaldeans entered and took their seats at the middle gate. And through this, "all the men of war fled." Alternatively, this "breach" is a different one: that the men of war broke through to go out through a gate, as stated above in chapter 39.
But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after the king, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho; and all his army was scattered from him.
verse value 3383
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 61 letters. The shortest word is "after" (אַחֲרֵ֣י, 4 letters) and the longest is "strength·Chaldea" (חֵיל־כַּשְׂדִּים֙, 8 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·they·overtook" (וַיַּשִּׂ֥יגוּ), "in·steppes·of" (בְּעַֽרְבֹ֣ת), "spread·out" (נָפֹ֖צוּ). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "from·upon·him" (root על, 276x in Jeremiah); "king" (root מלך, 253x in Jeremiah); "after" (root אחר, 78x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Jericho', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיִּרְדְּפ֤וּ [and·they·pursued] (306) + חֵיל־כַּשְׂדִּים֙ [strength·Chaldea] (422) + אַחֲרֵ֣י [after] (219) + הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ [king] (95) + וַיַּשִּׂ֥יגוּ [and·they·overtook] (335) + אֶת־צִדְקִיָּ֖הוּ [Zedekiah] (616) + בְּעַֽרְבֹ֣ת [in·steppes·of] (674) + יְרֵח֑וֹ [Jericho] (224) + וְכׇ֨ל־חֵיל֔וֹ [and·all·his·army] (110) + נָפֹ֖צוּ [spread·out] (226) + מֵעָלָֽיו [from·upon·him] (156) = 3383.
Metzudat David
"And they pursued." Our Sages of blessed memory stated: He fled through a cave that extended to the plains of Jericho, and a stag happened to be walking above the cave. The Chaldeans pursued the stag, and when they arrived at the entrance of the cave, they found the king exiting, and they seized him.
Then they took the king, and carried him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath; and he gave judgment upon him.
verse value 4468
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 54 letters. The shortest word is "him" (אֹת֜וֹ, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·they·caught" (וַֽיִּתְפְּשׂוּ֙, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 407: him, with·him. 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "the·king" (אֶת־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·king" (root איל, 293x in Jeremiah); "and·spoke" (root דבר, 270x in Jeremiah); "the·king" (root מלך, 253x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hamath', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַֽיִּתְפְּשׂוּ֙ [and·they·caught] (802) + אֶת־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ [the·king] (496) + וַיַּעֲל֨וּ [and·they·went·up] (122) + אֹת֜וֹ [him] (407) + אֶל־מֶ֧לֶךְ [to·king] (121) + בָּבֶ֛ל [Babylon] (34) + רִבְלָ֖תָה [Riblah] (637) + בְּאֶ֣רֶץ [in·land·of] (293) + חֲמָ֑ת [Hamath] (448) + וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר [and·spoke] (222) + אִתּ֖וֹ [with·him] (407) + מִשְׁפָּטִֽים [judgments] (479) = 4468.
Rashi
Riblah. It is Antioch.
"And He spoke with him concerning judgments." Because he had violated the oath.
Metzudat David
"Riblah." For when the days of the siege were prolonged, Nebuchadnezzar went to Riblah.
"Judgments." He disputed with him regarding the fact that he rebelled against him and transgressed his oath, as is stated in Chronicles:
Metzudat Zion
And they seized. They grasped firmly:
Mishpatim. The matter of the argument:
Malbim
"And he pronounced judgments against him" – see II Kings 25:6.
And the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes; he slew also all the princes of Judah in Riblah.
verse value 3307
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 52 letters. The shortest word is "and·also" (וְגַ֛ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "all·princes·of" (אֶת־כׇּל־שָׂרֵ֥י, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "all·princes·of" (אֶת־כׇּל־שָׂרֵ֥י), "in·Riblah" (בְּרִבְלָֽתָה). The root שחט appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "king·of·Babylon" (root מלך, 253x in Jeremiah); "Judah" (root יהודה, 134x in Jeremiah); "in·his·sight" (root עין, 52x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·his·sight', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 5 words. Full calculation: וַיִּשְׁחַ֧ט [and·he·slew] (333) + מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֛ל [king·of·Babylon] (124) + אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י [the·sons·of] (463) + צִדְקִיָּ֖הוּ [Zedekiah] (215) + לְעֵינָ֑יו [in·his·sight] (176) + וְגַ֛ם [and·also] (49) + אֶת־כׇּל־שָׂרֵ֥י [all·princes·of] (961) + יְהוּדָ֖ה [Judah] (30) + שָׁחַ֥ט [he·slew] (317) + בְּרִבְלָֽתָה [in·Riblah] (639) = 3307.
Rashi
"all the princes of Judah." The Sanhedrin, to whom it was said: "You permitted him to violate his oath, and it was a sin in the eyes of God to release him from the oath."
And he put out the eyes of Zedekiah; and the king of Babylon bound him in fetters, and carried him to Babylon, and put him in prison till the day of his death.
verse value 4803
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 73 letters. The shortest word is "he·blinded" (עִוֵּ֑ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "house·of·the·guards" (בֵֽית־הַפְּקֻדֹּ֖ת, 8 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·put·him" (וַיִּתְּנֵ֥הוּ), "house·of·the·guards" (בֵֽית־הַפְּקֻדֹּ֖ת). 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "king·of·Babylon" (root מלך, 253x in Jeremiah); "and·he·brought·him" (root בוא, 211x in Jeremiah); "and·put·him" (root נתן, 141x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'he·blinded', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 10 words.
Rashi
The house of deposits. In the prison:
Radak
"Bevet ha-pekudot" [i.e., written with a doubled bet]. It is written [this way], but read "beit" [without the extra bet]:
Metzudat David
The house of decrees. The prison:
Metzudat Zion
“With copper chains.” With chains of copper.
"Hapekudot." From the language of “deposit” and “storage,” and it is the prison.
Now in the fifth month, in the tenth day of the month, which was the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadrezzar, king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, who stood before the king of Babylon, into Jerusalem;
verse value 6486
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 92 letters. The shortest word is "went·in" (בָּ֗א, 2 letters) and the longest is "Nebuchadrezzar" (נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֣ר, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 320: and·in·the·month, Nebuzaradan. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·in·the·month" (וּבַחֹ֤דֶשׁ), "nine·ten" (תְּשַֽׁע־עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה). The root מלך appears 3 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·the·king" (root מלך, 253x in Jeremiah); "went·in" (root בוא, 211x in Jeremiah); "to·face·of" (root פנים, 126x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'king·of·Babylon', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 7 words.
Radak
“He stood before the king of Babylon.” That is, he stood, and the explanation is that Nebuzaradan stood before the king of Babylon, as it says in Kings: “The servant of the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem.” And [the word] “in Jerusalem” is joined with “came,” not with “king of Babylon.”
Metzudat David
The Nineteen. For at the time that he captured Yehoiachin, it was the eighth year of his reign, and Zedekiah reigned for eleven years; this makes nineteen.
“stood.” And he stood before the king of Babylon to serve him.
Malbim
"On the tenth of the month," and in the Book of Kings it says there "on the seventh of the month." And I explained there that on the seventh Nebuzaradan came to Jerusalem, and on the tenth he stood before the king of Babylon and commanded to burn everything.
Cross-references: Genesis 37:36; II Kings 25:8; Zechariah 8:19
and he burned the house of Hashem, and the king’s house; and all the houses of Jerusalem, even every great man’s house, burned he with fire.
verse value 5604
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 57 letters. The shortest word is "and" (וְאֵ֨ת, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·house·of·Hashem" (אֶת־בֵּית־יְהֹוָ֖ה, 9 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·burned" (וַיִּשְׂרֹ֥ף), "the·house·of·Hashem" (אֶת־בֵּית־יְהֹוָ֖ה), "all·houses·of" (כׇּל־בָּתֵּ֧י). The root בית appears 3 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "the·house·of·Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "king" (root מלך, 253x in Jeremiah); "and·house·of" (root בית, 128x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'king', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 7 words. Full calculation: וַיִּשְׂרֹ֥ף [and·burned] (596) + אֶת־בֵּית־יְהֹוָ֖ה [the·house·of·Hashem] (839) + וְאֶת־בֵּ֣ית [and·house·of] (819) + הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ [king] (95) + וְאֵ֨ת [and] (407) + כׇּל־בָּתֵּ֧י [all·houses·of] (462) + יְרוּשָׁלִַ֛ם [Jerusalem] (586) + וְאֶת־כׇּל־בֵּ֥ית [and·all·house·of] (869) + הַגָּד֖וֹל [the·great] (48) + שָׂרַ֥ף [burned] (580) + בָּאֵֽשׁ [in·the·fire] (303) = 5604.
Rashi
The Great House: Houses of Prayer in which prayer is amplified. And some say: Houses of Study in which the Torah is amplified. This is a dispute among the Amoraim.
Metzudat David
The Great House. This is an explanation of what was said, “all the houses of Jerusalem,” to mean that they are all the houses of any great man in Jerusalem, and only those did He burn, and no others.
And all the army of the Chaldeans, that were with the captain of the guard, broke down all the walls of Jerusalem round about.
verse value 3762
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 45 letters. Verse gematria: 3762 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "that" (אֲשֶׁ֖ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·all·walls·of" (וְאֶת־כׇּל־חֹמ֥וֹת, 9 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·all·walls·of" (וְאֶת־כׇּל־חֹמ֥וֹת), "with·chief·of·guards" (אֶת־רַב־טַבָּחִֽים). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that" (root אשר, 459x in Jeremiah); "Jerusalem" (root ירושלם, 93x in Jeremiah); "all·strength" (root חיל, 38x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'around', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 5 words. Full calculation: וְאֶת־כׇּל־חֹמ֥וֹת [and·all·walls·of] (911) + יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם [Jerusalem] (586) + סָבִ֑יב [around] (74) + נָֽתְצוּ֙ [they·pulled·down] (546) + כׇּל־חֵ֣יל [all·strength] (98) + כַּשְׂדִּ֔ים [Chaldeans] (374) + אֲשֶׁ֖ר [that] (501) + אֶת־רַב־טַבָּחִֽים [with·chief·of·guards] (672) = 3762.
Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive of the poorest sort of the people, and the residue of the people that remained in the city, and those that fell away, that fell to the king of Babylon, and the residue of the multitude.
verse value 5818
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 83 letters. The shortest word is "the·people" (הָעָ֜ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·the·fallen" (וְאֶת־הַנֹּֽפְלִים֙, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 115: the·people, the·people. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·remainder" (וְֽאֶת־יֶ֥תֶר), "artificer" (הָאָמ֑וֹן). The root עם appears 2 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that" (root אשר, 459x in Jeremiah); "to·king" (root איל, 293x in Jeremiah); "in·the·city" (root עיר, 117x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'artificer', dividing the verse into phrases of 14 and 3 words.
Rashi
"The rest of the amon." Like [the word] "hamon" (the multitude).
Radak
"And some of the poorest of the people." And afterward it says, "and some of the poorest of the land" [associated with the verb] "he left": [meaning] he exiled some of the poor of the people, and some of them he left [in the land].
"And the rest of the amon [craftsmen/multitude]" – like "ha-hamon" [the multitude], for the letters alef-heh-vav-yod are interchangeable. And so it is written in Kings: "ha-hamon." In Kings it is written "dalat ha'am" [singular], and here it is written "dalot" [plural]. In the Masorah, the mnemonic sign is: "the king's son is poor" – [and] Jeremiah [has]: "dalot." This is as people say: "Misfortune follows the poor."
Metzudat David
Those who remained: those who were not killed.
"And those who fall." Those who inclined themselves toward the king of Babylon to serve him.
"And the rest of the artisans." Those who remained in all the cities of Judah:
Metzudat Zion
“Those who fall.” The matter of inflection and connection is like “you shall fall to the Chaldeans” (above 37:13):
ha’amon. Like ha’hamon, with a heh; and likewise "Amon of No" (above, 46); and it means the great multitude of people.
But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and husbandmen.
verse value 2330
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 43 letters. The shortest word is "earth" (הָאָ֔רֶץ, 4 letters) and the longest is "Nebuzaradan" (נְבוּזַרְאֲדָ֖ן, 8 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "as·vinedressers" (לְכֹרְמִ֖ים), "and·for·husbandmen" (וּלְיֹגְבִֽים). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "earth" (root ארץ, 245x in Jeremiah); "chief·of·guards" (root טבח, 22x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'chief·of·guards', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 2 words. Full calculation: וּמִדַּלּ֣וֹת [and·from·poorest·of] (486) + הָאָ֔רֶץ [earth] (296) + הִשְׁאִ֕יר [has·left] (516) + נְבוּזַרְאֲדָ֖ן [Nebuzaradan] (320) + רַב־טַבָּחִ֑ים [chief·of·guards] (271) + לְכֹרְמִ֖ים [as·vinedressers] (340) + וּלְיֹגְבִֽים [and·for·husbandmen] (101) = 2330.
Rashi
"And to the yogevim." Those who dig in the ground. Our Sages said: [they are] hunters of the chilazon [the snail used for the dye].
Metzudat David
"Chief of the guards." The official in charge of those who carry out executions by the king's command.
Metzudat Zion
For the vine-growers. To work the vineyards:
"And to the yogvim (field-tillers)." The matter is pits/cisterns, as in "He made this valley [full of] pits, pits" (2 Kings 3:16), and it means to work the fields by digging and cisterns; or it is like "and to the yokvim," from the term "yekev" (winepress) of wine — for the letters gimel, yod, kaf, and kuf (the interchangeable group גיכ״ק) interchange — and it means to tread and channel the wine into the winepress.
And the pillars of brass that were in the house of Hashem, and the bases and the brazen sea that were in the house of Hashem, did the Chaldeans break in pieces, and carried all the brass of them to Babylon.
verse value 7851
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 81 letters. The shortest word is "that" (אֲשֶׁ֣ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·the·bases" (וְֽאֶת־הַמְּכֹנ֞וֹת, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 763: copper, copper. 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·pillars·of" (וְאֶת־עַמּוּדֵ֨י), "of·the·house·of·Hashem" (לְבֵית־יְהֹוָ֗ה), "and·the·bases" (וְֽאֶת־הַמְּכֹנ֞וֹת). The root נחשת appears 3 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "of·the·house·of·Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "that" (root אשר, 459x in Jeremiah); "they·broke" (root שבר, 42x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Chaldeans', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 3 words. Full calculation: וְאֶת־עַמּוּדֵ֨י [and·pillars·of] (537) + הַנְּחֹ֜שֶׁת [copper] (763) + אֲשֶׁ֣ר [that] (501) + לְבֵית־יְהֹוָ֗ה [of·the·house·of·Hashem] (468) + וְֽאֶת־הַמְּכֹנ֞וֹת [and·the·bases] (928) + וְאֶת־יָ֧ם [and·sea] (457) + הַנְּחֹ֛שֶׁת [copper] (763) + אֲשֶׁ֥ר [that] (501) + בְּבֵית־יְהֹוָ֖ה [in·the·house·of·Hashem] (440) + שִׁבְּר֣וּ [they·broke] (508) + כַשְׂדִּ֑ים [Chaldeans] (374) + וַיִּשְׂא֥וּ [and·they·lifted] (323) + אֶת־כׇּל־נְחֻשְׁתָּ֖ם [all·copper] (1249) + בָּבֶֽלָה [to·Babylon] (39) = 7851.
Rashi
"And the stands." [These are the bases] of the basins.
Metzudat Zion
The bases. They are the sockets and foundations of the basins:
"Yam" (Sea). It was like a large basin, made for washing in it.
The pots also, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the basins, and the pans, and all the vessels of brass wherewith they ministered, took they away.
verse value 7690
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 71 letters. The shortest word is "and" (וְאֵ֨ת, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·snuffers" (וְאֶת־הַֽמְזַמְּר֜וֹת, 10 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·the·pots" (וְאֶת־הַ֠סִּר֠וֹת), "and·the·shovels" (וְאֶת־הַיָּעִ֨ים), "and·snuffers" (וְאֶת־הַֽמְזַמְּר֜וֹת). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that·they·ministered" (root אשר, 459x in Jeremiah); "in·them" (root הם, 132x in Jeremiah); "they·took" (root לקח, 65x in Jeremiah). Full calculation: וְאֶת־הַ֠סִּר֠וֹת [and·the·pots] (1078) + וְאֶת־הַיָּעִ֨ים [and·the·shovels] (542) + וְאֶת־הַֽמְזַמְּר֜וֹת [and·snuffers] (1105) + וְאֶת־הַמִּזְרָקֹ֣ת [and·the·basins] (1159) + וְאֶת־הַכַּפּ֗וֹת [and·the·pans] (918) + וְאֵ֨ת [and] (407) + כׇּל־כְּלֵ֧י [all·vessels·of] (110) + הַנְּחֹ֛שֶׁת [copper] (763) + אֲשֶׁר־יְשָׁרְת֥וּ [that·they·ministered] (1417) + בָהֶ֖ם [in·them] (47) + לָקָֽחוּ [they·took] (144) = 7690.
Rashi
"The mezamrot." They are musical instruments.
Metzudat David
"Which they shall serve in them." [These are] those made for work and service in the Temple.
Metzudat Zion
“The pots.” The pots:
"The ya'im (scrapers)." They are the brooms and the rakes, made for raking out the ash with them.
"The snuffers." An instrument for trimming [the wicks].
The sprinkling vessels. The basins:
"The ladles." The saucer-dishes.
Malbim
"They took [them]"—this means: the Chaldean army took [these] for themselves.
And the cups, and the fire-pans, and the basins, and the pots, and the candlesticks, and the pans, and the bowls—that which was of gold, in gold, and that which was of silver, in silver—the captain of the guard took away.
verse value 8930
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 92 letters. The shortest word is "that" (אֲשֶׁ֤ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·the·basins" (וְאֶת־הַמִּזְרָק֜וֹת, 10 letters). Words sharing gematria 14: gold, gold. 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·the·cups" (וְאֶת־הַ֠סִּפִּ֠ים), "and·the·fire-pans" (וְאֶת־הַמַּחְתּ֨וֹת), "and·the·basins" (וְאֶת־הַמִּזְרָק֜וֹת). The root אשר appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that" (root אשר, 459x in Jeremiah); "took" (root לקח, 65x in Jeremiah); "chief·of·guards" (root טבח, 22x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'silver', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 2 words. Full calculation: וְאֶת־הַ֠סִּפִּ֠ים [and·the·cups] (602) + וְאֶת־הַמַּחְתּ֨וֹת [and·the·fire-pans] (1266) + וְאֶת־הַמִּזְרָק֜וֹת [and·the·basins] (1165) + וְאֶת־הַסִּיר֣וֹת [and·the·pots] (1088) + וְאֶת־הַמְּנֹר֗וֹת [and·the·lampstands] (1108) + וְאֶת־הַכַּפּוֹת֙ [and·the·pans] (918) + וְאֶת־הַמְּנַקִּיּ֔וֹת [and·the·bowls] (1018) + אֲשֶׁ֤ר [that] (501) + זָהָב֙ [gold] (14) + זָהָ֔ב [gold] (14) + וַאֲשֶׁר־כֶּ֖סֶף [and·that·silver] (667) + כָּ֑סֶף [silver] (160) + לָקַ֖ח [took] (138) + רַב־טַבָּחִֽים [chief·of·guards] (271) = 8930.
Rashi
"And the sipim." Targum Yonatan [renders it] "qolya," and I do not know whether it is a type of musical instrument. And I say that they are basins for receiving blood, as in "the blood that was in the saf" (Exodus 13). And there are those who explain that sipim means jars, following the Targum of Yonatan, who rendered it "qolya" — for so too Targum Onkelos [renders] "ve-khadah al shikhmah" [her jar was on her shoulder] (Genesis 27) as "ve-kultah al kitpah" [her jug was on her shoulder]. And this wording shows that the sipim are not a type of musical instrument, but rather they are jars.
The censers. They are used to take coals from atop the altar:
The pure ones. The golden supports upon which the Showbread is placed, as we learned in the Mishnah of Menachot:
Metzudat David
"And the sprinkling bowls." Since there were sprinkling bowls of gold, he returned and mentioned them, as it also says of the pails and the ladles, "which were gold, etc." This means that he took all of them, whether they were of gold or of silver.
Metzudat Zion
"The sippim." Basins, like "a bowl of poison" (Zechariah 12:2).
"The censers." Vessels for raking the fire with them. "The menaqiyot." They were like a hollow half-reed, and they would place them among the Showbread to let air enter through them so that it would not become moldy; and this is from the term "clean" (naki).
Malbim
And the basins, the sprinkling bowls, the pots, and the ladles that were of silver or gold, the chief of the guards took to the king's treasury.
The two pillars, the one sea, and the twelve brazen bulls that were under the bases, which king Solomon had made for the house of Hashem—the brass of all these vessels was without weight.
verse value 7873
Insights
Verse structure: 20 words, 93 letters. Notable word values: "one" (אֶחָד֙) = 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "sea" (הַיָּ֤ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·posts" (הָעַמּוּדִ֣ים, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 375: did, Solomon. 9 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "the·posts" (הָעַמּוּדִ֣ים), "and·the·cattle" (וְהַבָּקָ֞ר), "year·ten" (שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֤ר). The root נחשת appears 2 times in this verse. 17 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "that·under" (root אשר, 459x in Jeremiah); "king" (root מלך, 253x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 15 and 5 words.
Rashi
"Which are under the stands." I do not know how [to derive this], for they were under the sea, and it seems to me that this is no different than being near the stands.
Radak
The pillars were two. Even though it mentioned “and the pillars of bronze” and mentioned “the bronze sea,” it mentioned how many there were, for the pillars were two, and the sea was one, and the oxen were twelve. And what it says “which were under the bases” does not mean that the oxen were under the bases, for the oxen were under the sea, and the bases were under the basins. Rather, “which were under” is not connected with “the bases,” but rather it means “which were under the sea” that it mentioned. And the explanation of “the bases” is that they too were under, and it did not mention under what, and the matter was abbreviated because it is mentioned in Kings. This kind of omission is common in Scripture where a person can understand. And what it says “which King Solomon made” means that there were no others there except those vessels that he made for the Temple; they were there until the destruction.
"Of their bronze, all these vessels." Here the pronoun precedes the definite identification [of its referent]. Similarly, "and she saw him — the child" (ותראהו את הילד), and many verses are like these.
Metzudat David
"Which were under the stands" – this means that they were beside the stands, etc., for the oxen were beneath the bronze Sea, as stated in Kings. Alternatively, it means in the place of the stands, for it is possible that when Ahaz removed the Sea from atop the oxen and placed it on a stone pavement, and removed the basins from atop the stands, as stated there in Kings II, he then placed the basins upon the oxen in the place of the stands, and so it remained until the exile.
There was no weighing. It was not possible to weigh the copper of all these vessels:
And as for the pillars, the height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits; and a line of twelve cubits did compass it; and the thickness thereof was four fingers; it was hollow.
verse value 4555
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 74 letters. Notable word values: "the·one" (הָאֶחָ֔ד) = 18, chai, 'life'. The shortest word is "cubit" (אַמָּה֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·the·posts" (וְהָעַמּוּדִ֗ים, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 46: cubit, cubit. 10 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·the·posts" (וְהָעַמּוּדִ֗ים), "height" (קוֹמַת֙), "the·pillar" (הָעַמֻּ֣ד). The root עמוד appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. First appearance of the root קומה ("height·of") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'encircled·it', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 4 words.
Rashi
"It encircles it." It goes around it in a circle — the circuit of its circumference:
And its thickness. Four finger-breadths around its hollow:
Nevuv. Hollow:
Radak
"Komah ha-amud ha-echad" [the height of the one pillar]. It is written קומה (komah), similar to the case of "ha-mokheret" (the one who sells), even though it is in construct state (samukh); and likewise "ke-eifah se'orim" (like an ephah of barley) and cases like them. And it is read קומת (komat), according to the rule [of the construct state].
Metzudat David
"And the pillars." This means that the pillars which he took, the height of each one was eighteen cubits.
"Yisovenu." It was encircling the circumference of the pillar:
"And its thickness." The thickness of the walls of the pillar was four fingers-breadth, and the hollow was in its center.
Metzudat Zion
And a thread. A line and a cord:
"Navuv." Hollow, as in "hollow, with boards" (Exodus 27:8).
And a capital of brass was upon it; and the height of the one capital was five cubits, with network and pomegranates upon the capital round about, all of brass; and the second pillar also had like to these, and pomegranates.
verse value 8318
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 86 letters. The shortest word is "five" (חָמֵ֣שׁ, 3 letters) and the longest is "upon·the·capital" (עַֽל־הַכּוֹתֶ֛רֶת, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 758: copper, copper. 9 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·capital crown" (וְכֹתֶ֨רֶת), "and·height·of" (וְקוֹמַ֨ת), "capital crown" (הַכֹּתֶ֥רֶת). The root כתרת appears 3 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "upon·him" (root על, 276x in Jeremiah); "all" (root כל, 167x in Jeremiah); "and·like·these" (root אלה, 64x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root כתרת ("and·capital crown") in Jeremiah. First appearance of the root חמש ("five") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'copper', dividing the verse into phrases of 14 and 4 words.
Rashi
“And a network, and pomegranates upon the crown.” It was fashioned like two bowls: one in its usual manner, and [the other] inverted, placed upon the mouth of the lower one. The upper one is called a “shevakh” (a sieve), “quifpa” in the vernacular. The pomegranates were inserted into chains, and the two ends of the chain were tied together and placed upon the sieve from above, at the place where the sieve is short from above, and it descends to the place where the sieve and the crown are joined, which is the broad belly of the crown. There it stands, and the pomegranates cover the place of the joining of the two mouths of the bowls that are glued together.
Metzudat David
"And a capital upon it." Above the pillar there was something resembling a capital, made of copper.
"The single capital." This means the height of each one, for each pillar had a capital.
"And meshwork and pomegranates on the capital." This means that above, on the capital, there was a work of meshwork, and in the shape of pomegranates they were hanging on the capital all around. And in Kings the work of the capital is explained.
All of it was copper. The capital and the pomegranates:
And such. Just as the capital and the network of the one pillar were, so were those of the second pillar; and just as there were pomegranates on the first, so were there on the second.
Metzudat Zion
"And a network." It is the work of a net:
Malbim
(22-23) "And there was a capital upon it": the discrepancy between the verses here and the verses in Kings I have explained in I Kings 7.
And there were ninety and six pomegranates on the outside; all the pomegranates were a hundred upon the network round about.
verse value 2985
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 47 letters. The shortest word is "hundred" (מֵאָ֛ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "all·the·pomegranates" (כׇּל־הָרִמּוֹנִ֥ים, 9 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "the·pomegranates" (הָרִמֹּנִ֔ים), "ninety" (תִּשְׁעִ֥ים), "and·six" (וְשִׁשָּׁ֖ה). The root רמון appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·they·were" (root היה, 250x in Jeremiah); "around" (root סביב, 28x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root מאה ("hundred") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'spirit', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 4 words. Full calculation: וַיִּֽהְיוּ֙ [and·they·were] (37) + הָרִמֹּנִ֔ים [the·pomegranates] (345) + תִּשְׁעִ֥ים [ninety] (820) + וְשִׁשָּׁ֖ה [and·six] (611) + ר֑וּחָה [spirit] (219) + כׇּל־הָרִמּוֹנִ֥ים [all·the·pomegranates] (401) + מֵאָ֛ה [hundred] (46) + עַל־הַשְּׂבָכָ֖ה [upon·the·network] (432) + סָבִֽיב [around] (74) = 2985.
Rashi
Ninety-six on the sides. And at the end of the verse it says, “All the pomegranates were a hundred on each network.” And in the Book (1 Kings 7:42) it says, “And the pomegranates, two hundred, in rows; four hundred for the two networks.” Say now: Four hundred were on the two networks on the two pillars, two rows on each network, and each row was a hundred. This is what is said here, “All the pomegranates were a hundred on the network,” referring to one row. And two hundred for the two rows is what is said there, “Two hundred pomegranates in rows around,” meaning two hundred for the two rows around one pillar, and similarly for the other pillar. Behold, this makes four hundred. And Solomon erected the pillars in the porch adjacent to the wall of the sanctuary, and the wall covered four pomegranates from each row, which were not visible from the outside. This is what is said here, “And the pomegranates on the sides were ninety-six.”
“Ruachah” – like [the word] “la-ru’ach” (to the wind): every word that requires a lamed at its beginning was given a he at its end instead; and therefore the accent is from above, under the resh, meaning that ninety-six of them are visible to the winds of the pillar. I learned this in Chapter Thirty-Two, Middot, where Rabbi Eliezer, son of Rabbi Yosi HaGalili, said [this]:
Radak
"Vayihyu" [and there were]. Ninety-six "ruchah" — stressed on the penultimate syllable (mil'eil), and the heh is an added letter. And "ruach" here means side (ever) and edge/direction (pe'ah), as in "to every side I will scatter them" and "he measured the north side," and cases like them. And in the Book of Kings, in the section on the building, we explained the matter.
Metzudat David
"Ninety-six, facing outward." Toward the direction of the Hall [Ulam] and its airspace, it appeared to be ninety-six, for four of them were concealed from the view of the beholder, since the pillars stood adjacent to the wall.
All the pomegranates were one hundred. This count was for one row, but each [pillar] had two rows of pomegranates, as is explicitly stated in Kings.
“On the lattice.” They were suspended around the lattice.
Metzudat Zion
"Her spirit." The air is also called "spirit," as it is written above (2:24), "She snuffed up the wind."
And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door;
verse value 5141
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 54 letters. The shortest word is "priest" (כֹּהֵ֣ן, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·Zephaniah" (וְאֶת־צְפַנְיָ֖ה, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 75: priest, priest. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "head" (הָרֹ֔אשׁ), "double" (הַמִּשְׁנֶ֑ה), "and·three" (וְאֶת־שְׁלֹ֖שֶׁת). The root כהן appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·took" (root לקח, 65x in Jeremiah); "priest" (root כהן, 40x in Jeremiah); "chief·of·guards" (root טבח, 22x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'double', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיִּקַּ֣ח [and·took] (124) + רַב־טַבָּחִ֗ים [chief·of·guards] (271) + אֶת־שְׂרָיָה֙ [Seraiah] (916) + כֹּהֵ֣ן [priest] (75) + הָרֹ֔אשׁ [head] (506) + וְאֶת־צְפַנְיָ֖ה [and·Zephaniah] (642) + כֹּהֵ֣ן [priest] (75) + הַמִּשְׁנֶ֑ה [double] (400) + וְאֶת־שְׁלֹ֖שֶׁת [and·three] (1437) + שֹׁמְרֵ֥י [keepers·of] (550) + הַסַּֽף [the·threshold] (145) = 5141.
Rashi
The deputy priest: The assistant to the priests, appointed under the High Priest to serve in his place should he become disqualified.
“Keepers of the threshold.” These are the amarkalin, [Temple officers] to whom the keys of the Temple Court were entrusted.
Metzudat David
The chief priest. He was the High Priest.
The deputy priest. He is the second-in-command to him, the Segan.
"Guardians of the threshold." The guardians of the gatepost of the gate — they are the gatekeepers.
Metzudat Zion
Hasef. So too, it is called the mezuzah of the gate, as it is stated: “And the sef of the gate” (Ezekiel 40).
and out of the city he took an officer that was set over the men of war; and seven men of them that saw the king’s face, who were found in the city; and the scribe of the captain of the host, who mustered the people of the land; and threescore men of the people of the land, that were found in the midst of the city.
verse value 9058
Insights
Verse structure: 29 words, 127 letters. Notable word values: "one" (אֶחָ֜ד) = 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "prince" (שַׂ֣ר, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·from·the·city" (וּמִן־הָעִ֡יר, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 296: earth, earth. 9 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·from·the·city" (וּמִן־הָעִ֡יר), "commissioner" (פָקִ֣יד), "seeing" (מֵרֹאֵ֤י). The root עיר appears 3 times in this verse. 20 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that·was" (root אשר, 459x in Jeremiah); "earth" (root ארץ, 245x in Jeremiah); "over·men·of" (root איש, 153x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'earth', dividing the verse into phrases of 22 and 7 words.
Rashi
"And seven men from among the king's officials." And in the Book (2 Kings 25:19) it says, "and five men" — the [other] two were of some importance, but not as important as these [five].
The one who marshals the common people: he knows the number from each city and city, how many men it sends out for the army.
Metzudat David
“Those who see the King’s face.” This means those who are constantly in the King’s presence.
who were found in the city. And they did not flee from it, like the rest of the officers.
And the scribe of the commander of the army. The scribe of the commander of the army:
The one who musters [them]. At his command, every city brings out its men to go forth to war:
“From the people of the land.” From the respected among them, who were found in the city and did not flee.
Metzudat Zion
A eunuch. An officer:
Pakid. An appointed official:
The one who mustered. From the word for army:
Malbim
“and seven men,” and in Kings it says “and five men,” and there I explained:
This is the people whom Nebuchadrezzar carried away captive: in the seventh year three thousand Jews and three and twenty;
verse value 4901
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 54 letters. Verse gematria: 4901 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "this" (זֶ֣ה, 2 letters) and the longest is "Nebuchadrezzar" (נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֑ר, 9 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "in·year·of·seven" (בִּשְׁנַת־שֶׁ֕בַע), "three" (שְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת), "three" (וּשְׁלֹשָֽׁה). The root שלוש appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that" (root אשר, 459x in Jeremiah); "this" (root זה, 123x in Jeremiah); "the·people" (root עם, 86x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Nebuchadrezzar', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 6 words. Full calculation: זֶ֣ה [this] (12) + הָעָ֔ם [the·people] (115) + אֲשֶׁ֥ר [that] (501) + הֶגְלָ֖ה [carried·away] (43) + נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֑ר [Nebuchadrezzar] (573) + בִּשְׁנַת־שֶׁ֕בַע [in·year·of·seven] (1124) + יְהוּדִ֕ים [Jew] (75) + שְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת [three] (1030) + אֲלָפִ֖ים [thousand] (161) + וְעֶשְׂרִ֥ים [and·twenty] (626) + וּשְׁלֹשָֽׁה [three] (641) = 4901.
Rashi
"In the seventh year." This refers to the exile of Yechanyah. And in the Book of Kings it says, "In the eighth year." How is this resolved? The eighth year of his reign is the seventh year in which he conquered Yehoyaqim to be a servant. As the Master said: "The first year he conquered Nineveh; the second year he came up and conquered Yehoyaqim."
"Three thousand Jews." And from the other tribes, seven thousand. This makes ten thousand. This verse, which explains "three thousand Jews," resolves the discrepancy between two verses at the end of the Book of Kings: one verse says ten thousand (ibid., Kings II, ch. 24), and another says seven thousand (ibid., ch. 25). This verse clarifies: three thousand Jews, and from the other tribes, seven thousand, making ten thousand.
Radak
"In the seventh year." We explained in Kings that [this means] the end of the seventh and the beginning of the eighth, for there it is written "eight." "In the eighteenth year" [means] the end of the eighteenth and the beginning of the nineteenth, for there it is written "nineteen."
Metzudat David
"This is the people." This is the reckoning of all the people exiled to Babylonia:
"In the seventh year." This refers to the exile of Yehoyachin, which occurred in the seventh year of the initial conquest of Yehoiakim.
Jews. From the children of Judah:
Malbim
"This is the people whom he exiled"—see II Kings 24:14, where I have elaborated on this matter.
in the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar, from Jerusalem, eight hundred thirty and two persons;
verse value 5315
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 51 letters. The shortest word is "soul" (נֶ֕פֶשׁ, 3 letters) and the longest is "of·Nebuchadrezzar" (לִנְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֑ר, 10 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "eight" (שְׁמוֹנֶ֥ה). The root שמנה appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "from·Jerusalem" (root ירושלם, 93x in Jeremiah); "soul" (root נפש, 61x in Jeremiah); "in·year·of" (root שנה, 50x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'of·Nebuchadrezzar', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 6 words. Full calculation: בִּשְׁנַ֛ת [in·year·of] (752) + שְׁמוֹנֶ֥ה [eight] (401) + עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה [ten] (575) + לִנְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֑ר [of·Nebuchadrezzar] (603) + מִיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם [from·Jerusalem] (626) + נֶ֕פֶשׁ [soul] (430) + שְׁמֹנֶ֥ה [eight] (395) + מֵא֖וֹת [hundred] (447) + שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים [thirty] (680) + וּשְׁנָֽיִם [and·two] (406) = 5315.
Rashi
"In the eighteenth year." This is the exile of Zedekiah. And above, it says (here), "the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar." [The] nineteen is counted from when Nebuchadnezzar became king; [the] eighteen is counted from when he conquered Jehoiakim.
Metzudat David
"In the eighteenth year." This refers to the exile of Zedekiah, which occurred in the eighteenth year of the initial conquest of Jehoiakim, and in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign.
From Jerusalem. He exiled [them] from Jerusalem:
in the three and twentieth year of Nebuchadrezzar Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive of the Jews seven hundred forty and five persons; all the persons were four thousand and six hundred.
verse value 7618
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 91 letters. Verse gematria: 7618 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "three" (שָׁלֹ֣שׁ, 3 letters) and the longest is "of·Nebuchadrezzar" (לִנְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּר֒, 10 letters). Words sharing gematria 447: hundred, hundred. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "forty" (אַרְבָּעִ֣ים), "all·soul" (כׇּל־נֶ֕פֶשׁ), "four" (אַרְבַּ֥עַת). The root נפש appears 2 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "soul" (root נפש, 61x in Jeremiah); "in·year·of" (root שנה, 50x in Jeremiah); "carried·away" (root גלה, 29x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·five', dividing the verse into phrases of 13 and 5 words.
Rashi
"In the twenty-third year." Tyre was given into his hand, and he flooded Judah, which was in the vicinity of Ammon and Moab, seven hundred and forty-five. This is explicitly stated in Seder Olam.
Radak
In the twenty-third year. It is written in Seder Olam that then Tyre (Tzor) was given into his hand, and he swept through all the Jews who were in Ammon and Moab and in the environs of the Land of Israel.
Seven hundred and forty-five souls. And the total of all three reckonings is four thousand six hundred.
Metzudat David
"In the twenty-third year." Then he conquered Tyre and swept away the Jews who were in the vicinity of Ammon and Moab. So it is in Seder Olam Rabbah.
"Every soul" – this refers to the three exiles of the House of Judah:
And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, in the five and twentieth day of the month, that Evil-merodach king of Babylon, in the first year of his reign, lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah, and brought him forth out of prison.
verse value 9004
Insights
Verse structure: 28 words, 129 letters. The shortest word is "year" (שָׁנָ֗ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "king·Judah" (מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֔ה, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 120: king·Judah, king·Judah. 10 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "in·thirty" (בִשְׁלֹשִׁ֨ים), "and·seven" (וָשֶׁ֜בַע), "of·the·captivity·of" (לְגָלוּת֙). The root מלך appears 4 times in this verse. 21 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "king·Judah" (root מלך, 253x in Jeremiah); "and·it·was" (root היה, 250x in Jeremiah); "all" (root כל, 167x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·the·month', dividing the verse into phrases of 13 and 15 words.
Rashi
"On the twenty-fifth of the month." And in another place it says, "On the twenty-seventh of the month." [The explanation is:] On the twenty-fifth of the month, his enemy Nebuchadnezzar died; on the twenty-sixth, he was buried, and Evil-Merodach took him out of his tomb; and on the twenty-seventh, [Evil-Merodach] reigned and raised the head of Jehoiachin.
"Nasa." He raised him and made him great. Another interpretation: he counted him among the other kings, as in [the phrase] "sa et rosh" [take a count] of the children of Israel.
Radak
"On the twenty-fifth." And in the Book of Kings it says "on the twenty-seventh," and there we explained the matter.
Metzudat David
"Lifted up," etc.: "the head." This means: he raised him up and made him great in the first year of his reign.
Metzudat Zion
Nasa. He lifted up and raised high:
From the house of confinement. From the prison:
Malbim
On the twenty-fifth, and in Kings it says on the twenty-seventh, and I explained that on the twenty-fifth of the month they brought him out of the prison, and on the twenty-seventh he lifted his head in greatness and honor.
And he changed his prison garments, and did eat bread before him continually all the days of his life.
verse value 1737
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 38 letters. The shortest word is "bread" (לֶ֧חֶם, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·his·face" (לְפָנָ֛יו, 5 letters). Words sharing gematria 57: his·imprisonment, and·will·eat. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·year" (וְשִׁנָּ֕ה), "garments·of" (בִּגְדֵ֣י), "all·days·of" (כׇּל־יְמֵ֥י). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "all·days·of" (root יום, 133x in Jeremiah); "to·his·face" (root פנים, 126x in Jeremiah); "and·year" (root שנה, 50x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'his·imprisonment', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 6 words.
Radak
"Veshanah" [and he changed]. It is written with a heh, and in Kings it is written "veshana," with an aleph.
"Before him." We explained it in Kings, and so too "all the days of his life."
Metzudat David
And he would change. He would change his garments, in which he had sat in the prison, to replace them with others.
Bread. The entire meal is called by the name of bread.
"Before him." This means: together with him.
All the days of his life. Of Jehoiachin:
Metzudat Zion
And he changed. These words denote change and substitution:
"His prison." – His imprisonment:
Malbim
"And he changed his prison garments": There is a distinction between "he changed his garments" regarding Joseph, which means he donned other garments that were clean and fine, and "he changed," for one who changes does not exchange one thing for another, but rather alters the very thing itself. For even in the prison house, he did not wear filthy garments; rather, there was a mark of disgrace upon them, and he changed this very mark into one of honor. For the king's officers were recognized by their garments as to what rank they held in honor and status. And he placed upon the garments he wore in prison the mark of honor, and with these very garments he ate bread before him, so that he would always remember the good that he had done for him, that he had gone from the house of imprisonment to the king's table.
The total number of verses in the Book of Jeremiah is one thousand, three hundred, sixty-five, and its mnemonic is: "I will rejoice in the Lord" (Anokhi Ashmach be-H-V-H). Half of this number is indicated by the verse: "And Hananiah said, etc." (Jeremiah 28:11). Its sedarim [sections] are thirty-one, and their mnemonic is: "The kindness of God all the day." The number of the chapters is fifty-two, and their mnemonic is: "I will thank the Lord with all my heart."
And for his allowance, there was a continual allowance given him of the king of Babylon, every day a portion until the day of his death, all the days of his life.
verse value 3842
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 58 letters. The shortest word is "all" (כֹּ֖ל, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·his·allowance" (וַאֲרֻחָת֗וֹ, 6 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·his·allowance" (וַאֲרֻחָת֗וֹ), "caravan" (אֲרֻחַת֩), "was·given·to·him" (נִתְּנָה־לּ֜וֹ). The root יום appears 3 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "portion·of·a·day" (root דבר, 270x in Jeremiah); "king·of·Babylon" (root מלך, 253x in Jeremiah); "all" (root כל, 167x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'his·death', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַאֲרֻחָת֗וֹ [and·his·allowance] (621) + אֲרֻחַת֩ [caravan] (609) + תָּמִ֨יד [continually] (454) + נִתְּנָה־לּ֜וֹ [was·given·to·him] (541) + מֵאֵ֧ת [from] (441) + מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֛ל [king·of·Babylon] (124) + דְּבַר־י֥וֹם [portion·of·a·day] (262) + בְּיוֹמ֖וֹ [in·his·day] (64) + עַד־י֣וֹם [until·day] (130) + מוֹת֑וֹ [his·death] (452) + כֹּ֖ל [all] (50) + יְמֵ֥י [day] (60) + חַיָּֽיו [his·life] (34) = 3842.
Rashi
"And his meal." He takes a portion from the king's house for all his needs:
Metzudat David
And his allotment was the continual allotment. The portion that was given to him was the portion that was always given without interruption, and it was for food for the members of his household, for he himself ate bread before the king continually.
“Matter of the day on its day.” A matter that is needed for him every day, they gave it to him on its day, and they did not pass the appointed time.
Metzudat Zion
And his allotment. This refers to the matter of a fixed stipend; and likewise, an "allotment" and a "portion" (above, 40).
Radak
Metzudat David