'O children of Benjamin, flee for safety out of the midst of Jerusalem'; the watchmen's shofar goes unheeded and the old paths are refused — 'Peace, peace, when there is no peace'; refuse silver shall men call them.
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
Put yourselves under covert, you children of Benjamin, Away from the midst of Jerusalem, And blow the horn in Tekoa, And set up a signal on Beth-cherem; For evil looks forth from the north, And a great destruction.
verse value 6464
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 76 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֥י, 2 letters) and the longest is "Jerusalem" (יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 586: Jerusalem, horn. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "take·refuge" (הָעִ֣זוּ), "and·in·Tekoa" (וּבִתְק֙וֹעַ֙), "Cherem" (הַכֶּ֖רֶם). 18 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 318x in Jeremiah); "Jerusalem" (root ירושלם, 93x in Jeremiah); "and·upon·Beth" (root עול, 57x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'gifts', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 6 words.
Rashi
"Flee, sons of Benjamin." [Meaning:] to go to your cities, to guard your fortresses.
Beit HaKerem: It is the name of a place.
"Raise a signal." A standard, to gather and fight for your lives.
Radak
"Ha'izu." [Meaning] "flee," as in "send, hasten your livestock [to safety]" [Exodus 9:19]. He said to the sons of Benjamin, who were in Jerusalem: "You, O Benjamin, flee and remove what is yours from the midst of Jerusalem — all the more so from your other cities, for even Jerusalem will be captured." And what he said, "ha'izu," is a manner of exaggeration, for they had no place to flee to; rather, it is as if he said, "If you have a place to which you can flee, flee and remove [your belongings] from the midst of Jerusalem, for it too will be captured." And Jerusalem belonged to both Judah and Benjamin. And the reason he said it to Benjamin and not to Judah is like a person who cries out for his relatives first, because he feels more pain for them than he feels for others. And he was from Anatot in the land of Benjamin, and they were his relatives, members of his family, as it was said to him regarding them, "For even your brothers and your father's house have also betrayed you" (Jeremiah 12:6). And Yonatan [Targum] rendered "ha'izu" as "go into exile."
"And in Tekoa they blew the shofar." Tekoa is the name of a place, as it is stated, "And Joab sent to Tekoa" (2 Samuel 14:2). And he spoke wittily: "and in Tekoa they blew" is a wordplay, like "and Ekron shall be uprooted" (Zephaniah 2:4). And it says "they blew the shofar" in order to make the people flee into the city [for refuge].
“Concerning the house of the vineyard, lift up the signal fire.” A tower is built in one vineyard, elevated, to guard all the vineyards surrounding it, and that tower is called the “house of the vineyard.” And so it says, “And he built a tower in its midst.” And it says that they should lift up a signal fire there, so that those at a distance will see the flame and flee. And “masa” (signal fire) is like [the phrase] “they light the signal fires,” as found in the Mishnah.
“Nishqafah.” It was seen and revealed; now it shall come.
“From the north.” This refers to Babylonia, which is located to the north.
Metzudat David
"Flee." You, O sons of Benjamin, gather yourselves to go forth from the midst of Jerusalem, for the enemy will conquer it and slaughter its inhabitants.
And in Tekoa. In the city of Tekoa they sounded the shofar to warn the people to be ready for war (and since the name of the city is Tekoa, it says "they sounded the shofar" [tik'u] — a wordplay on similar-sounding words):
“And upon the house of the vineyard.” The custom is to build a tall house and a tower within a single vineyard, to guard all the surrounding vineyards from it.
"Raise a signal." Raise a flame of fire so that it may be seen from afar, to warn the people (and also, "raise a signal" [se'u mas'et] is a wordplay on similar-sounding words):
“Nishkefah.” It appeared to come from Babylonia, which is situated in the north:
And a great breaking. That evil will be a great breaking:
Metzudat Zion
The word "ha'izu" – the meaning is gathering, as in the phrase "gather yourselves, do not stand still" (above, 4).
"And in Tekoa." This is the name of a place, as it is stated: "And Joab sent to Tekoa" (2 Samuel 14).
"Take up." Lift:
"Mas'et" (a beacon/signal). Its meaning is a flame of fire, and similarly, "and David lifted them up" (II Samuel 5):
Nishkefah. The matter is one of gazing and seeing, as in “And Abimelech looked out” (Genesis 26).
Malbim
"Flee for refuge, you sons of Benjamin — gather yourselves from within Jerusalem," for the sons of Benjamin were not among the inhabitants of the city, and they sought to take refuge there in Jerusalem; he says that they should distance themselves from there. And also in Tekoa, which is in the portion of Asher, they sounded the shofar, and Beit HaKerem — that is the name of a place — there they raised up the standard and the banner as a signal to flee, for the calamity has already appeared from the north, which all see as coming and approaching.
The comely and delicate one, The daughter of Zion, will I cut off.
verse value 1267
Insights
Verse structure: 4 words, 22 letters. The shortest word is "the·comely" (הַנָּוָה֙, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·the·delicate" (וְהַמְּעֻנָּגָ֔ה, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "the·comely" (הַנָּוָה֙), "and·the·delicate" (וְהַמְּעֻנָּגָ֔ה), "I·am·like" (דָּמִ֖יתִי). 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "daughter·of·Zion" (root בת, 31x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root דמה ("I·am·like") in Jeremiah. Full calculation: הַנָּוָה֙ [the·comely] (66) + וְהַמְּעֻנָּגָ֔ה [and·the·delicate] (179) + דָּמִ֖יתִי [I·am·like] (464) + בַּת־צִיּֽוֹן [daughter·of·Zion] (558) = 1267.
Rashi
"The abode, and the pampered one, I have destroyed." Jonathan [ben Uzziel] translated it in the sense of "the pastures of peace are destroyed" (below 25); "Ashkelon is destroyed" (below 47).
Radak
"The settled and delicate one I have likened." [This is] a transitive verb, as if it were from the doubled/dagesh form, [as in] "I have compared you, my darling" (Song 1:9); that is, I have compared Fair Zion to a woman [who is] settled [in her home] and delicate, and behold, I see that shepherds and their flocks will come upon her to terrify her. And the explanation of "the settled one" is: the woman who dwells tranquilly in her own home, calm and delicate. And navah is a feminine adjective on the pattern of davah ("sick, ailing"). And Rabbi Yehudah Chayyuj explained "the settled one" as if it were na'avah with an aleph, from "your cheeks are comely with plaits" (Song 1:10), a matter of beauty and adornment. And so Targum Jonathan renders it, "u-mefanka" [pampered]. And my master, my father, of blessed memory, explained "I have likened" as "I have cut off," like "My people are cut off" (Hosea 4:6).
Metzudat David
“The lovely and the delicate, etc.” I have likened the daughter of Zion to a lovely and delicate woman.
Metzudat Zion
"Ha-naveh." Like "ha-na'avah" spelled with an aleph, and it refers to the matter of beauty, as in "comely as Jerusalem" (Song of Songs 6:4):
And the one who is pampered. From the language of pleasure and refinement:
"I have likened [her]." From the language of "likeness" and "comparison":
“Daughter of Zion.” The congregation of Zion:
Malbim
Regarding "the pasture," I likened and compared the daughter of Zion as if she were a pasture on account of her location, a place for shepherds and flocks; and on account of her inhabitants, I likened her to a delicate woman. He explains these two likenesses to her: corresponding to the likeness in which He compared her to a pasture for shepherds, so too the nations and their flocks will come to her, and they will pitch their tents around her, and each one will graze what is with him. For indeed, they first grazed and devastated the surroundings of Jerusalem, and after they finished grazing and desired to come to Jerusalem itself, then He compared her inhabitants to a delicate woman, for a delicate woman hides in her house at midday on account of the sun (as it is written, "Where do you make [your flock] lie down at noon?"), and she then sleeps the midday sleep. And likewise, at night she lies on her bed. These were the times that the enemies chose to subdue her. At first, they said to one another, "Sanctify war against her, against Jerusalem itself; arise and let us ascend at midday, for this delicate woman is now sleeping her midday sleep and will not go out of her house on account of the sun, and it is easy to ascend there without opposition." But in the meantime, the time of midday passed. They said to one another, "Woe to us, for the day has declined, and now the delicate woman will go outside, since the shadows of evening will incline and she will have shade under which to take refuge, and we will not be able to ascend now. Therefore, arise and let us ascend at night, for then the delicate woman will be sleeping on her bed." The implication is that the men of Jerusalem did not stand against the enemy but hid in their houses at these times when the enemy came, as if they were delicate and soft, having not gone out from their houses.
Shepherds with their flocks come to her; They pitch their tents against her round about; They feed bare every one what is nigh at hand.
verse value 2579
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 47 letters. Notable word values: "tents" (אֹֽהָלִים֙) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "they·pastured" (רָע֖וּ, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·their·flocks" (וְעֶדְרֵיהֶ֑ם, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·their·flocks" (וְעֶדְרֵיהֶ֑ם), "tents" (אֹֽהָלִים֙), "they·pastured" (רָע֖וּ). The root רעה appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "on" (root על, 276x in Jeremiah); "they·will·go·in" (root בוא, 211x in Jeremiah); "to·her" (root אל, 204x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root עדר ("and·their·flocks") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·their·flocks', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 7 words. Full calculation: אֵלֶ֛יהָ [to·her] (46) + יָבֹ֥אוּ [they·will·go·in] (19) + רֹעִ֖ים [evil] (320) + וְעֶדְרֵיהֶ֑ם [and·their·flocks] (335) + תָּקְע֨וּ [they·blew] (576) + עָלֶ֤יהָ [on] (115) + אֹֽהָלִים֙ [tents] (86) + סָבִ֔יב [around] (74) + רָע֖וּ [they·pastured] (276) + אִ֥ישׁ [man] (311) + אֶת־יָדֽוֹ [hand] (421) = 2579.
Rashi
"Shepherds and their flocks" is a parable for kings and their armies.
"They grazed." [Meaning:] they ate.
"His hand." [Meaning:] his place, in its vicinity.
Radak
"To her." [The verse] compares the kings coming to destroy her to shepherds, and the flocks are their soldiers and armies. And there are many such instances in Scripture, comparing kings and leaders to shepherds and the people to sheep, such as "Woe, worthless shepherd" and "I will give them shepherds after My own heart," and the like. And according to Targum Jonathan: "Kings and their armies shall come against her."
"Each tends his own place [lit. 'his hand']." [I.e.,] his own place. And likewise, "they graze, [each] at their own side" — meaning that one king or one prince will besiege a city or cities, and so the next, until they finish conquering the land.
Metzudat David
“Unto her.” Now shepherds and their flocks will come unto her; that is to say, lowly and contemptible men, namely the Chaldeans, who do not know how to honor those who are honored.
"They pitched." The manner of pitching [a tent] is to drive the tent's lower hem into the ground by means of pegs.
Re’u. Each of them desolated its place where it had stood; that is to say, each of the battalions of the Chaldeans destroyed the place where they had encamped.
Metzudat Zion
"They pitched." The meaning is driving/thrusting something into something, as also "u'tka'tiv yated" ["and I will fasten him as a peg"] (Isaiah 22:23):
"They grazed." [Meaning:] they fed [them] the pasture:
His hand. His place:
’Prepare you war against her; Arise, and let us go up at noon! ’ ’Woe to us! for the day declines, For the shadows of the evening are stretched out! ’
verse value 2174
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 56 letters. Notable word values: "to·us" (לָ֙נוּ֙) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֥י, 2 letters) and the longest is "shadows·of·evening" (צִלְלֵי־עָֽרֶב, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "for·has·turned" (כִּֽי־פָנָ֣ה), "they·will·be·stretched·out" (יִנָּט֖וּ), "shadows·of·evening" (צִלְלֵי־עָֽרֶב). 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 318x in Jeremiah); "on" (root על, 276x in Jeremiah); "day" (root יום, 133x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root צהר ("at·noon") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'at·noon', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 7 words. Full calculation: קַדְּשׁ֤וּ [prepare] (410) + עָלֶ֙יהָ֙ [on] (115) + מִלְחָמָ֔ה [battle] (123) + ק֖וּמוּ [get·up] (152) + וְנַעֲלֶ֣ה [and·let·us·go·up] (161) + בַֽצׇּהֳרָ֑יִם [at·noon] (347) + א֥וֹי [woe! alas! oh!] (17) + לָ֙נוּ֙ [to·us] (86) + כִּֽי־פָנָ֣ה [for·has·turned] (165) + הַיּ֔וֹם [day] (61) + כִּ֥י [for] (30) + יִנָּט֖וּ [they·will·be·stretched·out] (75) + צִלְלֵי־עָֽרֶב [shadows·of·evening] (432) = 2174.
Rashi
Sanctify. Appoint [it]:
Woe to us. At the time the day was declining [toward evening]:
"For the day has departed." When the day departed toward evening, they set fire to the Temple.
Radak
"Prepare war against her." One of the shepherds says to his fellow, "Set a time for war against Zion" — that is, even though each one tended [only] his own place, they all set themselves for war against Zion.
"Arise, and let us go up at noon." And he says in the verse after it, "Arise, and let us go up at night." He mentions noon and night because they are times of calamity, as it is stated: "the plague that stalks in darkness, the scourge that ravages at noon" (Ps. 91:6). They said: in times that are hard for them, [calamity] comes upon them. The prophet says, "Woe to us, for the day is declining" — that is, the noon [hour] that our enemies chose is evil for us and not good, for noon is harsh from the great heat, whereas otherwise it would be pleasant from the abundant light; but we get from it [only] the harm and not the good, for to us the daylight is darkness. This is [the meaning of] "for the day is declining" — that is, the light is departing on its way and the shadows lengthen and spread, for we have no light, only darkness.
Metzudat David
Sanctify. They will urge one another, saying: Prepare a battle against her; arise and wage war against her at noon, for it is the most suitable time for battle.
"Woe to us, for the day has declined." And when they did not conquer the city on that day, and since their desire to destroy the city was great, they would complain, saying, "Woe, for the day has declined, and we have still not captured the city."
"When the shadows of evening incline." The shadow of evening inclines, for when the sun approaches its western house to set, the shadows incline far away and lengthen exceedingly. This is a repetition of the matter stated in the preceding verse.
Metzudat Zion
Sanctify. The meaning is an invitation, as it is written: "He has consecrated His called ones" (Zephaniah 1:7).
"Arise." This is a matter of urging.
"At noon." This means half of the day:
"It has turned." The meaning is a turning about:
Tzillei. From the language of “tzal” (shadow):
’Arise, and let us go up by night, And let us destroy her palaces.’
verse value 1881
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "get·up" (ק֚וּמוּ, 4 letters) and the longest is "her·palaces" (אַרְמְנוֹתֶֽיהָ, 8 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·let·us·destroy" (וְנַשְׁחִ֖יתָה), "her·palaces" (אַרְמְנוֹתֶֽיהָ). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·let·us·go·up" (root עלה, 74x in Jeremiah); "get·up" (root קום, 42x in Jeremiah); "and·let·us·destroy" (root שחת, 21x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root ליל ("in·the·night") in Jeremiah. First appearance of the root ארמון ("her·palaces") in Jeremiah. Full calculation: ק֚וּמוּ [get·up] (152) + וְנַעֲלֶ֣ה [and·let·us·go·up] (161) + בַלָּ֔יְלָה [in·the·night] (77) + וְנַשְׁחִ֖יתָה [and·let·us·destroy] (779) + אַרְמְנוֹתֶֽיהָ [her·palaces] (712) = 1881.
Radak
"Arise" ... "her palaces." For they [the besieged] think to find refuge in them; [so the attackers resolve,] "we will destroy them."
Metzudat David
“Arise.” Because of their great desire to destroy it, they would say, “Arise, and let us go up at night and destroy her palaces, and let us not wait until the day breaks.”
Metzudat Zion
Her palaces. From the language of "palace" and "palatial halls":
For thus has Hashem of hosts said: Hew you down her trees, And cast up a mound against Jerusalem; This is the city to be punished; Everywhere there is oppression in the midst of her.
verse value 4159
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 62 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֣ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "upon·Jerusalem" (עַל־יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם, 8 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·pour" (וְשִׁפְכ֥וּ), "mound" (סֹֽלְלָ֑ה), "to·be·punished" (הׇפְקַ֔ד). 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "said" (root אמר, 476x in Jeremiah); "for" (root כי, 318x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root כרת ("cut") in Jeremiah. First appearance of the root שפך ("and·pour") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'mound', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 6 words.
Rashi
"Cut down her wood." [The final heh] has no mapik, and it is the term for "eitz" (wood/tree), for the term of "cutting" does not apply to "eitzah" (plan/advice); and the "eitzah" mentioned here is the term for many trees, just as "dagah" is the term for many fish.
The city that is destined to be punished. That her punishment [visitation] has come:
Radak
"For thus says the Lord": that is, this was from the Lord, for He wishes to destroy it and has stirred up their spirit to come against it; and it is as if He said to them, "Cut down eitzah." Eitzah is like eitz ("tree"), and the heh is not a pronominal suffix, for it is without mappiq [unpronounced]. He says: "Cut down trees to make from them a siege-wall (dayek) and to pour a mound against Jerusalem" — and they [the trees] are like the stones that are hurled by the dayek and the like against the city, to breach its walls and towers. And in Jonathan's view, sollah is a high mound, for the Targum renders sollah as "meleita." This means that they pour earth and wood into the trenches around the city until they fill them with earth and wood, [forming] mounds around the city by filling the trenches, in order to climb up from them to the wall — and this is called a sollah.
"She is the city that is appointed [for punishment]." She is the city whose iniquity is reckoned; even though the Holy One, blessed be He, had extended [His patience] for her, He will no longer extend it for her, for she is all oppression within her — in the whole city one finds oppression within her, that is, even inside the city there are oppressors; needless to say outside the city, on the roads.
Metzudat David
"Cut down her trees." They cut down the trees that surrounded Jerusalem, to place them together with the earth in the rampart.
"And pour [a mound]." It is the custom of those who besiege a city to heap up a mound of earth opposite the city, place timber upon it, and ascend it to fight against the city. Similarly, it is written, "and he cast up a mound" (Daniel 11:15).
"She is wholly attended to." This means that the Omnipresent scrutinized the entire city and found oppression within it.
Metzudat Zion
"Her wood." From the language of "tree":
Solelah. It is the mound of earth opposite the city.
"Hufkad." The meaning is providence/oversight [i.e., marked out for punishment], like "lo efkod" – "I will not requite" (above, 5):
Malbim
"For thus says the Lord: Hew down her tree," meaning: Even though the Torah's commandment states that when they wage war against a city, they shall not destroy every fruit tree by erecting a siege ramp against it, so as not to devastate the settlement, as it is stated, "For from it you shall eat," here the Lord says the opposite: that they should cut down every tree found there and erect a siege ramp against Jerusalem. For this decree is not only upon its inhabitants, but upon the city in its entirety. For it is the city that He has entirely decreed to be completely destroyed, because there is oppression within it, as it is stated, "For a stone shall cry out from the wall: Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed!"
As a cistern wells with her waters, So she wells with her wickedness; Violence and spoil is heard in her; Before Me continually is sickness and wounds.
verse value 3573
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 54 letters. The shortest word is "so" (כֵּ֖ן, 2 letters) and the longest is "as·wells" (כְּהָקִ֥יר, 5 letters). Words sharing gematria 310: cold, and·destruction. 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "as·wells" (כְּהָקִ֥יר), "pit" ((בור)), "pit" (בַּ֙יִר֙). The root בור appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "he·hears" (root שמע, 184x in Jeremiah); "upon·my·face" (root פנים, 126x in Jeremiah); "her·evil" (root רע, 90x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root בור ("pit") in Jeremiah. First appearance of the root חמס ("violence") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'her·evil', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 8 words.
Rashi
Like a wellspring. The language of a source [spring]:
"Bir." [It means] a well [be'er]:
"So does she cause her evil to well forth." Thus their evil continually flows forth, ever adding and renewing:
"Sickness and wound." Hence: "I have brought upon her illness and a blow" [Aramaic: מרע ומחא]:
Radak
"[As] it flows [from a spring]." Kehakir is from [the same root as] makor ("source, spring"); bir is like be'er ("well"). He says: just as a well's waters flow continually without interruption, so has she made her evil flow continually — and this is [the meaning of] what he says, "before Me continually." And what he means by "continually" is that I see and take note forever, not as they say, "the Lord does not see us."
"Choli and makah" (Sickness and wound). [The verse] says, "Lawlessness and rapine ... sickness and wounds are heard in her" — meaning that the poor are afflicted with illness and are beaten, as it is said, "and grind the faces of the poor." Or, its interpretation is: I bring upon them illness and wounds as punishment for the robbery and plunder that they commit. And so Targum Yonatan [renders]: "Like a pit that preserves its waters" — etc., as printed in the column [i.e., see the Targum printed alongside].
Metzudat David
"As a well makes its waters flow." Just as a well whose waters flow forth continuously, so too her evil flows forth and does not cease.
"Robbery and plunder." The cry of robbery and plunder is heard in her before Me continually; therefore, I will bring upon her sickness and wound.
Metzudat Zion
"Kehakir." The meaning is gushing forth, and it is from the language of "makor" (source/spring):
"Bir." Like "be'er" (well):
And robbery. Oppression:
"Al panai" – just as "lefanai" (before Me), so too "lo yihyeh..." (there shall not be...) "al panai" (before Me) (Exodus 20):
Malbim
"Like a well whose source is its own spring," the evil that befalls Jerusalem is not external; rather, it is the evil that she brought upon herself through her wicked deeds. The metaphor is as follows: just as a well of living waters whose source is its own spring—meaning not waters poured into it from another place, but those that come from its own source—so too did her evil befall her: the evil and distress that came upon her originated from within, for from her the evil was born and there it arose. This was because robbery and violence were constantly heard within her, even though I dwelt within her in My Divine Presence; yet despite this, robbery and violence were always heard there. Consequently, illness and plague befell her: the robbery and violence brought about the illness and the plague, as it is said, "It is not the snake that kills, but sin that kills." (And the word "caused to befall" [הקרה] extends to both.) Therefore, I say to you: Be admonished, O Jerusalem, accept correction, lest I withdraw My soul from you and My Divine Presence depart from you. Since robbery and violence are heard within her in My presence, therefore I will make you desolate, and the desolation will be so great that it will seem as though the land has never been inhabited.
Be you corrected, O Jerusalem, Lest My soul be alienated from you, Lest I make you desolate, A land not inhabited.
verse value 3684
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 45 letters. The shortest word is "from·you" (מִמֵּ֑ךְ, 3 letters) and the longest is "lest·I·make·you" (פֶּן־אֲשִׂימֵ֣ךְ, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "be·chastened" (הִוָּֽסְרִי֙), "lest·it·be·alienated" (פֶּן־תֵּקַ֥ע), "lest·I·make·you" (פֶּן־אֲשִׂימֵ֣ךְ). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Lamed" (root לא, 307x in Jeremiah); "land" (root ארץ, 245x in Jeremiah); "was·dwelt" (root ישב, 147x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'from·you', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 5 words. Full calculation: הִוָּֽסְרִי֙ [be·chastened] (281) + יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם [Jerusalem] (586) + פֶּן־תֵּקַ֥ע [lest·it·be·alienated] (700) + נַפְשִׁ֖י [my·soul] (440) + מִמֵּ֑ךְ [from·you] (100) + פֶּן־אֲשִׂימֵ֣ךְ [lest·I·make·you] (501) + שְׁמָמָ֔ה [devastation] (385) + אֶ֖רֶץ [land] (291) + ל֥וֹא [Lamed] (37) + נוֹשָֽׁבָה [was·dwelt] (363) = 3684.
Rashi
"Be admonished." Accept reproof:
"Lest [My soul] be torn away." Lest it be severed. [The word] "huka" denotes attachment, as in "and impale them" (Numbers 25:4); but there is also the sense of removing a connection, and many words function this way [carrying two opposite meanings].
Radak
"Be disciplined, lest My soul be wrenched away from you." For if you do not accept correction, My will shall separate from you, so that I will no longer desire you. "My soul shall be wrenched away from you" is like "and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was wrenched" [Genesis 32:25] — referring to the removal of a thing from its place; and its root is קעע or יקע.
"Shall not be inhabited." As if it had never been inhabited at all, so shall it remain desolate. And Yonatan rendered in the Targum: "Like the land of Sodom, which was not inhabited."
Metzudat David
"Be admonished." Accept reproof, lest My soul depart from you.
"A land not inhabited" – as if it had never been inhabited at all.
Metzudat Zion
"Hivvasri" (be disciplined/corrected). From the term "musar" (discipline/reproof):
"Taka." The meaning is removal from a place; and likewise, "my soul was removed from them" (Ezekiel 23:18):
Thus says Hashem of hosts: They shall thoroughly glean as a vine The remnant of Israel; Turn again your hand As a grape-gatherer upon the shoots.
verse value 4029
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 57 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֣ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "thus" (כֹּ֤ה, 2 letters) and the longest is "upon·the·baskets" (עַל־סַלְסִלּֽוֹת, 8 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "they·shall·glean" (יְעוֹלְל֥וּ), "as·the·vine" (כַגֶּ֖פֶן), "turn·back" (הָשֵׁב֙). The root עלל appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "said" (root אמר, 476x in Jeremiah); "Israel" (root ישראל, 110x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root עלל ("child") in Jeremiah. First appearance of the root בצר ("as·a·gatherer") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Israel', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 4 words. Full calculation: כֹּ֤ה [thus] (25) + אָמַר֙ [said] (241) + יְהֹוָ֣ה [Hashem] (26) + צְבָא֔וֹת [hosts] (499) + עוֹלֵ֛ל [child] (136) + יְעוֹלְל֥וּ [they·shall·glean] (152) + כַגֶּ֖פֶן [as·the·vine] (153) + שְׁאֵרִ֣ית [rest] (911) + יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל [Israel] (541) + הָשֵׁב֙ [turn·back] (307) + יָֽדְךָ֔ [your·hand] (34) + כְּבוֹצֵ֖ר [as·a·gatherer] (318) + עַל־סַלְסִלּֽוֹת [upon·the·baskets] (686) = 4029.
Rashi
“עולל” – “grappini” in the vernacular: after the vineyard has been harvested and clusters of grapes (עוללות) remain, the poor come and glean them. So too will they plunder, and return and plunder again.
"Return your hand." You, the enemy [hater], return your hand to plunder again, like a grape-gatherer who returns his hand to the baskets, coiling about and searching for the leftover clusters. And so it was: after he exiled Jehoiakim and killed him, and made Jeconiah king, he returned at the end of three months and exiled him; he returned at the end of eleven years and exiled Zedekiah.
"Tendrils [salselot]." A vernacular [Old French] term — like "salseleha u-teromemekha" — "Extol her, and she will exalt you" (Proverbs 4:8). So did Dunash explain it. And Menachem explained it as the term "sal" [basket] — "panier" in the vernacular.
Radak
Thus says the Lord, "Let them glean [olel]." It is an infinitive of a pattern resembling a quadriliteral, for its root is עלל. He means that just as one gleans a vine after it has been harvested — returning to the remaining gleanings and picking them — so will the enemies do, for the remnant of Israel is like the gleanings on the vine. He further explains, saying, "Pass your hand back, like a grape-gatherer, over the branches [salsilot]." Each of the enemies will say to his fellow, "Bring your hand back to plunder and despoil," just as a grape-gatherer places [the grapes] in baskets and brings his hand back again and again until he has gleaned the whole vine. And Yonatan explained "Pass your hand back" as the words of the prophet directed to God: "And You shall bring back Your plague upon them, as one who gleans over the baskets." "Salsilot" is like salim (baskets); for [salim's] root is סלל, and the dagesh stands for [the missing letter], as in [the phrase] "salei chori" [baskets of white bread — cf. Genesis 40:16]; and in salsilot the first radical [pe ha-po'al] is likewise doubled.
Metzudat David
"Olel ye’olelu kagefen" – Just as with the vine, after they have harvested it and the leftover clusters (olalot) remain, one goes back to gather even the leftover clusters; so too will it be with the remnant of Israel, for the enemy will return to exile even them.
“Return your hand.” You, the enemy, return your hand a second time to take [them] into exile, the hidden ones, like a grape-picker who returns his hand a second time in order to feel around and search for the grapes hidden from his eyes.
Metzudat Zion
"Olel ye'olelu." So is called the gleaning that follows the grape harvest, as in "lo te'olel acharekha" – "you shall not glean it after you" (Deuteronomy 24:21).
"Kevotzer." So is called the plucking of grapes from what is attached [to the vine], as in "ki tivtzor karmekha" – "when you gather the grapes of your vineyard" (ibid, Deuteronomy 24:21).
Al. Because of:
"Salsilot" (branches/tendrils). The meaning is handling and searching [through], as in "salsleha u'teromemeka" – "extol her, and she will exalt you" (Proverbs 4).
Malbim
"Thus": At first, they will strip the remnant of Israel, just as one strips the grapevine: after the vine has been harvested, one searches for the leftover clusters and gathers them. So too, after nothing but a small remnant remains, Nebuchadnezzar will return to exile even the remaining clusters. And afterward, "you shall pass your hand as a gatherer over the baskets"—you shall pass your hand over the grapes that are in the baskets, which have already been harvested, and you shall treat them as if gathering them a second time. This means that after they are all in exile, He will turn His hand upon the exiles to exile them a second time, for so it was when they went out to Egypt after the Destruction, when the enemy's hand reached them a second time to kill them and exile them.
To whom shall I speak and give warning, That they may hear? Behold, their ear is dull, And they cannot attend; Behold, the word of Hashem is become to them a reproach, They have no delight in it.
verse value 2852
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 76 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֥א, 2 letters) and the longest is "the·word·of·Hashem" (דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֗ה, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 60: they, they. 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "upon·who?" (עַל־מִ֨י), "I·will·speak" (אֲדַבְּרָ֤ה), "and·I·will·warn" (וְאָעִ֙ידָה֙). The root הן appears 2 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "the·word·of·Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "and·not" (root לא, 307x in Jeremiah); "upon·who?" (root על, 276x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root קשב ("to·attend") in Jeremiah. First appearance of the root חרפה ("for·a·reproach") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·attend', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 7 words.
Rashi
And I will testify. This is the language of a warning.
Orlah. [Meaning] sealed [blocked up], and so is the meaning of every instance of the term "orlah."
To disgrace. They disgrace it:
Radak
"To whom ... and I will bear witness." The matter [of וְאָעִידָה] is [the language] of warning, like "הָעֵד בָּעָם" ("go warn the people," Exodus 19:21) [and] "הָעֵד הֵעִד בָּנוּ הָאִישׁ" ("the man sternly warned us," Genesis 43:3) — in the language of testimony/warning. For one who warns another does so in the presence of witnesses, so that the other cannot later deny it.
And they will not be able to listen. They pretend as if their ears are uncircumcised, and they lack the ability to listen:
To shame. Just as that which is a disgrace to a man he does not wish to hear, so too is it for them the word of God:
Metzudat David
“Upon whom shall I speak?” To whom shall I speak and warn, that they will heed Me?
"Their ear is uncircumcised." As if their ears were sealed, and they could not hearken to words.
"To shame." The tidings of the word of the Lord will be counted for them as a disgrace; therefore, they will not desire it.
Metzudat Zion
"Al mi" – To whom?
"Ve'a'idah" (and I will admonish/bear witness). The meaning is warning and admonition, for usually one admonishes in the presence of witnesses, so that [the one warned] cannot deny it:
"Arelah." The meaning is sealed/blocked, like "arelei lev" – "uncircumcised of heart" (below, 9):
To listen. The matter of hearing and heeding:
Malbim
“Upon whom?” But upon whom shall I speak, or upon whom shall I testify? Who will listen, whether I speak in the manner of one who reprimands and instructs with wisdom, or whether I testify in the manner of one who warns and bears witness regarding punishments through admonitions? Will they truly listen? No! For, A. their ear is uncircumcised and sealed, such that they are unable to pay heed; they have hardened their ears against hearing. B. Indeed, the word of the Lord has become to them a matter of contempt. When the prophet speaks to them with a warning in the name of the Lord, they assume that he is insulting them. For when he warns them concerning their sins, and they know that they have sinned in these matters, they assume that he has come to insult them, even though he is merely speaking in the name of the Lord. And therefore they will not desire him.
Therefore I am full of the fury of Hashem, I am weary with holding in: Pour it out upon the babes in the street, And upon the assembly of young men together; For even the husband with the wife shall be taken, The aged with him that is full of days.
verse value 4448
Insights
Verse structure: 19 words, 83 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֤ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "and" (וְאֵת֩, 3 letters) and the longest is "for·also·man" (כִּֽי־גַם־אִ֤ישׁ, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 106: in·the·outside, and·upon. 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "to·hold·in" (הָכִ֔יל), "upon·child" (עַל־עוֹלָל֙), "in·the·outside" (בַּח֔וּץ). The root מלא appears 2 times in this verse. 18 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "and·upon" (root על, 276x in Jeremiah); "for·also·man" (root איש, 153x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root לאה ("I·am·weary") in Jeremiah. First appearance of the root עולל ("upon·child") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'together', dividing the verse into phrases of 13 and 6 words.
Rashi
"And I am filled with the wrath of the Lord." My heart is full of prophecy, for the wrath of the Lord to come upon them.
"To contain" (הכיל). Like the infinitive "l'hakhil," "to contain"; in Old French, "ashoforir."
“Pour out upon the young ones.” To pour out upon the sucklings:
“Outside.” In the marketplace:
“Full of days.” He was near death, and he was older than the elder.
Radak
"And the wrath of [the Lord]." The wrath of the Lord that went forth against Israel—I was filled with it until I was weary of containing it.
"Pour out upon the infant." To pour out the wrath upon the infant.
"Outside." That is to say, that the enemies will kill the infants in the streets without mercy. And likewise, the wrath is poured out upon the assembly of young men gathered together, and their strength shall not avail them. "Sod" means a faction — that they join together in one council and one counsel — and none of this shall avail them.
"A man with a woman" — namely, with his wife.
An old man, full of days. For they shall not spare an old man; and "full of days" means he is even [older] than an [ordinary] old man. Targum Yonatan renders: "And the wrath of the Lord" — "the prophecy of the Lord in might, from before the Lord I was filled."
Metzudat David
"And the anger of the Lord." The anger that I see upon you, behold, I have filled myself with it, for it is great.
"I am weary of holding it in." I have become tired and exhausted from enduring the pain, upon seeing that the wrath is to be poured out upon the group of infants sitting outside — the place where the group of infants gather.
"And upon the assembly." Upon a group of young men, all of them together.
"They shall be caught." In the net of the wrath.
“Full of days.” One whose days have been completed and who is near to death.
Metzudat Zion
"I am weary." The matter refers to tiredness and exhaustion, like "and Egypt was weary" (Exodus 7:18):
"To hold in." The meaning is endurance and retention, as in "increasing to hold" (Ezekiel 23).
“olal.” Tender children:
"Outside." In the marketplace:
Secret. A gathering assembled to sweeten a secret and counsel; and likewise, "a council of merrymakers" (below, 9):
Malbim
"And as for them, they consider the word of the Lord as a disgrace, and I am weary of restraining the anger of the Lord which fills me; I am compelled to speak because I am filled with the anger of the Lord—the reproofs and punishments which He has decreed against them. And what shall I do? Upon whom shall I speak?" The Lord answers him: "Pour out this wrath upon the infant outside, and upon the young men of stature, and also upon a man with his wife—the father of the infant and the young men—and their mothers shall be seized, and also upon an elder along with one full of days—the former being the father of their father, and the latter the father of their father's father," meaning that the entire family shall be put to death.
And their houses shall be turned to others, Their fields and their wives together; For I will stretch out My hand upon the inhabitants of the land, Says Hashem. .
verse value 3319
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 56 letters. The shortest word is "fields" (שָׂד֥וֹת, 4 letters) and the longest is "says·Hashem" (נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·they·will·be·turned" (וְנָסַ֤בּוּ), "for·I·will·stretch·out" (כִּֽי־אַטֶּ֧ה). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "says·Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "earth" (root ארץ, 245x in Jeremiah); "upon·inhabitants·of" (root ישב, 147x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root סבב ("and·they·will·be·turned") in Jeremiah. First appearance of the root שדה ("fields") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'together', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 5 words. Full calculation: וְנָסַ֤בּוּ [and·they·will·be·turned] (124) + בָֽתֵּיהֶם֙ [their·houses] (457) + לַאֲחֵרִ֔ים [to·others] (289) + שָׂד֥וֹת [fields] (710) + וְנָשִׁ֖ים [and·wives] (406) + יַחְדָּ֑ו [together] (28) + כִּֽי־אַטֶּ֧ה [for·I·will·stretch·out] (45) + אֶת־יָדִ֛י [hand] (425) + עַל־יֹשְׁבֵ֥י [upon·inhabitants·of] (422) + הָאָ֖רֶץ [earth] (296) + נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה [says·Hashem] (117) = 3319.
Rashi
Fields and women together. They are transferred to others:
Radak
"And [their houses] shall pass [to others]" — fields and wives. And likewise, their fields shall belong to others.
Metzudat David
"And they shall pass over." [Their houses] shall go out from their possession and pass over to others.
Together. At once:
"I will stretch out My hand," etc.—to strike them with it, and this is a figurative expression.
Malbim
"And they shall pass [to others]": It shall not be like other times, when if one member of the family is taken captive, the court appoints stewards to collect the rent from the houses, and the fields are given to relatives to eat their produce (Choshen Mishpat, Siman 285). But here, their houses shall pass to others, and also the fields; and even the women shall likewise not be left as agunot on account of their husbands, for "I will stretch out My hand against the inhabitants of the land," and they shall all fall at once, so that no heir shall be found for them.
For from the least of them even to the greatest of them Every one is greedy for gain; And from the prophet even to the priest Every one deals falsely.
verse value 2113
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 46 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֤י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·until·great" (וְעַד־גְּדוֹלָ֔ם, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 56: his·them, his·them. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "from·small·of" (מִקְּטַנָּם֙), "greedy" (בּוֹצֵ֣עַ), "and·from·prophet" (וּמִנָּבִיא֙). The root כל appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 318x in Jeremiah); "his·them" (root כל, 167x in Jeremiah); "doing" (root עשה, 147x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root קטן ("from·small·of") in Jeremiah. First appearance of the root בצע ("greedy") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'profit', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 5 words. Full calculation: כִּ֤י [for] (30) + מִקְּטַנָּם֙ [from·small·of] (239) + וְעַד־גְּדוֹלָ֔ם [and·until·great] (163) + כֻּלּ֖וֹ [his·them] (56) + בּוֹצֵ֣עַ [greedy] (168) + בָּ֑צַע [profit] (162) + וּמִנָּבִיא֙ [and·from·prophet] (109) + וְעַד־כֹּהֵ֔ן [and·until·priest] (155) + כֻּלּ֖וֹ [his·them] (56) + עֹ֥שֶׂה [doing] (375) + שָּֽׁקֶר [lie] (600) = 2113.
"For from their smallest." Just as they all sinned, so too shall they all be punished.
From the prophet. The false prophet, and Jonathan [ben Uzziel] translated it as “a narrator,” meaning a scribe who warns the people. And similarly, “a priest” refers to the priest of Baal or to one of the Levitical priests, for they too were wicked.
Metzudat David
"Botze'a batza" – They plunder wealth from others:
And from the prophet. From the prophet of Baal to the priests of the high places.
Metzudat Zion
"Botzeia betza" (one who seizes gain): [This refers to] those who plunder wealth, and likewise, one who ruins his house is called "botzeia betza" (Proverbs 15:27).
Malbim
For they have no merit through their leaders, for from the least of them to the greatest they are all greedy for gain, and there is no hope that they will accept reproof from their prophets or Torah from their priests, for from the prophet to the priest, etc.
They have healed also the hurt of My people lightly, Saying: ‘Peace, peace’, when there is no peace.
verse value 3077
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 40 letters. The shortest word is "my·people" (עַמִּי֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·healed" (וַֽיְרַפְּא֞וּ, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 376: belonging·to, belonging·to, belonging·to. 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·healed" (וַֽיְרַפְּא֞וּ). The root שלום appears 3 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "saying" (root אמר, 476x in Jeremiah); "and·nothing" (root אין, 88x in Jeremiah); "my·people" (root עם, 86x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'belonging·to', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 2 words. Full calculation: וַֽיְרַפְּא֞וּ [and·healed] (303) + אֶת־שֶׁ֤בֶר [breaking] (903) + עַמִּי֙ [my·people] (120) + עַל־נְקַלָּ֔ה [lightly] (285) + לֵאמֹ֖ר [saying] (271) + שָׁל֣וֹם [belonging·to] (376) + שָׁל֑וֹם [belonging·to] (376) + וְאֵ֖ין [and·nothing] (67) + שָׁלֽוֹם [belonging·to] (376) = 3077.
Rashi
“On a light matter.” It is easy for the false prophets to utter from their mouths and say, “Peace shall be yours,” and by this word they heal with their speech the destruction that is destined to come upon them.
Radak
And they healed. The false prophets and the priests healed the wound of My people:
“Al nekalah.” That is to say, for a casual utterance that has no substantive weight.
"To say, 'Peace, peace,' when there is no peace. They said, 'Peace,' but there is no peace, for behold, the enemy comes day by day."
Metzudat David
"And they shall heal." They are the ones who heal the brokenness of My people and their impending evil; that is to say, they remove from their hearts the anxiety over the coming evil.
“Al naqleh.” With a casual, contemptuous utterance, saying, “Let there be peace, and let no evil come,” and by this they heal their brokenness; yet there will be no peace, and they deny it.
Metzudat Zion
"Al." It is like "im" (i.e., "with").
"With contempt." From the language of disgrace and humiliation:
Malbim
"And they healed": Whereas they ought to have healed this grievous disease, and whereas the cure of this disease is difficult and cannot be effected by mere words alone, they desire to heal it by a trivial matter, by telling them that all is well and that the body is entirely healthy; yet, although there is no peace in the bones of this shattered body, and even if there were at least hope that they would be ashamed—that they themselves would feel shame for having committed an abomination, and would apply their hearts to repent of their ways—nevertheless, they do not even shame themselves of their own accord, nor do they recognize disgrace even when others put them to shame. Therefore, "they shall fall with the fallen." This means that when two people are walking together and one slips and falls, the other should take heed, so as not to walk there lest he too fall. But if the second person is blind, he will fall because of the one who fell; for even if the cause that made the first one slip is removed, he will stumble over the body of the fallen one as he walks. So too, since they do not heed reproof and do not take heed from the fallen to return from this slippery path, behold, they will fall because of the fallen. For at the time of their visitation, they will stumble over them, over the corpses of the fallen. This means that the prophets will be punished because the people fell through them.
They shall be put to shame because they have committed abomination; Indeed, they are not at all ashamed, Neither know they how to blush; Therefore they shall fall among them that fall, At the time that I punish them they shall stumble, Says Hashem.
verse value 4364
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 74 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָֽה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֥י, 2 letters) and the longest is "in·time·I·punish·them" (בְּעֵת־פְּקַדְתִּ֥ים, 9 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "not·ashamed" (לֹֽא־יֵב֗וֹשׁוּ), "also·to·blush" (גַּם־הַכְלִים֙), "in·time·I·punish·them" (בְּעֵת־פְּקַדְתִּ֥ים). The root בוש appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "said" (root אמר, 476x in Jeremiah); "for" (root כי, 318x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root יבש ("shall·be·put·to·shame") in Jeremiah. First appearance of the root כלי ("also·to·blush") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'they·did', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 12 words.
Rashi
"They have acted shamefully" (הובישו). [Aramaic:] "aleihon lemivhat" — for them, to be ashamed.
"Hikhlim" [they were put to shame]. [It functions] like "l'hakhlim," [meaning] to be ashamed.
"Neither shall they be ashamed." They are not ashamed of their evil deeds.
Radak
“הובישו” – The explanation is in a questioning tone: When they committed abomination, were they ashamed? [No,] they were not ashamed at all.
Also, they did not know [how] to feel humiliated. Explanation: They did not feel the humiliation that a person would use to shame them for the wickedness of their deeds.
Therefore, they shall fall among the fallen. The false prophets and the priests of Baal shall fall at the time when the rest of the fallen of Israel fall, and this will be at the time of their reckoning, when I will bring their iniquity upon them, which is the day of the destruction of the Temple and the city.
Metzudat David
"Huvishu." This means that, in any case, they should have consulted the Sages, who would have instructed them in the proper way.
And they said. And they replied, "We will not go to inquire, for their way is upright in their eyes."
Metzudat Zion
"They acted shamefully." From the word "boshah" (shame).
"Abomination." A matter that is forbidden and disgraceful:
"To be ashamed." The word is derived from "kelimah" (shame):
"I have remembered them." The matter is one of remembrance:
Thus says Hashem: Stand you in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, Where is the good way, and walk therein, And you shall find rest for your souls. But they said: ‘We will not walk therein.’
verse value 4090
Insights
Verse structure: 19 words, 83 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֡ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "thus" (כֹּ֣ה, 2 letters) and the longest is "upon·ways" (עַל־דְּרָכִ֨ים, 7 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·ask" (וְשַׁאֲל֣וּ), "to·paths·of" (לִנְתִב֣וֹת), "where?·this" (אֵי־זֶ֨ה). The root אמר appears 2 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "said" (root אמר, 476x in Jeremiah); "not" (root לא, 307x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root עמד ("stand·by!") in Jeremiah. First appearance of the root שאל ("and·ask") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·your·soul', dividing the verse into phrases of 16 and 3 words.
Rashi
Margoa. Rest:
Radak
Thus says the Lord: “Stand in the ways.” The interpretation is: “Stand” in your thoughts, considering the good path and the evil path, and see with your understanding. And this statement is like what Elijah said to the worshippers of Baal: “How long will you limp between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him.” And similarly, the prophets of truth say to you: “Turn away and return from your evil ways, and do not deliver yourselves into the hand of the enemy.” But the false prophets say to you: “It is good, the path you are holding to; do not deviate from it.” And regarding what the prophets frighten you with, that you will be delivered into the hand of the enemy, do not fear, for there will be peace for you. Now, test with your intellect which is the good path. And also inquire concerning the ancient paths, as Moses our Teacher, peace be upon him, said: “Ask your father, and he will tell you.” So He said to them: “Inquire concerning the ancient paths,” meaning, inquire about the paths that have existed from of old, meaning the generations that have passed. And you will find that whoever held to the path of truth, good came to him; and whoever held to the path that the false prophets direct you to, evil came to him, because he held to the path of falsehood. From these two aspects you can recognize which is the good path, and walk in it—either through the path of intellect or through the path of tradition.
“And you shall find rest for your soul.” And in this you will find rest for the soul and satisfaction of spirit in both sections; and when I said this to you, you said, “We will not go, nor will we inquire about the ways, for what we are holding onto is good in our eyes.”
Metzudat Zion
"To the paths." The matter of a path and a way:
Margoa. Rest and tranquility, as it is stated: "And this is the resting place" (Isaiah 28:12).
Malbim
Thus says the Lord: He depicts them as one who has strayed from the path and walks along the side of the road, searching for the way. They say to him, “What are you seeking? Is it not that when you stand upon the path, you will see it? Why have you turned aside to the side?” And if you are unable to recognize it for yourself, ask those who pass along the way, and they will tell you. So too, Israel, in their straying from the path of the Lord, seek the way of happiness, inventing for themselves new commandments that the Lord did not command, as it is stated, “And he kept the feast in the eighth month, in the month which he devised in his heart.” As they seek the path of the Lord, He says to them, “What are you seeking? The path is not here, because you have turned aside from the path of your fathers, the well-trodden path. But stand upon the paths, and then you will see the way and recognize it.” This means: Take the Book of the Torah; there you will see the way of the Lord, in which your fathers walked. And if you do not have the understanding to recognize the way, and you do not know the Torah of the Lord, ask the paths of the world; ask your prophets, ask the mouths of your sages, “Which is the good way?” and go in it, for it is the way in which you will find rest for your spiritual soul. But they said, “We will not go.” What they are seeking is a new way. This does not arise from error or lack of knowledge, but from a cause that they simply do not wish to walk in the way of the Lord, the way of Torah and reverence.
And I set watchmen over you: ‘Attend to the sound of the horn’, But they said: ‘We will not attend.’
verse value 2882
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 42 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֥א, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·I·will·establish" (וַהֲקִמֹתִ֤י, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "Zophim" (צֹפִ֔ים), "we·will·attend" (נַקְשִֽׁיב). The root קשב appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·they·said" (root אמר, 476x in Jeremiah); "not" (root לא, 307x in Jeremiah); "upon·you" (root על, 276x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'horn', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַהֲקִמֹתִ֤י [and·I·will·establish] (561) + עֲלֵיכֶם֙ [upon·you] (170) + צֹפִ֔ים [Zophim] (220) + הַקְשִׁ֖יבוּ [hearken] (423) + לְק֣וֹל [to·voice·of] (166) + שׁוֹפָ֑ר [horn] (586) + וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ [and·they·said] (263) + לֹ֥א [not] (31) + נַקְשִֽׁיב [we·will·attend] (462) = 2882.
Rashi
"And I will set watchmen upon you." This refers to the practice of appointing men to stand on watchtowers during times of emergency: a watchman would look out, and if he saw an army approaching the city, he would blow the shofar and warn the people to mobilize and come to the wall. So too, I have appointed prophets who announce to you the coming calamities, so that you may hasten and correct your ways, thereby saving yourselves. This is like the blasts of the shofar sounded by the watchman: "Hear the voice of this shofar and mobilize!"
"And I will establish." The meaning is: I have already established them for them. And so too the Targum renders it, "va'akimit." [The term] "watchers" is "giṭṭash" in the vernacular.
Radak
"And I will set up watchmen" – prophets of truth who warn them and say to them: "Listen to the sound of the shofar. See how the false prophets promise you emptiness, saying to you, 'Peace shall be yours.' But now, listen to the sound of the shofar that is blown around you, the shofar blown because of the enemy to drive out the people. Yet they will say, 'We will not listen.' And so they said, 'We will not heed all this, for we shall be in peace in Jerusalem.'" And Jonathan [ben Uzziel] translated: "And I will set up upon them," etc., as in the column [of the Targum].
Metzudat David
“Watchmen.” In times of war, the custom is to appoint watchmen to observe whether the enemy is approaching. When they see that the enemy is coming, they sound the shofar to warn the people. So too, by way of a parable, He is saying: “Behold, I have appointed prophets to warn them to repent, for the calamity is near.”
We shall not heed. We shall not listen to the prophet’s warning:
Metzudat Zion
Watchers. They gaze from a high place:
Hearken. The matter of hearkening:
Malbim
"And I will set over you watchmen" — behold, after the Lord saw that you were unwilling to return through intellectual admonition, He desired to bring you back by force through the fear of punishments. He set over you watchmen (as in the phrase "I have set you as a watchman over the house of Israel"), who gaze upon the walls to see if the enemy is coming to the city. And they raised their voices, saying, "Hear the sound of the horn, for the enemy is sounding the battle cry," and, "Dread the sword for yourselves," meaning, dread the fear of punishment. Yet even this did not avail, for you said, "We will not listen."
Therefore hear, you nations, And know, O congregation, what is against them.
verse value 1693
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 26 letters. The shortest word is "therefore" (לָכֵ֖ן, 3 letters) and the longest is "that·in·them" (אֶת־אֲשֶׁר־בָּֽם, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "community·of" (עֵדָ֖ה), "that·in·them" (אֶת־אֲשֶׁר־בָּֽם). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that·in·them" (root אשר, 459x in Jeremiah); "hear" (root שמע, 184x in Jeremiah); "the·nations" (root גוי, 81x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·nations', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: לָכֵ֖ן [therefore] (100) + שִׁמְע֣וּ [hear] (416) + הַגּוֹיִ֑ם [the·nations] (64) + וּדְעִ֥י [and·know] (90) + עֵדָ֖ה [community·of] (79) + אֶת־אֲשֶׁר־בָּֽם [that·in·them] (944) = 1693.
Rashi
“that which is in them.” The evil that is in their hands.
Radak
Therefore, let the nations hear. The rest of the peoples, hear, for I am warning you:
And know the congregation. And the congregation of Israel, know:
“that which is in them.” Just as it says, “See your iniquity,” and this is “that which is in them”—the sins that are among your people, from the least to the greatest. And so did Jonathan render it: “And know, O congregation of Israel, their debts.”
Metzudat David
"Hear, O nations. You peoples, hear what I am warning you:"
And know, O congregation. Every congregation, know the evil that is in their hands.
Malbim
Therefore, let the nations hear that the Lord has appointed you to discipline Israel, and know, O community, know the warning that I warned them with, that which was in them, that which I testified against them, and know that I did not afflict them for nothing, but I warned them first; and let the earth also hear these words of mine, for the evil that behold I am bringing upon this people is the fruit of their thoughts, due to their apostasy, for they conceived thoughts of heresy, because they did not heed My words, and My Torah, after they did not heed My words, which are the words of the Prophets, and also did not heed My Torah, which are the words of the Torah; and besides that they did not heed, they further rejected it in their heart, for they hated the words of the Torah.
Hear, O earth: Behold, I will bring evil upon this people, Even the fruit of their thoughts, Because they have not attended to My words, And as for My teaching, they have rejected it.
verse value 4386
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 70 letters. Verse gematria: 4386 is divisible by 86, the value of Elohim. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֤י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·rejected·it" (וַיִּמְאֲסוּ־בָֽהּ, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "their·thoughts" (מַחְשְׁבוֹתָ֑ם), "and·my·teaching" (וְתוֹרָתִ֖י), "and·rejected·it" (וַיִּמְאֲסוּ־בָֽהּ). 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 318x in Jeremiah); "not" (root לא, 307x in Jeremiah); "to·the·people" (root איל, 293x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'their·thoughts', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 6 words.
Rashi
The fruit of their thoughts. The reward of their thoughts:
“And My Torah, they despised it.” This is analogous to “The Lord is my strength and song, and He became my salvation” (Exodus 15:2), where it should have said “He was my salvation.” Similarly, here it should have said “They despised My Torah.” However, this is the way of Scripture to speak thus.
Radak
"Hear, O earth": For you [the earth] are a witness between Me and them. And it says "the earth" and does not say "the heavens," because they too are witnesses, since the earth will be desolate because of their sin.
"The fruit of their thoughts." This does not mean that He punishes them for the thought alone, but rather for their deeds, which are the fruit of their thoughts. For they think that I do not see their deeds; therefore, they follow their hearts to satisfy their desires.
Regarding "My words" (על דברי). It is like "to My words" (אל דברי); [as proven by] "Elkanah went to Ramah, to his house" (וילך אלקנה הרמתה על ביתו) (1 Samuel 2:11), where "to his house" (על ביתו) is like "to his house" (אל ביתו) [i.e., עַל is used in the sense of אֶל]. And my father and teacher, of blessed memory, explained "the fruit of their thoughts": the thoughts that a person conceives, but the opportunity does not come to his hand, so that he is prevented from carrying them out — about these it says "the fruit of their thoughts." But thoughts for which the opportunity does come to his hand, and he is prevented from carrying them out due to fear of Heaven, are not counted as deeds. And Targum Yonatan renders "the fruit of their thoughts" as "the fulfillment of their deeds" (תושלמת עובדיהון).
"And My Torah they rejected." [To be understood] as if it said "and to My Torah they did not listen." For "al devarai" [concerning My words] means the words of the Prophets, who warn them; and "My Torah" means the Torah of Moses. It was not enough that they did not listen to it when it was read to them, but they also rejected it, in that they did not want to read it or hear it. For in the days of Josiah, when Hilkiah found the Book of the Torah and they read from it, it was a novelty to them, for they had already forgotten it.
Metzudat David
"Hear, O earth." You who dwell in the land, hear the warning that I issue to them:
The fruit of their thoughts. The reward of their thoughts:
For the words: "For they did not heed My words which were in the hand of the prophets, nor did they heed My Torah which I gave through the hand of Moses, and they rejected it."
To what purpose is to Me the frankincense that comes from Sheba, And the sweet cane, from a far country? Your burnt-offerings are not acceptable, Nor your sacrifices pleasing to Me.
verse value 3259
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 65 letters. The shortest word is "to·me" (לִ֤י, 2 letters) and the longest is "your·burnt-offerings" (עֹלֽוֹתֵיכֶם֙, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 93: frankincense, sacrifices. 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "why·then" (לָמָּה־זֶּ֨ה), "frankincense" (לְבוֹנָה֙), "from·Sheba" (מִשְּׁבָ֣א). The root לי appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "not" (root לא, 307x in Jeremiah); "from·land·of" (root ארץ, 245x in Jeremiah); "comes" (root בוא, 211x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root לבנה ("frankincense") in Jeremiah. First appearance of the root קנה ("and·branch") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'distance', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 6 words.
Rashi
"To what purpose is frankincense to Me?" [The frankincense] that you offer before Me, that comes from Sheba.
"They were not pleasing." They were not pleasant.
Radak
"To what purpose is frankincense to Me, and the good cane?" For they used to bring them from a distant land for the incense, because it [frankincense] was not found in the Land of Israel, whereas the other spices of the incense were found there. Or, he mentions [only] the two [of them], and the same law applies to the others. And the incense was brought to render the sacrifice acceptable; but if the sacrifice is not desired before Me, why should you trouble to bring the means of acceptability, which is the incense?
Metzudat David
"For what is this to me? What delight have I in the burning of frankincense that comes from Sheba, and in the burning of good cane that comes from a distant land?"
Not for favor. They are not for favor to Me:
They did not make themselves agreeable to Me. They did not please Me:
Metzudat Zion
Frankincense. A type of perfume:
From Sheba. The name of a country:
"And cane." This refers to cinnamon, one of the spices of the incense.
"Erav." The meaning is pleasantness and sweetness, as in "and my sleep was pleasant to me" (below, 31).
Malbim
Why? And if so, after you have rejected the words of the Torah and the commandment, why do you bring incense from Sheba, to offer before the Lord in the matter of what they burn there in Sheba, and you bring cane from a distant land, to offer things that are offered there to idolatry? "I did not ask of you for new commandments," for after all, even your burnt offerings are not acceptable. And this is the parable of "stand upon the ways," which seemed as though they had lost the path, and they sought new ways and new commandments which they devised from their heart. And this is because of the heretics who desired to cast off the yoke and to invent for themselves new commandments like the statutes of the nations.
Therefore thus says Hashem: Behold, I will lay stumblingblocks before this people, And the fathers and the sons together shall stumble against them, The neighbour and his friend, and they shall perish.
verse value 3253
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 70 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֔ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "thus" (כֹּ֚ה, 2 letters) and the longest is "stumbling·blocks" (מִכְשֹׁלִ֑ים, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·they·shall·stumble" (וְכָ֣שְׁלוּ), "and·sons" (וּבָנִ֥ים), "dwelling" (שָׁכֵ֥ן). The root אבד appears 2 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "said" (root אמר, 476x in Jeremiah); "to·the·people" (root איל, 293x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root בם ("in·them") in Jeremiah. First appearance of the root שכן ("dwelling") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'stumbling·blocks', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 9 words.
Radak
Therefore, fathers and sons, neighbor and friend. It mentions this to inform us that the father will not warn the son even if he [the father] knows, and likewise, if the son knows, he will not warn the father. And so too a man with his neighbor — meaning one who dwells near his house — and with his friend, with whom he has business dealings or partnership: none of them will be afraid enough to warn his companion. Therefore they will all perish, for each one will desire the harm of his companion.
"They shall perish" (יאבדו) is what is written [ketiv]; "and they shall perish" (ואבדו) is what is read [keri]; and the meaning is the same.
Metzudat David
Stumbling blocks. Matters that cause one to stumble:
And his companion. His colleague who is accustomed to being with him:
And they shall perish. They will all perish together, for when the stumbling block enters the house, they will all stumble over it and perish.
Metzudat Zion
Neighbor. This is one who dwells with him in the house:
Malbim
Therefore, inasmuch as they did not accept My commandments that I gave them, I will give them stumbling blocks by which each will stumble: a man by means of his brother, a father by means of his son, a neighbor by means of his friend, and they will all be lost.
Thus says Hashem: Behold, a people comes from the north country, And a great nation shall be roused from the uttermost parts of the earth.
verse value 2347
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 45 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֔ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "thus" (כֹּ֚ה, 2 letters) and the longest is "from·uttermost·parts·of·earth" (מִיַּרְכְּתֵי־אָֽרֶץ, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 25: thus, and·nation. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "said" (root אמר, 476x in Jeremiah); "from·land·of" (root ארץ, 245x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root עור ("will·be·blinded") in Jeremiah. First appearance of the root ירכה ("from·uttermost·parts·of·earth") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'north', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 4 words. Full calculation: כֹּ֚ה [thus] (25) + אָמַ֣ר [said] (241) + יְהֹוָ֔ה [Hashem] (26) + הִנֵּ֛ה [they] (60) + עַ֥ם [people·of] (110) + בָּ֖א [went·in] (3) + מֵאֶ֣רֶץ [from·land·of] (331) + צָפ֑וֹן [north] (226) + וְג֣וֹי [and·nation] (25) + גָּד֔וֹל [great] (43) + יֵע֖וֹר [will·be·blinded] (286) + מִיַּרְכְּתֵי־אָֽרֶץ [from·uttermost·parts·of·earth] (971) = 2347.
Radak
Thus said God: "He shall be roused." I am the One who rouses him to come from Babylon to Jerusalem; a distant land shall not be without arousal, and "ye'or" [he shall be roused] is of the Nifal construction.
Metzudat David
“From the land of the north” – this refers to Babylonia.
“Ye’or.” He shall be awake to come from the end of the earth; that is to say, from a distance.
Metzudat Zion
Yi'ur. From the language of awakening:
"From the rear." From the end. And likewise, "and to the rear of the Tabernacle westward" (Exodus 26:22).
Malbim
“With a people that comes” – they are the Chaldeans. “And a great nation” – meaning that through this people, a great nation will be stirred up from the farthest parts of the earth; these are the other nations that came with them, among the participants in his wars. And they came from the farthest parts of the earth, not from the north.
They lay hold on bow and spear, They are cruel, and have no compassion; Their voice is like the roaring sea, And they ride upon horses; Set in array, as a man for war, Against you, O daughter of Zion.
verse value 3882
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 79 letters. The shortest word is "bow" (קֶ֣שֶׁת, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·upon·horses" (וְעַל־סוּסִ֖ים, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 238: cruel, they·will·mount·and·ride. 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·javelin" (וְכִיד֞וֹן). 17 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·not" (root לא, 307x in Jeremiah); "upon·you" (root על, 276x in Jeremiah); "as·man" (root איש, 153x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root אכזרי ("cruel") in Jeremiah. First appearance of the root רכב ("they·will·mount·and·ride") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'they·will·mount·and·ride', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 5 words.
Rashi
"They shall grasp." They take [it], as in "and he stretched out his hand and grasped it" (Exodus 4:4), and similarly, "distress has held me fast" means "it has seized me."
Radak
"And they shall hold a bow and a spear." Each one shall hold in his hand two weapons:
"Like the sea, it roars." Like the waves of the sea.
"And they shall ride upon horses." For it is not that only those who walk on foot will come, but rather there will be many who ride upon horses among them, and their warfare will be stronger.
"Be arrayed as a man for battle." Each one of them shall be equipped with weapons, like a single man destined to engage his fellow in a prepared battle, who prepares himself with weapons. And in general, the masses will not be so well-armed. But this army shall be such that each one of them is prepared for battle like a single man. And upon whom will they come against you, O daughter of Zion?
Metzudat David
They grasp (yachaziku): they take hold of them in their hand, to fight with them.
"And they shall not show mercy." [This refers] to those who fall into their hands.
Like the sea, which is tumultuous due to its waves crashing with a loud sound.
"And upon horses they shall ride." And they hastened to pursue those who flee in war.
"Arranged like a man." Each one of them is arranged and prepared.
Metzudat Zion
And as for "kiddon": it is like a spear, and similarly, "stretch out the javelin" (Joshua 8:18).
Aruch. Arranged and prepared like a man. That is to say, like a mighty warrior.
Malbim
"They shall hold bow and spear" — two kinds of weapons; and their nature shall be cruel, and they shall also instill terror through their voice, for "their voice is like the roaring of the sea." And they shall be horsemen, who are more dangerous. The sense of "arrayed" is that they shall ride upon a horse that is arrayed like a man for war, meaning that the horses shall be trained in warfare like men. And it shall not come to you by chance, O daughter of Zion; rather, its coming shall be specifically for your sake.
’We have heard the fame thereof, our hands wax feeble, Anguish has taken hold of us, And pain, as of a woman in travail.’
verse value 2643
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 38 letters. The shortest word is "they·sank" (רָפ֣וּ, 3 letters) and the longest is "has·seized·us" (הֶחֱזִקַ֔תְנוּ, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "its·fame" (אֶת־שׇׁמְע֖וֹ), "they·sank" (רָפ֣וּ), "our·hands" (יָדֵ֑ינוּ). The root שמע appears 2 times in this verse. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "we·have·heard" (root שמע, 184x in Jeremiah); "our·hands" (root יד, 98x in Jeremiah); "strength" (root חיל, 38x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root רפה ("they·sank") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'our·hands', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: שָׁמַ֥עְנוּ [we·have·heard] (466) + אֶת־שׇׁמְע֖וֹ [its·fame] (817) + רָפ֣וּ [they·sank] (286) + יָדֵ֑ינוּ [our·hands] (80) + צָרָה֙ [trouble] (295) + הֶחֱזִקַ֔תְנוּ [has·seized·us] (576) + חִ֖יל [strength] (48) + כַּיּֽוֹלֵדָֽה [like·a·woman·in·travail] (75) = 2643.
Radak
"We have heard the report of it." "Shim'o" [its report] refers to the report of the nation that was mentioned; and the independent form of "shim'o" is "shoma" [שֹׁמַע], on the pattern of "romach" [רֹמַח, spear]. And "we have heard" is the statement of the prophet, who includes himself with Israel, who tremble at His words.
Metzudat Zion
Rafu. From the language of laxity:
"It has held us fast." The matter of holding fast:
Chil. Trembling and trepidation:
Malbim
We heard immediately; at the time we heard the report, our hands became weak, and we did not do anything out of despair. Afterwards, distress seized us during the siege, and afterwards, pain like a woman in childbirth occurred when the city was breached, for this resembled a woman in childbirth whose womb is torn open to bring forth the contents within it, for then the king and all the men of war fled by night. But I advise you: do not go out into the field, nor walk in the streets within the city; rather, hide there in clefts and holes. And it explains: do not go out into the field, for the sword of the enemy will reach you there. Nor walk in the streets even within the city, for terror is all around, for the fear and terror are already surrounding your dwelling, for [the enemy] is prepared to breach the city. Rather, "O daughter of My people, gird yourself with sackcloth" — each one should gird himself with sackcloth to mourn. Not that they should all mourn together in a group, but rather, each one should mourn individually in his house, and make bitter lamentations, for suddenly, in this very moment, the plunderer will come.
Go not forth into the field, Nor walk by the way; For there is the sword of the enemy, And terror on every side.
verse value 3168
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 47 letters. Verse gematria: 3168 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֚י, 2 letters) and the longest is "do·not·go·out" (אַל־תֵּֽצְאוּ֙, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "do·not·go·out" (אַל־תֵּֽצְאוּ֙), "and·in·the·way" (וּבַדֶּ֖רֶךְ), "do·not·walk" (אַל־תֵּלֵ֑כוּ). The root איל appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 318x in Jeremiah); "do·not·go·out" (root איל, 293x in Jeremiah); "walk" (root הלך, 108x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root איב ("to·enemy") in Jeremiah. First appearance of the root מגור ("fear") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'do·not·walk', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 6 words. Full calculation: אַל־תֵּֽצְאוּ֙ [do·not·go·out] (528) + (תצאי) [let·you·go·out] (501) + הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה [field] (314) + וּבַדֶּ֖רֶךְ [and·in·the·way] (232) + אַל־תֵּלֵ֑כוּ [do·not·walk] (487) + (תלכי) [walk] (460) + כִּ֚י [for] (30) + חֶ֣רֶב [sword] (210) + לְאֹיֵ֔ב [to·enemy] (43) + מָג֖וֹר [fear] (249) + מִסָּבִֽיב [from·around] (114) = 3168.
Rashi
Megur. Fear; another interpretation: it is a term for gathering, like "megurei el cherev" (Ezekiel 21:17), and so did Jonathan render it in the Targum.
Radak
"Do not go out, do not walk." "Titze'i", "teilchi" are ketiv, with a yod, the feminine [form], addressing the congregation [Knesset Yisrael, the Assembly of Israel]. "Teilchu", "teitz'u" are keri, addressing the individuals. But the meaning is the same.
Sword. There is an enemy from without to strike you if you go out:
"Magor." And there is fear on every side of you if you go out. And Jonathan [ben Uzziel] translated "magor misaviv" [in Aramaic] as "slaughter for those gathered round about" (i.e., round and round).
Metzudat Zion
Magor. The meaning is fear, as in "Moab was in dread" (Numbers 22).
O daughter of my people, gird you with sackcloth, And wallow thyself in ashes; Make you mourning, as for an only son, Most bitter lamentation; For the spoiler shall suddenly come upon us.
verse value 4875
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 63 letters. Notable word values: "will·go·in" (יָבֹ֥א) = 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). Verse gematria: 4875 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "for·you" (לָ֔ךְ, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·wallow" (וְהִתְפַּלְּשִׁ֣י, 7 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "gird·sackcloth" (חִגְרִי־שָׂק֙), "and·wallow" (וְהִתְפַּלְּשִׁ֣י), "in·the·ashes" (בָאֵ֔פֶר). 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 318x in Jeremiah); "upon·us" (root על, 276x in Jeremiah); "will·go·in" (root בוא, 211x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'bitterness', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 5 words.
Rashi
"Vehitpalshi." Roll yourself.
"Mourning for an only child." The mourning of an only son: one who has no other son but a single son, and he dies.
"Mispéd tamrurim." Because it is in construct state, [the word] "mispéd" is vocalized with a patach, and not vocalized "mispéd" with a tsere.
"Upon us." As it were, upon me and upon you:
Radak
"Daughter of my people, roll in the dust." Roll yourself in the dust, and Jonathan [ben Uzziel] translated it as "cover your heads."
"Mourning for an only child." [That is,] the mourning of a person whose only son has died, for this is a severe mourning.
"Mispad tamrurim" [bitter wailing]. [The word] "mispad" is in construct form, therefore it has a patach: a wailing of bitterness. And in the Masorah there are three [places] with a patach, and the mnemonic sign is: "tamraya are adjacent to rimonya." Explanation: "tamraya" — [i.e.] "mispad tamrurim" here is construct with "mispad" of the house of mourning; "rimonya" — as in "like the wailing of Hadad-Rimmon."
"For suddenly." From now, begin to lament, for you shall not know the time of his coming, for suddenly he shall come upon us.
Metzudat David
“And wallow in ashes.” Roll in ashes and observe mourning for yourself as one would for a sole child, with bitter lamentation.
“The robber” – this refers to Babylonia.
Metzudat Zion
“Daughter of my people.” “Congregation of my people”:
Chagari. From the language of a belt and sash:
Sak. A thick cloth:
"And roll yourself." "Roll yourself"; similarly, "And roll yourself in the dust" (Micah 1:10).
Tamrurim. From the word for bitterness:
The robber. The oppressor:
I have made you a tower and a fortress among My people; That you may know and try their way.
verse value 3011
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 32 letters. The shortest word is "a·tester" (בָּח֛וֹן, 4 letters) and the longest is "way" (אֶת־דַּרְכָּֽם, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "a·tester" (בָּח֛וֹן), "and·know" (וְתֵדַ֕ע). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "I·have·made·you" (root נתן, 141x in Jeremiah); "among·my·people" (root עם, 86x in Jeremiah); "and·know" (root ידע, 71x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root בחן ("and·try") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'fortification', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: בָּח֛וֹן [a·tester] (66) + נְתַתִּ֥יךָ [I·have·made·you] (880) + בְעַמִּ֖י [among·my·people] (122) + מִבְצָ֑ר [fortification] (332) + וְתֵדַ֕ע [and·know] (480) + וּבָחַנְתָּ֖ [and·try] (466) + אֶת־דַּרְכָּֽם [way] (665) = 3011.
Rashi
"I have tested you": It is said of Jeremiah, "I have made you strong among them," and you shall know, and you shall test their ways, meaning that you will rebuke them, yet they will not listen. The word "tested" (בחון) is an expression of strength, similar to "citadel and tower" (Isaiah 32:14), "they raised up its towers" (ibid., ch. 23).
Radak
"Bachon." He said to the prophet: Even though you speak harsh words to them and prophesy evils against them, do not fear them, for I have made you a "bachon" and a fortress against them. "Bachon" means a fortress, as in "they set up its towers" [Isaiah 23:13]. And He also said to him at the beginning of his prophecy: "Behold, I have made you this day a fortified city and an iron pillar" [Jeremiah 1:18]. Therefore, do not fear them, and search out their ways. This is what is meant by "and you shall know, and you shall test their ways." And it says "u-vchanta" [and you shall test] — this is a wordplay, an expression echoing an expression, for since He called him "bachon," He said "u-vchanta et darkam" [and you shall test their ways]. And Jonathan translated "bachon" as "bachir" [chosen].
Metzudat David
“Examine.” This is a statement of the Omnipresent to Jeremiah: “Have I not made you, among My people, strengthened like a fortified tower? You shall not be afraid of them, to reprove their ways in their faces.”
"And you shall know." And if so, you have known and tested their ways, for you have increased in admonishing them, yet there is no one who listens.
Metzudat Zion
"Bachon." The meaning is a strong tower, and similarly, "Ofel and Vachan" (Isaiah 32).
"and you shall test": From the language of examination.
Malbim
"Examine" – he will depict that generation in his rhetoric as silver dross, like the language of Ezekiel (chapter 22): "The house of Israel became to Me as dross; they were all copper, tin, iron, and lead, in the midst of the furnace, silver dross." It is as if there were among them several types of wicked people and many sects, each distinct from the other and not participating in the wickedness of the other, but rather each committing wickedness in different ways: this one commits adultery, that one murder, and that one idolatry, and so on. And each of the sects would spread slander about the wickedness of the other, considering himself in his own eyes as pure silver. In truth, however, he too is dross, only of a different kind. And the prophet will be depicted as one who examines this silver dross to remove the dross from it through his reproofs. This is what is stated: "I have made you an assayer, a refiner, among My people, that you may know how to assay their way." Then you will see that they are all rebels, all pretending that they are turning away from the way of rebels and distancing themselves from them. Yet they are gossipers, each informing on the wickedness of the other. But in truth, they are copper and iron, meaning that the two sects are not silver, but rather two kinds of dross, like copper and iron, each a specific type of dross. Nevertheless, both participate in what they all corrupt: just as copper corrupts like iron, so too every sect, even though it distinguishes itself from the wickedness of the other, is nonetheless as evil as the other. And you will know this if you place them in the furnace and crucible, for then you will see that the bellows is scorched from the fire, because the intensity of the fire's burning caused the bellows to become scorched and charred. Moreover, the lead, which is the dross usually found in silver, has already been exhausted. If so, one would expect that clean silver should emerge for the refiner. Nevertheless, in vain did he refine them, for they are not separated out; it is impossible to separate and remove the evil dross, for it is all dross. Therefore, they are called "despised silver," for they are silver dross. And even though each stretches out his hooves to justify himself, it is not for the sake of God, for God has despised them.
They are all grievous revolters, Going about with slanders; They are brass and iron; They all of them deal corruptly.
verse value 3152
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 42 letters. The shortest word is "all·of·them" (כֻּלָּם֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "corrupting" (מַשְׁחִיתִ֖ים, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 90: all·of·them, all·of·them. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "turning·aside" (סָרֵ֣י), "rebellious" (סוֹרְרִ֔ים), "going" (הֹלְכֵ֥י). The root כל appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "all·of·them" (root כל, 167x in Jeremiah); "abundance" (root הם, 132x in Jeremiah); "going" (root הלך, 108x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·iron', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 3 words. Full calculation: כֻּלָּם֙ [all·of·them] (90) + סָרֵ֣י [turning·aside] (270) + סוֹרְרִ֔ים [rebellious] (516) + הֹלְכֵ֥י [going] (65) + רָכִ֖יל [slander] (260) + נְחֹ֣שֶׁת [copper] (758) + וּבַרְזֶ֑ל [and·iron] (245) + כֻּלָּ֥ם [all·of·them] (90) + מַשְׁחִיתִ֖ים [corrupting] (808) + הֵֽמָּה [abundance] (50) = 3152.
Rashi
"They are turned aside, rebellious." They have turned aside from the way.
“Those who go about with slander.” Between the copper and the iron, they sow enmity between two ministers who have the power to contend with one another. Thus I have heard, and I say: “Those who go about with slander” are strong like copper and iron in upholding their lies. And the Targum [renders]: “Slander” is the language of deceit; they walk in deceit, as one who mixes copper with iron. And “deceit” is the language of thought, as it is said: “And they plotted against him to kill him” (Genesis 37:18).
Radak
"They are all wayward, defiant." [The word] "sarei" is written with a samekh, just as [the similarly-sounding word] with a shin, "ha-sarim" [the princes]; they are "princes who are defiant," meaning that their servants are defiant, and the princes are likewise defiant. And the servants are talebearers to their masters, to harm the poor with false words. Now, the princes together with the servants are likened to copper and iron, which perform the work together when they are mixed with one another. And the "copper" in this context refers to the iron that they call in the vernacular "acier" (steel), which is mixed with iron to make tools of craftsmanship, for iron alone does not cut, but only together with this copper. And so my master and father explained: every instance of "copper" in Scripture that speaks in terms of strength [is to be understood this way]. And Jonathan [ben Uzziel] translated: "all their nobles are rebels," etc., as above.
Metzudat David
“Sarei sorerim.” This means the rebellious ones who are most distinguished among all the rebels. A similar usage is found in Song of Songs (1:1), where “Shir” means the song that is distinguished among all songs.
Those who engage in gossip. From words of slander (lashon hara).
“Copper and iron.” This means that they are fit to kill people with weapons made of copper and iron mixed together, which is very strong. And so it is said: “Iron from the north and copper” (below 15).
They are corrupters. They are killing each other.
Metzudat Zion
"Sarei sorerim" – rebels who turn aside. The meaning is twisted and crooked, like "soreh u-moreh" (a stubborn and rebellious son), as in Deuteronomy 21.
"Holchei rachil" (those who go about as talebearers). The meaning is slander (lashon hara), as in "You shall not go about as a talebearer" (Leviticus 19:16).
The bellows blow fiercely, The lead is consumed of the fire; In vain does the founder refine, For the wicked are not separated.
verse value 4694
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 42 letters. The shortest word is "perfected" (תַּ֣ם, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·the·wicked" (וְרָעִ֖ים, 5 letters). 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "burned" (נָחַ֣ר), "bellows" (מַפֻּ֔חַ), "from·fire" (מֵאֵ֖שׁ). The root צרף appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "not" (root לא, 307x in Jeremiah); "and·the·wicked" (root רע, 90x in Jeremiah); "from·fire" (root אש, 31x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root תמם ("perfected") in Jeremiah. First appearance of the root צרף ("smelted") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'lead', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 6 words.
Rashi
“Nechar mifach.” This is a parable: When silver refiners blow with a bellows, they constantly add lead into the furnace, and this serves to refine the silver. But I came to refine you: the bellows has become charred and burnt up from the force of the fire, and all the lead has been exhausted. The word “nechar” is in the sense of “his anger was hot” (Job 32:2) and “my bone was burned with heat” (ibid. 30). In the foreign language, it is expressed as “ischar.”
In vain. For the smith has wrought in vain, for his labor has been of no avail.
"And the wicked were not removed." From their evil way, meaning that the prophets strove to admonish them, but it was of no avail.
natkō. "porzetrakitz" in the vernacular. (Variant reading: [the word] "ra'im" is equivalent to "resha'im" [wicked]; so [reads] another version.)
Radak
"The bellows are scorched." Because He compared them to copper and iron, which the smith makes into vessels by means of fire, He further compared them to the work of the refiner: when he melts silver, he places lead with the silver so that the fire does not consume the silver. And the blower blows with the bellows into the fire to refine the silver. The bellows are an allegory for the prophet; the blower is the prophet, and the bellows are his mouth and throat. He said that the bellows are scorched due to the excessive persistence of the blower in using them. The speech of the prophet is the blowing, and the lead is consumed, yet the bad silver has not been smelted. They are the wicked of Israel to whom the prophet speaks morning and evening, constantly, until his throat is scorched, and yet the wicked have not been refined, and they remain hard/stubborn. The lead is an allegory for the effort and persistence in parables and eloquent speech to bring them back to what is good. And behold, "in vain does the refiner refine"; "tzaruf" [refined] is a noun-adjective in the pattern of [the word] "gadol" [great]. "Nichar" [scorched] is from the nifal construction, meaning burning; similarly, "and her copper burned" [Ezekiel 24:11].
"Me'ishtam." [The ketiv] is written as one word, but is read as two words ["me'esh tam" — "from the fire, it is consumed"].
Metzudat David
“The bellows is scorched from the fire.” This is the way of a silversmith to remove the dross: he places the silver in a furnace together with lead, sets it upon the fire, and blows with a bellows until the silver and the lead melt, the lead burns away, and the silver remains pure, without any dross. Therefore it says: “Behold, the bellows has dried up from the fire, and the lead has also been exhausted and consumed, for all of it has burned up.” Yet he refined the silver in vain, for the evil dross was not removed from the silver; behold, it remains mixed within it as it was before. This is an allegory to say: behold, the prophets toil to admonish the people, but they do not avail, for the people still stand in their rebellion.
Metzudat Zion
Nachar. A matter of dryness, like the word "charah" from "chorev" (Job 30:30):
"Mapuach." The name of the instrument into which one blows to kindle the fire.
Tam. The matter is one of completion and fulfillment.
Lead. A type of metal:
Tzaraf tzaruf. The matter is refining and smelting:
And the dross. They are the impurities that are inferior compared to the silver.
They were severed. The matter of transfer and removal:
Refuse silver shall men call them, Because Hashem has rejected them.
verse value 897
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 26 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֖ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 897 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "silver" (כֶּ֣סֶף, 3 letters) and the longest is "for·He·has·rejected" (כִּֽי־מָאַ֥ס, 5 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "rejected" (נִמְאָ֔ס). The root מאס appears 2 times in this verse. 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "to·them" (root הם, 132x in Jeremiah); "they·called" (root קרא, 66x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root כסף ("silver") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·them', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: כֶּ֣סֶף [silver] (160) + נִמְאָ֔ס [rejected] (151) + קָרְא֖וּ [they·called] (307) + לָהֶ֑ם [to·them] (75) + כִּֽי־מָאַ֥ס [for·He·has·rejected] (131) + יְהֹוָ֖ה [Hashem] (26) + בָּהֶֽם [in·them] (47) = 897.
Rashi
“Silver is loathsome.” That which is not refined through any toil.
Radak
“Despicable silver.” And since they did not mend their ways from their evil, behold, they are like despicable silver. And thus those who knew them and their evil called them so, for the Lord has despised them, since they did not mend their ways from their evil and do not return to what is good.
Metzudat David
"They called them 'disgusting silver.' They called the name of Israel 'disgusting silver,' meaning that it is impossible to separate from them the dross, which are the shameful deeds."
"For the Lord has rejected them, because they have not abandoned their deeds, which are not good."
Rashi
Radak
Metzudat David
Metzudat Zion
Malbim