'Oh that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears'; a lodging-place for wayfaring men in the wilderness; let not the wise glory in his wisdom — but in understanding and knowing Me, that I am Hashem who exercises mercy, justice, and righteousness in the earth.
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
Oh that I were in the wilderness, In a lodging-place of wayfaring men, That I might leave my people, And go from them! For they are all adulterers, An assembly of treacherous men.
verse value 3518
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 61 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֤י, 2 letters) and the longest is "who?·he·gives·me" (מִֽי־יִתְּנֵ֣נִי, 7 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "who?·he·gives·me" (מִֽי־יִתְּנֵ֣נִי), "lodging-place·of" (מְלוֹן֙), "wandering" (אֹֽרְחִ֔ים). 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 318x in Jeremiah); "all·of·them" (root כל, 167x in Jeremiah); "who?·he·gives·me" (root נתן, 141x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root עמי ("my·people") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'from·them', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 5 words. Full calculation: מִֽי־יִתְּנֵ֣נִי [who?·he·gives·me] (570) + בַמִּדְבָּ֗ר [in·the·wilderness] (248) + מְלוֹן֙ [lodging-place·of] (126) + אֹֽרְחִ֔ים [wandering] (259) + וְאֶֽעֶזְבָה֙ [and·let·me·leave] (91) + אֶת־עַמִּ֔י [my·people] (521) + וְאֵלְכָ֖ה [and·let·me·go] (62) + מֵאִתָּ֑ם [from·them] (481) + כִּ֤י [for] (30) + כֻלָּם֙ [all·of·them] (90) + מְנָ֣אֲפִ֔ים [adulterers] (221) + עֲצֶ֖רֶת [assembly] (760) + בֹּגְדִֽים [treachery] (59) = 3518.
Rashi
"Assembly of traitors." The assemblies of traitors:
Radak
“Would that I were a caravanserai in the wilderness.” I would dwell in the wilderness, as a lodging place for travelers who would spend the night there. The prophet expressed his desire to reside in such a caravanserai so that he would no longer see Israel, for he could not bear to witness their evil deeds.
"Assembly of traitors." For they are assembled together to speak treachery and falsehood. And the Targum translates it, "a company of liars." And my father and teacher, of blessed memory, explained the word "traitors" from [the expression] "heir to the throne" [i.e., one who holds rule] — [as in] "this one shall govern my people."
Metzudat David
“Would that I were in the wilderness.” “Would that I were in the wilderness” for my needs, a lodging place for travelers.
“And I will forsake them.” At that time, I would forsake My people, to depart from them to the lodging of the wilderness.
“An assembly.” A group of treacherous people:
Metzudat Zion
Malon. A place to lodge:
"Wayfarers." Those who travel on a journey:
Atzeret. A gathering; and similarly, they called it "atzarah" (Joel 2:15):
Malbim
"Who would give me" — who would give me that I myself should be a lodging place for travelers in the wilderness, so that when I come to the wilderness, I myself would lodge in my own lodging place. And this is an exalted expression, that I would find there my own needs by myself, without the joining of any other person, and I would leave my people to go and seclude myself in the wilderness, for they are all adulterers. Nevertheless, they are "an assembly of traitors" — they restrain themselves before the Lord to serve and to pray, but it is done in betrayal, for their heart is full of iniquity, as it is stated: "I cannot bear iniquity and assembly" (Isaiah 1:13). See there.
And they bend their tongue, their bow of falsehood; And they are grown mighty in the land, but not for truth; For they proceed from evil to evil, And Me they know not, Says Hashem.
verse value 4599
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 69 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּי֩, 2 letters) and the longest is "tongue" (אֶת־לְשׁוֹנָם֙, 7 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·they·bend" (וַֽיַּדְרְכ֤וּ), "tongue" (אֶת־לְשׁוֹנָם֙), "their·bow" (קַשְׁתָּ֣ם). 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "says·Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "for" (root כי, 318x in Jeremiah); "and·not" (root לא, 307x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root גבר ("prevailed") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·the·land', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 7 words.
Rashi
And they shall tread. This term is used in the context of preparing the bow to shoot an arrow, and the bow was called “arbalesta” in the foreign tongue, and it is trodden with the feet; therefore, it is referred to as “treading.” And the prophet compared their tongue to a deceitful bow, saying that they tread their tongue like a bow in falsehood.
"From evil to evil." From transgression to transgression.
Radak
"And they bent [their bow]." It is from the hifil conjugation, and its expected form would be "they would draw" (ידריכו), similar to the case "and they too joined" (וידבקו גם המה).
"Their tongue" – it is a drawn bow, and "their arrows" – a word of falsehood and a bitter word.
And they did not prevail in the land for the sake of faith. That they overpower and strengthen themselves against the weak is not for the sake of faith, so that they would judge a true judgment and restrain the oppressors.
"For they go out from evil to evil." This can be interpreted in reference to their deeds: they proceed from one evil deed to another evil deed. That is to say, all their days they are occupied with evil deeds, now with this and now with that, and despite all this, they did not devote even a single moment of their hearts to know the Lord. Alternatively, it can be interpreted in reference to the punishment: from the harm of one enemy they go forth to the harm of another enemy, or they are struck this year by blight and the next year by mildew, or by locusts. And despite all this, they did not set their hearts to repent from their evil deeds and to know the Lord.
Metzudat David
“And they bent [their tongue like a bow].” They readied their tongues, which serve them as a bow to kill people from a distance, just as one kills with a bow; they readied them to speak falsehood. And since he compared them to a bow, he used the term “treading” (hadrachah), which is the term applied to a bow.
"And not for faithfulness did they prevail in the land." This means that although some of them were stronger than others, their intent was not to strengthen their hand to do what is right.
“For [they proceed] from evil...” For they go from one transgression to another transgression, and they do not pay attention to know Me and to practice faith.
Metzudat Zion
"And they bent [their bow]." The way is to tread with the foot on the bow, to draw it well, in order to shoot far:
Malbim
"And they bent [their tongue]": This means that they begat alien children in the two types of progeny that are unique to man: 1. The progeny that he begets by virtue of being a living creature, which is the begetting of children to perpetuate his species; in this regard, they were all adulterers and begat alien children. 2. The progeny that he begets by virtue of being a speaking being, which are his utterances, his judgments, and his inferences, these being the progeny of the speaking soul; in this regard as well, they begat false [lying] children (meaning that they defiled the covenant of the tongue and the covenant of the flesh). "And they bent their tongue": He contemplates two matters regarding the sin of the tongue: 1. That which pertains between man and God, and 2. That which pertains between man and his fellow. Concerning that which pertains between man and God, it says: "They bent their tongue; their bow is falsehood." The tongue will always fashion rational discourse, and it will liken the tongue to a bow, for just as with a bow one defeats enemies at the gate, so too they arrange arguments and disputes with their tongue and defeat the enemies of truth in opinions and beliefs, and the proofs and demonstrations with which they argue are the arrows of this bow, with which they shoot into their hearts to abolish their opinions. But they "bent their tongue; their bow is falsehood," meaning that they established false proofs and deceitful evidence, and not for the sake of faith. This means that sometimes they would win with fabricated proofs in order to establish faith, as did the Mutakallimun [the dialectical theologians] whom the Guide [of the Perplexed] mentions, who established fabricated proofs to establish beliefs inherited from their fathers. But they prevailed in the land with these arrows of falsehood not to establish true faith, for they went from bad to worse. They are like one who establishes proofs against the belief of the Persians, who believed in duality, in order to establish the belief of the Hindus, who believed in four deities; even though they emerged from one evil, which is the belief in duality, they fell into another, for either way they did not know Me, and they do not recognize the belief in [God's] unity and truth.
Take you heed every one of his neighbour, And trust you not in any brother; For every brother acts subtly, And every neighbour goes about with slanders.
verse value 2904
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 54 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֤י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·on·every·brother" (וְעַל־כׇּל־אָ֖ח, 7 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "from·his·neighbor" (מֵרֵעֵ֙הוּ֙), "and·on·every·brother" (וְעַל־כׇּל־אָ֖ח), "all·brother" (כׇל־אָח֙). The root כל appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 318x in Jeremiah); "not·trust" (root איל, 293x in Jeremiah); "all·brother" (root כל, 167x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root עקב ("utterly") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'not·trust', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 7 words. Full calculation: אִ֤ישׁ [man] (311) + מֵרֵעֵ֙הוּ֙ [from·his·neighbor] (321) + הִשָּׁמֵ֔רוּ [be·kept] (551) + וְעַל־כׇּל־אָ֖ח [and·on·every·brother] (165) + אַל־תִּבְטָ֑חוּ [not·trust] (456) + כִּ֤י [for] (30) + כׇל־אָח֙ [all·brother] (59) + עָק֣וֹב [utterly] (178) + יַעְקֹ֔ב [Jacob] (182) + וְכׇל־רֵ֖עַ [and·every·neighbor] (326) + רָכִ֥יל [slander] (260) + יַהֲלֹֽךְ [will·go] (65) = 2904.
Rashi
"Every brother surely deceives" (עָקוֹב יַעְקֹב). [This means:] he surely lies in ambush (אָרוֹב יֶאֱרֹב).
Radak
"A man from his fellow," "every brother utterly supplants" (עָקוֹב יַעֲקֹב). The sense is of deceit and cunning, as in "he has supplanted me these two times" (Genesis 27:36). [In this word] יַעְקֹב, the ayin has a plain shewa alone, whereas every other instance of יַעֲקֹב as a person's name, the ayin has a shewa and patach [i.e., a chataf-patach].
Metzudat David
“Be on your guard.” Be wary of one another, lest he reveal the secrets of his heart.
“And concerning every brother.” [Meaning] concerning any brother whatsoever:
“‘Akov ya’akov’ [utterly supplants].” He acts crookedly and perverts his way against his brother.
"Gossip shall go forth." It refers to one who speaks gossip about his fellow.
Metzudat Zion
"עקוב יעקב" [every brother is crooked/deceitful]. The meaning is crookedness and distortion, as in "and the crooked shall become straight" (Isaiah 40:4):
Malbim
"A man" (in matters between a person and his fellow) – betrayal among them is so great that I command every man to guard himself against his friend, lest he reveal his secret to him. And do not trust even a brother, nor any brother, even a brother from the same father and mother. The reason for not trusting a brother is that every brother will utterly deceive [a play on the name Jacob — עָקוֹב יַעְקֹב, "utterly supplants"] and beguile. And guard yourself from the friend, for the friend goes about as a talebearer and reveals secrets. (And the meaning is: although one need not guard against a brother lest he actively do him harm, nevertheless one should not rely on him to obtain good from him; and regarding a friend, not only should one not rely on him, but one must also guard against his evil.)
And they deceive every one his neighbour, And truth they speak not; They have taught their tongue to speak lies, They weary themselves to commit iniquity.
verse value 3236
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 48 letters. Notable word values: "to·commit·iniquity" (הַעֲוֵ֥ה) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·speak·falsehood" (דַּבֶּר־שֶׁ֖קֶר, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "they·deceive" (יְהָתֵ֔לּוּ), "to·speak·falsehood" (דַּבֶּר־שֶׁ֖קֶר), "to·commit·iniquity" (הַעֲוֵ֥ה). The root דבר appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "not" (root לא, 307x in Jeremiah); "they·speak" (root דבר, 270x in Jeremiah); "and·man" (root איש, 153x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'they·speak', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 5 words. Full calculation: וְאִ֤ישׁ [and·man] (317) + בְּרֵעֵ֙הוּ֙ [his·fellow] (283) + יְהָתֵ֔לּוּ [they·deceive] (451) + וֶאֱמֶ֖ת [and·truth] (447) + לֹ֣א [not] (31) + יְדַבֵּ֑רוּ [they·speak] (222) + לִמְּד֧וּ [they·have·taught] (80) + לְשׁוֹנָ֛ם [their·tongue] (426) + דַּבֶּר־שֶׁ֖קֶר [to·speak·falsehood] (806) + הַעֲוֵ֥ה [to·commit·iniquity] (86) + נִלְאֽוּ [they·are·weary] (87) = 3236.
Rashi
"They wearied themselves committing iniquity" (הַעֲוֵה נִלְאוּ). They toiled and labored to pervert their way:
"He'aveh" (to act crookedly). Like "harden his heart" (Exodus 8:11), meaning to make crooked:
Radak
"And a man" ... "they mock/deceive." The dagesh in the lamed is for the beauty of the reading, due to the pause.
"They have trained their tongue." They accustomed [it], like "a wild ass accustomed to the wilderness" [Jeremiah 2:24].
"They weary themselves committing iniquity." [Meaning] to act perversely and to commit a deed of wrongdoing; and it follows the pattern of [the forms] תְּאֻנִים / הַלְאֹת.
Metzudat David
“And a man.” Every man who mocks and derides his fellow.
They taught: They accustomed their tongues to speak falsehood, for they were constantly engaged in this.
"They have wearied themselves acting perversely." This is as if they have labored to twist their ways, for they have committed much crookedness; and this is a matter of rhetorical exaggeration.
Metzudat Zion
"Yehatlu." The meaning is to mock, as in "behold, you have mocked me" (Judges 16:10):
They trained. The meaning is habituation, as in "a wild donkey accustomed to the wilderness" (above, ch. 2):
"[They] acted perversely" [העוה]. From the language of 'perversion' and 'crookedness.'
"They are weary." The meaning is exhaustion, as in "I am weary of holding it in" (below, ch. 20):
Malbim
"And a man" means that even though each man will guard himself from his fellow, nevertheless, each man will delude his fellow, in order to spread against him gossip and slander that he never heard from him at all. For as long as their custom is not to lie, one cannot spread slander unless he heard something from him, in which case he will distort and twist his words, adding or subtracting something, to recount it in a manner that causes harm to his fellow. And when he guards himself from him, he will not be able to spread gossip against him, since there is no truth in his speech. But they will delude in order to spread slander, even though they never spoke with him at all, for they will not speak truth at all. For they have trained their tongues to speak complete falsehoods, containing not even a little truth, for they have grown weary of distorting and twisting words, which is a great effort for them; rather, they fabricate complete lies from their hearts.
Your habitation is in the midst of deceit; Through deceit they refuse to know Me, Says Hashem.
verse value 2827
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 35 letters. The shortest word is "Your·dwelling" (שִׁבְתְּךָ֖, 4 letters) and the longest is "knowing·Me" (דַעַת־אוֹתִ֖י, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "Your·dwelling" (שִׁבְתְּךָ֖), "in·deceit" (בְּמִרְמָ֛ה), "knowing·Me" (דַעַת־אוֹתִ֖י). The root מרמה appears 2 times in this verse. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "says·Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "Your·dwelling" (root ישב, 147x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root תוך ("in·midst·of") in Jeremiah. First appearance of the root דעת ("knowing·Me") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'deceit', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: שִׁבְתְּךָ֖ [Your·dwelling] (722) + בְּת֣וֹךְ [in·midst·of] (428) + מִרְמָ֑ה [deceit] (285) + בְּמִרְמָ֛ה [in·deceit] (287) + מֵאֲנ֥וּ [they·refuse] (97) + דַעַת־אוֹתִ֖י [knowing·Me] (891) + נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה [says·Hashem] (117) = 2827.
Rashi
"Your dwelling is in the midst of deceit." When they are sitting, they devise deceitful thoughts, and with deceit they have exchanged My fear, and they have refused to know Me.
In the matter of deceiving. On account of the deception:
Radak
"Your dwelling." God, blessed be He, said: What good will your dwelling amidst deceit do — that is, in the midst of a deceitful people — since you will not be able to bring them back to You?
Regarding the phrase "in deceit": They grew so much in deceit that they refused to know Me; they will not be able to abandon their evil ways. And Targum [Yonatan] renders: "They dwell in their house of assembly," etc., as [printed] in the column.
Metzudat David
"Your dwelling is in the midst of deceit." This means that deceit surrounds you on all sides, as if it were impossible for you to separate from it. And because of their engagement in deceit, they refuse to know Me, for deceit is more agreeable to them than knowing the Lord.
Malbim
“Your dwelling is within deceit,” this is the measure of the verse: “You are deceit; your dwelling is within.” It depicts deceit as an abstract entity, which has its dwelling place within the hearts of these people. The meaning is that the abode of deceit is always in the deceitful mouth and tongue, not in the heart, for a person does not deceive himself, only his fellow, for in his heart he knows the truth. But now, you, O Deceit, dwell within the heart, not in the speech and tongue (for in speech and tongue they do not deceive at all, for therein they speak open falsehoods), but in the heart they deceive, for they deceive themselves. And it explains: “In cunning, they refuse to know Me,” meaning they present themselves as knowledgeable regarding the ways of the Lord and His truth. Although they are capable of attaining knowledge of the truth, they do not wish to know the Lord. And this is deceit hidden within a man, and a deep heart for deceiving oneself in matters of faith.
Therefore thus says Hashem of hosts: Behold, I will smelt them, and try them; For how else should I do, Because of the daughter of My people?
verse value 3077
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 51 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 "and·I·will·examine·them" (וּבְחַנְתִּ֑ים, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "I·will·smelt·them" (צוֹרְפָ֖ם), "and·I·will·examine·them" (וּבְחַנְתִּ֑ים), "for·how?" (כִּי־אֵ֣יךְ). 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "said" (root אמר, 476x in Jeremiah); "I·will·do" (root עשה, 147x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·I·will·examine·them', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 4 words. Full calculation: לָכֵ֗ן [therefore] (100) + כֹּ֤ה [thus] (25) + אָמַר֙ [said] (241) + יְהֹוָ֣ה [Hashem] (26) + צְבָא֔וֹת [hosts] (499) + הִנְנִ֥י [they] (115) + צוֹרְפָ֖ם [I·will·smelt·them] (416) + וּבְחַנְתִּ֑ים [and·I·will·examine·them] (516) + כִּי־אֵ֣יךְ [for·how?] (61) + אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֔ה [I·will·do] (376) + מִפְּנֵ֖י [from·face·of] (180) + בַּת־עַמִּֽי [daughter·of·my·people] (522) = 3077.
Rashi
Behold, I will refine them. In suffering:
"Because of the daughter of my people." [Targum Yonatan:] From before the sins of the congregation of Israel.
Radak
Therefore, I am refining them. Through the hardships that I will bring upon them, I will see whether dross remains, or whether they will return as refined silver on account of the hardships.
For how can I act on account of the daughter of my people? For how can I act so as not to refine them, because she is the daughter of my people? I cannot refrain from refining them, for how can I leave them in their evil ways, and they are called my people? And Targum Yonatan: "How can I act because of the guilt of the congregation of my people?"
Metzudat David
“Refine them and test them.” Just as silver is refined in a furnace to remove the dross and to test whether the silver is good or bad, so too I will bring calamity upon them to purify and remove from them the dross of sin.
"For how shall I do..." — This means: If I leave them to remain sunk in sin, are they not the congregation of My people, and are they not worthy to be a holy nation? And if I were to bring utter destruction upon them, are they not the congregation of My people, and do I not have compassion upon them? Therefore, I will refine them through afflictions, to purge the sin from them, so that they may remain cleansed from sin.
Metzudat Zion
"Tzorfam" [I will refine them]. The meaning is refined/purified [as in refining metal]:
"And I shall assay them." The word is from the root 'examination' (bechinah):
Malbim
Therefore, behold, I will refine them and test them. After I refine them with fire to remove the dross, I will test them again to see if they have been properly refined. For how can I act on behalf of My people? Because I do not know how to act so that they will be pure from all dross, for even after the refining, meaning after the fire and the afflictions, they are still full of dross and impurity. Therefore, it is necessary to return and test them and refine them again and again.
Their tongue is a sharpened arrow, It speaks deceit; One speaks peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, But in his heart he lays wait for him.
verse value 3918
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 54 letters. The shortest word is "arrow" (חֵ֥ץ, 2 letters) and the longest is "with·his·neighbor" (אֶת־רֵעֵ֙הוּ֙, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 98: arrow, in·his·mouth. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "arrow" (חֵ֥ץ), "sharpened" (שָׁח֛וּט), "in·his·mouth" (בְּפִ֗יו). The root שחט appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "spoken" (root דבר, 270x in Jeremiah); "belonging·to" (root שלום, 26x in Jeremiah); "will·put" (root שום, 23x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root חץ ("arrow") in Jeremiah. First appearance of the root שחט ("sharpened") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'spoken', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 7 words.
Rashi
"Their tongue is a sharpened arrow." [Sharpened, שחוט, means] drawn out, like "beaten gold" (1 Kings 10:16), and likewise "and the revolters have made a deep slaughter" (Hosea 5:2) — 'trait' in the vernacular [Old French]. Another interpretation: [it means] literally the term for slaughter — 'trenchant' in the vernacular. So too did Menachem classify it. And so too the Targum: "like an arrow that is sharpened" (כְּגִיר דְּמָחֲרִיף).
"And in his midst." Targum Yonatan: "and in his bowels" (וּבְמָעוֹהִי).
Radak
"An arrow that slaughters." Thus it is written, and we read it as "slaughtered." The fact that it is written [in the active form] implies that just as one who slaughters is killing, so too do people kill with their evil tongue, namely, those who engage in gossip. And the reading "slaughtered" implies that it is drawn out, like the term "apil" in the vernacular, meaning that it is drawn along the whetstone to sharpen it. And Jonathan [ben Uzziel] translated it as "like a sharp arrow," akin to a sharp knife, in accordance with the words of our Sages of blessed memory, who explained that "sharpened" and "thin" refer to the cut. And what is explained in it as well, namely, the language of drawing, is also from the words of our Sages of blessed memory, who said: If one severed the head in one stroke, it is invalid. And they said: Whence do we know these matters? The verse states: "An arrow, drawn, is their tongue." And the Tanna of the school of Rabbi Ishmael said: "And he slaughtered" does not mean "and he slaughtered," but rather "and he drew." And so it says: "Gold that is drawn out," and it says: "An arrow, drawn, is their tongue — deceit they speak." And my master and father of blessed memory explained that "slaughtered" is an adjective, like "slaughtering." And similarly, in its measure, it is like: "A man oppressed in the blood of a soul," like "oppressing."
"Deceit he speaks." Each of them speaks deceit to his fellow, and it explains what the deceit is: in his mouth, "peace" to his friend.
Metzudat David
"Their tongue is a sharpened arrow." Their tongue is likened to an arrow drawn on the bowstring, for through evil speech (lashon hara) they kill from afar, like the arrows of the bow.
"He speaks deceit." Each one speaks deceitfully, for with his mouth he speaks peace to his neighbor, but in the depths of his heart he sets an ambush against him.
Metzudat Zion
"Shachut" — [related to] 'drawn out,' as in "beaten gold" (1 Kings 10). "Arbo" — from the language of 'ambush' [מארב]:
Malbim
“A deceitful tongue is like a sharpened arrow.” This means that the tongue ordinarily speaks according to its own will and choice, having the power either to speak or to remain silent. On this basis, one might liken the tongue to a bow that shoots arrows, which are the words of speech; and the words are like arrows. However, it has already become their habitual practice to speak deceitfully at all times, to the extent that the tongue is no longer under their control, but is rather like an arrow in the hand of deceit. It is deceit itself that speaks and it is deceit that moves their tongue, until deceit serves for them as a bow shooting arrows. The tongue is likened to a sharpened, drawn arrow, such that it is no longer possible to restrain it. The verse explains, “deceit speaks,” depicting deceit as an abstract entity and attributing speech to it: deceit is the very essence that speaks, and it has already spoken, sharpened, and drawn the arrow, which is their tongue, so that they no longer have the power to restrain their tongue. This means that deceitful speech has already become for them a second nature, to the extent that they are incapable of training themselves to speak the truth. For even though with his mouth he may speak peace to his neighbor, within his heart he sets an ambush; within the speech itself lurks an ambush, sitting in a chamber to lie in wait for his neighbor and to harm him.
Shall I not punish them for these things? Says Hashem; Shall not My soul be avenged On such a nation as this?
verse value 2572
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 44 letters. The shortest word is "if" (אִ֚ם, 2 letters) and the longest is "shall·I·not·punish·them" (לֹא־אֶפְקׇד־בָּ֖ם, 8 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "shall·I·not·punish·them" (לֹא־אֶפְקׇד־בָּ֖ם). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "says·Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "that·as·this" (root אשר, 459x in Jeremiah); "not" (root לא, 307x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'says·Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 6 words. Full calculation: הַעַל־אֵ֥לֶּה [is·it·for·these] (141) + לֹא־אֶפְקׇד־בָּ֖ם [shall·I·not·punish·them] (258) + נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֑ה [says·Hashem] (117) + אִ֚ם [if] (41) + בְּג֣וֹי [on·a·nation] (21) + אֲשֶׁר־כָּזֶ֔ה [that·as·this] (533) + לֹ֥א [not] (31) + תִתְנַקֵּ֖ם [be·avenged] (990) + נַפְשִֽׁי [my·soul] (440) = 2572.
Radak
"Concerning these things." It is clear:
"I will not visit upon them." And in the first two [occurrences of this phrase], "upon them" is not written, yet the matter is the same.
Metzudat David
"Concerning these things." And is it possible that I would not pay heed to such deeds and take vengeance upon them?
"If it is with a nation." And how can it be with a nation such as this, etc.
Metzudat Zion
I will remember. The matter of providence, as it is said, "please take note and see" (1 Samuel 14):
Malbim
“Concerning these,” and if so, it is fitting that I should visit [punishment] both on account of the deeds themselves, which is what is meant by “Shall I not punish concerning these?” and on account of vengeance for the evil disposition of the soul of the one who does such things and the evil of his nature, which is what is meant by “If with a nation such as this,” as stated above.
For the mountains will I take up a weeping and wailing, And for the pastures of the wilderness a lamentation, Because they are burned up, so that none passes through. And they hear not the voice of the cattle; Both the fowl of the heavens and the beast Are fled, and gone.
verse value 4612
Insights
Verse structure: 20 words, 86 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֤י, 2 letters) and the longest is "upon·the·mountains" (עַל־הֶ֨הָרִ֜ים, 7 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "upon·the·mountains" (עַל־הֶ֨הָרִ֜ים), "I·will·lift" (אֶשָּׂ֧א), "and·wailing" (וָנֶ֗הִי). 20 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 318x in Jeremiah); "and·not" (root לא, 307x in Jeremiah); "upon·the·mountains" (root על, 276x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root מקנה ("cattle") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'cattle', dividing the verse into phrases of 15 and 5 words.
Rashi
“Upon the mountains.” Regarding the destruction of the mountains:
"And concerning the pastures of the wilderness." [This refers to] a pasture of shepherds that is in the wilderness/deserts; נאות is an expression of נוה (dwelling/pasture), and so too "the pastures of God" (Psalms 83:13), and so too "to Your house, holiness [a dwelling] befits" (ibid, ch. 93).
"Nitzto." The language of dryness/aridity; so too, "nitztah."
"They fled, they went." Their end was to depart [into exile] — for fifty-two years no one passed through Judah, from the exile of Zedekiah until the decree of Cyrus, king of Persia; these were fifty-two years. And there is a hint to this in the phrase "and even the cattle" (וְעַד־בְּהֵמָה) [in this very verse] — for the word "behemah" (בהמה) has the numerical value (gematria) of fifty-two, and the calculation is confirmed in tractate Megillah.
Radak
"Upon the mountains," [they are] the pastures of the wilderness. The mountains are a place of grazing for sheep and goats in abundance; or perhaps it mentions "mountains" to indicate that his voice is heard from afar. And likewise, "pastures of the wilderness" means the tents of the wilderness, for "pastures of the wilderness" denotes tents and dwellings, as in "the pastures of peace have become desolate." And likewise, [the same root] with a vav, as in: "an abode cast off and forsaken," [and] "cottages for shepherds." And it says "of the wilderness" because there are deserts that contain grazing places, as in "he led the flock behind the wilderness," and Onkelos translated it as "after the good pasture of the wilderness." And likewise, "on the face of the way of the wilderness." And the prophet said that upon seeing the desolation of the land, he will raise weeping and wailing, a lament, in the places of grazing, because they have become overgrown with no one passing through. It is needless to say that there are no tents pitched for the shepherds; rather, even a person does not pass there to graze his livestock, and the voice of livestock is not heard, for they have all wandered off, gone into exile. And when it says "from the birds of the heavens," it is an expression of exaggeration to emphasize the matter. Or perhaps it is said literally regarding the desolation of the land, for most birds do not dwell in the wilderness, but only in places where they find seed, fruits, and the blossoms of trees.
"Natzto." The meaning is destruction, and similarly, "Natzto" as in "like a desert," and its root is "yatzat." And in the words of our Sages of blessed memory, Rabbi Yehuda says: For fifty-two years no one passed through Judah, as it is stated, "Upon the mountains, etc., from the birds of the heavens to the beasts, they have fled, are gone." The word "behemah" (beasts) in gematria equals fifty-two. Rabbi Yosi says: For seven years sulfur was established upon it, as it is stated, "Sulfur and salt shall be the burning of all its land."
Metzudat David
"Upon the mountains." [This refers] to the destruction of the mountains, which did not grow [crops] — over which I raise a voice of weeping and wailing.
"And the pastures of the wilderness." Concerning the destruction of the tents of the shepherds which were in the wilderness, I take up a lament, for they became a desolation, and no man passes through there, nor is the voice of livestock heard, for the enemy plundered them for himself.
They wandered and went. They wandered from their place and went away, because most birds dwell in the vicinity of human settlements, for there they find fruits, tree blossoms, and seeds for their food. And when the land becomes desolate, they go away, and the enemy will take the livestock.
Metzudat Zion
And "nehi": the meaning is wailing, as in "those who know wailing" (Amos 5):
"Ne'ot." The meaning is dwelling, as in "in the pastures of grass" (Psalms 23):
“Wilderness.” At times, the grazing area is adjacent to the wilderness, and so too, that flock is in the wilderness (1 Samuel 6:7).
“Nitztu.” The word is used in the sense of “dryness and desolation.”
Malbim
“On the mountains”: This means that regarding the calamity that befell them, I will not weep, for rather, my soul will find vengeance in them, and they will receive recompense according to their deeds. Only for the mountains, which did not sin, will I raise lamentation and mourning. The statement corresponds to “On the mountains I will raise lamentation,” for they have become desolate without any passerby. It is customary for people to traverse the mountains to stroll there. And “on the pastures of the wilderness [I will raise] a dirge,” for the sound of livestock is no longer heard there. For in the pastures of the wilderness, flocks are always pastured. But now, “from the birds of the heavens and so on,” they have fled and departed.
And I will make Jerusalem heaps, A lair of jackals; And I will make the cities of Judah a desolation, Without an inhabitant.
verse value 4585
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 52 letters. The shortest word is "I·will·give" (אֶתֵּ֥ן, 3 letters) and the longest is "Jerusalem" (אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלִַ֛ם, 8 letters). The root נתן appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "dwelling" (root ישב, 147x in Jeremiah); "and·I·will·give" (root נתן, 141x in Jeremiah); "Judah" (root יהודה, 134x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root מעון ("dwelling·of") in Jeremiah. First appearance of the root תנין ("jackals") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'jackals', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 6 words. Full calculation: וְנָתַתִּ֧י [and·I·will·give] (866) + אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלִַ֛ם [Jerusalem] (987) + לְגַלִּ֖ים [to·heaps] (113) + מְע֣וֹן [dwelling·of] (166) + תַּנִּ֑ים [jackals] (500) + וְאֶת־עָרֵ֧י [and·the·cities·of] (687) + יְהוּדָ֛ה [Judah] (30) + אֶתֵּ֥ן [I·will·give] (451) + שְׁמָמָ֖ה [devastation] (385) + מִבְּלִ֥י [from·without·of] (82) + יוֹשֵֽׁב [dwelling] (318) = 4585.
Rashi
"Into heaps." [Meaning] heaps of ruins.
Radak
"And I will lay them to heaps of stones." Heaps of stones from the houses and walls that were destroyed.
"Dwelling of jackals." It is the dwelling place of the jackals and their residence. And Targum Yonatan translates: "wretched jackals."
Metzudat David
“Into heaps.” For when the houses are demolished, they become heaps of stones, and these heaps serve as dwellings for jackals, since it is their custom to dwell among heaps of stones.
“Without a dweller.” For they will all go into exile.
Metzudat Zion
Regarding "the mounds": The meaning is "heap" (tel), and an example is "this heap is a witness" (Genesis 31:52):
"Ma'on." A dwelling place, as it is written: "To His holy habitation" (2 Chronicles 30).
Tanim. A species of snake:
Malbim
And I will give: This means only regarding the mountains and the pastures of the wilderness will I raise a lament, not regarding Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, which I Myself will make desolate, as it is stated, "If I do not avenge Myself on a nation such as this."
Who is the wise man, that he may understand this? And who is he to whom the mouth of Hashem has spoken, that he may declare it? Wherefore is the land perished And laid waste like a wilderness, so that none passes through?
verse value 3838
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 69 letters. The shortest word is "has·spoken" (דִּבֶּ֧ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "who?·man" (מִֽי־הָאִ֤ישׁ, 6 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "who?·man" (מִֽי־הָאִ֤ישׁ), "wise" (הֶחָכָם֙), "and·he·may·understand" (וְיָבֵ֣ן). 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "the·mouth·of·Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "and·that" (root אשר, 459x in Jeremiah); "has·spoken" (root דבר, 270x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·he·may·declare·it', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 7 words.
Rashi
"Who is the wise man that he may understand this, and who is the prophet" to whom the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
"And he shall declare it." And who shall declare for what [reason] the land was lost and all this calamity came?
Radak
“Who is the wise man, that he may understand this?”—he will understand from his own knowledge, and the prophet will declare the answer and the question as they were spoken to him from the mouth of the Lord.
Metzudat David
“And he shall understand this.” The statement below: “For what reason was it lost?” etc.
"And he to whom [the Lord's mouth] spoke." This means: Who is the man to whom the Lord spoke? He is the prophet.
"And he shall tell it." He shall tell from his own knowledge for what reason the land was lost and became a desolation, like a wilderness with none passing through there. This means: what is the fundamental matter in the matter of the destruction? It is as if saying: there is no one among them who can tell this.
Metzudat Zion
"Nitzata." From the language of "dry land" (ẓiyyah) and desolation:
Malbim
“Who is the wise man, who knows the laws of wisdom and can understand this with his understanding? Or who is he to whom the mouth of the Lord has spoken in prophecy, and he can declare it?” For the prophet is an envoy to declare the words of the Lord to the people. The question is: “Why has the land perished?” This inquiry concerns the destruction and desolation of the land, to the point that it seems as though it has been completely depopulated. For even though the Lord punished Israel for their sins, it was not fitting that the land should be utterly lost, to the extent that it would be entirely unfit for habitation. Such a state indicates that His wrath against them is eternal wrath, and that they have no further hope of returning to their land when they improve their deeds. As it is written: “And they shall see the plagues of the land... sulfur and salt, a burning of the whole of its land... And they shall say, ‘Why has the Lord done thus to this land?’” And this is what it says: “Why is it laid waste like a desert, so that it is entirely unfit for habitation?”
And the Lord said, and the answer to this comes from the Lord: the cause of this is that “they have forsaken My Torah.” This means that in the observance of the Torah there are three levels, one lower than the other:
1. One who cleaves to the Torah of the Lord with love and wondrous desire. Against this, it is said that “they have forsaken My Torah, which I set before them,” meaning that it should have been before them as a source of delight and the love of the soul.
2. Lower than this is one who observes the commandments because the Lord commanded them, and he fears the dread of His punishment, out of reverence for the commandment. Against this, it is said, “they did not heed My voice,” meaning they did not listen to the voice of the Master’s decree as one listens to the command of a lord.
3. Lower than this is one who performs [the commandments] at least out of custom and habit, “the teachings of men.” Against this, it is said, “and they did not walk in it,” referring to the aspect of walking and habit.
And against all these matters, they chose other gods. Against the love and desire for the matter, it is said, “and they followed the stubbornness of their evil heart,” meaning they served idolatry out of the stubbornness of their heart and the desire of the heart. And against the custom and habit, it is said, “and they followed the idols which their fathers taught them.” According to this, both their intellect and their habits turned them away from the Torah of the Lord toward foreign worship, and there is no longer any remedy for them.
And Hashem says: Because they have forsaken My law which I set before them, And have not hearkened to My voice, neither walked therein;
verse value 4201
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 56 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֔ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "in·her" (בָֽהּ, 2 letters) and the longest is "law" (אֶת־תּ֣וֹרָתִ֔י, 7 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "because·of·their·forsaking" (עַל־עׇזְבָם֙). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "and·said" (root אמר, 476x in Jeremiah); "that" (root אשר, 459x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'before·them', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 4 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּ֣אמֶר [and·said] (257) + יְהֹוָ֔ה [Hashem] (26) + עַל־עׇזְבָם֙ [because·of·their·forsaking] (219) + אֶת־תּ֣וֹרָתִ֔י [law] (1417) + אֲשֶׁ֥ר [that] (501) + נָתַ֖תִּי [I·gave] (860) + לִפְנֵיהֶ֑ם [before·them] (215) + וְלֹא־שָׁמְע֥וּ [and·they·did·not·listen] (453) + בְקוֹלִ֖י [in·my·voice] (148) + וְלֹא־הָ֥לְכוּ [and·not·walked] (98) + בָֽהּ [in·her] (7) = 4201.
Radak
And He said, "Before them." It is not in heaven, nor is it beyond the sea.
Metzudat David
"And the Lord said": The Omnipresent Himself stated that the primary issue is that they abandoned My Torah, etc. This means that they did not study the Torah, and therefore they did not heed My voice in all matters, nor did they walk in the way of the Torah to fulfill its commandments. Had they engaged in the Torah, the light within it would have restored them to goodness. But because they did not engage with it, they came to commit all these transgressions, and the land perished because of their sin.
But have walked after the stubbornness of their own heart, And after the Baalim, which their fathers taught them.
verse value 2921
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 41 letters. The shortest word is "their·heart" (לִבָּ֑ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·Baalim" (הַבְּעָלִ֔ים, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 72: and·they·walked, their·heart. 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "taught·them" (לִמְּד֖וּם). The root אחר appears 2 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that" (root אשר, 459x in Jeremiah); "and·they·walked" (root הלך, 108x in Jeremiah); "after" (root אחר, 78x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'their·heart', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 5 words. Full calculation: וַיֵּ֣לְכ֔וּ [and·they·walked] (72) + אַחֲרֵ֖י [after] (219) + שְׁרִר֣וּת [stubbornness] (1106) + לִבָּ֑ם [their·heart] (72) + וְאַֽחֲרֵי֙ [and·after] (225) + הַבְּעָלִ֔ים [the·Baalim] (157) + אֲשֶׁ֥ר [that] (501) + לִמְּד֖וּם [taught·them] (120) + אֲבוֹתָֽם [their·fathers] (449) = 2921.
Radak
"And they went" – stubbornly. We have already explained it above.
"Their forefathers taught them." Their forefathers accustomed them to these [idols]; they saw their fathers serving them, and they too served them after them. And "forefathers" refers to the wicked generations that passed.
Metzudat David
"the stubbornness of their heart" – namely, what their heart saw and desired.
“Which their fathers taught them.” “Which their fathers accustomed them to.”
Metzudat Zion
"Sherirut" [stubbornness]: the sense is "seeing," as in "which men have beheld" (Job 36:24):
He taught them. The sense is "accustomed" (habituated), as in "a wild donkey accustomed to the wilderness" (above, ch. 2 [Jeremiah 2:24]):
Therefore thus says Hashem of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will feed them, even this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink.
verse value 3844
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 61 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֤ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 3844 = 62². The shortest word is "therefore" (לָכֵ֗ן, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·I·will·give·them·to·drink" (וְהִשְׁקִיתִ֖ים, 8 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "I·will·feed·them" (מַאֲכִילָ֛ם), "and·I·will·give·them·to·drink" (וְהִשְׁקִיתִ֖ים). 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "thus·says" (root אמר, 476x in Jeremiah); "the·God·of" (root אלהים, 140x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'wormwood', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 2 words. Full calculation: לָכֵ֗ן [therefore] (100) + כֹּה־אָמַ֞ר [thus·says] (266) + יְהֹוָ֤ה [Hashem] (26) + צְבָאוֹת֙ [hosts] (499) + אֱלֹהֵ֣י [the·God·of] (46) + יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל [Israel] (541) + הִנְנִ֧י [they] (115) + מַאֲכִילָ֛ם [I·will·feed·them] (141) + אֶת־הָעָ֥ם [the·people] (516) + הַזֶּ֖ה [this] (17) + לַעֲנָ֑ה [wormwood] (155) + וְהִשְׁקִיתִ֖ים [and·I·will·give·them·to·drink] (871) + מֵי־רֹֽאשׁ [water·of·gall] (551) = 3844.
Rashi
Wormwood. A bitter herb:
"Mei rosh" [bitter/poison water]. A snake's venom:
Radak
Therefore, "He feeds them." The pronominal suffix [in "ma'akhilam"] comes before the specification, which is "this people" — like "and she saw him, the child" and "whom they shall not serve — Nebuchadnezzar," and similar cases that we wrote about in the book Mikhlol, in the section on grammar. And he likened the afflictions to wormwood and rosh, which are death-inducing poisons. And in saying "mei rosh" [waters of rosh], since it is the juice squeezed from the herb called rosh; there is also [an opinion] that it is from the head of the adder, and they said that this is why it is called "rosh" [head], because most of the time they make it from the head of the adder.
Metzudat David
“Behold, I will feed them...” – This means: I will bring upon them various troubles.
Metzudat Zion
“La’anah.” The name of a bitter herb.
"Mei rosh" [waters of the ro'sh plant]. This refers to the pressed juice of the ro'sh [plant], which is the name of a bitter herb.
Malbim
Therefore, I will feed them with wormwood, just as they have indulged their souls with bitter foods and poisonous beliefs that corrupt it:
I will scatter them also among the nations, whom neither they nor their fathers have known; and I will send the sword after them, till I have consumed them.
verse value 4446
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 60 letters. Verse gematria: 4446 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·I·will·scatter·them" (וַהֲפִֽצוֹתִים֙, 8 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·I·will·scatter·them" (וַהֲפִֽצוֹתִים֙), "and·their·fathers" (וַאֲבוֹתָ֑ם). 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that" (root אשר, 459x in Jeremiah); "not" (root לא, 307x in Jeremiah); "abundance" (root הם, 132x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root פוץ ("and·I·will·scatter·them") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·their·fathers', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 6 words. Full calculation: וַהֲפִֽצוֹתִים֙ [and·I·will·scatter·them] (637) + בַּגּוֹיִ֔ם [among·the·nations] (61) + אֲשֶׁר֙ [that] (501) + לֹ֣א [not] (31) + יָדְע֔וּ [know] (90) + הֵ֖מָּה [abundance] (50) + וַאֲבוֹתָ֑ם [and·their·fathers] (455) + וְשִׁלַּחְתִּ֤י [and·I·will·send] (754) + אַֽחֲרֵיהֶם֙ [after·them] (264) + אֶת־הַחֶ֔רֶב [the·sword] (616) + עַ֥ד [until] (74) + כַּלּוֹתִ֖י [all] (466) + אוֹתָֽם [them] (447) = 4446.
Radak
"And I will scatter them," "until I have consumed them" — [meaning] most of them.
Metzudat David
And I will scatter them: I will disperse them to places that neither they nor their fathers have ever known.
“And I will send.” To the places to which they will flee and scatter hither and thither, thither will I send the sword of the enemy until it has consumed them.
Metzudat Zion
And I will scatter them. The meaning is "scattering":
"Kalloti" [my consuming them / until I finish them]. From the word "kilayon" [destruction, consumption].
Malbim
"And I will scatter them among the nations that neither they nor their fathers knew, just as they served gods whom they did not know, nor did their fathers take note of them."
Thus says Hashem of hosts: Consider you, and call for the mourning women, that they may come; and send for the wise women, that they may come;
verse value 4115
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 62 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 "and·to·the·wise·women" (וְאֶל־הַחֲכָמ֥וֹת, 9 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "consider" (הִתְבּ֥וֹנְנ֛וּ), "for·the·mourning·women" (לַמְקוֹנְנ֖וֹת), "and·they·will·go·in" (וּתְבוֹאֶ֑ינָה). The root בוא appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "said" (root אמר, 476x in Jeremiah); "and·they·will·go·in" (root בוא, 211x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·they·will·go·in', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 3 words. Full calculation: כֹּ֤ה [thus] (25) + אָמַר֙ [said] (241) + יְהֹוָ֣ה [Hashem] (26) + צְבָא֔וֹת [hosts] (499) + הִתְבּ֥וֹנְנ֛וּ [consider] (519) + וְקִרְא֥וּ [and·call] (313) + לַמְקוֹנְנ֖וֹת [for·the·mourning·women] (682) + וּתְבוֹאֶ֑ינָה [and·they·will·go·in] (480) + וְאֶל־הַחֲכָמ֥וֹת [and·to·the·wise·women] (516) + שִׁלְח֖וּ [send] (344) + וְתָבֽוֹאנָה [and·they·will·go·in] (470) = 4115.
Radak
"Thus said..." "Take heed" — concerning the calamity soon to come. And from now on, call for the wailing-women — [vocalized] with a patach under the lamed, meaning, the well-known wailing-women.
"And to the skilled women." [Meaning] that they are skilled in matters of eulogy and dirge.
"And they shall come." The first instance has the aleph with a segol vowel, and the second, "ve-tavo'na," omits the aleph while retaining its vowel; both of these patterns are found among hollow (ayin-vav) verbs, in the Masorah.
Metzudat David
Consider. Pay attention to understand this calamity that is destined to come, and from now on, call upon the mourners—these are the women who know how to eulogize and lament over the dead.
And they shall come to you to arouse lamentations and wailings:
And to the wise women. They are the skilled ones, who hasten to arrange words of anguish of spirit and grief, to afflict the souls of those who hear them.
Metzudat Zion
For those who lament. From the word "lamentation":
Malbim
Thus says the Lord: “Pay attention,” meaning that the slaughter and destruction that have befallen them at this time is not like that of other times, when those who remained stayed in their land and had only to bear a dirge and weep for those who were killed alone. For now, the primary cause of the dirge and weeping is for those who remain, who are destined to experience many afflictions and troubles. Therefore, pay close attention to your deeds, to devise plans to heal the illness from which those who are still alive are suffering—not to weep for the dead, who have already died. And when you call for the professional mourners and they come to lament over the dead, send also for the wise women, and let them come, so that they may consult with their wisdom as to what must be done to sustain the living, so that they do not die and are not lost to the evil that has overtaken them.
let them make haste, and take up a wailing for us, that our eyes may run down with tears, and our eyelids gush out with waters.
verse value 3193
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 51 letters. The shortest word is "wailing" (נֶ֑הִי, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·our·eyelids" (וְעַפְעַפֵּ֖ינוּ, 8 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·let·them·hasten" (וּתְמַהֵ֕רְנָה), "and·they·will·lift" (וְתִשֶּׂ֥נָה), "and·they·will·go·down" (וְתֵרַ֤דְנָה). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "upon·us" (root על, 276x in Jeremiah); "our·eyes" (root עין, 52x in Jeremiah); "and·they·will·lift" (root נשא, 33x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root מהר ("and·let·them·hasten") in Jeremiah. First appearance of the root נהי ("wailing") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'wailing', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 5 words. Full calculation: וּתְמַהֵ֕רְנָה [and·let·them·hasten] (706) + וְתִשֶּׂ֥נָה [and·they·will·lift] (761) + עָלֵ֖ינוּ [upon·us] (166) + נֶ֑הִי [wailing] (65) + וְתֵרַ֤דְנָה [and·they·will·go·down] (665) + עֵינֵ֙ינוּ֙ [our·eyes] (196) + דִּמְעָ֔ה [tears] (119) + וְעַפְעַפֵּ֖ינוּ [and·our·eyelids] (372) + יִזְּלוּ־מָֽיִם [flow] (143) = 3193.
Radak
"And let them hasten and raise up [a wailing]." [Written] with the aleph omitted from the spelling.
"Upon us." The prophet's statement applies to Israel as a whole:
"And our eyes shall run down with tears." That is to say, at the sound of their wailing and eulogizing we shall weep. And the meaning of "tears" here is like "with tears" [i.e., adverbial], because "shall run down" is an intransitive verb; and due to the abundance of weeping, the matter is [described] as if the eye melts and comes down in tears. And so [it is said], "my eye runs down with water." And Yonatan (Targum) rendered: "and our eyes shall send forth tears."
"And our eyelids." They are the pupils of the eyes, and the matter is repeated in different words, and the Targum translates: "And the wheels of our eyes shall pour forth waters."
Metzudat David
"Let them hasten." They will hasten to raise on our behalf a voice of wailing, in order that our hearts might be aroused and our eyes shed tears.
"Let waters flow." [This means] they shall drip the waters of the tears of weeping, and the matter is repeated in what is stated:
Metzudat Zion
And they shall raise [a wailing]. It is like "vetis'enah" (ותשאנה), with an aleph.
And they shall descend. The word is in the form of "descent" (yiridah).
And our eyelids. It is the pupil of the eye:
They shall flow. From the language of dripping and dropping:
Malbim
"Let them hasten and raise a wailing over us"; and when the wailing women consult with the wise women, then they will not raise a wailing for the dead, but only for us, the living; and they will not delay the matter, but will hasten to do this, just as they hasten to engage in the healing of a sick person who still has the breath of life in him and who is in great danger. "And they shall run down," etc. (the eyelids signify the eyes closed by the eyelid). When we open our eyes to gaze upon the corpses lying before us, our eyes will run down with tears. But when we make use of our eyelids—that is, when we shut our eyes and do not gaze upon what is before us, but rather examine our thoughts concerning our ultimate fate—then waters will flow in great abundance, not merely tears; for then we shall see with the eye of understanding that death is preferable to these lives of contempt and disgrace.
For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion: ‘How are we undone! We are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land, because our dwellings have cast us out.’
verse value 3424
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 59 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "our·dwellings" (מִשְׁכְּנוֹתֵֽינוּ, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 30: for, for. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "from·Zion" (מִצִּיּ֖וֹן), "because·we·forsook" (כִּֽי־עָזַ֣בְנוּ), "they·have·cast·down" (הִשְׁלִ֖יכוּ). The root כי appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 318x in Jeremiah); "land" (root ארץ, 245x in Jeremiah); "is·heard" (root שמע, 184x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root משכן ("our·dwellings") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'we·were·dealt·violently·with', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 7 words. Full calculation: כִּ֣י [for] (30) + ק֥וֹל [voice] (136) + נְהִ֛י [wailing] (65) + נִשְׁמַ֥ע [is·heard] (460) + מִצִּיּ֖וֹן [from·Zion] (196) + אֵ֣יךְ [how?] (31) + שֻׁדָּ֑דְנוּ [we·were·dealt·violently·with] (364) + בֹּ֤שְׁנֽוּ [we·put·to·shame] (358) + מְאֹד֙ [very] (45) + כִּֽי־עָזַ֣בְנוּ [because·we·forsook] (165) + אָ֔רֶץ [land] (291) + כִּ֥י [for] (30) + הִשְׁלִ֖יכוּ [they·have·cast·down] (371) + מִשְׁכְּנוֹתֵֽינוּ [our·dwellings] (882) = 3424.
Rashi
"For our dwellings have cast out" their inhabitants. And there is another way to explain it: "For the enemies have cast our dwelling places to the ground."
Radak
“For the voice of wailing is heard from Zion.” And similarly, [the voice of wailing] is heard from the other places. However, before Zion was conquered, they relied on Zion and Jerusalem, thinking that if Jerusalem would remain to them, the other conquered cities would still be rebuilt and return to their settled state, as they did in the days of Sennacherib, who conquered everything except Jerusalem. And since Jerusalem remained, everything remained, and they were neither exiled nor did they leave the Land of Israel. But once Jerusalem was conquered, there was no longer any remedy, and then the voice of wailing was heard, and they said, “How we have been plundered, we are greatly ashamed.”
"For we have forsaken the land." The word "land" is written with a qamats and in the zakef form; it is one of the fourteen instances of "land" that are zakef with a qamats.
"For they cast out our dwellings." It is as if our dwellings cast us outward. Or, it may be interpreted in accordance with the verse: "lest the land vomit you out" (Leviticus 18:28). And there is no greater shame than when a person is forced to leave his home; therefore, we were greatly ashamed.
Metzudat David
For the voice. For from Zion the voice of wailing is heard, saying: "How we have been plundered and put to great shame, for we thought to dwell securely in Zion, but now it has not been so, for we have abandoned our land of inheritance, for our dwellings have cast out those who dwelt in them, to the outside," as it is stated: "And the land shall not vomit you out," etc., "as it vomited," etc.
Metzudat Zion
"We were plundered." The matter concerns oppression.
"Our dwellings." From the language of mishkan (dwelling place) and place of residence:
Malbim
"For the voice of wailing" explains why they will send after the wise women. Because the voice of wailing that was heard from Zion was what they said, "How we have been plundered," meaning they raised a lament over the plundering and destruction that had befallen them in the past. But this is not the primary subject of the lamentation that they are required to mourn, for the primary subject of the lamentation must be over the living who remain, because we are greatly ashamed, for we abandoned our land to go into exile, and not to a nearby place, for they cast us out of our dwellings to dwell in a distant place, as it is stated, "And He cast them into another land." Over the shame and the evil that befalls the living, one must eulogize and weep.
Indeed, hear the word of Hashem, O you women, and let your ear receive the word of His mouth, and teach your daughters wailing, and every one her neighbour lamentation:
verse value 3947
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 62 letters. The shortest word is "wailing" (נֶ֔הִי, 3 letters) and the longest is "indeed·hear" (כִּֽי־שְׁמַ֤עְנָה, 7 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "indeed·hear" (כִּֽי־שְׁמַ֤עְנָה), "and·will·take" (וְתִקַּ֥ח), "your·ear" (אׇזְנְכֶ֖ם). The root אשה appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "the·word·of·Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "word·of·His·mouth" (root דבר, 270x in Jeremiah); "indeed·hear" (root שמע, 184x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'word·of·His·mouth', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 6 words. Full calculation: כִּֽי־שְׁמַ֤עְנָה [indeed·hear] (495) + נָשִׁים֙ [women] (400) + דְּבַר־יְהֹוָ֔ה [the·word·of·Hashem] (232) + וְתִקַּ֥ח [and·will·take] (514) + אׇזְנְכֶ֖ם [your·ear] (118) + דְּבַר־פִּ֑יו [word·of·His·mouth] (302) + וְלַמֵּ֤דְנָה [and·teach] (135) + בְנֽוֹתֵיכֶם֙ [your·daughters] (528) + נֶ֔הִי [wailing] (65) + וְאִשָּׁ֥ה [and·wife] (312) + רְעוּתָ֖הּ [her·neighbor] (681) + קִינָֽה [lamentation] (165) = 3947.
Radak
"Hear!" [O women] — for eulogy and wailing are mostly among women, because they are more tender-hearted than men.
Metzudat David
"The word of the Lord." This refers to what He said, that the calamity is destined to come.
"And let it take, etc." The matter is repeated in what is stated:
"Wailing." [These are] words of wailing.
"And a woman, her companion." [Meaning,] a woman shall teach her companion a dirge.
Metzudat Zion
And she shall take. This means: she shall accept.
Her companion. Her companion:
Malbim
"Hear"—in addition to this, hear, you wailing women, the word of the Lord, which will teach you how to wail and raise a lament. And according to what you hear of the word of the Lord, teach your daughters wailing; teach them the manner of the wailing and the lament. For you attribute the matter to chance, but when you hear the word of the Lord, you will know to wail over the fact that the matter came about through Divine providence.
‘For death is come up into our windows, it is entered into our palaces, to cut off the children from the street, and the young men from the broad places.—
verse value 3378
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 54 letters. The shortest word is "went·in" (בָּ֖א, 2 letters) and the longest is "in·our·palaces" (בְּאַרְמְנוֹתֵ֑ינוּ, 10 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "for·has·come·up" (כִּי־עָ֤לָֽה), "in·our·windows" (בְּחַלּוֹנֵ֔ינוּ), "in·our·palaces" (בְּאַרְמְנוֹתֵ֑ינוּ). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "went·in" (root בוא, 211x in Jeremiah); "for·has·come·up" (root עלה, 74x in Jeremiah); "death" (root מות, 64x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·our·palaces', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 5 words. Full calculation: כִּי־עָ֤לָֽה [for·has·come·up] (135) + מָ֙וֶת֙ [death] (446) + בְּחַלּוֹנֵ֔ינוּ [in·our·windows] (162) + בָּ֖א [went·in] (3) + בְּאַרְמְנוֹתֵ֑ינוּ [in·our·palaces] (765) + לְהַכְרִ֤ית [to·cut·off] (665) + עוֹלָל֙ [child] (136) + מִח֔וּץ [outside] (144) + בַּחוּרִ֖ים [young·men] (266) + מֵרְחֹבֽוֹת [from·broad·places] (656) = 3378.
Rashi
"To cut off the child from outside"—from the marketplace, as it is stated: "and you shall set streets for yourself in Damascus" (1 Kings 20).
Radak
“For death has come up through our windows.” The palace is the high house, and when the gates of the palace are locked, there is no way to enter it except by climbing up through the windows. But this is a distant possibility, since they are high. Therefore, the windows of the palace are not locked but remain open at all times. Thus, by way of metaphor, it says: “For death has come up through our windows, into our palaces,” meaning that distress has come upon us suddenly, without our being on guard against it. Even though the true prophets were always saying this to us, we did not listen to them, nor did it enter our minds that it would happen, and if it did happen, that it would be so great.
"A babe from the street." For it is the way of babes to play in the marketplace, and young men in the streets; and behold, they are cut off from there.
Metzudat David
"For he came up, etc." Even though we closed the gates of the palace so that the deadly enemy would not enter, behold, he came up through the windows, and through them he entered the palaces. That is to say, we did not succeed with all our stratagems and cunning in preventing the enemy.
"To destroy." And it was in his mind to destroy the group of infants from the outside, which is the place where the babies play, because he killed them all, and there is no one to play in the streets.
"young men." And similarly, "the young men were cut off from the streets," meaning that it was their custom to walk there constantly.
Metzudat Zion
"In our palaces." From the language of "palace" and "mansions."
"Ollal." So too, it refers to the tender ones, as it says: "As for the children, they asked for bread" (Lamentations 4:4).
Outside. From the marketplace:
Malbim
“Ki” means that which is customary on your lips in your lamentation, namely, to say that “Death has climbed through our windows.” This implies that you depict it as though death ascended of its own accord, and as though it came like a thief who enters stealthily through the window. And you lament that it climbed to the windows, and from there entered the palaces to destroy infants and young men.
Speak: Thus says Hashem— And the carcasses of men fall as dung upon the open field, And as the handful after the harvestman, Which none gathers.’
verse value 2967
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 61 letters. The shortest word is "thus" (כֹּ֚ה, 2 letters) and the longest is "says·Hashem" (נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֔ה, 7 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·shall·fall·away" (וְנָֽפְלָה֙), "dung" (כְּדֹ֖מֶן), "and·as·a·swath" (וּכְעָמִ֛יר). 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "says·Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "speak" (root דבר, 270x in Jeremiah); "upon·face" (root פנים, 126x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'field', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 5 words. Full calculation: דַּבֵּ֗ר [speak] (206) + כֹּ֚ה [thus] (25) + נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֔ה [says·Hashem] (117) + וְנָֽפְלָה֙ [and·shall·fall·away] (171) + נִבְלַ֣ת [carcass] (482) + הָאָדָ֔ם [man] (50) + כְּדֹ֖מֶן [dung] (114) + עַל־פְּנֵ֣י [upon·face] (240) + הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה [field] (314) + וּכְעָמִ֛יר [and·as·a·swath] (346) + מֵאַחֲרֵ֥י [from·after] (259) + הַקֹּצֵ֖ר [that·is·short] (395) + וְאֵ֥ין [and·nothing] (67) + מְאַסֵּֽף [rear·guard] (181) = 2967.
Radak
"Speak: thus says the Lord." The Lord said to the prophet: "Speak and say, 'Thus says the Lord,'" just as it is said, "Thus says the Lord," except that "says" (ne'um) is a noun of speech.
"Like dung." We have already explained it above.
And like the sheaf left behind by the reaper. For the reaper forgot it, and it remained behind him, and no one gathers it; so too shall their corpses be like forgotten things on the face of the field, and no one shall bury them.
Metzudat David
"Speak thus." [This is] the word of the Lord to the prophet: 'Thus speak to Israel' — the utterance of the Lord, etc.
And they shall fall. Many human corpses will fall upon the ground, like the abundance of dung on the face of the field, and like the abundance of sheaves of grain that are cast behind the reaper, who is accustomed to make sheaves and place them on the field, and then goes on to reap more.
"And there is no one to gather." There is no one who can bring the dead to the grave, for those remaining will be afraid to emerge from their hiding places.
Metzudat Zion
Nevelah. Thus is called the corpse of the dead.
Like manure. Like dung:
And like *omer*. So is called a bundle of grain ears, as it is written: "And you forget a sheaf" (Deuteronomy 24:19).
Massef. The matter of gathering in:
Malbim
"Thus says the Lord" – this means: "And I command you in the name of the Lord: Do not speak thus in your lamentation. Do not say that Death did this, and that He came through the window like a thief. Rather, speak and say in the lamentation: 'Thus says the Lord' – the Lord spoke thus, and He sent the Destroyer; He did not come of His own accord, nor did He come through the windows. Rather, the Lord decreed that the carcasses of men should fall upon the face of the field, like dumen and like omir.
'Omir' refers to sheaves that fall by the hand of the reaper, and in contrast to this, people gather them into the house. 'Dumen' refers to dung that falls by itself and is not gathered. Thus, their carcasses will fall like omir, by the hand of the reaper, who is the enemy. Nevertheless, 'and they will not be gathered,' for they will be like dumen upon the face of the field.
Thus says Hashem: Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, Let not the rich man glory in his riches;
verse value 4353
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 61 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֗ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "thus" (כֹּ֣ה, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·let·not·glory" (וְאַל־יִתְהַלֵּ֥ל, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 506: let·not·glory, let·not·glory. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "wise" (חָכָם֙), "and·let·not·glory" (וְאַל־יִתְהַלֵּ֥ל), "by·His·might" (בִּגְבוּרָת֑וֹ). The root איל appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "said" (root אמר, 476x in Jeremiah); "let·not·glory" (root איל, 293x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'by·His·might', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 3 words. Full calculation: כֹּ֣ה [thus] (25) + אָמַ֣ר [said] (241) + יְהֹוָ֗ה [Hashem] (26) + אַל־יִתְהַלֵּ֤ל [let·not·glory] (506) + חָכָם֙ [wise] (68) + בְּחׇכְמָת֔וֹ [in·his·wisdom] (476) + וְאַל־יִתְהַלֵּ֥ל [and·let·not·glory] (512) + הַגִּבּ֖וֹר [the·mighty·man] (216) + בִּגְבוּרָת֑וֹ [by·His·might] (619) + אַל־יִתְהַלֵּ֥ל [let·not·glory] (506) + עָשִׁ֖יר [rich·man] (580) + בְּעׇשְׁרֽוֹ [in·his·wealth] (578) = 4353.
Rashi
Let not the wise man boast. Do not boast, saying, “We are wise.” Behold, you have despised My words, and what wisdom is there for you? If you have understood and known Me, then you may boast in your wisdom.
Radak
Thus said the Lord: If there are among you wise men, let them not boast in their wisdom, for it will not benefit them, since they do not know the Lord and have not walked in His ways. What use is wisdom to them? As it is said, "They are wise to do evil." And likewise, if there are among you mighty men, let them not boast in their might, for it will not benefit them to save them from death or from captivity. And likewise, if there is among you a rich man, let him not boast in his wealth, for it will not redeem him from the sword, for he and his wealth will be destroyed. These three traits are mentioned, for the wise man is often saved by his schemes and his cunning, and the mighty man is saved by his might and his strength, and the rich man redeems his life from the hand of the enemy with his wealth. Such is the custom of the world in most cases. And the prophet said to them that they will not be saved by these three, by which the world's way is to be saved, but rather by what will save those who are saved.
Metzudat David
Let not the wise man boast. For he cannot save his soul with his wisdom, and the mighty man cannot save his soul with his might, and the rich man cannot ransom his soul with his wealth. And if so, they have no reason to boast in these things, for they will not bring them benefit at that time.
Metzudat Zion
"Let him glory." From the language of praise and self-glorification:
Malbim
Thus says the Lord: This refers back to what was stated above — that He told [them] to speak, "thus is the declaration of the Lord" — [meaning] that the matter is being done by the command of the Lord. He explains the reason for saying "Thus says the Lord": that a wise man should not boast in his wisdom, so that they may know that there is no wisdom, no counsel, and no strength against the Lord. And whatever a person thinks to save himself by his wisdom and schemes, or by his wealth, that he may redeem himself with money, or by his strength—all of this will not help if the Lord has counseled evil against them. Rather, "in this shall the one who boasts boast." However, there is a possibility that a person may boast in wisdom, strength, and wealth, if he uses them for a beneficial purpose, and if they are with him as tools and means to attain his perfection. That is, if he uses his wisdom to understand and know Me, for I am the Lord; for through knowing the laws of wisdom, he will attain to knowing the Lord. And with his strength and wealth, he performs kindness, justice, and righteousness in the land: through his strength he executes justice for the oppressed, and through his wealth he performs kindness and righteousness. For in these I delight, and this is the ultimate goal sought by Me.
(And one may add, in the manner of a sermon, that the one who boasts in wisdom, strength, and wealth is boasting in something he did not acquire through his own choice, for this he receives from the Lord, who prepared the nature of his brain to be suited for wisdom, the nature of his body to be suited for strength, and his fortune to be suited for wealth. He is like one who has a deposit from others and boasts in it; the boasting does not belong to the boaster, but rather the primary boasting is due to the owner of the deposit, not to the one holding the deposit. But if he uses these three gifts to know the Lord and to perform kindness, justice, and righteousness—which depends on his choice, for "all is in the hands of Heaven except the fear of Heaven"—then the boasting is his. This is what it says, "in this shall the one who boasts boast," meaning that then the boasting is fitting for the boaster himself. And regarding this it says, "for in these I delight," for with the Lord it is not correct to say that He "desires" something, for His desire would immediately bring the thing into effect, and who could hinder Him? As it is said, "His soul desired it, and He did it." However, a desire can be attributed to Him regarding that a person should fear the Lord, since "all is in the hands of Heaven except the fear of Heaven," and in this case it is appropriate to say, "for in these I delight.")
But let him that glories glory in this, that he understands, and knows Me, That I am Hashem who exercise mercy, justice, and righteousness, in the earth; for in these things I delight, Says Hashem.
verse value 4592
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 77 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֔ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "says·Hashem" (נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 30: for, for. 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "if·in·this" (אִם־בְּזֹ֞את), "shall·glory" (יִתְהַלֵּ֣ל), "the·one·who·glories" (הַמִּתְהַלֵּ֗ל). The root כי appears 2 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "for" (root כי, 318x in Jeremiah); "in·the·land" (root ארץ, 245x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·the·land', dividing the verse into phrases of 15 and 3 words.
Rashi
"The intellect." Like [the infinitive form] "hakhbed" (Exodus 8:11) (Agadliyn't in the vernacular):
Radak
"Understand and know Me." The explanation is: "Understand Me" and "know Me." The understanding of God is that one should understand that He is One, primordial [without beginning], and not a body, and that He is the Creator of all, and He oversees all, and He guides the entire world, both the upper and lower realms, with His wisdom. And the knowledge of God is to walk in His ways, to perform acts of loving-kindness, justice, and righteousness, for thus He performs them.
"In the land." That is to say, with the inhabitants of the world, and he who walks in His ways knows Him, as it is said: "Your father—did he not eat and drink, and do justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him. He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well with him. Is this not to know Me?—declares the Lord." Behold, the performance of justice and righteousness is the knowledge of God. And by this Daniel and his companions were saved. They were exiled at the destruction of the land together with the exile of Judah, and they were saved from the disgrace and humiliation that would have befallen the rest of the captives. They were honored and great in the land of their exile, because they were righteous and pious. And there was no way for them to escape the exile, for how could they remain in the land for three or four, or even ten years?
"But rather in this." In this characteristic, that he will have a spiritual characteristic to understand and know Me. And what is said, "for I am the Lord," is the reason for what was said, "and they will know Me," because included in "they will know Me" are doing kindness, justice, and righteousness, as we have explained. Therefore, he explained and said, "for I am the Lord, who do kindness"—these are My ways and attributes by which I conduct My world.
"In these I have delighted." [This means that] a person should perform them and live by them. And what is said regarding "in the earth" [concerning] "His lovingkindness and His righteousness" applies also to the heavens, as it is said: "In the heavens, O Lord, is Your lovingkindness." It is said "in the earth" because His lovingkindness and His righteousness in the earth are revealed to all human beings, whereas that which is in the heavens is not revealed except to the wise men. Now I have explained to you these two verses according to the subject matter of the passage; they are closely connected to its themes and have been explained well. But the Sages, whose books we have seen, interpreted these two verses in a fitting way, but they did not connect them to the subject matter of the passage. And the wise man Rabbi Abraham son of Rabbi Hiyya, known as Zachi"b Altsi"rta, interpreted these three qualities: Through wisdom a person acquires wisdom and is called "wise"; and when he adds to his acquisition and strengthens himself in it, he is called "mighty"; and he who excels beyond this is called "rich"; and he who attains the depth of wisdom is called "understanding." And the crown upon the head of the wisdoms, and the tower built upon them, is the knowledge of God, in which a person is not permitted to boast except in it, as it is said: "But in this let him who boasts boast" — in the knowledge of God and in the study of His Torah, which is lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness; in these it is fitting for him who boasts to boast. And the great wise man, the teacher of righteousness, Rabbi Moses ben Maimon, of blessed memory, interpreted thus, and said at first that the name "wisdom" in the Hebrew language falls upon four matters: It falls upon the apprehension of truths, the ultimate aim of which is the apprehension of Him, blessed be His Name, as it says: "And wisdom, where shall it be found?" And it falls upon the knowledge of crafts, whatever craft it may be, as it says: "Every wise-hearted man among you, and every woman who is wise-hearted." And it falls upon the acquisition of the excellences of the moral traits, as it says: "and he made his elders wise," and "with the aged is wisdom." And it falls upon cunning and scheming, as it says: "Let us deal wisely with him." And according to this matter it is said: "And he took from there a wise woman." And from this matter [the term] "wise" means [those] who are wise to do evil. And it is possible that the matter of wisdom indicates cunning and the use of thought; sometimes that wisdom and scheming are for acquiring intellectual excellences, or for acquiring moral excellences. And he said that the perfection of acquisition, nor the perfection of bodily health, nor the perfection of good moral traits—none of this is a perfection in which it is fitting to boast and to glory. And the perfection in which it is fitting to glory is the knowledge of God, blessed be He, which is the true wisdom. And he also interpreted the three names: lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness. Lovingkindness is the excess in doing good, and it includes two matters: the first is to repay good to one who has no claim upon him at all, and the second is to do good to one to whom you ought to do good more than he deserves. And righteousness is the fairness of giving to each according to what is due to him. And justice is to judge in what is fitting according to what is correct, whether it be vengeance or whether it be good. And he said that it is not fitting for a person to boast either in wisdom, or in might, or in wealth, except in understanding and knowing God, which is wisdom and might. And not only in this, but also in the knowledge of the attributes of God and their descriptions, which are to do lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness, as I do them; and He, blessed be He — insofar as He brings all things into existence — is called "chasid" [the gracious one]; and because His mercies are upon the poor, meaning His governance of living creatures according to their powers, He is called "tzaddik" [the righteous one]. And according to what is renewed in the world of good things, according to what the law following from wisdom obligates, He is called "judge." And he added further and said "in the earth" to inform that His providence is also in the earth according to what it is, just as He provides for the heavens according to what they are.
Metzudat David
“Yet in this let him who boasts boast.” One who praises himself should praise himself in this, and He goes on to explain in what: “that he has discerned and known Me, that I am the Lord, and there is none besides Me; and I am the One who does kindness to those who love Me and keep My commandments; and I am the One who executes judgment to take vengeance upon the wicked; and I am the One who does righteousness to receive the repentant and remove the judgment from upon them.” And it is not that, God forbid, there is a doer of good and a doer of evil, but rather in all these matters I desire to give to each according to his reward. And one who discerns this is worthy to boast in himself, for in this he will derive great benefit.
Behold, the days come, says Hashem, that I will punish all them that are circumcised in their uncircumcision:
verse value 1463
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 36 letters. The shortest word is "they" (הִנֵּ֛ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "says·Hashem" (נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֑ה, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "on·all·the·circumcised" (עַל־כׇּל־מ֖וּל), "in·foreskin" (בְּעׇרְלָֽה). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "says·Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "going·in" (root בוא, 211x in Jeremiah); "days" (root יום, 133x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'says·Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: הִנֵּ֛ה [they] (60) + יָמִ֥ים [days] (100) + בָּאִ֖ים [going·in] (53) + נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֑ה [says·Hashem] (117) + וּפָ֣קַדְתִּ֔י [and·I·will·punish] (600) + עַל־כׇּל־מ֖וּל [on·all·the·circumcised] (226) + בְּעׇרְלָֽה [in·foreskin] (307) = 1463.
Rashi
"Concerning everyone circumcised who [yet] has a foreskin." Concerning everyone circumcised who has a foreskin, even the foreskin of the heart.
Radak
"Behold, days are coming." They are near at hand. And it mentions these nations on account of Israel, for these are the ones who did evil to Israel. Moreover, these are the nations that Nebuchadnezzar destroyed, and he and his seed were ultimately punished, because they did evil to Israel beyond measure.
"On every circumcision, on the foreskin." "On every circumcision" refers to Israel, who are circumcised; and "on the foreskin" refers to the nations, which it mentions. And the word "on" (al), stated once, stands in place of two [i.e., serves for both clauses].
Metzudat David
"Behold, days are coming"—this refers to the time of the rise of Nebuchadnezzar.
“And I will take account.” I will watch to punish and to bring recompense.
Metzudat Zion
"And I will visit." The matter of providence:
Mol. From the language of milah (circumcision):
On the verse: "In the foreskin." Until he was circumcised:
Malbim
"Behold, etc." And I will take vengeance on all the uncircumcised: This means that He will take vengeance on both the circumcised and the uncircumcised together. And He explains: On Egypt, who are uncircumcised; and on Judah, who are circumcised; and on Edom, Ammon, and Moab, who are uncircumcised; and on all who crop the corners of their hair, namely the sons of Keturah [and] the sons of Ishmael. For all the nations are uncircumcised, for even the circumcision of the sons of Ishmael and Keturah is considered as uncircumcised, as our Sages of blessed memory stated in Nedarim (page 31). And all Israel, even though they are circumcised in the flesh, are uncircumcised in the uncircumcision of the heart. And from the juxtaposition of the matter, in which He warned them not to be dismayed by the signs of the heavens, it appears that the diviners were saying that Nebuchadnezzar would rule over the uncircumcised and not over the circumcised. In contrast to this, He said to them in the name of the Lord that He will take vengeance on both, the circumcised and the uncircumcised, for even Israel are uncircumcised of heart. Therefore, He will warn them not to believe in the ways of the diviners, for Israel are under the providence of the Lord.
Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all that have the corners of their hair polled, that dwell in the wilderness; For all the nations are uncircumcised, But all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart.
verse value 4260
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 94 letters. Notable word values: "side" (פֵאָ֔ה) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֤י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·on·Judah" (וְעַל־יְהוּדָ֗ה, 8 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "upon·Egypt" (עַל־מִצְרַ֣יִם), "and·on·Edom" (וְעַל־אֱד֞וֹם), "and·on·sons·of" (וְעַל־בְּנֵ֤י). The root עול appears 3 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 318x in Jeremiah); "and·on" (root על, 276x in Jeremiah); "that·dwell" (root ישב, 147x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root מצרי ("upon·Egypt") in Jeremiah. First appearance of the root עמון ("Ammon") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·the·wilderness', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 6 words.
Rashi
"Concerning Egypt, etc." They were neighbors of the Land of Israel and were punished after it, close to that time, as it is written (Ezekiel 29), and it is explained in Seder Olam:
"Those with clipped corners." An expression of "edge" (קצה)—[referring to] those situated at the edge of the desert:
Radak
"Concerning Egypt and concerning Judah." For the kingdom of Ephraim, which was Israel, had already been destroyed by the king of Assyria, and Judah was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, along with all the other nations mentioned.
"And upon all who clip the corners [of their hair], who dwell in the wilderness." This refers to Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor, which Nebuchadnezzar struck, as Jeremiah prophesied, and his prophecy is written at the end of the book. The meaning of "ketzutzei pe'ah" [those with clipped corners] is that they dwell at the edge of the corner, that is, far off in the wilderness. And the thing that is distant is called an "edge" (ketzeh), and is also called a "corner" (pe'ah), for "ketzeh" and "pe'ah" both denote the far reaches of a boundary in any matter, and "ketzeh" and "katzatz" [to cut off] are of the same meaning.
"For all the nations": Now He explained the term "circumcised" and the term "uncircumcised." Regarding "uncircumcised," He spoke of the idolaters, that they are uncircumcised; and regarding "circumcised," He spoke of Israel, for even though they are circumcised in the flesh, they are uncircumcised in heart and deserving of punishment. Yet He did not say that the idolaters would be punished on account of their uncircumcision, for they were not commanded concerning it. Rather, He said this regarding Israel, meaning: Behold, you are like all the nations, who are uncircumcised, in that you have not distinguished yourselves from the peoples through your circumcision. Rather, you should distinguish yourselves from them through your deeds as well. Since your deeds are like the deeds of the idolaters, and you are uncircumcised in heart, your fleshly circumcision will not benefit you, and you are as though you were not circumcised. For fleshly circumcision was given as a covenant and a sign, to be a treasured possession among all the peoples, to serve the Lord, as it is said, "For a perpetual covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you," and the sign was sealed in their flesh so that they would always remember that they are distinct from the nations. Since you have mingled with the nations and learned from their deeds, you are like them, as though you have broken the covenant and the sign, and He is not your God, for you have chosen other gods besides Him. Therefore, He subsequently says, "Do not learn the way of the nations," etc.
Metzudat David
"Upon Egypt." Now he specifies who are the ones receiving the punishment and recompense, to fall into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.
"Those who clip the corners of their hair." Those who were separated and scattered in that region, dwelling in the wilderness:
Metzudat Zion
Katzutzim. The term means "cut off," as in "and he cut the wires" (Exodus 39:3), implying that they are separated, as if they were cut off from one another.
Pe'ah. The term means "side" and "edge," as also in "on the four corners" (ibid. 25):
"Uncircumcised of heart": Hearts that are sealed, as if covered with fat.
Rashi
Radak
Metzudat David
Metzudat Zion
Malbim