< Jeremiah 42 >

1 Then all the army commanders, together with Johanan son of Kareah, Jezaniah son of Hoshaiah, and everyone from the least to the most important came to
וַֽיִּגְּשׁוּ֙ כָּל־שָׂרֵ֣י הַחֲיָלִ֔ים וְיֽוֹחָנָן֙ בֶּן־קָרֵ֔חַ וִֽיזַנְיָ֖ה בֶּן־הוֹשַֽׁעְיָ֑ה וְכָל־הָעָ֖ם מִקָּטֹ֥ן וְעַד־גָּדֽוֹל׃
2 Jeremiah the prophet and said, “Please listen to our request.
וַיֹּאמְר֞וּ אֶֽל־יִרְמְיָ֣הוּ הַנָּבִ֗יא תִּפָּל־נָ֤א תְחִנָּתֵ֙נוּ֙ לְפָנֶ֔יךָ וְהִתְפַּלֵּ֤ל בַּעֲדֵ֙נוּ֙ אֶל־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בְּעַ֖ד כָּל־הַשְּׁאֵרִ֣ית הַזֹּ֑את כִּֽי־נִשְׁאַ֤רְנוּ מְעַט֙ מֵֽהַרְבֵּ֔ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר עֵינֶ֖יךָ רֹא֥וֹת אֹתָֽנוּ׃
3 Pray to the Lord your God for all of us. As you can see there's only a few of us left compared to how many there were before. In your prayer please ask the Lord your God to tell where to go and what to do.”
וְיַגֶּד־לָ֙נוּ֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ אֶת־הַדֶּ֖רֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נֵֽלֶךְ־בָּ֑הּ וְאֶת־הַדָּבָ֖ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר נַעֲשֶֽׂה׃
4 “I'll do as you ask,” Jeremiah replied. “I will definitely pray to the Lord your God as you've requested, and I'll tell you everything he says. I won't keep anything back from you.”
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם יִרְמְיָ֤הוּ הַנָּבִיא֙ שָׁמַ֔עְתִּי הִנְנִ֧י מִתְפַּלֵּ֛ל אֶל־יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם כְּדִבְרֵיכֶ֑ם וְֽהָיָ֡ה כָּֽל־הַדָּבָר֩ אֲשֶׁר־יַעֲנֶ֨ה יְהוָ֤ה אֶתְכֶם֙ אַגִּ֣יד לָכֶ֔ם לֹֽא־אֶמְנַ֥ע מִכֶּ֖ם דָּבָֽר׃
5 Then they said to Jeremiah, “May the Lord be a true and faithful witness against us if we don't do everything that the Lord your God tells you we should.
וְהֵ֙מָּה֙ אָמְר֣וּ אֶֽל־יִרְמְיָ֔הוּ יְהִ֤י יְהוָה֙ בָּ֔נוּ לְעֵ֖ד אֱמֶ֣ת וְנֶאֱמָ֑ן אִם־לֹ֡א כְּֽכָל־הַ֠דָּבָר אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִֽשְׁלָחֲךָ֜ יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ אֵלֵ֖ינוּ כֵּ֥ן נַעֲשֶֽׂה׃
6 Good or bad, we will obey what the Lord our God says, the one we're asking you to speak to. That way everything will go well with us, because we will be obeying what the Lord our God says.”
אִם־ט֣וֹב וְאִם־רָ֔ע בְּק֣וֹל ׀ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֗ינוּ אֲשֶׁ֨ר אנו שֹׁלְחִ֥ים אֹתְךָ֛ אֵלָ֖יו נִשְׁמָ֑ע לְמַ֙עַן֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִֽיטַב־לָ֔נוּ כִּ֣י נִשְׁמַ֔ע בְּק֖וֹל יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃ ס
7 Ten days later a message from the Lord came to Jeremiah.
וַיְהִ֕י מִקֵּ֖ץ עֲשֶׂ֣רֶת יָמִ֑ים וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֶֽל־יִרְמְיָֽהוּ׃
8 He summoned Johanan, all the army commanders, and everyone from the least to the most important.
וַיִּקְרָ֗א אֶל־יֽוֹחָנָן֙ בֶּן־קָרֵ֔חַ וְאֶ֛ל כָּל־שָׂרֵ֥י הַחֲיָלִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתּ֑וֹ וּלְכָ֨ל־הָעָ֔ם לְמִקָּטֹ֥ן וְעַד־גָּדֽוֹל׃
9 Jeremiah told them, This what the Lord, the God of Israel, says to those of who you sent to me to present your request:
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם כֹּֽה־אָמַ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר שְׁלַחְתֶּ֤ם אֹתִי֙ אֵלָ֔יו לְהַפִּ֥יל תְּחִנַּתְכֶ֖ם לְפָנָֽיו׃
10 If you will stay right here in this country, then I will build you up and I won't tear you down; I will plant you and I won't uproot you; because I'm very sad about the disaster I have brought down on you.
אִם־שׁ֤וֹב תֵּֽשְׁבוּ֙ בָּאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את וּבָנִ֤יתִי אֶתְכֶם֙ וְלֹ֣א אֶהֱרֹ֔ס וְנָטַעְתִּ֥י אֶתְכֶ֖ם וְלֹ֣א אֶתּ֑וֹשׁ כִּ֤י נִחַ֙מְתִּי֙ אֶל־הָ֣רָעָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשִׂ֖יתִי לָכֶֽם׃
11 I know you fear the king of Babylon, but you don't need to be afraid of him, declares the Lord. I am with you to save you and rescue you from him.
אַל־תִּֽירְא֗וּ מִפְּנֵי֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ בָּבֶ֔ל אֲשֶׁר־אַתֶּ֥ם יְרֵאִ֖ים מִפָּנָ֑יו אַל־תִּֽירְא֤וּ מִמֶּ֙נּוּ֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה כִּֽי־אִתְּכֶ֣ם אָ֔נִי לְהוֹשִׁ֧יעַ אֶתְכֶ֛ם וּלְהַצִּ֥יל אֶתְכֶ֖ם מִיָּדֽוֹ׃
12 I will be merciful to you, so that he will be merciful to you and will let you stay in your own country.
וְאֶתֵּ֥ן לָכֶ֛ם רַחֲמִ֖ים וְרִחַ֣ם אֶתְכֶ֑ם וְהֵשִׁ֥יב אֶתְכֶ֖ם אֶל־אַדְמַתְכֶֽם׃
13 But if you say, “We won't stay here in this country,” and by doing so disobey what the Lord your God says;
וְאִם־אֹמְרִ֣ים אַתֶּ֔ם לֹ֥א נֵשֵׁ֖ב בָּאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֑את לְבִלְתִּ֣י שְׁמֹ֔עַ בְּק֖וֹל יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃
14 or if you say instead, “No, we're going to Egypt to live there, where we won't experience war or hear trumpets sounding or go hungry;”
לֵאמֹ֗ר לֹ֚א כִּ֣י אֶ֤רֶץ מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ נָב֔וֹא אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־נִרְאֶה֙ מִלְחָמָ֔ה וְק֥וֹל שׁוֹפָ֖ר לֹ֣א נִשְׁמָ֑ע וְלַלֶּ֥חֶם לֹֽא־נִרְעָ֖ב וְשָׁ֥ם נֵשֵֽׁב׃
15 then listen to what the Lord says, you survivors from Judah! This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: If you're absolutely determined to go to Egypt and live there,
וְעַתָּ֕ה לָכֵ֛ן שִׁמְע֥וּ דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה שְׁאֵרִ֣ית יְהוּדָ֑ה כֹּֽה־אָמַר֩ יְהוָ֨ה צְבָא֜וֹת אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אִם־אַ֠תֶּם שׂ֣וֹם תְּשִׂמ֤וּן פְּנֵיכֶם֙ לָבֹ֣א מִצְרַ֔יִם וּבָאתֶ֖ם לָג֥וּר שָֽׁם׃
16 then the war you're so frightened of will catch up with you there, and the famine you're so terrified of will chase after you into Egypt, and you will die there.
וְהָיְתָ֣ה הַחֶ֗רֶב אֲשֶׁ֤ר אַתֶּם֙ יְרֵאִ֣ים מִמֶּ֔נָּה שָׁ֛ם תַּשִּׂ֥יג אֶתְכֶ֖ם בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם וְהָרָעָ֞ב אֲשֶׁר־אַתֶּ֣ם ׀ דֹּאֲגִ֣ים מִמֶּ֗נּוּ שָׁ֣ם יִדְבַּ֧ק אַחֲרֵיכֶ֛ם מִצְרַ֖יִם וְשָׁ֥ם תָּמֻֽתוּ׃
17 Everyone who decides to go to Egypt and live there will die by war and famine and disease. Not a single one will survive or escape the disaster I will bring down on them.
וְיִֽהְי֣וּ כָל־הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֨מוּ אֶת־פְּנֵיהֶ֜ם לָב֤וֹא מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ לָג֣וּר שָׁ֔ם יָמ֕וּתוּ בַּחֶ֖רֶב בָּרָעָ֣ב וּבַדָּ֑בֶר וְלֹֽא־יִהְיֶ֤ה לָהֶם֙ שָׂרִ֣יד וּפָלִ֔יט מִפְּנֵי֙ הָֽרָעָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲנִ֖י מֵבִ֥יא עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ ס
18 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: In the same way that my furious anger was poured out on the people living in Jerusalem, so will my anger be poured out on you if you go to Egypt. People will be horrified at what happens to you, and you will become a curse word, an insult, an expression of condemnation. You won't ever see your homeland again.
כִּי֩ כֹ֨ה אָמַ֜ר יְהוָ֣ה צְבָאוֹת֮ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ נִתַּ֨ךְ אַפִּ֜י וַחֲמָתִ֗י עַל־יֹֽשְׁבֵי֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם כֵּ֣ן תִּתַּ֤ךְ חֲמָתִי֙ עֲלֵיכֶ֔ם בְּבֹאֲכֶ֖ם מִצְרָ֑יִם וִהְיִיתֶ֞ם לְאָלָ֤ה וּלְשַׁמָּה֙ וְלִקְלָלָ֣ה וּלְחֶרְפָּ֔ה וְלֹֽא־תִרְא֣וּ ע֔וֹד אֶת־הַמָּק֖וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃
19 “The Lord has told you, survivors from Judah, ‘Don't go to Egypt,’” Jeremiah concluded. “Be absolutely clear about this warning I'm giving you today!
דִּבֶּ֨ר יְהוָ֤ה עֲלֵיכֶם֙ שְׁאֵרִ֣ית יְהוּדָ֔ה אַל־תָּבֹ֖אוּ מִצְרָ֑יִם יָדֹ֙עַ֙ תֵּֽדְע֔וּ כִּי־הַעִידֹ֥תִי בָכֶ֖ם הַיּֽוֹם׃
20 You've made a big mistake that will cost you your lives by sending me to the Lord your God, asking, ‘Pray to the Lord our God for us, and let us know everything the Lord our God says and we'll do it.’
כִּ֣י התעתים בְּנַפְשֽׁוֹתֵיכֶם֒ כִּֽי־אַתֶּ֞ם שְׁלַחְתֶּ֣ם אֹתִ֗י אֶל־יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הִתְפַּלֵּ֣ל בַּעֲדֵ֔נוּ אֶל־יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ וּכְכֹל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יֹאמַ֜ר יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֵ֛ינוּ כֵּ֥ן הַגֶּד־לָ֖נוּ וְעָשִֽׂינוּ׃
21 I have told you today what he said, but you have not obeyed everything the Lord your God sent me to tell you.
וָאַגִּ֥ד לָכֶ֖ם הַיּ֑וֹם וְלֹ֣א שְׁמַעְתֶּ֗ם בְּקוֹל֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם וּלְכֹ֖ל אֲשֶׁר־שְׁלָחַ֥נִי אֲלֵיכֶֽם׃
22 So you should know that without question you're going to die by war and famine and disease in Egypt where you want to go and live.”
וְעַתָּה֙ יָדֹ֣עַ תֵּֽדְע֔וּ כִּ֗י בַּחֶ֛רֶב בָּרָעָ֥ב וּבַדֶּ֖בֶר תָּמ֑וּתוּ בַּמָּקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר חֲפַצְתֶּ֔ם לָב֖וֹא לָג֥וּר שָֽׁם׃ ס

< Jeremiah 42 >