יִרְמְיָהוּ 7

1 הַדָּבָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הָיָ֣ה אֶֽל־יִרְמְיָ֔הוּ מֵאֵ֥ת יְהוָ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר׃

This is the Lord's message that came to Jeremiah from the Lord:

2 עֲמֹ֗ד בְּשַׁ֙עַר֙ בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֔ה וְקָרָ֣אתָ שָּׁ֔ם אֶת־הַדָּבָ֖ר הַזֶּ֑ה וְאָמַרְתָּ֞ שִׁמְע֣וּ דְבַר־יְהוָ֗ה כָּל־יְהוּדָה֙ הַבָּאִים֙ בַּשְּׁעָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה לְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֹ֖ת לַיהוָֽה׃ ס

Go and stand in the entrance to the Lord's Temple, and deliver this message: Listen to what Lord has to say, all of you from Judah who are coming in through these gates to worship the Lord.

3 כֹּֽה־אָמַ֞ר יְהוָ֤ה צְבָאֹות֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הֵיטִ֥יבוּ דַרְכֵיכֶ֖ם וּמַֽעַלְלֵיכֶ֑ם וַאֲשַׁכְּנָ֣ה אֶתְכֶ֔ם בַּמָּקֹ֥ום הַזֶּֽה׃

This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel says: Change your ways and do what's right, and I'll let you go on living here.

4 אַל־תִּבְטְח֣וּ לָכֶ֔ם אֶל־דִּבְרֵ֥י הַשֶּׁ֖קֶר לֵאמֹ֑ר הֵיכַ֤ל יְהוָה֙ הֵיכַ֣ל יְהוָ֔ה הֵיכַ֥ל יְהוָ֖ה הֵֽמָּה׃

Don't believe in those who try and deceive you by repeating, “The Temple of the Lord is here, the Temple of the Lord is here, the Temple of the Lord is here.”

5 כִּ֤י אִם־הֵיטֵיב֙ תֵּיטִ֔יבוּ אֶת־דַּרְכֵיכֶ֖ם וְאֶת־מַֽעַלְלֵיכֶ֑ם אִם־עָשֹׂ֤ו תַֽעֲשׂוּ֙ מִשְׁפָּ֔ט בֵּ֥ין אִ֖ישׁ וּבֵ֥ין רֵעֵֽהוּ׃

If you sincerely change your ways and do what's right, if you treat each other fairly,

6 גֵּ֣ר יָתֹ֤ום וְאַלְמָנָה֙ לֹ֣א תַֽעֲשֹׁ֔קוּ וְדָ֣ם נָקִ֔י אַֽל־תִּשְׁפְּכ֖וּ בַּמָּקֹ֣ום הַזֶּ֑ה וְאַחֲרֵ֨י אֱלֹהִ֧ים אֲחֵרִ֛ים לֹ֥א תֵלְכ֖וּ לְרַ֥ע לָכֶֽם׃

if you stop mistreating foreigners and orphans and widows, and if you stop murdering innocent people and stop hurting yourselves by worshiping,

7 וְשִׁכַּנְתִּ֤י אֶתְכֶם֙ בַּמָּקֹ֣ום הַזֶּ֔ה בָּאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֖תִּי לַאֲבֹֽותֵיכֶ֑ם לְמִן־עֹולָ֖ם וְעַד־עֹולָֽם׃

then I'll let you go on living here in the country that I gave to your forefathers forever and ever.

8 הִנֵּ֤ה אַתֶּם֙ בֹּטְחִ֣ים לָכֶ֔ם עַל־דִּבְרֵ֖י הַשָּׁ֑קֶר לְבִלְתִּ֖י הֹועִֽיל׃

But look at you! You go on believing in these deceptions, these worthless words.

9 הֲגָנֹ֤ב ׀ רָצֹ֙חַ֙ וְֽנָאֹ֗ף וְהִשָּׁבֵ֥עַ לַשֶּׁ֖קֶר וְקַטֵּ֣ר לַבָּ֑עַל וְהָלֹ֗ךְ אַחֲרֵ֛י אֱלֹהִ֥ים אֲחֵרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יְדַעְתֶּֽם׃

Are you really going to continue stealing, murdering, committing adultery, and lying, burning incense to Baal, and worshiping other gods that you know nothing about,

10 וּבָאתֶ֞ם וַעֲמַדְתֶּ֣ם לְפָנַ֗י בַּבַּ֤יִת הַזֶּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִקְרָא־שְׁמִ֣י עָלָ֔יו וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֖ם נִצַּ֑לְנוּ לְמַ֣עַן עֲשֹׂ֔ות אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַתֹּועֵבֹ֖ות הָאֵֽלֶּה׃

and then come and stand before me in my own Temple and say, “We're safe, so we can continue doing all these offensive things”?

11 הַמְעָרַ֣ת פָּרִצִ֗ים הָיָ֨ה הַבַּ֧יִת הַזֶּ֛ה אֲשֶׁר־נִקְרָֽא־שְׁמִ֥י עָלָ֖יו בְּעֵינֵיכֶ֑ם גַּ֧ם אָנֹכִ֛י הִנֵּ֥ה רָאִ֖יתִי נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃ ס

Do you see this house, my own Temple, as a den of thieves? Well, that's what it looks like to me too, declares the Lord.

12 כִּ֣י לְכוּ־נָ֗א אֶל־מְקֹומִי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּשִׁילֹ֔ו אֲשֶׁ֨ר שִׁכַּ֧נְתִּֽי שְׁמִ֛י שָׁ֖ם בָּרִֽאשֹׁונָ֑ה וּרְאוּ֙ אֵ֣ת אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂ֣יתִי לֹ֔ו מִפְּנֵ֕י רָעַ֖ת עַמִּ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

So why don't you go to Shiloh where I first made myself a place for me to live with you, and see what I did to it because of the evil my people Israel did?

13 וְעַתָּ֗ה יַ֧עַן עֲשֹׂותְכֶ֛ם אֶת־כָּל־הַמּֽ͏ַעֲשִׂ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה נְאֻם־יְהוָ֑ה וָאֲדַבֵּ֨ר אֲלֵיכֶ֜ם הַשְׁכֵּ֤ם וְדַבֵּר֙ וְלֹ֣א שְׁמַעְתֶּ֔ם וָאֶקְרָ֥א אֶתְכֶ֖ם וְלֹ֥א עֲנִיתֶֽם׃

I've warned you time and again about all these things you've done but you've refused to listen, declares the Lord. I've called out to you but you didn't want to answer me.

14 וְעָשִׂ֜יתִי לַבַּ֣יִת ׀ אֲשֶׁ֧ר נִֽקְרָא־שְׁמִ֣י עָלָ֗יו אֲשֶׁ֤ר אַתֶּם֙ בֹּטְחִ֣ים בֹּ֔ו וְלַ֨מָּקֹ֔ום אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥תִּי לָכֶ֖ם וְלַאֲבֹֽותֵיכֶ֑ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשִׂ֖יתִי לְשִׁלֹֽו׃

So now I'm going to do to my Temple, what I did to Shiloh. This is the Temple your put your faith in, the place I gave to you and your forefathers.

15 וְהִשְׁלַכְתִּ֥י אֶתְכֶ֖ם מֵעַ֣ל פָּנָ֑י כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר הִשְׁלַ֙כְתִּי֙ אֶת־כָּל־אֲחֵיכֶ֔ם אֵ֖ת כָּל־זֶ֥רַע אֶפְרָֽיִם׃ ס

I will throw you out of my presence, just as I expelled all your Israelite relatives, all the descendants of Ephraim.

16 וְאַתָּ֞ה אַל־תִּתְפַּלֵּ֣ל ׀ בְּעַד־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֗ה וְאַל־תִּשָּׂ֧א בַעֲדָ֛ם רִנָּ֥ה וּתְפִלָּ֖ה וְאַל־תִּפְגַּע־בִּ֑י כִּי־אֵינֶ֥נִּי שֹׁמֵ֖עַ אֹתָֽךְ׃

You, Jeremiah, are not to pray for these people. Don't cry out to me in prayer for them, don't plead with me on their behalf, because I won't listen to you.

17 הַֽאֵינְךָ֣ רֹאֶ֔ה מָ֛ה הֵ֥מָּה עֹשִׂ֖ים בְּעָרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֑ה וּבְחֻצֹ֖ות יְרוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃

Can't you see how they're behaving in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem?

18 הַבָּנִ֞ים מְלַקְּטִ֣ים עֵצִ֗ים וְהָֽאָבֹות֙ מְבַעֲרִ֣ים אֶת־הָאֵ֔שׁ וְהַנָּשִׁ֖ים לָשֹׁ֣ות בָּצֵ֑ק לַעֲשֹׂ֨ות כַּוָּנִ֜ים לִמְלֶ֣כֶת הַשָּׁמַ֗יִם וְהַסֵּ֤ךְ נְסָכִים֙ לֵאלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֔ים לְמַ֖עַן הַכְעִסֵֽנִי׃

The children collect the firewood, the fathers light the fire, and the women knead the dough to make cakes for the Queen of Heaven, and they pour out drink offerings to other gods to make me angry and hurt.

19 הַאֹתִ֛י הֵ֥ם מַכְעִסִ֖ים נְאֻם־יְהוָ֑ה הֲלֹ֣וא אֹתָ֔ם לְמַ֖עַן בֹּ֥שֶׁת פְּנֵיהֶֽם׃ ס

But is it really me they're hurting? declares the Lord. Aren't they really hurting themselves and bringing shame on themselves?

20 לָכֵ֞ן כֹּה־אָמַ֣ר ׀ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהֹוִ֗ה הִנֵּ֨ה אַפִּ֤י וַֽחֲמָתִי֙ נִתֶּ֙כֶת֙ אֶל־הַמָּקֹ֣ום הַזֶּ֔ה עַל־הָֽאָדָם֙ וְעַל־הַבְּהֵמָ֔ה וְעַל־עֵ֥ץ הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה וְעַל־פְּרִ֣י הָֽאֲדָמָ֑ה וּבָעֲרָ֖ה וְלֹ֥א תִכְבֶּֽה׃ ס

So this is what the Lord God says: Watch! My furious anger and will be poured out on this country, on people and animals, on the orchards and the crops in the field. It will burn and nobody will be able to put it out.

21 כֹּ֥ה אָמַ֛ר יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֹ֖ות אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל עֹלֹותֵיכֶ֛ם סְפ֥וּ עַל־זִבְחֵיכֶ֖ם וְאִכְל֥וּ בָשָֽׂר׃

This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: You can add your burnt offerings to your other sacrifices and eat all the meat yourselves!

22 כִּ֠י לֹֽא־דִבַּ֤רְתִּי אֶת־אֲבֹֽותֵיכֶם֙ וְלֹ֣א צִוִּיתִ֔ים בְּיֹ֛ום הֹוצִיא (הֹוצִיאִ֥י) אֹותָ֖ם מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם עַל־דִּבְרֵ֥י עֹולָ֖ה וָזָֽבַח׃

When I led your forefathers out of Egypt I didn't just give them instructions about burnt offerings and sacrifices,

23 כִּ֣י אִֽם־אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַ֠זֶּה צִוִּ֨יתִי אֹותָ֤ם לֵאמֹר֙ שִׁמְע֣וּ בְקֹולִ֔י וְהָיִ֤יתִי לָכֶם֙ לֵֽאלֹהִ֔ים וְאַתֶּ֖ם תִּֽהְיוּ־לִ֣י לְעָ֑ם וַהֲלַכְתֶּ֗ם בְּכָל־הַדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֲצַוֶּ֣ה אֶתְכֶ֔ם לְמַ֖עַן יִיטַ֥ב לָכֶֽם׃

This is the commandment I gave them: Obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Follow everything I have commanded you to do, so that all will go well for you.

24 וְלֹ֤א שָֽׁמְעוּ֙ וְלֹֽא־הִטּ֣וּ אֶת־אָזְנָ֔ם וַיֵּֽלְכוּ֙ בְּמֹ֣עֵצֹ֔ות בִּשְׁרִר֖וּת לִבָּ֣ם הָרָ֑ע וַיִּהְי֥וּ לְאָחֹ֖ור וְלֹ֥א לְפָנִֽים׃

But they refused to listen or pay attention. Instead they followed the desires of their own stubborn and evil thinking, so they ended up going backward and not forward.

25 לְמִן־הַיֹּ֗ום אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָצְא֤וּ אֲבֹֽותֵיכֶם֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם עַ֖ד הַיֹּ֣ום הַזֶּ֑ה וָאֶשְׁלַ֤ח אֲלֵיכֶם֙ אֶת־כָּל־עֲבָדַ֣י הַנְּבִיאִ֔ים יֹ֖ום הַשְׁכֵּ֥ם וְשָׁלֹֽחַ׃

From the time your forefathers left Egypt until now, I have sent you time after time my servants the prophets.

26 וְלֹ֤וא שָׁמְעוּ֙ אֵלַ֔י וְלֹ֥א הִטּ֖וּ אֶת־אָזְנָ֑ם וַיַּקְשׁוּ֙ אֶת־עָרְפָּ֔ם הֵרֵ֖עוּ מֵאֲבֹותָֽם׃

But you refused to listen or pay them attention. Instead, you became more stubborn and rebellious than your forefathers!

27 וְדִבַּרְתָּ֤ אֲלֵיהֶם֙ אֶת־כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה וְלֹ֥א יִשְׁמְע֖וּ אֵלֶ֑יךָ וְקָרָ֥אתָ אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם וְלֹ֥א יַעֲנֽוּכָה׃

When you tell them all this, they won't listen to you. When you call out to them, they won't answer.

28 וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵיהֶ֗ם זֶ֤ה הַגֹּוי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽוא־שָׁמְע֗וּ בְּקֹול֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֔יו וְלֹ֥א לָקְח֖וּ מוּסָ֑ר אָֽבְדָה֙ הָֽאֱמוּנָ֔ה וְנִכְרְתָ֖ה מִפִּיהֶֽם׃ ס

So you have to tell them, “This is the nation that refused to listen to what the Lord their God said, and would not accept the Lord's discipline. Truth has died out; people don't even talk about it.

29 גָּזִּ֤י נִזְרֵךְ֙ וְֽהַשְׁלִ֔יכִי וּשְׂאִ֥י עַל־שְׁפָיִ֖ם קִינָ֑ה כִּ֚י מָאַ֣ס יְהוָ֔ה וַיִּטֹּ֖שׁ אֶת־דֹּ֥ור עֶבְרָתֹֽו׃

Cut off your hair and throw it away. Sing a song of mourning on the bare hills, for the Lord has rejected and abandoned the generation who made him angry.”

30 כִּֽי־עָשׂ֨וּ בְנֵי־יְהוּדָ֥ה הָרַ֛ע בְּעֵינַ֖י נְאֻום־יְהוָ֑ה שָׂ֣מוּ שִׁקּֽוּצֵיהֶ֗ם בַּבַּ֛יִת אֲשֶׁר־נִקְרָא־שְׁמִ֥י עָלָ֖יו לְטַמְּאֹֽו׃

For the people of Judah have done what is evil in my sight, declares the Lord. They have placed their offensive idols in my own Temple, making it unclean.

31 וּבָנ֞וּ בָּמֹ֣ות הַתֹּ֗פֶת אֲשֶׁר֙ בְּגֵ֣יא בֶן־הִנֹּ֔ם לִשְׂרֹ֛ף אֶת־בְּנֵיהֶ֥ם וְאֶת־בְּנֹתֵיהֶ֖ם בָּאֵ֑שׁ אֲשֶׁר֙ לֹ֣א צִוִּ֔יתִי וְלֹ֥א עָלְתָ֖ה עַל־לִבִּֽי׃ ס

They have built pagan shrines at Topheth in the Valley of Hinnom so they could sacrifice their sons and daughters by burning them in the fire. This is something I never commanded. I never even thought of such a thing!

32 לָכֵ֞ן הִנֵּֽה־יָמִ֤ים בָּאִים֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה וְלֹא־יֵאָמֵ֨ר עֹ֤וד הַתֹּ֙פֶת֙ וְגֵ֣יא בֶן־הִנֹּ֔ם כִּ֖י אִם־גֵּ֣יא הַהֲרֵגָ֑ה וְקָבְר֥וּ בְתֹ֖פֶת מֵאֵ֥ין מָקֹֽום׃

So watch out! The time is coming, declares the Lord, when instead of Topheth and the Valley of Hinnom this place will be called the Valley of Killing. People will bury their dead in Topheth until it's full.

33 וְֽהָ֨יְתָ֜ה נִבְלַ֨ת הָעָ֤ם הַזֶּה֙ לְמַֽאֲכָ֔ל לְעֹ֥וף הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וּלְבֶהֱמַ֣ת הָאָ֑רֶץ וְאֵ֖ין מַחֲרִֽיד׃

The dead bodies of these people will be food for birds of prey and wild animals, and there won't be anyone to scare them away.

34 וְהִשְׁבַּתִּ֣י ׀ מֵעָרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֗ה וּמֵֽחֻצֹות֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם קֹ֤ול שָׂשֹׂון֙ וְקֹ֣ול שִׂמְחָ֔ה קֹ֥ול חָתָ֖ן וְקֹ֣ול כַּלָּ֑ה כִּ֥י לְחָרְבָּ֖ה תִּהְיֶ֥ה הָאָֽרֶץ׃

I will put a stop to the cheerful sounds of celebration and the happy voices of the bride and bridegroom from the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem, for the country will be turned into a wasteland.