929/Jeremiah 11-15: Nature Suffers

(טז) זַ֤יִת רַֽעֲנָן֙ יְפֵ֣ה פְרִי־תֹ֔אַר קָרָ֥א יקוק שְׁמֵ֑ךְ לְק֣וֹל ׀ הֲמוּלָּ֣ה גְדֹלָ֗ה הִצִּ֥ית אֵשׁ֙ עָלֶ֔יהָ וְרָע֖וּ דָּלִיּוֹתָֽיו׃ (יז) וַיקוק צְבָאוֹת֙ הַנּוֹטֵ֣עַ אוֹתָ֔ךְ דִּבֶּ֥ר עָלַ֖יִךְ רָעָ֑ה בִּ֠גְלַל רָעַ֨ת בֵּֽית־יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל וּבֵ֣ית יְהוּדָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשׂ֥וּ לָהֶ֛ם לְהַכְעִסֵ֖נִי לְקַטֵּ֥ר לַבָּֽעַל׃ (ס)

Jeremiah 11:16-17

(16) The LORD named you “Verdant olive tree, Fair, with choice fruit.” But with a great roaring sound He has set it on fire, And its boughs are broken. (17) The LORD of Hosts, who planted you, has decreed disaster for you, because of the evil wrought by the House of Israel and the House of Judah, who angered Me by sacrificing to Baal.

ירמיהו י״א:י״ט

(יט) וַאֲנִ֕י כְּכֶ֥בֶשׂ אַלּ֖וּף יוּבַ֣ל לִטְב֑וֹחַ וְלֹֽא־יָדַ֜עְתִּי כִּֽי־עָלַ֣י ׀ חָשְׁב֣וּ מַחֲשָׁב֗וֹת נַשְׁחִ֨יתָה עֵ֤ץ בְּלַחְמוֹ֙ וְנִכְרְתֶ֙נּוּ֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ חַיִּ֔ים וּשְׁמ֖וֹ לֹֽא־יִזָּכֵ֥ר עֽוֹד׃

Jeremiah 11:19

(19) For I was like a docile lamb Led to the slaughter; I did not realize That it was against me They fashioned their plots: “Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, Let us cut him off from the land of the living. That his name be remembered no more!”

ירמיהו י״ב:ב׳-ד׳

(ב) נְטַעְתָּם֙ גַּם־שֹׁרָ֔שׁוּ יֵלְכ֖וּ גַּם־עָ֣שׂוּ פֶ֑רִי קָר֤וֹב אַתָּה֙ בְּפִיהֶ֔ם וְרָח֖וֹק מִכִּלְיוֹתֵיהֶֽם׃ (ג) וְאַתָּ֤ה יקוק יְדַעְתָּ֔נִי תִּרְאֵ֕נִי וּבָחַנְתָּ֥ לִבִּ֖י אִתָּ֑ךְ הַתִּקֵם֙ כְּצֹ֣אן לְטִבְחָ֔ה וְהַקְדִּשֵׁ֖ם לְי֥וֹם הֲרֵגָֽה׃ (ס) (ד) עַד־מָתַי֙ תֶּאֱבַ֣ל הָאָ֔רֶץ וְעֵ֥שֶׂב כָּל־הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה יִיבָ֑שׁ מֵרָעַ֣ת יֹֽשְׁבֵי־בָ֗הּ סָפְתָ֤ה בְהֵמוֹת֙ וָע֔וֹף כִּ֣י אָמְר֔וּ לֹ֥א יִרְאֶ֖ה אֶת־אַחֲרִיתֵֽנוּ׃

Jeremiah 12:2-4

(2) You have planted them, and they have taken root, They spread, they even bear fruit. You are present in their mouths, But far from their thoughts. (3) Yet You, LORD, have noted and observed me; You have tested my heart, and found it with You. Drive them out like sheep to the slaughter, Prepare them for the day of slaying! (4) How long must the land languish, And the grass of all the countryside dry up? Must beasts and birds perish, Because of the evil of its inhabitants, Who say, “He will not look upon our future”?

ירמיהו י״ב:ח׳-י׳

(ח) הָיְתָה־לִּ֥י נַחֲלָתִ֖י כְּאַרְיֵ֣ה בַיָּ֑עַר נָתְנָ֥ה עָלַ֛י בְּקוֹלָ֖הּ עַל־כֵּ֥ן שְׂנֵאתִֽיהָ׃ (ט) הַעַ֨יִט צָב֤וּעַ נַחֲלָתִי֙ לִ֔י הַעַ֖יִט סָבִ֣יב עָלֶ֑יהָ לְכ֗וּ אִסְפ֛וּ כָּל־חַיַּ֥ת הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה הֵתָ֥יוּ לְאָכְלָֽה׃ (י) רֹעִ֤ים רַבִּים֙ שִֽׁחֲת֣וּ כַרְמִ֔י בֹּסְס֖וּ אֶת־חֶלְקָתִ֑י נָֽתְנ֛וּ אֶת־חֶלְקַ֥ת חֶמְדָּתִ֖י לְמִדְבַּ֥ר שְׁמָמָֽה׃

Jeremiah 12:8-10

(8) My own people acted toward Me Like a lion in the forest; She raised her voice against Me— Therefore I have rejected her. (9) My own people acts toward Me Like a blood speckled bird of prey; Let the birds of prey surround her! Go, gather all the wild beasts, Bring them to devour! (10) Many shepherds have destroyed My vineyard, Have trampled My field, Have made My delightful field A desolate wilderness.

ירמיהו י״ב:י״ג

(יג) זָרְע֤וּ חִטִּים֙ וְקֹצִ֣ים קָצָ֔רוּ נֶחְל֖וּ לֹ֣א יוֹעִ֑לוּ וּבֹ֙שׁוּ֙ מִתְּבוּאֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם מֵחֲר֖וֹן אַף־יקוק׃ (ס)

Jeremiah 12:13

(13) They have sown wheat and reaped thorns, They have endured pain to no avail. Be shamed, then, by your harvest— By the blazing wrath of the LORD!

ירמיהו ג׳:ו׳

(ו) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יקוק אֵלַ֗י בִּימֵי֙ יֹאשִׁיָּ֣הוּ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ הֲ‍ֽרָאִ֔יתָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשְׂתָ֖ה מְשֻׁבָ֣ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל הֹלְכָ֨ה הִ֜יא עַל־כָּל־הַ֣ר גָּבֹ֗הַּ וְאֶל־תַּ֛חַת כָּל־עֵ֥ץ רַעֲנָ֖ן וַתִּזְנִי־שָֽׁם׃

Jeremiah 3:6

(6) The LORD said to me in the days of King Josiah: Have you seen what Rebel Israel did, going to every high mountain and under every leafy tree, and whoring there?

ירמיהו י״ג:א׳-ז׳

(א) כֹּֽה־אָמַ֨ר יקוק אֵלַ֗י הָל֞וֹךְ וְקָנִ֤יתָ לְּךָ֙ אֵז֣וֹר פִּשְׁתִּ֔ים וְשַׂמְתּ֖וֹ עַל־מָתְנֶ֑יךָ וּבַמַּ֖יִם לֹ֥א תְבִאֵֽהוּ׃ (ב) וָאֶקְנֶ֥ה אֶת־הָאֵז֖וֹר כִּדְבַ֣ר יקוק וָאָשִׂ֖ם עַל־מָתְנָֽי׃ (ס) (ג) וַיְהִ֧י דְבַר־יקוק אֵלַ֖י שֵׁנִ֥ית לֵאמֹֽר׃ (ד) קַ֧ח אֶת־הָאֵז֛וֹר אֲשֶׁ֥ר קָנִ֖יתָ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־מָתְנֶ֑יךָ וְקוּם֙ לֵ֣ךְ פְּרָ֔תָה וְטָמְנֵ֥הוּ שָׁ֖ם בִּנְקִ֥יק הַסָּֽלַע׃ (ה) וָאֵלֵ֕ךְ וָאֶטְמְנֵ֖הוּ בִּפְרָ֑ת כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יקוק אוֹתִֽי׃ (ו) וַיְהִ֕י מִקֵּ֖ץ יָמִ֣ים רַבִּ֑ים וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יקוק אֵלַ֗י ק֚וּם לֵ֣ךְ פְּרָ֔תָה וְקַ֤ח מִשָּׁם֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֵז֔וֹר אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוִּיתִ֖יךָ לְטָמְנוֹ־שָֽׁם׃ (ז) וָאֵלֵ֣ךְ פְּרָ֔תָה וָאֶחְפֹּ֗ר וָֽאֶקַּח֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֵז֔וֹר מִן־הַמָּק֖וֹם אֲשֶׁר־טְמַנְתִּ֣יו שָׁ֑מָּה וְהִנֵּה֙ נִשְׁחַ֣ת הָאֵז֔וֹר לֹ֥א יִצְלַ֖ח לַכֹּֽל׃ (פ)

Jeremiah 13:1-7

(1) Thus the LORD said to me: “Go buy yourself a loincloth of linen, and put it around your loins, but do not dip it into water.” (2) So I bought the loincloth in accordance with the LORD’s command, and put it about my loins. (3) And the word of the LORD came to me a second time: (4) “Take the loincloth which you bought, which is about your loins, and go at once to Perath and cover it up there in a cleft of the rock.” (5) I went and buried it at Perath, as the LORD had commanded me. (6) Then, after a long time, the LORD said to me, “Go at once to Perath and take there the loincloth which I commanded you to bury there.” (7) So I went to Perath and dug up the loincloth from the place where I had buried it; and found the loincloth ruined; it was not good for anything.

מורה נבוכים, חלק ב' מ״ו:ב׳-ג׳

... ואמנם היה זה כולו 'במראה הנבואה'. כן באמרו "כאשר הלך עבדי ישעיהו ערום ויחף" - אמנם היה זה 'במראות אלוקים'. ואמנם יחשבו חלושי הסברה בזה כולו - היות הנביא מספר שהוא צווה לעשות כן ועשה... וכן אומר בענין אשר צווה בו ירמיה שיטמון את ה'אזור' בפרת וטמנו ופקדו אחר זמן גדול ומצאו שכבר התעפש ונפסד - כל אלו המשלים 'במראה הנבואה' ולא יצא ירמיה מ'ארץ ישראל' לבבל ולא ראה פרת...

Guide for the Perplexed, Part 2 46:2-3

... But it was only done in a prophetic vision. Again, when it is said, "As my servant Isaiah went naked and barefoot" (Isa. 20:3), the prophet did so in a prophetic vision. Weak-minded persons believe that the prophet relates here what he was commanded to do, and what he actually did, ... The same I say in reference to the command given to Jeremiah, to conceal the girdle in the Euphrates, and the statement that he concealed it, examined it after a long time, and found it rotten and spoiled (Jer. 13:4-7). An this was allegorically shown in a vision; Jeremiah did not go from Palestine to Babylon, and did not see the Euphrates...

ירמיהו א׳:י״ז

(יז) וְאַתָּה֙ תֶּאְזֹ֣ר מָתְנֶ֔יךָ וְקַמְתָּ֙ וְדִבַּרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם אֵ֛ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר אָנֹכִ֖י אֲצַוֶּ֑ךָּ אַל־תֵּחַת֙ מִפְּנֵיהֶ֔ם פֶּֽן־אֲחִתְּךָ֖ לִפְנֵיהֶֽם׃

Jeremiah 1:17

(17) So you, gird up your loins, Arise and speak to them All that I command you. Do not break down before them, Lest I break you before them.

בראשית ג׳:ז׳

(ז) וַתִּפָּקַ֙חְנָה֙ עֵינֵ֣י שְׁנֵיהֶ֔ם וַיֵּ֣דְע֔וּ כִּ֥י עֵֽירֻמִּ֖ם הֵ֑ם וַֽיִּתְפְּרוּ֙ עֲלֵ֣ה תְאֵנָ֔ה וַיַּעֲשׂ֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם חֲגֹרֹֽת׃

Genesis 3:7

(7) Then the eyes of both of them were opened and they perceived that they were naked; and they sewed together fig leaves and made themselves loincloths.

ירמיהו י״ג:ט״ז

(טז) תְּנוּ֩ לַיקוק אֱלֹקֵיכֶ֤ם כָּבוֹד֙ בְּטֶ֣רֶם יַחְשִׁ֔ךְ וּבְטֶ֛רֶם יִֽתְנַגְּפ֥וּ רַגְלֵיכֶ֖ם עַל־הָ֣רֵי נָ֑שֶׁף וְקִוִּיתֶ֤ם לְאוֹר֙ וְשָׂמָ֣הּ לְצַלְמָ֔וֶת ישית [וְשִׁ֖ית] לַעֲרָפֶֽל׃

Jeremiah 13:16

(16) Give honor to the LORD your God Before He brings darkness, Before your feet stumble On the mountains in twilight— When you hope for light, And it is turned to darkness And becomes deep gloom.

ירמיהו י״ג:כ״ג-כ״ד

(כג) הֲיַהֲפֹ֤ךְ כּוּשִׁי֙ עוֹר֔וֹ וְנָמֵ֖ר חֲבַרְבֻּרֹתָ֑יו גַּם־אַתֶּם֙ תּוּכְל֣וּ לְהֵיטִ֔יב לִמֻּדֵ֖י הָרֵֽעַ׃ (כד) וַאֲפִיצֵ֖ם כְּקַשׁ־עוֹבֵ֑ר לְר֖וּחַ מִדְבָּֽר׃

Jeremiah 13:23-24

(23) Can the Cushite change his skin, Or the leopard his spots? Just as much can you do good, Who are practiced in doing evil! (24) So I will scatter you like straw that flies Before the desert wind.

ירמיהו ל״ח:ז׳-י׳

(ז) וַיִּשְׁמַ֡ע עֶֽבֶד־מֶ֨לֶךְ הַכּוּשִׁ֜י אִ֣ישׁ סָרִ֗יס וְהוּא֙ בְּבֵ֣ית הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ כִּֽי־נָתְנ֥וּ אֶֽת־יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ אֶל־הַבּ֑וֹר וְהַמֶּ֥לֶךְ יוֹשֵׁ֖ב בְּשַׁ֥עַר בִּנְיָמִֽן׃ (ח) וַיֵּצֵ֥א עֶֽבֶד־מֶ֖לֶךְ מִבֵּ֣ית הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אֶל־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ לֵאמֹֽר׃ (ט) אֲדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ הֵרֵ֜עוּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֤ים הָאֵ֙לֶּה֙ אֵ֣ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֤ר עָשׂוּ֙ לְיִרְמְיָ֣הוּ הַנָּבִ֔יא אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־הִשְׁלִ֖יכוּ אֶל־הַבּ֑וֹר וַיָּ֤מָת תַּחְתָּיו֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י הָֽרָעָ֔ב כִּ֣י אֵ֥ין הַלֶּ֛חֶם ע֖וֹד בָּעִֽיר׃ (י) וַיְצַוֶּ֣ה הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֵ֛ת עֶֽבֶד־מֶ֥לֶךְ הַכּוּשִׁ֖י לֵאמֹ֑ר קַ֣ח בְּיָדְךָ֤ מִזֶּה֙ שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים אֲנָשִׁ֔ים וְֽהַעֲלִ֜יתָ אֶֽת־יִרְמְיָ֧הוּ הַנָּבִ֛יא מִן־הַבּ֖וֹר בְּטֶ֥רֶם יָמֽוּת׃

Jeremiah 38:7-10

(7) Ebed-melech the Cushite, a eunuch who was in the king’s palace, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the pit. The king was then sitting at the Benjamin Gate; (8) so Ebed-melech left the king’s palace, and spoke to the king: (9) “O lord king, those men have acted wickedly in all they did to the prophet Jeremiah; they have put him down in the pit, to die there of hunger.” For there was no more bread in the city. (10) Then the king instructed Ebed-melech the Cushite, “Take with you thirty men from here, and pull the prophet Jeremiah up from the pit before he dies.”

עמוס ט׳:ז׳

(ז) הֲל֣וֹא כִבְנֵי֩ כֻשִׁיִּ֨ים אַתֶּ֥ם לִ֛י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל נְאֻם־יקוק הֲל֣וֹא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל הֶעֱלֵ֙יתִי֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם וּפְלִשְׁתִּיִּ֥ים מִכַּפְתּ֖וֹר וַאֲרָ֥ם מִקִּֽיר׃

Amos 9:7

(7) To Me, O Israelites, you are Just like the Ethiopians —declares the LORD. True, I brought Israel up From the land of Egypt, But also the Philistines from Caphtor And the Arameans from Kir.

ירמיהו י״ד:ד׳-ו׳

(ד) בַּעֲב֤וּר הָאֲדָמָה֙ חַ֔תָּה כִּ֛י לֹא־הָיָ֥ה גֶ֖שֶׁם בָּאָ֑רֶץ בֹּ֥שׁוּ אִכָּרִ֖ים חָפ֥וּ רֹאשָֽׁם׃ (ה) כִּ֤י גַם־אַיֶּ֙לֶת֙ בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה יָלְדָ֖ה וְעָז֑וֹב כִּ֥י לֹֽא־הָיָ֖ה דֶּֽשֶׁא׃ (ו) וּפְרָאִים֙ עָמְד֣וּ עַל־שְׁפָיִ֔ם שָׁאֲפ֥וּ ר֖וּחַ כַּתַּנִּ֑ים כָּל֥וּ עֵינֵיהֶ֖ם כִּי־אֵ֥ין עֵֽשֶׂב׃

Jeremiah 14:4-6

(4) Because of the ground there is dismay, For there has been no rain on the earth. The plowmen are shamed, They cover their heads. (5) Even the hind in the field Forsakes her new-born fawn, Because there is no grass. (6) And the wild asses stand on the bare heights, Snuffing the air like jackals; Their eyes pine, Because there is no herbage.

ירמיהו ט״ו:ג׳

(ג) וּפָקַדְתִּ֨י עֲלֵיהֶ֜ם אַרְבַּ֤ע מִשְׁפָּחוֹת֙ נְאֻם־יקוק אֶת־הַחֶ֣רֶב לַֽהֲרֹ֔ג וְאֶת־הַכְּלָבִ֖ים לִסְחֹ֑ב וְאֶת־ע֧וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֛יִם וְאֶת־בֶּהֱמַ֥ת הָאָ֖רֶץ לֶאֱכֹ֥ל וּלְהַשְׁחִֽית׃

Jeremiah 15:3

(3) And I will appoint over them four kinds [of punishment]—declares the LORD—the sword to slay, the dogs to drag, the birds of the sky, and the beasts of the earth to devour and destroy.

ירמיהו א׳:י״א-י״ד

(יא) וַיְהִ֤י דְבַר־יקוק אֵלַ֣י לֵאמֹ֔ר מָה־אַתָּ֥ה רֹאֶ֖ה יִרְמְיָ֑הוּ וָאֹמַ֕ר מַקֵּ֥ל שָׁקֵ֖ד אֲנִ֥י רֹאֶֽה׃ (יב) וַיֹּ֧אמֶר יקוק אֵלַ֖י הֵיטַ֣בְתָּ לִרְא֑וֹת כִּֽי־שֹׁקֵ֥ד אֲנִ֛י עַל־דְּבָרִ֖י לַעֲשֹׂתֽוֹ׃ (פ) (יג) וַיְהִ֨י דְבַר־יקוק ׀ אֵלַי֙ שֵׁנִ֣ית לֵאמֹ֔ר מָ֥ה אַתָּ֖ה רֹאֶ֑ה וָאֹמַ֗ר סִ֤יר נָפ֙וּחַ֙ אֲנִ֣י רֹאֶ֔ה וּפָנָ֖יו מִפְּנֵ֥י צָפֽוֹנָה׃ (יד) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יקוק אֵלָ֑י מִצָּפוֹן֙ תִּפָּתַ֣ח הָרָעָ֔ה עַ֥ל כָּל־יֹשְׁבֵ֖י הָאָֽרֶץ׃

Jeremiah 1:11-14

(11) The word of the LORD came to me: What do you see, Jeremiah? I replied: I see a branch of an almond tree. (12) The LORD said to me: You have seen right, For I am watchful to bring My word to pass. (13) And the word of the LORD came to me a second time: What do you see? I replied: I see a steaming pot, Tipped away from the north. (14) And the LORD said to me: From the north shall disaster break loose Upon all the inhabitants of the land!