Jeremiah & The Fate of Nations בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים

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The last chapters of Jeremiah are dedicated to the fate of Six Nations. All six will fall - and what happens after that differs 'in the days to come' בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים. Israel, Egypt, Moav and Eilam will eventually return to the lands they previously inhabited. The Philistines' future is left unresolved. And Bavel, who destroyed the Temple, will sink like a rock to riverbed.

How are we to understand the differences in Jeremiah's prophecy that fall on these Nations? Why is Israel not 'set apart' from others and classified alongside Egypt, Moav and Eilam who all receive the promise of hope? Why is Bavel set apart?

How do you see this tied into Pesach and שפוך חמתך?

ירמיהו מ״ו:א׳

אֲשֶׁ֨ר הָיָ֧ה דְבַר־ה' אֶל־יִרְמְיָ֥הוּ הַנָּבִ֖יא עַל־הַגּוֹיִֽם׃

Jeremiah 46:1

The word of the LORD to the prophet Jeremiah concerning the nations.

EGYPT

ירמיהו מ״ו:כ״ו

וּנְתַתִּ֗ים בְּיַד֙ מְבַקְשֵׁ֣י נַפְשָׁ֔ם וּבְיַ֛ד נְבֽוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֥ר מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֖ל וּבְיַד־עֲבָדָ֑יו וְאַחֲרֵי־כֵ֛ן תִּשְׁכֹּ֥ן כִּֽימֵי־קֶ֖דֶם נְאֻם־ה'׃ (ס)

Jeremiah 46:26

I will deliver them [EGYPT] into the hands of those who seek to kill them, into the hands of King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon and into the hands of his subjects. But afterward she shall be inhabited again as in former days, declares the LORD.

מואב

MOAV

ירמיהו מ״ח:מ״ז

וְשַׁבְתִּ֧י שְׁבוּת־מוֹאָ֛ב בְּאַחֲרִ֥ית הַיָּמִ֖ים נְאֻם־ה' עַד־הֵ֖נָּה מִשְׁפַּ֥ט מוֹאָֽב׃ (ס)

Jeremiah 48:47

But I will restore the fortunes of Moab in the days to come—declares the Lord. Thus far is the judgment on MOAV.

עילם

ELAM

ירמיהו מ״ט:ל״ט

וְהָיָ֣ה ׀ בְּאַחֲרִ֣ית הַיָּמִ֗ים אשוב [אָשִׁ֛יב] אֶת־שבית [שְׁב֥וּת] עֵילָ֖ם נְאֻם־ה'׃ (ס)

Jeremiah 49:39

But in the days to come I will restore the fortunes of Elam—declares the LORD.

בבל

BAVEL

ירמיהו נ״א:נ״ו

(נו) כִּי֩ בָ֨א עָלֶ֤יהָ עַל־בָּבֶל֙ שׁוֹדֵ֔ד וְנִלְכְּדוּ֙ גִּבּוֹרֶ֔יהָ חִתְּתָ֖ה קַשְּׁתוֹתָ֑ם כִּ֣י אֵ֧ל גְּמֻל֛וֹת ה' שַׁלֵּ֥ם יְשַׁלֵּֽם׃

Jeremiah 51:56

(56) For a ravager is coming upon Babylon, Her warriors shall be captured, their bows shall be snapped. For the LORD is a God of requital, He deals retribution.

ירמיהו נ״א:ס״ב

(סב) וְאָמַרְתָּ֗ ה' אַתָּ֨ה דִבַּ֜רְתָּ אֶל־הַמָּק֤וֹם הַזֶּה֙ לְהַכְרִית֔וֹ לְבִלְתִּ֤י הֱיֽוֹת־בּוֹ֙ יוֹשֵׁ֔ב לְמֵאָדָ֖ם וְעַד־בְּהֵמָ֑ה כִּֽי־שִׁמְמ֥וֹת עוֹלָ֖ם תִּֽהְיֶֽה׃

Jeremiah 51:62

(62) And say, ‘O LORD, You Yourself have declared concerning this place that it shall be cut off, without inhabitant, man or beast; that it shall be a desolation for all time.’

ירמיהו נ״א:ס״ד

(סד) וְאָמַרְתָּ֗ כָּ֠כָה תִּשְׁקַ֨ע בָּבֶ֤ל וְלֹֽא־תָקוּם֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י הָרָעָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֧ר אָנֹכִ֛י מֵבִ֥יא עָלֶ֖יהָ וְיָעֵ֑פוּ עַד־הֵ֖נָּה דִּבְרֵ֥י יִרְמְיָֽהוּ׃ (ס)

Jeremiah 51:64

(64) And say, ‘Thus shall Babylon sink and never rise again, because of the disaster that I will bring upon it. And [nations] shall have wearied themselves [for fire].’” Thus far the words of Jeremiah.

ישראל

ISRAEL

ירמיהו מ״ו:כ״ח

אַ֠תָּה אַל־תִּירָ֞א עַבְדִּ֤י יַֽעֲקֹב֙ נְאֻם־ה' כִּ֥י אִתְּךָ֖ אָ֑נִי כִּי֩ אֶעֱשֶׂ֨ה כָלָ֜ה בְּכָֽל־הַגּוֹיִ֣ם ׀ אֲשֶׁ֧ר הִדַּחְתִּ֣יךָ שָׁ֗מָּה וְאֹֽתְךָ֙ לֹא־אֶעֱשֶׂ֣ה כָלָ֔ה וְיִסַּרְתִּ֙יךָ֙ לַמִּשְׁפָּ֔ט וְנַקֵּ֖ה לֹ֥א אֲנַקֶּֽךָּ׃ (ס)

Jeremiah 46:28

But you, have no fear, My servant Jacob —declares the LORD— For I am with you. I will make an end of all the nations Among which I have banished you, But I will not make an end of you! I will not leave you unpunished, But I will chastise you in measure.

שפוך חמתך

SEDER PESACH - RETRIBUTION

הגדה של פסח, ברך, שפוך חמתך ב׳

שְׁפֹךְ חֲמָתְךָ אֶל־הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר לֹא יְדָעוּךָ וְעַל־מַמְלָכוֹת אֲשֶׁר בְּשִׁמְךָ לֹא קָרָאוּ. כִּי אָכַל אֶת־יַעֲקֹב וְאֶת־נָוֵהוּ הֵשַׁמּוּ. שְׁפָךְ־עֲלֵיהֶם זַעֲמֶךָ וַחֲרוֹן אַפְּךָ יַשִּׂיגֵם. תִּרְדֹף בְּאַף וְתַשְׁמִידֵם מִתַּחַת שְׁמֵי ה'.

Pesach Haggadah, Barech, Pour Out Thy Wrath 2

Pour your wrath upon the nations that did not know You and upon the kingdoms that did not call upon Your Name! Since they have consumed Ya'akov and laid waste his habitation (Psalms 79:6-7). Pour out Your fury upon them and the fierceness of Your anger shall reach them (Psalms 69:25)! You shall pursue them with anger and eradicate them from under the skies of the Lord (Lamentations 3:66).

Can there be Compassion without Justice?

Britain's Former Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks

It is now clear why, at the very moment He is declaring his compassion, grace and forgiveness, God insists that He does not leave the guilty unpunished. A world without Divine justice would be one where there is more resentment, punishment and crime, and less public-spiritedness and forgiveness, even among religious believers. The more we believe that God punishes the guilty, the more forgiving we become. The less we believe that God punishes the guilty, the more resentful and punitive we become. This is a totally counterintuitive truth, yet one that finally allows us to see the profound wisdom of the Torah in helping us create a humane and compassionate society.