Shtiebel 929 Jeremiah 42

(א) וַֽיִּגְּשׁוּ֙ כׇּל־שָׂרֵ֣י הַחֲיָלִ֔ים וְיֽוֹחָנָן֙ בֶּן־קָרֵ֔חַ וִיזַנְיָ֖ה בֶּן־הוֹשַֽׁעְיָ֑ה וְכׇל־הָעָ֖ם מִקָּטֹ֥ן וְעַד־גָּדֽוֹל׃ (ב) וַיֹּאמְר֞וּ אֶל־יִרְמְיָ֣הוּ הַנָּבִ֗יא תִּפׇּל־נָ֤א תְחִנָּתֵ֙נוּ֙ לְפָנֶ֔יךָ וְהִתְפַּלֵּ֤ל בַּעֲדֵ֙נוּ֙ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בְּעַ֖ד כׇּל־הַשְּׁאֵרִ֣ית הַזֹּ֑את כִּֽי־נִשְׁאַ֤רְנוּ מְעַט֙ מֵֽהַרְבֵּ֔ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר עֵינֶ֖יךָ רֹא֥וֹת אֹתָֽנוּ׃ (ג) וְיַגֶּד־לָ֙נוּ֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ אֶת־הַדֶּ֖רֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נֵֽלֶךְ־בָּ֑הּ וְאֶת־הַדָּבָ֖ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר נַעֲשֶֽׂה׃ (ד) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם יִרְמְיָ֤הוּ הַנָּבִיא֙ שָׁמַ֔עְתִּי הִנְנִ֧י מִתְפַּלֵּ֛ל אֶל־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם כְּדִבְרֵיכֶ֑ם וְֽהָיָ֡ה כׇּֽל־הַדָּבָר֩ אֲשֶׁר־יַעֲנֶ֨ה יְהֹוָ֤ה אֶתְכֶם֙ אַגִּ֣יד לָכֶ֔ם לֹא־אֶמְנַ֥ע מִכֶּ֖ם דָּבָֽר׃ (ה) וְהֵ֙מָּה֙ אָמְר֣וּ אֶֽל־יִרְמְיָ֔הוּ יְהִ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ בָּ֔נוּ לְעֵ֖ד אֱמֶ֣ת וְנֶאֱמָ֑ן אִם־לֹ֡א כְּֽכׇל־הַ֠דָּבָ֠ר אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִֽשְׁלָחֲךָ֜ יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ אֵלֵ֖ינוּ כֵּ֥ן נַעֲשֶֽׂה׃ (ו) אִם־ט֣וֹב וְאִם־רָ֔ע בְּק֣וֹל ׀ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֗ינוּ אֲשֶׁ֨ר (אנו) [אֲנַ֜חְנוּ] שֹׁלְחִ֥ים אֹתְךָ֛ אֵלָ֖יו נִשְׁמָ֑ע לְמַ֙עַן֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִֽיטַב־לָ֔נוּ כִּ֣י נִשְׁמַ֔ע בְּק֖וֹל יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃ {פ}
(ז) וַיְהִ֕י מִקֵּ֖ץ עֲשֶׂ֣רֶת יָמִ֑ים וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶֽל־יִרְמְיָֽהוּ׃ (ח) וַיִּקְרָ֗א אֶל־יֽוֹחָנָן֙ בֶּן־קָרֵ֔חַ וְאֶ֛ל כׇּל־שָׂרֵ֥י הַחֲיָלִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתּ֑וֹ וּ֨לְכׇל־הָעָ֔ם לְמִקָּטֹ֖ן וְעַד־גָּדֽוֹל׃ (ט) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם כֹּה־אָמַ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר שְׁלַחְתֶּ֤ם אֹתִי֙ אֵלָ֔יו לְהַפִּ֥יל תְּחִנַּתְכֶ֖ם לְפָנָֽיו׃ (י) אִם־שׁ֤וֹב תֵּֽשְׁבוּ֙ בָּאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את וּבָנִ֤יתִי אֶתְכֶם֙ וְלֹ֣א אֶהֱרֹ֔ס וְנָטַעְתִּ֥י אֶתְכֶ֖ם וְלֹ֣א אֶתּ֑וֹשׁ כִּ֤י נִחַ֙מְתִּי֙ אֶל־הָ֣רָעָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשִׂ֖יתִי לָכֶֽם׃ (יא) אַל־תִּֽירְא֗וּ מִפְּנֵי֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ בָּבֶ֔ל אֲשֶׁר־אַתֶּ֥ם יְרֵאִ֖ים מִפָּנָ֑יו אַל־תִּֽירְא֤וּ מִמֶּ֙נּוּ֙ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֔ה כִּֽי־אִתְּכֶ֣ם אָ֔נִי לְהוֹשִׁ֧יעַ אֶתְכֶ֛ם וּלְהַצִּ֥יל אֶתְכֶ֖ם מִיָּדֽוֹ׃ (יב) וְאֶתֵּ֥ן לָכֶ֛ם רַחֲמִ֖ים וְרִחַ֣ם אֶתְכֶ֑ם וְהֵשִׁ֥יב אֶתְכֶ֖ם אֶל־אַדְמַתְכֶֽם׃ (יג) וְאִם־אֹמְרִ֣ים אַתֶּ֔ם לֹ֥א נֵשֵׁ֖ב בָּאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֑את לְבִלְתִּ֣י שְׁמֹ֔עַ בְּק֖וֹל יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃ (יד) לֵאמֹ֗ר לֹ֚א כִּ֣י אֶ֤רֶץ מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ נָב֔וֹא אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־נִרְאֶה֙ מִלְחָמָ֔ה וְק֥וֹל שׁוֹפָ֖ר לֹ֣א נִשְׁמָ֑ע וְלַלֶּ֥חֶם לֹֽא־נִרְעָ֖ב וְשָׁ֥ם נֵשֵֽׁב׃ (טו) וְעַתָּ֕ה לָכֵ֛ן שִׁמְע֥וּ דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֖ה שְׁאֵרִ֣ית יְהוּדָ֑ה כֹּֽה־אָמַר֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה צְבָא֜וֹת אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אִם־אַ֠תֶּ֠ם שׂ֣וֹם תְּשִׂמ֤וּן פְּנֵיכֶם֙ לָבֹ֣א מִצְרַ֔יִם וּבָאתֶ֖ם לָג֥וּר שָֽׁם׃ (טז) וְהָיְתָ֣ה הַחֶ֗רֶב אֲשֶׁ֤ר אַתֶּם֙ יְרֵאִ֣ים מִמֶּ֔נָּה שָׁ֛ם תַּשִּׂ֥יג אֶתְכֶ֖ם בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם וְהָרָעָ֞ב אֲשֶׁר־אַתֶּ֣ם ׀ דֹּאֲגִ֣ים מִמֶּ֗נּוּ שָׁ֣ם יִדְבַּ֧ק אַחֲרֵיכֶ֛ם מִצְרַ֖יִם וְשָׁ֥ם תָּמֻֽתוּ׃ (יז) וְיִֽהְי֣וּ כׇל־הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֨מוּ אֶת־פְּנֵיהֶ֜ם לָב֤וֹא מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ לָג֣וּר שָׁ֔ם יָמ֕וּתוּ בַּחֶ֖רֶב בָּרָעָ֣ב וּבַדָּ֑בֶר וְלֹֽא־יִהְיֶ֤ה לָהֶם֙ שָׂרִ֣יד וּפָלִ֔יט מִפְּנֵי֙ הָרָעָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲנִ֖י מֵבִ֥יא עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ (יח) כִּי֩ כֹ֨ה אָמַ֜ר יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָאוֹת֮ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ נִתַּ֨ךְ אַפִּ֜י וַחֲמָתִ֗י עַל־יֹֽשְׁבֵי֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם כֵּ֣ן תִּתַּ֤ךְ חֲמָתִי֙ עֲלֵיכֶ֔ם בְּבֹאֲכֶ֖ם מִצְרָ֑יִם וִהְיִיתֶ֞ם לְאָלָ֤ה וּלְשַׁמָּה֙ וְלִקְלָלָ֣ה וּלְחֶרְפָּ֔ה וְלֹא־תִרְא֣וּ ע֔וֹד אֶת־הַמָּק֖וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃ (יט) דִּבֶּ֨ר יְהֹוָ֤ה עֲלֵיכֶם֙ שְׁאֵרִ֣ית יְהוּדָ֔ה אַל־תָּבֹ֖אוּ מִצְרָ֑יִם יָדֹ֙עַ֙ תֵּדְע֔וּ כִּֽי־הַעִידֹ֥תִי בָכֶ֖ם הַיּֽוֹם׃ (כ) כִּ֣י (התעתים) [הִתְעֵיתֶם֮] בְּנַפְשׁוֹתֵיכֶם֒ כִּֽי־אַתֶּ֞ם שְׁלַחְתֶּ֣ם אֹתִ֗י אֶל־יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הִתְפַּלֵּ֣ל בַּעֲדֵ֔נוּ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ וּכְכֹל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יֹאמַ֜ר יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֵ֛ינוּ כֵּ֥ן הַגֶּד־לָ֖נוּ וְעָשִֽׂינוּ׃ (כא) וָאַגִּ֥ד לָכֶ֖ם הַיּ֑וֹם וְלֹ֣א שְׁמַעְתֶּ֗ם בְּקוֹל֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֔ם וּלְכֹ֖ל אֲשֶׁר־שְׁלָחַ֥נִי אֲלֵיכֶֽם׃ (כב) וְעַתָּה֙ יָדֹ֣עַ תֵּדְע֔וּ כִּ֗י בַּחֶ֛רֶב בָּרָעָ֥ב וּבַדֶּ֖בֶר תָּמ֑וּתוּ בַּמָּקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר חֲפַצְתֶּ֔ם לָב֖וֹא לָג֥וּר שָֽׁם׃ {ס}

Jeremiah 42

(1) Then all the army officers, with Johanan son of Kareah, Jezaniah son of Hoshaiah, and all the rest of the people, great and small, approached (2) the prophet Jeremiah and said, “Grant our plea, and pray for us to the ETERNAL your God, for all this remnant! For we remain but a few out of many, as you can see. (3) Let the ETERNAL your God tell us where we should go and what we should do.” (4) The prophet Jeremiah answered them, “Agreed: I will pray to the ETERNAL your God as you request, and I will tell you whatever response GOD gives for you. I will withhold nothing from you.” (5) Thereupon they said to Jeremiah, “Let GOD be a true and faithful witness against us! We swear that we will do exactly as the ETERNAL your God instructs us through you— (6) Whether it is pleasant or unpleasant, we will obey the ETERNAL our God to whom we send you, in order that it may go well with us when we obey the ETERNAL our God.” (7) After ten days, the word of GOD came to Jeremiah. (8) He called Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers, and the rest of the people, great and small, (9) and said to them, “Thus said the ETERNAL, the God of Israel, to whom you sent me to present your supplication: (10) If you remain in this land, I will build you and not overthrow, I will plant you and not uproot; for I regret the punishment I have brought upon you. (11) Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon, whom you fear; do not be afraid of him—declares GOD —for I am with you to save you and to rescue you from his hands. (12) I will dispose him to be merciful to you: he shall show you mercy and bring you back toabring you back to Change of vocalization yields “let you dwell in.” your own land. (13) “But if you say, ‘We will not stay in this land’—thus disobeying the ETERNAL your God— (14) if you say, ‘No! We will go to the land of Egypt, so that we may not see war or hear the sound of the horn, and so that we may not hunger for bread; there we will stay,’ (15) then hear the word of GOD, O remnant of Judah! Thus said GOD of Hosts, the God of Israel: If you turn your faces toward Egypt, and you go and sojourn there, (16) the sword that you fear shall overtake you there, in the land of Egypt, and the famine you worry over shall follow at your heels in Egypt too; and there you shall die. (17) All those who turn their faces toward Egypt, in order to sojourn there, shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence. They shall have no surviving remnant of the disaster that I will bring upon them. (18) For thus said GOD of Hosts, the God of Israel: As My anger and wrath were poured out upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so will My wrath be poured out on you if you go to Egypt. You shall become an execration of woe, a curseban execration of woe, a curse I.e., a standard by which people execrate and curse; cf. note at 24.9. and a mockery; and you shall never again see this place. (19) GOD has spoken against you, O remnant of Judah! Do not go to Egypt! Know well, then—for I warn you this day (20) that you were deceitful at heart when you sent me to the ETERNAL your God, saying, ‘Pray for us to the ETERNAL our God; and whatever the ETERNAL our God may say, just tell us and we will do it.’ (21) I told you today, and you have not obeyed the ETERNAL your God in respect to all that I was sent to tell you— (22) know well, then, that you shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence in the place where you want to go and sojourn.”

A First For All
by Rabbi Benny Lau

Discussion Questions

What do you think happened during the 10 days between the request for guidance and the prophecy? What did Yirmiyahu feel? What did the people feel?
Do you think the people were honestly asking Yirmiyahu? Were they really able to hear his prophecy?
Do you think Yirmiyahu convincingly represented his message? Could he have said it in any other way that the people would have listened to it?
What would you have done? How would you know what to follow?