Parashat Matot-Masei and Haftarah: Jeremiah 2:4-28, 3:4 or 4:1-2

(2) Moses spoke to the heads of the Israelite tribes, saying: This is what יהוה has commanded: (3) If a householder*householder I.e., an individual whose vows are not subject to another’s review—unlike the vows made by dependent men within his household, and unlike those made by his wife or daughter. Or more vaguely, “anyone.” See the Dictionary under ’ish. makes a vow to יהוה or takes an oath imposing an obligation*an obligation Or “a prohibition.” on himself, he shall not break his pledge; he must carry out all that has crossed his lips.*crossed his lips Lit. “come out of his mouth.” (4) If a woman*woman Lit. “(female) participant whose involvement defines the depicted situation.” Unlike “woman” in contemporary English, Heb. ’ishshah can denote girls within its scope, as here and in 31.18, 35; Judg. 21.14. makes a vow to יהוה or assumes an obligation while still in her father’s household by reason of her youth, (5) and her father learns of her vow or her self-imposed obligation and offers no objection, all her vows shall stand and every self-imposed obligation shall stand. (6) But if her father restrains her on the day he finds out, none of her vows or self-imposed obligations shall stand; and יהוה will forgive her, since her father restrained her. (7) If she should become someone’s [wife] while her vow or the commitment*commitment Lit. “utterance of her lips.” to which she bound herself is still in force, (8) and her husband learns of it and offers no objection on the day he finds out, her vows shall stand and her self-imposed obligations shall stand. (9) But if her husband restrains her on the day that he learns of it, he thereby annuls her vow which was in force or the commitment*commitment Lit. “utterance of her lips.” to which she bound herself; and יהוה will forgive her.— (10) The vow of a widow or of a divorced woman, however, whatever she has imposed on herself, shall be binding upon her.— (11) So, too, if, while in her husband’s household, she makes a vow or imposes an obligation on herself by oath, (12) and her husband learns of it, yet offers no objection—thus failing to restrain her—all her vows shall stand and all her self-imposed obligations shall stand. (13) But if her husband does annul them on the day he finds out, then nothing that has crossed her lips shall stand, whether vows or self-imposed obligations. Her husband has annulled them, and יהוה will forgive her. (14) Every vow and every sworn obligation of self-denial may be upheld by her husband or annulled by her husband. (15) If her husband offers no objection from that day to the next, he has upheld all the vows or obligations she has assumed: he has upheld them by offering no objection on the day he found out. (16) But if he annuls them after [the day] he finds out, he shall bear her guilt. (17) Those are the laws that יהוה enjoined upon Moses between a husband and his wife, and as between a father and his daughter while in her father’s household by reason of her youth.

(1) These were the marches of the Israelites who started out from the land of Egypt, troop by troop, in the charge of Moses and Aaron. (2) Moses recorded the starting points of their various marches as directed by יהוה. Their marches, by starting points, were as follows: (3) They set out from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month. It was on the morrow of the passover offering that the Israelites started out defiantly,*defiantly Lit. “with upraised hand”; cf. Exod. 14.8. in plain view of all the Egyptians. (4) The Egyptians meanwhile were burying those among them whom יהוה had struck down, every [male] first-born—whereby יהוה executed judgment on their gods. (5) The Israelites set out from Rameses and encamped at Succoth. (6) They set out from Succoth and encamped at Etham, which is on the edge of the wilderness. (7) They set out from Etham and turned about toward Pi-hahiroth, which faces Baal-zephon, and they encamped before Migdol. (8) They set out from Pene*Pene Many Hebrew manuscripts and ancient versions read “Pi”; cf. v. 7. -hahiroth and passed through the sea into the wilderness; and they made a three-days’ journey in the wilderness of Etham and encamped at Marah. (9) They set out from Marah and came to Elim. There were twelve springs in Elim and seventy palm trees, so they encamped there. (10) They set out from Elim and encamped by the Sea of Reeds.*Sea of Reeds Traditionally, but incorrectly, “Red Sea.”

(4) Hear the word of GOD, O House of Jacob,
Every clan of the House of Israel! (5) Thus said GOD:
What wrong did your ancestors find in Me
That they abandoned Me
And went after delusion and were deluded? (6) They never asked themselves, “Where is GOD,
Who brought us up from the land of Egypt,
Who led us through the wilderness,
A land of deserts and pits,
A land of drought and darkness,
A land nobody had traversed,
Where no human being had dwelt?” (7) I brought you to this country of farmland
To enjoy its fruit and its bounty;
But you came and defiled My land,
You made My possession abhorrent. (8) The priests never asked themselves, “Where is GOD?”
The guardians of the Teaching ignored Me;
The rulersarulers Lit. “shepherds”; cf. 3.15; 23.1ff. rebelled against Me,
And the prophets prophesied by Baal
And followed what can do no good. (9) Oh, I will go on accusing you
—declares GOD—
And I will accuse your children’s children! (10) Just cross over to the isles of the Kittim and look,
Send to Kedar and observe carefully;
See if aught like this has ever happened: (11) Has any nation changed its gods
Even though they are no-gods?
But My people has exchanged its glory
For what can do no good. (12) Be appalled, O heavens, at this;
Be horrified, utterly dazed!
—says GOD. (13) For My people have done a twofold wrong:
They have forsaken Me, the Fount of living waters,
And hewed out for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns,
That cannot even hold water. (14) Is Israel a bondman?
Is he a home-born slave?
Then why is he given over to plunder? (15) Lions have roared over him,
Have raised their cries.
They have made his land a waste,
His cities desolate, without inhabitants. (16) Those, too, in Noph and TahpanhesbNoph and Tahpanhes Cities in Egypt. The Egyptians, like the Assyrians, will prove a disappointment; cf. v. 36.
Will lay barecWill lay bare Meaning of Heb. uncertain. your head. (17) See, that is the price you have paid
For forsaking the ETERNAL your Goddthat is the price you have paid / For forsaking the ETERNAL your God Lit. “that is what your forsaking the ETERNAL your God is doing to you.”
Who led you in the way.eWho led you in the way Meaning of Heb. uncertain. (18) What, then, is the good of your going to Egypt
To drink the waters of the Nile?
And what is the good of your going to Assyria
To drink the waters of the Euphrates? (19) Let your misfortune reprove you,
Let your afflictions rebuke you;
Mark well how bad and bitter it is
That you forsake the ETERNAL your God,
That awe for Me is not in you
—declares my Sovereign GOD of Hosts. (20) For long ago youfyou For the form, cf. shaqqamti, Judg. 5.7; in contrast to others “I.” broke your yoke,
Tore off your yoke-bands,
And said, “I will not work!”gwork Following the kethib; qere “transgress.”
On every high hill and under every verdant tree,
You recline as a whore. (21) I planted you with noble vines,
All with choicest seed;
Alas, I find you changed
Into a base, an alien vine! (22) Though you wash with natron
And use much lye,
Your guilt is ingrained before Me
—declares my Sovereign GOD. (23) How can you say, “I am not defiled,
I have not gone after the Baalim”?
Look at your deeds in the Valley,hValley Of Hinnom; cf. 7.31–32; 32.35.
Consider what you have done!
Like a lustful she-camel,
Restlessly running about,iRestlessly running about Meaning of Heb. uncertain. (24) Or like a wild ass used to the desert,
Snuffing the wind in her eagerness,
Whose passion none can restrain,
None that seek her need grow weary—
In her season, they’ll find her! (25) Save your foot from going bare,
And your throat from thirst.
But you say, “It is no use.
No, I love the strangers,jstrangers I.e., other gods.
And after them I must go.” (26) Like a thief chagrined when caught,
So is the House of Israel chagrined—
They, their kings, their officers,
And their priests and prophets. (27) They said to wood, “You are my father,”
To stone, “You gave birth to me,”
While to Me they turned their backs
And not their faces.
But in their hour of calamity they cry,
“Arise and save us!” (28) And where are those gods
You made for yourself?
Let them arise and save you, if they can,
In your hour of calamity.
For your gods have become, O Judah,
As many as your towns!

(1) If you return, O Israel
—declares GOD—
If you return to Me,
If you remove your abominations from My presence
And do not waver, (2) And swear, “As GOD lives,”aswear, “As GOD lives” I.e., profess the worship of GOD.
In sincerity, justice, and righteousness—
Nations shall bless themselves by youbyou Heb. “him.”
And praise themselves by you.cyou Heb. “him.”