The prophets
The people ask for guidance and receive the Lord's answer
The remaining people in Judah, led by Johanan, ask the prophet Jeremiah to inquire of God whether they should go to Egypt or stay in the land, promising to obey the answer. After ten days, the word of the Lord comes: If they remain in the land, God will build them up and protect them from the king of Babylon, but if they go to Egypt, sword, famine, and plague will strike them there.
Jeremiah 42,1-22
1Then all the commanders of the forces came forward—Johanan son of Kareah, Jezaniah son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least to the greatest—
וַֽיִּגְּשׁוּ֙ כָּל־שָׂרֵ֣י הַחֲיָלִ֔ים וְיֽוֹחָנָן֙ בֶּן־קָרֵ֔חַ וִֽיזַנְיָ֖ה בֶּן־הוֹשַֽׁעְיָ֑ה וְכָל־הָעָ֖ם מִקָּטֹ֥ן וְעַד־גָּדֽוֹל׃
2and said to Jeremiah the prophet, "Let our plea come before you: pray for us to the LORD your God, for all this remnant. For we are left few out of many, as your own eyes can see.
וַיֹּאמְר֞וּ אֶֽל־יִרְמְיָ֣הוּ הַנָּבִ֗יא תִּפָּל־נָ֤א תְחִנָּתֵ֙נוּ֙ לְפָנֶ֔יךָ וְהִתְפַּלֵּ֤ל בַּעֲדֵ֙נוּ֙ אֶל־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בְּעַ֖ד כָּל־הַשְּׁאֵרִ֣ית הַזֹּ֑את כִּֽי־נִשְׁאַ֤רְנוּ מְעַט֙ מֵֽהַרְבֵּ֔ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר עֵינֶ֖יךָ רֹא֥וֹת אֹתָֽנוּ׃
3Let the LORD your God tell us the way we should go and what we should do."
וְיַגֶּד־לָ֙נוּ֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ אֶת־הַדֶּ֖רֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נֵֽלֶךְ־בָּ֑הּ וְאֶת־הַדָּבָ֖ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר נַעֲשֶֽׂה׃
4Jeremiah the prophet answered them, "I have heard you. I will indeed pray to the LORD your God as you have asked, and whatever the LORD answers you, I will tell you; I will keep nothing back from you."
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם יִרְמְיָ֤הוּ הַנָּבִיא֙ שָׁמַ֔עְתִּי הִנְנִ֧י מִתְפַּלֵּ֛ל אֶל־יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם כְּדִבְרֵיכֶ֑ם וְֽהָיָ֡ה כָּֽל־הַדָּבָר֩ אֲשֶׁר־יַעֲנֶ֨ה יְהוָ֤ה אֶתְכֶם֙ אַגִּ֣יד לָכֶ֔ם לֹֽא־אֶמְנַ֥ע מִכֶּ֖ם דָּבָֽר׃
5Then they said to Jeremiah, "May the LORD be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act on everything the LORD your God sends you to tell us.
וְהֵ֙מָּה֙ אָמְר֣וּ אֶֽל־יִרְמְיָ֔הוּ יְהִ֤י יְהוָה֙ בָּ֔נוּ לְעֵ֖ד אֱמֶ֣ת וְנֶאֱמָ֑ן אִם־לֹ֡א כְּֽכָל־הַ֠דָּבָר אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִֽשְׁלָחֲךָ֜ יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ אֵלֵ֖ינוּ כֵּ֥ן נַעֲשֶֽׂה׃
6Whether it is good or bad, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God, to whom we are sending you, so that it may go well with us when we obey the voice of the LORD our God."
אִם־ט֣וֹב וְאִם־רָ֔ע בְּק֣וֹל ׀ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֗ינוּ אֲשֶׁ֨ר *אנו **אֲנַ֜חְנוּ שֹׁלְחִ֥ים אֹתְךָ֛ אֵלָ֖יו נִשְׁמָ֑ע לְמַ֙עַן֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִֽיטַב־לָ֔נוּ כִּ֣י נִשְׁמַ֔ע בְּק֖וֹל יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃ ס
7Ten days later the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah.
וַיְהִ֕י מִקֵּ֖ץ עֲשֶׂ֣רֶת יָמִ֑ים וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֶֽל־יִרְמְיָֽהוּ׃
8So he called for Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces who were with him, and for all the people from the least to the greatest,
וַיִּקְרָ֗א אֶל־יֽוֹחָנָן֙ בֶּן־קָרֵ֔חַ וְאֶ֛ל כָּל־שָׂרֵ֥י הַחֲיָלִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתּ֑וֹ וּלְכָ֨ל־הָעָ֔ם לְמִקָּטֹ֖ן וְעַד־גָּדֽוֹל׃
9and said to them: "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says, the one to whom you sent me to lay your plea before him:
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם כֹּֽה־אָמַ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֶ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר שְׁלַחְתֶּ֤ם אֹתִי֙ אֵלָ֔יו לְהַפִּ֥יל תְּחִנַּתְכֶ֖ם לְפָנָֽיו׃
10If you will indeed remain in this land, I will build you up and not tear you down; I will plant you and not uproot you, for I relent of the disaster I have brought upon you.
אִם־שׁ֤וֹב תֵּֽשְׁבוּ֙ בָּאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את וּבָנִ֤יתִי אֶתְכֶם֙ וְלֹ֣א אֶהֱרֹ֔ס וְנָטַעְתִּ֥י אֶתְכֶ֖ם וְלֹ֣א אֶתּ֑וֹשׁ כִּ֤י נִחַ֙מְתִּי֙ אֶל־הָ֣רָעָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשִׂ֖יתִי לָכֶֽם׃
11Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon, whom you now fear. Do not be afraid of him, declares the LORD, for I am with you to save you and to deliver you from his hand.
אַל־תִּֽירְא֗וּ מִפְּנֵי֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ בָּבֶ֔ל אֲשֶׁר־אַתֶּ֥ם יְרֵאִ֖ים מִפָּנָ֑יו אַל־תִּֽירְא֤וּ מִמֶּ֙נּוּ֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה כִּֽי־אִתְּכֶ֣ם אָ֔נִי לְהוֹשִׁ֧יעַ אֶתְכֶ֛ם וּלְהַצִּ֥יל אֶתְכֶ֖ם מִיָּדֽוֹ׃
12I will grant you compassion, so that he will have compassion on you and restore you to your own land.
וְאֶתֵּ֥ן לָכֶ֛ם רַחֲמִ֖ים וְרִחַ֣ם אֶתְכֶ֑ם וְהֵשִׁ֥יב אֶתְכֶ֖ם אֶל־אַדְמַתְכֶֽם׃
13But if you say, 'We will not stay in this land,' and so disobey the voice of the LORD your God,
וְאִם־אֹמְרִ֣ים אַתֶּ֔ם לֹ֥א נֵשֵׁ֖ב בָּאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֑את לְבִלְתִּ֣י שְׁמֹ֔עַ בְּק֖וֹל יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃
14saying, 'No, we will go to the land of Egypt, where we will see no war, hear no sound of the trumpet, and never go hungry for bread—there we will settle,'
לֵאמֹ֗ר לֹ֚א כִּ֣י אֶ֤רֶץ מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ נָב֔וֹא אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־נִרְאֶה֙ מִלְחָמָ֔ה וְק֥וֹל שׁוֹפָ֖ר לֹ֣א נִשְׁמָ֑ע וְלַלֶּ֥חֶם לֹֽא־נִרְעָ֖ב וְשָׁ֥ם נֵשֵֽׁב׃
15then hear the word of the LORD, you remnant of Judah. This is what the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, says: If you are determined to go to Egypt and settle there,
וְעַתָּ֕ה לָכֵ֛ן שִׁמְע֥וּ דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה שְׁאֵרִ֣ית יְהוּדָ֑ה כֹּֽה־אָמַר֩ יְהוָ֨ה צְבָא֜וֹת אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אִם־אַ֠תֶּם שׂ֣וֹם תְּשִׂמ֤וּן פְּנֵיכֶם֙ לָבֹ֣א מִצְרַ֔יִם וּבָאתֶ֖ם לָג֥וּר שָֽׁם׃
16then the sword you fear will overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine you dread will follow close behind you into Egypt, and there you will die.
וְהָיְתָ֣ה הַחֶ֗רֶב אֲשֶׁ֤ר אַתֶּם֙ יְרֵאִ֣ים מִמֶּ֔נָּה שָׁ֛ם תַּשִּׂ֥יג אֶתְכֶ֖ם בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם וְהָרָעָ֞ב אֲשֶׁר־אַתֶּ֣ם ׀ דֹּאֲגִ֣ים מִמֶּ֗נּוּ שָׁ֣ם יִדְבַּ֧ק אַחֲרֵיכֶ֛ם מִצְרַ֖יִם וְשָׁ֥ם תָּמֻֽתוּ׃
17All the men who are determined to go to Egypt and settle there will die by the sword, by famine, and by plague. Not one of them will survive or escape the disaster I am bringing upon them.
וְיִֽהְי֣וּ כָל־הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֨מוּ אֶת־פְּנֵיהֶ֜ם לָב֤וֹא מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ לָג֣וּר שָׁ֔ם יָמ֕וּתוּ בַּחֶ֖רֶב בָּרָעָ֣ב וּבַדָּ֑בֶר וְלֹֽא־יִהְיֶ֤ה לָהֶם֙ שָׂרִ֣יד וּפָלִ֔יט מִפְּנֵי֙ הָֽרָעָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲנִ֖י מֵבִ֥יא עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ ס
18For this is what the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, says: As my anger and wrath were poured out on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so my wrath will be poured out on you when you go to Egypt. You will become an object of cursing and horror, of condemnation and reproach, and you will never see this place again.
כִּי֩ כֹ֨ה אָמַ֜ר יְהוָ֣ה צְבָאוֹת֮ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ נִתַּ֨ךְ אַפִּ֜י וַחֲמָתִ֗י עַל־יֹֽשְׁבֵי֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם כֵּ֣ן תִּתַּ֤ךְ חֲמָתִי֙ עֲלֵיכֶ֔ם בְּבֹאֲכֶ֖ם מִצְרָ֑יִם וִהְיִיתֶ֞ם לְאָלָ֤ה וּלְשַׁמָּה֙ וְלִקְלָלָ֣ה וּלְחֶרְפָּ֔ה וְלֹֽא־תִרְא֣וּ ע֔וֹד אֶת־הַמָּק֖וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃
19The LORD has spoken to you, remnant of Judah: Do not go to Egypt. Be certain of this: I have warned you today
דִּבֶּ֨ר יְהוָ֤ה עֲלֵיכֶם֙ שְׁאֵרִ֣ית יְהוּדָ֔ה אַל־תָּבֹ֖אוּ מִצְרָ֑יִם יָדֹ֙עַ֙ תֵּֽדְע֔וּ כִּי־הַעִידֹ֥תִי בָכֶ֖ם הַיּֽוֹם׃
20that you went astray at the cost of your own lives. For you sent me to the LORD your God, saying, 'Pray for us to the LORD our God; tell us everything the LORD our God says, and we will do it.'
כִּ֣י *התעתים **הִתְעֵיתֶם֮ בְּנַפְשֽׁוֹתֵיכֶם֒ כִּֽי־אַתֶּ֞ם שְׁלַחְתֶּ֣ם אֹתִ֗י אֶל־יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הִתְפַּלֵּ֣ל בַּעֲדֵ֔נוּ אֶל־יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ וּכְכֹל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יֹאמַ֜ר יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֵ֛ינוּ כֵּ֥ן הַגֶּד־לָ֖נוּ וְעָשִֽׂינוּ׃
21I have told you today, but you have not obeyed the voice of the LORD your God in anything he sent me to tell you.
וָאַגִּ֥ד לָכֶ֖ם הַיּ֑וֹם וְלֹ֣א שְׁמַעְתֶּ֗ם בְּקוֹל֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם וּלְכֹ֖ל אֲשֶׁר־שְׁלָחַ֥נִי אֲלֵיכֶֽם׃
22So now be certain of this: you will die by the sword, by famine, and by plague in the place where you want to go and settle."
וְעַתָּה֙ יָדֹ֣עַ תֵּֽדְע֔וּ כִּ֗י בַּחֶ֛רֶב בָּרָעָ֥ב וּבַדֶּ֖בֶר תָּמ֑וּתוּ בַּמָּקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר חֲפַצְתֶּ֔ם לָב֖וֹא לָג֥וּר שָֽׁם׃ ס