Les prophètes

The Covenant and the Breach with Judah

The Lord commands Jeremiah to proclaim the words of the covenant to Judah and Jerusalem, reminding them of the curse for those who break it. The people have returned to the sins of their ancestors and burned incense to Baal, and the Lord reveals a conspiracy among the men of Judah. He calls Judah a green olive tree that is now to be set on fire. Finally, a plot against Jeremiah's life by the men of Anathoth, his own hometown, is uncovered, and the Lord announces judgment upon them.

Jérémie 11,1-23

1The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD:
הַדָּבָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הָיָ֣ה אֶֽל־יִרְמְיָ֔הוּ מֵאֵ֥ת יְהוָ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר׃ ‬
2Hear the terms of this covenant, and speak them to the people of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
שִׁמְע֕וּ אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֖י הַבְּרִ֣ית הַזֹּ֑את וְדִבַּרְתָּם֙ אֶל־אִ֣ישׁ יְהוּדָ֔ה וְעַל־יֹשְׁבֵ֖י יְרוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃ ‬
3Say to them: This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Cursed is the one who does not obey the terms of this covenant,
וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם כֹּֽה־אָמַ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אָר֣וּר הָאִ֔ישׁ אֲשֶׁר֙ לֹ֣א יִשְׁמַ֔ע אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֖י הַבְּרִ֥ית הַזֹּֽאת׃ ‬
4which I commanded your fathers on the day I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the iron furnace, saying, "Listen to my voice and do everything I command you, and you will be my people and I will be your God"—
אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוִּ֣יתִי אֶת־אֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶ֡ם בְּי֣וֹם הוֹצִיאִֽי־אוֹתָ֣ם מֵאֶֽרֶץ־מִצְרַיִם֩ מִכּ֨וּר הַבַּרְזֶ֜ל לֵאמֹ֗ר שִׁמְע֤וּ בְקוֹלִי֙ וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֣ם אוֹתָ֔ם כְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־אֲצַוֶּ֖ה אֶתְכֶ֑ם וִהְיִ֤יתֶם לִי֙ לְעָ֔ם וְאָ֣נֹכִ֔י אֶהְיֶ֥ה לָכֶ֖ם לֵאלֹהִֽים׃ ‬
5so that I might fulfill the oath I swore to your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is today. And I answered, "Amen, LORD."
לְמַעַן֩ הָקִ֨ים אֶת־הַשְּׁבוּעָ֜ה אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּ֣עְתִּי לַאֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶ֗ם לָתֵ֤ת לָהֶם֙ אֶ֣רֶץ זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֛ב וּדְבַ֖שׁ כַּיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה וָאַ֥עַן וָאֹמַ֖ר אָמֵ֥ן ׀ יְהוָֽה׃ ס ‬
6Then the LORD said to me: Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem: Hear the terms of this covenant and carry them out.
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֵלַ֔י קְרָ֨א אֶת־כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֤ים הָאֵ֙לֶּה֙ בְּעָרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה וּבְחֻצ֥וֹת יְרוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם לֵאמֹ֑ר שִׁמְע֗וּ אֶת־דִּבְרֵי֙ הַבְּרִ֣ית הַזֹּ֔את וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אוֹתָֽם׃ ‬
7For I solemnly warned your fathers on the day I brought them up from the land of Egypt, and I have warned them again and again to this very day, saying, "Listen to my voice."
כִּי֩ הָעֵ֨ד הַעִדֹ֜תִי בַּאֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶ֗ם בְּיוֹם֩ הַעֲלוֹתִ֨י אוֹתָ֜ם מֵאֶ֤רֶץ מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ וְעַד־הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה הַשְׁכֵּ֥ם וְהָעֵ֖ד לֵאמֹ֑ר שִׁמְע֖וּ בְּקוֹלִֽי׃ ‬
8But they did not listen or pay attention; each followed the stubbornness of his own evil heart. So I brought upon them all the words of this covenant, which I had commanded them to keep but they did not keep.
וְלֹ֤א שָֽׁמְעוּ֙ וְלֹֽא־הִטּ֣וּ אֶת־אָזְנָ֔ם וַיֵּ֣לְכ֔וּ אִ֕ישׁ בִּשְׁרִיר֖וּת לִבָּ֣ם הָרָ֑ע וָאָבִ֨יא עֲלֵיהֶ֜ם אֶֽת־כָּל־דִּבְרֵ֧י הַבְּרִית־הַזֹּ֛את אֲשֶׁר־צִוִּ֥יתִי לַעֲשׂ֖וֹת וְלֹ֥א עָשֽׂוּ׃ ס ‬
9The LORD said to me: A conspiracy has been found among the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהוָ֖ה אֵלָ֑י נִֽמְצָא־קֶ֙שֶׁר֙ בְּאִ֣ישׁ יְהוּדָ֔ה וּבְיֹשְׁבֵ֖י יְרוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃ ‬
10They have gone back to the sins of their forefathers, who refused to listen to my words; they have followed other gods to serve them. The house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken the covenant I made with their fathers.
שָׁ֩בוּ֩ עַל־עֲוֺנֹ֨ת אֲבוֹתָ֜ם הָרִֽאשֹׁנִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר מֵֽאֲנוּ֙ לִשְׁמ֣וֹעַ אֶת־דְּבָרַ֔י וְהֵ֣מָּה הָלְכ֗וּ אַחֲרֵ֛י אֱלֹהִ֥ים אֲחֵרִ֖ים לְעָבְדָ֑ם הֵפֵ֤רוּ בֵֽית־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וּבֵ֣ית יְהוּדָ֔ה אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֕י אֲשֶׁ֥ר כָּרַ֖תִּי אֶת־אֲבוֹתָֽם׃ ס ‬
11Therefore this is what the LORD says: I am about to bring on them a disaster they cannot escape. Though they cry out to me, I will not listen to them.
לָכֵ֗ן כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה הִנְנִ֨י מֵבִ֤יא אֲלֵיהֶם֙ רָעָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יוּכְל֖וּ לָצֵ֣את מִמֶּ֑נָּה וְזָעֲק֣וּ אֵלַ֔י וְלֹ֥א אֶשְׁמַ֖ע אֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ ‬
12Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to whom they burn incense, but those gods will not save them at all in the time of their trouble.
וְהָֽלְכ֞וּ עָרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֗ה וְיֹשְׁבֵי֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם וְזָֽעֲקוּ֙ אֶל־הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֛ר הֵ֥ם מְקַטְּרִ֖ים לָהֶ֑ם וְהוֹשֵׁ֛עַ לֹֽא־יוֹשִׁ֥יעוּ לָהֶ֖ם בְּעֵ֥ת רָעָתָֽם׃ ‬
13For your gods have become as many as your cities, Judah; and the altars you have set up to that shameful thing are as many as the streets of Jerusalem—altars for burning incense to Baal.
כִּ֚י מִסְפַּ֣ר עָרֶ֔יךָ הָי֥וּ אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ יְהוּדָ֑ה וּמִסְפַּ֞ר חֻצ֣וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֗ם שַׂמְתֶּ֤ם מִזְבְּחוֹת֙ לַבֹּ֔שֶׁת מִזְבְּח֖וֹת לְקַטֵּ֥ר לַבָּֽעַל׃ ס ‬
14As for you, do not pray for this people or raise up any plea or petition for them, for I will not listen when they call to me in the time of their trouble.
וְאַתָּ֗ה אַל־תִּתְפַּלֵּל֙ בְּעַד־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה וְאַל־תִּשָּׂ֥א בַעֲדָ֖ם רִנָּ֣ה וּתְפִלָּ֑ה כִּ֣י אֵינֶ֣נִּי שֹׁמֵ֗עַ בְּעֵ֛ת קָרְאָ֥ם אֵלַ֖י בְּעַ֥ד רָעָתָֽם׃ ס ‬
15What is my beloved doing in my house, carrying out her vile schemes with the crowd? Can consecrated flesh avert your doom? When you do evil, then you rejoice.
מֶ֣ה לִֽידִידִ֞י בְּבֵיתִ֗י עֲשׂוֹתָ֤הּ הַֽמְזִמָּ֙תָה֙ הָֽרַבִּ֔ים וּבְשַׂר־קֹ֖דֶשׁ יַעַבְר֣וּ מֵֽעָלָ֑יִךְ כִּ֥י רָעָתֵ֖כִי אָ֥ז תַּעֲלֹֽזִי׃ ‬
16The LORD once called you a thriving olive tree, lovely in form and fruit. But with the roar of a mighty storm he has set it on fire, and its branches are broken.
זַ֤יִת רַֽעֲנָן֙ יְפֵ֣ה פְרִי־תֹ֔אַר קָרָ֥א יְהוָ֖ה שְׁמֵ֑ךְ לְק֣וֹל ׀ הֲמוּלָּ֣ה גְדֹלָ֗ה הִצִּ֥ית אֵשׁ֙ עָלֶ֔יהָ וְרָע֖וּ דָּלִיּוֹתָֽיו׃ ‬
17The LORD of hosts, who planted you, has decreed disaster for you, because of the evil the house of Israel and the house of Judah have done, provoking me to anger by burning incense to Baal.
וַיהוָ֤ה צְבָאוֹת֙ הַנּוֹטֵ֣עַ אוֹתָ֔ךְ דִּבֶּ֥ר עָלַ֖יִךְ רָעָ֑ה בִּ֠גְלַל רָעַ֨ת בֵּֽית־יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל וּבֵ֣ית יְהוּדָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשׂ֥וּ לָהֶ֛ם לְהַכְעִסֵ֖נִי לְקַטֵּ֥ר לַבָּֽעַל׃ ס ‬
18The LORD made it known to me, and I knew; you showed me what they were doing.
וַֽיהוָ֥ה הֽוֹדִיעַ֖נִי וָֽאֵדָ֑עָה אָ֖ז הִרְאִיתַ֥נִי מַעַלְלֵיהֶֽם׃ ‬
19But I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter; I did not know that they were plotting against me, saying, "Let us destroy the tree with its fruit; let us cut him off from the land of the living, so that his name will be remembered no more."
וַאֲנִ֕י כְּכֶ֥בֶשׂ אַלּ֖וּף יוּבַ֣ל לִטְב֑וֹחַ וְלֹֽא־יָדַ֜עְתִּי כִּֽי־עָלַ֣י ׀ חָשְׁב֣וּ מַחֲשָׁב֗וֹת נַשְׁחִ֨יתָה עֵ֤ץ בְּלַחְמוֹ֙ וְנִכְרְתֶ֙נּוּ֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ חַיִּ֔ים וּשְׁמ֖וֹ לֹֽא־יִזָּכֵ֥ר עֽוֹד׃ ‬
20But you, LORD of hosts, who judge righteously and test the heart and mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you I have committed my cause.
וַֽיהוָ֤ה צְבָאוֹת֙ שֹׁפֵ֣ט צֶ֔דֶק בֹּחֵ֥ן כְּלָי֖וֹת וָלֵ֑ב אֶרְאֶ֤ה נִקְמָֽתְךָ֙ מֵהֶ֔ם כִּ֥י אֵלֶ֖יךָ גִּלִּ֥יתִי אֶת־רִיבִֽי׃ ס ‬
21Therefore this is what the LORD says about the men of Anathoth who are seeking your life and saying, "Do not prophesy in the name of the LORD, or you will die by our hands"—
לָכֵ֗ן כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ עַל־אַנְשֵׁ֣י עֲנָת֔וֹת הַֽמְבַקְשִׁ֥ים אֶֽת־נַפְשְׁךָ֖ לֵאמֹ֑ר לֹ֤א תִנָּבֵא֙ בְּשֵׁ֣ם יְהוָ֔ה וְלֹ֥א תָמ֖וּת בְּיָדֵֽנוּ׃ ס ‬
22therefore this is what the LORD of hosts says: I am about to punish them. Their young men will die by the sword, their sons and daughters by famine.
לָכֵ֗ן כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת הִנְנִ֥י פֹקֵ֖ד עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם הַבַּֽחוּרִים֙ יָמֻ֣תוּ בַחֶ֔רֶב בְּנֵיהֶם֙ וּבְנ֣וֹתֵיהֶ֔ם יָמֻ֖תוּ בָּרָעָֽב׃ ‬
23Not even a remnant will be left to them, for I will bring disaster on the men of Anathoth in the year of their reckoning.
וּשְׁאֵרִ֕ית לֹ֥א תִֽהְיֶ֖ה לָהֶ֑ם כִּֽי־אָבִ֥יא רָעָ֛ה אֶל־אַנְשֵׁ֥י עֲנָת֖וֹת שְׁנַ֥ת פְּקֻדָּתָֽם׃ ס ‬