TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 11

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1The word which came to Yirmiyahu from Hashem:

אהַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר הָיָה אֶל־יִרְמְיָהוּ מֵאֵת יְהֹוָה לֵאמֹר׃

2“Hear the terms of this covenant, and recite them to the men of Yehuda and the inhabitants of Yerushalayim!

בשִׁמְעוּ אֶת־דִּבְרֵי הַבְּרִית הַזֹּאת וְדִבַּרְתָּם אֶל־אִישׁ יְהוּדָה וְעַל־יֹשְׁבֵי יְרוּשָׁלָ ִם׃

3And say to them, Thus said Hashem, the God of Yisrael: Cursed be the man who will not obey the terms of this covenant,

גוְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵיהֶם כֹּה־אָמַר יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אָרוּר הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִשְׁמַע אֶת־דִּבְרֵי הַבְּרִית הַזֹּאת׃

4which I enjoined upon your fathers when I freed them from the land of Egypt, the iron crucible, saying, ‘Obey Me and observe them, just as I command you, that you may be My people and I may be your God'—

דאֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִי אֶת־אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם בְּיוֹם הוֹצִיאִי־אוֹתָם מֵאֶרֶץ־מִצְרַיִם מִכּוּר הַבַּרְזֶל לֵאמֹר שִׁמְעוּ בְקוֹלִי וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אוֹתָם כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר־אֲצַוֶּה אֶתְכֶם וִהְיִיתֶם לִי לְעָם וְאָנֹכִי אֶהְיֶה לָכֶם לֵאלֹהִים׃

5in order to fulfill the oath which I swore to your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as is now the case.” And I responded, “Amen, Hashem.”

הלְמַעַן הָקִים אֶת־הַשְּׁבוּעָה אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי לַאֲבוֹתֵיכֶם לָתֵת לָהֶם אֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבַשׁ כַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה וָאַעַן וָאֹמַר אָמֵן יְהֹוָה׃

6And Hashem said to me, “Proclaim all these things through the towns of Yehuda and the streets of Yerushalayim: Hear the terms of this covenant, and perform them.

ווַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֵלַי קְרָא אֶת־כָּל־הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה בְּעָרֵי יְהוּדָה וּבְחֻצוֹת יְרוּשָׁלַ ִם לֵאמֹר שִׁמְעוּ אֶת־דִּבְרֵי הַבְּרִית הַזֹּאת וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אוֹתָם׃

7For I have repeatedly and persistently warned your fathers from the time I brought them out of Egypt to this day, saying: Obey My commands.

זכִּי הָעֵד הַעִדֹתִי בַּאֲבוֹתֵיכֶם בְּיוֹם הַעֲלוֹתִי אוֹתָם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם וְעַד־הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה הַשְׁכֵּם וְהָעֵד לֵאמֹר שִׁמְעוּ בְּקוֹלִי׃

8But they would not listen or give ear; they all followed the willfulness of their evil hearts. So I have brought upon them all the terms of this covenant, because they did not do what I commanded them to do.”

חוְלֹא שָׁמְעוּ וְלֹא־הִטּוּ אֶת־אָזְנָם וַיֵּלְכוּ אִישׁ בִּשְׁרִירוּת לִבָּם הָרָע וָאָבִיא עֲלֵיהֶם אֶת־כָּל־דִּבְרֵי הַבְּרִית־הַזֹּאת אֲשֶׁר־צִוִּיתִי לַעֲשׂוֹת וְלֹא עָשׂוּ׃

9Hashem said to me, “A conspiracy exists among the men of Yehuda and the inhabitants of Yerushalayim.

טוַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֵלָי נִמְצָא־קֶשֶׁר בְּאִישׁ יְהוּדָה וּבְיֹשְׁבֵי יְרוּשָׁלָ ִם׃

10They have returned to the iniquities of their fathers of old, who refused to heed My words. They, too, have followed other gods and served them. The House of Yisrael and the House of Yehuda have broken the covenant that I made with their fathers.”

ישָׁבוּ עַל־עֲוׂנֹת אֲבוֹתָם הָרִאשֹׁנִים אֲשֶׁר מֵאֲנוּ לִשְׁמוֹעַ אֶת־דְּבָרַי וְהֵמָּה הָלְכוּ אַחֲרֵי אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים לְעָבְדָם הֵפֵרוּ בֵית־יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבֵית יְהוּדָה אֶת־בְּרִיתִי אֲשֶׁר כָּרַתִּי אֶת־אֲבוֹתָם׃

11Assuredly, thus said Hashem: I am going to bring upon them disaster from which they will not be able to escape. Then they will cry out to me, but I will not listen to them.

יאלָכֵן כֹּה אָמַר יְהֹוָה הִנְנִי מֵבִיא אֲלֵיהֶם רָעָה אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יוּכְלוּ לָצֵאת מִמֶּנָּה וְזָעֲקוּ אֵלַי וְלֹא אֶשְׁמַע אֲלֵיהֶם׃

12And the townsmen of Yehuda and the inhabitants of Yerushalayim will go and cry out to the gods to which they sacrifice; but they will not be able to rescue them in their time of disaster.

יבוְהָלְכוּ עָרֵי יְהוּדָה וְיֹשְׁבֵי יְרוּשָׁלַ ִם וְזָעֲקוּ אֶל־הָאֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר הֵם מְקַטְּרִים לָהֶם וְהוֹשֵׁעַ לֹא־יוֹשִׁיעוּ לָהֶם בְּעֵת רָעָתָם׃

13For your gods have become as many as your towns, O Yehuda, and you have set up as many altars to Shame as there are streets in Yerushalayim—altars for sacrifice to Baal.

יגכִּי מִסְפַּר עָרֶיךָ הָיוּ אֱלֹהֶיךָ יְהוּדָה וּמִסְפַּר חֻצוֹת יְרוּשָׁלַ ִם שַׂמְתֶּם מִזְבְּחוֹת לַבֹּשֶׁת מִזְבְּחוֹת לְקַטֵּר לַבָּעַל׃

14As for you, do not pray for this people, do not raise a cry of prayer on their behalf; for I will not listen when they call to Me on account of their disaster.

ידוְאַתָּה אַל־תִּתְפַּלֵּל בְּעַד־הָעָם הַזֶּה וְאַל־תִּשָּׂא בַעֲדָם רִנָּה וּתְפִלָּה כִּי אֵינֶנִּי שֹׁמֵעַ בְּעֵת קָרְאָם אֵלַי בְּעַד רָעָתָם׃

15Why should My beloved be in My House, Who executes so many vile designs? The sacral flesh will pass away from you, For you exult while performing your evil deeds.

טומֶה לִידִידִי בְּבֵיתִי עֲשׂוֹתָהּ הַמְזִמָּתָה הָרַבִּים וּבְשַׂר־קֹדֶשׁ יַעַבְרוּ מֵעָלָיִךְ כִּי רָעָתֵכִי אָז תַּעֲלֹזִי׃

16Hashem named you “Verdant olive tree, Fair, with choice fruit.” But with a great roaring sound He has set it on fire, And its boughs are broken.

ZA-yit ra-a-NAN y'-FAY f'-ree TO-ar ka-RA a-do-NAI sh'-MAYKH l'-KOL ha-mu-LAH g'-do-LAH hi-TZEET AYSH a-LE-ha v'-ra-U da-li-yo-TAV

טזזַיִת רַעֲנָן יְפֵה פְרִי־תֹאַר קָרָא יְהֹוָה שְׁמֵךְ לְקוֹל הֲמוּלָּה גְדֹלָה הִצִּית אֵשׁ עָלֶיהָ וְרָעוּ דָּלִיּוֹתָיו׃

 11:16   Verdant olive tree 

Olive tree on Mount Tavor

The first time the olive tree is mentioned in the Bible is when Noach checks to see if the flood waters have receded. When the dove returns with an olive branch in its mouth, Noach knows that the water has receded sufficiently and life has begun anew (Genesis 8:11, 21). Pure olive oil was also used for the lighting of the golden menorah lamp in the Beit Hamikdash, as well as to anoint priests and kings as part of their initiation. One lesson we can take from the olive is that just like an olive yields oil only when pressed, so too, as human beings, when we are pressed between the millstones of life, our best selves emerge. Often, we rise to the occasion to meet life’s tests only when challenged.

17The lord of Hosts, who planted you, has decreed disaster for you, because of the evil wrought by the House of Yisrael and the House of Yehuda, who angered Me by sacrificing to Baal.

יזוַיהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת הַנּוֹטֵעַ אוֹתָךְ דִּבֶּר עָלַיִךְ רָעָה בִּגְלַל רָעַת בֵּית־יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבֵית יְהוּדָה אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ לָהֶם לְהַכְעִסֵנִי לְקַטֵּר לַבָּעַל׃

18Hashem informed me, and I knew— Then You let me see their deeds.

יחוַיהֹוָה הוֹדִיעַנִי וָאֵדָעָה אָז הִרְאִיתַנִי מַעַלְלֵיהֶם׃

19For I was like a docile lamb Led to the slaughter; I did not realize That it was against me They fashioned their plots: “Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, Let us cut him off from the land of the living. That his name be remembered no more!”

יטוַאֲנִי כְּכֶבֶשׂ אַלּוּף יוּבַל לִטְבוֹחַ וְלֹא־יָדַעְתִּי כִּי־עָלַי חָשְׁבוּ מַחֲשָׁבוֹת נַשְׁחִיתָה עֵץ בְּלַחְמוֹ וְנִכְרְתֶנּוּ מֵאֶרֶץ חַיִּים וּשְׁמוֹ לֹא־יִזָּכֵר עוֹד׃

20O lord of Hosts, O just Judge, Who test the thoughts and the mind, Let me see Your retribution upon them, For I lay my case before You.

כוַיהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת שֹׁפֵט צֶדֶק בֹּחֵן כְּלָיוֹת וָלֵב אֶרְאֶה נִקְמָתְךָ מֵהֶם כִּי אֵלֶיךָ גִּלִּיתִי אֶת־רִיבִי׃

21Assuredly, thus said the lord of Hosts concerning the men of Anatot who seek your life and say, “You must not prophesy any more in the name of Hashem, or you will die by our hand”—

כאלָכֵן כֹּה־אָמַר יְהֹוָה עַל־אַנְשֵׁי עֲנָתוֹת הַמְבַקְשִׁים אֶת־נַפְשְׁךָ לֵאמֹר לֹא תִנָּבֵא בְּשֵׁם יְהֹוָה וְלֹא תָמוּת בְּיָדֵנוּ׃

22Assuredly, thus said the lord of Hosts: “I am going to deal with them: the young men shall die by the sword, their boys and girls shall die by famine.

כבלָכֵן כֹּה אָמַר יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת הִנְנִי פֹקֵד עֲלֵיהֶם הַבַּחוּרִים יָמֻתוּ בַחֶרֶב בְּנֵיהֶם וּבְנוֹתֵיהֶם יָמֻתוּ בָּרָעָב׃

23No remnant shall be left of them, for I will bring disaster on the men of Anatot, the year of their doom.”

כגוּשְׁאֵרִית לֹא תִהְיֶה לָהֶם כִּי־אָבִיא רָעָה אֶל־אַנְשֵׁי עֲנָתוֹת שְׁנַת פְּקֻדָּתָם׃