Yirmiyahu's Prophecies

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Yirmiyahu 19-20
Matan Al Haperek
Rabbi David Sabato
One of Yirmiyahu's harshest prophecies of rebuke appears in perek 19, addressing the worshippers of Ba'al in the Valley of Ben-hinnom who sacrifice their children in the name of divine worship. The prophecy opens with God's commandment to Yirmiyahu to buy a "jug of potter's ware," a symbolic act similar to the purchase of the belt (perek 13) and the shattering of the earthenware (perek 18). Yirmiyahu is commanded to first share his prophecy with the elders and priests of the nation, and then repeat it in front of the nation in the courtyard of the Temple. Pashchur the son of Immer, who is both a priest in the Temple and a false prophet, reacts with vehemence to the prophecy: Pashchur beats Yirmiyahu and then jails him overnight. Upon his release from jail, Yirmiyahu pronounces a severe prophecy of destruction about Pashchur himself.

While the previous perek discusses Yirmiyahu's actions and prophetic messages, perek 20 gives the reader insight into Yirmiyahu's emotional reality. His prophecy, which rages uncontrollably inside of him, cannot be suppressed and brings Yirmiyahu great pain and suffering. The first section of the prophecy ends on a brighter note of thanksgiving (7-13); however, in the prophecy's continuation, Yirmiyahu regrets his entering the world and curses the day he was born (14-18).
Yirmiyahu 21-22
Matan Al Haperek
Rabbi David Sabato
Perakim 21-22 are comprised of a unit of prophecies rebuking the kings of Yehuda for their sinful behavior. These prophecies, which are not organized in chronological order, were received at different points in Yirmiyahu's life and relate to a number of different kings. Tzidkiyahu, the last king to rule Yehuda before the destruction of the Temple, sends a group of messengers to Yirmiyahu in order to receive words of comfort. The prophecy in perek 21 is a response to the arrival of that group. Yirmiyahu sends the messangers back to Tzidkiyahu, who had refused to believe in Yirmiyahu's prophecies until that point, with a prophecy depicting Yerushalayim's destruction. The perek continues with a rebuke of Tzidkiyahu's corrupt justice system which is partly responsible for the destruction of the kingdom.

The unit of prophecies discussing the kings of Yehuda continues into this perek as well. Four kings reigned in Yehuda after Yoshiyahu. Yehoachaz, the son of Yoshiyahu, who in this prophecy is named "Shalum", rules Yehuda for three months before being exiled by Pharaoh Necho. Yehoyakim, the son of Yoshiyahu, rules for eleven years. His son, Yehoyachin, rules for three months and is then exiled with his mother by the Babylonian king. Tzidkiyahu, the son of Yoshiyahu, serves as the final king of Yehuda. The perek begins with general words of rebuke addressed to the king of Yehuda (1-9). This is followed by a prophecy of destruction about "Shulam" (Yehoachaz) (1-12), Yehoyakim (13-19), and Yehoyachin (24-30). In these prophecies, Yirmiyahu paints a picture of the ideal kingship, which stands in stark contrast to the immoral nature of the kings mentioned.
Yirmiyahu 23-24
Matan Al Haperek
Rabbi David Sabato
As a continuation to the rebuke which was addressed to the kings in prakim 21 and 22, perek 23 rebukes the leaders of the nation. The leaders are compared to shepherds who have abandoned their flocks, just as they have not taken care of their people and thereby brought the nation to the difficult situation they are in. The rebuke ends with a prophecy of future consolation which speak of establishing new, trustworthy shepherds, and of setting up a new king from the House of David who will embody the values of David, justice and righteousness. In the continuation, the prophet turns to a different type of leader - the false prophets, who constitute one of the most difficult obstacles in Yirmiyahu's life. The false prophets prophesize in God's name, but their prophecies are lies and foresee peace for the sinning nation. Yirmiyahu turns to them and points out the foundation of lies upon which their behavior rests and the differences between them and the true prophets. In addition, he rebukes them for leading the nation astray with their false prophecies and thereby causing the situation to further deteriorate.

After the exile of Yehoyachin king of Yehudah, along with the elite members of society, his uncle, Tzidkiyahu, became king of the people who were left in Israel. Those who remained in Israel interpreted the fact that God had not exiled them as a sign that they were better than those who were exiled to Babylonia. Yirmiyahu, however, has a vision which shows this to be wrong: the exiles in Babylonia will merit returning to the land and reestablishing themselves while those who remain in the land will become lost.
Yirmiyahu 25-26
Matan Al Haperek
Rabbi David Sabato
Perek 25 is the first perek in Yirmiyahu which opens with the date on which the prophecy was said. During the prophecy, Yirmiyahu summarizes twenty-three years during which he tried in vain to cause the nation to repent and change their ways. Because the people refused to listen to the prophecies they will be punished by the king of Babylonia, who will destroy the land and enslave the people. In the second half of the perek (15-38) the calamity spreads past the borders of Israel. The prophecy describe the "wine cup of fury" which God will give to the nations to bring them to their destruction. It seems that the prophetic vision in these pesukim symbolizes the domination of the Babylonian empire over the nations and kingdoms mentioned in the prophecy.

Perek 26 goes back to deal with Yirmiyahu's prophecy about the Temple, a prophecy which first appeared in perek 7, this time from a different angle. While perek 7 focused on the content of the prophecy, our perek focuses on the story of Yirmiyahu being put on trial for the prophecy of the destruction of the Temple (described in brief in pesukim 1-6), and on the rescue of Yirmiyahu from death as a result of his pronouncements. The Priests make a serious accusation against Yirmiyahu, but his response does not directly answer their accusation, and so he brings a second explanation to prove his innocence. The story presents to us the nation's distorted perception of holiness in relation to Jerusalem.
Yirmiyahu 27-28
Matan Al Haperek
Rabbi David Sabato
Perek 27: After Tzidkiyahu's rise to the throne, the countries in the area attempt to reorganize against the Babylonian Empire. The smaller countries rely on the strength of the Egyptian superpower, and their representatives meet in Jerusalem to oppose the spreading Babylonian occupation. The prophecies to the kings of the gentile nations, to the king of Judah and to the nation which are found in our perek were given in light of this gathering. From the perek we see that the false prophets found among both the Jews and the gentiles are encouraging opposition to the Babylonian Empire, and Yirmiyahu stands alone, warning against opposition and accompanying his words with symbolic visual aids - bonds and bars - which are meant to strengthen the message to the kings that they must accept the bondage of Babylonia and not listen to the words of the false prophets.

In perek 28 we have a continuation of the description of Yirmiyahu's struggle with the false prophets in the time of the king Tzidkiyahu. Central to the perek is the direct confrontation between Yirmiyahu and one of the false prophets - Chananya ben Azur, who publicly contradicted the prophecies of Yirmiyahu. Throughout the story the character of the false prophet is described and contrasted with the unique character of the true prophet.
Yirmiyahu 29-30
Matan Al Haperek
Rabbi David Sabato
Yirmiyahu's war against the false prophets continues in perek 29, this time describing his struggle with the false prophets in the Babylonian exile. Those exiled in the exile of Yehoyachin were influenced by the false prophets who prophesied that the exile would end soon and there would be a return to Jerusalem. In contrast to these prophecies stands Yirmiyahu, who sends a letter to the exiles to convince them to settle in and establish themselves in the exile, which will continue for a while longer. Paradoxically, it is Yirmiyahu's prophecy of the long exile which contains within it the seeds of hope and redemption. In the continuation of the perek we hear how Yirmiyahu's letter angers one of the false prophets in Babylonia, Shmayahu haNechelami, who requests that the priests in Jerusalem imprison Yirmiyahu. In response Yirmiyahu prophesies that Shmayahu's descendants will not merit seeing the consolation.

Perek 30 opens the section of prophecies of consolation in the book, which continues through perek 33. Our perek describes the Day of the Lord, the day when the great war will begin which will begin the salvation of Israel, a prophecy which seems to hint at the fall of the Babylonian empire. In the continuation of the prophecy, the stages of redemption are described - the return of Israel to its land and to independence, the rebuilding of the desolate land and the renewal of the connection between God and His nation.
Yirmiyahu 31-32
Matan Al Haperek
Rabbi David Sabato
At the center of the prophecy of consolation in perek 31 is the description of the Matriarch Rachel who pleas bitterly before the Creator that He should return her sons to their land and redeem them from their exile; a plea which has echoed in the heart of the Jewish nation in all the generations and in all the diasporas. The perek focuses on the Kingdom of Israel which is in ruins in exile and foresees repentance, the return to the land and the unification of Israel and Judah. The deep change which will happen in the Nation of Israel is expressed also in the continuation of the perek (26-39), where we find three short prophecies which open with the phrase "Behold the days come, says the Lord", which describe the future which will take place in the era of the redemption.

Perek 32 describes the second year of the siege on Jerusalem, about a year before the city's destruction. Yirmiyahu, who is imprisoned in the court of the guard, receives a commandment to do something extraordinary - to purchase a field from his cousin. This action, which symbolizes renewal and redemption, is totally contrary to the current situation in the city and to Yirmiyahu's prophecies about absolute destruction by the king of Babylonia. This contrast brings Yirmiyahu to question God's behavior (16-25). His question is answered by God in a long and detailed answer (26-44), which presents the purchase as a symbol of redemption and growth after the Babylonian exile.
Yirmiyahu 33-34
Matan Al Haperek
Rabbi David Sabato
The section of the prophecies of consolation in Yirmiyahu ends in perek 33, with a prophecy which foretells the return of Judah and Israel and the revival of Jerusalem (1-13). This prophecy is given in the court of the guard, and appears to be a continuation to the prophecy of Yirmiyahu about the purchase of the field of Chanamel and the message of consolation which follows that. The second half of the prophecy deals with the eternal covenant between God and the house of Levi and the house of David. In contrast to the people's understanding, this covenant will not be broken with the destruction of the Temple, rather will continue eternally (14-26).

The historical background to the prophecy is described in the first pesukim in perek 34 (1-2): the siege on Jerusalem in the tenth year of Tzidkiyahu's reign. Immediately afterwards we see a personal prophecy of calamity for Tzidkiyahu which is mixed with a small amount of consolation (3-5). The main section of the perek tells us how during the siege, about a year and a half before the destruction, the people of Jerusalem made a covenant agreeing to free their slaves. When the siege was removed due to the victory of Pharaoh over the Babylonians (which turned out to be a temporary respite), the people of Jerusalem took back their slaves, thus breaking the covenant. Yirmiyahu rebukes the nation strongly for this act, prophesying that the destruction will come because of this infringement.
Yirmiyahu 35-36
Matan Al Haperek
Rabbi David Sabato
At the time when the Babylonian army reached Jerusalem in the days of Yehoyakim, Yirmiyahu is commanded to take action to demonstrate to the nation their sins. Yirmiyahu is told to go to the house of Rechav, a family of nomads who were in danger for their lives and who had escaped into the city, and to give them wine to drink. The Rechav family passes the test and declines the wine, and reveals to Yirmiyahu that the patriarch of the family, Yehonadav ben Rechav, who had lived 250 years previously, forbade them to settle the land and to drink wine. In contrast to the complete devotion of the Rechav family to the commandments of their father, stand the traitorous acts of Israel who transgress the commandments of God.

In the fourth year of Yehoyakim's reign, the year that Nevuchadnezzer took the throne, Yirmiyahu is commanded to write down all of his prophecies, and this gives us a rare glimpse into the process of the writing of Sefer Yirmiyahu. Yirmiyahu asks Baruch ben Neryah the scribe to transcribe his prophecies and read them to the people in the Temple on the fast day which was set for the month of Kislev. From a Babylonian chronicle we learn that in that month Nevuchadnezzer conquered Ashkelon, and this act symbolized the beginning o fthe Babylonian conquest of the land of Israel. It may be that the fast day was set because of this event, making this an appropriate time to cause the nation to repent. However, while the words of Yirmiyahu are still ringing in the ears of the nation and their leaders, Yehoyakim remains rebellious, and tears and burns the scroll of prophecies.
Yirmiyahu 49-50
Matan Al Haperek
Rabbi David Sabato
Perek 49 includes prophecies to five nations. The perek opens with a prophecy about the destruction of Ammon, Moab's northern neighbor, who fought with the tribes of Israel who were in the Transjordan area (1-6). Afterwards, there is a prophecy about Edom which is south of the Transjordan area (7-22). The third prophecy deals with Damascus in the North, which was the capital of Aram in the past (23-27). Afterwards there is a prophecy about Keidar and the nomadic tribes that lived in the Syrian- Arabian desert and were conquered by Nevuchadnezzar twelve years before the destruction of the First Temple (28-33). The final prophecy in our perek deals with the distant kingdom of Elam, which was east of the Tigris River, and whose capital city was Susa (Shushan) (34-39).

The portion of the book which deals with prophecies of the gentiles closes with a series of long prophecies of doom about Babylonia in perakim 50-51. The prophecy of doom which will come to Babylonia has woven within it prophecies of consolation and redemption for Israel. The destruction is divine retribution and revenge for the destruction of Israel and the Temple, and will bring redemption to Israel and allow it to return to its land.
The Weeping of Yosef and Yirmiyahu
Rabbi David Silverberg
Yirmiahu and Family Metaphors for God's Relationship with Israel
Erev Shabbat Pinchas 5769
Rabbi Jonathan Snowbell | 18 minutes
We begin the Three Weeks leading up to Tisha Be'Av (the Ninth of Av) with Haftarot from the book of Yirmiahu. Yirmiahu seems to be very pessimistic and dark on the most part. He is constantly disbelieved and must warn the people of the bitter reality which they do not wish to confront.

He is commanded to tell the people of Israel about God's plan to destroy - but also about His plans to rebuild. During the Three Weeks, the haftarot seem to focus on the more depressing content, but within these chapters are also some messages of hope.

Chapter 3 begins with an analogy of a wife who is unfaithful, who cannot then return to her first husband. Can the people of Israel return to God, or are they too far gone in their sins? We find that Yirmiahu begins to take up a different theme, using the metaphor of a parent-child relationship. No matter how far the children stray, there is always an option to return.
First Shabbat Haftara of the Three Weeks: Boiling Pot of Discord
Rabbi David Silverberg
Yirmiyahu's First Prophetic Vision: The Almond Branch
Rabbi David Silverberg
The Second "Three Weeks" HaftaraL Becoming Futile
Rabbi David Silverberg
Flowing Water vs. Broken Cisterns - The Second "Three Weeks" Haftarah
Rabbi David Silverberg
Yirmiyahu's Opening Prophecy - Abarbanel vs. Malbim
Rabbi David Silverberg
Royal Quarter and Bullae House, City of David
Megalim Institute
Megalim | 6 minutes
The archaeological site of the Royal quarters of King Jehoiakim gives us a glimpse into the biblical narrative that ultimately lead to the destruction of the first Temple.

Courtesy of Megalim Institute
When Politics and Religion Clash: A Crash Course on Sefer Yirmiyahu
Rabbi Menachem Leibtag | Hour and 4 minutes
Yirmiyahu, like most other prophets, rebukes the nation on issues relating to idol worship and ethical behavior. However, at a certain point in his career, Yirmiyahu finds himself in a unique and most uncomfortable position, when God demands that he tell the people (and the King) to surrender to the Babylonian army. In our class, we will explain when and why this happens, and how it affects our understanding of not only the book of Yirmiyahu, but also the underlying reason for the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the first Temple.