Jeremiah 39 (Yirmeyahu) in Hebrew and English
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Text (469) 608-9944Jeremiah, Chapter 39
Nevuchadretzar besieges Yerushalayim and the city is broken up in the eleventh year of Tzidkiyahu, who flees, is taken in the plains of Yericho, sees his sons slain at Riblah and is blinded; the Kasdim burn the city, Nevuzar’adan carries the people to Bavel, Yirmeyahu is set free and committed to Gedalyahu, and Hashem promises to deliver Eved-Melech.
39:1In the ninth year of Tzidkiyahu (Zedekiah) king of Yehudah (Judah), in the tenth month, came Nevuchadretzar (Nebuchadrezzar) king of Bavel (Babylon) and all his army against Yerushalayim (Jerusalem), and they besieged it.
אבַּשָּׁנָ֣ה הַ֠תְּשִׁעִית לְצִדְקִיָּ֨הוּ מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֜ה בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הָעֲשִׂרִ֗י בָּ֠א נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֨ר מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֤ל וְכָל־חֵילוֹ֙ אֶל־יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם וַיָּצֻ֖רוּ עָלֶֽיהָ׃
39:2And in the eleventh year of Tzidkiyahu, in the fourth month, the ninth day of the month, the city was broken up.
בבְּעַשְׁתֵּֽי־עֶשְׂרֵ֤ה שָׁנָה֙ לְצִדְקִיָּ֔הוּ בַּחֹ֥דֶשׁ הָרְבִיעִ֖י בְּתִשְׁעָ֣ה לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ הָבְקְעָ֖ה הָעִֽיר׃
39:3And all the princes of the king of Bavel came in, and sat in the middle gate, even Nergal-Sharetzer (Nergal-sharezer), Samgar-Nevu (Samgar-nebo), Sarsechim, Ravsaris (Rab-saris), Nergal-Sharetzer, Ravmag (Rabmag), with all the residue of the princes of the king of Bavel.
גוַיָּבֹ֗אוּ כֹּ֚ל שָׂרֵ֣י מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֔ל וַיֵּשְׁב֖וּ בְּשַׁ֣עַר הַתָּ֑וֶךְ נֵרְגַ֣ל שַׂר־אֶ֠צֶר סַֽמְגַּר־נְב֞וּ שַׂר־סְכִ֣ים רַב־סָרִ֗יס נֵרְגַ֤ל שַׂר־אֶ֨צֶר֙ רַב־מָ֔ג וְכָל־שְׁאֵרִ֔ית שָׂרֵ֖י מֶ֥לֶךְ בָּבֶֽל׃
39:4And it came to pass, that when Tzidkiyahu the king of Yehudah saw them, and all the men of war, then they fled, and went forth out of the city by night, by the way of the king’s garden, by the gate betwixt the two walls: and he went out the way of the plain.
דוַיְהִ֡י כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר רָ֠אָם צִדְקִיָּ֨הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֜ה וְכֹ֣ל ׀ אַנְשֵׁ֣י הַמִּלְחָמָ֗ה וַֽ֠יִּבְרְחוּ וַיֵּצְא֨וּ לַ֤יְלָה מִן־הָעִיר֙ דֶּ֚רֶךְ גַּ֣ן הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ בְּשַׁ֖עַר בֵּ֣ין הַחֹמֹתָ֑יִם וַיֵּצֵ֖א דֶּ֥רֶךְ הָעֲרָבָֽה׃
39:5But the army of the Kasdim (Chaldeans) pursued after them, and overtook Tzidkiyahu in the plains of Yericho (Jericho): and when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nevuchadretzar king of Bavel to Riblah in the land of Chamat (Hamath), where he gave judgment upon him.
הוַיִּרְדְּפ֨וּ חֵיל־כַּשְׂדִּ֜ים אַחֲרֵיהֶ֗ם וַיַּשִּׂ֣גוּ אֶת־צִדְקִיָּהוּ֮ בְּעַֽרְב֣וֹת יְרֵחוֹ֒ וַיִּקְח֣וּ אֹת֗וֹ וַֽ֠יַּעֲלֻהוּ אֶל־נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֧ר מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֛ל רִבְלָ֖תָה בְּאֶ֣רֶץ חֲמָ֑ת וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אִתּ֖וֹ מִשְׁפָּטִֽים׃
39:6Then the king of Bavel slew the sons of Tzidkiyahu in Riblah before his eyes: also the king of Bavel slew all the nobles of Yehudah.
ווַיִּשְׁחַט֩ מֶ֨לֶךְ בָּבֶ֜ל אֶת־בְּנֵ֧י צִדְקִיָּ֛הוּ בְּרִבְלָ֖ה לְעֵינָ֑יו וְאֵת֙ כָּל־חֹרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה שָׁחַ֖ט מֶ֥לֶךְ בָּבֶֽל׃
39:7Moreover he put out Tzidkiyahu’s eyes, and bound him with chains, to carry him to Bavel.
זוְאֶת־עֵינֵ֥י צִדְקִיָּ֖הוּ עִוֵּ֑ר וַיַּאַסְרֵ֨הוּ֙ בַּֽנְחֻשְׁתַּ֔יִם לָבִ֥יא אֹת֖וֹ בָּבֶֽלָה׃
39:8And the Kasdim burned the king’s house, and the houses of the people, with fire, and broke down the walls of Yerushalayim.
חוְאֶת־בֵּ֤ית הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ וְאֶת־בֵּ֣ית הָעָ֔ם שָׂרְפ֥וּ הַכַּשְׂדִּ֖ים בָּאֵ֑שׁ וְאֶת־חֹמ֥וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם נָתָֽצוּ׃
39:9Then Nevuzar’adan (Nebuzar-adan) the captain of the guard carried away captive into Bavel the remnant of the people that remained in the city, and those that fell away, that fell to him, with the rest of the people that remained.
טוְאֵת֩ יֶ֨תֶר הָעָ֜ם הַנִּשְׁאָרִ֣ים בָּעִ֗יר וְאֶת־הַנֹּֽפְלִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נָפְל֣וּ עָלָ֔יו וְאֵ֛ת יֶ֥תֶר הָעָ֖ם הַנִּשְׁאָרִ֑ים הֶגְלָ֛ה נְבֽוּזַר־אֲדָ֥ן רַב־טַבָּחִ֖ים בָּבֶֽל׃
39:10But Nevuzar’adan the captain of the guard left of the poor of the people, which had nothing, in the land of Yehudah, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time.
יוּמִן־הָעָ֣ם הַדַּלִּ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר אֵין־לָהֶם֙ מְא֔וּמָה הִשְׁאִ֛יר נְבוּזַרְאֲדָ֥ן רַב־טַבָּחִ֖ים בְּאֶ֣רֶץ יְהוּדָ֑ה וַיִּתֵּ֥ן לָהֶ֛ם כְּרָמִ֥ים וִֽיגֵבִ֖ים בַּיּ֥וֹם הַהֽוּא׃
39:11Now Nevuchadretzar king of Bavel gave charge concerning Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) to Nevuzar’adan the captain of the guard, saying,
יאוַיְצַ֛ו נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֥ר מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֖ל עַֽל־יִרְמְיָ֑הוּ בְּיַ֛ד נְבוּזַרְאֲדָ֥ן רַב־טַבָּחִ֖ים לֵאמֹֽר׃
39:12“Take him, and look well to him, and do him no harm; but do unto him even as he shall say unto you.”
יבקָחֶ֗נּוּ וְעֵינֶ֨יךָ֙ שִׂ֣ים עָלָ֔יו וְאַל־תַּ֥עַשׂ ל֖וֹ מְא֣וּמָה רָּ֑ע כִּ֗י (כתיב אם) כַּֽאֲשֶׁר֙ יְדַבֵּ֣ר אֵלֶ֔יךָ כֵּ֖ן עֲשֵׂ֥ה עִמּֽוֹ׃
39:13So Nevuzar’adan the captain of the guard sent, and Nevushazban (Nebushasban), Ravsaris, and Nergal-Sharetzer, Ravmag, and all the king of Bavel’s princes;
יגוַיִּשְׁלַ֞ח נְבֽוּזַרְאֲדָ֣ן רַב־טַבָּחִ֗ים וּנְבֽוּשַׁזְבָּן֙ רַב־סָרִ֔יס וְנֵרְגַ֥ל שַׂר־אֶ֖צֶר רַב־מָ֑ג וְכֹ֖ל רַבֵּ֥י מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶֽל׃
39:14Even they sent, and took Yirmeyahu out of the court of the prison, and committed him unto Gedalyahu (Gedaliah) the son of Achikam (Ahikam) the son of Shafan (Shaphan), that he should carry him home: so he dwelt among the people.
ידוַיִּשְׁלְחוּ֩ וַיִּקְח֨וּ אֶֽת־יִרְמְיָ֜הוּ מֵחֲצַ֣ר הַמַּטָּרָ֗ה וַיִּתְּנ֤וּ אֹתוֹ֙ אֶל־גְּדַלְיָ֨הוּ֙ בֶּן־אֲחִיקָ֣ם בֶּן־שָׁפָ֔ן לְהוֹצִאֵ֖הוּ אֶל־הַבָּ֑יִת וַיֵּ֖שֶׁב בְּת֥וֹךְ הָעָֽם׃
39:15Now the word of Hashem came unto Yirmeyahu, while he was shut up in the court of the prison, saying,
טווְאֶֽל־יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ הָיָ֣ה דְבַר־יְהוָ֑ה בִּֽהְיֹת֣וֹ עָצ֔וּר בַּחֲצַ֥ר הַמַּטָּרָ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר׃
39:16“Go and speak to Eved-Melech (Ebed-melech) the Kushi (Ethiopian), saying, ‘Thus says Hashem of hosts, the God of Israel; “Behold, I will bring My words upon this city for evil, and not for good; and they shall be accomplished in that day before you.
טזהָל֣וֹךְ וְאָמַרְתָּ֡ לְעֶבֶד־מֶ֨לֶךְ הַכּוּשִׁ֜י לֵאמֹ֗ר כֹּֽה־אָמַ֞ר יְהוָ֤ה צְבָאוֹת֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הִנְנִי֩ מֵבִ֨יא (כתיב מבי) אֶת־דְּבָרַ֜י אֶל־הָעִ֥יר הַזֹּ֛את לְרָעָ֖ה וְלֹ֣א לְטוֹבָ֑ה וְהָי֥וּ לְפָנֶ֖יךָ בַּיּ֥וֹם הַהֽוּא׃
39:17But I will deliver you in that day, says Hashem: and you shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid.
יזוְהִצַּלְתִּ֥יךָ בַיּוֹם־הַה֖וּא נְאֻם־יְהוָ֑ה וְלֹ֤א תִנָּתֵן֙ בְּיַ֣ד הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֥ה יָג֖וֹר מִפְּנֵיהֶֽם׃
39:18For I will surely deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword, but your life shall be for a prey unto you: because you have put your trust in Me, says Hashem.”’”
יחכִּ֤י מַלֵּט֙ אֲמַלֶּטְךָ֔ וּבַחֶ֖רֶב לֹ֣א תִפֹּ֑ל וְהָיְתָ֨ה לְךָ֤ נַפְשְׁךָ֙ לְשָׁלָ֔ל כִּֽי־בָטַ֥חְתָּ בִּ֖י נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃
Sources & method
- Hebrew text
- The Masoretic text with vowels (nikkud) and cantillation marks (ta’amim), from the Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain) as published by the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (CC BY 4.0). Where the written text (ketiv) differs from the reading (qere), the reading is shown and the written form follows in small type. A paragraph mark (ס or פ) inside a verse is shown in small type.
- English translation
- The King James Version (public domain), lightly modernized by Benei Avraham: “thee/thou/ye” become “you,” older verb forms are updated (“hath” to “has”), and archaic words are replaced only where the meaning would otherwise be unclear. People and places carry their Hebrew names, with the King James spelling in parentheses the first time on each page (e.g., Yehudah (Judah)). The Divine Name (יהוה, “the LORD” in the KJV) is written “Hashem”; “God” (Elohim) is unchanged, and “law” is “Torah” where the Hebrew is תּוֹרָה.
- Verse numbers
- Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible. In Jeremiah they differ from most English Bibles, or a verse is divided differently, in chapters 8 and 9; a note under the summary on those pages explains how.
- Hebrew font
- SBL Hebrew, by the Society of Biblical Literature.