Revised Literal Translation

Jeremiah 3

1They sayלֵאמֹ֡רle.MorH559,If a manאִ֣ישׁ'ishH376put awayיְשַׁלַּ֣חye.sha.LachH7971his wifeאִשְׁתּוֹ֩'ish.ToH802,and she goוְהָלְכָ֨הve.ha.le.KhahH1980from him, and become anotherאַחֵ֗ר'a.CherH312man’sלְאִישׁ־le.'ish-H376,shall he return unto her againהֲיָשׁ֤וּבha.ya.ShuvH7725?shall not that landהָאָ֣רֶץha.'A.retzH776be greatlyחָנ֥וֹףcha.NofH2610pollutedתֶּחֱנַ֖ףte.che.NafH2610?but thou hast played the harlotזָנִית֙za.NitH2181with manyרַבִּ֔יםra.BimH7227loversרֵעִ֣יםre.'ImH7453;yet return againוְשׁ֥וֹבve.ShovH7725to me, saithנְאֻם־ne.'um-H5002Yhwhיְהֹוָֽה׃Yah.wehH3068.

2Lift upשְׂאִֽי־se.'i-H5375thine eyesעֵינַ֨יִךְ'ei.Na.yikhH5869unto the high placesשְׁפָיִ֜םshe.fa.YimH8205,and seeוּרְאִ֗יu.re.'IH7200whereאֵיפֹה֙'ei.FohH375thou hast not been lienשֻׁכַּ֔בְתְּshu.kab.teH7901 H7693with. In the waysדְּרָכִים֙de.ra.KhimH1870hast thou satיָשַׁ֣בְתְּya.ShavtH3427for them, as the Arabianכַּעֲרָבִ֖יka.'a.ra.ViH6163in the wildernessבַּמִּדְבָּ֑רba.mid.BarH4057;and thou hast pollutedוַתַּחֲנִ֣יפִיva.ta.cha.Ni.fiH2610the landאֶ֔רֶץ'E.retzH776with thy whoredomsבִּזְנוּתַ֖יִךְbiz.nu.Ta.yikhH2184and with thy wickednessוּבְרָעָתֵֽךְ׃u.ve.ra.'a.TekhH7451.

3Therefore the showersרְבִבִ֔יםre.vi.VimH7241have been withholdenוַיִּמָּנְע֣וּvai.yi.ma.ne.'UH4513,and there hath been no latter rainוּמַלְק֖וֹשׁu.mal.Ko.oshH4456;and thou hadst a whore’sאִשָּׁ֤ה זוֹנָה֙'i.Shah zo.NahH802 H2181foreheadוּמֵ֨צַחu.Me.tzachH4696,thou refusedstמֵאַ֖נְתְּme.'AntH3985to be ashamedהִכָּלֵֽם׃hi.ka.LemH3637.

4Wilt thou not from this time cryקָרָ֥אתka.ra.tiH7121unto me, My fatherאָבִ֑י'a.ViH1, thou artthe guideאַלּ֥וּף'a.LufH441of my youthנְעֻרַ֖יne.'u.RaiH5271?

5Will he reserveהֲיִנְטֹ֣רha.yin.TorH5201his angerfor everלְעוֹלָ֔םle.'o.LamH5769?will he keepיִשְׁמֹ֖רyish.MorH8104itto the endלָנֶ֑צַחla.Ne.tzachH5331?Behold, thou hast spokenדִבַּ֛רְתְּdi.bar.tiH1696and doneוַתַּעֲשִׂ֥יva.ta.'a.SiH6213evil thingsהָרָע֖וֹתha.ra.'otH7451as thou couldestוַתּוּכָֽל׃ פva.tu.KhalH3201.

6Yhwhיְהוָ֜הYah.wehH3068saidוַיֹּ֨אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559also unto me in the daysבִּימֵי֙bi.MeiH3117of Josiahיֹאשִׁיָּ֣הוּyo.shi.Ya.huH2977the kingהַמֶּ֔לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428,Hast thou seenהֲֽרָאִ֔יתָhara.'I.taH7200thatwhich backslidingמְשֻׁבָ֣הme.shu.VahH4878Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לYis.ra.'ElH3478hath doneעָשְׂתָ֖ה'a.se.TahH6213?she is gone upהֹלְכָ֨הho.le.KhahH1980upon every highגָּבֹ֗הַּga.Vo.ahH1364mountainהַ֣רharH2022and underתַּ֛חַתTa.chatH8478every greenרַעֲנָ֖ןra.'a.NanH7488treeעֵ֥ץ'etzH6086,and there hath played the harlotוַתִּזְנִי־va.tiz.ni-H2181.

7And I saidוָאֹמַ֗רva.'o.MarH559afterאַחֲרֵ֨י'a.cha.ReiH310she had doneעֲשׂוֹתָ֧הּa.so.TahH6213all these things,Turnתָּשׁ֖וּבta.ShuvH7725thou unto me. But she returnedשָׁ֑בָהSha.vahH7725not. And her treacherousבָּגוֹדָ֥הba.go.DahH901sisterאֲחוֹתָ֖הּ'a.cho.TahH269Judahיְהוּדָֽה׃ye.hu.DahH3063sawוַתֵּ֛רֶאva.te.reh'H7200it.

8And I sawוָאֵ֗רֶאva.'E.re'H7200,when for all the causesאֹדוֹת֙'o.dOtH182whereby backslidingמְשֻׁבָ֣הme.shu.VahH4878Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לYis.ra.'ElH3478committed adulteryנִֽאֲפָה֙ni.'a.FahH5003I had put her awayשִׁלַּחְתִּ֕יהָshi.lach.Ti.haH7971,and givenוָאֶתֵּ֛ןva.'e.TenH5414her a billסֵ֥פֶרSe.ferH5612of divorceכְּרִיתֻתֶ֖יהָke.ri.tu.Tei.haH3748;yet her treacherousבֹּֽגֵדָ֤הbo.ge.DahH898sisterאֲחוֹתָ֔הּ'a.cho.TahH269Judahיְהוּדָה֙ye.hu.DahH3063fearedיָֽרְאָ֜הya.re.'AhH3372not, but wentH3212and played the harlotוַתִּ֥זֶןva.Ti.zenH2181also.

9And it came to pass through the lightnessמִקֹּ֣לmi.KolH6963of her whoredomזְנוּתָ֔הּze.nu.TahH2184,that she defiledוַתֶּחֱנַ֖ףva.te.che.NafH2610the landהָאָ֑רֶץha.'A.retzH776,and committed adulteryוַתִּנְאַ֥ףva.tin.'AfH5003with stonesהָאֶ֖בֶןha.'E.venH68and with stocksהָעֵֽץ׃ha.'EtzH6086.

10And yet for all this her treacherousבָּגוֹדָ֧הba.go.DahH901sisterאֲחוֹתָ֛הּ'a.cho.TahH269Judahיְהוּדָ֖הye.hu.DahH3063hath not turnedשָׁ֨בָהSha.vahH7725unto me with her whole heartלִבָּ֑הּli.BahH3820,but feignedlyבְּשֶׁ֖קֶרbe.She.kerH8267,saithנְאֻם־ne.'um-H5002Yhwhיְהוָֽה׃ פYah.wehH3068.

11And Yhwhיְהוָה֙Yah.wehH3068saidוַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559unto me, The backslidingמְשֻׁבָ֣הme.shu.VahH4878Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לYis.ra.'ElH3478hath justifiedצִדְּקָ֥הtzi.de.KahH6663herselfנַפְשָׁ֖הּnaf.ShahH5315more than treacherousמִבֹּגֵדָ֖הmi.bo.ge.DahH898Judahיְהוּדָֽה׃ye.hu.DahH3063.

12Goהָלֹ֡ךְha.LokhH1980and proclaimוְקָֽרָאתָ֩ve.ka.ra.TaH7121these wordsהַדְּבָרִ֨יםha.de.va.RimH1697toward the northצָפ֗וֹנָהtza.Fo.nahH6828,and sayוְ֠אָמַרְתָּVe.'a.mar.taH559,Returnשׁ֣וּבָהShu.vahH7725,thou backslidingמְשֻׁבָ֤הme.shu.VahH4878Israelיִשְׂרָאֵל֙Yis.ra.'ElH3478,saithנְאֻם־ne.'um-H5002Yhwhיְהוָ֔הYah.wehH3068; andI will not cause mine angerפָּנַ֖יpa.NaiH6440to fallאַפִּ֥יל'a.PilH5307upon you: for I ammercifulחָסִ֤ידcha.SidH2623,saithנְאֻם־ne.'um-H5002Yhwhיְהוָ֔הYah.wehH3068, andI will not keepאֶטּ֖וֹר'e.TorH5201angerfor everלְעוֹלָֽם׃le.'o.LamH5769.

13Only acknowledgeדְּעִ֣יde.'IH3045thine iniquityעֲוֹנֵ֔ךְ'a.vo.NekhH5771,that thou hast transgressedפָּשָׁ֑עַתְּpa.Sha.'atH6586against Yhwhבַּיהוָ֥הba.Yah.wehH3068thy Godאֱלֹהַ֖יִךְ'e.lo.Ha.yikhH430,and hast scatteredוַתְּפַזְּרִ֨יva.te.fa.ze.RiH6340thy waysדְּרָכַ֜יִךְde.ra.Kha.yikhH1870to the strangersלַזָּרִ֗יםla.za.RimH2114under every greenרַעֲנָ֔ןra.'a.NanH7488treeעֵ֣ץ'etzH6086,and ye have not obeyedשְׁמַעְתֶּ֖םshe.ma'.TemH8085my voiceוּבְקוֹלִ֥יu.ve.ko.LiH6963,saithנְאֻם־ne.'um-H5002Yhwhיְהֹוָֽה׃Yah.wehH3068.

14Turnשׁ֣וּבוּShu.vuH7725,O backslidingשׁוֹבָבִים֙shoa.VimH7726childrenבָנִ֤יםva.NimH1121,saithנְאֻם־ne.'um-H5002Yhwhיְהוָ֔הYah.wehH3068;for I am marriedבָּעַ֣לְתִּיba.'Al.tiH1166unto you: and I will takeוְלָקַחְתִּ֨יve.la.kach.TiH3947you oneאֶחָ֣ד'e.ChadH259of a cityמֵעִ֗ירme.'IrH5892,and twoוּשְׁנַ֙יִם֙u.she.Na.yimH8147of a familyמִמִּשְׁפָּחָ֔הmi.mish.pa.ChahH4940,and I will bringוְהֵבֵאתִ֥יve.he.ve.TiH935you to Zionצִיּֽוֹן׃tzi.YonH6726:

15And I will giveוְנָתַתִּ֥יve.na.ta.TiH5414you pastorsרֹעִ֖יםro.'ImH7462according to mine heartכְּלִבִּ֑יke.li.BiH3820,which shall feedוְרָע֥וּve.ra.'UH7462you with knowledgeדֵּעָ֥הde.'AhH1844and understandingוְהַשְׂכֵּֽיל׃ve.has.KeilH7919.

16And it shall come to pass, when ye be multipliedתִרְבּוּ֩tir.BuH7235and increasedוּפְרִיתֶ֨םu.fe.ri.TemH6509in the landבָּאָ֜רֶץba.'A.retzH776,in those daysבַּיָּמִ֤יםbai.ya.MimH3117,saithנְאֻם־ne.'um-H5002Yhwhיְהוָ֔הYah.wehH3068,they shall sayיֹ֣אמְרוּYo.me.ruH559no more, The arkאֲרוֹן֙'a.rOnH727of the covenantבְּרִית־be.rit-H1285of Yhwhיְהוָ֔הYah.wehH3068:neither shall it comeיַעֲלֶ֖הya.'a.LehH5927to mindלֵ֑בLevH3820:neither shall they rememberיִזְכְּרוּ־yiz.ke.ru-H2142it; neither shall they visitיִפְקֹ֔דוּyif.Ko.duH6485it; neither shall thatbe doneיֵעָשֶׂ֖הye.'a.SehH6213any more.

17At that timeבָּעֵ֣תba.'EtH6256they shall callיִקְרְא֤וּyik.re.'UH7121Jerusalemלִירוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙li.ru.sha.LimH3389the throneכִּסֵּ֣אki.Se'H3678of Yhwhיְהוָ֔הYah.wehH3068;and all the nationsהַגּוֹיִ֛םha.go.YimH1471shall be gatheredוְנִקְוּ֨וּve.nikv.VuH6960unto it, to the nameלְשֵׁ֥םle.ShemH8034of Yhwhיְהוָ֖הYah.wehH3068,to Jerusalemלִירוּשָׁלִָ֑םli.ru.sha.LimH3389:neither shall they walkH3212any more afterאַחֲרֵ֕י'a.cha.ReiH310the imaginationשְׁרִר֖וּתshe.ri.RutH8307of their evilהָרָֽע׃ סha.Ra'H7451heartלִבָּ֥םli.BamH3820.

18In those daysבַּיָּמִ֣יםbai.ya.MimH3117the houseבֵית־veit-H1004of Judahיְהוּדָ֖הye.hu.DahH3063shall walkH3212with the houseבֵּ֣יתbeitH1004of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לYis.ra.'ElH3478,and they shall comeוְיָבֹ֤אוּve.ya.Vo.'uH935togetherיַחְדָּו֙yach.DavH3162out of the landמֵאֶ֣רֶץme.'E.retzH776of the northצָפ֔וֹןtza.FonH6828to the landהָאָ֕רֶץha.'A.retzH776that I have given for an inheritanceהִנְחַ֖לְתִּיhin.Chal.tiH5157unto your fathersאֲבוֹתֵיכֶֽם׃'a.vo.tei.KhemH1.

19But I saidאָמַ֗רְתִּי'a.Mar.tiH559,How shall I putאֲשִׁיתֵ֣ךְ'a.shi.TekhH7896thee among the childrenבַּבָּנִ֔יםba.ba.NimH1121,and giveוְאֶתֶּן־ve.'e.ten-H5414thee a pleasantחֶמְדָּ֔הchem.DahH2532landאֶ֣רֶץ'E.retzH776,a goodlyH6643heritageנַחֲלַ֥תna.cha.LatH5159of the hostsH6635of nationsגּוֹיִ֑םgo.YimH1471?and I saidוָאֹמַ֗רva.'o.MarH559,Thou shalt callתִּקְרְאִיtik.re.'u-H7121me, My fatherאָבִי֙'a.ViH1;and shalt not turn awayתָשֽׁוּבִי׃ta.shu.vuH7725from meוּמֵאַחֲרַ֖יu.me.'a.cha.RaiH310.

20Surelyאָכֵ֛ן'a.KhenH403asa wifeאִשָּׁ֖ה'i.ShahH802treacherouslyבָּגְדָ֥הba.ge.DahH898departeth from her husbandמֵרֵעָ֑הּme.re.'AhH7453,so have ye dealt treacherouslyבְּגַדְתֶּ֥םbe.gad.TemH898with me, O houseבֵּ֥יתbeitH1004of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֖לYis.ra.'ElH3478,saithנְאֻם־ne.'um-H5002Yhwhיְהוָֽה׃Yah.wehH3068.

21A voiceק֚וֹלKolH6963was heardנִשְׁמָ֔עnish.Ma'H8085upon the high placesשְׁפָיִ֣יםshe.fa.YimH8205,weepingבְּכִ֥יbe.KhiH1065andsupplicationsתַחֲנוּנֵ֖יta.cha.nu.NeiH8469of the childrenבְּנֵ֣יbe.NeiH1121of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לYis.ra.'ElH3478:for they have pervertedהֶעֱוּוּ֙he.'e.VuH5753their wayדַּרְכָּ֔םdar.KamH1870, andthey have forgottenשָׁכְח֖וּsha.khe.ChuH7911Yhwhיְהֹוָ֥הYah.wehH3068their Godאֱלֹהֵיהֶֽם׃'e.lo.hei.HemH430.

22Returnשׁ֚וּבוּShu.vuH7725,ye backslidingשׁוֹבָבִ֔יםshoa.VimH7726childrenבָּנִ֣יםba.NimH1121, andI will healאֶרְפָּ֖ה'er.PahH7495your backslidingsמְשׁוּבֹֽתֵיכֶ֑םme.shu.vo.tei.KhemH4878.Behold, we comeאָתָ֣נוּ'a.Ta.nuH857unto thee; for thou artYhwhיְהֹוָ֥הYah.wehH3068our Godאֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃'e.lo.Hei.nuH430.

23Trulyאָכֵ֥ן'a.KhenH403in vainלַשֶּׁ֛קֶרla.She.kerH8267is salvation hoped forfrom the hillsמִגְּבָע֖וֹתmi.ge.va.'otH1389, and fromthe multitudeהָמ֣וֹןha.MonH1995of mountainsהָרִ֑יםha.RimH2022:trulyאָכֵן֙'a.KhenH403in Yhwhבַּיהֹוָ֣הba.Yah.wehH3068our Godאֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ'e.lo.Hei.nuH430isthe salvationתְּשׁוּעַ֖תte.shu.'AtH8668of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Yis.ra.'ElH3478.

24For shameוְהַבֹּ֗שֶׁתve.ha.Bo.shetH1322hath devouredאָֽכְלָ֛ה'a.khe.LahH398the labourיְגִ֥יעַye.Gi.a'H3018of our fathersאֲבוֹתֵ֖ינוּ'a.vo.Tei.nuH1from our youthמִנְּעוּרֵ֑ינוּmi.ne.'u.Rei.nuH5271;their flocksצֹאנָם֙tzo.NamH6629and their herdsבְּקָרָ֔םbe.ka.RamH1241,their sonsבְּנֵיהֶ֖םbe.nei.HemH1121and their daughtersבְּנוֹתֵיהֶֽם׃be.no.tei.HemH1323.

25We lie downנִשְׁכְּבָ֣הnish.ke.VahH7901in our shameבְּבָשְׁתֵּ֗נוּbe.va.she.Te.nuH1322,and our confusionכְּלִמָּתֵנוּ֒ke.li.ma.te.NuH3639coverethוּֽתְכַסֵּנוּ֮u.te.kha.se.NuH3680us: for we have sinnedחָטָ֗אנוּcha.Ta.nuH2398against Yhwhלַיהוָ֨הla.Yah.wehH3068our Godאֱלֹהֵ֜ינוּ'e.lo.Hei.nuH430,we and our fathersוַאֲבוֹתֵ֔ינוּva.'a.vo.Tei.nuH1,from our youthמִנְּעוּרֵ֖ינוּmi.ne.'u.Rei.nuH5271even unto this dayהַיּ֣וֹםhai.YomH3117,and have not obeyedשָׁמַ֔עְנוּsha.Ma'.nuH8085the voiceבְּק֖וֹלbe.KolH6963of Yhwhיְהֹוָ֥הYah.wehH3068our Godאֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃ ס'e.lo.Hei.nuH430.

Commentaries on Jeremiah 3