Tag Archives: Jeremiah

Introduction to Jeremiah 23:1: Prophetic Indictment Against False Shepherds Jeremiah 23:1 opens a powerful oracle of woe against the leaders of Yisra’el, metaphorically called “shepherds” who have failed in their responsibility to care for the flock of YHWH. The use of participles—מְאַבְּדִים (“destroying”) and מְפִצִים (“scattering”)—not only describes their actions but also conveys an ongoing and habitual pattern of corruption. This article explores the grammatical form, function, and theological force of these participles within the verse. הֹ֣וי רֹעִ֗ים מְאַבְּדִ֧ים וּמְפִצִ֛ים אֶת־צֹ֥אן מַרְעִיתִ֖י נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃ Grammatical Analysis of the Participles 1.… Learn Hebrew

Introduction to Jeremiah 37:3: A King’s Desperate Request Jeremiah 37:3 records a politically and spiritually significant moment: King Tsidqiyyāh sends envoys to request intercessory prayer from the prophet Yirmeyāhū. The plea is encapsulated in the verb הִתְפַּלֶּל־נָא, meaning “Please pray!”—a compelling example of biblical Hebrew’s Hitpaʿel imperative with emotional urgency and theological depth. This article analyzes the form, function, and implications of this powerful request within the prophetic tradition. וַיִּשְׁלַח֩ הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ צִדְקִיָּ֜הוּ אֶת־יְהוּכַ֣ל בֶּן־שֶֽׁלֶמְיָ֗ה וְאֶת־צְפַנְיָ֤הוּ בֶן־מַֽעֲשֵׂיָה֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן אֶל־יִרְמְיָ֥הוּ הַנָּבִ֖יא לֵאמֹ֑ר הִתְפַּלֶּל־נָ֣א בַעֲדֵ֔נוּ אֶל־יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃ Morphological Analysis of הִתְפַּלֶּל־נָא The verb הִתְפַּלֶּל־נָא is from the root פָּלַל (p-l-l), which in the Hitpaʿel stem means “to pray” or “to intercede.”… Learn Hebrew

הָלֹ֡ךְ וְקָֽרָאתָ֩ בְאָזְנֵ֨י יְרוּשָׁלִַ֜ם לֵאמֹ֗ר כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה זָכַ֤רְתִּי לָךְ֙ חֶ֣סֶד נְעוּרַ֔יִךְ אַהֲבַ֖ת כְּלוּלֹתָ֑יִךְ לֶכְתֵּ֤ךְ אַחֲרַי֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר בְּאֶ֖רֶץ לֹ֥א זְרוּעָֽה׃ (Jeremiah 2:2) “Go and proclaim in the ears of Yerushalayim, saying, ‘Thus says YHWH: “I remember for you the kindness of your youth, the love of your betrothal, your going after Me in the wilderness, in a land not sown. Introduction to Jeremiah 2:2 Jeremiah 2:2 opens a prophetic lament recalling Israel’s early faithfulness to YHWH. The verse presents a divine remembrance of Israel’s loyalty during the Exodus, using the construct phrase חֶ֣סֶד נְעוּרַ֔יִךְ (“the devotion of your youth”).… Learn Hebrew

Introduction to Jeremiah 12:1: A Prophet’s Theological Complaint Jeremiah 12:1 begins a unique prophetic lament in which the prophet directly challenges divine justice. Despite affirming the righteousness of YHWH, Jeremiah boldly raises a question of moral perplexity: מַדּוּעַ דֶּרֶךְ רְשָׁעִים צָלֵחָה—“Why does the way of the wicked prosper?” This interrogative sentence is not merely informational; it is rhetorical and emotionally charged, revealing a tension at the heart of biblical theology: the apparent prosperity of the wicked in a world governed by a righteous God.… Learn Hebrew

Introduction to Jeremiah 9:1: The Prophet’s Lament in Optative Form Jeremiah 9:1 opens with one of the most intense laments in prophetic literature. The prophet cries out in deep grief over the slain of his people, expressing an uncontainable desire to weep continuously. The verse begins with the phrase מִי־יִתֵּן—a classical optative construction in Biblical Hebrew that introduces a longing or wish, usually impossible or hypothetical. This article will examine the grammar, syntax, and literary significance of this powerful phrase in Jeremiah’s lamentation.… Learn Hebrew