A Call to Repentance
(Jeremiah 3:11–25; Hosea 14:1–3)

1  בַּחֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ (In the month), הַשְּׁמִינִ֔י (eighth) בִּשְׁנַ֥ת (in the year) שְׁתַּ֖יִם (second) לְדָרְיָ֑וֶשׁ (of Darius), הָיָ֣ה (came) דְבַר־ (the word) יְהוָ֗ה (of YHWH) אֶל־ (to) זְכַרְיָה֙ (Zechariah), בֶּן־ (son) בֶּ֣רֶכְיָ֔ה (of Berechiah), בֶּן־ (son) עִדּ֥וֹ (of Iddo) הַנָּבִ֖יא (the prophet), לֵאמֹֽר׃ (saying):

2  קָצַ֧ף (Has been angry) יְהוָ֛ה (YHWH) עַל־ (at) אֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם (your⁺ fathers) קָֽצֶף׃ (with wrath). 3  וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ (Therefore you shall say) אֲלֵהֶ֗ם (to them) כֹּ֤ה (thus) אָמַר֙ (says) יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH of) צְבָא֔וֹת (Hosts); שׁ֣וּבוּ (Return) אֵלַ֔י (to Me) נְאֻ֖ם (a declaration) יְהוָ֣ה (of YHWH of) צְבָא֑וֹת (Hosts), וְאָשׁ֣וּב (and I will return) אֲלֵיכֶ֔ם (to you⁺) אָמַ֖ר (says) יְהוָ֥ה (YHWH of) צְבָאֽוֹת׃ (Hosts).

4  אַל־ (Do not) תִּהְי֣וּ (be) כַאֲבֹֽתֵיכֶ֡ם (like your⁺ fathers), אֲשֶׁ֣ר (for whom) קָרְאֽוּ־ (called), אֲלֵיהֶם֩ (to them) הַנְּבִיאִ֨ים (the prophets) הָרִֽאשֹׁנִ֜ים (former) לֵאמֹ֗ר (saying), כֹּ֤ה (thus) אָמַר֙ (says) יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH of) צְבָא֔וֹת (Hosts); שׁ֤וּבוּ (Turn aside) נָא֙ (now) מִדַּרְכֵיכֶ֣ם (from your⁺ ways), הָרָעִ֔ים (evil) וּמַעֲלִילֵיכֶם (and your⁺ deeds); הָֽרָעִ֑ים (evil)

וְלֹ֥א (not) שָׁמְע֛וּ (they did they hear), וְלֹֽא־ (and not) הִקְשִׁ֥יבוּ (pay attention) אֵלַ֖י (to Me) נְאֻם־ (a declaration) יְהוָֽה׃ (of YHWH).

5  אֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם (Your⁺ fathers), אַיֵּה־ (where are) הֵ֑ם (they)? וְהַ֨נְּבִאִ֔ים (And the prophets), הַלְעוֹלָ֖ם (forever) יִֽחְיֽוּ׃ (do they live)? 6  אַ֣ךְ׀ (Indeed) דְּבָרַ֣י (My words) וְחֻקַּ֗י (and My statutes), אֲשֶׁ֤ר (which) צִוִּ֙יתִי֙ (I commanded) אֶת־ (-) עֲבָדַ֣י (My servants) הַנְּבִיאִ֔ים (the prophets), הֲל֥וֹא (did not) הִשִּׂ֖יגוּ (they overtake) אֲבֹתֵיכֶ֑ם (your⁺ fathers)? וַיָּשׁ֣וּבוּ (And they returned) וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ (and said), כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר (As) זָמַ֜ם (determined) יְהוָ֤ה (YHWH of) צְבָאוֹת֙ (Hosts) לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת (to do) לָ֔נוּ (to us) כִּדְרָכֵ֙ינוּ֙ (according to our ways), וּכְמַ֣עֲלָלֵ֔ינוּ (and according to our deeds), כֵּ֖ן (so) עָשָׂ֥ה (He has done) אִתָּֽנוּ׃ס (to us).

The Vision of the Horses

7  בְּיוֹם֩ (On day) עֶשְׂרִ֨ים (twenty) וְאַרְבָּעָ֜ה (and four) לְעַשְׁתֵּֽי־ (of the one) עָשָׂ֥ר (and tenth) חֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ (month), הוּא־ (it is) חֹ֣דֶשׁ (the month) שְׁבָ֔ט (of Shebat), בִּשְׁנַ֥ת (in the year) שְׁתַּ֖יִם (second) לְדָרְיָ֑וֶשׁ (of Darius), הָיָ֣ה (came) דְבַר־ (the word) יְהוָ֗ה (of YHWH) אֶל־ (to) זְכַרְיָה֙ (Zechariah), בֶּן־ (son) בֶּ֣רֶכְיָ֔הוּ (of Berechiah), בֶּן־ (son) עִדּ֥וֹא (of Iddo) הַנָּבִ֖יא (the prophet), לֵאמֹֽר׃ (saying):

8  רָאִ֣יתִי׀ (I saw) הַלַּ֗יְלָה (in the night), וְהִנֵּה־ (and behold) אִישׁ֙ (a man) רֹכֵב֙ (was riding) עַל־ (on) ס֣וּס (a horse), אָדֹ֔ם (red) וְה֣וּא (and it) עֹמֵ֔ד (was standing) בֵּ֥ין (among) הַהֲדַסִּ֖ים (the myrtle trees) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (that were) בַּמְּצֻלָ֑ה (in the hollow); וְאַחֲרָיו֙ (and behind him) סוּסִ֣ים (were horses), אֲדֻמִּ֔ים (red) שְׂרֻקִּ֖ים (sorrel), וּלְבָנִֽים׃ (and white).

9  וָאֹמַ֖ר (And I said) מָה־ (What are) אֵ֣לֶּה (these)? אֲדֹנִ֑י (My lord),

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (and said) אֵלַ֗י (to me) הַמַּלְאָךְ֙ (the angel) הַדֹּבֵ֣ר (speaking) בִּ֔י (with me) אֲנִ֥י (I) אַרְאֶ֖ךָּ (will show you) מָה־ (what) הֵ֥מָּה (they are) אֵֽלֶּה׃ (these things).

10  וַיַּ֗עַן (And answered) הָאִ֛ישׁ (the man) הָעֹמֵ֥ד (standing) בֵּין־ (among) הַהַדַסִּ֖ים (the myrtle trees) וַיֹּאמַ֑ר (and he said), אֵ֚לֶּה (These are the ones) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (are they whom) שָׁלַ֣ח (has sent) יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH) לְהִתְהַלֵּ֖ךְ (to walk to and fro) בָּאָֽרֶץ׃ (on the earth).

11  וַֽיַּעֲנ֞וּ (And they answered) אֶת־ (-) מַלְאַ֣ךְ (the angel) יְהוָ֗ה (of YHWH) הָֽעֹמֵד֙ (standing) בֵּ֣ין (among) הַהֲדַסִּ֔ים (the myrtle trees), וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ (and they said), הִתְהַלַּ֣כְנוּ (We have walked to and fro) בָאָ֑רֶץ (on the earth), וְהִנֵּ֥ה (and behold), כָל־ (all) הָאָ֖רֶץ (the earth) יֹשֶׁ֥בֶת (is sitting), וְשֹׁקָֽטֶת׃ (and being quiet).

12  וַיַּ֣עַן (And answered) מַלְאַךְ־ (the angel) יְהוָה֮ (of YHWH) וַיֹּאמַר֒ (and said), יְהוָ֣ה (O YHWH of) צְבָא֔וֹת (Hosts), עַד־ (until) מָתַ֗י (when) אַתָּה֙ (You) לֹֽא־ (not) תְרַחֵ֣ם (will have compassion) אֶת־ (-) יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔ם (on Jerusalem) וְאֵ֖ת (and) עָרֵ֣י (the cities) יְהוּדָ֑ה (of Judah), אֲשֶׁ֣ר (with which) זָעַ֔מְתָּה (You have been angry) זֶ֖ה (these) שִׁבְעִ֥ים (seventy) שָׁנָֽה׃ (years)?

13  וַיַּ֣עַן (And answered) יְהוָ֗ה (YHWH) אֶת־ (-) הַמַּלְאָ֛ךְ (the angel) הַדֹּבֵ֥ר (speaking) בִּ֖י (with me) דְּבָרִ֣ים (words) טוֹבִ֑ים (good) דְּבָרִ֖ים (words of) נִחֻמִֽים׃ (comfort).

14  וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (And said) אֵלַ֗י (to me) הַמַּלְאָךְ֙ (the angel) הַדֹּבֵ֣ר (speaking) בִּ֔י (with me) קְרָ֣א (Call out) לֵאמֹ֔ר (saying), כֹּ֥ה (thus) אָמַ֖ר (says) יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH of) צְבָא֑וֹת (Hosts); קִנֵּ֧אתִי (I am jealous) לִירוּשָׁלִַ֛ם (for Jerusalem) וּלְצִיּ֖וֹן (and for Zion) קִנְאָ֥ה (with zeal) גְדוֹלָֽה׃ (great). 15  וְקֶ֤צֶף (And with wrath) גָּדוֹל֙ (great) אֲנִ֣י (I) קֹצֵ֔ף (am angry) עַל־ (with) הַגּוֹיִ֖ם (the nations) הַשַּֽׁאֲנַנִּ֑ים (at ease); אֲשֶׁ֤ר (for) אֲנִי֙ (I) קָצַ֣פְתִּי (was angry), מְּעָ֔ט (a little) וְהֵ֖מָּה (and they) עָזְר֥וּ (have helped) לְרָעָֽה׃ (the calamity).

16  לָכֵ֞ן (Therefore) כֹּֽה־ (thus) אָמַ֣ר (says) יְהוָ֗ה (YHWH); שַׁ֤בְתִּי (I have returned) לִירוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ (to Jerusalem) בְּֽרַחֲמִ֔ים (with compassion); בֵּיתִי֙ (My house) יִבָּ֣נֶה (will be built) בָּ֔הּ (within her) נְאֻ֖ם (a declaration) יְהוָ֣ה (of YHWH of) צְבָא֑וֹת (Hosts), וְקָוָה (and a line) יִנָּטֶ֖ה (will be stretched out) עַל־ (over) יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ (Jerusalem).

17  ע֣וֹד׀ (Again), קְרָ֣א (call out) לֵאמֹ֗ר (saying), כֹּ֤ה (thus) אָמַר֙ (says) יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH of) צְבָא֔וֹת (Hosts); ע֛וֹד (Again) תְּפוּצֶ֥ינָה (will overflow); עָרַ֖י (My cities) מִטּ֑וֹב (with goodness) וְנִחַ֨ם (and will comfort) יְהוָ֥ה (YHWH) עוֹד֙ (again) אֶת־ (-) צִיּ֔וֹן (Zion), וּבָחַ֥ר (and He will choose) ע֖וֹד (again) בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ס (Jerusalem).

The Vision of the Horns and the Craftsmen

18  וָאֶשָּׂ֥א (And I raised) אֶת־ (-) עֵינַ֖י (my eyes then), וָאֵ֑רֶא (and looked), וְהִנֵּ֖ה (and behold) אַרְבַּ֥ע (four) קְרָנֽוֹת׃ (horns). 19  וָאֹמַ֗ר (And I said) אֶל־ (to) הַמַּלְאָ֛ךְ (the angel) הַדֹּבֵ֥ר (who was speaking) בִּ֖י (with me) מָה־ (What are) אֵ֑לֶּה (these)?

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (And he said) אֵלַ֔י (to me) אֵ֤לֶּה (These are) הַקְּרָנוֹת֙ (the horns) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (that) זֵר֣וּ (have scattered) אֶת־ (-) יְהוּדָ֔ה (Judah), אֶת־ (-) יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (Israel), וִירוּשָׁלָֽם׃ס (and Jerusalem).

20  וַיַּרְאֵ֣נִי (And showed me) יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH) אַרְבָּעָ֖ה (four) חָרָשִֽׁים׃ (craftsmen).

21  וָאֹמַ֕ר (And I said) מָ֛ה (What are) אֵ֥לֶּה (these) בָאִ֖ים (coming) לַֽעֲשׂ֑וֹת (to do)?

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (And He answered), לֵאמֹ֗ר (saying), אֵ֣לֶּה (These are) הַקְּרָנ֞וֹת (the horns) אֲשֶׁר־ (that) זֵ֣רוּ (scattered) אֶת־ (-) יְהוּדָ֗ה (Judah), כְּפִי־ (so that) אִישׁ֙ (a person) לֹא־ (not) נָשָׂ֣א (could lift up) רֹאשׁ֔וֹ (his head); וַיָּבֹ֤אוּ (and are coming) אֵ֙לֶּה֙ (and these) לְהַחֲרִ֣יד (to make tremble) אֹתָ֔ם (them) לְיַדּ֞וֹת (to cast down) אֶת־ (-) קַרְנ֣וֹת (the horns) הַגּוֹיִ֗ם (of the nations), הַנֹּשְׂאִ֥ים (who have lifted up) קֶ֛רֶן (the horn) אֶל־ (against) אֶ֥רֶץ (the land) יְהוּדָ֖ה (of Judah) לְזָרוֹתָֽהּ׃ס (to scatter it).