“Yahweh will give victory
To the tents of Judah first.
Thus,
The glory
Of the house of David,
With the glory
Of the inhabitants of Jerusalem
May not be exalted
Over that of Judah.”
Yahweh was going to give victory to the people of Judah first. Glory was to come to the house of David and the people of Jerusalem. However, their glory would not exceed that of Judah.
“The word of Yahweh of hosts
Came to me,
Saying.
‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts.
The fast of the fourth month,
The fast of the fifth month,
The fast of the seventh month,
The fast of the tenth month,
Shall be seasons of joy,
Shall be seasons of gladness,
Shall be cheerful feasts
For the house of Judah.
Therefore,
Love truth!
Love peace!’”
Yahweh told Zechariah that the former fasts on the 4th month, the 5th month, the 7th month, and the 10th month remembering the Babylonian siege and attack of Jerusalem would no longer be necessary. Now there would be times of joy and gladness, cheerful feasts for the people of Judah. However, they had to live in truth and peace, if this was to be fulfilled.
“O Lord!
Righteousness
Is on your side.
But at this day,
Open shame
Falls on us,
The people
Of Judah,
The inhabitants
Of Jerusalem,
All Israel.
This includes
Those who are near,
As well as those
Who are far away,
In all the lands
To which
You have driven them,
Because of the treachery
That they have committed
Against you.
O Lord!
Open shame
Falls on us,
Our kings,
Our officials,
Our ancestors,
Because we have sinned
Against you.”
Daniel spoke for everybody about their open shame. Righteousness was on the side of the Lord. However, open shame fell on the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and all Israel, since it did not matter whether they were near or far away. Some were in the lands that the Lord had driven them because of their treachery. Thus, this open shame falls on their kings, their officials, and ancestors, because they had all sinned against God.
“You shall say to them,
‘Thus says Yahweh.
If you will not listen to me,
To walk in my law
That I have set before you,
Then there will be a curse.
If you do not heed the words
Of my servants,
The prophets,
Whom I send to you urgently,
Even though you
Have not heeded them,
Then I will make this house
Like Shiloh.
I will make this city
A curse
For all the nations of the earth.’”
Yahweh tells Jeremiah exactly what to say to the people of Judah. If they do not listen to Yahweh and walk in the law that he gave them, he will curse them. If they do not heed the words of his servants, his prophets that he sent to them, then he would make their Temple like that of Shiloh in Samaria. Both the ancient Canaanites and the Israelites had used Shiloh as a cultic worship center, until the Temple was built in Jerusalem during the time of King David (1010-970 BCE) and King Solomon (970-931 BCE). Since they had not listened to the prophets of Yahweh, he was going to curse this city of Jerusalem in a way that all the countries of the world would know about it.
“Therefore thus says Yahweh of hosts.
‘Because you have not obeyed
My words,
I am going to send
For all the tribes of the north.’
Says Yahweh.
‘I am going to send
Even for King Nebuchadnezzar
Of Babylon,
My servant.
I will bring them
Against this land
With its inhabitants.
I will bring them
Against all these nations around.
I will utterly destroy them.
I will make them
An object of horror.
A hissing,
An everlasting disgrace.’”
Yahweh declared, via Jeremiah, that the people of Judah had not obeyed his words. Therefore, there would be an invasion from the north. In particular, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, who was the servant of Yahweh, was going to come to this land in order to take away its inhabitants. Note that the king of Babylon was considered a servant of Yahweh, not his opponent. This usage indicates Jeremiah’s favoritism towards Babylon. Yahweh was going to utterly destroy them and their neighbors, so that they would be an object of horror, with people hissing at them in disgrace.
“But they say.
‘It is no use!
We will follow our own plans.
Each of us will act
According to the stubbornness
Of our own evil way.’”
Jeremiah presents the clear and precise response of the people of Judah and Jerusalem. It was useless to talk anymore. They were going to follow their own rebellious plans. Each one would act stubbornly according to their own evil ways. There was no pretence of trying to reach an agreement. The die was cast.
“Cut off your hair!
Throw it away!
Raise a lamentation
On the bare heights!
Yahweh has rejected
The generation
That provoked his wrath.
Yahweh has forsaken
The generation
That provoked his wrath.
The people of Judah
Have done evil in my sight.’
Says Yahweh.
‘They have set their abominations
In the house
That is called by my name.
They defile it.’”
Yahweh wanted Jeremiah to go into mourning by cutting off his hair. He should get rid of his hair and lament from the heights because Yahweh, in his wrath, has rejected and forsaken this generation. The people of Judah, in specific, have done evil in the sight of Yahweh. They have placed abominations of false idol gods in his house. Thus they have defiled the Temple.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 