Chapter 33 of Jeremiah is a chapter of consolation. Jeremiah, the prophet of destruction and prophecies of wrath, receives precisely here, at the peak of distress while imprisoned, a good and joyful prophecy about the rebuilding of Jerusalem, the return of the captivity, the Davidic monarchy, and the priestly service that will never be cut off. We will examine the verses in order, primarily based on the commentary of the Malbim, along with the Radak and Rashi.
וַיְהִי דְבַר־יְהֹוָה אֶל־יִרְמְיָהוּ שֵׁנִית וְהוּא עוֹדֶנּוּ עָצוּר בַּחֲצַר הַמַּטָּרָה לֵאמֹר׃ - And the word of Hashem came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still confined in the court of the guard, saying:
The court of the guard was the prison. Jeremiah was still detained, and it was there that the Holy One, blessed be He, prophesied to him. What was the purpose of giving the prophecy specifically here? The holy Alshich explains: because he was confined and imprisoned in the court of the guard, he was in sadness and depression. Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He, now speaks a good prophecy to him, to comfort him from his sorrow and gladden him with the good promises destined to come. For this reason, the verse emphasizes, "while he was still confined in the court of the guard" - it was precisely in this situation that Hashem wished to gladden him. And this prophecy is a continuation of the previous chapter.
כֹּה־אָמַר יְהֹוָה עֹשָׂהּ יְהֹוָה יוֹצֵר אוֹתָהּ לַהֲכִינָהּ יְהֹוָה שְׁמוֹ׃ - Thus said Hashem, its Maker, Hashem Who forms it to establish it, Hashem is His Name:
This chapter does not mention the word Jerusalem, because it is a continuation of the previous chapter which spoke of Jerusalem. Therefore, "its Maker" refers to Jerusalem. And what does "Maker" mean? The intention is that He elevates it, as in the expression "and she shall pare [ve'asetah] her nails" - that Hashem elevated it above all lands, and like "Hashem made [asah] Moses and Aaron", which means He elevated them. The Radak explains "Who forms it to establish it": He renews it and prepares it forever, just as in (by contrast) "Behold, I am fashioning [yotzer] evil against you", for every formation (yetzirah) is bringing the matter into actualization.
And the Malbim explains in greater detail. There are three expressions here: "Maker", "Who forms it", and "to establish it". Action (asiyah) is the completion and conclusion - it is made. Formation (yetzirah) is giving the matter its form prior to completion. Preparation (hachanah) is what existed from the beginning, that the matter was prepared from the outset for its good ultimate purpose. If so, the natural order is: preparation, formation, completion. Yet here, the verse begins specifically with the end - "its Maker". Why? Because with the Holy One, blessed be He, everything is already made and completed from the beginning, in the very thought itself. We require plans, then formation, then completion; but with the Holy One, blessed be He, in the very plan itself He spoke and it came to be. Therefore, "Thus said Hashem, its Maker" - with Him, the matter is instantly made and completed as though it were already brought into reality.
However, for us down below, the matter must be accomplished through cause and effect. With the Holy One, blessed be He, there is no need for this; in a single moment He spoke and it came to be. But for us, in the natural way of things, everything comes about because this person desired it and that person agreed and one thing led to another. And this is the continuation of the verse: "Hashem Who forms it" - the formation is for those below, for Hashem formed and brought about all the circumstances that cause the matter to be actualized in this lower world when the time of the End of Days arrives. And regarding this it is said, "Hashem is His Name": Hashem does this because He is the Master of Mercy and the Creator of all, for the Name Havayah is a Name of mercy, and the Creator's will is to bestow goodness.
קְרָא אֵלַי וְאֶעֱנֶךָּ וְאַגִּידָה לְּךָ גְּדֹלוֹת וּבְצֻרוֹת לֹא יְדַעְתָּם׃ - Call to Me, and I will answer you, and tell you great and mighty things that you did not know.
The Radak explains: If you call to Me, I will answer and fulfill your desire. This is the opposite of what was said to him earlier, "Do not lift up a cry or prayer on their behalf"; here, on the contrary, Hashem tells him, pray on their behalf and I will answer you. "And tell you great and mighty things" - great and powerful consolations that you did not know, "betzurot" being an expression of strength, like a fortress (mivtzar). In contrast, Rashi has the reading "unetzurot", meaning hidden in My heart to perform, and so too the Targum translates "ravrevan venatiran", meaning hidden and guarded. Thus, the textual reading of Rashi and Targum Yonatan was "great and hidden things" (gedolot unetzurot) rather than "uvetzurot".
The Malbim explains this based on what we saw in chapter 15: Yirmiyahu could not prophesy whenever he wished. A prophet must be in a state of joy when receiving prophecy, and Yirmiyahu, who was continually prophesying calamity, could not feel the joy needed to deliver his prophecy. When, then, was he able to prophesy? Only when the Holy One, blessed be He, prepared him for the matter, as it were calling him and making him ready for prophecy. Now Hashem tells him: I am announcing good tidings to you, and therefore you can call upon Me. Under ordinary circumstances you cannot call upon Me, because you prophesy bad tidings, and one who is immersed in sadness cannot prophesy; that is why I always have to call you first. But now, "Call to Me, and I will answer you," for now I am speaking of a prophecy of good, and to a prophecy of good you can awaken on your own, because it brings joy, and when you are in joy you are receptive to prophecy. "Great things" - matters that transcend nature; "and fortified things" - enduring matters that will never change; "which you did not know" - things you have not known until now. Yirmiyahu was the prophet of destruction and prophecies of wrath, and therefore until now he had never experienced such prophecies. Now Hashem tells him: I wish to tell you a prophecy entirely different from those you are accustomed to, a prophecy of good.
כִּי כֹה אָמַר יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל־בָּתֵּי הָעִיר הַזֹּאת וְעַל־בָּתֵּי מַלְכֵי יְהוּדָה הַנְּתֻצִים אֶל־הַסֹּלְלוֹת וְאֶל־הֶחָרֶב׃ - For thus said the Lord, God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, which are broken down by the siege mounds and by the sword:
בָּאִים לְהִלָּחֵם אֶת־הַכַּשְׂדִּים וּלְמַלְאָם אֶת־פִּגְרֵי הָאָדָם אֲשֶׁר־הִכֵּיתִי בְאַפִּי וּבַחֲמָתִי וַאֲשֶׁר הִסְתַּרְתִּי פָנַי מֵהָעִיר הַזֹּאת עַל כָּל־רָעָתָם׃ - They come to fight with the Chaldeans, and to fill them with the corpses of men whom I have struck down in My anger and in My wrath, and because of whose great wickedness I have hidden My face from this city.
The Malbim connects the verses: "By the siege mounds and by the sword they come to fight" - the houses of the city are torn down by the siege mounds and the sword, which accompany the Chaldeans to wage war against the city and fill it with human corpses. "El ha-solalot" means by means of the siege mounds, and so explain both the Radak and the Malbim. And what are the solalot? Rashi explains: mounds heaped up high, which the people of the city build to ascend to the siege mounds. But this seemingly contains a scribal error, for one cannot explain that solalot are mounds by which one ascends to the solalot - that leaves the word itself unexplained! Evidently, the text should read: mounds heaped up high that are built to ascend to the wall. Indeed, this is explicit in Targum Yonatan, cited by Radak on chapter 32, verse 24: an earthen mound heaped around the wall in order to mount the wall from there. In other words, to scale the wall they would construct a kind of ramp: bringing vast amounts of earth, banking them against the wall, creating an incline for the soldiers to climb. And what is "the sword" (cherev)? It refers to the battering pick used to tear down buildings, as in "he will break down your towers with his swords" - a sort of battering ram used to strike the wall and bring it down, not a handheld blade used to slay people.
The Chaldeans come to wage war against the city and to fill the houses with human corpses; that is their objective. Yet the Holy One, blessed be He, says: "Whom I have struck down in My anger and in My wrath" - this punishment is a providential retribution, directly from Me, for their evil deeds, for having provoked Me. He further adds: "And because of whose great wickedness I have hidden My face" - meaning that it was also through this concealment of the Divine face that the enemies were able to come and strike them. But, the Malbim explains, the striking and the concealment were not because I rejected them, but rather "on account of all their wickedness": just like a bloodletter who draws out impure blood in order to heal, so too the blow and the concealment of face were meant to heal them and ultimately bring about their good.
הִנְנִי מַעֲלֶה־לָּהּ אֲרֻכָה וּמַרְפֵּא וּרְפָאתִים וְגִלֵּיתִי לָהֶם עֲתֶרֶת שָׁלוֹם וֶאֱמֶת׃ - Behold, I will bring it healing and recovery, and I will cure them, and I will reveal to them an abundance of peace and truth.
Concerning those houses of the city that were broken down by the Chaldeans, Hashem says: I am bringing them healing (aruchah). And what is "and recovery" (marpe)? The Malbim explains: aruchah refers to the wound that comes from without, while marpe refers to internal illness. As is well known, the Jewish people have always suffered from troubles both from without and from within: from without, the enemies who rise against us, and from within, the fifth column and the "mixed multitude" (erev rav) who have always worked against us from the inside. Therefore, "healing and recovery" - healing from the enemies outside, and recovery from the enemies inside. "And I will reveal to them an abundance (ateret) of peace and truth" - I will reveal to them how peace and truth will be appeased (ye'ater) and reconciled to them, remaining with them constantly. The Radak, however, explains ateret as an expression of abundance, as in Chazal's expression "to offer plentiful prayer" (leha'atir tefillah), which means to pray abundantly; thus, an abundance of peace and truth.
וַהֲשִׁבֹתִי אֶת־שְׁבוּת יְהוּדָה וְאֵת שְׁבוּת יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבְנִתִים כְּבָרִאשֹׁנָה׃ - And I will restore the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel, and I will build them as at the first.
"And I will restore the captivity of Judah" - this refers to the exiles, who will return. "And I will build them" - I will rebuild the royal dynasty, the city, and the Temple.
וְטִהַרְתִּים מִכָּל־עֲוֺנָם אֲשֶׁר חָטְאוּ־לִי וְסָלַחְתִּי לְכָל־עֲוֺנוֹתֵיהֶם אֲשֶׁר חָטְאוּ־לִי וַאֲשֶׁר פָּשְׁעוּ בִי׃ - And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they sinned against Me and by which they rebelled against Me.
"And I will cleanse them" - regarding the past, I will purify them from the defilement of their iniquity. And iniquity (avon), says the Malbim, defiles the soul, for avon is always a distortion of the soul. The Malbim consistently distinguishes between chet (sin) and avon (iniquity): a chet is done unintentionally or stems from physical desire, whereas an avon is intentional and stems from a distortion of the intellect, where a person constructs an entire ideology around the sin - not merely "I felt like doing it," but "this is how it ought to be." Therefore, corresponding to the defilement that iniquity inflicts upon the soul, it is said, "And I will cleanse them," and corresponding to the heavenly prosecution that iniquity creates, accusing them before Hashem, it is said, "and I will pardon."
וְהָיְתָה לִּי לְשֵׁם שָׂשׂוֹן לִתְהִלָּה וּלְתִפְאֶרֶת לְכֹל גּוֹיֵי הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁמְעוּ אֶת־כָּל־הַטּוֹבָה אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי עֹשֶׂה אוֹתָם וּפָחֲדוּ וְרָגְזוּ עַל כָּל־הַטּוֹבָה וְעַל כָּל־הַשָּׁלוֹם אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי עֹשֶׂה לָּהּ׃ - And it shall be to Me for a name of joy, for praise, and for glory before all the nations of the earth, who will hear of all the good that I do for them; and they shall fear and tremble on account of all the goodness and all the peace that I provide for her.
Jerusalem will be a name, a joy, a praise, and a glory to all the nations of the earth; everyone will see the uniqueness of this city and hear of all the goodness that Hashem bestows upon the Jewish people within it. And who are those who "shall fear and tremble"? The Malbim explains that this refers to the nations: "and they shall fear" relates to the peace - they will see that this peace comes from Hashem and will be afraid to wage war, for one does not enter into battle against a nation that possesses peace from Hashem; "and they shall tremble" relates to the good - the goodness that Hashem bestows upon us will agitate the nations, for whenever things go well for Israel, the nations become enraged. The Metzudat David, on the other hand, explains that this refers to Israel, the inhabitants of the city: they will fear lest they sin and consequently lose the goodness and exhaust all the bounty, and through this fear they will refrain from doing evil.
כֹּה אָמַר יְהֹוָה עוֹד יִשָּׁמַע בַּמָּקוֹם־הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם אֹמְרִים חָרֵב הוּא מֵאֵין אָדָם וּמֵאֵין בְּהֵמָה בְּעָרֵי יְהוּדָה וּבְחֻצוֹת יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם הַנְשַׁמּוֹת מֵאֵין אָדָם וּמֵאֵין יוֹשֵׁב וּמֵאֵין בְּהֵמָה׃ - Thus said Hashem: Yet again there shall be heard in this place, of which you say, "It is ruined, without man and without beast" - in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without man, without inhabitant, and without beast.
קוֹל שָׂשׂוֹן וְקוֹל שִׂמְחָה קוֹל חָתָן וְקוֹל כַּלָּה קוֹל אֹמְרִים הוֹדוּ אֶת־יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת כִּי־טוֹב יְהֹוָה כִּי־לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ מְבִאִים תּוֹדָה בֵּית יְהֹוָה כִּי־אָשִׁיב אֶת־שְׁבוּת־הָאָרֶץ כְּבָרִאשֹׁנָה אָמַר יְהֹוָה׃ - The voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the groom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who say, "Give thanks to Hashem of Hosts, for Hashem is good, for His kindness endures forever," bringing thanksgiving offerings into the House of Hashem; for I will restore the captivity of the land as at first, said Hashem.
Here we have another example of people who know verses through songs, and when they read the verse in the original text, they are surprised. Everyone knows the song, "Yet again there shall be heard in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem the voice of joy and the voice of gladness" - but when you search for such a verse, no such verse exists. The original verse is the one before us, and there is no other verse elsewhere. They took the words "Yet again there shall be heard," cut out "in this place, of which you say, 'It is ruined...'", kept "in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem," cut out "that are desolate, without man, without inhabitant, and without beast," and continued straight to the next verse: "the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the groom and the voice of the bride." And one must realize that the singers did not invent this, as this is the wording from the Sheva Berachot blessings - rather, the text of the blessing itself was spliced together from the verses. Furthermore, the continuation in the blessing is not found in the verse either: in the verse, the continuation is "the voice of those who say, 'Give thanks...'", whereas in the blessing we say, "the voice of the jubilation of grooms from their wedding canopy and of youths from their feasts of song" - and no such verse exists anywhere. That is an addition of the liturgy of the blessing, not the text of the verse.
Now to the explanation. "It is ruined" (charev) - a state of ruin, and the Malbim explains that the term churba (ruin) applies to buildings. "Desolate" (haneshamot) - from the root for desolation (shemamah), and desolation applies to the land as a whole and is generally more severe than mere ruin. In this place, Jerusalem, of which everyone said that the buildings were ruined and the area was desolate, and in the streets of Jerusalem - the Malbim consistently explains that chutzot refers to the areas behind the houses - which were desolate, a place even more deserted than a ruin, precisely there will be heard the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the groom and the voice of the bride. "The voice of joy" (sasson) - through the matches that will be made, as new Jewish homes are built here.
Regarding "the voice of the groom and the voice of the bride" - there is a well-known insight shared at engagement parties and Sheva Berachot: Do they have some special voice? Rather, when a couple is engaged, everyone speaks quietly and gently: "And what do you think? How does it seem to you? Perhaps we should do it this way?", "And what do you say? No, you decide" - what beauty, what harmony! That is the voice of a groom and the voice of a bride during the engagement. But after the wedding, changes begin; as someone once put it, after the wedding he started believing in flying saucers (flying dishes). And so we pray that there should always be heard "the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the groom and the voice of the bride" - just as the groom speaks gently to his bride and the bride to her groom, so may it be heard constantly.
"The voice of those who say, 'Give thanks'" - for the miracles that the Holy One, Blessed be He, will perform for them. And corresponding to what they said, "It is ruined, without man," he says: a voice of joy will be heard here; and corresponding to "without beast," the next verse states that the place will become a dwelling of shepherds.
The Radak notes precisely: what is said here regarding the offerings? "Bringing thanksgiving offerings into the House of the Lord." It does not mention a sin offering or a guilt offering, because at that time there will be no wicked people or sinners among them, for everyone will know Hashem. Therefore, our Sages of blessed memory taught: all offerings will be nullified in the Future to Come except for the thanksgiving offering, for the thanksgiving offering is brought out of gratitude, whereas the other offerings are brought for sin - and sins will no longer exist.
כֹּה־אָמַר יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת עוֹד יִהְיֶה בַּמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה הֶחָרֵב מֵאֵין־אָדָם וְעַד־בְּהֵמָה וּבְכָל־עָרָיו נְוֵה רֹעִים מַרְבִּצִים צֹאן׃ - Thus said the Lord of hosts: Again, in this place that is desolate, without man and without beast, and in all its cities, there shall be a habitation of shepherds resting their flocks.
The place that was desolate of human inhabitants will once again hear the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, which refer to human beings; and the place that was desolate of animals will become a habitation of shepherds, for livestock will also be present here. "Resting their flocks" means that the sheep lie down peacefully, and resting implies an absence of fear: the place will be so secure that they will be able to let the flocks lie down there without any fear of enemies.
בְּעָרֵי הָהָר בְּעָרֵי הַשְּׁפֵלָה וּבְעָרֵי הַנֶּגֶב וּבְאֶרֶץ בִּנְיָמִן וּבִסְבִיבֵי יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם וּבְעָרֵי יְהוּדָה עֹד תַּעֲבֹרְנָה הַצֹּאן עַל־יְדֵי מוֹנֶה אָמַר יְהֹוָה׃ - In the cities of the hill country, in the cities of the lowland, in the cities of the south, in the land of Binyamin, in the environs of Yerushalayim, and in the cities of Yehudah, the flocks shall yet pass under the hands of the one who counts them, said the Lord.
In all these places, the sheep will be tended under the hands of a counter. Rashi explains: Israel will go out and come in through a leader who walks at their head. And this indeed fits our reality today far better, for who among us herds sheep today? Rather, the meaning is that there will be a leader guiding the flock, as it is written: "And you, My sheep, the sheep of My pasture, you are human" - the people of Israel are likened to a flock, and they will have a leader who guides them.
And what is meant by "under the hands of the one who counts"? Radak explains: Israel is compared to sheep and the shepherd is the king, and it is the manner of a shepherd to count his sheep to see if even one is missing. One could also say that the emphasis on "under the hands of the one who counts" comes to teach: when does a shepherd count his sheep? When he genuinely cares about them. But when he does not care, even if one wanders off, goes missing, or is mauled, it does not concern him. The verse tells us that there will be leaders of a different kind, leaders who truly count the people. Today we often see leaders who do not count us, leaders who cause distress, whose sole concern is how to benefit themselves; but in the future there will be a leader "under the hands of a counter," who counts the flock, and in our idiom, who actually counts us. This is Melech HaMashiach, whose redemption and salvation we eagerly await.
Radak also offers an alternative explanation: that this matter is not framed positively, but rather refers to purging the transgressors from Israel. When they emerge from exile, those transgressors will perish. As it is written in Yechezkel: "And I will cause you to pass under the rod," where the rod is meant to mark those who proceed and those who will not remain. So too here: "the flocks shall yet pass under the hands of the one who counts them" - only the worthy will merit redemption, while those who are unworthy, God forbid, will face the opposite.
הִנֵּה יָמִים בָּאִים נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה וַהֲקִמֹתִי אֶת־הַדָּבָר הַטּוֹב אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתִּי אֶל־בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל וְעַל־בֵּית יְהוּדָה׃ - Behold, days are coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfill the good word that I have spoken concerning the House of Israel and concerning the House of Yehudah.
בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם וּבָעֵת הַהִיא אַצְמִיחַ לְדָוִד צֶמַח צְדָקָה וְעָשָׂה מִשְׁפָּט וּצְדָקָה בָּאָרֶץ׃ - In those days and at that time, I will cause a branch of righteousness to sprout for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.
This prophecy was already written earlier in chapter 23, where the Malbim explained it at length. We will mention in just a word why it is repeated: it expresses the redemption, and the redemption can arrive along two pathways - "in its time" (be'itah) and "I will hasten it" (achishenah). The Malbim explained there that our verses here in chapter 33 speak of "in its time," whereas the verses in chapter 23 speak of "I will hasten it," so one should not wonder why the verses are repeated. "A branch of righteousness" refers to Melech HaMashiach, as phrased in our prayers: "May You speedily cause the sprout of David Your servant to flourish."
בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם תִּוָּשַׁע יְהוּדָה וִירוּשָׁלַ͏ִם תִּשְׁכּוֹן לָבֶטַח וְזֶה אֲשֶׁר־יִקְרָא־לָהּ יְהֹוָה צִדְקֵנוּ׃ - In those days Judah shall be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely, and this is what she shall be called: The Lord is our righteousness.
At that time, Judah will experience salvation and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And what is meant by "and this is what she shall be called: The Lord is our righteousness"? Radak explains that the inhabitants of Jerusalem will proclaim, "The Lord is our righteousness." Today they engage in all sorts of idol worship and deities, but a time will come when its residents will say: Hashem is our righteousness. Targum Yonatan translates: "And this is the name they will call her: meritorious deeds will be wrought for us from before the Lord within her" - meaning that this is the designation she will be given, that merits will be performed on our behalf before God, Who dwells within her. Earlier (in chapter 23), it was stated regarding the King Messiah: "And this is his name by which he shall be called: The Lord is our righteousness." Radak notes that both verses convey the same essential theme: Jerusalem will be the city of righteousness, and the Messiah will be our righteousness. Radak brings another explanation in the name of his father: "and this is who shall call her" - who is the one calling her? The Holy One, blessed be He, Who is Himself "The Lord our righteousness." That is to say, it is not that the city itself will be named "The Lord is our righteousness," but rather that the One calling her is the Holy One, blessed be He, Who is "the Lord our righteousness."
כִּי־כֹה אָמַר יְהֹוָה לֹא־יִכָּרֵת לְדָוִד אִישׁ יֹשֵׁב עַל־כִּסֵּא בֵית־יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ - For thus said the Lord: David shall never lack a man sitting on the throne of the House of Israel.
We had David, king of Israel, whose dynasty continued and was then interrupted. God declares: In the future, David will never lack a man sitting on the throne of the House of Israel. There will be no permanent severing; rather, this dynasty will endure continuously from the days of the Messiah onward.
וְלַכֹּהֲנִים הַלְוִיִּם לֹא־יִכָּרֵת אִישׁ מִלְּפָנָי מַעֲלֶה עוֹלָה וּמַקְטִיר מִנְחָה וְעֹשֶׂה זֶּבַח כָּל־הַיָּמִים׃ - And the Levitical priests shall never lack a man before Me to offer burnt offerings, burn grain offerings, and make sacrifices all the days.
"The Levitical priests" - wherever this phrasing appears, it refers to the Kohanim who are descendants of Levi, for the Kohanim are also of the tribe of Levi. They will never lack a man to offer up a burnt offering, burn a grain offering, and perform sacrifices for all time, meaning that the Temple service will forever remain entrusted to the Kohanim. What is Scripture teaching here? Even if eventually the reality unfolds where the firstborn return to perform the service - as there is an opinion in Chazal that the divine service will one day return to the firstborn - one must not think the Kohanim will be cast aside. Therefore it says, "shall never lack a man before Me"; in any case, the Kohanim will continue to serve and offer sacrifices before God. According to Rashi, the verse means that they will always have descendants fit to offer burnt offerings and burn grain offerings.
וַיְהִי דְּבַר־יְהֹוָה אֶל־יִרְמְיָהוּ לֵאמוֹר׃ - And the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying:
כֹּה אָמַר יְהֹוָה אִם־תָּפֵרוּ אֶת־בְּרִיתִי הַיּוֹם וְאֶת־בְּרִיתִי הַלָּיְלָה וּלְבִלְתִּי הֱיוֹת יוֹמָם־וָלַיְלָה בְּעִתָּם׃ - Thus said the Lord: If you could break My covenant with the day and My covenant with the night, so that day and night would not be at their proper time,
גַּם־בְּרִיתִי תֻפַר אֶת־דָּוִד עַבְדִּי מִהְיוֹת־לוֹ בֵן מֹלֵךְ עַל־כִּסְאוֹ וְאֶת־הַלְוִיִּם הַכֹּהֲנִים מְשָׁרְתָי׃ - Then also My covenant could be broken with David My servant, that he should not have a son reigning upon his throne, and with the Levitical priests, My ministers.
Rashi explains: If you were able to break My covenant that I made with the day and with the night - there is a fixed covenant that the sun will always rise and the night will always arrive at its appointed time, as the Holy One, blessed be He, established with Noah and his sons: "day and night shall not cease," for He has an enduring covenant with them to be perpetual. Radak adds: Just as this covenant cannot be broken and will never cease, so too the covenant I made with David that his monarchy will endure cannot be broken, and so too the covenant I forged with Aaron that his descendants will serve before Me all the days cannot be broken, as stated earlier: "And the Levitical priests shall never lack a man before Me."
And the Malbim adds: the covenant of kingship and priesthood is an essential necessity for the continuation of all reality, just as the laws of nature are necessary. Just as you understand that it is impossible for the world to exist without the sun, without day, and without night, so must you understand that it is inconceivable that the monarchy and the priesthood would be abolished - just as the former are vital to the world, so too are the latter. Furthermore, not only will He not abolish them completely, just as He will not break the covenant of day and night, but it is also impossible that the Redemption will not arrive at its designated time, just as it is impossible that day and night will not arrive at their appointed times: day must break and the sun must set at night. There is thus also an aspect of "in its time" (be'itah) - just as day and night have an appointed season and time, so too does the Redemption have an appointed season and time. This is the sequence of the verses: if the covenant of day and night could be broken, then My covenant with David could also be broken; and just as it is impossible for day and night to be disrupted, so too My covenant with David - that he will have a descendant reigning on his throne - will never be broken, nor will the covenant with the Kohanim, who will continue to minister before Me forever.
אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יִסָּפֵר צְבָא הַשָּׁמַיִם וְלֹא יִמַּד חוֹל הַיָּם כֵּן אַרְבֶּה אֶת־זֶרַע דָּוִד עַבְדִּי וְאֶת־הַלְוִיִּם מְשָׁרְתֵי אֹתִי׃ - As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured; so will I multiply the seed of David My servant, and the Levites that minister unto Me.
The Radak explains that it is as though a kaf is missing here: just as (ka'asher) the host of heaven cannot be counted and the sand of the sea cannot be measured, so (kein) will I multiply the seed of David My servant and the Levites who minister before Me - that both the Kohanim and the seed of David will multiply. The Radak makes a precise grammatical observation: the term "measured" (yimmad) applies to the sand of the sea and not to the host of heaven, because sand is measured - one puts it in a measuring vessel to determine its volume; whereas the stars of heaven cannot be measured. The term "counted" (mispar) could apply to both, both to the sand and to the host of heaven, but the term measurement applies only to the sand of the sea.
And the Malbim explains that this expresses how the servants of Hashem on earth will multiply just like His ministers in heaven, until the two realms, the upper and the lower, correspond directly to one another, and the lower realm will possess an enduring, eternal nature just like the upper realm. Just as the upper realm - the celestial bodies and the angels of Hashem who do His bidding - is eternal, so too the realm on earth, which is the entire Jewish nation, will parallel them and remain eternal like them.
וַיְהִי דְּבַר־יְהֹוָה אֶל־יִרְמְיָהוּ לֵאמֹר׃ - And the word of Hashem came to Yirmiyahu, saying:
הֲלוֹא רָאִיתָ מָה־הָעָם הַזֶּה דִּבְּרוּ לֵאמֹר שְׁתֵּי הַמִּשְׁפָּחוֹת אֲשֶׁר בָּחַר יְהֹוָה בָּהֶם וַיִּמְאָסֵם וְאֶת־עַמִּי יִנְאָצוּן מִהְיוֹת עוֹד גּוֹי לִפְנֵיהֶם׃ - Hast thou not seen what this people have spoken, saying: The two families which Hashem did choose, He hath even cast them off? Thus they despise My people, that they should be no more a nation before them.
Hashem says to Yirmiyahu: Surely you hear what this people is saying. "The two families" are the family of David, the royal family, and the family of Aharon, the priestly family. The people blaspheme and say: those whom Hashem chose to lead the nation - He has cast them off. And because they see that God has, as it were, rejected them, they consequently also despise their descendants, the people of Israel: you see, what redemption are you talking about? Moshe, Aharon, David - Hashem has rejected and spurned them, as it were; and just as they have no endurance, since we have no kingdom of the House of David and no priestly service, so too the Jewish people have no future.
The Radak cites an explanation in the name of his father: "And My people they despise" (ve'et ami yen'atzun) is like "and My people despise" (ve'ami yen'atzun) - since My people see that Hashem has cast them off, they too act contemptuously, refusing to follow Hashem's commandments and no longer wanting to remain a nation before Him all their days to fulfill His commandments and His will.
And the Malbim explains: the Holy One, blessed be He, bestowed supreme virtues upon these two families - to David, the monarchy, and to Aharon, the priesthood - yet despite all these great distinctions, He rejected them. If so, they argue a fortiori (kal vachomer): all the more so the Jewish people as a whole, the ordinary tribes who were not granted the special status of priesthood and kingship, will not be significant in His eyes. If He rejected those who were precious in His eyes, the righteous and worthy, He will certainly reject those who were never as distinguished to Him. Through this, "they despise My people," looking down upon them and asserting that they could never be "a nation any more before them" - that is, before the two families: they could never precede them in status. If the two noble families were cast off, how could you possibly stand before them, elevated to a rank higher than theirs?
כֹּה אָמַר יְהֹוָה אִם־לֹא בְרִיתִי יוֹמָם וָלָיְלָה חֻקּוֹת שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ לֹא־שָׂמְתִּי׃ - Thus saith Hashem: If My covenant be not with day and night, if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth.
גַּם־זֶרַע יַעֲקוֹב וְדָוִד עַבְדִּי אֶמְאַס מִקַּחַת מִזַּרְעוֹ מֹשְׁלִים אֶל־זֶרַע אַבְרָהָם יִשְׂחָק וְיַעֲקֹב כִּי־אָשִׁיב אֶת־שְׁבוּתָם וְרִחַמְתִּים׃ - Then I would also cast off the seed of Yaakov and David My servant, from taking rulers from his seed over the seed of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov; for I will restore their captivity and have mercy on them.
It is impossible that the covenant I established with day and night to arrive in their proper times will not be fulfilled, as we saw above, and it is impossible that the ordinances of heaven and earth will be abolished as though I had never appointed them. Thus: only if I were to reject the covenant of day and night would I also reject the seed of Yaakov and David My servant. And just as it is inconceivable that I would reject day and night, for they endure forever, so the seed of Yaakov and David will never be rejected. It turns out, therefore, that the claim made by that people - "The two families whom Hashem chose, He has rejected them" - was sheer vanity; Hashem has not rejected them, for just as heaven and earth and their ordinances will never be cast away from before Hashem, so too these families will never be rejected.
Rashi adds: Our Rabbis expounded this verse regarding the covenant of the Torah, deriving from here that heaven and earth were created for the sake of the Torah; yet the Midrash does not align smoothly with the sequence of the verses. As has been noted on numerous occasions, there are many pesukim where anyone you ask will offer an explanation that is a worthy homiletical interpretation (derashah), but not the literal meaning of the text (peshat). Here is another example: "If not for My covenant day and night, I would not have appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth" - "if not for My covenant" meaning the study of Torah day and night, for the covenant Hashem made with us is the holy Torah, and if not for it, "I would not have appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth." But what, then, would be the meaning of the continuation: "Then I would also cast off the seed of Yaakov and David My servant"? Perforce, this is not the peshat of the verse, which is why Rashi notes that the Midrash does not fit the textual sequence. According to the peshat, "My covenant day and night" refers to the covenant that day and night, sunrise and sunset, will continue to exist; and Hashem says: only if that reality ceases would I reject "the seed of Yaakov and David My servant." That is the plain meaning of the text, and it is not speaking of the Torah. We certainly do not intend to dismiss the interpretation of Chazal, but rather to clarify that this is Chazal's derashah on the text, not its peshat.
This chapter was spoken to Yirmiyahu specifically while he was detained in the court of the guard, in order to comfort him and bring him joy through these promising prophecies. Hashem is the "Maker, Former, and Establisher" - with Him, the matter is already completed in thought, while for us it unfolds through cause and effect. Yirmiyahu, who until now had prophesied only prophecies of wrath and could not summon prophecy on his own, is now told, "Call to Me and I will answer you," for a prophecy of good can be awakened through joy. The striking, the siege mounds, and the sword did not come out of disgust, but rather like bloodletting for healing; therefore, "healing and recovery" are promised from the external enemy and from internal sickness, along with purification from iniquity and forgiveness from prosecutorial accusation. In place of the sword and desolation, the voice of joy and the voice of gladness will be heard, the voice of the groom and the voice of the bride, and the voice of those giving thanks; and only the thanksgiving offering will be brought in the future, for sin will no longer exist. The flock will pass under the hands of the counter - a leader who counts his people. Finally, the Holy One, Blessed is He, promises that the covenant of kingship with David and the covenant of priesthood with Aharon are as enduring as the covenant of day and night and the ordinances of heaven and earth. Therefore, the words of the scorners - "The two families whom Hashem chose, He has rejected them" - are vanity: "For I will restore their captivity and have mercy on them."