I Introduction: Jeremiah's words at Topheth
(א) כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר ה' הָלֹ֛ךְ וְקָנִ֥יתָ בַקְבֻּ֖ק יוֹצֵ֣ר חָ֑רֶשׂ וּמִזִּקְנֵ֣י הָעָ֔ם וּמִזִּקְנֵ֖י הַכֹּהֲנִֽים׃ (ב) וְיָצָ֙אתָ֙ אֶל־גֵּ֣יא בֶן־הִנֹּ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֕ר פֶּ֖תַח שַׁ֣עַר (החרסות) [הַחַרְסִ֑ית] וְקָרָ֣אתָ שָּׁ֔ם אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁר־אֲדַבֵּ֥ר אֵלֶֽיךָ׃
(ג) וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֙ שִׁמְע֣וּ דְבַר־ה' מַלְכֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה וְיֹשְׁבֵ֖י יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם כֹּֽה־אָמַר֩ ה' צְבָא֜וֹת אֱלֹקֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל הִנְנִ֨י מֵבִ֤יא רָעָה֙ עַל־הַמָּק֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר כׇּל־שֹׁמְעָ֖הּ תִּצַּ֥לְנָה אׇזְנָֽיו׃ (ד) יַ֣עַן ׀ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עֲזָבֻ֗נִי וַֽיְנַכְּר֞וּ אֶת־הַמָּק֤וֹם הַזֶּה֙ וַיְקַטְּרוּ־בוֹ֙ לֵאלֹקִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹא־יְדָע֛וּם הֵ֥מָּה וַאֲבוֹתֵיהֶ֖ם וּמַלְכֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֑ה וּמָ֥לְא֛וּ אֶת־הַמָּק֥וֹם הַזֶּ֖ה דַּ֥ם נְקִיִּֽם׃ (ה) וּבָנ֞וּ אֶת־בָּמ֣וֹת הַבַּ֗עַל לִשְׂרֹ֧ף אֶת־בְּנֵיהֶ֛ם בָּאֵ֖שׁ עֹל֣וֹת לַבָּ֑עַל אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־צִוִּ֙יתִי֙ וְלֹ֣א דִבַּ֔רְתִּי וְלֹ֥א עָלְתָ֖ה עַל־לִבִּֽי׃ {פ}
(ו) לָכֵ֞ן הִנֵּֽה־יָמִ֤ים בָּאִים֙ נְאֻם־ה' וְלֹא־יִקָּרֵא֩ לַמָּק֨וֹם הַזֶּ֥ה ע֛וֹד הַתֹּ֖פֶת וְגֵ֣יא בֶן־הִנֹּ֑ם כִּ֖י אִם־גֵּ֥יא הַהֲרֵגָֽה׃
(1) Thus said the LORD: Go buy a jug of potter’s ware. And [take] some of the elders of the people and the priests, (2) and go out to the Valley of Ben-hinnom—at the entrance of the Harsith Gate-a—and proclaim there the words which I will speak to you.
(3) Say: “Hear the word of the LORD, O kings of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Thus said the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel: I am going to bring such disaster upon this place that the ears of all who hear about it will tingle. (4) For they and their fathers and the kings of Judah have forsaken Me, and have made this place alien [to Me]; they have sacrificed in it to other gods whom they have not experienced, and they have filled this place with the blood of the innocent. (5) They have built shrines to Baal, to put their children to the fire as burnt offerings to Baal—which I never commanded, never decreed, and which never came to My mind. (6) Assuredly, a time is coming—declares the LORD—when this place shall no longer be called Topheth or Valley of Ben-hinnom, but Valley of Slaughter.
2 Our Text
(יד) וַיָּבֹ֤א יִרְמְיָ֙הוּ֙ מֵֽהַתֹּ֔פֶת אֲשֶׁ֨ר שְׁלָח֧וֹ ה' שָׁ֖ם לְהִנָּבֵ֑א וַֽיַּעֲמֹד֙ בַּחֲצַ֣ר בֵּית־ה' וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֶל־כׇּל־הָעָֽם׃ {ס}
(טו) כֹּה־אָמַ֞ר ה' צְבָאוֹת֙ אֱלֹקֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הִנְנִ֨י מֵבִ֜י אֶל־הָעִ֤יר הַזֹּאת֙ וְעַל־כׇּל־עָרֶ֔יהָ אֵ֚ת כׇּל־הָ֣רָעָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּ֖רְתִּי עָלֶ֑יהָ כִּ֤י הִקְשׁוּ֙ אֶת־עׇרְפָּ֔ם לְבִלְתִּ֖י שְׁמ֥וֹעַ אֶת־דְּבָרָֽי׃ (א) וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ע פַּשְׁחוּר֙ בֶּן־אִמֵּ֣ר הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְהוּא־פָקִ֥יד נָגִ֖יד בְּבֵ֣ית ה' אֶֽת־יִרְמְיָ֔הוּ נִבָּ֖א אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֥ים הָאֵֽלֶּה׃ (ב) וַיַּכֶּ֣ה פַשְׁח֔וּר אֵ֖ת יִרְמְיָ֣הוּ הַנָּבִ֑יא וַיִּתֵּ֨ן אֹת֜וֹ עַל־הַמַּהְפֶּ֗כֶת אֲשֶׁ֨ר בְּשַׁ֤עַר בִּנְיָמִן֙ הָֽעֶלְי֔וֹן אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּבֵ֥ית ה'׃ (ג) וַֽיְהִי֙ מִֽמׇּחֳרָ֔ת וַיֹּצֵ֥א פַשְׁח֛וּר אֶֽת־יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ מִן־הַמַּהְפָּ֑כֶת וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֵלָ֜יו יִרְמְיָ֗הוּ לֹ֤א פַשְׁחוּר֙ קָרָ֤א ה' שְׁמֶ֔ךָ כִּ֖י אִם־מָג֥וֹר מִסָּבִֽיב׃ {ס}
(ד) כִּ֣י כֹ֣ה אָמַ֣ר ה' הִנְנִי֩ נֹתֶנְךָ֨ לְמָג֜וֹר לְךָ֣ וּלְכׇל־אֹהֲבֶ֗יךָ וְנָ֥פְל֛וּ בְּחֶ֥רֶב אֹיְבֵיהֶ֖ם וְעֵינֶ֣יךָ רֹא֑וֹת וְאֶת־כׇּל־יְהוּדָ֗ה אֶתֵּן֙ בְּיַ֣ד מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֔ל וְהִגְלָ֥ם בָּבֶ֖לָה וְהִכָּ֥ם בֶּחָֽרֶב׃ (ה) וְנָתַתִּ֗י אֶת־כׇּל־חֹ֙סֶן֙ הָעִ֣יר הַזֹּ֔את וְאֶת־כׇּל־יְגִיעָ֖הּ וְאֶת־כׇּל־יְקָרָ֑הּ וְאֵ֨ת כׇּל־אוֹצְר֜וֹת מַלְכֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֗ה אֶתֵּן֙ בְּיַ֣ד אֹֽיְבֵיהֶ֔ם וּבְזָזוּם֙ וּלְקָח֔וּם וֶהֱבִיא֖וּם בָּבֶֽלָה׃ (ו) וְאַתָּ֣ה פַשְׁח֗וּר וְכֹל֙ יֹשְׁבֵ֣י בֵיתֶ֔ךָ תֵּלְכ֖וּ בַּשֶּׁ֑בִי וּבָבֶ֣ל תָּב֗וֹא וְשָׁ֤ם תָּמוּת֙ וְשָׁ֣ם תִּקָּבֵ֔ר אַתָּה֙ וְכׇל־אֹֽהֲבֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁר־נִבֵּ֥אתָ לָהֶ֖ם בַּשָּֽׁקֶר׃ {פ}
(ז) פִּתִּיתַ֤נִי ה' וָאֶפָּ֔ת חֲזַקְתַּ֖נִי וַתּוּכָ֑ל הָיִ֤יתִי לִשְׂחוֹק֙ כׇּל־הַיּ֔וֹם כֻּלֹּ֖ה לֹעֵ֥ג לִֽי׃ (ח) כִּֽי־מִדֵּ֤י אֲדַבֵּר֙ אֶזְעָ֔ק חָמָ֥ס וָשֹׁ֖ד אֶקְרָ֑א כִּֽי־הָיָ֨ה דְבַר־ה' לִ֛י לְחֶרְפָּ֥ה וּלְקֶ֖לֶס כׇּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃ (ט) וְאָמַרְתִּ֣י לֹֽא־אֶזְכְּרֶ֗נּוּ וְלֹֽא־אֲדַבֵּ֥ר עוֹד֙ בִּשְׁמ֔וֹ וְהָיָ֤ה בְלִבִּי֙ כְּאֵ֣שׁ בֹּעֶ֔רֶת עָצֻ֖ר בְּעַצְמֹתָ֑י וְנִלְאֵ֥יתִי כַּֽלְכֵ֖ל וְלֹ֥א אוּכָֽל׃ (י) כִּ֣י שָׁמַ֜עְתִּי דִּבַּ֣ת רַבִּים֮ מָג֣וֹר מִסָּבִיב֒ הַגִּ֙ידוּ֙ וְנַגִּידֶ֔נּוּ כֹּ֚ל אֱנ֣וֹשׁ שְׁלֹמִ֔י שֹׁמְרֵ֖י צַלְעִ֑י אוּלַ֤י יְפֻתֶּה֙ וְנ֣וּכְלָה ל֔וֹ וְנִקְחָ֥ה נִקְמָתֵ֖נוּ מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃
(יא) וַה' אוֹתִי֙ כְּגִבּ֣וֹר עָרִ֔יץ עַל־כֵּ֛ן רֹֽדְפַ֥י יִכָּשְׁל֖וּ וְלֹ֣א יֻכָ֑לוּ בֹּ֤שֽׁוּ מְאֹד֙ כִּי־לֹ֣א הִשְׂכִּ֔ילוּ כְּלִמַּ֥ת עוֹלָ֖ם לֹ֥א תִשָּׁכֵֽחַ׃ (יב) וַה' צְבָאוֹת֙ בֹּחֵ֣ן צַדִּ֔יק רֹאֶ֥ה כְלָי֖וֹת וָלֵ֑ב אֶרְאֶ֤ה נִקְמָֽתְךָ֙ מֵהֶ֔ם כִּ֥י אֵלֶ֖יךָ גִּלִּ֥יתִי אֶת־רִיבִֽי׃ {ס}
(יג) שִׁ֚ירוּ לַֽה' הַֽלְל֖וּ אֶת־ה' כִּ֥י הִצִּ֛יל אֶת־נֶ֥פֶשׁ אֶבְי֖וֹן מִיַּ֥ד מְרֵעִֽים׃ {ס}
Imprisonment and Prophetic Response
(14) When Jeremiah returned from Topheth, where the LORD had sent him to prophesy, he stood in the court of the House of the LORD and said to all the people:
(15) “Thus said the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel: I am going to bring upon this city and upon all its villages all the disaster which I have decreed against it, for they have stiffened their necks and refused to heed My words.”
(1) Pashhur son of Immer, the priest who was chief officer of the House of the LORD, heard Jeremiah prophesy these things. (2) Pashhur thereupon had Jeremiah flogged and put in the cell [or: put him in the stocks - New Revised Standard Version] at the Upper Benjamin Gate in the House of the LORD. (3) The next day, Pashhur released Jeremiah from the cell.
But Jeremiah said to him, “The LORD has named you not Pashhur, but Magor-missabib. [=Terror all around]
(4) For thus said the LORD: I am going to deliver you and all your friends over to terror: they will fall by the sword of their enemies while you look on. I will deliver all Judah into the hands of the king of Babylon; he will exile them to Babylon or put them to the sword. (5) And I will deliver all the wealth, all the riches, and all the prized possessions of this city, and I will also deliver all the treasures of the kings of Judah into the hands of their enemies: they shall seize them as plunder and carry them off to Babylon. (6) As for you, Pashhur, and all who live in your house, you shall go into captivity. You shall come to Babylon; there you shall die and there you shall be buried, and so shall all your friends to whom you prophesied falsely.”
Lament
(7) You enticed me, O LORD, and I was enticed;
You overpowered me and You prevailed.
I have become a constant laughingstock,
Everyone jeers at me. (8) For every time I speak, I must cry out,
Must shout, “Lawlessness and rapine!”
For the word of the LORD causes me
Constant disgrace and contempt. (9) I thought, “I will not mention Him,
No more will I speak in His name”—
But [His word] was like a raging fire in my heart,
Shut up in my bones;
I could not hold it in, I was helpless. (10) I heard the whispers of the crowd—
Terror all around:
“Inform! Let us inform against him!”
All my [supposed] friends
Are waiting for me to stumble:
“Perhaps he can be entrapped [NRSV: enticed],
And we can prevail against him
And take our vengeance on him.”
Praise and Thanksgiving
(11) But the LORD is with me like a mighty warrior;
Therefore my persecutors shall stumble;
They shall not prevail and shall not succeed.
They shall be utterly shamed
With a humiliation for all time,
Which shall not be forgotten. (12) O LORD of Hosts, You who test the righteous,
Who examine the heart and the mind,
Let me see Your retribution upon them,
For I lay my case before You. (13) Sing unto the LORD,
Praise the LORD,
For He has rescued the needy
From the hands of evildoers!
3 Topheth - Valley of Hinnom
Map of First Temple Jerusalem
By Zero0000 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=52387698
Gehinnom - Valley of Hinnom - Location of Topheth in Jeremiah 19 and 20
By Joe Freeman, [email protected] - Own work, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30065534
(10) He [=King Josiah, d. 609] also defiled Topheth, which is in the Valley of Ben-hinnom, so that no one might consign his son or daughter to the fire of Molech.
See again Jeremiah 19:5 (introductory text near the top of this source sheet)
4 Child Sacrifice
Dalit Rom-Shiloni, Jewish Study Bible, on 19:4-5
To illustrate the people's misconduct, the prophet presents a string of cultic sins; the worst is child sacrifice, which...is presented in two contradictory ways: they are burnt offerings to Baal (19:5), but if that is so, why should the verse emphasize that I never commanded, never decreed, and which never came to My mind?... even by the early 6th c. BCE, people in Judah had thought this was a Yahvistic commandment.... The prophets and the pentateuchal legislation are unanimous in their struggle against this perception. (pp. 953-4)
Marc Chagall, "The Sacrifice of Isaac," 1966
Musée national message biblique Marc Chagall - panoramio - Rokus Cornelis.jpg
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.
Phoenician Trade and centers. Note the location of Tyre (current day southern Lebanon) and Carthage (current day Tunisia)
By Yom (talk · contribs) - Own work based on: ar:File:Ph routes.jpgTransferred from en.wikipedia to Commons by Akigka., CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1074993. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenicia
"Phoenicia ... was an ancient thalassocratic (a state with primarily maritime realms) civilization originating in the Levant region of the eastern Mediterranean, primarily located in modern Lebanon.[5][6] It was concentrated along the coast of Lebanon and included some coastal areas of modern Syria and Galilee, reaching as far north as Arwad, and as far south as Acre and possibly Gaza.[7][8][9] At its height between 1100 and 200 BC, Phoenician civilization spanned the Mediterranean from Cyprus to the Iberian Peninsula."
"Tyre (/ˈtaɪər/; Arabic: صور, romanized: Ṣūr; Phoenician: 𐤑𐤓, romanized: Ṣūr, Greek Tyros, Τύρος) is a city in Lebanon, one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world,[1] though in medieval times for some centuries by just a tiny population. It was one of the earliest Phoenician metropolises" (from Wikipedia article on Tyre)
Carthage 𐤒𐤓𐤕𐤟𐤇𐤃𐤔𐤕. Qart-ḥadašt. (literally New City)
Carthage was founded in 814 BCE. (see Wikipedia article on Carthage)
Jack Lundbom, Jeremiah 1-20, on Jer. 7.31
"Archaelogical work has corroborated what the ancient sources tell us about child sacrifice, particularly in Carthage. In the sanctuary of the goddess Tanit, eighty urns containing animal, bird, and children's bones were found, the children's bones showing a high percentage of cartilage destroyed during cremation. Tanit worship has emerged also in Tyre...
"Weinfeld has expressed doubt about the ancient practice of child sacrifice, particularly in Israel, but the evidence from Carthage and elsewhere show that we are not dealing simply with initiation rites, or prophetic hyperbole, but with a practice well-known in antiquity. It derived from Canaanite culture, originating most likely in Tyre and making its way from there into Israel. According to G. B. Gray, the practice was propitiatory..." (p. 497)
5 Pashhur פשחור
(20:1-6)
Louis Stulman, New Oxford Annotated Bible, Jeremiah
Louis Stulman teaches at the University of Findlay in Findlay, Ohio
Chief officer (20:1), the chief Temple administrator in charge of monitoring prophetic activity; compare the role of...Amaziah in Amos 7:10-13. (p. 1105)
(10) Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent this message to King Jeroboam of Israel: “Amos is conspiring against you within the House of Israel. The country cannot endure the things he is saying. (11) For Amos has said, ‘Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall be exiled from its soil.’” (12) Amaziah also said to Amos, “Seer, off with you to the land of Judah! Earn your living-e there, and do your prophesying there. (13) But don’t ever prophesy again at Bethel; for it is a king’s sanctuary and a royal palace.”
6 Babylon (20:4)
Dalit Rom-Shiloni (Jewish Study Bible) Jeremiah
"This is the first explicit occurrence of the Babylonian king, and of Babylon as the destination of exile, in the book of Jeremiah; up to this point there has only been vague language about the nation from the north (see 4.6, etc.)." (p . 954)
Carchemish among the Neo-Hittite States 1321-717 BCE. The location is now on the frontier between Turkey and Syria)
By Hans van Deukeren (talk) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:NeoHittiteStates.gif, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4441101
Jack R. Lundbom, Jeremiah 1-20
"...the narrative may be close in time to the Battle of Carchemish (605 BCE). After this battle Babylon became the leading power in the Near East." (note to 20:4, p. 848)
7 A Vision of a Redeemed Valley of Hinnom