Jeremiah 15

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Codex Cairensis (895), the Petersburg Codex of the Prophets (916), Aleppo Codex (10th century), Codex Leningradensis (1008).[2] Some fragments containing parts of this chapter were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, i.e., 4QJer^a (4Q70; 225-175 BCE[3][4]) with extant verses 1–2.[5][6]

There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BCE. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus (B; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^B; 4th century), Codex Sinaiticus (S; BHK: ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^S; 4th century), Codex Alexandrinus (A; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^A; 5th century) and Codex Marchalianus (Q; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^Q; 6th century).[7]

Then the Lord said to me: Even though Moses and Samuel were to stand before Me, yet My heart would not be with this people. Cast them out of My sight and let them go![10]

• "Moses and Samuel": both persons were 'well known for their successful intercession on behalf of Israel' (Moses: Exodus 32:11–14, 30–34; Numbers 14:13–19; Deuteronomy 9:18–20, 25–29; Samuel: Psalm 99:6–8; 1 Samuel 7:5–9; 12:19–23), but here the Lord rejects Jeremiah's intercession (Jeremiah 14:19-22).[11][12]
• "My heart would not be with": lit. in Hebrew: "my soul was not toward".[13]
• "Cast": is from the same Hebrew verb (shalah) used in Exodus 5:1 (translated as "let my people go"), so it could be an 'intentional play' on the Exodus text but here with the 'ominous meaning'.[12]

And it shall be, if they say to you, 'Where should we go?'

then you shall tell them, 'Thus says the Lord:

"Such as are for death, to death;

And such as are for the sword, to the sword;

And such as are for the famine, to the famine;

And such as are for the captivity, to the captivity."'[14]

Anticipating the people's question, the Lord prepares a harsh answer (in the sense of "I will not help you. I no longer care what happens to you") by leaving their predicament to death, sword, starvation and captivity, which usually accompany the 'horrors of warfare'.[12]

"I will appoint over them four forms of destruction", says the Lord:

"the sword to slay,

the dogs to drag,

the birds of the heavens and the beasts of the earth to devour and destroy.[15]

"Four forms of destruction" in the New King James Version; "four kinds of doom" in the New American Standard Bible,[16] literally "four families".[17]

Woe is me, my mother,

That you have borne me,

A man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth!

I have neither lent for interest,

Nor have men lent to me for interest.

Every one of them curses me.[18]

The King James Version refers to lending "on usury".[19] Lending money and charging interest to a fellow-Israelite would have been contrary to Deuteronomy 23:19–20. Biblical commentator A. W. Streane describes verses 10–21, Jeremiah's dejection and God's reply, as "one of the most eloquent and pathetic in the Book".[17]

Tell me, Lord, have I not served you for their good?

Have I not interceded with you

in time of misfortune and anguish? (NABRE)

[20] The Septuagint wording (Greek: γένοιτο, δέσποτα, genoito, despota,[21] "Know, Lord …") continues Jeremiah's expression of despair from the previous verse, which the Jerusalem Bible describes as "a spiritual crisis of the prophet halfway through his ministry".[22] Streane suggests that "the whole (of verses 10-18) is best taken as Jeremiah’s utterance",[17] although some Hebrew texts and many English translations based on the Hebrew begin this statement with "The Lord said …", thus:

New King James Version:

The Lord said:

“Surely it will be well with your remnant;

Surely I will cause the enemy to intercede with you

In the time of adversity and in the time of affliction".[23]

Why is my pain unceasing,

my wound incurable,

refusing to be healed?

Truly, you are to me like a deceitful brook,

like waters that fail.[24]

A deceitful brook flows like a torrent in winter, but presents as a dried-up watercourse in the summer, which "belies the anticipations of the thirsty traveller".[17]

• Jeremiah 15 Hebrew with Parallel English
• Jeremiah 15 Hebrew with Rashi's Commentary

• Jeremiah 15 English Translation with Parallel Latin Vulgate