¹ So spricht der HERR: Gehe hinab in das Haus des Königs Judas und rede daselbst dies Wort

² und sprich: Höre des HERRN Wort, du König Judas, der du auf dem Stuhl Davids sitzest, beide, du und deine Knechte und dein Volk, die zu diesen Toren eingehen.

³ So spricht der HERR: Haltet Recht und Gerechtigkeit und errettet den Beraubten von des Frevlers Hand und schindet nicht die Fremdlinge, Waisen und Witwen und tut niemand Gewalt und vergießet nicht unschuldig Blut an dieser Stätte.

⁴ Werdet ihr solches tun, so sollen durch die Tore dieses Hauses einziehen Könige, die auf Davids Stuhl sitzen, beide, zu Wagen und zu Roß, samt ihren Knechten und Volk.

⁵ Werdet ihr aber solchem nicht gehorchen, so habe ich bei mir selbst geschworen, spricht der HERR, dies Haus soll verstöret werden.

⁶ Denn so spricht der HERR von dem Hause des Königs Judas: Gilead, du bist mir das Haupt im Libanon; was gilt's, ich will dich zur Wüste und die Städte ohne Einwohner machen?

⁷ Denn ich habe Verderber über dich bestellet, einen jeglichen mit seinen Waffen; die sollen deine auserwählten Zedern umhauen und ins Feuer werfen.

⁸ So werden viel Heiden vor dieser Stadt vorübergehen und untereinander sagen: Warum hat der HERR mit dieser großen Stadt also gehandelt?

⁹ Und man wird antworten: Darum daß sie den Bund des HERRN, ihres Gottes, verlassen und andere Götter angebetet und denselbigen gedienet haben.

¹⁰ Weinet nicht über die Toten und grämet euch nicht darum; weinet aber über den, der dahinzieht; denn er wird nimmer wiederkommen, daß er sein Vaterland sehen möchte.

¹¹ Denn so spricht der HERR von Sallum, dem Sohne Josias, des Königs Judas, welcher König ist anstatt seines Vaters Josia, der von dieser Stätte hinausgezogen ist: Er wird nicht wieder herkommen,

¹² sondern muß sterben an dem Ort, dahin er gefangen geführet ist, und wird dies Land nicht mehr sehen.

¹³ Wehe dem, der sein Haus mit Sünden bauet und seine Gemächer mit Unrecht, der seinen Nächsten umsonst arbeiten läßt und gibt ihm seinen Lohn nicht

¹⁴ und denkt: Wohlan, ich will mir ein groß Haus bauen und weite Paläste; und läßt ihm Fenster drein bauen und mit Zedern täfeln und rot malen.

¹⁵ Meinest du, du wollest König sein, weil du mit Zedern prangest? Hat dein Vater nicht auch gegessen und getrunken und hielt dennoch über dem Recht und Gerechtigkeit, und ging ihm wohl?

¹⁶ Er half dem Elenden und Armen zum Recht, und ging ihm wohl. Ist's nicht also, daß solches heißt mich recht erkennen? spricht der HERR.

¹⁷ Aber deine Augen und dein Herz stehen nicht also, sondern auf deinem Geiz, auf unschuldig Blut zu vergießen, zu freveln und unterzustoßen.

¹⁸ Darum spricht der HERR von Jojakim, dem Sohn Josias, dem Könige Judas: Man wird ihn nicht klagen: Ach Bruder, ach Schwester! Man wird ihn nicht klagen: Ach HERR, ach Edler!

¹⁹ Er soll wie ein Esel begraben werden, zerschleift und hinausgeworfen vor die Tore Jerusalems.

²⁰ Ja, dann gehe hinauf auf den Libanon und schreie und laß dich hören zu Basan und schreie von Abarim; denn alle deine Liebhaber sind jämmerlich umgebracht.

²¹ Ich habe dir's vorhergesagt, da es noch wohl um dich stund; aber du sprachest: Ich will nicht hören. Also hast du dein Lebetage getan, daß du meiner Stimme nicht gehorchtest.

²² Der Wind weidet alle deine Hirten, und deine Liebhaber ziehen gefangen dahin; da mußt du doch zu Spott und zuschanden werden um aller deiner Bosheit willen.

²³ Die du jetzt im Libanon wohnest und in Zedern nistest, wie schön wirst du sehen, wenn dir Schmerzen und Wehe kommen werden wie einer in Kindesnöten!

²⁴ So wahr ich lebe, spricht der HERR, wenn Chanja, der Sohn Jojakims, der König Judas, ein Siegelring wäre an meiner rechten Hand, so wollte ich dich doch abreißen

²⁵ und in die Hände geben derer, die nach deinem Leben stehen, und vor welchen du dich fürchtest, nämlich in die Hände Nebukadnezars, des Königs zu Babel, und der Chaldäer.

²⁶ Und will dich und deine Mutter, die dich geboren hat, in ein ander Land treiben, das nicht euer Vaterland ist; und sollst daselbst sterben.

²⁷ Und in das Land, da sie von Herzen gerne wieder hin wären, sollen sie nicht wiederkommen.

²⁸ Wie ein elender, verachteter, verstoßener Mann ist doch Chanja! ein unwert Gefäß! Ach, wie ist er doch samt seinem Samen so vertrieben und in ein unbekanntes Land geworfen!

²⁹ O Land, Land, Land; höre des HERRN Wort!

³⁰ So spricht der HERR: Schreibet an diesen Mann für einen Verdorbenen, einen Mann, dem es sein Lebetage nicht gelinget. Denn er wird das Glück nicht haben, daß jemand seines Samens auf dem Stuhl Davids sitze und fürder in Juda herrsche.

¹ It happened, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his elder son, and said to him, "My son?" He said to him, "Here I am."

² He said, "See now, I am old. I don't know the day of my death.

³ Now therefore, please take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field, and take me venison.

⁴ Make me savory food, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat, and that my soul may bless you before I die."

⁵ Rebekah heard when Isaac spoke to Esau his son. Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it.

⁶ Rebekah spoke to Jacob her son, saying, "Behold, I heard your father speak to Esau your brother, saying,

⁷ 'Bring me venison, and make me savory food, that I may eat, and bless you before Yahweh before my death.'

⁸ Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command you.

⁹ Go now to the flock, and get me from there two good young goats. I will make them savory food for your father, such as he loves.

¹⁰ You shall bring it to your father, that he may eat, so that he may bless you before his death."

¹¹ Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, "Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man.

¹² What if my father touches me? I will seem to him as a deceiver, and I would bring a curse on myself, and not a blessing."

¹³ His mother said to him, "Let your curse be on me, my son. Only obey my voice, and go get them for me."

¹⁴ He went, and got them, and brought them to his mother. His mother made savory food, such as his father loved.

¹⁵ Rebekah took the good clothes of Esau, her elder son, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob, her younger son.

¹⁶ She put the skins of the young goats on his hands, and on the smooth of his neck.

¹⁷ She gave the savory food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.

¹⁸ He came to his father, and said, "My father?" He said, "Here I am. Who are you, my son?"

¹⁹ Jacob said to his father, "I am Esau your firstborn. I have done what you asked me to do. Please arise, sit and eat of my venison, that your soul may bless me."

²⁰ Isaac said to his son, "How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?" He said, "Because Yahweh your God gave me success."

²¹ Isaac said to Jacob, "Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not."

²² Jacob went near to Isaac his father. He felt him, and said, "The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau."

²³ He didn't recognize him, because his hands were hairy, like his brother, Esau's hands. So he blessed him.

²⁴ He said, "Are you really my son Esau?" He said, "I am."

²⁵ He said, "Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son's venison, that my soul may bless you." He brought it near to him, and he ate. He brought him wine, and he drank.

²⁶ His father Isaac said to him, "Come near now, and kiss me, my son."

²⁷ He came near, and kissed him. He smelled the smell of his clothing, and blessed him, and said, "Behold, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which Yahweh has blessed.

²⁸ God give you of the dew of the sky, of the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and new wine.

²⁹ Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers. Let your mother's sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you. Blessed be everyone who blesses you."

³⁰ It happened, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob had just gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting.

³¹ He also made savory food, and brought it to his father. He said to his father, "Let my father arise, and eat of his son's venison, that your soul may bless me."

³² Isaac his father said to him, "Who are you?" He said, "I am your son, your firstborn, Esau."

³³ Isaac trembled violently, and said, "Who, then, is he who has taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before you came, and have blessed him? Yes, he will be blessed."

³⁴ When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with an exceeding great and bitter cry, and said to his father, "Bless me, even me also, my father."

³⁵ He said, "Your brother came with deceit, and has taken away your blessing."

³⁶ He said, "Isn't he rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright. See, now he has taken away my blessing." He said, "Haven't you reserved a blessing for me?"

³⁷ Isaac answered Esau, "Behold, I have made him your lord, and all his brothers have I given to him for servants. With grain and new wine have I sustained him. What then will I do for you, my son?"

³⁸ Esau said to his father, "Have you but one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, my father." Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.

³⁹ Isaac his father answered him, "Behold, of the fatness of the earth will be your dwelling, and of the dew of the sky from above.

⁴⁰ By your sword will you live, and you will serve your brother. It will happen, when you will break loose, that you shall shake his yoke from off your neck."

⁴¹ Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him. Esau said in his heart, "The days of mourning for my father are at hand. Then I will kill my brother Jacob."

⁴² The words of Esau, her elder son, were told to Rebekah. She sent and called Jacob, her younger son, and said to him, "Behold, your brother Esau comforts himself about you by planning to kill you.

⁴³ Now therefore, my son, obey my voice. Arise, flee to Laban, my brother, in Haran.

⁴⁴ Stay with him a few days, until your brother's fury turns away;

⁴⁵ until your brother's anger turn away from you, and he forgets what you have done to him. Then I will send, and get you from there. Why should I be bereaved of you both in one day?"

⁴⁶ Rebekah said to Isaac, "I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth. If Jacob takes a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these, of the daughters of the land, what good will my life do me?"