Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
54 (For the director. With stringed instruments. A maskil. For Dovid, when the Ziphim came and said to Sha’ul, Dovid is in hiding among us.) Hoshieini (save me), O Elohim, by Shimecha, and vindicate me by Thy gevurah (might, power).
2 (4) Hear my tefillah, O Elohim; give ear to the words of my mouth.
3 (5) For zarim (strangers) are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my nefesh; they have not set Elohim before them. Selah.
4 (6) Hinei, Elohim is mine Ozer (helper); Adonoi is with them that uphold my nefesh.
5 (7) He shall recompense the rah (evil) unto mine enemies; in Thy emes cut them off.
6 (8) I will sacrifice a nedavah (freewill offering) unto Thee; I will praise Shimecha, Hashem; for it is tov (good).
7 (9) For He hath delivered me out of all my tzoros; and mine eye hath looked in triumph upon mine oyevim (enemies.)
5 Then Melech Ashur came up throughout kol HaAretz, and went up to Shomron, and besieged it shalosh shanim.
6 In the ninth year [722 B.C.E.] of Hoshea, Melech Ashur took Shomron, and carried Yisroel away to Ashur, and placed them in Chalach and in Chavor by the river Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.
7 For so it was, that the Bnei Yisroel had sinned against Hashem Eloheihem Who had brought them up out of Eretz Mitzrayim, from under the yad of Pharaoh Melech Mitzrayim, had feared elohim acherim,
8 Walked in the chukkot of the Goyim, whom Hashem cast out from before the Bnei Yisroel, and [in the chukkot] of the Malkhei Yisroel, which they had made up.
9 And the Bnei Yisroel did secretly those things that were not right against Hashem Eloheihem, and they built for them [idolatrous] high places in all their towns, from the migdal of the notzerim (watchmen) to the fortified city.
10 And they set up for them matzevot and Asherim on every high hill, under every lushly foliaged green tree;
11 And there they burned ketoret in all the high places, as did the Goyim whom Hashem drove out before them; and wrought devarim ra’im (wicked things) to provoke Hashem to anger;
12 For they served the gillulim (idols), whereof Hashem had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing.
13 Yet Hashem testified warnings against Yisroel, and against Yehudah, by all the nevi’im, and by all the khozer (seers), saying, Turn ye from your derakhim hara’im and be shomer over My mitzvot and My chukkot, according to all the torah which I commanded your Avoteichem, and which I sent to you by My avadim the Nevi’im.
14 Notwithstanding they would not listen, but stubbornly stiffened their necks, like the neck of their avot, that did not believe in Hashem Eloheihem.
15 And they rejected His chukkot, and His brit (covenant) that He made with their avot, and His edot (testimonies, warnings) which He testified against them; and they followed after hevel, and became hevel, and went after the Goyim that were all around them, concerning whom Hashem had charged them, that they should not do like them.
16 And they forsook all the mitzvot of Hashem Eloheihem, and made them massekhah, even two agalim, and made Asheirah, and worshiped all the Tzava HaShomayim, and served Ba’al.
17 And they caused their banim and their banot to pass through the eish, and practiced kesamim and practiced witchcraft, and sold themselves to do rah in the eyes of Hashem, to provoke Him to anger.
18 Therefore Hashem was very angry with Yisroel, and removed them out of His sight; there was none left but the shevet of Yehudah only.
29 Oy to you, Sofrim and Perushim, tzevuim, for you build kevarim of the Neviim and decorate matsevot (gravestones) of the tzaddikim,
30 And you say, If we were in the yamim (days) of Avoteinu (our Fathers), we would not have been shuttafim (partners) with them in the dahm haNeviim (blood of the Prophets).
31 Therefore, you are edim (witnesses) against yourselves that you are the banim (sons) of the ratzchaniyot (murderers) of the Neviim.
32 And you fill up the measure of your Avot.
33 Snakes, you banim of nachashim, how can you escape the Yom HaDin of Gehinnom?
34 For this reason hinei! I send to you Neviim and Chachamim and Sofrim, some of whom you will kill and some you will make talui al haetz (being hanged on the Tree, DEVARIM 21:23) and some you will subject to the shot (whip) in your shuls, and you will drive them out from city to city,
35 So that upon you may come all the dahm naki (innocent blood) shed upon the earth from the blood of Hevel to the blood of Zecharyah, whom you murdered between the Heikhal and the Mizbeach. [trans. note: cf. Lk 11:51 for Mt’s probable original text here]
36 Omein, I say to you, that all these things will come upon this generation.
37 Yerushalayim, Yerushalayim, the ones that kill the Neviim and stone those having been sent to you! How often have I wanted to gather your yeladim, as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, but you were not willing!
38 Hinei! Look! KI LECHARBAH YIH’YEH HABEIT HAZEH (for this House will become a ruin (i.e. churban) YIRMEYAH 22:5).
39 For I say to you, by no means will you see me [Moshiach] from now until you say, BARUCH HABAH BSHEM ADONOI.
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