'iiii'f I 0? Srom f ^ feifirori? of QprofcBBor ^iffiam ^nx^ (Brccn QBequcaf^b 6l? ^im to f^ feifirarg of (pnncefon t^eofo^icaf ^cmmarjp 2SI5Z5 THE BOOK THE PROPHET JEREMIAH AND THAT OF THE LAMENTATIONS, LONDON : UKIIAIUi CLAT, PRISTKH, BRMD STKKKT HII,J. THE BOOK THE PROPHET JEREMIAH AND THAT OF THE LAMENTATIONS, TRANSLATED FROM THE ORIGINAL HEBREW; COMMENTARY, CllITICAL, PHILOLOGICAL, AND EXEGETICAL. E. HENDERSON, D.D. LONDON : HAMILTON, ADAMS, AND CO. 33, PATERNOSTER ROW. M DCCC LI. INTRODUCTORY DISSERTATION. SECTION I. OF THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JEREMIAH. We possess more copious historical notices of Jeremiah than of any of the other Hebrew prophets. This is principally to he ascribed to the circumstances of the times in which he flourished^ and the large share which he bad in the transactions of his day. Incidental references are made to him, 2 Chron. xxxv. 25 ; xxxvi. 12, 21 ; but it is principally from what mc find in his own book, mixed up with the delivery of his predictions, that we learn the particulars of his history. According to the statement made chap. i. 1, he was of sacerdotal origin ; but the opinion, that his father Hilkiah was the high priest of that name, who discovered the book of the law, can only have originated in the identity of name ; for if that exalted official had been his father, he could not have failed to be designated by the appellative Vnin ^^rfir}, the high priest, or at least ^nisn, the priest, by way of eminence : whereas, he is merely spoken of as belonging to the priests who resided at Anathoth.* There is no evidence to show that our prophet had ever officiated in the priestly office at the temple : it may rather be inferred, that his extreme youth incapacitated him from engaging in its functions. * The uotiou, that Jeremiah was the son of (he high priest, was first broached by Clement of Alexandria, and besides having been maintained by Jerome, Kimchi, Abarbancl, Mnnstcr and Clarius, has been more recently advocated by Eichhorn, von IVjhlen, and Umbreit ; bnt, on the other hand, it is decidedly rejected by Scholz. Ifiivernick, Knobel, and Ilitziff. VI IXTRODl'CTORY DISSERTATION. The period at which Jeremiah was invested w ith the prophetical oflicc, was singidarly corrupt. Idolatry wliich, with all its abo- minations, had been re-established under Manasseh, and had only suft'ercd a partial and temporary interrnjjtion on the repentance of that monarch, reappeared in the reign of Anion his successor; — the groves and images not having been destroyed, the people speedily returned to their former practices. But on the accession of Josiah to the throne, that pious young prince undertook the complete abolition of all the objects and rites of idolatrous worship. It was in the year 15. C. 029, the thirteenth of the reign of the new monarch, that Jeremiah was called to the discharge of the proidietical functions, and, combining his ellbrts with those of Ililkiah the high priest, the prophetess Iluldah, and the prophet Zcphaniah, very elficiently contributed to help forward the royal work of reformation. Almost immediately on his being called to office, he received a charge to go and proclaim a message in the metropolis; from which it may be concluded that he resided at Anathoth at the time the commission was given to him. It would apjjcar from chap. xi. G, that, besides prophesying at Jerusalem, he undertook an oflicial torn* through the land, for the purpose of an- nouncing to the inhabitants of the cities of Judah the contents of the book of the law which had been found in the temple. On his return by way of Anathoth, his townsmen, offended at the boldness with which he reproved their wicked practices, formed a conspiracy to take away his life, which proved the firstof a scriesof persecutions that embittered almost the whole of his remaining days. His not unfavourable reference to Shallum or Jchoahaz, chap, xxii. 10 — 12, would seem to intimate that Jeremiah had experi- enced no impediment to his labours during the brief reign of that monarch ; but no sooner did Jehoiakim come to the throne, than the ])riests and false jjrophets, backed by the populace, whose vices our projjhet had luisparingly reproved, brought him before the civil authorities for punishment. Owing, however, to a conviction of his innocence in the minds of some of the princes, and especially to the influence of Ahikam, he was set at liberty. His imprison- ment by Pushhur appears to have licin of sjiort duration, but it made a deep imjjression on the susceptible mind of the ])ropliet. (.'hap. XX. INTRODUCTORY DISSERTATION. Vll In the fourth year of Jehoiakim he received a comraaud from the Lord, to commit to writing all the predictions which he had delivered orally from tlie commencement of his ministry. This having been done at his dictation by Baruch his amanuensis, the latter read the document to the assembled people on the day of tlie public fast; and after having been examined before the princes, and having informed them how he came to write it, he and Jere- miah were instructed to hide themselves, lest they should be exposed to the royal displeasure. jMeanwhile, the king having become acquainted with the matter, the roll on which the prophe- cies Avere inscribed Avas read to him, when, on hearing only a few columns, he became so enraged that he cut it with a knife and threw it into the fire, — at the same time commanding the writers to be apprehended. By a special providence, however, they made their escape, which if they had not done, there cannot be a doubt, but that the enraged monarch would have caused them to be executed, as he had the prophet Urijah. Chap, xxxvi. 1 — 26; xxvi. 20—23. We have no further account of our prophet during the remainder of the reign of Jehoiakim, except that, in consequence of a new command, he caused Baruch to re-write on another roll, all that the king had burned; and to this document many similar prophecies were added. Chap, xxxvi. 27 — 32. It was the fate of Jeremiah after the death of Josiah, to live in the reigns of a succession of kings whose conduct and policy were directly the reverse of that prescribed l)y the theocracy; and, urged by Divine authority strenuously to oppose their wicked pro- jects, he found himself almost incessantly in collision with them and their counsellors, and exposed to their displeasure. By Zcde- kiah, who appears to have shown him personal respect, and to have consulted him with reference to the national aftairs, he would in all probability have been better treated, had it not been for the iiitiuence which the courtiers had over that monarch, in consequence of which our prophet was committed to prison, where he remained till Jerusalem was taken by Nebuchadnezzar. This monarch ordered him to be liberated, and gave him his option whether to go Avith him to Babylon or to remain in his native country. Preferring the latter, he strongly protested against the emigration to Egypt Vlll INTRODUCTORY DISSERTATION. of those of his countrymen wlio had been left in the laud, and who were afraid of tlic vengeance of the king of Babylon on account of the murder of Gcdaliali, whom that monarch had appointed governor. Determined to carry their purpose into effect, they compelled Jere- miah and Barucli to accompany them. We now hnd the proi)hct delivering predictions at Tahpanhes, a strong boundary-city on the Taiiitic or Pelusian branch of the Nile ; but with as little success, as it respects any real reformation, as that which had attended his labours previous to the captivity. How long he lived in Egypt we know not, but according to tra- dition he died in that country, and was buried at Tahpanht-s. After the exile the Jews attached the highest importance to his memory, and such was their veneration for him, that they cherished the belief he would rise again from the dead, and make his appear- ance as a forerunner of the Messiah. See ^Nlatt. xvi. li. What rendered the half centurj- during which Jeremiah flourished, a period of peculiarly eventful and disastrous character, was the prevalence of internal disorders resulting from the obstinate re- fusal of the princes to listen to the admonitions of Jehovah, and the alienation of their confidence from him to their Egyptian ally. The Chaldeans, having succeeded to the rule in Asia, threatened Egypt with invasion ; in consequence of which the Jews who were situated between the two powers were exposed alternately to the inroads of the one or the other of their hostile armies. The first calamity which befell them was the defeat and death of Josiah, when giving battle to Pharaoh Necho ; and when they afterwards sided with tlu^ Egyjitians against the Chaldeans, they became in- volved in all the miseries of a war with that power. Though solemnly warned by the prophet of the destructive consequences that would result from their alliance with Egypt, and repcat(Mlly advised to sulnnit to the Chaldean conqueror, they persisted in rejecting the Divine messages to that effect, and brought upon themselves the calamities attendant iqion the capture of their city, and their subjugation by a barbarian foe. IIow these circumstances aflccted the mind of tlu^ ])rophet is obvious from the whole strain of his predictions. He appears to have been natiu'ally of a mild and timid disposition, easily sus- ceptible of sorrow and melancholy, but intrepid and unintimidated INTRODUCTORY DISSERTATION. ix in the public discharge of the duties of his oflfice, denouncing in unsparing language the wicked conduct of persons of all ranks, from the meanest of the subjects up to the monarch on his throne. This combination of characteristic features Ilavcrnick justly con- siders as furnishing a strong proof of the Divine origin of his mission; — the Spirit of prophecy acting powerfully upon his mind, controlling his natural temper, and qualifying him for his hazardous luidertaking, without doing violence to his peculiar individuality.* The length of time during which he prophesied in Judca was exactly forty years and a half, as appears from the following estimate : — Under Josiah . . YEARS. . . IS MOKTHS. Under Jelioaliaz . . 3 Under Jclioiakiin . . . 11 Under Jeclioniali . . . •) Under Zedekiali . . n 40 SECTION II. OF THE STYLE OF THE TROrilET. The peculiar circumstances of his times could not fail to impress a singularly marked plaintiveness of tone on most of his pre- dictions. From the depths of sympathy with his suffering country- men, and of poignant grief on account of the atrocious wickedness that brought upon them the calamities which they suffered, he pours out his feelings in the most aflccting manner, and scarcely knows when to arrest his utterances, heaping phrase upon plu-asc, and sentence upon sentence, expanding his imagery over whatever has the slightest connexion with the subject, as those naturally do who give vent to powerfid emotions of sorrow. His style is charac- terised by a degree of negligence beyond that of any of the other * Einleitung, ii. tlieil. 2 abtheil. p. 19S. X INTRODUCTORY DISSERTATION. propliets ; but thut this is to be ascribed, not to -want of cultiva- tion, but to the state of mind just referred to, is evident from the fact that there are portions of the book which little, if at all, full short of the compositions of Isaiah. We meet -with many attractive alternations and admixtures of prosaic and poetic phraseolog3\ The principal peculiarity of his style was not un- observed by Jerome, who remarks respecting it : — " Aliis prophetis videtur esse rusticior, sed sensibus par est, quippe qui eodem Spiritu prophetaverit." But that his greater rusticity is, as that Fatlier asserts, to be ascribed to his being a native of Anathoth, lew will be disposed to admit. Notwithstanding the general diffuseness and prolixity which mark the historical and strictly prosaic portions of his book, such parts as are more or less rhythmical in their composition frequently exhibit a conciseness and energy, and, especially those directed against foreign nations, an animation and vehemence, eloquence and sublimity, which claim for him a high place among the writers of his nation. That such instances of the more elevated style are not attributable, as Eiehhorn maintains, to his quoting from other prophets, appears from the circumstance, that the same elevation is discovered in passages the originality of which has never been doubted. The fact that Jeremiah quotes from the Hebrew Scriptures extant in his day is beyond dispute ; but it is worthy of notice that he never does this without alteration, adapting the language to his own style, sometimes adding and sometimes abridging, but always rendering it apparent that, however borrowed the matter, liis object in reproducing it was to give greater eftect to his pro- phetical representations. The sudden alternations observable throughout his prophecies are to be accounted for by the variety of lights in Avhich it was necessary for him to present his subjects, and the different states of mind in which he was while giving utterance to them. Besides a number of words peculiar to himself, there are certain terms and phrases M'hieh appear to have been, as it were, stereo- typed in his thoughts, the repetition of which is frequently to be mot witli. He is also singular in liis fondness of triplicity, some- times repeating the same word or phrase three times, and some- IKTliODUCTORY DISSERTATION. XI times employing tliree diflm-ent words or phrases^ but always for tlic sake of giving greater intensity to his utterances. His style exhibits several instances which indicate a later period in the history of the Hebrew language. Several Aramaisms also occur, which some, without sufficient grounds, have ascribed to his inter- course with the Chaldeans. jNIorc has been made of the forms \n\>», T|,-iiv<, and the like, instead of 'ri><, T|riN>, &c., than the case v/arrants ; for the same forms are found, though more rarely, in the Books of Joshua and Kings. SECTION III. OF TUE ARRANGEMENT OP THE PROPHECIES. The slightest glance at the economy of the book must convince the reader, that it could not have come from the prophet in the condition in which we now find it. Even supposing that he did not pay any particular attention to chronological arrangement, but that his object was simply to furnish a collection of his different prophecies, and some of the principal historical events both of a public character and relating to his own personal circumstances^ yet we can scarcely conceive it possible, that there could originally have been such instances of the vcrrepov irpoTepou as we now meet with in his composition. According to the history of the Jewish monarchs, furnished by the Books of Kings and Chronicles, the following is the order of time in which the five last kings reigned : Josiah, Jehoahaz, Je- hoiakim, Jechoniah, and Zcdckiah. Under all these monarchs Jeremiah flourished; but, as the second and fourth reigned only three months each, no date is taken from the period of their occu- pancy of the throne. The only reigns which are thus recognised are those of Josiah, Jchoiakim, and Zedekiah. Instead, however, of the prophetic discourses being arranged in this order, we find, contrary to expectation, those which were delivered in the reign of Josiah, and which are contained collectively in cliaptcrs i. — xx., immediately followed by a portion belonging to the time of xii INTRODUCTOEY DISSEKTATIOX. Zcdekiali; cliap. xxi. Again, instead of continuing what relates to Jclioiakini, and his brothers Jehoahaz and Jechoniah, in chap. xxii. and xxiii., by inserting the section contained in xxv., which is specially referred to the fourth of Jehoiakim, we find in chap, xxi v. 8 — 10, a prediction belonging to the time of Zedekiah. We have likcAvise chaps, xxvii. xxviii. xxix. xxxiii. and xxxiv. referred to the reign of Zedekiah, whereas chaps, xxxv. and xxxvi. relate to trans- actions M-hich occurred in that of Jehoiakim. There is also the introduction of a passage, chap, xlv., dated from the fourth of Jehoiakim, after the predictions relating to the Jcavs who had fled to Egypt subsequent to the destruction of Jerusalem. With these exceptions, however, there is a general consecutive- ness in the arrangement of the contents of the book. The main part, consisting of chaps, i — xlv., is occupied with home affairs, — that portion which takes a brief glance at the fate of foreign nations, chap. XXV. 12 — 28, being introduced merely in consequence of what had just been mentioned respecting their treatment of the Jews. The remaining part, chaps, xlvi. — li., is occupied with special pre- dictions relative to the punishment of those foreign nations which had been hostile to the Jewish state, especially Babylon, the most formidable and destructive of all. Chap. lii. Avas written as an appendix by a later hand, to complete what had been narrated respecting the fate of the city, and of the Jewish exiles. SECTION IV. OF THE VERSION OF THE LXX. There cannot be a doubt, that the version of the LXX. at a very early period differed from the Masoretic Text, not only in consider- able additions and omissions, but in the position and order of several of the prophecies. Tliis fact is distinctly avowed by Origen and Jerome as existing in their day. The former afhrms, that there is much in the Hebrew Job that is wanting in the LXX.; sometimes three or four, and sometimes as many as fourteen lines. " But why," he proceeds, " should I accurately specify everything INTRODUCTORY DISSERTATION. Xlll tliat I have collected with much pains, to discover the discrepancy Avhich exists between the Hebrew and Greek copies ? INIuch of this description, and in the Book of Jeremiah also many transpositions of single prophecies, have come under my observation.'^* To the same effect Jerome, speaking of the labour which he had in recovering the text from the confused and corrupt state into which, in his opinion, it had been reduced by copyists, says : " Hieremiai ordinem librariorum errore confusum, multaque qupe desunt ex hebrseis fontibus digerere, ordinare, dcduccre, ct com- plere (censui), ut novum ex veteri verumque pro corrupto atque falsato prophetam teneas/' — Prsefat. ad Hieremiam. The different arrangement in the order of the chapters, as exhibited in the Hebrew Bible and the copies of the LXX., will be seen on comparing the following columns, which begin where the discrepancy first takes place : — HEB. TEXT. TEXT OP LXX. ItEB. TEXT. TEXT OF LXX. Chap. Chap. Chap. Chap. XXV. 15— -38. xxxii. xl. xlvii. xxvi. xxxiii. xli. xlviii. xxvii. 1— -18. xxxiv. xlii. xlix. xxvii. 19- -22. Wanting. xliii. 1. xxviii. XXXV. xliv. li. 1—3]. xxix. xxxvi. xlv. li. 31—35. XXX. xxxvii. xlvi. xxvi. xxxi. xxxviii. xlvii. xxix. 1—7. xxxii. xxxix. xlviii. 1 — 45. xxxi. xxxiii. 1- -14.. xl. 46, &c. Wanting. xxxiii. li —25. Wauting. xlix. 1 — 5. XXX. 1—5. xxxiv. xli. 7 22. xxix. 7-22. XXXV. xlii. 23—27. XXX. 11—16 XXXV i. xliii. 28—34. 5—11 xxxvii. xliv. 35—39. XXV. 15— 21 xxxviii. xlv. 1. xxvii. xxxix. 1— -3;15- -18. xlvi. li. xxviii. xxxix. 4- -14. Wanting. On comparing the above Table it will be seen, that not only is there a transposition of the chapters, especially as it respects the * Epist. ad Africanum : HdXiv re av TrXetcrra re oaa Sta fxia-ov okov tov 'Ico/3 Trap' 'E/3paiois ^lev Kflrai, nap' i^fiiu Be ovxl-' ^at noWciKis ixeu eVr; Teacrapa rj rpia iaS" ore 8e Ka\ BfKaTeaaapa — Ka\ rl pe Sei KaraXeyfiv a pera noWov Kaparov avikf^dpfda, iinep tov pfj Xavddveiv i^pas ttju biacjiopuv ti)v Tiapci 'lovSat'otj Kai r]plv dvTLypdv 7rpo(})i]Tevnpeva>v evpnpev. XIV INTRODUCTORY DISSERTATION. prophecies against the foreign nations — these having been removed by the LXX. from their position at tlie end of the book, and plaeed after chap. xxv. 13, — but that there is Uke^\ise a change in the order in wliich tliesc prophecies arc arranged. This the fol- lowing: Table will show : — HEB. TEXT. TEXT Of LXX. HEB. TEXT. TEXT OF LXX Egypt. Elam. Damascus. Ammon. Pliilistincs. Egypt. Kcdar. Kedar. Moab. Baljylon. Elam. Damascus. Amnion. riiilibtiiics. i3al)yloii. Moab. Edom. Edom. To account for the discrepancies both in the arrangement of the different parts of the Hebrew Text, and those existing between this text and that of the LXX., numerous hypotheses have been formed. Of these the most celebrated is that of Eichhorn,* who supposes that Jeremiah originally wrote his oracles on separate skins or rolls, the collection of which was circulated in li^gypt, and from this the version of the LXX. was made ; and that he prepared another and later edition, which came into circulation in Babylon and Palestine, and formed the basis of the INIasoretic Text. He as- sumes that these skins or sheets came by some accident to be displaced, and that this occasioned the disarrangement now found in the book. "While this hypothcs^is accounts in a plausible manner for many variations from the Ileln-ew Text, it docs not relieve the difficulty arising from the fact of the additions Mhich are found in the LXX. Not satisfied with this hypothesis, one of a more artificial character Avas advanced by Bcrtholdt,t who maintains that the book oiiginated in three compilations, with the addition of two loose sheets. These he exhibits quite in diplomatic style, under the titles of Codices a. b, c. d. e. f., with other minor divisions. The principle of reconciliation, adopted by Movers, one of the more recent German critics, J is to this effect, that there was originally a collection in six books — the collector taking as his basis the second copy of Baruch, and adding other matter to it without anv exact rcjijard to the order of insertion. Certain * Einlcitung in das A. T. iv'"- Band. § 5:}')— § 51i>. f Uistorisch-Kriiisclic Einlcitung, p. 1 157, and following. J Dc ulriusque Rcccnsionis Vaticinioruni Jorcniiir, Hamburg!, 1S37, 4to. INTRODUCTORY DISSERTATION. XV portions he arbitrarily ascribes to an anonymous collector, ulio Las for some time passed among tlie Germans under the title of Pseudo- Isaiah. He veers between the two texts, noAv charging the Hebrew, and now the LXX., with interpolations, omissions and additions, yet preferring on the whole the latter before the former. Though Ilitzig and De Wette give in to his general principle, yet they ol)ject strongly to many of his positions, and consider that he has in many instances done injustice to the Hebrew Text. Those Avho would go thoroughly into the subject, will do well to peruse this work of Movers, together wdtli that on Jeremiah by the Spohns, father and son."^ "Without unduly disparaging the Text of the LXX. it may safely be affirmed, that it requires only a slight comparison of the Hebrew and Greek Texts with each other to perceive, that the translators by no means laid it down as a principle, to which it was incum- bent upon them to adhere throughout, to give an exact and rigid representation of the original. Not to insist upon other passages, it seems impossible otherwise to account for their insertion of the proi^hecies against the foreign nations after chap. xxv. 13. Finding in ver. 13, a reference to these prophecies as inserted in the Book of Jeremiah, they took the liberty of transposing them from the place which they held at the end of that book, and placed them immediately after the reference. They, at the same time, took the further liberty of placing the prophecy against Elam first, and of arranging the order of the others differently. The former was done, apparently, as De Wette supposes, because it possessed the greater interest at the time the version was made. It is manifest, that at the time chap. xxv. 13 was penned, the chapters in question must have been written. But if the predictions against foreign nations had followed immediately after this thirteenth verse, as they now do in the version of the LXX., there could have been no pro- priety in making the observation. The very wording of the re- ference shows that they existed in some other part of the book, and not in the immediate context. To whatever respect the Text of the LXX. may be entitled from the use that has been made of it both in the Jewish and Christian Church, and especially from the * Jcrcniias Vatcs c vcrsiouc Jiuln;orum Alexaudriuorum. Vol. i. Lipsitr, 1791. Vol. ii. Lipsi.T!, 1S24. XVI INTRODUCTORY DISSERTATION. circumstance, that our Lord and liis Apostles make their principal citations from the Old Testament in the Avords of it, it never can, as a version, be allowed to over-ride the Hebrew original. To inspiration, in the strict acceptation of that term, it cannot lay claim, though, practically and popularly considered, its contents must be regarded as possessing Divine authority. In the Translation I have adopted the division of chapters found in the Hebrew BMe, conceiving it to be more convenient for the sake of reference than the new arrangement preferred by Blajmey from chap. xx. to chap. xlvi. The following is the order adopted by that author : — Chap. XX. xxii. xxiii. XXV. xxvi. XXXV. xxxvi. Chap, xlv. , xxiv. xxix. XXX. xxxi. xxvii. xxviii. Chap, xxi. xxxiv. xxxvii. xxxii. xxxiii. xxxviii. xxxix. l.j — 18. Chap, xxxix xl. xli. xUi. xliii. xliv. xlvi. 1—14. &c. r J E R E M I A H. CHAPTER I. Tlie book commences with a proem or general title, 1 — 3 ; then follows the call of Jeremiah to the prophetical office, -1—10. The prophet next gives an account of two visions which he had — the one of an almond-treo, indicative of the early approach of the Divine judgments, and the other of a boiling pot, symbolical of their severity, and of the cpiartcr whence they were to come, 11 — 10. The rest of the chapter is occupied with assurances of Divine aid and protection in the discharge of his difficult and dangerous undertaking. The words of Jcremiali, the son of Ililkiah, of the priests who were in Anatlioth in the land of Benjamin, to whom the word of Jehovah was communicated in tlio days of Josiah, the sou of Anion, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. It was also communicated in the days of Jehoi- akim, the sou of Josiah, king of Judah, till tlie end of the 1 — 3. "Whether these verses were written by Jeremiah himself, or Mhcthcr they arc from the pen of Karuch, cannot be determined, though Michaclis is of opinion that they may have been pre- fixed by the prophet when he collected his prophecies, and gave them to his countrymen to take with them into Babylon. ""L'w, the LXX. render 6? in the singular, and refer it cither to Jere- miah, or to Ililkiah. The Vulg., more properly qui fuc runt, taking the priests to be the subject of reference. There is no ground for supposing that there ever existed in the Hebrew text any term corresponding to Kart^Kn, which is found in the former of these versions. For par- ticulars relative to the personal history of the prophet, and that of the kings whose names are here specified, see Preface, ninj?, Anathoili, a town in the tribe of Benjamin, which Joscphus states to be twenty stadia distant from Jeru- salem, and which Jerome describes_ as three Roman miles north of that city. Dr. Robinson considers the present Auuta to occupy the site of this ancient town, portions of the wall of which, as also the foundations of some of the houses, still remain. Tradition is in favour of another site on the road to Ramleli, at the same distance from the capital ; but the di- rection of the towns specitled. Is. x. 2S— 32, seems to determine the point in favour of Dr. Robinson's ojiinion. Ana- thoth was one of the four cities of the tribe of Benjamin, which were allotted to the Kohathitcs, who formed one of the three great divisions of the Lcvitical tribe. Josh. xxi. IS. It was to this his native city, that Solomon ordered Abia- thar to rci)air, when he deposed him from the high priesthood, 1 Kings ii. 20 : a sentence which might be regarded as JEREMIAH. [cnAr. eleventh year of Zcdckiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judali, till the exiling of Jerusalem in tlie fifth month. The -word of Jehovah was communicated to me, saying : Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee ; And before thou earnest forth from the Momb I separated thee, I ordained thee a prophet to the nations. But I said : Ah Lord Jehovah ! behold, I cannot speak, for I am a child. casting a stigma upon the ■wliolc sacer- dotal family resident there, and to which there may be an indirect reference in the words : "the priests who were in Ana- thoth." ScclKini!:sii.2f),27. That neither Jehoahaz nor Jelioachiu is included in the number of kiuprs here mentioned is doubtless owing to the circumstance, that they each occupied the throne only three months ; but that these three verses were intended to be a general title to the whole book, appears evident, not only from the analogy of other prophetical books, but from the specification of both the first jind last of the kings in whose reigns the prophecies were communicated. •k ] in ''^^. must be considered as purely initiative. Instead of '^n, fo me, one of l)e Kossi's MSS. has originally road v^N, (u him, to which Trpos avTov, the reading of the Codex. Yaticanus, lends its autlif)rity; but that of the Codex Alexandrinus, and the Aldine and Com- plutensian editions, and the IIexa])lar Syriac and Arabic versions, gives its sup- port to the Hebrew text. There is every reason to believe that the inscription of the book was made by .)erenuah himself. 5. ?|")'»3!< ought to have been pointed ?piSN, wliich obviates the necessity of removing the i as recommended by the Chethib. t^s and ">?; both signify to fashion, ov form. Comp. the Arab, .yfl ill the singularly parallel language of the Koran, Sur. iii. 1, r^} ,iol Ife that formed you in the tcomb. f>">SN and Man, though future in form, arc preterite in signilieation, following D73. Jehovah here n.sserls his eternal choice of the ))rophet, and his |>re- dcsdiiiUion of him to the pro|)iicliral olTice. I "iy,, to know, is to be taken in the sense of having a regard for, approving as an object of choice. ) Compare the use of yivuidKCi in rrpoyivcoaKio, m the same acceptation, Horn. viii. 29. 'c^^ does not primarily signify to be pure or holy, but to be separated from a common to some special purpose. The idea of purity, whether physical, ceremonial, or moral, was orifjjinatcd by that of such separa- tion. ^\ hen, therefore, Jehovah declares, that he had sanctified the prophet before his birth, the meaning is not, that he had cleansed him from the pollutionof original sin, or that he had regenerated him by his Spirit, as some have imagined, but that he had separated him in his eternal eouusel to the work in which he was to be engaged. Fuit ergo non elTectu sanc- tificatus Jcremias in utero, scd in Dei predcstinatione, et arcano consilio : quia scilicet tunc Deus ipsum elegit I'ro- phetam. — Calcin. With a view to a similar predestination, the apostle Paul uses languagcverynearlyparallel : 'O Qtos o dcfioplcras fit eK KoiXi'ay firjrpos /xov. Gal. i. 15 : where separation is to be referred to the Divine destination of the apostle, and not to his actual birth. "We are here forcibly reminded of the facts, that "known unto (iod are all his works, from the beginning of the world," and that he " worketh all things after the counsel of his own will." Acts xv. IS ; Eph. i. 11. The instruments whom he employs for efrecting his purposes are not brought into existence merely as links in tlic chain of causes and eflects, but with a special view to the work which each has to perform. The prophetical office of Jeremiah was to include within the range of its bearing not the Hebrews only, but also the nations that were hostile to them. See chap. xxv. 12 — 38 ; xxvii. xlvi. — li. — S. Jeremiah may at this time have been about twenty ycara of age ; and he cuAr. I.] JEREMIAH. 7 Then Jehovah said to me : Say not, I am a child ; For to all to whom I shall send thee thou shalt ffo, And all that I shall charge thee thou shalt speak. 8 Be not afraid of their faces ; For I am with thee to deliver thee, saith Jehovah. 9 Then Jehovah stretched out his hand and touched my mouth ; and Jehovah said to me : Behold, I have put my words into thy mouth. 10 See, I have this day appointed thee over the nations. And over the kingdoms. To pluck up, and to break down. And to destroy, and to pull down. To build and to plant. 11 Moreover the word of Jehovah was communicated saying : What seest thou, Jeremiah ? And I said : 12 shoot of an almond-tree. Then Jehovah said to me : Thou to me, I see a had never occupied any public station, or performed any public duty. He had had uo opportunity of putting liis talent as a pubhc speaker to the test, and con- sidered himself totally disqualified by his youth and inexperience for embarking in so unexpected and formidable an euter- Erise as that here assigned him. The •ivine commission expressly given to him, and the explicit assurance which he received of the presence and protection of Jehovah, were calculated at once to remove his fears, and arm him with resolution for his work. "J?, vcr. 7, has the signification of 'm, fo, as it has both m more ancient and in later Hebrew. 9. The prophet, having alleged his incapacity as an eloquent speaker, he is apprised by an appropriate Symbolical act, that every thing of llic kind sliould be removed, and that (lod would vouch- safe to him all needful assistance in delivering his messages. The touching of the lips of Isaiah with a live coal, chap. vi. 7, and the giving of a book to Ezekiel to eat, chap. ii. 8, '.), 10, wore similarly symbolical of projilietic qual:l\- cation, and implied the gift of inspira- tion. Comp. also Dan. x. IG. In all these instances the actions occurred in supernatural vision. 10. TfTEn properly signifies to appoint to the oversight of anything, implying the discharge of the duties of such oversight: hence the verb is followed by the preposition ''?, orer. The prophet was to liave his eye upon the conduct of the nations, and to utter predictions of prosperity or adversity according as it was good or bad. His commis'sion is here represented as consisting in his doing that which he was to declare should be done. This mode of speech is adopted in order more strikingly to express the certainty of the events. The metaphors, which are mixed, are borrowed from architecture and botany ; the nations, with their governments, being set forth now as buildings, and now as trees. Similar language is em- ployed chap, xviii. 7 ; xxxi. 28. As the predictions of Jeremiah were to be pri- marily and chiefly comminatory, the destruction of the nations is placed first in order, and is expressed by a greater variety of terms. n^5 and y'r? here mean io relmild and to plant aqain, being ex- pressive of the restoration of nations, oil llii'ir repentance and reformation. The Taigum improperly restricts what is herr said to the nation of the Jews. Jucuniluin paranomeon est Uebroeis iu ^•aypt ct '•^T\i-).—Z,ri„(jle. '■" Jl, 12. The form of the language here and iu verse 13 is similar to that found iu Amos vii. 8 j viii. 2. T^, i/ie JEREMIAH. [chap. I. 13 11 15 liast rightly seen : for I "svill be early awake with respect to my word^ to perform it. Aud the word of Jehovah was communicated to me a second time, saying : What sccst thou ? And I said, I sec a pot boiling, and its face is from the north. And Jehovah said to me: From the north shall the calamity be disclosed against all the inhabitants of the land. For, behold ! I will call for all the families of the kingdoms of the north, Saith Jehovah ; And they shall come, (ilmond-tree, from Tt\ lo he sleepless, itwake, v'ujUant, and so called because it wakes earlier from the sleep of winter tliau oilier trees, llowcririfr iu January, aud producing its fruit iu March. Thus Pliny, Hist. Nat. Ixvi. cap. 25: Floret prima amygdala mensc Januario, Martio vcro poma uiaturat. It was an appro- l)riate symbol by which to represent the early aud sedulous execution of a purpose. The '?!?'?, stuff, was a shwl or branch which had been broken oil' the almond- tree, the blossoms of which were still fresh upon it. The explanation is con- tained in verse 12, in which the Lord ainiounces his determiuatiou to execute with all ])romptitude his threatened judg- ments against the Jews. 13. .iVuother symbol of similar import, indicating that the judgments were ready to burst forth, and ]iointing out the cpiaitcr froui which they were to come. A boiling pot is a common image with the Orientals by which to express a severe and destructive war. See llosen- luidler /// loc. : aud comj). Ezck. xxiv. 3 — 11. mcj, blotcii, ))ropcrly expresses the result of the action by which the full bhize of the lire under the pot was produced, but the boiling of the pot is understood by iuiplicatiou. The passive participle has not uufrequently an active siguitication, especially in intransitive verbs which cannot take a jiassivc mean- ing. Wiuer ajul De AVcttc, misled by a wrong construct Lou of the paragogic n iuHjScs, render 7?*?. tvicards, altogether contrary to the force of the preposition. The ^ t\])ics5Cs iu ihia c;isc, iis fre- quently, not motion to a place, but rest in it. Comp. ^^''ss "'•^brpp, " the king- doms of the north," ver. 15 ; and with the prepositive "o, nba20, "from Baby- lon," chap, xxvii. IG. The pot lying somewhat on the one side towards the south, indicated that its conteuts would proceed in that direction. By its loca- tion in the north, the abode of the Babylonians is pointed out, whence they were to come, aud invade the laud of the Hebrews. Thoujrh more to the cast than to the north of Judea, the Hebrews always re])resent the Babylo- uiaus as living iu, or coming from, the north, partly because they usually ap- propriated the term East to Arabia De- serta, stretching from Palestine to the Euphrates, and partly because that people, not being able to cross the desert, had to take a northern route when they came against the Hebrews, aud always entered their country by the northern frontier. It — IG. An explanation of the symbol, containing a direct threatening of the invasion of Judea by the Babvlonians. Tliat it is to them reference is made, .and not to the Scythian iuv;ision, a^* Eiehhorn coujceturod, ;dl are now agn i ! Tlie LXX. have not translated n^nrr-:, families, supjx)sing it to be included the following word, ni;"^"?, kiMtjdo, but it is used with special propriety, uot only as tending to aggravate the cala- mity, but as expressive of the numertms tribes or smaller nations of which the kingdoms forming the Babylonian empire were composed. The two words arc iu \ ClIAP. I.] JEREMIAir. And shall set each his throne At the entrance of the gates of Jcrnsaleni, And against all her walls ronnd about, And against all tlie cities of Judah. 16 And I will pronounce my judgments against them, On account of all their wickedness, Because they have forsaken me, And have burnt incense to other gods, And worshipped tlie works of their own luuuls, 17 Thou, therefore, gird up tliy loius, And stand and speak to tlieni all that 1 shall charge thee : Be not dismayed at their faces, Lest I confound thee before them. 18 For I, behold, I make thee this day a fortiiicd city, and a pillar of iron. construction, and are not to be regarded as au asyndeton. By the erection of tlicir thrones, or scats, at the gates of Jerusalem, and the otlicr cities of Judea round whose walls their armies would be encamped, the adniiiustration (jf justice by the conquerors is j)redieted. Quod llcbraiorum tribuualia pro portis esseiit manifcstuni est. — ZwiiKjle. Such ad- ministration would be according to their pagan notions of right and wrong, and not in accordance with the law of God delivered by Moses. — -?ro la-i properly means to pronounce a juJfjmeiU or ju- dicial sentence ui)on any one. See chap. xxxix. 5 ; lii. 9. Jehovah threatened the Jews with punishment on account of their rebellious conduct : he now de- clares he would carry his tlircatcnings into elieet by means of their enemies, who would sit in judgment and inllict upon them the calamities which they had merited. The sentences delivered by the foreign princes would be in effect the judgments of God. lie would em- ploy them as his instruments in carrying them into execution, criix, which is properly the accusative, is used here and elsewhere iu Jeremiah, instead of the regular prepositive form, cpm. Eighty- eight MSS., however, and several early editions, read c-"'** without the Vau, which would leave it optional to point the word either ^n»» or cr*», — Upwards of a hundred MSS. read, or have read, ntp?o, work, instead of 'S-'HP. wnrhx, and the same reading is found in some of the oldest ])riuled editions, as it also is in both the Syr. versions, and in tin; Vulg. Both forms occur elsewhere in refer- ence to idols. 'I'he LXX. have rott 17. The nhrase "to gird up the loiiLs" is employed to denote resolute j)re|)ara- tion for the performance (jf any work. The metaphor is taken from the custom of the (Orientals, who wear long robes, to bind them uj) with a girdle when about to undertake any laborious employment, or to set out on a journey, that they may not be entangled or incommoded by them. Comp. 2 Kings iv. 2!J ; Job xxxviii. 3 ; Luke xii. .'io ; Kph. vi. 14. — nnn, which is here used, first in Niphal and then in Iliphil, so as to form a paronomasia, properly signifies to Ijrmic, Ijrealc down, and, ap[)lied to the mind, to be afraid, dismayed, confounded, if the proj;hct did not exercise jiroper confidence in God, but gave way to the fear of man, the Divine suj)port and protection should be withdrawn from him, and his enemies should be permitted to triumph over him. IS, 19. Ileverting to the charge which he had given to the prophet in ver. 1 7, Jehovah now encourages him by a&sur- axicca of invincible strength — the result fi JEREMIAH. [ciLvr. ii. And u Avail of brass figainst all tlio land ; Against the kings of Judali, and against her princes, Against licr priests, and against the people of the land. 19 They may fight against thcc, ]Jut they shall not prevail against thee ; ' For I am Avith thee, saith Jehovah, To deliver thee. of the Divine presence which should correction. It is likewise in five ancient be vouchsafed to liim. The metaphors editions, and occurs in the defective employed in vcr. IS arc very forcible, form witliout the Vau in a great number and convey tlie idea of imnrc£jnability. of MSS. and editions. The LXX., As no hostile weapons could ailcct such Targ., Syr. and Vulg. all read iu the objects as those here speciQcd, equally singular. Tliis form further commends futile should every attack prove that itself as genuine on the ground of its might be directed against Jeremiah, being the less usual, but at the same time Nor did the promise fail. AVc find him the more appropriate in application to a down to the latest accounts which wc singular subject. I have accordingly have of liim in Egypt, notwithstanding adopted it in the translation.— V??^ °?i all his persecutions, boldly testifying Ihayc rendered \cvhi\\\s f/ie people of i/ie against the wickcchiess of his people, land, but the phrase has in this place Instead of tiie plural nioh, ica/ls, the nearly the force of " the common people," singular n'jn, ?/•«//, is found in twelve of understanding thereby the mass oi the De llossi's MSS. ; it has been originally population not included in the three in seven more, and is now in two by former designations. CHAPTER II. The prophet is charged to commence his ministry by reminding the Jews of the metropolis, as rcprcsentuig the nation, of the consecration and devolcdness with which it had served Jehovah in the early period of its history, and the protection which in consef|ucnce they enjoyed, 1 — '.i ; and a forcible appeal is made whether any reason for dissatisfaction witli his service had been found in him, and whether, on tiic contrary, he had not loaded them with benefits, 4 — 7 ; their ungniteful returns are tiien described, and their punishment denounced, S, 9 ; tlicir conduct was unexampled among the heathen, and was calculated (o fdl the universe with absolute consternation, 10 — 1.*} ; the calamities that should be inflicted upon them by tlie lialiyloniaus and Egyptians are next detailed, It — 19 ; and thence to the end of Die chapter wc have a lengthened description of the incurably idolatrous disposition of the Jews, couched iu highly figurative language, and intermingled with touching expostulations. 1 The uord of Jehovah was further communicated to mc, 1. While the commission conlmncd in prophet's future life, that iicrc given the preceding chapter wa.s general, and wils special, and tlic execution of it iiad a bearing on the whole of the formed the first step of his prophetic CIIAF. II.] JEREMIAH. 2 saying : Go and proclaim in the cars of Jerusalem, say iug: career. The year in which he delivered the message is not here specified ; but there can be little dovibt from what is stated, chap. i. 2, that it was the tliir- tcentli year oi" Josiah, whom he must greatly have supported in the attempted reformation wliicli that pious young monarch had commenced the previous year, and wliich he carried more fully out in the eighteenth year of his reign. 2. '^■'n niay either be considered as the infinitive absolute, employed instead of the imperative, for the purpose of rendering tiie command more emphatic ; or it may be regarded as an abbreviated form of the infinitive followed by the finite verb, '^'?n ^'^17. Comp. for such usage, ii3J, Exod. xx. S; ii"Oc, Dent. v. 12 ; and for the full form sec "i^^n ^31, Deut. vii. 18 ; pP^ci ii'2^, Dcut. vi. 17. — Jeru- salem, as frequent ly, is used by metonymy for the inhabitants of the metropolis, to wliom as the most guilty portion of the nation, and the source whence idolatry spread throughout the land, the prophet is charged to deliver his message. In- terpreters are greatly divided in regard to the construction of the meaning of this verse. According to the force of the words, it may either describe the conduct of Jehovah towards the Jew- ish people, in conferring distinguished favours upon them at the commencement of their national history, or it may set forth the zeal and piety which they had evinced at that early period, and which so strikingly contrasted with their idola- trous practices in the time of the prophet. The former view is that ado])ted by Miinster, Clarius, Vatablus, Strigelius, Grotius, Dathe, Blayncy, lloseumiillcr, Maurcr, and Scholz : the latter, which is exhibited in the Targum, and is ap- proved by Kimehi, ^lichaclis, Dahler, Jtlitzig, Umbreit, and Ewald, is that, however, which better agrees with the context; for, after adducing the early attachment of the people of Israel to Jehovah as the only God, and their separation from all other nations to his service, in consequence of whicli they enjoyed his protection, God asks in the 1th verse, why it was that their ancestors had abandoned him and his service ? Now this question would have no point except on the supposition of previous allegiance. Avowals and proofs of such allegiance arc frequently to be met with in their earliest history. At Sinai they declared : " All that the Lord hath spoken wc will do," Exod. xix. 8 ; Dcut. V. a , — a declaration which tliey subsequently repeated, Exod. xxiv. ;i. Witness also the willingness wilh which they consecrated their ofTerings as ma- terials for the tabernacle, «S:c. Exod.xxxv. 20 — 29, which was so great that it was found necessary to restrain them from bringing more, Exod. xxxvi. 0, 7. To which add the solemn protestation whicli they made to Joshua, chap. xxiv. 10 — 22. It is true, their conduct was frequently provokingly rebellious, and of this they were ever and anon reminded ; but ex- cc])t in the case of the molten image and tliat of Baalpeor, which were merely single and temporary acts, they were not guilty of open or national idolatry, but worshipped Jehovah alone, to the ex- clusion of all idols, during the earliest period of their national history. And it is this, and not their moral conduct generally, with which that of their de- scendants in the time of Jeremiah so awfully contrasted, which forms the theme of the present discourse. It might seem, indeed, at first sight, that this view of the subject is flatly contra- dicted by Deut. xxxii. 10, 17; but if, as is generally supposed, the Song of Closes is to be regarclcd as descriptive of the futiu-e character of the Israelites, the passage will not aiiply to the early history of that people. Or, if it does describe the past, the reference may be specifically to the worship of Baalpeor, Numb. XXV. Nor can the apparently strong passage, Ezek. xx. 5 — S, be fairly adducea in opposition to the view here advocated, since the reference there is expressly limited to the conduct of the Israelites in Egypt, and cannot be extended so as to include a de- scription of their character at Sinai, and immediately afterwards in the wilder- ness. 8 JEREMIAH. [chap. II. Tims saith .Ichovali : 1 ivmcnibcr in rof^ard to theo, The kindness ol" thy yonth, The love of thine csponsals, Thy following of mc in the desert, In a land unsown. 3 Israel was holiness to Jehovah, The first-fruits of his produce. All who devoured him contracted guilt, Calamity came upon them, Saith Jehovah. 4 Hear ye the word of Jehovah, O house of Jacob ! And all ye families of the house of Israel ! The c?^?, youthful of/e of the Hebrew nation is more specially dcrmod by ni'n'?|), the corresponding term in the second member of the ]>arallclism. By this is meant not the hriilul-state, as jjiven by Gesenius, but the period clapsnig from the betrothal to the nuptials. The root is ''?3, lofinisfi, make ready, prepare, and, as some think, (o crown, whence it has been inferred that Hebrew brides wore crowns before their marriage. Applied figuratively to the Hebrews, as a people, the term describes the time oi their histoi-y from the exodus till the niarriagc contract was formally executed at Sinai. "When God took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, he betrothed them to himself; and when he pave them the covenant from the mount, he took them fully into the conjugal re- lation. The period immediately suc- ceeding this transaction is next noticed, during which Jehovah led thcni through the uncultivated desert, and there was no stranfjc god with him. Dent, xxxii. 12. — 1^ IS here neither the DaCicus com- isindi nor i/ieumiiiodi, but simply the jire- posilion of reference, the only eifect of which is to give greater emphasis to the style. The phnusc "^IM "f^, fu trail- a/lrr, or fallow, IS of fre(piont oecurreneo in this h(M)k, with the meaning — to addict oneself to the service of any object of worship. Coinp. ver. 5. ;j. At the lime referred to in tliis and the preceding verse, the Hebrews were cdiiscerated to the sole service of .Ic- hovali. They externally corresponded to the motto on the breastplate of the high-priest, rnrr;? cip, Hoi.ixkss to Je- hovah — the very words here put into the mouth of Jeremiah. Comp. Dent. vii. 0; xiv. 2, 21. The same idea is con- veyed in the following clause of the verse, in a metaphor borruwed from the l)raeticc cnjoijied ujion the Hebrews of devoting the first-fruits of the land to the house of the Lord, Exod. xxiii. 19; Kumb. xviii. 1-2, Ei. They were the first of the nations that worshipped the true God. TttiKyr} properly means incoiur, from the verb >*i:, to come, come j«/o, and is usually ajiplied to the produce of the field. Instead of the atPix ^, very many !M!SS. read ^ ; but the former, thougii the less frequent, occurs suiriciently often to warrant our considering it to be genuine, ^^'v^^*'^, " Iter or its jiroduce," found in twoMSS., is of no authority. — Carrying forward the idea of the lirst- fruits, and sujicradding that of their being eaten, Jehovah declares, that jill who ate or devoured (''?h, !,> rot), i. e. injured, or attempted to destroy his people, only thereby brought destruction upon themselves. We .sec this veriJii d in the overthrow or extirpation of the Amalekiles, .Vmorites, and other nations hostile to Israel. 4. The designations here employed are not intended to apply to the two tribes and to the ten instinctively, but form a parallelism, expressive of univer- salitv. CHAP. II.] JEREMIAH. What injustice did your fathers find iu me, That tliey removed far from me, And followed vanity, and became vain? They said not : Where is Jehovah ? Wlio brought us up from the land of Egypt, AVho led us through the desert. Through a land of sterility and pits, Through a land of drought and death-shade, Through a land which no man traversed, And where no man dwelt. I brought you also into a garden-land. To eat of its fruit, and its goodly produce ; But yc came in, and defiled my laiul. And rendered my inheritance abominable. Tiie priests said not : AVhere is Jehovah ? And those who handle the law knew me not ; The shepherds also rebelled against me, 5. The apjical licrc made, though im- mediately acidrcsscd (o the iidiabitants of Jerusdcm, was made to all Hebrews, whether resident in I'alcstinc, or cap- tives in foreign lands. No appeal could have been more cogent. It was im- possible to aeeusc Jehovah of injustice in any part of liis conduct towards them. This Closes emphatically taught them in his song, Dent, xxxii. !■. Yet the fathers had most unreasonaljly and ungratefully exchanged his service for that of idols — C'!'3i7, vai)i, cm])ty and impotent objects, the worship of which imprinted their character on the worshippers. Comp. Psalm cxv. 8. G. A most graphic description of the vast desert of Arabia Vetra'a, lying be- tween the Hcd Soa and Palestine, through which the Israelites wandered for the space of forty years. Dr. Robinson, de- scribing a portion of it, says : " A more frightful desert it had hartlly been our lot to behold. The mountains beyond presented a most uninviting and hideous aspect ; precipices and naked conical peaks of chalky and gravelly formation, rising one above another, without a sign of Lite or vegetation." Vol. ii. p. 502. The whole country, indeed, is made up of arid and barren plains, intersected by rocky mountains, amid the precipices of which are depths and caverns of the most horrid gloom. Though here and there an oasis appears, yet the general character of the desert is that of sterility, desolation, and dreariness. 7. Not only did Ciod watch over and protect the Israelites from the numerous and fearful dangers to which they were exposed in the wilderness, but he intro- duced them into a country presenting a complete contrast to it — a paradise abounding with all kinds of delightful and enriching produce. Yet, when put in possession oi" it, instead of enjoving it in the fear and service of their Divine Benefactor, they desecrated it by adopt- ing the abominable idolatries of the neigh- bouring nations, and devoting its produce to the maintenance of idolatrous worship. See Judges ii. 10 — 17. To bring the charge more directly home to the then living generation, there is a change of person from the third to the second. 8. The three leading classes whose influence was most powerfid are here specially selected for reprobation. The priests who wore consecrated to the im- mediate service of Jehovah in the temple were regardless of his presence ; they did not even wish to realise the idea of 10 JEREMIAH. [cuAr. 11. And tlic prophets projjhcsied by Baal, And followed ol)jeets whieh eannot i)rofit. Wherefore I Aviil further eontend with you, Saith Jehovah, And with your children's children will I contend. For cross over to the coasts of Chittira, and see ; And send to Kedar, and consider well, And see whether there be any thing like this. Hath a nation changed gods, though they are not God? But my people hath changed its glory For an object which cannot profit. 12 Be astonished, O ye heavens ! at this. Yea, be ye horrified, 10 11 him. Tlic expounders of tlie law, mIio appear to have beloiigcd to tlic order of priests (see Micah Jii. 11 ; :Mal. ii. 7), were iguorant of its eoiitcuts. Tlic eivil rulers took an active jtart in^iolatin^ the finulainental law of the Theocracy. And the prophets, instead of rcelaiiniug both high and low from tiicir apostasy, encouraged it by oracular announcements professing to Iiavc been obtained from Baal — the great idol-god of the I'licc- nicians and other surrounding nations. Khigs and other higher rulers are fre- (luenlly called shnpherds in Scripture, because it is their ofliec to^uidc, nourislj. pla he and jn-otcct those qvci- ^^ll0ln thcj are Dlaced. e'en signifies to haudle, treat, le orcKpied with anything, and is here used, in the participial form, to describe those whose profession consisted in teach- ing the contents of Divine revelation generally— not in what we should call jiractising the law, in the confined iciral acceptation of the term. .Miehaelis, led away by the signification of the Cierman \crh, fii(ii(/e!ii, to handle, arbitrarily forces a satire into the passage — supposing the persons spoken of to be rei)r(sentcd as having (he book of I he law always in their hands, but never opening it, or jiaying any attention to its dictates. y. So inveleralc iiad idolatrous liabits become, that there was no jirospect of the cessation of Divine judgments until they slioiild have been entirely rooted out by their infliction. 10, 11. Tlic idolatrous Israelites arc directed to repair to the pagan nations both in the West and the East, in order to find, if they could, a single instance in which any of thcin had tiirown away the objects of their worship, however in- capable they had proved of alfordiug them any advantage, and adopted the equally impotent idols of some other nation in their place. No such instance was to be found, llow unexampled, therefore, and how contrary to the universal feeling of mankind, the conduct of the Hebrews in exchanging the glorious object of their worship — the only living and true God, from whom they had received such dis- tinguished benellts, for gods of wood and stone ! C"ri3, a gentilic noun, denoting originally the inhabitants of Cyprus, a colony of I'hnniicians, who founded on that island the city of Citium, the modern Cliitti. As, like the other I'htrnieians, they carried on eommerec on the Medi- terranean, the tenn came to be extended to all the islands and maritime coasts of that sea, especially those of Greece. "»7v, strictly the Krdareiifs, descendants of Ishmael ; but the name came to be ex- tended to the Bedoweens generally, m ho occupied the regions to the east of Palestine. The Kast and West arc thus beautifully placed in juxtaposition. 1^, Ki. In c"3tJ IOC IS an evident jiaranoinasia. A noble instance of bold and impassioned proso|)opfria. The con- duct ot the Israelites was so atrocious, that it was calculated to fill the very heavens that witnessed it with amaze- CHAP. II.] JEREMIAH. 11 13 it 15 IG Be ye utterly amazed, Saith Jehovah. For my people have committed two evils : jNIc they have forsaken, the Fountain of living water. To hew out for themselves cisterns, Broken cisterns which contain no water. Was Israel a slave ? Was he home-born ? Why is he become a spoil ? The young lions roar at him, They give forth their yell ; They make his land desolate. His cities are burnt up. Without inhabitant. Even the sons of Noph and Tahpanhes Feed down the crown of thy head. incut and horror. There is great force ill placing the pronoun ''?«, .me, before tlie verb in this instance, the elTcct of wiiich is to give a marked degree of pro- minence to the Glorious Source of being and blessedness, who had been abandoned for the mere nonentities of heathen veneration. The Hebrews were accus- tomed to give the nameof o"i7 n'o, living water, to that which welled out from a fountain and flowed along, as if possessing the property of life, in opposition to that which formed a dead and stagnant pool. AVith the full and overflowing fountain, .Jehovah here contrasts cisterns which had become dilapidated, rent, and cracked, and instead of giving forth, could not even retain the water that might be poured into them. A striking emlilem of the utter worthlessness of tiie objects of idolatrous worship ; and, as it resj)ccts man's highest wants, everything of an earthly nature, lleccptacles for holding rain-water are very common in the East, especially iu cities and along the roads. Of fountains and streams there is a great lack ; and, as the summer mouths fre- quently pass without rain, it becomes a matter of importance to preserve it iu cisterns or tanks. — Jnstauees of disagree- ment iu gender, such as Q"?5"f? riiN2, in which the construction is uot tbrnial but logical, i.e. ad sensum, arc too common, and too familiar to every Hebrew scholar, to warrant the emendation of Blayney, who for D'"}?^'? proposes to read ni^3^t'5. 14 — 16. Hitzig improperly takes ^3» to refer to the service of God, and not to a stale of slavery. The parallel n^n tV, born in the house, determines the latter to be the true meaning, this phrase never being iiscd of anything else : so that the position taken by Blayney, who interprets it of a son of the ftthiil)/, cannot be sus- tained. The natural answer to the question here put is, No ; Israel was Jehovah's son, even his flrstr-boru. Exod. iv. 22. It has been questioned whether these verses dcscrilie past hibtorical events, or whether they are ]u-ophcticof the future. Eichliorn and Halilcr, taking the name Israel in its restricted meaning in ap- plication to the ten tribes, suppose the reference to be to tlieir having been removed by the Assyrians, and reduced to a state of servitude — a fate which the Jews might likewise expect if they put their confidence in the Egyptians. But for this opinion there does uot appear to be suflicieut ground. The Jews, who are addressed, ver. IG, are idculilied with Israel in the ]ircecding verses, as the continuation of the address iu ver. 17 shows. Though n^rr, ver. ]1, imparts its influence to the following futures, so as to give them a past bearing, yet they all mark the prophetic future, which assumes the form of the past, in order to express 12 JEREMIAH. [ciiAr. II. 17 Hast thou not clone this to thyself, Forsaking Jehovah thy God, At the time when lie led tlicc in the way ? 18 'And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, To drink the water of Shihor ? And wliat hast thou to do iu the way of Assyria, To drink the water of the river? 19 Thine own wickedness shall correct thee. And thy apostate deeds shall chastise thee : the certainty of the events. The English piTbcnl h;is something of tlic same force. The hmguage is antieipative of what wouUl soon take jihice in the history of the Jews. 'J'lic young lions denote the IBabylfinian ])rinees, wlio were to invade and" lay desolate the land. For the roaring of the lion, see on Amos iii. 4. Instead of nri^:, //, i.e. the laud is burned, the Keri has ^ns:, tliei/, i.e. the cities. This reading is supjjorted i)y the text of many MSS. and of two ancient editions. The LXX. have read i'-'-"^?, KaT«TKa- ff)T](Tav, and have been followed by the Targ. and the iSyr. — Aopk and Tulijuinhes were two ancient cities of Egypt ; llie former, called by the tirecks Meinjt/iis, was the celebrated capital of the lower division of the country, and was situated on the western !)ank of the Nile, at a short distance from the ])yramids of (iizeli, and from Cairo, the modern capi- tal, on the opposite bank. Sec my Com- incnt. on Isaiah xix. Vi. p:Enn, or, ac- cording to the Keri and the textual reading of niany of the best MSS. and that of the earliest editions, cnjsnn, and sup])osed by some to be abbreviated by Isaiah xxx. I, into c:^, was no doubt the strongly fortilied city of Dii/ihin', situated on the Tanilic branch of tlie Nile, near IVhisium, on the frontier of Egypt to- wards I'alestine. IjXX. '\'a(\)vri. Jii-ing one of the important cities of Egypt with which the .lews came in eonluet, it and the capital canu* to be used by them as blanding for the country, or I lie govern- ment il.sclf. 'J'iic event here i)redieted was doubt les.s the invasion of .Imlea by I'liaraoh-Neeho on his return from the Euphrates, on which occasion he dejiosi d Jehoahn/, and condemned the land to a heavy tribute of silver and gold, which he carried with him into Egypt. 2 Kings xxiii. 33 — 35. The previous melancholy death of Josiah may be included. The construction iu iPT, Ti5"i' is the same as in fs-i T^rrit^ a,jj 2-y vj:^-tT\, Gen. iii. 15. The hair of tlie head being held in high estimation among the Hebrews, baldness was regarded as ignominious and hum- bling. To this condition the Jewish kingilom was reduced by the Egy|)tia]i monareii, iu whose aid against the Baby- lonians they were ever prone to trust. This last circumstance accounts for the emphatic use of C2, even, at the com- mencement of the verse. "7^!^' the LXX. have mistaken for "T^'T!. Tlic Syr. adopts the root ITJ. 17. Most of the modems take r!iti(j(Ue. i?'3i^, \\hich primarily signilies to convince, prove, and the like, has also here the severer signi- fication of punis/i, correct by afllictive discipline, nwcp^ apostasies, or apostate deeds, in the plural, to express the number and variety of defections from Jehovah with which the Jews were chargeable. The very confederacies into whicli the Jews entered with heathen powers, proved the occasion of their ovcrthrow^ They were, therefore, by their renunciation of conlidencc in Je- hovah, aud their transfer of it to those powers, themselves the authors of the calamities which befell them. 1 in 77'' is illative, and is to be rendered therefore. '^7 and '«7 are coujiled together, just as ?■} and 19 are, for the sake of emphasis. The preposition ^ in the phrase, 'n^ns ■q':«, is expressive, not of motion to a ])lacc, but of rest in it, as Deut. xvi. 6 ; 1 Kuigs viii. 30. The atEx in tithb is that of object, aud not of possession. 20. Instead of reading ''?7?^ and 'n^?? as the lirst |)erson, the words should be pointed, "'77?^' ""li ''Ti?'"??, a form of the second person feminine which is very common in Jeremiah. See ver. 33 ; chap. iii. 4, 5 ; iv. I'J ; xiii. 21 ; xxii. 23 ; xxxi. 21; xlvi. 11. Comp. Ezek. xvi. 13, 19. This feminine alYormativc is a fragment of the less frequent form of the second personal pronoun of the feminine gender 'W, the more ancient pronunciation of which uiust have l)ccn 'P«, as the Syriac still has it. It is 14 JEREMIAH. [cuiy?. II. And under every green tree, Than hast stretched tliyself, O harlot ! 21 I, indeed, planted thee a uoble vine, "Wholly a genuine seed : How then art thou changed with respect to me Into the degenerate shoots of a strange vine ? 22 Though thou wash thyself -with nitre, And take thee much potash, Yet thine iniquity is ingrained before me, Saith the Lord Jehovah. found Iicrc in tlic text of one or two ;MSS., and lias the support of the LXX., Arab., Ilcxaplar, Syr., and Viilg. ; and in the laltcr verb, of A([uilu and Tlicodotion. It is also approved by Aurivillius, Mi- chaclis, Blavney, llosenniidlcr, Scholz, ^Maurcr, and Ilitzig. The context re- quires the verbs to be thus read, it being loss suitable to introduce here the de- liverance of tlic Jews from oppression by their enemies, than to insist upon their long-continued hal)it of breaking through the restraints of the Divine law. " Thy yoke," and "thy bands," mean the yoke and bauds laid upon thee. Comp. chap. V. 5. — For "Ti^yN tib^ £ will not serve, a great number of Kcmiieott's and Dc llossi's MSS., and more than thirteen editions, exhibit ">i3;^N vh^ I tcill not Irans- gress, whicli is the rcaduig of tlic Keri; "but this lection is approved by none of the moderns, Zunz and Ewald alone excepted. The JjXX. has oO bovXtvaa (Tot. — nrs is the feminine participle of rws, (o turn, inriuie, bend, ulretch out oneself; and is licrc employed meta- phorically to express the act of prostra- tion to idols. Thus Kosenmidlcr : Pro- l)hel!n mens est, Jud;eos, in falsorum iiiiminum iionorem i)assim se inclinfintes, ri'fpie fo-'do el infanii llagilio sc inqninarc, ae meretriecm, sine uHo pudorc so incli- nanlcm ad corpus vulgo i)ul)lie.iudum. Qua; eomparatio co hieulcnlior est, quod solcant Saeri Scriptorcs jVAVfyA/Z/vVrturpi- tudiuem ner scortatiouis liguram expri- merc. The Jews had become lost to all sense of bliame, and indulged in idol- worship wherever it was mactiscd. 21. See my note on Isaiah v. W, and comp. I's. Ixxx. 0, wlicre the same me- taphor is similarly employed. The ab- sence of the article before .an adjective, as in n;??J, is not without other examples. See chap. xxii. 20 ; Gen. xxix. 2 ; Ezek. xxxix. 27. 22. The inveterate proncness of the Jews to idolatry is here forcibly ex- pressed. There may be a reference in what is said about washing to the re- formation begun by Josiah, which was compulsory, and not voluntary on their part. Their outward profession was specious, but it was altogether hollow and insincere. — "^1, nitre, is not the sub-i stance now known by this name, which] is the saltpetre of commerce, but the natron of Egypt and other ))arts of the East, — a mineral alkali which is found deposited at the bottom of lakes in a thick incrustation after the sununer h(':it luui evajjorated the water. It was used for was I ling linen, and other honselmld piu-poses. TY-ii, jiota.sh, the carl)onatf of which is obtained in an impure slate from the burning of dill'erent plants, especially the kali, found in Egypt and Arabia. See on Is. i. 25. It was like- wise used, mixed with oil, for w.-ishing. To CjiSJ all the ancient versions attach the idea of spotted ; but this idea ill accords with (he special inicpiities In r referred to, as such may be predie;it( i of all iiii(|uity. Neither is the signiliea- tion hidden, derived from the Arabic r^ , ahscondit, any more appropriate in councxioa with the face of Jchovidj, — sin being uniformly represented in Scrip- ture as o|)(ii to Ins view. I, therefore, iigree with Dr. Meier, who in his J^cxi- ciur. II.] JEREMIAH. 23 2i How canst thou say : I am not polluted, I have not followed the Baals ? Look at thy way in the valley, Know what thou hast done : A hght young she-camel rambling in lier courses, A wild ass accustomed to the desert, In her strong desire she snuft'eth up the wind, As for her heat, who can repel it ? None of all that seek her shall ])e wearied. In her month they Avill find her. Withhold thy foot from being unshod. And thy throat from thii^st : con of Hebrew Roots, p. 317, adopts the signiGcation which Kinichi expresses by c\ih3, cut in, engraven, &c. 1 have rciulercd the verb by inf/rained, which denotes what cannot be washed or re- moved out of any thing, and seems best to suit the connexion. cn3 and i?3 arc cognates. 23. i^^sn, (lie rallei/ Kar' (^oxtjv, is the Valley of Hinnom, wliich runs along ithe south side of Mount Zion, and was infamous for the celebration of the horrid rites of Moloeli in the times of the idolatrous kings of Judah. 2 Kings xxiii. 10; Jer. vii. 31. These rites were abolished by Josiah, who rendered the place abominable by ordering the bones of the dead to be cast into it, from which I time it became a rccc])tacle for the fdth of the city, and was known by the name j of Toplict, which signilies loathing or i abomination — a name, however, given to it in the time of Isaiah. See on chap. XXX. 33. Tlio LXX. have iroXvavSpiov, ■ i.e. the place of the multitude of dead ^ bodies, with manifest reference to chap. ' vii. 32. Moloch was one of the Baals to the worsliip of wliich the Jews were addicted. Their unsteady, wanton, and I roving conduct, now engaging in the ' service of Jehovah, and now in that of I Moloch and other heathen deities, could only be litly represented by the light- ! footed yourig female camel, running in all directions in quest of a male. The participle chosen to express this rambling about is very emphatic — the verb "^^'f signifying to interweave, and, in applica- tion to a course, to make it take every direction, so as to resemble a thicket, the branches of which cross each other at all points. 21:. nnE or J^s, as it is spelt in a great number of ^ISS. and several editions, the onager, or wild ass of the mule kind, remarkable for its velocity, and still found in a wild state in the deserts of central Asia. The vehemence with which the female of this species of animals courses the desert in pursuit of a male, snuffing the wiud in order to ascertain where one may be found, is further selected to set forth the uncontrollable iniimlse to idolatry which dwelt in the hearts of the Jews. For iics?, seventy- eight ^ISS., originally eleven more, and some of the earlier editions, read ncE3. ■^J^'T, heat, fervent inclination, sej:ual impulse, from the Arab. \\, ferret, summo ardore ferlmit aqua. By the month of the wild ass is meant the par- ticular season when the impulse for copulation was strongest. Instead of then keeping to the desert, she would be found frec[ueuting those places in which the tame asses were in pasture, so that there would be no ilifficulty in liiuling her. 25. Eichhorn, Koscnmiiller, and some others consider the reference here to be to idolatrous acts viewed as those of a lewd person, who not only exposes her- self, but cries out for paramours. Hit- zig thinks that the wjvlking barefoot has respect to religions penance to whicli the 16 JEKKMIAll [< MAI'. II. JJilt tliou s:iyt'>t : It is hopeless; No, I have loved strangers, And after thciu I will go. 2Ci As a thief is put to shame when found. So the house of Israel are put to shame ; They, their kings, their princes, Their priests, and their projjhcts. 27 Who say to a block. Thou art my father. And to a stone. Thou hast borne me ; For they have turned to nie the back, and not thi' face ; Yet in the time of their calamity they will say : Arise, and deliver us! 2S But where are thy gods which thou hast made for thyself? Let them arise, if they can deliver thee in the tinu' of thy calamity ; For acc(jrding to the inunbci ol' tliy cities Are thy gods, O Judali ! 29 To what j)urpose will ye contend with mc? Ye have, jdl of you, rebelled against me, Saith Jehovah. In vain I have smitten vour children. 30 Jews submitted in the service of idol.s, and that the thirst was occasioned by the loud and continued invocations whicli tlicy presented to them. The more pro- bable meaning is, that they arc exhorted no longer to undertake fruitless jounieys to places of idolatrous worship, in per- forming which they wore out their s1kx;s, iniureu their feet, and exposed them- selves to extreme thirst. "jrAj js pro- perly eorreeled in the Kcri into "i:"i">J. riic latter half of the verse exj)resses the despentte resolution of the hardened and incorrigible to persevere in their wicked courses. 25— 2S. That "the house of Ismcl" is not here to be understood of the ton tril)rs, but of nil the Hebrews at the time rcmniniiig in the Holy Land, is sufliciently detennined by the odoption of the designation Jh'IhH in ver. 2**. The drelarnlion niaile in ver. 20, is an- lieipative of the state to which the a|Kistate Jews should l>e n-duced at the captivity. They might then apply to their idols for deliverance, but, numerous as they were, not one of them would be able to alTord any help. IJesides certain deities which tl>ev worship|)ed in common, each city had its own tutelary god from which protection was expect ed. Though '-'7"'*'', tlic reading of the Kcri, has tne suffrage of upwards of sixty MSS., several printed editions, and the Targum, yet the textual ^-^"^ is sup- ported bv'tlie L.\.X., Arab., ISyr., and Vuli;. There ar6 also MSS. in which the Keri is altogether omitted. 2'.), ;{H. It was in the highest degree Sreswmptuous to bring any charge against ehovah for leaving them at tlie mercy of their enemies; thev had transferred their allegiance from hun to other gods, and had no claim on his protection. They had onlv theniselvcs to blame for what befell tliem. They had b<"en partially visil«'d with afilietive circumstances with a view to the correction of the evils to which they were addicted, but these had pnnluced no real refonnation. Hy C'2), CIIAI'. II.] JEREMIAH. 17 Thoy have not taken reproof; Your own sword liatli devoured your prophets, Like a destroying lion. 31 O ye the generation ! Regard the word of Jehovah. Have I been a desert to Israel ? Or a land of darkness ? Why do my people say : AVe ramble at large, We will come to thee no more ? Can a virgin forget her ornaments ? A bride her girdles ? Yet my people have forgotten me Days without number. Why trimmest thou thy way to seek love ? Surely thou hast taught even the wiekcd females thy ways. 32 33 rhUilrrn, vcr. 30, wc arc to undcrstaud liic pcoi)lo of tlic Jews themselves, com- lircliciidiiig tlie parents as well as their offspring. The imivcrsality of the lan- guage in vcr. 2'J sliows this. Instead of listening to the warnings of the prophets whom Jehovah had sent to them, they put them to death. Comp. 2 Chron. xxxvi. 16; Matt, xxiii. 30, 31. 31. Though i^'^^ and ens are sepa- rated by the Rebiah, they arc inti- mately connected. The exclamation is highly impassioned. Its apostate cha- racter was so flagrant and unparalleled, that the generation required only to be mentioned in order to call its features ]n()ininently into view. The questions here put are to be met with the most pointed negative. So far was Jehovah from jiroving a niggai'dly and austere sovereign to the Jews, that he had evuieed himself to be their most liberal benefactor. Nothing but wantonness could h.-we induced them to renounce their subjection to him. rr'jEwo, from ''ri', Arab, jji), to set, as tlic sun, and so to become or be dark. A variety in point of orthography is found in the MSS., but evidently either from negli- gence or conjecture. The noun is com- pounded of ''Cf^'?, if(/r/,i/i-x.Mcd females. The redundant ' in 'H''^'^ is a fragment of the less frequent form of the D 18 JEREMIAH. [chap. in. 34 35 36 37 Even in thy skirts hath been found The blood of poor innocent souls ; Not by deep search have I found them. But upon all these. Yet thou sayest : Because I am innocent, Surely his anger will turn back from me ; Behold, I vnll enter into judgment with thee, Because thou sayest : I have not sinned. Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way ? Thou shalt also be ashamed of Egypt, As thou wast ashamed of Assyria. Thence also thou shalt go forth. With thy hands on thy head ; For Jehovah hath despised the objects of thy confidence, And thou shalt have no success through them. feminine pronoun 'i7i«. It occurs espe- cially in Jeremiah and Ezekiel, but is uniformly removed in the Keri. 34. Of Mauasseh it is recorded, that " he shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another." 2 Kings xxi. 16. Such atro- cities had not been perpetrated in sub- terraneous caverns, as too horrible to bear the light of day, but openly in the valley of Himiom, within the sacred precincts of the temple, and in other places about Jerusalem. These are grapliically pointed to for the sake of effect. 35. Nothing but the hardening in- fluence of depravity can induce men who are sunk in tlie very depth of crime to make an avowal of innocoiec. Yet, how frequently is this exhibited in the history of our race ! 36. '"^in for ''pi^ri. See Gesen. Heb. Gram. § 67, 2. Estranged from Jehovah as the true object of confuh-nce, the Jews turned now to one quarter and now to another for help — modo Assyrios, modo iEgyptios. — C. B. MichaeUs. To which- soever of these two great powers they might apply, nothing but disappointment was the result. See 2 Chron. xxviii. 16—21 ; Jer. xxxvii. 7, 8. 37. J^J, this, refers to the king of Egypt, to whom the Jews applied for help against the Babylonians ; but, as the name of the country is put in the preceding verse for the ruling power, a local signification must be given to it in the translation. Putting tlie hands on the head is a very natural attitude of mourning. Comp. 2 Sam. xiii. 19. The preposition in cn^ marks the dative of insti'umentaUty, as Ps. xii. 5. CHAPTER III. The first five verses of this chapter coutaiu a brief discoui-se, sepai-ately com- nmnicatcd to the prophet, iu which Jehovah, contrary to all expectation, promises to give the Jews a gracious reception, if they would only return to him in sincerity. "With the sixth verse a new portion of the book begins, which is CHAP. III.] JEREMIAH. 19 continued to the end of the sixth chapter. It begins by charging the Jews witli having rendered themselves more guilty than the ten tribes whose kingdom had been entirely destroyed as a punishment for their idolatry, 6—11. An invitation is then given to these tribes to turn to God by true repentance, together with a promise of the renewal of covenant engagements, and the restoration of pious and skilful rulers, 12—15. Next follows a prediction of gospel times, when the Hebrews generally should be restored, and the GentUes called into the Church, 16—19. And the chapter concludes with mingled expressions of repentance on the part of the people, and of gracious assurances on that of Jehovah, 20—25. 1 Further, if a mau send away his wife, And she go from him, and become anotlier man's. Will he retm-n to her again ? Should not that land be greatly polluted ? But thou hast committed lewdness with many paramours. Yet return to me, saith Jehovah. 2 Raise thine eyes to the high places, And look where thou hast not been lain with ; Beside the roads thou hast sat for them. Like an Arab in the desert ; And hast polluted the land With thy lewdnesses and with thy wickedness. 1, Though -iox^, saying, is wanting in God in mercy invites them to return to one MS. and has nothing corresponding him. 2ittJ is the Infinitive absolute, and to it in the LXX., Ai-ab., and Syr. ver- as such may be used as an Imperative of sions, there can be no doubt of its being both genders. genuine. The only satisfactory way of 2. A graphic description of what had accouutmg for its occupying its isolated been alleged at the close of the previous and anomalous ]iosition is to suppose, verse. Not satisfied with sacrificing to that the words '^^ nT.nnn7 'm have been idols on the high ])laces, which were omitted by some early copyist, and that generally selected for such worship, the the omission has been perpetuated in Jews were so' hardened, that, like a transcription. Ewald conjectures that strumpet. Gen. xxxviii. 14, 21; Prov. both these words and the date have been vii. 12, and, like a robber Arab, they removed to ver, 6, in which case the sedulously watched for every opportunity discourse contained in this and the fol- of gratifying their wicked propensity. A lowing chapters must have commenced few MSS. and the Soncin. edition exhibit here. _ Without actually supplying this n???-, which the Keri, as usual, proposes omission, I have employed the term to be read instead of n'^Jii', which the /Mr^//^;-, which implies it.— The argument Masorites regarded as obscene. The here is founded on the fact, that when a Arabs of the desert to the east and south Hebrew had divorced his wife, and she of Palestine were notorious for their had been married to another, it was not habit of robbing travellers, as they still lawful for him to take her back. Deut. are at the present day. See Diod. Sic. XXIV. 1—4. The Jews had worshipped lib. ii. cap. 48 ; Plin.'Hist. Nat. lib. vi. not one idol only, but many, and richly cap. 28 ; Harmer's Obser. vol. i. p. 150, deserved to be for ever repudiated; yet 8vo. 1808. 20 JEREMIAH. [ciiAr. III. Therefore the showers have bccu withheld. And there liath been no latter rain ; Thou hast the brow of a harlot. Thou hast refused to be ashamed. Wilt thou not henceforth cry to me, INIy Father ! Thou wast the guide of my youth ? Will he keep his anger for ever ? Will he always mark for punishment ? Behold ! thou hast spoken it, Yet thou hast done wicked deeds as thou couldest. Jehovah said also to me in the days of Josiah the king : Hast thou seen what apostate Israel did ? She went upon every high mountain, and under every green tree, and there she acted lewdly. And I said after she had done all these things : Return unto me ; but she did not return, and her faithless sister Judah saw it. And I saw, that though it was chap. iv. 2 ; the second of iv. 3 — vi. The specification of the elate, tliough as- signing the reign of Josiah, is still in- definite. Manrer refers the prophecy to his seventeenth year, shortly alter the foundation of the Babylonian empire by Nabopolassar. It certainly must have been delivered before the second and thorough reformation effected by that prince in the eighteenth year of his reign. The Jews are here called to reilect on the conduct of Israel, or the ten tribes, and the i)uuishment with which, in consequence of it, they had been visited. They had eagerly fre- quented the high })laccs and the groves, and taken part in all the abominations which were there perpetrated. ^'t'P, defection, ajtostusy, the alistracl put for the concrete nnaiir. The word is placed before the proper name, with which it is in apposition, in order the more forcibly to give promiueuce to the evil. Comp. ver. 12, If, 22. The Yod in '3in, is not the mark of the Second Person Femi- nine, but merely the substitution of the ' for the correspoiuling feeble letter '^, as in 'npn, chap, xviii. 23. 7—10. As the two kingdoms were sisters politically, so they had been in crime. That of Judah, instead of avoiding the sin which had brought destruction upon Israel, or profiting by the jmlgmcnts 3. The former and latter rains are essential to the prosperity of the crops in Palestine. These had been withheld in judgment, but without effect on the Jews, who recklessly pursued their wicked courses. 4, 5. C. B. Michaelis thinks there is a reference here to the reformation begun the year before, which was the twelfth of Josiah; but the language is rather ten- derly cxpostulalory than descri|)tive of fact. 3S, falher, and ^^, friend, or guide, are here used with exquisite effect. The latter, construed with o'"!^?, youth, is equivalent to liusljund. See Prov. ii. 17. They were the two most endearing api)(,'llations that could have been employed, and are proposed for adoption by the Jews, in order to ail'ect thcii' minds, and induce repentance. By a striking change of person the Jews arc introduced, ver. 5 — not as repenting and forsaking their idolatry and other shi.s,but — as sim])ly deprecating the eoutinuauce of Divine judgments. They were still determined to addict thcjnselves to false woi-shi[). T£j and i^Pip are used ellip- tically. ^ is understood in both in- stances. 6. Here commences a new discourse, which is continued to the end of the sixth clia))ttr. It is divisible iido two parts : the first consisting of ver. tj — CllAF. III.] JEREMIAH. ^1 10 11 12 entirely because apostate Israel had committed adultery, I Lad sent her away, and given her a hill of divorce, yet faithless Judah was not afraid, hut went and acted lewdly also. And it came to pass, that through the vileness of her harlotry she defiled the land, and committed adultery with the stones and the blocks. And yet, notwithstanding all this, her faithless sister Judah hath not turned to me with all her heart, but with falsity, saith Jehovah. And Jehovah said to me : Apostate Israel hath shewn herself to be righteous in comparison of faithless Judah. Go and proclaim these words towards the north, and say : Return, O apostate Israel ! saith Jehovah, I will not continue to frown upon you ; which God liad indicted upon her, in- dulged in the same wickedness, and so incurred the same guilt. The metaphor of a divorce being here employed to illustrate the rejection of the kingdom of the ten tribes, seems to refer back to ver. 1, — a circumstance which gives some support to the hypothesis of Ewald noticed in the note on ver. 1. A bill of divorce is called in Hebrew mn^Q "idd, a ■writ'mg, or document of cidtiiuj of, Deut. xxiv. 1, 3 ; Is. I. 1 ; and here in the ]3lural, D'nin"i? icp, a icritu/g of ciitthigs off, because she to whom such a docu- ment was given by her husband was cut oil" from ail connexion with him. The marriage relation was entirely and for ever dissolved, n-ii-i instead of ni3ii for the sake of more forcible expression. ''PP, ver. 9, is a noun derived from the Infinitive of ''!?i;, to he light, despised, treated as vile, with the prepositive Mem ; and not, as Scluiurrer, RosenmiUler, De Wette, and Maurcr suppose, the ab- breviated form of ''ip, voice ; or, as J. D. Michaelis and Hitzig think it should be pointed, ''i^'P, a staff, or stick, a con- struction which is quite intolerable here. The conjecture of Ewald, that ''P is equivalent to \^\, irfamy, disgrace, is well founded. I have adopted the term vileness, as best suited to tlie context. The noun is formed from '^ij, as on, w, DP are from the roots Qon, ny, nrin. The LXX. have eis ov6ev. Jerome ■.facilitas. — 'I?^?^ and y?!7 are collective nouns, de- noting here idols made of stone and wood. That the subject of reference, ver. 9, is Israel and not Judah, is clearly determined by the contrast in the fol- lowing verse. — nsrtb?, ver. 10, Hitzig interprets of the sins of Judah, and not of the rejection and punishment of Israel ; but the formula, which occurs frequently in Isaiah, is always used of judgments. — Whatever professions of amendment the Jews made were hypo- critical and insincere. 11. pi?, to be right, just ; in Piel, P^?, as in Hiphil, to make, declare, or show any one to be righteous. The con- duct of the iidiabilants of the land in the time of the prophet was so much more aggravated than that of the ten tribes, by reason of the exemplary pun- ishment of the latter, of which they had been witnesses, the manifold instruction with which they hatl been favoured, and especially the pious example and zealous exertions of Josiah, that it quite eclipsed the guilt contracted by their northern brethren. Israel appeared innocent in comparison of Judah. Comp. for this mode of speech, Ezek. xvi. 51, 52. 12. In order to excite the Jews to speedy repentance by a godly jealousy, the prophet is charged to address himself in the language of kindly invitation and encouragement on the part of Jehovah to the ten tribes then in captivity in Babylon and Media. Comp. Rom. xi. 14. The use of '^X;, Go, does not necessarily im])ly that Jeremiah was to take a journey into those distant parts, but is 22 JEREMIAH. [chap. III. For I am merciful, saith Jehovah, I will not keep my anger for ever. 13_ Only acknowledge thine iniquity, That thou hast rebelled against Jehovah thy God, And hast scattered thy ways to the strangers. Under every green tree ; And to my voice ye have not hearkened, Saith Jehovah, li Retm'n, O apostate children ! saith Jehovah ; Though I have rejected you. Yet I will take you, used idiomatically, and is almost pleo- nastic. He was to tiuui and proclaim his message towards the localities in which those tribes were in a state of captivity, la n2'i)p niiM> is a marked paronomasia. The construction of nawj is ad sensim, D?, people, being understood. d'?b 'j'eh to cause the countenance to fall, either in sorrow, or in auger. The latter is here meant : to be angry with any one, to frown upon him, to cause him to ex- perience the effects of such anger, to punish him. As punishment had over- taken the ten tribes, and they were still subject to it, the phrase is to be re- garded as having the full force of the future, and is to be so rendered as to imply that they should not experience it in perpetuity. The merciful and forgiving character of Jehovah is the grand incen- tive to repeutauce. Tor t£0 see on ver. 5. 13. The conviction and confession of sin are indispensable to its forgiveness. The Israelites had not been contented with indulging in idolatry at one par- ticular spot, such as Bethel, but they had followed theii' idolatrous courses in every direction, worshipping the gods of the difiFerent nations by which they were surrounded. 14. In xyipii in^iij is another touching paronomasia. The phraae 3 "J??, which occurs only here and chap. xxxi. 32, has occasioned no small difference of opinion among interpreters. The LXX., Vulg., Munster, Vatablus, Calvin, Schmidius, Scholz, Maurer, Hitzig, Ewald, and Hengstenberg, express the idea of master, lord, or husband— a signification which the verb, without the preposition, cer- tainly has everywhere in the Hebrew Bible. By some, the continuance or renewal of the conjugal relation is sup- posed to be intended ; by others, domi- nation in the way of severe treatment ; by others, protection, possession, and the like. Hengstenberg has taken great pains to establish the idea of marriage ; but, in my ojjinion, he completely fails in invalidating the position maintained by Abulwalid, Joseph Kimchi, Rabbi Tan- chum, Pococke, Schultens, Venema, Schnurrer, Dathe, Rosenmiiller, De Wette, Winer, Gaab, and Gesenius, viz., that the Heb. ? "J?? has the same signifi- cation with tlie corresponding Arabic, (._> (Jjo inente turhatus et attonitus fuit, nesciem quid faceret ; tinmit, fasti- divit, rejecit, respuit, aspernatur. Not only is this signification of loathing, rejecting, &c., sustained by the Jewish authorities j ust quoted, who were well acquainted with the Arabic language, but it is ably de- fended by the profound Oriental scholars, Pococke and Schultens. The former, at the close of a long and very learned note, in which he reasons out the point, adds: His ergo rationibus moti, cum et loci circumstantia, et versionuni anti- quarum prsecipnse, et Rabbinorum doc- tissimi, et linguae Arabicae usus perpetuus calcidum adjiciant, nulii dubitamus pro- uuntiare, eandem olim hoc loco, [Jer. xxxi. 32,] qua; et hodie receptam fuisse lectioncm; ut olim LXX. Seuibus et Syro, verba Prophetse reddere {Qiiaprop- fer eosfastidiai, nolui, despcxi, ijfieXtja-a, (tcj nihil cos facturos quod a vocis CHAP. III.] JEREMIAH. 23 One of a city, and two of a family, And will bring you to Zion ; 15 And I will give you shepherds after my own heart. And they shall feed you with knowledge and skill. 10 And it shall come to pass. When ye are increased, and fruitful in the land. In those days, saith Jehovah, That men shall no more say : ^ ■ The ark of the covenant of Jehovah ; Neither shall it be thought of; Neither shall it be remembered ; Neither shall it be missed ; Neither shall it be made any more. "rtyn, Baalti, significatioue alienum sit, imo forsitan quod ei, cum pra^positione a, Be, coiistructae, non optime omnium atque unicc quadret. — Notes to Porta Mosis, p. 9. Schultens in liis Com- mentary on Prov. XXX. 23, among other significations adduces the following from the Kamoos : Denique rnoNi ';ri in I. sig- nat, perplexus fuit, et impatieutia labo- ravit, et taedio fastidioque affectus fuit in negotio suo, nescius quid faciendum foret. What is taught both here and chap. xxxi. 32, is that God had re- jected the Israelites or treated them as the objects of his displeasure on account of their apostasy from him, delivering them over into the hand of their enemies, and depriving them of all the privileges of the covenant people. There is thus an agreement in sense with ^/xeXfo-a, by which the LXX. (followed by the Syr.) render 5 ''y^ in the latter passage, and which the Apostle Paul has adopted in his quotation, Heb. viii. 9. There is consequently no necessity for having recourse either to ''na or to ''?! as the readuig of the text, which some have proposed by way of conjecture. The objection of Hengstenberg, that ren- dering 'S by although is altogether arbi- trary, cannot be sustained, as must be evident to any one who will consult Noldius on the particle. No. 15. See especially Gen. viii. 21 ; Deut. xxix. IS ; Josh. xvii. 18; Jer. iv. 30. The copu- lative before ^'P^'^tZ does not connect that verb with 'ri"??3, and thus borrow from it the power of the preterite, but with laiii-', and consequently, as dependent on the contingency therein implied, is future in signification. — The meaning of what is specified in regard to number is some- what doubtful. It may either be, that however few the converts might be, Jehovah would not despise them, but would restore them to their own land ; or that, should there only be one found in a foreign city, or two in any one of the nations whither they had been scattered, they should not be forgotten, but should be brought back along with their brethren who formed more nu- merous bodies during the exile. The latter construction seems the preferable. Comp. Deut. xxx. 1 — 5. fi'^s^''? does not here signify family, in the more re- stricted acceptation of the term, but in that of tribe, clan, or ))eople. Heng- stenberg strangely interprets the cities of those belonging to the land of Canaan, and not of those in foreign countries. 15. By shepherds or pastors in the Old Testament are not meant religious teachers, but civil rulers, as kings, princes, &c. See on chap. ii. 8. Such rulers as those here described were Zerubbabel, Nehemiah, Judas Maccabeus, &c., who were raised up to manage and protect the affairs of the restored state, ny^ and '''?^'n are both used adverbially. 16, 17. These verses contain a distinct announcement, that when the Hebrews should be restored, they would no longer possess what was accounted the most 24 JEREMIAH. [ClIAP. ID. 17 At tliat time Jerusalem sliall be called The throne of Jehovah ; And all the nations shall be gathered to it, To the name of Jehovah, to Jerusalem : And they sliall no more walk After the obstinacy of their wicked heart. JS In those days The house of Judah shall go with the house of Israel, And they shall come unitedly from the north country, To the country which I gave as an inheritance To your fathers. sacred object of the temple furniture — tlie ark iu which were deposited tlie two tables of the covenant, and over which were tlie cherubim, overshadowing it as the throne of Jehovah. It disappeared when the temple was plundered by the Babylonians, aud all the Jewish authori- ties are agreed, that it was never restored, or replaced iu the second temple. The varied and repetitious forms in which its absence is here described, taken iu cou- nexion with the promise, that Jerusalem itself should be the throne of Jehovah, aud the resort of all the uations, show fhat its removal was to be regarded as a boon ral her t hau a privation. How this could be, it may at first sight seem difficult to conceive. All difficulty, how- ever, will vanish, if, with Calvin, we regard the ark as the object, the pos- session of which formed a principal ground of glorying on the part of the Jews over their brethren of the ten tribes, whom they had long been ac- customed to consider as having no part with them in the enjoyment of the Divine presence. This view is confirmed by what follows, ver. IS. In the re- moval of the ark, and its non-restorat ion, there was a striking intimation of the cessation of symbolical and ceremonial institutions, which was so soon to follow the restoration of the Hebrews to their own land : an event with which was to be connected the admission of the Gentiles to a joint partieii)ation in the privileges of the church of God. Of this, vcr. 17 contains an express ine- diction. So rich aud complfte were to be the blessings to be enjoyed under the new dispensation, that tlie ark, with all the appendages of the temple-worship, would not be missed. T.? signifies not only to vinit, seek, search, look after, but also to miss,Jincl -icani'u/r/, 1 Sam. xx. G; XXV. 15; Is. xxxiv. 16; Jer. xxiii. 4. There was no longer to be any special holiness attaching to the temple : the whole city was to become the throne of Jehovah. As it had been the centre of the Hebrew theocracy, so it was now to be the point of attraction to the whole earth. Comp. Is. ii. 2 — 4 ; Zcch. ii. 10, 11 ; xiv. 16—21. There the founda- tion of the Christian church was laid ; and it continued to be the place of prin- cipal consideration till the final dispersion of the Jews. — The same language is used of the wickedness of the idolatrous Gen- tiles as that employed to describe the propensity of the Jews to the same evil, chap. vii. 24; ix. 14; xi. S ; xxiii. 17, aud in other places, nnnir or miTij is derived from lyi', to he firm, hard ; hence the idea of olistiiiari/. The plural 3!? railip, is of frequent recurrence in our prophet. See vii. 24; ix. 14; xi. 8; xiii. 10; xviii. 12 ; xxiii. 17. Compare also Deut. xxix. IS; Ps. lxxxi.13. 18. Nothing can be more express than this prediction of the return of the ten tribes, along with the rest of the nation, at the termination of the captivity iu Babylon. Comp. Hos. ii. 2 ; Is. xi. 12, 13. "'?, not to, as rendered by some, but irith, in the sense of accompanying. Comp. Exod. XXXV. 22 ; Job xxxviii. o2 ; Amos ill. 15. cuAP. ni.] JEREMIAH. 9,n 19 20 21 22 But I said : How shall I put thee among the children ? And give thee the pleasant land, The most beautiful inheritance of nations ? Then I said : Thou shalt call me, My Father ! And shalt not turn away from me. Yet as a wife faithlessly departeth from her husband, So have ye acted faithlessly towards me, house of Israel ! saith Jehovah. A voice was heard upon the high places, The weeping and supplications of the children of Israel, Because they had perverted their way, They had forgotten Jehovah their God, Return, O apostate children 1 1 will heal your apostasies : Behold I we come unto thee. For thou, O Jehovah ! art our God. 19. Canaan was still the glorious patrimony, given by covenant to Abra- ham and his posterity. To this the Hebrews were to be restored ; but the question arose : How was this to be done ? How were those who had for- saken God for the worship of idols, to be received back into his family, fill an honourable rank among his children, and enjoy the forfeited inheritance ? The answer is given ; they would acknow- ledge his paternal claims, render him the homage due to his name, and no more return to idolatry. n:i3 ni«?:^ '2S rtm^ lit. t/ie inheritance of the splendour of splendours of the nations, i.e. the most splendid of all countries. Though niw^s is elsewhere the construct of nix2S, hosts, yet such acceptation of the word ill suits the present connexion; and, besides, a superlative is required for the purpose of exalting the idea of the excellence of Canaan, which had just been spoken of as the pleasant land. For the application of 'aa to that country, sec Ezck. xx. 6, 15 ; Dan. xi. IG, 41, 45,— The Keri '^IP,!? and '^'iTi'ri are found in the text of upwards of thirty MSS., and in some of the early editions, and would seem to deserve the preference, on the ground of '^N ill the singular occurring immediately before. The LXX., Arab., and Syr., how- ever, have read '"^li;!?, the present textual reading. 20. There is an ellipsis of "t^^S before ^7^3, as frequently in a protasis. Though the Israelites M'erc to be received back into favour, they were not to forget the unfaithful part which they had acted. By "^"y., friend, here, the idea of husband is conveyed. 21. Now follows, in beautiful har- mony with the foregoing, the penitential confessions and supplications of the exiled Israelites. Instead of any more frequenting the high places for the pur- pose of offering sacrifice to idols, they repair to them in order pubHcly to acknowledge the iniquity with which they had been chargeable in forsaking the service of the true God. 22. Jehovah is here introduced, with admirable efFect, as encouraging the exiles to return by the assurance that he would forgive their apostasy ; and they eagerly respond, from the middle of this verse to the end of the chapter, in tones of the deepest abasement — confessing 36 JEREMIAH. ' [oh a?, tv. 23 Surely in vain is the deliverance of Israel Expected from the hills. And the multitude of mountains ; Surely it is with Jehovah our God. 24 The object of shame hath consumed from our youth the gain of our fathers, Their sheep, their oxen, their sons and their daughters. 25 We lie down in our shame, Our disgrace covereth us ; For we have sinned against Jehovah our God, We and our fathers, From our youth even to this day. And have not obeyed the voice of Jehovah our God. their folly and guilt iu having preferred to such a degree, that tlicy w^erc seen in false deities to tJieir own covenant God. every direction ; but numerous as they >s, To Zion, might be summoned to take prompt and appro- considered as the inscription upon it ; priate measures for safety. The opinion but the n is more probably merely that for which Hitzig so keenly contends, that of locality, indicating rest in a place. the invasion here predicted was made by 7. The Eabylonian foe, announced in the Scythians, and not by the Chaldeans, the previous verse as about to be intro- does not appear to be suihciently sup- duced as the instrument of Jehovah for ported. The Van before lypn has doubt- the punishment of the Jews, is here re- less ci'ept in from some transcribers' presented as already on his way to execute having borrowed it from the termination the Divine judgment. By the metaphor of the preceding word, i"i9«i. It is omitted of a lion, he is set forth as having gone in fifty-five MSS., and in several editions, up from his lair — i339, ^li^ thicket, i.e. CUAP. IV.] JEREMIAH. 29 8 For tliis gird yourselves with sackcloth. Smite on your breast, and howl ; For the hot anger of Jehovah Turneth not back from us. 9 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith Jehovah, That the heart of the king shall fail^ And the heart of the princes ; The priests shall be astonished. And the prophets shall be amazed. 10 Then I said : Ah Lord Jehovah I Surely thou hast greatly deceived this people. And Jerusalem, saving : Ye shall have peace, Whereas the sword reacheth to the life. 11 At that time it shall be said To this people, and to Jerusalem : the intertwined branches of the trees of the forest. Root ^, Arab. l^Ju^, to enttcine, intervceate. By this his strong- ly fortified palace at Babylon is meant. S, 9. ^Nothing was left for the Jews but to bewail their desperate condition. Their leading men, from the king down- ward, were all non-plussed. They could devise no means of relief. 10. Deeply affected by this state of things, the prophet cannot restrain his feelings, but gives them utterance in what, at first sight, appears to be a blasphemous charge against Jehovah. It is, however, only one of those strong modes of expression by which the Orien- tals are accustomed toascribe to the Deity an agency by which the certainty of any event was secured, without his exerting any positive or direct influence on those concerned in it. He so arranges matters in his i nfi nitely wise providence, that free agents shall be placed in circum- stances in which, as the result of their own voluntary act, they shall effect that which he had determined shovdd take place, however wicked or atrocious it may be. Thus it was in regard to Phai-aoh : God is expressly said to have hardened his heart. Exod. iv. -21 ; vii. 3, 13 ; ix. 12. He is Kkewise expressly said to have delivered our Saviour up to death, Rom. viii. 32, and to send strong delusions to the dupes of the anti- christian apostasy ; yet it is as expressly declared, that Pharaoh hardened ms own heart, Exod. viii. 15, 32 ; ix. 34 ; that the Jews took and crucified and slew Christ with wicked hands. Acts ii. 23 ; and that those who were to be deluded were such as indulged feelings hostile to the truth, and so were self-prepared to become the dupes of error. In the language of Scripture the immediate cause is frequently omitted, and events are, without any scruple, attributed to the Great Eirst Cause, who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. Eph. i. 11. In the present instance, Jeremiah ascribes to Jehovah what was the result of the agency of the prophets who prophesied falsely iu his name, saying. Peace, peace, wfien there was no peace decreed by him ; yet they acted with all the freedom of moral agents, as did also the Jews, who allowed them- selves to be deceived by them. " This people — and Jerusalem," i. e. the inhabi- tants of the land generally, and those of the metropolis iu particular. 11, 12. The rv2 nn. dry tcind, is the 30 JEREMIAH. [chap. IV. 12 13 A dry wiucl of the high places in the desert. Towards the daughter of my people, Not to fail, nor to cleanse ; A wind fuller than such shall come for me : Now will I also pronounce my judgments against them. Behold ! he shall ascend as the clouds, And his chariots as the tempest ; His horses are swifter than eagles ; Wo to us, for we are destroyed ! 11 Cleanse thy heart from wickedness, O Jerusalem ! In order that thou mayest be delivered : How long wilt thou harbour vain projects within thee ? For a voice announceth from Dan, And publisheth trouble from Mount Ephraim. Communicate it to the nations, Behold ! publish respecting Jerusalem ; Besiegers are coming from a distant country. And they shall give forth their voice against the cities of Judah. 15 16 same as the D'li^Un, eas( wind, or Simoom, so frequently meutioued in the Hebrew Scriptures, which modern travellers de- scribe as terrific in its phenomena, and most destructive as to its effects. It generally blows from the south-east across the dry sandy deserts to the east of Palestine. The ranges of bare hills by which they are occasionally inter- sected are here called D^sip, naked emi- nences, on wluch no trees were found. Such a wind is very different from those ordinary winds whicli might be employed for fanuiug the grain, or clearing the floor after the process of fanning had ceased. n^«, these, seems most natiu'ally to refer to such winds as had just been mentioned, which were useful and not destructive. '1', for me, as my instrument for the execution of my purpose. Under this mctaplior of the Simoom, the Babylonian army is intended, which was to sweep with re- sistless force across the land of Judea. Comp. Is. xxvii. 8. The pronominal reference in cnix, v;Uli theni, is the people of the Jews, ver. 11. Comp. i. JG. 13. Still continuing the metaphor, the prophet compares the terrible appearance of the hostile army to the clouds of sand and dust which accompany tlie Simoom, and after performing rapid gyrations, ascend and cover the whole heavens ; and to the hurricane, which carries all before it. With greater rapidity also than the flight of the eagle, should the cavalry advance. Comp. Hab. i. 8. Well might the inhabitants exclaim, that they were undone. 11. There was only one means of deliverance left for the Jews — a timely and sincere repentance. The vain pro- jects appear to mean the sehemiug by which the Jews still attempted to enlist the Egyptians on their side, f^^ is in Hiphil. Thus Vatablus, C. B. Michaelis, Schnui'rcr, Winer, Gesenius, De Wette. ]5. A messenger arrives from the northern frontier of the Holy Land, an- nouncing the approach of the enemy. 16, 17. The foreign nations in the vici- nity are summoned to a])pear as witnesses of the punishment which Jehovah was about to inflict upon liis rebellious people. The voice referred to, is the war-shout raised by armies when about CHAP. IV.] JEREMIAH. 31 17 As the keepers of a field, They shall be against her round about ; For she hath rebelled against me, Saith Jehovah. 18 Thy way, and thy doings Have procured these things to thee ; This is thy wickedness ; Surely it is bitter. Surely it reacheth to thy heart. 19 My bowels, my bowels ! I am pained at the walls of my heart ; My heart moaneth ; I cannot be silent ; For thou hast heard, O my soul ! the sound of the trumpet. The shout of the battle. 20 Breach upon breach is announced, Surely the whole land is destroyed ; My tents are suddenly destroyed, My tent-curtains in a moment. 21 How long shall I see the signal. And hear the sound of the trvimpet ? to give battle. The metaphor, ver. 17, The repetition 'Jp 'yn, my bowels! vii/ is taken from those who wateh fields for borcels ! is very pathetic, and speaks to the purpose of frightening away the the feelings of all who have ever ex- wild beasts. perienced the acute pain to which re- IS. A direct application of the subject fercnce is made. nb-\m« is barbarously to the Jews, tracing the calamity, awful anomalous. If spelt according as it is as it was, to its sole cause, — the wicked pointed, the verb must be referred to conduct of the nation. This, like a the root ■"?;, to expect, wait, &c., than deadly wound, festered its very core, which nothing would be more unsuitable For '^371, three MSS. and all the ancient in this connexion. The MSS. and editions versions read '^'?7^. exhibit considerable variety of reading, 19 — 21. Most interpreters consider some having '^^'inx, some ^'IV^, and up- these words to be the language of the wards of forty MSS. nJ)inN. Both the prophet, but they may more appro- Keri and the Chethib exhibit a like priately be regarded as those of the variety. The choice of readings lies Jewish state personified, which is intro- between rTi'Tim and ^"iV^ ; the former the duced as experiencing the most acute Kal, and the latter the Hiphil of '''in^ to anguish on receiving the painfid intel- writ/ie with pain. If the latter be pre- ligence of the near approach of the ferred, it must be taken intransitively : enemy. Not only does the mention of / writhe, or am in pain. — iVn niTp, the tents and tent- curtains suggest the idea walls of the heart, has been taken by of more than one person, but the com- our translators as a Hebrew idiom, which parison of the language here employed they have accordingly changed into the with that found in the strictly parallel very heart. In works on medical science, passage chap. x. 19, 20, where un- however, the phrase is of common oc- questionably the Jewish state is per- currence. Thus, in Smith's Philosophy sonified, leads to the same conclusion, of Health : " From the tendinous matter 32 JEREMIAH. [chap. iv. 22 Sui'el}^ my people are foolish ; They know me not ; They are sottish children, They are undiscerning : They are wise to do evil. But to do good they know not. 23 I saw the land, And behold ! it was waste and empty ; And the heavens, and they had no light. 24 I saw the mountains. And behold ! they trembled, And all the hills shook Aehemently. 25 I saw, and behold ! there was no man, And all the birds of the air had fled. 26 I saw, and behold ! the fruitful land had been turned into the desert ; And all its cities were broken down, Before Jehovah, before the fury of his anger. 27 For thus saith Jehovah : The whole land shall become desolate ; Yet I "oill not efi'ect an utter destruction. just indicated most of the fibres that meval chaos. Comp. Is. xxxiv. 11. — constitute the musculai* icalls of the ^VJ^i^nr', Mthlatlkdb', is beautifully ex- heart take their origin." — From the pressive of the violent agitations of the sound of the war-trumpet, the prophet mountains during an earthquake. Comp. proceeds to the battle-shout, then to '•^-^ the breaches made by the enemy, next the Eth. >»T*|>A*I*A: ^^^- O^, to the universal havoc made throughout , ^ _^ the country, and the gradation termi- commomt rem. [V^, motus veJiementior. nates with the destruction of the shep- ^ herds' tents, for which an exemption AH is represented as one complete scene might have been expected. Judah, in of solitude and desolation, no vestige of her perplexity, asks : How long this state the human or of the feathered creation of things was to continue ? Tor \?sn©, a is to be seen. City and field are alike number of MSS. and editions read ri?'?^\ laid waste. The fourfold repetition 22. The repetitious clauses in this of 'nw and n:ni, I saw, and behold! verse are designed to give greater force greatly enhances the interest of the to the sentiment conveyed in it. picture. For ^'s^^n comp. chap. ii. 7. 23— 2G. Notliing can exceed the bold Though we should expect that, gram- and striking character of the poetical marically, there would be no article images here employed to set forth the before "157P, yet it is here prefixed in completeness of the desolation with order more strikingly to exhilfit the con- which Palestine was to be visited. The trast with ''o^sn (he desert, i.e. the use of in3i ^rrn carries the mind at once great desert. back to Gen. i. 2, in which the same 27. In tlie midst of wrath God still words are employed to depict the pri- remembers mercy. Comp. v. 10. cnAr. IV.] JEREMIAH. 33 2S 29 30 31 On this account tlie land shall mourn^ And the heavens above shall be black ; Because I have spoken it^ I have purposed it, And will not repent, nor dravr back from it. At the noise of the horsemen and the archers Every city shall flee ; They shall go into the thickets, And climb the rocks : Every city shall be abandoned. And not a man shall dwell in them. And thou, O destroyed one ! what wilt thou do ? Though thou clothest thyself with scarlet, Though thou adornest thyself with ornaments of gold. Though thou rendest thine eyes with paint, In vain shalt thou beautify thyself; Thy lovers shall despise thee, They shall seek thy life. Surely I have heard a cry like that of a woman in traAail, The utterance of anguish, like that of her who bears for the first time ; The cry of the daughter of Zion : She panteth, she spreadeth forth her hands : 28. nNV'?, on this account, refers to the former half of the preceding verse. The whole of uatare is clad iu gloom at the awful catastrophe. 29 — 31. The city here meant is thought by some to be Jerusalem, to which the inhabitants of the country had been summoned to flee for safety, but now that she was herself threatened by the invading foe, they are represented as leaving her again in their perplexity, and betakiug themselves to the recesses of the forests and mountains. — "iTT"'?, may, even with the article, be taken distributively, as will be seen on con- sulting Exod. i. 22. The use of ^vTI, in them, requires this construction. — Having described the sad plight to M'hich the cities of Judah would be reduced, the prophet turns abruptly to Jerusalem, ver. 30, upon whicli he concentrates the whole force of his discourse, preparatory to his description of her awful wickedness at the beginning of the foUowiiig cliap- tcr. That we should here have i"*? in the masculine, instead of ^J^'n;', to agree witli ''"ji^, and tlic uniformity with res[)ect to the feminine wliich follows, may be accounted for on the principle that cr, people, denoling the inhabitants, is un- derstood.— ^i2? c'.rr r^;: , to rend the eyes with paint, referring to the custom of eastern females, who, in order to make their eyes look large, which is deemed essential to their beauty, employ stibium or antimony, which they lay inside the eyelids with a pencil. Ey laying on too much they injure them, and make them look as if rent. Jerusalem is ironically represented as doing this iu her eager- ness to render herself beautiful, in order to attract the favour of the Egyjjtians, and so secure their aid against the Babylonians. The earliest instance which we have of this custom is tliat of Jeze- bel, 2 Kings xi. 30. In the anguish 34 JEREMIAH. [chap. v. Alas ! now for me ! For my soul fainteth because of murderers. occasioned by the attack of the enemy, her inhabitants cry out Uke a female parturient for the first time, and in hard labour. There is peculiar beauty in suppressing the name of the pereon in trouble until that trouble had been fully described. CHAPTER V. Depravity had become so universal in Jerusalem, that no class was free from its infection. Notwithstanding all the means employed for their reformation, the inhabitants were only the more hardened ; and whatever profession of religion they made was altogether hypocritical, 1 — 5. Such wickedness loudly called for the iafliction of condign punishment, 6 — 9. The prophet summons the Baby- lonians to proceed to inflict this punishment, which the Jews would not admit to be imminent, 10 — 13. An announcement is then made of its certainty, and a description given of the enemy, and the devastation which he should effect, 14 — 18. This is followed by an exhibition of the character of the people under various aspects of aggravated guilt, mingled with pointed appeals in reference to the calamity that was coming upon them, 19 — 31. Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem^ And look now about, and ascertain, and search in her open places, Whether ye can find a man. Whether there be any one doing right, or seeking truth. And I will pardon her. 1. It being beyond dispute, that there did live at the time of the prophet good men at Jerusalem, such as Josiah,Baruch, and Zephaniah, the universality of the language here employed has been en- deavoured to be accounted for, either by supposing magistrates to be meant, or that it is to be confined to those who were to be found in the localities speci- fied — the pious having been obliged to live in retirement. But neither of these hypotheses meets the case. It seems more natural to conclude, that nothing else is intended, than to set forth the general corruption of manners that pre- vailed. This corruption was so extensive, that the few exceptions wliich might exist were not to be taken into the account. Strictly speaking, the language is hyperbolical ; just as in Psalm xiv. we find a desci'iption of general corruption, expressed in the most unlimited terms, while at the same time a generation of the righteous— the people of God — is recognised, ver. 4, 5. If we may suppose a reference to Gen. xviii. 32, the con- clusion is, that matters were worse in Jerusalem than in Sodom, in which, how gross soever was the immorality, there is no proof that idolatry was practised. CHAP, v.] JEREMIAH. 35 2 And though they may say : " Jehovah liveth ! " They, nevertheless, swear falsely. 3 O Jehovah ! are not thine eyes toward the truth ? Thou hast smitten them, but they have not been in pain ; Thou hast consumed them. But they have refused to be corrected ; They have made their faces harder than a rock, They have refased to return. 4 Then I said : Surely these are the poor ; They are foolish, For they know not the way of Jehovah, The judgment of their God. 5 I will betake me to the great, And will speak to them ; For they must know the way of Jehovah, The judgment of their God : But these have altogether broken the yoke. They have bui'st asunder the bonds. 6 Wherefore a lion from the forest shall slay them, An evening wolf shall destroy them ; A leopard shall lie in wait about their cities ; Every one who goeth out of them shall be torn in pieces : Because their rebellions are numerous. Their apostasies are increased. 2. Swearing is to be understood here, 4, 5. In order to give still greater not in the sense of taking a judieial prominence to the universality of the oath, but in that of professing the true evil, the prophet here supposes the case, worship of Jehovah. See on chap. iv. 2. that it could only exist among the mass Whatever profession of the true religion of the uninstructed vulgar, and then goes was made on occasion of Josiah's re- on to express his hope, that he would moval of the objects of idolatrous adora- Ibid things in a very different state among tion, it was purely hypocritical. those constituting the liigher ranks of 3. What treatment had the Jews to society, who had enjoyed superior _ad- expeet from Jehovah, as njrass "?«, t/ie vantages. But there he found nothing God of truth, Deut. xxxii. 4, whose eyes but the most lawless profligacy. For are always intent upon uprightness, and nnw, see on chap. i. 16. who requires it in all his worshippers ? 6. Three of the fiercest of the wild To Him in this character the prophet animals arc selected as metaphors, under appeals, and proceeds to assert that all which to represent the formidable cha- tne chastisements with which he had racter of the Babylonians — the lion as visited them, with a view to reform the strongest, the wolf as the most them, had only left them more unfeeling ravenous, and the leopard as the swiftest and obstinate than before. of such animals, nia^s 3n] is rendered by 36 JEREMIAH. [CIIAI'. V, How can 1 pardon thee for this? Thy chihlren liave forsaken me, And Iiave sworn by objects tliat arc not God ; Though I supplied them a1)undantly, Yet they committed adultery, And gatlicred themselves in the harlot's house. Fed stallions, rising early, They neighed, each after the wife of his neighbour. Should 1 not punish for these things ? saith Jehovah ; And should not my soul avenge itself on such a nation as this ? some, a icolfof the dcserls ; by others, a ""^^If "f f'lt? r?^«J, Ihouf/h Ifedlhem l,o l/iej'ull, i.e. J supi)iied them abundantly with all needful good. The latter reading is ajiproved by Ktisehi, Kimchi, M iehaelis, I )ath(^, Dahler, Uoseu- niiiller, Ewald, and Umbrcit ; but Seholz, -Maurer, and ilit/ig prefer I he formei', and consider the reference to be to the pledge which the nation took at Sinai. The frequency with which the ungrate- ful conduct of the Jews is contrasted in our prophet with the boiintifulness of their covenant God, favours the amended reading. So far were they from mani- festing a desire to offer him the returns of devoted obedience, that they assembksd iu crowds in idolatrous temples, en- couraging one; another in the service of false gods. While " the harlot's house " is to be taken metaphorically as deiu)ti)ig an idolatrous temple, it must not be for- gotten that prostitution formed part of the worship. 8. The aviditj with which they pur- sued the worshij) of false gods is lierc represented und(!r a most expressive nietaphor. D'?1i.p or D'^ira the Keri pre- scribes should be read D'^ro, according to Schultens, pouderilms, i.e. testibus instrticli, from jv, to Ije heavy ; but this root is altogether suppositious ; and the textual reading — the IJophul Tarticiplc of ^^1, to )toitrhli,feed, &C., afford;!' a sense quite as api)ro)}riate. — d'?^P Michaelis point s D'^uJo, and renders truhentes (jeni- talia, in which he follows Jerome, who gives eXKoj/rey as the rendering of the Greek versions. Simonis proposed that n2^, Elh. rt«|»P: erravit, should be regarded as the root, of which D'Sipn would be the lliphil Participle. This derivation, though approved by Kosen- miilJer, i)e VVcttc;, Maurer and Umbrc^t., is rejected by Gescnius, who abides by the old interi)retatiou of the Uebrew school : mane s/trf/eus, siimmo .studio ali- (juid fecit, ;uid takes the word to be ])ut in tJie singular for the ))lural d'P'dujq. Jlitzig calls this un impossible syncope. cii.vr. v.] JEREMIAH. 37 10 Scale her Avails, aiul destroy, But cftcct not an utter destruction ; Remove her tendrils, For they arc not Jehovah's. 11 Surely they have acted very faithlessly towards me, Both the house of Israel, and the house of Judah, saitli Jehovah. \i They have denied Jehovah, They have said : " He is not ; Therefore calamity sliall not overtake us. Neither shall \xc behold the sMord or famine." 13 And " the prophets are become wind, And there is no word in them : Thus shall it be done to themselves.'' 1 1 AVherefore thus saith Jehovah, the God of Hosts : Because ye speak this word, rnhold, 1 will make my words in thy mouth fire. And this people Avood, and it shall devour them. Ewald proposes the Ai-ab. uJu*i, diyi- t/en'o/f/f//ni)i,'!, and points c'^u?'d, wliich lie would niiikc c(niivalent to c^k^'^, and compares the Hebrew rTTT^*'"^, desire, loii;/iinf. I sec no necessity for departing from llebrew usage, according to which this ]Kirtieipial form is used adverbially to express the doing of anything early. 'I'lie anomaly n>ay be remirded as an in- stance of neglected nunmer. 10. l>y the abrujjt introduction of an apostrophe, the Babylonians are ordered to take Jerusalem, but at the same time to temper the judgment with niercj. Conip. iv. 27. Though the .lewish people were not to bo utterly destroyed, yet the notables were to be removed toiJabylon. The metaphor is that of a vineyard, sur- rounded by walls, and well stocked with vines. nS-\\r from rrjtf, which is equiva- lent to i^^', a trail — an iiderpretation which quite satisfies the chums of the context, and is that given in all the ancient versions, so that there is no ne- cessity to introduce, with llitzig, the 1'2. Transferring their worship to idols the Hebrews had practically denied the existence of the true (iod. They went, at all events, to the length of disavowing their belief in his holy character as tlic punisher of sin, and tlatteretl themselves with the idea that they should be exempt from calamity. 13. The continuation of the unbe- lieving language of the Jews. The n ju ■>?"Tr', Maurer and Hitzig take to be cm- ))loyed instead of the relative "it>M, and render, he fclio sjjeuhrth ; but it seems better to consider "^st as equivalent to Ta^, :md to be used, as in Ilos. i. 2, of a divine conununication. The impious Jews maintained that the jironhets had received no such message to deliver as that which involved their punishment, but that all their threat enings were the mere in- vention of their own brain. They further asserted, that, as announcers of falsehood, they deserved to have their predictions accomplished in themselves. It. To express the i)cuetrating energy of the Divine word, our prophet com- pa I HI free, or, with Kwald, the blossuiiisof pares it to tire, chap, xxiii. 29 ; but liere ///(■ r'uie. AVIiile the tendrils were to be the metaphor is employed to denote the removed, the stems were to remain, severe denunciations of judgment which Comp. Is. vi. 13. the prophet was eouuuissionctl to deliver, 38 JEREMIAH. fCHAP. V. 15 16 17 18 19 Behold, I am bringing against you a nation from afar, house of Israel ! saith Jehovah ; A nation that is mighty, A nation that is ancient, A nation whose language thou shalt not understand. Neither shalt thou distinguish what it shall speak. Their quiver is like an open sepulchre, All of them are heroes. They shall eat up thy harvest and thy bread. Which thy sons and thy daughters should eat ; They shaU eat up thy flocks and thy herds. They shall eat up thy vines and thy fig-trees ; They shall impoverish thy fortified cities, Wherein thou trustedst, with the sword. Yet, even in those days, saith Jehovah, 1 will not make an end of you. And it shall come to pass when ye shall say : Why doeth Jehovah our God all these things to us ? Then thou shalt say to them : As ye have forsaken me. the execution of which would resemble the devouring action of that element. 15j IG. Bj the house of Israel in this verse are not meant the ten tribes then in exile, but the Jews of the Davidic kingdom. The description of the Baby- lonians is terse and forcible. The four- fold occurrence of 'i3, nation^ greatly adds to its force. 'jn'N properly signifies per- ennial, constant, and is used of streams which never dry up. The term is also used to describe whatever is fii-m or strong, and is here obviously employed in this acceptation. The antiquity ascribed to the invaders has special re- spect to the Chaldeans, a nation originally inhabiting the Carducliian mountains and the northern parts of Mesopotamia, but who had immigrated into the Babylonian territory, where they had a settlement allotted them ; and being, like all moun- taineers, distinguished for their bravery, doubtless composed the most formidable part of the invading army. Sec my com- ment on Isaiah xxiii. 13. From its being affirmed that the Jews would not understand the language of this people, it follows that after they left their ori- ginal abodes, they must have retained their native tongue, which was, in all probability, the mother of the present Kui-dish — a language totally different from any of Semitic origin, but showing much affinity with the ancient Persic. — The comparison of their quivers to an open grave was designed to convey the notion of the deadly effect of the arrows which they contained. 17. Before ^''^s' supply ittJ«. The verb being thrice used in the singular, shows that as here employed in the plural it is to be referred not to the Chaldeans, but to the sons and daughters of the Jews. IS. The concluding words of this verse are not to be understood of God's not completing his judgments by the first invasion of the land, as Grotius interprets, but of his merciful determi- nation not to exterminate the Jews as a people. Comp. chap. iv. 27 ; v. 10. 19. By a just retribution, the Jews, who liad given themselves up to the CHAP, v.] JEREMIAH. 39 And served strange gods in your own land, So sliall ye serve strangers in a land that is not your's. 20 Declare this in the house of Jacob, And publish it in Judah, saying : 21 Hear now this, O people foolish and without understanding ! Who have eyes, but see not ; Who have ears, but hear not. 22 Will ye not fear me ? saith Jehovah ; Will ye not tremble at my presence ? Wlio have placed the sand for a boundary to the sea, By a perpetual law, that it may not pass it ; Yea though the waves toss themselves, they cannot prevail ; Though they roar, yet they cannot pass it. 23 But this people hath a revolting and rebelUous heart, They have revolted, and are gone. 24 Neither say they in their heart : Let us now fear Jehovah our God, Who giveth rain, both the former and the latter in its season. Who secureth to us the appointed weeks of harvest. 25 Your iniquities have turned away these things. And your sins have withholden good from you. worship of foreign idols in their own The Jews were blind to the character of country, should now be reduced to Jehovah, not only as the Author of slavery by foreign masters in a strange nature, but also as the God of provi- land. dence, to whose bouutifulness they were 21. Comp. for this description of the indebted for the fruitful seasons which moral obtuseness of the Jews in the they had enjoyed. It argues the greatest time of the prophet, Deut. xxix. 4. insensibility of heart to be unmoved They had the power of perception, but alike by the power and the goodness of they would not use it. Nevertheless God. — ^^v, the former rain, falls from they were held responsible, and are the middle of October till the beginning called to the exercise of it. of December, and, reviving the parched 22. A sublime exhibition of the Divine and thirsty soil, prepares it for the seed : character, as the omnipotent Author of ii^ip^'?, tlie latter, or spring rain, which nature, who, by the laws which he hath falls in Palestine before the harvest, in ordained, renders the feeble beach, con- the months of March and April, and is sisting only of incoherent particles of essential to the maturity of the crops, sand, a sufficient barrier to arrest at once — The harvest weeks were the seven the mountainous bQlows of the ocean, weeks which intervened between the Such a Being was indeed to be feared ; Passover and Pentecost, dating from the and if the Jews had not become utterly 16th day of Nisan. Deut. xvi. 9. To insensate, they never could have ex- render ^"^"^y^, oaths, as Ewald and Urn- changed his service for that of inanimate breit do in this place, is unwarranted by and powerless idols. Hebrew usage. 23. 24. For ">TD and ^"id, comp. no 25. There had been an interruption w-\yD, vi. 28, and f^? n^nb, Hos. iv. IG. of fruitful seasons, which the prophet 40 JEREMIAH. [chap. v. 26 For wicked men are found among my people. They eaeli lie in wait, like the crouching of foAvlers, They set a trap, they catch men. 27 As a cage full of birds, So are their houses full of deceit ; Therefore they ai'c become great and rich. 28 They are fat, they shine. They even surpass in matters of Avickedness ; They judge not the cause. The cause of the orphan, yet they prosper ; They defend not the right of the needy. 29 Should I not punish for these things ? saith Jehovah ; Should not my soul avenge itself on such a nation as this ? 30 An astounding and horrible thing is done in the land ; 31 The prophets prophesy ftilsely. And the priests rule under their guidance ; And my people love to have it so ; But what will ye do in the end thereof? ascribes to the national guilt of tlic Jews. 26 — 28. However wickedly they might act, the Jews were still the people of God, iu so far as Ids propriety in them was concerned. It was impossible that lie should renounce his claims on their obedience. In mctajihors taken from bird-catchers, tiie prophet describes tlie canning of the more abandoned part of the nation, and the great wealth which they had unjustly acquired, iim? is here used of the great caution and circum- spection with which fowlers proceed when setting their snares, iu order to secure their prey. T|iiJ is the injinitive of ^^%\ to sfooj), hend oneself down. n'TOp properly means dedroyer or destruction — here the means or instrument of de- st ruction — the snare or trap. — y^., a basket, or cage, so cidled because of its wicker-work. See on Amos viii. 1. By the houses being full of deceit, is meant, by a metonymy of the cause for tlie effect, that they had heaped up treasures acquired by fraud. Notwithstanding their superlative wickedness, and their total neglect of the destitute, rolling as they did in wealth, they were, in tlie providence of God, jjcrmitted to prosper, that their fall might be the more conspi- cuous. Comp. Ps. Ixxiii. IS — 20 ; xcii. 7. 29. A repetition of the pointed in- terrogations put in ver. 9. 31. Instead of exerting their influence in order to curb the people in their wicked courses, the prophets delivered false messages by which they were flattered, and rendered secure ; and the priests were encounigcd by these lying teachers, because by their means their influence over the deluded multitude vras mamtaincd. The prophets were the guides or directors of the priests. The credulous confidence of the ignorant has in all ages been at the connnand of an interested priesthood, cnnps^ literally at their hand, i, e. by their guidance. Comp. 1 Chron. xxv. 3 ; Ezra iii. 10. It appears clear from various parts of the Old Testament, that a great number of persons pretending to prophesy arose among the Hebrews, by M'hom the ex- ertions of the true proi)liets were greatly counteracted, and the ruin of the nation accelerated. n at the termination of •^'T^n^ is ^ised as a neuter, and refers to the state of things just described. CILVP. VI.] JEllEMIAII. 41 CHAPTER VI. Further representations of tlie Babylonian invasion, and the siege of Jerusalem, 1 — 6 ; the procuring eause of the calamity and another admonitory warning follow, 6—9 ; the prophet next expatiates on the awful corruption of the Jewish state, and the guilt which had been contracted by rejecting the messages of Jehovah, and listening to the ilattering predictions of the false prophets, 10—15; then gives special point to the obstinacy of the people, and summons the nations to witness the punishment inflicted on them, 16 — 19 ; their hypocritical offerings are then denounced, 20 ; the tremendous character of the Babylonians is again exhibited, 21—26 ; and the chapter closes with a description of the irre- claimableness of the Jews, notwithstanding all the means that had been tried with them, 27 — 30. Flee for refuge, O ye sons of Benjamin ! Out of the midst of Jerusalem ; Blow ve the trumpet in Tckoa ; Raise the signal at Beth-haccarcm : For calamity impendeth from the north. And great destruction, I will destroy the daughter of Zion, The beautiful and delicate one. 1. Jerusalem was situated in the tribe of Benjamin, which was here separated from tliat of Judah by the Valley of Hinnom. Though the city was inhabited partly by those belonging to tiie latter tribe, and partly by Beujaminites, yet these are specially adtb-essed, owing, as Raschi suggested, and as many of the moderns approve, to their being more especially the propliet's own countrymen. From the natural strength of its position, and the resources of defence which it contained, it was natural that the in- habitants of the surrounding country should betake themselves to i\ie capital for safety. Those who had so done are now exhorted to make their escape froni it ere it was invested by the enemy, by whom it would be taken and destroyed. As the hostile army approached from the north, the only direction in which they could flee was towards the south, in which tlie two towns lay which are here spccilicd. The former, Tekoci, the birth- place of the prophet Amos, lay on an elevated hill, about twelve miles due south from Jerusalem. Its ruins, cover- ing four or five acres, are described by Dr. llobinsou, vol. ii. p. 182. According to Jerome, Beth-haccarem was situated between Tekoa and the capital. Ewald, inconsistently with his own practice, clianges the proper Hebrew names of these two towns into terms expressive of their etymological significations. For Tekoa he gives S/ossheim, and for Beth- haccarem, Weinhergshause. He was doubtless induced to adopt the former rendering in order to give in German the force of the paronomasia : lEic irirri iTP?, in Stossheim stosst in die Fosaune. — rxiira, (properly an elevation, from nc:, to raise, equivalent to D3, a signal,) is very pro- bably employed here to denote a signal made by kindling a fire on the tops of mountains, or other elevations, in order to warn the inhabitants of a country of the approach of an enemy. In the Talmud the term is used of the fires whicli the Jews kindled as signals at the time of the new moon. 2. Though ncT signifies in Kal to tje 43 JEREMIAH. [chap. VI. The shepherds and their flocks shall come to her^ They shall pitch their tents around her ; They shall feed, each in his place. Prepare war against her ; Arise, and let us go up at noon ; Alas ! for us, for the day dechnes. For the shadows of evening are lengthened. Arise, and let us go up by night. And let us destroy her palaces. For thus saith Jehoval* of Hosts : Cut down trees. And throw up a mound against Jerusalem : This is the city to be altogether punished ; Oppression is in the midst of her. As a well causeth its water to flow. So she causeth her wickedness to flow ; like, yet it never has in that conjugation, but only in Piel, the siguification of likening, or comparing. It must, tliere- fore, be taken iu the acceptation of destroying, reducing any thing to silence by making an end of it. ™|1'"'??t n^J!? are iu the vocative, and pT"?, wliicli is in apposition with them, is used instead of the pronoun '^nis. 3. Tiie shepherds and tlieir flocks are nsed metaphorically for the Babylonian princes and their armies. Comp. chap, xlix. 20 ; 1. 45. T, hatid, is employed, as here, to denote -place. Numb. ii. 17 ; Deut. xxiii. 13. 4, 5. For the phrase JT?"^'? '^1?., to sanctify war, see on Is. xiii. 3. The hostile army are here introduced as en- couraging one another to the attack on Jerusalem. So eager are they, that they even propose that it should be made at noon, notwithstanding the heat of the sun. The onset being made, they mourn the approaching shades of night, which threaten to suspend their hostile opera- tions, but still resolve to renew the attack at night. The complaint uttered is not that of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, but of the invaders, regretting that the day- light was too short for their destructive warfare. 6. ri^5?^ her tree or tree^, which some of De Hossi's MSS. read, and which is cotin- tenanced by the LXX., Arab., and both the Syr. versions, affords no proper sense. The trees were to be employed in con- structing mounds and other works re- quisite for the siege. Agger autem ex terra ligniscjue attollitur contra murum. Veget. de Re Militar. iv. 15. nss? is used collectively for cs?. — T|P«3, to pour Old a mound, has reference to the empty- ing of the baskets of earth which was brought to make the mound. — Jerusalem is SeiKj'iKcos pointed out as the city to be captured, in pimishment of hei- crimes, the awful extent of which is set forth in this and the following verse. T.PTl i'?? nVs are to be joined in construction, and not separated as they are by the Zakeph- katon. ''2, which is masculine, thus becomes the nominative to Tcn. 7. "I??, or, as it is given iu the Keri, i'2, is the same as i^??, a well dug in the ground, from which water springs, as distinguished from '^, a natural spring or fountain. Comp. the Arab. .X), ptdeiis. I'i?'!', literally, to cause to dig, from 1V, to dig, but used here metonymically for the effect of digging — the causing of the water to flow. Historical proofs of the dreadful state of things described by the prophet are found, 2 Kings xxi. 16, 24. ClUP. YI.] JERE]VIIA1L 43 Violence and spoil are heard in lier. Pains and wounds are continually before me. S Be instructed, O Jerusalem ! Lest my soul should be torn away from thee ; Lest I make thee desolate, A land not inhabited. 9 Thus saith Jehovah of Hosts : They shall thoroughly glean, as a vine, the remnant of Israel ; Turn thy hand again, like a grape - gatherer, into the baskets. 10 To whom shall I speak. And give warning, that they may hear ? Behold ! their ear is uncircumcised, So that they cannot hearken ; Behold ! the word of Jehovah is to them a reproach, They take no delight in it. 11 Therefore I am full of the fury of Jehovah, I am weary of containing it ; I will pour it upon the children without. And upon the assembly of the youths together; Surely both the husband and the wife shall be taken. The aged with him that is full of days. That the speaker at the close of the verse is Jehovah is evident from what ininicdiately follows, ver. 8. 8. Ski; is a strong term, denoting the effort required in separating one thing from another. It is expressive in this phice of the unwillingness of Jehovah to inflict punishment upon Jerusalem. He was attached to it, as the place which he had chosen to put liis name there, and nothing but the extreme wickedness of its inhabitants could have moved him to withdraw his alTeetion from it. We have here another of those tender exhor- tations which are so frequently min- gled with' threatcnings of punishment. 0. The Jews are represented under the metaphor of a vine, and their enemies as tlie vintagers. As the latter cease not to return with their baskets while any grapes remain to be reaped, so the Babylonians were repeatedly to come and carry away the inhabitants into cap- tivitv. See 2 Kings xxiv. H ; xxv. 11 ; Jer.'lii. 28—30. nto^p, wicker-baskets, the same as D'bp, from ''^p, to move to and fro, like twigs or branches, hence the twigs of which baskets are made. 10. The prophet represents the hearts of the people as closed with a foreskin, an image which must possess much force of meaning to a Jew, and is not unfrequent in Scripture, Lev. xxvi. 41; Ezek. xliv. 7; Acts vii. 51. The prophet found no entrance for tlie divine message: it was not only neglected, but treated with contempt by all. 11. Such, however, was the strong impulse to denounce the judgments of God of which Jeremiali was conscious, that he found it impossible any longer to restrain his feelings, and therefore calls upon himself in a state of im- passioned emotion, to pour them forth upon all without distinction of age or sex. 44 JEREMIAH. [chap. vi. 12 And their lioiises sliall be transferred to others, Their fields and wives together ; For I will stretch out my hand Upon the inhabitants of the land, Saith Jehovah. 13 For from the least of them to the greatest of them, They are all greedy of gain ; And from the prophet to the priest, They all aet falsely. 14 For they heal the breach of the daughter of my people slightly, Saying : Peace, peace ; When there is no peace. 15 They ought to have been ashamed, because they have com- mitted an abomination; But they are not in the least ashamed. Neither do they feel abashed ; Therefore they shall fall among them that fall. In the time when I punish them they shall stumble, Saith Jehovah. 16 Thus saith Jehovah : Stand ye in the ways, and look. And ask for the old paths ; Where is the good way, and walk ye in it. And ye shall find rest to your souls. But they said : " We will not w^alk in it.'^ 12. Comp. Deut. xxviii. 30. prophets, as liere expressed, comp. Ezek. 13. i'^a y?i3 is a phrase of too frequent xiii. 10. occurrence in reference to the acquisition 15. TC'^in, the Hiphil used intrausi- of exorbitant or unjust gain, to admit of tively, with the signification of «i3, to be its being applied to concupiscence or ashamed. Verbs in Hebrew express some- evil lust in general, as Blayney proposes, times, not the action, but the duty or ^y — iP has the force of mcluding — both, obligation to perform it. Comp. '^i^'^, or the one as well as the other. i^":«'', ^chich ought not to he done, Gen. _ 14. n3, daughter, is omitted in thirty- xx". 9. 'npvp:, should keep, Mai. ii. 7. So eight MSS. and twenty-four printed here, though the verb be in the preterite, editions. The combination 'Q^ ns, the it has the same force. n| is intensive. daughter of my people, however, meaning 16. The people are directed to act the the people themselves, is not foreign to part of travellers, who, when perplexed Jeremiah. See chap. viii. 21, 22.— nV;?r''?, as to which way they shall choose, stop slightlg, in the slightest manner. Comp. and diligently inquire in what direction ">ir? ''? falsely, Tjl ^? largely. nV;:? is an they ought to proceed. The good and abstract noun, derived from the feminine ancient paths were easily to be found, Participle in Niphal of V?p^, to be light, if they had only had a heart to walk in for the flattering messages of the false them ; but this they obstinately refused CUAP. VI.] JEREMIAH. 45 17 I appointed also watclunen over you^ saying : Hearken to the sound of the trumpet ; But they said : " "\Vc Anil not hearken." 1 s Therefore, hear, O ye nations ! And know, O assembled people ! What is among them. 19 Hear, O earth ! Behold ! I will bring calamity upon this people, The fruit of their own inventions ; Because tlicy have not attended to my words, And my law they have rejected. 20 To what purpose is this to me, that frankincense should come from Sheba, And sweet cane from a distant country ? Your bui*nt ofterings are not acceptable, Neither are your sacrifices pleasing to me. '2i Therefore, thus saith Jehovah : Behold I I will set stumbling-blocks before this people ; And the fathers and the sons shall fall over them together, Both the neighbour and his friend, and shall perish. 22 Thus saith Jehovah : Behold ! a people shall come from the north country, A great nation shall be roused from the recesses of the earth ; 23 Tlicy handle the bow and the lance, to do. TjiT bciug of common gender, ntmost latitude of meaning— all the in- admits of both rn, and ni being connected liabitauts of the globe. i prcGxed in with it. ?i:i? as nrno, Is. xxviii. 12, sig- ^^tf^i: is redundant. nifics resf, triDiqnilUtij, and not rcstora- 20. Conip. Is. xliii. 2-1 ; Ix. G. No Hon, as Blayncy proposes. xr\ properly external services can be accejjtable to signides to contract, to bring together, to God while the heart is not influenced by shrink for fear; to drawback into a state supreme regard to him. of rest, to restrain : in Hiphil, to compose, 21. The Babylonians, described in the make^ tranquil. following vcrse^s, were the stumbling- 17. By the c^?'.^, iratchmen, prophets blocks or instruments that were to efi'ect are meant, on whom it devolved to an- the fall or ruin of the Jews. This ruin nounce to the people the impending was to be indiscriminate. For 'njN' the calamities which they were inspired to Keri has n3>i2n, the nations Comp. Is. xiv. 13. With the northern immediately preceding. The Babylonian parts they were in general but little army seems to be intended. acquainted. 19. V}N is here to be taken in its 23. The Chaldean soldiery appear in 46 JEREMIAH. [chap. vr. 2-i 25 26 27 They are ci-uel^ and sliew uo pity ; Their voice roareth hke the sea, And they ride upon horses ; Fully arranged as men for the battle — Against thee, O daughter of Zion ! We have heard the report of them, Our hands are relaxed ; Anguish hath seized us, Pain as that of a woman in travail. Go not out into the field. Neither walk in the road ; For the enemy hath a sword. There is fear on every side. O daughter of my people ! put on sackcloth. And roll thyself in the ashes ; Make thee a mourning as for an only child, A most bitter lamentation; For suddenly the destroyer shall come upon us. I have appointed thee an assayer among my people, An explorer, that thou mayest know and try their way. some respects to have resembled the Cossaeks of modern times, especially in the use of the lance on horseback. They fight principally in small bodies, with which they attack the enemy on all sides, but principally on the flanks, and in the rear, rushing upon them at full speed, with a di'eadful hurrah, and with levelled lances. tiJ'N3, like a man, or men, i.e. al- together such as men are accustomed to be, fully, most perfectly prepared and ready. 3 has here an intensive force, which I have expressed by the adverb ftdli/ before the participle. The description closes with great power by the addition of Ji'rn? Tj:by, against thee,' daughter of Zion ! after it might have been supposed to have been completed. 24, 25. The Jews, alarmed at their dangei", give expression to lli'' poignancy of their sorrow, and caution (.iie another not to expose themselves to the enemy by going without the walls of the city. A considerable number of MSS., the Complut. Polyglott, and all the ancient versions, support the Keri in read- ing 13%? and 'IN?'? instead of "'tx} and 26. Jehovah is the speaker in this and the following verse. '^/Sriri Kimchi ex- plains by ^^, roll t hi/self. The LXX. and Vulg. render sprinkle — supposing the reference to be to the custom of persons' sprinkling dust over their heads as a token of excessive grief. The former signification is best sustained. Comp. Ezek. xxvii. 30; Micah i. 10. ^5pa nn^ipn, a lamentation of bitternesses, for most bitter lamentation, expressed by beating the breast, as i?d properly signi- fies. The destroyer was Nebuchadnezzar. 27. In this verse and the three follow- ing, the language of metallurgy is em- ployed metaphorically to express the destination of the prophet, and the cha- racter of the moral materials on which he w'as called to operate. The proper and the metaphorical, however, are inter- mingled, in order to obviate any misun- derstanding on the part of the hearers. )'in3, a trier, from '^\, to jrrove, or tri/ metals, as irip;, a fowler, from i»p; ; Tiffl?, CHAP. VI.] JEREMIAH. 47 28 29 30 They are all desperate revolters, They are conversant with detraction ; They are copper and iron^ They are all corrupters. The bellows snort^ The lead is consumed by the fire ; In vain the refiner refineth, For the Avicked are not separated. Rejected silver they shall be called , For Jehovah hath rejected them. au oppressor, from 7"^^. Thus the LXX. boKifjiacnrjv. Syr. (3a*».2- Maurer and Hitzig consider i^?? to be com- pounded of the noun i^'?, gold, and the preposition, only the Dagcsh Compensa- tive should be inserted in the Beth. Scholz, GcseniuSj and others, take the word in the same acceptation as in chap, i. 18, where Jeremiah is said to be con- stituted a fortitied city. Neither inter- pretation is satisfactory. The former, without gold, comes in awkwardly after " my people ; " and the latter, a fortified citi/, little accords with "a trier of metals." I am, therefore, of opinion, that the term takes here the signilication of the Arab. j^a.i, vidensfuit, rem quce- sivit ac scrutatus f/iit ; hence j-ob, bene videns, persjiicax ; j^'OXo, probatio ; and have rendered it e.rpJorer — the concrete for the abstract. Michaelis gives tliis sense by changing the punctuation into that of the Piel Participle "^^jm, lookit/g carefully, or one who thus looks. Ewald construes in the same way, only he adopts the signification of cutting, which he applies to the separation of the good from the bad portions of metal, lini and "1?^? are thus parallel, and nearly identical in signification. 28. D'l^iD 'ID is quite equivalent to a Superlative. The roots, indeed, are not the same, but they are so completely cog- nate, both in sound and in sense, as to admit of such construction. Maurer rendexscofituMcicissimi J Ewald: tic fciile*- tcftcii tcv 2rf)(cvttcn. For the paronomasia couip. chap. V. 23; Hos. iv. 16. The images of copper and iron may be em- ployed to describe the ignoble and base character of the Jews, comp. Is. Ix.. 17, or to set forth their obduracy, Is. xlviii. 4. 29. ns*?, bellows, from he:, to blow. inj may either be the root of the verb, to snort, and designed in this place to express the sound produced by the con- tinued blowing of the bellows ; or it may be the Niphal of TiT^, to burn. The former best suits the connexion. Thus Mi- chaelis, Kosenmiiller, Dahler, De Wette, Scholz and Umbreit. Instead of cntfNp, which affords no proper sense, the Keri divides and reads en ir«o, consumed by the fire, c^ being masculine and T\-^p feminine, presents no obstacle to this construction, since the gender of the noun is equivalent to the neuter, and is formal, not real. For the form '^'^\ see on ver 27. Anciently, before quicksilver was known, lead was employed for the purpose of separating silver from the baser metal with which it was mixed. The meaning of the verse is, that, though the utmost pains had been taken with the Jews, and every means assiduously employed which was calculated to purify them from idolatry, all had proved fruit- less. They would not be reclaimed. They could not be separated from the worshippers of idols. 30. As silver, which is so completely mixed with alloy as to be utterly worth- less, so the Jewish people had by their rejection of the worship and service of the true God, rendered themselves the objects of rejection on ids part. 48 JEREMIAH, [chap. yii. CHAPTER YII. This cliapter aud the t^'o following form a new portion of the book, and appear to have been composed on occasion of some public festival in the reign of Jehoiakim. That the multitudes who came up from the country might have the benefit of his instructions, the prophet is commanded to take his station at the gate of the temple, and direct their attention to the nature of true religion. Instead of suffering themselves to be deceived by a false confidence in the temple, they were thoroughly to reform their conduct, 2 — 7. They had been taught by the false prophets, that if they only attended to the ceremonial worship, it was not necessary for them to be strict in their morals, S — 10 ; but they had only to contemplate the fate of those who had lived at Shiloh, in order to have a speci- men of what they themselves had to expect, 11 — 15. Their inveterate propensity to idolatry rendered all means to reclaim them nugatory, 16—19. They are, therefore, threatened with a tremendous judgment, 20, which their sacrifices — substituted for obedience — would not avert, 21 — 28. After further describing their idolatrous character and practices, 29 — 31, the prophet again threatens them with the infliction of condign punishment, 33 — 31. 1 The word whicli was communicated to Jeremiali from JeliovaL, 2 saying : Stand in the gate of the house of Jehovah, and proclaim there this word, and say : Hear the word of Jehovah, all ye of Judah, That enter these gates to worship Jehovah. 3 Thus saith Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel : Reform your ways and your doings, And I will still cause you to dwell in this place. 1. Notwithstanding the great reforma- that of the women. As ihe former is tion effected by Josiah, the people of the always mentioned under the name of Jews soon relapsed into idolatry. In cbi«, or 'porch, it was more likely the this they were encouraged by Jehoiakim, latter. This receives confirmation from who did evil in the sight of the Lord, the other gates being mentioned imme- and thus the national guilt was awfully diately after as those at which the Jews increased. Though they again adopted entered : namely, that leading into the the worship of idols, yet it was in con- outer court, or court of the Gentiles, junction with that of Jehovah ; and they and that leading into the court of the appear to have come from different parts women, from which a third gate, as of Judea to w^orship at the temple on the above stated, led into the court of occasion when this prophetic discourse Israel. Those whom the prophet ad- was delivered. dressed had come in through the two 2. It is not certain in which gate first, and were just about to enter the Jeremiah is here commanded to take his court where sacrifice was offered and station. Some think it was the principal worship performed. gate on the east side of the temple, which 3. As the Jews already dwelt at Jeru- led into the large outer court ; others, salem, }?ii5 the Piel, or intensive form of the gate of the court of Israel, within the verb, must here have a conlinuative CHAP. VTI.] JEREMIAH. 49 10 Put uot your trust in words of falsehood, saying, The temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah, The temple of Jehovah are these. But, if ye will thoroughly reform your ways and your deeds. If ye will thoroughly execute justice between a man and his neighbour. If ye will not oppress the stranger, the orphan, and the widow, And will not shed innocent blood in this place. And will not follow other gods to your hurt ; Then I will cause you still to dwell in this place. In the land which I gave to your fathers For ever and ever. Behold ! ye put your tinist in words of falsehood. Which are to no profit. "Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, And swear falsely, and burn incense to Baal, And follow other gods which ye know not ; And yet come, and stand before me in this house. Which is called by my name, force, or it must have a permissive sig- nification. Tlicre is no example of the simple signification to dwell attaching to this conjugation, so that the rendering of tlie Vulgate, which Blayney adopts, / will dwell with you, is not sustained ; comp. ver. 12. 4. Men in all ages have evinced a proneness to attribute to external and ceremonial circumstances a virtue which does not inhere in them, imagining that the simple observance of them will supersede the necessity of the strict pursuit of holiness. The Jews supposed, that because tlie temple was dedicated to the w'orship of Jehovah, he, as their tutelar God, would cll'cctually protect it, and all who came to worsliip in it. The triple repetition of rnn? "JS'ri expresses the intense feeling of false conlidouco which the Jews ciierished. Comp. for similar triple superlatives, Is. vi. 3 ; Jer. xxii. 29. npn, these, refers to the sacred buildings of llie temple. 6. The incidental use of 7>>, as inter- changing with ^, does not imply tlint the construction which was introduced by D« is thereby interrupted. The con- nexion requires it to be carried forward to the apodosis, which is introduced by ■) at the beginning of ver. 7. There are other instances in which the two negatives have the same signification, though generally they correspond in usage to the Greek fti) and ov. 7. nViriyi D^irin^), from eternity to eternity, is the strongest formula by which perpetuity of duration is expressed in Hebrew. Comp. chap. xxv. 5 ; Neh. ix. 5 ; Ps. xc. 2. The words are to be connected with 'n??^, / will still cause you to dwell. 8. itt.''« is understood before 'i?^?^, and ) marks the end or issue. 9. The infinitives here are all histo- rical, ajid are put in the absolute state for the sake of emphasis. 10. Nothing could be more incon- gruous than to indulge in all manner of wickedness, and yet appear in the temple as true worship))ers of Jehovah, except the absurd reason assigned for such in- dulgence. The Jews fully counted upon the divine protection in tlie commission of the crimes here specified, on the mere ground of their external presentation of H 50 JEREMIAH. [chap. vii. And say : " We are delivered ; " That ye may commit all these abominations ? 11 Is then this house which is called by my name A den of robbers in your eyes ? Yea^ behold ! I have seen it, saith Jehovah. 12 But go now to my place which was in Shiloh, Where I caused my name to dwell at first. And see what I did to it, On account of the wickedness of my people Israel. 13 And now, because ye have done all these works, saith Jehovah, And I spake to you, Rising up early and speaking, But ye. would not hearken ; And I called to you. But ye made no reply : 14 Therefore I will do to the house which is called by my name, In which ye put your trust. And to the place which I gave to you and to your fathers. As I have done to Shiloh. 15 And I will cast you away from my presence, As I cast away all your brethren. The whole posterity of Ephraim. tbemselves before God at the place whicli of their deeds of violence, betake them- he had chosen. ^J*;?? is the prophetic selves to inaccessible caves among the future, designed to express the certainty cliffs of mountains, of the conviction that no punishment 12 — 15. Shiloh was situated in the should overtake them. The words 1??^^ tribe of Ephraim, to the north of Bethel, umv, in order to commit, are not those of and was celebrated for having been the the people, but of the prophet. AR that place where the tabernacle and the ark they say is : We are delivered, safe, remained from the days of Joshua down secure; we have nothing to fear. We to the death of Eli. Josh, xviii. 1. have offered our sacrifices, and thereby 1 Sam. iv. 3. That it had suffered ensured the favour of Jehovah, which he severely when the inhabitants of the will not fail to manifest towards us, in northern kingdom were removed by the defending us agaiust all who would Assyrians, notwithstanding all the sacred- iujure us. ness which might have continued to 11. Do you consider this sacred edifice, attach to it, is implied in what is de- which hath been devoted to my worship, clared, verses 14, 15. However reduced, a fit place for such characters as you to it continued to be inhabited in the time appear in ? You merely regard it as an of Jeremiah, chap. xli. 5. Dr. Robinson asylum in which you may find immunity found its ruins under the name of Seilmi, from the punishment which your wicked- on his way from Jerusalem to Shechem. ness has deserved. The metaphor is In the destruction of that place, and the taken from the practice of robbers, wlio, punishment inflicted upon the surround- in order to escape from the consequences ing country, the Jews had an impressive CHAP. YTl.] JEREMIAH. 51 IG 17 IS Therefore, pray not thou for this people. Neither raise on their behalf a cry or a prayer ; Neither make intercession to mc, For I Avill not hear thee. Dost thou not see what they do in the cities of Judah, And in the streets of Jerusalem ? The chiklren gather wood, And the fathers kindle the fire, xVnd the women knead the douuh, To make cakes to the queen of heaven, And to pour out libations to other gods. In order to provoke me to anger. example of the manner in which they, and the temple in which they trusted, should be treated, if they did not repent. — The 1 at the beginning of verse 1-4 marks the apodosis, and is to be rendered infercnl ially. 16, 17. In these verses the prophet is addressed in language which conveys an awful idea of the depravity of the Jewish people. As they would not by repentance avert the punishment to be inllictcd by the Babylonians, the prophet was not to attempt to do it by his prayers. 18. Idolatry was not practised by individuals in private merely, but also publicly, and was maintained by tlic joint efforts of whole families. Even the tender hands of childhood were not spared their contributions. They and their fathers made the necessary prepara- tions for the fire, and the mothers baked the cakes which were to be presented to the object of idolatrous worship. What this object was, interpreters arc not agreed. Some, following the reading "S^j?, and taking it in the sense of icorkmanship, cx])lain it of the heavenly bodies, and consider tlie worship of the planets generally to be intended. To these, especially the sun and moon, the ancients attributed a powerful influence on human affairs, and were specially ad- dicted to their worship. n3N^p, which is supported by the suffrage of thirty-nine MSS., originally seven, and periiaps five more, and by correction two, is fuund in the printed text of the Soncin. and Complut. editions. The LXX. render 77 a-rparia, with 'which agree the Syr. and the Targ. There seems, however, no valid ground for departing from the received text, the reading of which is D^otfn njl^p, i/ie queen of heaven, especially as the LXX. render it by j? ^aaiXia-a-a rwv ovpavav, chap. xliv. 17 — 19, 25, the only other passages in wiiich the term occurs. The Vulg. has throughout rer/ina cceli. That by this title the moon is meant, there can be no doubt ; and it is the opinion now almost universally en- tertained. The idea that the sun is intended, only with a feminine ternn'na- tion, is entirely exploded. The worship of that luminary obtained very exten- sively among heathen nations. By Horace she was celebrated as queen of the stars : Siderum regina bicornis, audi, Luna, puellas. — Carm. Secul. 35. The Phrenicinns originally worshipped her under the name of n-jrni'r', Aahloret/i, and, from her appearance after the change, under that of ^Wy. T\-\r\t'^, the two-horned Ashtoreth, though there is some reason to conclude that, at length, they transferred the worship to the plan(!t Venus. She was regarded as the wife of ■???, Baal, -^P, Molech, or T|bo, Me- lech, the kinr/ of heaven. On ancient medals we find the crescent sometimes ])laced on the shoulder of a priest, and sometimes above in the firmament. These two deities, being the one male and the other female, were symbolical of the generative powers of nature ; and, in the ideas thus naturally suggested, ori- 52 JEREMIAH. [chap. VII. 19' 20 21 22 23 Is it me they provoke to anger? saith Jehovah; Is it not themselves, to the confusion of their own faces? Therefore, thus saith the Lord Jehovah : Behold ! mine anger and my fury shall be poured out upon this place, Upon man and upon beast, Upon the trees of the field. And upon the fruit of the ground ; And it shall burn, and shall not be quenched. Thus saith Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel, Add your burnt-offerings to your sacrifices, and eat flesh. For I spake not to your fathers, nor charged them. In the day when I brought them out from the land of Egypt, Respecting either burnt-offering or sacrifice. But tliis thing I charged them, saying t ginated the licentious character of the worship of Astarte, especially among the Phoenicians, who had females in her tem))les that prostituted themselves in honour of her. The festival of the new moon was specially destructive of female virtue. It is doubtless to this libidinous superstition Ephraim Syrus refers, M'heu describing it as still existing in his time in Mesopotamia. He says, " The wife of a Chaldean may put him to shame, because she must accommodate hei'self to her star. He must also exhort his daughter to become a disciple of the moon, and learn prostitution." And again : " Who introduced the worship of the irrational goddess, on whose festi- vals the women practise prostitution?" Geseu. Isaiah, vol. iii. p. 341. The Babylonians worshipped the moon under the name of Nm^Jio^ corrupted by Hero- dian into Mylitta, i. e. genetrix. The antiquity of such worship we learn from the protestation of Job, cliap. xxxi. 26, 27 ; and a memorial of it we have in most modern language's, as Lundi, Mon- day, Montag, Mondag, &c. — It does not appear that the Jews offered sacrifices to the moon, though the Egyptians did, Herodot. book ii. 47. The only allusion to which reference is here made is the presentation of cakes, d'?;3 ; so called from ]i3, to prepare, make readt/, which suggests the idea of something peculiar in the composition of them. LXX. Kuvcdvas. They most probably consisted of fine flour, mixed with honey, raisins, &c., and were round and flat to resemble the disc of the moon. The " other gods " specified do not mean, other than the moon, but other than Jehovah. 19. '0^ and onN are in forcible contrast. 20. Compare v. 17. 21. Because the Jews joined the worship of other gods to that of Jehovah, he here declares that he would not accept the sacrifices which they offered to him. The ni'js, 6\oKavTu>}jLaTa, or burnt- ofl'er- iugs, were entirely consumed by fire on the altar ; the other sacrifices were for the most part eaten by those wlio offered them and by their friends. They are told that they might eat the one kind as well as the other ; God would have no regard to any of them. Conip. Amos v.'22. 22. 23. A vast number of MSS., three of the early editions, and all the versions read, with the Keri, wsin, instead of «'?i^. — The apparent contradiction be- tween the statement here made, and the fact that the Mosaic institutes abound in sacrificial enactments, may be removed in two ways. First, that moral obliga- tion was repeatedly inculcated upon the Hebrews, before the institution of the sacrificial code; and that almost in the identical language employed in the pro- CHAP. VII.] JEREMIAH. 53 Obey my voice, And I will be your God, And yc shall be my people : And walk ye in all the way respecting which I shall charge you, That it may be well with you. 21 But they hearkened not, nor inchued their ear, But walked in the counsels, in the obstinacy of their wicked heart. And went backward, and not forward. 25 From the day that your fathers went out from the laud of Egypt, Unto this day, I have sent to you all my servants the prophets. Daily rising early and sending them : 2G But they hearkened not to me, nor inclined theii- ear. But hardened their neck ; They acted worse than their fathers. 27 Though thou speak all these words to them. Yet they Mill not hearken to thee ; Though thou call to them, They will make thee no reply. 28 Say, therefore, to them : Tliis is the nation that will not hearken pliet. " If thou wilt diligently hearken iiieaus to love less, Gen. xxix. 30, 31 ; to the voice of the Lord thy God, and ]\Ial. i. 2, 3. Conip. Luke xiv. 26, with wilt do that which is right iu his siglit, Llatt. x. 37 ; and, as more parallel with and wilt give ear to his commandments, the present instance, Hos. vi. 6. " I &c. Exod. XV. 26. " Now, therefore, will have mercy and not sacrifice." if yc will obey my voice indeed, and keep Conip. 1 Sam. xv. 22. " Hath the Lord my covenant, then shall ye be a peculiar as great delight iu bumt-olTerings and treasure unto me above all people, &c. sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the xix. 5. Then follows the proclamation Lord? Behold, to obey is better than of the moral code, amidst all the solcm- sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of nities of Sinai ; which code, to mark its rams." According to this idiom, the superior claims, was written on two meaning will be : That ritual observances tables of stone, and alone deposited in were regarded by God as matters of the ark of the covenant. Comp. Dent, secondary importance, which, wlien sub- V. vi. It was not till afterwards, that stitutcd "for the moral duties reqvured by the special regulations were given, rela- the law, and especially the first and great tive to the difl'ereut kinds of sacrifice, commandment, supreme love to Himself which properly constituted the Levitical as the source and ])attcrn of all excel- hiw. ISecoiidly, it is not unusual for the lencc. He could not but treat with Hebrews to express in absolute terms merited reprobation, what is to be understood relatively and 2i — 28. All tlie instruction with which comparatively. Tlius, to hate, sometimes I lie Hebrews had been furnishLd, from 54 JEREMIAH. [chap. vir. To the voice of Jehovah their God ; Neither will they receive instruction : The truth hath perished ; It is cut off from their mouth. 29 Shear off thy hair, and cast it away. And raise a lamentation on the high places ; For Jehovah hath rejected and cast off The generation with which he is wroth. 30 For the children of Judah have practised wickedness in my sight, saith Jehovah; They have placed their abominable objects In the house which is called by my name, To pollute it. 31 They have also built the high places of Tophet, Which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, To burn their sons and their daughters in the fire ; Which I charged not, neither did it come into my mind. 32 Therefore, behold ! the days are coming, saith Jehovah, When it shall no more be called Tophet, Or the valley of the son of Hinnom, But the valley of slaughter : For they shall bury in Tophet, Till there be no more room. 33 And the carcases of this people shall be food the earliest periods of their national his- 2 Kings xxi. 4 — 7 ; xxiii. 4 ; Jer. xxxii. tory, had proved inefl'ectual in restraining 34. Comp. Ezek. viii. For Tophet, see them from idolatry. Nor would the on chap. ii. 23 ; and Is. xxx. 33. The solemn warnings uttered by the prophet nshn nra5, " high j^laces of Tophet," were be more availing. They had become the places for the worship of Moloch, utter strangers to true religion. Dv, dai/, erected, no doubt, on the heights along ver. 25, is used advei'bialiy for dv dv the south side of the valley, and facing daili/. Mount Zion. So far were the Hebrews 29. Jerusalem is here addressed under from receiving auy countenance from the image of a female, who, in the depth Jehovah in the performance of their of her grief for the loss of her children, cruel rites, that, on the contrary, he had deprives her head of its chief ornament, severely interdicted them. Dent. xii. 31. and betakes herself to the hills to bewail The figure meiosis is employed, by which lier bereavement. For such indulgence more is implied tlian is expressed. in grief, comp. Is. xv. 2 ; Ezek. vii. 16 32 — 34. As a just retribution of their — 18 ; Judges xi. 37, 38. wickedness in devoting the bodies of 30, 31. To such an awful extent of their children to ]\Ioloch, in the valley of wickedness did the profane Manasseh Tophet, it is predicted, that it should proceed, that he erected idolatrous altars become a place in which, as well as in within the sacred precincts of the temple. Jerusalem, such multitudes of the Jews CHAP, vm.] JEREMIAH. 55 For the birds of the heavens, and for the beasts of the earth, And none shall scare them away. 34 And I w^W cause to cease from the cities of Judah, And from the streets of Jerusalem, The sound of gladness, and the sound of joy; The sound of the bridegroom, and the sound of the bride ; For the land shall be desolate. should be slain by the enemy, that it led through tlie streets, accompanied by would not afford sufficient room for their bands of singers and musicians, which are interment. Their dead bodies should conmion in many parts of the' East and he scattered on the ground, to be de- even among the Jews in some parts of vourcd by ammals of prey. In vcr. 3 1, re- Europe. See my Biblical Ilesearches ferenee is made to the joyous processions and Travels in Russia, p. 217. in which the bride and bridegroom are CHAPTER VIII. The same subject is continued in the beginning of this chapter, as that with which the preceding one concluded, only, the prophet heightens the aggravations of the impending calamity, 1—3. The cause of tlie judicial visitation is again inquired into, and shown to be the obstinate and unnatural disposition of the Jews, 4—7. The prophets and priests are next inculpated as helping forward the evil, 8—12. The alarm of the people follows on an additional threatening, 13—15. In the north of Palestine is seen the invading army, which no artifices could arrest, and the operations of which would be horrific, 10—18. The picture is then transferred to the exile, in which the captives are represented as bewailing their forlorn con- dition, in response to which, the prophet gives varied expression to the depth and pressure of his sympathetic grief, 19 — 22 ; ix. 1. 1 At that time, saitli Jehovah, They shall bring the bones of the kings of Judah, And the bones of his princes, The bones of the priests. And the bones of the prophets, !• The Keri wsv, without the con- the sanctuaries of the dead,— especiallv junctive \au, is found in the text of those of the principal inhabitants Jf many Mbb., and in some of the earlier Jerusalem, in whose graves ornaments editions. In their eagerness to obtain and other treasures were deposited. Ac- whatever they could grasp in the way of cording to Joscphus, Antiq. vii. eh. 15. plunder, the Babylonians would violate § 3, Hyrcanus, the high priest, took out 56 JEREMIAH. [chap. vni. And the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Out of their graves ; 2 And they shall spread them out To the sun and to the moon. And to all the host of heaven ; Which they loved, and which they served, Which they followed, and which they consulted. And which they worshipped : They shall not be gathered, neither shall they be buried ; They shall be as dung on the surface of the ground- 3 And death shall be chosen rather than life By all the residue that are left of this wicked race. In all the remaining places whither I shall have driven them, Saith Jehovah of hosts. 4 Thou shalt further say to them : Thus saith Jehovah : Shall they fall, and shall they not rise again ? Shall they turn away, and shall they not return ? 5 Why doth this people of Jerusalem apostatise with a perpetual apostasy ? They hold fast deceit. They refuse to return. 6 I hearkened and heard : They spake not aright ; No one repented of his wickedness, Saying : What have I done ? They have all turned to their courses, As a horse rusheth into the battle. of one of tlie rooms in the sepulchre of strong devotion of the Jews to their David no less a sum than three thousand service is depicted, by accumulating talents, and Herod a great deal more, description upon description. It was quite customary to bury the 3. Tlie condition of survivors would crown (sometimes verv costly), the seep- be more pitiable than that of the dead, tre, and other insignia of royalty along The words D'-iN^;'3rt nnsTZfn are in apposi- with kings when interred. tion— not in construction. 2. In their reckless search, the bar- 4, 5. Is the case of the Jews then barians would never think of replacing absolutely desperate ? The only reply to the bones which they had disturbed, but the question is furnished by the obstinate would leave them exposed to open gaze, obliquity of their conduct. Though The objects of idolatrous worship are warned and punished, they still refuse to here introduced with admirable effect, as render undivided homage to Jehovah, unconcerned spectators of the indignity 6. There is no reason why the plural offered to their former worshippers. The onteTO^ their courses, should be changed ciTAr. Yiii.] JEREMIAH. 57 7 The very stork in the heavens knoweth her seasons, The turtle-dove also, and the swallow, and the crane Observe the time of their arrival ; But my people know not the judgment of Jehovah. 8 How can ye say : We are wise. And the law of Jehovah is with us ? Behold ! surely in vain hath He made it, The pen of the copyists is vain. 9 The wise men arc asliamcd, They are confounded and taken; Behold ! they have despised the word of Jehovah ; What, then, can be the wisdom they possess ? 10 Therefore I will give theii- wives to others. Their fields to those who shall possess them ; For, from the least to the greatest They arc all greedy of gain ; From the prophet to the priest They all act falsely. 11 For they heal the breach of the daughter of my people slightly, Saying, Peace, peace. When there is no peace. 12 Are they ashamed when they have committed abomination ? They are not even in the least ashamed, Neither do they feel abashed ; into °'7?!JP, their conrsp, as proposed in 8. Possosiing, as tliey did, tlie Divine the Keii. The wicked habits of the Jews law, tlie Jews had tlie means of becoming were numerous and divcrsitied. The tlie wisest nation on the face of the earth; point of comparison to the war-liorse, is but, neglecting to improve these means, the mad rapidity with which he furiously and acting iu direct opposition to the rushes into the midst of the l)attle. law, they evinced the greatest folly. As 7. The instinct of migratory birds to them, the law was as if it had never prompts them, with the most unfailing been given. Copies, however mnltiplietl, regularity, to return from their winter were of no utility. I cannot accede to abodes, on the advance of spring, and the suggestion made by Seholz, that there to repair thither again in the end of is here a ref(;rence to any corrujition of autumn. Contrasted with this, the con- the • text, by an omission of those duet of God's peo[)le in persisting in passages which denounced idolatry. their refusal to return to him, could not 9. Reject irig the only true source of but appear most unnatural. The plural wisdom, how could the professedly '7\7?!^'2, her seasons, is more appro|)riate learned among them make any preten- thau ^T?}'^, her season, both the autumnal sions to that invaluable treasure? no-nrari and spring migrations being regarded. \\.i. the wisdom of ichat ? For the names of the two last-mentioned 10 — 12. See on chap. vi. 12 — 15. birds, sec on Is. xxxviii. 14. The LXX. omit these three verses with 58 JEREMIAH. [chap. viii. Therefore tliey shall fall among them that fall. In the time of their punishment they shall stumble, Saith Jehovah. 13 I will utterly destroy them, saith Jehovah; There shall be no grapes on the vine. Nor figs on the fig-tree. The very leaf shall wither ; For I will appoint them those who shall overrun them. 14 Why do we sit still ? Assemble yourselves, and let us enter the fortified cities. And let us be silent there ; For Jehovah our God hath reduced us to silence, And given us water of poison to drink ; Because we have sinned against Jehovah. 15 We expected peace, but no good came, A time of healing, but behold ! terror. 16 From Dan the snorting of his horses is heard. At the sound of the neighing of his strong ones. The whole land trembleth ; For they are come, and they consume The land and all that is in it, The city and those who inhabit it. the exception of the first two lines of the translation of Hosea x. 4, 1 have adopted 10th. The repetitious character of many the poppy, proposed by Gesenius, as parts of the Book of Jeremiah leaves no likely to be what is intended by wi ; but reason to doubt that the repetition here 1 now deem it preferable to adopt a less of chap. vi. 12 — 1 5 is genuine. Thee- definite rendering, dotion and the Hexaplar Syriac supply 15. The infinitive absolute rnpis used the omission of the LXX. elliptically for i^'ii? r^^p_. The hopes ex- 13. The vintage and harvest are fre- cited by the false prophets had com- quently employed figuratively as images pletely failed. Instead of a healthy and of complete destruction ; but here the prosperous state of public affairs, nothing terms are to be taken in their literal was experienced but the horrors of war. application. In Dinar nnb. ]n«i there is 16. The tribe of Dan was conterminous an ellipsis of ">w before tlie last word, to the territory of Phoenicia, which latter For m-i»! upwards of twenty MSS. read having been passed by Nebuchadnezzar, cn^v:, but less suitably. to the con- he entered the land of Israel. The nexion. ' report of its invasion by the hostile 14. The Jews in the country are here cavalry, must have spread consternation introduced, exciting one another to re- among all the inhabitants. Tliat d'T?*^, pair to the fortified cities for defence which is elsewhere translated bulls, is against the invading foe. hot: instead here and chapters xlvii. 3, 1. 11, to be of HOT?, with n paragogic from D'P'J. rendered sleeds or stallions, is evident \rs-\-ip, lit. water of the poisonous plant, from stamping or neighing being con- What this plant was, is disputed. In my nected with the term. It is the plural CHAP, vm.] JEREMIAH. 69 18 19 17 For behold ! I will send among you serpents, basilisks, Which are not to be charmed, And they shall bite you mortally, Saith Jehovah. My exhilaration within me is sorrow, ]\fy heart within me is faint. Behold ! the sound of the cry of the daughter of my people, From a distant land : — Is Jehovah not in Zion ? Is her King not in her ? — Why have they provoked me to anger with their graven images ? With strange vanities ? The harvest is past, and the summer is ended, Yet we are not delivered. For the breach of the daughter of my people I am broken down ; I mourn; astonishment hath seized me. Is there no balsam in Gilead ? 20 21 22 of T3M, a mifjhfi/ or strong one. This applicatioa of the term is peculiar to Jeremiah. Adjectives thus used alone without the substantive, Gesenius calls epitheta ornaniia. Heb. Gram. § 104, 2 a. 17. Here Jehovah is introduced as personally addressing the Jews. By serpents and basilisks dangerous enemies are meant, whose destructive power no means could countervail. These animals have been and still are rendered harmless by the arts of serpent-charmers, who abound in the East, and not only entice tliem by certain musical sounds to follow them, but by a particular pressure on the neck render them incapable of darting at any object. For '^i^?, basilisk, sec on Is. xi. 8. IS. AVith respect to W'^^p there is great diversity in tlie orthography, but no valid objection can be taken to n'^bap, a derivative from 3^5, Arab A^, nituit, /?/te7 sol oriens ; and in the fifth conju- gation, hilaris fait ; hence the significa- tion of the noun, hilarity, exhilaration. Aquila, in the Hexaplar Syriac, latitia. The division of the word into the two 'n-: 'hyo is altogether to be rejected, as either affording no sense at all, or one quite unsuitable to the context. The language of this verse and of those which immediately follow, excepting the twen- tieth, is that of the prophet, and is ex- pressive of the poignant grief which he felt in the prospect of the destruction of his country. 19. The prophet in anticipation hears the sad complaints of his countrymen exiled in Babylon. They now thought of their God and king. Tiiey thought likewise of Zion as his holy habitation ; and were proceeding to inquire how it was that he had not interposed to save his temple and people from the desolating attack of barbarians, when they were interrupted, not by the information that it had been owing to no want of power or fidelity on his part, but by a pointed interrogation which involved the deepest criminality on theirs. Their idolatry was the cause of their exile. 20. These words of the exiles have the air of a proverb. The meaning is obvious : one favourable season after an- other, which promised them deliverance, had passed away without bringing any melioration of their circumstances. 21. 22. Most deeply affected by the 60 JEREMIAH. [chap. IX. Is there no physician there ? Why then is not health restored to the daughter of my people ? 23 O that my head were water. And mine eyes a fountain of tears ! Then would I weep by day and by night For the slain of the daughter of my people. deplorable condition of his exiled countiy- nieri, the prophet inrpiires whetlier uo appropriate means could be found for etfecting tlieir restoration. Whetlier by '?^ we are to understand the opobalsamum or mjjrobalanus, so celebrated by Pliny, Strabo, and otlier ancient writers ; or whether, with Bocliart and otliers, we are to regard it as tlie resin drawn from the terebinth, cannot be determined. So much is certain, that it was celebrated for its efficacy in healing wounds, and that it abounded in Gilead, or the region to the east of the Jordan, Gen. xxxvii. 25 ; xliii. 11 ; Jer. xlvi. 11 ; li. 8. It would appear from ver. 23 that, owing to tlie numbers that resorted to Gilead for the purpose of obtaining tliis healing medicine, physicians had established themselves in that country, by whom it was not only collected, but also applied. — nDi"i«, the word here rendered health, properly signifies length, from the circum- stance of long linen bandages beinsr em- ployed in binding up woimds. Con- nected, as here, with the verb ^^?, to go, come, or be up, or over, it may have special reference to the healing of the wounds, by the skin again coming upon them. Arab. ^ ,!, sanatio. 23. From the circumstance that this and the following verse both begin with l^r'?, " O that ! " they are in most versions made to commence the Ninth Cliapter ; but as the I'ormer is merely a continued representation of the calamity described in the preceding verses, whereas the latter is the introduction to a some- what lengthened description of the atrocities which formed tlie procuring cause of that calamity, it is more appro- priate to divide the chapters as the Hebrew text does, by allotting twenty- three verses to Chap. VIII. Tlie lan- guage of the prophet in ver. 23, is the most touchingly pathetic of any in the Book. CHAPTER IX. Oppressed by a sense of the utter flagitiousness of those by whom he was sur- rounded, the prophet wishes that it were in his power to withdraw altogether from their society, 1 — 4. Fully admitting the danger of his position, the Lord assures him that their wickedness rendered them unwilling to know him, on which account he would subject them to painful trials, 5 — 8; the denunciation of which is interrupted by a momentary expression of grief on the part of Jeremiah, 9 ; and is resumed, 10. The calamity and its cause again alternate, 11 — 15. Mourning women are then summoned to pour forth their dirge, expressive of the slaughter of the inhabitants, 16—21 ; the Jews are exhorted to renounce every ground of false confidence, and practically to recognise the true character of Hira who alone could deliver them, 22, 23 ; and the chapter closes with a threatening of vengeance on their enemies. CHAi'. IX.] JEREMIAH. 61 1 O THAT I had in the desert A lodging-place of travellers ! That I might abandon my people, And go away from them : For they are all adulterers, An assembly of faithless men. ■2 They bend their tongue, like their bow, with deceit. And are not valiant for truth in the land ; For they proceed from wickedness to wickedness. And they have not known Me, Saith Jehovah. 3 Beware each one of his companion. Neither confide ye in any brother ; For every brother will act a deceitful part, And every companion will go about with slander. ■I They will deceive each his companion, And will not speak the truth ; They have taught their tongue to speak falsehood. They take pains to act perversely. *^ 5 Thy habitation is in the midst of deceit, Through deceit they refuse to know Me, Saith Jehovah. Therefore thus saith Jehovah of Hosts : Behold ! I Avill melt them and try them ; For how can I otherwise act On account of the daughter of my people ? 1. D'rni^ ]i'jp, a caravanserai, or lodge which conveys only part of the idea, for caravans or travelling companies in that of discomfort being necessarily in- dcserts and regions remote from towns, volvcd in the Hebrew. — The crimes This lodge generally consists of a large specified in this verse are those of ido- square building, enclosing a court open latry and infidelity to Jehovah as the above, round llie sides of which are only true God. small arches, and within each of tiiese is a 2. The tongue is here aptly corn- dark cell or durmitory, without furniture pared to the bow, and deceit to the or accommodation of any kind. For the arrow shot from it. Conip. Ps. Ixiv. most part the caravanserais are very 3, 4. lilthy and abound in vermin. Yet such 4. "^nn, fo deride, mock, deceive, cog- a place the pro|)het would iiavc preferred nate with "^rv and "^^j^, some of the forms to a residence among the abandoned in- of which it borro\;s in Piel, Tliphil, and hal)itants of Jerusalem, amid all the Hophal'. See Meier's Lexicon of Heb. conveniences and comforts of that city, roots, p. 412. Comp. Ps Iv. 7, 8. The LXX. render 5. Jehovah addresses the prophet in araOfiov fax^Tov, the most remote station, this verse. 62 JEREMIAH. [chap. ix. 7 Their tongue is a murderous arrow. It speaketh deceit; With his mouth each speaketh peace to his companion, But inwardly he layeth his ambush. 8 Should I not punish them for these things ? saith Jehovah ; Should not my soul avenge itself on such a nation as this ? 9 Eor the mountains I will set up a weeping and a wailing, And for the pastures of the desert a lamentation ; Because they are consumed, so that no man crosseth them ; The sound of the cattle is not heard ; Both the birds of the heavens and the beasts are fled. They are gone. 10 I will make Jerusalem heaps, a den of jackals ; And I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant ? 11 Who is the wise man, that he may understand this ? He to whom the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken, that he may declare it ? On what account the land perisheth ; It is consumed like the desert, so that no one crosseth it. 12 And Jehovah said : Because they have forsaken my law, Which I set before them ; And have not hearkened to my voice. Nor walked in it ; 13 But have followed the obstinacy of their own heart. And the Baals, which their fathers taught them : 14 Therefore, thus saith Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel : 7. toni^j i, e. tcniiJ, or, as the Keri ex- hostile army. In '!7.5J '?? is a paronomasia, hibits the word, ic^rt®, takes here the 11. This is not an inquiry for a wise active signification of iDniMj. See on or i^rudent man generally ; but, as the chap. vi. 27. There is no necessity, with parallelism shows, for one who has had Ewald and some others, to compare the wisdom given him by prophetic inspira- .,..-. , ,, /^i n ,„.L . tion. Comp. 2Pet. iii. 15. Wherever any Arab. ,^^, and the Chald. in^, and ^^^^^^^^ ^.^ ^und, he was to point out render shaq-). Killing, deadly, or mur- the true cause of universal desolation. derous, is the proper signification of the 11 — 15. 051^-''?', ver. 12, and pj, ver. Hebrew, and quite suits the connexion. 14, are related to each other as protasis For the last clause of the verse comp. and apodosis. nin cyn-nx, is exegetical Hos. vii. 6, and my note there. of the pronominal suffix to the preceding 9. A frightful, but true picture of a verb. For mSnt'q, poison, see on chap, country which has been laid waste by a viii. 14. CHAP. IX.] JEREMIAH. 63 Beliold! I will feed them — namely this people — with wormwood. And give them water of poison to drink. 15 I Avill scatter them among the nations, Which neither they, nor their fathers have known ; And I will send the sword after them Till I have consnmed them. 16 Thus saith Jehovah of Hosts : Consider ye, and call for the female wallers. That they may come ; And send ye for the skilful women, That they may come. 17 Yea, let them hasten and raise a wailing for us, That our eyes may run down with tears. And our eyelids gush Avith water. 18 Surely the sound of wailing is heard from Zion, How are we destroyed ! We are greatly ashamed ; Because we have left the land. Because they have thrown down our habitations. 19 O ye women ! only hear the word of Jehovah, And let your ear receive the word of his mouth ; And teach your daughters wailing. And each her companion lamentation. 20 For death hath entered our windows, IG. It was customary in the East, as it 17. "Vt;ni with a defective « for n^Mf ni. still is in the present clay, for persons, We have a similar instance, Ruth i. 14. especially females, to make themselves Many MSS. have the full orthography. expert in wailing, by committing mourn- IS. The nominative to i^'r^'nt, is " the ful ditties to memory, and acquiring the enemies " understood, use of certain dolorous and piercing 19. ■? seems here to be evidently em- shrieks, and to hire themselves on oeca- ployed to excite attention to what sion of deaths or funerals, when they follows, and cannot be Ijctter rendered heightened the lamentation by indulging into English than by only. The number in excessive wailings, accompanying them of the dead would be so great, that it with corresponding signs of immoderate would be next to impossible to obtain a grief, such as disiievelled hair, smiting sufEciency of persons to engage in the the breast, beating their faces, throwing funereal lamentations. IMichaelis and dust on the head, &c. Comp. 2 Chrou. Scholz are of opinion, that the mothers XXXV. 25 ; Eccles. xii. 5 ; Amos v. 10; were to teach the science of lamentation Matt. ix. 23 ; Mark v. 38. The custom to their daughters, to be practised by obtained also among the Greeks and them as a mode of obtaining their live- Romans, and is still practised in semi- lihood. barbarous nations. See Blayney on the 20, 21. There is no good ground for the present passage; and my Comment, on hypothesis, that by rm death, we are Amos, nt sup. here to understand the plague. It is 04 JEREMIAH. [chap. ix. It is come into our palaces ; Cutting off the children without. The youths in the open places. 21 Speak, thus saitli Jehovah : The carcases of men shall fall, Like dung, on the surface of the field ; And like the handful after the reaper. Which no one gathereth up. 22 Thus saith Jehovah : Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom. Neither let the strong man glory in his strength. Let not the rich man glory in his riches ; 23 But let him that glorieth glory in this. That he understandetli and knoweth me. That I am Jehovah, Who exercise mercy, justice, and righteousness in the earth; For in these things I dehght, Saith Jehovah. 24 Behold the days are coming, saith Jehovah, When I wdll punish all the circumcised with the uncircumcised • 25 Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, And the children of Amnion, and Moab, true this calamity is so designated, chap, therefore, as it behoves all who are living XV. 2 ; xliii. 1 1, wjiere it occurs along with in a state of rebellion against him, to famine and sword ; but there is nothing iu acquaint themselves with '"him and be at tlie present connexion to warrant the peace ; Job xxii. 21. application of the term to any other 24,25. The Jews appear, even at this instrumentality than that of the hostile period, to have boasted of the external soldiery ; who, not content with cutting rite of circumcision. To convince them down all whom they found in the streets, that it would procure for them no ex- made a forcible entrance by the windows emption, the ])rophet is instructed to of the houses, and put to death all the class thera along with the surround- inraates— having no regard to those of ing nations, all of whom, were to be tender age. _ chastised by Nebuchadnezzar. Jehovah, 22, 23. Neither political wisdom, who could be satisfied with nothing less military power, nor accumulated wealth, than the sincere religion of the heart, would avail any thing as a defence or a would make no difference between them, means of rescue to the refractory Jews. Egypt is mentioned first, because it was Tiie confidence placed in them would as- the power in which the Jews were so suredly fail. Nothing but a sound prone to confide, and against which the practical knowledge of the true God, as expedition of the king of Babylon was the righteous and benevolent Governor specially directed. Interpreters have of the Avorld, could aftbrd any source of been not a little puzzled to determine comfort ui the prospect of the impend- the exact points of contrast and agree- ing calamities. It behoved the Jews meut in these verses, and 1 o reconcile the CHAP. IX.] JEREMIAH. G5 And all those with iiarrowod hoards, Who inhahit the desert ; opinions respecting Ihc extent to wliicli circunicisionaucicntlyobtaincd. Althongh it is evident from many passages of Scripture, that tlie rite was by no means uuivcrsal among the inliabilants of West- ern Asia, yet that it was jiraetised by tlie Egyptians, Colchiaus, Ethiopians, Pha- nicians, Syrians, Troglodytes, &c., is clear from the testimonies of ancient writers, .'IS Herodotus, lib. ii. 3G, 101 ; Diod. Sic. lib. i, cap. 2C), ,55; lib. iii. cap. 32 ; Strabo, lib. xvii. Compare Philo Do Circum- eisione. Joseph. Autiq. lib. viii. cap. 10, $ 2. Contra Apion, lib^i. cap. 22. J. D. Slichaelis, Commentaries on the Laws of Moses, Article 1S5. Kitto i/i toe. It has .it only been observed by the ^Iolu\m- medans as the descendants of Ishmael, but by inhabitants of Africa, who never appear to have had any intercourse either with Jews or Mohammedans. AVhether the meaning of the prophet is, that the nations which he specifies were the subjects of the outward rite, but destitute of true relijjion ; or whetlicr it is that the circumcised and the uncircumcised were to be treated alike by Jehovah, without any distinction as to external customs, has been matter of dispute. The decision of the question depends mainly on the constniction put upon the words ^l?? "jTO, the acceptation in which the adjective d'"?!}^, vcr. 25, is taken, and the spirit of the whole passage. That ■Jio, the Pahul Participle of ''lo, io art off, circiiiiicisr, signifies one who is circum- cised, is allowed by all. It is equally granted, that riVir signiQes itncircnmcision, or the condition of a person who is un- circumcised. The two terms are regarded as having their equivalents in the Treptro/x)) and dKpojBvcTTia of the N. T. Accordingly ^'^} ^'^^ has been rendered l/ie circtoncised with the uncircnmciiiod. But as nr>9 is undeniably an abstract noun, signifying uncircumcision, and not 'rir in the concrete, there is a want of propel* concord between the two terms, which compels us to consider the pre- position ? as indicative not of accompani- ment, in which acceptation it is seldom used, but of condition or state. The literal rendering, therefore, is :" every one circumehrd in uncircinucisioii" i. e. every one bearing the mark of the exter- nal rite, but still destitute of true religion. The nations specified arc rci>resented as circumcised in one sense, and not in another. The Jews themselves formed no exception. As to the heathen nations, ^V^y}, they were all C'S-is in a metaphor- ical sense, /. c they were such as the Jews had been taught to regard as impure, and consequently, notwithstanding their having had the outward rite per- formed upon them, were st ill disqualified from reception into the Jewish common- wealtii, since they did not worship the true God, but practised abominable idolatries. And, as to the Jews, how nuich soever they might glory over them, and feel confident that, having the name and temple of Jehovah among them, and still worshipping him, notwithstanding their idolatrous propensities, they should escape punishment, yet in heart they were no better than they, and had nothing toexpcetbut the same treatment. Circum- cision and uncircumcision of heart, put for moral purity and moial impurity, are modes of speech not uncommon in Scripture. Sec Deut. x. IH, xxx. G ; Jer. iv. 4 ; Rom. ii. 28, 29 ; Col. ii. 11. HND '?i:Jp. ent as to the corners of the beard. ^'^\^, standing for \\:V] avE, as in Lev. xix. 27; xxi. 5 ; where tlic practice of cutting or shavinsj the beard at the extremities towards the ears is prohibited. Pinding it impossible to give a literal translation, so as to convey a just idea to the reader, I have rendered the original phrase by two equivalent terms, which fully express the sense. It appears from the present passage, and chap. xlix. 32, that the Arabian tribes to the south-east of Pales- tine observed this custom, so that it had become one of their characteristics. Thus Herodot. lib. iii. cap. 8, speaking of them, says, Tcoi/ rptx*^" '^^ ko^PV" . KfipfcrQai cpaai, KuOdntp avrav tov Aiovvaov KiKapQai. KfipovTai Se ntpi- r/jo;(aXa, TTfpL^vpovvTfs Tovi KpoTcKpovs. 66 JEREMIAH. [chap. x. For all the nations are uncircumcisedj And all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in heart. The interpretation of Jarchi and Blayney, geographical position of certain Arabian which refers the phrase to tlie insulated tribes, is less entitled to regard. CHAPTER X. This chapter forms a separate portion of the book, consisting of two parts, the first of which, ver. 1—16, is addressed to the Hebrews, viewed proleptically as in cap- tivity ; and the second, 17 — 25, to the inliabitants of Jerusalem. The authenticity of the former is denied by Movers, De Wette and Hitzig, who ascribe it to a writer whom they suppose to have flourished in Babylon during the exde, to whom they also ascribe the composition of the last twenty-six chapters of Isaiah. The grounds on which their hypothesis is founded, are the position of the speaker among his exUed countrymen ; the satire with which idolatry is treated, and which so greatly tallies with that employed by Isaiah; and the coincidence of the style and usus loquendi. That the writer addresses his people in exile, is unde- niable, but that he actually lived among them at the time, is more than can be proved. It is more probable that he merely places himself among them for the sake of argument, in accordance with similar relations frequently assumed for the same purpose by the prophets. The coincidence between the manner in which he exjioses the folly of idolatry, and that of Isaiah, may be sufficiently accounted for on the principle that he was familiar with the predictions of that writer,— a principle wjiich equally obviates the objection taken from the alleged agreement in linguistical peculiarities. There can be no doubt that chapter xlviii. is mainly borrowed from Isaiah, xv. and xvi. chapters, so that the acquaintance of Jeremiah with the book of that prophet cannot be questioned. But it must be evident to any Hebrew scholar who will be at the pains to compare the passages adduced by Movers, p. 44, that, after all, the alleged coincidence between them is exceedingly slight, and in many cases, purely fanciful. The Hebrews are warned against Chaldean astrology, 1, 2, and the idolatry connected with it, 3 — 15 ; to p-aforee which, sublime representations of the existence and attributes of the true God are intermingled by way of contrast, ver. 6, 7, 10—13, 16. They are then addressed in reference to the impending calamity, 17, 18 ; a fresh description of which, with its cause, is added, 19—22 ; and the chapter con- cludes with a deprecation of the Divine judgments, and a prayer, that tliey might be inflicted upon the enemy. [ CHAP. X.] JEREMIAH. 67 L Hear ye the word which Jehovah speak cth to you, O house of Israel ! ? Thus saith Jehovah : Learn not the way of the nations, Neither be ye terrified at the signs of heaven ; L Though the nations are terrified at them. 3 For the customs of the nations are vanity, For they are a tree cut out of the forest. The work of the hands of the artificer, with an ax. i They adorn it with silver, and with gold, They fasten it with nails, and with hammers, That it may not totter. I 5 They are like an artificial palm-tree, f They cannot speak ; They must be carried along. For they cannot walk : Be not afraid of them. For they can do no harm, Neither can they do any good. 6 Nothing whatever is like to Thee, O Jehovah ! Thou art great, and thy name is great in might. 7 Who would not render Thee fear, O King of the nations ! For Tliec it becometh ; 2. The Hebrews, liviug, as they are incapable of speech or locomotion, should supposed to do, in the midst of idolaters, be possessed of qualities supernatural were more or less exposed to their se- and divine. There is a peculiar propriety ductive iuflucncc. The Chaldeans studied in comparing a wooden idol to the palm- astrology at a very early period, and tree, on account of its columnar and predicted, from the appearance and po- immovable appearance, ppn appears to sition of the planets and other stars, the have had the signification of raising, ■will of the gods and the destinies of men ; i??? nsiD, Every man is rendered brutish by the result of his skill, viz. the idol which he has made, taking ^i•'^o and ''osp to be parallel ; but jQ following ^t"ar^ cannot be taken causatively. 15, D'2?nyri, mockeries, an onomato- poetic, derived from the Pilel VO'?''?, to stammer, stutter, and then to mock, as a stutterer at first sight seems to do the person to whom he addresses him- self. Comp. the Arab. ajtlUi', gravitas linguse, balbuties, sonus ridentis, from «jUJ', repetitus et indistinctus f uit scrmo. The word is aptly chosen to express the character of idol-worship. — The punishment of the Babylonian idols was their destruction by Cyrus on his con- quest of that empire. A similar fate they have everywhere met with, when their worshippers have obtained a better knowledge. Comp. Is; ii. 18. 16. In Scripture language God is said to be p.;!?, the portion of his people, because lie is the source of all-sufficient good to them, — not, as Gescnius inter- prets, because they were allotted to be his worshippers. The idea is borrowed from P!??, to divide, then to divide for an inheritance. Comp. Numb, xviii. 20 ; ]'s, xvi. 5 ; cxlii. 6.~in'7n3 tcai', lit. the rod of his inheritance, but which can only mean the people over which he had established his rule, the rod or sceptre being used by metonymy for the govern- ment of which it was the badge or sign. Gesenius considers ^^'i' here to signify a measnrincj rod, and to be used meto- uymically for the portion measured off, the Hebrews being the people which he had selected and marked off for himself in contradistinction from all the nations of the earth. The phrase only occurs be- sides Ps. Ixxiv. 2 ; Jer. li. 19. — ^3, with the article '?3n, must be taken substan- tively, and rendered the universe, which, although the term sounds someM^hat grandiloquent, is necessary to convey the force of the original. 17, 18. The prophet now resumes his address to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and calls upou them to prepare for their migration as captives to Babylon. What- ever movable proi^erty they had, they were to collect. The various articles are supposed to be lying about in con- fusion on the ground during the an- ticipated siege. As the city was to be taken, ilie Jews had to lay their account with their being carried away into exile. i^w?, sarcina, a bundle, luggage, &c., especially what is packed up or bound together to be carried by soldiers or beasts of burden ; from 3??3, to collect bind together in bundles. Arab, -j/, CHAP. X.] JEREMIAH. 71 19 Alas ! for me, on account of my breach ; My stroke is grievous : But I said : Surely this is a calamity, and I must bear it. 20 My tent is destroyed. And all my tent-pins are plucked up ; My children are gone away from me, and are not ; And there is none to spread my tent any more, Or to set up my tent-curtains. 21 Because the shepherds had become brutish. And did not seek Jehovah, Therefore they did not prosper. And their whole flock was dispersed. 22 The sound of a rumour, behold ! it cometh j Even a great tumult from the land of the north ; The cities of Judah shall be made desolate, A den of jackals. 23 I know, O Jehovah ! that the way of man is not his own. It is not in man that walketh to direct his going. ' 2i Correct me, O Jehovah ! only with measure ; Not in thine anger, lest thou reduce me to nothing. 25 Pour out thy fury upon the nations, that know thee not. And upon the families that call not on thy name : CQiitradiis fiat, contraxit in unam. calamity, is not one of humble submission LXX. v-nodxadii. — The occurrence of a to or acquiescence in the Divine judg- paragogic ' as in 'n?ffiv is_ not anomalous, ment, but one of sullen and obdurate so that the Kcri naw is merely a cor- impenitence. Jerusalem is contemplated rection for the purpose of giving the as destroyed, and her inhabitants are regular participial form. See Hos. x. 11, regarded as led away captive. None and my note there. "i^J^n the siege, for were left to restore her. The beautifully 'r^^r\-\-'V, the besieged cif I/. — The metaphor metaphorical language is borrowed from of the sling is employed to express the nomadic life. violence and suddenness of the removal 21, 22. The civil rulers are charged of the Jews to Babylon, n?^ properly with bringing the threatened calamity signifies to find, but also to find by ex- upon the people, by the idolatrous perie?ice. This it is impossible to express practices in which they had indulged, more tersely than by adopting the verb The Babylonians by whom the calamity to feel. _ _ _ was to be iniiicted already approach : it is 19, 20. In plaintive strains, the pro- just at baud ! phet puts into the mouth of the Jews, 23—25. Jeremiah here gives vent to taken collectively, utterances of the most his own conviction, in reference to what poignant grief at the prospective deso- he beheld in prophetic vision. He ac- lation of their city and laud. The knowledges the dii-ecting and controlling declaration, that they must bear their infli^ence of Divine Providence in the JEREMIAH. [chap. XI. For they have devoiu'ed Jacob, They have devoured him, and consumed him. And have made his habitation desolate. affairs of men, in its special bearing upon the marcli of the Babylonian monarch. According to the plan of that sovereign, the object of the expedition was, to chastise the Egyptians, who had ventured to approach his empire with the most hostile intentions ; but the design of Jehovah was, that he might punish the Jews for their dereliction of Him and his service. We have a striking parallel in the case of the Assyrian invader, Is. x. 5 — 7. ^^^ is certainly in the vocative case, and not in the accusative absolute, as Durell and Blayney take it, and render : " I know Jehovah that his way is not like that of men.' The pronominal affix in i3"i1 /its way must be referred to " man" and not to " Jehovah." Identifying himself with his people, the prophet deprecates entire destruction, and prays that while the Divine indignation might be inflicted with moderation on them, the full measure of it might be visited upon their enemies. With a few slight variations ver. 25 is found Ps. Ixxix. 6, 7, which Psalm is to be referred to the time of the captivity, except we regard it as prophetical of the destruction of Jeru- salem by Nebuchadnezzar, which is less probable. In this and similar impera- tives, which abound in the Psalms, the form is chosen in preference to tlie future for the sake of more vivid impression, so that, to say the least, there is as much of prediction as of imprecation, in the passages in which it occurs. In the present instance, the prophet takes it for granted, that God must of necessity punish his enemies, who gratified the wicked propensities of their nature, while they destroyed his temple and people ; and therefore prays, that he would not utterly cut off" the latter, but that his indignation might take its course upon the former. Both were fidfilled : the Jews as a people were restored ; the Babylonians disap- peared entirely from the political horizon. There is a paronomasia in in^?'] '''^??'^% which words are undoubtedly genuine, though wanting in one of Keunicott's MSS. and in Ps. Ixxix. 7. CHAPTER XI. This and the following chapter form one whole, but at what precise time the dis- course contained in them was delivered, cannot be determined. Prom its general tenor, however, it is evident it must have been subsequent to the reformation effected by Josiah, when the Jewish people had relapsed into their former idol- atrous practices. It commences with a brief epitome of the ancient covenant which liad been found in the temple in the reign of that pious king, 1 — 5 ; then follows an exposure of the continuous rebellion of the Hebrew people, G — 10 ; a denunciation of wrath is pronounced against them, 11 — 13 ; and, to indicate the certainty of its execution, the prophet is forbidden to intercede for them, 14. The inconsistency of their conduct as the professing people of God is denounced, and its punishment threatened, 15—17. The remaining verses, 18—23, contain a prediction of the calamities that should come on the inhabitants of Anathoth, for their conspiracy against Jeremiah. CHAP. XL] JEREMIAH. 73 1 The word whicli was commumcated to Jeremialifrom Jehovah saying : 2 Hear ye the words of this covenant, And speak ye to the men of Judah, And to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 3 And say thou to them. Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel : Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant, 4 Which I gave in charge to your fathers. In the day that I brought them out from the land of Egypt, From the furnace of iron, saying : "^^ Obey my voice, and do them, According to all that I charge you ; So ye shall be my people. And I will be your God ; 5 That I may confirm the oath, which I sware to your fathers. To give them a land flowing with milk and honey, As it is this day. Then I answered and said : Amen, O Jehovah ! 6 Then Jehovah said to me : Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah, And in the streets of Jerusalem, saying : Hear ye the words of this covenant. And do them. 2. The use of the plurals i2?p^ and into one. The plural Dni«, them, has for cn.'ia.'i, shows that others besides the its antecedent the words of the covenant, prophet were commissioned to promulge ver. 3. Comp. ver. 6. the Divine will to the people of Judah. 5. The concluding words of this verse What they were specially tocommunicate, contain the response of the prophet to was the contents of that portion of the his commission, — couched in phraseology book of the law, which had been found borrowed from Dent, xxvii. 26. \t in the temple, containing the dcnunci- was evidently designed to mark his con- ations against rebellious Israel, Deut. currence in the justice of the curses xxvii. xxviii. In all probability the priests there denounced. are addressed, on whom it devolved to 6. It appears from what is here stated, read the book of the law to the people. that Jeremiah must have undertaken a 4. Di"?, ill the dai/, is, as frequently, prophetic tour tliroughout Judah, for used indefinitely for when. The Sinaio the purpose of comnumicating to the covenant was made some time after the inhabitants of the land, the awful import exodus, but the two events are represent- of the denunciations contained in the ed as so important, and so connected, book of the law, which had been disco- that they might be viewed as running vered in tlie temple. 74 JEREMIAH. [chap. xi. 7 For I solemnly protested to your fathers, In the day when I brought them up from the land of Egypt, Even to this day, Rising early, and protesting, saying, Obey my voice. 8 But they obeyed not. Neither inclined their ear, But walked. Each in the obstinacy of his own wicked heart ; Therefore I brought upon them All the threatenings of this covenant, Which I gave them in charge to perform. But they performed it not. 9 Then Jehovah said to me : ^ A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah, And among the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 10 They have returned to the iniquities of their forefathers. Who refused to hear my words, And have followed other gods to serve them ; The house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken the covenant, Which I made with their fathers. 11 Therefore thus saith Jehovah : Behold ! I will bring upon them a calamity. Which they shall not be able to elude ; And though they may cry to me. Yet I will not hearken to them. 12 Then may the cities of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jeru- salem go, And cry to their gods. To which they burn incense, 7, 8. The most earnest and assiduous compact entered into by those who were instructions whicli had been imparted to hostile to the reformation wliich Josiah the liebrew nation, had all been contra- had introduced, whereby they bound vened by their desperate and obstinate themselves to introduce again all the wickedness. For mTT^ see on chap. iii. idolatrous practices which had been 17. In niiu5b 'm? there is an ellipsis of abolished. Dp''«. _ 12. The conversive Vau in i^^jii, con- 9. The conspiracy to which reference necting this preterite with the preceding is here made, appears to have been a future, gives it a future or potential cnAr. XI.] JEREMIAH. 75 But they shall afford them uo deliverance in the time of their calamity. 13 For according to the number of thy cities, Were thy gods, O Judah ! And according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem, Ye set up altars to the shameful object, Altars at Avhich to burn incense to Baal, li Therefore thou shalt not pray for this people. Nor cause to rise on their behalf a cry or a supplication ; For I Nvill not hear in the time when they cry to me, On account of their calamity. 15 What hath my beloved to do in my house, Committing, as she doth, the manifold enormity ? And the holy flesh hath passed away from thee ; When thou aetest wickedly, then thou exultest. signification. The concluding; words of the verse, and tiiose which commence ??! '2nyT into ^nn •r|:^n iTar, for which we have no warrant whatever, and which would leave no ground for 'i'^'i'iii '!? fol- lowing. By the " iioly flesh " are doid)t- Icss meant the saeriliccs, Haggai ii. 12; but, polluted as the Jews had rendered tiiemselves by idolatry, it was no longer holy, or acceptable to CJod. Both they and it were r(!ieeted by Jehovah. The difliculty in '?ny^, arises out of the cir- cumstance that we should have cx[)ected after '? a finite verb ; but it may be removed by supplying T^n : iriirti thou committed thi/ icirkcdiirs.t, then thou ex- vltest. Instead of being humbled when they had been guilty of idolatrous acts, the Jews were elated with unholy joy. There is no necessity for departing from the usual meaning of i!?^, to loop, e.riilt, and, with Maurer, attaching to it that 76 JEREMIAH. [chap. XI. 16 Jehovah called thy name A green olive-tree, of beautifully formed fruit ; At the sound of a great tumult, he hath kindled a fire upon it. And its branches are broken. 17 For Jehovah of Hosts, that planted thee. Hath denounced calamity upon thee ; On account of the wickedness of the house of Israel, And of the house of Judah, Which they committed against themselves to provoke me to anger. Burning incense to Baal. 18 Jehovah hath made me acquainted with it, and I know it ; Then thou showedst me their doings. 19 But I was as a tamed lamb, led to the slaughter. And knew not that they devised machinations against me, saying: Let us destroy the tree with its fruit. of the Arab. Ju:, inquietiis, et imimtiens fuit, and iuterpreting it of the dis- turbance or inquietude resulting from the infliction of a calamity. 16. The double construct phrase np; i«n-nQ can only properly be rendered by treating nc^ adverbially, and i«i^ as a participle. By God's calling the Hebrew- people by the name here exhibited is meant that he had made them what the name implied, n^ron or n^on, which occurs only here and Ezek. i. 24, is de- rived from "jot, a root preserved in the Arab, i^^, continue pluit coilum : comp. (Js^rw, impetmnfecit ; and is synonymous witii pon, commotio7i, sound, tiimuU. Comp. 1 Kings xviii. 41. The LXX. deriving the word from ''''Q, render "Jip n^ion by (f)cov^v TrepiToiirjs avrfji. The tumult was that of tV.e invading army. ^T} is from »»7, the same as V?7, to break, the a being changed into J^, after the manner of the Aramaic. 17. D\?'j is here the dative incommodi, indicating, that what tlie people had done, liad been to their own injury. I%d9. The "i in n;n'i is redundant. Jeremiah here digresses from his main subject, in order to take special notice of the attempt which had been plotted upon his life by his own townsmen. It would appear that he had not entertained the slightest suspicion of their intention, and that he must have remained ignorant of it, if it had not been immediately re- vealed to him by the omniscient Searcher of hearts. Had he been made acquainted with it, as Hitzig thinks, by ein gliicJc- liches TJvgefcihr, some i'ortunate accident, he would not have employed a repetitious form in ascribing it to Jehovah, as he does in this verse. They were so exas- perated by his predictions against the nation, that they were determined to put an effectual stop to them by killing him. ^^ tens means a lamb that has been tamed so as to be familiar and play with children. One such is commonly to be found in the house of the Arab. — By the tree and its food are meant the prophet and his prophecies. The LXX. render k\x.^akui\i.iv \v\qv els top aprov avTov, let ns t/uv/o tcood into his bread, by which it is thought they meant, that the enemies of the prophet intended to poison him by putting poisonous wood into his food. Thus manifestly the Targ. ^'l??'m xniQi nqd '073, let us cast deadly j^oison into his food, nn^, food, is here used in the acceptation of the ciur. XII.] JEREMIAH. 77 Let us cut liim off from the land of the living, That his name may no more be mentioned. 20 But, O Jehovah of Hosts ! who judgest righteously. Who triest the reins and the heart, I shall see thy vengeance on them ; For to thee have I disclosed my cause. 21 Therefore, thus saitli Jehovah of Hosts respecting the men of Anathoth, who seek thy life, saying : Prophesy not in the name of Jehovah, That thou die not by our hand ; 22 Therefore, thus saith Jehovah of Hosts, Behold ! I will punish them ; Tlic youths shall die by the sword, Their sons and their daughters shall die of famine. 23 And there shall not be a remnant of them ; For I will bring calamity on the men of Anathoth, The year of their punishment. A „i \ /t /. v ■ \ f -t- of the Master whom he served. Hitzif' Arab. ( U ,//•?/«, ?.<>. such iruit as serves ^„.,,„„i., +1 „*. +1 *■ „*. 11 * 41 •* L/^"^ ' remarks, that the laet, that the enemies for food, and refers to what the tree of the Divine word would be punished, furnishes for tlie nourisliment of man- entered so essentially into the sphere of kind, — not its own nutriment, as Blayney prophetical conviction, that Jeremiah strangely interprets. The language of does not exchange the wish of his heart for the persecutors is partly identical with anutteranceof Divine inspiration. Comp. tliat employed by Isaiah in describing Ps. xxxvii. 3-1 ; liv. 9 ; cxii. 8 ; cxviii. 7. the suflcrings of the Messiah, chap. liii. 21. AVe learn from this verse, that 20. It is a great relief to tlie pious the inhabitants of Anatlioth would have mind, when burdened with a sense of been salisficd if Jeremiah had desisted helplessness or danger, to pour out its from giving utterance to his disastrous feelings in prayer to God. The con- predictions ; but, lindiug him resolute in sciousness of integrity, however, is es- the faithful discharge of his office, they sential to such relief. A persuasion resolved to kill him. that he would act with strict justice in 22, 23. Tp!^, ver. 22, is a resumption punishing the enemies of his servant, of the same particle, ver. 21. The re- filled the prophet with a holy satisfaction tribution of their intended murder of of soul. lie docs not even call them the prophet was to be in kind. Their his enemies, but regards them as those extermination would be complete. CHAPTER XII. The subject with which the preceding chapter concludes, is here continued. Stag- gered at the prosperity of the wicked, with whose obstinacy he had to contend, the prophet expostulates with Jehovah, 1—4 ; in reply to which expostulation he is told, that he will have still more severe trials to endure, and some of them 78 JEREMIAH. [chap. xir. from his own relatives, 5, 6, Jehovah declares, however, that the heaviest judgments would be inflicted on his faithless people, 7 — 13. The remaining verses, 14 — 17, contain a prophecy against the nations contiguous to Judea, that should co-operate with the Chaldeans in attacking the Jews, with a promise of restoration in case of repentance. 1 Thou art rigliteous, O Jeliovali ! yet let me plead Avitli thee, Let me only speak with thee ou matters of judgment; Why doth the way of the wicked prosper? Why do the notoriously faithless live at ease ? 2 Thou hast planted them, they have also taken root, They have grown and produced fruit ; Thou art near in their mouth, But far from their reins. 3 But thou, O Jehovah ! knowest me. Thou seest me, and triest my heart .with thee ; Pull them out as sheep for the slaughter, Separate them for the day of slaughter. 4 How long shall the land mourn. And the grass of the whole country wither. On account of the wickedness of those who inhabit it ? The beasts are consumed and the birds. Because they said : None shall see our end. 1. However difficult Jeremiah found crisy of his countrymen, pnj, to tear, it to reconcile the apparent discrepancies or indl away liy violence, expresses the of the Divine government, he still held force that would be employed to detach fast his conviction of the rectitude of the Jews from their abodes. iiJlP, is used the character of Jehovah. With a holy in its primary acceptation of separating, and respectful boldness he proceeds to setting apart, devoting. state the principal cause of his perplexity 4. By a common personification the — the worldly prosperity of the ungodly, ground is represented as affected by the Comp. Ps. xxxvii. Ixxiii. The Futures wickedness of those who dwell upon it. in this verse are used optatively. ^3l n.33, There is here, perhaps, a slight auLicipa- the participle, with a noun derived from tion of the description of the drought the same root for the sake of emphasis, of which the prophet treats, chap. xiv. 2. "^l is expressive of motion or pro- nnpo, in the singular, presents no diffi- gress in any way. Here it is meta- culty, as, according to rule, plurals which phorically used of the growth of a tree, designate beasts or things, admit of being The prophet exposes the hypocrisy of construed with the feminine singular, those who professed to serve Jehovah, n«n: «?, 1 take to be impersonal : No one and yet were attached to idolatry. shall see our end ; i.e. it shall not be 3. The conscious sincerity of Jeremiah realised, we shall not be destroyed. formed a perfect contrast to the hypo- The worldly Jews flattered themselves CHAP. XII.] JEREMIAH. 79 5 If when thou runnest with footmen they weary thee. How wilt thou contend with horsemen ? And if in the land of peace thou art secure, How wilt tliou do in the pride of Jordan ? 6 For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father. Even they are unfaithful to thee, Even they cry loudly after thee ; Believe them not, though they speak fair things to thee. 7 I have forsaken my house, I have abandoned miue inheritance, I have delivered the beloved of my soul Into the hand of her enemies. tliat tlicy miglit, securely pursue their ungodly course, disbelieving all the pre- dictions of calamity uttered by the pro- phet. The LXX., reading 'i^nirnN in- stead of ^:nnnN, render: ovk o\//-fTai o Qfos oSovs Tjixuiv. 5, 6. Jehovah here replies to the appeals of Jeremiah, by an argument a iiiinori ad nuijtis. The language is pro- verbial, and easy of comprehension. Tiie only phrase which requires explanation is "i^^J} I'lf*^, the pride of Jordan. By some it is interpreted of the swelling of that river in April and May, when it overflows its lower banks, and fills to a consider- able extent the valley called the Ghor ; by others, of the trees, shrubs, and rank vegetation which abound on its banks, especially between the Sea of Tiberias and the Lake Merom, and afford a shelter for wild boars, lions, bears and tigers. Comp. ch. xlix. 19; 1. 44; Zech. xi. 3. The latter is the prcferablc,interpretation, on the ground of the greater consistency of the contrast between the security en- joyed in the open champaign country, and the danger to which persons are exposed who venture into the haunts of wild beasts. The emphasis attaching to the particle D?, even, and the repeated HOT D3, cKcn ihei/, show that the parabo- lical language employed in verse 5, is applied in verse to the circumstances in which the prophet was placed among the inhabitants of Jerusalem generally, and his own relatives in particular. Hitherto he had met with no personal injury on the part of the former, how grating soever his predictions must have been to them ; but now at Auathoth, which ought to have been the residence of holy priests of Jehovah, he was to be exposed to such persecution as priests in every age have been forward to originate and sustain ; the result of which would be open persecution on the part both of the nders and the people. See chapters XX. xxvi. His own relatives, however they might hide their real character under specious pretensions of friendship, were ready, like the wild beasts in the covert afforded by the luxuriant vegetation on the Jordan, to rush upon him, and excite, by their loud condeuuiation of him, the inhabitants of the metropolis to put him to death. A man's worst foes are some- times those of his own family. Matt. x. 36 ; Mark xiii. 12. — n^nnri in ver. 5, Gesenius makes to belong to the conjuga- tion Tijihil, which is only an analogous form of Iliphil ; but Lee and Ewald deny that there is any such species of conjuga- tion, and by altering the punctuation to n^nnn, make it the regular form of Hilhpael. Thus the word is pointed in the second Konigsberg MS., and origi- nally in one of Dc Hossi's. Comp. JT^nnp, chap. xxii. 15. Root iTjn, to burn, be hot ; Ilithpael, to show oneself hot, be eager ; with nw, to contend tcith.—tilJ^, fully, i. e. tcithfull voice, loudly. 7. Notwithstanding the propriety which Jehovah had in the temple, the land, and the people of the Jews, he would abandon them all on account of the idol- atry with which they were infected. The 80 JEREMIAH. [chap, xir. 8 Mine inlieritance is become to me As a lion in the forest ; It utteretli its voice against me, Therefore I hate it. 9 Is mine inheritance to me a speckled bird of prey ? Are birds of prey round about her ? Come, gather all the beasts of the field. Bring them to the prey. 10 Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard. They have trampled down my portion, Preterites throughout this portion, com- prising verses 7—13, are all prophetic Futures, so that its composition is not to be referred, with Dahler, Hitzig and others, to the time of Jehoiakim. Tor 'a5D? mil", com p. chap. xi. 15. 8. "Jip? ]n: is equivalent to '^V pj. 9. Most of the moderns agree with Bochart in rendering tc;;? by wild beast, a signification which nowhere else attaches to the word, though it occurs elsewhere eight times in Scripture, and always in the acceptation of bird of jn-ey. Such a departm-e from fixed philological prin- ciples never could have taken place, if jeiiy, which has been supposed to signify the ht/aiM, had not occurred in immediate connexion with the term. That the Arab. j^ signifies the hysena is undeniable, and the LXX., identifying the Hebrew word with it, render vaiva ; but such a construction as the vnld beast hycena, however well it may sound in English, is altogether alien to the Hebrew ; and this the LXX. must have felt, for they attri- bute to 12?? quite a different signification, Mt) (TTvrfkaLov vaivqs rf K\r]povofjiia jJiov ifioi ; though they otherwise translate it by nereLvov and dpveov. That the words are to be read interrogatively, both the LXX. and the punctists agree ; the Pa- tach under n forming no exception to the rule which requires Kametz with the Article before the guttural 5?. If we were to regard ?i32 m'- as an instance of asyndeton, and adopt the above Arabic derivation, the words might be rendered: Is mine inheritance become a bird of prey, or a hysena to me? And this would seem to derive support from n-j^sn n^n, i/ie wild beast, occurring in the following sentence; but I prefer consider- ing i^^is as an adjective qualifying '^y., with the acceptation speckled, as denoting the variegated colours of certain species of birds of prey, such as the eagle, the falcon, &c. Thus the Syr., Vulg., our common version, Luther's, the Dutch, and others. Thus also recently Ewald : eifi bunter Geier. The derivation from ri^, to tinge, dye, colour, is quite natural. With respect to the interrogations, they are both to be answered in the afiirraative. The Jews had become like the heathen nations — differing from them oulyin com- bining a vain observance of Mosaic rites with those which they had adopted from paganism, and thus presenting a motley appearance. And the nations around were ready, like birds of prey, to pounce upon them, and destroy them as a nation. With these, other rapacious enemies are summoned to unite in rushing to the prey. Comp. Is. xviii. 6; Ivi. 9. 10—13. The c'?T n7\ many shepherds, were the Babylonians, whose armies would spread over the land, and reduce it to a state of utter ruin. This is most forcibly expressed, partly by a variety, and partly by a repetition of terms. The devastation was to be universal. The past tense, as the prophetic future, is used throughout. Por '''^V^J}, my portion, ver. 10, fifteen MSS., originally five more, and two by correction, read T^to, mine inheritance ; but the former reading is required to bear out the following '^fl^ 'n^prr? "tny delightful portioji. — ^ the femi- nine suffix in Pin^j ver. 11, refers to '^V'^J), CHAP, xn.] JEREMIAH. 81 They have converted my delightful portion Into a desolate wilderness. 11 They have made it desolate ; Desolate, it mourneth to me ; The whole land is desolated. Yet no man layeth it to heart. 12 On all the high places in the desert, The destroyers are come ; For the sword of Jehovah devoureth. From the one end of the land to the other ; No flesh hath peace. 13 They have sown wheat, But they shall reap thorns ; They have put themselves to pain. But they shall have no profit ; They shall be ashamed of your produce, Because of the fierce anger of Jehovah. 14; Thus saith Jehovah Against all my wicked neighbours, Who touch the inheritance Which I have caused my people Israel to inherit ; Behold ! I will pluck them out from their land. And pluck out the house of Judah from among them. 15 And it shall come to pass After I have plucked them out, I will again show them pity, and bring them back, ver. 10 ; and the verb, which is of the merely a brief anticipation of the predic- singular number, is to be taken as a col- tions contained in chapters xlvii. xlviii. lective, and may, therefore, be translated xlix. On the restoration of those nations, in the plural. In □^'nxun, ver. 13, there which is declared to be conditional on is a chfuige of person from the third to their embracing the true religion, they the second, which may have arisen from were to exchange places with the Jews, some eopvist having written d?:.- for en': ; The latter were now " in the midst of or the mi\id of the prophet may have had them," and were to be removed from a special direction given to it, at the close that position before their subjugation by of the prediction. Tlie LXX. have vfx^v. Nebuchadnezzar; but on their restora- 14—17. Here commences a separate tion, they were to be established " m prophecy respecting those nations in the the midst " of the Jews, which shows vicinity of the Jews, which rejoiced in that the prophecy is to be interpreted of and helped forward their calamities, the proselytes from among them that These were the Syrians, the Ammonites, would join the church of God after the the Moabites, the Idumeans, the Philis- restoration from Babylon, nia signifies tines, &c. Wliat is here delivered is in Niphal, to ohtain a fixed ahod^, and M 82 JEREMIAH. [chap. xiii. | Each to liis inheritance, and each to his land. 16 And it shall come to pass, If they will diligently learn the Avays of my people, To swear by my name : Jehovah liveth ! As they taught my people to swear by Baal, Then they shall be built amongst my people. 17 But if they will not hear, Then I will pluck out that nation, I will pluck it out and destroy it, Saith Jehovah. by implicatiou, to he prosperous, happy. Ccelosyria, the Eastern monarch made Without anticipating remarks which will war agauist the Ammonites and Moabites, be found in the Commentary on the and when he had brought c///?;/^05e««zf/o«5 chapters above referred to, it may be under subjection, he fell upon Egypt, &c. noticed with respect to the accomplish- Autiq. lib. x. cap. 9. § 7. — The embrac- ment of the prophecy, that it is generally ing of the true religion is represented as believed, it took place during the thirteen consisting in an avowal, with all the years that the Babylonians were occupied solemnity of an oath, that Jehovah alone with the siege of Tyre. Josephus states was God. Comp. Is. xix. IS ; Ixv. 16 ; expressly, that after the subjugation of Jer. iv. 2. CHAPTER XIII. Under the symbol of a girdle which Jeremiah was first to wear, and then to deposit in the fissure of a rock, and after a long period to recover, are represented the close alliance into which the Hebrew nation had been brought with Jehovah, and the design of that alliance, and the pollution which they had contracted by idolatry, 1 — 7. Then follows an explanation of the symbol, 8 — 11. Next comes another symbol of bottles of wine, 12, which is likewise explained, 13, 14. A previous warning is given to the people generally, 15 — 17 ; the royal personages are foretold the humiliation which awaits them, IS ; the capture of the laud by tlie Chaldeans is depicted, and its cause assigned, 19 — 22 ; and the prophecy closes with a description of the incorrigible character of iJie Jews, their abominable idolatries, and a denunciation of iheir punishment, 23 — 27. 1 Thus saith Jehovah to me : Go and procure for thyself a linen girdle, and put it on thy loins, but thou shalt not put it in 1. The first seven verses of this described actually occurred in the out- chapter contain an apt example of sym- ward history of Jeremiah, cannot be ad- bolical prophecy. But that it was purely mitted. The whole is couched in the allegorical, i.e. that nothing of what is style of historical facts. Comp. Is. vii. 3 ; CHAP. XIII,] JEREMIAH. 83 2 water. So I procured the girdle according to the word of Jehovah ; and I put it ou my loins. 3 And the word of Jehovah was communicated to mc a second 4 time, saying : Take the girdle which thou hast procm-ed, which is on thy loins, and rise, go to Phrath, and hide it there 5 in a cleft of the rock. And I went and hid it in Phrath, as viii. 1 ; Jer. xviii. 1 — i ; xix. ; Ezck. iv. V. xii. xxiv. 1, 2. The ouly difficulty which the case before us presents, is the distance of more thau two hundred miles, to whicli, it is supposed, the prophet had to go at two different times, which would necessarily occasion a long interruption of his official duty at Jeru- salem. Considering, however, the par- ticidar juncture at which he was first called to proceed on his journey — vie. when a plot liad been formed against his life ; and the publicity which would be given to the symbolical character of the transactions, it has been thought that there is a sufficient degree of importance attaching to these circumstances to i'ustify his long absence from his post. 3ut see on ver. 4. — cnif^s liiN, a (jirdle ofjlax, or cotton, the material so called from niiJs or thrs, Arab. \jt^, tu card, or shake up cotton. The command not to put this girdle into water, is construed by !Maurer and Ilitzig to mean, that Jeremiah was to wear it constantly, though full of the efl'eets of perspiration, and never to wash it : thereby indicating that the Jewish people, whom Jehovah iuul bound to himself as a valuable girdle, were, as a nation now polluted by idola- trous abominations, to be removed to Babylon, ver. 10. 3, 4. After wearing the new girdle for a time in the sight of the people, the prophet received a fresh order to go to ni^?, Phrath, and hide it there in tiie hole of a rock. On the autliority of the LXX., Vulg., and other ancient versions, it has been taken for granted, that by n^? here the river Euphrates is to be un- derstood. That the name is elsewhere employed to designate that river, is be- yond dispute. Kot reckoning the i)resent verse, it occurs fifteen times with this application ; but except in three in- stances, Gen. ii. 14, 2 Chron. xxxv. 20, Jer. li. 63, it never stands alone, but always has "inj^ river, attached to it. In- deed, the same must have taken place, Gen. ii. 14, if that word had not been used innnediately before n-;E, so that this passage ought not to be taken into the account. With respect to Jer. li. 63, also, there was no necessity for em- ploying the qualifying noun, as Seraiah is supposed to be at Babylon at the time to which reference is there made : con- sequently in tiic closest contact with the Eui)hrates. It seems not a little strange, therefore, that the name should appear not fewer than four times in the present verse without the use of the qiudifying term, if that river had really been in- tended. This circumstance appears to have struck the LXX., whose text, ver. 7, exhibits tov Evcf)paTr)v ivora^vv. Ewald, who rejects the Euphrates, ren- ders tiie word oy Flnssnfer (Jjank of the river), and thinks that it may be used of fresh or sweet water rivers generally, or that it may express the same as the Arab. Lc^, a rent in the land formed by water. I prefer the solution proposed by Boehart, and adopted Ijy Vcnema, Dathe, and Ilitzig, that nns is here only an abbreviation of nx«, Ephrath, which appears to have been the original name of Bctlilehem and its vicinity, and most commonly appears with tlu; addition of the paragogic n, — '^n^'D''*, Ephrat/ia. The apha?resis of the prosthetic >* in Hebrew is not without examples, as ??i"') for ?i"ilN ; i2n: for ^''^y^,; ""7 for ^^^J, &c. Tiie whole extent of the prophet's journey, there- fore, was ouly about six miles southward of Jerusalem. There at Beti)lehem, he was to hide the girdle in a fissure of 5•^'"?^?, the rock, some well-known rock in tiie vicinityof tiiat town. Whyhcwas spe- cially sent to that place it is impossible 84 JEREMIAH. [chap. xiii. 6 Jehovah had charged me. And it came to pass at the end of many days, that Jehovah said to me : Rise, go to Phrath, and take thence the girdle, which I charged thee to hide there. 7 And I went to Phrath, and dug, and took the girdle from the place where I had hid it ; and behold ! the gii'dle was 8 spoiled ; it was good for nothing. Then the word of Jehovah was communicated to me, saying : 9 Thus saith Jehovah : In this manner I will spoil the pride of Judah, And the great pride of Jerusalem. 10 This wicked people who refuse to hear my words. Who walk in the obstinacy of their heart. And foUow other gods, To serve them, and to worship them, They shall even be as this girdle. Which is good for nothing. 11 For as the girdle cleaves to the loins of a man. So did I cause to cleave to me. The whole house of Israel, and the whole house of Judah, Saith Jehovah, To be to me for a people, And for a name, and for praise, and for beauty ; But they would not hear. 12 Speak further to them this word. Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel : Every bottle shall be fiUed with wine ; And they shall say to thee. Do we not certainly know that every bottle shall be filled with wine? to say, except that it may have been had disqualified themselves for acting as that the use of the term nns, Phmth, witnesses for Jehovah as the only true might lead the Jews, when the symbolical God, and, like a cast-away girdle, they actions came to be understood by them, were to be humbled and rejected. to think of i]ie Euphrates, to which they 10, 11. In these verses the symbol is were to be carried captive, as designated explained by its express application to by the same name. the whole Hebrew people. 6, 7. The length of time implied in 12. Simple as the apparently pro- D>a-! D'o;, many days, was required to verbial statement is, that every bottle afford room for the gndle to become should be full of wine, it becomes in- spoiled and unfit for use. To that con- vested with tremendous import, when, dition the Jews had been reduced by the in the following verse, it is interpreted corrupting idolatries of the heathen. They of the wrath of Jehovah, which was CHAP, xra.] JEREMIAH. 85 13 Then tliou shalt say to them^ Thus saith Jehovah : Behold ! I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, Even the kings who sit for Da\id on his throne. And the priests and the prophets, And all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness. 14 I will dash them, one against another. The fathers and the children together, Saith Jehovah ; I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, So as not to destroy them. 15 Hear ye, and give ear ; be not proud ; For Jehovah hath spoken. 16 Give glory to Jehovah youi* God, Before he cause darkness. And before your feet stumble upon the gloomy mountains ; And ye look for light. But he turneth it into deathshade. He maketh it thick darkness. 17 But if ye will not hear. My soul shall weep in secret places for your pride ; about to be inflicted upon the apostate -vrord hogshead is derived — that term Jews. Jehovah is often said metaphori- being evidently a corrupt pronunciation cally to make the nations intoxicated of ox-hide. with wine, when, by liis judgments, he 13, 14. Though ]i"iStt5, drunkenness, the stupifies them, deprives them of all object of n^'?P, is removed from it by power of resistance or defence, and in- the intervention of not fewer than nine- volves them in remediless destruction, teen words — an example to which I know See my Conim. on Is. li. 17, and the no parallel in the Hebrew Bible — still it passages there quoted. The Jews either derives much force from its position at did not, or pretended not to know, to the close of the sentence. The Jews, what the prophet referred, and responded without regard to rank, office, or position, by adverting to the fact with which every were all to be involved in one common one was acquainted, that, after the ruin. They were to be dispersed iudis- vintage, the wine was preserved in criminately, and without pity. The ^ in leathern bottles. These bottles are fre- T!7^ is used in tlie acceptation loco, in quently of a large size. On entering the the room of, for. Comp. chap. xxii. 4. city of Tifiis in 1821, the author found The form expresses the succession of the market-place full of such bottles, the Davidic family, consisting of the skins of oxen, calves, 15 — 17. An affecting appeal to the &c., distended with wine, the parts at people to avert, by repentance and con- which the head and legs had been cut fession of sin, the awfiil judgments which off having been closely sewed up, so as were impending. The phrase Ti3| jn3 not to allow the liquor to ooze out. It rnrrb^ to give glory to Jehovah, when used is from this custom that our English in reference to such as had incurred 86 JEREMIAH. [chap. Xlll. And mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears ; For the flock of Jehovah is taken away captive. 18 Say to the king and to the lady, Sit down low ; For from your heads shall come down Your beauteous crown. 19 The cities of the south are shut up. And no one openeth them ; Judah is all taken away captive — She is taken away completely. 20 Lift up your eyes and look, They are coming from the north ; guilt, means to acknowledge the justice of God in the infliction of deserved pu- nishment. Josh. vii. 19. They were on the point of being involved in most dis- tressing circumstances, in which no hope could procure them relief. i''« is here, and Job xxxvi. 32, construed as a femi- nine. The metaphor is taken from the dangers to which travellers are exposed, who, in a dark and stormy night, cross mountain-regions, where they are liable at almost every step to stumble against some projecting angle of a rock, and so be precipitated into the abyss below, rv^r^;, which the Keri changes into n'ci, should be pointed '"i'^;\ — '^1?., pride, con- tracted for n;«a. Job xxxiii. 17. The 17th verse contains touching expressions of tender, though hopeless grief, on the part of the prophet. Por the flock of Jehovah, see Ps. Ixxx. 1 ; c. 3 ; Is. xl. 11 ; Ezek. xxxiv. 6, S, 10—19, 31. 18. The king here specially referred to was Jehoiachiu, and the t^^^, l^fd//, or mistress, was Nehushta, his mother, who, with liis \vives, olficers, and mighty men, was carried away with him captive to Babylon. 2 Kings xxiv. 8 — 15. For the appropriation of this term to the queen-dowager, see 1 Kings xi. 19 ; XV. 13; 2 Kings x. 13; Jer. xxix. 2. Of the two imperatives, =1:1^ "^'^V^]^ the former is to be taken adverbially. The gender of nr^ii? not having been regarded when the prophet wrote "^"X, the mas- culine, as the groiind form of the verb, is employed instead of the feminine. The n in n3^nuJ«TO should be pointed P, and so taken as the preposition, and not as formative. Com]). 1 Sam. xxvi. 12. The meaning of the verse is not, that they were to humble themselves, and so pre- vent the calamity — that was now re- garded as hopeless, — but to occupy the lowly place to which their altered cir- cumstances would reduce thein. 19. By "the cities of the South" are not meant those of Egypt, as Grotius in- terprets, though 153, the South, has this signification. Is. xxx. 0, Dan. xi. 5, &e. ; but those in the south of Judah, or the southern district of Palestine. Eveu those cities which lay furthest from the approaching enemy, are represented as entirely deserted : the inhabitants having all been carried away into captivity, and not so much as one left to open the gates to the traveller. The following clauses of the verse demand this interpretation, though "i^.D is elsewhere used in the passive, to describe the state of a city surrounded by a besieging enemy. See Josh. vi. 1. ri":3n is the rare form of the third person singular feminine, but the regular form in the Aramaic, Arabic, and Ethiopic. Comp. 1; nbi«, Dent, xxxii. 3G. □'pib^p is used adverbially, like D'^ttJ'P. 20. Many MSS. and printed editions support the Keri in reading the two im- peratives in the second plural ; but '«•>? and '«"J, in the singidar feminine, are re- quired by the feminine suffixes in '^ and •^jn-iNEDn, and by the continuation of the same gender in the two following verses. In ado])ting 05^5^3?, the masculine plural, instead of "^".Ti?, the foninine singula)-, CJIAP. XIII.] JEREMIAH. 87 21 Where is the flock that was given to tliee, Thy beautiful flock ? What wilt thou say Avhen He shall punish thee ? For thou hast taught them to be chief princes over thee ; Shall not pains seize tlice as a woman in travail ? 22 And if thou shalt say in thine heart. Why have tliesc tKmnn '■y}i{,after how long yet, diXe elliptical, and are to be supplied from the preceding sentence, in which n'' is not to be re- garded as having the force of an inter- rogative, but is simply negative. CUAP. XIV.] JEREMIAH. 89 CHAPTER XIV. The oceasiou on which this portion of the Book, consisting of the fourteenth and fifteenth chapters, was delivered is stated to have been a severe drought with which the laud of Judah had been visited, 1. The effects of this° drought arc first depicted in the most vivid colours, 2-6 ; the prophet then puts into the mouth of the people a confession of sins and expostulatory supplications, 7—9 ; which are followed by declarations on the part of Jehovah, that the judgment under which tlicy were suffering was loudly called for by the wicked- ness of their conduct, and that, therefore, no intercession of the prophet, nor ceremonial observances engaged in by them, would avert their merited punish- ment, 10—12. The doom of the false prophets is next predicted, 13—15, together with that of those who listened to them, 16. On this the prophet is charged to bewail the sufferings of his people, 17, 18 ; and they arc again intro- duced expostulating with Jehovah, 19; confessing their sins, 20; and sup- plicating forgiveness, with an acknowledgment of Jehovah as the only source of hope, 21, 22. 1 That which was the word of Jehovali to Jeremiah concerning the drought : 2 Judah mourncth, And her gates hiraent. They bow mourning towards the earth : The cry of Jerusalem is gone up. 3 Their nobles send their inferiors for water, _ 1. The construction "^« njnp?! n;rt i^^n severity of the drought, the following mstcad of ^t* rrn ^^'« np^ nai occurs here verses contain a graphic and pathetic de- lor the hrst time m tlie Hebrew Scrip- scription. It is strange that so judicious tures ; but that it is not to be considered an interpreter as Hiivcrnick should dis- as the result oi carelessness in transcrip- sent from the generally received opinion, tion, but IS characteristic of the style of according to which a real drouo-ht is Jeremiah, appears from his again using here referred to. ° it, chap. xlvi. 1 ; xlvii. 1; xlix. 31.. The 2. Gales, by synecdoche for the per- hteral rendering is, " T/u/i tchich was the sons assembling in them, as they were word of Jehovah." n^i^i properly sig- the princii)al places of concourse con- nilies restraint. It occurs only chap, nected with the cities. Por an amplified xvu. 8, and is here used in the plural specimen of the lugubrious language here rmsarr, the restraints, to indicate intensity employed, see Is. xxiv. 4. '' in f^^'i, do- or continuance. In Deut. xi. 17, the notes direction or position. It gives a verb i^y, to restrain, or slint np, i.e. pregnancy to tlic preceding verb, wliieh D'D-^n, ?-//<< to^;M, IS used in reference to must be translated accordingly. For the same subject. That the substantive nniy, a cry of distress, comp. Is. xxiv. 1 1. ^?Q, ram, is to be understood, the LXX. 3. ii5^% or t?^-, signifies to lie little, or who render a/3poxta, have rightly per- inferior, both in regard to age and station, ccivcd. Comp. again Deut.xi. 17. Of the Our translators less aptly take the word N 90 JEREMIAH. [chap. XIV. They come to the cisterns, but find no water. They return with their vessels empty ; They are ashamed and confounded, And cover their heads. 4 Because the ground is chapt, There being no rain on the earth, The husbandmen are ashamed And cover their heads. 5 Yea, the hind also in the field Bringeth forth her young, and leaveth it ; Because there is no grass. C And the wild asses stand on the high places. They snufi" up the wind like jackals ; Then* eyes fail, because there is no herbage. 7 Though our iniquities testify against us, O Jehovah ! act for thine own name's sake ; For our apostasies are numerous. We have sinned against thee. 8 O thou Hope of Israel ! ill the former acceptation, and represent the children of the nobles as going to draw water, whereas aU that is meant is their domestics. D'?3, cisterns, were pits or cavities filled with rain water ; they are often met with in eastern countries, and are invaluable where there are no springs or streams of water. Their failure is regarded as the greatest cala- mity. Por n'', fourteen MSS., originally three more, one by correction, the Son- cin. Bible and Prophets, the LXX., Targ., and Syr., read «'''). Though the words □•i'N-i ^Drji are not found in the LXX., it is not necessary, with Movers and Hitzig, to suppose that they have been inti'oduced by some copyist from the end of the following verse. Havuig once used them, tlie prophet tliere ap- propriately employs them again. Besides, there is nothing in the LXX. to express the words i^"'?^'! 'im's, which do not occur in verse 4. 4. Tor ^crj read lem, as in ver. 3. Thus twenty-one MSS., — five more originally, two more by correction — the Soncin. Bible and Prophets, Targ., and Syriac. 5. The very brute creation were re- duced to the last extremity for want of food. The hind, contrary to the feelings of natural affection, abandons her young, and the wild asses betake themselves to the heights in order to discover some supply. The latter arc very sharp-sighted, and travellers in the desert frequently avail themselves of their appearance, knowing that there must be herbage and Mater in the vicinity. :iiw, the infinitive absolute, for the finite form of the verb, for the sake of continuing the narration more emphatically. 7. nuj?, used absolutely, signifies to do or act in any way. Its specific ac- ceptation in any given passage must be determined by circumstances. Here the idea is that of interposition by removing the drought. God is often said to do anything /b/ his -na ale's sake, when there- by liis honour and glory would be pre- served or promoted. His abandonment of his people might be construed by their enemies into a proof of his inability to help them. Comp. Josh. vii. 9 ; Ps. Ixxix. 9 ; Is. xlviii. 9. 8. As i"?™ is obviously implied in the verb npj, I have not scrupled to express CHAP. XIV.] JEREMIAH. 91 His Deliverer iu the time of distress ; Why art Thou as a stranger in the land, Or as a traveller who spreadeth his tent for the night ? 9 Why art Thou as one struck dumb, Or as a hero unable to deliver ? Yet Thou art in the midst of us, O Jehovah ! And we are called by thy name, Abandon us not. 10 Thus saith Jehovah to this people : They have loved so to wander. They have not restrained their feet. Therefore Jehovah accepteth them not ; Now he will remember their iniquity, He will punish their sin. iT Then said Jehovah to me : Pray not on behalf of this people for good. 12 For though they may fast, I will not hear their cry ; And though they may offer holocausts and oblations, I will not accept them : But I will consume them by the sword. And by the famine, and by the pestilence. 13 And I said. Ah ! Lord Jehovah ! Behold ! the prophets say to them, it iu the translation. Mistaking n?.'«, which they had been visited, but which written in full n-\i«, for nn]«, the LXX. was only the commencement of his juclg- render avT6x6(»v. ments. He would still further punish 9. crfii, a ana^ X(y. Arab. >aO, to ^^^J^^' „ , .. .„ " ■ ' ^ A ^ > ]^]^_ ggg gljap. vu. 16. come suddenly upon any one, to con- 12. It appears, from this verse, that found, stiqjifi/, strike dumb. The LXX. the people had again engaged in the ex- give to the word the signification of terual service of Jehovah, in the hope DT13, to be in a profound sleep or stupor, that this would avert his anger ; but as There can be little doubt that in rendering they were not really weaned from idolatry, it by vTvvav, they mistook the one verb it is declared to be in vain, for the other. 13. The language which the prophet 10. 13 is here used as an adverb of here employs, is not a violation of the pro- degree : so greatli/, to sv.ch an extent, or hibition, ver. 11; it only accounts for the like. In d?:j «'' is a meiosis. So far their rebellious conduct by tracing it to was Jehovah from being pleased with the the influence of false prophets, by whom Jews, that he was highly displeased with they had been seduced, nn^ ni'ruj, lit. them, as was proved by the drought with peace of truth, i. e. true, lusting^ durable. 92 JEREMIAH. [chap. xiv. Ye shall not see the sword. And ye shall have no famine, For I will give you stable peace in this place. 14 Then Jehovah said to me : The prophets prophesy falsehood in my name ; I have not sent them. Neither have I charged them. Nor spoken to them : False vision, and divination, and nonentity. And the deceit of their own heart. They prophesy to you. 15 Therefore thus saith Jehovah concerning the prophets That prophesy in my name, though I have not sent them. That say. Neither sword nor famine Shall there be in this land ; By sword and by famine shall those prophets be consumed. 16 And the people to Avhom they prophesy Shall be cast out into the streets of Jerusalem, By reason of the famine and of the sword. And no one shall bury them, Them, their wives, and their sons and their daughters ; For I will pour out upon them their calamity. 17 Thou shalt also sj)eak to them this word : Let mine eyes run down with tears, night and day. And let them not cease ; For the virgin daughter of my people is broken With a great breach, a very grievous stroke. 18 If I go forth into the field. Behold ! the slain with the sword ; And, if I enter the city, Behold ! those who pine with famine ; peace ; for which we have rio>ii di'jt^, menls with which llie people were to be pcace&ndi tnith,li.xxnx.^. TheLXX. visited. V>';j '^'^, wickedness, i\\c coiisc- dXijdftav Ka\ elprfvr). The prophets fal- queuces of it are meant, laciously mixed up what tliey pretended 17, 18. Tlic prophet is commissioned to be the words of Jehovah with their to give expression to the profound grief own. which he felt in anticipation of the 14. For riTOnni Wj«^ tlie Keri has the calamities tliat were coming upon his usual orlliograpiiy, r\-iy)jy\ Wn. people, whom he personifies as a virgin, IG. Tlie use of the verb T|D-i3, fo poitr because they had never been subdued by o«^, indicates the vehemence of the judg- any foreign prince. See my Note on CHAP. XV.] JEREMIAH. 93 Surely both prophet and priest shall migrate To a land which they know not, 19 Hast thou utterly rejected Judah? Doth thy soul abominate Zion ? AVhy hast thou smitten us^ and there is no cure for us ? We expected peace, but there is no good ; And a time of cure, but behold ! terror. 20 We acknowledge, O Jehovah ! our wickedness. And the iniquity of our fathers ; For we have sinned against thee. 21 Reject not, for thy name's sake. Disgrace not the throne of thy glory ; Remember, break not thy covenant mth us. 22 Can any among the vanities of the nations give rain ? Or can the heavens give showers ? Art not Thou He, O Jehovah our God ? Therefore we will hope in thee ; For thou doest all these things. Is. xxiii. 12. The idea properly conveyed as doing what the prophet was forbidden by '« ii7D, is that of going into a country to do on their behalf. for purposes of traffic. Instead of en- 22. c'ian'^an, the vanities of the na- joying security, luxury, and ease in their tiom, i.e. their fictitious deities. See on native laud, the Jews, led away into cap- chap. ii. 5. Ewald : Heiden-Nichtigkeiten. tivity, would be exposed to all the perils The heavens could not give rain of and hardships of those who travel abroad themselves, considered as natural ele- in quest of gain. The deceivers and the meuts, much less could they as objects deceived should have the like fate. Man- of worship. Jehovah, as the Great First rer : in terram ipsis incognitam, i.e. in Cause, was alone to be regarded. He exilium. alone was entitled to the confidence of 19. n??, see chap. viii. 15. From the his people. d^J occurs as a verb only in commencement of this verse to the end this place, of the chapter, the people are introduced CHAPTER XV. Adverting to the prayer which had just been presented, God declares that not even the supplications of the most eminent of his servants would avail to avert the punishment of the Jews, 1. This punishment is then denounced in various forms, 2 — 9 ; which calls forth a heavy complaint on the part of Jere- miah, 10. Jehovah, to comfort him, reminds him of former iuter^wsitious on his 94 JEREMIAH. [chap. xv. behalf, 11 ; and predicts the inevitable removal of the Jews into a state of exile, 12 — 14. The prophet then pleads the deplorable condition to which the faithful discharge of his projjhelical duties had reduced him, 15 ; the readiness with which he had received the Divine messages, which he contrasts with the sad con- sequences of the delivery of them to the people, 16 — IS. On this God en- courages him with the assurance, that, if he will only resume the public discharge of his functions, he will afford him all necessary protection, 19 — 21. 1 Then said Jeliovali to me : Though Moses or Samuel stood before me, , My soul should not be toward this people ; Dismiss them from my presence, that they may go av/ay. 2 And it shall be, if they say to thee. Whither shall we go ? That thou shalt say to them. Thus saith Jehovah : Those who are for death, let them be for death ; Those who are for the sword, for the sword ; Those who are for famine, for famine ; And those who are for captivity, for captivity. 3 Yea, I will punish them by four kinds, saith Jehovah, The sword to kill, and the dogs to tear. The birds of the heavens, and the beasts of the field. To devour and to destroy. 4 And I will give them up to agitation In all the kingdoms of the earth. On account of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, Eor that which he did in Jerusalem. 5 For who will take pity upon thee, O Jerusalem ? And who will commiserate thee ? Or, who will turn aside to ask how thou doest ? 1. Moses and Samuel had effectively xxix. 18 ; xxxiv. 17 ; 2 Chrou. xxix. 8, interceded on behalf of their people. The Jews were to have no rest, but were Exod. xxxii. 11 — 14; ISam. vii. 5 — 14; to be driven from place to place at the but not even their intercession, could pleasure of their enemies. Ewald : Sjnel they employ it, would be of any avail des IFincles. As the people persevered now. The Jews had proved themselves in the idolatries which had been practised to be incorrigible, and the Divine purpose by Manasseh, they were to meet with to punish them was unalterable. After condign punishment. n^iB supply 2ni«. ^ ^ 5—9. The Preterite is used as the i- ^il. or as Kcri, nii^i, afjUatiou. prophetic Future tliroughout this pas- Comp. licut. xxviii. 25 ; chap. xxiv. 9 ; sage, to express the certainty of the CIIAP. XV.] JEREMIAH. 95 Thou hast forsaken me^ saith Jehovah, Thou art gone away backward : Therefore I have stretched out my hand against tliee. And destroyed thee ; I have been wearied with repenting. Yea, I have winnowed them with a winnowing instrument In the gates of the land, I have bereaved, I have destroyed my people. Because they returned not from their ways. Their widows are more in number to me than the sand of the sea, I have brought to them — against the mother — A young spoiler at noon-day : I have suddenly caused to fall upon them Anguish and terror. events, n'?^' ""^^'^t ^^^^ ^«'«'i?5 of the land, mean the extreme points at which an entrance or an exit was effected. Jeho- vah threatens to carry them thither, to be thence scattered among the nations. Comp. Nah. iii. 13. 8. 1 in ^Tp^^, which wants the ' of the suffix form, has for its antecedent Dj in the preceding verse. Tlie following words, 1^!^? cx-b?j have been very dif- ferently construed. Nor is the difficulty which they present by any means easy of solution, however simple the words may be in thein selves. LXX. eVl firjTepa veavidKovs. Some compare the phrase □'33 'Ti c«, the mother xoith her children, but the position of the preposition before and not after n«, renders such construc- tion untenable. Others take iin| □«, to be in the construct state : the mother of the young man, or regarding the nouns as collectives : the mothers of the young men ; but neither of these affords a suitable sense. Jarchi, Capellus, Castalio, De Dieu, Doderlein, Eichhorn, and Dahler, consider d«, mother, to mean the metro- polis, as 2 Sam. xx. 19, and ™>?, 2 Sam. viii. 1. The word is thus used on Phce- nician coins. Comp. the Arab. J, the Greek MTi]p; Callim. Fragm. 112; and the Latin mater, Flor. 3. 7. IS ; Am- mian, 17. 13 ; Gesenius, in voc. The ob- jection of Schnurrer, that it wants the article, is of httlc force, as the prophets sometimes omit it for the sake of con- densation. See Is. xxi. 12, and Nord- hcimer's Gram. vol. ii. p. 13, note. Tliis, on the whole, as the text now stands, is the preferable interpretation. If con- jecture were allowable, we might sup- pose that instead of ns! bv orh^ ti>e words were originally □n'.'??', as cnb is" feeble after the preceding verb, iina I take to be a participial adjective qualifying iliiJ, and placed before it for the sake of emphasis. Comp. Is. liii. 11 ; Jer. iii. 7, 8, 10. By the "young spoiler" is meant Nebuchad- nezzar II., who, when his father was old and infirm, had part of the Chaldean army committed to him, and after de- feating Pharaoh Necho at Carchemish, marched forward against Jerusalem and captured it. The attack being made at noon indicates the unexpectedness by which it was characterised, that being the time of day when, owing to intense heat, military operations are carried on with less vigour. Compare c'xnQ^ sud. denly, in the following hemistich, ti-^ LXX., rpd/xoi/, consternation, terror, an- guish ; from I'V, to be hot, indicating a heated or excited state of mmd. 96 JEREMIAH. [chap. XV. 9 She that bare seven languisheth, She breatheth out her soul ; Her sun goeth down while it is yet day, It is ashamed and confounded; As for the remainder of them, I will deliver them to the sword before their enemies, Saith Jehovah. 10 Alas for me ! O my mother ! That thou hast borne me to be a man of strife ; And a man of contention to the whole land : I have neither lent, nor have men lent to me, Yet every one of them curseth me. 11 Jehovah saith : Have I not set thee free for good ? Have I not made the enemy take thy part, In the time of calamity, and in the time of distress ? 9. Seven being the perfect number, the idea here conveyed is that of fruit- fulness. Jerusalem, the mother city, referred to in the preceding verse, had bad many inhabitants whom the king of Babylon carried away captive, 2 Kings xxiv. '(i^p® is of common gender, con- sequently either the Chethib nssj, or the Keri «?, will agree with it. By " sun " is meant the sunshine of prosperity, of which the Jews were suddenly and un- expectedly deprived. It is more natural to refer the verbs nttJia and nijcn to the sun than to Jerusalem. To express this sense I have used the neuter gender as alone suitable to the idiom of our language. The nnx-a, remainder, were those of the inhabitants who suffered in the second attack on the city under Jehoiachin. 2 Kings xxiv. 10. The prophet pathetically complains of the ill-treatment to which the de- livery of the Divine message to his countrymen had subjected him. He had not mixed himself up Math the business of the world, yet he was treated as if he had been a hard-hearted usurer, or as such a usurer, had he been his debtor, would have treated him. ^Wfl'-. is writ- ten defectively for '•T'PrfT.,. The irregular form '?"!'j.'^P'?, which Hahu, on the au- thority of the Masora, changes into the third person plural ^^'!^^a>., has doubtless originated in transcription — the former of two Nuus having been taken for a Van, so that originally the word must have been written '??'?^iip ; or, as three MSS. read, and four more have read originally, ^iiV^, perhaps doubling the Nun by a Dagesh Epenthetic. The pro- nominal suffix in n^3, which, as more com- monly written, would be iVii, is to be taken as a collective, and rendered in the plural. 11. Of the various readings 7nii©, Ynniij, Tni-i«\D, -[m-i«®, innj^c, the second tj'nnttj, claims the preference, and is to be taken in the sense of loosening, setting free ; nnt", taking in Piel the significa- tion of the Chald. n7«. God promises the prophet a happy deliverance from the per- secutions of his ungrateful countrymen. While they were to be taken away captive to Babylon, he was to be set at liberty, and treated with kindness. For the literal fulfilment, see chap. xl. 4. Maurer and Ewald prefer the root 'r\^, to strengthen, confirm, preserve. — ''?J.-30n / will cause to be at peace, from the root i-JB, to fall ■upon, to meet, both in a bad and a good sense, to intercede for another, take his part, interest oneself on his behalf. The enemy is naturally understood. CHAF. XV.] JEEEMIAH. 97 12 Cau one break iron, the iron of the north, and brass ? 13 Thy force and thy treasures I will give for spoil, not for a price, But for all thy sins, and that in all thy borders, li And I will cause thee to serve thine enemies In a land which thou knowest not : For a fire is kindled in mine anger. It shall be made to burn against you. 15 O Jehovah ! Thou knowest my condition, Remember me, and visit me, And avenge me of my persecutors ; In thy long-suffering take me not away ; Regard my suffering of reproach for thy sake. IG Thy words Avcre found, and I devoured them. And thy word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart ; 12 — 14. The discourse in these verses is directed to the people, who are taught the invincible power of their enemies, and the cause of their mastery over them. The northern iron is here employed me- tonymically for the Chaldeans, whose residence was in the north. Iron is often used as the symbolof hardness or strength. The hardest preparation of it, resembling our steel, was made by the Chalybes, a people who lived near the Black Sea. It was doubtless this iron which formed the basis of the metonymy here employed. For ^Xn, foiii' MSS., four others origi- nally, and perhaps two more, read i'Tp, which is supported by the renderings in the LXX., the Hexap. Syr., and Theod., but has no claim on adoption, the varia- tion having manifestly been occasioned by the Resli having been mistaken for a Daleth. The verb I consider to be used impersonally, and pcan 'rns to be in ap- position with "t.?, and added for the sake of effect. This construction is preferable to that which would make the former •^ni the nominative to the verb — in- volving that ordinary iron is not so hard as brass, which is contrary to fact. How our translators came to render ntfnD by steel, is unaceomitable, since this term might appropriately be applied to desig- nate 'p^?'? 'T:?. the northern iron ; where- as nii^n: never has any other signification than that of brass or copper. The lan- guage " all thy sins " and " all thy borders," ver. 13, at once evinces that it is not the prophet, but the people of the Jews, to whom it ajjplies. Instead of the reading of the Textus Receptus 'rnayrrij which affords no suitable sense, I have adopted 'ri7?>;vi^ on the authority- of thirteen MSS. and twelve more ori- ginally, supported by seven MSS. of the Targum, by four of the printed editions, and, so far as the t is concerned, by the reading '=]'iiii.?y^}1, found in two MSS. in three more at first hand, and in the LXX. and Syr. The same reading occurs in the parallel passage, chap. xvii. 4. _ If that in the common text were genuine, it would require ''«, but could not take ? after it. 15. The object of the long-suffering here specified was not the prophet, but his enemies. He prays that while God was exercising patience towards them, he would not permit them to take away his life. 1(3. The inspired communications had been received by Jeremiah with the deepest interest, and he had cheerfully discharged the duties of the ofiice to which he had been called as a prophet of the true God. To eat words, or a book, 98 JEREMIAH. [ohap. xv. For I am called by thy name, O Jehovah, God of Hosts ! 17 I have uot sat in the secret council of mockers, and exulted ; Because of thy hand I have sat alone. Surely thou hast filled me with indignation. IS Why is my pain perpetual ? And my wound incurable ? It refuseth to be healed : Thou art altogether become to me as a deceitful brook. And as waters which fail. 19 Therefore thus saith Jehovah : If thou wilt return, then I will bring thee back. And thou shalt stand before me ; And if thou wilt bring out the precious from the vile. Then thou shalt be as my mouth : Let them return to thee. But thou shalt not return to them, 20 And I will make thee in reference to this people A strong wall of brass ; Though they may fight with thee, Yet they shall not prevail against thee ; For I am with thee, to preserve thee, and to deliver thee, Saith Jehovah. Ezek._ ii. 8 ; iii. 1 ; 'Rev. x. 9, 10, is uot " hand" of Jeliovah in this verse, has peculiar to the Hebrew. Hence the generally induced the supposition tliat Greek cjiayelv prjjxuTa, the Latin dicta by the latter the afflicting power of God devomre ; and in our own language, if is intended; but it seems more in ao- asked whether we have read such or such cordance with the bearing of the con- a book, our reply is : Read it ? we quite uexion to regard nin;' 1: as designed to devoured it ! Instead of ^"}7}, thy u-ords, convey the idea of powerful Divine ini- the Keri has ^i3"i, thy word, agreeing pulse or prophetical inspiration. Com p. with 'r';i in the singular ; and tliis reading Ezek. i. 3 ; iii. 14, and frccpiently. Thus is found in twenty MSS., originally in Vatablus, Clarius. two more, in four of the early editions, 18. Jeremiah here complains of the and in all the ancient versions. profound grief which he felt at being so 17. The hilarity which the prophet long cut off from the discharge of his had experienced was not that of the office, and of his being abandoned in his ungodly who, at their festive meetings, solitary condition by Jehovah, whose treated divine things with scorn. With denunciations of punishment he had been these he had had no fellowship, but the instrument of connnunicating to the because of the faithful communicatiou Jews. of his inspired messages he had been 19 — 21. These verses contain the expelled from society, and made the reply of God to the complaint of the object of their fiercest indignation. The prophet. He is assured, that if he will occurrence of " indignation " with the leave his solitude, and resume the public CHAr. xvl] JEREMIAH. 99 21 And I will deliver tliee out of the hand of the wicked. And redeem thee out of the grasp of the terrible. anuouncement of the Diviue will, im- yielding to tlieir depraved and rebellious partially discnnnuatiug the character of wishes, he might confidently rely ou pro- tliose whom he addressed, and faithfully tectiou from ou hi"-h. standing his ground, without in the least CHAPTER XYI. Most interpreters arc of opinion, that tlic discourse which commences with this chapter is continued to chapter xvii. 18. That Jeremiah might serve as a symbol to the Jews of the pitiable condition to which they were to be reduced, he is forbidden to enter into the relations of domestic life, or to condole with his bereaved countrymen, 2—7, as well as to participate in their festivities, 8, 9. On tlieir inquiring why the predicted calamities should come upon them, he is instructed to specify the accumulated guilt of themselves and their ancestors in abandoning the worship of the true God for that of idols, 10—12. The captivity is then distinctly foretold, 13 ; while a description is given of their restoration at some future period, strongly im- plying the reality of the exile, 14, 15. The Chaldeans are next introduced, under the metaphors of fishermen and hunters, by whom they were to be captured, 16. After once more coupling together their sin and its punishment, the latter of which was to take place before any restoration could be expected, 17, 18, the prophet, anticipating the feelings of the Jews on their return to their own land, breaks out m praise of the character of Jehovah, and predicts, at the same time, the conversion of the heathen, 19 — 21. 1 The word of Jehovah was also communicated to me, saying : 2 Thou shalt not take to thee a wife. Neither shalt thou have sons or daughters in this place. 3 For thus saith Jehovah respecting the sons and respecting the daughters. That are born in this place ; And respecting their mothers that bare them, And respecting their fathers that begat them in this hand ; 2. Rosenmiiller properly observes, that symbol of the then future condition of by " this place " we are to understand, his countrymen. Compare Ezek. xxiv. neither Anathoth, the city of the prophet, 15—27. Ti^:, like ^^';;, has a passive sig- uor Jerusalem, the metropolis, but the nification. The Dagesli is eii])houic. whole laud of Judea. By remaining in 3, 4. The enumeration of particulars the single state, Jeremiah was to be a in these verses creatly enhances the 100 JEREMIAH. [chap. xvr. 4 They shall die of mortal diseases. They shall not be mourned for, Neither shall they be buried ; They shall become manure upon the surface of the ground ; They shall be consumed with the sword and "o ith the famine. And their carcases shall become food To the fowls of heaven, and to the beasts of the earth. 5 Surely thus saith Jehovah : Enter not the house of wailing, Neither go to mourn for, nor to condole with them : For I have taken away my peace from this people, saith Jehovah, Both kindness and pity. 6 Both great and small shall die in this land, They shall not be buried, neither shall men mourn for them ; They shall not cut themselves. Neither shall they make themselves bald for them. 7 They shall not break bread for them in mourning To console them respecting the dead : Neither shall they give them the cup of consolation to drink, For one's father, or for one's mother. 8 Neither shalt thou enter the house of feasting, to sit with them ; To eat, and to drink. 9 For thus saith Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel : Behold I will cause to cease from this place. In your sight, and in your days. The sound of gladness and the sound of joy ; The sound of the bridegroom and the sound of the bride. eifect. The scene depicted is of the customary among tlie Hebrews, and other most abhorrent character. 'ni'^P, tlie ancient nations, Jer. xli. 5 ; xlvii. 5, plural construct of nino, from mo, as though expressly prohibited by the Mo- cV? from cv. — D'«'':nn 'niop, literally saic law, Lev. xis. 28. deaths of diseases ; i.e. diseases issuing 7. cis is used elliptically for Drt diB, in death, such as were incurable and to Jjreak Ijread. Not adverting to this, deadly. the LXX., Vulg., Arab., and one MS., 5, 6. ni-io occurs only here, and Amos substitute cm for the following D\j5, vi. 7, and denotes either a shout of joy, which the close connexion of this verse or a shriek of sorrow, as the two pas- with the preceding requires us to retain, sages respectively show. The Jews were The same reading is found in Rabboth. to be left destitute of all comfort and For ^onp; many MSS. read lii?"!?^, which is enjoyment. T7|, to cut or slash the merely a cognate root, with the same flesh, indicative of extravagant grief, was signification, but never used with cnb. CHAP. XVI.] JEREMIAH. 101 10 Ad(1 it shall come to pass, when thou shalt have declared to this people all these words, and they shall say to thee : On what account hath Jehovah denounced all this great calamity against us ? What is our iniquity ? And what is our sin that we have committed against Jehovah our 1 1 God ? Then thou shalt say to them : Because your fathers have forsaken me, saith Jehovah ; And have followed other gods. And have served them, and worshipped them : And have forsaken me, and have not kept my law. 12 And ye yourselves have acted more wickedly than your fathers; For behold ! ye have followed, each the obstinacy of his wicked heart, Not hearkening to me. 13 Therefore I will cast you out fi'om this land. To a land which ye have not known, neither ye nor your fathers; And there ye shall serve other gods, day and night. And I will show you no favour, li Nevertheless, the days are coming, saith Jehovah, When it shall no more be said : Jehovah liveth. That brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt : 15 But Jehovah liveth, that hath brought up the children of Israel from the land of the North, And from all the lands whither he had driven them : For I will bring them back to their own land. Which I gave to their fathers. 16 Behold ! I will send many fishers, saith Jehovah, And they shall fish them ; And after that I will send many hunters, 12, 13. For the phrase i^b hiit;'^ see that iu Egypt, it is necessarily implied on chap. iii. 17. In the phrase " day and that they were to be removed to tlie night," Roseumiiller finds an irony — i.e. countries here referred to, and this for tliere among idolaters you may indulge theii* apostasy, as set forth ver. 13, and your evil propensities to the full ; you repeated verses 17, 18. Thus, the Ian- may practise your idolatries without in- guage of the prophet was calculated to termission, which I will no longer per- lead the ungodly to repentance, and at mit you to do in the laud which I claim the same time, to sustain the hope of as my own. those who were looking for the consola- 11. AVhile it is here expressly declared tiou of Israel, that Jehovah would be appealed to under 16 — IS. These verses properly cou- the character of the Deliverer of the nect with ver. 13, and not with verses Jews from another national slavery than Hand 15. They contain a prediction 102 JEEEMIAH. [chap. xvi. And they shall hunt them. From every mountain^ and from every hill, And from the clefts of the rocks. 17 For mine eyes are upon all their ways. They are not concealed from my face ; Neither is their iniquity hid from mine eyes. 18 Previously, however, I will doubly retribute their iniquity and their sin ; Because they have polluted my land with the carcases of their abominations. And they have filled mine inheritance with their detestable things. 19 O Jehovah ! my strength and my fortress ! And my refuge in the day of distress ! To thee the nations shall come from the ends of the earth. And shall say : Surely our fathers have inherited falsehood. Objects of vanity, and there is none among them that profiteth. 20 Shall a man make to himself gods, and they are not God ? 21 Therefore I will this once cause them to know, of the repeated invasion of the land of before it should be fulfilled, God would Judea by the Chaldeans, who should inflict full or ample punishment on the scour the whole territory, penetrating Jewish people. Conip. Is. xl. 2, where into the most inaccessible parts. The cy:c3 corresponds to nrrp iu the present ■j in D^jib and d'3-\'? is the Aramaic Ac- case, njiiw is used adverbially, and cusative. Comp. 2 Chron. xvii. 7. For '^5^^'''?, though in the construct state, is d'?;t the Keri has c'Pi, doubtless to brmg to be viewed in the same light, n^a?, the form into accordance with □'!;? fol- taken collectively, designates the sacri- lowing ; but the Chethiv occurs again, fices which the Jews offered to idols ; Ezek. xlvii. 10. Maurer finds a certain these and the people who off'ered them elegance in the position of the adjective were alike objects of abomination in the before its substantive in c'l^? D'?"?, but sight of God. the discovery appears to me to be purely 19, 20. The language both of the re- fanciful in the present instance, as C'in covered Jews and the converted heathen occupies its usual position in the pre- in reference to Jehovah as the true God, ceding part of the verse. The same ob- to whose worship they are regarded as jection militates against the opinion of having returned after having been con- Hitzig, that the word is thus placed as vinced of the folly of idolatry. In many an adjective of number. It otherwise of the prophecies the restoration of the not unfrequently takes the precedence. Jews from Bab3'lon, and the conversion See Neh. Lx.. 28 ; Ps. Ixxxix. 51 ; Prov. of pagan nations, are connected. It is xxxi. 29. _ the former, and not the latter, to whom 18. The prophet reverts to the promise the 20th verse applies, specified verses 11, 15, and states, that 21. The "hand" and "might" which ciiAr. XVII.] JEREMIAH. 103 I will cause them to know my hand and my might. And they shall know that my name is Jehovah. they were to know or feci, were tlie to experience only once more in or- severe afflictions to be sulfered duriug dcr to be elTeclually weaned from idola- the captivity, and which they required try. CHAPTER XVII. The prophet, reverting to the inveterate propensity of the Jews to idolatrous in- dulgences, 1, 2, again predicts the approaching exile, 3, 4. He then reprobates their propensity to rely upon the assistance of Egypt, 5, 6 ; contrasting with the miserable condition of those whose hearts are thus alienated from Jehovah, the happiness of those who sincerely and simply confide in him for protection, 7, 8. To warn his countrymen against self-deception, he sets forth the deceitfulness and desperate wickedness of the human heart, and the certainty that God, who alone could fathom its depths, would deal with every one according to his real character, 9, 10. The folly of confiding in unrighteous wealth is next exposed, 11, and an announcement made of the destruction of all whose confidence is not placed in Jehovah, the only solid foundation of hope, 12, 13. Complaining of the sorrows which the refractory conduct of his auditors had occasioned, he applies to God for relief, li, 15 ; appeals to him in reference to the fidelity with which, nevertheless, he had fulfilled his prophetic duties, 16 ; and, while he avows his unshaken trust in Jehovah, he prays for preservation in the midst of the calamities with which he threatens the rebellious, 17, 18. The section, 19 — 27, relates to the profanation of the sabbath, which appears to have abounded in the days of the prophet. The first four verses of this chapter are wanting in the LXX., but were inserted by Origen in his Hexapla, from the other Greek versions. They are found in Eusebii Demon. Evan., and the Commentary of Theodoret. How they were omitted cannot be ascertained. Jerome, without any ground, supposes, that it was done by the LXX., in order to spare the Jews the heavy accusation which is here brought against them. On the same principle they might have omitted a large portion of the book. 1 The sin of Judah is written with an iron pen. With a diamond point ; It is graven on the tablet of their heart, And on the horns of their altars : 1, 2. In these verses Schnurrer finds name of alternate parallelism, the third an instance of that species of Hebrew member corresponding to the first, and poetry which Lowth characterises by the the fourth to the second. There is, how- 104 JEREMIAH. [chap. XVII. WMle their children remember their altars, And their images of Astarte on the green trees, Upon the high hills. O my mountain together with the country ! Thy substance, all thy treasures I will give for a spoil ; Thy high places for sin in all thy borders. ever, only a faint and imperfect trace of it. The idea of Hitzig, that the writing here spoken of refers to the Divine register, in which the sin of Judah was inscribed for punishment, is at once re- futed by the text itself, in which it is expressly declared to be the heart of the people. The iron stylus, or the stylus pointed mth a diamond, being used to inscribe any thing on a hard substance, such as metal or stone, what was thus written was considered to be durable, since it was not easily effaced. Corap. Job xix. 24; and for the hardness of the diamond, Pliny, Hist. Nat. 37. 15 : duritia inenarrabilis est. Idolatry was so inherent in the hearts of the Jews that it might metaphorically be said to be engraven on them with indelible cha- racters. To this corresponded the ex- ternal proof in the constancy with which their idolatrous altars were stained with the blood of the victims. This smearing M^th blood was in imitation of what was ordained in the Levitical law, Exod. xxix. 12; Lev. iv. 7. The children, instead of forsaking the wicked practices of their fathers, delighted in keeping them up. Their hearts were set upon their idols. Instead of nD'ninara, you,- altars, we find the more appropriate reading, Dn'nin?p, their altars, in one hundred and twenty-nine MSS. It has been in twenty-eight more at first hand, and is now in seventeen by correction. It is also in three printed editions, and is expressed in the Syr., Vulg., and Arab, versions. The 3 in '^sp is used as a particle of time, and not for the pur- pose of comparison. Some would make the Jews the nominative to this form of the verb, and explain it of their remem- bering their children which they had offered in sacrifice to idols, but this seems a less eligible interpretation. For Astarte, see my Commentary on Is. xvii. 8. Instead of??, upon, we should have expected \'^^. V?? rinn, " under the green tree," as in the Targ., Syr., and Arab., or, taking y? collectively, trees ; but the preposition may here be used to express tlie idea that the images of Astarte were placed ■iq')on the branches of the trees in the groves, and thus were conspicuous objects of worship. This is more pro- baijle than that it should be employed in two different senses in the same parallelism. The readings yr*?? ''? and ^i'l, however respectably supported, ap- pear to be emendations of copyists in imitation of these forms, which fre- quently occur in the prophets. 3. By the " mountain " here addressed we are obviously to understand Jeru- salem, on account of its elevated posi- tion, and especially that of Zion and Moriali, wliich was reckoned to it, and on which ihe temple was built. Being the place which Jehovah had chosen as the residence of his visible glory, he claims it as his, just as he frequently calls it T^Tv "i^, " My lioly mountain," Is. xi. 9 ; Ivi. 7 ; Ivii. 13. To this in- terpretation it has been objected, that, as Jerusalem is surrounded by hills, some of which are higher than its own posi- tion, it cannot be said to be '^'f^'^, in the field. This objection, however, is founded on a mistaken view both of tlie sub- stantive and the preposition, niie pro- perly signifies open countri/, whether of larger or smaller extent, and mountainous as well as plain. Comp. Gen. xxxii. 4 ; Judges ix. 32, 36 ; Jer. xviii. 14. Hence Tsrt 7[-(t^ the country round about a city and belonging to it, and n-jterr ns:, cities of the countri/, or country -towns. It is not, therefore, necessary to limit the application of the term here to the field or fields in the immediate vicinity of Jerusalem. It rather comprehends the whole country of Judah, as opposed to CHAP. XVII.] JEREMIAH. 105 And thou through thyself shalt discontinue thine inheritance, Wliich I have given to thee ; And I will cause thee to serve thine enemies. In a land which thou hast not known : For the fire wliich ye have kindled in mine anger Shall burn for ever. Thus saith Jehovah : Ciu'scd is the man who trusteth in man. And maketh flesh his arm : And whose heart departeth from Jehovah. He shall be like the juniper in the desert, And shall not see when good cometh : And he shall dwell in the arid places in the wilderness, A salt land, and uninhabited. the metropolis. Besides, altliough 3 Tiiore coratnonly signifies in or bi/, yet it is also used iu the signification of with, together with, alo>?g icith. See Numb. xs. 20 ; Jer. xi. 19 ; and is so to be rendered in the present instance. 1'n'Q?, thy high places, correspond to '"'"jn, my mountain ; and ^^i^?"''?, all thy borders, to niirrr, the country. Not only the mountains or heights around Jerusalem, but also those throughout the country were selected as localities for the per- formance of idolatrous worship, in imita- tion of the heathen, who believed that worship presented on such high places was peculiarly acceptable to the host of heaven. Though ^^12? in the singular has the support of more than one hun- dred and fifty MSS., the use of "J? before the plural ^'l^ia^ shows that the latter must be the true reading. 4. Not only the wealth of the country but also the inhabitants were to be carried into exile. Comp. chap. xv. 14. ^?i, lit. a)id through thee, i.e. by means of thine own wickedness. Thou hast thyself alone to blame for thine expatria- tion. Maurer : tua culpa. Aquila, Symmachus, and Theodotion, have read the word as a verb, having kuI Taireivui- Brjcrj] in their text. Miehaelis omits it altogether. 5 — 8. Though containing a beautiful contrasted description of the miserable condition of the ungodly, and of the happy state of the pious, universally applicable iu all ages of the world, there cannot be a doubt that, when delivered by the prophet, these verses had a direct reference to the circumstances of the Jews, who, threatened by an invasion of the Chaldeans, were tempted to look for protection to the king of Egypt, whose vassals they were. 6. That 1^7?, or as it is spelt i?'ii5?, chap, xlviii. 6, means some kind of tree, is almost universally allowed, and would indeed seem to require this interpretation from y?, which is contrasted ^vitli it, ver. 8. LXX., dypiofivpUr]. Vulg., murica op *. Targ. Nn^3i23^, trunk of a tree. Syr. ] :aV . root. Arab. Uia!!, the tamarisk. Symm. ^v\ov aKapTTov. I acquiesce in the opinion of Dr. Robinson, that it is the same as the Arab. jCjC, Arar, the juniper-tree, which is found in the vici- nity of the Arabah, or the Great Valley, to the south of the Dead Sea, and. doubtless the same desert which Jere- miah here calls ^?^?.?. See Biblical Eesearches, ii. 506. Thus De Wette : IFacholderbaum. The same form of the word occurs Ps. cii. 18, where the idea conveyed is that of naked, destitute. The point of comparison in the two 106 JEREMIAH. [chap. xvii. 10 11 Blessed is the man who trusteth in Jehovah^ And whose confidence Jehovah is. He shall he as a tree planted heside the water^ Which sendeth forth its roots heside the stream, And seeth not when heat cometh ; Whose leaf is green. Which languisheth not in the year of drought ; And ceaseth not to produce fruit. The heart is more deceitful than anything : Yea, it is desperate : who can know it ? I, Jehovah, the Searcher of the heart, And the Trier of the reins : To give to every one according to his ways. According to the fruit of his deeds. As the partridge sitteth on eggs which it hath not laid. So is he that acquireth riches, but not righteously : passages of our prophet is the forlorn appearauce of a solitary juniper, de- prived of all nourishment in the arid desert. — nrn is here, as frequently, to be taken passively : shall be inhabited'. Comp. ver. 25. 8. Compare as a real parallel Ps. i. 3. Tor «T. the Keri reads nsT in full, but we have other instances of the apocope in verbs without the Yau prefixed. See Job XX. 28 ; xxxiii. 21 ; Zech. ix. 5. The LXX. have read «^;, and rendered 0o/3?^^?jo-erai. Though not inapt in itself, this rendering breaks in upon the beautiful contrast which tliis verse forms to ver._ 6. The pious man who makes God his confidence is truly happy, what- ever may be the outward circumstances in which he may be placed. 9, 10. The description here given of the heart is not of 1 hat of any one man in particular, as Michaelis and Maurer suppose, considering Jehoakira to have been intended, nor that of any particular class of men, but of the human heart universally in its natural and uurege- nerate state. Still it was designed to be, in the first instance, applied by tlie Jews to themselves in the days of the prophet, to convince them of their prone- ness to transfer their confidence from Jehovah to the creature. ip», deceitful. is derived from 3;?^, to lie hi wait for, and seize by the heel, trip, act insidiously. The LXX. render the word by ^aOfia, as if they had read V'^'%, deep. Vulg. V praviini. Syr. aa.^> hard, obstinate. Targ. V??^ deceitful. «?«, the other term employed to describe the natural depra- vity of the heart, is derived from ^^3j<, to be dangerously sick, incurable, desperate, malignant. Comp. 2 Sam. xii. 15 ; Job xxxiv. 6 ; Is. xvii. 11 ; Jer. xv. 18 ; xvii. 10 ; Micah i. 9. The Vulg., with- out regard to the proper signification, inscrutabile. Targ., f]'!?'?, validnm, which conveys an idea the very opposite of that suggested by the Hebrew. The LXX. have mistaken tlie word for ici^^, and render /cat cii'dpaTrds eari. Though inscrutable by man, Jehovah asserts his perfect acquaintance with it, and his justice in dealing with each according to his deserts. 11. Bochart contends tliat i't'ip does not denote the 'partridge, but most of the moderns follow the LXX. 7repSt|, Vulg. perdi.v, Syr. j£I, Targ. n«jp, the same ; of which the ancients be- lieved that she stole the eggs of other birds, and hatched them as her own. CHAP. XVII.] JEREMIAH. 107 lu the midst of his clays he shall leave them, Aucl at his end shall be a fool. 12 A throne of glory, high from the beginning, The place of oiir sanctuary, 13 The Hope of Israel is Jehovah : All that forsake Thee shall be ashamed, And those who depart from me shall be written in the earth. Because they have forsaken Jehovah, The Fountain of living; Avaters. See Epiphan. Physiol, cap. ix. ; Isid. Origg. xii. 7. That "iJT is a substantive cauuot be maintained on the ground that the second syllabic has a Kametz, as there arc other instances of verbs with two Kanictzes, instead of Kametz and Patach. See ^cc, 1 Sam. vii. 17 ; ''Jl, Ezek. xviii. 12. We should naturally have expected n^j'i, but names of fowls are of common gender. The particles of com- parison are omitted, as is sometimes the case in proverbs. Sec Prov. xxv. 12 ; xxviii. 15. Being aphoristic in its cha- racter, the statement here made was obviously designed to apply to all whose conduct it depicts, ancl is not to be limited to any particular person living at the time of its delivery. The point of comparison is the folly of amassing ■what cannot be retained. As the young birds soon follow the true mother, having left the false one, whose folly is then apparent, so riches which have been un- justly acquired leave their possessors, who are then exposed to the contempt of such as had formerly admired their splendour. 12, 13. By an accumulation of striking metaphors, Jehovah is represented as the only proper and unfailing object of confidence, and source of enjoyment. Hcnsler, indeed, is of opinion that the words of the twelfth verse are those of the Jews who, as in chap. vii. 4, boasted of their temple, and imagined that Avhile it stood, no serious calamity coidd over- take them ; but they are introduced too abruptly to admit of this construction. Neither could they have been applied to the temple by the prophet ; for, so far is he from teaching that confidence in it would be a means of safety, that he uniformly denounces such confidence, and repeatedly i)redicts its destruction by the enemy. The initial words of the thirteenth verse being in apposition with those of the twelfth, the whole is to be regarded as descriptive of the Divine Being w^ho alone was entitled to the con- fidence and hope of his people. He is metonymically called a "throne," be- cause he is the Universal Ruler, the throne being used to denote Him that sitteth upon it. Comp. Col. i. 16. He is the " sanctuary " of his people inas- much as he is their refuge. See Is. viii. 14 ; Ezek. xi. 16. It is surprising that the words ''«^^! — «?? should not have all been combined as the predicate of the preposition by the moderns, since this construction is found in the Syr. ^-.jjliu]^ OT^niffi, and also in the Arab.(J.^j.wj! U>-. LwAJto f^j-o i^'^r V o both adding as the subject, otn].-*!^ and (__>J1- — ''^''°' is an adjective derived from the future of i^d, as '?'?% Ps. xxxv. 1, is from 3'"?. "i'^d; would be the more grammatical form, but such change of person frequently occurs. n« before n;n; is used in order more emphatically to mark the definite subject of discourse. —What is " written in the earth " may easily be effaced, and as contrasted witli what is written in a book, or engraven 108 JEREMIAH. [chap. xvit. 14 Heal me, O Jehovah ! and I sliall be healed ; Deliver me, and I shall be delivered ; For thou art my praise. 15 Behold ! they say to me, Where is the word of Jehovah ? Let it come now. 16 But I have not hastened from being a pastor after thee. Neither have I desired the desperate day — thou knowest : That which came out of my lips was before thy face. 17 Be not thou a terror to me ; Thou art my refuge in the day of calamity. 18 Let my persecutors be ashamed, But let not me be ashamed ; Let them be dismayed. But let not me be dismayed : Bring upon them the day of calamity, And let their breach be a double breach. 19 Thus said Jehovah to me : Go and stand in the gate of the children of the people, at which the kings of Judah enter and at which they go out, and in all the gates of Jeru- 20 salem. And say thou to them : Hear ye the word of Jehovah, O kings of Judah ! and all Judah ! and all ye in llie rock, Job xix. 23, 24, most ap- of the chapter belongs to the reign of propriately describes the transient and Jehoakim, who rapidly undid ail tlie evanescent condition of those wlio ali- good which had been effected by Josiah, cnate their trust from God to earthly and among other evils encouraged the objects. Comp. John viii. 6, and, by profanation of the Sabbath, with the way of contrast, Luke x. 20. due observance of which the prosperity 14 — 18. The prophet, giving up the of the State was bound up. The Ian- case of his people as hopeless, now ad- guage of the prophet, however, is not dresses himself to Jehovah on his own objurgatory, as we should have expected, behalf, asserts his fidelity in discharging if the profanation in question had ac- his duties, from which he had never tually existed. It is rather that of drawn back befoi'e the most threatening caution and warning, with a promise of danger, and imprecates the infliction of prosperity in case of obedience, and a the Divine anger upon those who had threatening of destruction to the city in treated him and his messages with in- case of disobedience. It would seem, dignity. For '^'.p? r\^\ before thy face, therefore, rather to belong to the time ver. 10, comp. Prov. v. 21. AH the of Josiah, and to have been delivered in utterances of the prophet had been de- connexion with, or shortly after his re- livered under a sense of the Divine in- formation, speetion. 19. □?? '5? i^^'', the r/ate of the sons 19 — 27. Eichhorii, Rosenmi'dler, and of the people, which is further described Maui'er, aj-e of opinion that this portion as that " at which the kiags of Judah CHAP. xviL] JEREMIAH. 109 inhabitants of Jerusalem that enter through these gates. 21 Thus saith Jehovah : Take heed to yom'selves, and carry no bm-den on the Sabbath-day, nor bring it in through the 22 gates of Jerusalem. Neither shall ye carry out a burden from your houses on the Sabbath-day, nor do any work, but ye shall sanctify the Sabbath-day, according as I 23 commanded your fathers : But they would not hear, nor inchne their ear ; but hardened their neck, that they might not hear, and that they might not receive instruction. 21 And it shall come to pass, if ye wi]l diligently hearken to me, saith Jehovah, not bringing in any burden through the gates of this city on the Sabbath-day, but sanctifying 25 the Sabbath-day, by doing no work on it : Then shall there enter through the gates of this city, kings, and princes, sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem ; and this city 2G shaU remain for ever. And they shall come from the cities of Judah, and from the environs of Jerusalem, and from the land of Benjamin, and from the plain, and from the mountains, and from the south, bringing holocausts, and sacrifices, and oblations, and frankincense ; together with those who bring thank-offerings into the house of 27 Jehovah. But if ye will not hearken to me, to sanctify the Sabbath-day, and to carry no burden, but will enter in through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath- day, then I will kmdle a fire in her gates, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and shall not be ex- tinguished. entered, " was, iu all probcibility, t/ie Gate its being the principal thoroughfare for of David, corrcspoucling to what is now the tribes in the soutli, the west, and called the Jall'a Gate, and was called the the north-west. People's Gate from the circuiustauce of 110 JEREMIAH. [CHAP, xviii. CHAPTER XVIII. Ill this cliapter God vindicates to himself the sovereign and absolute right to dispose of the affairs of nations, according as their conduct accords or disagrees with his holy will. To bring this truth in a more tangible form before the minds of the Jews, the propliet is instructed to observe the manner in which the potter moulded the clay, 1 — 4 ; the emblem is then applied to the nations generally, and to that of the Jews in particular, 5 — 10. Upon this the people are called to repentance, 11 ; which call they obstinately reject, 12 ; their folly in preferring idols to the true God is next set forth under appropriate images, 13, 14 ; and the deplorable consequences of their foolish choice are vividly depicted, 15—17. After noticing a conspiracy which they had been forming against him, in consequence of the message he had delivered, 18 — 20, Jeremiah proceeds to appeal to Jehovah on the subject, and imprecates the calamities which he was inspired to predict, 21—23. 1 The word which was communicated to Jeremiah, from Jehovah, 3 saying : Arise, and go down to the house of the potter, and 3 there I will cause thee to hear my Avords. So I went down to the house of the potter, and behold ! he was performing a 4 work on the wheels. And the vessel Avhich he was making of clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter ; and he again made of it another vessel, as it seemed proper to the potter 5 to make it. Then the word of Jehovah was communicated to me, saying : C Cannot I act towards you as this potter does, O house of Israel ! saith Jehovah ? Behold ! as the clay in the hand of the potter, So are ye in my hand, O house of Israel ! 3. '>™nij more correctly according to 4. "rsn? with 2 instead of 3, is found in theKeri, «^rT n3ni._D;32«rT, the wheels, or, the text of fifty-eight MSS., has originally as it is in the Dual, the two wheels, by been in several more, and is now in five which is meant the horizontal lathe of more by correction. It is likewise the potter, consisting of two wheels or exhibited in seventeen printed editions, round plates, on the upper one of which and alone makes sense. The mistake was placed the clay, which he moulded has, as frequently, originated in the simi- into vessels at his pleasure. These wheels larity of the letters 3 and 3. By an in- were either of wood or stone, and were version of the order of the words in the in use at an early period among the middle of the verse, the pronoun is used Egyptians, as appears from Wilkinson's before the noun to which it belongs — a Ancient Egyptians, iii. 165. What is the phenomenon not without examples in precise meaning of the word, as occurring Hebrew Syntax, especially in poetry. Exod. i. 16, has never been satisfactorily 5 — 10. However absolute the right of determined. It is not found anywhere God to deal mth mankind agreeably to else in the Hebrew Bible. his own good pleasure, his conduct is CHAr. XYiiL] JEREMIAH. Ill 7 If once I speak respecting a iiation_, and respecting a kingdom, To pluck up, and to break down, and to destroy ; 8 And that nation turn from its wickedness. Respecting Avliicli I spake. Then I will repent of the calamity Which I intended to inflict on it. 9 And, if again I speak respecting a nation, and respecting a kingdom, To build, and to plant, 10 And it do that which is wicked in my sight, Not obeying my voice ; Then I will repent of the good With which I promised to benefit it. 11 And now, speak, I charge thee, to the men of Judah, And to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying. Thus saith Jehovah : Behold ! I am meditating a calamity against you. And forming a plan against you ; Turn ye now, each from his evil way. And reform your ways and your deeds. 12 But they said, It is hopeless ! For we will follow our own imaginations. And will act, each according to the obstinacy of his wicked heart. 13 Therefore, thus saith Jehovah : Inquire now, among the nations, Who hath heard such things ? The \drgin of Israel hath acted most obstinately. li Shall the snow of Lebanon cease from tlie rock in the field ? Shall the compressed, cold-flowing water be dried up ? always in strict accordance with tlie found that had adopted foreign gods manner in ■wbicli they beliave themselves instead of its own. Comp. ciiap. ii. towards him. Keither his promises nor 10, 11. Such conduct on the part of his thrcateuings are unconditional. the Jews was the more atrocious, since 12. 'C?Ni3, the Niphal particijile of li'^;, they had enjoyed the best means of io despair. The meaning is : it is of no knowing the only true God, and liad the use to expostulate with us ; our case is strongest inducements to persevere in his desperate — there is no hope of reforma- service. tion — wc will continue to pursue the 14. Many parts of Lebanon are so course we have taken. The language of higli, as to be covered with snow all the the Jews involves the last stage of year. This is specially the case with hardened wickedness. that portion of Antilibanus known by 13. No heathen nation was to be the name of Ilermon, and stretching 112 JEREMIAH. [chap. XVIII. 15 16 17 18 Yet my people have forgotten me, They burn incense to vanity : And they cause them to stumble in their ways. The ancient paths ; To walk in tracks, in a way not raised. To make their land an object of astonishment, An object of everlasting derision : Every one that passeth by it Shall be astounded, and shall shake his head. As with an east wind I will disperse them before the enemy, I will shew them the back, and not the face, In the day of their disaster. Then they said. Come, and let us form plots against Jeremiah, For the law shall not fail from the priest, forward in tlie direction of the north-east division of Palestine. Trom the melting of tlie snow numerous perennial rivers are abundantly supplied, to which cir- cumstance the prophet evidently refers. That '1® 1^^, the rock of the field, is only a poetical expression for Lebanoa itself, appears from the connexion ; and it is not likely the latter term would have been employed, but for its etymological import (ji^a^, the white mountain,) haviug been suggested by the use of J'j^, snow. The sentence might otherwise have run : " Shall the snow leave tlie rock of the field ? " The mountain is here so called from its prominent appearance as con- trasted with the lower, though hi many parts, hilly open country of Palestine, from the south of which it is seen by the spectator rising into the clouds. The second member of the parallelism, doubt- less, refers to the same locality, and em- braces the numerous rivers and streams which flow without intermission from Lebanon. Q'^J from I'l'i, to compress, straiten, is descriptive of these streams, as contracted within narrow channels while descending through the gorges and defiles of the rocks. The use of the verb ^]5, Arab. (Jii, descendit loco, confirms this view. Comp. Song iv. 15. D'/iij^ ]i3iVjPj streams descending from Lebanon. MJnj properly signifies to tear up, or to tear down, to destroy : spoken, as here, of water, to dry up, fail. Comp. Is. xix. 5. The idea conveyed by the passage is the constancy of the course of nature, with which is finely contrasted the incon- stancy of the Jews, who, instead of faithfully cleaving to Jehovah as their covenant God, had forgotten his claims, departed from his service, and abandoned themselves to the worship of idols. Such is the simple construction of what Rosen- miiller calls a locus vexatissimus, and which certainly has greatly perplexed interpreters. 15. The nominative to m'^cp^i is the false prophets and idolatrous priests, understood. D"ji5? 'b^i^T?} is in apposition with "■7'?1"!, and descriptive of the true religion which the Jews had abandoned. By teaching them idolati'ous practices, these teachers and priests caused them to apostatize from the ancient paths which were prescribed in the Divine law. Comp. chap. vi. 16. 17. Tor mil, thirty-two MSS. read U'lia, and perhaps two more ; nine have read so originally ; and this reading is found in thirty-four printed editions. But all the ancient versions, Kimchi and Norzius, have read the word with a Caph, in which there may be, as fre- quently, an ellipsis of Beth. CHAP. XIX.] JEREMIAH. 113 Nor counsel from the wise. Nor the word from the prophet : Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, And let us give no heed to any of his words. 19 Give thou heed to me, O Jehovah ! And listen to the voice of mine adversaries. 20 Should evil be returned for good ? Yet they have dug a pit for my life : Remember my standing before thee To intercede for them. To turn back thy fury from them. 21 Therefore deliver up their children to famine, And give them over to the power of the sword ; Let their wives be childless and widows. And let their men be killed by death ; Let their youths be slain by the sword in battle. 22 Let crying be heard from their houses. When thou bringest a troop suddenly upon them : For they have digged a pit to take me, And have hid snares for my feet. 23 But thou, O Jehovah ! knowest All their counsel against me, to put me to death ; Forgive not their iniquity, Neither wipe out their sin from before thee ; But let them be overthrown before thee. In the time of thine anger, deal with them. 19, 20. Abeautiful contrast to verse 18. impressive, lie throws it into the form of 21 — 23. Every effort made by the imprecation. Upon the same principle prophet to reclaim his apostate country- the imprecations in the Psalms of David men, and even his intercessions on their are to be explained. For the Jod in behalf, having proved of no avail, he is at V^'!}, ver. 23, see on chap. iii. 6. The last constrained to denounce the Divine conjugation is Hiphil, apocopated, judgments. To render his language more CHAPTER XIX. The prophet is charged to procure a potter's bottle, and go out with certain elders, selected partly from the estate of the people, and partly fronr that of the priests, to the Pottery-Gate leading into the Valley of Hinnom, and there, in their hearing as witnesses, to deliver a Divine message, condemnatory of the wickedness of Q 114 JEREMIAH. [chap. xix. the nation, and predictive of its approacliing puuisliment, 1 — 9. He is further charged then to break the bottle which he liad talvcu, as a significant symbol of the destruction of the Jewish state, 10 — 13. The chapter closes with a brief deuuuciation delivered, on his return into the city, to a concourse of the people, assembled in the court of the temple. 1 Thus saitli Jeliovali : Go and procure a potter's eartlien bottle, and take some of tlie elders of the people, and of the 2 elders of the priests ; And go out to the valley of the son of Hinnom, at the entrance of the pottery gate, and proclaim 3 there the words which I shall speak to thee. And say : Hear ye the word of Jehovah, O ye Kings of Judah ! and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem ! Thus saith Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel : Behold ! I will bring a calamity on this place, the ears of whosoever heareth of it shall tingle. 4 Because they have forsaken me, and treated this as a strange place, and have burned incense in it to other gods, which they have not known, neither they, nor their fathers, nor the kings of Judah ; and have filled this place with the blood of 5 innocents : And have built the high places of Baal, to burn their sons in the fire as holocausts to Baal, which I com- manded not, nor spake of, neither did it enter my mind. 1. p3p3, a bottle, so called from the a proper name. It seems derivable from guggling noise which it makes on being iB"in, a potsherd, eurtJienware, pottery. emptied. It is clearly an onomatopoetic. The textual reading is fflD-in. Yau and derived from the reduplicate form Pli^a, Jod are frequently exchanged in Jere- . , •• -n . . , miah. Our authorized version has " east Arab. JAJU ; Root P12?, to pour out, ^^^^,, ^^^ -^^ ^j^^ ^^^^.^^^ » g^^^^ g^^te," cause a bubbling in emptying. Before supposing the name to be derived from '5i?ip supply ^^Jt^, and take, of which D-in, the sun, and the reference to be to there is an ellipsis. LXX. Ka\ civets, the sun-rise ; but this is less probable, •jpwi wants the Van in three MSS. ; it though we have nii-ab d'ot -iv-ia, Neh. has originally been omitted in two more; iii. 26. The Targ. xri'^p^i? i-in, the dung and is not found in the text of two early gate. printed editions : nor is it expressed in 4. ^"i3?;i as the Piel of i?3, siguifies to the Vulg. alienate, treat strangely, to regard as 2. The " Valley of the son of Hinnom " foreign, and expresses the alienation of a ran along the south side of Jerusalem, portion of the precincts of the sacred and was notorious for the human victims city to the worship of idols, which are there offered in sacrifice to Moloch, elsewhere called 155 '!?« and "^l 'D'''^, gods Where precisely the Pottery-Gate was of alienation, foreign, or strange gods. situated, cannot be determined ; but it The horrid practice of burning innocent evidently opened into the Valley of Ilin- children to Moloch is expressly specified nom. The LXX., Arab., Syr., Aq., Symm., here, and ver. 5. and Theod., all retain the original word, 5. In highly anthropopathie language and probably regarded n''D->n, Ilarsith, as Jehovah declares that the burning of CHAP. XIX.] JEREMIAH. 115 Therefore behold ! the days are coming, saith Jehovah, when this place shall no more be called Topliet, or the Valley of 7 the son of Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter. For I will make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in this place, and will cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies, and by the hand of those that seek their life ; and I will give their carcases to be food for the birds of the heavens, and for S the beasts of the earth. And I will make this city an object of astonishment and derision ; every one who passeth by it, 9 shall be astounded, and hiss because of all her wounds. And I will cause them to eat the flesh of their sons, and the flesh of their daughters; yea, they shall eat the flesh one of another, in the siege and in the distress, with which their enemies, and those that seek their life, shall distress them. 10 Then thou shalt break the bottle in the sight of the men who 11 go with thee. And thou shalt say to them, Thus saith Jehovah of Hosts : Thus will I break in pieces this people, and this city, as one breaketh in pieces the potter's vessel, which cannot be made whole again ; and men shall bury in 12 Tophet till there be no place to bury in. Thus will I do to this place, saith Jehovah, and to its inhabitants, even making 13 this city like Tophet. And the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the kings of Judah, which are polluted, shall be as the place of Tophet, even all the houses on whose roofs they have burned incense to all the host of heaven, and poured out libations to other gods. li Then Jeremiah came from Tophet, whither Jehovah had sent him to prophesy ; and he stood in the court of the house of human sacrifices ill the Valley of Hinuom bottle with him. Comp. for a similar was such an atrocious evil, that he could symbolical action, Jer. xxviii. 10, 11. not even have conceived it possible. 13. The royal palaces, as -ucll as other G. The name of ncn, Tophet, was given houses, had been polluted by having to this valley in consequence of its dese- had idolatrous sacrifices offered on their cration during the reformation effected roofs to the planets. Such a practice by Josiah, 2 Kings xxiii. 10, and Jer. obtained among the Isabatcans in the vii. 32. See my Comment, on Isaiah time of Strabo : "HXtoi' Ti\iQ>aiv evrl rov XXX. 33. dcofxaros idpva-c'ifjLevoi ^wfiov (nrevSuPTes y. An almost verbal quotation from eV avrw kuB' i^fiepav kch Xijiavorl^ovTes. Deut. xxviii. 53. Gcogr.' lib. xvi. cap. 3. § 20. Comp. 10, 11. Now appears the reason why chap, xxxii. 29; Zepb. i. 5, where see Jeremiali was commanded to take the my Comment. 116 JEEEMIAH. [chap. xx. 15 Jehovah, and said to all tlie people, Thus saith Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel : Behold ! I will bring on this city, and on all her towns, all the calamity which I have de- nounced against her ; for they have hardened their neck, that they may not hear my words. 15. Tlie " cities" of Jerusalem were the vicinity, such as Bethany, &c. LXX. the surrounding towns and villages in ras Kwfxas avTfjs. CHAPTER XX. After having been incarcerated by the principal officer of the temple for presuming to deliver his predictions within its sacred precincts, Jeremiah was again set at liberty, 1 — 3 ; when he renewed his predictions respecting the capture of the city, giving them a special direction to that officer, 3 — 6. He then complains of the contemptuous treatment to which he was subjected from his countrymen, 7 — 10, expresses his confidence in the Divine protection, 11 — 13 ; but concludes with a melancholy lamentation over the fact, that he should have been born to undergo so severe a trial, 11 — 18. 1 Now Pashhur, the son of Immer, the priest, who was also chief overseer in the house of Jehovah, heard Jeremiah prophesy 2 these words. And Pashhur smote Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks which were in the upper gate of 3 Benjamin, which was by the house of Jehovah. And it came to pass on the following day, that Pashhur brought out Jere- miah from the stocks ; and Jeremiah said to him, Jehovah 1. According to rule, psn, t/ie jjriesf, piyyop ^vXop. LXX. and Theod. Karap- belongs to iin^ps^ PasMur, and not to paKrrjv. Comp. chap. xxix. 26, and "la*?, Li/mer. 2 Chron. xvi. 10, Avhere the prison in 2. For other instances of the unapo- which the torture was kept is called copated form after the Vaii Conversive, nssnan n'2, i//e home of the docks. The such as n|»i, see 1 Kings xiv. 9 ; 2 Kings Gate of Benjamin was properly in V. 21 ; Job xlii. 16. The, cruel dispo- the north wall of the city, in the di- sitiou of Pashhur is evinced by his having rection of the territory of that tribe ; but put the prophet into the "9=™, stocks, an what is here so called appears to have instrument of torture, in which the neck, been a corresponding gate of the temple, hands, and feet of prisoners were fastened, on account of which it received the while the body was held in a bent or name of the upper gate. Comp. 2 Kings crooked posture, so as to cause great xv. 35. It is fm-ther described as being pam.^ Root^Tjpri, to turn. Symm. /3a(ra- in, or by the house of the Lord. piarr'jpLop fj arpfliXarTJpiov. It was 3. Oil being released, Jeremiah boldly otherwise called by the Greeks nevrfav- announced to Pashhur the melancholy CHAT. XX.] JEREMIAH. 117 4 callcth not thy name Pashhur, but Magor-Missabib. For thus saith Jehovah : Behold ! I will make thee a terror to thyself, and to all thy friends ; for they shall fall by the sword of their enemies, and thine eyes shall behold it ; and I will deliver all Judali into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall carry them aAvay captive to Babylon, and shall slay 5 them with the sword. Moreover, I ^vill deliver up all the wealth of this city, and all her gain, and all her valuables, and all the treasures of the Kings of Judah ; I will deliver them into the hand of their enemies, and they shall plunder G them, and take them, and convey them to Babylon. And as for thee, O Pashhur, and all that dwell in thy house, ye shall go into captivity, and come to Babylon, and there thou shalt die, and there thou shalt be buried, thou and all thy friends, to Avhom thou hast prophesied falsely. 7 Thou didst persuade me, O Jehovah, and I was persuaded : Thou wast stronger than I, and didst prevail : I have been an object of derision continually, Every one mocked me. 8 For whenever I spake, I cried out; I cried : violence and destruction ! And the word of Jehovah was made to me The subject of reproach and scorn continually. Then I said, I Avill not mention him. Neither will I speak any more in his name ; But there was in my heart as it were a burning fire, fate wliicli awaited him and the other 7. nns is used in Picl both in a good inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. It and a bad sense, to persuade, induce to being customary to change the names of action. Here it is obviously employed persons and places in reference to a in the former acceptation, tliough in the change of circumstances, that of iinT?;p, latter in every otlier passage, except Pashhur, Prosper Iti/ around, was turned Prov. xxv. 15, where it is found in Pual. into yysi? "li^?, Magor-Missabib, Terror on The prophet alludes to his reluclanee to every side. _ accept the prophetical olBce, which it 5. The primary signification of ]pn is required powerful inducements from Je- poicer, strength, but it also takes the hovah to overcome. Chap. i. acceptation, tcealth, riches. 15; is a col- 8, 9. Prom the very coannencement lective noun, denoting precious or valu- of his ministry, Jeremiah had met with able things, doubless including here the opposition and ])ersecution, and at times costly articles of the temple. Blayuey he was tempted to give it up ; but he improperly explains the terms ]crT, W;, ^-as compelled by a powerful internal and •^5^ of three distinct classes of the iuipetus to persevere in the path of duty, inhabitants. ir«, being of common gender, admits of 118 JEREMIAH. [chap. XX. Shut up in ray bones : I laboured to contain myself, but I could not. 10 For I beard the detraction of many^ fear on every side ; Denounce him (they said) and we will denounce him ; All my friends watch for my fall : Perhaps (they said) he will be persuaded. And then we shall prevail against him, We shall then take our revenge of him. 11 But Jehovah has been with me, as a formidable hero, Therefore my persecutors have stumbled, and have not pre- vailed : They have been greatly ashamed, because they have not succeeded ; The confusion shall be perpetual, it shall not be forgotten. 12 O Jehovah of Hosts ! the Trier of the righteous. The Discerner of the reins and the heart ! Let me see my revenge of them ; For to thee have I disclosed my cause. 13 Sing to Jehovah ! praise ye Jehovah ! For he hath delivered the life of the poor out of the hand of the wicked. constructiou with i^'l", so that i"i?"! is not necessarily the nominative, as Rosen- miillcr insists. 10. That M?i3« "73 is to be taken as a collective, and rendered in the plural, □npi23 following clearly shows. ""Q^ MJi3« is literally, like 'pi'Jtti' ffi's», Ps. xli. 10, t/ie man of my peace, and the meaning is : he Avho is on peaceable or friendly terms ■with me. Comp. chap, xxxviii. 22. Of course, as the context shows, the persons here spoken of were friendly with Jere- miah only in appearance : such as pre- tended to take his part, but were secretly his enemies. While others openly op- posed him, these attempted by insidious methods to prevail upon him to be un- faithful to his office. Scheid, Schuur- rer, Eichhorn, and Gesenius consider 'x?b^ noiij to be equivalent to the Arab. ■:^\ } ,2^, or ^_^Wb ^..^^'.sA^, master, or protector of the side, i.e. a faith- ful friend, whose aid and protection may always be relied on ; and construe the words in apposition with 't'^'P ^i^x. The passage would then read ; those who were friendly with me, the keepers of my side ; but this constructidn encumbers the sentence, and is not borne out by Hebrew usage. Comp. for the use of i?"i\ signifying in a bad sense to watch insidiously, Ps. Ixxi. 10, where ^%'^\ 'IP^u, the watchers of my soul, corresponds to ""t:^ ^y^'^, the watchers of my side, or, of my halting, my fall. 11. Many MSS. and editions read '"■?!>» without the Van, and some MSS. have '^«. See on chap. i. 16. ''S-s primarily signifiies to look at anything, then to look carefully, to attend to, and, as a conse- quence, to succeed, or prosper in an un- dertaking. The enemies of the prophet, failing in their schemes to effect his fall, had been covered with confusion. 12, 13. Expressions of grateful ac- knowledgment for the deliverance which he had experienced. CHAP. XX.] JEREINIIAH. 119 14 Cursed be the day on which I was born ! Let not the day on which my mother bare me be blessed ! 15 Cursed be the man who announced it to my father, saying, A male child is born to thee, jNlaking him exceedingly glad. Yea, let that man be as the cities Which Jehovah overthrcM^^ and did not repent : Let him hear an alarm in the morning, And a shout at noon-tide, Because he slew me not in the womb ; Then my mother should have been my grave. And her womb pregnant for ever. AVhy is this that I came forth from the womb To behold trouble and son'OAv, And that my days should be spent in disgrace ? 10 17 IS 14—18. These verses contrast so eu- tircly with those immediately preceding, tliat they are generally thougiit to have been transposed, and that the thirteenth verse properly closes the section. Grotius, indeed, Doederlein and Dathe, are of opinion, that the language is that of Pashhur, against whom Jeremiah had uttered a severe denunciation, verses 4, 6 ; but this hypothesis has little to favour it, and has been universally re- jected by more recent commentators. Schnurrer, Eichhoru, and Dahler, treat the verses as a separate portion of the book, and regard it as altogether discon- nected with the preceding context. TJm- breit thinks the verses are merely inserted here by the prophet as a mirror in which we behold the imageof hisdeeply wounded spirit, previous to his obtaining the de- liverance from the Lord, which he had just celebrated. Ewald transposes them, so as to make them fit in between the 6th and 7th verses, which certainly re- moves all difBculty. As, however, they occupy their present position in all the ancient versions, and in all the MSS. and editions of the Hebrew Text, I have not felt at liberty to make any alteration. The passage is so completely parallel with Job iii. 3, and following verses, that many have supposed Jeremiah had them before him M'hen he wrote. That the sentiments are identical cannot be de- nied ; and it is not impossible that the M'ords of the suffering i)atriareh may have suggested the expression of them. At the same time, similar utterances of strong feelings of grief, in which the day of one's birth is execrated, are so com- mon in the East, that we may well allow the originality of the prophet's language. See E-Osenmiiller. While destitute of the sublime imagery employed by Job, this passage is not surpassed in pathos ; there is aunity and condensation through- out, which heighten its poetical beauty. 17. crnp, '■'from the womb," not as if the prophet wished he had been slain as soon as born : this the following line for- bids ; but what he means is : from the time when I was in the womb, including that time as the period when the act took place. I have adopted the preposition in as that by which the sense is best expressed in English. Thus the LXX. ev [ir]Tpa. The nominative to '?nnio is n;n;' iu the preceding verse. 120 JEREMIAH. [chap. xxt. CHAPTER XXI. This chapter contains the reply of the prophet to a request sent him by King Zedekiah to make intercession with Jehovah for the removal of the king of Babylon and his army from Jerusalem, 1, 2. In the answer a direct negative is put upon the request, and the information is given that no attempt on the part of the Jews to prevent the capture of the city should prove successful, but that it should be delivered into the ruthless hands of Nebuchadnezzar, 3 — 7. The people are then instructed to surrender to the enemy as the only means of mitigating their calamity, 8 — 10 ; and, while the royal family are exhorted to desist from the acts of injustice of which they were guilty, and diligently to pursue a contrary line of conduct, 11, 12 ; the determined purpose of Jehovah to punish the inhabitants of Jerusalem is distinctly announced, 13, 14. Veuema, Rosenmiiller, aud Maui'er, are of opinion, that this chapter properly comes in between chaps, xxxvii and xxxviii ; aud, indeed, a comparison of its contents with what we read in the first and second verses of the latter chapter scarcely leaves any room to doubt of the correctness of this hypothesis. What is here more fully related, is there simply referred to in the historical narrative. The occasion of the message sent by Zedekiah to the prophet was the temporary raising of the siege of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans, in order to meet the Egyptian army which had come to its relief. 1 The word which was communicated to Jeremiah from Jehovah^ when king Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur, the son of Malchiiah^ and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, 2 saying : Consult now Jehovah for us, for Nebuchadnezzar? the king of Babylon, is at war with us : perhaps Jehovah 1. That this Pashhur was a different the Nun is found only in ten places of person from the Pashhur mentioned in our prophet. There is in this place a the preceding chapter, is clear from the great variety in the MSS., besides other statements that the one was the son of differences observable in the spelling Immer, and the other that of Malchiiah. elsewhere, as n^DiDiiD and -niN^-nDini. The The only reason that can be assigned for great similarity of the letters 3 and "i the introduction of this chapter here will easily account for this. At the appears to be, that the impression made same time it must be observed, that upon the mind of the prophet by the while the LXX. write 'Su^ovxodovoaop, conduct of the one Pashhur was so and Berosus (apud Joseph, cout. Apion. strong, that the very name recalled to i. 19.) Na^ovxo^ovoaopos, Abydeuus his recollection that of the other, which (apud Euseb. Prrep. Evang. ix. 41) led him to give an account of his mission spells the name Na/3oDSpo'cropo?, and at this place. Strabo, (xv. 1, § 6,) Nav^ooKohpoaopoi. 2. i^«ni2i2:. Here and in twenty-six Lorsbach supposes the etymology of other places, the name of the Babylonian tlie name to be found in the Persic monarch is spelt with Resh instead of , . . ^^ , , Nun, while the orthography supplied by /^ e;'^^^ ^' ^'^^'' deonm pnnceps ; CHAP. XXI.] JEREMIAH. 121 will deal with us according to all his wonderful works, that he may go up from us. 3 Then Jeremiah said to them, Thus shall ye say to Zedckiah : 4 Thus saitli Jehovah, the God of Israel, Behold ! I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, with which • ye fight against the king of Babylon, and the Chaldeans, who besiege you without the walls, and I will assemble them 5 in the midst of this city. And I myself will fight against you, with an outstretched hand, and with a mighty arm, and T) with anger and with fury, and with great indignation. And I will smite the inhabitants of this city, both man and 7 beast ; they shall die of a great pestilence. And afterward, saith Jehovah, I will deliver Zedckiah, king of Judah, and his ministers, and the people, even those who are left in this city, from the pestilence, from the sword, and from the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those who seek their life ; and he shall smite them with the edge of the sword, he will not spare them, neither will he pity, nor show mercy. 8 And to this people thou shalt say, Thus saith Jehovah : Boblen ill , Jl \^ ^, Nebo deus ignis. ^, *• I* Y^ been doubted wliether □?!«, J J' '' them, relers to the iinplemcuts ot war — The king of this name here referred mentioned at the beginning of the verse, to, was Nebuchadnezzar II., son of or to the Chaldeans as tlie nearer ante- Nebuchadnezzar I., Nabopolassar, or cedent. The latter seems the more Nabolassar, who, on his being unable natural. from old age to undergo any further 5, G. The inhabitants of Jerusalem hardsliips, committed the command of were to have for their enemy, not only his army against Egy])t to the crown- the king of Babylon, but Jehovah him- prince, by whom the Egyptians were self, whose glorious majesty they had defeated at Charchcmisli, and the Jewish provoked by their indulgence in ido- state destroyed, as predicted and nar- latry. rated by the prophet Jeremiah. — Zcde- 7. Reduced to a state of fearful im- kiah indulged the hope that Jehovah bccility by tlie pestilence and famine would interpose for the city in a miracu- with which they were to be visited, they lous manner, as lie liad done in tlie time woidd fall an easy prey to the besieging of Hezekiah, see 2 Kings xix. 35, 36, foe. Seven MSS., and originally two and was anxious to obtain an oracular more, omit nwi before ci^iEfn, and the declaration to that effect. — 'iinii* for I'riw, LXX. and Syr. have nothing correspond- which is found in many MSS. and printed ing to it. It may, however, be justified editions without the Van. See on chap. i. by interpreting nrri, the people, imnie- 16. — ThejArase "'?''5^$? means to recede diatcly preceding, of tlie Jews generally from the incumbent attitude assumed as distinguished from the inhabitants of by a besieging army. Comp. xxxvii. 5. Jerusalem. 122 JEREMIAH. [chap. XXI. 10 11 12 13 Behold ! I place before you the way of life^ and the way of death. He that remains in this city shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence ; but he that goes forth and deserts to the Chaldeans who besiege you, shall live, and shall have his life for a prey. For I have set my face towards this city for evil and not for good, saith Jehovah : it shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire. And to the house of the king of Judah, say: Hear ye the word of Jehovah, O house of Da\'id ! thus saith Jehovah : Execute judgment speedily, and rescue him who is plundered out of the hand of the oppressor, lest my fury go forth as fire, and burn, and there be none to quench it, on account of the wickedness of your deeds. Behold ! I am against thee, O inhabitress of the valley, the rock of the plain, saith Jehovah ; that say. Who will come down to us ? and who 9. ■?? "jd:, or "";> ''?3, is of frequent, oc- currence in Jeremiah, in the sense of going over to an enemy. The verb without either preposition is applied to David in reference to his deserting the cause of Saul, and joining Achish, 1 Sam. xxix. 3. '^'l^) iiiis?: '''''"^'71^?^ i!o have one's life given to one for a prey, is to make one's escape with it, as a person does with whatever valuable spoil or plunder he may have seized ; but which he often does with much risk and diffi- culty. 11. The Lamed in ri\ibi is taken by many in the sense of quod attinet ad, but I view it as the simple sign of the dative, governed by ip>» is to give intensity to the call, and therebv summon the most eaniest attention to tlie Divine message relative to the termination of the royal lino, so far as the family of Jfhoiachin was conceraed. Ilis being written childless does not mean that he was to have no posterity, but, as the latter half of the verse clearly shows, that none of his posterity was to occupy the royal throne. No son of his is found in the catalogue of Jewish kings. That Jeehoniah had children appears from 1 Chron. iii. 17, IS ; :Matt. i. 12. It has been obieeled to the prediction con- tained iu this verse, that the Messiah who was to sit on the throne of David was lineally descended from Jeehoniah, as staled by Matthew ; but, as ^lichaelis observes, it was only through Joseph, the husband of Marv, who, though his legal, was not his real father. ^Mary was descended from David, not through Solo- mon, from whom Jehoiakim and Jehoi- aehin derived, but through Nathan, the brother of Solomon. Ijukc iii. 31. 130 JEREMIAH. [cirAr. xxin. CHAPTER XXIII. This chapter properly consists of two sections; the first, from verse 1 to verse S, containing — a denunciation against tlie wicked rulers of the Jews, 1, 2 ; a promise of the restoration of the people and the advantages of a better govern- ment, 3, 4 ; a prediction of the Messiah and the superior blessings of his_ reign, in wliicli the descendants of both divisions of the Hebrew people are to share, 5 — 8. The second division is occupied with threatcnings against the false prophets and teachers by whom the people were deceived, 9—32 ; and against them and the people ihemselves for the jeering manner in which they treated the messages of Jeremiah, 33 — 10. 1 Wo to the shepherds, That destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture ! Saith Jehovali. 2 Therefore, thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Against the shepherds that feed my people : Ye have scattered my flock and driven them aAvay, And have not looked after them ; Behold ! I will punish you for the wickedness of your deeds, Saith Jehovah. 3 But I will gather the remnant of my flock, From all the countries whither I have driven them ; And I will bring them back to their fold, And they shall be fruitful and increase. 4 And I will place shepherds over them who shall feed them : And they shall not fear any more, nor be dismayed, 1, 2. The shcj^herds here mentioned to look nftpr, to oxerc.he watchful care were the unworthy kings whose names over any thing : followed by ''? it signi- are specified in the preceding eliai)tci-, fics to punish. This distinctive use of including also Zedekiah, whom, for oh- the verb in the same verse greatly adds vious reasons, as the reigning monarch, to the force of the language, the prophet does not specify. In pro- 3, 4. For cn''i3, in the plural, the phetic vision the Jews are viewed as singular nni? is found in forty-eight already in the state of dispersion, to MSS., in one by correction, and has been which they were reduced as a punish- in two more originally. It is also in ment for the reckless conduct of their four of the earliest and eleven other rulers, whose alienation from Jehovali printed editions. Thus also the Syr. and confidence in foreign alliances were and Arab. read. — By the better sliep- the proximate causes of their falling herds whom Jehovah promises to place under the rule of foreign monarehs. ^iI^ over his restored people, I understand governing the accusative, signifies here Zerubbabel, Ezra, Nehemiah, the Mac- CUAP. XXIII.] JEREMIAH. 131 Neitlier slijill they be missiug, Suith Jeliovah. Behold the days are comings saith Jehovah, AVheu I will raise up to David a Righteous Braueh, And a King shall reign and prosper. And sliall execute judgment and justice in the earth. <) In his days shall Judah be saved, And Israel shall dwell in security : cubces, &c., under whose superintendence and rule tliey were reinstated iu tlicir possessions, and enjoyed protection against both internal and foreign enemies. See uiy Connnent. on Is. xi. 11 — IG. ^T?? Ewahl properly renders noch ver- musd irerJen, but unwarrantably re- moves the words to the margin, where they appear in smaller eharaetcrs. 5, 0. This is almost universally ad- tiiittcd to be u prophecy of the Messiah. 'i'o no other, uideed, can it with any propriety be applied. The Jews them- selves so construe it. Thus the Targ. ^y:T4-^ n-i^ iiT^ D'PM, / ipiii raise up to Ihicid (he Mes.sui/i of the righteous; or, as it stands in the Antwerj) I'olyglott, **??^.. ^^, the Messiah of rif/hfeoiiviess. Comp. np-jv n-Ds, Jer. x.x.xiii. 15. Kim- elii, Bcn^lelee, Abcnczra, Alschech, and numerous other Jewisli authorities, adopt the same interpretation. Sec Dassov. Dissert, in Tliesaur. Thcol. I'hilol. )). 221, &c. To perceive at once the Messianic character of the passage, il is only necessary to compare Is. iv. 2 ; Zeeh. iii. 8 ; vi. 12 ; where the term n'DS, Ih-anrh, is used of our Saviour. Sec my Comment, on the first of these texts. Having iu the fourth verse predicted a scries of rulers whose characters should stand out in striking contrast to the kings who reigned in the time of Jere- miah, the thoughts of the prophet were directed to a still more illustrious ifuler, wliom Jeliovah was to raise up in future time, the distinguishing feature of whose reign was to Ixj that of riditcousness. To cx])rcss the success of his adminis- tration he employs the same verb '''?i?7, which Isaiah uses to describe the pro- sperity of the Messiah's undertaking, Hi. 1.'}. The characteristic of the kintr, pn?, riijhtcotis, is that by which the Messiah is marked in other passages. Thus Je- hovah calls him '13» jt't?, my riijhleous Servant, Is. liii. 11 ; and, Zeeh. ix. 9, describes him as rtfi:i p>-iv, rit/hteous and havitif/ salvation. The words to^JtiTI i:i?.i2 'rt,rv v<^ppw Blayney renders : " And this is the name by which Jehovah shall call him, Oiu KiGHXKOrsNKss; " and i-ashly asserts, that he is morally sure the text as it stands will not pro])erly admit of any other construction. With respect to the text, it stands as in the Textus Receptus, iu all the MSS. and editions except four of Do Rossi's codices, and primarily in two others, togetiier with six printed Bibles, iu which we find Vau Shurec instead of Yau Holem ; iu other words, the plural in^p:, they shall coll, instead of the singular ^nik:,'T the nominative to the verb is to contradict all Hebrew usage, according to which the name given, and not the |)erson who gives the name, immediately follows tlic verb. Sec the Hebrew Concordance in N'JP^, and my Comment, on Is. ix. 5. In the present case, as frequently, the verb is to be rendered indelinittly or imper- sonally: he shall call ; i.e. one, each, or every one shall call ; or, as it better suits our idiom, he shall be called. Even the plural wip^ is often used impersonally. The word is thus construed by Roscn- midler, Dc Wctte, Dahler, llitzig, Mau- rer, Ewald, Arnheim and Sachs. The LXX. render o KoXecrd airbv Kvpios ^IcoaeSfK, evidently taking 'lip.lV ^^'^? for a projicr name. The Syr., Targ., Vnlg., and Arab, read 'i^-ij;': iu the jjlund. — In^ regard to the import of "i?.T-f Jt^T, a diU'erencc of opinion has existed ; some 132 JEREMIAH. [ciiAT. XXIII. And this is his name by which he shall be called, Jehovah our Eighteousjn'Ess. 7 Therefore, behold the days are comiug, saith Jehovah, supposing the meanii)g to be, that Jelio- vah would confer righteousness upon men througli the instrumentality of the Mes- siah; which might either be taken in a lower sense, with the Jews and other Anti-triuitarians, or in a higher, with reference to the Divine righteousness on the ground of which God justifies the ungodly. The text would in the latter case be parallel with 1 Cor. i. 30. Others taking the Avords to be called in the idiomatic sense of to be, and applying them to the person of the Messiah, maintain that, as the incommunicable name Jehovah is here given to him, he must necessarily be strictly and pro- perly f/zy/;/;?. To this latter interpreta- tion it has been objected, that in de- scriptive names, that of nn; is applied to objects which altogether exclude the idea of subjective divinity, as '?? nin;, Jehovah my banner, Exod. xvii. 15 ; '^>?7. njn;, Jehovah 'will provide. Gen. xxii. 14 ; DiVii n)n;, Jehovah peace, Judges vi. 24; na^ rrn;, Jehovah there, Ezek. xlviii. 35 : in which cases respectively the meaning is that Jehovah, the God to whose honour the altars were erected, would afford protection to his worshi])- pers, would provide for them, would grant them prosperity, and that he would make Jerusalem the place of his special re- sidence. To this objection, however, it may be replied, that whatever propriety there may be in thus interpreting the use of the term when applied to merely created objects, and however the rule might hold if the Messiah were simply a human being, yet the case must be re- garded as altogether different, when, as we learn from other testimonies of Scripture, he is manifestly to be considered as possessing a strictly and properly Divine, as well as a human nature. While the text traces our righteousness to Jehovah as Its aullior, it so connects it with the Branch, as the Sox or God, as to involve the Divine dignity of his person, without which its existence is not sup- posable. The import and fulfilment of the words are set forth by the Apostle when he says (2 Cor. v. 19 — 21) : 6eo? rjv iv Xpia-TO) Koafxov KaTaXdao-cdv eavra, fj.1] 'Koyi^ojjLivos avTols to. TTapanrumaTU avTU)V. — Tov yap prj yvovra ap.aprlav, vnep iqpuiv ap-apTiav eTVoirjaev, Iva ijpels yivoipeda diKaioavvrj Qeov iv ai!rw. Comp. llom. X. 3, 4 ; Phili])p. iii. 9 ; and see the Rev. Dr. John Pye Smith's Scripture Testimony to the Messiah, vol. i. pp. 270-276. Fourth Edition. — By Jiidah and Israel we are to under- stand the Hebrews literally, the same ])cople whom Jehovah calls " his flock," "his people," and "the sheep of his pasture," vers. 1 — 3 ; and who are de- scribed, ver. 8, as "the seed of the house of Israel." These were now on the point of being carried away into exile ; but Jehovah promises not only to restore them to their own country, but while in that restored state to raise up the Messiah, through whose righteous- ness they would recover the favour of Jehovah, and enjoy all the spiritual blessings which that favour entails. Against this interpretation it may be objected, that, so far have the Jews been from enjoying cither temporal security or the blessings of a spiritual salvation, they have deprived themselves of both, and been a lost and exiled people during almost the entire period of the Messianic reign. But it may be replied, that not- withstanding this, the prediction shall yet have its accomplishment in the future. The remarks of Miehaelis here are not inappropriate : " I certainly believe, that the Jews shall once, when converted to Christ, return to Palestine, and inhabit that laud as an independent, flourishing, and powerful nation. I do not at all imagine, that Christ will reign visibly among them ; but as we call their state under the Old Testament a Theocracy, so this future, free, and happy state, in which they shall have no mortal king, but shall acknowledge Christ as their King, may be called a Christocracy." 7, 8. These verses contain a repetition of the promise made in verses 3, 4, and are almost identical in phraseology CHAP, xxiii.] JEREMIAH. 133 When they sliall no more say, Jehovah livetli, Who brought up the chihh'en of Israel from the land of Egypt ; 8 But, Jehovah liveth, Who hath brought up, and who hath brought in The seed of the house of Israel from the north country, And from all the countries whither I had driven them ; That they may dwell in their own land. 9 CONCERNING THE PROPHETS. My heart is broken within me. All my bones are relaxed ; I am like a drunken man. And like a man whom wine hath overcome : Because of Jehovah, And because of his holy words. 10 Surely the land is full of adulterers; Surely because of a curse the land mourneth. The pastures of tlie desert are dried up ; For their course is bad, And their strength is not right. with chap. xvi. U, 15. They refer to most translations, among the modern the same fact — tlie rc-occupatiou of tliose of De Wette, Dahler, Ewalcl, and Canaan after the Babylonish captivity. Umbreit, exhibit the word as a title ; and Tor TOic^ some MSS. read ]i2;?, but of this Eichhoni, IMaurcr, and llitzig doubtless as the result of correction, approve. — In this verse and the following. See on chap. i. 13. Not only were the the prophet paves the way for his re- Hebrews captives in Babylonia, and the proof of the false prophets, by testifying countries to the north and cast of that the horror he felt at the dire threat- empire, but in Egypt, Greece, and other enings which he was commissioned to parts of the East. See ray Comment, pronounce against the professing people onls. xi. 11; Joel iii. 6. of Jehovah, whom those prophets en- 9. Ci^niVj coiicei')i'nui the Tprophcts. That eouragcd in idolatry, by persuading them this is designed to stand as an inscription that God would not punish them on to what follows as far as verse 40, is accoinit of it. evident from similar titles or inscriptions 10. The term adulterers is here to be which occur in Jeremiah: as cni^;'?';, xlvi. taken in its tropical acceptation, according 2 ; li^TO"?, xlviii. 1 ; p'SV ^T^., xlix. 1 ; &c. to which it signifies persons who had The Masorites, indeed, have omitted the [jroved unfaithful to Jehovah by aban- accent Eebia, which they have placed doning themselves to the service of idols, over the words in the other instances. Contracting guilt by idolatry, they had and in accordance with their arrangement brought a curse upon the laud, the eifects our Common Version has : " Mine heart of which extended even to its uninhabited within me is broken because of the districts. That n'?« is to be thus taken, prophets." The Targ. has the same and not in the siguiflcation of profane construction ; but the LXX., Vulg., and swcjiring, the exigency of the passage ^^^ JEREMIAH. [cHAi.. xxiu. 11 Surely both prophet and priest arc profane ; Eveu in my house have I found their wickedness, Saith Jehovah. 12 Therefore tlieir way shall be to them Like slippery places in the dark, They shall be driven onward and fall therein; For I will bring calamity upon them, The year of their punishment, Saith Jehovah. 13 I saw folly in the prophets of Samaria ; They prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err U And I have seen what is horrible in the prophets of Jerusalem, Ihey commit adultery, and walk in falsehood ; They strengthen also the hands of evildoers. So that none turneth from his wickedness ; They are all of them become to me as Sodom, And her inhabitants as Gomorrah. 15 Therefore thus saith Jehovah of Hosts Concerning the prophets : Behold ! I will feed them with wormwood, And give them water of poison to drink : For from the prophets of Jerusalem Profaneness hath gone out into all the land. requires. The LXX. have read n\v? in- n^cn verse IS ,.rnnp,.w .• t £;»«»" «-lW f»S'V Jeho^h tlTo- ,td°tcu " Srtlle" I'S' threatens tlie Jews witli more condign , . ^ ^ ^''^'^• punishment nip^p^n is very expressive, J^*' M«i^, «o/i bene olentem reddidit ■ bein- a reduphcated or intensive form \.,. 01 nj7.n smootluiess, or slipperiness. Comn 0^^> M^'s, stercus, alvi fasces, ^tmry for Ps. XXXV. G ; kxiii. IS. ^' ,^,,n.., m ^ 13, 14. Wicked as the false DroDhets n^-n';! • P^P^^^J V' ^aal, means to hadbeeuM'hoenconrao-edtiwoS of Ti^^''^ -Jf ?« ^^^'^^^^ of> or iu con- Baal in the kingdom of the en t bes £ ' with the worship of tlmt idol, those who flounshed in Jemin and ^.f P'''' ^'^' ^^^'"°^* ^^'^P^-'-^^it.y of cha- the adjacent country wc^-e no better In f t^V','v"^^;''''.°^V^ "^'-^^^ ^^^th that of the veij precincts li the tl^nplf and \, "^ ft^^^ '""T f *''^ P''-^^^- violation of all the oblio-ations wliioli it« th ; i ^ '^' •'' *''^ ^^^"^^^'^ governing hallowed objects sugg^es cT h y n it^T'-' r'.''^ '^ }'.'Y'S 'onsUncd only were guilty of idolatry themselves Z Y '"'^'''^F^- Ot'ier instances but taught^he' people to^nS .' 'T fe™ '' ^ ^f ''• ^"•^•- ^- ^ -10. ±01 mntq, see ou chap. viii. 14. CHAP, xxiir.] JEREMIAH. 135 10 Thus saith Jehovali of Hosts, Listen not to the words of the prophets That prophesy to you. They seduce you to vanity ; They announce a \ision of their own heart. Not from the mouth of Jehovah. 17 Saying continually to those who despise me : Jehovah hath spoken, There shall be peace to you ; And. to every one that walketli in the obstinacy of his heart They say : no calamity shall overtake you. 18 But who hath stood in the counsel of Jehovah, And hath perceived and heard his word? Who hath attended to his word, and heard it ? 1 9 Behold ! a storm of Jehovah is gone forth in fury, A whirling storm : It shall be hurled, upon the head of the wicked. 20 The anger of Jehovah shall not turn back. Till he have executed and till he have carried into effect The purposes of his heart : In future days ye shall duly consider it. IG. The vanity to which the false imperfect readinf^ for i''?^ which the prophets seduced the Jews was the Keri exhibits, and is found in the text of service of idols, which, so far from pro- a great number of MSS. and of several curing for them any advantage, only printed editions, "''"^.^l, the conjecture issued in disappointment. Conip. chap, of Blayney, is altogether gratuitous. ii. 5 ; Jonah ii. 8. Wnnp nyp, « whirlinf) storm, or a tor- 17. liDN. The infinitive absolute after nado, which descends with irresistible the participle expresses the continuity of force, sweeps up whatever is movable on an action. The false prophets were in- the ground, and, forming its collected cessant in their work of deception. masses into eddies, carries the whole 18 — 20. The prophet boldly challenges into the air, and often to a great distance, the pretended seers to the proof. To C'p;rt nnn.v future daya, do not here stand in the counsel of any one is to be mean the j)eriod of the Christian dis- familiarly and certainly acquainted with pcnsation, which the phrase docs when it, as the varied forms following in the anything relative to the state of things verse obviously show. The language is in the course of that dispensation is the borrowed from the custom of ministers subject of prediction ; but simply time or royal servants being present in a future, in regard to that at which the standing posture during aulic delibe- present threatenings were uttered — rations in the East. Jeremiah fearlessly namely, the period during and following announces the ten-iblc judgment that their execution. The Jews would not was coming upon the nation — a judg- now reflect upon, or receive the pro- ment that should not cease till it had phet's message ; but, when his pre- fully answered its purpose. '""'I'l is an dictions had proved themselves to be 136 JEREMIAH. [chap, xxiii. 21 I sent not the prophets, yet they ran ; I spake not to them, yet they prophesied : 22 But if they had stood in my counsel. Then they woukl have caused ray people to hear my words, That they might have turned them from their wicked way, And from the wickedness of their deeds. 23 Am I a God at hand, saith Jehovah, And not a God at a distance ? 2i Can a man hide himself in secret places. That I should not see him ? Saith Jehovah : Do not I fill heaven and earth ? Saith Jehovah. 25 I have heard what the prophets say. That prophesy falsehood in my name, saying : I have dreamed, I have dreamed. 26 How long shall it be in the heart of the prophets. The prophesiers of falsehood. Even the prophets of the deceit of their own heart ? 27 Who imagine that they shall cause my people To forget my name through their dreams. Which they relate one to another. As their fathers forgot my name through Baal. 2S The prophet with whom is a dream, let him relate a dream, true by their accomplislnneut in the most remote regions of tlie earth, as he Babylonish exile, they would call them was in tlie laud which he claimed spe- to mind, and acknowledge their Divine cially for his own. Gcsenius and Hitzig origin. ^J'? is used adverbially. take ^npo and pn'J'? in their temporal, and 21, 22. The false prophets rendered it not in their local acceptation : the former abundantly evident that they held no understanding the questions to mean a divine commission, by their encouraging God of things near, and a God of things the people in rebellion against Jehovah, afar off; and the latter, a God newly and making no effort to recover them from come into being, and a God of ancient their idolatrous practices. time ; but neither mode of construction 23, 24. The deceivers might flatter is satisfactory, themselves and those who listened to 25 — 27. Jeremiah, impatient of tlie their seductive addresses, that, should the audacity of tlie seducing prophets, asks enemy approach, they might flee to a how long they should be permitted to distance, and thus escape the punishment carry on their deception. '«?? is the which Jeremiah had announced ; but plural construct of the Niphal pai'ticiple, from the omnipresent and omniscient which, as different in form from D'^"?, I Jehovah, it was impossible for them to have rendered prophesiers. escape. They should find that he was 2S, 29. The prophets are called npon, present to punish his enemies in the if they really have dreams to relate, and CHAP, xxm.] JEREMIAH. 137 29 And he with whom my word is, let him speak my Avord faith- fully: What is the chaff to the wheat ? Saitli Jehovah. Is not my word altogether like fire ? Saith Jehovah : And Uke a hammer. That breaketh the rock in pieces ? 30 AVherefore, behold ! I am against the prophets, Saith Jehovah, Who steal my words, one from another. Behold ! I am against the prophets, Saith Jehovah, Who take their tongue, and say : Saith. Behohl ! I am against the prophesiers of false dreams, Saith Jehovah ; Who relate them, and cause my people to err. By their falsehoods and their wantonness ; For I sent them not, neither did I command them. Therefore they shall not at all profit this people, Saith Jehovah. 31 32 not to feign them ; faithfully to annonnce the Divine message, if they had received any to communicate ; but not to pretend to what had no existence. The ditt'erence between their lies and the trntli of God, was at ouce as apparent as tliat betM'cen the empty husk and the full ear of wheat. i|n-ns i^.nVnp, Jlliut is there to the chaff as it respects the icheat ? What is the one compared with the other i' The particle n« is here used in order to give special prominence to the noun. The anomalous use of ns in connexion with 3, the regular particle of com- parison, is designed to give greater emphasis to the simile. As fire con- sumes whatever is combustible, and the hardest rock is broken by the application of the hammer, so the word of God exerts its moral energy on the hearts of men. Comp. Heb. iv. 12. 30 — 32. In these verses three classes of false prophets are threatened. First, those who adopted certain portions of the discourses delivered by the Divine messengers, and then distorted them to make them suit their own purposes, borrowing one from another, to screen their own poverty of invention, or spare themselves the trouble of composition. They were the prototypes of the spiritual })lagiarists of moderu times. The second class consisted of sucli as were mere babblers — attempting to pass themselves ofi" for pro])liets, but bungling so in their delivery, that any one might perceive they were mere pretenders. They failed in the very enunciation of tiie intro- ductory formula. Instead of the solemn nin' DN?, Saith Jehovah, they could only give utterance to cs>3, Saith, and then stopped. The word is properly the con- struct of the Pahul participle, and is erpiivalcnt to the oracle of. c«d, the verb itself, occurs only here : ex: to«:>i : which the LXX. render rov^ iKf:id\XovTas irpo- cji7]T(ias y'Kwaar}!. Dc indiistria cs? dicit vates, ut ipsissimam quam falsi pro- 138 JEREMIAH. [chap. XXIII. 33 And wlien this people^ or the prophet or the priest Shall ask thee_, saying, "What is the burden of Jehovah ? Then thou shalt say to them. What burden ? ! I have rejected you, Saith Jehovah. M x\nd as for the prophet or the priest or the people That shall say, The burden of Jehovah, I will punish that man and his house. 35 Thus shall ye say, one to another. What hath Jehovah responded? And what hath Jehovah spoken? 3G But the burden of Jehovah ye shall not mention any more ; For the word of every man shall be his burden ; Since ye have perverted the words of the living God, Jehovah of Hosts, our God. pheto2 imitentuv vocem exprimat. — 3Ia?(- rer. The fictitious character of their iitterances is significantly expressed by the phrase: their taking their tongue; i.e. their employing- it alone, and that to little purpose. They used it inconside- rately, babbling whatever came first upon it, without considering what was to follow: — an examjde which has also liad many counterparts in the pulpit. When it is said, ver. 32, that the false prophets should not at all profit the people, it is only another mode of expression for con- veying the idea, that their ministry would greatly injure them. The third class were those who pretended to have ijcen favoured with supernatural dreams, such as Jehovah had frequently employed for the purpose of communicating his will to mankind. Tlie dreams of these prophets, liowever, were tlie mere in- ventions of their own brain, downright falsehoods. This class accordingly form the climax in the prophetical representa- tion. They were the worst of all. 33. Prophets, priests, and people, are now reproved indiscriminately for the scoiSug manner in which they asked the ])ro])liet W'hat message he liad to com- municate from Jehovah, ^^ii"^ may signify either an oracle, whether respecting good or evil, though more commonly it is used of the latter; Qix%\m\A'^ a harden. Availing themselves of the ambiguity of the term, they profanely teased Jeremiah by asking, what burdensome oracle he had next to deliver. He had predicted notliiug but disaster : what new calamity had he to announce ? Jeremiah indignantly replies by asking in their own words : " What burden ? ! " He had nothing but the grievous message to communicate, that Jehovah had rejected them. They had obstinately persevered in their idolatries, and now nothing remained but their abandomnent to the enemy. The LXX. dividing the \vords diflerently, instead of stt'D-no-nst, Jf'^hat burden t have read ■a'T-^T} nn«. Ye are the burden. This di- vision is followed by the Vulg. and by several of the moderns. The Targ. liowever, Syr., and most translators — among the moderns, Scliolz, Maurer, and De Wette, conform to the uniform reading of all the MSS. and printed editions. 34 — 40. W'hoever would still persist in using the ambiguous term ^i^'"?, burden, perverting it in the s])irit of derision, must lay his account with the punish- CHAP. XXIV.] JEREMIAH. 139 3? Thus slialt thou say to the prophet : "Wliat hath Jehovali responded ? And Avhat hath Jehovah spoken ? 38 But if ye will say, The burden of Jehovah, Surely thus saith Jehovah, Beeausc ye say this Avord, The burden of Jehovali ; Though I have sent to you, saying. Ye shall not say, The burden of Jehovah ; 30 Therefore I, behold, I will entirely take you up. And will cast you. And the city which I gave to you and to your fathers. Out from my presence. 40 And I will lay a perpetual reproach upon you, And everlasting shame, which shall not be forgotten. mcnt he deserves for mocking not, merely h\ eight more, in five of the earlier and the prophet, but Jehovali, of whom he four otlicr editions, and has the support was the messenger. Instead of 'iT'?J of Aq., Syr., and Vulg. ■''T>rJ assumes and Nir^, vcr. 39, I have followed the nirj as the root, which, though not oc- punetuation V%'i and N'i'J, the former of curring elsewhere, may have been in use which is found in two of De llossi's in the time of the prophet as well as MSS., and lias been in four more «"i'J, the common form. For nra'7?, ver. originally, and has the sulfrages of the 40, several MSS. and editions read in LXX., Syr., and Vulg., and the latter the plural, rii's'^g. in seven of Do llossi's MSS., oi-ighially CHAPTER XXIV. Under the symbol of tu'o baskets of figs is set forth the fate of two portions of the Jewish people, 1—3 : that of such as bad been carried into captivity to Babylon, to whom a happy return to and re-establishment in their own land is promised, 4 — 7 ; and also that of the refractory party, who would not listen to the prophetic messages, but formed a league with the king of Egypt against the Chaldeans, and are threatened with irremediable destruction, 8 — 10. 1 Jehovah showed me, and behold ! two baskets of figs, placed before the temple of Jehovah, after Nebuchadnezzar, king of 1. The initiatory formula, njrr 'p^nn or /)o^, but here, from its resemblance, « r^^r^^, is found Amos vii. 1, 4, 7 ; viii. 1 ; bmket. The « in the form wit is only where the only difference is, that rrs is the mater Icctionis used as a guide in prefixed. 'TT properly signifies a boiler reading the unpointed text, cnyin, the 140 JEREMIAH. [chap. xxiv. Babylon, had carried away captive Jechoniali, tlie son of Jelioiakim, king of Judah, and the princes of Judah^ and the carpenters, and the smiths, from Jerusalem, and brought 2 them to Babylon. The one basket had very good figs, like the first ripe figs ; and the other basket had very bad figs, 3 which could not be eaten for badness. And Jehovah said to me : What seest thou, Jeremiah ? And I said, Figs : the good figs very good, and the bad very bad, which cannot be 4 eaten for badness. Then the word of Jehovah was com- municated to me, saying : 5 Thus saith JehoA^ah, the God of Israel, Like these good figs. So will I regard the captivity of Judali, Whom I have sent away from this place To the land of the Chaldeans for their good. G For I will set mine eye upon them for good. And I will bring them back to this land ; And will build them, and not pull them down. And plant them, and not pluck them up. 7 And I will give them a heart to know me. That I am Jehovah, participle in Iloplial, from t?; to fix, terest, aud, as in the present instance, appoint, place. The date of the vision to have a kindly feeling towards the is stated to have been after the removal object regarded. Ruth ii. 10, 19. The of Jechoniah to Babylon. How long removal of the captives was for their after that event, we are not informed ; good, both as they were thereby saved but, had any length of time elapsed, h'om the awful calamities which came Jeremiah would doubtless have specified upon the rest of the nation, as their con- it. The Nebuchadnezzar here mentioned dition in Babylon was far from intolerable, was the second of that name. See on and as they were cured of their idolatry, chap. xxi. 2. The artizaus may have It appears from 2 Kings xxv. 27—30, been removed, partly with a view to compared with Jeremiah xxix. 4—7, that deprive Jerusalem of their assistance on not only was Jechoniah well treated by occasion of another assault, and partly the king of Babylon, but that the captives on account of the service which they were in prosperous circumstances ; at might render to the Chaldean monarch least, taking the two passages together, at Babylon. Not fewer than 1,000 smiths this may be inferred. — That the restora- and carpenters were carried to Babylon, tion here promised is not any yet to take on the occasion to wliich reference is place, but specifically that from Babylon, here made. 2 Kings xxiv. 16. the circumstances of the context clearly 2. For the Boccora, or early fig, see show. on Is. xxviii. 4. ^ 7. There is no ground to suppose that 5, 6. T?N, Hiphil of i?3, in which con- the promise and description of cha- jugation it signifies to look intentli/ upon racter here given, necessarily involve real anything, to regard with peculiar in- spiritual conversion to God. From the CHAP. XXV.] JEREMIAH. 141 10 And tlicy shall be my people, And I, I will be tlieir God; AVhen they shall return to nie witli all their heart. And as for the bad figs which could not be eaten for badness. Surely thus saith Jehovah : So will I give up Zedckiah, king of Judah, and his princes. And the residue of Jerusalem, that remain in this land. And those who dwell in the land of Egypt ; I will even give them up to agitation and calamity. In all the kingdoms of the earth : For a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and an execration, In all the places whither I shall drive them ; And I Avill send among them The sword, the famine, and the pestilence : Till they be consumed from off the land. Which I gave to them, and to their fathers. representatious furnislied by tlic three last proplicts, who llourished after the return from Baljylon, \\c shoiikl not infer that piety prevailed to any great extent among tliosc to whom they ministered ; or that, generally speaking, it amounted to more than the average estimate of national religion as existing among that people in the purer periods of thc'theo- cracy. All that the words, therefore, generally imply, is, that Jehovah would efTectually bring them to renounce the worship of idols, and induce them to acknowledge and worship Ilim as the only true God — the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. To cure them of idolatry was the object to be answered by their captivity, and when this was attained, their national restoration took place. At the same time, there is no reason to doubt, that there was a rcuuiant of the faithful among the restored exiles who truly loved and served Jcliovah, and who were consequently warranted to appropriate to themselves \he promise in the utmost latitude of its meaning. Malachi iii. 10. 8 — 10. The bad figs were a symbol of that part of the nation which remained in Judea during the reign of Zedekiali, and ^yho, so far from profiting by the calamities which had been inflicted upon them, had become more hardened iu wickedness ; together with such as, con- trary to the express command of Jehovah, had fled to Egypt for refuge. Instead of bettering their condition, they only exposed themselves to greater miseries, both in their own land and in foreign countries. Wherever they w^ent, they were treated with ignominy. CHAPTER XXV. This chapter contains a remonstrance with the Jews on account of their long-con- tinued rejection of the prophetic messages, 2-7 ; a definite prediction of^'their conquest by Nebucliadnezzar, 8—10; the length of their captivity in Babylon, and the destruction of the Chaldean power, 11— It. Then follows a striking 143 JEREMIAH. [chap. xxv. symbolical representation, foreshowing the punishment of the dilTcrent nations by which the Jews had been oppressed, 13—29. The rest of the chapter is occupied with a repetition of the same subject couched in the forms of prophetic poetry, 30 — 38. 1 The word wliicli was communicated to Jeremiali concerning all the people of Judali^ in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah^ king of Judah, the same was the first year of 2 Nebuchadnezzar^ king of Babylon; which Jeremiah the prophet spake to all the people of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, 3 From the thirteenth year of Josiah, the son of Amon, king of Judah, to this day, these three and twenty years, the word of Jehovah hath been communicated to me, and I have spoken to you, rising early and speaking, but ye have not 4 hearkened. And Jehovah hath sent to you all his servants the prophets, rising early and sending, but ye have not 5 hearkened, nor inclined your ear to hear. They said : Turn. ye now, every one from his wicked way, and from the wickedness of your deeds, that ye may dwell in the land which Jehovah hath given to you and to your fathers for G ever and ever. And follow not other gods to serve them, and to worship them : and provoke me not by the works of 7 your hands, and I will do you no hurt. Yet ye have not hearkened to me, saith Jehovah ; that ye might provoke me with the works of your hands, to your own hurt. 1, 2. The difference between tlie finally seven more, together witli the statement here made, that the first year Soncin. Bible and Prophets, read '«, but of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar corre- the two prepositions are often used in- sponded to the fourth of that of Je- terchangeabl}', as again ver. 2. hoiakim, and that made Dan. i. 1, that 3, 4. Not only Jiad Jeremiah faitli- it corresponded to the third, is removed fully warned the people against idol- by Hales (Sacred Chronology, ii. 439), worship for the period of twenty-three by supposing that the Jew'ish monarch years, but other prophets had aided him was appointed king by Pharaoh Necho, in his labours, such as Urijah, Zephaniah, on his return from Carehemish about the Ilabakkuk, &c., who flourished at the month of July, whereas the accession of time. For c'r^'i?, which is tlie proper Nebucliadnezzar took place Jan. 21, Chaldee form, several MSS. and editions B.C. 604. So that the first year of that read a'5©rT, the regular Hebrew form of king was partly the third and partly the the Infinitive. fourth of Jehoiakim. It deserves notice 5. I'o^^, the Infinitive, occurring, as that it is here first where the specific it docs here, at the beginning of a verse, chronological dates of our prophet begin, can only properly be rendered by a finite Instead of ^'^iPT''?j fourteen MSS., ori- form of the verb. CHAP. XXV.] JEREMIAH. 143 10 11 13 8 Therefore, thus saith Jehovah of Hosts : Because ye have not 9 hearkened to my words ; behold ! I will send and take all the families of the north, saith Jehovah, and to Nebuchad- nezzar, the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against its inhabitants, and against all these nations I'ound about; and I will devote them to destruction, and make them an astonishment, and a hissing, and a perpetual desolation. And I will cause to fail them tlic sound of mirth, and the sound of joy ; the sound of the bridegroom, and the sound of the bride ; the sound of the millstones, and the light of the lamp. And this whole land shall become desolate and waste; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, I will punish 9. Some MSS. read nxi before I he name of Nebuchadnezzar, instead of ''^i''), but I shoukl rather attribute the ehaiigc to correction, made in order to obtain an accusative correspondinp^ to the pre- ceding ri«. "While this particle is governed by ''T'ni?!?, the preposition naturally follows nm In the LXX. and Arab, the words corresponding to "and Nebuchadnezzar, Ising of Babylon," arc entirely omitted. The Chaldean monarch is called the HiTvant of Jehovah, because he was em- jiloycd as his agent for punishing the Jews and the surrounding nations. Conip. chap, xxvii. 6 ; xliii. 10. 10. A graphic dcserijjtion of the do- mestic ell'ects of a desolating army. Not only is there a cessation of all festive enjoyment, but what houses are left un- destroyed are without inhabitants — a melancholy scene of silence and gloom. c^n^j the hand-mill common all over the East. It assumes the Dual number because it consists of two circular stones, ])laced one above another : the lower tixed to the ground, and convex in the upper surface ; the upper, concave in the lower surface to fit the former, with an aperture through which the corn is let down in order to be crushed between them. The upper stone has a stick or handle by Avhich it is turned. Each house has its mill, whicii is wrought by two females ; and from its indispensable necessity for daily use, its being taken in pledge was prohibited by the Mosaic law, Deut. xxiv. G. The i?, lamp, is likewise in universal use in the East. Every house has its night-light, and in Egypt the poorest person would rather forego his evening meal than be with- out it. 1 1, 12. n:^ a73ii), setenty years. The number seventy being sometimes used as a round number, it has been supposed by some commentators, that such is simply the case here and in other pas- sages where reference is made to the duration of the exile in Babylon. But that it is in such instances to be taken dclinitely of the precise amount of years, we are warranted to conclude from the statement made Dan. ix. 2, that that prophet " understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the pro- phet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem." if the number seventy were to be un- derstood indefinitely, Daniel could have arrived at no sj)ecitic conclusion as to the duration of the exile, nor could any certainty be attached to the numbers in- cluded in the period of seventy weeks, chap. ix. 24, which is evidently based upon the seventy years of the captivity. Considerable diversity of opinion has obtained among ehronologers with re- spect both to the terminun a quo, and the tcniibnis ad quern, of the seventy years ; 144 JEREMIAH. [criAP. XXV. the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith Jehovah, for their iniquit}^, even the land of the Chaldeans, and will render it completely desolate for ever. I will even bring upon that land all ray words which I have spoken against it; all that is written in this book, Avhich Jeremiah hath prophesied against all the nations. When many nations, and great kings have reduced them, even them, to servitude, I will also recompense them according to their deed, and according to the works of their hands. 15 Eor thus said Jehovah, the God of Israel, to me : Take the wine-cup of this fury from my hand; and cause all the 13 14 but it is generally agreed that tliey com- menced in the fourtli year of Jehoiakim, when Jerusalem was first captured, and many of the nobles, and great numbers of the people, together with the treasures of the temple, vi'ere removed to Babylon; and that they terminated in the first year of Cyrus, who, on the taking of Babylon, issued an edict for the restoration of the Jews to their own land, and the re- establishment of their polity. Ezra i. 1. Though the Chaldeans and the other nations were instruments in the hand of God in punishing the Jews, yet as they had no knowledge of this fact, but merely gratified their cruel and am- bitious passions, they, in their turn, thereby contracted guilt for which Je- hovah threatens to punish them. 13. T'^^?'?^, Keri '.?^»?U1. Comp. Is. Ivi. 7 ; Ezek. xxxviii. 16. Tlie latter half of the verse, A^enema, Sehnurrer, llosenmiiller, Doederlein, Maurer, Hit- zig, and Umbreit, consider to be an in- terpolation. The words are also regarded as spurious by Ewald, who throws them into the margin of his translation. Tlie principal ground on which this opinion rests is, that tlie predictions against the nations which occur considerably after- wards in the book, cannot be considered as having formed part of it at the time tlie prophecy contained in chapter xxv. was delivered. That the definite phrase nin -\DE3, in this book, has a distinct reference to the prophetic book of Jere- miah, and not to any other collection of predictions, admits not of a doubt. As has been sliown in the General Preface, considerable changes have taken place with respect to the disposition of different portions of the writings of our prophet. It is not, therefore, impossible, tliat the words in question may have been inserted by some co])yist ; or, they may have crept into the text from being a gloss in the margin. But it is just as possible that they may have been inserted by the prophet iiimself after the completion of his work. The occurrence of his name cannot be urged as an objection, since he frequently thus speaks of himself. That the predictions against the foreign nations, chap. xlvi. — ^li., should imme- diately follow here in the LXX. is cer- tainly remarkable ; but the fact is not to be pressed, since the translators may pur- posely have inserted them, in order to remove a ditficulty, which their absence might have been supposed to have occa- sioned. See General Preface, sect. iv. It. D^i-B, their deed, means specifically their treatment of tlie Jews, and is there- fore to be rendered in the singular, and not as a collective noun, in the plural. 15. This verse and tliose whicli follow to the thirty-eighth, form chap, xxxii. in the LXX. It has been disputed whether the prophet actually presented a cup of wine to the representatives of the dif- ferent nations here specified, who had come to Jerusalem to consult with the Jewish monarch in reference to the com- bined resistance that should be offered to Nebuchadnezzar ; whether the wliole was a prophetic vision ; or whether the language is merely to be regarded as symbol ic:\l of his receivius; the message CHAP. XXV.] JEREMIAH. 145 10 17 18 19 20 nations to drink it, to wliicli I will send tlicc ; That they may drink, and reel and writhe, for the sword which I will send among them. Then I took tlie cup from the hand of Jehovah, and caused all the nations to drink to Avhich Jehovah had sent me : Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, and her kings, and her princes, to make them desolate and an astonishment, a hissing and an execration, as at this da}^ ; Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and his ministers, and his princes, and all his people ; And all the mingled people, and all the kings of the land of Uz, and all the kings of the land of the Philistines, and Ashkelon, and Gaza, and Ekron, and the rcm- from Jeliovah and pronouncing it against them. The last mentioned opinion is to 1)6 preferred. The metaplior of an in- toxicating cup to denote aflliotion or punisliment, is common in Scripture. Is. li. 17—22; Jer. xlix. 12; li. 7; Lam. iv. 21 ; Ezek. xxiii. 31 — 31; Rev. xiv. 10 ; xvi. 19 ; xviii. 6. ri^rrri |»rt are in apposition, so far that the latter noun is used adjectivcly, as if we should say f/ie augrjj iciiie. Conip. n*'^rt:n naran, the brazen altar, 2 Kings xvi. 14 ; ^^;^t 3^^^, the beam-pin, Judg. xvi. 14. Ac- cording to rule, were ]?J} in coustrnction, it sliould not have the Article. 10. V^ripr', to be niad, raqe, from '':'7, to be foolish. The metaj)hor of the cup of wrath, is here resolved into the sword as the instrument of punishment. 18. The plural C'p^P, li-infjn, is em- ployed to include Jechoniah and Zcde- kiah, the successors of Jehoiakim, as well as that monarch himself, ''•i^? Di'?, as at ^ this day. These words may cither have .'ecu delivered by Jeremiah at the same t(|Tie as the rest of the prophecy, when, iti the reign of Jehoiakim, the accom- plishment of it had already begun to be experienced; or they may have been in- serted by the prophet on the final re- vision of his writings during his sojourn in Fgypt after the destruction of Jeru- salem. Some have thought that the words may have been from the pen of Ezra, or of whosoever collected the books of the Canon. There is nothing corresponding to them in the LXX. 20. The words ^nrn-":? ns!i, IjXX. Tvavrai rovs (TVfxulKTOVs, and all" the nii//r/led people, properly belong to the preceding verse, and describe the aux- iliary troops who were collected from ditlerent nations and tribes and served in the Egyptian army, together with such other foreigners as had settled in the country and intermarried with the na- tives. The term occurs first, Exod. xii. 38, in reference to the mingled mass which left Egypt with the Hebrews. Pharaoh Hoplira, who reigned in the time of Jeremiah, was comjiletely sur- rounded by foreign troops, which so embittered the native Egyptians against him as to occasion his overthrow. Nine -MSS., originally two more, and one by correction, together with the Targ., read aTTTj 'Dbp, " kint/s of the mixed people ;" but this is in all probability a mere emendation borrowed from verse 24. — yw, Uz, occurring here in regular geo- graphical order between Egypt and the states along the coast of the INIcditer- ranean Sea, is thougiit to be a diilereiit country from the U~ of which Job was an inhabitant, and which is nniversally admitted to have been in the northern part of Arabia Deserta. That here mentioned most likely lay in the northern portion of Arabia Petra^a, between the sea and Idumaja, with which it is closely connected, Lam. iv. 21. Uz, from whom we may conclude it took its name, was a descendant of Seir the Horite, Gen. xxxvi. 20, 28. — The reason why ^'"!i*i!, the remnant only of Ashdod is mentioned, is that that city had lost most of its inhabitants during the twenty- nino years' siege by J'sammetiehus. U 14cJ JEREMIAH. [chap. XXV. 21 nant of Aslidod ; Edom, and IMoab, and the sons of Ammon ; 22 And all the kings of Tyre, and all the kings of Zidon, and the kings of the maritime regions which are beyond the sea. 23 Dedan_, and Tema, and Buz, and all those with narrowed 2i beards. And all the. kings of Arabia, and all the kings of 25 the mingled people that dwell in the desert. And all the kings of Zimri, and all the kings of Elam, and all the kings 26 of Media. And all the kings of the north, both those Avho are near and those who are distant, one with another, and 22. '!>» is vised collectively to denote the islands and maritime regions of the Mediterranean, where the Phceuiciaus had planted colonies. 23. Tlie 177, Dedan, here referred to lay in the nortlieru part of Arabia, and was inhabited by the descendants of Dedan, one of the sons of Abraham by Keturali, Gen. XXV. 3, 4. There was an island of the same name in the Persian Gulf, with which that here mentioned is not to be confounded. See on Is. xxi. 13. N?'rn, Tema, and ii3, Buz, lay in the same direction, and were neighbouring tribes. The country inhabited by the latter was that of which Elihu was a native. Job xxxii. 2. For hnd 'ijisp see on chapter ix. 25. 24. By yy, AiiABiA, here we are to understand the country of the Bedoweens generally to the east and south oT the Dead Sea. If ^ii- is not to be pointed 3711, and regarded as a repetition of the name jiist mentioned before, introductory to the epexegesis 1370? c^ppii-'n, it must be considered as descriptive of a different people from those intended ver. 20. 25. To judge from the position occu- pied by '7P1, ZiMRi, we should suppose it was "designed to mark out some nation ov tribe to the east of the Arabian desert in the direction of Persia, but respecting which we have no further account, unless perhaps they are referred to by Pliny in his Hist. Nat. lib. xxxvi. 25 : "iuvenitur hie in iEthiopiaj Zimiri ; ita vocatur O 7 regie arenosa." The Syr. has ii^\, O V Zamron, which corresponds to %Ci£'\, of one of the sons of Abraham by Kcturah, is expressed. Gen. xxv. 2. — Cj.'?, Elaji, or Elymais proper, lay to the west of Persia, and to the soutli-east of Babylon, but the term is used indefinitely in Scripture for Persia in general. 26. Having mentioned Media, the prophet stops short in his specification, and contents himself with a general reference to the less known, but nume- rous hordes of the countries bordering on the Caspian and Euxine Seas, com- monly known among the ancients by the name of Scythians ; and to give greater force to his representation, he compre- hends within its sphere all the kingdoms upon the face of the earth. We should have expected Jeremiah to have here exhausted his subject ; but there remained one other power hostile to the Jews, to w'hich it was necessary special prominence should be given. This was '^'^, Sheshach, a name which has long perplexed the critics, but of which no satisfactory etymological solu- tion has yet been furnished, least of all that proposed by Hales, (Analysis of Chronology, vol. iv. p. 69,) who would derive it from ^, the abbreviation of i^'n, the relative pronoun, and ~\^, to drink ! That Babylon is meant there cannot be the shadow of doubt, since it is used as its synonyme in the parallelism, chap, li. 41 : How is Sheshach captured! And the renown of all the earth taken! How is Babylon become a desolation among the nations ! Targ. ''337 S3bn, the king of Bahylon, Syr. the form in which ^, Ziiaran, the name U^-^'l 1^^^' ^^'' '''''•''^^' '»"""''^'- C'liAr. XXV.] JEREMIAH. 147 27 2S 29 all the kingdoms of tlie earth, that are on the surface of the ground ; and the king of Sheshach shall drink after them. And say thou to them, Thus saith JehoA^ah of Hosts, the God of Israel : Drink ye, and be drunk, and vomit, and fall, and rise not again, because of the sword which I will send among you. And it shall come to pass, that if they refuse to take the cup from thy hand to drink, then thou shalt say to them. Thus saith Jehovah of Hosts : Ye shall certainly drink. For, behold ! I begin to inflict calamity on the city which is called by my name, and should ye be treated as altogether inno- cent? Ye shall not be treated as innocent; for I will call If, liowever, it can be rendered at all jjrobable that the cabalistical system of interpretation, known by the name t^rri^, (dhljcsh, existed in the time of Jeremiah, and that he could have employed it, no difficulty would remain. According to this system, «, the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, is expressed by n, the last ; 3, the second, by 's^, the last but one ; 3 by 1 ; T by P, and so on in regular inverse order. On this princi[)le "J^i, Babel, will be expressed by 1^^\ Sheshach. The principle is recognised by Jerome, who doubtless obtained it from his Rabbi, to whom it had come by tradition. To theopiuion,tliat the prophet had recourse to this enigma in order to conceal the application of the prophecy fro-n the Babylonians, it has been thought suffi- cient to reply, that it is refuted by the fact noticed above, that the name of Babylon is openly mentioned as parallel with it in chap. li. ll ; but may we not suppose, that as the two predictions were delivered at different times, the one at present under consideration having been pronounced in the fourth year of Je- iioiakim, Avhile Nebuchadnezzar appeared before Jerusalem, and the latter after that monarch had returned to Babylon, so there was a well-grounded reason for concealment in the one case, M'hieh did not exist in the other ? That it was not beneath the dignity of inspiration to have recourse to the Athbash mode of expressing the name, is established by the fact, that Jeremiah would seem again to employ it, chap. li. 1, where the letters 'np^"?, rendered in the common version " the midst of them that rise up against me," exactly corresy)ond to cnirs, the Chaldeans, and are parallel Mith "Jai, Babylon, in the preceding clause of the verse. What corroborates this construc- tion of '''3P3':' is the circumstance, that in the 2-ith and 35th verses of the chapler the words ^^^ and d'tcs ■'i\r cc?upy the same position and the same relation to each other as "'31 and ^fy^iri 'a-i" in ver. 1. That the LXX. so understood the word in their day, is evident from their ren- dering it, Tov<; KciToiKovvras XaKdaiovs. Thus also the Targ. w^? «V7«, fhe land of the Chahlecs, in which ^''?^', Sheshach, is rendered by ''33, chap. li. 41 ; and the Syr. (T^^Va^Iiki ^"^'' inhabitants, re- ferring to Babylon preceding. So re- markable a coincidence of the letters of the alphabet cannot be supposed the result of mere accident, especially in the latter instance, Avhere they are more in number and must have been designed by the author. 27 — 29. The destruction of the heathen nations was fixed and certain. No effort on their part to escape would prove successful. Of this they might be as- sured by the fact that the Jews, who were Jehovah's peculiar people, were not spared. For the sentiment in ver. 29, compare 1 Pet. iv. 17. — Vir^ ^P^n, sJiould you be treated as altogether innocent? The root np^2 signifies to be clean, pure. 1 18 JEREMIAH. [chap. xxv. for a sword against all the inhabitants of the earth, saith Jehovah of Hosts. 30 Thou, therefore, prophesy against them all these words, and say to them : Jehovah shall roar from on high, And utter his voice from his holy abode : He shall roar aloud over his pasturage ; A shout, like that of those who tread out the grapes. He shall raise against all the inhabitants of the earth. 31 A noise is come to the extremity of the earth, For Jehovah hath a cause of judgment wdth the nations. He will hold judgment with all flesh : As for the Avicked, he will deliver them to the sword, Saith Jehovah. 32 Thus saith Jehovah of Hosts : * Behold ! calamity shall go forth from nation to nation. And a great storm shall be raised From the uttermost regions of the earth. 33 And the slain of Jehovah shall be in that day From one extremity of the earth even to the other. They shall not be mourned for, nor collected, nor buried. They shall be for manure on the surface of the ground. 31 Howl, O ye shepherds ! and cry. And roll yourselves in the dust, O ye chiefs of the flock ! For your days for slaughter are accomplished. And your dispersions. And ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel. in Niphal and Piel, to regard or trectt as Judea, considered as the pasturage al- pure in a moral sense, to let go unpunished, lotted by Jehovah to his people, and then The meaning of the prophet, therefore, is, it was to go fortli into heathen lands, that the hostile powers should certainly n]: signifies both habitation and pasture. be punished. The latter signification is preferable here, 30 — 33. From verse 30 to the end of the iiock occupying it being the object thechapter the same subject is continued, of attack on tlie part of the lion. Por only it is tin-own into the more animated ^^'^^, the vintage-shout, see on Is. xvi. forms of prophetic poetry. Under the 9, 10. metaphor of a lion, Jehovah is repre- 34:— 36. The kings and other rulers sented as giving forth a tremendous are here addressed, who were to be in- roar, indicative of the inevitable destruc- volved in tlie same ruin with the nations tion wliich was to overtake the nations, over which they presided. crnisiDri^ The roar was first to be heard over with Hirik, gives the first person sin- CHAP. XXVL] JEREMIAH. 149 36 35 And flight shall foil the shepherds. And escape the chiefs of the flock. The sound of the cry of the shepherds. And the howl of the chiefs of the flock : Because Jehovah destroy eth their flock. Yea, the peaceful pastures are destroyed. By reason of the fierce anger of Jehovah. He hath quitted, like a young lion, his covert ; Surely their land hath become desolate By reason of the cruel sword, And by reason of the fierceness of his anger. 38 f^nlar of a verb, wbicli some have cou- sidored to be yiQ in the nmisual Tipliil conjugation; but CTriiaicm, with Tzere, as a feniiuine noun, is more firmly based] and is supported by thirty-live of Dc Jlossi's MSS., by six more originally, thirteen by correction; by six of the earlier, and twenty-seven other printed editions; and by Aq., Syram., Theod., Vulg., and the Ilexaplar Syr. It equally ucll suits the connexion : the meaning being that the period had fully arrived when the kings and nobles were to be scattered as dust before the wind. How- ever highly they may have been held in estmiation, they should fall like a costly vessel, and be broken in pieces. Tor ^19^ '"^^s, like a vessel of desire, or precious vessel, some would read 'i^s HTOn like lovely lambs. The LXX., in- deed, has aanep ol Kpun ol €k\(ktoI, but the reference in the connexion is to the shepherds throughout, and not to the Hocks as a separate class. 37. ci'^TT'ri mai the pastures of peace, denote the secure abodes of the inhabit- ants of the countries, where they peace- ably enjoyed the fruits of their industry Tinder the protection of their respective governments. 38. Twelve MSS., originally .six more, now two, the Soncin. Edition, the LXX., Arab., and Targ. read i-jn, sjcorcl, instead of pn, fierceness. The same form '3.Bo npri^-jn, occurs chap. xlvi. 16; 1. 16. nji'H is a participial adjective qualifying ^"jn, which is feminine. To render the word oppressor, as some liave done, it must be pointed nDvn in the masculine. The last clause of the verse, corre- sponding to that of the preceding, shows that the pronominal reference in ics* is nin^, and not tds. There can, therefore, be no foundation for the supposition, that the Chaldean power is the subject, though it has been held, that, as njvalso signifies a dove, (and as it is believed on the authority of Diodorus Siculus, lib. ii. cap. 1, that the Assyrians and Baby- lonians had the figure of a dove on their standards, in counnemoration of Semi- ramis' having been nourished by birds, especially by young doves, when exposed after her birth,) such construction is to be adopted here. Hence the rendering of the Vulg. irce columbce. CHAPTER XXVL On announcing what he had been charged by Jehovah faithfully to deliver, 1—6, Jeremiah is accused of sedition, and declared worthy of death, 7—11. But,' on his protesting against the injustice of the accusation, 12—15, some of the' elders adduce the cases of the prophets Micah and Urijah, who had delivered similar 150 JEREMIAH. [chap. xxvi. prophecies, the former of wliom had been protected by King Hezekiah, 16—19 ; and the Latter, after having been brought back from Egypt, was executed by order of Jehoiakim, 20 — 23. By the powerfid influence of Ahikam, the prophet is rescued, 21. 1 In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word was communicated from Jehovah, 2 saying : Thus saith Jehovah : Stand in the court of the house of Jehovah, and speak to all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the house of Jehovah, all the Avords which I ha>'e commanded thee to speak to them : withhold not a word. 3 Perhaps they will hear, and turn every one from his wicked way, that I may repent of the calamity which I have intended to inflict on them, because of the wickedness of their deeds. 4 And thou shalt say to them, Thus saith Jehovah : If ye will not hearken to me, to walk in my law which I have set 5 before you : to hearken to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I have sent to you, even rising early and 6 sending, but ye have not hearkened ; Then I will make this house like Shiloh, and this city I will make an execration to all the nations of the earth. 7 And the priests and the prophets, and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of Jehovah. 8 And it came to pass when Jeremiah had finished speaking all that Jehovah had commanded him to speak to all the people, that the priests, and the prophets, and all the people 9 seized him, saying, Thou shalt surely die. Why hast thou prophesied in the naine of Jehovah, saying. This house shall 1. Tlie events which are narrated in are represented as having been present, this section took place about three years Ver. 2. previous to the delivery of the prophecy G. nnsin is anomalous ; but whether contained in the preceding chapter, the n at the end of the word be a mere Maurer is of opinion that the predictions error of transcription, or tlie n paragogic, which are here stated to have given so employed for the sake of giving greater }nuch offence, are those contained in emphasis, cannot be determined. It is, chaps, vii. viii. ix. — an opinion which is however, not found in forty MSS. and confirmed by the coincidence of verse 6 three editions, and is most probably an with chap. vii. 12, 14. Tiiey must have addition to the text, been pronounced on occasion of one of 7. The prophets here referred to were the great festivals, (according to Arch- the false prophets, the yjrevboTrpofpiJTat, bishop Usher, that of tabernacles,) since as in the LXX. the inhabitants of all the cities of Judah 8, 9. The tumult appears to have been ciLVP. XXVI.] JEREMIAPI. 151 be like Shiloh, and this city shall be laid waste, without an inhabitant ? and all the people were collected against Jere- miah in the house of Jehovah. 10 And Avhen the princes of Judah heard of these things, they went up from the king's house to the house of Jehovah, and 11 sat in the entrance of the new gate of the house of Jehovah. And the priests and the prophets spake to the princes, and to all the people, saying, This man deserves the sentence of death, for he hath prophesied against this city, as ye have heard with your own cars. 12 Then Jeremiah spake to all the princes, and to all the people, saying : Jehovah hath sent me to prophesy against this house, and against this city, all the words which ye have 13 heard. Now, therefore, reform your ways and your deeds, and hearken to the voice of Jehovah yoar God, that Jehovah may repent concerning the calamity M'ith which he hath 14 threatened you. But as for me, behold ! I am in your hand, 15 do to me as may appear good and proper to you. Only know assuredly, that if ye put me to death, ye shall bring innocent blood on j'oursclves, and on this city, and on its inhabitants ; for in truth Jehovah hath sent me to you, to speak in your hearing all these words. IG Then said the princes, and all the people, to the priests, and to the prophets, This man deserves not the sentence of death, for he hath spoken to us in the name of Jehovah our God. 17 And certain men of the elders of the land rose up, and spake 18 to the whole assembly of the people, saying, Micah the jSIorashthite prophesied in the days of Hezekiali, king of raised against Jeremiah by the priests translated iu the Targ., Syr., Vulg., and and prophets, who accused him of ut- Arab. "Which gate of the temple is here tering falsehood in the name of Jehovah, intended, it is impossible to determine ; a crime which was threatened in the law but it is thought, all that is meant by its of ]\Ioses with death, Deut. xviii. 20. being called new, is, its having recently 10. The members of the council of been repaired, state, which had been sitting in the royal 11. The crime of which Jeremiah was palace, on hearing of the tunmlt, repaired accused, was doubtless that of con- to the temple, in the gate of which they structive blasphemy, because he had held a judicial court for the trial of the spoken against the city which contained cause. The word n-s, house, appears to the sacred temple of Jehovah. A paraUel have been omitted before "^J^.. It is instance occurs. Acts vi. 11 — 13. found in twenty-seven MSS. and has IS. See on Micah iii. 12. ManyMSS. been originally in several more, and is omit the Yod in ^'po. 152 JEREMIAH. [chap. xxvi. Judah, and spake to all the people of Judali, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of Hosts : Sion shall be ploughed as a field, Jerusalem shall become heaps. And the mountain of the house woody heights. 19 Did Hezekiah, king of Judah, and all Judah, proceed to put him to death ? Did he not fear Jehovah, and supplicate the favour of Jehovah, and Jehovah repented concerning the calamity with which he had threatened them ? and we should commit great wickedness against our own souls. 20 And there was also a man that was prophesying in the name of Jehovah, Urijah, the son of Shemaiah of Kirjath-jearim, and he prophesied against this city, and against this land, 21 according to all the words of Jeremiah. And Jehoiakim the king, and all his heroes, and all the princes, heard his words, and the king sought to kill him ; but Urijah heard of it, and 22 was afraid, and fled, and came into Egypt. But Jehoiakim the king sent men to Egypt, even Elnathan, the son of 23 Achbor, and certain men Avith him to Egypt. And they brought Urijah out from Egypt, and brought him to Jehoia- kim the king, and he slew him Avith the sword, and caused his dead body to be cast into the graves of the sons of the people. 21 But the hand of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, was with Jere- miah, that he might not be delivered into the hand of the people, to put him to death. 20. The circumstances detailed in this phcts had a separate cemetery, and this and the three following verses appear to seems almost to be implied in what is have been adduced in opposition to what said of their tombs, Matt. xxm. 29. had been related respecting Micah ; and Uiijah not only fell by the hand of the as they had taken place in the reign of executioner, but his corpse was treated the present monarch, they furnished an with indignity. Comp. 2 Kings xxm. 6. apt precedent for the condemnation of 21. The prophet was in the greatest Jeremiah. Of this Urijah we have no danger of losing his life on the present further notice, n'-ii-'-nnp, Kirjah-jearim, occasion, and doubtless would have fallen lay on the confines 'of Judah and Benja- a victim to the fury of the people under m'in, about three hours west of Jem- the colour of law, had it not been for the galem. noble interposition of Ahikam. This 23." D5?, people, in the phrase nvn 'jii, person, whose father Shaphan was pro- sons of the people, is evidently to be bably royal secretary, must have been of ,- , • i,„ ,„„ „f .],„ A,.„u " 1 some consideration at court, since it was taken m the sense oi the Arab. <)lj, is never used of any long period of calamity, but always refers to some crisis bv which the fate of a nation is decided. 164 JEREMIAH. [chap. XXX. 8 For it shall come to pass on that day, Saith Jehovah of Hosts, I will break oflp his yoke from thy neck. And I will burst asunder thy bands ; And strangers shall no longer hold him in servitude. 9 But they shall serve Jehovah their God, And David their king, whom I will raise up for them. 10 Fear not thou, therefore, O my servant Jacob ! Saith Jehovah, Neither be thou dismayed, O Israel ! For behold ! I will deliver thee from afar. And thy seed from the land of their captivity ; And Jacob shall return, and be tranquil and quiet. And none shall make him afraid. 11 For I am with thee, saith Jehovah, to save thee ; Though I make an end of all the nations Whither I have driven thee, Comp. Is. ix. 4; x. 3; xiv. 3; xxx. 25; Joel ii. 11 ; Zeph. i. 14, 15. Terrible as were to be the circumstances con- nected with tlie fall of Babylon, and great as might be the anxiety of tlie Jews on Ihe occasion, it was to issue in their deliverance. The application of this prophecy by Micliaelis to the times of the Maccabees, is anything but satis- factory. 8. The reference in tlie suffix of V?!?, his yoke, cannot be to Jacob, since he, i.e. the nation descended from him, is immediately addressed in the second person; but to the king of Babylon, understood. The foreigners to -whom the Jews were no longer to be in sub- jection, were the Chaldeans, whose yoke had just been mentioned. 9. By David here we are to understand a king of royal Davidic blood ; but uo monarch of that family occupied the Jewish throne subsequent to tlie Baby- lonish captivity. Though Zerubbabcl, to whom Grotius a))plies the term, was of the'family of David, yet he never laid claim to the title of king ; so that the individual spoken of can be no otlier than the Messiah. Thus the Targ. «n^ffin ]i3bp ini -13, [he Messiah the son of David their kituj, and so almost all the moderns. Comp. Ezek. xxxiv. 23; xxxvii. 24; Hos. iii. 5. The idea favoiu-ed by Kimchi, tliat the ancient David will again appear, has had few approvers. Though the prophecy that the Jews should serve the Messiali, has liitherto liad only a very partial fullilment, yet tlie time is coming when they shall all adore him as their Saviour and Kmg. Hos. iii. 5 ; Rom. xi. 25 — 33. It was their privilege to have served him, and if the body of tlie nation had received liim as ])reached l:)y the Apostles, which myriads of then did. Acts xxi. 20, tlieir present dis- jiersion would never have taken [)lace. They would have continued to live in their own land, comjiosing Christian Cliurches at Jerusalem, and tliroughout Judea, and enjoying t)ie eminent i)ri- vileges of a Christianized civil govern- ment. 10. Tlie proclamation of Cyrus, grant- ing liberty to the Jews to return to Palestine, M'as made "througliout all 1 lis kingdom," Ezra i. 1, so tliat those Avho were in the most remote parts could avail themselves of it. 11. tQETp^a?. It was right and proper that the Jews should be punished for their idolatries, but their punishment having effected its object, they were CHAP. XXX.] JEREMIAH. 165 I will not make an end of thee. But I will chastise thee as is meet, For I cannot leave thee altogether unpunished. 12 For thus saith Jehovah : Thy bruise is desperate, And thy wound is grievous. 13 No one undertaketh thy case, to heal thee ; As for medicines, none are applied to thee. 14 AU thy lovers have forgotten thee, They seek not after thee ; Surely I have smitten thee with the wound of an enemy. With severe chastisement. Because of the greatness of thine iniquity. Because thy sins were increased ; 15 Why criest thou on account of thy bruise ? Thy pain is desperate : Because of the greatness of thine iniquity, And because thy sins were increased. Have I done these things to thee. IG Nevertheless, all who devour thee shall be devoured. And all thine adversaries shall go every one of them into captivity ; And those who spoil thee shall become a spoil. And all who plunder thee I will deliver up to plunder. 17 For I Avill restore health to thee, And heal thee of thy wounds, Saith Jehovah : nationally to be restored, wliile tlie cordiugly represented under the meta- Babylonians, &c. were to become entirely phor of a body full of wounds, left extinct. Some render ^P.2« «'' n;?3, / will entirely destitute of medical aid. The nol utterlrj dealroy thee, but the verb words lira"^ ^5'? HT^ are partly borrowed never has this siguilication in Piel. from a court of justice, and partly from 12 — 15. So desperate were the cir- medical practice. nisD? I take to be a cumstances of the Jews in Babylon, nominative absolute, as for medicines. while enduring the jmnishmeut God had For nbyj^ see on chap. viii. 22. inflicted upon them for their crimes, that IG, 17. When all help from man failed, no human interposition which they could Jehovah from a quarter altogether unex- rationally expect, could avail for their i)ected raised up a deliverer iu_ Cyrus, deliverance. Egypt, Syria, Tyre, &c., by whom the Babylonian empire was which had formerly been their con- totally subverted, and the outcast Jews federates, were all laid prostrate by the restored to their own land. '^.'cxiiJ, ex same haughty conqueror whose chains more Aramaeorum for '^.W'^, the middle they themselves wore. They are ac- radical being compensated for by «. See 166 JEREMIAH. [chap. XXX. 18 19 20 21 Because they called thee an outcast, It is Zion whom no one seeketh after. Thus saitli Jehovah, Behold ! I will reverse the captivity of Jacob's tents, And take compassion on his habitations ; And the city shall be built on its own hill. And the palace shall be inhabited on its proper place. And out of them shall proceed thanksgiving, And the sound of those who rejoice : And I will increase them, and they shall not be diminished. And I will cause them to be honoured. And they shall not be despised. Their children also shall be as formerly. And their congregation shall be established before me ; And I will punish all their oppressors. And their Glorious One shall be of themselves. And their Ruler shall proceed from the midst of them. And I will cause Him to draw near, and He shall approach to me : But who is He that hath pledged his heart to approach to me ? Saith Jehovah. the Note of C B. Micliaelis in Rosen- miiller. Six MSS. and two printed editions read '^?pir. 18. ''Oj from ''"'.15, to be\igh, to elevate, specially used of mounds or heaps of ruins, is here employed to denote the remains of the temple ou Moriah. ]to^« may either signify the temple, or the royal palace on Mount Zion. The latter seems preferable on account of its being spoken of as to be inhabited, which does not so well apply to the temple. See 1 Kings xvi. 18 ; 2 Kings xv. 25. 21, "22. The affix i in the former of these verses and that which precedes it, is to be taken collectively, and rendered in the plural. That -i^l!;? and H'''^, how- ever, are to be restricted to an individual, the accompanying circumstances show. Who this illustrious governor is, has been disputed. Michaelis and Scholz think it may have been John Hyrcanus ; Grotius and others, Zerubbabel. But with neither of these will the predicates properly agree. That the person spoken of was to be a priest, is generally allowed ; but though Hyrcanus was hereditarily high priest and ruler, yet there was nothing so ])eculiar about him or his offices, as to call for the declaration that he should approach unto Jehovah ; for this all his predecessors had done in the way that he did ; or to warrant the pointed and emphatic interrogatory : " But riT «in 'p, wlw is he that hath pledged liis heart to approach to me ? " The question is put as something al- together unique. Such an approach had never been made before. Both 3")iJ and iiJ^J are specially used of the sacerdotal approach to Jehovah, Exod. xix. 22 ; Lev. xxi. 17, 23 ; and the combination of the priestly and regal characters in the same person, is quite in keeping with the representation given of the offices of the Messiah, Ps. ex. and Zech. vi. 13. Tile phrase 3b a-iy is peculiar to this place. i^V properly signifies to mix, to mix one- CHAr. xxxT.] JEREMIAH. 167 22 And ye shall be my people, And I will be yoiir God. 23 Behold the storm of Jehovah gocth forth furiously, A sweeping storm, it shall be hurled on the head of the wicked. 2J! The fierce anger of Jehovah shall not turn back, Till he hath executed it, Till he hath effected the pui-poses of his heart : In future days ye shall consider it. self lip, or idcutify oneself with tlie previous and independent right, as one affairs of another, to pledge oneself for in union of nature with those whom he his life, to become surety for him. n^, is seeking to bless, as pledging himself //("f/r/, as the centre of the circulation of to the fulfilment of iiis work, as ap- the blood in which the life consists, may proaching the awful presence of Deity, here be equivalent to c??, life, or self, or the Holy Judge of men, on their be- lt may denote courage, or fortitude of half," &c. mind; so that, to pledge one's heart, is 22. This verse, which is omitted in to venture by an exposure of one's life in the LXX., and which Hitzig considers tlie performance of any act. See Ewald to be spurious, on the ground of its and Umbreit. The language conveys coming in so tamely after the powerful the idea of the magnitude of the under- appeal, ver. 21, properly connects with taking, and the inadequacy of all merely verse 20, the intervening verse being human beings to engage in it. We have introduced parenthetically, here, as Dr. J. P. Smith aptly expresses 23, 24. Comp. chap, xxiii. 19, 20, himself in his valuable work on 2"/^^ &fm- where the language is identical, except ficea)idPriefit/toodofJesiisC/irist,{\).\QO, that for '''?.in!nn we have here iT^np, and London, IS-l?, 12mo.,) " a true and cffi- nra after '^:iV'^l is omitted, cieut Mediator depicted as possessing a CHAPTER XXXI. The restoration should not embrace the Jews only ; the ten tribes were likewise to be included, 1—6. Jehovah, calling upon them to exult at the prospect of the event, promises to conduct them in safety to their own land, 7 — 9. The heathen are summoned to contemplate the prosperous and happy condition of restored Israel, 10—14, contrasted with the desolate circumstances of the land during the captivity, 15, which were now to be reversed, 16, 17. The ten tribes are next introduced as grieving on account of their apostasy from Jehovah, for which they had been punished, 18, 19 ; and the scene changes by the introduction of a gracious declaration of their tender reception on the part of Jehovah, 20, and a cad to the penitents to return and take possession of their ancient cities, 21. They are then urged to betake themselves resolutely to the journey, by the assurance that Jehovah would effectually interpose on theii- behalf, and render them superior to their enemies, 22. The following verses, 23—30, contammore specific promises of the temporal prosperity of the restored Israelites. The Messianic dispensation is then announced, together with the joint participation 168 JEREMIAH. [chap. XXXI. of the whole people in its blessings, 31—34, for which they were infallibly to be preserved, 35 — 37. The document concludes with a prediction of the restora- tion and enlargement of the city of Jerusalem, 38—40, At that time^ saitli Jehovah, I will be a God to all the families of Israel, And they shall be my people. Thus saith Jehovah : Israel found favour in the desert, A people left of the sword, When I went to give it rest. Of old Jehovah appeared to me — Yes ; I loved thee with everlasting love. Therefore have I prolonged loving-kindness to thee. 1. x'nn nya, at that time, refers to the period wlien the Jews were to be restored from tlie Babylonish captivity, which liad been specially predicted in tlie precedhig chaptei-. At the same time the ten tribes were likewise to be restored. The restora- ti(m was to comprehend tlie whole nation, and not the exiles from the southern kingdom only. Instead of worshipping diffei-ent idols as they had done, they should unitedly worship tlie God of their fathers, and enjoy the blessings wliich obedience to las will secures. MichaeKs altogether mistakes the scope of the cliapter, when he exi)lahis the i)romises contained in it of events which were to take place in the liistory of the Jews subsequeiit to the destruction of Jeru- salem by Titus. 2, 3. It has been questioned whether the experience of the Divine favour here recognised belongs to tlie deliverance ■from Egypt, or to that from Babylon. Theodoret decidedly takes tlie latter view, ep-qfiou KaXei rrju BafBvXaPci. That Nsp may be taken as a i)rophetic future is undeniable, as likewise, that the Baby- hmish ca])tivity may fitly be spoken of figuratively as a wilderness-state; but the interpretation which applies the language to tlie former manifestation of the lovingkindness of Jehovah connnends itself as the more natural and appropriate. Thus the Targ. «ot'J V'?n^ ^^'"I " ""?? ^?1? : Dnisap ps:"!, T/ms mith the Lord, who shewed mercy to the people who went forth from Effypt. Upon that manifestation is founded an argument in favour of a renewed experience of it by the exiled Israelites. The language has its parallel in IIos. xiii. 5. When exposed to mani- fold evils in the great Arabian desert, Jchovali miraculously appeared on their behalf, and brought them to Canaan. They were delivered not only from the sword of Pharaoh, who went forth with his army to pi-cvent their escai)e, but from that of the Amalekites and otlier neighbouring nations that attempted to ])revent their entrance into the \)X0- mised land, '^"l^", ])laced for the sake of emphasis at the end of the verse, is properly tlie nominative to «??, though DV would otherwise be such from posi- tion. '^i''!7, the infinitive absolute, has by some been referred to ''^7>»!, but its nominative is Hjn?, and the finite form of the verb, suggested by the attendant cir- cumstances, is that of tl\e jn-eterite tense. In the third verse Israel is represented as gratefully responding to the sentiment expressed in the second ; on which Je- hovah declares, that the ancient love which he had borne to tliat i)eoj)le should still be extended to them, pinno expresses here distance of time, not of place. T>?? is fol- lowed by an accusative both of person and thing, and signi Res to lengthen, prolong, con- tinue. Comp. Ps. xxxvi. 11 ; cix. 12. The preterite is used as the prophetic future. CHAP. XXXI.] JEREMIAH. 169 I will build thee again, And thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel ! Thou shalt again deck thyself with thy tabrets, And shalt go out in the dance of those that make merry. Thou shalt again plant vineyards in the mountains of Samaria ; The planters shall plant and enjoy the fruit. For there shall be a day when the watchmen in Mount Ephraim shall cry: Arise, and let us go up to Zion, To Jehovah our God. For thus saith Jehovah ; Shout aloud with joy to Jacob, And give a shrill cry among the chief of the nations ; Publish ye, praise ye, and say : Deliver, O Jehovah ! thy people, the remnant of Israel. 4. The combiuatiou of the active and passive iu ri"??^ '^.33« is designed to express more strongly the certainty of the event. Israel is represented as a virgin, iu order to convey the idea of that state of purity or entire separation from idols to which she was recovered during the captivity. 5. Samaria having beeu the metropolis of the ten tribes, " the mountains of Samaria " are equivalent to the moun- tains of Israel. The temporal prosperity to which those tribes were to be restored, is beautifully depicted iu this and the preceding verse. ^\T! signifies to pierce, violate, profane, treat as common or 7m- coHsecrated. There is a reference to the enactment of the law. Lev. xix. 25, that the fruit of the vineyards was not to be eaten till the fifth year after the vines had been planted. The produce of the fourth was to be consecrated to Jehovah as a first-fruit, in acknowledgment that they held of him as the sovereign pro- prietor. Comp. Deut. xx. 6; xxviii. 30. The general idea conveyed by the ex- pression is, that the restored Israelites were to have the undisturbed enjoyment of the fruit of their vines, for the cul- tivation of which the mountainous nature of their country was peculiarly favour- able. G. Anticipating the arrival of the an- nual festivals, the prophet calls upon the watchmen to summon the people to com- mence their journey to Jerusalem, as they had been accustomed to do before the revolt, and the establishment of image-worship at Dan and Beersheba. Henceforward, the ten tribes should unite with the rest in celebrating the rites of the temple-worship. There should be a joint recognition of Jehovah, not merely as the only God, but specially as the God whose relationship to the Israelites the Jews had despised and rejected. Instead of summoning by the ringing of bells as with us, the Orientals employ watchmen for the purpose, who occupy their stations on the towers, and proclaim the seasons of worship. " Mount Ephraim " is put for the whole of the mountainous country belonging to that tribe, and not for any single isolated elevation. As this mountain-group bor- dered on Benjamin, there is a singular propriety in the prophet's adverting to the proclamation as being made there, since it rose between him and the locality, the re-occupation of which by the ten tribes he here anticij)ates. 7. D'ijn TTS-i, tJie first, or cliief of the nations. That this designation is to be interpreted of the Hebrews, is evident 170 JEREMIAH. [chap. xxxi. 8 Behold ! I will bring them from the north country, And collect them from the recesses of the earth : Among them shall be the blind, and the lame. The pregnant woman, and she that travaileth together ; A large assemblage shall return hither. 9 With weeping they shall come, And with supplications I will lead them : I will conduct them to streams of water. By a straight way, in which they shall not stumble ; For I am a father to Israel, And Ephraim is my first-born. 10 Hear the word of Jehovah, O ye nations ! And publish afar in the maritime regions. And say : He that scattered Israel will collect him, And guard him as a shepherd doth his flock. 11 For Jehovah hath redeemed Jacob, He hath redeemed him out of the hand of him that was stronger than he. 12 And they shall come and shout aloud on the height of Zion, And flow to the goodness of Jehovah, For the corn and the new wine, and the oil. And the sons of the flock and of the herd ; And their soul shall be like a well-watered garden. Neither shall they languish any more. from its standing in direct correspondence declares, tliat he would exercise all the to Jacob in the preceding member of the tenderness towards them which a father parallelism. Comp. o'iJ^ n'ais^n, Amos does towards his first-born. They were vi. 1, and my note there. Ewald im- to be restored from Assyria, Media, and properly : -^aufcn bcr •^citcn, supposing the the most remote regions ; and so vini- heathen nations to pray for the restora- versal was the restoration to be, that not tiou of Israel. That people are here re- even the most infirm were to be left be- garded as not yet returned, and are hind. ™n, Mther, at the close of ver. 8, called universally to engage in praise indicates the position of the prophet as and supplication for deliverance, sipi^ living in Palestine at the time he wrote. is the Infinitive. The hypothesis of Movers, that Zecha- 8, 9. These verses contain an accu-" riah (chap. viii. 7, 8,) quotes verses 7, mulation of promises on the part of 8, and 33, and speaks of their author as Jehovah, for the encouragement of the having lived at the time when the foun- supplicating exiles. While they should dation of the temple was laid under cherish feelings of deep sorrow at the Zerubbabel, is rejected by Hitzig as en- remembrance of. the crimes which had tirely unsupported by external evidence, been the cause of their dispersion, and 10 — 14. The intelligence of the inter- abound in supplication for the exercise position of Jehovah on behalf of his of forgiving mercy, Jehovah graciously scattered people, is commanded to be CHAP. XXXI.] JEREMIAH. 171 13 Then shall the yirgin rejoice in the dance. And the youths and the aged together ; For I will turn their mourning into joy, And will comfort them, And make them rejoice after their sorrow. 14 And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fat. And my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, Saith Jehovah. 15 Thus saith Jehovah, A sound was heard in Ramah, Lamentation, and most bitter crying, Rachel weeping for her children. And refusing to be comforted, Because they were not. IG Thus saith Jehovah, Restrain thy voice from weeping, And thine eyes from tears ; For there is a reward for thy work, Saith Jehovah, And they shall return from the land of the enemy. 17 There is also hope for thy futuiity, Saith Jehovah, For thy children shall return to their border. spread among the pagan nations, that bitterly lamenting the absence of her they might be led to recognise his claims descendants, who had all been carried as the only God. Then follows a bcauti- into exile. As her death took place ful cluster of promises, depicting the during Jacob's journey from Padanaram great prosperity of the people after their to Mauire, and express mention is made return, and the hilarity which should of Bethlehem, Gen. xxxv. 19, nothing prevail throughout the land. Comp. was more natural than for the Evan- Zech. viii. 5. In vers. 12 and 14 is a gelist Matthew (ii. IS) to quote the recognition of the flocking of the Israel- words of Jeremiah as applicable to the ites to the temple-worship at Jerusalem, massacre of the children in Bethlehem and the abundant supplies that would and its vicinity, of which they furnished be afforded for the support of the priest- an apt description. The prediction and hood, and for all the wants of the nation, the quotation relate to totally different 15 — 17. linmah, the town here men- events, but the language in itself is tioned, was situated in the tribe of equally descriptive of both. See Dr. Benjamin, on the east of the great W. L. Alexander's Congregational Lec- norlhern road, at the distance of two ture, p. 54, and my Comment, on Hos. hours' journey from Jerusalem. By xi. 1. — n'"}^T2ri is the plural of intensity — a beautiful figure, Rachel, the mother bitteniesses for most hitter. The singular of the Ephraimites, who was buried suffix in i35'« is to be taken as a collective, at this place, is personified, and re- and rendered in the plural. This usage presented as risen from her grave, and is so frequent in llcbrew, that the con- 173 JEREMIAH. [chap. XXXI. 18 19 20 I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself : Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, Like a steer untrained ; Turn thou me, that I may turn, Eor thou, O Jehovah ! art my God. Surely, after I turned, I repented, And after I was instructed, I smote on my thigh : I was ashamed, yea I was even confounded. Because I bore the reproach of my youth. Is Ephraim a son dear to me ? Is he a delightful child ? Surely since I spoke against him, I do earnestly remember him still : Wherefore my bowels sound for him, jecture of Micliaelis, that the text ori- ginally read cj'f*, is altogether gratuitous. The supposed authority of the LXX., Arab., Vulg., Syr., and Targ., goes for nothiug in such a case, since the sense requires thej^lural in translations. — ^\^.}?, the work, verse 16, for which there was to be a reward to Uachel, was what she did in weeping for her children. Her lamentations were not to be fruitless. Those for whom she so bitterly grieved should again appear in their own land. The most certain hope might be enter- tained respecting their future restora- tion, verse 17- 18 — 20. The ten tribes, personified in Ephraim, the founder of the leading portion of the northern kingdom, are now introduced, imploring, with feelings of the most poignant grief for past apo- stasy, therestoring grace of their covenant God, and their determinationhenceforward to cleave to Him alone. It was only ou condition of their conversion, that they were warranted to expect recovery from the exile. Under the metaphor of a steer untrained to labour, which required the severe use of the goad, the refractory character of the Israelites is confessed, and the severity of their punishment ac- knowledged. The metaphor was probably borrowed from Devit. xxxii. 15. 'V enema, Michaelis, and others interpret the turn- ing spoken of as denoting the return to Palestine, but this construction is repug- nant to the spirit of the passage, which requires us to understand it of conversion to Jehovah, from the sins which had occasioned their removal hito the coun- tries of the north. Deeply convinced of ' the innate propensity of the heart to continue in a state of estrangement from God, the Israelites earnestly pray for the exercise of divine influence, as that which alone could secure their genuine con- version. The result of this conversion is stated, verse 19, to be a penitential, indignant, and self-abasing feeling at having acted so guilty a part. The smiting on the thigh is a very natural mode of expressing indignation and grief, and was common among the He- brews, Persians, Greeks, and other nations. Ezek. xxi. 12 ; Iliad xii. 162, XV. 113.; Xenoph.Cyropajd. vii. 3; Cicero Tuscul. Qusest. iii. The youth of Ephraim was the period immediately con- sequent upon the revolt of the ten tribes, duriug which image-worship and idolatry prevailed in the land. 20. Nothing can excel the touching exhibition of tender parental feeling to- wards a returning prodigal, wliich is here presented by Jehovah. The questions put at the commencement of tlie verse would require to be answered in the negative, if respect were had to the past conduct of Ephraim. Having acted such CHAP. XXXI.] JEREMIAH. 173 I will assuredly have mercy on him, Saith Jehovah. 21 Erect for thyself pillars, Set up for thyself poles. Set thy heart on the highway, The road by which thou wentest : Return, O virgin of Israel ! Return to these thy cities. 22 How long wilt thou be undecided ; O backsliding daughter ! For Jehovah createth a new thing in the land : Woman shall encompass man. a rebellious part, it cannot be that Je- hovah can have any regard for him. The treatment to which he had been subject during the exile, is naturally to be con- sidered as a mark of the Divine displea- sure. But viewed in connexion with his conversion, they are met with the strong- est affirmative, and the most powerful as- surances of afFection on the part of God. ? ■^.?'7, whicli Hitzig renders to apeak for, in the sense of wooing or inducing to return to God as the husband of the covenant people, the connexion requires us to intei'pret in the hostile seuse, as Num. xxi. 5, 7. The refereuoe is to the threatenings which God had pronounced against them on account of their idol- atries. Though he had thus spoken against them and punished them by carrying these threatenings into effect, yet he never forgot them, but, on the contrary, delighted iu the anticipation of their idtimate recovery. 21. The captive Israelites are called to set out on their return — those going first, recollecting the way by which they had proceeded when led away by the Assyrians, and erecting monuments or landmarks for the guidance of those who should follow. ^^"tlTi, for which the Keri has ^2-'^, is according to the form of the feminine pronoun '^i?*, a form whicli specially occurs in Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Though exactly the same in form with the substantive rendered hitter crying, ver. 15, onTOn, as here used in the sense of iMlars or columns, which the parallel c?;;? requires, must be derived, not from iTio, but from i'??? to raise, set up, he or make erect, like lori the palm-tree — so called from its erectness. Comp. on Chap. X 5. The idea here expressed is taken from the custom of the caravans by which pillars, poles, and pointed heaps of stones are set up in the desert, as waymarks to guide them on their return. I frequently met with such waymarks while traversing the deserts iu the interior of Iceland. The cities formerly occupied by the ten tribes are graphically represented as waiting for their return. 22. ViiOnP'? for ]'i?^nrin : the J is para- gogic. I agree with Professor Lee, that in this passage the verb has the signifi- cation oi actinffundecicledli/, or douhtfully, as the Syriac has it. In Song v. 6, the only other place in which P»5n occurs, it is evidently opposed to coming forward, or appearing according to expectation. The Israelites demurred about returning, no doubt from the fear that, however they might obtain liberty to set out, they might be overpowered by the way, or subdued by fresh enemies on their en- trance into Palestine. The prophet expostulates with them ou account of their indecision ; and, to remove all ap- prehension from their minds, he assures them, that by the wonderful interposition of Jehovah they should successfully cope with all who might oppose them. Such I consider to be the meaning of the words, simple in themselves, but much contested as to sense : ija 23icri mp:, woman shall encompass man. How they should ever have been applied to the miraculous con- 174 JEREMIAH. [chap. xxxt. 23 Thus saith Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel, This saying shall yet be repeated In the land of Judah, and in the cities thereof, When I reverse their captivity : Jehovah bless thee, O abode of righteousness ! O mountain of holiness ! 24 And Judah shall dwell therein, and all its cities together. Husbandmen, and those who go out with the flock. 25 For I have satiated the weary soul. And filled every sorrowful soul. 26 On this I awoke, and beheld. And my sleep was sweet to me. 27 Behold ! the days come, saith Jehovah, ception of our Saviour, it is difficult to imagine. Eveu supposing that iiiD could be applied to gestation, which it nowhere else is, what would thus be expressed was a thing of such everyday occurrence, that it could with no proi)riety be said of it, that it was a new thing which Je- hovah would create in the earth. Besides, the words napp and ">53, as here contrasted, are simply distinctive of the two sexes, — the one conveying the idea of weakness, the other that of strength. Now as 3?d is clearly used in the acceptation of 'pro- tecting, defending, or the like, Deut, xxsii. 10 ; Ps. xxxii. 10, the same sig- nification will be most appropriate here, where the prophet is encouraging the timid and helpless Israelites to set out from the lands of their exile. Thus Cal- vin : Quum igitur foeminam viro compa- ret, nou dubito quiu significet Propheta Israelitas, qui similes erant fcerainis, hoc est, carebant viribus, destituti erant omni auxilio : quiu ergo dicat fore superiores hostibus suis quorum potentia poterat toil mundo terrorem incutere. Why should they hesitate, since Jehovah would make the feeblest of them more than a match for tlie most powerful of their foes? Gesenius not inaptly quotes the words of the Iliad, i. 37, os Xpvar]v dfi6t[Bej3r]Kas. Heugstenberg, Hitzig, with some of the earlier Christian inter- preters, explam the woman, of the Jewish church, and the man, of Jehovah as her husband, to whom she now returned from her apostasy ; but such exegesis does not meet the philological exigences of the text. 2;i — 26. Jerusalem was again to be the metropolis of the whole Hebrew nation ; and, entirely cleansed from the abominations of idolatry, was, conform- ably to its original destination, to be the seat of the sacred worship of Jehovah. Comp. Is. i. 26, 27 ; Zech. viii. In im- mediate connexion with the capital, the tribe of Judah should enjoy all its former temporal advantages, of which agricultural and pastoral prosperity are specified as the chief. The pronominal suf- fix in ^3, ver. 24, refers to f;i>?, ver. 23, and the nominatives to i^^" are niin; Judah and i^5>-'?2 all his cities, taken for the in- habitants both of town and country. — C. B. and J. D. Michaelis, Doderlein, Bosen- muller, Scholz and Umbreit consider the words of ver. 26 to be those of Jehovah, who is frequently said in Scripture, anthropopathically, to sleep, when he does not actively mterpose in behalf of his people. Jerome, on the other hand, flunks they are the language of the He- brews : but neither interpretation can be recommended for its facility. The words appear rather to be those of Jeremiah himself, and indicate, that the preceding revelations had been coinmu- nicated to him in a supernatural dream. Their delightful character had left a pleasant impression on his mind. 27 — 30. A prophecy of the great pro- V. CHAP, xxxl] JEEEMIAH. 175 When I will sow the house of Israel, and the house of Judah, With the seed of man, and the seed of beast. 28 And it shall be that as I have acted vigilantly with respect to them To pluck up, and to break down. And to pull down, and to destroy and to afflict : So I will act vigilantly with respect to them. To build and to plant, Saith Jehovah. 29 In those days it shall no more be said. The fathers have eaten sour grapes ; And the teeth of the children are blunted. 30 But every one shall die for his own iniquity. Every man that eateth the sour grapes, His teeth shall be blunted. 31 Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, When I will make a new covenant With the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah. 32 Not according to the covenant which I made with their fathers. In the day I took hold of their hand. To bring them out from the land of Egypt ; Which my covenant they brake, And I rejected them, Saith Jehovah. sperity of the Hebrew people as restored the express purpose of proving the ab- aud reunited in Palestine, contrasted rogation of the old covenant and the with the judgments with which they had introduction of the new. The only been visited in the exile, when those questions that arise relate to the persons who had been born during that period, with whom it is declared by Jeremiah and had not been guilty of the crimes the new covenant was to be made, and for which their fathers were punished, the time at which it was to be made with nevertheless suffered the calamities as them. Now, it requires no elaborate well as they. This gave occasion to the inquiry to settle the former of these proverbial expressions employed here points. That the Jews as a people and Ezek. xviii. 2, the import of which literally taken, arc intended, and not we find in plain language Lam. v. 7. the spiritual seed of Abraliam, or true 31 — 34. That the covenants here de- believers whether Jews or Gentiles, must scribed are the old or Jewish dispensa- be conclusively evident to every one who tion, and the gospel economy under the impartially examines the context. The Messiah, must be conceded by all who subject of this and the preceding chapter admit the inspired authority of the is the restoration of the Hebrews, who Epistle to the Hebrews. In the 8th are repeatedly, as elsewhere, designated chapter of that Epistle, vers. 8 — 12, the the house of Judah and the house of words of the prophet are quoted for Israel, chap. xxx. 3, 4 ; xxxi. 27, 31 ; 176 JEEEMIAH. [chap. XXXI. 33 But tbis is the covenant whicli I will make With the house of Israel^ and with the house of Judah, After those days, saith Jehovah : I will put my law within them. And write it on their heart ; And I will be their God, And they shall be my people. 34 And they shall no more teach Every one his neighbour, and every one his brother, saying. Know Jehovah : For they shall all know me. From the least even to the greatest, Saith Jehovah; For I will pardon their iniquity. And their sin I will remember no more. Jacoh and Israel, xxx. 7, 10, 18 ; xxxi. 1, 4, 7, 10, 11, 23, 24, 36. It would be doing violence to one of the first principles of hermeneutical consistency to explain these terms, restricted as they are in the passages referred to, by various adjuncts applicable only to the Hebrews, of the subjects of the Messiah's kingdom indiscriminately. Nor can any thing be more glaringly incongruous than to give to the language the house of Judah and the house of Israel, ver. 31, a diiferent interpretation from that which is given to the same language as occurring ver. 27, where it is universally admitted the literal Israel are meant. The question respecting the time when the new covenant was to be made with the Jews, is one of more difficult de- termination, and necesssarily involves auotlier in regard to the nature of the covenant itself. If all that is meant by it is merely a dispensation of mercy and grace under which they were to be placed, the blessings of which were se- cured to them only by their compliance with certain conditions, it does not ap- pear ill what it essentially differs from the Old Covenant. Nor can it be denied that the Jews have broken the New Covenant, viewed simply as an outward dispensation, as completely as their fathers did the Old, and have in coiisc- quence been rejected for an. incompa- rably longer period. But the grand distinguishing features of the subsequent economy are its securing by an adequate atonement the actual forgiveness of sin, and, by the inworking of effectual grace, the permanent obedience of those with whom it is made. Now, so far as the atonement is concerned, the New Cove- nant may be said to have been virtually made when Messiah as the Covenant- victim died upon the cross; but, as it respects pardon of sin and spiritual re- generation, it then took effect in the experience of the Jewish people only to the extent of the remnant according to the election of grace. With the Jews as a people, in other words, with the great body of the nation, it still remains effectively to be made. It is in reference to this great event that the Apostle Paul applies the present prophecy in au abridged form, Rom. xi. 27. Then all, i.e. the bulk of the people, shall be made partakers of the spiritual blessings which the covenant entails. — The language of ver. 31, in regard to instruction, is alto- gether parallel to what we find 1 John ii. 27, and was never intended to indicate that the ordinary means of instruction should be superseded. None should remain destitute of the saving knowledge of God — all having their minds en- CITAP. XXXI.] JEREMIAH. 177 85 3G •3/ 38 39 Thus saith Jehovah^ Who appointed the sun for light by day, The Laws of the moon and tlie stars for lidit bv nisht : Who calmeth the sea when its waves roar, Jehovah of Hosts is his name. If these laws should depart from my presence, Saith Jehovah ; Then also may the seed of Israel cease From being a nation before me for ever. Thus saith Jehovah, If the heavens above can be measured, And the foundations of the earth underneath searched out Then will I also cast off the whole seed of Israel, On account of all that they have done, Saith Jehovah. Behold ! the days come, saith Jehovah, Wlien the city shall be built for Jehovah, From the tower of Hananeel to the corner-gate. And there shall yet go forth the measuring line. lightened by the influences of the Holy Spirit. Tlie persons spoken of are the genuine converts. For the grounds on which I have rendered DJ ''Pi^»5 '?-«■), At/d I rejected them, which substantially agrees witii the LXX. (ca-yco rjfii'krjcra uvrciv, and the apostolic quotation of that version, Heb. viii. 9, see my Note on chap. iii. 14. 35—37. That 'i^ in ver. 36 is not to be understood strictly in the sense of nation, is evident from the historical fact, that the Jews lost their nationality wlien their polity was broken up by the Romans. The term is to be taken in the looser acceptation of people, and thus is applicable to them in tlieir present de- ationalized and scattered circumstances. For the immutability of the purpose of Je- hovah to preserve the people of the Jews in order to invest them with the privileges and blessings of the New Covenant, he appeals to his almighty power as evinced in the laws and constitution of the natural world. However long may be their dispersion, and however great the , number of the blinded, yet tliey shall eventually be restored to the enjoyment 7' of New-Covenant blessings. Their con- tinual preservation as a distinct people, though scattered among all nations, ex- posed to every kind of maltreatment, and even cut off by thousands and tens of thousands, is nothing less than a perpetual miracle. While the celebrated nations of antiquity — the Assyrians, Babylonians, Medes, Romans, Egyptians, Carthaginians, Goths, and others, have all become extinct, the posterity of Abra- ham still exist, unamalgamated among the nations. 38—40. Having presented the Hebrew people to view-at the distant end of the perspective, the prophet here returns to exhibit the restored state of Jerusalem after the Babylonish captivity. Its population should be so much increased, that, in order to contain it, the space within the former boundaries would be found insufficient. D'wa, which is wanting in the Textus Receptus of ver. 38, is found in thirty-four MSS., and has ori- ginally been in fourteen more. It is ex- hibited in the printed editions — Soncin. Brix. Complut. Munster 1534, 1546; Soncin. Proph. Jerem. Thessal. 1569; A A 178 JEREMIAH. [cnAP. xxxn. Right along over the hill Gareb t And it shall wind round to Goath. 40 And all the valley of the dead bodies^ and the ashes. And all the fields to the brook Kidron, To the corner of the horse-gate towards the sun-rise. Shall be holy to Jehovah : It shall not be plucked up, Nor pulled down any more for ever. and is translated in all the versions.— ^^-^^ i]^^ gyj., |z)f ' is the name of the pnrri, ver. 40, being in construction, would v^ according to rule reject the Article, but leprosy, it has been supposed that I'll?, here retains it because preceded by '''3. Gareb, is the designation of the locality Attempts have been made to justify the to which lepers were renrioved, as they textual reading nran-c, but there can be were not allowed to remain in the city. little doubt that it is a mere error of The Horse-gate is mentioned Neh. iii. 28. transcription for nini©, felds, which is Scholz thinks it was in the north wall of found in several MSS. and early editions, the city, and derived its name from the and in 2 Kings xxiii. 4.— For the Tower horses of the royal stud being taken of HauaneeC see Neh. iii. 1 ; xii. 39 ; through it to the Kidron to be watered. Zech. xiv. 10; for the corner-gate, 2 — o'rw), for ever, \s here to he taken with. Kings xiv. 13 ; 2 Chron. xxvi. 9. Gareb the same limitation as it is frequently and Goath occur nowhere else. As the when applied to matters connected with verb Vl signifies to scratch or scrape, the old dispensation. CHAPTER XXXII. After an historical introduction, 1 — 5, the prophet relates the circumstances connected with the purchase of a patrimonial property at Anathoth, which was designed to certify the return of the Jews from Babylon to enjoy their former possessions, G— 15. He thereupon inserts a prayer occasioned by the transaction, in which, after expatiating on the manifestations of Divine goodness to the Hebrew people, and contrasting therewith their ungrateful returns, he argues from the desperate condition of their circumstances, as attacked by the Chaldeans, the improbability of his ever coming to the enjoyment of his property, 16—25. In reply, Jehovah pledges his omnipotence to the fulfilment of the prophecy implied in the transaction, but gives the assurance that there could be no escape from the impending judgments, 26—35 ; yet graciously promises a restoration to their own land, and to the enjoyment of lasting spiritual blessings, 36 — 41, in connexion with that of temporal prosperity, 42 — 44. 1 The word which was communicated to Jeremiah from Jehovah in the tenth year of Zedekiah, king of Judah, the same 2 was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar. For then the 1. The siege of Jerusalem began in here described took place while it was the tenth month of the ninth year of being carried on. Zedekiah; consequently, the transaction 2. The prophet was not confined in CHAP, xxxil] JEEEMIAH. 179 army of the king of Babylon besieged Jerusalem; and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the coui't of the guard, 3 which was in the house of the king of Judah. For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, Why dost thou prophesy, saying, Thus saith Jehovah, Behold ! I wiU deliver this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall 4 take it. And Zedekiah king of Judah shall not escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans; but shall certainly be de- livered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him mouth to mouth, and his eyes shall see his 5 eyes ; And he shall lead Zedekiah to Babylon, and he shall be there till I look after him : though ye may fight with the Chaldeans, ye shall not prosper. G Then Jeremiah said, The word of Jehovah was communicated 7 to me, saying : Behold ! Hanameel, the son of Shallum thy uncle, shall come to thee, saying. Buy for thyself my field that is in Anathoth, for the right of redemption is thine to 8 buy it. And Hanameel, the son of my uncle, came to me, according to the word of Jehovah, in the court of the guard, and said to me. Buy, I pray thee, my field which is in Anathoth, which is in the land of Benjamin, for thine is the right of inheritance, and thine is the redemption, buy it for 9 thyself: then I knew that it was the word of Jehovah. So prison, but merely within the open space of Canaan like their brethren of the occupied by the guard, whence he was other tribes, Numb, xviii. 20, yet they not allowed to depart, but where any might enjoy the produce of the fields in persons who chose might come to him. the immediate vicinity of their cities. 5. The words in'« '?i^B'i», until I visit The prohibition. Lev. xxv. 34, to alienate him, are ambiguous. They cannot be by sale any of the attached fields, applied taken in a bad sense, for with punishment merely to their passing out of the hands Zedekiah was visited when he was re- of the Levites into those of persons moved from his capital to Babylon. Nor belonging to the other tribes ; so that can they be taken in a good sense, so as there is no contradiction between what to imply a restoration to his throne, for is there laid down as law, and the trans- he died in Babylon. They must there- action recorded in this chapter. Besides, fore refer to the honourable circum- all that is meant in the present case is stances connected with his death and the purchase of the crops, or of the use burial, chap, xxxiv. 5. of the field till the year of Jubilee, when 7. Anathoth being one of the sacer- it reverted to the proper owner. The dotal cities. Josh. xxi. 18, the field here right of redeeming the field, or assuming specified must have been part of the the occupancy of it on the failure of the thousand cubits which were allotted to owner, devolved upon Jeremiah as the the Levites for inheritance. Numb, nearest relative of Hanameel. Comp. XXXV. 4, 5. Though they were not per- Ruth iv. 3 — 6. mitted to possess and cultivate the laud 9. Beckoning the shekel at two shil- 180 JEREMIAH. [chap, xxxii. I bought the field from Hanameel, the son of ray uncle, Avhich was in Anathoth, and I weighed to him the money, iO seventeen shekels of silver. And I wrote in a deed, and sealed it, and took witnesses, and weighed the money in 11 scales. I then took the deed of purchase, that which was sealed, according to law and statute, and that which was 12 open. And I gave the deed of purchase to Baruch, the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, in the sight of Hananiah, the son of ray uncle, and in the sight of the witnesses who had subscribed the deed of purchase in the sight of all the 13 Jews who were sitting in the court of the guard. And IJ; I charged Baruch in their sight, saying. Thus saith Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel : Take these deeds, this deed of the purchase, both that which is sealed, and this open deed, and deposit them in an earthen vessel, that they raay last 15 many days. For thus saith Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel, Houses, and fields, and vineyards, shall yet be purchased in this land. ir> And I prayed to Jehovah, after I had delivered the deed of 17 purchase to Baruch, the son of Neriah, saying : Ah ! Lord Jehovah ! Behold, thou hast raade the heavens and the earth, by thy great power, and thine outstretched arm : 18 nothing is too difficult for thee : Showing raercy to thousands, and recompensing the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them, the great, the mighty God; 19 Jehovah of Hosts is his name. Great in counsel, and lings' aud four pence, the wliole amount 11. It is customary in the East to of the purchase-money did not exceed two write out two documents when contract s pounds si erlinp^. The smalhiess of tlie are formed : the one signed by the parties, sum may be accounted for partly by the solemidy sealed in the presence of wit- field being inconsiderable in size, partly nesses, and carefully preserved ; the by its being then in the possession of the other is merely a copy, which is not Chaldeans, and therefore the absolute sealed, aud is left open, uncertainty of the time that might elapse 14,15. Special care was taken that before Jeremiah or his heirs might derive the deed should sustain no injury from any benefit from it. Michaelis and the length of time that should elapse others have thought, that as n^to, toi, before the Jews could recover their stands by itself, ten shekels of gold must possessions in Palestine. The transac- be intended, but there is nothing in the tion was a symbol of the certainty of text to warrant such conclusion. this recovery. 10. Coined or stamped money not 16, &e. In order to afford his country- being in use among the Jews, the silver men an opportunity of fully understaud- was weighed, as in the days of Abraham, ing the import of the transaction, the Gen. xxiii. 16. prophet asks Jehovah how it comported CHAP. XXXII.] JEREMIAH. 181 powerful in action, whose eyes are open on all the ways of the children of men, to give to every one according to his way, 20 and according to the fruit of his deeds : Who hast placed signs and wonders in the land of Egypt to this day, and among Israel and among other men, and hast procured thee 21 a name, as at this day : For thou didst bring out thy people Israel from the land of Egypt, with signs, and with wonders, and with a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm, and 22 with great terror. And didst give them this land, which thou swarest to their fathers to give them, a land flowing 23 with milk and honey. And they came in and possessed it ; but they did not obey thy voice, neither did they walk in thy law, they liaA^e not done all that thou commandcdst them to do, therefore this calamity hath come upon them. 2-1; Behold ! the mounds reach even to the city, to take it, and the city is delivered into the hand of the Chaldeans, who fight against it by means of the sword, and the famine, and the pestilence ; and what thou hast spoken is come to pass, 25 and behold ! thou seest it. Yet, O Lord Jehovah ! thou hast said to me. Buy thee the field with money, and take witnesses, thougli the city is delivered into the hand of the Chaldeans. 2G Then the word of Jehovah was communicated to Jeremiah, 27 saying. Behold ! I Jehovah am the God of all flesh : can 28 any thing be too difiicult for me ? Therefore, thus saith Jehovah, Behold ! I will deliver this city into the hand of the Chaldeans, and into the hand of Nebvichadnezzar, king 29 of Babylon, and he shall take it. And the Chaldeans shall come, who fight against this city, and shall set this city on fire, and burn it; and the houses on the roofs of which they with all that he had clone for them, to 24. The nW^, niotmds, were the give the land into the hands of the batteries or breastworks raised by the Chaldeans, and yet to coniaiand him to besieging army, behind which they em- make the purchase. ployed their military engines, and \ihich, 20. That D^N is sometimes used idio- being gradually carried forward, were at matically for o(//er men, see Judges Icngih advanced close to the walls of the xviii. 28 ; Ps. Ixxiii. 5. The meaning city. of the verse is not that Jehovah con- 27. Jehovah, emphatically admitting tinuously wrought such miracles, both the fact of his omnipotence, to which among the Jews and among other nations, Jeremiah had appealed, ver. 17, proceeds as he had wrought in Egypt, but that the to announce the certainty of the exile, memory of those nu'raclcs was preserved and to describe the cause of it — the among both. ci«, EJom, as Michaelis idolatrous iiractices of the Jews, proposes to point, cannot be admitted. 29. Sec on chap. xix. 113. 183 JEREMIAH. [chap, xxxii. have burned incense to Baal, and poured out libations to other 30 gods, to provoke me to anger. For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have done that only which was wicked in my sight from their youth ; for the children of Israel have done nothing but provoke me with the works of 31 their hands, saith Jehovah. For this city hath been an object for my anger and for my fury, from the day it was built to this 32 day, that I should remove it from before me. Because of all the wickedness of the children of Israel, and of the children of Judah, which they have committed, to provoke me to anger ; they, their kings, their princes, their priests, and their prophets, and the men of Judah, and inhabitants of Jeru- 33 salem. For they have turned the back to me, and not the face, though I taught them, rising early and teaching them, 34 yet they hearkened not, to receive instruction ; They even set up their abominations in the house that is called by my 35 name, to pollute it. And built the high-places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire to Moloch, which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind ; committing this abomination in order to make Judah sin. 36 But now, nevertheless, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, concerning this city, of which ye say. It is delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, and by 37 the famine, and by the pestilence : Behold ! I will collect them from all the countries whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great indignation, and mil bring them back to this place, and cause them to dwell 38 in safety. And they shall be my people, and I will be their 39 God. And I will give them one heart, and one way, to fear me continually, for good to them, and to their children after 40 them. And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn from them, to do them good ; and I will put my fear into their hearts, that they may not depart from 34, 35. See on cli;ipter vii. 30, 31, petual exile, which their iniquitous con- and Conip. Ezck. viii. 5 — 17. duct had merited, Jehovah graciously pro- 36. p!j is here strongly exceptive, and mises to restore them to their own laud, introduces a proposition, the very reverse 39 — 41. The spiritual promises here ol' what we sliould have expected. 8o specified, together with the covenant to far from punishing the Jews with per- be made with the Jews, are essentially CHA?. XXXIII.] JEREMIAH. 183 41 me. And I will rejoice over tliem to do them good and will assuredly plant them in this land^ with all my heart and with all my soul. 42 For thus saith Jehovah : Like as I have brought upon this people all this great calamity, so I will bring upon them all 43 the good of Avhicli I have spoken to them. And the fields shall be purchased in this land, of which ye say, It is desolate without man and beast ; it is delivered into the hand of the 44 Chaldeans. They shall pm-chase fields for money, and sub- scribe the deeds and seal them, and take witnesses in the land of Benjamin, and in the environs of Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, and in the cities of the mountain, and in the cities of the plain, and in the cities of the south ; for I will reverse their captivity, saith Jehovah. identical with those described chap. xxxi. as tlie one only God, tliis has been un- 31 — 34, and are yet to be realized in questionably secured, their experience as a people. God has 42—44. Special promises of the rc- never, since the Babylonish captivity, storation from Babylon, and the corn- put his fear into their hearts to secure niencement of the bestowal of that perpetual adherence to him, so far as temporal good which the prophet had genuine godliness is concerned ; though, predicted, and of which a symbolical as it respects the rejection of idolatry, pledge had been given when he purchased and an outward acknowledgment of him the field of Hauameel. CHAPTER XXXIII. This chapter contains a fresh prediction of the restoration from Babylon, 1 — 9, the temporal prosperity accompanying which is set forth by a beautiful enumeration of circumstances, 10 — 13. Then follows a renewal of the great promise of the Messiah, 14 — 16 ; the perpetuity of his regal and sacerdotal offices is repeatedly affirmed, 17 — 22 ; and an assurance is given, that the Hebrew people should not become extinct, but should have a national existence under rulers of their own, 23—26. 1 Moreover, the word of Jehovah was communicated to Jeremiah the second time, while he was yet shut up in the court of the guard, saying : 2 Thus saith Jehovah who doeth it, Jehovah who formeth it, to establish it : Jehovah is his name. 3 Call to me, and I will answer thee, 1. See chap, xxxii. 2. culiar signification of rv\rv, see my Com- 2. At ^5?, nniN, and nj'Dnb, subaud. ment. on Hos. xii. 6. n??, counsel, or pcqiose. Tor the pe- 3. ^'^'^}, hiaccessible, dlfficuU tldncis. 184 JEREMIAH. [chap, xxxiii. And show thee great and difficult things^ Which thou hast not known. 4 For tlms saith Jehovah^ the God of Israel : Concerning the houses of this city, And concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, That have been pulled down for the ramparts, And for the swordsmen, 5 Coming to fight with the Chaldeans, And to fill them with the dead bodies of the men. Whom I have slain in mine anger, and in my fury ; Because I have hid my face from this city, On account of all their wickedness : Behold ! I will restore to her cure and health ; And I will heal them, and reveal to them The abundance of peace and of truth. 7 For I will reverse the captivity of Judah, And the captivity of Israel ; And I will build them as at the first. 8 And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, Of which they have been guilty against me ; And I will pardon all their iniquities. Of Avhich they have been guilty against me. And by which they have rebelled against me. 9 And they shall be to me a joyful name, For praise, and for glory. Before all the nations of the earth, Which shall hear of all the good that I do to them ; And they shall fear and tremble. For all the good, and for all the prosperity Which I procure for them. 10 Thus saith Jehovah : Roscnmuller : imperscmtabilia, recon- from the mounds called by the same dita apud Dcum, quai humaiio iiitellectui uame, chap, xxxii, 2i, being the ram- inaccessa sunt. A few MSS. read nm:, parts raised by the Jews for the defence hidden things, but the reading has pro- of tlie city, wliercas those were raised bably been Ijorrowed from Is. xlviii. 6. by tlic enemy for the purpose of attack. The tilings referred to are the restoration i":).n, the sword, is here used for 2-jnri'ffi?«, of the Jews, and that of Jerusalem, which men of the sword, i.e. warriors who employ seemed during the exile to be prostrate it in battle, as riu5|7, bow, is for those who beyond all hope of recovery. use the bow. Is. xxi. 17. 4. Tlic nap here mentioned, differed 6. For hd-im n'jsja, see on chap. viii. 22. CHAP. XXXIII.] JEREMIAH. 185 There shall yet be heard in this place, Of which ye say, It is Avaste, Without man, and without beast, In the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, Which are desolated without man. And without inhabitant, and without beast, 11 The sound of joy and the sound of gladness, The sound of the bridegroom, and the sound of the bride. The sound of those who say : Praise ye Jehovah of Hosts, For Jehovah is good, For his mercy is everlasting ; Even of those that bring the sacrifice of praise Into the house of Jehovah ; For I will reverse the captivity of the land, As at the first, saith Jehovah. -1-2 Thus saith Jehovah of Hosts; There shall again be in this place. Which is waste, without man and beast, And in all the cities thereof. Habitations of shepherds. Causing their flocks to lie down. 13 In the cities of the mountain, In the cities of the plain. And in the cities of the south : And in the land of Benjamin, And in the environs of Jerusalem, And in the cities of Judah, The flocks shall again pass Under the hands of him that telleth them, Saith Jehovah. 14 Behold the days come, saith Jehovah, 11. The words of praise here employed it had beeu reduced, although this iia- are those with which the 136th Psalm turally presupposed the restoration of commences, which, it is implied, should its inhabitants. ao-ain be sung in the temple. mrr-nN a'crr, 12. ni:, Habitation, is used collectively To reverse the captivitjj, does not here for habitations or dwelling-places, mean to restore the captives from their 11—16. These verses contain a repe- exile, but to restore the country from tition of the promise of the Messiah, the circumstances of desolation to which made chap, xxiii. 5, 6. The only varia- BB 186 JEREMIAH. [chap. XXXIII. When I will confirm tlie good promise Wliicli T made to tlie house of Israel, and to the house of Judah . ] 5 In those days, and at that time I will cause to spring up to Da\id The Branch of Righteousness : And He shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land. 16 In those days Judah shall be saved, And Jerusalem shall dwell securely : And this is the name by which He shall be called, Jehovah our Righteousness. tions that require to be noticed, are tlie ellipsis of TOtt5j Ms name, after nj, t/iis is, and the change of '^\ to him, into n^j, to her, ver. IG, applying the name to Je- rusalem, and not to the Branch, as we should have expected, and as we read in the parallel passage. The Syr. and the Targ. in the Antwerp Polyglott, point n"? in the mascuhne, and the Vulgate has eum, though some copies read earn. The Slavonic also has the masculine ego, his. If rnb be pointed ri'?, which pointing of the masculine suifix is not uncommon in Hebrew, and which the commencement of the following verse would seem to re- quire, both passages will perfectly har- monise. 17 — 26. Such serious difficulties have in these verses presented themselves in the way of interpreters, that some have been tempted to regard them as an in- terpolation. They are, indeed, together with vers. 14— IG, altogether wanting in the LXX. ; yet they are found in the version of Theodotion, as exhibited by Origen, in the Hex-aplar Syriac, and the Arabic versions, and in the Comment, of Theodoret. They are also printed in the Complutensian edition of the LXX. The difficulties are created by the predictions of the absolute perpetuity of the Davidic and Levitical succession, 17, 18, 21, 22. If interpreted literally, what is said of the Lcvites holds good only till the de- struction of Jerusalem by Titus ; but so much cannot be affirmed of the family of David, since no lineal descendant of that monarch occupied the Jewish tiu-one after Zedekiali — the Asmonajan princes being of the tribe of Levi, while Herod was not a Jew at all, but an Idumsean. That the prophecy relates to what will take place in the history of the Jews after tiieir yet future restoration to Palestine, is equally objectionable, on the ground that their genealogical tables having long been irrecoverably lost, it cannot be con- ceived possible for them, without a miracle, to distinguish who are the de- scendants of David, and who those of Levi. Besides, according to the doctrine of the New Testament, no king of the family of David is to be recognised but the Messiah, and the seat of his govern- ment is not an earthly throne, but a heavenly : nor can the Levitical priest- hood, with its services, be restored, they having been for ever abrogated by the introduction of the everlasting and un- changeable priesthood of Christ, their great antitype. Heb. vii. 12 — 28. On these groimds we are shut up to the spiritual interpretation of the pas- sage, or its application to the Messiah in his regal and sacerdotal offices in which, as their antitypes, those of the Jewish kings and priests, as the types, received their fulfilment. The tiu-one of David, vers. 17, 21, is the spiritual throne, which, as his descendant, the Messiah is to hll for ever, Is. ix. 6 ; Luke i. 32, 33. And as the reign of David is thus carried forward spiritually, so, on the same princi}>le, the Levites may be said never to want a man to present sacrifices, inasmuch as the man Christ Jesus ever liveth to present the merits of his own sacrifice, which, to express its excellence and superiority, is called ^vo-(at,sacrifices,intheplural, Heb.ix. 23. CHAP. XXXIII.] JEREMIAH. 187 17 • For thus saith Jehovah : There shall not be wanting to Da\'id a man Sitting on the throne of the house of Judah. 18 Neither shall there be wanting From my presence, A man of the priests, the Levites, Oflering holocausts, And causing oblations to ascend. And perfonning sacrifice continually. I'J The word of Jehovah was fui'ther communicated to Jeremiah, saying : 20 Thus saith Jehovah : If ye can break my covenant with the day. And my covenant with the night, So that there should not be day and night in their season ; 21 Then may also my covenant with David my servant be broken, So that he should not have a son reigning on his throne; And with the Levites, the priests, my ministers. 22 As the host of heaven cannot be numbered. Nor the sand of the sea measured, So will I multiply the seed of David my servant. And the Levites that minister to me. 23 ]\Ioreover, the word of Jehovah was communicated to Jere- miah, saying : 2i Dost thou not perceive what this people speak ? saying : As for the two families which Jehovah had chosen. He hath even cast them off. 17, IS. The promises here made are a 22. It is impossible to take " the seed repetition of those made Ps. Ixxxix. 4, of David " aud "the Levites " here lite- 29, 3G; Nuni. xxv. 12, 13, only as ac- rally; for in such case, the declaration, complished in Him who is a priest for as Jahn and Hengstenberg remark, would ever after the order of Melchizedek, and be of tlie nature of a threatening rather in whose one sacrifice all the legal than a blessing; since the support of oiierings for ever merged. such a multitude of royal and priestly 20, 21. The perpetual succession of i)crsons would be an intolerable burden day and night, in virtue of the Divine to the state. The persons referred to ordinance to that elfect, is appealed to are true believers, who are described in as a pledge of the inviolability of the the New Testament as kings and priests, l)romise made by God both to David and 1 Pet. ii. 5 ; Rev. i. 6. the Levites. This promise is expressly 24. Those who are thus said to speak called a covenant, Ps. Ixxxix. 3, 28, 34 ; contemptuously of the Hebrews as abau- Kum. xxv. 12, 13; MaL ii. 4, 5, 8. doncd by their God, were doubtless 188 JEREMIAH. [chap, xxxiv. Thus they despise my people, As if it were no longer a people before them. 25 Thus saith Jehovah : If there is not my covenant of day and of night. If I have not appointed the laws of heaven and earth ; 26 Then also may I reject the seed of Jacob, And David my servant, That I should not take of his seed to be rulers To the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob ; But I will reverse their captivity, and show them pity. tlie Chaldean army before Jerusalem, discourse uses the word ivvevna both as The two families were the two kingdoms denoting the Holy Spirit, and the natural of Judah and Israel. element of loind, John iii. 5 — 8, aud ol 26. As the literal Jews are introduced veKpol, Matt. viii. 23, first as character- iu the tweuty-fourtli verse in their isiug such as are spiritually dead, aud national character, it is more natural to then those who are physically so. It is consider what is here said of the seed of also more natural to interpret " the seed Jacob and of David in the same light, of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob " of the than to take the terms in a spiritual Jewish people properly taken — their re- acccptation, though, from the exigency storatiou from captivity being specified of the case, we arc compelled to put this as a distinguishing condition. The " seed construction upon them, ver. 22. There of David " seems hei-e to denote the is no necessity for supposing that the Jews generally, and corresponds to the prophet was not at liberty to use them parallel " seed of Jacob ; " and the now in the one acceptation, and now in meaning is that, at the happy time pi'C- the other — the circumstances of the con- dieted, the Hebrew peopiC should no text always affording some clue to longer be subject to foreign rule, but enable the reader to determine which is should be governed by native magis- intended, just as our Lord in the same trates. CHAPTER XXXIV. This chapter contains two prophecies : the first relating to Zcdekiah, 1 — 7 ; the second, to the conduct of the Jews, who, afraid of the capture of the city, had, in obedience to the requirement of the law, granted liberty to their servants at the expiration of seven years, but, on the intermission of the siege, compelled them to return to bondage, 8 — 16. Ou this account, they are threatened with destruction by the Chaldeans, 17 — 22. The word which was communicated to Jeremiah from Jehovah, when Nebucliadnezzar, king of Babylon, and all his army, and all the kingdoms of tlie land of his dominion, and all the people, fought against Jerusalem, and against all her cities, saying : CHAP. XXXIV.] JEREMIAH. 189 2 Tims saith Jehovah, the God of Israel : Go and speak to Zedekiah, king of Judah^ and say to him. Thus saith Jehovah : Behold, I will deliver this city into the hand of 3 the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire. And thou shalt not escape out of his hand, but shalt surely be taken, and shalt be delivered into his hand ; and thine eyes shall see the eyes of the king of Babylon. And his mouth shall speak with thy mouth, and thou shalt go to Babylon. 4 Nevertheless, hear the word of Jehovah, O Zedekiah, king of Judali I Thus saith Jehovah concerning thee : Thou shalt 5 not die by the sword. In peace thou shalt die, and according to the burnings of thy fathers, the former kings which were before thee, shall they burn for thee ; and with " Alas ! Lord," shall they bewail thee : surely I have spoken the word, saith Jehovah, G And Jeremiah the prophet spake to Zedekiah the king of 7 Judah all these words in Jerusalem, when the army of the king of Babylon fought against Jerusalem, and against all the cities of Judah that were left, against Lachish, and against Azekali; for these remained among the cities of Judah, fortified cities. 8 The word which was communicated to Jeremiah from Jehovah, 2. The following prediction belongs not conditional, as Venema and Michaelis in point of time to chap, xxxii. 1 — 5, maintain. Tiie announcement: " hear and is merely an amplification of what is the word of Jehovah," merely calls the contained in those verses. It was con- attention of Zedekiah to the following sequently delivered before Jeremiah was prophecy, and not to obedience to any placed in custody, '^''n, the infinitive admonitions of the prophet, as the con- absolute for the imperative, conveying dition of his remaining in Jerusalem. The here the idea of future action, gives the burnings referred to were those of spices, couvcrsive power to the conjunction iu the fragrance of which filled the air, and ?1'?^'! twice following, and thus furnishes which were customary at royal funerals, a future equivalent to an imperative. 2 Chron. xvi. 11 ; xxi. 19. Instead of 4, 5. Though Zedekiah was to be ri^D^ip???!, and tvith the hurnings, twenty- carried captive to Babylon, yet he is eight MSS., many of which are of the graciously assured of kind treatment on superior Spanish class, originally three the part of the hostile king, and of an more, and eight by correction, together honourable interment. Some have in- with the LXX., Arab., Syr., and Vulg., ferred that the removal of his dead botly read niD-\fflopi, and like, or according to for interment at Jerusalem is implied ; the burnings. Those who should accom- but all that the words express is that pany these burnings with the lamentation he should receive the honours of a royal " Alas ! Lord," may be supposed to be funeral, which might be rendered to him the attendants of Zedekiah, who had in Babylon, as well as in his captured been carried with him to Babylon, city. The prediction is absolute, and 8, 9. Michaelis is of opinion, that 190 JEEEMIAH. [chap, xxxiv. after king Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people y who were in Jerusalem^ proclaiming liberty to them ; That every one should send away his man-servant, and every one his maid-servant, the Hebrew and the Hebrewess, free ; that they should not hold them in servitude, any one a Jew his 10 brother. Now when all the princes and all the people who had entered into the covenant, heard that every one should send away his man-servant, and every one his maid-servant free, that they should no longer hold them in servitude, they 11 obeyed, and sent them away. But afterward they caused the men-servants, and the maid-servants which they had sent away free, to come back, and compelled them to be men- 12 servants and maid-servants. Therefore the word of Jehovah was communicated to Jeremiah, from Jehovah, saying, 13 Thus saitli Jehovah, the God of Israel : I made a covenant with your fathers in the day when I brought them out from li the land of Egj^pt, from the house of servants, saying : At the end of seven years ye shall send away every one his brother the Hebrew, who may have been sold to thee, and who hath served thee six years, thou shalt even send him away free from thee ; but your fathers hearkened not to me, 15 neither did they incline their ear. And ye had this day turned, and done that which is right in my sight, proclaiming every one liberty to his neighbour, and had made a covenant 16 before me in the temple which is called by my name. But ye have again turned and polluted my name, and have caused to return, every one his man-servant, and every one his maid-servant, whom ye had sent away free at their pleasure, and have compelled them to become your man-servants and maid-servants. 1 7 Therefore thus saith Jehovah : ye have not hearkened to me, Zedekiali, in binding over the Jews to Jerusalem for a time, most probaljly to com])!}' with the enactment of the Mosaic meet the Egyptian expedition, mentioned hiw, to give their servants liberty at the chap, xxxvii. 7- During this cessation expiration of seven years, ver. l4, Exod. of hostilities, the Hebrew masters finding xxi. 2, Deut. xv. 12, was not influenced that those whom they had set free were by merely conscientious, or religious, but not required for the defence of the city, by political motives ; as thereby he would retracted their deed of release, and, con- greatly increase the number of volun- trary to law, compelled them to re-enter teers for the defence of the city. their service. 11. It appears from vers. 21, 22, that 17. As it was the duty of the master the Chaldean army raised the siege of to protect his servants, so Jehovah would CHAP. xxxTY.] JEUEMIAII. 191 proclaiming liberty every one to his brother, and every one to his neighbour : Behold ! I will proclaim hberty for vou, saith Jehovah, to the sword, and to the famine, and to the pestilence, and I will give you up to agitation to all the 18 nations of the earth. And I will deliver the men, who have transgressed my covenant, Avho have not confirmed the words of the covenant Avhich they made before me, the calf which they cut in two, and passed through between the parts 19 thereof; the princes of Judah, and the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, and the priests, and all the people of the land, 20 who have passed between the parts of the calf, I will even deliver them into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those who seek their life ; and their dead bodies shall become food for the birds of the air, and for the beasts 21 of the earth. And Zedekiah king of Judah, and his princes, I will deliver into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those who seek their life, and into the hand of the army 22 of the king of Babylon, who are gone up from you. Behold ! I will command, saith Jehovah, and bring them back to this city, and they shall fight against it, and shall take it, and shall burn it with fire ; and I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant. have thrown his protection over his divided, implying by this action their people, if they had rendered to him due williugness to be so treated, if they subjection and obedience ; but on their failed in adhering to the stipulations, wantonly renouncing these, he declares See Gen. xv. 10, 17. Hence the phrases that he would give them up to the un- nn? ms, opicia refiveiv, icere/cedus. Comp, restrained operation of all the hostile Iliad iii. 298. influences that might be brought to bear „ ,5, , « ./1/ /i v u))on them. im, the term used m the ^^^ "-^xx ''^' '^''^"^''^' *"" «^«''"^°' ^*"' Mosaic law for Uhertij, or manumission, , a\Aoi, ^ , , „ Lev. XXV. 10, is derived from ^17, io turn OmrorepoL Trporepoi vnep opKia nrj^jf .■i-'-ifil,/ round, to ti/ovefleeil//, without anj ^ 5,,"^'."''^ , . /5> . / < ./^ impediment. It is to the fuliihnent of ^^' (t(})' eyKe^poKos xafiaSis p€ol,coso8, the threatening contained in tliis verse, , '^'■''°^>^ ^ and to its cause, that Jeremiah refers, ^^•^'«'^' ''"' r^Kecou- Lament, i. 3. and Plutarch in Qusestt. Romanis : — 18 — 20. It was customary on the „ , ^v ? - /i < ' niaking of covenants for the contracting Botcrotj S,; 8^/xoc7.a KaBappos e^r. parties to slay an animal, and then pass Kvm.Bcxoropiaeevro, rc^v p.po^v fiu- through between the parts after it was c^^t'et:/. 193 JEREMIAH. [chap, xxxv CHAPTER XXXV. In order to produce a striking contrast to tlie rebellious disposition of the Jews, Jeremiah is ordered to put the obedience of the Rechabitcs to the test, by offering them wine to drink, the use of which had been strictly prohibited by their father, 1 — 11. Occasion is taken from their refusal, to reprove the Jews, 12 — 17, and to prououuce a blessing on the Rechabitcs, 18, 19. 1 The word wliicli was communicated to Jeremiah from Jehovah in the days of Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah king of Judali, 2 saying : Go to the house of the Rechabites, and speak to them, and bring them into the house of Jehovah, and bring them into one of the chambers, and give them wine to drink. 3 Then I toolv Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, the son of Hab- atziniah, and his brethren, and all his sons, and the whole 4 house of the Rechabites ; And I brought them into the temple of Jehovah, to the chamber of the sons of Hanan, the son of Igdaliah, a man of God, which was beside the chamber of the princes, which was above the chamber of Maaseiah, the 5 son of Shallum, the keeper of the door. And I placed before the sons of the house of the Rechabites goblets full of Avine, 6 and cups; and I said to them, Drink wine. But they said. We will not drink wine, for Jonadab the son of Rechab our father commanded us, saying. Ye shall not drink Avine, ye, ? nor your children for ever. Neither shall ye build houses, nor sow seed, nor plant vineyards, nor possess them ; but ye shall dwell in tents all your days, that ye may live many 8 days on the surface of the ground where ye sojourn. And 2. The Rechabites were a tribe of founder, not to drink wine, and, that Arabs, of the family of Jethro, Moses' they might not be tempted to do so, not fatlier-in-law, who came into Palestine to plant any vineyards, nor to have houses at the same time with the Israelites, but, and fields. According to Diod. Sic. xix. in order to maintain their independence, 94, the Nabathroans had the same cus- occupied no fixed settlements, but led a tom : vofxos bea-rlu uvto'l':, fxrjSe (tItov nomadic life, and were thus able without anelpeiv, iirjre (Pvreveiu, nrjre oii/co difficulty to remove on any attempt being XP^'^^^'-' hV'''^ olniav tcaraaKevd^iiu; to made to subdue them. Judges i. 16 ; observe which they pledged them- 1 Sam. XV. 6. Though not incorporated selves under pain of death. Aleution is with the Hebrews, Jahn thinks they made of Jonadab as zealous for the God were proselytes of the gate. They adhered of Israel, 2 Kings x. 15 — 23. cnix is with the most rigorous strictness to the used, as elsewhere in Jeremiah, for charge of Jonadab the sou of their cn«. CHAP. XXXV.] JEEEMIAH. 193 we have obeyed the voice of Jonadab, the son of Rechab, our father, in regard to all that he commanded us, not to drink wine all our days, we, our wives, oiu' sons, and our 9 daughters; And not to build houses for us to dwell in, 10 neither have we any vineyards, nor fields, nor seed ; but we dAvell in tents, and have obeyed, and done according to all 11 that Jonadab our father commanded us. But it came to pass when Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon came up into the land, that we said, Come, let us go to Jerusalem from the army of the Chaldeans, and from the army of Syria; so we dwell in Jerusalem. 12 Then the word of Jehovah was communicated to Jeremiah, 13 saying : Thus saith Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel : Go and say to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will ye not receive instruction, to listen to my 14 words ? saith Jehovah. The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, which he commanded his children not to drink wine, are performed : for they have not drunk it to this day, but have obeyed the command of their father: and I have spoken to you, rising early and speaking, but ye have not listened to 15 me. For I have sent to you all my servants the prophets, rising early and sending, saying : Turn ye, now, every one from his wicked way, and reform your deeds, and follow not other gods to serve them, and ye shall dwell in the land which I have given to you, and to your fathers, but ye in- 16 clined not your ear, neither did ye listen to me. Because the sons of Jonadab have performed the command of their father, which he gave them, but this people have not listened 17 to me ; therefore, thus saith Jehovah, the God of Hosts, the God of Israel, Behold ! I will bring on Judah, and on all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, all the calamity with which I have threatened them ; because I have spoken to them, but they have not heard : and I have called to them, but they have not answered. 18 And Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, Thus saith Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel, Because ye have obeyed 11. At the time here referred to, they Syrians, within tlie walls of Jerusa- had taken refuge from the Chaldeans and leni. c c 194 JEREMIAH. [chap, xxxvi. the command of Jonadab your father, and have observed all his charges^ and have done according to all that he com- 19 manded you; therefore thus saitli Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel, Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me for ever. 19. Whether the Eechabites still istence as a tribe, is given in this verse, exist in Arabia has been doubted ; but but its accomplishment may have been Dr. Wolff supposed he received notices dependent upon the fidelity with which of them when travelling in those parts, their descendants kept their pledge. A positive promise of their separate ex- CHAPTER XXXVI. Baruch writes the prophecies of Jeremiah at his dictation on a roll, 1 — 8 ; reads tliera t6 the people who had come to worship in the temple, 9, 10 ; and at the request of the princes, to whom information of the fact had been conveyed, repairs to the royal palace, where they were assembled, and after reading to them what he had written, relates to them how he had done so by dictation, ].l — 19. He is then warned to secrete himself and Jeremiah, while they inform the king of the contents of the roll, which had been deposited in the secretary's chamber ; on which the king sends for it and orders it to be read to him, but, on hearing only a few columns, he is filled with rage, and cutting it, recklessly throws it into the fire, 20 — 25 ; while concealed from the fury of the monarch, Jeremiah receives a divine charge to write the same prophecies on another roll, and to accompany them with a specific prediction of the miserable end of Jehoiakim, and of the certain destruction of the Jews, 26 — 32. 1 And it came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that this word was communicated to 2 Jeremiah, from Jehovah, saying : Take thee a roll of a book, and write on it all the words which I have spoken to thee, concerning Israel, and concerning Judah, and concerning all 3 the nations, from the day I spake to thee, from the days of Josiah till this day. Perhaps the house of Judah will hear all the calamity which I purpose to inflict upon them, in order that they may turn, every one from his wicked way, and I may forgive their iniquity and their sin. 1, 2. Tliough the command to write ver. 9. "^cp n^ap a book-roll, i.e. a book the prophecies on a roll, was given in the consisting of a roll niade up of skins, fourth year of Jehoiakim, yet they were scraped and smoothed for use. _ Comp. not publicly read till the following year, Ps. xl. 8, where the same phrase is used CHAP. xxxvL] JEREMIAH. 195 4 Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah, and Baruch wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of Jehovah, 5 which he had spoken to him, on a roll of a book. And Jere- miah charged Baruch, saying : I am shut up, I cannot go 6 into the house of Jehovah : but go thou and read in the roll, which thou hast written from my mouth, the words of Jehovah, in the hearing of the people, in the house of Jehovah, on a fast day ; and also in the hearing of all Judah that come 7 from their cities, thou shalt read them. Perhaps their sup- plication may be humbly presented before Jehovah, and they may turn, every one from his wicked way; for great is the wrath and the fury which Jehovah hath denounced against 8 this people. And Baruch, the son of Neriah, did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet charged him, reading in the book the words of Jehovah in the house of Jehovah. 9 And it came to pass in the fifth year of Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, in the ninth month, all the people in Jerusalem, and all the people that came from the cities of 10 Judah to Jerusalem, proclaimed a fast before Jehovah. And Baruch read in the book the words of Jeremiah, in the house of Jehovah, in the chamber of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan the scribe, in the upper court, at the entrance of the new gate of the house of Jehovah, in the hearing of all to describe the Pentateuch. Hitzig con- was in custody at the time, though, as tends that the \Yord n^^ti, was not in use may be inferred from ver. 26, he was before the time of Jeremiah, and could not in any public prison. Perliaps he only have been employed after parchment was only shut up in his own house, was adopted as a writing-material. Whe- 7. Tiie phrase njnn nbpj means to allow ther his object in making this assertion a petition to be laid at the feet of a su- was to bring down the date of tlie above perior, which is done in the East, by tlie Psalm to the time of our prophet, I will suppliant's falling prostrate upon the not affirm ; but he has no authority for ground. fixing upon this as the time when parch- 9. The fast spoken of here, and pro- nient was invented. Herodotus relates, leptically, ver. 7, was most likely occa- that the lonians, from the earliest period, sioned by the victories of Nebuchad- wrote on goat and sheepskin; and, fa- uezzar, which took place in the fourth miliar as the Hebrews evidently were year of Jehoiakim, and filled'the vs'hole with dressing skins at the time of their of Asia with terror. The institution of progress from Egypt, there is every rea- this fast is ascribed, not to the monarch, son to suppose that Moses employed who appears to have been an altogether such materials in writing the Pentateuch, irreligious prince, but to the people, who 5. We have no account of the confine- had taken alarm at the tlu-eateniug mentof Jeremiah in the days of Jehoiakim, aspect of the politics of the day. but it is clear from this verse that lie 10. The niDc^ were chambers in the 196 JEREMIAH. [chap, xxxvi. 11 tlie people. And Micaiah, the son of Gemarialij the son of Shaphan^ heard all the words of Jehovah from the book ; 12 and he went down to the house of the king^ to the chamber of the secretary : and behold ! all the princes were sitting there ; Elishama, the secretary, and Delaiah, the son of Shemaiah^ and Elnathan, the son of Achbor, and Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, and Zedekiah, the son of Hananiah, and 13 all the princes. And Micaiah declared to them all the words which he had heard while Barucli was reading in the book in 14 the hearing of the people. Then all the princes sent to Baruch Jehudi, the son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, saying, The roll in which thou didst read in the hearing of the people, take in thy hand, and come : and Baruch, the son of Neriah, took the roll in his hand, 15 and came to them. And they said to him. Sit down now, and read it in our hearing, and Baruch read in their 16 hearing. And it came to pass, when they heard all the words, they were afraid, each with his neighbour ; and they said to Baruch, We will certainly apprise the king of all 17 these words. And they asked Baruch, saying. Tell us now, 18 how didst thou write all these words from his mouth ? And Barucli said to them. He dictated to me all these words, and courts of the temple, mosi l,y at the gates, 14. What office Jehudi held is not which were occupied by tiie ))riests aud known ; but that he was of a good Levites, and where the various things family may be inferred from the particu- necessary for the temple-service were larity with which his ancestors are men- kept. It was from the balcony of one tioned. From his being despatched to of these, that Baruch read to the people Baruch, however, it would seem that he assembled in the court below. The word filled some subordinate station, nsipb is used, ver. 12, of the chamber in 1.5. Micliaelis deems it improbable the royal palace occupied by the secre- that a scribe, such as Baruch, should be tary of state. requested to sit in the presence of the 11. It is not improbable that Micaiah, royal councillors, and proposes to read the grandson of Shaphau, like most of i^-ii, turn and read, or read agcdti, instead the family, of whom honourable mention of 3©, sit, aud appeals in sui)[)ort of his is nuide, was a pious person, and in opinion to iioKiv dvayvaQi of tlie LXX., communicating the information respect- and i^n of the Targ. His conjecture, ing Baruch, was actuated by religious however, is not coutirmed by any MS. motives, produced by what he had iieard authority. read. He did not, therefore, give the 17, 18. The princes were so impressed information with the view of bringing by the awful denunciations which tliey Baruch or Jeremiah into trouble. heard, that they were anxious to ascer- 12. The officers and princes appear to tain whether they had really been de- have been holding a council of state when livercd by the proi)het, or whether Baruch the infoniiatiou reached them. might have written them without his CHAP. XXXVI.] JEEEMIAH. 197 19 20 21 23 23 I wrote tliem in the book with ink. Then said the princes to Baruch, Go, hide thyself, thou and Jeremiah, and let no man know where you are. And they went in to the king into the court, but deposited the book in the chamber of Elishama, the secretary ; and they related all the words in the hearing of the king. And the king sent Jehudi to take the roll, and he took it out of the chamber of Elishama the secretary, and Jehudi read it in the hearing of the king, and in the hearing of all the princes who stood beside the king. Now the king was sitting in the winter-palace, in the ninth month, and the stove was burning before him. And it came to pass, when Jehudi had read three or four columns, he cut it with a penknife, and threw it into the fire which was in the stove, till all the roll was authority or knowledge, merely at ran- dom, and without being able to vouch for their accuracy. It is maintained by Bertholdt and llitzig that, in dictating to Baruch, our prophet read his com- munications from MSS. which he had formerly written, or which had been ■written by others. The only reason as- signed fortius opinion is, that it is in the highest degree improbable that he could have imagined himself capable of re- citing them from memory after the lapse of twenty years. But, not to insist upon the aid which he might warrantably expect from the Spirit of inspiration, it appears evident from the reply made by Baruch, who, when asked Jiow he had written the matters which he had read to the people, affirmed that it was simply by oial dictation on the part of the prophet. It is true, the same verb, t^'^?,, is employed, which is properly rendered by read in other parts of the chapter; but, instead of its being said that he read, ''^p.'Q, from a hook, or ^4^'?'?, from a roll, it is expressly stated that vEp N';!p^, he read, dictated, or recited, from his mouth ; phraseology which could only be intended to convey the idea that the dictation was fnirely oral, or, according to our analogous idiom, bi/ tcord of month. in, ink, occurs only here. Chald. Nnvn. Syr. ]^Cl-»?- Arab. 'i\.d, cdramentarimi. The substantive is supposed to be de- rived from nn, to he black. Comp. the Greek fie'Kap, ink, from fieXas, black. Blayney's resclution of the word cannot be sustained. The specification of the ma- terial with which he wrote, was quite na- tural to a person situated as Baruch was. 19. Jeremiah, being probably only under house-arrest, would find no diffi- culty in availing himself of the advice given by the princes. 22. in the East, neither chimneys nor ovens are used, but, when the weather is cold, a pitcher of brass or iron, con- taining burning wood, or charcoal, is used for the purpose of w'arming the chambers, and when the wood has burned to embers, a cover is placed over the pot to make it retain the heat. Blayney's conjecture, that for rf^K; T^i^f/we should read n« r\m\ is altogether gra- tuitous. Burst derives the word nw from n«, io glow, or burn. Comp. the Arab. __1, arsit. \^\,ferhiit. 23. The ninn were not the leaves of the book, as llitzig contends, but the columns of writing on the parchment, so called from their resemblance in form to doors. lEfen I?!?, literally the writer's knfe, which is employed for cutting and trimming the reed with which the scribes in the East write. It is uncertain whether Jehudi or the king cut the roll, and threw it into the fire, but it is more likely it was the latter, except we suppose that 198 JEREMIAH. [cHAl'. xxxvi. 24: consumed iu tlie fire which was in the stove. And they were not afraid, neither did they rend their garments, neither the king, nor any of his ministers, who heard ,all 25 these words. Nevertheless Ehiathan, and Delaiah, and Gemariah interceded with the king that the roll might not be 26 burned, but he would not listen to them. And the king commanded Jerahmeel, the king's son, and Seraiah, the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah, the son of Abdeel, to apprehend Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet, but Jehovah hid them. 27 Then the word of Jehovah was communicated to Jeremiah after tlie king had burned the roll, and the words which Baruch had written from the mouth of Jeremiah, saying, 28 Take thee again another roll, and write on it all the former words which were on the former roll, which Jehoiakim the 29 king of Judah burnt. And thou shalt say to Jehoiakim, king of Judah, Thus saith Jehovah, Thou hast burned this roll, saying. Why hast thou written on it ? saying. The king of Babylon will certainly come and destroy this land, and' 30 cause man and beast to cease from it. Therefore, thus saith Jehovah, concerning Jehoiakim, king of Judah, He shall not have one sitting on the throne of David, and his dead body shall be thrown out to the heat by day, and to the frost by 31 night. And I will punish him, and his seed, and his ministers, for tlieir iniquity, and I will bring on them, and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and on the men of Judah, all the calamity with which I have threatened them, but they did not listen. 32 Then Jeremiah took another roll, and gave it to Baruch, the he liad sliowu such marks of indignation, not he to him one sitting on the throne of as to inspire Jehudi with the conviction, David, do not imply tliat he shouhl have that if he did it, the act would gratify no successor, as Hitzig construes tliem, the monarch. and then has the hardihood to affirm, 2i, 25. There obviously existed a dif- that they were not fulfilled; but that ference of character between the coun- none of his posterity should occupy the cillors and the courtiers, or ministers of throne, which accords with fact. — In the the king. While the latter were un- East, while it is extremely hot during moved by what they had heard, the the day, the nights are sometimes pro- former regarded the document as con- portionally cold. Comp. Gen. xxxi. 40. taining a message from God. 33. It is not clear whetlier the ad- 30. Comp. chap. xxii. 18, 19. The ditional predictions were placed upon the words 11T KEr'j!? 3ii>v fri^'vT^'', there shall roll at the time, or whether they were CHAP.xxxvn.] JEREMIAH. 199 son of Neriali, the scribe, and he wrote on it from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim, king of Judah; had burned in the fire : and he further added to them many words such as these. supplemented at a subsequent period, it will account for those chapters which If we adopt the latter supposition, it belong to the time of Zedekiah, the suc- will serve to support the fact which cesser of Jehoiakim, in whose reign the many have assumed, that Baruch was roll was written, being found among the afterwards regularly employed by Jere- rest ; only allowing that they were not miah in committing his prophecies to entered in the order in which they now writing. Comp. chap. xlv. At all events appear. CHAPTER XXXVII. The Chaldean army having raised the siege in order to meet that of Pharaoh, Zede- kiah sends a messenger to Jeremiah, with the request, that he would pray to Jehovah on behalf of the Jews, 1 — 5 ; to which he receives the reply, that their enemies should return and take Jerusalem, C — 10. Availing himself of the ab- sence of the Chaldeans, Jeremiah attempts to leave the city and retire to his native place, but is arrested as a deserter, and thrown into prison, 11 — 15. The king, after having a private conference with him, abates the rigour of his con- finement, IG — 21. 1 And king Zedekiah the son of Josiah reigned instead of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, whom Nebuchadnezzar had made king in 2 the land of Judah. But he, and his ministers, and the people of the land did not hearken to the words of Jehovah, which he 3 spake by Jeremiah the prophet. And king Zedekiah sent Jehuchal the son of Shelemiah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest to Jeremiah the prophet saying : Pray 4 now for us to Jehovah our God. Now Jeremiah came in and went out among the people ; for they had not committed 5 " him to prison. And the army of Pharaoh had come out from Egypt ; and the Chaldeans who were besieging Jeru- salem heard the report of them, and went up from Jerusalem. 1. From this chapter to the 41th Chaldeans and Egyptians, but probably inclusive, we have little else than an alarmed by some indications on the part account of events chiefly relating to the of the former of a design to resume the personal history of the prophet. i^>«, siege of Jerusalem which they had raised, tcliom, refers to Zedekiah; and not to was anxious to obtain information from Coniah. 2 Kings xxiv. 17. Jehovah, whose favour he solicited 3 — 5. Zedekiah, uncertain what might through the prayers of Jeremiah. The be the issue of the conflict between the mission sent to the prophet was different 200 JEEEMIAH. [chap, xxxvir. 6 Then the word of Jehovah was communicated to Jeremiah the 7 prophet,, saying : Thus saith Jehovah the God of Israel : Thus shall ye say to the king of Judah, who hath sent you to me to inquire of me ; Behold, the army of Pharaoh, which hath come out for your help, shall return to Egypt their own land. 8 And the Chaldeans shall return and fight against this city ; 9 and they shall take it, and shall burn it with fire. Thus saith Jehovah: Deceive not yourselves, saying, the Chaldeans 10 will entirely depart from us ; for they shall not depart. For though ye had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans who are at war with you, and there remained of them only wounded men, yet they should rise, every one in his tent, and burn this city with fire. 11 And it came to pass, when the army of the Chaldeans were gone 12 up from Jerusalem because of the army of Pharaoh, that Jeremiah went out from Jerusalem, to go into the land of Benjamin, that he might take his portion thence among the 13 people. And as he was in the gate of Benjamin, there was an officer of the guard there, whose name was Jirijah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah ; and he apprehended 14 Jeremiah the prophet, saying : Thou art going over to the Chaldeans. But Jeremiah said. It is false, I am not going over to the Chaldeans ; but Jirijah would not listen to him, but apprehended Jeremiah, and brought him to the princes. from that mentioned chapter xxi. 1, 2 ; signifies either to make smootli or divide, for, though Ze])haniah is named in both in wliich last acceptation it is very often places, yet Pashlmr accompanied him on employed in reference to possessions. It the former occasion, Jehuchal on this. is so taken here by the Vulg., Targ., Syr. 6 — 10. The divine reply was not more p'?": for the regular Hipliil P''?nr'>. The favourable in the present instance, than object of Jeremiah in retiring into Ben- it had been in the former. See chap, jamin, was that he might avail himself of xxi. the produce of the property which he 12. The words DynTjina n't"-?? j:."?n.'', Kim- possessed there, and which he might chi, our common version (in the margin), require during the further siege of the RoscnmiiUer, Dahler, and some others, city. That no reference can be had to construe to mean, that Jeremiah slipped the field which he purchased from llana- away from Jerusalem in order to secure mcel, chap, xxxii. is clear, since that his personal safety; but this construction purcliasc was not effected till after the is entirely founded on the circumstance, present transaction, that pl^n signifies to he smooth, like 't3!?'3 13. ''SJ, especially when followed by and ^"1, which are used in reference to "'•^ or ''?, signifies io fall cmay, desert, or escaping by slipping away from danger, go over to another party. 1 Sam. xxix. P'^n, however, is never thus used, but 3 ; Jer. xxi. 9, xxxix. 9. €HA]?. XXXVII.] JEREMIAH. 201 15 And the princes were angry with Jeremiah, and smote him ; and they committed him to prison, in the house of Jonathan the secretary, for they had made it the prison. 10 When Jeremiah had entered into the dungeon and into the ] 7 vaults, and Jeremiah had remained there many days : tlien king Zedekiah sent and took him, and the king asked him secretly in his house, and said. Is there a word from Jehovah? and Jeremiah said. There is ; and he said, Thou shalt be de- livered into the hand of the king of Babylon. Then Jeremiah IS said to king Zedekiah, What oflFence have I committed against thee, or against thy ministers, or against this people, that ye 19 have put me in prison ? And where are your prophets who prophesied to you, saying. The king of Babylon shall not 20 come against you, nor against this land. Therefore let my lord the king listen now, I pray; let my supplication be humbly presented before thee, and permit me not to be sent back to the house of Jonathan the secretary, that I die not 21 there. And Zedekiah the king ordered that they should commit Jeremiah to the coiu-t of the guard, and that there should be given to him daily a cake of bread from the bakers' street, till all the bread in the city were spent : and Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard. 15, 16. The princes at the court of beut aucl distorted posture ; but the Zedekiah were not tlie same who had word seems rather to be descriptive of been at that of Jehoiakim, and who were arched cavities or vaults. affected on hearing the predictions of 17, 18. We have here a striking in- Jeremiah read by Barucli, chap, xxxvi. stance of the bold and uncompromising 16, 19. Strange as it may appear to us, fidelity of the Hebrew prophets. If it is no uncommon thing in the East to Jeremiah had consulted his temporal in- appropriate some part of the private terests, he would have prophesied smooth house of a public officer, to serve as a things to the king ; but, regardless of prison. That selected for the reception consequences, he unreservedly announces of Jeremiah, appears to have been of a to Zedekiah his capture by the Chaldeans, squalid description, consisting of a well . 19. The i in v« is paragogic, and the or pit, with vaults round the sides, in word is quite equivalent to n'lN of the which the prisoners were lodged. Some Keri. have thought that n^'^'^p. mcdiw curved-posts 21. Comp. Prov. xxviii. 23. or stocks, in which they were held in a D D 202 JEREMIAH. [chap, xxxvm. CHAPTER XXXVIII. Jeremiah predicts the capture of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans, 1 — 3. For this he was cast into a miserable duugeon, in which he must have perished, had not Ebedmelcch obtained the royal leave to transfer him to his former place of con- finement, 4 — 13. The rest of the chapter contains an account of what tran- spired at a secret interview between the king and the prophet, 14 — 28. 1 And Shepliatiah, the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah tlie son of Pashliur heard, as did also Juchal, the son of Shelemiah, and Pashhui% the son of Malchiah, the words which Jere- 2 miah spake to all the people, saying, Thus saith Jehovah : He that remaineth in this city shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence ; but he that goeth out to the Chaldeans shall live ; yea his life shall be to him for a prey, 3 and he shall live. Thus saith Jehovah : This city shall cer- tainly be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, 4 and he shall take it. Therefore the princes said to the king. Let now this man be put to death, for by this means he weakeneth the hands of the military that remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, speaking to them according to these words ; for this man does not seek the 5 peace of this people, but their destruction. And Zedekiah the king said. Behold ! he is in your hand ; for the king can do nothing against you. Then they took Jeremiah and threw him into the dungeon of Malchijah, the son of the king, which was in the court of the guard, and they let Jeremiah down with ropes ; and in the dungeon was no water, but mire, and Jeremiah sank in the mire. 4. The princes might justly have ae- render. The execution of the prophet, cused Jeremiah of fostering rebellion, if therefore, would have been unjust, he had not afforded incontestable evi- 5. The king was evidently disgusted dence that he held a divine commission, at the conduct of the princes, but ac- or if the government itself had not been knowledges his impotence to carry any in a false position; but Zedekiah, who measure without their concurrence — a was evidently a weak prince, had been thing very unusual with Oriental mo- prcvailed upon by his courtiers to rebel narclis. He would have protected Jerc- ngainst the king of Babylon ; and, as miah, if he had been able, there was no hope of being able to hold 6. The prison, into which Jeremiah out against his army, it was for the good M'as now thrown, was a cistern which of the people, on the principles of mere had been emptied of its water during human policy, to advise them to sur- the siege, and in which nothing remained CHAP. XXXVIII.] JEREMIAH. 203 7 Now when Ebedmelech the Cushite^ au eunuch who was in the house of the king, lieard that they had committed Jeremiah to the dungeon, and that the king was sitting in the gate of 8 Benjamin, Ebedmelech went from the house of the king, and 9 spake to the king, saying. My Lord, O king ! these men liave acted unjustly in all that they have done to Jeremiali the prophet, whom they have thrown into the dungeon ; for he will die of hunger in the place where he is, because there is 10 no longer any bread in the city. Then the king ordered Ebedmelech the Cushite, saying, Take hence at thy disposal thirty men, and take up Jeremiah out of the dungeon before 11 he die. And Ebedmelech took the men at his disposal, and went hito the house of the king under the treasury, and took thence old torn clothes, and old worn-out garments, and let 13 them down to Jeremiah by cords into the dungeon. And Ebedmelech the Cushite said to Jeremiah, Put now the old torn and worn-out clothes under thine armholes, under the 13 cords; and Jeremiah did so. And they drew up Jeremiah with the cords, and brought him up out of the dungeon ; and Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard. 11. Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took Jeremiah the prophet to him into the third entrance, which was in the temple of Jehovah ; and the king said to Jeremiah, I will ask thee a 15 thing, hide nothing from me. Then Jeremiah said to Zede- kiah, If I should tell thee, wilt thou not certainly put me to death ? and if I should give thee advice, thou wilt not hstcn 16 to me. Then Zedekiah the king sware secretly to Jeremiah, saying. As Jehovah liveth, he who hath made us this soul, but the slime at the bottom. Its depth have ordered them for tlie protection forbade all hope of escape. of Ebedmelech ag-amst any prevcutive 7—9. Ebedmelech was in all proba- measures that might have been adopted bility the keeper of the royal harem, by the princes. and as such, according to the custom of U. Various conjectures have been the East, had private access to the king, advanced respecting the ii^^^ entrance, and opportunities of famHiar conversation here referred to, but uothuig satislactory with him. Michaelis remarks that the has been advanced. Ihe cuxions reader eunuchs of the present day, to whom may consult Blayney. So mucii is certain, the charge of the harems is committed, that it must have been some retired pai't are mostly from Nubia or Abyssinia. of the Temple, favourable to the privacy 10 As thirty men would not have of confidential conversation, been wanted merely for drawing up Jere- 10. ™, which is left uupomted in llie miah out of the cistern, the king must text, is altogether omitted m miielecu 204 JEREMIAH. [chap, xxxviii. I will not put thee to death, neither will I deliver thee into the hand of these men who seek thy life. 17 Then said Jeremiah to Zedekiah, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Hosts, the God of Israel, If thou wilt voluntarily go out to the princes of the king of Babylon, thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire, but thou shalt live, and 18 thy house. But if thou wilt not go out to the princes of the king of Babylon, then shall this city be delivered into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire ; and 19 thou shalt not escape out of their hand. Then said Zedekiah the king to Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews who have gone over to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hands, 20 and they Avill mock me. But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver thee ; obey now the voice of Jehovah in reference to that which I say to thee, that it may be well with thee, and 21 thy soul may live. But if thou refuse to go out, this is the 22 word which Jehovah hath shown me : Behold ! all the women who are left in the house of the king of Judah shall be brought out to the princes of the king of Babylon ; and they shall say : Thy friends have incited thee, and have prevailed with thee ; Thy feet are sunk in the mire, they are turned away back I 23 And all thy wives, and thy children they shall bring out to the Chaldeans, and thou shalt not escape out of their hand ; MSS. and eiglit more originally, and is confirmed in bis position as a tributary marked by the IMasoretes 'ip «''i thd, king. i.e. written, but not to be read. This, 22. It would appear from wliat is here however, is not the only instance in which stated, that many of the female inmates this particle is placed, for the sake of of the palace had been carried off by the emphasis, before the nominative case, in pestilence or famine, — a less dishonour- the prophecies of Jeremiah. able fate than that of those who should 17. Nebuchadnezzar himself was not fall into the power of the enemy. Zede- present at the siege, but had fixed his kiah had expressed his fear lest he should quarters at Riblah,in the land of Hamath, be made the butt of mockery on the part 2 Kings XXV. 6. N:an x^*; expresses in- of the Jewish deserters, in case he sur- teusity, and, in such cases as the present, rendered to the Chaldeans. The prophet the voluntariness of the action. While now informs him that if he refused to the councillors of Zedekiah, who had submit, he would iDecome the object of effected the revolt from the king of more cutting derision on the part of his Babylon, had no reason to hope that own mistresses, who, in order the more they might escape without punishment, to gratify their new lords, would exult that monarch himself might expect, if over his ifallen condition. The " friends " he surrendered to the Chaldeans, to be of the king were his ministers and the treated with leniency, and even to be false prophets. The language to be em- CHAP, xxxix.] JEREMIAH. 205 for thou slialt be seized by the hand of the king of Babylon, and this city shall be burned with fire. 24 Then said Zedekiah to Jeremiah^ Let no man know of these 25 words, that thou die not. But if the princes should hear that I have spoken with thee, and shall come to thee, and say to thee. Tell us now what thou hast said to the king, conceal it not from us, and we will not put thee to death ; also what the 2G king said to thee. Then thou shalt say to them, I presented my humble supplication before the king, that he would not cause me to return to the house of Jonathan, to die there. 27 And all the princes came to Jeremiah, and asked him, and he told them according to all these words which the king had ordered him ; and they went away in silence from him, for 28 the conversation was not overheard. So Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard till the day that Jerusalem was taken : and he was there when Jerusalem was taken. ployed by tlic female captives is poetic none present at the interview, who could in form. I'lnx iJbj, they are turned away bear witness to the contrary, the princes back, refer not to the feet of the khig, were obliged to let the matter pass. but to his friends who had seduced him, 28. The words : PIjt^it nT?'^: icni rm-\^ and then left him in the lurch. and he -was (there) when Jerusalem was 2G, 27. The princes, who had had their taken, are omitted in three MSS., and spies upon the proceedings of the king, have been originally omitted in three were anxious to ascertain wliat had passed more, as they are in the LXX., Arab., between him and Jeremiah ; but having and Syr. versions. In some other MSS. no riglit to the information, Jeremiah is a space is left for them. Some inter- to be justified in confining himself to ])reters woiUd make them begin the next the single point relative to his not being chapter ; but they less aptly fit in there again cast mto the dungeon, which, there than they do here, if only we supply the is every reason to believe, was in ac- adverb Q'l'', which I have taken the liberty cordance with truth. There having been to express in the version. CHAPTER XXXIX. This chapter consists of two parts : the first contains an account of the capture of Jerusalem, the flight, seizure, and punishment of Zedekiah, the removal of the people as captives to Babylon, and the fate of Jeremiah, 1 — 14 ; the second relates to a message which the prophet had been charged by Jehovah to deliver to Ebedmelech, assuring him of his safety in the midst of the catastrophe, 15—18. Verses 1, 2, 4 — 13 are printed in small italics in the translation of Ewald, who considers them to be interpolations by a later hand, taken for the most part from chapter lii. and 2 Kings xxv. ; but neither the reasons which he assigns for the 206 JEREMIAH. [chap, xxxix. opinion, nor those of Hitzig, wlio, as usual, deals much in the niinutiip, arc at all satisfactory. It is. however, to be observed, that verses -i — 13 are not in the Vatican edition of the LXX., though they have been adopted by Grabe and Breitinger from the Complutcnsian edition. They are in all the Hebrew MSS., and in the Targ., Syr., Hexaplar Syr., and Vulg. 1 In the nintli year of Zedekiah, king of Judali, in the tenth months Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and all his army 2 came against Jerusalem, and besieged it. In the eleventh year of Zcdekiah, in the fourth month, on the ninth of the 3 month, a breach was made in the city. And all the princes of the king of Babylon entered, and sat in the middle gate — Nergal - sharezer, Samgar-nebo, Sarsechim, chief of the eunuchs, Nergal-sharezer, chief of the Magi, and all the rest of the princes of the king of Babylon. 4 And it came to pass, when Zedekiah, the king of Judah, and all the military saw them, they fled, and went out by night from the city, in the direction of the king's garden, by the gate between the walls ; and they went out in the direction 1. Though Nebuchadnezzar was present ^;^^ c//^>/ o/ tlie Magi. :?, Persic, i^, when his army lirst laid siege to Jeru- C ' salem, yet, as we have seen, he after- Mog, Magus, great, powerful. The Magi wards fixed his quarters at Kiblah. See were originally a sacerdotal caste among ver. 17 of the precedmg chapter and the Medes, renowned for their learning ver. 5 of the present. and influence, and the chief supporters 2. The siege continued about a year of the Zoroastrian religion. They gra- and a half, not reckoning the short time dually found their way into other couu- during which the Chaldeans broke up to tries ; and, at the time of our prophet, give battle to the army of Pharaoh. had established themselves at the court 3; Jerusalem consisted anciently of an of Babylon, where, from their knowledge upper and a lower city : the former, of astronomy, they practised the arts of comprehending Mount Ziou with a strong astrology. It was, no doubt, with a fortress, occupied the most elevated view to obtain from their knowledge of ground ; the latter, to the north of it, this science the issue of his expedition, was considerably lower, and being more that Nebuchadnezzar had brought along accessible to the Chaldeans, they made a with him their chief, who, from his high breach in it, and entering, took up their rank, took his place among the princes position opposite the gate of the wall or generals of the army, which ran up between the two divisions. 4. If the king and those who defended By Tjwrt, the middle, we are to understand the upper city had only had a sufficient this wall, which formed a kind of breast- supply of provisions, they might have work to Mount Zion. I consider all the held out for a considerable time against names here specified to be nomina pro- the Chaldeans, but having no hope of pria except ono-i^, Rah-saris, and 3'?'i"], successful resistance in the circumstances Rab-mag, the former of which denotes in which they were placed, they took to the chief of the eunuchs, and the latter flight by the double wall which ran CHAP. XXXIX.] JEREMIAH. 207 5 of the plain. And the army of the Chaldeans pursued after them, and overtook Zedekiah in the steppes of Jericho, and they took him, and brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, at Riblah, in the land of Hamath ; and he G pronounced judgment upon him. And the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah in Riblah before his eyes; the 7 king of Babylon slew also all the nobles of Judah. And he dug out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters 8 of copper to bring him to Babylon. And the Chaldeans burned the house of the king, and the houses of the people with fire ; and they demolished the walls of Jerusalem. 9 And the rest of the people who remained in the city, and those who had gone over to him, and the rest of the people who remained, Nebuzaradan, the captain of the body-guard, 10 carried away captive to Babylon. But Nebuzaradan, the captain of the body-guard, left of the poor of the people, who had nothing, in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and fields on that day. 11 Now Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, gave Jeremiah in charge to Nebuzaradan, the captain of the body-guard, 1-2 saying. Take him, and set thine eyes upon him, and do him 13 no harm; but do to him as he shall say to thee. Then Nebuzaradan, the captain of the body-guard, and Nebu- shazban, chief of the eunuchs, and Nergal-sharezer, chief of 14 the Magi, and all the princes of the king of Babylon, sent along the south side of Zion, and reached by having his eyes dug out, a mode of the point whence two roads struck off, punishment not unusual in the East, the one to Bethlehem, and the other i.lV, from iw, to excavate, dig, dig out. across the soutii side of the Mount of Michaelis and Scholz think he was de- Olives. They appear to have taken the prived of sight by having a red-hot iron latter route in order to reach the Jordan, held before his eyes. To his being having crossed which, they might have carried as a blind captive to Babylon, escaped into Arabia Deserta. reference is made Ezek. xii. 13. «'?5 5. Rifjlah, an ancient and celebrated for ^^'^D). city on the northern boundary of Pales- 11, 12. It is most probable that some tine, in the country of Hamath, the ruins of the Jews who had gone over to the of which are found in the present llibleh, Chaldeans had informed them of the thirty or forty miles south of Hamath, efforts made by Jeremiah to induce on the Orontes. Zedekiah to submit, which will account G, 7. The punishment of Zedekiah for the instructions here given to treat was doubly cruel ; first, his being made him with kindness, to witness the execution of his own sons, 14, It cannot exactly be determined and then his being deprived of sight Avhat we are to understand by n:3rT, but 208 JEREMIAH. [ciiap. xl. and took Jeremiah from tlic court of the guard, and com- mitted him to Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, the son of Sha- phan, that he might bring him out to the house : so he dwelt among the people. 15 Now the word of Jehovah was communicated to Jeremiah while he was shut up in the court of the guard, saying, 16 Go and speak to Ebedmelech the Cushite, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel : Behold, I -will bring my words upon this city For calamity, and not for good ; They shall even take effect before thee in that day. 17 I will deliver thee in that day, saith Jehovah ; And thou shalt not be given up Into the hand of the men of whom thou art afraid. IS For I will certainly rescue thee. And thou shalt not fall by the sword ; But thou shalt have thy life for a prey, Because thou hast trusted in me, Saith Jehovah. it may be here used of that wliicli, by as an asylum, where, till the city was way of emiuence, is frequently called completely taken, he remained among the house, namely, the royal palace. To those who had taken refuge in the same this Jeremiah was immediately removed place. CHAPTER XL. This chapter contains an account of the release of Jeremiah at Ramah, 1 ; his having it placed at his option whether to accompany the court of Nebuchadnezzar to Babylon, or remain in the land of Judah, — which latter he preferred, 2 — ; the peaceable settlement of those Jews who remained in the land, under Gedaliah, 7 — 12, and a warning given to Gedaliah of an attempt against his life by Ishmael. 1 The word which was communicated to Jeremiah from Jehovah, after Nebuzaradan the captain of the body-guard had sent him away from Ramah, — having taken him, bound with 1. As, contrary to the usual style of munication, chap. slii. 7 — 22. Previous the book, no oracle or prophecy, but to the delivery of this communication, purely historical matter, follows the intro- the prophet relates the circumstances ductory words of this chapter, Iloubigant which were consequent upon the de- proposes to cancel them ; but they are struction of Jerusalem, to 1)6 regarded as auticipativc of the com- Between what is here stated relative CHAP. XL.] JEREMIAH. 209 manacles among all the captives of Jenisalera and Judali, who were carried away captive to Babylon. 2 And the captain of the body-guard took Jeremiah; and said to him, Jehovah thy God threatened this calamity in reference to 3 this place ; and Jehovah hath brought it, and done according as he said : because ye have sinned against Jehovah, and have 4- not obeyed his voice, this thing hath happened to you. And now I have released thee this day from the manacles which were on thy liands : if it appear good to thee to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will take care of thee ; but if it appear evil to thee to come with me to Babylon, forbear ; see, all the land is before thee, where it appears good and 5 proper for thee to go, thither go. And before he made any reply, Return, he said, to Gedaliah the sou of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon hath appointed over the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people, or go whithersoever it appears good to thee to go ; so the captain of the body-guard gave him provision for the svay, G and a present, and sent him away. And Jeremiah came to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah, and dwelt with him among the people who were left in the land. 7 Now when all the captains of the forces who were in the field, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had ap- pointed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam over the land, and had given him charge of men, and women, and childi-en, and of the poor of the land, of those who were not carried away 8 captive to Babylon; then tliere came also to Gedahah to Mizpah, Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan and to Jeremiah, and the statement given in 5. From the signs of liesitation whieh the preceding chapter, there is uo real Jcr«niiah manifested, tiie captain coa- discrepancy. Though immediately re- eluded that he would rather remain in leased from confmenient on the enemy's the laud than go to Babylon, and not o-aining possession of the royal palace, it only sent him to Gedaliah, but provided would'appcar that, in the confusion which him with victuals for his journey, and afterwards took place on the burning of dismissed him with a present, the city, he was lost in the crowd, and 6. There were two towns of the name led away in chains with the other captives, of ^^lizpah, one in Gilead beyond Joraan, On reaching Ramah he was discovered by Judges x. 17 ; xi. 11, 34 ; and the other the captain of the body-guard, and again in Benjamin, about two hours' journey to set at liberty. the N. W. of Jerusalem. Tiiafc the 3. The keri properly supplies the latter is here intended, see chap. xh. Article before ■'?'J. 8. |ri:vi is not found in two JISS., no^ E E 210 JEREMIAH. [chap. xl. Jonathan the sons of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tan- humeth, and the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah the son of the Maacathite, they and their men. 9 And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan_, sware to tliem, and to their men^ saying, Fear not to serve the Chaldeans ; remain in tlie L^nd, and serve the king of Baby- 10 Ion, and it shall be well with yon. And I, behold, I reside at Mizpah, to wait upon the Chaldeans who may come to us ; and, as for you, gather wine and summer-fruits and oil, and put them into your vessels, and dwell in your cities which 11 you have taken. And all the Jews also who were in Moab, and among the children of Ammon, and in Edom, and those who were in all the countries, when they heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant of Judah, and that he had appointed over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of 12 Shaphan, even all the Jews returned from all the places whither they had been driven, and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah to Mizpah, and collected wine and summer-fruit in great abundance. 13 And Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were in the field, came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, 14 and said to him, Art thou at all aware that Baalis, the king of the children of Ammon, hath sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to slay thee ? But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam 15 did not beheve them. Then Johanan the son of Kareah spake to Gedaliah in Mizpah secretly, saying, Let me go, I beseech thee, and slay Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and no man shall know it : why should he slay thee, and all the Jews who are collected to thee be scattered, and the remnant of 16 Judah perish ? But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said to Johanan the son of Kareah, Thou slialt not do this thing, for thou speakest falsely respecting Ishmael. originally in four more, and is omitted transact business with them, and render in the LXX. Instead of '2?, twenty-two them any assistance they might require. MSS., eight originally, and perhaps one 11, 12. The Jews who lived in the more, read |b, which is also the reading country, and had not been able to raise of the LXX. Arab, and Targ. For 'Q"iJ> the contributions laid upon them by the the Keri has w. Chaldean army, had tied into the ueigli- 10. D'7tori \2Db TO5>bj to stand before the bouring countries. Chaldeans, means here to receive them, ciiAP. xll] JEREMIAH. 211 CHAPTER XLI. Ishmacl carries his murderous plot into execution, aud kills likewise the Jews aud Chaldeans who were with the governor, 1—3 ; deceitfully murders eighty pil- grims, who were on their way to Jerusalem, 4—9 ; and attempts to escape with captives and booty to the country of the Ammonites ; but, having been pursued by Johanan, he was able to carry only eight with him across the Jordan, 10—15. After this, Johanan, afraid of the vengeance of the Chaldeans, attempts to flee into Eg3'pt, 16 — 18. 1 And it came to pass in tlie seventh month, that Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishamah, of the seed royal, and the magnates of the king, and ten men with him, came to Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, to Mizpah ; and they ate bread 2 together there in Mizpah. And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah rose, and the ten men that were mth him, and smote Geda- liah, the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, with the sword, and put him to death, whom the king of Babylon had ap- 3 pointed over the land. And Ishmael slew also all the Jews who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, and the Chaldeans, the miH- 4 tary, who were found there. And it came to pass, on the second day after Gedahah had been put to death, and no man knew 5 it, that there came eighty men from Shechem, from Shilo, and from Samaria, having their beards shaven, and their clothes rent, and havmg inflicted wounds upon themselves, carrying oblations and franldncense, to bring them to the house of 6 Jehovah. And Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, went out from Mizpah to meet them, going slowly and weeping ; and it came to pass when he fell in Avith them, he said to them, 1. Ishmael and the other Jews here and probably were in the habit of re- referred to, had escaped at the taking of pairing at stated seasons to Jerusalem. Jerusalem three months before, chap. The plight in which they now appeared xxxix. 2, and found refuge at the Am- was indicative of deep mourning on ac- monitish court. count of the destruction of that city. 3. The words, rrm'-nrr 'ffi?« n«, limited Though the temple had been demo- the persons that were slain to the mill- lishcd, there can be little doubt, that tary; the rest, among whom, doubtless, those priests who had not been carried was _ our prophet, were carried away away by the Chaldeans would, with the captive. See verses 10, 16. permission of Gedaliali, have raised altars 5. The persons here spoken of be- among the ruins, at which the offerings longed to the remainder of the ten of any remaining worshippers might be tribes, afterward known by the name of presented. On this account the sacred Samaritans, but who had retained their place might still be called " the house veneration for the God of their fathers, of the Lord." 212 JEREMIAH. [chap. xli. 7 Come in to Gedaliah, the son of Aliikam. And it came to pass when they had come into the midst of the city, that Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, butchered them (and threw them) into the midst of the cistern^ he and the men who 8 were with him. But ten men were found among them who said to Ishmael, Do not put us to death, for we have pro- visions hid in the field, wheat, and barley, and oil, and honey ; and he forbore, and did not put them to death among their 9 brethren. Now the cistern into which Ishmael threw all the dead bodies of the men whom he had slain, belonging to Gedahah, was that which Asa the king had made on account of Baasha, king of Israel : Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, ^0 filled it with the slain. And Ishmael carried away captive all the rest of the people who Avere at Mizpah, the daughters of the king, and all the people that remained at Mizpah^ whom Nebuzaradan, the captain of the body-guard, had given in charge to Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam ; even Ishmael, the sou of Nethaniah, carried them away captive, and set out to cross over to the children of Ammon. 11 But when Johanan, the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces whom he had with him, heard all the wicked- ness which Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, had committed, 12 they took all the men, and went to fight with Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, and they found him by the great waters that 13 are in Gibeon. And it came to pass when all the people who were with Ishmael saw Johanan, the son of Kareah, and all 7. There is nothing in the Hebrew might have been of importauce to both text corresponding to the words and parties to secure a snpply of provisions. threw'JIiem, which, after the example of It was customary for the peasants to most translators, I have supplied, on the conceal their grain in such natural or grounds, that '?« ill accords with the verb artificial cavities underground, as were Tcnffi, and its being expressly stated in the sufficiently dry for the purpose. ninth verse, that the dead bodies M'ere 9. The reason why Asa caused this cast into the cistern, which clearly implies cistern to be constructed was, that when that they had been slain out of it. the city should be besieged by the king 8. It cannot be ascertained whether of Israel, there might be a sufficient the men had actually hid the articles supply of water for the inhabitants. See mentioned, in the field, in order that 1 Kings xv. 22. they might take them out on their i-e- 12. It is generally allowed that the turn from Jerusalem, or whether they site of Gibeon, one of the sacerdotal merely pretended to have done it in cities of Benjamin, is still to be found in order that Ishmael might spare their the village of El-Jib, about four miles lives. Under existing circumstances, it north-west of Jerusalem. The c'^^c??. CHAP, xlil] JEREMIAH. 213 tlie captains of the forces who Avere with him, that they 11 rejoiced. And all the people whom Ishmael had carried away captive from Mizpali came round, and turned, and 15 went to Johanan, the son of Kareah. But Ishmael the son of Nethaniah escaped, with eight men, from Johanan, and went to the children of Ammon. IG Then took Johanan, the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were with him, all the rest of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, from Mizpah, after he had slain Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, mighty military men, and the women, and the children, and 17 the eunuchs whom he had brought back from Gibeon : and they went and stopped at Geruth-Chimham, which is close 18 by Bethlehem, in order to proceed into Egypt, on account of the Chaldeans ; for they were afraid of them, because Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, had slain Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had appointed over the land. ffreat vaters, were in all probability the must liave been such as bad hid them- large fountains described by Dr. Kobin- selves, and afterwards surrendered to son (vol. ii. p. 13()), the lower of which him, and whom, for this reason, he had may be about 120 feet in length, by spared. 100 in breadth. Comp. 2 Sam. ii. 13, 17. Geruth-Chimham is supposed to where we read of the pool of Gibeon. have been a caravanserai belonging to 16. As the military who were at Chimham, close by Bethlehem, n™ pro- Mizpah are stated, ver. 3, to have been perly signifies a lodging-place or habita- killed by Ishmael, those here spoken of tiou. CHAPTER XLII. The Jews, afraid that the Chaldeans would revenge the death of the Governor, re- quest Jeremiah to obtain for them a Divine decision whether they should remain in the land or flee into Egypt, 1 — 6. This the prophet communicates to them, to the effect that they should remain, 7 — IS ; but their determination to go into Egypt being known to Omniscience, their miserable fate there is expressly pre- dicted, 19—22. 1 And all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people, 2 from the least to the greatest, drew near and said to Jeremiah the prophet. Let now our supplication be humbly presented 2, 3. Some few authorities read i^'rp^, most probably by emendation, to bring o^i.r God, instead of '^^^y^,, ihij God, but the language into accordance with that 21 1 JEREMIAH. [chap. xlit. before tliee^ and pray on our belialf to Jeliovali thy God, even on behalf of all this remnant ; for we are left few of many, as 3 thine eyes behold us : that Jehovah thy God may show us the way in which we should walk, and the thing that we should do. 4 Then Jeremiah the prophet said to them, I have heard you, behold ! I will pray to Jehovah your God aecording to your words ; and it shall be that whatsoever Jehovah shall answer 3^ou, I will show you, I Avill withhold nothing from you. 5 Then they said to Jeremiah, Jehovah be a true and faithful witness between us, that we will certainly do according to every thing for which Jehovah thy God hath sent thee to us. 6 Whether it be pleasant or whether it be unpleasant, we will obey the voice of Jehovah our God to whom we send thee ; in order that it may be well with us when we obey the voice of Jehovah our God. 7 And it came to pass at the end of ten days that the word of 8 Jehovah was communicated to Jeremiah. And he called Johanan, the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were with him, and all the people, from the least to the 9 greatest, and said to them. Thus saith Jehovah the God of Israel to whom ye sent me humbly to present your suppli- 10 cation before him, If ye will continue to dwell in this land, then I will build you up, and not pull you down, and I will plant 5'ou, and not pluck you up ; for I repent of the cala- 11 mity which I have inflicted upon you. Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of Avhom ye are afraid ; be not afraid of him, saith Jehovah, for I am with yon to save you, and to 12 deliver you out of his hand. And I will excite pity for you, 13 and he will pity you, and restore you to your own land. But of verses 6 and 20. As ^''n'';« occurs again 7. God was pleased to delay his answer ver. 5, wliere there is no variety of read- ten days, to allord an opportunity to tlie ing, there is every reason to believe that people of discovering the sincerity or the Jews did employ this form, expressing insincerity of the profession which they thereby their belief in the peculiar rela- had made. Comp. Deut. viii. 2. tion in which Jeremiah stood to Jehovah 10. 3rr is an irregular form of the in- as his accredited prophet; though, after tiuitive absolute 2iffi', which occurs without he had spokeu of him as their God, ver. the Vau, 1 Sam. xx. 5 ; the Yod being re- 4, they acknowledge him as such, ver. 0. jected by aplia}resis, on account of the 6. For i2« a vast number of MSS. and hastening onward of the voice to reach some printed editions read ^3n3«, the more the tone-syllable at the end of the word, common form of the pronoun, whicli the JNordheimer, § 76. Keri also prescribes. 12. An imnecessary difficulty has been CHAP. XLii.] JEREMIAH. 215 if ye say, We will not return to this Iraid, not obeying tlic 1 i voice of Jeliovali your God : saying, No, iDut we will go into the land of Egypt, where we shall sec no war, and hear no sound of a trumpet, and have no famine of bread, and there 1.") we w'ill dwell. Now, therefore, hear ye the word of Jehovah, O remnant of Judah ! Thus saith Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel, If ye indeed set your faces to go into Egypt, and 10 ye go to dwell there, then the sword, of which ye are afraid, shall overtake you there, in the land of Egypt; and the famine of which ye are apprehensive shall closely follow you 17 into Egypt, and there yc shall die. Yea, all the men who set their faces to go into Egypt, to dwell there, shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence ; and there shall not be to them one left, or that escapeth from IS the calamity w^hich I will bring upon them. For thus saith Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel, As my anger and my fury have been poured out on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so shall my fury be poured out upon you when ye go into Egypt ; and ye shall become an execration, ^nd an astonish- ment, and a curse, and a reproach, and ye shall see this 19 ])lace no more. Jehovah hath spoken to you, O remnant of Judah ! Go not into Egypt : know for a certainty, that I 20 have solemnly Avarned you this day. Surely ye err against your own souls ; for ye sent me to Jehovah your God, saying. Pray on our behalf to Jehovah oiu' God; and ac- cording to all that Jehovah our God shall say, so declare it 21 to us, and we will do it. Now I have declared it to you this day ; yet ye will obey not the voice of Jehovah your God, nor listen to anything for which he hath sent me to 22 yen. But noAv know of a certainty, that ye shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence, in the place whither ye are bent on going to sojourn. derived from the use of I'^'n in the sense as causative. The LXX., Vulg., Syr., of causing to return, or restoring; all that Michaelis, Blayncy, Hitzig, and Ewald is int(Midcd being that Nebuchadnezzar read in the lliphil of ^V^ ; the three first Mould permit them peaceably to return as 1T«, the first person of the future, to and enjoy their possessions which they 20. nrn is sometimes used intransi- liad left to llee into Egypt. Verbs in tivelyiuliiphil, asProv. x. 17. Tor dwh^t Hiphil are frequently permissive as well the Keri has Dn^rpn. 216 JEREMIAH. [chap, xliti. CHAPTER XLIII. The Jews, in opposition to the express declaration of the Divine will, proceed to Egypt, and take Jeremiah and Baruch along with tliem, 1—7. By an appro- priate symbolical action, the prophet, after his arrival in that conntry, foreshows its conquest by Nebuchadnezzar, when the fugitives should fare no better than their guilty brethren had done at tlie conquest of Jerusalem, 8 — 13. ^ 1 And it came to pass wlien Jeremiah had finished speaking to all the people all the words of Jehovah their God, with which Jehovah their God had sent him to them, even all 2 these words, that Azariah, the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan, the son of Kareah, and all the proud men spake to Jeremiah, saying. Thou speakest falsely ; Jehovah our God hath not sent 3 thee to say. Ye shall not go into Egypt to sojourn there. But Baruch, the son of Neriah, hath incited thee against us, in order to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, to put us 4 to death, or to carry us away captive to Babylon. Thus Johanan, the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, and all the people, obeyed not the voice of Jehovah 6 to remain in the land of Judah, But Johanan, the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, took all the remnant of Judah who had returned from all the nations whither they had been driven, to dwell in the land of Judah, 6 — the men, and the women, and the children, and the daughters of the king, and every soul that Nebuzaradan, the captain of the body-guard, had left Avith Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, and Jeremiah the 7 proi^het, and Baruch, the son of Neriah. And they came into the land of Egypt ; for they did not obey the voice of Jehovah, but came to Tahpanhes. 8 Then tlie word of Jehovah was communicated to Jeremiah in y Tahpanhes, saying. Take in thy hand large stones, and hide them in the mortar in the brick-kiln which is at the entrance 7. Eor Tahpanhes, see on chap. ii. or projecting part of the building, and 14 — 16. to be so called because it was cou- 8 — 10. Regarding it as absurd to structed of tiles or brickwork : but it suppose that there could be such an is more likely, from the reference made object as a brick-kiln at the gate of a to the mortar or cement, that tlie palace royal jialace, Eichhorn supposes what is was in the course of being built, or was so rendered to have been some cornice, undergoing repairs at the time. Indeed, CHAP. XLIII. JEREMIAH. 217 10 11 12 13 of the house of Pharaoh in Tahpanhes^ in the sight of the Jews, and say to them, Thus saitli Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel, Behold ! T will send and take Nebuchad- nezzar, the king of Babylon, my servant, and will place his throne on these stones which I have hid, and he shall spread out his tapestry over them. And he shall come and smite the land of Egypt : he that is for death shall be for death, and he that is for captivity for captivity, and he that is for the sword for the sword. And I will kindle a fire in the temples of the gods of Egypt, and he shall burn them, and carry them away captive ; and he shall wrap up the land of Egypt as a shepherd wrappeth up his garment, and shall de- part thence in peace. And he shall break in pieces the obe- lisks of the temple of the sun, which is in the land of Egypt ; and the temples of the gods of Egypt he shall burn with fire. on any other supposition we cannot conceive how the prophet could have deposited the stones as he did. Though these are said to have been great, it is only as contrasted with small ones, which might easily be removed. That they could not have been of an enormous size, is evident ; otherwise, though covered over with cement, they nuist have at- tracted the notice of the workmen, wlio would liave effected their removal. It is not necessary, however, to suj)pose that they were to remain till the arrival of Nebuohadnezzar, since all that is meant by his placing his throne over them, &c., may be his taking possession of the palace, in contiguity with which they were placed. It was the act of placing them there by the prophet, that was to symbolize the act of the Chaldean monarch. By i^">C">P is meant the rich tapestry or canopy which hung round the throne from above, for the sake of ornament. The word is derived from "iC'i'', to be polished, shining, beautiful. The Keri proposes T"?3->n as the proper form, which is indeed that in which nouns with the third radical geminated most frequently appear. Comp. i'"!??, Prov. xxvii. 15. 12. Egypt was full of temples and idol-gods, some of wood and other in- ferior materials, and some of gold : the former, the conquering army would com- mit to the flames ; the latter, they would carry home to Babylon. 13. "tryt n\ii, Bethshemesh, the house or temple of the sun, Gr. 'HAtovTro'Xis, IleliopoUs, an ancient city of Egypt, elsewhere called p>«, On. It was siUiated on the eastern side of the Nile, a few miles north of Memphis, and was cele- brated for its temple of the sun, its splendid festivals, and its learned priest- hood, who occupied a spacious building specially appropriated to their use. Its ruins are still visible, the only remaining obelisk, covered with hieroglyphics, is from sixty to seventy feet high. See Kitto's Cyclopedia, Art. On; and my Comment, on Isaiah xix. 18. 218 JEREMIAH. [chap. xltv. CHAPTER XLIV. Jcrciiiiali reproves the Jews in Egypt for persisting in idolatrous practices, 1 — 1 J- ; they remonstrate with him on the subject, 15 — 19 ; on which he denounces the judgments of God against tliem, and the land to which they had fled for refuge, 20—30. 1 The word wliich was communicated to Jeremiah respecting all the Jews who dwelt in the land of Egypt, who dwelt at Migdol, and in Tahpanhes, and in Noph, and in the land of 2 Pathros, saying, Thus saitli Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel, Ye have seen all the calamity which I have brought upon Jerusalem, and upon all the cities of Judah ; and behold ! they are desolate this day, and there is no inhabitant 3 in them. Because of their wickedness which they com- mitted, provoking me to anger, by going to burn incense, serving other gods, which they knevr not, they, ye, nor your 4 fathers. And I sent to you all my servants the prophets, rising early and sending, saying. Do not, I beseech you, 5 this abominable thing which I hate. But they did not hsten, neither did they incline their ear to turn from their wicked- 6 ness, by not burning incense to other gods. Therefore my fury and mine anger were poured out, and hath burned in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, and they are become desolate and waste, as at this day. 7 Therefore now, thus saith Jehovah, the God of Hosts, the God of Israel, Why do ye commit great wickedness against yourselves, to cut you ofP, man and woman, child and suck- ling from the midst of Judah, not leaving you a remnant ; 8 by provoking me by the works of your hands, bin^ning incense to other gods in the land of Egypt, whither ye are gone to sojourn, in order that ye may be cut off, and in order that ye may become a curse and a reproach among all the 9 nations of the earth ? Have ye forgotten the wicked deeds 1. ^^30, 3fir/dol, Egypt. XX^^^iVT^, ^'^<1 ^oph, see my Comment, on chap. ii. :■> J > oji r^ 14—16. For Memphis, on Is. XIX. 13. a city on the eastern frontier of Egypt, And for Pathros, on Is. xi. 11. in the dii"ection of the Red Sea. Exod. 9. For v-ib, their wives, the LXX. xiv. 2 ; Numb, xxxiii. 7. For Tahpanhes read rcov apxovTu>v viimv, M^iich Blayney CHAP. XLiv.] JEREMIAH. 219 of your fathers, and tlie wicked deeds of the kings of Judah, and the wicked deeds of their wives, and your own wicked deeds, and the wicked deeds of your wives, which they have committed in the land of Judah, and in the streets of 10 Jenisalem ? They have not been contrite even to this day, neither have they feared, nor walked in my law, and in my statutes, which I set before you, and before your fathers. 11 \^Tierefore, thus saith Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel, Behold ! I will set my face against you for evil, even to cut 12 off the whole of Judah. Yea, I will take the remnant of Judah, who have set their faces to come into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, and they shall all be consumed, they shall fall in the laud of Egypt by the sword, and by the famine, they shall be consumed, from the least to the greatest, they shall die by the sword and with the famine ; and they shall become an execration, and an astonishment, 13 and a curse, and a reproach. And I will punish those who dwell in the land of Egypt, as I have punished Jerusalem, with the sword, and with the famine, and witli pestilence. U And there shall not be one that escapeth, nor one left of the remnant of Judah, that are come to sojourn there in the land of Egypt, to return to the land of Judah, who set their minds on returning to dwell there ; for they shall not return, except it be as fugitives. 15 Then all the men who knew that their wives had burned incense to other gods, and all the women who stood by, a large company, and all the people who dwelt in the land of IG Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying. We will not listen to thee in regard to the word which thou hast spoken 17 to us in the name of Jehovah; but we will certainly do whatever proceedeth out of our own mouth, burning incense attempts to justify, but the Hebrew some of the Jews were to return from word is quite in its place, as the fol- the laud of Egypt, the totality here spoken lowiu"- DD-'-c:, 7/our wires, shows. The of must be coufiued to those who had Jewish queens were great promoters of contumaciously refused to listen to the idolatry, 1 Kings xi. 1—8 ; xv. 13. The prophet, and, after they had gone thither, third singular suffix is to be taken col- had conformed to the idolatries of the lectively°aud rendered in the plural, as country. The others may have removed it is in the versions. thither under different circumstances. 11. As it is evident, from verse 28, that 17. See on chap. vii. 18. 220 JEREMIAH. [chap. xliv. to the queen of heaven^ and pouring out libations to her, as we have done, we and our fathers, our kings and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, and had plenty of bread, and were happy, and saw no calamity. 18 But from the time that we ceased to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out libations to her, we have been in want of everything, and have been consumed by the 19 sword, and by the famine. And when we bumed incense to tlie queen of heaven, and poured out libations to her, was it Avithout our husbands that we made for her wafers, serving her and pouring out libations to her ? 20 Then Jeremiah spake to all the people, to the men, and to the women, even to all the people, who had replied to him, 21 saying. Was it not the incense which ye oflFered in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, ye and your fathers, your kings and your princes, and the people of the land, that Jehovah remembered, and that came into his 22 mind ? And Jehovah was no longer able to endure the wickedness of your deeds, the abominations which ye com- mitted, and your land hath become a desolation, and an asto- nishment, and a curse, without an inhabitant, as at this day. 23 Because ye have burned incense, and because ye have sinned against Jehovah, and have not obeyed the voice of Jehovah, nor walked in his law, nor in his statutes, nor in his testi- monies, therefore hath this calamity happened to you, as at 24 this day. Moreover, Jeremiah said to all the people, and to all the women. Hear the word of Jehovah, all Judah that are 25 in the land of Egypt : Thus speaketh Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel, ye and your wives have both spoken with your mouths, and fulfilled it Avith your hands, saying, We will certainly perform our vows which we have made to offer incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out libations to her ; the women will certainly confirm your vows, and they 20 will certainly perform your vows. Therefore hear the word of Jehovah, all Judah that dwell in the land of Egvpt, Behold ! I have sworn by my great name, saith Jehovah, that my name shall no longer be named by the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying : The CHAP. XLV.] JEREMIAH. 221 27 Lord Jeliovali livetli ! Behold, I will act vigilantly toAvards tliem for calamity, and not for good ; and all the men of Jiidah who are in the land of Egypt shall be consumed Avith 28 the sword, and with famine, till they be destroyed. And those who escape from the sword shall return from the land of Egypt to the land of Judah, few in number, so that all the remnant of Judah that are come into Egypt to sojourn there 29 shall know whose word shall stand, mine or theirs. And this shall be a sign to you, that I will punish you in this place, in order that ye may know that my words re- specting you as to calamity shall assuredly be confirmed. 30 Thus saith Jehovah, Behold ! I will deliver Pharaoh Hophra, king of Egypt, into the hand of his enemies, and into the hand of tliose who seek his life, as I delivered Zedekiah, king of Judah, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, his enemy, and that sought his life. 29, 30. yi?;?, Bophra, known by the liim well ah first, but afterwards gave Greeks under the name of Apries, him up to his enemies, by \Yhoin he was succeeded Psammis, the successor of strangled. Kitto's Eucyclopsedia, Art. Pharaoh Necho, who was beaten by Hopuea. As certainly as the king, under Nebuchadnezzar at Garchemish. He whose protection the Jews had placed was not conquered by Nebuchadnezzar, themselves, should come to this unhappy as some have supposed, simply from the end, so certainly might they expect to circumstance that the name: of that mo- fall into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, narch occurs in the verse ; but by a who shortly after conquered Egypt, rebel of the name of Amasis, who treated CHAPTER XLV. This brief chapter, in point of time, follows immediately upon chap, xxxvi. How it came to be removed to its present position cannot be determined. Baruch, having been alarmed by the awful denunciations which he had written from the mouth of our prophet, ver. 3, has a message delivered to him from Jehovah, assuring him that though the judgments should certainly be inflicted upon his guilty people, 4, so that it woidd be vain for him to expect the enjoyment of temporal prosperity, yet he should be preserved in the midst of all the dangers to which he might be exposed, 5. See on chap. xxi. 9. Chaps, xlvi. — li. contain predictions relating to the Egyptians, Philistines, Moabites, Ammonites, Idumseans, Damascenes, Kedarenes, Elamites, and Babylonians. They are composed in the more elevated style of prophetic poetry, and contain many passages equal in sublimity to the prophecies of Isaiah, from which some of them are in part borrowed. In the version of the LXX. they follow immediately after chap. XXV. 13. See on that verse, and the Introductory Dissertation, sect. iv. 222 JEREMIAH. [chap. xlvi. 1 The word which Jeremiali the prophet spake to Baruch, tlie son of Neriah^ when he had written these words in a book from the mouth of Jeremiah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, 2 the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, concerning thee, O Baruch ! Thou hast 3 said, Alas ! now for me, for Jehovah hath added sorrow to my pain ; I am weary with my sighing, and find no repose. 4 Thus shalt thou say to him : Thus saith Jehovah, Behold ! that which I have built I will puU down, and that which I have planted, I will pluck up : and that with respect to all 5 the land : yet thou seekest great things for thyself ? Seek them not ; for behold ! I will bring calamity upon all flesh, saith Jehovah, but I will grant thee thy life for a prey in all the places whither thou mayest go. CHAPTEH XLVI. This chapter contains two distinct prophecies relating to Egypt : the first describes the discomfitiu-e of the Egyptian army under Pharaoh Necho, at Carchemish, by Nebuchadnezzar, 1 — 12 ; the second relates to the invasion and conquest of Egypt by the same monarch, 13 — 26. The chapter concludes with a brief prediction of the preservation of the Jewish people, 27, 28. That the prophet should commence his predictions against the foreign nations by delivering that against Egypt, is most natural, considering that he had just given, in the pre- ceding chapters, an account of his transportation to that country. 1 The word of Jehovah which was communicated to Jeremiah 2 the prophet concerning the nations, concerning Egypt, con- cerning the army of Pharaoh Necho, king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates, at Carchemish, which Nebu- chadnezzar, king of Babylon, smote in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah, king of Judali. 1. A general inscription to the col- c'i^n "7 '';, which has probably been copied lection of prophecies contained in this from chap. xxv. 13. and the following chapters agahist the 2. D'"}^'?^, concekningEgypt: thespe- nations. For the pcciilianly of the con- cial title to the two following predictions struction n|^rr-i?-in^n Ti'M, see on chap, concerning the Egyptians. '^^^, Kec//o, one xiv. 1. Instead of a'ijn-'^i.'', twelve of Ken- of the most renowned of the Pharaohs, nicott's and as many of De Rossi's MSS., was the sixth king of the twenty-sixth with several of the earlier editions, read dynasty, tlic son and successor of Psam- CHAP. XLVI.] JEREMIAH. 223 3 Prepare the buckler and the slneld, And appi'oach for the battle. 4 Bind to tlie liorses, and mount the steeds, And present yourselves in helmets ; Polish the lances, put on the coats of mail. 5 Why do I see them terrified ? They are turned back, and their heroes are beaten, Yea they do nothing but flee, they look not rounds Fear is on every side, Saith Jehovah. The swift shall not flee. Neither shall the hero escape ; In the north, By the bank of the river Euphrates, They shall stumble, they shall fall. meticluis, and the second of that name. With respect to the name itself, it is doubtless of Egyptian origin, though the Targ. and Syr. render it by ^T^Hj P 7 ]|..4>^Mf, t//e lame — a derivation ob- tained from the Hebrew phrase Q?''^"] hdj^ which has this significaiiou. After fitting out a fleet of discovery from the lied Sea along the coast of Africa, which actually doubled the Cape of Good Hope, and returned to Egypt by the Mediter- ranean, lie sent a powerful army through Palestine to check the progress of the Babylonians, whom he defeated at Car- chemish on the Euphrates, after having slain Josiah, king of Judah, who rashly attempted to oppose his march. Four years after this triumph over Nebuchad- nezzar, he again marched forth against him ; but the Babylonians, being pre- pared for his approach, completely routed his army at the same place, and he was compelled to return to Egypt, after losing all the territory which had been subject to the Pharaohs to the west of the Euphrates. See 2 Kings xxiv. 7. Eor •'B'??"'?, Carchemish, Cercusium, see my Comment, on Is. x. 9. 3. The prophet ironically summons the Egyptians to the attack, as if they might make sure of victory. The difference betAveen the ];>? and the n:!J, consisted in the former being of a smaller size, and being suspended on the left arm, whereas the latter was of the largest size, covering the whole body, and was used for the shelter of heavily armed infantry. 4. The horses were partly to be bound to the war-chariots and partly used for the cavalry. That the Egyptians em- ployed war-chariots in ancient times, see Exod. xiv. 7 ; xv. k Some suppose the cavalry or horse-troops to be addressed under the name of c^ctq, but it is more proper to confine the signification to the horses, the word being obviously parallel to D'ciD in the previous clause of the verse. The c'l-iis, helmets, or skull-caps, consisted either of brass or wood, and sometimes of rushes, skins, cloth, or felt. The ni3'-ip, coats of mail, or cui- rasses, were manufactured of brass or iron. The most perfect kind consisted of small circlets or rings of metal, worked into each other, which gave greater flexi- bility to the coat, and thus left the wearer more at liberty to move his body. In the latter half of the verse the infantry are addressed. 0. Though ■":? properly expresses pro- hibition, yet in poetry it is often used with the future to express simple nega- tion. In the bold language of poetry the Egyptians are represented as astounded at the formidable appearance of the Babylonian army. Their most courageous warriors are put to flight, and universal 224. JEREMIAH. [chap. XLVl. 7 Who is this tliat cometli up as the river. Whose waters toss themselves like the floods ? 8 Egypt Cometh up as the river. And the waters toss themselves like the floods ; And he saith, I will go up, I will cover the earth, I will destroy cities, and those who inhabit tliem. 9 Mount the horses, let tlie chariots dash along, And let the heroes march out ; Cush and Put handling the shield, And Lydians expert in the use of the bow. 10 For this is the day of the Lord, Jehovah of Hosts, A day of vengeance to be avenged of his adversaries. And the sword shall devour and be satiated, And it shall be drunk with their blood; For the Lord, Jehovah of Hosts, consternation prevails. So complete is the rout, that neither swiftness nor strength is of any avail. — ^^is^. The n local denotes rest in a place, as well as motion towards it, as ^)}?, in Babylon, chap. xxix. 15 ; nl^nj, in the habitation, Hab. iii. 11 ; and this same term ™io?, chap. i. 13, where see Note. 7, 8. The principal image here is taken from the Nile, which during its inun- dations oversjireads the surface of the country. In like manner the army of Pharaoh overspread the country on the south of the Euphrates. "ii<:, originally an Egyptian word, is almost exclusively used of the Nile in the Hebrew Scrip- tures. As, however, that river only rises gently, the image borrowed from it, is ex- chauged for one taken from other rivers, whose violent rush more aptly sets forth the proud and impetuous advance of an army. i'?, citi/, is here, without the article, a collective noun, and is to be rendered in the plural. Thus Rosen- miiller, Scholz, Hitzig. 9. A continuation of the irony intro- duced at verse 3. The native Egyptians never appear to have been distinguished by physical strength, which Michaclis ascribes to the heat of the climate, the absence of laborious exercise, abstinence from the use of animal food, and other causes. Hence they employed merce- naries in their armies, hired from the different nations with which they came in contact, especially those specified in this verse. Apries had no fewer than thirty thousand Carians and louians in his service. Eor i2i3 Cush, see my com- ment on Is. xi. 11. 1213 Put, according to Joseph^^s, means Mauritania, in which Pliny places a river of the same name. The mention of the D'T"', Li/dians, along with this name, sufficiently shows that an African people so called, and not the Lydians of Asia Minor, are intended. The construction rr^Ji '?-ii '-c?'"^ is worthy of notice : lit. the handlers of the Ijenders of the tjoiD. The former of the two par- ticipial nouns, if used alone with bow, would express the simple idea of archers ; but to express the idea more emphati- cally, the second is also used, which shows the particular manner in which the bow is used, namely by bending it with the foot. Both participles are ad sensum in construction with n©;?, and are in apposition with each other. Com- pare for similar instances of double con- struction ''in '.3TO'i3 *:ai», Deut. xxxiii. 19. ni-70 '?r 'mti, Is. xix\ 11. 10 — 12. The complete slaughter of the Egyptian army is represented as a great sacrifice, for which many animals were killed. Compare Is. xxxiv. (5 — 8. By a bold figure, the sword is repre- sented as feasting on the flesh and blood of those who were slaughtered. Eor CHAP. XLVI.] JEREMIAH. 225 11 12 13 U Hath a sacrifice in the north country. By the river Euphrates. Go up to Gilead, and take balsam, O virgin-daughter of Egypt ! In vain dost thou multiply medicines, There is no cure for thee. The nations have heard of thy disgrace, And thy cry hath filled the earth ; For hero stumbleth over hero, Both of them are fallen together. The word which Jehovah spake to Jeremiah the prophet when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to smite the land of Egypt. Declare ye in Egypt ! publish ye in Migdol ! Yea, publish ye in Noph and say ye in Tahpanhes ! Present thyself, and get ready. For the sword devoureth around thee. Why is thy mighty one thrown down ? the balm of Gilead, see on chap. viii. 21, 22. Egypt is called a virgin, because she had never been brought uuder the power of auy foreign monarch. So com- plete was to be the overthrow, that the loss was never to be retrieved. 13. Whether the prophecy contained in the remaining part of the chapter was delivered at the same time with the pre- ceding, we have no means of ascertaining ; but the events in which it received its accomplishment did not take place till sixteen years after the destruction of Je- rusalem by the Chaldeans, Ezek. xxix. 17. In the absence of all historical re- ference to the subject on Egyptian mo- numents, and likewise in Greek writers, most of whom do not appear to have been acquainted with Nebuchadnezzar, we possess no means of throwing light upon the circumstauces connected with the successful expedition of that monarch into Egypt, beyond what we find in the prophetic record. The only time to which we can refer that expedition, is that which was subsequent to his conquest of Tyre in the year b. c. 5S5. Having spent thirteen years in the siege of that city and obtained nothing for his pains, the prophet Ezekiel, in the passage above referred to, promises him Egypt as his reward for having destroyed the laud- influence of that maritime power, and describes iu most glowing language the results of his expedition, chaps, xxx. xxxi. xxxii. Miserably harassed by in- testine broils, the country became an easy prey to his army, which, besides destroying it, and taking many of the inhabitants captive, carried away an im- mense booty. li. A further instance of the same irony which the prophet had employed, verses 3, 4 and 9. The Egyptians are summoned to stand on their defence. 15, 16. The fruitlessness of mihtary resistance, the complete discomfiture and confusion of the troops, and their Might to their respective countries, are graphi- cally represented. Eor ^7?«, t/ii/ mi/jhty ones, fifty-five MSS., perhaps another, and four more at first hand, the Soncin. and Brixian Editions, the LXX. and Vulg. read ^yw., thi/ mighti/ one, which some interpreters, after the rendering of the LXX. o "ATTt? (5 fjLoarxos 6 eKkeKTos aov, G G 226 JEREMIAH. [chap. xlyi. 16 17 IS 19 He standeth not, for Jehovali liatli thrust liim down. Numerous are tliose who stumble, They fall even one against another ; And they say : Arise, and let us return to our people. And to the land of our nativity, From the cruel sword. There they announced : Pharaoh, king of Egypt, is destroyed ; He hath suffered the season to pass. As I live, saith the King, Whose name is Jehovah of Hosts, As Tabor is among the mountains, And as Carmel by the sea, so he cometh. Make for thyself vessels for captivity, O daughter-inhabitress of Egypt ! For Noph shall be desolate. And la,id waste, without an inhabitant. explain of Ajiis, the bull to which divine honours were paid at Memphis, where he had a temple. Viewed in this light there is a striking contrast between the weakness of the idol, notwithstanding 1he power that his worshippers might have ascribed to him, and the true God, who is frequently styled ■T'?«, the mightjj one. What led the LXX. to think of Apis was doubtless the circumstance of the terra being applied to bulls, Ps. xxii. 13; 1. 13. Though we have no account of Nebuchadnezzar's having destroyed the sacred bull, this was actually done by Cambyses, king of Persia. 16. nn^n, "^^i^is and 'JPJ are to be taken as collectives, as the following plural formes cleai-ly show. 17. There, in their own count ries, they spread the information that Pharaoh was destroyed. Heb. "C''^'^, desf ruction in the abstract. The words ^i:i'^:^ I'rJT have been variously interpreted, but the true sense seems to be that Pharaoh, instead of exerting himself to the utmost in re- cruiting his forces and putting his country in a proper state of defence after the de- feat at Cliarchemish, spent the tinu^ in inactivity, and, in consequence, fell an -easy prey to I he invader. IS, 19. Stark, Eosenmiiller, Dahlor, and Scholz are of opinion, that it is Pha- raoh wdio is here compared to Tabor and Carmel; but it is more agreeable to the context to refer it to Nebuchadnezzar, whom, though not mentioned, the prophet has in his eye. As these mountains towered high above all the mountains of Palestine, so the king of Babylon had proved, and would still jn-ove himself su- perior to all other monarchs. Tabor is 1,755 feet, and Carmel 1,500, above the level of the Mediterranean. The latter is particidarly distinguished by its form- ing a bold promontory on the coast. In rtip. '>'5,3 we have the genitive of object, vessels of wood or skin, such as would contain food or other necessaries which the captives would require for their jour- ney. Prom the identity of form between nn'sp'nji m'cv and ''??'"5 '^li^>\ Zech. ii. 11, where unquestionably the Jews are meant, it has been thought that those Jews who were resident in Egypt are addressed here : it is more in keeping, however, with the spirit of the passage, to consider the words as directed to the Egyptians. The two former nouns are, therefore, to be taken in apposition, and are simply descriptive of the inhabitants. CHAP. XLVi.] JEREMIAH. 227 20 Egypt is a very beautiful heifer, Destruction from the north hath entered her. 21 Her very mercenaries in the midst of her Are like well-fed heifers ; Yet even they turn round. They flee together, they stand not : For the day of their destruction hath come upon them, The time of their visitation. 22 Her cry proceedeth like a serpent, For they march with valour, * And come against her with axes, As hewers of wood. 23 They cut down her forest, saith Jehovah, Though it is impenetrable ; For they are more numerous than the locusts, Yea, they are innumerable. 2i The daughter of Egypt is confounded. She is delivered into the hand of the people of the north. 25 Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel, saith : Behold ! I will punish Amnion of No, And Pharaoh, and Egypt, And her gods and her kings. Both Pharaoh, and those who confide in him ; 26 And I will deliver them into the hand of those who seek their life. Even into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, 20. n;D-n^D> is an intensive compound should the Egyptians betake themselves form of hd;, and should properly be writ- to flight before the Chaldean army, ten as one word, as it is exhibited in 23. -mD is preferable to the imperative many of Kennicott and De Rossi's MSS. ^n??, which some have proposed to read. Comp. n'?;?:; Ps. xlv. 3.— pi?, destruction, 25. For ^^-p p^^w Ammono/No, see my for the "concrete destroyer)' horn '^y,, to Comment, on Nahum iii. S. The pre- ciit, cut off, destroy.— li «? were re- position in this case mdicates the place peated for the sake of emphasis, the first where Jupiter Ammon had his celebrated would occur at the beginning of tlie sen- temple. The kmgs here spoken ol were fence. The second «3 is wanting in some not kings of Egypt, of which country MSS., and, instead of it, about 'one hun- Pharaoh-Necho was at the time sole nion- dred, supported by all the ancient ver- arch, but the rulers of those nations sions, read m, mto her, i.e. Egypt. which were allied with her. 22. As a serpent makes the best of 20. In the time of Cyrus, about iorty its escape, hissmg when the tree is felled years after the subjugation of Egypt by imder which it has been lurking, so Nebuchadnezzar, tiiat country threv/ oil 328 JEREMIAH. [chap, xlvii. And into the hand of his ministers : But afterwards it shall be inhabited As in ancient days, saitli Jehovah. 27 But thou, fear thou not, O my servant Jacob ! Neither be thou dismayed, O Israel ! For behold ! I will deliver thee from afar. And thy seed from the land of their captivity ; And Jacob shall return and be tranquil, and at rest. And none shall make him afraid. 28 Fear thou not, O my servant Jacob ! Saith Jehovah, for I am with thee ; Though I make an end of all nations Whither I have driven thee, Yet I will not make an end of thee. But I will chastise thee as is meet. For I cannot leave thee altogether unpunished. the Babylonian yoke ; but, though it so until the present day. See Ezek. xxix. far recovered, it never regained its former 11 — 15. prowess, and has continued to be held 28. A repetition almost verbatim of in servile subjection by foreign powers chap. xxx. 11. CHAPTER XLVII. This chapter contains a prophecy relating to the Philistines, whose country was overrun by the army of Nebuchadnezzar during, or immediately after the siege of Tyre, while prosecuting his march towards Egypt. 1 The -v^ord of Jehovah which was communicated to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the Philistines, before Pharaoh 2 had smitten Gaza. Thus saith Jehovah : Behold ! waters come up from the north, And they are become an overflowing torrent. They overflow the land and its fulness. The city and its inhabitants ; l.We have no means of determining on It was, however, probably on his return what occasion Pharaoh conquered Gaza. aftcrobtainingthevictoryatCharchcmish. CHAP. XLVii.] JEREMIAH. 229 So that meu cry out^ And every inhabitant of the land howleth, 3 At the sound of the stamping of the hoofs of his mighty steedsj At the bounding of his chariots^ The rumbling of his wheels : The fathers turn not round to the children Eor feebleness of hands : 4 Because of the day that cometh. To destroy all the Phihstines, To cut off every remaining auxiliary Of Tyre and Zidon ; For Jehovah will destroy the Philistines, The remnant of the island of Caphtor. 5 Baldness is come on Gaza, Ashkelon is destroyed, With the rest of their valley : How long wilt thou wound thyself ? G O sword of Jehovah ! How long wilt thou not be at rest ? Retire into thy scabbard ? Rest and be still ? 7 How canst thou be at rest ? For Jehovah hath given it a charge Against Ashkelon, and against the sea-coast. There he hath appointed it. 4. The Philistines, being the neigh- mourning on account of some awful hours of the PhcEuicians, would naturally catastrophe. pr?V is used not only of a make a common cause with them in case valley, but also of a long low plam, such of forei"-n invasion. By lin??, Caphtor, as that occupied by the Philistmes along almost all the ancient, interpreters un- the shore of the Mediterranean below derstand Cappadocia ; Gesenius favours the mountainous country ot Judea on the opinion, that Crete was intended ; the east. , , • at t, but Michaelis, Scholz, and Michelson in 6, 7. The prophet apostrophizes T^ebu- Kitto, think that the island of Cyprus chadnezzar as the instrument ot Jeliovah was meant. Comp. Deut. ii. 23, and in punishing the guilty nations in aud Amos is. 7. about Palestine. After addressmg the 5. The nation of the Philistines is re- sword in the second person, the prophet, presented as a female who has torn her turning to his hearers, speaks ot it m hair and cut her flesh in token of deep the third, ver. 7. No MS. reads ^^ 230 JEREMIAH. [ciiAr. xLviir. CHAPTER XLVIIT. CONCERNING MOAB. This prophecy is couched iu higlily poetical language, and some parts of it are rather to be regarded in the light of an amplified edition of Is. xv. xvi. than an original composition of Jeremiah. The hypothesis of Hitzig, that the passages common to the two prophets are interpolations by some person who lived in the times of the Maccabees, is, like many of the positions of that critic, destitute of the least shadow of proof. Equally unsupported is the opinion which others have advanced, that both copied from an earlier writer. That what are called interpolations are really such, cannot be maintained. They are rather to be con- sidered free quotations, more or less complete, as suited the object of our prophet. Sometimes the words are given verbatim, but more frequently the phraseology is either abbreviated or commented on; sometimes a word is exchanged for its synonyme, sometimes a phrase for a corresponding phrase. The extracts are not made in regular succession, but partly from one part of tlie oracle of Isaiah, and partly from another. The diction bears marks of the deteriorated Hebrew of the age of Jeremiah ; yet in some instances there is a decided improvement on the language of the earlier prophet. Some of the dis- crepancies are attributable to transcription. See the original of both in Gesenius's Isaiah, vol. ii. pp. 511 — 513, and the judicious remarks of Professor Stuart in the Biblical Repos. vol. vii. pp. 123, 124. The prophecy was most probably composed on occasion of the part which the Moabites took against the Jews, as auxiliaries to the Chaldeans in the days of Nebuchadnezzar, 2 Kings xxiv. 2 ; and its fulfilment is to be referred to their subjugation by the same monarch on his way to Egypt, five years after the destruction of Jerusalem. See Josephus, Jewish Antiquites, book x. chap. 9, § 7. The oracle commences with the conquest of Moab, and the universal lamentation which it occasioned, 1 — 5. The removal of Chemosh, the chief god of the country, and the completeness of the destruction, are next set forth, 6 — 10. The prophet then shows, that notwithstanding the proud spirit of the Moabites, engendered by their unvaried prosperity, they should assuredly be conquered, 11 — 17 ; and, lest any of the cities should cherish the hope of escape, an enumeration of the principal cities that were to suffer is specially given, 18 — 25. Then follows an exposure of the proud exultation in which they indulged at the calamities of the Jews, 26 — 30. The rest of the chapter is made up of mingled predictions of the universal devastation which was to ensue, and the deep lamentation which it would naturally produce, 31 — 10. The whole concludes with a gracious promise of future prosperity, 47. The travellers Seetzen, Burckhardt, Irby, Mangles, Banks, Legh, Buckingham, and Robinson, have thrown much light on the geography of the region formerly occupied by the Moabites ; many of the ruins bear the ancient names which occur in Scripture. CHAP. XLVIII.] JEREMIAH. 231 CONCERNING MOAB. Thus saith Jehovali of Hosts, the God of Israel, Alas ! for Nebo, for it is laid waste, Kiriathaim is put to sliame, it is taken ; Misgab is put to shame and confounded. The glorying of Moab in Heshbon is no more, They have devised calamity against her ; " Come and let us cut her off from being a nation ;' Thou also, O Madmen, shalt be destroyed ; The sword shall follow thee. The sound of a shriek from Horonaira, Devastation and great destruction. Moab is destroyed ; Her little ones cause a shriek to be heard. Surely in the ascent of Luhith, Weeping ariseth upon weeping ; 1. Nebo, see on Is. xv. 2. i^-'Oni^, Kiriathaim (double town), a place of great antiquity, originally possessed by the limim, Gen. xiv. 5, and afterwards at two different times by the Moabites. It is placed by Eusebius ten miles west of Medebah. 22ir'p, Misgab, occurs ordy here as a proper name, which, as derived from 3?w, to be high, indicates that it occupied an elevated position. How the LXX. got, and what they understood by, ^Afxad Kcil 'Ayad, it is impossible to say. 2. ]i^"i^i7, Ileshbon, an ancient and royal city, nearly midway between the rivers Jabbok and Aruou, called by Eusebius and Jerome Esbus, wovf HesbiDi, the ruins of which cover the sides of an elevated hill, which commands an extensive view of the 3ui-rounding country. Erom its liaving been the object of glorying on the part of the Moabites, it must have been one of their chief cities, and doubt- less was strongly fortified. Comp. Numb, xxi. 25 — 30, most of which passage is highly poetic, and part of which is copied by our prophet, vers. 45, 46. On the arrival of the Hebrew^s from Egypt, it was the royal residence of Sihon, king of the Amorites. — Observe the parono- masia in i2T?i7 — i^^-CT. Though the words arc separated by the division which I have adopted, it little, if at all, affects the paronomasia. The common division represents Heshbon as the place where the plan was laid for the conquest of the covintry, which is less suitable. — In yy^Q •"Q^n is a slight paronomasia. Of the city called Madmen we have no further ac- count. If we may infer from the signi- fication of its name {dunghill, from ^9^), it must have occupied a low situation. 3 — 5. There is no reason why, with three MSS., we should change 77?^, her little ones, into ^'^"4, LXX. eis Zoyopa, to Zoar, to make the text agree with "»?a 15>, Is. XV. 5. The children are beautifully introduced as augmenting the melancholy and distressing scene by their pitiable shrieks. 7T?'?, which is found in many MSS., and the Soncin. and Brix. editions, is only a different form of the same word. — 'i^s is an instance of the construct for the absolute ons. — D^:iin, Iloronaim, which signifies the double caves, is only referred to besides, in Neh. ii. 10 ; Is. xv. 5 ; ver. 34 of the present chapter, and Josephns, Antiq. xiii. 15, § 4, where, among other cities of Moab, he mentions 'Opcoi/a?. ^^7, way, used by Isaiah, is here changed into the more definite "t?to, descent, indicating that it lay low in comparison of n^f?'"'', Liihith, which is represented as being liigh in position. In nbv: — n'?yn is a S32 JEREMIAH. [chap, xlviii. Surely in tlie descent of Horonaim, The enemies hear the cry of destruction. 6 Flee^ rescue your life ; And be as the juniper in the desert. 7 Surely because thy confidence was In thy works and in thy treasures, Thou also shalt be taken ; And Chemosh shall go into captivity. His priests and his princes together. 8 And the destroyer shall come to every city, And no city shall escape ; The valley also shall be ruined. And the plain shall be destroyed ; As Jehovah hath spoken. Give wings to Moab, That flying she may depart. And her cities become desolate, Without an inhabitant in them. 10 Cursed be he that doeth the work of Jehovah deceitfully. And cursed be he that withholdeth his sword from blood. 11 Moab hath been secure from his youth. And he hath settled on his lees ; beautiful paronomasia. Instead of '3|, star, which would seem to counteuaiice ifeeping, we have ia in Isaiah. How the the opinion that he corresponded to former should be far more difficult than Saturn. Comp. Numb. xxi. 29 ; Judg. xi. the latter, and how it could hardly have 21 ; 1 Kings xi. 7 ; 2 Kings xxiii. 13. originated with Jeremiah, Gescuius does When idolaters were vanquished they not inform us. always took care, if possible, to carry G. For i:^i"i5? see on chap. xvii. G. The their gods with them on their flight. LXX., who render the word in that 9. NSn «s: — ys form a paronomasia, passage by dypiofxypiKi], translate here i^i^J stands for nia: on account of the ovos ayptos. following verb. 7. By tlieD'ip»'?, «ror/^5of thcMoabites, 10. To give the greater force to the I understand their fortifications. In this representation of the completeness of construction of the term I find I have Moab's destruction, a curse is pro- been anticipated by the LXX., Syr., and nounced against the Chaldeans if they "Vulg. They must either signify these, did not faithfully and zealously execute or their idolatrous deeds zealously per- the commission which Jehovah had given formed in honour of Chemosh, men- them. tioned innncdiatcly after. 'O'??, Kcri 11. The Moabites, never having been TTin?, Chemosh, the national deity of the removed l)y any enemy from their native Moabites and Ammonites, supposed by soil, retained all their national pride, and Jerome to liavc been Baal-Peor. Ac- possessed great riches and strength, cording to Jewish tradition he was Strikingly to set forth this state of pro- worshipped under the symbol of a black spcrity, the prophet employs a mctaplior CHAP. XLViii.] JEREMIAH. 233 He hath not been poured from vessel to vessel^ Neither hath lie gone into captivity : Therefore his flavour remaineth in him, And his scent is unchanged. 12 Therefore, behold ! the days come, saith Jehovah, When I will send to him overturners, Who shall overturn him, They shall empty his vessels. And break their bottles in pieces. 13 Then shall Moab be ashamed of Chemosh, As the house of Israel were ashamed of Bethel, The object of their confidence. 14 How can ye say, We are heroes, And men of power for war ? 15 Moab is destroyed, and her cities arc gone up, The choice of his youth are gone down to the slaughter, Saith the King, Jehovah of Hosts is his name. 16 The disaster of Moab cometli soon, And his calamity hasteth apace. 17 Bewail him all ye who are around him. And let all who know his name say : How is the strong sceptre broken ! The beautiful staff! 18 Come down from glory, and sit in misery, taken from the treatment of wine, wliicli, tween rfi* and T"V. The only construction after its fermentation, is left for a time that can be put upon tlie former verb, on its lees, in order to preserve its is that of the cities going up iu smoke, strength and flavour. To render it fit when set on lire by the enemy. Comp. for use, it is then filtered or drawn from Josli. viii. 20, 21 ; Judges xx. 40. When one vessel into another. See on Is. this took place, the young warriors wovdd i;xv. 6. _ _ rapidly come down from their burning 12. ny^ signifies_ to turn on one side, fortresses, but only to be slain by the foe. or incline a vessel iu order to empty it IG. As this prophecy was delivered in of its contents. Arab. U.o, inclinatus ^^ f'^"^"^'' ^""^^ ^^ Jehoiakim, and Nebu- ^^' chadnczzar invaded the neighbouring ftdt. Conjug. iv. Effecit ut inclinaretur countries five years after the destruction vas. The verb overturn does not quite of Jerusalem, about twenty-three years express the idea, but it is (he best I can must have elapsed between the two find. events : yet, in prophetic vision, Jere- 13. Chemosh should no more be al:)lc miali sees the fall of Moab as near at to defend the Moabites, than the golden hand. calf set up by Jeroboam had been to pro- 18. '^ffi', Keri 'am. For Bibon, see on tect the Israelites. Is. xv. 2. Being plentifully supplied 1.5. There is a marked antithesis be- wilh water, Is. xv. 9, its inluibitants are n II 23 i JEREMIAH. [chap, xlviii. O inliabitress, daughter of Dibon ! For the destroyer of Moab cometb up to tliee. He shall destroy thy fortresses. 19 Stand by the way, aud look out, O inhabitress of Aroer ! Ask the fugitive and the escaped, Say : what hath happened? 20 Moab is ashamed, because he is broken down ; Howl and cry out ; Proclaim it at Arnon, That Moab is destroyed. 21 Judgment is also come on the champain country. On Holon, and on Jachza, and on Mephaath. 22 And on Dibon, and on Nebo, and on Beth-Diblathaim, 23 And on Kiriathaim, and on Beth-gamul, and on Beth-meon. 21 And on Kerijoth, and on Bozrah ; And on all the cities of the land of JMoab, Those that are distant and those that are near. 25 The horn of Moab is hewn down. And his arm is broken, Saith Jehovah. 26 Make him drunk. For he hath magnified himself against Jehovah. So that Moab may wallow in his vomit. And become the veriest object of derision. summoned to come down iuto the arid tlie country was in the possessibn of the region of Arabia Deserta, to wliich they Hebrews. ^'^}, the Bozrah here men- should be obliged to flee. «p^* means tioned, is different from that occurring here a dry and thirsty land. Is. xxxiv. 6, which was situated in the 19. i?ii??, Aroer, was situated on the country of Idunia;a. That it was the northern bank of the Arnon, where, on city of the same name in the Hauran is the edge of a precipice, Barckhardt fell highly improbable. See on Is. xxxiv. 6. in with its ruins. As it lay in the way 26. In reference to the symbolical of the Moabites who fled into the desert, action described chap. xxv. 15, Moab its inhabitants are represented as in- was represented as about to be reduced quiring, what was the occasion of their to a state of degraded aud derisive flight. wretchedness. pEp signiGes to draw or 20-21. To present the complete de- ^^^^-^^ ^j^^ ^.^^^^ together, Arab. /iA^, to struction oi the country more vividly to " w^ the view, a graphic enumeration is given turn bach or down. The idea here ex- of its cities, respecting which little or pressed is that of a person completely notliing is knov.'n, further I ban that some overcome with liquor, sinking down and of them were cities of the Ijcvitcs, when turning or wallowing in his vomit. See CHAP. XLvm.] JEREMIAH. 235 27 For was not Israel an object of derision to thee ? Was lie found among thieves ? For as often as thou spakest against him, Thou didst shake thy head. 28 Abandon the cities and dwell in the rock, inhabitants of Moab ! And be as a dove that resteth in the passages Of the mouth of the abyss. 29 We have heard of the haughtiness of Moab, his excessive pride, His pride and his haughtiness and his insolence, And the loftiness of his heart. 30 I know, saith Jehovah, his indignation, And the falsehood of his pretensions, The falsehood which he practises. 31 Therefore I will howl for Moab, 1 will cry out for the whole of Moab, Moan for the men of Kir-heres. 32 With the weeping of Jazer I will weep for thee, O vine of Sibmah ! Meier's Hebriiisclies Wurzelworterbuch, iu the clefts of tlie rock. Tlie words, on pp. 314, 315. «in-D| is emphatic. There tlie whole, are the same iu both pabsagcs; is in this, and the following verse, a re- but are partly varied by Jeremiah, in such fereuce to the violent occupation of the a manner as to show, that he, and not Hebrew territory beyond Jordan on the Isaiah, was the copyist. While the Ian- part of the Moabites. gnage of ver. 30 is that of Jehovah, that 28. It is not unusual for wild doves to of ver. 31 and 32 is to be ascribed to the have their nests ui the sides and roofs of prophet. It is no unusvial thing witli the caverns. prophets to introduce the expression of — (pvyev (Scrre Tre'Xeia their own feelings, while denouncing 'H pa 6' vTT 'ipT]Kos KolXr]u elaeTTTaro judgments against transgressors. See 7T€Tpr]v.—IlMcl. xxi. 493. chap. xxiii. 9. Micali i. 8. Por the Qualisspeluncasubitocommotacolumba, meaning of !?■«'' and via, see my Com- Cui donius, et dulces latebroso iu pumice mcnt. on Isaiah. Subaud. it-f before ^^s. nidi.— jEi/eid. v. 213. Por ntp^n-i'p in Isaiidi, our prophet uses 29—31. Comp. Is. xvi. 6, 7. The as- the shorter form ic^n^'V-- as in Isaiah xvi. sertion of Gescnius, that the words of 11. For the change of '■i'^'?^ into ^^7^, Isaiah, which iiave there so suitable a see on Is. xvi. 7. ^i% ver. 31, I cau- refereuce, lose it iu Jeremiah, is without not but suppose to be an error of any foundation. The reference is not, transcription for nan^, which is found in indeed, the same ; but the language, as two MSS. introduced by our prophet, tliough not 32. Some treat n in ;5?p as the sign of tliat of a reply, on the part of the Jews, comparison, but I take it to be equivalent comes iu with good effect, after an iron- to ^ in the sense of ivit/i, or as expressing ical call to the Moabites to take refuge the material of which any thing consists, 236 JEREMIAH. [chap, xlviii. Thy tendrils passed over to the sea. They reached to the sea of Jazer : The destroyer hath fallen Upon thy fruit-harvest and thy vintage. 33 And joy and gladness are taken away From the fruitful field, even from the land of Moab ; For I have caused the wine to cease from the presses. There shall be no treading with shouting : The shouting shall be no shouting. 34 At the cry of Heshbon they raise their voice To Elealeh, to Jahaz — From Zoar to Horonaim, to Eglath-Shelishiyah ; For even the waters of Nimrim ai'e wasted, 35 And I will cause to cease in Moab, saith Jehovah, Him that oflPereth on the high -place. And him that burnetii incense to his gods. 36 Therefore my heart moaneth for Moab, like pipes. Yea, my heart moaneth like pipes, for the men of Kir-heres, Because the remaining things which they had acquired are perished. 37 Surely on every head is baldness. And every beard is cut off; On all hands are incisions. And on the loins sackcloth. 38 On all the roofs of Moab, And in all her streets There is mourning ; For I have broken Moab, Like a vessel in which is no pleasure, Saith Jehovah. 39 How she is broken ! they howl, as irao, Deut. xxxiii. 13, 14 ; such wee})- of persons bewailing the destrucliou of ing as that of the inhabitants of Jazer on their property. account of the destruction of their vines. 34. Tor Bglath - SMisMi/ah, see on. For the rest of the verse, see my Comment. Is. xv. 5. on Is. xvi. 8, 9. 37. Instead of \:r\i, ten MSS., origi- 33. nv «'' ^7^ the slwuting shall he no nally six more, and perhaps another, read shouting, i. e. it shall not be the joyous I'^na ; but see on Is. xv. 2. It was cus- shoutiug of the labourers treading out tomary with the nations of antiquity to the grapes, but only that of warriors or cut themselves in giving vent to excessive CHAP. XLViii.] JEREMIAH. 237 How Moab ashamed hath turned her back ! Yea, Moab hath become an object of derision. And of dismay to all around her. 40 For thus saith Jehovah, Behold ! he shall fly as an eagle ; And spread his wings over Moab. 4 The cities are taken, And the fortresses captured ; And tbe heart of the heroes of Moab shall be in that day Like the heart of a travailing woman. 42 For Moab shall be destroyed from being a people. Because he magnified himself against Jehovah. 43 Terror, and the pit, and the snare. Are upon thee, O inhabitant of Moab ! Saith Jehovah. 44 He that fleeth from the terror Shall fall into the pit. And he that cometh up from the pit Shall be taken in the snare : For I will bring upon Moab the year of their punishment, Saith Jehovah. 45 The fugitives stood powerless in the shade of Heshbon ; grief, but all such expressions of mouru- few variations, this and the following ing were forbidden to the Hebrews, Lev. verse are borrowed. ^'^ being of common xix. 28. gender takes the masculine i<^', as ^D'' ^.H, 40. " He," i. e. Nebuchadnezzar. Ps. civ. 4. nw^^', tlie reading of theorigi- 43, 44. See on Is. xxiv. 17, 18, whence, nal, Numb, xxi.28, is found here in about with little variation, the words are taken, twenty MSS. and sixteen editions, but it D'sn, the Keri rightly psri. n''j«, is anti- may only be an emendation, to make the cipative of 3«io-'7«, as the pronominal word in both places agree. Tlie last suffixes frequently are in the Ai'amaic words of the verse are an imitation of dialects. part of the prophecy of Balaam, Numb. 45. The Moabites fled for refuge to xxiv. 17, where n© for n«\i; corresponds Heshbon, but as the army of Nebuchad- to p'^'^ in Jeremiah. Both are from n.^©^ nezzar entered the country from the to rage, make a tumult. The Moabites north, that city would be the first point are called " sons of tumult," or " tumul- of attack, and, on its being conquered, tuous," on account of their furious roar devastation would spread over the whole when giving battle to their enemies. For territory. |n'? SUwn, the name of the r^% the corner of the heard, see on chap, ancient king of Heshbon, when it was in ix. 25. If we render "^VVl, crown of the possession of the Amorites. It is the head, we must for the sake of cousis- here used elliptically for pp-i'3?, the city tency render n«B, corner of the beard, '^^Jl of Sihon. Comp. pnoT? and ]n'p n^i;^ being understood. Dropping tlie meta- Numb.xxi. 27, 28, from which, with some phors we might give the passage thus : 238 JEREMIAH. [chap. xlix. But a fire hatli gone forth from Heshbon, And a flame from the midst of Sihon^ And it hath devoured the corner of the beard of Moab, And the crown of the head of the sons of tumult. 46 Alas for thee, O Moab ! The people of Chemosh have perished ; For thy sons are taken away into captivity. And thy daughters into the captive state. 47 Nevertheless I will reverse the captivity of Moab, In the latter days, saith Jehovah : Thus far the judgment on Moab. the corners of Moab, (uhI the highest point tlie restoration of the Moabites to tlie of the sons of tumult. The devastation political importance which they formerly was to reach the most elevated, and the possessed ; but from several references most remote parts of the country. The in Josephus, it appears that the country genders in ''7^ and ^''^^ arc purposely had again become inhabited. Antlq. xiii. chosen to correspond to D'pa and ni:3. 13. § 5 ; 14. § 2 ; 15. § 4. 47. We have no historical accounts of CHAPTER XLIX. The predictions contained in this chapter belong to the same period with those iu the preceding. See the preface to chap, xlviii. We have first a short prophecy relating to the Ammonites, 1 — 6 ; then one re- specting the Idumaeaus, 7 — 22. This is followed by brief predictions concerning the Damascenes, 23 — 27 ; the Kedareues and Hazorites, 2S — 33 ; and the Elamites, 34—39. 1 CONCERNING AMMON. Thus saith Jehovah : Hath Israel no sons? Hath he no heir ? 1. t'""3« '31'?, Concerning the Ammon- the tribes of Reuben and Gad. In con- ITES. The Ammonites were descended junction with their allies, the Syrians, from Lot, and occupied the territory to Amalekites, Moabites, and other nations, the north of the country of Moab, hom the Anmionites were often engaged in which it was separated by the River war with the Hebrews. They sent Arnon. On the west, between them and auxib'ury troops to assist Nebuchadnez- the Jordan, lay the country belonging to zar at the conquest of Jervisalem, and CHAP. xLix.] JEREMIAH. 239 Why doth their king inherit Gad ? And his people inhabit its cities ? 2 Therefore, behold ! the days come, saith Jehovah, When I will cause the M'ar-shout To be heard at Eabbali of the sous of Ammon, And she shall become a desolate heap ; Her daughters also shall be burned with fire, And Israel shall possess those who possessed him, Saith Jehovah. 3 Howl, O Heshbon ! for Ai is destroyed ; Cry out, O daughters of Eabbah; Gird on sackcloth. Mourn, and run to and fro by the walls, For their king is gone into captivity. His priests and his princes together. 4 Why shouldst thou boast of the valleys ? Thy valley is flowing, O apostate daughter ! That trusted in her treasures, saying. Who can come to me ? 5 Behold ! I will bring fear upon thee, Saith the Lord, Jehovah of Hosts, From all around thee ; proudly exulted over its fall ; and at last, villages, wbieh were dependent upon when the two tribes and a half were it for protection and support. Coiiip. carried into captivity, they took pos- Josh. xv. 44—47. Hitzig ascribes the session of their country. It is to this absence of the regular transposition of last circumstance, that tlie pointed in- the ri and the MJ in n:'.?'iTOnrT to tiie in- terrogations in tliis verse refer. Tor fluence of the reduplication of the to, D3'?'?, their king, see on Amos i. 15 ; which, for the sake of euphony, required V. 26, and Zeph. i. 5. To Jehovah as the n to be removed further back. The king of the Hebrews, the country oecu- city having been destroyed, and the re- pied by them peculiarly belonged. This ligious establishment broken up, nothing the Ammonites had usurped, and placed but the walls M'cre left ; beside which the under the protection of Moloch, who, in inhabitants of the neighbouring places a theocratic sense, is here called their are tauntingly invited to walk, and con- king, template the melancholy scene. 2. n3-i, Rabbah, i.e. the great, the me- 4, 5. The valleys, which, from their tropolis of the Ammonites. See my fertility, might be said to iiow with milk Comment, on Amos i. 14. and honey, were now to flow with the 3. '», Ai, a city of the Ammonites, blood of the slain. The Ammonites probably lying opposite to Heshbon, and might be called "apostates," because, which being taken, the turn came to instead of worshipping Jehovah, the God the latter city, then belonging to the of their father Lot, tliey were the wor- Moabites. By " the daughters of Rab- shippers of Moloch. Before tlie intor- bah " are meant the adjacent towns and rogative '>?, who, the verb "^P^ is to be 240 JEREMIAH. [chap. xlix. And ye shall be driven away, each one before him, And there shall be none collecting the fugitives. Nevertheless, afterwards I will reverse The captivity of the children of Ammon, Saith Jehovah. CONCERNING EDOM. Thus saith Jehovah of Hosts, Is there no longer wisdom in Teman ? Hath counsel failed from the intelligent ? Is their wisdom expended ? Elee, turn, dwell deep, O inhabitants of Dedan ! For I will bring the destruction of Edom upon him, The time when I will punish him. understood, eitlier iu tlie common form, ifcK?, or in that of nnib? n^oi^rr, wliicli is found iu three of the early editions, whenee, in the opinion of De Rossi, it lias found its way into two or three MSS. The LXX. supplies the ellipsis by »? 'Xeyovaa. T]3 is to be takeu as a col- lective. 6. This prediction was {jrobably ful- filled iu the tune of Cyrus. Iu that of the Maccabees, the Ammonites were a powerful people, 1 Mace v 0, 7. 7. Diiss'3, Concerning Edom. See on Is. xxxiv. 5, and Amos i. 11. Between certain parts of this prophecy and por- tions of that of Obadiah there is such a palpable agreement, that there cannot remain a doubt but that one of them must have read the work of the other. The more probable opinion is, that priority in point of time is to be assigned to Obadiah, and that Jeremiah borrowed from him ji\st as he has done from the books of Numbers and Isaiah. See pre- face to Obadiali. — For i^'n, Teman, as a province and city of Idumaja, see on Amos i. 12. Its philosophy was celebrated in the most ancient times. See on Obad. 8. ^□';? is tlie participle of ]'?, to he in- telligent, skilled, prudent. — n!"^, Arab. _, -*w, fffususfuit, libere dimisil, to send or /jonr out ahundantly, to be exhausted, expended. The prophet, varying liis^ language, asks a third time, what has become of the boasted wisdom of the Temanites ? Could it no longer devise measures of safety ? was it completely exhausted ? had it expended itself, so that there was none left, ? Tor the idea of pouiing out or emptying in reference to intelligence, comp. the use of Pi2?, Is. xix. 3 ; Jer. xix. 7. 8. If we take 'i:?? as a rare instance of a ITophal imperative, then all the three verbs may be read in that mood, which suits the spirit of the passage better than the preterite tense. The LXX. render V''?^'? by ^aByvare in the imperative. Comp. for another in- stance of an imperative in Hophal, ^i?^''?, Ezek. xxxii. 19. This conjugation has here, as in many other instances, the signification of Kal. By changing the Kametz, however, into Pattach, we should have the Imperative of Hiphil, which the verb may originally have been pronounced to express, ria^'j P'pyn does not mean to dwell deep in the earth, as Gesenius and others explain it, or to retire into the deep caverns which abounded in the Idumsean territory, but to go deep or far into the Arabian desert, whither the Chaldean troops woukl not think of penetrating — ]J1, Dedan, the name of an Arabian tribe bordering on Idumsea. It consisted of the descendants of Joksliau, and of Abraham by Keturah. CHAP. XLIX.] JEREMIAH. 241 9 If vintagers had come to thee. Would they not have left some gleanings ? If thieves by night, Would they not have destroyed what was sufficient for them ? 10 But I will strip Esau bare, I will uncover all his secret places, So that he shall not be able to conceal himself; His seed shall be destroyed. And his brethren and his neighbours. And he shall be no more. Leave thy orphans, I will preserve them, And let thy widows confide in me. For thus saith Jehovah : Behold ! those to whom it did not belong to drink the cup. Have certainly drunk it ; And art thou he that should be held altogether innocent ? Thou shalt not be held innocent. But thou shalt certainly drink. 11 12 9. «'' for ^''^n. It is forcibly implied in the interrogations here put, that the invading army would spare nothing ; but, on the contrary, would leave the country empty and bare. 10. Though most of the verbs in this verse are in the Preterite tense, as are also some of those in the preceding verses, yet, to accord in sense with ''pv, and with the imperatives in vcr. 8, they all require to be rendered in the future. rrinj has been supposed to stand for ^|™. ; but see for instances of a root ™n. Is. xxvi. 20 ; 1 Kings xxii. 25. — The utter annihilation of the Idumseans as a distinct political power, is here expressly predicted ; and though this was not effected by Nebuchadnezzar, for we afterwards find them engaged in war with the Jews, yet they become alto- gether extinct in history after the time of the Romans. 11. No persons are more to be pitied than the widows and orphans of those who have been killed by an invading army. Considerable difficulty has been found in the interpretation of this verse. The positions, that the words are ad- di-essed to the Jews by Jehovah, or that they are addressed by the Jews to the Idumseans, are too forced to recommend themselves for adoption. Except they be regarded as having a special reference to the Dcdanites, ver. 8, it is impossible consistently to arrive at any other con- clusion, than that they are addressed to the Iduma^ans, who form the subject both of the preceding and following verses. Though, as predicted, ver. 10, none of the seed of Esau should ulti- mately be left, in other v/ords, that as a people they should become extinct, yet in the immediately approaching calamity the widows and orphan children were to be preserved through the special pro- vidence of the Most High. With respect to tliese, the words contain a gracious and encouraging promise, but as it re- gards tlie adult male population, they have, on the contrary, the aspect of a threatening, inasmuch as they obviously imply that none of them woidd be left to protect or provide for their families. — inc^n, the masculine instead of the feminine, perhaps for the sake of greater force at the end of the verse. 12. Corap. on chap. xxv. 15, 16, 29. The meaning of the prophet is not that I I 243 JEREMIAH. [ciiAr. xlix. 13 For I have sworn by myself, saith Jeliovah^ Tliat Bozrah shall become an object of astonishment, Of reproach, of desolation, and of execration ; And all her cities shall be desolate for ever. 14 I have heard a report from Jehovah, And a messenger is sent among the nations ; Collect yourselves, and come against her, Yea, rise up to the war. 15 For behold ! I have made thee small among the nations ; Despised among men. 16 Thy formidable character. The pride of thy heart deceived thee ; Dwelling in the clefts of the rock. Occupying the summits of the hills ; Though, like the eagle, thou hast built thy nest on high. Thence I will bring thee down, Saith Jehovah. 17 And Edom shall become an object of astonishment. Every one that passeth by her shall be astonished. And shall hiss on account of all her strokes. 18 As it was in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, And their neighbouring cities, saith Jehovah, No one shall dwell there. Neither shall any son of man lodge there. 19 Behold ! as a lion he cometh up From the pride of Jordan to the strong abode ; For I will give a wink, I will make him run away from her. But who is the chosen one whom I will appoint against her? the Jews did not deserve to drink the account the verb is made to agree with cup of Divine indignation, but that, from the latter noun in the masculine gender, the covenant relation in which they stood Comp. on Obad. 3, 4. to Jehovah, it might have been expected 19. Nebuchadnezzar, the autlior of the tiiat they would be spared. devastation, though not named, is com- 13. For n-jya, Bozrah, see on Is. pared to a rampant lion coming up into xxxiv. 6. the inhabited country from the thickets of 14, 15. Comp. on Obad. 1, 3. Jordan. Comp. on chap, xii.5. ]k)% dura- 16. The Idumeeans proudly imagined, bleness, strength, from ^n^, to be perennial, that the terror with which the celebrity constant, darahle. The impregnable rocky of their power had inspired those by fastnesses of Idumasa are intended by whom they were surrounded, would se- |'7« ni:. nyin^ is not to be taken ad- cure them against any hostile attack, verbially, but strictly as the first jierson n^'^DPi and Y^^ arc in apposition, on which singular iuHiphil, indicating that it Avas ClfAP. XLIX.] JEREMIAH. 243 20 For who is like me ? And who shall set me a time ? And who is the shepherd that can stand before me ? Therefore hear ye the determination of Jehovah, Which he hath formed against Edom ; And his poi-poses Which he hath devised against the inhabitants of Teraan ; Surely the smallest of the flock shall drag them along, Surely their habitation shall be astounded at them. 21 At the sound of their fall the earth shall shake, As for the cry, the sound of it shall be heard at the Red Sea. Behold ! as the eagle he shall ascend and fly, And shall spread his wings over Bozrah ; And the heart of the heroes of Edom shall be in that day Like the heart of a travailing woman. 22 only necessary to give the king of Baby- lon a hint to proceed in the direction of Idumgea. Hoot sjlj, lo tremble, vse a tremulous motion, as with the eyelid in winking ; hence to -wink, "sri, a moment. German 3liiaeuli(icf, eye-ioink. The ease with which the conquest would be gained is thus tersely expressed, as well as by \fl^^ ijsnx, / will cause him to run away from her. No sooner should the invader enter the land, than, his work done, he should be ordered elsewhere. It is quite unnatural to refer the suffix in ^:2n>! to any other subject than that which is understood in n^i", i.e. Nebu- chadnezzar. There is no other masculine antecedent. The repeated interrogations are intended to signalize the vuiiversal conqueror whom no power had been able to resist. Jehovah vindicates to himself the right to apjioint the day of battle. "0? Tpy, to stand before, does not here signify to resist, but to assume the attitude of servants, ready to receive and execute the orders of their master. " Shepherd," the usual metaphor for king. 20. To refer "the smallest of the flock " either to the Idumaeans, or to the Jews, is inappropriate in such con- nexion. I cannot but think that the weakest of the Chaldean army are in- tended. Since monarchs are metaphori- cally spoken of as shepherds, in the sense of warrior kings, at the close of the preceding verse, it was not unnatural to represent the army under the com- mand of the great shepherd Nebuchad- nezzar as his flock. Comp. chap. vi. 3 ; 1. 45. Thus Vatablus : vilissimi exer- citus Chaldfeorum. The weakest of his army should drag the Iduma^an captives along in chains. Nrc«, if not, a strong mode of asseveration for the purpose of expressing the certainty of any event. D^ip: is used intransitively. 21. For nVip, which refers to npys, we find the less appropriate reading o'jV in eighty-four MSS. ; it has been originally in fourteen more ; it is in three by cor- rection, and is in the text of twenty-one printed editions. The only version which supports it is the Targ. Neither reading is exhibited by the LXX. and Arab. ; but the Peshito has a\-^D, and the Hexa- plar-Syriac ox-^-^^ \Lq, both Laving found the singular feminine suflix in their copies, np^ss is the nominative absolute, and is not to be pointed i^ivVf?, the third singular femmine of the verb. 22. Tor BozKAH, see on Is. xxxiv. 6. 2M JEREMIAH. [chap. xlix. 23 CONCERNING DAMASCUS. Hamath and Arpad ai'e ashamed, Because they have heard a bad report, tliey melt away ; In the sea there is agitation, it cannot be quiet. 2i Damascus is enfeebled, she turueth about to flee. Terror hath seized her. Anguish and sorrows have taken hold on her As those of a woman in childbirth. 25 How is not the celebrated city abandoned ! My joyous city ! 2G Therefore her youths shall fall in her broad places. And all the military shall perish in that day, Saith Jehovah of Hosts. 27 For I will kindle a fire on the wall of Damascus, And it shall devour the palaces of Benhadad. 28 Concerning Kedar, and concerning the kingdojis of HiVZOR, which Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon, S3I0TE : Thus saith Jehovah : Arise, go up to Kedar, And destroy the sons of the East. 29 Their tents and their flocks they shall take, 23. For Damascus, see on Is. xvii. 1 ; 28, 29. ijhl, Kedar, a patronymic : and for Hamath and Arpad, see on Is. used of the descendants of Kedar, one X. 9. The attack on these Syrian cities of the sons of Ishmael, Gen. xxv. 13, here predicted appears to have been that M-ho led a Bedoween life. They liad a referred to by Josephus, and to have wide range of country between the Red taken place five years after the destruc- Sea and the Euphrates. PHuy calls them tion of Jerusalem by Isebuchaduezzar. Cedrei. (Nat. Hist. v. 11.) They were (Jewish Antiquities, book x. chap. 9, in all probability the Arabians mIio iu- § 7.) Por ^% " iu the sea," sixteen fested the Jews in the days of Jehoram, MSS., and perhaps one or two more, 2 Chi-ou. xxi. 16. — lisn, Hazok, the read c»2, " UJi-e the sea." name of several cities in different parts 25. The inhabitants of Damascus are of Palestine, but here it is obviously parenthetically introduced as bewaihng employed to designate a country of her desertion and the cessation of her Arabia Deserta, in the proximity of the joys. The Yod iu 'i^rap is not paragogic, Kedarenes. The ni^^op, kingdoms mcn- but the pronominal suffix, taken as a tioned, formed the combinations of tribes collective. This ancient city was cele- subject to more or less powerful Sheiks, brated for its felicitous position, the who ruled them with a sort of kingly exquisite beauty of its environs, the power. In geographical relation to Palcs- magnitude of its temples, and the wealth tiue, the Kedarenes and Hazorites were of its inhabitants. °7R."'.?2, sons of the East. 27. Comp. Amos i. 4. Benhadad was 29. Having summoned the Chaldeans the name of several kings of Syria, who to attack and spoil the Arabians, the appear to have had splendid palaces. prophet describes the result of the iu- CHAP. XLix.] JEREMIAH. 245 And their curtains and all their articles ; And their camels they shall carry away for themselves, And they shall cry on account of them : Fear all around. 30 Flee ye, take a great flight. Dwell deep, O inhabitants of Hazor, Saith Jehovah ; For Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon hath formed a plan against you. He hath dcA-ised a purpose against you. 31 Arise, go up against the careless nation, that dwelleth securely, Saith Jehovah; It hath neither doors nor bars. It dwelleth alone. 32 And their camels shall become a prey. And the multitude of their cattle a spoil. And I will scatter to every Avind Those who have narrowed beards ; And I ^dll bring their calamity from all sides thereof, Saith Jehovah. 33 And Hazor shall become an abode of jackals, A desolation for ever ; No man shall dwell there, And no son of man shall lodge in her. 3i The word of Jehovah which was coMML'^^ICATED to Jehe- MIAH the PEOPHET, CO^"CEil^'IXG ElAM, IN THE BEGEN'NEN'G OF THE KEIGN OF ZeDEKIAH, KeN'G OF JUD.VH, SAYING : vasion, as it respects the uoinadic pro- effects of the invasion. IS'ot anticipating perty of the latter, who, on being any attack, as they lay out of the track sm-rounded by the hostile troops, would of the hostile armies of Asia, the Arabs give utterance to cries of alarm. had taken no measures of defence, but 30. Jeremiah now turns to the Ai-a- lived in unwalled towns and villages, bians, and urges their flight into a remote Eor r^itz 'i:^!Ji:, lit. narrowed of heard, see part of the great desert, whither the ou chap. ix. 25. The phrase "I'^^r.-^so, enemy would not think of pursuing them, from all sides thereof, must be taken re- but would content themselves with the strictively of those parts of the country plunder. Ko conqueror has ever ven- in the direction of the Chaldeans, tured into this desert. A great number 3i. c'n Elam, the Elymais of the of jMSS. and many Editions read cy% Greeks and Romans, forming part of the " against yo?/," instead of =7i^, "against ancient Susiana, ou the west of Persia them." proper, andused inScripture as thedesig- 31_33. A repetition of the summons nation of that country in general. The to the Chaldeans, and a descriptive pre- dateofthisprophecy coincides with that of dictiou of the plundering and desolating chaps, xxvii. 1, and xxviii. 1. Eor the 246 JEREMIAH. [chap. xlix. 35 37 38 39 Thus saitli Jeliovali of Hosts, Behold ! I will break the bow of Elam, The prime of their might. 36 And I will bring four winds against Elam From the four ends of heaven, And I will scatter them to all these winds ; And there shall not be a nation Whither the outcasts of Elam shall not come. For I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies, And before those that seek their life ; And I will bring calamity upon them. The fury of my anger, saith Jehovah ; And I will send the sword after them. Till I have consumed them. And I will set my throne in Elam, And will destroy thence kings and princes, Saith Jehovah. Nevertheless, it shall be in the last of the days , I will reverse the captivity of Elam, Saith Jehovah. order of the words ninj inn rrn -iU3«, see on chap. xiv. 1. 35. The Elamites were celebrated as archers. See on Is. xxii. 6 ; and Strabo, XV. 3, 12 ; Livy, xxxvii. 40. nr;?, how, stands collectively for hows, and this for Dowmen or archers. See on Is. xxi. 17. mi3?, strength, is the abstract put for the concrete D'?i33, mighty men, warriors. 36. The meaning here is not tliat four different armies, set forth under the figure of winds, were to attack Elam from tlie four different quarters of the compass, but tliat warriors from these quarters serving in the army of Nebuchad- nezzar should invade the country, and scatter tlie people in every direction. For rhys^for ever, which some copyist has carelessly adopted, many MSS. and two of the oldest Editions read with the Keri, D'jy, Mcni). 37- Tiiat Elam was conquered by the Chaldeans aud reduced to a province of Babylon appears from Dan. viii. 2, 27, wlilch is a sufficient confirmation of the prophec}'^, though profane history is silent with respect to the event. 38. Why Jehovah executed judgment upon the Elamites, we are not informed. Ewald and Hiivernick think that they may have formed part of the Chaldean army M'hich captured Jerusalem, and effected the first captivity in the days of Jehoiachin. Comp. Ezek. xxxii. 24. They do not appear as a people to have molested the Hebrews. It is possible that they may have been addicted to idolatry, and thus been distinguished from the Persians proper, whose religion in the main was monotheistic. 39. The restoration here predicted doubtless took place on the reduction of Babylon by Cyrus, when the scattered Elamites would naturally return to their native country. Whether the 'EX«/xirat, Acts ii. 9, were Jews resident in the province, or proselyted Elamites, or a mixture of both, cannot be determined. CHAF. L.] JEREMIAH. Z4T CHAPTER L. Having finished bis announcement of tlie judgments to be inflicted upon the diiferent nations by the king of Babylon, the prophet in tliis and tlie following chapter delivers, at greater length, a prediction concerning the destruction of that power itself by the Medes. It is the longest prophecy in the Bible, con- sisting of upwards of an hundred verses. It is divided by Eichhoru iuto three parts, and by Rosenmiiller *into six ; but is properly considered by Maurer as composed without any special regard to order ; the prophet treating the materials quite in an untrammelled manner, repeating again and again the same argument. The repetitions, indeed, are of such a nature as to induce the conclusion that the whole consists of predictions originally uttered at different times, and now collected by Jeremiah for the purpose specified, chap. li. 59 — 64. The authenticity of the oracle is sufficiently defended by Hitzig against Von Coelln and Gramberg, by whom it had been denied. " The usus loquendi and circle of imagery, as likewise the style, the turns, the concluding formulas, the unan- ticipated dialogues, are unmistakeably those of Jeremiah." An impartial ex- amination, howevei*, of the passages against which Hitzig himself excepts, will show the groundless nature of his objections. The hypothesis of De Wette and Ewald, tliat the writer whom the Germans designate the Pseudo-Isaiah, was the author of the oracle, is equally groundless. The date and occasion of the composition are expressly stated, chap. li. 59, GO, to have been the fourth year of Zedekiah, when Seraiah, to whom the oracle was committed, was sent by that monarch to Babylon. 1 The woed which Jehovah spake concerning Babylon and AGAINST THE LAND OE THE CHALDEANS, THROUGH JeREMIAH THE PROPHET : 2 Declare ye among the nations, And publish, and raise a banner, Publish, conceal not ; Say : Babylon is taken, Bel is put to shame, Merodach is confounded ; Her idols are put to shame. Her logs are confounded. 3 For a nation cometh up against her from the north, 1 — 3. The reason why the fall of afforded them to return to their own Babylon was to be announced among the land, as well as that the natives might nations, was that the Hebrews resident rejoice at their deliverance from the there might be informed of it, and avail power of the oppressor. Por '?3, JBel, themselves of the opportunity which was the principal Babylonian deity, see on 248 JEREMIAH. [chap. i.. It shall make her land desolate, Aud there shall be no inhabitant in it ; Both man and beast are fled, they are gone. 4 In those days and at that time, saith Jehovah, The children of Israel shall come. They and the children of Judah together, They shall proceed weeping as they go. And shall seek Jehovah their God. 5 They shall ask for Zion, with their faces hitherward. Come and let us join ourselves to Jehovah, By an everlasting covenant. Not to be forgotten. 6 My people have been lost sheep, Their shepherds have caused them to wander. They have turned them away on the mountains ; From mountain to hill they have gone. They have forgotten the place of their rest. 7 All who found them devoured them. And their adversaries said. We are not guilty ; Is. xlvi. 1 ; and for "^V^, Merodach, tlie Assyrians, were, jointly ■with their another of the deities worshipped at brethren of the southern kingdom, who Babylon, see on Is. xxxix. 1. The idols had been removed by Nebucliadnezzar, are represented as ashamed and con- to be restored to the land of their fathers, founded, because they were unable to Sec on Hosea i. 10, 11. Recovered from defend the city of which they were the idolatry, and deeply contrite on account tutelary gods. By personifying them, of it, they would avail themselves of the prophet heightens the effect of the the Hberty granted by Cyrus, return to representation. — To maintain, from the Palestine, and thenceforth worship and circumstance that many of the verbs iu serve Jehovah to the utter exclusion of this prophecy are in the preterite tense, idols. The fulfilment of what is here that the writer must have lived after the predicted relative to their entering into event, would argue gross ignorance of covenant, we have Keh. ix. 38 ; x. 29, the prophetic style, iu which the preterite &c. — The position of the prophet, as is frequently used for the future, for the being in or near Zion when he wrote, purpose of expressing the certainty of is distinctly marked by the adverb ^371, the events predicted. In the present which nniformly signifies hither. It is case there is a large mixture of both only in the phrase H^v!! ^n hither and tenses, in accordance with the varied thither, that tlie latter signification ob- manner iu which Jeremiah presents the tains. subject. — The only power capable of 0, 7. H^lv* the textual reading connects subduing Babylon was Media, which is with 'W; the Keri vn, with the preceding here described by its relative geographi- predicate. The Keri Dnnc, is preferable cal position. to D'lio in the text, as the parallel cw.-in 4, 5. At the termination of the cap- sliows. — The language here ascribed to tivity tlie dftcendants of the ten tribes, tiie enemies of the Jews, was that of who had been removed into the East by their actions, not that of their lips. CHAP. L.] JEREMIAH. 249 10 11 Forasmuch as they have sinned against Jehovah, The proper pasture. Even Jehovah, the hope of their fathers. 8 Flee out of the midst of Babylon, And go forth from the land of the Chaldeans, And be as he-goats before the flock. 9 For behold ! I will rouse and bring up against Babylon A multitude of great nations from the north country, And they shall set themselves in array against her; Thence she shall be taken, Their arrows shall be like those of a prosperous hero. Who returns not empty. And Chaldea shall become a spoil ; All who spoil her shall be satisfied, Saith Jehovah. Because ye rejoiced. Because ye exulted. Ye plunderers of mine inheritance ; Because ye skipped like a threshing heifer, And neighed like stallions. They unintentionally punished them on account of tlieir apostasy from Jehovah. They were his instruments, though only gratifying their own lust of conquest. Comp. Is. X. 5—7. Pjr^V, the LXX. render ro/x)) diKaioavvrjs, pasture of right- eousness, which construction, or that of fold of rigliteou-sness, is adopted by J. D. Michaelis, Dahler, Scholz, Maurer, and Ewald ; meaning that Jehovah was the true source of good, contrasted with the false ])asturage which the Jews had sought in idolatry. This interpretation seems the more appropriate in this con- nexion, Jehovah having been spoken of as the resting-place of his flock in the preceding verse ; thongh the same words are obviously used of Jerusalem as the abode of righteousness, chap. xxxi. 23. 8. The Hebrews are called to take their departure boldly and quickly, as the he-goats move on before the flock. 9. DTi'P is to be taken in its usual acceptation as an adverb of place, and not as one of time, which signification is more than doubtful. The reference is to the quarter whence the attack was to be made upon Babylon. — For '''?TPo, he- reaving, or destroying, in the sense of making childless, the reading 'J''?^?, pro- sperous, is found in eleven of De Eossi's MSS., and has originally been in four others. It is exhibited in six ancient and thirty-five later editions, and is supported by the LXX., Symm., and the Syriac. It is decidedly the preferable reading. 11. The Keri, supported by MSS. and early editions, reads the verbs "npian, Mbyn, "won, ''^nan, as second plurals, thus : ^nnipn, nSyn, icffln, -^Vi^r^. Some would render «i^i rbyii^ grazing heifer, a young heifer at the grass, fat and frisky ; but NT$7 cannot be the root, because ii^ does not agree in gender with n'735,>. The Keri therefore is to be preferred, rnri, threshing, being the regular feminine participle of t^i, to thresh. It not being permitted to muzzle the mouth of the animal, she might eat at pleasure, and thus become wanton. Twenty-four MSS. and four printed editions read "^'^1. For D'">'?«, see on chap. viii. 16. K K 250 JEREMIAH. [chap. l. 12 Your mother is greatly ashamed. She that bare you bhisheth ; Behold ! the last of nations Is a desert^ an arid region, a steppe. 13 Because of the indignation of Jehovah She shall not be inhabited. But shall be entirely desolate : Eveiy one who passeth by Babylon Shall be astonished, and shall hiss On account of all her strokes. 14 Set yourselves in array against Babylon round about. All ye that bend the bow ; Shoot at her, spare not an arroAV ; For she hath sinned against Jehovah. 15 Raise a cry against her round about. She hath surrendered. Her foundations are fallen in. Her walls are destroyed ; For it is Jehovah^s vengeance that is taken upon her. As she hath done, do to her. 16 Cut off the sower from Babylon, And him that handleth the sickle in the time of harvest ; Because of the sword of the oppressor, Let them tm'n each to his own people. And flee each to his own country. 12. By D5?>*, your mother, is meaut surrendered to the victor. Comp. the Babylou as the metropolis of the empire, Latin dure manus. Por =n; three of De not the inhabitants, as Gesenius and Kossi's MSS., and primarily another, others interpret. Before its fail, the em- read 'n;. Both verbs signify Vo project, pire was, inpoiutof opulenceandstreugth, throiv out, hence shoot, as here. — \!'n'"i"'P?, the first of nations : when conquered by or correctly in the Keri T'';;iiTi>, founda- Cyrus, it became the last, and ceased tions, occurs only here, but is obviously from being reckoned among them, havin- ^ .^^^^ ^j^j^ ^,.^ ^^.^_ ^| j^ ultnnately, as described in this verse and '• tJ <• the following, become utterly desolate. ^\j\^. fundamenta ejus. 11 — 16. A summons to the Median 16. There is here an apt reference to army to proceed to the attack, which is the agricultural occupations of the in- described in the 15th verse as having habitants, who cultivated large fields already proved successful. The cry to within the walls of the city, by W'hich be raised against Babylon was the war- means they could raise a quaiitity of shout, or the terrific shout of the warriors grain sufficient to enable them to sustain insi)iriting each other to the onset. 1 Sam. a long siege. (Quin. Curtius, lib. v. cap. xvii. 20 ; 2 Cin-on. xiii. 15. ht riDnj, 1.) Having been collected from all the she Imth given her hand, i.e. submitted, dijferent countries which the Chaldeans CHAP, l] JEREMIAH. 251 17 Israel hath been a scattered sheep, The lions have driven him away ; The first who devoured him was the king of Assyria, And the last, this Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, hath gnawed his bones. 18 Therefore thus saith Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel, Behold ! I will punish the king of Babylon, and his land ; As I punished the king of Assyria. 19 And I will restore Israel to his habitation. And he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan ; And his soul shall be satiated on mount Ephraim and Gilead. 20 In those days, and at that time, saith Jehovah, The iniquity of Israel may be sought for, but there shall be none. And the sins of Judah, but they shall not be found ; For I Avill pardon those whom I reserve. 21 Go up against the land of Meratliaim, And against the inhabitants of Pekod ; Lay waste and destroy after them, Saith Jehovah, And do according to all that I have charged thee. had subdued, the colonists should now in ry'ip, nbs b^. That d.'hto, Memf/iam, have it iu their power to return to their and, ^ipB, Fekod, are descriptive uames of respective homes. Babylon, is allowed on all hands, though 17. For the metaphor of a lion to de- there is some difference of opinion re- note a hostile foreign king, see chap. iv. specting the exact meaning of the former. 7 ; Nah. ii. 11, 12. Bj the gnawing of That of the douhly rebellious, proposed by the bones, the rapacity of the king of Dahler and adopted by Michaeiis, Eich- Babylon is expressed. _ horn, De Wette, Scholz, Ewald, and 19, 20. Though it is a fact, that the Maurer, is the most satisfactory. Most sin of idolatry, of which the Hebrews had of these expositors, however, explain it been guilty, entirely ceased during their of the two rebellions of the Babylonians residence iu Babylon, yet the terms p?, against the Persians in the reigns of iniquity, and nN3n^ sins, seem rather to be Darius Hystaspes, and Xerxes ; but here employed in the sense of punishment Maurer more appropriately of the two- or inflictions on account of sin, a signifi- fold rebellion of the eastern power — first cation which the terms not unfrequently as wielded by the Assyrians, and then have in the Hebrew Scriptures. The by the Babylonians their successors, — calamities to which that people had been against Jehovah as the God of the He- subjected had now come to au end: they brews. Comp. verses 24, 29. "lipp were no longer found to exist. Those signifies visitation, punishment, and de- who remained, or survived the captivity, signates Babylon as the city which was experienced the pardoning mercy of to be destroyed. — onnnsf, after them, their God. refers to the complete devastation of the 21. There is an animated paronomasia city after it had been deserted by the 352 JEREMIAH. [chap, l. 22 There is the sound of battle in the land. And great destruction, 23 How the hammer of the whole earth Is cut down and broken ! How Babylon hath become an object of astonishment Among the nations ! 24 I laid the snare for thee, And thou art taken, O Babylon ? But thou wast not aware of it ; Thou wast found and also captured, Because thou didst wage war against Jeliovali. 25 Jehovah hath opened his arsenal. And brought out the weapons of his indignation. For the Lord Jehovah of Hosts hath a work In the land of the Chaldeans. 26 Come to her from the extremity. Open her stores, throw her up like heaps. And destroy her utterly , Let her have nothing left. 27 Destroy all her bullocks. Let them go down to the slaughter ; Alas ! for them, for their day is come. The time of their punishment. 28 The voice of those who flee and make their escape Erom the land of Babylon, inhabitants. It ultimately became a xlix. 6, wliere ii^, o.r, is employed to scene of utter desolation, which it con- denote Shechem, the Hivite prince. In tinues to be in the present day. See on the expression " to go down to the slaugh- Is. xiii. 1. ter," there would seem to be a reference 23. The appropriate metaphor of iB""£P, to the position of the slaughter-houses, a hammer, is em])loYed to set forth the which it is natural to suppose stood by destructive character of the Chaldean the side of the river. The princes to be power. Comp. Is. xiv. 6. killed are the nominative to 1^7^, and not 24. Cyrus took the city by surprise : the Medes. the government had no apprehension of 28. The prophet in anticipation already the stratagem Mhich he employed in dry- hears the announcement of the capture ing up the Euphrates, and then entering of Babylon, brought to Judea by Jewish by the upper and lower gates. fugitives, who had made their escape on 26. Mic\' \V..,exiremiii/,'^':'^, the earth, the occasion. Zion, tliough laid waste is understood, expressing tlie great dis- by the Chaldeans, is represented as the tauce whence the Median army came scene where the joyful news were to be against Babylon. published. Vengeance was to be wreaked 27. By D'"}?, bullocks, the princes and upon the king of Babylon especially on other magnates are meant. Comp. Gen. account of the destruction of the temple, CHAP. L.] JEREMIAH. 253 Announcing in Zion the vengeance of Jeliovali our God, The vengeance on account of his temple. 29 Summon the archers against Babylon, All who draw the bow ; Let them encamp against her round about. That there may be no escape for her ; Recompense her according to her desert, According to all that she hath done, do to her ; For she hath acted insolently against Jehovah, Against the Holy One of Israel. 30 Therefore her young men shall fall, And all her warriors shall be destroyed in that day, Saith Jehovah. 31 Behold ! I am against thee, O thou proud one I Saith the Lord Jehovah of Hosts ; Surely thy day is come. The time when I will punish thee. 32 And the proud one shall stumble and fall in her open places. And he shall have none to raise him up ; And I will kindle a fire in his cities. And it shall devour all that are around him. 33 Thus saith Jehovah of Hosts : The children of Israel and the children of Judah Are oppressed together; And all who led them captive, hold them fast. They refuse to set them free. 34 Their Redeemer is strong, Jehovah of Hosts 'is his name, and the desecration of its vessels, which De Rossi's and the Souciu. Prophets, he took and placed in the temple of '^nT?. The sense is the s;iine, only iu Belns as tropiiies of his victory over the the common reading Jehovah vindicates God of the Jews. to himself the infliction of the punish- 29. For D'an, archers, compare Job xvi. ment. By pij, pride, which is equivalent 13. to pTi.'C'w, man of pride z= proud one, the 30. The Babylonians were so dis- kin": of Babylon is intended, couraged by having lost some battles, 33, 34. A renewed recognition of the that they retired within the walls of the captive condition of the Hebrews, and city, and could not be induced to meet an assertion of the omnipotent inter- Cyrus again in the field. position of Jehovah for their deliverance. 31. Instead of 'f'"??!.?, two of Kenni- The paronomasia in TPT! and vinrt is de- cott's MSS., the LXX., Arab., Syr., signedly formed, the more pointedly to Targ., and Vulg. read '^niip?, and one of express the contrast. The earth, which 254 JEREMIAH. [cnAP. L. 35 36 37 38 He will certainly plead their cause. That he may give rest to the earth, And cause the inhabitants of Babylon to tremble. A sword against the Chaldeans, Saith Jehovah; And against the inhabitants of Babylon, Against her princes and against her wise men. A sword against the boasters, And they shall become foolish ; A sword against her heroes. And they shall be astounded. A sword against his horses and against his chariots. And against all the mingled people that are in the midst of her. And they shall become women; A sword against her treasures, and they shall be plundered. A sword against the waters, and they shall dry up ; For it is the land of graven images. And by their terrific idols they have shown themselves fools. had been iucessantly disturbed by the Chaldeau wars, was uow to enjoy tran- quillity ; but this tranquillity was to be purchased by the breaking up of the peace of Babylon. Comp. Is. xiv. 6 — 8. Some take VTiJ? in the sense of causing to tremble, but the verb has never this signification in Hiphil, except in reference to the movement of the eyelids, caused by winking. 35 — 38. An animated passage carried out by the figure anaphora, or the repe- tition of the same word at the com- mencement of the several members of discourse. Each verse begins with i^n, a sword. The prophecy is directed against the sum total of what was in Babylon — the inhabitants generally, the princes, the philosophers, the astrologers, the native cavalry and foreign auxiliaries, together with the immense treasures collected from the nations which she had conquered ; and the Euphrates, her plen- tiful supply of water as well as her de- fence. The change of the gender from the feminine to the masculine, ver. 37, specially marks the king as the object. For y^^, mingled people, see on chap. XXV. 20. lu ver. 38, the word mn is not pointed ^-jn, TIerev, which signifies a sword, as m the five preceding in- stances, but y)p, Horev, which signifies drought ; and this, without any variety in all the pointed MSS. and printed editions. There can, however, be little doubt, that originally the word was pro- nounced in all cases alike, and that the change is to be attributed to a supposed incongruity of making a sword instru- mental in drying up the waters. But there is in reality no more incongruity in employing the sword for this purpose than for seizing the treasures, as stated in the preceding verse. The term is used throughout metonymically — the weapon for those wielding it — the hos- tile conquering power — in a word, the soldiers whom Cyrus employed in dig- ging the ditches into which he turned off the water of the Euphrates, so that entering the cliannel of the river by the gates above and below the city, they marched on dry ground to its conquest. Xenophon, Cyropsed. vii. See on Is. xliv. 27. Though omitted in the or- dinary editions of the LXX., that of Grabe has ixcixaipav ; the Hexaplar-Syr. has lo^^iy without an asterisk; the DHAP. L.] JEREMIAH. 255 39 Therefore the wild beasts of the desert shall dwell with the jackals, The ostriches also shall dwell there, And it shall be inhabited no more for ever. Neither shall it be dwelt in to all generations. 40 As when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, And their neighbouring cities, No one shall dwell there, Neither shall any son of man lodge in her. 41 Behold ! a people cometh from the north. Even a great nation, and many kings Shall be roused from the recesses of the earth. 42 They shall seize the bow, and the lance ; They are cruel, and will show no mercy ; Their voice shall roar like the sea. They shall ride on horses, In array as men for battle, Agaiust thee, O daughter of Babylon ! 43 The king of Babylon hath heard the report of them. And his hands have grown feeble ; Anguish hath seized him. And pain, as a woman in childbirth. 44 Behold ! he shall come up As a lion from the pride of Jordan, To the strong abode ; For I will give him a wink, I will make them run over her ; -r, , ., c- 1 " ' xi o) • T\T J 7 41. The prophet here calls attention Pescluto Syr. |= ^ ^ the Slavonic, 3Ieick; ^^ ^j^^ ^^^^^ 1^^ ^^ marching against Baby- all signifying a sword. The word is Ion, in the same language which he had rendered in the same way by Blayney, employed in describing the approach of Ewald, Umbreit, and Scholz, and I the Chaldean army to the capture of have not scrupled to follow their ex- Jerusalem, chap. vi. 22, 23. The kings ample. Babylon might well be called were the allied princes and generals of " a land of graven images." Next to the different armies which were collected Egypt, it swarmed with idols. Many of nnder Cyrus, in the expedition against them were huge and grotesque in ap- the Babylonian empire, pearance, and calculated to inspire be- 42. '>^''n, a man, collectively for men, holders with terror. See Dan. iii. 1. i.e. soldiers, as Is. xxi. 9. Scholz ex- 39, 40. A description of the state of plains the term as equivalent to one man, complete desolation to which Babylon but this would require "i™ ffi\v. should be reduced. Comp. Is. xiii. 20 — 44. Comp. xlix. 19. Ci^™ is merely 22; xxxiv. 14, 15. The latter of these two a corruption of n5Jn«, which is exhibited verses is a repetition of chap. xlix. 18. in several MSS. and in the Sonciu. and 256 JEREMIAH. [chap. li. But who is the chosen one whom I shall appoint against her ? For who is like me ? And Avho can set me a time ? And who is this shepherd that shall stand before me ? 45 Therefore hear ye the determination of Jehovah, Which he hath formed against Babylon, And his purposes Which he hath devised against the land of the Chaldeans ; Surely the smallest of the flock shall drag them along. Surely their habitation shall be astounded at them. 46 At the sound, " Babylon is taken,^' the earth is shaken. And the cry is heard among the nations. Brix. editions, and appears in the Keri. 45. Comp. xlix. 20. ni? for Dni:, as Some Codices have i3?'"!5f ; but this is found originally in twenty MSS. aud probably a correction from chap. xlix. 19. expressed in the Syr., Vulg., and Targ. CHAPTER LI. See Preface to the foregoing chapter. 1 Thus saith Jehovah : Behold ! I will raise against Babylon, And against those who dwell in Chaldea, A destructive wind. 2 And I will send to Babylon winnowers, And they shall winnow her, And empty her land : Surely they shall be against her all around In the day of calamity. 1, 2. That 'ap 2b is equivalent to ''5|, order from that in which they appear ia Babel, in the sense of Babylonia, is the alpliabet : — ^ occuj)ying the place of evident from tlie parallelism ; but inter- «, ">» that of \ and so on throughout, prcters have differed as to the proper On this principle ' pi'' will exactly cor- manner of construing it. Tlie LXX. respond to D'idd, Chaldeans. It may be 'XaKba'uws. Targ. '«7D3, the Chaldeans, observed in support of this mode of Symmaclius and Koseumiiller merely re- resolving the words, that Q'7p3''T>y'v stand taiu the letters of the two words, as if in the same relation to byi, ver. 24, that they ex])ressed a proper name : Ae/3/ca/i^', 'Dp^ 3"?. 'a\p' do in this. Ewald, oddly Lebcamai. The latter, however, in his imitating sucli mode of interpretation, Scholia adverts to the Athbasli or cabba- reverses the German form Chaldda, and listical mode of interpreting the Hebrew presents Addlach, in his translation. See words, by taking them in the inverse on chap. xxv. 26. To what was tliere CHAP. LI.] JEREMIAH. 257 3 Let not the archer bend his bow. Let him not be proud of his coat-of-raail ; And spare ye not her young men, Exterminate the whole of her army. 4 The slain shall fall in the land of the Chaldeans, And those who are pierced through, in her streets. 5 For Israel is not left widower, Nor Judah by his God, By Jehovah of Hosts : Though their land is full of punishment From the Holy One of Israel. Flee out of the midst of Babylon, And let every one save his ov/n life ; Perish not in her punishment ; For it is the time of JehovaVs avenging. He rendereth her desert to her. 7 Babylon was a golden cup in the hand of Jehovah, Intoxicating the whole earth ; The nations drank of her wine. Therefore the nations reel. 8 Babylon is suddenly fallen and broken ; observed iu reference to the Athbasli use former half of the verse are addressed of the alphabet, may be added for con- to the Chaldeans who defended the city ; sideration, the fact of the use made by those in the latter half to the army of the prophet of the alphabetical arrange- Cyrus. ment of his poetry, not fewer than four 5. The suffix in d^m refers to Israel of his five Elegies being composed in this and Judah ; and d^« is here, like nscErr style. — Under an agricultural metaphor, and 1^, to be taken as expressive of the the prophet represents the Medo-Persian result of sin and guilt, viz. its punish- army as sent against Babylon to clear her meut. of all that she contained. G. The address is to the Jews, who 3. The connexion shows that "?« cannot are warned to make their escape from be the preposition ■?« ; but that it must the devoted city. be taken as the negative '^i^, which is 7. The sense is not, as some interpret, exhibited in twelve MSS., and has been that Babylon had intoxicated the nations originally in four more. It is likewise by her idolatries, and led them to prac- found in the Soncin. and Brix. editions, fise the same, but that she had been and the word is so rendered in both the employed by Jehovah as an instrument Syriac versions, the Vulg., Targ., and of punishing the enemies of his people. Talmud. The second 1"n\ which is She is metaphorically called " a golden marked by the Masoretes as to be written cup," to indicate the abundance of her but not read, and is accordingly left un- wealth and the splendour of her power, pointed, is omitted iu many MSS. and in Comp. Dan. ii. 38, and see on Is. xiv. 4. some editions, and is manifestly an error 8, 9. The nations are called to come of transcription. The words iu the to the assistance of the fallen empire, L L 258 JEREMIAH. [chap. li. Howl ye for her ; Take balsam for her wound, Perhaps she may be healed. 9 We have attempted to heal Babylon, But she would not be healed; Abandon her, And let us go, every one to his own country ; For her judgment reacheth to the heavens. It riseth to the skies. 10 Jehovah hath produced the grounds of oui' acquittal ; Come, and let us declare in Zion The work of Jehovah our God. 11 Polish the arrows, fill the shields, Jehovah hatli excited the spirit of the kings of Media, For his design is against Babylon, To destroy her ; Because it is the avenging of Jeliovah, The avenging of his temple. 12 Elevate the standard on the walls of Babylon, Strengthen the guard. Set the watchmen. Prepare the ambuscades ; For Jehovah hath both purposed and done What he hath spoken against the inhabitants of Babylon. 13 O thou that art dwelling beside great waters. Abundant in treasures. Thine end is come. The measure of thy rapine. but they reply that it is hopeless, aud monarch had treated them with a severity abandon her to her fate. which they had not merited at Iiis hands, 10. The Hebrews are now introduced the destruction of his power, issuing iu as encouraging one another to return their liberation, is represented as a justi- to Jerusalem, and there gratefully cele- fication of their cliaracter. brate the goodness of their covenant 11, 12. The Chaldeans are ironically God in the faithful fuUilment of his summoucd to use all possible means for promises to deliver them from their the defence of Babylon. Medes is here oppressor. "'???, righteousnesses, i. e. used as a general name for both Medes grounds or proofs of righteousness, and Persians. Strictly taken, they were Though the Jews had contracted guilt superior to the latter in political and by their rebellion against Jehovah, on military importance, account of which he iiad employed Nebu- 13. ''"^^Dcj is tlie feminine Participle chadnczzar to punish them, yet as that with the Yod paragogic. !i?n, properly CHAP. LI.] JEREMIAH. 259 U Jehovah of Hosts hath sworn by himself, That surely I Avill fill thee Avith men like locusts, And they shall raise the battle-shout against thee. 15 He made the earth by his power_, He established the world by his wisdom. And stretched forth the heavens by his understanding. 16 When there is thunder. He causeth abundance of water in the heavens, And maketh the vapours to ascend From the ends of the earth : He maketh the lightnings with rain, And bringeth out the wind from his stores. 17 Every man is rendered brutish by his art. Every goldsmith is put to shame by his graven image ; For his molten images are a lie. And there is no breath in them. 8 They are vanity, the work of delusions ; In the time of their visitation they shall perish. 9 The Portion of Jacob is not Hke these ; For he is the Former of the universe, And Israel is the Rod of his inheritance ; Jehovah of Hosts is his name. Thou hast been my war-club, my weapons of war ; With thee I have broken nations in pieces. And with thee I have destroyed kingdoms. 1 With thee I have broken in pieces the horse and his rider, And with thee I have broken in pieces the chariot and its rider. 3 With thee I have broken in pieces the husband and the wife. And with thee I have broken in pieces the aged and the young; With thee also I have broken in pieces the youth and the maid. eubit, is here used iudefinitelj for 20—23. Au address to Babylon, wliich leasure generally. though, in point of style, it may seem to 15—19. These verses are verbally a trail, is designed, by au accumidatiou of ^petition pf chap. x. 12— IG. The only particulars, to bring out more promi- iversity is the omission of ^N^ip: iu neutly the universal destruction effected erse 19, which omission is supplied iu by the conquests of that power. That iventy-three MSS. and has been ori- the Preterite should here be taken strictly mally m four more. It is in two more of that tense, and not be converted iu- y correction, and is expressed iu the to the Future, as is done in the ancient 'arg., Julg., and the Pachom. MS. of versions, and by Hitzig and Ewald, the ic LXX. connexion requires. The application of 260 JEREMIAH. [chap, li, 23 With thee I have broken in pieces the shepherd and his flock. And "vrith thee I have broken in pieces the ploughman and his team ; With thee also I have broken in pieces the satraps and the governors. 24 And I have repaid Babylon^ and all the inhabitants of Chaldea, For all theii" injmy which they have done to Zion in your sight, Saith Jehovah. 23 Behold ! I am against thee, O destroying mountain ! Saith Jehovah, Which destroyest the whole earth : x\nd I will stretch out my hand over thee. And roll thee down from the rocks, And make thee a burnt mountain. 26 And men shall not take of thee a stone for a corner. Nor a stone for foundations ; But thou shalt be desolate for ever, « Saith Jehovah. 27 Raise the banner in the earth, Blow the trumpet among the nations, Consecrate the nations against her. Summon against her The kingdoms of Ararat, iMinni and Ashkenaz ; Appoint a mihtary commander against her. the words to Cmis would be out of iug country. For the same image, comp, place. — )?'?, froEU V?J to scatter, breal; Rev. viii. S. It sometimes happens that dash in pieces, designates the club an- volcanic mountains, after having spent cieutly used by warriors for the purpose themselves, fall into the vacuum ; and of clearing away all with whom they nothing but the surrounding rocks are came in contact. Comp. 1. 23, andNahum left to mai-k where the craters had been, ii. 2. The walls of Babylon, wliich were 360 24. The change from the second person feet in height, not maptly suggested the to the third, as well as the turn given to idea of a mountain, and their rugged ap- the announcement, requires the Preterite pearance after the destruction of the city, here to be taken as the prophetic Future, that of an extinct volcano. As volcanic and rendered accordingly. The persons stones and pumice are unfit for use in addressed in c^'^T, "your eves," were the construction of buildings, aud are left the Jews, many of whom had witnessed where they have been deposited, so the ruthless conduct of the Chaldeans Eabylon should never rise from its ruins, at the capture of Jerusalem. Xo prince or governor should ever be 25, 26. The prophet now changes the appointed from among her inhabitants, metaphor of a wai'-club for that ot a vol- 27, 2S. The nations of western Asia cano, which, pouring forth floods of lava, are summoned to join the Medes in the spreads destruction over tdl the surround- attack on Babylon. By -7>:*, Arahat, CHAP. LI.] JEEEMIAH. 261 Cause cavalry to come up Like bristled locusts. 28 Consecrate the nations against her, The kings of Media, Her satraps and her governors. And all the land of their dominion. 29 And the earth shall quake, and be in pain, For the purposes of Jehovah against Babylon shall stand. To make the land of Babylon desolate Without an inhabitant. 30 The heroes of Babylon cease to fight. They remain in their strongholds, Their strength faileth, They are become women ; Her dwellings are burned. Her barriers are broken in pieces. 31 Courier runneth to meet courier, And messenger to meet messenger. To announce to the king of Babylon, That his city is altogether taken : are meant the regions in tlie vicinity of tories of Asia Minor before be marched that mountain, forming some of the most against Babylon, and consequently aug- fertile and beautiful parts of Armenia, mented his forces by levies from that '30 MiNNi, a province of the same coun- quarter. See Cyropsed. books ni. and iv. try, from which in all ]n-obability it takes ^cqa, occurs only ver. 27, and m the its name. According to Major Eawlinson, plural, Nalmm m. 17, which see. i?d, Van was the capital of "tliis province, bristling, from yo , to stmid erect, or The countrywas conquered by Tetarrassa, bristle as the hair, the general of Temembar II., the Assy- 28. Some have thought that 'l^.^m, rian king whose wars afe commemorated kinr/s of Media, are to be taken as of the on the black obelisk, now in the British Dual number, and that Cyaxares and Museum. "3-i\v has been variously in- Cyrus are intended ; but as the phrase terpreted. Targ. inn, yM«i,?«e. The stands in immediate connexion with d.'i3, _],,,„, -R„„i,.,.f the nations, I prefer applying it to the Arab. ^.jy^\ tJ^e Chozars. Bochait. ^^.^butary kings subject to the Modes. Ascaaia, from places of that name in The sufBx in w)^??o, points to the pro- Phrvs-ia or Bithynia. Comp. Iliad, book per king of Media. ij_ gQ2 : 29. Por nia^prio, fifteen MSS. read ' ^ooKvs av ^pvyas ^ye Kal 'Aa-Kavios niiL^np, iu the singular ; and thus the eeoeidrjs Vulg. and both the Syriac versions. T^X' e^ 'Aa-Kapirjs. 31. The couriers or messengers were The modern Jews preposterously under- those who were despatched from diiferent stand Germany. If not also a province parts of the city to convey the unexpected of Armenia, it no doubt bordered on that intelligence of the breaches made by the country. Cyrus had subdued the terri- enemy. 263 JEREMIAH. [chap. li. 32 That tlie passages are captured. That the stockades are burned with fire, And the mihtary thrown into confusion. 33 For thus saith Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel, The daughter of Babylon is like a threshing-floor, At the time when it is trodden : Yet a little while, And the time of harvest shall come to her. 34 Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon hath devoured me. He hath discomfited me. He hath made me an empty vessel. He hath swallowed me up like a sea-monster. He hath filled his belly with my delicacies : He hath cast me out. 35 The violence done to me and to my flesh be on Babylon, Shall the inhabitress of Zion say : And, Let my blood be on the inhabitants of Chaldea, Shall Jerusalem say. ^ 36 Therefore, thus saith Jehovah, Behold ! I will plead thy cause, And will execute vengeance for thee ; 32. On the ground of its being difficult the completeness of the destruction that to conceive of the burning of 2>ools with shovdd come upon Babylon. fire, Blayney proposes to read n'Db«, vest I- 34, 3.5. The Jews are here introduced, btcles OY porches instead of d''03n. This complainiiig of the injuries inflicted upon latter word, however, which is found in them by the Chaldeans, and imprecating all the MSS. and is supported by the divine retribution. For the five uistances versions, is here used in the same accept- of the plural suffix in these verses, the ation as p'^j^, viz. reeds or canes, such as singular of tlie Keri is found in not a grow around lakes or pools of stagnant few MSS. and in the Soncin. and Brix. water; and as such are often of con- edd. and is the Masoretic punctuation, siderable strength, so as to admit of their It is also the reading supported by all the being made into stockades, it is most ancient versions, and agrees with the probable that these defences or outworks singular affix to the nouns. By '"i^^^, wy are here meant. Thus llabbi Jona, com- Jlesh, we arc here to understand the paring the cognate Arabic l^sA, mum- blood-relations of the inhabitants of Je- .' • rusalem, or the Jews throughout the menta, mrces. _ ^ ^ .x l- country, who were killed or carried 33. The circumstance, that the tmie captive to Babylon. of treading out the corn is mentioned '3^ rj^^^ q^.^^^,^ ^^.^ accustomed to before that of the harvest, mstcad of ^.^j^ ^^^ collection of waters, a sea. alter it, as niiglit have been expected, -^ ° . may be accounted for on the principle, Thus in Arab. JjJJl js?, the sea of the that tlic prophet wished to give greater u prominence to his announcement of ^^^^"> for the Nile itself, and simply^M' CHAP. LI.] JEREMIAH. 263 For I will dry up her sea, And make her spring dry. 37 And Babylon shall become heaps. An abode of jackals : An object of astonishment and derision. Without an inhabitant. 3S They roar together like lions, They roar like young lions. 39 When they arc heated I will make their banquets. And intoxicate them, In order that they may exult, And sleep a perpetual sleep, and not awake : Saith Jehovah. 40 I will make them go down Hke lambs to the slaughter. Like rams and he-goats. 41 How Sheshak is taken ! The praise of all the earth captured ! How Babylon is become desolate among the nations ! 42 The sea hath come up over Babylon, She is covered with the multitude of its waves. 43 Her cities have become a desert. An arid land, and a steppe ; A land in which no one dwelleth. And through which no son of man passeth. 44 For I will punish Bel in Babylon, And I will take out of his mouth that which he hath swallowed, the sea. See ou Is. xix. 5._ The pre- Is. viii. 7; xvii. 12, 13. To interpret the diction was literally fulfilled in the well- words literally of the Euphrates, as known fact of the drawing off of the Michaelis does, is quite repugnant to the Euphrates by Cyrus. spirit of the passage. 38, 39. Thenightinwhichtheconquest 43. The plural ]n3, though occurring of Babylon was effected, was during the in immediate connexion with \7«, in the great festival which had been instituted singular, is doubtless intended to com- iu honour of the idols, and at which prehend the cities specified at the be- revelry of every description was indulged ginning of the verse, in to such a pitch, that most of the in- 44. In w^4 — ''2 is obviously a parono- habitants were more or less in a state of masia. For Belus, the principal god of inebriation. the Babylonians, see on Is. xlvi. 1. 41. For Sheshach, see on chap. xxv. 26. Though there may be a reference here to 42. The image of the inundation of a the numerous sacrifices which were river, to represent the invasion of a offered to this idol, and which the country by a large and powerful army, is priests pretended he devoured during not uucouimon in the prophets. See the night, yet what the prophet strictly 264 JEREMIAH. [chap. li. And tlie nations shall flow to him no more ; The wall of Babylon is fallen down. 45 Come out of the midst of her, O my people ! And let every one save his own life. From the fury of the anger of Jehovah. 4G And let not your heart be timid. Neither be ye afraid at the report, AVhich shall be heard in the land ; For this year a report shall come, And the following year another report, Violence in the land. And ruler against ruler. 47 Therefore the days are coming When I will punish the graven images of Babylon, And her whole land shall be ashamed ; And all her slain shall fall in the midst of her. 48 Then heaven and earth, and all that are in them, Shall rejoice over Babylon ; For the destroyers shall come against her from the north, Saith Jehovah. 49 Babylon also shall fall, O ye slain of Israel ! Those also of Babylon shall fall, O ye slain of all the earth ! has iu view, is the abundance of treasure miglit be expected to appear. ]^. at the which had been taken from the con- beginning of a sentence, has all the force quered nations, and deposited iu his of a prohibitory adverb. It is to be un- temple, as well as that which had been derstood as if it were repeated before voluntarily dedicated to him by the ninl- ^^7I:l. The conjunction i is found before titudcs of pilgrims who resorted to his '^V^, as first occurring iu ''"i^Q"''? H'^, in shrine. The long processions of pilgrims sixty-four MSS., and has been originally moving slowly along are fitly expressed iu ten more. It is likewise iu thirteen by ir!;, which properly signifies, to flow printed editions, and is supported by as a river. Por the fullilment of the Symm., the Targ., Syr., Yulg., and Arab, prophecy, as it regards the restoration — '^s occurs auomalouslyin the mascuhne, of the plundered vessels of the temple at though nyw0, the subject, is previously Jerusalem, see Ezra i. 7 — 11. introduced. It is an instance of con- 45, 46. The prophet again turns to structio ad sensnm. the Jews in Babylon, and urges them to 47 — 49. The complete downfal of the make their escape from the city, lest city of Babylou with all her idols, iu- tliey should be involved in its destruc- eluding the cessation of the Chaldean tiou — intimating to them, that in the empire, was an event of such importance, course of the previous year they should both in a civil and a religious point of liear of the approach of the Medo-Persian view, that not only is universal nature array, which would be a signal to them represented as exulting at it, but the to retire into the country, in an opposite departed spirits of the multitudes slain direction from that in which the invaders in its wars are invoked to participate in CHAP. LL] JEREMIAH. 205 50 Ye that have escaped from the sword, Go on, stand not still : Remember Jehovah from afar, And let Jerusalem come into your mind. 51 We were ashamed, because we heard reproach. Confusion covered our face. Because foreigners had entered The holy places of the hdusc of Jehovah. 52 Therefore, liehold ! the days come, saith Jehovah, When I will punish her graven images. And through all her land the wounded shall groan. 53 Though Babylon hath mounted up to heaven. And though she hath fortified the heights of her strength. Destroyers shall come from me against her, Saith Jehovah. 54 The sound of an outcry from Babylon, And of great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans. 55 For Jehovah is destroying Babylon, And causing the great sound to perish from lier ; Her waves raged like mighty waters. The noise of their sound was given forth. 5G Eor a destroyer is come against Babylon, And her heroes shall be taken, Their bows shall be broken : For Jehovah is a God of retributions. He will render full recompence. the joy. The signiBcation of slayers, i.e. by her military prowess, her wealtli, and soldiers, which Keunicott and some her celebrated idol-gods, she was now to others have given to d'"?^", ver. 49, is be reduced to utter desolation. The not supported by Hebi-ew usage. noise made by her inliabitants and her 50 — 52. Though the Jews had been numerous armies, was now to be ex- reproached by idolaters as abandoned by changed for that of her destruction. Jehovah, as if he had not been able to According to Herodotus, the walls of save them, and they could not contra- Babylon were sixty miles in circum- dict the fact that they had been abau- ference, and three hundred and fifty feet doued by him, yet they are assured that in height. They formed a squai'C, in he would prove himself to be mightier each side of which were twenty-five than all the gods of Babylon, whose gates leading into the city. Between devotees should fall throughout the these gates were two hundred and fifty empire. The plural ^"^IV^^, sanctuaries, towers, so that it was considered to be ver. 51, is expressive of the several impregnable. Berosus states that Cyrus compartments of the temple. ordered the outer walls to be pulled 53 — 58. Exalted as Babylon had been down; and the rest were reduced by M M 286 JEREMIAH. [ctiap. lt. 57 And I will intoxicate her princes and her sages, Her satraps and her military governors and her heroes, And they shall sleep a perpetual sleep, And shall not awake, Saith Jehovah. 58 Thus saith Jehovah of Hosts ; The walls of spacious Babylon Shall be utterly demolished, And her loftj?^ gates shall be burned with fire ; So that the people shall have laboured for mere vanity. And the tribes for the very fire, and been wearied. 59 The thing which Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of Neraiah, the son of Maaseiah, when he went with Zedekiah, king of Judah, to Babylon, in the fourth year of 00 his reign : Now Seraiah was a quiet prince. And Jeremiah described all the calamity which should come on Babylon, in a book— all these words which are written against Babylon. 61 And Jeremiah said to Seraiah, When thou comest to Babylon, 62 and shalt see, and shalt read all these words. Then thou shalt say, O Jehovah ! Thou hast spoken against this place to destroy it, that there should be no inhabitant in it, neither Darius to the height of fifteen cubits, to it, and throw it into the Euphrates, For constructing these works Semiramis accompanying the symbolical act with an is said to have brought to Babylon two inspired prediction, it is not to be sup- millions of men : but in the view of their posed that he could forget tlie contents demolition the prophet declares that all of the document ; so that though it their labour should terminate in con- might not have been safe for him to flag-ration and emptiness. For the force retain it in his possession, he might of 'l?, see Gesenius's Lexicon in''!. With communicate the substance orally to his the exception that ii'w and P"} have ex- countrymen, as occasion served, changed places, the two concluding lines 59. As Zedekiah did not go to Baby- of ver. 58 are found in Habak. ii. 13, Ion till he was carried thither captive in where the same subject is predicted, and the eleventh year of his reign, it is from which Jeremiah appears to have obvious that the particle n« before his borrowed them. name in this verse, is not to be taken in 59 — 64. These verses, which form an the sense of witk, but elliptically for epilogue to the preceding prophecy rixp, from icith, i e. from, with special against Babylon, bear unequivocal marks reference to the monarch from whom of genuineness, and are not to be re- Seraiah received his commission. Comp. garded as the composition of a later for similar ellipses of the preposition, writer. A special copy of the prophecy. Gen. iv. 1 ; xliv. 4; 2 Kings xxiii. 35. prcpnred by Jeremiah, was delivered to nm:p--iir> lias been variously, rendered. Seraiah, to furnish the Jews in Babylon The Vulgate strangely : princeps pro- with matter of consolation in their state pJiefia. Tiie LXX. apxt^v 8a>pa)v, as if of exile. Though, on his arrival within they had read nnpo-iti; and this is like- sight of Babylon, he was to bind a stone wise given in the Targum : wn?^;?^ 3-i — CHAP. Lii.] JEREMIAH. 267 63 man nor beast, but that it should be desolate for ever. Aud it shall be when thou hast finished reading this book, thou Shalt bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst of the 61 Euphrates : And shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the calamity which I bring upon her, so that they shall have been wearied. Thus far the words of Jeremiah. supposing the office of Seraiah to be trusted with the commission given him that ot the distributer of the royal pre- by the prophet sents. Michaelis Scholz Maurer, aud 64. It seem; scarcely possible to ac- Hitzig, interpret the title as denoting count for ^d??:i, so that then shall have the chief, or commander of the caravan, been wearied, on any other ground than on whom according to Oriental_ custom, that some copyist has inadvertently in- it devolved to appoint the res mg-place serted the word from the end of ver for the night. Calieu : chefdes agents 58. It is, however, found in all the desicrete: i.e. master of police, whose MSS., aud in the versions of Aquila, office It was to maintain, tranquillity in Symm., the Hexap. Syr., the Vulg., tlie the city or the palace _ Others, lord Peschito, and the Targ. The LXX chamberlain, an office of high considera- conclude the chapter with the preceding tion and confadence. But the most words probable meaning is that given in our The additional note. Thus far the words common version: a quiet prince. Com p. of Jeremiah, is in all probability to be nrn:p uj>.^^ ,n,ni of quielness, 1 Chron. ascribed to the person who collected the xxii. 9._ Seraiah was a prince of a peace- sacred writings of the Old Testament, able disposition — not hostile to Jere- and who added the following chapter to miah, but one who might be safely the book written by our pro|het CHAPTER LII. By whom this chapter was penned, has been matter of dispute, and it may safely be asserted that it is a question wliich never will be determined. The hypo- thesis, that Jeremiah himself was the writer, appears to have originated, either in the opinion th'dt he was the author of the Book of Kings, between a portion of which (2 Kings xxiv. 18-xxv. 1—21,) and this] chapter, 1—27, there is an almost verbal identity ; or, that he composed it to serve as an historical account of the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, to be prefixed to the Book of Lamentations, which celebrates that disastrous event. If, however, any credit is to be given to the statement made chap. li. 61, in;DT n^T n2rriF, Thus far the words of Jeremiah, all that our prophet had composed terminated with the fore- going words of that verse, and the reader is palpably left to infer, that what follows was supplied by the writer of that annotation. Although it is impossible to ascertain the time at which the additional chapter was received into the canon, yet so much is beyond dispute, that it must have formed part of that canon in the time of our Lord aud his Apostles, forasmuch as it is found in tlie version of the LXX., aud there is no reason whatever to believe that it could by any 268 JEREMIAH. [chap. lii. possibility have been trauslated from that version, and added to tlie Hebrew text at a later period. Bertholdt, indeed, maintains positively that it must have existed in the book previously to the completion of the canon, since we have no instance of any extraneous portion having been added subsequently to that event. This chapter contains certain particulars relative to Zedekiah, 1 — 3 ; the siege and capture of Jerasalem by Nebuchadnezzar, the removal of the valuable appurte- nances of the temple to Babylon, the disposal of the leading men among the Jews, and of the lower orders of the community, 4 — 30 ; and the kind treatment which Jehoiachin, who had previously been transported to Babylon, 31 — 34, received from Evil-merodach. 1 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old wlien he came to reign, and lie reigned eleven years in Jerusalem ; and his mother's name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Lihnah. 2 And he did that which was wicked in the sight of Jehovah, 3 according to all that Jehoiakim had done. For it was through the anger of Jehovah against Jerusalem and Judah, till he had cast them away from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. 4 And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth of the month, that Nebuchad- nezzar, king of Babylon, came, he and all his force, against Jerusalem, and encamped against it, and built watch-towers 5 against it round about. So the city was in a state of siege 6 till the eleventh year of Zedekiah. In the fourth month, on the ninth of the month, the famine was grievous in the city, 7 and there was no bread for the country-people. And the city was broken in upon, and all the military fled and went out of the city by night, in the direction of the gate, between the two walls, which was by the king's garden; for the Chaldeans were all around the city : and they went out in 3. "J? is omitted in one or two MSS., observe— ?i signification which the verb the Syr., Vulg., and the Arab, of the has in Aramaic. Gesenius, who formerly Oxford Codex ; but it occurs in 2 Kings approved of walls, circumvullutions, pro- xxiv. 20, where there is no variety of posed by Michaelis, has at last adopted the reading. The word expresses more above interpretation. The towers were forcibly the immediate connexion be- erected by the besieging party for the tween the judgment inflicted on Jeru- douljle purpose of observing what was salem and the Divine displeasure with done by those who defended the city, the sins of the inhabitants. and of annoying them by discharging 4. P?.T is to be taken collectively, and missiles upon them from the elevation is not to be rendered hy foiis, but watrli- which was thus afforded. lowers ; from P^'', to look oul, look about, 7. Comp. on chap, xxxix. 4. CHAi'. Lii.] JEREMIAH. 269 8 the direction of the steppe. And the Chaldean force pur- sued the king, and overtook Zedekiah in the steppes of 9 Jericho, and all his force dispersed from him. And they took the king and brought him to the king of Babylon, to Riblah, in the land of Hamath, and he pronounced judgment 10 upon him. And the king of Baljylon butchered the sons of Zedekiah in his sight ; and all the princes of Judah also he 11 butchered at Riblah. And he dug out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and the king of Babylon brought him to Babylon, and he put him in a house of custody till the day of his death. 12 And in the fifth month, on the tenth of the month, which was in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan, captain of the body-guard, who stood before 13 the king of Babylon, came into Jerusalem, and burned the temple of Jehovah, and the palace of the king ; and all the houses of Jerusalem, and all the houses of the great, he 14 burned with fire. And all the Chaldean force which was with the captain of the body-guard, demolished all the walls 15 of Jerusalem round about. And some of the poor of the people, and the rest of the people that were left in the city, and those who went over to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the multitude, Nebuzaradan, the captain of the 16 body-guard, carried away captive. But some of the poor of the land Nebuzaradan, the captain of the body-guard, left 17 for vinedressers and for ploughmen. And the pillars of 11 nnpErrn'a the house of visUatlons, between the two chapters, in all proba- 01- nmiisiimeids, the LXX. render oiKlav bilit.y owing to a shnilar cause. uvLvo,, the house of the mill, with U. ^r^r^^^ is of unusual con- snecial reference to tlie custom of struction. It seems to stand tor -..ip:i; ^3 m-isoners' being condemned to work D'?^m In 2 Kings xxv 9 the article \i the mill Thus Samson, after his is omitted before ''in|. Both the sub- eves had been put out by the Philis- stantive and the adjective are to be taken tines erouud in the prison-house, Judges collectively, and rendered m the plural. . 2I' ^ 15. Tiie poor of the people here spoken ^^19 The discrepancy between the tenth of were those of the city, as distinguished day and the ..■^'^'^^/^ 2 Kings xxv. 8, may from those of the country at the be- be accounted for on the assumption that ginning of the following verse. Ihere the Hebrews used letters as numerals, is, therefore, no suficient reason why and that one has been mistaken for the words □?:? ryshyo should be rejected another by a transcriber. There are though they are omitted in one MS. and more discrepancies of the same kind in 2 Kings. 20 21 270 JEREMIAH. [CHAP. Lir. copper, which were in the temple of Jehovah, and the bases, and the copper sea which was in the temple of Jehovah, the Chaldeans brake in pieces; and they carried 18 away all the copper of them to Babylon, And the pots, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the basons, and the spoons, and all the vessels of copper, with which service was per- il) formed, they took away. And the dishes, and the pans, and the basons, and the pots, and the lamp-stands, and the spoons, and the bowls, the gold of that which was gold, and the silver of that which was silver, the captain of the body- guard took away. The two pillars, the one sea, and the twelve copper oxen which were underneath, and the bases which king Solomon had made for the temple of Jehovah — there was no weight to the copper of all these vessels. And as for the pillars, eighteen cubits was the height of one pillar, and a thread of twelve cubits surrounded it ; and its 22 thickness was four fingers ; it was hollow. And the chapiter on it was copper, and the height of the one chapiter was five cubits with network, and pomegranates on the chapiter round about, all of copper; and the second pillar and the 23 pomegranates were like these. And the pomegranates were ninety-six towards the wind ; all the pomegranates were a 2i hundred on the lattice-work round about. And the captain of the body-guard took Seraiah the chief-priest, and Zepha- niah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door. And from the city he took an eunuch who had been ap- pointed over the military, and seven men of those who had been in attendance on the king, that were found in the city, and the secretary of the commander-in-chief, who enrolled the people for service, and sixty men of the country-people who were found in the midst of the city. And Nebuzaradan, the captain of the body-guard, took them, and brought them 20. As, according to the description joined to ni:bp Mowing. By supply in o- 1 Knigs vu. the niiDo, bases, were not the conjunction \ according to the reacf- under the oxen which supported the ing in 2 Kings xxv. 16, no difficulty will molten sea, but formed the supports of remain. the ten lavers, nnn umst be taken in 23. nnn, toioarch the air or wind, i.e. reference to n;n, as interpreted by the the outside of the capitals of the columns IjAA. vnoKUTco Tijs 6a\a(TaT}s, and not or pillars. 25 26 CHAP lil] JEREMIAH. 271 27 to the king of Babylon at Rihlah. And the king of Baby- lon smote them, and killed them at Riblah in the land of Hamath^ and he took Judah away captive from his land. 28 This is the people whom Nebuchadnezzar carried away captive: in the seventh year, of Jews three thousand, twenty and 29 three. In the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar, of the 30 men of Jerusalem eight hundred, thirty and two. In the twenty-third year of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuzaradan the cap- tain of the body-guard carried away captive of Jews seven hundred, forty and five persons : all the persons were four thousand and six hundred. 31 And it came to pass in the thirty-seventh year of the captivity of Jehoiachin, king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the fifteenth of the month, that Evil-merodach, king of Babylon, in the first year of his reign, lifted up the head of Jehoiachin, 32 king of Judah, and brought him forth out of prison. And spake kindly to him, and placed his throne above the thrones 33 of the kings which were with him in Babylon. And he changed his prison garments, and he ate bread before him 34 all the days of his life : And as for his diet, a constant diet 28—30. These verses are omitted iu Babylou will be, according to the com- 2 Kings XXV. aud iu the IjXX. According putatiou of IMichaclis, about 50,000 in- to 2 Kings xxiv, 14, the number of cap- dividuals. tivestakeu along with Jehuiachiu amount- 31—34. Though, as the author just cdtolO,000,witliwhichthestatementhere mentioned shows, Jeremiah might have made, that tlie number was 3,023, may lived long enough to have appended this be reconciled, by comparing 2 Kings xxiv. account of the favourable change of cir- 16, where we are informed that 7,000 -of cumstances iu the history of Jehoiachin, the 10,000 specified ver.l4 were military, there seems to be uo weight in the argu- leaving the sum total to be completed by ment, that, if he had not written it, the addition of the round number of meutiou would have been made of the 3 000, which our author, giving the exact death of the prophet, as an eveut of number of 3,023, states to have been greater interest to the reader than what Jews understanding thereby the inhabi- happened to the captive kmg. It is much tants' exclusive of the soldiers. To the more natural to suppose that the mmd number of 4,C00, specified in ver. 30 be- of the writer, assuming that lie was fore us as the amount of those who had another person, would be occupied with been taken captive at three diifereut the fate of his compatriots, and especially times, must be added the 7,000 soldiers of the Jewish kings, m Babylon— the of 2 Kino-s xxiv. 14, so that the whole captivity there being the subject ut which will come°to 11,600 ; and regarding these he was treating,— than that he should as full-"T0wn men, if we take into the re-iiitroduce Jeremiah, whose liistory had accoimt° the women and children, the been dropped at chap. li. 64. EviJ-me- total estimate of those carried away to roduch was the son and successor ot 272 JEREMIAH. [chap, ltl was given to him from the king of Babylon, every day its portion, till the clay of his death, all the days of his life. Nebuchadnezzar ; according to Jewish tradition, lie had been thrown into prison by his father for some misdemeanour in the government during the period of Nebuchadnezzar's monomania; and while there he contracted a personal friendship with Jehoiachiu; so that, on his ascend- ing the throne, lie not only released him, but advanced him to the most distin- guished seat at the royal table. The position maintained by Marsham, Hup- feld and Hofmann, that he was identical with Belshazzar, is untenable. That monarch was unquestionably Nabonned. THE LAMENTATIONS. N N INTRODUCTION. Though the elegies of Jeremiali have their place awkwardly as- signed them in the Hebrew Bible among the Chethuvim, between the books of Euth and Ecclesiastes, there can be little doubt that, originally, they immediately followed, or formed the concluding part of the Book of that prophet. On this hypothesis alone can we account for the enumeration of the prophetical books by Jose- phus, in his book against Apion, which he states to be thirteen. To make up this number he must have reckoned Jeremiah and Lamentations as one book, just as he must have classed together and reckoned as one each of the following pairs: Judges and Ruth; the two books of Samuel ; the two books of Kings ; the two books of Chronicles ; and the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. Nor is it otherwise than natural that these elegies should follow immediately after the description of the disastrous circumstances connected with the conquest of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, which obviously form the subject that they so dolorously depict. As, indeed, specific mention is made, 2 Chron. xxxv. 25, of lamentations having been composed by Jeremiah, on occasion of the death of Josiah, and of their not only having been made an ordinance to be perpetuated by recitation in Israel, but also of their having been written in the lamentations, the opinion was entertained by Josephus, by Jerome, and others of the Fathers, and was adopted by Usher, Michaehs, and Dathe, as it has been by some others of the moderns, that they are contained in the collection before us.* But, — not to insist on the fact, that though the Jews now sometimes give the name of m^p, lamentations, to the book * Though Michaelis coutended for this opiniou iu his Comoientaiy, yet he after- wards rejected it iu his Ncuen Orieut. u. Exeg. BibUothek. I. p. 106; aud Dathe did the same iu the secoud cditiou of his Trauslation. 276 INTRODUCTION. of elegies which we thus designate^ yet the current title of the col- lection is HD'^J^, hoiv, the first word of the book having been adopted as the title, agreeably to a custom which obtained among the Jews with respect to the Pentateuch and some other books of the Hebrew Scriptures, — nothing can more convincingly prove that the collection refers to Jerusalem, and not to Josiah, than the cir- cumstances that the former is repeatedly mentioned, either expressly by name, or by equivalent circumlocutory epithets ; and that a great variety of metaphors are employed, which can be justi- fied only on the supposition that the destruction of the city, as the type and representative of the Jewish state, the miserable condition to which the inhabitants were reduced during the siege, and their transportation to Babylon, formed the scenes which the prophet had in his eye ; none of which apply to the time of Josiah. The only supposable reference to a king, is Elegy iv. 20 ; but this reference is exclusively applicable to Zedekiah, since the Jews could have had no anticipation of living among the heathen in connexion with the reign of Josiah, whereas, when Zedekiah was conveyed by the king of Babylon to Biblah, they might have expected, that, if they should be carried with him to Babylon, and if he should be treated as Jehoiachin had been, they might have favour shown them for his sake. Besides, it is quite impossible to imagine, how Jeremiah could have composed such elegies as those before us on account of Josiah, without expatiating on the singular piety of that monarch, and the melancholy circumstances of his death. That the traditionary reference at the time the version of the LXX. was made, supports the hypothesis which represents the destruction of Jerusalem in the time of Zedekiah as being the subject of the Lamentations, appears from the introductory verse prefixed by these translators, which reads as follows : " koX iyevcTo fjbera to al'^/xdkcoTtadtjvaL TOu^lcrparjX, koX ' lepovaaXrj/x ip7]/x(o0rjvat, eKciOiaev 'Yepejiiaq, KXaioov, koX idprjvrjae rov dprjvov rovrov iirl 'lepovaaXrjfj,, kol elire" — "And it came to pass after Israel had been carried aAvay captive, and Jerusalem had been laid waste, that Jeremiah sat weeping, and lamented with this lamentation, and said/^ In pohit of style, the Elegies of Jeremiah hold a middle place between the simple elevation of prophetic poetiy, and the more INTRODUCTION. 277 elevated rhythmical movement which we find in the songs of Moses, David, and Habakkuk. It is impossible in a translation to exhibit anything like that conciseness and brevity by which the Hebrew original, notwithstanding all the diffuseness of style characteristic of the prophet, is so strongly marked. The imagery- is tender and pathetic, and bursts at times into violence, manifesting all the characteristics of elegiac poetry. The elegiac effusions are grouped in stanzas as they arose in the mind of Jeremiah, without exhibiting, for the most part, any special connexion, which will account for the absence of artificial and methodical arrangement.* The principal characteristic of these Elegies, the last excepted, is that they are acrostic or alphabetical. Each Elegy is dirided into twenty-two stanzas or verses. In the three first they all consist of triplets, each beginning with the letters of the Hebrew alphabet in regular order. In three instances, viz. Eleg. ii. 16, 17; iii. 46 — 51 ; iv. 16, 17, the letters have been transposed. The third elegy has this remarkable feature, that each line of the three forming the stanza begins with the same letter of the alphabet. The fourth is distinguished from all the others by each stanza consisting only of two hues; while the last, though ex- hibiting stanzas of three lines each, and, like the rest, consisting of twenty-two — the number of letters in the alphabet, — is not alphabetical. It likewise differs in the lines being shorter than those of which the others are composed. With this exception, the lines are longer than we find in any other specimens of Hebrew poetry. They contain, on an average, twelve syllables, and are perceptibly marked by a caesura about the middle, so as to diride them into two somewhat unequal parts. It has been justly remarked that a greater variety of beautiful, tender, and pathetic images, all expressive of deep distress and sorrow, were never more happily chosen and applied, than in these incomparable Elegies of Jeremiah.f * Lowth's Lecture XXII. f Dr. John Smith's " Summary View and Explanation of the Writings of the Prophets." LAMENTATIONS. ELEGY I. Contemplating the sad reverse of circumstances which the Jews had experienced, Jeremiah at once breaks out in utterances of the most profound grief over the fate of Jerusalem. He mixes up his graphic description of the miseries wliich lier inhabitants had had inflicted upon them, with her own personified description of her calamities, her confession of her crimes as their cause, her justification of Jehovah in her punishment, and her hope that the time would come when the conduct of her enemies should meet with condign retribution. »^ 1 How slie sitteth solitary — the populous city ! She is a widow that was great among the nations ! She that was princess among the provinces is become tributary! 2 She weepeth sorely in the night, and her tears arc on her cheeks ; 1. The Yod in 'nan and 'ryw is merely paragogic, but appears originally to have been used as a mark of the genitive case, just as the corresponding letter is in Arabic. It only occurs in Hebrew poetry, or the higher style of composition, and in compound names of ancient times, as pu-'DiN, pi^-'a^o, &c. It is impossible to determine what was the extent of tlie population of ancient Jerusalem. Before the revolt under Rehoboam it must have been very great, especially during the celebration of the three annual festivals, when the males congregated there from all parts of the country ; and even after that event there is reason to believe that, as the metropolis of the southern king- dom, the number of inhabitants was considerable. It not only continued to be the resort of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, but was one of the principal mercantile cities of the East. The pre- sent population of the city does not exceed 12,000. In the prosperous times of the Hebrew monarchy it exercised authority over all the countries from the River of Egypt to the Euphrates; but now, when this elegy was composed, its king having been removed, and itself being deprived of the favour of its theo- cratic Head, it is represented as reduced to the circumstances of solitary widow- hood. The 3 in njn^ws is simply that of comparison, and is not intended to express any hope that she would be restored from her widowed state, as Jarehi fancifully supposes. It is im- possible to read tiiis verse without thinking of J/n/ea Copta, or the repre- sentation of the conquered Jewish state under the emblem of a disconsolate female sitting under a palm-tree, which was struck on a medal on the taking of Jerusalem by Titus. 2. The infinitive absolnte in n|?n iaa is expressive of intensity, as it generally 280 LAMENTATIONS. [elegy I. There is no comforter for her of all her lovers : All her friends have acted falsely by her; they are become her enemies. 3 Judah hath gone into captivity because of oppression^ and because of much servitude. She dwelleth among the heathen ; she findeth no rest ; All her pursuers have overtaken her between the straits. 4 The ways of Zion mourn because none come to the festivals ; All her gates are desolate ; her priests sigh ; Her virgins are afflicted^ and she is in bitterness. 5 Her adversaries are become the chief, her enemies prosper ; Because Jehovah hath afflicted her for the multitude of her rebellions : Her children are gone captives before the enemy. is when 'it stands before a finite verb. The phrase is, therefore, to be rendered, "she weepeth so/(?/y,"and not continually, as Blayney prefers, i^l stands for rf33, by a common permutation of the letters. To express the more aggravated character of the weeping, it is represented as in- dulged in even during the night — the period of rest and quiet. The D'?nK . lovers, and D'5^, friends, were those neighbouring states which were allies of the Hebrews, who were accustomed to rely on their assistance in case of any hostile attack, and their idol-gods which they worshipped, and in which they trusted. Egypt especially was the object of their confidence, but not even she durst venture to come to their help against the Chaldeans. See Ezek. xxix. 6, 7, 16. Those in the more immediate vicinity actually joined the northern enemy on his irruption into the country. 2 Kings xxiv. 2. 3. Interpreters have differed with re- spect to what we are to understand by the " oppression and much servitude " raentioned in this verse : some supposing it to be that which the Jews experienced from the Chaldeans; and others, that which was inflicted by the Jews upon their brethren. To the former view it may justly be objected, that it does not make the two parts of the line to cohere; since, on such su])position, the evils must have been the effect and not the cause of the exile. I cannot, therefore, but think, that the reference is to the cir- cumstances narrated chap, xxxiv., in which the Jews are expressly threatened with captivity, because, in violation of the Mosaic law, and of the covenant into which they had entered, they withdrew the grant of liberty which they had made to their servants, and reduced them to their former state of servitude. From the use of the qualifying term i\ much, or great, it may be inferred that the cir- cumstances of these servants had been rendered worse thaii they had been be- fore. The " straits " were the narrow passes in the mountainous parts of the country, in which it would be easy to arrest the progress of the fugitives. Such localities in the East are frequently infested by robbers, who lie in wait for, and attack such travellers as may venture to urge their way through them. 4. Instead of the joyous festival-scenes exhibited at Jerusalem in the time of her prosperity, when all the roads leading thither were thronged with passengers, all was now desolation and woe. Comp. Jer. xiv. 2. The introduction of the metropolis herself at the end of the verse is inimitably beautiful. 5. All the attempts made by the ene- mies of God's people to distress them, must have proved unsuccessful, had he not delivered them into their hand to be punished for their iniquities. To these, ELEGY T.] LAMENTATIONS. 281 1 And there liatli gone forth from the daughter of Zion all her splendour. Her princes are as harts that find no pasture^ And go powerless before the pursuer. T 7 Jerusalem remembers in the days of her afBiction, and her persecution, All her precious things which were from ancient days : When her people fell into the hand of the adversary, and she had no helper. The adversaries saw her ; they laughed at her ruin, n S Jerusalem hath committed great sin, therefore she hath become unclean; All who honoured her despise her, because they see her nakedness : She also sigheth, and turneth backward. LD 9 Her filthiness is in her skirts, she remembered not her latter end. as the cause of tlieir calamities, the prophet here distiuctly points. In the representations which we find on ancient sculptures nothing is more afl'ecting tliau to observe females and young children driven as captives before their con- querors. 6. Tor nrp the Keri and some MSS. read more correctly risp. The phrase is also thus quoted in the Rabboth. Jeru- salem had been renowned for the mag- nificence of the temple, and her other buildings : these the Chaldeans had stripped and burned with fire, and had carried into exile the most distinguished of her inhabitants. 7. The bitterest ingredient in the cup of adversity is the remembrance of lost possessions and enjoyments. In 'O] there- is an ellipsis of ?, of which there are numerous examples. For Q'7''''?, perse- cutions, see my Comment, on Isaiah Iviii. 7 ; LXX. dTTwa-ficov. As each verse in this Elegy, except the present, con- tains regularly three lines, it has been supposed by some critics, that the words rrr)2XDi2-iv ipnii? n'-i? n^^^^, which here form a fourth line, have been added by some transcriber. Since, however, they are found in all the Hebrew MSS. and all the ancient versions, it would be un- warrantable to omit them in translation. There is no reason to believe that Jere- miah considered himself so rigidly bound to adhere to his triple arrangement, as on no occasion to break through it, in order to give utterance to a thought forcibly bearing on the statement which he had just made. A similar addition occurs Elegy ii. 19. — ^riacp, lit. /icr ruined circumstances ; the state of the complete cessation of all the active busi- nesses of life. Root rii\B, to cease ; Hiph. to put an end to, cause to cease. 8. n^prj «-i:n the substantive repeated in the form of the verb, for the sake of emphasis ; she hath sinned a sin : i. e. she hath committed great sin. Targ. ^^j'lrr i^?r; ^^l, site hath contracted great guilt. To express the abomination in which the character of Jerusalem was held, in con- sequence of her having morally defiled herself by her indulgence in idolatry, she is said to have become ht?, a term bor- rowed from the state of a female who is luiclean by reason of the menses. 9. The prophet continues the revolting •imagery which he had introduced in the ■preceding verse; and, after ascribing the fall of Jerusalem to heedless indulgence O O 282 LAMENTATIONS. [elegy I. Therefore slie came down wonderfully; slie hatli no com- forter: Behold^ O Jeliovali ! ray affliction^ for tlie enemy liatli magni- fied himself. ** 10 The adversary hath stretched forth his hand on all her precious things : Surely she hath seen it, the heathen have entered her sanc- tuary, Which thou commandedst that they should not enter into thy 2 11 All lier people sigh, they seek bread ; They have given their precious things for food to restore life : Look, O Jehovah ! and regard ; for I am vile. 7 1^ Is it nothing to j'ou, all ye that pass along the way ? Look and see if there be any sorrow like my sorrow which hath been inflicted upon me ; With which Jehovah hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce ang-er. in sin, by a striking prosopopoeia, he introduces Lier as imploring tiie compas- sionate regard of Jehovah. D'w"?^, wonders, used adverbially for inonderfuilrj. 10. The n iu rvr^ri, is merely the fuller form of the pronominal fragment forn'i^, the common form. It is omitted in some MSS. The legal restriction here referred to, is that which prohibited the Ammon- ites and Moabites from entering the temple, Deut. xxiii. 3. If even their entering to perform an act of worship would have been construed as a violation of the precept, how nuich more when it had for its object destruction and spoli- ation ! By implication the Chaldeans, as x\\\ idolatrous people, M'cre included iu ihe prohibition. 11. Comp. Job ii. 4. Dnn-innn is quite irregular. It is corrected in the Keri, which rejects tlie i. The word is llius ex- hibited in a great number of MSS., and in eight printed editions. Comp. ver. 10, The f(n-m ^'^lonn, occurs ver. 7. t'cj yci7, to cause the ireath, or life to return; here, to support or refresh a person with food. This mode of expression is founded on the idea, that wlien one is faint, the breaili or life is as it were gone. — It might be supposed, that there is something incon- gruous in assigning her vileness as a reason why God should regard Jerusalem; but there is reason to believe, that what is here meant, is not her moral pollution, but her abject and despised condition, which was exposed to all ai-ouud her. ^ is properly the Benoni Participle of ^\ to shake, pour Old, squa nde r ,aet tjusct y ; hence, to be regarded and treated as a person deserves who thus acts. 12. Ni'? is not to be considered as ecpuvalent to V?, the interjexjtion of wish- ing, but is a strong mode of expressing the ncg^ative n'j, which has here all the force of a substantive put interrogatively, as it is in the common version : Is it nothing ? The words of this verse have been very generally applied, in the lan- guage of the pulpit, to the suiferings of our Saviour, and unquestionably they graphically describe the intensity of those suHcrings ; but, considering the extent to which the original sense of the passage , has been lost sight of, and the accom- modated one substituted in its room, it would be well to notify that the secondary meaning is merely an accommodation of the words. ELEGY I.] LAMENTATIONS. 283 t2 13 From ou high lie hath sent a fire into my bones^ and it hath subdued them : He hath spread a net for my feet ; he hath turned me back ; He hath made me desolate — languishing all day long i 14 The yoke of my rebellions is bound by his hand^ they are wreathed ; They rise up on my neck; the Lord hath made my strength to fail ; He hath delivered me into the hands of those from whom I am unable to rise up. D 15 The Lord hath cast away all my mighty men in the midst of me ; He hath summoned an assembly against me, to break my young men in pieces : The Lord hath trodden the wine-press as it respects the virgin- daughter of Judah. T/ 16 For these things I weep, mine eye, mine eye floweth down with water ; 13 — 15. Ill tl'.esc verses Jeremiah nccumulatcs metaphor njioii metaphor, in order more powerfully to affect the mind of the reader. The first is borrowed from a fact well established in osteology, that inflammation in the bones is not only extremely jiainful, but dries them up, and renders them brittle and conse- quently useless. ^I'^^^'l], lloot ^7^, Arab. ^f regit, iicrcusslt^ culcuvit ; to tread or Jjreah in pieces, iirevail over, suhd/ie. The verbal suffix is to be taken collec- tively, and refers to ■"i^'^V'". ^s its antece- dent. Tiie metaphor of the net is borrowed from the custom of catching wild beasts with nets, which are so spread as effect- ually to entangle them, and thus secure tiiei'r capture. — The next metaphor is taken from agricultural life. As the hand of the ploughman firmly binds the yoke on the neck of the ox, so inseparably had the punishment of the iniquities of Jerusalem been connected with her re- bellious conduct towards Jehovah, ^i?i?■''?, to be bound, though occurring only this once in the lleb. Bible, is alone suitable to the connexion, vn, to be u-atc/ieJ, M-hich is found in the Keri and in several MSS. and printed editions, and is sup- ported by the renderings of the LXX. and Syr., is inappropriate. — To express more forcibly the complicated character of the iniquities of the Jews as entailing pu- nishment upon them, they are said to eutwineox iiitenceace theniselces — the idea being probably borrowed from the inter- twining of withes for the purpose of binding the yoke with them. — Although '3\«, or, as many MSS. read, ni.n;-, is more immedia'ely connected with ''?]?3, it is also to be regarded as the nominative to Tran. I have construed accordingly. — After \T3 subaud. cnp Tj^>j._nto', "vcr. 15, I consider as having the signification of the Syr. |ll2), rejecif, rcspuif, sprevit. Comp. n'."^?, Ps. cxix. 118. By T;io, as-^ sembli/, are meant the collected forces of the Chaldeans. The term is borrowed from its use, as expressing the vast nud- titude who assembled at the solemn festivals. 16. That the very plaintive language here employed is that of Jerusalem, and not the personal lamentation of Jeremiali, 284. LAMENTATIONS. [elegy i. Because far from me is the comforter, the restorer of my hfe : My chiklren are desolate, because the enemy hath prevailed. ^17 Zion spreadeth out her hands, she hath no comforter; Jeliovah hath given charge to the enemies of Jacob around him : Jerusalem hath become unclean among them. )S 18 Jehovah is righteous, for I have rebelled against his com- ' mandment : Hear, I beseech you, all ye peoples, and behold my sorrow ; My virgins and my young men are gone into captivity, p 19 I called to my lovers, they deceived me : My priests and my elders expired in the city, While they sought for themselves food that they might restore their life. 1 20 Behold, O Jehovah ! for I am distressed, my bowels are made to boil ; My heart is turned within me, for I have greatly rebelled : Without the sword bereaveth, in the house it is as death. l^ 21 They have heard that I sigh, that I have no comforter ; All mine enemies have heard of my calamity, they rejoice that thou hast inflicted it ; Bring the day which thou hast announced, that they may be like me. n 22 Let all their wickedness come before thee ; is evident from ilie last clause of tlic an ofBcial sense, and not as simply in- verse. Allbongli the second '?'?' is want- dicativc of old age. Both, without re- ing in some of Kennicott and De Rossi's spect to dignity of oiTice, were under the MSS. and in all the ancient versions, yet necessity of going in quest of food, the repetition for the sake of emphasis 20. The geminated form 'i"'97Pn is is quite in the style of Jeremiah. Comp. strongly expressive of that violently ex- 'y? 'i'P, chap. iv. 19. cited state of the intestines which is oc- 17. There is no authority for reversing casioned by excessive grief. The whole the alphabetical order of » and ^, and so verse is the most affecting imaginable, changing the position of this and the The Caph in ni^3 is the Cap/i verliaUs, preceding verse, as Green does here, and expressing the reality of the thing, proposes should be done, Ps. xxxiv. 16, 21, 22. While acknowledging that God 17. See on Elegy ii. 16, 17. Spreading had inflicted the punishment upon Jeru- out the hands is a token of the greatest salera on account of her sins, in the true distress. spirit of the theocracj'-, Jeremiah impre- 18. For C'Qi'' read, with the Keri, cates a similar treatment of her enemies. Dwn in the Vocative. Without their destruction as a people, it 19. Comp. ver. 2. C;!?], occurring, was impossible for that theocracy to be as it here does, in immediate connexion restorccl. The servant of God is to be with D'jns^ priesis, is to be understood in regarded as here speaking in his pro- ELEGY iL] LAMENTATIONS. 285 And deal witli tliem as tliou hast dealt with me for all my rebellious : For my sighs are many, and my heart is faint. ]i]ietical character. Comp. Elegy iii. 64— the destruction of the Chaldean empire, 66. The DV, day, referred to vcr. 21, and that of the neighbouring states by was that of the capture of Babylon, and which the Jews had been maltreated. ELEGY II. In this Elegy the same subject is prosecuted which had been taken up in ihe preceding, but though the scene in general is identical, the character of the description varies, consisting for the most part of references to circumstances connected with the immediate taking of the city. The prophet seems as if he felt it impossible to turn away his eye from the sad catastrophe before him, while he sets forth in the most plaintive strains, the sad havoc to which Jerusalem had been subjected. t^ 1 How hath the Lord covered with darkness the daughter of Zion ! He hath cast down from heaven to earth the beauty of Israel ; And hath not remembered his footstool in the day of his anger ! 3 2 The Lord hath destroyed and not pitied all the dwellings of Jacob ; He hath thrown down in his wrath the fortresses of the daughter of Judah ; He hath razed them to the ground^ he hath profaned the kingdom and its princes. J 3 He hath cut down in his hot anger every horn of Israel ; He hath turned back his riglit hand before the enemy : 1. ™'^, how, with which the first Elegy called by Jehovah ''O'^s^^n n'3, my beauteous commences, and Avhich forms the title of house, Is. Ix. 7. By the "footstool" of the collection, is repeated here and Elegy Jeliovah, the ark of the covenant on iv. 1. Instead of ''jnx as occurring here, which the glory, as tlie symbol of the vers. 5 and 7, and Elegy i. 14, several Divine presence, rested, seems to be in- MSS. read n;n;, but apparently by cor- tended. See 1 Chron. xxviii. 2 ; Ps. rection of the transcribers. '''«:j^: ^1^.?'"?, xcix. 5. the beauty of Israel, is descriptive, not 3. A horn, projecting from the fore- of the inhabitants of Jerusalem under head, was used not only as an ornament, the emblem of a beautiful female, but but also as a badge of power and au- of the magnificent and splendid temple, thority. 1 Sam. ii. 10 ; Ps. cxxxii. 17. It 286 LAMENTATIONS. [elegy ir. And liatli burned in Jacob like a fire wliicli devouretb round about. 1 i He hatli bent bis bow like an enemy : lie hatli steadied liis riglit hand like an adversary ; And hath slain all the delights of the eye in the tents of the daughter of Zion : He hath poured out his fury like fire. (1 5 The Lord hath been like an enemy, he hath destroyed Israel ; He hath destroyed all her palaces, he hath destroyed his fortresses : He hath increased in the daughter of Judah sorrow and sadness. T 6 He hath also broken down his inclosure like that of a garden; He hath destroyed his place of assembly : Jehovah hath caused to be forgotten in Zion assembly and sabbath ; And rejected, in the indignation of his anger, king and priest. T 7 The Lord hath cast off his altar, he hath abhorred his sanc- tuary ; He hath delivered over into the hands of the foe the walls of her palaces ; They made a noise in the house of Jehovah as on the day of assembly. may seem doubtful whose riglit liand is enclose. Hence the noun comes to sig- liere intended, but it seems most natural nity what is enclosed, as a hut, booth, to refer it to Israel. tabernacle. It is here specially applied 4. The point of conijiarison here is to the temple, '^d is found as the read- obviously that of the care taken by the ing in a considerable number of MSS. archer to obtain a steady aim. i')'^, to i^'ra is first used for the place of assembly kill, day, is used meiaphoricall.y, as in in this verse, and then for the solemn Ps. Ixxviii. 47, for destroy. There is, assembly which used to be congregated therefore, no necessity, with Lowth, there. (Prelim. Diss.) Blayney, and Green, to 7. Though it may at first sight appear supply ">?'?'''3, every youth, which, after all, incongruous to compare the noise made would lamely GU up the supposed defect by warriors in storming a city to that in the metre. ''r}K tent, is to be taken of an assembly engaged in the celebra- collectively for the habitations of the tion of worship ; yet, however loud the Jews. sound of the temple-worship may have 5. In n^?^! n^3>«n is a beautiful paro- been when instruments and human voices nomasia, which, like n^«>a'?i nj?iir, Job were conjoined, it is not strictly with the XXX. 3, is intended to heighten the effect, noise thus produced, that the comparison 6. ^, the same as ^id, an enclosed is made, but with that of the multitudes pkice, from '^P?, to interweave, as the who crowded the city on festival occa- boughs of trees, and so make a liedge, to sions. Green strangely transfers the ELEGY II.] LAMENTATIONS. 287 n S Jeliovali liatli purposed to destroy the Avail of tlie daughter of Zion ; He liath stretched the line, he hath not turned back his hand from destroying; The breastwork and the wall he hath made to mourn, they lament together. l3 9 Her gates are sunk into the earth, he hath destroyed and broken in pieces her barriers ; Her king and her princes are among the heathen; There is no law ; her prophets find no vision from Jehovah. "^ 10 They sit on the earth, they are silent, the elders of the daughter of Zion ; They throw up dust over their heads, they gird themselves with sackcloth; The virgins of Jerusalem bow down their heads to the earth. 13 11 ]\rinc eyes are consumed with tears, my bowels are troubled ; My liver is poured out on the earth because of the breach of the daughter of my people : Through the swooning of the infant and the suckling in the streets of the city. 7 12 They say to their mothers : Where is the corn and the wine ? While they swoon like a wounded man in the streets of the city ; While their hfe is poured out into the bosom of their mothers. scene to the icmple-worsliip of Bel or not observed the fundamental principles Nebo. — Whatever relation there may be of the theocracy ; but it is more in in point of signification between "i«? and keeping with the spirit of the passage "I?:, we are not warranted, with Blayney, to consider him as referring to the legal to adopt the latter as the true reading. observances which had all been swe[)t 8. The ancients used the measuring away by the destruction of the Jewish line, not only in the erection, but also state. Comp. Ps. Ixxiv. 9. in the demolition of buildings. Comp. 10. A most graphic description of the 2 Kings xxi. 13 ; Is. xxxiv. 11. The posture and signs of mourning. Comp. metaphor is here employed to denote the Job ii. 12, 13. rigidness with which the punishment 11, 12. The scene here depicted is was hiflicted. presented in the most touching colours. 9. The sinking of the gates is to be ^??, the lirer, put for rnio, used in a referred to their being thrown down and similar phrase. Job xvi. 13, denoting the covered with earth and rubbish from the bile, which is formed in a peculiar bladder walls. Some are of opinion that by the on the inferior surface of the liver, and laconic niin ]\^, there is no law, we are to is copiously discharged when tlie passions understand Jeremiah as meaning to say, are violently agitated. The language is that all the calamity had come upon physiologically correct, as we find it iu Jerusalem because her inhabitants had other passages iu Jeremiah. See on chap. 288 LAMENTATIONS. [elegy II. t2 13 What shall I take to Avitness ? or with Avhat shall I compare thee^ O daughter of Jerusalem ? To what shall I liken thee that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Zion ? For great as the sea is thy breach : who can heal thee ? 2 14 Thy prophets see for thee vanity and stuff : And reveal not thine iniquity, to reverse thy captivity ; They see for thee false burdens and causes of banishment. D 15 All who pass along the road clap their hands at thee, They hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem : Is this the city Avhich men called the perfection of beauty, a joy to the whole earth? ^ 16 All thine enemies gape at thee with their mouth, They hiss and gnash the teeth, they say : We have destroyed her ; Surely this is the day which we expected, we have found, we have seen it. J/ 17 Jehovah hath done that which he had purposed, he hath ful- filled his threatening, iv. 19. — A more pitiable spectacle cauuot be witnessed than that of a starving child swooning with Imnger, and turning to the breast of its motlier, but finding no supply of milk. Eor the famine during the siege, see Jer. lii. 6. 13. The verb "i^s occurs nowhere else in Kal, in the sense of testifying. Hence the Keri substitutes tjtV^ in Hiphil, and with this a great number of MSS. and several printed editions agree. Jeremiah feels as if he had exhausted his powers of description. He cannot find any object to put in parallel with the lament- able condition of Jerusalem. The only exception is tke sen, which, on account of its vast dimensions, alone furnished a fit emblem of the magnitude of the devastation effected by tlie Chaldeans. Upwards of seventy MSS. and five of the early editions read r^^g\ instead of rrn, and this reading is supported by the LXX., Syr., Vulg., Arab., and Targ. 14. I have employed otir familiar term sf/fj^, denoting contempt or dislike, as the most pro))er by which to express idiomatically the meaning of '^5':^, any- thing disagrecahle, foolish, iiisiind. Comp. the Arab. (J,iJ, froth, vomit. — c^ni-io, LXX. e^aaixara, expulsions, or, as the common version, causes of banishment. Root, nij, to thrust, or clrice out. nixipp, burdens, strictly mean heavy or secere jtunishments, but here, the causes of such punishments. The false prophets, in their attempts "to account for the cap- tivity, invented any cause but the true one, the apostasy of the Jews. 15. The language of this verse is that of insult and astonishment. For '?' n^'??, the perfection of beauti/, comp. 'D^ Visp^ Ps. 1. 2 ; and for V^)?? '?? '•^■^^-o, a joy to the whole earth, see Ps. xlviii. 3. 16, 17. That the order of these verses has been inverted is undeniable, that beginning with D being placed before that commencing with s, contrary to the order of the Hebrew Alphabet. Elayney justly scouts, the conjecture of Grotius, that the order of the Chaldean alphabet may have differed from that of the He- brews, and that Jeremiah, now living under a new governmcut, adopted the ELEGY II.] LAMENTATIONS. 289 Which he commanded from the days of old ; lie hath razed and not pitied : He hath made thine enemy to rejoice over thee^ he hath elevated the horn of thine adversaries. ^ IS Their heart cried out to the Lord : O wall of the daughter of Zion ! make tears to flow down like a torrent day and night ; Give thyself no rest ; let not the pupil of thine eye cease. p 19 Arise ! cry loud in the night at the first of the watches ; Pour out thy heart like water before the Lord : Lift up thy hands to him for the life of thine infants, Who swoon with famine at the top of all the streets. "I 20 Look ! O Jehovah ! and consider whom thou hast treated thus : arrangement of the letters in tlieir alpha- bet. In the LXX. the notations "AiV and *^ are given in the proper order, though the verses are translated as tliey now stand. Four of Kennicott's MSS. and one of De Rossi's exhibit the verses in the regular alphabetical order, as does also the Syriac version. The relation, liowever, of ver. IG, to that which pre- cedes it, furnishing a continuation of the insulting language there employed, and the contrast so strikingly introduced in ver. 17, may be urged in favour of the liypothesis, that the inverted order as to alphabetical arrangement may be re- ferred to Jeremiah himself, whose mind, when he composed the verses, was more intent on the matter than the mode in which it was arranged. See for similar transpositions of these very letters, and consequently of the verses commencing with them. Elegies iii. 46 — 51; iv. 16, 17; — a fact which is the more remarkable, since it is precisely in regard to these two letters, and not anj^ others in the alphabetical series, that in all the three instances the alteration has taken place. — Howeverthecnemiesof the Jews might tauntingly exult in their destruction of the Jewish metropolis, that disastrous event was ultimately to be referred to the purpose of Jehovah to piaiish i(s inhabitants for their sins. Tor 'in?''!]?©, ver. 16, uineteeu MSS. and one of the earliest printed editions read in full im3\i|v'0. inntj^j an anomalous punctua- tion for the usual inip«. 18. The nominative to the suffix in D?!', are the inhabitants of Jerusalem un- derstood. In this and the following verse, 't?''", the wall of Jerusalem, is addressed synecdochecally as a mother who has lost her children. 19. Instead of ''ji^», forty of Kenni- cott's, and forty-eight of De Rossi's MSS., together with seven more of his originally, and the Hagiographa printed at Naples, read ^n^. The Venetian Greek version has tov ovtoitov. On these au- thorities, I have not scrupled to follow this reading in tlie translation. The Hebrews at first divided the night into three watches : the first, commencing at sunset, and extending to what corre- sponded to our ten o'clock ; the second from ten till two in the morning ; and the third from that time till sun-rise. Thoy afterwards adopted the Roman division of the night into four watches, which is the calculation found in the New Testa- ment. A very considerable number of MSS. have n'j:'?; in the text, agreeably to the Keri, and the textual punctuation of the printed editions. Per the addition of a fourth line in this verse, see on Elegy i. 7. 20. CN is twice used in this verse with the force of a demonstrative interjection. The masculine suffix in d;";!? is adopted instead of the feminine, to agree in form P P 290 LAMENTATIONS. [elegy hi. Beliold ! women eat their fruit, infants of a span long ; Beliold ! priest and propliet are slain in the sanctuary of the Lord. li/ 21 Boys and old men lie on the ground in the streets, My maidens and my young men fall by the sword : Thou hast killed in the day of thy wrath, thou hast slaughtered, and not spared. Jn 22 Thou hast summoned, as on a festival day, my terrors around ; And there was not that escaped or remained in the day of the anger of Jehovah : Those whom I had nursed and brought up, the enemy hath consumed. with o-'c; preceding. For the horrible ported by the Targ., Syr., Vulg., and act here referred to, conip. Lev. xxvi. Arab., supply i before i^"? in the phrase 29 ; Deut. xxviii. 56, 57, and the pre- wo? ^''• diction, Jer. xix. 9. No MS. supplies 22. The meaning is not that the Jews rn'i, womb, after '"^3, fruit. The scene, were surrounded by terrors on their though past, is vividly depicted by Jere- festival days ; but that the call for the miah, as if it were still present to his terrors in which they were involved at view. The nominative to ^Iv*.! is J^P and the capture of Jerusalem, was as loud as t*'??, taken singly. that which used to be given by the 21. Sixty-uine MSS., originally fifteen blowing of trumpets to summon the more, and eight printed editions, sup- people to the feasts. ELEGY IIL The subject of this Elegy is the personal experience of Jeremiah, on whic h he expatiates in the most touching strains, in order partly to give vent to his own feelings, and partly to excite corresponding emotions in the breasts of his exiled countrymen. From the lively recollection which he had of the severe trials that he had endured in the course of his prophetic ministry, the merciful interpositions of the Lord on his behalf, and the indisputable right of the Most High to inflict suffering on sinful men, he proposes himself as an example from which they might derive instruction, and be induced, in the exercise of repentance and prayer, to hope for a restoration from their captivity. Towards the close this object comes out in the change of persoir from the singular to the plural. The formal arrangement of the verses differs from that of the two preceding elegies, inasmuch as they here consist of three lines, each of which begins with the same letter of the Alphabet in regular order, whereas in the others the alphabetical arraucrcnieut is confined to the fii'st letter of each verse. ELEGY III.] LAMENTATIONS. 291 1 3. i^ I AM the man that hath seen affliction, through the rod of his indignation. K He hath led me away, and made me go into darkness, where there was no light. ^ Surely he hatli turned hack his hand upon me all the day. -1 6. ^ He hath consumed my flesh and my skin, he hath broken in pieces my hones. '2 He hath builded against me and struck me on the head, and it is distressed, n He hath made me sit in dark places as those that have long been dead. 7 9. J He hath enclosed me around, so that I cannot go out : he hath made my chain heavy. J Even when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer. } He hath enclosed my ways with hewn stones, he hath made my paths crooked. 1. Before nsn supply t?«. The an- tecedent to the suffix in inn35> is Jeho- vah, understood, not expressed, hn'j, to sec, is frequently in Hebrew equiva- lent to fcelinrj, or experiencing in any way. Hence the phrase : to see death, i.e. to die. — Jercmiali liad experienced pe- culiar afflictions. Besides being visited with them in his own person, he was painfidly called to witness their en- durance by his fellow-countrymen. 2. Though there may be, in the men- tion here made of darkness and the absence of light, an allusion to his cir- cumstances when shut up in the dungeon, yet the language is metaphorically de- scriptive of his afflictions in general. This metaphor, which is exceedingly expressive, is very common in Scripture. 3. The phrase to turn back the hand, here denotes to give repeated strokes, to afflict continuously, as it follows in the verse. Thus liosenmiiller : iterum ite- ruijique. 4 — 6. The cast of the language in these verses is borrowed from the eflect of affliction on the human frame, nja, to hiild, is used in a military sense for the making of hostile preparations, such as raising mounds, from which to shoot at, and otherwise attack a city, t'.^i is properly rendered KecbaXrj by the LXX., and similarly the Targ. and Arab. The word is here an accusative absolute, 'Oi<, ti/e, being understood. ^^\% lit. ai/d there is distress : viz. in the head just mentioned. 6. D'^Ti-nn, dari- places, such as mau- solea, or sepulchres in which the bodies of the dead are deposited, as it follows in the verse. Whether there be here an allusion to an ancient custom of placing the dead bodies in a sitting posture in the sepulchres is doubtful, though the language would rather seem to imply it. Jeremiah represents himself as having more the appearance of a skeleton, or a nunnmy, than that of a living body. 7—9. The prophet now places himself in the position of a prisoner, who is se- curely immured, and to whose supplica- tions for deliverance, how earnestly soever they may be made, no attention is paid. 292 LAMENTATIONS. [elegy in. 10 12. 1 He hath been to me a lurking bear, a lion in secret places. 1 He hath turned my ways aside, and torn me in pieces: he hath made me desolate. 1 He hath bent his bow, and taken a steady aim at me, as a mark for the arrow. 13 15. n He hath caused to enter into my reins the sons of his quiver. (1 I Avas a laughing-stock to all my people : their song all the day. n Pie hath filled mc with bitter things, he hath made me drunk with wormwood. 16 18. 1 He hath made my teeth cranch grit, he hath covered me with ashes. 1 Thou hast thrust me away from prosperity, I forgot happiness. 1 And I said : my confidence is perished, and my hope from Jehovah. 19 21. t Remember my affliction ai^d my persecution, the wormwood and the gall, 10, 11. He next conceives of liimself as a traveller whose way is blocked up hj a solid wall, and who, being compelled to turn aside into the devious pathways of the forest, is exposed to the rapacity of wild beasts. 12, 13. The idea of a hunter M'as nat- urally suggested by the circumstances just referred to. This is beautifully ex- pressed in language borrowed from such employment. By a common Hebraism, arrows are called sons of the quiver. 14, 15. Instead of ''s? m^ people, a con- siderable number of MSS. read Q'^y, and four D'QV^, in the plural ; but this read- ing, though supported by the Syr., seems less suitable than the former. There is no evidence that the prophet was treated otherwise than with respect by foreigners. Instead of meeting with any commiser- ation from his countrymen, fidelity in the discharge of his duty to whom had been the occasion of all his personal troubles, lie was made the butt of their ridicule, and the theme of their satirical songs. How much this must have embittered his condition it is easy to imagine. Comp. Job XXX. 9. To express the excessive acerbity of his feelings, he employs tlic plural, cni-io, bitternesses. 16. It is probable that reference is here made to the grit that often mixes with bread baked in ashes, which is com- mon in the East. Trom the covering of thebread with theashes Jeremiah borrows the idea, and represents himself as thus covered. Such was the humiliating con- dition to which he had been reduced. •cps, the verb here used for coi-ering, is a aVa^ Xfy, but the signification is suffici- ently established by the cognate Arab. to throw doton, overwhelm, cover LT^ a well, by filling it up with earth. LXX. 17, 18. Not only had all present en- joyment been annihilated, but all prospect of future prosperity had been cut off. The circumstances of the prophet had been most pitiable. 19 — 21. Notwithstanding temptations to despondency, and the bitter complaints ELEGY III.] LAMENTATIONS. 293 T Do but remember, for my soul is bowed clown witliin m e. T This I lay to heart, therefore I hope. 22 24.. n It is of the loving kindnesses of Jehovah that we are not con- sumed, because his mercies fail not. n They are new every morning, great is thy faithfulness. n Jehovah is my portion, saith my soul, therefore do I hope in him. 25 27. [0 Good is Jehovah to them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. Good is it both to hope and to wait in silence for the salvation of Jehovah. LD Good is it for a man that he should bear the yoke in his youth. 2S 30 1 He sitteth alone and is silent because He hath laid it upon him. ^ He putteth his mouth in the dust, perhaps there may be hope. 1 He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him, he is filled with reproach. 31 33. ^ For the Lord will not cast off for ever. 3 For though he grieve, he will yet have compassion according to the greatness of his mercies. 2 For he afflicteth not willingly, nor grieveth the children of men. to which he had given utterance, the pro- 25-27. The repetition of ira at the phet docs not let go his hold on the God beginning of these three hnes, just as ;3, of his life; but is convinced that, if He verses 31—33, has a fine etiect i^P, only will regard him, aU will be well, according to the punctuation, should be The form ^i^'n not, ver. 20. being em- vip. Before ^^-^J^l-?, supply i?-'«. _ J^or phatic, 1 have endeavoured to give the iiw:a, in his youth, ten MSS., origuially force of it by the rendering : Bo hut re- nine more, and now two read rr^pjroiii member. The n prefixed, to mark the his youth. Thus the Aldme text o the finite form of the verb, is that of the LXX., and Theodotion. It is thought by Second Masculine, and not that of the some that Jeremiah has here special rcN Third Feminine. For n'cni, read with erence to his own youth, chap. i. b, /• the Keri nmm _nsi This, the demonstra- Scarcely had he entered on his pi'ophet- tive pronouirauticipative, is designed to ical work, than he became the object o attract attention specially to what follows, persecution from his base and ungratelul viz. the view of the Divine character, countrymen. _ oo- +i of verses 22 23. Upon this, as upon an 28— 33. Having asserted ver. 2/, that innuovablc foundation, the hopes of Jerc- it is beneficial to be early visited with miah rested aflliction, Jeremiah proceeds m these 294 LAMENTATIONS. [elegy III. h h 3i 36. To tread under one's feet all the prisoners of tlie land ; To turn aside a man's cause ; To wrong a man in his suit ; the Lord appro vcth not. 37 39. Who is this that ordereth and it taketli place^ when the Lord commandeth it not ? Out of the mouth of the Most High proceed not evil and good? Why shovild a living man murmur? a man for the punishment of his sins ? iO 42. Let us search and try our ways, and return to Jehovah. Let us lift up our hearts with our hands to God in the heavens. We have sinned and rebelled : thou hast not pardoned. verses to describe the position of tlie afflicted saint, who in the midst of his severest trials recognises the hand of God, and in patience possesses his soul, assured that in due time deliverance will arrive ; tliat no adversity is inflicted ar- bitrarily, but that what men suffer is less than their iniquities deserve. 3i — 36. This triplet is marked by each line beginning with an Infinitive — the Nominative to the verbs being reserved till the close of the last. Whether the words are to be consi'dcred as a general statement, or, whether there be a specific reference to the injustice and cruelty with which the Jews were treated by their conquerors, or with which they treated each other, it is diiHcult to deter- mine. n^!n, to see, vcr. 36, is used in the sense of regarding with approbation. This acceptation of the verb, however muchRosenmiiiler may doubt it, is clearly established by such passages as Ps. Ixvi. IS ; Hab. i. 13. The meaning is, accord- ing to a common Hebraism, that God disapproves of such acts of cruelty as are here specified, and by implication, that he will punish those who arc guilty of them. 37. What the prophet here interrogat- ively teaches, is that nothing transpires without the Divine appointment. 3S. Adversity and ]n-osperity are not indiscriminately administered : all the circumstances of mankind are arranged according to infinite wisdom. n'«^, ccii.s, i. e. calamities, adversities. 39. ^W, or, as a considerable number of ]\ISS. and some printed editions read, according to the Keri, in the plural, signifies here pumshmeiit, or suQ'erings inliicted on account of siu. Some inter- preters would set aside the force of 'ri^ licing, but without any just reason. The implied meaning is, that if sin were punished according to its full demerit, life itself would be no longer continued to the transgressor. While, therefore, he continues to enjoy this inestimable blessing, and thus has time afforded him for repentance, it is highly unbecoming in him to indulge in murmuring at the Divine conduct in afflicting him. 40. Prom the assumption of the plural in this and the immediately following verses, it is obvious that, in those which just precede, Jeremiah has in view the punishment to which the Jews, as a people, were subjected. He now exhorts to repentance and ingenuous confession of sin. 41. In c^23'''>?, the preposition has here the rare signification of ^n^h, together toifh, in addition to. The action of con- fession was not to be the mere outward extension of the hands towards God. Such outward expression, to be sincere, was to be accompanied with the inward feelings of the heart. 42. The confession is supposed to ELEGY III.] LAMENTATIONS. 9Q: 43 45. D Thou hast shut us up in anger and pursued us : thou hast slain, and not pitied : D Thou hast shut thyself up in a cloud, so that prayers cannot pass through. D Thou hast made us an offscouring and a refuse in the midst of the peoples. 4G 48. D All our enemies gape at us Avitli their mouths ; D Fear and terror have fallen upon us, desolation and destruction. ii Mine eje floweth down in streams of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people. 49 51. ^ Mine eye poui'eth down and ceaseth not, because there are no intermissions, J^ While Jehovah looketh down and beholdeth from heaven. ^' INIine eye affecteth my soul, because of all the daughters of my city. 53 54. '^ They have chased me closely as a bird, who were my enemies without cause. ^ They have made my life silent in the dungeon ; they have thrown a stone over me : ^ "Waters flowed over my head ; I said, I am cut off. be made -wliile tlie exile still continued. There is implied a fervent hope, that now it was made, the captivity would be re- versed. 43 — 51. Now follows an elaborate description of the disastrous outcast condition of the Jewish people. After nntep, at the beginning of ver. 43, 'iDni^, tis, is understood. Instead of i?';'?" .^"7, r\imn, removal, from *<«.':, fo lift iip, take or carij an-aij, and two more have read so oi'iginally ; but this reading, though also found in upwards of twenty printed editions, and supported by the LXX. and Vulg., is inferior to n«irri, desolation, from ny-ij, to lay tcaste, \\'hich is tliat of the Textus Eeeeptus. 50. 1? is here to be rendered while. upwards of eighty MSS., twelve printed The prophet regarded it as a great ag- editions, the Alex, copy of the LXX., the gravatiou of the calamity, that the Lord Arab., Syr., Vulg., and Targ. read ^<''']. 46 — 51. A similar inversion of the letters » and 2 has taken ]3lace here as at Elegy ii. IG, 17, and iv. 16, 17. The true atphabetical order is rectified in one of Kennicott's, and five of De Rossi's MSS., and in the Syr. The present arrangement, however, better suits the connexion, and was most probably that of the prophet. See on Elegy ii. 10, 17. 47. Eleven of De Rossi's MSS. read should see it all, and yet not interpose for its removal. 52 — 54. The prophet, having in the preceding triplet given vent to his feel- ings in behalf of his exiled countrymen, now reverts to his own personal afflic- tions. In verses 53, 54, it has been thought that he describes his situation in the dungeon, of which we have au account in chap, xxxviii. G — 12 ; but as it is expressly stated in that narrative 296 LAMENTATIONS. [elegy iii. 55 57. p I invoked thy name, O Jeliovali ! from the deepest dungeon, p Thou heardest my voice ; cover not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry : p Thou drewest near in the day when I invoked thee ; thou saidstj Fear not. 58 CO. 1 Thou, O Lord ! hast pleaded the causes of my soul, thou hast redeemed my life ; "1 O Jehovah ! thou hast seen my wrong, judge thou my cause : 1 Thou hast seen all their vengeance, all their devices against me. 61 03. tl/ O Jehovah ! Thou hast heard their reproach, all their devices against me ; l^ The speeches of those who rose up against me, and their machinations all the day ; t^ Thou hast seen their sitting down and their rising up, I am their song. Gi, 66. T^ Render them a retribution, O Jehovah! according to the work of their hands. Jl Give them hardness of heart, thy curse to them ; 3n Pursue and destroy them in anger, from under the heavens of Jehovah. that there was uo water in the dungeon, to his prayers to encourage others to it is more probable that the description apply, as he had done, to Jehovah for in the Elegy is merely a poetical aggra- relief. vatiou of the sulTeriugs which Jeremiah 60. Tor *■? twenty-three MSS., ori- endured, and is not to be understood giually thirteen more, now two, the literally. The flowing of waters over LXX., Targ., Syr., Vulg., and Venet. the head is an image of imminent danger. Greek, read '5», as in ver. 61 ; where. See Ps. Ixix. 1, 2. At the same time, on the other hand, seventeen MSS. read there can be no doubt that the placing ') for '5». of a stone over the mouth of the dungeon 61. cns-in, ikeir reproach, i.e. the refers to the custom of enclosing pri- opprobrious language with which they soners by this means for the sake of insult me. greater security. For 2 in the sense of 62. o:n?ip, lijjs, for what they utter ; over, in the phrase '? iti, see Gesenius icM, speeches. The false prophets and in voc, A. 4. their adherents among the peojjle were 56. cbOT ■?«, tlie Future used for the continually traducing Jeremiah in their Imperative. Before 'nn^^^, the prcpo- conversation. sition has the signification of with a 65. :iVn3a9, lit. a coverincj of heart, vieio to ; before ''Oyi'iP''^ it takes its tern- i.e. mental disease, obstinacy, hardness, poral signification, at, at the time of. the worst calamity that can befal a 57 — 02. The prophet records the Imman being. For the imprecations of gracious answers which he had received Jeremiah, see ou Elegy i. 21, 22. ELEGY IV.] LAMENTATIONS. 297 ELEGY IV. Tliis Elegy, like the first, treats of the disastrous circumstances connected with the capture of Jerusalem, the overthrow of the Jewish polity, the removal of the people into exile, the hope of restoration, and the certainty of retribution on the Idumteans, who to all their former injuries, had added tliat of attacking, as auxiliaries of the Chaldeans, the chosen peoi>le. i^ 1 2 3 1 i How the gold liatli become dim ! tlie fine gold clianged ! The sacred stones are thrown down at the top of every street! The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold ; How they are regarded as earthen pitchers, the work of the potter's hands ! Even the jackals draw out the breast, they suckle their whelps : The daughter of my people is cruel, hke the ostriches in the desert. The tongue of the suckling cleaveth to its palate with thirst. Infants ask bread, but no one breaketh it for them. 1. C5^v, the Hophal of dot, lo congt-c- fjate, Arab. Ic^ texit, obsiruxit, as clouds, when collected, do tlie heavens; hence to grow, or make dark, obscure the lustre of any thing. LXX. iixavpdBrj. The gold, and the fine gold, are used meta- phorically to denote the ilkistrious por- tion of the Jewish people, as the princes, councillors, priests, &c., as it follows in ver. 2. For «3tf:, the Chaklee orthography, the more correct Hebrew ^;^" is found in many MSS. By ^7.r53«, the sacred stones, C. B. Michaelis thinks are meant the precious gems in the breastplate of the high-priest ; but though these may have suggested the idea, it seems more in keeping with the connexion to inter- pret the phrase of those persons who were consecrated to the service of the temple. 2. D''«te'?n lit. those icho tcere weighed. As B'hat " is weighed is estimated ac- cording to tlic contents of the opposite scale, the verb came to be employed in the sense of comparing one thing with another. Cornp. Job. xxviii. 16, 19. 3. The prophet here contrasts the un- natural conduct of the Jewish people, in whose treatment of their children during the siege all tender feeling seemed to have been extirpated, with the instinct of jackals, which suckle their young; and compares them to the ostriches, wiiich, after laying their eggs in the sand, speed their way into the desert, and never tliink more about them. Comp. Job. xxxix. 15. If the textual reading □<3i-o were genuine, it could only be pointed c':i-'3, which is not susceptible of any suitable interpretation; but the textual punctuation, and the division of the words adopted by the Keri, c^?;?, like the ostriches, afl'ords a meaning quite in accordance with the drift of the con- text. Thus forty-five of Kennicott's MSS., and seventy-seven of De Rossi's, and most of the early printed editions. ]';.■? is the Chaklee plural for D'lri. Sing, in a wild beast, now generally allowed to \)Q i\\Q jackal. LXX. SpaKOJ/re ?. Some, confounding the word with T-^, a sea- monster, the plural of which is ^TiK}, interpret it of the whale. ii3 is com- monly used of the whelp of the lion. 298 LAMENTATIONS. [elegy iv. ,-[ 5 They wlio fed on dainties perish in the streets : They who were brought up on scarlet embrace dunghills. T For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than that of the sin of Sodom : That Avas overthrown as in a moment, and no hands attacked her. y 7 Her Nazarites were brighter than snow, they were whiter than milk ; They were more ruddy in body than corals, their shape Avas the sapphire, n 8 Their appearance is [now] darker than the dawn, they are not recognised in the streets : Their skin adheres to their bones, it is dried up like wood. l^ 9 Happier were the slain with the sword than the slain with famine : Because these pined away, pierced through, without the fruits of the field. •^ 10 The hands of compassionate Avomen boiled their children : They became food for them in the destruction of the daughter of my people. J 11 Jehovah spent his fury, he poured out the heat of his anger ; And kindled a fire in Zion, which devoured her foundations. 5. b in D\2i5?a!? is used as tlie sign of passed upon their appearance, it may be the accusative, as in the Aramaic and inferred that they were held in high Ethiopic lauguages. Instead of scarlet estimation, c^s, l/one, and this for the couches on which the grandees had been body, or bodily form, of which the bones nursed, they were compelled to recline form so essential a part, d'?'?? Bochart, on duiio'hills. after the Rabbins, renders pearls, but G. p? and nxpn are here, as frequently, quite preposterously, as the colour spe- to be taken in (he sense of punishment, cified at once shows. Michaelis, Gese- . „ i. 44 ,„h . A vnV. K.^ uiiis, and others, red corals, from the root T bin means to attack; Aral). (Jl>-, ,_ ' ,. ., . ' , ' tt„„„„ 4i „ ^. , 7 VI W, to divide into hranclies. Hence tlie irruit in aliqidd ; io afflict, wound wxih '/ .. the hand, and is here expressive of Axv^^. Js^, a branch. r^l% \± cut, i.Q. human intervention. No instrumentality shape or figure, from i}3, to cut. Syr. of tlie kind was employed in the de- .q^k^j^q their bod i/. struction of Sodom, but it was most bar- v x^^ barously used bv the Chaldeans at the 9. d'IPto, pierced thromjh, is very capture of Jerusalem. expressive of the sharp pain occasioned 7. D'T", lit. .?^/m;y//«/ o«a, thosewho, by severe hunger, by special acts of self-denial or abstinence, 10. Comp. Elegy ii. 20 ; 2 Kings vi. consecrated themselves to the more im- 28, 29 ; Lev. xxvi. 29 ; Deut. x'xviu. mediate service of God. Eor the law 5G, 57. Eor a most graphic description regulating the conduct of the Nazarites, of such a horrible scene, see Joscphus' see Num°vi. From the special notice account of the siege under Titus, Bell, here taken of them, and the encomiums Jud. cap. x. 9. ELEGY IV.] LAMENTATIONS. 299 7 12 The kings of the earth and all the inhabitants of the globe would not have believed. That the adversary and tlie foe could have entered the gates of Jerusalem. ^ 13 Because of the sins of her prophets, the iniquities of her priests, Who shed the blood of the righteous in her midst, J li They wandered blind in the streets, they were stained with blood : So that men could not touch their garments. D 15 Away, unclean ! they cried to them. Away ! away ! touch not! Surely they flee away, they wander ; They say among the nations, they shall dwell no more. D IG The face of Jehovah hath divided them, he will no more regard them : They respected not the persons of the priests, they showed no favour to the elders. ^17 "While we still existed, our eyes failed [looking] for our vain help : On our watch-towers we watched for a nation that could not save us. 12. Such was tlie natural strength of phets, and, with tlie warnings, had also Jerusalem, and such the wide-spread rejected the promises of a restoration, belief that the God of the Jews was om- 16. The same inversion of the order nipotent, that the city was considered to of the letters 2? and B has taken place be impregnable. here which has been noticed at Elegies 15. The inhabitants were so stained ii. IG, 17; iii. 46 — 51. Vers. 16 and with blood, that they were, as legally 17 follow in the regular order of the unclean, shunned by all, and earnestly alphabet in four of Kennicott's MSS. summoned to remove. There is much and two of De Rossi's. In the LXX. force and beauty in the triple form there is the regular notation of the ;™d niD — 111D. Although i^a strictly sig- letters, but the verses arc unaltered, nifies to tui'/i aside from the waj when nin^ ':?, the face of Jehovah, i.e. his auger travelling, and only stopping tor the or displeasure, as Ps. xxxiv. 17 : the night, or sojourning for a short period countenance being that part of the body anywhere, yet here, as Judg. v. 17 ; Ps. in which angry feeliugs are manifested. XV. 1 ; Ixi. 5, and elsewhere, it is used The nominative to if^cj and 'liDrr are the in a more extended acce])tation, as equi- euemies, understood, valent to i"i", io dwell, to have a perma- 17. While the city was surrounded, nent abode. The Jews were so completely but not yet taken by the Chaldean army, driven away from their homes, tiiat no the inhabitants looked, but looked in prospect was afforded of their re-occu- vain, for assistance from Egypt. That pying them. They had turned a deaf power, in which they had always been so ear to all the admonitions of the pro- prone to trust, completely disappointed 300 LAMENTATIONS. [elegy v. i*lS They hunted our steps^ so that we could not walk hi our streets ; Our end approached, our days were filled up, surely our end was come, p 19 Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of heaven ; They chased us hotly on the mountains, they lay in wait for us in the desert. ■) 20 The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of Jehovah, Avas taken in their pits ; Respecting whom we said: Under his shadow we shall live among the heathen. tV 21 Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom ! thou inhabitress of the land of Uz ! To thee also shall the cup pass over, thou shalt be drunken and uncover thyself. T\ 22 The punishment of thine iniquity is completed, O daughter of Zion ! he will no more hold thee captive : He will visit thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom ! he will carry thee away captive because of thy sins. their Lopes, as every refuge must all asmucli as their life was bound up with whose hearts are alienated from God. his. Tlicy entertained the ]io|)c, that if Comp. Jer. xxxvii. 5 — 11. lie were spared by Nebuchaduozzar, they 19. V'T] properly signifies to hum, le might be kindly treated in Babylon for hot, then as here, and Geu. xxxi. 3G ; his sake. See Introd. p. 276. The ap- Ps. X. 2, to 'pursue hotly. ])lication of the words to our Saviour 20. That Zedekiah is the king here is altogether arbitrary. referred to, is now allowed by the most 21. The Iduma;ans are ironically called approved interpreters. Tor the historical to indulge in their wanton mirth. It fact, see 2 Kings xxv. 5, 6 ; Jer. Hi. 8, 9. would soon come to an end. Comp. Jer. We read of no such capture of Josiali, xlix. 7 — 22. to whom some, from a misinterjiretatiou 22. ^kS and nVa are prophetic futures, of 2 Chron. xxxv. 25, have applied the Punishment would assuredly overtake present verse. Zedekiah might be said the Idumeeans. to be " the breath of their nostrils," in- ELEGY V. Tiiis concluding Elegy may be regarded as an epiplionema conlaining a brief recapitulation of the grievous calamities which had been treated of in the preceding ones. The whole body of the Jewish people, now in exile, bewail the sad change which had taken place in their circumstances, acknowledge that their sins were the cause, and express their earnest desire that their covenant God would restore them to their former prosperity. ELEGY v.] LAMENTATIONS. 301 1 Remejiber, O Jehovali ! what hatli happened to us ; Regard and look on our reproach. 2 Oiu" inheritance is transferred to foreigners ; Our houses to strangers. 3 We are orphans, and have no father ; Our mothers are as widows. 4. Our water we drink for money ; Our wood comes in for a price. 5 We arc persecuted with a yoke on our necks ; We toil and have no rest. G We gave the hand to Egypt And to Assyria to he satisfied with hread. 7 Our fathers sinned, and are not ; And we bear the punishment of their iniquities. 8 Slaves domineer over us ; None dclivereth out of their hand. 9 With our lives we bring in our bread. Because of the sword of the desert. 10 Our skins are black like an oven. Because of the hot blasts of famine. 1. IJ'^U, Kcri ^i''^^, tlie fiill ortlio- grapliy. The ^ thus added to the Iiu- ])erative, expresses the emotion of ardcut desire on the part of the speakers. 3. The Jews were reduced to tlie con- dition of ori)hans and widows, the most deplorable of any in which the members of the human family can be placed. 4. '^y'QV, our water, not merely what was necessary for their use, but what Avas contained in their own cisterns, consequently was their own property. This they were compelled to purchase from the enemy. It was the same with their forests. 5. Ninety MSS. and three of the early printed editions read 'i:'!^;;^' in the plural, instead of -oi^J? in the singular. The words, i^pTi? «n«j2 "??, lit. vpon our necks ice are persecuted, express elliptically the great hardship to wliicli the Jews were reduced in being compelled as cap- tives to bear a heavy yoke on their necks. G. \ *(™> ^'^ 5''^"^ ^'''^ hand, means to give a pledge of fidelity, to submit, sur- render. Before i^vl^n and cni'p is an ellipsis of the preposition \. The Je\r3 had been grievously oppressed by the Egyptians after the deatli of Josiah, and were now reduced to the last extremity by the Chaldeans, to whom the name of iri\Vj Assi/ria, is given, because they oc- cupied the territory over which the As- syrian empire had formerly extended. 7. The Kcri supplies the i before crx and ^3n:N, and tliis in the textual reading of many MSS. and of some of the early printed editions. "What the Jews here complain of, that they were made to suffer for the sins of their an- cestors, was current as a proverb among them, for which they were specially re- proved, Ezek. xviii. 9. In procuring the necessaries of life from those parts of the country which lay at a distance from the metropolis, where the lloeks and herds were feeding, they were exposed to attacks from the robber- Arabs in the desert. Seventy- three MSS. and two of the earliest editions read i3'XL-p:a in Die plural. 10. Pifty -eight MSS. and the Son- 302 LAMENTATIONS. [elegy v. 11 They ravished the matrons in Zion^ Virgins in the cities of Judah. 13 Princes they hung up by the hand ; The persons of elders were not honoured. 13 Young men they took to grind at the mill. And boys fell with the wood, li Aged men have ceased from the gate, Young men from their song. 15 The joy of our heart hath ceased ; Our dance is turned into mourning, IG The crown of our head hath fallen; Alas ! now for us, because we have sinned. 17 Because of this our heart is faint, Because of these things our eyes are darkened. 18 Because of Mount Zion which is desolate; Foxes traverse it. 19 Thou, O Jehovah ! sittest [as king] for ever. Thy throne is from generation to generation. cin. Bible read ^^y^^ in tlie plural, as in the preceding instance. Hunger occa- sions a violent irritation of the whole nervous system, and dries up the pores of the skin, so that at last it becomes as if it had been exposed to the inflaeuce of the burning heat of the simoom, to which it is probable Jeremiah refers when he uses tiie terra nicr';], glowbifi, hot winds. Gesenius compares the Atfioy aWoyJA of Hesiod, Xiynoj aWcov of Calli- maehus, irjnea fames of Quintilian, fiulcr; Jlammaoi Ovid, and the Arab. ^Sys^l jo Jire of famine. Comp. for the use of no;>7}, Ps. xi. 6. 11. The usual practice of a brutal soldiery on the taking of a city. 12. As it does not appear that hanging by tiie hand was ever used as a mode of judicial punishment by the ancients, it must have been practised on the Jewish ])rinces from mere wanton cruelty. In ibis verse the term D':;?], elders, is used in an oflicial sense, .and not merely to describe age, as the word princes in (he parallelism shows. 13. Grinding at flic mill was Ihe woik of female slaves, or the lowest maid- servants. To put the young men to such employment was regarded as the greatest degradation. — Mere boys were compelled to carry quantities of wood too heavy for them to bear without falling from its weight. 14, 15. A painful reflection on the sad reverse of circumstances which had taken place, n'];:.] is not here descriptive of office, but of age, as the contrast in □•'-}in3, young men, shows. It is common in the East for aged men to meet in the open space without the gate of the city, to pass the time in narrating or hearing the news of the day, or the stories of bygone years. From this an easy trans- ition is made to the jocund pastime of the young. 16. nT.:!?j the crown, the insignia of honour. The removal of this and the consequent disgrace with which the Jews were overwhelmed, they trace to the true cause, their sin, wliieh they ingenuously confess before God. 15. Foxes, which are numerous in Palestine, had taken possession of the desolations of Zion. They v.'cre pro- bably first attracted thither by the bodies of the slain, of which tlu'iy are particu- larly fond. 19 — 23. On the assurance of the ELEGY v.] LAMENTATIONS. 303 20 21 22 Why shouldcst thou forget us for ever ? Why abandon us for a length of days ? Turn us back, O Jehovah ! to thyself, and we shall return ; Renew our days as in the olden time. For surely thou hast utterly rejected us. Thou hast been exceedingly wroth with us. perpetuity of the Divine govermneut of human ail'aii's, is founded the hope that, liowever desperate the circumstances of the JcAvs might be, their restoration was possible. They therefore make it the subject of eai'nest prayer. Tlie mehin- choly consequences of their repudiation tliey urge as a reason why God should grant them the renewed experience of his favour. Rosenmiiller observes that iu the He- brew MSS. ver. 21 is repeated after ver. 22, tlie Jews labouring under the superstition, that when a book concludes with a tristful and threatening sentence, the penultimate verse is to be repeated, to put to ilight the bad omen. The same repetition is found in most of the printed editions of the Hebrew Bible at tlie end of the Books of Isaiah, Malachi, and Ecclcsiastes. THE END. R. CLAY, PRINTKR, BREAD STREET HIIX.. BY THE AUTHOR. In One Vol. Svo. 1C)S. cloth, THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH, TRANSLATED TKOM THE OHIGINAL HEBREW; With a CoMMENTAKY, Critical, Philological, and Excgctical : to which is prefixed. An Introductory Dissertation on the Life and Times of the Prophet, the Character of his Style, the Authenticity and Integrity of the Book, and the Principles of Prophetical Interpretation. In One Vol. 8vo., I65. cloth. THE BOOK OF THE MINOR PROPHETS. In One Vol. post Svo. Gs. cloth. THE V A U D O I S, Comprising Observations made during a Tour in the Valleys of Piedmont in the Summer of 1844. Date Due