Chapter LXVI (continued, part 3)
(Isaiali 63.18.) 11. moui-netli unto me i.e., before me. EiCHORN tramlaies, "by reason of me," because I have given it to desolation (v. 7). because no man layetli It to keart—because none by repentance and prayer seek to deprecate God's wrath. Or, "yet none lays it to heart:" as cli. 5. 3. [Calvin.] 13. high places—before, he had threatened the plains; now, the hills, wilderness—not an uainhabited desert, but high lands of pasturage, lying between Judea and Chaldea (ch. 4. 11). 13. Description In detail of the devastation of the land (Micah 6. 15). they shall be ashamed of your—The change of persons, iu passing from indirect to direct address, is frequent in the prophets. Equivalent to, "Ye shall be put to the shame of disappointment at the smallness of your produce." 14-17. • Propliecy as to the surrounding nations, the Syrians, Ammonites, &c., wlio helped forward Judah's calamity: they shall share her fall; and, on their conversion, they shall share with her in the future restoration. This is a brief anticipation of the predictions In chs. 47.,
place of exile, hole—typical of the prisons in which the Jews were to be confined, the rock—some well-known rock. A sterile region, such as was that to whiclt the Jews were led away (cf. Isaiah 7. 19). [Gkotius.] 6. after many days—time enough was given for the girdle to become unfit for use. So in course of time the Jews became corrupted liy the heathen idolatries around, so as to cease to be witnesses of Jeliovah; they must, therefore, be cast away as a " marred" or spoiled girdle. 9. (Leviticus 26.
19.) 10. imngiiiatioii—rather, obstinacy. 11. (Ch. 33. 9; Exodus 19. 5.) glory—an ornament to glory in. 13. A new image. Do wc not . . . know . . . wine—The " bottles" are those used in the Eiml, made of skins ; our word hogshead, originally oxhide, alludes to the same custom. As they were used to hold water, milk, and other liquids, what the prophet said, viz., that they should be all filled with wine, was not, a-s the Jews' taunting reply implied, a truism even literally. The fig. sense whicli is what Jeremiah chiefly meant, they affected not to understand. As wine intoxicates, so God's wrath and judgments shall reduce them to tha t state of helpless distraction that they shall rush on their own ruin (ch. 25. 15; 49. 12; Isaiah 51. 17,
48.', 49. 14. touch—(Zechariah 2. 8.) pluck them out . . . pluck out . . . Judah—(Cf. end of v. IS.} During the thirteen years that the Babylonians besieged Tyre, Nebuchadnezzar, after subduing Coelo-Syria, brought Ammou, Mpab, &c., and tinally Egypt, Into subjection (Jo8EPHU.S, Antiquities, 10. 9, sec. 7). On the restoration of these n.'itions, they were to exchange places with the Jews. The latter were now in the midst of them, but on their restoration l?tey were to be "in the midst of the Jews," t. e., as proselytes to the true God (cf. Micah 5. 7; Zechariah 14. 10). " Pluck thern," viz., the Gentile nations: in a bad .sense. " Pluck Judah :" in a good sense; used to express the force wliich was needed to snatch Judah from the tyrantvy of those nations l7y whom they had been made captives, or to whom they had fled; otherwise they never would have let Judah go. Previously he had been forbidden to pray for the mass of the Jewish people. But here he speaks consolation to the elect remnant among theni. Whatever the Jews might be, God keeps His covenant, l.'j. A promise, applying to Judah, as well as to the nations specified (Amos 9. 14). As to Moab, cf. ch. 48. 47; a,s to Ammon, ch. 49. 6. 16. svfear by my name—(Ch.
21, 22; 63. 6). _ 13. upon David's throne—Za. , who sit for David on hi^ throne ; implying the succession of the Davidlc family (ch. 22. 4). all—indiscriminately of every rank. 14. dash—(Psalm 2. 9.) As a potter's vessel (Revelation 2.
27). 15. be not proud—pride was the cause of their contumacy, as liumility is the first step to obedience {v. 17; Psalm 10. 4). 16. Give glory, &c.—Show by repentance and obedience to God, that you revere His majestj^ So Joshua exhorted Achan to "give glory to God" by confessing his crime, thereby showing he revered the Allknowing God. stumble—Image from travellers stumbling into a fatal abyss when overtaken by nightfall (Isaia'^ 5. 30; 59. 9, 10; Amos 8. 9). dark mountains— moun.itins of twilight or gloom; which cast such a gloomy shadow that the traveller stumbles against an opposing lock before he sees it (John 11. 10; 12.35). shadow of death the densest gloom ; death-shade (Psalm 44. 19). Light and darlcness are images of prosperity and adversity. 17. hear it—my exhortation. In secret—as one mourning and humbling liimself for their sin, not self-righteously condemning tliem (Philippians 3. 18). pride (A'ole, v. 15; Job 33. 17.) flock—(t). 20), just as kings and leaders are ca,\led pastors. 18. king—Jehoiachin or Jeconiah. queen —the queen-mother who, as the king was not more than eighteen years old, held tlie cliief power. JVehtishta, daughter of Elnathan, carried away captive with Jehoiachin by Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kings 24. 8-15). Humble yourselves i. e., Ve, shall he humbled, or brought low (ch,
i: 2; Isaiah 19. 18; 65. 16); i. e., confess solemnly the true God. built—be made spiritually and temporally prosperous: fixed In sure habitations (cf. ch. 24. 6; 42,10; 45. 4; Psalm 87.4,5; Ephesians 2.20,21; 1 Peter 2.5). 17. (Isaiah 60. 12.)
Ver. 1-27. Symboi-ical Pkophecy {v. 1-7.) Many of these figurative acts being either not possible, or not probable, or decorous, seem to have existed only in the mind of '.he prophet as part of his inward vision,. [So
22. '20; 2S. 2). your principalities—rather, "your/wod-
5ia
Abominalions the Cause of Judgments. JEREMIAH XIV. Drought Sent in Judnmatl on Judea.
fmament.'" 19. cities of thie south viz., south of Judea ; Jiirthest off from the enemy, who advanced from the nortli. Hltut lip— i. e., deserted (Isaiah 24. 10); so that none shall be
The hind, famed for her affection to her young, abandons them. 6. wild asses—They repair to "the high places" most exposed to the winds, which they "snull in " to relieve their tliirst. eyes—which are usually most keen in detecting grass or water from the " h.iif^ts," so much so that t he traveller guesses from their presence tbat tliere must be herbage and water near; but now "their eyes fail." flragons-jackals. [Henderson.] Rather the reference is to the great boas and python serpents which raise a large portion of their body up in a vertical column ten or twelve feet high, to survey the neighbourhood, above the surrounding bushes, while with open jawa they drink in the air. These giant serpents originated the widely-spread notions v,'hich typified the deluge and
]eft to open the gates to travellers and merchants again. IIIENDEKSON.] Rather, «/iu< uj3 so closely by Nebuchadnezzar's forces, sent on before (2 Kings 24. 10, 11), that none shall be allowed by the enemy to get out (cf. v. 20). >vUolly lit., fully; completely. 30. from . . . north—Nebuchadnezzar and liis hostile army (ch. 1. 14 ; 6. 22). flock . . . given tiiee—Jeremiah, amazed at the depopulation caused by Nebucliadnezzar's forces, addresses Jerusalem (a noun of multiiiide, which accounts for the blending of plural and singular, yoi(?-eyes . . . thee . . . //(^ flock), and asks where
is her population (r;. 17, "flock ") which God liad given her? ai. captains and as clilet—lit., princes as to head-
all destructive agents under the form of a dragon or monster serpent; hence the dragon temples always near water, in Asia, Africa, and Britain, e. g., at Abury, in Wiltshire; a symbol of the ark is often associated with the dragon as the preserver from the waters. [Kitto's Biblical Cyclopcedia.] 7. do thou it—what we beg of thee
ship, or ot'CJthy head, viz., the Chaldeans. Ratlier, trans-
late, "What wilt thou say wlien God will set them (the enemies, v. 20) above thee, seeing that thou thyself hast accustomed them (to be) witli thee as (thy) lovers in the higncst place, lit., at thy headf" Thou canst not say God does thee wrong, seeing it was thou that gave occasion to His dealing so with thee' by so eagerly courting their intimacy. Cf. ch. 2. 18, 36 ; 2 Kings 23. 29, as to the league of Judah with Babylon, which led Josiah to march against Pliaraoh-necho, wlien the latter was about to attack Baby-
interpose to remo've the drought. Jeremiah pleads in tlie name of his nation (Psalm 109. 21). So "work for us," absolutely used fl Samuel 14. 6). for thy name's sake—" for our backslidings are so many" that we cannot urge thee for the sake of our doings, but for the glory of thy name;
Jon. [Maurek.] sorrows—pains, throes. 23. if thou say—connecting this verse with "What wilt thou say"
lest, if thou give us not aid, it should be said it was owing to thy. want of power (Joshua 7.9; Psalm 79.9; 106.8; Isaiah 48.9; Ezekiel 20. 44). The same appeal to God'a mercy, " for Jlis name's sake," as our only hope, since aur sin precludes trust in ourselves, occurs, Psivlm 25. 11. 8. (Ch. 17. 13.) Hope of Israel—The reference is, not to the faith of Israel, which had almost ceased, but to the prom-
(«. 21)'? skirts are discovered— i. e., are thrown up so as to expose the person (u. 26; Isaiah 3. 17; Nahum3. 5). heels niade bare—The sandal was fastened by a thong above the heel to the instep. The Hebrew, is, "are violently handled," or "tornofl";'' i. e., thou art exposed to ignominy. Image from an adulteress. 33..Ethiopian—Tlie Cusliite of Abyssinia. Habit is second nature; as therelore it is morally impossible tliat the Jews can alter their inveterate habits of sin, nothing remains but the infliction of tlie extremest punisliment, their expatriation (i'.
ise and everlasting covenant of God. None but the true Israel make God their " hope." turneth aside to tarry— The traveller cares little for the land he tarries but a night in ; but thou hast promised to dwell always in the midst of thy people (2 Chronicles 33. 7, 8). Maurer traiislates, "spreadeth," his tent. 9. astonled—like a "miglity man," at otlier times able to help (Isaiah 59. 1), but now stunned by a sudden calamity so as to disappoint the hopes drawn from him. art In the mldstof us—(Exodus
24). 34. (Psalm 1. 4.) by tlie wind—fce/ore the wind, of the wilderness—where the wind has full sweep, not
• being broken by any obstacle. 35. portion of thy measures—tlie portion wliicli I have measured out to thee (Job
29. 45, 46; Leviticus26. 11, 12). called by thy name—(Dan-
20. 29; Psalm 11. G). falsehood— ((,•. 27), false gods and alliances wilh foreign idolaters. 36. discover . . . upon thy face—rather, "throw up tliy skirts over thy face," or head; done by way of ignominy to captive women and to prostilvites (Nahum 3.5). TheJevrs' punishment should answer to their crime. As their sin had been perpetrateil in the most public places, so God would expose them to tile contempt of other nations most openly (Lamentations 1. 8). noighings—(Ch. 5. 8), image from the lust pf-horses; the lust after idols degrades to the level of the brute, hills—where, as being nearer heaven, sacrifices were thought most acceptable to the gods, wilt thou wot ... J when lit., " thou wilt not be made clean after how long a lime yet." (Ho v. 23.) Jeremiah denies the moral possibility of one so long hardened in sin becoming soon cleansed. But see ch. 32. 17 ; Luke 18. 27.
iel 9. 18, 19) as thine own peculiai* people (Deuteronomy 9.
29). 10. Jehovah's reply to the prayer (v. 7-9; ch. 2. 2:?-25) Thus—So greatly, loved—(Ch. 5. 31.) not refrained . . feet—they di<i not obey God's command; "withhold thy foot" (ch.2. 2.5), viz., from following after idols, remembei
. . . Iniquity—(Hosea 8.13; 9.9.) Their sin is so great, God must punish them. 11. (Ch. 7.16; Exodus S'i. 10.) 13. not hear—because their prayers are hypocritical: their hearts are still idolatrous. God never refuses to hear real prayer (ch. 7. 21, 22; Proverbs I. 2S; Isaiah 1. 15;
58. 3). sword . . . famine . . . pestilence—the three sorest judgments at once; any one of which would be enougli for their ruin (2 Samuel 21. 12, 13). 13. Jeremiah urges that niucii of the guilt of the people isduo to the falsg prophets' influence, assnred peace—soIi<l and lasting peace. Lit., peace of truth (Isaiah 39. 8). 14. (Ch. 23. 21.) 13, (Ch. 5. 12, 13.) say, Swowl anil fiimlne . . . consumed retribution in kind both to the false prophetsand to their liearers (i;. 1(1). 10. none to bury—(Psalm 79. 3.) pour their wickedness— i. e., the punishment incurred by their wickedness (ch. 2. 19). 17. (Ch. 9. 1 ; I^imentations 1. 16.) Jeren'tlah is desired to weep ceaselessly for the calamities coming on his nation (called a "virgin,"- as being herettv fore never under foreign yoke)(Is;viah 2;!. 4). IS. go about — 1. e., shall have to migrate into a land of exile. HorSl.EV Iramlates, "go trafllcking about the land (see Margin; ch. 5.31; 2 Corinthians 4.2; 2 Peter 2.3), and take no knowledge" (/. e., pay no regard to the, miseries liefore their eyes) (Isaiah 1. 3; .58, 3). If the lit. sense of the Hebrew verb be retained, I would with English Ver.tion understand the words as referring to the exile to Babylon ; thus, "the prophet and the priest shall have to go tea strange land to practise their religious traffic (Isaiah 56.
Ver. 1-22. Proi'1ieuie.<5 on the occasion of a 'Drought SEN T IN Judgment on Judea. 1. Lit., "That whicli was lha word of Jehovah to Jeremlali concerning," &c. (kronght lit., the withlioldintjs, viz., of rain (Deuteronomy
11. 17; 2 Chronicles 7. 13). The reason why this word should he used especially of the withholding of rain, is, that rain is in tiiose regions of all things the one chiefly needed (ch. 17. 8, Margin). 3. gates—the place of public coruMUrsc in each city looks sad, as being no longer frequented (Isaiah 3. 2(> ; 21.4). black i. e., they mourn (blackness being indicative of sorrow) (ch. 8. 21). unto the ground—bowing towards It. cry—of distress (1 Samuel
5. 12; Isaiah 24. 11). 3. little ones—rather, " their inferi-
ors," i. v., domestics. i)lts—cisterns for collecting rain water, often met with In the Kast, where there are no uprings. covered . . . heads—(2 Samuel 15. 30.) A sign of liiiiiilliation and mourning. 5. The brute creation Is reduced lo the utmost extremity for the want of food. 030
11; Ezekiel 34.2,3; Mlcah S. II). 19. The peophi plead with God, Jeremiah being forbidden to do so. no heal> ing — (CTi. 15.18.) peace ... no good - (Ch. 8. 15l) «©.
Tlte Rejection af the Jews. JEREMIAH XV. The Prophet Complaineth to Ood.
guish, or consternation. So LXX. 9. bom seven—(1 Samuel 2. 5.) Seven being the perfect number indicates full fruitfulness. languislieth—because not even one is left of all her sons (t). 8). sun is gone down while . . . yet Aay—fortune deserts her at the very height of her prosperity (Amos 8. 9). she . . . ashamed—the mothers {she being collective) are put to the shame of disappointed hopes through the loss of all their children. 10. (Ch. 20. 14; Job
(Daniel 9.8.) 21. ns—"the throne of thj' glory" may be the oliject i>f "abhor uof ("reject not"); or"Zion" (ti. 19). tUronc of tliy ^lory—Jerusalem, or, the temple, called God's "footstool" and "habitation" (1 Chronicles 2.S. 2; rsalm 1.32. ') 1. thy covenant—(Psalm 106. 45; Daniel 9. 19.) as. vanities—idols (Deuteronomy 32.21). rain — (Zech-
Rrlafi 10. 1, 2.) lieavens—viz., of themselves without God (Matthew 5. -15: Acts 1-1. 17); they are not the First Cause, and ouglit not to be deified, a.s they were by the heathen.
3. 1, &c.) Jeremiah seems to have been of a peculiarly sensitive temperament; yet the Holy Spirit enabled him to deliver his message at the certain cost of having hia sensitiveness wounded by the enmities of those whom his words offended, man of strife—exposed to strifes on the part of " the whole earth" (Psalm SO. 6). I have neither lent, &c.—proverbial for, " I have given no cause for strife against me." 11. Verily lit., S/iall it not be ? i. e., Surely it shall be. tliy remnant—the final isme of thy
Th«< disjunctive "or" favours Calvin's explanation: " Not even the heavens themselves can give rain, much
less can the Idol vanities." Art not thou Ite—viz., Who canst give rain ?
V«r. 1-21. GoD'9 Reply to Jeremiah's Intercessory Prayer. 1. Moses . . . Samuel — eminent in intercessions (Exodus 32. 11, 12; 1 Samueil 7.9; Psalm 99.6). be towartl—could not be favourably inclined toward them, out of my sight—God speaks as if the people were present before Him, along with Jeremiah. 2. death—deadly plague (ch. 18.21; 43.11; Ezekiel 5.2, 12; Zechariah U. 9). 3. appoint— (Leviticus 26. 16.) Itinds-of punishments. 4. cause ... to be removed—(Deuteronomy 28.25; Ezekiel 23. 46.) Rather,"! will givethem up to vexation," I
life; thy life, which now seems to thee so sad, shall eventuate in prosperity. [Calvin.] They who think that they shall be tlie surviving remnant, whereas thou shalt
perisli, shall themselves fall, whereas thou shalt remain and be favoured by the conquerors [Junius] (ch. 40.4,5;
39.11, 12). The Keri reads, "I will set tliee free (or as Mauker, 'I will establish thee') for good" (ch. 14.11; Ezra 8.22; Psalm 119.122). to entreat thee well—Hi., to meet thee; so "to be placable, nay, of their own accord to anticipate in meeting thee witli kindness." [Calvin.] I prefer this translation as according with the event (ch. 39.
•will cause them to wander so as nowhere to have repose [Calvin] (2 Chronicles 29.8, "trouble," Margin, "commotion"), because of Manasseh—he was now dead, but the efiects of his sins still remained.—How much evil one bad man can cause! The evil fruits remain even
11, 12; 40. 4, 5). Genesius, from cli. 7. 16; 27. 18; Job 21. 15, translates (not only will I relieve thee from the enemy's vexations, but) "I will make tliine enemy (that now vexeth thee) apply to thee with prayers" (ch. 38. 14 ; 42. 2-6). 13. steel — ratlier, brass or copper, whicli mixed with "iron" (by the Chalybes near the Euxine Pontus, far north of Palestine), formed tlie hardest metal, like our
after he himself has received repentance and forgive-
ness. The people had followed his wicked example ever since; and it is implied that it was only through the long-suflering of God that the penal consequences had been suspended up to the present time (cf. 1 Kings 14. 16; 2 Kings 21. 11; 23. 26 ; 24. 3, i). 5. go aside . . . how thou doest — Who will turn aside (in passing by) to salute
steel. Can the Jeivs, hardy like common iron though they be, break the still hardier Chaldees of the north (ch. 1. 14), who resemble the Chalybian iron hardened with copper? Certainly not. [Calvin.] Henderson translates, "Can one break iron, (even) the northern iron, and brass," on the ground that EnglishVersion makes ordinary m-o)i not so hard as brass. But it is not brass, but a particular mixture of ironand brass, whicli is represented as harder-than common iron, which was probably then of inferior texture, owing to ignorance of modern modes of preparation. 13. Tliy substance . . . gins—Judea's, not Jeremiah's, wltliout price—God casts his people away as a thing worth naught (Psalm 44, 12). So, on the contrary, Jehovah, when about to restore His people, says. He will give Egypt, &c., for their "ratisom" (Isaiah 43.3). even in all thy borders —joined with "Thy substance . . . treasures, as also witli "all thy sins," their sin and punishment being commensurate (ch. 17.3). 14. thee— Maurer supplies tfiem, viz., "thy treasures." Eichorn, needlessly, from Syriac and LXX., reads, "I will make thee to sei-ve thine enemies;" a reading doubtless interpolated from ch. 17. 4. lire—(Deuteronomy 32. 22.) 15. tlion knowest—viz., my case ;' what wi-ongs my adversaries have done me (ch. 12. 3). revenge me—{Note, ch. 11.20.) The prophet in this had regard to, not his own personal feelings of revenge, but the cause of God; he speaks by inspiration God's will against the ungodly. Contrast in this the law with the gospel (Luke 23.
{.hee? (to wisli thee "peace"). 6. weary with repenting —(Hosea 13. 14; 11. 8.) I have so often repented of the evil that I threatened (ch. 26. 19; Exodus 32. 14; 1 -Chronicles
21. 15), and have spared them, without my forbearance moving them to repentance, that I will not again change my purpose (God speaking in condescension to human modes of tliouglit), but will take vengeance on them now. 7. fan — tribulation (from tribulum, a threshing instrument), which separates tlie chaff from the wheat{Matthew
3. 12). gates of tlie land—t. e., the extreme bounds of the laud througli wliich the entrance to and exit from it lie. Maurer translates, " I will fan," i.e., cast them forth "to the gates of the land" (Nahum 3. 13). "In the gates;" English Version draws the image from a man cleaning corn with a fan; he stands at the gate of the threshing-floor in the open air, to remove tlie wheat from the cliaff by means of the wind ; .so God threatens to remove Israel out of the bounds of the land [Houbigant.] 8. Their -widows—Sly people's (u. 7). have brought^prophetical past : I will bring, mother of the young men—" mother"
is collective; after the " widows," he naturally mentions bereavement of their sons ("young men"), brought on the " mothers" by " the spoiler ;" it was owing to the number of men slain that the " widows" were so many. [Calvin.] Others take " mother," as in 2 Samuel 20. 19, of Jerusalem the metropolis; "I have brought on them, against the 'mother,' a young spoiler," viz., Nebuchadnezzar, sent by his father, Nabopolassar, to repulse the Egyptian invaders
34; Acts 7. 60). take me not away in thy loiig-sutTerIng — by thy long-suffering towards them, suffer them not meanwhile to take away my life, for thy sake I have suffered rebuke—the very words of the antitype, Jesus Christ (Psalm 69. 7, 22-28), which last cf. wil'li Jeremiah's prayer in the beginning of this verse. 16. cat—(Ezekiel 2.8; 3. 1,3; Revelation 10. 9, 10.) As soon as. thy words were found by me, I eagerly laid hold of and appropriated them. The Keri reads, " thy word." thy word . . . joy (Job 23.12; Psalm 119.72, 111; cf. Matthew 13.44.) called by tliy name— I am thine, thy minister. So the antitype, Jesus Christ (Exodus 2:3. 21). 17. My " rejoicing" (r>. 16) was not that of the profane mockers (Psalm 1.1; 26.4,5) at (easts. So far from having fellowship with these, he was expelled from society, ami made. to sit " alone," because of his faitlifiU prophecies, because of thy hand i. e,, thine 621
(2 Kings 2:5.29; 24. 1), and occupy Judea. But v. 7 shows the future, not the past, is referred to; and "widows" being
literal, "mother" is probably 'so too. at noonday—the hottest part of the day, when military operations were usually suspended ; thus it means unexpectedly, answering to tlie parallel, "suddenly;" openly, as others explain
It, will ntrt suit tlie parallelism (cf. Psalm 91.6). it—English Version seems to understand by " it" the mother city, and by "him" tlie "spoiler;" thus "It" will be parallel to "city." Rather, " I will cause to fall upon Wiem(the " mothers" about to be bereft of their sons) suddenly anguish and terrors." tlie city—rather, from a root " heat," an-
Tue Jews' Utter Ruin Foreshown, JEREMIAH XVI. because they were worse than their Fathen,
Inspiration (Isaiali S. 11 ; Ezekiel 1. 3; 3. 14). filled me vrith iuaignatiou—So cli. 6. 11, " full of tlie fury of the Lord ;" 90 full was he of the subject (God's "indignation" against the ungodly) with which God had inspired hiin, as not to be able to contain liimself from expressing it. The same comparison by contrast between the effect of inspiration, and that of ivine, both tailing a man out of himself, oc-
no more to do with this people wliether in mourning or joyous feasts. 9. (Ch. 7. 34; 25. 10; I':zekiel 20. 13). 10. (Deuteronomy 29. 24; I Kings 9. 8, 9). 11. (Ch.5. 19; 13. 'Ji; 22. 8, 9). 13. ye—enipliatic: so far from avoiding your fathers' bad example, ye have done worse (ch. 7. 26; I Kings 14. 9). imagination—rather, slubbm-n perversity. that they may not hearken-rather, connected with "ye:" "ye have walljed . . . so as not to hearken tome." 13. sei-ve otiier gods—that which was tlieirsin in llieir own land was their punishment in exile. Retribulion in kind. They voluntarily forsook God for idols at home; they were not allowed to serve God, if they wished it, in captivity (Daniel 3. and 6). day and niglit^irony. You may there serve idols, which ye are so mad after, even to satiety, and without intermission. It. Therefore—So severe shall be the Jews' bondage that their deliverance from it shall be a greater benefit than that out of Egypt. The consolation is incidental here ; the prominent thought is the severity of their punisliment, so great that their rescue from it will be greater than that from Egypt [CalVXNJ; so the context, u. 13, 17,18, proves (ch. 23. 7, 8; Isaiah
!urs, Acts 2. 13, 15,18. 18. (Ch. 30.15.) "Pain," viz., the perpetual persecution to which he was exposed, and his being left by God without consolation and "alone." Contrast his feeling here with that In v. 16, when he enjoyed t!ie full presence of God, and was inspired by His words. Therefore he utters words of his natural " infirmity" (so David, Psalm 77. 10) here; as before he spake under the liiglier spiritual nature given him. as a liar, auii as—ratlier, "as a deceiving (river) . . . waters that are not sure" (lasting); opposed to " living (perennial) waters" (Job 6. 15, Ac.). Streams tliat the thirsty traveller had calculated on being full in winter, but which disappoint him in his sorest need, having run dry in the heat of summer. Jeliovah liad promised Jei'emiah protection from liis enemies (ch. 1. 18, 19); his infirmity suggests that God had
4:3. 18). 15. tlie north—Chaldea. But whilst the return from Babylon is primarily meant, the return lierealter is tlie full and Hnal accomplishment contemplated, as " from all tlie lands" proves. "Jsraei " was not, save in a very limited sense, " gathered from all the lands " at the return from Babylon (ef. ch. 24. 6; 30.3; Z2. lr>, Notes). 16. send for—translate, " I will send many;" "I will give the commission to many " (2 Chronicles 17. 7). tishers . . . Imnters—successive invaders of Judea (Amos 4. 2; Habakkuk
failed to do so. 19. God's reply to Jeremiah, return . . . bring . . . again—Jeremiah, by his Impatient language,
liad left Iiis proper posture towards God ; Godsaith, "If thou wilt return (to thy former patient discharge of thy proplietic function) I will bring thee back" to thy former position: jn the Hebrew there is a play of words, '^return
.. . turn again" {ch.^.i; 4.1). stand before me—minister aqceptably to me (Deuteronomy 10.8; 1 Kings 17,1; IS. 15). take . . . precions from . . . vile — image from metals: "If thou wilt separate what is precious in thee (tlie Divine graces imparted) from what is vile (thy natural corrup-
1. 14, 15). So "net" (Ezekiel 1'2. 13). As to "hunters," see Genesis 10.9; Micah7. 2; the Chaldees were famous in hunting, as the Egyptians, the otlier enemy of Judea, were in fishing. " Fisliers " expresses the ease of their victory over the Jews as that of the angler over fishes; " hunters," the keenness of their pursuit of them into every cave and nook. It is remarkable, the same image is used in a good sense of the Jews' restoration, implying that Just as their enemies were employed by God to take them in hand for destruction, so the same shall be employed for their restoration (Ezekiel 47. 9, 10). Sospiritually, those once enemies by nature (fixliennen many of them literally) were employed by God to be heralds of salvation, "catching men "
tions, impatience, and hasty words), thou shalt be as my moatii :" my mouthpiece (Exodus 4. 1(3). return not tliou unto tUem—let not them lead you into their profane ways
(as Jeremiah had spoken irreverently, v. 18), but lead thou them to the ways of godliness (v. 16, 17). Ezekiel 22. 26 accords witli the other interpretation, which, however, does not so well suit the context, " If thou wilt separate from the promiscuous mass the better ones, and lead them to conversion by faitliful warnings," &c. 30, The prom-
ise of ch. 1. 18, 19, in almost the same words, but with the addition, adapted to the present attacks of Jeremiali's foraiidalde enemies, " I will deliver thee out of . . . wicked
for life (Matthew 4. 19; Luke 5. 10; Acts 2. 41; 4. 4) ; cf. here
ti. 19, "the Gentiles shall come unto thee" (2 Corinthians
. . . redeem . . . terrible;" tlie repetition is in order to assure Jeremiah that God is tJie same now as when He first made the promise, in opposition to the propliet's irreverent accusation of unfaitlifulness {v. 18).
12.16). 17. (Ch. 32.19; Proverbs 5.21; 15.3.) their iniquity—the cause of God's judgments on them. 18. first
. . . double—HoKSLBY translates, " I will recompense, Ac, once and again;" lit., the first ti^ne repeated: alluding to the two captivities—the Babylonian and the Roman. Mauker, "I will recompense their former iniquities (those long ago committed by their fathers)and their (own) repeated sins" (v. 11,12). English Version gives a good sense, "First (before " I bring them again into their laud "),
CHAPTEE XVI.
Ver. 1-21. CoxTiNUATioN of the previous Prophecy.
jj. in tliis place — in Judea. The direction to remain single was (whether literally obeyed, or only in prophetic vision) to symbolize the coming calamities of the Jews (Ezc^kicl 21. 1,5-27) as so severe that tlie single state would be then (contrary lo the ordinary course of things) preferable to the married (of. I Corinthians 7. 8; 26. 29; Matthew 21.19; Luke 23.29). 4. grievous deaths — rather, dead/!/ tliseases (cli. 15. 2). not . . . lamented—so many Shall be the -sliiin (ch. 22. 18.) dung—(Psalm 83. 10.) 5. fEzekiel 24. 17, 22, 'A) house of mourning—(Mark 5. 38.) Margin, mourning-feust ; sucli feasts were usual at funerals. The Jleljrew means, in Amos 6. 7, the cry of joy at a banquet; lu'i e, and Lamentations 2. 19, the crj/ o/ sorrou). O. cni themselves—Indicating extravagant grief (ch. 41.5;
I will doubly (i. e., fully and amply, ch. 17. 18; Isaiah 40. 2) recompense," &c. carcasses—not sweet-smelling sacri-
ficps acceptable to God, but " ca7-casses " ofTered to idols, an offensive odour to God ; human victims (cli. 19. 5; E/.ekiel
16. 20), and unclean animals (Isaiah 05. 4; 66. 17). JlAUitER explains it, " the carcasses " of tlie idols: their images void of sense and life. Cf. v. 19, 20. Leviticus 26. 30 favours
this. 19, ao. The result of God's judgments on the Jews will be that both the Jews when restored, and the Gentiles who have witnessed those judgments, shall renounce idolatry for the worship of Jehovah. Fulfilled partly at the return from Baliylon, after which the Jews entirely renounced idols, and many proselytes were gathered In from the Gentiles, but not to lie realized in its fulness till the final restoration of Israel (Isaiah 2). ao. Indignant protest of Jeremiah against Idols, and they are no gods —(Ch. 2. 11; Isaiah 37. 19; Galatlans 4. 8.) "They" refers to the Idols. A man (a creature himself) making Ooti
47. 5), prohibited by the law (Leviticus 19. 28). bald—(Ch. 7.29; Isaiah 22. 12). 7. tear themselves—rather, "break bread," viz., that eaten at the funeral-feast (Deuteronomy
26. 14; Job 42. U; Ezekiel 24. 17; Hosea 9. 4). "Bread" Is to be supplied, as Lamentations 4.4; cf. "take" (food) (Genesis 42. 33). give . . . cup of consolation . . . for
Is a contradict Ion in terms. Vulgate takes "they" thus: "Shall m.an make f/oftv, though men themselves are not gods?" iJl. Tlierefore—In order that all may be turned from Idols lo Jeliovah, He will now give awful proof of His Divine power In the Judgments lie will iiilllet. this onco—If the punlslimeuts 1 have heretofore Inflicted have
. , . father—It was the Oriental custom for friends to send viands an<l wine (the "cup of consolation") to console relativ(>K in inournlng-feastH, e.g., children under the death of a "lather "or "mother." 8. house of feasting —Joyous: as distinguished from mourning-feasts, Have 523
J%6 Jews' Love of Idolatry. JEEEMIAII XVII. The Salvation of God,
not been severe enough to teacU tbem. my name . . . L.ora— Je?iovah. (Psalm 83. 18): God's incommunicable
tree." Robinson translates, "the Juniper tree," found In the Arabah or Great Valley, here called "the desert," south of the Dead Sea. The " heath" was one of the plants, according to Pliny (13. 21; 16. 26), excluded from religious uses, because it has neither fruit nor seed, and is neither sown nor planted, not see . . . good—(Job 20. 17.) salt land—(Deuteronomy 29. 23), barren ground. 7. (Psalm 34.
niiiiie, to apply which to idols would be blasphemy. Keeping His threats and promises (Exodus 6. 3).
8; Proverbs 16. 20; Isaiah 30. 18.) Jeremiah first removed the weeds (false trusts), so that there might be room for the good grain. [Calvin.] 8, (Psalm 1. 3.) shall not see —
Ver. 1-27. The Jews' invetekatk Love of Idolatry. The LXX. omit the first four verses, but other Greek versions have them. 1. The first of the four clauses relates
^i. e., feel. Answering to f. 6; whereas the unbelievers "shall not see (eyen) when good coineth," the believer "shall not see (so as to be overwhelmed by it even) when heat (fiery trial) cometli." Trials shall come upon liim as on all, nay, upon him especially (Hebrews 12. 6) ; but he shall not sink under them, because the Lord is his secret strength, just as the "roots spread out by a river" (or, "water-course") draw hidden support from it (2 Corinthians 4. 8-11). carvtnl—anxious, as one desponding (Luke
to the third, the second to the fourth, by alternate parallelism. The sense is, They are as keen after idols as if their propensity was "graven with an Iron pen (Job 19.
21) on their hearts," or as if it were sanctioned by a law "inscribed with a diamond point" on their altars. The names of their gods used to be written on "the horns of the altars " (Acts 17. 25). As the clause " on their hearts "
refers to their inward propensity, so "on . . . altars," the outward exhibition of it. Others refer "on the horns of
12. 29; 1 Peter 5. 7). drought—fa., ivithholding, viz., of raiu
. . . altars " to their staining them with the blood of victims, in imitation of the Levitical precept (Exodus 29. 12; Leviticus 4. 7, 18), but "written . . . graven," would thus be inappropriate, table of . . . heart—which God intended to be inscribed very differently, viz., with His truths (Proverbs 3. 3; 2 Corinthians 3. 3). your—though " their " preceded, he directly addresses them to charge the guilt home to them in particular, ti. cliildren remember —instead of forsaking the idolatries of their fathers they keep them up (ch. 7. 18). This is given as proof that their
(ch. 14. 1); he here probably alludes to the drought which had prevailed, but makes it the type of all kinds of dis-
tress. 9. deceitful—from a root, " supplanting," " tripping up insidiously by the heel," from which Jacob (Hosea
12. 3) toolt his name. In speaking of the Jews' deceit of heart, he appropriately uses a term alluding to their forefather, whose deceit, but not wliose faith, they followed. His " supplanting" was in order to obtain Jehovah's blessing. They plant Jehovah for "trust in man'' (u. 5), and then think to deceive God, as if it could escape His notice, that it is in man, not in Him, they trust, desperately wiched—"incurable" [Hoksley] (Micah 1. 9). Trust in one's own heart is as foolish as in our fellow-man (Proverbs 28. 26). 10. Lest any should infer from v. 9, " who can know it?" that even the Lord does not know, and therefore cannot punish, the hidden treachery of the heart. He saith, "I the Lord search the heart," &c. (1 Chronicles 28.
sin' is "graven upon . . . altars" (v. 1), i.e., is not merely temporary. They corrupt th^ir posterity after them. Castalio less probably Irahslates, " They remember their altars as (fondly as) they do their children." groves rather, imagesof Astarle, the goddess of the heavenly hosts, represented as a sacred tree, such as is seen in the Assyrian sculptures (2 Kings 21. 7 ; 2 Chronicles 24. IS): " Image of the grove." The Hebrew for "grove" is Asherah, i. e., Assarak, Astarte, or Ashtai'oth. by the greeu trees—j. e., near them: the sacred trees (idol symbols) of Astarte being placed in the midst of natural tr^es: "green trees "
9; Psalm 7.9; Proverbs 17. 3; Revelation 2.23). even to give—and that in order that I may give (ch. 32. 19). 11. partridge—(1 Samuel 26. 20). Hebrew "Korea," from a root, to call, alluding to its cry ; a name still applied to a bustard by the Arabs. Its nest is liable, being on the ground, to be trodden under foot, or robbed by carnivorous animals, notwithstanding all the beautiful manoeuvres of the parent birds to save the brood. The translation, "sitteth on eggs which it has not laid," alludes to the ancient notion that she stole the eggs of other birds and hatched them as her own ; and that the young birds when grown left her for the true mother. It is not needful to make Scripture allude to an exploded notion, as if it were true. Maurer thinks the reference is to Jehoiakirn's grasping cupidity (ch. 22. 13-17). Probably the sense Is more general; as previously he condemned trust in man
Is thus distinguished from "groves," artificial trees. Henderson, to avoid taking the same Hebrew particle in the same sentence differently, " by . . . upon " translates "images of Astarte on the green trees." But it is not probable that images, in the form of a sacred tree, should be hung on trees, rather than near them. 3. mountain—Jerusalem, and especially Zion and the temple, iu the field—As Jerusalem was surrounded by moun-
taiits (Psalm Tix 2), the sense probably is. Ye rely on your mountainous position (ch. 3. 23), but I will make "my mountain" to become as if it were in a plain (field), so as to give thy substance an easy prey to the enemy. [Calvin.] "Field" may, however, mean all Judea; it and " niy monntain" will thus express the country and its cap-
(v. 5), he now condemns another object of the deceitful hearts' trust, unjustly gotten riches (Psalm 39. 6; '49. 16, 17; 55.23). fool—(Proverbs 23. 5; Luke 12. 20); "their folly" (Psalm 49. 13). Himself, and all, shall at last perceive he was not the wise man he thought he was. 13. Throne— The temple of Jerusalem the throne of Jehovah. Having condemned false object of trust, "high places for sin" (v.
ital (Gkhk'S lus translates, "together with," Instead of in; as the Hebrew is translated, ch. 11. 19; Hosea 5. 6; but this
Is not al)solutely needed), "the substance" of both of which God "will give to the spoil." thy high placescorresponding in parallelism to " my mountain" (cf. Isaiah
11. 'J), as "all thy borders," to "the field" (which confirms the view that " field" means all Judea). for sin—connected with "Wgh places" In English Version, viz., frequented /or sin, i. e., for idolatrous sacrifices. But ch. 15. 13 makes tlie rendering probable, "I will give thy substance . . . to . . . spoil . , . on account 0/ thy sin througliout all t?iy bm-der's." 4. even thyself—rather, "owing to thyself," t. e., by thy own fault (ch. 15. 13). discontinue ft-om-be dispossessed of. Not only thy substance, but tliyself shall be carried off to a strange land (ch. 15. 1-4). 5. Referring to the Jews' proneness to rely on Egypt, in Its fear of .Assyria and Babylon (Isaiah 31. 1, 3). tmsteth —this word is emphatic. We may expect help from men, 8o far as God enables them to help us, but we must rest our trust In GOd alone (Psalm 62. 5). 6. heath—in Psalm
3), and an "arm of flesh," he next sets forth Jehovah, and His temple, which was ever open to the Jews, as the true object of confidence, and sanctuary to flee to. Henderson makes Jehovah, in v. 13, the subject, and this verse predicate, "A throne of glory, high from the beginning, the place of our sanctuary, the hope of Israel is Jehovah." Throne is thus used for Him who sits on it; cf. thrones (Colossians 1. 16). He is called a "sanctuary" to His people (Isaiah 8. 14; Ezekiel 11. 16). So ;S2/7*jac and ^m6ic. 13. me Jehovah. Though </iee precedes. This sudden transition is usual in the prophetic style, owing to the prophet s continual realization of Jehovah's presence, nil that forsake thee—(Psalm 73. 27; Isaiah 1. 28.) written in tlie earth—in the dust, i. e., shall be consigned to oblivion. So Jesus' significant writing "on the ground" (probably the accusers' names) (John 8. 6). Names written in the dust are obliterated by a very slight wind. Their hopes and celebrity are wholly in the earth, not in the heavenly boon
102. 17; Isaiah .32. 11; Habakkuk 3. 9, the Hebrew is translalfd, " biVre," " naked," " destitute ;" but as the parallel in
f. 8 is "tree," sfime plant must be meant of which this Is the clxarsct eristic epithet (see ch. 48. 6, Margin), "a naked
TIte SahbtUh to be Hallowed. JEREMIAH XViri. GdcCs Power over NahoiU
tlous to it (Psalm 107. 22). 2T. burden . . . in . . . gates . . , Are in tiLe gates—retribution answering to the sin; the scene of their sin shall be tiie scene of tlielr punislimeut (ch. 52. 13; 2 Kings 25. 9).
of life (Revelation 13. 8; 20. 12, 15). The Jews, thoush boasting tliat tliey were the people of God, had no portion in heaven, no status before God and His angels. Contrast "written in heaven," i. e., in the muster-roll of its blessed citizens (Luke 10. 20). Also, contrast " written in a boolc," and "in the rock for ever" (Job 19. 23, 24). living waters —(Ch. 2. l.i.) li-lS. Prayer of the prophet for deliverance from the enemies whom he excited by his faithful denunciations, heal . . . save—not only make me whole (as to
Ver. 1-23. GoD, AS the Sole .Sovereign, has an Absolute Right to Deal with Nations According to their Conduct Towards Him; Illustrated in a Tangible Form by the Potter's AIoulding of Vessels from Clay. a. go down viz., from the high ground on which the temple stood, near which Jeremiah exercised his prophetic office, to the low ground, where some wellknown (this is the force of "the") potter had his workshop. 3, wlieela—lU., " oa boHi stories." The potter's horizontal lathe consisted of two round plates, the lower ona larger, the upper smaller; of stone originally, but afterwards of wood. On the upper the potter moulded the cjay into what shapes he pleased. They are found represented in Egyptian remains. In T2xodus 1. 16 alone is the Hebren word found elsewhere, but in a different sense. 4 marred—spoiled. " O/ clay" is the true reading, which was corrupted into " o.s clay" (Margin), through the similarity of the two Hebrew letters, and from 1.6, "as the clay." 6. Refuting the Jews' reliance on their external privileges as God's elect people, as if God could never cast them otr. But if the potter, a mex-e creature, has power to throw away a marred vessel, and. raise up other clay from the ground, "a fortiori" God, the Creator, can cast away the people who prove unfaithful, to His election, and can raise others in their stead (cf. Isaiah 45. 0; 64. 8; Romans 9. 20, 21). It is curious that the potta-'s field should have been the purchase made with the price of Judas' treachery (Matthew 27.9, 10: a potter's vessel dashed to pieces, cf. Psalm 2.8,9; Revelation '2.27), because of its failing to answer the maker's design, being the very Image to depict God's sovereign power to give reprobates to destruction, not by caprice, but in the exercise of His righteous judgment. Matthew quotes Zechariah's words (Zechariah 11. 12, 13) as Jeremiah's, because the latter (ch.
tlie evils of .soul as well as body which I am exposed to by contact with ungodly'foes, ch. 15. 18), but keep me so. my prais*—He whom I liave to praise for past I'avoiars, and therefore to whom alone I look for the time to come.
1.5. Where is the word 1—(I.saiah 5. 19; Amos 5. IS.) Wliere is the fulfilment of the threats which thou didst utter as from God ? A characteristic of the last stage of apostasy (2 Peter 3. 4). 16. I have uot refused thy call of me to be a prophet (Jonah 1. 3), however painful to me it was to utter wliat would be sure to Irritate the hearers
(ch. 1. 4, &c.) ; therefore thou shouldest not forsake me
(ch. 15. 15, &c.). to follow thee lit., after thee; as an under-pastor following thee, the Chief Shepherd (Eccle-
siastes' 12. 11; 1 Peter 5.4). neither . . . desired—I have not wished for the day of calamity, though I foretell it as about to come on my countrymen ; therefore they have no reason for persecuting me. thou kiiowest—I appeal to thee for the truth of what I assert, that which came out of my lips—ray words (Deuteronomy 23. 23). right before thee— rather, "was before thee;" was known to i/iee—(Proverbs 5. 21). 17. a terror viz., by deserting me: all I fear is thine abandoning me; if thou art with me I have no fear of evil from enemies. 18. destroy . . . destruction—" brea,k tliem with a double breach," Hebrew (ch. li. 17). On "double," see i\^o<e, ch. 16. 18. 19-'Z7. Delivered in the reign of Jehoiakim, who undid the good effected by Josiah's reformation; especially as to the obBervanee of tlie Sabbath; [Eichorn.] gate of . . . childrei> of . . . people—The gate next the king's palace, called the gate of David, and the gate of the people, from its being the principal thoroughfare: now the Jaffa gate. It
is probably the same as " the gate of the fountain" at the foot of Zion, near which were the king's garden and pool (ch. 39. 4 ; 2 Kings 2.5. 4; Nehemiah 2. 14; 3. 15; 12. 37). ao. kings—He begins with the kings, as they ought to have repressed sucli a glaring profanation. 31. Take he«d to yoitrselves lit., to your souls. Maurer explains, "as ye love your lives;" a phrase used here to give the greater weight to the commantl. sabbath—The non-observance of it was a chief cause of the captivity, the number of years of the latter, seventy, being exactly made to agree with the number of .Sabbaths which elapsed during the 490 years of their possession of Canaan from Saul to their removal (Leviticus 20. 34, 35; 2 Chronicles 36. 21). On tlie restoration, therefore, stress was especially laid on Sabbath observance (Nehemiah 13. 19). Jerusalem—It would have been scandalous anywhere, but in the capital, Jei-utalem, it was an open insult to God. Sabbath-hallowing
18., 19.) was the source from which the former derived his summary in ch. 11. 12, 13. [Hengstenberg.] 7.- At wliat Instant-In a moment, when the nation least expects it. Hereby he reminds the Jews how marvellously God had delivered them from their original degradation, i. e.. In one and the same day ye were the most wretched, and then the most favoured of all people. [Calvin. J 8. their evil—in antithesis to, " the evil that Jthought to do." repent—God herein adapts Himself to human conceptions. Tlie change is not in God, but in the circumstances which regulate God's dealings : just as we say the land recedes from us when we sail forth, whereas it Is we who recede from the land (Ezekiel 18. 21 ; 33. 11). God's unchangeable principle is to do the best tliat can be done under all circumstances; if then He did not take into account the moral change iii his people (their prayers, &c.). He would not be acting according to His own unchanging principle
Is intended as a symbol of holintrss in general (Ezelciel 20.
(y. 9, 10). This is applied practically to the Jews' ca.se (r.
12), therefore such stress is laid on it; the Jews' gross impiety is manifested in their setting God's will at naught, in the case of such an easy and positive command. 'Z3. (Ch. 7. 21, 2(i.) a*. A part put for the whole, "If ye keep the .Siibbath and my other laws." 25, kings . . . In cliarioi*—The kingdom at this time had been brought so low that this iironilse here was a special favour, remain—
11; see ch. 36. 3; Jonah 3. 10). 11. frame evil—alluding to the precedlng image of " the potter," i. e., I, J< hovah, am now as It were the potter/rawuifj' evil against you; but in the event of your repenting, it is in my power to frame a/tei^ my course of dealing towards you. return, Ac—(2 Kings 17. 13.) 12. no Iiope— I hy threats and exhorlations are all thrown away (ch 2. 25). Our ease is desperate; we are hopelessly abandoned to our sins and their penaltv. In this and tlu' following clauses, " We will walk alter our own devices," Jeremiah makes them express the' real state of the case, rather than the hypocritical sulHerfuges which Wic.)/ would have been inclined to iiiil forth. Ho Isaiah .'iO. 10, 11. 13. (Ch. '2. 10, II.) Even aiiumg the heathen it was a thing unheard of, that a nation sliould lay aside Its gods for foreign gods, though their gods are false gods. But Israel foisook the true God for foreign
Jii'brrir, he iikliahilvd (u. 6; Isaiah 13.20). 'id. plain . . . mouuiiiiuM . . . Boutlt — (Joshua 15. 1-1). The southern border had extended to the river of Egypt, but w;xs DOW much curtailed by Egyptian invasions (2 Clinmicles
So. 20 ; 31). 3, 4;. The Hebrew tor "south" means dry; the arid desert soutli of Judea is meant. The enumeration of all the pans of Judi'a, city, country, plain, hill, and desert, implies that no longer shall there be aught wanting of the integrity of the Jewi.sth land (Zechariah 7.7). Kacrilices—As in v. 22, one constituent of .ludea's prosperity is men tinned, viz., Its kings on David's throne, the pledge of (iod being lis guardian; so In this verse another
faltse gods, virgin of Isravl — (2 Kings 19.21.) It eidhances their guilt, that Israel was the virgin whom (iod had specially betrothed to Him. liorrible tiling—(Ch. 5
COliStltuen.t, viz.. Its priests, a pledge of God being prop)-
JEREMIAH AT THE POTTEB'S HOUSE.—JEKEMIAH XVIII. 3.
Jvdah is Threatened, JEKEMIAH XIX. The Desolation of the JeuHi
type of Jesus Christ (Psalm 109. 4,5; John 15. 25). my soul —my life; me (Psalm 35.7). I stood before thee . . to turn away tliy wrath—so Moses (Psalm 106. 23 ; cf. Ezekiel 22. 30). So Jesus Christ, the antitype of previous par-
30.) 1*. Is there any man (living near It) who would leave the snow of Lebanon (i. e., the cool melted snow-water of Lebanon, as he presently explains), which cometh from the rock of the field (a poetical name for Lebanon, which towers aloft above the surrounding field, or compara-
tial Intercessors (Isaiah 59. 10). 31. pour out their blood by the force of the sword lit., by the hands of the sword. So Ezekiel 35. 5. Maurer with Jerome translates, " de-
tively plain country)? None. Yet Israel forsakes Jehovah, the living fountain close at hand, for foreign broken
liver them over to the power of the sword." But cf. Psalm
cisterns. Ch. 17.13; 2.13, accord with English Version
here. Mauker translates, "Shall the snow of Lebanon
63. 10, Margin; Isaiah 53. 12. In this prayer he does not Indulge in personal revenge, as if it were his own cause that was at stake; but he speaks under the dictation of the Spirit, ceasing to intercede, and speaking propheti-
r^ease from the rock to water (lit., forsake) my fields" (the
ffhole land around being peculiarly Jehovah's)! Lebanon means the white mountain; so called from the perpetual snow which covers that part called Hermon, stretching nortli-east of Palestine, that come from another place—that come from far, viz., from the distant lofty rocks of Lebanon. Henderson translates, "the compressed waters," viz., contracted witliin a narrow channel
cally, knowing they were doomed to destruction as reprobates; for those not so, he doubtless ceased not to inter-
cede. We are not to draw an example from this, which is a special case, put to death—or, as in ch. 15. 2, "perish by the death-plague." [Maurer.] men . . . young men HoRSLEY distinguishes the former as married men past middle life ; the latter, the flower of the unmai-ried youth, 33. cry—by I'eason of the enemy bursting in : let their houses be no shelter to them in their calamities. [Cal-' VIN.] digged . . . pit—(F. 20; Psalm 57. 6; 119.85.) 33. forgive not—(Psalm 109. 9, 10, 14.) blot out—image from an account book (Revelation 20. 12). before thee—Hypo-
• while descending through the gorges of the rocks ; "flowing" may in this view be rather " flowing down" (Song of Solomon 4. 1.5). But the parallelism in English Version is
better, "which cometh from the rock," "that cometh from another place." be forsaken—answering to the parallel, "Will a man leave." Maurer translates, "dry up," or "fail" (Isaiah 19.5); the sense thus being, Will nature ever turn aside from its fixed course. The "cold waters" (cf. Proverbs 25. 25) refer to the perennial streams, fed from the partial melting of the snow in the hot weather. 15. Because—rather, And yet; in defiance of the natural order of things, forgotten me—(Ch. 2. 32.) This implies a previous knowledge of God, whereas He was unknown to the Gtentiles; the Jews' forgetting of God, therefore, arose from determined perversity, they have caused ... to stumble viz., the false prophets and idolatrous priests have, ancient paths—(Ch. 6. 16): the paths which their pious ancestors trod. Not antiquity Indiscriminately, but the example of the fathers who trod the right way, is here commended, them—the Jews, not cast up—not duly prepared : referring to the raised centre of the road. Calvin translates, "not trodden." They had no precedent of former saints to induce them to devise for themselves a new worship. 16. hissing—(1 Kings 9. 8.) In sign of contempt. That which was to be only the event Is ascribed to the purpose of the people, although altogether different from what they would have been likely to hope for. Their purpose is represented as being the destruction of their country, because it was the inevitable result of their course of acting, wag . . . headin mockery (2 Kings 19. 21 ; Matthew 27. 39). As " wag . . . head" answers to "hissing," so "astonished" answers to "desolate," for which, therefore, Munstek, <fec., rather
crites suppose God is not near, so long as they escape punishment; but when He punishes, they are said to stand before Him, because they can no longer flatter themselves they can escape His eye (cf. Psalm 90. 8). deal thus —exert thy power against them. [Maurer.] time of thine anger—though He seems to tarry. His time shall come at last (Ecclesiastes 8. 11, 12; 2 Peter 3. 9, 10).
Ver. 1-15. The Desolation of the Jews for their Sins foretold in the Valley of Hinnom, theBymbol OF breaking a Bottle. Referred by Maurer, &.c., to the beginning of Zedekiah's reign. 1. bottle Hebretu, bakbuk, so called from the gurgling sound which it makes when being emptied, ancients—elders. As witnesses of the symbolic action (v. 10; Isaiah 8.1,2), that the Jews' might not afterwards plead ignorance of the prophecy. The seventy-two elders, composing the Sanhedrim, or Great Council, were partly taken from "the priests," partly from the other tribes, i.e., "the people," the former presiding over spiritual matters, the latter over civil ; the seventy-two represented the whole people. 3. valley of the so« of Hinnom—or Tophet, south of Jerusalem, where human victims were offered, and children made to pass through the fire, in honour of Molech. east gate— Margin, sun gate, sunrise being in the east. Maureb
translate, "an object of wonder" (ch. 19. 8). 17. as with an east wind lit., "I will scatter them, as an east wind" (scatters all before it): a most violent wind (Job 27.21; Psalm 48. 7; Isaiah 27. 8). Thirty-two MSS. read (without
translates, the potter's gate. Through it lay the road to the valley of Hinnom (Joshua 15. 8). The potters there formed vessels for the use of the temple, which was close by (cf. v.
a*), "with an east wind." I will show them the back
10, 14 ; ch. 18. 2; Zechariah 11. 13). The same as " the watet gate toward the east" (Nehemiah 3. 26 ; 12. 37) ; so called from the brook Kedron. Calvin translates, as English Version and Margin, "It was monstrous perversity to tread the law under foot in so conspicuous a place, over which the sun daily rising reminded them of the light of God's law." 3. The scene of their guilt is chosen as the scene of the denunciation against them, kings—the king and queen (ch. 13. 18); or including the king's counsellors and governors under him. tingle—as if struck by a thunder peal (1 Samuel 3. 11; 2 Kings 21. V2). 4. (Isaiah
. . . not . . . face—just retribution : as " they turned their back unto me . . . not their face" (ch. 2. 27). 18. (Ch. 11.
19.) Let us bring a capital charge against him, as a false prophet; "for (whereas he foretells that this land shall be left without priests to teach the law, Malachi 2. 7; without scribes to explain its difficulties; and without prophets to reveal God's will), the law shall not perish from the prophet," &<*. ; since God has made thesea lasting institution in His church, and the law declares they shall never perish (Leviticus 6. 18; 10. 11; cf. ch. 5. 12). [Grotics.] the Tfise—scribes and elders Joined to the priests. Perhaps they mean to say, we must have right on onr side, in spite of Jeremiah's words against us and our prophets, <feo. (ch. 28. 1.5, 16; 29. 25, 32; 5. 31); "for the law shall not perish," Ac. I prefer Grotius' explanation, witli . . . tongue—by a false accusation (Psalm 57. 4; 64.
65. II.) estranged this place—devoted it to the worship of strange gods: alienating a portion of tlie .sacred city from God, the rightful Lord of the temple, city and whole land, nor their fathers viz., the godly among them; their ungodly fathers God makes no account of. blood of innocence—slain in honour of Molech (cli. 7. 31 ; P.salni
106. 37). 5. commanded not—nay, more, . I commanded the opposite (Leviticus 18. 21; see ch. 7.31, 32). 6. no more
8; 12. 4 ; 50. 19). Ear the tongue (Margin), i. e., for his speaking against us. "In the tongue," i.e., let us kill him, that he may speak no more against us. [Castalio.] 19. Give heed—Contrasted with, " let us not give heed" (v. 18). As
. . . Tophet—from Hebrew, loph, a drum ; for in sacrificing children to Molech drums were beaten to drown their
thei/ give no heed to me, do thmt, O Lord, give heed to me, and let my words at least have their weight with thee. 90, In the particulars here specified, Jeremiah was a
cries. Thus the name Indicated the joy of the people at the fancied propitiation of the god by tliis .sacrifice; In antithesis to its Joyless name subsequently, valley of 525
The Fearful Doom of Pashur. JEREMIAH XX. The Prophet Complaineth of his Misery.
thine. Maurer's translation in therefore not needed,"! will give up thee and all thy friends to terror.'' 5. strength— i. e., resources, labours— fruits of labour, gain, wealth. 6. prophesied lies viz., that God cannot possibly leave tliis land without prophets, priests, and teachers ("the wise") (ch. 18.18; cf. ch. 5.31). 7. Jeremiah's complaint, not unlilie that of Job, breathing somewhat of human infirmity in consequence of his imprisonment. Thou didst promise never to give me up to the will of mine enemies, and yet tliou hast done so. But Jeremiah misunderstood God's promise, wliich was not that he should have nothing to suffer, but that God would deliver him out of sufferings (cli. 1. 19). deceived—others translate as Margin, "thou hast enticed" or "persuaded me," viz., to undertake the prophetic oflice, "and I was persuaded," i. e., suffered myself to be persuaded to undertake what I find too hard for me. So the Hebrew word
slaughter—it should be the scene of slaughter, no longer of children, but of meu; not of "innocents" (11.4), but of tliose wlio riclily deserved their fate. The city could not be assailed without first occupying the valley of Hinnom, in which was the only fountain: hence arose the violent battle there. 7. make void the counsel defeat their plans for repelling the enemy (2 Chronicles
32. 1-4; Isaiah 19. 3; 22. 9, 11). Or their schemes of getting help by having recourse to idols. [Calvin.] In this place—the valley of Hinnom was to be the. place of tlie Chaldean encampment; the very place where they looked for help from idols was to be the scene of their own slaughter. 8. (^Vo^e, ch. 18.16.) 9. (Deuteronomy 28.53; Lameutations 4. 10.) 10. break . . . bottle—a symbolical action, explained in v. 11. the men—the elders of tlie people and of the priests (v.l; cf. ch. 51. 63,64). 11. as one breaketh a potter's vessel—expressing God's absolute sovereignty (cli. IS. 6; Psalm 2. 9; Isaiah 30. 14, Margin; Lamentations 4.2; Romans 9.20,21). cannot be made vt'Uole again— a broken potter's vessel cannot be restored, but a new one may be made of the same material. So God raised a new Jewish seed, not Identical with the destroyed rebels, but by substituting another generation in their stead. [Grotius.] no place to bnry—(Gh. 7. 3*2.) 1^. make this city as Topliet i. e., as defiled with dead bodies as Tophet. 13. shall be deftled—with dead bodies
is used in a good sense (Genesis ^.'n. Margin; Proverbs
25. 15 ; Hosea 2. 14). stronger than I—Thou whose strength
I could not resist hast laid this burden on me, and hast prevailed (Ijast made me prophesy, in spite of my reluctance) (ch. 1.5-7); yet, when I exercise my office, I am treated with derision (Lamentations 3.14). 8. Rather, " Whenever I speak, I cry out." "Concerning violence and spoil, I (am compelled to) cry out," i, e., cbmplaiu. [Maurer.] English Version in the last clause is more graphic, "I cried violence and spoil" (ch. 6.7)! I could not speak in a calin tone; their desperate wickedness compelled me to "cry out." because—Rather, i/tert/orc; the ajiodosis of the previous sentence; because in discharging my prophetic functions, J not merely spake, but cried; and cried, violence, &c. ; there/ore the word of the Lord was made a reproach to me {v. 7). 9. his word was— or lit., "there was in my heart, as it were, a burning fire,"
(u. 12; 2 Kings 23. 10). because of all the houses—Rather (explanatory of the previous "the houses . . . and . . . houses"), "even all the houses," &c. [Calvin.] roofs being flat, they were used as high places for sacrifices to the sun and planets (ch. 32.29 ; 2 Kings 23.11, 12; Zephaniah 1.5). Tlie Natiateans, south and east of the Dead Sea, a nation most friendly to the Jews, according to Strabo, had the same usage. 14. court of the Lord's house—near Tophet. The largest court, under the open
i.e., the Divine afflatus or impulse to speak was as, <&e. (Job 32. IS, 19 ; Psalm 39. 3). weary with forbearing, and I could not—" I laboured to contain myself, but I could not" (Acts 18.5; cf. ch. 2:1.9; 1 Corinthians 9.16, 17). 10. For—Not referring to the words immediately preceding, but to "I will not make mention of Him;" the "defaming" or detraction of the enemy on every side (see Psalm 31. 13) tempted him to think of prophesying no more. Report . . . we will report—The words of his adversaries one to the other ; give any information against him (true or false) wlilQh will give colour for accusing him; and " we will report it," viz., to the Sanhedrim, in order to cruSli liiYn. familiars—Z!<., men of my peace; those who pretended to be on peaceable terms with me (Psalm 41. 9). Jeremiah Is type of Messiah, referred to in that Psalm. (See ch. 38.22; Job 19.19; Psalm 55.13,14; Luke 11. 53, 54.) watched for my halting—(Psalm 35. 15. Margin, "halting;" Psalm 38.17; 71. 10, Margin.) GesbNius not so well translates, according to Arabic idiom, "those guarding my side" (i. e., my most Intimate friends always at my side), in apposition to "familiars," and the subject of say (instead of saying). Tlie Hebrew means properly "side." then "halting," as the halt bend on one side, enticed—to commit some sin. 11. not prevail—as tliey tioped to do {v. 10; ch. 15. "20). prosper—in their plot. Vi. tj-lest tlie righteous—in latent contrast to the hasty judgments of men (ch. 11. '20; 17.10). opened i.e., com' mitted (cf. 2 Kings 19. 14; Psalm 35. 1). 13. delivered . . . soul—This deliverance took place when Zedekiali succeeded to Jeconiah. 14-18. The contrast between the spirit of this passage and the preceding thanksgiving Is to be explained tlius: to show how great was the deliverance (v. 13), he subjoins a picture of what his wounded spirit had been previous to his deliverance; I had said In. the time of my imprisonment, "Cursed be the day;" my feeling was that of Job (Job 3. 3, 10, 11, whose words Jeremiah therefore copies). Though Jeremiah's zeal had been stirred up, not so much for self as for God's honour tramiiled on by the rejection of the propliet's words, yet
air, wliere was the greatest crowd (2 Chronicles 20.5). 15. her towns—the suburban villages and towns near Jerusalem, such as Bethany.
Ver. 1-18. Jeremiah's Incarceration by Pashur, THJS Principal Officer op the Templf,, for PropheSVING WITHIN ITS PRECINCTS; HiS RENEWED PREDICTIONS AGAINST THE CiTY, &C., ON HIS LIBERATION. 1. 8on—Descendant, of Immer—One of the original "governors of tlie sanctuary and of the house of God," twentyfour in all, i. e., sixteen of the sons of Eleazar and eight of the sons of Ithamar (1 Chronicles 24. 14). This Pashur
is distinct from Pashur, son of Melchiah (ch. 21. 1). The " captains" (Luke 22. 4) seem to have been over the twentyfour guards of the temple, and had only the right of appri'hending any who were guilty of delinquency within
it; but the Sanhedrim had the judicial power over such delinquents- [Grotius] (ch. 26.8, 10, 16). 3. The fact that Pashur was of the same order and of the same family as Jeremiah aggravates the indignity of the blow (1 Kings
22. 24 ; Matthew 26. 67). stocks—An instrument of torture with five holes. In which the neck, two hands, and two
feet were thrust, the body being kept in a crooked post ure
(ch. 29. 26). From a Hebrew root, "to turn," or "rack." This marks Pashur's cruelty, high—i. e., </te upper gate
(2 Kings' 15. .'!.5). gate of Benjamin—a gate in the temple wall, corresponding to the gate of Benjamin, properly so called, in tlie city wall, in the direction of the territory of Benjamin (ch. 7.2; 37.13; 38.7). The temple gate of Benjninin, being on a lofty position, was called " the high gate," to <listingulsh it from the city wall gate of Benjamin. 3. Pashur—Compounded of two roofs, meaning "largeness" (and so "security") "on every side;" in an-
tltliesis to Mat/or-missabib, "terror round about" {v. 10; ch.
6.2."); 16.5; 49. 29; Psalm 31.13). 4. terror ... to all thy ft-ien«ls—who have believed thy fal.se promises (v. 6). Tlie enae must be in order to accord with " fear round about"
it was inteinperato wlien he made his birth a subject for cursing, which was really a ground for thanksgiving. 15, A mnii-cliiid—Tlie birth of whom is in the JSast u. special subject of joy; whereas that of a female is oHen not so. 10. the cities—Sodom and Gomorrah, cry
(r. 3). I will bring terror on thee and on all tliy friends, that terror arising from tliyself, viz., thy false propliecies. Tliou and thy prophecies will be seen, to the dismay both o( thee and tliy dupes, to have caused their ruin and 326
Ztdckiah Consults the Prophet. JEREMIAH XXI, XXII. An Exhortation to Repentance,
. . . a prey—proverbial, to make one's escape with life, like a valuable spoil or prey tliat one carries oflT; the narrowness of the escape, and the joy felt at it, are included in the idea (ch, 39. 18). 10. set . . . face against—determined to punish (Leviticus 17. 10). 12. lionsc of David the royal family and all in office about the king. He calls them so, because it was the greater disgrace that they had so degenerated from the piety of their forefatlier, David; and to repress their glorying in their descent from him, as if they were therefore inviolable; but God will not spare them as apostates, in the moi-ning-alluding to
morning . ; . noontide—i. e., Let him be kept In alarm
the whole day (not merely at night when terrors ordinarily
prevail, but in daytime when It is something extraordinary) witli terrifying war-shouts, as those in a besieged