Chapter XXVII
Cf. as to Jesus, Jeremiah's antitype, the hosannas of the multitude a few days before the same people, persuaded
Ver. 1-22. The Futility of Resisting Nebuchadnezzar ILLUSTRATED TO THE AMBASSADORS OF THE Kings, desiring to have the King op Judah confederate with them, under the Type of Yokes. Jeremiah exhorteth them and Zedekiah to yield. 1. Jcholaklm—The prophecy that follows was according to this reading given in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, fifteen years before it was published in the reign of Zedekiah to whom it refers; it was thus long deposited in the prophet's bosom, in order that by It he might be supported under trials in his prophetic career In the interim. [Calvin.] But " Zedekiah " may be the true reading. So the Syriac and Arabic Versions. Ver. 3, 12; ch. 28. 1, con • firms this. Also, one of Kennicott^s MSS. The English Version reading may have originated from the first verstj ofch.26. " Son of Josiah " applies to Zedekiah as truly a> to " Jehoialcim " or " Eliakim." The fourth year raay , in a general sense here, as in ch. 28. 1, be called " the beginning of his reign," as it lasted eleven years (2 Kings 21. 18). It was not long after the fourth year of his reign that ho rebello<l against Nebuchadnezzar (ch. 51. 59; 52.3; 2 Kings
by the priests as in this case, cried. Away with Him, crucify Him (Matthew 21., and 27. 20-25). The priests, tlirough envy of his lioly zeal, were more his enemies than the princes, whose ofHce was more secular than
religious. A prophet could not legally be put to death unless he prophesied in the name of other gods (therefore, they say, "in the name of the Lord"), or after that his propliecy had failed in its accomplishment. Meanwhile,
if he foretold calamity, he might be imprisoned. Cf. Micrtiah'scase (1 Kings 22. 1-28). 17. Cf. Gamaliel's interposition (Acts 5.34, &c.). elders—some of tlie "princes" mentioned {v. 10), those whose age, as well as dignity, would give weight to the precedents of past times which they adduce. 18. (Jlicah 3. 12.) Morastliite—called so from a village of the tribe Judah. Hezekiah—The precedent in the reign of such a good king proved tliat Jeremiah was not tlie only prophet, or the first, who threatened tlie city and the temple without incurring death, mountain of the home—Moriah, on which stood the temple (peculiarly called "iAe house") shall be covered with woods instead of buildings. Jeremiah, in quoting previous prophecies, never does so without alteration ; he adapts the language to his own style, showing thereby his authority In his treatment of Scripture, as being him-
21. 20), in violation of an oath before God (2 Chronicles 30.
13). a. bonds—by which the yoke is made fast to the neck (ch.5. 5). yokes lit., the carved piece of wood attached at both ends to the two yokes on the necks of a pair of oxen, so as to connect them. Here the yoke itself. The plural is used, as lie was to wear one himself, ami give the others to the ambassadors (v. 3; ch. 28. 10, 12), proves 633
self inspired. 19. Hezekiah, so far from killing him, was led " to fe.'ir the Lord," and pray for remission of the sentence against Judah (2 Chronicles 32. 26). I^ord repented —(Exodus 32. U; 2 Samuel 21. 16.) Thu»—if we kill Jere-
The Removal of the Sacred Vessels Foretold. JEREMIAH XXVIII. Hananiah's FaUe Prophecy.
of Jehoiakim and Jeconiah. 19. (Ch. 52. 17, 20, 21.) 33. until ... I visit them—in wrath by Cyrus (ch. 32. 5). In seventy years from the first carrying away of captives ia Jelioiachin's reign (ch. 29. 10; 2 Chronicles 36. 21). restore them—by the hand of Cyrus (Ezra 1. 7). By Artaxerxes (Ezra 7. 19).
that the symbolical act was in this instance (though not in olliei s, ch. 25. 15) actually done (cf. Isaiah 20. 2, ic. ; Ezekiel 12. 3, 11, IS). 3. Appropriate symbol, as lhe.se ambassadors had come to Jerusalem to consultas to shaking off the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar. According to Plierecydes in Clemens Alexandrinus Stromaleis, 507, Idanthura, king
of the Scythians, intimated to Darius, wlio had crossed the Danube, that he would lead an army against him, by sending him, instead of a letter, a mouse, a frog, a bird, an
CHAPTER XXVITI.
Ver. 1-17. Prophecies Immediately following thosk IN chap. 27. HANANIAH breaks the YOKE.S TO SIQKiPY THAT Nebuchadnezzar's Yoke shall be broken. Jerkmiah foretells that Yokes of Ikon are to succeed those of Wood, and that Hananiah shall die.
<irrow, and a plough. The task assigned to Jeremiah required great faith, as it was sure to provoke alike his own oountiymen and the foreign ambassadors and their kings, by a seeming insult, at the very time that all were full of confident hopes grounded on the confederacy. 5. God
1. In the beginning of the reign of Zedeklali—The Jew3 often divided any period into two halves, the beginning and the end. As Zedekiah reigned eleven years, the fourth year would be called the beginning of his reign : especially as during the first three years affairs were in such a disturbed state that he had little power or dignity, being a tributary; but in the fourth year he became strong in power. Hananiah—Another of this name was one ot the three godly youtlis who braved Nebuchadnezzar's wrath in the fear of God (Daniel 1. 6, 7; 3. 12). Probably a hear relation, for Azariah is associated with him ; as Azur with the Hananiah here. The godly and ungodly are often in the same family (Ezekiel 18. 14-'20). GIbeou—one of the
here, as elsewhere, connects with the symbol doctrine, which is as it were its soul, without which it would be not only cold and frivolous, but even dead. [Calvin.] God's mention of His supreme power is in order to refute the pride of those who rely on their own power (Isaiah 45.
12). given it imto whom it seemed meet nnto me (Psalm 115. 15, 16; Daniel 4. 17, 2.5, 32.) Not for his merits, but of my own sole good pleasure. [EsTitJS.] 6. beasts of tUe fleld—Not merely the horses to carry his Chaldean
soldiers, and oxen to draw his provisions [Grotius]; not merely the deserts, mountains, and woods, the haunts of wild beasts, implying his unlimited extent of empire
cities of the priests, to which order he must have belonged. 3. broken the yoke—/ have determined to break : referring to Jeremiah's prophecy (ch. 27. 12). 3. two. full years lit., years of days. So "a month of days," i.e., all
I EsTius]; but the beasts themselves by a mysterious instinct of nature. A reproof to men that they did not recognize God's will, which the very beasts acknowledged
(cf. Isaiah 1. 3). As the beasts are to submit to Christ, the Restorer of the dominion over nature, lost by the first Adam (cf. Genesis 1. 2S; 2. 19, 'lO; Psalm 8. 6-8), so they were appointed to submit to Nebuchadnezzar, the representa-
its days complete (Genesis 29. 14, Margin ; 41. 1). It was marvellous presumption to speak so definitely without having any Divine revelation. 4. bring again—Jeconiah —not necessarily implying that Hananiah wished Zedekiah to be superseded by Jeconiah. The main point intended was, that the restoration from Babylon should be complete. But, doubtless, the false prophet foretold Jeconiah's return (2 Kings 24. 12-15), to ingratiate himself with the populace, with whom Jeconiah was a favourite (ch.
ti ve of the world-power and prefigurer of Antichrist ; this universal power was suffered to be held by him to show the unfitness of any to wield it "until He come whose right
:t is" (Ezekiel 21. 27). 7. son . . . son's son—(2 Chronicles
3d. 20). Nebuchadnezzar had four successors—Evil-merodach, his «on,- Neriglissar, husband of Nebuchadnezzar's daughter; his son, Labosodarchod ; and Naboned (with whom his son, Belshazzar, was joint king), son of Evilmerodach. But Neriglissar and Labosodarchod were not in the direct mdle line ; so that the prophecy held good to " his son and his son's son," and the intermediate two are omitted, time of liis land— i. e., of its subjugation or its being "visited" in wrath (v. 22; ch. 25. 12; 29. 10; 50. 27; Daniel .5. 26). serve themselves of htm—make him their -servant (ch. 2.3. 14 ; Isaiah 13. 22). So " his day" for the destined day of his calamity (Job 18. 20). 8. until I have consumed thein by his Ikund—until by these consuming visitations I have brought them under his power. 9. ye
22. 24, Note). 5. the prophet Jeremiah—the epithet, " the prophet," is prefixed to "Jeremiah" throughout this chapter, to correspond to the same epithet before "Hananiah :" except v. 12, where " the jn-ophct" Injs been inserted in English Version. The rival claims of the true and the false prophet are thus put in the more prominent con-
trast. 6. Amen—Jeremiah prays for the people, though constrained to prophesy against them (1 Kings 1. 30). The
ei'cn/ was the appointed test between contradictory predictions (Deuteronomy IS. 21, 22). "Would that what you say were true!" I prefer the safety of my country even to my own estimation. The prophets had no pleasure iu announcing God's judgment, but did so as a matter of stern duty, not thereby divesting themselves of their natural feelings of sorrow for their country's woe. Cf. Exodus 32. 32; Romans 9. 3, as instances of how God's servants, intent only on the glory of God and the salvation of the country, forgat self, and uttered wishes in a state of feeling transported out of themselves. So Jeremiah wished not to diminish aught from the word of God, though as a Jew he uttered the wish for his people. [Calvin.] 8. prophets . . . before me— Hosea, Joel, Amos, and others, evil—a few MSS. road famine, which is more usually associated with the specification of war and pestilence (ch. 15. 2; 18. 21; 27. 8, 13). But evil here includes all the calamities flowing from war, not merely famine, but also desolatio}), Ac. Evil being the more diflicult reading,
tlie Jews especially, lor whom the addrass to the rest was intended, enchanters—augurs [Calvin], from a root, the
eyes, i.e., lookers at the stars and other means of taking omens of futurity ; or another root, a fixed time, observers of times: forbidden in the law (Leviticus li). 26; Deuteronomy 18. 10, 11, 14). 10. to remove you—expressing Uie went which would result. The very thing they profess by their encliantments to avert, they are by them bringing on you. Better to submit to Nebuchadnezzar, and remain in your land, than to rebel, and be removed from it. H. aerve . . . till It—The same Hebrew root expresses serve and till; or cultivate. Sei~ve ye tlie king of Babylon, and the land will serve you. [Calvin.J l!4. I spake also—im/ijkUe, " And I spake," &c. Special application of the subject
to Zedekiah. 13. Why . . . die—by running on your own ruin in resisting Nebuchadnezzar after this warning (Ezekiel 18. 31). 14. lie—(Ch. 14. 14.) 15. In my name—the devil often makes God's name the plea for lies (Matthew
is less likely to be the interpolated one than famine, which probably originated in copying the parallel passages. 9. peace—Hananiah had given no warning as to the need of conversion, but had foretold prospn-ity unconditionally. Jeremiah does not say that all are true prophets who fore-
4. 6; 7. 22, 23; v. 1.5-20, the test whereby to know false prophets). 16. Tlie " vessels" had been carried away to Babylon in the reign of Jiu'oniali (2 Kings 24. 13) ; also previously in that of Jehoiakim (2 Chronicles 36. 5-7). 18. at .Terusnlem— i. e., in other houses coiilainiiig such vessels, besides the house of God and the king's palace. Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard under Nebuchadnezzar, carried all away (2 Kings a>. 13-17; 2 Chronicles 36. 18). The more
tell truths in any instance (which Dcuteronoiiiy l.S. I 2, disproves); but asserts only the converse, i^iz., that whoever as Hananiah predicts what tlui event doe,s not confirm, is a false prophet. There are two tests of prophets:
(1.) The event, Deuteronomy IS. 22. (2.) The Yi'ord of God, Isaiah 8. 29. 10. the yoke—(Ch. 27. 2.) Impious audacity o break what God had appointed as a solemn pledge of
co.stly vessels had been previously removed in the reigns
.^34
The Prophet's LcUey to the Captives, JEREMIAH XXIX. Forelellina their Return njltr Semntv Ye^n-t.
adage saith, " The people wish to be deceived, so let them be deceived." Not mere credulity misleads men, but their own perverse " love of darkness rather than liglit."
tlie fulfilment of His word. Honce Jeremiah deigns no
repiy (r. 11 ; Matthew 7. «). 11. neck of all nations—opposed to ch. 27. 7. 13. Thou Ua«t broken . . . wood . . . tliou 8UaIt ninke , . . Iron—Not here, " Thou hast broken
It was not priests who originated priestcraft, but the people's own morbid appetite to be deceived ; e. g., Aaron ana the golden calf (Exodus 32. 1-4). So the Jews caused or made the prophets to tell them encouraging dreams (ch. 23.25,26; Ecclesiastes 5. 7; Zechariah 10.2; John 3. 19-21). 10. (Note, ch. 25. 11, 12; Daniel 9. 2). This proves that the seventy years date from Jeconiah's captivity, not from the last captivity. The specification of time was to curb
. . . wood," and "7 will malvC . . . iron" (cf. v. 10). The same false propliets who, by lu-King the Jews to rebel, had caused tlieni to throw off the then comparatively ecvj/yoke of Babylon, thereliy brought on them a more set'ei-e yoke imposed by that city. "Yokes of iron," alluding to Deut<!ronomy 2S. 48. It is better to take up a light cross in our way, than to pull a heavier on our own heads. We may escape destroying providences by submitting to humbling providences. So, spiritually, contrast the " easj' yoke" of Christ witli the " yoke of Ijondage" of the law (Acts 15. 10; CJalatinns .5. 1). 14. I Uave pnt—Though Hananiah and those like him were secondarj^ instruments in bringing
tlie impatience of tlie Jews, lest they should hasten before God's time, good word— promise of a return. 11. I know—/alone; not the false prophets who know nothing of my purposes, though tliey pretend to know, thoughts ... I think—(Lsaiah 5.5. 9.) Glancing at the Jews who had no " thoughts of peace," but only of "evil" (misfortune), because they could not conceive how deliverance could come to them. The moral malady of man is twofold—at one time vain confidence, then, when that is disappointed, despair. So the Jews first laughed at God's threats, confident tliat they should speedily return ; then, when castdowu from that confidence, they sank in inconsolable despondency, expected end lit., end and expec-
tlie iron yoke on Judea, God was tlie great FirstCause (ch.
•27. 4-7). 15. makest . . . trnst in a lie—<Ch. 29. 31; Ezekiel
13.22.) 16. this year ; . . die—The prediction was uttered in the fl/lh month (u. 1); Hananiah's death took place in the sevetUh month, i.e., within lu'O months after the prediction, answering witli awful significance to the tivo Hears in which Hananiah had foretold that the yoke im-
posed by Babylon would end. rebellion-opposition to God's plain direction, that all should submit to Babylon
tation, i. c, an end, and tliat such an end as you wish for. Two nouns joined by and, standing for a noun and adjec-
(ch. 29. 32 j.
tive. So in ch. of). 27, " the roll and the words," i. e., theroll