Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition)
Tht People Threatened for Idolatry. JEREMIAH VIII. They are Exhorted to Mourn for Sins.
to yonr hurt—so v. 19; "tothe confusion of their own faces" (oh. 13. 10; Proverbs 8. 3(i). 7. The apodosis to the "if. . . if" (v. 5, G). to dwell—to continue to dwell, for ever and ever—joined with "to dwell," not with thewords "gave to your fathers" (cf. ch. 3. 18; Deuteronomy 4.40).
(Deuteronomy 32. 16, 21 ; Job 35. 6, 8 ; Proverbs 8. 36). «0. beast . . . trees . . . ground—Why doth God vent His fury on these? On account of man, for whom these were created, that tlie sad spectacle may strike terror into hiin (Romans 8. 20-22). 31. Put . .. burnt offerings unto . . . sacrifices . . . eat flesh Add the former (which the law required to be wholly burnt) to the latter (which were burnt only in part), and " eat flesh," even offthe holocaustn or burnt offerings. As far as I am concerned, sailh Jeho vah, you may ilo with one and the otheralike. 1 will have neither (Isaiah 1. 11 ; Hosea 8. 13 ; Amos 5. 21, 22). 33. Not contradicting the Divine obligation of the legal sacrifices. But, "I did not require sacritices, unless combined with moral obedience " (Psalm 50. 8 ; 51. 16, 17). The superior claim of tlie moral above the positive precepts of the law was marked by the ten commandments having been delivered first, and by the two tables of stone being deposited alone in the ark (Deuteronomy 5. 6). The negative in Hebrew often supplies the want of the comparative: not excluding the thing denied, but only implying the prior claim of the thing set in opposition to it (llosea 6. 6). "I will have mercy, and not sacrifice (1 Samuel 15.22), Love to God is the supreme er»d, external observances only weans towai'ds that end. "The mere sacrifice was not so much what I commanded, as the sincere submission to my will which gives to the sacrifice all its virtue." [Magee, Atonement, note 57.] 33., (Exodus 15. 26; 19. 5.) 34. hearkened not—They did not give even a partial hearing to me (Psalm 81. 11. 12). imagination—rather, as Margin, "the stubbornness." backward, &c.—(Ch. 2. 27; 32.33; Hosea 4.16.) 35. rising . . . early—(n. 13.) 36. hardened . . . neck—(Deuteronomy 31. 27 ; Isaiah 48. 4
8. that cannot profit Maukek translates, "so that you prolit nothing" (see v.i; ch. 5. 31.) 9,10. "Will ye steal, Ac, and then come and stand before uie?" whom yc know not—Ye have no grounds of "knowing" that they are gods; but I have manifested my Godhead by my law, by benefits conferred, and by miracles. This aggravates llieir crime. [Calvin.] (Judges 5. 8.) 10. And come And .vet cone (Ezekiel Zi. 39). we are delivered viz., from all impending calamities. In spite of the prophet's threats, we have nothi ng to fear ; we have otfered our sacrifices, and therefore Jehovah will " deliver " us. to do all tliese abominations viz., those enumerated (v. 9). These words are not to be connected with "we are delivered," but thus : " Is it with tMs design that ye come and stand before me in this house," In orderthat having offered your worthless sacrifices ye may be taken into my favour and so do all these abominations (v. 9) with impunity? [Maurek.] 11. den of robbers—Do you regard my temple as being what robbers make their den, viz., an asylum wherein ye may obtain impunity for your abominations {v. 10) 7 seen it viz., that ye treat my house as if it were a den of thieves. Jehovah implies more than is expressed, "I have seen and will punish it" (Isaiah 56. 7; Matthew 21. 13). 13. my place ... In SliUoh—God caused His tabernacle to be set up in Shiloh in Joshua's days (Joshua 18. 1 ; Judges 18. 31). In Eli's time God gave the ark, which had been at Shiloh, into the hands of tlie Philistines (ch. 26. 6; 1 Samuel 4.10,11; Psalm 78. 56-61). Shiloh was situated between Bethel and Shechein in Ephraim. at the first—implying that Shiloh exceeded the Jewish temple in antiquity. But God's favour is not tied down to localities (Apts 7. 44). my people Israel Israel was God's people, yet He spared it not when rebellious: neither will He spare Judah, now that it rebels, tliough heretofore it has been His people. 13. rising
Acts 7. 51.) worse than their fathers—(Ch. 16. 12.) In v. 22 He had said, "yoir fathers;" here He says, "their lathers;" the change to the third person marks growing alienation from them. He no longer addresses themselves, as it would be a waste of words in the case of such hardened rebels. 37. Therefore—rather, " I'hough thou speak. . . yet they will not hearken" [Maurek] (Ezekiel 2.7), A trial to the prophet's faith ; though he knew his warnings would be unheeded, still he was to give them in obedience to God. 38. unto them— i.e., in reference to them, a nation—the word usually applied to the Gentile naliotu. . . early—implying unwearied earnestness in soliciting them (v. 25; ch. 11. 17 ; 2 Chronicles 36. 15). 14. I gave -^and I therefore can revoke the gift (for it is still mine, Leviticus 25. 23), now that ye fail in the only object for which it was given, the promotion of my glory. Shiloh as I ceased to dwell there, transferring my temple to Jerusalem; so I will cease to dwell at Jerusalem. 15. yonr brethren—children of Abraham, as much as you. •whole seed of Ephraim—They were superior to you in numbers and power: they were ten tribes: ye but two. " Ephraim," as the leading tribe, stands for the whole ten tribes (2 Kings 17. 23; Psalm 78. 67, 68). IG. "When people are given up to judicial hardness of heart, intercessory prayer for them is unavailing (ch. 11. 14; 14. 11; 15. 1; Exodus 32. 10; 1 John 5. 16). 17. Jehoviih leaves it to Jeremiah himself to decide, is there not good reason that prayers should not be heard in behalf of such rebels 7 18. children . . . fathers . . . women—not merely isolated Individuals practised idolatry: young and old, men and women, and whole families, contributed their joint efforts to promote It. Oh that there were the same zeal for the worship of God as there is for error (ch. 44. 17, 19; 19. 13)! cakes . . . queen of heaven Cakes were made of honey, fine (lour, <tc., in a round flat shape to resemble the disc is here applied to the Jews, as being cast off and classed by God among the Gentiles, nor recelveth c»rrectluu (Ch. 5.3.) truth . . . perished—(Ch. 9.3.) 39. Jerejniah addresses Jerusalem under thefigure of a woman, who, in grief for her lost children, deprives her head of its chief ojnaraent, and goes up to the hills to weep (Judges 11. 37, 38; Isaiah 15.2). hair—flowing locks, like those of li Nazarite. high places—the scene of her idolatries is to be the scene of her mourning (ch. 3. 21). generation of his wrath-the generation with which he is wroth. So Isaiah 10.6; "the people of my wrath." 30. set thetr abominations in the house—(Ch. 32. 34 ; 2 Kings 21. 4, 7 ; 23.4; Ezekiel 8. 0-14.) 31. high places of Tophet—</i« a/<ar« [HoitSLEY] of Tophet; erected to Moloch, on the heights along the south of the valley facing Zion. burn . . . sons —(Psalm 100. 38.) commanded . . . not—put for, " I forbad expressly " (Deuteronomy 17. 3; 12. 31). See ch. 2. 2i
Isaiah 30. 33; Notes. 33. valley of slaughter—so named because of the great slaughter of the Jews about to take place at Jerusalem: a just retribution of their sin in slaylug their children to Moloch in Tophet. no place—no room, viz., to bury In, so many shall be those slain by the Chaldeans (ch. 19. 11 ; Ezekiel 6. 5). 33. fray—^care or frigl Uen (Deuteronomy 28. 26). Typical of the last great battle between the Lord's host and the apostasy (llevelation 10. 17,.of l/ie mnon, to which they were offered. Others read as Mnrr/in, " the frame of heaven," i. e., the planets generally ; so liXX. here; but elsewhere LXX. translate, "queen of heav<Mi." The Phoenicians c&Ued the moon Ashtoreth or Aslarlc: the wife of Baal or Moloch, the fcinf/ of heaven. The male and female pair of deities symbolized the gen-
18, 21). 34. Referring to the joyous songs and music with which the bride and bridegroom were escorted in the procession to the home of the latter from that of the former; a tustom still prevalent In the East (ch. 16. 9; Isaiah 24.
eralise powers of nature; hence arose the Introduction of prostitution in the worship. The Babylonians worsliipped her as Mylltta, i. e., generative. Our Monday, or MocDi-day, indicates the former prevalence of moon-wor Hhlp {Note, Isaiah &). 11). that they may provoke me Implying design: In worshipping strange gods they seemed as if purposely to provoke Jehovah. 19. Is it me that they provoke to anger? Is It noi themselves f Ac. 514
7, 8; Revelation 18. 23).
CHAPTER VIII.
Ver. 1-22. The Jews' coming Punishment; thkib UwiVEK8AL. AND INC'UKAHUS IMPKNITENCK. 1. TiX«f VI.IU
The Prophel Upbraideth the Jews, JEREMIAH IX. and Lamentelh their Manifold Sin», route in invading Israel; the cavalry In advance of the infantry would scour the country, stjrong ones—a poetical phrase for steeds, peculiar to Jeremiah (ch. 47. 3; cf. ch. 4.
rtons Babylonians were about to violate the sanctuaries ot the dca<i in search of plunder; for ornaments, treasures, and insignia of royalty were usually buried with
13, 29; 0. 2:3). IT. I— Jehovah, cockatrices— basilisks (Isaiah 11. 8), i. e., enemies whose destructive power no means, by persuasion or otherwise, can counteract. Sei • pent-charmers in the East entice serpents by music, and by a particular pressure on the neck render them incapable of darting (Psalm 58. 4, 5). 18. (Isaiah 22. 4.) The lamentation of the prophet for the impending calamity of his country, against sorrow—or, with respect to sorrow. Maurer translates, "Oh my exhilaration as to sorrow!" i. e., "Oh that exhilaration (comfort, from an Arakings. Or ratlier, their purpose was to do the greatest di.ihonour to tlie deatl (Isaiah 14. 19). 3. spread . . . before file 8«ii,itc.—retribution In kind. The very objects which received their idolatries shall unconcernedly witness their dishonour, loved . . . served . . . after . . . walked. . . sotijlit . . . worslilpped—words are accumulated, as if enough could not be said fully to express the mad fervour of their idolatry to the heavenly host (2 Kings 23.
5). nor . . . buried—(Ch. 22. 19.) duiiis—(Ch. 9. 22; Psalm
8.3. 10.) 3. The survivors shall be still worse off than the dead (Job 3. 21, 22; Revelation 9. 6). wlilcU remain In all bic root, to shine as the rising sun) would shine upon me as to my sorrow!" in me—within me. 19. The prophet in vision hears the cry of the exiled Jews, wondering that God should have delivered them up to the enemy, seeing that He is Zion's king, dwelling in her (Micah 3. 11). In the latter half of the verse God replies that their own idolatry, not want of faithfulness on His part, isthecause. because of them that dwell in a far country—rather, " from a land of distances," i. e., a distant land (Isaiah 39.
tlie places—" in all places of them that remain, whither
I," &c.,i.e.. in all places whither I have driven them that remain. [Maurer.] 4. "Is it not a natural instinct, that
If one falls, he rises again; if one turns away (i. e., wander from the way), he will return to the point from which he wandered? Why then does not Jerusalem do so?" He plays on the double sense of return; literal and metaphorical (ch. 3. 12; 4. 1). 5. slidden . . . backsliding—
3). English Version understands the cry to be of the Jews in their outn. land, because of the enemy coming from their rather, as the Hebrew is the same as v. 4, to which this verse refers, " turned away with a perpetual turning away." perpetnai—in contrast to the " arise" (rise again v. i). refuse to return—in contrast to, "shall he . . . not return" far-off country, strange vanities—foreign gods. 80. Proverbial. Meaning, One season of hope after another has passed, but the looked-for deliverance never came, and now all hope is gone. 31. black—sad in visage with grief (Joel 2. 6). 33. balm balsam ; to be applied to the wounds of my people. Brought into Judea first from Arabia Felix, by the cjueen of Sheba, in Solomon's time (JosePHUS, Antiquities 8. 2). The opobnlsarnum Qf Pliny; or else [BocHART] the resin drawn from the terebinth. It abounded in Gilead, east of Jordan, where, in consequence, many "physicians" established themselves (ch.
(f. 4; ch. 5.3). 6. spake not aright—i. e., not so ajs penitently to con/ess that they acted wrong. Cf. what follows, every one . . . his course—The Keri reads course, but the fhetib, courses. " They persevere in the courses whatever they have once entered on." Their wicked ways were diversified. Iiorse rusheth lit., pours himself forth, as water that has burst its embankment. The mad rapidity of the war-horse is the point of comparison (Job 39. 19-25). 7. The instinct of the migratory birds leads them with unfailing regularity to return every spring from their winter abodes in summer climes (Soiig of Solomon 2. 12); but God's people will not return to Him even when the winter of His wratli is past, and He invites them back to the spring of his favour, in the heaven—emphatical. The birds whose very element is the air, in which they are never at rest, yet show a steady sagacity, which God's people do not. times viz., of migrating, and of returning, my people — this honourable title aggravates the unnatural perversity of the Jews towards their God. know not, (Sc.—(Ch. 5. 4, 5; Isaiah 1. 3.) 8. law . . . with iis (Romans 2. 17.) Possessing the law, on which they prided themselves, the Jews might have become the wisest of nations; but by their neglecting its precepts, the law became given "in vain," as far as they were concerned, scribes—copyists. "In vain" copies were multiplied. Mauker Iran-tlales, "The false pen of the scribes hath converted it (the law) into a lie." See Margin, which agrees with Vulgate. 9. dismayed—confounded, what wl Mlom lit., the wisdom of what f i. e., wisdom in what retpectf 'I'lie Word of the Lord being the only true source of wisdom (I'salm 119. 98-100; Proverbs 1. 7; 9. 10). 10-13. Repeated from ch. 6. 12-15. See a similar repetition, v. 15; ch. 14. 19. Inhcrit succeed to the possession, of them. 11. (Ezekiel 13. 10.) 13. surely consume lit., gathering I will gather, or consuming J will consume, no grapes . . . nor figs—(Joel 1.7; Matthew 21. 19.) things that I have given
46. 11; 51. 8; Genesis 37. 25; 43. 11). health . . . recovered —the Hebrew is lit., lengthening out . . . gone up ; hence t!ie long bandage applied to bind up a wound. So the Arabia also. [Gesenius.]
CHAPTER IX.
Ver. 1-26. Jeremiah's Lamentation for the Jbtws' Sins and consequent Punishment. 1. This verse is more fitly Joined to the last chapter, as v. 23 in the Hebreia
(cf. Isaiah 22. 4; Lamentations 2. 11; 3. 48). 3. lodgingplace—A caravanserai for caravans, or companies travelling in the desert, remote from towns. It was a square building enclosing an open court. Though a lonely and often filthy dwelling, Jeremiah would prefer even it to the comforts of Jerusalem, so as to be removed from the pollutions of the capital (Psalm 55.7,8). 3. bend . . . tongues . . . for lies-z. e., with lies as their arrows; they direct lies on their tongue as their bow (Psalm -64. 3, 4). not valiant for . . . truth—(Ch. 7. 28.) Maurer translates, "They do not pret>ail by truth" or faitli (Psalm 12. 4). Their tongue, not faith, is their weapon, upon . . . earth —rather, "in the land." know not me—(Hosea 4. 1.) 4. supplant lit., trip up by the heel (Hosea 12. 3). walk with slanders—(Ch. 6. 28.) 5. weary themselves—oj-e at laborious pains to act perversely. .[Maurkr.] Sin is a hard bondage (Habakkuk 2. 13). 6. Thine—God addresses Jeremiah, who dwelt in the midst of deceitful men. refuse to know me—their ignorance of God is wilful (u. 3; ch,5. 4,5). 7. melt . . . try them—by sending calamities on them, for how shall Ido—" What e?.se can I do for the sake of the daughter of my people?" [Maurer] (Isaiali. . . sliall pass away—rather, "I will appoint to them those wlio shall overwhelm (pass over) them," t. e., I will send the enemy upon them. [Maurer.] English Version accords well with the context: Though their grapes and tifin ripen, they shall not be allowed to enjoy them. 14. niwemble—for defence, let ns be silent—not assault the enemy, but merely defend ourselves in quiet, until the storm blow over, put us to silence—brought us to that state that we can no longer resist the foe; implying silent despair, water of gall— lit., water of the poiionous plant, perhjps the poppy (ch. 9. 15; 2;?. 15). 1.5. Repeated (ch. 14.
1. 25; Malachi 3. 3). 8. tongue . . . arrows shot out— rather, "a murdering arrow" [Maurer] {v. 3). speaketh peaceably. . . in heart. . . layef Ix . . .wait—layethhis ambush. fHENiiER.soN.] (Psalm 55. 21.) 9. (Ch. 5. 9, 29.) 10. Jeremiah breaks in upon Jeliovah's tlueatsof wrath with a lamentation for his desolated countr.v. mountains —once cultivated and fruitful: the hill-sides were cultivated in terraces between tlie rocks, habitations of . . . wilderness—r.ather, "the pleasant herbage Hit., the choice parts of any thing) of the pasture plain." Tlie Hebrew for wilderness expresses not a barren desert, but an uutilled
19). IVe looked for—owing to the expectations held out by the false prophets, health—healing; < e., restoration from adversity. 16. his horses—the Chaldean's, was heard—the prophetitral past for the future, from Danbordering on Phoenicia. This was to be Nebuchadnezzar's
5Jo
Tlie Jews Exhorted to Mourn. JEREMIAH X. Contrast betweeh Jehovah and Idols.
plain, fit for pasture, burned up—because no one waters them; the inhabitant* being all gone, none can pass tHrongh them—much less inhabit them, fowl—(Cli. 4. 25.) ll.'Aiiil—omit And. Jehovah here resumes His speech circumcised; and it is uncertain. as to the other nations specified whether they were at that early time circumcised. Herodotus says the Egyptians were so ; but others think this applies only to the priests and others having a sacred character, not to the mass of the nation ; so English Version may be right (Romans 28. 29). 36. Egypt— put first to degrade Judah, who, though in privileges above the Gentiles, by unfaithfulness sank below them. Egypt, too, was the power in which the Jews were so prone to trust, and by whose instigation they, as well as the other peoples specified, revolted from Babylon. In the utmost corners—rather, " having the hair shaven (or clipped) In angles," i. e., having the beard on the cheek narrowed or cut: a Canaanitlsh custom, forbidden to the Israelites (Leviticus 19. 27; 21. 5). The Arabs are hereby referred to fi om V. 9. lieaps (Note, Isaiah 25. 2.) dragons—jackals. Rather, "Who is a wise man? (i. e., TTtosoei'er has inspired wisdom, 2 Peter 3. 15) let him understand this (weigli v. eU the evils impending, and the causes of their being sent); and he to whom the mouth of the Lord hath spoken
(i. e., -ivhosoever is prophetically inspired), let him declare it lo his fellow-countrymen," if haply they may be roused to repentance, the only hope of safety. 13. Answer to the "for what the land perisheth" (v. 12). 14. (Ch. 7. 21.) Baalim plural of Baal, to express his supposed manifold powers, fathers tanglvt tlicm—{Galatians 1. 14; 1 Peter 1.
IS.! We are not to follow the errors of the fathers, but the authority of Scripture and of God. [Jekome.] 15. feed
(cf. ch. 25. 23 ; 49. 32), as the words in apposition show, " that dwell in the wilderness." uncircumcised . . . uncircnmcised In hcart The addition of "in the heart" ia Is^-ael's case marks its greater guilt in proportion to its greater privileges, as compared with the rest.
(Oh. S. 14 ; %i. 15 ; Psalm 80. 5.) 16. nor their fathers have known— alludiug to v. 14, "Their fathers taught them" idolatry; therefore the children shall be scattered to a land which neither their fathers nor they have known, send a sword after them—not even in flight shall they be safe. 17. monming women—hired to heighten lamentation by plaintive cries, baring the breast, beating the arras, and' suffering tlie locks to flow dislievelled (2 Cliron-
CHAPTEE X. Ver. 1-25. Contrast between the Idols and Jehovah. The Prophet's Lamentation and Prayer. 1. Israel— The Jews, the surviving representatives of the nation. 3. Eichorn thinks the reference here to be to some celestial portent which had appeared at that time, causing the Jews dismay. Probably the reference is general, viz., to the Chaldees, famed as astrologers, through contact with whom the Jews were likely to fall into the same superstition, way — the precepts or ordinances (Leviticus 18. 3; Acts 9. 2). signs of heaven—The Gentiles did not acknowledge a Great First Cause : many thought events depended on the power of the stars, which some, as Plato, thought to be endued with spirit and reason. All heavpnly phenomena are included, eclipses, comets, &c. one cutteth a tree, &c.—rather, " It (that which they busy themselves about: a sample of their 'customs') is a tree cut out of the forest." [Maurer.] 4. fasten . . , move not i. e., that it may stand upright without risk of falling, which the go<i(!) would do, if left to itself (Isaiah iclesSo. 25; Ecclesiastes 12. 5 ; Matthew 9. 2;!). cunningskilled in wailing. 18. (Ch. 14. 17.) 19. The cry of " tlie mourning women." spoiled—laid waste, dwellings... cast us outfulfilling Leviticus 18. 28; 20. 22. Calvin translates, " The enemy have cast down our habitations." ao. Yet — ratlier, "Only." [Henderson.] This particle calls attention to wliat follows, teach . . . daughters wailing—Tiie deatlis will be so many that there will be a lack of mourning women to bewail them. The mothers, therefore, must teach their daughters the science to supply the want. 31. death . . . windows — The death-inflicting soldiery, finding tlie doors closed, burst in by the windows, to cut off. . . children from . . . streets— Death cannot be said to enter the windows to cut oS" the children in the streets, but to cut them oflf, so as no more to play in the streets without (Zeehariah 8. 5). aa. saith the Lord—containing the tliread of discourse from v. 20. dnng—(Ch. 8. 2.) handful . . . none . . . gather them implying that the handful has been so trodden as to be not worth even the poor gleaner's while to gather it. Or the Eastern custom may be referred to: the reaper cuts
41. 7). 5. upright—or, " They are of turned work, resembling a palm tree." [Maurer.] The point of comparison between the idol and the palm is in the pillar-like uprightness of the latter, It having no branches except at the top. speak not—(Psalm 115. 6.) cannot go— t. e., walk (Psalm 115. 7 ; Isaiah 46. 1, 7). neither . . . do good—(Isaiah tlie grain and is followed by another who gathers it. This grain shall not be worth while gathering. How galling to the pride of the .Jews tp hear that so shall their carcasses be trokhii contemptuously under foot! 33. wisdom
41. 23.) 6. none lit., no particle of nothing: nothing u>hatever; the strongest possible denial (Exodus 15. 11; Psalm
86. 8, 10). 7. (Revelation 15. 4.) to thee doth it appertain—to thee It properly belongs, viz., that thou shouldest be "feared" (taken out of the previous "fear thee") political sdijacily ; as \ fit could rescue from the impending calamities, miglit—military prowess. 34. Nothing but an experimental knowledge of God will save the nation, understnnilettk Ihewetivally ; in the intellect, knoweth —practioaltii : so as to walk in my ways (ch. 22. IG; Job 22.
(cf. Ezekiel 21. 27). He alone Is the becoming object of worship. To worship any other Is unseemly, and an infringement of His inalienable prerogative, none— nothing whatever (Note v.6; Psalm 89.6). 8. altogether Rathn, all alike. [Maurer.] Even the so-called " wise" men (v. 7) of the Gentiles are on a level with the brutes and "foolish," tnz., because they connive at the "popular idolatry (cf. Romans 1. 21-28). Therefore, In Daniel and Revelation, the world-power is represented under a bes-
21; 1 Corinthians 1. 81). loving-kindiiess—God's mercy is put in the first and higliest place, because without It we siiould tice from God in fear and despair. Judgment . . . rlghtrniutness loving-kindness towards the %o<\\y, judgment towards the ungodly; righteousness the most perfect fairness in all cases. [Gkotius.] Faithfulness to his promises to preserve the godly, as well as stern execution of tial forn Man divests himself of his true humanity, and sinks to the level of the brute, when he severs his connection with God (Psalm 115.8; Jonah 2.8). stock is a doctrine of vanities—The stock (put for the worship of all iiluls whatever, made out of a stock) speaks for Itself, that the whole theory of Idolatry Is vanity (Isaiah 44.9-11). Castalio translates, "the very wood Itself confuting the vanity" (of the Idol). 9. Everything connected with Idols judgment on the ungodly, is included in " righteousness." in the earthcontrary to the dogma of some philo.sophers, tliat God does not interfere in terrestrial concerns (Psalms 58. II). in these . . . I delight—as well In doing them as in seeing them done by others (Micah 6. 8; 7. 18).
'i't. with tlie unciicumcised— rather, "all that are circumcised in ii.ncircumci.non." [Hendehson.] The Hebretv
Is an abstract term, not a cono-ete, as English Version trans-
Is the result of human eflort. Silver spread— (Notes, Isaiah 30. 22 ; 40. 19.) Tarshish—Tartessus, in Spain, famed for precious metals. IJphaz—(Daniel 10.5.) As the Septuaginl in the Syrian Hexapla in the Margin, Theodotus, the Syrian and Chahlee versions have Ophir, Geseniu3 thinks Uphaz a colloquial corruption (one letter only being changed) for Ophir. Ophlr, in Genesis 10. 29, Is men> tioned among Arabian countries. Perhaps Malaeea Is tb* lates, and as the pious "circumcised" is. The nations fjpecilied, K<i)ipt,.Tu(lah, Ac, were outtvardly "circumcised," but in heart were " uncircumcised." Tlie heathen nations weri deflli'd, in spHe of their literal clrcumcl Rlorv, by Idolatry. Tlie Jews, with all their glorying In their spiritual privileges, were no better (ch. 4. 4; Deuteronomy 10. iH; .10. ti; Unmans 2.28, 29; Colosslans 2. 11). However, Eze-
Jif l 31. 18; .'J'2. 19, may imply that the Egyptians were un516