Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition) (continued)
The People Exhorted to Flee from Calamity. JEEEMIAH XI. Jej-cmiah Proclaimeth God's Covenant.
the tents of nomadic life; as these are taken down in a few moments, so as not to leave a vestige of theiu, so Judea (ch. 4. 20). cords—with which the coverings of t!ie tent are extended, curtains—tentcurtaius. ^1. pastors —the rulers, civil and religious. This verse gives tlie cause of the impending calamity. 83, bruit rumour ot Invasion. The antitliesis is between the voice of Ood in country meant, the natives of which still call their gold nil DOS Ophirs. Heeken thinks Ophir the general name for the rich countries of the south, on the Arabian, African, auci Indian coasts; just as our term, JEast Indies. CKiiuiiig— slcillul. 10. true God— lit.,' God Jehovah is truth; not merely true, i.e., veracious, but truth in the reality of His essence, as opposed to the "vanity" or emptiness whicli all idols are (v. 3, 8, 15; 2 Chronicles 15.3; Psalm 31. 5; 1 John 5. 20). living God—(John 5. 2<j ; 1 Timothy G. 17.) He hath life in Himself, whicli no creature has. All else " live in Him" (Acts 17. 2(j). In contrast to dead idols, everlasting—(Psalm 10. 16.) In contrast to the temporary existence of all other objects of worship.
Plis prophets which they turned a deaf ear to, and the cry of the enemy, a new teacher, whom they must hear. [Calvin.] nortli country—Babylon (ch. 1. 15). 23. Despairing of influencing the people, he turns to God. way of man not in himself—(Proverbs 16.1; 20.24; James 4.13,
14.) I know, O Jehovah, that the march of the Babylonian conqueror against me (Jeremiah Identifying himself with his people) is not at his own discretion, but is overruled by thee (Isaiah 10. 5-7; cf. v. 19). that wnlheth— when he walketh, i. e., sets out In any undertaking, direct . . . steps—to give a prosperous issue to (Psalm 7-3.
11. Tliis verse is in Clialdee, Jeremiah supplying his countrymen with a formula of reply to Clialdee idolaters in the tongue most intelligible to the latter. There may be also derision intended in imitating their barbarous dialect. RosENMULliER objects to this view, that not merely the words put in the mouths of the Israelites, but Jeremiah's own introductory words, " Thus shall ye say to them," are in Chaldee, and thinks it to be a marginal
23). 24, 25. Since (I my nation) must be corrected (justice requiring it because of the deep guilt of the nation), I do not deprecate all chastisement, but pray only for moderation in it (ch. 30.11; Psalm 6.1; 38.1); and that the full tide of thy fury may be poured out on the heathen invaders for their cruelty towards thy people. Psalm 79.6, gloss. But it is found in all the oldest versions. It was an old Greek saying, " Whoever thinks himself a god besides the one God, let him make another world" (Psalm
0(J. 5). sliall perlsli—(Isaiah 2. 18; Zechariali 13. 2.) these Iieavens—the speaker pointing to them with his fingers. Continuation of v. 10. after the interruption of the thread of the discourse in v. 11 (Psalm 136.5, 6). 13. Lit., "At the voice of His giving forth," i.e., when He thundereth (Job 38.34; Psalm 29.3-5). waters—(Genesis 1. 7)— above the firmament; heavy rains accompany thunder, vaponrs . . . ascend — (Psalm 135.7.) treasures — His
7, a psalm to be referred to the time of the captivity, its composer probably repeated this from Jeremiah. The imperative, "Pour out," Is used Instead of the future, expressing vividly the certainty of the prediction, and that tlie word of God itself effects its own declarations. Accordingly, the Jews were restored after correction; the Babylonians were utterly extinguished, know thee . . . call . . . on thy name knowledge of God is the beginni ng of piety; ca/fmgr on Him the fruit, heatlien . . . Jacob-r he reminds God of the distinction He has made between His people whom Jacob represents, and the heathen aliens. Correct us as thy adopted sons, the seed of Jacob; destroy them as outcasts (Zeohariah 1. 14, 15, 21).
stores. U. ill Iiis knotvledge—"is rendered brutish by his skill," viz., in idol-making (v. 8, 9). Thus the parallel, "confounded 6Af the graven image," corresponds (so ch. W. 17). Others not so well translate, "without knowledge," viz., of God (see Isaiah 42. 17 ; 45. 16 ; Hosea 4. 6). 15. errors —deceptions; from a Hebrew root, to stutter; then meaning to mock, their visitation they—when God shall punish the idol-worshippers (viz., by Cyrus), the idols themselves hall be destroyed [RosenmullerJ (v. 11). 16. Portion —from a Hebrew root, " to divide." God is the all-sufflcient Good of His people (Numbers 18.20; Psalm 16.5; 73.26; Lauionlations 3. 21). not like them—not like the idols, a vain ol)jectof trust (Deuteronomy 32. 31). former of all things— T'/ie Fashioner (as a potter, Isaiah 64. 8) of the uni-
CHAPTER XI.
Ver. 1-23. Epitome of the Covenant found in the Tempxe in Josiah's Reign. Judah's Revolt from it, AND God's Consequent Wrath. 2. this covenant—alluding to the book of the law (Deuteronomy 27. 28) found In the temple by Hilkiah the high priest, five years aft«r Jeremiah's call to the prophetic office (2 Kings 22. 8 to 23.
verse, rod of his inheritance—The portion marked ofT as His inheritance by the measuring rod (Ezekiel 48. 21). As He is their portion, so are they His portion (Deuteronomy 32.9). A reciprocal tie (cf. ch. 51.19; Psalm 74.2, Margin)^ Others make "rod" refer to the tribal rod or
25). Hear ye—Others besides Jeremiah were to promulge God's will to the people ; it was the duty of the priests to read the law to them (Malachi 2. 7). 3. (Deuteronomy 27.
26; Gal.atians 3. 10.) 4. in the day i.e., when. The Sinaic covenant was some time after the exodus, but the two events are so connected as to be viewed as one. iron furnace—(Deuteronomy 4. 20 ; 1 Kings 8. 51.) "Furnace'' expresses the searching ordeal; " iron," the long duration of it. The furnace was of earth, not of iron (Psalm 12. 6) ; a furnace, in heat and duration enough to melt even iron. God's deliverance of tliem from such an ordeal aggravates their present guilt, do tliem viz., the words of the covenant (v. 3). so, &c.—(Leviticus 26. 3, 12.) 5. oath—<Psalm scejttre. 17. wares—thine effects or movable goods (Ezekiel 12. 3) Prepare for migrating as captives to Babylon. The address is to Jerusalem, as representative of the whole people, inltabitant of the fortress—Rather, inhab Uress of the fortress. Though thou now seemest to inhabit an impregnable fortress, thou shalt have to remove. "The land" is the champaign region opposed to the "fortified" cities. The "fortress" being taken, tlie whole " land" will share the disaster. Hendeiwon
105. 9, 10.) as it is this day—These are the concluding words of God to the Israelites when formerly brought out of Egypt, "Obey, &c., that I may at this time make good the promise I made to your fathers, &c., to give," &e. [Maurek.] English Version makes the words apply translates, "Gather up thy packages from the ground."
RoHENMULLEK, for " fortress," translates, "siege," i.e., the besieged city. The various articles, 'n this view, are supposed to be lying about In confusion on the ground during the siege. 18. sling out—expressing the violence and suddenness of the removal to Babylon. A similar image occurs, ch. 16. 13; 1 Samuel 2.5.29; Isaiah to Jeremiah's time, "As ye know at this time, that God's promise has been fulfilled," viz., in Israel's acquisition of Canaan. So be It— Hebrew, Amen. Taken from Deuteronomy 27.15-26. Jeremiah hereby • solemnly concurs
22, 17, 18. _at tills once—at this time, now. And it so—find
In the justice of the curses pronounced there (see v. 3). 6. Jeremiah was to take a proplietic tour throughout Judah, it by experience, i.e., feel it (Ezekiel 0.10). Michaelis, translates, " I will bind them together (as in a sling) that they may reacii the goal" (Babylon). English Version is best : that they may find it so as I have said (Nu mbers 23. 19 to proclaim everywhere the denunciations in the book of the law found in the temple. Hear . . . do—{Romans 2.
Ezekiel 6. 10). 19. Judea bewails its calamity, wound the stroke I sufl Ter under. I must bear—not humble submission to God's will (Jlicah 7.9), but sullen Impenitence. Or, rather, it Is prophetical of their ultimate acknowledgment of their guilt as the cause of their calamity (Lamentattous 3. 39). ijO. tabernacle Is spoiled—metaphor from
13; James 1. 22.) 7. rising early—(Ch. 7. 13.) 8. imagination— rather, «<i<66om«.e.«.s. will bring—the words, " even unto tills day" (v. 7), confirm English Version rather than the jendering of Rosenmuller: "I brought upon them." wor«ls—threats (t). 3; Deuteronomy 27. 15-20). 9. conspir* ttcy—a delibei-ate combination against God and against Jo-