Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition) (continued)
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. (^Voe, 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 cru Sli 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.
CHAPTER XX.
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 antltliesis 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 city ^cli. 18. 22). 17. he—"that man" (u. 15, 16). from the womb—! e., at that time whilst I was still In the womb.
CHAPTER XXI.
Ver. 1-14. Zedekiah consults Jekemiah what is to BE THE Event of the Wak: God's Answer. Written probably when, after having repulsed the Egyptians who brought succours to the Jews (ch. 37. 5-8; 2 Kings 24. 7), the Chaldees were a second time advancing against Jerusalem, but were not yet closely besieging it (i'.4, 13). [RosenMULLER.J This chapter probably ought to be placed between chs. 37. and 38. ; since what the "princes," in ch. 38.
the time of dispensing justice (Job 24. 17; Psalm 101. 8); but the sense is mainly proverbial, for "with promptness" (Psalm 90. 14; 143. 8). Mauber translates, "every morning." lestmyfury . . . like Are—Already it was kindled, and the decree of God gone forth against the city {v. 4, 5), but the king and his house may yet be preserved by repentance and reformation. God urges to righteousness, not as if they can thereby escape punishment wholly, but as the condition of a mitigation of it. 13. inhabitant of the valley, and rock of the plain—Jerusalem per-
2, represent Jeremiah as having said, is ex.actly what we find in v. 9 of this ch. 21. Moreover, the same persons as here {v. 1) are mentioned in ch. 37. 3; 38. 1, viz., Pashur and Zepbaniah. What is here more fully related is there simply referred to in the historical narrative. Cf. ch. 52.
sonified; situated for the most part on hills, with valleys at the bottom of them, as the valley of Hinnom, &c. ; and beyond the valleys and mountains again, a position mostai; 2 Kings 25. 18. [Maurer.] Zedekiah—A prince having some reverence for sacred things, for which reason he •sends an honourable embassy to Jeremiah; but not having moral courage to obey his better Impulses. Pashnr —sou of Melchiah, of the fifth order of priests, distinct fortified by nature, whence the Inhabitants fancied themselves beyond the reach of enemies; but since God is. "against" them, their position will avail nothing for them. The "valley" between Mount Zion and Moriah is called Tyropoeon. Robinson takes, "rock of the plain" as Mount Zion, on which is a level tract of some extent.. It fi-om Pasliur, sou of Immer (ch. 20. 1), of the sixteenth order (1 Chronicles 24. 9,14). Zephaniah—of the twentyfourth order. They are designated, not by their father, but by tlieir family (1 Chronicles 24.18). a. Nebuchadrezzar—The more usual way of spelling the name in Jeremiali than Nebuchadnezzar. From Peraoc roots, meaning either "Nebo, the chief of the gods," or, "Nebo, the god of fire." He was son of Nabopolassar, who committed the command of the army against Egypt, at Carchemish, and against Judea, to the crown-prince, according to all his wondrous -worlts Zedekiah hopes for God's special interposition, such as was vouchsafed to Hezekiah against Sennacherib (2 Kings 19. 35, 36). he—Nebuchadnezzar, go up from us rise t<p-from the siege which he sat down to laj- (ch. 37. 5, 11, Margin,; Numbers 16. 24, 27; 1 Kings 15. 19, Margin). 4. God of Israel—Those "wondrous works" (u. 2) do not belong to you ; God is faithful
Is appropriately here referred to, being the site of the royal residence of the "house of David," addressed [v. 12). 14. fruit of your doings—(Proverbs 1. 31 ; Isaiah 3. 10, 11.) forest thereof—OT2., of your city, taken from v. 13. "jForest" refers to the dense mass of houses built of cedar, &c., from Lebanon (ch. 22. 7 ; 52. 13 ; 2 Kings 2.5. 9).
CHAPTER XXII.
Ver. 1-30. Exhortation to Repentance ; Judgment ON Shallum, Jehoiakim, and CoNiAH. Belonging to an earlier period than ch. 21., w'2., the reigns of Shallum or Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, and Jeconiah (v. 10, 13, 20). Jeremiah often groups his prophecies, not by chronological order, but by similarity of subjects; thus v. 3 in this chapter corresponds to ch. 21. 12. Gkotius thinks that Jeremiah liere repeats to Zedekiah what he had announced to that king's predecessors /ormeWj/ (viz., his brother and brother's son), of a similar bearing, and which had since come to pass; a warning to Zedekiah. Probably, in arranging hin prophecies they were grouped for the first time in the present order, designed by the Holy Spirit to set forth the series of kings of Judah, all four alike, failing in "rigliteousness," followed at last by the "King," a righteous Braiich raised unto David, in the house of Judah, "the Lord our righteousness" (ch. 23. 6). The unrighteousness of Zedekiah suggested the review of his predecessors' failure in the same respects, and consequent punishment, which ought to have warned him, but did not. 1. Go down— The temple (where J'eremlah had been prophesying) was higher than the king's palace on Mount Zion (ch.
it is you, who forfeit the privileges of the covenant by unfaithfulness. " God will always remain the God of Israel, though He destroy thee and thy people." [Calvin.J turn back tlie weapons—I will turn them to a very different use from wliat you intend them. You now with them light against the Chaldees "without the walls" (the Jewish defenders being as yet able to sally forth more freely, and defend the fountains outside the walls In the valley under Mount Zion; see v. 13; ch. 19. 6,7), but soon ye shall be driven back within the city [Maukeb], and "in the midst" of it I will cause all your arms to be gathered in one place (" I will assemble them," viz., your arms) by the Chaldean conquerors [GROTitrs], who shall slay you with those very anus. [Menochius.] 5. The Jews shall have not merely the Chaldees, but Jehovah Himself in wrath at their provocations, fighting against them. Every word enliances the formidable character of God's oppo-
36. 10, 12; 2 Chronicles 23. 20). Hence the plirase, "Go down." the king of Judah—perhaps including each of the four successive kings, to whom it was consecutively addressed, here brought together in one picture : Shallum, sition, "I inj-self . . . outstretched hand . . . strong arm (no Longer In Exodus 6. 6, and In the case of Sennacherib, in your behalf, but) in anger ... fury . . . great wrath." 7. the people, and such—rather, explanatory, " the people, viz., such as are left," &c. seek their life—content with nothing short of their death; not content with plundering and enslaving tliem. smite with . . . sword—This was the fate of Zedekiah's sons, and many of the Jewish nobles. Zedekiah himself, though not put to a violent death, died of grief. Cf. as to the accurate fulfilment, ch. Ezekiel 12. 13; 2 Kings 25. 6, 7. 8. "Life," if ye surrender; "death," if ye persist in opposing the Chaldees
V. II; Jehoiakim, v. 13-18; Jeconiah, v. 24; Zedekiah, the address to whom (ch. 21. 1, 11, 12) suggests notice of the rest,
8. these gates—of the king's palace. 3. Jehoiakim is meant here especially : he, by oppression, levied the tribute imposed on him by Pharaoh-necho.king of Egypt (2Chronlcles
36. 3), and taxed his people, and took their labour without pay, to build gorgeous palaces for himself {v. 13-17), and shed Innocent blood, e.g., that of Urijah the prophet (ch.
26. 20-24 : 2 Kings 23. 35; 24. 4). 4. upon tlie throne of David-Zi<.,/or David on his throne (see Note, ch. 13. 13j. This verse is repeated substantially from ch. 17. 25. his servant* —so the Kerl. But Chetlb, singular, "his servant;" i. e., distributively, "each with his servants ;" ch. 17. 25, " thell
(cf. Deuteronomy 30. 19). The individuality of Jeremiah's mission from God is shown in that he urges to unconditional surrender; whereas all former propliels had urged the people to oppose their invaders (Isaiah 7. 16; 37.
S3, 35). 9. (Ch. 88. 2, 17, 18.) falleth to—deserts to. life
Tlie Judgment oj Shallum, JEREMIAH XXII, of Jehoiakim, and of Coniah, princes." 5. I swear by myself—(Hebrews 6. 13, 17.) God swears bet-ause it seemed to them incredible that the family of David should be cast off. this lioxise—^fte king's, where Jeremiah spake (v. 4). 6. Though thou art as beauour vermilion. 15. closest thyself—rather, </(o?f t7'e.?t, <. e,, art emulous to surpass thy forefathers in the magnificence of thy palaces, eat and drink—did not Josiah, thy father, enjoy all that man really needs for his bodily wants ? Did he need to build costly palaces to secure his throne ? Nay, he did secure it by "judgment and justice;" whereas thou, with all thy luxurious building, sittest on a tottering throne, then mi that account, therefore. 16. was not this to know me viz., to show by deeds that one knows God's will, as was the case with Josiah (cf. John 13. 17 ; contrast Titus 1. 16). 17. thine—as opposed to thy father, Josiah. 18. Ah my brother! . . . sister I—Addressing him with such titles of affection as one would address to a deceased friend beloved as a brother or sister (cf. 1 Kings 13. SO). This expresses. They shall not lament him with the lamentation of private individuals [Vatabltjs], or of blood-relatives [Grotius]: as "Ah! lord," expresses public lamentation in the case of a king ['Vatablus], or that of subjects. [Grotius.] Henderson thinks, " Ah I sister," refers to Jehoiakira's queen, who, though taken to Babylon, and not tiful as Gilead, and as majestic in mine eyes (before me) as the summit of Lebanon, yet surely (the Hebrew is a formula ofswearing to express certainly: If I do not make thee, &c., believe me not ever hereafter : so " as truly as I live," Numbers 14. 28; "surely," Numbers 14. 35), &c. The mention of Gilead may allude not only to its past beauty, but covertly also to its desolation by the judgment on Israel ; a warning now to Judah and the house of David. " Lebanon" is appropriately mentioned,as the king's house was built of its noble cedars, cities—not other ciY/e«, but the different parts of the city of Jerusalem (2 Samuel 12. 27; 2 Kings 10. 2o). [Maurer.] 7. prepare—f«., sanctify, or solemnly set apart for a particular work (cf! Isaiah 13. 3). thy choice cedars—(Isaiah 37. 24.) Thy palaces built of choice cedars (Song of Solomon 1. 17). 8. (Deuteronomy
29. 24, 25), The Gentile nations, more intelligent than you, shall understand that which ye do not, viz., that this city left uuburied on the way, as Jehoiakim, yet was not honoured at her death with royal lamentations, such as would have been poured forth over her at Jerusalem. He notices the beauty of Jeremiah's manner in his prophecy against Jehoiakim. In v. 13, 14 he describes him in general terms is a spectacle of God's vengeance. [Calvin.] 9. (2 Kings
22. 17.) 10, 11. "Weep not for—t. e., not so much for Joslah, who was taken away by death from the evil to come (2 Kings 22. 20 ; Isaiah 57. 1); as for Shallum or Jehoahaz, his son (2 Kings 23. 30), who, after a three months' reign, was carried off by Pharaoh-necho Into Egypt, never to see his native land again (2 Kings 23. 31-34). Dying saints are justly to be envied, whilst living sinners are to be pitied. The allusion is to the great weeping of the people at the then, in v. 15-17, he directly addresses him without naming him; at last, in v. 18, he names him, but in the third person, to imply that God puts him to a distance from him. The boldness of the Hebrew prophets proves their Divine mission ; were it not so, their reproofs to the Hebrew kings, who held the throne by Divine authority, would have been treason. Ah his glory I—" Alas ! his majesty." 19. bnrlal of an ass i. e., he shall have the same burial as an ass would get, viz., he shall be left a prey for beasts and birds, [jEROMfe.] This is not formally narrated. But 2 Chronicles death of Josiah, and on each anniversary of it, in which Jeremiah himself took a prominent part (2 Chronicles 35.
24, 25). The name "Shallum
' Is here given In Irony to Jehoahaz, who reigned but three months; as if he were a second Shallum, son of Jabesh, who reigned only one month in Samaria (2 Kings 15. 13; 2 Chronicles 36. 1-4). Shallum means retribution, a name of no good omen to him [GroTiusJ ; originally the people called him Slxallom, Indicative of peace and prosperity. But Jeremiah applies it in irony.
36. 6 states that "Nebuchadnezzar bound Iiim in fetters to carry him to Babylon ;" his treatment there is nowhere mentioned. The prophecy here, and in ch. 36. 30, harmonizes these two facts. He was slain by Nebuchadnezzar, who changed his purpose of taking him to Babylon, on the way thither, and left him unburied outside Jerusalem. 2 Kings 24. 6, "Jehoiakim slept with his fathers," does not contradict this; it simply expresses his being gathered to his fathers by death, not his being buried with his fathers (Psalm 49. 19). The two phrases are found together, as expressing two distinct ideas (2 Kings 15. 38; 16. 20). 20. Delivered in the reign of Jehoiachin (Jeconiah or Coniah), son of Jehoiakim ; appended to the previous prophecy respecting Jehoiakim, on account of the slmiliarity of the two prophecies. He calls on Jerusalem, personified as a lAourning female, to go up to the highest points visible from Jerusalem, and lament there (ch. 3. 21, Note) the calamity of herself, bereft of allies and of her princes, who are one after the other being cast down. Bashan north of the region beyond Jordan ; the mountains of Anti-libanus are referred to (Psalm 68. 15). ft-om tl»e passages —viz., of the rivers (Judges 12. 6) ; or else the borders of the country (1 Samuel 13. 23; Isaiah 10. 29). The passes (1 Samuel 14. 4). Maurer translates, "Abarim," a mountainous tract beyond Jordan, opposite Jericho, and south of Bashan ; this accords with the mention of the mountains Lebanon and Bashan (Numbers 27. 12; 33. 47). lovers the allies of Judea, especially Egypt, now unable to help the Jews, being crippled by Babylon (2 Kings 24. 7). '41. I admonished thee in time. Thy sin has not been a sin of Ignorance or thoughtlessness, but wilful, prosperity given thee by me ; yet thou wouldest not hearken to the gracious Giver. The Hebreru is phiral, to express, " In the height of thy prosperity;" so "droughts" (Isaiah 58.11). thon saldsfnot In words, but in thy conduct, virtually, thy youth—fi-om the time that I brought thee out of Egypt, and formed thee Into a people (ch. 7. 25; 2. 2; Isaiah 47. 12).
1 Chronicles 3. 15, calls Shallum the fourth son of Josiah. The people raised him to the throne before his brother Eliakim or Jehoiakim, though the latter was the elder (2 Kings 23. 31, 36 ; 2 Chronicles 36. 1) ; perhaps on account of Jelioiakim's extravagance (u. 13, 15). Jehoiakim was put in Shallum's (Jehoahaz's) stead by Pharaoh-necho. Jeconiah, his son, succeeded. Zedekiah (Mattaniah), uncle of Jeconiah, and brother of Jehoiakim and Jehoahaz, was last of all raised to the throne by Nebuchadnezzar. He shall not retiirii-The people perhaps entertained hopes of Shallum's return from Egypt, in which case they would replace him on the throne, and thereby free themselves from the oppressive taxes imposed by Jehoiakim. 13. Not only did Jehoiakim tax the people (2 Kings 23. 3.5) for Pliaraoli's tribute, but also took tlieir forced labour, without pay, for building a splendid palace; in violation of licviticus 19. 13; Deuteronomy 24. 14, 15. Cf. Micah 3. 10; Habakkuk 2. 9; James 5. 4. God will repay in justice those who will not in justice pay those whom they employ. I*, wide lit., a house of dimensions ("measures").
Cf. Numbers 13. 32, Margin, " men of statures." large— rather, as Margin, "airy," from Hebrew root, "to breathe freely." Upper rooms in the East are the principal apartments, ciitteth lilm out windows — the Hebrew, If a noun, is rather, " my windows ;" then the translation ought to be, "and let my windows (Jehoiakim speaking) be cut out for it," !. r., in the house; or, "and let (the workman) cut out my windows for it." But the word Is rather an adjective ; " he eutteth it (the«house) out for himself, so as to be full of ivindows." The following words accord with this construction, "and (he makes it) cleled with cedar," Ac. [Maurer.] Retaining English Version, there must be understood something remarkable about the windows, since they are deemed worthy of notice. Gesenics thinks the word dual, "doul)le windows," the blinds being two-leaved, as now on the Continent, vermilion—Hebrew, shashar, called so from a i)eople of India beyond the Ganges, by wliom it is exported (Pliny, 6. 19). The old vermilion was composed of sulphur and quicksilver ; not of red lead, as iSa. wind-the Chaldees, as a parching wind tliat sweeps rapidly over and withers vegetation (ch. 4. 11, 12; Psalm
103. 16; Isaiah 40. 7). eat up . . . pastors—i. e., thy kings
(ch. 2. 8). Tliere is a happy play on words. The paitors, whose office it Is to feed the sheep, shall tllemselves be fed on. They who should drive the flock from pl&ce to
A Prophecy of EestorcUion. JEREMIAH XXIII. Christ Co be the King.
fully accomplished. It holds good also of the spiritual Israel, the elect of both Jews and Gentiles (Malaclii 3. 16, 17; John 10. 28; 17. 12). As to the literal Israel also, see ch. 32.37; Isaiah 51.13; CO. 21; Ezeklel 34. U-IG). shephei-da place for pasture shall be driven Into exile by the Chaldees. 33. iii Uabltaiit of Lebanon — viz., Jerusalem, whose temple, palaces, and principal habitations were built of cedars of Lebanon, liow gracious—irony. How graciously thou wilt be treated by the Chaldees, when tbey come on thee suddenly, as pangs on a woman in. . . shall feed them—(Ch. 3. 15 ; Ezeklel 31. 23-31.) Zerubbabel, Ezra, Nehemiah, and the Maccabees were but typical of the consummating fulfilment of these prophecies under Messiah. 5. As Messianic prophecy extended over many years in wliicli many political changes took place in harmony with these, it displayed its riches by a variety more effective than if It had been manifested all at once. As the moral condition of the Jews required In eacli instance, so Messiah was exhibited in a corresponding phase, ihus becoming more and more the soul of th'e nation's life : so that He is represented as the antitypical Israel (Isaiah 49.3). unto David— Hengstenbekg observes that Isaiah dwells more on His prophetical and priestly office, which had already been partly set forth (Deuteronomy 18. 18; Psalm 110. 4). Other prophets dwell more on His kingly office. Therefore here He is associated with "David" the king: but in Isaiali 11. 1 with the then poor and unknown " Jesse." righteous 15r»nch — "the Branch of righteousness" (ch. 33. 15). "The Branch" simply (Zechariah 3.8; 6.12). "Tiie Branch of the Lord" (Isaiah 4. 2). prosper—the very term applied to Messiah's undertaking (Isaiah 52. 13; Margin; tl-avail (ch. 6. 21). Nay, all thy fine buildings will win no favour for thee from them. Maubek, &c., translate, "How
Shalt thou be to be pitied .'" iJ*. As I live—God's most solemn formula of oath (ch. 46. 18; 4. 2; Deuteronomy 82. 40;
1 Samuel 2.5. 34). Conlali—Jeconlah or Jehoiachin. The contraction of the name is meant in contempt, signet such ring-seals were often of the greatest value (Song of Solomon 8. 6; Haggai 2. 23). Jehoiachin's popularity Is probably here referred to. right hand—the hand most valued. I would pluck thee thence—(Cf. Obadiah 4.) On account of thy father's sins, as well as thine own (2 Chronicles Sii. 9). There is a change here, as often in Hebrew poetry, from the third to the second person, to bring the threat more directly home to him. After a three months and ten days' reign, the Chaldees deposed him. In Babylon, however, by God's favour he was ultimately treated more kindly than other royal captives (ch. 52.
31-.34). But none of his direct posterity ever came to the throne. 35. give . . . Into . . . hand—"I will pluck thee" from "mi/ right hand," and "will give thee into the hand of them that seek thy life." 36. thy mother—Nehushta, the queen-dowager (2 Kings 24. 6, 8, 15; see ch. 13. 18). 37. they—Coniah and his mother. He passes from the second person (v. 2(1) to the third person here, to express alienation. The king is as it were put out of sight, as If unworthy of being spoken with directly, desire—fi<., lift up their soul (ch. 41. 14; Psalm 21. 4; 25. 1). Judea was the land which they in Babylon should pine after in vain, as. broken Idol—Coniah was idolized once by the Jews
53. 10). Righteousness or justice is the characteristic of Messiah elsewhere too. In connection with our salvation or justification (Isaiah 53.11; Daniel 9.24; Zechariah 9. 9). So in the New Testament He is not merely "righteous" Himself, but "righteousness to us" (1 Corinthians 1.30), so that we become "the righteousness of God In Him" (Romans 10. 3, 4; 2 Corinthians 5. 19-21; Pliilippians 3. 9). execute judgment and justice oil earth—(Psalm 72. 2; Isaiah 9.7; .32.1,18.) Not merely a spiritual reign in the sense in wliich He is " our righteous" ness," but a righteous reign " in the earth" (ch. 3. 17, 18). In some passages He is said to come to judge, in otliers to reign. In Matthew 25. 34, He is called " the King." Psalm
Jeremiah, tlierefore, in their person, expresses their astonishment at one from whom so much had been expected being now so utterly cast aside, vessel . . . no pleasure—(Psalm 31. 12; Hosea8. 8.) The answer to this
9. 7, unites them. Cf. Daniel 7. 22, 26, 27. 6. Judah . . . Israel . . . dwell safely—Cf. ch. 33. IG, where " Jerusalem''
Is given (Romans 9. 20-23; contrast 2 Timothy 2. 21). his ••cd—tSee Note, v. 29.) 39, 30. O earth I earth t earth I— Jeconlah was not actually without offspring (cf. v. 28, "his Beed:" 1 Chronicles 3. 17, 18; Matthew 1. 12), but he was to be "written childless," as a warning to posterity, t. e., without a lineal heir to his throne. It is witli a reference to the l/iree kings, Shallum, .Tehoiakim, and Jeconlah, that the earth is thrice invoked. [Bengel.] Or, the triple invocation is to give intensity to the call for attention to the announcement of the end of the royal line, so far as Jeis substituted for "Israel" here. Only Judah, and that only In part, has as yet returned. So far are the Jews from having enjoyed, as yet, tlie temporal blessings here foretold as the result of Messiah's reign, that their lot has been, for eigliteen centuries, worse than ever before. The accomplishment must, therefore, be still future, when, both Judah and Israel in their own land shall dwell safely under a Christocracy, far more privileged than even the old theocracy (ch. 32. 37; Deuteronomy 33. 28 ; Isaiah 51.; hoiachin's seed is concerned. Though Messiah, (Matthew
60. ; 65. 17-25; Zechariah 14. 11). shall be called the Lord—
1.), the heir of David's throne, was lineally descended from Jeconlah, it was only through Joseph, who, though His legal, was not His real father. Matthew gives the legal pedigree through Solomon down to Joseph; Luke the real pe<ligree, from Mary, the real parent, through yathan, brother of Solomon, upwards (Luke 3. 31). no man of his seed , . . apon the throne—this explains the sense in which "childless" is used. Though the succession to the throne failed in his line, still the promise i.e., shall be (Isaiah 9.6) "Jehovah," God's incommunicable name. Though when applied to created things, it expresses only some peculiar connection they have with Jehovah (Genesis 22. 14; Exodus 17. 15), yet when applied to Messiah It must express His Godhead manifested in Justifying power towards us (1 Timothy 3. 16). "Onr" marks His manhood, which is also implied in His being a Branchraised unto David, whence His human title, "Son of David" (cf. Matthew 22. 42-45). " Righteousness" marks His Oodhead, for God alone can justify the ungodly (cf. Romans 4. 5; Isaiah 45. 17, 24, 25). 7, 8. Repeatetl from ch.
to David (Psalm 89. 30-37) was revived in Zerubbabel, and consummated in Christ.
CHAPTER XXIII.
16. 14, 15.—The prophet said the same things often,' In order that his sayings might make the more impression. The same promise as in v. 3, 4. The wide dispersion of the Jews at the Babylonish captivity prefigures their present wider dispersion (Isaiah 11. 11; Joel 3. 6). Their second deliverance is to exceed far the former one from Egypt. But the deliverance from Babylon was inferior to that from Egypt in respect to the miracles performed and the numbers delivered. The final. deliverance under Messiah must, therefore, be meant, of which that from Babylon was the earnest. 9. because of the.prophets so the Masorltes and Targum. But Vulgate, LXX., &c., make this the inscription of the prophecy, Conceknino the Prophets: as Inch. 46. 2; 48. 1;,49. l.i Jeremiah expresses his horror at the so-called " prophets" not warning the people, though iniquity sofeasfuUy abounded, soott
Ver. 1-40. The Wicked Rulers to be Super.seded by THE King, wno should Reign ovek the again United Pkople-S, Israel and Judah. This forms the epilogue to the denunciations of the four kings, in ch. 21. 22. 1. pastors—Shallum, Jehoiakim, Jeconlah, and Zedekiah (E/.ekiel 31. 2). 3. Ye have not . . . visited them ... I will visit upon you—just retribution. Play upon the double sense of " visit." "Visit upon," viz., in wrath (Exodus 32. 34). 3, 4. Restoration of Judah from Babylon foretold in language which In its fulness can only apply to the final restoration of both "Judah" and "Israel" (cf.
V. 6); also "out of all countries," In this verse and ti. 8; also, "neither shall they be lacking," i. e., none shall be Jiitj.slng or detached from the rest: a prophecy never yet