Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition)
Ivtaet Comforted. JEREMIAH XLYII, XLVIII. Prophecy against the Philiislima, Repeated from ch. 30. 10, 11. When the Church [and literal Israel] might seem utterly consumed, there still remains hidden hope, because God as it were raises his people from the dead (Romans 11. 1.5). Whereas the godless "nations" are consumed even though they survive, as the Egyptians after tlieir overthrow; because tliey are radically accursed and doomed. [Calvin.] sen tue Egyptian stainl;irtl, and return to their respective homes (i>. 9, 21). from t!ie oppressing sword—from tlie cruel sword, liz., of tlie Clialiieans (cf. cli. 2.5. 38). 17. there —in tlieir own country severally, tlie foreign soldiers (v. l6)c?-3/, " Pharaoh is," &c. bxit a Molsc—He llireatens great things, but when the need arises. He does nothing; His threats are mere rwise (cf. 1 Corinthians 13. 1). Mauker franslatcs, " is ruined," lit. (in appropriate abruptness of language), "Pharaoh, king, &e., ruin." The context favours Ettf/lish Version, Hi.s vauntings of what he would do when the time of battle should come liave proved to be empty sounds ; he hath passed the time apiminled (viz., for bat-
CHAPTER XLVII.
Ver. 1-7. Prophecy against the Phimstine.s. 1. Pharaoh-nrcho probably smote Gaza on his return after defeating Josiali at Megiddo (2 Clironicles 35.20). [GuoTius.] Or, Fharnoh-Iiopfira (ch. 37. 5, 7) is intended : probably on his return from his fruitless attempt to save Jerusalem from the Chaldeans, he smote Gaza in order that tle with the Chaldeans). 18. As the mountains Tabor and Carmei tower high above the other hills of Palestine, 40 Nebuchadnezzar (e. 20) when he comes shall prove himself superior to all his foes. Cormel forms a bold promontory jutting out into tlie Mediterranean. Tabor is the higher of the two; therefore it is said to be "among tlie mountains;" and Carmel " by the sea." tlie king . . . Lord of hosts—(CliJS. 15). In contrast to " Pharaoh king of fgypt ills expedition might not be thought altogether in vain [Calvin] (Amos 1. 0, 7). 3. waters—(Isaiah 8. 7.) The Chaldeans from tlie north are compared to the overwhelming waters of their own Euphrates. Tlie smiling of Gaza was to be only the prelude of a greater disaster to the . . . but a noise" (i: 1"). God 'he true Kiny, the Lonl of hosts, shall cause Nebuchadnezzar to come. Wliereas I'ha-
Pliilistine.s. Nebuzaradan was left by Nebuehiidnezzar, alter he had taken Jerusalem, to subdue tlie rest of the adjoining citii's and country. 3. (Cf. ch. 4. 29.) fatliers . . . not look back to . . . cliildren—eacli shall think only of his own safety, not even the fathers regarding their own children. So desperate shall be the calamity, tliat men shiiU divest tliein.selves of the natural atlections. for fecblcncs.s of hands—the hands, the principal instrument of action, sliail have lost all power; their whole hope shall be in their feet. 4. every helper The Philistines, being neighbours to the Phoenicians of Tyre and Sidon, would naturally make common cause with them in the case of invasion. These cities would have no helper left when the Philistines should be destroyed. Caplitor—the Caplitorim and Pliilistinos both came from Mizraim (Genesis 10.13,14). The Philistines are said to have been delivered by God from Caplitor (Amos 9. 7). Perhaps before the time of Moses they dwelt near and were subjugated by the Caplitorim (Deuteronomy 2. 23), and subseciueiilly delivered. "The remnant" means here those still left after the Egyptians had attacked Gaza and Palestine; or rather those left of the Caplitorim after the Chaldeans had attacked them previous to their attack on the Philistines. Some identify Caplitor with Cappadocia : Gesesius, with Crete (Ezekiel raoli shall uot come to liatlle at t}ie time appointed, notwithstanding his boasis, Nebuchadnezzar slaU come according to the prediction of the King, who has all hosts in His power, however ye Egyptians may despise the prediction. IS. furiilsli tl\yself—lit., make for thyself vessels (viz., to contain foodniul other necessaries for the journey) for captivity, dawgliler—so in 11. II. dwellinglu Egj pt — i. e., the inhabitutt'.i of Kg.vpt, the Egj'ptians, represented as tlw daughter of Eyypt (cli. 18; 2 Kings 19. 21). " Dwelling" implies that they thought themselves to be securely fixed ill their /(«6i/«/(ojis, bej-ond the reach of invasion. 20. Uelfcr—wanton, like a fat untamed heifer (Hosea 10.
11). Appropriate to Egypt, where Apis wa.s worshipped under the form of a fair bull marked with spots, destruction i. e., a destroyer: Nebuchadnezzar. VxUgate translates, "a, goader," answering to the metaphor, "one who will goad the heifer" and tame her. The Arabic idiom favours this. [Ro.SEXMUl.LER.] cometli . . . comcth—the repetition implies, it cometh surely and quickly (Psalm 96.
1,3). out of tlie nortli—(iVoe, ch. 1. 14 ; 47. 2). 81. Translate, "Also her hired men (mercenary soldiers, r. 9, Ki), who are in the midst of her like fatted bullocks, even they also are turned back," i. c, shall turn their backs to flee. The same image, "lieifer . . . bullocks" (v. 20, 21), is applied to Egypt's foreign mercenaries, as to herself. Pampered witli the luxuries of Egypt, t?iey become as enervated
25.16, Cheretliims) ; KiTXO, Cyprus. Between Palestine and Idumea there was a city Caparorsa; and their close connection with Palestine on the one hand, and Egypt (Mizraim, Genesis 10. 13, 14) on the other hand, makes this for battle as tlie natives themselves. 23. The cry of Egypt when invaded shall be like tlie hissing of a serpent roused by the woodcutters from its lair. No longer shall she loudly roar like a heifer, but with a low murmur of locality the most likely. 5. Baldness . . . cut tliyself— Palestine is represented as a female who has torn oft" her hair and cut her flesh, the heathenish (Leviticus 19. 28) token of mourning (ch. 48. .37). their valley—the long fear, as a serpent hissing, with axes—the Scythian mode of armour. The Chaldeans sliall come witli such confidence as if not about to have to fight witli soldiers, but merely to cut down trees offering no resistance. 33. her forest—(Isaiali 10. 31) though it cannot be searclied— strip of low plain occupied by the Philistines along the Mediterranean, west of the mountains of Judea. LXX. read Anakim, tlie remains of whom were settled in those regions (Numbers 13. 28). Josliua dislodged tliem, so that none were left but in Gaza, Gatii, and Aelidod (Joshua II.
Tliey cut down h'-r forest, dense and unsearchable (Job 5.
9; 9. 10; 36. 26) as 1'. )na.v seem: referring to tlie thickly-set cities of Egypt, x'n'cU were at that time a thou.sand and twenty. The ITibrew particle is properly, for, because. becansc—llie r-jacon why the Chaldeans shall be able to cut down sc denrie a forest of cities as Egj'-pt: they thcin-
21,22). But the parallel {v. 7), "Ashkelon . . . the ieoshore," establishes English Version here, "Ashkelon . . . their valley." 6. Jeremiah, in the person of the Philistines afflicting themselves {v. 5), apostrophizes the sword of the Lord, entreating mercy (cf. Deuteronomy 32.41; Ezekiel 21. 3-5, 9, 10). Put up thyself—Hebrew, " Gather eelves are countless in numbers, grngslioppers—locusts (.Tudges 6. 5). 35. inultitwde Hebrew, "Anion" (Nahum
3. 8, Margin, "No-Ammon"), the same as Thebes or Diosthyself," i.e.. Retire or Return. T.Jeremiah, from addressing the sword in the second person, turns to his hearers and speaks of it in tlie third person. Lord . . . given it a charge—(Ezekiel 14.17.) the sea-sliore—the polis in Upper Egypt, where Jupiter Ammoii had his famous temple. In Knglith Version, " multitude" answers to"populous No" (Nahum 3.8; and Ezekiel 30.1.5). The reference to " their gods" which follows, malces the transstrip of land between the mountains and Mediterranean, held by the Philistines: "their valley" {Note, v. 5). there hath he appointed it— (Slicah 6.9.) There liath He ordered it to rage. lation more likely, "Ammon of No," i. e., No and her idol Amnion; so the Clialdee Version. So called either from flam, the son of Noah ; or, the nourisher, as the word means, their kings—the kings of the nations in league with Egypt. 35. afferwnr»l . . . inhabited-uiider Cyrus
CHAPTER XLVIII. forty yesirs after the conquest of Egypt by Nebucliadnez-
Ver. 1-47. Prophecy against Moab. It had taken part with tbe Chaldeans against Judea (2 Kings 21.2). 551
7Ar, it threw oil' the Bal)yloiiian yoke, but has never regained its former prowess {v. U ; Ezekiel 29. U-15). 37, 38.