Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition)
77ie Restoration of Elam, JEREMIAH L. Babylon Coining Down/all.
spared by the foe?" Cf. "left," Luke 17. .S.">, M. So Isi-aol obligation to the king of Babylon, he owed a higher one to God, who directed him to prophesy against Baljylon. 1. Cf. Isaiah io. \ 16.; 47. But as tlie time of fulfilment drew nearer, the prophecies are now proportionally more distinct than then. 3. Declare . . . among . . . nations who would rejoice at the fall of Babylon their oppressor, standard—to indicate the place of meeting to the nations' where they were to hear the good news of Baliylon's fall [RosENMULLEK]; Or, the signal to summon the nations together against Babylon (ch. 51. 12, 27). [Maukek.] Eel— the tutelary god of Babylon ; the same idol as the Pluienician Baal, i. e., lord, the sun (Isaiah 46. 1). confounded —because unalile to defend the city under their protection. Merodach—another Babylonian idol; meaning in Syria little lord; from which Merodach-baladan took his name. 3. a nation—the Medes, north of Babylon (cii. 51.
trt standing some of the Canaaiiite cities (Joshua II. la), of my Joy i.e., in which I deliglited. 30. Tliertfore— t. e.. Since Dama.scus i.s doomed to fall, lliere/ore, &c. 37. palaces of Beii-hadad— that palace whence so manyevils and such cruelty to Israel emanated ; thus implying the cause of Damascus' overthrow. Not the Ben-hadad of 2 Kings 13. 3; Amos 1. t ; it was a common name of the Syrian kings (cf. 1 Kings lo. 18; meaning son of JJaclad the idol). 88. Keclar—son of Ishmael (Genesis 2o. 13). The Kedarenes led a wandering predatory life in Arabia Petrsea, as the Bedouin Arabs (2 Chronicles 21. 16, 17; Psalm
120. 5). Kedar means blackncis (Song of Solo-non 1. 5). Hazor—not the city in Palestine, but a district in Arabia Petrsea. " Kingdoms" refer to tlie several combinations of clans, each under its own sheikh, men of tlie East Kedar and Hazor were east of Judea (Judges 6. 3; Job 1. 3), 39. tents—in which tlie.y dwelt, from which they are called Scenites, i. p., tent-dwellers, cnrtalns — riz., witli which the 'tents were covered (ch. i. 20 ; ID. 20 ; Psalm 101. 2). they shall cry unto them, Pear, &c.— The foe, on crying Fear, Ac, shall discomfit them (the Kedarenes) by their mere cry. 30. {Note,v.fi.) No conqueror would venture to follow them into the desert. 31. wealthy—rather, tranquil (1 Chronicles -1. tO). neltlier gates nor bars—The Arabs, lying out of tlie track of tlie contending powers of Asia and Africa, took no measures of defence, and had neither walled cities nor gates (Ezekiel 38. 11). They thought their scanty resources and wilderness position would tempt no foe. alone—separated from other nations, without allies; and from one another scattered asunder. So as to Israel's isolation (Numbers 23. !) ; Deuteronomy ,33. a'*; Micah 7. U). 33. camels—their chief possessions ; not fields or vine.vards. In utmost . . . comers —who seemed least likely to be dispersed. Or else, " having the hair shaven (or clipped) in angles" (ch. 9. 26; 25.
48). The devastation of Babylon here foretold includes not only that by Cyrus, but also that more utter one by Darius, who took Baljylon byartitice when it liad revolted from Persia, and mercilessly slaughtered the inhalii lants, hanging 4000 of the nobles; also the final desertion of Babylon, owing to Seleucia having been built close by under Seleucus Nicanor. 4. Fulfilled only in part when some few of the ten tribes of " Israel" joined Judah in a "covenant'' with God, at the restoration of Judah toils land (Nehemiah 9. 38; 10. 29). The full event is yet to come
(ch. 31. 9; Hosea 1.11; Zecliariah 12. 10). weeping—with joy at their restoration beyond all hope; and with sorrow at the remembrance of their sins and sutt'erings (Ezra 3.
12, 13; Psalm 126. 5, 6). seek . . . Lord—(Hosea 3.5.) 5. thitherward—r.ather, hitherward, Jeremiah's prophetical stand-point being at Zion. "Faces hitherward'' implies their steadfastness of purpose not to be turned aside by any difliculties on the way. perpetual covenant—in contrast to the old covenant "which they brake" (ch. 31.
31, &c. ; 32. 40). They shall return to their God first, then to their own land. 6. (Isaiah 53. 6.) on tl>e mountains —whereon they sacrificed to idols (ch. 2. 20; 3. 6, T)). resting-place—for the "sheep ;" continuing the image ; Jehovah is the resting-plaoe of His sheep (Matthew 11. 28), They rest in His "bosom" (Isaiah 40. 11). Also His temple at Zion, their "rest," because it is His (Psalm 132. 8, 14). 7. devoured—(Psalm 79.7.) "Found them" implies that they were exposed to the attacks of those whoever happened to meet them, adversaries said—for instance, Nebuzaradan (ch. 40. 2,3; cf. Zechariah 11. 5.) The Gen-
23). [GUOTIUS.] calamity from all sides — which will force even those in "corners" to "scatter" themselves. 33. (Malachl 1. 3.) 34. Elam—part of Susiana, west of Persia proper, but used to designate Persia in general. Elam proper, or Elymais, nearer Judea than Persia, is probably here meant; it had helped Nebuchadnezzar against Judea; hence its punishment. It may have been Idolatrous, whereas Persia proper was monotheistic mainly. 35. bow — Elam was famed for its bowmen (Isaiah 22.6). chief of their might— in opposition to "bow," i. e., bowmen, who constituted their main strength. 36. four -tvinds, <£c.—Nebuchadnezzar's army containing soldiers from the four quarters. 37. congiimed—as a distinct nation (Daniel 8. 2-27). Fulfilled under Alexander and his successors. 38. I will show myself King by my judgments there, as though my tribunal were erected there. The throne of Cyrus, God's instrument, set up over Media, of which Elam was a part, may be meant. [Grotius.] Or rather, that of Nebuchadnezzar (ch. 43. 10). Then the restoration of Elam (d. 39) will veter partly to that which took place on the reduction of Babylon by Cj'rus, prince of Persia and Media. 39. latter days—The/«H restoration belongs to gospel times. Elamites were among the first who heard and accepted tiles acknowledged some supreme divinity. The Jews' guilt was so palpable that they were condemned even in the judgment of heathens. Some knowledge of God's peculiar relation to Judea reached its heathen invaders from the propliets (ch. 2. 3; Daniel 9. 16); hence the strong language they use of Jehovah here, not as worshippers of Him themselves, but as believing Him to be the tutelary God of Judah ("the hope of their fatheis," Psalm 22.
4; they do not say our hope), as each country was t'nought to have its local god, whose power extended no farther, habitation—(Psalm 90.1; 91. 1). Alluding to the tabernacle, or, as in Ezekiel 34. 14, /od, which carries out the image in v. 6, " resting-place" of the " sheep." But it can only mean habitation (ch. 31. 23), which confirms English Version here, hope of their fathers—This especially condemned the Jews that their apostasy was from that God whose faithfulness their fathers had experienced. At the same time these " adversaries" unconsciously use language which corrects their own notions. Tlie covenant with the Jews' "fathers" is not utterly set aside by their
It (Acts 2. 9).
CHAPTER L.
Ver. 1^6. Babyion's coming Downfai,!, ; Israel's Kedemption. After the predictions of judgment to be Inflicted on other nations by Babylon, follows this one against Babylon itself, the longest prophecy, consisting of 100 verses. The date of its utteranci? was the fourth year of Zedekiah, when Seraiah, to whom it was committed, was sent to Babylon (ch. 51. 59, 60). The repetitions in it make it likely that It consists of prophecies uttered at different times, now collected by Jeremiah to console the Jews in exile, and to vindicate God's ways by exhibiting the final doom of Babylon, the enemy of the people of God, aft-er her long prosperity. The style, imagery, and dialogues prove its genuineness in opposition to those who deny this. It shows his faithfulness; though under sin, as their adversaries thought; thei'e is still "a habitation" or refuge for them with the God of their fathers. 8. (Ch. 51. 6, 45; Isaiah 48. 20; Zechariah 2. 6, 7; Revelation 18.
4). Immediately avail yourselves of the opportunity of escape, be as . . . he-goats before . . . flocks—let each try to be foremost in returning, animating the weak, as he-goats lead the flock; such were the companions of Ezra (Ezra 1. 5, 6). 9. fi-om thence—t. e., from the north country, expert lit., prosperous. Besides "might," "expertness" is needed, that an arrow may do execution. The Margin has a difl'erent Hebrew reading; destroying, lit., bereaving, childless-making (ch. 15. 7). LXX. and Syrian