ejus, et super sapientes ejus.
JEREMIAH AND LAMENTATIONS other thing, even that their conquerors so prevailed as securely to rule over them; and hence it is added, they have refused to let them go; and we learn the same thing from the next verse, in which the strength and power of God is set in opposition to the power of their enemies. As far as things appeared to men, there was certainly no way of deliverance for the people. The Prophet then concedes what might have taken away every hope from them.
But he immediately after removes this ground of despair, and says, Their redeemer is strong He then sets this strong, {,}חזקchesek, in opposition to the verb used before, ``prevailed'' or ruled, {,}החזיקו{ }בםechesiku beem, ``prevailed'' or domineered ``over them,'' so that they were stronger. But now, on the other hand, he calls the Redeemer of Israel strong; for were you only to consider, he seems to say, how great the power of Babylon is, you might despond; but can God, in the meantime, do nothing? Is there any power on earth which can overrule him? Since then their redeemer was strong, he would prove superior to the Chaldeans.
He afterwards adds what is of the same import, His name is Jehovah of hosts; that is, neither Babylon nor all other nations have so much power as can resist the infinite power of God, for he is always like himself, and perfect; he is the God of hosts. He at length adds, Their strife by litigating he will litigate, or, by pleading he will plead the cause of his people, even so as to cut off or destroy the land The verb, {,}רגעrego, means indeed sometimes to rest, and so almost all give this rendering, ``so as to make to rest the land:'' but as I take ``land'' and ``the inhabitants of Babylon'' to be the same, I doubt not but that this verb is to be taken here in its proper sense. Then it is, so as to cut off or destroy the land, 431 and to make to tremble the inhabitants of Babylon. He then speaks of the Chaldeans in mentioning the land, and afterwards explains himself by adding, the inhabitants of Babylon.
PRAYER
Grant, Almighty God, that, as thou hast deigned once to take us under thy protection, we may always raise up our eyes to thine infinite power, and that when we see all things not only confounded, but also trodden under foot by the world, we may not yet doubt but that thy power is sufficient to deliver us, so that we may perpetually call on thy name, and with firm constancy so fight against all temptations, that we may at length enjoy in thy celestial kingdom the fruit of our victory, through Jesus
Christ our Lord. --- Amen.
LECTURE ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY FOURTH
Jeremiah 50:35
35. A sword is upon the Chaldeans, saith the LORD, and upon the inhabitants of
Babylon, and upon her princes, and upon her wise men.
35. Gladius super Chaldaeos, et super habitatores Babylonis, et super principes ejus, et super sapientes ejus.
431The versions, except the Syr. and the Targ., give a similar meaning to this verb: but there is no instance of the verb in Hiphil having this meaning, though it would be the most suitable to this place. At the same time we may consider the land of Chaldea to be meant, if we regard the stillness or quietness as referring to the check produced by God's restraining power, — So as to render the land still, And to terrify the inhabitants of Babylon. The promise is to make the land quiet so as not to oppose the return of the Jews, and for the same purpose, to terrify Babylon. — Ed.