Commentary on the Holy Bible

29 ^ Cut off thine hair, O Jerusalem, and cast it away, and take up a lamentation on high places; for the Lord hath rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath.

my voice.] It was not sacrifices and oblations which I required of your fathers in the wilderness, but obedience; it was to ivaUc in that way of righteousness which I have commanded; then I should have acknowledged them for my people, and I should have been their God; and then it would have been well unth them. But to my commands, 1. They hearkened not — paid no regard to my word. 2. They inclined not the ear — • showed no disposition to attend to my counsels. 3. They loalked in the imaginations of their evil heart — followed its irregular and impure motions, rather than the holy dictates of my Spirit. 4. They went backboard and not foricard. Instead of becoming more wise, obedient, and holy, they grew more corrupt; so that they became more profligate than their fathers.

Verse 28. Nor receiveth correction^ They havt profited neither by mercies nor hy judgments: blessings and corrections havo been equally lost upon them.

Verse 29. Cut off thine hair] pTJ 'U gozzi nizrech, shear thy nazarite. The Nazarite was one wh( took upon him a particular vow, and separated himself from all worldly connexions for a certain time, that he might devote himself without interruption to the ser vice of God; and during all this time no razor was to pass on his head, for none of his liair was to be taken

R. Roman., the LoRD: =' they have set their cir. annum 7. abominations in the house which is called by my name, to pollute it.

3 1 And they have built the high ^ places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to "= burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; *• which I commanded the7n not, neither ° came it into my heart.

32 Therefore, behold, 'the days come, saitli the Lord, that it shall no more be called Tophet, nor the valley of the son of Hinnom,

off. After the vow was over, he shaved his head and beard, and returned to society. See Num. vi. 2, &c., and the notes there. Jerusalem is here considered under the notion of a Nazarite, by profession devoted to the service of God: but that' profession was empty; it was not accompanied with any suitable practice. God tells them here to cut off their hair; to make no vain pretensions to holiness or religion; to throw off the mask, and attempt no longer to impose upon themselves and others by their hypocritical pretensions. On the same ground he orders them, ver. 2 1, to devote to common use the animals destined for sacrifice; and to make no more vain shows of religion while their hearts were not right \rith him. Dr. Blaijney thinks the address is to the ■prophet, who was a Nazarite by virtue of his office, and who was c;illed to cut off his hair as a token of mourning for the desolations which were coming upon his people. Tliat cutting off the hair was a sign of distress and mourning may be seen, Ezra ix. 3; Isa. XV. 2; Jer. xli. 5, &c. But I think the other the more natural construction.

33 And the ''carcasses of this ""'• """""' '''' people shall be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth; and none shall fray them away.

34 Then will I cause to ' cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride: for '' the land shall be desolate.

The generation of his lorath.'] Persons exposed to punishment; used here as children of icrath, Eph. ii. 3.

Verse 31. Tophet — in the valley of the son of Hinnom] Tophet was the place in that valley where the continual fires were kept up, in and tlrrough which they consecrated their children to Moloch.

Verse 32. The valley of slaughter] The place where the slaughtered thousands of this rebellious people shall be cast, in order to their being burnt, or becoming food for the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, ver. 33. These words are repeated, and their meaning more particularly e.xplained, chap. xix. 6—15.

Verse 34. Then will I cause to cease — the voice of mirth] There shall no longer be in Jerusalem any cause of joy; they shall neither marry nor be given in marriage, for the land shall be totally desolated. Such horrible sins required such a horrible punishment. And they must be horrible, when they move God to destroy the work of his own hands.

The judgments threatened in the last chapter are here declared to extend to the very dead, whose tombs should be opened, and the carcasses treated with every mark of indignity, 1-3. From this the prophet returns to reprove them for their perseverance in transgression, 4—6; and for their thom^htless stupidity, tchich even the instinct of the brute creation, by a beautiful contrast, is made to upbraid, 7—9. This leads to farther threatenings, expressed in a variety of striking terms, 10-13. Upon which a chorus of Jews is introduced, expressing their terror on the news of the invasion, 14, 15; which is greatly heightened in the next verse by the prophet's hearing the snorting of Nebuchadnezzar's horses even from Dan, and then seeing the devastation made by his army, 16, whose cruelties God himself declares no entreaties will soften, 17. On this declaration the prophet laments most bitterly the fate of the daughter of his people, changing the scene nnaivares to the place of her captivity, where she is introduced answering in mournful responses to the prophet's dirge, 18-22. The variety of images and figures used to diversify the same subject is equally pleasing and astonishing. The dress is generally new, always elegant.

'^R'?"Roman.!'''' of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the

bones of the priests, and the bones of the prO' phets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves:

2 And they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the ho.^t of heaven, whom they have loved, and whom they have served, and after whom they have walked, and whom they have sought, and ^ whom they have worshipped: they shall not be gathered, •■ nor be buried; they shall be for " dung upon trie face of the earth.

3 And ■• death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of them that remain of this evil family, which remain in all the places whither I have driven them, saith the Lord of hosts.

Verse 1. They shall Iring out the hones] This and the two following verses are a continuation of the preceding prophecy, and should not have been separated from the foregoing chapter.

In order to pour the utmost contempt upon the land, the victorious enemies dragged out of their graves, caves, and sepulchres, the bones of kings, princes, prophets, priests, and the principal inhabitants, and exposed them in the open air; so that they became, in the order of God's judgments, a reproach to them in the vain confidence they had in the sun, moon, and the host of heaven — all the planets and stars, whose worship they had set up in opposition to that of Jehovah. This custom of raising the bodies of the dead, and scattering their bones about, seems to have been general. It was the highest expression of hatred and contempt. Horace refers to it: —

Barbarus, heu, cineres insistet victor, et urbem Eques sonante verberabit ungula:

Quasque carent ventis et solibus ossa Quirini (Nefas videre) dissipabit insolens.

" Barbarians fell shall wanton with success. Scatter the city's flaming ruins wide; Or through her streets in vengeful triumph ride, And her great founder's hallowed ashes spurn, That slept uninjured in the sacred urn." Fr.incis.

Verse 4. Moreover thou shall say] Dr. Blai/ney very properly observes, " In that part of the prophecy which follows next, the difference of speakers requires to be attended to; the transition being quick and sudden, but full of life and energy. The prophet at first, in the name of God, reproves the people's incorrigibility; he charges their wise ones with foUy. and threat-

4 Moreover thou shalt say '^g'^'clr eio* unto them, Thus saith the Oi.'cir. XLii. 3

5 Why then is this people of Jerusalem " slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? f they hold fast deceit, s they refuse to return.

6 '■ I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying. What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle.

7 Yea, ' tlie stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and ^ the ttutle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but • my people know not the judgment of the Lord.

8 How do ye sa)^. We are wise, ™ and the

ens them with grievous calamities, ver. 4-13. In the three next verses he seems to apostrophize his countrymen in his own person, and as one of the people that dwelt in the open towns, advising those that were in the like situation to retire with him into some of the fortified cities, and there wait the event with patience, since there was nothing but terror abroad, and the noise of the enemy, who had already begun to ravage the country, ver. 14—16. God speaks, ver. 17, and threatens to bring foes against them that shoidd be irresistible. The prophet appears again in his own person, commiserating the daughter of his people, who is heard bewailing her forlorn case in a distant land; while the voice of God, like that of conscience, breaks in upon her complaints, and shows her that all this ruin is brought upon her by her own infidelities, ver. 18-20. The prophet once more resumes his discourse; he regrets that no remedy can be found to close up the wounds of his country, and pathetically weeps over the number of her slain, ver. 21, chap. Lx. 1."

Shall they fall, and not arise? shall he turn away, and not return?] That is, It is as possible for sinners to return from their sin to God, for his grace is ever at hand to assist, as it is for God, who is pouring out his judgments, to return to them on their return to him. But these held fast deceit, and refused to return; they would not be undeceived.

Verse 6. -4^ the horse rusheth into the lattle.] This strongly marks the unthinking, careless desperation of their conduct.

Verse 7. The stork in the heaven] The birds of passage know the times of their going and return, and punctually observe them; they obey the dictates of nature, but my people do not obey my law.

Verse 8. The pen of the scribes is in vain.] The deceitful pen of the scribes. They have written falsely, though they had the truth before them. It is too bald

9 ° The P wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the Lord; and i what wisdom is in them?

10 Therefore ''will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to tliem that shall inherit tliem: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to ^ covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealetli falsely.

1 1 For they have • healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightij', saying, " Peace, peace; when there is no peace.

1 2 Were tliey '' ashamed when they had committed abomination; nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down,

13 "I will surely consume them, saith the Lord: there shall be no grapes ^ on the vine, nor figs on the 5' fig tree, and the leaf shall fade; and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them.

14 Why do we sit still? ^assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the defenced cities, and let us be silent there: for the Lord our

" Or, the false pen of the scribes worketh for falsehood; Isa. x. 1.

an assertion to say that " the Jews have never falsified the sacred oracles;" they have done it again and again. They have written falsities when they knew they were such.

Verse 10. Therefore will I give iheir wives] From this to the end of ver. 15 is repeated from chap. vi.

"i'erse 16. The snorting of his horses teas heard from Dan] Dan lay in the way from Babylon to.Terusaleni; and it was by this city, after the battle of Carcheniish, that Nebuchadnezzar, in pursuing the Egyptians, entered Palestine.

The whole land tremhled at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones] Of his war horses. This is a fine image; so terrible was the united neighing of the cavalry of the Babylonians that the reverberation of the air caused the ground to tremble. This is better, and more majestic, than the celebrated line of Virgil: —

15 We "^ looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and behold trouble!

16 The snorting of his horses was heard from ■^ Dan: tiie whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of his " strong ones; for they are come, and have devoured the land, and ^all that is in it; the city, and those that dwell therein.

17 For, behold, I will send serpents, cockatrices, among you, whicli will not be ^ charmed, and they shall bite you, saith the Lord.

18 When I would comfort myself against sorrow, my heart ts faint '' in me.

19 Behold the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people ' because of them that dwell in ^ a far country: Is not the Lord in Zion? is not her king in her? Why have they 'provoked me to anger with their graven images, and with' strange vanities?

20 The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.

21 ■" For the liurt of tiie daughter of my people am I hurt; I am " black; astonishment hath taken hold on me.

22 Is there no ° balm in Gilead; is there no phj^sician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people ^ recovered?

i Heb. because of the country of them that are far off. ' Isa. xxxix.

It would be much easier to shaie the ground with the prancings of many horses, than to cause an earthquake by the sound of the neighing of the troops of cavalry.

Verse 17. / will send serpents] These were symbols of the enemies that were coming against them; a foe that would rather slay them and destroy the land than get booty and ransom.

Verse 20. The harvest is past] The siege of Jerusalem lasted tioo years; for Nebuchadnezzar came against it in the ninth year of Zedekiah, and the city was taken in the eleventh; see 2 Kings xxv. 1-3. This seems to have been a proverb: " We expected deliverance the frst year— none came. AVe hoped for it the second year — we are disappointed; we are not saved — -no deliverance is come."

then is not the health of the daughter of my peopla

recovered?" Because ye have not applied to the physician, nor used the balm. Ye die because ye will not use tlie remedy. But to apply this metaphor: — The Israelites are represented as a man dying tlirough disease; and a disease for the cure of which the halm of Gdcad was well known to be a specific, when judiciously applied by a physician. But though there be halm and a physician, the people are not cured; neither their spiritual nor political evUs are removed. But what may all this spiritually mean T The people are morally diseased; they have sinned against God, and provoked him to destroy them. They are warned by the prophet to repent and turn to God: they refuse, and sin on. Destruction is come upon them. Might they not have avoided it % Yes. Was it the fault of God! No. Did he not send his prophets with the richest offers of mercy? Did he not give them time, the best instructions, and the most effectual means of returning to him? Has not mercy, the heavenly halm, been ever at hand? And has not God, the great Physician, been ever ready to apply it ^ Yes. Why then are they not converted and healed? Because they would not apply to the Divine Physician, nor receive the only remedy by which they could be spiritually healed. They, then, that sin against the only remedy must perish, because they might have had it, but would not. It is not because there is a deficiency of grace, nor of the means of grace, that men are not saved; but because they either make no use, or a bad use, of them. Jesus Chiist, by the grace of God, has tasted death for every man; but few are saved, because they WILL NOT cmne unto him that they may have life. In my old MS. Bible the text is rendered thus: — 3Dl)etf)£c guitim i?' not in -Saliiabi •Qt a Icclie i;^ not tljEte '. IDljp tljdii tlje Ijib tonuitiic of tljc baugljtct of mp pcplc \^ not aile bcliiJ i

How shall they escape who neglect so great a salvation ] Reader, lay this to heart; and, while there is time, apply heartily to the great Physician for thy cure.

The propliet bitterly laments the terrihle judgments ahout to he inflicted upon his countrymen, and points out some of the evils which have provoked the Divine Majesty, 1—9. Judea shall be utterly desolated, and the inhabitants transplanted into heathen countries, 10—17. In allusion to ati ancient custom, a band of mourning women is called to lament over the ruins of Jerusalem, 17, 18; and even the funeral dirge is given in terms full of beauty, elegance, and pathos, 19—23. God is the fountain of all good; man, merely an instrument by ivhich a portion of this good is distributed in the earth; therefore none should glory in his wisdom, might, or riches, 23, 24. The judgments of God shall fall, not upon the land of Judea only, but also upon many heathen nations, 25, 26.

waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!

2 0 that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of way-faring men; that I might leave

Verse 1. O that my head were waters] D'O 'E'NI in' '0 mi yitten roshi mayim, " who will give to my head waters'!" My mourning for the sins and desolations of my people has already exhausted the source of tears: I wish to have a fountain opened there, that I may weep day and night for the slain of my people. This has been the sorrowful language of many a pastor who has preached long to a hardened, rebellious people, to little or no effect. This verse belongs to the preceding

Verse 2. O that I had in the wilderness] In the eastern countries there are no such inns or houses of entertainment as those in Europe. There are in different places public buildings called caravanserais, where travellers may lodge: but they are without /wrmture of any kind, and without food. Indeed they are

3 And *" they bend their tongues J like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and

often without a roof, being mere walls for a protection against the wild beasts of the desert. I wish to hide myself any where, in the most uncomfortable circumstances, that I may not be obliged any longer to witness the abominations of this people who are shortly to be visited with the most grievous punishments. Several interpreters suppose this to be the speech of God. I cannot receive this. I believe this verse to be spoken by the prophet, and that God proceeds with the next verse, and so on to the ninth inclusive.

Verse 3. They bend their tongues like their bow for lies] And their lies are such that they as fully take away life as the keenest arrow shot from the best strung bow. The false prophets told the people that there was no desolation at hand: the people believed them; made no preparation for their defence; did not return to the Lord; and the sword came and destroyed them.

in any brother: for every brother will utterly

5 And they will ' deceive every one his neighboiu:, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongues to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity.

6 Thine habitation is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know me, saith

7 Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, Behold, '' I will melt them, and try them; ' for how shall I do for the daughter of my people?

8 Their tongue is as an arrow shot out; it speaketh ™ deceit: one speaketh " peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but ° in heart he layeth ^ his wait.

9 1 Shall I not visit them for these things 1 saith the Lord: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

10 For the mountains will I take up a weeping and wailing, and ' for the ^ habitations of tlie wilderness a lamentation, because they are ' burned up, so that none can pass through

voice of the cattle; " both ' the 01. cir. XLii. 3. fowl of the heavens and the beast R'^^Romanr"'

Thet/ are not valiant for the truth] They are bold in sin, and courageous to support their lies; but the truth they neither patronize nor support.

Verse 5. And weary themselves to commit iniquity.] O, what a drudgery is sin! and how much labour must a man take in order to get to hell! The tenth part of it, in working together with God, would bring him to the gate of glory.

Verse 7. Behold, I will melt them] I will put therti in the furnace of affliction, and see if this will be a means of purging away their dross. See on chap,

Verse 10. Both the fowl of the heavens and the beast are fled] The land shall be so utterly devastated, that neither beast nor bird shall be able to live in it.

Verse 11. A den of dragons] Q-jn tannim is supposed to mean here jackals; the chakal is a beast frequent in the east, an attendant on the lion, the refuse of whose prey he devours. It is an animal that seems to have been bred originally between the wolf and the dog. The original is sometimes interpreted, dragons, whales, &c.

1 1 And I will make Jerusalem " heaps, a7id ^ a den of dragons; and I will make the cities of Judah y desolate, without an inhabitant.

12 ^ Who is the wise man that may understand this? and who is he to whom the mouth of the Lord hath spoken, that he may declare it, for what the land perisheth and is burned up like a wilderness, that none passeth tlirough?

13 And the Lord saith. Because they have forsaken my law which I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice, neither walked therein;

1 4 But have " walked after the ^ imagination of their own heart, and after Baalim, " which their fathers taught them:

15 Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will '^feed them, even this people, " with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink.

16 I will f scatter them also among the heathen, whom neither they nor their fathers have known: ^ and I will send a sword after them, till I have consumed them.

17 Thus saith the Lord of hosts. Consider ye, and call for ''the mourning women, that

Verse 12. Who is the wise man] To whom has God revealed these things? He is the truly wise man. But it is to his prophet alone that God has revealed these things, and the speedy fulfilment of the predictions will show that the prophet has not spoken of himself.

Verse 15. / tvill feed the?n — with wormwood] They shall have the deepest sorrow and heaviest affliction. They shall have poison instead of meat and drink.

Verse 17. Call for the mourning u'omen] Those whose office it was to make lamentations at funer.als, and to bewail the dead, for which they received pay. This custom continues to the present in Asiatic countries. In Ireland this custom also prevails, which no doubt their ancestors brought from the east. I have often witnessed it, and have given a specimen of this elsewhere. See the note on Matt. ix. 23. The first lamentations for the dead consisted only in the sudden bursts of inexpressible grief, like that of David over his son Absalom, 2 Sam. xix. 4. But as men grew refined, it was not deemed sufhcient for the surv'iving relatives to vent their sorrows in these natural, artless expressions cir. annum 7. jg p^^^ jg[ tiiej;n n;iake haste, and take up a waihng for us, that ' our eyes may run down with tears, and our eyelids gush out with waters.

19 For a voice of waihng is heard out of Zion, How are we spoiled! we are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land, because '' our dwellings have cast us out.

20 Yet hear the word of the Lord, 0 ye women, and let your ear receive the word of his mouth, and teach your daughters wailing, and every one her neighbour lamentation.

2 1 For death is come up into our windows.

of wo, but they endeavoured to join others as partners in their sorrows. This gave rise to the custom of hiring persons to weep at funerals, which the Phrygians and Greeks borrowed from the Hebreios. Women were generally employed on these occasions, because the tender passions being predominant in this sex, they succeeded better in their parts; and there were never wanting persons who would let out their services to hire on such occasions. Their lamentations were sung to the pipe as we learn from Matt. ix. 23. See the funeral ceremonies practised at the biurial of Hector, as described by Homer: —

" Arrived within the royal house, they stretched The breathless Hector on a sumptuous bed. And singers placed beside him, who should chant The strain funereal; they with many a groan The dirge began; and still at every close The female train with many a groan replied.^''

St. Jerome tells us that even to his time this custom continued in Judea; that women at funerals, with dishevelled hair and naked breasts, endeavoured in a modulated voice to invite others to lament with them. The poem before us, from the seventeenth to the twentysecond veise, is both an illustration and confirmation of what has been delivered on this subject, and worthy of the reader's frequent perusal, on account of its affecting pathos, moral sentiments, and fine images, particularly in the twenty -first verse, where death is described in as animated a prosopopceia as can be conceived. See LowtVs twenty-second Prelection, and Dodd. The nineteenth verse is supposed to be the fimeral song of the women.

" How are we spoiled! We are greatly confounded!

22 Speak, Thus saith the Lord, Even the carcasses of men shall fall ™as dung upon the open field, and as the handful after the harvestman, and none shall gather them.

23 Thus saith the Lord, " Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty 7nan glory in his might, let not the rich man glorj' in his riches:

24 But ° let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and luioweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth:

Verse 20. Teach your daughters] This is not a common dirge that shall last only till the body is consigned to the earth; it must last longer; teach it to your children, that it may be continued through every generation, till God turn again 3'our

Verse 21. For death is come up into our loindows] Here death is personified, and represented as scaling their wall; and after having slain the playful children without, and the vigorous youth emplo)'ed in the labours of the field, he is now come into the private houses, to destroy the aged and infirm; and into the palaces, to destroy the king and the princes.

Verse 22. And as the handful after the harvestman] The reapers, after having cut enough to fill their hand, threw it down; and the binders, following after, collected those handfuls, and bound them in sheaves. Death is represented as having cut down the inhabitants of the land, as the reapers do the corn; but so general was the slaughter, that there was none to hiry the dead, to gather up these handfuls; so that they lay in a state of putrescence, as dung upon the open field.

Verse 23. Let not the wise ms.n glory in his wisdom] Because God is the Fountain of all good, neither wisdom, nor might, nor riches, nor prosperity can come but from or through, him. Nothing can be more rational than that the Source of all our blessings shouli be acknowledged. Riches cannot deliver in the day of death; strength cannot avaU against him; and as a shield against him, our tvisdom is foolishness.

Verse 24. Bui let him that glorieth] To glory in a thing is to depend on it as the means or cause of procuring happiness. But there can be no happiness but in being experimentally acquainted wiih that God who exercises loving-kindness, judgment, and righteous~ ness in the earth. He who has God's mercy for his portion may well exult; for he need not fear the power of any adversary.

'punish all them tohich are circumcised with the uncircumcised; 26 Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, ' and the

Judith xiv. 10. >Hcb. cut off into timent.s of morality far beyond their dispensation. Witness Phocylides on this subject: —

"If wisdom, strength, or riches be thy lot, Boast not; but rather think thou hast them not. One God alone from whom those gifts proceed Is wise, is mighty, and is rich indeed.^'' Verse 25. I will punish a// them which are circumcised with the uncircumcised] Do not imagine that you, because of your crimes, are the only objects of my displeasure; the circumcised and the uncircumcised, the Jew and the Gentile, shgill equally feel the stroke of my justice, their transgressions being alike, after their advantages and disad%'antages are duly compared. In like manner, other nations also were delivered into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar; these he immediately enumerates: Egypt and Edom, and the Moabites and ths Ammonites, and the Arabians of the desert. All most corners, that dwell in tlie r. Roman., wilderness: for all these na- """• ^"""'" "''■. tions are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are " uncircumcised in the these nations were uncircumcised in that way which God required that rite to be practised as a sign of his covenant; and the Israelites, that did practise it as a sign of that covenant, did not attend to its spiritual meaning, for they were all uncircumcised in heart. And it may be remarked, that these people were in general confederated against the Chaldeans.

Verse 26. All that are in the utmost corners] 12 nX3 "i'li'p col ketsulsey pheah. These words have been variously understood. The Vulgate translates: Omnes qui attonsi sunt in comam; " All who have their hair cut short." The Targum, Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic have understood it nearly in the same way; and so our margin. Others think that the insular or peninsular situation of the people is referred to. Dr. Blayney thinks the Arabians are meant, who dwelt in the great desert, between Mesopotamia and Palestine. I really think our marginal reading should be preferred, as expressing the sense of all the ancient Versions.

The Jews, about to be carried into captivity, are here warned against the superstition and idolatry of that country to which they were going. Chaldca was greatly addicted to astrology, and therefore the prophet begins with warning them against it, 1, 2. He then exposes the absurdity of idolatry in short but elegant satire; in the midst of which he turns, in a beautiful apostrophe, to the one true God, whose adorable attributes repeatedly strike in view, as he goes along, and lead him to contrast his infinite perfections with those despicable inanities tohich the blinded nations fear, 3-16. The prophet again denounces the Divine judgments, 17, 18; upon which Jerusalem laments her fate, and supplicates the Divine compassion in her favour, 19-25.

TTEAR ye the word which the Lord speaketh unto you, 0 house of Israel: 2 Thus saith the Lord, " Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dis-

Verse 1. Hear ye the word tohich the Lord speaketh unto you] Dr. Dnhler supposes this discourse to have been delivered in the fourth year of the reign of Jehoiakim. It contains an invective against idolatry; showing its absurdity, and that the Creator alone should be worshipped by all mankind.

A'erse 2. Learn not the loay of the heathen] These words arc more particidarly addressed to the ten tribes scattered among the heathen by the Ass3rrians, who carried them away captive; they may also regard those in

3 For the •> customs of the peo- ""■ """""^ '"■ pie a7-e vain: for "one cutteth a tree out of

the land of Israel, who still had the customs of the former heathen settlers before their eyes.

Be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed] The Chaldeans and Egyptians were notoriously addicted to astrology; and the Israelites here are cautioned against it. The signs of the heavens may mean either the sun, moon, planets, and particular stars or constellations; or ihe figures oi characters by which they represented these heavenly bodies.

01. XLIII.2. of the workman, with the axe. 'it'^Rornrin! ' 4 They deck it with silver and cir. annn.n 10..^^j^j^ ^^^A.; they ^ fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.

5 They a?-e upright as the palm tree, " but speak not: they must needs be ' borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for ^ they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.

6 Forasmuch as there is none ''like unto thee, O Lord; thou art great, and tliy name is great in might.

7 ' Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for ^ to thee doth it appertain: forasmucli as ' among all the wise rnen of the nations, and in all tlieir kingdoms, there is none like unto thee.

chukkoth; the statutes and principles of the science are vain, empty, and illusory. They are founded in nonsense, ignorance, idolatry, and folly.

One cutteth a tree out of the forest] See the notes on Isa. xl. 19, and xliv. 9, &c., which are all parallel places and where this conduct is strongly ridiculed.

Verse 5. TAey are upright as the palm tree] As straight and as stiff as the trees out of wliich they are hewn.

Verse 7. Who wotild not fear thee] Who would not worship thee as the Author and Giver of all goodl The fear of God is often taken for the whole of true religion.

Among all the loise men of the nations] Not even the wisest and most cultivated of the nations have ever found out any one equal to thee; but so exalted and holy art thou, that in all their wisdom and research they have never been able to find out the true God.

Verse 8. The stock is a doctrine of vanities.] Dr. Blayney translates, — " The wood itself is a rebuker of vanities." The very tree out of which the god is hewn demonstrates the vanity and folly of the idolaters; for, can all the art of man make out of a log of wood an animate and intelligent being!

Verse 9. Brought from Tarshish] Some suppose this to be Tartessus in Spain, from which the Phoenicians brought much silver. TJphaz, Calmet thinks to be the river Pison; some think Ophir is intended.

Blue and purple is their clothing] These were the most precious dyes; very rare, and of high price.

Verse 10. But the Lord] The original word should be preserved, however we agree to pronounce it: niiT Yehovah is the true God. He is without beginning, and without end. This is true of no being else.

8 But they are " altogether *B^''j[;6of- " brutish and foolish: the stock oi. xljii. 2.

9 Silver spread into plates is "'■ """""' ^°- brought from Tarshish, and "gold from Uphaz, the work of the workman, and of the hands of the founder: p blue and piu-ple is their clothing: they are all 1 the work of cunning men.

10 But the Lord is the 'true God, he is ^ the living God, and an ' everlasting " King at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the na tions shall not be able to abide his indignation.

11^ Thus shall ye say unto them, "" The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even '^ they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens.

1 2 He 7 iiath made the earth by his power, he hath ^ established the world by his wisdom.

tiiiig of eternity. "Psa. x. 16. ^'la the Chaldean language

And an everlasting king] As he has made, so he governs, all things. His sway is felt both in the heavens and in the earth.

At his tcrath the earth shall tremble] All storms, tempests, tornadoes, and earthquakes are the effects of his power; and when the nations are destroyed, or turned upside down, it is the effect of his displeasure.

Verse 11. Thus shall ye say unto them] Th' ■ is the message you shall deliver to the Chaldear. idolaters.

The gods thcit have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish] Both they and their worshippers shall be destroyed; and idolatry shall ^noWy be destroyed from the earth; and the heavens shali look no more on so great an abomination. It is suffered for a while: but in the end shall be destroyed This verse is WTitten in a sort of HehraoSyriaco- Chaldee; such a dialect as I suppose was spoken at that time in Babylon, or during the captivity. As it is a message to the Babylonians, therefore, it is given in their own language. The Chaldee makes it the beginning of the copy of the epistle which the Prophet Jeremiah sent to the rest of the elders of the captivity who were in Babylon. All the ancient Versions acknowledge this verse; and it is found in all MSS. hitherto collated, e.xcept one of Dr. KennicotCs numbered 526; and he has included it between lines, as doubting its authenticity. Dr. Blayney supposes that some public teacher during the captivity, deducing it by direct inference from the prophet's words, had it inserted in the margin, and perhaps usually read together with this section, in the assemblies of the people, in order that they might have their answer always ready, whenever they were molested on the point of

waters in the heavens, and ^ he causelh the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh hghtnings " with rain, and bringeth forth tlie wind out of his treasures.

14 f Every man sis ''brutish in his knowledge: ' every founder is confounded by the graven image: ^ for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.

16 "The Portion of Jacob is

Dahler has left it entirely out of the test, and introduces it in a note thus: — "After ver. 10 the Hebrew text is interrupted by a verse \\Titten in the Chaldean or Babylonish tong;ue. It is thus expressed: —

Ye shall say unto them, Let the gods perish! Who have not made the heavens and the earth. Let them be banished from above the earth, and from under the heavens.

This verse can be considered only as a foreign insertion, not only on account of the difference of the language, but also because it interrupts the natural course of the ideas, and of the connexion of the tenth and twelfth verses."

As a curiosity I shall insert it in Hebrew, which the reader may compare with the Chaldee text, which I also subjoin.

Th^ □'"li'n nnn pi V1><n p nnx' cazolh tomeru lahem; haelohim asher lo asu hashshamayim vehaarets, yohcda min haarets, umin tachath hashshamayim elleh.

: nSs N-niy ilinn pi NinSO nas' Udna tememn lehon; clahaiya di shetnaiya vearha la abadu, yebadu meara umin techoth shemaiya elleh.

The Hebrew is the translation of Leusden; the Chaldee is that of the common text. Had not all the ancient Versions acluiowledged it, I also, principally on account of the strangeness of the language, as being neither Chaldee nor Syriac, should have doubted its authenticity.

Verse 13. When he uitereth his voice, there is a multitude of ioaters\ This is a plain allusion to a storm of thunder and lightning, and the abundance of rain which is the consequence. Water is composed of two gases, hydrngcn and oxygen: the electric or galvanic spark decomposes them, and they become air; when recomposcd, they form water. The lightning acts upon the hydrogen and oxygen, which are found in the atmospheric air: they are decomposed, and water or rain is the consequence; which, being heavier than the air falls douii in the form of rain.

not like them: for he is the former of all things; and "Israel is the rod of his inheritance: ° The Lord of hosts is his name.

Behold, I will ■■ sling out the inhabitants of

This verse and the three following are the same in substance, and uearly in words, as chap. li. 16, and following.

Verse 14. Every man is brutish] 1J>3J mbar, is a boor, acts as a brute, who may suppose that a stock of a tree, formed like a man, may be an intellectual being; and therefore shuns the form as though it had life. See Isa. xliv. 10, 11. Of which verses, by the way. Dr. Blayney gives the following version to correct that of Bishop Loicih: —

Or set up a graven image that profitcth not! 1 1. Behold, all that are connected with it shall be ashamed. And the artificers, they above all men! They shall assemble all of them; they shall

" That is, while the)' stand before the image they have set up, and worship it with a religious dread, the glaring absurdity of their conduct shall lead to their shame and disgrace.'''' With due deference to this learned man, I think this interpretation too refined.

Verse 16. The Portion of Jacob is not like them] Every nation had its tutelary god; this was its portion; in reference to this God says Deut. iv. 19: " He has divided the sun, moon, and stars, to all the nations under the heaven." And the Lord had taken the Israelites to be liis portion; for " the Lord's portion is his people," Deut. xxxii. 9, and David says, " The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance," Psa. xvi. 5; cxix. 57. And hence Isaiah terms the smooth stones of the brook, to which Divine honours were paid, the portion of those idolaters, chap. Ivii. 6. But in the text he says, " The Portion, i. e, the God of Jacob is not lilie them; for he is the former of all things," and they are formed by their foolish worshippers.

Verse 17. Gather up thy wares] Pack up your goods, or what necessaries of life yonr enemies will permit you to carry away; for.

Verse 18. / will sling out the inhabitants of the land] I wUi project you with violence from your

1 9 ' Wo is me for my hurt! my wound is grievous: but I said, " Truly tliis is a grief, and ' I must bear it.

20 "■' My tabernacle is spoiled, and all my cords arc broken: my children are gone fortli of me, and they are not: there is none to stretch forth my tent any more, and to set up my curtains.

21 For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the Lord: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered.

country. I will send you all into captivity. This discourse, from ver. 17, is supposed to have been delivered in the eleventh year of Jehoiakim.

Verse 19. This is a grief, and I must bear it.^ Oppressive as it is, I have deserved it, and worse; but even in this judgment God remembers mercy.

Verse 20. My tahernaclc is spoiled] The city is taken, and all our villages ruined and desolated.

Verse 21. The pastors are become Initish] The king and his counsellors, who, by refusing to pay the promised tribute to Nebuchadnezzar, had kindled a new war.

Verse 32. The noise of the hruit is come] How this silly French word bruit, which signifies noise, got in here, I cannot imagine. The simple translation is this: " The voice of the report! behold, it is come; vea, great commotion from the land of the north; (Chaldea;) to make the cities of Jndea a desolation, a habitation of wild beasts." That is, the report we had heard of the projected invasion of Judea by Nebuchadnezzar is confirmed. He has entered the land; the Chaldeans are at the doors, and the total desolation of Judea is their sole object.

Verse 23. O Lord, I know that the tcay of man is not in himself] I will not pretend to dispute with thee; thou dost every thing wisely and justly; we have sinned, and thou hast a right to punish; and to choose that sort of punishment thou thinkest will best answer the ends of justice. We cannot choose; thou hast appointed us to captivity; we must not repine: yet, out 01 the ^ north country, to r. Roman., make the cities of Judah deso- c"^- annum n. late, and a ^ den of dragons.

23 0 Lord, I know that the ^ way of man is not in himself: it is not in man tliat walketh to direct his steps.

24 0 Lord, " correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou '' bring me to nothing.

25 = Pour out thy fury upon the heathen •^ tliat Itnow thee not, and upon the families that call not on thy name: for they have eaten up Jacob, and ^ devoured him, and consumed him, and have made his habitation desolate.

Verse 24. Correct 7ne, hut with judgment] Let not the punishment be to the uttermost of the demerit of the offence; else we shall be brought to nothing — totally and irrecoverably ruined.

Verse 25. Pour out thy fury tipon the heathen] Even those who are now the executors of thy justice upon us will, in their turn, feel its scourge; for if judgment begins at us, who have been called thy house and thy people, shall they who have not achwicledged thee escape 1 It is impossible. The families and tribes which invoke thee not shall have thy fury poured out upon them, and especially they who " have eaten up Jacob and consumed him, and have made his habitation desolate." This was fulfilled in the Chaldeans. Nebuchadnezzar was punished with madness, liis son was slain in his revels, and the city was taken and sacked by Cyrus; and the Babylonish empire was finally destroyed! This verse has been often quoted against those ungodly families who set not up the worship of God in their houses. These are spiritual Chaldeans, worse indeed than the Chaldeans ever were: they acknowledge God and his Christ; and yet neither worship nor serve him. How can that family expect the blessing of God, where the worship of God is not daily performed? No wonder their servants are wicked, their children profligate, and then- goods cursed! Wliat an aw^ul reckoning shall such heads of families have with the Judge in the great day, who have refused to petition for that mercy vvliich they might have had for the asking.

The prophet proclaims the tenor of God's covenant witJi the Jews of old, 1-5; and then reproves them for their hereditary disobedience, 6-19. In consequence of this the Almighty is introduced, declaring he will shoto them '^0 pity, 11—13; forbidding Jeremiah to intercede, 14; rejecting their sacrifices, 15; and in a word, condemning this fair but unfruitful tree to the fire, 16, 17. In what remains of the chapter the prophet predicts evil to his neighbours of Anathoth, loho had conspired against him, 18-23. " Let us," said they, " destroy this tree, with the fruit therca''," d^c., alluding to what Jeremiah had said m the sixteenth verse.

R^^RomanT'' 2 Hear ye the words of tliis cir. annum 19. covenant, aiid speak unto the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem;

3 And say thou unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel; * Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant,

4 Which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of t!ie land of Eg}'pt, ^ from the iron fiurnace, saying, "^ Obey my voice, and do them, according to all wliich I command you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be yoiur God:

5 That I may perform the "^ oath which I have sworn unto yoiu: fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day. Then answered I, and said, " So be it, 0 Lord.

6 Then the Lord said unto me, Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying. Hear ye the words of this covenant, ^ and do them.

7 For I earnestly protested unto your fathers in the day that 1 brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even unto this day, ^ rising early and protesting, saying, Obey my voice.

8 ''Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but ■ walked every one in the ^ imagina-

V^erse 1. The word that came to Jeremiah] This discourse is supposed to have been delivered in the first year of the reign of Zedeldah. See Dahler.

Verse 2. Hear ye the ivords of this covenant] It is possible that the prophet caused the words of the covenant made with their fathers in the desert (Exod. x.Kiv. 4-8) to be read to them on this occasion; or, at least, the blessings and the cursings which Moses caused to be pronounced to the people as soon as they had set foot in Canaan, Deut. xxvii., xxviii.

Verse 3. Cursed be the man that oheyeth not] After the reading, the prophet appears to sum up th(? things contained in what was read' to them; as if he had said, " Ye hear what the Lord saith unto you: remember, the sum of it is this: The man is cursed who obeyeth not; and he is blessed who obeys. From these declarations God will not depart."

Verse 5. So be it, O Lord] Let thy promises be fulfilled; and let the incorrigible beware of thy threatenings!

I will bring upon them all the oi. cir. xi,v.3.

words 01 this covenant, whicli 1 r. Roman.. commanded them to do; but they ""•■ """"'" '^- did them not.

9 And the Lord said mito mc, ' A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

10 They are turned back to ™ the iniquities of their forefathers, wliich refused to hear my words; and they went after other gods to serve them: tlie house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with their fathers.

1 1 Therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able " to escape; and ° though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them.

1 2 Then shall the cities of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem go, and p cry unto the gods unto whom they offer incense: but they shall not save them at all in the time of their 1 trouble.

13 For according to the number of thy ■■ cities were thy gods, 0 Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars to that ^ shameful thing, even altars to burn incense unto Baal.

14 Therefore 'pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for

Verse 6. Proclaim all these tuords] Let the same covenant, with the blessings and cursings, be read in every city of Judah, and in all the streets of Jcmsalem, that all the people may know their duty, their privileges, and their danger.

Verse 9. A conspiracy is found] They were all fratres conjurali, sworn brothers, determined to cast off the Divine yoke, and no longer to have God to reign over them.

Verse 10. They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers] A great reformation had taken place under the reign of Josiah, and the public worship of idols had been aboUshcd, and most of the high places destroyed; but under the reign of his son and his successors, they had turned hack again to idolatry, and were become worse than ever. It required a captivity to cure them of this propensity; and God sent one: after that, there was no idolatry among the Jews.

Verse 12. Go, and cry unto the gods] See chap,

cir. annum 19. jg v What "hath my beloved to do in mine house, seeing she hath == wrought lewdness with many, and ^ the holy flesh is passed from thee? ^ when thou doest evil, then thou '^ rejoicest.

1 6 The Lord called thy name, '' A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken.

17 For the Lord of hosts, " that planted thee, hath pronounced evil against thee, for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done against themselves to provoke me to anger in offering incense unto Baal.

18 And the Lord hath given me knowledge of it, and I know it: then thou showedst me their doings.

19 But I was like a lamb o?- an ox that is

is to vty beloved in my house? ^Ezek. xvi. 25, &c. yHag.

I am determined to give them up into tiie hands of their enemies; I will neither hear thy intercession, nor regard their prayers. Their measure is full.

Yerse 15. What hath my heloced to do in mine house] This has been supposed to refer to Abraham, Moses, or such eminent servants of God, whose intercession was very powerful. Were even they to appear as intercessors, their prayer shoidd not be regarded. Others think that this is an endearing expression, which properly belonged to the Israelites. When God took them into covenant with himself, they were espoused to him, and therefore his heloved; but now that they liave forsaken him, and joined themselves to another, what have they to do with his house or its ordinances, which they wish now to frequent with vows and sacrifices, when they see the evU fast coming upon them 1 This is probably the sense of this very obscure passage. Dr. Blaijney translates, " ^^Tiat hath my beloved to do in my house whilst she practiseth wickedness 1 Shall vows an^ holy flesh (sacrifices) be allowed to come from thee 1 When thou art malignant, shalt thou rejoice ]"

Vejse 16. The Lord called thy name, A green olive tree'] That is, he made thee like a green olive — fair, flourishing, and fruitful; but thou art degenerated, and God hath given the Chaldeans permission to bum thee up.

Yerse 18. The Lord hath given, me knoivledge of it] The men of Anathoth had conspired against his life, because he reproved them for their sins, and denounced the judgments of God against them. Of this God had

Vised devices against me, saying, r. Roman., Let us destroy <= the tree with the "'■ '^""""' ^^- fruit thereof, ^and let us cut him off from s the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered.

20 But, O Lord of hosts, that judgest righteously, that ^ triest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I revealed my cause.

21 Therefore thus saith the Lord oi '>'ie men of Anathoth, ■ that seek thy life, saying, ■^ Prophesy not in the name of tiie Lord, that thou die not by oiu- hand:

22 Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts. Behold, I will ' punish them: tlie young men shall die by the sword; their sons and their daughters shall die by famine:

23 And there shall be no remnant of them; for I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth, even ™ the year of their visitation.

Yerse 19. I was like a lamh or an ox] Dahler translates, " I was like a fattened lamb that is led to the slaughter." Blayney, " I was like a tame lamb that is led to slaughter.'' The word ^I'rx alluph, which we translate ox, is taken by both as an adjective, qualifying the noun C^D hehes, a lamb. It may probably signify a lamb brought up in the house — fed at home, (^iSn alluph,) instructed or nourished at home; perfectly innocent and unsuspecting, while leading to the slaughter. This meaning the word will bear in Arabic, for <«all alaf signifies accu.itomed, familiar, (to or with any person or thing;) a companion, a comrade, an intimate friend. I therefore think that =1iSn JffnDD hcchebes alluph signifies, lilce the familiar lamb — the lamb bred up in the house, in a state of friendship with the family. The people of Anathoth were Jeremiah's ioivnsmen; he was boim and bred among them; they were his familiar friends; and now they lay wait for his life! All the Versions understood =]iSn alluph as an epithet of ty^J hebes, a chosen, simple, innocent lamb.

Let us destroy the tree with the fruit] Let us slay the prophet, and his prophecies will come to an end. The Targum has. Let us put mortal poison in his food; and all the Versions understand it something in the same way.

Yerse 20. Let me see thy vengeance on them] Rather, I shall see (HN'IN erch) thy punishment inflicted on them.

Verse 22. Behold, I icill punish them] And the punishment is, Their young men shall die by the sword

God concerning his state.

of the Chaldeans; ^XiA their sons and daughters shall] Verse 23. The year of their visitation.'] This pund>e by the famine that shall come on the 'and through islunent.shall come in that year in which I shall visit the desolations occasioned by the Chaldean army. ] their iniquities upon them.

This chapter is connected with the foregoing. The prophet expostulates with God concerning the toays oj Providence in permitting the wicked to prosper, 1-4. It is intimated to him that he must endure still greater trials, 5, from his false and deceitful brethren, 6; but that ftill heavier judgments awaited the nation for tAeir crimes, 7-13. That God, however, would at length have compassion on them; restore them to their land; and turn his judgments against those that oppressed them, if not prevented by their becoming converts to the true religion, 14—17.

R. Roman., thce: yct " let me talk with thee cir. annum 19. ^^ ^j^y judgments: ° Wliereforc dotli the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy tliat deal very treacherously?

2 Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root: ^ they grow, yea, they bring forth fniit: ° thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins.

3 But thou, 0 Lord, *' knowest me: thou hast seen me, and s tried mine heart ^ toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for ' the day of slaughter.

«Psa. li. 4. l>Or, let me reason the case with tliee. =Job

Verse 1. Righteous art thou, O Lord, ivhen I plead with thee] Tlie prophet was grieved at the prosperity of the wicked; and he wonders how, consistently with God's righteousness, vice should often be in affluence, and piety in suffering and poverty. He knows that God is righteous, that every thing is done well; but he wishes to inquire how these apparently unequal and undesftrved lots take place. On this subject he wishes to reason with God, that he may receive instruction.

Verse 2. Thou 3.rt near in their mouth] They have no sincerity: they have something of X\\e form of religion, but notliing of its poiver.

A'erse 3. But thou, O Lord, knowest me] I know that the very secrets of my heart are known to thee; and 1 am glad of it, for thou knowest that my heart is towards thce — is upright and sincere.

Verse 4. How long shall_ the land mourn] These hypocrites and open sinncr.s are a curse to the country; pull them out. Lord, that the land may be delivered of that which is the cause of its desolation.

Verse 5. If thou hast run with the footmen] If the smallest evils to which thou art exposed cause thee to make so many bitter complaints, how wilt thou feel when, in the course of thy prophetic ministry, thou shalt be exposed to much greater, from enemies much mourn, and the herbs of every 01. cir. XLV. 3. field wither, ^ for the wicked- r. Roman', ness of them that dwell therein? '=''"■ =^""'"" '"• " the beasts are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He shall not see oui' last end.

5 If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, -wherein thou trustedst, they loearied thee, then how wilt thou do in " the swelhng of Jordan?

6 For even ° thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt treacherously with thee; yea, •" they have called a

more powerful ■? Footmen may here be the symbol of common evil events; horsemen, of evils much more terrible. If thou have sunk under small difficulties, what wilt thou do when great ones come 1

And if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst] I believe the meaning is this, " If in a country now enjoying peace thou scarcely thinkest thyself in safety, what wQt thou do in the swellings of Jorilan? in the time when the enemy, like an overflowing torrent, shall deluge every part of the land!"

The overflowing of Jordan, which generally happened in harvest, drove the lions and other beasts of prey from their coverts among the bushes that lined its banks; who, spreading themselves through the country, made terrible havoc, slaying men, and carrying off the cattle.

Perhaps by footmen may be meant the Philistines, Edomite.'s, &c., whose armies were composed principally of infantry; and by the horses, the Chaldeans. who had abundance of cavalry and chariots in their army. But still the words are proverbial, and the above is their meaning.

Verse 6. For even thy brethren, and the hoii.sr of thy father] Thou hast none to depend on but God: even thy brethren will betray thee when they have it in their no«er.

I have left mine heritage; I have given ' the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies.

8 Mine hentage is unto me as a lion in the forest; it ' crieth " out against me: therefore have I hated it.

9 Mine heritage is imto me as a. ^ speckled bird, the birds round about are against her; come ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, ^ come == to devour.

10 Many J' pastors have destroyed ^ my vineyard, they have ^ trodden my portion under foot, they have made my *> pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.

1 1 They have made it desolate, a7id being desolate "= it mourneth unto me; the whole

Believe them not] Do not trust to them; do not commit thyself to them; they are in heart thy enemies, and will betray thee.

I have given the dearly beloved of my soul] The people once in covenant with me, and inexpressibly dear to me while faithful.

Into the hand of her enemies.] This was a condition in the covenant I made with them; if they forsook me, they were to be abandoned to their enemies, and cast out of the good land I gave to their fathers.

Verse 8. Mi7ie heritage is unto me as a lion] The people are enraged against me; they roar like a furious lion against their God. They have proceeded to the most open acts of the most flagrant iniquity.

Verse 9. Is unto me as a speckled bird] A bird of divers colours. This is a people who have corrupted the worship of the true God with heathenish rites and ceremonies; therefore, the difTereiit nations, (see ver. 10,) whose gods and forms of worship they have adopted, shall come and spod them. As far as you have followed the surrounding nations in their worship, so far shall they prevail over your state. Every one shall take that which is his own; and wherever he finds his ovpn gods, he will consider the land consecrated to them, and take it as his property, because those very gods are the objects of his worship. The fable of the daw and borrowed plumes is no mean illustration of this passage.

Birds of prey! inundate with blood my heritage. Birds of prey! come against her from all sides. Run together in crowds, ye savage beasts! Come to the carnage!

12 The spoilers are come upon 'r^r^I all high places through the wilder-

ness: for tlie sword of the Lord shall devour fi:om the one end of the land even to the other end of the land: no flesh shall have peace.

13 ' They have sown wheat, but shall reap thorns: they have put themselves to pain, hut shall not profit: and ^ they shall be ashamed of your revenues because of the fierce anger of the Lord.

^ touch the inheritance which i R.Roman., have caused my people Israel to '^"'' '^™'"" '^- inherit; Behold, I will '' pluck them out of their land, and pluck out the house of Judah from among them.

15 ' And it shall come to pass, after that I

Verse 1 0. Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard] My people have had many kinds of enemies which have fed upon their richest pastures; the Philistines, the Moabites, Ammonites, Assyrians, Egyptians, and now the Chaldeans.

Verse 11. No man layeth it to heart.] Notwithstanding all these desolations, irom which the land every where mourns, and which are so plainly the consequences of the people's crimes, no man layeth it to heart, or considereth that these are God's judgments: and that the only way to have them removed is to repent of their sins, and turn to God with all their hearts.

Verse 12. The.noord of the Lord shall devour] It is the sword of the Lord that has devoured, and will devour: this is what no man layeth to heart. They think these things come in the course of events.

Verse 13. They have sown wheat, but shall reap thorns] AU their projects shall fail: none of their enterprises shall succeed. They are enemies to God, and therefore cannot have his blessing.

Verse 14. Against all mine evil neighbours] All the neighbouring nations who have united in desolating Judea shaU be desolated in their turn: they also are wicked, and they shall be punished. If I make them executors of my justice, it is to them no proof of my approbation. God often uses one wicked nation to scourge another; and afterwards scourges the scourger by some other scourge. In some places a felon who was condemned to be hanged is made the common hangman for the county; he himself being still under the sentence of death, —

Till soon some trusty brother of the trade Shall do for him what he has done for others.

have plucked them out I will return, and have compassion on them, "^ and will bring them again, ever)' man to his heritage, and

them] This is a promise of restoration from the captivity, and an intimation also that some of their enemies would turn to the true God with them; learn the vcays of his people; that is, would abjure idols, and take Jehovah for their God; and be built in the midst of his people, that is, Jew and Gentile forming one Church of the ilost High.

swear by my name. The Lord Uveth; (as they taught my people to swear by Baal;) then shall they be "built in the midst of my people.

1 7 But if they will not " obey, I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation, saith the

them did not obey, and are destroyed. Of the Moabites. Ammonites, and Chaldeans, not one vestige remains. The sixteenth verse is supposed to be a promise of the conversion of the Gentiles. See Eph. ii.

From the thirteenth verse to the end is a different discourse, and Dahler supposes it to have been delivered in the seventh or eighth year of the reign of Jehoiakim

Thts chapter contains an entire prophecy. The symbol of the linen girdle, left to rot Jor a considerable time, was a type of the manner in which the glory of the Jews should be marred during the course of their long captivity, 1—11. The scene of hiding the girdle being laid near the Euphrates, intimated that the scene of the nation^ distress should be Chaldea, which that river waters. The next three verses, by another emblem frequently used to represent the judgments of God, are designed to show that the calamities threatened should be extended to every rank and denomination, 12—14. This leads the prophet to a most affectionate exhortation to repentance, 15—17. But God, knowing that this happy consequence would not ensue, sends him with an awful message to the royal family particularly, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem in general, declaring the approaching judgments in plain terms, 18—27. The ardent desire for the reformation of Jerusalem, with which the chapter concludes, beautifully displays the compassion and tender mercy of God.

and anse, go to riiiphrates, and r. Roman., hide it there in a hole' of the rock. "'■ '"""'° '"■

5 So 1 went and hid it by Euplurates, as the Lord commanded me.

6 And it came to pass after many days, that the Lord said unto me, Arise, go to Euphrates,

2 So I got a gudle according to the word of the Lord, and put it on my ''loins.

3 And the word of the Lord came unto m^ the second time, saying,

Verse I. Thus saith the Lord unto me] This discourse is supposed to have been delivered under the reign of Jeconiah, the son and successor of Jehoiakim, who came to the throne in the eighteenth year of his age; when the Chaldean generals had encamped near to Jerusalem, but did not besiege it in form till Nebuchadnezzar came up with the great body of the army. In these circumstances the prophet predicts the captivity; and, by a symbolical representation of a rotten girdle, shows the people their totally corrupt state; and by another of buttles filed with wine, shows the destruction and madness of their counsels, and the confusion that must ensue.

a vision, or God simply describes the thing in order that the prophet might use it in the way of illustra-

Put it not in water.] After having worn it, let it not be washed, that it may more properly represent the uncleanness of the Israelites; for they were represented by the girdle; for " as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel, and the whole house of Judah." And as a girdle is as well for ornament as use; God took them /or a name, and for a praise, and for a glory, ver. 1 1.

Verse 4. Go to Euphrates, and hide it there] Intending to point out, by this distant place, the country into which they were to be carried away captive.

taiiily know that every bottle shall be filled with wme?

and di<Tn-ed, and took the girdle from the place hold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, where I had hid it; and, behold, the girdle even the kings that sit upon David's tlirone, eind was maiTed, it was profitable for nothing. | the priests, and the prophets, and all the in-

8 Then the word of the Lord came unto habitants of Jerusalem, '' with drunkenness.

14 And 'I will dash them ''one against an-

9 Thus saith the Lord, After this manner other, even the fathers and the sons together.

" will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.

10 This evil people, wliich refuse to hear my words, which "^ walk in the " imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is good for nothing.

1 1 For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith the Lord; that Uliey might

saith the Lord: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, ' but destroy them.

1 5 Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: lor the Lord hath spoken.

16 ™ Give glory to the Lord your God, before he cause "darkness, and before yoiu feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye ° look for light, he turn it into p the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness.

17 But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and

be unto me for a people, and e for a name, and 1 1 mine eye shall weep sore, and run down for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear.

12 Therefore thou shalt speak unto them this word; Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Every bottle shall be filled with wine: and they shall say unto thee, Do we not cer-

Verse 7. And, lehold, the girdle ii'as marred; it was prqfitafdc for nothing.] Tliis symbolically represented the state of the Jews: they were corrupt and abominable; and God, by sending them into captivity, " marred the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem," ver. 9.

Verse 12. Evert/ bottle shall be filed vjith wine?] The bottles were made for the purpose of being filled with wine; and it is lilcely, from the promising appearance of the season and the grapes, that there w.^s a great likelihood of a copious vintage; and this made them say, " Do we not certainly know that every bottle shall be filled with wine? Have we not every prospect that it will lie so 1 Do we need a revelation to inform us of this 1"

Verse 13. Behold, I will f II all the inhabitants of this land — tvith dmnlcenness.] You pretend to take this literally, but it is a symbol. Yom, and your hngs, and priests, and jrrophets, are represented by these bottles. The wine is God's wrath against you, which shall first be shown by confminding your deliberations, filling you with foolish plans of defence, causing you from your divided couasels to fall out among yourselves, so that lilce so many dnuikcn men you shall

with tears, because the Lord's flock is carried away captive.

18 Say unto 'the king and to the queen. Humble yourselves, sit down: for your = principalities shall come down, even the crown of your glory.

reel about and jostle each other; defend yourselves without plan, and fight without order, till ye all fall an easy prey into the hands of your enemies. The ancient adage is here fulfilled: —

Quos Deus vult perdere, prius dementat. " Those whom God determines to destroy, he first renders foolish."

A'"erse 16. Give glory to — God] Confess your sins and turn to him, that these sore evils may be averted.

While ye look for light] ^^^ule ye expect prosperity, he turned it into the shadotv of death —.sent you adversity of the most distressing and ruinous kind.

Stumble upon the dark mountains] Before you meet with those great obstacles, which, having no light — no proper understanding in the matter, ye shall be utterly unable to surmoimt.

Verse 17. My soid shall weep in secret places] If you will not heajken to the Lord, there is no remedy: destruction must come; and there is nothing left for me, but to go in secret, and mourn and bewail your wretched lot.

Verse 18. Say unto the Idng and to the ipice-n] Probably Jeconiah and his mother, under whose tutelage,

K M. cir. 3«5. j 9 The cities of the south shall

01. cir. XLV. 2. be shut up, and none shall open R. Roman., ' them; Judah shall be carried

away captive all of it, it shall be wholly carried away captive.

20 Lift up your eyes, and behold them ' that come from the north: where is the flock that was given thee, thy beautiful flock?

2 1 What wilt thou say when he shall " punish thee? for thou hast taught them to he captains, and as chief over thee: shall not " sorrows take thee, as a woman in travail?

22 And if thou say in tliine heart, "Wherefore come these things upon me? For the greatness of thine iniquity are ^ thy skirts discovered, and thy heels ^ made bare.

Sit down] Show that ye have humbled yourselves; for your state will be destroyed, and your glorious crown taken from your heads.

Verse 19. The cities of the south shall be shut up] Not only the cities of the north, the quarter at which the Chaldeans entered, but the cities of the south also; for he shall proceed from one extremity of the land to the other, spreading devastation every where, and carrying off the inhabitants.

Verse 20. Where is the flock — thy beautiful flock?] Jerusalem is addressed. Where are the prosperous multitudes of men, women, and children! Alas! are they not driven before the Babylonians, who have taken them captive 1

Verse 2 1. Thoit hast taught them to be captains, and as chief over thee] This is said of their enemies, whether Assyrians or Clialdeans; for ever since Ahaz submitted himself to the king of Assyria, the kings of Judah never regained their independence. Their enemies were thus taught to be their lords and masters.

Verse 23. Are thy skirts discovered] Thy defenceless state is every where known; thou art not only weak, but ignominiously so. It is thy scandal to be in so depressed a condition; thou art lower than the basest of thy adversaries, and thou art so because of thy sin.

Verse 23. Can the Ethiopian change his skin] Can a black, at his own pleasure, change the colour of his skin? Can the leopard at will change the variety of his spots? These things are natural to them, and they cannot be altered; so sin, and especially your attachment to idolatry, is become a second nature; and we

24 Therefore will I scatter them "■•■ """"^ '«■ " as the stubble that passeth away by the wind of the wilderness.

25 ''This is thy lot, the portion of thy measures from me, saith the Lord; because thou hast ''■ forgotten me, and trusted in ^ falsehood.

26 Therefore " will I discover thy skirts upon thy face, that thy shame may appear.

27 I have seen thine adulteries, and thy *^neighings, the lewdness of thy whoredom, and thine abominations s on the hills in the fields. Wo unto thee, 0 Jerusalem! wilt thou not be made clean? ^ when shall it once be?

may as well expect the Ethiopian to change his skin, and the leppard his spots, as you to do good, who have been accustomed to do evil. It is a matter of the utmost difficulty to get a sinner, deeply rooted in vicious habits, brought to the knowledge of himself and God. But the expression does not imply that the thing is as impossible in a moral as it is in a natural sense: it only shows that it is extremely difficult, and not to be often expected; and a thousand matters of fact prove the truth of this. But still, what is impossible to man is possible to God. See on ver. 27.

Verse 24. The wind of the irilderness.] Some strong tempestuous wind, proverbially severe, coming from the desert to the south of Judea.

Verse 26. Therefore will I discover thy skirts upon thy face] It was the custom to punish lewd women by stripping them naked, and exposing them to public view; or by throwing their clothes over then- heads, as here intimated. Was this the way to correct the evil 1

Verse 27. I have seen thine adulteries] Thy idolatries of different kinds, practised in various ways; no doubt often accompanied with gross debauchery.

Wo unto thee, O Jerusalem! wilt thou not be made clean 7] We see from this, that though the thing was difficult, yet it was not impossible, for these Ethiopians to change their skin, for these leopards to change their spots. It was only their obstinate refusal of the grace of God that rendered it impossible. Man cannot change himself; but he may pray to God to do it, and come to him through Christ, that he may do it. To enable him to pray and believe, the power is still at hand. If he wiU not use it, he must perish.

This chapter begins ivith foretelling a drought that should greatly distress the land of Judea, the effects of which are described in a most pathetic manner, 1—6. The prophet then, in the peopWs name, makes a confession of sins, and supplication for pardon, 7—9. But God declares his purpose to punish, forbidding Jeremiah to pray for the people, 10-12. False prophets are then complained of, and threatened with destruction, as are also those who attend to them, 13-16. The prophet, therefore, bewails their misery, 17, 18; and though he had just now been forbidden to intercede for them, yet, like a tender pastor, who could not cease to be concerned for their welfare, he falls on the happy expedient of introducing themselves as supplicating in their oion name that mercy ivhich he was not alloived to ask in his, 19-22.

5 Yea, the hind also calved in A,'^J; "'l^f

gates thereof languish; they are ■= black unto the ground; and '^ the cry of Jerusalem is gone up.

3 And their nobles have sent their little ones to the waters: they came to the pits, and found no water; they returned with their vessels empty; they were ^ ashamed and confounded, f and covered their heads.

4 Because the ground is chapt, for there was no rain in the earth, the ploughmen were ashamed, they covered their heads.

Verse 1. The word — that came — concerning the dearth.] This discourse is supposed to have been delivered, after the fourth yeai of Jehoiakim. Concerning the dearth. We have no historic record of any dearth that may.fail in with the time of this prophecy, and perhaps it does not refer to any particular dearth; but this was a calamity to which Judea was very liable. They liad ordinarily very dry summers, for scarcely any rain fell from April to the middle of October; and during much of this time, the rivers were generally either very low or entirely dry. They kept the rain of the winter in tanks and reservoirs; and if little fell in winter, a dearth was unavoidable. See an account of a dearth in the time of Elijah, 1 Kings xviii. 5, through which almost all the cattle were lost.

Verse 2. The gates thereof languish] The gates being the places of public resort, they are put here for the people.

They are black unto the ground] Covered from head to foot with a black garment, the emblem of sorrow and calamity.

Verse 3. Their nobles have sent their little ones] So general was this calamity, that the servants no longer attended to their lords, but every one was interested alone for himself; and the nobles of the land were obliged to employ their own children to scour the land, to see if any water could be found in the tanks or the pits. In the dearth in the time of Elijah, Ahab the king, and Obadiah his counsellor, were obliged to train the high places, they snuffed up the wind like dragons; their eyes did fail, because there teas no grass.

7 0 Lord, though our iniquities testify against us, do thou it ^ for thy name's sake: for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against thee.

8 ' 0 the hope of Israel, the Saviour thereof in time of trouble, why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the land, and as a way-faring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night?

verse the land themselves, in order to find out water to keep their cattle alive. This and the three following verses give a lively but distressing picture of this dearth and its effects.

Verse 4. The ground is chapt] The cracks in the earth before the descent of the rains are in some places a cubit wide, and deep enough to receive the greater part of a human body.

Verse 6. Snuffed tip the wind like dragons] □"Jil tannim here probably means the hippopotamus, who, after feeding under the water, is obliged to come to the surface in order to take in fresh draughts of air; or it may mean the ivild asses.

Verse 7. O Lord, though our iniquities testify against us] We deeply acknowledge that we have sinned, and deserve nothing but death. Yet act for thy name's sake — work in our behalf, that we perish not.

Averse 8. O the hope of Israel] O thou who art the only object of the hope of this people.

The Saviour thereof in time of trouble] Wlio hast never yet abandoned them that seek thee.

Why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the land] As one who has no interest in the prosperity and safety of the country.

That turneth aside to tarry for a night?] Who stays the shortest time he can; and takes up his lodging in a tent or caravanserai, for tlie dead of the night, that he may pursue his journey by break of day. Instead of dwelling among us, thou hast scarcely paid the m(k«3

and ™wc are called by thy name; leave us not.

10 Thus saith the Lord unto this people, " Thus have they loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet, therefore the Lord doth not accept them; ° he will now remember their iniquity, and visit their sins.

1 1 Then said the Lord unto me, p Pray not for this people for their good.

12 1 When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and ■■ when they offer burnt-offering and an oblation, I will not accept them: but ^ I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.

13 'Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you " assured peace in this place.

14 Then the Lord said unto me, " The prophets prophesy lies in my name: "^ I sent

Verse 9. Yet thou, O Lord, art in the midst of us] Thy ark, temple, and sacred rites, are all here; and thou thyself, who art every where present, art here also: but alas! thou dost not reveal thyself as the Father of mercies, who forgivest iniquity, transgression, and sin.

We are called hy thy r.ame; leave us not.] Let us call thee our Father, and say thou to us, " Ye are my sons and daughters!" O leave us not!

A'erse 10. Thus have they loved to wander] And the~ measure of your iniquity being now fuU, ye must be punished.

Verse 1 1. Pray not for this people] They are ripe for destruction, intercede not for them. 0, how dreadful is the state of that people in reference to whom the Lord says to his ministers, Pray not for them; or, what amounts nearly to a prohibition, withholds from his ministers the spirit of prayer and intercession in behalf of the people!

Verse 13. Ah, Lord God! behold, the prophets say unto them] True, Lord, th^y are exceedingly wicked; but the false prophets have deceived them; this is some mitigation of their offence. This plea God does not admit; and why! the peo])le believed them, without having any proof of their Divine mission.

Verse 14. The prophets prophesy lies] They say they have viswns, but they have them by divirtation, and thev are false. The people should know their tncm: they prophesy unto you a r. Roman., false vision and divination, and a g""- annum 12. thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart

15 Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, ^ yet they say. Sword and famine shall not be in this land; By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed.

16 And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; ^ and they shall have none to bury them, them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters: for I will pour their wickedness upon them.

17 Therefore thou shalt say this word unto them; ^ Let mine eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease: ^ for the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous blow.

18 If I go forth into ^ the field, then behold the slain /with the sword! and if I enter into

character, and avoid them; but they love to have it so, and will not be undeceived.

Verse 15. By sivord and famine shall those prophets be consumed.] Jeremiah had told Jehoiakim that, if he rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar, he should be overthrown, and the land wasted by sword and famine: the false prophets said there shall be neither sivord nor famine, but peace and prosperity. The king believed them, and withheld the tribute. Nebuch.idnezzar, being incensed, invaded and destroyed the land; and the false prophets fell in these calamities. See 2 Kings XXV. 3; Lam. ii. 11—19.

Verse 16. And the people — shall be cast out] They shall be destroyed, because they preferred their lying words to my truth, proclaimed by thee.

Verse 17. For the virgin daughter of my people is broken] First, the land was sadly distressed by Pharaoh-nechn, king of Egypt. Secondly, it was laid under a heavy tribute by Nebuchadnezzar. And, thirdli/, it was nearly desolated by a famine afterwards. In a few years all these calamities fell upon them; these might be well called a great breach, a very grievous blow.

Verse 19. If I go forth into the field, then behold the slain with the sword] Every place presents frightful spectacles; the wounded, the dying, the starving,.and the slain; none to bury the dead, none to commiserate the dying, none to bring either relief or consolation. Even the prophets and the priests arc obliged to leave the cities, and wander about in unfrequented.and unknown places, seeking for the necessaries of life

19 '' Hast thou utterly rejected Judali? liath thy soul loathed Zion? why hast thou smitten us, and " there is no healing for us? '^we looked for peace, and thei~e is no good; and for the time of healing, and behold trouble!

Dr. Blayney thinks that the going ahmit of the prophets and priests of the land, is to be understood thus: — "They went trafficking about with their false doctrines and lying predictions, as pedlars do with their wares, seeking their own gain." I tliink the other sense preferable.

Verse 19. We looked for peace'] We expected prosperity when Josiah purged the land of idolatry.

Verse 20. We acknowledge, OLord, our wickedness] Tliis the prophet did in behalf of the people; but, alas! they did not join him.

Verse 2 1. Do not disgrace the throne of thy glory] The temple. Let not ttiis sacred place be profaned by impious and sacrilegious hands.

21 Do not abhor itSy for thy ""■ '^"'"" '^- name's sake, do not disgrace the tlirone of thy glory: ''remember, break not thy covenant with us

22 ' Are there any among the •■ vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? ' art not thou he, O Lord our God? therefore we will wait upon thee: for thou hast made all these things.

Break not thy covenant] See Exod. xxiv. 7, 8; xix. 5. They had already broken the covenant, and they wish God to fulfil his part. They ceased to be his people, for they abandoned themselves to idolatry; and yet they wished Jehovah to le their Lord; to defend, support, and fill them with all good things! But when the conditions of a covenant are broken by one of the contracting parties, the other paity is not bound; and the covenant is necessarily annulled.

Verse 22. Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles] Probably the dearth was now coming, as there had been a long want of rain. It was the prerogative of the true God to give rain and send showers at the prayers of his people.

Therefore we will wait upon thee] If thou do not undertake for us, w-e must be utterly ruined

God declares to Jeremiah that not even Moses and Samuel, whose prayers had been so prevalent, could divert him from his purpose of punishing so tcicked a people, 1. Accordingly their captivity is again announced in a variety of images so full of terror, 2-9, that the prophet complains of his own hard fate in being obliged to deliver such unwelcome messages, 10; for tohich too he is reproved, 11—14. Irmnediately he appeals to God for his sincerity, and supplicates pardon, 15-18; and God tempers his reproof with prmnising again to protect him in the faithful discharge of his duty, 19-21.

" Though '' Moses and " Samuel stood before me, i/et my mind could not be toward this

Verse 1. Though Moses and Samuel] Moses had often supplicated for the people; and in consequence they were spared. See Exod. xxxii. 1 1 and following verses. Num. xiv. 13. Samuel also had prayed for the people, and God heard him, 1 Sam. vii. 9; but if these or the most holy men were now to supplicate for this people, he would not spare them.

Cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth.] Do not bring them into my presence by your prayers; let them go forth into captivity.

people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth.

2 And it shall come to pass, if they say unto thee, Whitlier shall

Verse 2. Whither shall we go forth? — Such as are for death, to death] Some shall be destroyed by the pestilence, here termed death. See chap, xviii. 21. Others shall be slain by the su-ord in battle, and in the sackage of cities. Others shall perish by famine, shall be starved to death through the mere want of the necessaries of life; and the rest shall go into captivity. There shall be different sorts of punishments inflicted on them according to the nature of their transgressions. Some shall be punished in one way, and aorce is another.

R. Roman., " buch as we lor death, to death; "'"■ '^""^'° '^- and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as ai-e for the captivity, to the captivity.

3 And I will " appoint over tliem four "^ kinds, saith the Lord: the sword to slay, and the dogs to tear, and ^ the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the earth, to devoiu: and destroy.

4 And *■ I will cause them to be ' removed into all kingdoms of the earth, because of '' Manasseh the son of Hezekiah king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem.

5 For ' who shall have pity upon thee, O Jerusalem? or who shall bemoan thee? or who shall go aside "^ to ask how thou doest?

6 " Thou hast forsaken me, saith the Lord, thou art " gone backward: therefore will I stretch out my hand against thee, and destroy thee; ' I am weary with repenting.

7 And I will fan them with a fan in the gates of the land; I will bereave the7n of

Verse 3. I will appoint over them four kinds] There shall appear four instruments of my justice. 1. The sword to slay. 2. The dogs to tear what is slain. 3. The fowls of the heaven to feed on the dead carcasses. And, 4. The wild leasts to destroy all that the fowls have left.

Verse 4. / xoill cause them to he removed into all kingdoms of the earth] This seems to have respect to the succeeding state of the Jews in their different generations; and never was there a prophecy more literally fulfilled; and it is still a standing monument of Divine truth. Let infidelity cast its eyes on the scattered Jews whom it may meet with in every civilized nation of the world; and then let it deny the truth of this prophecy, if it can. The Jews are scattered through every nation, and yet are not a nation; nor do they form even a colony on any part of the face of the earth. Behold the truth and the justice of God!

Verse 5. Who shall go aside to ask how thou doest?] Perhaps there is not a more despised nor a more degraded people under the sun. Scarcely any one thinks himself called upon to do a kind office for a Jew. Their character is bad in society, and they are not at all solicitous to redeem it.

Verse 6. I am weary ivith repenting.] With repeatedly changing my purpose. I have often, after purposing to punish, showed them mercy. I will do it no longer; it

8 Their widows are increased to ""■ """""^ '^- me above the sand of the seas: I have brought upon them "^ against the motlier of the young men, a spoiler at noonday: I have caused him to fall upon it suddenly, and terrors upon the city.

9 ' She that hath borne seven languisheth: she hath given up the ghost; " her sun is gone do\vn while it was yet day: she hath been ashamed and confounded: and the residue of them will I deliver to the sword before their enemies, saith the Lord.

10 ^ Wo is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have neither lent on usury, nor men have lent to me on usury; yet every one of them doth curse me.

11 The Lord said. Verily it shall be well with thy remnant, verily ■" I will cause ^ the enemy to entreat thee luell in the time of evil and in tlie time of affliction.

1 2 Shall iron break the northern iron and the steel?

is useless. I took them often at their promise, and in every instance they have failed.

Verse 7. I will fan them with a fan] There is no pure grain; all is chaff.

In the gates of the land] The places of public justice: and there it shall be seen that the judgments that have fallen upon them have been highly merited. And from these places of fanning they shall go out into their captivity.

Verse 9. She that hath home seven] She that hath had a numerous offspring; Jerusalem, the parent of so many cities, villages, and families in the land. Seven signifies a complete or full number.

Verse 10. A man of contention to the ivhole earth!] To the whole land, to all his countrymen; though he had done nothing to merit their displeasure.

Verse 11. / v>ill cause the enemy to entreat thee well in the time of evil] This was literally fulfilled; see chap, xx-vix. 11, &c. Nebuchadnezzar had given strict charge to Nebuzar-adan, commander in chief, to look well to Jeremiah, to do him no harm, and to grant hun all the privileges he was pleased to ask.

Verse 12. Shall iron hreak the northern iron and the steel.?] Shall our weak forces be able to oppose and overcome the powers of the Chaldeans 1 rUTlJ necho

01. XLIII.4. treasures will 1 give to the ^ spoil "R^Roman., ' without pricc, and that for all thy

14 And I will make thee to pass with thine enemies '^ into a land which thou knowest not: for a ^ fire is kindled in mine anger, which shall burn upon you.

15 0 Lord, •* thou knowest: remember me, and visit me, and "^ revenge me of my persecutors; take me not away in thy long-suffering: know that ^ for thy sake I have suffered rebuke.

1 6 Thy words were found, and I did ^ eat them; and ' thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for ^I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts.

17 *" I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of thy hand: for thou hast filled me with indignation.

sheth, which we here translate steel, properly signifies brass or copper united with tin, which gives it much hardness, and enaljles it to bear a good edge.

Verse 13. Thy substance — loill I give to the spoil ifithout price] Invaluable property shaQ be given up to thy adver.saries. Or, without price — thou shalt have nothing for it in return.

Verse 15. O Lord — rcmcmler me, and visit me] Let me not be carried away into captivity; and it does not appear that he had ever been taken to Babylon. After the capture of the city he went into Egypt; and either died there, or was put to death by his countrymen.

Verse 16. Thy ivord icas — the joy and rejoicing of mine heart] When I did receive the prophetic message, I did rejoice in the honour thou hadst done me; and I faithfully testified thy will to them. They have become mine enemies; not because there was any evil in me, but because I was faithful to thee.

Verse 18. Will thou le altogether unto me as— —waters that fail?] Meaning either springs, which in the height of summer grow dry; or, like that phenomenon in the sandy desert, where, by a peculiar action of the air on the rising vapours, the resemblance of water is produced, so that the traveller, deceived, rejoices that he is come, in the sandy desert, to the verge of a beautiful lake; but the farther he travels, it is still at the same distance, and at last vanishes; and he finds the whole vvas an illusion, for the waters have failed. Nothing can exceed the disappointment of the farmer whose subsist- petual, and my wound incura- oi. XLiii.4. ble, luhich refuseth to be heal- R^^Roma"^,'^'' ed? wilt thou be altogether "'■ """""' '-• unto me "^ as a liar, and ' as waters that "> fail?

1 9 Therefore thus saith the Lord, " If thou retm-n, then will I bring thee again, and ihou shalt ° stand before me: and if thou ^ take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth: let them return unto thee; but return not thou unto them.

20 And I will make thee unto this people a fenced brazen i wall: and they shall fight against thee, "■ but they shall not prevail against thee: for I a??i with thee to save thee and to deliver thee, saith the Lord.

21 And I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem thee out of the hand of the terrible.

ence absolutely depends on the periodical rains, when these/o(7, or faU short of their usual quantity. Sometimes the rice is sown and springs up in the most promising manner; but the latter rains fail, and whole fields of young rice wither and perish.

Then loill I bring thee agai7i] Restore thee to thy own country. But some think the words are spoken to the prophet in reference to his ministry. He had greatly repined because of the persecutions which he endured. The Lord reprehends him, and is about to take from him the prophetic gift; but exhorts him first to take the precious from the vile — not to attend to the deceitful words of the people, but boldly declare the message he had given him; not to return unto the people, but let the people return unto him. And then he should be as God's mouth — his words should appear to be what they were, the genuine words of God; and the people should be obliged to acknowledge them as such.