1 1 The '' voice of joy, and die voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, ^ Praise the Lord of hosts: for the Lord is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: and of them that shall bring ' the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord. For " I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, saith the Lord.
12 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; ''Again in this place, which is desolate without man and widiout beast, and in all the cities thereof, shall be a habitation of shepherds causing their flocks to he down.
13 "In the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the vale, and in the cities of the south, and in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, shall the flocks ^ pass again under the hands of him that telleth them, saith the Lord.
14 ^ Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that ^ I will perform that good thing which
Verse 9. They shall fear and tremble] The surrounding nations shall be persuaded that it is the hand of the Almighty that has wTought this change in your behalf; and shall /ear to molest you, and tremble lest they should incur the displeasure of your God by doing you any kind of evil.
Verse 1 1. The voice of them that shall say, Praise the Lord of hosts] That is, the voice of the Levites in the sacred service: intimating that the temple should be rebuilt, and the public service restored.
That good thing which I have promised] By my prophets: for those who have predicted the captivity have also foretold its conclusion, though not in such express terms as Jeremiah did. See Hos. i. 10, &c.; ii. 15, &c.; vi. 11, &c.; Amos ix. 14, &c., and Jer. iii. 12, &c. The end of the captivity has been foretold by Micah, chap. vii. 9, &c.; Zephaniah, iii. 10, &c.; and by Jeremiah, chap. xvi. 15; xxiii. 3; xxix
A. M. 3416. J jjave promised unto the house 01. XLViii! 1. of Israel and to the house of
lime, will I cause the ^ Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land.
16 ''In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the no7ne wherewith she shall be called, " The Lord our Righteousness.
] 7 For thus saith the Lord; "^ David shall never ' want a man to sit upon the tlu^one of the house of Israel;
18 Neither shall the priests the Levites want a man before me to ''offer burnt-offerings, and to kindle meat-offerings, and to do sacrifice continually.
19 And the word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah, saying,
20 Thus saith the Lord; ^ If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season;
21 Then may also ''my covenant be broken
with David my servant, that he ^^ •'^- ^*^^- should not have a son to reign 01. XLViii. 1. upon his throne; and with the Tarquinii Prisci, Levites, the priests, my ministers. R- Roman.. 29
22 As ' the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured: so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me.
23 Moreover the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying,
24 Considerest thou not what this people have spoken, saying, '' The two families which the Lord hath chosen, he hath even cast them off? thus they have despised my people, that they should be no more a nation before
25 Thus saith the Lord; If ^ my covenant be not with day and night, and if I have not " appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth;
26 " Then will I cast away the seed of Jacob, and David my servant, so that I will not take atiy of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: for ° I will cause their captivity to return, and have mercy on them.
10; xxxii. 37. The Targum explains verses 14, 15, and 16 of the Messiah.
Verse 16. And this is the name wherewith she shall he called, The Lord our Righteousness.] See what has been said on chap, xxiii. 6, which is generally supposed to be a strictly parallel passage: but they are very different, and I doubt whether they mean exactly the same thing. As to our translation here, it is ignorant, and almost impious; it says that Jerusalem, for that is the antecedent, shall be called The Lord our Righteousness. Tlie pronoun rh lah, which is translated her, is the masculine afBx, in the Chahlaic form, which frequently occurs; and Dr. Blayney translates, " And this is He whom Jehovah shall call our righteousness," or Justification. Perhaps there is a sense which these words will bear far more congenial to the scope of the place. I will give the original, as before: 1Jp^V mrr rh Nip' TJ/N nil vezch asheryikra lah, Ychooah tsidkenu, " And this one who shall call to her is the Lord our Justification;" that is, the salvation of the Jews shall take place when Jesus Christ is proclaimed to them as their Justifier, and they receive him as such.
Instead of rh lah, her or him, Chaldaice, the Vulgate, Chaldec, and Syriac have read "h lo, him, less ambiguously; and this reading is supported by one or two MSS. This emendation renders the passage here more conformable to that in chap, xxiii. 6; but if the translation above be admitted, all embarrassment is gone. One of my own MSS. has rh loh, with the masculine points, and no mappik on the n he; and for tsidhenu has lypiy tsidkeynu, the contracted plural form, our righteousness: but this may be a mistake. The passages in this and the tiventy-third chapter were not, I am satisfied, intended to express the same thing. I suppose that above refers to the preaching or proclaiming Christ crucified to the Jews, when the time shall anive in which they shall be incorporated with the GentUe Church. Dahler translates this as he did that in chap, xxiii., which is a perfect oversight: but paraphrastic renderings are too often introduced by this learned foreigner.
"Verse 18. Neither shall the priests the Levites want a ma«] This is a repetition of the promise made to Phinehas, Num. xxv. 13.
Averse 20. If ye can break my covenant of the day] See the note on chap. xxxi. 36.
Verse 22. So u-ill I multiply the seed of David] This must be understood of the spiritual David, Jesus Christ, and his progeny, genuine Christians. The two famdies which God chose for the priesthood, that of Aaron and Phinehas, or, on its being taken away from him, that of Ithamar, 1 Sam. ii. 35, are both extinct. Nor has th.e office of high priest, or priest of any kind offering sacrifice, been exercised.among the Jews for nearly eighteen hundred years; therefore what is said here of the priesthood must refer to the spiritual priesthood, at the head of which is Jesus Christ.
Verse 24. The two families which the Lord hath chosen] Some think these refer to the two kingdoms of Israel and Judah; but they never can be considered as two distinct families, being of one and the same race. Others think that the families of Jacob and David are intended; but neither were these distinct. If the two families which had the priesthood be not meant, then the regal family of David, and the sacerdotal family of Jacob through Levi, may be designed. See ver. 26. Following the spiritual interpretation, neither the regal nor sacerdotal family has failed; for Jesus is a King and a Priest, and all true believers in him are kings and priests unto God and the Lamb I And the highest King that ever reigned is He who is; the seed of David, King of kings and Lord of lords, I who has all power in heaven and in earth.
This chapter contains two prophecies: the first, delivered during the siege of Jerusalem, predicts to Zedekiah the taking and burning nf the city, with his own peaceful death and honourable burial, 1-7. The second was delivered when the Chaldeans had for some time broken up the siege. It reproves the Jeies for their conduct towards their brethren of the poorer sort, lohom, they released, by a solemn covenant, from bondage, in the extremity of their danger; but compelled to return to it when they thought that danger over, 8-11. For this God threatens them with the sword, pestilence, and famine; and with the return of the Chaldeans, who should take the city, destroy it and the other cities by fire, and make an utter desolation of the whole land of Judea, 12-22.
R. Roman.. B«. Babylon, and all liis army, and ••all the kingdoms of the earth '^ of his dominion, and all the people, fought against Jerusalem, and against all the cities tliereof,) saying,
2 Thus saith the Lord, tlie God of Israel; Go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah, and tell him, Thus saith the Lord; Behold ^ I will give this cit}^ into the hand of the king of Babylon, and " he shall burn it with fire:
3 And ' thou shall not escape out of his hand, but shall surel}' be taken, and delivered
Verse 1. The word which came unto Jeremiah] Thi» discourse was delivered in the tenth year of the reign of Zedekiah. The chapter contains two discourses; one, ver. 1-7, which concerns the taking of the city, and Zedekiah's captivity and deatli; the other, ver. 8-22, which is an invective against the inhabitants of Jerusalem for having Hebrew male and female slaves. These, having been manumitted at the instance of the prophet, were afterwards brought back by their old ma.sters, and put in the same thraldom; for which God threatens them with severe judgments.
Nebuchadnezzar — and all his army, and all the kingdoms of the earth of his dominion] That is, his army was composed of soldiers gathered out of Babylon, and out of all his tributary dominions: one hundred and twenty provinces.
Verse 2. He shall burn it with fire] This was a nevvly-addcd circumstance. Among: many ancient na-
4 Yet hear the word of the Lord, O Zedekiah king of Judah; Thus saith the Lord of thee. Thou shalt not die by the sword:
5 But thou shalt die in peace: and with '' the burnings of thy fathers, the former kings which were before thee, ' so shall they burn odours for thee; and '' they will lament thee, saying, Ah lord! for I have pronounced the word, saith the Lord.
tions they burned the bodies of the more illustrious dead. Odours were used in the burning: they then gathered the ashes, and put them into an urn or pitcher, sometimes into a strong vessel, and buried them. Many of these have been digged up in different parts of England, where the Romans had stations.
Verse 3. Thou shalt not escape] This, however, he had attempted, but was taken in his flight. See chap, xxxix. 4, and Hi. 7, &c.
Verse 5. Thou shalt die in peace] Thou shalt not die a violent death; and at thy death thou shalt have all those funereal solemnities which were usual at the demise of kings. See 2 Chron. xvi. 14.
So.ihall they burn odours /or thee] Scented wood and other odoriferous substances are placed on the funeral pile of the rich Hindoos, and burned with the body.
And they will lament thee, saying. Ah lord!] They will recite the funeral dirge that begins with those words. See the note on chap. xxii. 18.
01. XLVll. 4. spake all these words unto Zede- TarquinUPrisci, kiah king of Judah in Jeru-
7 When the king of Babylon's army fought against Jerusalem, and against all the cities of Judah that were left, against Lachish, and against Azekah: for ^ these defenced cities remained of the cities of Judah.
6i XLVII.4. unto Jeremiah from the Lord, '"R^XJinan.! ' after that the king Zedekiah had cir. annum 28. ^^^^ ^ covenant with all the
9 " That every man should let his man-servant, and every man his maid-servant, being a Hebrew or a Hebrewess, go free; " that none should serve himself of them, to loit, of a Jew his brother.
10 Now when all the princes, and all the people, which liad entered into the covenant, heard that every one should let his manservant, and every one his maid-servant, go free, that none should sen'e themselves of them any more, then they obeyed, and let them go.
1 1 But I" afterward they turned, and caused the servants and the handmaids, whom they had let go free, to return, and brought them into subjection for servants and for handmaids.
Verse 6. Spake all these words unto Zedefciah] He delivered this message at the hazard of his life. Jeremiah feared God, and had no other fear.
Verse 7. Against Lachish, and against A::ekah] These were two cities of Judah of considerable importance: they had been strongly fortified by Rehoboam, 2 Chron. xi. 9-11; 2 Chron. xxxii. 9.
Verse 8. The word that came unto Jeremiah] Here the second discourse begins, which was delivered probably a short time, even a few days, after -the former.
Zedekiah had made a covenant] We find no account elsewhere of this covenant: " Every man should let his man-servant and his maid-servant go ftee;" i. e., as we learn from ver. 14, on the sabbatical year; for the seventh year was the year of release. See Deut. xv. 12.
Verse 11. But afterward they i>irned\ They had agreed to manumit them at the end of tlie seventh year; but when the seventh year was ended, they recalled their engagement, and detained their servants. This, I believe, is what is here meant.
13 Thus saith the Lord, the "''■ ''""'^ 28- God of Israel; I made a covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondmen, saying,
14 At the end of i seven years let ye go every man his brother a Hebrew, which ■■ hath been sold imto thee; and when he hath served thee six years, thou shall let him go free from thee: but your fathers hearkened not unto me, neither inclined their ear.
15 And ye were ' now turned, and had done right in my sight, in proclaiming liberty every man to his neighbour; and ye had ' made a covenant before me " in the house ■" which is called by my name:
1 6 But ye tumed and " polluted my name, and caused every man his servant, and every man his handmaid, whom he had set at liberty at their pleasure, to retm'n, and brought them into subjection, to be unto you for sen'anls and for handmaids.
17 Therefore thus saith the Lord; Ye ha/e not hearkened unto me, in proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother, and every man to his neighbour: ^ behold, I proclaim a liberty for you, saith the Lord, '' to the sword, to the pes-
Verse 16. Ye — fottuted my name] Had made the covenant in my name, calling me to witness it; nowye have dishonoured my name, by breaking that covenant, and acting contrary to my law.
Verse 17. I proclaim a liberty for you] Ye proclaimed liberty to your slaves, and afterward resumed your authrrrity over them; and I had in consequence restrained the sword from cutting j'ou off: but now I give liberty to the sivord, to the pestilence, and to the famine, and to the captivity, to destroy and consume you, and enslave you: for ye shall be removed to all the kingdoms of the earth. The prophet loves to express the conformity between the crime and its pi/nishment. You promised to give liberty to your enslaved brethren; 1 was pleased, and bound the sword in its sheath. You broke your promise, and brought them again into bondage; 1 gave liberty to the sword, pestilence, and famine, to destroy multitudes of you, and captivity to take the rest. Thus you are punished according to your crimes, and in the punishment you may see the crime. Sword, pestilence, and famine are frequently joined together, as being often the effects
1 8 And I will give the men that have transgressed my covenant, which have not performed the words of the covenant which they had made before me, when *• they cut the calf in twain, and passed between the parts thereof,
19 The princes of Judah, and the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, and the priests, and all the people of the land, which passed between the parts of the calf;
20 I will even give them into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that
TarnuiniiPrisci, ("when Nebuchadiiezzar king of
Verse 18. When they cut the calf in twain, and passed between the parts thereof^ This was the ancient and most solemn way of making a covenant. 1. A calf as sacrifice was offered to God to secure his approbation and support. 2. The victim was then exactly divided from the nose to the rump; the spinal marrow being divided longitudinally, in the most careful mamier, tliat the half of it might remain on each side. 3. These divided parts were laid opposite to each other, a passage being left between them. 4. The contracting parties entered this passage at each end, met in the middle, and there took the covenant oath; adjudging themselves to death should they break this covenant. 5. Then they both feasted on the victim.
21 And Zedekiah king of Judah, and his princes, will I give into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seeA their life, and into the hand of the king of Babylon's army, '• which are gone up from
22 " Behold, I will command, saith the Lord, and cause them to return to this city; and they shall fight against it, '' and take it, and burn it with fire: and s I will make the cities of Judah a desolation without an inhabitant.
In reference to this last circumstance, God says he unll give their bodies for meat to the fowls of heaven and to the beasts. This is a farther conformity between the crime and the punishment. See my notes on Gen. xv. 9-17.
Verse 21. The king of Babylon's army, which are g07ie tip from you.] Nebuchadnezzar, hearing that there was an Egyptian army coming to the relief of Jerusalem, raised the siege, went out, and met and defeated the Egyptians. It was in the interim this prophecy was delivered.
Verse 22. I will — canse them to return\ They did return; re-invested the city; and, after an obstinate defence, took it, plundered it, and burned it to the ground, taking Zedekiah and his princes captive.
Teremiah is commanded to go to the Rechabites, who, on the approach of the Chaldean army, took rejvge in Jenisalem; and to try their obedience to the command nf Jonadab, (or Jehonadah, 2 Kino.s x. 15, 16) their great progenitor, who lived in the reign nf Jehu, king of Israel, upwards of two hundred and fifty years before this time, offers them wine to drink, which they refuse, 1-11. Hence occasion is taken to upbraid the Jews with their disobedience to God, their heavenly Father, 12-17; and a blessing is pronounced on the Rechabites, 18, 19.
'T'HE word which came unto Jeremiah from the Lord in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, saying,
NOTES ON CHAP. XXXV. Verse 1. The word which came — in the days of Jehoiakim] A\Tiat strange confusion in the placino- of these chapters! Who could have expected to hear of Jehoiakim again, whom we have long ago buried; and we have now arrived in the history at the very last year of the last Jewish king.
This discourse was probably delivered in the fotirth or fifth year of Jehoialdm's reign.
Verse 2. The home of the Rechabites] The Rechahlcs were not descendants of Jacob; they were Keniles, 1 Chron. ii. 55, a people originally settled in that part of Arabia Pctrtra, called the land of Midian, and most probably the descendants of Jethro, the fa/-
4 And I brought them into the house of the Lord, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan, the son of Igdaliah, a man of God, which was by the chamber of the princes, which tuas above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, "= the keeper of the ■* door:
5 And I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites pots full of wine, and cups, and 1 said unto them, Drink ye wine.
6 But they said, We will drink no wine: for ' Jonadab the son of Rechab our father corn-
tlier-in-law of Moses. Compare Num. x. 29-32, with Judg. i. 16; iv. 11. Those mentioned here seem to have been a trilje of Nomades or Scenite Arab.s, who fed their flocks in the deserts of Judea; they preserved the simple manners of their ancestors, considering the lile of the inhabitants of cities and large towns as the death of liberty; behoving that they would dishonour themselves by using that sort of food that would oblige them to Uve a sedentary life. Jonadab, one of their ancestors, had requii-ed his children and descendants to abide faithful to the customs of their forefathers; to continue to live in tents, and to nourish themselves on the produce of their flocks; to abstain from the cultiration of the ground, and from that particularly of the vine and its produce. His descendants religiously obseiTed this rule, till the time when the armies of the Chaldeans had entered Judea; when, to preserve their lives, they retired withm the walls of Jerusalem. But even there we find, from the account in this chapter, they did not quit their frugal manner of life: but most scrupulously observed the law of Jonadab their ancestor, and probably of this family.
When the children of Hohab, or Jethro, the fatherin-law of Moses, were invited by him to accompany them in their journeying to the Promised Land, it is very likely that they continued iheir ancient usages, and lived a patriarchal life. Their property, consisting in nothing but their cattle and tents, was easily removable from place to place; and their manner of living was not lilcely to excite the envy or jealousy of those who had learnt to relish the luxuries of life; and therefore we may naturally conclude that as they were enemies to none, so they had no enemies themselves. Nature has few wants. Most of those which we feel are factitious; and howsoever what we call civilization may furnish us with the conveniences and comforts of life, let us not deceive ourselves by supposing that these very things do not create the very wants which they are called in to supply; and most certainly do not contribuie to the comfort of life, when the term of life is
7 Neither shall ye build house, "'■ """"■" ^"- nor sow seed, nor plant vineyard, nor have any: but all your days ye shall dwell in tents; ^ that ye may live many da3's in the land where ye be strangers.
8 Thus have we obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab our father in all that he hath charged us, to di'ink no wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons, nor our daughters;
9 Nor to build houses for us to dwell in: neither have we vineyard, nor field, nor seed:
10 But we have dwelt in tents, and have obeyed, and done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us.
r Tarquinh Prisci,
considerably abridged by their use. But it is time to return to the case of the Rechabites before us.
Verse 3. The ivhole house of the Rechabites] That is, the family — the chiefs of which are here specified.
Verse 4. Igdaliah, a man of God] A prophet or holy man, having some oiBce in the temple.
Verse 5. Pots full of loine, and cups] The cups were to draw the wine out of the pots, in order to drink it.
Verse 6. We will drink no wine] The reason is given above. Their whole religious and political institution consisted in obedience to three simple precepts, each of which has an appropriate spiritual meaning: —
1. Ye shall drink no wine] Ye shall preserve your bodies in temperance, shall use nothing that would deprive you of the exercise of your sober reason at any time; lest in such a time ye should do what might be prejudicial to yourselves, injurious to your neighbour, or dishonourable to your God.
2. Neither shall ye build house] Ye shall not become residents in any place; ye shall not court earthly possessions; ye shall live free from ambition and from envy, that ye may be free from contention and strife.
3. But — ye shall dwell in tents] Ye shall imitate your forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the rest of the patriarchs, loho dwelt in tents, being strangers and pilgrims upon earth, looking for a heavenly country, and being determined to have nothing here, that would indispose their minds towards that place of endless rest, or prevent them from passing through temporal things so as not to lose those that are eternal.
There must necessarily be more in these injunctions than meets the eye in the letter of this account.
Verse 8. Thus have ice obeyed the voice] AA'e have considered these precepts so very reasonable, so very useful, so conducive to the health of both body and mind, and sanctioned by such a respectable antiquity, that we scrupulously and religiously observe them.
rusalem for fear of the army of tlie Clialdeans, and for fear of the army of the SjTians: so we dwell at Jerusalem.
12 Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiali, saying,
13 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Go and tell the men of Judali and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will ye not ^ receive instruction to hearken to my words? saith the
14 The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are performed; for unto tliis day they drink none, but obey their father's commandment: '' notwithstanding I have spoken unto you, ' rising early and speaking; but ye hearkened not unto me:
1 5 '' I have sent also unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, ' Retm-n ye now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and go not after other gods to serve them, and ye shall
Verse 11. But — ivhen Nebuchadrezzar — -came up] If at present we appear to be acting contrary in any respect to our institutions, in being found in the city, necessity alone ha.s induced us to take this temporary step. We have sought the shelter of the city for the preservation of our lives; so noiv we dwell at Jerusalem.
Verse 14. The words of Jonadab — -arc performed — hit ye hearhened not unto me.] The Lord, knowing the fidelity of this people, chose to try them in this way^ that he might, by their conscientious obedience to the precepts of their forefathers, show the Jews, to their confusion, their ingratitude to him, and their neglect of his precepts, which if a man do, he shall live by them.
Verse 17. I will bring upon Judah and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil] Having, by the conduct of the Rechabites, clearly and fuUy convicted dwell in the land which I have ^;,^- '''^- ^^97. given to you and to your fathers: oi. Xi.iii, 3.
but ye have not inclined your ear, r. Roman., nor hearkened unto me. cir. annum 10.
1 6 Because the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have performed the commandment of their father, wliich he commanded them; bu this people hath not hearkened unto me:
17 Therefore thus saith the Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon Judah and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil that I have pronounced against them: " because I have spoken unto them, but they have not heard; and I have called tmto them, but they have not answered.
18 And Jeremiah said unto the house of the Rechabites, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Because ye have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done according tmto all that he hath commanded you:
19 Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; ° Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to ° stand before me for ever.
them of ingratitude and rebellion, he now proceeds to pronounce sentence against them.
Verse 19. Thus saith the Lord — Jonadab — shall not want a man to stand before me for ever.] His name shall ever be honourable, and his posterity shall enjoy my continual protection; and there shall never be found a time in which men of his spirit shall be wanting as patterns of genuine simplicity, filial obedience, purity of manners, and deadness to the world. True Christians may be considered as the genuine successors of these ancient Rechabites; and some suppose that the Essenes, in our Lord's time, were literally their descendants, and that these were they who followed our Lord particularly, and became the first converts to the Gospel. If so, the prophecy is literally fulfilled: they shall never want a man to stand before God, to proclaim his salvation, and minister to the edification and salvation of others, as long as the earth shall endure.
God commands Jeremiah to write down m one roll or volume all the predictions he had uttered against Israe, and Judah, and all the surrounding nations, from the day. of his vocation to Ike prophetic office, that the house of Judah might have abundant warning of the dreadful calamities with which their country was about to be visited, if not prevented by a timely repentance, 1-3. The prophet employs Baruch the.scribe, the son of Neriah, to write from his mouth all the words of the Lord, and then to read them publicly upon a fast day in the Lord's house, 4-8. A general fast is proclaimed in the following year, viz., the fifth year of the reign of Jehoiakim; upon which occasion Baruch, in obedience to the prophet's command, reads the words of Jeremiah to all the people at the entry of the new gate of the temple, 9, 10. The princes, hearing of this, send for Baruch, who reads the roll to them; at the contents of which they are greatly alarmed, and solemnly resolve to give information to the king, at the same time advising both the prophet and his scribe to hide themselves, 11-19. Jehoiakim likewise having sent for the roll, Jehudi reads to him apart; and then the king, though advised to the contrary by some of his princes, having cut the leaves, throws the whole into the fire, 80-25, and orders Jeremiah and Baruch to be seized; but they could not he found, because a special providence of God had concealed them, 26. Jeremiah is commanded to re-wnte his prophecies, and to denounce the judgments of God against the king who had destroyed the first roll, 27-31. Baruch accordingly writes from the mouth of Jeremiah a tieio copy, with numerous additions, 32.
2 Take thee a " roll of a book, and '' write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and against "^ all the nations, from the day I spake unto thee, from the days of '' Josiah, even unto this day.
3 ^ It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do imto them; that they may ' return every man from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.
4 Then Jeremiah s called Baruch the son of Neriah: and '' Baruch wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the Lord, which lie had spoken unto him, upon a roll of a book.
.5 And Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying.
Verse 1. And it came to pass in the fourth year] About the end of this year, see ver. 9. This discourse also bears its own date, and was probably delivered at a time when the people enjoyed peace, and were about to celebrate one of their annual fasts.
Verse 2. Take thee a roll of a book] Take a sufficient quantity of parchment; cut and stitch it together, that it may make a loU on which to write the words that I have already spoken, that they may serve for a testimony to future generations. The Jewish rolls, several of which now lie before me, were made of vellum, or of sheep-skins dressed in the half-tanned or Basil manner. These were cut into certain lengths, and those parts were aU stitched together, and rolled upon a roller. The matter was written on these skins in columns or pages. Sometimes two rollers are used, that as the matter is read from the roU in the left hand, the reader may coil it on the roller in his right. In this form the Pentateuch is written which is read in the synagogues.
6 Therefore go thou, and read TarquinUPrisci, in the roll, which thou hast writ- R- Roman., lo. ten from my mouth, the words of the Lord in the ears of the people in the Lord's house upon ' the fasting day: and also thou shalt read them in the eai-s of all Judah that come out of their cities.
7 "^ It may be ' they will present their sup plication before the Lord, and will return every one from his evil way: for great is the anger and the fury that the Lord hath pronounced against this people.
8 And Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading in the book the words of the Lord in the Lord's house.
9 And it came to pass in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, in the ninth month, that they proclaimed
hear] It was yet possible to avert the judgments which had been so often denounced against them. But in order to this they must — 1. Hear what God has spoken. 2. Every man turn from his evil way. 3. If they do so, God graciousl)' promises to forgive their iniquity and their sin.
A'erse 4. Then Jeremiah called Baruch] This man, so useful to the prophet, and so faithfully attached to him, was by office a scribe; which signifies, not only a writer, but also a man in office; a chancellor, secretary, &c., a learned man; one acquainted with laws and customs.
Verse 6. Upon the fasting day] A day when multitudes of people would be gathered together from all parts to implore the mercy of God. This was a favourable time to read these tremendous prophecies.
Verse 7. Present their supplication] " Let their supplication fall," that they may fall down before God, and deplore their sins.
a fast before the Lord to all the people in Jerusalem, and to all the
10 Then read Baruch in the book the words of Jeremiah in the house of the Lord, in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe, in the higher court, at the "entry "of tiie new gate of the Lord's house, in the cars of all the people.
1 1 When Michaiah the son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, had heard out of the book all the words of the Lord,
12 Then he went down intp the king's house, into the scribe's chamber: and, lo, all the princes sat there, even Elishama the srribe, and Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, and { Elnathan the son of Achbor, and Gemariah the son of Shaphan, and Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the princes.
13 Then Michaiah declared unto them all' the words that he had heard, when Baruch read the book in the ears of the people.
14 Therefore all the princes sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, unto Baruch, saying, Take in thine hand the roll wherein thou hast read in the ears of the people, and come. So Baruch the son of Neriah took the roll in his hand, and came unto them.
15 And they said unto him. Sit down now, and read it in our ears. So Baruch read it in their ears.
16 Now it came to pass, when they had heard all the words, they were afraid both
Verse 10. In the chamber of Gemariah] He was one of the princes of Judah. See ver. 12.
At his mouth?] So the te.xt should be pointed. They wished to know whether he had not copied them, or whether he wrote as Jeremiah prophesied.
Verse 19. Go, hide thee, thou and Jeremiah] They saw that the king would be displeased, and most probably seek their lives; and as they believed the prophecy was from God, they wished to save both the prophet and his scribe; but they were obliged to inform the king of what they had heard.
Verse 17. How didst thou write all these words?
Verse 22. Winter'house] A warm apartment suited to the season of the year, (December,) when in Palestine there is often snow upon the ground, though it does not last long. A /ire oli the hearth—a. pan or brazier of burning coals. This is the case to the pipsent day. I In cold weather the rich burn wood in brass or earthen '
I one and other, and said unto A- ^\ 3398. Baruch, We will surely tell the oixtm.'i king of all these words. Tarqum"prise,
17 And they asked Baruch, R- R™;>an^. saymg, Tell us now, How didst thou write all these words at his mouth?
18 Then Baruch answered them. He pro nounced all these words unto me with his mouth, and I wrote them with ink in the book.
19 Then said the princes unto Baruch, Go, ^ hide thee, thou and Jeremiah; and let no man j know where ye be.
20 And they went in to the king into the court, but they laid up the roll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, and told all the words in the ears of the king.
I 2 1 So the king sent Jehudi to fetch the roll. and he took it out of Elishama the scribe's chamber. And Jehudi read it in the ears of the king, and in the ears of all the princes which stood beside the king.
22 Now' the king sat in " the winterhouse in the ninth month: and there luas afire on the
23 And it came to pass, that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth.
24 Yet they were not afraid, nor p rent their garments, 7ieither the king, nor any of his servants that heard all these words.
25 Nevertheless Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah had made intercession to the king
Verse 23. When Jehudi had read three or four leaves] Rather columns; for the law, and the sacred Hebrew Books, are written in columns of a certain breadth, r\^^h-\ delathoth, signifies gates or openings between column and column, or between section and section.
He cut it. toith the penknife] n3Dn II'jIt bethaar hassnpher, " the knife of the scribe," properly enough penknife.
Verse 25. Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah] Three of the princes wished to save the roll, and entreated the king that it might not be burnt. They would have saved it out of the fire, but the king would not permit it to be done.
that lie would not burn the roll: but he would not hear them.
26 But the king commanded
lech, and Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to take Baruch the.scribe and Jeremiah the prophet: but the Lord hid them.
27 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, after that the king had burned the roll, and the
28 Take thee again another roll, and write in it all the former words that were in the first roll, which Jehoiakim the king of Judali hath burned.
29 And thou shalt say to Jehoiakim king of Judah, Thus sailh the Lord; Thou hast biurned this roll, saying. Why hast thou written therein, saying, The lung of Babylon shall
Verse 26. But the Lord hid them.] They had, at the counsel of some of the princes, hidden themselves, ver. 19. And now, though a diligent search was made, the Lord did not permit them to be found
certainly come and destroy this land, and shall cause to cease from thence man and beast?
30 Therefore thus saith the Lord of Jehoiakim king of Judah; "■ He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David: and his dead body shall be ' cast out in the day to the heat, and in the night to the frost.
31 And I will 'punish him and his seed and his servants for their iniquity; and I will bring upon them, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and upon the men of Judah, all the evil diat I have pronounced against them; but they hearkened not.
32 Then took Jeremiah another roll, and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah; who wrote therein from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had bunied in the fire: and there were added besides unto them many '^ like words.
shall have an untimely end, and shall not even be bu ried, but his body be exposed to the open air, both night and day. He who wishes to hide his crimes, or take away the evidence which is against him, adds
Verse 28. Ta!ce thee again another roll] There was ' thereby to his iniquities, and is sure in consequence to no duplicate of the former preserved; and now God double his punishment. See the thieatenins against inspired the prophet with the same matter that he had given him before; and there is to be added the heavy judgment that is to fall on Jehoiakim and his courtiers.
Verse 30. He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David] He shall have no successor, and himself
Verse 32. There were added — mani/ like words.] All the first roll, with many other threatenings, and perhaps more minute declarations which were merely of a temporary importance and local application; and the Holy Spirit did not think proper to record them here.
Zedehah succeeds Coniah, the son of Jehoiakim, in the Jewish throne, and does that which is evil tn the sight of the Lord, 1, 2. The king sends a message to Jeremiah, 3-5. God suggests an answer; and foretells the return of the Chaldean army, loho should most assuredly take and hum the city, 6-10. Jeremiah, in attempting to leave this devoted city, and retire to his possession in the country, is seized as a deserter, and cast into a dungeon, 11-15. The king, after a conference with him, abates the rigour of his confinement, 1 6-2 1.
A ND king » Zedekiah the son i 2 '' But neither he, nor his serof Josiah reigned instead! vants, nor the people of the land, of Coniah the son of Jehoia-! did hearken unto the words of kim, whom Nebuchadrezzar \ the Lord, which he spake "^ by king of Babylon made kurg in the land of the prophet Jeremiah.
NOTES ON CHAP. XXXVH. Verse 1. And king Zedekiah the son of Josiah] Of the siege and taking of Jerusalem referred to here, and
3 And Zedekiah the king sent Jehucal the
the making of Zedekiah king instead of Jeconiah, see 2 Kings xxiv. 1, &c., and the notes there.
iarmy of the Chaldeans that figlit ^- M. cir. 341J. against you, and there remained Oi.'xLvn.T' \hut 'wounded men among them, '''=i; ''";'." 'P"^":'.
4 Now Jeremiah came in and went out among the people: for tlicy luid not put him into prison.
5 Then <■ Pharaoh's army was come forth out of Egypt: ^and when the Chaldeans that besieged Jenisalcm hcai-d tidings of them, they departed from Jerusalem.
6 Then came the word of the Lord unto the prophet Jeremiah, saying,
7 Thus saith tiie Lord, the God of Israel; Thus shall ye say to the king of Judah,?that sent you unto me to inquire of me; Behold, j Pharaoh's army, which is come forth to help j vou, shall return to Egypt into their own land.
8 >> And the Chaldeans shall come again, and hght against this city, and take it, and burn it ' with fire.
9 Thus saith the Lord; Deceive not ' your- I selves, saying, The Chaldeans shall surely depart from us: for they shall not depart.
10 ''For though ye had smitten the whole
was willing to hear a messag/; from the Lord, provided it were according to his own mind. He did not fully trust in his own prophets.
Verse 4. Now Jeremiah came m and went out] After the siege was raised, he had a measure of liberty; he was not closely confined, as he afterwards was. See ver. 16.
Verse 5. Then PharaoVs army] This was PAarao/ihophra or Apnes, who then reigned in Egypt in place of liis father Necho. See Ezek. xxi.x. 6, &c. NebucliaJnezzar, hearing that the Eg>'ptian army, on which the Jews so much depended, was on their march to relieve the city, suddenly raised the siege, and went to meet them. In the interim Zedekiah sent to Jeremiah to inquire of the Lord to know whether they might consider themselves in safety. |
A erse 7. Pharaoh's army — shall return to E'n/pt] \ They were defeated by the Chaldeans; and, not being hearty in the cause, returnee! immediately to Egypt" leaving Nebuchadnezzar unmolested to recommence the siege.
Verse 10. For though ye had smitten the whole\ army] Strong words; but they show how fully God ' was determined to give up this city to fire and sword, and how fully he had instructed his prophet on this point.
\yet should they rise up every man in his tent, and burn this city with fire.
1 1 " And it came to pass, that when the army of the Chaldeans was " broken up from Jerusalem for fear of Pharaoh's armj-,
12 Then Jeremiah went fortli out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin, " to separate himself thence in the midst of the
13 And when he was in the gate of Benjamin, a captain of the ward teas there, whose name was Irijah, the son of Shelemiah, the
j son of Hananiah; and he took Jeremrah the j prophet, saying. Thou fallest away to the I Chaldeans.
14 Then said Jeremiah, It is p false; I fall not away to the Chaldeans. But he hearkened not to him: so Irijah took Jeremiah, and brought him to the princes.
15 Wherefore the princes were wroth with Jeremiah, and smote him, i and put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe: for they had made that the prison.
To separate himself thence] " To receive a portion thereof among the people -'^—Blayney: who supposes, that Jeremiah went to receive a portion of the pro-, ceeds of his patrimony at Anathoth, which had, pre- ^ viously to the siege, been in the hands of the Chaldeans. The siege being now raised, he thought of j looking thus after his own affairs. The Chaldee is j to the same sense. " He went that he might di- I vide the inheritance which he had there among the people." I Dahler translates, " He went to withdraw himself I from the siege, as many others of the inhabitants." I believe he went to withdraw himself from a city devoted to destruction, and in which he could no longer do any good.
Verse 13. Thou fallest aivay to the Chaldeans.] Thou art a deserter, and a traitor to thy country. As he had always declared that the Chaldeans should take the city, &c., his enemies took occasion from tliis to say he was in the interest of the Chaldeans, and that he wished now to go to them, and betray the place.
Verse 15. And smote him] Without any /jroo/ of the alleged treachery, without any form of justice. In prison in the house of Jonathan] In Asiatic
01. XLVii. 4. into 'the dungeon, and into the ^R^'RomanT'' ^ cabins, aiid Jeremiah had recir. annum 28. rained there many days;
17 Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took him out: and the king asked him secretly in his house, and said, Is there any word from the Lord? And Jeremiah said. There is: for, said he, thou shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.
18 Moreover Jeremiah said unto king Zedekiah, What have I offended against thee, or against thy servants, or against this people, that ye have put me in prison?
countries there is an apartment in the houses of the officers of the law, to confine all the accused that are brought before them. Jonathan was a scribe or sccretanj, and had a prison of this kind in his house.
Verse 16. Entered into the dungeon, and into the cahins] The dungeon was probably a deep pit; and the cabins or cells, niches in the sides, where different malefactors were confined. See Blayney.
Verse 17. Is there any word from the Lordly Is there any farther revelation ■?
There is: — thou shalt be delivered] WTiat bold faithfulness! And to a king, in whose hands his life now lay.
20 Therefore hear now, I pray "'■ """"^ ^^- thee, 0 my lord the king: ' let my supphcation, I pray thee, be accepted before thee; that thou cause me not to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.
21 Then Zedekiah the king commanded that they should commit Jeremiah " into the court of the prison, and that they should give him daily a piece of bread out of the bakers' street, ^ until all the bread in the city were spent. Thus Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.
Verse 19. Where are now your prophets] They told you that the Chaldeans should not come; I told you they would. According to my word the Chaldeans are come, and are departed only for a short tiine.
Verse 20. Cause me not to return to the house of Jonathan] He had been iU used in this man's custody, so as to endanger his life, the place being cold, and probably unhealthy.
Verse 2 1. Then Zedekiah — the court of the prison] Was contiguous to the king's house, where the prisoners could readily see their friends.
Give him daily a piece of bread out of the bakers'' street] From the public stores; which he received till all the provisions were spent.
The princes of Judah, taking offence at Jeremiah on account of his predicting the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by the Chaldeans, cause him to be cast into a deep and miry dungeon, 1-6. Ebed-melech, an Ethiopian, gets the king''s permission to take him out, 7—13. Jeremiah advises the king, who consulted him privately, to surrender to the Chaldeans, 14-23. The king promises the prophet that he will not put him to death, and requires him not to reveal what had passed to the princes; to whom he accordingly gives an evasive answer, telling them only so much of the conference as related to his request for his life,
R. Roman., ' SOU of Paslnir, and ^ Jucal the cir. annum28^ SOU of Shelemiah, and ^ Pashur
the son of Malchiah, " heard the words that
Verse 1. Then Shephatiah] This was the /ocftoj; what Dahler terms the Antitheocratic factio were enemies to Jeremiah, and sought his life
die bv the sword, by the lamine, r. Roman., and by the pestilence: but he that ■='■■■ ''■^""'» a*^- goeth forth to the Chaldeans shall live; for he shall have his life for a prey, and shall live.
3 Thus saith the Lord, " This city shall
A''erse 3. This city shall surely be given] This was a testimony that he constantly bore: he had the authowho [ rity of God for it. He knew it wa« true, and he never wavered nor equivocated
'*B*Cd'r 589^' purely be given into ihe hand of OL XLVii. 4. the king of Babylon's army,
4 Therefore the princes said unto the king, We beseech thee, ^ let this man be put to death: for thus he weakeneth the hands of the men of war that remain in this city, auid the hands of all the people, in speaking such words unto them: for this man seeketh not the s welfare of this people, but the hurt.
5 Then Zedekiah the king said. Behold, he is in your hand: for the king is not he that can do any thing against you.
6 '^ Tiien took they Jeremiah, and cast him mto the dungeon of Malchiah the son ' of Hammelech, that was in the court of the prison: and they let down Jeremiah with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire: so Jeremiah sunk in the mire.
7 ^ Now when Ebed-mclcch the Ethiopian, one of the eunuchs which was in the king's house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon; (the king then sitting in the gate of Benjamin;)
8 Ebed-melech went forth out of the king's house, and spake to the king, saying,
9 My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the dun-
Verse 4. Let this man be put to death] And they gave their reasons plain enough: but the proof was wanting.
Verse 5. He is in your hand] Ye have power to do as you please; I must act by your counsel. Poor weak prince! you respect the prophet, you fear the cabal, and you sacrifice an innocent man to your own weakness and their malice!
Verse 6. So Jeremiah sunk in the mire.] Their obvious design was, that he might be stifled in that
Verse 7. Ebed-melech] The servant of the king, one of the eunuchs who belonged to the palace. Perhaps it should be read, " Now, a servant of the king, a Cushite, one of the eunuchs," &c.
The king then sitting in the gate of Benjamin] To give audience, and to administer justice. We have often seen that the gales of cities were the places of public judicature.
Verse 9. My lord the king, these men have done evil] He must have been much in the king's confidence, and a humane and noble spirited man, thus to have raised his voice against the powerful cabal already mentioned.
There is no more bread in the city.] They had de-
10 Then the king commanded Ebed-melecii the Ethiopian, saying. Take from hence thirty men " with thee, and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon, before he die.
1 1 So Ebed-melech took the men with him, and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took thence old cast clouts and old rotten rags, and let them down by cords into the dungeon to Jeremiah.
1 2 And Ebed-melech the Ethiopian said unto Jeremiah, Put now these old cast clouts and rotten rags under thine armholes under the cords. And Jeremiah did so.
1 3 " So they drew up Jeremiah with cords, and took him up out of the dungeon: and Jeremiah remained "in the court of the prison.
14 Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took Jeremiah the prophet unto him into the f third entiT that is in the house of the Lord: and the king said mito Jeremiah, I will ask thee a thing; hide nothing from me.
15 Then Jeremiah said unto Zedekiah, If I declare it unto thee, wilt thou not surely put me to death? and if I give thee counsel, wilt thou not hearken unto me?
fended it to the last extremity; and it appears that bread had been afforded to the prophet according to the king's commandment, as long as there was any remaining. See chap, xxxvi. 21.
Verse 10. Take from hence thirty men] The king was determined that he should be rescued by force, if the princes opposed.
Verse 1 1. Went into the house of the king — and took thence] The eastern kings had their wardrobes always well furnished; as garments were a usual present to ambassadors, &c. I cannot think that, in the proper acceptation of the words, these were in any part of the king's house.
Old ca-tt clouts, and old rotten rags] The fact seems to be this: there were several garments that had been used, and would not be used again; and there were others which, through continuing long there, had by insects, &c. been rendered useless. I These he took, tied to the cord, let down to the proi phet, that he might roll them round the ropes, and place them under his arm-pits, so that in being hauled I up he might not suffer injury from the ropes, which in j this case must sustain the whole weight of his body. j Verse 14. Into the third entry] A place to enlet: wiiich two others must be passed through.
to death, neither will I give thee into the hand of these men that seek thy life.
1 7 Then said Jeremiah imto Zedekiah, Thus saith the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; If thou wilt assuredly "■ go forth = unto the king of Babylon's princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thine house:
18 But if thou wilt not go forth to the king of Babylon's princes, then shall this city be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and * thou shalt not escape out of their hand.
19 And Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they " mock me.
20 But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver thee. Obey, I beseech thee, the voice of the Lord, which I speak unto thee: so it shall be well unto thee, and thy soul shall live.
2 1 But if thou refuse to go forth, this is the word that the Lord hath showed me:
22 Ajid, behold, all the women that are left in the king of Judah's house shall be brought forth to the king of Babylon's princes, and tliose women shall say, '' Thy friends have set thee on, and have prevailed against thee: thy
Verse 16. As the Lord liveth, that made us this soul] He is the living God, and he is the Author of that life which each of us possesses; and as sure as he lii^es, and we live by him, I will not put thee to death, nor grive thee into the hands of those men who seek thy life. A very solemn oath; and the first instance on record of the profane custom of swearing by the soul.
Verse 17. Wilt assuredly go] On the king's obedience to the advice of the prophet the safety of the city depended.
Urilo the king of Babylon's princes] The generals of the army then returning to the siege from the defeat of the Egyptians; for Nebuchadnezzar himself was then at Riblah, in Syria, chap, x.xxix. 5, 6.
Verse 22. All the women — brotight forth] I think this place speaks of a kind of defection among the women of the harem: many of whom had already
23 So they shall bring out R^RomanT' all thy wives and '"thy children "'■ "'"""' ^'^- to the Chaldeans: and ^ thou shalt not escape out of their hand, but shalt be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon: and y thou shalt cause this city to be burned with fire.
24 Then said Zedekiah unto Jeremiah, Let no man know of these words, and thou slialt not die.
25 But if the princes hear that I have talked with thee, and they come unto thee, and say unto thee, Declare unto us now what thou hast said unto the king, hide it not from us, and we will not put thee to death; and also what the king said unto thee:
26 Then thou shalt say unto them, '^ I presented my supplication before the king, that he would not cause me to return " to Jonathan's house, to die there.
27 Then came all the princes unto Jeremiah, and asked him: and he told them according to all these words that the king had commanded. So ''they left off speaking with him; for the matter was not per ceived.
28 So "= Jeremiah abode in the •^•'^,-.^i'^ court of the prison until the day B. C. 589 that Jerusalem was taken: and 01. XLVii. 4. he was there when Jerusalem — XLVUl. i. was taken.
gone forth privately to the principal officers of the Chaldean army, and made the report mentioned in the end of this verse. These were the concubines oi women of the second rank.
Verse 23. They shall bring out all thy wives and thy children] These were the women of the first rank, by whom the king had children. These had no temptation to go out to the Chaldeans, nor would they have been made welcome; but the others being young, and without children, would be well received by the Chaldean princes.
A'^erse 26. I presented my siipplicatimt] This was telling the truth, and nothing but the truth, but not the whole truth. The king did not wish him to defile his conscience, nor did he propose any thing that was not consistent with the truth.
Verse 27. The matter was not perceived.] They did not question him farther; and the king's commandment to remove him from the house of Jonathan being well known, they took for granted that they had all I embroil this weak king with his factious but powerful the information that they sought. And he was most princes, or affect his own life. He related simnly certainly not obliged to relate any thing that might | what was necessary, and no more.
This chapter gk-es an account of the siege and taking of Jerusalem; the flight, capture, and punishment of Zedekiah; the burning of the city; and the carrying away of the people, {a few of the meanest excepted,) to Babylon, I-IO; also of the release of Jeremiah, and the special orders of Nebuchadnezzar concerning him, 11—14. The remaining verses relate to the subject of the preceding chapter; and contain promises of personal safety to Ehed-melech the Ethiopian amidst the public calamities, on account of his piety, and his humanity to the prophet, 15—18.
TN^ the " ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth
Tarquinii Prisci, month, Came Nebuchadrezzar R. Roman., 27. j^j,^g ^f Babylon and all his army against Jerusalem, and they besieged it.
'b'c 588^' ^ And in the eleventh year of 01. xlViii.' 1. Zedekiah, in the fourth month, Tariniinii Prisci, the ninth day of the month, the R. Roman., 29. ^jj^.^^^^ broken up.
3 '' And all the princes of the king of Babylon came in, and sat in the middle gate, even Nergal-sharezer, Samgar-nebo, Sarsechim, Rab-saris, Nergal-sharezer, Rab-mag, with all tlie residue of the princes of the king of Babylon.
4 " And it came to pass,
Verse 1. In the ninth year of Zedekiah — in the tenth month] This month is called Tebeth in Esther ii. 16. It began with the first new moon of our January, and it was on the tenth day of this month that Nebuchadnezzar invested the city.
Verse 2. The eleventh year — in the fourth month] This month in the Hebrew calendar is called Thammuz, and commences with the first new moon of our July. The siege had lasted just eighteen months.
The city was broken up.] A breach was made in the wall by which the Chaldeans entered.
Verse 3. Sat in the middle gate] The city of Jerusalem stood upon two hills, Sion to the south, and Arra to the north, with a deep valley between them. The gate of '.he centre, as the term seems plainly to import was a gate of communication in the middle of the valley, between the two parts of the city, sometimes called the higher and the lower city. The Chaldeans entered the city on the ncrlh side by a breach in the walls, and rushing forward and posting themselves in this gate, in the very heart or centre of the city, became thereby masters at will of the whole. Zedekiah with his troop, perceiving this, fled out of the opposite gate on the south side. See Blayncy. This is likely; but we know nothing positively on this subject.
out of the city by night, by the way of the king's garden, by the gate betwixt the two walls: and he went out the way of the plain.
5 But the Chaldeans' army pm-sued after them, and ^ overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho: and when they liad taken him, they brought 'him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to " Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he ^ gave judgment upon him.
6 Then the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah in Riblah before his eyes: also the
Nergal-sharezer] These were the principal commanders; but Dr. Blayney thinks that instead of *!> persons, we have in reality but three, as the name that follows each is a title of office. Thus, Nergal-sharezer, who was Samgar; Ncbu-sarsechim, who was Rab-saris; and Nergal-sharezer, who was Rab-mag. As Nergal-sharezer occurs twice here, and we know that Nebuzar-adan was general-in-chief, the first Nergal-sharezer is probably a mistake for Nebuzar-adan. or some other of the commanders. But these things are as uncertain as they are unimportant.
A'erse 4. Went forth out of the city by night] Probably there was a private passage vnder ground, leading without the walls, by which Zedekiah and his followers might escape unperceived lill they had got some way from the city.
The way of the plain. ^ There were two roads from Jerusalem to Jericho. One passed over the mount of Olives; but, as this might have retarded his flight, he chose the way of the plain, and was overtaken near Jericho, perhaps about sixteen or eighteen miles from Jerusalem. He had probably intended to have passed the Jordan, in order to escape to Egypt, as the Egyptians were then his professed allies.
A'erse 5. To Riblah] This city was situated on the northern frontier of Palestine, and Ilaniath was a large city belonging also to Syria. See Gen. x. 18. ' 359 nobles of Judah. Tarnuinu Prisci, ~ MoTcover 6 he put out Zcde- R. Roman., 29. ]^jg]j'g eyes, and bound him ^ with chains, to carry him to Babylon.
8 ' And the Chaldeans burnt the king's house, and the houses of the people, with fire, and brake down the walls of Jerusalem.
9 '' Then Nebuzar-adan the ' captain ™ of the guard carried away captive into Babylon the remnant of the people that remained in the city, and those that fell away, that fell to him, with the rest of the people that remained.
10 But Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard left of the poor of the people, which had nothing, in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and fields " at the same time.
11 Now Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon gave charge concerning Jeremiah " to Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, sajang,
1 2 Take him, and f look well to him, and do him no harm; but do unto him even as he shall say unto thee.
1 3 So Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard sent, and Nebushasban, Rab-saris, and Nergal-
Verse 7. Bound him xcith chains] Margin: " Two brazen chains;" one for his hands, and the other for his feet.
Verse 10. Left of the poor of the people] The very refuse of the inhabitants, who were not worthy of being carried away; and among them he divided the fields and vineyards of those whom he took away.
Verse 12. Take him — look well to him'] Nebuchadnezzar had heard that this prophet had foretold his capture of the city, and had frequently used all his in-
14 Even they sent, land took Tarqumil Prisci, Jeremiah out of the court of the R- Roman., 29. prison, and committed him ' unto Gedaliah the son of ^ Ahikam the son of Shaphan, that he should carry him home: so he dwelt among the people.
15 Now the word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah, while he was shut up in the court of the prison, saying,
16 Go and speak to 'Ebed-mclech the Ethiopian, saying. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold ^ I w-ill bring my words upon this city for evil, and not for good; and they shall be accomplished in that day before thee.
17 But I will deliver thee in that day, saith the Lord: and thou shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom thou a7't afiraid.
18 For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shall not fall by the sword, but " thy life shall be for a prey unto thee: ■" because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the Lord.
fluence to induce Zedekiah to pay the tribute, and not rebel against him; and on this account would be inclined to show the prophet especial favour.
Verse 18. / will surely deliver thee] Thou hast feared the Lord, and not the king, nor his princes, and thou hast taken the part of the prophet, and become his intercessor. Thou shall not be slain. Thou hast put thy trust in me; thou shall therefore be safe whithersoever thou goest. They that fear God need fear nothing besides.
This and the fotir following chapters contain a distinct account of what passed in the land of Judafi from the taking of Jerusalem to the retreat of the remnant of the people to Egypt; together with the prophecies of Jeremiah concerning that place, xchither he himself accompanied them. In this chapter we have im account of the enlargement of Jeremiah hy Nebuzar-adan, the captain of the guard, icho advises him to put himself under the jurisdiction of Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had made governor over the land of Judea, 1-5. The prophet and many of the dispersed Jews repair to Gedaliah, 6-12 Johanan acquaints the governor of a conspiracy against him, hit is not believed, 13-16.
^■^°""'"—°- the guard had let him go from Ramah, when lie had taken him being bound in ''chains among all that were carried away captive of Jerusalem and Judah, which were carried away captive unto Babylon.
2 And the captain of the guard took Jeremiah, and " said unto him. The Lord thy God hath pronounced this evil upon this place.
3 Now the Lord hath brought it, and done according as he hath said: '' because ye have sinned against the Lord, and have not obeyed his voice, therefore this thing is come upon you.
4 And now, behold, I loose thee this day from the chains which " ivere upon thine hand. ^ If it seem good unto thee to come with me into Babylon, come; and ^ I will look well unto thee: but if it seem ill unto thee to come with me into Babylon, forbear: behold, ^ all the land is before thee: whither it scemeth good and convenient for thee to go, thither go.
5 Now while he was not yet gone back, he said, Go back also to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, ' whom the king of Babylon hath made governor over the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people: or go wheresoever it seemeth convenient unto thee to go. So the captain of the guard gave him victuals and a reward, and let him go.
6 ^ Then went Jeremiah unto Gedaliah the
Verse 1. The word that came to Jeremiah] This and the four following chapters contain a particular account of what passed in the land of Judea from the taking of the city to the retreat of the people into Egypt, and the prophecies of Jeremiah concerning them there.
Had let him go from Ramah] This has embarrassed most of the commentators. Dr. Blayney has tlirown much light upon it by his translation and note: —
"The word that came to Jeremiah from Jehovah, after that Nebu-Zaradan captain of the guards had taken him, and let him go from Ramah: for he had been bound with chains among all the captives of Jerusalem and Judah, who were carried away captive to Babylon."
" H.\D TAKEN HIM,.4ND LET HIM GO. — Most interpreters have understood inN innp3 bekachto otho of Nebuchadnezzar's having first taken Jeremiah as a and dwelt with him among the 01. XLViii v people that were left in the Tarquinii Prisci,
7 " Now when all the captains of the forces which ivere in the fields, even they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam governor in the land, and had committed unto him men, and women, and children, and of " the poor of the land, of them that were not carried away captive to Babylon;
8 Then they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, ° even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, and the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniali the son of a Maachathite, they and their men.
9 And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan sware unto them and to their men, saying. Fear not to serve the Chaldeans: dwell in, the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.
10 As for me, behold, I will dwell at Mizpah, I" to serve the Chaldeans, which will come unto us: but ye, gather ye wine, and summer fruits, and oil, and put them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities that ye have taken.
1 1 Likewise when all the Jews that were in Moab, and among the Ammonites, and in Edom, and that were in all the countries, heard that the king of Babylon had left a
captive unto Ramah. But if the order of the sentence be well observed, as well as the more common use of the verb r\ph lakach, it will, I think, rather appear that those words relate to his taking or having him brought to him, in order to give him his discharge."
Verse 2. The Lord thy God hath pronotinced] I know that thou art a true prophet, for what thou hast predicted from thy God is come to pass.
Verse 4. Come; and I will look well unto thee] Thou art now at full liberty to do as thou pleasest; either to come to Babylon, or to stay in thy own land.
Verse 5. Go back also to Gedaliah] If thou wilt stay in thy own land, thou hadst best put thyself under the protection of thy countryman Gedaliah, whom the king of Babylon has made governor of the land.
Verse 8. Ishmael the son of I^elhaniah] This is he who afterwards murdered Gedaliah. He had been employed to do this by Baalis, king of the Ammonites,
A-M^34ia remnant of Judah, and that he 01. XLVin.i. liad set over them Gedahah the TarqumiiPrisci, son of Ahikam the son of Sha-
12 Even all the Jews returned out of all places whither they were driven, and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah, unto Mizpah, and gathered wine and summer fruits very much.
13 Moreover Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that ivere in the fields, came to Gedaliah to Mizpah,
14 And said unto him. Dost thou certainly know tliat i Baalis the king of the Ammonites
hath sent Ishmael the son of ^g'^^s^gg^' Nethaniah ^to slay thee? But oi. XLViii.'i. Gedaliah the son of Ahikam TarcminUPrisoi, believed them not. R. feoman., 29.
1 5 Then Johanan the son of Kareah spake to Gedaliah in Mizpah secretly, saying, Let me go, I pray thee, and I will slay Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and no man shall know it: wherefore should he slay thee, that all the Jews which are gathered unto thee should be scattered, and the remnant in Judah perish?
16 But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said unto Johanan the son of Kareah, Thou shalt not do this thing: for thou speakest falsely of Ishmael.
with whom he appears to have taken refuge during the siege. See ver. 14.
Verse 1 4. Bui Gedaliah the son of Ahikam believed them not.] The account given of this man proves him to have been a person of uncommon greatness of soul. Conscious of his own integrity and benevolence, he took the portrait of others from his own mind; and therefore believed evil of no man, because he felt none towards any in his own breast. He may be reproached for being too credulous and confident: but any thing of this kind that may be justly charged against him serves only to show the greatness of his mind. A little soul is ever suspicious, and ready to believe the
Thou speakest falsely of Ishmael.] He thought it quite possible that the man who was capable of becoming an assassin was capable of telling a lie; and therefore he would not credit what he said. Had he been a little more distrustful, he would have saved his own life. The next chapter shows that Johanan's information was too true. So noble Gedaliah lost his life by not believing that evil of others of which he himself was incapable.
Ishmael executes his conspiracy against Gedaliah the governor and his companions, and attempts to carry away the Jews who were with him captives to the Ammonites, 1-10; but Johanan recovers them, and purposes to flee into Egypt, 11—18.
T.arquinuPrisc-i, mael the son of Nethaniah the "■ ^°"""- -"• son of Elishama, of the seed royal, and the princes of the king, even ten men with him, came unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah; and there they did eat bread together in Mizpah.
2 Then arose Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and the ten men that were with him, and *" smote Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan with the sword, and slew him.
Verse 1. Now — in the seventh month] Answering to the first new moon in our month of October.
There they did eat bread together] This was he same as making a solemn covenant; for he
Jews that were with him, even R- Roman., 2d. with Gedaliah, at Mizpah, and the Chaldeans that were found there, and the men of war.
4 And it came to pass the second dav after he had slain Gedaliah, and no man knew it,
5 That there came certain from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, even fourscore men, ■= having their beards shaven, and their clothes rent, and having cut themselves, with
^ """""'- -°- 6 And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah went forth from Mizpah to meet them, " weeping all along as he went: and it came to pass, as he met them, he said unto them, Come to Gedaliah the son of AJiikam.
7 And it was so, when they came into the midst of the city, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah slew them, and 'cast them into the midst of the pit, he, and the men that loere with him.
8 But ten men were found among them that said unto Ishmael, Slay us not: for we iiavc treasures in the field, of wheat, and of barley, and of oil, and of honey. So he forbare, and slew them not among their brethren.
9 A^ow the pit wherein Ishmael had cast all the dead bodies of the men, whom he had slain ff because '' of Gedaliah, was it ' which Asa the king had made for fear of Baasha king of Israel: and Ishmael the son of Nethaniah filled it with them that were slain.
10 Then Ishmael carried away captive all the residue of the people that were in Mizpah, '' even the king's daughters, and all the people that remained in Mizpah, ' whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had committed to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam: and Ishmael the son of Nethaniah carried them away captive, and departed to go over to " the Ammonites.
1 1 But when Johanan the son of Kareah, and all " the captains of the forces that were
were signs of deep mourning, probably on account of the destruction of the city.
AVr.se fi. Weeping all ahng as he went] Thi.s felonious hypocrite pretended that he also was deeply afflicted, and wished to bear them company in their sorrow.
Verse 7. Slctc them] He kept the murder of Gedaliah secret, and no doubt had a band of his assassins lodged in Mizpah; and he decoyed these fourscore men thither that he might have strentjth to slay them. He kept ten alive because they told him they had treasures hidden in a field, which they would show him. Whether he kept his word with them is not recorded. He could do nothing good or great; and it is likely that, when he had possessed himself of those treasures, he served with him, heard of all the evil '^^ '^ 34'g''- that Ishmael the son of Netlia- oi. XLviii.' i. niah had done, Tarquini"prisci,
12 Then they took all the men, R- R""'""- ^9. and went to fight with Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and found him by ° the great waters that are in Gibeon.
13 Now it came to pass that when all tne people which were with Ishmael saw Johanan the son of Kai-eah, and all the captains of the forces that tvere with him, then they were glad.
14 So all the people that Ishmael had carried away captive from Mizpah cast about and returned, and went unto Johanan the son of Kareah.
15 But Ishmael the son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men, and went to the Ammonites.
16 Then took Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that tvere with him, all the remnant of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, from Mizpah, after that he had slain Ge daliali the sou of Ahikam, even mighty men of war, and the women, and the children, and the eunuchs, whom he had brought again from Gibeon:
1 7 And they departed, and dwelt in the habitation of p Chimham, which is by Beth-lehem, to go to enter into Egj'pt,
18 Because of the Chaldeans: for they were afraid of them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, 1 whom tile king of Babylon made governor in the land.
them as he had served their companions. Grai?i is preserved to the present day in subterranean pits, called mattamores, in different parts of the east.
Verse 9. Now the pit — was it which Asa the king had made for fear of Baasha] See 1 Kings xv. 22. Asa made this cistern as a reservoir for water for the supply of the place; for he built and fortified Mizpah at the time that he was at war with Baasha, king of Israel.
Verse 10. Carried away captive] He took all these that he might sell them for slaves among the Ammonites.
Verse 14. Went tinlo Johanan] They were wear)' of the t\Tanny of Ishmael, and were glad of an opportunity to abandon him.
Verse 16. The women, — children, and the evnurhs] These were all, most probalily, persons who belonged to the palace and harem of Zedekiah: some of them his own concubines, and their children.
Verse 17. Dwelt in the habitation of Chimham][ as a resting-place; as he designed to carry all into The estate that David gave Chimhara, the son of Bar- [ Egypt, fearing »he Chaldeans, who would endeavour to ziUai. See 2 Sam. xix. 37, &c. He took this merely 1 revenge the d(!»th of Gedaliah.
Juhanan and the remnant of the people desire Jeremiah to ask counsel of God what they should do, 1-3. The prophet assures them of safety in Judea, hut destruction <« Egypt, 4-18; and reproves their hypocrisy in asking counsel with which they had no intention to comfCy, 19-22.
Tarquinii Prisci, of Karcah, and Jezaniah the son R.Roman., 29. ^f Hoshaiah, and all the people,
from the least even unto the greatest, came
2 And said unto Jeremiah the prophet, ** Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee, and ■= pray for us unto the Lord thy God, even for all this remnant; (for we are left hut '' a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us:)
3 That the Lord thy God may show us '■ the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do.
4 Then Jeremiali the prophet said unto them, 1 have heard you; behold, I will pray unto the Lord your God according to your words; and it shall come to pass, that f whatsoever thing the Lord shall answer you, I will declare it unto you; I will s keep nothing back from you.
5 Then they said to Jeremiah, '^ The Lord be a true and faithful Witness between us, if we do not even according to all things for the which the Lord thy God shall send thee to us.
Verse 1. The captains of the forces] The different leaders of the small bands or companies, collected from different parts of the land. The principal are those here named.
A'erse 3. That the Lord thy God may shoio ns] They all thought there was no safety in Jerusalem or in Judea, and therefore determined to leave the land: but they did not know which might be the safest direction to take; for though they inclined to Egypt, yet they wished to know the mind of God on that point.
JjOrd our G od, to whom we send oi. XLvrii. l thee; ' that it may be well with Tarquini^Prisci, us, when we obey the voice of R Roman., 29. the Lord our God.
7 And it came to pass after ten days, that the word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah.
8 Then called he Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces which were with him, and all the people from the least even to the greatest,
9 And said unto them, Thus saitii the Lord, the God of Israel, unto whom ye sent me to present your supplication before him;
10 If ye will still abide in this land, then ^ will I build you, and not pull you down; and I will plant you, and not pluck you up: for ^ I repent me of the evil that I have done unto you.
1 1 Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be not afraid of him, saith the Lord: ™ for I am with you to save you, and to dehver you from his hand.
12 And "I will show mercies unto you, that he may have mercy upon you, and cause you to return to your own land.
Verse 7. After ten days] All this time he was waiting upon God; for it is evident the prophets could not prophesy when they pleased, any more than the disciples of our Lord could work miracles when they wished. The gift of prophecy and the gift of miracles were both dependent on the will of the Most High, and each of them was given only for the moment; and when the necessity was over, the influence ceased.
Verse 10. For I repent me of the evil] The meaning is. As I have punished you only because you continued to be rebellious, I will arrest this punishment as
Verse 5. The Lord be a true and faithful Witness] ' soon as you become obedient to my word. You need The Lord is such; and as ye have bound yourselves < not fear the king of Babylon if you have me for your tn obey his voice, he will register the covenant, and helper; and I will so show mercy to you that he shall bless or curse according as ye shall conduct yourselves! see it, and cease from afflicting you, as he shall see in this matter. i that I am on your side.
■^ 'J.- ^Al?- 1 3 But if " ve say, We will not I 01. XLVin. 1. dwell in this land, neither obey \ Tarquijiii Prisci, the voicc of the LoRD your '
14 Saying, No; but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor have iiunger of bread; and there will we dwell:
15 And now therefore hear the word of the ^ Lord, ye remnant of Judah, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; If ye p wholly set 1 your faces to enter into Egypt, and go to sojourn there;
1 6 Then it shall come to pass, that the sword, *■ which ye feared, shall overtake you there in the land of Egj'pt, and the famine, whereof ye were afraid, ^ shall follow close after you there in Egypt; and there ye shall die.
17 ' So shall it be with all the men that set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there; they shall die " by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: and '' none of them shall remain or escape from the evil that I will bring upon them.
18 For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the
God of Israel; As mine anger and my fury hath been "^ poured 01. XLviii. i. forth upon the inhabitants of Jcru- Tarquinii Prisci. salem; so shall my fury be poured ^ ^"'"^"- ^^- forth upon you, when ye shall enter into Eg}'pt: and ^ ye shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach; and ye shall see this place no more.
1 9 The Lord hath said concerning you, O ye remnant of Judah; >■ Go ye not into Egypt: know certainly that I have ^ admonished you this day.
20 For * ye dissembled in your hearts, when ye sent me unto the Lord yoiu: God, saying, *■ Pray for us unto the Lord our God: and according unto all that the Lord our God shall say, so declare unto us, and we will do it.
21 And now I have this day declared it to you; but ye have not obeyed the voice of the Lord your God, nor any thi?jg for the which he hath sent me unto you.
22 Now therefore know certainly that '^ ye shall dip by the sword, by the famine, and by tlie pestilence, in the place whither ye desire '^ to go and to sojourn.
Verse 15. If ye — set your faces to enter into Egypt, <}-c.] Every evil that ye dreaded by staying in your OPTO land shall come upon you in Egypt.
Verse 16. The sword — and the famine — shall follow close after you] Shall be at your heels; shall overtake and destroy you; for there ye shall die.
Verse 19. Go ye not into Egypt] Why ^ Because God knew, such was their miserable propensity to idolatry, that they would there adopt the worship of the country, and serve idols.
Verse 20. For ye dissembled in your hearts] What a most miserable and incorrigible people! Ingratitude, hypocrisy, rebellion, and cruelty seem to have been enthroned in their hearts! And what are they stUl 1 Just what their fathers were, except in the mere article of idolatry; and that they do not practise because they are inditferent to their own religion and to that of all others. Examine their devotions and their lives, and see whether Charity herself can say they believe in the God of Abraham!
Verse 21. Ye have not obeyed the voice] Though ye have requested to have this particular revelation of the Divine will, and promised obedience, yet have ye not done one thing for which ye sent me to inquire of
Verse 22. Now therefore know certainly] As ye have determined to disobey, God has determined to punish. Ye may now follow the full bent of your wicked devices, and I will follow the requisitions of my justice. Ye shall die by the sword, by the pestilence, and by the famine, in the place whither ye desire to go to sojourn. Thus was their doom sealed.
With such dispositions and with such rebellion of heart, it is strange that they should put themselves to any trouble to inquire of the Lord relative to their future operations. They did not intend to obey; but as a matter of curiosity they would inquire to hear what the prophet might say; and if according to their own inclination, they would obey.
T^e leading men, discrediting JeremiaVs prophecy, carry the people into Egypt, 1-1. Jeremiah, by a type, foretells the conquest of Egypt hy Nebuchadnezzar, 8-13. This mode of conveying instruction by actions was very crprcssive, and frequently practised by the prophets. The image of Nebuchadnezzar atraying himself wilh^ Egypt, as a shepherd puts on his garment, is very noble. Egypt at this time contended icith Babylon for the empire of the east; yet this mighty kingdom, when God appoints the revolution, shifts its oiimer vnth as 7nuch ease as a shepherd removes his tent or garment, lohich the new proprietor has only to spread over him. See ver. 12.
pass, that had made an end of speaking unto all the people all the words of the Lord their God, for which the Lord their God had sent him to them, even all these words,
2 ^ Then spake Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men, saying unto Jeremiah, Thou speakest falsely: the Lord our God liath not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there:
with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam ■*„ "?.- Ml^ the son of Shaphan, and Jeremiah oi. XLViii. i. the prophet, and Baruch tlie son Tarqmnii Prisci of Neriah. ^ ''°°'""- ^^-
7 So they came into the land of Egypt: for they obeyed not the voice of the Lord: thus came they even to '* Tahpanhes.
8 Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah in Tahpanhes, saying,
9 Take great stones in thine hand, and hide them in the clay in the brick kiln, which is at the entry of Pharaoh's house
3 But Baruch the son of Neriah setteth thee on against us, for to deliver us into the hand. in Tahpanhes, in the sight of the men of of the Chaldeans, that they might put us to Judah;
death, and carry us away captives into Babjdon. 10 And say unto tliem. Thus saith the Lord
4 So Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the; of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will
captains of the forces, and all tiie people, obeyed not the voice of the Lord, to dwell in the land
5 But Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, took '' all tlie remnant of Judah, that were returned from all nations, whither they had been driven to dwell in the land of Judah;
6 Even men, and women, and children, "^ and the king's daughters, "^ and every person that Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard had left
send and take Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, ^ my servant, and will set his throne upon these stones that I have hid; and he shall spread his royal pavilion over them.
1 1 « And when he cometh, he shall smite the land of Egypt, and deliver " such as are for death to death; and such as are for captivity to captivity; and such as are for the sword to the sword.
1 2 And I will kindle a fire in tlie houses of ' the gods of Egypt; and he shall burn them
Verse 2. Thou speahest falsely'\ They had no other | watched, prayed, gone through many indignities, and colour for their rebellion than flatly to deny that God j suffered every kind of hardship. And now he sealed had spoken what the prophet related. ' the truth of his Divine mission with his blood.
Verse 6. Men, and tvomen, and children, and thel Verse 9. Take great stones] This discourse seems king's daughters] See the note on chap. xli. 10. It to have been delivered about a year after the destrucis truly surprising that the Chaldeans should have left tion of Jerusalem. They pretended that they dared behind any of the royal family of Judah! But, 1. ' not stay in Judea for fear of the Chaldeans. The pro-
Perhaps they knew not there were any. 2. If they did know, they might think, being children of concubines, they could not inherit. Or, 3. That being females, they were not eligible. And they had taken care to seize all Zedekiah's sons, and slay them before his eyes.
Verse 7. Came they even to Tahpanhes] This city was called Daphne by the Greeks, and was situated at the extremity of Lower Egypt, near to Ileliopolis. It was called Daphne Pelusiaca. They halted at this place, most probably for the purpose of obtaining the Icing's permission to penetrate farlher into Egypt. It was at this place that, according to St. Jerome, tradition savs the faithful Jeremiah was stoned to death by phet here assures them that Nebuchadnezzar shall come to Egypt, extend his conquests in that kingdom, and place his tent over the very place where these stones were laid up, and destroy them. How these prophecies were fulfilled, see at the end of chap. xliv.
Verse 1 1. Such as are for death to death] See the note on chap. xv. 2.
Verse 12. He shall burn them, and carry them away captives] Some of these gods, such as were of wood, he will burn; those of metal he will carry away. Some of them were of gold. See below.
Shall array himself with the land of Egypt] Shall take all its wealth, and all its grandeur; shall take all its spoils.
*B^c cS 587" ^^^ carry them away captives: 01. XLViii. 2. and he shall array himself with Tarquinii Prisci, the land of Egypt, as a shepherd in the land of Egypt; and tiie Taniumu Prisci, houses of the gods of the Egyp- ' "'"""■ • tians shall he bum with fire.
As a shepherd putteth on his garment] With as much ease, and with as little opposition; and with as full a confidence that it is now his own.
He shall go forth from thence in peace.] He shall suffer no interruption, nor endure any disaster in his return from his Egyptian expedition. See the proof of all this in the notes at the end of chap. xliv.
Verse 1 3. He shall break also the images of Bcthshemesh] Vl^'iJ n'3 beith shemesh is, literally, the house or temple of the sun; which was worshipped here, and whose images are said to have been of solid gold. These Nebuchadnezzar was to break and carry away, and the houses of the gods — all the temples of Egj-pt, he was to burn with fire. Beth-shemesh is the same as Heliopolis.
V Verse 1. The loord that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews] Dahler supposes this discourse to have been delivered in the seventeenth or eighteenth year after the taking of Jerusalem.
Noph] Di3"3 Maphes, Targum. Memphis, a celebrated city of Middle Egypt, and the capital of its district.
The country of Pathros] A district of Upper Egypt, kno\vn by the name of the Thebais. See Bochart, Lib. Phaleg, lib. iv., c. 22. Thus we find that the Jews were scattered over the principal parts of
Verse 2. No man dwelleth therein] The desolation of the land of Judea must have been exceedingly
Jeremiah reproves the Jetos in Egypt for continuing in idolatry after the exemplary judgments inflicted by God on their nation for that sin, 1—14; and, upon their refusing to reform, denounces destruction to them, and to that kingdom wherein they sought protection, 15—30.
'' Tahpanhes, and at ■= Noph, and in the coimtry of Patliros, saying,
2 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Ye have seen all the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, and upon all the cities of Judah; and, behold, this day they are ^ a desolation, and no man dwelleth therein,
3 Because of their wickedness which they have committed to provoke me to anger, in that they went * to burn incense, and to ^ serve
4 Hdwbeit s J sent unto you all my servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, saying, O, do not this abominable thing that I hate.
5 But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear to turn from their wickedness, to burn no incense unto other gods.
6 Wherefore '^ my fury and mine anger was poured forth, and was kindled in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; and they are wasted and desolate, as at this day.
Verse 4. O, do not this abominable thing] A strong specimen of affectionate entreaty. One of the finest figures of poetry, when judiciously managed, the anthropopathia, the ascribing human passions to God, is often used by this prophet: so God is said to grieve, to mourn, to have his bounds moved with compassion, to repent, to be angry, &c. Here he is represented as tenderly expostulating: O, do not; or, / entreat you, do not that abominable thing which I hate. 1. Do it not: your God commands. 2. O, do it not: your Father entreats. 3. It is an abominable thing, and should not be done. 4. / hate it, and on that account ye should abstain from it.
Verse 5. But they hearkened not] 1. They disregarded the authority of their God. 3. They were not moved by the entreaties of their most affectionate Father. 3. In abominations they delighted. And., 4.
oi. cir. Lii. 2. Lord, the God of hosts, the God R^^Roman.','' of Isracl; Whcrcfore commit ye cir. annum 8. ^-j^j^ great evil ' agaiiist your souls,
to cut off from you man and woman, child and
suckling, '' out of Judah, to leave you none to
8 In that ye ' provoke me unto \\'rath with tlie works of your hands, burning incense unto other gods in the land of Egypt, whither ye be gone to dwell, that ye might cut yom-selves off, and that ye might be ™ a curse and a reproach among all the nations of the earth?
9 Have ye forgotten the " wickedness of your fathers, and the wickedness of the kings of Judah, and the wickedness of their wives, and your own wickedness, and the wickedness of yoiu- wives, which they have committed in the land of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem?
10 They are not ° humbled even unto this day, neither have they p feared, nor walked in my law, nor in my statutes, that I set before you and before your fathers.
1 1 Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold 1 1 will set my face against you for evil, and to cut off all Judah.
12 And I will take the remnant of Judah, that have set their faces to go into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, and "■ they shall all be consumed, and fall in the land of Egypt; they shall even be consumed by the sword and by the famine: they shall die, from the least even unto the gi-eatest, by the sword and by the famine: and ^ they shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach.
Verse 7. This great evil against your souls'] Will not self-interest weigh witli you 1 See what ruin your conduct ha.s brought upon your country. Your fathers sinned as you are doing; and where are they now? Either destroyed, or in captivity. And you are now taking the same way to your own destruction.
Verse 9. Have ye forgotten the wickedness of your fathers'] It seems that the women were principal agents in idolatrous practices; for the queens — the wives, of rulers and of common people, burnt incense to the queen of heaven, (the moon,) ver. 17, and poured out drink-offerings to her
dwell in the land of Egypt, as I have punished Jerusalem, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence:
14 So that none of the remnant of Judah, which are gone into the land of Egypt to so journ there, shall escape or remain, that they should return into the land of Judah, to the which they " have a desire to return to dwell there: for '' none shall return but such as shall escape.
15 Then all the men which knew that their wives had burned incense unto other gods, and all the women that stood by, a great multitude, even all the people that dwelt in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying,
IG As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the Lord, ™ we will not hearken unto thee.
17 But we will certainly do ^whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the ^ queen ^ of heaven, and to pour out drink-offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of '' victuals, and were well, and saw no evil.
18 But since we left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out di-inkofferings unto her, we have wanted all things. and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine.
19 ''And when we burned incense ^o the queen of heaven, and poured out drink-offerings unto her, did we make her cakes to worship
Verse 15. Then all the men — and all the women] We have not seen the women in determined rebellion before. Here they make a common cause with their idolatrous husbands.
Verse 19. And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven] The moon seems to have been called n37D melecheih, as the sun was called 1^0 molech. The Hindoos pour out water to the sun thrice a day; and to the moon whenever they worship her.
The idolatrous worship of these people was a sort of imitation of the worship of the true God; only sacrifice was not common in it. The factious women here tell us in what it consisted. I. They burnt incense to the moon, and perhaps to the sun and the
R.Roman., 20 1 hen Jcrcnuah said unto '''■"""""'■'• all tlie people, to the men, and to the women, and to all the people which had given him that answer, saying,
21 The incense that ye burned in tiie cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, ye, and your fatlicrs, your Ivings, and your princes, and the people of the land, did not the Lord remember them, and came it not into his mind?
22 So that the Lord could no longer bear, because of the evil of yoiu- doings and because of the abominations whicli ye have committed; therefore is your land ^ a desolation, and an astonishment, and a curse, without an inhabitant, ^ as at this day.
23 Because ye have burned incense, and because ye have sinned against the Lord, and have not obeyed the voice of tlie Lord, nor walked in his law, nor in his statutes, nor in his testimonies; ^ therefore this evil is happened unto you, as at this day.
24 Moreover Jeremiah said unto all tlie people, and to all the women. Hear the word of the Lord, all Judah e that are in the land of Egypt:
25 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, tlie God of Israel, saying; *■ Ye and your wives have botli spoken witli yom- mouths, and fulfilled with your hand, saying. We will sm-ely perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink-
towards the people no more. offerings unto her: ve will surelv ^■'^^ ""'f 3-133.
planets. 2. They poured out libations to her. 3. They made and consecrated cakes to her. All these were prescribed in the worship of the true God. See, among others, Exod. xxix. 23, &c.; Lev. ii. 4;.x.xiii. 16; and Num. vi. 15. And the women vindicate their conduct by asserting that they did all this by the consent of their husbands: " Did we worship her without our menV
Verse 22. Therefore is your land a desolation] I grant that ye and your husbands have joined together in these abominations; and what is the consequence 1 " The Lord could no longer bear beoau.se of your evil doings; and therefore is your land a desolation, and an astonishment, and a curse, without an inhabitant, this day."
Verse 30. Behold I u-ill give Pharaoh-hophra] That is, Pharaoh Apries. How this and the prophecies in the preceding chapter were fulfilled, we learn from ancient historians. The sum of such information is this: the subjects of Pharaoh Apnes rebelling, he sent Ama-
of tlie Jjord, all Judah tliat dwell in the land °f Egypt; Behold, ■ I have sworn by my great name, saitli the Lord, tliat •' my name shall no more be named in the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, Tlie Lord God liveth.
27 ' Behold, I will watch over lliem for evil, and not for good; and all the men of Judah that are in the land of Egypt " shall be con suined by the sword and by tlie famine, until tliere be an end of them.
28 Yet "a small number that escape the sword shall return out of the land of Egypt into the land of Judah, and all the remnant of Judah, that are gone into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, shall know whose " words shall stand, p mine or theirs.