Exposition of the Whole Bible

with idolatry, when they had been fo guilty of it ithe valley of Hinnom, and elfewhere; and were comparable to. the luftful dromedary and wild afs, and fo. fond of ftrange gods, that they thirfted after them, and were refolved to follow them, ¥.23, 24,25. and yet the time would come, when ranks of men among them would be afhamed of their worfhip of ftocks and ftones, and in the time of their trouble call upon the Lord to fave them, when they would be fent to their gods, who were as numerous as their cities, ¥. 26,27, 28. wherefore it was in vain to plead their innocence, when they were all fo guilty, and had. received correction without amendment, and had even flain the prophets of the Lord, ¥. 29, 30. and then the -Lord;again upbraids them with their ingratitude to him, who had been fo good and kind to them; with their forgetfulnefs of him, illuftrated by a maid’s not forgetting her ornaments, and a bride her attire; with their artful methods to. entice others to idolatry, and with their fhedding of innocent blood; and yet, after all this, they afférted their innocence, and affirmed they had never finned, ¥. 31, 32, 33, 34, 35. for all which fentence is pronounced againit them, and punifhment is threatned them, y. 36, 37.

¥.1. Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me, faying.| Here begins the book, and eremiak’s firtt fermon; and the following contains the meflage he was fent with, to which the preceding chapter is only a preface or introduction. The Targum calls it, ‘‘ the word of the prophecy “* from before the Lord.”

¥. 2. Go, and cry in the ears of Ferufalem, &c.] Of the inhabitants of Ferufalem, the metropolis of Judea. ‘The prophet feems now to have been at Anathoth, and therefore is bid to go from thence to Ferufalem, and there prophefy before the people in it, as the Targum paraphrafes it: /aying, thus faith the Lord, I remember thee; the Lord never forgets his people, tho’ they fometimes think he does; it cannot be; for they are ingraven on the palms of his hands, yea, are fet as a feal’ on his heart; nor does he forget his covenant with them, nor favours and bleffings promifed them: or, J remember for thee; or, to thee”; things in thy favour, and which will be to thy advantage: se |:

kindne/s of thy youth, either the loving-kindnefs of the Lord, which he had: fhown unto them; and the benefits, as the fruits thereof, which he had beftowed upon them in former times, when they were brought out of Zgyp, and into the wildernefs, which was the infancy both of their civil and church-itate; fee Hof. xi. 1. and when they received many favours from the Lord, Fer. xxxi. 2. or the kindnefs of the people of J/rael to the Lord, which was influenced and drawn forth by his love to them; tho’ this can only be underftood of fome few of them, fince the greater part tempted him, grieved and provoked him: the love of thine efpoufals 5 tor the covenant Ged made with that people when he brought them out of Hgypt, was in’ the form of a marriage-contract; he became. their hufband, and they became his fpoufe and bride; and. which is an aggravation of their violation of it, ‘fer. xxxi. 32. and this love, as before, may be underftood either of the love of God to them, or of their love to him. The Targum interprets ‘the former claufe of the divine goodnels to them,

-& amp YYIDI recordor tibi, Junius & Tremellius, Pifcator; fo Schmidt, and fome in Vatablus; which is preferred by Guffe- and this of their love to him, paraphrafing the whole thus, ‘* I remember unto you the bleffings ** of ancient days, and the love of your fathers, ** who believed in my word:” when thou wenteft after me; the Lord going before them in a pillar of cloud by day, and in a pillar of fire by night; even the angel of God’s prefence, who was their leader, guide and preferver: in the wildernefs, in a land that was not fown; where they pafied thro’ many: difficulties, and lived upon the providence of God, which, in a wonderful manner, fupported them with the neceflaries of life, which otherwife they could not have had. The Targum is, ** and

/“* they walked after my two meffengers, after

** Mojes and Aaron, in the wildernefs forty years ** without food, in a Jand that was not fown.” The whole of this may be applied to the cafe of God’s people at firft converfion, when they are as new-born babes, and become young men in Chrift; at which time they are openly efpoufed to him, having been fecretly betrothed in covenant before; but now, thro’ the efficacy of the Spirit attending the word, they are made willing to give up them- {elves to the Lord, and are efpoufed to one hufband, Chrift, 2 Cor. xi. 2. at which time alfo great kindnefs and love is expreffed both by the Lord to them, by quickening them who before were dead; by bringing them out of a moft miferable condition; by {peaking comfortably to them; by manifefting and applying his pardoning grace; and by openly taking them into his family: and alfo by them to him again; for the grace of love is then implanted, which, as it is hearty and fincere, is very ardent and fervent; which fhows itfelf by parting with, and bearing all for Chrift; and by aconcern for his company and prefence; and by a regard to his people, gofpel, ways and worfhip; particularly by following him in his ordinances with great zeal, fervency and conftancy, even tho” attended with many difficulties and difcouragements; and tho’ the way may feem to flefh and blood very unpleafant and unpromifing; all which is remembered by the Lord when forgotten by them; and when their love is become cold to him, he not only remembers them, and his love to them, which is always the fame, but alfo their love to him, ¥. 3. Ifrael was holinefs unto the Lord, &c.] When firft brought out of Egypt into the wildernefs, by the Lord’s choice and feparation of them to be an holy people to him above all others; by covenant with him, and profeffion of him; and by his giving them holy laws, and placing a fanc- | tuary among them; and by their high-prieft, who reprefented them in the moft holy place; and had on the front of his mitre written, boline/s unto the Lord: fo the fpiritual J/rael are chofen in Chrift-to be holy, and he is made fan¢tification to them; they are fanctified in him, and by his Spirit; they are called with an holy calling, and unto holinefs; and under the influence of grace live holy lives and converfations, which the grace of God teaches, and young converts are remarkable for; their confciences being juft awakened, and their hearts tender: and the jirft fruits of bis increafe, Jfrael was the firft nation: that God feparated for himfelf; and this being the firft fruits, fhows that he would feparate others alfo, and take out of the Gentiles a people for his name, which he has fince done; and the elect of God among the J/raclites were were the firft fruits of his chofen ones elfewhere 5 it were fome: of them that firft believed in Chrift, ‘and received the firft fruits of the Spirit; and all ‘converted ones are a kind of firft fruits of his creatures; the grace they receive at converfion is the firft fruits of an after-increafe of it, and even of eternal glory: all that devour him foal offend; or, all that eat bim foall be guilty*; and be condemned and punifhed, who eat up the Lord’s people, as they eat bread; fee Pf. liii..4. thefe: fhall: not go unpunifhed; for his people are as the apple of his eye, and whoever touches and hurts them, fall under the divine difpleafure, and will be looked upon as criminals and offenders, and will be judged and condemned as fuch. The allufion is to. the eating of the firft fruits, which only belonged to the priefts; nor might any of the increafe be eaten until the firft fruits were brought to them, Lev. Xxili. 10, 14,20, This is expreffed in the Chaldee paraphrafe of the text, ** whofoever eats of them, “* (the firft fruits) is guilty of death; for as the “* beginning of the harveft, the fheaf of oblation, ‘* whoever eats of it before the priefts, the fons of Aaron, have offered of it upon the altar, fhall’ be guilty er condemned; {fo all that {poil the houfe of J/rael thall be guilty ‘or condemned;” fo Farchi and Kimchi: evil Jfhall come upon them, faith the Lord; that is, the evil of punifhment, either in this world, or in that which is to come, or in both.. ‘ y¥.4. Hear ye the word of the Lord, O houfe of Yacob, and all the families of the boufe of -I/rael.

The Lord, by the prophet, having obferved his ereat kindnefs to this people, what they were unto him, and what a regard he had for them, proceeds to upbraid them with their ingratitude, and requires an attention to what he was about to fay; all are called upon, becaufe all were guilty. This refpects the two tribes of Fudeb and Benjamin, and the feveral families in them. The ten tribes had been long carried captive. Exot Seale y. 5. Thus faith the Lord, what iniquity have your fathers found in me? 8&c.] What injuftice or injury has been done them? there is no unrighteoufnefs in God, nor can any be done by him; or what unfaithfulnefs, or want of truth and integrity in performing promifes had they found in -him? he never fuffers his faithfulnefs to fail, or any of the good things he has promifed. So the Targum, ** what falfhood have your fathers found in my ‘*< word?” none at all; God is a covenant-keeping God: that they are gone far from me; from my fear, as the Coaldee paraphrafe; from the word and worthip, and ways of God: and have walked after vanity, after idols, the vanities of the Gentiles, ch. xiv. 22: and- are become vain? in their imaginations and in their actions, in their knowledge and in their practice, worfhipping idols, as well as guilty of many other fins. eee: y. 6. Neither [aid they, where is the Lord? &c.} They did not afk after him, nor feek his face and favour, nor worfhip him, nor took any. notice of the bleffings he beftowed’ upon thems that brought us up out of the land of Egypt? by means “of Mofes the deliverer, with a-mighty hand, and ftretched-out arm; for tho’ Mofes was *the inftrument, God was the efficient caufe of the deliverance; the favour was ‘his, and “the glory’ of it ought to have been given to him: that led us thro’ the wilderne/s; of Shur, or of Sin, the deferr of pure all this they were Jed, and w re9s fuilfe, Junius & Tremellius; rei peragebantur, Pifcators rei fiunt, Coo Or ed T.

of death; re were f{corpions, fiery drought and no water, and fo very, dangerous, as well as uncomfortable eravcllinmes page and preferved: thro’ a land that Pip ed tb and where no man dwelt; there was ne ¢ its: nor, ir ¢ i nts on it, fo that there w re 1 do to relieve-them; whence it appears, that all thei fupply,,fupport and prefervation were fi

‘Lord. The Yews’ interpret this of the firkt a

Adam, after this manner,‘ all land, concerr ** which the firft man decreed, that it fhould b ‘< inhabited, it is inhabited; and all land, con- “¢- cerning which he did not decree it fhould be in- “* habited, it is not inhabited;” and fach they fuggeft was this wildernefss fee Deut. viii. 15. ¥.7. And I brought you into.a plentiful. country, &c.] luto the land of Carmel, as in the Hebrew text; that is, ‘‘ into the land of Yael, which was **¢ planted as Carmel,” as. the Targum pavaphrafes it; with wheat, barley, vines, fip-trees, pomegranates and olives; a land flowing with milk and honey, Deut. viii. 8. fo Ben Melech: #0, eat the fruit thereof, and the goodne/s thereof; of vineyards and olive-yards, which they had not planted, and for which they had never laboured, Fo. xxiv. 13): but when ye entred, ye defiled my land; which the Lord had chofen. above all lands, where he would have a temple built for his worfhip, and where he would caufe his Skekizah or glorious majefty to dwell; but this they defiled by their fins and tranfgreffions, and. particularly by: their idolatry, as follows: that made mine heritage an abomination’, by devoting it to the worfhip of idols, a8 the Jar-

¥.8, Ihe prichs faid not, wbere is the Lord? &c.] Whofe bufinefs it was to draw nigh to God, and offer the facrifices of the people, and enquire of God for.them,; whofe lips fhould keep knowledge, and at whofe mouth the law fhould be fought, they being the meflengers of the Lord of Holts, Mal. ii. 7: and they that bandle the law knew me not; the Sanhedrin, according to Fock 13 or the lawyers and fcribes, the rabbins and doétors of the law, whofe bufinefs it was to read.and explain it; thefe did not underftand it, nor the mind of God in it; and much lefs did they know him in a fpiritual and evangelical manner; or as he is in Chrift, and revealed in the gofpel: she pajtor's alfo tranfgrefed againft me; kings, as the Targum, Yarchi and Kimchi interpret it, who were paftors or thepherds in a civil fenfe; whofe bufinefs it was to feed the people as the fhepherd does his floc that is, to guide and govern them by whol laws, by the laws of God; but inftea they rebelled againft the Lord, an commands: and: the prophets pro in his name; pretending to be in idol, and to receive the fpirit of him: and walked_after things that» the gods of the Gentiles, which coulc them with the leaft temporal bleffin lefs give them fpiritual and eternal one xiv.22. This is to be underftood of fal

¥.9. Wherefore I will yet plead wit) the Lord, &c.] Either yale. Te

them, and reproving them for their ignorance, ftupidity, and idolatry; or by deeds, inflicting punifhment upon them; fo the Targum, “ there- “¢ fore I will take vengeance on you, or punifh « you, faith the Lord:” and with your childrens children will I plead, who imitate their parents, and do the fame evil things as they, which the Lord knew they would; and was particularly true of the Yews in the times of Chrift, for which reafon wrath came upon them to the uttermott.

¥. 10. For pafs over the ifles of Cittim, and fee, &c.] Or, to the ifles of Cittim*; fo called from Kittim the fon of favan, Gen. x. 4. who, as Fo/fephus fays *, poffefied the ifland of Chethima, now called Cyprus; and from that, all iflands, and moft maritime places, are, by the Hebrews, called Cittim, he obferves: it may regard all the iflands in the Aigean and Mediterranean {feas: and fend unio Kedar; which was in Arabia, and lay to the eatt, as Cittim to the weft; and fo the Targum paraphrafes it, ‘* fend to the provinces of the dra- << bians?” and confider diligently, and fee if there be fuch a thing 5 as what is enquired about in the following verfe, a change of deities. All this is to be underftood of the contemplation of the mind, and not of any corporal journey to be taken, to enquire into this matter.

¥. 11. Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? &¢c.|] Tho’ they are not by nature gods which they worfhip, only nominal and fctitious deities, yet they did not change them for others; but when they once embraced the worfhip of them, continued therein; fo did the Crttim, the inhabitants of the ifles, who tho’ they traded to diftant countries, from place to place; and fo the Kedarenes, who dwelt in tents, and fed cattel, and moved from one defert to another, and from one pafture to another, as Farchi obferves; yet they carried their gods with them, and did not exchange them for ew ones where they came.. The Fewzh writers fay >, that the Kedarewes worfhipped water, and the Cittim fire; and tho’ they knew that water. would quench fire, yet the latter would not change their gods. Kimchi and Abendana relate it juft the reverfe, and fay the Kedarenes worfhipped fire, and the Cittim water, which is moft likely; and fo it is faid elfewhere*. But my people have changed their glory; the trae God, who is glorious in himfelf, and whom they fhould have glorified, and have counted it their higheft honour and glory that they knew him, and were the worfhippers of him; yet they changed him, their glory, into the fimilitude of an ox that eateth grafs, P/ cvi. 20. wherefore it is juftly added, for that which doth not proft; meaning Baal, and fuch like idols; fee the note on ¥. 8.

¥. 12. Be aftonifbed, O ye heavens, at this, &c.] Meaning either the angels in heaven, or the heavens themfelves, by a profopopeeia: and be horribly afraid, be ye very defolate, faith the Lord;~all ‘which may be fignified by ftorms and tempefts, by thunder and lightning, and by the fun’s withdrawing its light. This is faid to ageravate the wickednefs committed, as if the heavens blufhed and were afhamed, and were confounded and amazed at it; and as if on account of it, the Fews deferved not the benefit of the heavens, and the orbs in them.

¥. 13. For my people have committed tivo evils; &c.] Not but that they had committed more, but there were two principal ones they were guilty of, hereafter mentioned; and it was an aggtavation of thefe crimes, that they:were the profefiing people of God who had committed them: and it may be obferved, that fuch fin; they are not without it, nor the commiffion of it; and may be left to fall into great fins, and yet remain his people; covenant-intereft cannot be diffolved; this fhould be confidered not as an encouragement to fin, but as a relief under a fenfe of fin: they have forfaken me, the fountain of living waters this is faid of Chrift, Cant. iv. 15. Jer. xvii. 13, 14. grace in him is compared to ‘water, it being cooling and refrefhing, cleanfing and fructifying; and to Aving water, becaufe it quickens dead finners, revives drooping faints, fupports and maintains fpiritual life, and iffues in eternal life; and becaufe it is perpetual and ever-flowing; and to a fountain, de noting that the original of it is in Chrift, and the great abundance of it which is in him; ’tis as water in a fountain, in us as in ftreams: now to forfake this fountain is the firft of thefe evils; which is done when the people of God are remifs in the exercife of faith on Chrift, grow cold in their affections to him, and negleé& his word and ordis nances. And hewed them out cifterns, broken cifterns, that can bold no water; this is the other evil; and fuch are the world, and the-things in it, when cleaved unto, and reft and fatisfaction are taken in them; the inventions and ordinances of men, when followed and attended to; moral duties, and evangelical fervices, when depended on; and even fpiritual frames, when thefe are lived upon, and put in the room of Chrift; yea, acts of faith, when they are refted in, and the object not fo much res garded as fhould be: moreover, what may principally be intended are, in the firft place, forfaking the worfhip of God, as the Zargum interprets it, the affembling of themfelves together to attend his fervice and ordinances, which is to forfake their own mercies; and in the next place, following after idols, as the fame Paraphrafe explains it, which have no divinity in them, and can yield no help and relief, or give any comfort, or afford any fupply in time of diftrefs and need. It is egregious folly to leave a fountain for a ciftern, and efpecially a broken one:. in a fountain the water is liying, and always running, and ever {pringing up 5 not fo in a ciftern,, and in a broken ciftern, there’s none at all. * y. 14. Is Ifrael a fervant? &¢.] That he doés not abide in the houfe, in his own land, but is carried captive, becomes fubject to others, and is ufed as a flave; fo the Zargum, ‘* as a fervant;” is he not the Lord’s firft-born? are not the people of Ifrael called the children of the living God? how come they then to be treated not as children, as free men, but as fervants? this can’t be owing to any breach of covenant or promife on God’s part, or to the failure of the bleffing of national adoption beftowed on them; but to fome fin or fins of theirs, which have brought them into this miferable condition: is be @ home-born flave? or born in the houfe, of the handmaid, and fo in the power of the mafter of the family in whofe houfe he was born, Exod. xxi. 4. or the fenfe is, either Trael

¥:. 17. Haft thou not procured this. unto;

&c.] ~All this. apie and deftructi i from the Egyptians and the Babylonians sable was the caufe of it, their idolatry and forfaking the Lord their God, as follows: and fo the 7:; “« is not this vengeance taken upon thee? » that is by the Lord, for their fins and tranfgreffion: fuffered thefe nations to make them. defolate that account: to which agrees the Septuagint fion, hath not be done. thefe things unto bhee what the Egyptians and Babylonians did, were dene by the will of the Lord, who fuffered_ the:

their correction; and the Arabic verfion rend have not I done thefe things unto thee? and they viac as a prophecy, as indeed fo is the whole,./ fo it fhall be done to thee; as is predicted in the. going verfes, and that for, the following. rea: in that thou haft forfaken the Lord thy God; asin y. 13. fee the note there; that is, as. the Largum interprets it, the worfhip of the Lord thy God, his fervice, his ftatutes, and his ordinances; and followed after idols, and the worfhip of them.; which is aggravated by the circumftance of time in which this was done: when he led thee bythe w 3, who fhewed thee the right way, and thou walkédft nor

Vrael is a Yervant, or a fon of the family *, as fome render the words; not the former, being not only the fon of a free woman, but Jehovah’s firft-born, if the latter, why is be fpoiled? why is he delivered up to-the fpoilers? as the Targum; why fhould he be given up into the hands of the Babylonians, and become their prey? is it ufual for fathers to fufter their children, or thofe born in their houfe, to be fo ufed? fome reafon muft be given for it.

¥. 15. The young lions roared upon bim, and yelled, &c.] Or, gave out their voice*, meaning the kings of the nations, as the Largum, Farchi, and Kimchi ' explain it; and are to be underftood of the kings of Afyria and Babylon, and particularly of Nebuchadnezzar, fee Fer. 1, 17. compared to lions for their ftrength and cruelty; their rearing and yelling defign the bringing forth of their armies againft Jfrael, the noife of the battel, the found of the trumpet, the alarm of war, and the voice of the warrior: and they made his land wafte; all this is faid as paft, when it-was yet to come, becaufe of the certainty of it, and the fure accomplifhment of thefe prophecies; for this refpects the future defolation of the land of I/rael at the Babyloni h captivity: his cities are burnt without inhabitant, not only Ferujalem was burnt with fire, Fer. lit. 13. but other cities in the land of J/rael, fo that they were not inhabited: or, they were defolate or deftreyed ‘, as the Septuagint verfion, fo that none could dwell in them; and- fo the Targum, “ her “¢ cities are defolate, without inhabitant.” Kimchi’s father explains the word by ay. added, or brought forth herbs or plants; for defolate places bring up plants; where there is no inhabitant, grafs grows.

y. 16. Ajo the children of Noph and Tabapanes, &c.] Thefe were cities in Egypt. Nopbh is the fame with M/opb in Ho/. ix. 6. and which we there rightly render Memphis; as Noph is here by the Targum, Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic verfions; and was formerly, as Pliny ® fays, the palace of the kings of Egypt. It is the fame that is now called Alcairo, or Grand Cairo. According to Herodotus *, it was built by Menes, the firft king of Egypt; and who alfo makes mention of a city of Egypt, called Momempbis*. Tabapanes is the fame with Hanes in J/. xxx. 4. and here, in the Arabic verfion, is called Daphnes; and is thought by fome to be the fame with Daphne Pelufie, a city in Egypt. This Tabapanes was the metropolis of Egypt, and the feat of their kings; mention is made of Pharaoh’s houfe in it, in Fer. xllii. g. now the inhabitants of thefe, called'the children of them, and who are put for the people of Egypt in general, were the allies of the ‘ews, and in whom they trufted for help, when attacked by their enemies, If. xxx. 2, 3, 4. and xxxi. 1. and yet even thefe have broken the crown of thy bead; which. is interpreted, by the Targum, of flaying their mighty men, and fpoiling their goods; perhaps it had its accomplifhment, when Pharaoh Necho king of Egypt came out againft the king of Afyria, and Fofiah king of Judah went out to meet him, and was flain by him at Megiddo, and his fon Feboabaz he put in bonds, and carried him to Egypt, and put his brother upon the throne, and took tribute of after their idolatrqus practices, or to fend to for help; for this was the ufual m thod 0 Fews, when the Affyrians opprefied them, th en fent to Egypt for help; and when the Hgypta gold and filver of him, 2 Kings xxiii: 29g—35. were upon them, then they applied to the Alf f 1 have gone, the way of their duty, and his commandments; and which would have been _pleafant and profitable to them, and fecured them-from ruin and deftruction. wt iis y. 18. And now what haft thou to do in the way of Egypt, &c.] By worfhipping of idols, in imitation of them; or by fending embaffadors thither. for help, when they had their Lord, their God, fo nigh, had they not forfaken him; nor had Fofiah any bufinefs to go out againft Pharaoh Necho, 2 Chron. xxxv. 21. and contrary to; the word of God by the prophet Yeremy, did the Fews which remained in Fudea go into Egypt, Fer. xlit. rg. and xliii. 1—7.. To drink the waters of Sihor; which is the river Nile, as Yarchi interprets it, The Septuagint and Arabic verfions render it, the waters of Geon, or Gibon; and this alfo is the fame with the Nile, as Yofepbus * affirms, who fays, “© Geon, which runs thro’ Egypi, is the fame which “¢ the Greeks call Nile.” So Ferom' from Eufebius, “© Geon is a river, which with the Egyptians is it, zroubled water; and fuch were the waters of the Nile, which had its name of Shor from the blacknefs. of it; and hence, by the Greeks ™, was called - las; and by the Latines ", Melo. Hence, as Brau= nius ° obferves, it was reprefented by a black ftone, as other rivers by a white one; for whi _reafon the black colour was very grateful to the tians; and for the fame reafon Off, the very Nile itfelf, was reckoned black; ar ox Apis they worfhipped was a black one, part of it, and was covered with, blacl > cloth; and its priefts-were alfo clot’ hence called Chemarim, Hof. x. 5.” what haft thou to do in the way of Afprias in it, as the Targum; the way in which they thould —

“* called Nile.” The Vulgate Latin verfGion renders.

‘\\\agaters of the river? of the river Lupbrates.,

“and in-both cafes aed wrong, for they ought to “have fought the Lord their God only: to drink the The “Yenfe is, that they preferred the waters of the Vile and of Euphrates, or the gods of the Egyptians and

“* Afprians, or the help. of thefe people, before the

‘Lord, the fountain of living waters, and his worfhip and powerful help.. The Targum paraphrafes this laft claufe thus, ‘* why do ye make covenant s¢ with the _Affrian, to carry you captive beyond * the rivet Eapbrates >?

¥. 19. Lhime own wickednefs fall corvett thee,

&c.] That. is, either their wickednefs in going to Egypt and Afyria, andthe ill fuccefs they had in fo doing might be an inftruction to them to act otherwife, and a correction of their fin and folly; or that their wickednefs was a reafon, and a very juft one, why they were chaftened and corrected of the’ Lord: and. thy backflidings fball reprove thee; or be the caufe why they-were reproved of God; or their ill fuccefs in turning their backs on him, and going to the creature for help, was a fevere rebuke of their fin and madnefs. The Targum is, «¢ | have brought afflictions upon thee,. and thou « haft not refrained from thy wickednefs; and be- “ caufe thou art not turned to the law, vengeance «< is taken on thee.” Kyow therefore and fee, that it is an evil thing and bitter; or obferve and take notice what evil and bitter things fin, particularly the forfaking of the Lord and his worfhip, brings upon perfons; for not fin itfelf is meant, though that is exceeding finful, and is a root of bitterneds, however fweet it may be to the tafte of a finner, and produces bitter effects; but the punifhment of fin is meant, or corrections and reproofs for it; which are evil things, as calamities, and captivity, and the like; and which are very ungrateful and difagreeable to flefh and blood; and yet men, going on in a courfe of fin, and forfaking the Lord, as it follows, are the caufe of thefe things: shat thou hajt forfaken the Lord thy God; {ee the note on y¥. 13. this is the fource of all the evil and bitternefs experienced by them:: aud that my fear is not in thee, faith the Lord God of hofts, this was the reafon of their forfaking the Lord, his ways and worfhip, becaufe they had no reverence of him; his fear was not before their eyes, nor on their hearts; and both were the caufe of evil coming upon them; fo the Targum paraphrafes the words, *“ and know and fee, for I have brought evil and “* bitternefs upon thee, O Ferufalem, becaufe thou

* haft forfaken the worfhip of the Lord thy God,

*~and haft not put my fear before thine eyes, faith the Lord, the God of hofts.”

y. 20. For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burft thy bands, &c.] The yoke of the people, as the Targum exprefies it, that was upon their necks, and the bands in which they were bound by them; referring to the deliverance of them of old from Egyptian bondage by the hands of Mojfes, and out of their feveral captivities among their neighbours by the means of the judges, and in their time;

tho’ the Vulgate Latin verfion renders it, of old thou bajt broken my yoke, and burft my bands; or thy yoke, and thy bands, as the Septuagint and. Arabic verfions; the yoke of the law that the Lord put upon them, and the bands of ftatutes and ordinances which he enjoined them; but the former fenfe is belt: and &: iS 3¢: P De Arcano Kethib & Keri, p. 27, 28. q Cocceius; atqui, Calvin, Gataker; quamvis, Pifcator.

thou faidft, I will not tranfgrefs; here is!

“ B83 a double reading; the Cetid or writing is; 7498 I will not ferve, which is followed by the Vulgate Latin, which fo renders it; and by the Septuagint verfion; I will not ferve thee; and which is the fenfe of the Arabic verfion, I will not fubjee my- Jelf, that is, to the law and will of God; and fo the Syriac verfion, tho’ to a quite different fenfe, I will ferve no other god any more; which agrees with the Keri or reading, which is, jays J will not tranfgre/s, and this is ‘confirméd by the Tar» gum, which paraphrafes the words thus, “ and ye ** faid, we will not add any more to tranferefS thy “* word;” and by Farchi and Kimchi, who interpret it of tranfgrefling the words and commands of God; both have one and the fame fenfe: Fot whether it be'read, I wel] not ferve, the meaning is, as Kimchi obferves, I will not ferve idols; or no other god, as the Syriac verfion: or whether, Z will not tranfgrefs, that is; the command of the Lord, by ferving other gods. Hilleruis » reconciles the writing and reading after this manner, rendering AYN m> J will not ferve, and MIAVR Wd L will not pafs, to fervitude; though, in another place 3, I will not pafs over; that is, the rivers of Tigris and Euphrates with the captives; and refers to Mic. i. 11. Jf xlvii. 2, but doubtlefS reference is had to the promife of obedience and {ervice, which the Z/raelites made at mount Sinai quickly after their deliverance out of Egypt, Exod. xix. 8: and xxiv. 7. but this promife they did not keep: when, or for; or but, or although", upon every hizh hill, and under every green tree thou wandereft, playing the harlot; that is, committing fpiritual whoredom or idolatry with idols, fet on high hills and mountains, and under green trees, groves, and fhady places; going from one idol to another, as harlots go from one ftew to another; or as whoremongers go from harlot to harlot.

y¥. 21. Yet I bad planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right feed, &c.] It is ufual to compare the people of the Fews to a vineyard, and to vines; and their fettlement -in the land of Candan, to the planting of vines in a vineyard; fee J/, v. 1—7: Exod, xv. 17. Pf. Ixxx. 8—15. Kimchi fays this is fpoken concerning brabam; no doubt refpeét is had to the Fewish fathers, fuch as Abraham, Tfaac, and Facob, the twelve patriarchs, Mo/es, Fofoua and Caleb, and the like; who having the true and right feed of grace in them, became like choice and noble vines, and brought forth much fruit, and were deferving of imitation by their pofterity: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a ftrange vine unto me? like a vine that grows in the woods, and brings forth wild grapes; fo thefe, their fons, degenerating in practice from their fathers, became corrupt in themfelves, and unprofitable to God. The Targum of the whole is, ‘* I fet you before me as the plant of a choice ** vine, all of you doing truth; but how are you “* changed before me in your corrupt works? ye “< have declined from my worfhip, ye are become ‘¢ as a vine in which there is no profit.” 4 y. 22. For tho’ thou wajfh thee with nitre, &c.] The word 473 xitre, is only ufed in this place and in Prov. xxv. 20. and it is hard to fay what it isi’ Kimchi and Ben Melech obferve, that fome fay it is what is called a/lum; and others, that it is a duft with which they wafh the head, and cleanfe every thing; and fo Yarchi fays, it is a kind of rae ufed in cleaning garments; and nitre is mentioned by the Mifnic doétors *, among thofe things which are ufed for the wafhing of garments, and taking {pots out of them; tho’ about what itis, they are not agreed; and it feems the nitre of the ancients is unknown to us‘; and falt petre is put in the room of it; and fome render the word here fait petre; and Pliny“ obferves, that nitre does not much differ from falt, and afcribes to it a virtue of eating out filth, and removing it; fo Arifotle reports “, of the lake Afcania, that its water is of fuch a nitrous quality, that garments being put into it, need no other wafhing. Nitre has its name from “m3 Zo Joofe, becaufe it loofes the filth, and cleanfes from it: aud take thee much fope. The Septuagint render it, herb; and the Vulgate Latin verfion, the herb borith; whichis the Hebrew word here ufed; and about the fenfe of which there is fome difficulty. Kimchi and Ben Melech fay, fome take it to be the fame with what is called /ope; fo Yarchi; and others, that it is an herb with which they wath, the fame that is called fullers herb; but whether it is fope, or fullers herb, or fullers earth, as others; ’tis certain *tis fomething fullers ufed in cleaning garments, as appears from Mal. iii. 2. where the fame word is ufed, and_fullers made mention of as ufing what is fignified by it. It has its name from (72, which fignifies to cleanfe and purify. The fenfe is, let this backfliding and degenerate people take what methods they will to cleanfe themfelves from their fins, as by their ceremonial ablutions and facrifices, which was the ufual method they had recourfe to, to purify themfelves, and in which they refted: yet thine iniquity is marked before me, faith the Lord God; or, will retain its foots *; thefe remain; the filth is not wafhed away; the iniquity is not hid and covered; it appears very plain and manifeft; yea, foines like gold; or, is gilded’; as the word ufed fignifies. It is of too deep a dye to be removed by fuch external things; nothing but the blood of Chrift can cleanfe from fin, take away its filth, remove its guilt, and cover it out of the fight of God, fo that it can be feen no more. The Targum is, “ for if you think to be cleanfed from “* your fins, as they cleanfe with nitre, or make *¢ white with Jorith, or fope; lo, as the mark of ¢¢ ‘a {pot which is not clean, fo are your fins mul- “* tiplied before me, faith the Lord God.”

¥. 23. How canft thou fay, I am not polluted, &c.] No man can fay this; for all are defiled with fin; but this was the caft and complexion of thefe people in all ages; they were a generation of men that were pure in their own eyes, but were not cleanfed from their filthinefs; they fancied that their ceremonial wafhings and facrifices cleanfed them from moral impurities, when thofe only fanctified to the purifying of the flefh; ftill their iniquity remained marked before the Lord; they acted the part of the adulterous woman in Prov. Xxx. 20. to whom they are compared in the context; and, therefore, as wondering at their impudence, they having a whore’s forehead, this queftion is put, how and with what face they could affirm this, and what follows: J Lave uot gone after

* Maculas tamen retinebit iniquitas tua, Schmidt.

wah Baalim? or, the Baalim; the idols of the people, as the Targum interprets it; for there were Baals, as Baal-zephon, Baal-peor, Baal-zebub, and others: /ee thy way in the valley; where idols were fet up and worfhipped; or thro’ which the way lay, as Kimchi obferves, to the hills and mountains where idolatry was frequently committed; perhaps no particular valley is meant, but any in which idols were worfhipped, or which they Laan to the worfhipping of them; tho’ the Targum interprets it of the valley in which they dwelt, overagainit Baal-peor, fo. Farchi and Abarbinel, w they worfhipped that idol; and feems to defign the valley of Shittim, Numb. xxv. 1, 2. but rather, if any particular valley is intended, the valley of Hinnom seems to bid fair for it; and to this it may be the Septuagint verfion has refpect, rendering it, ev 7a worvardew, in the fepulebre of the muitiudes multitudes being burnt and buried here: know what thou baft done; in the. valley, efpecially in the valley of Hinnom, where they caufed their children to pafs thro’ the fire to A@oloch: thou art 2 interpret it, a young camel; and fo the word in the dradic language fignifies; and the epithet wift better agrees with that, than with the dromedary. Curtius * makes mention of dromedary-camels of great fwiftnefs; but it may be this is to be underftood, not of its fwiftnefs in running, but of its impetuous Juft, as Calvin obferves; and, indeed, each of thefe creatures are very libidinous; and therefore thefe people are compared to them 5 it follows: traverfing ber ways; ranning about here and there after the male, burning with luit, fometimes one way, and fometimes another; and fo thefe people fometimes run after one idol, and fometimes another, and followed a multitude of them. The Targum renders it, which corrupts, or depraves her ways. De Dieu obferves, that the word "|9¥, in the Erbiopic language, fignifies ibe evening; and {fo may intend walking in the evening, in the dark, rather than in the light; which, as it is the way of dromedaries, and almoft of all beafts, fo of harlots, to whom thefe people are likened; and he further obferves, that, in the Arabic language, it fignifies to make common, which agrees with adulterous perfons, as thefe were in a {piritual fenfe. The word is only ufed in this place,. and is deduced from, or has fome relation to, the word ")"¥, which fignifies a /hoe-latchet, Gen. xiv. 23. as Farchi and Kimchi obferve; and may denote, as the fhoe is bound and faftened with the latchet, the binding of her ways to her heart, as the former fuggefts, the ftrengthening and con~ firming of her in her evil ways, and her conftant perfifting therein; but the firft fenfe of ruaning here and there thro’ luft is beft; and is approved by Byneus*, and by Buxtorf ». (9 ¥.24. wild afs ufed to the wildernefs, 8c.) ° That is, one that has been brought up in the wildernefs, and has been accuftomed to live, and run, and range about there; as men in general are compared to this creature for its ignorance, ftupidity, folly, ftubbernnefs and unteachab

Fob xi. 12. fo the Fewih people are Haat - 3 at eat ase.

beers aie y CMD) nitet, vel fplenae, llius; fo Guffetius tenders the word, inaurari, fe, eo h gold, the more it is wafhed with nitre, or fope, the brigt away fin, but feeking for juftification by the grace of Gog 21.5. ¢. 2 * De calceis He like unto it, for-its wantonnefs and luft:. that fuuffeth up the wind at her pleafure, draws it in at hernoftrils, and fnuffs ‘it up; or opens her mouth, and takes it in with her breath; drinks it in, and fwallows it up at her pleafure: or, with the defire of ber foul*, it being grateful and delightful to her. Some read this claufe in connexion with PIMINNM, rendered i her occafion, and differently tranflate it. The Targum takes it to have the fignification of [593 dragons, or whales; and renders it, ** drinking the wind as a dragon;” and fo Farchi, who compares it with Fer. xiv. 6: they faujfed up the wind like dragous; and fo the Syriac verfion, thou haft drawn up the wind like a wild dog; others render it, gathering the wind of her occafion; or, of her meeting *; taking it in, and fnuffing it up, as fhe occafionally met with it in running. The Vulgate Latin verfion is, fhe drew the wind of ber love; it is reported of the wild afs, that it can fmell its mate afar off, and by the wind it fnuffs, knows where it is; for which pur. pofe it runs up the hills and mountains to get the fcent, which, when it has, its luft is fo violent that there issno ftopping of it till it comes to the place where its mate is: wherefore it follows, in her occafion who can turn ber away 2? when this violent fit is upon her, there’s no turning her away from purfuing the enjoyment of it; which is expreffive of the eager defire of the ews after the worlhipping of-idols, how bent upon it, and not to be reclaimed from it: all they that feek her, will not weary themfelves,; knowing that they cannot overtake her, or ftop her in her career, or hinder her gratification of her luft,. This may be underftood either of thofe who fought to commit {piritual adultery or idolatry with the Zews, they need not weary themfelves, being eafy to be found by them; or of the prophets that fought to‘reclaim them, who perceiving how ftubborn, and untractable, and irreclaimable they were, would ‘not weary themfelves with their admonitions and reproofs, fecing they were in vain: in her month they foall find her not that this creature fleeps one whole month ina year, as Farchi dreams, when it may be eafily taken; but the’ fenfe is, that when it is with young, and in the laft month, and fo is heavy with its burden, it may eafily be:found and. - taken; fo when the people of J/rael fhould have’ filled up the meafure of their iniquity, and the judgment of God was fallen, and lay heavy upon: them; then'thofe that fought to return them’ from their “evil—ways, might find them, and hope to fucceed*in reclaiming them, and bringing them to repentance; agreeably the Septuagini render it, in her ‘humiliation; when chaftized and humbled by the Lord for her fins. ‘This is not to be underftood of the month of 4, in which Ferufalem was deftroyed, both by Nebuchadnezzar and Titus; | in which month the Yews are fure to be found’ confeffing their fins, and humbling themfelves; as Kimchi, Abarbinel and Ben Melech interpret’ it 3 nor of the new moon, as others; at évery one of which, thofe who fought:to join with them in ido- Jatrous practices, might be fure to find them at them. | ere b. ig:: b pit 3h. 25. Withbold thy foot from being unfbod, &c.] Phat it may not be unfhod, be naked and- bare. The fenfe is, either, as fome, don’t take long journies ‘into foreigh countries for help, as “into Afyria'and: Egypt, whither they ufed to go. barefoot; or wore out their thoes by their long journies, and fo returned without;. or refrain from idolatry,. as Farchi interprets it, that thou mayft not go naked into captivity or this is an eupbemifm, as others think, forbidding adulterous actions, fhewing the naked foot, the’ putting off of the fhoes, in order to lie upon thé bed, and proftitute herfelf to her lovers; and is to be underftood of idolatry: aid thy throat from thirft, after wine, which excites luft; abftain from eager and burning luft after adulterous, that is, idolatrous practices; fo the Targum, “ refrain thy feet from being ‘¢ joined with the people, and thy mouth from ** worfhippinge the idols ‘of the people.” The words are paraphrafed in the Ja/mud * thus, ‘¢ with- ‘* hold thyfelf from finning, that thy foot ‘may “* not ‘become naked; (the G/ojs is, when thou ‘¢ goeft into captivity) refrain thy tongue from idle ‘¢ words, that thy throat may not thirft:” this was faid by the Lord, or by the prophets of the Lord fent unto them, to which the following is an anfwer: but thou faidft, there is no hope; of ever being prevailed upon to relinquifh thofe idolatrous practices, or of being: received into the favour of God after fuch provocations: zo; [ll never refrain from them; I’ll not be perfuaded to leave them: for I have loved firangers; the ftrange gods of the nations: and after them will I go; and worfhip them; fo the Targum, “ I love to be joined to~ ** the people, and after the worfhip of their idols *¢ will I go.”

¥.26. As the thief is afbamed, when he is found, &c.] © Taken in the faét, or convicted of it; that is, as the Targum explains it, one that has been accounted faithful, and is found a thief; for otherwife, thofe who have loft their charaéter, and are notorious for their thefts and robberies, are not » afhamed when they are found out, taken and convicted': fo is the houfe of Ifrael afbamed; of their idolatry, or ought to be; or /hall be, as.the Septuagint, Syriac and Arabic verfions render it; the” not now, yet hereafter, fooner or later: they, their kings, their princes,’ aid their priefts, and their. prophets; all being guilty’; kings fetting il examples, and’ the people’ following them; ‘the priefts being pricfts of Baal, and the ‘prophets, falfe ones. ° i

¥. 24. Saying to a frock, 8c.) Toa tree’; to a piece of wood; that is, to an image made of it’; fo the Tareum, “’ they fay to an image of wood';” what follows: tho" art ‘my’ father, afcribing’ that to the’ idol which béléngs to God, ‘who was ‘their Father ‘that’ ihade them, and upheld them, was the author of their beings) and ‘the God of their mercies.: and-to’ a stone’ an image of ftone: thou baft brought meforth; intobeing; affirming? it to be his -férmer and maker$ fo! the Targum, “ to that coowhich is made of ftone, thou haft created me: for they have’ turned’ their back unto me, and not their face they turned their faces to images of wood ahd ftone, and worfhipped' them; and they turned their backs upon the Lord, his worfhip and ordinances, and’ apoftatized froin him; which the Targum thus exptefiés, “ for they turned their ‘¢ backs on my’ worfhip, and, did not put my fear “© before their faces:” but in the time of their trou- ble, when any calamity befals them, as famine, peftilence, fword, captivity, and the like: they will Joy arife, and fave us not that they will fay fo to their idols, but they will fay fo to the true God; for notwith{tanding they worfhipped idols in time of profperity, forgetting God their Saviour; yet in adyerfity they are brought to their fenfes, and find that none but God can fave them, and therefore apply to him; to which agrees the Targum, “<< and in the time that evil comes upon them, they «« deny their idols, and confefs before me, and ‘* fay, have mercy on us, and fave us.”

y¥.28. But where are thy gods that thou haft made thee? &c.] This is, or would be, the Lord’s anfwer to them, what’s become of your gods? why don’t you apply to them for help in time of trouble? the gods that you have chofen for yourfelves and worfhipped; the gods, not that made you, but whom you yourfelves have made: Jet them arife,, if they can fave thee in the time of thy trouble; call.upon them to arife, thofe ftatues of wood and ftone, thofe litelefs and fenfelefs images; let them rife off their feats, and move out of their places, if they can, and fee whether they can fave in a time of trouble and diftrefs; for there’s enow of them, if numbers will do: for according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Fudab; in imitation of the heathens, who had not only in every country, but in every city and town a different god, the patron and tutelar deity of the place; fee 2 Kings xvii. 29, 30, 31. ‘The Septuagint and Arabic verfions add, acccording to the number of the ways, or frreets, of Ferufalem, they facrificed to Baal; fee Fer. xi. 13.

¥.29. Wherefore will ye plead with me? &c.] Strive and contend, chide, murmur and complain, when evil came upon them, as if the Lord dealt hardly with them, and as if they had never finned againit him; when their cafe would not bear to be brought into judgment and examined openly; what would they get by that but fhame and difgrace? ye all have tranfgreffed againft me, faith the word; high and low, rich and poor, great and {mall; men of all ranks, degrees and characters; kings, priefts and prophets; and therefore ought not to contend with God, and charge him with injuftice or unkindnefs, but themfelves with folly and wickednefs.

¥. 30. Jn vain have 1 fimitten your children, 8c.] Or, for vanity * 5 for vain fpeaking, for making vain oaths and vows; fo it is explained in the Talmud»; but the fenfe is, that the rod of chaftifement.was ufed in vain; the afflictions that came upon them had no effect on them to amend and reform them; they were never the better for them: they received no correction; or inftruction by them; fee Fer. v. 3: your own fword hath devoured your prophets; as Ifaiah, Zechariah, and Uriah; who were fent to them to.reprove and correct. them, but they were fo far from receiving their correction, that they put them to death; tho’..Kimchi mentions it as the fenfe of his father, and which he approves of, that this is to be underftood, not of the true prophets of the Lord, but of falfe prophets; wherefore it is faid, your prophets; and they had no prophets but falfe prophets, whofe prophecy was the caufe of the deftruction of fouls, and this brought ruin upon the prophets themy felves; and this fenfe of the words Ferom gives into; it follows: /ike a deftroying lion, that is, the. fword of the Lord, according to the latter fenfes. the judgments of God, by which the people fallys.\. and their falfe prophets with them, were like a lion that deftroys and devours all that come near it. The Septuagint and Arabic verfions add, and ye were not afraid, which confirms what was before faid, that chaftifement and correction were in vain. ' y. 31. O generation, fee ye the word of the Lord, &c.] Take notice of it, confider it; or, ear it, as the Septuagint, Syriac and Arabic verfions. Farchi and Kimchi think ', the pot of manna was brought. out, and fhown them, to be looked at by them,,. for the conviction of them, and confirmation of. what follows: have I been a wildernefs unto. Ifrael 2. no: the J/raelites were plentifully fupplied by him. when in the wildernefs, and fince they were brought into a land flowing with milk and honey; fo that they ftood in need of nothing; they had a con- {tant fupply of all good things: or a land of darknefs? of mifery, diftrefs and poverty where no light of joy, comfort and profperity is; a land that never fees the light, or enjoys the benefit of the fun, and fo is barren and unfruitful; @ lend of thorns, as the Septuagint verfion; or, @ défert, and uncultivated land, as the Targum, and Syriac, and Arabic verfions. It may be rendered, @ land of the darkne/s of God“; that is, of the greateft darknefs, of thick and grofs darknefs, alluding to that in Egypt; as the flame of God, and mountains of God, Cant. viii. 6. P/. xxxvi. 6, as Ben Melech and Kimchi oblerve: wherefore fay my people, we are lords; and can reign without thee; or we have kings and princes, and have no need of thee, fo Kimchi; but the word ufed feems to have another meaning, and to require another fenfe. The Yargum is, we are removed; and the Vulgate Latin verfion, we have gone back; to which agrees the Fewifh Midrafh ', mentioned by Farchi, and confirmed with a paffage out of the Mifna ™, we\ are Jeparated from thee; we have departed from thee, turned our backs on thee, have forfaken thee, and ~ left thy ways and worfhip; and to do fo was very ungrateful, when the Lord had fo richly, fupplied them, that they had not lacked any good thing; and this fenfe agrees with what follows: we will come no more unto thee? fome render it, we have determined"; as having the fame fenfe with the Arabic word, which fignifies to vwi// or determine any thing; and then the meaning is, we are determined, we are refolved to come no more to thee, to attend thy worfhip and fervice any more; and fo the Targum, ‘* we will not return any more to, ** thy worfhip.” » hogan ity

¥.32. Can a maid forget her ornaments, &c.} Which fhe has provided for her wedding-day, and is then to wear, and which may be the next; fuch as ear-rings, bracelets and jewels, which are never out of her mind, and can fcarce fleep for thinking of them, how richly fhe fhall be adorned with them; wherefore it follows: or a bride her attire é. or, her bindings e; her knots about her head or breaft. The word is rendered head-bands in If. ii, 20. and here, by the Septuagint verfion, er