a 14 O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee? 15 For a voice declareth from Dan, and publisheth affliction from Mount Ephraim. 16 Make ye mention to the nations; behold, publish against Jerusalem, that watchers come from a far country, and give out their voice against the cities of Judah. 17 As keepers of a field, are they against her round about; because she hath been rebellious against me, saith the LORD. 18 Thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee; this is thy wickedness, because it is bitter, because it reacheth unto thine heart. * Isa. v. 28.―y Deut. xxviii. 49; Lam. iv. 19; Hos. viii. 1; Hab. i. 8. Isa. i. 16; James iv. 8.—a Chap. viii. 16. Chap. v. 15. - 2 Kings xxv. 1, 4.- -d Psa. cvii. 17; Isa. 1. 1; chap. ii. 17, 19. Isa. xv. 5; xvi. 11; xxi. 3; xxii. 4; to show the overwhelming effect of the invasion of the land by the Chaldeans. Verse 13. Wo unto us!] The people, deeply affected with these threatened judgments, interrupt the prophet with the lamentation-Wo unto us, for we are spoiled! The prophet then resumes:— Verse 14. O Jerusalem, wash thine heart] Why do ye not put away your wickedness, that ye may be saved from these tremendous judgments? How long shall thy vain thoughts of safety and prosperity lodge within thee? Whilst thou continuest a rebel against God, and provokest him daily by thy abominations! Verse 15. For a voice declareth from Dan] Dan was a city in the tribe of Dan, north of Jerusalem; the first city in Palestine, which occurs in the way from Babylon to Jerusalem. Affliction from Mount Ephraim.] Between Dan and Jerusalem are the mountains of Ephraim. These would be the first places attacked by the Chaldeans; and the rumour from thence would show that the land was invaded. coming upon Jerusalem. B. C. cir. 612. 20 Destruction upon destruc- A. M. cir. 3392. tion is cried; for the whole land is spoiled: suddenly are my tents spoiled, and my curtains in a moment. Ol. cir. XLII. 1. Tarquinii Prisci, R. Roman., cir. annum 5. 21 How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet? i 22 For my people is foolish, they have not known me: they are sottish children, and they have none understanding; they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge. 23 I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was 'without form and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. 24 m I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. 25 I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. 26 I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and by his fierce anger. 27 For thus hath the LORD said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end. chap. ix. 1, 10; see Luke xix. 42. -Heb. the walls of my heart. g Psa. xlii. 7; Ezek. vii. 26. Chap. x. 20.Rom. xvi. 19.- Isa. xxiv. 19.- Gen. i. 2. Isa. v. 25; Ezek. xxxviii. 20. - Zeph. i. 3.- Chap. v. 10, 18; xxx. 11; xlvi. 28. guards all round about it; so that none could enter to give assistance, and none who wished to escape were permitted to go out. Verse 19. My bowels] From this to the twenty ninth verse the prophet describes the ruin of Jerusalem and the desolation of Judea by the Chaldeans in language and imagery scarcely paralleled in the whole Bible. At the sight of misery the bowels are first affected; pain is next felt by a sort of stricture in the pericardium; and then, the heart becoming strongly affected by irregular palpitations, a gush of tears, accompanied with wailings, is the issue." My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart, (the walls of my heart;). my heart maketh a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace.' Here is nature, and fact also. Verse 20. Destruction upon destruction] Cities burnt, and their inhabitants destroyed. My tents spoiled] Even the solitary dwellings in the fields and open country do not escape. Verse 23. I beheld the earth, (the land,) and lo, it was without form and void] 1731 177 tohu yabohu ; Verse 16. Watchers come from a far country] Per- the very words used in Genesis to denote the formless sons to besiege fortified places. Verse 17. As keepers of a field] In the eastern countries grain is often sown in the open country; and, when nearly ripe, guards are placed at different distances round about it to preserve it from being plundered. Jerusalem was watched, like one of these fields, by state of the chaotic mass before God had brought it into order. Verse 24. The mountains—hills] Princes, rulers. &c., were astonished and fled. Verse 25. The birds of the heavens were fled.] The land was so desolated that even the fowls of heaven The corrupted state A. M. cir. 3392. JEREMIAH. S t of the people. A. M. cır. 3392. B. C. cir. 612. 28 For this shall the earth crimson, though thou deckest Ol. cir. XLII. 1. mourn, and the heavens above thee with ornaments of gold, Tarquinii Prisci, R. Roman., be black. because I have spoken cir. annum 5. it, I have purposed it, and will not repent, neither will I turn back from it. 29 The whole city shall flee for the noise of the horsemen and bowmen; they shall go into thickets, and climb up upon the rocks: every city shall be forsaken, and not a man dwell therein. though thou rentest thy face with painting, in vain shalt thou make thyself fair; "thy lovers will despise thee, they will seek thy life. 30 And when thou art spoiled, what wilt thou do? Though thou clothest thyself with t 31. For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, and the anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, that bewaileth herself, that spreadeth her hands, saying, Wo is me now! for my soul is wearied because of murderers. Chap. xxii. 20, 22; Lam. i. 2, 19. Isa. i. 15; V P Hos. iv. 3. - Isa. v. 30; 1. 3. Num. xxiii. 19; chap. Heb. eyes. vii. 16.- 2 Kings ix. 30; Ezek. xxiii. 40. could not find meat, and therefore, fled away to another region. How powerfully energetic is this description! See Zeph. i. 3. Lam. i. 17. thou make use of every means of address, of cunning, and of solicitation, to get assistance from the neighbouring states, it will be all in vain. Reference is here Verse 31. Bringeth forth her first child]. In such a case the fear, danger, and pain were naturally the greatest. Verse 30. Though thou rentest thy face with paint-particularly made to the practice of harlots to allure men. ing] This probably refers to the custom of introducing stibium, a preparation of antimony, between the eye and the lids, in order to produce a fine lustre, which occasions a distension of the eye-lid in the time of the operation. In order to heighten the effect from this, some may have introduced a more than ordinary quantity, so as nearly to rend the eye-lid itself. Though Spreadeth her hands] The gesture indicated by nature to signify distress, and implore help. We have met with this figure in other parts, and among the classic writers it is frequent. CHAPTER V. The prophet, having described the judgments impending over his countrymen, enlarges on the corruptions which prevailed among them. Their profession of religion was all false and hypocritical, 1, 2. Though corrected, they were not amended, but persisted in their guilt, 3. This was not the case with the low and ignorant only, 4; but more egregiously so with those of the higher order, from whose knowledge and opportunities better things might have been expected, 5. God therefore threatens them with the most cruel enemies, 6; and appeals to themselves if they should be permitted to practise such sins unpunished, 7–9. He then commands their enemies to raze the walls of Jerusalem, 10; that devoted city, whose inhabitants added to all their other sins the highest contempt of God's word and prophets, 11–13. Wherefore his word, in the mouth of his prophet, shall be as fire to consume them, 14; the Chaldean forces shall cruelly afflict them, 15–17; and farther judgments await them as the consequence of their apostasy and idolatry, 18, 19. The chapter closes with a most melancholy picture of the moral condition of the Jewish people at that period which immediately preceded the Babylonish captivity, 20–31. •Fork xx - Gen. xviii. 23, &c.; Psa. xii. 1. NOTES ON CHAP. V. Verse 1. Braai nores! Market-places, and those where there was most pake resort. won thé à mon A certain philosopher went Man the eve of Athens with a lighted lamp in hx hunt, and home asked what he sought, answered, * 1 st sking to find a MAN." So in Jerusalem none wx Chant, vt the ass digent search, who acted buy de sout a a "a::onal being. • The Chap. iv. 2.-Chap. vii. 9. I will pardon it.] I will spare the city for the sake of one righteous person. So at the intercession of Abraham, God would have spared Sodom if there had been ten righteous persons found in it; Gen. xviii. 26. Verse 2. The Lord liveth] Though they profess to bind themselves by Jehovah, as if they acknowledged him their God and only Lord, yet they swore falsely; for not believing in him, they took a false oath; one by which they did not believe themselves bound, 6 Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, and a wolf of the P evenings shall spoil them, a leopard shall watch over their cities; every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces: because their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are increased. r 8 They were as fed horses in the morning. every one neighed after his neighbour's wife. 9 Shall I not visit for these things? saith the and shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this? LORD: 10 Go ye up upon her walls, and destroy; but make not a full end: take away her battlements; for they are not the LORD's. b 11 For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me, saith the Lord. d с 12 They have belied the LORD, and said, It is not he; neither shall evil come upon us; • neither shall we see sword nor famine: 13 And the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them: thus shall it be done unto them. 7 How shall I pardon thee for this? thy 14 Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of not acknowledging him as their Lord. See on chap. iv. 2. Verse 4. These are poor] They are ignorant; they have no education; they know no better. Verse 5. I will get me unto the great men] Those whose circumstances and rank in life gave them opportunities of information which the others could not have, for the reasons already given. These have altogether broken the yoke] These have cast aside all restraint, have acted above law, and have trampled all moral obligations under their feet; and into their vortex the lower classes of the people have been swept away. Solon said, "The laws are like cobwebs; they entangle the small fry, but the great ones go through them, and carry all away with them." Verse 6. Wherefore a lion] Nebuchadnezzar, according to the general opinion; who is called here a lion for his courage and violence, a bear for his rapaciousness, and a leopard for his activity. Dahler supposes the Scythians to be intended, both here and in chap. iv. 7. Verse 7. In the harlots' houses.] In places consecrated to idolatry. In the language of the prophets, adultery generally signifies idolatry. This we have often seen. Verse 8. After his neighbour's wife.] This may have been literally true, as the abominations of idolatry, in which they were so deeply practised, would necessarily produce such a state of things as that here mentioned. " ver. 18. xxxvi. 16; chap. iv. 10.—d Isa. Verse 10. Go ye up upon her walls] This is the permission and authority given to the Chaldeans to pillage Jerusalem. Take away her battlements] Some translate "D] netishoth, branches; others, vines. Destroy the branches, cut down the stem; but do not damage the root. Leave so many of the people that the state may be regenerated. The Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic read, "Leave her foundations, for they are the Lord's" and this agrees with "Destroy, but make not a full end.” Verse 12. They have belied the Lord] `wn kichashu. They have denied or disavowed the Lord. It is not hello hu, he is not; there is no such being; therefore this evil shall not come upon us. On their premises, this conclusion was just. There is no judge; therefore there shall be no judgment. Thus they denied the Lord. They were atheists at heart. Verse 13. And the prophets shall become wind] What are the prophets? Empty persons. Their words are wind; we hear the sound of their threatenings, but of the matter of the threatenings we shall hear no more." And the word is not in them] There is no inspirer; but may their own predictions fall on their own heads! This seems the natural sense of this passage. Verse 14. Because ye speak this word] Because ye thus treat my message, "I will make my words in The profligacy of JEREMIAH. the people described. A. M. cir. 3392. hosts, Because ye speak this serve strangers in a land that is A. M. cir. 3392. B. C. cir. 612. word, behold, I will make my not yours. words in thy mouth fire, and this Ol. eir. XLII. 1. vour them. people wood, and it shall de 20 Declare this in the house of Jacob, and publish it in Judah, saying, B. C. cir. 612. Ol. cir. XLII. 1. Tarquinii Prisci R. Roman., cir. annum 5. 15 Lo, I will bring a nation upon you 21 Hear now this, O foolish people, and h from far, O house of Israel, saith the LORD: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say. 16 Their quiver is as an open sepulchre, they are all mighty men. 17 And they shall eat up thine harvest, and thy bread, which thy sons and thy daughters should eat they shall eat up thy flocks and thine herds they shall eat up thy vines and thy fig trees: they shall impoverish thy fenced cities, wherein thou trustedst, with the sword. 1 เ without P understanding; which have eyes, and 23 But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone. 24 Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest. 18 Nevertheless in those days, saith the LORD, I will not make a full end with you. 19 And it shall come to pass, when ye shall say, Wherefore doeth the LORD our God all 25 Your iniquities have turned away these these things unto us? then shalt thou answer things, and your sins have withholden good them, Like as ye have forsaken me, and things from you. served strange gods in your land, so shall ye 26 For among my people are found wicked Chap 19 Deut. xxvi. 49; Isa v. 26; chap. 1. 15; vi 22. alsa. xxxix 3; chap. iv. 16.— Lev. xxvi. 16; Deut. xxvii 31. 4 31 - Chap. 1. Deut. xxix 21. &e.; 1 Kings ix. 8.9; 29 chap. xii 22, xvi. 10- Chap. u. 13-Deut. xxvi. 48. elsa. vi. 9; Ezek. xu 2; Matt, xu. 14; John xii. 40; Acts xxviii. ̧ thy mouth fire." They have said they are but air; but I will make them fire, and a fire too that shall devour them. And how this was to be done, and by whom, is mentioned in the next verse. Verse 13. I will bring a nation]. The Scythians, says Dikler; the Babylonians, whose antiquity was great, that empire being founded by Nimrod. Whose language thou knowest moc] The Chaldee, which, though a dialect of the Hebrew, is so very different in its words and construction, that in hearing it spoken they could not possibly elect the meaning of what was said. Verse 16... Por pureer is an open sepulchre] They are such exact arcders as never to miss their mark; every arrow is sure to slay one man. Verse 18. I will not make a full end] There are You shall not only be more evis m store for y spoiled, and all your property destroyed, but ye shall be carried into og cyc and ye shall serve strangers ve a land that as moc pours, ver. 19. 26; Rom. xi. 8.— -P Heb. heart; Hos. vii. 11.9 Rev. xv Job xxvi. 10; xxxviii. 10, 11; Psa. civ. 9; Prov. viii. Psa. exlvii. 8; chap. xiv. 22; Matt. v. 45; Acts 17. Deut. xi. 14; Joel ii. 23. Gen. viii. 22. Chap. iii. 3. Verse 23. They are revolted and gone.] They have abandoned me, and are gone farther and farther into transgression. They are gone entirely away from truth and righteousness. Verse 24. Giveth rain, both the former and the latter] See the note on chap. iii. 3. The appointed weeks of the harvest.] As the early rains fell in the northern parts of Judea about the enc of September, in the civil year of the Hebrews, so the latter rains fell before harvest, in the months of March and April. The appointed weeks of the harvest were those which fell between the passover and pentecost, In the southern parts the harvest was earlier than in the northern. Dr. Blayney translates, "A sufficiency of the appointed things of harvest he secureth to us." If the word nya, weeks, be read with a sin instead of a y shin, it will signify fulness or sufficiency; and thus the Septuagint and Vulgate have read it. I think the present reading is much to be preferred God appoints a harvest time, and in his good provi dence he generally gives harvest weather. Verse 22 Wick have saved the sand for the bound Verse 25. Your iniquities have turned away these pay the me) What can I not do, who contine the sea, that enormous mass of waters, and prevent it from things] When these appointed weeks of harvest do overflowing the earth, not by mense mountains and not come, should we not examine and see whether this ved, but by the sono particle of which is in cohe-be not in God's judgments? Have not our iniquities The most tremendous waves can- turned away these good things from us? Verse 26. They lay wait, as he that setteth snares] not displace nor pass over this simple barrier. ston with another ↑ The wickedness of the A. M. cir. 3392. Ol. cir. XLII. 1. W men: they lay wait, as he that 29 • Shall I not visit for A. M. cir. 3392. 27 As a cage is full of birds, SO are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich': ed on - such a nation as this? d B. C. cir. 612. Tarquinii Prisci, R. Roman., cir. annum 5. 30 A wonderful and horrible thing is com mitted in the land; prophets affording them all that their influence and power can procure, to enable them to keep their places, and feed on the riches of the Lord's house. And my people love to have it so] Are perfectly A metaphor taken from fowlers, who, having fixed their nets, lie down and keep out of sight, that when birds come, they may be ready to draw and entangle them. Verse 27. As a cage is full of birds] There is no doubt that the reference here is to a decoy or trap-satisfied with this state of things, because they are percage, as Dr. Blayney has rendered it; in these the fowlers put several tame birds, which when the wild ones see, they come and light on the cage, and fall into the snare. Verse 28. They judge not the cause, yet they prosper] Perhaps we might be justified in translating, And shall they prosper ?" Verse 30. A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land] Dahler translates : 66 Strange crimes and horrible trespasses have been committed in the land." These have been already detailed; but this may refer to what follows. Verse 31. The prophets prophesy falsely] The false prophets predict favourable things, that they may please both the princes and the people. mitted to continue in their sins without reproof or restraint. The prophets and the priests united to deceive and ruin the people. The prophets gave out false predictions; by their means the priests got the government of the people into their own hands; and so infatuated were the people that they willingly abandoned themselves to those blind guides, and would not hearken to the voice of any reformer. In my Old Bible the words stand thus :-Stonpng and mervailis bev made in the erthe, prophets prophecieden lesing; and prestis flappiden with jope with ther bondes, and my peple lovid siche thingis. False prophets and worldly priests have been in all ages the bane of religion, and the ruin of many souls. When profligate people stand up on behalf of profligate priests, corruption must then The priests bear rule by their means] The false be at its height. CHAPTER VI. Jeremiah, in the spirit of prophecy, seeing the Chaldeans on their march, bids his people set up the usual signals of distress, and spread the general alarm to betake themselves to flight, 1. Then, by a beautiful allusion to the custom of shepherds moving their flocks to the richest pastures, Jerusalem is singled out as a place devoted to be eaten up or trodden down by the armies of the Chaldeans, who are called up against her, and whose ardour and impatience are so great that the soldiers, when they arrive in the evening, regret they have no more day, and desire to begin the attack without waiting for the light of the morning, 2–5. God is then represented as animating and directing the besiegers against this guilty city, which sinned as incessantly as a fountain flows, 6, 7, although warned of the fatal consequence, 8. He intimates also, by the gleaning of the grapes, that one invasion should carry away the remains of another, till their disobedience, hypocrisy, and other sins should end in their total overthrow, 9-15. And to show that God is clear when he judgeth, he mentions his having in vain admonished and warned them, and calls upon the whole world to witness the equity of his proceedings, 16-18, in punishing this perverse and hypocritical people 19, 20, by the ministry of the cruel Chaldeans, 21-23. Upon this a chorus of Jews is introduced expressing their fears and alarm, 24, 25; to which the prophet echoes a response full of sympathy and tenderness, The concluding verses, by metaphors taken from the process of refining gold and silver, represent all the methods hitherto used to amend them as wholly ineffectual, 27–30. 26. 271 |