THE CALL OF THE PROPHETJer_1:1-19 The prophets of Israel were launched upon their prophetic career by a definite call. Amos, the herdsman from Tekoa, declared that God took him from following the flock and inducted him into the prophetic ministry (Amos 7:14-15). He felt a divine compulsion to preach (Amos 3:8). Isaiah, the aristocrat, saw a vision of divine glory and heard the voice of his God calling for a messenger. Isaiah knew that the call was meant for him and so he volunteered: "Here am I! Send me!" (Isaiah 6).
Ezekiel saw the dazzling and mysterious throne-chariot of God and from this experience he came to realize that he was to preach the word of God (Ezekiel 2:8 ff.). An essential mark of a true prophet and "a primary element in the prophetic consciousness" was the assurance of a divine call. "Logically and chronologically the prophet's career begins with a call." It is therefore most appropriate that the account of the call of Jeremiah stands first in the book.
PREFACE
Jeremiah 1:1-3 The words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, of the priests which were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, (2) to whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. (3) Also it came in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah son of Josiah, king of Judah, until Jerusalem was carried away captive in the fifth month.
A great deal of information is packed into the brief preface with which the Book of Jeremiah opens. Most of this information has been sifted and weighed in the preceding pages. It remains here to briefly take note of the literary, personal, geographical and chronological data contained in the first three verses.
The superscription opens with the formal title of the book: The Words of Jeremiah. Though the book contains a great deal of biographical narrative the emphasis throughout is on the preaching of Jeremiah. He was first and foremost a preacher of the word.
Concerning Jeremiah personally the superscription relates three facts: (1) That he was of the family of Hil kiah; (2) that he was a priest before he was a prophet; and (3) that he lived in the priestly town of Anathoth. As a priest— possibly the son of the high priest— the prospect before him was that of a quiet and probably uneventful life teaching the Torah of God in his home town and serving periodically at the Temple in Jerusalem. But God had other plans for this timid young priest. From the obscurity of priestly service Jeremiah was catapulted by the call of God into a position of national and even international responsibility.
The main function of the preface is to sound forth the note that Jeremiah had received divine revelation. The phrase "to whom the word of the Lord came" describes that mysterious process by which the prophet of God received divine revelation. This expression occurs some twenty times in the Book of Jeremiah. Many attempts have been made to explain how God spoke to the prophets. Did the revelation come to the prophet while in a state of mental unconsciousness and inactivity? Or did they receive their oracles while in complete possession of their rational consciousness?
It is interesting to notice that the New Testament is silent as to the manner in which God spoke to the prophets. peter declared: "Men spake from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:21). To go beyond this simple statement is to become involved in useless speculation. The superscription is full of valuable chronological information. Three kings are named: Josiah, Jehoiakim and Zedekiah. Jehoahaz and Jehoiachin, both of whom reigned only a matter of months, are omitted. The year of Jeremiah's call.THE CALL
Jeremiah 1:4-10 (4)Then the word of the LORD came unto me saying, (5) Before I formed you in the belly I knew you, and before you were born I set you apart; a prophet to the nations I have appointed you. (6) Then I said, Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth. (7) But the LORD said to me, Do not say, I am only a youth; but unto whomever I send you, go! and all which I have commanded you, speak! (8) Do not be afraid of them; for I am with you to deliver you (oracle of the LORD). (9) Then the LORD put forth His hand and touched my mouth; and the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have placed My words in your mouth. (10) See, I have made you an overseer this day over the nations and kingdoms to uproot, tear down, destroy, and raze; to build and to plant.
The call of Jeremiah is disappointing to those who love the spectacular and melodramatic. The account of how Jeremiah became a prophet of God is marked by stark simplicity. He was not privileged to see the grandeur of the heavenly throne room and hear the majestic praises of celestial beings as was Isaiah. Nor was he granted a vision of the throne-chariot of God with its flashing and intriguing wheels within wheels as was Ezekiel. The call of Jeremiah seems to have occurred on an ordinary day and in an ordinary place. Jeremiah's call is presented in the form of a dialogue between the Lord and his prospective prophet.
First comes the divine summons (vv. 4, 5) and then, as is call is pin-pointed as the thirteenth year of king Josiah. This was one year after Josiah began to purge Jerusalem and Judah and five years before the discovery of the lost law book.
The superscription seems to imply that the ministry of Jeremiah terminated with the fall of Jerusalem in the eleventh year of Zedekiah. The problem is that Jeremiah continued to perform his prophetic duties for some time (possibly years) after the destruction of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 41-44). The solution to this problem probably lies in the fact that there was more than one edition of the Book of Jeremiah during and shortly after the lifetime of the prophet. See earlier discussion. It is of course possible that the superscription simply means that the active or official ministry of Jeremiah closed with the destruction of Jerusalem. A minister today who has officially retired and terminated his active ministry might still preach occasionally.The Divine Summons 1:4, 5The change from the third person used in the preface to the first person in verse four is striking and indicates that the following verses are autobiographical.
The preface was probably prefixed to the book by Baruch the faithful secretary of Jeremiah. But the account Of the prophetic call was either written by or dictated by the prophet himself. TWO matters are of interest in considering the divine summons: (1) the time and manner of it (v. 4) and (2) the content of it .
The time and manner of it (v. 4)Verse 4 indicates that, from the human standpoint, the call and appointment of Jeremiah occurred in 627 B.C., "then" referring back to verse 2, the thirteenth year of Josiah. Looking on the call of Jeremiah from the divine standpoint, verse 5 indicates that his appointment long antedated the birth of the prophet. Scholars differ as to whether or not Jeremiah is here describing a visionary experience. The prophet does not say that he saw the Lord; rather he simply says "the word of the Lord came unto me." Did he hear the word of God with his mind or with his ears? The question can never be answered.
It must be emphasized that this was a genuine experience on the part of Jeremiah and not an imaginary one as claimed by some critics. It is God and not Jeremiah who took the initiative in this passage. The tasks to which God calls men are often unpleasant and arduous. Men are not eager to assume the responsibilities. Jeremiah claimed that God had spoken to him and amid the tumult and clamor of four decades he never wavered in that claim. One may open the book at random and find the same theme note repeated time and again with only slight variation: "The word of the Lord came unto me"; "Thus said the Lord to me"; "The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord." Jeremiah was called upon again and again to suffer for that claim. No one in his right mind would endure what this man endured unless he knew that God had spoken.
The content of it (v. 5)The divine summons contained two essential elements:
1. an affirmation concerning the past; and (2) an intimation concerning the future.a) An affirmation concerning the past. In the first part of Jeremiah's call experience the divine purpose for his life was revealed to him. God informs the prophet that before he was born he had been selected for the task to which he is now called. A similar concept appears in one of the grand Servant poems of Isaiah. The Servant, none other than the Messiah himself, declares to the nations: "The LORD called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he has mentioned my name" (Isaiah 49:1 b). The Psalmist David declared much the same thing when he wrote: "My unformed substance your eyes saw; in your book all of them were written, even the days that were ordained when as yet there was none of them" (Psalms 139:16). Samson was to be a Nazarite from the womb (Judges 13:5); John the Baptist was to be "filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb" (Luke 1:15); Paul declared that God had "separated" him "from his mother's womb" (Galatians 1:15).
At first glance, verse five seems to involve an almost mechanical notion of predestination. But this cannot be what is meant, otherwise the whole dialogue between God and the prophet would have no point. Jeremiah is being told that God has had His eye upon him for a long time— even before he was born— when he was still just a thought in the mind of God.1 Jeremiah's ordination had taken place in the mind of God before the prophet was born.
The distinction must be drawn between personal predestination and professional predestination.2 It is the latter that is involved in this passage. The predestination here has nothing to do with eternal salvation. Professional predestination is illustrated by the case of Samson in the Book of Judges. Prior to Samson's birth specific instructions were given as to how this lad should be reared and definite predictions were made as to what this lad would accomplish (Judges 13:2-5). This was professional predestination. Samson was the right man, at the right time and the right place in the plan of God. So also with Jeremiah, Even before his birth God had been directing affairs in such a way as to make this man uniquely qualified to perform the work to which he was now being called.
Jeremiah needed to know at the outset the identity of the One who was commissioning him. In the four verbs of verse 5— formed, knew, set-apart, appointed— God identified Himself as the rightful sovereign of Jeremiah's life. Each of these verbs is rich in theological overtones. Here in turn are the concepts of creation, election, consecration and installation.(1) Creation: "I formed you." The birth of Jeremiah was no accident. God takes credit for forming him in the belly of his mother, This verb "formed" is used here as in Genesis 2:7 where God formed man from the dust of the earth. God's creative activity is like that of a potter whose handiwork reveals his design (see Jeremiah 18:1-4).
The fact that God formed Jeremiah in the womb of his mother does not mean that his birth was supernatural like that of Jesus. Rather the thought is that God needed a prophet and so providentially planned that one should be born who could fulfill such a ministry. The implication is that God gave the child the character, the temperament, the gifts, and the talents which would qualify him for the office of a prophet.
(2) Election: "I knew you." The verb "to know" involves intellectual knowledge. In the case of Jeremiah this would be foreknowledge. Since the future is always the present to the Omniscient One, God knew the fact that Jeremiah would be born. But the Hebrew word is not limited to mere intellectual knowledge; it embraces also intimate knowledge. This is the word which is used of the most intimate of all human experiences, the relationship between husband and wife. Thus God did not merely know about Jeremiah; He knew— intimately knew— Jeremiah himself.
God knew his strong points and his weak: nesses, his abilities, his deficiencies and his potentialities. It was as though God had met him and fellowshiped with him for long years before he was ever born. But the Hebrew verb "to know" involves still more. It involves selective knowledge. Through Amos the prophet God said to Israel, "you only have I known of all the families of the earth" (Amos 3:2). The verb "to know" is part of the terminology of election.1 When the Lord said "I knew you" it was virtually equivalent to His having said "I selected you." Finally, the verb "to know" implies commendatory knowledge.
In Nahum 1:7 God knows those that trust Him. In Psalms 1:6 God knows the way of the godly. In both passages the implication is that God knows and approves of the godly ways of the righteous. Thus God knew Jeremiah intellectually, intimately and selectively and approved of his life before he was ever born.
(3) Consecration: ” I set you apart.” God had separated, sanctified or set apart Jeremiah for holy service before he was born. Here is the only use of this term in connection with a prophet in the Old Testament. While the word here primarily involves "vocational sanctification," the idea of "ethical sanctification" is not altogether absent. God alone is holy. When the Old Testament speaks of a man being "made holy" or "sanctified" it means that a person is to be exclusively devoted to God for His purposes and in His service. It is interesting that Jesus speaks of Himself as "sanctified and sent into the world" by the Father (John 10:36).
(4) Installation: ” I have appointed you. ” The word translated "appointed" literally means "to give, to put or place." Implied in the meaning is an appointment that carries with it the impartation of spiritual gifts which would enable one to perform the tasks for which he was appointed. Did the Lord appoint Jeremiah to his prophetic office prior to his birth or at the very time this statement was made? This is the only verb in verse 5 which is not positively antecedent to the birth of Jeremiah, Nevertheless, in the light of the implications of the preceding three verbs it seems highly likely that the appointment also took place in the mind of God before the prophet's birth.
From the time of his call there is planted in the heart of this young man the conviction that a combination of things happened even before his birth that were to be determining factors in his becoming a prophet. The endowments, and all the influences of heredity and education have shaped, molded and prepared his life for his prophetic career. Jeremiah came to realize that everything that he had received or that had happened to him worked together under the hand of God to prepare him for the work to which he was being called. The consciousness that he had been planned of God before his birth must have stirred the sensitive young man from Anathoth to the depths of his being. In the opinion of Freedman, "This consciousness must have sustained him and enabled him to triumph over the moods of despondency to which he was subject." It is useless to speculate as to whether Jeremiah could have refused the call of God. As a matter of fact he did not; and God in his infinite knowledge knew that Jeremiah would not spurn the summons to service. However the principle which is affirmed by Biblical revelation in general may be confidently affirmed viz., prescience on the part of God does not demand compulsion on the part of man.
(5) An intimation concerning the future. A great deal is said later in the chapter concerning the future ministry of the prophet. Yet even here in the divine summons there is an intimation of the role that Jeremiah is to play in the divine scheme of things. Jeremiah is called to be a prophet. The Hebrew word translated "prophet" occurs some three hundred times in the Old Testament. The precise etymology of the word is uncertain.
As the term is used in the Old Testament it means one who is "qualified, called, and commissioned to speak God's truth to men." A prophet was a mouthpiece, a spokesman. He was one who stood in the divine inner council of God and then went forth to speak of what he had seen and heard. A prophet was a man who spoke to men on behalf of God and to God on behalf of men.By virtue of its position in the Hebrew sentence the phrase "a prophet to the nations" receives emphasis. Here is something unique about Jeremiah for he is the only prophet to be designated as "a prophet to the nations." His ministry was to embrace in a special way nations other than Judah. But since Jeremiah only left his native land on one occasion how can he be said to have performed an international ministry? The verse need not mean that Jeremiah is to go to the nations to proclaim his message.
It may only mean that he is to include the nations within the scope of his prophecies. He was to be the exponent of God's world plan in that age of convulsion and upheaval. It is completely unnecessary, then, to follow those critics who dismiss the phrase "prophet to the nations" as not being originally part of the text, or who emend the text in any way. Jeremiah was to become a prophet to the nations and this intimation of his future work is a genuine part of his call experience.
Several observations with regard to the title "prophet to the nations" need to be made:
Prophetic concern with foreign nations can be traced back through Isaiah and Amos to Elijah and Elisha and even to Samuel himself. Samuel commissioned Saul to destroy the Amalekite nation (1 Samuel 15). Elijah was commissioned by God to anoint Hazael as king of Damascus (1 Kings 19:15) and this task was discharged by his successor Elisha (2 Kings 8:7-15). Jonah was sent on a mission to Nineveh to proclaim the doom of that city. Amos and Isaiah uttered numerous oracles against foreign nations. Both of these eighth century prophets developed the theme that mighty Assyria was but a tool in the hands of God. Jeremiah himself described his prophetic predecessors as men who had "prophesied against many lands and great kingdoms" (Jeremiah 28:8).
1. The issues with which Jeremiah was to deal would of necessity involve the nations of his day. In the late seventh and early sixth centuries before Christ it was no longer possible to treat Judah as though that nation existed in a political vacuum. A judgment upon Judah would involve an international upheaval in which some powers would go down and others be built up. These were the political realities of that day.
2. A large portion of the Book of Jeremiah is devoted to oracles of doom against the nations. These oracles have been collected in chapters 46-51. In Jeremiah 25:15-29 Jeremiah addresses the small states of Syria-Palestine warning them that they must submit to the authority of Nebuchadnezzar or be destroyed.
3. Jeremiah foretold blessings which would come upon the nations through the advent of the Messiah (e.g., Jeremiah 23:5; Jeremiah 33:15). Those commentators who limit "unto the na tions" to pronouncements of judgment on the heathen are proved to be wrong by the fact that positive as well as negative terms are used in verse 10 to describe Jeremiah's ministry to the nations.
4. Jeremiah did on one occasion address foreign nations directly in the person of their ambassadors in Jerusalem (Jeremiah 27:1 ff.). On another occasion he sent a scroll to be read in Babylon and then sunk in the river Euphrates as a symbolic portrayal of the fall of that empire (Jeremiah 51:59 -64).
5. Hebrew prophecy was universalistic in its scope. "God's message is to all people and for all times." Again and again Jeremiah emphasized that the sovereignty of the Lord extends to the ends of the earth. Jeremiah has lessons, then, for the present nations of the world.The Human Response 1:6 In verse 6 the hesitation of Jeremiah is placed over against the decisiveness of God in the previous verses. Those called to special service by God were always humbly hesitant to accept their commission. Jeremiah was no exception. His response to the divine call was both emotional and logical.
1. The emotional responseStaggered by the responsibility of his call Jeremiah, relates that he heaved a deep sigh to God, "Ah!". It is the same desperate sigh uttered by Joshua after the disaster at Ai (Joshua 7:7) and by king Jehoram when he saw his army fainting for lack of water in the wilderness (2 Kings 3:10). "Ah!" is not an entreaty that God should change the circumstances but is a lament that circumstances are what they are. It is a cry of alarm and pain. It is hesitation, not rebellion. Jeremiah was fond of the word and used it in three other passages (Jeremiah 4:10; Jeremiah 14:13; Jeremiah 32:17). The weeping prophet was acquainted with the vocabulary of lamentation.
2. The logical responseJeremiah's response to the divine summons is not purely on the emotional level. In the latter part of verse 6 he disclaims any adequate preparedness for the task to which God is calling him. To Jeremiah the call seemed impractical for two reasons: (1) his age, and (2) his lack of natural gifts.
a) His age. In the Hebrew word order the emphasis is on the youth of the prophet. The Hebrew word translated "youth" or "child" has a wide range of usage in the Old Testament. It is used of an infant (e.g., Exodus 2:6), a small boy (e.g., Genesis 21:12) or a young man of marriageable age (e.g., Genesis 34:19). The same word is used of Joshua at age forty-five (Exodus 33:11) and of Solomon when he succeeded his father as king (1 Kings 3:7). The Jewish Rabbis defined the word as referring to a youth of his fourteenth year.
Estimates on the age of Jeremiah at the time of his call range from 17 to 25. Jeremiah is not rejecting the heavenly call in this verse but is, in effect, pleading for delay. It is as if he had said, "May I not wait till I can speak with the wisdom and authority that comes with years?" He was not saying "I will not," but "I cannot; not now at any rate."
Jeremiah may have mentioned his youth because he had not yet reached the age when he, as a priest, would be permitted to serve the Lord. During the wilderness wandering the years of service for the Levites were fixed from the twenty-fifth to the fiftieth year (Numbers 8:23-25). Later this age restriction was changed by David from twenty to fifty (1 Chronicles 23:24-32). One family of Levites, the Kohathites, could only serve from ages 30 to 50 (Numbers 4:3; Numbers 4:23; Numbers 4:30-35; Numbers 4:47). Could it be that Jeremiah was still a youth in the sense that he had not yet reached the age of priestly service? Still this was not a legitimate excuse as far as the prophetic ministry was concerned.
The office of prophet was not limited to any definite number of years. God called men when He pleased and retained them as long as He desired.
b) The lack of natural abilities. Because of his youth Jeremiah felt a keen sense of inadequacy. Literally he says, "I do not know to speak" (i.e., "I do not know how to speak"). The word "know" in Hebrew frequently means "to be skilled or experienced in doing anything." Like Moses he felt he did not have the powers of oratory which would win the attention of vast throngs. He did not have the persuasive abilities necessary to sway the conduct of hostile multitudes. A youth in antiquity was expected to be seen and not heard. Who would listen to him if he presumed to preach the word of God?
The Divine Assurance 1:7-10 When called of God Moses brought forth excuse after excuse; but Jeremiah only needed encouragement and reassurance. The Lord took steps to give that timid and hesitant young prophet the encouragement he needed. The assurance in these verses is fourfold: assurance of (1) direction, (2) deliverance, (3) power, and (4) authority.
Assurance of divine direction (v. 7)The divine assurance begins not with promises of assistance but with a gentle rebuke and a reaffirmation of His will. "Do not say, I am only a youth." God is telling Jeremiah that his focus is wrong. Jeremiah had been looking at himself, whereas he should have had his focus on obedience to God. The emphasis throughout these verses is on the divine "I" and not the weak human "you": "I send you ... I have commanded you ... I am with you ... I have placed My words in your mouth ...
I have made you an overseer." Thoughts of self are altogether out of place in one who has received a divine commission. It was Jeremiah's duty simply to obey the instructions of his Sovereign. The objections raised by Jeremiah are beside the point. Often men try to set feeble excuses against the plain call of God. They imagine that they are being modest. They plead a lack of qualification or strength or ability when in fact they may be doubting and mistrusting the power of God to provide for His own work.
Jeremiah's focus needed to be lifted from self to God (v. 7). He need not worry about where he will go or what he shall say. The Lord will direct his ways and his words. All Jeremiah needs to do is follow the leading of the Lord. He is to go where God sends him and speak what God commands him. The verbs "go" and "speak" in verse 7 are not imperatives but imperfects in Hebrew and for this reason most translators render them in English as futures.
But the imperfect sometimes has imperative force and in the present context an imperative seems to fit best. After all God's "wills" are in reality "musts." When God is directing a ministry He will provide both the place and the power for service. God in effect is saying here, "Where you will go and what you will say is My business." A great burden lifted off the shoulders of the young priest when he heard these reassuring imperatives.
The limits of Jeremiah's preaching are clearly defined. He is to preach what God commands. He is not called to propagate the philosophies of men or to concoct and say what is clever and interesting and amusing. Jeremiah was called to preach the word! The greatest temptation that any preacher faces is that of identifying his own desires, interests and opinions with those of God. If every preacher would make his preaching as broad and as narrow as the expressed commandments of God he would avoid this pitfall.
Assurance of divine deliverance (v. 8)The Lord saw within the heart of Jeremiah a fear of those to whom he was sent. Jeremiah had not said he was afraid but the Lord saw the fear in his heart. Sinful men never had welcomed a message of judgment and condemnation, and there was strong possibility of reprisal. "Do not be afraid of them," the Lord says to his prophet, "for I am with you." The Hebrew reverses the order and has it "with you am I." What words of comfort. God spoke these words to Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:12), Joshua at Jordan (Joshua 1:15) and Jacob at Bethel (Genesis 28:15). They are reminiscent of the parting words of Jesus: "Lo I am with you always" (Matthew 28:20). The major point of emphasis here is that God will be available to his prophet. But implicit in these words is a warning that the Lord will be near him to mark his words and deeds.
God promises to "deliver" Jeremiah. Deliver him, but from what? From hardship? From trial? From discouragement? From slander and attack? Hardly! The promise is not that Jeremiah will be free from danger but that God will be his Deliverer. It is not that Jeremiah would remain unhurt physically, mentally, emotionally throughout his ministry. It is rather that God will deliver him from destruction at the hands of his enemies. He will not be delivered from trial but will be enabled to pass through trial.
Assurance of divine power (v. 9)Jeremiah declares that after the assurance of divine direction and deliverance "the Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth." It is obvious that this is not purely metaphorical (as in Psalms 51:15); it represents a real experience on the part of the prophet. This experience however must have been a visionary one analogous to that which Isaiah experienced at the beginning of his ministry. But why did God touch the lips of the prophet? In Isaiah the touching of the lips was for purification; here, for communication. The hand is the symbol of making and doing. The act symbolized the fact that God was taking over his mouth, remaking it. Henceforth Jeremiah would speak with the tongue (authority) of God.
Assurance of divine authority (v. 10)The divine summons closes with assurance that Jeremiah will have divine authority. God declares "I have made you an overseer over the nations and kingdoms," i.e., the officer who puts God's plan into operation. His ministry will have both a negative and a positive emphasis. Four verbs describe the negative work that the prophet must perform: (1) to uproot like a noxious weed; (2) to tear down; (3) to destroy; and (4) to raze or overthrow. Of course the prophet himself would not have the power to do these things; but it would be his mission to announce what God was about to do. Jeremiah fulfills this part of his commission by preaching divine judgment upon the nations of his day.
Old sinful Judah must be destroyed. So too must the foreign nations which have proudly lifted up themselves against their Creator be uprooted.
But Jeremiah is not merely a prophet of destruction; he is also a prophet of construction. Two infinitives describe the positive aspect of his ministry: (1) to build, and (2) to plant. Beyond the tumult of war and destruction Jeremiah was permitted to see the dawn of a new day. In the assessment of the ministry of Jeremiah the emphasis is on the negative. Four verbs are used to describe the destructive side of his ministry while only two verbs are used to describe the constructive aspect. Furthermore the negative elements are listed before the positive.
As one reads through the Book of Jeremiah it is true that threatening is much more in the foreground and promise in the background. Yet somehow one gets the impression that the ultimate purpose of this prophet is to pave the way for that new day, that new beginning. The old must be swept away in order that the new can be inaugurated. In the words of Jensen:"Jeremiah was to pluck up dead ritual and plant living worship, pluck Up vile ways and plant straight paths, pluck up degenerate hearts and plant new hearts of a new covenant."
THE CALL 1:11-19
And the word of the LORD came unto me saying, What are you looking at, Jeremiah? And I replied, I am looking at a rod of almond. (12) Then the LORD said unto me, you have seen well, for I am watching over MY word to perform it. (13) And the word of the LORD came unto me a second time saying, What are you looking at? And I said, I am looking at a boiling pot and its face is from the north. (14) And the LORD said unto me, From the north calamity is unleashed upon all the inhabitants of the land. (15) For, behold, I am about to call for all the tribes of the kingdoms of the north (oracle of the LORD) and they will come and place each man his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, against all its walls round about, and against all the cities of Judah. (16) Then I will pronounce against them My judgments because of all of their wickedness, viz., they have forsaken Me, made offerings to other gods and worshiped the works of their hands. (17) But as for you, gird up your loins! Stand up! Speak unto them all which I have commanded you! Do not be dismayed because of them lest I shatter your nerve before them. (18) And as for Me, behold, I have made you today a fortified city, and iron pillar, a wall of bronze against all the land, against the kings of Judah against her princes, against her priests and against the people of the land. (19) They shall fight against you but they shall not prevail against You, for I am with you (oracle of the LORD) to deliver you.
In the last half of chapter 1 the call of Jeremiah is confirmed and amplified through two visions and further words of exhortation and encouragement. The two visions are of particular interest. The first one expresses a general principle of prophecy; the second deals with a particular concrete application.1 Before considering the visions themselves two preliminary matters need to be touched upon: (1) the time of the visions, and (2) the nature of them.
The time of the visions. Hyatt calls the visions "inaugural visions" but it really is not certain that they were part of the call experience or even that they followed immediately after the call. The fact that each vision has a separate introductory formula would suggest a certain time interval between the call and the visions and between the two visions as well. If these visions did not come immediately upon the call of Jeremiah they were given very early in his career for God seems to use them to assure Jeremiah of his prophetic call. They are confirmatory tokens. The visions also serve to create within Jeremiah an awareness that momentous events affecting the kingdom of Judah were imminent.
The nature of the visions. God made known His will and purpose through two kinds of visions in the Old Testament. In the first type of vision the prophet saw with his mind (or perhaps with his eyes, who can say) an object or scene which had no external reality. In this kind of vision God produced what was seen and also provided the interpretation of it. In the second type of vision the prophet happened to notice or was directed to notice an object or scene. He meditated upon what he saw and as he did so God revealed to him the prophetic significance of it. In the one case God caused the prophet to see a significant object; in the other, God caused the prophet to see significance in an object. Into which one of these two vision categories do the visions in Jeremiah 1 fall?
It is difficult to decide whether God showed the almond rod and the boiling pot in mental visions or whether Jeremiah happened to see the external objects and then learned their symbolic significance through divine revelation. In both visions God asked Jeremiah "What do you see?" The same language is used in Jeremiah 24:3 where the problem again arises as to the nature of what the prophet saw. The absence of the words "the Lord showed me" which are present in other similar passages (e.g., Jeremiah 24:3; Amos 7:8; Amos 8:2) might suggest that Jeremiah did not receive a mental vision. However the phrase "the Lord showed me" is sometimes absent in contexts where mental vision is mandatory (e.g., Zachariah 4:2; 5:2). Exegetically, then, decisive evidence with regard to the nature of what Jeremiah saw in chapter 1 is lacking. The present writer is inclined to think that as Jeremiah meditated on these common, every day objects God caused him to see in them a mystic or prophetic significance.
The Vision of the Almond Rod 1:11, 12As Jeremiah held in his hand an almond walking stick or rod God caused the prophet to come to a tremendous realization. The almond tree which blossoms in January was poetically named by the Hebrews the wakeful tree because it was the first to awake from winter sleep. When God asked Jeremiah what he saw His purpose was not only to direct the attention of the prophet to the almond rod, but also to get the prophet to pronounce the word for almond. The Hebrew word for almond tree is shaked and the Hebrew word for watch (or wakeful) is shoked. Here then is paronomasia or word play.1 God is using the rod of "wake-tree" wood to show Jeremiah that He is wakeful.
Aside from the word play, what is the import of this vision? First, the vision speaks of God's concern. Since the days of wicked Manasseh no judgment had befallen the nation of Judah. As in the winter season all was at rest. But the Keeper of Israel does not slumber or sleep (Psalms 121:4). Amid the moral and spiritual deadness round about, God was awake. He was aware of and concerned about the corrupt condition of the nation. At times things seemed to go unchecked, evil seems to triumph and men assume that God is dead or unconcerned. But the winter of moral desolation cannot last forever; the Lord is wakeful. When the season of judgment has fully come the Wakeful One will manifest Himself as the God of wrath.
The almond rod also suggests the chastisement of the nation. As Aaron's almond rod that budded in the wilderness was a token of God's wrath against the rebellious (Numbers 17:8) so now the almond rod which Jeremiah observes presages the outpouring of God's judgment upon the apostate people of another time. It is not a branch with twigs and leaves which the prophet sees but rather a stick used for walking or striking. This would be a most appropriate symbol of an instrument of chastisement. The symbolic significance would not be lost upon a pro phet who knew the writings of Isaiah: "Ho Assyrian, the rod of My anger, the staff in whose hand is My indignation!" (Isaiah 10:5).
The third focus of the almond rod vision is that of the certainty of prophetic revelation. God is watching with persistent care to see that His word is performed. He sees to it that His word does not return unto Him void but rather accomplishes His good pleasure (Isaiah 55:11). Whether it be judgment or salvation, threat or promise His word will come to pass. Jeremiah need have no fear that he will ever be embarrassed or proven to be wrong if he preaches the word of God. Thus the prophet can be absolutely confident that what he predicts through divine revelation will be fulfilled.
Such confidence would enable Jeremiah to preach with boldness, power and assurance. Every preacher should remember that he is the messenger of Him who watches over His word; no promise shall fail, no threat shall go unfilled.
Implicit in the first vision is the calendar of divine judgment. When one in Palestine sees the almond tree blossom he knows that spring is hastening inevitably onward. As the almond among the trees hastens to put forth its leaves, so God is hastening (note the translation of the King James Version) to perform His word of judgment. Such was the interpretation of the great Jewish commentators Rashi and Kimchi. On God's calendar, judgment was imminent.
The Seething Caldron 1:13-16 At some undetermined time subsequent to the almond rod revelation Jeremiah experienced another vision. He observed a large cooking or wash pot over an open fire. He describes the pot as seething or boiling. The Hebrew word here means literally "blown up." The idea seems to be that the fire beneath the pot had been fanned into a fierce flame by a blast. of wind thus bringing the contents of the pot to a boil. So much is clear. But what did Jeremiah mean when he said "its face is from the north"? "Its face" probably refers to the side of the pot facing Jeremiah.
The face of the pot is "from" i.e., away from, "the north." If the pot is tilting away from the north it must be tilting toward the south. How the pot got in this precarious position is anyone's guess. Perhaps it had been set unevenly on the fire at the start or perhaps as the materials on which it was standing were consumed the pot settled unevenly and the southern side sank.
Nothing could be more appropriate in describing the political conditions in the days of Jeremiah than a seething caldron. The whole Fertile Crescent was seething with plans for revolt after the death of the Assyrian king Ashur- banipal in 627 B.C. The Assyrian empire was tottering. The Neo-Babylonian kingdom was rising on the horizon. Shortly the calamitous contents of that political caldron would be unleashed against the inhabitants of Judah. The word translated "unleashed" (ASV, "shall break forth") means literally, "opened." Cheyne suggests that the caldron had a lid and the removal or falling off of this lid is the "opening" to which the prophet alludes.
The "evil" (ASV) or calamity which is the subject of verse 14 is the invasion of Judah by hordes of Babylonian soldiers. The word translated "land" in this verse can also mean "earth." Here the former meaning is intended as verse 15 indicates.
The key word in verse 14 is the word i Previous to the battle of Carchemish the Babylonians are only mentioned vaguely by Jeremiah as a northern people. Strictly speaking they were an eastern people from the point of view of Palestine. However, the caravan route which the armies of Babylon would follow as they swept southward entered Palestine at Dan (cf. Jeremiah 4 :I5 and Jeremiah 8:16) and then proceeded due south. Jerusalem could be attacked successfully only from the north, as the west, south, and east sides of the city were rendered practically impregnable by deep valleys. Thus the ominous and as yet unidentified enemy is pictured as coming from the north.
The significance of the boiling caldron pouring forth its contents toward Judah is explained in verse 15. God will summon against Judah all the families of the kingdoms of the north. The army of king Nebuchadnezzar was made up of mercenaries of the various kingdoms which he had conquered. This vast throng would attack Jerusalem and the cities of Judah. The "thrones" might refer to the formal judgment passed upon the inhabitants of the conquered city by the victorious Babylonian generals. On the other hand "thrones" might be metaphorical for the tents of the enemy generals or perhaps even for some of the large siege instruments.
The formula "oracle of the Lord" (ASV "saith Jehovah") underscores the truth of the prediction made in this verse. This is the first of numerous occurrences of this expression in the Book of Jeremiah. The expression is one of the strongest possible claims of inspiration in the Old Testament.
Verse 16 makes it clear that the coming conquerors are but instruments of God who is sending His divine judgment upon an apostate people. The expression "speak or pronounce judgments" is peculiar to Jeremiah, occur ring elsewhere only in 11 Kings 25:6. The judgment falls upon Judah because of all of their wickedness. Three specific examples of this wickedness are cited: (1) They had deserted the true God and were thus guilty of infidelity; (2) they had burned incense to false gods; and (3) they had worshiped graven images. The Hebrew word translated "offered incense" has a general sense ("to make sacrifices smoke") and a specific sense ("to offer incense"). It is difficult to know in many passages which sense is intended. Bright has proposed that the word be rendered "sending up offerings." The phrase "other gods" refers of course to false gods and does not imply that Jeremiah recognized the actual existence of other deities beside God.
Exhortation and Encouragement 1:17-19 After a brief preview of the fate of Jerusalem the divine eye again focuses on the key man for the hour. First comes the exhortation (verse 17) and then the encouragement (verse 18, 19).Words of excoriation The verbs in verse 17 are most instructive. Three positive commands are followed by one prohibition. The first command, "gird up your loins," implies preparation. Before beginning a journey, starting a race or engaging in conflict an oriental would bind up his loose flowing robes so as not to be hindered in his movement. "Gird up the loins" then implies (1) readiness for action and (2) energy in action. God is saying to the prophet "Prepare yourself for a strenuous ministry." In modern idiom God might say to a preacher, "Roll up your sleeves!"
The second command, "Stand up," implies action! He is to begin his prophetic ministry immediately. The king's business is urgent and there is no time for loitering. The third command, "speak," points to the primary task of the prophet viz., the communication of the word of God. As in verse 7, the prophet is directed to preach nothing more and nothing less than what the Lord has commanded.
The fourth command, a negative one, is accompanied by a word of warning. God knew that during his ministry Jeremiah would on numerous occasions face hostile crowds, angry shouts, mocking, taunting, jeering, insolent opponents. The message of divine judgment always stirs such reactions among godless sinners. True preachers of the word must constantly battle the temptation to be intimidated by their audience and to compromise their message. Thus the Lord commands His prophet, "Do not be dismayed because of them." He must not permit himself to break down before his audience nor show any signs of fear nor let his fear cause him to alter the message. A stern warning accompanies this commandment, "lest I shatter your nerve before them." If Jeremiah shows the least bit of fear for his enemies they will be able to get the best of him.
One moment of weakness will finish him as God's messenger. Only fear of the Lord will save a man of God from the fear of his congregation. God does not make demands without supplying needs. When God gives the prophet a message to deliver he also gives him the courage to deliver it and the strength to withstand the reaction it provokes. Jeremiah would be fortified by divine strength. Three metaphors are used to portray the protection which Jeremiah would experience : (1) He would be as invincible as a fortified city which might withstand enemy bombardment for years. (2) He would be as indestructible as an iron gate which could withstand the heaviest attack. (3) He would be as impregnable as a wall of bronze, the toughest metal known to the ancients.
Walls of wood might be destroyed by fire and walls of stone might ultimately be battered down; but all the weapons of ancient warfare would be ineffective against walls of brass. Though all segments of the population— the kings, princes, priests and people of the land— might oppose him, yet God would give him the strength to endure.
Metaphorical language gives way to literal warning and promise in the last verse of chapter 1. Jeremiah would be famous but he would not be popular. All the powerful figures of the nation will fight against him but they will not prevail. God will come to his rescue. His adversaries might win the skirmishes but they will not win the war. Jeremiah is not promised deliverance from persecution and suffering but from being defeated by persecution and suffering. Here then is the contrasting picture presented by this verse: Jeremiah hated and attacked by men but loved and protected by his God. The invincible Lord will stand with him; he cannot be defeated. On this positive note the call narrative concludes.
I. Facts to Master.
1. The time when God selected Jeremiah for his mission (Isaiah 1:5).
2. The reason Jeremiah was reluctant to accept the commission (Isaiah 1:6).
3. The significance of God touching the mouth of Jeremiah (Isaiah 1:9).
4. The way in which the ministry of Jeremiah is described negatively and positively.
5. The two visions which Jeremiah saw in connec tion with his call.
6. The significance of the almond tree.
7. The significance of the boiling caldron.
8. Meaning of "all the families of the kingdoms of the north" (Isaiah 1:15).
9. Reason Jerusalem will be destroyed (Isaiah 1:16).
10. Figures by which the spiritual strength of Jere miah is described (Isaiah 1:18).
11. Reason for the spiritual strength of Jeremiah (Isaiah 1:19).II. Questions to Ponder.
1. Why is it appropriate to have the call of the prophet recorded in the first chapter of the book? Did the prophets require some authentication of their claim to be God's spokesmen? (cf. Jeremiah chapter 23).
2. How is the call of Jeremiah like and unlike the calls of Moses (Exodus 3-4), Elisha (1 Kings 19), Amos (chapter 7), Isaiah (chapter 6), and Ezek iel (chapters 1-3)?
3. How should one imagine the conversation be tween God and the prophet to have taken place? Was the voice of God audible or did he speak to the mind of the prophet? Is there any evidence that the prophet was in a trance at the time of his call?
4. In what sense did God predestinate Jeremiah?
5. What are some of the negative aspects of the ministry which the man of God must face up to today?
6. Why does God often choose the weak (or those cognizant of their weakness) for important tasks? See 1 Corinthians 1:26-31; II Corinthians 4:7.
Jeremiah Chapter One
Verse 1
I. THE PART OF WITH THE SCROLL[1] JER. 1:1-20:1-18[2]Jeremiah 1THE CALL AND OF Chapter summary: the general title (Jeremiah 1:1-3), Jeremiah's call to the prophetic office (Jeremiah 1:4-10), the two visions of the almond tree, and the boiling caldron (Jeremiah 1:11-16), and the assurance to Jeremiah of Divine protection (Jeremiah 1:17-19).
Jeremiah 1:1-3"The words of Jeremiah the Son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin: to whom the word of Jehovah came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah in the thirteenth year of his reign. It came also in the days of Jehoiachim, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month."There were five kings of Judah during the time period mentioned here; but the names of Jehoahaz and Jeconiah are omitted because each of these kings reigned only three months. If we calculate the length of Jeremiah's ministry only from the data mentioned here, it was exactly forty years and six months (Under Josiah, 18 years; under Jehoahaz, three months; under Jehoiachim, 11 years; under Jeconiah, three months; and under Zedekiah, 11 years).Jeremiah 40-41) record events that happened several years after the destruction of Jerusalem,"[4] indicating that this summary occurs in Jeremiah before the book was completed, pertaining not to all of the book, to part of it. This supports the view of some scholars that Jeremiah's ministry lasted perhaps as long as fifty years.
"Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah ..." (Jeremiah 1:1). The Hebrew form of this name is Ben-Hilkiah, which according to the Dean of Canterbury "made it improper grammatically to insert the further identification of Hilkiah as `the High Priest.'"[5] This writer also answered other objections to understanding this Hilkiah as the High Priest who discovered the Book of the Law in the temple, pointing out that for ages this has been the understanding of the identity of Jeremiah's father. "Clement of Alexandria, Jerome, Kimchi, and Abravanel,"[6] are among the ancient scholars cited.
Another objection based upon the supposition that the "High Priest" who discovered the Book of the Law `probably' lived in Jerusalem is trivial. Jerusalem was only three miles from Anathoth! Besides, the record here was not speaking of the residence of Hilkiah, but of ancestral connection. Christ was born in Bethlehem, but he was nevertheless called "Jesus of Nazareth!"
"In the thirteenth year of his reign ..." (Jeremiah 1:2). This is generally agreed by scholars to have been the year 627-626 B,C. Ash, a dependable scholar, mentions a plausible theory that this was the birth of Jeremiah instead of his call, based upon the truth that God called him while in the womb. This theory is rejected here because of the plain words of the text.
"To whom the word of Jehovah came ... It also came ..." (Jeremiah 1:2-3). These are, perhaps, the most important words in this paragraph:
"This word came to Jeremiah by means of inspiration, and is neither the product of a reflective musing as to what his calling was to be, nor the outcome of an irresistible impulse within him to come forward as a prophet. It was a supernatural divine revelation vouchsafed to him, which raised his spiritual life to a state of ecstasy, so that he both recognized the voice of God and felt his lips touched by the hand of God (Jeremiah 1:9). Further, he saw in spirit, one after another, two visions, which God interpreted to him as confirmatory tokens of his divine commission."[7]Verse 4
"Now the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee, and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee; I have appointed thee a prophet unto the nations. Then said I, Ah, Lord Jehovah! behold, I know not how to speak; for I am a child. But Jehovah said unto me, Say not, I am a child; for to whomsoever I shall send thee thou shalt go, and whatsoever I shall command thee thou shalt speak."The foreknowledge of God is clearly stated here, revealing that, long before Jeremiah was born, God knew him and selected him as the great prophet who would announce the final judgment upon Judah and condemn all of the wicked nations on earth.
"I know not how to speak, for I am a child ..." (Jeremiah 1:6).
This reluctance on Jeremiah's part is similar to that of Moses when he was called to deliver Israel from Egypt. God overruled his objection, "On the grounds that authority resides not in the person of the messenger, but in the Divine commission!"[8] Jeremiah's plea that he was only a child was overruled by God who commanded him not to say that. As a matter of fact, scholars place his age at the time given here as being about twenty years of age. "The very same words were applied to Solomon after he was anointed king about the age of 20!"[9]We should not believe that Jeremiah's timidity and hesitation in the acceptance of so formidable a task were a sign of inability upon his part. They were due to a recognition of the nearly impossible difficulty of the assignment.
Verse 8
"Be not afraid because of them; for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith Jehovah. Then Jehovah put forth his hand, and touched my mouth; and Jehovah said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth: see, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down and to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.""Jehovah ... touched my mouth ..." (Jeremiah 1:9). The Holy Bible reveals that nothing is more powerful than the touch of the Lord's hand. Our Saviour blessed the children by a touch, placing his hands upon them (Luke 18:15); he cured all kinds of diseases by a mere touch, sometimes even by the touching of his garment (Matthew 2:8; Matthew 2:15); and he even raised the dead, taking the deceased daughter of Jairus by the hand (Luke 7:14).
"To pluck up, to break down, to destroy, to overthrow, to build and to plant" (Jeremiah 1:10). These six mighty infinitives outline the scope of Jeremiah's commission, which was very largely one of destruction; but as indicated by the last two, "giving ground for hope following judgment."[10]The situation which called for such drastic action upon God's part was the result of the general moral decay and apostasy which had engulfed, not merely Judah, but the whole world as well. When the first general apostasy came upon mankind, God's answer was the Great Deluge. The second such defection from the knowledge of God resulted in God's choice of a Chosen People who were commissioned to preserve and propagate the knowledge of the true God until the times of Messiah; but in that mission Israel utterly failed; and in the awful conditions in the times of Jeremiah, God would respond by the abrogation of the covenant with the Once Chosen People, and the final termination of their status of enjoying God as their husband. Their kingdom, and their favored status ended in the Babylonian captivity. Henceforth, Judah would continue as God's protected servant until Messiah should be born and cradled in the manger at Bethlehem!
But all of the glorious promises to the patriarchs would be fulfilled in a "righteous remnant" who would form the nucleus of the New Israel in Christ; and all racial considerations on God's part disappeared forever! Four times the New Testament declares that, "There is no distinction between Jews and Gentiles" (Acts 11:12; Acts 15:9; Romans 3:12; and Romans 10:12).
Verse 11
"Moreover, the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond-tree. Then said Jehovah unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I watch over my word to perform it."The meaning of this vision turns upon the fact of the almond-tree being the first one that puts out blooms in the spring. JKP translated almond-tree here as "`The early-awake tree'; the Hebrew word translated `almond' means this."[11] Thus, the revelation to Jeremiah was that, just as the almond tree in bloom signified the near-approach of spring, so God was soon to bring his word to pass.
Verse 13
"And the word of Jehovah came to me the second time, saying, what seest thou? and I said, I see a boiling caldron; and the face thereof is from the north. Then Jehovah said unto me, Out of the north shall evil break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land. For, lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north, saith Jehovah; and they shall come, and they shall set everyone his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all the walls thereof round about, and against all the cities of Judah.""A boiling caldron ..." (Jeremiah 1:13). This boiling caldron was something similar to an old fashioned washpot; and its being tilted toward the south indicated that the disastrous judgments upon Jerusalem would come from military expeditions attacking from the north. Some think there may be a reference here to the Scythians; but we explored this possibility in the Introduction and rejected it. "The meaning was that the great Babylonian power at the north of Palestine would soon be directed against Judea."[12]It may be objected that Babylon, strictly speaking, was not actually north of Judea; but military actions against Jerusalem invariably came from that direction. Herodotus informs us that the Babylonian assault against Jerusalem indeed came from that direction.
"Strictly speaking, the Babylonians were an eastern people from the point of view in Palestine; but the caravan-roads which the Chaldean armies had to take entered Palestine at Dan and then proceeded southward."[13]"Evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land ..." (Jeremiah 1:14). A better word than `evil' in this place would be `calamity.' "The Hebrew word often means `misery,' `distress,' or `trouble,' as well as `evil.' "[14] `The inhabitants of the land' is a reference to the population of Palestine.
The fulfillment of this prophecy that foreign kings would set up their thrones in the gates of Jerusalem is recorded in Jeremiah 39:1-4.
Regarding verse 15, RKH pointed out that it is in no sense compatible with the theory that the passage here applies to a Scythian invasion.[15] There is no evidence whatever that any Scythian king ever set his throne in the gates of Jerusalem; but "All the princes of the king of Babylon came in, and sat in the middle gate" (Jeremiah 39:3); and the very next verse names no less than six members of the royalty who did so, "along with all the rest of the princes of the King of Babylon!" This of course, explains the use of the plural "kings" in the prophecy (v. 15).
Dummelow explained the purpose of kings sitting in the gates thus:
The function of administering justice was exercised by the king himself; and the neighborhood of the city gate was the ordinary place at which trials were held. The prophecy states that here then the rulers of the invader's army will sit in judgment on the conquered people.[16]Verse 16
"And I will utter my judgments against them touching all their wickedness, in that they have forsaken me, and have burned incense to other gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands."The boiling caldron was poised to spill all of its devastating consequences upon the Once Chosen People, but such drastic action was not due to caprice or accident on the part of the Lord. The people of Judah deserved the frightful punishment which fell upon them. When the wickedness of any people or nation has reached a certain point, God will no longer tolerate it. That fact lies behind the fact that the ancient peoples of Canaan were conquered and destroyed by Israel under Joshua. Let anyone read the record of the ruthless destruction by which Israel, under the blessing of God, wrested Palestine away from those who once lived there; and why? Their wickedness had gone beyond the suffering limits of the grace of God. Now, when Israel herself had become even worse than Sodom and Gomorrah (Ezekiel 16), it was righteous and just that the same punishment should fall upon them.
When Israel entered Canaan, they had been commanded to destroy all of the shrines, pillars, and images erected to the honor of pagan gods and to exterminate their evil worship; but Israel had not done this. Instead, they had revived all of the old pagan debaucheries and even expanded them; and under such circumstances, judgment, of necessity, fell upon the apostate people, only a `righteous remnant,' continuing in the worship of the true God.
Verse 17
"Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at them, lest I dismay thee before them. For, behold, I have made thee this day a fortified city, and an iron pillar, and brazen walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, and against the people of the land. And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee: for I am with thee, saith Jehovah, to deliver thee.""Gird up thy loins ..." (Jeremiah 1:16). This is the equivalent to the modern admonition for one to "roll up his sleeves" and go to work. The loose robe-type garment generally worn was shortened and made less cumbersome by tightening the thong usually tied around the middle.
Although Jeremiah 1:5 had made the fact of predestination a sure factor in Jeremiah's life, Jeremiah 1:17"Enunciates the requirement of obedience. The prophet who is ashamed to stand forth with the word will soon have no word to proclaim; but the Lord of the word can make his servant impregnable, unlike the disloyal state of Judah."[17]"Against the people of the land." (Jeremiah 1:18). The Anchor Bible renders this "`The landed gentry'; because this is a technical term for the important landholders."[18]The manner in which God did indeed protect and bless Jeremiah is truly amazing. In spite of being sentenced to death, the king of Judah was powerless to execute the sentence. "The astonishing thing is that Jeremiah lived as long as he did. How long he lived is an unexplained miracle of history."[19]It happened to Jeremiah, exactly like it happened to God's "Two Witnesses" in the Apocalypse. God said. "I will give power unto my ... witnesses.
These have power ... to smite the earth as often as they will ... and when they have finished their testimony ... the beast ... shall overcome them and kill them" (Revelation 11:3; Revelation 11:6; Revelation 11:11). So it was with Jeremiah who was immune to every danger until his work was done; and then "the beast" (Apostate Judah) put him to death by stoning; but Jerusalem nevertheless continued in captivity until her sentence ended.
General remarks. Jeremiah lived and wrote about a hundred years after Isaiah. The captivity of the ten tribes under the Assyrians had taken place over a century before, and that of the two tribes by the Babylonians was soon to occur. About all of the prophetic hooks contain some history although the books as a whole are classed among the books of prophecy. It will be necessary for ua to be. careful not to confound the parts that are Intended as actual history with those that are predictions and yet may seem to be historical in their form of speech. Jeremiah Is often called the "weeping prophet” because of his emotional and sympathetic interest in the misfortune of others.
This entry is longer than a Bible module can hold. The rest is at https://www.sermonindex.net/commentary/zerrcbc/
Jeremiah 1:2. The date when Jeremiah began to write by the word of the Lord was the 13th year of Josiab, king of Judah. Josiah began to reign B.C. 639, which would make it B.C. 626 when Jeremiah was inspired by the Lord and began his writing. This was 20 years before the Babylonian captivity began. He continued his writing about the same number of years after it began, We shall see near the close of the book that the date of the termination of his writings is somewhat obscure on account of the difficulties thrown around him by his enemies.
Jeremiah 1:3. The preceding verse states the time when Jeremiah began to write, this one gives the date when he completed his work on the book that bears his name. The books of the Bible were thus not composed all at any one “ sitting,” but many of them were written just as the Lord would have something more he wished the writer to record. For instance, we have just seen that Jeremiah began to write In the 13th year of Josiah and concluded his writing In the 11th year of Zedekiah. But the work was not continuous through that period for this verse also tells us he wrote some in the days of Jehoiakim, another king of Judah who followed Josiah. It Is interesting to note that the close of Jeremiah's writing came at the same time the city was taken into hands by the Babylonians and the people taken off into captivity.
That fact doubtless will account, for the termination of his writings; not that he personally was taken out of the land. But there will he more information on this subject before the end of the book.
Jeremiah 1:4. Having given the important dates of the book of the prophet, this verse comes to some of the particulars regarding his “ call” to the work of a writing prophet. Not all of the prophets in the Bible were writing prophets but many of them did their work orally only, while others both wrote and spoke in the name of the Lord, hence the distinction “ writing prophet” just stated. In the beginning of this verse the pronoun me is used which, when connected with the statement in the first verse, shows definitely that Jeremiah is the author of the book. It is significant that Jeremiah began to write after the word of the Lord came to him which settles the question of his inspiration. It also agrees with the statement made in General remarks where the endorsement of the New Testament is cited.
Jeremiah 1:5. God sees into the future with as much certainty as he does in the present. But he does not always determine what that future shall be; he never Interferes with the personal responsibility of any as regards matters of right and wrong. Yet he does frequently decree certain facts that pertain to his great work, and one of such instances is that of Jeremiah. Before he was even conceived by his mother God knew him. The lexicon definition of the original Hebrew for this word knew includes, "To ascertain by seeing" and "designation.1’ So God not only saw tile fact of Jeremiah’ s conception and birth, but also designated (predetermined) that it should take place.
Before he was born God sanctified him for the work of a prophet. That word is from qadash which Strong defines, "A primitive root; to be (causatively make, pronounce or observe as) clean (ceremonially or morally).” Since the word Is here used in regard to Jeremiah as a prophet, the part of the definition that applies is “ ceremonially." Foreseeing that Jeremiah was going to be born by divine decree, and that he would be personally a righteous man, God decided to have him for one of his prophets. Nations is from cot which has been rendered in the A.V. by Gentile 30 times, heathen 142, nation 373 and people 111. Jeremiah was a Jew and his work was primarily on behalf of his own people. However, the Jewish nation had more or less dealings with other nations, hence the prophets of God wrote about them and made predictions either of blessings or punishments against them depending on the circumstances. Not only did they write about them, but many of their predictions referred to the coming of Christ which was to be of Interest to the whole world.
Jeremiah 1:6. Then is an adverb of time and refers to the occasion when the word of the Lord came first to Jeremiah. The exact date of his birth is not available; Funk and Wagnalls Bible Dictionary says he was perhaps twenty when he received his prophetic call. At any rate his own statement in this verse indicates be was young at the time; we also have the information of the lexicon. The word child is from NAHAB and Strong defines it, "A boy (as active), from the age of Infancy to adolescence.” Jeremiah seemed to underestimate his qualification as a prophet due to his tender years. He certainly overlooked the truth that inspiration does not need to rely on natural talents for Its work since the power comes from Him who made all things.
Jeremiah 1:7. Say not I am a child does not mean to dispute the fact of Jeremiah’ s age, but the thought is that he was not to consider that as an obstacle In the way of the work before him. There is nothing too hard for the Lord, and he who caused the dumb beast to speak (Numbers 22:28-30) can surely enable the weakest of man to do so. I shall setid thee and whatsoever I command gives tiie explanation of how Jeremiah was to be able to speak regardless of bis youthful age. But the ability to speak is not all there is of Importance in this passage. Thou shalt speak indicates that.
Jeremiah will not be at liberty to say just what he might personally wish to say, but he must say what the Lord directs him to say. The same restriction is placed on the teachers in the kingdom of Christ. (2 Timothy 4:2; 1 Peter 4:11.)
Jeremiah 1:8. The word for faces is sometimes rendered "countenances" and that is the idea In this place. Jeremiah was destined to go up against people who would not like his teaching and who would give him many threatening looks. The Lord is assuring him of his support and that he need have no fear because of the threats of enemies.
Jeremiah 1:9. The Lord sometimes resorts to literal actions, both by himself and through his servants, in bringing about certain results. This doubtless is for the effect of making a strong impression, In Jeremiah's case his inspiration was indicated by the hand of the Lord being brought into contact with his mouth. The action would especially denote his inspiration when speaking to the people.
Jeremiah 1:10. It is evident that Jeremiah did not actually contact the institutions of the world to pull them down, hence the words are used In some indirect sense. A similar statement was made by Ezekiel (Ezekiel 43:3), and the marginal reading at that place is, "When I came to prophesy that the city should be destroyed.” The same kind of rendering should be made in our verse. It means Jeremiah will be Instructed to prophesy to the nations and kingdoms that God is going to cause tho threatened calamities, or else bring the favorable events according to the circumstances of the case.
Jeremiah 1:11-12. The word almond is bhaqeo and Strong's definition is, “ The almond (tree or nut; as being the earliest in bloom)." Hasten is from shaqao which Strong defines, “ A prim* itive root; to be alert, i.e, sleepless; hence to be on the lookout (whether for good or ill).” Here is an unusual coincidence of words. The two in italics have no similarity of meaning in the English, yet the originals are almost identical in meaning. The circumstance gives us one of the methods the Lord takes in his use of words that get their meaning from the characteristics of the objects bearing the names of said words. The almond is one of the earliest of trees to Show up in the spring blooming season. Because of this fact the Lord chose the word in his descriptive prediction because it was practically the same in meaning as another word in the Hebrew vocabulary that specifically does mean to hasten or be on the alert.
And the underlying reason for this peculiar phrasing was the truth that the things being predicted were soon to be fulfilled; not be on the list of happenings that were many years in the future. As a visual circumstance for the impressions on the mind of the prophet, God caused him lo see a rod or limb taken from the almond tree. The event that was soon to occur was the Babylonian Invasion that was to result in the captivity of the nation. Jeremiah began to write in the year 627 B.c„ and the invasion came in G06 u.c,, only 21 years later. This short interval of time would justify the prediction made by the imagery of the almond tree.
Jeremiah 1:13. Again the Lord causes the prophet to see an object In his vision. It is a seething pot and the context indicates according to the original that it Is seething or boiling because it is being fanned by a brisk wind, Toward the north is rendered "from the face of the north” in the margin and the lexicon agrees with it, also the next verse so renders It in the text. This seething pot which contains a hot mixture that is being made more intense by the brisk blowing, represents the Babylonian army that was soon to come against Jerusalem and the country in general.
Jeremiah 1:14. This verse expressly predicts that the evil is to break forth out of the north. The map shows that Babylon was east and not north of Jerusalem. But the picture represents the invasion as it will appear to the people of Palestine when they first see it. They will actually see that the Babylonian army is coming upon them from the north of the land of Palestine. This fact of history is explained by a lengthy note in connection with Isa, 14:31 in the 3rd volume, of this Commentary.
Jeremiah 1:15, This is more along the same line as the preceding verses and is expressed in more direct language. The Lord told the prophet that he would call the people from the north as has been explained. At the time of the invasion there was to be but one government engaged in the movement, which would be the Babylonians. The terms families and kingdoms refer to the divisions of the army that were to operate in unison under the authority of the emperor. Set every one his throne or seat means these various units would fix their proper places in the siege against Jerusalem which was the capital of the Jewish nation. Of course at the same time the necessary attention would be given to the other cities of Judah to see that nothing is done to hinder the siege.
The fulfillment of this invasion and siege is recorded in 2 Kings 24, 25 for the Biblical account. The historical fulfillment was quoted with the comments on Isaiah 3:1 in the 3rd volume of this Commentary.
Jeremiah 1:16, Cities of Judah in the preceding verse is the antecedent of them. and their in this. Their wickedness refers to the idolatrous practices that the people of Judah (the 2-tribe kingdom) had been following for so long. It has always been true that "no man can servo two masters.” When the Jews took to serving idols it was after they had forsaken the true God. Other gods and works of their own hands refers to the different, kinds of idolatrous worship. They worshiped the sun and moon and other things in the creation, and also formed idols by hand out of wood and stone and metal. Part of the idolatrous worship (even as was true of that rendered to God) consisted of animal sacrifices burned on altars erected for that purpose.
In other cases it consisted of burning of incense to the gods. The latter is the form that is charged against the people In this instance.
Verse 17. Gird, up thy loins is a figurative expression for the prophet to "Get hold of himself" or brace himself to meet the test. He is to meet the corrupt people and rebuke them for their sins, and it will arouse their anger and bring forth many threats if not actual physical violence. The Lord bids him not to be dismayed at their faces which means their threatening countenances. The prophet is also placed under a threat from the Lord in case he shrinks from the struggle which is decreed he shall have. To confound means "to prostrate” or "break down" according to the lexicon definition of the original word. Should Jeremiah flinch before those unworthy people then he will get some of the wrath of God poured out upon him.
Jeremiah 1:18. The pronoun thee stands for Jeremiah and the passage is a figurative assurance to him that he will be able to withstand the attacks of the enemy. As a defenced city, iron pillar and brasen walls would provide a condition of security in literal things, so Jeremiah was to be just that secure against the would-be thrusts of those wicked Jews. The itemizing of kings, princes, priests and people would indicate that the prophet was to be set against all classes in the nation, for all had departed from the Lord. However, while all classes as a whole had departed from the Lord, we will bear in mind that a few exceptions existed among them such as our prophet Jeremiah and other men like him in character.
Jeremiah 1:19. They refers to the kings and other persons mentioned in the preceding verse. The prophet was not only warned to prepare for opposition, but he is now plainly told that It will come from these sources. Again the assurance is given him that his enemies will not prevail. The reason for that assurance is also stated, that it is because the Lord is with him. (See Romans 8:31.)
Jeremiah Chapter Two
Verse 1
2
THE OF ISRAEL"In this chapter, `Israel' refers to the whole nation, but in Jeremiah 3 the reference is to the Northern Israel."[1] Keil's summary of the chapter notes these divisions: Israel had indeed loved God at first during the days of their delivery from Egypt (Jeremiah 2:1-3); but Israel had fallen away from the love of God and had taken up the worship of idols (Jeremiah 2:4-8); therefore God will punish Israel for her shameful conduct (Jeremiah 2:9-19). From of old, Israel had been renegade, and by their pursuit of idols had contracted terrible guilt, not even God's punishments leading them to repentance (Jeremiah 2:2-30); and therefore God will severely punish them (Jeremiah 2:31-37).[2]In our study of the Pentateuch, especially in Deuteronomy, we learned the importance of the old fifteenth century B.C. suzerainty treaties executed during that mid-second millennium B.C. period between overlords and their vassals, that being the form followed by the author of Deuteronomy and establishing the near-certainty of a very early date for Deuteronomy in the vicinity of 1,500 B.C. A full discussion of this is given by Meredith G. Kline in the Wycliffe Old Testament Commentary, pp. 156ff.
That the Book of the Law discovered by Hilkiah (2 Kings 22:8) was indeed a mid-second millennium document, and not a recent invention of Jewish priests is certified here in Jeremiah by the fact that the pattern of those old treaties is found right here in this chapter. Furthermore, this part of Jeremiah honored the very procedures that were required under those old treaties.
When lesser kings offended their overlords in some act of rebellion, the overlord sent a written message by the hands of a messenger. There was a proper legal way to do this: (1) There was an appeal to the vassal to pay heed, and a summons to the earth and sky to act as witnesses. (2) There was a series of questions, each of which carried an implied accusation. (3) There was an enumeration of past benefits conferred upon the vassal by the overlord. (4) There was a refutation of the notion that ritual compensations would do any good toward healing the breach; and (5) there was a declaration of the vassal's guilt and culpability and a stern threat of judgment against the offender.
This pattern is clearly visible in this chapter, despite the fact of its being somewhat concealed by the particular style of Jeremiah's writing. This prophecy, therefore, has the element of being a legal compliance with what was required to bring an offending vassal in to judgment and punishment.
From this, it is clearly evident that Jeremiah had before him the Book of Deuteronomy, in which this pattern appears; but by no means does this mean that he did not have also the entire Book of the Law. It is unfair the way some scholars neglect to stress this. For example, Cheyne cited a dozen references from Deuteronomy which are reflected in this chapter[3]; but he failed to notice that there are far more passages from the other portions of the Pentateuch that should also be cited. A careful study will reveal that Jeremiah used material or made references more frequently from the books other than Deuteronomy in the Pentateuch than he did from Deuteronomy alone.
The Cross-Reference Bible, which we have as our text in this study, has the following references to that Book of the Law that Hilkiah found in the temple. This 2chapter has twenty-two references to Genesis, eighteen to Exodus, ten to Leviticus, five to Numbers, and seventeen to Deuteronomy![4] This is a fair sample of the way it is throughout this prophecy of Jeremiah. This is the only proof that is needed to demonstrate that it was not merely the Book of Deuteronomy that was found in the temple by Hilkiah, but that it was, as the Bible flatly declares, "The Book of Law" namely, those first five books of the Bible usually called the Pentateuch. This cannot mean Deuteronomy only!
Jeremiah 2:1-3"And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying Thus saith Jehovah, I remember thee for the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals; how thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown. Israel was holiness unto Jehovah, the first-fruits of his increase: all that devour him shall be found guilty; evil shall come upon them, saith Jehovah.""The word of the Lord ..." (Jeremiah 2:1-3). Notice the triple declaration that the words of this chapter came from Jehovah. This truth is reiterated no less than a dozen times in this chapter.
"The love of thine espousals ..." (Jeremiah 2:2). "The word `love' in this passage is a reference to Israel's love as a bride for God her husband."[5] The NIV renders this, "your love as a bride;" and Barnes' Notes on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, a 1987 reprint of the 1878 edition) translated it, "your bridal love."
Such expressions of Israel's devotion to the Lord are quite generous on the part of Jehovah, because the record reveals their countless murmurings and rebellions against God's will. Still, in a relative sense, compared with the gross idolatries which later corrupted the Chosen People, the words are appropriate.
The period when Israel loved God was in that era when he sent the plagues upon Egypt, delivered Israel from slavery, and ratified the covenant with them at Sinai.
The very next passage begins the recitation of Israel's apostasy; and despite this chapter's being usually assigned to the earliest years of Jeremiah's ministry, we do not believe that it is necessary to suppose that it was necessarily delivered before the great reforms of Josiah that followed the discovery of the Book of the Law. Many respected scholars, Ash, for example, so understand it;[6] but we believe it probably came concurrently with Josiah's reforms. Why?
As this chapter surely reveals, Judah's reforms under Josiah were external only and did not at all touch the heart of the people who went right on delighting in the sexual orgies of their shameless love of the old Canaan fertility gods. "The valley" mentioned later in the chapter (v. 23) indicates the sacrifice of their children to Molech at the very time of their brazen claim of innocence. If the reform under Josiah had truly resulted in the repentance of Israel and their return to the God of their fathers, the Lord would most certainly have postponed their terminal judgment in the captivity.
One of the great benefits bestowed upon Israel by their great Benefactor God was that he made them secure against all foreign enemies (Jeremiah 2:3).
Verse 4
"Hear ye the word of Jehovah, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel: Thus saith Jehovah, What unrighteousness have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain? Neither said they, Where is Jehovah that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and pits, through a land of drought and of the shadow of death, through a land that none passed through, and where no man dwelt? And I brought you into a plentiful land, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made my heritage an abomination. The priests said not, Where is Jehovah? and they that handle the law knew me not: the rulers also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit."The gross stupidity and sinfulness of the whole nation are dramatically stated here. Israel, once the Chosen People, enjoying the exalted position as the wife of Jehovah himself, protected from every enemy, and moved into Canaan to replace its ancient pagan inhabitants, had themselves become worse than the people they replaced, and had "walked after worthlessness." RKH tells us that the word "worthlessness," through a play on words (paronomasia) is a reference to Baal. He also stated that, in those Near Eastern international treaties, `To go after' (or walk after) meant to serve as a vassal."[7]In Israel's pursuit of worthlessness in their going after Baal, they had themselves become worthless, because men invariably become like what they love and worship. This immortal truth was allegorized by Nathaniel Hawthorne in his Legend of the Great Stone Face.
"Land of deserts and pits ... etc." (Jeremiah 2:6).
"The desert between Mount Sinai and Palestine abounds in chasms and pits, in which beasts of burden may sink down to their knees. `Shadow of death' refers to the darkness of the caverns amidst the rocky precipices (Deuteronomy 8:15)."[8]God indeed had tenderly led Israel safely through countless difficulties and dangers; so what had gone wrong? Jeremiah 2:8 cites four classes of the leadership of the nation as extremely culpable, these being, (1) the priests, (2) the Levites, (3) the rulers (shepherds), and (4) the prophets.
The priests were complacent and indifferent; the Levites knew not God; the shepherds (rulers) were disobedient; and the prophets were working for Baal rather than for the Lord, money and sensual indulgence probably being the inducements that took them away from their duty. The text states that they walked after things that do not profit. Ash tells us that, "The Hebrew word rendered `do not profit' comes from the same root as `worthlessness' in Jeremiah 2:5,"[9] and it is therefore connected with Baal. This is a terrible summary of the incompetence and inability of Israel's leadership. They were a stupid group of blind, selfish, and apostate leaders. With that type of leadership, the people hardly had a chance. As Jesus stated it, "They were as sheep not having a shepherd" (Mark 6:34).
Verse 9
"Wherefore I will yet contend with you, saith Jehovah, and with your children's children will I contend. For pass over to the isles of Kittim, and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently; and see if there hath been such a thing. Hath a nation changed its gods, which yet are no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit. Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be ye horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith Jehovah. For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water."Jeremiah 2:13 is the climax of this paragraph. The first verse (Jeremiah 2:9) uses legal terms that represent God as pressing a lawsuit against his people for doing a totally unheard of thing, namely, they had deserted the true God and gone after Baal. Furthermore, in all history it was never even heard of that even a pagan nation would forsake its ancestral gods!
Perhaps the reason why pagan nations had so generally clung to their ancient "no gods" was rooted in the fact that the worship of such nonentities was rooted in and designed to satisfy basic instincts and passions; whereas the higher religion of the true God was designed to lift man to a far more spiritual and exalted level.
"Kittim ... and Kedar ..." (Jeremiah 2:10). Kittim (Chittim in some versions) is the same as Cyprus. "Cyprus represents the West; Kedar (in N. Arabia) represents the East. Taken together they stand for the whole pagan world."[10]"My people have committed two evils ..." (Jeremiah 2:13). Whereas the pagan nations were guilty of the one evil of worshipping their "no-gods," Israel was guilty of two evils: (1) forsaking the true God, and (2) going after worthlessness.
The foolishness and stupidity of Israel's dual crime is illustrated here by the imaginary action of a rancher or farmer stopping up a flowing spring of water and constructing cisterns in place of it. The cisterns soon cracked and could hold no water.
Sermons sometimes stress the stagnant waters of a cistern compared with spring waters; but the text states that such cisterns "could hold no water," not even stagnant water. This is indeed an apt illustration of the folly of men who turn away from the saving religion of God to build instead of it their own worthless systems of religion.
Verse 14
"Is Israel a servant? is he a home-born slave? why is he become a slave? The young lions have roared upon him, and yelled; and they have made his land waste: his cities are burned up, without inhabitant. The children also of Memphis and Tahpanhes have broken the crown of thy head. Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken Jehovah thy God, when he led thee by the way? And now what hast thou to do in the way to Egypt, to drink the waters of the Shihor? or what hast thou to do in the way to Assyria, to drink the waters of the River? Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and a bitter, that thou hast forsaken Jehovah thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts.""Why is he become a slave ..." (Jeremiah 2:14)?
There are two ways of looking at this. One is to suppose that Israel is here depicted as a home-born slave of Jehovah; and the question, according to Cook, means: "How does it happen that the member of so powerful a family is spoiled?"[11] The other view considers the first two of the three questions here as stressing the fact that Israel is not a slave, but the wife of God; and how, then, is it possible for him to be mined?
"The young lions have roared upon him ..." (Jeremiah 2:15). These words make it certain that the passage applies to the Northern Israel particularly, because since 722 B.C., when the Samaritan Israel had fallen to Assyria, the young lions (definitely identifying Assyria. See Nahum 2:11-13), had indeed been feeding upon the rains of the Northern Israel. The significance of "the young lions" is that they remained in the den where they fed upon the prey brought to them by the adult lions. What an appropriate picture, because the Northern Israel had already been taken as a prey to Assyria.
"They have made his land waste ... etc." (Jeremiah 2:15). "Not only had Israel been wasted, till the multiplication of wild beasts rendered human life unsafe (2 Kings 17:25), but the Assyrian invasions had also reduced Judaea to a state almost as sad."[12] The argument here is: Israel, look at what has already happened to your sister nation because of her apostasy!
"Egypt ... and Assyria ..." (Jeremiah 2:16). The mention of Egypt here is surprising; but it is due to the fact of their fighting against Jerusalem, taking it, and murdering the good king Josiah. Jeremiah, being familiar (from history) with the fall of Samaria and personally with the events around the death of Josiah mentioned both together as Judea's suffering from the nation's apostasy.
"Tahpanhes ..." (Jeremiah 2:16). "This is the Greek Daphnae, modern Tell Defennch, on the eastern border of the Egyptian Delta."[13]"Hast thou not procured this unto thyself ..." (Jeremiah 2:17)? This through Jeremiah 2:19 stresses the lesson that Judaea should be willing to learn: "Know therefore, and see that it is an evil thing, and a bitter, that thou hast forsaken Jehovah thy God!" As the subsequent verses of the chapter reveal, Judaea would not learn, having fallen completely in love with the Baalim and their licentious worship. These words do not take account of the "righteous remnant," of whom, of course, was Jeremiah.
"What hast thou to do in the way to Egypt... or in the way to Assyria ..." (Jeremiah 2:18)?. In full keeping with Jeremiah's constant opposition to all kinds of alliances and intrigues with foreign nations, these words stress the warning that traversing such ways by Israel will lead only to disaster. "To lean on Egypt, or any foreign power, was a violation of the principles of the theocracy, which required God's people to be an independent power, firmly closed against all foreign influences."[14]Verse 20
"For of old time I have broken thy yoke and burst thy bonds; and thou saidst, I will not serve; for upon every high hill and under every green tree thou didst bow thyself, playing the harlot. Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate branches of a foreign vine unto me? For though thou wash thee with lye, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord Jehovah. How canst thou say, I am not defiled, I have not gone after the Baalim? see thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done: thou art a swift dromedary traversing her ways; a wild ass used to the wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind in her desire; in her occasion, who can turn her away? all they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her. Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst. But thou saidst, It is in vain; no, for I have loved strangers, and after them I will go."The change to the first person in Jeremiah 2:20 should not be confusing.
This type of abrupt change of persons is common in most of the Biblical writings. The Anchor Bible gives the true meaning of the passage thus:
"Long ago you snapped your yoke,
Shook off your lines.
And said, "I will not serve!"
Nay, on every high hill,
Under every green tree,
There you sprawled a-whoring."[15]Even more explicit is the rendition of Thompson who rendered the last two lines here as:
"And under every green tree
You sprawled in sexual vice."[16]All are familiar with the usual scholarly emphasis that harlotry and adultery in the Bible are actually metaphors for turning from the worship of God to any form of false worship; but the raw facts of human lust and depravity were basic factors involved in such "spiritual adultery". "The reference in Jeremiah 2:20 is to the fertility cults of ancient Canaan, whose rites included so-called sacred prostitution and the ritual self-dedication of young women to the god of fertility."[17]As Feinberg put it, "It must not be forgotten that sexual immorality of the lowest order was always a part of this so-called worship."[18] There can be no doubt whatever that the basic attraction to the Hebrews of the Baalim cults was precisely this: they provided abundant gratification of sexual lust upon the payment of the usual fee of a cake of raisins. As Ash expressed it, "The harlotry, or whoredom, was both literal in the sexually oriented worship of Baal, and spiritual in the people's abandonment of Jehovah for other gods."[19]These verses, and through Jeremiah 2:29, furnish a list of seven similes illustrating Israel's apostasy: (1) She is like an ox that throws off the yoke and refuses to work; (2) She is like a prostitute. (3) She is like the choice grapevine that became a corrupt vine yielding poisonous berries. (4) Israel's guilt is a stain that neither lye nor soap can remove. (5) She is like a she-camel in @@rut, running around in all directions seeking a mate. (6) She is like a she-ass in heat, crazed by desire, seeking a male partner. (7) The shame of Israel is like that of a thief who has been caught. All of these analogies are developed by Hyatt.[20]Jeremiah 2:21 gives Jeremiah's version of the "corrupt vine" a passage with the same essential message as that of Isa 5:1-7. The message is that the promising nation of Israel had degenerated beyond all hope of its being preserved. "The noble or choice vine which God planted, in the Hebrew is literally `Sorek vine,' a high-quality red grape grown between Jerusalem and the Mediterranean."[21]Jeremiah 2:22 points out that Israel's uncleanness was of a type that soap and water, even with lye, could in no manner cleanse. This is the fourth simile describing the wickedness of the Once Chosen People: (1) the ox that threw off her yoke, (2) the unfaithful wife who became a whore, (3) the noble vine that degenerated into a corrupt plant; and (4) their person so filthy that lye and soap were powerless to cleanse her!
"How canst thou say, I am not defiled ..." (Jeremiah 2:23)? Keil identified the "valley" mentioned here as "Ben-Hinnom, to the south of Jerusalem, where children were offered to Molech, ... and taken in connection with what follows, the words certainly imply the continued existence of practices of that sort."[22]In Jeremiah 2:23-24, we have two more of the similes regarding Israel's guilt, (5) that of the young camel filly and (6) that of the she-ass, the behavior of either of them in heat being regarded as a description of the crazed, lustful search of Israel for illegal lovers. Those particular animals, when their time is upon them, search frantically for the male counterpart, not waiting to be sought by them. This was the manner of Israel's shameless pursuit of gratification in the shrines and "high places" of the pagan cults.
"Withhold thy foot from being unshod ..." (Jeremiah 2:25). This is a plea by the prophet that Israel should stop running barefooted after lovers, forcing herself into a state of thirst, in her mad, lustful pursuit of false lovers, "Like a shameless adulteress, running after strangers."[23]Verse 26
"As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so is the house of Israel ashamed; they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets; who say to a stock, Thou art my father, and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth: for they have turned their back unto me, and not their face; but in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise and save us. But where are thy gods which thou hast made thee? let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble: for according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah.""As the thief is ashamed when he is found ..." (Jeremiah 2:26). This is the last of the seven similes developed in this chapter, concluding a totally devastating account of Israel's gross apostasy. Also, this paragraph has a sarcastic admonition to the apostate people that instead of asking the true God to save them every time they run into trouble, maybe they should appeal to some of the gods they have made for themselves, especially since there are so many of them, one in every single city of the whole nation!
This had long been the strategy of the Chosen People. Regardless of the extent of their apostasy, when troubles came, they invariably turned to the True God with pleas for their deliverance; but like the little boy who cried "Wolf" once too often, the time came soon enough, when God exacted the full price of their shameless rejecti.on of Him who had redeemed them.
Verse 29
"Wherefore will ye contend with me? ye all have transgressed against me, saith Jehovah. In vain have I smitten your children; they received no correction: your own sword hath devoured the prophets, like a destroying lion. O generation, see ye the word of Jehovah. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? or a land of thick darkness? wherefore say my people, We are broken loose; we will come no more unto thee? Can a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number. How trimmest thou thy way to seek love! therefore even the wicked women hast thou taught thy ways.
Also in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the innocent poor. Thou didst not find them breaking in; but it is because of all these things. Yet thou saidst, I am innocent; surely his anger is turned away from me. Behold, I will enter into judgment with thee, because thou sayest, I have not sinned. Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way? thou shalt be ashamed of Egypt also, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria. From thence also shalt thou go forth, with thy hands upon thy head: for Jehovah hath rejected those in whom thou trustest, and thou shalt not prosper with them.""Wherefore will ye contend with me ..." (Jeremiah 2:29)? "Here again we have the legal terminology of a lawsuit, this time a suit of Israel against God; but no grounds are specified."[24] God's answer to such a ridiculous lawsuit is given in the same breath, "Ye all have transgressed against me."
"Your own sword hath devoured the prophets ..." (Jeremiah 2:30). The constant description of Israel throughout her history was cited by Jesus when he wept over the city, saying, "O Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee!" It seems that only an unqualified miracle spared Jeremiah for such a long ministry; and even in the end he was (as tradition affirms) stoned to death in Egypt.
"Can a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire ..." (Jeremiah 2:32)? Cook tells us that ancient Hebrew women always treasured the particular girdle that indicated her status as a married woman, "just as brides now cherish their wedding ring."[25] Nevertheless, Israel treasured no fond memories of their God, but simply forgot him "days without number!"
"How trimmest thou thy way to seek love! therefore even the wicked women thou hast taught thy ways ..." (Jeremiah 2:33). Seeking love in this verse is a reference to erotic love and refers to the embellishments and refinements that the Chosen People had learned through their countless adulteries, which they are here said to have taught even to prostitutes regarding how to make their services more tempting, seductive and satisfying. Feinberg pointed out that:
"Israel could even teach wicked women new methods of seduction, and that she used all kinds of artifices to make herself desirable to her lovers and that she cared nothing at all for the love of God."[26]Harrison also had a word on this: "The immoral pursuit of Baal worship by Israel enabled them to become thoroughly proficient in iniquitous ways; and now they had become so skilled that they could instruct experienced professional prostitutes in the techniques of their nefarious trade.[27]"The blood of the souls of the innocent poor ..." (Jeremiah 2:34). Had the Jews murdered the poor for "breaking in?" No, "It was not for any crime, but because of this thy lust after idolatry."[28] The text does not explain exactly how such murders contributed to the gratification of their passion for idolatry.
"I am innocent ..." (Jeremiah 2:35). It appears from this that the most aggravated element of the Chosen People's wickedness was simply that of their stubborn protestations of innocence in spite of the wretched profusion of their sins. This verse states categorically that it was because of this that God hailed them into the severe judgment about to fall upon them.
"From thence also shalt thou go forth ..." (Jeremiah 2:37). This was a final sentence, The judgment was captivity at the hands of the Babylonians; and the meaning of it is that just as the Northern Israel had gone away into captivity, so also would Judah, there being also this difference, that in the case of Judah a "righteous remnant" would return.
These last words regarding "whom thou trustest" "apply equally to Egypt and to Assyria,"[29] and to any other earthly power upon whom Israel might seek to rely. Her only hope was in God, and that she had stubbornly refused to seek.
Jeremiah 2:1. The prophet frequently will tell us the source of his information, that it is the word of the Lord.
Jeremiah 2:2. Cry means “ to call out” and in the ears means to speak so that they will hear. Jerusalem was not the only place where the guilt of idolatry existed, but it was the capital of the nation and hence was of special importance. Being the capital it was where the kings resided and reigned. Also, the temple was there and hence the priests were concerned personally with the religious activities on behalf of the nation. In view of these facts the guilt of idolatry was especially laid at their feet.
As an aggrieved husband would remind a cool hearted wife of her original affection, so God reminds Israel of the time when she gave him the kindness of her warm devotions. Espousals (note the plural form) is from keluwlah and Strong's definition is, "bridehood," hence it is not restricted to the period of engagement, but applies to the early days and years of marriage. It would especially apply to the honeymoon. During that period a bride is usually kindly disposed toward her husband and manifests a warm affection for him. In this passage the honeymoon is used in an illustration that applies to the journey in the wilderness. However, this bride was not as true during the honeymoon as fleshly brides usually are, for many times even in course of that period she became dissatisfied and complained to her husband of her lot.
And after all, the illustration holds good even in this respect, for we have heard or instances where couples became involved in marriage difficulties that began as early as the days of the honeymoon and finally ended in divorce. But this husband was more lenient and patient and always heard the complaints of his bride. He sometimes gave her very earnest rebukes, but proceeded to supply the things that would make her more comfortable and happy.
Jeremiah 2:3. Israel was holiness is rather a ceremonial term, meaning the nation had been accepted as a peculiar possession of the Lord. Firstfruits means she was regarded as the choice of products, even as a young husband will think his bride is the most desirable person in the world. Should anyone attempt to molest this bride he would be due some serious trouble. Offend is defined in the lexicon "to be guilty,” and the person who would make any improper advances toward this bride would be deemed guilty and would be avenged by the husband.
Jeremiah 2:4. Jacob and Israel refer to the same people, the former (whose name was changed to Israel, Genesis 32:28) being an ancestor of the latter. This people is now called upon to hear the word of the Lord as delivered by the inspired prophet.
Jeremiah 2:5. Sometimes a wife will listen to the counsel of her parents who are objecting to the husband even after years of married life. If those objections are made on a true basis it is well for them to interfere, but they should be sure that such is the case before trying to dissolve the marriage. This husband demands to know what are the objections which have led to the coldness of the wife. That, coldness had arrived to the extent that the wife was going off after others who offered her some of their possessions; she had gone after vanity.
Jeremiah 2:6. A true wife will take pleasure in recounting the many acts of kindness and tender regard that her husband showed her in their honeymoon and the early years of their married life, But this wife of the Lord had ceased even to talk about those days, much less to be held in her devotion to her husband in the later years. Those acts of devotion were not mere displays of sentiment with little or no substantial value as is sometimes the case with fleshly husbands. Sometimes a honeymoon will have to be taken against the wishes of other members of the family, and there have been instances where actual danger to life had to be encountered in order to remain together. Under conditions like those a loving husband will not evade any danger necessary to protect his bride. That was the case with the Lord and his bride, for they had to travel together through a country that was filled with pits and deserts and where the shadow of death hovered over them. But through it all the husband remained steadfast and helpful and had a constant care for his bride.
Jeremiah 2:7. This bride was brought safely through the honeymoon until she was conducted to the place that was to be her home. And what a great home it was that her loving husband had provided for her! An entire tract large enough to accommodate a country, and thriving with luscious fruits and everything one could reasonably desire. With such provisions it would he expected that a bride would be contented and happy, and satisfied with nothing short of wholehearted devotion to such a wonderful companion. Sad to say, this bride not only became coldhearted toward her husband who had provided her with such a wonderful home, but she began at once to corrupt this good dowry with wild plants and weeds of idolatry.
Jeremiah 2:8. One person cannot perform the duties of another in tlic service of the Lord, yet the degree of responsibility is not always the same with different men. God always charged the leading men in the nation more severely than he did the common people. Hence this verse names several classes of persona who were chiefly guilty in the coldness against the Lord. The priests were the ones who had charge of the altars and the services pertaining thereto. They that handle means they who wield or execute or teach the law.
Pastors Is from BAAH and Strong's definition is, "a primitive root; to tend a flock, i.e. pasture It; intransitively to graze (literally or figuratively); generally to rule.” The original has been rendered by various words in the Old Testament, but the book of Jeremiah is the only one that has pastor. The term refers to the men in the Jewish nation whose special work was to give instruction to the people. The prophets were of two classes as regards their work. One class may he designated "writing prophets,” among whom were Isaiah and Jeremiah and others. However, these men were not restricted to writing, but God used them also to make oral predictions to the people. They also served to admonish and chastise the men and women of the nation for their many sins.
The other class of prophets did all of their work orally and among such were Elijah and Elisha and others whose names and work appear along In the Bible. All of the men mentioned above bad become indifferent toward the true God, but these prophets had not stopped at their coldness. They were prophesying by Baal which means they did their work in the name of this heathen god and pretended to believe that he would bring their predictions to pass.
Jeremiah 2:9. The prophet seems to have dropped the illustration of bride and wife and now takes a direct form of language. In spite of all the unfaithfulness of the people, the Lord pleads with them arid even promises to do so from generation to generation.
Jeremiah 2:10. The Lord purposes to shame hi3 people by referring them to others who have far less advantages as nations and yet have been more faithful to their gods. Chittim is rendered Cyprus (an island in the eastern Mediterranean) by many works of reference including Strong’ s lexicon. Kedar is a tribe of Arabians who were an unsettled kind of people. Such people, as are referred to in these two places would ordinarily not he ex-pected to display unusual qualities, yet a contrast, is going to be made between
them and the people who had been favored by the Lord.
Jeremiah 2:11. The question asked has the negative answer implied. These inferior nations had been true to their idol gods although in truth such objects were no gods. But God's people had forsaken the true God and replaced him (in their hearts) with that which doth not profit. We would condemn a man if he deserted a friend of some standing, even though the one for whom he deserted the first one offered greater favors than had been provided by the other. It would be regarded rather In the nature of a bribe, But tbe people of God had done worse than that. They had turned their backs upon a true friend and gone after one who could give them nothing.
Jeremiah 2:12. All intelligent beings are meant by the expression ye heavens. and they are told to he astonished at the horrible thing that has been done. To he afraid does not mean that the false gods can do anything effectively against the works of the true God. The expression really means that the situation is appalling and dark.
Jeremiah 2:13. One evil is enough to bring the condemnation of the Lord, but these people of his had committed two evils. One was to forsake the true fountain of living water. Had they stopped with that evil it would have been bad enough. But they did not pause in their unfaithfulness of leaving the true fountain. They pretended to provide themselves a better supply of water by hewing out their own cisterns which proved to be broken and unable to hold any water.
In all ages of the world men have committed the same kind of folly that Is described in this verse by .the illustration of cisterns. They have become dissatisfied with the Lord's plan of salvation and implied that He did not know just what man needed. Then they have proceeded to invent ways of their own for the benefit of sinful man. The inconsistency of such conduct is so evident that it is today a matter also at which to be appalled. If an infinite God did not know what was best for his own created beings, it is extremely foolish for those very creatures to think they can better the situation with their innovations.
Jeremiah 2:14. This verse is a prediction in question form of the calamity that was to come upon Israel in a few years. The passage means to humiliate the people by speaking as if they were no better off than a servant or slave. Spoiled is rendered "become a spoil” in the margin which is correct. In a few years the Babylonian army will come against the capital and spoil or dispossess its people of their goods. The fulfillment of this prediction is recorded in 2 Kings 24:13.
Jeremiah 2:15. Lions roaring and storming out of their thickets against a civilization is used lo illustrate the Invasion of the Babylonian army. Cities are burned took place in course of the siege and attack recounted in 2 Kings 24, 25. Most of the accounts of that campaign pertain to Jerusalem because it was the capital city. But the phrase the mighty of the land in 2 Kings 24:13 indicates that a general attack was made in the country; it was then the cities were burned.
Jeremiah 2:16. Babylon was the country where the people of Israel were to be taken into captivity as a whole, but other places were permitted to make inroads and accomplish some gains. Noph (or Memphis) and Tahapanes were cities in Egypt and they are mentioned as having a share in the victories accomplished by their king Pharoah. The record of this event ts in 2 Kings 23:33-35.
Jeremiah 2:17. This is a severe but just rebuke of the nation and lays the blame for the misfortunes of the people of Israel at their own door. They had been warned even as long ago as the days of Moses (Deuteronomy 28) that such experiences would come upon them if they went after false gods.
Jeremiah 2:18. What hast thou means to ask them what right they had to go to those heathen places to partake of what they had. They did not always literally go to those places, but in their hearts they turned in that direction, and in a few instances they made literal application to those heathen localities for favors, Sihor is another name for tbe Nile in Egypt, and the river means the Euphrates in Babylonia, The last place is called Assyria because at the time Jeremiah wrote, the land through which the great river flows was still in the possession of Assyria, though it was destined to he brought under control by the Babylonians by the time the Jews were to be taken to begin their long- predicted captivity of 70 years.
Verse 19. Sin often works its own rebuke on the principle that "whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:8). This is especially true in moral questions if the Lord takes an active part in the case as he was to do with these people of Israel. It is an evil thing and- bitter means their conduct toward God was evil as it pertained to Him. and it would be bitter for them when they realized the punishment It brought them. This bitterness is predicted in terms of deep sadness in Psalms 137. Mg fear is not in thee refers to their lack of reverence for God and his law. For the fulfillment of the prediction in the first part of the verse, see the long note that shows their complete recovery from idolatry. It is given with the comments on Isaiah 1:25 in the 3rd volume of this Commentary.
Jeremiah 2:20. The weakness of inconstancy was nowhere more evident than in the conduct of Israel through the long history of the nation. Time after time in the journey through the wilderness the people did wrong, felt sorry and promised to do better, then fell back into sin again. After reaching the promised land and heing established in it as a nation of the Lord, the same old tendency to forget God showed up from time to time. The most outstanding sin was idolatry, and the evident explanation is that it was the most prevalent iniquity in sight. Man Is inclined to be affected most by that which is nearest him.
All of the nations near Israel were idolaters and produced a strong influence over the people of God. Trees in themselves are not evil things but are among the noble objects of God's creation. But the heathen nations had connected their idol worship so generally with the groves that the mere sight of even one green (living) tree suggested the erecting of an idol. If no means were available for making the Idol, the devoted idolater would fall down before the tree and offer his worship. This practice led God to make laws regarding the planting of groves, especially near any altar of the true services. Playing the harlot is using the corruption in the moral world to illustrate unfaithfulness in the reli-gious.
The comparison is logical and not just a strict notion of God as his enemies might think. If a married person has intimate relations with some one besides the lawful partner, it is recognized by everyone as being wrong and receives the name of adultery. On the same principle, if a person who professes to be married or joined to the true God should have intimate religious relations with some other god, it is like the unfaithfulness of the married partner. That is why God associated jealousy with the sin of idolatry in his law on the tables of the ten commandments (Exodus 20; Exodus 5).
Jeremiah 2:21. Various things in the natural world are used to Illustrate those in the religious or spiritual realm. In this verse the object chosen is a vine, and that doubtless is because it was one of the most familiar things in Palestine. The nation of Israel is compared to a noble vine. These words are not separate terms in the original but together come from soregah which Strong defines, "a vine stock (properly one yielding purple grapes, the richest variety).” The fundamental meaning of strange is something foreign or from the outside. In this verse the Lord has a plant doing that which nature alone would not do.
Any vine might degenerate and become fruitless or fail to produce as good a crop as it should. But this “ thoroughbred” vine had changed its breed into the kind that grew in the territory outside of the vineyard. The literal explanation is that Israel had reached out and absorbed the substance of the idolatrous territory surrounding the Lord’ s vineyard, and was producing wild fruit in the form of false religion.
Jeremiah 2:22. Nitre is defined in the lexicon as "potash” which corresponds to lye. If both lye and soap are used on a surface without getting it clean. It is certainly very much defiled and the uncleanness would be deep seated. Marked is from KATHAM which Strong defines, "a primitive root,; properly to carve or engrave, i.e. (by implication) to inscribe indelibly.” It means the uncleanness is deeper than the surface and is engraved into the body of the object, hence mere cleansing articles such as lye or soap would have no effect on it. The application is to the iniquity of the nation of Israel, and means that nothing the people can do for themselves will remove the mark.
This is another passage that might seem to conflict with others where the Lord exhorted his people to reform and make themselves “ clean” and he would receive them. The apparent difficulty is explained by observing the difference, between the nation aB a whole, and certain Individuals in it. There is a long note on (his subject with the comments on 2 Kings 22:17 in Vol. 2 of this Commentary.
Jeremiah 2:23. Sometimes a person will deny an accusation when the evidence of his guilt is displayed in full sight. Israel denied the guilt of Idolatry but the Lord pointed to signs of guilt that were unmistakable. Baal was one of the heathen gods that was also worshiped by the people of Israel. For more information on this word see the comments at Judges 2:11-13 in volume 1 of this Commentary. Way is from a word that Strong defines, "A course of life or mode Of action," and the Lord is pointing an accusing finger to the actions of Israel in the valley.
This word is from gay which Strong defines, “ A gorge (from its lofty sides; hence narrow, but not a gully or winter torrent)." From this definition it may be seen the word refers to a dry depression In the earth that can be used for human activities. The conduct to which this verse refers is that of idolatrous sacrifices which the Israelites offered in this place.
Incidentally, the name of one particular valley is the source of the word Gehenna, one of the words translated "hell" in the New Testament. It will be well to give the reader some Information from the lexicons on this interesting but much-perverted word. "The name Geenna . . , the narrow valley skirling Jerusalem on the south, running down from the west into the valley of Jehoshaphat, under Mount Zion. Here the ancient Israelites established the idolatrous worship of Moloch, to whom they burned infants in sacrifice; 2 Kings 23:10; Jeremiah 7:31-32; Jeremiah 32:35; compare Jeremiah 2:23 [our present verse]; Jeremiah 19:6; Jeremiah 19:13." Robinson's Greek Lexicon, “ Gehenna, properly the valley of Hin- nom, south of Jerusalem, once celebrated for the horrid worship of Moloch, and afterwards polluted with every species of filth, as well as the carcasses of animals, and dead bodies of malefactors: to consume which, in order to avert the pestilence such a mass of corruption would occasion, constant fires were keDt burning; hence, hell, the fires of Tartarus, the place of punishment in Hades. Matthew 5:22; Matthew 5:29-30."— Greenfield, With such practices as here described, and they being conducted so near the very capita] of the nation. It was foolish for the people of Israel to deny their guilt of idolatry. Traversing means to travel or move hack and forth, going over the same spots again and again.
Comparing Israel to a dromedary (a young camel) is to indicate the greater activities in the practice of idolatry since a younger animal would be likely to be more energetic. In the beginning of this paragraph the reference was to Baalim, while the above quotations from the lexicon refer to Moloch.
That is the name of another heathen god, but the various false gods were so much alike, and the services offered to them had so many principles in common, that a person guilty of devotion to one was Justly charged with devotion to the other.
Jeremiah 2:24. In the preceding verse Israel (I use the word with its general meaning) is compared to a young camel. In this the comparison is to a wild ass spending her days in the wilderness. She has been in such surroundings bo much that she is used to the experiences. Sniffeth up the wind at her pleasure denotes an independent attitude toward the things that will give her pleasure regardless of whether they are things worth while or not. Who can turn her is In question form, but It means no one can turn her from her determination to have her own way.
Any male wishing her association might as Well not bother to find her out there in the wilderness. In her month (meaning the mating time) she will show up prompted by her own desires at which time the male companion will easily have access to her. Likewise, Israel is interested only in her own pleasure and in her occasion (at her opportunity) she submits to mating with another wild (strange or outside) creature, the false god. with whom she will unite in intimate association.
Jeremiah 2:25. The comparison to a wild ass continues, representing her as being without the benefits that could be provided for her, though on account of her own stubbornness. The owner bids her not go longer with unshod feet or with a thirsty throat, for he has been willing ait the time to supply these needs. She replies "there is no hope” ; as much as to say, "there is no use to talk to me for I am in love with creatures on the outside and will still go after them.” This peculiar illustration literally means to predict that Israel will persist in her idolatry until she has learned tier lesson and then she will be ashamed.
Jeremiah 2:26. Yes, just as a thief is ashamed when he has been caught, so Israel was destined to regret her idolatry and will express her grief in humiliating terms, even including the kings and other leading men in the confessions of shame.
Jeremiah 2:27. The thing of which the people of Israel will be ashamed is their silly devotion to dumb idols described in this verse. The first two clauses are not intended to be direct quotations from the people, for they never actually said those things; the thought is their conduct logically said them. Certainly no being hut one’ s creator would have the right to such devotion as they were giving to idols that were made of1 a stock (a tree) or a stone. Thus their service to such objects implied that they had been produced by them. Have turned their back unto me is a direct charge from the Lord against liis people, and that was what justified the implied statements in the beginning of the verse.
For all of this they were being punished or would he in a little while, and for it all they were to be heartily ashamed. The last clause is on that subject and the form of their expression of grief is well described in Psalms 137. The same is historically described in Ezekiel 37; Ezekiel 11 about the dry bones.
Jeremiah 2:28. The prophet resumes his chastising remarks against Israel in this verse and on to the end of the chapter. If the gods are worthy of devotion in time of peace, they ought to be able to help their devoted wor- sbipers in time of trouble, and the prophet calls upon his people to apply to them for help. No excuse could be made on the ground that these gods were not available, either because they were busy or were too far away. No, they had them in every city and hence were in close contact with the people. Judah is named in this verse whereas Israel is mentioned in the chapter in the same connection.
But at the present stage of the history the two names may properly be used interchangeably. Israel as a distinctive name of the 10- tribe kingdom lias been in exile from the native land for over a hundred years. The 2-tribe kingdom known as Judali is still in Palestine. But both of these kingdoms were composed of the people of Israel, hence either term is proper and will continue to be. for the 12 tribes will not be divided again during and after the captivity,
Jeremiah 2:29. Wherefore will ye plead is the Lord’ s way of telling the people they have no ground on which to make a plea for favor. Ye all would Include the various classes in the nation. It is true the leaders were more to be blamed for the corruptions, but Jeremiah 5:31 says the people loved to have it so. The principles of the Bible are that tf a person takes pleasure (is satisfied or pleased with) in the actions of another it makes him a partaker of the same (Romans 1:32).
Jeremiah 2:30. Smitten your children does not refer to the personal offspring of any individuals. The second word refers to them as a nation and the third means the citizens of the nation. The phrase is a reference to past chastisements that God had imposed upon the nation but which had not caused it to repent. Even the prophets who dared rebuke the people for their sins were not spared front the murderous sword.
Jeremiah 2:31. A wilderness is a place without the products of life and the question asked of Israel is a reminder that God had supplied all of her needs. For that reason she had no right to say we are lords. That phrase means they had no right to claim a dominion of their own; that was what they had been claiming.
Jeremiah 2:32. This is another use of the marriage relation for an illustration. A fleshly bride will long remember her wedding formal and will take pleasure in looking at it and showing it to others. And if she Is sincere, the mere sight of it will recall the man who stood beside her at the happy event. But this spiritual wife of the Lord had forgotten her husband days without number.
Verse 33. Trimmest is rendered "dresseth” in Exodus 30:7 about trimming the lamps. The thought is this wife was making herself attractive so as to interest, another lover. She was not content to gratify herself with unrighteous practices, but induced others to do the same if she saw they were already inclined to evil.
Jeremiah 2:34. Skirts is used figuratively, meaning Israel's garments were stained with the blood of innocent persons. Secret is not in the original as a separate word but is a part of the same word for search. It is machtereth which Strong defines, “ a burglary; figuratively unexpected examination." The thought is that God did not have to make any "lie test" kind of examination or try to "catch" the gutlty people when they were not expecting it. Upon all these means the Lord saw the evidences of their guilt plainly displayed.
Jeremiah 2:35, In spite of the many evidences of her guilt, Israel was so bold as to deny it and then ask God to take her word for it and be favorable toward her. But this false plea of innocence was to be an extra reason for the anger of the Lord. It is bad enough to commit sin, but it makes the degree of that sin greater when the guilty one denies it In the face of plain evidences.
Jeremiah 2:36. Gaddest is from azal and Strong's definition is, "A primitive root; to go away, hence to disappear.” Way is from a word that means “ a course of life or mode of actions.” We know the general opinion of a wife who is seldom in her home, for she may be suspected of seeking indulgences that she cannot have in her home, [See Titus 2:5.) The wife of the Lord was frequently "gone from home” in search of someone with whom to enjoy unlawful pleasures and to receive from him some favor. Among the ones she thus flirted with were Egypt and Assyria. The Lord warns her that she will he ashamed of such paramours.
Jeremiah 2:37. Him refers to the unlawful lover with whom the unfaithful wife had been intimate. Hands upon thine head is a gesture of shame for some humiliating event that has taken place, like the action of Tamar in 2 Samuel 13:19. The difference between the cases, however, is that Tamar was not to blame; but the shame was there and it was indicated by placing her hand upon her head. Israel was at fault in this unlawful intimacy, but she was destined to realize it and would feel the blame as much as did the innocent Tamar.
Jeremiah Chapter Three
Verse 1
3JUDAH MORE SINFUL THAN ISRAELWe continue to find little interest in the guessing game connected with assigning dates to the various chapters of Jeremiah. In very few instances can it be affirmed that the exact date makes much difference. Jellie gave the date of the first paragraph here as the thirteenth year of Josiah, the next paragraph as the seventeenth year of Josiah, pointing out that some scholars favored the eighteenth year (E. Henderson), and some the year 620 B.C. (MH).[1]Salient teachings of the chapter proclaim the final divorce of Israel as God's wife, and the impossibility of her return to her former status (Jeremiah 3:1-5); the refusal of Judah to learn her lesson despite the wretched example of Israel (Jeremiah 3:6-10); God's continued pleading for both Israel and Judah to return unto their God in full repentance (Jeremiah 3:11-13); the promise of God to receive a remnant from both of the treacherous sister nations in the Messianic Age (Jeremiah 3:14-18); the healing to take place in the days of the New Covenant; a further admonition regarding the uselessness and hurtfulness of idolatry (Jeremiah 3:19-22); but Israel and Judah alike consent to lie down in their shame (Jeremiah 3:13-25).
Jeremiah 3:1-5"They say, if a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's wife, will he return unto her again? will not that land be greatly polluted? But thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith Jehovah. Lift up thine eyes to the bare heights, and see; where hast thou not been lain with? By the ways hast thou sat for them, as an Arabian in the wilderness; and thou hast polluted the land with thy whoredoms and with thy wickedness. Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; yet thou hadst a harlot's forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed. Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My father, thou art the guide of my youth?
Will he retain his anger forever? will he keep it to the end? Behold, thou hast spoken and hast done evil things, and hast had thy way.""They say, if a man put away his wife ..." (Jeremiah 3:1). Many scholars are quick to point out that this corresponds to Deuteronomy 24:1-4, with the implication that this information had only recently come to Jeremiah through the discovery of that Book of the Law in the temple. This is by all odds an improper deduction, "This does not necessarily presuppose the discovery of the Book of the Law in the temple in 622 B.C."[2]The words, `they say,' here clearly indicate that the knowledge revealed in Deuteronomy 24:1-4, at the time Jeremiah wrote, was already well known by the whole Jewish nation, that the impossibility of a divorced woman going back to her first husband after being married to someone else was a common proverb known to the whole Jewish world of that period. Why not? Deuteronomy was nothing new to Israel, having already been in their possession since the great Lawgiver had written it and left it for them, along with the whole law.
Of course, this little phrase is a death-blow to the theory of the late `discovery' of Deuteronomy; and that accounts for all the confusion among so many scholars, as pointed out by Cheyne, of whom he said, "Various ingenious attempts have been made to explain this!"[3] However, no amount of ingenuity can remove the obvious import of the words.
"Will he return unto her again ..." (Jeremiah 3:1)?. This type of question in Hebrew always requires a negative answer, therefore affirming that God will not return to the divorced Israel; but the final clause of the verse represents the Lord as inviting the reprobate apostate wife to return? This can be nothing on earth except a mistranslation.
"Yet return again to me, saith Jehovah ..." (Jeremiah 3:1). The marginal reading in the American Standard Version has, "And thinkest thou to return unto me?" This alternative has been adopted in the Revised Standard Version, "And would you return to me, says the Lord?"[4] This is obviously to be preferred above the American Standard Version. Some scholars have appealed to the analogy of Hosea and Gomer in this passage, even affirming that Hosea's example in taking Gomer back, "Indicated that God would do even this."[5] We are astounded that so many scholars believe this but seem totally unaware that Hosea made it perfectly clear that he was NOT taking Gomer back as his wife, but as a slave!
"And Hosea said unto her: Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be any man's wife: so will I also be toward thee!"(Hosea 3:3).
Yes, there is a triple betrothal mentioned later in Hosea; but it was for Jezreel, not Israel, to the New Israel, not to the old reprobate whore! (See the full development of this in Vol. 2 of my series on the Minor Prophets.)
The true meaning of the last phrase of Jer 3:1, therefore is this: "After your wretched conduct, do you really suppose that you can return as the wife of God?"
"Lift up thine eyes unto the bare heights ..." (Jeremiah 3:2). These words explode the arrogant notion of Israel that she might again be God's wife. Jeremiah here challenges her to look everywhere and find a single tree under which she has not committed whoredom by worshipping false gods and indulging in their sexual orgies. Israel has been like the Arabians in the wilderness, (1) either lying in wait to rob a caravan, or (2) sitting by the highway seducing travelers to adultery. That this was a device often followed by immoral women is proved by Tamar's seduction of Judah (Genesis 38:14 ff).
"The showers have been withholden ... no latter rain ..." (Jeremiah 3:3). God's punishment of the Once Chosen People by the withholding of rain and other blessings had not led them to repentance, but rather to a bold and presumptuous arrogance. The "latter rains" were the ones in the spring, without which it was not possible to have an abundant harvest.
"Wilt thou not from this time cry, My father... Behold thou hast spoken and hast done evil things!"(Jeremiah 3:4-5). Yes, yes, Israel continued to claim Jehovah as their national God, and they always called upon him when in trouble, but their conduct made it impossible for God to help them. The last lines in this paragraph were rendered thus by Feinberg:
"This is how you talk,
but you do all the evil you can."[6]Matthew Henry considered the meaning of these last two verses to be:
"Thou hast spoken and done evil things as thou couldst, and wouldst have spoken and done worse if thou hadst known how; thy will was to do it, but thou hadst not the opportunity![7]"The essential message of these first five verses is simply this: `Judah, after it has turned away to other gods will not be received again by Jehovah (as his espoused wife), especially in view of all her chastisements and her adherence to evil ways.'"[8]At this early period in Jeremiah's ministry, he evidently entertained high hope that Judah would indeed repent and that the looming punishment of their captivity might yet be averted. However, the shocking development of Judah's guilt being even greater than Israel's occurred to Jeremiah as raising another problem. If indeed Judah (more guilty than Israel) was to be spared, "Then the privilege of forgiveness and restoration must be offered to the Northern Kingdom also, because Judah's sins were worse than theirs."[9] This great privilege of forgiveness and restoration to all men would be realized under the gracious and benevolent terms of the New Covenant, prophesied a moment later in this chapter.
Nothing even resembling the repentance and return of Judah to their true God, however, came to pass. Surely God yearned for such repentance; but it never happened; and as Cook pointed out, "The words of this paragraph are not the language of consolation to the conscience-stricken, but they are the vehement expostulation with hardened sinners. They prove the truth of the interpretation put upon the last clause of the 1 st verse."[10]And what was that interpretation? Here it is:
"`Yet return again unto me' should be rendered, `and thinkest thou to return unto me?' The whole argument is not of mercy, but is proof that after her repeated adulteries, Israel could not again take her place as a wife. To think of returning to God with the marriage-law unrepealed was folly."[11]A vital point so often misunderstood by expositors is the difference between God's covenant with Racial Israel, which was terminated irrevocably in the total apostasy of the Once Chosen People and the New Covenant without any racial requirements whatever. The promises a few verses later pertain to that New Covenant, and not to the old Racial Covenant that endowed the race of Israel with the status of being Jehovah's espoused wife. That status was terminated irrevocably and finally by the events of the apostasy of both Israel and Judah. And yet, no racial descendant of Abraham who ever lived was in any manner excluded from the mercies and blessings of God. It only means that his access to those blessings would be upon the same terms applicable to everyone who ever lived on earth. "Whosoever will may come"!
As Harrison observed, "Even though from the analogy here the nation (that is racial Israel) could not take her place again as God's wife because of her repeated adulteries, she could still be forgiven if she was truly repentant."[12] That forgiveness, however, would not be under the old Sinaitic covenant, but under the terms and conditions of the New Covenant.
Verse 6
"Moreover Jehovah said unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot. And I said after she had done all these things, She will return unto me; but she returned not: and her treacherous sister Judah saw it. And I saw, when, for this very cause that backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a bill of divorcement, yet treacherous Judah her sister feared not; but she also went and played the harlot. And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that the land was polluted, and she committed adultery with stones and with stocks. And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not returned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly."We have already noted the nature of the harlotry and whoredom of God's people, and there is no need to elaborate it here. Notice the fourfold reiteration of the appellation `treacherous' as applied to Judah inJeremiah 3:7,8,10,11.
The aggravated nature of Judah's sin is seen in this: "Israel had openly broken the political and religious connection with Jehovah; but Judah nominally retained both; but her heart was toward the false gods."[13]The idea here is that, "Judah did not profit by the experience of the Northern Kingdom and is therefore more guilty."[14]"The lightness of her whoredom ..." (Jeremiah 3:9). This is a reference to the casual, carefree attitude of Judah with regard to their shameful conduct.
"But feignedly ..." (Jeremiah 3:10). It seems to us that this could not apply to anything else besides the reforms sponsored and executed by the good king Josiah. The reason why those reforms had little or no effect upon the ultimate fate of Judah is found in these two words right here. They publicly went along with all the reforms; but, at heart, they still adored and worshipped their beloved fertility gods of the Baalim.
Jeremiah 3:6 has the words, "Hast thou seen ... backsliding Israel?" Cook tells us that in the Hebrew here, "The original is very strong: Hast thou seen Apostasy?"[15] It is the same as if the Holy Spirit said that, "Israel is the very personification of the denial of God and rebellion against him."
Verse 11
"And Jehovah said unto me, Backsliding Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah. Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return thou backsliding Israel, saith Jehovah; I will not look in anger upon you; for I am merciful, saith Jehovah, I will not keep anger forever. Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against Jehovah thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith Jehovah."In spite of the tender words of this passage, let it be noted that true repentance and an acknowledgment of manifold transgressions were among the essential prerequisites of any return of Israel, or of any man, to a status of enjoyment of God's favor.
God's promise to look with tenderness and forgiveness upon any return of Israel or Judah, did not meet with any effective response upon Israel's part. As Harrison put it, "There is no evidence that the suggestion was ever taken seriously."[16]It is a fact, however, that no racial Jew was ever excluded from God's favor, nor for that matter entitled to it, upon the sole basis of his racial descent through the patriarchs.
The mercy and forgiveness of God suggested in Jeremiah 3:12 is revealed in subsequent verses to have been contingent upon the inauguration of the New Covenant.
Verse 14
"Return, O backsliding children, saith Jehovah; for I am a husband unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion. And I will give you shepherds according to my heart, who shall feed you with knowledge and understanding. And it shall come to pass when ye are multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith Jehovah, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of Jehovah; neither shall it come to mind; neither shall they remember it; neither shall they miss it; neither shall it be made any more. At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of Jehovah; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it; to the name of Jehovah, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the stubbornness of their evil heart. In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I gave for an inheritance unto your fathers.""One of a city, two of a family ..." (Jeremiah 3:14). Here surfaces again the doctrine of the "righteous remnant" of Israel as stressed throughout both Isaiah and Jeremiah. "Out of God's purifying judgment upon his apostate people shall come a few refined souls.
They will be gathered and shall constitute the New Israel, blessed of God (Romans 11:5).[17]"They shall say no more, The ark of the covenant ..." (Jeremiah 3:16 b). "This shows that the old economy was to be dissolved. The old covenant, of which the ark was a central feature, was to give way to another - a preview of 31:31-35."[18] Concurring in this view are the remarks of Cheyne: "In the Messianic period ... the ark would no longer be thought of."[19]"In those days ... at that time ... in those days ..." (Jeremiah 3:16-18). All such expressions, including "in the last day," "in the latter times," etc., are indications that the times of the Messiah are intended. These, as Cook stated, "were a regular formula for the time of Christ's coming when all the nation's hopes would be fulfilled."[20]"Jerusalem the throne of Jehovah ..." (Jeremiah 3:18). "Jehovah's throne shall not be the ark, but Jerusalem, the Christian Church (Revelation 21:2; Galatians 4:26)."[21] It might be readily admitted that neither Jeremiah nor the people who received his prophecy for the first time fully understood all that was involved in these promises; but even if they should have misunderstood, thinking that there would be some kind of a return to the literal land of Palestine, the message would nevertheless have been a very effective message for them.
"The Messianic reference in this chapter is the ruling one. The fulfillment of these promises is carried on during the lives of the apostles of Christ and is carried on throughout the whole history of the Church, and attains its completion in the final conversion of Israel."[22]Keil's expectation of the "final conversion of Israel," projected to take place at the end of the current dispensation, and considered by some to be a salient feature of the so-called Millennium is a view held by many scholars; but it is one which this writer has never accepted. That such a thing indeed may be possible we cannot deny; but we do deny that the Bible declares any such thing as an event that God has promised will occur.
Whether or not any such thing as a wholesale conversion of racial Israel will ever take place is left as an open and undecided question in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. In the Old Testament, it must be remembered that Jonah was not placated by the conversion of Nineveh, but that the sacred narrative rings down the curtain upon him still angry, still pouting, still unwilling to appreciate what God did.
In the New Testament, in the parable of the prodigal, it will be remembered that the narrative closes with the father, still pleading, still waiting, still inviting the elder brother to share in the feast, but with the elder brother still angry, still refusing to come in. Of course, both Jonah and the elder brother constitute divine presentations of the way it is with racial Israel to this very day; and we have observed nothing whatever that adds any more favorable details to the picture.
Some commentators think they find the old land promise to Abraham in this chapter and speak confidently of the time when racial Israel shall again be in Palestine with the Lord reigning on a throne in Jerusalem. We are absolutely certain that nothing of this kind is in the chapter or anywhere else in the Word of God. Yes indeed, Jerusalem is the throne of God, now, in the sense that "The word of the Lord went forth from Jerusalem" on the day of Pentecost. "When Christ came, the kingdom was indeed established in Zion, but not in material terms (John 18:36; Acts 1:6, etc.)."[23] "The Jerusalem which is above, which is free, is our mother" (Galatians 4:26). It appears to us that if one searches for a certainty, it would surely appear in the fact that the very city that crucified God's only begotten Son should be the very last place on earth where God would establish his throne! On the Day of Pentecost, the apostle Peter revealed that the Old Testament promise of a Messianic successor to David's throne was a promise of the Resurrection of Christ! (Acts 2:31).
"Judah... and Israel... shall come together ... to the land that I gave for an inheritance ..." (Jeremiah 3:18). Such an event as the union of the divided kingdom of Israel could never occur until there was a genuine repentance and return to the fold of God by both peoples. There having never been the slightest indication that anything like that ever happened, "The projected union must point to the Messianic age of grace, when Jew and Gentile alike will do honor before the enthroned Lord in Zion."[24] That such a remark is indeed sound exegesis is proved by the words of the author of Hebrews regarding "where" Christians worship God:
"Ye are not come unto a mount that might be touched... but ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable hosts of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of the New Covenant" (Hebrews 12:18-24).
In passages like this, it is clear enough that words like mount Zion and Jerusalem, in the days of the New Covenant, are to be understood spiritually. "Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem, is that holy hill upon which Christ reigns."[25]"Out of the land of the north ..." (Jeremiah 3:18). "This refers to the glorious days of Christianity and the ingathering of Jews from all the lands of their dispersion and the uniting of them with the Christian church."[26]Robert Jamieson understood these verses to mean that, "The good land covenanted to Abraham is to be restored to his seed; but the question arises, How shall this be done?[27] Many sincere people ask this same question; but the answer is simple enough. God has already fulfilled his holy promise to deliver Palestine to the posterity of Abraham; but when they became more evil than the pagan Canaanites they had replaced, God threw them out of Palestine for just reasons; and there is no record anywhere that God ever promised to establish an apostate and rebellious nation forever in Palestine, merely upon the basis that they had indeed once inherited it.
Subsequently to their loss of Palestine through their gross sins, there are many promises like the one in this chapter, in which God speaks of the "return" of his people and of his restoring them to "their land"; but all such promises have their fulfillment, not in the old racial Israel at all, which has never repented and is still God's enemy; but in the "righteous remnant" along with the Gentiles who constitute the New Israel of God, and who are "spiritually returned" to Jerusalem, not the old one, but "the heavenly Jerusalem."
Verse 19
"But I said How I will put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of the nations! and I said, Ye shall call me My Father, and shall not turn away from following me. Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith Jehovah. A voice is heard upon the bare heights, the weeping and the supplications of the children of Israel; because they have perverted their way, they have forgotten Jehovah their God. Return, ye backsliding children, I will heal your backsliding."The first clause of Jer 3:19 should be read as a question, as in the AV. "The rendering of the KJV is to be preferred here."[28]The mingling of two metaphors in this passage, namely, the returning people as "a wife" and as "sons" should not be confusing. "Sometimes scripture combines figures within a single text (Hosea 11:3-4)."[29]Verse 22
"Behold, we are come unto thee; for thou art Jehovah our God. Truly in vain is the help that is looked for from the hills, the tumult on the mountains; truly in our Jehovah our God is the salvation of Israel. But the shameful thing hath devoured the labor of our fathers from our youth, their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters. Let us lie down in our shame, and let our confusion cover us; for we have sinned against Jehovah our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even unto this day; and we have not obeyed the voice of Jehovah our God."The significant thing in Jeremiah 3:23-24 is that idolatry is described as unprofitable in Jeremiah 3:23, and as ruinous in Jeremiah 3:24. It was not merely worthless but harmful.
"The shameful thing hath devoured ..." (Jeremiah 3:24). "This is a reference to Baal."[30] "Bosheth" is a word that means "shame"; and it became the pattern in Israel to change names that once ended in "Baal" by rendering that syllable "bosheth." On this procedure Esh-Baal became Ish-bosheth! (See 2 Samuel 2:8).
The heartfelt confession of these last verses, evidently suggested by Jeremiah, but with no certainty that either one of God's children, either Judah or Israel, ever made it stresses a number of the elements of sin: "The folly of it (Jeremiah 3:24), the hopelessness of it (Jeremiah 3:25 a), the ingratitude of it (Jeremiah 3:25 b), the ingrained nature of it (Jeremiah 3:25 c), and the disobedience of it (Jeremiah 3:25 d)."[31]The overwhelming sorrow, both of the great prophet, and of the apostate people suffering the consequences of their transgression is the emotion that surfaces here at the end of the chapter. In all the history of mankind, there is hardly any greater tragedy than that which befell the disobedient people of God.
Jeremiah 3:1. They say is rendered “ saying” in the margin, and the American Standard Version and Moffatt also translate it thus, making it a continuation of the preceding chapter. The words from if through polluted are a quotation of what the unfaithful wife was saying in her awakening of shameful realization of her unworthy conduct. She is represented as admitting that if a fleshly wife is untrue to her husband he will not live with her again, because to do so would pollute the land. But in spite of such a well-established principle the Lord is willing to take back his unworthy wife. In so doing He shows himself to be more lenient than a wronged fleshly husband. This ease is even worse than an ordinary one in that the wife has been intimate with many lovers.
Jeremiah 3:2. The comparison between idolatry and adultery is a familiar one and it is continued in this verse. When any particular subject or fact is selected for the purpose of illustration, the terms used will generally lie those that are literally true of the illustration, even though the writer means the subject being illustrated. Thus the Lord calls attention of his unfaithful wife to the many high places (spots where idols were erected) where she has committed spiritual adultery. An Arabian wanders in territories where there are not many people, and If a woman desires the unrighteous experience there she will sit down and wait for a chance passerby, so eager is she for the corrupt act.
Jeremiah 3:3. The prediction was made In the preceding chapter that Israel would come to be ashamed of her harlotry. This verse is not a prediction but is a charge as to her condition of mind at t.he time of the writing. The withholding of rain and other natural blessings had been threatened many years before. (See Leviticus 26:19-20.)
Jeremiah 3:4. The comparison is changed in this verse to the relation of father and offspring. Israel is admonished to remember who it was that guided her all her life. All the good things she has ever enjoyed were provided by this kind Parent. But Israel has been acting the part of a child that was over-indulged. and seems to think there will be no limit to the patience of her Father.
Verse 5. These questions are asked by this Father in a way that implies a negative answer. Israel had spoken evil things as she had opportunity, and the divine patience was about exhausted.
Jeremiah 3:6. The hooks of the Bible were not written at any continuous period, but different parts of them were composed whenever the Lord was desiring something to be put 1u Writing. 1 wish the student would now read again my verse comments on Jeremiah 1:3. Tho present verse starts one of the passages referred to above, jlfe refers to Jeremiah since he is the writer of this hook, and he is telling us some things the Lord said to him in the days of Josiah. It was in the reign of this king that Jeremiah began his great, book, but the verse of this paragraph and several that follow contain a severe complaint against Judah. The significant thought in these verses is the condemnation of this kingdom based on the contrast between it and the 10-tribe kingdom of Israel. But the contrast will not be appreciated unless we know how bad was the kingdom with which Judah is to he compared.
Israel (the 10-tribe kingdom) had been in exile over a hundred years as a punishment for her idolatry. But the Lord recounts to the prophet the great and many instances of the sins of that nation. Every mountain and every green tree had been used by that backsliding people as a place for the practice of idolatry, here called harlotry, For this sin Israel had been given over to the Assyrians, and Judah as well as the world knew about that fact of hiBtory.
Jeremiah 3:7. Israel as the 10-Tribe kingdom is the subject of this verse and refers to the many admonishments that God gave it but all in vain. All of this was known to Judah (the 2- tribe kingdom) and it should .have been a lesson to it.
Jeremiah 3:8. In Jeremiah 3:4 the relation of father and offspring was used for an illustration. In keeping with that the two kingdoms of the people of God, Israel and Judah, are spoken of as sisters in a few of the verses. The former sister persisted so long in her spiritual adultery that her husband finally put her away with a bill Of divorce. Even this severe chastisement did not influence the other sister for good, but instead she went and committed the same unfaithfulness for which the other had been divorced.
Jeremiah 3:9. The sister, Israel, is being spoken of yet and the extent of her sins is described. Lightness is from qoh which Strong defines, "From an unused root meaning to cali aloud; a voice or sound." In the King James translation it has been rendered by aloud, bleating, crackling, cry, fame, claim and proclamation. The thought of the writer is that Israel was so bold and unreserved In her spiritual adultery that the land became disgraced, Stones and slocks (trees) were materials with which the spiritual adultery was committed.
Jeremiah 3:10. An extreme case of bad conduct, that becomes known all over the land will generally cause others to be admonished, but this did not prove so with Judah when she saw how awful was the corruption of her sister. Judah is called treacherous because the word means to cover or act secretly. So the Lord charges her with ignoring the example of her sister and with being insincere (feignedhj) in her service to Him.
Jeremiah 3:11. This verse must be understood on the principle that men are held responsible according to the opportunity they have, and part of the opportunity consists of their knowledge of right and wrong. Judah had the information direct from God that idolatry was wrong and would bring the wrath of God on the guilty. Israel had that direct information also, but she did not have that knowledge confirmed by the actual experiences of others whose career was everywhere recognized, Judah did have that advantage by observing the history of Israel. This increased her responsibility greatly and caused God to make the statement of this verse. In the actual performances of idolatry Judah did not go as far as Israel, and also in actual good qualities there was more to be said in favor of Judah than of her sister.
Judah had at least a few kings who were free from the guilt of idolatry, but Israel did not have a king who was not an idolater. However, in view of the above consid-erations Judah was far more guilty In the Lord’ s sight than Israel.
Jeremiah 3:12. At the time of this writing, Israel (the 10-tribe kingdom) was in exile in the land of Assyria. The prophet is instructed to go and pro-claim some words to that people. This was done evidently to provoke Judah to Jealousy, for we know the Lord sometimes uses such methods to accomplish his purposes. (See Romans 11:14.) However, while the immediate purpose was to provoke such reaction from Judah, the predictions that will be made throughout the remainder of the chapter will have special reference to Judah. Mention is made of the norfh which might seem confusing in view of the actual direction of Assyria from Palestine, but this circumstance is explained in connection with the comments on Isaiah 14:31 in Voi. 3 of this Commentary. There is no deception in this passage, for what will be true of Judah will also be true of Israel when the time comes for the end of the captivity. At that time the 12 tribes will have been in practically the same territory, and all will share in the favors that appear to be promised especially to Judah.
Jeremiah 3:13. God calls upon his people to acknowledge their guilt and thus show a proper spirit regarding their great unfaithfulness toward Him. The ten tribes are already in exile at the time this is being written and the two tribes are very near the time of their captivity. Moreover, nothing can be done to prevent the awful event, yet it is always best to acknowledge a sin and thus become more worthy of the favor when the time comes to be released from an unpleasant situation. In the governments of men a prisoner will be required to "serve time" for his misdeeds, yet often when the term of his sentence is being regulated he may be given more consideration it he has been a "model prisoner.’’
Jeremiah 3:14. In Jeremiah 3:8 the people of God are said to be divorced from him white here it is said that God is married. to them. The word is from BAWAL. and Strong's first definition is, “ A primitive root; to be master." Being their master the Lord will be able to do by and with them as he sees fit, hence he makes the prediction that he will come to their rescue at the proper time. One of a city and two of a family is the familiar prediction of the "remnant” that was to be saved from the captivity. See 2 Samuel 24; 2 Samuel 9 and Ezra 2:1; Ezra 2:64 and note the decrease in tbelr number. It will be seen that the proportion is practically that which is indicated in the italicized words.
Jeremiah 3:15. See the comments at Jeremiah 2:8 for the meaning of pastors. The prediction in this verse was fulfilled according to Nehemiah 8:7-8.
Jeremiah 3:16. Many things written by the prophets had a twofold bearing, applying in some sense to both fleshly and spiritual Israel and this verse is one of them. When God’ s people get back into their own land they will be so happy over their escape from the Babylonian captivity they will cease to repine for the ark of the Lord which then will have been lost. All this was true of the Jews as may be seen in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. But the "telescope’’ (see illustration offered in “ General Remarks’’ at Isa. ch. 1) is here extended and the prophet sees into the time of the reign of Christ. The ark represents the Jewish Dispensation which will be replaced by that under Christ.
When that time comes spiritual Israel will not be calling for the ark (containing the 10 commandments issued at Sinai), but all attention will be centered in the law of Christ that will be issued at Jerusalem. Neither shall they remember it does not teach that Christians should literally forget all about the Old Testament law, for Romans 15:4 and 1 Corinthians 10:11 teach that they are expected to remember Its history. The meaning is that the people under Christ will not be longing to go back to the old law for guidance, for to do so will cause them to lose the favor of God. (See Galatians 5:4.)
Jeremiah 3:17. When spiritual Israel comes into being the people of God will regard Jerusalem (not Sinai) as the place from which their law was given. All nations is a prediction that the Gentiles as well as the Jews will be included in the new system of salvation, This is what Peter taught by "all flesh’’ In Acts 2:17 and “ every nation" in Acts 10:35.
Jeremiah 3:18. Those days refers to the time of return from the captivity. When Judah, and Israel are named in one connection it means the 2-tribe and 10-tribe kingdoms. When the return from exile takes place both of these kingdoms will have been there in the same territory that was ruled by the Babylonians, and will all be released as one people. This prediction refutes the notion so long held by some that the ten tribes were lost while In captivity. The inspired prophet saw all twelve tribes returning to thefr native land together. For the explanation of the north see the comments on Isaiah 14:31 in Vol. 3 of this Commentary.
Jeremiah 3:19. How shall I put thee among the children is the same as asking on what basis the Lord can receive back the wayward nation as bis people, when it has been so unmindful of the goodness bestowed upon it. We can give the answer In the light of other passages; it is because of the divine compassion. Yes, these unworthy people will again look upon God as their father and will not again commit the nationat idolatry.
Jeremiah 3:20. God did not wish his people to forget the reason they were to be so bitterly chastised. Even in the midst of passages predicting their return to divine favor, they were often reminded of their shortcomings. Various things and relations In human life are used as illustrations. In one verse it will be the relation of parent and offspring, then perhaps of husband and wife. The latter is used in this verse although the word husband is rendered "friend” in the margin, which is also the definition in the lexicon of Strong. But there Is no conflict in the rendering, for a husband should be considered the best earthly friend a woman can have. This wife (the house of Israel) had been unfaithful to her husband and had tried to do so secretly, which is the meaning of doing it treacherously.
Jeremiah 3:21. A voice means the voice of the people of Israel in their Idolatrous worship, calling on the gods to hear them. High places means the hills and oilier spots where altars were erected for the services of heathen gods. Perverted their way denotes the corruptions that Israel had injected into the way of life. When men go after things that are contrary to the right way it is evident that they have forgotten the Lord their God which is here charged against Israel.
Jeremiah 3:22. In some of the passages containing admonitions to reform, the dates are applicable to the conditions in force before the captivity. In such cases the subject should be considered in the light, of the comments at 2 Kings 22:17 in Vol. 2 of this Commentary. But the present verse is a prediction of conditions that are to he true at the conclusion of the captivity, for Israel is represented as saying we come unto thee. This predicts the actual state of mind of that people after they have had the chastisement of the captivity. They will then have repented of their backsliding, which includes their complete cure from idolatry. The historical confirmation of this prediction Is quoted in connection with Isaiah 1:25, vol. 3 of this Commentary.
Jeremiah 3:23. The people are again reminded of the uselessness of idolatry. The hills is a reference to the "high places” where idol gods had altars erected for their worship. The long period of the captivity caused the Jews to reflect, upon their experiences in the home land with reference to the idoi worship, After many centuries of this devotion to idols they were finally brought to national humiliation, and tliis verse is an acknowledgement of their failure. They also confess their belief in the Lord God as the only true source of salvation.
Jeremiah 3:24. The Jews became ashamed of their past conduct and the humiliating situation to which it brought them. The fruit, of their tabors had been taken over by the enemy and they were reduced to a low estate.
Jeremiah 3:25. This is more along the same line of the state in which Israel was to find herself as a punishment for her iniquity. I believe I should again remind the reader that although the form of language is in the past or present tense it is generally a prediction. The Jews came to realise their sins and acknowledged them which Is the prediction in this verse.
Jeremiah Chapter Four
Verse 1
4
THE OF JUDAHThe chapter begins with a conclusion of the prophet's address to the Northern Israel (Jeremiah 4:1-2); then there is a call for Judah's repentance and return to duty as the very last hope of her averting destruction (Jeremiah 4:3-4); next, the Babylonian invasion is prophesied (Jeremiah 4:5-9); there follows the most difficult verse in the chapter (Jeremiah 4:10); a continued description of the forthcoming invasion is given (Jeremiah 4:11-18); personified Judah bewails her fate (Jeremiah 4:19-21); God's answer and the cause of their misery are related (Jeremiah 4:22); a prophecy of the awful extent of the destruction is announced (Jeremiah 4:23-26); and, notwithstanding God's promise not to make a "full end" of Judah (Jeremiah 4:27); there follows the magnificent prophecy of the Judgment of Judah in terminology that suggests also the final destruction of Adam's rebellious race in the Day of Judgment (Jeremiah 4:16-31).
Jeremiah 4:1-2"If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith Jehovah, if thou wilt return unto me, and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight; then shalt thou not be removed; and thou shalt swear, as Jehovah liveth, in truth, in justice, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory."What marvelous things could have happened if only Israel had repented and returned to God. This promise came a hundred years after their going captive into Assyria; but even then God could have achieved wonders through them IF, only IF, they had repented. Of course, it proved a vain hope. There is no evidence whatever of any slightest intention upon their part of returning to God.
Note especially that "the nations," that is, the Gentiles would have been converted, and that Israel would have been the means of God's reaching them! Gentiles and nations are alternate renditions of the same Hebrew noun.
As Cook stated it:
"Two great truths are taught in this verse: (1) that the Gentiles were to be members of the Church of the Messiah, and (2) that Israel's peculiar office was to be God's instrument in that great work. Thus Jeremiah is in exact accord with the evangelical teaching of Isaiah."[1]It should not be overlooked that, "The situation envisaged here was a prospect, rather than a reality."[2]There could be neither a return of Israel to their homeland nor the conversion of the nations without a genuine abandonment of their apostasy, which never happened.
These verses appear to be God's answer to Israel's response to the invitation of Jer 3:22. "When God called Israel to repent, they immediately answered, Lord, we return; now God takes notice of it in this reply."[3] "If you have it in mind to return to me, return; but come all the way back to me"![4] Of course, there are three things involved in such a return: (1) the immediate and total abandonment of their idolatry, (2) a return to the sincere and wholehearted worship and service of the true God, and (3) a radical revision and restructuring of their lives in a pattern of obedience, justice, and faithfulness. These remain still, in all ages, the basics of true repentance.
Verse 3
"For thus saith Jehovah to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns. Circumcise yourselves to Jehovah, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem; lest my wrath go forth like fire, and burn so that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings."Here God's Word is directed to Judah, the Southern Israel, with a call for their true repentance and conversion, coupled with a threat of drastic punishment.
"Break up your fallow ground ..." (Jeremiah 4:3). `Fallow ground' refers to land that had not been recently cultivated, indicating that conditions in Judah were not at all favorable for the planting of God's Word; and the practical import of the admonition is that they should get rid of all their idols, no longer visit the shrines of the fertility gods, and produce the kind of environment that would encourage godly living. It appears to this writer that McGee's comment about our own country's needing this same kind of advice is appropriate:
The fallow ground needs to be broken up. We are a nation in danger. We say we are one of the greatest nations in the world, but we could fall overnight. Babylon the great fell in one night. Rome fell from within ... Our nation is decaying from within.
Morality is deteriorating. Someone needs to say something about it. We are still preaching, but we are sowing the seed among the thorns.[5]"Circumcise yourselves to Jehovah ... take away the foreskins of your heart ..." (Jeremiah 4:4). The second clause here explains the first. Circumcision was observed for all Jewish males; but the kind of circumcision they needed was not physical but spiritual. Cutting off the foreskins of their hearts meant removing from their thoughts and affections all of the sinful indulgences to which they were so addicted.
As Harrison commented, "Inner cleansing of the heart is the only alternative to destruction by fire, a theme prominent also in the New Testament (Matthew 25:41, etc.)"[6]Some have difficulty understanding the part that man must play in his own conversion, repentance, and regeneration. The passage before us declares that the men of Judah and Jerusalem were to "circumcise their hearts"; but Deuteronomy 30:6 declares that, "The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart!" Is this a contradiction? Certainly not.
The simple fact is that man is both active and passive in regeneration. The text here (Jeremiah 4:4) stresses his activity, and the passage in Deuteronomy stresses his passivity.[7]This is the way it is in the New Birth. The sinner must "Arise and be baptized and wash away his sins" (Acts 22:16); but the actual cleansing and the convert's reception of the Holy Spirit are from above, the convert being passive in their reception. It is for this truth that Paul could say, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12). Yes indeed, there are things for the sinner to do if he is ever going to be saved.
Verse 5
"Declare ye in Judah, and publish in Jerusalem; and say, Blow ye the trumpet in the land: cry aloud and say, Assemble yourselves, and let us go into the fortified cities. Set up a standard toward Zion: flee for safety, stay not; for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction. A lion has gone up from his thicket, and a destroyer of nations; he is on his way, he has gone forth from his place, to make the land desolate, that thy cities be laid waste, without inhabitant. For this gird you with sackcloth, lament and wail; for the fierce anger of Jehovah is not turned back from us. And it shall come to pass at that day, saith Jehovah, that the heart of the king shall perish, and the heart of the princes; and priests shall be astonished, and the prophets shall wonder."These verses are a prophecy of the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem and the captivity of Judah. That terrible judgment against Judah, like many other judgments of God throughout history against cities and/or nations whose wickedness had reached a point of no return, is also typical of the ultimate overthrow of Adam's rebellious race in the Final Judgment. This is indicated by the words "at that day" in Jeremiah 4:9.
"Blow ye the trumpet in the land ..." (Jeremiah 4:5). This was an all-out war alarm, a signal for Judah and Jerusalem to brace themselves for the conflict.
"Set up a standard toward Zion ..." (Jeremiah 4:6). This meant that road signs should be set up pointing the way to the nearest fortified cities to which the people might flee for safety. It should not be thought, however, that any true safety was available. Of course, there was yet time, IF, only IF Judah repented and turned to the Lord, "There would then have been hope, that protected by their fortified cities, they might have waited till the tide of war had passed; but as long as their sins remained unrepented of, their punishment would continue."[8]"I will bring evil from the north, and a great devastation ..." (Jeremiah 4:6). Quite a few of the scholars whose writings on this chapter we have consulted still believe they find the Scythians indicated here; but, as in our introduction, we cannot agree with that interpretation.
Taking all into consideration, we see that referring this prophecy to the Scythians is founded neither on exegetical results, nor upon historical evidence; but such a reference relies solely upon rationalistic prejudice that the prophecies of the Biblical prophets are nothing more than either disguised descriptions of historical events, or threatenings based upon forthcoming events that astute political observations could predict.[9]That the prophecy here refers to the Babylonians is a certainty, as proved by the next verse.
"A lion has gone up from his thicket, and a destroyer of nations ..." (Jeremiah 4:7). This lion was no ordinary beast, but a destroyer of nations. While true enough that a lion "could represent either Assyria or Babylon," after the fall of Nineveh (612 B.C.) the metaphor could have applied only to Babylon.
Jamieson identified the lion as, "Nebuchadnezzar and the Chaldeans ... his `thicket' was Babylon."[10] Of course, the emphasis in Babylon upon the lion as their symbol is proved by the lion's den into which Daniel was cast, and also, as Harrison noted: "Archaeological discoveries have uncovered beautiful representations of lions in enamel from the Processional Street of ancient Babylon."[11]"Gird you with sackcloth, lament and wail ..." (Jeremiah 4:8). There is nothing left for Judah except to weep and wail as the penalty of their sins is ruthlessly executed upon them by the savage lion of the Babylonians. Also note that the expression "at that day" also points forward to that day when "the weeping and the gnashing of teeth" shall mark the final punishment of our rebellious race of the sons of Adam.
This thought is developed more fully a little later in the chapter. "Jehovah's judgment of his people here is similar to that of Isaiah 24, where the judgment of the enemies of Israel is interwoven with the judgment upon the earth."[12]Verse 10
"Then said I, Ah, Lord Jehovah! surely thou hast greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall have peace; whereas the sword reacheth unto the life."We have called this the most difficult verse in the chapter; because, as it is written, we find it very difficult either to believe or to interpret. As it stands, it would have to be based upon the oriental conception that everything that happens is actually accomplished by Jehovah; and some commentators take that view; but in English, this understanding is by no means evident. Another view, held by some, that this is really the way Jeremiah felt about it, and that the thought should be forgiven due to the discouragement of Jeremiah; but we cannot allow that a blasphemous view like this ever belonged to Jeremiah.
"One of the three most ancient MSS, namely, the Codex Alexandrinus, along with the Arabic Version and theLXX, give the first three verses here as `They will say.'"[13] Many scholars support this rendition, among whom are Wiseman and Ash, with Green in the Broadman Bible Commentary (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1971) accepting the meaning that "The leaders of Israel" are the ones who accused God of deceiving them, although he apparently retained the American Standard Version reading. To us, "They will say" is the only reading that makes any sense at all. Certainly it was the false prophets who, all along, were deceiving God's people with promises of peace and safety.
Verse 11
"At that time shall it be said to this people and to Jerusalem, A hot wind from the bare heights in the wilderness toward the daughter of my people, not to winnow, nor to clean; a full wind from these shall come for me: now will I utter judgments against them. Behold, he shall come up as clouds, and his chariots shall be as the whirlwind: his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe unto us, for we are ruined! O Jerusalem, wash thy heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thine evil thoughts lodge within thee? For a voice declareth from Dan, and publisheth evil from the hills of Ephraim.
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. As keepers of a field are they against her round about, because she hath been rebellious against me, saith Jehovah. Thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee; this is thy wickedness; for it is bitter, for it reacheth unto thy heart."Here we have a further description of the coming of Babylon upon the apostate Judah. It shall be like a bank of threatening clouds, like the terrible sirocco, or simoon, a wind, not at all helpful like the one used for winnowing, but a violent and destructive wind. The swift chariots shall descend upon the helpless people swifter than an eagle descends upon the prey. There will be no recourse for Judah; she must drink the bitter cup, because it came upon her solely as the result of her terrible wickedness, represented here as "procuring" the terrible disaster that befell her.
"From Dan ... from the hills of Ephraim ..." (Jeremiah 4:15). Dan was at the northern extremity of Palestine, and Ephraim was quite near Jerusalem. The rapid advance of the enemy upon Jerusalem is indicated:
"Make ye mention to the nations ..." (Jeremiah 4:16). The pagan nations are called to witness God's punishment of Judah. "The tents or booths of the besiegers are compared to the stations of the farmers who guarded their crops in more prosperous times."[14]"This thy wickedness ..." (Jeremiah 4:18). The meaning of this verse was given thus by the Dean of Canterbury:
"This word signifies both evil done and evil suffered by anyone. It means, `this is thy wretchedness, this army, and thy approaching ruin is thy misery, thy wretched lot.'"[15]Verse 19
"My anguish, my anguish! I am pained at my very heart; my heart is disquieted in me; I cannot hold my peace; because thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war. Destruction upon destruction is cried; for the whole land is laid waste: suddenly are my tents destroyed, and my curtains in a moment. How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet? For my people are foolish, they know me not; they are sottish children, and they have no understanding; they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge."Jeremiah was evidently not the owner of the many tents suggested in Jeremiah 4:20; and therefore it seems better to accept this paragraph as did Jamieson: "The prophet suddenly assumes the language of the Jewish state personified lamenting its affliction."[16] "Jeremiah 4:19-22 are best understood as a series of ejaculations, in which the people express their grief at the ravages committed by the enemy."[17]God did not, however, leave the cries of his people unanswered but promptly supplied the reason that lay behind their dreadful suffering.
"My people are foolish ... sottish ... know me not... no understanding ... wise to do evil ... etc., ..."(Jeremiah 4:22). `Sottish' means `stupefied with drink,' thus adding drunkenness to the list of the debaucheries of the people.
The Anchor Bible has an interesting rendition of Jer 4:22 as follows:
"Ah, my people are fools!
Me they know not.
Stupid sons are they,
Senseless - they.
Clever are they to do wrong,
To do right, they don't know how!"[18]Verse 23
"I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was waste and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. And I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved to and fro. I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. And I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful field was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of Jehovah, and before his fierce anger."The terminology here clearly points to the final judgment. See Zephaniah 1:1-4; Revelation 6:12-17, etc. The lesson would appear to be that the judgment of God repeatedly executed throughout history upon rebellious cities and nations are all typical of the ultimate Judgment of the Final Day.
Verse 27
"For thus saith Jehovah, The whole land shall be a desolation; yet will I not make a full end. For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black; because I have spoken it, I have purposed it, and I have not repented, neither will I turn back from it. Every city fleeth for the noise of the horsemen and the bowmen; they go into the thickets, and climb up upon the rocks: every city is forsaken, and not a man dwelleth therein. And thou, when thou art made desolate, what wilt thou do? Though thou clothest thyself with scarlet, though thou deckest thee with ornaments of gold, thou enlargest thine eyes with paint, in vain dost thou make thyself fair; thy lovers despise thee, they seek thy life. For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, the anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, that gaspeth for breath, that spreadeth her hands, saying, Woe is me now! for my soul fainteth before the murderers."Of very great interest is the promise of God in Jeremiah 4:27 that he will not make a full end of Judah.
Not so for Nineveh. God promised to make a "Full end of her place" (Nahum 1:8); and that was surely her fate, because when Alexander the Great encamped his army near the ancient ruins of Nineveh, he did not even know that a city had ever been there!
Ash complained that the optimistic note of Jer 4:27 "seems out of place, and some scholars suggest omitting the not. This would seem more harmonious with Jeremiah 4:28!"[19] All such scholar objections are founded upon the rationalistic prejudice that the same author could not prophecy both doom and deliverance at the same time. We reject that whole prejudice out of hand. It is just another one of the false rules followed by radical critics. Did not Jesus Christ himself prophecy heaven and hell in the same breath? Of course he did.
It was absolutely necessary that Jeremiah should have mentioned this hope in Jeremiah 4:27 that Judah would not be completely destroyed. Isaiah, who preceded Jeremiah, had named one of his sons Shear-Jashub, meaning, "A remnant shall return" (Isaiah 7:3; Isaiah 10:21);[20] and therefore at the very moment of his announcing the end of Judah was by all considerations exactly the right time for Jeremiah to have reiterated the promise that a remnant would return. This alone was the device by which God would at last fulfill all of the glorious promises to the patriarchs. It would have been criminal to have left it out of this context in which we find it.
Cook called Jeremiah 4:27 b "One of the most striking points of the prophecy."[21]"And when thou art made desolate ..." (Jeremiah 4:30). The extremity of Judah's punishment is depicted in these last verses.
Through her behavior in courting lovers Judah has become tainted with mortal disease, and by using the figure of a fatal miscarriage, the prophet depicts the nation moribund and gasping spasmodically with arms outstretched, crying `The murderers have killed me!' Like the wanton she had become, Judah is here shown paying the price of her iniquity.[22]Robinson has an interesting comment on the contrasting figures employed here by Jeremiah to describe the helplessness of Judah before the invading Babylonians:
"Jeremiah 4:30 and Jeremiah 4:31 there is an effective contrast between the gaily decked prostitute and the travailing woman, though both figures are used to express the same fact, Jerusalem's helplessness before the invader, either to allure or to withstand."[23]"I heard a voice ..." (Jeremiah 4:31). "The cry is of one whose agony is unbearable. Jerusalem is in her death throes."[24] The tragic picture developed in this chapter of the conquest of Judah is not merely a masterpiece; but it is the most tragic picture ever presented of the pitiful end of rebellion against the Creator, whether of an individual, or of a nation. The extremely sorrowful emotions of the great prophet himself seem to wrap every line of the revelation here in tears. Something of this same deep emotion also belonged to Jesus Christ when he wept over the city of Jerusalem upon the occasion of his sentencing her to death, "Because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation!"
Jeremiah 4:1. Jeremiah began to write in the days of Josiah and God had told that righteous reformer that nothing he could do would prevent the captivity Hence we should understand the exhortations of this and several verses that follow in the light of advice to Individuals to reform their lives. The reader is requested to see the note in connection with 2 Kings 22:17 in Vol. 2 of this Commentary.
Jeremiah 4:2. Thou shall swear the Lord liveth is a contrast with the practice of swearing by the name of the false gods as the idolaters were doing. Under the Jewish Dispensation the people of God were permitted to make oaths but Christians are forbidden to do so (Matthew 5:33-37; James 5:12). If the Jews professed to swear by the Lord it would not avail them anything unless they were doing so in truth and justice and with a righteous motive. Nations shall bless themselves means that if the people (one definition of nations) will base their oaths on the Lord they will be blessed and glorified.
Jeremiah 4:3. Men of Judah and Jerusalem is said because that city was the capital of the kingdom of the two tribes, the ten having been In exile more than a century. The verse is still an exhortation on the principle of the note referred to in verse 1. Break means to cultivate and fallow ground means ground that is ploughed and gleaming with richness. The clause denotes the wisdom of using the good sotl for their seed and not waste it by sowing it among thorns. Of course it iB figurative and means they should sow their lives to the true God and not to idols. (See Galatians 6:7-8.)
Jeremiah 4:4. When circumcise is used figuratively it means to cut off the deeds of unrighteousness and be consecrated to God. Lest my fury come does not mean the national captivity might be prevented, but God’ s wrath against Individual sinners is based upon the phrase from the standpoint of their personal conduct. If we consider the captivity then test my fury come means for the individuals to reform before that fury comes. All who did so fared better even though they had to share in the national disgrace of the captivity. Here is another place where the reader should see the note and comments at 2 Kings 2:17 in Vol. 2 of this Commentary.
Jeremiah 4:5. Blow ye the trumpet is a call for a general reformation in the conduct of life. A trumpet was an instrument that was used when any important event was at hand that pertained to ail the people. (See Exodus 19:13; Leviticus 25:9.)
Jeremiah 4:6. Zion was the principal spot, .in Jerusalem where the Law of God was recorded. The Jews are here admonished to recognize lhat lawful standard and not continue to serve false gods. The evil from the north is explained at Isaiah 14:31.
Jeremiah 4:7. The lion is come up from his thicket is a figurative prediction of the roaring army ot Babylon coming up to invade the land of Palestine. There is an interesting explanation of this statement in secular history which is aa follows: "The propriety of this will appear, when it is known that in ancient times the river Jordan was particularly infested with lions, which concealed themselves among the thick reeds upon its banks. Let us then imagine one of these monarchs of the desert asleep among the thickets upon the banks of the river. Let us further suppose him to be suddenly awakened by the roaring, or dislodged by the overflowing ot the rapid, tumultuous torrent, and in his fury rushing into the upland country; and we shall perceive the admirable propriety' and force of the prophet’ s allusion. ‘ After having descended.’ says Maundrell, the outermost bank of Jordan, you go about a furlong upon a level strand before you come to the immediate bank of the river. This second bank is so beset with bushes and trees, such as tamarisks, willows, oleanders, etc., that you can see no water till you have made your way through them.
In this thicket anciently, and the same is reported of it at this day. several sorts of wild beasts were wont to harbor themselves; whose being washed out of the covert by the overflowing river gave occasion to that allusion, he sliaii come up like a lion from the swelling of Jordan.’ ” Horne, Introduction, vol. 1, p. 368, and note. This overflowing of Jordan took place at the season of harvest according to Joshua 3:15, Gentiles is used in the general sense of nations, for the Babylonian Empire had subdued all other important nations in its grasp for power. The verse is a prediction of the invasion of the Babylonian army which was followed by tlie destruction of Jerusalem and other cities of Palestine. The Biblical fulfillment of this prediction is shown in 2 Kings 24:10-16.
Jeremiah 4:8. Gird you with sackcloth is a prediction of the sadness and humiliation that was to come upon the nation as a result of the invasion and captivity. Anger is not turned hack means the captivity was Inevitable in spite of all the reformative work of Hezektah and Josiah,
Jeremiah 4:9. Heart shall perish refers to the disheartened state of mind that would be experienced by the king and citizens in Jerusalem when they saw the Babylonian forces.
Jeremiah 4:10. Greatly deceived this people will confuse us if we do not carefully consider the subject in the light of other passages. We know that God never causes a good man to become a bad one, nor does he directly mislead a worthy person who sincerely wishes to go in the right way. But if a man persists in going In the wrong path or shows a determination to follow false teachers, the Lord will deliver him over to his own ways that he may learn “ the hard way’’ a lesson he is not willing to learn directly from the true source. (See Psalms 81:11-12; Ezekiel 20:25; Ezekiel 20:39; Romans 1:24; Romans 1:28; 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12.) The false prophets of Israel had promised peace to that disobedient people (Jeremiah 6:13-14) In spite of the warnings of God that trouble was in store for them. Since they preferred the words of their false prophets to those of the Lord, he just let them take their own unwise course. In this way It was true that the Lord indirectly deceived the people by suffering their false prophets to lead them into a false sense of security.
Jeremiah 4:11. At tlial time refers to the time of the sword mentioned in the preceding verse. The march of the Babylonian army from the wilderness is compared to a wind, but it is not for the purpose of fanning or threshing grain in a desired sense. Instead, it is a dry wind which means a hot blast that will have a withering effect.
Jeremiah 4:12. This blowing of the high wind will be according to the sentence of God, that his unfaithful people might learn a lesson by the chastisement.
Jeremiah 4:13. He shall come up refers to the king of Babylon who will come up against Jerusalem by means of his army. In a previous verse this army is compared to a withering blast and in ibis it is called a whirlwind which means a storm or tempest. The lexicon definition of the original is "a hurricane." which indicates it will sweep everything before it. That was true of the Babylonian invasion as may be seen in the history of 2 Kings 24, 25.
Jeremiah 4:14. Wash thine heart..... mayest he saved may be considered from two viewpoints. In Its immediate application it is an exhortation to individual reformation of life, explained in the note on 2 Kings 22:17 in Vol. 2 of this Commentary, In another application it is a prediction of the cleansing effect of the impending captivity on the nation as a whole. The evidence is that Israel was completely cured of idolatry after the period of the captivity. (See Isaiah 1:25 in Vol. 3 of this Commentary.)
Jeremiah 4:15. Dan was one of the ten tribes anti Ephraim was often used to mean all the ten that formed the kingdom of Israel. That kingdom had been in exile more than a century when Jeremiah wrote this verse. A voice declureth is a figurative way of telling Judah to take a warning from the fate of her sister kingdom.
Jeremiah 4:16. Mention to the nations means for the prophet to make a prediction that may be heard by the peoples of the world. He was to predict that watchers (besiegers) were to come from a far country (from Babylon) who would denounce the cities of Judah. These movements preceded the taking of Jerusalem and the carrying away of its people into captivity.
Jeremiah 4:17. A man set to keep guard over a field will watch that nothing therein shall escape. Likewise the Babylonian army was predicted to besiege Jerusalem to see that the people might not flee from it. The Lord was to suiter this calamity to come upon the city because she hath been rebellious.
Jeremiah 4:18. Way means a course of life as a whole and doings refers to the individual acts in that way. The language is present tense in form but is a prediction of things soon to happen to Judah. She is told that all of her bitter and heartfelt experiences will have been brought on by her own conduct.
Jeremiah 4:19. Jeremiah took an intense personal interest in the experiences of his countrymen which he indicated by the use of the word bowels. That word is from an original which Strong defines, "A primitive root; to fondle: by implication to love, especially to compassionate.” The inspired writers of both the Old and New Testaments used words as they were understood by the people for whom they were writing, and did not stop to inquire whether such was based on some erroneous theory; such was the case with the word in question here. In his Greek-English lexicon, Thayer says this of the word for bowels; “ In the Greek poets the bowels were regarded as the seat of the more violent passions, such as anger and love; but by the 1-tebrewa as the seat of the tenderer affections, especially kindness, benevolence, compassion." In other words, the ancients thought the intestines were the seat of the mind and emotions, while we consider the brain in that light. By adding the word heart to his state-ment the prophet means to emphasize the intensity of his feelings, because the word means the center or most important part of anything. Thou hast heard; the prophet addresses himself and as an inspired man he can hear the war cry and alarming sounding of the trumpets of the Babylonian army coming to besiege his beloved city.
Jeremiah 4:20, The prediction of the Babylonian invasion continues and the repetition of destruction is for emphasis. Land is spoiled is a reference to the loss of various items of property, and tents and curtains are terms for the dwelling to be demolished.
Jeremiah 4:21. Ail scripture is inspired of God and when anything is said it is from that source. But Jeremiah is so impressed personally with the condition of his people that he speaks for the Lord in the first, person much of the time. The standard and trumpet refer to the war signals of the Baby-lonian army.
Jeremiah 4:22. Foolish and sottish have the same meaning which refers to the lack of judgment shown in the conduct of the people. Not that they are lacking in natural intelligence, for it is expressly said that they are wise, but they are using the wisdom for evil purposes instead of that for which the Lord gave it to them.
Jeremiah 4:23. Figures of speech are based on literal truths, and when a writer selects any particular subject for his illustration he continues his discussion with the various terms of that subject. In this and several verses the prophet uses the realm of natural creation to illustrate the political and national institutions of the Lord's people. As In the beginning there was darkness, so the prophet sees his beloved country darkened by the Inroads of the enemy.
Jeremiah 4:24. An earthquake would cause the mountains to shake, so likewise the Babylonian invasion will cause the cities and homes of Judah to be shaken.
Jeremiah 4:25. At the start of the physical creatiou there were no men or other living creatures. And in the picture of conditions that the Invadmg army would bring the prophet sees the country’ s loss of men. (See the fulfillment in 2 Kings 24:14.)
Jeremiah 4:26. The figures of speech are discontinued and the prophet sees the country actually in a ruined condition. At the presence of the Lord, means the Babylonian forces are coming against the land at the decree of the Lord to punish its people.
Jeremiah 4:27. Whole land shall be desolate is a summing up of the conditions and it is literal. Not make a full end is the oft-repeated promise that God would not let the enemy completely destroy his people although they will be greatly reduced. The amount of this remnant after the captivity is stated in Ezra 2:64.
Jeremiah 4:28. About the same time that Jeremiah was writing his predictions, the historian was also writing about the great reformative efforts of Josiali. In spite of that good work the nation had to go into captivity (2 Kings 23:26-27).
Jeremiah 4:29. The complete subjugation of the land of Judah is the prediction made in this verse. The Biblical fulfillment is recorded in 2 Kings 24, 25. The historical fulfillment is cited at Isaiah 3:1 in vol. 3 of this Commentary.
Jeremiah 4:30-31. There was no remedy for the undone conditions of the people of God short of the captivity. Joslah and other good men worked diligently to reform the character and conduct of the people, and doubtless won many individuals over to a better way of life. All such were to receive the blessings of God even in the midst of their misfortunes. But all of these individual cases of improvement were insufficient to head off the national calamity. This paragraph describes the state of discouragement that would overcome the people when they see the distressful condition upon them.
This terrible situation had been predicted in doleful terms by David in Psalms 137 hundreds of years before. Now as Jeremiah writes the time is near for the awful event to take place which will begin with the captivity in the land of Babylon.
Jeremiah Chapter Five
Verse 1
5
A SAD OF OF JUDAHOne would find it difficult to exaggerate the extent of Judah's wickedness. Halley gave a summary of the chapter thus: Not a single righteous person was found in the whole kingdom; there was promiscuous sexual indulgence of all the people whose behavior was compared to that of animals; the people openly scoffed at the prophetic warnings; they were continually engaged in deceit, oppression, and robbery; they were contented with wholesale corruption in both their religion and their government.[1]Cheyne divided the chapter into only four major divisions; but we shall break it down into smaller units.
Jeremiah 5:1-3THE SEARCH FOR AN HONEST MAN"Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that doeth justly, that seeketh truth; and I will pardon her. And though they say, As Jehovah liveth; surely they swear falsely. O Jehovah, do not thine eyes look upon truth? thou hast stricken them, but they were not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return."We may exclaim with horror over Jeremiah's inability to find an honest man in Jerusalem; but as McGee said, "Today you would probably have the same difficulty in Los Angeles or your own town!"[2]Henderson proposed a solution to this difficulty, pointing out that:
"It is beyond dispute that there did live in Jerusalem at the time of the prophet such good men as Josiah, Baruch, and Zephaniah ... therefore we may suppose (1) either that the search was confined to certain classes of people (the magistrates, for example), or (2) that the pious had withdrawn into hiding or retirement."[3]We do not believe any such explanation is necessary. The language here is evidently hyperbole, a figure of speech in which there is a deliberate exaggeration for the purpose of emphasis. Such figures abound throughout the Bible. A New Testament example is Matthew 3:5, "Then went out Jerusalem and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan; and they were baptized of him in Jordan!" This is hyperbole, becauseLuke 7:30 declares that the Pharisees and lawyers were not baptized. Making full allowance for this, however, cannot conceal the terrible state of Jewish morals at that time, shortly before the fall of the nation to Babylon.
Some have suggested that the words here are the words of Jeremiah and not the words of Jehovah, "But such a distinction is merely academic; because Jeremiah was not preaching his own thoughts, but the word of Jehovah."[4]The purpose of these verses has been described as "a theodicy,"[5] that being, of course, an explanation of why the just and merciful God must, on occasion, severely punish and destroy sinful men. These verses fully explain why it was necessary to bring suffering and death upon God's people. It was all because of the terrible wickedness of the people.
It is of interest that the search for an honest man, recounted here, came centuries before the behavior of Diogenes, the fourth century cynic, who is supposed to have gone about with a lantern in broad open daylight, "looking for an honest man!"[6]"I will pardon her ..." (Jeremiah 5:1). God promised Abraham to spare Sodom and Gomorrah if ten righteous persons could be found; but here he even went beyond that, showing his great love and affection for the Chosen People.
"Run to and fro through the streets ..." (Jeremiah 5:1). "The verb here is plural; and this direction is addressed to the whole city."[7]"They swear falsely ..." (Jeremiah 5:2). "This does not refer to a judicial oath, but means that their professions of faith in Jehovah were insincere."[8]In spite of repeated punishments by the Lord and his constant pleading with them to return to him, the people continued in stubborn rebellion.
Verse 4
"Then I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish; for they know not the way of Jehovah, nor the law of their God: I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they know the way of Jehovah, and the justice of their God. But these with one accord have broken the yoke, and burst the bonds. Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, a wolf of the evenings shall destroy them, a leopard shall watch against their cities; everyone that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces; because their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are increased."Among other things, these verses suggest that the initial search for the honest man had not indeed included a search of the whole population, but that it was somewhat partial, hence the decision here to search among the higher echelons of society; but the results were no better.
"Once Judah had abandoned Jehovah and acknowledged some other sovereignty, it was inevitable that the curses of the covenant would follow. It was natural, therefore, that Jeremiah in this passage should have mentioned their failure to worship the Lord sincerely. As Thompson accurately noted, `Moral and religious evils are finally inseparable since they stem from a common cause.'"[9]"They have broken the yoke ... burst the bonds ..." (Jeremiah 5:5). "The bonds were the fastenings by which the yoke was securely fixed upon the neck of the animal."[10] The meaning of the verse is simply that the well educated, "great men" were just as wicked as the remainder of the population.
"The lion, the wolf, the leopard ..." (Jeremiah 5:6). These wild and dangerous animals metaphorically represent the Babylonians whom the Lord was shortly to bring against Judah. Following the fall of the Northern Israel, such wild animals became a great threat to the safety of the people living in the depopulated area (See 2 Kings 17:25 ff).
Although not stressed here, the message is clear enough. The ox that throws off the yoke and flees from its owner will be devoured by wild beasts. Henderson's comment stressed the aptness of choosing these three wild animals to represent the terror coming upon God's people. "The lion is the strongest, the wolf the most ravenous, and the leopard the swiftest of the wild animals."[11]Verse 7
"How can I pardon thee? thy children have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are no gods. When I had fed them to the full, they committed adultery, and assembled themselves in troops at the harlot's houses; they were as fed horses roaming at large; everyone neighed after his neighbor's wife. Shall I not visit for these things? saith Jehovah; and shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?"The sentiment voiced in Jeremiah 5:9 here surfaces again in Jeremiah 5:29, forming a kind of recurring refrain in the prophecy.
"Committed adultery and assembled ... in harlot's houses ..." (Jeremiah 5:7). "The reference here is both to the worship of the `no-gods,' and to the literal immorality which resulted."[12]"Immorality always accompanied idolatry. Apostasy and adultery are a horrendous pair. Publicly and unashamedly the people thronged to the prostitute's house, that is, the idol temple (the noun here in the Hebrew is singular!). Jeremiah 5:8 proves that their sins included physical immorality."[13]"Only stern retribution and burning judgment were in store for such a generation, notwithstanding the word of the false prophets whose words would prove to be nothing but wind."[14]Verse 10
"Go ye up upon her walls, and destroy; but make not a full end: take away her branches; for they are not Jehovah's."Due to its importance, we shall take a careful look at this verse. Note the figure of pruning the grapevine, "Take away her branches," the ones that do not pertain to Jehovah. The figure here is not that of destroying the vine completely, but that of pruning it severely. This is important in refuting the speculations that would delete the pledge here that God would not allow the complete destruction of Judah. Not only here, but inJeremiah 5:18 below, and in Jeremiah 4:27 above, this pledge is given no less than three times. It is one of the most important things in Jeremiah. It meant that all of the glorious promises to the patriarchs would yet be fulfilled in that "righteous remnant" announced by Isaiah, which would indeed return from Babylon and form the nucleus of the New Israel in Jesus Christ.
We shall note together what the critics have said about this pledge of "no full end" in both Jeremiah 5:10 andJeremiah 5:18. Robinson stated that, "Like many similar remarks, this seems to be a later insertion meant to qualify the rigor of the destruction in Jeremiah 5:17."[15] On this expression in Jeremiah 5:10, Hyatt declaimed, "The word `not' is probably a mitigating gloss."[16] Notice the absolute lack of evidence cited in support of these presumptuous and arrogant denials of what the Word of God says. Fortunately, this type of blatant denial has been tempered significantly by current critics, who still mention the old prejudice against these pledges, but point out reasons for rejecting them.
Feinberg, for example, mentioned the old canard about those pledges in Jeremiah 5:10; Jeremiah 5:18. being "later additions or glosses"; but immediately added that, "That view lacks MS authority; furthermore the immediate context speaks of pruning not of destroying the vine." (This comment, written in 1965, shows how far we have come from the arrogant denial of Robinson in 1924). Why do not the critics ever tell us that no MS authority whatever backs up their devices against these verses but that the, "Syriac, Septuagint, and Arabic versions all agree with the words, `Destroy, but make not a full end'? (See Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (London: T. Mason and G. Lane, 1837), p. 369). We learned long ago that the strict fairness of radical critics cannot be counted upon. We also appreciate what Ash said about this: "Some suggest that the word `not' be deleted from Jeremiah 5:10; but since the vine was not uprooted, the idea of its continued existence can be supported from the rest of the verse."[17]We shall be happier when Christian scholars no longer feel it is necessary to pay lip service to those old shibboleths of the radical critics. They have already been long discredited and rejected by believers.
Verse 11
"For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me, saith Jehovah, They have denied Jehovah, and said, It is not he; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine: and the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them.""It is not he ..." (Jeremiah 5:12). Ash tells us that the Hebrew expression, "It is not he," simply means that, "God will do no such thing as punish us, regardless of what any prophet says."[18] Zephaniah accused the people of exactly that same attitude (Zephaniah 1:12).
It is strange indeed that, despite all of the specific warnings God gave to his people through Moses in such specific terms as those of the last three or four chapters of Deuteronomy, the Jewish people should have decided that, as God's Chosen People, they were blessed forever no matter what they did! Green gave an explanation of that thus:
"The people perverted the doctrine of election. Instead of regarding it as a moral act subject to moral criticism and control, they came to look upon it as an unconditional relationship, guaranteeing them national victory and glory. They made it the basis of grandiose dreams and; `It can't happen here ... not to us... God's elect!'"[19]Verse 14
"Wherefore thus saith Jehovah, the God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them. Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith Jehovah: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say. Their quiver is an open sepulchre, they are all mighty men. And they shall eat up thy harvest, and thy bread, which thy sons and thy daughters should eat; they shall eat up thy flocks and thy herds; they shall eat up thy vines and thy fig-trees; they shall beat down thy fortified cities, wherein thou trustest, with the sword. But even in those days, saith Jehovah, I will not make a full end with you."In regard to the identity of that terrible nation God would bring against Judah, two clues are given here. (1) It is an ancient nation, which excludes the Scythians and points squarely at Babylon. Ash, quoting Herodotus, called the Scythians, "The youngest of the nations."[20] (2) The other clue comes from the words "mighty nation," rendered "enduring nation" by Ash. "These words describe Babylon, not the Scythians."[21]Feinberg listed the earmarks of Babylonian identity here as: (1) distant, (2) ancient, (3) enduring, (4) unintelligible in speech, and (5) deadly in war, all of these being evident in this passage.[22]"Their quiver is an open sepulchre ..." (Jeremiah 5:16). This is an unusual metaphor indicating the deadliness of the Babylonians in waging war.
"I will not make a full end with you ..." (Jeremiah 5:18). See a full discussion of this promise underJeremiah 5:10. This is one of the great phases of Jeremiah's prophecy, reiterating God's pledge to spare a remnant of the rebellious nation. It is a remarkable contrast with God's promise to make "a full end" of Nineveh (Nahum 8), ranking it among the most remarkable predictive prophecies of the Bible. Anyone familiar with critical writing against the scriptures has no difficulty at all of pinpointing right here the reason behind critical hostility toward this and similar passages throughout Jeremiah. "If it is undeniably a predictive prophecy," according to critical bias, "Get rid of it by any means whatsoever: (1) call it gloss; (2) ascribe it to another writer; (3) late-date it; (4) refer it to some unrelated subject; (5) delete it from the text; (6) mis-translate it; or (7) simply declare, "Of course, we must not make too much of this!"
Verse 19
"And it shall come to pass, when ye shall say, Wherefore hath Jehovah our God done all these things unto us? then shalt thou say unto them, Like as ye have forsaken me, and served foreign gods in your land, so shall ye serve strangers in a land that is not yours."Here is a definite prophecy of the captivity.
"So shall ye serve strangers ..." (Jeremiah 5:19). "Serving strangers is a detail that would not fit the Scythians, who sold their prisoners as slaves."[23] Thus we should add this to the details mentioned underJeremiah 5:18, above.
Verse 20
"Declare ye this in the house of Jacob, and publish it in Judah, saying, Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; that have eyes, and see not; that have ears, and hear not; Fear ye not me? saith Jehovah: will ye not tremble at my presence, who have placed the sand for the bound of the sea, by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it? and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet they cannot prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it. But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone. Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear Jehovah our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in its season; that preserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest. Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good from you.""Eyes, and see not, and have ears, and hear not ..." (Jeremiah 5:21). This, of course, is a reference to the judicial hardening that had already been divinely inflicted upon the unfaithful people, as is clear enough from the following verse.
"Will ye not tremble at my presence ..." (Jeremiah 5:22)? What an incredible marvel is it when intelligent people will not fear God, the great and Almighty God who hurled the suns in space, who set the planets in their orbits, who lifted the continents above the rolling seas, and whose tenderness and concern for human beings sends the former and the latter rains! Now wonder, God Himself exclaimed, "Will ye not fear me? will ye not tremble at my presence?"
Since the sun, moon, and stars obey God's will, what incredible folly it was for Israel or for any one who ever lived, to rebel against the will of God!
Verse 26
"For among my people are found wicked men: they watch as fowlers lie in wait; they set a trap, they catch men. As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxed rich. They are waxed fat, they shine; yea, they overpass in deeds of wickedness; they plead not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, that they may prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge. Shall I not visit for these things? saith Jehovah; shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?"In this paragraph goes a step beyond the religious failure of the nation and cites the social oppression and injustice that inevitably follow unfaithfulness in the worship of God.
"Waxed rich ... waxed fat ..." (Jeremiah 5:27-28). The intransitive verb "wax" is now obsolete; but it is an Old English word that means, "to grow, to increase" or "to become." It contrasts with its opposite, "to wane," which means "to decrease" or "to diminish."
"Shall I not visit for these things ..." (Jeremiah 5:19)? By such statements as this, Jehovah strives to convince the rebellious nation of the justice of the judgment and punishment about to fail upon them.
The whole paragraph pertains, "To three classes of people: the rich who oppress the poor, the false prophets who deceive, and the priests who also misbehave."[24]Verse 30
"A wonderful and horrible thing has come to pass in the land: the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end?"This, in fact is an eloquent summary of the prevailing conditions in Judah in the times of Jeremiah, preceding the fall of Jerusalem and the captivity of God's people.
The cause of the trouble is the failure of the nation to honor their religious duty of praising and worshipping God. This made way for the false prophets and the reprobate priests who deceived and encouraged the people in their wickedness. With all religious restraint out of the way, the whole people at once fell into the pursuit of selfish and lustful goals. With no adequate guidance, they quickly degenerated into a nation of idolaters, oppressors, and debauchees; and "the people just loved it!" There was no genuine hope whatever of such a condition ever healing itself.
As it was in the days of the flood when every thought and imagination of men's hearts was evil, and only evil, continually, the mission of Abraham and his posterity to keep alive the knowledge and love of the true God had, at last, totally failed (except for the righteous remnant).
"What will ye do at the end thereof ..." (Jeremiah 5:31)? This was the question that not only concerned Israel, but God Himself. What would God do, now that the Chosen People had failed in one of their principal purposes?
No disaster ever took God by surprise; and we can read God's answer to the disastrous situation that surfaces here in the first two chapters of Paul's Book of Romans.
GOD'S ANSWERThe judicial hardening of mankind was at this point complete, it was the third such emergency in God's dealings with humanity. (1) There was the condition before the flood; and God's answer then was the Great Deluge. (2) Then there was the organized wickedness that culminated in the Tower of Babel; and God's answer then was the confounding of the languages of humanity and the introduction of the device of the Chosen People; (3) Now that the whole race of Adam, Jews and Gentiles alike, had given themselves to Satan for the third time, what would God do? He sent the Blessed Saviour in his FIRST ADVENT. That is the reason God has been so careful to announce three times in the last two chapters that "this is not the end of Israel." This will be a mission of mercy. Is this hardening of all mankind ever going to happen again? The answer is yes. And what will God do then? (4) The Final Judgment will come upon Adam's rebellious race.
Jeremiah 5:1. When God was threatening to destroy Sodom (Genesis 18:26) he promised Abraham he would spare the city provided certain conditions could be found. He knew those conditions did not exist and hence was determined to go ahead with his plan for the destruction of the wicked place. Likewise the Lord puts the case of Jerusalem (capital of Judah) on a proviso, which is that a man can be found that executes judgment or ad
ministers justice. It is true that some individual, unofficial men were there who were righteous, but the city in its official conduct was corrupt. The last word of the verse is a pronoun and refers to Jerusalem, meaning that if the city could produce the characters described the Lord would pardon it, the city.
Jeremiah 5:2. Mere professions of respect for God do not count for anything. The people of Judah were outwardly very liberal with their compliments even as they appeared to be very active in the sacrificial services. But God knows the heart and he declares the professions of his people are false.
Jeremiah 5:3. This verse specifies the false professions referred to in the preceding verse. Every statement is the truth but it was not made wiih sincerity.
Jeremiah 5:4. The prophet incidentally tells us what constitutes a poor and foolish man: it is one who knows not the way and judgment of God. And that does not mean one who is thus ignorant because of circumstances beyond his control. The Lord has offered full information on these subjects in his law and all have the privilege of learning it for it has been composed in language adapted to man’ s understanding.
Jeremiah 5:5. According to Strong the original for great means "great in any sense.” It is like the teaching of Jesus in Matthew 5:19, that keeping the commandments of the Lord constitutes true greatness. The leaders in the kingdom could have been great men in this good sense had they been obedient to the law of God. They were disobedient and hence incurred the wrath of God. On the other hand, there were some of the common people who were respectful toward the divine statutes. Get me unto means the Lord would look with favor upon the humble folks.
This great truth is a divinely established principle and is taught in Isaiah 66:2. The pronoun these refers to the disbodient leaders described In the first of this paragraph. But in thus classifying the leaders we should not restrict the subject to them personally. They were chiefly to blame, but since the people generally “ loved to have It so” (v. 31). almost the entire nation would come under the same condemnation.
Jeremiah 5:6. Some figurative language is again used and the wild animals named refer to the Babylonians. The forest means the territory in the region of the Euphrates River. God was going to suffer these enemies to come against his people because their transgressions are many.
Jeremiah 5:7. Thee means the- nation of Judah and the children are the individual citizens of the kingdom. The captivity could not be avoided because nothing else was able to purify them from their love of idolatry, and untii they are thus purified the Lord would not pardon them. Idolatry is again compared to adultery because in both evils a companion proves untrue to the one who is the rightful partner. When, I had fed them is significant and portrays the ingratitude that is often shown by a fleshly wife. She will make full use of the home and support her husband provides for her, then turn her attention to the unlawful admirer to whom she is under no obligation either morally or socially. Troops has no word In the original, hut ihe clause means the people of Judah assembled in the bouses (temples) of harlots or the false gods.
Jeremiah 5:8. Idolatry ts illustrated by different figures. Sometimes it is a human being betraying his true love companion by an unlawful affair with a stranger. In this verse the comparison is drawn from the conduct of a horse that is full of vim from a plentiful supply of feed, then seeks to give vent to that energy by spending it on the creature that the owner intends to mate with another.
Jeremiah 5:9. Strong's definition of the original for visit is, “ A primitive root; to visit (with friendly or hostile intent).’ 1 It is used in the latter sense because God was determined to show his disapproval of his people by de-livering them into captivity. In treating the nation- thus the Lord would obtain vengeance against it, and it would he righteous vengeance because that authority belongs to Him. (Romans 12:19.)
Jeremiah 5:10. God’ s feeling of compassion never ceases, and usually it will be expressed even in the midst of severe threatenings. It is predicted that the wails of the peooie were to he mounted and destroyed, hut make not a full end. This is a reference to the "remnant” that has been mentioned frequently and fulfilled in Ezra 2:64.
Jeremiah 5:11, Israel often means the whole nation of the Jews or any part of it; however, when used In connection with Judah it means the ten tribes. Dealt very treacherously means they have been deceitful and acted as if they believed they could mislead the Lord Into accepting their professions of devotion. Israel has been in exile more than a century and Judah is soon to suffer a like experience. Both kingdoms were guilty of the same iniquity which was the worshiping of idols.
Jeremiah 5:12. To belie one means to accuse him of falsehood, and the houses of the Jews had acted as if the Lord did not mean what he said. Not he was a short way of saying that if evil should come it would not be the Lord who brought it. And since the Lord would not bring evil upon his people (as they thought.) they need not fear that any will come; such was the false reasoning of the nation.
Jeremiah 5:13. Prophets shall become wind denotes that the unrighteous prophets will be proved to have been false in promising peace to the nation, and all people will see that they were not speaking by the word of God.
Jeremiah 5:14. The singular pronouns ye and thy refer to Jeremiah who was a true prophet and spoke this word which came from the Lord. Fire and icood are used figuratively and refer to the severe predictions which the prophet was inspired to make. His fiery threatenings w-ere to be against this people who had been so unfaithful to God. This suggested the figure of wood because the unrighteous people will be as fuel for the burning wrath of God.
Jeremiah 5:15. The figures are dropped and the prediction is made of a literal fact to be enacted. House of Israel is used in its general sense although it is Judah who is specifically meant. The nation that was to be brought upon Israel was that of the Babylonians. and it would be from far since that kingdom was located beyond the Euphrates River. This nation did not use the language of the Jews hence it would be strange to the people who were to be ihe victims of this mighty and ancient nation.
Jeremiah 5:16. A quiver is a case for carrying arrows, a common weapon in ancient ties. Open sepulchre is figurative and means the Babylonians will be so successful in their war activities that the narrow case may be compared to a tomb for the dead.
Jeremiah 5:17. This verse is almost literal in that it predicts what was done by the Babylonians in taking possession of the property in Palestine. The last chapter of 2 Kings gives a history of the final invasion wherein the country was taken over.
Jeremiah 5:18. Not make a full end is a prediction referring to the remnant that was to be spared from the captivity or from its destructive effect. Ezra 2:64 states the number as 42,000 whereas the previous population was about three million.
Jeremiah 5:19, A spirit of inquiry will naturally arise as to why the Lord would thus deal with his people. The answer is given by reminding them of their unfaithfulness in going after strange or foreign gods. Shall ye serve strangers predicts that during the captivity the Jews were not permitted to practice the service required by their law. One thing that was to be accomplished by that period of chastisement was the cure of idolatry. Being compelled to continue in idolatrous worship would help serve that end in that they would thus realize the folly of sueh a system.
Jeremiah 5:20, The Lord directs the prophet to declare this prediction in a public manner. Jacob and Judah refer to the same people but from different standpoints. The first was the common ancestor of all the tribes, the second was that portion of them that made up the kingdom of Judah.
Jeremiah 5:21. There is no one as blind as a man who will not see, nor as deaf as one who will not hear. The ignorance of the people was not due to any lack of intelligence but it was because they failed to use that faculty in connection with the word of the Lord. The prophet Isaiah (ch. 1: 3) explains their ignorance by saying it was because they "doth not Consider.” The sad experiences in Babylonian captivity was intended to open their eyes to see the truth of all the divine warnings.
Jeremiah 5:22. The foolish people are- asked to consider the might of God as it is demonstrated before their own eyes. The boundless sea even is limited by His power so that it cannot pass beyond the decreed limits. Certainly a Being so great deserves the most respectful attention of mortal man who is powerless before those wild billows. They were unwilling to show proper regard while their way seemed prosperous in the homeland, therefore the captivity was decreed to force that impression on them.
Jeremiah 5:23. Revolting and rebellious are about the same except as to the degree of their unfavorable attitude. The latter refers especially to the state of mind and the former means the act of leaving due to that attitude. The people had not gone away literally but had done so in conduct, hence the Lord decided to send them out of the land bodily and as a nation into the territory of another.
Jeremiah 5:24. Ingratitude is one of the most outstanding shortcomings of man. The people of Israel were enjoying tiie blessings of God in their seasons and harvests yet they failed to remember it. Instead, they were using part of those very blessings in service to false gods that could give them nothing.
Jeremiah 5:25. The leaders had such a power over the people that most of the good things of life were appropriated to themselves and the common people were defrauded.
Jeremiah 5:26, The wicked men were leaders so frequently mentioned who took advantage of the people. The snares and traps were the deceptive means they used to make them think they were being favored.
Jeremiah 5:27. A cage full of birds is a figure to describe the completeness of the oppression suffered at the hands of these wicked leaders. Waxen rich gives the key to the deceptive procedure of these evil men. The love of money is not a corruption that was restricted to the days of Paul but was prominent in those of ancient Israel.
Jeremiah 5:28. Overpass the deeds of the wicked is rendered "overpass in deeds of wickedness” in the American Standard Version. The phrase is intended to state the degree of wicked zeal shown by these covetous leaders. Judge not tile cause means they were not concerned to see that justice was done for the poor and unfortunate people.
Jeremiah 5:29. To uisit means to bring some form of vengeance on the nation, which was to come in the way of the Babylonian captivity.
Jeremiah 5:30. This verse is a general description of conditions that existed at the time Jeremiah was writing; the situation will be itemized in the next verse.
Jeremiah 5:31. The citizens of the nation are put in three classes, the -prophets, priests and people. The duty of the first is to teach the law of the Lord, that of the second to bear rule or execute that teaching, and the third to be regulated in their conduct by the leadership of the others. But the principle of responsibility is never confined to any one person or group of persons. This verse is very fundamental in its portrayal of God's requirement of his servants. The degree of responsibility is not always the same, but no one can bear that which belongs to another. (See Galatians 6:5.) The leaders (prophets and priests) were chiefly to blame for the evils of the nation and hence are usually condemned in especially severe language.
But the common people also were at fault because they agreed to the corrupt leadership. A man does not have to take active part in a sinful practice to share in its guilt. This verse and the one in Romans 1:32 reveals the truth of God’ s law on the subject. If a man is merely favorable towards the wicked teaching and practices of another it makes him a partaker of those evils.
Jeremiah Chapter Six
Verse 1
Jeremiah 6 FROM THE NORTH;
THE SIEGE OF ;
OF number of such titles as the ones cited here are assigned to this chapter by various authors. There is very little in the chapter that requires any extensive research; and we shall depart from our usual procedure by giving our own paraphrase of this tragic prophecy.
True to the pattern throughout Jeremiah, the three subjects treated here, namely, (1) a description of the tragic fate of the city, (2) the character and identification of the instrument (the destroyer) God would use in the execution of his judgment against the city, and (3) a summary of the reasons why God judged Jerusalem and Judah to be worthy of the penalty about to fall upon them, Jeremiah jumbled all of these topics together. In our paraphrase, we shall reorganize them topically.
THE AWFUL FATE TO BEFALL JUDAH AND The daughter of Zion (a poetic name for Jerusalem) shall be cut off (Jeremiah 6:2); she shall be encircled with tents (Jeremiah 6:3); the lengthening shadows mark the closing of the Day of God's Favor upon racial Israel (Jeremiah 6:4); her palaces shall be destroyed (Jeremiah 6:5); the military shall cast up a mound against her (Jeremiah 6:6); she shall be uninhabited, a desolation (Jeremiah 6:8); the vine of Israel shall be stripped and gleaned (Jeremiah 6:9); the wrath of God shall be poured out upon her children, the young men, the husbands and wives, and even upon all the old people (Jeremiah 6:11); the houses, fields, and wives of the people shall be taken away from them and given to the invaders (Jeremiah 6:12); the nation shall fall; it shall be cast down (Jeremiah 6:25); God will bring evil upon her people (Jeremiah 6:19); God will place stumblingblocks in their way; fathers and sons, friends and neighbors shall perish (Jeremiah 6:21); the power of the defenders shall be feeble, and anguish shall overwhelm them (Jeremiah 6:24); the people will fear to go outside, for the sword of the enemy will be everywhere (Jeremiah 6:25); they shall clothe themselves in sackcloth and ashes, mourning as for an only son; destruction shall descend suddenly upon them (Jeremiah 6:26).
AND OF This had been accomplished already by the specifics Jeremiah gave in the preceding chapter, which made it certain that God's instrument in the fall of Jerusalem and the deportation of the people was to be Babylon; but some of the same clues are mentioned again.
It will be a military destruction from the north with tents, military equipment, trumpets, etc. (Jeremiah 6:1; Jeremiah 6:4; Jeremiah 6:17, and Jeremiah 6:22); the result shall be accomplished by a siege, as indicated by the tents and the mound against the city, earmarks of an all-out war (Jeremiah 6:4); the great nation from the north will have skilled bowmen, cruel, merciless horsemen who shall bring death to thousands (Jeremiah 6:23); their approach to Jerusalem shall be like the roaring sea-surge of a mighty hurricane (Jeremiah 6:23); the merciless swords of the enemy, lurking everywhere, shall spare no one (Jeremiah 6:25); they will strike suddenly (Jeremiah 6:16), as already indicated in Jeremiah 5 by the comparison with the leopard, the swiftest of animals; they shall burn Israel as a refiner burns metal to remove the dross; only Israel is all dross (Ezekiel 22:18).
WHY OF ISRAEL WAS God made it perfectly clear why it was required by the Divine justice that punishment and destruction were to be meted out to racial Israel. Jerusalem was producing nothing but wickedness, violence, and oppression (Jeremiah 6:7); they would not hear the Word of God (Jeremiah 6:10); they hated the word of God (Jeremiah 6:10); all of them were covetous and dealt falsely (Jeremiah 6:13); they loved their false prophets who cried, Peace, peace, when there was no peace (Jeremiah 6:14); they refused to be ashamed of their sins (Jeremiah 6:15); they declared, "We will not listen to God" (Jeremiah 6:17); their thoughts were evil, and as for God's Law, they rejected it (Jeremiah 6:19); their hypocritical and insincere offerings were not acceptable to God (Jeremiah 6:21); Israel had become a nation of grievous revolters, all of them habitual slanderers, and dealing falsely (Jeremiah 6:28); after God had repeatedly pleaded with and corrected his people, and after the exercise of near-infinite patience, and after it was perfectly clear that Israel had no intention of returning to God or in any sense mending their ways, God finally summarily rejected them and consigned their nation to destruction and captivity (Jeremiah 6:30).
Jeremiah 6:1-2 We shall now examine the text of this chapter.
"Flee for safety, ye children of Benjamin, out of the midst of Jerusalem. and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and raise up a signal on Beth-haccherem; for evil looketh forth from the north, and a great destruction. The comely and the delicate one, the daughter of Zion, will I cut off.""Ye children of Benjamin ..." (Jeremiah 6:1). "The reason that Benjamin is mentioned here is that Jerusalem geographically belonged to the territory of Benjamin."[1]"Out of the midst of Jerusalem ..." (Jeremiah 6:1). In Jeremiah 4:6, the people were warned to flee "to Jerusalem"; but here, they are warned to get out of Jerusalem. The capital of Judah is doomed to destruction. "The capital being doomed, and the destruction coming from the north, the only safety would have been toward the south."[2] Also, it may be supposed that some sought the safety of the rugged mountains toward the Dead Sea.
"Tekoa... and Beth-haccherem ..." (Jeremiah 6:1) These towns in the vicinity of Jerusalem were mentioned to indicate the near approach of the enemy, Tekoa being "only ten or twelve miles south of Jerusalem,"[3]and Beth-haccherem being only "four and a half miles west of Jerusalem."[4]Verse 3
"Shepherds with their flocks shall come unto her; they shall pitch their tents against her round about; they shall feed everyone in his place. Prepare ye war against her; arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe unto us! for the day declineth, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out.""Shepherds shall pitch their tents against Jerusalem... shall feed every one in his place ..."(Jeremiah 6:3). The armies of Babylon are here compared to the large numbers of shepherds that once pastured the area around Jerusalem; but this verse, "Describes the soldiers, eager to feed upon the richness of the area."[5]"Prepare ye war against her ..." (Jeremiah 6:4). "This expression derives from the ancient institution of Holy War."[6] In ancient times, one nation making war against another always undertook the venture by extensive preparations, making sacrifices to their gods, consulting so-called oracles, and making all of the preparations that in later years came to be associated with a formal declaration of war.
Verse 5
"Arise, and let us go up by night, and let us destroy her palaces. For thus hath Jehovah of hosts said, Hew ye down her trees, and cast up a mound against Jerusalem: this is the city to be visited; she is wholly oppression in the midst of her.""Hew ye down her trees ..." (Jeremiah 6:6). This does not refer to fruit trees, which would be utilized for feeding a besieging army, but to all the other trees, which according to Clarke, would have been utilized "to build towers, for overlooking the city, and for the mounting of their machines."[7]The siege which is certainly prophesied here, "means that this description cannot fit the Scythians, who did not have engines for besieging cities; but it is appropriate in describing the Babylonians."[8]Verse 7
"As a well casteth forth its waters, so she casteth forth her wickedness: violence and destruction are found in her; before me continually is sickness and wounds. Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul be alienated from thee; lest I make thee a desolation, a land not inhabited."The meaning of Jer 6:7 is that, "just as a water well maintained its waters at a constant level, no matter how much was taken out of it; in the same way Jerusalem maintained its full level of producing wickedness, violence, and destruction, continually.
"Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem ..." (Jeremiah 6:8) "This seems to indicate that the tragedy might be averted if the people would repent."[9] Maybe the passage does indicate such a thing; but, even if it does, it was purely a theoretical premise suggested by the prophet. Not only did Israel not repent, they despised and rejected God's law.
Verse 9
"Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, they shall thoroughly glean the remnant of Israel as a vine: turn again thy hand as a grape-gatherer into the baskets. To whom shall I speak and testify, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of Jehovah is become unto them a reproach, they have no delight in it. Therefore I am full of the wrath of Jehovah; I am weary with holding in: pour it out upon the children in the street, and upon the assembly of the young men together; for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with him that is full of days. And their houses shall be turned unto others, their fields, and their wives together; for I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land, saith Jehovah. For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them everyone is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest everyone dealeth falsely.""Glean the remnant of Israel... turn again ... as a grape-gatherer ..." (Jeremiah 6:9). "God here authorized the enemy to search out even the remnant of Israel and take them captive ... The enemy will not be satisfied with one invasion, but will repeat it."[10]Not even this gleaning of Israel, however, could nullify God's promise of there remaining a "righteous remnant" who would return to Jerusalem from Babylon (Jeremiah 4:27; Jeremiah 5:10; Jeremiah 5:18).
This is a terrible paragraph. The judgment of God will fall upon all segments of human life, from children playing in the streets to aged men, five different categories being cited.
Notice also that houses, fields, wives, etc. in fact, everything shall be stripped away and become booty for the invaders. What a horrible destruction of the people!
Verse 14
"They have healed also the hurt of my people slightly, saying Peace, peace; when there is no peace. Were they ashamed when they had committed abominations? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall; at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith Jehovah.""They have healed the hurt of my people slightly ..." (Jeremiah 6:14) This appears to be a reference to the reforms so vigorously pressed by king Josiah, but they were reforms that did not at all reach the hearts of the people. The false prophets were the ones who cried, "Peace, peace, when there was no peace."
"They were not at all ashamed ..." (Jeremiah 6:15). The hardened sinners of Israel had lost all sense of shame and had no feelings either of regret or remorse for their transgressions. There remained absolutely nothing else for God to do except to visit the people with divine punishment.
Verse 16
"Thus saith Jehovah, Stand ye in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way; and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls: but they said, We will not walk therein."James Hastings made this verse the text of one of his sermons on "Great Texts of the Bible."[11] This is indeed a great text.
SEEK YE THE OLD PATHSThe title is a little misleading. One of the oldest paths is that of rebellion and licentiousness; thus a better title would be "Ask for the good way!"
I. There is a challenge for serious thought. "Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask." What a stupid folly it is for men to proceed through life without a thoughtful, careful examination of "the way" they have chosen.
II. In this text, the ancient ways were the ways of faith, devotion, and honor of the One True God of Israel, as revealed and certified unto the people in the Pentateuch. In our own times the "good way" is the way of the Gospel of Christ.
III. There is the call for action. It is not enough to know about the good way; let men "Walk in it!"
IV. Those who walk in the good way, "Shall find rest unto your souls." Jesus Christ surely identified himself with this good way in the glorying words of the Great Invitation (Matthew 11:28-30).
V. Today, no less than in the times of Jeremiah, the people are vainly searching for "something new" in religion. "Give us anything except the way our father's did it!" is the motto adopted by some. A church in our community recently appointed a committee with instructions to come up every week with a novel way of structuring the Lord's Day services! Why not try jumping out the windows after church, some Sunday, instead of using the normal exits? "Idolatry and apostasy are the `modern way'; the worship of God is the old way."[12]It is a remarkable fact that Geoffrey Chaucer, in his Canterbury Tales, has one that is called Chaucer's Tale, the same being a sermon on this very text, a sermon which Adam Clarke called, "an excellent sermon."[13]Verse 17
"And I set watchmen over you saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet; but they said, We will not hearken. Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them. Hear, O earth; behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words; and as for my law, they have rejected it.""We will not hearken ..." (Jeremiah 6:17). One needs to read this with the similar response in the preceding verse, where Israel rejected God's invitation to walk in the good way, saying, "We will not walk therein." The meaning is simply that the Chosen People had lost all desire to continue in the favor of God.
"Hear, ye nations, Hear O earth ..." (Jeremiah 6:18-19). This solemn invitation to the whole Gentile world, as well as the whole earth itself to hear what God will do is such an introduction that requires a special understanding of God's promise here to "bring evil upon this people." The Dean of Canterbury, quoting Cyprian, stated that: "A decree so solemnly proclaimed can be of no light importance; and therefore the Fathers (the Ante-Nicenes) not without reason understood it as referring to the rejection of the Jews from being God's Church."[14] This is a profoundly true observation, provided only that it should be understood as a removal only of the racial angle of God's favor to Israel. After the captivity of the Jews, the racial Israel never again enjoyed the status of being the wife of God. All of the promises to Abraham would afterward be fulfilled in the New Israel, which is Christ; but no Jew was ever rejected because of his race; but at the same time, he would never again be automatically a member of the true Israel on account of his race.
Verse 20
"For what purpose cometh there to me frankincense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt-offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing unto me. Therefore thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will lay stumbling-blocks before this people; and the fathers and the sons together shall stumble against them; the neighbor and his friend shall perish.""Your burnt-offerings are not acceptable ..." (Jeremiah 6:20). "This does not mean that Jehovah was against sacrifices per se; he was only against unethical sacrifices."[15] When habitual sinners, insincere, hypocritical, and rebellious against God brought sacrifices to God, they were not merely unacceptable but were an abomination to the Holy God.
There was nothing capricious or vindictive on God's part who is represented here as placing "stumbling blocks" in the way of Israel. "The stumbling blocks confronting the people were of their own making,"[16]when they had deliberately refused to walk in the good way (v. 17). Yes God had placed the stumblingblocks in the way of evil which Judah elected to take with such disastrous consequences. It is, as if God had said, "Take your choice; choose your way, either (1) the ancient paths, the good way, or (2) the way with the stumbling-blocks."[17]Verse 22
"Thus saith Jehovah, Behold, a people cometh from the north country; and a great nation shall be stirred up from the uttermost parts of the earth. They lay hold on the bow and the spear, they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea, and they ride upon horses, every one set in array, as a man to the battle, against thee, O daughter of Zion. We have heard the report thereof; our hands wax feeble: anguish hath taken hold of us; and pangs, as of a woman in travail.""Everyone set in array, as a man for the battle ..." (Jeremiah 6:23). This reference to an army marching in closed ranks "could not apply to the barbaric Scythians."[18]The Babylonians indeed were a merciless and cruel invader, but perhaps not so terrible as the Assyrians; and some have found an element of mercy in God's deliverance of Judah to Babylon instead of Assyria; but either nation was more than terrible enough.
Feinberg noted that the use of cavalry in a military charge, as contrasted with the use of horses in drawing the chariots such as those used in Egypt, was apparently a new thing here.[19]Verse 25
"Go not forth into the field, nor walk by the way: for the sword of the enemy and terror, are on every side. O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation; for the destroyer shall suddenly come upon us.""O daughter of my people ..." (Jeremiah 6:26). The pathos in the heart of the prophet with such a tragic message shows in this pathetic remark; the very words seem to drip with tears. Note in the final clause the pronoun "us." Jeremiah surely identified himself with the miseries coming upon the beloved city.
"Wallow thyself in ashes ..." (Jeremiah 6:26). "It was the custom of Jewish mourners to cast ashes only upon their heads; wallowing in them therefore refers to something far more than ordinary grief."[20] Actually, there was no adequate manner for symbolizing the horrible grief that overcame the people of God in their capture and captivity.
Verse 27
"I have made thee a trier and a fortress among my people; that thou mayest know and try their way. They are all grievous revolters, going about with slanders; they are brass and iron: they all of them deal corruptly.""Going about with slanders ..." (Jeremiah 6:28) "This means going about with the intention of spreading slanders."[21]Verse 29
"The bellows blow fiercely; the lead is consumed of the fire; in vain do they go on refining; for the wicked are not plucked away. Refuse silver shall men call them, because Jehovah hath rejected them."Scholars admit the difficulty of these verses, suggesting that the text might have been damaged; but the general meaning is clear enough. The figure is that of a refiner of silver; and the admonition here is that, "The silver (a metaphor for Judah) is so full of alloy as to be utterly worthless."[22]
Jeremiah 6:1. The kingdom of Judah was composed of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. The latter was one of the least and had its possession adjoining the former on the north. It is not commonly mentioned separately by the writers but does receive special notice in this verse. Gather yourselves to flee is a form of prediction that the people of that part of the kingdom were going to be taken away from their homes and from Jerusalem their capital city. Blow the trumpet is an allusion to the ancient practice of notifying the public that some move of importance was about to be made.
Set up sign of fire was another practice for the same purpose (Judges 20:38). The towns named were in the territory of Judali, but being near Jerusalem they were significantly mentioned in connection with the exile from the capital. Out of the north 1b explained by the historical quotation at Isaiah 14:31, Vol. 3 of this Commentary.
Jeremiah 6:2. Daughter of Zion is a figurative reference to Jerusalem and the expression occurs some 18 times in the books of Isaiah and Jeremiah. In the present passage the city is further compared to one who is beautiful and likely to attract strangers.
Jeremiah 6:3. The comparison is continued in order to account for the literal prediction that is to be made soon. This daughter is so attractive that the shepherds will bring their flocks to be near her so they can attend to their duties at the same time they are paying attention to her.
Jeremiah 6:4. The language is becoming more literal in that it predicts war against her (Jerusalem). Prepare ye is the divine order for the shepherds (the Babylonians) to come against the city. The figurative terms of the verse are noon and evening. The shepherds are represented as bewailing the shortness of time they have left. The meaning is that the siege by the Babylonians is near at hand.
Jeremiah 6:5. The "day of grace" was gone and the “ night" had come when the invasion and siege would begin. The figure was literally true for when Jeremiah began to write there were only about 20 years until the first attack from the Babylonians was to take place, and much of that time was past when this passage was written.
Jeremiah 6:6. An inspired prediction is often made in the form of a command for the Ihing to be done. In fact, the Lord did decree that the Babylonian army should come against bis beloved city although it did not realize that it was carrying out such an edict. A mount is a military position prepared for conducting a siege. Such a position needed to be supported by a rampart and that called for the trees, hence the prediction hew ye down trees. She is wholly oppression refers to the injustices that Jerusalem (through her leaders) bad committed against the people, and for which the siege and captivity was to be a punishment.
Jeremiah 6:7. The Lord tells us the meaning with which he uses the word fountain by the other word continually in the same connection. It is bad enough for one to do wrong once or just, occasionally, yet It might be through forgetfulness and the common weaknesses of the flesh. No such explanation can be offered for one who does wrong continually tor he is bound to be doing so deliberately and by his own choice. Thus the very appropriate illustration of a fountain is used in reference to the conduct of Jerusalem. A Jet would discharge the water occasionally while a fountain is continually flowing. The grief and wounds means the injustices imposed on the common people by the leaders who took advantage of their authority or position as teachers.
Jeremiah 6:8. Let my soul depart and lest I make thee desolate would ordinarily mean for Jerusalem to he instructed in order to prevent those misfortunes. We know it cannot have such a bearing here on the nation as a whole, for the teaching all along la that nothing can be done to avoid the captivity. So if the phrases are applied to the whole nation the meaning is to be prepared in mind for the instruction that the captivity will give. If the application is made to Individuals the explanation may be seen in the long note offered in comments on 2 Kings 22:17, Vol. 2 of this Commentary.
Jeremiah 6:9. The vine industry is again used as an illustration. After a man has gathered the main crop of grapes he will go back over the vines to see if he has overlooked a cluster here and there and he will probably And one. But in the case of the nation of Judah it has become so corrupt that a gleaner will not be able to find a man (among the leaders) who Is true to the Lord,
Jeremiah 6:10. To whom shall I speak is a continuation of the thought in the preceding verse. The leaders have gone so far away in their iniquity that they would not listen If the Lord would speak a warning word to them. Ear is uncircumcised means they are unconsecrated to the Lord. Logically such an ear cannot hearken to the words of God The further reason for their attitude is given in the words have no delight in it. It a man finds no delight in a thing he certainly will not consecrate or devote himself to It. That is why David pronounces the blessing on the man whose '‘ delight’ 1 is in the law of the Lord (Psalms 1:2).
Jeremiah 6:11. Every word in the Bible is the word of the Lord and as such it may he in the form of the first person grammatically in some passages. In others the writer will assume the first person in his speech and that will place the Lord in the third person. In this verse the prophet expresses his personal interest in the situation. Weary with holding in indicates the intensity of feeling the writer has and serves as a warning against the corrupt people regarding the fate soon to come Upon them; when it does there will be no sparing of any classes of society.
Jeremiah 6:12. This has direct reference to the Babylonian invasion into and capture of Judah whose fulfillment Is recorded in 2 Kings 24:14-16.
Jeremiah 6:13. The main reason why the Lord caused the captivity is stated in this verse. The same statement was made and commented upon in ch. 5: 31.
Jeremiah 6:14. The pronoun they refers to the prophet and priest in the preceding verse. Sealed the hurt slightly is a figure of speech drawn from the act of relieving a wound or disease. A mother may soothe a child's hurting by some reassuring wordB that the place ‘‘ is not very bad and will soon be all right,” even though the case may be serious and soon is destined to overcome the child. Thus the false prophets and other leaders calmed the corrupt people Into believing that nothing much was wrong and that the present appearances of danger would soon ba gone. The greatest harm from such teaching was from its evil effects upon the people. While they believed It they would not be Inclined to repent of their sinful practices nor listen to God.
Jeremiah 6:15. They still has special reference to (be prophets and priests who were encouraging the people in their idolatrous practices. Were not ashamed means they were stubborn and bold in their false teaching and did not seem to regret tile evil influence they were having on the common people. Fan among them that fall denotes that no special favors will be shown to them when the siege and capture takes place. Their position as prophet and priest will be ignored and they will have to go along with them that fall which means the citizens In general.
Jeremiah 6:16. Old paths being plural refers to the two items that are mentioned separately in tsa. 35: 8. The comments and definitions ot the original words are given at that place which is In the third volume ot this Commentary. When these unfaithful men were exhorted to follow In the pathway of righteousness they not only refused to do so. but defiantly declared that they would not.
Jeremiah 6:17. Many ancient cities were walled for protection and on the walls were towers. These were called watchtowers in which were stationed men whose duty was to be on the lookout for any enemy that might be approaching. Being in that position they would be able to see farther from the city than the citizens on the streets and they were to sound an alarm when any danger appeared. The watchmen referred to In this verse were the faithful and inspired prophets who were able to see into the future and behold an enemy when the people were not able to see him. But they not only refused to heed the warning given by these teatehmen but boldly declared they would not.
Jeremiah 6:18, The English word nations generally conveys the idea of organized governments as units of society, and yet at the time Jeremiah was writing God had only one nation in Palestine. But the warning announcement to he made was Intended as Information for the nations of the world.
Jeremiah 6:19. Hear, 0 earth is similar to hear, ye nations in the preceding verse and is to have the same comments. Fruit of their thoughts reminds us of Paul’ s statement, that "Whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap" (Galatians 6:6). These people of God had turned their thoughts to idols and were following idolatrous practices. They were thus to reap the fruit of such a sowing which was to be the captivity in a strange land. The prediction was made by the inspired prophet and recorded, giving an opportunity for all nations of the earth finally to know about it.
Jeremiah 6:20, At the same time that the people of Judah were devoting themselves to the service of idols they were professing belief In the true God and were offering Incense and animal sacrifices to Him. But it has always been true that "No man can serve two masters.” After they became so corrupt in their general way of life, the ritualistic acts they performed that even were a part of the divine law became objectionable to God. (See the long note on this subject with the comments at Isaiah 1:10 in Vol. 3 of this Commentary.)
Jeremiah 6:21. The central meaning of a stumblingblock is something that will cause one to fall; it does not always mean to fall in sin. If a man were headed toward a precipice a thousand feet deep and only a few yards ahead it would be a favor to stop him by any means possible. If he would not hearken to the warning shouts of a friend, then it would be a favor to trip him and cast him down. It would be better to cause him to suffer a comparatively short fall of his body’ s length than to go on and plunge down the chasm that would completely crush him, So it would be better for Judah to fall nationally into Babylon than to be allowed to remain in the home land and fall into total spiritual ruin toward which the national corruption of idolatry was heading the people at the time the prophet was writing.
Jeremiah 6:22. We know this is the meaning the prophet puts into his use of stumblingblocks, for this verse which follows immediately begins with the word thus which Is a word of comparison. He then makes a literal prediction of what that obstacle was to be; it was the invasion of some people from the north. (See the explanation of thaf last word in a note at Isaiah 14:31 in Vol. 3 of this Commentary.)
Jeremiah 6:23. This entire verse is a prediction of the Babylonian siege, with a description of the kind of people who compose that array. Lay hold on bow and spear refers to some of the weapons that will be used against the men of Jerusalem and Judah. The bow was used to shoot arrows and the spear was a larger dart that was cast by hand. The Baby Ion tans are described as being cruel and merciless and secular history bears out the description.
Jeremiah 6:24. IVe have heard was true both prophetically and historically. The fame of the Babylonians was so great that all had heard of it, and the prophet could hear it with his Inspired ears. Hands wax feeble refers to the state of fear and disappointment that the people of Jerusalem will feel at sight of the Babylonian army.
Jeremiah 6:25. The people of Jerusalem were advised not to try fleeing from the king of Babylon, for It would be in vain. It was the will of God for him to take over the sinful city and to undertake escaping from him would be like fleeing from God. The last king in Jerusalem with his army ignored this advice and fled out of tile city, but he was taken and bis army was dispersed (2 Kings 25:4-5).
Jeremiah 6:26. Daughter of my people Is a phrase of close relationship that is found frequently in the prophetic writings to designate the nation of the Jews. Sackcloth and ashes were used in ancient times in conditions of great anxiety or grief or humiliation. This passage is a prediction of the sorrow that was about to come on Jerusalem and her people because of the iniquities practiced by them through the years. The spoiler refers to the Babylonians with their army that would soon come against God's people and take their possessions away.
Jeremiah 6:27. We here have the pronoun thee and the antecedent ia Jeremiah, for the things said of this person were true of the prophet only. The word tower is from BACHOWN and Strong's definition is, “ An assayer Tiester] of metals.’ ' Fortress is from an original that means "defender,” and Jeremiah was to test his people as to their faithfulness and defend them as the circumstances might Buggest and justify.
Jeremiah 6:28. The Lord gave Jeremiah "advance information” on what the test would prove; that the people were grievous revoltera. Walking with slanders means they were associating with falsifiers and talebearers. Brass and iron are inferior metals (if compared with silver and gold) and are mentioned to illustrate the interior quality of character that the people of Judah displayed. Corrupters is from shachath and Strong defines it, "A primitive root; to decay, i.e. (eausatively) ruin (literally or figuratively).” The leaders in Judah not only practiced sin personally but influenced others to do the same. That, is the thought, in Jeremiah 5:31 which declares that “ the people love to have it so."
Jeremiah 6:29. An illustration is drawn from the work of a smelter or refiner of metal. In that process a hot flame is produced by a bellows or other means and the heat is supposed to melt the mass taken from the mine. The better part of it will run out and leave the dross or coarse part so that the two can be separated. The Lord represents his people as being so completely evil that when the mass is melted there is still no separation between the ingredients for they are all as dross. Bellows are burned, means that a fire is made to glow with intense heat, yet nothing is accomplished because of the condition of corruption in the materials.
Jeremiah 6:30. This verse continues the Illustration of the refiner except that a change is made in the kind of ore to he refined. The result, however, is the same as it was with the lead ore. After the heat has done its work the metal will prove to be reprohate which means worthless. If a refiner should have such an experience with a quantity of silver ore he would just abandon the whole mass. A spectator would conclude that (he smelter was dissatisfied with the whole mass since he had gone away and left it. That explains the verse of this paragraph as it shows the men saying the silver is worthless and rejected by the Lord.
Jeremiah Chapter Seven
Verse 1
Jeremiah 7'S TEMPLE SERMONAnother title of this chapter would be, "Repentance the Only Hope of Israel." God commanded Jeremiah to stand in the gate, or entrance, to the Temple and to denounce the grievous sins and debaucheries of the people, probably upon one of the great festive occasions when the crowds were thronging to the temple.
How strange it is that the people denounced by this address were the very people of whom it might be supposed that they were the true worshippers of God. The symbolism is dramatic. The temple itself was a stronghold of false priests, "a den of thieves and robbers," even as Christ referred to it at a far later date. The picture is startling. Jeremiah, the true preacher of God's Word, cannot get into the temple at all. He must stand in the gate, on the steps, at the entrance!
We shall observe the following chapter divisions. First, there is a statement of the case against Judah, coupled with a reiteration of the Law of God and a ringing command for the people of God to repent of their apostasy (Jeremiah 7:1-7). Then there is a further description of the people's apostasy and of their rejection of God's Word (Jeremiah 7:8-12). This is followed by the announcement of God's judgment against them (Jeremiah 7:13-15). There follows an attack against the false worship of the Queen of Heaven (Jeremiah 7:16-20). The prophet denounced their supposition that sacrifices could be substituted for true obedience to God's Word (Jeremiah 7:21-28). The chapter concludes with a vehement condemnation of the sacrifice of children to Molech in the Valley of Hinnom, and other evil practices (Jeremiah 7:29-34).
Jeremiah 7:1-3"The word that came to Jeremiah from Jehovah, saying, Stand in the gate of Jehovah's house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of Jehovah, all ye of Judah that enter in at these gates to worship Jehovah. Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place."Cook spoke of the date of this appeal as follows:
"This prophecy was spoken in the first year of Jehoiachim, when the probation of Judah was virtually over, and it constitutes the final solemn appeal to the conscience of the people, and a protest while the new king was still young upon his throne, against the ruinous course upon which he so immediately entered."[1]Why did Judah so desperately need the stern admonition of the prophet here which, in short, demanded that they immediately and completely change their behavior! Why? They were a nation of evil doers, violating every commandment in the Deca1ogue, and yet frequenting the temple services and making the customary sacrifices, supposing that these external activities would assure their safety and protection from God, no matter what evil deeds they were guilty of.
There was also a wide-spread opinion among the people that as long as the Temple stood the whole nation was guaranteed by God Himself of their safety and security. Ash noted that, "The reforms of Josiah (superficial as they were) had focused attention on the temple, and had apparently created the illusion that God would never let it be destroyed."[2] Also as Robinson observed, "The remarkable deliverance of the city from Sennacherib in 701 B.C. had contributed to the belief that Jerusalem was inviolable."[3]The correction of such erroneous opinions on the part of the populace was surely one of the purposes of Jeremiah's address.
Verse 4
"Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah, are these. For if ye thoroughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye thoroughly execute justice between a man and his neighbor; if ye oppress not the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood, neither walk after other gods to your own hurt: then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, from of old, even forevermore."Note the triple repetition of "The temple of Jehovah." It appears that the people were using these words as a kind of charm or talisman to protect and bless them even in the pursuit of their wicked ways. As Matthew Henry stated it, "It was the cant of the times; it was in their mouths upon all occasions. If they received bad news, they lulled themselves to sleep again, saying, `We cannot but do well, we have the temple of the Lord among us.'"[4]Jeremiah's breaking in upon that crowd of arrogant, overconfident, hypocrites with the stinging words of Jehovah, commanding them either to repent or perish must have been resented like a plague of smallpox. "Is it any wonder that this `temple sermon' caused a terrific uproar and almost cost Jeremiah his life (Jeremiah 26:7 ff)?" [5]"Shed not innocent blood in this place ..." (Jeremiah 7:6). Cook and other scholars believe that the reference here is to, "The innocent blood shed there judicially. Of one such judicial murder, Jehoiachim had already been guilty (Jeremiah 26:23)."[6] There were probably many other such crimes.
The particular sins mentioned here, which God through Jeremiah commanded the Jews to cease from committing, were merely a representative list; and the list will be greatly expanded in later verses. All of these sins of lustful selfishness were the result of Judah's having first rejected their primary obligation to Jehovah as spelled out in the Mosaic covenant at Sinai. "All of their sins were the consequence of their breach of the covenant and their rejection of God's sovereignty."[7] We consider this statement from Thompson as a profoundly accurate declaration. Many people seem to be unaware that once man's primary obligation to Almighty God is either neglected or forsaken, all of the other sins may be expected to follow immediately. They are merely the consequences of man's violation of that higher obligation to his Creator.
"The land that I gave to your fathers forever and ever ..." (Jeremiah 7:7). "This is the very strongest formula in the Hebrew tongue for a perpetual gift, meaning, `from forever unto forever.' Why then do not the Jews still possess the land eternally given to them? Because God never bestows anything unconditionally."[8]The Jews received the land of Canaan under the terms of a covenant, itself called a covenant of eternity (Genesis 17:7); but that covenant had conditions which the Jews were obligated to observe, as spelled out in the closing chapters of Deuteronomy, with the divine warning that if they rebelled against the covenant God would indeed "pluck them off the land" (Deuteronomy 28:63). In this connection, be sure to read Jeremiah 18:5-10.
Verse 8
"Behold, ye trust in lying words that cannot profit. Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods that ye have not known, and come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered; that ye may do all these abominations? Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it, saith Jehovah."The sins enumerated here constituted violations of the Decalogue as given in Exodus and Deuteronomy. The specific commandments broken were the 1st, 2nd, 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th, with the necessary inference that the 10th also was broken, stealing and adultery both being a direct result of the covetousness forbidden in the last commandment. As Green noted, "This amounted to a near-total breach of the covenant stipulations." [9]"Here is further and conclusive evidence of Jeremiah's deep anchorage in the Mosaic faith."[10]"We are delivered ..." (Jeremiah 7:10). The Jews actually believed that merely because they frequented the temple and brought their sacrifices as usual, that, they were fully protected in the commission of every crime in the catalogue, "all of this on the mere grounds of their external presentation of themselves before God at the place called by his name."[11] They deluded themselves into thinking they were safe no matter what they did.
"Behold, I, even I have seen it, saith Jehovah ..." (Jeremiah 7:11). Anchor Bible suggests a paraphrase here: "God says, Look! I'm not blind! Of course, I've seen it!"[12]"Is this house ... become a den of robbers ..." (Jeremiah 7:11)? These very words were spoken by Christ himself as a solemn indictment of the temple during his personal ministry, "Ye made it (the temple) a den of robbers" (Matthew 21:13). This is a reference to the blasphemous manner in which the Jews used that temple. The Hebrew word here "actually means a robber's `cave,' "[13] The figure is that of a den, or cave, or some other supposedly safe and secure place to which robbers retired after each of their crimes. What a terrible misuse of holy religion was this abuse by the Jews.
Verse 12
"But go ye now to my place which was in Shiloh, where I caused my name to dwell at first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel. And now, because ye have done all these works, saith Jehovah, and I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not, therefore will I do unto the house which is called by name, wherein ye trust, and unto the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I did to Shiloh. And I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your brethren, even the whole seed of Ephraim.""My place which was in Shiloh ..." (Jeremiah 7:12). God's challenge to the Jews because they were trusting in the physical existence of God's temple in their midst, was blunt and dramatic. Go to Shiloh! My name was once there; but it did not protect Israel in their wickedness; and neither will the current temple protect you. God here prophesied both (1) the destruction of the temple, just like he had destroyed Shiloh, and (2) the carrying away of Judah just as he had already deported the whole seed of Ephraim.
After the conquest of Canaan, the ancient tabernacle was set up at Shiloh, "some eighteen miles north of Jerusalem,"[14] where it remained throughout practically the whole period of the Judges. In the days of Eli and Samuel, when Eli's reprobate sons were actually committing adultery in the temple itself (Yes, there were buildings there also), God permitted the Philistines to ravage and destroy the place and capture the ark of the covenant itself. (See Joshua 18 :l; 22:12; Judges 21:19; 1 Samuel 1:9; 1 Samuel 1:24; 1 Samuel 4:1-11).
The Bible has no description of the destruction of Shiloh; but archaeological discoveries during this century (1929) have concluded that it did indeed take place, "After the Battle of Ebenezer by the Philistines about 1050 B.C."[15] Since, after its destruction, "Shiloh was not rebuilt until about 300 B.C.,"[16] the ruins of the place were surely evident in Jeremiah's day witnessing the destruction that took place about a half millennium earlier.
Albright, Thompson, and Unger all make mention of the excavations that have disclosed the destruction of Shiloh. This destruction of Shiloh, where once God's name was recorded, proved the wretched error of the people in their foolish faith that God was irrevocably committed to the preservation of any place regardless of the moral state of the Chosen People.
"There not only existed the ancient tabernacle at Shiloh, but also substantial buildings as proved by excavations, so it is called `the temple of Jehovah' (1 Samuel 1:9)."[17] Evidently, therefore, the Philistines who destroyed Shiloh did not consider the tabernacle valuable enough to be carried away, for it still existed in the days of David, who, when he contemplated building the temple, said, "I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth in curtains" (2 Samuel 7:2).
The terrible lesson from Shiloh applies to all generations. No church, however careful to observe the outward forms of holy religion, can be acceptable to God unless the moral character of the people corresponds to their holy profession. No mere formal observances of worship and devotion can take the place of true repentance and sincere worship of God.
Verse 16
"Therefore pray thou not for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me; for I will not hear thee. Seest thou not what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead the dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink-offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger. Do they provoke me to anger? saith Jehovah; do they not provoke themselves, to the confusion of their own faces? Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, mine anger and my wrath shall be poured out upon this place, upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground; and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched."The repeated prohibition of Jeremiah's praying any more for Judah is also repeated again in Jeremiah 11:14; Jeremiah 14:11 ff; and from these repetitions, Ash concluded that. "In spite of their iniquity, Jeremiah had been praying for the people."[18] As many a heartbroken parent has discovered, it is nearly impossible to stop praying for a wayward son or daughter, no matter how wicked they might have become.
The meaning of this is simply that, "Persistent idolatry of Judah could only bring upon her as a consequence the curses of the covenant; and that time had now arrived."[19]"To make cakes to the queen of heaven ..." (Jeremiah 7:17-18). This pagan goddess originally was worshipped in Canaan.
"The Phoenicians, called the moon Ashtoreth or Astarte, the wife of Baal or Moloch, the king of heaven. This male and female pair of deities symbolized the generative powers of nature; and, from this, came the introduction of so-called sacred prostitution into their worship."
It is impossible, nor is it necessary, to describe the shameful, licentious worship which characterized the idolatry associated with the queen of heaven. Stephen's mention of Israel's worshipping "the host of heaven" (Acts 7:42) is a reference to this very goddess, who was also said to be represented by the planet Venus. She was also identified as Ishtar (in Babylon) and the moon-goddess. The attractiveness of this idolatry to Israel was due primarily to the gratification of the lust of the flesh which it abundantly supplied.
"Do they provoke me to anger ..." (Jeremiah 7:19)? God's answer is, "No, they were only provoking themselves." So it still is. Men fancy that they are "breaking God's commandments"; but in reality, they are only "breaking themselves!" As Dummelow stated it, "Their sin did not provoke God to a mere helpless anger, but to a wrath that was quick to punish and destroy them."[20]Verse 21
"Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: add your burnt-offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat ye flesh. For I spake not unto your fathers nor commanded them, in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt-offerings or sacrifices: but this thing I commanded them, saying, Hearken unto my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people; and walk ye in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you. But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in their own counsels and in the stubbornness of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward. Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day, I have sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them: yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff: they did worse than their fathers.""Add your burnt-offerings to your sacrifices, and eat flesh ..." (Jeremiah 7:21).
"These words express God's indignation at the sacrifices of those who were so wicked and alienated from God. God had so little pleasure in their sacrifices, that they might as well eat of the very burnt-offerings themselves."[21]Of course, the Law of Moses had forbidden the worshipper to eat of the burnt-offerings which were to be burned upon the altar; but God placed so little value upon their insincere and hypocritical sacrifices, that he here said, "Why don't you just go ahead and eat the burnt-offerings also; they are doing you no good anyway!"
We reject all of the critical assertions that God here was declaring that the commanded sacrifices were not necessary, or that it was God's will to be worshipped with genuine purity of life instead of through offering any kind of sacrifices. What God truly desires is both (1) purity of life and (2) the offering of the sacrifices which he commanded. The effort to eliminate either originates with Satan. "The idea here is that there is no sanctity in offerings brought by unrepentant men."[22]"This thing I commanded them ..." (Jeremiah 7:23). The thing stressed here is that "hearkening unto God," and obeying his commands, were the very first things God commanded to Israel when he undertook to adopt them as his people. This was required even before the institution of the forms and sacrifices of the Mosaic covenant, and were therefore more important even than the sacrifices; but both were required. Israel's great failure was that of substituting the lesser of two commandments instead of the greater.
"They hearkened not ... but walked in their own counsels ... and went backward and not forward ..." (Jeremiah 7:24). This rebellion had begun almost simultaneously with the crossing of the Red Sea, and also after Sinai. "Such behavior after Sinai was incredible! It stresses the prolonged rebellion of Israel, the infinite patience and longsuffering of God, and showing that disobedience was as old as the Exodus itself."[23]Verse 27
"And thou shalt speak all these words unto them; but they will not hearken to thee; thou shalt also call them, but they will not answer thee. And thou shalt say unto them, This is the nation that hath not hearkened unto the voice of Jehovah their God; nor received instruction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth."The Jews believed in salvation "by faith only"; but as Feinberg stated it, "That faith must be joined by works was lost to them; so the time of Jeremiah was a sad epilogue in Judah's history."[24] God's warning in these verses alerted Jeremiah to the truth that he would not have any success whatever in turning Israel into the path of righteousness.
Verse 29
"Cut off thy hair, O Jerusalem, and cast it away, and take up a lamentation on the bare heights; for Jehovah hath rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath."Jerusalem is commanded here to go into mourning for herself. When a Nazarite was defiled by touching a corpse, he was required to cut off his hair and to re-consecrate himself; and thus the figure here is that Jerusalem is defiled, God finds no excuse for her; he announces his rejection and forsaking of the Once Chosen race.
God did not execute such a terrible sentence upon Judah without grave and sufficient reasons; some of which were just cited in the matter of their worship of the queen of heaven; but there were additional reasons also.
Verse 30
"For the children of Judah have done that which was evil in my sight, saith Jehovah: they have set their abominations in the house which is called by my name, to defile it. And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded not, neither came it into my mind."In the New Testament, the word Gehenna, a synonym for "hell" is derived from the "valley of the son of Hinnom," that infamous ravine south of Jerusalem where the brazen statue of Molech was situated, and which was the scene of Judah's child-sacrifices to that pagan deity. Josiah had defiled it; but apparently Jehoiachim had rededicated it; and, as Feinberg stated it, "This passage reveals that their children were actually burned."[25]"Which I commanded not ..." (Jeremiah 7:31). Of course, God disclaimed any such thing as the sacrifice of children as having any connection whatever with what he had ordained. Let it be noted here that "going beyond" what God has commanded for his worship proved a great disaster for Judah; and we do not believe that modern Protestantism in "going beyond" what God has commanded in such things as the worship of God with man-made instruments of music can possibly be pleasing to God. (See Revelation 22:18; Acts 17:25; and 2 John 1:1:9).
"The have set their abominations in the house which is called by my name ..." (Jeremiah 7:30). 2 Kings 21:5 records the acts of Manasseh in this desecration; but it leaves us wondering if the vulgar immorality of the pagan worship was actually perpetrated in the temple itself in connection with the pagan deities thus installed. The strong inference would appear to favor the actual practice of licentiousness in the temple itself.
"Thus Israel revealed her deep degradation by introducing into the house of her God such unspeakable practices as ritual prostitution and other fertility rites."[26]The horrible practices just mentioned, along with the incredible sacrifices of their sons and daughters to Molech, shouted to high heaven for the vengeance of God against such practices. Matthew Henry commented that Judah, "Burned their children alive, killed them, killed them in the most cruel manner imaginable, to honor and appease those idols that were devils and not gods."[27]Verse 32
"Therefore the days come, saith Jehovah, it shall no more be called Tophet, nor the Valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of Slaughter: for they shall bury in Tophet till there be no place to bury. And the dead bodies of this people shall be food for the birds of the heavens, and for the beasts of the earth; and none shall frighten them away. Then will I cause to cease from the cries of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride; for the land shall become a waste."The horrible slaughter in the valley of Hinnom doubtless took place when Jerusalem fell to Babylon. "Where once the people had butchered their children, they themselves would be butchered and exposed to the birds of prey, left unburied and exposed."[28]There are overtones here that suggest the cataclysmic Judgment of the Last Day that shall terminate the probation of Adam's race (Revelation 18:23-24).
Jeremiah 7:1. This verse tells of one of the times when the Lord called upon his prophet to "take dictation” again. (See the remarks on this thought at ch. 1: 3.)
Jeremiah 7:2. Gate is from a word that is defined, “ An opening, he. door or gate,” in Strong's lexicon. Since the passage concerns the tempte in Jerusalem the word should take the former of the two in the definition. The temple was the place where the national worship took place, hence the priests and other leading men of Judah would frequently be met at that place. It was very appropriate, therefore, that the prophet be instructed to take up his position there to declare t.he important message.
Jeremiah 7:3. We do not believe there are any contradictions in the Bible, and what seems to be such may be made clear by considering all of the facts and truths involved. In this verse the people were exhorted to correct their ways and they would be permitted to dwell in the land. In other passages they were plainly told that nothing they could do would avert the captivity. The main key to this question is a distinction between the kingdom as a whole and certain individuals in it. Another thought, to consider at such a place as the present verse, is that the statement means that had they made the amends suggested at the proper time they could have saved themselves from the shame and distress of the captivity. B’ or a more extended explanation of this subject see the note and comments at 2 Kings 22:17 in Voi. 2 of this Commentary.
Jeremiah 7:4. The lying words against which the people were warned were those of the false leaders who had been calming the citizens by false assurance of peace. (See eh. 6: 14.) These corrupt priests would profess to be interested in the temple of the Lord but they were not sincere. Though they entered the temple at times to officiate in the services appointed for that place, their heart's rea] interest centered in the vain worship of false gods.
Jeremiah 7:5. Thoroughly amend your waps indicates the reformation that might have avoided their downfall had they produced it at the proper time.
Jeremiah 7:6. The reformation that was mentioned in general terms in the preceding verse is given specific notice in this. It requires that justice he shown all unfortunate classes of citizens, and that they discontinue the worship of false gods.
Jeremiah 7:7. Cause you to dwell is explained at verse 3. For ever and ever literally means "to the end of the age” The term for ever always means "age lasting” or “ agelong.” regardless of whether the age being considered is a short or long or endless one. Had Israel been true to God her national sun would not have gone down till the end of the Jewish age or dispensation. Eut the sin of the nation in following after idolatrous practices brought upon it the calamity of the captivity which put out the light of national life. That misfortune occurred in 606 B.C. and hence that
many centuries before the Jewish age or dispensation came to Its divinely appointed end.
Jeremiah 7:8-10. This completes the line of thought pertaining to the inconsistency of the people of Judah. After committing all the abominations mentioned in the preceding verse, they had the boldness to come into the temple of the true God for worship. They were not coming for the purpose of making atonement for their many Iniquities, for that would have been very appropriate. Instead, they even declared they were delivered to do these things which means they were justified in doing them.
Jeremiah 7:11. Is this house seems to be another question but it really is a direct accusation against a very corrupt nation. God charged that his house, called by his name, bad become a den of robbers. In your eyes denotes that all of the evils named were being committed under the eyes of these very people.
Jeremiah 7:12. Shiloh was the first location of the tabernacle after the Israelites were ready to pitch their camp in the land of Canaan. (See Joshua 18:1.) The people whose headquarters were at that place committed sin in those days and received the chastisement, of God tor it. This verse refers to that history for the purpose of warning the ones living in the days of Jeremiah not to make the same mistake their fathers made and thus incur the same kind of misfortune at the hand of the Lord,
Jeremiah 7:13, This verse accuses the generation in the days of Jeremiah with being guilty of the same sins as was that in the days of Shiloh. And all of it was in spite of the many admonitions from the Lord.
Jeremiah 7:14. Because the men of the present days are as guilty as were those at Shiloh, God will punish them as he did the others.
Jeremiah 7:15. This verse is a direct prediction of the captivity of Judah. Ephrahn was frequently named to represent the kingdom of Israel (Isaiah 7:9). That kingdom had been taken into captivity more than a Century before the time of Jeremiah and it was for the same abomination of which Judah was guilty. Now the Lord warns Judah of what is soon to be done for her.
Jeremiah 7:16. There is no use to pray for something that is impossible or that has been positively denied by the Lord. He had already decreed that Judah should be sent out of the land into captivity, hence it would he vain to pray for any favors that would interfere with that decree. However, this does not mean that no prayers or other efforts should be made for any individuals in that nation, (See the note at 2 Hi. 22: 17 in Vol. 2 of this Commentary.)
Jeremiah 7:17. The Lord addresses the prophet. Calling his attention to the evil practices of Judah. They were so bold as to do these things in the streets of Jerusalem which was the capital of their country.
Jeremiah 7:18. All the members of the families participated in the abominable worship of idol gods, in the service of sacrifices it was necessary to have fire and that made it necessary also to obtain wood. This called for the services of the children who would not be abie for more responsible activity. The fathers were more developed In years and experience and so they could build the fire. In the service of altar performances both animals and vegetable objects were offered. The latter was In the form of cakes which brought forth the work of the women.
Queen of heaven pertains to idolalry or the worship of the planets. It has special reference to the moon as (he feminine associate of the masculine sun. The planets were worshiped as deities by the heathen and God's people took up the practice. Smith's Bible Dictionary says the following on the subject:"Queen of heaven, Jeremiah 7:18, Jeremiah 44:17-19; Jeremiah 44:25, is the moon, worshiped as Ashtaroth or Astarte, to whom the Hebrew women offered cakes in the streets of Jerusalem.” Drink offering means the offering of something that could have been useful for drink. When it was so used It was either poured out on the ground before some idol or poured over the larger sacrifice on an altar, and it was done as a religious performance to the god. A motive for the idolatrous practice is Indicated by the words that they may provoke me to anger.
The word provoke Is not in the original as a separate word but is taken from the same one as anger. The Hebrew word is kaac, which Strong defines, "A primitive root; to trouble; by implication to grieve, rage, be Indignant." Moffatt renders the word as "spite," and the context justifies the thought. The people thought they would "spite” the Lord by their worship of idols.
Jeremiah 7:19. Many times a man's acts Intended as an injury to another will rebound against himself. The Lord declared that in committing idolatry they were spiting themselves. It was like a patient who would swallow poison in order to spite the physician who had prescribed wholesome medicine. The people of Judah were told that their foolish conduct wouid result in their own confusion which referred to the shame or humiliation that the Babylonian captivity would bring upon them.
Jeremiah 7:20. The preceding verse does not mean that God would not be angered by the vain worship to false gods for he was; but that anger was to react against the guilty nation and its country. The things threatened referred to the general work of desolation the Babylonian army was to produce upon its invasion of Palestine. Shall not be quenched is a prediction that nothing the people could do would cause the Lord to hold off the threatened captivity.
Jeremiah 7:21. This verse means the same as if it said: “ Get all of your sacrifices together and consume them upon yourselves, for I will have nothing to do with them." Many things the people of Judah were doing had been commanded by the Lord, but they became objectionable to him when they were performed as a mixture with so much abomination of idolatry. This thought is discussed at length in the note and comments on Isaiah 1:10 in Vol. 3 of this Commentary.
Jeremiah 7:22, The rites and ceremonies of the Mosaic system were not mentioned to the Israelites when they first were told to flee from Egypt; the Lord was not ready for that form of service yet.
Jeremiah 7:23. Outward or physical acts are the visible signs of the faith that is supposed to be in the heart of the performer. A man's service to God (in whatever dispensation he lives) begins with faith in Him. (Hebrews 11:6.) If that faith exists and will become active, then the man possessing it will prove it by performing what the Lord commands, whether that consist of animal sacrifices, burning of incense, baptism in water, or prayer and song, or any other act commanded through inspired teaching. So this verse holds out the Idea that had the Israelites been true to the faith they professed they would never have stooped to the adornnable worship of idols.
Jeremiah 7:24. Inclined not their ear indicates not only failure to observe the commands of the Lord, but it shows they were not even interested to the extent of listening to see what was expected of them. Walked in the counsels means they followed the opinions of their own hearts regardless of the divine law. The popular theory of man is that the inventions he has produced in religion indicates progress forward, but the people are told here that the evil productions of man are a backsliding instead of a move in the right direction.
Jeremiah 7:25. The record of unfaithfulness in the nation goes back to the beginning of its existence, for it had its start when Moses led them out from Egyptian bondage. Through ail of the centuries God was patient and watchful over his people. The prophets whom He sent to his people were the inspired men in general, not only those who made predictions. It was the duty of these men t.o admonish and instruct the people and try to influence them into the proper way of life.
Jeremiah 7:26. For comments on hearkened and inclined see those on verse 24. Hardened their neck is a figure of speech and refers to the stubbornness of the people.
Verse 27. Jeremiah was told to speak to the people and yet he was warned that his words would not be received. Tills apparent contradiction has been explained a number of times. The reader will find the original note on the subject with comments at 2 Kings 22:17 in Vol. 3 of this Commentary.
Jeremiah 7:28. After offering the law of God to the people it will be fair to chide them for their rejection of it. This conclusion is true even though the prophet had been told beforehand that such would be the outcome. Again I request the reader to see the note referred to in the preceding verse as to the apparent contradiction.
Jeremiah 7:29. Jerusalem has been referred to in the figure of a woman and the comparisons would hence be made from that viewpoint, A woman's hair is one of her main adornments (1 Corinthians 11:15) and the absence of it, especially if it has been removed by or because of an enemy, would indicate a situation of shame. (See Isaiah 50:6.) That is why Jerusalem was told to cut off the hair and throw it away; it was a token of the humiliation that the Lord was going to impose on the unfaithful city.
Jeremiah 7:30. Sometimes Judah and at others Jerusalem is named in the passages, and that is because the latter was the capital of the former. In the phrase, children of Judah, the last word means the kingdom and the first is the citizens. They not only committed idolatry but introduced its tokens into the temple that had been honored by being called by the name of the Lord.
Jeremiah 7:31. Tophet was a spot in the famous valley of Hinnom near Jerusalem, This place had been used as a disposal plant for the waste materials of the city and for that reason there were fires kept continually burning. The idolatrous worshipers were using the place for their adominable practices until Josiah defiled it in his great reformative work (2 Kings 23:10). The people of Judah went so far as to use their children as sacrifices to the false gods that were represented in this valley.
Jeremiah 7:32. No more be called Tophet does not mean the name will be forgotten, but the place will not be referred to merely as one that was known by such a name. But the great work of the Lord in destroying the enemies of righteousness who assembled in that place will be so outstanding that it will be remembered and mentioned because of such a great slaughter.
Jeremiah 7:33. Ttie idolaters who were slain and cast down in this place will not receive any honorable burial. When the fowls and beasts come to devour the decaying bodies the Lord will see that no one will be allowed to fray (oppose) them away from their gruesome feast.
Jeremiah 7:34. This verse is a literal prediction of the carrying away of Judah into the Babylonian captivity. After that, was done the natural result was that the land shall be desolate. The Biblical fulfillment of this prediction is in 2 Kings 24, 25.
Jeremiah Chapter Eight
Verse 1
Jeremiah 8THE HARVEST IS ENDED; AND THE SUMMER IS PAST.
The title given here comes from Jeremiah 8:20; and it symbolizes the approach of the Chaldean invasion and the hopelessness of any deliverance of the people. All opportunities for repentance and return to God hav been spurned; and the nation is rushing headlong into destruction.
Divisions of the chapter, as made by Feinberg,[1] are as follows; the invaders desecrate the graves (Jeremiah 8:1-3); Israel stubbornly continues in idolatry (Jeremiah 8:4-7); God describes the penalty of their apostasy (Jeremiah 8:8-13); the invaders approach (Jeremiah 8:14-17); the sorrow of the prophet is recorded (Jeremiah 8:18-22).
Jeremiah 8:1-3"At that time, saith Jehovah, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves; and they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, which they have loved, and which they have served, and after which they have walked, and which they have sought, and which they have worshipped; they shall not be gathered, nor be buried, they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth. And death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residents that remain of this evil family, that remain in all the places whither I have driven them, saith Jehovah of hosts."These verses are actually a continuation of the previous chapter and are so treated by some writers. The desecration of the graves of defeated peoples was widely practiced in antiquity; and there were excellent reasons for it in the case of Judah.
Josephus tells us that: "Solomon buried David with great wealth; ... and 1,300 years afterward, Hyrcanus the high priest, when besieged by Antiochus, opened one of the rooms of David's sepulchre and took out 3,000 talents of gold with which he bribed Antiochus to lift the siege... Also, Herod the king opened another room and took out a great deal of money... But neither of them came near the coffins of the kings themselves, for their bodies were buried under the earth so artfully, that they did not appear even to those entering their monuments.[2]Dummelow expressed doubts as to the genuine motivation for such wholesale desecration of the Jewish graves, supposing that it might have been, "either from pure wantonness, or in the hope of finding treasures or ornaments of value."[3] There was more than enough motivation either way. Since the bones of the dead were held in such reverence by the Hebrew people, the Chaldeans would have delighted in the desecration, even if merely for spite to a despised enemy.
The great thing in this paragraph, however, appears in Jeremiah 8:2, where the five-fold engagement of the Jews with "the hosts of heaven," in their (1) loving them, (2) serving them, (3) walking after them, (4) seeking them, and (5) worshipping them is stressed. Very well, the people through their false leaders have been betrayed into paganism in this worship of the sun, moon, and stars; therefore, the bones of those worshippers are exposed to the sun, moon, and stars, which were utterly helpless to afford any prevention or assistance. Indeed, the sun would only hasten the disintegration and decay of the bones. What an exposition is this of the futility of worshipping the hosts of heaven.
Henderson's comment on this is: "The objects of idolatrous worship are here introduced as the unconcerned spectators of the indignities offered to the bones of their worshippers!"[4] The five-fold repetition of the word "bones" helps to add a funeral impression to the whole passage.
"Death shall be chosen rather than life ..." (Jeremiah 8:3). Thompson believed that, "This refers (1) either to the unbearable conditions endured in the captivity, or (2) to the memory of the last days in Judah which were too much to bear."[5]"All the residue that remain of this evil family ..." (Jeremiah 8:3). "Jeremiah here uses the word `family' for the whole Jewish race."[6]Verse 4
"Moreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith Jehovah: Shall men fall, and not rise up again? shall one turn away, and not return? Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return. I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repenteth him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? everyone turneth to his course, as a horse that rushes headlong in the battle. Yea, the stork in the heavens knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle-dove and the swallow and the crane observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the law of Jehovah.""Turn away ... and not return ..." (Jeremiah 8:4). "Five times in this and the following verse the text uses variations of the Hebrew term [~shuwb]: `turn away, return' in Jeremiah 8:4, `turned away, backsliding, and return' in Jeremiah 8:5."[7]"Perpetual backsliding ..." (Jeremiah 8:5) The meaning here is that, "It is too late for Israel to repent. The nation is incorrigible in her apostasy. Judah shows no desire to repent but holds tenaciously to her deceitful idolatry."[8]"The stork ... the turtle-dove ... crane ... etc. ..." (Jeremiah 8:7).
In these lines, the prophet appeals to the example afforded by the birds of the heavens. They know their appointed times. All migratory birds are strict observers of times and seasons, when to fly north, or south, when to leave an area, and when to return again; but Israel seemed to know nothing of the times and seasons God appointed for them, thus showing a stupidity that could not be matched, even among the sub-human creations. As Jesus expressed it, "O, if thou hadst known the time of thy visitation!"
"They spake not aright ..." (Jeremiah 8:6). "Not only did the people refuse to do right; they would not even so much as speak right. God could not get a single good word out of them, not a thing upon which to ground any favor to them or any hope of recovering them."[9]"My people know not the Law of Jehovah ..." (Jeremiah 8:7). This is one of the most important statements in Jeremiah. The complaint is not that God's people did not possess the Law of Jehovah. They had possessed that from the days of Moses and Joshua. The critical myth that there was no Law of Jehovah until the high priest discovered that book during the renovation of the temple is merely a clever, convenient falsehood which only the gullible could believe.
The problem was not the Jewish People's lack of the Law of Jehovah, but it was their failure to know it, study it, meditate upon it, or obey it. We shall return in the next verse for a more thorough exploration of this very important revelation in Jeremiah.
Verse 8
"How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of Jehovah is with us? But, behold, the false pen of the scribes hath wrought falsely."The existence of the order of The Scribes in the days of Jeremiah proves conclusively that the Law of Jehovah, not a single book, such as Deuteronomy, but all of it, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, commonly referred to as the Pentateuch, did exist in those days, else there could not possibly have been such an order as that of the Scribes whose duty it was to copy, study, distribute, and expound the teachings of that very law.
Any person with ordinary intelligence needs no scholar to explain this to him. In addition to the incontrovertible evidence we have in this very chapter, there are countless references throughout Jeremiah to every single one of the man-made divisions in the Law of Moses, that law, from the beginning, not being five books but only one, the Book of Moses.
We consider the meaning of this verse to be so important that we would like to support the position which we have taken with the opinion of a number of dependable, able scholars, who are honest enough and conservative enough to point out what is really said here.
"The Torah (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy) must have existed in writing before there could have been an order of men whose special business it was to study it.[10] ... The presence of scribes demands that there must have been a law by this time, contrary to the view of some Old Testament scholars.[11] ... Behold the false pen of the scribes ... (Jeremiah 8:8) The scribes studied and copied the Law; this is the first mention of them in the Bible. Already, they were beginning to make the Law of God void by their tradition (Matthew 15:6).[12] ... These verses are a strong argument in favor of the belief that the Book of the Law even at that time had well-grounded claims to antiquity.[13] ... These verses teach that "The written law is with us," This is the Law of Jahweh recorded in the Pentateuch; and this is not to be understood as merely the outward possession of it, but also as the inwardly appropriated knowledge and mastery of it.[14] ...
Jeremiah's whole argument here depends upon the fact that there existed in his day men who claimed to be wise on account of their study of the Pentateuch; and this is utterly inconsistent with assumptions that Jeremiah wrote Deuteronomy.[15] ... Ash identified the "law" mentioned in Jeremiah 8:7 as "the Torah."[16] ... Kuist noted that, "The scribes interpreting the Law (Torah or `instructions') found sanctions for their actions in false interpretations."[17] ... Even Wheeler Robinson in Peake's Commentary, while accepting the usual critical view, which he asserted "might be correct," he also stated that, "A strong case can be made out," for the view which we take here.[18] ... This teaches that in the seventh century B.C. Israel possessed a written Torah which it was the ostensible duty of the scribes to study and expound."[19]Verse 9
"The wise men are put to shame, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of Jehovah; and what manner of wisdom is in them? Therefore will I give their wives to others, and their fields to them that shall possess them: for everyone from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness; from the prophet, even unto the priest everyone dealeth falsely. And they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace, when there is no peace. Were they ashamed when they had committed abominations? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall; in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith Jehovah. I will utterly consume them, saith Jehovah,: there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig-tree, and the leaf shall fade; and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them.""The word of Jehovah ..." (Jeremiah 8:9). This is a reference to the Torah, which is the subject ofJeremiah 8:7 and Jeremiah 8:8. The scribes, self-styled "wise men," as they claimed to be, had rejected the Word of God, namely, the Law of Moses, by their false interpretations of it.
"Jeremiah 8:10-12 are a repetition of what Jeremiah wrote in Jeremiah 6:12-15."[20] See my comment under those verses, above.
"No grapes ... nor figs ..." (Jeremiah 8:13) The failure of all crops and agricultural benefits were common metaphors in the Old Testament, used to express God's judgment upon sinful people. Christ himself took up the figure of the barren fig-tree, which he made a figure of apostate Israel in his cursing of the barren fig-tree (Matthew 21:19).
Verse 14
"Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the fortified cities, and let us be silent there; for Jehovah our God hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against Jehovah. We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of healing, and behold, dismay! The snorting of the horses is heard from Dan; and the sound of the neighing of his strong ones the whole land trembleth; for they are come, and have devoured the land and all that is in it; the city and those that dwell therein. For, behold, I will send serpents, adders, among you, which will not be charmed; and they shall bite you, saith Jehovah."Note that in Jeremiah 8:14, the outlying communities surrounding Jerusalem have decided to flee to the fortified cities, realizing that all hope is lost and thinking, perhaps, to survive a little longer there; but even there they expect only to be "put to silence," a euphemism for "put to death." Note too that in this verse the betrayal of the people by their false prophets was at last recognized by the people. What has opened the eyes of the people?
"The war horses of the Chaldeans can be heard snorting already in Dan!"[21]"I will send serpents, adders among you ..." (Jeremiah 8:17). Jeremiah loved to change his metaphors; and here we have another example of it. The invading Babylonians are symbolized by poisonous serpents that could not be charmed. "The invading army, sent to execute God's sentence, is now compared to snakes, which no charming can soothe, and the bite of which is fatal."[22]Verse 18
"Oh that I could comfort myself against sorrow! my heart is faint within me. Behold, the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people from a land that is very far off: Is not Jehovah in Zion? is not her King in her? Why have they provoked me to anger with their graven images, and with foreign vanities?""The daughter of my people ..." (Jeremiah 8:19). Note the triple repetition of these pathetic words in these last verses of Jeremiah 8. These verses represent the people as asking why they must suffer. What has become of God? Is not their Davidic King in the city? How can they be defeated and carried away? God's answer comes in Jeremiah 8:19 b, "Why have ye provoked me to anger ..."?
Verse 20
"The harvest is past, and the summer is ended, and we are not saved."We selected this verse as the title of the whole chapter. It simply means that the last opportunity for Israel to repent and turn to the Lord has already slipped away. The harvest mentioned here is the one that came in the early summer in the months of April through June. The summer's being ended is a reference to the approach of autumn and the end of the final harvest of the year. There will be nothing more for another year. This stands as a metaphor for the termination of all of Israel's lost opportunities. In the meanwhile, the winter of God's judgment was coming swiftly upon them.
Verse 21
"For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt: I mourn; dismay hath taken hold on me. Is there no balm in Gilead? is there no physician there? Why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?"From these verses, and especially from the very next verse as it appears in the KJV (Jeremiah 9:1), "A tragic misrepresentation of Jeremiah is based."[23] Green defended this observation as follows:
"Jeremiah has been termed "the weeping prophet." This is one of ironies of Biblical interpretation; and one should avoid this gross error. We may call him the reluctant prophet, or the praying prophet, or the suffering prophet, or the preaching prophet, but not the weeping prophet. He never wasted time weeping when there was work to be done. He loved greatly and suffered deeply; and he was one of the greatest minds and spirits of all time."
Jeremiah 8:22 in our American Standard Version does not reveal the meaning as does the KJV, which indicates that the Hebrew text merely has, "No balm in Gilead; no physician there!" And, the interpretation of Matthew Henry fits such a rendition. "There is no balm in Gilead that can cure the disease of sin; and there is no physician there who can heal a nation in rebellion against the Lord."[24] However, Matthew Henry pointed out that it is also possible to understand the verse as rendered in our version (American Standard Version), with the meaning: certainly, there is balm in Gilead, and yes, there is a true physician there; but all of the blame for Israel's sorrows must rest upon themselves for not applying the wonderful remedy which God has provided.
It is of great interest that the "balm in Gilead" has come to stand as a metaphor of the salvation in Jesus Christ, as memorialized in many hymns and anthems. "There is a balm in Gilead, that heals the sin-sick soul. There is a balm in Gilead that makes the sinner whole"!
Jeremiah 8:1. That time means the time of the Babylonian invasion referred to in the close of the preceding chapter. It was known that kings and other men of importance had their personal belongings buried with their bodies. The looting of these tombs would hence have the motive of material gain as well as that of showing dishonor toward the persons whose land the victorious Babylonians will have taken over.
Jeremiah 8:2. The pronouns in this verse have three antecedents implied and I shall express the passage as follows: "And then (the Babylonians) shall spread them (the bones) before the sun . . . whom they (kings and other idolaters) have loved, etc.” The dishonor will be further shown after having dragged the bones from the tombs, by refusing to reinter them even after having secured the valuables that had been buried with them. Shall be for dung is used figuratively here and in many other passages in the Bible. Dung is and has been regarded as a valuable substance, both as fuel and fertilizer. Its use in a bad sense, therefore, is due to its being the refuse of other articles or bodies of living beings, and to the further fact that it is scattered out and made to disappear from view.
Jeremiah 8:3. There are some things worse than death such as physical or mental torture. The Babylonians were a harsh people (Jeremiah 6:23) and their cruel treatment of the people of Judah would cause them to wish for death.
Jeremiah 8:4. The Lord bids Jeremiah remind his people of their persistence in wrong doing. It is reasonably expected that though a man falls he will rise again, at least on behalf of his own interests. The men of Judah were "challenged” to make amends for their evil record and return to the right way of living.
Jeremiah 8:5. This verse is another which seems to exhort the people to reform so as to avert the calamity of the captivity, and this in spite of the decree that nothing could be done about it. The explanation lies in the distinction between the nation as a whole and certain individuals in it. (See the note at 2 Kings 22:17 in Vol. 2 of this Commentary regarding this apparent contradiction.)
Jeremiah 8:6. This is another comment on the persistence of the people in rejecting the Lord's counsels and warning of the dangers ahead.
Jeremiah 8:7. In the beginning of the book of Isaiah the ignorance of God’ s people was emphasized by reference to some dumb beasts (Jeremiah 1:3). In our verse the same thing is done by referring to some smaller dumb creatures. Stork knoweth her appointed times might be misunderstood because of a popular notion connecting this bird with the birth of children. Smith's Bible Dictionary says the following about this creature: "It was believed that the young [of the stork] repaid the care of their parents by attaching themselves to them for life, and tending them in old age. That the parental attachment of the stork is very strong has been proved on many occasions.
Few migratory [wandering] birds are more punctual to the time of their appearance than the white stork.’ * The word appointed is from MOWADAH, which Strong defines, “ Properly an appointment, i.e., a fixed time or season." The idea is that although the stork is a roving sort of bird, yet because it is permanently committed to the care of its parents, it does not forget when it is time to return to the home nest to see after the welfare of the parents. The illustration is that this dumb creature is more thoughtful and aware of its obligation to its parents than Judah was of the Lord.
Jeremiah 8:8. The Law of the Lord is with us means they assumed that they could be a law unto themselves; that the writing of the scribes was worthless and not binding.
Jeremiah 8:9. The wise men refers to these corrupt leaders who considered themselves wise enough not to need the word of the Lord. Such self-assumed wise men were destined to be brought to shame for their rejection of the word of the Ik>rd.
Jeremiah 8:10. This verse specifies the particular classes among the people of Judah whom God was condemning. The prophets and priests thought they were above being dependent on the word of the Lord. Their motive in turning away from the divine law was their desire to increase their own gains by false dealing with the common people.
Jeremiah 8:11. This verse takes the same comments as ch. 6: 11 which the reader is requested to read again very carefully.
Jeremiah 8:12. Sin is always to be condemned but it is worse when done brazenly and when the doers of it show no regret. Fall among them that fall means the leaders will fall when the people in general are taken captive out. of the land; their position as leaders will not save them from the downfall.
Jeremiah 8:13. No grapes and no figs might suggest that not even a remnant will be left after the great calamity is over that is being predicted. Yet the promise has already been made that a remnant would be saved and we are sure the Bible does not contradict itself. The matter will be clear if we observe that God is here talking about the wicked leaders who lmve brought the nation into such an evil state by their corrupt teaching, it was true that all such characters were expelled; not a "grape'* or “ fig" survived when the flood of God’ s wrath was poured out upon the nation.
Jeremiah 8:14. Why do we sit still is the language of the people. They have been Informed by the prophet that nothing they can do will stop the enemy from invading the land. Therefore they seek to bestir themselves to “ make the best of it" by entering Into fenced (walled) cities and there be sile7it; that is. make no active resistance but await, as calmly as the bitterness of their situation will permit, the attack of the foe. They now seem to realize that their bitter state is because of their sins.
Jeremiah 8:15. We looked for peace was because they listened to the false prophets who cried "Peace, peace; when there is no peace” (Jeremiah 6:14). Now they are aware of the false nature of the assurances because instead of peace they are having trouble,
Jeremiah 8:16. Was heard Is prophecy and means the snorting will be heard. Dan was a city at the northern boundary of Palestine, and the language means the horses drawing the war charioLs of the Babylonians will cause their snorting to be heard as they enter the country. Are come and have devoured is still in the future, being predictions of the calamity soon to come upon the nation. The City means Jerusalem which was the capital of the kingdom of Judah.
Jeremiah 8:17. The pronoun I means the Lord who is going to use the Babylonian army to chastise the unfaithful people. This army is represented by the figures of poisonous reptiles in order to make use of the additional figure of not being charmed, as was believed that serpents could sometimes be. The literal meaning of the prediction is that nothing can be done to persuade the Babylonians to lift the siege.
Jeremiah 8:18. The words of the prophet may always be regarded as those of the Lord also, but sometimes the prophet expresses the passages as Ills personal view as well as that of God. Such is the case in this verse and so on to the end of the chapter.
Jeremiah 8:19. Daughter of my people is an affectionate way of referring to the citizens of Judah. Their cry is became of them that dwell in a far country which means the Babylonians who were abouL to come against the city of Jerusalem. The Lord is In Zion, the capital of the kingdom, and yet the nation has a king on the throne. This leaves them without any pretext for needing the assistance ol man-made gods.
Jeremiah 8:20. But it is too late now to expect further leniency from God. He has pleaded and instructed and warned them for many years but all of the offered instruction has been rejected. In just a few more years the nation will be overthrown and given into the hands of a foreign power. All these facts and truths bring the guilty people to make the noted statement of this verse. I say noted because it has long been a favorite quotation in the mouths of public speakers when exhorting sinners to make preparation to meet God before it is too late.
Such an exhortation is proper and it is proper also to refer to such instances as the one before us as a lesson. Further than that the verse lias nothing to do with individual responsibility to God today. It was written as a picture of Judah at the time of her national downfall which was near. The figures of the passage very impressively illustrate the long continued neglect of the nation to correct itself before the Lord made his decree to reject it. The harvest and summer means the period of Judah’ s reign in Jerusalem, during which time she could have developed a national character of religious devotion to God that would have been a sure protection against all enemies. But now it is too late; all of the time for such a work is gone and the nation is not saved but must suffer national death in Babylon.
Jeremiah 8:21. Jeremiah is again "taking it to heart” about the sad prospect of his countrymen. I am hlack is figurative and means he is in mourning for his people.
Jeremiah 8:22. Gilead was an extensive region just east of the Jordan and opposite the northern part of Palestine. Gilead was specially noted for its balm from "balm of Gilead" trees, which was worth twice its weight in silver. Funk and Wagnalls Bible Dictionary says of this balm that it was "used for the treatment of wounds.” Jeremiah uses the word figuratively and in a plaintive strain asks if there is no physician in Gilead who could heal his people.
Jeremiah Chapter Nine
Verse 1
Jeremiah 9 LAMENT FOR FALLEN ISRAELThe theme of this whole chapter is given here in Jeremiah 9:1, which in the Hebrew Bible concludes Jeremiah 8, to which it also is appropriate.
The pitifully wicked and immoral behavior of God's Once Chosen People had at last reached its terminal extent; and the horrible punishment which their apostasy so richly deserved was soon to be executed upon the degenerate, reprobate nation. The lament expressed here was not only applicable to the fallen condition of ancient Israel; but the words are just as appropriate today for the millions of people who have forsaken their first love, and have chosen to wallow in the sensuous pleasures of sin for a season, rather than to live by the true standards of God's Word.
Halley's thumbnail summary of this chapter is as good as any we have seen.
"Jeremiah, a man of sorrows, in the midst of a people abandoned to everything vile (Jeremiah 9:2-9), weeping day and night at the thought of impending retribution, moved about among them, begging, pleading, persuading, threatening, entreating, imploring that they turn from their wickedness. But in vain."
Jeremiah 9:1"Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people."Jeremiah had already wept over the condition of Israel as much as it was possible for him to weep; and here he expressed a wish for the ability to weep even more. Henry pointed out that in Hebrew the same word signifies "both the eye and a fountain, as if in this land of sorrows our eyes were designed rather for weeping than for seeing. And while we find our hearts such fountains of sin, it is fit that our eyes should be fountains of tears."[2]Verse 2
"Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people and go from them! for they are all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men. And they bend their tongue, as it were their bow, for falsehood; and they are grown strong in the land, but not for truth: for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith Jehovah.""The blatant sins Jeremiah described here are literal; society was shot through and through with wickedness. The first sin mentioned in this indictment was universal adultery. This is called `spiritual adultery,' or the worshipping of idols; but in that worship gross immoralities were practiced."[3]The speech of the people was loaded with falsehood, slander, and every evil; and Jeremiah here used the metaphor of a bow with arrows to describe it. The bow and arrow, of course, were weapons of warfare in that age. As Keil noted, "It was neither the tongue nor the bow which was lying, but that false speech which they shot with their tongue, as with a bow."[4]There existed in that society at that time, "An utter want of upright dealing between man and man."[5]Verse 4
"Take ye heed everyone of his neighbor, and trust ye not in any brother; for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbor will go about with slanders. And they will deceive everyone his neighbor, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies; they weary themselves to commit iniquity. Thy habitation is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know me, saith Jehovah.""Trust ye not in any brother ..." (Jeremiah 9:4). Some have been critical of advice such as this, pointing out such passages as 1 Corinthians 13:7, where the true man of God is represented as one who "believeth all things!" However, as Haley pointed out, There is no `command' here regarding the trust of a brother, but `advice,' equivalent to saying, "Such is the state of public morals that if you trust any man you shall be deceived and betrayed."[6] The explanation of this advice is given in Jeremiah 9:6, where the whole society is referred to as "a habitation in the midst of deceit."
"Every brother will utterly supplant ..." (Jeremiah 9:4). "The Hebrew here is a punning reference to Jacob (Genesis 27:36). God had transformed Jacob into Israel; but his descendants insisted on living the life of the unregenerate."[7] Cheyne did not accept this interpretation, affirming that, "There is nothing in the context so suggest an allusion to Genesis 27:36, or to Jacob";[8] but, in our view, the only thing needed to suggest that connection is the word "supplanter."
"They weary themselves to commit iniquity ..." (Jeremiah 9:5). "Lying, deceit, treachery, adultery, and idolatry were everyday sins in Judah, and the people had literally worn themselves out with perversions."[9]The gross indulgence of physical passions can and does result in the debilitation and weakening of the body.
Verse 7
"Therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts, Behold, I will melt them, and try them; for how else should I do, because of the daughter of my people? Their tongue is a deadly arrow; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbor, but in his heart he layeth wait for him. Shall I not visit them for these things? saith Jehovah; shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?""Shall I not ... shall not my soul ..." (Jeremiah 9:9)? The very raising of such questions, "Points up the legal aspects of breach of covenant."[10] The Jews of that period were just like the rest of humanity, no better, and no worse. Why, then, was God so outraged and disgusted with Judah? It all hinged upon the privileges of their covenant relationship with God!
God had given them the Law of Moses; he had taught them the principles of truth and morality as carefully expounded in that Law; and God had every right to have expected a far better response to the privileges and blessings already conferred upon the nation than the indifference and disobedience which he actually received. It is impossible to understand anything in this prophecy without the perception of the "breach of the holy covenant" that was accomplished in the behavior of the Chosen People. Without that conception, God's severe punishment of Israel amounted to no more than a capricious punishment of an unfortunate nation that was no worse than a dozen other peoples living in all directions from Israel!
Back in Jeremiah 9:6, the prophet had revealed that "through deceit, the people refused to know the Lord"; and as Matthew Henry stated it, "Those who would not know the Lord as their lawgiver, would be compelled to know him as their judge!"[11]Verse 10
"For the mountains will I take up a weeping and wailing, and for the pastures of the wilderness a lamentation, because they are burned up, so that none passeth through; neither can men hear the voice of the cattle; both the birds of the heavens and the beasts are fled, they are gone. And I will make Jerusalem heaps, a dwelling place of jackals; and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation, without inhabitant."The weeping and the wailing here are because of the forthcoming desolation upon Jerusalem and Judaea. The mountains, which once teemed with life, and the pasture lands (here called `wilderness') which once supported numerous herds of sheep and cattle, all of this is to be destroyed; even the Holy City itself shall be without inhabitant, deserted, a den of jackals! The answer as to why it is necessary for God to bring such destruction against the land of his people is in the following verses.
Verse 12
"Who is the wise man, that may understand this? and who is he to whom the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken, that he may declare it? wherefore is the land perished and burned up like a wilderness? And Jehovah saith, because they have forsaken my law which I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice, neither walked therein, but have walked after the stubbornness of their own heart, and after the Baalim which their fathers taught them; therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts, Behold, I will feed them, even this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink. I will scatter them also among the nations, whom neither they nor their fathers have known; and I will send the sword after them, till I have consumed them."These verses "are often referred to as the work of Deuteronomic editors";[12] but this critical fembu is unworthy of any attention. All of the redactors and editors of the radical critics are shadowy creatures of imagination, for whom there exists no dependable evidence whatever. They are the self-made crutches upon which unbelievers lean in their vain efforts to cast doubt upon the Word of God.
The purpose of this paragraph is clearly that of giving God's reasons that required his severe punitive action against the remainder of Israel. The answer is specific and sufficient: (1) they had revolted against their legitimate sovereign, a great truth that denies the non-existence of the Mosaic Law at that time; (2) they had not only withdrawn their obedience from God, but they had also taken up arms against him; (3) they were worshipping the idols which their own hands had manufactured; (4) they were worshipping the fertility cults of the various Baalim, wallowing in the vulgar, sensuous rites of that orgiastic religion. It was for all of these things that God would destroy the nation and send the remnant of it into captivity, from which the vast majority would never return.
"The King of Kings never made war against his own subjects except when they had treacherously rebelled against him and had made such punishment necessary."[13]"Who is the wise man, that may understand this ..." (Jeremiah 9:12)? Keil tells us that this question is given in the negative form, indicating that "There is no wise man"[14] who was either able or willing to tell them the Word of God; and that the word `wherefore' in this same verse makes that the fundamental reason behind God's punishment of his people.
"They have forsaken my law which I set before them ..." (Jeremiah 9:13). The law mentioned here is the complete Law of Moses, not some small fragment of it found in the temple. Note also that God had set this law before the people, not Hilkiah who found that copy of it. It was the basic constitution of the nation of Israel; and their rebellion against the Covenant of God which was built into and around that law was the reason for the punishment coming upon them.
"Ye have ... walked after the Baalim ..." (Jeremiah 9:14). "Many of the Ugaritic texts regarded the fertility god Baal as the actual head of the Canaanite pantheon,"[15] and so is he regarded in this commentary. There is absolutely nothing in the Holy Bible that supports the notion advocated by some that a certain "[~'El]" was that head. It was Baal. This is proved by the fact that Baal's name is linked with dozens of lesser gods, often associated with various local areas as in, "Baal-hazor, Baal-peor, Baal-sidon, Baal-lebanon, Baal-haram, Baal-berith; it is clear from the Ugaritic texts that many of the cultic practices associated with the Baal fertility cults were heavily oriented toward sexual immorality."[16] This shameful worship was exceedingly attractive to the Jewish people, beginning with the tragic conduct of the whole nation at Baal-peor (Numbers 24-26).
"Wormwood... water of gall ..." (Jeremiah 9:15). "Wormwood is a plant having a very bitter juice, and gall was a poisonous bitter herb. The terms were often used together to indicate bitter afflictions."[17]"I will scatter them also among the nations ..." (Jeremiah 9:16). "This verse comes from Leviticus 26:33."[18] If, as some critics assert, the Pentateuch as we know it did not then exist, where on earth does one suppose that Jeremiah came up with this? Remember that our chapter here has already stated that God had given Israel his Law (the whole Pentateuch), a fact proved by this verse.
The Dean of Canterbury's comment on this is, "The captivity of Israel and the scattering of them among the heathen (the nations) was a fulfillment of this passage in Leviticus as the appointed determinate penalty for the violation of God's covenant; and this is one of the most remarkable facts in proof that prophecy was something more than human foresight."[19]Verse 17
"Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, Consider ye, and call for the mourning women, that they may come; and send for the skillful women, that they may come: and let them make haste, and take up a wailing for us, that our eye may run down with tears, and our eyelids gush out with waters. For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion, How are we ruined! we are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land, because they have cast down our dwellings. Yet hear the word of Jehovah, O ye women, and let your ear receive the word of his mouth; and teach your daughters wailing, and every one her neighbor lamentation."This is a dramatic picture of the horrible destruction coming upon Jerusalem at the hands of the invaders. It is represented to readers of the Holy Bible as a destruction yet future at the time Jeremiah penned this prophecy; and we have no respect at all for the "scholars" who would like to make it a description " after the event." Like many another prophecy, this one carries its own imprimature of truth. The thought here is that the people should enlist the aid of the weeping women, not just any weeping women, but "the skilled women," that is, the women who were experts in providing the type of weeping and wailing which the Jews customarily employed upon the occasion of funerals. This custom prevailed down until the times of Christ, as indicated by the hired mourners who were bewailing the death of the daughter of Jairus (Luke 8:40-56). The thought in this paragraph is (1) that a terrible calamity of death and destruction is approaching for Israel, and (2) that the supply of skilled mourners will be insufficient properly to bewail the tragedy; therefore, enlist the skilled mourners and let everyone teach her neighbor in order to help supply the mourners that would be needed!
Now was this an event that had already happened, or was it something Jeremiah prophesied for the future? Suppose, as some of the critics would have us believe, that he was talking about an event that had already happened. Can any intelligent person believe for a moment that, if it had already happened, God's prophet would have been crying so vehemently for the people to train mourners to mourn it? To ask that question is to know the answer! We learned in the minor prophets, especially in Micah, that these great predictive prophecies of the Old Testament carry their own built-in proof of authenticity; and this is another example of the same thing.
Green, quoting Skinner, in the Broadman Commentary, identified this passage as, "Perhaps the most brilliant example of a prophetic elegy which the Old Testament contains!"[20]Verse 21
"For death is come up into our windows, it is entered into our palaces; to cut off the children from without, and the young men from the streets. Speak, thus saith Jehovah, The dead bodies of men shall fall as dung upon the open field, and as the handful after the harvestman; and none shall gather them."This is a continuation of the prophetic elegy, the saddest element of it being the wanton destruction of the children. This was the usual thing to be expected in the ancient conquest of a city as indicated in Nahum 3:10; Luke 19:44, etc. There also seems to be an echo here of Eve's acceptance of Satan's lie that, "Ye shall not surely die!" Death comes inexorably upon old men, young men, all men, little children, cities, cultures, generations and races of men. Men may bar their doors, but it comes in the windows; none can escape it. What a block-buster of a lie Satan persuaded Eve to believe!
This tragic truth of the ravages of death upon the entire race of Adam seems to have triggered the next paragraph in which the sacred author attempted to turn men's thoughts to eternal values instead of trusting in the things men generally love to trust.
Verse 23
"Thus saith Jehovah, Let not the wise man . glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches; But let him glory in this, that he hath understanding, and knoweth me, that I am Jehovah who exerciseth loving-kindness, justice, and righteousness, in the earth: for in those things I delight, saith Jehovah."The knowledge of God and his way of salvation is greatly to be preferred above all the honors, power, riches, and achievements of mankind.
"Loving-kindness, justice, and righteousness ..." (Jeremiah 9:24). As Green noted, "These are covenant words." As we have repeatedly emphasized, it is impossible to understand God's punishment of the Jews apart from its relation to the Mosaic covenant which the Jews had possessed for many generations, and which they had so wantonly violated.
The only proper ground for anyone's glorying is in the right relationship with God; this is the thing that supremely matters.
Verse 25
"Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will punish all them that are circumcised in their uncircumcision: Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon and Moab, and all that have the corners of their hair cut off, that dwell in the wilderness; for all the nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in heart."Due to certain ambiguities in the Hebrew text, some have challenged the implication here that all of the nations mentioned actually practiced circumcision. "The KJV asserts that circumcision was not practiced by any of these nations; whereas, all we can affirm is, that, except for a small class (of priests) in Egypt, there is no proof of the general acceptance of circumcision by the list of nations mentioned here."[21] We prefer theKJV rendition, because, generally, the translators who gave us that version of the scriptures believed they were translating the "Word of God," whereas, it is evident that some more recent translators prefer to give us what they believe the prophet meant, or what they think he should have said, instead of what is written. With this view of the text, we agree with Robinson that, "Israel is here degraded to the level of other uncircumcised nations."[22] "The passage also teaches the glory of Israel's religion, and the futility of physical without spiritual circumcision."[23]"Uncircumcised in heart ..." (Jeremiah 9:26). This meant that physical circumcision alone, without the devoted and obedient heart that was supposed to accompany such a sign of the covenant, was worthless.
Jeremiah 9:1. The "weeping pronhet" again expresses himself on behalf of his people because of the misfortunes soon to come upon them.. The reference to waters and fountains is figurative and indicates the intensity of his grief.
Jeremiah 9:2. The deep grief of Jeremiah was not the kind that caused him to excuse the sins of the people. It was not mere sentiment or a fellow feeling for them in the suffering he knew they were destined to undergo, although he doubtless had that kind of grief also. But the chief motive for his sorrow was his disapproval of their sinful course. He was so disgusted with them that he wished he could get away out of their presence. So earnest was this feeling that he would have been willing to stay in a public lodging house in the wilderness in order to get away out of their sight.
Overindulgent parents sometimes allow their personal feeling to cause them to excuse or try to explain away the mistakes of their children. Such was not the case with Jeremiah for he used strong language in describing and condemning the conduct of the people of Judah. Bend their tongues is a figure of speech based on the use of a bow. If one were eager to shoot an arrow to some distant point he would bend or pull back the bow in order to send the arrow' on its mission of destruction. In like manner the people (especially the leaders) were so eager to use their tongues for sending lies that the illustration is drawn from the act of pulling back a bow in preparation for the discharge of a deadly weapon. Valiant means strong and the prophet describes the inconsistency of his people by the illustration just mentioned.
Continuing the figure of a bow he shows them exerting themselves enough to pull back the instrument when an arrow of falsehood was to be discharged, but they would not use enough strength to bend it to send forth a truth. From evil to evil means they would go from one sinful practice to another; they were so devoted to the abominable way of life which they had adopted under the system of idolatry. Know is used in the sense of "recognition," and the phrase know not me means the people of Judah were interested In the false gods of the heathen but refused to recognize the true God.
Jeremiah 9:3-4. The corruption of the people was so general that no confidence could be had in anyone, hence the warning advice of this verse. The motive for the slate of iniquity was twofold; fleshly indulgence (v. 2) and desire for material gain (Jeremiah 8; Jeremiah 10). It seems that such a disposition of selfishness has been characteristic of the Jews all through ancient times. (See Matthew 10:21.) Walk with slanders indicates an association with those whp lie against others in order to get some advantage of them.
Jeremiah 9:5. Mutual misLrust and false dealing is stili the subject of the prophet. The people not only dealt in falsehood but cultivated it for it is said they taught their tongue to speak lies. Weary themselves to commit iniquity means they were so persistent in their work of wickedness that they became tired over it.
Jeremiah 9:6. The various terms used in these verses are for the purpose of describing the depth of Judah's iniquity. Deceit denotes fraud In their dealing with each other. Their practice of this wickedness was so constant that the Lord called it their habitation. Good and evil never dwell together, hence the Lord accused the people of ignoring him so they could give their attention to the fraudulent practices.
Jeremiah 9:7. Melt is from a word that means to refine such as the work of a smelter of ore. It was a prediction of the captivity that was near at hand which was destined to refine them by curing them of idolatry. For how shall I do means "for thus shall I do,” because nothing short of the captivity would refine them.
Jeremiah 9:8. An arrow is Sharp, swift in flight, and strikes one before he is aware of its existence. In many Instances the arrow was pointed with a deadly poison so that the victim not only suffered from the mechanical wound, but would have to take the effect of the poison into his body. Such an instrument was referred to as an illustration of the falsifying tongues of these people.
Jeremiah 9:9. Visit means to inflict some punishment of a severe character and the Lord declared that he would do so to such a nation as Judah had come to be. In making this visit the Lord declared he would he avenging his soul on the sinful nation. There would be nothing wrong in that because Paul has declared that vengeance belongs to God (Romans 12:19), and He always does the right thing with that which Is bis own.
Jeremiah 9:10. This passage refers to the wasted condition in which the land was to be left after the Babylonian invasion. Burned up was not literal but. the territory was so ruined that all inducement for occupying it was removed.
Jeremiah 9:11. The preceding verse has to do with the country in general while this one is concerned with Jerusalem especially because it was the capital of Judah. Heaps is from a word that is defined "ruins" in the lexicon, and it is a prediction of the disorder that will be wrought in the city by the enemy. The desolated condition in which the cities were to be left is the reason for mentioning the wild creatures that would live there. The Biblical account of the fulfillment is in 2 Kings 24:10-16.
Jeremiah 9:12. This verse is In the form of a question which implies that inspiration was necessary to enable, a man to see what was coming on the nation. The people in general and even its leaders such as the priests and regular prophets (teachers) did not realize what was to be the fate of the country. The Lord therefore sent the spirit of divine foresight unto Jeremiah and other prophets like him that the predictions might be made. One purpose for making the predictions was that certain worthy individuals might be induced by the warning to repent of their part in the iniquity of the country. Should they do so they would be spared much personal humiliation even though they have to take their share of the national misfortunes. (See the note at 2 Kings 22:17 in Vol. 2 of this Commentary,
Jeremiah 9:13. The Lord always has a reason for what he does though he does not reveal it to man In every case. In the present one, however, the reason is stated and has been many times, It was because of their rejection of Gods law that he was determined to expel his people out of their own land and cause them to languish many years in a foreign country.
Jeremiah 9:14. It is wrong to disobey the word of the Lord even once, but it is much worse to icalk alter such a life, and that is what the people of Judah did. Imagination is rendered "stubbornness” in the margin and the lexicon defines the original word as “ obstinancy." and both renderings truly describe the spirit and conduct of the people of Judah. The specific thing which their stubbornness Jed them to do was to worship the idolatrous gods of Baalim. They accepted the instructions and followed the example of their fleshly ancestors Instead of obeying their spiritual Father.
Jeremiah 9:15. Wormwood and gall are used figuratively to represent the awful experiences the people of Judah were to have in Babylon. Of the first word Smith's Bible Dictionary says the following: "The word occurs frequently in the Bible, and generally in a metaphorical [figurative] sense. In Jeremiah 9:15; Jeremiah 23:15; Lamentations 3:15; Lamentations 3:19, wormwood is symbolical of bitter calamity and sorrow; unrighteous judges are said to 'turn judgment to wormwood.’ Amos 5:7, The Orientals [people of the East] typified sorrow, cruelties and calamities of any kind by plants of a poisonous or bitter nature." Gall is from rowsh, which Strong defines, "A poisonous plant, probably the poppy (from its conspicuous head); generally poison (even of serpents).” In the King James version the word has been rendered by gall, hemlock, poison and venom. Tile sorrowful existence which the people of God went through while in captivity was certainly very bitter and might well be likened to poison for it just about killed their morale. (See Psalms 137 and Ezekiel 37:11 for a description of their suffering.)
Jeremiah 9:16. Some of the bitterness predicted in the preceding verse came upon the people while yet in their home land. This verse has more direct bearing on the captivity in Babylon which was accomplished in part by the use of the sword.
Jeremiah 9:17. Josephus mentions “ hired mourners" who were employed in ancient times by unfortunate people who thought their circumstances were unusually distressing. It was in allusion to this practice that Jeremiah mentioned the mourning women, though he uses it figuratively and in prediction of the sad state of affairs soon to come upon the nation. Cunning is from Chakam, which Strong defines, “ wise, (i.e., intelligent, skillful or artful)." The idea is that the condition awaiting the nation will be so pitiable that it will require a wise person to describe it fully.
Jeremiah 9:18. Make haste means to be prompt in forming a wailing for the people for the captivity js but a few years in the future. The reference to fears and the eyes is just another figurative prediction of the distress about to come.
Jeremiah 9:19. Voice Of wailing is heard is present tense hut is a prediction of things to come though not very far off. Have forsaken and have cast is past or present tense but refers to the exile soon to happen to the kingdom of Judah.
Jeremiah 9:20. Yet is used in the sense of "also, furthermore,” etc,, meaning a call to attention of these "mourning women.” They made a profession of their mourning exercises, but they were admonished to hear the word of the Lord and then make their mourning a genuine expression of grief. They were also told to pass the sorrowful word on to their daughters and neighbors.
Jeremiah 9:21-22. Windows is used figuratively to indicate the activity of death at invading the homes. It will not wait for an open door to admit the black monster but will come through the perforations (which was the kind of windows they had in ancient times) of these openings to the houses.
Jeremiah 9:23. All human accomplishments and talents are failures when the might of the Lord is turned against them. The most Influential men in the kingdom of Judah had been dominating the common people for many years and they had led them into sin. Now they themselves were destined to feel the wrath of God whose law they had broken.
Jeremiah 9:24. The man who trusts in God and respects his laws may be considered very ordinary in the opinion of human beings, yet even his weakness will prove too much for the unrighteous oppressor if he puts his reliance in divine support.
Jeremiah 9:25. God often used heathen nations as instruments with which to punish his own people. But he likewise chastised those heathen groups because of their cruelty upon the unfortunate nation, and because of the personal satisfaction they took from the service. Hence the prediction in this verse threatens vengeance upon the various nations whom God had been using and intended yet to use. The terms circumcised and uncircumcised are used to classify all of the peoples to be involved in the chastisement of the Lord; the first Of the terms refers to the Jews.
Jeremiah 9:26, This verse groups all of the people together that were involved regardless of race or nationality because all nf them were uncircumcised in one sense or another. The foreign nations were uncircumcised physically and the people of Israel were uncircumcised (unconsecrated) spiritually.
Jeremiah Chapter Ten
Verse 1
10THE TRUE GOD WITH IDOLSIn this chapter, we encounter a barrage of critical bias to the effect that, "This chapter presupposes a situation in which the people addressed are living among the heathen and need to be warned against idolatry."[1] "There is an interruption of thought ... Most scholars question the authenticity of a major section of this chapter."[2] "Most scholars wish to date this passage during the exile and consider it post-Jeremiahic."[3] "Jeremiah 10:1-16 here interrupt the connection between Jeremiah 9:22 and Jeremiah 10:17."[4]None of these allegations has any foundation whatever.
This whole chapter was written shortly before the Babylonian capture of Jerusalem the first time. At that time the Jews were a thoroughly idolatrous people. The horrible idolatries under Manasseh were still adored and secretly worshipped by the Jews; and the superficial reforms under Josiah had not really changed the hearts of the people. Idolatry was rampant in Judaea in the closing days of their apostasy and just before their deportation to Babylon. Any notion, therefore that the warning here regarding the "nothingness of idols" was not needed must be classified as ridiculous. Of course, the Jews desperately needed this warning; and, since this chapter mentions the near approach of the Babylonian invasion, it was especially appropriate that Jeremiah should have given the Jews another dramatic warning of the idolatry which they were sure to encounter in Babylon, as well as citing again their own idolatry which was a major cause of their divine punishment.
Of all the critical attacks upon the authenticity of Biblical books which we have encountered, the one here appears as the very weakest and unbelievable of all of them.
Green also agreed that this disputed passage, "could have been Jeremiah's warning to Judah against falling under the spell of the Babylonian brand of idolatry."[5] How blind are the interpreters who do not see such an obvious truth.
There is no interruption of the sequence of thought; there is no break in the intimate connection evident in every line of these chapters. How natural it was that, in the same breath, where Jeremiah hailed the advance of the destroyers (Jeremiah 10:17 ff), God's great prophet should have warned the Jews of the Babylonian idolatry.
Another fact of the utmost importance that surfaces in this chapter is the fact that Jeremiah took this description of idols and their worthlessness almost verbatim from Isaiah's description of the same things in chapters 40-44.
"The correspondence between Jeremiah's description and that of Isaiah, is so manifest that no one can doubt that one is modeled upon the other. If Jeremiah, then, took the thoughts and phrases from Isaiah (which he most obviously did do), it is plain that the last twenty-seven chapters of Isaiah were prior in date to the times of Jeremiah, and that they were not written at the close of the Babylonian exile. This passage is a crucial one to the pseudo-Isaiah theory."[6]The critics, of course, realize that they must reply to this, or lose their case for a Deutero-Isaiah altogether; but R. Payne Smith has effectively refuted their attempted answers.
(1) There is the claim that the pseudo-Isaiah copied from Jeremiah. "This is refuted by the style," which is Isaiah's, not Jeremiah's."[7] (2) An alternative answer would make an interpolation out of the whole passage (Jeremiah 10:1-16). "This is contradicted by the appearance of the passage in LXX."[8] Even some writers who half-heartedly cling to the out-dated critical allegations, such as Dummelow, are impressed with these answers. Dummelow, after mentioning the theories about this chapter, stated that, "It should, however, be said, on the other hand, that the LXX, although omitting much that is in the Hebrew, yet contains this chapter![9]In our view, such facts as these, coupled with many others cited throughout this series of commentaries, effectively dispose of the whole multiple-Isaiah nonsense.
Jeremiah 10:1-5THE OF THE FALSE GODS"Hear ye the word which Jehovah speaketh unto you, O house of Israel: Thus saith Jehovah, learn not the way of the nations, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the nations are dismayed at them. For the customs of the peoples are vanity; for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. They are like a palm-tree, of turned work, and speak not: they must be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good.""Learn not the way of the nations ... the nations are dismayed ... the customs of the peoples are vanity ..." (Jeremiah 10:2-3). There is absolutely no way that Jeremiah could have made it any plainer that the admonition of this chapter was designed to aid the Jews in rejecting the idolatry of the Gentiles, such as that they would encounter in Babylon.
Furthermore, this scathing denunciation of idolatry came right out of the experience of Jeremiah who was an eye-witness of the gross conduct of the Jews in that sector throughout his lifetime. "He had known it (the idolatry) first-hand, himself being held in awe only by the monotheistic faith cherished by the best of the people."[10]The special need for Jeremiah's warning against idolatry was mentioned by Halley. "It seems that the threat of Babylonian invasion had spurred the people of Judah into great activity in manufacturing idols, as if idols could save them. This gave Jeremiah the occasion for these verses."[11]"Be not dismayed at the signs of heaven ..." (Jeremiah 10:2). "This does not refer to the sun, moon, and stars, or signs of the zodiac, meant by God to be signs (Genesis 1:14), but to unusual phenomena like eclipses, meteorites, comets, etc. which were supposed by the ancients to portend extraordinary events. Such things struck terror into the hearts of ancient pagans. Egypt and Babylon were both addicted to this very thing."[12]Thus, Jeremiah could not have made it any plainer if he had cited Babylon by name as being the very people against whom the Israelites were here warned against taking up their false gods and customs.
To declare that these verses do not fit is to betray a total lack of understanding of Jeremiah's purpose.
"They cannot do evil ... or do good ..." (Jeremiah 10:5). Harrison paraphrased this verse as follows: "The false gods are like a scarecrow in a patch of cucumbers!"[13]Verse 6
"There is none like unto thee, O Jehovah; thou art great, and thy name is great in might. Who should not fear thee, O King of the nations? for to thee doth it appertain; forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their royal estate, there is none like unto thee. But they are together brutish and foolish: in instruction of idols! it is but a stock. There is silver beaten into plates, which is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the artificer and of the hands of the goldsmith; blue and purple for their clothing; they are all the work of skillful men. But Jehovah is the true God; he is the living God, and an everlasting King; at his wrath the earth trembleth, and the nations are not able to abide his indignation."This is a contemptuous description of idols as contrasted with the eternal and almighty God. Tarshish is thought to have been in Spain. Uphaz is unknown; and Harrison thought that it might even be, "a metallurgical term meaning `refined gold.' "[14] No matter how expensive were the decorations applied to idols, they were nevertheless "essentially nothing," unable either to harm or to benefit their worshippers.
Although he missed the truth about Jeremiah 10:11, calling it "a gloss,"[15] Thompson nevertheless made a significant contribution to the proper understanding of this passage. He wrote:
"In view of many attempts to rearrange Jeremiah 10:1-25, we might ask if such is really the right procedure. It may be far better to try to make sense out of what lies before us in the text ("Amen," J.B.C.). We discern a reasonable pattern in which alternating assertions are made about idols and Yahweh."
Jeremiah 10:1, introductory statement.
Jeremiah 10:2-5, a warning against idols.
Jeremiah 10:6-7, the supremacy of Yahweh.
Jeremiah 10:8-9, the futility of idols.
Jeremiah 10:10-13, the creative power of Jehovah.
Jeremiah 10:14-15, idols and their makers judged.
Jeremiah 10:16, final acknowledgment of Yahweh's supremacy.
Seen in this way, the whole passage has coherence and order.[16]This is a perfect demonstration that the passage does not need any rearrangement at all. It is perfectly logical and appropriate right where it is.
Verse 11
"Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, these shall perish from the earth, and from under the heavens."We have noted that Thompson mistakenly called this a gloss. It is no such thing. "It must not be regarded as a gloss, because it provides an immediate connection between Jeremiah 10:10; Jeremiah 10:12."[17]"Thus shall ye say unto them ..." (Jeremiah 10:11). This refers to a popular saying in those times in the Chaldee tongue (to which the Jews would soon travel); and, in effect, it gives God's people a ready-made answer in the tongue of their captors by which they would be able to resist the inducements to participate in Babylonian idolatry. This is one of the master-strokes of the whole prophecy.
"Because this verse is in Chaldee (Aramaic) some expositors reject it as a gloss; but all versions have it. It fits the context perfectly."[18] Furthermore, "No copyist would have interpolated a Chaldee verse into a Hebrew text!"[19]In the attention we have paid to the authenticity of the chapter, we should not overlook the extremely important theological teachings of these important verses: "There is none like God (Jeremiah 10:6); He is the true and living God (Jeremiah 10:10); He is the Creator of heaven and earth (Jeremiah 10:12); He is the controller of the clouds and of the rain (Jeremiah 10:13); he alone is worthy of the respect and adoration of all men (Jeremiah 10:7); He is especially the God of Israel (Jeremiah 10:16).
Before leaving Jeremiah 10:11, we shall note that many recent commentators love to parrot the old critical shibboleth that "This verse, being in Chaldee (Aramaic) is out of place."[20] But such a remark is nothing but an eighteenth century error. As R. Payne Smith, Dean of Canterbury, stated in 1929, "The appearance of this verse, as is, in the Septuagint (LXX) version is decisive. That this verse is in Aramaic is accounted for by the supposition that the exiles (soon to be in Babylon) were to use these very words (in the Chaldean tongue) as a retort when asked by the Chaldeans to join in their idol-worship. It was probably a proverbial saying."[21] What an advantage for the exiles that they were thus armed with a popular proverb in the very language of their captors, enabling them to resist appeals to join in Babylonian idolatry!
Verse 12
"He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding hath he stretched out the heavens. When he uttereth his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasuries. Every man is become brutish and is without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his graven image; for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them. They are vanity, a work of delusion: in the time of their visitation they shall perish. The portion of Jacob is not like these; for he is the former of all things; and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance: Jehovah of hosts is his name.""Who made ... established ... stretched out ..." (Jeremiah 10:12) The three things that entered into the Creator's preparing a home for his human creation are listed here: (1) he made the earth; (2) he prepared and fitted it to be a human dwelling place; and (3) he protected it from cosmic damage by such things as excessive radiation and falling meteorites, stretching out the heavens (the atmospheric shield) as a protection.
"He maketh lightnings for the rain ..." (Jeremiah 10:13). "Every thunderstorm bears witness to the wise and almighty government of God."[22]"Every goldsmith is put to shame by his graven image ..." (Jeremiah 10:14) Any person who can see the violent strength of a tropical thunderstorm and then bow down and worship a lifeless image, a production of his own hands, as god (!) has simply forsaken all intelligence.
Such images (notice the change from the singular "image" to the plural "them" in Jeremiah 10:14, as frequently in the Bible) are worthless, having "no breath" in them.
Jeremiah 10:15-16 stress the fact that graven images are entitled to no respect at all but are worthy only of contempt. The glorious God of Jacob, the true and almighty living God who created the heavens and the earth is contrasted with the idols in Jeremiah 10:16.
The parenthetical admonition concerning idols (Jeremiah 10:1-16) ends here; and Jeremiah returns to the approaching captivity.
Verse 17
"Gather up thy wares out of the land, O thou that abidest in the siege. For thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will sling out the inhabitants of the land at this time, and will distress them, that they may feel it."Here Judah is commanded to pick up her bundle of belongings and begin the long trek to Babylon, on which journey they will be retained by a cord of some kind passed through the ear, the lip, or the nose. One may see such lines of captives upon the old murals and monuments from that era of the world's brutal history. The near approach of the disaster is forcefully indicated in these verses.
"That they may feel it ..." (Jeremiah 10:18). "In the Syriac version, this reads, `That they may find me' (God)."[23]"I will sling out the inhabitants ..." (Jeremiah 10:18). There is a similar thought in Isaiah 22:18; and in both places the reference is to the violence of the expulsion. The metaphor comes from the habit of whirling a stone round and round in a sling and then releasing it.
Verse 19
"Woe is me because of my hurt! my wound is grievous: but I said, Truly this is my grief, and I must bear it. My tent is destroyed, and all my cords are broken: there is none to spread my tent any more, and to set up my curtains. For the shepherds are become brutish, and have not inquired of Jehovah: therefore they have not prospered, and all their flocks are scattered. The voice of tidings, behold, it cometh, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah a desolation, a dwelling place of jackals."In the sad picture that emerges here, Jerusalem is compared to a tent-dwelling mother whose tent has been destroyed and her children carried away. Nobody is left to help her repair the tent. The blame belongs to the ignorant leaders who neglected to ask guidance from the Lord.
Then the scene changes a bit. Destruction is already approaching from the north country, which was the usual entry into Palestine by invading nations. The Jewish Targum gives the general sense here, thus: "My land is desolate, and all my cities plundered: my people are gone into captivity, and are not."[24]Jeremiah's sorrow over the fate of his people is so great, and he is identified with them so completely, that the lament of the plundered and destroyed nation seems to be adopted as his own.
"The shepherds ..." (Jeremiah 10:21). These were all of the people's leaders, including kings, priests, scribes, false prophets, and all the rest. They had wantonly and willfully forsaken God with the inevitable consequences about to be executed upon Judah.
"The voice ... behold, it cometh ..." (Jeremiah 10:22). "These words indicate that the captivity is still, at this time, in the future."[25]Verse 23
"O Jehovah, I know that the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. O Jehovah, correct me, but in measure; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing. Pour out thy wrath upon the nations that know thee not, and upon the families that call not on thy name; for they have devoured Jacob, yea they have devoured him and consumed him, and laid waste his habitation.""It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps ..." (Jeremiah 10:23). This is one of the most profound statements in the Scriptures and one that needs continually to be heeded by sinful men. As long as men seek to be guided by their own counsels, and by what seems good to them, they are destined to frustration and defeat.
"O Jehovah, correct me, but in measure" (Jeremiah 10:24). Jeremiah's payer here recognized the need of Judah for correction, but he prays for God's mercy as the blow falls.
In the Jewish view, only the Gentiles deserved divine wrath and punishment. The Jews were God's chosen people. Thus there found a way into Jeremiah's prayer for a plea for God to pour out his wrath and indignation upon the Gentile instruments of Judah's chastisement. This prayer was just, "Because the heathen were devouring Jacob, not as obedient ministers of divine chastisement, but as wild beasts, gratifying their lusts, and their hatred of true religion."[26] In the eventual history of the Chosen People, Jeremiah's prayer was answered. In mercy, God concluded their captivity and made it possible for all who wished to do so to return to Judah; but Babylon was ruthlessly destroyed by the Medo-Persians.
Jeremiah 10:1. House of Israel was used in the, general sense although the kingdom of Judah was specifically meant. The kingdom of Israel (the 10 tribes) had been in exile more than a century.
Jeremiah 10:2. Idolatry was the greatest corruption of Israel and lor which the nation was destined t,o be driven out of the home land. Idol worship was of three kinds that might well be termed as natural, artificial and imaginative, The first was the worship of the planets, the beasts, the trees and the rivers. The second was that of images made by hand out of wood, stone and metal. The third was some invisible god such as Baal and Ashtaroth. This verse deals with the first because signs is the same word as that in Genesis 1:14 where we know It, means the sun and other heavenly bodies. God is admonishing his people not to be in dread of these planets for to do so would make them as foolish as the heathen.
Jeremiah 10:3-5, These verses should form a bracket and the subject is the weakness of idolatry. Customs refers to the practices of the idolaters which are so foolish and inconsistent. Th' most ordinary Intelligence would enable a man to conclude that a god worthy of being worshiped should he greater and stronger than the worshiper, But in the case of these manmade idols (number 2 of tbe forms of Idols noted In the preceding verse) the entire object to be worshiped is Tim work of the worshiper. It is true that a man might make an Instrument that could perform some mechanical feat which he could not do with his bare hands. In such a case, however, the praise for the instrument would be given to the one who made it. But the matter of this form of idolatry is just the opposite to that.
After the god has been taken out of the forest, shaped Into the desired form, decorated to taste and placed In the desired location, it. is as helpless as a standing tree. If the worshiper wishes the god to occupy some other place he most carry It to that location since It is unable to move an inch. It is strange that any human being could be so foolish as to engage in such a practice, especially for the Jews to do so when they had so much information about the true God. But it nrnves the truth of an Old saving that “ There is only one step from the sublime to the ridiculous.”
Jeremiah 10:6. Having described the emptiness of idolatry the prophet turns his speech into praise for the God of the Hebrews, There is no one like unto Him, for he is the one who created the materials from which the idolaters obtained the images they worship.
Jeremiah 10:7. Not only are the dumb things of creation such as the trees the work of the Lord, but He Is greater in might than the greatest and wiser than the wisest among all the nations of the world. To thee doth it appertain means that fear or reverence is due to be given to the Lord because be truly is the King of nations.
Jeremiah 10:8. They refers to the wise men of the nations mentioned in the preceding verse, Altogether denotes that all of these "wise” idolaters are in one class and that they are brutish (stupid) and foolish.
Jeremiah 10:9. This verse is similar to the bracket of Jer 10:3-5 in that it portrays the weakness of idolatry. Every material advantage is given the idol gods. The silver brought from Tarshish and the gold from Uphaz were among the best in fineness, and from these metals the images were formed. After the Idol forms were made they were decorated with blue and scarlet fabrics which were among the most beautiful materials. And yet with r1’ of this arrangement the most that can be said of them is that they are the work of cunning men.
Jeremiah 10:10. The attractive appearance which the idolaters gave to their image did not. make it able to show even any signs of life, much less enable It to do anything. On the other hand the Lord of Israel Is the living God. He not only is a king but an everlasting king. Instead of being made out of earthly materials as was the idol god, the earth is altogether within the power of this living God. The heathen nations merely otter foolfsh and Ineffective service to their material god, while they tremble at the wrath of the God whom Jeremiah worshiped.
Jeremiah 10:11. Thus shall ye say unto them is the instruction of the Lord, telling Jeremiah what he should say t.O the people of his nation. They are to be told that their idol gods will cease to be and hence it will be seen all Idols are powerless.
Jeremiah 10:12, He refers to the Lord who was named in verse 10. Three important qualifications are possessed by Him and were used In the formation of the universe; power, wisdom and discretion. The first made it possible for him to do the work, the second furnished him with tbe genera! Information as to how it should he done, and the third suggested the most useful or practical plan of the whole arrangement.
Jeremiah 10:13. This verse Is simply a statement of God’ s control over the elements In the universe. Moisture goes up from the earth and is condensed into rain and produces even such Quantities of it that a multitude of waters results. (Genesis 7.)
Jeremiah 10:14. In view of God’ s power over the whole earth, the men who pretend to worship the images which they make out of a mere speck of this great universe are brutish (stupid). When the wooden or metal image is put to the test the maker and worshiper of it wiil he confounded or confused. He will learn to his sorrow that these breathless images can accomplish nothing for him and that, all expectations offered to him by the idolatrous prophets were falsehood.
Jeremiah 10:15. They are vanity means that idols are useless and can accomplish nothing. Work of errors denotes the whole system of idolatry is a mistake. Time of their visitation signifies tiiat when the gods of the heathen are put to the test they will be proved a failure, and they who worshiped them will he put to shame.
Jeremiah 10:16. The original for portion is defined ''allotment” In the lexicon and refers to the favors that Jacob or the people descended from him wiil enjoy. He is a pronoun for God who is the former of all things and who can bestow actual blessings on his people. Hosts is from tsebaaii and Strong defines it, "A mass of persons (or figuratively things), especially regularly organized for war (an army).” Name is from smbm, which Strong defines as follows: "A primitive word . . .through the idea of definite and conspicuous position. An appellation I name], as a mark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character." A name that signifies all these important, characteristics is certainly one that is properly given to Him who made and rules the universe.
Jeremiah 10:17. Gather up thy mares is like telling a person to get his personal belongings together and be ready to leave. It is a prediction that the inhabitants of the fortress which is Jerusalem will soon have to leave.
Jeremiah 10:18. The same prediction is continued but in more direct terms. To sling out means to expell with force and at this once signifies that the hour of departure is at hand. That was literally true for Jeremiah began to write less than 20 years before the Babylonian captivity started. Distress Is from a Hebrew word that is defined "to cramp” in the lexicon, and is used with reference to the Babylonian captivity for the people of God certainly were cramped when they were huddled in that country. Find Is from MATES and Strong defines it, "to come forth, i.e., appear or exist; transitively to attain, i.e., find or acquire.” The gist of the clause is that Judah was to be shut up in Babylon in order to find by experience what it means to disregard the taw of the Lord.
Jeremiah 10:19, The prophet speaks in the first person but is really concerned about the hurt of the nation. The hurt refers to the downfall that his people are soon to suffer from the enemy. I must bear it corresponds with the decree that nothing could be done by any man to avoid the captivity.
Jeremiah 10:20. Tabernacle and cords are used figuratively because the nation had not used that structure since the days of Solomon. The clause means the temple was about to be demolished and 2 Kings 25:9-10 records the fulfillment of that prediction. My children has reference to the citizens of Jerusalem Who were taken by the Babylonians and 2 Kings 24:14 shows us fulfillment. Tent and curtains are used In the same sense as tabernacle and cords in the beginning of the verse.
Jeremiah 10:21. Pastors is from a word that means rulers and feeders, and applies especially to the priests to whom was given the twofold duty of ruling, and feeding spiritual knowledge. (See Jeremiah 5:31 and Malachi 2:7.) But these pastors who were expected to acquire and teach knowledge had become brutish which is defined "stupid” in the lexicon. A pastor or shepherd who becomes uninformed or stupid will not be aware of approaching danger and as a result his flock may be scattered from him. Such was soon to be the lot of these pastors in Judah, for the Babylonians were going to take possession of the flock (citizens of Jerusalem) and drive ft away to a strange fold beyond the Euphrates River.
Jeremiah 10:22. Bruit is now an obsolete word in the English language. In this verse it is from and Strong defines it, "Something heard, i.e., an announcement.” It represents the prophet as hearing a sound or rumor that is not favorable for his people, for it Is the sound of the army of Babylon that soon will be marching down upon the country. The sound Is coming from the north, which is explained by the note and comments at Isaiah 14:31 in Vol. 3 of this Commentary. Making the cities a den of dragons refers to the unthinkable condition they will be in after the captivity.
Jeremiah 10:23. The prophet is much impressed at the helplessness of man. especially as it pertains to questions of proper living. Had his fellow countrymen realized that truth and acted accordingly the war clouds now approaching would never have arisen.
Jeremiah 10:24. Jeremiah personally was righteous but the prayer he utters is on behalf of the people of Judah. And the prayer is a kind of prediction that the nation is to be corrected in a foreign land but with judgment. Not in thine anger is not absolule for other passages tell us that God's anger was kindled against his people which caused him to decree the captivity upon them. The idea is that a limit would be observed in the treatment administered so that a remnant would be saved and the nation would not be brought to nothing.
Jeremiah 10:25. Jeremiah personally doubtless felt incensed against the heathen nation that was soon coming against his beloved country, but the passage is also a prediction of the vengeance that God would take on the very instrument that he had chosen by which to chastise his disobedient people, because of the cruelty with which they did their service and because of the satisfaction they got from the sufferings of Judah.
Jeremiah Chapter Eleven
Verse 1
11
THE SINAI BROKEN BY ISRAELThis and the next two chapters are thought to have been written about the same time, coming in the early part of the reign of Jehoiachim, during that four or five year period while Israel was still feeling a false sense of security by reason of their friendship for Egypt.[1] This would have been about 620. B.C.
The great theme here is the breaking of the Sinaitic covenant by the Chosen People. That sacred covenant made by God with the Children of Israel at the time when he brought them up out of Egypt had been neglected and nearly forgotten for ages, until the copy of the Law of Moses was discovered by Hilkiah during the renovation of the temple during the days of Josiah the king (2 Kings 22-23).
Along with Feinberg, we are surprised that, "So much discussion has gone on among expositors as to `which' covenant is meant in Jeremiah 11:1-3, the one made with the nation at Sinai, or the one promulgated by Josiah."[2]There is no doubt whatever that the Sinaitic covenant, all of it, as set forth in the Pentateuch, is the covenant in view here.
THE IN VIEW HEREWe are fully aware that the radical critics have exhausted themselves in efforts to prove that the covenant mentioned here was only some small part of the Sinaitic covenant, limited to the Book of Deuteronomy, or even to some very small portion of Deuteronomy. That eighteenth century falsehood of Satan needs to be exploded.
God's Word tells us what book was discovered. It was designated by Hilkiah as The Book of the Law (properly capitalized here, as should be the case in every mention of it) (See 2 Kings 22:3; 2 Kings 22:8). The king referred to it as The Book of the Covenant (2 Kings 23:21), as did also the inspired author of 2Kings, who called it The Book of the Covenant (2 Kings 23:2). These references absolutely disprove the falsehood that anything less than the whole Pentateuch constituted that Book of the Law, or Book of the Covenant, which led to the extensive reforms under king Josiah. "Surely 2 Kings 22-23 makes it clear that Josiah was not introducing a new covenant but only calling for a reaffirmation of the old Mosaic Covenant."[3]Absolutely everything connected with the reforms of Josiah indicated the restoration in Israel of the entire Mosaic covenant. The whole Mosaic covenant is structured after the pattern of the old suzerainty treaties; and the invocation of the "list of curses" always attached to such treaties, as Henderson pointed out, "is indicated in the phraseology of Jer 11:5 which is borrowed from Deuteronomy 27:26."[4]Furthermore, there is not even any difference between the covenant as it appears in Deuteronomy from the one in Exodus; for it is expressly declared in Deuteronomy that:
"When Moses made an end of writing the words of this law in a book ... Moses commanded that it be placed by the ark of the covenant." (Deuteronomy 31:24) And upon that same occasion, Moses entrusted that Law to the custodianship of the Levites.
More and more scholars of the present era are accepting the proposition that no fragmentary or incomplete document ever invented by evil men can be substituted for that whole Book of the Law written by Moses. Note the following:
"This covenant refers to the covenant made at Sinai, as related in Exodus 24, with its strong emphasis upon the moral law.[5] The covenant (Jeremiah 11:1-8) is a reference to the covenant that Yahweh made at the time of the national deliverance of Israel from Egypt, as the condition of God's continued blessing.[6] It is a reasonable conjecture that `this covenant' refers to the Mosaic covenant of Sinai.[7] The covenant was the historic agreement sealed centuries earlier at Sinai.[8] "The words of this covenant" are, as is clear from the succeeding context, the words of the covenant recorded in the Pentateuch, known from the reading of the Torah.[9]Jeremiah 11:1-5"The word that came to Jeremiah from Jehovah, saying, Hear ye the words of this covenant, and speak unto the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and say thou unto them, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel: Cursed be the man that heareth not the words of this covenant, which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do them, according to all which I command you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God; that I may establish the oath which I sware unto your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as at this day. Then answered I and said, Amen, O Jehovah."This paragraph fully corroborates all that we stated above concerning what covenant is here under consideration. Jeremiah at the time indicated here possessed the whole Pentateuch at least, and he probably also had available to him a great many of the prophets, certainly including Isaiah. Nothing is any more unbelievable than the allegation of radical critics that there were no scriptures at that time except, maybe, some fragment of Deuteronomy. How could God have commanded Jeremiah to teach the people "the words of this covenant" if, indeed, he did not have them in his possession?
Besides that, it was not the whole people of Israel who had lost the Book of the Law; it was that gang of reprobate priests and scribes in the temple that had lost it! That there was, indeed, at this time, throughout Israel, a residual knowledge of the whole Law of Moses is evident. "The righteous remnant" would indeed have preserved countless portions of it. The proof of this is in 2 Chronicles 34, which reveals that, "The centralization of worship in Jerusalem preceded the discovery of the Book of the Covenant in the temple by Hilkiah."[10]In the light of all these things, how can we understand a remark like that of Cheyne, who substituted for "the words of this covenant" the totally inadequate expression, "the words of this ordinance!?"[11] In the same breath, he admitted that "the words of this covenant" is a correct rendition of the text; but he declared it to be "unsuitable." Of course, it is "unsuitable" for all of the erroneous allegations the radical critics have thrown at the passages here.
The great significance of God's appeal through Jeremiah to the Israelites at this juncture in their affairs, calling upon them to hear and obey the commandments of the covenant, derived from the fact that, "Whether the promised land would remain in the possession of Israel or not depended upon their observance, or non-observance, of the covenant."[12]"Amen ..." (Jeremiah 11:5). "This is the standard response to a covenant; and it is Jeremiah's pledge to recall Israel to the historic Sinai event when God promised to supply the material and spiritual needs of his people in their infancy as a nation, in return for their undivided worship and obedience."[13]Verse 6
"And Jehovah said unto me, Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, Hear ye the words of the covenant, and do them. For I earnestly protested unto your fathers in the day that I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even unto this day, rising early and protesting, saying, Obey my voice. Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked everyone in the stubbornness of their evil heart: therefore I brought upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but they did them not.""Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah ..." (Jeremiah 11:6) These words indicate that, for a period of time, at least, Jeremiah went about the various cities of Judah urging the people to renew their love and adherence to the ancient covenant, which also was their charter for remaining in Palestine. The Bible gives us no further information about such a traveling ministry by Jeremiah.
It has never been true that obedience to God's commands in any sense, earns, merits, or deserves the promised rewards; but it is also true that disobedience of God's commands can most certainly result in the forfeiture of the promised rewards and benefits. This principle was valid in the days of ancient Israel; and it is valid today under the grace of the Gospel of Christ. Just like many today, the ancient Jews did not believe it.
Verse 9
"And Jehovah said unto me, A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem. They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, who refused to hear my words; and they are gone after other gods to serve them: the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with their fathers. Therefore thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and they shall cry unto me, but I will not hearken unto them. Then shall the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem go and cry unto the gods unto which they offer incense; but they will not save them at all in the time of their trouble. For according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars to the shameful thing, even altars to burn incense unto Baal.""Conspiracy ... among the men of Judah ..." (Jeremiah 11:9). There are two views of when this conspiracy occurred.
Dummelow thought it happened during the reign of Josiah[14] but Henderson placed it in the times of Jehoiachim's first four years, "When those who were hostile to Josiah's reforms bound themselves to introduce again all of the idolatrous practices (popularized by Manasseh) which had been abolished by Josiah."[15] A common denominator in both positions is that the whole population (except the righteous remnant) of the Chosen People (Israel and Judah alike) had given themselves completely to idolatry. This is the background of the crucial announcement in the following verse that all Israel had "broken the covenant."
"The house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken the covenant ..." (Jeremiah 11:10). Graybill observed that, "God was now in the act of terminating the covenant and bringing the punishment";[16] but, a better view appears to be that this declaration from God Himself then and there terminated the racial covenant with Abraham finally and irrevocably, except as it should be renewed in the New Israel without any racial overtones whatever.
Hosea's unhappy marriage with Gomer was terminated exactly in the same manner at the time when he bought back his adulterous wife from slavery and returned her to his home, not as his wife, but as his slave. Prior to the terminal action registered here, the whole racial Israel had been judicially hardened (always with the exception of the righteous remnant), as repeatedly mentioned by both Isaiah and Jeremiah.
The pressing question that always surfaces in the consideration of such things is "Why did God continue to preserve Israel?" In the case of judicial hardening, except for Israel, it always meant the summary and final end of the person or cities hardened; why then was it to be different in the case of Israel? The answer lies squarely in the truth that the Messiah had not yet been born. Until that glorious event should come to pass, it was absolutely necessary for fleshly Israel to be preserved and continued as an identifiable entity upon the earth, because that only could make the identification of the Son of God absolutely indisputable for all time to come!
"According to the number of the cities of Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem ..." (Jeremiah 11:13) Such a proliferation of altars erected to Baal indicates that the rampant idolatry of the times of Manasseh had indeed come back full force, At this point the "conspiracy" which God revealed to Jeremiah had achieved one of its purposes. However, there was another purpose of it; and that included the destruction of the prophet himself, which would be revealed later in the chapter.
Verse 14
"Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them; for I will not hear them in the time that they cry to me because of their trouble. What hath my beloved to do in my house, seeing she hath wrought lewdness with many, and the holy flesh is passed from thee? when thou doest evil, then thou rejoicest. Jehovah called thy name, A green olive tree, fair with goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken. For Jehovah of hosts, who planted thee, hath pronounced evil against thee, because of the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have wrought for themselves in provoking me to anger by offering incense unto Baal.""Pray not for this people ..." (Jeremiah 11:14). "There is a climax of guilt which admits of no further intercessory prayer. Our minds should be at one with God in all that he is doing, even in the rejection of the reprobate."[17] That this is really true appears in God's command to Moses (Exodus 32:10), also in God's forbidding Samuel to grieve any longer for Saul (1 Samuel 16:1). This is now the second time that God has forbidden Jeremiah to pray any more for the apostate nation (Jeremiah 7:16); and this admonition is still applicable to God's people as in 1 John 5:16.
"A goodly olive-tree, fair and goodly fruit ..." (Jeremiah 11:15). This figure of Israel as the olive-tree was adopted by the apostle Paul in Romans 11:17-24.
"What hath my beloved to do in my house, seeing she hath wrought lewdness with many? and the holy flesh is passed from thee ..." (Jeremiah 11:15) This refers "to the hypocrisy of cloaking their apostasy by offering sacrifices in the temple and passing themselves off as worshippers of God."[18]"The holy flesh is passed from thee ..." (Jeremiah 11:15). This is not a reference to the sacrifices and their lack of efficacy, because the sacrifices of hypocrites has no efficacy, or holiness. What is meant is that the lewd and immoral practices of the people have robbed them (the people) of that "holiness, without which no man shall see God."
"The evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah ..." (Jeremiah 11:10; Jeremiah 11:17). The reason for the double reference repeatedly to both Israel and Judah is to show that the whole Chosen People are meant. In context, Israel means the northern kingdom; and Judah means the southern kingdom, the whole nation. The licentious worship of the Baalim had finally destroyed the whole nation of the Chosen People, morally, nationally, politically, and religiously, the "righteous remnant" alone being excepted.
'S LAMENT (Jeremiah 11:18 to Jeremiah 12:6)
Ash identified the six passages in this prophecy which are classified as personal laments of Jeremiah thus: (1) Jeremiah 11:18 to Jeremiah 12:6; (2) Jeremiah 15:12-21; (3) Jeremiah 17:14-18; (4) Jeremiah 18:18-23; (5) Jeremiah 20:7-13; and (6) Jeremiah 20:14-18. He added that, "This is a form of writing unique to Jeremiah in the prophetic books."[19]Verse 18
"And Jehovah gave me knowledge of it, and I knew it: then thou showedst me their doings."We have already observed that Jeremiah's long life was most certainly a miracle. God preserved and protected him in a most unusual manner. The conspiracy (Jeremiah 11:9) recognized that Jeremiah was an obstacle in the way of their purpose completely to restore total idolatry in Israel; and they doubtless could have killed the unsuspecting Jeremiah if God had not warned and protected him.
Verse 19
"But I was like a gentle lamb that was led to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised devices against me, saying, Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name be no more remembered."Just as Christ was rejected in his home town of Nazareth, Jeremiah's home town of Anathoth was a party to this plot to kill him, reminding us of what the Lord said, "A prophet is not without honor, save in his own country." Another similarity in the lives of Jeremiah and of our Lord is seen in this mention of his being like "a lamb led to the slaughter." It was such similarities that caused some of the people to think that perhaps Christ himself was Jeremiah risen from the dead (Matthew 16:14).
Verse 20
"But O Jehovah of hosts, who judgest righteously, who triest the heart and the mind, I shall see thy vengeance on them; for unto thee have I revealed my cause. Therefore thus saith Jehovah concerning the men of Anathoth, that seek thy life, saying, Thou shalt not prophesy in the name of Jehovah, that thou die not by our hand. therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts, Behold, I will punish them; the young men shall die by the sword; their sons and their daughters shall die by famine; and there shall be no remnant unto them: for I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth, even the year of their visitation.""There shall be no remnant unto them ..." (Jeremiah 11:23). In Ezra 2:23, the Scriptures mention among those returning to Jerusalem after the captivity certain "men of Anathoth"; and for that reason we must suppose that the denial of any remnant to be left to Anathoth was evidently limited to the actual conspirators against the life of Jeremiah and did not apply to the whole community.
"Thou shalt not prophesy in the name of Jehovah, lest thou die by our hand ..." (Jeremiah 11:21). At some point in the conspiracy, but after God had revealed it to Jeremiah, the men of Anathoth attempted to silence the prophecies of Jeremiah by threatening to kill him. Only the providence and protection of God could have preserved the prophet's life through the dreadful dangers to which he was exposed. The bitter and implacable hatred of Satan and his followers is here revealed in its stark reality.
Jeremiah 11:1. The Lord is going to make another revelation to Jeremiah which is to become a part of his book. Not necessarily new subject matter but a special reference to a subject that was delivered from the Lord before this time.
Jeremiah 11:2. Hear is addressed to Jeremiah and he is having his attention called to an Important document which the Lord calls a covenant. A few lines later in the chapter it may be seen that the document referred to is the so-called ceremonial law given by Moses. We therefore have the information that the commandments on the tables of stone did not constitute the covenant exclusively. Men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem were the same except as to the extent of territory included. Jerusalem was the capital of the kingdom of Judah.
Jeremiah 11:3. The second half of this verse is almost Identical with Deuteronomy 27:26 which is directly connected with the "ceremonial law” and which is called a covenant in the preceding verse in our chapter.
Jeremiah 11:4. No written law bad been given the Israelites previous to their release from Egyptian bondage. The day therefore refers to the period in their history when they were able to leave Egypt and receive a law by which they could be governed as a separate people. During the 430 years of their sojourn they were merely a race with no national standing. When the chains of slavery were broken off of them they were in a position to be ruled by whatever law would he placed over them by the One who had given them their freedom. Hence they were told that if they would obey their great Liberator they could become a people which was used in the sense of nation and not a race only.
Jeremiah 11:5. The Lord is still speaking to Jeremiah and repeating to him the words he Baid to the Jewish fathers in the day they were led out of Egypt. God told that generation that he had sworn to their fathers (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) to give unto their descendants a good land for a possession. But that promise was made on condition that they obey the divine law, and it was on that basis that He would bless the people of Jeremiah’ s day. This was the message the prophet was directed to tell his people that they might learn a lesson from the history of their forefathers. Jeremiah now writes in the first person to tell the reader of this communication from God and to let it be known that he favored and accepted it.
He expresses his endorsement by the three words so be it according to the King James translation. It is interesting to know that these words are from the Hebrew' word ames and Strong defines it, "Sure: abstractly faithfulness: adverbially, truly." In the King James translation the word has been rendered amen 27 times, truth 2, so be it 1.
Jeremiah 11:6. Having received the favorable response from the prophet, the Lord told him to go to the people of Judah (the kingdom) and Jerusalem (the capital) and proclaim the words of the covenant to them. Not only was he to let the people hear them, but he was to exhort them to do them.
Verse 7. Through all the history of the nation from its escape from Egypt to the present time, God had never ceased to admonish and insist on obedience to his law. Their corrupt walk, therefore, was not due to any lack of
information; it was due to their disregard for it. (See this thought in Isaiah 1:3.)
Jeremiah 11:8. The people not only fell short of obeying the law, but they were not even inclined nor willing to show a favorable attitude toward it. Imagination is from a Hebrew word that Strong defines as "obstinacy.” It is the same thought that Is elsewhere expressed by the word "stiff-necked.” Briny upon them the words of this covenant means that part of the covenant that threatened the disobedient ones with severe punishment for their rebellion. (See this part of the covenant in Deuteronomy 27.)
Jeremiah 11:9. It is bad enough for one man to commit sin Independently of any others, but it is worse when he forms an alliance with other persons for the purpose of doing wrong. This principle is recognized by the laws of civilized nations and penalties for such misdeeds are severer than for other kinds. Even the daughters of Zelophehad understood it and gained a point with the Lord and Moses on the basis of it. (See Numbers 27; Numbers 3.) The men of Judah had conspired together for wrong and God’ s wrath was kindled against them which is here being threatened through the prophet’ s words.
Verse 10. The motive for the conspiracy was to take up the sinful practice of the forefathers. While on the subject the Lord included his charge against his people in general. House of Israel means the 10 tribss and the house of Judah is the 2-tribe kingdom now in authority in Jerusalem at the time Jeremiah wrote. The former has been in exile already for more than a century and the latter is due to be taken very soon.
Jeremiah 11:11. The evil which the Lord said he would bring on bis people was the Babylonian captivity and it was only a few years in the future when this was written. Not be able to escape means bis people cannot escape being taken into captivity; not that they never would be released from It, for they were.
Jeremiah 11:12. Then is an adverb of time referring to the conditions that will come in Palestine as a result of the captivity. The people having turned away from God and gone to Idols, He will turn away from them and bid them go for help to those dumb things. When that takes place they will realize as never before Just how useless are the false gods.
Jeremiah 11:13. Baal was one of the masculine gods in the class of invisible ones that was explained at ch. 10: 2. The people had become so devoted to idolatry that they bad some one of the gods represented in every city. They were not satisfied at having a god In each city, but increased the iniquity by desecrating the capital city of Jerusalem in a special manner. They used every street as a place to erect an altar for the purpose of sacrificing to their god.
Jeremiah 11:14. Pray not thou for this people seems t.o be a severe way for them to be treated, but it refers to the nation as a whole, not to every indi vidual in it. (See the note at 2 Ki. £2; 17 in Vol 2 of this Commentary.)
Jeremiah 11:15. Lewdness and flesh are literal terms and primarily are involved in fleshly immorality. They are used to apply to spiritual fornication which the people of Judah were committing in going after false gods. The question Is, what business does such a people have in the house of the true God? The people not only practiced this great evil but took satisfaction from eaob instance of the abominable service.
Jeremiah 11:16. The olive was one of the most Important trees grown in Palestine, both because of the use made of the wood and for the fruit. The oil extracted from the olive berry was used for medicine, food and light. Hence the Lord likened his people to a green (living) olive tree and would have received their services as the most desirable fruit had they been true to tbeir illustration. But since they were not the Lord caused a tumult (by the Babylonian army) to come against the tree and burn it to the extent that the branches were broken off. Note that the entire tree was not destroyed, which agrees With other predictions that the captivity was not to make ft complete destruction of the nation.
Jeremiah 11:17. Although the house of Israel (the 10 tribes) had been in exile many years before Jeremiah's time, it is frequently mentioned along with the house of Judah. The reason for it is that the Israelite race as a whole became corrupt by the same evil which was idolatry. The significant thought in this verse ia that in committing this evil it was against themselves. When man commits sin he injures himself more than anyone else. He cuts himself off from the Lord and all of the benefits that would come from Him upon faithful service as commanded.
Jeremiah 11:18. Every word in the Bible is inspired but the writers sometimes compose their passages in the first- person and at other times they use another Torm. At times it will seem as if God is speaking directly and we almost forget that a prophet is speaking or writing the words ali the time. After the language runs along in that line for a while, the writer will change his form and refer to himself in his relation to God or to the people. We have one of these instances in this verse. The prophet even brings in the Lord under both the second and third persons. First he tells the reader that the Lord had given him knowledge of conditions, then he addresses himself to the Lord and acknowledges that thou showed me their (Israel’ s) doings.
Jeremiah 11:19. Jeremiah became the target for the shafts of persecution from the wicked people of the nation. By glancing ahead to verse 21 we can see that the foregoing statement is correct. This came immediately after the statement that God had revealed to him (Jeremiah) a knowledge of the wickedness of the people. That caused them to hale him and to persecute him almost to the extent of death. People have a dread of any man whom they know to have "inside” information about their corrupt practices and they will conspire against him.
But Jeremiah did not know this for a time, hence he went along from day to day not realizing the danger he was in. It is compared to the situation of an ox or a lamb that goes on toward the place of slaughter not realizing the danger ahead. The illustration of the olive tree is now transferred from the nation to the prophet, and the destruction which his enemies would bring on him was more complete than the Lord threatened to impose on the nation as an olive tree. He would break off the branches only while the prophet’ s enemies would destroy both the tree and its fruit. Not only that, but they would wipe out all sign that such a tree had existed so that it would be forgotten.
Jeremiah 11:20, In his distress Jeremiah appealed to the Lord because he believed that he could thus receive righteous judgment. There is not much difference between reins and heart, but when used as distinct terms the first means the Intellect and the second means the motives for applying it. Since God makes righteous tests of these matters the prophet longed for him to bring vengence upon these personal enemies.
Jeremiah 11:21. Anathoth was a city near Jerusalem and was known as the unofficial headquarters of the priests. The other Citizens of that place did not like the teaching of Jeremiah and even threatened his life. This is the thing referred to In verse 19 but of which the prophet was unaware for a time. But their dangerous attitude toward him finally became so outspoken that he heard of it, and then made the plea to God which we have just read and to which an answer of assurance was given.
Jeremiah 11:22. In answer to the prayer of Jeremiah the Lord promised him protection. Not only was he to be shielded from death but his would-be destroyers were to be destroyed. Their men of military age were to die in battle and the remaining members of their families were to die by famine.
Jeremiah 11:23. Tire vengeance to be brought upon the men of Anathoth was to be so complete that nothing would be left by which their names would be remembered,
Jeremiah Chapter Twelve
Verse 1
Jeremiah 12'S There are three divisions in this chapter: (Jeremiah 12:1-6) which register's Jeremiah's complaint, (Jeremiah 12:7-13) which recounts God's judgment upon Judah and her enemies, and (Jeremiah 12:14-17) that promises the return of Israel from captivity and the conversion of Gentiles, both of which events are conditional.
Jeremiah 12:1-4"Righteous art thou, O Jehovah, when I contend with thee; yet would I reason the cause with thee: wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are they all at ease that deal very treacherously? Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root; they grow, yea, they bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far from their heart. But thou, O Jehovah, knowest me; thou seest me, and triest my heart toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter. How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of the whole country wither? for the wickedness of them that dwell therein, the beasts are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He shall not see our latter end.""Wherefore... doth the wicked prosper ..." (Jeremiah 12:1)? Jeremiah got to the point at once; and the problem here presented before the Lord in faith and humility was indeed an old one. Habakkuk had struggled with it; the patriarch Job (Job 21:7) was perplexed by it; and the Book of Psalms devotes at least two chapters to a discussion of it (Psalms 37 and Psalms 73).
Men of every generation, even the most devoted and faithful of Christians, have found this same question to be a perplexing and difficult problem. As Dummelow noted, however, "It was a question that especially exercised men of the pre-Christian dispensations; because they had no clear understanding of the eternal and spiritual rewards promised to Christians, thinking principally of physical and material rewards to be received in the service of God."[1]The Christian religion does indeed give complete and satisfactory answers to this question; and the reason that many in the current era have difficulty with the problem derives from a failure to study the Scriptures. We shall explore the answer a little later; but, first, we shall note the answer that God made available to Jeremiah.
"Wherefore are they at ease who deal treacherously ..." (Jeremiah 12:1)? Evidently, Jeremiah here had in mind the treacherous plans of his fellow-countrymen to murder him. On the other hand, Jeremiah, as God certainly knew, was an honorable and faithful believer.
"Thou hast planted them ..." (Jeremiah 12:2). A complicating factor in the problem for Jeremiah was the fact that God's blessings were evidently being enjoyed by those evil men. They were flourishing and prospering, as the Psalmist put it, "like the green bay tree!"
"Pull them out ..." (Jeremiah 12:3). Pleading their wickedness and his own faithfulness, as reasons for his request, Jeremiah pleaded with God to "Pull them out ..." "The original here is very strong; it is, literally, `tear them out.'"[2] Smith paraphrased Jeremiah's words thus, "Lord, drag these fat scoundrels out of the flock and sacrifice them, and make examples of them."[3]The indignation of Jeremiah is evident in his words here. Green has a paraphrase, thus:
"Why do the wicked prosper? Why is crookedness a prime prerequisite for success in this world? Lord, you plant these scoundrels, and they grow. Why? They are pious frauds who mouth words of religion but have no real love for you in their hearts."[4]"He shall not see our latter end ..." (Jeremiah 12:4). This is a disputed text, but we believe it refers to the attitude of wicked men who were flaunting their rebellion against God in the boast that God would have nothing to do with their end, or taunting Jeremiah with the brag that they would last longer than Jeremiah would, or that Jeremiah would die before they did.
Verse 5
GOD'S ANSWER TO "If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, how canst thou contend with horses? and though in a land of peace thou art secure, yet how wilt thou do in the pride of the Jordan? For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt treacherously with thee; even they have cried aloud after thee; believe them not, though they speak fair words unto thee."God's answer to Jeremiah is somewhat shocking. The Lord rebuked him, and we might paraphrase the meaning of this paragraph in this manner:
Look, Jeremiah, why should you be bothered about the prosperity of wicked men? If, in your race for me, you have been worn out by men, what are you going to do when you have to run against horses? If you have trouble feeling secure on level ground, what is going to happen to you when you have to pass through the "pride of the Jordan?" You have hardly seen anything at all yet. Buckle your seat belt, the worst is yet to come!
This might not be all that God said to Jeremiah, because, in Jeremiah 12:4, it appears that God also might have mentioned the "latter end" of the wicked. Certainly, in the Old Testament, this was the inspired answer to the problem Jeremiah was having with the prosperity of the wicked. The Psalmist was tempted to stumble on the problem that troubled Jeremiah; but he confessed that the truth appeared to him, "When I went into the sanctuary of God, and considered their latter end." (Psalms 73:17). The ultimate fate of the wicked nullifies and cancels out all of the earthly joys and prosperities of evil men; and that sublime truth was surely available to all of God's children living in that dispensation.
"The pride of Jordan ..." (Jeremiah 12:5). "The `pride of Jordan' referred to the rank growth of trees, shrubs and vegetation that grew on both sides of the Jordan river, especially between the Sea of Tiberias and Lake Merom, and which afforded a shelter for wild boars, lions, bears and tigers."[5]These two verses stress the fact that, after all, prosperous wickedness is a very ordinary problem that should not discourage any one.
Today, lions are almost never seen west of the Euphrates river, having disappeared from the `pride of Jordan'; but, "The bones of lions have been found in the gravel of the bed of the Jordan."[6] It is always a mistake to understand conditions as they exit now as an indication of what the conditions were thousands of years ago. The critics did when they questioned the account in Acts that relates Paul's shaking off a poisonous snake into the fire. Of course, the snakes have indeed disappeared from Malta; but they have also disappeared from Manhattan Island, and for exactly the same reason, namely, the vast increase in the population.
THE ANSWERWe have already noted that much more satisfactory answers to the problem of the prosperity of evil men which somewhat perplexed Jeremiah are available in the teaching of Christianity in addition to the answers available under the Old Covenant.
A. The values focused upon in Christianity are not temporal and physical at all, but eternal. People who suffer persecution, defeat, frustration, hardship, or even physical suffering and death are commanded to remember, "Great is your reward in heaven!" (Matthew 5:12).
B. The favor and prosperity enjoyed by wicked men are not marks of God's approval but an indication of his mercy; for God "Is longsuffering ... not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to the knowledge of the truth" (2 Peter 3:9).
C. God's world is an orderly world; and there are certain rewards and penalties that derive from that order. It happens that in many instances wicked men are more skilled in adjusting to God's order than are righteous persons. Jesus noted that, "The sons of this world are for their own generation wiser than the sons of the light." (Luke 16:8). No doubt this fact sometimes contributes to the prosperity of evil men.
D. The great fact is that the rewards of eternal life are so great, surpassing even the utmost limits of human imagination, that whatever the sufferings, sorrows, and limitations may fall upon our earth-life, all such things shall be canceled and nullified by the glories of eternal life. As Paul put it: "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed" (Romans 8:18).
E. It all turns on the difference in time and eternity. When the two are compared, an entire earthly life is less than a fraction of a second compared to a billion years. To win the great prize of Eternal Glory with Christ is more than worth bearing the burdens of whatever disasters our earth-life is capable of bringing upon us. No recipient of such a blessing should be troubled by whatever pleasures and prosperities may be enjoyed by the wicked for the brief season of earthly life.
Verse 7
GOD'S OF THE CHOSEN PEOPLE"I have forsaken my house, I have east off my heritage; I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hands of her enemies. My heritage is become unto me as a lion in the forest: she hath uttered her voice against me; therefore I have hated her. Is my heritage unto me as a speckled bird of prey? are the birds of prey against her round about? go ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, bring them to devour.""I have forsaken my house ..." (Jeremiah 12:7). The word "house" in the Old Testament is almost invariably used of the temple; and we believe that is what it means here. R. Payne Smith declared the meaning here to be, "Not the temple, but Israel and Judah";[7] and since then, many scholars have followed his lead.
Thompson attempted to justify the interpretation by pointing out that "it is parallel to `my heritage' in the next clause";[8] and while it is true enough that adjacent clauses are indeed often parallel in the Bible, they are not always so. "Sharpen the arrows, take up the shields" (Jeremiah 51:11) is one of many examples; and we believe the parallelism here is another. Matthew Henry agreed with this and gave the meaning of "forsaken my house" as, "A reference to the temple, which had been his palace; but they had polluted it and forced God out of it."[9]It is certainly true that God did indeed forsake the temple; and God gives an account of his doing so in Ezekiel (Ezekiel 10:17). Furthermore, God never more returned to any earthly temple; but he did come with the rushing sound of a mighty wind on the day of Pentecost to dwell in his true temple, the Church of our Lord.
Thus the two teachings in Jeremiah 12:7 are (1) the Lord removed his presence, or Spirit, from the Jewish temple, and (2) he forsook the apostate nation, the "righteous remnant" alone being excepted.
"She hath uttered her voice against me ..." (Jeremiah 12:8). In context, this means that the Chosen People had roared like a lion against God Himself! "Judah had not merely become disobedient, but had become intractable and fierce like an untamed lion."[10] She had uttered vicious blasphemies against him and had preferred the reprobate worship of the Baalim to the way of the Lord.
"Is my heritage unto me as a speckled bird of prey? are the birds of prey against her round about ..." (Jeremiah 12:9)? "The Hebrew word here rendered `bird of prey' in both places means `a carrion bird,' ... probably some kind of vulture is meant."[11] "Birds attack other birds of unfamiliar plumage; so Israel, differing from other nations, is attacked by them."[12] At any rate, the total destruction of the Once Chosen nation is prophetically announced in the figure of the beasts of the field being called in to eat her remains.
Verse 10
"Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness. They have made it a desolation; it mourneth unto me, being desolate, because no man layeth it to heart. Destroyers are come upon all the bare heights in the wilderness; for the sword of Jehovah devoureth from one end of the land even to the other end of the land: no flesh hath peace. They have sown wheat, and have reaped thorns; they have put themselves to pain, and profit nothing: and ye shall be ashamed of your fruits, because of the fierce anger of Jehovah."; "Desolate... desolation... Desolate ..."(Jeremiah 12:10-11). This is the prophetic picture of the result of God's punishment of his Once Beloved Israel. The destruction is so thorough that the very land itself is depicted as mourning over it.
"Because no man layeth it to heart ..." (Jeremiah 12:11). This actually should be translated, "`Because no man laid it to heart'; had the people laid it to heart this sad state of things would have been averted."[13] It was the indifference and unconcern of the Chosen People that led to their ruin.
Verse 14
THE RETURN OF ; OF "Thus saith Jehovah against all mine evil neighbors, that touch the inheritance which I have caused my people Israel to inherit: Behold, I will pluck them up from off their land, and will pluck up the house of Judah from among them. And it shall come to pass, after that I have plucked them up, I will return and have compassion on them; and I will bring them again, every man to his heritage, and every man to his land. And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, as Jehovah liveth; even as they taught my people to swear by Baal; then shall they be built up in the midst of my people. But if they will not hear, then will I pluck up that nation, plucking up and destroying it, saith Jehovah."God's neighbors mentioned in Jeremiah 12:1 were identified by Dummelow as "The Syrians, Edomites, and Moabites."[14] The promise that upon the condition of their repentance and conversion that they would be built up in the midst of God's people (Jeremiah 12:16) was, in fact, to be the privilege of all pagan nations under the reign of the Messiah, an event definitely foreshadowed here by this mention of Gentiles becoming God's children in the midst of his people, which under the New Israel would be composed of people of "every nation and tribe and tongue and people" (Revelation 14:6).
The promise of this last paragraph "is Messianic";[15] but it should be noted that all of the promised blessings of God, whether to the "righteous remnant" destined to return from Babylon, or to the Gentiles who in the future will be "in the midst of" God's people, are absolutely conditional.
"If they will diligently learn the ways of God's people... then shall they be built up in the midst of my people ... if they will not hear ... then will I pluck up, etc." (Jeremiah 12:16-17) Thus it is stated both negatively and positively. There is no such thing, nor has there ever been, nor shall there ever be any such as the blessing of God which does not meet the condition set forth here.
Jeremiah 12:1, The prophet does not question the judgment of God in deciding on the prayer he makes, only he desires to discuss the matter with Him, Wherefore means “ why is it” or "how does it come” that the way of the wicked prospers? Jeremiah seems confused that treacherous men are happy whereas they have no right to happiness.
Jeremiah 12:2. Thou has planted them means the good things possessed by these treacherous dealers were all received from the Lord, It is on the principle of Impartiality which God maintains toward both good and bad men. (See Matthew 5:15..) Near in their mouth and far from their reins. The last word is from a Hebrew original whose central definition is “ the mind.” The clause means the people would say favorable things about God but their mind or heart would not be in it. Jesus made the same accusation against some pretenders in his day. (See Matthew 15:8.)
Jeremiah 12:3. Jeremiah does not class himself with the unrighteous men of his day. He believes bis faith has been tried and that it has stood the test, Pull them out, etc., is a prediction that God would pull them out which means to separate these evil men (chiefly the leaders) from the rest of the flock
(the congregation) and reserve them for the day of slaughter which means the captivity.
Jeremiah 12:4. Jeremiah laments the sad condition of the land in his day and makes a personal complaint of it to God. Many of the terms used tn the verse are figurative but truly represent the deplorable conditions. To a good man like the prophet it might seem as if matters had come to the limit of confusion and that it could not get any worse. But the Lord will soon show him that it could be worse, which will be the thought in the next verse, figuratively expressed.
Jeremiah 12:5, The terms used in this verse are figurative also and are for the sole purpose of comparison. The literal subject under consideration is the condition of distress which Jeremiah's personal enemies were inflicting upon him. The former is compared to a race with footmen, the latter with running against horses. And then, comparatively speaking, the prophet was living in a land where peace still existed (since no foreign enemy had as yet intruded), while soon the same land will be shaken by the foreign invasion referred to by the swelling of Jordan. That phrase is based on an event in the seasonal history of Palestine. There is an interesting quotation from history on this subject in connection with comments on ch. 4: 7. To save space I shall request the reader to see that place for the history quoted.
Jeremiah 12:6. The Lord explains what he had been talking about by referring to the mistreatment that Jeremiah was suffering from his own countrymen.
Jeremiah 12:7. This verse through the 13th should he marked as a bracket and labeled "the captivity," then consider the comments on the several verses in their order. The captivity had not yet taken place but the Lord had actually forsaken his people and abandoned them to the enemy. It only remained for Babylon to carry out the program by coming against Jerusalem, and that great event was about due when this prediction was being written.
Jeremiah 12:8. Heritage means possession and the term is applied to the Jewish nation as something that belonged to the Lord. A lion in a forest would be unrestricted and free to exert violence against any creature that, came within his sight. God likened his people to this wild creature because they were wildly reproaching Him for his condemnation of their abominable lives.
Jeremiah 12:9. A speckled bird would attract other birds and she would be regarded as a bird of prey. God compared his people to such a creature and predicted such an event would happen to them. The other birds refers to Babylon and her allies who were soon to attack Judah. Come ye. etc,, is a prediction in the form of an invitation for the creatures or beasts of the field (nations allied with Babylon) to come and devour (take possession of) the kingdom of Judah.
Jeremiah 12:10. The pastors were the men in Judah whose duty it was to feed the people with knowledge. But they had become corrupt and taken advantage of the people in their greed for gain and in their desire for sinful gratification, This situation was part of the reason for the Lord's determination to abandon his people to the enemy.
Jeremiah 12:11. The spiritual condition at the time Jeremiah was writing was desolate, hut the physical result of the invasion and captivity was the thing to come next and this is a prediction of that. The language is present or past tense in form but it is a prediction in meaning. No man layeth if to heart indicates the indifference which the people in general and the leaders in particular manifested in the matter.
Jeremiah 12:12. The spoilers refers to the Babylonians who were coming against the land and capital city of Jerusalem. 2 Kings 24:13 and, 2 Kings 25:11-16 shows the fulfillment of this spoiling. Sword of the Lord means the sword of the Babylonians since that army was performing in this action according to His decree.
Jeremiah 12:13. The first clause might seem to contradict Galatians 6:7 which declares that "whatsoever a man sowetb that shall he also reap.’’ But it will not when all the factors in the context are considered. Instead of its being a contradiction, it is similar to the case in Matthew 13:26-27 where tares came up after a man had sowed wheat. Verse 25 tells that another person sowed the bad seed from the one who had sowed the good. It is the same in our passage that the Lord will be the one who will sow the seed for thorns in the place where the people had sowed wheat. But it will be just to prevent the people from reaping a good crop In order to punish them for their unfaithfulness to Him.
He will cause the disappointment by sowfng the thorns consisting of the devastating work of the Babylonian army. Put themselves to pain is as if it said they had taken the pains or trouble to put in a good crop but would not be allowed to reap from It. They shall be ashamed is rendered "ye" in the margin and the connection agrees with It, Logically the people who have engaged in. the unlawful business are the ones who will be ashamed when the anger of the Lord is poured out upon them,
Jeremiah 12:14. God has made use of various agencies to accomplish his purposes. He has not always used those whom we would consider righteous persons from a moral or religious standpoint, but they would be such as best served the Lord's purpose. He used the heathen nations to chastise his people for their idolatry; the Assyrians to punish the 10 tribes and the Babylonians to Chastise the 2 tribes. But, in all of such cases he never tolerated any personal satisfaction the heathen instrument of his plans took from their experience. After the Lord's people had been dealt with according to plan, then the heathen in turn would have to feel the hand of God.
Such is the meaning of this verse, for it speaks of the heathen as mine evil neighbors, referring to the nations beyond the Euphrales River. I will pluck them is general and applies to all of the tribes in captivity. Pluck out the, house of Judah is specific and doubtless is named because that kingdom was still in control in Jerusalem at this writing but was destined to be overthrown in a few years.
Jeremiah 12:15. This verse is a prediction of the return from captivity of the Jews and their reestablishment in the home land. The Biblical account of the fulfillment of this prediction is given in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. The historical account of it was quoted at Isaiah 14:1 in Vol, 3 of this Commentary.
Jeremiah 12:16. The promises and conditions stated in this verse were to be in force after the return from captivity. They and my people are named in a way that might lead us to think it has reference to different races. Such is not the case, but they means the individual man (referred to as every man In the preceding verse), while my people means the nation as a whole. However, the conditions on which the individual men might dwell in the land also applied to the nation as a whole. This combined responsibility must be borne in mind as we approach the next verse.
Jeremiah 12:17. Idolatry was the chief corruption of the nation and for which it had to go into captivity. It was cured of that evil and never had a "relapse" of it, But there were other matters of conduct required by the law and Israel is warned not to disregard them after their return from captivity. Should the nation again prove unfaith, ful it will not be “ let off” with a "prison term” of captivity, then be restored to its place as a nation. Instead, it will be utterly plucked up and destroyed. This threatening warning might well be regarded as a prophecy, for the nation was indeed overthrown by the Romans in 70 A.D. and has never regained its original place and extent among the nations of the world. There is much that may be said on this subject, both by way of comments and by citation to secular history, both ancient and present day, But this is not the most advisable place to go into it in full; I shall reserve that for comments on several passages in the book of Daniel.
Jeremiah Chapter Thirteen
Verse 1
Jeremiah 13FIVE FOR ISRAELThere are five warnings given to Israel in this chapter. The nation of the Chosen people, which should have been living in a happy and intimate relationship with the Creator, and also should have been busily engaged in teaching the benighted nations of mankind the wonderful facts regarding the true and Almighty God, had, contrary to all reason, itself succumbed to the sensual allurements of paganism. Their spiritual discernment had almost disappeared; and the whole nation was thoroughly overcome with abandoned wickedness. The dramatic warnings of this chapter were designed to stem the headlong rash of Israel to destruction; but the warnings were not heeded.
The warnings were: (1) the parable of the mined linen loin-cloth (Jeremiah 13:1-11), (2) the parable of the wine jars (Jeremiah 13:12-14), (3) the warning against pride and arrogance toward God (Jeremiah 13:15-17), (4) the warning to the king and the queen-mother (Jeremiah 13:18-19), (5) the warning that identified "friends" of Israel, such as Babylon, as their conquerors and exploiters.
Jeremiah 13:1-2PARABLE OF THE RUINED "Thus said Jehovah unto me, Go, and buy thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins, and put it not in water. So I bought a girdle according to the word of Jehovah, and put it upon my loins.""Linen girdle ..." (Jeremiah 13:1). Why linen? This was a mark of the priesthood; and because this garment was given as a representation of Israel, it had to be linen in order properly to symbolize that nation of "priests unto God" which Israel was intended to be.
"Put it upon thy loins ..." (Jeremiah 13:1). "This was not an outer girdle, but a covering worn next to the skin."[1] This very intimate and personal garment symbolized the intimate relationship between God and Israel during the long centuries of the nation's development.
"And put it not in water ..." (Jeremiah 13:1). This meant that Jeremiah was not to wash the garment either before or after he had worn it. This would illuminate the meaning of the linen loincloth in later portions of the parable.
Verse 3
"And the word of Jehovah came unto me the second time, saying, Take the girdle which thou hast bought, which is upon thy loins, and arise, go to the Euphrates, and hide it there in a cleft of the rock. So I went and hid it by the Euphrates, as Jehovah commanded me.""The word of Jehovah came to me the second time ..." (Jeremiah 13:3). The implication, though not clearly stated, is that some considerable time-lapse had occurred, at least ample time for the loincloth to have required washing had not God forbidden it.
"Go to the Euphrates, and hide it ..." (Jeremiah 13:4). This statement has precipitated a whole barrage of quibbles and denials by commentators. The problem is that the Euphrates river was almost four hundred miles from Anathoth; and the two journeys to that river by Jeremiah would have required his traveling a distance of some sixteen hundred miles.
We have no problem at all with this, because Jeremiah 13:5 flatly declares that, Jeremiah went and hid it as Jehovah had commanded him. Where is there any problem? Rationalistic critics, however, believe that such an extended amount of traveling, while not impossible, was certainly not very practical in those times. Therefore, other solutions are proposed. They are interesting, and we include these alternative understandings on the premise that they might even be correct, although we cannot be sure.
(1) One alternative interpretation is that the Hebrew word rendered here as "Euphrates" may not be a reference to the "Euphrates River" at all but to a village three and one half miles north of Anathoth (where Jeremiah probably lived), which was also known locally as "Euphrates." This appears to be possible. It is principally upon the authority of the Septuagint (LXX) and the Vulgate that translators insist on making it refer to the Euphrates River. The Hebrew word is actually [~Phrath]; and there is no doubt that in many other Old Testament passages the word does refer to the Euphrates River. The word occurs fifteen times elsewhere in the Old Testament and four times in this chapter. Nevertheless, as Henderson noted: "In twelve of the other fifteen references another word is included with [~Phrath], a word that means river. It seems a little strange, therefore that the word [~Phrath] should occur no less than four times in this chapter without that qualifying term which means river.[2] This is certainly enough to suggest the possibility of the word's being in this instance a reference to a local village.
If this was indeed the case, the close identity of the name with the Great River would have had the same symbolical meaning that accrued to the Euphrates itself. Thus the meaning of the parable is not affected, no matter which view of the meaning of [~Phrath] is accepted.
And what is that meaning? The meaning is that the apostate nation, symbolized by the dirty, unwashed loincloth will be "hidden," that is, in captivity in Babylon on the Euphrates River.
(2) Another interpretation suggested by Dummelow is also plausible, perhaps even more so, than No. 1, cited above. "Jeremiah appears to have been absent from Jerusalem during a major part of Jehoiachin's brief three-year reign; and he may very well be supposed to have been during that time in or near the city of Babylon. This would account for the kindly feeling toward him by Nebuchadnezzar after his capture of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 39:11).[3] There is nothing at all unreasonable about this understanding of the passage, in which [~Phrath] would be understood as actually a reference to the Euphrates River itself.
(3) Another school of commentators have suggested that, "We are here dealing with a visionary experience,"[4] an interpretation which does not appear to be in any manner reasonable to this writer. We believe that Jeremiah actually bought a clean, white, linen girdle, wore it until it became thoroughly dirty, then hid it in the earth until it was completely rotted, mined, and spoiled, that he also recovered it as God commanded him, and that he showed it to his fellow-Israelites, expounding the whole history of that girdle to them as a parable of what was going to happen to the apostate nation.
Verse 6
"And it came to pass after many days, that Jehovah said unto me, Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take the girdle from thence, which I commanded thee to hide there. Then I went to the Euphrates, and digged, and took the girdle from the place where I had hid it; and, behold, the girdle was marred, it was profitable for nothing.""It came to pass after many days ..." (Jeremiah 13:6). The passing of many days was necessary in order to allow plenty of time for the linen girdle to be thoroughly rotted and spoiled. However, there was another reason: "By the `many days' are meant the seventy years of the captivity."[5]It is a mistake to assume that it was the Babylonian captivity that mined Israel. That captivity was not the cause of Israel's apostasy; it was the result and consequence of it. Let it be remembered that the loincloth was `already dirty' when Jeremiah buried it by the Euphrates River.
The complete ruination of the girdle, therefore, was not a symbol of Israel's apostasy, which was already complete, but a symbol of the complete spoiling of their pride, national institutions, and their general attitude of rebellion against God. After their return from Babylon, the "righteous remnant" never again resorted to the Baalim. It may be also that the symbolism of the rotten, mined girdle applied to the "vast majority" of the Once Chosen People who never returned to Judah, even after God commanded them to do so. They were lost forever as an identifiable race or nation.
Verse 8
"Then the word of Jehovah came to me, saying, Thus saith Jehovah, after this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem. This evil people, that refuse to hear my words, that walk in the stubbornness of their own heart, and are gone after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is profitable for nothing. For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Judah, saith Jehovah; that they may be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear."From this paragraph it is evident that Jeremiah, after his recovery of the rotten girdle, showed it to the citizens of Judah and Jerusalem and explained the symbolism of it. This seems to imply also that the citizens were aware of the place (The Euphrates River) where the ruination of the nation would be executed by God's judgment upon them.
Verse 12
THE PARABLE OF THE WINE JARS"Therefore thou shalt speak unto them this word: Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Every bottle shall be rifled with wine? and they shall say, Do we not certainly know that every bottle shall be filled with wine? Then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings that sit on David's throne, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness. And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith Jehovah: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have compassion, that I should not destroy them."The parable was brief enough: "Every bottle shall be filled with wine;" but when the prophet's critics heard him, they answered with a mocking, "Of course, everybody already knows that." What they then learned was that God was not talking of literal wine jars at all, but about the citizens of the land, all of them; and here God promised to bring drunkenness upon the total population, even including all of the upper echelons of their society, kings, priests, prophets, everyone; and Jeremiah 13:14 prophesied that the result of this alcoholic oblivion would be the total destruction of the nation.
In this parable, "The bottles represent all the people, and the wine represents the wrath of God."[6] The intoxication of all the people, rendering them helpless against all their enemies, indicated the certainty of God's impending punishment for the people's headstrong continuation in their licentious idolatry.
Verse 15
WARNING AGAINST THE PRIDE OF ISRAEL"Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud; for Jehovah hath spoken. Give glory to Jehovah your God, before he causes darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turns it into the shadow of death, and makes it gross darkness. But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because Jehovah's flock is taken captive.""Be not proud ... my soul shall weep for your pride ..." (Jeremiah 13:15; Jeremiah 13:17). These are the key words in the passage and show that the warning is directed primarily against the pride of Israel. Jeremiah is the one who promises to weep over Israel's condition, as indicated by his reference to Jehovah's flock in Jeremiah 13:17.
What is symbolized here is the gathering darkness of the wrath of God. "Only a sincere response to Jehovah's word could hold back the calamity and allow the light to shine over the land."[7]The approaching gloom of darkness was a dual symbol of the invasion and of the captivity.
Verse 18
WARNING TO THE ROYAL FAMILY"Say thou unto the king and to the queen mother, Humble yourselves, sit down; for your headtires are come down, even the crown of your glory. The cities of the South are shut up, and there is none to open them: Judah is carried away captive, all of it; it is wholly carried away captive."The mention of the queen-mother indicates the importance of the king's mother among the kings of Judah. "They seem to have had some official status in Judah; indeed, 1 Kings 2:19 suggests that she even occupied a throne adjacent to that of the king." The passage before us also may indicate that she likewise wore a crown. "Because Jewish kings generally married subjects, and lived in polygamy, the king's mother took precedence over his wives."[8]Dummelow also mentioned the importance of this verse in ascertaining the date when this chapter was written. "The date of this prophecy is shown pretty clearly by the word queen-mother, namely, Nehushta, mother of Jehoiachin. The queen-mother always had a high position; and, in Jehoiachin's case, this would have been especially so, owing to the king's young age."[9]Verse 20
WARNING OF DEFEAT; AND "Lift up your eyes and behold them that come from the north: where is the flock that was given thee, thy beautiful flock? What wilt thou say, when he shall set over thee as head those whom thou hast thyself taught to be friends to thee? shall not sorrows take hold of thee, as of a woman in travail?""That come from the north ..." (Jeremiah 13:20). Practically all of the invaders of Judah came from the north, as that was the most feasible military entrance into the city of Jerusalem; but the particular invasion prophesied here was that of the Babylonians.
"Whom thou ... hast taught to be thy friends" (Jeremiah 13:21). The plural here indicates that both Egypt and Babylon are meant. Contrary to the warnings of Isaiah and Jeremiah, Judah's kings had cultivated the friendship of foreign powers, seeking to make alliances with them from time to time. It will be remembered that Hezekiah had embraced Merodach-baladan as his friend, showing him all of the treasures of the whole kingdom (Isaiah 39:1-2); and the question of this passage is, "What are you going to say when such a `friend' becomes your king?"
Verse 22
"And if thou say in thy heart, Wherefore are these things come upon me? for the greatness of thine iniquity are thy skirts uncovered and thy heels suffer violence. Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil. Therefore will I scatter them, as the stubble that passeth away, by the wind of the wilderness.""For the greatness of thine iniquity ..." (Jeremiah 13:22). This is God's blunt answer to the question of why? all these things happened to Israel.
"Thy skirts uncovered ..." (Jeremiah 13:22). See under Jeremiah 13:26. below, for comment on this.
"Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots ..." (Jeremiah 13:23)? A negative answer is required for both of these questions; and the meaning is simply that it is too late for Israel to change her ways. She has persistently wallowed in sin such a long time that there is no longer any hope of her changing. Such a condition came about because of (1) the deliberate rebellion of Israel against her God, and (2) the consequent judicial hardening of the apostate nation so frequently mentioned in Isaiah (See Isaiah 6:9-10, etc).
Verse 25
"This is thy lot, the portion measured unto thee from me, saith Jehovah; because thou hast forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood. Therefore will I uncover thy skirts upon thy face, and thy shame shall appear.""Thou hast forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood" (Jeremiah 13:25). Trusting in falsehood means worshipping idols and believing in them. Such worship is also designated as "The Lie" in Jeremiah.
"Uncover thy skirts upon thy face ..." (Jeremiah 13:26). The shameful punishment of an adulterous woman in antiquity included lifting her skirts above her head, exposing her nakedness, smearing her with filth, and driving her through the city. The expression, "your heels shall suffer violence" (Jeremiah 13:23) could refer to "your body, or genitals."[10]This drastic kind of punishment prescribed for Israel was justified and appropriate, because, the uncovering of her most intimate parts during her adulterous worship of the Baalim in their orgiastic ceremonies closely paralleled the punishment. For a more complete description of this awful punishment, see Nahum 3:5; Isaiah 47:2, and Ezekiel 16:37.
Verse 27
"I have seen thine abominations, even thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy whoredom, on the hills, in the field. Woe unto thee, O Jerusalem! Thou wilt not be made clean; how long shall it be?"This is a further elaboration of the reasons why the dreadful punishment prescribed for Israel in the above verses was justified and appropriate.
"Thy neighings ..." (Jeremiah 13:27). Jeremiah mentioned this same thing back in Jeremiah 5:8 where he compared the behavior of the people to well-fed stallions, "everyone neighing to his neighbor's wife," indicating that they wanted a sexual experience with every woman in sight. The use of such a metaphor as this, as Robinson pointed out, most certainly indicates, "actual sexual immorality,"[11] which was so prominent a feature of the cultic worship of the Baalim.
"The tragic thing was that these same people frequented the temple, mouthing formulas like, `the temple of Yahweh, the temple of Yahweh, the temple of Yahweh.' "[12]"How long shall it yet be ..." (Jeremiah 13:27)? The actual meaning of these words is somewhat ambiguous. They may mean, "how long will it be before Jerusalem is cleansed?" or "how long will it be before the judgment of God falls upon her?" If Jeremiah still retained any hope of averting the terrible judgment which God through him had prophesied, the former meaning might be correct; but if he no longer supposed that Jerusalem would ever be cleansed, then the latter meaning is correct.
"Jeremiah lived to see the judgment fall; and after that, his hope rested upon the promise of a future day of restoration (Jeremiah 31:31-34),"[13] upon which occasion "all would know the Lord, from the least unto the greatest of the people," and when the sins of the people would be gloriously forgiven.
That occasion, of course, would be the coming of the Kingdom of Messiah; and we may not suppose that Jeremiah understood all the implications of the prophecies God gave to mankind through him.
This concludes the five warnings set forth in this chapter. If Israel ever made the slightest gesture toward heeding any of them, the sacred scriptures retain no record of such a thing.
Jeremiah 13:1. On various occasions the Lord has required his prophets to go through what I have termed some "acting." This subject was introduced at 1 Kings 20:35 in Vol. 2 of this Commentary; one of those instances is the present verse. Linen was a material commonly used for the making of clothing hence the instruction to get a linen girdle. It was to be worn next to the body but was not to be removed at any time for cleansing in water.
Jeremiah 13:2. The prophet obeyed the instructions and it is important that what he did was according to the word of the Lord. Inspired prophets were subject to divine regulation notwithstanding their special qualification.
Jeremiah 13:3. It has been stated previously (Jeremiah 1:3) that the books of the Bible were not composed all at one time. That is, the writer did not begin a hook and then continue uninterruptedly until the document was complete. When the Lord had something more for the writer to put down in writing or for him to do he would call upon him for that purpose. Hence this verse is simply one of those times when God is giving further instructions to his servant the prophet.
Jeremiah 13:4. It is significant that Jeremiah was to hide the girdle near the River Euphrates, for that was the territory in which the people of Judah were to be in captivity.
Jeremiah 13:5. When the prophet carried out the command his present duty was fulfilled. He was not yet told what it was all about. The. motive of the prophet in hiding the girdle is expressed by the words the Lord commanded me. That should be all the reason necessary for anyone to serve the Lord; that it is commanded.
Jeremiah 13:6. Further instructions are given the prophet and he is stilt not informed as to the meaning of his performance. After hiding the girdle he had returned to his former place for now he is told to go to Euphrates to get the girdle.
Jeremiah 13:7, There is no logical explanation for the state Of the girdle nor for the lesson the Lord means to teach by it. That still remains to be brought out after the importance of the subject has been emphasized by the "acting'’ of the prophet. All that Jeremiah saw was that the girdle was ruined when he found it,
Jeremiah 13:8. This verse shows that up to the present time the prophet did not know the significance of the program. He was acting by faith in the Lord and the spirit of obedience that faith should produce in God’ s servants. So now it was necessary to give him some additional information which is to be understood as a prediction.
Jeremiah 13:9. The meaning of the performance with the girdle is to be given by the Lord beginning with this verse. Pride is from a Hebrew word that, is defined "arrogance or majesty.’’ Judah (especially the leaders) had a feeling of importance that caused her to resist the teachings of the Lord. The first word in the definition is another word for "stubbornness,” and the people of Judah (likewise of Israel) certainly had manifested much of that spirit ib all of their history. But the Lord was determined to mar that pride through the captivity in the region of the Euphrates River.
Jeremiah 13:10. Imagination is practically the same as stubbornness and also like the original for pride in the preceding verse. The stubbornness of Israel was manifested by the determination to serve the false gods. The Lord proposed to render his people to be like the girdle in Its condition which was to be marred.
Jeremiah 13:11. The application of the illustration is beginning to be more apparent. As a girdle would he worn near the body so the Lord attached Israel (as a whole) close to him. This girdle of the people was composed of living and intelligent material and should have partaken of the characteristics of the wearer. Such an article of wearing apparel would be so intimately connected with a man’ s body that it would come to seem like a part of himself. That was w'hy the Lord chose a girdle in this instance to illustrate his people. He had attached them so intimately near him that they should have partaken of the holy principle. However, such an effect could have come only through hearing the words of Him who put on the girdle, but they would not hear.
Jeremiah 13:12. Such terms as wine and grapes and wine press are used figuratively in the Bible to denote wrath or vengeance or extreme confusion as if drunk. Jeremiah was instructed to tell the people that every bottle was to be filled with wine. The Lord expected them to think (or at least pretend to think) that it meant literal wine and that they were being promised a bountiful harvest from the vineyards.
Jeremiah 13:13. Then the prophet was to tell them plainly that it was not meant to be taken literally. That it meant they were to be overcome With drunkenness or confusion by the deluge of God's wrath because of their unfaithfulness. This state of drunkenness on the wine of divine wrath was to affect the nation as a whole. However, the kings, priests and prophets are named particularly since they were chiefly responsible for the state of iniquity.
Jeremiah 13:14. This verse predicts the state of general confusion that will arise after Jerusalem has been shut up by the Babylonian siege. Even the members of families will turn against each other with the result that many will be destroyed. This was to be a part of God’ s plan for bringing vengeance on his unfaithful people. We may read of other instances In the history of the Jews where the nearest blood relatives became deadly enemies against each other. (See Matthew 10:21.)
Jeremiah 13:15. The simple declaration that the Lord hath spoken is the only reason given here for paying attention to what is being spoken. Be not prmtd is equivalent to saying "be not stubborn.” Pride is manifested in many ways by human beings and one of them is to be too self-willed to obey the commands of another even though the one.giving the commands is supremely above all others.
Jeremiah 13:16. The things threatened are figurative and refer to the calamity about to come on the nation. The captivity was bound to come regardless of all efforts at reformation, but individuals who heeded such admonitions as these had the assurance of God's blessings on them even while in the captivity.
Jeremiah 13:17. Shall weep in secret places denotes the regret that God will have (all to himself) over the sad plight of his people when it becomes necessary to punish them for their rebellious conduct. God does not weep for the fate awaiting his country.
Jeremiah 13:18. The invasion into and capture of Judah would be a personal blow to the king and his family. That is why he is exhorted to humble himself, and If he did he would be spared the personal humiliation the nation as a whole was destined to suffer.
Jeremiah 13:19. This is a direct prediction of the captivity soon to come upon the kingdom of Judah. Cities of the south is said on the same basis that caused Babylon to be referred to as corning from the “ north.” This subject is explained historically in connection with Isaiah 14:31 in Vol. 3 of this Commentary.
Jeremiah 13:20. This historical note referred to in the preceding verse will explain the north of this verse. Where is the flock, is a prediction in question form. It means that the flock of God (the people of Judah) will be taken over by this army that is to come from the north, which is the Babylonian army.
Jeremiah 13:21. What wilt thou say means, what defence or answer can you offer when you see the condition about to be described? The pronoun he refers to God who Is going to punish thee (the people of Judah) by the hand of the Babylonians. For thou, hast taught them (the Babylonians); not literally, but by their devotion to the same kind of gods the Babylonians worshiped, these heathen people were encouraged to take the reins over the people of God (and this by His decree). The result will be that the people of Judah will be thrown into the terrors of national sorrow compared with the tremors or pains of a woman approaching childbirth.
Jeremiah 13:22. Judah might wonder why all this disgrace was brought upon her and will inquire about It. The answer is indicated by the latter part of this verse. All through the Bible idolatry Is likened to adultery and the various factors connected with such a life. A harlot could be punished by having her body exposed contrary to her desire and at a time when she did not wish to engage In her accustomed loose occupation. Such is the meaning of the threat to remove her skirts and expose her body to public scorn. This figurative prediction was to be fulfilled when Judah was taken into Babylon and there forcibly committed to a life of spiritual adultery (idolatry) with the nation that had practiced that iniquity from its beginning.
Jeremiah 13:23. The unchangeable coloring on the surface of these living creatures is used to compare the fixed character of the nation of God's people as a whole. Take note it does not say that the coloring cannot be changed, but that the creatures eannot change it themselves; some outside power must do it if it is changed. Likewise the kingdom of Judah had become so settled in its iniquity that only by some outside force could it be changed. That force is God and he is going t'o bring about the change by sending his nation into Babylonian captivity,
Jeremiah 13:24. They were to be scattered by being exiled into the land of the Babylonians. Such terms as stubble and wind are used to compare the lightness of the character of the kingdom of Judah as it pertained to the matter of faithfulness.
Jeremiah 13:25. Lot and portion and measures are used as if the passage said, “ This is what you are going to get from me.” This is followed by the reason for the treatment to be imposed upon the people; it was because they had forgotten the Lord. That fait alone would have been bad enough had they merely sat down and done nothing except to dismiss God from their minds. But they replaced their acceptance of God’ s truth with the falsehoods of the corrupt prophets and priests.
Jeremiah 13:26. Discover thy skirts is explained at verse 22 which see. The addition of upon thy face is to visualize the completeness with which the nakedness of this spiritual adulteress would be exposed.
Jeremiah 13:27. Neighings is from mat shaiah, which Strong defines as follows; “ A whinnying (through impatience for battle or lust).’ ' The mild; est form of evil desire should be condemned, but this unfaithful wife was so eager for the sinful indulgence that she manifested her impatience for it by whining for her desired partner in lust. The same thought of increased extent in sin Is expressed by the words lewdness of thy whoredoms. The first is from zammah and Strong defines it, "A plan, especially a bad one." To commit adultery on the occasion of the temptation that comes up unexpectedly wouid be bad enough, but this unfaithful wife planned to commit the act. A corrupt woman would accept her evil partner anywhere in the open areas, whether it be in the fields or on the hills. Likewise the people of Judah committed idolatry in the various spots where they could And or build an altar to their falBe gods.
The questions in the end of the verse are for the information of the reader especially, It is an implied reminder of the thing that has often been predicted as to the cure from their idolatry. That prediction is to the effect that the nation had to be sent into captivity to be cured of the gr eat national iniquity.
Jeremiah Chapter Fourteen
Verse 1
Jeremiah 14THE EVENTS OF THE GREAT DROUGHTThe efforts of scholars to date this prophecy are somewhat amusing. Cook placed it "in the early years of the reign of Jehoiachim";[1] Robinson placed it vaguely in "the reign of Jehoiachim";[2] still others have opted for the closing years of Jehoiachim's reign; and some have omitted dating it altogether! "Without chronological references it is difficult to date passages like this; even references to invasions and exile are not conclusive, because there were three invasions of Judah and as many deportations."[3] A great drought is featured in this chapter; but there were many droughts in that part of the world; and there is nothing here that distinguishes this particular drought from others.
Some have even tried to break up the chapter into various units, assigning a different date to each; but, as Keil noted, "Such efforts have proved to be a complete failure."[4]As we have frequently noted, the "exact date" of any or all of these prophecies is of very little importance. The general facts are well known.
It is clear enough that the occasion of this chapter was a terrible drought that fell upon Judaea.
A practical outline of the chapter is: (1) a description of the drought (Jeremiah 14:1-6); (2) Jeremiah's prayers for God's help (Jeremiah 14:7-9); (3) God's refusal to aid the apostate nation (Jeremiah 14:10-12); (4) Jeremiah's plea that the false prophets are to blame (Jeremiah 14:13-15); (5) the doom of the false prophets and the people (Jeremiah 14:16-18); (6) Jeremiah's continual plea to God (Jeremiah 14:19-22).
Jeremiah 14:1-6THE GREAT DROUGHT"The word of Jehovah that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought. Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish, they all sit in black upon the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up. And their nobles send their little ones to the waters: they come to the cisterns, and find no water; they return with their vessels empty; they are put to shame and confounded, and cover their heads. Because of the ground which is cracked, for that no rain hath been in the land, the plowmen are put to shame, they cover their heads. Yea, the hind also in the field calveth, and forsaketh her young, because there is no grass. And the wild asses stand on the bare heights, they pant for air, like jackals; their eyes fail because there is no herbage.""The word of Jehovah that came to Jeremiah ..." (Jeremiah 14:1). This is the title of the whole chapter and through Jeremiah 15:4, all of which deals with the same subject.
"They all sit in black upon the ground ..." (Jeremiah 14:2). The custom of wearing black as a token of grief or mourning was known then and might be even much older than those times. In addition to their dress and humble posture sitting upon the ground; the people are here represented as raising a mighty cry to God in heaven for relief. Throughout their history, the Jews had persistently called upon God when their troubles came upon them. "Their nobles send their little ones to the waters ..." (Jeremiah 14:3). The word rendered "little ones" here is peculiar to Jeremiah, a very rare word. Most modern scholars insist that it means "servants," "inferiors," or "employees," or "the common people."[5] However, some of the older commentators believed the reference is to little children, implying that, "Due to the drought, the servants no longer attended their lords; it was `everyone for himself'; and the lords of the society were required to employ their own children to fetch water."[6]Either interpretation shows the seriousness of the water shortage.
"Cisterns ..." (Jeremiah 14:3).This word has the same meaning today; and for ages, such reservoirs have been used for storing water during the times of rain against anticipated shortages. The tragedy here was simply that the supply was exhausted.
"They cover their heads ..." (Jeremiah 14:3). "This was a sign of mourning,"[7] indicating the same thing as the black clothing did in Jeremiah 14:1.
"The plowmen are put to shame ..." (Jeremiah 14:4). Thompson rendered the word `plowmen' in this clause as `farmers';[8] but we fail to see any great advantage of the change. We have never known a plowman who was not a farmer. Robinson made it "tillers of the ground";[9] but that also falls short of being an improvement.
The devastating nature of this drought is seen in the fact that all living things were affected by it: (1) human beings of all classes, (2) nobles, (3) servants, (4) children, (5) farmers, (6) wild animals, (7) even the ground was cracked, (8) the grass had all died, and (9) there were not even any twigs upon which the wild ass could live.
"Yea, the hind calved, and forsook her offspring ..." (Jeremiah 14:5). The word `hind' is an Old English word for the female of the red deer; "And this animal was regarded by the ancients as tenderly caring for her young."[10] The reason why the calf was abandoned here was the inability of the mother to produce milk due to the shortage of grass.
"The glazed condition of the eyes of the wild ass gives us the picture of eyes that are practically motionless because the death of the animal is near."[11]Verse 7
'S PRAYER FOR ISRAEL"Though our iniquities testify against us, work thou for thy name's sake, O Jehovah; for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against thee. O thou hope of Israel, the Saviour thereof in the time of troubles, why shouldest thou be as a sojourner in the land?, and as a way-faring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night? Why shouldest thou be as thou, O Jehovah, art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name; leave us not."Some have wondered if the people of Israel themselves or Jeremiah prayed this prayer; but it appears that Jeremiah here prayed on behalf of the people, using some of the phraseology that the people were using.
"Work thou for thy name's sake ..." (Jeremiah 14:7). Note that the prayer is not based upon any merit of Israel, but solely upon the character of God Himself. It was the Jewish conception, first enunciated by Moses, that if God did not bless Israel, it would cause the pagan nations to declare that God was not able to bless them. It would appear that the presumption of Israel in this matter was almost incredible.
"As a sojourner ... as a wayfaring man ..." (Jeremiah 14:8). There is apparently in this the echo of a complaint by the people to the effect that God, instead of dwelling with Israel all the time, was like a traveling man who merely spent a night in their midst now and then. Israel expected God to bless them continually no matter what they did. After all, were not they called "God's Chosen People?" Was not he enthroned among them in that magnificent temple? "Oh, don't forsake us now, Lord; we are in trouble, and we need you!"
Coupled with God's negative answer to this prayer (Jeremiah 14:10 f), we have the fact that Israel admitted their sins and backsliding, all right; but they went right on sinning. Why did they call God the hope of Israel and go right on with their wickedness? They never stopped sinning for a minute. "Instead they lay the source of their troubles on God; they call him the hope of Israel, but at the same time charge him with indifference to their needs, and with impotence to help them ... Then they brazenly declare: `We are called by your name. Save us and thus redeem your reputation!' "[12]Verse 10
GOD REFUSES TO HEAR THEM"Thus saith Jehovah unto this people, Even so have they loved to wander; they have not refrained their feet: therefore Jehovah doth not accept them; now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins. And Jehovah said unto me, Pray not for this people for their good. When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt-offering and meal-offering, I will not accept them; but I will consume them by the sword, and by famine, and by pestilence."Clarke summarized God's reply to the prayer as follows: "The measure of Israel's iniquity being now full, they must be punished. The nation is ripe for destruction; intercede not for them."[13]"They have loved to wander ..." (Jeremiah 14:10) There is nothing innocent about this "wandering." Cheyne rendered it, "roving lawlessly about."[14]"Pray not for this people ..." (Jeremiah 14:11). Twice previously, God gave Jeremiah this same instruction (Jeremiah 7:15; Jeremiah 11:14); but Jeremiah had been unable to stop praying. No mother ever quit praying for a wayward son, no matter how hopeless his wickedness became. It could be that God was not really forbidding Jeremiah to pray but that he was merely pointing out the uselessness of any further prayers on behalf of apostate Israel.
"Jehovah doth not accept them ..." (Jeremiah 14:10). Keil's comment on the reason why God would not then hear Israel is thus:
The reason was that they turned to God only in their need, but while their hearts still clung to their idols. Their prayers were only lip-service, and their sacrifices a soulless formality.[15]While it is certainly true that Keil's excellent comment here applied to the vast majority of the condemned people, we must also agree with Payne Smith who wrote:
"It is not necessary to say with Keil that Israel's fasts and sacrifices were `heartless formalities.' There would have been those whom the chastisement had brought to repentance (also, those of the "righteous remnant" J.B.C.); and for these the lesson was a sterner one. There is a time when the most genuine repentance avails nothing to avert the temporal consequences of sin."[16]"Sword... famine ... pestilence ..." (Jeremiah 14:12) This dreadful trio throughout the ages has been the perpetual destroyers of human life. They are frequently mentioned in scripture, as here and in Jeremiah 5:12; Jeremiah 14:15; Jeremiah 27:8; Jeremiah 29:18; 2 Samuel 24:13; Isaiah 51:19, etc.
Verse 13
THE FALSE ARE TO BLAME"Then said I, Ah, Lord Jehovah, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place. Then Jehovah said unto me; the prophets prophesy lies in my name; I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake I unto them: they prophesy unto you a lying vision, and divination, and a thing of naught, and the deceit of their own heart. Therefore thus saith Jehovah concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land: by sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed.""The prophets say unto them ..." (Jeremiah 14:13). This is a reference to the false prophets; and this is an account of how Jeremiah, "tried to excuse the people by blaming the false prophets. That excuse was not acceptable to Jehovah, because blame must be attached to those who reject the covenant for whatever cause."[17]Why were the people deceived by the false prophets? The only plausible answer is that they WANTED to be deceived. "The secret of the power of the false prophets was given by the Lord in Jeremiah 5:31, `My people love to have it so.'"[18] Adam Clarke pointed out the fact that the people accepted the allegation of false prophets without any proof, and without investigating their credentials.[19] The slightest attention to the question of "Who are these sons of the devil"? would have spared the people of any temptation to trust them.
This is exactly what Christians today should do with regard to men who deny the Bible. Clarke also recounted the fulfillment of this prophecy that the false prophets would be consumed by the sword during Nebuchadnezzar's invasion. Jehoiachim had been warned by Jeremiah not to withhold tribute from Nebuchadnezzar but Jehoiachim heeded the words of the false prophets who advised him to withhold it. "Nebuchadnezzar was incensed, invaded the land and destroyed it, including the false prophets."[20]"The deceit of their own heart ..." (Jeremiah 14:14). Jeremiah thus described the various methods of "prophesying" employed by the false prophets; but these words do not mean that the false prophets were deceived in their own hearts, being therefore sincere but misguided men; ah no! "This is a reference, not to self-deceit, but to willful and intentional fraud."[21] We also believe that the same thing applies to many false teachers today. They are not sincere, misguided men, but unbelievers, preaching that in which they have no confidence at all.
These verses reveal a profound misunderstanding of the covenant. Both the false prophets and the people, "imagined that continual and wanton violation of the terms of that covenant would not result in the operation of the curses of that covenant!"[22] What fools they were! However, we should reserve a little of our pity to the men of our own day who just as vainly imagine that, "We are justified by faith alone." These ancient protagonists of that same doctrine learned to their eternal sorrow how wrong they were.
Verse 16
BOTH PEOPLE AND FALSE ARE DOOMED"And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; and they shall have none to bury them - them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters: for I will pour their wickedness upon them. And thou shalt say this word unto them, Let mine eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease; for the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous wound. If I go forth into the field, then, behold, the slain with the sword! and if I enter into the city, then, behold, they that are sick with famine! for both the prophet and the priest go about in the land, and have no knowledge."Following false teachers is no valid excuse for not obeying God's Word. These words prophesy the destruction of false prophets and their followers alike. As Jesus put it, "If the blind lead the blind, they shall both fall into the ditch."
Verse 19
PLEADS WITH GOD NOT TO BREAK THE "Hast thou utterly rejected Judah? hath thy soul loathed Zion? why hast thou smitten us, and there is no healing for us? We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of healing, and, behold, dismay! We acknowledge, O Jehovah, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers; for we have sinned against thee. Do not abhor us, for thy name's sake; do not disgrace the throne of thy glory: remember, break not thy covenant with us. Are there any among the vanities of the nations that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? art not thou he, O Jehovah our God? therefore we will wait for thee; for thou hast made all these things."This is one of the saddest appeals in the Bible. Their day of grace almost over, their nation threatened and anticipating an absolute and irrevocable destruction, their false prophets facing exactly the same doom they faced, their acknowledgment, at last, of their consummate wickedness which was a long continuation of the unceasing wickedness of the whole nation for ages past, yet, with all of that, they were desperate, pleading with God not to abhor them, pleading for him not to break the covenant, the very covenant which they had not merely broken, but which they had shattered and rejected.
"The throne of they glory ..." (Jeremiah 14:21) "This is a reference to the temple (2 Kings 19:15; Psalms 99:1)."[23]Feinberg noted that this prayer for the people was based upon three things: "(1) God's reputation, (2) his temple, and (3) his covenant with Israel"[24]"Here were a group of people who had gone too far in sin, so far that they have become ignorant of God's character, that God is indeed a God of holiness and righteousness. How could they be such fools?"[25]"Break not thy covenant with us ..." (Jeremiah 14:21). Despite the fact that they had already broken that covenant, yet they wished God to go ahead and fulfill his part of it.
They ceased to be God's people when they abandoned themselves to idolatry; yet they still wanted God to be their God, to defend, support and bless them. They appeared to be ignorant of the fact that when the conditions of a covenant are broken by one party, the other is no longer bound by it. The covenant is necessarily annulled.
"Are there any among the vanities ..." (Jeremiah 14:22)? This question suggests that of the apostle Peter who asked, "Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou only hast the words of eternal life" (John 6:68). "The vanities here are the artificial deities,"[26] that is, all of the idol gods.
Jeremiah 14:1. The Lord was ready for the prophet to add some more to his book, and this time the subject was the dearth that was soon to come on the land. Such a form of punishment had been threatened many years before (Deuteronomy 11:17; Deuteronomy 3 Chron. 7:13). The people became guilty of the very sin for which that kind of punishment was predicted.
Jeremiah 14:2. The gates were the places through which the citizens passed to and fro in the activities of their public life, also when the products of the ground were to be offered for use. But the dearth was to stop such activities and plunge the inhabitants into gloom. They are black unto the. ground means the people will give up in despair and sit down on the ground clothed in mourning garments.
Jeremiah 14:3. The country was even so short of water that the natural places of the precious liquid (the water), and the pits (man-made cisterns) were dry. When the children or servants were sent to such spots for water they returned with their vessels empty. This threw them into a state of confusion because they realized that the condition was from the Lord.
Jeremiah 14:4. Chapt is from chathath and Strong defines it, “ A primitive root; properly to prostrate; hence to break down, either (literally) by violence, or (figuratively) by confusion and fear,” The physical earth cannot have the efforts described in the definition, therefore it means the farmers had such feelings. So depressing was the situation that they covered their heads which was a custom practiced by people in ancient times under conditions of great distress.
Jeremiah 14:5. The hind or deer calved which means she gave birth to her young in the field. Then she was forced to forsake the calf, being unable to nurse it because of the lack of pasture brought on through the withholding of rain.
Jeremiah 14:6. Stand in the high places denotes that these beasts were forced to the higher spots to get more air and even there they panted, snuffed up the wind, in their "shortness of breath.” Eyes did fail. Hunger caused the eyes of these wild asses to become dulled so that they gazed into space.
Jeremiah 14:7. The awful condition was to bring the people to a sense of shame and acknowledgement of their guilt. Do thou it is the prayer of the people for the Lord to do something for them. Not that the punishment was not just tor they admitted their guilt. But they appealed to God that he would have mercy for his name's sake.
Jeremiah 14:8. This verse is a pitiful plea to God as the only hope for Israel (used in its general meaning) to find relief. Be as a stranger in the land. A stranger is one who is only temporarily in a place and then soon gone. In the midst of the conditions brought on by the dearth, the people felt as if God had forsaken them and that he had been with them for a short time only, then left the land as a wayfaring man or a temporary sojourner would do,
Jeremiah 14:9. It appeared to the people of Judah that the Lord was so astonied (astonished) at their conduct that he was like a man in a helpless daze. Vet their better judgment told them such was not the case and that He was really still present even though apparently they were being forsaken. With that understanding in their mind they made another pathetic plea that the Lord leave m not.
Jeremiah 14:10. In answer to the plea and complaint of his people, the Lord reminded them of their evil conduct. They had not been "overtaken in a fault,” but loved to wander or stray instead of directing their feet In the way which God had pointed out to them. Because of all this he decreed to visit their sins which had reference first to the dearth about to come and next to the captivity a little later.
Jeremiah 14:11. For their good Is said in the sense of the favor they desired, which was that they might he spared the punishment that had been threatened to come upon them. There was no use for Jeremiah to pray for such a favor upon the nation for it was bound to be punished according to the prediction previously made. Let the reader now see the note at 2 Kings 22:17 in Vol, 2 of this Commentary.
Jeremiah 14:12. Fasling was encouraged and burnt offerings were commanded under the law, yet now the Lord told Jeremiah that he would not accept these services. For an explanation of this remarkable decision of the Lord, see the note and comments at Isaiah 1:10 in Vol. 3 of this Commentary. Sword, famine and pestilence. These three things are grouped together in various places as a prediction of calamities to come upon the unfaithful nation. The fulfillment of the three may be seen by considering the history found in the Bible, In 2 Kings 24:2 is the history of the sword, and in 2 Kings 25:3 is the famine. And famine was generally followed by pestilence, so we see the fulfillment of the threefold prediction in at least one instance.
Jeremiah 14:13. By prophets Jeremiah means the falBe prophets referred to in ch. 5: 31 and 8: 10, 11, who had tried to calm the people with their assurance of peace. Jeremiah was not denying the words of God, yet he seemed to be worried that there were prophets who would give such promises of peace when there had been so much prophecy to the contrary. What doubtless added to Jeremiah's confusion was the fact that these men prophesied in the name of God,
Jeremiah 14:14. The Lord explained to Jeremiah that these men forged His name to their lying prophecies. People will often swallow a false doctrine if the speaker of it uses the name of the Lord in connection with it. But God had never even asked the men to go forth as prophets, much less authorized them to give the people any assurances of peace. Vision and divination are practically the same and mean some supernatural insight into the future. Nought is from a word that Strong defines “ good for nothing," and the original for deeeif is defined “ fraud.’’ The two words just defined form a very significant thought.
It would be possible for a thiug to be useless without doing any particular harm actively. But the teaching of these false prophets not only was of no good purpose; it was fraudulent which means it acted in a way to defraud the people of some of their rights.
Jeremiah 14:15. Not only will these false prophets be exposed for their corrupt teaching, but they will perish by the very instrument they said would never come.
Jeremiah 14:16. The false prophets will not be the only ones who wjli feel the wrath of God, but the people to whom the false teaching was given will likewise suffer. The justice of such dealing is explained by Jeremiah 5; Jeremiah 31 which says “ the people love to have it so.” It is the same principle of responsibility that Jesus taught (Matthew 15:14) that “ if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” Paul taught the same idea in Romans 1:32 regarding those who are pleased with the wrong doing of others.
Jeremiah 14:17. God does not personally weep, and when such language is used that would indicate such an act, it is the prophet Jeremiah who is doing it. It was also true that Jeremiah was personally affected by the misfortunes of his people. He therefore was to tell them how lie felt about their situation and that the Lord was supporting him in that attitude. Virgin daughter is an affectionate and figurative terra often used to designate the people of God.
Jeremiah 14:18. The pronoun I refers to Jeremiah in his mournful viewing of the sad state of his people that was soon to come upon them in fact, and was even then being foreshadowed by the mental confusion of many persons. The prophet and priest whom he mentions are the false prophet and unfaithful priest referred to in Jeremiah 5:31 and Jeremiah 8:10, Oo about Is from the Hebrew word CACHAR which Strong defines, “ A primitive root: to travel round (especiflcally as a pedlar) intensively to palpitate.” These corrupt leaders were dealing in the abominable business of idolatry, and Jeremiah slips in a prediction that they would soon be taken to a strange land, a land that they know not, and there they will he compelled to continue their sinful traffic.
Jeremiah 14:19. In this verse Jeremiah is expressing the sad meditations of his people over their undone condition to be brought upon them soon. Judah and Zion are both named because the former is the kingdom and the latter is its capita]. We looked for peace was their mistake because no one but the false prophets had assured them of such a favor (Jeremiah 6:13-14; Jeremiah 8:11).
Jeremiah 14:20. This acknowledgement or sin was doubtless sincere, but it came too late to save the nation from the captivity. It is noteworthy that they recognized their sin to have been against the Lord. This confession if followed by a consistent reformation in conduct, would win for them individually the favor of God even though they would have to take their share of the national downfall at the hand of Babylon.
Jeremiah 14:21. This fervent plea for mercy was not made on the basis of their merit, but for the sake of the Lord’ s name. Break, not thy covenant refers to the many promises of God to save them for His possession and never to forsake them entirely.
Jeremiah 14:22. Vanities of the Gentiles (heathen) refers to the false gods whom they had been serving. This clause is in question form but it is really an acknowledgement that no power is possessed by these gods; not one of them could even cause It to rain. The same admission is Intended by can heavens (jive showers but with a still more significant reason in their implied confession. Reference to heavens has in mind the planets which the heathen worshiped. These false gods are right in the vicinity from where the showers come, yet with such direct contact as an advantage they are powerless to produce results.
No, these objects of worship did not make any of the things in the material creation, neither can they show any control over them. Acknowledgement is made that our Goil made them all and a promise is made to wait upon Him which means to rely and serve him.
Jeremiah Chapter Fifteen
Verse 1
Jeremiah 15'S SECOND LAMENTOf course, the first nine verses of this chapter, especially the first four, continue the thought of the last chapter. Henderson suggested the following chapter divisions:[1] Judah had sinned beyond the possibility of God's averting their punishment (Jeremiah 15:1-4); continued prophecy of Judah's destruction (Jeremiah 15:5-9); beginning of Jeremiah's lament (Jeremiah 15:10-11); destruction of Judah inevitable (Jeremiah 15:12-14); Jeremiah's discouragement and denial of his commission (Jeremiah 15:15-18); God's command to Jeremiah with promises contingent upon his obedience (Jeremiah 15:19-21).
Jeremiah 15:1-4GOD'S ANSWER TO JUDAH'S PLEA"Thus said Jehovah unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind would not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth. And it shall come to pass when they say unto thee, Whither shall we go forth? then thou shalt tell them, thus saith Jehovah: Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for captivity, to captivity. And I will appoint over them four kinds, saith Jehovah: the sword to slay, and the dogs to tear, and the birds of the heavens, and the beasts of the earth to destroy. And I will cause them to be tossed to and fro among all the kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem.""Moses and Samuel ..." (Jeremiah 15:1). These were historical heroes of the Jewish people, who, upon serious occasions of Israel's rebellion against the Lord, had interceded for them, praying for their forgiveness; and there were several examples of this in the Old Testament. (Exodus 32:11-14; Exodus 32:30-34; Numbers 24:13-23; Deuteronomy 9:18-20; Deuteronomy 9:15-29; 1 Samuel 7:5-9; 1 Samuel 12:19-25; and Psalms 99:6-8). However, the sad message here is that even the intercession of such intercessors as Moses and Samuel would be of no avail whatever in the present extremity of Judah's total apostasy and rebellion.
We find no agreement with Thompson who thought that Jeremiah might have mentioned Moses and Samuel here, "because he saw in those two men a pattern of his own ministry; for he was in that succession of prophets `like unto Moses' (Deuteronomy 18:9-22)."[2] However, the Bible has no mention of a succession of "prophets" (plural) like unto Moses, but speaks of "The Prophet Like unto Moses," a reference to Jesus Christ and to no other!
The perversion of this prophecy through Moses mentioned here is a favorite device of critics, but it stands upon no authority whatever.
"Let them go forth ..." (Jeremiah 15:1). The meaning of this was extensive: "Cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth. Do not bring them into my presence by your prayers; let them go forth into captivity."[3] The meaning is further elaborated in the next verse. Feinberg's rendition of Jer 15:2-4 here is excellent:
"Those destined for death, to death;
those for the sword, to the sword;
those for starvation, to starvation;
those for captivity, to captivity.
I will send four kinds of destroyers against them, saith the Lord, The sword to kill, and the dogs to drag away, and the birds of the air and the beasts of the field to devour and destroy."[4]"Because of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah ..." (Jeremiah 15:4). "The name of the pious father intensifies the horror at the wickedness of the son."[5]It might appear from this that the invasion and captivity of Judah were the consequences of Manasseh's wicked reign; but it was not that reign alone that resulted in such disasters. "It was because the people persevered in that wickedness."[6] They resented and disapproved of Josiah's reforms; as soon as Jehoiachim came to the throne, they heartily supported that wicked king's campaign to restore all of the idolatrous trappings of Manasseh's evil reign; and, when Jeremiah's magnificent prophecies appeared to be a hindrance to such a resurgence of paganism, they plotted to kill Jeremiah. It was all of that, plus the deliberate preference of the great majority of Israel for the licentious rites of idolatry far over above the righteous government of the Lord that led to their eventual destruction and the deportation of a remnant.
Verse 5
FURTHER OF JUDAH'S RUIN"For who will have pity upon thee, O Jerusalem? or who will bemoan thee? or who will turn aside to ask of thy welfare? Thou hast rejected Jehovah, thou art gone backward: therefore have I stretched out my hand against thee, and destroyed thee; I am weary with repenting. And I have winnowed them with a fan in the gates of the land; I have bereaved them of children, I have destroyed my people; they returned not from their ways. Their widows are increased to me above the sand of the seas; I have brought upon them against the mother of the young men a destroyer at noonday: I have caused anguish and terrors to fall upon her suddenly. She that hath borne seven languisheth; she hath given up the ghost; her sun has gone down while it was yet day; she hath been put to shame and confounded: and the residue of them will I deliver to the sword before their enemies, saith Jehovah."The consistent use of the past tense in this paragraph should not be misunderstood. "The first few verbs here (Jeremiah 15:5) and the last verb (Jeremiah 15:9) are in the imperfect tense; and most of the rest are perfects. They portray that which has not yet happened as though it had already transpired, so certain is the prophet that it is going to come about."[7]"Thou art gone backward ..." (Jeremiah 15:6). The whole nation had reverted to the gross paganism of the reign of Manasseh.
"I am weary of repenting ..." (Jeremiah 15:6). Judah was aware of the great truth that when they repented God would turn and bless them again, as fully expounded by Jeremiah a little later in this prophecy (Jeremiah 18:7-10); but this stresses another fact that Judah had either forgotten or had never even known, that being the fact that "there is a point of no return" in the persistent wickedness of any man or of any nation. It was evident in the classical account of Balaam, who set out on a rebellious course, contrary to God's instructions; and when the going became really rough, he said, "I will get me back again" (Numbers 22:34); but God commanded him, saying, "Go with the men" (Numbers 22:35). There always comes the time in the career of rebellion against God that an angel with a drawn sword stands in the way and says, "Go on in the way you have chosen; you have made your bed, now lie in it; you have preferred to rebel, now abide by the consequences!" Even the forgiveness metered out to the repentant sinner in many cases can never nullify the physical consequences of a sinful life.
"They returned not from their ways ..." (Jeremiah 15:7). "It was no different in the seventh century from what it was in the eighth (Amos 4:6-11)";[8] and from this is seen the fact that a full century of God's forbearance with the rebellious Israelites had made no significant difference whatever.
"The gates of the land ..." (Jeremiah 15:7). As Keil pointed out here, "`The gates of the land' is undoubtedly a reference to the land of Judah."[9]"Mother of the young men" (Jeremiah 15:7) This is a metaphor in which Jerusalem, or Judah, is represented as seeing her sons sacrificed to the sword.
Verse 10
OF 'S SECOND LAMENT"Woe is me, my mother, that thou has borne me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have not lent, neither have men lent to me; yet every one of them doth curse me. Jehovah said, Verily, I will strengthen thee for good; verily I will cause the enemy to make supplication unto thee in the time of evil and in the time of affliction."These verses and through the end of the chapter constitute "the second personal lament of Jeremiah,"[10]according to Ash; and this one appears to be the most serious because it actually constituted a denial of Jeremiah's commission, as we shall see a moment later.
"I have not lent, neither have men lent to me ..." (Jeremiah 15:10). What a glimpse of human nature is this! Yes indeed, one of the surest ways to make bitter enemies is either to borrow money from them or to lend it to them! Jeremiah refers to his having refrained from doing either as a grounds of his being unable to understand why everybody hated him!
Cheyne believed that this lament "belongs to a later period of the history of Judah"[11] but there is nothing certain about such a speculation. Hyatt stated that, "We do not know the occasion of this lament."[12]"Woe is me, my mother that thou hast borne me" (Jeremiah 15:10). Many commentators equate this with "cursing" the day of his birth. "To curse the day of his birth was tantamount to a rejection of his very mission."[13] This seems to be going a little too far with such implications, because certainly there is a vast difference in what is said here from the account of what was said when Job cursed the day of his birth (Job 3:1-6). Still, Jeremiah's error, whatever it was, required his repentance (Jeremiah 15:19).
"I will strengthen thee for good ..." (Jeremiah 15:11). As Dummelow pointed out, Jeremiah's enemies, of whom was Zedekiah, would not only spare his life, but invoke his aid. An example of this is given in Jeremiah 21:1-7.[14]""I will cause the enemy to make supplication unto thee ..." (Jeremiah 15:11). "This was literally fulfilled in Jeremiah 39:11. Nebuchadnezzar gave strict orders to his commander-in-chief to look well to Jeremiah, to do him no harm, and to grant him all the privileges he was pleased to ask."[15]Verse 12
THE OF JUDAH "Can one break iron, even iron from the north, and brass? Thy substance and thy treasure will I give for a spoil without price, and that for all thy sins, even in all thy borders. And I will make them to pass with thine enemies into a land which thou knowest not; for a fire is kindled in mine anger, which shall burn upon you."The last two verses here simply state that all of the treasures and riches of Judah shall God cause to be taken away from them because of their sins. Those treasures shall not be paid for, but shall leave "without price," and be carried away by Judah's enemies into a country they do not know.
"Can one break iron ..." (Jeremiah 15:12)? There are several different views about what this means. Dummelow believed that it meant, "Judah is not tough enough to withstand the Chaldean power."[16] "The prophet is protesting that he is not strong enough to stand against the hardness and stubbornness of the people."[17] "Jeremiah's prayers are not strong enough to break the iron will of the divine purpose to destroy Judah."[18] Jellie also saw Jeremiah 15:12 as teaching that, "There is a limit to prayer,"[19] quoting also this passage from John Milton's "Paradise Lost":
"Prayer against God's absolute decree
No more avails than breath against the wind,
Blows stifling back on him that breatheth forth;
Therefore to His great bidding I submit."
The critical allegation that these verses do not fit is rejected. They clearly predict the exile, which prophecy surely emphasizes the negative answer God had already given in the first paragraph of the chapter to Judah's appeal for mercy; and if the application of Jer 15:12 is to the inability of Jeremiah's prayers to break God's determination to destroy Judah, then this passage is indeed in context. There are no legitimate grounds here for moving these verses or for calling them a gloss. Such allegations are almost certainly incorrect.
Robinson called Jeremiah 15:13-14 "Irrelevant";[20] Cheyne called them "a digression";[21] but a much more discerning scholar declared that, "They can hardly be regarded as simply an intrusion into the text; but they may be seen as a significant part of the total picture."[22]Verse 15
HIS "O Jehovah, thou knowest; remember me, and visit me, and avenge me of my persecutors; take me not away in thy longsuffering: know that for thy sake I have suffered reproach. Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy words were to me a joy and the rejoicing of my heart: for I am called by thy name, O Jehovah, God of hosts. I sat not in the assembly of them that make merry, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of thy hand; for thou hast filled me with indignation. Why is my pain perpetual? and my wound incurable, which refuseth to be healed? wilt thou indeed be unto me as a deceitful brook, as waters that fail?"Jeremiah here fell into a distressing pit of self-pity. He had succumbed to the "me" virus, for he used the personal pronoun of himself no less than sixteen times in these four verses. It appears that the great prophet was almost totally discouraged about the seeming failure of his mission.
Green pointed out that Jeremiah's appeal to God has the following: (1) he appeals to God to remember him; he feels forsaken, and checkmated by his enemies; (2) he reminds God of his love and respect for the divine word; (3) he protests his loneliness and his being left out of the assemblies of the people; (4) and he even echoed the sentiments of Christ on Calvary, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"; and (5) finally, in Jeremiah 15:18 he seemed to hit the very depths of despair, "The figure of the deceitful brook is devastating."[23] It appears that Jeremiah was even tempted to believe that God had become to him a lying water hole, that promised refreshment but failed to give it.
The so-called "weeping prophet" came near to deserving the title here. Halley noted that there is a grotto called Jeremiah's Grotto which is located at the foot of the very hill where the Cross of Jesus would be raised some 600 years later. "Jeremiah is said to have retired there to weep."[24]"Jeremiah had expected that, called to a high office, there would be a perpetual interference upon his behalf; but instead everything seemed to be taking its natural course."[25]Jeremiah 15:18, here "is certainly a cry of distrust and despair by Jeremiah."[26] God's dramatic answer came in the next verses.
Verse 19
GOD'S ANSWER TO "Therefore thus saith Jehovah, if thou return, then will I bring thee again, that thou mayest stand before me; and if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth: they shall return unto thee, but thou shalt not return unto them. And I will make thee unto this people a fortified brazen wall; and they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee to save thee and to deliver thee, saith Jehovah. And I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem thee out of the hand of the terrible."God made it clear in these verses that he did not approve of Jeremiah's conduct. If Jeremiah would win a place back in God's favor, he was commanded to do the following: (1) he must repent of his distrust and selfishness; (2) he must rid his message of all that is unworthy.
If Jeremiah will do these two things, four results will follow. (1) He will again be God's true messenger to the people; (2) He will not conform to the wishes of the people, but will cause the crowd to turn to him ultimately for the Word of God; (3) he will become what God promised him in his original call, "a fortified wall of bronze"; and (4) God will defend and deliver him from evil men.[27]Of course, Jeremiah only bared his innermost thoughts before the Lord; and there's nothing wrong with that; "But, even so, one who has such thoughts as Jeremiah had must undergo a radical change if he would continue to be God's mouthpiece."[28]"If thou wilt return ..." (Jeremiah 15:19). These words are invariably understood as God's commandment for Jeremiah to repent. The great prophet had permitted himself to drift into a critical attitude toward God; and it had begun to be reflected in some of the things that entered into his messages to the people. Therefore, God commanded him to separate the precious from the vile. This instruction is invaluable for anyone who preaches the gospel of Jesus Christ.
At any time, when human philosophy, or humanistic thoughts are permitted to share the emphasis along with the gospel of Christ, the precious has been mixed with the vile.
Jeremiah 15:1. In the preceding chapter Jeremiah expressed his feelings for the sad fate overhanging his beloved nation. It is true the wording of it sounds as if the people were doing the pleading for themselves, and doubt-less there were many of them who had made such complaints as we may read In the passages. However, the prophet actually was making his personal intercession on behalf of his countrymen. He may have thought the Lord would change his verdict in view of this faithful service he had always rendered, and because he was &recognized prophet; his importance would surely count for something in the case. God did not wish Jeremiah to think there was anything lacking in his life that was causing the divine decree to be so strongly reaffirmed.
As evidence of this, the Lord named Moses and Samuel and said that even they would not be able to change the degree. Moses was the first national lawgiver and Samuel was the first national prophet (Acts 3; Acts 24; Acts 13:20).
Surely Jeremiah could not expect to have more weight with the Lord than those great men. No, the time and condition had come when intercession was not in order. We should be careful not to form a wrong conclusion on this critical occasion. It was not on account of God’ s lack of mercy that he declared nothing could stop the invasion and captivity. He is a God of infinite knowledge and was able to see that the captivity was the only thing that would cure the people of the sin of idolatry. Knowing this awful truth it would have been an unmerciful thing to prevent such an experience from occurring just because a period of exile seemed to be a severe treat-ment.
It would have been like refraining from performing some necessary surgery because the treatment would be painful. Therefore the Lord in actual kindness though with apparent harshness gave Jeremiah to understand that His decision was "final” and that the people must, he let go out of his sight which meant out of his favor as a nation in their own land.
Jeremiah 15:2. The preceding verse closed with the order for the people to be driven from the sight of the Lord. It would be natural for them to ask for some particulars as to their faith or the experiences about to be forced upon them; this verse is a reply to that inquiry. In a siege there will be various "chances" appearing before the besieged, and those chances may not seem the same to all of the besieged people. To some of them it will look as if death in any manner might as well be awaited. To others it might seem that a hand to hand fight with the sword could be preferred.
Others might calmly be resigned to starvation as the siege is prolonged. While another group would decide that unresisting submission to the enemy would be the less painful way out. It is as if the Lord said; "These various ways are bound to come upon you, either one or the other on the various ones among you, so take your choice.” In Jeremiah 21:9 is a more direct statement, on this phase of the subject, explaining how the various items of this group of "chances" might be carried out. I insist that the reader see that verse in connection with the present passage.
Jeremiah 15:3. Suppose that when the people are told to take their choice of these "chances” some would choose death; how will that be accomplished? This verse is an answer to that inquiry. The various means of death had been threatened or predicted pre-viously by the great man Moses (Leviticus 26:16-22; Deuteronomy 28:26).
Jeremiah 15:4. After the siege with all these terrible effects has accomplished its purpose, the nation as a whole will be taken away into all kingdoms. Babylonia was the only universal government among the heathen at that time. However, kingdoms comes from a word that, includes in its meaning a territory or land, and the various lands of the heathen people were at that time under the control of the Babylonians. God had a grievance against Judah that covered the entire period of her rule, but it was aggravated by the very wicked deeds of Manasseh the kingdom in Jerusalem.
Jeremiah 15:5. Who shall have pity is a declaration in question form that the Lord will not have pity on Jerusalem, but she must go through the punishment that has been threatened. Who shall osfc, etc., is a form of speech to indicate that Jerusalem will he aban-doned to her fate with nobody to save her from the doom awaiting her.
Jeremiah 15:6. Having forsaken the Lord and gone after strange gods, Jerusalem shall in turn be forsaken by Him. This may seem like "returning evil for evil,” but it was to be the only remedy possible. (See the comments on verse 1.) Repenting is used in the sense cf being longsuilering and easy with his people and giving them one opportunity after another to make amends for their sins but ail to no good result. Now He is tired of it and is going to deal with them in a stern manner.
Jeremiah 15:7. Fan them with a fan literally means to scatter them as one would scatter the chaff with a winnowing shovel. It is a prediction that the people wilt be dispersed by the enemy. God was going to suffer his people to be imposed upon by the Babylonians because they had refused to return to tbe right manner of life.
Jeremiah 15:8. Widows are increased is a prediction that more married men would be slain by the enemy thus leaving more widows in the land. Have brought is past tense in form but is a prediction that God will bring a foreign nation upon his people, and that even mothers with young children will not be spared. Spoiler at noonday. The last word should be considered in the light of the word suddenly later on in the verse. An army generally puts forth its greatest exertions when the heat of the day is past. But this rav- ager is going to be so intent on ruining the country that lie will not wait but will attack without, warning.
Jeremiah 15:9. The pronoun she stands for the nation or kingdom of Judah. Sun is gone dawn is figurative aud refers to the national daylight that ceased to shine. While it tons yet day Is also figurative and means that Judah's national sun was to go dovvn prematurely. It will be like the natural sun going dovvn when I he timepiece said it was noon time. Not only will Judah lose control of her capital city of Jerusalem. thus suffering a national sunset, but many of her citizens will be destroyed by the enemy. (See the fulfillment of this in 2 Kings 24, 25.)
Jeremiah 15:10. Again Jeremiah shows his personal attitude in the distressing situation and “ takes it to heart” that his country is to be so oppressed. But it is also true that he personally had to suffer at the hand of his countrymen who did not like his plain teaching. He seems to regret that he had been born at such a time of strife. Hove neither lent on usury is an allusion to the grasping leaders of this nation v ho had imposed upon the poor Of the land to increase their own possessions unlawfully. Jeremiah had never done such a wrong to his people, yet he was being persecuted as if be were such a guilty man.
Jeremiah 15:11. The Lord frequently follows bis threatening of punishment with a prediction of a more favorable nature. This verse jumps over the period of the captivity to the time of the return to Palestine. There will then be a remnant of the nation that survived the destructive effects of the exile (Ezra 2:64). When these remaining Jews go back to rebuild their city they will be e?itreated (treated) well. This favorable prediction was fulfilled in Ezra 1:1-4.
Jeremiah 15:12. Favorable and unfavorable predictions alternate in rapid succession through several verses. Through verse 10 the prediction of the captivity with its many painful experiences was made. Then verse 11 came in with an easement by predicting the kind treatment that Judah was to receive at the hand of the heathen. Now the prophet must resume the gloomy picture of the fate of this countrymen. The first iron refers to Babylon that was to come from tbe north, The verse
is in question form but the meaning is that Judah is not a strong enough piece of iron to break the greater and stronger piece to roll down from the north. For the explanation of this word see the historical quotation at Isaiah 14:31 in Vol. 3 of this Commentary.
Jeremiah 15:13. This verse refers to a particular feature of the calamity to come upon the nation and that was the loss of their personal property. The fulfillment of it is recorded in 2 Kings 24:13. Without price means that the Babylonians will take this property but will not pay for it.
Jeremiah 15:14. After being stripped of their valuables, the people of Judah wilt be taken away into captivity. Land thou lenowest not means that the land to which they were to he taken was one they had never seen and of which they knew nothing by personal contact. This fire is figurative and means the anger of the Lord over the unfaithfulness of his people and their corrupt practices with the idolaters.
Jeremiah 15:15. This verse through the 18th should be marked into a bracket and given the title "Jeremiah's complaint,*’ The prophet has taken a deep personal interest in the whole matter of his country’ s undone condition. He has been persecuted by the wicked citizens, especially the leaders, and this bracket expresses his personal plea for God's favor. He protests that his sufferings have been thrust upon him because of his faithfulness to the Lord and the divine law. We shall soon learn that God did not reject the claims of the prophet nor deny the requests that he made.
Jeremiah 15:16. Words were found. , . . did eat them is Jeremiah's way of saying he had desired the word of the Lord and when they were offered to him he consumed them as food. These professions of the prophet as to his interest in the divine law were true. He gives a logical reason for his attitude toward the Holy Word, that he was wearing the name of its Author. Surely, then, if one calls himseif by the name of such an important Being, he should be interested in all of the instruction that would come from such a source for his benefit.
Jeremiah 15:17. Sat not . , . nor rejoiced is a significant remark. A person may be guilty of a wrong without being active in it.. Paul taught that God will judge those who are pleased with the evil conduct of others (Romans 1:32). Jeremiah would rather sit alone, be without any company, than be associated with evildoers.
Jeremiah 15:18. Pain and wound refers to the sorrow and humiliation that the prophet had to suffer on account of his wicked countrymen. He was in a perpetual strain because they would not give him any relief from their persecution. It was in that sense that he declared his wound, (bitter persecu-tion) to be incurable. The word liar seems very harsh to us and we know that Jeremiah did not use it as an accusation against the Lord. However, certain characters may be used for compurisou at some points without extending the likeness to all the points in general.
The comparison in the mind of Jeremiah was in the fact that a liar would disappoint anyone who would rely upon him. Wilt thou be, etc., is merely Jeremiah's way of beseeching the Lord to have mercy upon him and not let him be disappointed. We are sure this was the point the prophet was making because of the comparison at the end of the verse. Waters need not be thought of as anything objectionable unless they failed to continue, and in that case they would be the cause of disappointment as would the words of a liar,
Jeremiah 15:19. The applications of this verse are somewhat complicated and we should study them carefully. Jeremiah has not been charged with any unfaithfulness, therefore the exhortation if thou return could not mean him personally. Yet the phrase is in the second person grammatically because the prophet not only had made earnest pleas for personal favors, but had spoken anxiously on behalf of his beloved countrymen. So we are logically required to interpret the passage in a way to include these truths; I would word it as follows: "If thou (as a representative of the nation) return (repent), then will I bring thee again and thou slialt stand before me (shall be reinstated in my favor)." The same view should be taken of the words immediately following through the word mouth. But this exhortation to reformation with promise of favor again reminds us of the apparent contradiction of which mention has been made a number of times.
That subject is explained by the note offered at 2 Kings 22:17 in Vol. 2 of this Commentary, The last clause of the verse changes the implications in its wording. Here the pronoun thee means Jeremiah personally because he was righteous and a true example of living for the people to imitate and a true teacher to heed.
Thus the Lord notifies him that them, the people, should return unto him in the sense of heeding his teaching. But he must not let his personal interest in and love for his people influence him to return unto them or fall in with them in their evil ways.
Jeremiah 15:20-21. Fenced brasen wall is a figure meaning a situation of strong protection. The paragraph is an assurance to Jeremiah that God would not “ let him down.” His unrighteous countrymen would persecute him and if possible would kill him. But God promises not to let his enemies succeed in their designs to destroy him. We shall see the whole subject demonstrated near the close of the book. There seems to he a popular notion in the minds of mankind that if one does not like the sound of some unpleasant truth, he can prevent the predicted outcome of it by destroying the man who utters the unwelcomed truth. That was the principle that caused the Jews to kill the Saviour of the world and that also killed millions of His followers.
Jeremiah Chapter Sixteen
Verse 1
Jeremiah 16FAMILY; ; AND - TO The following chapter divisions were suggested by Henderson:[1] (1) Jeremiah forbidden to marry and have a family (Jeremiah 16:1-2); (2) God's explanation for this prohibition (Jeremiah 16:2-4); (3) funeral celebrations also forbidden (Jeremiah 16:5-7); (4) festival celebrations likewise prohibited (Jeremiah 16:8-9); (5) God's further elaboration of the reasons for such penalties (Jeremiah 16:10-13); (6) a prophecy of Israel's restoration (Jeremiah 16:14-15); (7) the metaphor of the hunters and the fishers (Jeremiah 16:16-18); (8) prophecy of the conversion of the Gentiles (Jeremiah 16:19-20); (9) a reiteration of the certainty of impending doom for Judah (Jeremiah 16:21).
First, we wish to notice a classical example of the critical fembu which radical critics offer instead of an exposition of this chapter.
John Philip Hyatt wrote:
"The Deuteronomic editor of this chapter lived about 550 B.C.; he could look back upon the events which culminated in the Babylonian exile and interpret the prophet's celibacy and austerity as a sign to the people of the coming destruction. It is doubtful if this was the prophet's own motive for his manner of living. The true explanation is perhaps Jeremiah's wholehearted devotion to his prophetic mission that did not leave him room for devotion to wife and family.[2]"There is not a single word of truth in such a comment. There was no Deuteronomic editor of this chapter; the introduction of such a fictitious, imaginative character is merely a convenient manner the radical critics have of saying that Jeremiah never wrote a word of the chapter, but that it was written a whole generation after Jeremiah died! If a scholar does not believe this is God's Word, why does he bother us with any comments on it? If it is not God's Word, it deserves no comment whatever.
"Note also the arrogant conceit of any person who will tell us what "the true" reason for Jeremiah's not having a family actually was, thus denying what the scriptures flatly declare, namely, that he refrained from having a family because Jehovah had so commanded him. Now, who should believe such a comment as that of Mount Hyatt? The unequivocal answer which we wish to give to that question is: "Only those who prefer to accept that writer as God's spokesman, instead of the sacred writers of the Holy Scriptures. This writer is unwilling to accept the Interpreter's Bible as a substitute for Jeremiah; and we would have to know a lot more about Mount Hyatt than we know, before we could credit him with any credibility whatever in such extravagant and untruthful remarks."
The date when Jeremiah wrote the chapter is not definitely known; but Payne Smith suggested that, "It probably was written near the end of the reign of Jehoiachim."[3]Kuist mentioned the "patchwork construction of the chapter which puzzles readers and interpreters";[4] but this is no reflection whatever against the integrity and authenticity of what is written here. We have repeatedly noted that Biblical books are simply not organized after the patterns followed in our generation.
Jeremiah 16:1-2GOD'S AND A FAMILY FOR "The word of Jehovah came also unto me, saying, Thou shalt not take thee a wife, neither shalt thou have sons or daughters in this place.""Undoubtedly the Lord's command for Jeremiah not to marry was an emotional shock to him."[5] Note that this very recent scholar acknowledges the scriptural truth that the Lord did command Jeremiah to "Behave in an eccentric manner to illustrate his message."[6] This is exactly in keeping with God's orders for Hosea to take "a wife of whoredoms", and for Isaiah to name one of his sons, "a remnant shall return." Thus in all three instances, the prophet's life was enlisted as an additional proof of the truth of what he prophesied.
"Marriage was obligatory among the Jews; and the prohibition of it to Jeremiah was a sign that the impending calamity was so great as to override all ordinary duties."[7]God at once gave the reasons for such an unusual order to Jeremiah.
Verse 3
GOD'S OF THIS "For thus saith Jehovah concerning the sons and concerning the daughters that are born in this place, and concerning their mothers that bare them, and concerning the fathers that begat them in this land: They shall die grievous deaths: they shall not be lamented, neither shall they be buried; they shall be as dung upon the face of the ground; and they shall be consumed by the sword, and by famine; and their dead bodies shall be food for the birds of the heavens, and for the beasts of the earth."A warning such as this would have been appropriate before the invasion and captivity; but can any intelligent person suggest why some "Deuteronomic editor" could possibly have written such a message a whole generation after the invasion and captivity had already happened? There could have been no point whatever in such an endeavor.
Notice also that the text plainly declares that God Himself gave these reasons for his forbidding Jeremiah to marry.
Halley paraphrased these verses thus: "What's the use of raising a family just to be butchered in the frightful carnage about to be loosed upon the inhabitants of Judah?"[8]"In this place ... in this land ..." (Jeremiah 16:3). "This is not a reference to Anathoth nor to Jerusalem, but to the whole land of Judah."[9]Verse 5
FUNERAL ALSO "For thus saith Jehovah, Enter not into the house of mourning, neither go to lament, neither bemoan them; for I have taken away my peace from this people, saith Jehovah, even loving kindness and tender mercies. Both great and small shall die in this land; they shall not be buried, neither shall men lament for them, nor cut themselves, nor make themselves bald for them; neither shall men break bread for them in mourning, to comfort them for the dead; neither shall men give them the cup of consolation to drink for their father or for their mother.""I have taken away my peace ..." (Jeremiah 16:5). It is a serious and terrible thing indeed for God to remove his peace from any person or from any nation. Keil stated that, "The consequences of the withdrawal of this peace is the death of great and small in such multitudes that they could neither be buried nor mourned for."[10]The natural emotion of pity and regret rises in the heart as one contemplates such terrible disasters in Judah; but, in this connection, one should recall the terrible manner in which God instructed Joshua to destroy in the most ruthless and complete manner the entire populations of ancient Canaan, which were thus displaced to make room for Israel. Now that Israel had become worse than Sodom and Gomorrah, the eternal justice required their removal also.
"Nor cut themselves ... nor make themselves bald ..." (Jeremiah 16:6). This is a reference to pagan customs which were strictly forbidden in Israel (Leviticus 19:28; Leviticus 2:5; Deuteronomy 14:1). However, it appears that such practices were widely prevalent anyway (Jeremiah 41:5; Jeremiah 47:5; Ezekiel 7:18; Amos 8:10; and Micah 1:16). But there would be no time for such behavior in the approaching calamity; and the very numbers of the dead would simply forbid it.
"Neither... break bread for them ..." (Jeremiah 16:7). This is a reference to a very ancient custom that is still followed by Christian people, namely, that of providing food upon the occasion of a funeral. "Some commentators relate the custom of taking food to the bereaved after a funeral to the ritual uncleanness of a house after one died in it, making it improper to prepare food in such a house until it had been freed of the uncleanness."[11]"The cup of consolation ..." (Jeremiah 16:7). The cup of consolation was given to the mourners on the completion of their fast; and the significance of the statement here is that not even for father or mother were such rituals to be observed. "In later Judaism, the consoling cup was a special cup of wine drank by the chief mourner."[12]Verse 8
"And thou shalt not go into the house of feasting, to sit with them, to eat and to drink. For thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will cause to cease out of this place, before your eyes, and in your days, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride."The significant thing about these prohibitions is that they removed practically all of the social duties that pertained to Jeremiah, emphatically denying Hyatt's foolish explanation (discussed at the head of this chapter) of Jeremiah's celibacy as being in any manner a result of his being "too busy" to marry and rear a family!
"The voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride ..." (Jeremiah 16:9). The cessation of such joyful sounds as these not only marked God's judgment of the First Israel, as indicated here; but the same thing shall also mark the termination of the day of probation for the Spiritual Israel (See Revelation 18:23).
""Before your eyes and in your days ..." (Jeremiah 16:9). The people were here warned to expect the termination of their nation in the near future, within their own times. As stated earlier, God was weary of repenting!
Verse 10
MORE REASONS FOR SUCH "And it shall come to pass when thou shalt show this people all these words, and they shall say unto thee, Wherefore hath Jehovah pronounced all this great evil against us? or what is our iniquity? or what is our sin that we have committed against Jehovah our God? thou shalt say unto them, Because your fathers have forsaken me, saith Jehovah, and have walked after other gods, and have served them, and have worshipped them, and have forsaken me, and have not kept my law; and ye have done evil more than your fathers; for, behold, ye walk every one after the stubbornness of his evil heart, so that ye hearken not unto me: therefore will I cast you forth out of this land into the land that ye have not known, neither ye nor your fathers; and there shall ye serve other gods day and night; for I will show you no favor."Ash noted that, "The verbs used here were part of the distinctive vocabulary used to describe the breach of the covenant."[13] Significantly, however, it was not merely the breach of that holy covenant by the forefathers of Israel that led to their deportation from Canaan; but that current generation also had sinned even beyond the outrageous behavior of their ancestors.
"There shall ye serve other gods day and night ..." (Jeremiah 16:13). "The form of the sentence here is ironical."[14] A number of writers have attempted to convey the irony as follows: "They will have the opportunity of indulging their desire for pagan worship day and night (continually), for God will ignore them."[15] "There you may serve those idols you are so mad about, even to satiety, and without intermission (day and night)."[16]"I will cast you forth out of this land ..." (Jeremiah 16:13). Green pointed out that the word here for "cast out" is actually "hurl out," and thus a clever play upon the name of Jeremiah.[17] The kind of hurling mentioned here was that of placing a stone in a sling, releasing it after hurling it round and round. It was used here as a metaphor for the violent removal of God's Once Chosen People from Palestine.
Verse 14
ISRAEL'S "Therefore, behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that it shall no more be said, As Jehovah liveth, that brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; but, As Jehovah liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the countries whither he had driven them. And I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers."This wonderful promise of the restoration of Israel belongs right here where it stands in the Bible. We reject Ash's statement that, "There is good reason to believe that this oracle was inserted by an editor."[18] The alleged reason for this opinion was given as follows, "It is intrusive in subject matter and flow of thought";[19]but this is no sufficient reason for denying the authorship of Jeremiah in the giving of this prophecy.
As Dummelow pointed out, this device of throwing in a bright and encouraging prophecy right in the middle of very discouraging and gloomy prophecies corresponds exactly with Jeremiah's pattern of writing throughout the prophecy. "See Jeremiah 3:14; Jeremiah 4:27; Jeremiah 5:10; Jeremiah 5:18; Jeremiah 30:3; and Jeremiah 32:27."[20]The thing that confuses some writers is the foolish critical rule that denies the authenticity of this sacred pattern; but the pattern is not only found throughout the Old Testament, but likewise in the New Testament, where Jesus prophesied heaven and hell in the same breath.
As the Dean of Canterbury put it, "There is no reason for regarding these verses as an interpolation."[21]Harrison likewise declared that it is not necessary to regard these verses as displaced. "All of the pre-exilic prophets interspersed their denunciations with expectations of a brighter future. See Joe 3:18-21; Amos 9:11-15, etc."[22]"That brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north ..." (Jeremiah 16:15). This implies that the second bringing up of Israel from captivity will outshine God's bringing them up from Egypt. "But just as this promised deliverance will excel the earlier one, so much greater will the affliction of Israel be in the projected second captivity."[23]That something more than a mere return of captives from Babylon is meant here was discerned by Jamieson: "Although the return from Babylon is primarily meant, the `gathering from all lands' shows that the return from Babylon was the salvation of Israel in only a limited sense."[24] It appears to this writer that there are overtones in the passage of the conversion of the Gentiles. See under Jeremiah 16:20.
Verse 16
OF THE FISHERS AND THE HUNTERS"Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith Jehovah, and they shall fish them up; and afterward I will send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the clefts of the rocks. For mine eyes are upon all their ways; they are not hid from my face, neither is there iniquity concealed from mine eyes. And first I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double, because they have polluted my land with the carcasses of their detestable things, and have filled mine inheritance with their abominations."The fishers and hunters in this passage are metaphors used to describe the thoroughness and completeness of the Babylonian destruction of apostate Israel. All of the sinful people will be flushed out of their hiding places, and none shall escape.
Verse 19
THE FUTURE OF THE "O Jehovah, my strength, and my stronghold, and my refuge in the day of affliction, unto thee shall the nations come from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Our fathers have inherited naught but lies, even vanity, and things wherein there is no profit. Shall a man make unto himself gods, which yet are no gods?"Here is a clear prophecy of the Gentiles coming unto the true God, and of their rejection of idolatry, clearly identifying this passage as a reference to the Messianic Age and the spread of Christianity throughout the world. We may be certain that neither Jeremiah nor the people who heard this message had any full understanding whatever of all that was prophetically revealed in such words. Adam Clarke was correct in labeling these verses, "Light in the midst of darkness."[25] This, of course, makes it a parallel prophecy toJeremiah 16:14-15; and as Clarke stated, "In such dismal accounts (as this chapter) there is need of some gracious promise relative to an amended state of the world."[26] This need is, of course, exactly the reason this pattern of "light in the midst of darkness" is so generally followed throughout the Bible.
"Lies... vanities ... things wherein is no profit ...". (Jeremiah 16:19). "All of these are synonyms for idols."[27]Verse 21
THE OF DOOM"Therefore, behold, I will cause them to know, this once, will I cause them to know my hand and my might; and they shall know that my name is Jehovah."This final warning stresses the certainty of the destruction prophesied for Israel; and, as Jeremiah 16:9 stated it, that destruction was something they were to see, for it would occur in their times.
Regarding these last three verses, "They have been questioned because of the universalism."[28] That is, they have been questioned because of the promise regarding the calling of the Gentiles from "all the nations." However all such challenges are based upon a priori bias of the challenger who has already made up his mind about what Jeremiah should have said and are unsupported by any factual or textual evidence whatever. Throughout the Bible, especially in Isaiah, there are many such promises of the calling of the Gentiles. See Romans 9-11.
It is refreshing that Green, writing in the Broadman Commentary, gave his opinion of these verses thus: The passage swarms with Jeremiahic phrases, and its poetic structure and style are quite similar to those of Jeremiah. This writer believes the passage to be authentic.[29]
1
Jer 16:1. This verse announces that the Lord has another inspired installment to give the prophet for his book.
Jeremiah 16:2. This place means Anathoth, the city near Jerusalem where many of the prophets resided. The Lord was looking after the social or family welfare of Jeremiah and hence told him not to start his married life in that place.
Jeremiah 16:3. This verse is on the same subject as the preceding, and goes into more details as to who would be affected were the prophet to start a family in the surroundings that existed there at that time.
Jeremiah 16:4. Misfortunes were to be brought upon the people of Judah in general because of the iniquity of idolatry that had been committed for many years. The community of Ana- thoth, however, had especially in-curred the displeasure of the Lord because of the wicked persecution that had been imposed upon Jeremiah in their hatred for his teaching. (See Jeremiah 11:21-23.) The experiences described in this verse might be extended to Jeremiah's family were he to produce one in that community.
Jeremiah 16:5. The natural temperament of the prophet would prompt him to sympathize with these evil people of Anatboth, notwithstanding they deserved all of the punishment threatened against them. Yet he was forbidden by the Lord to give way to this sentiment of pity. There is something significant in the reason assigned by the Lord why Jeremiah should not manifest any pity for these evil persons. it is expressed in the words for I have taken away, etc. In other words, Jeremiah should not be any more lenient or sympathetic toward evildoers than the Lord Is. Today we may hear it said that even though a man may turn from the right way and take up with some new doctrine, yet we should not forget the good he has done. But the Bible teaches that God will forget it if the man ceases to be true to the former life of faithfulness. (See Ezekiel 18:24.)
Jeremiah 16:6. The strange conduct mentioned in this verse referred to the performances that people practiced in ancient times on occasions of grief and anxiety. The reference to that subject as it is here was a prediction that not only would the peopie of that community be punished severely, but God would see to it that they would not even have the satisfaction of the sympathy of their friends.
Jeremiah 16:7. This verse is on the same subject as the preceding one, giving a few more details of the bitter experiences that were in store for the wicked citizens of Anathoth who had been so keen in their persecution of Jeremiah.
Jeremiah 16:8. Some of the people of Anathoth will be disposed to ignore all of the warnings uttered in their ears and will go on in their selfish enjoyments as long as they can. The prophet was to stay away from them even at the times of such mirth because they were unworthy of his company.
Jeremiah 16:9. Jeremiah began to write near the end of the kingdom of Judah and many of the things predicted were about due when this chapter was written; such is the significance of the word3 in your eyes and in your days. The Lord would not wish to shut off all mirth while his righteous prophet was enjoying it, hence the instructions of the preceding verse.
Jeremiah 16:10. It is a trait of human nature to profess innocence even when one's guilt is evident. But the denial is not always made directly; it Is often done in a surprised attitude as if the subject were new. The Lord knew these people would take that turn when Jeremiah informed them of the message and prediction. He wished the prophet to be prepared for their action and hence the present verse.
Jeremiah 16:11. This verse recounts the background of the nation’ s corruption. The fathers refers to the earlier citizens of the kingdom, They were not the first ones of the Jews who took up the sins of the heathen, for the book of Judges is full of that subject, and that was before there was any kingdom of Judab, But at the time when Jeremiah was writing it was the national fate that was being predicted, so the term fathers need not go back any farther than the history of the kingdom.
Jeremiah 16:12. The question arises as to why this generation should be penalized for the sins of their fathers. They were not, but it was because they had done, worse than their fathers. Then why mention the sins of their fathers if it was to be for their own conduct they would receive the punishment? It was because they had the example of their fathers with all of its results to teach them the danger of such a life. The Lord always expects his servants to profit by the example, either good or bad, that is left for their observation, Paul very aptly teaches this in 1 Corinthians 10:11.
Jeremiah 16:13. This verse is one of the direct predictions of the captivity. Land that ye know not was said because none of these people had ever been in the land of Babylon. Serve other gods was literally fulfilled because the nation as a whole was not suffered to cease its idolatrous practices even after being taken into Babylon. See the note on this subject at 2 Kings 22:17 in Vol. 2 of this Commentary.
Jeremiah 16:14. It is a usual thing in literature or oral conversation to identify certain facts by their relation to historical dates. For instance, for many years people could be heard to say that such and such an event happened before the Civil War, Later the saying was changed and it wouid be dated by the World War, Likewise it was a long-standing saying to identify the Lord by his connection with the deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage. This was because it was the most important event, that had taken place with the descendants of Abraham since their origin. Tnis verse announces that a change will be made in the practice and another event will be referred to.
Jeremiah 16:15, This verse gives the event for the change Indicated in the preceding verse. The release of the people of God from the Babylonian captivity was to be such an Important event that it would amount to an epoch in their history. Because of that importance it is here predicted that informed persons will identify the Lord by his connection with the event- Of course In making such a prediction It includes that of the return at the end of the captivity. The Biblical account of its fulfillment may be seen in the books of Ezra and Nehemiali. The historical account was cited in connection with comments on Isaiah 14:1 In Vol. 3 of this Commentary, Reference to the north is explained at Isaiah 14:31 in the same volume referred to above.
Jeremiah 16:16. The unchronological style of the prophetical books of the Bible has been mentioned a number of times, and the matter should be kept in mind to avoid confusion in the studies. The preceding verse predicts the return of the Jews from the Babylonian captivity. Those conditions of national cor-ruption were so extreme that the Lord decreed the capture and enslavement of his people by a foreign foe or foes which is the subject of this verse. The capture of the people is predicted in figurative language, the fishers and banters referring to the Babylonian Empire and its able military men. The illustration is very appropriate because a practical fisherman or hunter does not merely wish for a place to fish or hunt, but he will search for such a spot. Likewise the army of Babylon was to make a "clean sweep" of the affair and Bee that none of the people of Judah would be missed by the dragnet. (See 2 Kings 24; 2 Kings 10-16; 2 Kings 25:4-12.)
Jeremiah 16:17. Mine eyes are upon means the Lord was seeing everything his people were doing, not that he was looking with approval as the expression sometimes means.
Jeremiah 16:18. The original word for first is defined in the lexicon as referring to "place" or "rank” as well as to time. The thought is that God regarded the punishing of his unfaithful people as of primary importance. Carcases Is from NEjiF.i.AH and Strong says its figurative meaning is "an idoi.” The verse charges the people with idolatry that is so extensive that the whole land had become filled with the detestable things.
Jeremiah 16:19. The prophet Is Bpeaking of and for the people by making an acknowledgment and prediction. The acknowledgment is to the effect that the nation had depended upon falsehoods which we understand were offered chiefly by the unfaithful priests and prophets. The prediction is to be twofold in its' fulfillment. The first was when the Gentiles (heathen nations) came to look with favor upon the ' Jews after they had returned to their own land, entirely cured of their idolatry (books of Ezra and Nehemiah). The second is also predicted in Isaiah 2:2-3, and the fulfillment may be read in Acts 2:41; Acts 4:4; Acts 5:14; Acts 12:24.
Jeremiah 16:20. This verse is an accusation that Judah had adopted some gods to worship that did not amount to anything.
Jeremiah 16:21. This once means that once for all the people of Judah will be convinced that one Being only has the right to be called Lord (ruler). The verse also agrees with the truth that God’ s people never again practiced idolatry after the captivity. See the historical confirmation of this at Isaiah 1:25 in Vol. 3 of this Commentary. The Jewish nation has done many unwise things and it did the wickedest of deeds In killing the Messiah, but it never backslid Into idolatry and to this very day they as a people are strict believers in the idea of only one true God.
Jeremiah Chapter Seventeen
Verse 1
Jeremiah 17JUDAH'S From Jeremiah 17:15 it is clear that this chapter was written prior to the Babylonian conquest. "Attempts have been made to date the chapter, but they are generally unsatisfactory, because of the lack of chronological data."[1]No pattern of any kind appears in the chapter; and it seems to be a collection of various important declarations of this great prophet. Kuist noted that, "It contains a variety of examples of prophetic preaching, namely, an indictment of Judah's guilt (Jeremiah 17:1-4), a psalm (Jeremiah 17:5-8), two proverbs (Jeremiah 17:9-10 and Jeremiah 17:11), an invocation (Jeremiah 17:12-13), a prayer (Jeremiah 17:14-18), and a sabbath proclamation (Jeremiah 17:19-27)."[2]The prayer (Jeremiah 17:14-18) is also identified by many writers as "Jeremiah's Third Personal Lament." This distinction is not noted in the chapter headings of the KJV; but, aside from that, the following chapter divisions are noted: (1) Judah's destruction due to sin (Jeremiah 17:1-4), (2) trusting in men is cursed (Jeremiah 17:5-8), (3) the deceitful heart unable to deceive God (Jeremiah 17:9-11), (4) the salvation of God (Jeremiah 17:12-13), (5) Jeremiah's third personal lament (Jeremiah 17:14-18), (6) regarding sabbath observance (Jeremiah 17:19-23), (7) continued violation of God's law ends in terminal punishment (Jeremiah 17:24-27).
Jeremiah 17:1-4"The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is graven upon the tablet of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars; whilst their children remember their altars and their Asherim by the green trees upon the high hills. O my mountain in the field, I will give thy substance and all thy treasures for a spoil, and the high places, because of sin throughout all thy borders. And thou, even of thyself, shalt discontinue from thy heritage that I gave thee; and I will cause them to serve thine enemies in the land which thou knowest not: for ye have kindled a fire in my anger which shall burn forever."There are imperfections in the Hebrew text here which have made it difficult for scholars to determine the exact translation; but the broad thrust of the passage is clear enough.
"Pen of iron ... point of a diamond ..." (Jeremiah 17:1). There are two things stressed here, (1) the permanence of the record of sin, and (2) the hardness of the heart of the people, the implication being that only a diamond-pointed stylus would be able to inscribe anything on the hearts of the Israelites!
"What is thus engraved upon the heart, though covered and closed for a time, can never be erased, but will be produced in evidence when the books are opened."[3]"Your altars ... their altars ..." (Jeremiah 17:1-2). There is uncertainty regarding which altars are meant by the first of these expressions. Some prefer to view them as the same as the pagan altars mentioned next; but Keil and Cheyne both pointed out that there were two altars in the temple and construed the first reference as pertaining to the true altars.
The broad meaning of the whole passage is clear enough. Back in Jeremiah 16:10, the people demanded to know, "What is our iniquity, and what is our sin?" God answered their query there; but he did so again here. He indicted them with a charge of their heartless apostasy and proved it, pointing out that they had no excuse, and that, "They could plead no extenuating circumstances of their crime that could either arrest the judgment or result in the mitigation of the deserved punishment."[4]"Their children remember ... their Asherim ..." (Jeremiah 17:2). "These were wooden pillars, or monuments, set up in honor of Ashteroth, or Astarte."[5] Not much is known of these objects; but it is believed that many of them, at least, were phallic symbols. This writer saw more than a hundred of these in all sizes up to eight or ten feet tall in Japan in 1952. Such devices were used in the cultic worship of the fertility gods and goddesses of ancient Canaan, a pagan practice to which the Jews proved to be quite vulnerable.
It should be remembered that the sacred text here is damaged and that some questions remain about exact translations. As Thompson said, "It seems clear that we have here a reference to the prevalence of Canaanite worship with its altars, sacred poles, and other paraphernalia of the cult, a clear rejection of the sole sovereignty of God."[6]"Jeremiah 17:2-3 are difficult and can be rendered metrically (that is, as poetry) only by forcing."[7] This is a good place to observe that much of the "poetry" in some renditions of Old Testament books is obtained in the same manner. Also, there is the dictum of some of the critics that Jeremiah could not have written both prose and poetry, resulting in their denial of one or the other as authentic Jeremiahic prophecies. To be sure, there is no sense at all in such a dictum. The application of such a foolish rule would deny that Sir Walter Scott wrote The Lay of the Last Minstrel, or The Lady of the Lake, since he was also the author of Rob Roy, and The Talisman, being also the greatest prose writer of a thousand years!
"O my mountain in the field ..." (Jeremiah 17:3) "This is a reference to Jerusalem; and `the field' signifies the surrounding country."[8]"Thy substance and all thy treasures for a spoil ..." (Jeremiah 17:3). Again on Jeremiah 17:3-4 the scholars warn of an impaired text; but it is a mistake to make too much of it. "Despite specific problems, the overall idea is that sinfulness would cost Judah their wealth, their homeland, and their freedom."[9]"Thou shalt discontinue from the heritage that I gave thee ..." (Jeremiah 17:4). Barnes tells us that the verb `discontinue' as used here, "Is the term for letting the land rest (Exodus 23:11), and of releasing creditors (Deuteronomy 15:2) in the sabbatical year."[10] The same author noted that:
As Judah had not kept those sabbatical years which God commanded, during her captivity, she would be forced to leave off tillage of the ground until the land had had its rest.
"Thou, even of thyself, shall discontinue ..." (Jeremiah 17:4). "The meaning of the expression `even of thyself' may mean `through thyself,' that is, `through your own fault.' "[11]Verse 5
IN MEN IS CURSED"Thus saith Jehovah, Cursed is the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from Jehovah. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, a salt land and not inhabited. Blessed is the man that trusteth in Jehovah, and whose trust Jehovah is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, that spreadeth out its roots by the river, and shall not fear when heat cometh, but its leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.""Cursed is the man that trusteth in man ..." (Jeremiah 17:5). Although the beautiful contrast given here between the fate of the wicked man and the righteous man, is applicable in all generations; nevertheless, it appears that the scholars are correct who see in this warning a special message for Judah in the days of Jehoiachim, who, when threatened with the Chaldean invasion, were tempted to look to the king of Egypt for protection, instead of trusting God.[12]"Like the heath ..." (Jeremiah 17:6). The Anchor Bible renders this, "like a desert scrub"; and some renditions favor, "like a juniper"; "the true rendition of the word is "like a destitute man."[13] The translators who change the meaning are influenced by the parallelism with 5:8, where the word "tree" is used.
Of course, the whole passage closely resembles Psalms 1.
Verse 9
"The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt: who can know it? I, Jehovah, search the mind, I try the heart, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings. As the partridge that sitteth on eggs which she hath not laid, so is he that getteth riches and not by right; in the midst of his days they shall leave him, and at his end he shall be a fool."The question that surfaces here is, if the one who serves God fares so much better in this life than the unrighteous person, why do men then trust the arm of flesh? Barnes attempted an answer to this, saying, "Because man's deceitful heart is incapable of seeing things in a straight-forward manner; it is full of shrewd guile."[14]Our heart's a soil that breeds
The sweetest flowers or vilest weeds,
Flowers lovely as the morning light,
Or weeds as deadly as the aconite.[15]The mention here in Jeremiah 17:11 of a partridge setting upon eggs she did not lay derived from, "A popular belief of antiquity, which Jeremiah used to illustrate the truth that riches unlawfully acquired are a precarious possession."[16] Translators usually render this as a statement that the eggs would not hatch; but John Bright in the Anchor Bible rendered it "Like a partridge hatching eggs that it laid not."[17]The personal experience of this writer and his brother Robert verifies the truth that hatching "strange eggs" can be a terrible mistake for the hatcher!. Robert had a pet hen, named Bob White; we found a hawk's nest and put two of the eggs under Bob White when the hen was setting, and one of the hawk eggs hatched. Our father wanted to kill it, but we insisted on keeping it. Then, one day when we came home from church the young hawk was sitting on the gate post with Bob White's feathers scattered all around! He had eaten his own mother!
The old proverb about the partridge's hatching eggs that she had not laid is not supposed to be true to natural history; but that did not prevent Jeremiah's use of it as an illustration. There is no necessity to charge Jeremiah with believing the saying. Besides that, since the species of bird is not clearly identifiable, there might have been some bird, unknown to us now, of which the old saying was altogether true.
In fact, there was a Dr. Blayney, who thought that the bird here was not a partridge at all; and he translated the passage: "As the kore that hatcheth what it does not lay, So is he that getteth riches, and not according to right."[18]Verse 12
THE OF GOD"A glorious throne, set on high from the beginning, is the place of our sanctuary. O Jehovah, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be put to shame. They that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken Jehovah, the fountain of living waters.""A glorious throne ..." (Jeremiah 17:12). These verses are an expression of Jeremiah's trustful faith in Jehovah and of his confidence that God's justice will be vindicated by the overthrow of the wicked and the reward of the righteous. This mention of `the glorious throne' "Apostrophizes the Jewish temple as the seat of God's glory in Zion;" but in this context it is equivalent to God who is enthroned in glory."[19]"They that depart ... shall be written in the earth ..." (Jeremiah 17:13). "Unlike those graven in the rock forever (Job 19:24), the names written in the earth shall quickly disappear."[20] This interpretation was given earlier by Payne Smith; but John Bright, quoting Dahood's work in 1959, suggests that, "Based upon Ugaritic evidence, `earth' indicates the underworld, with the meaning that, `those written in the earth are those listed for death.' "[21]Several have quoted Origen's remark that, "All men are written somewhere, the saints in heaven, but sinners on earth." All men should so live that they may hope, at the last day, to find their names inscribed in "The Book of Life" (Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:5; Revelation 21:27, etc.).
Verse 14
'S THIRD LAMENT"Heal me, O Jehovah, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise. Behold, they say unto me, Where is the word of Jehovah? let it come now. As for me, I have not hastened from being a shepherd after thee; neither have I desired the woeful days; thou knowest: that which came out of my lips was before thy face. Be not a terror unto me; thou art my refuge in the day of evil. Let them be put to shame that persecute me, but let not me be put to shame; let them be dismayed, but let not me be dismayed; bring upon them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction."Scholars have been unable to date this lament;[22] but, as we have frequently noted, the exact date of various chapters in this prophecy, or in any other, is of little or no importance. The only clue to a date in the whole passage is in Jeremiah 17:15, where, the people taunted Jeremiah because none of his prophecies had come to pass. This means that the passage had to be written before the Babylonian invasion, the capture of Jerusalem, or the captivity.
"The sense of the paragraph seems to be that Jeremiah was not going to abandon his prophetic ministry simply because he had been disbelieved and persecuted. Instead, he prayed for grace to withstand opposition until the truth would be manifested, at which time all would see that it was God's Word, and not his own, that he had been faithfully proclaiming."[23]"I have not hastened from being a shepherd after thee ..." (Jeremiah 17:16). This was merely Jeremiah's way of saying, "I have not abandoned the mission you have given me."[24]"Destroy them with double destruction ..." (Jeremiah 17:18). This expression is often found in scripture, as in Jeremiah 16:18, above, and in Revelation 18:6; but the idiom never means "more than the sinner deserves." On the other hand, as Cheyne noted, "It means amply sufficient."[25]Verse 19
A SABBATH "Thus saith Jehovah unto me: Go, and stand in the gate of the children of the people, whereby the kings of Judah come in, and by which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem; and say unto them, Hear ye the word of Jehovah, ye kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that come in these gates: Thus saith Jehovah, Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem: neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the sabbath day, neither do ye any work: but hallow ye the sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers. But they hearkened not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, and might not receive instruction."Despite the prominence of the sabbath regulation here, one gets the impression that the Fourth Commandment of the Decalogue stands here as a synecdoche for the whole Mosaic Law.
There has been a great deal of quibbling about which gate was meant by "the gate of the children of the people"; but the passage clearly shows that no particular gate is meant. Jeremiah was to stand and preach wherever the people were.
"Gate of the children of the people ... in all the gates of Jerusalem ... these gates ... in the gates of Jerusalem ..." (Jeremiah 17:19-21). No gate was to be exempt from Jeremiah's preaching, not even the gate used by the kings of Judah.
Some commentators deny this passage to Jeremiah on their false assumption that sabbath observance was a feature of the post-exilic times; but for those interested in such groundless denials, Green has provided some answers. He also noted that the appearance of the Sabbath Day in this context "is a sign of the Mosaic Covenant."[26]Throughout Jeremiah the conditional nature of prophecies of doom is continually stressed, a fact that will receive special attention in the next chapter, where all prophecies, whether of blessing or condemnation, are revealed as absolutely conditional. Thompson's comment here is, "Jeremiah made it clear that the people of Judah held their destiny in their own hands."[27]The particular violation of the sabbath regulations which might have precipitated this choice of that commandment to stand by metonymy for the whole Law of Moses was suggested by Feinberg as follows:
"The people who lived in the fields surrounding Jerusalem and worked the fields during the week selected the Sabbath as the day to bring their produce into the city, and the people of the city brought stores of goods and materials out of their houses to exchange for the produce, contrary to the express commandment of God through Moses.[28]Verse 24
THE FIRE THAT WILL NOT GO OUT"And it shall come to pass, if ye diligently hearken unto me, saith Jehovah, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but to hallow the sabbath day, to do no work therein; then shall there enter in by the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and this city shall remain forever. And they shall come from the cities of Judah, and from the places round about Jerusalem, and from the land of Benjamin, and from the lowland, and from the hill-country, and from the South, bringing burnt-offerings, and sacrifices, and meal-offerings, and frankincense, and bringing sacrifices of thanksgiving, unto the house of Jehovah. But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the sabbath day, and not to bear a burden and enter in at the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched."Critics, ever eager to discover something that they can classify as `an error' find fault with Jeremiah 17:25, where it is declared that, "Kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David" should enter the gates of Jerusalem, "This is factually in error, since only the king occupied the throne."[29] As far as we are concerned, this is surely a gratuitous error! The singular noun "throne" already prevented ordinary people from misunderstanding the passage, anyway! If the prophet had intended the passage to mean the princes were on thrones also, he would have represented them as entering with the kings "on thrones (plural)."
What an amazing promise is included here! If, only IF, Judah had heeded the Word of God and had turned to him with their whole hearts in full obedience, God would, even at that late date, have turned aside all dangers and established Jerusalem forever! Such repentance and return Judah stubbornly refused to do.
Instead, due to the people's continued rejection of their true God, and their persistency in idolatry, God would punish and destroy Israel. As Adam Clarke stated it:
Their sin lay at their own door. How fully were they warned; and how basely did they reject the counsel of God against themselves![30]
Jeremiah 17:1. The writing instruments are used figuratively to illustrate the permanency of the record. It is another form of declaring that nothing in the power or plans of man could erase the guilt of the national sin. God only is able to alter the situation, which he is going to do by means of the captivity. Horns of your altars is a reference to the altars erected for the worship of the false gods. Graven upon the heart is literal in the sense that the love of idolatry was imbedded in their minds.
Jeremiah 17:2. The present generation (their children) followed in the footsteps of the fathers and erected their Idols and altars everywhere.
Jeremiah 17:3. Mountain refers to Jerusalem and the field is the land of Judah of which Jerusalem was the capital. The verse is another prediction of the invasion by the Babylonians and their taking of the goods of the land. (See 2 Kgs 24: 13; 25: 1317.)
Jeremiah 17:4. Discontinue from thine heritage denotes that Judah was to lose her possession of the land that she had inherited from the forefathers, God had given this land to the fathers and their descendants on condition that they continue faithful. Instead of remembering with gratitude the God who created them as a nation, the people of Judah went off after strange gods and served them. Now as a punishment God decreed to send them info a strange land, one that had always worshiped these false gods, and there they should serve these foreign enemies and continue their idolatrous practices. Anger burn for ever. The primary meaning of the last two words is "age lasting.” in principle it means to the end of the particular age or epoch of which a declaration is being made. Its application here is that God’ s anger was so hot because of the unfaithfulness of his people that he would not cease to burn until he had brought that epoch to a close by the captivity.
Jeremiah 17:5. The great sin of Judah was the worship of idols while this verse Indicates that devotions to men was the trouble. There is no conflict of thought on the subject, for it was Judah's faith In her unfaithful teachers that led her into idolatry. (See Jeremiah 5:31.) All of this goes along with the general history of mankind on the subject of leadership. It has been divinely declared and humanly demonstrated that when men turn from God and listen to men they always get into trouble. Jesus taught this truth in many of his conversations but I will cite only two of them now, and they are in Matthew 15:9 and Matthew 15:14.
Jeremiah 17:6. Heath is from ARAR, which Strong defines, "A juniper tree (from its nudity of situation)Smith’ s Bible Dictionary says it "was some species of juniper, probably the savin, a dwarf stunted juniper which grows in the most sterile parts of the desert." Funk and Wagnalls Standard Bible Dictionary says the following: "There is no heath in Palestine or in the deserts near by. The plant referred to in Jeremiah 17:6; Jeremiah 48:6 is thought to be a variety of joniper, with small scale-like leaves close to the stem, and consequently called arar .” From all this data we may gather two distinct characteristics of the heath In the desert; nakedness and isolation. That makes the illustration especially appropriate, for Judah was destined to experience both. She was stripped of her authority and made bare of her belongings which answers to the characteristic of nudity. And she was exiled into a strange land with nothing hut heathen religious atmosphere around her which corresponds with the description of a desert or a state of isolation. The same thought is pictured in Isaiah 1:8 where God's people are likened to a lodge in a garden of cucumbers.
Jeremiah 17:7. Blessed means happy and the declaration is not merely a decree of (lie Lord. The logic of it was already apparent in the experiences of that generation. The people of Judah had deserted the Lord for I lie sake of unfaithful prophets and priests and the result was the unhappy state they were in. .
Jeremiah 17:8. The first clause is the same in thought as Psalms 1:3, and the comparison implies that as a tree demands constant, moisture, so the happiness of man requires a never failing source of strength. The Lord will never fail to be that source to those who put their trust in Him. AH of this is opposite of the result of trusting in false gods or deceptive leaders which the nation had been doing for years.
Jeremiah 17:9. Heart is from LEB and in the King James Version it has been rendered by consent 1 time, heart 494, midst 12, mind 11, understanding 20, Wisdom 6, Strong defines (lie word. "The heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the center of anything." Is deceitful does not mean that the intellect of man is necessarily evil, for that would amount to the false doctrine of “ inherited sin." But since the mind is invisible to the public it makes it possible for a wicked man to deceive others.
Jeremiah 17:10. The Lord only can read the mind of man and he will expose that of an unrighteous one in due season. The leaders in Judah had misled the people for many years, but the reckoning was about to come through the exile under the Babylonians.
Jeremiah 17:11. This is a very confusing transiation and clouds the very thought the Lord wished to convey through the prophet. If a bird would he found that would sit ou eggs and yet not hatch them, it would be no illustration of man taking possession of riches that another had produced. Sitteth is from dagar and Strong defines it “ A primitive root; to brood over eggs or young.” Hatcheth is from YALAD and the part of Strong’ s definition that applies here is, “ A primitive root; to bear young; causatively, to beget.” This makes the language intelligible and gives us a clear illustration. A partridge takes possession of young birds which had not been produced either by her laying the eggs or by hatching the ones from which the young had come. Such a circumstance does compare with a man taking to himself the goods that have been produced by another. The leaders in Judah had done that very thing (Isaiah 58:3-7; Isaiah 3:13-15; Isaiah 5:23), and the Lord was going to bring his judgment against them.
Jeremiah 17:12. From this through verse 18 (Jeremiah 17:12-18)should be marked as a bracket and given the title, “ Prayer and complaint of Jeremiah" We should constantly beep in mind that an inspired prophet is speaking for and of the people, as well as being considered a spokesman for God. Another thing that plays an important part in this book is Jeremiah’ s personal interest and sympathy for the people. Hence, when he is writing as if he were making a personal plea for mercy or sympathy, he may be expressing the sentiments of the people as a whole, or at least what he considers should be their sentiments, at the same time wording it in the way he naturally would have done from his personal feelings even had he not been inspired. This verse is a recognition of the greatness of the headquarters that the Lord had provided for liis people. Had they always taken that view of the subject and acted accordingly, they would never have gone off after strange gods.
Jeremiah 17:13. This verse continues the acknowledgement of God’ s authority and importance. Shall be written means that all who forsake God will make a record of shame that will be known by the people of the earth.
Jeremiah 17:14. The general principles revealed in this verse could be affirmed at any time and from any standpoint. The “ healing” that had been done by the false leaders (Jeremiah 6:13-14) was a deception, and that which the Lord performs is true. Individuals of the country who proved worthy were promised restored health (forgiveness of sins) upon repentance. The nation also was promised a cure by the only treatment that would answer the needs of the case which was the Babylonian captivity.
Jeremiah 17:15. This verse has reference to the persecutions imposed on Jeremiah by his unworthy countrymen. They did not like his teaching because it condemned their wicked lives. As a screen for their unruly attitude they pretended not to recognize the word of God In the mouth of the prophet and hypocritically asked, "where is the word of the Lord?"
Jeremiah 17:16. Jeremiah insists before God that he was not guilty of their insinuations, but declares he had been a faithful pastor (spiritual feeder) of the people. Not desired the woeful day indicates he was not responsible for the day of woe about to come upon the country. He earnestly professes that what he had spoken to the people was the right teaching according to the will of the Lord.
Jeremiah 17:17. Jeremiah believed the Lord would protect him from the terror of his enemies. His hope was in God and this verse is a prayer based upon that hope.
Jeremiah 17:18. This verse continues the prophet's prayer for help against his persecuting townsmen. The closing words of the verse seem to be a selfish and cruel wish against the enemies of Jeremiah and we might winder why such a good man would express such feelings. Again we should remember that he Is an inspired prophet and many of the things which sound like his harsh wishes are really predictions that such things are to occur and that by the divine decree.
Jeremiah 17:19. The most important cities were walled as a protection against enemies, and hence persons entering or passing from them would need to go through the gates. That would make an advantage for one who wished to meet the citizens with some kind of a message, and the prophet was told to go to the gate for that purpose.
Jeremiah 17:20. The people in general were to be addressed, but the kings were referred to especially because a military situation was about to take place and the diplomatic exchanges would be made through them. Judah was the country or kingdom and Jerusalem was the capital hence the mention of the two. The word of the Lord was to be delivered to these inhabitants through the prophets, and they were to listen to its utterance.
Jeremiah 17:21. The national corruption of the Jews was the worship of idols. When man takes up a religion that is contrary to that of the Lord he is sure to neglect some of the duties that belong to the service of God. Hence when the Jews took up the practice of idolatry they began to neglect their duties to God, and one of them was that of observing the rest which they were commanded to give the land. They continued their disregard for that ordinance until they had defrauded the land out of 70 such years of rest. That was why the Lord decreed that they should be in captivity for that many years so that the land could "catch up" on its years of rest.
It would not be surprising if a nation violated such an ordinance that involved whole years of rest, that other ordinances would likewise be treated with lightness such EB regards secular interests. All the above considerations will explain this and the next verse. The present one referred especially to imports into the city on the sabbath.
Jeremiah 17:22. This verse would have special reference to going out with one's possessions for the purpose of trading with others. The prophet was to instruct the people not to deal in such transactions but to give the Sabbath its deserved rest.
Jeremiah 17:23. This verse describes the record of the Jewish people for most of the years of their residence in Palestine, and it shows the reaction they displayed against (he teaching of Jeremiah concerning their unrighteous conduct.
Jeremiah 17:24. We have clearly understood that at the time Jeremiah was writing this the Babylonian captivity was about due. No only so, but the Lord had decreed many times that nothing that any man could do would save the nation from the captivity. Vet several verses seem to hold out the promise that it could be done by the repentance of the people. The apparent contradiction, can be explained from two different standpoints. These verses show what, could have prevented the national downfall which would have been the conduct described in this and the verses through the end of the chapter.
In that view of the case it will help clarify the subject to make the words if ye diligently hearken read as if they said, “ if ye had hearkened." Another phase of the explanation is to distinguish between the nation as a whole and certain individuals in it. See the note for an explanation of this matter at 2 Kings 22:17 in Vol. 2 of this Commentary. Among the things they would have done to retain the Lord’ s favor was the observance of the sabbath law both as to the land and the weekly activities.
Jeremiah 17:25. Had Judah been true to God from the beginning the throne in Jerusalem would have continued to have kings sitting upon it who would have been respected, and whose rulership would have been attended by men of dignity. City shall remain forever. The last two words mean "age lasting." Had the nation been faithful its capital would have remained to the end of the age. or even as long as the earth lasted.
Jeremiah 17:26. The political life of the nation would have been continued, also the religious activities that centered in Jerusalem would have been undisturbed as long as that religious age (or dispensation) continued to be in force. And even after the practice named ceased to be recognized by the Lord as of religious use (Romans 10:4), they could have continued as part of the national customs.
Jeremiah 17:27. If ye will not hearken is to be understood as if It said, “ since ye did not hearken." As a penalty for this violation of the law of God they were to have tbetr city destroyed by Are and themselves be sent away into captivity. Shall not be quenched was fulfilled both literally and figuratively. The capital was actually destroyed by fire (2 Kings 25; 2 Kings 9, 10), and the fire of God’ s anger was not quenched until the captivity was accomplished.
Jeremiah Chapter Eighteen
Verse 1
Jeremiah 18GOD'S ALWAYS Henderson's chapter divisions are: (1) the analogy of the potter and the clay (Jeremiah 18:1-4), (2) deductions drawn from the analogy (Jeremiah 18:5-10), (3) Judah's place in the analogy revealed and the warning to repent given (Jeremiah 18:11), (4) Judah's obstinate rejection of God's call to repentance (Jeremiah 18:12), (5) the folly of Judah's choice (Jeremiah 18:13-14), (6) the consequences of that choice (Jeremiah 18:15-17), (7) the conspiracy against Jeremiah (Jeremiah 18:18-20), and (8) Jeremiah reveals the judgment of God against his enemies (Jeremiah 18:19-23).[1] These last two divisions (Jeremiah 18:18-23) are also classified as Jeremiah's Fourth Personal Lament by Ash.[2]Jeremiah 18:1-4ANALOGY OF THE POTTER AND THE CLAY"The word which came to Jeremiah from Jehovah, saying, Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he was making a work on the wheels. And when the vessel that he made of the clay was marred in the hand of the potter, he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it."The ability of inspired men of God to see eternal truth and significance in the ordinary things of every day life was a special mark of their genius; and it pertained especially to our Lord Jesus Christ, who found such eternal lessons in the lilies of the field, patching old clothes, putting new wine in new wineskins, the sower scattering seeds in a field, dealing with the tares in the wheat, the devices of a dishonest steward, the hypocritical prayer of a Pharisee, finding a treasure hidden in a field, a lost (stray) sheep, a lost coin, a slighted invitation to a wedding, and dozens of other ordinary experiences of life.
This prophecy of the vessel marred in the hand of the potter refers to the moral and spiritual ruin of Israel; and it stands in close proximity to the prophecy of the broken vessel of the potter in Jeremiah 19; but this proximity is based upon the relation of both prophecies to the analogy of the potter's house, and not upon their chronology.
"In this chapter, mercy is still offered Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, which, of course, they rejected; but it came early in the reign of Jehoiachim while there was still hope of their repentance; but in Jeremiah 19, the parable of the broken vessel depicts the final and utter overthrow of the kingdom; and this would have been about the fourth year of Jehoiachim."[3]"Go down to the potter's house ..." (Jeremiah 18:2). This was located in a clay-field to the South of Jerusalem, just beyond the valley of Hinnom."[4] This potter's field was made eternally famous by Zechariah 11:13 who named this field as the place for which the blood-money for the Christ would be used as a purchase price, a prophecy remarkably fulfilled when the thirty pieces of silver which Judas received for betraying Christ were actually used to buy a plot therein for the burial of strangers (Matthew 27:9-10).
Many scriptures refer to the potter, the potter's house, the clay, the vessels, and other features of the potter's industry. Among them are the following: 1 Chronicles 4:23; Isaiah 12:25; 64:8; Jeremiah 18:1-4; @@i19:lff; Daniel 2:41; Zechariah 11:13 ff; Matthew 27:7-10, and Romans 9:21. The most applicable of all these verses to the situation here in this and the succeeding chapters is the remark of Paul, who make it clear what kind of vessel it was that the Potter (God) finally made out of the marred clay (Israel); it was a "vessel unto dishonor." (Romans 9:21)
"He was making a work on the wheels ..." (Jeremiah 18:3). Ash gives this description of ancient potter wheels: "There were two round flat stones, called wheels, set at right angles to a vertical shaft, one placed low under the table where it was propelled by the worker's foot, and the other extending above the table where the worker could use it to fashion the vessels out of clay. The lower stone was heavier to provide momentum.[5]This is the first in a series of prophecies extending through Jeremiah 25, according to Cheyne;[6] but some would end the series in Jeremiah 20.[7]Verse 5
GOD'S ARE ALWAYS "Then the word of Jehovah came to me, saying, O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith Jehovah. Behold, as the clay in the potter's hand, so are ye in my hand, O house of Israel. At what moment I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to break down, and to destroy it; if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; if they do that which is evil in my sight, that they obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them."Note that the deductions which were made from the analogy of the potter were not Jeremiah's deductions, but those of God himself. Therefore, these are the true deductions that should be seen here; and they deal exclusively with the proposition that all of God's promises, or prophecies, whether of punishment and destruction, or of blessing and honor are absolutely and eternally conditional.
We consider this little paragraph to be one of the most important in the entire Bible. All such erroneous theological nostrums as beings "saved by faith only," or "once saved, always saved," "the irrevocable promises of God." or "Palestine belongs to racial Jews forever" are eternally refuted and cancelled by what is declared in this little paragraph.
The great New Testament commentator on the parables, Bishop Richard Trench noted that:
"Nor may we leave out of sight that all forgiveness, short of that crowning and last act, which will find place on the day of judgment, and will be followed by a blessed impossibility of sinning any more, is conditional, in the very nature of things so conditional, that the condition in every case must be assumed, whether stated or not; that condition being that the forgiven man continues in faith and obedience."[8]Upon the authority of the apostle Paul, we find another analogy in the potter's house, namely, that if the potter cannot make the vessel he intended out of the clay, he has the power to make another vessel, a vessel unto dishonor, instead of a vessel of honor; and that is exactly what is represented here (Romans 9:21).
God had intended great honors for Israel. They were intended to be a nation of priests unto God, a devoted, faithful and obedient people who would lead all the world to a knowledge of the true God, who, in time, would deliver through their flesh the Holy Messiah and Redeemer of Mankind, and who would challenge the whole world to accept and obey that Messiah, and who would be the vanguard of his Holy Religion throughout the world. What a vessel of honor they could have been!
But, through their low preference for the sensuous indulgence of their shameful worship of the old Canaanite gods, they made it impossible for God to fashion such a vessel of honor from the disobedient people; and, therefore God made of them a vessel of dishonor who would indeed continue to serve God, and who would, in time, deliver the Christ to a manger in Bethlehem, but who would never be of any use whatever in the nobler purposes God had intended.
"I will repent... I will repent ..." (Jeremiah 18:8; Jeremiah 18:10). This never means the same thing when spoken by the Lord or in reference for what God does, that it means in the case of men. In the same sense that men repent, such a thing is impossible for God who never does wrong. Yes, God's treatment of men can and does change; but it is never due to any change of the mind of God but always results when human conduct is so changed that it merits a different relationship with God.
The classical example of such a change is recounted in the Book of Jonah, where it is stated that, "God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil that he said he would do unto them; and he did it not" (Jonah 3:10).
The corollary of this is seen in the history of Israel, that "When God saw the evil of their way, he repented of the good that he said he would do unto them and did it not."
"A nation ... that nation ... a nation ..." (Jeremiah 18:7-10). These expressions in this context actually speak of "any nation." Some scholars, always anxious to discover a reason for denying a passage to Jeremiah, would reject this as "un-Jeremiahic"; but "Since Jeremiah was appointed to be `a prophet to the nations' (Jeremiah 1:5), this objection is unjustified."[9]Verse 11
JUDAH'S PLACE IN THE ANALOGY"Now therefore speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you: return ye now everyone from his evil way, and amend your ways and your doings."This verse confirms absolutely the paragraph we have just written above it.
"I frame evil against you ... devise a device against you ..." (Jeremiah 18:11). Henderson rendered this, "I am meditating a calamity against you, and forming a plan against you."[10] This shows that the status of God's Israel at this time was that of a nation which God had purposed to "pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy."[11] This accounts for the accompanying demand that Israel repent and turn from their wickedness. It is still not too late for them to avert the wrath of God, but the time is growing short indeed.
Verse 12
JUDAH REFUSES TO REPENT"But they say, It is in vain; for we will walk after our own devices, and we will do everyone after the stubbornness of his evil heart.""Alas, it was too late; they had gone too far in following the stubbornness of their evil heart; they could only reply, We will follow our own plans."[12]The clay simply would not conform to the Potter's will; and the only options he had were: (1) to cast them off altogether, or (2) design them as a vessel unto dishonor. It was an act of mercy that God chose the second option.
Why will men deliberately reject God's call to repentance? The obvious answer lies in their unwillingness to be restrained in any manner. They will live free lives, they say; but, like the prodigal son of the parable, they will inevitably find that there are restraints also in that evil world they have chosen, where some evil master will assign them their portion in the swine pens of this world. How free are they? "They call it liberty; but the man who is slave to his lusts and appetites is held in the worst of slaveries!"[13]Verse 13
THE FOLLY OF JUDAH'S CHOICE"Therefore thus saith Jehovah: Ask ye now among the nations, who hath heard such things?; the virgin Israel hath done a very horrible thing. Shall the snow of Lebanon fall from the rock of the field? or shall the cold waters that flow down from afar be dried up?""The willfulness of Israel in forsaking Jehovah their God was without parallel in the ancient world, as Jeremiah had already mentioned in Jeremiah 2:9-13; Jeremiah 5:20-25, and in Jeremiah 8:7. The horror is heightened by calling her a virgin. She had indeed been a virgin hedged about by the Lord to protect her sanctity."[14]There are no known examples of where ancient peoples ever forsook their ancestral or tribal gods; but Israel indeed had denied the very God who delivered them from slavery and made a mighty nation of them.
Israel had forsaken her status as a virgin and had prostrated herself abjectly before the sensuous fertility gods of ancient Canaan, the worship of which was a key factor in God's proscribing and displacing the Canaanites in order to give the land to Israel! It was not merely horrible, but incredible as well. "Their sin was as irrational as it was tragic."[15]With reference to Jeremiah 18:14, Thompson said: "All translations of this verse are conjectural; but while certainty is not possible the main thrust of the passage is clear."[16] The view preferred by this writer is that God is here comparing the irrational and almost incredible behavior of Israel to that of a foolish farmer who would desert a farm watered by the melting snows of Lebanon's Mount Hennon, in favor of an arid, rocky desert farm! Feinberg accepted this same understanding of the passage, saying that, "Nature does not change its course, but Judah has. Nature's reliability puts to shame Israel's instability."[17]Verse 15
OF JUDAH'S CHOICE"For my people have forgotten me, they have burned incense to false gods; and they have been made to stumble in their ways, in the ancient ways, to walk in bypaths, in a way not cast up; to make their land an astonishment, and a perpetual hissing; everyone that passeth by shall be astonished, and shake his head. I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will show them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity.""The ancient ways ..." (Jeremiah 18:15). "These were the way of loyalty to God's covenant, the `good way' mentioned in Jeremiah 6:16."[18] The false prophets, false priests, false rulers and false gods of Israel had mined the nation; and, as a consequence, God would scatter the nation as with an east wind; their land shall be destroyed, deserted, and an astonishment to all who see it! These were terrible words of denunciation, and such a prophecy as this was well calculated to arouse fierce and implacable opposition and hatred from the false community leaders.
"The back, and not the face ..." (Jeremiah 18:17). This signifies God's withdrawal of his favor from the people at the very time when their calamity would come and their need of him would be the most acute; but, after all, the people themselves had given their God this very same treatment (See Jeremiah 2:27). Now it would be God's turn to turn his back upon them.
Verse 18
THE AGAINST "Then said they, Come, let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words. Give heed to me, O Jehovah, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me. Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember how I stood before thee to speak good for them, to turn away thy wrath from them."In this first part of Jeremiah's Fourth Lament, the plot against him is, revealed in Jeremiah 18:18; and Jeremiah pleaded with God not to allow the good which Jeremiah has been doing for the people by his preaching God's Word to them to be recompensed with evil.
"The law shall not perish from the priest ... the wise ... the prophet ..." (Jeremiah 18:18). "These words imply that the people were quite satisfied with the depraved leadership given by their false priests, wise men, and prophets."[19] This trust in false leaders enabled them to accuse Jeremiah of treason, despite the truth that they themselves were the traitors.
Payne Smith's comment on this passage is:
"They said, What need have we of this Jeremiah? Have we not priests with the Torah, the Law of Moses, wise statesmen to give us counsel, and prophets to declare to us "the word?" Not indeed the word of Jehovah, which was too disagreeable for them to wish to have more of it, but that pleasant word the smooth things of Isa 30:10, which false teachers knew so well how to flavor to suit human appetites ... The people had the false impression that since the Torah was imperishable, so also were the Levitical custodians of it; and thus they concluded that Jeremiah's prophecy of national ruin was blasphemous."[20]Thus Jeremiah was a victim of the same satanic charges that were later directed against the Christ himself, and by the same satanic instruments, namely the false Jewish leaders. In fact, it was upon a false charge of blasphemy that Christ finally was sentenced to the Cross (John 19:7).
Cheyne thought that, "They were satisfied with their false prophets, but that they were still afraid of Jeremiah, as Balak was afraid of Balaam (Numbers 23:25), and that therefore they would smite him with the tongue,' that is, with slanderous accusations."[21]This first paragraph of Jeremiah's Fourth Lament is a plea of innocence and of the truth that his good should not be rewarded with evil, but the next paragraph (Jeremiah 18:21-23) appears to pour out God's wrath upon his enemies.
Verse 21
'S PRAYER AGAINST HIS ENEMIES"Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and give them over to the power of the sword; and let their wives become childless, and widows; and let their men be slain of death, and their young men smitten of the sword in battle. Let a cry be heard from their houses, when thou shalt bring a troop suddenly upon them; for they have digged a pit to take me, and hid snares for my feet. Yet, Jehovah, thou knowest all their counsel against me to slay me; forgive not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from thy sight; but let them be overthrown before thee; deal thou with them in the time of thine anger."It is somewhat tiresome to note how many commentators deplore the un-Christian attitude of Jeremiah in this passage toward his enemies. Did not Christ pray for his enemies, even upon the cross? Yes, yes, indeed; but the sons of the devil who were here arrayed against God's prophet with the avowed purpose of murdering him were not exactly in the same class as the soldiers who fixed the nails in Jesus' hands. "For they know not what they do," Jesus said; but these hardened enemies of God's Word and of his kingdom knew exactly what they were doing; and there is a strong conviction here that they deserved exactly the same kind of prayer Jeremiah prayed against them.
Feinberg pointed out that: (1) these were not merely Jeremiah's personal enemies but enemies of God and of his truth; (2) Jeremiah prayed merely that those evil men would reap the reward of their own deeds, "delivering them judicially to the consequences of the course they had deliberately chosen for themselves";[22] (3) also, "These imprecations were not leveled against the whole nation, but only against Jeremiah's enemies."[23]Such persons as these here, who were the object of Jeremiah's prayer for their destruction, were like those of whom our Lord said, "These enemies that would not that I should reign over them, bring hither and slay them before me!" (Luke 19:27). Yes, these words were spoken by the gentle and merciful Jesus! There is a false idea in the world today that God is never really going to bruise any wicked sinner, no matter what may be his crimes of blood and lust; but that is not a true picture of what the Bible reveals about God.
Let it also be remembered that the cry of the saints of God for justice and vengeance against their vicious enemies is represented in the Holy Bible as a legitimate emotion, as expressed by those redeemed souls of them that had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held; and upon the opening of the fifth seal, "They cried with a great voice, saying, O Master, the holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?" (Revelation 6:10). We believe that the prayer of Jeremiah in this passage is one in spirit with that of the slain martyrs in heaven and that it does not deserve the censure which some Christian writers have seen fit to assign to it.
Thompson pointed out that God gave no answer to this prayer of Jeremiah, despite the fact that God had given a response to the first three of these laments in Jeremiah 11:20; Jeremiah 12:1-4, and Jeremiah 15:14-18. There was no response to the fourth in Jeremiah 17:14-18, nor in the lament before us (Jeremiah 18:18-23). "Once God responded with a word of encouragement (Jeremiah 11:21-23), and twice with words of rebuke and instruction (Jeremiah 12:5-6, and Jeremiah 15:19)."[24]The saints in glory who uttered such a lament received a response, as follows: "And there was given to each of them a white robe, and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet a little time, until their fellow-servants also and their brethren, who should be killed even as they were, should have fulfilled their course" (Revelation 6:11).
Such an answer requires us to see that the ultimate reward of the wicked will be at that Final Day of Reckoning, the Final Judgment.
Jeremiah 18:1. Here is another revelation from the Lord to become a part of Jeremiah’ s book. The verses from this through 10 should be grouped as a bracket and the general subject is "responsibility,” showing especially that God’ s dealings with man are based upon his conduct, and not on some arbitrary decree that was formed before man was created. The several verses of the bracket will be commented upon In their order.
Jeremiah 18:2. Jeremiah does not know what lesson the Lord has in store for him because nothing had ever been said before about a potter. He was to get the message while seeing the potter at work, and thus he would receive inspiration through both eyes and ears in the same connection.
Jeremiah 18:3. The wheels is a part of a potter’ s machine and may be likened to the turntable of a phonograph. A lump of clay is placed on this platform which is revolving. The potter works this clay by pressing it between the fingers of both hands until it is of the shape and thickness desired. As the platform is revolving, the potter needs to work at one spot in the circle only, the circular motion having the effect of making the shape and thickness of the vessel uniform throughout its entire circuit.
Jeremiah 18:4. Some kinds of vessels would he more difficult to make due to the particular fineness of their shape, and this because of the more important use that is intended to be made of them. Because of these facts the better vessels would require clay of better quality. The potter thought the lump would be good enough to form into one of the better vessels and was trying to do so. But the clay would not stand up to the requirements and fell apart in the workman's hands, so he had to be content with making it into a coarser kind.
Jeremiah 18:5. Having let the prophet watch this procedure, God was ready to tell him the lesson he was to draw from the circumstance.
Jeremiah 18:6. This illustration of the potter and clay has been greatly misused by some religious teachers. It has been made to teach that man (the clay) is helpless in the hands of the potter (the Lord). That his future state and usefulness is altogether in the hands of God, and whether he turns out to be a desirable character or the other kind, Is subject to the divine decree and man has nothing to do In the matter. But such a theory is contrary to the evident facts of the performance the prophet saw. It is true this verse says man ia as clay in the potter’ s hands and also that He can do with him as the potter did the clay.
But the theory ignores the fact that he first tried to make a better vessel out of the elay. and did not decide to make the leaser one until the clay failed to meet the requirements of the better. But according to the doctrine of “ predestination," the potter had decided to make this particular lump of clay into a coarse vessel before he even tried to make the other. The theory even requires that the elay had been destined for this less desirable use before it was dug out of the ground, for the predestinarians teach that God decreed “ from all eternity” who should be saved and who lost. This would be before the man was born and before he had been tried and given a chance to be made into the better vessel.
Jeremiah 18:7. At what instant is used in the sense that "in every instance that I speak ” etc. The speaking means the threatening or predictions that may he uttered against a nation because of its sinful practices.
Jeremiah 18:8. This verse states the principle on which God deals with nations and individuals, but "circumstances alter cases" in this as well as in other matters. Judah had been practicing idolatry for many years and was still guilty at the time Jeremiah was writing. Some great reformers such as Hezekiah and Josiah saw the evil and tried to correct it. There were also other unofficial men who were righteous and would have removed the abomination had they been able. But the iniquity was so general and had become so deep-seated that it was too late for even the good work of these reformers to get it corrected.
On this account the Lord said that he would carry out his decree for the captivity as the only means of saving the nation. The reader should see the explanatory note in connection with the comments on 2 Kings 22:17 in Vol. 2 of this .
Jeremiah 18:9. At what instant has the same sense as in verse 7. God often made favorable promises and predictions concerning nations as well as individuals, but they were made subject to certain conditions or restrictions.
Jeremiah 18:10. I will repent, both here and in verse 8, means the Lord will change his mind concerning what he had said he would do for the nation. The fundamental meaning of repentance is "change," whether done by man or the Lord, When man repents he changes his will, and when God repents he wills a change— a change in his plans— due to the changed conditions surrounding the nation or persons involved.
Jeremiah 18:11. The preceding verses of the chapter describe a special communication between God and Jeremiah in which some very Important principles of divine dealing were set out before the prophet. This verse instructs him to deliver the message to the people. Jerusalem was the capital of Judah and hence they are named together frequently as in this passage. Frame evil is used in the sense of something unpleasant but not in the sense of wrong as the word evil usually means. Return ye is another instance of exhortation for reformation of life and calls for the distinction between the nation as a whole and certain individuals in it.
Jeremiah 18:12. There is no hope was the way the people had of saying it was useless for the Lord to admonish them for they were determined to do as they pleased. Not only at the time of Jeremiah did they show that kind of a spirit, but it had been that way all through their history. That was why God decreed to use the only means that would bring them into a right mind regarding Him, which was to be the captivity.
Jeremiah 18:13. Virgin of Israel is a figurative way of designating the people of God because they were supposed to be pure in their religious conduct. However, they were not and God is going to shame them by comparing them to the nations that did not have half the advantages that the Lord's people had.
Jeremiah 18:14. Those advantages are compared with the pure snow on the mountains of Lebanon and the crystal waters that come from it. No man would reject such blessings for the sake of some polluted stream in another place.
Jeremiah 18:15. Yet God's people had done that which was as bad or worse than such foolish conduct as described in the preceding verse. They had forsaken the true God and turned to vanity (false gods) and offered service to them, The result of such perversion was a stumbling from the pathway of truth and staggering along in a way not cast up or improved properly for traveling upon.
Jeremiah 18:16. To make their land desolate does not mean these people committed idolatry for that purpose. But it is the Lord’ s decision that thetr course of conduct would cause him to thrust the land into such a condition. The country was to be so ruined that ail who saw it would tcag their heads which means to toss the head in scorn.
Jeremiah 18:17. East wind is referred to a number of times in the Bible as something especially unpleasant or destructive. Smith’ s Bible Dictionary says the following on the subject: "The east wind crosses the sandy wastes of Arabia Deserta before reaching Palestine, and was hence termed ‘ the wind of the wilderness"-- Job 1:19; Jeremiah 13:24. It blows with violence, and is hence supposed to be used generally for any violent wind. Job 27:21; Job 38:24; Psalms 48:7; Isaiah 27:8; Ezekiel 27:26.” Funk and Wagnalls Standard Bible Dictionary says of it: "The hot, dry wind from the desert, that fills the air with dust and is exceedingly unpleasant for man and often fatal to young vegetation. It blows generally in the spring.
It is frequently referred to in the Old Testament." The figurative east wind was to consist of the Babylonian army that was to invade the country with such devastating results. Shew them the back means that when the enemy came against the people it would be useless for them to appeal to God, for he would turn his back upon them.
Jeremiah 18:18. Physical persecution has long been a weapon of men who do not like the teaching that condemns their sinful practices. That, kind of persecution was imposed on Jeremiah at times, hut in the present instance they proposed attacking him with their tongues by devising some slander against him. Their grievance was his charge that the priests and other teachers such as the wise men and prophets were failing in their duty of delivering counsel according to the law. They agreed among themselves to deny Jeremiah’ s accusation and to maintain that the prophets would continue to deliver the proper teaching contrary to Jeremiah’ s predictions.
Jeremiah 18:19. The attitude of the people worried Jeremiah so that he came to the Lord with a prayer for help.
Jeremiah 18:20. The prophet did not complain of any physical persecution in this case, but that they had digged a pit for his soul. This was a reference to the persecution the enemies had devised of slandering him concerning his teaching. In doing so Jeremiah charged that they were recompensing to him evil for the good he bad done in proclaiming to them the word of the Lord.
Jeremiah 18:21. This verse is another of the passages that seem to show a cruel spirit in Jeremiah. But we should keep in mind that he was a true prophet of God and that such a wish as was here expressed was really an inspired prediction that such experiences were destined to come upon that wicked generation. Jeremiah was naturally a tender-hearted man and personally would not he inclined to be harsh. Yet he was always a faithful prophet and was always obedient when called upon to make severe predictions in spite of his personal feelings of pity.
Jeremiah 18:22. This prediction was to he literally fulfilled when the troop (the Babylonian army) came against the city of Jerusalem. When the people observed the siege that was set np against, them they would cry out in dismay.
Jeremiah 18:23. Again let the reader consider the remarks on Jeremiah 18:21 as he observes the severe language of this. Forgive not their iniquity is the same decree in another form that has been discussed frequently in this work. The nation as a whole had gone too far in its corruption to be let off with anything less than the captivity. It was expressed as a personal prayer of Jeremiah. but was really a prediction made through him, and it was to be fulfilled by the siege and captivity ahout to take place.
Jeremiah Chapter Nineteen
Verse 1
Jeremiah 19THE SMASHED POTTER'S VESSELThe feature of this little chapter is the irrefutable and irremediable cancellation of the status of racial Israel as God's Chosen People, a status which, by their reprobacy, they forfeited to the New Israel in whom all the glorious prophecies of the fathers would be fulfilled.
Here is the parable of the smashed potter's vessel. The previous chapter showed God's patience and ability to accommodate to the imperfections of the clay; but this one stresses a far different lesson. It is no longer possible for even God to work with hardened Israel.
The symbol here is a potter's vessel; but one that has already been fired and hardened, a perfect symbol of the judicial hardening of Racial Israel, which, as Isaiah stated, had already taken place a full century before Jeremiah came upon the scene (Isaiah 6).
It was a new vessel, one just purchased, which means that it was empty. This symbolized the fact of the emptiness of the racial Israel and their complete failure to produce the righteous works which God desired.
The shattering of the vessel symbolized the divorce and casting off of racial Israel as God's wife and as God's chosen people.
There was no known way by which such a shattered vessel could be mended or repaired, and this symbolized the final, total, and irreversible nature of Israel's rejection, always with the exception of the "righteous remnant" destined to form the nucleus of the New Israel in the kingdom of Messiah.
Laden with such a terrible message, the events recorded here resulted in bitter persecution for Jeremiah; and Satan still releases his fulminations against what is written here: affirming that, "it is not written in Jeremiah's style";[1] "It was probably written by Baruch";[2] "It is conjectured that certain verses were added later by an editor";[3] (regrettably, Ash neglected to tell us whether this was his opinion or the opinion of unbelieving critics), stating that, "the reader can judge" the matter: Very well, this reader will judge such allegations; and the judgment is simple enough: such postulations are worthless.
(1) The claim that the style here is different actually refers to the fact that the third person is used instead of the first; and there's nothing unusual about that. Barnes declared that such an objection belongs to the "babyhood of criticism," and that, "It is the exception when any sacred writer refers to himself in the first person."[4] In our introduction to Jonah (see the Minor Prophets, Vol. 1) we discussed this fully, pp. 261-263. Also, Jeremiah would, in a moment, quote verbatim from Moses the author of Deuteronomy; and since Moses invariably referred to himself in the third person, it was quite natural and should have been expected that Jeremiah would also use the third person here.
(2) Ash's reference to "an editor" comes from the assertion of some critics that "the Deuteronomic editor" has influenced this chapter, as if such an imaginary figure were in any sense a real person, which he was not. Moses wrote Deuteronomy, not some editor; and it is not that imaginary editor that influenced this chapter but Moses himself. "Jeremiah 19:9 is quoted almost literally from Deuteronomy 28:33."[5] This fully accounts for the alleged influence of "some Deuteronomic editor," that influence pertaining to Moses the author of the Pentateuch.
(3) In a more positive attitude, the style of Jeremiah is most evident in this chapter and is seen in the scrambling of his subject matter, a characteristic of the whole prophecy. Green pointed out that, "Jeremiah 19:1-2; Jeremiah 19:10-11 deal with the destruction of Israel, and Jeremiah 19:3-9 and Jeremiah 19:12-13 are portions of the sermon!"[6] Nothing could be any more Jeremiahic than such an arrangement. This total lack of any usual type of organization requires us to look at the chapter only one or two verses at a time.
Before leaving this discussion of the allegations about `interpolations, etc.' in this chapter, we summarize it by this quotation from F. Cawley and A. R. Millard, who rejected all such changes, writing, "There is insufficient reason for treating Jeremiah 19:3-9 as insertions."[7]Jeremiah 19:1-2"Thus saith Jehovah, Go, and buy a potter's earthen bottle, and take of the elders of the people, and of the elders of the priests; and go forth unto the valley of the son of Hinnom, which is by the entry of the gate Harsith, and there proclaim the words that I shall tell thee."Other occasions when the actions of Jeremiah became a part of his message are: the Marred Girdle (Jeremiah 13), his Abstinence from Marriage (Jeremiah 16), the Potter's Clay (Jeremiah 18), the Bonds and Bars (Jeremiah 27), and his Buying a Field (Jeremiah 32).
See chapter heading above for the meaning of this symbol; but there are additional teachings evident here. The fact of the bottle's being "earthen" symbolized the humble beginnings of Israel; the delicate design and value of the bottle symbolized Israel's earlier glory; and, if, as some allege, it was a very cheap and fragile bottle, it symbolized the vulnerability of the nation of Israel. It would be difficult indeed to think of a metaphor as effective as this one.
Furthermore, the very place where this sermon would be preached and where the bottle would be shattered carry their own implications. The gate mentioned here is hard to identify.
"Two gates led to the valley of the son of Hinnom: (1) the Fountain Gate at the southeast corner, and the Dung Gate at the southwest corner of Zion. Keil could not decide which was meant here; and Kimchi thought it was neither, but a small, postern gate, used for throwing out rubbish, the valley having been put to this degrading use from the time when Josiah defiled it (2 Kings 23:10). And thus the mean symbol of a proud nation was carried out through the back door to be broken upon the heaps of rubbish already there."[8]"Of the elders ... of the priests ..." (Jeremiah 19:1). "These were probably prominent members of the Sanhedrin, representatives of the whole people."[9]"The valley of the son of Hinnom ..." (Jeremiah 19:2). Some scholars write this: "Valley of Ben-hinnom," which means the same thing. It was located south of Jerusalem and was the location of the shrine of Molech, where the infants were burned as sacrifices to that god; after Josiah defiled the place, it was used for burning garbage and cremating the bodies of dead criminals.[10]The potter's field was just a little southward, and it was there that Judas Iscariot who betrayed the Lord committed suicide.
Verse 3
"And say, Hear ye the word of Jehovah, O kings of Judah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem: Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, which whosoever heareth, his ears shall tingle. Because they have forsaken me, and have estranged this place, and have burned incense in it unto other gods, that they knew not, they and their fathers and the kings of Judah, and have filled this place with the blood of innocents, and have built the high places of Baal, to burn their sons in the fire for burnt-offerings unto Baal; which I commanded not, nor spake it, neither came it into my mind.""His ears shall tingle ..." (Jeremiah 19:3). This suggests such a shock as comes from a clap of thunder so close that the hearer's head rings and his ears tingle. The forthcoming destruction of Israel will be the kind of judgment that will get the full attention of the most indifferent.
"Ye have estranged this place ..." (Jeremiah 19:4). This means that the sins of the people had completely alienated Jerusalem from God's approval. They had destroyed the very charter of their existence as a nation.
"Ye have filled this place with the blood of innocents ..." (Jeremiah 19:4). This does not refer to the sacrifice of infants to Molech, but to the senseless murder of innocent people by Manasseh (2 Kings 21:16). "The sacrifice of children to Molech constitutes a new indictment, which comes in the next verse."[11]"Ye have built the high places of Baal ..." (Jeremiah 19:5). The purpose of those high places was stated in the next clause, "to burn their sons in the fire as burnt-offerings to Baal"; and that identifies the particular Baal here as the horrible Molech.
Keil enumerated the sins of Israel here as follows: "(1) their public practice of idolatry; (2) judicial murder of the innocents; and (3) burning their own children as sacrifices to Molech."[12]"Hear ye ... O kings of Judah ..." (Jeremiah 19:3). "The message was not merely to the reigning king, but to the whole dynasty responsible for the apostasy of Israel."[13]"These verses are said to be strongly Deuteronomic in style and phraseology; but the whole argument turns on the identification of this Deuteronomic style and phraseology."[14] Amen! Amen! If they mean that Jeremiah was here quoting the true author of Deuteronomy, namely, Moses, very well, we agree with that; but if it is meant that some mythical "Deuteronomic editor" is meant, we reject that false notion altogether.
"Which I commanded not ..." (Jeremiah 19:5). This establishes a principle that any alleged worship which God did not command is an abomination to the Lord. May we point out some other things that God has not commanded in Christian worship: the playing of instruments of music, communion under one kind, the burning of sacred incense, the sprinkling of holy water, the lighting of blessed candles, etc., etc. Nothing is any more dangerous than the worship of God through the observance of forms and actions that God has not commanded.
Verse 6
"Therefore, behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that this place shall no more be called Tophet, but The Valley of Slaughter. And I will make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in this place; and I will cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies, and by the hand of them that seek their life: and their dead bodies will I give to be food for the birds of heavens, and for the beasts of the earth.""Tophet ..." (Jeremiah 19:6). The exact meaning of this word is not known; but, "It comes from an Aramaic root that indicates `fireplace.' "[15] It was one of the names given to the valley of Ben-hinnom that contained the shrine of Molech.
"I will make void ..." (Jeremiah 19:7). The literal meaning of the Hebrew here is, "I will pour out"; and such writers as Cheyne and Barnes suppose that, "Jeremiah carried that bottle full of water and emptied it in the presence of the witnesses as he spoke these words."[16] We are not inclined to accept this speculation because the flask was new; God had not commanded Jeremiah to fill it with water, and there's nothing in the text to support the speculation, interesting as it is.
"The Valley of Slaughter ..." (Jeremiah 19:6). "It was in this very valley that the Chaldean army encamped, making the very place where they looked for help from their idols to be the scene of their slaughter."[17]Verse 8
"And I will make this city an astonishment, and a hissing; everyone that passeth thereby shall be astonished and hiss because of all the plagues thereof. And I will cause them to eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters; and they shall eat everyone the flesh of his friend, in the siege and in the distress, wherewith their enemies, and they that seek their life, shall distress them."This terrible warning is an almost verbatim quotation from Deuteronomy 28:53, in which the Great Lawgiver Moses had warned Israel of their fate IF they should give up serving their true God. Israel had indeed defaulted in that very act of disobedience; and now Jeremiah warned that the Mosaic penalty would be enforced.
Did such an awful thing actually happen? Alas, the answer must be that it did. (1) In the siege of Samaria that led to the fall of the Northern kingdom in 722 B.C. (2 Kings 6:26 ff);[18] (2) again in 586 B.C. in the Babylonian invasion by Nebuchadnezzar; and (3) also in A.D. 70 preceding the total destruction of Jerusalem by Vespasian and Titus. The Biblical confirmation of these sad episodes is found in Lamentations 2:20; Lamentations 4:10;2 Kings 6:28-29; and the historical record of Josephus confirms that in 70 A.D.[19]Verse 10
"Then shalt thou break the bottle in the sight of the men that go with thee, and shalt say unto them, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Even so will I break this people, and this city, as one breaketh a potter's vessel, that cannot be made whole again; and they shall bury in Tophet, till there be no place to bury. Thus will I do unto this place, saith Jehovah, and to the inhabitants thereof, even making this city as Tophet: and the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the kings of Judah, which are defiled, shall be as the place of Tophet, even all the houses upon whose roofs they have burned incense unto all the host of heaven, and have poured out drink-offerings unto other gods.""Thou shalt break the bottle ..." (Jeremiah 19:10). What a perfect symbol of what would happen to Israel! "Not by accident, but by design it was broken. God intended it; man accomplished it; it was completely shattered; it was irresistibly effected; it was useless for Israel to resist; and no ingenuity could repair the damage."[20]Wiseman observed that "Because Jerusalem had made itself into a pagan altar, God made exactly that use out of them: (1) there was slaughter (Jeremiah 19:11); (2) burning (Jeremiah 19:12); and (3) offering up (Jeremiah 19:13)."[21]"Even all the houses upon whose roofs they have burned incense unto all the host of heaven ..."(Jeremiah 19:13) The destruction was destined to fall upon the city as a whole, and included in the destruction would be all of the houses upon the roofs of which the worship of pagan gods had been observed by the children of Israel. "The rooftops were apparently the normal places for the worship of astral deities such as Astarte. Cuneiform texts from Ras Shamra included a ritual to be used when offerings were made on rooftops to astral deities and celestial luminaries."[22]"In 2 Kings 21:5,2 Kings 23:12, we learn that Ahaz and Manasseh introduced this pagan cult in Judah, probably from Mesopotamia, where it was practiced from remote antiquity."[23]Verse 14
"Then came Jeremiah from Tophet, whither Jehovah had sent him to prophesy; and he stood in the court of Jehovah's house, and said to all the people: Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, Behold, I will bring upon this city and upon all its towns all the evil that I have pronounced against it; because they have made their neck stiff, that they may not hear my words."This was probably only a summary of what Jeremiah said in the court of the temple, because Pashhur, the chief officer of the temple, was greatly irritated and angered by it, as comes to light in the next chapter. It was this connection between the two chapters that led Barnes to declare that, "These verses (Jeremiah 19:14-15) should have been joined to the next chapter."[24]
Jeremiah 19:1. In various instances God has caused his inspired men to go through a performance that may be called ‘‘ acting." The exact reason for it has not been told us, hut I have offered comments and given reference to various cases in 1 Kings 20:35, Vol. 2 of this . One of those instances of acting is in the present verse with others in the chapter. An earthenware bottle was chosen because when it is broken it cannot be repaired as might a vessel made of skins of animals. The ancients means the older persons among the people and the prophets. These were to represent the nation in the performance that was to he carried out in their sight.
Jeremiah 19:2. The scene of the acting was to be the valley of the son of Jlinnom, a place near the city of Jerusalem. This spot was chosen because it was the place where some of the most abominable practices of idolatry had been committed by the people.
Jeremiah 19:3. When Jeremiah and his selected group reached the place he was to make the speech to them that follows. I will bring evil upon this place, the which whosoever heareth, his ears shall tingle. The last word is from an original that literally means to vibrate or rattle. However, the word is used figuratively and means the report of what is about to happen to this place of idolatry will overwhelm With astonishment ail who hear ahout it.
Jeremiah 19:4. Estranged this place lias reference to the misuse that was made of it. The place had formerly been used ns disposal plant or Incinerator for the waste materials of Jerusalem. Such a use was right and could truly be regarded as a service pleasing to the Lord since he requires that man he cleanly and careful about that which pertains to health. But in using it for the practices of idolatry they estranged or took it away from the service that God had sanctioned. Filled with blood of innocents was literally true for among the fearful practices of idolatry was that of burning their children as sacrifices, (See Leviticus 18:21; 2 Kings 16:3; 2 Kings 17:31.)
Jeremiah 19:5, The mere fact of having an altar on a high place would not be sinful for such a practice was done by the servants of God and without any rebuke for it (Genesis 12:8; Judges 6:25; 1 Sam, 7: 10: 13: 9; 1 Chronicles 21:26; 1 Kings 18:30), But God knew what his people would meet with when they got to the promised land, so he had it put into the law of Moses that such places for worship should not be arranged by them. Furthermore, they were to destroy all such places that had been erected by the heathen before them. Baal was one of the heathen goda of the imaginary class, and the Jews became worshipers of him even to the sacrificing of their children. The last lines of this verse simply means that such foolish practices were never a subject in the mind of God even in the least favorable sense.
Jeremiah 19:6, Tophet was a spot In the famous valley of Hinnom near Jerusalem. This place bad been used as a disposal plant for the waste materials of the city and for that reason there were fires kept burning continually. The idolatrous worshipers got to using the place for their abominable practices until Josiah defiled it in his great reformative work (2 Kings 23:10). The people of Judah went bo far as to use their children as sacrifices to the false gods that were represented in the valley. No more be called Tophet does not mean the name will be forgotten, but the place will not be referred to merely as one that was known by sucb a name. But the great work of the Lord in destroying the enemies of righteousness who assembled in that place will be so outstanding it will be remembered because of such a great slaughter.
Jeremiah 19:7. The priests and false prophets of Judah had given forth much counsel or instruction to the people that promised them peace and safety from their enemies. God said he would make void that counsel which means he would overthrow all their plans, The destruction of life and desecration of human bodies was to be caused by the Lord through the hand of the Babylonians,
Jeremiah 19:8. Jerusalem was to be made so desolate and ruined that its sight would cause people to hiss or express scorn over It. Such a calamity was brought upon It and the record of it may be seen in 2 Kings 25:9-17.
Jeremiah 19:9. It is hard to think that even a siege couid produce such a state as predicted here, in which parents actually made food of their children’ s bodies. But such a thing had taken place before (2 Kings 6:29), and It should be accepted as an inspired prediction that the horrible deed would happen again.
Jeremiah 19:10. Having made this speech reported in the hearing of his group, Jeremiah was to break the bottle in their sight. They would know that an earthen vessel thus shattered could not be repaired (at least by man) and thus that it was not to be used again; that Its former status was aver tor good.
Jeremiah 19:11. The prophet was then to interpret the whole performance to his group. The Lord further instructed Jeremiah to see that they (the men with him) would bury the pieces right there in the valley where so much of the idolatry had been committed.
Jeremiah 19:12. Jeremiah was to give them further interpretation by predicting that Jerusalem would be treated in the same manner as was Tophet.
Jeremiah 19:13. Tophet was not the only place where idolatrous worship was practiced. The houses had flat roofs and the people went up there for their services because of the convenience. Also, since they wished to offer devotions to the host of heaven, (the planets) they would have unobstructed view of these false gods, hence their houses were to receive the same fate as Tophet. A drink offering was the offering of something that would have been used for drink by man and hence an article of value.
Jeremiah 19:14. The preceding program was carried out in the valley of Hinnom near Jerusalem, and in the presence of the group of men that had been especially chosen to represent the nation. Jeremiah then came back into the city to speak to the peopie in general, He did this speaking in the court of the Lord’ s house because that was the part of the building where the common citizen was permitted to enter.
Jeremiah 19:15. At the place designated in the preceding verse the prophet repeated the prediction he had uttered in the valley. Hardened their necks is a figure of speech, meaning they became stubborn and refused to listen to the words of the Lord. This characteristic was prominent all through the history of that nation.
Jeremiah Chapter Twenty
Verse 1
Jeremiah 20 This brings us near the end of Jeremiah's tragic ministry to Apostate Judah at a time nearing the very end of that ministry of warning and vain calls for the repentance and reform of the people. There are two division of the chapter. First, there is the episode of Jeremiah's imprisonment and the symbolical name that God fastened upon his oppressor (Jeremiah 20:1-6), and then there is the fifth and final one of the so-called Confessions or Personal Laments of Jeremiah. Ash and others see two laments in these verses, giving six in all; but, to this writer, it appears that the two actually constitute only one lament, there being no valid reason for dividing them. Keil and many of the older commentators also see the passage as a single paragraph (Jeremiah 20:7-18).
Jeremiah 20:1-6 AND PASHHUR"Now Pashhur, the son of Immer the priest, who was chief officer in the house of Jehovah, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things. Then Pashhur smote Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the upper gate of Benjamin, which was in the house of Jehovah. And it came to pass on the morrow, that Pashhur brought forth Jeremiah out of the stocks. Then said Jeremiah unto him, Jehovah hath not called thy name Pashhur, but Magor-missabib. For thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will make thee a terror to thyself, and to all thy friends; and they shall fall by the sword of their enemies, and thine eyes shall behold it; and I will give all Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall carry them captive to Babylon, and shall slay them with the sword. Moreover I will give all the riches of this city, and all the gains thereof, and all the precious things thereof, yea, and all the treasures of the kings of Judah will I give into the hands of their enemies; and they shall make them a prey, and take them, and carry them to Babylon.
And thou, Pashhur, and all that dwell in thy house shall go into captivity: and thou shalt come to Babylon, and there thou shalt die, and there shalt thou be buried, thou, and all thy friends, to whom thou hast prophesied falsely.""Pashhur, the son of Immer... chief officer ..." (Jeremiah 20:1). Many scholars including Dummelow and Barnes believed that Pashhur was the father of Gedaliah (Jeremiah 38:1).[1] There was another Pashhur (Jeremiah 21:1), but he belonged to the fifth course (shift) of priests belonging to the sons of Melchiah; this Pashhur belonged to the sixteenth course and was the son of Immer. Both of these families were strongly represented in the returnees from Babylon (Ezra 2:27; Ezra 2:38).[2]There were a number of priests who held the office of "an overseer" of the temple; but the Pashhur mentioned here was "the chief officer," meaning that he had charge of all the overseers. The man was of high authority, the deputy High Priest in fact, an office that made him second only to the governor of the temple. He was evidently pro-Egyptian, believing that an alliance with Egypt would provide the security Israel so desperately needed at that time. Jeremiah's stern prophecies were a threat to Pashhur's position; and the drastic action against Jeremiah was designed to support Pashhur's evil policy which, of course, he backed up with false prophecies (Jeremiah 20:6).
Since Pashhur's false prophecies of peace and security were contradicted by the warnings of Jeremiah, Ash's speculation that, "Jeremiah was thrown into prison as a false prophet,"[3] is probably correct.
"Pashhur smote Jeremiah the prophet ... put him in the stocks ... in the upper gate of Benjamin ..."(Jeremiah 20:2). The NIV renders part of these words as, "had Jeremiah beaten." "Many expositors think that Pashhur ordered Jeremiah to be beaten with `forty stripes save one,' as in Deuteronomy 25:3."[4]"And put him in the stocks ..." (Jeremiah 20:2). "The terrible instrument of punishment identified in these words "was designed for torture, not merely for restraint,"[5] and their function was to inflict cruel and inhuman torture upon the hapless victim.
"In the upper gate of Benjamin ..." (Jeremiah 20:2). Some have described this gate as probably the most frequented gate in the city. "It is here called the upper gate to distinguish it from another gate of the same name in the city wall, which opened toward the tribe of Benjamin in the North."[6]"Pashhur smote Jeremiah the prophet ..." (Jeremiah 20:2). The words "Jeremiah the prophet" have not appeared previously in this whole prophecy: and, "The words are thus used here to indicate that Pashhur's conduct was a violation of the respect due the prophetic office."[7] This is one of the saddest scenes in the Old Testament. We have this crooked false prophet Pashhur, beating and torturing God's true prophet.
Halley described the stocks into which Jeremiah was cast as, "A wooden frame in which the feet, neck and hands were fastened so as to hold the body in a cramped and painful position. It was this torture that drew from Jeremiah his outburst of remonstrance with God in Jeremiah 20:7-18."[8]"Magor-missabib ..." (Jeremiah 20:3). If Pashhur had thought to silence Jeremiah, he quickly learned better. With his first breath after release, Jeremiah announced the new name that God had named upon Pashhur, "Terror on Every Side."[9] Furthermore, the name was backed up with specific prophecies revealing, for the first time in Jeremiah, the name of the kingdom where the captivity would take place, the prophecy that many would be slain, that the king and his household, along with Pashhur and his household, would be among the captives deported to Babylon, and that they would die there and be buffed there. In due time, all of this was literally and circumstantially fulfilled. Indeed, Pashhur, who was destined to live with his false prophecies must have been hated and despised by all of his intimates and close friends.
Pashhur was one who prophesied falsely (cf. Jeremiah 14:14) that famine and sword would never overtake Judah. "Jeremiah revealed that for such lies he would now be punished."[10]Wiseman evidently believed that Pashhur was a prophet, stating that "He was (a) a priest and (b) a prophet."[11] However, we do not believe that he was ever a legitimate prophet.
"Thou hast prophesied falsely ..." (Jeremiah 20:6). "From these words it is evident that Pashhur assumed prophetic functions. Most probably, he and his friends formed a political party in Jerusalem clamoring for an alliance with Egypt."[12] Yes indeed, Pashhur claimed to be a prophet; "But he had falsely assumed the prophetic office; and for that he was worthy of death."[13]Verse 7
'S FINAL LAMENTSome find two confessions or laments in this passage, but we can discover only one. The only basis for making two out of it is the unexpected appearance of the reassuring verses (Jeremiah 20:11-13), but we believe the latter verses (Jeremiah 20:14-18) are also built around and related to Jeremiah 20:11-13, giving only one confession and lament in this chapter. We shall assign further reasons for this understanding of the chapter in the discussion under Jeremiah 20:13-14.
"O Jehovah, thou has persuaded me, and I was persuaded; thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am become a laughing-stock all the day, everyone mocketh me. For as often as I speak, I cry out; I cry, Violence and destruction! because the word of Jehovah is made a reproach unto me, and a derision all the day. And if I say, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name, then there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with forbearing, and I cannot contain. For I have heard the defaming of many, terror on every side. Denounce, and we will denounce him, say all my familiar friends, they that watch for my fall; peradventure he will be persuaded, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him."This is indeed a pitiful complaint on the part of Jeremiah. All of his close neighbors and friends preferred to believe the false prophets such as Pashhur rather than the terrible warnings of Jeremiah; and it appears here that they confidently expected him to be destroyed rather than themselves and their city. How wrong they were!
"This paragraph reveals at what terrible personal cost God's word was faithfully delivered by Jeremiah."[14]Note that Jeremiah, on occasion, had tried to refrain from delivering such sorrowful news to his beloved people and their city; but he had found it impossible to hide God's message, unpopular as it surely was.
"The word of Jehovah is made a reproach unto me ..." (Jeremiah 20:8). Several things had contributed to this. The message was not one of blessing, but of punishment and destruction. Furthermore, the years had slipped away, and the false prophets were screaming that the true prophecies of men like Isaiah and Jeremiah were false. No destruction had yet come upon Jerusalem; and they were shouting that the prophecies were false because they had not yet come to pass. The people, who strongly preferred to put their trust in the false prophets, took up all of the cries of violence and destruction, of terror on every side, etc., and affixed them to Jeremiah as a nickname. "Here comes old `Violence and Destruction'; here comes old `'Terror on Every Side'"!
Jeremiah here responds to his situation with words that are little short of blasphemy. He accused God of "persuading him." "The literal Hebrew word here is `deceived,' and it actually means `to seduce,' as a virgin is seduced (Exodus 22:16)."[15] Jeremiah was saying that, "He was unwilling to take the prophetic office at first, but that God had over-persuaded him with promises, as in Jeremiah 1:8; Jeremiah 1:17-18. However, Jeremiah had simply misunderstood the promises, for God had promised no immunity from persecution and hatred of men, but that Jeremiah would prevail."[16] God certainly knew his man; because despite Jeremiah's bitter lament, he did indeed prevail.
The whole paragraph here, "Depicts a man loudly complaining about his lot in life, yet showing that he is still submissive, loyal and obedient to God's will."[17]Verse 11
HIS FAITH IN GOD"But Jehovah is with me as a mighty one and a terrible: therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not prevail; they shall be utterly put to shame, because they have not dealt wisely, even with an everlasting dishonor which shall never be forgotten. But, O Jehovah of hosts, that triest the righteous, that seest the heart and the mind, let me see thy vengeance on them; for unto thee have I revealed my cause. Sing unto Jehovah, praise ye Jehovah; for he hath delivered the soul of the needy from the hand of evil doers."The appearance of this remarkable expression of faith and trust in Jehovah and a repeated call for men to sing God's praise beautifully expresses the attitude with which Jeremiah came through the terrible sorrows depicted in this chapter; nor can the subsequent verses of the chapter cast any reflection against such a conclusion. Let it be noted that there were no more complaints or laments by Jeremiah. After the conclusion of this chapter, the attitude expressed in Jeremiah 20:11-13 ever afterward prevailed as the true faith and attitude of the great prophet. We believe that the very fact of there being no more complaints proves this to be true. "In later times when the prophet had still more afflictions to endure, we no longer read of his trembling or bewailing the sufferings connected with his calling."[18]Verse 14
'S WHILE IN THE STOCKS"Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed. Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my father, saying, A man-child is born unto thee; making him very glad. And let that man be as the cities which Jehovah overthrew, and repented not: and let him hear a cry in the morning, and shouting at noontime; because he slew me not from the womb; and so my mother would have been my grave, and her womb always great. Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labor and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame?"The words of this final paragraph of the chapter are so radically different from the trust and confidence expressed in the previous verses that scholars are at a total loss to understand how they should be interpreted.
:
(1) The boldest and most radical solution was proposed a long while ago by Ewald. "He simply moved this bottom paragraph and placed it between Jeremiah 20:6 and Jeremiah 20:7."[19] That, of course, would solve the problem completely. Opposed to this is the fact that the arrangement of the verses as in this chapter is likewise found, "In all the ancient manuscripts of the Hebrew text."[20](2) "Some have rejected Jeremiah 20:11-13 as a late doxology interpolated into the text";[21] but the same scholar rejected the idea as absolutely "unnecessary."
(3) Some have even attempted to identify Jeremiah 20:14-18 as the words of Pashhur; "But such an hypothesis has little to commend it."[22](4) Still others think that the final paragraph reflects the psychological condition of Jeremiah, "That he could at one time burst into a hymn of praise to God, and then drop into a severe mood of depression." That this is not the true explanation is evident because, if Jeremiah had dropped into such a mood after the exultant words of Jer 20:11-13, God would most assuredly have answered him, as God did upon the occasion of Jeremiah's similar depression in Jeremiah 11:20. Also, if these allegedly alternate moods of depression and exultation were indeed characteristic of this prophet, how could the fact of there never again being a lament be explained? Certainly the conditions for Judah grew worse and worse; and there were far more bitter oppositions to Jeremiah yet to come. No! There has to be another explanation.
Still another explanation, suggested by Green, and also found in the writings of many older scholars is that, "Jeremiah 20:14-18 was spoken before the words of Jer 20:7-13."[23]Of course, we are already aware that it is not safe to date statements in Jeremiah by their location in this book. Green backed up his conclusion with three arguments, which we believe to be valid: (1) There were no more laments by Jeremiah. This surely indicates that Jeremiah received an answer; and that answer clearly lies in verses Jeremiah 20:11-13. (2) Following this chapter, Jeremiah remained centered in God. (3) Jeremiah's portrayals of the future became brighter and brighter as the situation around him grew blacker and blacker.
Jeremiah 20:11-13 cannot be denied to the prophet Jeremiah, because the vocabulary and style "argue for the originality of the passage."[24]Matthew Henry, an older scholar, and a man of incredibly extensive reading and understanding stated thatJeremiah 20:14-18, "Seems to be Jeremiah's relation of his thoughts while he was in the ferment he had experienced in the stocks, and out of which his faith and hope had rescued him, rather than a new temptation into which he later fell."[25] He also cited another scripture where a similar thing occurs. "David said in Psalms 31:22, `I said in my grief' I am cut off."[26] Perhaps we should understand of Jer 20:14-18, that they relate what Jeremiah said to himself while in the torture of the stocks.
As Keil noted, "The bitterness of these last verses, rising at last to the cursing of the day of his birth is only intelligible as a consequence of the Pashhur had inflicted upon him."[27]It was against the Mosaic Law for one to curse one's parents; and Jeremiah carefully avoided such a capital offense. He did not curse his mother, but the day he was born. He did not curse his father, but the man who brought news of his birth to his father (Leviticus 20:9; Leviticus 24:10-16).
The explanation which we have here proposed for the mention of such awful curses almost in the same breath with Jeremiah 20:11-13 goes all the way back to John Calvin. "The explanation of Calvin was that Jeremiah here related what went through his mind while he was confined by Pashhur and that explanation is plausible, and has been adopted by Grotius, Henry, and others."[28]Payne Smith pointed out that, "The public ministry of Jeremiah was now, for a time to cease; and, afterward, there would be a long and ominous silence."[29]Looking back on his long life of preaching and pleading with Judah to repent and turn to the Lord, it was clear enough to the prophet that, in one sense, his life had been totally wasted; and it was that sense of failure that no doubted caused his feelings of despondency when he contemplated it.
It was in this very trait that Jeremiah fell short of being "The Suffering Servant" foretold by Isaiah, Our Lord alone attaining the perfection foretold in Isaiah. That might have been one of the reasons that the Divine Inspiration retained and recorded for our benefit Jeremiah's understandable but nevertheless sinful language of this chapter.
We shall add one more approving witness to the adequacy of the explanation we have adopted here for the appearance of these last five verses in such close proximity to the shout of praise and deliverance inJeremiah 20:11-13. Jamieson has the following. The contrast between the spirit of this passage and the preceding thanksgiving is to be explained thus. In order to show how great was his deliverance, he subjoins a picture of what his wounded spirit had been previous to his deliverance.[30]We are aware that this explanation does not answer all of the questions; but it surely comes nearer to doing so than any other explanation this writer has encountered.
That Jeremiah indeed, during his torture at the hands of Pashhur, felt deserted even by God Himself could not be called a sin; for the Holy Christ himself cried from the Cross, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? But the solemn imprecations and curses leveled against the day he was born, which was a blessing, and a day of rejoicing, must fall into the category of sinful words which every thoughtful person must deplore. Still, we are sure that God forgave him.
Jeremiah 20:1. All material buildings require the services of someone or more to oversee them, who might be classed as a janitor of the higher class. Having such a work it is clear as to how this chief overseer, Pashur, overheard the remarks of Jeremiah.
Jeremiah 20:2. A familiar argument (?) of men who cannot answer an unpleasant exposure of their sins in old times was a resort to physical violence. Pashur having a sort of public office took undue advantage of it and persecuted Jeremiah, He first smote him then put him into the stocks. This was an instrument of torture used in ancient times, made in various ways and used for the purpose of revenge in many instances. Smith's Bible Dictionary describes them as follows: “ Stocks. (An instrument of punishment consisting of two beams, the upper one being movable, with two small openings between them, large enough for the ankles of the prisoner.— Ed.) The term 'stocks’ is applied in the Authorized Version to two different articles, one of which answers rather to our pillory, inasmuch as the body was placed in a bent position, by the confinement of the neck and arms as well as the legs, while the other answers to our ’ stocks,’ the feet alone being confined in it. The prophet Jeremiah was confined in the first sort., Jeremiah 20:2, which appears to have been a common mode of punishment in his day, Jeremiah 29:25, as the prisons contained a chamber for the special purpose, termed 'the house of the pillory.’ 2 Chronicles 16:10 .
The stocks, properly so called, are noticed in Job 13:27; Job 33:11; Acts 16:24. The term used in Proverbs 7:22 more properly means a fetter." The prophet was kept in this state of torture until the next day.
Jeremiah 20:3. Human nature might have prompted Jeremiah to manifest some personal resentment over the way he was treated by Pashur. However, he only delivered to him the message which the Lord had authorized concerning this wicked man. The long name to be applied to him is defined "affright from around” in the lexicon. Many proper nouns in the Bible have significant meanings and one such was used here.
Jeremiah 20:4. Terror to thyself is something like a popular saying that a man “ is afraid of himself,” or that he “ is
afraid of his shadow." That would be an awful state of mind to come to Pashur, and just as his nerves would be in a tension, his friends and fellow citizens would be seized and taken away into the Babylonian captivity.
Jeremiah 20:5. Deliver all the strength refers to the chief citizens of the place and 2 Kings 24:14-16 shows the fulfillment of the prediction. All the treasures means the moveable belongings and that was fulfilled in 2 Kings 24:13,
Jeremiah 20:6. Since Pashur was a member of the nation it would be supposed that he would be taken into captivity along with the others. On account of his personal mistreatment of Jeremiah, however, he was singled out in the prediction. Another thing that made his case special was the decree that he was to die and be burled in Babylon, which was not to happen to all of the nation. Not only ahould he meet with that special fate, but also his friends who had endorsed him by giving a listening ear to his false prophecies. This gives us the lesson that the Lord regards a willing hearer of error in the same light as he does the speaker of it. Paul taught the same principle in 2 Timothy 4:3-4 concerning the false teachers of his day.
Jeremiah 20:7. The word deceived has been rendered also by “ allure” and "entice,” and means that Jeremiah had simply followed the Instructions of the Lord. That required hint to make the unpleasant predictions against Pashur and other evil characters, and as a result he was being held in derision daily among the citizens.
Jeremiah 20:8. That derision took the form of violence and spoil, such as his confinement in the stocks of which we have read in the beginning of the chapter.
Jeremiah 20:9. The first clause of this verse indicates that Jeremiah was almost intimidated against speaking the unwelcome word of the Lord because of the pressure of persecution that was present. But his conscience, which he describes as a burning fire, would not let him hold back the truth, so he determined to speak it to people regardless of the persecution that might follow.
Jeremiah 20:10. This verse refers to the spying and whispering conversations that were going on around the prophet. The defaming means they were plotting for some sort of scandal they could start against the man who had cried out against their corrupt practices. They were all watching for his halting or hoping he would make some kind of slip in his life. They agreed with each other that if anyone saw the least mistep he was to tell it to the others and they also would report it, which means they would give the scandal further circulation. Jeremiah would not especially object to the mere fact of being watched, for he did not intend to do anything wrong anyway. But he knew that such spies as he had to deal with would not stop at any scheme within their means to trump up some false charge against him.
Jeremiah 20:11. Jeremiah's dread of the enemy did not wreaken his faith In the Lord and he felt confident that with His support he could overcome all opposition, One word in the definition for the original of terrible is “ powerful," and it is used in that sense here, The word sometimes means “ fearful" and it would have that meaning in this verse as it applies to the enemies of the prophet.
Jeremiah 20:12. The kind of vengeance that a righteous man like Jeremiah would desire would be just and proper. Triest the righteous means that God suffers h>8 righteous servants to he tested by the hardships of this life. .Reins and heart ordinarily have the same meaning, but when used distinctly as in this case, the first means the intellect that rules one's conduct and the second denotes the motive that prompts it.
Jeremiah 20:13. Jeremiah could personally express these sentiments because he appreciated the many favors that the Land had given him. But he likewise wished his brethren to see the propriety of giving God all praise for their blessings.
Jeremiah 20:14-18, Cursed is used in the sense of being unprofitable. It is an extremely strong statement of humility to show how vain the life of the prophet would have been when mentioned in the light of human strength alone. Jeremiah just got through rejoicing in the support that God had given him, which shows he believed the Lord considered him to be worth preserving. The passage therefore means to express the great appreciation the prophet had for the goodness of God, that he would preserve and care for an unworthy creature iike him. Job made almost the same statements, and I have commented on the passage verse by verse. I ask the reader to see Job 3:1-7 in Vol. 2 of this .
Jeremiah Chapter Twenty-One
Verse 1
II. AGAINST ISRAEL AND (Jeremiah 21-29)
A. ABOUT THE KINGS OF ISRAEL (Jeremiah 21-24)
Jeremiah 21 IN THE SECOND SIEGE OF The major difference to be found in this second major division of Jeremiah is the fact of so many of the episodes recorded being specifically connected with names and dates. In this sub-division (Jeremiah 21-24), Frost suggested that a good title of it would be "Comments on the Kings."[1] It is generally agreed by scholars that the date was very near the onset of Nebuchadnezzar's final siege of Jerusalem in 588 B.C.[2]There is a skip of twenty years between Jeremiah 20 and Jeremiah 21, and a great deal had happened. Jehoiachim, a protege of Egypt, came to the throne and reigned eleven years, wavering between the necessity of paying tribute to Nebuchadnezzar and rebelling against Babylon, contrary to Jeremiah's advice. Following his death Jehoiachin came to the throne for a brief three-months; but, in the meanwhile, Nebuchadnezzar had finally and completely defeated Egypt; so he carried Jehoiachin to Babylon, along with many of the captive nobility, including Daniel and others; at that same time Nebuchadnezzar placed Zedekiah, a king of his own choice, on the throne of Israel. The new king was an uncle of Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah was the name given him by Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kings 24:17). Of course, he swore fealty and perpetual loyalty to Nebuchadnezzar. These events took place about the year 597 B.C.
Jehoiachim's death was inglorious (2 Kings 24:6; Jeremiah 22:18-19). His son, Jehoiachin's three month reign ended when he surrendered the city to Nebuchadnezzar on the 9th of Adar, 597 B.C.[3]Zedekiah defaulted on his promises to Nebuchadnezzar, and did evil in God's sight, according to all the evil that Jehoiachim had done; some ten years later, we come to the events of this chapter. Some eleven years after coming to the throne Zedekiah rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar who moved to destroy Jerusalem: At first, he mopped up the cities surrounding Jerusalem, and it was during this early phase of the siege that the events of this chapter happened.
Zedekiah ignored Jeremiah's prophetic warning and held out against the Babylonians for a year and a half, enduring the horrors of a terrible siege. But, on the ninth day of Ab in 588 B.C., Zedekiah and his nobles tried to flee the city but were captured on the plains of Jericho. He was terribly punished by Nebuchadnezzar.[4]The account of Zedekiah's punishment is recorded in 2 Kings 25:1-7. "They slew his sons before his eyes and then put out his eyes and carried him to Babylon in chains."
Jeremiah 21:1-2'S TO "The word which came unto Jeremiah from Jehovah, when king Zedekiah sent unto him Pashhur the son of Malchijah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, saying, Inquire, I pray thee, of Jehovah for us; for Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon maketh war against us: peradventure Jehovah will deal with us according to all his wondrous works, that he may go up from us."Zedekiah evidently expected Jehovah to lift the siege against Jerusalem by some tremendous miracle similar to that in which God destroyed 185,000 soldiers of Sennacherib's army and lifted the siege against Jerusalem in the days of Isaiah. The ancient Jews never learned the lesson that God's promises are all conditional, even those of his everlasting love and blessing. They were the ancient practitioners of salvation by faith only. Sure, they believed all right; but they did not propose to do any of the things God commanded.
Notice how the status of Jeremiah has changed. Ten years earlier, those terrible warnings Jeremiah had been prophesying throughout his ministry had begun to be fulfilled; and now, he receives an honored delegation from the king himself requesting his prayers upon their behalf. Characteristically, they paid no attention whatever to his warning, his prophetic advice, and to his instruction as to how some life could be saved.
In the second siege and destruction of Jerusalem, not even the temple was spared; and even the sacred golden vessels were carried away to Babylon as booty.
"Pashhur the son of Malchijah ..." (Jeremiah 21:1) This was not the same as the Pashhur of the previous chapter. One was the son of Immer, and the other the son of Malchijah.
Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah ..." (Jeremiah 21:1). This man was the successor of Jehoida the priest (Jeremiah 29:25-26; Jeremiah 37:3 and Jeremiah 52:24). "He ranked second to the High Priest, was slain by Nebuchadnezzar at Riblah; and both he and Pashhur opposed Jeremiah's views."[5] They were probably the ones who persuaded Zedekiah to go on with his resistance rather than surrender the city as Jeremiah had advocated.
It should be noted that there is a similar account of the warning that Jerusalem will fall in Jeremiah 37:3-10; but, "These are not a doublet. It deals with a temporary raising of the siege by the Egyptians, only to be resumed later on with greater intensity. Here we have the siege in its initial phases."[6]These first two verses reveal Jeremiah in a new role. He now stands much higher in the opinion of the people. "The strong confirmation of his preaching by the captivity of 597 B.C. has made him a national figure whom the king now consults in the hour of crisis."[7]Many scholars make a big to-do about what they claim is the correct way to spell Nebuchadnezzar, most of them favoring Nebuchadrezzar. There is no doubt that the correct spelling from the Babylonian viewpoint is the latter method; but our viewpoint is by no means the Babylonian viewpoint; and, as the Dean of Canterbury put it, "The common method of spelling it, Nebuchadnezzar, became finally the current form among the Jews. Jeremiah used it in Jeremiah 34:1 and Jeremiah 39:5; and even Daniel used it."[8]Therefore, we shall stay with the common spelling, since our viewpoint is more that of the people of God than it is that of the ancient Babylonians.
No well-informed person should find any difficulty with this. All of us are familiar with the variations in spelling as we move from one racial culture to another. Pablo and Paul; Juan and John, or Johannes; Matthew and Mateo; Mark and Marcos; James and Santiago; etc. are examples. Jeremiah himself used the spellings interchangeably. In Jeremiah's writings, "The Jewish spelling is used ten times, and the Babylonian spelling is used twenty-six times."[9]It is significant that in this petition for Jeremiah to pray for God's intervention on behalf of Zedekiah and the citizens of Jerusalem, "There was no suggestion of repentance or humiliation for the gross sins of the whole nation that had brought upon them the horrible destruction then impending."[10] The message was simply, "Look God, we're in trouble; save us!"
Verse 3
GOD'S MESSAGE TO "Then said Jeremiah unto them, Thus shall ye say to Zedekiah: Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, wherewith ye fight against the king of Babylon, and against the Chaldeans that besiege you, without the walls; and I will gather them into the midst of the city. And I myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, even in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation. And I will smite the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast: they shall die of a great pestilence. And afterward, saith Jehovah, I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah, and his servants, and the people, even such as are left in this city from the pestilence, from the sword, and from the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those who seek their life: and he shall smite them with the edge of the sword; he shall not spare them, neither have pity, nor have mercy.""The weapons of war that are in your hands ..." (Jeremiah 21:4). The prophecy here meant that the soldiers and their weapons of war which were fighting against Nebuchadnezzar would not be able to resist the Babylonian army, but would have to withdraw within the wails of the city
"I myself will fight against you ..." (Jeremiah 21:5) Jeremiah even foretold exactly how God would do this. He would bring .a terrible pestilence upon the city. The severe overcrowding of people and animals into the city during the later stages of the siege would become a severe strain upon the sanitary facilities of the city; and the resulting epidemic would wipe out vast numbers of the people. At the time of this delegations coming to Jeremiah, "The siege had just begun, and the Jews were still trying to hinder the enemy from taking a position closer to the city and the resulting tighter blockade."[11]The terrible news for Zedekiah was that God, far from putting a hook in the nose of Nebuchadnezzar, and dragging him back to his homeland, as he had surely done to Sennacherib a hundred years earlier, God would actually help the invaders to accomplish their purpose of the total destruction of the city.
"From the pestilence, from the sword, and from the famine ..." (Jeremiah 21:7) not a great many of the inhabitants would escape; and of them who were the fortunate survivors, many would be deported to Babylon as captives.
Verse 8
GOD'S MESSAGE TO THE OF (Jeremiah 21:8-10)
"And unto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death. He that abideth in the city shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence; but he that goeth out and passeth over to the Chaldeans that besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be unto him a prey. For I have set my face upon this city for evil, and not for good, saith Jehovah: it shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire."God had decreed the inevitable destruction of Jerusalem because of the total apostasy and gross wickedness of the people; and the terrible destruction impending was nothing but what the people themselves had ordered by their rejection of God's will and their utter reprobacy. It was very appropriate that the words in these three verses should be taken almost verbatim from Deuteronomy 30:15-20. Countless warnings the people had received, but they would not hear. Some terrible inability to respond to God's warnings seems to have taken hold of the hearts of the people. Like a bird charmed by a snake, they simply sat still until the blow fell.
Even when such inability in the face of certain death is witnessed in the natural creation around us, it is sad indeed, but in no manner as sad as when it is seen among human beings whom God has endowed with the gift of intelligence.
It is said that sometimes in the late fall of the year in the Cornwall area of England, the migratory waterfowl are trapped by an early freeze, resulting in the death of large numbers of them. They are tempted to feast a little too long on the apples that lie rotting on the ground.
HEAR THE SUMMONS FROM ON HIGH!
"Beneath the Cornwall apple trees,
The migratory fowl delay
Their flight from Winter's chilling breeze
And feast their day of grace away.
Spread ripe and rotting on the ground,
The banquet seems to have no end.
The warning trumpet does not sound
Within, or, sounding, fails to send
Their strong wings on the Southward path.
The noble fowl remains too long,
All heedless of the Winter's wrath,
Unmindful of the even-song...
Until they're trapped beneath the trees
In misty sheets of freezing rain.
Feet locked to earth by bitter freeze;
The call to rise and fly is vain.
Also, for me, Life's banquet calls;
Its pleasures drown all doubts and fears.
The soul's high purpose dims, and falls
Unrealized despite the tears.
At last, the summons from On High
Strikes through the heart. Shall I
Too find that hope has passed me by?
Or shall I rise, in time and fly?"
- James Burton Coffman
The dreadful alternative of life or death was here presented in the words of Deuteronomy; but there was a significant difference. When Moses thus addressed the people, "The choice was between a life lived under the blessing and favor of God, and a life of sin and death; but here it is the miserable alternative of a life saved by desertion to the enemy with its resulting captivity, and certain death sure to come to all who remained in the city by sword, by pestilence, or by famine."[12]Jeremiah was indeed a type of Jesus Christ in some particulars; and one of them is evident here. Both Jeremiah and Christ commanded the true followers of God to abandon the city of Jerusalem. Christ did so inMatthew 24:16 at the time of the Roman siege in A.D. 70. In that instance, however, the Christians would be fleeing to a place of safety at Pella.
Verse 11
THE REASON FOR 'S VERSES"And touching the house of the king of Judah, hear ye the word of Jehovah: O house of David, thus saith Jehovah, Execute justice in the morning, and deliver him that is robbed out of the hand of the oppressor, let my wrath go forth like fire, and burn so that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings. Behold, I am against thee, O inhabitant of the valley, and of the rock of the plain, saith Jehovah; you that say, Who shall come down against us? or who shall enter into our habitations? And I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings, saith Jehovah; and I will kindle a fire in her forest, and it shall destroy all that is round about her."Some of the scholars affirm that the end of the message to Zedekiah came in Jeremiah 21:10 and that this is a prophecy regarding the House of David, being a part of a number of similar prophecies in this sub-group of four chapters (Jeremiah 21-24). We do not deny this; but we also believe that the words here were also quite appropriate when understood as a continuation of the message to Zedekiah. Certainly, the burning of Jerusalem mentioned in Jeremiah 21:14 was appropriately spoken to Zedekiah, because that would occur within eighteen months of Jeremiah's response to the delegation from the king. Besides that, Jeremiah 21:12 relates that all of the punishment to come upon Jerusalem would be "because of the evil of your doings." Was not this appropriate for Zedekiah? His wickedness is seen even in this chapter where he repudiated the prophetic warnings of God's prophet.
Even the verses regarding the king's duty to dispense justice were not inappropriate, because, as Harrison noted, "Along with the false prophets and the immoral cultic-priests, the monarchy itself must take its place and its share of the responsibility for the moral and social degradation of the people,"[13] with the resulting divine punishment that fell upon them.
"I will kindle a fire in her forest ..." (Jeremiah 21:14) Thompson complained that, "In Jerusalem itself, there was no forest."[14] But the same scholar tells us that, "The royal palace itself was called the `House of the Forest of Lebanon' (1 Kings 7:2)."[15] This supports the opinion of Keil that "The city itself was a forest of houses."[16] Others have supposed that many of the houses of the ancient city were constructed from cedars brought down from the forest of Lebanon. In any case, there is no doubt that the reference is to Jerusalem. Bright especially thought that the words here spoke of "Jerusalem's great buildings of cedar."[17]Payne Smith stated that, "The commentators have made a difficulty here, simply by not remembering the delight which the Jews took in trees."[18]
Jeremiah 21:1. The Pashur named here is not the same one who put Jeremiah in the stocks, although he was just as wicked a man. The events connected with the first man took place in the reign of Jehoiakim, while this one was in the reign of Zedekiah, the last king of Judah. At the time of this verse the army of Babylon was at the gates of Jerusalem engaging in the siege. Zedekiah wanted some information as to the prospects and sent this Pashur to Jeremiah to obtain it.
Jeremiah 21:2. The inquiry that Zedekiah sent Pashur to make really amounted to a prayer for help against the king of Babylon. The spelling Nebuchadrezzar is for the same man whose name is spelled Nebuchadnezzar elsewhere.
Jeremiah 21:3. Jeremiah recognized the request of Zedekiah, for he was still the king of God's people, and directed Pashur to give the answer to him.
Jeremiah 21:4. When God makes use of a man or army or any other means to accomplish a certain purpose, then to oppose that means is equivalent to opposing Him. This is true even if the thing to be accomplished would have been wrong under other circumstances. For instance, the revolt of the ten tribes was a thing wrong in itself, but the time had come and the circumstances were such that God knew the king in Jerusalem deserved such a misfortune. Therefore when he sought to interfere with the movement he was rebuked by the Lord. (See 1 Kings 11:26-35; 1 Kings 12:21-24.) Likewise when the kingdom of Judah became so corrupt with idolatry, the Lord decreed to punish it by bringing the Babylonians against the city and taking the people into captivity. Because of all this it was the same as opposing God for Judah to oppose the Babylonians, and the more submissive anyone was to them the easier it would be for him in the outcome, (See the comments at Jeremiah 15:2.) This is why Jeremiah sent word to Zedekiah that his weapons of defence would fail and the enemy would finally enter Jerusalem.
Babylon was the empire whose capital was the city of that name, and the Chaldeans were a special group of people who were the most influential among the others. Politically the two names were used interchangeably in the time of the captivity.
Jeremiah 21:5. This verse does not mean that God would have a literal army fighting as allies of the Babylonians, but he would see that their movements would succeed.
Jeremiah 21:6. The success of the siege and the destruction that accompanied it were decreed by the Lord and hence would be carried out in Bpite of resistence from Judah.
Jeremiah 21:7. Afterward means at the end of the siege and when the city has been taken. There will be many in it who survived the ravages of the ordeal, among whom will be King Zedekiah. God knew that this king would refuse the advice of the prophet to submit to the king of Babylon and would try to escape by fleeing. This verse is especially directed against him and his army (2 Kings 25:4-7).
Jeremiah 21:8. The siege and captivity was inevitable, but the personal experiences of the besieged would depend upon their attitude at the time. The two kinds of experiences were generally listed under the headings of life and death, and it was left to them to decide which it would be.
Jeremiah 21:9. This verse goes into more details as to the terms life and death mentioned in the preceding verse. The prediction of sword, famine and pestilence is commented upon at eh. 14: 12 which the reader should see.
Jeremiah 21:10. Evil and good are not used in the moral sense but in that of being unfavorable and favorable, Set my face is a figurative way of saying the Lord had made up his mind and it would not be changed. Burn it with fire was literally done by the Babylonians as recorded in 2 Kings 25:9.
Jeremiah 21:11, The house of this verse is the same as the “ house of David" in the next verse which means the kingdom that descended from David.
Jeremiah 21:12. This verse is worded in the form of a command as if the Lord expected the king and h1s people to put the order into effect at that time. It should be understood in the sense of saying these things were what they should have been doing in the past years. Actually it was too late for them to do much in the carrying out of the order for the enemy was then at the gates. Lest my fury go out should therefore be considered as if it said, “ because of your failure to do these things mentioned my fury will go out."
Jeremiah 21:13. We are sure the last comments are correct for this verse comes directly to that form of speech and the Lord says I am against thee. Inhabitant of the valley means the inhabitant of Jerusalem, the last word being a figurative reference to the city. (See Isaiah 22:1; Isaiah 22:5.) Rook of the plain refers to the expanse of territory of which Jerusalem was the capital. The people of the city and country had boasted that no power could succeed against them hence they had turned deaf ears to the warnings that God had given them for years by the mouth of his prophets.
Jeremiah 21:14. This verse is a mingling of literal and figurative language, The houses were literally burned and many of the inhabitants were slain. We have no direct history of material destruction of the forests, but they did boast of their great wooded territories. Moreover, they used trees from the foreBt in their service of idolatry and the captivity was to put an end to that practice.
Jeremiah Chapter Twenty-Two
Verse 1
Jeremiah 22THE EARTHLY HOUSE OF DAVID This is a landmark chapter in God's Word. The beginning of the Jewish state had been contrary to God's will (1 Samuel 8:7). It was based entirely upon the people's rejection of God's will and their desire to be like the nations around them. Not surprisingly, that "sinful kingdom" became the scandal of antiquity, fully deserving the word of the Lord to Amos when he declared, "Behold, the eyes of the Lord are upon the sinful kingdom; and I will destroy it off the face of the earth" (Amos 9:8). Hosea also was commanded to name his firstborn son Jezreel, which means, "I will cause the kingdom of the house of Israel to cease" (Hosea 1:3). The details of that destruction are all evident in this chapter. (For those interested in a further study of this, see Vol. 1 of my commentaries on the minor prophets, pp. 231-235.) As Halley said, "In Jeconiah and Zedekiah, we have the end of the earthly kingdom of Judah."[1]The chapter naturally falls into four paragraphs: (1) Jeremiah 22:1-9, applicable to the early part of the reign of Jehoiachim; (2) Jeremiah 22:10-12 which speak of the days immediately after the deposition of Jehoahaz and his captivity in Egypt; (3) Jeremiah 22:13-19 applicable to the events near the close of Jehoiachim's wicked reign; and (4) Jeremiah 22:20-30 relating to the reign of Jeconiah (Coniah, or Jehoiachin).[2]Scholars are not unanimous in their opinions regarding the dates of specific verses in the chapter; but there seems to be no doubt that all of the prophecies in this section may be applied to terminal conditions in "the sinful kingdom." The terminal kings of Judah featured in this section are Josiah, Jehoahaz (Shallum), Jehoiachim (Eliakim), Jehoiachin (Coniah), and Zedekiah.
Jehoiachim was actually the firstborn of Josiah; but his evil character was evidently well known in Judah, which probably accounts for the people's elevation of Jehoahaz to the throne instead of his older brother. This violated the principle of primogeniture. However, the strategy did not work. With the removal of Jehoahaz by the Egyptians, the last hope of Judah's having a decent king perished.
"Jehoahaz (Shallum) lasted only three months. Eliakim (Jehoiachim) resented what was done, threw himself into the arms of the Egyptians; and Pharaoh-Necho deposed Jehoahaz (Shallum) and enthroned Eliakim (Jehoiachim) as his vassal king in Jerusalem. He deported Jehoahaz (Shallum) to Egypt; and from that time he was heard of no more."[3]The double names here should not be confusing. One name is the family name and the other one is the name assumed when the wearer came to the throne. It makes little difference which was which; but Shallum and Eliakim are usually identified as the family names.
Jeremiah 22:1-5; Jeremiah 22:8 are alleged to be "in the style of Deuteronomy";[4] but it would be far better to state that they are in the style of Moses; for it is the whole covenant of God with Israel that is referred to in these verses. There are actually more references in this writer's Cross-Reference Bible to Exodus, Leviticus, Genesis, and Numbers than there are to Deuteronomy. We should heed the wise words of J. A. Thompson in his analysis of the passage.
"The protection of the orphan, the widow, and the stranger is a part of the covenant stipulation (Exodus 22:21-26; Exodus 23:9; Leviticus 19:33-34, Deuteronomy 10:18-19; Deuteronomy 24:17). The king was as much under obligation to fulfill the words of the Sinai Covenant as were the people. The Davidic covenant of 2 Samuel 7 was no different in this respect from the Mosaic Covenant."[5]Jeremiah 22:1-9"Thus said Jehovah; Go down to the house of the king of Judah, and speak there this word. and say, Hear the word of Jehovah, O king of Judah, that sittest upon the throne of David, thou, and thy servants, and thy people that enter in by these gates. Thus saith Jehovah: Execute ye justice and righteousness, and deliver him that is robbed out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence to the sojourner, the fatherless, nor the widow; neither shed innocent blood in this place. For if ye do this thing indeed, then shall there enter in by the gates of this house kings sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, he, and his servants, and his people. But if ye will not hear these words, I swear by myself, saith Jehovah, that this house shall become a desolation.
For thus saith Jehovah concerning the house of the king of Judah: Thou art Gilead unto me, and the head of Lebanon; yet surely I will make thee a wilderness, and cities which are not inhabited. And I will prepare destroyers against thee, everyone with his weapons; and they shall cut down thy choice cedars, and cast them into the fire. And many nations shall pass by this city, and they shall cry every man to his neighbor, Wherefore hath Jehovah done thus unto this great city? Then they shall answer, Because they forsook the covenant of Jehovah their God and worshipped other gods, and served them.""If ye will do this thing indeed ..." (Jeremiah 22:4) Thompson translated this clause, "If you scrupulously carry out this commission."[6]"They shall cut down thy choice cedars ..." (Jeremiah 22:7). "In keeping with the figure of a forest, the destruction of Jerusalem is represented as the hewing down of the choice cedars. The destroyed city will become a monument to God's wrath against the transgressors of his covenant."[7]Jeremiah 22:8 reflects the promise recorded by Moses in Deuteronomy 29:33ff. Along with the king's palace, the whole city will be destroyed.
"Because they forsook the covenant of Jehovah ..." (Jeremiah 22:9). The covenant in view here is the one commonly called the Old Covenant, the Mosaic Covenant, or the Sinaitic Covenant (Exodus 20:3;Deuteronomy 5:7).
"The covenant violated here was not the Davidic covenant of 2 Samuel 7, but the initial covenant at Sinai, referred to recurringly in earlier portions of Jeremiah. The extensive devastation was a lesson to all nations on the perils of idolatry."[8]Although Jellie thought that these first nine verses were addressed to the early days of the reign of Jehoiachim, Harrison assigned them to the times of Zedekiah.[9] As we have frequently noted, if such distinctions were very important, God would have revealed the exact situation. Here it makes little or no difference, because the words perfectly fit either one of the monarchs mentioned.
Verse 10
"Weep ye not for the dead, neither bemoan him; but weep sore for him that goeth away; for he shall return no more, nor see his native country. For thus saith Jehovah touching Shallum the son of Josiah, king of Judah, who reigned instead of Josiah his father, and went forth out of his place: He shall not return thither any more; but in the place where they have led him captive, there shall he die, and he shall see this land no more."These words, of course, apply to the brief period following the usurpation of the throne from Shallum by the Egyptians who placed their vassal Jehoiachim on the throne and imposed a heavy tribute of a hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold annually upon the people.
Shallum was the very last chance that Israel had to receive a decent king. Jehoiachim was a carbon copy of Manasseh. "He permitted pagan rites to flourish again, including even those of Egypt."[10] The next paragraph will speak of the heartless tyranny, selfishness, extravagance and insatiable greed of this evil ruler.
"Weep not for the dead ... but for him that goeth away ..." (Jeremiah 22:10). This meant "Do not weep for Josiah, but for Shallum." The latter was the last sad home for Judah.
Shallum was the first king of Israel to be deported and to die in exile.
Verse 13
"Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by injustice; that useth his neighbor's services without wages, and giveth him not his hire; that saith, I will build me a wide house and spacious chambers, and cutteth him out windows; and it is ceded with cedar, and painted with vermilion. Shalt thou reign because thou strivest to excel in cedar? Did not thy father eat and drink, and do justice and righteousness? then it was well with him. He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well, Was not this to know me? saith Jehovah. But thine eyes and thy heart are not but for thy covetousness, and for shedding innocent blood, and for oppression, and for violence, to do it."There is little need to catalogue the sins of Jehoiachim. He contrived the dethroning of his own brother, resulting in his captivity and probable death.
In addition to the great tribute which he promised Egypt, and which he extorted annually from the people, he initiated a very luxurious and extravagant building program for himself, using forced labor, conscripting his neighbors to work for him without any pay whatever. He was a typical Near-Eastern despot, doing all kinds of violence against any or all hapless victims of his displeasure and murdering many innocent people, including, among countless others the prophet Uriah, who was extradited from Egypt and put to death (Jeremiah 26:20-23). Not only murder, but the type of slavery mentioned in these verses, were offenses against covenant law (Leviticus 19:13). In this man and his hapless son Coniah, the house of David came to its miserable end.
"That useth his neighbor for services without wages ..." (Jeremiah 22:13). "Here is a democratic idea, `The king and the carpenter or neighbors.'"[11]"Did not thy father eat and drink ..." (Jeremiah 22:15)? This means that, "He lived well enough; he was not an ascetic."[12]The same words were used of Jesus by himself in a comparison with John the Baptist (Matthew 11:18-19),
"Shalt thou reign because thou strivest to excel in cedar ..." (Jeremiah 22:15)? Keil's comment here was, "Kingship does not consist in the erection of splendid palaces, but in the administration of righteousness and justice,"[13]"Thine eyes and thine heart are not, but for thy covetousness, etc." (Jeremiah 22:17). This is a terrible indictment of Jehoiachim, meaning that his heart and eyes did not even exist except for the purpose of helping this evil ruler in the pursuit of wickedness. Everything that fell under his eyesight was only looked at with a view of using what he saw in some way to his advantage; and nothing ever entered his mind but some evil plan or device by which he could defraud or exploit his subjects! Satan must have been well pleased with such a son!
"Was not this to know me, saith Jehovah ..." (Jeremiah 22:16)? Knowing God, whether in the times of Jeremiah, or at the present time, does not consist merely of having heard of him, or having read his word, or having been associated with God-fearing people. It is the kind of knowledge that is exhibited in a pious and godly life, and in the strict obedience of his holy commandments.
Verse 18
"Therefore thus saith Jehovah concerning Jehoiachim the son of Josiah, the king of Judah; They shall not lament for him, saying, Ah my brother! or, Ah sister! They shall not lament for him, saying, Ah lord! or Ah his glory! He shall be buried with the burial of an ass, drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem."We wonder at so many writers expressing concern that "We have no confirmation of this prophecy." None is needed. God said it would happen, and it did. There's not a line to the contrary anywhere in the Bible; and we can see no purpose in noting that when the death of Jehoiachim was mentioned in 2 Kings 24:6 there was no reference to what happened. The passage merely states that, "Jehoiachim slept with his fathers, and his son Jehoiachin reigned in his stead." Nevertheless, the passage bears witness to the fulfillment of this prophecy, because, "The complete formula for describing the death of a king of Judah was: `He slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David.' "[14] There is no doubt whatever that the omission of the usual line, `He was buried with his fathers,' means, absolutely, that he was not so buried.
This prophecy is repeated in Jeremiah 36:30; but of its fulfillment we know nothing. However, the prophet would not have inserted it in Zedekiah's roll, unless the circumstances of Jehoiachim's death had been such as to give full weight to this warning.[15]It is believed that the fulfillment of this prophecy came as the Babylonian invaders approached Jerusalem. "The pro-Babylonian party within the city organized an assassination of Jehoiachin in a palace revolt."[16]Under pressure of the siege, the assassins merely dragged the body of Jehoiachim, as they would have dragged a dead animal out of the city and disposed of it "beyond the gates."
Verse 20
"Go up to Lebanon and cry; lift up thy voice in Bashan, and cry from Abarim; for all thy lovers are destroyed. I spake to thee in thy prosperity; but thou saidst, I will not hear. This hath been thy manner from thy youth, that thou obeyest not my voice. The wind shall feed all thy shepherds, and thy lovers shall go into captivity: surely then shalt thou be ashamed and confounded for all thy wickedness. O inhabitant of Lebanon, that makest thy nest in the cedars, how greatly to be pitied shalt thou be when pangs come upon thee, the pain as of a woman in travail."Both Bashan and Abarim were beyond the strict borders of Palestine, Abarim is the chain of mountains east of Jordan in which is located Mount Nebo, from which Moses viewed the Promised land. The thought seems to be that the whole land of Palestine, along with its surrounding areas, should moan, and weep and bewail the devastation coming upon Judah.
"All thy lovers are destroyed ..." (Jeremiah 22:20). "These were Judah's political allies."[17]"The wind shall feed all thy shepherds ..." (Jeremiah 22:22). "This means, `the wind shall round them up and drive them away.' "[18]"How greatly to be pitied shalt thou be ..." (Jeremiah 22:23). The prophet loved his native land and his sinful people; and his heart was filled with pity as he delivered the tragic message regarding Judah's destruction.
Verse 24
"As I live, saith Jehovah, though Coniah the son of Jehoiachin king of Judah were the signet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence; and I will give thee into the hand of them that seek thy life, and into the hand of them of whom thou art afraid, even into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of the Chaldeans. And I will cast thee out, and thy mother that bare thee, into another country, where ye were not born; and there shall ye die. But to the land whereunto their soul longeth to return, thither shall they not return. Is this man Coniah a despised broken vessel? is he a vessel wherein none delighteth? wherefore are they cast out, he and his seed, and are cast into the land which they know not? O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of Jehovah, Write this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days; for no more shall a man of his seed prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling in Judah."The prophecy here is that both Jeconiah (Coniah) and the queen mother shall go into Babylonian captivity and die in that land. This indeed came to pass; and Coniah lived thirty-seven years in captivity.
"Coniah ..." (Jeremiah 22:24). This man was named Jeconiah (Jeremiah 24:1) and Coniah (here and inJeremiah 37:1); and he came to the throne under the name of Jehoiachin. Keil cited two other variations of the name which correspond to two of the three names cited here.[19]Payne Smith stated that Coniah was king of Judah at the time Jeremiah wrote these words, basing his opinion upon the construction, "Coniah the son of Jehoiachim king of Judah."[20]"Thee and the mother that bare thee ..." (Jeremiah 22:26). "The queen mother had some official status in Judah of that period and may have worn a crown and sat on a throne adjacent to that of the king ... Jehoiachin was eventually released in Babylon by Evil-Merodach; but he was required to remain in Babylon."[21]"They are cast out, he and his seed ..." (Jeremiah 22:28-30). Some find a problem here, becauseJeremiah 22:30 states that Jeconiah would die childless. The problem is solved either (1) by throwing out the last four words here as not belonging to the text (And this is supported by the LXX), or (2) by makingJeremiah 22:30 the full explanation of what is meant by "write Coniah childless." It meant merely that he would not have a successor on the throne of Judah. Either solution appears to be adequate.
Practically all present-day scholars accept solution (2), above. Some very learned men of an earlier generation insist that he died, literally, without any children. Payne Smith insisted that, "There is no proof that Jehoiachin ever had any children. None are mentioned in 2 Kings 24:15; and the fact that when his father Jehoiachim died the harem of that ruler passed to Coniah, suggests that the "children" mentioned in 2 Chronicles 3:17 might merely have been his adopted children through that inheritance."[22]Matthew Henry also took the same view, offering as proof the fact, the oldest son of Jehoiachin was Shealtiel; but in the Lukan genealogy of Christ, Shealtiel is listed as the son of Neil, not Jehoiachin, indicating that Jehoiachin was only his adopted father.
We do not attach a great deal of importance to the question; but we prefer the views presented by the Dean of Canterbury and by Matthew Henry. There is nothing in their exegesis of this problem that is in any manner unreasonable.
Certainly, there is no Jehoiachin, Coniah, or Jeconiah in the Lukan account of the lineage of the Son of God which goes back to David, not through Solomon, but through Nathan.
Those who try to find Coniah in the ancestry of Christ will find it in Matthew 1:12; but that is only the legal ancestry of Christ through his foster father Joseph, making him the legal heir to the throne that was once held by Jeconiah.
Yes, it states in Matthew 1:12 that Jeconiah "begat Shealtiel"; but in genealogical tables distinctions such as real sons or adopted sons were not distinguished. In fact there are not even any distinctions between sons and grandsons, actual sons or Levirate sons, etc. Since Coniah was childless, Shealtiel an adopted son, inherited the non-existent throne of Judah; but Luke, unconcerned about legal rights to a throne traced Shealtiel's ancestry through his actual father Neri.
Both Ezekiel and Jeremiah regarded Jeconiah (Coniah) as the last king of Judah; but some writers insist that Zedekiah was the last king.[23] Of course, in a sense he was the last king; but in none of the eleven years that he reigned between 598,587 B.C. was he ever really "king of Judah," but a vassal of the Babylonians who had deposed and deported Jeconiah (Coniah) and placed Zedekiah on the throne as a puppet. Besides that, Nebuchadnezzar captured Zedekiah and blinded him after killing his sons before his eyes; and he was outlived many years by Jeconiah, who lived some thirty-seven years in captivity until he was released by Evil-Merodach. The Jews of Jerusalem never recognized Zedekiah as king and continually longed for the return of Jehoiachin. Therefore we follow the position of Ezekiel and of Jeremiah in considering Coniah as the last of Israel's kings.
It has been objected to Jeremiah's prophecy here that no one descended from Coniah would ever sit upon the throne of David; because, as premillennial advocates insist, "This would exclude Christ from sitting on David's throne."[24] Such an objection, however is worthless, since Luke's genealogy makes no mention of any son of Jehoiachin in the ancestry of Christ. However, even if it was otherwise, the prohibition was not against such a descendant "sitting on David's throne," but against his doing so "in Jerusalem!" Also, the scriptures flatly declare that the reference to some Great One to sit on David's throne was a reference to the resurrection of Jesus Christ (Acts 2:31). The fulfillment of the Messianic promise was complete when Jesus Christ, "sat down at the right hand of the majesty On High."
Jeremiah 22:1. A reference to Jeremiah 21:1 will tell us that Zedekiah was the king to whom the prophet was to deliver this special message.
Jeremiah 22:2. The throne of David always meant the throne in Jerusalem because the one in Samaria was never occupied by a descendant of David. And the one in Jerusalem was attributed to that great servant of God because he received it first after it was taken from the tribe of Benjamin in the days of Saul. The crown remained in the tribe of Judah ever after as long as the people had a kingdom.
Jeremiah 22:3. The conduct described in this verse is what should have been the practice all along. Instead, the strong had been permitted to overcome the weak and the rich were suffered to defraud the poor through bribery and other means.
Jeremiah 22:4. We have here a passage similar to Jeremiah 17:24-25 and it calls for like comments. We know it had been decidedly announced that nothing could be done to prevent the captivity and national downfall. Therefore the passage must mean that had they performed such transactions in time they would have obtained the favors described.
Jeremiah 22:5. If ye will not should be taken to mean “ since ye did not." As a punishment for it the house in Jerusalem was to become desolate.
Jeremiah 22:6. A man often discards a possession because it had never been valued highly anyway. But (hat was not the case with Judah for God compared her to Gilead and Lebanon, two very desirable districts in Palestine. Notwithstanding this estimate of the land of Judah, God determined to cast it off for its sins against Him and to cause its cities to become depopulated.
Jeremiah 22:7. God did not directly perform the acts of punishment here described but strengthened the heathen nations that came against Palestine to do so.
Jeremiah 22:8. The devastation of Jerusalem was to be so evident that the passers-by would notice it and make remarks. The heathen nations did not know the Lord as the people of Judah did, yet they knew that Jerusalem had for centuries been known as a city possessed by a being called the Lord. Their questioning one with another was concerning the reason why the possessor of such a city would suffer it to fall into this state of desolation.
Jeremiah 22:9. It was more or less common knowledge that the Jew's were restricted against the worship of strange gods, and that penalties were to be Imposed upon them if they practiced it. Therefore it would be understood that the conditions of ruin that met the eye came as a fulfillment of the warn-ings.
Jeremiah 22:10. Weep ye not for the dead. People sometimes show sympathy for the wrong person and overlook another whose fate is actually more to be regretted. Such was the case when Jesus was being led away to crucifixion. The women were weeping for him when they should have been weeping for themselves (Luke 23:27-29), The dead man in this verse was Josiah, the righteous king of Judah. ’ When he died under such unfortunate circumstances (2 Kings 23:29; 2 Chronicles 35:22-23) it caused a great lamentation. The words weep ye not do not mean that it would he improper to lament his passing for Jeremiah himself did so (2 Chronicles 35; 2 Chronicles 25), The thought is that another person was to have a misfortune befall him that would be more lamentable, which was to be exiled into a foreign land without friends to accompany him.
Jeremiah 22:11. The person referred to in the preceding verse was the son of Josiah. That son was not dead at the time Jeremiah was writing this prediction, but inspiration told him of the circumstances under which he would die. He is here called Shallum but was elsewhere called Jehoahaz, The Bible does not give us the reason for the extra name but it was not unusual for people to have more than one name. This man succeeded his father Josiah on the throne but was allowed to retain it only three months. He was forceably removed from it by the Egyptian king Pharoah-nechoh and taken to Egypt from which he never returned (2 Kings 23:33).
Jeremiah 22:12. It is a sad experience not to be allowed even to see one's native land again after being banished from it. So this Shallum was destined to die In this far-away land without even being permitted to see his native land again (2 Kings 23:34). No wonder Jeremiah hade his people to mourn for him who suffered such a disgrace, rather than for his father who died without seeing the misfortune coming upon his son.
Jeremiah 22:13. This has reference to the leaders who had enriched their own possessions at the expense of the common and poor people. They used their positLon unfairly because of their official standing and forced the others to serve them without wages.
Jeremiah 22:14. These selfish men even boasted of the fine houses they had built, using the labor of the under classes in an overbearing way.
Jeremiah 22:15. Shalt thou reign is a question the Lord asked these selfish leaders in his nation. Houses built of cedar usually Indicated places to be used either as palaces of kings or the mansions for their residences. There would not have been so much wrong in their owning these good houses had they obtained them in a just way and also were occupying them in connection with a righteous life. As proof of thiB (ruth they were reminded of the case of their righteous ancestors who enjoyed the good things of life and at the some time received the favor of the Lord. But the reason for it was stated in connection with the subject; they practiced judgment and justice.
Jeremiah 22:16. Further details are given as to why the forefathers fared so well. They judged the cause of the poor and needy, which means they gave consideration to the claims of the unfortunate classes of the citizens.
Jeremiah 22:17. But the present generation was given to selfishness, even at the expense of the righteous poor of the land. If these covetous desires called for the slaying of innocent men the horrible plots were carried out.
Jeremiah 22:18. The remarks of the preceding verses could truthfully have been made of the leaders generally, but the Lord now comes to particulars and names a certain man. Jeholaklm was a son of Josiah and obtained the throne through the power of the Egyptian king who had deported his brother Jehoahaz, otherwise called Sballum. But Jehoiakim was a wicked ruler and practiced the injustices described in the preceding verses. Because of the oppression he forced upon the people they were actually relieved when be died, for they did not make any lamentations over it.
Jeremiah 22:19. Honorable burial has always been regarded as an indication of the respect with which a person had been held, therefore the lack of it would indicate the opposite. Jehoiakim was to have his body dragged out of the city and buried with no more respect than would have been given to a dumb beast.
Jeremiah 22:20, Lebanon was one of the favorite districts of Palestine from which the people sometimes got trees to form into idols. Bashan was a city in the heathen territory where much of the idolatrous practice was learned. Thy lovers are destroyed, is an allusion to Idolatry because that iniquity was compared with unfaithfulness in the marriage relation. The spots just named were connected with that corruption but were destined to be cleared of it by the captivity. The language of this verse is in the present tense as to grammatical form but is a prediction in thought.
Jeremiah 22:21. In thy prosperity means the Lord gave his people full warning during the time when all things were going well with the nation. Had they heeded the instruction at that time they could have avoided the humiliation of the captivity.
Jeremiah 22:22. As a wind will sweep things before it because of their lightness, so these pastors (unfaithful teachers) were to be swept away by the wind of the Babylonian army. When that takes place all the guilty ones will go into captivity. Be ashamed and confounded refers to the humiliation and confusion that was to result when the nation has been taken into Babylonian captivity.
Jeremiah 22:23. Inhabitant of Lebanon is not literally restricted to the people who lived In that territory for it was not very near to Jerusalem the condemned city. It is mentioned in this connection because of the pride the people had in that spot and also because of the idolatrous practices that were connected with it. Gracious is
from CHANAN and the part of Strong’ s definition that applies here is, "to implore (i, e,, move to favor by petition),” The thought is that when these guilty people see the enemy at their gates they will plead for God to be gracious unto them.
Jeremiah 22:24. The last three kings who sat on the throne of Judah were wicked men and all have been given attention by the prophet. They have not always been mentioned in the order of their reign for Zedekiah has been named already and he was the last one. The one who reigned last before him is the one named in this verse. This man had three names or at least that many forms of spelling it. To avoid confusion I will state them which are, Coniah, Jeconiah and Jehoiachin.
This man was not allowed to reign but three months when he was taken off by the king of Babylon, However, he submitted to the invader according to the advice of ch, 15: 2; 21: 9. and was taken unharmed to Babylon. Though . . . were the signet upon my right hand means that even the most valuable possession of the Lord would be discarded if it became corrupt. This man had to suffer the humiliation of captivity, also be destined to some other personal misfortunes, yet some exceptions were made in his ease as we shall see later.
Jeremiah 22:25. Seek thy life does not mean necessarily that he would he slain, but that his life would be taken over by another. Nebuchadrezzar was king of Babylon and the Chaldeans were a special group who were out-standing citizens of the country.
Jeremiah 22:26. The other country was Babylon and mention was made of his not being born there to emphasize the fact of its being a foreign land. There shall ye die. In 2 Kings 25:30 it Is stated that certain treatments were accorded Coniah in Babylon “ all the days of his life.” That would mean he lived hiB entire life in Babylon after being taken there which fulfills the prediction in the present verse. The Biblical account of the capture of this man and his relatives is given in 2 Kings 24:10-16.
Jeremiah 22:27. Exile in a foreign land is sad enough, but Coniah and hia family were notified that they never would be permitted to return to their native land.
Jeremiah 22:28. The general context shows this verse is a declaration of the Lord and not merely a question as the form of sentence construction would indicate. Therefore the words should be
arranged to make them read, fft-is man Coniah is a despised broken idol, etc. This does not add a single word to the passage but truly translates the original, "We are not told just what particular evils Coniah had committed but they certainly were bftd to have brought upon him and his family this shameful treatment.
Jeremiah 22:29, The word for earth is also defined "land” hy Strong. The verse means an emphatic call for all the people of the land to hear the word of the Lord.
Jeremiah 22:30. Childless does not require that he never did have any children, for verse 28 says his seed was cast out into a strange land, and one word in the lexicon definition of seed is "posterity.” The rest of this verse also in-dicates that he had seed but that no one of them would be allowed to succeed his father on the throne as was the usual procedure. Instead, the king of Babylon made his brother king of Judah who was called Zedekiah. (See 2 Kings 24:17 : 1 Chronicles 3:15; 2 Chronicles 36:10).
Jeremiah Chapter Twenty-Three
Verse 1
Jeremiah 23 OF CHRIST AND A OF FALSE By far the most important thing in this chapter is the glorious prophecy of Jesus Christ in Jeremiah 23:5-6. Beginning in Jeremiah 23:9 and extending to the end of the chapter is a lengthy discourse against the false prophets
The location of this chapter is significant. Jeremiah had just concluded the chapter in which he had severely denounced the sins of the terminal kings of Judah, with the exception of Zedekiah, during whose reign this chapter was evidently written. Since he was the reigning monarch, it is not surprising that his name does not occur here. Ash noted that scholars generally agree in dating this chapter in the reign of Zedekiah.[1] However some believe that it was possible that the prophecy of Messiah came before Zedekiah came to the throne, and that this probably influenced Zedekiah in the choice of a throne name so closely resembling the glorious title, "The Lord Our Righteousness" mentioned in 5:6. Zedekiah means "The Lord is righteous."
This whole chapter is "A prophetic vision which viewed the Jews as already in a state of dispersion, which they were suffering as a punishment for the reckless conduct of their shepherds (rulers)."[2]Jeremiah 23:1-4"Woe unto the shepherds that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith Jehovah. Therefore thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, against the shepherds that feed my people; ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them; behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith Jehovah. And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and multiply. And I will set up shepherds over them, who shall feed them; and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be lacking, saith Jehovah.""Shepherds that destroy and scatter the sheep ..." (Jeremiah 23:1). "Whither I have driven them ..."(Jeremiah 23:3). Throughout the Bible the same action is often attributed to multiple sources. Here the sheep were scattered by the false shepherds, but God also states that he had scattered them. "The same act may be referred to man or to God, according to the light in which we regard it."[3] Judicial hardening, for example, is done by God, and by Satan, and by men themselves. In the New Testament the crucifixion of Christ is said to have been done by (1) God; (2) by Christ; (3) by Satan; (4) by the Jews; (5) by the Romans, etc.
"The remnant of my flock out of all the countries ... and will bring them to their fold ..." (Jeremiah 23:3). This is a prophecy of the return of the righteous remnant from Babylon to Canaan, which in time, of course, duly came to pass; but there are two things that forbid the limitation of this prophecy to the physical return of a relatively few Jews from Baylonian captivity. These are: (1) the very limited number who returned, not from all the countries, but from Babylon only, and (2) the proximity of the passage to the glorious prophecy of the Messiah in the same breath. The fulfillment of this prophecy in its fuller significance occurred not in the pitiful remnant that returned from Babylon, but in the glorious ingathering into the fold of God of both Jews and Gentiles alike in the kingdom of Christ. As Cheyne expressed it, "To be in Christ is to be in the true Canaan."[4]"I will set up shepherds over them who shall feed them, and they shall fear no more ..." (Jeremiah 23:4) Barnes and others find this to be, "A prophecy of the post-exilic leaders such as Nehemiah, Ezra, the Maccabees, etc."[5] But this is by no means a satisfactory explanation of the prophecy. It is impossible to believe that during all the wars and dislocations of the inter-testamental period the people of God did not "fear any more." There are most certainly overtones of the kingdom of heaven in the prophecy here.
"The remnant of my flock ..." (Jeremiah 23:3). The doctrine of a righteous remnant appears extensively in the Old Testament. It is found in Isaiah 1:9; Isaiah 37:4; Micah 4:7; Micah 7:18, and in Jeremiah here, and in Jeremiah 24 and Jeremiah 40-44. One of the sons of Isaiah was named, "A remnant shall return," being in fact a double prophecy, not merely of the captivity, but also of the return to Palestine of a small remnant. The name of that son was Shear-Jashub, (Isaiah 7:3; Isaiah 10:21). Until there is proof that Isaiah did not live until after the exile, the critics will never establish their false allegation that the doctrine of a remnant did not exist prior to the exile.
"Nor be dismayed, neither shall any be lacking ..." (Jeremiah 23:4) Harrison thought that these words meant that, "None of them shall go astray, because responsible shepherds shall lead them and attend to their welfare."[6] If that is indeed what the passage means, it is further proof that only in Messianic times may the fulfillment be expected. Certainly in the long ages prior to the coming of Messiah, the Old Israel became more sinful than ever, sinking into the utter rigidity of God's judicial hardening; and those official "shepherds" of the people, the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Herodians were revealed as the false shepherds of Zechariah, and who engineered the crucifixion of the Son of God Himself. No, we cannot find the fulfillment of the promise of those noble shepherds of Jer 23:4 anywhere in ancient Israel. Also, alas, there were many religious communities during the reign of Messiah which still suffered from the fatal leadership of evil shepherds.
Verse 5
OF THE BRANCH"Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king, and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely; and this is his name whereby he shall be called: Jehovah our Righteousness. Therefore, behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that they shall no more say, As Jehovah liveth, who brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; but, As Jehovah liveth, who brought up and who led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all the countries whither I had driven them. And they shall dwell in their own land.""A righteous Branch ..." (Jeremiah 23:5). Without any doubt whatever, this is a promise of the Holy Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ.
The near-unanimous opinion of the greatest scholars of a thousand years has held this passage to be a prophecy of Jesus the Christ the Son of God. The words of it cannot possibly refer to any one else. Who else, among all the people ever born, could honestly be called JEHOVAH OUR ?
We shall cite only a few examples of what well-known writers have said and are still saying about this passage.
The announcement concerns the ideal king Messiah.[7] Messiah is here called THE LORD OUR , because he is Jehovah; and he is our righteousness because he justifies us by his merits.[8] As a title, BRANCH traces the human and divine ancestry of Messiah and focuses upon the kingly and priestly natures of the Messianic task.[9] In Jeremiah 23:5-8, we have the promise of Messiah.[10] Under the just scepter of Messiah, all Israel will reach the destiny designed for it by the Lord.[11] We have not many prophecies of Christ in Jeremiah, but here is a very illustrious one. Doubtless the prophet speaks of him and of no other man.[12] Some scholars question this oracle, feeling that messianism was not a significant element in Jeremiah's thought. But how can we know that? when the concept of messianism is found here, inJeremiah 33:15-16; Jeremiah 3:15-18, and in Jeremiah 31:31-34; and this is surely an instance of a direct reference to the messianic King.[13] The title BRANCH here has much in common semantically with "seed" (Genesis 3:15), the Davidic Son (2 Samuel 7), and with Isaiah's Servant of the Lord ... Here is the highest fulfillment of the Seed of Woman, the Son of David, and the Servant of the Lord.[14] This title, The Plant, is here unmistakably applied to the Messianic King.[15]There are at least a hundred other references in this writer's library that could be added to these; but these are sufficient for the moment.
We should be aware, however, that Satan is never content to allow any holy prophecy of the Son of God to remain unchallenged in the sacred scriptures; and there constantly surfaces evidence of satanic objections to every prophecy in the Word of God. Note the following paragraph.
"The concept of the coming king is not of major importance in Jeremiah. The Christian is tempted to find a reference to Christ here. Others suggest Zerubbabel (Haggai 2:23)."[16]It seems strange that such a comment as this should come from a former Bible professor in a Christian university. He strongly implies here that there is no reference to Christ in this passage, an interpretation that must be rejected. And who are those "others" who suggest Zerubbabel? Zerubbabel was no king in any sense of the word.
Who are the `others'? They are those who try to edit Christ out of every prophecy in the Bible. (See my dissertation on Zerubbabel in Vol. 3 of my commentaries on the minor prophets, pp. 188f.) Zerubbabel was a deputy of Darius the Great, king of Babylon, and being a favorite of that monarch was permitted to lead a group back to Jerusalem, where he served the king of Babylon as governor of Judah. He was of the seed of David all right, but as a son of Shealtiel, he was the legal heir to the non-existent throne of Israel, but was absolutely unqualified to sit on David's throne because of the prohibition of Jer 22:30.
We wish to note another serious blunder in the above quotation. The reference to Christians being "Tempted to find Christ" in the passage here implies that Christians might not be as reliable as some other people in arriving at a true interpretation of the Word of God. The opposite of this is true. An apostle of Jesus Christ flatly declared that unless one is indeed a believer in Christ Jesus, "Even to this day, in the reading of the Old Covenant, a veil lieth upon their heart" (2 Corinthians 3:15)! No one who is not a Christian can properly read and interpret the Old Testament. That is the very thing that produces so much irresponsible writing on the Old Testament today.
The futility of seeking a fulfillment of that promise of an ideal king at any time between the captivity and the First Advent of Christ is seen in the prophecy of Hosea who declared that Israel would continue "without king, without prince" (Hosea 3:4) etc. The earthly house of David was terminated in the previous chapter. "But even with the temporal kingship abolished, the sure mercies of David were still sure."[17] Those sure mercies, however, would be accomplished not by some racial group nor in some literal city such as Jerusalem, but in the realization of the Messianic Kingdom of Christ.
"And he shall reign as king ..." (Jeremiah 23:5). He shall reign as king, not as a puppet like Zedekiah, and not as a deputy of the king of Babylon like Zerubbabel.
"He shall be called JEHOVAH OUR ..." (Jeremiah 23:6). Who but Jesus Christ was ever entitled to a name like this? Ten times in the Greek New Testament Jesus is called God. Other than in the instance of a few lunatics has this name ever been applied to any person except our Lord.
We agree with Feinberg that the "forensic righteousness" (imputed righteousness) of the New Testament is not in this passage. Furthermore, we do not believe it is in the New Testament either! The righteousness here is genuine, intrinsic righteousness. How is it, then, called "our righteousness?" This is outlined in sevenKJV verses of the N.T.: Romans 3:22; Romans 3:26; Galatians 2:16; Galatians 2:20; Galatians 3:22; Ephesians 3:12; and Philippians 3:9. In all these verses properly translated, it is affirmed that men are saved by the "faith of Christ'; and it is Christ's righteousness alone that ever saved anyone. How?
By God's imputing righteousness to stinking sinners? A thousand times NO! God's way of saving sinners is by transferring the sinners into Christ, after they are willing to renounce themselves or deny themselves and to become identified with Christ, as Christ, and "in Christ" by being baptized into him (Galatians 3:26-27; Romans 6:3-5, and 1 Corinthians 12:13). Thus they partake of a righteousness that is truly genuine in the fullest sense of the word.
"As Jehovah liveth who ... led the seed of the children out of the north country ..." (Jeremiah 23:8). This greater exodus than the coming up out of Egypt was not fulfilled by the handful of returnees from Babylon. In the Exodus from Egypt, the tribe of Judah alone boasted over 600,000; therefore this greater exodus refers to the "innumerable company of the redeemed in Christ" (Revelation 7:9-10).
"And they shall dwell in their own land ..." (Jeremiah 23:8). Again we remember the words of Cheyne already quoted in this chapter, "To be in Christ is to be in the true Canaan." In addition to that, there never was for Israel, either safety or salvation in the old Canaan. Salvation is found nowhere, but nowhere, except in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Before leaving this great prophecy, we should point out that the metaphor also appears in Isaiah 11:1;Zechariah 3:8; Zechariah 6:11, etc. (See my comments "en loco" which will supplement what is written here.)
THE FALSE The wisdom of devoting most of the chapter to this subject appears in the fact that every generation has its quota of false prophets, and that such false teachers are the principal reason for the disobedience exhibited continually throughout history by the rebellious race of Adam. Our own generation needs this chapter as desperately as did the generation of Jeremiah. Note also, that despite the fact of the false teachers being the more to blame for the sins of the people, the sinful people also perished nevertheless. As Jesus said, "If the blind lead the blind, they shall both fall into the ditch."
Verse 9
"Concerning the prophets. My heart within me is broken, all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine hath overcome, because of Jehovah, and because of his holy words. For the land is full of adulterers; for because of swearing the land mourneth; the pastures of the wilderness are dried up. And their course is evil, and their might is not right; for both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith Jehovah. Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery places in the darkness, they shall be driven on, and fall therein; for I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith Jehovah.""Concerning the prophets ..." (Jeremiah 23:9). This is the title for the remainder of the chapter.
The message of these false prophets was summarized by Halley. "They delivered their messages `in the name of God,' falsely claiming an authority they did not have. They cried, `Jeremiah is lying; we are prophets of God, and God has told us Jerusalem is safe.' "[18]"The land is full of adulterers ..." (Jeremiah 23:10). "The adultery referred to here is not merely spiritual adultery in breaking the covenant with God, but it refers to the gross immorality of those godless men."[19]Immorality always leads to godlessness; and the people were whole-heartedly following the evil example of their wicked leaders.
Verse 13
"And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied by Baal, and caused my people to err. In the prophets of Jerusalem also I have seen a terrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies; and they strengthen the hands of evil-doers, so that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them become unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah. Therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts concerning the prophets: Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall; for from the prophets of Jerusalem is ungodliness gone forth into all the land."In a word, the evil prophets shall suffer the summary judgment of God. The mention of Sodom and Gomorrah here is significant. Ezekiel even stated that Israel had become "worse" than Sodom and Gomorrah (Ezekiel 16).
"Prophets of Samaria ... prophets of Jerusalem ..." (Jeremiah 23:13-14). Smith analyzed the denunciation of these prophets, noting that, "The prophets of Samaria were open idolaters, whereas the prophets of Jerusalem professed the true faith but led immoral lives and lived in hypocrisy. Therefore they were more strongly condemned than the prophets of Samaria."[20]Verse 16
"Therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they teach you vanity; they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of Jehovah. They say continually unto them that despise me, Jehovah hath said, Ye shall have peace; and unto everyone that walketh in the stubbornness of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you. For who hath stood in the council of Jehovah, that they should perceive and hear his word? who hath marked my word, and heard it? Behold, the tempest of Jehovah, even his wrath, is gone forth: it shall burst upon the head of the wicked. The anger of Jehovah shall not return, until he hath executed, and till he hath performed the intents of his heart: in the latter days ye shall understand it perfectly. I sent not these prophets, yet they ran: I spake not unto them, yet they prophesied.
But if they had stood in my council, then had they caused my people to hear my words, and had turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings."Jeremiah 23:16 carries the meaning that the false prophets, "Gave out the thoughts of their own heart as divine revelation, promising peace and prosperity to all stiff-necked sinners."[21] Were such men popular? Indeed, they were popular among the vast wicked majority of the people. "Here we have the principal earmark of false teaching. False prophets, or teachers, always speak words that quiet the conscience, promise all kinds of good things, and violate with impunity the laws of morality."[22] In our day, the false teachers know nothing except the grace, love, mercy, and forgiveness of God and absolutely nothing about obedience or holiness. Their doctrine is "Smile, something good is going to happen to you" or, "I'm OK, you're OK!"
Jeremiah 23:19-20 occur again almost verbatim in Jeremiah 30:23-24.
"In the latter days ye shall understand it ..." (Jeremiah 23:20). Normally the words. "In the latter days" are used to introduce the subject of the Messianic kingdom, or the eschatological happenings of the end times; but here, "They can hardly mean that. Here they mean that when God's judgment falls upon Judah, the whole nation at that time will understand perfectly what the warnings of Jeremiah and the other prophets were all about."[23] As Jamieson put it, "When the prophesies shall be fulfilled in their Babylonian exile, the people shall consider and see by bitter experience, their sinful folly."[24]Verse 23
"Am I a God at hand, saith Jehovah, and not a God afar off?. Can any hide himself in secret places so that I shall not see him? saith Jehovah. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith Jehovah. I have heard what the prophets have said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed. How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies, even the prophets of the deceit of their own heart? that think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbor, as their fathers forgat my name for Baal.""Am I a God at hand, and not a God afar off ..." (Jeremiah 23:23) This is a warning to the false prophets that they cannot hide from God. "He is not like some localized deity whom it is easy to avoid; he is inescapable, the immanent, transcendent, ubiquitous, omnipotent, omnipresent, and eternal God; and he has heard all the lies of the false prophets."[25]"That think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams ..." (Jeremiah 23:27). There are two things of importance here.
Note that the false prophets are enemies of God and that they have a purpose, that of causing the people to forget even the name of God. There is nothing innocent about such men, whether in the days of Jeremiah or at the present time.
"Forget my name by their dreams ..." (Jeremiah 23:27). "The superstition that attaches importance to dreams keeps God as entirely out of men's minds as does absolute idolatry."[26] It is true that God, of old times, did speak to some men in dreams; but he "has now spoken unto us through his Son" (Hebrews 1:2). This, of course, forbids our paying any attention whatever to dreams; and, if this is true of dreams, which indeed at one time were utilized by God in bringing messages to men, how much more is it mandatory that men pay no attention whatever to phrenology, palmistry, the signs of the Zodiac, etc., etc., which were never utilized by God in such a manner!
Verse 28
"The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the straw to the wheat? saith Jehovah. Is not my word like a fire, saith Jehovah, and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? Therefore, Behold, I am against the prophets, saith Jehovah, that steal my words everyone from his neighbor. Behold, I am against the prophets, saith Jehovah, that use their tongues and say, He saith. Behold, I am against them that prophesy lying dreams, saith Jehovah, and do tell them, and cause my people to err because of their lies, and by their vain boasting: yet I sent them not, nor commanded them; neither do they profit their people at all, saith Jehovah.""Let him tell a dream ..." (Jeremiah 23:28). This means, `let him tell a dream for what it is, merely a dream, and not the Word of God.'
"What is the wheat to the straw ..." (Jeremiah 23:28). This compares the words of the false prophets to the straw or the chaff, and the Word of God to the wheat.
"Is not my word like a fire ..." (Jeremiah 23:29)? This beautiful metaphor of the Word of God reminds us of Heb 4:12, "The Word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart."
Henderson identified three classes of false teachers here: (1) Those who pervert the true Word of God; (2) those who are word merchants, attractive, glib talkers, whose words have a pleasing sound but actually have no solid meaning; and (3) those who specialize in dreams![27]Verse 33
"And when this people, or a prophet, or a priest, shall ask thee, saying, What is the burden of Jehovah? then shalt thou say unto them, What burden? I will cast you off, saith Jehovah. And as for the prophet, and the priest, and the people, that shall say, The burden of Jehovah, I will even punish that man and his house. Thus shall ye say everyone to his neighbor, and everyone to his brother, What hath Jehovah answered thee? and what hath Jehovah spoken? And the burden of Jehovah shall ye mention no more: for every man's own word shall be his burden; for ye have perverted the words of the living God, of Jehovah of hosts our God. Thus shalt thou say to the prophet, What hath Jehovah answered thee? and, What hath Jehovah spoken? But if ye say, The burden of Jehovah: therefore thus saith Jehovah: because ye say this word, The Burden of Jehovah, and I have sent unto you, saying, Ye shall not say, The Burden of Jehovah; Therefore, Behold, I will utterly forget you, and cast you off, and the city that I gave unto you and to your fathers, away from my presence: and I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten."The wording of this paragraph is somewhat confusing; but the situation was this: Many of the prophecies of Jeremiah began with the words, "The burden of the Jehovah"; but the people did not believe the prophecies and were annoyed by Jeremiah's continued preaching; so they decided to call him, "You old burden of Jehovah!" Every time they saw him they mockingly asked him, "Well, what is the Burden of Jehovah today?" The mention of the false prophets and the priests who joined in this mockery of the true prophet of God suggests that they had perhaps organized this systematic mockery of Jeremiah.
In various verses of this paragraph, God's answer to this scandalous behavior was: "I will cast you off" (Jeremiah 23:33); "I will punish that man and his house who even uses those mocking words in Jeremiah's presence" (Jeremiah 23:34); to all who mockingly inquired about God's Word, there would be no answer at all. The Word of God shall be denied them, and their mockery shall be their burden before God when they are judged. "Every man's word shall be his own burden" (Jeremiah 23:36); "I will utterly forget you, and I will cast you off, and the city that I gave unto you and to your fathers, away from my presence; and I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten" (Jeremiah 23:40).
Jeremiah 23:1. The original word for pastor was defined at ch. 2:8 which the reader should see. The outstanding thought is one who feeds, figuratively or literally. The priests were expected to give spiritual food or knowledge to the people (Leviticus 10:8-11; Deuteronomy 17:9-11; Malachi 2:7), and the prophets were to give any special messages that the Lord regarded neces-sary at times. But these leading men became negligent of their duties and misused their position for their personal advantage. The Lord accuses them of scattering the sheep and threatens woe upon jhem.
Jeremiah 23:2, Have scattered my flock is a figure of speech that is appropriate in connection with a shepherd which is the illustration chosen in the case. Have driven them away had not yet been done literally except that the people were actually alienated from God by the evil practices of these pastors. Have not visited them is another term appropriate to the illustration of a pastor or shepherd. A shepherd is supposed to go and look after his Hock to see if any of the sheep are in need. These shepherds had about lost all Care for the flock and were bestowing the provisions on themselves that the chief Shepherd had placed in their hands for His fiock (Ezekiel 34:8). For this great neglect of duty the Lord decreed severe punishment upon them.
Jeremiah 23:3. This verse is a prediction of the return from Babylonian captivity. The original word for countries also means “ lands." The Babylonian Empire was considered one institution but embraced practically all the lands in the civilized world, and the Lord's people were scattered over many of these lands. Folds is another term that is appropriate in the list connected with a flock. It literally means that God's people who survive the effects of the captivity (the "remnant") will be returned to their native land in Palestine. The Biblical account of the fulfillment is in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. The historical account of it was cited with the comments on Isaiah 14:1 in Voi. 3 of this .
Jeremiah 23:4. The imagery or line of illus-trations of a shepherd and his flock is still used. The shepherds of this prediction were such teachers as Ezra arid Nehemiah and the good feeding of those men is recorded in Nehemiah 8:1-9.
Jeremiah 23:5. Jeremiah used the same practice as that of Isaiah (though not nearly as frequently) of passing from affairs of ancient Israel to those of spiritual Israel under Christ. David was the first king of ancient Israel from the tribe of Judah, hence it was fitting that lie be named in connection with the spiritual King (Jesus) Who also was from the tribe of Judah (Hebrews 7:14). Branch means something that has sprouted from another plant and is properly applied to Christ as he was a lineal descendant from David.
Jeremiah 23:6. Judah and Israel being mentioned together indicates that all 13 tribes of the nation would be in existence when Christ came to the earth. But they were to be saved as followers of Christ and not as Jews. At the time of this writing, however, the Jews were the people who were in the front line of attention from the Lord, hence it was logical to mention them in this specific manner.
Jeremiah 23:7-8. These verses are identical with ch. Ill: 14, 15 and the reader is referred to that place for the comments.
Jeremiah 23:9. Jeremiah is expressing his own feeling in this verse although the remarks also truly represent the attitude of the Lord. An inspired prophet is always speaking for the Lord even when the language sounds as if he were expressing only his own sentiments. However, Jeremiah was so unusually concerned about the affairs of his people that he would put himself into his speech at the same time he was speaking by inspiration. The prophets refers to the false ones who have been the object of much complaint from Jeremiah all along. Because of the Lord denotes that Jeremiah’ s disturbed condition of mind and body is caused by the disregard the prophets have for the words of the Lord,
Jeremiah 23:10. Doubtless there were many men in Judah who were adulterers in the physical sense, but the charge has special reference to idolatry, which was always classed as adultery. Swear- itiff is from a word that also means a curse, and here refers to the curse that the unfaithful prophets have brought on the land. The evil conditions named are somewhat prophetic and refer especially to what is destined to come upon the land as a chastisement from God.
Jeremiah 23:11. The prophet and priest are the unfaithful ones who have been mentioned in so many places because of their false teaching to the people. (See ch. 5: 31.) They are called profane and the reason for the charge is the fact that they were practicing their wickedness in the Lord’ s house. Profanity consists in making a common or temporal use of a sacred thiug. which these leaders were certainly doing.
Jeremiah 23:12. Slippery is from a word that is defined "treacherous’ ' in the lexicon, and the thought is the Lord would deprive these false teachers of any certain guidance. They have been so indifferent about His instruction for many years anyway, so now they were destined to face the future in great uncertainty.
Jeremiah 23:13. This verse makes reference to the 10-trlbe kingdom although it had been in exile for a century when this passage was written. When distinguished from Judah, that kingdom was called Israel and its capital was Samaria. That kingdom also had false prophets and God mentions them in this connection because he wms threatening the false prophets of Judah with a punishment similar to that imposed on the others. Prophesied- in Baal means they issued their declarations in the name of Baal,
Jeremiah 23:14. Jerusalem was the capital of Judah and many of the prophets resided there or at least were near enough that much of their activity was done in that city. Adultery is continuously compared to idolatry in the Bible because both corruptions constitute unfaithfulness of one partner in a unity to the other. However, we have evidence that when these unrighteous leaders are accused of adultery it refers to the physical kind, for sometimes it is said they commit adultery with their neighbors’ wives (ch. 29: 23), which would have no meaning were the writer merely considering spiritual evil. Strengthen hands of evildoers was done by not admonishing them of their deeds, which resulted in their continuance in sin through the encouragement given. They are ... as Sodom ... os Gomorrah means the Lord regarded these false leaders with the same: disfavor as he did those ancient wicked peopie.
Jeremiah 23:15. Wormwood and pall are used figuratively because of the meaning of bitterness that is indicated by the words. For the technical comments on the words see those offered at eh. 9: 15. Profaneness is defined in the lexicon as "impiety,” which means a lack of true devotion.
Jeremiah 23:16. This verse is directed to the people of Judah and they are admonished not to listen to these false prophets. Vision of their own heart means the prophecies they issued were the fruit of their own mind and not the inspiration of the Lord.
Jeremiah 23:17, The main subject of these false prophecies was peace. They pacified the people by assuring them that no trouble was in store for them. Such false prophecies were not only a denial of the word of God, but also encouraged the people not to make any improvement in their lives.
Jeremiah 23:18. This verse might properly be called a challenging question that the Lord asked concerning the false prophets. Stood in the counsel of the Lord would mean to have taken their stand according to the instructions which the Lord would give. These false leaders had not done so and the verse calls upon them just to name one among them who had done so, and of course they could not point to a prophet of that unfaithful group who could say he had relied upon (he ix>rd for his instructions.
Jeremiah 23:19. Whirlwind is a figure of speech to illustrate the storm of God’ s wrath against these evildoers. It was to fall in a special manner on the heads of these men who were foremost in the corrupt practices.
Jeremiah 23:20. The key to the significance of this verse is in the words not return until. The passage is a prediction of
the captivity that was to cure the nation of idolatry. When that is accomplished then the Lord’ s anger will return to himself because it will be satisfied with the results. Latter days ye shall consider is a specific prediction that when the captivity will have run its course, the people will take a serious view of the whole situation and will be done for good with idolatry.
Jeremiah 23:21. These false prophets were acting solely as their own minds dictated and thus were on their own responsibility with no regard for the Lord,
Jeremiah 23:22. Had these men been desirous of giving the proper advice to the people they would have been used by the Lord. The result of such teaching would have been to turn them from their evil way into the ways of righteousness.
Verse 23. At hand and afar off are the contrasting terms of this verse and represent the attitude the false teachers maintained toward God. In other words, they seemed to think that if God were near them they would need to “ watch their step," but since he was afar off it would not matter so much. The thought offered for their pondering is that God is not so far away that he does not know what they are doing, and will bring upon them the chastisement their conduct deserves.
Jeremiah 23:24. The first clause of this verse justifies the comments on the preceding one. Adam learned to his shame that man cannot hide from God because He is everywhere. On this important subject it will be well to read Psalms 139:7-12.
Jeremiah 23:25. Since God Is everywhere at the same time he also sees and hears all that is done and said. When these false leaders were deceiving the people with the supposed importance of dreams, the Lord heard and knew all about it. It is true that one form of inspired revelations was that of dreams and these lying prophets took advantage of the common feeling of respect for dreams. But like many other things that God sometimes uses, these dreams were also relied upon by the unfaithful prophets.
Jeremiah 23:26. This verse is the same in thought as verse 16.
Jeremiah 23:27. This verse gives the motive these false prophets had for offering their deceitful dreams to the people. Jesus said that no man could serve two masters and these false prophets seemed to realize that truth. On that theory they knew the people would not become interested in Baal as long as they had the proper regard for God, hence their efforts to turn them away from Him.
Jeremiah 23:28. There is nothing wrong in having a dream nor even in relating it to others, provided one does not make any false claims for it, But when a man has the ordinary experience of a dream and then pretends it to have been an inspired one he becomes a false teacher. These remarks are the explanation of this verse. If a man has a dream let him tell a dream, (tell it as a dream only) and not pre-tend it to be a revelation from God. If a man really has the word of God he will be able to prove it and should he faithful in revealing It to others. The inspired writer compares a dream to chaff in contrast with inspired words whieh are wheat.
Jeremiah 23:29. The word of the Lord is compared to fire because It consumes the waste materials, and to a hammer because it can crush the stubborness of wicked men.
Jeremiah 23:30. Stealing my words if considered alone would not be true because no one can take anything from God by force. The explanation is in the words from his neighbor. By deceiving his neighbor through false dreams and prophecies he prevents him from hearing the words of God, and in this manner he steals the words from the people.
Jeremiah 23:31. If the reader will underscore the pronouns their and he, the meaning of the verse will be seen. These false prophets would say what they wanted to then claim that God said it which amounted to a forgery of God’ s name.
Jeremiah 23:32, Prophesy false dreams means to make false prophecies on the basis of their dreams. The chief grievance against them was that it caused the people to go astray. The original word for lightness is defined in the lexicon as “ frivolity.” God never sent out such men to prophesy to the people hence their speeches were not doing any good.
Jeremiah 23:33. Burden means a statement or saying or message. If the people should ask these false prophets what message they had from the Lord they would be compelled to ask, what burden? That means they would have none to deliver, for the Lord had for-saken these false prophets and would
not entrust them with any inspired messages.
Jeremiah 23:34. The three classes, prophet, priest and people, had composed an informal alliance against the Lord, The first two would express false teaching and the people took pleasure in it (ch. 5: 31), and now they were all claiming these false prophecies to he a burden or message from the Lord; but God said he would punish all guilty ones.
Jeremiah 23:35. Instead of affirming that such is a message from the Lord, they should only be inquirers asking truly what the message of the Lord is.
Jeremiah 23:36. The people had perverted the words of the Lord and hence were unworthy of being speakers of the burden or message of the Lord. So the truth of the matter was that God's judgments would finally be poured out upon the whole nation.
Jeremiah 23:37. It would always be a proper inquiry to ask a prophet what the Lord had to say, but not proper to assume that these false prophets could discover for themselves what the Lord would have them say.
Jeremiah 23:38. The charge the Lord had was that these false teachers would assert that certain words were from the Lord when they were not. The Lord had even forbidden them to claim (heir messages W'ere from the Lord. By considering the general context of this run of verses we may understand that the unauthorized burden or message these false prophets were circulating was the promise of peace assuring them that nothing was going to happen to mar their peace (ch. 6: 14).
Jeremiah 23:39. In reply to the false assurances of peace preached by these unfaithful leaders, the Lord again announced the surety of the captivity.
Jeremiah 23:40. The captivity was not to last for ever, for the return from it was predicted many times, but the shame of it was destined to he remembered by future generations. This has been verified by the history of the Jews down to our own times.
Jeremiah Chapter Twenty-FourVerse 1
Jeremiah 24TWO BASKETS OF FIGSThe approximate date of this vision is shortly after the deportation of Jeconiah and the nobles and craftsmen to Babylon following the first capture of Jerusalem by Babylon in 597 B.C.
Keil considered the vision recounted here as symbolical of "the future of Judah's people."[1] Jamieson stated the purpose of the chapter a little more fully. "This chapter was designed to encourage the despairing exiles, and to reprove the people left in Jerusalem, who prided themselves as superior and more highly favored than the exiles."[2] The ones remaining in Judah had appropriated all of the possessions left behind by the exiles; and they were no doubt congratulating themselves on how lucky they were. The approximate date of this vision is shortly after the deportation of This little parable of the two baskets of figs was designed to show them how wrong they were.
Jeremiah 24:1-3"Jehovah showed me, and, behold, two baskets of figs set before the temple of Jehovah, after that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiachim, king of Judah, and the princes of Judah, and the craftsmen and smiths from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon. One basket had very good figs, like figs that are first-ripe; and the other basket had very bad figs, which could not be eaten, they were so bad. Then said Jehovah unto me, What seest thou, Jeremiah? And I said, Figs; the good figs very good; and the bad, very bad, that cannot be eaten, they are so bad.""Baskets of figs set before the temple ..." (Jeremiah 24:1) The great lesson here, which is missed by many of the commentators, has nothing whatever to do with "first-fruits"[3] The lesson that thunders from the parable is that "proximity to the temple" is no sign whatever of the holiness or acceptability of the people living in the vicinity of the Jewish temple. The people in Jerusalem were close to the temple, all right, but they were not close to God! They were exactly like that basket of rotten figs on the very steps of the temple.
"The king ... the princes ... the craftsmen and smiths ..." (Jeremiah 24:1). The cream of the nation had already been deported. All of the skilled artisans and craftsmen and presumably all of the people with special skills. The meaning of "smiths" is uncertain; but the general import of the verse is plain enough. Both Ezekiel and Daniel were also in that first group of captives. See 2 Kings 24:10-17 of the Biblical record of who went to Babylon.
The teaching of the parable is that the people left in Judah were inferior to the captives who went to Babylon. Barnes stated that, "Those left behind were not worth taking."[4]This estimate proved to be correct. Zedekiah surrounded himself with a group of citizens who persuaded him to form an alliance with Egypt and to resist any further submission to Babylon. That policy, of course, brought on the second siege of Jerusalem, the murder of the vast majority of the population, the destruction of the temple, and the reduction of the whole city to a ruin. In the long ran, the ones remaining in Judah would have by far the worst fate. The one and one half year siege they endured was one of the worst in history, the inhabitants even being reduced to cannibalism.
"The good figs ... the bad figs ..." (Jeremiah 24:2-3) It seems that so simple a vision should not need much comment; but commentators always find something to write about. We are told that the good figs came from the early crop of a variety that produced two or three crops a year, the first one being far superior to the other two. The bad figs were described as "rotten" by Harrison, and probably the "sycamore fig" by Smith. That variety needed to be pricked during the ripening process; and the failure to provide that treatment made the figs inedible!
This little parable is very much like that of the basket of summer fruit in Amos 8:1-3. We refer the reader to our exegesis of that parable in Vol. 1 of the Minor Prophets Series.
Verse 4
THE PARABLE "And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel: Like these good figs, so will I regard the captives of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans, for good. For I will set mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them again to this land: and I will build them, and not pull them down; and I will plant them, and not pluck them up. And I will give them a heart to know me, that I am Jehovah: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God; for they shall return unto me with their whole heart."The captivity in Babylon, in some ways, was like the long sojourn of the children of Jacob in Egypt which also ended in the captivity of the nation. In the days of Judah, the son of Jacob, there was grave danger of the Israelites becoming amalgamated with the citizens of Canaan; but God transferred them to Egypt where the whole nation was despised and where any amalgamation with Egypt was virtually impossible. Their sojourn in Egypt kept them segregated and enabled them to develop into a powerful people. So here, the captivity in Babylon would finally eradicate idolatry from the preference of the Hebrew people. This and many other things were meant by the Lord's word that he was sending Israel into Babylon "for good."
"Green spoke of the exiles thus: They were the hope of true religion in the future; they had endured the shock of deportation; they had been stripped of their false securities; they were undergoing the discipline of Divine love. Some of them would respond to their suffering in a right spirit and return to God with their whole heart."[5]It is sad indeed that the subsequent history of the returnees did not exhibit such desirable results in all of the people. Ash's comment on this is accurate.
"Post-exilic sources from Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi show that the real situation was something less than the expectation mentioned here."[6]Despite this truth, however, there were indeed those who waited for the kingdom of God; and, in the fullness of time, Mary would wrap her babe in swaddling clothes; and the Redeemer of Mankind would be cradled in a manger in Bethlehem! From people like Mary and Joseph, and Zacharias and Elizabeth, and Simeon, and Anna, and Nathaniel, and Zacchaeus, the holy Apostles, and that handful of 120 people in the upper room on Pentecost, from people like that and a few others, the New Israel of God was formed; and the kingdom of heaven on earth was launched when the Word of the Lord went forth from Jerusalem on Pentecost! Without the hard discipline of the Baylonian captivity, not even this humble beginning could ever have been achieved.
Verse 8
THE BAD FIGS"And as the bad figs that cannot be eaten, they are so bad, surely thus saith Jehovah, So will I give up Zedekiah the king of Judah, and his princes, and the residue of Jerusalem, that remain in the land, and them that dwell in the land of Egypt, I will even give them up to be tossed to and fro among all the kingdoms of the earth for evil; to be a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse, in all places whither I shall drive them. And I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, among them, till they be consumed from off the land that I gave unto them and to their fathers.""The bad figs ..." (Jeremiah 24:8) These are identified here as Zedekiah the king of Judah and his princes, along with all of the rest of the people who remained behind in Judah after the deportation of the first wave of captives. Note also that even the Jews who had fled to Egypt or other nations are also included among the bad figs. Only the people who suffered the discipline of the captivity would be used by God in his future plans for Israel, and not all of them, but only those who with a whole heart would repent and turn to the true God.
"Green's word on the bad figs: They were the self-righteous remainder of the people in Jerusalem and Judah who had a spirit of arrogant superiority, scorn for their less fortunate countrymen in captivity, and a superstitious reliance on such sanctified shams as the inviolability of Jerusalem and the Temple, and a trust in the efficacy of empty, formalistic worship."[7]These verses, of course, prophecy another invasion and destruction of Jerusalem, which indeed came to pass about a decade after the first invasion. There would be other captives to join their countrymen in Babylon; and the Jews would be totally rooted out of the land that God had given to them and to their fathers.
"Among all the kingdoms of the earth ..." (Jeremiah 24:9) This is a reiteration of the Mosaic curse ofDeuteronomy 28:25,37, the fulfillment of which is witnessed by a Jewish settlement in practically every city on the face of the earth.
There is, of course, far more in this prophecy than the transport of Jews to Babylon. "The prophecy ofJeremiah 24:10 was partly fulfilled in the fall of Jerusalem to Nebuchadnezzar, but more so in the siege of Jerusalem by the Romans under Vespasian and Titus in A.D. 70."[8] It was upon that occasion that the status of racial Israel, already long reduced, was at last terminated, as regards any racial consideration whatever having any bearing whatever upon who is saved or not saved.
Jeremiah 24:1. We have previously had some occasions of prophets who were "acting" as a means of emphasizing a subject under consideration. In this chapter we have a case where the Lord does some of it, or at least makes a literal use of the matter he wishes to impress upon Jeremiah. The case is one where some baskets were set before the temple because both represented coming events to which that, institution was related. The date of the vision of the baskets is given which is just after the king of Babylon had taken Jeconiah (Jehoiachin) from his throne in Jerusalem and carried him to Babylon; that event is recorded in 2 Kings 10-16.
Jeremiah 24:2. This verse only describes the character of the figs in the basket. The. good ones are said to be so because they are ripe or mature and useful, which means the others are the opposite and hence not useful.
Jeremiah 24:3. We know the Lord did not ask this question for information, but for the purpose of Impressing the scene on the mind of Jeremiah. The mere act of repealing a statement or describing a situation will often fasten it firmly on the memory.
Jeremiah 24:4. Having fixed the scene vividly on the mind of the prophet, the Lord is going to tell him its meaning.
Jeremiah 24:5. The nation as a whole was doomed to fall into the hands of the invader and be taken out of the land. But certain parts of it would be treated in a special manner through the Lord’ s decrees. Most of the people were to be taken unharmed to the country of Babylon proper and finally have a remnant returned to their native land of Palestine. This portion of the nation was illustrated by the good figs.
Jeremiah 24:6. Good is used in the sense of something pleasant or favorable and not as the opposite of wrong. The good was to consist of their return to their native land, and being rebuilt as a nation with Jerusalem as its capital. Not pluck them up was an assurance that the nation would not again be taken into captivity as before.
Jeremiah 24:7. This wholehearted return in devotion to God was fulfilled and it is recorded in the books of Ezra and Neheraiah.
Jeremiah 24:8. As stated before, a part of the nation was to fare less favorably than others and that part was represented by the had figs. This had specific reference to Zedekiah and his relatives. he being the last king to sit on the throne in Jerusalem. He Ignored the admonitions of the prophet to submit peaceably to the king of Babylon. He thought he could outwit the Invaders and thus thwart the inspired predictions of the prophet. He tried to escape but was overtaken, and he and his relatives were treated with
great disgrace by the king of Babylon. The history of this- may be seen in 2 Kings 25:4-7.
Jeremiah 24:9. Some of the scattered people of Zedektah's kingdom were taken off t.o Egypt or other places in the earth many of whom were never accounted for afterward. A glimpse of this misfortune can be seen in Jeremiah 43.
Jeremiah 24:10. For comments on the three items, sword, famine and pestilence, see those in connection with Jeremiah 14:12,
Jeremiah Chapter Twenty-Five
Verse 1
Jeremiah 25 OF THE SEVENTY YEARS OF This remarkable chapter records the prophecy of Jeremiah which came at the end of twenty-three years of his ministry, during which he had continuously pleaded with Judah for their repentance and whole-hearted return unto the worship of their true God. Judah never heeded him.
The message here was stark and terrible. Judah's day of grace had expired; the longsuffering mercy of God could no longer postpone the deserved judgment of the rebellious nation; the calamity stored up for the Chosen People could no longer be averted or postponed; the time of judgment was at hand!
The chapter falls into three divisions: (1) The judgment of Judah and the eventual doom of Babylon (Jeremiah 25:1-14), (2) the cup of God's wrath upon the nations (Jeremiah 25:15-29), and (3) the judgment of the whole world (Jeremiah 25:30-38).
In the first division, we have the sensational prophecy that the captivity of Israel would last seventy years. This amazing prophecy foretold the exact duration of the Babylonian exile; and, "There was no possible way for Jeremiah to have known a thing like that except by the direct revelation of Almighty God."[1]We are aware of the glib manner in which many present day scholars speak of this prophecy of seventy years being a "round number," not meaning seventy years at all, but "a very long time." But such comments are worthless, being only the best that unbelievers can come up with in the form of denial. As Keil noted, "The term of seventy years mentioned is not a so-called `round number,' but a chronologically exact prediction of the Chaldean supremacy over Judah."[2] Oh yes, we are aware that an exact calculation of the "seventy years" embraces the time from the battle of Carchemish in 605 B.C. to the 1st year of Cyrus, some sixty-seven years; but the additional three years were required for the establishment of the first wave of returnees; and besides that, as Dummelow pointed out, "The Jews, because of their love of round numbers, would have considered the number seventy here as standing for any approximation of that number."[3]However, Keil pointed out that, "The captivity should be reckoned from the first year of Jehoiachim (606 B.C.), till the first year of the sole supremacy of Cyrus over Babylon (536 B.C.), a period of exactly seventy years, this number being confirmed by the dates given by both profane and Scriptural historians."[4] Many commentators miss the point here, namely, that the "captivity" should be dated from the first year of Jehoiachim, not the third or fourth year. With the first day of the accession of Jehoiachim, Judah was no longer an independent nation.
We find no fault whatever with Keil's calculations; and, additionally, the sacred Scriptures themselves refer to this prophecy as having an "exact fulfillment." 2 Chronicles 36:20-23 states that God required Israel's captivity to last seventy years in order that the violation of the divine requirement that the land should enjoy a sabbath every seven years might be confirmed and "made up" by Israel. In the 490 year time period between the accession of king Saul and the Babylonian captivity, Israel did not observe the commanded sabbaths for the land. The inspired writer of 2Chronicles stated categorically that the captivity lasted seventy years, "Until the land had enjoyed its sabbaths: for as long as it lay desolate, it kept sabbaths, to fulfill the threescore and ten years" (2 Chronicles 36:21). Too bad they had never heard of all those round numbers! One year out of every seven for 490 years equals exactly "seventy years."
Also, notice in this connection that Daniel the prophet (Daniel 9:2), in the first year of the Median king Darius, took note of the seventy years which God, according to the prophet Jeremiah, would accomplish for the desolation of Jerusalem. "Furthermore, Daniel's seventy prophetic weeks are based upon the seventy years of the captivity (Daniel 9:2; Daniel 9:24)."[5]For all of these valid reasons, we reject as worthless the speculations that would rob this remarkable prophecy of its specific meaning. We are aware that "many current scholars" agree that the prophecy means only "a very long time"; but, it is a foregone certainty that when "many scholars" agree on some such an interpretation, only one of them is doing any thinking, and the rest are merely going along with the crowd. It is also probable that in such a concurrence of denial, there may not be very many believers.
Jeremiah 25:1-3"The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah, in the fourth year of Jehoiachim the son of Josiah, king of Judah (the same was the first year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon), which Jeremiah the prophet spake unto all the people of Judah, and to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying: From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, even unto this day, these three and twenty years, the word of Jehovah hath come unto me, and I have spoken unto you, rising up early and speaking; but ye have not hearkened.""The fourth year of Jehoiachim ..." (Jeremiah 25:1). Daniel gives this date as "the third year of Jehoiachim" (Jeremiah 1:1); but this is not a conflict. "There were two methods of reckoning `the year' of kings of the Near East during that period, as proved by archeology."[6] The year of accession to the throne was not counted in one of the methods. (See my discussion of this "alleged contradiction" in Vol. 4 of the Major Prophets Series of my commentaries, pp. 17,18.) By the Babylonian method of calculating, it was the third year of Jehoiachim, and this reckoning was followed by Daniel. The Jewish calculation gave the year as the fourth of Jehoiachim. Both statements are correct.
The duration of twenty-three years up to this point in Jeremiah's ministry was made up of nineteen years of the reign of Josiah and four years of the reign of Jehoiachim, including the three-months reign of Jehoahaz.
Verse 4
"And Jehovah hath sent unto you all his servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them (but ye have not hearkened, nor inclined your ear to hear), saying, Return ye now everyone from his evil way, and from the evil of your doings, and dwell in the land which Jehovah hath given unto you and to your fathers, from of old, and even forever more; and go not after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, and provoke me to anger with the work of your hands; and I will do you no hurt. Yet ye have not hearkened unto me, saith Jehovah; that ye may provoke me to anger with the work of your hands to your own hurt.""Jehovah hath sent ... all his servants the prophets ..." (Jeremiah 25:4). Not merely the words of Jeremiah, but those of all of God's true prophets had been ignored and disregarded by apostate Judah. All these servants included Daniel, Ezekiel, Uriah (who was murdered) and Jeremiah.
"And go not after other gods ..." (Jeremiah 25:6). The unwavering passion of the Israelites for the licentious worship of the pagan idols proved to be the eventual destruction of the people.
"Ye have not hearkened unto me ..." (Jeremiah 25:7). The people simply would not receive correction. They stubbornly determined to Walk in their own way, regardless of the consequences; and that attitude resulted in the sentence that Jeremiah would announce in the next four verses.
Verse 8
"Therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Because ye have not heard my words, behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith Jehovah, and I will send unto Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and make them an astonishment, and a hissing, and perpetual desolations. Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, and the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the lamp. And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.""All the families of the north ... Nebuchadrezzar ..." (Jeremiah 25:9). The meaning of this is that the king of Babylon and all of his allies would come against Judah. The north was the direction from which all of the military operations against Jerusalem were to come, due to geographical considerations; and this does not mean that all of the enemies mentioned here lived in areas north of Jerusalem, for, in fact, many of them came from the east.
"The voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, and the sound of the millstones, and the light of the lamp ..." (Jeremiah 25:10). The destruction about to come upon the last vestiges of the Old Israel was a very significant and historical event, because the Old Israel was a type of the New Israel, which would eventually be the Church "in Christ Jesus." Sadly enough, the scriptures teach that just as the Old Israel finally and completely rejected God, so will it be also with the New Israel when the fourth and final judicial hardening of the human race occurs, as fully prophesied in Revelation 16, at which time, God's New Israel, at that time, having become the shameless Whore of Revelation 17, and corresponding exactly to the final apostasy of Judah, then God will destroy them in the same manner that he destroyed Judah, many of these very expressions being woven into the prophecy that concludes with the last portion of Revelation 18. Those who are interested in a further study of this may wish to read our discussion of Revelation 9-11 in my commentary (Volume 12 in the New Testament Series).
"These nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years ..." (Jeremiah 25:11). See the chapter introduction for a full discussion of this prophecy.
"Perpetual desolations ... a desolation ..." (Jeremiah 25:9; Jeremiah 25:11). A well known fact of history is that the majority of those nations which became slaves of Babylon did indeed become "perpetual" desolations, whereas, the mention of "a desolation" in Jeremiah 25:11 seems to avoid such a prophecy regarding Jerusalem; for that city would indeed be rebuilt, and God's servant Cyrus would significantly aid the restoration. Yes, Jerusalem would indeed become "a desolation"; but it would continue as a city until the Son of God should appear in her midst.
"Nebuchadrezzar, my servant ..." (Jeremiah 25:9). This glorious title was first given by God to Moses; and, in the Bible, it is usually reserved to the noblest and most faithful worshippers of the True God; but here it is thrice applied to Nebuchadrezzar, and also to Cyrus (in Isaiah). Such men were not servants of God in the highest sense of the word; but they were, nevertheless, very important servants, being, in truth, the instruments by which God punished his own rebellious children. Significantly, such persons did not consciously serve God but yet they executed his divine judgment upon others. As a rule, such "servants" became in time God's enemies and were in turn judged and punished by the will of God. As in Zechariah (Zechariah 1:18 ff), the same nations might be either horns or smiths depending upon the circumstances.
A characteristic of human power is seen in the punishment that Babylon executed upon Judah. That punishment was aggravated by human lust and sadistic cruelty, greatly increasing sorrow and suffering; and the arrogant conceit and boastfulness indulged by such "instruments" of God inevitably led to their own destruction. It is this principle that led to the judgment announced in the next paragraph.
Verse 12
"And it shall come to pass when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith Jehovah, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and I will make it desolate for ever. And I will bring upon that land all my words which I have pronounced against it, even all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah hath prophesied against all the nations. For many nations and great kings shall make bondmen of them; and I will recompense them according to their deeds, and according to the work of their hands."What an impossible prophecy this appeared to be as viewed by the people of Jeremiah's generation! No great power of human history had ever been terminated so quickly after reaching their zenith; but it came to pass exactly as the prophet foretold.
"Many nations and great kings shall make bondmen of them ..." (Jeremiah 25:14). "These were the Medes and Persians who subjugated Babylonia under Cyrus in 539 B.C."[7]Verse 15
"For thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, unto me: Take this cup of the wine of wrath at my hand, and cause all the nations to whom I send thee, to drink it. And they shall drink, and reel to and fro, and be mad because of the sword that I will send among them.""The cup of the wine of wrath ..." (Jeremiah 25:15). This was no literal cup, but a symbol of God's wrath against many nations, a number of which would be named in this very chapter. Significantly, even the apostate church was made to drink of the cup of the wine of God's wrath in Revelation 18:6. It is also of very great significance that at the very time when God's people were to drink of the wine of God's wrath, the nations of mankind who knew not the Lord were also summoned to drink of the same cup! So will it be at the end of the age. When the final apostasy of mankind has taken place, and even the church has disappeared, or nearly so, from the face of the earth, as foretold by the Saviour in Luke 18:8, at that very moment the destruction of all the world shall immediately follow upon the occasion of the final Judgment, the redeemed in Christ Jesus being the sole exceptions!
The metaphor of God's giving the nations a cup of wrath that caused them to be mad and drunken ascribes "all that happens," whether good or evil, to God. This is hard for moderns to understand; but all of the prophets stressed this. "Shall there be evil in a city, and Jehovah hath not done it" (Amos 3:6)? How is God the author of evil? He has created the laws of control, not merely for the universe, but for men as well; and when men violate God's laws of control, evil is sure to result. In that sense, God does the evil. This was a necessary point of view on the part of God's prophets, because the pagans ascribed all evil to members of their pagan pantheon.
The Great Truth proclaimed by the prophets was that God is the First Cause, and the Last Cause, and the Only Cause. As Cheyne stated it: "The faith of the Prophets compared to ours was as an oak tree to a sapling; and therefore they could express the truth of the Universal Causation of Jehovah with perfect tranquillity."[8]"The sword that I will send among them ..." (Jeremiah 25:16). This could mean the actual sword of human warfare, or God's own sword, as mentioned in Genesis 3:24. God is not dependent upon the swords of men for the accomplishment of his will. Many other instruments are available to the Eternal God.
Verse 17
"Then I took the cup at Jehovah's hand, and made all the nations to drink, unto whom Jehovah had sent me: to wit, Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, and the kings thereof, and the princes thereof, to make them a desolation, a hissing, and a curse, as it is to this day; Pharaoh king of Egypt, and his servants, and his princes, and all his people.""The cup at Jehovah's hand ..." (Jeremiah 25:17). Although Jeremiah is here represented as giving the cup to the nations, it is actually God who requires men to drink of it. As Green said, "This is a cup from which all men have to drink, the consequences of our wrong choices. Life places it to our lips, and its contents can be very bitter, whether the recipient be a nation or an individual."[9]"To wit, Jerusalem, etc." (Jeremiah 25:18). The expression to wit means "namely." It is used in legal documents to introduce a list or an explanation; and it is so used here. Significantly, it is Jerusalem that leads the list.
Why? "Judgment begins at the house of God." (1 Peter 4:17). When any civilization has become so corrupt that even the people of God must be judged, that civilization in its entirety will most certainly suffer summary judgment. Notice here how all the nations of that whole era are severely judged, condemned, and punished in connection with the judgment against Jerusalem.
In this whole list of the nations scheduled to drink of the cup of the wrath of God, Smith pointed out that the arrangement here is remarkable.
"Jeremiah begins with the extreme south, Egypt; next, he takes Uz on the south-east, and Philistia on the south-west; next, Edom, Moab, and Ammon on the east; and Tyre, Sidon, and the Isles of the Mediterranean on the west; next in the far east, various Arabian nations; and then northward to Media and Elam; and finally to the kings of the north, far and near!"[10]We shall not attempt a nation by nation analysis of what is written here, because, very obviously, what the prophet reveals here is that "all earthly nations" were to fall under the punitive judgment of Almighty God. That is the simple meaning of this list, which cites nations sprawled all over the world in all directions. "We shall all stand before the judgment seat of God" (2 Corinthians 5:10).
Verse 20
"And all the mingled people, and all the kings of the land of Uz, and all the kings of the land of the Philistines, and Ashkelon, and Gaza, and Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod; Edom, and Moab, and the children of Ammon; and all the kings of Tyre, and all the kings of Sidon, and the kings of the isle which is beyond the sea; Dedan and Tema, and Buz, and all that have the corners of their hair cut off; and all the kings of Arabia, and all the kings of the mingled people that dwell in the wilderness; and all the kings of Zimri, and all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of the Medes; and all the kings of the north, far and near, one with another; and all the kingdoms of the world, which are upon the face of the earth; and the king of Sheshach shall drink after them."Jeremiah 25:26 leaves no doubt that every nation under the sun of heaven was included in this promise of the punitive judgment of God.
"And the king of Sheshach shall drink after them ..." (Jeremiah 25:26). Sheshach here stands for Babylon, indicating that the judgment of Babylon will come chronologically after the judgment of the other nations, the reason for that being that Babylon would be the instrument of punishment to the others before the punishment was executed upon themselves.
Sheshach in this passage is identified as an Atbasch, a form of writing in which the last letter of the alphabet is used for the first, and the letter next to the last is used for the second, etc. Here the word stands for Babylon.[11]It is surprising that the singular word "isle" is used instead of the plural in Jeremiah 25:22. "The word means any coastland; but as it is here distinguished from Tyre and Sidon, it probably refers to Cyprus.[12]Verse 27
"And thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Drink ye, and be drunken, and spew, and fall, and rise no more, because of the sword which I shall send among you. And it shall be if they refuse to take the cup at thy hand to drink, then thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: ye shall surely drink. For, lo, I begin to work evil at the city which is called by my name; and should ye be utterly unpunished? Ye shall not be unpunished; for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith Jehovah of hosts.""If they shall refuse to take the cup ..." (Jeremiah 25:28). Of course, no person or no nation can refuse to drink the cup of the wine of the wrath of God; and what this signifies here is the surfacing of any complaint against God's judgment that might be raised by sufferers of the consequences of their sins.
The judgment of God against the whole world derives from the fact that when the world has become so wicked that God's people themselves are swept into the near-universal rebellion against God, then the whole world at that time does indeed deserve destruction. It happened once upon the occasion of the destruction of the Old Israel; and it will occur again in the destruction of the New Israel at the end of the age in the events culminating in the Final Judgment of the Great Day. When will that happen? When the cities of the Gentiles have fallen, when the Great Whore, when oppressive anti-theistic government, and Satan himself shall all three have been cast into the lake of fire that burneth with brimstone. See the last three chapters of Revelation.
Verse 30
"Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words, and say unto them, Jehovah will roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he will mightily roar against his fold; he will give a shout as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth. A noise shall come even unto the end of the earth; for Jehovah hath a controversy with the nations; he will enter into judgment with all flesh: as for the wicked, he will give them to the sword, saith Jehovah."Notice how repeatedly the message is emphasized: (1) that all nations shall suffer judgment and destruction; (2) that death shall overtake the wicked; and (3) that there shall be no national exceptions to God's wrath.
Verse 32
"Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great tempest shall be raised up from the uttermost parts of the earth. And the slain of Jehovah shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the face of the ground. Wail ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow in ashes, ye principal of the flock; for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are fully come, and ye shall fall like a goodly vessel. And the shepherds shall have no way to flee, nor the principal of the flock to escape. A voice of the cry of the shepherds, and the wailing of the principal of the flock! for Jehovah layeth waste their pasture. And the peaceable folds are brought to silence because of the fierce anger of Jehovah.
He hath left his covert as a lion; for this land is become an astonishment because of the fierceness of the oppressing sword, and because of his fierce anger."This graphic description has a double application, referring at once to the forthcoming destruction of the Old Israel and remotely to the Eternal Judgment of the Last Day. Some of the radical critics prefer to assign this passage to some other author than to Jeremiah, but, as Feinberg stated, "Such a denial of Jeremiah's authorship is based, not upon any evidence at all, but the subjective opinions of certain critics."[13] "The prophecy is certainly not later than the mid-sixth century B.C., and we may credit it to Jeremiah."[14]
Jeremiah 25:1. This verse gives some clear information on important dates. We notice that the fourth year of Jehoiakim corresponds with the first year of the king of Babylon. (See 2 Kings 24:1.) Again we are reminded that the Bible is not strictly chronological in its record of events. This verse leaves the time of the capture of Zedekiah who was the last king of Judah, and takes us back to the time when the king of Babylon made his (Irst hostile invasion into Palestine, That date should be remembered as the beginning proper of the historic 70-year captivity. This is treated at length in the comments on 2 Kings 24:1 in Vol. 2 of this Commentary.
Jeremiah 25:2. The which means the word- referred to in verse 1. Since the inspired revelations were given to the prophets in “ installments," we can understand why the same date may be given for various “ words” from the Lord.
Jeremiah 25:3. The actual date of the present “ word” is the 23rd year of Josiah according to the calculation of this verse. In this instance the prophet goes back to the time when he had first begun to write and gives a brief review of his work of admonition for the people and of their indifference to his words.
Jeremiah 25:4. There were other prophets in the service of the Lord who were not classed as writing prophets but who delivered their messages orally. Many of these had tried to admonish the nation but tlielr words also had been ignored.
Jeremiah 25:5. They said means these lesser prophets who did not write their exhortations. They admonished the people to return to the faithful service for the Lord in order to retain His protection from the enemy.
Jeremiah 25:6. The chief corruption of the nation was the worship of idols which are called false gods. Had they been true to the God of Heaven they would always have received the divine blessings. Do you no hurt means that God would not have decreed to punish the nation as he now is threatening.
Jeremiah 25:7. All of these admonitions were refused and the people continued to serve their man-made gods to the disrespect of the true God,
Jeremiah 25:8. Because ye have not is a key to many of the passages in this book that may not be worded as clearly as this. Frequently the language will seem to offer the promise of continued favor from God on the condition if ye will do so and so, when we know that according to the general context all hope for averting the national downfall was past. With the above key we may understand all such indirect passages to mean the people must go Into punishment because they had not done as commanded.
Jeremiah 25:9, This verse is a prediction of the invasion by the Babylonian army. The north is explained by the historical note at Isaiah 14:31 in volume 3 of this Commentary. Nebuchadnezzar is called my servant because he was to carry out the plan of the Lord regarding the invasion, and not with reference to his personal life.
Jeremiah 25:10. Grain for bread was ground by millstones, but the country was to be so desolate and shorn of its crops that the millstones would not be needed. Hence the stopping of such sounds would be caused by the condition of famine.
Jeremiah 25:11, This predicts the total length of the Babylonian captivity which was to be 70 years, Jt began with the fourth year of Jehoiakim and ended with the overthrow of Babylon by the Persians In 536 B.C.
Jeremiah 25:12. Babylon was to be punished for her wicked attitude towards God's people. He used various heathen men and nations to carry out, his plans, but never would permit them to take any personal satisfaction out of it. Babylon was the name of the kingdom and the Chaldeans were a special group of citizens in that kingdom. The historical fulfillment of this overthrow of Babylon is quoted with the comments on Isaiah 13:1 in volume 3 of this Commentary.
Jeremiah 25:13. That is written in this book could mean either that Jeremiah’ s predictions against Bablyon had been composed at. the date of this chapter, or that the declaration was made in prospect ot the completed book. In either case the important thought is that God would back up the predictions of the righteous prophet and bring the deserved punishment upon the wicked nations.
Jeremiah 25:14, Serve themselves of them denotes that many nations will take advantage of the ones that have mistreated God's people. As one specific instance we might cite the Medes and Persians who served themselves (helped themselves) to the property of the Babylonians on the night ol Belshazzar's feast (Daniel 5:30-31).
Jeremiah 25:15. The prophet now comes to the front and does the speaking for the Lord, whereas he has been wording his writing as if God was doing the speaking direct. Wine and all items connected with the industry are used figuratively in the Bible to represent wrath and vengeance, In keeping with this usage of figures the prophet is told to take charge of the cup of wrath that Is in the hand of God and cause the nations to drink from it. This is a figurative way of telling the prophet to pass the Lord's threats of vengeance on to the nations.
Jeremiah 25:16. This verse describes the confusion that will be caused among the nations over the chastisement that the Lord will inflict upon them.
Jeremiah 25:17. Again the figurative cup is used to indicate that Jeremiah obeyed the order of the Lord and delivered to the nations his predictions against them,
Jeremiah 25:18. This cup of God's wrath contained enough to serve all who were deserving of it. So the first drink was taken by Judah with her capital of Jerusalem. That drink was to be realized when the Babylonians took possession of the city and led the people away into captivity.
Jeremiah 25:19. Another nation that was to drink from the cup of God's wrath was the Egyptian. God had a grievance of long standing against it, for he never forgot the 4-century enslave-ment by that country of his people in the time of Moses, And down to the time of this writing It had and was still unfriendly toward them.
Jeremiah 25:20. The cup of God’ s wrath must have been large and well filled in view of all the nations that needed to drink from It. The exact time or circumstance when they took this drink may not he known at present, but I shall try to identify them. Uz was the land south and east of Palestine and is familiar to Bible readers because of its connection with Job (ch. 1:3). The Philistines were a people located along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and on the western side of Palestine. The other names in (his verse were towns in the country of the Philistines.
Jeremiah 25:21. The land of Edom was occupied by the descendants of Esau. The Moabites and Ammonites were descended from Lot, and these three countries were just east of the Jordan located in a north and south line of territory.
Jeremiah 25:22. Tyre and Zidan lay near the sea on the northwest border of Palestine. Isles beyond the sea is worded in the margin, "region by the seaside," and the lexicon agrees with it.
Jeremiah 25:23. The towns named were trading centers for Tyre and located near her.
Jeremiah 25:24. Arabia was the vast extent of territory east of Palestine. It was referred to as a desert but various tribes occupied it from time to time and occasionally made journeys into other countries.
Jeremiah 25:25. Zimri was an unimportant person whose ancestry is uncertain. Elam, later became known as Persia and the two formed the Medo-Persian Empire which is well known to all students of history.
Jeremiah 25:26. The north is a general reference to the various peoples who lived north and east of Palestine, and who generally appeared from the north when coming into the land. Among ail these peoples one is especially named for obvious reasons and that is Sheshach. According to Strong, Moffatt and Smith’ s Bible Dictionary this is a symbolic name for Babylon. It is Interesting that in this group of verses mentioning the heathen people who were to drink of the cup of God’ s wrath, the list begins with Egypt and ends with Babylon. That agrees with the history because Egypt was the first nation to enslave Israel as a people and Babylon was the last.
Jeremiah 25:27. This verse is an emphatic summing up of the experiences to be had by those who were destined to drink of the cup of God’ s wrath.
Jeremiah 25:28. Sometimes a child or other patient refuses to drink of a cup prepared for his condition. In such a case it is necessary for the parent or nurse to use force and compel him to drink. On the same principle it
might be these heathen nations would not be willing to drink of this cup, hence the prophet was told to see that they shall certainly drink.
Jeremiah 25:29. The preceding verse dealt with the enforced drinking from the cup of the wrath of God. The nations were notified that they would be compelled to drink of the cup which means they would have to feel the sting of divine chastisement. This verse continues the subject and a reasoning is given for the decree. God reminds them that even his own city was to be chastised, and so they could not reasonably expect to escape. This circumstance offers a useful comment, on 1 Peter 4:17-18 where it is said that judgment was to begin at the house of God. If such a group must feel the strictness of God’ s discipline then surely the ungodly and sinners will not escape,
Jeremiah 25:30. The Lord is continuing his instructions to the prophet and urging him to prophesy to the nations. He is to warn them of the vigor with which God was going to express himself from his throne. Shout as they that tread the grapes is just an illustration of the intensity of God's voice drawn from a custom connected with wine making. Smith's Bible Dictionary gives a description of that activity and among other things it says: “ The ‘ treading' was effected by one or more men, according to the size of the vat. They encouraged one another by shouts."
Jeremiah 25:31. The original word for controversy is defined as “ contest” by Strong. The meaning of the clause is that the nations have opposed the Lord which virtually amounts to a challenge from them to show His power as against that of the gods of their service. God has accepted the challenge and all who are acquainted with the ability of God will have no douht as to the outcome.
Jeremiah 25:32. The figures of speech in this verse refer to the general disturbances that will arise between the nations. One of the means that God has frequently used to defeat his enemies was to set them against each other. The effect is often like a whirlwind coming through the country.
Jeremiah 25:33. The slain of the Lord means those who will be slain by each other through the effect of the Lord's plan concerning them.
Jeremiah 25:34. The shepherds were the priests and prophets who were supposed to feed the (lock of God with spiritual food. (See Leviticus 10:11; Deuteronomy 17:9 and Malachi 2:7.) But these shepherds had fed themselves instead of the flock. Days of your slaughter refers to the time when they were doomed to be cut off in their iniquity. Your dispersions are accomplished is a prediction that the unfaithful are soon to he captured and taken into exile in a foreign land.
Jeremiah 25:35. The whole nation was destined to suffer When the captivity came but the shepherds (leaders) were condemned more severely.
Jeremiah 25:36. These terms are rather figurative, and all have reference to the leaders of the nation, such as the prophets and priests. They had been living for themselves and enjoying the pasture instead of leading the flock into it; now that pasture is to be taken from them.
Jeremiah 25:37. Peaceable habitation refers to the condition of security that these pastors made themselves believe they possessed. Those “ habitations” were going to be destroyed by the ravages of the Babylonian invasion.
Jeremiah 25:38. A covert is a hiding place such as the den of a lion. The beast is secure in his covert in ordinary circumstances, but when a flood from the overthrow of the river reaches the den he will forsake It. The Lord was going to bring the flood of the invading army over the land and the unfaithful shepherds would be driven from their situation of false security.
Jeremiah Chapter Twenty-Six
Verse 1
Jeremiah 26 WAS TRIED ON CAPITAL CHARGESThis chapter is dated "early in the reign of Jehoiachim," which is supposed to be a technical term indicating the time between his accession to the throne and the New Year following that event. Some dispute this; and there are several opinions held by various scholars regarding the date, which seems certainly to have been at some point in the reign of Jehoiachim. "Most of the present-day expositors date the chapter in 609-608 B.C."[1]Another disputed interpretation relates this chapter to chapter 7, in which is recorded the prophecy of God's forthcoming destruction of Jerusalem; of course, the same prophecy, or another one much like it, is in Jeremiah 25(immediately preceding). Some have supposed that the specific prophecy of the seventy years captivity in Jeremiah 25 was what actually precipitated the death-threatening procedure against Jeremiah. Of course, Keil and others do not agree with the alleged connection between Jeremiah 7 and Jeremiah 25; but as Feinberg noted, "The affinities between the chapters are too many and too minute for them not to relate to the same address."[2]Barnes understood that, "This chapter is a narrative of the danger to which Jeremiah was exposed by reason of his prophecy in Jeremiah 7. Jeremiah 26:6-7 here contain a summary of that prophecy; and that, again, is only an outline of what was a long address."[3]The violation of all conceptions of chronological order is a phenomenon of Biblical literature; and, as Cheyne declared, "It is only natural to expect it in Jeremiah."[4]Cawley and Millard began their final division of the Book of Jeremiah with this chapter, lumping the rest of the book (Jeremiah 26-52) into a single division entitled "Historical Narratives."[5] This treatment of the Book of Jeremiah appeals to this writer. However, those who prefer further divisions may find Ash's system satisfactory. He divided the rest of the book as follows:
V. Jeremiah and the False Prophets (Jeremiah 26-29).
VI. The book of Consolation (Jeremiah 30-33).
VII. In the Days of Jehoiachim, Zedekiah (Jeremiah 35-39).
VIII. After the Fall of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 40-45).
IX. Oracles Concerning the Nations (Jeremiah 46-51).
X. An Historical Appendix (Jeremiah 52).[6]The divisions of this chapter suggested by Henderson are: Jeremiah announces the doom of Jerusalem as God commanded him (Jeremiah 26:1-6); the false prophets and the priests at once accuse him of blasphemy and declare him to be worthy of death (Jeremiah 26:7-11); Jeremiah pleads his innocence (Jeremiah 26:12-15); the elders and princes decide in favor of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 26:16-19); the execution of Uriah (Jeremiah 26:20-23); and Ahikam rescues and protects Jeremiah (Jeremiah 26:24).
The uncertainty which exists regarding the connection between the various chapters in this part of Jeremiah was noted by Smith who pointed out that, "Ewald considered these next three chapters as a historical supplement regarding the distinction between true and false prophecy; Havernick thought that the purpose of Jeremiah 26 was to prove that the Jews had rejected the prophets; Keil related it to the vindication of the truth of the prophecy that the captivity would last seventy years. All this is unsatisfactory; it is better to treat the chapter as a unit, complete in itself, and as connected with Jeremiah 7."[7]Jeremiah 26:1-7"In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiachim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, came this word from Jehovah, saying. Thus saith Jehovah: Stand in the court of Jehovah's house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in Jehovah's house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word. It may be they will hearken, and turn every man from his evil way; that I may repent me of the evil which I purposed to do unto them because of the evil of their doings. And thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith Jehovah: If ye will not hearken to me, to walk in my law, which I have set before you, to hearken to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I send unto you, even rising up early and sending them, but ye have not hearkened; then will I make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth. And the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of Jehovah.""Stand in the court of Jehovah's house ..." (Jeremiah 26:4). This location enabled Jeremiah to preach to the greatest number of the throngs of people from all the cities of Judah, who were gathering upon some national feast-day.
"And turn every man from his evil way ..." (Jeremiah 26:3). Feinberg stressed two things of singular importance in this passage: "(1) The kind of repentance which God demands is always an individual matter; and (2) promises of divine judgment are always conditional."[8]"Walk in my law ... hearken to the words of my servants the prophets ..." (Jeremiah 26:4-5). God's condemnation did not result from their refusal to hearken to Jeremiah, merely; but it was the consequence of their rejection of all of God's prophets, reaching all the way back to Moses and the sacred terms of the Old Sinaitic Covenant itself, all of this instruction being evident right here in this passage.
The great things that stand out in this paragraph are: (1) the necessity of obeying God's law, if the forthcoming destruction is to be averted; (2) the terrible nature of the doom awaiting them if they did not repent; (3) Shiloh was cited as an example of the destruction that awaited Jerusalem and the temple.
The significance of the citation of Shiloh derived from the fact of its having been the very first place where the ark of the Lord rested after Israel's entry into the promised land.
The Bible makes no specific reference to the occasion of Shiloh's destruction, and critics once disputed it; but "The Danish expedition uncovered pottery and other evidence demonstrating that the destruction of Shiloh occurred, by the hands of the Philistines about 1050 B.C."[9] The mention of this fact here was intended to refute the arrogant confidence of those Israelites who supposed that the existence of a mere building was their guarantee of safety no matter what they did, a guarantee which they erroneously ascribed to the existence of the temple.
As this narrative proceeds, it will be evident that "all the people" were a very fickle and undependable element discernible in this shameful trial of Jeremiah.
"The priests, and the prophets, and all the people ..." (Jeremiah 26:7). These were the enemies of Jeremiah. It should not be thought that the "prophets" were in any sense true prophets. These characters are mentioned in Jeremiah 26:7-8; Jeremiah 26:11; Jeremiah 26:16; and the LXX designates them as "pseudo-prophets."[10] That irresponsible and fickle Jerusalem mob, designated here as "all the people," that is, the majority, started yelling for the death of the holy Prophet. They were fit ancestors indeed of the mob in that same city centuries afterward who would cry, Crucify Him! Crucify Him!
Verse 8
"And it came to pass that when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that Jehovah had commanded him to speak unto all the people, that the priests, and the prophets, and all the people laid hold on him saying, Thou shalt surely die. Why hast thou prophesied in the name of Jehovah, saying, This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate, without inhabitant? And all the people were gathered unto Jeremiah in the house of Jehovah."The scene here is one of darkness and evil. The crooked prophets and false priests were in control of the sadistic, thoughtless mob called "all the people." It is exactly what took place again when the Jerusalem mob cried, "Crucify Him"!
The cunning crooked priests and prophets placed in the mouth of the mob the essentials of two capital charges; (1) that Jeremiah had spoken "in the name of Jehovah" without authority, and (2) that he had prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem and of the temple, both of which events they falsely claimed had been promised absolute and complete immunity from destruction by God Himself. The Law of Moses gave the death penalty as punishment for blasphemy (Leviticus 24:16); and the same Law gave the death penalty for the speaking of a false prophecy (Deuteronomy 18:20). We should not overlook the proof that these charges by the crooked priests and prophets were based upon the provisions of the Sinaitic covenant as revealed in the Pentateuch; and that the Jews of Jeremiah's day were thoroughly familiar with every word of it! We believe that the crooked King Jehoiachim was a party to this attack on Jeremiah, a fact clearly indicated by the kings subsequent conduct.
"All the people were gathered together unto Jeremiah ..." (Jeremiah 26:9). According to Barnes, this meant that the people had come together for the purpose of constituting themselves as an impromptu court to try Jeremiah. If it had been allowed to proceed as the crooked prosecutors of these charges had planned, it would probably have resulted in the same kind of trial and stoning to death that later marked the trial and death of Stephen in Acts 7 th chapter. Fortunately, someone evidently summoned the elders and princes of the nation to come and take part in the trial, which they at once did.
Verse 10
"And when the princes of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king's house unto the house of Jehovah; and they sat in the entry of the new gate of Jehovah's house. Then spake the priests and prophets unto the princes and unto all the people, saying, This man is worthy of death; for he hath prophesied against this city, as ye have heard with your ears.""When the princes of Judah heard these things ..." (Jeremiah 26:10). This refers to their hearing of the commotion raised in the temple, which precipitated their prompt investigation.
"As ye have heard with your ears ..." (Jeremiah 26:11). It was not true that the princes and elders had indeed heard the alleged blasphemy of Jeremiah; and these words were directed to the bloodthirsty mob as their cue to join in the demand for Jeremiah's death. There was nothing fair about the charges of the priests and the prophets; they announced the verdict of death before they even mentioned the charges.
"The princes of Judah ..." (Jeremiah 26:10). "These, along with the elders, included all the branches of the royal family who acted as judges, and the heads of substantial families of Israel. Without these men, Jeremiah would have had only a mock-trial."[11] In our opinion, the arrival of the princes and elders was totally providential and unexpected by Jeremiah's enemies.
Verse 12
'S DEFENSE"Then spake Jeremiah unto all the princes and to all the people, saying, Jehovah sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that ye have heard. Now therefore amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of your God; and Jehovah will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you. But as for me, behold, I am in your hands: do with me as is good and right in your eyes. Only know ye for certain that, if ye put me to death, ye will bring innocent blood upon yourselves, and upon this city, and upon the inhabitants thereof; for of a truth Jehovah hath sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears."Like the Blessed Saviour himself, Jeremiah submitted to the powers of the government, but warned them of the consequences. The words of the prophet were fully truthful and convincing. No person unmotivated with a hatred of God's Word could deny the righteous defense of this godly prophet; and the princes and elders promptly defiled that any death penalty was deserved.
Verse 16
"Then said the princes and all the people unto the priests and the prophets: This man is not worthy of death; for he hath spoken unto us in the name of Jehovah our God!""Then said the princes and all the people ..." (Jeremiah 26:16). Notice that "all the people" have dramatically switched sides. They here stand with the princes and elders against the crooked priests and prophets. What a fickle and changeful thing is a mob of people! (I commented at length on this phenomenon in Vol. I of my New Testament Series, p. 470.)
Verse 17
OF SOME OF THE ELDERS"Then rose up certain of the elders of the land, and spake to all the assembly of the people, saying, Micah the Morashtite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah; and he spake to all the people of Judah, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Zion shall be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest. Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him to death? did he not fear Jehovah, and entreat the favor of Jehovah, and Jehovah repented him of the evil which he had pronounced against them? Thus should we commit great evil against our own souls.""Zion shall be plowed as a field ..." (Jeremiah 26:18). This whole quotation is a verbatim account of what is written in Micah 3:12. There is hardly another instance of this same kind of an appeal anywhere else in the Old Testament. Again, we have convincing evidence of the existence of the whole corpus of Hebrew scriptures and of the knowledge of the Hebrew people of exactly what those scriptures taught; and all of this on the very eve of the captivity.
The elders who made this appeal were evidently familiar with God's Word and were of a noble and pious character.
"Thus should we commit great evil against our own souls ..." (Jeremiah 26:19). This means that by putting Jeremiah to death great guilt would accrue to their souls. Their counsel won the day for Jeremiah.
Verse 20
ARREST AND OF URIAH"And there was also a man that prophesied in the name of Jehovah, Uriah the son of Shemaiah of Kiriath-jearim: and he prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah. And when Jehoiachim the king, with all his mighty men, and all the princes heard his words, the king sought to put him to death; but when Uriah heard it, he was afraid, and fled, and went into Egypt. And Jehoiachim the king sent men into Egypt, namely, Elnathan the son of Achbor, and certain men with him, into Egypt; and they fetched forth Uriah out of Egypt, and brought him unto Jehoiachim the king, who slew him with the sword, and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people.""Uriah ..." (Jeremiah 26:20). This prophet's name is spelled Urijah in the older versions. Why did not God spare his life also? We do not know; but it could have been because of his fear, and his flight into Egypt, from which place he would no longer be able to prophesy against Judah as God had commanded him.
It is clear enough, as Graybill stated it, that, "This account of how Jehoiachim vented his spleen upon a lesser adversary suggests his intense hatred of Jeremiah, and gives us reason to believe that he was behind Jeremiah's persecution here."[12]"Elnathan ..." (Jeremiah 26:22). This man was probably the king's father-in-law (2 Kings 24:8), making the delegation to extradite Uriah from Egypt an impressive one. The circumstance that favored the success of their mission derived from the fact that Jehoiachim himself was a vassal of the king of Egypt and thus was likely to have enjoyed the advantage of the right to extradite wanted persons from Egypt.
"Uriah ..." (Jeremiah 26:23). Nothing is known of this individual except what is revealed in this tragic account of his death. "Kiriath-jearim, with which Uriah's name was connected, was located nine miles west of Jerusalem on the road to Jaffa. The ark of the covenant was once deposited there for a period of twenty years."[13]"The graves of the common people ..." (Jeremiah 26:23). The king Jehoiachim dishonored the corpse of Uriah by denying it the honor due to the bodies of true prophets in order to keep the people from regarding him as a true prophet. "The prophets had a separate cemetery, as indicated in Matthew 23:29."[14]Jehoiachim was busy doing those things that would earn for him "the burial of an ass." (Jeremiah 22:19).
Verse 24
"But the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, that they should not give him into the hand of the people to put him to death."This powerful citizen protected Jeremiah and refused to turn him over to the king and his followers, knowing full well what the results would have been if he had done so. He was indeed a powerful man in that period of Jewish history. His son Gedaliah later become governor of Judah; and "He is mentioned again in circumstances that reflect great credit upon him and his religion in 2 Kings 22:12-14."[15] What a wonderful service he provided here for the true faith by his faithful protection of the true prophet Jeremiah!
Jeremiah 26:1. According to 2 Kings 24:1 and Daniel 1:1 the Babylonian captivity proper began just after the third year of Jehoiakim king in Judah. The present verse is dated at the first year of this reign and hence on the very eve of the captivity.
Jeremiah 26:2. The Lord's house was the headquarters of the nation both religiously and politically. That would make it the most appropriate place in which to utter the important messages of divine instruction and warning. At this place the prophet would have opportunity to speak to all the cities of Judah because their people had to come here to perform their worship and other duties.
Jeremiah 26:3. If so be again brings up the apparent difficulty in the language concerning the fate of the country. This and many other passages sound as if the people were still given the chance to reform with the promise of averting t.he captivity, yet it had been declared that nothing could be done to prevent it. But the matter will be clear it we observe the distinction between the nation as a whole and certain worthy individuals in it. Had the nation always done the things that are now being mentioned in connection with the proviso IF, then it as a whole would never have been doomed to the captivity. Since that was not done, the Lord decreed that the captivity was necessary to refine the nation as a whole, but that the better individuals could be given special consideration on condition of their personal reformation of life, hence the many exhortations of which we may read. It will be well for the reader to see the note at 2 Kings 22:17 in volume 2 of this Commentary,
Jeremiah 26:4. The words if ye will not hearken should he understood in the sense of “ since ye did not hearken."
Jeremiah 26:5. A word that is offered through a Servant of the Lord is just as binding as that delivered directly by Him. Rising up early is a figure to indicate the promptness and eager-ness with which the true prophets delivered their inspired mesages.
Jeremiah 26:6. Shiloh was the headquarters for the ark at the time of its capture by the enemy (1 Samuel 4:11). That was a great misfortune for Israel and one from which they never fully recovered, for the ark never again was replaced in the tabernacle. The circumstance is referred to as an illustration of the disaster soon to come upon. Jerusalem the capital of Judah. Curse is from a word that means "to make light of,” and that was done to Jerusalem by the nations after the city was demolished by Babylon.
Jeremiah 26:7. The three divisions of the nation were represented at the hearing when Jeremiah uttered the predictions against them. Responsibility for the natfonal corruption was placed on the three classes though not to the same extent The relative degree of responsibility may be seen in Jeremiah 5:31.
Jeremiah 26:8. It has always been a trait of man to dislike even the truth if it condemns his conduct, but the foolish thine about it is that he will blame it onto the one who delivers the unwelcome truth What is still more unreasonable is his notion that he can has spoken them, It would be as logical to think of escaping the effects of a cancer by slaying the doctor who discovered the disease. So the three classes of the people of Judah threatened Jeremiah with death because of his predictions.
Jeremiah 26:9. There was a general protest against Jeremiah over his prophesying against the city, among t.he ones who had assembled in the house of the Lord.
Jeremiah 26:10. The report of the protest reached the ears of the princes. The original for that word is defined, "A head person (of any rank or class).” It fs used to refer to the important attaches of the palace of personal residence of the king. Upon learning of the commotion in the house of the Lord these princes came up and sat down at one of the entries.
Jeremiah 26:11. Note the priests and prophets pronounced a death sentence upon Jeremiah merely because he had prophesied against the city, not that it was a false prophecy. They were incensed at the mere thought of being criticised by Jeremiah.
Jeremiah 26:12, Their tirade against Jeremiah did not intimidate him, but he declared that his prophecy against the place was by the order of the Lord,
Jeremiah 26:13. This verse is another instance that calls for the distinction between the nation as a whole and certain good individuals in it See the long note at 2 Kings 22:17 in volume 2 of this Commentary.
Jeremiah 26:14. Jeremiah had done his duty and his conscience was clear. He would not use any resistance against them no matter what they saw fit to do unto him.
Jeremiah 26:15. As a solmen warning, however, he affirmed that his death at their hands would bring the guilt of innocent blood upon them. This warning might not prevent them from putting him to death, hut It would clear him of all responsibility for the act. Should he not protest his innocence, his very silence might be interpreted as an indication of guilt of some kind.
Jeremiah 26:16. The princes and people then took a more favorable view of the case. They declared that the prophet was not worthy of death; not merely because of what he had said, but because it was said in the name word of the Lord it should be respected.
Jeremiah 26:17. These elders were not officials but were men. who were influential because of their advanced years and extended experience.
Jeremiah 26:18. The elders took up the case in behalf of Jeremiah and supported their position by citing a case in the history of their nation. They referred to Micah who prophesied against Jerusalem in (he days of He zekiah the king. That prophecy may be read in the book that bears his name (Jeremiah 3:12).
Jeremiah 26:19. It was asked it the king of Judah acted as these men demanded to be done to Jeremiah, They made their own answer which was a negative one. Instead of doing violence to Micah, Hezekiah repented and went to the Lord in a plea for mercy and the prayer was heard and God showed him great compassion.
Jeremiah 26:20. Another case in point was cited that took place in the days of Jehoiakim. Urijah prophesied according to which means he prophesied in a similar way as did Jeremiah against the place.
Jeremiah 26:21. Jehoiakim was angered by the words of Urijah and threatened to kill him, but he fled to Egypt and thus escaped death for the time being.
Jeremiah 26:22, In his wickedness Jehoiakim determined to have his way against Urijah. He got up a group of men headed by Elnathan and sent them Into Egypt after Urijah.
Jeremiah 26:23, These men forced the prophet to come with them hack to Jehoiakim in Jerusalem. That wicked king slew the prophet and showed his contempt for him by putting him In the graves of the common people which means where the public in general was buried. This was intended as an insult to Urijah's position as a prophet, because they had tombs set apart for their especial use (Matthew 23:29). By denying Urijah honorable burial in the tombs of the prophets Jehoiakim thereby deposed him from the honorable class of the prophets of God.
Jeremiah 26:24. All of the facts connected with the case of Jehoiakim are not stated here, but they were doubtless known by the persons dealing with Jeremiah, that the wicked king of Judah had to suffer for his treatment of Urijah. In view of the cases that had just been cited in the preceding verses ( Jeremiah 26:16-23), Ahikam, a righteous man, spoke up in behalf of Jeremiah. Nevertheless is a somewhat difficult rendering of the original word which Strong defines, "a particle of affirmation, surely," The thought of the verse is that the writer is affirming that Ahikam took Jeremiah's part and defended him against being put to death.
Jeremiah Chapter Twenty-Seven
Verse 1
Jeremiah 27 WEARS AN OX YOKEWe can hardly believe that no scholar whose works we have had the privilege of reading has discerned the most important lesson that shines like the sun at perihelion in such a passage as this. And what is that lesson? It is that all allegations of certain prophecies being "post eventum", or as having been written after the events prophesied, are absolutely devastated and destroyed by the behavior of the prophets who gave the prophecies.
For example, Micah the Morashtite rolled in the dust or the mud; he screamed like an ostrich and howled like a jackal; Isaiah went naked and barefoot for a period of two years; and here Jeremiah wears an ox yoke upon his own neck, and did so in the presence of the King of Judah and his court, including the ambassadors of five foreign nations! Such bizarre behavior was indulged by these prophets in connection with their declarations of predictive prophecy.
Basic intelligence makes it impossible to believe that such behavior would have marked the announcement by some interpolator of an event that had already occurred. Thus, God proves his own prophecies by such fantastic behavior on the part of his prophets.
Jeremiah 27:1-3"In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiachim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, came this word unto Jeremiah from Jehovah, saying, Thus saith Jehovah to me: Make thee bonds and bars, and put them upon thy neck; and send them to the king of Edom, and to the king of Moab, and to the king of the children of Ammon, and to the king of Tyre, and to the king of Sidon, by the hand of the messengers that came to Jerusalem unto the king of Judah."Jeremiah 27:1 here places the events of this chapter in the accession year of Jehoiachim; but it is evident from Jeremiah 27:3 that Zedekiah was the king during the events of this chapter. What we have here is some kind of an error; and scholars usually agree that some ancient copyist accidentally copied the first verse of the preceding chapter. The Revised Standard Version is evidently correct, which gives the verse thus: "In the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah the son of Josiah, king of Judah, etc."
Such errors are quite rare; and it is fortunate that the subsequent verses of the chapter enable the necessary correction to be made.
"Make thee bonds and bars ..." (Jeremiah 27:2). These are the elements of an ancient ox yoke which consisted of two pieces of wood, one to be place above the neck of the animal, and the other to placed under it, with both pieces held together by thongs of leather.
"And put them upon thy neck ..." (Jeremiah 27:2). An ox yoke was for two animals; and thus this contraption made quite a cumbersome and uncomfortable piece of wearing apparel for Jeremiah. He must have exhibited a startling spectacle at the court of' the king.
"Send them to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Sidon ..." (Jeremiah 27:3). These were the neighboring kingdoms of Judah; and the presence of representatives from these kingdoms at this time in Judah was due to the political intrigue going on at that time against Babylon. There was a strong party in Judah who still regarded Jehoiachin as the rightful king of Judah and who hoped for his speedy return. The king of Babylon about the fourth year of Zedekiah's reign had encountered some opposition at home; and the vassal kingdoms, including Judah, were trying to form a coalition against Babylon with the hope of regaining their independence. Jeremiah was divinely inspired to oppose such a foolish maneuver.
"Send them ..." (Jeremiah 27:3). This indicates that five such yokes were to be made, not counting the one Jeremiah was wearing, and these were indeed sent to each of the five kings mentioned. Some dispute this; but we cannot interpret "them" as meaning only one yoke! After all, it would not be much harder to make six yokes than it would to make only one. If, as some say, only the messages were sent to the kings, the import of the instruction would have been the same either way.
Verse 4
"And give them a charge unto their masters, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, Thus shall ye say unto your masters: I have made the earth, the men and the beasts that are upon the face of the earth, by my great power, and by my outstretched arm; and I give it unto whom it seemeth right unto me. And now have I given all these lands into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant; and the beasts of the field also have I given him to serve him. And all the nations shall serve him, and his son, and his son's son, until the time of his own land come: and then many nations and great kings shall make him their bondman."The Bible makes it clear indeed that "The Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will" (Daniel 4:25). By divine inspiration, Jeremiah here made it plain enough that God had given dominion over the world of that period into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar.
This is a staggering thought, especially in view of the truth that very evil men often prove to be the very ones to whom God gives such vast power and dominion. The wisdom of Matthew Henry in contemplating this is appropriate.
The things of this world are not the best things, for God often gives the largest share of them to bad men, men who are rivals of God and rebels against him. Nebuchadnezzar was a proud, wicked man, but he had world dominion by divine fight. He was a very bad man, but God called him his servant. If God so uses and rewards evil men who serve him, however unwittingly, how much more wonderfully will God reward and honor those who love God and truly serve him![1]"I have made the earth and the men and the beasts that are upon the face of the earth ..."(Jeremiah 27:5). God here reveals himself to be not merely the Creator and Sustainer of all created things, but as their Sovereign Lord and Controller also. He is the God of history who has his hand firmly upon the progression of the nations as well.
As Paul expressed it, "God made of one every nation of men to dwell on the earth, having determined their appointed seasons, and the bounds of their habitation" (Acts 17:26). Note in this very paragraph, God had appointed a "season" for the dominion of Babylon, and also that there would be another "season" when Babylon's time came to be themselves the bondmen of others!
"Him and his son, and his son's son ..." (Jeremiah 27:7). Cheyne declared that this is not intelligible unless we should understand the "seventy years" of captivity as "a round number."[2] Cheyne's error was his failure to see that the expression here is, "a very general one, signifying Nebuchadnezzar and all of his successors until the whole seventy years expired."[3] Of course, there were other successors to Nebuchadnezzar during this period. Thus it is not the number seventy which is "round," but this abbreviation of Nebuchadnezzar's successors.
"Until the time of his own land come ..." (Jeremiah 27:7). Of course, this is the predictive prophecy of an event to occur many years after the death of Jeremiah; and the radical critics, following their crazy rule about there being no predictive prophecy in the Bible promptly label this verse as a "vatticinium ex eventu".[4] But, as noted above, if this event had already happened why was it necessary for the announcer to dress himself up in an ox yoke? Henderson, Keil, Graf, and many other discerning scholars refuse to allow such ridiculous, high-handed, illogical misinterpretations of the scriptures.
This predictive prophecy of the end of Babylonian domination and the subjection of them to others "was fulfilled in the destruction of the Chaldean Empire by Cyrus and his allies at the termination of the seventy years of Jewish exile in Babylon."[5]Verse 8
"And it shall come to pass, that the nation and the kingdom which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and will not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation will I punish saith Jehovah, with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand. But as for you, hearken ye not to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreams, nor to your soothsayers, nor to your sorcerers that speak unto you, saying, ye shall not serve the king of Babylon: for they prophesy a lie unto you, to remove you far from your land, and that I should drive you out, and ye should perish. But the nation that shall bring their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him, will I let remain in their own land, saith Jehovah; and they shall till it, and dwell therein."It appears from this paragraph that even the captivity of the whole of Judah might have been averted, even at that late date, provided that Zedekiah had led the people to accept the verdict of Jehovah and faithfully serve the king of Babylon. It was the eventual rebellion of Zedekiah against Babylon that resulted in the final total ruin of Jerusalem and the wholesale deportation of the people into their captivity. It seems to have been the possibility, however remote, of avoiding that ultimate disaster which was the very thing Jeremiah had in mind in his message to the false priests and prophets in Jeremiah 27:16 ff.
Zedekiah was a weak and wavering monarch; and he managed to stand with Jeremiah in the events of his fourth year (the date of this chapter); but in his eleventh and final year, he went with the popular movement in favor of rebellion; and the final ruin of Judah was shortly accomplished. In this fourth year of Zedekiah, that monarch made a pilgrimage to Babylon, probably for the purpose of reaffirming his loyalty to Nebuchadnezzar, and for the purpose of convincing Nebuchadnezzar that he had not participated in the coalition which the neighboring nations had attempted to form against Babylon.
All of the evil practitioners mentioned here, the prophets, diviners, soothsayers, sorcerers, dreamers, etc. were banned and forbidden by the Law of Moses (Deuteronomy 18:9-13). "They were pedlars of falsehood."[6] They had no message at all from God. They merely told the people what they believed the people wanted to hear. If the nation consented to the overlordship of Babylon, they would have to pay tribute; but they could go on living in their land. Following their false leaders robbed them of this more favorable option.
Verse 12
"And I spake to Zedekiah king of Judah according to all these words, saying, Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, and live. Why will ye die, thou and thy people, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, as Jehovah hath spoken concerning the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon? And hearken not unto the words of the prophets that speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon; for they prophecy a lie unto you. For I have not sent them, saith Jehovah, but they prophesy falsely in my name; that I may drive you out, and that ye may perish, ye, and the prophets that prophesy unto you."Green spoke of this chapter thus: "Jeremiah provides proof positive of his superb statesmanship in his assessment of the political situation."[7] Although seemingly innocent, such a statement violates every true conception of the message of the inspired prophets of the Old Testament. It was not shrewd statesmanship on Jeremiah's part. What God revealed through him was in no sense dependent upon what the prophet himself might have been able to guess or forecast from the basis of his own knowledge or experience. "The revelations of this chapter are not shrewd political comment but something which Jeremiah received as he stood in the counsels of Yahweh."[8]This paragraph reveals that Jeremiah repeated for Zedekiah the same message which had been sent, along with the yokes, to the five neighboring kings by their ambassadors..
So powerful was the influence of all the false prophets, soothsayers, dreamers, sorcerers etc. of that day that Jeremiah found it appropriate to warn the king Zedekiah against paying any attention to their falsehoods. "To underestimate the power of a lie in times of national distress is sheer folly."[9]The Septuagint (LXX) has omitted much of this chapter; and, upon that basis, some scholars attempt to reject what is written here; but, "It is far too bold to insist that the shorter form is the original."[10] Additionally, we reject the silly critical rule that the shorter of two passages is more likely to be the original. It is just as likely, or even more likely, that the shorter passage is merely an abbreviation. This is just another foolish critical dictum designed to serve their evil purposes. Furthermore, as Keil pointed out, "Considering the innumerable arbitrary interferences of the LXX with the text of Jeremiah, the omission of the words in question cannot justify the slightest critical suspicion of their genuineness."[11] For many reasons, we are unwilling to accept changes found in the Septuagint (LXX) as any dependable reason whatever for altering the text of the American Standard Version.
Verse 16
"And I spake to the priests and to all the people, saying, Thus saith Jehovah: Hearken not to the words of your prophets that prophesy unto you, saying, Behold the vessels of Jehovah's house shall now shortly be brought again from Babylon; for they prophesy a lie unto you. Hearken not unto them; serve the king of Babylon, and live: wherefore should this city become a desolation? But if they be prophets, and if the word of Jehovah be with them, let them now make intercession to Jehovah of hosts, that the vessels which are left in the house of Jehovah, and in the house of the king of Judah, and at Jerusalem, go not to Babylon."What a courageous, blunt, overwhelming challenge this is. Jeremiah did not merely call the false prophets, diviners, soothsayers, etc. liars; but he did so to their face, and laid down the challenge that they were not merely lying when they prophesied the speedy return of the golden vessels from Babylon, but that if the false teachers had one word of truth in them they would be praying that the remaining "vessels" would not also be carried away to Babylon, a prophecy which Jeremiah at once pronounced in their hearing, namely, that the remaining vessels indeed, not merely of the temple, but of the king's house and of all Jerusalem also, would also all be carried to Babylon! (See next paragraph).
John Bright in the Anchor Bible commentary stated that "vessels" in Jeremiah 27:16 is an inadequate word, because much more was meant, as indicated in Jeremiah 27:19, below.[12]As Green observed, "Jeremiah's conflict with the false prophets was growing more and more acute."[13]Verse 19
"For thus saith Jehovah of hosts concerning the pillars, and concerning the sea, and concerning the bases, and concerning the residue of the vessels that are left in the city, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took not, when he carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiachim, king of Judah, from Jerusalem to Babylon, and all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem: yea, thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning the vessels that are left in the house of Jehovah, and in the house of the king of Judah, and at Jerusalem: They shall be carried to Babylon, and there shall they be, until the day that I visit them, saith Jehovah; then will I bring them up, and restore them to this place."Behold, what a magnificent predictive prophecy we have here:
(1) the remaining treasures of the temple, the king's house, and the city of Jerusalem shall also be carried away to Babylon;
(2) the vessels shall not be destroyed there, but shall be preserved to that day when God will visit them; and
(3) He will indeed visit them and restore them to Jerusalem at the time when his Divine Will may desire to do so!
Did it happen? Certainly! Was this prophecy written after the event? Ridiculous! The man who stated this was wearing an ox yoke; and if it had all already happened, he would never have been dressed like that! He was wearing the yoke only as an effort to persuade those sinners to believe the truth. They did not believe it; and of course they would have believed it if it had already come to pass.
Of course, the infidel critics never stop trying to "prove" the prophecy came after the captivity. As Smith said, "They seized upon the word `nobles' which Jeremiah used here; and they claimed that it was a word that came into use after the captivity; but that is not true.
Jeremiah used it again in Jeremiah 39:6; Isaiah used it Isaiah 34:12; and in 1 Kings 21:8, the word is used of the nobles of Samaria. In fact it was a word in very common usage both in Chaldee and Syriac."[14]"Then will I bring them up and restore them to this place ..." (Jeremiah 27:22). Ash stated that, "The Septuagint (LXX) says nothing about the eventual restoration of the treasures, nor does it offer any restoration hope. Some argue that the Septuagint (LXX) may represent the original text, since a restoration hope would be out of place in an oracle of this tenor."[15] We regret that respected commentators would include a canard of this kind in their commentaries. Of course, it is true that "some argue" in this manner; but no believer can accept such false arguments.
Why all of this attention to the LXX? The critics glorify it when it supports their denials; but when it contradicts their denials, they seem to be totally ignorant of its existence. For example, the Septuagint (LXX) properly translates the Hebrew word [~`almah] as The Virgin; but has anyone ever heard of a radical critic accepting that?
Two radical critical dictums are respected in such a comment: (1) that the shorter text of similar ones is "original," a foolish rule that has never been proved and is clearly untrue in many cases; and (2) that a promise of blessing cannot be included in a prophecy of condemnation, disaster, or punishment. This rule also is false. Christ promised heaven in the same passage that speaks of hell; and we refuse to accept a rule that would butcher almost every statement Jesus Christ ever uttered.
A hundred years before Jeremiah was born, Isaiah promised the "return of the remnant," and proved the prophecy by naming one of his sons, "A Remnant Shall Return." Did Jeremiah know about that promise? Indeed he did; and can any one deny that this would have been an appropriate time for him to mention it and to embellish the thought of it with the additional prophecy that the sacred vessels of the temple would also return?
Jeremiah 27:1. Jehoiakim’ s original name was Eliakim but it was changed to this other name by the king of Egypt who had taken a hand in the affairs of Jerusalem (2 Kings 23:31-35). Jehoahaz was the natural successor of his father Josiah, but he was displeasing to God who suffered the king of Egypt to take this temporary control and place his brother Jehoiakim (Eliakim) on the throne. It was in the first year of his reign that Jeremiah received the message from God that is in this chapter. It was about the time when the king of Babylon was coming up to Jerusalem to form a sort of alliance with the king of Judah. God knew that could not be permanent and that Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, would take control over Judah and other lesser kingdoms near.
It was God’ s will that all nations be subject to the king of Babylon that he might form the first of the four world empires later spoken of by Daniel (Daniel 2:36-40; Daniel 5:17-19). It was best therefore for the nations to submit peaceably to Babylon and the present message from God to Jeremiah was on that subject.
Jeremiah 27:2. Here is another case where the prophet was to do some of the "acting” that has been mentioned a number of times. Governments have frequently been illustrated by a yoke (Matthew 11:29; 1 Timothy 6:1). That is because a yoke must be used by two if it is of the desired force, and a government must also be a co-operative proposition if it accomplishes the expected purpose. “ A government derives its just power from the consent of the governed" is as true in this in-stance as all others. That does not mean that people cannot be controlled against their will for we know they can and have been so controlled. But the most satisfactory situation will exist when the governor and the governed cooperate.
That is why the prophet was to bear the present message to the nations being represented soon at the court of Zedekiah. A bond was the same as a halter signifying the creature was under control, and a yoke indicated that he would be required to do service. Jeremiah was first to put them on his own neck which was his part of the acting and to denote that certain restraints and services would be imposed on human beings.
Jeremiah 27:3. The first three places named were just east of the Jordan and the next two were on the west side of Palestine. These representatives of the governments came to counsel with Zedekiah about resisting the power of the king of Babylon. They were all weaker than Judah and thought that together they could throw off the yoke of the distant ruler.
Jeremiah 27:4. These ambassadors of the governments were to be shown the bonds and yokes that Jeremiah had worn for a little while on his neck. This sight was supposed to impress them with the importance of the situation, and they were to take a message back to their masters in their home communities.
Jeremiah 27:5. The message was to begin by a statement as to who made everything, that it was the God of Israel. Very logically, then, the maker of anything would have the right and power to give It to whomsoever he saw fit..
Jeremiah 27:6. In the exercising of this right the Lord had given the things into Lhe hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. My servant does not refer to his personal life for he was a heathen and had many grievous faults. It refers to the service he was called upon to render to God in his great plan of the nations.
Jeremiah 27:7. This short verse contains a very important, prediction that will extend through a period of 70 years. Son and son's son indicates that the rule given to Nebuchadnezzar was to continue for some generations after him. Until the very time of his land come means the rule of Nebuchadnezzar would continue through his successors until the time when his land, too, was to be ruled by another power. Then many nations . . . shall serve themselves (help themselves) to the land of Babylon. The history of the ages shows the fulfillment of this prediction, for the Babylonian Empire lasted 70 years and was taken over by the Medes and Persians. The Biblical account of this Is in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, and the historical account may be seen with the comments on Isaiah 13:1 in volume 3 of this Commentary.
Jeremiah 27:8. Since this rule of the king of Babylon was to be by the decree of God it would be folly for any other nation to resist it. The best thing for them would be to accept the yoke of his government (symbolized by the literal yoke that Jeremiah showed them) and submit peaceably. To resist Nebuchadnezzar In this case would be the same as resisting God which no king could do and succeed. Such a nation was destined to be punished with the threefold rod of sword, famine, and pestilence. The manner in which this kind of chastisement was accomplished is described at Jeremiah 14:12.
Jeremiah 27:9. The prophets, dreamers, enchanters and sorcerer's were persons in the ancient nations who claimed to have supernatural knowledge of the fates overhanging cities and kingdoms. They were frauds but possessed a strange influence over their people. They had been advising them to resist the power of Nebuchadnezzar and as-suring them that they would be able to throw off his yoke.
Jeremiah 27:10. Prophesy a lie ... to remove you. This does not mean their purpose in prophesying the lie was to remove them, but the Lord means their false promises of security will result in that. The reason is that the people will believe these lying prophecies and refuse to submit willingly to the king of Babylon. Then they will be taken over by that king who will remove them out of their own land. The king of Babylon will be able to accomplish this because the Lord declared It so when he said 1 should drive you out.
Jeremiah 27:11. The nations that accept the Babylonian yoke without resistance will be compelled to be under the rule of Babylon, but will be permitted to live in their own communities and serve as tillers of the ground.
Jeremiah 27:12. Jeremiah gave the same advice to Zedeklah that he had given to the ambassadors of the heathen groups. Zedeklah was still on the throne of Judah in Jerusalem but was destined to be the last king that nation was ever to have because of its resistance to God’ s will. Had the king of Judah accepted the counsel of Jeremiah he would still have been subject to Babylon, but he would have been permitted to serve out his days in Palestine as a vassal king of Nebuchadnezzar. It also would have saved the lives of his people Instead of having them destroyed by the invader.
Jeremiah 27:13. Even though the nation as a whole was doomed to eo into captivity. Zedekiah and his family could have escaped personal hardship had they conducted themselves in the proper manner. Jeremiah pleaded with them to hearken to the word of the Lord which he was delivering unto them.
Jeremiah 27:14. Jeremiah realized that his people were being misled by the false prophets and hence he warned them not to listen to their advice.
Jeremiah 27:15. That I might drive you out is explained at Jeremiah 27:10. The false prophets and the people who listened to them were doomed to perish.
Jeremiah 27:16. The priests were the ones who had charge ot the service of the vessels in the house ot the Lord- Many of these vessels had been taken away by the king of Babylon (2 Kings 24:13). In keeping with the other false prophecies of consolation, these lying prophets assured the priests their instruments of service would soon be returned to them. Jeremiah exhorted them not to believe these promises for they were not authorized of God.
Jeremiah 27:17. Serve the king of Babylon means for them to submit to his rule politically. That is as far as their service would have been required if they had submitted as the Lord demanded. But all who did not thus submit were also to serve the false gods of the Babylonians as a cure for their own idolatry (Jeremiah 16:13),
Jeremiah 27:18. Not all of the vessels of the Lord's house had been taken to Babylon at this time. Had the proper conduct been performed by the king of Judah and his leading people, many of the articles of service could have been retained at Jerusalem. The necessary number of priests could have been left in the city to continue the service, even though they would have been under the rule of the Babylonians. These false prophets had claimed to be speaking by the sanction of God. Now Jeremiah challenges them to act consistently and pray to that same God whom they profess to be serving and ask him to spare these vessels.
Jeremiah 27:19. The articles named had been made by Solomon the third king of Israel In Jerusalem (1 Kings 6, 7); they had not yet been taken away by Nebuchadnezzar.
Jeremiah 27:20. But he had taken the king who had preceded Zedekiah whose name is here spelled Jeconiah. He had also taken captive many of the chief men of the city.
Jeremiah 27:21. The present message to Zedekiah and his leaders is that many of these articles were still left in the house and should have been destined to remain longer if the king had obeyed the word of the Lord.
Jeremiah 27:22. But upon the evil conduct of the king, all these things were to be taken to Babylon and remain there until the Lord visited them.. That meaus the day when God would overthrow Babylon and reclaim his people from captivity. At that time these vessels also were to be returned to Jerusalem and the fulfillment of this prediction is recorded in Ezra 1:7-11.
Jeremiah Chapter Twenty-Eight
Verse 1
Jeremiah 28 vs. Having already tried to bring about the execution of Jeremiah under the reign of Jehoiachim, the false priests and prophets elected to counteract Jeremiah's teachings by a dramatic confrontation and denial of his prophecies publicly. Their representative in this endeavor was Hananiah, son of Azur, a Gibeonite, probably a priest, a self-called false prophet with the brazen face, the loud voice, and the arrogant self-confidence that made him quite convincing with his smooth message of peace, prosperity, restoration and glory for Judah, all to be within two years!
There are extensive differences between the Septuagint (LXX) and the text of ASV, which is more complete than the LXX, which is certainly a mere abbreviation of the American Standard Version. The details of the American Standard Version are confirmed by recent archaeological discoveries, thus confirming it as superior to the LXX. False critics love to make those differences the basis of efforts to discredit certain words in the true text.
Hananiah means "`The Lord is Gracious,' and there are no less than fourteen characters in the Old Testament who bear this name."[1] Nothing is revealed in the Bible regarding this man except what is written here. The very fact of his being a Gibeonite should have suggested caution to the people. The citizens of this place deceived Joshua and earned for themselves favored status in the conquest of Canaan (Joshua 9:23); King Saul massacred large numbers of them (2 Samuel 21:1 ff); and there Joab treacherously slew Amasa (2 Samuel 20:4 ff).[2]Jeremiah 28:1-4THE FALSE "And it came to pass in the same year, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah, in the fourth year, in the fifth month, that Hananiah the son of Azur, the prophet, who was of Gibeon, spake unto me in the house of Jehovah, in the presence of the priests and of all the people. Thus speaketh Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. Within two full years will I bring into this place all the vessels of Jehovah's house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place, and carried to Babylon: and I will bring again to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiachim, king of Judah, with all the captives of Judah, that went to Babylon, saith Jehovah; for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.""In the beginning of the reign ... in the fourth year ..." (Jeremiah 28:1). The critics, practically all of them, agree that these clauses "are self-contradictory."[3] Now we do not deny that there are in the Bible examples of some copyist's error, or some scribal note, here and there, that may have been accidentally and unconsciously adopted into the traditional text of the scripture. However, we do not believe that this is a blanket reason for explaining everything men do not understand as "a gloss," or "a copyist's error."
Some of the wisest men who ever wrote commentaries on the Bible find no fault with these clauses.
"These clauses accord with the common reckoning by dividing a reign into two halves; and, as Zedekiah reigned eleven years, this date was in the first half, therefore `in the beginning.'[4]"Michaelis states that, "up to the fourth year, Zedekiah had the throne only upon the basis of his yearly appointment by Nebuchadnezzar, but that he was vested with the royal title and authority in the fourth year." (This would make the first year of his full authority as indeed the fourth year). This opinion was also adopted by Scholz.[5] The first four years of Zedekiah's reign were indeed `the beginning of it,' because in those years he was tributary to the king of Babylon; but afterward he was truly "king" in rebellion against Babylon.[6]"Some interpreters have been troubled by the fact of the fourth year of Zedekiah's reign being here referred to as `the beginning'; but according to Jewish usage it was indeed `the beginning' of his reign, for the Jews divided periods of time into two halves, the beginning and the end. The simple meaning of the passages is, `In the first half of his reign.'"[7]In the light of such observations as these, we are constrained to label the critical claims of "an interpolation," or of "a gloss," or of "a copyist's error," as being far more likely the inadequate efforts of scholars to explain their ignorance. After all, where is there the slightest evidence of any kind of an error in the text?
"In the presence of the priests and of all the people ..." (Jeremiah 28:1). "He chose either a sabbath or a new moon that he might confront Jeremiah not only in the presence of the priests but also of all the people."[8] It is amazing that not merely this comment, but practically the exegesis of this whole chapter appears almost verbatim in the writings of Payne Smith. On this verse, Smith has this: "He seems to have come to Jerusalem on purpose to confront Jeremiah, and to have chosen either a sabbath or a new moon for the occasion, that his act might be done not only in the presence of the priests, but also of all the people."[9]"Thus speaketh Jehovah, the God of Israel, saying ..." (Jeremiah 28:2). Hananiah here presented himself as an authentic prophet of God, using all of the right formula, and confronting Jeremiah with a contradiction of that true prophet's word, which was as blunt, convincing, and evil as the claim of Satan himself in the Garden, that "Ye shall not surely die!" How were the people to know who spoke the truth? This chapter will shed light on that problem.
Cheyne commented that, "One has only to say a thing very firmly, and to repeat it very often, and the very force of utterance will make way for it. A brazen face, a loud voice, and a positive assertion are enough to convince many people of assertions that are against all reason."[10] The recent Nazi, Adolph Hitler, exploited this human weakness to the limit, adding the principle that, "the bigger the lie, the more people will believe it!"
One thing that might have bolstered the confident arrogance of Hananiah was the fact that, "Nebuchadnezzar at that very time was busy putting down a rebellion at home, and probably Hananiah's friends had sent him word of this."[11] Additionally, there was also the conspiracy of the kingdoms against Babylon mentioned in the previous chapter. It all seemed very promising from the standpoint of a "prophet" who was relying upon his own political shrewdness, instead of relying upon what God had revealed to him.
"I will bring again to this place Jeconiah ..." (Jeremiah 28:4). For many years, one of the favorite arguments against the authenticity of the prophecy of Ezekiel was the fact that certain events were dated from the reign of Jehoiachin who reigned only three months. "However, archaeology has turned the tables on the critics and has revealed this feature of Ezekiel as an impregnable argument in favor of its genuineness."[12] It also confirms the authenticity of this trust of the false prophet Hananiah in the speedy return of Jeconiah to Jerusalem. "That Jeconiah was still considered king of Judah, even by the Babylonians themselves, was proved in 1940 by the publication of tablets from the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, enumerating the recipients of royal bounty, and including `Yaukin (Jeconiah), king of the land of Yahud (Judah).'"[13]Verse 5
'S TO THE FALSE "Then the prophet Jeremiah said unto the prophet Hananiah, in the presence of the priests, and in the presence of all the people that stood in the house of Jehovah, even the prophet Jeremiah said, Amen: Jehovah do so; Jehovah perform thy words which thou hast prophesied, to bring again the vessels of Jehovah's house, from Babylon unto this place. Nevertheless hear now this word that I speak in thine ears, and in the ears of all the people: The prophets that have been sent before me and before thee of old prophesied against many countries, and against great kingdoms, of war, and of evil, and of pestilence. The prophet that prophesieth of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that Jehovah hath truly sent him. Then Hananiah the prophet took the bar from off the prophet Jeremiah's neck, and brake it. And Hananiah spake in the presence of all the people, saying, Thus saith Jehovah: Even so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon within two full years from off the neck of all the nations. And the prophet Jeremiah went his way.""Jeremiah said, Amen: Jehovah do so ..." (Jeremiah 28:6).
This was not sarcasm, because Jeremiah truly desired that such wonderful things as the false prophet had spoken might indeed be done by the Lord, only if it were possible. It was the same kind of plea that Jesus made, when he said, "If it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done."
However, this was in no sense whatever a statement that Jeremiah, even for a single moment, believed the lying words of the evil prophet. Green missed this truth altogether. He said, "Jeremiah revealed here his belief in the sincerity of Hananiah, and that Jeremiah himself was possibly wrong."[14] Such a view cannot be reconciled with what Jeremiah immediately said.
"Nevertheless, hear now this word that I speak in your ears ..." (Jeremiah 28:7). The real answer to Hananiah's false prophecy was that it made liars out of every prophet God had ever sent, including Jeremiah, all of whom had prophesied the ruin and captivity of Judah. Jeremiah also pointed out that the prophets of "peace" could be verified as true only by the conformity of subsequent events with the things they had prophesied. With that announcement, Jeremiah terminated the argument.
Deuteronomy 18:22 had laid down the test for prophets that only those prophets were true whose predictive prophecies were proved true by subsequent events; and Jeremiah referred to this, but as the false prophets had allowed a margin of two whole years for the fulfillment of his prediction, the truth of Hananiah's falsity was not at once evident.
We should observe the meekness and mildness of Jeremiah's response. He engaged in no loud and boisterous repetitions. He did not, upon his own unsupported authority, at once declare Hananiah to be the false prophet which he knew him to be. He simply waited for God to provide the answer, and turned away and left the scene. Although Jeremiah had given his personal assent to the glorious words of the false prophet, "He well knew that the truth was otherwise."[15]"Hananiah took the bar ... and brake it ..." (Jeremiah 28:10). It might have appeared to Hananiah and the crowd in the house of the Lord that Jeremiah had been silenced. Jeremiah did not at once deny Hananiah's evil prophecy. Why? No answer had then appeared from Jehovah; and Jeremiah did not give an answer that God had not yet spoken.
"Encouraged by Jeremiah's patience and in the absence of any answer from God that his prophecy was a lie, Hananiah resorted to violence, tore the yoke from the prophet's neck, and broke it, probably to the great delight of the crowd who considered the action as a symbol of deliverance."[16]"And the prophet Jeremiah went his way ..." (Jeremiah 28:11). "There are men with whom it is always useless to argue,"[17] and Jeremiah instantly recognized in Hananiah just such a person. He had falsely claimed to have God's Word; Jeremiah had already pointed out that his prophecy was contrary to what all previous prophets had prophesied; and, since God had at that point in time not refuted Hananiah with any dramatic additional revelation, there was nothing else for Jeremiah to do, except to leave; and that he at once did.
Verse 12
GOD GAVE THE ANSWER; "Then the word of Jehovah came to Jeremiah, after that Hananiah the prophet had broken the bar off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, saying, Go, and tell Hananiah, saying, Thus saith Jehovah: Thou hast broken the bars of wood; but thou hast made in their stead bars of iron. For thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: I have put a yoke of iron upon the neck of all the nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they shall serve him: and I have given him the beasts of the field also. Then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah: Jehovah hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people to trust in a lie. Therefore thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will send thee away from the face of the earth: this year thou shalt die, because thou hast spoken rebellion against Jehovah. So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.""Bars of wood ... bars of iron ..." (Jeremiah 28:13). The meaning here is that the Babylonian disaster coming upon the nations would be even worse after the rebellion against Nebuchadnezzar, which, of course, was finally led by Zedekiah. For Judah, it resulted in the second great siege of Jerusalem, the absolute and total destruction of the temple, and the removal of many more captives to Babylon.
"Jehovah hath not sent thee... I will send thee away from the face of the earth ..." (Jeremiah 28:15-16). There is a play upon the words here. Jehovah had indeed not "sent" Hananiah with his false prophecy, but God here promised that he would indeed be "sent" away from the face of the earth. This was a clear prophecy of the death of Hananiah; but God spelled it out for him, "this year thou shalt die."
"Because thou hast spoken rebellion against Jehovah ..." (Jeremiah 28:16). This is very similar to countless other statements throughout the Bible. Note that the sentence of death here announced against Hananiah, "Accords perfectly with Deuteronomy 18:20 which declares that to prophesy falsely in the name of Jehovah, as Hananiah had done, was to commit a capital offense."[18] This is only another example of the innumerable instances in which the discernible shadow of the Pentateuch lies over every single subsequent word in the holy Bible. As Harrison pointed out, this sudden death of Hananiah is similar to the deaths of "Pelatiah (Ezekiel 11:13) and Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11)."[19]Most current commentators treat this and the preceding two chapters as a single unit, which indeed they are; but we prefer to deal with all of these chapters as units in their own right.
Jeremiah 28:1. The preceding chapters dealt with the false prophets generally while this one gives the history of a particular one. Hananiali was a false prophet hut went into a more particular form of prophesying, even to the extent of doing some acting as other prophets had done. This man appeared in the house of the Lord and in the presence of Jeremiah and the priests and the people assembled there. Thus the setting would seem to give to this prophet an appearance of dignity.
Jeremiah 28:2. Hananiah opened his prophecy by connecting it with the true God, the same One whom Jeremiah served. And, like the true prophets, he made his prophecy in the present tense In speaking of an event yet to come.
Jeremiah 28:3. It gives a prediction the appearance of genuineness to go into particulars, so Hananiah stated the time when his would be fulfilled. Since It was to be only two years to wait, it would naturally sound good to the people who were then stinging with the disgrace of subjugation to Nebuchadnezzar's forces. It would certainly be heartening to see the return of the holy vessels of service that had been taken to Babylon, hence this prophet promised that event to the priests.
Jeremiah 28:4. Jeconiah had been taken to Babylon and it was declared that he would never leave that place (ch. 22: 24-30). Now this prophet Hananiah reversed this and predicted that the said captive would be returned to Jerusalem together with all the others who had been taken into that foreign land.
Jeremiah 28:5. Jeremiah made his reply to Hananiah in the presence and hearing of the priests and people. What he had to say would he a matter of record having been witnessed by a number of persons and in a public place.
Jeremiah 28:6. Jeremiah was entirely free from prejudice or envy of another prophet. He also was affeclionately interested in the happiness of his people. If the Lord had changed his mind and had decreed to reverse the prediction which had been made, his faithful prophet was willing to say anten to it.
Jeremiah 28:7. Nevertheless signifies that Jeremiah was not accepting the favorable prediction of Hananiah blindly and without expressing himself on the subject.
Jeremiah 28:8. He reminded Hananiah that they were not the only men who had ever prophesied of unfavorable events to come upon the nations. The implication was that when the wars came it proved those men to be true prophets.
Jeremiah 28:9. On the same principle of the preceding verse, if Hananiah has prophesied with authority, then the Lord will sustain it by bringing about the desirable events predicted. The whole circumstance may be likened to that of Elijah and the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18) in which a lest was made to prove who was the true God. Jeremiah was willing for the outcome to prove whether he or Hananiah was a true prophet, and thus it amounted to a challenge to make such a test.
Jeremiah 28:10. Hananiah virtually accepted the challenge by doing some “ acting” in that he took the yoke from the neck of Jeremiah and broke it.
Jeremiah 28:11. The yoke having been broken in the presence of the people, Hananiah spoke to them also and interpreted his action, that it meant the Babylonian yoke would be broken from the necks of ail the nations then bearing it This ended the issuing and accepting of the challenge for the time and Jeremiah went his way to await the action of the Lord regarding the proposed test.
Jeremiah 28:12. After the preceding "challenge” had been made and apparently accepted, the Lord entered the case again and spoke to Jeremiah.
Jeremiah 28:13. He ws to contact Hananiah and deliver the latest message from the Lord. The pronoun thou occurs twice hut has different antecedents. The first is Hananiah and the second is Jeremiah, for the Lord was still speaking to him. He was to say to Hananiah, Thou hast broken the yok.es of wood. Then the Lord, speaking directly to Jeremiah said, but thou shalt make for them, yokes of iron. The force of the language was that nothing would be gained by destroying the yokes of wood, for other and stronger ones would be made and fastened upon their necks.
Jeremiah 28:14. The Lord here made his interpretation of tile action and prediction. It left the matter where it was before Hananiah intruded with his false prophecies of peace. The several nations then under the power of Nebuchadnezzar were still to serve him and he was to have control of their personal property.
Jeremiah 28:15. Having received this confirming message from God, Jeremiah knew that Hananiah was a false prophet, and he accused him accordingly to his face.
Jeremiah 28:16. Moreover, he pronounced a sentence of death upon him. He did not make his prediction in general terms as a false prophet might have done, but set the time which was to be yet that same year.
Jeremiah 28:17. Hananiah died the 7th month of that year and the prediction of Jeremiah was made the 5th month (verse 1). thus bringing a prompt fulfillment of the sentence against this wicked man.
Jeremiah Chapter Twenty-Nine
Verse 1
Jeremiah 29'S LETTER TO THE EXILESThe date of this chapter is some time after the first wave of captives had been carried to Babylon following the first Babylonian capture of the city in 597 B.C. Jehoiachin was deposed after a very brief three months on the throne; and the puppet king Zedekiah, an uncle of his, had been installed as the vassal king of his overlord the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar.
The false prophets were busy spreading the falsehood that the captivity would shortly end; Jehoiachin (Jeconiah) would be restored, and all the vessels of the temple would be restored to Jerusalem. This was the message of Hananiah (of the preceding chapter) who had promised all of these wonderful things would take place in a mere couple of years.
The crowd of false prophets similar to Hananiah were circulating the same falsehoods in Babylon; and the letter in this chapter was written by Jeremiah in order to counteract and frustrate the evil campaign of the false prophets.
It was simply not the will of God that Israel's captivity should be over within so short a time as the false prophets were saying. Yet it is easy to understand why the false prophets believed that the captivity would soon end. There still remained in the person of Zedekiah a representative of the house of David on the throne in Jerusalem; the temple still stood, despite the robbing of many of its treasures; and upon these grounds, the false prophets imagined that the complete independence of Judah might soon be restored.
God had ordained and commanded the captivity of Judah as a punishment upon the rebellious, apostate nation; it was God's intention to humble and discipline his people, and bring them at last to an acceptable relationship to Himself; and, if their captivity had been nothing but an extended intrigue against their captors, the purpose of God would surely have been frustrated. The captivity would not be short, but long, (Jeremiah 29:4); it would last into the third generation; and the vast majority of the captives would never see Jerusalem again! Jeremiah's letter was for the purpose of destroying the campaign of the false prophets.
This chapter is somewhat complex; and some scholars find as many as "four separate letters"[1] in it; some would follow the LXX and remove most of the chapter; others would make the prophecy of the further destruction of Judah a separate letter that somehow became incorporated into this chapter, basing their postulation upon the premise that Zedekiah would not have allowed a prophecy like that to go to Babylon, etc., etc.
There are not four letters here. The first words of the chapter state that, "These are the words of THE LETTER" that Jeremiah wrote to the captives from Jerusalem. It was a delegation from Zedekiah that bore the letter to Babylon, and there is no need to suppose that Zedekiah ever saw Jeremiah's letter. Besides that, even if he had seen it, the primary thrust of it was clearly in line with Zedekiah's own kingly interests. If some kind of a rebellion in Babylon had resulted in the restoration of Jehoiachin to his throne, it would have meant the fall of Zedekiah.
Jeremiah 29:1-4"Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of the elders of the captivity, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon (after that Jeconiah the king, and the queen-mother, and the eunuchs, and the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, and the craftsmen, and the smiths, were deported from Jerusalem), by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah (whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent unto Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), saying, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all the captivity, whom I have caused to be carried away captive from Jerusalem unto Babylon.""The queen-mother, and the eunuchs, and the princes ..." (Jeremiah 29:2). The queen-mother's name was Nehushta the daughter of Elnathan (2 Kings 24:8); and in the Jewish system she was a very important person who seems to have worn a crown and occupied a throne adjacent to that of the king.
Scholars have a lot of trouble with the word "eunuchs" in this passage; and Cheyne even called it a gloss;[2]but the Bible fully explains it. The princes of Judah and Jerusalem had already been captured and carried away to Babylon, among whom were Daniel and his friends; and they had been emasculated, given new names, and given into the charge of Nebuchadnezzar's "prince of the eunuchs" (Daniel 1:7). Therefore, the word "eunuchs" in this place is absolutely appropriate. As Thompson said, "The essential historicity of this material cannot be doubted."[3]"The craftsmen and the smiths ..." (Jeremiah 29:2). It was the policy of Nebuchadnezzar to bring skilled artisans and persons with technical knowledge into Babylon in order to help him, "build and beautify the city."[4] God later identified Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom as "the head of gold," as it pertained to lesser kingdoms which would follow his; and this was surely one of the reasons for that preference. Nebuchadnezzar did not import young women to satisfy his lust, but skilled workers to help him build and beautify.
"Elasah the son of Shaphan ..." (Jeremiah 29:3). "This man was probably a brother of Ahikam (SeeJeremiah 26:24)."[5] He was therefore a friend and protector of Jeremiah; and, if it had been necessary to shield the contents of Jeremiah's letter from the eyes of Zedekiah, Elasah was surely the person who could and would have done so.
The exact date and purpose of this embassy to Babylon is not known; but, "as Zedekiah himself went to Babylon in his fourth year,"[6] this embassy might have been preparatory to that visit.
"The captives, whom I have caused to be carried away ..." (Jeremiah 29:4). God here reveals himself as the cause of the captivity. "God Himself has brought about the exile; and, since the Lord's will was behind it, the better part of wisdom for Judah was submission."[7]Verse 5
"Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them. Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters: and multiply there, and be not diminished. And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray unto Jehovah for it; for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace."What a marvelous anticipation of New Testament teaching is in this paragraph. The wholehearted cooperation with the governmental powers under which one may chance to live is spoken as a cardinal principle of the gospel of Christ in Romans 13:1-12. Praying for authorities is specifically commanded in 1 Timothy 2:1-3. If the Jewish nation had properly received and obeyed this commandment, the Roman destruction of 70 A.D. would have been averted.
Of course, instructions such as these infuriated the false prophets.
"Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters ..." (Jeremiah 29:6). "The wives Jeremiah encouraged them to marry were Jewish wives, not foreign (Deuteronomy 7:3)."[8]"The Hebrew exiles in Babylon were not slaves but deportees, and free to leave about as they pleased. Some became wealthy, and some, like Daniel, attained high places in government; and the commandments of Jer 29:7 were made out of regard for the welfare of Israel."[9]As a matter of fact, the prosperity of many of the exiles was so great that when the command finally came for them to return to the Holy Land, countless numbers of them elected to remain in Babylon. It was indeed only "a remnant" that returned to Jerusalem.
Verse 8
"For thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Let not your prophets that are in the midst of you, and your diviners, deceive you; neither hearken ye to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed. For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith Jehovah.""Your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed ..." (Jeremiah 29:8) The dreams mentioned here seem to be accredited to the people themselves. We do not know if the meaning here is that, from the intense desire of the people for independence, their subconscious minds produced the dreams, or if the false prophets, knowing the longings of the people for liberty, invented the dreams to suit the wishes of the people; but we suppose the latter is intended.
Some scholars of the scissors and paste experts excise these verses; but, as Green stated it, "There is no real basis for the excision. The verses undergird what precedes and prepare for what follows."[10]Verse 10
"For thus saith Jehovah, After seventy years are accomplished for Babylon, I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith Jehovah, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope in your latter end. And ye shall call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith Jehovah, and I will gather you from all the nations, and I will return again your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith Jehovah; and I will bring you again unto the place whence I cause you to be carried away captive.""After seventy years ... for Babylon ..." (Jeremiah 29:10). Yes, the captivity would end, but not until the seventy years were accomplished.
Notice also that there are overtones here that reach unto the end of time. The gathering of God's people from "all the nations" is at the present time taking place in the preaching of the gospel all over the world. There is far more in these verses than the mere return of a few Jews to Jerusalem.
"The accomplishment of the seventy years for Babylon ..." (Jeremiah 29:10). "These words indicate that `the seventy years' are primarily the length of the Babylonian empire, and only in a secondary sense, the length of the Jewish exile."[11] The actual duration of the Babylonian domination was from, "The fall of Nineveh in 612 B.C. to the fall of Babylon in 539 B.C."[12] a period of 73 years. Counting from the accession of Nebuchadnezzar in 606 (Jewish method of reckoning) to the fall of Babylon to Cyrus, there was a period of 67 years. As far as we are concerned, there is no need to talk about "round numbers" in a prophecy as exact as this one.
Verse 15
"Because ye have said, Jehovah hath raised us up prophets in Babylon; Thus saith Jehovah concerning the king that sitteth upon the throne of David, and concerning all the people that dwell in this city, your brethren that are not gone forth with you into captivity; thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Behold, I will send upon them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like vile figs, that cannot be eaten, they are so bad. And I will pursue after them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be tossed to and fro among all the kingdoms of the earth, to be an execration, and an astonishment, and a hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations whither I have driven them; because they have not hearkened unto my words, saith Jehovah, wherewith I sent unto them my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; but ye would not hear, saith Jehovah. Hear ye therefore the word of Jehovah, all ye of the captivity, whom I have sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon.""Jehovah hath raised us up prophets in Babylon ..." (Jeremiah 29:15). This evidently comes from some communication which Jeremiah had received from the captives themselves. Of course, such prophets were false prophets; and Jeremiah warned against the captive's being deceived by them.
Jeremiah 29:16-17 have the prophecy of the complete destruction of the remainder of Judah in Jerusalem; and we reject the idea that this prophecy does not belong in Jeremiah's letter. Oh yes, it is missing from the Septuagint (LXX), but what of that? As Smith noted, "The whole text of the Septuagint is here so brief and confused as to be practically inexplicable; but on the other hand the Hebrew text represents the original manuscript, and is especially trustworthy in the case before us."[13] "The fact of these verses being lacking in the LXX proves nothing except that the translators of the Septuagint (LXX) were unable to understand the main thought of the passage!"[14] It is for exactly this same reason that present-day commentators would prefer to omit the passage.
The vital relevance of this prophecy against the remainder of Judah in Jerusalem is that it was necessary to silence and destroy the campaign of the false prophets. Their whole message was, "All of us will be back home in Judah within two years." Jeremiah had already been fully verified as a true prophet of God; and this message sent to the exiles effectively killed their whole campaign. It infuriated them; but it also silenced them.
Cheyne's notion that Jeremiah 29:16-20 "are an interpolation"[15] is therefore an unfortunate error. It is another example of a scholar claiming "an interpolation" as an explanation of something he does not understand.
Henderson understood the necessity for these verses in Jeremiah's letter, writing, "They are designed to contradict the false hopes held out to the captives that the Jewish state in Jerusalem should stand, and that they would be restored to their brethren in Judaea."[16]"Vile figs ..." (Jeremiah 29:17). The captives already knew about this prophecy; but Jeremiah repeated it here. See Jeremiah 24:2 f. This letter had nothing in it about the destruction of Judah that was not already known by Zedekiah; and any thought that he would not have allowed a communication like this to go to Babylon is denied by the facts that Zedekiah probably did not see the letter; and that, if he had seen it, he would have allowed it anyway. He evidently believed that Jeremiah was a true prophet. His later rebellion was due solely to his weakness.
Verse 21
"Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and concerning Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, who prophesy a lie unto you in my name: Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall slay them before your eyes; and of them shall be taken up a curse by all the captives of Judah that are in Babylon, saying, Jehovah make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire; because they have wrought folly in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbor's wives, and have spoken words in my name falsely, which I commanded them not; and I am he that knoweth, and am witness, saith Jehovah.""Concerning Ahab ... and Zedekiah ..." (Jeremiah 29:21). This part of Jeremiah's letter is directed to these two men, with a message from God that they shall be put to death. This was a rather lengthy communication which Jeremiah sent to Babylon, as Cawley and Millard noted, "This letter includes messages to no less than four different groups:
(1) those already in captivity in Babylon (Jeremiah 29:10-14);
(2) those who would become captives later (Jeremiah 29:15-19);
(3) Ahab, Zedekiah and their fellow false prophets (Jeremiah 29:21-23); and
(4) to Shemaiah (Jeremiah 29:24-32)."[17]This extensive letter, addressed to different groups, indicates that Jeremiah's communication with the captives had been rather extensive. Shemaiah was among those who had written a letter which Jeremiah read; and there were doubtless other examples also.
"Roasted in the fire ..." (Jeremiah 29:22). The Babylonian method of putting criminals to death was by casting them alive into the fiery furnace (Daniel 3:6); "But the Babylonians would hardly have put men to death for committing adultery ... Nebuchadnezzar probably put them to death for plotting a rebellion against Babylon."[18]The curse mentioned here is interesting. "When the exiles would imprecate the greatest evil upon one whom they hated, the heaviest curse in the fewest words they could think of was, `The Lord make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab.' "[19]Cheyne wisely commented that, "There is an important and melancholy addition to our knowledge of false prophets in Jeremiah 29:23, namely, that they committed adultery. They were not only misleading prophets, but immoral men in their private capacities."[20] This pattern in the lives of false teachers has prevailed throughout history, and even to the present day.
Verse 24
"And concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite thou shalt speak, saying, Thus speaketh Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, Because thou hast sent letters in thine own name unto all the people that are in Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, and to all the priests, saying, instead of Jehoida, that there may be officers in the house of Jehovah, for every man that is mad, and maketh himself a prophet, that thou shouldest put him in the stocks and in the shackles. Therefore, why hast not thou rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth, who maketh himself a prophet to you, forasmuch as he hath sent unto us in Babylon, saying, The captivity is long: build ye houses, and dwell in them, and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them?"The usual explanation of this passage is that, "These words are a second communication from Jeremiah to Babylon, sent after Shemaiah had sent Jeremiah the letter mentioned in Jeremiah 29:25."[21] This may well be the case; and if this is right, it would indicate that the false prophets in Babylon were really infuriated by Jeremiah's letter, and that they promptly mounted a campaign to get Jeremiah silenced. In that case, this letter has been added to "the letter" mentioned in Jeremiah 29:1, because of the similarity between them.
Smith explained this and the verses to the end of the chapter as being, "Appended to Jeremiah's letter without any introduction, that it might tell its own tale, showing the effects of the letter. The Zephaniah mentioned here was the deputy high priest."[22]The whole account here is abbreviated, because Shemaiah's letter stated that Jeremiah had prophesied a "long captivity," but the letter as recorded here omits the word "long." In such a condensation as we evidently have here, it is impossible to fill in all the details accurately.
Smith also noted that the letter which Shemaiah wrote to the deputy High Priest was manifestly different from the one written to "all the people," indicating that Shemaiah wrote a lot of letters (note that they are mentioned in the plural); and that one of those had, in fact, triggered what is here called "the letter" and that this paragraph addressed to Shemaiah was actually a part of it. The whole question is of no major importance.
"The captivity is long ..." (Jeremiah 29:28). The literal text here is, "It is long." "The omission of the noun here is far more forcible than its inclusion would have been. What is long? God's anger is long; their punishment is long; the time necessary for their repentance is long; the exile is long; the seventy years are long; everything is indeed long for men who are homesick, and who will never live to see their native land again."[23]Verse 29
"And Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet. Then came the word of Jehovah unto Jeremiah, saying, Send to all them of the captivity, saying, Thus saith Jehovah concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite: Because that Shemaiah hath prophesied unto you, and I sent him not, and he hath caused you to trust in a lie, therefore, thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite, and his seed; he shall not have a son to dwell among his people, neither shall he behold the good that I will do unto my people, saith Jehovah, because he hath spoken rebellion against Jehovah."This paragraph might well indeed have been included as a fitting introduction to this whole chapter. The chronological sequence of events in Jeremiah is very difficult to know with any certainty.
"Zephaniah ... read this letter in the ears of Jeremiah ..." (Jeremiah 29:29). Evidently the deputy High Priest honored and trusted Jeremiah as the true prophet of God; and instead of placing Jeremiah in the stocks and shackles as Shemaiah had requested, he informed the prophet of all that was going on. Note that God here commanded Jeremiah to write not merely Shemaiah but, "to all of them of the captivity," (Jeremiah 29:31). Thus the words to Shemaiah were to be included in the letter to all the captives, as it appears in this chapter.
Jeremiah 29:1. The Babylonian captivity as a whole began in 606 B.C. and ended in 536 B.C., 70 years in all. It began at the end of Jehoiakim's 3rd year and ended at the overthrow of Belshazzar on the night of hie noted feast. However, the period had three stages in the beginning which are sometimes referred to as the 1st, 2nd and 3rd captivities for the purpose of fixing certain dates. Another manner of designating them Is to do so under the name of the king who was reign-ing in Judah at the time of the one referred to. The three kings were Jehoiaklm, Jeconiah (Jehoiachin) and Zedekiah, who were subdued by Nebuchadnezzar but allowed to sit for a time on the throne in Jerusalem. These facts must he kept in mind or confusion may result from some of the statements regarding the Jews in their relation to the Babylonians.
Jeremiah 29:2, The capture of Jeconiah and his family marked the “ second” captivity and Jeremiah sent his letter to his brethren in Babylon after that event. The prophet was under the authority of the Babylonian Empire, but was not required to leave Palestine due to the respect the captain had for him (Jeremiah 40:1-6). Jeremiah wished bis brethren in Babylon to be like a "model prisoner” while in captivity and sent the letter for that purpose which was for their own advantage.
Jeremiah 29:3. The men named were the bearers of Jeremiah's letter to the Jews in Babylon. They went by the authority of Zedekiah, king of Judah, and hence their mission had the dignity of an official one.
Jeremiah 29:4. The Jews In Babylon should have been impressed with the letter of Jeremiah since it was dictated by the Lord. Also by the fact that He was the one who had caused them to be taken into captivity. With the assurance that God always has an important purpose for everything he does, then profound attention should have been given to any message sent to them by His direction.
Jeremiah 29:5. The general subject of the letter was for them to prepare for a long stay in Babylon. That they should plant gardens and eat of the products of the same. They should not only build houses, which could be merely an occupation for exercise, but they were told they would get to live in the houses.
Jeremiah 29:6. It was predicted that the number of the Israelites would be generally reduced by the captivity (Isaiah 1:9; Isaiah 10:22), yet it also was Indicated by these same predictions that a number would be left and the history shows that it was done (Ezra 2:64). But in order for that to occur It was necessary for the people to continne their normal ways of family life as far as the conditions would permit So the prophet told them to marry and produce families for the continuance of them as a people.
Jeremiah 29:7. Seek the peace of the city meant for them to be orderly and respectful toward the city In which they might be located. If they were resentful under their bondage it would only add to their unpleasant situation. Also, if the said town where they were having their residence should have any difficulty with outside people, these Israelites would have to share In that trouble, hence they were to seek its peace.
Jeremiah 29:8. Before the captivity ever began the false prophets kept telling the people there would be no war nor trouble. Their visions of peace proved to be false and yet in the face of that fact they had the boldness to claim that the captivity would soon be over. Jeremiah admonished his people not to be deceived by them.
Jeremiah 29:9, Jeremiah plainly charged these prophets with lying, and that they were uttering their falsehood in the name of the Lord. A man might write a check when he knew he had no funds to make It good and that would be a sin. It would be still worse if he made out a check and signed the name of another man to it without his consent. That would be like the wicked action of these prophets, for they delivered their false predictions and then claimed to have the authority of the Lord for them.
Jeremiah 29:10. The exact length of the captivity was predicted here as it had been done in Jeremiah 25:12. History shows It began B.C. 606 and ended B.C. 536. I will visit you is a prediction of the Influence God would exert on the governments concerned, which would cause them to release the Jews so that they could return to their own land of Palestine. That history is in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah for the Biblical account, and the secular history may be seen in the comments on Isaiah 14:1, volume 3 of this Commentary.
Jeremiah 29:11. Thoughts and think have the same meaning except as to grammatical form, the first being a noun and the other a verb. The clause means that God understood what he wras planning concerning his people. The plots referred to in this place were in regard to the restoration of the people of God to their own country.
Jeremiah 29:12. Then is an adverb of time and applies to the date when the captivity was to be terminated. It would then be according to God’ s will to pray for deliverance from captivity, hence such a prayer would he answered.
Jeremiah 29:13. However, even when it is God's will that his people be released, their prayer for divine favor must be offered with sincere hearLs,
Jeremiah 29:14. A ll the nations refers to the various peoples that made up the Babylonian Empire. In course of the 70-year period the Jews became more or less scattered among various districts, and this verse was a prediction that they would be called out from such places to return to Palestine.
Jeremiah 29:15. The preceding verses were that part of Jeremiah's letter intended for the encouragement of the Jews who were better disposed toward the Lord. This verse starts the part directed toward the false prophets among them and the people who had been listening to them. Certain ones had been denying the predictions of Jeremiah about the extent of the captivity. They also denied that any more of the nation yet remaining in Jeru-salem were to follow their brethren into Babylon.
Jeremiah 29:16. The king referred to was Zedekiah who was the last man to occupy the throne In Jerusalem. It was called the throne of David because he was the first man of the tribe of Judah to sit on that throne.
Jeremiah 29:17. The things threatened in this verse were to come on the Jews still left in Palestine and who had been listening to the false prophets.
Jeremiah 29:18. Persecute does not have the ordinary meaning for God never treats anyone in that way regardless of his deserts. It comes from the Hebrew words and the meaning is to pursue or chase one with hostile intent. The means the Lord proposed to use in bringing about the punishment threatened against his people was the one frequently mentioned; sword, famine and pestilence. (See the comments on this subject at Jeremiah 14:12). The meaning of the tuitions is explained at verse 14.
Jeremiah 29:19. God always gives man an opportunity to know what is right before punishing him for wrongdoing. He had sent his inspired prophets to the people to instruct and admonish them but they would not. give heed. Rising up early is from SHAKAM and Strong defines it, "Literally to load up (on the back of a man or beast), i.e. to start early in the morning.” The meaning here is that God was prompt in starting his prophets on their mission of admonition to bis people.
Jeremiah 29:20. The part of Jeremiah's letter starting with this verse is again directed toward the captives in Babylon to warn them concerning the false prophets.
Jeremiah 29:21. The punctuation as the A.V. has this verse might be somewhat confusing in the use of the preposition "of.” It will help clarify the thought by wording it as follows: “ The God of Israel says thus of Ahab, etc.” This Ahab and Zedekiah were false prophets in Babylon who deceived the captives by their lying predictions, and whose false assurances had a tendency to incite a spirit of rebellion against the king. The letter said that these false prophets would be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon who would slay them in the sight of the captives.
Jeremiah 29:22. The manner of death that Nebuchadrezzar inflicted on these false prophets was by roasting them In the fire, The publicity that was given to this terrible execution is indicated by the fact tiiat “ all the captivity” would talk about it.
Jeremiah 29:23. If a man loses his respect for the truth of God he is likely to become corrupt in his personal conduct. These false prophets committed villany (“ moral wickedness."— Strong) by violating their neighbors’ wives. They sought to hide their abominable conduct by issuing false prophecies in the name of God.
Jeremiah 29:24. Shemaiah was a false prophet in Babylon who sent rebellious letters to certain ones back in Jerusalem, and Jeremiah's letter was addressed to him in part.
Jeremiah 29:25-26. One of the letters of Shemaiah was sent to Zephaniah who was a priest, in Jerusalem. We know that priests were expected to be teachers of the people as well as to be presiding at the sacrifices (Leviticus 10:11 : Deuteronomy 17:9; Malachi 2:7), but it is not clearly shown that they were to exercise the kind of work claimed by Shemaiah. But regardless of that question, it is certain they would not have had the right to persecute a good man as this false prophet demanded to have done.
Jeremiah 29:27. Shemaiah did not like the message that Jeremiah had sent to the Jews in Babylon, and he complained to Zephaniah because he did not criticize the prophet.
Jeremiah 29:28. Shemaiah correctly reported the contents of Jeremiah's letter although he did not like it because of his own falsifying prophecies to the captives.
Jeremiah 29:29. There is no evidence that Zephaniah attempted to reprove Jeremiah, but he did let him hear what Shemaiah wrote against him. It Is also reasonable to conclude that Zephaniah went to the Lord about the situation.
Jeremiah 29:30. After the exchange of communications between Shemaiah and the priest Zephaniah, the Lord gave Jeremiah another message to send to Babylon.
Jeremiah 29:31. The message was to be in regard to the false prophecies of Shemaiah that he had uttered among the captives; the Lord accused him plainly of lying.
Jeremiah 29:32. Shemaiah was already in Babylon as a captive, hence some additional punishment was to be inflicted upon him. His family was to become extinct and he also was to die before the return of his brethren to their native land.
Jeremiah Chapter Thirty
Verse 1
30ALL ISRAEL UNDER MESSIAHThis and the following three chapters are called by some "The Book of Consolation"; but for our study, it is just as well to consider the chapters independently as they appear in the text. While true enough that there is indeed a concentration in these four chapters of many glorious prophecies for Israel, these glorious prophecies are by no means limited to these chapters. Jeremiah 29:10-14 (of the previous chapter) is but one example.
Cheyne mentioned that passages akin to these four chapters also "occur in earlier chapters of Jer 3:14-19; Jeremiah 16:14-15, and Jeremiah 23:3-8."[1]There are three dates which are seriously proposed for these four chapters, the majority of current scholars seeming to prefer the tenth year of Zedekiah, near the end of the final siege of Jerusalem, circa 587 B.C., just before the collapse of the city.[2] Still others find a date late in the exile and, "Suppose that they were written by someone other than Jeremiah; but such theories lean heavily upon critical reconstructions of Isaiah which are based entirely upon unwarranted and unproved conclusions."[3] That type of "dating" Biblical books we reject as totally untrustworthy. A third date was proposed by Naegelsbach who dates the first two chapters here (Jeremiah 30 and Jeremiah 31), "as the oldest part of the whole Book of Jeremiah, along with Jeremiah 3-6."[4] We suggest that no one knows for sure exactly when various chapters in this prophecy were written, unless the text indicates it; and again, we raise the question, "What difference does it make anyway?"
Our own preference of a date is that which places these chapters shortly before the final capture of Jerusalem. It seems very appropriate that, "When the siege was drawing to an end, famine and pestilence were ravaging the city, its capture more and more evident every day, with all hope of rescue past, and Jeremiah himself in prison - that in this sad pressure of earthly troubles, Jeremiah bade his countrymen look courageously to the fulfillment of the high hopes expressed in these chapters,"[5]These chapters speak of the perpetuity of Israel, the calling of the Gentiles, the amalgamation of Jew and Gentile alike under one New Covenant, the coming of Messiah, the Branch, the Son of David, the Mediator between God and man, Jehovah Our Righteousness, who as both Priest and King would bring a new age of prosperity to Israel. A comprehensive title for all four of these chapters, according to Smith, is "`The New Covenant,' the very name by which the Gospel is known in most languages, though we call it the New Testament."[6]Jeremiah 30:1-3"The word that came to Jeremiah from Jehovah, saying, Thus speaketh Jehovah, the God of Israel, saying Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book. For, lo, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will turn again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith Jehovah; and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.""Write all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book ..." (Jeremiah 30:2). We can find no grounds whatever for agreement with the usual scholarly proposition that this commandment regarding the placing of Jeremiah's prophecies in a book applied only to this chapter and perhaps two or three other chapters additionally. Do those chapters include "all the words that God spoke to Jeremiah?" No matter what men say, the answer to that is negative.
What we have here is exactly the same commandment found again in Jeremiah 36:2, where God said to Jeremiah:
"In the fourth year of Jehoiachim ... the word came from Jehovah to Jeremiah, saying, 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."
This passage, along with what is written here, indicates that all of Jeremiah's prophecies were carefully written down and preserved by him in a book. How else, do the scholars suppose we now possess his book, after so many centuries have fled away? The very existence of the book of Jeremiah in the sacred Hebrew Canon is the only proof needed that Jeremiah did what God commanded him to do. Of course, this glimpse of the truth plays havoc with all the speculative editors, redactors, and interpolators used in the imaginative guesses of Bible critics.
Keil mentioned a Dr. J. D. Michaelis who took the same view of these passages as the one taken here; and although Keil disagreed with him, he gave no reason whatever for doing so.[7]"The days are coming ..." (Jeremiah 30:3). "These words look toward eschatological times. Jeremiah is contemplating the distant, not the near, future of the nation; and these words strike the keynote for the entire group of four chapters beginning here."[8]Yes, there is a definite promise here of the return of Israel to "the land" which God gave to their fathers; but the real fulfillment of this came, not in the return of a few Jews to Jerusalem, but in the ingathering of Jews and Gentiles alike into the kingdom of heaven under the preaching of the Gospel of Christ.
"I will turn again the captivity of my people ..." (Jeremiah 30:3). "This expression in the Bible is sometimes used where no captivity of any kind is in view (Job 42:10; Ezekiel 16:53)."[9] In many passages, therefore, where this expression occurs, the meaning is, "I will reverse or restore the fortunes."[10] It was the "captivity" of Israel in their sins that was the principal concern of the Lord, as indicated by Jesus' use of similar words in Luke 4:18.
"My people Israel and Judah ..." (Jeremiah 30:3). Thompson was impressed with the use of both these designations here and thought that, "It indicates that both the southern and northern kingdoms of Israel were included in God's plans for the future."[11] However, the unification of "all Israel" in this passage has no reference whatever to the two "kingdoms." It is the New Israel which will accomplish the fulfillment of God's will in the future; and that Israel will not only include all of racial Israel, including both the northern tribes and the southern kingdom, but also the Gentiles as well.
Verse 4
"And these are the words that Jehovah spake concerning Israel and concerning Judah. For thus saith Jehovah: We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child; wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness? Alas, for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.""Alas for that day ..." (Jeremiah 30:7). Payne Smith, and others have understood this day to be the day when the armies of the Medo-Persians approached Babylon to destroy it;[12] but we cannot believe that was "the day of Jacob's trouble." That was evidently the day of Babylon's trouble!
"That day is great ... there is none like it ..." (Jeremiah 30:7) The unique day in view here, it appears to us, must be understood as the Judgment of the Great Day. See Amos 5:18 f and the first two chapters of Zephaniah. The great day mentioned here is not the day of the destruction of Jerusalem, nor the day of the destruction of Babylon. "It is the Day of the Lord, a significant eschatological theme."[13] Keil agreed with this, pointing out that the passage is an imitation of Joe 2:2. where that prophet, for the first time presents the idea of the great day of Judgment to come on all nations."[14]Verse 8
"And it shall come to pass in that day, saith Jehovah of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more make him thy bondman; but they shall serve Jehovah their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them. Therefore fear thou not, O Jacob my servant, saith Jehovah; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be quiet and at ease, and none shall make him afraid. For I am with thee, saith Jehovah, to save thee: for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have scattered thee, but I will not make a full end of thee; but I will correct thee in measure, and will in no wise leave thee unpunished.""Yoke from off thy neck ..." (Jeremiah 30:8). "Only in the most preliminary way can this refer to the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar on the neck of Jacob. What is meant is the liberation of God's people from all foreign oppressors; and that could be accomplished only by the glorious intervention of Israel's Messianic king."[15]The remainder of this chapter is devoted to the further exploration of that theme.
Caesar was the name of a Roman emperor; but the name, in time, became a title for many subsequent emperors. Among the Jews, the same thing happened. David was the name of one of their kings; but, in time, it came to be the title of Messiah himself, "The Son of David" (Matthew 1:1). "It is very significant that in the prophetic scriptures the resurrection of David himself is never predicted as an antecedent to the rule of his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, on the Davidic throne."[16]"They shall serve Jehovah their God, and David their king ..." (Jeremiah 30:9). Note the parallelism. David their king, Messiah, is indeed God come in the flesh. Serving Christ is serving God.
Some have missed the point here. Henderson noted that, "The prophecy that the Jews would serve Messiah has hitherto had only a very partial fulfillment, yet the time is coming when they all shall adore him as their Saviour and their King."[17] Such a comment overlooks the truth that "All Israel," that is, "All the true Israel" are already serving Messiah. To construe this prophecy as a notion that all racial Israel shall ever adore Christ is a gross mistake.
"Jacob my servant ..." (Jeremiah 30:10). Theme of Jacob, or Israel, as God's servant is more fully developed in Isaiah in the series of passages called "The Servant Songs." (Isaiah 41:8-14; Isaiah 43:1-7; Isaiah 44:1-2; Isaiah 51:1 f; Isaiah 53, etc.).
"Full end of all the nations ... not a full end of thee ..." (Jeremiah 30:11). Ammon, Moab, Edom, Assyria, etc. no longer exist; but the nation of Israel is still on earth. How do critics explain this without designating it a "predictive prophecy?"
Verse 12
"For thus saith Jehovah, Thy hurt is incurable, and thy wound grievous. There is none to plead thy cause, that thou mayest be bound up: thou hast no healing medicines. All thy lovers have forgotten thee; they seek thee not: for I have wounded thee with the wound of an enemy, with the chastisement of a cruel one, for the greatness of thine iniquity, because thy sins were increased. Why criest thou for thy hurt? thy pain is incurable: for the greatness of thine iniquity, because thy sins were increased, I have done these things unto thee. Therefore all they that devour . thee shall be devoured; and all thine adversaries, every one of them, shall go into captivity; and they that despoil thee shall be a spoil, and all that prey upon thee will I give for a prey. For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith Jehovah, because they have called thee an outcast, saying, It is Zion whom no man seeketh after.""Thy hurt is incurable ...
I will heal thee of thy wounds ..." (Jeremiah 30:12; Jeremiah 30:17). From the human standpoint, there was no remedy for the condition of Israel, but God would supply the healing and restoration which were impossible from any other source.
Notice how the metaphors are multiplied here. There is an incurable sickness; there is a terrible wound; there are no medicines available; there is a lawsuit and no one to plead the cause of the defendant; all of Israel's lovers have forsaken her!
"Thy lovers have forgotten thee ..." (Jeremiah 30:14). "These were the surrounding nations upon which Israel had relied for help against Babylon."[18]"The greatness of thine iniquity . .. thy sins were increased ..." (Jeremiah 30:15). The terrible punishment which God decreed for Israel was fully justified and amply deserved by the apostate people.
Verse 18
"Thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I will turn again the captivity of Jacob's tents, and have compassion on his dwelling-places; and the city shall be builded upon its own hill, and the palace shall be inhabited after its own manner. And out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of them that make merry: and I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; I shall also glorify them, and they shall not be small. Their children also shall be as aforetime, and their congregation shall be established before me; and I will punish all that oppress them, And their prince shall be of themselves, and their ruler shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me: for who is he that hath had boldness to approach unto me? saith Jehovah. And ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.""I will turn again the captivity of Jacob's tents ..." (Jeremiah 30:18). The mention of tents here does not mean that most of the people were still nomads, dwelling in tents, because the parallelism stresses dwelling-places in the next line. These verses look to the time when Israel's punishment has been completed and a marvelous prosperity will return to them. "The prophet speaks of Judah here as a type of the Church, with Immanuel as her king."[19] The title of all four of the chapters here is "The New Covenant"; and the racial Israel hardly enters the picture at all.
"And the city shall be builded upon its own hill ..." (Jeremiah 30:18). "The Hebrew word here for `hill' means mound (of a ruined city) and corresponds to the Arabic `tell.' Notice how many place-names have this word: Tel Aviv (Ezekiel 3:15), Tel el-Amarna (in Egypt), Tel Assar (2 Kings 19:12), Tel Melah and Tel Harsha (Ezra 2:59)."[20] For ages, in the East, it was customary to build cities upon the ruins (the tels) of cities that had been destroyed in order to decrease the chance of floods and to strengthen fortifications.
"Their prince shall be of themselves, and their ruler shall proceed from the midst of them ..."(Jeremiah 30:21). It is the great prophecy of the Christ given by Moses in Deuteronomy 18:15 that explains these clauses. The Anchor Bible renders this whole verses thus:
"Their prince shall be one of their own,
Their ruler shall come from their midst;
And Him I'll permit to approach me.
For who otherwise would be so bold
As thus to approach me? Yahweh's word."
Keil tells us that the very words of this verse were used in Exodus 19:6 to denote the approach of Moses to Jehovah on Mount Sinai,[21] thus indicating the priesthood of the prince or ruler mentioned here. It would be difficult to frame a verse more specifically identifying the character of these verses as "Like unto Moses" than what is given here. Moses was priest and king, so is Jesus Christ. Moses was "from the midst of the brethren" even as he prophesied that Christ also would be from the midst of the brethren.
This picture of a ruler-priest finds its Old Testament type also in the example of Melchizedek in Psalms 110.
For these and other reasons we find here a clear prophecy of the Messiah. As Keil expressed it, "Herein is contained the truth, that the sovereignty of Israel, as restored, culminates in the kingdom of the Messiah."[22]As Thompson noted, "The passage has a peculiarly Messianic ring to it."[23] One such evidence was pointed out by Henderson who wrote of the question asked by God Himself "Who would be so bold as to approach me? ... Such an approach had never been made before; the question is put as something altogether unique."[24]Furthermore, both Henderson and Albert Barnes translate Jeremiah 30:21 thus, "And his Glorious One shall spring from himself."[25] Such terminology is exclusively applicable to the Messiah. Matthew Henry also concurred in this rendition.
Verse 23
"Behold the tempest of Jehovah, even his wrath, is gone forth, a sweeping tempest. It shall burst upon the head of the wicked. The fierce anger of Jehovah shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the intents of his heart: in the latter days ye shall understand it."Matthew Henry commented at length upon this revelation of the wrath of God, "as something very terrible, sudden, irresistible, hurtful and sure to accomplish God's will."[26]God's purpose to destroy wickedness from before his presence will be executed with no less precision and power than the execution of his purpose to redeem and bless those who love him.
We have already met with these two verses in Jeremiah 23:19-20; and, of course, radical critics never miss an opportunity to scream "interpolation" or "gloss." We appreciate the marvelous way in which Keil demonstrated that the subtle differences in the two passages are extremely significant in the different contexts and that, "There is thus no good ground for considering these verses a later interpolation into the text."[27]
Jeremiah 30:1. This verse pertains to a direct word from the Lord to Jeremiah concerning instructions about to be given him.
Jeremiah 30:2. The Lord had spoken many predictions directly to the mind of Jeremiah, and lie in turn had repeated them orally in the ears of the people. But now he was to write them down which would get them in permanent form.
Jeremiah 30:3. This verse predicts the return of all the people of God to their own country. Israel and Judah means the 10 tribes and the 2 tribes. Israel had been taken captive by the Assyrians before the Babylonian Empire was established; but the territory that had been controlled by the Assyrians was taken over by the Babylonians, who found the people of the 10 tribes scattered among the cities, Then when the Babylonians brought the 2 tribes from Jerusalem It practically got the entire nation of the Jews together, hence the return after the captivity would logically include the 12 tribes.
Jeremiah 30:4. This verse is an introduction to the predictions that Jeremiah was to write in a hook.
Jeremiah 30:5. Have heard a voice means the Lord heard the mournful complaints of his people in Babylonian captivity and had compassion on them.
Jeremiah 30:6. The pains of a woman approaching childbirth are used to illustrate the depressed state of mind suffered by the people of God in captivity.
Jeremiah 30:7. The miseries of Jacob (the founder of the race of Israel) is still the subject of this verse as far as the word trouble. The subject is then changed and the remainder of the verse begins another prediction of the return.
Jeremiah 30:8. That day refers to the time when the 70-year captivity would be over, and ftis yoke means the bondage under the Babylonian king. Strangers refers to the same people signified by the yoke, who had been serving themselves or helping themselves to the services of the people of God.
Jeremiah 30:9. When the captivity is ended they, the people of God, will no longer give their services to Babylon, but will give them to the Lord their God, David shall be their king is a leap of over 500 years, from the close of the captivity to the beginning of the kingdom of Christ in Acts 2. This is not the first nor will it be the last instance where the prophets pass from fleshly to spiritual Israel in their predictions. The new or spiritual Israel is frequently spoken of as that of David. It Is fitting that it should he so done, for David was the first man of the tribe of Judah to sit on the throne of fleshly Israel, and the reign never left that tribe as long as the nation had a kingdom. And through respect for the righteousness of David, the Lord promised him with an oath that when the time arrived for the reign of spiritual Israel, its king would he a lineal descendant of this great man and hence One of the tribe of Judali. This was carried out according to Hebrews 7:14, Some of the passages that connect, the reign of Christ with David are Psalms 89:3; Isaiah 55:3; Ezekiel 34:23; Ezekiel 37:24; Luke 1:69; Acts 2:30; Acts 13; Acts 23.
Jeremiah 30:10. After making a brief hut pointed reference to the time of Christ, a prophet will usually resume his original line of writing concerning fleshly Israel. This verse, therefore, continues the prediction that the fleshly people of God will be released from the captivity and be permitted to return to their own country.
Jeremiah 30:11. Some of the predictions pertain to the release from captivity in general. This verse concerns a special condition that will exist at the end of that experience and that is about the remnant that was to he saved from the ravages of that period. The nation numbered some millions when it went into the captivity but was reduced to a much smaller number according to Ezra 2:64. However, this reduction had a favorable significance for the severity of the captivity might have completely snuffed out the nation had it not been for the care and oversight of God.
Jeremiah 30:12. We have observed that the events in the history of the Jews are not always recorded or predicted in chronological order. This verse and the three that follow pertain to the fate which God had decreed against his people. Bruise is incurable is a figurative statement that Judah had sinned so grievously that nothing that man could do would cure the condition.
Jeremiah 30:13. None to plead could not mean that no one was willing to speak on behalf of Judah, for both Hezekiah and Josiah had tried to bring the nation to repentance with a view to securing the favor of the Lord. The key to the statement is in the words hast no healing medicine. Human plans could not work the cure necessary for the reinstatement of the nation in the favor of God.
Jeremiah 30:14. Since human means could not cure the diseased condition (which was idolatry) the Lord only could heal the nation of it. This healing was to consist of a severe treatment, even the chastisement of a cruel one, which means the enslavement of the people In the land of Babylon.
Jeremiah 30:15. Why criest thou lias the effect of telling the people there was no use to make their complaint with the expectation of avoiding the captivity. God was punishing them by the hand of this cruel agency (the Babylonians) in order to bring about their cure from the terrible disorder of idolatry.
Jeremiah 30:16. God would never suffer the nations whom he used to chastise his own people to take personal satisfaction out of their service for Him. After they have accomplished the purpose for which God brought them into action, they were made to suffer for their motives of cruelty toward the unfortunate people: hence this verse predicts the overthrow of Babylon. It was to be done through another world power but God would be the planner of the whole event. The Biblical account of the fall of Babylon is in Daniel 5. The historical account of it is cited with the comments on Isaiah 13:1 in volume 3 of this Commentary.
Jeremiah 30:17. The Lord continued using the figures of speech pertaining to disease and its cure. The treatment of some diseases is sometimes so severe that it causes wounds temporarily, and then those wounds have to be healed. So the disease of idolatry was so deep-seated that the nation needed to have Its national dignity wounded by the captivity in a foreign land. The people of that land looked upon these national wounds and belittled the unfortunate victims of their cruelty. The Lord promised to heal those wounds, which was to be accomplished by the release from captivity and the return to their own land. The predictions of that glorious event is the subject of the next five verses which might be marked by a bracket
Jeremiah 30:18. Bring again the captivity means God will reverse the captivity, etc.
Jeremiah 30:19, At the end of the captivity the number of the Jews was to be greatly reduced, but this verse promises that the Lord will multiply them so that national glory may be again enjoyed.
Jeremiah 30:20. This verse repeats much that has been promised, extending the prosperity to their descendants. It was to be accomplished after having punished their former oppressor, and it also promises to punish any who would attempt to oppress them after their return to Palestine.
Jeremiah 30:21. Nobles shall be of themselves means the nation will not he dependent upon others for its outstanding men, for they will produce them of themselves. The same kind of prospect was held out before them with regard to their rulers. The principle on which these favors will he granted is a heart engaged or disposed to approach unto the Lord to learn and do his will.
Jeremiah 30:22. In one sense the Jews never ceased to be God’ s people, but he had cast, them off from being his people as a nation.
Jeremiah 30:23-24. This paragraph is a prediction of the overthrow of Babylon and takes the same comments and historical note as verse 16.
Jeremiah Chapter Thirty-One
Verse 1
Jeremiah 31THE NEW This is one of the most significant chapters in the entire Old Testament. However, we do not concur in the frequent scholarly attribution of the marvelous revelation herein to "the genius of Jeremiah," nor to the "superiority of his theology." God Himself, as frequently stated in this chapter, revealed these wonders to Jeremiah.
The first part of the chapter is a promise to the Northern Kingdom (Ephraim) that, due to their repentance and reformation they shall again be restored to their land and to their former favor in the eyes of God. These promises to Ephraim are recorded in Jeremiah 30:2-22; and the next large portion of the chapter applies the same marvelous prophecies of return, prosperity and favor to the Southern Kingdom. Some scholars seem to become almost ecstatic, reveling in the unification of the two ancient Israels, and in the restoration of their status as "the virgin Israel" (Jeremiah 30:4 and Jeremiah 30:21).
It is the conviction of this writer that verses Jeremiah 30:2-24 of this chapter are nothing more than the recital of the blessings that will be ultimately available to the whole Israel, along with everyone else on earth, "in the times of the Messiah."
It is impossible to construe these verses (Jeremiah 30:2-24) literally, because nothing even remotely resembling these predictions ever occurred in the historical racial Israel. The Northern tribes were never restored to "their land." They were never reunited with the Southern Israel. They never repented. They never returned to the literal Jerusalem to worship God. A few from the Northern tribes did return, as in the case of a few individuals from those tribes, who are mentioned in the New Testament, as for example Anna (Luke 2:36) of the tribe of Asher. Every one of the extravagant blessings mentioned here was nothing more than an agricultural symbol of some great spiritual reality that would be realized under the New Covenant.
The proposition that we encounter in most of the current commentaries is that God Himself could hardly wait to marry the scandalous old Whore Israel; and that God actually calls her "The Virgin Israel" in Jeremiah 30:4; Jeremiah 30:21; but we are absolutely certain that such expressions could not have been applied by a prophet of God to the old Racial Israel which historically became actually worse than Sodom and Gomorrah (Ezekiel 16) and which shamelessly broke the Old Covenant, nullifying it absolutely.
Yes indeed, God did indeed marry the Virgin Israel in the New Covenant, but it was the New Israel! (See a full discussion of this in my commentary Vol. 2 of the minor prophets, pp. 49-67.) A total failure to understand the difference in the two Israels has confused the writings of a great many scholars. The designation of the Israel intended in these verses as "the Virgin Israel" makes it absolutely certain that it is the Israel which constitutes the Messianic kingdom which is meant. It is the church of Jesus Christ which is the "pure virgin" which is married to God in the person of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:1-3).
For these reasons, there is little reason to concern ourselves with any exhaustive explanations of the agricultural metaphors which abound in these first 26 verses. Their meaning is exactly the same as that of similar metaphors found so frequently in the Old Testament.
Jeremiah 31:1"At that time, saith Jehovah, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people."The first phrase here ties the whole chapter to the times of the Messiah. Both the Northern and Southern Israels will be accepted in the kingdom of Christ, as will everyone else on earth who desires to serve God.
Verse 2
"Thus saith Jehovah, The people that were left of the sword found favor in the wilderness; even Israel when I went to cause him to rest. Jehovah of old appeared unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. Again will I build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: again shalt thou be adorned with thy tabrets, and shall go forth in the dances of them that make merry. Again shalt thou plant vineyards upon the mountains of Samaria; the planters shall plant, and shall enjoy the fruit thereof. For there shall be a day, that the watchmen upon the hills of Ephraim shall cry Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto Jehovah our God.""People that were left of the sword ..." (Jeremiah 31:2). Some see this as a reference to the deliverance from Egypt, and others suppose that it refers to the Israelites left after the destruction by Babylon.
We prefer the latter understanding because, God did not call Israel to "rest" in the wilderness of Sinai, but commanded them to enter Canaan. Both explanations are acceptable.
The mention of Ephraim and Samaria in this paragraph show clearly that the Northern kingdom was meant.
Verse 7
"For thus saith Jehovah, Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout for the chief of the nations: publish ye, and praise ye, and say, O Jehovah, save thy people, the remnant of Israel. Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the uttermost parts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall they return hither. They shall come with weeping; and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters, in a straight way wherein they shall not stumble; for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.""Save thy people ..." (Jeremiah 31:7). This indicates that "eternal salvation" is the culmination of God's promises here. The remnant of Israel... (Jeremiah 31:7). This expression forbids any notion that the whole nation of apostate racial Israel were meant to be included in these glorious promises.
In both this and the preceding paragraphs, God assured Israel of his "everlasting love." With the utmost tenderness, God mentioned his fatherhood of Israel, and Ephraim's being his firstborn. None of this great and everlasting love belonged to racial Israel in any exclusive sense. These wonderful expressions of God's love are merely the Old Testament counterpart of the great New Testament principle, that "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).
Verse 10
"Hear the word of Jehovah, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattereth Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock. For Jehovah hath ransomed Jacob, and redeemed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he. And they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow unto the goodness of Jehovah, to the grain, and to the new wine, and to the oil, and to the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all. Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old together; for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow. And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith Jehovah."The care of God for his Church in the New Israel of the Messianic kingdom is depicted here. In that age, there was no better way to enumerate these blessings than we find in the agricultural metaphors which abound in this chapter.
Verse 15
"Thus saith Jehovah: A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children; she refuseth to be comforted for her children, because they are not. Thus saith Jehovah, Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears; for thy work shall be rewarded, saith Jehovah; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy. And there is hope for thy latter end, saith Jehovah; and thy children shall come again to their own border. I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus, Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a calf unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art Jehovah my God. Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth. Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a darling child? for as often as I speak against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my heart yearneth for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith Jehovah."The great emphasis in this paragraph is upon repentance and the tenderness and forgiveness by which true repentance shall be welcomed by the loving father.
This promise is not a picture of Ephraim's repentance, but a picture of the welcome that he would have received from God if he had repented. Over and beyond that, it emphasizes the necessity of repentance as a key element in the New Covenant to be announced a moment later. As Jesus expressed it twice in three lines, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish!" (Luke 13:3; Luke 13:5).
As far as the Northern Israel was concerned, there is no Biblical evidence whatever that any such wave of repentance as that suggested here ever happened.
Verse 21
"Set thee up waymarks, make thee guideposts; set thy heart toward the highway, even the way by which thou wentest, turn again, O virgin of Israel, turn again to these thy cities. How long wilt thou go hither and thither, O thou backsliding daughter? for Jehovah hath created a new thing in the earth: A woman shall encompass a man.""O thou backsliding daughter ..." (Jeremiah 31:22). This refers to the actual condition of Israel. God here addressed her as "Virgin of Israel"; but that envisions her status at the time after she receives and obeys the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The glorious promises of the Messianic age most certainly cast their long shadows over these verses.
"A woman shall encompass a man ..." (Jeremiah 31:22). In a word, we agree with Matthew Henry who followed the patristic interpretation of this passage and referred it to "The Incarnation of Christ."[1] Yes, we are aware that practically all of the present crop of commentators reject this interpretation out of hand; but no better interpretation has ever been proposed; and practically all of the current generation of scholars admit that they do not have the slightest idea what the passage means. Moreover the objections that are offered to this very old and satisfactory understanding of the passage have no value at all. For example, Cheyne thought that it was impossible for this to refer to the Virgin Mary's bearing the Christ in her womb, because, he said, "The definite article for woman does not appear, as in Isaiah's promise that `The Virgin' shall conceive."[2] This objection has no weight because the great protoevangel of Gen 3:15 likewise omits the definite article in the announcement that "The seed of woman" shall bruise the head of Satan, there being no definite article for woman.
Also, let it be noted that whatever is prophesied here, God called it a "new thing in the earth," a description that cannot possibly apply to any other explanation of this passage that we have ever seen; but it does apply to the virgin birth of the Son of God. Such explanations as, "The female shall protect the strong man, or the woman shall turn the man,"[3] or "a woman shall embrace a man,"[4] are certainly not any "new thing in the earth." Until the critics who do their best to remove every prophecy of the Son of God from the Old Testament can tell us what this passage means, we shall cling to the only explanation that has ever made any sense at all.
Verse 23
"Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, Yet again shall they use this speech in the land of Judah and in the cities thereof, when I shall bring again their captivity: Jehovah bless thee, O habitation of righteousness, O mountain of holiness. And Judah and all the cities thereof shall dwell therein together, the husbandman, and they that go about with flocks. For I have satiated the weary soul, and every sorrowful soul have I replenished. Upon this I awaked, and beheld; and my sleep was sweet unto me.""Upon this I awaked ..." (Jeremiah 31:26). God's revelation of this chapter had apparently come to Jeremiah in a dream, one of the "various means" (Hebrews 1:1) by which God of old spoke to the fathers by the prophets. This explanation was the one accepted by Lindblom.[5] The particular revelation that resulted in the dream's coming to an end was the prophecy of the return of the remnant of Israel from captivity in Babylon to Jerusalem and Judah and to the prosperity that would ensue. Much of that promised happiness and prosperity never materialized, because of the failure of the returnees to repent and turn wholeheartedly unto God, as revealed in some of the minor prophets, notably Micah.
Verse 27
"Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man, and with the seed of beast. And it shall come to pass that, like as I have watched over them to pluck up and to break down and to overthrow and to destroy and to afflict, so will I watch over them to build and to plant, saith Jehovah. In those days they shall say no more, the fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge. But everyone shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge.""Behold the days come ..." (Jeremiah 31:27). It is amazing how often this or equivalent expressions such as "at that time," occur in this chapter, all of which point unerringly to the Age of Messiah for the fulfillment of the revelation recorded here.
"Thus saith Jehovah ..." (Jeremiah 31:27-28, etc.). Some nineteen times in the forty verses of this chapter this formula appears. The New Covenant that God is announcing here is radically different from anything ever heard of before; and this oft-repeated statement "thus saith Jehovah" was necessary. As Green said, "The sulking cynical captives would be skeptical; and therefore the announcement of it gets a heavy stamp of divine authority: `this is revelation!' "[6]"I have watched over them to pluck up, etc. ..." (Jeremiah 31:28). This is a reference to what Jeremiah had written in Jeremiah 18:7-10; and if Israel would now truly believe and serve God, all of the great blessings would be poured out upon them.
"The fathers have eaten sour grapes, etc. ..." (Jeremiah 31:29). This seems to have been a popular proverb among the Israelites, because Ezekiel also mentioned it and based upon it a chapter regarding individual responsibility (Ezekiel 18). The people were using this saying, "To excuse themselves from responsibility for the predicament they were in, to pass the buck to their forbears, and ultimately to God."[7]In the Messianic age to come, Jeremiah prophesies here that, "Men will no more accuse God of unrighteousness, as in the wicked proverb, but they will perceive that everyone has to suffer for his own guilt."[8]Verse 31
THE NEW "Behold the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah."In Vol. 10 (Hebrews) of the New Testament Commentaries, pp. 162-166, one may find additional commentary on the New Covenant. There were several covenants that God made. (1) There was a covenant with Noah (Genesis 6:18; Genesis 9:9); (2) two covenants with Abraham (Genesis 17:2; Genesis 17:10; Genesis 15:18 ff); (3) the covenant of salt (Numbers 18:19; Leviticus 2:13); and (4) the covenant of the everlasting priesthood (Numbers 25:13). However, in Hebrews 8:6-7, this "new covenant" is contrasted with what is called "the first covenant," or "the old covenant," indicating that the new covenant would replace not merely those lesser covenants, but it would take the place of that covenant which was so great and comprehensive, overshadowing all others, that God called it the "first covenant." In short, it was designed to replace the entire religious system of the Jews, including the Decalogue, the priesthood, the sacrifices, the tabernacle ritual, the temple, and the temple services later developed, the statutes, judgments, and commandments, embracing the entire ceremonial and moral constitution of Judaism. Every student needs to identify which covenant was annulled and replaced by the new.
The old covenant identified:
(1) It was the one made with the "house of Israel and with the house of Judah." The mention of the house of Judah is significant, because it distinguished the "old covenant" from the covenant of the priesthood which was made with the house of Levi. It also indicated that all Israel, both the Northern and Southern Israels, were included in the New Covenant.
(2) The old covenant was the one that had the Decalogue in it as a basic component (Deuteronomy 4:13;Hebrews 9:4).
(3) The old covenant was the one God made with Moses (Exodus 34:2; Exodus 34:28).
(4) It was the one God made at the time when Israel came out of Egypt, "in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of Egypt" (Jeremiah 31:32).
The nature of the new covenant. It partakes of the nature of all covenants, concerning which Keil declared that, "Every covenant which God concludes with men consists, on the side of God, the assurance of God's favors and blessings; and on the side of men, it binds them to the keeping of commandments laid upon them."[9]Time when the new covenant was made. It was made upon the Cross of Jesus Christ when he became the "propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world." It was announced upon the Day of Pentecost, exactly fifty days after the resurrection of the Son of God, and it became effective upon that day when three thousand Jews became "the Virgin Israel" accepted the terms of the New Covenant, and by their baptism into Christ, became thereby Charter Members of the New Israel, the Israel of God, the Spiritual Israel, that Other Israel, which succeeded the Old Israel, and is today the Only Israel of God.
OF THE NEW We regret that some scholars have missed the truth regarding that New Covenant. Graybill, for example, said that, "The new covenant will not be a new law, the old law was good enough!"[10] The last clause here is a flat contradiction of Heb 8:6-7, which declares that if the old law had been faultless God would not have changed it. Furthermore, the notion that the New Covenant got rid of all law is a preposterous error. We have already noted that the "priesthood" was changed when Christ our High Priest was raised from the dead, eternally supplanting the Aaronic priesthood; and the author of Hebrews stated that, "The priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law" (Hebrews 7:12).
Furthermore, if there is no law of the gospel, or law of Christ, or law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, then there is no such thing as sin, because "sin is the transgression of the law" (1 John 3:4).
Another gross error is the notion that the New Covenant was stated in the form of a question by Feinberg, "Does the New Covenant efface the distinction between Israel (racial Israel) and the Church (the New Israel)? The answer is a resounding no!"[11] This, of course, is a flat contradiction of Rom 10:12, which declares that "there is no distinction," not even between Gentiles and Jews; and, since Gentiles are in the Church, if one should suppose a distinction between Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians, it would mean that God has two classes of children in his Church, an utter impossibility.
In the New Covenant all special considerations and privileges of racial Israel were forever lost. Race, today, is totally unimportant, as regards salvation. No person whomsoever can be either saved or lost eternally, upon the basis of any racial consideration whatsoever.
Verse 32
"Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, which my covenant they brake, although I was a husband unto them, saith Jehovah.""Which my covenant they brake ..." (Jeremiah 31:32). The significance of this is beyond all calculation. Israel did not merely strain the covenant, they broke it! Furthermore, there were not any of the promises of that covenant which were designed to be valid unless Israel refrained from breaking the covenant. Notice those tremendous "ifs" in Deuteronomy 28:1; Deuteronomy 28:15; Deuteronomy 28:58, etc. See Vol. 4 (Deuteronomy) in my commentaries on the Pentateuch. pp. 305-318.
"Salvation is possible only through the death of Christ; and this is the basis of the New Covenant; and all mankind is thus in view in this covenant."[12] All men of every race and nation are subject to it, with special privileges to none.
Tragically, racial Israel refused to accept this New Covenant and refused to obey it, which is a fact that is very hard for commentators to ignore. For many years, this writer believed that the sacred scriptures teach that, "Israel as a nation will ratify (and accept and obey) this new covenant, after `the full number of the Gentiles has come in' (Romans 11:25-27)."[13] We now deny that the scriptures teach this. The error was due to extensive tampering on the part of translators with Romans 11:15. It is true enough that the scriptures do not deny that such a conversion of racial Israel could occur, but there is absolutely no statement whatever that it will occur. See our extensive studies in this whole area in Vol. 6 (Romans) of the New Testament Series, especially at Romans 3 and Romans 11.
Verse 33
"But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith Jehovah: I will put my law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people."Notice that God does not here state that he will cancel or no longer require his law to be observed, but that he will achieve the observance of his holy law by an utterly new method. That new method would be by the means of "the new birth" (John 1:3-7). A new heart would be created in obedient believers, and this would enable a more acceptable obedience to Divine Law. God never envisioned a time when his followers (even Christians) would be able to achieve perfect obedience; and therefore in the great injunction for Christians to pray, one finds the words, "Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who transgress against us."
Nevertheless, the requirement of holiness is nowhere eliminated or cancelled in the New Testament, but the Lord specifically declared that, "Without holiness, no man shall see God" (Hebrews 12:14).
Verse 34
"And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know Jehovah; for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith Jehovah: for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin will I remember no more.""They shall teach no more every man his neighbor, etc. ..." (Jeremiah 31:34), Keil and a number of others thought that the principle of men teaching other men the truth about God was here nullified, "Because the sinner is placed in direct relationship with God through the Holy Spirit,"[14] but we know that Keil cannot possibly be correct in this, since Christ himself ordained that, "They shall all be taught of God" (John 6:45); and the Great Commission itself commanded that "all nations," "the whole creation," must be taught.
Of the dozens of scholars whose works we have been privileged to read, only George DeHoff gave the true explanation of what is meant here.
"Under the new covenant of Christ men are taught before they become Christians. Then they obey the gospel. Under the old covenant a child was a Jew as soon as he was born and had to be taught this fact after he was old enough to understand."[15]The significance of this passage is very great. It means that no untaught person can be a Christian, hence no infants in the true sense are Christians. "Ye must be born again," Jesus said; and all infants have been born only once. Infant membership allows many unregenerated people to grow up in various churches without regard either to their faith or obedience, opening the gate for many outright unbelievers to gain and exercise power in some so-called Christian communions.
Another tremendous untruth sometimes imported into the doctrine of the New Covenant was announced by Payne Smith, as follows: "The Gospel cannot be a formal code guaranteeing certain blessings to those who obey it; because it begins with an offer of unconditional pardon: and it is in the sense of this full unmerited love which so affects the heart as to make obedience henceforth an inner necessity."[16]Variations of this colossal error are today found in the writings of hundreds of commentators, If indeed, as Smith said, the Gospel is not something which men must obey, why did the greatest of the apostles declare that, "Christ shall be revealed from heaven in flaming fire with tens of thousands of his holy angels taking vengeance upon them that know not God, and them that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ?" (2 Thessalonians 1:8). If, as Smith said, the human heart is so impressed by unmerited, unconditional forgiveness that it will automatically obey God, why are there so many backsliding Christians?
Furthermore, there is not a line in the whole Bible that even hints that God's salvation is "unconditional." Did not Jesus Christ say, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved?" (Mark 16:16); and even there, baptism is by no means the only condition, but it stands as a synecdoche for the full catalogue of Christian obligations. Why cannot men think? If salvation is unconditional, God alone is responsible for the loss or salvation of every man who ever lived; but again, an apostle declared, "That every man must give an account of the deeds done in the body" (2 Corinthians 5:10). Let God be true and every man a liar!
The forgiveness of sins is the grand hallmark of the New Covenant. Never before in the history of mankind was there anything like it. When angels sinned, there was no forgiveness; when any of God's laws were ever violated, there was never any forgiveness; there is no forgiveness in nature; there was not even any forgiveness under the Mosaic Law. Why? Because, "It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sin" (Hebrews 10:4). In all of those Old Testament passages where forgiveness of sins is promised, the reference is actually to the Messianic age.
Note also that God "remembers no more" the sins that are forgiven, an achievement that sinners themselves cannot accomplish.
Verse 35
"Thus saith Jehovah, who giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, who stirreth up the sea that the waves thereof roar; Jehovah of hosts is his name: If these ordinances depart from before me, saith Jehovah, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me forever. Thus saith Jehovah: If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth be searched out beneath, then shall I also cut off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith Jehovah."The perpetuity of God's Israel is assured by these verses; but it is most certainly the Spiritual Israel in Christ Jesus which dominates the passage. The racial Israel also is represented in the promise that their "seed," that is, not "all" of them shall be cut off, implying, of course, that the vast majority of racial Israel shall indeed be cut off because of rebellion against God. As Keil stated it, "That the whole of Israel cannot perish is no bolster for the sin of a single individual."[17]In this connection, it should always be remembered that it was indeed the racial Israel that provided the nucleus of the Spiritual Israel in the person of the holy apostles and the first great ingathering of Christians. The essential truth in this is that Christ alone is the "True Vine" (John 15:1), that is, the True Israel, and that by virtue of their being "in Christ," in the "true Vine," in the "true Israel," the whole company of the redeemed throughout this dispensation are actually the Israel of God (Galatians 6:16).
Thus we see the absolute identity of the New Israel (composed of all Christians from every tribe, race and nation) with the old, in this manner achieving the perpetuity of Israel as promised in this chapter. As Paul expressed it in Galatians: "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ. There can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be no male and female; for ye are all one man in Christ Jesus. And if ye are Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, heirs according to promise" (Galatians 3:27-29).
Verse 38
"Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that the city shall be built to Jehovah from the tower of Hananel unto the gate of the corner. And the measuring line shall go out further straight onward to the hill of Gareb, and shall turn about unto Goah. And the whole valley of the dead bodies and of the ashes, and all the fields unto the brook Kidron, unto the corner of the horse gate toward the east, shall be holy unto Jehovah; it shall not be plucked up, nor thrown down any more forever."Although the name of "the city" to be rebuilt here unto Jehovah is not mentioned, there can be little doubt that Jerusalem is meant; but it is not the old Jerusalem; it is the New Jerusalem, "The Jerusalem which is above, which is our mother" (Galatians 4:24). There are many Old Testament passages which speak of this "rebuilt" Jerusalem, revealing many differences between the old Jerusalem and the New Jerusalem that cometh down out of heaven from God. It will be a city without walls; and, as this passage shows, it will be much larger than the old Jerusalem. Also, it shall, as Dummelow noted, "embrace vast areas that were once considered unclean."[18] This, of course, is a symbolical way of showing that the Gentiles shall be included in the inhabitants, along with Jews, and members of all nations.
Another difference between the old and the new Jerusalems is that there is no promise here of the rebuilding of the temple. Jeremiah had indeed prophesied the destruction of the temple; but the New Jerusalem needs no temple. God's people themselves are the "temple" (1 Corinthians 3:16).
We shall conclude the discussion of this great chapter with the following paragraph from C. F. Keil.
"This image of the New Jerusalem forms a very suitable conclusion to this chapter, which combines in one view both the deliverance from exile and the redemption by the Messiah. It announces the formation of the New Covenant in its beginnings when the Christian church was founded, but at the same time points to the completion of the kingdom of God under the new covenant, in order to show the whole extent of the salvation which the Lord prepares for his people who return to him."[19]
Jeremiah 31:1. The first 14 verses should form a bracket and the general subject is the return of the Jews from captivity. Some special details of that event will be noticed in various places hence the verses will be commented upon in their order. At the same time refers to the event predicted in the last of the preceding chapter.
Jeremiah 31:2 The language is in the past tense as to grammatical form, but it is a prediction of events at and after the overthrow of Babylon. Wilderness is a figurative reference to the desolating captivity in a foreign land. People left are the ones elsewhere referred to as the remnant that sur-vived the ravages of the long exile.
Jeremiah 31:3. Appeared unto me represents Israel as speaking and acknowledging the mercy of the Lord. That mercy was extended to the people because the Lord loved them notwithstanding their many acts of unfaith-fulness toward Him.
Jeremiah 31:4. I will build thee is a prediction of the restoration of the people to their native land and the rebuilding of their national institutions. The mention of tabrets and dances is a prediction of the joy that was to come to Israel upon their return to the home country after 70 years of enforced absence.
Jeremiah 31:5. Not only were their homes to be restored, but their agricultural pursuits were to be resumed. Samaria was the part of Palestine that had been occupied by the 10 tribes. This prediction indicates that they will be returned to their former homes as well as would the 2 tribes: no “ lost 10 tribes" taught heTe.
Jeremiah 31:6. The tribe of Ephraim included the capital of the kingdom of Israel and their people did not go to Zion (or Jerusalem) for worship because they had revolted from the kingdom of Judah. This verse predicts that after the return from captivity they all will go to the original headquarters in order to meet with the Lord. It indicates that Israel will be a united kingdom after the return from captivity.
Jeremiah 31:7. Say, O Lord, save thy people is the prophetic style of language. It is a prediction that the Lord would come to the rescue of his people while there was still a remnant of them surviving the captivity.
Jeremiah 31:8. For the significance of north see the historical note given in connection with Isaiah 14:31 in volume 3 of this Commentary, Coasts means the various regions in the vast Babylonian Empire where the Jews had been scattered. Blind and lame and other people with different handicaps will all be enabled to come to Jerusalem when God is ready to restore tiis people to their own country.
Jeremiah 31:9, Weeping was fulfilled in Ezra 3:12 when the older men observed the reduced appearance of the temple as compared with the original one. This view of the case is made clear by Haggai 2:3. Supplications is rendered "favors” in the margin, and the context as well as the lexicon agrees with it. The meaning is that their supplications or desires were granted as to the favors of rebuilding the house. (See Ezra 1:1-4.) Ephraim, once meant the 10 tribes separate from the other tribes, but after the captivity all the tribes were to be together. Hence Israel (as a whole)' and Ephraim are referred to in the same relation to God. Firstborn Is used In a complimentary sense meaning “ chief,'’ also as the first nation to be formed by the Lord to be his own peculiar (or purchased) people.
Jeremiah 31:10. O ye nations predicts that the great event of the return of Israel and re-establishment in Palestine will become generally known. The first definition of the original for isles is “ A habitable spot,” and it is used here in about the same sense as nations. God’ s love and care for his people is assured tvhich will be evident to the peoples of the earth. The flock will be brought together again,
Jeremiah 31:11. Jacob is used to include the nation of the Jews because that patriarch was the father of the tribes forming the nation. Babylon was the hand that was stronger than Jacob, hut that was because the Lord willed it to be so as a chastisement.
Jeremiah 31:12, Height is from mjsow.it and is defined “ elation,” and Zion has reference to Jerusalem as the capital of the nation. The clause means the Jews will come to Jerusalem after the captivity and will be so elated over the situation that they will sing together. Flow is from nahar, which Strong defines as follows: “ A primitive root; to sparkle, i.e. (figuratively) be cheerful; hence (from the sheen [lusterl of a running stream) to flow, i.e. (figuratively) assemble." The phrase flow together is a beautiful prediction and pictures the Jewish nation or its people assembling at Jerusalem through the goodness of the Lord. Their happy state of mind is likened to the luster on the bosom of a calmly-flowing stream. The mention of wheat, wine, oil and the possession of flocks is to indicate the re-turn of prosperity after they have regained possession of their land. Not sorrow any more means especially that they will not again be taken bodily into captivity.
Jeremiah 31:13. Dancing was engaged in by various age groups in ancient times, but the indications are that the practice was an expression of joy. The women and men danced separately, for the motive of happiness did not even suggest the familiar association of the sexes at such a time. This verse predicts their engaging in the dance as an evidence of the joy and lightness of heart the people would have after being made free from their bondage in tbe land of Babylon.
Jeremiah 31:14, Satiate means to quench and soul means the vitality or life of a creature. The clause means God would make the priests feel satisfied with their lot after coming back to their former work with the nation of the Lord.
Jeremiah 31:15
The prophet has been writing about the past sorrows of God’ s people and their joy that came afterward. Following the prophets' practice, Jeremiah regards this as an opportunity to speak of another event in the future In which a condition of great distTSBS was to be turned into a cause of joy. That event was the coming slaughter of the infants by Herod (Matt. 2: 16-18) in hiB attempt to destroy Jesus. That crime was overruled by the Lord for the good of humanity. Just as the captivity of the Jews was to he reversed and replaced by a condition of rejoicing. The reference to Rahel (Rachel) is figurative and doubtless is in recognition of her sorrowful life, ending at her death in childbirth at Rarnah, near Jerusalem.
Jeremiah 31:16. Having extended the “ tele-scope" (See illustration at Isaiah 1:1) to get a glimpse of an event many years in the future, the pronhet resumes his prediction of the return of Israel from Babylonian captivity. Refrain from- iveeping predicts the happiness that is to follow the return to their own land. Land <of the enemy refers to the Babylon eountry.
Jeremiah 31:17. In thine end refers to the end of the Babylonian captivity.
Jeremiah 31:18. Ephraim stands for the 10 tribes when used in this way because the capital of that kingdom was in the possession of that tribe. That kingdom had been removed from their land a century before this writing of Jeremiah, and the prophet is predicting their release from the exile which was t.o occur at the same time with the 2 tribes. Turn me and I shall he turned refers to the cure from idolatry that was accomplished by the captivity. The historical note that shows the fulfillment of this prediction was quoted at Isaiah 1:25 in volume 3 of this Commentary,
Jeremiah 31:19. This is still considering the 10 tribes in exile, and shows them as brought to repentance by their punishment. Smote upon my thigh is simply a gesture of shame for the sins tbat were committed in the days of my youth which means that the 10 tribes committed idolatry from the beginning of their separate existence as a nation. The first thing their king did after pulling off from the capital at Jerusalem was to set up the golden calves to be worshiped as gods (1 Kings 12:28-30), and the nation practiced idolatry as long as it lasted as a kingdom.
Jeremiah 31:20. The first clause of this verse sounds ns if it questioned the matter, but actually it is a declaration that Ephraim (the 10 tribes) was the dear child of God. For that reason tbe Lord loved him in spite of his sins and wished to save him.
Jeremiah 31:21. The 10 tribes had been in exile more than a century when Jere- imah wrote and they really w'ere beyond the opportunity of erecting waymarks or monuments to mark their way back. The language is figurative and prophetic, meaning that God could conduct them on their return home as definitely as if they had set up such marks.
Jeremiah 31:22. At verse 15 we observe the prophet extending his vision to the time of Christ for a few sentences, then resuming his line concerning ancient Israel: he is doing the same thing in this verse. He speaks in re-assuring terras to his dejected people by promising that a very important event was to happen tn their home land, which was that a woman shall compass a man. This evidently referred to the virgin conception and birth of Christ. It might be asked if this clause could not be said of all conceptions. There is a special fact in the case of Mary and Christ.
Man is from OGBEB and Strong defines it, “ A valiant man or warrior." This gives to the word a peculiar meaning that could apply especially to Christ. According to John 8:58 Jesus existed before he was conceived by Mary, and also according to Luke 10; Luke 18 he w-as a. powerful being before he left Heaven. Hence we can understand that when Mary received him into her body she really did compass a man, “ a valiant man” as the lexicon has tt.
Jeremiah 31:23. This verse resumes the good fortune of Israel after the return from captivity. The Lori bless thee is a prediction that the nation will be blessed by being restored to its native land.
Jeremiah 31:24. The agricultural pursuits will be resumed without being even threatened successfully by a foreign enemy.
Jeremiah 31:25. I have is past tense in form but is future in meaning. To satiate means to satisfy fully which was to take place after the return from captivity.
Jeremiah 31:26. Upon this means that on account of the good fortune to be given the people they will be able to enjoy refreshing hours of rest.
Jeremiah 31:27. Sow . . , with man . . . with beast means the land will again increase its population and they will be permitted to have their needed beasts of service. Israel and Judah are mentioned because after the cap-tivity the 12 tribes were ail to return to Palestine and live together as one nation.
Jeremiah 31:28. When God saw fit to overthrow his nation he did so according to bis wisdom. Likewise when the time comes to reverse its sad state He will accomplish that.
Jeremiah 31:29-30. The language is figurative and teaches individual responsibility. The people had to suffer the captivity largely because of the sins of the leaders; that will not occur again.
Jeremiah 31:31. This and the three verses that follow should form a bracket which contains a very important prediction. The passage is cited almost verbatim in Hebrews 8; Hebrews 8-12. Israel and Judah are both named because those were tbe names that included the 12 tribes. However, in the fulfillment both Jews and Gentiles will have a part.
Jeremiah 31:32. The day is a reference to that period in general, for the covenant was actually delivered at Sinai which was about two months after the exodus from Egypt. The new covenant was to be different from the Sinaite covenant, and some of the differences will be described in the following verses.
Jeremiah 31:33, One of the differences between the two covenants is indicated by the words write it in their hearts. Under the Jewish covenant a boy baby was circumcised when 8 days old which made him a full member of the group. But the new covenant has to be entered by accepting it in the heart or mind.
Jeremiah 31:34, Not teach . . , his brother. Circumcision made an 8-day-old boy a full brother to all other members of the covenant. Yet that boy could not know anything about tbe Lord, and when he became old enough he had to be made acquainted with Him by his "brother" in the Jewish covenant. Under the new covenant a person must be old enough to know the Lord before he can become a member. See the comments on this subject at 1 Samuel 3:7 in volume 2 of this Commentary.
Jeremiah 31:35. The greatness of God as shown in the created universe is the subject of this verse. Ordinances is defined by Strong. “ An enactment; hence an appointment (of time, quantity, labor or usage)." It means that God made the moon and stars for light (not to be inhabited). Divideth is from a word that means to manage or control and refers to God’ s power over the sea.
Jeremiah 31:36-37. The surety of God’ s predictions is illustrated by these conditions in the universe. No one doubts the permanence of the planets, neither should he doubt the surety of His predictions. Man’ s ability to measure (comprehend) the heaven above is no more unlikely than God’ s failure to carry out his promises to Israel.
Jeremiah 31:38. The city refers to Jerusalem and the tower of Hanameel was an important part of the wall; It was near the place where the work of rebuilding was to start. The fulfillment of this prediction is recorded in Nehemiah 3; Nehemiah 1.
Jeremiah 31:39. Gareb and Goath were spots near Jerusalem, The measuring line or extension of the city’ s occupation was to reach unto these spots.
Jeremiah 31:40. Valley Is from emeq which Strong defines, “ A vale (he. broad depression)” ; this has special reference to (he Valley of Hinnom near Jerusalem, This place and the fields nearby had been tbe scene of much destruction in former times. After the return from captivity that whole territory was to be brought into peaceful control by the people of the Lord.
Jeremiah Chapter Thirty-TwoVerse 1
Jeremiah 32 A FIELD IN This chapter records another historical incident in the life of the prophet Jeremiah. The time was during the final months of the siege of Jerusalem which resulted in the final capture and destruction of the city and the deportation of the population to Babylon. Zedekiah was on the throne of Judah, this being in his tenth year as king, which was the eighteenth year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, that Isaiah 588-87 B.C. There is no point whatever in complaining that, according to the Babylonian method of reckoning the reign of kings, this was only the seventeenth year of Nebuchadnezzar. The Babylonians did not count the year of accession to the throne; but the Hebrews did.
George DeHoff noted that the siege, "Began the year before and apparently lasted eighteen months and twenty-seven days (2 Kings 25:18)."[1]In the year preceding this chapter, "The siege had been lifted for a short while by the arrival near Jerusalem of an Egyptian army led by Pharaoh-Hophra (Jeremiah 44:30), the Apries of Herodotus, an ally of Zedekiah against Babylon (Ezekiel 17:15); but the Egyptians were either defeated quickly or decided to withdraw. In any case, the siege was promptly renewed with increased vigor";[2] and in the meanwhile, famine, and disease were daily rendering Jerusalem less and less able to defend itself.
At the time of this chapter, Jeremiah was a prisoner of Zedekiah, who, distressed by Jeremiah's prophecies concerning Jerusalem and its king, had imprisoned the prophet; but, at the time of the incident recorded here, Zedekiah had yielded to Jeremiah's request to be removed from the dungeon and had quartered him in the stockade area of the palace, where, it seems, Jeremiah enjoyed some privileges.
A broad outline of the chapter is: (1) a statement of the historical situation (Jeremiah 32:1-5); (2) Jeremiah was commanded to purchase a field in Anathoth, which he promptly did (Jeremiah 32:6-15); (3) perplexed by what God had commanded him to do, and perhaps entertaining some doubt, the prophet poured out a long prayer to God (Jeremiah 32:16-25); (4) God's first answer (Jeremiah 32:26-35; (5) God's second answer (Jeremiah 32:36-44).
Jeremiah 32:1-5"The word that came to Jeremiah from Jehovah in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar. Now at that time the king of Babylon's army was besieging Jerusalem; and Jeremiah was shut up in the court of the guard, which was in the king of Judah's house. For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, Wherefore dost thou prophesy, and say, Thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it; and Zedekiah king of Judah shall not escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans, but shall surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him mouth to mouth, and his eyes shall behold his eyes; And he shall bring Zedekiah to Babylon, and there shall he be until I visit him, saith Jehovah: though ye fight with the Chaldeans, ye shall not prosper.""Was besieging Jerusalem ..." (Jeremiah 32:2). The journey of Jeremiah to purchase that field in Anathoth did not take place during the brief lifting of the siege in the preceding year, but after the siege had been renewed.
"Wherefore dost thou prophesy ..." (Jeremiah 32:3). Zedekiah here repeated the prophecies of Jeremiah for which he had retaliated by casting the prophet into prison. It seems incredible that he would still have disbelieved Jeremiah after all the fulfillments of Jeremiah's prophecies which had taken place and were still taking place before his very eyes.
"There shall he be until I visit him ..." (Jeremiah 32:5) God's "visiting" a person sometimes signified his coming to "bless" the individual; but here it does not seem to indicate any such thing. Zedekiah's fate was much worse than that which usually befell defeated ancient kings. They slaughtered his sons before his eyes, and then put his eyes out, and carried him to Babylon where he died (1 Kings 25:2-7).
Harrison noted that this incident and others recorded here through Jeremiah 44 all happened during the kingship of Zedekiah.[3]Verse 6
"And Jeremiah said, The word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum thine uncle shall come unto thee, saying, Buy thee my field that is in Anathoth; for the right of redemption is thine to buy it. So Hanamel mine uncle's son came to me in the court of the guard according to the word of Jehovah, and said unto me, Buy my field, I pray thee, that is in Anathoth, which is in the land of Benjamin; for the right of inheritance is thine; buy it for thyself. Then I knew that this was the word of Jehovah. And I bought the field that was in Anathoth of Hanamel mine uncle's son, and weighed him the money, even seventeen shekels of silver. And I subscribed the deed, and sealed it, and called witnesses, and weighed him the money in the balances. So I took the deed of the purchase, both that which was sealed, according to the law and the custom, and that which was open: and I delivered the deed of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, in the presence of Hanamel mine uncle's son, and in the presence of the witnesses that subscribed the deed of the purchase, before all the Jews that sat in the court of the guard.
And I charged Baruch before them, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel; Take these deeds, this deed of the purchase which is sealed, and this deed which is open, and put them in an earthen vessel; that they may continue many days. For thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Houses and fields and vineyards shall yet again be bought in this land.""Then I knew that this was the word of the Jehovah ..." (Jeremiah 32:8). This does not mean that Jeremiah had doubted the word of Jehovah, but that now he had proof of it.
"The right of inheritance ..." (Jeremiah 32:8). This indicates that the Pentateuch was well known among the Jews of this period, and that many of its provisions were still being observed. The Book of Ruth tells of the marriage of Ruth the Moabitess, along with the redemption of a piece of land that had belonged to Ruth's husband. Leviticus 25:25 records the Mosaic law that was involved in such purchases.
"Baruch ..." (Jeremiah 32:12). This is the first mention of Baruch in Jeremiah. This man was the amanuensis of Jeremiah and was the scribe who actually wrote a great deal of the book, under the strict direction of Jeremiah.
"According to law and custom ..." (Jeremiah 32:11). This record of a purchase in Anathoth provides a valuable example of the legal phases of land purchase in those times. It is of interest that the placement of a copy of the original purchase agreement in an earthen vessel and the sealing of it was exactly the procedure that resulted in the preservation of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
"Seventeen shekels of silver ..." (Jeremiah 32:9). Jamieson and other writers have marveled that the price was so small.[4] Some have supposed that the shekels might have been gold instead of silver, but there is no excuse for changing the text. Despite the fact of the question's being of little importance, it should be noted that: (1) the field could have been small; (2) the year of Jubilee might have been near at hand, which, of course, would have drastically reduced the value; (3) its already being in possession of the Babylonians would have reduced the price; and (4) although the amount (17 shekels of silver) was calculated by Jamieson as about two pounds sterling (about $10.00)[5] at the time of his estimate, that sum might not have been as insignificant as it seems. "David paid only fifty shekels of silver for the threshing floor of Araunah, along with the oxen and implements that went with it; and long afterward thirty shekels purchased the potter's field with Judas' price for betraying the Lord."[6]Verse 16
We have no patience at all with commentators who suggest that this prayer has been expanded with additions by "editors." Ridiculous! This is one of the greatest prayers ever uttered; and there is a tact and delicacy about it that are commendable beyond words!
Jeremiah simply could not understand why, under the circumstances, God had ordered him to buy the field. Therefore, he went to his knees and laid the whole problem before the Lord. Inherent in such an action was the silent pleading for God to explain to the prophet that which was utterly beyond his understanding. God answered him in detail. Jeremiah knew that God would understand, and he did not even frame his perplexity and his appeal in any formal petition.
Henderson's summary of this prayer is as follows:
"After expatiating on the Divine goodness to the Hebrew people, and contrasting therewith their ungrateful returns, he argues from the desperate condition of the circumstances, as attacked by the Chaldeans, the improbability of his ever coming to any enjoyment of his property."[7]And yet, Jeremiah did not press, by even so much as a single word, what some would have called a gross injustice to himself. Think of it. Jeremiah knew that the captivity would last seventy years, that the city would be destroyed, along with the temple, and leveled with the ground, and that there appeared to be no way whatsoever by which the commanded purchase could ever benefit him. The subtle trust of Jeremiah in Jehovah, as exhibited in this prayer, is truly a marvel.
Verse 26
"Then came the word of Jehovah unto Jeremiah, saying, Behold, I am the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me? Therefore thus saith Jehovah: Behold. I will give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans, and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he shall take it: and the Chaldeans that fight against this city, shall come and set the city on fire, and burn it, with the houses, upon whose roofs they have burned incense to Baal, and poured out drink-offerings to other gods. to provoke me to anger. For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have done only that which was evil in my sight from their youth; for the children of Israel have only provoked me to anger with the work of their hands, saith Jehovah. For this city hath been to me a provocation of my anger and of my wrath from the day that they built it even unto this day; that I should remove it from before my face, because of all the evil of the children of Israel and of the children of Judah, which they have done to provoke me to anger, they, their kings, their princes, their priests, and their prophets, and the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And they have turned unto me the back and not the face: and though I taught them, rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not hearkened to receive instruction.
But they set their abominations in the house which is called by my name, to defile it. And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin."The purpose of God's answer in this first segment of it is that of announcing his justice in the punishment coming upon Israel. Here is a shameful catalogue of their, abominations. Several things here are of particular interest.
"Jerusalem a provocation to God since the day they built it ..." (Jeremiah 32:31). Ever diligent to find "inaccuracies" in the Bible, some commentators point out that the Jews did not actually build Jerusalem; David captured it. Yes, yes; but Solomon was the first king to pour vast riches into the rebuilding of the city, and that alone entitles it to be said that "they built it"; and from that very reign began the long road to total idolatry for Israel. Solomon's seven hundred wives all wanted temples built to their pagan gods; and Solomon accommodated them. Thus the words are strictly true as they stand in the sacred text; and there is no need to say that, "The prophet means `from the earliest times.' "[8] Again, we would like to protest the affinity which scholars have for telling us "what the prophet meant," instead of "what the prophet said!" This is sometimes necessary, but the habit easily spills over into situations where it is not necessary at all.
"The high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom ..." (Jeremiah 32:5). Note the close connection here between the high places of Baal and the horrible human sacrifices to Molech in the valley of the son of Hinnom. Baal worship is sometimes explained as being a lot more innocent than it actually was.
"Which I commanded them not ..." (Jeremiah 32:35). Today, there are some very aggressive and strident voices proclaiming that what God has not forbidden by specific commandment is allowable, in such matters as the appointment of women deacons and in the use of mechanical instruments of music in God's worship; but a passage like this indicates that "things which God has not commanded" are simply not allowable under any circumstances as elements of God's worship.
Verse 36
"And now therefore thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, concerning this city, whereof ye say, It is given into the hand of the king of Babylon, by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence: Behold, I will gather them out of all the countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my wrath, and in great indignation; and I will bring them, again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God: and I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: and I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from following them, to do them good; and I will put my fear in their hearts, that they may not depart from me, Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in the land assuredly with my whole heart, and with my whole soul. For thus saith Jehovah: Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them. And fields shall be bought in this land, whereof ye say, It is desolate without man or beast; it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans. Men shall buy fields for money, and subscribe the deeds, and seal them, and call witnesses, in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, and in the cities of the hill-country, and in the cities of the lowland, and in the cities of the South: for I will cause their captivity to return, saith Jehovah."These are glorious promises; but, alas, it appears that Israel never did learn the secret of Jer 18:7-10, in which the prophet revealed that all of God's promises, whether of evil, or of good, were subject, absolutely, to the condition of whether or not Israel would truly turn to the Lord and worship him. Most of the wonderful things God promised here never occurred at all.
As outlined in the Book of Micah, the priesthood promptly corrupted the worship in the second temple, provoking even the cancellation of the covenant of Levi; and God even cursed their blessings and expressed the desire that the temple would be closed (See Malachi 2:1-9).
Furthermore, as time went on, in those long centuries before Christ was born, the whole Jewish nation fell into apostasy again, resulting in their judicial hardening, along with the hardened nations of the Gentiles; and, according to Paul, the Jews became as reprobate as the Gentiles themselves. The name of God was blasphemed among the Gentiles because of the shameful conduct of the Jews (Romans 2:24). Their temple with its operators, the three false shepherds of Zec 11:8, namely the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Herodians was denominated as a "den of thieves and robbers" by the Christ himself; and the grand climax of Jewish wickedness came when they rejected the Messiah himself and manipulated his crucifixion by suborned testimony, political intimidation, and mob violence.
Therefore, history has recorded no fulfillment whatever of the prosperity of the post-exilic captives from Babylon. They deserved no prosperity, and they received none.
It is a shame that some commentators simply cannot get it out of their minds that God's promises to Israel were in some mysterious manner irrevocable and eternal. One may only wonder if they ever read Jeremiah 18:7-10, Note this from Feinberg. He identified the new covenant as a renewal of the old covenant, writing that, "The covenant bond between God and his people will be renewed, and they will walk in righteousness ... The covenant will never again be broken; the promise of restoration (Jeremiah 32:41) is just as certain as the prediction of punishments."[9]Of course, that is what should have happened; but it didn't!
God's punishment of Israel for the rejection of Christ was executed within a generation after the event. The nation was brutally destroyed by Vespasian and Titus in A.D. 70; 1,100,000 people were executed, and Josephus even gives the names of the towns and villages supplying the totals for that incredible destruction; thirty thousand young men were crucified upon crosses adorning the walls of Jerusalem; their temple was destroyed never to be rebuilt, the whole Mosaic system of daily sacrifices, along with the institution of the priesthood and the high priest disappeared forever.
But what about that "covenant" mentioned in Jeremiah 32:40? As Cheyne said, "It is the New Covenant ofJeremiah 31 ."[10] Payne Smith, Albert Barnes, and many others concur in this identification of the covenant here as "The New Covenant of Jeremiah 31 ." In truth, the very fact of its being called an "everlasting covenant," along with the declaration that it shall never be broken, either on the part of God or on the part of his people, identifies it as the New Covenant; because that first covenant was indeed violated, not by God, but by his people. The notion that Racial Israel would never break the covenant (the old one) again is foreign to everything in the entire Bible. The prophecy here (in Jeremiah 32:40) that God's people will not again break his covenant has been fulfilled by the continuity of the Christian faith upon earth; and, "In these two conditions, that neither God nor his people shall break the New Covenant, lies the certainty of the eternal duration of that covenant."[11]Then, what about those people on earth who do indeed violate the teachings of Christ? Nevertheless, the covenant is not broken as long as there are faithful souls in the world who cling to the truth of God and obey it. This prophecy here assures the continuity of that condition.
The great improvement of this arrangement over the old covenant is at once evident. This means that there will be faithful Christians on earth till the end of time. Christ's question in Luke 18:8 does not deny this, but may indicate the scarcity of them at the time of the Second Coming.
Jeremiah 32:1. The attention of the reader has frequently been called to the un- ehronological character of parts of the Bible. This is particularly true of the prophetic books. On this point I
shall quote from Smith's Bible Dictionary as follows: “ Apparently the prophets kept written records of their predictions, and collected into larger volumes such as were intended for permanent use,’’ As the different parts of the prophetic writings were not written at the same time, it can he understood that in collecting them into one book they might not always be compiled in lust the same order as they were written. Thus the present chapter through chapter 36 should be read or at. least dated after chapter 37, for that chapter closes with the same subject that begins the present one. With this explanation settled, let us now consider the passages in their order and as they occur in the common version before us. We are in the tenth year of Zedekiah'a reign and he has just one more year to sit on the throne. The army of Babylon is at the gates of Jerusalem and conducting a distressing siege against that city that is about to end in defeat for the besieged.
Jeremiah 32:2. Tlse siege had started in the ninth year of Zedekiah’ s reign (2 Ki, 25: 1), and at the present time (tenth year) Jeremiah was a prisoner in the court of the prison. This was an open space occupied by the guard where the prophet was kept for the present. But though he was a prisoner his friends could visit him since the area was more or less unrestricted as to the public.
Jeremiah 32:3. From ancient times it has been a notion of mankind that the effect of unwelcome truth could be avoided by suppressing the one who uttered it. Zedekiah was angry at the predictions of Jeremiah and had him imprisoned.
Jeremiah 32:4-5. These verses state the unpleasant predictions of Jeremiah. A part of this prophecy has been charged with being a contradiction, of another (Ezk, 12: 13) which says that Zede- kiah should not see Babylon although he would be taken there. The expla-nation is very simple and needs only a brief bit of history (2 Kings 25:6-7).
Jeremiah 32:6, This verse through 14 should be marked as a bracket and labeled “ A literal transaction or some more ‘ acting’ to indicate the surety of the return to Palestine.”
Jeremiah 32:7. The, offer to buy a piece of real estate was a test for Jeremiah to show his confidence in his own predictions. There had not been any indication that he had any doubts but the performance was for the benefit of others, A piece of land would not be worth anything to a man who could not use it. The .Lord told Jeremiah that his cousin was coming for this purpose, and thus he would know that the circumstance was by the Lord's arrangement.
Jeremiah 32:8. Right of inheritance means he was in line as an heir; that if the land was going to be sold he was the one to “ have the first chance.” Then I knew means that by the act of his cousin in offering him Lhe land just as the Lord said be would, Jeremiah knew the whole proposition was from Him.
Jeremiah 32:9-10. The evidences were the equivalent of our notarizing a document. It shows that according to the transaction Jeremiah favored the idea of personal ownership of property with individual title to the same.
Jeremiah 32:11. Law and custom means it was not only customary but lawful to perform the transference of real estate from one individual to another.
Jeremiah 32:12. In the sight was to have the force of a record as for a deed to the property. This was not only to make the sale legal, but for its effect on the public as to Jeremiah’ s faith in his own predictions.
Jeremiah 32:13-14. Baruch was acting as secretary for Jeremiah and was charged with the care of the document concerning the transaction. Sealed and open means the parts of the deal that were written arid those that were merely beheld with the eyes and heard with the ears as audible agreements.
Jeremiah 32:15. This verse is the prophet’ s interpretation of the whole transaction just enacted in the presence of the people. If Jeremiah was willing to invest money in land that was then in control of a foreigner, he surely believed that such a condition would he removed so that he could make his own use of that land.
Jeremiah 32:16. Having performed the demonstration of his faith, Jeremiah offered a prayer to his God.
Jeremiah 32:17. Nothing too hard for thee means that God can do anything if it is a matter of power or knowledge. There are some things God cannot do because they are wrong, but He has the power and knowledge to do any-thing that is right.
Jeremiah 32:18. Recompensest . . . iniquity . . . fathers . . . children. This may seem to teach that children are punished for the sins of their fathers
which we know is not the way God deals with man. The statement ts from Exodus 20:5 where the fuller wording adds the proviso “ of them that hate me.” The passage means that God will punish the sinful children with the same penalty he used on their sinful fathers.
Jeremiah 32:19. Counsel means advice and work is the practice of it; God is great in both. Eyes open upon means that God sees everything that is done.
Jeremiah 32:20. Set signs refers to the miracles which God did in Egypt on behalf of Israel which they had not forgotten unto this day. These facts gave God a name that was respected by the nations of the earth.
Jeremiah 32:21. After the above-mentioned signs in Egypt (which means the 10 plagues), God delivered his people by the miraculous crossing through the Red Sea.
Jeremiah 32:22. This land means the land of Palestine where Israel had been living for centuries. It was necessary for the Lord to perform many more miracles in order to give them the land that had been promised to the fathers.
Jeremiah 32:23. This verse is an acknowl-edgement of the sins of the nation. It also accounts for the sad condition into which it was plunged.
Jeremiah 32:24. Mounts is rendered “ engines of shot” (machines for hurling large stones) in the margin and the original seems to be used in that sense in some places. However, Strong defines the original, “ A military mound, i.e. rampart of besiegers.” and Moffatt renders the word "siege-mounds.” The word evidently was used in both senses since those engines would be planted on the ramparts for the purpose of battering down the wall. At the time when Jeremiah was writing this the Chaldeans (or Babylonians) were at the walls of Jerusalem and conducting a siege. That would result in the three evils, sword, famine and pestilence, explained at Jeremiah 14:12.
Jeremiah 32:25. The prophet makes it a matter of personal interest because he lias always been sympathetic towards the woes of his people. In reminding the Lord of the recent business transaction he is not necessarily expressing any doubt, but is making a plea for further instruction from God.
Jeremiah 32:26-27. The requested information came, in which Jeremiah was also reminded of the greatness of the One who was doing all this. It was repeated that nothing was too hard for the Lord, therefore he could suffer the siege and captivity to occur, and then return the people so that they could use the land that was purchased. With this assurance the immediate situation with its outcome was described again to Jeremiah.
Jeremiah 32:28. The siege was in progress when this verse was spoken by the Lord but the city had not yet been taken.
Jeremiah 32:29. The Chaldeans were a special group who were in the lead in the Babylonian Empire, hence the two words are used interchangeably. This verse was fulfilled as here predicted and the account of it is in 2 Kings 25:9.
Jeremiah 32:30. When Israel and Judah are named separately but in the same sentence it means the 10-tribe and the 2-tribe kingdoms. Both groups had sinned against God by the works of their hands which means their man-made gods.
Jeremiah 32:31. This city means Jerusalem which was the capital of the nation and was where the temple was located. Day that they built it means the day they repaired and arranged it as their capital city.
Jeremiah 32:32. This verse includes the Jews of all the tribes, and all ranks of men in the tribes. All of them bad been guilty of Idolatry although the leaders were charged with being the ones w'lio set the example and the others followed them.
Jeremiah 32:33. Turned the back denotes they had deserted the Lord and had faced themselves toward their Idols. It was not for lack of information, either, for God had been prompt, rising up early, in teaching them the good and the right way.
Jeremiah 32:34. It was not enough to build altars for idol worship in the groves, but they brought their false godB into the Lord's temple.
Jeremiah 32:35. These horrible human sacrifices are commented upon at 2 Kl. 16: 3 in volume 2 of this Commentary. Baal and Mo lech were invisible gods of the Idolaters.
Jeremiah 32:36. Ye say refers to Jeremiah’ s complaint that Jerusalem was about to fall into the hands of the king of Babylon. The Lord does not deny it but is going to authorize the prophet to make another prediction of the return from the captivity.
Jeremiah 32:37. During the 70-year captivity the civilized world was all practicaliy under the control of Babylon. The various parts of that empire included many lands, here called countries. Naturally, then, the Jews would get dispersed among these regions and the Lord would need to gather them out of all such places.
Jeremiah 32:38. The word people Is from the Hebrew word am and occurs over 1800 times in the Old Testament. Strong defines it, “ A people (as a congregated unit); specifically a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively a flock.” Israel never ceased to be God’ s people in the sense of race or nationality, but during tbe captivity they were not a collected group.
Jeremiah 32:39. One heart refers to the unity of mind the Jews were to have when they return from captivity.
Jeremiah 32:40. Everlasting means age- lasting, and God promised to protect them as a collected group throughout that dispensation.
Jeremiah 32:41. Plant them means God would establish them in that land as a strong nation. That was done after the captivity and as long as they were faithful they continued to be a strong force in the world.
Jeremiah 32:42. Like as means only to make comparison of the certainty of God’ s predictions. His threat of the punishment was fulfilled, so likewise his promises would be fulfilled in their appointed time.
Jeremiah 32:43. A demonstration of the prediction that fields shall be bought was enacted by Jeremiah in verses 6-14. By that transaction the prophet showed his confidence in the predictions which the Lord inspired him to make.
Jeremiah 32:44. Private ownership of property has been endorsed all through the Bible. Not only so, but some form of title with legal or public security of it has been practiced. See Genesis 23; Genesis 17-20; S3: 19.) Hence the prediction is made here that the transference of property would be subscribed and witnessed and sealed-.
Jeremiah Chapter Thirty-ThreeVerse 1
Jeremiah 33THE BRANCH; THE MESSIAHMuch of this chapter is challenged by the critics who point out that Jeremiah 33:14-26 are missing from the LXX, and that the apparent prophecies of the endless succession of a Davidic line of kings and a restoration and perpetual continuity of the Levitical priesthood with its countless sacrifices are totally contrary to other prophecies given through Jeremiah.
Jeremiah did indeed prophesy the final end of the Davidic line of kings inJeremiah 22:30, where Coniah was designated as the very last of the Davidic succession; and he also prophesied the termination of the whole Levitical system in Jeremiah 3:16.
Furthermore, the New Testament emphatically teaches that, "No king of the family of David shall reign, except the Messiah, and that the seat of his government is not an earthly, but a heavenly throne (Luke 1:23; Luke 1:33; Psalms 89:37 KJV)."[1]Likewise, regarding any such literal priesthood as that of the Levites, the New Testament is equally emphatic. "The Levitical services have been forever abrogated by the unchanging and unceasing priesthood of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 7:12-28)."[2]The problem, then, is what to do with the apparent contradiction of such undeniable and eternal truth by the seeming affirmation in this chapter of a new line of Davidic monarchs on the throne in Jerusalem, and a permanent reestablishing of the Levitical priesthood after the return from the captivity.
There are two ways to solve the problem: (1) deny the authenticity of the chapter and credit it as a commentary not written by Jeremiah, but by someone else afterward, or (2) take the passage as a type of Messianic blessings, written in terminology that would have encouraged the returnees from Babylon. To this writer (2) is by far the preferable solution. The following exposition by Payne Smith, which is given in full under Jeremiah 33:17-18, below, follows this path of explanation, which we believe to be correct. The fact of the whole chapter's being absolutely Messianic supports this view.
The chapter falls into these divisions: the siege of Jerusalem actually in progress (Jeremiah 33:1-5); the destruction of the city and the ensuing captivity will not nullify God's ultimate forgiveness and blessing (Jeremiah 33:6-9); future blessings enumerated (Jeremiah 33:10-11); more blessings recounted (Jeremiah 33:12-13); the promise of the Messiah, the Righteous Branch, and apparently, the restoration of a Davidic monarch upon the earthly throne, and the perpetual restoration of the Levitical priesthood (Jeremiah 33:14-18); the infinite multiplication of the seed of David and of the Levitical priests (Jeremiah 33:19-22); the perpetual nature of the promise to David and to the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Jeremiah 33:23-24).
Jeremiah 33:1-5THE SIEGE OF IN "Moreover the word of Jehovah came unto Jeremiah the second time, while he was yet shut up in the court of the guard, saying, Thus saith Jehovah that doeth it, that formeth it to establish it; Jehovah is his name: Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and will show thee great things, and difficult, which thou knowest not. For thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, which are broken down to make a defense against the mounds and against the sword; while men come to fight with the Chaldeans, and to fill them with the dead bodies of men, whom I have slain in mine anger and in my wrath, and for all whose wickedness I have hidden my face from in this city:""Jehovah that doeth it ..." (Jeremiah 33:2). Some have supposed this to be a reference to the Creation; but it appears more logical to see it as a reference to the destruction of Jerusalem then in progress.
"Houses which are broken down ..." (Jeremiah 33:4). Due to difficulties in the text, some have supposed the destruction here to be connected with the demolition of houses by the army of the invaders; but our translation indicates that the houses were destroyed to provide materials for the erection of mantelets (Nahum 2:5) or mounds with which to oppose the invading Babylonians. We do not see the difference as a problem, because houses were in all probability destroyed by both the defenders and the invaders. Thus the text is true no matter which translation is used; it is true both ways.
"To fill them with the dead bodies of men ..." (Jeremiah 33:5). This was due to the fact of there being no time to bury the dead. All of the houses emptied of their residents due to military operations, whether of the defenders or the invaders, were used to stack the dead. The passage, due to textual uncertainties, "remains enigmatical."[3]Verse 6
GOD'S PROMISE OF FUTURE "Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them; and I will reveal unto them abundance of peace and truth. And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to return, and will build them, as at the first. And I will cleanse them from all iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have transgressed against me. And this city shall be for me for a name of joy, for a praise, and for a glory, before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them, and shall fear and tremble for all the good and for all the peace that I procure unto it."This passage is Messianic, as proved by the "forgiveness of sins" promised in Jeremiah 33:8. Also, it should be noted that it is not the impressiveness of the literal city of Jerusalem that will constitute the joy and praise and glory of God, but it will be "a name" (Jeremiah 33:9), should we say merely "a name?" Certainly it is true that today, the only connection that the Messianic kingdom has with literal Jerusalem is the "name of it," heaven itself being called in the New Testament, "The New Jerusalem"; and the spiritual mother of all Christians, being, in no sense whatever, a literal earthly city of any kind, much less, an earthly Jerusalem, but "the Jerusalem which is above, which is free, which is our mother" (Galatians 4:26).
Another proof that we are here confronted with Messianic prophecies is seen in the fact that both the Northern and Southern Israels (Jeremiah 33:7) are promised a share in the blessings, an indication that all Jews of whatever tribe will have access to the New Covenant, along with all others of the human race, and upon the same terms.
Verse 10
FUTURE "Thus saith Jehovah, Yet again there shall be heard in this place, whereof ye say, It is waste, without man and without beast, even in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, that are desolate, without man and without inhabitant and without beast, the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that say, Give thanks to Jehovah of hosts, for Jehovah is good, for his lovingkindness endureth forever; and of them that bring sacrifices of thanksgiving into the house of Jehovah. For I will cause the captivity of the land to return as at the first, saith Jehovah."Since this was written while the siege was still in progress, while Zedekiah was still on the throne, and while Jeremiah was still a prisoner in the court of the guard, we have here the predictive prophecy of what will ultimately be said concerning the desolation of the city.
Also, here are very encouraging prophecies about the ultimate restoration and prosperity of the city.
In Psalms 106:1; Psalms 107:1; Psalms 108:1; and Psalms 136:1, some of the words of this passage are incorporated into the Psalms; and, "From this we gather that they became a regular part of the liturgical worship in the Jewish temple."[4]Verse 12
MORE "Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, Yet again shall there be in this place, which is waste, without man and without beast, and in all the cities thereof, a habitation of shepherds causing their flocks to lie down. In the cities of the hill-country, in the cities of the lowland, 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 again pass under the hands of him that numbereth them, saith Jehovah."The contrast between Jeremiah 33:10-11 and Jeremiah 33:12-13 emphasizes the great prosperity that is promised for Judah after their return from captivity, these blessings being typical of the great spiritual blessings under the Messiah. "Strangely enough, the Targum has a Messianic interpretation here and substitutes the word `Messiah' for the one counting the sheep."[5] This at least indicates that from of old the whole chapter has been understood as Messianic.
Verse 14
MESSIAH THE BRANCH IS "Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will perform the good word which I have spoken concerning the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days, and at that time, will I cause a Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land. In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely; and this is the name whereby she shall be called: Jehovah our righteousness. For thus saith Jehovah: David shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel; neither shall the priests of the Levites want a man before me to offer burnt-offerings, to burn meal-offerings, and to do sacrifice continually."As noted in the chapter introduction, the only difficulty here is the apparent promise of the perpetual succession of his descendants upon the throne of David and also that of the permanent, unending restoration of the Levitical priests with their animal sacrifices, events which are denied absolutely by other passages of the Word of God. We have rejected the device which would remove this passage from God's Word; and the best explanation of the true meaning, as we see it, is that of Payne Smith.
"The solution is probably as follows. It was necessary that the Bible should be intelligent to the people at the time when it was written, and in some degree to the writer. Neither writer nor the reader needed to know the whole meaning, but it must have had some meaning to them. But language can never rise above the ideas of the time; for words are merely symbols, taken at first from external objects, but gradually elevated and made to express mental emotions and spiritual conceptions. The Jew therefore could use only such symbols as he possessed; and in describing the perfections of the Christian Church, he was compelled to represent it as the state of things under which he had lived, freed from all imperfections. Thus we can form no idea of Deity except as a man freed from all human weakness ... So here; the Davidic kingdom and the Levitical priesthood are symbols that represented to the Jew all that was most dear to his heart in the state of things under which he lived."[6]The limitation of language itself has been frequently mentioned in my series of commentaries. "The waters above the firmament" in the Creation narrative, for example, actually refer to "moisture in the atmosphere, or clouds"; but the Jews had no word for "vapor"; therefore, the waters (liquid) were beneath the firmament, and the waters (vapor) were above the firmament.
Also, read the description of the New Jerusalem in Revelation's last two chapters. "Transparent gold" is an impossibility.
Language often breaks down as an inadequate vehicle for the conveyance of the thoughts of God; and so we believe is the case here. The continuity of a succession of rulers on the literal throne of David and the perpetual ministrations of the Levitical order in their offerings of burnt-offerings, etc., represented to the Jew the full and perpetual restoration of his national life, along with freedom from oppressive foreign rule, and restoration of all the rights and privileges of his holy religion: Furthermore, it was impossible for the Jewish mind to have comprehended such marvelous blessings apart from such promises as are found in these five verses.
Nevertheless, we believe that the words are also literally true when properly understood. How about all of those "kings" and "priests" which are promised here? They are those who have been loosed from their sins and cleansed in the blood of Christ. "Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins, in his own blood, and made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen." (Revelation 1:5-6, KJV).
KINGS AND PRIESTS UNTO GODThese are Christians, called by the apostle Peter "a royal priesthood" (1 Peter 2:9), and of whom the prophecy declares that "They live and reign with Jesus Christ a thousand years!" (Revelation 20:6). And just who are these? They are those who participated in the "first resurrection." They are those who experienced the new birth (Revelation 20:5).
And how about those "sacrifices" which are to be offered perpetually? "Ye (Christians) ... are a spiritual house, a royal (or holy) priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 2:5).
And the burnt-offerings ... what about them? When the true sacrifice for sins, even Christ our Lord, died upon Calvary, the whole institution of animal sacrifices perished forever, never to be renewed. Therefore the perpetual sacrifices mentioned here refer not to burnt offerings, etc, but to "spiritual sacrifices," as indicated in the above paragraph. And exactly what are those spiritual sacrifices? They are the songs, the prayers, the charities, the good deeds, the faithful lives of true Christians. They are described in Hebrews.
"Through him (Christ) then let us offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips that make confession to his name. But to do good and to communicate forget not; for with such sacrifices God is well pleased" (Hebrews 13:15-16).
These New Testament passages clear up completely any problems that are alleged to appear in these verses. Again we have proof that when radical critics wish to expunge some verse or some chapter from the Bible, it is merely because they cannot understand the passage; and for many of them, their failure is due to their apparent ignorance of everything in the New Testament.
THE BRANCH"I will cause a Branch of righteousness to arise unto David ..." (Jeremiah 33:16). This prophecy parallels that of Jer 23:1-8. (See notes on this above). It is amazing that "Jehovah Our Righteousness," which is given there as the name of the Righteous Branch (The Messiah), appears here as the name of Jerusalem. This is no contradiction, because the New Jerusalem is the Church of God, completely identified with the True Israel who is Jesus Christ, a truth which becomes crystal clear in the New Testament. This designation of Jerusalem as "Jehovah Our Righteousness" makes it mandatory to read "Jerusalem" here as "The New Jerusalem." All will admit the total impropriety of associating a name like that with the literal earthly Jerusalem.
Although his prophecies of the Messiah are not as extensive as those of Isaiah, Jeremiah nevertheless often spoke of the coming of the Messiah. "He spoke of the Messiah as `The Spring of Living Waters' (Jeremiah 2:13), `The Good Shepherd' (Jeremiah 23:4; Jeremiah 31:10), `The Righteous Branch' (here and in Jeremiah 23:5 f), `The Redeemer' (Jeremiah 50:34), `The Lord Our Righteousness" (Jeremiah 23:6), `David the King' (Jeremiah 30:9), and as `The Agent of the New Covenant' (Jeremiah 31:31-34)."[7]Thus, we find no fault whatever with what the holy prophet has written here; and we believe that the full understanding of it is clear enough in the marvelous words of the New Testament. The literal interpretation which sees here a promise, not of One Davidic King alone, namely the Messiah, "but a series of Davidic descendants to occupy the throne of David"[8] is incorrect. As Jellie noted, "It was impossible, and now is impossible, to restore: (1) either a literal reign of David's descendants or (2) the Levitical priesthood, for two reasons: (a) Their genealogical tables have been irrecoverably lost, and (b) nothing short of a direct decision from God Himself could distinguish the descendants of David or Levi from the descendants of any other of the twelve tribes of ancient Israel."[9]Furthermore, it should be particularly noted that this chapter says nothing at all about any "succession" of Davidic kings, or any series of such rulers, but that he shall have "a son to reign upon his throne." That son is the Son of God, the Messiah. But how about the plurality that seems to be here implied? Well, Christ himself said of the Twelve Apostles, "Ye shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Matthew 19:28), a reference, of course, to the spiritual authority of the Apostles in God's Church.
Verse 19
PROMISE OF "And the word of Jehovah came to Jeremiah, saying, Thus saith Jehovah: If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, so that there shall not be day and night in their season; then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant, that he should not have a son to reign upon his throne; and with the Levites the priests, my ministers. 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.""The promise of an innumerable posterity once given to the patriarchs, as in Genesis 13:16; 55:5; 22:17, etc., is here applied to the descendants of David and to the number of God's ministers."[10] This means that the numbers of people who will serve the Messiah shall indeed be, "A great multitude which no man could number, out of every nation and all tribes and peoples' and tongues" (Revelation 7:9).
And how are all these "descendants of David?" By virtue of all Christians being "in Christ," they are thereby sons of David and also sons of Abraham (Matthew 1:1; Galatians 3:29). Also, we have already noted how all Christians are priests unto God.
Verse 23
NATURE OF GOD'S "And the word of Jehovah came to Jeremiah, saying, Considerest thou not what this people have spoken, saying, The two families which Jehovah did choose, he has cast them off? thus do they despise my people, that they should be no more a nation before them. Thus saith Jehovah: If my covenant of day and night stand not, if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth; then will I also cast away the seed of Jacob, and of David my servant, so that I will not take of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: for I will cause their captivity to return, and will have mercy upon them.""Take of his seed to be rulers ..." (Jeremiah 33:26). That there will indeed be of the seed of David (Christians) those who will be rulers (plural) over the seed of Abraham (once racial Israel, but now all Christians everywhere) is an unwavering promise of God; and, at this very moment it is being fulfilled all over the world in the Apostles of Christ and in all Christians who are "reigning with Christ."
Things looked very dark indeed for Israel at this sad juncture in their lives. They were about to be deported into a shameful exile in Babylon for a period of seventy years. All of their ancient glory which they remembered from the Solomonic empire had been blotted out forever; and, for many of the people, it seemed like the end of all hope. But God knew what he was doing. Descendants of David would indeed return from the captivity; and, in the fullness of time, Mary the betrothed wife of Joseph, one of the descendants of David through Nathan, would lay the infant Messiah in the Bethlehem manger!
Jeremiah 33:1. See the comments on ch. 32: 1, 2 as to this imprisonment. The following message from the Lord was to be the second one Jeremiah received while In prison.
Jeremiah 33:2. The pronoun it refers to the earth that contains the fields spoken of in the preceding chapter. The point in the discussion is the fact that God made the earth, therefore He has the power to give it to whomsoever he will.
Jeremiah 33:3. This verse invites the prophet to call upon the Lord for information concerning things hitherto unrevealed.
Jeremiah 33:4. Houses of this city and of the kings means the families in those places. They thought to retain possession of the houses but had failed; they had been thrown down by the 'mounts. For explanation of this word see the comments at ch. 32: 24.
Jeremiah 33:5, They refers to the people of the houses mentioned in the preceding verse. They thought they could resist tbe Chaldeans (or Babylonians) but they failed. As a result their cities were filled with dead bodies which God had caused to be slain.
Jeremiah 33:6. This verse through 14 Is a bracket on the return from the captivity with a few special predictions in connection with that event. The only difference between health and cure is that the first is the result of using the second. It has general reference to the national soundness in their native land.
Jeremiah 33:7. Judah and Israel are again named separately but in the same sentence, ft is a prediction that the 12 tribes were all to be returned to Palestine.
Jeremiah 33:8. Cleanse them, from all their iniquities refers to the cure from idolatry. The historical note that shows the fulfillment of this prediction was quoted at Isaiah 1:25 in volume 3 of this Commentary.
Jeremiah 33:9. The restoration of Israel to national greatness made an impression on the other nations, This can be seen by a careful reading of the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, Fear and tremble means the nations will have respect for the Jewish nation.
Jeremiah 33:10. This verse describes the condition of Jerusalem at the time Jeremiah was writing. The people had complained of it and God was giving them a prediction that it was to be changed.
Jeremiah 33:11. This is a prediction of the general condition of goodness that was to exist after the return from captivity. The various relations of society and family life were to be restored.
Jeremiah 33:12. This verse predicts the return of industrial and agricultural pursuits. Flocks to He dowm indicates two blessings; sufficiency, and peace while using it under the protection of the God of Israel.
Jeremiah 33:13. Not only was the capital city of Jerusalem to be restored, but the smaller cities of the whole land were to be repossessed. Him. that lell- f.ih them means the shepherds will he able to enumerate their Socks and retain their number in peace.
Jeremiah 33:14. The bracket concludes very much as it began, with a prediction of the general prosperity that was to follow the captivity.
Jeremiah 33:15. The "telescope" (See illustration at Tsa. 1:1) is again extended and the prophet sees farther Into the future. This verse through 22 is a bracket and the subject Is the kingdom of Christ, Branch is a reference to Christ because the word means a sprout or shoot from a former plant. That would mean David who was the illustrious ancestor of Christ through two family lines of descendants.
Jeremiah 33:16. Judah and Jerusalem- were to be saved spiritually by the benefits of the church that was to be set up by the descendants of David.
Jeremiah 33:17. Never want a man is a prediction that David's great Descendant would occupy the throne continuously. He was not to be succeeded, by other kings as were the ones in fleshly Israel.
Jeremiah 33:18. Levites is used figuratively because they furnished the priests under the Mosaic system. Under Christ ail of God's people will be regarded as priests (1 Peter 2:5; 1 Peter 2:9; Revelation 1:6; Revelation 5:10). The other terms of the verse also are figurative, referring to the services in the kingdom of Christ,
Jeremiah 33:19-20. The Lord rather interrupts the passage to make a comparison of the surety of his promises. They are as sure as the established law that regulates the day and night.
Jeremiah 33:21-23. The subject of David and his Son is explained at verse 15, and that of priests is commented upon at verse IS. Ministers means servants and applies to all who are citizens in the kingdom of Christ since they are all servants.
Jeremiah 33:24. The two families refers to the 10-tribe and the 2-tribe kingdoms. The first had gone into exile under the Assyrians more than a century before, and the second was already in the beginning of their 70-year captivity.
Jeremiah 33:25. The condition of the universe and the movements of the planets had been regular for centuries. Their surety is used to compare that of the predictions of their Creator as to other things about His people.
Jeremiah 33:26. The predictions related to the flesh iy descendants of David through Jacob. They were destined to suffer the full 70-year period of captivity, but the Lord assured them that he would cause their captivity to return.
Jeremiah Chapter Thirty-Four
Verse 1
Jeremiah 34SLAVES AND AGAINThis chapter features two prophecies: (1) There is the announcement of a conditional prophecy for Zedekiah (Jeremiah 34:1-8), offering that king certain blessings on condition of his surrender to Babylon. (2) There is the prophecy of doom for the population of Jerusalem as a just reward of their emancipation of slaves according to God's Word in a mocking, hypocritical ceremony enacted in the sacred temple itself, followed at once by their treacherous, perfidious and shameless cancellation of the emancipation and their enslavement of their former slaves again.
There could have been no better justification of God's terrible punishment of the Chosen People than the events recorded in this chapter. In every way, they completely deserved all the sorrows that came upon them.
Regarding the date of the chapter, it is accurately revealed by the historical situation in which it is set. "Both of these prophecies belong to the first period of the final siege of Jerusalem, probably the ninth year of Zedekiah the king."[1] "That year was 589-588 B.C."[2]Jeremiah 34:1-5THE "The word which came unto Jeremiah from Jehovah, when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and all his army, and all the kingdoms of the earth that were under his dominion, and all the peoples were fighting against Jerusalem, and against all the cities thereof, saying, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Go, and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah, and tell him, Thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire: and thou shalt not escape out of his hand, but shall surely be taken, and delivered into his hand; and thine eyes shall behold the eyes of the king of Babylon, and he shall speak with thee mouth to mouth, and thou shalt go to Babylon. Yet hear the word of Jehovah, O Zedekiah king of Judah: Thus saith Jehovah concerning thee, Thou shalt not die by the sword; thou shalt die in peace; and with the burnings of thy fathers, the former kings that were before thee, so shall they make a burning for thee; and they shall lament thee, saying, Ah Lord! for I have spoken the word, saith Jehovah.""All the kingdoms of the earth ..." (Jeremiah 34:1) This is a reference to the composite nature of Nebuchadnezzar's army, which was made up of numerous detachments from the many nations that had submitted to Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar as the suzerain overlord of all those countries had the right to demand troops of all of them to aid in his fight against enemies. He even had that right over Zedekiah who had at this juncture of events rebelled against him.
"And against all the cities thereof ..." (Jeremiah 34:1). This refers to the surrounding cities in Palestine which were fortified towns and would of necessity be captured prior to the assault against Jerusalem the major stronghold. Lachish and Azekah (Jeremiah 34:7) were the last two of these to hold out against the Chaldeans.
"Thou shalt not escape out of his hand ..." (Jeremiah 34:3). This meant that Zedekiah would most certainly he required to give an account to Nebuchadnezzar his overlord, with whom he had negotiated a covenant of obedience, in all probability "cutting a covenant" after the pattern of that mentioned in Jeremiah 34:18, below, and entailing the most terrible consequences upon its violation by the vassal.
"Yet ... thou shalt not die by the sword ... but in peace ..." (Jeremiah 34:4). The very word "yet" in this passage seems to hold out a certain hope for Zedekiah, always contingent, of course, (See Jeremiah 18:7-10) upon his obedience to God's command to deliver the city at once into the hands of his overlord. Whether or not this is actually the true understanding of this place does not appear absolutely certain to this writer; but Barnes, and many others, hold this view.
The city was doomed and Zedekiah's capture was assured, but he was still in a position to procure good terms; and the prophet here laid before him the alternative; but Zedekiah with all the obstinacy of a weak man chose to continue the war, and lost: (1) the kingdom; (2) his eyesight; and (3) his liberty.[3]This view, in effect, denies that the prophecy here was fulfilled, due to Zedekiah's violation of the condition implied in the prophecy itself. Ash, Dummelow, and others concur with Barnes in this understanding. Dummelow submits as proof of this interpretation that, "Although the key condition of Zedekiah's surrender is omitted in this chapter, it is emphatically stated in Jeremiah 38:17."[4] We accept this understanding of the place and note that, in addition to the benefits to Zedekiah which were conditionally promised here, the lives of his sons would also have been spared if he had obeyed the word of the Lord (Jeremiah 38:17 ff).
"Thou shalt die in peace ..." (Jeremiah 34:5). How could one die in peace, after his sons were slain before him, and after he had been blinded, enslaved, and deported to Babylon where he died? We agree with Matthew Henry that one may "die in peace, even though in prison,"[5] and also that to die in peace might have referred to his attaining "peace with God," as did Manasseh at the end of his life. Others have also suggested that, when contrasted with the death of Jehoiachim who died unmourned, receiving the burial of an ass, Zedekiah did indeed "die in peace." If so, then this part of the prophecy was unconditional.
"With the burnings of thy fathers, etc., ..." (Jeremiah 34:5). The Jews never had a custom of cremation, and this refers to the lighting of bonfires upon the death of a beloved monarch, spices also being added to the burning faggots in such lamentations. The expression "Ah Lord" was the customary exclamation upon the death of a king. Barnes and others thought this promise of that kind of a burial for Zedekiah was a pledge (if he had obeyed the Lord) of a successful tenure on the throne of Jerusalem as a vassal of Babylon. However, it is by no means impossible that the captive Jews in Babylon would have been allowed thus to honor their deceased monarch. Still, we favor the view of this whole prophecy as conditional and the conclusion that it was not fulfilled because Zedekiah violated the conditions in it.
Verse 6
TIME WHEN THIS WAS "Then Jeremiah the prophet spake all these words unto Zedekiah king of Judah in Jerusalem, when the king of Babylon's army was fighting against Jerusalem, and against all the cities of Judah that were left, against Lachish and against Azekah; for these alone remained of the cities of Judah as fortified cities."It is a marvelous fact that the details of this siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar have been strikingly confirmed by the spade of the archaeologist within our very generation. "The Mari letters and the Lachish Ostraca (broken pieces of pottery with inscriptions upon them) have been uncovered in the ruins of Lachish during the years 1935-1938, and have been positively dated in this very year of the final siege of Jerusalem."[6] "These treasures were discovered by the Wellcome-Marston Expedition."[7]"Lachish and Azekah ..." (Jeremiah 34:7). These were important fortified towns, which longer than any others except Jerusalem itself, resisted the Chaldean army. Lachish, at one time, had been larger than Jerusalem itself, and according to the Lachish Letters was the last to surrender prior to the fall of Jerusalem. Lachish was located 23 miles southwest of Jerusalem, and Azekah was eleven miles north of Lachish. Letter No. 4 deals with the very time when this prophecy was written by Jeremiah.
It records urgent military messages from the commander of Jerusalem's defenders to the garrison commander in Lachish, saying, "Let my lord know that we are watching the signals of Lachish (the smoke signals), according to all the indications which my lord has given; for we cannot see Azekah (evidently Azekah had fallen)."[8]There are also mentioned in these letters a half dozen names, including that of the father of Baruch, which are also found in this section of Jeremiah. Now, not for a moment, do we suppose that anything in the Bible needs to be confirmed either by pagan writers, or by fragments digged up from ancient ruins; but it is interesting and encouraging indeed to find that the deeper the spade of the archaeologist goes, the more is the proof of the truth of every word in the Holy Bible verified.
"This prophecy was given just a short time before Letter IV was written,"[9] because Azekah had not yet fallen (Jeremiah 34:7).
Verse 8
SLAVES FREED AND AGAIN (Jeremiah 34:8-22)
"The word that came unto Jeremiah from Jehovah, after that the king Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people that were at Jerusalem, to proclaim liberty unto them; that every man should let his man-servant, and every man his maid-servant, that is a Hebrew or a Hebrewess, go free; that none should make bondmen of them, to wit, of a Jew his brother. And all the princes and all the people obeyed, that had entered into the covenant, that everyone should let his man-servant, and everyone his maid-servant, go free, that none should make bondmen of them any more; they obeyed, and let them go."As evident later in the chapter, this solemn covenant was entered into in the holy Temple itself, and was witnessed by the priesthood and attested by all of the appropriate ceremonies.
"Made a covenant ..." (Jeremiah 34:8; Jeremiah 34:10). Evidently, the covenant here resembled that of Gen 15:2, in which one or more birds or animals or both were cut in half, and the contracting parties walked between the divided portions of the living creatures that were slain, thus calling all men and God Himself to witness that any violator of the solemn agreement entered into by this ceremony would himself be destroyed after the manner of the slain creatures.
"They obeyed, and let them go free ..." (Jeremiah 34:11). In the abbreviated account here, it is not clear whether or not the Jews freed all of their slaves, or only those who were being kept in bondage contrary to the Law of Moses; but, in any case, the number of manumissions must have been very considerable, as "all the princes and the people" entered into the covenant to do so.
Again the existence of the Pentateuch, and the Jews' familiarity with its teachings, is emphatically evident in the events of this prophecy. The laws appealed to here were those of Exo 21:2; Exodus 21:7 and Leviticus 25:39-55. The Jews knew all about those laws but simply refused to obey them. What induced the change here?
Early in the final siege of Jerusalem, Nebuchadnezzar's immense composite army approached the city. It was early January in Zedekiah's ninth year. The evident danger quickened the conscience of the king and his people; and they at once "cut the covenant" to free their slaves, no doubt praying that, as a reward, God might spare their city.
This good deed was evidently a case of "death-bed repentance,"[10] as indicated in a quotation which Green attributed to Peake. Feinberg called it, "panic piety."[11]Since there seems to have been no genuine religious devotion whatever behind this maneuver, we are led to inquire what was behind it?
REASONS FOR THIS (1) In the approaching siege, by freeing their slaves, the evil masters would be no longer obligated to feed them.
(2) The shortage of defenders of the city might have been somewhat alleviated by making freemen of all the slaves, who then would be expected to fight for "their" city.
(3) The lack of opportunity to employ the slaves on the surrounding farm lands of Jerusalem, due to the occupation of this land by the enemy, could have made the quartering, clothing, and feeding of the slaves a very unwelcome burden.
Whatever the reasons, we can find nothing whatever honorable in this conduct of the Hebrew people.
Verse 11
"But 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."What caused a reversal like this? It is easy to ascertain. The approach of an Egyptian army led by Pharaoh-Hophra caused a brief interruption of Nebuchadnezzar's siege of Jerusalem; and the Jews jumped to the conclusion that God had spared the city, even as he had in 701 B.C., when Sennacherib's army was destroyed in a single night, and Jerusalem was spared. This false appraisal of their true situation occasioned their display of their true colors that exposed the whole people as a heartless group of wicked, selfish men who cared neither for God or mankind.
Harrison made this comment on Jeremiah 34:11, "By breaking their promises the owners not merely disregarded the covenantal oath but also profaned the divine name they had invoked when they made it. This, however, was typical of the casual and irresponsible attitude which had characterized the Chosen People for many generations, and for which stem retribution was now at hand."[12]Was the king in on this crooked reversal of the people's solemn promises? He evidently was, because he had led the way in the making of it.
Verse 12
"Therefore the word of Jehovah came to Jeremiah, saying, Thus saith Jehovah the 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 bondage, saying, At the end of seven years ye shall let go every man his brother that is a Hebrew, that hath been sold unto thee, and hath served thee six years, thou shalt let him go free from thee: but your fathers hearkened not unto me neither inclined their ear. And ye were now turned and had done that which is right in mine eyes, in proclaiming liberty every man to his neighbor; and ye had made a covenant before me in the house which is called by my name; but ye turned and profaned my name, and caused every man his servant, and every man his handmaid, whom ye had let go free at their pleasure, to return; and ye brought them into subjection, to be unto you for servants and for handmaids.""Proclaiming liberty every man to his neighbor" (Jeremiah 34:15). The words here are particularly those used in Leviticus, stressing the existence of all the other books of the Pentateuch in addition to Deuteronomy.
It would be impossible to overestimate the extent of Judah's crime in the event here recorded: (1) It was a violation of God's specific commandment. (2) They had mocked God Himself by that hypocritical "covenant" they cut in the very house that was called by God's name. (3) They profaned the name of God by invoking his holy name upon an action which they had no intention of honoring. (4) It was an inhuman, unfeeling crime against innocent and defenseless people. (5) It was a violation and repudiation of the promises they themselves had made under oath; it was a perfidious perjury. (6) It was a crime against both God and mankind. (7) It was a crime against their wicked state which suffered the punishment their conduct so richly deserved.
Verse 17
"Therefore thus saith Jehovah: Ye have not hearkened unto me, to proclaim liberty every man to his brother, and every man to his neighbor: behold, I proclaim unto you a liberty, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will make you to be tossed to and fro among all the kingdoms of the earth."What a proclamation is this! God says, "Very well, I make a proclamation for you, freeing you from my love and protection, and giving you your liberty to be destroyed by the ravages of war, disease, and starvation."
Verse 18
"And I will give the men that have transgressed my covenant, which have not performed the words of the covenant which they made before me, when they cut the calf in twain and passed between the parts thereof."For more on the nature of the covenant here, see under Jeremiah 34:8; Jeremiah 34:10 above. It was the kind of covenant that God made with Abraham in Genesis 15:10 ff, in which birds and/or animals were divided, and the parties of the covenant passed between the divided portions of the creatures that had been slain. The implication was that any violator would deserve to suffer the same fate of the animals or birds used in the ceremony. Here it was a calf that had been cut in twain.
The prophet here enumerated the men who had thus violated the solemn covenant. The list given in the next verses included practically all the leaders of the nation, even that of the king himself and his princes.
Verse 19
"The princes of Judah, and the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs and the priests, and all the people of the land, that passed between the parts of the calf; I will even give them into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life; and their dead bodies shall be food unto the birds of the heavens, and to the beasts of the field."In a word, this was a death sentence for the violators of the covenant. Note the opening words in the next line, "And Zedekiah king of Judah and his princes." Thus there is no way to exempt the king and his advisers from association with the crimes enumerated here.
Verse 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 seek their life, and into the king of Babylon's army, that are gone away from you. Behold, I will command, saith Jehovah, and cause them to return to this city; and they shall fight against it, and take it, and burn it with fire: and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation, without inhabitant."These two verses fix the date of the events in this chapter. They occurred in that brief period during the appearance of Pharaoh-Hophra with his Egyptian army that caused Nebuchadnezzar to lift the siege momentarily. In that interval, the Jews enslaved the servants they had freed, and the whole nation violated its solemn promises.
God at once pronounced the sentence of death upon them; and within a year's time, it was fully executed.
Jeremiah 34:1. To avoid confusion the reader should frequently consult the information as to the "three” captivities, or rather the three divisions or stages of the main period. Each of these divisions is sometimes referred to as a captivity and certain predictions or other statements are made on the basis of such a date. A fuller statement was made at 2 Ki, 24: 1 in volume 2 of this Commentary. At the time of our present verse the third of the captivities was about due and Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, was still on the throne in Jerusalem.
Jeremiah 34:2. Zedekiah was stilt resisting the siege and thought he could avoid capture by the king of Babylon; Jeremiah was Instructed to go to him with a message.
Jeremiah 34:3. This verse has been thought to contradict another prediction, but it is explained at eh. 32: 4 which the reader should see for the sake of the information.
Jeremiah 34:4. Not die by the sword means he would not die in war or other physical contest. He was taken, blind, from Riblah to Babylon where he lived the rest of his life.
Jeremiah 34:5. Incense and sweet odors were burned at the burial of people, especially men Of distinction. Although he was to spend the rest of his days in Babylon, be was to be honored at his death by this custom.
Jeremiah 34:6-7. Jeremiah faithfully delivered the message to Zedekiah, king of Judah. At the time the city of Jerusalem was in a state of siege, and other cities of Judah, Lachish and Azekah, having walls of defense about them, were still holding out in resistance against the king of Babylon.
Jeremiah 34:8. Zedekiah promised to obey the law of Moses regarding the releasing of servants, and had secured an agreement from the princes to release them. But they broke their agreement and then the Lord gave Jeremiah a message as mentioned in the first part of this verse.
Jeremiah 34:9. The law of release referred to is in Lev, 25: 39-46, This was in consideration for the hard times that might he thrust upon them.
Jeremiah 34:10. The princes and others who had servants at first agreed to let them go free. The servants enjoyed. a short, period of freedom as required by the law.
Jeremiah 34:11. The greed of mankind for property is great, as well as the desire to be dominant. The princes broke their word as well as the law and forced their servants to resume their burdens of servitude.
Jeremiah 34:12-13. It was at this point the Lord gave Jeremiah the message referred to in the first part of verse 8. Word of the Lord . . . from, the Lord is not an empty repetition. Many of the speeches were offered to the people in ancient times that were claimed to be the word of the Lord. Those speeches, however, were not from, the Lord and therefore were not His word. For comments on the day see eh. 31: 32.
Jeremiah 34:14. Many of the regulations under the Mosaic system were related to the idea of the unit “ seven." They had the seventh day of the week as a holy day, the seventh-year rest fot- the land, and the seventh-year release for the servants. The last was the ordinance involved in the truce breaking charged against the princes.
Jeremiah 34:15. When this agreement was made the masters of the servants were in the house of the Lord. That did not make the covenant any more binding as far as their moral obligation was concerned, but it amounted to an acknowledgment that the Lord was concerned in the transaction. Hence their breaking the contract not only violated a moral law but it constituted trueebreaking against the Lord.
Jeremiah 34:16. In breaking their covenant concerning the servants the princes were accused of polluting the name of the Lord. That was because they had made that agreement in the house that was called by His name,
Jeremiah 34:17. I proclaim a liberty for you means the Lord was going to punish these trucebreakers who were His servants by releasing them from their present servitude, In other words, their present Master was going to turn them over to another master who would treat them very cruelly. He was to punish them with the sword and other harsh measures, then remove them from their own country.
Jeremiah 34:18. Verse 15 states this covenant was made in the house of the Lord. That would be in connection with the altar services, and important ceremonies were often made in connection with an aaimai sacrifice. In preparing a beast for the altar they sometimes cut it into two parts and passed between the parts. They could do this literally or with some motion of the hand, indicating they offered the sacrifice as an evidence of good faith in the transaction.
Jeremiah 34:19. Judah was the kingdom and Jerusalem was its capital. The kingdom was represented by the princes or leading men in the presentation of tbe sacrifice.
Jeremiah 34:20. Since the kingdom was represented in the transaction, including the making and breaking of the agreement, it was to be given the threatened punishment.
Jeremiah 34:21-22. A special punishment was to be imposed upon Zedekiah which was that he was to be taken from bis throne and delivered into the hands of the king of Babylon. Are gone up from you refers to the action of the Babylonian army when Zedekiah fled from Jerusalem. This army pursued the king and overtook him near Jericho. Turning him over into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar at Riblali, a temporary judgment seat, the army returned to finish the overthrow of Jerusalem. The history of this may be seen in 2 ICi. 25: 4-10.
Jeremiah Chapter Thirty-Five
Verse 1
35THE EXAMPLE OF THE The findings of a number of scholars regarding the date of this chapter are as follows: Robinson dated it in 598 B.C. ;[1] John Bright dated it in 603 B.C.;[2] Thompson placed it in 601 B.C.;[3] and Cheyne dated it in the summer of 606 B.C.[4] The conviction of this writer is that men do not really know exactly when it was written and that the exact date is not necessary anyway. Payne Smith did not offer a precise date but stated that, "The date lies between that of the Battle of Carchemish and the appearance of Nebuchadnezzar at Jerusalem."[5] Wiseman noted that chronologically, the chapter follows Jeremiah 25.[6] This example of the Rechabites, therefore, occurred some 12-17 years earlier than the events of the last chapter.
THE These were a branch of the Kenites, who were related to Jethro (Hobab), the father-in-law of Moses.[7] They followed the children of Israel into Canaan and continued to live among them as devoted worshippers of Jehovah. The Rechabites mentioned here were descendants of that Jonadab (the son of Rechab) who had enthusiastically aided Jehu in the overthrow of Ahab and the Baalim religion (2 Kings 10:13-23).
Jonadab was the founder of this puritanical group called the Rechabites. He commanded his posterity after him against the drinking of wine, the building of houses, or the ownership or cultivation of vineyards, thus committing the group to a nomadic life. His motives in the establishment of such an order seem to have been: (1) that of maintaining the mobility of the group in case of difficulties or attack by enemies, and (2) that of cultivating an austere lifestyle opposed to the comforts, luxuries, and vices of civilization. Their attitude toward the culture that began to flourish in Canaan following its habitation by Israel seems to have been well expressed by Plumptre.
"Not for you the life
Of sloth and ease within the city's gates,
Where idol-feasts are held, and incense smokes
To Baalim and Ashtaroth; where men
Lose their manhood, and the scoffers sit
Perverting judgment, selfish, soft, impure."[8]The event in this chapter took place some 250 years after Jonadab had founded his group; and, amazingly, the whole group had remained faithful to his orders. They lived in black tents; and when the approach of the Babylonian armies frightened them into moving into Jerusalem in the hope pf greater protection, the appearance of all those black tents within the city must have been a rather sensational sight. It provided a wonderful opportunity to show the rebellious children of Israel an excellent example of obedience and loyalty.
Jeremiah 35:1-5"The word which came unto Jeremiah from Jehovah in the days of Jehoiachim the son of Josiah, saying, Go unto the house of the Rechabites, and speak unto them, and bring them into the house of Jehovah, into one of the chambers, and give them wine to drink. Then I took Jaazaniah the son of Habazziniah, and his brethren, and all his sons, and the whole house of the Rechabites; and I brought them into the house of Jehovah, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan the son of Igdaliah, the man of God, which was by the chamber of the princes, which was above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, the keeper of the threshold. And I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites bowls full of wine, and cups; and I said unto them, Drink ye wine.""The house of the Rechabites ... the house of Jehovah ..." (Jeremiah 35:2; Jeremiah 35:4). Here is an example of the way in which the same word has multiple meanings. In the case of the Rechabites, the reference is to their group; but in the case of the temple it refers to a literal building.
Of the persons whose names are given in Jeremiah 35:3, Ash declared that "nothing is known."[9]"Into the chamber of the sons of Hanan ..." (Jeremiah 35:4). By reason of Haman's having a chamber in the Temple itself, and his being called, "the man of God," it is supposed that he was a prophet, "his sons" being a reference to his disciples. The fact that the whole house of the Rechabites, or at least, representatives of all their families could be seated in a single chamber indicates that the whole number of that community was probably not very large. "The fact that he lent this room to Jeremiah for the purpose of this meeting indicates a measure of sympathy with the prophet."[10]"I said unto them, Drink ye wine ..." (Jeremiah 35:5). By the inspiration of God, Jeremiah already knew what the outcome of this test would be. He did not command them to drink wine but politely offered it to them, making it available in sufficient quantifies to allow all to have plenty.
The force of this temptation was reinforced by the fact of the group's having been signally honored by this reception in the Temple itself, and by the famed prophet Jeremiah himself having been the one who offered it.
Note also that their dwelling in Jerusalem at this time did not mean that they had violated the ancestral order not to live in houses, a violation which some of the group might have been forced into by reason of the shortage of space to pitch tents within Jerusalem. The very fact that one of the ancestral tenets might have been being violated at this time would have also added to the temptation to drink wine. Once a rule of conduct is broken in a single particular, it is easier to break it in another.
Beyond this, there was the fact of their being in strange circumstances in a city not their own. Matthew Henry noted that the very situation suggested: "Go ahead and drink wine. It's free. You have broken one rule of your order by moving into Jerusalem, why may you not break this rule also?"[11] Who has not heard exclamations such as, "Well, everyone is doing it!" or "When in Rome, do as Rome does!"
"The keeper of the threshold ..." (Jeremiah 35:4). "There were three of these keepers in the Temple, answering to the outer and inner courts of the Temple, and to the entrance of the Temple itself. These were officers of high rank, having precedence next to the High Priest and his deputy."[12]Verse 6
"But they said, We will drink no wine; for Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, commanded us, saying, Ye shall drink no wine, neither ye, nor your sons, forever: 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 days in the land wherein ye sojourn. And we have obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, in all that he charged us, to drink no wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons, or our daughters; nor to build houses for us to dwell in; neither have we vineyard, nor field, nor seed: but we have dwelt in tents, and have obeyed and done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us. But it came to pass, that when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up into the land, that we said, Come, and let us go to Jerusalem for the fear of the army of the Chaldeans, and for fear of the army of the Syrians; so we dwell at Jerusalem.""We have obeyed ... in all that he commanded us ..." (Jeremiah 35:8). The obedience of the Rechabites to their principles was indeed astounding. "All of their days, they had obeyed all of Jonadab's injunctions; all of them obeyed at all times and in all particulars."[13] No greater contrast to the disobedience of Israel could possibly have been imagined.
It should be noted that, "What is praised here is not Jonadab's injunctions, but the faithful obedience of his sons."[14]The superiority of the obedience of the Rechabites over that of Israel is inherent in a number of elements: (1) the person they obeyed was only a mortal man; Israel was disobeying God. (2) Jonadab had long been dead, some 250 years in fact; God lives forever. (3) There was no one to repeat the commands of Jonadab and insist upon their obedience; but God had sent prophet after prophet to reaffirm God's commandments and to urge Israel to obey. (4) Jonadab gave no great blessings to his children; but God had endowed Israel with an entire kingdom. (5) Jonadab's orders were very difficult to obey and had caused much hardship upon the Rechabites, but God's commandments for Israel were not encumbered with such great difficulties. "And yet Jonadab's orders were obeyed; and God's were not!"[15]Jeremiah 35:11 is an explanation by the Rechabites that their dwelling in Jerusalem was of necessity and not because they were willing to violate the injunctions of their ancestor.
The following verses of this chapter stress the contrasts between the obedient Rechabites and the disobedient Israelites, which we have just enumerated.
Verse 12
"Then came the word of Jehovah unto Jeremiah, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Go, and say to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will ye not receive instruction to hearken to my words? saith Jehovah. The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded his sons, not to drink wine, are performed; and unto this day they drink none, for they obey their father's commandment. But I have spoken unto you, rising up early and speaking; and ye have not hearkened unto me. I have sent also unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, Return ye now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and go not after other gods to serve them, and ye shall dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers: but ye have not inclined your ear, nor hearkened unto me. Forasmuch as the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have performed the commandment of their father which he commanded them, but this people hath not hearkened unto me; therefore thus saith Jehovah, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will bring upon Judah and 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 unto them, but they have not answered."Little comment is required, for this text is the basis for the enumerated contrasts in the above paragraphs. These verses reach their climax in, "The thunder of judgment in Jeremiah 35:17. Such a course of action by Israel can lead to but one end, the destruction of the nation."[16]Verse 18
"And Jeremiah said unto the house of the Rechabites, thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Because ye have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, according to all that he commanded you; therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me forever."Attempts to pinpoint the fulfillment of this promise to the Rechabites have been made, but not very convincingly. Nevertheless, we know that God did indeed bless the Rechabites as indicated here. Payne Smith declared that, "Professor Plumptre proved that the prophecy here was literally fulfilled when the Rechabites were incorporated into the tribe of Levi, whose office it was `to stand before Jehovah' (Deuteronomy 10:8)."[17] It is also possible that the firm rejection of alcoholic drinks in the Arab countries today may have come about, in part, because of the influence of the Rechabites. "Even today in Syria and Arabia, there are groups that claim to be Rechabites and that follow the Rechabite rule."[18]
Jeremiah 35:1. Again the book drops back several years and stops at the reign of Jehoiakim. A glance at verse 11 will tell us this writing was in the days when Nebuchadnezzar had come against the land of Judah.
Jeremiah 35:2. The value of a good example will be the subject of a number of verses. There was a family called the Rechabites dwelling in Jerusalem at the time of this story. Jeremiah was told to bring them into the house of the Lord and offer them wine.
Jeremiah 35:3. This verse names the members of the family of Rechabites who were brought in and offered wine.
Jeremiah 35:4. The particular room where these people were brought was in charge of one who was a man of God, hence the Rechabites would know that no evil was intended as far as the association was concerned.
Jeremiah 35:5. In this room the prophet offered to entertain his guests with
wine. It should b<? remembered that what was offered these people was not wrong in itself in those days, for wine was generally used by the best of people. The wrong in this case will be revealed in the rest of the story.
Jeremiah 35:6. The Rechabites refused to drink the wine. They did not object because they thought it was wrong in itself, but because their father had forbidden it.
Jeremiah 35:7. Their father further commanded them not to build houses to live in but to dwell in tents. They also were not to follow agricultural pursuits. We know such activities are not wrong In themselves, therefore the conclusion is that the wrong would have been in disregarding the commandments of their father.
Jeremiah 35:8-9, The only reason given by these people for their conduct was that they obeyed the voice of their father. That is the principle of obedience that should be the motive of all who are under authority. We may not understand why God has given certain commands, but if we respect His au-thority we will obey his orders.
Jeremiah 35:10. By dwelling in tents these people would be in better condition to move if circumstances required it. They could do so and remain together, thus retaining their tribal unity as seemed to be the desire of their father.
Jeremiah 35:11. This verse explains why the Rechabites were living at Jerusalem at this time. They had been living in other parts of Palestine, and, while friendly toward the full-blooded Israelites, and favorable to the doc-trine of only one true God, they maintained a tribal independence.
Jeremiah 35:12. After this experience with the Rechabites. the Lord was ready to draw a lesson for the use of Jeremiah with his people.
Jeremiah 35:13, He was first to go to the men of Judah and call for their attention to the instructions which he was about to give.
Jeremiah 35:14. The obedience of the Rechabites to their father's commands was contrasted with the disobedience of the men of Judah to the words of God. The contrast will stand out all the more when it is considered that it was the words of an earthly father in one case, and those of the God of Heaven in the other.
Jeremiah 35:15. This passage is another where the apparent disagreement appears which has been mentioned a number of times. The explanation lies chiefly in distinguishing between the nation as a whole and certain individuals in it. See the note at 2 Kings 22:17 in volume 2 of this .
Jeremiah 35:16. The contrast between the obedience of the Rechabites and the disobedience of the men of Judah was made the basis for the next message from the prophet.
Jeremiah 35:17. The message consisted of the same prediction that had been made before. Judah and Jerusalem were to be punished because of their disobedience of God’ s words.
Jeremiah 35:18-19. Stress Is laid by Jeremiah on the fact of obedience on the part of the Rechabites. The reward promised for this good conduct was to be an honor for their father. Not leant a men means that the family would be perpetuated. That was just what their father hoped to accomplish by his instructions to the family, for he said (verse 7) that ye may line many days in the Land.
Jeremiah Chapter Thirty-Six
Verse 1
Jeremiah 36GOD'S WORD WRITTEN IN A BOOK;
THE BOOK READ TO THE PEOPLE; TO THE PRINCES; AND TO THE KING;
THE BOOK BURNED BY THE KING; AND THE BOOK The chapter heading here also serves as a list of the chapter divisions.
It was a critical hour in Israel's history. The Babylonians had just defeated the Egyptians in the Battle of Carchemish and were at that time moving into Palestine. "The crisis was at hand, and it was the psychological moment for Jeremiah to make a last-minute appeal for Jerusalem and Judea to repent and turn to the Lord."[1]Jehoiachim, however, hated Babylon. He was a vassal of Egypt, for the moment compelled to be instead a vassal of Babylon; but he was planning a revolt. He had evidently appointed a fast day to lead the people in mourning over that Chaldean victory which had made him and Jerusalem tributary to Babylon, with the purpose, no doubt, of fomenting opposition to Nebuchadnezzar.
Jeremiah himself, however, was for the time restrained from appearing in the Temple; and that situation prompted the commandment of God to convert all of his prophecies to a written record, and the commandment for them to be read to the people in the Temple.
Before exploring the text of the chapter, we wish to reject a couple of critical allegations which radicals have attempted to fasten upon it.
(1) First, there is the proposition proposed by Robinson, namely, that, "The circumstances throw light on the origin of written prophecy,"[2] even calling this "The first roll written!" There is no truth whatever in such statements. There was, in the days of Jeremiah, absolutely nothing new, either in the science and industry of writing, nor in the writing of Biblical prophecies. That Jeremiah should have dictated to a professional scribe the words of his prophecies, and that the scribe wrote them in one of the customary rolls, either of papyrus or the skins of animals, both of which had been in use for centuries, as Graybill wrote, "was normal for the times."[3]"Herodotus relates that the Ionians, from the earliest period, wrote on goat and sheepskins; and as the Hebrews were familiar with dressing skins at the time of their departure from Egypt, there is every reason to believe that Moses employed such materials in writing the Pentateuch."[4] Donald J. Wiseman authored an extensive eight-page article in the New Bible Dictionary, affirming that "the science of writing is at least as old as 3,100 B.C."; "writing is mentioned more than 450 times in the Bible"; "The Bible states that Moses wrote the Decalogue (Exodus 17:14), the words of God (Exodus 24:4), the Torah (Joshua 8:31), Deut. (24:1), all the statutes and judgments (Exodus 34:27), the legal enactments (Deuteronomy 24:1), the details of all the journeys of the Israelites (Numbers 33:2), etc., etc."[5]Centuries before Moses, the laws of Hammurabi were inscribed on a solid block of granite (black diorite) eight feet high, which was discovered at Susa in 1902! Furthermore, there are at least two instances of writing long before Hammurabi! These facts are mentioned in an article by W.
J. Martin in the New Bible Dictionary, pp. 501,502.
(2) The other critical canard is the allegation that, it must have been a very small collection of prophecies, because they were all read three times in a single day! Indeed, indeed! And where is there anything in the sacred text that supports a notion like that? The events described here are a summary; and all of the events mentioned probably took place over a period of several days. It evidently took several months to conclude the extensive Book of Jeremiah's prophecies. Also we have the repeated statement that "all the words of Jeremiah" (Jeremiah 35:13) were read some three times, with the exception noted in the text itself that the king did not wait to hear "all the words" but acted promptly to burn it.
It is an unfounded and purely gratuitous "guess" that all of these things happened in one day, or even in one week. The text gives no hint whatever of the time frame in which these things happened.
Jeremiah 36:1-3GOD THE BOOK TO BE WRITTEN"And it came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiachim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, that this word came unto Jeremiah from Jehovah, saying, 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. It may be that the house of Israel will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they return every man from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin."The date of the chapter is firmly fixed in the fourth year of Jehoiachim. "This was the year 604 B.C., following the victory of Nebuchadnezzar over the Egyptians at Carchemish."[6] "It is scarcely a coincidence that it was in this very month of December that the Babylonians assaulted, captured, and sacked Ashkelon on the Philistine plain; and not long afterward, Jehoiachim was forced to become a vassal of Babylon."[7] Halley further described the historical situation.
"Jeremiah at that time had been prophesying 23 years, from the 13th year of Josiah to the fourth year of Jehoiachim. The purpose was to have Baruch read a copy of all Jeremiah's prophecies to the people at a time when Jeremiah had apparently been banned from the temple area. It took a year or so to write the prophecies. Its reading made a profound impression on some of the princes, but the king reacted angrily, burning the roll in the fire."[8]Verse 4
THE READING OF THE BOOK TO THE PEOPLE"Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah; and Baruch wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of Jehovah, which he had spoken unto him, upon a roll of a book. And Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, I am shut up; I cannot go into the house of Jehovah: therefore go thou and read in the roll, which thou hast written from my mouth, the words of Jehovah in the ears of the people in Jehovah's house upon the fast-day; and also thou shalt read them in the ears of Judah that come out of their cities. It may be that they will present their supplication before Jehovah, and will return everyone from his evil way; for great is the anger and wrath that Jehovah hath pronounced against this people. And Baruch the son of Neriah did all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading in the book, the words of Jehovah in Jehovah's house."At this point in their history, the apostasy of Israel was complete. God had commanded only one fast day, the Day of Atonement; but the evil rulers of the people had made public fasting to be a political weapon; and the one mentioned here in the month of December was connected in no way with the Day of Atonement which came in the seventh month. "December was the Hebrew month Chisleu that began on the first moon of the ninth month."[9]For additional comment regarding the many fasts invented by the Jews, after their own devices, and not according to the will of God, See Vol. 4 of my Minor Prophets Series, pp. 99-104.
Keil stated that the fast-day mentioned here was, "In remembrance of that day in the year when Jerusalem was taken for the first time by Nebuchadnezzar ... It was appointed (or allowed) by Jehoiachim for the purpose of rousing popular feeling against the Chaldeans to whom they were subjugated."[10]Verse 9
DETAILS ON THE FAST-DAY READING OF THE ROLL"Now it came to pass in the fifth year of Jehoiachim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, in the ninth month, that all the people in Jerusalem, and all the people that came from the cities of Judah unto Jerusalem, proclaimed a fast before Jehovah. Then read Baruch in the book the words of Jeremiah in the house of Jehovah, in the chamber of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan the scribe, in the upper court, at the entry of the new gate of Jehovah's house, in the ears of all the people."This paragraph merely describes where the reading took place, evidently in one of the prominent chambers of the temple. For this to have been done with any degree of completion it would have required most of the whole day; and it is nowhere stated that the two subsequent readings took place on the fast-day.
Verse 11
READING OF THE ROLL TO ALL THE PRINCES"And when Micaiah the son of Gemariah the son of Shaphan, had heard out of the book all the words of Jehovah, he went down into the king's house, into the scribe's chamber: and, lo, all the princes were sitting there, to wit, Elishama the scribe, and Delaiah the son of Shemiah, and Elnathan the son of Achbor, and Gemariah the son of Shaphan, and Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the princes. Then Micaiah declared unto them all the words that he had heard, when Baruch read the book in the ears of the people. Therefore all the princes sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, unto Baruch, saying, Take in thy 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. And they said unto him, Sit down, now, and read it in our ears. And it came to pass when they had heard all the words, they turned in fear one toward another, and said unto Baruch, We will surely tell the king of all these words.
And they asked Baruch, saying, Tell us now, How didst thou write all these words at his mouth? The Baruch answered them, He pronounced all these words unto me with his mouth, and I wrote them with ink in the book. Then said the princes unto Baruch, Go, hide thee, thou and Jeremiah; and let no man know where ye are.""All the princes ..." (Jeremiah 36:14; Jeremiah 36:14). Apparently all of these princes had an impressive pedigree and were doubtless some of the most important people in the city.
"They turned in fear one toward another ..." (Jeremiah 36:16) "All of them were afraid, and they demonstrated by looks, gestures, and words their fear and concern." Why were they afraid? The words of the prophet alone were enough to strike fear into the heart of every believer; but there was also another reason. The king, upon hearing that these princes had listened to the words of Jeremiah, might have been expected to react violently. They promptly informed Baruch that they would indeed tell the king all about it. There was, in fact, no way whatever by which such a report could have been avoided. The words of the book had already been read publicly!
They immediately requested that Baruch would explain to them just how the dictation took place, and Baruch promptly answered. It is evident that: (1) God's Word was transmitted accurately, and (2) that it was not edited or changed in any manner by Baruch.
The sympathy of these mighty princes toward Baruch and Jeremiah is evident in a number of incidentals: (1) they invited him to "sit," thus assuming the position of a teacher; (2) they questioned him about the manner of the dictation; and (3) they warned him to hide both himself and Jeremiah from the wrath of the king, which they had every right to anticipate. The implication in this is that, they would not have rushed their appearance before Jehoiachim, but would, in all probability, have allowed a reasonable time to pass in order to facilitate the hiding of Baruch and the prophet.
The king's lust for blood had already been demonstrated to those princes, when he extradited Uriah from Egypt and murdered him, casting the prophet's body into the common graveyard (Jeremiah 26:23).
Verse 20
THE READING OF THE BOOK BEFORE THE KING"And they went in to the king into the court; but they had laid up the roll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe: and they told all the words in the ears of the king. So the king sent Jehudi to fetch the roll; and he took it out of the chamber of Elishama the scribe. And Jehudi read it in the ears of the king. Now the king was sitting in the winter-house in the ninth month: and there was a fire in the brazier burning before him. And it came to pass that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, that the king cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was in the brazier, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was in the brazier. And they were not afraid, nor rent their garments, neither the king, nor any of his servants that heard all these words.
Moreover Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah had made intercession to the king that he would not burn the roll; but he would not hear them. And the king commanded Jerahmeel the king's son, and Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdiel to take Baruch and Jeremiah the prophet; but Jehovah hid them.""Three or four leaves ..." (Jeremiah 36:23). The "roll of the book" did not have leaves, so what is meant is that "after reading three or four prophecies, the king refused to hear any more."
"The king cut it with the penknife ..." (Jeremiah 36:23). According to Keil, the tenses used here indicate that the king repeatedly cut the book, casting it into the fire until all of it was burned.[11]As a number of commentators have pointed out, hardly any explanation is needed for this whole chapter.
Verse 27
"Then the word of Jehovah came to Jeremiah, after that the king had burned the roll, and the words which Baruch wrote at the mouth of Jeremiah, saying, Take thee again another roll, and write in it all the former words that were in the first roll, which Jehoiachim the king of Judah hath burned. And concerning Jehoiachim king of Judah thou shalt say, Thus saith Jehovah: Thou hast burned this roll, saying, Why hast thou written therein, saying, The King of Babylon shall certainly come and destroy this land, and shall cause to cease from thence man and beast? Therefore thus saith Jehovah concerning Jehoiachim 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. 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 that I have pronounced against them, but they hearkened not. 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 Jehoiachim the king of Judah had burned in the fire; and there were added besides unto them many like words.""He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David ..." (Jeremiah 36:30). We do not understand the thinking of some writers who declare that this prophecy was unfulfilled, basing their denial upon the fact that a son did succeed him in Jerusalem for a brief three months and a few days; but, in our view, his being deposed in such a short time was more than an adequate fulfillment of what Jeremiah stated here.
We are reminded that Jehoiachim was not the last ruler to attempt to rid himself of God's Word by burning the written records of it. Hitler and his evil associates burned the Bible at Nuremberg in 1933, with the same disastrous consequences for himself and his kingdom as those which overcame Jehoiachim and his kingdom.
Jeremiah 36:1. The preceding chapter gave a general statement as to the date of the writing, but this gives the year which is the fourth of the reign of Jehoiakim. According to 2 Kings 24:1 that was the first year of the great 70-year captivity.
Jeremiah 36:2. The difference between a roll and a booh; is in the fact that after a roil has been written upon it is called a book. The clause means as if it said: “ Take a roll and make a book out of the. things 1 have said to you by word of mouth.” The subject matter of the book was to cover the whole time since the days of Josiah. it would be impossible for a man to write all of that from memory unless he had the inspiration of God to guide him. such as the Spirit did for the apostles (John 14:12).
Jeremiah 36:3. The key to this passage is in the words may return every man. It agrees with the distinction that has been made between the nation as a whole and the individuals in it. Even most of them refused to heed the admonitions of the Lord, but at least they were given the opportunity with the promise of personal consideration even though they would have to go along with the nation into captivity.
Jeremiah 36:4. Baruch was a faithful attendant upon Jeremiah and acted as his secretary. He wrote the words on the roll as the prophet dictated them.
Jeremiah 36:5. Shut up does not mean he was in prison, for Jeremiah 37:4 shows he had not yet been imprisoned. One part of Strong's definition of the original is “ to hold back.” Jeremiah was hindered in some way from entering the temple where the hook was to be read because of the opportunity of meeting the greater number of people.
Jeremiah 36:6. Baruch was to select a day when some fast would be proclaimed because he would then have opportunity of meeting the people coming there to worship.
Jeremiah 36:7. It may be should be considered in the light of the comments, Jeremiah 35:15.
Jeremiah 36:8. According! . . . the prophet com manned him is a significant statement. The inspired prophets represented the authority of God and to disregard their commands was the same as disobeying Him,
Jeremiah 36:9. This verse gives the date when Baruch had the opportunity of reading the book. He was to wait until a fast was proclaimed so as to meet the people in the temple. The work of writing it was begun in the fourth year of the reign of Jehoiakim and it was in the fifth year that the fast was proclaimed.
Jeremiah 36:10. The places named here were parts of the house of God where the people could assemble to hear the reading of the book. Baruch read in such a manner that all the people could hear.
Jeremiah 36:11. Michalah’ s grandfather was a scribe and be doubtless knew something of the importance of an inspired document.
Jeremiah 36:13. Declared all the words means he declared about the words, for the book was still in the hands of Baruch who had written it.
Jeremiah 36:14. The interest of these men was so aroused that they desired to hear from the book direct. They sent Jehudi to request Baruch to come with the book.
Jeremiah 36:15. Having come to the group in the king's palace, Baruch was requested to read the book to them which he did.
Jeremiah 36:16. Afraid is defined by Strong, "lo be startled.'’ This was caused by the unpleasant predictions the book contained against them, and they thought the king should be informed about it.
Jeremiah 36:17. See my comments at verse 2 as to writing so much from memory. These men thought the same about Baruch and asked him how he did it.
Jeremiah 36:18. The explanation was a simple one and would not require the work of the memory. Baruch was not an inspired man but had served Jeremiah as his secretary and was accustomed to "taking dictation."
Jeremiah 36:19. No doubt the men understood the temperament of the king and thought it would not be safe for Baruch and Jeremiah to show themselves.
Jeremiah 36:20. Jehudi and the princes laid the roll aside in a safe place, but they went to the king and related the circumstances to him.
Jeremiah 36:21. The report stirred up the interest of the king and he ordered Jehudi to get the roll out of its place in the scribe's room. The king then had the roll read in the bearing of himself and the princes attendant upon him.
Jeremiah 36:22. The vrinterhouse was the winter apartment of the king's house; the mention of it was to explain the presence of the fire.
Jeremiah 36:23. After Jehudi had read a few leaves, the king would cut that much from the main roll and cast them into the fire, continuing untii the entire roll was burned.
Jeremiah 36:24. The message of the roll did not produce the desired effect. Neither the king nor his princes showed any signs of regret for their unrighteous lives.
Jeremiah 36:25. Nevertheless means that notwithstanding the pleas of these good men, the king destroyed the- roll by burning.
Jeremiah 36:26. This verse justifies the advice that was given Baruch and Jeremiah in verse 19. That verse merely told the men to hide from the sight of other men. This verse tells us the further particular that God helped them to find a safe hiding place from the wrath of the king.
Jeremiah 36:27-28. Men can destroy the material copy of God’ s word, but that does not do away with tile truth taught therein. In this case the material copy of the word will be replaced with the same authority as was the first one.
Jeremiah 36:29. Jeremiah was not a witness to the burning of the roll, hut the king was to be informed that the prophet, knew about it.
Jeremiah 36:30. Have none to sit upon the throne ignores the 3-month reign of his son Jehoiachin. Such a short and uneventful reign was not considered worth noticing. The prediction concerning the dead body of Jehoiakim was made before and comments were made there at ch. 22: 19.
Jeremiah 36:31. These predictions had been made by word of mouth from God to Jeremiah and they were written in the book which Jehoiakim destroyed. This verse was to remind him of them and to warn him that his burning the former roll would not let him escape the punishment threatened for his iniquities.
Jeremiah 36:32, Some additional words were written in the second roll, hence the king made his case worse by his wicked act of burning the roll.
Jeremiah Chapter Thirty-Seven
Verse 1
Jeremiah 37 AND This chapter and the next, record events in the life of Jeremiah during the final days of the siege of Jerusalem in the closing period of the reign of Zedekiah (circa 589 B.C.), which resulted in the destruction of Jerusalem and the deportation of many of its inhabitants to Babylon.
In fact, "From this chapter to Jeremiah 44 (inclusive), we have little else than an account of events relating to the personal history of Jeremiah."[1]During this final siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, Zedekiah had evidently requested help from Pharaoh-Hophra who had come to the throne of Egypt that very year. He made a move as if to help Zedekiah and his Jerusalem defenders against the Babylonians, with the result that, for a short time only, Nebuchadnezzar lifted the siege and devoted his full attention to the forces of Pharaoh-Hophra. Some say that the Egyptian force was defeated by Nebuchadnezzar, and others suppose that Pharaoh-Hophra withdrew without a battle. Either way, the result was an unqualified disaster for Zedekiah and Jerusalem.
During that short interval, while the siege had been lifted, the events of this chapter occurred. We have already studied Jeremiah 34 which gives an account of the Jewish reaction to this temporary respite from the siege. They thought, "Hallelujah! The war is over"; and so they enslaved the servants whom they had just manumitted!
Jeremiah 37:1-2"And Zedekiah the son of Josiah reigned as king instead of Coniah the son of Jehoiachim, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made king in the land of Judah. But neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land, did hearken unto the words of Jehovah, which he spake by the prophet Jeremiah."This is a brief recapitulation of the history of the past eleven years. In the first capture of Jerusalem, the Babylonians had taken Coniah and carried him away to Babylon along with many other captives. Nebuchadnezzar placed Coniah's uncle Zedekiah on the throne as a sworn vassal of the king of Babylon. He reigned eleven years, and the events of this chapter were very near the end of that period. Zedekiah rebelled against Babylon, and Nebuchadnezzar returned for the final siege which is under way in this chapter.
Verse 3
"And Zedekiah the king sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, to the prophet Jeremiah, saying, Pray now unto Jehovah our God for us. Now Jeremiah came in and went out among the people; for they had not put him into prison. And Pharaoh's army was come forth out of Egypt; and when the Chaldeans that were besieging Jerusalem heard tidings of them, they brake up from Jerusalem.""Pharaoh ..." (Jeremiah 37:5). "This was Pharaoh-Hophra, the Apries of Herodotus; his intervention availed nothing."[2] Feinberg stated that the "Babylonians defeated the Egyptian army";[3] but Harrison was of the opinion that the Egyptians "withdrew without a battle."[4] History has no record of any battle having been fought; and the opinion of Harrison seems more likely to be correct.
The reason for Zedekiah's request for Jeremiah to pray for the city seems to have been grounded in the hope that God would again spare the city from destruction as he had done by a miraculous intervention in the death of the entire army of Sennacherib in 701 B.C. Indeed, such a thing might have happened, if Zedekiah had been the kind of man that Hezekiah was; but Jeremiah 37:2, above, indicates that Zedekiah and all the people were solidly committed to wickedness and rebellion against God.
Verse 6
"Then came the word of Jehovah unto the prophet Jeremiah, saying, Thus saith Jehovah the God of Israel, Thus shall ye say to the king of Judah, that sent you unto me to inquire of me: Behold, Pharaoh's army which is come forth to help you, shall return to Egypt into their own land. And the Chaldeans shall come again, and fight against this city; and they shall take it, and burn it with fire. Thus saith Jehovah, Deceive not yourselves, saying, The Chaldeans shall surely depart from us; for they shall not depart. For though ye had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans that fight against you, and there remained but wounded men among them, yet would they rise up every man in his tent, and burn this city with fire."Contrary to what would most certainly have been in the prophet's own personal best interests, Jeremiah gave the same message he had already repeated to Zedekiah so often, namely, that God would destroy the city by the hand of the Chaldeans; and that this would surely come to pass, even if Judah were to kill their whole army except a few wounded men. This shows how certain was the fulfillment of what God had prophesied, and it was even a more unfavorable answer than the one Zedekiah had received in Jeremiah 21:4-7.
"Deceive not yourselves" (Jeremiah 37:9). "Satan himself, though he is the great deceiver, could not deceive us if we did not deceive ourselves. Sinners are their own destroyers, being their own deceivers, despite the fact of their being so frequently warned against it, and also having in their possession the Word of God, the great design of which is to undeceive them!"[5]This expression, "Do not deceive yourselves," is a translation of a remarkable Hebrew idiom, the literal meaning of which is, "Do not cause your souls to rise (lift up)."[6]Jeremiah 37:10 stresses the certainty of fulfillment of God's purpose of destroying the apostate Israel, which had long ago reached a point of no return in their iniquity. The prophecy states that even if the Babylonian army itself had been practically destroyed, with only a few wounded men surviving, even to that pitiful remnant God would give the victory over Jerusalem!
Verse 11
"And it came to pass that when the army of the Chaldeans was broken up from Jerusalem for fear of Pharaoh's army, then Jeremiah went forth out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin, to receive his portion there, in the midst of the people. And when he was in the gate of Benjamin, a captain of the ward was there, whose name was Irijah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah; and he laid hold on Jeremiah the prophet, saying, Thou art falling away to the Chaldeans. Then said Jeremiah, It is false; I am not falling away to the Chaldeans. But he hearkened not to him; so Irijah laid hold on Jeremiah and brought him to the princes. And the princes were wroth with Jeremiah, and smote him, and put him in prison in the house of Jonothan the scribe; for they had made that the prison.""Jeremiah went forth ... to go into the land of Benjamin ..." (Jeremiah 37:12) Jeremiah's home was in Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin, only a short distance from Jerusalem; and there were many excellent reasons which might have prompted Jeremiah to make that short trip. It is impossible for men to know exactly why he attempted to do so, for God's Word does not tell us.
"To receive his portion there ..." (Jeremiah 37:12) This is ambiguous and has been variously understood as a reference to his seeking a supply of bread, or attending to that business about buying a field, or (following the KJV) merely seeking to find a place of retirement. Able scholars have supported all of these suppositions.
"In the midst of the people ..." (Jeremiah 37:12). Does this refer to the people in the midst of whom Jeremiah would "receive his portion," or to the throng of people in the gate of Benjamin rushing out into the country during the intermission in the siege of the city in order to procure supplies to last through the siege? Again, no one can be sure of the meaning; but Dummelow's comment seems to be fully justified. "There was naturally a rush to get out of the city on account of the confinement as well as the scarcity of provisions."[7]"Thou art falling away to the Chaldeans ..." (Jeremiah 37:13). This charge of Irijah was a fabrication of his own evil mind, there being no evidence whatever to support his false allegation. "The charge was vicious and nonsensical; and some have suggested that Irijah's charge was motivated by his desire for revenge against Jeremiah for predicting the death of his grandfather Hananiah (Jeremiah 28:16)."[8]"Irijah... brought him to the princes ..." (Jeremiah 37:14). And what a dishonorable reprobate gang of "princes" these proved to be! Without mercy, reason, or honor, they scourged and imprisoned the man of God! They were a different group altogether from those princes who, at an earlier time, had treated Jeremiah with favor upon the occasion of Jehoiachim's having the scroll read to him and then cutting it in pieces and burning it.
Verse 16
"When Jeremiah was come into the dungeon-house, and into the cells, and Jeremiah had remained there many days; then Zedekiah the king sent, and fetched him: and the king asked him secretly in his house, and said, Is there any word from Jehovah? And Jeremiah said, There is. He said also, Thou shalt be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon. Moreover Jeremiah said unto Zedekiah, Wherein have I sinned against thee, or against thy servants, or against this people, that ye have put me in prison? Where now are your prophets that prophesied unto you, saying, The king of Babylon shall not come against you, nor against this land?""The dungeon-house, and the cells ..." (Jeremiah 37:16). The prison mentioned here was a huge cistern-like excavation beneath the house of Jonathan, with cells excavated into the side of it, having no light or ventilation. Inmates were expected to die from such treatment; and yet Jeremiah survived it many days.
"The king asked him secretly in his house ..." (Jeremiah 37:17). Zedekiah's secrecy was due to his fear of his ministers who hated Jeremiah and who urgently desired to murder him; but the king's conscience no doubt drove him to arrange this secret interview. Also, the conceited arrogance of the whole Jewish nation continued right down to the very day the city fell and Nebuchadnezzar removed the survivors to Babylon. Despite their consummate wickedness, they still believed Jerusalem and the temple were invulnerable and that God would yet spare them. Therefore Zedekiah asked, "Is there any word from Jehovah?"
"Wherein have I sinned against thee, etc. ..." (Jeremiah 37:18). It should be noted that Jeremiah here accused the king of being responsible for his imprisonment, pressing, at the same time, his plea of innocence from any wrong-doing.
"Where now are your prophets that prophesied, saying, The king of Babylon shall not come against you ..." (Jeremiah 37:19)? What a powerful argument is this! "The implication is, `Why should a truth-teller be in jail, and the tellers of lies be free'"?[19] Having laid such a foundation for it, Jeremiah skillfully presented his plea for mercy.
Verse 20
"And now hear, I pray thee, O my lord the king: let my supplication be presented before thee, that thou cause me not to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe lest I die there. Then Zedekiah the king commanded, and they committed Jeremiah into the court of the guard: and they gave him daily a loaf of bread out of the bakers' street, until all the bread in the city was spent. Thus Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard.""Lest I die there ..." (Jeremiah 37:20). This was no remote possibility but a practical certainty if Jeremiah had been returned to that evil dungeon in the house of Jonathan.
"The king commanded ..." (Jeremiah 37:21). Jeremiah had not asked to be released, recognizing the practical impossibility of it, due to the murderous hatred of Zedekiah's ministers and advisers; and to the credit of the king he honored Jeremiah's request for a less intolerable confinement.
"The bakers' street ..." (Jeremiah 37:21). "This is the only place in Scripture where the name of a street in Jerusalem appears. It was a Near Eastern custom to name streets after those who worked in them."[10] We see the same phenomenon in New York City and other large cities where industries and professions tend to proliferate on certain streets. The garment district, the floral district, and the millinery streets, and the financial district are the result.
This change for Jeremiah, placing him in the house of the guard, was fortunate indeed for mankind, because, as Payne Smith pointed out, "That was the place and the time during which Jeremiah wrote the cheerful prophecies contained in Jeremiah 30-33."[11] These included the magnificent prophecy of the New Covenant in Jeremiah 31.
Jeremiah 37:1, The last date we had was the fifth year of Jehoiakim (ch, 36: 9). That king reigned 11 years (2 Kl. 23: 36), and we are now in the first year of Zedekiah; hence a. period of 6 or 7 years has passed since the preceding chapter. Coniah (or Jehoiachin) is mentioned here, hut he reigned only 3 months so we may overlook him in making practical estimates of dates.
Jeremiah 37:2. Zedekiah, like his predecessor, refused to hearken to the words of God which were spoken by tbe prophet Jeremiah.
Jeremiah 37:3. Notwithstanding his rebellious attitude Zedekiah had the boldness to send men to Jeremiah to ask for his prayers.
Jeremiah 37:4. This verse is explanatory on the subject of Jeremiah’ s freedom. Some previous passages had spoken of his imprisonment, hut the parts of Jeremiah’ s book are not always chronological as to dates, This verse is necessary, therefore, to clarify the situation of the prophet.
Jeremiah 37:5. The Egyptians were not favorably disposed toward the Babylonians, and when the latter had come up against Jerusalem, the Egyptians came up and offered to help the Jews to resist the siege. Seeing this, the Babylonians withdrew from Jerusalem for the time In order to meet the Egyptians; I shall quote some history on this event: “ Now when Zedekiah had preserved the league of mutual assistance that he had made with the Babylonians eight years, he brake it, and revolted to the Egyptians, in hopes, by their assistance, of overcoming the Babylonians. When the king of Babylon knew this, he made war against him. He laid his country waste, and took his fortified towns, and came to the city of Jerusalem itself to besiege it. But when the king of Egypt heard what circumstances Zedekiah was in, he took a great army with him, and came into Judea, as if he would raise the seige; upon which the king of Babylon departed from Jerusalem, and met the Egyptians, and joined battle with them, and beat them; and when he had put them to flight, he pursued them, and drove them out of all Syria [Palestine], Now as soon as the king of Babylon was departed from Jeru-salem, the false prophet deceived Zedekiah, and said, that the king of Babylon would not any more make war against him or his people, nor remove them out of their own country into Babylon; and that those men in captivity would return, with all those vessels of the temple, of which the king of Babylon had despoiled that temple.” Josephus, Antiquities, Book 10, Chapter 7, Section 3. I trust the reader will take careful note of this historical quotation as it explains many of the verses just now before us.
Jeremiah 37:6, The prophet Jeremiah is often mentioned by name to distinguish him from false prophets. At the present time there were some of them trying to mislead the king of Judah into a false feeling of security.
Jeremiah 37:7. There is no evidence that the prophet prayed for any special favor for Zedekiah as he evidently expected, but he did look to the Lord for Information. God told him to Inform the king of Judah that the army of Pharaoh, which was at that moment approaching the city of Jerusalem, would return to their own land and hence would he of no help for Zedekiah.
Jeremiah 37:8. After the Chaldeans (or Babylonians) had driven Pharaoh back to his own land as per the preceding verse, they were to return to the siege about Jerusalem. (See the quotation from Josephus at verse 5.) This verse is a prediction of the destruction of Jerusalem which would complete the captivity. The fulfillment of this is recorded in 2 Kings 25:8-10.
Jeremiah 37:9. Deceive not yourselves was said in allusion to the false prophets mentioned in verse 6. False assurances of peace are dangerous because they act as a hindrance to necessary reformation of life.
Jeremiah 37:10. Wounded men do not literally rise up and perform military duty except by a miracle. The passage was so worded to mean that no apparent obstacle could prevent the Lord from carrying out his plans. The Chaldeans were bound to succeed now because God willed it to be so.
Jeremiah 37:11. This refers to the time when the Babylonians withdrew from the siege of Jerusalem to meet the Egyptians, mentioned in verse 5 and illustrated with a quotation from Josephus.
Jeremiah 37:12. The withdrawal of the Babylonian army gave Jeremiah an opportunity to get. out of Jerusalem. The land of Benjamin was near the capital city and was a part of the kingdom of Judah, hence he was still within his own country.
Jeremiah 37:13. Jeremiah's movement was misinterpreted by a guardsman and he was accused of trying to desert his country in favor of the enemy. This was not only a false accusation, but was foolish since the Benjamites were his fellow citizens.
Jeremiah 37:14. Of course Jeremiah denied the accusation in strong terms, asserting that it was a falsehood. Nevertheless the guard ignored the denial and brought the prophet to the princes.
Jeremiah 37:15. For some reason the house of a scribe named Jonathan was being used as a prison at this time. The prophet was given unjust and cruel treatment and shut up in this prison.
Jeremiah 37:16. Dungeon is from BOWS and is defined by Strong, “ A pit hole (especially one used as a cistern or prison) The word therefore does not necessarily mean a place of darkness but only a place dug out for various uses. The original for cabins really means “ a vault or cell,” and here means the departments dug In the pit.
Jeremiah 37:17. We do not know whether the king had anything to do directly with putting Jeremiah into the prison. However, he certainly knew about it for when he wished to obtain some information he had him brought out. He was given the word from, the Lord which was practically what he had been told before, that he was to be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.
Jeremiah 37:18. Now we know that the king had something to do with the imprisonment of Jeremiah, for in his protest he charged him with the words ye have put me in prison.
Jeremiah 37:19. Jeremiah further shamed him for listening to his false prophets who had contradicted the predictions of the inspired prophet.
Jeremiah 37:20. Jeremiah did not retraet anything he had predicted; he did not even request to have his imprisonment entirely set aside. He only requested for himself that he not be returned to the cells lest he die.
Jeremiah 37:21. Jeremiah's request was granted and he was placed in the court which was the yard around the prison and which was enclosed with a fence or other barrier. (See the comments at ch. 32: 2.) He was also favored by the icing’ s command that he he given daily rations of bread as long as the supply lasted.
Jeremiah Chapter Thirty-Eight
Verse 1
Jeremiah 38'S THIRD There are some similarities between the imprisonment mentioned in the preceding chapter and the one recounted here; but there is absolutely nothing that can justify the critical nonsense about these two chapters giving variable accounts of the same imprisonment. This was the third imprisonment of Jeremiah. The first was by Pashur (Jeremiah 21); the second is recorded in the preceding chapter, and the third imprisonment is the one recounted in this chapter.
TWO ; NOT ONEThe great Jewish historian Josephus preserved a record of both of these imprisonments, (the two in Jeremiah 37 and Jeremiah 38) adding significant details to each, noting, for example, that, in the imprisonment given in this chapter, "Jeremiah stood in the mire up to his neck," and that, "The intention of the rulers was that he might be suffocated."[1]The following irreconcilable differences deny that the two chapters refer to a single imprisonment: (1) The one occurred early in Nebuchadnezzar's attack on the city, during that intermission following the approach of the Egyptian army under Pharaoh-Hophra; the other took place almost at the very end of the siege, when supplies were low, defenders were few, and the fall of the city was imminent, about a year or more later than the other.
(2) The charges upon which Jeremiah was seized and imprisoned were different. In the first, he was charged with desertion to the Chaldeans; but in the second, he was charged with treason and with damaging the morale of the people.
(3) The prisons were different. The first was in the house of Jonathan; the second was within the court of the guard and belonged to Malchijah the king's son.
(4) Jeremiah's enemies in the first imprisonment acted without the king's permission; but, in the second, they forced the king to grant permission.
(5) The purposes of the imprisonments were not the same. In the first, they merely wanted to silence Jeremiah; but in the second they intended to destroy his life.
(6) The duration of the imprisonments were not the same. The first lasted "many days"; and the second lasted probably less than a single day.
(7) The first was terminated when the king sent for Jeremiah; and the second was terminated by Jeremiah's rescue at the hands of the Ethiopian eunuch Ebel-melech.
(8) There was plenty of water available in the first imprisonment, or Jeremiah could not have survived for "many days"; but there was no water at all in the miry pit which was the scene of the second imprisonment.
(9) The interviews with the king following each imprisonment were utterly unlike each other. Jeremiah spoke freely with Zedekiah in the first; but in the second Jeremiah did not respond at all until Zedekiah had sworn with an oath that he would neither put the prophet to death nor give him into the hands of those who would kill him. Note that this oath, if it had been in the first interview, would have prevented the king's giving Jeremiah into the hands of those who plotted to kill the prophet in this second imprisonment.
(10) The king's delegation leading to the first imprisonment was led by Jehucal; and the delegation seeking the life of Jeremiah was led by Shephatiah.
In this light, how could Thompson write that, "It is tempting to regard Jeremiah 37 and Jeremiah 38 as simply different accounts of the same course of events!"[2] And how could Anthony Ash declare that, "We consider it best to see them (the two chapters) as two accounts of the same series of events!"[3] This writer has found no satisfactory basis for the acceptance of such views as accurate. The text clearly speaks of two events. Significantly, none of the writers with such views attempts to give us the composite account of what really happened; nor do they attempt to reconcile the differences noted above. Our conclusion agrees with that of Green, writing in the Broadman Commentary, who declared that, "Jeremiah 37 and Jeremiah 38 present events in sequence and not in parallel accounts."
Jeremiah 38:1-4THE DEATH OF "And Shephatiah the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah the son of Pashur, and Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashur the son of Malchijah, heard the words that Jeremiah spake unto all the people, saying, Thus saith Jehovah, He that abideth in this city shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence; but he that goeth forth to the Chaldeans shall live, and his life shall be unto him as a prey, and he shall live. Thus saith Jehovah, This city shall surely be given into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it. Then the princes said unto the king, Let this man, we pray thee, be put to death; forasmuch as he weakeneth the hands of the men of war that remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking such words unto them: for this man seeketh not the welfare of this people, but the hurt."The leader of this delegation to the king, Shephatiah, is unknown except for what is written here. Pashur is the prince who cast Jeremiah into the stocks in Jeremiah 21. All of these appear to have been bitter enemies of Jeremiah.
"Let this man be put to death ..." (Jeremiah 38:4). From the ordinary viewpoint, this delegation appears to have been justified in their demand for the execution of Jeremiah; because, certainly, they were accurately reporting exactly what Jeremiah had prophesied; and there cannot be any doubt that such prophecies had destroyed the morale of the whole population, including that of the soldiers.
Was Jeremiah, then, a traitor? Did he deserve to be put to death? Indeed, NO. The whole nation of Israel was a theocracy, their first allegiance belonging to God, as revealed by his servants the prophets. Their "sinful kingdom," from its inception was a rebellion against God and was thus foreordained to destruction. The real welfare of the nation lay in their repentance and return to the God of their fathers who had delivered them from slavery in Egypt. The dire extremities in which the nation, at this time, found itself could have been alleviated if the people had heeded Jeremiah.
As Henderson noted, "The princes might have been correct in accusing Jeremiah of rebellion (1) IF he had not provided incontestable evidence that he held a divine commission, (2) and IF the government itself had not been in a false position."[4] Zedekiah himself, as a sworn servant of the king of Babylon, was the real traitor in their current situation; and he had completely betrayed the interests of his own nation by entering into a rebellion against Babylon, contrary to the will of God and totally impractical.
Jeremiah was no glib supporter of those in political power, supporting "his country right or wrong!" "He so loved his country that he was not content until it became the embodiment of the highest social, moral, and spiritual ideals; and he was a splendid example of the enlightened type of patriotism so badly needed today."[5]Verse 5
"And Zedekiah the king said, Behold, he is in your hand; for the king is not he that can do anything against you. Then took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchijah the king's son, that was in the court of the guard: and they let down Jeremiah with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire; and Jeremiah sank in the mire."As noted above, this is impossible to reconcile as a variable account of that same imprisonment where Jeremiah stayed "for many days." Why don't the critics tell us which account is true, and which is false? The answer lies in human unbelief of what the holy Scriptures say.
"The king is not he that can do anything against you ..." (Jeremiah 38:5). What an admission on the part of a man who was called a king! As Smith noted, it is a statement that, "All power is in your hands, and you are ready to exercise it against the king's wishes."[6] All of the real power lay in the hands of the princes; and the king himself had little respect from them. Many of the people, including, no doubt, some of the princes, really wanted to defeat Babylon and bring back Jeconiah from Babylon as the king they really wanted.
Verse 7
AN RESCUES "Now when Ebel-melech the Ethiopian, a eunuch, who was in the king's house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon (the king then sitting in the gate of Benjamin). Ebel-melech went forth out of the king's house, and spake to the king, saying, 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 dungeon; and he is like to die in the place where he is, because of the famine; for there is no more bread in the city. Then the king commanded Ebel-melech the Ethiopian, saying, Take from hence thirty men with thee, and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon, before he die. So Ebel-melech took the men with him, and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took thence rags and worn-out garments, and let them down by cords into the dungeon to Jeremiah. And Ebel-melech the Ethiopian said unto Jeremiah, Put these rags and worn-out garments under thine armholes under the cords. And Jeremiah did so.
So they drew up Jeremiah with the cords, and took him up out of the dungeon: and Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard.""Ebel-melech the Ethiopian ..." (Jeremiah 38:7; Jeremiah 38:10; Jeremiah 38:12). Three times here the fact of Ebel-melech's being an Ethiopian is expressly mentioned. Why? It indicates that in all the land of Judah only a despised foreigner found the grace to intercede for Jeremiah!
"A eunuch ..." (Jeremiah 38:7). There is no need for men to define this as merely "a prominent official in the government." "The Hebrew text shows that the word (eunuch) is to be taken in its proper meaning, and not in the metaphorical sense of an officer of the court."[7] There is nothing strange about a eunuch's being in the court of Zedekiah. "Since the king had many wives, a eunuch was the overseer of the harem; and as the Mosaic law forbade the castration of a Hebrew (Deuteronomy 23:2), Zedekiah's eunuch was an Ethiopian."[8]"Take thirty men ... and take up Jeremiah ..." (Jeremiah 38:10). The radical critics suppose that was too many men to take, and "Against the authority of all the versions of the Hebrew text, and solely upon the appearance in the Septuagint (LXX) and a single manuscript of the number three in this place have changed the number."[9] The king, knowing what was needed, both for the task itself, and for protection of the rescue group, sent thirty men; and there is no need whatever to allow fallible, unbelieving men, to change the sacred text upon any whim they might have. Why were so many needed? At least four men would have been needed to pull Jeremiah up from a mud-bath reaching up to his neck. One or two men would have been needed to go get the ropes; two more would have been necessary to get the rags and worn-out garments; and one, Ebel-melech the Ethiopian would have commanded the operation.
The others, fully armed, would have protected the rescue mission from all interference by the princes. We are still waiting for some radical critic to explain how all of this could have been done with three men!
The providence of God in this rescue of Jeremiah is very evident. "On that day when the greatest of the Benjaminites (Jeremiah) was in his greatest need, the king was already in the Gate of Benjamin, as if waiting to hear his case."[10]Speaking of the specious arguments vainly proposed in favor of changing the number in this mission from thirty to three, Keil stated that. "The arguments are quite invalid";[11] and Feinberg declared that, "Such slight evidence is insufficient to overrule the MT, and only this kind of hypercriticism would call in question Biblical numbers on such grounds."[12]Verse 14
PRIVATE MEETING OF AND "Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took Jeremiah the prophet unto him into the third entry that is in the house of Jehovah: and the king said unto Jeremiah, I will ask thee a thing; hide nothing from me. Then Jeremiah said, If I declare it unto thee, wilt thou not surely put me to death? and if I give thee counsel, thou wilt not hearken unto me. So Zedekiah the king sware secretly unto Jeremiah, saying, as Jehovah liveth, that made us this soul, I will not put thee to death, neither will I give thee into the hand of these men that seek thy life.""The third entry into the house of Jehovah ..." (Jeremiah 38:14). Nothing is definitely known about this entry into the temple. "It was probably an entry from the palace into the temple; and it must have been a private place, else it would not have been chosen for this interview."[13]"As Jehovah liveth, that made us this soul ..." (Jeremiah 38:16). "This very unusual addition to the formula of a oath was no doubt intended to strengthen it ... For the usual formula, see 1 Samuel 20:3; 1 Samuel 25:16."[14] By his acknowledgment here that God had made his soul, Zedekiah also implied his belief that God continued to have power over it.
Verse 17
'S MESSAGE TO "Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: If thou wilt go forth unto the king of Babylon's princes, then thy soul shall live, and his city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thy house. 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. And Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen away to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me. But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver thee. Obey, I beseech thee, the voice of Jehovah, in that which I speak unto thee: so it shall be with thee, and thy soul shall live. But if thou refuse to go forth, this is the word that Jehovah hath showed me: 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 these women shall say, Thy familiar friends have set thee on, and have prevailed over thee: now that thy feet are sunk in the mire, they are turned away back. And they shall bring out 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 thou shalt cause this city to be burned with fire."Significantly, the message of Jeremiah to the king in this circumstance was exactly the same as it was given in Jeremiah 21:8-10.
Why did Zedekiah not heed the prophetic warning of Jeremiah? He feared the taunting mockery of the Jews who had already defected to Babylon; but Jeremiah revealed here that if he did not heed God's Word, he would be even more severely taunted by the members of his household, his extensive harem being mentioned here.
One of the reasons why Zedekiah refused to believe Jeremiah might have been the fact that Ezekiel had prophesied that Zedekiah should never see Babylon, Josephus has the following.
"Zedekiah did not believe their prophecies for the following reasons: (1) it happened that Ezekiel and Jeremiah agreed with one another in what they had said in all other things, that the city should be taken, and that Zedekiah himself should be taken captive; but Ezekiel disagreed with Jeremiah, and said that Zedekiah should not see Babylon, while Jeremiah said to him, that the king of Babylon should carry him away thither in bonds (Ezekiel 12:13)."[15]Thus, Zedekiah was only another sinner who fancied that he had found a contradiction in God's Word! Well, we know what happened. He went to Babylon just like the prophets said, but he never saw the place because Nebuchadnezzar slew his sons before him and then put out his eyes! This wicked king was neither the first nor the last to make the same mistake.
Long before Zedekiah, the wicked Ahab also believed that he had found a contradiction in God's Word. Elijah the Tishbite prophesied to Ahab that in the same place where the dogs had licked up the blood of Naboth, namely the vineyard of Naboth where the pool of Samaria was located, and in which the harlots bathed themselves, there in that very place, the dogs would lick up the blood of Ahab. Three years later, another prophet of God, Micaiah, prophesied that Ahab would fall in battle at Ramoth-Gilead. (See 1 Kings 21:19; 1 Kings 22:20-37). A clear contradiction, right? So Ahab went on up to Ramoth Gilead, was struck by a random arrow, bled all day, fell at Ramoth-Gilead; and then the soldiers took the blood-soaked chariot to the old site of Naboth's vineyard and washed it out by the pool of Siloam where the harlots bathed; and the dogs licked up Ahab's blood in the very place where he had murdered Naboth, just like the prophet had said.
Today, when sinners excuse themselves for not heeding the Word of God on the grounds that they think the Bible contradicts itself, they are doomed to the same kind of disappointment.
This picture of the transfer of Zedekiah's harem was a prophecy of the fall of Jerusalem; because, "In those times, a conquering king customarily took over the harem of a defeated monarch."[16]Verse 24
PLEDGES TO SECRECY"Then said Zedekiah unto Jeremiah, Let no man know of these words, and thou shalt not die. 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 has said unto the king; hide it not from us, and we will not put thee to death; also what the king said unto thee: 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. 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 perceived. So Jeremiah abode in the court of the guard until the day that Jerusalem was taken.""My supplication ... that he would not cause me to return to Jonathan's house, to die there ..."(Jeremiah 38:26). The mention of Jonathan's house in this passage is alleged to support the notion that only one imprisonment is in view in these two chapters; but such a view is a total misunderstanding.
This was a master-stroke on the part of Zedekiah. By the mention of Jeremiah's petition not to be sent back to Jonathan's house, the princes would have concluded immediately that Zedekiah, displeased with their placement of Jeremiah in the miry cistern, had told Jeremiah that he would send him back to the house of Jonathan where Jeremiah would have been silenced as in the second imprisonment; and they would have instantly supposed that this "second plea" of Jeremiah not to be sent back to the house of Jonathan was a response to Zedekiah's threat, a threat that never took place at all, but from this misunderstanding of the real nature of Jeremiah's supplication, doubtless caused them to accept what they understood as Zedekiah's action as compatible with what they desired.
Thus Jeremiah told nothing but the truth, but not all of the truth, and it served the wishes of both Zedekiah and Jeremiah perfectly. We have yet to find the writing of any scholar which acknowledges what to us is the perfect explanation of this episode.
We have no patience whatever with "scholars" who criticize the "ethics of Jeremiah," suggesting that perhaps he told a lie on this occasion. Nonsense! Jeremiah obeyed his king, which he was honor bound to do; what he said was absolutely true. Of course, it was not "the whole truth," but Jeremiah was under no oath nor any responsibility whatever to tell those crooked murderers the "whole truth." It was not Jeremiah's error that his supplication not to be sent back to the house of Jonathan had occurred at the end of the second imprisonment, and not at the end of the third.
One may only marvel at the genius of Zedekiah who arranged this skillful deception of the crooked princes who were his bitterest enemies.
Keil and many other commentators have pointed out that Jeremiah 38:28 here actually belongs to Jeremiah 39, and "forms the introductory sentence of the passage ending in Jeremiah 39:3."[17]
Jeremiah 38:1. Prince is from SAR and Strong defines it, "A head person (of any rank or class)." In the King James translation ft has been rendered by captain, chief, general, governor, keeper, lord, master, ruler. Generally speaking the word would apply to any leading or outstanding man whether official or unofficial. The men named in this verse are called princes in verse i.
Jeremiah 38:2-3. These men were displeased with the predictions that Jeremiah had made against Jerusalem which they repeated in these verses. They gave a correct report but seemed to blame the prophet for the truth contained in them when he was only faith-fully delivering to them the word of the Lord.
Jeremiah 38:4. It is an old story that men have thought they could avoid the fulfillment of undesirable truths by removing the man who speaks them. These princes made a plea to the king to have Jeremiah put to death.
Jeremiah 38:5. By giving these men unrestricted authority in their dealing noth Jeremiah the king became a party to whatever they did.
Jeremiah 38:6. Their motive might have been to let Jeremiah die of starvation and exposure without directly putting him to death. We have reason to suspect them of this for they had called for his death (verse 4). This dungeon lias the same original as the word in the preceding chapter. We there saw the word could mean a cistern or a pit dug for other purposes. In this place it might have been dug for use as a cistern but It was almost empty except the mire in the bottom, Jeremiah sank down In the mire and was thus a prisoner in a double sense.
Jeremiah 38:7-8, Many persons of rank employed eunuchs as chamberlains Instead of chambermaids. These servants had their duties in the houses, but the king was not in there at this time, having taken a seat at one of the important gates of the city to act as judge of affairs. So this eunuch, hearing of Jeremiah’ s plight, left his work and went out to the king to inform him of the prophet’ s situation.
Jeremiah 38:9. The eunuch made no reference to the merits of the ease against Jeremiah; he may have had no opinion on that subject. The plea the eunuch made was from the standpoint of humanity, that Jeremiah was being treated in an evil way in that he was exposed to the danger of a cruel death.
Jeremiah 38:10. It would not require thirty men to pull Jeremiah out of the pit, but the eunuch would need protection against the princes. They had caused the prophet to be placed in tbe pit and might try to prevent his release.
Jeremiah 38:11. Cast clouts and rotten rags mean practically the same. The latter means old garments and the former includes old rags in general. Treasury is from an original that means a storage place in general, and is used here to refer to some closet where were placed articles "not good enough to keep but too good to throw away."
Jeremiah 38:12. Armholes is a strange translation and it comes from two Hebrew words: , which Strong defines "a joint of the hand (1. e., knuckle), and YAD defined, "a hand (the open one).” Jeremiah was to put the rags in the palms of his hands to keep the cords from cutting them in the strain of pulling him out of the mire into which he had sunk; he did as he was directed.
Jeremiah 38:13. Jeremiah was not released after being taken out of the mire, but was returned to the court of the prison where he remained until the city was taken.
Jeremiah 38:14, Zedeklah was selfish and wished to confer with the prophet in his own interests. He arranged a meeting at one of the important entries to the temple. He wanted to commit the prophet to a promise of confidence before asking some question.
Jeremiah 38:15. Jeremiah was suspicious of the king which he had reason to be from his previous experiences. His statements indicated the suspicion, for he exacted a promise from the king before giving any information.
Jeremiah 38:16. The king did not make any promises as to his compliance with the word of the Lord, but he did assure Jeremiah of his life. That made vs this soul was a logical statement. The One who made the soul would certainly know what that creature was saying and thinking. The oath, therefore, was supposed to be made in all solemnity.
Jeremiah 38:17-18. Jeremiah did not change his predictions from what be had made before. He admonished the king to surrender to the king of Babylon, We should note that no promise was made of ending the captivity even though the king should surrender peacefully. His personal welfare and that of the city couid have been taken care of even while the captivity of the nation continued.
Jeremiah 38:19. Zedekiah seemed to be in a state of nervous agitation. He was afraid of the Jews who had already been taken by the Chaldeans lest they be peeved because they had been taken while the king was still comparatively free. He feared they might cause him to be turned over into the hand of the enemy and that would make him an object of reproach.
Jeremiah 38:20. Jeremiah assured the king that what he feared would not come upon him; if he would surrender peacefully all would be well with him personally.
Jeremiah 38:21. Refuse to go forth is a key phrase in this situation. There was to be no avoiding the falling into the hands of the Babylonians The question was whether it would be done through the unresisting surrender of the king, or that he would be taken by force and be treated as a captive of war would be.
Jeremiah 38:22. If the king chooses to be taken by force, then the women who were still left In his house would be taken also by the king of Babylon. If that happens these women will reproach Zedekiah and say he had even been betrayed by his friends (meaning the false prophets who had deceived him). Feet are sunk in the mire is used figuratively, meaning he would find himself in deep trouble. The figure Is an allusion to the persecution of Jeremiah whose feet were literally put in the mire.
Jeremiah 38:23. Jeremiah concluded his speech with the summiug up of what would happen if the king refused to surrender. He and his family would be taken, also the city of Jerusalem
would be burned. That would be un-fortunate. since the city might be spared notwithstanding the captivity of the nation by the Babylonians.
Jeremiah 38:24. The king requested Jeremiah to observe secrecy as to the subject matter of their conference. "We do not know what were the motives for this request, further than his wish to avoid trouble with the princes.
Jeremiah 38:25. Zedekiah surely knew the character of his leading men to be questionable, at best, and that they might not stop short of murder were their plans hindered. Moreover, he did not want any serious harm to come to Jeremiah which he feared would be done if hie conversation with the princes did not please them.
Jeremiah 38:26. Jeremiah had made such a request of the king (cli. 37: 20) as was mentioned in this verse. Moreover, such a subject would be sufficient reason for the conversation between tbe king and the prophet,
Jeremiah 38:27. Sure enough, tbe princes came and asked Jeremiah the question the king expected and the prophet gave them the answer as directed. It had the desired effect for they ceased their conversation with Jeremiah. Matter not perceived means they did not know all of the conversation that had taken place between Jeremiah and the king; only that part just stated.
Jeremiah 38:28. Jeremiah’ s request was granted and he remained in the court (or yard surrounding the prison) of the prison until the end of the siege.
Jeremiah Chapter Thirty-Nine
Verse 1
Jeremiah 39THE FALL OF For many years, God's prophets had foretold the fall of the reprobate city of the Chosen People, but the Israelites refused to believe it; but, in this chapter, we have the record of the disaster itself when it fell. At last, the iniquity of God's people had reached a point of no return; their day of grace was past; and Jerusalem was given over to "the sword, the famine, and the pestilence," as so often stated in Jeremiah.
There are no less than four Biblical accounts of the fall of Jerusalem: (1) the account recorded in this chapter; (2) the account in Jeremiah 52; (3) the record in 2 Kings 25; (4) and yet another in 2 Chronicles 36.
As should be expected, there are variations and differences in these several accounts, just as there are in the four Gospel accounts of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ; and we learned in our studies of the New Testament that such variations prove the accuracy and historicity of the whole record. It is of no value whatever to concern oneself with all of the alleged discrepancies found in narratives of this kind. The principle facts are open to no question or doubt whatever; and in the same manner that four eyewitness accounts of a traffic accident are impossible of verification on every little detail, so it is in these four accounts. Exploring them is an absolutely worthless endeavor. We accept the whole truth about the fall of Jerusalem as the composite accumulation of all that is written in the sacred text. All that is written in the Bible concerning the fall of Jerusalem is true, but men are not always able to understand at this late date just exactly how it all happened, nor is such an understanding necessary.
The length of the siege which was terminated in the record of this chapter lacked, "only one day of being exactly eighteen months, lasting from January 588 B.C. to July 587 B.C."[1]There are similarities in Jeremiah's account to portions of the accounts given in Kings and Chronicles; but as Keil noted, "This does not mean that either account was derived from the other."[2] The language here is definitely that of Jeremiah. Remember, the Biblical writers were describing the same events from different vantage points.
Jeremiah 39:1-3"And it came to pass when Jerusalem was taken (in the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, came Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon and all his army against Jerusalem, and besieged it; In the eleventh year of Zedekiah, and the fourth month, the ninth day of the month, a breach was made in the city); that all the princes of the king of Babylon came in, and sat in the middle gate, to wit, Nergel-sharezer, Samgar-nebo. Sarsechim, Rabsaris, Nergel-sharezer, Rabmag, with all the rest of the princes of the king of Babylon."Some have erroneously supposed the siege to have lasted two years or more, due to the mention of "the ninth year of Zedekiah" in Jeremiah 39:1; but differences in the methods of reckoning the years of a reigning monarch account for the error.
The principal event mentioned here is that the Babylonians breached the walls of Jerusalem and set up their own administrative system in the principal gate of the city. This signaled the fall of the city.
The names of these Babylonian princes could not possibly be of much interest to anyone. It appears to us that scholars take an inordinate amount of interest in these Babylonian names. Ash tells us that some of these proper names are the names of titles, not of persons; we have one name repeated.[3] (Were there two generals by this name?) What difference does it make?
It has been determined from, "a large clay prism found at Babylon, which lists high officials of the Babylonian court,"[4] that three of the names in this list are indeed the titles of the persons mentioned; but the same author explains that "we do not know the meaning of two of these."[5]Verse 4
THE CAPTURE OF "And it came to pass that, when Zedekiah, the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, then they fled, and went forth out of the city by night, by the way of the king's garden, through the gate betwixt the two walls: and he went out toward the Arabah. But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after them, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho: and when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon to Riblab in the land of Hamath; and he gave judgment upon him.""When the king ... and the men of war ... saw them ..." (Jeremiah 39:4). The word "saw" in this passage simply means, "when they perceived, or understood, what had happened." One often hears a blind person say, "we went and saw" this or that. A similar usage is found here. We may be certain that the king fled the city as soon as he definitely knew that Nebuchadrezzar's army had entered it. Nothing certain is known about the exact location of the king's garden, or the gate by which he escaped, nor can we trace the route of his departure.
"Nebuchadrezzar at Riblah in the land of Hamath ..." (Jeremiah 39:5). "This place was a stronghold on the Orontes river, 35 miles north-east of Baalbeck, in an area that provided an abundant supply of fuel and food. Pharaoh-Necho II made it his headquarters at the time of the defeat of Jehoahaz; and Nebuchadnezzar made it the base of his operations in the final campaign to destroy Jerusalem in 588-587 B.C."[6] This place was about 200 miles north and east of Jerusalem; but Nebuchadnezzar remained there and entrusted the siege of Jerusalem to his military subordinates.
At Riblah, Nebuchadnezzar was fully equipped for his murderous business of executing all of his enemies. Here he gave judgment against Zedekiah.
Verse 6
'S After the ancient custom of terrible and inhumane punishment of defeated enemies, Nebuchadnezzar imposed his ruthless sentence upon Zedekiah and his nobles, sons, and friends.
"Then the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah in Riblah before his eyes: also the king of Babylon slew all the nobles of Judah. Moreover he put out Zedekiah's eyes, and bound him in fetters to carry him to Babylon.""He put out Zedekiah's eyes ..." (Jeremiah 39:7). Feinberg tells us that ancient kings liked to perform this act of cruelty, and often did it with their own hands.[7] The word in the Hebrew from which the verb comes in this place is from a root which means "to dig out," indicating that the entire eyeball was popped out of the victim's skull. Another form of blinding was that of bringing a red hot iron to the surface of the eye. What made this especially pitiful to Zedekiah was the fact of his witnessing the execution of his sons and the nobles of Judah as the very last events that he would ever be able to remember seeing.
In Jeremiah 52:11, it is stated that Zedekiah remained a prisoner in Babylon until the day of his death, but no hint of just when that death occurred is given.
Verse 8
"And the Chaldeans burned the king's house, and the houses of the people, with fire, and brake down the walls of Jerusalem. Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive into Babylon the residue of the people that remained in the city, the deserters also that fell away to him, and the residue of the people that remained. But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left some of the poor of the people, who had nothing, in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time.""And the houses of the people ..." (Jeremiah 39:10). It is strange that the temple was not included in this list of the things destroyed; and some commentators think that the omission was due to a damaged text. In any case, the temple also was among the things burned with fire (Jeremiah 52:13). Harrison suggested that the place should read: "The royal palace, the Lord's temple, and the houses of the populace."[8] The text, however, is accurate as it stands. In the Bible, one must read all that the Bible says on any given subject in order to know the whole truth; and here we have another illustration of that fact.
Verse 11
GOD'S OF "Now Nebuchadrezzar gave charge concerning Jeremiah to Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, saying, Take him, and look well to him, and do him no harm; but do unto him as he shall say unto thee. So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard sent, and Nebushazban, Rab-saris, and Nergel-sharezer, Rab-mag, and all the chief officers of the king of Babylon; they sent and took Jeremiah out of the court of the guard, 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.""Rab-saris ... Rab-mag ..." (Jeremiah 39:13). These names were the titles belonging to certain high officers of Babylon. "Rabsaris means `chief of the eunuchs.' "[9] "The precise meaning of Rab-mag is unknown."[10]It has been suggested that the title means, "the chief butcher," or "chief executioner."
"Took him out of the court of the guard ..." (Jeremiah 39:14). Keil believed that this mention of the court of the guard was because that was the last place the Bible revealed as his location until this incident, stating that, "At the exact moment of his liberation, Jeremiah was no longer in the court of the prison of the palace at Jerusalem, but had already been carried away as a captive to Ramah."[11]Keil's opinion here was based on the fact that in Jeremiah 40:1 it is declared that, "Nebuzaradan liberated Jeremiah at Ramah, where he had taken him in chains" among all the captives awaiting their transfer to Babylon.
We. find no difficulty at all here. The taking of Jeremiah "out of the court of the prison in the king's house," mentioned here was probably so commanded in the order to his generals from Nebuchadnezzar; and Nebuzaradan's obedience to that order occurred in the liberation of Jeremiah at Ramah. There is also the possibility that Jeremiah had indeed already been liberated from the prison in the king's courtyard; but in the subsequent circulation of Jeremiah among the Jewish people, the soldiers, who would not have recognized him, had rounded him up with the other captives awaiting transfer to Babylon, and carried him bound to Ramah. Let it be remembered that we are here dealing with a brief summary, and such quibbles can never be decided without a ton of additional information which no man has, such as, "when did the order of Nebuchadnezzar reach his commanding general; had the house of the king already been burned; exactly where was Jeremiah when the general got his orders; was Jeremiah released twice, once from the prison, and again at Ramah; was Jeremiah's release from the courtyard prison a formal and official release, or did he and all the other prisoners escape when the palace burned, etc., etc.?"
Such information is irrevocably lost in the ruin of Jerusalem; and there is no way for men living twenty-five centuries after the event to provide complete explanations of all the mysteries in Biblical passages. Our joyful duty is to believe it in the full confidence that God's Word is true and every man a liar.
"Gedaliah ..." (Jeremiah 39:14). This man was appointed by Nebuchadnezzar as governor of the conquered Judah and its remnant of the remaining poor people to whom the Babylonians had divided the fields and vineyards of the area. He was in control for the next five years; and Jeremiah was safe in his hands.
"Take him home ..." (Jeremiah 39:14). Some think this meant the king's house which presumably belonged to the new governor; but the palace had already been burned, It probably means that "wherever Gedaliah the new governor lived," there also Jeremiah would be quartered and protected. "Christians also have a firm assurance of God's loving care and concern for their welfare,"[12] as in Matthew 10:28-30; Matthew 28:18-20.
Verse 15
GOD REWARDS EBEL-MELECH"Now the word of Jehovah came to Jeremiah, while he was shut up in the court of the guard, saying, Go, and speak to Ebel-melech the Ethiopian, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will bring my words upon this city for evil, and not for good; and they shall be accomplished before thee in that day. But I will deliver thee in that day, saith Jehovah; and thou shalt not be given into the hand of the men of whom thou art afraid. For I will surely save thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword, but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee; because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith Jehovah.""Go, and speak to Ebel-melech ..." (Jeremiah 39:15). Ebel-melech was in the king's house; and apparently there would have been impediment against Jeremiah's seeking an interview with the Ethiopian who had saved his life. Evidently, this word to Jeremiah's benefactor probably came, "shortly after Jeremiah's final interview with Zedekiah, but is not reported earlier in order not to break the sequence of events."[13]"Thou shalt not be delivered into the hand of the men of whom thou art afraid ..." (Jeremiah 39:17). Right here is the explanation of why thirty men were needed (not three) for the rescue mission on behalf of Jeremiah. Ebel-melech had every reason to fear those evil princes who had tried to murder Jeremiah, and who would have certainly prevented his rescue if it had not been protected by an armed group of men.
Those evil princes would certainly have murdered Ebel-melech if they had found an opportunity; but that opportunity never came, thanks to the orders Nebuchadnezzar gave to his "head butcher" to put all of those reprobate "nobles" to death. "Ebel-melech's trust in God proved to be his salvation, a situation that is normative also for Christians (Acts 16:31)."[14]
Jeremiah 39:1. This verse is according to 2 Kings 25:1-3 which is the original history of tbe event. The city of Jerusalem was thrown into a state of siege which Is one of the most effective military measures for taking a fortified place.
Jeremiah 39:2. The city endured the in-convenience and suffering of the siege for about three years when it was finally taken. Broken up is from baqu, which Strong defines, “ A primitive root; to cleave; generally to rend, break, rip or open." The phrase denotes that a breach was made fn the walls of the city which would let the Babylonian army enter. That would mean the capturing of the city as the people were not in any condition, either in body or mind, for putting Up any resistance, having undergone the ravages of famine for several years.
Jeremiah 39:3. The men named were important military leaders of the Babylonian Empire who took possession of the city. Middle gate signifies the central or most important gate of the city. The chief transactions between cities in ancient times were done at the gates since that would be the spot for direct contact with the people coming and going. The passages showing the importance of the city gates are too nu-merous to mention all, but the reader will do well to note the following. Genesis 19:1; Genesis 22:17; Deuteronomy 25:7; 2 Samuel 19:8; Job 29:7.
Jeremiah 39:4. This verse through 8 should be marked as a bracket because of the important events recorded in connection with each other, and their connection with other passages in the Bible. I will suggest that the reader see also 2 Kl. 25: 4-7. The king thought he could make his escape if he selected the darkness for the purpose. Only a short time before this (Ezekiel 12:12) another prophet had predicted that the king would flee by night or "twilight."
Jeremiah 39:5. Zedekiah did not get very far until the Babylonians overtook him in the plains of Jericho. He was seized and taken for a hearing before Nebuchadnezzar who waa stationed at JUb- lah, This was a place on the way from the Babylonian country to Palestine and Egypt. The occasion for Zedekiah’ s being brought to this place will be understood better by a quotation from Smith’ s Bible Dictionary. "Riblah In the land of Hamath, a place on the great road between Palestine and Babylonia, at which the kings of Babylonia were accustomed to remain while directing the operations of their armies in Palestine and Phoenicia, Here Nebu-chadnezzar waited while the sieges of Jerusalem and of Tyre were being conducted by Ills lieutenants.”
Jeremiah 39:6-7. I have included these two verses in one paragraph because they pertain to an apparent difficulty or disagreement between certain statements in different places. In some passages it will be predicted that Zedekiah was to see the king of Babylon, also that he was to be taken to the city of Babylon and yet was never to see it. All is clear when we understand that he saw the king at Riblah and where he then had his eyes plucked out, after which he was taken to Babylon where he died. It would be well for the reader to make a group of the following passages. 2 Kings 25:6-7; Jeremiah 32:4-5; Jeremiah 34:3; Jeremiah 39:6-7; Ezekiel 12:13.
Jeremiah 39:8. Having overtaken Zedekiah and turned him over to Nebuchadnezzar at Riblah, the Chaldeans completed their reduction of the buildings in Jerusalem. They destroyed the temple (2 Kings 25:9) and the king’ s house which means the palace.
Jeremiah 39:9. There were still some people left in Jerusalem who had not been taken in the previous attacks. These were taken as captives to Babylon by the captain of the guard or commander- in-chief.
Jeremiah 39:10, We are not told why the captain of the guard extended this favor to the poor, but we do know that certain persona! favors were given to members of the Jewish nation. For instance, we shall learn that Jeremiah did not have to go to Babylon after the fall of the city. These poor of the nation had been the victims of the greedy leaders (Isaiah 3:15; Isaiah 10:2; Isaiah 58:3), and it was just for them now to have some enjoyment in the use of the lands that had been wrongfully taken from them.
Jeremiah 39:11. Nebuzar-adan was captain of the guard or commander-in-chief for Nebuchadnezzar, and he managed the military affairs under the direction of the king. He was thus following the orders of his superior in what he did with the captives.
Jeremiah 39:12. He was commanded to treat Jeremiah with special kindness, even permitting him to be granted any of his wishes. Of course we will understand that all these favors would have to be In harmony with his status as a prisoner of the Babylonians.
Jeremiah 39:13. What Jeremiah’ s present wishes were we are not told hut they can be surmised by what was done for him since it was of a desirable nature- The men named in this verse were officers in the Babylonian army but were under Nebuzar-adan.
Jeremiah 39:14. The men named were sent to take Jeremiah out of the court of the prison where he had been held for a long time. He was put into the hands of Gedaliah who had been appointed as governor over the Jews (verse 10) after the siege of Jerusalem had been accomplished.
Jeremiah 39:15. As an explanation of this kind treatment, the prophet goes back and tells us of a word that God spoke to him while he was still shut up in the court of the prison.
Jeremiah 39:16. Ebed-melech was the eunuch who was friendly toward Jeremiah and procured his deliverance from the mire (ch, 38: 7-13). He was honored with a personal message from the prophet in which the predictions against the place were repeated.
Jeremiah 39:17. In recognition of his trust in the Lord and his friendly services for Jeremiah, the eunuch was promised protection from his personal enemies.
Jeremiah 39:18. Ebed-melech was assured that he would not die by the sword when the city fell. Thus we have another Instance of personal favor bestowed for a righteous life even amidst the trials of the calamity that was to come upon the nation.
Jeremiah Chapter Forty
Verse 1
Jeremiah 40 LIVES WITH THE NEW ; This and the following five chapters deal principally with the history of Jeremiah's life after the fall of Jerusalem.
It seems to distress some commentators that this chapter begins with a statement that applies to all six of these chapters, "The word which came to Jeremiah from Jehovah" (Jeremiah 40:1) Thompson stated that. "These words normally precede an oracle, but none follows."[1] He labeled the formula as a parenthesis. Cheyne expressed his disapproval of the words here thus: "The formula seems to announce a prophecy, but no prophecy follows!"[2]Such comments spring from the ignorance of writers who have never learned that, in the holy Bible, the history written by God's prophets is just as divinely inspired as are the oracles, or predictive prophecies. "The formula `thus saith Jehovah' is appropriate, not merely for a prediction of the future, but to an account of the past, if written by an inspired prophet!"[3]The Dean of Canterbury was speaking the high truth when he wrote the above quotation; because, in the Bible, there is no special classification of "historical books," such being a merely human and inaccurate classification. The Son of God Himself classified all of the so-called "historical books" as actually belonging to the Nebhiim, a division endorsed by Jesus himself inLuke 24:44, in which passage Jesus quoted the classical division of the Old Testament into its three, and only three, divisions, (1) The Torah, (2) The Psalms (inclusive of the poetical books), and (3) The Prophets. Jesus used the words, "The Law, the Psalms, and the Prophets"; but these three divisions were called by the Jews, (1) The Torah, (2) The Kethubhim, and the Nebhiim.
Regarding the length of Gedaliah's reign, "Barnes placed it at less than two months";[5] Halley said, "It was less than three months,"[6] and Green admitted that, "How long it lasted, we cannot tell."[7]Gedaliah, as judged from his auspicious beginning, would surely have been an efficient and successful governor; but the Jewish cup of iniquity was not yet full. A descendant of the House of David treacherously murdered the new governor while partaking of his hospitality, as related in the next chapter.
Jeremiah 40:1-4 WAS "The word which came to Jeremiah from Jehovah, after that Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had let him go from Ramah, when he had taken him being bound in chains among all the captives of Jerusalem and Judah, that were carried away captive unto Babylon. And the captain of the guard took Jeremiah, and said unto him, Jehovah thy God pronounced this evil upon this place; and Jehovah hath brought it, and done according as he spake: because ye have sinned against Jehovah, and have not obeyed his voice, therefore this thing is come upon you. And now, behold, I loose you this day from the chains which are upon thy 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 unto thee to come with me into Babylon, forbear: behold, all the land is before thee; whither it seemeth good and right unto thee, thither go.""The captain ..." let him go from Ramah (Jeremiah 40:1). Many writers have difficulty discussing what is written in the Bible, being continually troubled with what they call "difficulties!" Graybill wrote: "It is difficult to reconcile the statement here that Jeremiah was released after being held a prisoner at Ramah with the inference of the previous chapter (Jeremiah 39:13-14) that the Babylonian princes freed him from the Jerusalem prison."[8] The simple answer is that Jeremiah was released twice. Could there be any wonder that something like that occurred in the confusion and disordered bedlam of the siege and destruction of a great city?
See our more complete discussion of this under Jeremiah 39:14. It is high time that men stopped criticizing the Bible and started reading it!
Another alleged "difficulty" concerns Jeremiah 40:2-3, in which the captain of the guard uses the very language of Jeremiah in describing what happened to Jerusalem. "Some believe that such a quotation is incongruous in the mouth of a Babylonian";[9] and from this false judgment deny the integrity of the passage. Such an error again springs from the lack of information on the part of the critics. They should know that both the Assyrians and the Babylonians were familiar with the religion of conquered peoples; and they were skilled in the use of all those religions in their psychological warfare.
A startling example of using the religion of opponents against them is that of Rabshakeh (2 Kings 18:19-25), in which event Rabshakeh pointed out that Hezekiah had destroyed the high places of Jehovah all over Judaea, and claimed that Jehovah had sent him (his master Sennacherib) to attack and destroy Jerusalem!
In addition to all this, Nebuzaradan had without doubt spent much time with Gedaliah (about to be appointed governor), and from him had learned all about Jeremiah's life-long campaign to persuade Israel to submit to Babylon, and the reasons that underlay God's decision to destroy the nation of Judah. Upon what other basis, may it be supposed, would the Babylonians have released Jeremiah?
Thus, as Feinberg noted, "Nebuzaradan knew of Jeremiah's preaching and was merely quoting it in Jeremiah 40:2-3, upon an appropriate occasion."[10]"Because ye have sinned against Jehovah ..." (Jeremiah 40:3). The word "ye" here is plural, referring not to Jeremiah, but to the whole nation."
In addition to the familiarity with Gedaliah, there were countless deserters to the Babylonians who most certainly would have told them about Jeremiah's preaching.
Verse 5
"Now while he was not yet gone back, Go back then, said he, 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 whithersoever it seemeth right unto thee to go. So the captain of the guard gave him victuals and a present, and let him go. Then went Jeremiah unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah, and dwelt with him among the people that were left in the land.""Now while he was not yet gone back ..." (Jeremiah 40:5). The Revised Standard Version noted that the Hebrew text here is obscure, rendering it, "If you remain, then return to Gedaliah, ... etc."
In this abbreviated account, Jeremiah's answer is not recorded, but his choice was obvious enough. He elected to remain in poverty and hardship with the poor remnant of the people left behind to make a new beginning in Judah.
"Jeremiah went with Gedaliah ... to Mizpah" (Jeremiah 40:6). There were several places called Mizpah, but this one was, "a Benjaminite town near Gibeon and Ramah a few miles northwest of Jerusalem."[11]Verse 7
THE PEOPLE COME TO "Now when all the captains of the forces that were 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 the poorest of the land, of them that were not carried away captive to Babylon; then they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, to wit, 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 Jezuniah the son of the Maacathite, they and their men. 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.""The forces that were in the fields ..." (Jeremiah 40:7). These were straggling remainders of the defenders of Jerusalem. There were only seven of these "captains" of small groups; and they had not been considered important enough for Nebuzaradan to bother with "mopping them up."
"Dwell in the land and serve the king of Babylon ..." (Jeremiah 40:9). Gedaliah's message was one of peace and encouragement. As representative of the king of Babylon, Gedaliah assured them that there would be no reprisals. Those persons against whom Nebuchadnezzar sought revenge were already dead or on their way into captivity; and all that remained for the pitiful remnant of a once proud nation to do was to settle down in peace and submission to their new masters.
Verse 10
NATIONS COME TO "As for me, behold, I will dwell at Mizpah, to stand before the Chaldeans that shall come unto us: but ye, gather ye wine and summer fruits and oil, and put them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities which ye have taken. Likewise when all the Jews that were in Moab, and among the children of Ammon, and in Edom, and that were in all the countries, heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant of Judah, and that he had set over them Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan; then 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.""I will dwell at Mizpah ... to stand before the Chaldeans ..." (Jeremiah 40:10). Mizpah was probably chosen as the headquarters of Gedaliah because it was apparently spared of any devastation during the war. Archaeologists have found no evidence of its destruction.
"Gather ye wine and summer fruits ..." (Jeremiah 40:10). The city had fallen in July; winter was coming on with spring and part of the summer gone; and Gedaliah here urged the people to concern themselves with the food problem. They were confronted with the necessity of survival largely upon dried fruits and vegetables; and there was also the prospect of an olive harvest.
"In your cities which ye have taken ..." (Jeremiah 40:10) This means: (1) in the cities which you have adopted as residences, or (2) in the cities you have taken over following the end of the war.
"Out of all the places whither they were driven ..." (Jeremiah 40:12). Many of the Jews during the siege of Jerusalem had fled to surrounding places of refuge; but now they returned from throughout the whole region.
Verse 13
THE PLOT AGAINST 'S LIFE"Moreover Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were in the fields, came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, and said unto him, Dost thou know that Baalis the king of the children of Ammon hath sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to take thy life? But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam believed them not. 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 take thy life, that all the Jews that are gathered unto thee should be scattered, and the remnant of Judah perish? 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.""Baalis king of Ammon hath sent Ishmael to take they life ..." (Jeremiah 40:14). It seems incredible that Gedaliah should have disbelieved a rumor like this, which was backed up by "all the forces in the fields." It seems that everybody knew about it.
Why did Baalis desire to remove Gedaliah? Gedaliah as a friend of Jeremiah had opposed the coalition proposed by Ammon and other nations, of which we read back in Jeremiah 27. Also, by the device of fishing in troubled waters, he probably hoped to make himself the master of the land of Judah.
His enlistment in the plot of Ishmael, who was of royal blood of the House of David, was probably easy enough. Ishmael, of royal descent probably fancied himself superior in every way to Gedaliah, and avidly desired vengeance against him, hoping to replace him.
What a tragedy Gedaliah became! He was a man of integrity and ability but totally lacking in the skill of evaluating men and their veracity. He might also have been overconfident.
In any case, the fears which Johanan expressed concerning the scattering of the people in the event of Gedaliah's death were soon confirmed. The tenure of Gedaliah which began with such hope perished miserably in the thrust of the sword of Ishmael. (See the next chapter). The Jews who had begun to gather in Judaea were again scattered.
Jeremiah 40:1. History and prophecy are blended together in the closing chapters of this hook, and the events are not always chronological, either in the order of their occurrences or the dates. The principal thing for us to learn is what happened and to whom. The preceding chapter tells us of the special favor that was extended to Jeremiah on orders from the king of Babylon. It meant that he was to be taken out of the court of the prison and to be committed to the care of Gedaliah who had the oversight of the Jews at Mizpeh and other places. After telling us about that favor the writer proceeds to a later fact and says, so he dwelt among the people.
However, this was not immediately carried out upon the fall of Jerusalem. In the general disturbance of that event Jeremiah was put in chains and taken to Jtamah for the time where Nebuzar-adan had his headquarters. Then when this chief captain was ready to go to Babylon with the prisoners who were destined for that place, he first arranged to carry out tbe orders given him concerning Jeremiah: that is where this chapter begins. The word that came to Jeremiah refers to some message God gave the prophet after being released by Nebuzar-adan.
Jeremiah 40:2. We know that God sometimes spoke to heathen persons when they were involved in some of the affairs of His people (Daniel 4:11; Ezra 1:2). Here the chief captain repeated to Jeremiah what the prophet had himself previously declared.
Jeremiah 40:3. Nebuzar-adan was talking to Jeremiah but the pronouns applied to Judah as a whole of which nation the prophet was a member though innocent of any charge. So the words ye and you were said in reference to the guilty nation.
Jeremiah 40:4. Nebuzar-adan was then ready to complete his charge concern-
ing Jeremiah. He thus removed the chains that had been fastened upon him in the excitement of the fall of Jerusalem, He told him to take his choice between going with him to Babylon or remaining in the land of Palestine.
Jeremiah 40:5. Was not yet gone hack means this conversation wasatRamah before the captain left for his other activities. It repeats the same offer made in verse 4. and the context shows Jeremiah chose not to go with Nebuzar- adan, who then rewarded him with provisions and dismissed him.
Jeremiah 40:6. Having been released at Ramah, Jeremiah went to Mizpah and dwelt among the people who had been committed to the care of Gedaliah. This is the fact that is mentioned ahead of time, in ch. 39: 14.
Jeremiah 40:7. Captains of the forces means the war officers who had been serving Judah at the time of the Babylonian invasion. When Jerusalem fell these men ceased their operations, and they learned that Gedaliah had been made governor over the Jews who were left in the land by the commander-in-chief of the Babylonians.
Jeremiah 40:8. The men referred to in the preceding verse are named in this. They came to Mizpah where Gedaliah was to have his headquarters. Ishmael seemed to be a leader among the group but we shall learn that he was an ambitious, jealous, wicked man.
Jeremiah 40:9. Gedaliah was disposed to be a trustworthy captive of Babylon who would show the proper respect for the king who had conquered his country. He gave faithful advice to his fellow Jews and assured them it would be better for them to submit to the Babylonians peacefully whose prisoners they virtually were already.
Jeremiah 40:10. Gedaliah expected to be kept busy with his appointment at Mizpah. not only in overseeing the poor Jews who were left in his care, but in his attentions to the members of the Chaldean nation who would resort to him there. But as for these officers who had formerly led the Jewish forces, they were advised to go out and gather of the fruits of the land (as per ch. 39: 10) and reside In the cities which they had succeeded in holding in the conflict.
Jeremiah 40:11. The report of Gedaliah’ s appointment was learned by the Jews in the more distant districts, such as Modb and Edom which were east of the Jordan.
Jeremiah 40:12. The Jews mentioned before had been driven into those countries by the invasion of the Babylonian forces into Palestine. Upon hearing the favorable news of Gedaliah’ s appointment they came gladly to him at Mizpah.
Jeremiah 40:13. Johanan was mentioned in verse 8 but the writer then turned his attention to Ishmael because of his apparent outstanding importance. Now Johanan claims attention as bearer of a message to Gedaliah.
Jeremiah 40:14. The Ammonites had long been enemies of the Jews though they were distantly related to the Abrahamic blood line. Tbe king of these people heard of the honorable position of Gedaliah and conspired with Ishmael to have the good man killed. For that purpose Ishmael. wiiose personal ambition fitted him for the hateful work, was sent to Mizpah where Gedaliah was situated according to the appointment of the king of Babylon through his eommander-in-chief. Johanan learned of this dark piot and gave Gedaliah the warning but he would not believe it,
Jeremiah 40:15. Johanan was so confident in his view of the situation that he offered to prevent the plot by slaying Ishmael. That would have been a just act since all wlio plot to overthrow a lawful ruler by force have forfeited their right to live.
Jeremiah 40:16. Gedaliah not only refused to authorize Johanan for the patriotic act of service which he offered to do, but charged him with making a false accusation. We shall learn how sadly true was the warning of this faithful man.
Jeremiah Chapter Forty-One
Verse 1
41ISHMAEL'S MURDER OF All of the events of this chapter revolve around the shameful and treacherous murder of the new governor Gedaliah by Ishmael. The chapter divisions are: (1) the murder of the governor (Jeremiah 41:1-3); (2) the murder of the pilgrims (Jeremiah 41:4-7); (3) captives at Mizpah taken (Jeremiah 41:8-10); (4) Ishmael defeated, escapes to Ammon (Jeremiah 41:11-15); and (5) the people gathered by Johanan to go to Egypt (`).
The length of Gedaliah's tenure as governor is disputed. In an earlier chapter, we suggested that Jeremiah was enabled to enjoy the protection and peace of Gedaliah's house for a period of some five years; and that was based upon the recent conviction of Jewish and other scholars that Gedaliah's government lasted until 582 B.C. In the previous chapter, we encountered the opinions of many of the older scholars that his government lasted only a matter of two or three months. We have no certain information on exactly how long it lasted.
Feinberg has this regarding the date: "Two dates have been given for the assassination of Gedaliah: 586 B.C. and 583-582 B.C. Keil-Delitzsch and others support the first date; but a number of more recent commentators prefer the second. They point out that the text does not require that the events of this chapter occurred in the same year as the fall of Jerusalem; and, upon the basis of Jer 52:30, they believe that the Babylonian reaction to the assassination of Gedaliah took place five years after the event."[1]Bright, Hyatt, and others whom we have frequently quoted in this commentary support the later date. We shall let the matter stand as not certainly known.
Jeremiah 41:1-3THE MURDER OF THE "Now it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the seed royal, and one of the chief officers of the king, and ten men with him, came unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah; and there they did eat bread together in Mizpah. Then arose Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and the men that were with him, and smote Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan with the sword, and slew him, whom the king of Babylon had made governor over the land. Ishmael also slew all the Jews that were with him, to wit, with Gedaliah, at Mizpah, and the Chaldeans that were found there, the men of war.""Of the seed royal ..." (Jeremiah 41:1). It is believed that Ishmael was descended from David through Elishama (2 Samuel 5:16), and that this royal connection might have originated Ishmael's vengeful hatred of Gedaliah, being bitterly jealous that Nebuchadnezzar had passed over Ishmael, a member of the royal house of David, to make Gedaliah governor!
In all the records of Israel's wickedness, there is hardly anything that surpasses the dastardly deed of Ishmael here recorded. He not only violated God's law, but the universal Eastern custom in the law of hospitality, that no man eats another man's bread, and then murders him! Ishmael disappears from history in this chapter and fully deserved the oblivion in which he was swallowed up.
The concern and sympathy of the Jewish people for their noble governor who was cut down by the despicable Ishmael was crystallized and memorialized in the Jewish fast of "the seventh month" (October) (Zechariah 7:5; Zechariah 8:19), during the Inter-testamental period of their history.
"Slew all the Jews that were with him ..." (Jeremiah 41:3). It is believed that this is a reference, not all the Jews in Mizpah, but to all of those at the meal during which Gedaliah was slain. Also, the men of war would appear to refer merely to Gedaliah's personal bodyguard of Babylonian soldiers.
Verse 4
THE MURDER OF THE "And it came to pass the second day after he had slain Gedaliah, and no man knew it, that there came men from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, even fourscore men, having their beards shaven and their clothes rent, and having cut themselves, with meal-offerings and frankincense in their hand, to bring them unto the house of Jehovah. 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 Ahikam. 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, and the men that were with him.""Weeping all along as he went ..." (Jeremiah 41:6). The perfidious behavior of Ishmael was totally wicked. His weeping was hypocrisy; his pretended intention of helping the pilgrims was a lie; his murderous treachery was unlimited.
Scholars have attempted to guess why Ishmael destroyed those pilgrims, but the only suggestion that makes a little sense is that Baalis the king of Ammonites had instructed Ishmael, his partner in the plot, to terrorize the people with such atrocities in order to prevent any order from prevailing in the land. Also, it has been thought that Ishmael wanted to prevent any word of the murder from being carried far and near into all countries by such a company as that of the pilgrims. Then too, there is the supposition that Ishmael was merely a murderer who killed people for the gratification of his sadistic blood-lust. In any case, it was indeed a deed of infamy!
The shaven heads, the rent clothes, the cuts on their bodies, and the offerings in their hands, "Symbolized the distress of the pilgrims over the desertion and the destruction of the house of God."[2]Some significant facts are implied by this account of the slain pilgrims. (1) The Jews still honored the commandment to worship God at one altar only, namely, the One in Jerusalem. (2) Also, even though the temple was destroyed, the ruins of it were considered sacred and "holy unto the Lord." "By the Jewish people, the Western wall of the temple in Jerusalem until this day is considered sacred."[3]The senseless murder of those seventy pilgrims is utterly inexplicable, unless, as stated by Smith, "Ishmael intended to fill the whole land with terror, utterly frustrate Gedaliah's work, and destroy the last possibility of the land being in peace, which was also very likely the object of Baalis the king of Ammon."[4]Verse 8
THE TAKING OF AT MIZPAH"But ten men were found among them that said unto Ishmael, Slay us not for we have stores hidden in the field, of wheat, and of barley, and of oil, and of honey. So he forbare, and slew them not among their brethren. Now the pit wherein Ishmael cast all the dead bodies of the men whom he had slain, by the side of Gedaliah (the same was that which Asa the king had made for the fear of Baasha the king of Israel), Ishmael the son of Nethaniah filled it with them that were slain. Then Ishmael carried away captive all the residue of the people that were at 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; Ishmael the son of Nethaniah carried them away captive, and departed to go over to the children of Ammon.""Slay us not, for we have stores hidden ..." (Jeremiah 41:8). This was merely a bribe, greedily accepted by Ishmael, the wondering being that he did not immediately slay them also, as soon as he discovered their store of hidden supplies. It was customary in those times to hide such supplies in excavations (cisterns and the like) by covering them with a layer of earth.
"The same (pit, or cistern) was that which Asa the king had made ..." (Jeremiah 41:9). The purpose of this is to explain that the cistern which Ishmael filled with the bodies of those whom he murdered was no ordinary cistern, but a very large one, originally intended to supplement the water supply of the whole city. Now any ordinary cistern would require several hundred men to fill it; and from this revelation here, we are compelled to conclude that it was actually some tremendous number of people who fell before the ruthless sword of this terminal rascal of the house of David.
"Then Ishmael carried away captive ..." etc. (Jeremiah 41:10). There would appear to have been a great many of these captives; and the prompt maneuver of Ishmael in an attempt to carry them into the land of the Ammonites indicates, as Jamieson said, that, "He probably meant to sell them all as slaves to the Ammonites."[5]"The king's daughters ..." (Jeremiah 41:10). "These were not only the actual children of Zedekiah, but such other female members of the royal entourage as the Chaldeans had not cared to take away to Babylon."[6] It is not so stated in this passage, but it appears likely that Jeremiah was among the captives whom Ishmael was in the act of transporting to the land of the Ammonites.
Verse 11
ISHMAEL IS ;
HE ESCAPES TO AMMON "But when Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, heard of all the evil that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done, then they took all the men, and went to fight with Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and found him by the great waters that are in Gibeon. Now it came to pass that when all the people that were with Ishmael saw Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, then they were glad. So all the people that Ishmael had carried away captive from Mizpah turned about and came back, and went unto Johanan the son of Kareah. But Ishmael the son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men, and went to the children of Ammon."This is a drastically abbreviated account. Johanan knew all about Ishmael and no doubt anticipated his carrying captives away for sale to the Ammonites, pursued him, overtook him, and thoroughly defeated him at Gibeon, even killing two of his ten-man body-guard.
"The great waters that are in Gibeon ..." (Jeremiah 41:12). This is a reference to a rather large natural lake in the area.
"They turned ... and went unto Johanan ..." (Jeremiah 41:14). This the captives could not have done unless Johanan had already thoroughly defeated Ishmael and sent him fleeing for his life to the Ammonites. With what is said here, Ishmael disappears from Biblical history, a fitting exit indeed for the kind of man he was.
Verse 16
JOHANAN TO LEAD THE PEOPLE TO EGYPT"Then took Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were 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 Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, to wit, the men of war, and the women, and the children, and the eunuchs, whom he had brought back from Gibeon. And they departed and dwelt at Geruth Chimham, which is by Bethlehem, to go to enter into Egypt, because of the Chaldeans, for they were afraid of them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon made governor over the land.""And they dwelt at Geruth Chimham ..." (Jeremiah 41:17). Little is known of this place except what is stated here, that it was near Bethlehem. The name Chimham, however, in 2 Samuel 19:37, is mentioned as the name of a man David the king rewarded for a favor done the king during the rebellion of Absalom. Chimham was the son of a very wealthy and powerful man, Barzillai, a friend of David the king. From this, it may be supposed that Geruth Chimham was a large estate near Bethlehem, of sufficient size to accommodate the considerable population that had been gathered by Johanan.
"To go to enter into Egypt ..." (Jeremiah 41:17). This decision, no doubt, was made by Johanan and supported by the fear of the people who supposed that the Babylonians might arrive any day and take vengeance upon the people for their murder of the governor appointed by the Chaldeans. "They may have feared that the Chaldeans would not understand who was at fault, and therefore punish the innocent; or they may have thought that the Chaldeans would see the entire episode as an attempted revolt, and would not distinguish the innocent from the guilty."[7] However, the decision was a terrible mistake.
It was contrary to God's will for the people to return to Egypt; and, besides that, Egypt was by no means out of the reach of the Babylonians. Johanan had been true and correct in his warning Gedaliah of Ishmael; but now he would become a key factor in moving a remnant of Israel back under the power of the Pharaohs.
Jeremiah 41:1. The coming of these men had been referred to in the preceding chapter as part of a general statement; this verse begins the direct account of the sad affair. Gedaliah showed that he had not been impressed by the warning of Johanan for he entertained Ishmael and his associates royally. Eat bread together was a positive mark of intimate friendship in Biblical times. (See 1 Corinthians 5:11.)
Jeremiah 41:2. Ishmael and his group violated almost every rule of proper conduct that we can think of. They disregarded the law of gratitude; they took advantage of Gedaliah’ s confidence; they violated the laws of both God and man against murder, and that, too, by killing a man who was in
a position of authority. Not only so, hut they killed a man who not only had not sought his office, hut who was appointed thereto on account of his evident worthiness, seeing it was done by a man who had it in bis power to have humiliated him to the utmost had he been so minded.
Jeremiah 41:3. Ishmael was so mad against Gedaliah that he slew all the Jews who were helpless and who had been entrusted to Gedaliah’ s care. He evidently wished to have no witnesses who might escape and be in the way of his further wicked plots.
Jeremiah 41:4. This verse verities the remark on the preceding one. for it says concerning the slaying of Gedaliah that no man knew it.
Jeremiah 41:5. These men did not have animal sacrifices for the house of God and the articles of service had. been removed. But the place where they had stood was considered, especially by these men who came from the region of the 10 tribes. They could burn incense even without the temple and its furniture. Beards shaven was a custom in ancient times on occasions of grief or humility. These Jews had much cause for those feelings, having lost, their country and temple.
Jeremiah 41:6. On their way toward Jerusalem these people passed near Mizpah and Ishmael went out to meet them. He thought it might not be suitable to his plans for them to be living but rather since “ dead men tell nothing,” it would be to his advantage and in-terest to get them out of the way. But to do so he must use some kind of deception, and he did so by pretending to sympathize with them and offering them some assistance. He invited them to come with him to Gedaliah who would be supposed to offer them some consolation.
Jeremiah 41:7. These trusting people followed the wicked Ishmael into the city for they were not aware that Gedaliah and others had been slain. No sooner had they reached the city, the piace where Ishmael had started his “ reign of terror,” than he slew these sorrow-ing worshipers almost to the last man, and disposed of their bodies in a disrespectful manner by casting them into a pit as if disposing of waste matter.
Jeremiah 41:8. There were ten men who had survived the attacks of Ishmael. They bribed him to spare them on the ground that they possessed valuable fields and products. Should Ishmael slay them there would be no one to show him where to find these valuable products. On this ground Ishmael was himself misled and he spared their lives.
Jeremiah 41:9. Because of Gedaliah indicates that Ishmael feared these men would have been friendly toward Gedaliah. He had reason to think thus since they had followed him into the city in order to come to Gedaliah. So his hatred for the governor was extended to these men also and hence their death was decreed. The purpose of identifying this pit as the one that Asa made was to give some idea of its size. Asa made it as a part of his preparation in his war with Baasba. It was a cistern and its use was that for water (pit meaning cistern) while engaged in the war and it would necessarily be large. That is the point being made here for it says Ismael filled it with the dead bodies.
Jeremiah 41:10. After the aforesaid slaughter of the captives, Ishmael kidnapped the daughters of Zedekiah whom the king of Babylon had sent to Mizpah for safekeeping with some others, and started with them to go into the land of the Ammonites.
Jeremiah 41:11. About this time Johanan got the news of what Ishmael had done, including the kidnaping of the king’ s daughters and other refugees.
Jeremiah 41:12. He took his captains and pursued after Ishmael. They overtook him near a large pool at Gibeon which was a spot on the way to the land of the Ammonites.
Jeremiah 41:13. When Johanan and his forces came in sight of the persons whom Ishmael had kidnaped then they were glad. They knew that it meant their rescue for Johanan was a good man and was the one who had warned Gedaliah of Ishmael.
Jeremiah 41:14. Encouraged by the sight of these friends, these victims of Ishmael turned from him and joined Jolianan and his group.
Jeremiah 41:15. We do not know how much of a conflict took place at this time. However, Ishmael escaped with eight men and fled to the land of the Ammonites, the place to which he had started from Mizpah.
Jeremiah 41:16. This sad experience made Johanan fearful in a general feeling of terror. Such a feeling sometimes causes a man to act with poor judgment. After his encounter with Ishmael at the pool near Gibeon, he gathered his captains with all the Jews he had recovered there, and joined them
with the others who had escaped the sword in the terrible slaughter by Ishmael at Mizpah.
Jeremiah 41:17. Johanan decided on fleeing to Egypt to get away from the Chaldeans. They paused in their flight at a spot held by an Israelite named Cliimbam which was near Bethlehem, This was a friendly region and Johanan considered it a safe place to rest while making his further plans for the journey into Egypt,
Jeremiah 41:18. The Chaldeans (or Babylonians) had appointed Gedaliah as governor at Mizpah, and his murder might be regarded as an act of war against them. Since Ishmael wa3 a Jew, the Chaldeans might develop a new feeling against the others. At least this was the panicky fear that possessed Johanan, so he planned to flee.
Jeremiah Chapter Forty-Two
Verse 1
42 WARNING FOR ISRAEL TO STAY IN The divisions of this chapter are: (1) the people request God's Word of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 42:1-3); (2) Jeremiah promises to pray for them, and the people promise to obey God's Word (Jeremiah 42:4-6); (3) after ten days, God replies (Jeremiah 42:7-8); (4) the command to remain in Judea (Jeremiah 42:9-12); (5) severe warning against moving to Egypt (Jeremiah 42:13-18); (6) and a prophecy of destruction for those going to Egypt (Jeremiah 42:19-22).
Jeremiah 42:1-3REQUEST FOR 'S PRAYERS AND "Then all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people, from the least even unto the greatest, came near, and said unto Jeremiah the prophet, Let, we pray thee, our supplication be presented before thee, and pray for us unto Jehovah thy God, even for all this remnant (for we are left but a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us), that Jehovah thy God may show us the way wherein we should walk, and the thing that we should do." This passage confirms the presence of the prophet as being a part of the company rescued by Johanan from Ishmael. It was not necessary to "go to him," for he was already among them. hence the words, "all the people ... came near" (Jeremiah 42:1).
"Pray for us ..." (Jeremiah 42:2). The prophet had previously been forbidden to pray for the rebellious people (Jeremiah 7:17; Jeremiah 11:14, and Jeremiah 14:11); "But he was now free to do so."[1] Jeremiah at once agreed to do so, but not on the basis that the God to which he prayed was any other than the God of all the people. The people said "pray to thy God (Jeremiah 42:3-4); but Jeremiah said, "I will pray to your God (Jeremiah 42:4).
"That God may show us the way ... and the thing that we should do ..." (Jeremiah 42:3). Some scholars believe that this was a hypocritical request; but it may be that the people really thought they desired to know God's will, when actually, they merely wanted God to confirm what they had already decided to do. We do not certainly know which it was.
"Jezaniah ..." (Jeremiah 42:1). This man's name is given as Azariah in Jeremiah 43:2; but, as Ash said, "He may have had two names, or there may be a textual confusion."[2]Verse 4
TO ; PEOPLE PROMISE "Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto them, I have heard you; behold, I will pray unto Jehovah your God according to your words; and it shall come to pass that whatsoever thing Jehovah shall answer you, I will declare it unto you; I will keep nothing back from you. Then they said to Jeremiah, Jehovah be a true and faithful witness amongst us, if we do not according to all the word wherewith Jehovah thy God shall send thee to us. Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the word of Jehovah our God, to whom we send thee; that it many be well with us, when we obey the voice of Jehovah our God."This promise seems to be sincere enough, since it even calls upon God Himself to be a witness against them if they should fail to keep their vow.
Verse 7
AFTER TEN DAYS; GOD REPLIED"And it came to pass after ten days, that the word of Jehovah came unto Jeremiah. Then called he Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, and all the people from the least even to the greatest.""After ten days ..." (Jeremiah 42:7). Upon other occasions, God had replied almost at once to the prophet; but here, as in the case of the prophecy against Hananiah, the Word of God came after a delay of ten days. Why? We cannot agree with such writers as those mentioned by Keil, who thought the delay was for the purpose of allowing Jeremiah time to "get further news," or for Jeremiah's own "meditations to mature." As Keil noted, "Such an interpretation is unscriptural and rests upon a denial of divine inspiration."[3] The basic understanding of the Bible requires absolutely that its readers understand what is written, not as the words of men, but as the "Word of God through men!"
Feinberg's word on this is: "The prophets never confused God's revelation with their personal desires, judgments, or conclusions. They would not announce God's will until they were certain that they knew what it was. The Scripture always distinguishes between the subjective thoughts of the prophets and the objective Word of God."[4]Two radical critics, Hitzig and Graf, stated that the ten-day delay in God's reply to Jeremiah was for the purpose of "Giving Jeremiah time to collect information and make up his mind."[5] However, as Smith observed, "That would turn Jeremiah into a wise politician instead of a divine prophet!"[6]The 10-day delay was disciplinary, giving the people time themselves to pray and await the arrival of God's Word. Instead of that, it seems that the people pushed forward their preparations for going into Egypt; for, as events proved, they were determined to do their own will in that matter, not the will of God.
Verse 9
ISRAEL TO STAY IN "And (Jeremiah) said unto them, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, unto whom ye sent me to present your supplication before him: If ye will 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. Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid,; be not afraid of him, saith Jehovah: for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand. And I will grant you mercy, that he may have mercy upon you, and cause you to return to your own land."From here through Jeremiah 42:22 Jeremiah revealed the prophetic word from God as doing the following things: (1) It promised them security and salvation if they would obey. (2) It warned them against disobedience. (3) It emphatically commanded them not to go down into Egypt. (4) It warned them against self-deception of a heart which asks for guidance when it has already made its decision.
The remnant who were determined to go into Egypt were afraid of the king of Babylon, who was indeed a terrible and powerful enemy; but God Himself promised to save the people from him, if they would only obey their God. "In the year 582 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar did again return to Jerusalem and take more captives (SeeJeremiah 52:30),"[7] that event being associated (by some scholars) with the actual date of Gedaliah's assassination. But God, if the people had obeyed his word, would easily have saved everyone of them exactly as he had promised. Many of God's blessings and promises were cancelled because of the disobedience of his children.
Verse 13
AGAINST "But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land; so that ye obey not the voice of Jehovah your God. 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 hunger of bread; and there will we dwell: now therefore hear ye the word of Jehovah, O remnant of Judah: Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, if ye indeed set your faces to enter Egypt, and go to sojourn there; then it shall come to pass, that the sword which ye fear, shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt; and the famine whereof ye are afraid, shall follow hard after you there in Egypt; and there ye shall die. 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."In view of the long record of the prophecies of Jeremiah which the Jews had already seen fulfilled exactly, it appears almost incredible that they would have stubbornly gone right on down into Egypt after a warning like this; but they went!
No comment is appropriate here except a word of grief and disappointment that the remnant of Judah should have been so blindly disobedient to the word of the Lord.
Verse 18
FINAL WORD TO THOSE BOUND FOR EGYPT"For thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: As mine anger and my wrath have been poured forth upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so shall my wrath be poured forth upon you, when ye shall enter into Egypt; and ye shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach; and ye shall see this place no more.""The Lord's reply to the people's request regarding God's will for them extends through this Jeremiah 42:18; but the last four verses of the chapter constitute an epilogue, in which Jeremiah once more pleads with the people to do God's will."[8]The summary of God's whole message was (1) remain in Judaea, and God will bless you, build you up, etc. (2) Go to Egypt, and you will incur the wrath of God; and the last one of you that go shall die there by the sword, the famine, or the pestilence. (3) Furthermore, the very things that make you afraid to remain in Judah shall befall you in Egypt.
Verse 19
CERTAIN DOOM AWAITS THEM IN EGYPT"Jehovah hath spoken concerning you, O remnant of Judah, Go ye not into Egypt: know certainly that I have testified unto you this day. For ye have dealt deceitfully against your own souls; for ye sent me unto Jehovah your God, saying, Pray for us unto Jehovah our God; and according unto all that Jehovah our God shall say, so declare unto us, and we will do it. And I have this day declared it to you; but ye have not obeyed the voice of Jehovah your God in anything for which he hath sent me unto you. Now therefore know certainly that ye shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, in the place whither ye desire to go to sojourn there.""Ye have not obeyed the voice of Jehovah ..." (Jeremiah 42:21). Some scholars object to this statement and suppose that by bringing in Jeremiah 43:1-3 prior to this paragraph they might improve the sense. This is not necessary at all, for two reasons: (1) these words are not simple past tense, but the prophetic tense in which the future is spoken of as having already occurred, so certain is the fulfillment of God's Word; and (2) by reason of the people's rushing headlong to get ready for their departure to Egypt during that ten days in which the prophet had waited for the word of Jehovah, Jeremiah had already learned their answer. They were fully determined to go to Egypt, no matter what the Lord might say. "Jeremiah's answer here was from God, "from Him who knows the hearts of men."[9] This word from the holy prophet is similar to that of Moses in his final address to Israel, who told Israel, "I know thy rebellion, and thy stiff neck, and that you will corrupt yourselves" (Deuteronomy 31:27; Deuteronomy 31:29).
Jeremiah 42:1. Came near indicates a more personal contact, sufficiently near to make a verbal request of Jeremiah. He doubtless was in the group as one of the persons whom Johanan had carried off from Mizpah, having escaped the sword of Ishmael.
Jeremiah 42:2. Having paused at the habitation of Chimham, the group headed by Johanan made this personal approach unto the prophet to make an urgent request.
Jeremiah 42:3. They professed to desire divine guidance in their way and in all their general conduct. To obtain such assistance they asked Jeremiah to pray God for them, he being a faithful prophet and servant of the Lord. Such a request would be praiseworthy were it coming from the heart; we shall see whether it was or not.
Jeremiah 42:4. Jeremiah agreed to make the requested prayer for them. He also assured them that whatever the Lord revealed to him he would deliver to them faithfully.
Jeremiah 42:5. The people even called upon the Lord to witness their promise to do whatever He should require of them.
Jeremiah 42:6. They went into even more detail and specified their promise to obey whether good or evil were imposed upon them. These words are not used in the sense of right and wrong for God never brings anything wrong upon man. The words mean whether the things required would be pleasant or unpleasant.
Jeremiah 42:7. The Lord used a waiting time of ten days before giving to Jeremiah the message in answer to his prayer on behalf of the people.
Jeremiah 42:8, Jeremiah wished to present his message to the entire group of petitioners that no one might be left with any excuse. Hence it was said he called them from the least even to the greatest.
Jeremiah 42:9. The identity of the source of the message was carefully attended to. It was the God of Israel, and the very one to whom they asked Jeremiah to go with his supplication on their behalf.
Jeremiah 42:10. The message advised them to be submissive and abide in this land. This phrase meant for them not to go to Egypt but to remain where they were. They had not been required to go to Babylon although they were "prisoners of war” in reality, but had been given the privilege of remaining in their home land.
Jeremiah 42:11. They were assured that no harm would result to them from their captor (the king of Babylon) if they would obey the word of the Lord,
Jeremiah 42:12. The particular ones to whom this message was given were yet in their own land, but the promise applied to their nation as a whole. The return of the nation from Babylon would mean a blessing to these individuals also.
Jeremiah 42:13. But if ye say. This phrase, considered in the light of the context shows that the people rejected the advice of God through the prophet, and declared their determination of going to Egypt. This and the following verse is their rebellious assertion against the admonition of the prophet.
Jeremiah 42:14. They professed to believe that by going into Egypt they would escape the ravages of war. They probably based this hope on the few instances of apparent friendship that Egypt had shown to them recently.
Jeremiah 42:15. From here to the close of the chapter the prophet describes the evils that will come upon them if they reject the advice of the Lord. Remnant of Judah means the ones who had been permitted to remain in Palestine when the others were carried off to Babylon.
Jeremiah 42:16. There is no use to try to run away from God, and by going to Egypt against the admonition of the prophet they would be easting defiance against the Lord.
Jeremiah 42:17. For the significance of sword, famine and pestilence see the comments at Jeremiah 14:12. The punishment was to be complete for all who attempted to make Egypt a hiding place from the Babylonians.
Jeremiah 42:18. The ruin the Lord brought on Jerusalem was In punishment for the sins of the nation. Now that which was to be imposed on these who would not accept the punishment of Jerusalem submissively would also be great. An execration means something worthy of being cursed.
Jeremiah 42:19. This verse sums up the warning that God gave to his people. Remnant of Judah means the small number of the kingdom of Judah who had survived the overthrow of Jerusalem. and had been given permission to remain in Palestine.
Jeremiah 42:20. To dissemble means to act deceitfully or hypocritically. The prophet accuses the people of having acted in that way when they asked him to pray to God for them. They evidently thought their profession of trust in God would win for them some escape from the divine wrath, for when the answer of God was unfavorable they broke their word and declared they would go- into Egypt as they had originally said.
Jeremiah 42:21. In rejecting the warning of the prophet, the people were accused of disobeying the voice of the Lord God.
Jeremiah 42:22. A final warning was given that they would perish in the very land whither they had fled for safety.
Jeremiah Chapter Forty-Three
Verse 1
Jeremiah 43JUDAH MOVES TO EGYPT; TAKING AND BARUCHThis is a tragic chapter indeed. "Think of it! Abraham's descendants returned to Egypt long after their liberation from it. With great suffering they had been delivered from their bondage in Egypt, only to return nearly nine hundred years later a defeated, hopeless remnant!"[1]There is probably nowhere to be found a better comment upon the incredible blindness of human politicians than the one afforded by this chapter.
The chapter divisions are: (1) Judah's leaders reject God's word (Jeremiah 43:1-4); (2) Jeremiah and Baruch taken to Egypt (Jeremiah 43:5-7); (3) Prophecy of conquest of Egypt (Jeremiah 43:8-11); and (4) Prophecy against the gods of Egypt (Jeremiah 43:12-13).
Jeremiah 43:1-4JUDAH'S LEADERS REJECT GOD'S WORD"And it came to pass that when Jeremiah had made an end to speaking unto all the people all the words of Jehovah their God, wherewith Jehovah their God had sent him unto them, even all these words, then spake Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men, saying unto Jeremiah, Thou speakest falsely: Jehovah our God hath not sent thee to say, Ye shall not go into Egypt to sojourn there; but Baruch the son of Neriah setteth thee on against us, to deliver us into the hands of the Chaldeans, that they may put us to death, and carry us away captive to Babylon. So Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, and all the people, obeyed not the voice of Jehovah, to dwell in the land of Judah.""And all the proud men ..." (Jeremiah 43:2). The two prominent leaders, Azariah and Johanan, were backed up by a group of men, called here "the proud men." The versions provide further insight into the meaning of these words: "the insolent men" (Revised Standard Version); "the arrogant men" (the Good News Bible). They were the bold and confident unbelievers who constituted the vast majority of that apostate generation of the Chosen People, having no regard whatever, either for Almighty God, or God's prophets.
We do not believe that there was anything whatever in the allegations of those Jewish leaders of either truth or probability. For example, their suggestion that Baruch was the author of Jeremiah's prophecies here was an outright falsehood. What a preposterous proposition it was that, "The prophet who would not trim his message for the king himself would have allowed himself to be manipulated by his secretary!"[2]"All the people obeyed not ..." (Jeremiah 43:4) The insolent, loud-mouthed, arrogant, and confident claims of the false leaders quickly swept away all objections to their policies; and they proceeded at once to Egypt. Jeremiah did not defend himself against the charge of prophesying a falsehood, but trusted in the future to reveal who was true and who was false.
Verse 5
THE RETURN OF JUDAH TO EGYPT"But Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, took all the remnant of Judah, that were returned from all the nations whither they had been driven, to sojourn in the land of Judah; the men, and the women, and the children, and the king's daughters, and every person that Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had left with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan; and Jeremiah the prophet, and Baruch the son of Neriah. And they came into the land of Egypt; for they obeyed not the voice of Jehovah: and they came unto Tahpanhes.""Johanan... took all the remnant ... and Jeremiah... and Baruch... and came into the land of Egypt ..."(Jeremiah 43:5-7). From this, it is certain that both Jeremiah and his amanuensis Baruch were unwilling participants in this migration back to Egypt.
Tragic as this pitiful maneuver actually was, "It resulted in the fulfillment of Jeremiah's prophecy that Jerusalem would be uninhabited (Jeremiah 24:8-10). This migration to Egypt accomplished the utter de-population of the land; and the sole hope of the nation was then (and afterward) centered in the Babylonian exiles."[3] In the light of the unbelieving arrogance and conceit of that whole generation of apostates, there was nothing whatever that God could have done with them, unless it had been preceded by the sincere repentance and reformation of the people, that being, according to all indications, an utterly impossible thing to have anticipated.
"Tahpanhes ..." (Jeremiah 43:7). This was an important fortified city on the eastern Delta of the Nile, where Pharaoh had a summer home and some kind of an administrative center. It seems to be the same place which Herodotus called Daphnai, now thought to be the modern Tell-Defenneh, some 27 miles south-southwest of Port Said.[4]The immigrants probably stopped here in order to procure permission of Pharaoh to enter Egypt, and to explore possible ways of making a living.
Verse 8
THE OF EGYPT"Then came the word of Jehovah unto Jeremiah in Tahpanhes, saying, Take great stones in thy hand, and hide them in mortar in the brickwork, which is at the entry of Pharaoh's house in Tahpanhes, in the sight of the sons of Judah; and say unto them, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will send and take Nebuchadnezzar 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. And he shall come and smite the land of Egypt; such as are for death, shall be given to death, such as are for captivity to captivity, and such as for the sword to the sword."We reject such irresponsible comment on this paragraph as that of Thompson who stated that, "Jeremiah's prophecy was not fulfilled literally."[5] On the contrary, both the Babylonian historian Berossus "confirms the conquest of Egypt by Nebuchadnezzar";[6] and the Jewish historian Josephus flatly declared that, "Nebuchadnezzar fell upon Egypt to subdue it; and he slew the king that then reigned and set up another. He also took those Jews that were there captives, and led them away to Babylon."[7] In the light of both Babylonian and Jewish historians agreeing that such a conquest did indeed occur, we consider the historical evidence heavily weighted in favor of the exact and circumstantial fulfillment of Jeremiah's prophecy here. Yes, we are aware that there is a fad among current scholars who accept only the writings of Josephus which they think can be used to support their critical theories, rejecting all others; but we have no confidence in such rejections of the only known historian of that era among the Jews.
Herodotus contradicted some of the things that Josephus wrote; but the reverse is also true. Josephus contradicted some of the things Herodotus wrote. The ability to decide who was correct in a given matter is simply not to be found in any man living thousands of years after the events.
There is also some fragmentary archaeological evidence that Nebuchadnezzar indeed invaded Egypt. "Three of Nebuchadnezzar's inscriptions have been found near Tahpanhes."[8] "An ancient inscription confirms the fact that Nebuchadnezzar invaded Egypt in 568 B.C, when Amasis was Pharaoh."[9]It should always be remembered in the case of deciding whether or not prophecies were fulfilled by historical events, that the fragmentary information which has drifted down through history concerning those ancient times is totally inadequate to justify the extravagant assertions of some critics denying that certain prophecies were fulfilled. As Green noted, "The paucity of knowledge concerning the period is such that it is impossible to know what happened."[10] In addition to that impediment, there is in this very chapter the question of exactly what is meant by the sacred text. For example, the word translated "obelisks" inJeremiah 43:12, "pillars" in some translations, etc., actually means "images" and is so used in Isaiah.
Regarding this matter, we appreciate the words of Cheyne who stated that "some have wrongfully controverted"[11] the proposition that Jeremiah's prophecies were actually literally fulfilled.
Verse 12
AGAINST THE GODS OF EGYPT"And I will kindle a fire in the houses of the gods of Egypt; and he shall burn them, and carry them away captive: and shall array himself with the land of Egypt, as a shepherd putteth on his garment; and shall go forth from thence in peace. He shall also break the pillars of Bethshemesh, that is in the land of Egypt; and the houses of the gods of Egypt shall he burn with fire.""As a shepherd putteth on his garment ..." (Jeremiah 43:12). Keil gave special attention to the words thus rendered and gave as his opinion that they are properly translated thus: "As easily as any shepherd in the open field wraps himself in his cloak," adding that, "Other explanations of the word are far-fetched and lexically untenable."[12]We would like to call attention to the preposterous mistranslation of this passage in the Good News Bible. "As a shepherd picks his clothes clean of lice, so the king of Babylon will pick the land of Egypt clean." Such words are simply not in the text. James Moffatt's Translation of the Bible (1929) didn't do any better: "He shall scour the land of Egypt as a shepherd picks vermin out of his plaid."
"Bethshemesh ..." (Jeremiah 43:13). The Revised Standard Version renders this place Heliopolis on the probability that they might be the same. If that identity is correct, the Egyptian temple of the Sun God was located there.
Jeremiah 43:1. When Jeremiah spoke all the words of the Lord he fulfilled the promise he made to these people as recorded in Jeremiah 42:1.
Jeremiah 43:2. We regret to see the change that seemed to come over Johanan. In the previous chapters he was devoted to the interests of Jeremiah and the other refugees and opposed the wicked plots of Ishmael. Now he is against Jeremiah and siding with the others who rebelled against the admonition of the Lord. He even accused Jeremiah of falsehood and denied his inspiration. These men were said to be proud, which shows that pride is not always exhibited by some showy condition. In the present case it was demonstrated by a rebellious spirit. Paul gives a similar picture of it in 1 Timothy 6:3-4 where he accuses a false teacher of being proud.
Jeremiah 43:3. Baruch was Jeremiah’ s secretary (Jeremiah 32:12-14) and was a good man. There was no ground for saying that he had influenced Jeremiah in the wrong direction. But some pretext had to he used for opposing the prophet since he had previously supported him in his teaching. If a good man could be Influenced at all in tbe wrong direction, it would probably be possible to be done by the words of a friend; hence the mention of Baruch who was a trusted servant of Jeremiah.
Jeremiah 43:4. Some people do not appreciate a good thing when they have It. These captives of Babylon had been given the privilege of remaining in their own home land, but now they ignored that favor and planned to flee out of the country. Such an action was as bad in principle as that of a "trusty" who abuses his parole by fleeing.
Jeremiah 43:5. This revolt was headed by Johanan and included the scattered citizens of Judah from various territories.
Jeremiah 43:6. All of these persons were herded into a band of escapees to be taken to Egypt. We have no direct information as to the attitude of these individuals, but we do know that Jeremiah and hss faithful secretary Baruch were not willing to go. Hence we may justly say that they were kidnaped by Johanan.
Jeremiah 43:7. This verse concludes the sad story of this rebellious action. The significant part of the whole affair was in the fact that it was in disobedience against the word of the Lord. Tahpanhes was the place where they settled which is in the northeast part of Egypt,
Jeremiah 43:8. In ancient times the Lord frequently used one heathen nation to chastise another. This verse starts a bracket in which the prophet predicts a conflict between Egypt and Babylon and the victory will be on the side of Babylon. Following my practice where important information can be gained from secular history, I shall here make a quotation as follows: "The king of Babylon, taking advantage therefore of the intestine divisions which the rebellion of Amasis had occasioned in that kingdom, marched thither at the head of his army. He subdued Egypt from Migdol or Magdol, a town on the frontiers [borders] of the kingdom, as far as Syene, in the opposite extremity where it borders on Ethiopia. He made a horrible devastation wher-ever he came; killed a great number of the inhabitants, and made such dreadful havoc in the country, that the damage could not be repaired in forty years.
Nebuchadnezzar, having loaded his army with spoils, and conquered the whole kingdom, came to an accommodation [agreement] with Amasis; and leaving him as his viceroy [representative] there, returned to Babylon [emphasis mine, E. M. Z.J.” Rollin’ s Ancient History, Volume 1, page 232. This history is corroborated in Britan- nica, v. 7, p. 743, article Egypt; Josephus, Antiquities, Book 10, Chapter 10, Section 3.
Jeremiah 43:9. It is related that Pharaoh was repairing his palace at the time of this prediction. The stones referred to were like those being used for the repair work of the self-satisfied Egyptian king.
Jeremiah 43:10, The significance of the "acting" was just where the king of Egypt was feeling secure in his power, the king of Babylon would some day set np his throne. My servant Is said of Nebuchadnezzar because the Lord was going to use his services in punishing the king of Egypt.
Jeremiah 43:11. Famine, pestilence and sword were often threatened as a punishment from God in ancient times. That is practically what is meant in this verse. When an attack was made some might surrender without putting up any fight; they would be punished with captivity. Others would resist but would be finally slain by the sword. Still others would neither try to fight nor be submissive to capture willingly. All such would be hemmed in by a siege and finally meet death from the pestilence that usually resulted from a famine caused by a siege.
Jeremiah 43:12. The Egyptians, like Babylonians, were worshipers of false gods and had houses erected for their services. These houses were destined to be set on fire by the Babylonians who are the antecedent of the pronoun belt is a very easy thing for a shepherd to put on his garment when he wishes to go out about his business in control of his flock. The fact is used figuratively to illustrate the success of the king of Babylon in appropriating to himself the spoils of Egypt.
Jeremiah 43:13, A general prediction was made against the gods of Egypt in the preceding verse. This specifies a place called Beth-shemesh which was con-sidered as a holy city by the Egyptians because of the houses therein erected to the gods.
Jeremiah Chapter Forty-Four
Verse 1
Jeremiah 44'S FINAL Other prophecies of Jeremiah appear in subsequent chapters; but this chapter is generally viewed as containing the final prophecy, chronologically, that came through this great sixth century B.C. servant of God. Right up to the very end, his life apparently continued to be an almost unending series of tragedies.
"The exact date of this chapter cannot be determined; but it came a long time after the events recorded in the preceding chapter."[1] This conclusion is drawn from the fact that the Jewish immigrants as seen in this chapter were living in various cities from one end of Egypt to the other, indicating the passage of considerable time.
Chapter divisions are: (1) Jeremiah warned the Jews that disobedience would bring upon them the same fate that befell Jerusalem (Jeremiah 44:1-7); (2) he declared that idolatry would destroy them (Jeremiah 44:8-10); (3) sword, famine and pestilence are threatened (Jeremiah 44:11-14); (4) the people declare that they will continue to worship the Queen of Heaven (Jeremiah 44:15-19); (5) Jeremiah refutes their false arguments (Jeremiah 44:20-23); (6) Jeremiah gave a sign that God would keep his word (Jeremiah 44:24-30).
Jeremiah 44:1-7 - THE PRICE OF "The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews that dwelt in the land of Egypt, that dwelt at Migdol, and at Tahpanhes, and at Memphis, and in the country of Pathros, saying, Thus saith Jehovah 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, because of their wickedness which they have committed to provoke me to anger, in that they went to burn incense, and to serve other gods that they knew not, neither they, nor ye, nor your fathers. Howbeit I sent unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, Oh, do not this abominable thing that I hate. But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear to turn from their wickedness, to burn no incense to other gods. Wherefore my wrath and my anger are poured forth, and was kindled in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; and they are wasted and desolate, as it is this day. Therefore now thus saith Jehovah, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: Wherefore commit ye this great evil against your own souls, to cut off from you man and woman, infant and suckling, out of the midst of Judah, to leave you none remaining."The scene of this paragraph was at Pathros, in the southern end of Egypt, where, apparently, the Jews had gathered from all over Egypt to attend a festival honoring the Queen of Heaven. The women seem to have been taking the leading part in it. Into that wicked company Jeremiah came, challenging them to repent and turn to God, citing Jerusalem and the cities of Judah in their state of devastation as their certain penalty if they continued in their wickedness.
"Migdol... Tahpanhes... Memphis... Pathros ..." (Jeremiah 44:1). "The first three are in Lower Egypt, near Cairo; Pathros signifies Upper Egypt, all the way to Aswan."[2]"No man dwelleth therein ..." (Jeremiah 44:2). Jeremiah had prophesied that this desolation would overtake Jerusalem (Jeremiah 24:8-10); and that fact should have conditioned some of the people, at least, to believe the prophet; but it did not.
"They hearkened not, nor inclined their ear to turn from their wickedness ..." (Jeremiah 44:5). "Israel's refusal to `walk in' the law and the statutes of Yahweh is a central theme in Jeremiah."[3] In this very last message of the great prophet, how wonderful it is to see that not a syllable has disappeared from his prophecies. In spite of the rebellious hatred of his own people, Jeremiah has been true to God all the way. The message here at the end is what it always was, "Repent or Perish." It is still the message of God, "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish!" (Luke 13:5).
Verse 8
GOD'S HATRED OF "In that ye provoke me to anger with the works of your hands, burning incense to other gods in the land of Egypt whither ye are gone to sojourn; that ye may be cut off, and that ye may be a curse and a reproach among all the nations of the earth? 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 your wives, which they committed in the land of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem? They are not humbled, even unto this day, neither have they feared, nor walked in my law, nor in my statutes, that I set before your fathers.""The wickedness of their wives ... of your wives ..." (Jeremiah 44:9). The mention of the wives of their kings as being leaders in wickedness brings to mind the hundreds of wives and concubines of Solomon who demanded and received the building of pagan temples for themselves in Israel; and it will be remembered that Jezebel the wife of Ahab brought with her from Sidon an entire institution of pagan priests of Baal.
"My law.., and my statutes ..." (Jeremiah 44:10) We have often noted that the long shadow of the Pentateuch falls over every single subsequent word in the Holy Bible; and here we have specific reference to it.
"Ye provoke me... burning incense to other gods ..." (Jeremiah 44:8). What is wrong with burning a little incense to some pagan god? However innocent and harmless it may sound to some ears, there are the most shameful implications in such actions, as we shall note further under Jeremiah 44:15.
Verse 11
SWORD; AND FAMINE "Therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold I will set my face against you for evil, even to cut off all Judah. 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; in the land of Egypt shall they fall; they shall be consumed by the sword and by the famine; they shall die, from the least even unto the greatest, by the sword and by the famine; and they shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach. For I will punish them that dwell in the land of Egypt, as I have punished Jerusalem, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence; so that none of the remnant of Judah, that are gone into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, shall escape, or be left to return into the land of Judah, to which they have a desire to return to dwell there: for none shall return save such as shall escape."The thrust of this paragraph is the emphasis on the hopelessness of any of the Jewish sojourners in Egypt of having any part whatever in the future plans of God for the salvation of all mankind. All of the sacred promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were at this point to be severed completely from the Jewish remnant in Egypt, and would rest solely with the captives in Babylon.
The reasons for this are easy to see. The temptations to idolatry in Egypt would be stronger than Israel would resist. As for God's eternal purpose of human redemption, it was of no further concern to those selfish sensualists sojourning in Egypt. They still dreamed of going back to Judah, but they were in Egypt forever.
Verse 15
JUDAH'S NEW GOD; THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN"Then all the men who knew that their wives burned incense to other gods, and all the women that stood by, a great assembly, even all the people that dwelt in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, and answered Jeremiah, saying, As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of Jehovah, we will not hearken unto thee. But we will certainly perform every word that is gone forth out of our 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. But since we left off burning incense to the QUEEN OF HEAVEN, and pouring out drink-offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine. And when we burned incense to the QUEEN OF HEAVEN, and poured out drink-offerings unto her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink-offerings unto her, without our husbands?"The capital letters for QUEEN OF HEAVEN in the above paragraph are a variation from our text. This is to emphasize the adoption of a new god by the Jewish sojourners in Egypt.
THE QUEEN OF HEAVENThere was nothing either honorable or innocent in the worship of this ancient sex-goddess by God's people. Who was the Queen of Heaven? She is identified primarily with Ashteroth, Astarte, Ishtar, Venus, Aphrodite and other female goddesses of antiquity. She was worshipped as the goddess of fertility and was the female equivalent of Baal.
"The immoral rites of the worship of this deity entered Canaan from Babylon, long before God sent the children down into Canaan to extirpate it and replace it with the knowledge of the true God."[4]The type of sexual orgies that went along with such worship is clearly visible in Numbers 25, in which event Israel demonstrated their preference for that kind of worship over that which God had commanded, a preference which they maintained down to the events of this chapter.
"The Israelites turned to the worship of the Queen of Heaven as Ashteroth soon after their arrival in Canaan; it was depraved in the extreme; it was rife in the times of Samuel (1 Samuel 7:3-4); after Saul's death, his armour was placed in the temple of Ashteroth at Beth-shan (1 Samuel 21:10); and Solomon gave it royal sanction (2 Kings 23:13)."[5] "In the times of Jeremiah, prior to the exile, the Chosen People had given themselves over to the worst and vilest forms of heathen worship in their worship of the Queen of Heaven."[6] Furthermore, it appears from the events in these last two chapters that it was Israel's desire to continue uninterruptedly their worship of this vile goddess that sparked their willingness to go back to Egypt.
"All the women that stood by ..." (Jeremiah 44:15). "This was probably an idolatrous festival (to the Queen of Heaven) in which the women were taking a leading part."[7] With regard to the part which the women played in such a festival, Numbers 25 gives the daughters of Moab as examples! Cheyne agreed that, "This special mention of the women suggests that the occasion of the gathering was a festival in honor of the Queen of Heaven."[8]"Since we left off burning incense to the Queen of Heaven ..." (Jeremiah 44:18). This appears to be a reference to that period in the days of Josiah the king, whose widespread reforms had, for a season, suppressed the shameful paganism which had taken the land. "They senselessly attributed the disasters to Judah to Josiah's reforms, claiming that idolatry had done more for them than had the Lord."[9] Not once did the people connect their disasters with their sins! Nothing is more blinding than infidelity; and the type of theological acrobat that can suppose sin to be a better benefactor than the righteousness of God is here revealed to have been a very ancient specimen, the prototype of many such theological gymnasts in our own day."
Like the harlot in Hosea, Israel "Did shamefully, and said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, my oil and my drink" (Hosea 2:5); and she did not know that it was her God who gave all those things she desired.
As the women concluded this shocking reply to Jeremiah, that said, in effect, "And don't think for a minute that we do all this without our husbands consent!"
"Did we (do all this) ... without our husbands ..." (Jeremiah 44:19)? "Vows taken by women, in order to be valid, were required by the Law of Moses to be with their husband's consent (Numbers 30:7-16)";[10] and it is certainly amazing that these women here seem to have been boasting that they had engaged in this shameful worship "according to law." Indeed, indeed! This is the key to the error in their thinking that they could do all of those sinful things and yet keep on worshipping God! The result was a kind of syncretism, much like that which Jezebel attempted to set up between Christianity and paganism in Thyatira (Revelation 2:10-14).
"Did we make cakes to worship her ...?" (Jeremiah 44:19) "The cakes were made in the form of a crescent, representing the moon,"[11] believed to have been especially sacred to the Queen of Heaven.
This worship of the Queen of Heaven had all kinds of astrological connotations, similar to that of practically all of the mythological gods and goddesses of antiquity. They were severally identified with the sun, the moon, and the stars, and with certain planets in particular. When Stephen referred to the Israelites having worshipped "the host of heaven" (Acts 7:42), the reference was precisely to these ancient deities.
Verse 20
REFUTES THEIR FALSE "Then Jeremiah said unto all the people, to the men and to the women, even to all the people that had given him that answer, saying, The incense that ye burned in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, ye, and your fathers, and your kings and your princes, and the people of the land, did not Jehovah remember them, and came it not into his mind? so that Jehovah could no longer bear, because of the evil of your doings, and because of the abominations which ye have committed; therefore is your land become a desolation, and an astonishment, and a curse, without inhabitant, as it is this day. Because ye have burned incense, and because ye have sinned against Jehovah, and have not obeyed the voice of Jehovah, nor walked in his law, nor in his statutes, nor in his testimonies; therefore is this evil happened unto you, as it is this day.""Did not Jehovah remember them ...?" (Jeremiah 44:21). This is the equivalent of Jeremiah's asking, "Do you think all of those people really got by with their shameless worship of the Queen of Heaven? If you do, take a look at their land as it is this very day!
This was the only refutation that the false arguments of the Queen's worshippers really needed, if they had only had the sense to appreciate it. Alas, it is true, as Hegel said in his Philosophy of History (1807), "What experience and history teach is this: people and governments never have learned anything from human history, or acted upon the principles deduced from it."[12] Just so it was with those Jews who went sojourning in Egypt; they became ensnared in the shameless idolatry of Egypt and lost their relationship with the Creator.
Verse 24
'S SIGN THAT GOD WOULD KEEP HIS WORD"Moreover Jeremiah said unto all the people, and to all the women, Hear the word of Jehovah, all Judah that are in the land of Egypt: Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, Ye and your wives have both spoken with your mouths, and with your hands have fulfilled it, saying, We will surely perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn incense to the QUEEN OF HEAVEN, and to pour out drink offerings unto her: establish then your vows, and perform your vows. Therefore hear ye the word of Jehovah, all Judah that dwell in the land of Egypt: Behold, I have sworn by my great name, saith Jehovah, that my name shall no more be named in the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, as the Lord Jehovah liveth. Behold, I watch over them for evil, and not for good; and all the men of Judah that are in the land of Egypt shall be consumed by the sword and by the famine, until there be an end of them. And they that escape the sword shall return out of the land of Egypt into the land of Judah, few in number; and all the remnant of Judah that are gone down into Egypt to sojourn there, shall know whose word shall stand, mine or theirs. And this shall be the sign unto you, saith Jehovah, that I will punish you in this place, that ye may know that my words shall surely stand against you for evil: Thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will give Pharaoh-Hophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies, and into the hand of those that seek his life; and I gave Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, who was his enemy and sought his life.""And with your hands have confirmed it ..." (Jeremiah 44:25). This suggests that Jeremiah might have been looking at the cakes then in the hands of the women who had come to worship the Queen of Heaven.
"Establish then your vows, and perform your vows ..." (Jeremiah 44:25). This does not mean that Jeremiah approved of their false worship. It is the equivalent of his saying, "Very well, go ahead with your vows, but be prepared to accept the consequences."
"The burning of incense ..." (Jeremiah 44:24). This action, frequently spoken of throughout the chapter is not limited to any single action, but, "It includes, besides, all the other elements of idolatrous worship."[13]This figure of speech, used throughout both the Old Testament and the New Testament is called synecdoche."
"My name shall no more be named ..." (Jeremiah 44:26). This would be true because of two things. (1) The syncretistic worship of both God and the pagan deity would result in God's name being used less and less frequently until it disappeared altogether (the invariable result of syncretism), and (2) "No Jews will be left alive in Egypt."[14]"I will give Pharaoh-Hophra ..." etc. (Jeremiah 44:30). The sign which Jeremiah here promised was: (1) the capture of Pharaoh-Hophra by his deadly enemies, (2) his imprisonment, and (3) his death, three elements in God's punishment of Zedekiah.
"In the writings of Herodotus, Pharaoh-Hophra is called Apries; he was defeated by the people of Cyrene, and a mutiny followed, after which Amasis became Pharaoh; after treating Hophra kindly for some years, Amasis finally gave him over to his enemies, by whom he was strangled. Thus, the words of Jeremiah here were literally fulfilled."[15]It is not known if Jeremiah lived to see the fulfillment of God's word in this matter or not. We do know that at some time while in Egypt, Jeremiah was slain by those who hated him because of the sacred word of God which he faithfully delivered to the people.
Jeremiah 44:1. The closing verses of the preceding chapter were a prediction against Egypt, doubtless because the country harbored the fugitives of Judah who fled there contrary to the wishes of the Lord. This chapter is directed against the Jews who had thought to avoid the wrath of God by fleeing to this heathen land.
Jeremiah 44:2. Evil is used in the sense of something unpleasant or in the nature of a severe punishment, not in any sense of moral wrong. The complete destruction of Jerusalem was cited as an evidence of what the Lord could and would do to those who resisted the divine admonitions and thus In-curred His wrath.
Jeremiah 44:3. Idolatry was the outstanding sin of Judah and it caused them to commit many other iniquities. Gods which they knew not means the gods that were foreign to them and which were thus called strange (from the outside) gods.
Jeremiah 44:4. The transgressions of Judah were not from any lack of in-struction. Rising early is a figurative expression, referring to the urgency with which God sent his admonitions to his people.
Jeremiah 44:5. To hearken means to heed what is said and to Incline the ear means to be a willing listener. The people of Judah refused to do either although the Lord earnestly admonished them about it.
Jeremiah 44:6. God's fury would be in evidence in the streets of the cities by the destruction that the enemy was permitted to make in them.
Jeremiah 44:7. Against your souls means against their own best interests. ‘ When men oppose the will of the Lord they become their own worst enemies. However, the interests of the soul in this case did not necessarily mean the spiritual matters, but those that were vitally concerned with their popula-tion and national life. Note that mention was made of their citizens and descendants, that all were to be destroyed.
Jeremiah 44:8. It is remarkable to note how slow man is to learn a lesson from his own experiences. The citizens of Judali as a whole had been taken to Babylon in punishment for their idolatry. These few who were in Egypt had been given the special exemption of remaining in their home land though at the same time they were virtual captives. Now here they are in another country through desertion and are taking up the very practices their fellows did for which they had been taken into captivity.
Jeremiah 44:9. The Lord asks these runaway Jews if they had forgotten the record of their fathers. It is in ques-tion form but really is a reproach upon them for not having profited by the end of the nation.
Jeremiah 44:10. The Jews who were at that time in Babylon were as forgetful as these in Egypt and had not become humble through their severe punishment.
Jeremiah 44:11. Coming back to the Jews in Egypt, the Lord warned them that he would set his face against them for evil. The last word means something very unpleasant as a punishment for their sins, not anything wrong morally.
Jeremiah 44:12. The sum of the terrible things threatened in this verse is the most total extinction of the ones who sought residence in Egypt. They were to be consumed by the threefold curse previously mentioned, that of the sword, famine and pestilence. An execration means something considered worthy of being cursed.
Jeremiah 44:13-14. The threefold punishment is again threatened, and the comparison is made to that which was Imposed upon Jerusalem. The significance of the passage is that the stragglers in Egypt were as guilty as the ones who had been taken into Babylon. Of course all rules may have some exceptions and the threat that the ones who had fled to Egypt would he destroyed meant that as a group that would occur. Yet a few individuals were to be suffered to escape as in-dicated in verse 28, Doubtless it was in some way through them that the world outside of Egypt received the writings which Jeremiah produced after being taken to that country.
Jeremiah 44:15. A man is not responsible for what he cannot prevent or know, but if he can know it and does not oppose it, he is as guilty as those doing an evil thing. The men were aware of the idolatrous practices of their women and were hence in partnership with them in sin.
Jeremiah 44:16. The men not only knew of the sins of their wives but spoke in defence of it. The words we will not hearken unto thee constituted a deliberate rebellion against the words of the inspired prophet.
Jeremiah 44:17. According to Smith's Bible Dictionary the queen of heaven "is the moon, worshiped aa Ashtaroth or Asiarte, to whom the Hebrew' women offered cakes in the streets of Jerusalem," We should understand that the women were speaking also in this rebellious conversation (verse 15). They were the ones who made the cakes to be burned in this idolatrous practice, hence were prominent in the defence of this iniquity.
Jeremiah 44:18. These idolaters were vain enough to attribute their prosperity to the false gods which they worshiped. As long as the Lord is willing to tolerate an evil generation at all, he will continue to bestow the blessings of nature. (See Matthew 5:45.) These corrupt people were so foolish as to give their false gods the credit for the blessings that came from the true God.
Jeremiah 44:19
The question form of this verse is really an assertion on the part of the women referred to in verse 15. Without our men means they had the consent of their husbands in the practice of idolatry, and that made the men equally guilty with the women. Such a principle was taught in the law of Moses (Numbers 30:6-9).
Jeremiah 44:20. When Jeremiah replied to these people he spoke to the men and to the women. That indicated that he regarded both sexes as guilty of the corrupt practices.
Jeremiah 44:21. Did not the Lord, remember them signified that God was aware of all the corrupt practices of the people of Judah and would not forget it. He declared (Exodus 20:5) that he was a jealous God. and when his people disrespected him by burning incense to false gods his wrath was kindled against them.
Jeremiah 44:22, Could no longer bear meanB the longsuffering of the Lord finally was exhausted. The result was the desolation of the land and the deportation of its people.
Jeremiah 44:23. It should he noted that the burning of incense in religious service was considered the most exclusive form of devotion. That, was why it was what distinguished the rights of the priests from all others. (See 2 Chronicles 26:16-18.)
Jeremiah 44:24. The people and the women are mentioned separately because the latter made the cakes to be used and the former accepted them to be offered to the Idol gods.
Jeremiah 44:25, Mouths and hands are both named very appropriately because it is not only words hut also deeds that show a man's standing and by which he is to be judged. However, if the words are uttered first, the deeds cannot be thought to be prompted by some sudden impulse. It would show that the deeds were the result of a deliberate plot. This principle is recognized by the governments of the land today. In determining the degree of guilt of an accused man, if his previously-uttered words on the subject can be proved, they are given much consideration by the courts.
Jeremiah 44:26. This prediction was against the Jews who had fled to Egypt, because of their twofold transgression. First, they had sinned in fleeing to that land, and second, by taking up the idolatrous practices of the people around them. God had determined they should not be allowed to engage in professed praise to Him in that land.
Jeremiah 44:27. Watch over them for evil denotes the severe chastisement that the Lord would bring upon them. To prevent them from any success in their unrighteous plots, the Lord was going to watch over them or be always on the alert. As a result, the group as a whole was destined to be destroyed by the threefold calamity often mentioned.
Jeremiah 44:28. These exceptions were commented upon at verse 14. Shall know whose words shall stand is the phrase that indicates these persons were destined to deliver the writings of Jeremiah to the world outside of Egypt.
Jeremiah 44:29-30. As a visible evidence that God could and would perform these threats against the people of Judah in Egypt, He would deliver Pharaoh-hophra (the then-ruling king of the country) into the hand of hie enemies. For the historical fulfillment of this prediction see the quotation at Jeremiah 48:8.
Jeremiah Chapter Forty-Five
Verse 1
Jeremiah 45
GOD'S PROMISE TO BARUCHThis small chapter has a personal message from the Lord to Baruch. Its appearance in the Book of Jeremiah at this place could be either by design or by accident, as the chapters in this wonderful prophecy do not appear to be organized, in any consistent pattern. Keil stated that, chronologically, it belongs after Jeremiah 36;[1] and Green located it a little more exactly as coming between Jeremiah 36:8 and Jeremiah 36:9.[2] Neither the question of exactly when Jeremiah wrote these words, nor how they came to be placed where they appear is of any special importance.
In any case, it forms an excellent appendix to the portion of Jeremiah dealing with Jeremiah's relationship to Judah, being also a good introduction to the prophecies against the nations which appear immediately afterward.
Several writers whom we have consulted make statements about Baruch which we cannot accept. One writer said that, "He was noted for the influence which he had upon Jeremiah"; but the only evidence of anything like that came from the lips of those consummate liars who led that expedition to Egypt, and we find ourselves unable to believe a single word which they said. Still others seem to believe that Baruch himself may have composed sections of the prophecy. We do not believe that is correct, for every account we have of Baruch's writing states that he did so "at the mouth of Jeremiah." Baruch was not the prophet; that honor belonged to Jeremiah.
Jeremiah 45:1-5THE PROMISE TO BARUCH"The word that Jeremiah the prophet spake unto Baruch the son of Neriah, when he wrote these words in a book at the mouth of Jeremiah, in the fourth year of Jehoiachim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, unto thee, O Baruch: Thou didst say, Woe is me now! for Jehovah hath added sorrow to my pain; I am weary with my groaning, and I find no rest. Thus shalt thou say unto him, Thus saith Jehovah: Behold, that which I have built will I break down, and that which I have planted I will pluck up; and this in the whole land. And seekest thou great things for thyself?, seek them not; for, behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh, saith Jehovah; but thy life will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest.""In the fourth year of Jehoiachim ..." (Jeremiah 45:1). "This prophecy is dated 604 B.C. when the first roll (`these words') was written (Jeremiah 36 :ff)."[3]"I am weary with my groaning ..." (Jeremiah 45:3). "There were three grounds, probably, for Baruch's discouragement: (1) he was overwhelmed with the prophet's words on the seriousness of the peoples' sin and the shattering consequences of it; (2) he had probably already suffered some indignities because of his association with the `prophet of doom,' and may have anticipated more to come; and (3) he saw his own personal air castles of ambition and advancement come crashing down around him."[4]"And this in the whole land ..." (Jeremiah 45:4). God's reply reveals that when a whole society is being destroyed, there will certainly be hardship and disaster for many individuals, and warns Baruch to give up his thoughts of ambition and self-advancement. They could not come in that situation where God was plucking up and tearing down the kingdom of Israel.
"But thy life will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest ..." (Jeremiah 45:5). Nevertheless would bless his faithful children, not with the prosperity and peace for which they longed; but he would grant them life, when all around them were perishing. What a precious gift is life, under whatever conditions!
"For a prey ..." (Jeremiah 45:5). "This means that God will allow Baruch to escape with his life, as inJeremiah 21:9; Jeremiah 28:2, and Jeremiah 39:18."[5] However, the words, "In all places whither thou shalt go," are somewhat ominous, indicating that, "Baruch will be obliged to avoid destruction by flight, but that God will thereby save his life."[6]The discerning comment of Albert Barnes is a fitting conclusion to my comments on this little chapter.
"The long catalog of calamities pronounced against Israel by Jeremiah made a painful impression upon Baruch's mind. He was ambitious, of noble birth, being the grandson of Maaseiah the governor of Jerusalem during the times of Josiah; he was a scribe and probably looked forward to high office of state. This short prophecy commands Baruch to give up his ambitions and to be satisfied with being able to escape with his life. When the last memorials of Jeremiah's life were added to the history of the fall of Jerusalem, Baruch added this chapter in his old age; and then, being humbled by the weight of years, and by the sorrows of private and public ,disasters, he probably read this little chapter with far different feelings from those which he had when first Jeremiah revealed to him what the Lord had prophesied concerning his faithful scribe."[7]
Jeremiah 45:1. In the compiling of the parts of Jeremiah’ s writing not much attention was paid to chronology. This chapter should be read just after chapter 36, Baruch was a good man and served as secretary to Jeremiah. After writing at the dictation of the prophet, he was addressed personally by him.
Jeremiah 45:2. Jeremiah did not speak merely as a personal friend to Baruch although he was that, but passed on to him the words that came from the God of Israel.
Jeremiah 45:3. Baruch was worried over the predictions he liad been instructed to write at the mouth of the prophet. He seemed to take it as a personal misfortune that was to come upon him and that he would be the chief sufferer therefrom.
Jeremiah 45:4, God. instructed Jeremiah to hold Baruch's attention to the calamity to be brought upon the general work He had in the nation. The whole land was to be brought down in chas`tisement for its corruptions. That would be a far greater matter for grief than the interests of just one man.
Jeremiah 45:5, Baruch was mildly rebuked for his personal worry in view of the greater misfortune to be imposed upon the land. However, he was given same assurance as a comfort that his life was to be spared to reward him for his righteous conduct.
Jeremiah Chapter Forty-Six
Verse 1
Beginning here and through Jeremiah 51, we have a collection of Jeremiah's prophecies against various Gentile nations, "Arranged geographically, beginning with Egypt, and then moving to Philistia, Moab, Ammon, Edom, Syria, Elam, and Babylon."[1]The Septuagint (LXX) has a different arrangement, but that cannot possibly raise any question about the arrangement here. The Septuagint (LXX) is notoriously undependable in many particulars, nor is the question of "which is the original?" a valid inquiry. Jeremiah wrote the prophecies here; and the arrangement of them was either that of Jeremiah himself, or that of his dependable secretary Baruch. The arbitrary, unscientific, and subjective changes found in the LXX, often cited in the works of Keil, require no particular attention.
Many critics debate the Jeremiahic authorship of these prophecies; but, "There is no substantive evidence"[2] whatever to support a denial of Jeremiah's authorship. As Keil expressed it, regarding some of the adverse arguments, "They can have weight only with those who a priori deny that the prophet could have made any prediction."[3] As we approach the end of the century, the death of the whole system of radical criticism of the Bible is inevitably approaching. As Thompson (writing in the eighth decade of this century) stated it, "Nineteenth and early twentieth century critical scholars were prepared to reject much of these final chapters of Jeremiah; but such a position is no longer possible." [4] Indeed it is not. This writer has encountered no argument whatever against the integrity and authenticity of this final section of Jeremiah that is worthy of any special attention whatever.
What went wrong with radical criticism? We do not question the sincerity of some of the critics, nor do we deny that they have, in certain instances, contributed to Biblical knowledge; but, in spite of this, the great corpus of radical criticism is totally worthless, not because of the critics' lack of skill in following their rules of criticism, but because the rules and axioms which they have adopted are not merely unscientific but absolutely false. We shall not discuss this here.
See pages 264-272 in Vol. 11 of the New Testament Series for a study of the false rules of New Testament critics; and to those mentioned there, we must add the a priori denial of radical critics that predictive prophecy is even a possibility. Such a rule announces the outcome before the study even starts! Who could allow a referee of a sports contest to announce the score before the game started?
Nevertheless, that is the stock in trade used by radical critics, allowing one of them to describe the prophecy of Micah that the Messiah, "whose goings forth are known from of old, even from everlasting" would be born in Bethlehem, eight centuries before it happened (Micah 5:2), as a reference, "To the time when David was being called to the kingship." (Note that a radical critic here applied this prophecy to an event that had already happened centuries earlier). See pp. 341-346, in Vol. 2, of the Minor Prophets Series for a full discussion of the critical rule regarding predictive prophecy, and for many specific reasons why it is impossible to believe such a rule.
The chapter division in this chapter are: (1) the two superscriptions (Jeremiah 46:1-2); (2) the advance of the magnificent Egyptian army (Jeremiah 46:3-4); (3) the route of that army (Jeremiah 46:5-12); (4) Babylon to punish Egypt (Jeremiah 46:13-17); (5) a leader like Tabor and Cannel (Jeremiah 46:18-19); (6) gliding away like a snake (Jeremiah 46:20-24); (7) No-Amon to be destroyed (Jeremiah 46:25-26); (8) prophecy for Israel (Jeremiah 46:27-28).
Jeremiah 46:1-2"The word of Jehovah which came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations. Of Egypt: concerning the army of Pharaoh-necho king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates in Carchemish, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon smote in the fourth year of the Jehoiachim the son of Josiah, king of Judah."There are two superscriptions here, the first pertaining to the subsequent chapters through Jeremiah 51, and the second pertaining to Egypt. We should have expected these prophecies against the Gentile nations, because in God's call of Jeremiah, God placed him "over the nations" as the official prophet who would declare their fate (Jeremiah 1:10). Several of God's prophets pronounced doom against the nations, as did Isaiah, Amos, and others.
"By the river Euphrates in Carchemish ..." (Jeremiah 46:2). The battle fought here about 605 B.C.[5] was one of the decisive battles of history, for it spelled the end of Egyptian domination and heralded the arrival of Babylon as the new world power. It was fought at a strategic location several miles north of the Chebar's junction with the Euphrates. The word "Carchemish" means "Fort of Chemosh," the god of the Moabites (2 Kings 23:13).[6]"In the fourth year of Jehoiachim ..." (Jeremiah 46:2). A number of very significant names and dates cluster around this event.
Jeremiah was contemporary with the five final kings of Judah, from Josiah to the ruin of the nation, and with Nebuchadnezzar the greatest monarch of the neo-Chaldean empire, and with these four kings of Egypt: Psammetik I (664-609B.C.), Pharaoh-necho II (609-594 B.C.), Psammetik II (694-588 B.C.), and Pharaoh-Hophra (588-568 B.C.).[7]The king of Egypt in this battle of Carchemish was Pharaoh-necho who had killed Josiah at Megiddo in 609 B.C.; and, in a sense, the Jews would have considered this victory over Necho at Carchemish some four years later as a proper vengeance for the death of Josiah.
"The Babylonian Chronicle stated that Nebuchadnezzar marched against Egypt again in 601 B.C., with both sides suffering very heavy losses. This was probably the event that tempted Jehoiachim to revolt against Babylon (2 Kings 24:1)[8]Verse 3
THE ADVANCE OF EGYPT AT "Prepare ye the buckler and shield, and draw near to battle. Harness the horses, and get up (mount) ye horsemen, and stand forth with your helmets; furbish the spears, and put on the coats of mail."These words with their sharp, staccato commandments and brilliant descriptive power remind us of the glorying words in the prophecy of Nahum re: the overthrow of Nineveh.
"The buckler and shield ..." (Jeremiah 46:3). The buckler was used by the lightly armed infantry, and the shield was handled by the heavier ranks of the soldiery who were generally the stronger of the two.[9]"Put on the coats of mail ..." (Jeremiah 46:4). Those who are familiar with the KJV cannot fall to be astounded at a switch like this, for the KJV renders this passage, "Put on the brigandines!" Well, it happened like this. The word "brigandines" actually means "coats of mail," worn by soldiers, and in time came to mean "soldiers"; and the conduct of many soldiers throughout history gradually changed the meaning of "brigandines" to "rogues" or "scoundrels." The current word "brigand" derives from it and means "a robber" or a "bandit," especially, "one of a band of plundering outlaws or soldiers." This connection also resulted in such a title as Brigadier General, meaning the commander of a brigade! This appears to this writer as an item of intense interest.
Verse 5
THE ROUTE OF THE ARMY"Wherefore have I seen it? they are dismayed and turned backward; and their mighty ones are beaten down, and are fled apace, and look not back: terror is on every side, saith Jehovah. Let not the swift flee away, nor the mighty man escape; in the north by the river Euphrates they have stumbled and fallen. Who is this that riseth up like the Nile, whose waters toss themselves like the rivers: and he saith, I will rise up, I will cover the earth; I will destroy cities and the inhabitants thereof. Go up, ye horses; and rage ye chariots; and let the mighty men go forth: Cush and Put, that handle the shield; and the Ludim, that handle and bend the bow. For that day is a day of the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge himself of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour and be satiate, and shall drink its fill of their blood; for the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, hath a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates. Go up into Gilead, and take balm, O virgin daughter of Egypt: in vain dost thou use many medicines; there is no healing for thee.
The nations have heard of thy shame, and the earth is full of thy cry; for the mighty man hath stumbled against the mighty, they are fallen both of them together.""Wherefore have I seen it? ..." (Jeremiah 46:5). These words are the dramatic introduction to a startling change in the scene, from that of the arrogant, advancing army of Egypt, to that of a hopelessly beaten and routed army.[10]"Terror is on every side, saith Jehovah ..." (Jeremiah 46:5). Here is the key that demands our understanding of this passage, not as a record of something that has already occurred, but as a divine promise of what is going to happen. Therefore, this prophecy must be dated before the battle of Carchemish.
What brought about the defeat of such a large and impressive force? "It was panic, supernaturally induced, that did it."[11] In this long paragraph, note the words "terror" (Jeremiah 46:5), "they have fled ... look not back" (Jeremiah 46:5), "the mighty man hath stumbled against the mighty" (Jeremiah 46:12), etc.
These verses (Jeremiah 46:3-12) do not contain a triumphal song over a defeat that has already taken place, but a prophecy of a defeat about to take place.[12]"Cush ... Put... Ludim, etc. ..." (Jeremiah 46:9). These places were the sources of the mercenary troops upon which the Pharaohs relied to build and replenish their armies. The Ethiopians, or Nubian Negroes, made up a large part of these. Such foreign mercenaries were never very reliable; and a later Pharaoh-Hophra lost his kingship because of a mutiny against him.
"A day of the Lord ..." (Jeremiah 46:10). It is not "the day of the Lord," for there are no eschatological echoes in the place.
"A day of Jehovah of hosts, a day of vengeance ..." (Jeremiah 46:10). The Egyptians had quite recently slain the good King Josiah, and their defeat was a vengeance against that disaster for Israel. The possible reference here to Egypt's slaying of Josiah (in 609 B.C.), if this alleged reference is correct, would indicate that the exact date of this prophecy would fall between 609 B.C. and 605 B.C., but well before the fall of Carchemish to Babylon.
"The Lord hath a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates." Contrary to all that the proud Egyptian army anticipated, they were destined to be sacrificial victims in that day at Carchemish when the Lord would provide himself a sacrifice of their entire army!
Verse 13
BABYLON TO PUNISH EGYPT"The word that Jehovah spake to Jeremiah the prophet, how that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon should come up and smite the land of Egypt. Declare ye in Egypt, and publish in Migdol, and publish in Memphis, and in Tahpanhes: say ye, Stand forth and prepare thee; for the sword hath devoured round about thee. Why are thy strong ones swept away? they stood not, because Jehovah did drive them. He made many to stumble, yea, they fell one upon another: and they said, Arise, and let us go again to our own people, and to the land of our nativity, from the oppressing sword. They cried there, Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a noise; he hath let the appointed time pass by.""Why are thy strong ones swept away? ..." (Jeremiah 46:15). This statement seems to challenge Egypt to accept the reason for her terrible defeat at Carchemish, namely, the type of troops upon which the Pharaohs depended for their military operations, the mercenaries. Note that the soldiers of Pharaoh are here represented as saying, "let us return to the land of our nativity," which was not Egypt at all, but the various places from which the mercenaries had been recruited.
"The punishment (invasion?) of Egypt promised here in Jeremiah 46:13 ff, came after their defeat at Carchemish, but the exact circumstances have not been determined. Some believe it refers to the Babylonian pursuit of the Egyptians after Carchemish (605 B.C.). A second view argues that it occurred in 601 B.C., when, according to the Babylonian Chronicle, Nebuchadnezzar and Necho fought inconclusively at the Egyptian border. A third option favors 568-567 B.C., when Nebuchadnezzar invaded Egypt. It is possible that the statement was not made in connection with any particular historical event."[13]We fully agree with the last sentence in the above quotation. Did not Nebuchadnezzar "punish" Egypt in all of those instances? Certainly.
"Pharaoh ... is but a noise; he hath let the appointed time pass by ..." (Jeremiah 46:17) These critical words spoken against Pharaoh were probably by his mercenary soldiers. Whoever used such words, their meaning is variously given: "King Bombast" (the New English Bible), "Much-noise-but-he-lets-the-chance-slip-by," (the Jerusalem Bible), "Loudmouth" (Harrison).[14]The meaning of such derogatory names was that: "Pharaoh was a mere empty sound, and that he had allowed the allotted years of prosperity, which, as Herodotus testified, he had enjoyed at the beginning of his reign, to pass by, and having misused them, nothing then remained but his min."[15]Verse 18
A LEADER LIKE TABOR AND CARMEL TO EMERGE"As I live, saith the King, whose name is Jehovah of hosts, surely like Tabor among the mountains, and like Carmel by the sea, so shall he come. O thou daughter that dwellest in Egypt, furnish thyself to go into captivity; for Memphis shall become a desolation, and shall be burnt up, without inhabitant.""He shall tower above ..." (Jeremiah 46:18). "This speaks of Nebuchadnezzar."[16] Mount Tabor, though not as high as Mount Hermon, was very prominent by reason of its dramatic elevation above the surrounding area. Carmel was that great coastal mountain that jutted out into the Mediterranean sea and was a noted landmark in Israel.
"Memphis shall become a desolation ... without inhabitant ..." (Jeremiah 46:19). Here is predictive prophecy at its best. Even if the radical critics could prove that Jeremiah wrote after the event of some of the things he predicted (which, of course, they cannot do), what can they do with a word like this? Memphis indeed became a desolation. By the times of Alexander the Great it was no longer an important place; and to-day, it is known throughout the world as "the great cemetery."[17]Verse 20
GLIDING AWAY LIKE A SNAKE"Egypt is a very fair heifer, but destruction out of the north is come, it is come. Also, her hired men in the midst of her are like calves of the stall; for they also are turned back, they are fled away together, they did not stand, for the day of their calamity is come upon them, the time of their visitation. The sound thereof shall go like the serpent; for they shall march with an army, and come against her with axes, as hewers of wood. They shall cut down her forest, saith Jehovah, though it cannot be searched; because they are more than the locusts, and are innumerable. The daughter of Egypt shall be put to shame; she shall be delivered into the hand of the people of the north.""A very fair heifer ..." (Jeremiah 46:20). Memphis, prominently mentioned in this section, was the shrine of the Sacred Bull of Egypt; and the graves of the many successive animals which served as the living symbol of that God (Apis), each in a private tomb once decorated the ancient city. On this account, the identification of Egypt here as a "heifer" is thought to be sarcastic.
"Hired men ... like calves of the stall ..." (Jeremiah 46:21). "Egypt's mercenaries were but as fat calves in the hands of the butcher!"[18] They probably ate well, looked good, and made a beautiful parade; but they were worthless as fighting men.
"The sound thereof shall go like the serpent ..." (Jeremiah 46:22). The serpent was sacred to one of the most prominent Egyptian gods; and this symbol of the whole nation is probably sarcastically referred to in this verse. The woodsmen are represented as clearing the forest, and the serpent slithers away to hide! It is as if one said of the USA, "The eagle is trapped and is flapping his wings in vain!"
"They shall cut down her forest ... though it cannot be searched ..." (Jeremiah 46:23). The total loss of their forested land was an incredibly effective punishment that Nebuchadnezzar inflicted upon Egypt.
"The daughter of Egypt shall be put to shame ..." (Jeremiah 46:24). "This refers to the exposure of Egypt as she was delivered into the hands of Babylon, an exposure of which Jeremiah had been an eyewitness during the fall of Jerusalem to the same foe; and he had seen the women and girls become objects to satisfy the lust of the Babylonian troops. Jeremiah had previously warned Jerusalem in similar language (Jeremiah 6:12; Jeremiah 38:23, etc.)."[19]Verse 25
NO-AMON TO BE Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, saith, Behold, I will punish Amon of No, and Pharaoh, and Egypt with her gods, and with her kings, even Pharaoh, and them that trust in him: and I will deliver them into the hands of those that seek their lives, and into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and into the hands of his servants; and afterward it shall be inhabited, as in the days of old, saith Jehovah."Unlike the prophecy of Isaiah regarding Babylon, and of Nahum regarding Nineveh, Jeremiah here prophesied that the destruction of Egypt would not be perpetual. Twenty-six centuries afterward, the prophecies still stand as the prophets said, still fulfilled by history. Why? Because the prophecies are God's words, not the words of men.
"Amon of No ..." (Jeremiah 46:25). "Amon was the chief god of Upper Egypt, and No (Thebes) was the capital and principal city of the area."[20]Verse 27
FOR ISRAEL"But fear not thou, O Jacob my servant, neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be quiet and at ease, and none shall make him afraid. Fear not thou, O Jacob my servant, saith Jehovah, for I am with thee: for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have driven thee; but I will not make a full end of thee, but I will correct thee in measure, and will in no wise leave thee unpunished."These verses state emphatically that nothing whatever will be able to thwart the eternal purpose of God in providing redemption for all mankind through the posterity of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Despite the fact of the Chosen people having lost their status as God's wife, and the awful truth that the whole nation had become a degenerate, corrupt vine instead of the noble vine that God had planted, they will not be able to countermand or destroy God's intention. They indeed failed, but God did not fail.
Furthermore, note the fact here that God promises continued punishment of Israel, as fulfilled repeatedly throughout the long centuries between the Old Testament and the New Testament. God's marvelous achievement in bringing in at last through the precious Virgin of Nazareth, that Child who was cradled in the manger of Bethlehem, despite the absolute refusal of the Chosen People to fulfill their obligations in the project, must be ranked as the Greatest Miracle of All Time.
"These two verses are a repetition of Jer 30:10-11, with those variations which Jeremiah always made when quoting himself."[21]Keil noted that, "This promise of salvation for Israel, coming at the close of this prophecy of the judgment on Egypt, is similar to the promise of salvation to Israel inserted in the threat against Babylon (Jeremiah 50:4-7; Jeremiah 51:5-6; Jeremiah 51:10; Jeremiah 51:35-36; Jeremiah 51:45-46; Jeremiah 51:50); and this similarity furnishes proof in behalf of the genuineness of the verse."[22]This chapter gives an extensive view of the turbulent times for mankind when one world-power, such as Egypt, was supplanted by another like Babylon. Human life was in all such situations considered a very cheap and expendable factor; and the sorrows of the human race appear to have been almost beyond the powers of our imagination fully to comprehend them. The tragic record of Adam's race in rebellion against their true God is the only thing needed to explain and justify the need of an ultimate Judgment in which the rebellious portion of Adam's posterity shall indeed be wiped off the face of earth (Zephaniah 1)!
Jeremiah 46:1. After the digression of the preceding chapter, Jeremiah resumed his writings against various nations. Gentiles is from oor and is defined by Strong as follows: "A foreign nation: hence a Gentile.” In the King James version the word has been ren-dered Gentiles 30 times (always plural). heathen 143, nation 366, people 5. The verse means that the prophet was going to make some predictions against the heathen people of various classes and in the many places.
Jeremiah 46:2. The prediction against Egypt was made and the historical comments cited in Jeremiah 43:8-13.
Jeremiah 46:3-4. A buckler is a small protector and a shield is a large one. A helmet is a piece for the protection of the head. To furbish the spears means to polish them. Brigantines were the coats of mail to be worn as a general protection for the body. The entire passage was a notice to Egypt to get ready for war because the Lord was going to bring the Babylonians against the people of that country.
Jeremiah 46:5. Wherefore in the Bible usually means "why?” or ‘ 'how?” and sometimes it means "therefore,” which is its meaning in the present passage. The prediction had just been made that Egypt was to be drawn into war. God knows the future as well as the past and thus he could say I have seen them (the Egyptians) dismayed, etc.
Jeremiah 46:6. Let not . . , flee away is a prediction in the style of the language used by the prophets, and means the people of Egypt will not succeed in
their attempts to escape capture by the Babylonians. Fall toward the north denotes they will be overcome by the nation whose capital is on the Euphrates River. AS to the reason for referring to the "north” see the note at Isaiah 14:31 volume 3 of this .
Jeremiah 46:7. Who is this, etc., is a challenging question to Egypt That country relied on its great River Nile for the life of its people as well it might. But it often filled its kings with an undue sense of importance as to their power.
Jeremiah 46:8. Not only did the Nile furnish Egypt with the necessities of physical life, but the people worshiped it as their chief god and believed that through it they could cover the earth and take possession of the cities. That is why the prediction shows the nation in a mood of defiance against the Babylonians.
Jeremiah 46:9. Many of the passages along here are in the nature of a challenge to Egypt It is as if the Lord said to her: "Just come on and do your best if you think you can defeat My plans.” In that spirit God bids Egypt to come on with her horses and let the (war) chariots rage. She is even challenged to attach to herself all the allies she wishes, such as the Ethiopians and Libyans and others.
Jeremiah 46:10. This is a pronoun referring to the day of the Lord God of hosts, and that day was to be when He brought the Babylonians against the land of Egypt. Sword shall devour means the sword of the Babylonians will slay the people of Egypt. Made drunk does not mean Intoxication in the ordinary sense of that word for blood will not do that. It means the same as to be satisfied or filled and gorged. The passage means the Babylonians will shed an abundance of biood when the Egyptians resist them. Sacrifice in the north country. ' The land of Egypt will not literally be taken to Babylon, but it will be sacrificed to the Lord’ s will and the service will be executed by a people from the north whose capital is on the Euphrates. (See verse 6 on the word north.)
Jeremiah 46:11. A part of Strong’ s definition of the original for virgin is "figuratively, a ctt,y or state,” and it is so used with reference to Egypt. Smith's Bible Dictionary says this of Gilead, "A mountainous region bounded on the west by the Jordan, on the north by Bashan, on the east by the Arabian plateau, and on the south by Moab and Ammon . . . Gilead was specially noted for its balm collected from ‘ balm of Gilead' trees, and worth twice its weight in silver.” Because of the healing qualities believed to be possessed by this balm it was often used or referred to (both literally and figuratively) as a source of cure or relief. This verse means to tell the Egyptians that it will not do them any good to go up after the balm of Gilead. There is to be no cure for them against the predicted affliction, therefore It will be in min for them to seek for any.
Jeremiah 46:12. Nations have heard Is a prediction that, the nations will learn of the defeat of Egypt when it takes place. Mighty man stumbled against the mighty denotes that all the strong men of Egypt, together with their allies on whom they will rely, shall be overthrown together by the Babylonians.
Jeremiah 46:13. This verse repeats the prediction previously made against Egypt, and names the particular man of Babylon (Nebuchadnezzar) who was to be the ruler there at the time. For the historical fulfillment of that prediction see at chapter 43: 8-13.
Jeremiah 46:14. Migdol, Noph (modern Memphis), and Tahpnnhes were principal cities in Egypt. They were singled out by the prediction and were warned to stand fast and prepare. This meant for them to get ready for war waged against them by Nebuchadnezzar.
Jeremiah 46:15. Why are? . , . because means the utter defeat of their men of war will be due to the driving force of the Lord.
Jeremiah 46:16. This is similar to verse 12, referring to internal troubles of Egypt.
Jeremiah 46:17. This is a prediction of the boasting the Egyptians would do regarding their defeat by the enemy. The last clause of the verse is the statement of the Lord, and means that the time will have been passed when Egypt could defend herself when the Babylonians are brought up against the country.
Jeremiah 46:18. Tabor was a high mountain and Carmel was a prominent range in the land of Palestine. Their impressive existence is used as an illustration of the surety and force of the king of Babylon when he comes against Egypt.
Jeremiah 46:19. Furnish thyself means for Egypt to prepare for the worst; that
the country was destined to be overcome by the enemy. Noph was another name for Memphis, one of the great cities of Egypt that was to be laid in desolation when the country was invaded by Nebuchadnezzar and his powerful army,
Jeremiah 46:20. The Egyptians paid special attention and devotion to the cattle kind \
Jeremiah 46:21. The leading men of Egypt felt independent and the country relied on them. They arc turned back is a prediction that, these men will fail the country when the king of Babylon comes against the land.
Jeremiah 46:22. The pronoun thereof refers to the time of their visitation mentioned in the preceding verse. It was to Lake place against Egypt. The voice . . . like a serpent means the voice of the men of Egypt when the Babylonian forces come against the men. Mof- fatt’ s version renders this, "She can but draw back hissing like a snake before her foes.” When a strong force threatens to overcome a snake al! it can do is to hiss at its attacking foe. That Is what the great men of Egypt will do before the army of Babylon be-cause they \
Jeremiah 46:23. The Babylonians will cut down the forests of Egypt at the time Of the invasion. Though it cannot be searched means the forest was supposed to be too great to be destroyed, yet God would enable the Babylonians to cut it down. They means the men of the invading army will be like a swarm of grasshoppers and they will cut down the trees as grasshoppers would consume a field of grass.
Jeremiah 46:24. Daughter means the country of Egypt waB to be c on founded or confused and defeated. For the significance of the north see the note at Isaiah 14:31, volume 3.
Jeremiah 46:25. No was another important city of Egypt whose modern name is Thebes. It was among the cities that were to feel the hand of Babylon under the Lord's plan,
Jeremiah 46:26. The desolation of Egypt was not to be permanent but afterward shall it he inhabited. This was set forth In the history quoted at Jeremiah 43:8-13.
Jeremiah 46:27. Before proceeding to the predictions against other heathen nations, the Lord gave a brief piece of consotalion for his own people who were at that time in captivity. They were promised that they would return out of the land of their captivity and rest securely again in their own land.
Jeremiah 46:28. God’ s people as well as the heathen were to be punished for their sins against Him. However, there was to be a difference in the severity and results of the punishment. The heathen nations were to be put down permanently while God’ s nation was to survive the chastisement. The ful-fillment of this promise may be seen in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah.
Jeremiah Chapter Forty-Seven
Verse 1
Jeremiah 47THE AGAINST This little chapter deals with the prophecy against the Philistines, and also the coastal cities of Tyre and Sidon, in other words, the western coastline of Palestine.
The big problem to which commentators usually address most of their comments on this chapter regards Jeremiah 47:1.
Jeremiah 47:1"The word of Jehovah that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the Philistines, before that Pharaoh smote Gaza.""Before that Pharaoh smote Gaza ..." (Jeremiah 47:1-7). What makes this difficult is that there is no hint here of "which Pharaoh" is meant. Three different dates are suggested for the capture of Gaza mentioned here. (1) Pharaoh-Necho marched against Babylon in 609 B.C., that being when Josiah opposed him and was killed at Megiddo. It is not certainly known, but it is supposed that Pharaoh-Necho might have taken and fortified Gaza at the beginning of that campaign in order to secure his eventual retreat. (2) It has also been suggested that this same Pharaoh-Necho, severely defeated at Carchemish, took Gaza and fortified it, as a bastion against Nebuchadnezzar's following him into Egypt. (3) Another king, Pharaoh-Hophra (588-570 B.C.) is alleged to have taken Gaza in an expedition against Tyre and Sidon. J. R.
Dummelow mentions all three of these possibilities.[1]The trouble with finding any certainty in the answer is due to, "Our ignorance of contemporary history."[2]Other dates for Pharaoh's capture of Gaza, as mentioned here, have been proposed as 608 B.C.,[3] and 605-604 B.C.[4]Our own preference for the date is grounded in our conviction that the Jeremiahic prophecy of the Babylonian campaign against Jerusalem, Egypt, Philistia, and the whole region was written well in advance of the actual advance of the Babylonians, and in fact, at a time when Egypt, not Babylon, was the power most people feared. The weight of this first verse, as we understand it is, therefore: "At a time when Pharaoh of Egypt was the dominating power, even at that early time, Jeremiah prophesied the great flood of the Babylonian invasion `from the north.'"
Another excellent reason for dating this prophecy prior to 609 B.C., is seen in the fact that, according to the Babylonian Chronicle for the year 604 B.C., "Nebuchadnezzar marched against Ashkelon, took its king captive, carried off booty, and prisoners, turning the city into ruins and a heap of rubble."[5] This of course, is a complete fulfillment of Jeremiah's prophecy.
We cannot believe that Jeremiah's prophecy of that destroying flood from the north was a "prophecy after the event," but that it came long before the actual destruction; and that conviction limits this writer to the conclusion that the date of the prophecy was before the death of Josiah in 609 B.C. Certainly, our guess on this is as good as anyone's! We are glad to note that R. K. Harrison, writing in the Tyndale Commentaries also favored this date.[6]Jeremiah is not the only one who prophesied against the Philistines. Amos 1:6-8; Ezekiel 25:15-17; Isaiah 14:28-31; and Zephaniah 2:4-7, are others.
HISTORY OF THE The Philistines were a vigorous people who migrated to the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea from the Island of Crete in very early times, in fact, giving their name (Palestine) to the whole area. Israel never was able to drive them out of the land; but, under king David, they did submit to the government of Israel.
However, in the days of the divided kingdom, they quickly regained their independence, which they maintained through many military operations against them through the ages, which gradually weakened them, leading to their final conquest by the Maccabees in the second century B.C. From this time, they seem to have been totally merged with Israel.
Their principal cities were Ekron, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Gath and Gaza.
Verse 2
"Thus saith Jehovah: Behold, waters rise up out of the north, and shall become an overflowing stream, and shall overflow the land and all that is therein, the city and them that dwell therein; and the men shall cry, and all the inhabitants of the land shall wail. At the noise of the stamping of the hoofs of his strong ones, at the rushing of his chariots, at the rumbling of his wheels, the fathers look not back to their children for feebleness of hands.""Waters rise up out of the north ..." (Jeremiah 47:2). Isaiah also compared the ravages of the great Assyrian army as the Euphrates River at flood (Isaiah 8:7-8); and here Jeremiah uses the same metaphor to describe the ravages of the Babylonians.
"Fathers look not back to their children for feebleness of hands ..." (Jeremiah 47:3). This depicts the terror stricken fathers as so overcome with fear that they could not even try to protect their children. It is an exceedingly powerful comment on the kind of terror inspired by the terrible armies of the Babylonians.
Verse 4
"Because of the day that cometh to destroy all the Philistines, to cut off from Tyre and Sidon every helper that remaineth: for Jehovah will destroy the Philistines, the remnant of the isle of Caphtor. Baldness is upon Gaza; Ashkelon is brought to naught, the remnant of their valley: how long wilt thou cut thyself.""Remnant of the isle of Caphtor ..." (Jeremiah 47:4). "Caphtor is usually identified with Crete."[7]The mention of Tyre and Sidon here puzzles some writers, but, apparently, all that is meant is that the way was then open for Babylon to destroy those cities also, but no prophecy that their destruction would follow.
"Baldness is upon Gaza ... how long wilt thou cut thyself" (Jeremiah 47:5). These were signs of grief and sorrow and are a prophecy of the terrible doom in store for Philistia.
"The remnant of their valley ..." (Jeremiah 47:5). John Bright stated that, "This makes no sense!"[8] But such a comment only means that the commentator does not understand it. Neither can this writer tell what it means; but we heartily agree with Bright that the rendition given in the LXX, which reads, "The remnant of the Anakim (the giants)," while tempting, "May be nothing but a guess on the part of the LXX."[9]Verse 6
"O thou sword of Jehovah, how long will it be ere thou be quiet? put up thyself into thy scabbard: rest, and be still. How canst thou be quiet, seeing Jehovah hath given thee a charge? Against Ashkelon, and against the seashore, there hath he appointed it.""Jeremiah's reference to the sword of Jehovah is one of his most awesome figures. The sword of the Lord symbolizes righteous judgment. That judgment which is now falling upon Judah is also coming upon other countries. The Philistines also must drink of the cup of the wrath of God."[10]There are two addresses in these verses to the personified Sword of Jehovah: (1) The Philistines cry out for the sword to rest, and be still. (2) The prophet answers, "How canst thou, seeing Jehovah hath given thee a charge?"
"There hath he appointed it ..." (Jeremiah 47:7). Jehovah hath appointed his sword to bring terrible vengeance upon wicked peoples. And what is God's sword?
(1) It is his supernatural power, like that "flaming sword" turning in all directions that prevented Adam's race from re-entering the Garden of Paradise.
(2) It is also the literal sword, and all kinds of armament that belonged to many wicked nations, whom God used to punish others, they themselves, in turn, receiving their own punishment. The king of Assyria is called "God's razor" (Isaiah 7:20); and the armies of pagan Rome were referred to as God's armies in the prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem (Matthew 22:7)
Terrible indeed as God's judgments surely were, Adam's race has not yet mastered the lesson that the infinitely Holy God can not and will not tolerate wickedness. It should be remembered that in the instance of the Great Deluge, all mankind perished at one time! and that once more, at the conclusion of this dispensation of God's grace, there will be a second and final destruction of all flesh from the face of the earth, only the redeemed being spared.
Jeremiah 47:1. Again I will remind the reader that chronological order was not always observed in compiling the several parts of a prophet’ s writings. Historically we last knew of Jeremiah when he was being taken by force to Egypt, and little is known of what became of him after that. But his writings seem to have been available and were finally put together by the friends of Truth in the form now with us and known as the book of Jeremiah. Hence we shall read yet many of his prophecies that he wrote before the time he was taken captive. Many of those were against heathen nations that had mistreated the people of God, or had otherwise displeased Him by their practices.
The present chapter was written against the Philistines and it was dated at a time prior to the fall of Gaza which was a prominent city of the Philistines. That date is mentioned in order to explain that a prediction was made against the Philistines and that its fulfillment was to be brought about, through the Egyp-tian king.
Jeremiah 47:2. Waters and flood in figurative language refers to great times of trouble. The application here is to the calamities that were to overthrow the land of the Philistines.
Jeremiah 47:3. The reference to the horses and chariots, etc., is in view of the army that was destined to he brought against the Philistine land. Fathers not look back to their children-. So great will the consternation be that parents will not be concerned for the safety of their children but will think of themselves only.
Jeremiah 47:4. Tyrus and Zidon were cities of Phoenicia, a country lying near that of the Philistines, It was natural
that they would have a fellow feeling for each other in times of distress, but the prophet warned them that such an alliance would not avail.
Jeremiah 47:5. Oasa and Ashkelon were cities of the Philistines, and baldness was a figurative prediction that they would be made bare by the ravages of war. Cut thyself refers to the self- imposed motions of grief over the misfortunes of the country.
Jeremiah 47:6. This verse represents the Philistines in a pleading mood asking the Lord to put up the sword; such is the meaning of how long .. . ere thou he quiet?
Jeremiah 47:7. This verse is the answer of the Lord to the pleading of the Philistines. They are told that it, the sword, cannot be quiet because the Lord had given it a charge, which was against Ashkeion, one of the cities of the Philistines.
Jeremiah Chapter Forty-Eight
Verse 1
Jeremiah 48THE AGAINST MOABThere are three remarkable differences in this prophecy, as compared with others, as cited by Green. "These are (1) its unusual length, (2) its use of material from other prophets, and (3) the large number of place names in it."[1]A number of other prophets also received messages from God regarding the eventual judgment of Moab; and, "These include: Isaiah 15-16; Isaiah 25:10;Ezekiel 25:8-11; Amos 2:1-3; and Zephaniah 2:8-11."[2] Also, this is not the first prophecy regarding Moab that came through Jeremiah. See Jeremiah 9:26; Jeremiah 25:21; and Jeremiah 27:3.
We have already commented upon all of these passages except the one in Ezekiel; and there are not many new things to cover in this chapter. See my commentaries on Amos, Zephaniah and Isaiah.
The reason for God's judgment against Moab is not far to seek. From the days of the false prophet Balaam and afterward, Moab rebelled against the true God, adopted the horrible worship of Chemosh, and reveled in the licentious worship of the Canaanite Baalim. The Moabite women, under the suggestion of Balaam, had pulled off a wholesale seduction of the Israelites at Baal-Peor (Numbers 25:1 ff), in which a thousand of the princes and judges of Israel fell, leading all Israel into paganism from which the Israelites never totally recovered.
The origin of the Moabites, of course, will be remembered as beginning in the incestuous union of Lot and his daughters, the same event from which the Ammonites also sprang (Genesis 19). The Moabites always hated Israel, and "They had actually taken part with the Chaldeans against Judaea (2 Kings 24:2)."[3]Actually, there are no critical problems worth bothering with here; but some writers still insist on repeating some of the old shibboleths of the radical critics, prattling about "which is the original," with regard to similar passages to the writings of other prophets to which Jeremiah referred in this chapter. All the passages are "original." This we shall continue to believe until some critic convinces us that Almighty God could not possibly have given the same words, or similar words, to more than one prophet! Besides, as regards this chapter, the Dean of Canterbury noted the following.
"The passages borrowed from other authors by Jeremiah are so interwoven with Jeremiah's own words that we cannot omit them as interpolations without destroying the whole. Also passages most certainly belonging to Jeremiah, and in many of the alterations of the borrowed passages, one recognizes so strongly Jeremiah's mode of expression, that one has no resource except to acknowledge the whole to be Jeremiah's."[4]Jeremiah 48:1-4JEHOVAH vs. CHEMOSH; THE OF MOAB (Jeremiah 48:1-10)
"Of Moab, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Woe unto Nebo! for it is laid waste; Kiriathaim is put to shame, it is taken; Misgab is put to shame and broken down. The praise of Moab is no more; in Heshbon they have devised evil against her: Come, and let us cut her off from being a nation. Thou also, O Madmen, shall be brought to silence; the sword shall pursue thee. The sound of a cry from Horonaim, desolation and great destruction. Moab is destroyed; her little ones have caused a cry to be heard.""Nebo ..." (Jeremiah 48:1). "This is not the mountain from which Moses viewed the Promised Land, but the city of Num 32:3; Numbers 32:38, built by the Reubenites."[5]"Kiriathaim ..." (Jeremiah 48:1). "A city six miles south of Dibon."[6] Dibon was where the Moabite Stone was found.
"Heshbon ..." (Jeremiah 48:1). This was an important city, belonging originally to Moab; but then captured by Sihon and made his capital (Numbers 21:26); after its conquest by Israel under Moses, it was given to the Reubenites (Numbers 21:21-24; Numbers 32:37). By the times of Jeremiah, the city was at the zenith of its prosperity and had been retaken by Moab.[7]But in the times of a certain Alexander, Heshbon again became a Jewish city.[8] Moab eventually was lost as a nation, except for the hope expressed in Jeremiah 48:47 (below).
"In Heshbon they have devised evil against her ..." (Jeremiah 48:2). It is believed that this is a prophecy that the Babylonians would plan their subjugation of Moab at Heshbon. There is a play on the word. "Heshbon" means "to plan"; and the words "plan evil" are similar in the Hebrew.
"Misgab ..." (Jeremiah 48:1) and "Madmen ..." (Jeremiah 48:2). Nothing is known of either of these towns; and the dictionaries available to us have no notes on them whatever.
"Horonaim ..." (Jeremiah 48:3). "This is the same as the city of Avara, mentioned by Ptolemy; the name means `the double caves' (Nehemiah 2:10; Isaiah 15:5).[9]"Her little ones have caused a cry to be raised ..." (Jeremiah 48:4). The "little ones" referred to here were in all probability the infant sacrifices offered to the savage old god Molech, or Chemosh. That horrible rebellion against God in offering such sacrifices was certainly one of the reasons that brought the wrath of God upon Moab. See more about that pagan god under Jeremiah 48:7.
Verse 5
"For by the ascent of Luhith with continual weeping shall they go up; for at the descent of Horonaim they have heard the distress of the cry of destruction. Flee, save your lives, and be like the heath in the wilderness. For because thou hast trusted in thy works and in thy treasures, thou also shalt be taken, and Chemosh shall go forth into captivity, his priests and his princes together. And the destroyer shall come upon every city, and no city shall escape; the valley also shall perish, and the plain shall be destroyed; as Jehovah hath spoken. Give wings unto Moab, that she may fly and get her away: and her cities shall become a desolation, without any to dwell therein. Cursed be he that doeth the work of Jehovah negligently; and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood.""Ascent of Luhith... descent of Horonaim ..." (Jeremiah 48:5). Whether fleeing to a high mountain or descending into the caves at Horonaim, the people would hear the cry of destruction. "`Luhith' is unknown";[10] but the mention of "ascent" suggests that it was some kind of summit, or high place.
"Flee, save your lives, be like the heath in the wilderness ..." (Jeremiah 48:6). Textual uncertainties inJeremiah 48:6 have led to several different translations here. "The word here rendered `heath' is also rendered as `tamarisk,' `sand-grouse,' or `wild ass' (See KJV, ASV, the English Revised Version (1884), the New English Bible, the Jerusalem Bible, and LXX).[11]"Chemosh shall go forth into captivity ..." (Jeremiah 48:7). "Chemosh is referred to on the Moabite Stone as Ashtar-Kemosh. Ashtar in Canaan was the god of the morning star."[12] Thus we have another example of the Israelites and their kinsmen "worshipping the host of heaven" (Acts 7:42 ff). In fact, many of the ancient gods and goddesses of paganism were identified with the sun, the moon, various stars and planets
Chemosh, the national god of the Moabites, is here prophetically doomed to captivity, and that meant also that the whole nation of Moab would suffer in a similar way. Like all other manmade gods, Chemosh was of no help whatever to Moab in the day of their calamity.
Jeremiah 48:10 here is a mystery, especially the last clause, of which Robinson said, ,'Here the prophet incites to the slaughter with a curse."[13] However, we reject that interpretation. The only true application of such a command would be to those instruments whom God commissioned to punish rebellious nations for their wickedness. Certainly, Pope Gregory VII's making this his favorite verse has no possible justification.[14]Verse 11
AND "Moab hath been at ease from his youth, and he has settled on his lees, and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither hath he gone into captivity: therefore his taste remaineth in him, and his scent is not changed. Therefore the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will send unto them that pour off, and they shall pour him off; and they shall empty his vessels, and break their bottles in pieces. And Moab shall be ashamed of Chemosh, as the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel their confidence. How say ye, we are mighty men, and valiant men for the war? And they are gone up into his cities, and his chosen young men are gone down to the slaughter, saith the King whose name is Jehovah of hosts. The calamity of Moab is near to come, and his affliction hasteth fast.
All ye that are round about him, and all ye that know his name; say, How is the strong staff broken, the beautiful rod!""Settled on his lees ..." (Jeremiah 48:11). This expression came from the wine-making industry. The best wine cannot be produced without a process of draining off the liquid from the dregs repeatedly, and by pouring the wine from vessel to vessel during the fermentation process. If this is not done, the color of the wine, its taste and quality are inferior. The metaphor of Moab being settled on their lees meant that they had been very fortunate, due to their location, and had not been exercised, as a people, by the hardships and calamities which, had they suffered such, might have hardened and prepared the people for what would eventually come upon them. It was simply a case of a nation growing, fat, lazy and incompetent, a situation which this writer fears is gradually coming upon our own country at this very moment.
For over a hundred years all of our wars have been fought on the other man's homeland, not ours.
"They shall pour him off ..." (Jeremiah 48:12). This is a metaphor, meaning that the Babylonians will fall upon Moab, which will be helpless before them and will suffer total ruin.
"Ashamed of Chemosh . .. as Israel was ashamed of Bethel ..." (Jeremiah 48:13) Israel was indeed ashamed of Bethel. That city was where Jeroboam established the sinful altar for Israel, setting up the calf worship there. This is where all Israel "kissed the calf" (Hosea 13:2); but kissing the calf did them no good whatever when Shalmanezer fell upon Samaria and mined the nation forever. Israel must indeed have been ashamed of all that calf-kissing when the blow fell! So would it be with Moab and their pagan, man-made Chemosh!
"They are gone up into his cities ..." (Jeremiah 48:15). Textual uncertainties here have led to alternate renditions, "Her cities have gone up in smoke (burnt)." and, "The waster of Moab and of her towns is coming up to the attack, and her chosen youths are gone down to the slaughter."[15]"The calamity of Moab is come near, and his affliction hasteth fast ..." (Jeremiah 48:16). The certainty of our dealing with a predictive prophecy here is seen in the construction of these sentences. It would have been impossible, after the destruction of Moab had occurred, for any man in his right mind to have made a statement of this kind. Can one imagine a serious writer appearing publicly in Atlanta, Georgia, today and shouting that "General Sherman is advancing upon Atlanta!"?
Barnes noted that this prophecy was given twenty-three years before the events foretold, the fulfillment coming, "Five years after the destruction of Jerusalem."[16]"The strong staff broken ..." (Jeremiah 48:17). "The emblems of Moab's rule and authority, `the scepter' and `glorious staff' will be broken, showing that their power and national glory will pass."[17]Verse 18
AND "O thou daughter that dwellest in Dibon, come down from thy glory, and sit in thirst; for the destroyer of Moab is come up against thee, he hath destroyed thy strongholds. O inhabitant of Aroer, stand by the way, and watch: ask him that fleeth, and her that escapeth; say, What hath been done? Moab is put to shame; for it is broken down; wail and cry; tell ye it by the Arnon, that Moab is laid waste.""Come down ... sit in thirst ..." (Jeremiah 48:18). The thought here is the same as that of Isa 47:1-5, in which Babylon was spoken of as a deposed queen, coming down from a throne to sit on the ground.
"Dibon ..." (Jeremiah 48:18) "... Aroer ..." (Jeremiah 48:19) "... the Arnon ..." (Jeremiah 48:20). Dibon, the same as modern Diban, was located four miles north of the Arnon river and twelve or thirteen miles east of the Dead Sea. The Moabite Stone was found there in 1868. Aroer was situated southwest of Dibon and was the southernmost city of Sihon. There were two other cities of the same name, mentioned in Numbers 32:34, and in 1 Samuel 30:28. The Arnon emptied into the east side of the Dead Sea opposite Engedi, and marked the boundary between Ammon on the north and Moab on the south.
Verse 21
"And judgment is upon the plain country, upon Holon, and upon Jahzah, and upon Mephaath, and upon Dibon, and upon Nebo, and upon Beth-diblathaim. and upon Kiriathaim, and upon Beth-gamal, and upon Beth-meon, and upon Kerioth, and upon Bozrah, and upon all the cities of the land of Moab, far or near. The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken, saith Jehovah.""The horn of Moab is cut off ..." (Jeremiah 48:25). Like a bull with his horns cut off and no longer able to fight, or like a boxer with a broken arm, the helplessness of Moab before her enemies is thus metaphorically represented.
"All the cities of Moab, far or near ..." (Jeremiah 48:24). Eleven of these cities are mentioned in this paragraph.
"Holon ... Mephaath ..." Neither of these cities has ever been identified.
"Dibon ... Nebo ..." See above comments on these.
"Jahaz ..." This name occurs in several forms. It was the scene of Israel's triumph over Sihon (Numbers 21:23; Deuteronomy 2:32). The Moabite Stone reports that Israel possessed the town for awhile; but the city was in the hands of Moab in the times of Jeremiah.[18]"Beth-diblathaim ... Beth-gamul ... Beth-meon ..." Peloubet's Bible Dictionary lists all of these (pp. 87,91). The first of these means, "The house of two fig cakes," very probably a reference to some pagan shrine where the price of admission to their sacred licentiousness was "two fig cakes." The place is identified as Almon-diblathaim.
The second was a Moabite town east of the Jordan river; and the meaning of the name, according to Jamieson was, "The city of camels."[19]The third name is the contraction of a longer term, Beth-Baal-Meon. It was a Moabite town evidently connected with the worship of Baal.
"Kerioth ..." (Jeremiah 48:24). This was, apparently, at one time the capital city of Moab, for the king evidently lived there when Amos gave his prophecy (Amos 2:2). It should not be confused with the city having the same name in southern Judah. Some identify it with Ar, the ancient capital of Moab. It was the location of a principal sanctuary of Chemosh.[20]"Bozrah ..." (Jeremiah 48:24). This Moabite city has not been certainly identified. Some equate it with Bezer, one of the cities of refuge, located fifteen miles east of the place where the Jordan enters the Dead Sea. It is not the same as the Edomite city of Bozrah.
Verse 26
"Make ye him drunken for he magnified himself against Jehovah: and Moab shall wallow in his vomit, and he also shall be in derision. For was not Israel a derision unto thee? was he found among thieves? for as often as thou speakest of him, thou waggest the head. Oh ye inhabitants of Moab, leave the cities, and dwell in the rock; and be like the dove that maketh her nest over the mouth of the abyss."The long hatred between various divisions of the Semitic people is in some ways a mystery. Lot, the ancestor of the Moabites, was a true friend and kinsman of Abraham; but the Moabites, Lot's descendants, are here represented as continual enemies of Israel who spoke contemptuously of them at all times. This was one of the reasons for God's wrath. The prophecy here admonishes the people to hide, if they can, from their forthcoming devastation.
Verse 29
DIRGE OVER A LAND"We have heard of the pride of Moab, that he is very proud; his loftiness, and his pride, and his arrogancy, and the haughtiness of his heart. I know his wrath, saith Jehovah, that it is naught; his boastings have wrought nothing. Therefore will I wail for Moab; yea, I will cry out for all Moab: for the men of Kirheres shall they mourn. With more than the weeping of Jazer will I weep for thee, O vine of Sibmah: thy branches passed over the sea, they reached even to the sea of Jazer: upon thy summer fruits and upon thy vintage the destroyer is fallen. And gladness and joy is taken away from the fruitful field and from the land of Moab."Sometimes a new translation provides a deeper insight into the meaning of a passage; and here it is the New English Bible that does so.
"We have heard of Moab's pride, and proud indeed he is. Proud, presumptuous, overbearing, insolent. I know his insolence, says the Lord; His boasting is false, false are his deeds."[21]"Kirheres ..." (Jeremiah 48:31). "The literal meaning of this word is `city of potsherds.' It is the same as Kirhareseth (2 Kings 3:25; Isaiah 16:7). Today, it is probably El-Kerak, 17 miles south of the river Arnon, and eleven miles east of the Dead Sea."
"Sibmah ... Jazer ... Elealeh ..." (Jeremiah 48:32; Jeremiah 48:34). All three of these places were clustered around Heshbon; Sibmah was three miles northwest, Elealeh was 2 miles North and Jazer was 10 miles North of Heshbon.[22] Isaiah also mentioned the "vines of Sibmah" (Jeremiah 16:8-9) but a careful look at both passages will leave no doubt of the absolute originality of both. The critical nonsense that one sacred writer's mention of something that another sacred writer also mentioned is always and invariably a sign that one of them copied the other is ridiculous; and that stupid rule has been carried to its preposterous extreme in the alleged so-called "doublets" of the New Testament.
"That reached even to the sea of Jazer ..." (Jeremiah 48:32). Translators in some works, trying to guard what they feel is the integrity of the text, have changed the reading here, as in the New English Bible to "the fountains of Jazer," which is totally unnecessary. Sure, there is no "sea" (or `inland lake') at this place today; but this is no indication whatever that there was not a large lake there 2,600 years ago! Visitors to Yellowstone Park are shown the remains of a rather large lake that has disappeared there within the last century, as a natural change wrought by geographical developments. Keil noted this fact. "Since the valley of Jazer, lying among the mountains, is somewhat depressed, it was in ancient times probably filled with water."[23] In the light of what is written here in the Word of God, we can be sure that this is true.
Verse 33
"And I have caused wine to cease from the wine-presses: none shall tread with shouting; the shouting shall be no shouting; from the cry of Heshbon even to Elealeh, even unto Jahaz have they uttered their voice, from Zoar even unto Horonaim, to Eglath-shelishiyah: for the waters of Nimrim also shall become desolate. Moreover I will cause to cease in Moab, saith Jehovah, him that offereth in the high place, and him that burneth incense to his gods. Therefore my heart soundeth for Moab like pipes, and my heart soundeth like pipes for the men of Kirheres: therefore the abundance that he has gotten is perished. For every head is bald, and every beard clipped: upon all the hands are cuttings, and upon the loins sackcloth. On all the housetops of Moab and in the streets thereof there is lamentation everywhere; for I have broken Moab like a vessel wherein none delighteth, saith Jehovah. How is it broken down! how do they wail! how hath Moab turned the back with shame! so shall Moab become a derision and a terror to al] that are round about him.""The shouting shall be no shouting ..." (Jeremiah 48:33 b).
The vast wine industry, upon which much of Moab's prosperity depended will be totally destroyed. The workers who treaded out the grapes in the wine-presses continually celebrated their activity by shoutings and songs.
The cry of the distressed population will reach all the way from Zoar, at the southwest corner of the Dead Sea to Horonaim and Eglath-shelishiyah.
The last two place names here are not too positively identified, but Keil placed both of them in southern Moab. The general meaning is surely clear enough. Grief and distress are everywhere.
"My heart soundeth for Moab like pipes ..." (Jeremiah 48:36). This is a reference to the prophet's own grief for the terrible, distress prophesied against Moab. We have a little later in the chapter a dramatic description of how that grief affected all the people. This grief of Jeremiah is significant. He did not prophesy doom because he received any pleasure from it, but because it was his duty to warn the people.
"Every head bald ... every beard clipped ... sackcloth worn by all ... mourning on all the housetops ... mourning in all the streets ..." (Jeremiah 48:36-38). What a pitiful picture of what Nebuchadnezzar's brutal, licentious, devastating armies did to the peoples of the world. Here is the pride and ruthless ambition of men raging out of control.
Verse 40
AND "For thus saith Jehovah: Behold, he shall fly as an eagle, and shall spread out his wings against Moab. Kerioth is taken, and the strongholds are seized, and the heart of the mighty men of Moab at that day shall be as the heart of a woman in her pangs. And Moab shall be destroyed from being a people, because he hath magnified himself against Jehovah. He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for I will bring upon him, even upon Moab, the year of their visitation, saith Jehovah.""He shall fly as an eagle ..." (Jeremiah 48:40). The eagle here was Nebuchadnezzar's terrible army. This writer, as a child, witnessed a bald eagle's attack upon a coyote.
The helplessness of the doomed animal was pitiful; and the swift, ferocious attack can never be forgotten. Moab was helpless before such a destroyer.
"The fear, and the pit, and the snare ..." (Jeremiah 48:43-44). These verses are almost identical withIsaiah 24:17-18; but if this expression was a popular proverb of that day, which it most probably was, there could be nothing surprising about its being found in Jeremiah as well as in Isaiah. In fact we have the same proverb with different elements in Amos 5:19, "As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him, or went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him!"
Verse 45
"They that fled stand without strength under the shadow of Heshbon; for a fire is gone forth out of Heshbon, and a flame from the midst of Sihon, and hath devoured the corner of Moab, and the crown of the head of the tumultuous ones. Woe unto thee, O Moab! the people of Chemosh is undone; for thy sons are taken away captive, and thy daughters into captivity. Yet will I bring back the captivity of Moab in the latter days, saith Jehovah. Thus far is the judgment of Moab."The first two of these verses record the fulfillment of Balaam's prophecy against Moab in Numbers 21:28-30; Numbers 24:17, some of the very language of the Book of Numbers being here repeated, indicating once again that all of the Pentateuch (not merely Deuteronomy) was, even at this date, in the hands of Israel. As we have repeatedly noted, every line of the Old Testament lies under the shadow of the first five books of the Old Testament.
"Yet will I bring back the captivity of Moab in the latter days, saith Jehovah ..." (Jeremiah 48:47). How could this be, when God had announced that "Moab should be destroyed from being a people?" Halley noted that, "This was probably fulfilled when the Moabites, absorbed into the race of the Arabs, many of whom were present at Pentecost when the Gospel was proclaimed unto all men (Acts 2:11),"[24] were evidently among those converted to Christ. Certainly the "restoration" promised here was definitely stated to be scheduled for the "latter days," the times of the Messiah.
"A similar promise is given to Egypt, Ammon, and Elam (Jeremiah 46:26; Jeremiah 49:6; Jeremiah 49:39)."[25]"Thus far is the judgment of Moab ..." (Jeremiah 48:47 b). This is not a critical comment, but is most likely a note by some scribe, similar to the one in Jeremiah 51:54.
Jeremiah 48:1. This entire chapter is against the land of Moab which was situated on the east side of the Dead Sea, Its people were descended from one of the sons of Lot (Genesis 19:37) and were hence related by blood to the line coming down from Abraham. For this reason the Lord would not permit his people to deal with them as they did with other nations with whom they came in contact (Deuteronomy 2:9). Yet the relations between the two peoples were somewhat strained and in the main the Moabites were considered as enemies to the Israelites and were marked for some severe judgments from the Lord, The places named were cities of the Moabites that were destined to feel God's wrath.
Jeremiah 48:2. Heshhon was another city In the land of Moab that was to be punished. They have devised evil against it means the forces whom God would see fit to use as his Instruments when the time came for the punishment predicted.
Jeremiah 48:3. Voice of crying means the bewailing that was to he heard in the city of Horonaim which was one of the special ones among the Moabites.
Jeremiah 48:4. Moah is named and includes the land and the people. Little has a various definition in the lexicon, hut the general meaning is to be small or helpless against the attacking foe, and that was to make the people of the land cry out so as to he heard.
Jeremiah 48:5. Luhith and Horonaim were cities of Moab and their citizens were destined to be heard crying because of the destruction of their cities.
Jeremiah 48:6. Flee, save yourselves is a prediction of the distressful condition that was to come upon the land of Moab. Heath means a tract of waste land, and the land of Moab was to become such a place for a time.
Jeremiah 48:7. The feeling of security which the Moabites had was to be shattered and their helplessness was to become evident. Chemosh was one of the invisible gods of the land of Moab. the chief one that they wor-shiped. Idolaters relied on their gods for protection and help, but the prediction was against all their expectations.
Jeremiah 48:8. The spoiler means one who would strip the country of its goods, and in this case it was to be the Babylonians. City and valley are named together to indicate the completeness of the desolation as it would affect the land.
Jeremiah 48:9. There would be no use to try fleeing from the punishment, that God designed against Moab. The language intends to picture the people in a state of panic and desire to escape the chastisement confronting them.
Jeremiah 48:10. God had decreed the pun-ishment of Moab at the hands of another country, and the work to be done by it (Babylon) would be the work of God. If the swordsman of Babylon should be negligent in using the sword against the victims of God's wrath, the divine curse will be upon him.
Jeremiah 48:11. This verse is an interesting figurative description of the past state of the self-satisfied peace of Moab, The figure is drawn from the subject of wine and its various conditions. Lees are the settlings that fall to the bottom of a vessel In which the raw juice of the grape has been placed. After a time these settle and leave the pure wine undisturbed and clear on the top. To pour this wine from one vessel to another would disturb It which would represent the dis-turbed condition of the land of Moab when it is upset by the Babylonians. The land had not gone into captivity which means it had been left aione as a quantity of wine undisturbed with the lees at the bottom of the vessel. In such a condition the taste of the pure wine would remain in the vessel, not having been mixed with the dregs through being shaken up or poured out.
Jeremiah 48:12. This condition of peace was to be disturbed and the wanderers (the Babylonians) were to come and break the bottles (figuratively speaking) and destroy the peace of the land on which the people bad been resting in their false security.
Jeremiah 48:13. Bethel was one of the places where the 10-tribe kingdom of Israel set up the golden calves for idolatrous worship (1 Kings 12:29). That did not save Israel from the shame of captivity (2 Kings 17). neither was the Idol god Che.moxh. going to save Moab In the day of its humiliation.
Jeremiah 48:14, The Moabites boasted of their men in the war forces and virtually defied any nation to oppose them.
Jeremiah 48:15. Moab is spoiled is present tense as to grammatical form but is prophetic in thought. 'When God says a certain, thing will be done it is as certain as a thing that is done at the time it is predicted.
Jeremiah 48:16. This verse is still a prediction in the present tense, but it is a little more definite as to time and says the fulfillment is soon to come.
Jeremiah 48:17. The downfall of Moab was to be so evident and humiliating that the surrounding nations would lament over it They are predicted as being so affected because the men of Moab had been regarded as great and strong and it would be a matter of astonishment to see them meet such great defeat.
Jeremiah 48:18. Daughter is a figurative name for a country and Dtion was one of the cities of that country. The Moabites were proud and independent and had exalted themselves over the glory of this city. Come down from thy glory is a prediction that the Moabites would be taken down from that self-constructed pinnacle of glory and he made to sit in thirst which means they would be brought to want.
Jeremiah 48:19. The countries of the ancient world counted much on their cities, and for that reason many of the military conflicts were directed towards those centers, Aroer was a city of Moab and its inhabitants were warned of the destruction to come upon the city. Espy means to look on and see the people fleeing from the city. They were then to ask the meaning of the excitement and would wonder what is donet
Jeremiah 48:20. This gives the answer to the inquiry, which is that Moab is confounded or confused because it is
broken by the invasion of the Babylonians. Arnon was a Btream on whose banks the city of Aroer was located, and the stream is represented as lamenting the hard fate of the country through which it flowed.
Jeremiah 48:21. The towns named in this verse were not very important and little is known of them. But the Moabites counted much on their many towns or cities, and the Lord wished them to get some idea of the greatness of His wrath by overthrowing them.
Jeremiah 48:22-24. The cities named in this paragraph were to receive punishment similar to those previously named, hence they are grouped into the one unit.
Jeremiah 48:25, When horn is used figuratively It is defined "power" in the lexicon. The power of Moab as a nation was to be taken from her by the Babylonians.
Jeremiah 48:26. We should understand these terms are being used figuratively. A drinking man sometimes boasts of his ability to '‘ handle'' as much liquor as he chooses. God represents Moab in that frame of mind and predicts that he will be forced to swallow more than he can manage. He was to become repulsively sick from drink and then forced to wallow In the discharges of his besotted stomach.
Jeremiah 48:27. Moab had made light of Israel and compared him to a man caught among thieves. It was true that Israel had met with misfortune as a chastisement from God for his sins, but the Lord would not tolerate having Moab skip with joy over it.
Jeremiah 48:28. The burden of the oppression that was to come against the people of Moab would be directed chiefly against the cities. That is why the citizens of such spots were told (which was a form of prediction) to leave them and dwell among the rocks.
Jeremiah 48:29. Pride is not always manifested by a display of outward glory. The original word Is also rendered "avrogancy,” which means an overbearing attitude. Moab had certainly shown that disposition against Israel, a noted instance being that in the affair of Balak and Balaam (Numbers 22-24).
Jeremiah 48:30. The same spirit described as pride in the preceding verse is here called wrath. In that attitude Moab threatened to destroy Israel (even as lie tried in the days of Balak), hut God knew all about it and decreed the failure of the plot. Shall not effect it
means Moab would not be able to bring the effect against Israel that he conspired to do.
Jeremiah 48:31 Jeremiah 48:31. Wifi I howl is a form o£ prediction, meaning that Moab would howl for the miseries that the Lord would bring against the land. Kir-heres was one name of a place in the land of Moab that was destined to feel the sting of God's wrath.
Jeremiah 48:32. Much of this verse is figurative but it has Hie same thought as the other predictions against the land. Weep with the Keeping means that Sibmah will weep In the same manner as did Jazer, a city that had been taken by invaders (Numbers 21:32). Plant* refers to the people who are gone (will go, according to prophetic style) over the sea. This clause is an indirect reference to the cities tributary to Babylon,
Jeremiah 48:33. Grape cultivation was one of the principal industries of the lands of the Bible. For that reason an interference with that business would he considered a serious thing for the country: such a misfortune was to befall the land of Moab.
Jeremiah 48:34. Nimrim was a stream in the region of Moab, and the other names were towns and places that depended on the waters for sustenance, but that was to be cut off by the curse the Lord intended bringing on the country. According to verse 11 Moab had never suffered much as a nation, even as a heifer of three gears old had never known the hardships of work. The circumstance is used to illustrate the unaccustomed misfortune to be brought against the land.
Jeremiah 48:35. The idolatrous practices of Moab were destined to be stopped by the Lord. This would be accomplished by the dearth that would come which would cut short the production of animals and other items commonly used in sacrifices.
Jeremiah 48:36. The distressful situation of Moab is described figuratively in this passage. The prophet (speaking for the Lord) expresses a pitiable attitude toward the sad fate decreed to come upon the land. The figure is based upon an instrument called a pipe. The appropriateness of such a comparison will bo apparent in the following quotation from Smith's Bible Dictionary: “ The sound of the pipe was apparently a soft, wailing note, which made it appropriate to be used in mourning and at funerals.” This explains to us the reason for the language in Matthew 9:23.
Jeremiah 48:37. In ancient times a strange custom prevailed in cases of great distress or anxiety. People would mutilate their bodies and disarrange their hair and beards in the manner described in this verse.
Jeremiah 48:38. Houses had Hat roofs in the eastern countries so that people used them as places of prayer and other activities. (See Acts 10:9.) Moab was destined to engage in mourning programs on the tops of their houses as well as in the streets, when the threatened punishment came upon the country.
Jeremiah 48:39. They shall howl means that others shall express themselves at the shameful condition that wras to come on the land of Moab. The significance of it is in the fact of the situation’ s being so evident that others would realize it and make remarks.
Jeremiah 48:40. He shall fly denotes that the Lord will come down upon Moab with his punishment, even as an eagle would swoop over a land.
Jeremiah 48:41, Kerioth was a town of Moab and it was to suffer the same fate as her sisters. When a woman is In the pangs of childbirth her entire nervous system is in a slate of terror (John 16:21). That circumstance is used to illustrate the state of mind that will overcome the men of Moab when they see the trouble in their gates.
Jeremiah 48:42. The destruction of Moab was to he understood in a comparative sense and not in a total one as will be seen in the last verse of this chapter.
Jeremiah 48:43. A pit indicates a place into which one might fall, and a snare means an instrument in which one would be caught. Both terms are used to indicate the downward piunge that the people of Moab would take in the hour of their adversity.
Jeremiah 48:44. The varied experiences of escaping from one difficulty only to run into another describes the things that were destined to come upon the land of Moab. Year of their visitation means the. year when God would visit Moab with his punishments.
Jeremiah 48:45. Heshbon was a prominent city of Moab and the people thought they would find shelter in the shadow t hereof. They fled there because of the force of the enemy that the Lord had chosen by whom to chastise (he Moabites. But the fire of God’ s wrath had already shot forth even In the region of Heshbon so that, it would not avail anything to flee thither for the purpose of finding refuge.
Jeremiah 48:46. The people of Chemosh means the Moabites who relied on this god for protection. Instead of help from this false god his worshipers were to perish.
Jeremiah 48:47, Moab never did go bodily into national captivity as we understand that term regarding the captivity of Israel. It rather indicated a state of domination under some other people in which its national progress was checked. The original for captivity is defined by Strong, “ a former state of prosperity,” Thus the prediction In the phrase bring again the captivity means that after having suffered punishment according to God's purpose, He would restore to the land of Moah its previous state of national prosperity and the liberty of enjoyment therein.
Jeremiah Chapter Forty-Nine
Verse 1
Jeremiah 49 AGAINST AMMON; EDOM; SYRIA; HAZOR; AND ELAM;
Jeremiah 49:1-6 AGAINST AMMON"Of the children of Ammon. Thus saith Jehovah: Hath Israel no sons? hath he no heir? why then doth Malcam possess Gad, and his people dwell in the cities thereof? Therefore the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will cause an alarm of war to be heard against Rabbah of the children of Amman; and it shall become a desolate heap, and her daughters shall be burned with fire: then shall Israel possess them that did possess him, saith Jehovah. Wail, O Heshbon, for Ai is laid waste; cry, ye daughters of Rabbah, gird you with sackcloth: lament, and run to and fro among the fences; for Malcam shall go into captivity, his priests and his princes together. Wherefore gloriest thou in the valleys, thy flowing valley, O backsliding daughter that trustest in her treasures, saying, Who shall come unto me? Behold, I will bring a fear upon thee, saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, from all that are round about thee; and ye shall be driven out every man right forth, and there shall be none to gather together the fugitives.
But afterward I will bring back the captivity of the children of Ammon, saith Jehovah.""Hath Israel no sons ... no heir ..." (Jeremiah 49:1)? To understand this, one needs to recall some of the history of Ammon.
AMMON AND THE Ammon and Moab, were born to Lot by his incestuous union with his daughters (Genesis 19). Their original home was the extensive area east of the Jordan river, northward from the Moabites, and between the Arnon and Jabbok rivers. During the Amorite invasion, the Ammonites lost some of their territory to Sihon (Numbers 21:21-31), who in turn was conquered by Israel under Moses; and the territory was assigned to the tribe of Gad.
Thus, Israel benefited the Ammonites by destroying their old enemies, making the later conduct of Ammon even more reprehensible. Both during the days of the Judges and in the reigns of Saul and David they frequently fought against Israel (2 Samuel 10).
Amos prophesied against Ammon, particularly condemning them for "ripping up the women with child" (Amos 1:13).
The Ammonites regained their territory, and enlarged it by taking Heshbon from Moab, after Tiglath-pileser carried off the tribes of Israel that were east of the Jordan. They hated Israel and Judah continually, and their king engineered the assassination of Gedaliah (Jeremiah 40).
This prophecy, therefore, begins with the question, "Why is the pagan god Malcam and his Ammonite followers in possession of the land God gave to Gad?" Is it because Gad has no heirs? The message is that God will throw Ammon out of the land they have usurped from Israel.
"Alarm of war to be heard against Rabbah ..." (Jeremiah 49:2). This was the most important Ammonite city and was defended by a strong citadel. It was here that David king of Israel arranged the murder of Bathsheba's husband (2 Samuel 11:15).
Along with Damascus, this place has continued as one of the oldest continually populated cities in the entire area. The modern Rabbah is Amman, capital of the Hashemite kingdom of Jordan.
"Wail, O Heshbon ..." (Jeremiah 49:3). Robinson exclaimed that, "This must be corrupt, because Heshbon was a Moabite city."[1]But Heshbon, at the time of Jeremiah's prophecy was occupied by Ammon. This was the royal city of Sihon, king of the Amorites, whom Israel defeated (Numbers 32:37). Israel assigned it to Gad; and when an opportunity came, Ammon had taken the city. Generally, however, it was a Moabite city.
"Ai is laid waste ..." (Jeremiah 49:3) This is not the Ai captured by Joshua, for that was on the west side of Jordan. This place is mentioned nowhere else, and the location of it is unknown.
"Malcam shall go into captivity ..." (Jeremiah 49:3). This national pagan deity of the Ammonites was exactly the same as Milcom, or Molech.[2] Solomon erected high places in Jerusalem, not only for Molech, in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, but also for many other pagan gods and goddesses to please his wives.
Solomon was punished for this, as indicated by Ahijah, and God rent out of the hand of Solomon ten tribes of Israel, giving the ten tribes to Jeroboam I (1 Kings 11:31-33).
That the burning of infant children as sacrifices to this deity was actually practiced by the Israelites is proved by such passages as Deuteronomy 12:31; Deuteronomy 18:10-13. Also, it is quite likely that David, after the capture of Rabbah, sacrificed many of the survivors by making them "pass through the fire to Molech." The passage on which this is based is disputed, but this writer, nevertheless, believes that is exactly what happened (2 Samuel 12:26-31).
"Wherefore gloriest thou in the valleys ..." (Jeremiah 49:4)? The exact meaning of the text here is not known, but it is clear enough that "the valleys" were a possession in which the Ammonites trusted and gloried, along with the "treasures" mentioned in the same verse. The trusting in any material thing is sinful; and the "glorying" of mortals in anything whatsoever, except in the grace and forgiveness of God is likewise wrong.
"I will bring fear upon thee ... ye shall be driven out ... there shall be none to gather the fugitives ..."(Jeremiah 49:5). The total ruin of Ammon is prophesied here. The Bible records the fulfillment of it in 2 Samuel 12:25-31. The Ammonites were captured, the crown of their god Malcam, weighing a talent of gold, and set with precious stones, was given to David; and "the spoil of the city was exceeding much."
"But afterward, I will turn back the captivity of the children of Ammon ..." (Jeremiah 49:6). Here again, the "afterward" suggests the times of Messiah. The Ammonites were eventually absorbed into the peoples of Arabia, some of whom were present on Pentecost; and it is very likely that "the three thousand souls saved that day" included some of the descendants of the Ammonites (Acts 2).
Verse 7
THE AGAINST EDOM (Jeremiah 49:7-22)
A. EDOM'S IS (Jeremiah 49:7-13)
"Of Edom. Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Is wisdom no more in Teman? is counsel perished from the prudent? is their vision vanished? Flee ye, turn back, dwell in the depths, O inhabitants of Dedan; for I will bring the calamity of Esau upon him, the time that I shall visit him. If grape-gatherers came to thee, would they not leave some gleaning grapes? if thieves by night, would they not destroy till they had enough? But I have made Esau bare, I have uncovered his secret places, and he will not be able to hide himself: his seed is destroyed, and his brethren, and his neighbors, and he is not. Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; and let thy widows trust in me.
For thus saith Jehovah: Behold, they to whom it pertained not to drink of the cup, shall assuredly drink. For I have sworn by myself, saith Jehovah, that Bozrah shall become an astonishment, a reproach, a waste, and a curse; and all the cities thereof shall be perpetual waste.""Is wisdom no more in Teman ...?" (Jeremiah 49:7) Eliphaz the Temanite (Job 2:11) was the famous wise man of his day, Teman being renowned for its allegedly wise men. "The term `Teman' here refers to the whole northern district of Idumea, not merely to a city."[3] The question here is asked in irony and requires that it be understood negatively.
"Inhabitants of Dedan ..." (Jeremiah 49:9). "This place is identified with the modern Alula, some 70 miles southwest of Taima. In the times of Jeremiah it was a flourishing caravan city."[4]"Would they not leave some gleaning grapes ..." (Jeremiah 49:9)? The questions here imply affirmative answers; but the destruction coming upon Edom would be complete.
"Children... widows... I will preserve them alive ..." (Jeremiah 49:11). God's mercy upon this portion of the posterity of Abraham was here promised; but it was not stated for how long a time. Edom indeed continued for many centuries; but they never forsook their wickedness. So marked was this element of Edomite life that their nation was used in the prophecy of Isaiah to stand for all mankind in the final destruction of Adam's race. This is fully developed in Isaiah 34. See our introduction to this chapter in the commentary on Isaiah for discussion of the phenomenal wickedness of Edom and note the complete justification of God's judgment upon that people.
"Bozrah... shall become a waste ..." (Jeremiah 49:13). "Located 30 miles south of the Dead Sea, Bozrah was the northernmost of the great Edomite cities. The overthrow of both Bozrah and Edom is prophesied both as a historical certainty and as symbolical of the Lord's final dealing with Adam's race."[5]Verse 14
B. THE NATURE OF EDOM'S (Jeremiah 49:14-18)
"I have heard tidings from Jehovah, and an ambassador is sent among the nations, saying, Gather yourselves together, and come against her, and rise up to the battle. For, behold, I have made thee small among the nations, and despised among men. As for thy terribleness, the pride of thy heart hath deceived thee, O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, that holdest the height of the hill: though thou shouldest make thy nest as high as the eagle, I will bring thee down from thence, saith Jehovah. And Edom shall become an astonishment: every man that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss at all the plagues thereof. As in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbor cities thereof, saith Jehovah, no man shall dwell there, neither shall any son of man sojourn therein.""Thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rocks ..." (Jeremiah 49:15). Edom was probably the best fortified nation on earth when Jeremiah prophesied.
The rocky vastness of Mount Seir, where Petra (Sela) was located, is a marvel even to this day for all who ever saw the place. Even yet it seems incredible that a nation with such a stronghold could be defeated.
Much of the little Book of Obadiah is incorporated into these prophecies by Jeremiah, and again we have evidence that Jeremiah was familiar with all that any of the prophets before him had written. Obadiah wrote during the ninth century B.C., and Jeremiah prophesied more than two centuries afterward. See Vol. 2 of the minor prophets series of commentaries for a full discussion of Obadiah.
Obadiah is not the only prophet who gave pronouncements of God's wrath upon the Edomites. Others areEzekiel 25:12-14; 35:1-15; Joe 3:19; Amos 9:12; Isaiah 21:11-12; Isaiah 34:5-7; Isaiah 63:1-6. So far I have already commented upon all of these (except the ones in Ezekiel). To all of these, of course, there must also be added the prophecies against Edom through the prophet Jeremiah.
"Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbor cities ..." (Jeremiah 49:18). What is meant here is that the destruction of Edom would be total and complete like that of Sodom and Gomorrah, and that the old seat of the nation would become uninhabited. This, of course, is true to this very day. The neighbor cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were Admah and Zeboiim
Verse 19
C. OF GOD'S ON EDOM (Jeremiah 49:19-22)
"Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the pride of the Jordan against the strong habitation: for I will suddenly make them run away from it; and whoso is chosen, him will I appoint over it: for who is like me? and who will appoint me a time? and who is the shepherd that will stand before me? Therefore hear ye the counsel of Jehovah, that he hath taken against Edom; and his purposes, that he hath purposed against Teman: Surely they shall drag them away, even the little ones of the flock; surely he shall make their habitation desolate over them. The earth trembleth at the noise of their fall; there is a noise whereof is heard in the Red Sea. Behold, he shall come up and fly as the eagle and spread out his wings against Bozrah: and the heart of the mighty men of Edom at that day shall be as the heart of a woman in her pangs.""Like a lion from the pride of the Jordan ..." (Jeremiah 49:19).
This is a prophecy of the coming of Babylon upon Edom. The "pride of the Jordan" refers to the heavy timber and vegetable growth along the banks if the lower river, productive breeding ground for lions in ancient times.
Did Nebuchadnezzar really come against Edom? Indeed yes. Josephus has this.
"In the fifth year after the destruction of Jerusalem, which was the twenty-third of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, he made an expedition against Coele-syria; and when he had possessed himself of it, he made war against the Ammonites and the Moabites; and when he had brought all these nations under subjection, he fell upon Egypt and overthrew it, slew their king, and set up another in his place, and took those Jews that were there (the ones who were led away after the death of Gedaliah) captive."[6]Despite the fact of Josephus' having not mentioned Edom specifically here, the nations all around him were mentioned; and the words all these nations undoubtedly included Edom also.
However, the complete fulfillment of the prophecy against Edom did not take place immediately. It began with the activity of the Chaldeans five years after the destruction of Jerusalem. Keil stated that that destruction "is unquestionably inferred from Jeremiah 49:7 ff; Ezekiel 35; Jeremiah 25:9; Jeremiah 25:21, and Malachi 1:3."[7]Edom's destruction continued when Alexander the Great conquered the world in the fourth century B.C.; Hyrcanus conquered them in 129 B.C., compelling them to accept circumcision and the Mosaic law. They continued until the first century A.D. as a prominent element among the Jews. The dynasty of Herod (an Edomite) perpetrated (1) the slaughter of the innocents, (2) the mockery of Christ, (3) the murder of John the Baptist, (4) the murder of the apostle James, (5) the imprisonment of Peter and of all the apostles, and (6) in the person of Bernice and Drusilla were factors in the persecution and imprisonment of the apostle Paul. The Herods precipitated the final and total judgment against Edom in the Jewish war that resulted in their being exterminated by Vespasian and Titus in 70 A.D. following the sack of Jerusalem.
"Noise heard in the Red Sea ..." (Jeremiah 49:21). Donald Wiseman commented on this: "Better, Reed Sea (The Hebrew has [~yam] [~cuwp]), that is, `marshes by the Bitter Lakes.' "[8] The word has not yet reached many scholars; but the old critical hog wash about [~yam] [~cuwp] meaning Reed Sea has been scientifically disproved and emphatically rejected. The rendition `Reed Sea' was never anything but a crutch of unbelievers who would not believe that Israel crossed the Red Sea. As a matter of fact, the proper meaning of [~yam] [~cuwp] is "End Sea," meaning the Indian Ocean, viewed by ancients as the end of the world. Thus it was actually an arm of the Indian Ocean which Israel really crossed by the miraculous power of God.
(See my full discussion of this (with documented proof) on pp. 177-179 of Vol. 2 (Exodus) in the series of commentaries on the Pentateuch.)
Verse 23
AGAINST "Of Damascus. Hamath is confounded, and Arpad; for they have heard evil tidings, they are melted away, there is sorrow on the sea; it cannot be quiet. Damascus is waxed feeble, she turneth herself to flee, and trembling hath seized: anguish and sorrows have taken hold of her, as of a woman in travail. How is the city of praise not forsaken, the city of my joy? Therefore her young men shall fall in the streets, and all the men of war shall be brought to silence in that day, saith Jehovah of hosts. And I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, and it shall devour the palaces of Benhadad.""There is sorrow on the sea ..." (Jeremiah 49:23).
Damascus was not situated on a sea, but on the river Barada; and therefore this expression is a metaphor drawn from the restlessness of the ocean, indicating the grief and sorrow of Damascus, as indicated in the following verse. However, in the Old Testament, rivers (especially the Nile) were sometimes called "seas." This could be another instance of the same usage.
"Hamath ... Arpad ..." (Jeremiah 49:23). During Sennacherib's invasion of Judah, Rabshakeh (his commander) mentioned the pagan gods of these cities, which Sennacherib had destroyed, and from this warned Hezekiah and Jerusalem not to trust in Jehovah (Isaiah 36:18). Hamath marked the farthest extent of the Solomonic empire, which was mentioned as having been restored by Jeroboam I (2 Kings 14:25). This ruthless, pagan city fully deserved the judgment of God pronounced upon then. One of their most intolerable sins was their slaughter of the people of Gilead with "threshing instruments of iron" (Amos 1:3). This happened during the Syrian war against Israel in the reign of Jehu (2 Kings 10:32-33; 2 Kings 13:7).
"Fire in the wall of Damascus ..." (Jeremiah 49:27). This verse is almost identical with Amos 1:4. Again it appears that Jeremiah was familiar with the prophets who were before him, Amos having prophesied in the eighth century B.C. There is additional comment on this in Vol. 1 of the Minor Prophets Series, pp. 55,56.
Note that there is nothing in this prophecy that speaks of Damascus as a waste, or without inhabitants. Damascus has continued as an important city even until this day; and the Encyclopedia Britannica gave the population as 383,239 in 1933.[9] This is impressive evidence that these prophecies are the words of God and not the words of men. Oh, but Damascus was on a river! So were Nineveh, and Babylon!
"As of a woman in travail ..." (Jeremiah 49:24, also Jeremiah 49:22). This expression or its equivalent is found many times in Jeremiah's writings.
Verse 28
AGAINST KEDAR AND HAZOR"Of Kedar, and of the kingdoms of Hazor, which Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon smote. Thus saith Jehovah: Arise ye, go up to Kedar, and destroy the children of the east. Their tents and their flocks shall they take; they shall carry away for themselves their curtains, and all their vessels, and their camels; and they shall cry unto them, Terror on every side! Flee ye, wander afar off, dwell in the depths, O ye inhabitants of Hazor, saith Jehovah; for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon hath taken counsel against you, and hath conceived a purpose against you. Arise, get you up into a nation that is at ease, that dwelleth without care, saith Jehovah; that hath neither gates nor bars, that dwelleth alone. And their camels shall be a booty, and the multitude of their cattle a spoil: and I will scatter unto all winds them that hath the corners of their hair cut off; and I will bring their calamity from every side of them, saith Jehovah.
And Hazor shall be a dwelling place of jackals, a desolation forever: no man shall dwell there, neither shall any son of man sojourn therein."Little is known of Kedar or Hazor; but from the description here it appears that the people whom God commanded Nebuchadnezzar to destroy were desert-dwellers, living carelessly. Keil suggested that these names "refer to all of the nomadic tribes and shepherd nations of Arabia."[10]Joshua (Joshua 11:1; Joshua 15:23) and Nehemiah (Nehemiah 11:33) both mentioned towns of the name of Hazor in Palestine; but the Hazor here is evidently Arabian.
"Curtains ... vessels ... camels ... tents ... flocks ... cattle ..." (Jeremiah 49:29-32). What else was left in the desert? The devastation of these Arabian tribes would be complete and without mercy.
"This prophecy was evidently fulfilled in Nebuchadnezzar's sixth year (599-598 B.C.) when the Babylonian Chronicle relates that the king of Babylon in Syria sent out companies, and scouring the desert, they took much plunder from the Arabs, their possessions, their domestic animals, and gods. The Babylonians did the same thing again in 581 B.C."[11]"Them that have the corners of their hair cut off ..." (Jeremiah 49:32). This does not indicate that God is all that much disturbed about one's style of haircut, or dress, but is doubtless a reference to this earmark of some pagan cult in rebellion against God. The mention of "their gods" in the above quotation indicates this probability.
Verse 34
AGAINST ELAM"The word of Jehovah that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning Elam, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, the chief of their might. And upon Elam will I bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven, and will scatter them toward all those winds; and there shall be no nation whither the outcasts of Elam shall not come. And I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies, and before them that seek their life; and I will bring evil upon them, even my fierce anger, saith Jehovah; and I will send the sword after them, till I have consumed them: and I will set my throne in Elam, and will destroy from thence king and princes, saith Jehovah. But it shall come to pass in the latter days, that I will bring back the captivity of Elam, saith Jehovah."Elam was a very ancient kingdom mentioned in Genesis 14:1. Feinberg stated that it was two hundred miles east of Babylon and west of the Tigris river;[12] and Hyatt located it "east of Babylonian and north of the Persian Gulf."[13]The prophecy, unlike others in this chapter, is dated in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah in 498 B.C. Scholars, seeking to find some reason why this prophecy was given have surmised that, "At the time of this prophecy through Jeremiah the Elamites were threatening Babylon; and the Jewish exiles (hoping for a quick end of their exile) were expecting Elam to overthrow Babylon."[14] If that is true, the prophecy was then designed to show that no power could stand in the way of Babylon.
"I will break the bow of Elam ..." (Jeremiah 49:35). The Elamites were famous for their skilled use of the bow (Isaiah 22:6), but their skilled bowmen would not be able to stand against the judgment of God.
"Four winds from the four quarters of heaven ..." (Jeremiah 49:36). Jamieson thought this is a reference to "Nebuchadnezzar's army, made up of soldiers from the four quarters of heaven,"[15] from all over the world.
"Till I have consumed them ..." (Jeremiah 49:37). A total destruction of Elam as any kind of deterrent to the power and ambitions of Nebuchadnezzar is prophesied.
"I will set my throne in Elam ..." (Jeremiah 49:38). This occurred when Nebuchadnezzar, God's instrument, "set up his throne in Media, of which Elam was a part."[16]; Jeremiah 43:10 provides an example of how Nebuchadnezzar erected his throne in various countries which he conquered. A similar thing is prophesied here.
"In the latter days, I will bring back the captivity of Elam ..." (Jeremiah 49:39). "In the latter days" is a reference to the times of the Messiah; and it is a fact that Elamites participated in the blessings of the kingdom of God that began on Pentecost.
"How hear we every man in our own language wherein we were born? Parthians and Medes and Elamites, etc." (Acts 2:8-9)? Some of these, no doubt, were baptized on that Pentecost and formed part of the nucleus of the church of Jesus Christ the kingdom of God.
Note that "bringing back the captivity" of a nation was not primarily a promise of release from physical captivity, but a release from the slavery of sin. No captivity of Elam was mentioned.
Jeremiah 49:1. Several noted heathen nations will be considered in this chapter because the Lord bad complaints against all of them. The first one is the Ammonites who were descended, like the Moabites, from Lot, More than once we have seen that God has used various foreign nations to chastise his own people, yet when those nations took improper joy from the misfortunes of Israel the Lord turned against them, In 2 Kings 24:2-3 is an account of the punishment of the kingdom of Judah, and the Ammonites were included in the forces God used for the purpose. Previously Israel (the 10-tribe kingdom) had been taken out of their possessions and Judah would logically have been the rightful inheritor of the territory left by Israel. But Judah incurred the wrath of God and forfeited the right to it and hence He brought the nations mentioned (including the Ammonites) against the country. However, that did not justify the Ammonites in acting as if Israel had no rightful Inheritor of his estate. In seising, therefore, upon the territory of Gad (a part of the 10-tribe dominions), the Ammonites brought upon themselves the predictions here recorded.
Jeremiah 49:2. Rahbath was a city of the Ammonites and was destined to suffer the ravages of war. The last clause means that the people who had possessed the territory of Israel would be brought under by Israel,
Jeremiah 49:3. This Ai is not the one so well known in Israelite history, but was one near Heshbon and belonging to the Ammonites, It was doomed along with other Ammonite cities to feel the weight of God’ s wrath. King go into captivity means a condition in which the leading men of the nation would be temporarily subdued, not that the nation as a body would he taken into another country.
Jeremiah 49:4. Daughter is a figurative name of a city or country, and it is here applied to the Ammonites. They are called backsliding because they had slipped In their national conduct and had brought upon themselves the displeasure of the Lord. Flowing valley means the resources of thetr prosperity in which they gloried. They boasted that their wealth would provide them security against any who might come to them.
Jeremiah 49:5. in spite of their material strength the Ammonites were destined to be thrown into a panic of fear. This would be similar to the predictions against Moab in Jeremiah 48:41. (See the comments at that place.) Under the confusion of this panicky state they would be scattered by tbe adversaries about them.
Jeremiah 49:6. The unfortunate condition of the Ammonites was not to be permanent. Bring again the captivity has the, same meaning as a tike statement about Moab, (See the comments on it at Jeremiah 48:47.)
Jeremiah 49:7. Edom was another name for Esau (Genesis 36:1) and the Edomites were the descendants of that man. Esau was a full brother to Jacob (they being twins) and hence these people were closer of kin to the Israelites than were the Ammonites. The Edomites were always regarded as enemies of the descendants of Jacob and many predictions were made against, them. Teman was a prominent district of tbe Edomites and was hence singled out in the declarations of the prophet. The question form of language is used in this verse, but the thought is that the area of Teman was destined to decline in wisdom.
Jeremiah 49:8. Dedan refers to some other locality in the land of Edom, The prediction of misfortune that was to come on it was expressed in the form of a warning for its citizens to flee from the place. Dwell deep is a figurative exhortation to the inhabitants of the place to "prepare for the worst.” or to make the best they can of a situation of distress when it is brought upon them.
Jeremiah 49:9. The thought in this verse is that what waa coming on the people of the land would he more desolating than the work of a grape harvester. He would at least leave enough fruit to justify going over the vineyard to glean. Or a thief would stop when he had secured enough for his appetite, then leave the rest to the owner.
Jeremiah 49:10. But God threatened to make a more complete desolation than the invaders mentioned in the preceding verse. Have made is past tense in form but future in thought. Esau (or Edom) was to be exposed as a nation to the gaze of others, and the prediction is compared to the exposure of a man’ s body to his shame before the eyes of the public. Reed is spoiled. One word in Strong’ s definition of the original for seed is "posterity,” and for that of spoiled, is "to ravage.” The phrase means that the Edomites were to lose their strong men in the conflicts with their foes.
Jeremiah 49:11. This verse sounds like a favorable prediction in that the widows and orphans were to be cared for by the Bord. It virtually is a prediction of a misfortune since the very need for such special care indicates some form of disaster for the land.
Jeremiah 49:12. They whose judgment was not to drink of the cup. The Jews were God's people and it might have been expected they would not have to drink the cup (figuratively speaking) of affliction on account of their nearness to the Lord. Yet He did not spare them in their sins notwithstanding their high relationship. Surely, then, a foreign nation should not. hope to escape the wrath of God whom they had displeased.
Jeremiah 49:13. Bozrah was one of the prominent cities of Edom, yet it and the cities thereof (meaning its suburbs) were to be made desolate.
Jeremiah 49:14. The changing back and forth between the first and third persons in the language need not confuse us. It should be understood that God is the source of all the statements, and the prophet is the one who is delivering them to man. Hence we here have Jeremiah expressly confirming the declaration in the preceding sentence and telling us he has heard a rumor from the Lord. The first word is from , which Strong defines, “ Something heard, i. e., an announcement” That announcement was a prediction that, the heathen (nations) would gather force against Edom.
Jeremiah 49:15. Edom was a heathen nation as well as were those destined to come against her. "We should remember that the word has a national as well as religious use. The prediction means that Edom was to be looked down upon by other nations like her.
Jeremiah 49:16. God had predicted (Genesis 27:40) that Edom was to be a ruffian sort of people and would assume a hostile attitude toward others. This very condition was abused and they had come to feel so independent they "feared not God nor regarded Man.” But the Lord declared their self-exaltation would not place them beyond the reach of Him.
Jeremiah 49:17. Not only was Edom to he humiliated from its position of pride and haughtiness, but the country was to become desolate to the extent that passers-by would look with scorn and belittle ik
Jeremiah 49:18. The land of Edom was to become desolate to begin with, but its desolation was to be as permanent as was that of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Jeremiah 49:19. For the significance of the comparison to the enraged lion see the comments at chapter 4: 1. The second half of the verse refers to the power of the Lord over the Edomites. That was to be executed by bringing against them some invading force such as the Babylonian army.
Jeremiah 49:20. The Edomites are considered as an unfortunate people being attacked by a hostile band of shepherds. The prediction is that even the weakest of those shepherds will be able to overcome the Edomites. Their power will be to chaBe them away even as a roaring lion would frighten a shepherd away from his flock.
Jeremiah 49:21. This verse is figurative and means the downfall of Edom will be great.
Jeremiah 49:22, The pronoun he refers to the Babylonian king who was to come against Edom, in this passage the comparison is to an eagle because of its ability to overspread the territory attacked. Barra is singled out because it was one of the chief cities of the Edomites. For the explanation of comparison to a woman’ s pangs, see the comments at chapter 4: 31: 6: 24; 13: 21; 22: 23; 30: (5; 48: 41.
Jeremiah 49:23. Damascus was the chief city of Syria hence the present prediction is against that country. The other places named also were cities of Syria and were destined to share in the hardships of the people. A troubled sea in which there would be a tossing about is used to compare the unsettled condition that was destined to come upon (he cities of Syria according to the decree of the Lord,
Jeremiah 49:24, Specific attention is given to Damascus because it was the metropolis of the country. But this mighty city was warned that it would be waxed feeble and would attempt to escape from the doom settling upon it.
Jeremiah 49:25. City of praise refers to the admiration that the world would manifest about her. Not left indicates that when God brings his punishments upon the land of Syria He will not leave out Damascus.
Jeremiah 49:26, It is a special blow to a country to have its military men overthrown. Not only were theBe men to be overthrown, belonging to Damascus, but her young men who should supply the future recruits were to be slain in the streets.
Jeremiah 49:27. Ben-hadad was the name of three great kings of Syria. The destruction of the palaces therefore would mean a thrust at the very vitals of the kingdom.
Jeremiah 49:28. Kedar is defined by Strong, "A son of Ishmael; also (collectively) bedawln [the Arabs] (as his descendants or representatives)/' Hazor is identified by Strong as a city of Arabia, hence this verse is a prediction against the Arabians. They were to be attacked by the king of Babylon and overthrown.
Jeremiah 49:29. The Arabians veere a wandering people and had tbelr dwelling in tents. This was likewise in keeping with their chief occupation of tending flocks. This is why it is predicted that the Babylonians were to take to themselves the tents and curtains of these people. The camels are mentioned because they were one of the usual means of travel over the deserts when the Arabs journeyed.
Jeremiah 49:30, Flee, get you far off is the prophet's way of predicting that the inhabitants of the town of Hazor would wish to escape the hand of the Babylonians. This attack by Nebuchadnezzar was to be through the Lord, but the mighty ruler was to go about it according to his own counsel or advice also.
Jeremiah 49:31. Arise is a prediction in the form of an order from God for the King of Babylon to make the attack on the Arabians. Wealthy iB from SHE- LEVAH, which Strong defines, “ Tranquil; (ill a bad sense) careless; ab-stractly, security.” They seemed to have the feeling that no danger could overhang them. Neither gates nor bars, dwell alone. This refers to their manner of life, dwelling in tents away from civilization in general.
Jeremiah 49:32. This verse is a summing up of the material losses the Arabs were to suffer when the Babylonians overran their territory.
Jeremiah 49:33. Wild creatures were to dwell in the city of Hazor and It was to be a perpetual desolation. To avoid confusion I shall explain that the Arabians were roving in their habits of life as described in the preceding verses. However, they had certain centralized places that existed as cities, and the form of government which they maintained was centered in them. These cities served as a background for the tribes who chose not to reside permanently in any certain place, but who wandered through the world at times in search of trade. We have an Instance of such a business in the event of Joseph's sale as recorded in Genesis 37thchapter.
Jeremiah 49:34. Elam was the name of a number of men but came to designate a country. It lay east of Persia proper but was finally referred to in various reference works under the same heading as Persia. This prophecy was made about 600 years b. c. while the overthrow of the Persian Empire as the second of the “ four world empires” was not until 300 years later; it would seem, therefore, that the present prediction did not refer to that great event. We are sure this is correct for the last verse of this chapter shows the punishment was tem-porary, while the one 300 years later was to be permanent according to Daniel 2:44. The prediction now before us was evidently concerning some earlier misconduct of this district and the chastisement was to be for a time only.
Jeremiah 49:35. Break the bow is a reference to their defeat in war because one principal means of warfare in ancient times was the bow and arrow.
Jeremiah 49:36. Four winds is figurative and means that the desolation to be wrought in Elam was to be general. The citizens of the country were to he scattered in every direction. That is indicated by the figure just used since it is equivalent to referring to the four points of the compass.
Jeremiah 49:37. To be dismayed means to be confused and frightened at the sight of such powerful foes. The condition was to be brought about because of the Lord’ s fierce anger at their evil conduct. These people had shown too much interest in the opposition that other heathen kings had manifested against God's people. Consumed could not mean they were to be literally destroyed for the last verse says they were to survive. It means, therefore, that for the time being they would cease to be a people.
Jeremiah 49:38. Set my throne means the Lord would overthrow the power of Elam and take charge of the country Himself and see that matters were run as he saw fit.
Jeremiah 49:39. For the meaning of bring again the captivity see the comments at chapter 48: 47. This indicates the threatened punishment was to be temporary on Elam.
Jeremiah Chapter Fifty
Verse 1
Jeremiah 50 AGAINST BABYLONHere we have a collection of prophecies against Babylon and also many references to the deliverance of Israel from captivity. The chapter cannot be outlined. True to the pattern throughout Jeremiah, and also applicable to the whole book itself, it appears to be a somewhat haphazard collection of many prophecies including not only many which were previously spoken through Jeremiah, but also including a number of prophecies given through other prophets, notably Isaiah.
NO VALID Of course, there have been assaults upon the integrity of the chapter as belonging to Jeremiah, and futile efforts to late-date it, but none of these actually has any importance. The "inherent weakness"[1] of such criticism, mentioned by Payne Smith, lies in the simple fact that there is no factual, physical, or textual evidence whatever behind any of them.
"This prophecy (both Jeremiah 50 and Jeremiah 51) contains nothing which Jeremiah could not have written in the fourth year of Zedekiah,"[2] this being the true date of both chapters, as given in Jeremiah 51:59. The subjective guesses and imaginations of men have no substantive weight at all against the plain Word of God. See the writings of C.F. Keil, in which many pages are devoted to a definitive refutation of critical denials regarding this long prophecy.
What some consider the strongest argument against Jeremiahic authorship is the assertion that Jeremiah's writings in early chapters manifest "friendliness" to Babylon, whereas, these two chapters reveal the wrath of God poured out against Babylon. This argument is false, because, "The germ of these two chapters is found in Jeremiah 25:12; Jeremiah 25:26, where God's punishment of Babylon, and his making them an everlasting desolation is categorically stated."[3] In fact, both these chapters together are but an expansion of the thought given there.
All of the "hubba-hubba" about portions of Jeremiah being partly in poetry and partly in prose is absolutely useless. He was the author of both, just as Sir Walter Scott wrote both the Waverley Tales in prose and some of the best poetry in the English language. Cawley and Millard commented on all the criticisms thus: "The (alleged) reasons for rejecting the prophecy as an authentic prophecy of Jeremiah are not conclusive."[4]This writer has not discovered any reason whatever for allowing any doubt as to the date and authenticity of this extended prophecy. The destruction of the temple and the exile of Israel are predicted in this chapter; and the allegation that those events are "spoken of as past events" is simply an unsupported error invented to support the critical falsehood that predictive prophecy is impossible.
Furthermore, Jeremiah is clearly stated to be the author of this prophecy (Jeremiah 51:60).
With regard to the alleged "literary evidence," based upon similarities of language, Cheyne remarked that, "The number of parallel passages between Jeremiah 51 and Jeremiah 52 and the other writings of Jeremiah is very large, and they agree with no one more than with Jeremiah."[5]There are actually two themes in these chapters, "The fall of Babylon, and the return of the Jews from exile." a The same author also tells us that the critics who think of Jeremiah as pro-Babylonian, "misunderstand him."[7] Jeremiah did indeed urge the people to submit to Babylon, because it was his duty so to do. He was never pro-Chaldean, for he loved Israel with an undying love; and the same God who had commanded Jeremiah to advise submission earlier, has in these chapters commanded him to reveal the ultimate destruction of Babylon.
Jeremiah 50:1-5"The word that Jehovah spake concerning Babylon, concerning the land of the Chaldeans, by Jeremiah the prophet. Declare ye among the nations and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is put to shame, Merodach is dismayed; her images are put to shame, her idols are dismayed. For out of the north a nation cometh up against her, which shall make her land desolate, and none shall dwell therein: they are fled, they are gone, both man and beast. In those days, and in that time, saith Jehovah, the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together; they shall go on their way weeping, and shall seek Jehovah their God. They shall inquire concerning Zion with their faces thitherward, saying, Come ye, and join yourselves to Jehovah in an everlasting covenant that shall not be forgotten.""Babylon is taken ..." (Jeremiah 50:2). This seemed an impossible prophecy in the fourth year of Zedekiah, because, at that time, Babylon dominated the whole known world. Yet God announced her destruction.
"Bel is put to shame, Merodach is dismayed ..." (Jeremiah 50:2). "Merodach in the inscriptions was the tutelary god of Babylon; and Nebuchadnezzar named a son Evil-Merodach, indicating that Nebuchadnezzar was especially devoted to that god. Merodach was actually identical with Bel. He was identified with Jupiter among the planets, and he was styled, `King of heaven and earth.'"[8]"Her idols are dismayed ..." (Jeremiah 50:2). The word for idols in the Hebrew literally means "dung balls."[9] This word was a favorite of Ezekiel who used it 38 times in speaking of pagan idols. The word is also used in Leviticus 26:30.
"Out of the north there cometh up a nation against her ..." (Jeremiah 50:3). We remember that Babylon herself was the country "out of the north" that came against Israel. In the fall of Babylon, this was literally true, because the Medes were northwest of Babylon;[10] and Cyrus captured the city, according to Herodotus, by diverting the Euphrates out of its channel, a diversion that took place up-stream from Babylon, which was northward.
"A mystery in the Hebrew mind attached to the north, the very word `north' in Hebrew meaning `hidden.' The burnt offering was to be sacrificed on the north side of the altar (Leviticus 1:11); and the four cherubim in the vision of Ezekiel were described as coming from the north (Ezekiel 1:4)."[11] In the prophecies, therefore, the mention of unknown future dangers might have referred also to the mysterious and hidden nature of the revelation.
"In those days ..." (Jeremiah 50:4). "These words show that the capture of Babylon, spoken of in Jeremiah 50:2 as a past event, is still future, and that the words there are the prophetic perfects."[12]"Thitherward ..." (Jeremiah 50:5). "These words show that the writer of this prophecy was in Jerusalem, not Babylon."[13]Verse 6
"My people have been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray; they have turned them away on the mountains; they have gone from mountain to hill; they have forgotten their resting place. All that found them have devoured them; and their adversaries said, We are not guilty, because they have sinned against Jehovah, the habitation of righteousness, even Jehovah, the hope of their fathers. Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and go forth out of the land of the Chaldeans, and be as the he goats before the flocks. For, lo, I will stir up and cause to come up against Babylon a company of great nations from the north country; and they shall set themselves in array against her; from thence she shall be taken: their arrows shall be as of an expert mighty man; none shall return in vain, And Chaldea shall be a prey: all that prey upon her shall be satisfied, saith Jehovah.""Their shepherds have caused them to go astray ..." (Jeremiah 50:6). These evil shepherds here blamed for Israel's apostasy were their kings, judges, priests, and false prophets.
"I will cause to come against Babylon ... they shall set themselves against her ... she (Babylon) shall be taken" (Jeremiah 50:9). There are no less than six verbs, all in the future tense, which here announce that Babylon "shall be taken," making it an absolute certainty that Jeremiah 50:2 is in the prophetic past perfect tense.
"Be as the heights of the flocks ..." (Jeremiah 50:8). Judah here was admonished to be the leader (like the heights) in fleeing from Babylon. They did not heed this. As a matter of fact, they were hardly willing to leave at all, and many never left. The metaphor here is drawn from the fact that, "Once the sheepfold was opened, the male goats would rush from the enclosure first."[14]"All that prey upon her shall be satisfied ..." (Jeremiah 50:10). The total destruction of Babylon is here promised, including the destruction even of her walls (Jeremiah 50:15, below). It is known that when Cyrus took the city, he did not need to break down the walls; and some careless commentators have faulted the prophecy in this instance; but they are in error.
"Cyrus did not destroy Babylon when he took it; but a little later in the Persian period the city revolted; and Darius Hystaspis captured it and destroyed its walls in 514 B.C. That was the beginning of the final and total ruin that eventually came to Babylon."[15]Verse 11
"Because ye are glad, because ye rejoice, O ye that plunder my heritage, because ye are wanton as a heifer that treadeth out the grain, and neigh as strong horses; your mother shall be utterly put to shame; she that bare you shall be confounded: behold, she shall be the hindermost of the nations, a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert. Because of the wrath of Jehovah she shall not be inhabited, but shall be wholly desolate; everyone that goeth by Babylon shall be astonished, and hiss at all her plagues. Set yourselves in array against Babylon round about, all ye that bend the bow; shoot at her, spare no arrows: for she hath sinned against Jehovah. Shout against her round about: she hath submitted herself; her bulwarks are fallen, her walls are thrown down; for it is the vengeance of Jehovah: take vengeance upon her; as she hath done, do unto her. Cut off the sower from Babylon, and him that handleth the sickle in the time of harvest: for fear of the oppressing sword they shall turn everyone to his people, and they shall flee everyone to his own land."The reasons for God's anger against Babylon are noted here. They rejoiced with a sadistic hatred against the calamities of Israel, aggravating their sorrows in every possible way. They were having a high old time destroying God's heritage and are compared here to a well-fed heifer, or neighing horses.
"Your mother shall be utterly put to shame ..." (Jeremiah 50:12). The mother here is the city of Babylon.
"The hindermost of the nations ..." (Jeremiah 50:12). A study of the prophecies reveals that, although God prophesied the total and final desolation of Babylon, he did not prophecy that this would happen immediately. There would be a long period of her decline: (1) She would be the hindermost of the nations, but still a nation. (2) Then she would be: (a) a wilderness, (b) a dry land and (c) a desert. Many centuries were involved in the complete fulfillment of all that.
Verse 17
"Israel is a hunted sheep; the lions have driven him away; first, the king of Assyria devoured him; and now at last Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon hath broken his bones. Therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, Behold, I will punish the king of Babylon and his land, as I have punished the king of Assyria. And I will bring Israel again to his pasture, and he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be satisfied upon the hills of Ephraim and in Gilead. In those days, and at that time, saith Jehovah, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I leave as a remnant."This paragraph mentions two past events, the destruction of Samaria and the Northern Israel in 722 B.C., and that by Nebuchadnezzar in 597 B.C., at which time the first wave of captives were carried to Babylon and Zedekiah became regent king for Nebuchadnezzar. This was four years later.
The message is that God had humiliated and destroyed the king of Assyria at Nineveh, and that he would bring a similar destruction upon Babylon.
"In those days ..." (Jeremiah 50:20)."These words are the usual Messianic formula,"[16] indicating that the pardon and forgiveness promised to Israel will come in the times of the Messiah in their acceptance and obedience to the Gospel of Christ.
Verse 21
"Go up against the land of Merathaim, even against it, and against the inhabitants of Pekod: slay and utterly destroy after them, saith Jehovah, and do according to all that I have commanded thee. A sound of battle is in the land, and of great destruction. How is the hammer of the whole earth cut asunder and broken! How is Babylon become a desolation among the nations! I have laid a snare for thee, and thou art also taken, O Babylon, and thou wast not aware: thou art found, and also caught, because thou hast striven against Jehovah. Jehovah hath opened his armory, and hath brought forth the weapons of his indignation; for the Lord, Jehovah of Hosts, hath a work to do in the land of the Chaldeans.
Come against her from the utmost border; open her store-houses; cast her up as heaps, and destroy her utterly; let nothing of her be left. Slay all her bullocks; let them go down to the slaughter: woe unto them, for their day is come, the time of their visitation. The voice of them that flee and escape out of the land of Babylon, to declare in Zion the vengeance of Jehovah our God, the vengeance of his temple.""The land of Merathaim... land of Pekod ..." (Jeremiah 50:21). Some scholars try to locate these places as provinces of Babylonia, but Keil suggested that the words were invented by Jeremiah,[17] and Graybill gave their meaning as "double bitterness" for Merathaim, and "punishment" for Pekod.[18] The names therefore are symbols of the punishment coming upon them.
"The hammer of the whole earth ..." (Jeremiah 50:23). Babylon is here called the "hammer of the whole earth," and that is a name which historically has been used of "(1) Judas Maccabaeus for his victory over Syria, (2) of Charles Martel, which means `Charles the Hammer,' the victor in the Battle of Tours in 732 A.D., and (3) of Edward I of England, upon whose tomb in Westminster Abbey are the words (in Latin) `Hammer of the Scots.'"[19]"I have laid a snare for thee ..." (Jeremiah 50:24). "Babylon imagined herself impregnable; but, according to Herodotus, Cyrus took the city by stratagem, diverting the Euphrates out of its channel, and entering the city beneath the gates over the river."[20]"Bullocks ..." (Jeremiah 50:27). This word is used figuratively "for warriors."[21]Verse 29
"Call together the archers against Babylon, all of them that bend the bow; encamp against her round about; let none thereof escape: recompense her according to her work; according to all that she hath done, do unto her; for she hath been proud against Jehovah, against the Holy One of Israel. Therefore shall her young men fall in her streets, and all her men of war shall be brought to silence in that day, saith Jehovah.. Behold, I am against thee, O thou proud one, saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts; for the day is come, the time that I will visit thee. And the proud one shall stumble and fall, and none shall raise him up; and I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it shall devour all that are round about him."Barnes, stressing Jeremiah 50:28, believed that the capture of Babylon, "was regarded as the vengeance of God upon them for burning the temple";[22] but "in the fourth year of Zedekiah' (the date of this prophecy), the temple had not yet been burned. The holy vessels had been carried away to Babylon, but the burning of the temple occurred a few years later when Jerusalem again fell and Zedekiah was captured.
Jeremiah 50:30 here is the same as Jeremiah 49:26. Jeremiah often repeated his own words.
Verse 33
"Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: The children of Israel and the children of Judah are oppressed together; and all that took them captive hold them fast; they refuse to let them go. Their Redeemer is strong; Jehovah of hosts is his name: he will therefore plead their cause, that he may give rest to the earth, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon. A sword is upon the Chaldeaus, saith Jehovah, and upon the inhabitants of Babylon, and upon her princes, and upon her wise men. A sword is upon the boasters, and they shall become fools; a sword is upon her mighty men, and they shall be dismayed. A sword is upon their horses, and upon their chariots, and upon all the mingled people that are in the midst of her; and they shall become as women: a sword is upon her treasures, and they shall be robbed. A sword is upon her waters, and they shall be dried up; for it is a land of graven images, and they are mad over idols.
Therefore the wild beasts of the desert with the wolves shall dwell there, and the ostriches shall dwell therein: and it shall be no more inhabited forever; neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation. As when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbor cities thereof, saith Jehovah, so shall no man dwell there, neither shall any son of man sojourn therein.""They refuse to let them go ..." (Jeremiah 50:33).
Although Babylon will not let God's people go, God Himself will deliver them. He is here called "Their Redeemer." The reference is to the concept of the [~go'el] (Leviticus 25:25 and Numbers 35:21), or the near kinsman who was pledged to serve as the protector or avenger of one enslaved, or murdered. Only here, God Himself will be the [~go'el] (the Redeemer) to rescue Israel. Much of this paragraph is found elsewhere in Jeremiah and Isaiah. On Jeremiah 50:34, cf. Isaiah 43:14; Isaiah 44:6. On Jeremiah 50:39-40, see Isaiah 13:19-22. Jeremiah 50:40 also corresponds with Jeremiah 49:18.
It should be noted here that Jeremiah quoted from Isaiah, from both the First Isaiah and the alleged Deutero-Isaiah, a strong evidence of the unity of Isaiah.
"A sword upon thy waters, and they shall be dried up ..." (Jeremiah 50:38). This, of course, is another reference to the method of Cyrus' capture of Babylon by diverting the Euphrates out of its channel. Both Babylon and Nineveh were on mighty rivers, Nineveh upon the Tigris, and Babylon upon the Euphrates. Yet the prophets of God made this distinction in their prophecies against the two cities. Nahum declared of Nineveh that God prophesied, "With an overrunning flood will I make a full end of thee" (Nahum 1:8), whereas Jeremiah here declares that "The waters of Babylon shall be dried up!" What a remarkable proof that what we have here is the Word of God, not the word of men.
Verse 41
"Behold a people cometh from the north; and a great nation and many kings shall be stirred up from the uttermost parts of the earth. They lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses, everyone set in array, as a man to the battle, against thee, O daughter of Babylon. The king of Babylon hath heard the tidings of them, and his hands are feeble: anguish hath taken hold of him, and pangs as of a woman in travail. Behold, the enemy shall come like a lion from the pride of the Jordan against the strong habitation: for I will suddenly make them run away from it; and whoso is chosen, him will I appoint over it: for who is like me? and who will appoint me a time? and who is the shepherd that can stand before me? Therefore hear ye the counsel of Jehovah, that he hath taken against Babylon; and his purpose, that he hath purposed against the land of the Chaldeans: Surely they shall drag them away, even the little ones of the flocks; surely he shall make their habitation desolate over them. At the noise of the taking of Babylon the earth trembleth, and the cry is heard among the nations."Jeremiah 50:41-43 here are the same as in Jeremiah 49:19-21 and in Isaiah 6:22-24. See my comments there.
"Many kings shall be stirred up (against Babylon) ..." (Jeremiah 50:41). "At the time Jeremiah wrote this, he could not have known the composition of the invading force against Babylon."[23] "Nevertheless the prophecy was literally fulfilled. `The many kings' is a reference to the vassal-kings assisting their overlord, this being the normal part of a suzerain-vassal treaty; and, when Cyrus conquered Babylon, his army contained a number of such vassal contingents."[24]Harrison pointed out that Jeremiah 50:44-46 here repeat substantially the prediction against Edom (Jeremiah 49:19-21), but apply it to Babylon. The significant difference is that, "Little Edom's cry would be heard only as far as the Red Sea; but Babylon's anguished howl would be heard throughout the Near East![25]This prophecy against Babylon is continued through the following chapter, which is the longest in Jeremiah. The two chapters are actually a single prophecy.
Jeremiah 50:1. Various heathen powers are being threatened in the remaining chapters of this book and a large portion of the predictions wilt be against Babylon or Chaldea. It was the first Of the “ four world empires” so well noted in prophecy and history. God was using this empire to chastise his own people, hut he never tolerated the hostile attitude of any nation toward His people, even though said people deserved the punishment.
Jeremiah 50:2. God was especially displeased with the heathen nations because they worshiped false gods and pretended to rely so much upon them, Bel was a short form for Baal which was a god of the Babylonians. Merodach was a title used in connection with the same god otherwise known as Bel or Baal. Is confounded is a prophecy that when the day of the Babylonian doom arrives her idol will avail her nothing.
Jeremiah 50:3. The Babylonian Empire was overthrown by the Medo-Persian Empire, and that empire is referred to in history under a variety of terms. Sometimes it is the one here shown which was the full and proper title; at other times it Is referred tq as the Medes and Persians; in still others either one of the names may be used to designate the whole empire. However, care must be taken not to apply tills use of the single name in every' instance, for in a few cases one of them is used as a distinction from the other. The reader will be informed when such use of either word is to be observed. The present yerse is a prediction of the overthrow of Babylon and the power that was to accomplish that fact was the Medo-Persian (here called the Medes) and it was geographically north of the Babylonian territory.
For the historical fulfillment of this decisive action see the quotation at Isaiah 13:1 in volume 3 of this . The downfall of Babylon takes up many verses of this chapter, and the reader will do well to have his copy of the historical statement ready for reference.
Jeremiah 50:4. Many times the events of prophecy and fulfillment are not inserted in chronological order. In the present instance, however, the literal order has been observed. The release of the Jews from captivity In Babylon (which is the subject of this and the following verse) took place at the same time that Babylon was conquered. When the Medes and Persians took possession of Babylon, they gave the Jews permission to return to their own land. Israel and Judah are named distinctly because the former which was the 10-tribe kingdom, and the latter which was the 2-tribe kingdom had been in captivity.
The former had been taken into the territory while the Assyrians had control of it, and the latter was taken into virtually the same area after the Babylonians gained possession. We might wonder why the Jews would be weeping at such a time, but it will not seem strange if we realize the mingled feelings of joy and penitence that must have possessed them at that time. They had been captives in a strange land where they were not permitted to serve the Lord. Now they are headed toward their own beloved country where they will have the lawful opportunity to seek the Lord their God. No wonder, then, that their emotions would be stirred so that they would he caused to weep. The historical fulfillment of the return of the Jews from captivity is quoted at Isaiah 14:1, in volume 3 of this , The Biblical account of It is in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah.
Jeremiah 50:5. They shall ask the way was fulfilled in Ezra 8:21-23. The perpetual covenant was the agreement which the Jews made to bring about all necessary reforms in their social lives, and to worship the true God only.
Jeremiah 50:6. This verse is a glance back over the past experiences of the nation of the Jews. The language is formed from the occupation of a shepherd and iris sheep. The leaders were the shepherds and the people were the flock, Those leaders had misled and neglected the people in the same way that an unfaithful shepherd would treat his flock. The result of such neglect would be that it would he caused to wander from one mountain to another until the sheep would lose sight of its fold or restingplace.
Jeremiah 50:7. Found them have devoured them refers to the rough treatment the Jews received from the heathen nations whom God suffered to come against the sheep of His pasture. We offend not represents those nations as denying there was anything wrong in what they were doing to the Jews. They felt justified in it because that nation (the Jews) had sinned against the. Lord and deserved what they were getting.
Jeremiah 50:8. This verse comes back to the subject of the return of the Jews from Babylonian captivity. The passage is a prediction of the return stated 1n the form of an order for them to leave the land of their bondage. He goads before the flocks. A he goat being strong and rugged would be able to brave the wilderness and lead the way for the more timid sheep. In Ezra 1:5 we see this prediction fulfilled when the chief of the fathers rose up because their spirit God raised to go build the house of the Lord.
Jeremiah 50:9. Before the Jews could go forth out of the land of the Chaldeans (or Babylonians), that nation must first be overcome by another. That was to be done by an assembly of great tuitions, which refers to the Medes and Persians. That force was to come against the empire that had been holding the Jews in captivity for 70 years.
Jeremiah 50:10. Chaldea here is the same as Babylonia and was desttned to fail. Shall be spoiled means that the invading nation would take possession of the property of Babylon.
Jeremiah 50:11. Because ye were glad. God would never tolerate a boasting attitude from those whom He had used to punish his own people. After they had served the Lord’ s purpose, they in turn were destined to be chastised. That was why the Medo-Persian Empire was raised up by the Lord as the conqueror of Babylon,
Jeremiah 50:12. A mother's disappointment over an unworthy child is used to compare the humiliation that, was destined to come upon Babylon. Shall be is in italics but is justified by the context, so that the clause should read “ she shall be the hindmost of the nations” : it means that Babylon was to become the deserted nation.
Wilderness and desert was a prediction that the city of Babylon would become such a spot as per the historical quotation referred to in verse 3.
Jeremiah 50:13. In reading the historical quotation cited in verse 3 in connection with the several passages predicting the overthrow of Babylon, care should be taken to distinguish between the Babylonian Empire as a whole and Its capital as a city. The former was to be taken over by another power but left intact for the possession of the victorious one, but the latter as a city was to be destroyed and never rebuilt. All predictions as to a desert and an uninhabited spot apply to the city only.
Jeremiah 50:14. This verse is a prediction in the form of an order for the North country (referred to in verse 9) to come against Babylon. The overthrow of Babylon by Persia was not as a favor for the conquering power, but as a punishment upon Babylon because she had sinned against the Lord.
Jeremiah 50:15. It is a general custom for the successful one in any kind of a contest to applaud even with a "yell" of triumph. That sort of performance was to take place against Babylon as predicted by the words shout against her. Hath given her hand means that Babylon would give way to the forces attacking her. Vengeance of the Lord. When any person or group carries out an action that results in vengeance against another, such action is regarded as the vengeance of God if He has called for such action. (This is the teaching of Paul in Romans 12:19 and 2 Corinthians 7:11.)
Jeremiah 50:16. The Babylonian Empire (like all world-powers) was made up of various groups of people. In the time of her subjection she was to be rendered helpless as to occupations and other resources. The morale of the people was to be so lowered they would shrink into their individual refuges among their own lands.
Jeremiah 50:17. Israel is used of the nation as a whole and the verse is a historical statement. Ten tribes were taken away by Assyria (2 Kings 17) and two tribes were taken by the king of Babylon (2 Kings 24, 25). Sheep refers to the flock to which the nation is compared, and it was to be scattered over the wilds of the heathen fields.
Jeremiah 50:18. Assyria was the first to oppress God’ s people and she was punished by being overthrown under the Chaldean yoke. Later the king of Babylon was chastised by the invasion ot the Medo-Perstan Empire.
Jeremiah 50:19. The event predicted at the close of the preceding verse was followed immediately by the release of God’ s people who were then in captivity in Babylon. They not only were to be released from the yoke of Babylon but were to be given possession of the cities and other important spots in their native land.
Jeremiah 50:20. Iniquity of Israel . . . sought for . . , not be found is a prediction that Israel would be cured of the chief national evil of idolatry. For the historical fulfillment of this prediction see the quotation at Isaiah 1:25, volume 3 of this .
Jeremiah 50:21. From this verse through 32 (Jeremiah 50:21-32) constitutes a bracket of predictions against Babylon or Chaldea, (See note at verse 3.) Merathaini and Pckod, were cities of that country and the Persians were called upon to go up against them. When this nation brings utter destruction upon the cities of Babylon it will be according to ail that I (tbe Lord) commanded thee.
Jeremiah 50:22. Sound of battle was a statement both of present fact and a prediction of facts in the near future. The invasion by Persia into Babylon had not occurred in literal fact when the prophet began to write, but the gathering of the military forces of that eastern empire was going on under men destined to overthrow the Babylonians.
Jeremiah 50:23. A hammer is a heavy instrument by which objects may be beaten and crushed. The Babylonian Empire had been just that kind of an instrument against tbe other nations of the world. Now that great hammer was to be broken and its holder (the city of Babylon) was to become a desolation.
Jeremiah 50:24. The pronoun I means the Lord who had laid a snare for the capital city. Wast not aware was a prediction of the suddenness and surprise with which the Persians would take possession of Babylon. (See Daniel 5 for the fulfillment.)
Jeremiah 50:25, An armory is a place for storing weapons of war. To open this place or speak of opening il s a figurative expression, referring to the use the Lord makes of one heathen nation when such services are needed to chastise another. The particular armory that was to be used in the present case was that against the Babylonians or Chaldeans. The motive for the opening of this place of weapons was God’ s indignation at the cruelty of Babylon against Israel.
Jeremiah 50:26. This is a prediction made in tbe form of an order from headquarters, and it pertains to the overthrow of the city of Babylon by the Persians. The complete destruction of tbe capital city was predicted as well as the defeat of the men of war.
Jeremiah 50:27. Bullocks (or bulls) is used figuratively in the Bible where the connection shows it means warriors or other strong men (Psalms 22:12), Hence the strong men of Baby-lon were to be sacrificed to the vengeance of God and tbe Persians were to preside at the service. Time of their visitation means the visiting upon them of the punishment decreed by the Lord.
Jeremiah 50:28. This verse is st.ill a part of the bracket concerning Babylon, but is a slight diversion to note the escape of Israel from the doomed city. With Inspired ears the prophet could hear his people announcing their re-lease according to God.
Jeremiah 50:29. Archers were the men who used the bow and arrow, a prominent weapon of warfare in ancient times. This is a prediction that such forces would be called together against the wicked city of Babyton. God always hates pride, especially when it Is connected with cruelty, and the Babylonians were just such people in their doings.
Jeremiah 50:30. This verse is literal and predicts the attack and overthrow of the men in the city of Babylon. The event took place on the night of Belshazzar’ s feast.
Jeremiah 50:31. One way that pride is manifested is in being stubborn or rebellious against admonition, The prophet Daniel (Daniel 5:22-23) charged this fatal conduct against the king of Babylon who had called for him on that noted occasion of the Chaldean downfall, while interpreting the writing on the wall.
Jeremiah 50:32. The capital city of the Chaldeans was destined to be destroyed and never to be rebuilt. The country in general would remain in good condition in the possession of the conquerors, but the capital was to be in Susa or Shusan.
Jeremiah 50:33-34. Tbe long passage of predictions against Babylon is broken into with these two verses to insert one on the return of the Jews to their own land. Israel and Judah are mentioned distinctively because both of the divisions of the nation of the Jews had been held in bondage in virtually the same territory, That is why it is said that they were oppressed together.
Jeremiah 50:35. The prophet resumes his writfngs against the Babylonian Empire, also called the Chaldeans. The sword was another of the weapons commonly used in aneient warfare, and it is predicted that the men of Babylon were doomed to feel its edge. Not only were tbe military men to suffer from it, but the leading men in civilian life also were to be cut down by the sword.
Jeremiah 50:36. Liars is from BEDIYL, which Strong defines, "A brag or lie; also a liar.” The passage refers to the false prophets among the Jews who boasted that no country could harm them, thus lulling the common people into a false assurance of peace. But the sword of the Lord in the hands of the Persians was coming against them and they were going to dote, which means they would be made to feel and act foolishly and manifest the greatest of confusion.
Jeremiah 50:37. This is more along the same line as the preceding verses. These leading men depended on their soldiers to protect the country against invasion but to no avail. The sword of the invading army was to overcome these men of war and they were to become as women. This comparison was made in view of the fact that women were not armed nor otherwise provided for military service.
Jeremiah 50:38. Drought when used literally refers to a lack of moisture and that was actually brought about in this case. The Persians diverted the stream of the Euphrates River so they could march into the cily of Babylon. Tbe reader should again consult the historical note referred to in verse 3. This great event made a logical occasion for Lhe predictions of the following two verses on the desolation of Babylon.
Jeremiah 50:39. The historical note just cited will show the fulfillment of this prediction to have been literally true. The city of Babylon became an uninhabited spot, and only these doleful creatures of desert life could live there.
Jeremiah 50:40. This verse emphasizes the preceding one by comparing Babylon to the city of Sodom in its complete desolation. The site of that wicked city and its neighbors became the Dead Sea because of the extent of territory involved, but the condition was the same as that of Babylon in that no human being could live there.
Jeremiah 50:41. This verse predicts the attack from the Medo-Persian Empire whose territory lay north and east of Babylon. This twofold empire was to continue many years and be ruled by a succession of kings, many of whom were powerful.
Jeremiah 50:42. A bow was used to shoot an arrow and a lance was thrust by hand; these two forms of weapons were used by the Persians. The rough practices of these people are predicted in this verse. The history of their long combined reign is too full of incidences and details to relate in this place.
Jeremiah 50:43. This verse has specific reference to Belshazzar and his plight when he saw the handwriting on the wall (see Daniel 5:6),
Jeremiah 50:44. For comments, and historical information on the lion's actions see Jeremiah 4:7. In the present case the lion is the Medo-Persian Empire. 'Wfio shall appoint me a time implies that no one will be able to plead any defence when the Lord brings the year of his vengeance upon Babylon.
Jeremiah 50:45. Counsel means the advice and decision of the Lord concerning Babylon. Land of the Chaldeans means the same as the Babylonian territory. Least of the flock means that Persia will very easily conquer their habitation which refers to Babylon.
Jeremiah 50:46. Earth is moved is a figure of speech and refers to the revolutionary effect upon the world of the report of the downfall of the Babylonian Empire,
Jeremiah Chapter Fifty-One
Verse 1
Jeremiah 51 AGAINST BABYLON (continued)
(The introduction for Jeremiah 50 also applies to this chapter.)
Jeremiah 51:1-5"Thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I will raise up against Babylon, and against them that dwell in Leb-kamai, a destroying wind. And I will send unto Babylon strangers, that shall winnow her; and they shall empty her land: for in the day of trouble they shall be against her round about. Against him that bendeth, let the archer bend his bow, and against him that lifteth himself up in his coat of mail: and spare ye not her young men; destroy ye utterly all her host. And they shall fall down slain in the land of the Chaldeans, and thrust through in her streets. For Israel is not forsaken, nor Judah, of his God, of Jehovah of hosts; though their land is full of guilt against the Holy One of Israel.""Them that dwell in Leb-kamai ..." (Jeremiah 51:1). The proper name here is a kind of trick word called an athbash, devised by numbering the Hebrew alphabet from each end (for example, in English X, Y, Z, would be numbered 3,2, 1, etc.; and A, B, C, would be numbered 1,2, 3, etc.
Thus, to form an athbash, the letters of a name would be changed. The letter "A" would be written "Z," and the letter "B" would be written "Y," etc.). Leb-kamai here is an athbash for "Chaldea."[1]No one knows why such a device was used here. It was usually a device for concealing the meaning of a word from all except those "in the know"; but the equivalent of Chaldea, "Babylon," has already been mentioned. We encountered another example of this in Jeremiah 25:26.
Barnes believed that this word for Chaldea, Leb-kamai, was probably "known to everybody";[2] and, if so, it could have been a kind of nickname for Babylonia, such as "Gotham" or "The Big Apple."
"A destroying wind ..." (Jeremiah 51:1). Keil noted that this should be translated, "The spirit of a destroyer."[3] That rendition is most likely correct, because it was not a "wind" that mined Babylon; it was a human destroyer, Cyrus. In Hebrew, the word for "wind" and "spirit" is the same.
"Strangers ... they shall winnow her ..." (Jeremiah 51:2). "These were the Medes (Jeremiah 51:11) who would destroy Babylon."[4] The word "winnow" was a word connected with the threshing industry; and one still hears remarks like, "He gave him a threshing!"
"For Israel ... Judah ... is not forsaken of his God ..." (Jeremiah 51:5). Throughout this chapter, the destruction of Babylon, and the protection and blessing of Israel are mentioned in that order repeatedly.
Verse 6
"Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and save every man his life; be not cut off in her iniquity: for it is the time of Jehovah's vengeance; he will render unto her a recompense. Babylon hath been a golden cup in Jehovah's hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunk of her wine; therefore the nations are mad. Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed; wail for her; take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed. We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed: forsake her, and let us go everyone into his own country; for her judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies. Jehovah hath brought forth our righteousness: come, let us declare in Zion the work of Jehovah our God."The analogy between the literal Babylon here and the spiritual Babylon of Revelation is amazing. Note the following: (1) Both shall be utterly destroyed (2) God's people are commanded to "come out of her." (3) She has a golden cup in her hand. (4) The nations have become drunk with her wine. (5) Her judgment reaches all the way to heaven. (6) Her doom is like a stone cast into the river (see last paragraph of this chapter). (7) She is responsible for all the slain in the land (Jeremiah 51:49). See Vol. 12 (Revelation) in the New Testament commentaries (Revelation 17-18).
"Babylon is suddenly fallen ..." (Jeremiah 51:8), It happened in a single night, the tragic night dramatically described in the fifth chapter of Daniel.
"She is not healed ..." (Jeremiah 51:9). "Israel's wounds could be healed by balm from Gilead, but Babylon's fate was absolute."[5]"Babylon hath been a golden cup ..." (Jeremiah 51:7). Not only that; she was called "God's hammer" inJeremiah 50:23. "As God's hammer, she was strong; as his cup of gold, she was rich and beautiful; but nothing could save her from the wrath of God as recompense for her sin."[6]Verse 11
"Make sharp the arrows, hold forth the shields: Jehovah hath stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes; because his purpose is against Babylon, to destroy it: for it is the vengeance of Jehovah, the vengeance of his temple. Set up a standard against the walls of Babylon, make the watch strong, set the watchmen, prepare the ambushes; for Jehovah hath both purposed and done that which he spake concerning the inhabitants of Babylon. O thou that dwellest upon many waters, abundant in treasures, thine end is come, the measure of thy covetousness. Jehovah of hosts hath sworn by himself, saying, Surely I will fill thee with men, as with the canker-worm; and they shall lift up a shout against thee.""O thou that dwellest upon many waters ..." (Jeremiah 51:13). "The great wealth of Babylon was caused not merely by the Euphrates, but by a vast system of canals, which served for defense as well as for irrigation."[7] Harrison thought that there might be, "A sarcastic reference here to the mythological tale of the Babylonians concerning a great subterranean ocean";[8] but we believe that the obvious reference to the canals of the Euphrates is a far better interpretation.
"The measure of thy covetousness ..." (Jeremiah 51:13). "This is a metaphor taken from weaving; it compares Babylon to a measure of cloth cut out of the loom, which is a figure for death."[9]; Isaiah 38:12 has the same metaphor.
"As with the canker-worm" (Jeremiah 51:14). The canker-worm was a very destructive insect. "It was the locust in the chrysalis stage, the most destructive phase of the locust's life."[10] This creature was the source of many of the worst plagues that ever came upon the people of the Near East. The promise here was that God would fill Babylon with men who would do the same thing to Babylon that the horrible locust plague would do to a field of grain.
Verse 15
"He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding hath he stretched out the heavens. When he utters his voice, there is a tumult in the waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasuries. Every man is become brutish and is without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his image; for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them. They are vanity, a work of delusion: in the time of their visitation they shall perish. The portion of Jacob is not like these; for he is the former of all things; and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance: Jehovah of hosts is his name."These verses, with the exception of a single word are a verbatim repetition of Jer 10:12-16. See my comment on these verses under that reference.
Verse 20
"Thou art my battle-axe and weapons of war: and with thee will I break in pieces the nations; and with thee will I destroy kingdoms; and with thee will I break in pieces the horse and his rider; and with thee will I break in pieces the chariot and him that rideth therein; and with thee will I break in pieces man and woman; and with thee will I break in pieces the old man and the youth; and with thee will I break in pieces the young man and the virgin; and with thee will I break in pieces the shepherd and his flock; and with thee will I break in pieces the husbandman and his yoke of oxen; and with thee will I break in pieces governors and deputies. And I will render unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight saith Jehovah. Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, saith Jehovah, which destroyeth all the earth; and I will stretch out my hand upon thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a burnt mountain. And they shall not take of thee a stone for a corner, nor a stone for foundations; but thou shalt be desolate forever, saith Jehovah."No comment is necessary on Jeremiah 51:20-24, which are merely a somewhat tedious way of saying that God will break in pieces just about everything that pertained to Babylon.
"O destroying mountain ..." (Jeremiah 51:25). Keil uses several pages talking about a volcano here; but we believe Robinson was correct when he said, "The language here is purely figurative."[11] Why did the Lord choose such a metaphor? It could be because of that false mountain called the "Tower of Babel" that had been erected there in the remote past, or because of that Ziggurat, the mountain-like temple of Babylon's pagan religious system. God would roll the whole nation down the multiple terraces of their false mountain.
"Thou shalt be desolate forever, saith Jehovah ..." (Jeremiah 51:26). Thompson complained that, "Cyrus entered Babylon without any appreciable resistance and left the city intact; and this is quite contrary to the description of devastation that appears in Jeremiah 51:26."[12] There are other phases of these prophecies against Babylon that indicate quite clearly that there would be a long period during which Babylon would be the "hindermost" of nations, and that the total desolation promised would be accomplished gradually, but that it would last forever. All of this took place exactly as prophesied. See further comment on this in the previous chapter in the discussion under Jeremiah 51:11-16.
Verse 27
"Set ye up a standard in the land, blow the trumpet among the nations, prepare the nations against her, call together against her the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz: appoint a marshal against her; cause the horse to come up as the rough canker-worm. Prepare against her the nations, the kings of the Medes, the governors thereof, and all the deputies thereof, and all the land of their dominion. And the land trembleth and is in pain; for the purposes of Jehovah against Babylon do stand, to make the land of Babylon a desolation, without inhabitant. The mighty men of Babylon have forborne to fight, they remain in their strongholds; their might hath failed; they are become as women: her dwelling places are set on fire; her bars are broken. One post shall run to meet another, and one messenger to meet another, to show the king of Babylon that his city is taken on every quarter: and the passages are seized, and the reeds they have burned with fire, and the men of war are affrighted. For thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: The daughter of Babylon is like a threshing-floor at the time when it is trodden; yet a little while, and the time of harvest shall come for her.""Ararat ..." (Jeremiah 51:27). "This is an ancient name for part of Armenia, including the mountains where the ark rested.
It was where the sons of Sennacherib went after they murdered him; and Jeremiah mentioned it here, along with the neighboring districts of Mini and Ashkenaz."[13]"Ashkenaz ..." (Jeremiah 51:27). "These people were the ancient equivalent of barbarians. Their neighbors were Ararat and Minni. They were located southeast of Lake Van."[14]"Minni ..." (Jeremiah 51:27). "This is the same as Mannai of the Assyrian inscriptions. They were located in the vicinity of the lakes Van and Urmia and seem to have been a very capable people in warfare. They aided the destruction of Nineveh (612 B.C.) and also participated in the capture of Babylon in 539 B.C.)."[15] They were vassals of Babylon in the fall of Nineveh, and of the Medes in the fall of Babylon.
"The rough canker-worm ..." (Jeremiah 51:27). This was the name of the locust in its most devastating phase. See under Jeremiah 51:14, above.
"One post shall run to meet another ... one messenger to meet another ..." (Jeremiah 51:31). The famed courier system of Babylon brought the drunken king (Daniel 5) the news of the city's capture "from every quarter."
"The men of war were affrighted ..." (Jeremiah 51:32). This is no wonder. The enemy were all over the city in total control of it; they had already burned the marshes, destroying any place of hiding or of ambush; the king was hopelessly drunk; and the mighty Babylon was as helpless as a woman untrained in war, with no protection, no armor, no weapons, and no hope. Let it be remembered, however, that this was a prophecy of "what would happen," not a history of what did happen. The prophecy was so accurate, however, that some have mistaken it for history. The mention of the Medes and their allies both here and inJeremiah 51:11 are all the proof that is needed that here we have predictive prophecy, not history. No writer, writing afterward would have mentioned the Medes without bringing in the Persians.
"Yet a little while, and the time of her harvest shall come for her ..." (Jeremiah 51:33). Note the future verb. We have prophecy, not history. Also, the focus upon Israel here, along with the mention of the fall of Babylon follows the pattern already mentioned, namely, (1) the fall of Babylon, followed by (2) the God of Israel's care for his children.
Verse 34
"Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon hath devoured me, he hath crushed me, he hath made me an empty vessel, he hath like a monster swallowed me up, he has filled his maw with my delicacies; he hath cast me out. The violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon, shall the inhabitant of Zion say; and, My blood be upon the inhabitants of Chaldea, shall Jerusalem say. Therefore thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I will plead thy cause, and take vengeance for thee; and I will dry up her sea, and make her fountain dry. And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwelling place for jackals, an astonishment, and a hissing, without inhabitant. They shall roar together like young lions; thy shall growl as lions' whelps. When they are heated I will make their feast, and I will make them drunken, that they may rejoice, and sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith Jehovah. I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams with he-goats."Harrison's summary of this paragraph has this:
"Nebuchadnezzar has devoured Jerusalem with the greedy gulp of a monster (the New English Bible has "dragon"), and for this excess his land shall be punished. The idiom of recompense (Jeremiah 51:35) is that of Gen 16:5)."[16]"I will dry up her sea, and make her fountain dry ..." (Jeremiah 51:36). This writer cannot believe that Almighty God would dignify the mythological tale of a vast underground ocean by here promising to dry it up. Could God dry up something that never existed? Therefore, we reject the notion that, "This is a reference to the mythological wellsprings of life."[17] The Euphrates and its system of canals were the wellsprings of life for Babylon, not some mythological underground sea. See under Jeremiah 51:13, above.
Smith supposed that there might also be a reference here to, "The great lake dug by Nitocris to receive the waters of the Euphrates."[18]"Like a monster ..." (Jeremiah 51:34). See my comment on Isaiah 27:1 regarding the monster mentioned there.
Verse 41
"How is Sheshak taken and the praise of the whole earth seized! how is Babylon become a desolation among the nations! The sea is come up upon Babylon; she is covered with the multitude of the waves thereof. Her cities are become a desolation, a dry land, and a desert, a land wherein no man dwelleth, neither doth any son of man pass thereby. And I will execute judgment upon Bel in Babylon, and I will bring forth out of his mouth that which he hath swallowed up; and the nations shall not flow any more unto him: yea the wall of Babylon shall fall.""How is Sheshak taken ..." (Jeremiah 51:41). This is an ashbash for Babylon. See under Jeremiah 51:1, above, and under Jeremiah 25:26.
"The sea is come up upon Babylon ..." (Jeremiah 51:42). This is a metaphor for the destroying army, composed of many nations under the lordship of Cyrus.
"I will bring forth out of his mouth ..." (Jeremiah 51:44). This reveals the true identity of the one who swallowed up Jerusalem. It was not a sea-monster at all, but Babylon, because Babylon was the one that God forced to disgorge himself of that which he had swallowed.
Jeremiah 51:41-43 here are the same as Jeremiah 6:22-24. See my comments there.
Verse 45
"My people, Go ye out of the midst of her, and save yourselves every man from the fierce anger of Jehovah, and let not your heart faint, neither fear ye for the tidings that shall be found in the land; for tidings shall come one year, and after that in another year shall come tidings, and violence is in the land, ruler against ruler. Therefore, behold, the days come, that I will execute judgment upon the graven images of Babylon; and her whole land shall be confounded; and all her slain shall fall in the midst of her. Thus the heavens and the earth, and all that is therein, shall sing for joy over Babylon, for the destroyers shall come unto her from the north, saith Jehovah. As Babylon hath caused the slain of Israel to fall, so at Babylon shall fall the slain of all the land.""All her slain shall fall in the midst of her ..." (Jeremiah 51:47). Harrison noted that this passage will bear the translation: "Just as the whole earth's slain have fallen for Babylon, so at Babylon the whole earth's slain shall fall."[19] Certainly this idea must be in the passage, because of what God said through the apostle John.
"And in her (Mystery Babylon, the Great Harlot) was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all that have been slain upon the earth" (Revelation 18:24).
Jeremiah 51:44-46 are taken from Jeremiah 49:19-21. See my comments there.
Verse 50
"Ye that have escaped the sword, go ye, stand not still; remember Jehovah from afar, and let Jerusalem come into your mind. We are confounded, because we have heard reproach; confusion hath covered our faces: for strongers have come into the sanctuary of Jehovah's house. Wherefore, behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will execute judgment upon her graven images; and through all her land the wounded shall groan. Though Babylon should mount up to heaven, and though she should fortify the height of her strength, yet from me shall the destroyers come upon her saith Jehovah.""Go ye, stand not still ..." (Jeremiah 51:50). See under Jeremiah 51:6, above for comment on this.
"We are confounded ..." (Jeremiah 51:51). God's people appear to be the speakers here. God's thundering reply came in the next verse.
"Fortify the height of her strength ..." (Jeremiah 51:53). This may be either a reference to their famed Ziggurat, or to their high wall that surrounded the 200 square mile interior of the city. Speaking of the great wall, Smith has given us various estimates of its height.
"There is in this an allusion to the vast height of the walls of Babylon, though their actual measurement is very uncertain. Herodotus gave the height as 335 English feet, Pliny 235, Q. Curtius 150, and Strabo 75!"[20]Incidentally, the above named historians regarding the walls of Babylon are among that company of pagan writers sometimes quoted by radical critics as "authorities" in remarks that are alleged to cast doubt upon or to deny something in the Bible. Can one intelligently suppose that the whole crowd of ancient writers were any more reliable than the sacred writers of the Holy Bible?
Verse 54
"The sound of a cry from Babylon, and of great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans! For Jehovah layeth Babylon waste, and destroyeth out of her the great voice; and their waves roar like many waters; the noise of their voice is uttered: for the destroyer is come upon her, even upon Babylon, and her mighty men are taken, their bows are broken in pieces; for Jehovah is a God of recompenses, he will surely requite. And I will make drunk her princes and her wise men, her governors and her deputies, and her mighty men; and they shall sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith the King, whose name is Jehovah of hosts. Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: the broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly overthrown, and her high gates shall be burned with fire; and the peoples shall labor for vanity, and the nations for the fire; and they shall be weary.""They shall sleep ... saith the King ..." (Jeremiah 51:57). Right in the midst of all the records regarding ancient kings, governors, deputies, etc., the real KING is introduced. He is Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel.
"The broad walls of Babylon ..." (Jeremiah 51:58). Once more, we shall allow the ancient pagan authorities to tell us about those broad walls. "Herodotus gave their breadth as 85 feet, Strabo and Curtius agreed that they were 31 feet";[21] and Donald Wiseman found some pagan authority who gave the width as 25 feet![22] One ancient writer tells us that four chariots could be raced abreast upon the top of Babylon's walls.
Verse 59
"The word which Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, when he went with Zedekiah the king of Judah to Babylon in the fourth year of his reign. Now Seraiah was chief chamberlain. And Jeremiah wrote in a book all the evil that should come upon Babylon, even all these words that are written concerning Babylon. And Jeremiah said to Seraiah, When thou comest to Babylon, then see that thou read all these words, and say, O Jehovah, thou hast spoken concerning this place, to cut it off, that none shall dwell therein, neither man nor beast, but that it shall be desolate forever. And it shall be, when thou hast made an end of reading this book, that thou shalt bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst of the Euphrates: and thou shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise again because of the evil that I will bring upon her; and they shall be weary. Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.""Seraiah... the chamberlain ..." (Jeremiah 51:59).
This man was a brother of Baruch; and his being called the chamberlain indicates that he had charge of such things as accommodations and travel arrangements when Zedekiah made that trip to Babylon in the fourth year of his tenure as vassal king under Nebuchadnezzar, "in 593 B.C."[23]"Jeremiah gave Seraiah a scroll upon which was written a prophecy against Babylon."[24] This comment is incorrect, because the scroll had not "a prophecy" against Babylon, but, it had all that Jeremiah said, "even all these words" (Jeremiah 51:60). This proves that all the prophecies of Jeremiah against Babylon came early in the reign of Zedekiah (593 B.C.). Jeremiah wrote many other prophecies after that date, but all the prophecies against Babylon were concluded before the event mentioned in this paragraph. "There is no valid reason for questioning either the act recorded here or the account of it. It is dated in the fourth year of the reign of Zedekiah (594-593 B.C.).[25]As he did in Jeremiah 18:1-17 when he visited the house of the potter, and again in Jeremiah 32:6-15 when he bought a field, Jeremiah here reinforced his prophecy against Babylon by a symbolical action carried out for him by Seriah who read the prophecies first (publicly) and then tied a stone to the scroll and cast it into the middle of the Euphrates.
The importance of this action is seen in the Book of Revelation (Revelation 18:21), where a similar action by a mighty angel of God symbolized the overthrow and destruction of Mystery Babylon the Great.
With regard to that trip which Zedekiah made to Babylon on that occasion in his fourth year as king, Smith sheds some light.
"Zedekiah made that trip possibly with the hope of receiving some favor from Nebuchadnezzar, or because Nebuchadnezzar summoned him to be present for some state occasion; and it is even possible that Nebuchadnezzar suspected the loyalty of Zedekiah and demanded that he appear in Babylon with an explanation of why the ambassadors that year (Jeremiah 27:3) were assembled in Jerusalem from Moab, Ammon, Edom and Phoenicia."[26]"Thus far the words of Jeremiah ..." (Jeremiah 51:64). This is called a Colophon,[27] an editorial note probably inserted by the scribe who connected Jeremiah 52 to Jeremiah as an historical appendix. Very frequently in our Bible studies, we encounter allegations that editors, redactors, and interpolators have added this or that; but here we really have such an example; and let it be noted, that the addition is clearly distinguished from the words of the author. "Whoever it was that added Jeremiah 52 evidently felt that it was his duty to point out that it was not written by Jeremiah. It is an instance of the scrupulous care the Jews took in guarding the integrity of their sacred books, which God committed to their keeping."[28]The fact of this comment's appearance here demonstrates that the postulation widely accepted by radical critics that all kinds of comments and additions were added to the original writings of the prophets is simply false. The attitude of the nameless scribe who wrote the final sentence of Jer 51:64 effectively disproves it.
Jeremiah 51:1. This long chapter is a con-tinuation of Jeremiah’ s predictions against Babylon. Much of the language is figurative even as the prophetic style often is. Wind ta very destructive when It comes in great vol-umes, and the onrushing of the Persians was to be like such a wind. Rise up against me. Since the Lord was the power that was bringing the Persian army against the land of Babylon, those who opposed them were opposing Him.
Jeremiah 51:2. Fanners is from a word that means a foreigner, and fan Is from ZARAH, which Strong defines, "To toss about; by implication to diffuse, winnow." The statement means that Babylon was to he treated as chaff
and the Persians were to be the workers who would use the fan. Since the empire of Babylon was become as chaff, when the fan has done its work it wit! leave the land empty.
Jeremiah 51:3. The literal meaning of this verse is for the Persians to oppose the Babylonians, Him that bendeth means the Babylonian who bends the bow to shoot, an arrow. The Persian archer (a user of a bow) is told to bend his bow to shoot an arrow at the other man. A brlgandine is a coat of mail or metal armor. The Babylonian wore one and lifted himself up; that is, he stood up and trusted in the protection of his armor. The Persian soldier is told (In prediction) to stand against the other soldier who trusted in his armor.
Jeremiah 51:4. This is a more direct prediction that the Chaldeans were to be slain in t.heir own land. The streets of their cities were to be strewn with dead bodies.
Jeremiah 51:5. These misfortunes were to come upon the Babylonians on behaif of Israel and Judah who had been held in captivity by these heathen. And alt this was to be done in spite of the sins of God’ s people committed while they were in their own land. But the Lord would not tolerate the attitude of the Babylonians toward even an unrighteous nation when it was the peculiar possession of Him.
Jeremiah 51:6. God’ s people were to flee out of the land of Babylon and this verse Is a prediction of the return to their own land. The Biblical account of the fulfillment of the prediction is in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. The historical account of it was Quoted at iBaiah 14: 1 in volume 3 of this .
Jeremiah 51:7. When cup is used figuratively it denotes an instrument containing the wine of wrath or other unpleasant lot to be experienced by someone. When God is said to be using the cup it is a signal that He is imposing upon some person some deserved chastisement. In the instance at. hand Babylon is the cup and God has used it against certain nations to punish them for their wrongs. But Babylon took too much joy out of the distress that was brought onto the nations by drinking from this "cup" served to them, so now the Lord is going to bring her to suffer humiliation.
Jeremiah 51:8. Babylon is fallen is present tense in form but future in thought. Suddenly refers to the surprise attack described in Daniel 5.
Jeremiah 51:9. The gist of this verse is that Babylon was a self-willed nation and would never have accepted any instructions that might have prevented her downfall. She was to receive the chastisement that was due her wicked stubbornness. Judgment rear,hath unto heaven (or to the skies) is a figurative expression, meaning the doom of Babylon was to be great.
Jeremiah 51:10. The pronoun our refers to the Medes and Persians who were the instrument in God's hands for the punishment of Babylon. The verse means that in attacking the nation these people will be doing the right thing.
Jeremiah 51:11. This is the same thought as the preceding verse. Mention of only the Medes is merely a common manner of the Old Testament writers in referring to the Medo-Persian Empire. God was back of this kingdom in its movements upon Babylon.
Jeremiah 51:12. The standard is the flag or ensign of a nation or army. The passage is a prediction that the Medes would raise their flag In triumph upon the walls of Babylon. Having taken possession of the city, they would place a guard to be on the lookout for any who might attempt to wrest their victory from them, The watchers on the walls would not he enough protection, but others would he stationed at spots in hiding to detect any attempt of the enemy to surprise the conquerors in some attack.
Jeremiah 51:13. Waters refers to the River Euphrates that flowed through the city of Babylon. It is a mighty stream and was the pride of the Chaldean capital. Measure of thy coveteoumess denotes that the sad end about to come upon the city will be appropriate in view of her grasping disposition.
Jeremiah 51:14, The men with whom the city was to be filled were the Medes and Persians. (See Daniel 5.) Lift up a shout refers to the cry of victory that a successful army makes when it has taken possession of the enemy position.
Jeremiah 51:15, He is the Lord, of hosts mentioned in the preceding verse. The earth was made by His power and certainly he can overcome even the strongest of the governments of men. This will be accomplished soon by the hand of the Medo-Persian Empire.
Jeremiah 51:16. The thought. In this verse is on God's control over the rain and other elements of the universe. Since the entire workings of the universe are subject to the divine power, then
surely such a comparatively email thing as a human monarchy cannot resist that power successfully.
Jeremiah 51:17. To he brutish means to be more like a dumb brute than a human being. When a man makes a graven image to worship he manifests a mind that is foolish and one that is to be compared to that of a beast.
Jeremiah 51:18. They means the graven images which the heathen nations formed to worship. Such gods are vanity or vain. Time of their visitation means the time when they are put to the test. When that time comes the weakness of these idols will be mani; tested in that all who have relied upon them will perish.
Jeremiah 51:19. Portion of Jacob means that which Jacob received from the Lord, which was the favor of divine help not to be compared with the advantages of the. heathen. He means the Lord as the source “ from whom all blessings flow,”
Jeremiah 51:20. Battle axe is from , which Strong defines. "A smiter, i. e., a war club.” For the sake of Israel who came from Jacob, the Lord will use the Medes (and Persians) as a war club to hammer the nations that have mistreated His people.
Jeremiah 51:21. Horse and rider were used in battle, and those of the enemy nations were to be broken or brought to defeat in war.
Jeremiah 51:22. All ages and ranks and sexes of the hostile nations were to be brought under. None will he able to endure when God sends his forces as his agencies to carry out his vengeance against, those who disrespect Him.
Jeremiah 51:23, The reference to shepherds and husbandmen indicates that all agricultural pursuits will be stopped. Captains and rulers pertain to the governmental departments of a nation, and these also were to be overthrown in God’ s wrath.
Jeremiah 51:24. This verse comes into more direct reference to the specific event which the prophet has been describing. Babylon and Chaldea are the same as to the present situation, and /Aon stands for the nation of God which had been mistreated by the mentioned people of the heathen nations.
Jeremiah 51:25. Mountain in symbolic language means a government, and in this place it means the government of Babylon. God was against this “ mountain” because of the destruction that it had wrought in the earth. If a rocky mountain should be burnt into lava it would roll down and be flattened out and cease to exist as a mountain. Hence this mountain of Babylon is threatened with being dissolved by the fire of God's anger and be brought to nothing as a kingdom.
Jeremiah 51:26. They (the Medes and Persians) will not use the building materials of Babylon for their own benefit for that wit! not be the purpose of their attack. However, they will destroy the city and make it desolate for ever.
Jeremiah 51:27. The worid empires such as Merlo-Persia comprised the units of government in many localities. Some of such units are mentioned in this verse and they will be among the forces that Persia will bring against the capital of the Babylonians. Set up a standard in the land means the flag of the invading army will be planted in the conquered country.
Jeremiah 51:28. This is virtually the same in thought as the preceding verse, and it means the Medes will gather with their accumulated forces and come against Babylon.
Jeremiah 51:29. The land, of Babylon has special application to the site of the capital city and perhaps the nearby territory. The country in general remained to be inhabited by the citizens whom it pleased the Persians to permit
Jeremiah 51:30. The war had been going on in the country at large before the city of Babylon was attacked. But all the while the active soldiers were in the field in defence of their country, the princes of the land, and especially those in the capital city were shrinking from their military duty. While this cowardly attitude was being maintained their houses were being burned by the invading forces.
Jeremiah 51:31. Before reading this and the following verse it is very important to read the historical note or quotation made at Isaiah 13: 78 in volume 3 of this . A post is a runner whose business it is to spread news or reports of great interest, and this verse is a prediction of the events that took place on the memorable night of Belshazzar's feast and death, city taken at one end. While the king was absorbed in his drinking feast, the Persians were making their way into the city at one end, the place where the Euphrates River entered beneath the walls. (See note again.)
Jeremiah 51:32. Passages are stopped. The Euphrates River flowed through the city of Babylon and at every street coming down to it there were means provided for crossing over. After the Persians got within the city through the lowered river, they took possession of all these crossings. Reeds is from agau, which Strong defines, "A marsh; hence a rush (as growing in swamps); hence a stockade of reeds." A stockade is a sort ol fortification made of stout posts and these heavy reeds on the banks of the river were so used. After the stream had been lowered in the way described in the historical note, the Persians set fire to these reeds. This would produce an alarming appearance which accounts for the prediction that, the men of war are affrighted.
Jeremiah 51:33. A threshing-floor is a place where grain is beaten and then the chaff is blown away. Babylon has already been compared to chaff (verse 2) and hence the prediction is repeated that the city was destined to be threshed.
Jeremiah 51:34. The Lord speaks of the mistreatment of his people as if it had been done to Him. Jesus taught the same principle In Matthew 25:45. The king of Babylon named in this verse was the one in power when the “ three captivities” took place and hence he Is the one named in the complaint.
Jeremiah 51:35. The complaint that God expressed in the preceding verse on behalf of his people is made in this verse by the people themselves. Zion and Jerusalem are mentioned because the former was the most important district of the latter. .
Jeremiah 51:36. The invasion of Babylon by means of the Euphrates Elver is predicted by the phrase dry up her sea. Strong says the original for sea is sometimes defined as "a large river.” By the ingenuity of Cyrus (the Persian commander) the river was rendered powerless as a defence for Babylon.
Jeremiah 51:37. This verse is a repetition of the prediction that Babylon was to be completely destroyed and never to be inhabited nor rebuilt.
Jeremiah 51:38-40. I have purposely combined these verses into one paragraph because of the direct relation of all the items to each other. The passage is a prediction of the scenes in Babylon on that last night of Belshazzar, The student will do well to read again very carefully the fifth chapter of Daniel. Then read again the historical quota-tion given at Isaiah 13:1 in volume 3 of this .
Jeremiah 51:41, Strong’ s lexicon says She- shach is a symbolic name of Babylon. The taking of such a great city was so unusual an event that It caused universal surprise. Braise . . . surprised. Those who had direct information on the noted event gave forth such great praise or laudation that the nations were astonished.
Jeremiah 51:42. In figurative language such terms as floods and waters are often used to indicate great distress. The same thing is meant in the verse by the sea, referring to the army of the Persians that was to overflow the city of Babylon.
Jeremiah 51:43. Doubtless many of the cities besides the capital were destroyed and the inhabitants slain in the general wars the Babylonians had to suffer. However, the permanent state of desolation as to inhabitants applied to Babylon only.
Jeremiah 51:44. Bel was another form for Baal which was one of the heathen gods worshiped by the nations of the ancient world. They pretended to rely on the protection these idols could give them and God was determined to expose the vanity of such gods. On the night of the capture of Babylon the king and his lords “ praised the gods of gold, and of Btiver, of brass, of wood, and of stone "(Daniel 5:4). But these gods could do nothing to help Belshazzar; could not even furnish him a man who was able to explain the writing on the wall.
Jeremiah 51:45, This verse is a prediction in the form of an order. God's people were to be released after Babylon was captured by the Persians, and they were to be given the privilege of returning to their own land.
Jeremiah 51:46. Lest your heart faint means that God's people were told about the revolution that was to come upon the land wherein they were being held as captives, so that when they began to hear disquieting rumors about it they would not be faint. Moffatl renders this. ‘‘ Never be daunted or dismayed by rumors that you hear,”
Jeremiah 51:47. One of the main objections that God had against the heathen nations was their worship of idols. By humiliating those nations that relied on such things, the weakness of false gods was demonstrated.
Jeremiah 51:48. Sing for Babylon means that all intelligent creatures will feel jubilant, over (he downfall of the hated city. Spoilers from the north refers to the Meiles who were located north of Babylon. They were to come down upon the city and take from her the
personal belongings In which she took so much pride.
Jeremiah 51:49. A glance at verse 45 shows that Israel is being addressed still, and is being consoled over the downfall of the nation that had opposed them while in captivity. The original for earth is defined in the lexicon also as “ the land." The passage means that as Babylon had caused the people of Israel to be slain, so the people all over the land of Babylon should be slain and made to fall.
Jeremiah 51:50. Escaped the sword would refer to the same ones who are elsewhere considered the “ remnant" that was to survive the ravages of the captivity. (See Isaiah 1:9; Isaiah 10:21; Isaiah 37:31; Ezra 2:64.) This group is notified through the prediction to leave the land of their captivity and return to Jerusalem their own capital city.
Jeremiah 51:51. This verse expresses the sentiments of the people of Israel over their misfortunes. Strangers or people from the outside had invaded the holy places of God.
Jeremiah 51:52. This sad state of mind is being comforted by the promise that divine judgment was to be poured out upon the oppressor nation. The heathens relied on their graven images and other false gods for support. The downfall of this government, therefore, would be a defeat for these idols.
Jeremiah 51:53. Mount up to heaven is a figure of speech meaning the highest attainment possible for a human government. Babylon doubtless did reach such heights as a world power (see Daniel 2:36-37), but this verse predicts her final downfall.
Jeremiah 51:54. The cry that is predicted refers to the wail of distress that the people of Babylon were to utter at her shameful overthrow.
Jeremiah 51:55. Waves and waters are figures of speech that mean the floods of distress and ruin that would come upon the land of Babylon. All of this was to be brought about through the service of the Persians, but It would be by the decree of the Lord.
Jeremiah 51:56. This verse is more along the same line as the preceding verses. A spoiler is one who takes possession of the things In the hands of another. The Medo-Persian Empire was decreed by the Lord to come as a spoiler against Babylon, To requite means to impose upon one some chastisement for his unrighteous deeds.
Jeremiah 51:57. This verse has specific application to the scenes that took place In Babylon on the night of Bel-shazzar’ s drunken feast. (See Daniel 5.)
Jeremiah 51:58. The broad walls of Babylon. The walls of Babylon were one of the “ Seven Wonders of the World,” and they are referred to in this verse. In view of the importance of the subject I shall copy a description of these walls out of authentic historians. The reader should take careful interest In this quotation for it will not be again produced in full in this . “ First, the walls were very prodigious [of vast dimensions]: for they were in thickness eighty-seven feet, and in compass four hundred and eighty furlongs, which make sixty of our miles. This is Herodotus's account of them, who was himself in Babylon, and is the most ancient author that hath written of this matter.
And although there are others that differ from him herein, yet the most that agree In any measure of those walls give us the same, or very near the same, that he doth . . . These walls were drawn round the city in the form of an exact square, each side of which was one hundred and twenty furlongs, or fifteen miles in length, and all built of large bricks, cemented together with bitumen, a glutinous slime arising out of the earth in that country, which binds in building much stronger and firmer than lime, and soon grows much harder than the brick or stones themselves which It cements together.
These walls were surrounded on the outside with a vast ditch filled with water, after the manner of scarp [a steep wall] or counterscarp, and the earth, which was dug out of it, made the bricks, wherewith the walls were built; and therefore, from the vast height and breadth of the walls may be inferred the greatness of the ditch. In every side of this great square were twenty-five gates, that is, a hundred in all, which were all made of solid brass; and hence it is, that when God promised Cyrus (the Persian commander] the conquest of Babylon, he tells him, ‘ that he would break In pieces before him the gates of brass' (Ialah 45: 2). Between every two of these gates were three towers, and four more at the four corners of this great square, and three between each of these corners and the next gate on either side; and every one of these towers was ten feet hlgher than the walls. But this is to be understood only of those parts of the wall where there was need of towers; for some parts of them lying against morasses always full of water, where they could not be approached by an enemy, they had there no need of any towers at all for their defence; and therefore in them there were none built; for the whole number of them amounted to no more than two hundred and fifty; whereas, had the same uniform order been observed in tbeir disposition all round, there must have been many more. From the twenty-five gates on each side of this great square, went twenty-five streets in straight lines to the gates, which were directly over against them in the other side opposite to it. So that the whole number of the streets was fifty, each fifteen miles long, whereof twenty-five went one way, and twenty-five the other, directly crossing each other at right angles."— Prideaux’ s Connexion, 570 B. C.
The magnitude of the feat of Cyrus in taking Babylon may the better be realized after we ponder this description of the walls and gates. The people shall labor in vain means the labor the people had put on this vast structure will prove to have been in vain, for it was all destined to be lost in destruction that the Persians would bring to the city.
Jeremiah 51:59. Jeremiah wrote a special copy of his predictions to be used as herein directed. We know it was a special copy, for it was to be destroyed, while we still have the major writing of the prophet. This was done in the fourth year of the reign of Zedekiah which was only seven years before the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar. Went with Zedekiah means he went on behalf of the king since Zedekiah never went to Babylon until after his reign came to an end. Quiet prince is properly translated according to the lexicon of Strong. The point is that Seraiah was a chamberlain who was not active in any of the disturbances of the city and would be the most dependable kind of man for such a delicate mission,
Jeremiah 51:60, The purpose of taking this special document with him was to console the Jews who were in captivity in Babylon. He was to read it (to himself) after he got there which doubtless was in order to have it fresh in his memory to relate orally to his people, for he was to destroy it as soon as he had read it.
Jeremiah 51:61. Jeremiah instructed Seraiah to read the document after he had seen the situation at Babylon.
Jeremiah 51:62. As a "check” on the correctness of his reading and his understanding of the words. Seraiah was to “ repeat hack” to the Lord what the prophecy contained. Since this was directly addressed to the Lord, we would understand that the people would not yet have learned about the message.
Jeremiah 51:63, From now on the actions of Seraiah were in the presence and hearing of the Jews. He had told them of the contents of the message, that it predicted the downfall of Babylon. Furthermore, that the city would never be rebuilt hut would he a perpetual desolation. In keeping with one of the practices where men of God ''acted out” their predictions, Seraiah was to fasten a stone to the book and cast it into the River Euphrates. Of course it would not be expected that the book would rise to the surface with the weight tied to it. By that same token the city of Babylon, which boasted so much of its great river, was to be caused to sink, never to rise again. And it is significant that Babylon's ruin will he accomplished by means of this very stream into which the weighted book was thrown.
Jeremiah 51:64, After explaining the meaning of his actions to his people, Seraiah was to cast the book into the river. He was then to add the words orally, and they shall be weary. That means that when Babylon is attacked her citizens shall tire of defending her and will surrender. Thus far are the words of Jeremiah. This concludes the book of Jeremiah, hence the next chapter was added by some man of God, taking it from the history already iu existence, either as a separate document, or from the records of the kings that were kept in the royal accounts.
Jeremiah Chapter Fifty-Two
Verse 1
Jeremiah 52A RECORD OF 'S This chapter is usually styled "Historical Appendix"; but its obvious application to the fulfillment of Jeremiah's prophecies suggests the title we have given it.
Although many writers speak of this chapter's being a copy of 2 Kings 24:18 to 2 Kings 25:30,[1] this is true only of certain verses in this chapter. The chapter does apparently quote from 2Kings, "but with a very significant omission (regarding events leading to the assassination of Gedaliah as given in 2 Kings 25:22-26), and a very significant addition in @@vv. 28-30 where is found material given nowhere else in the Bible."[2]The appearance here of unique material, along with some variations from the account in 2Kings, including a variant spelling of the name of Nebuchadnezzar, led Keil to the conclusion that both of the accounts in 2Kings and in this last chapter of Jeremiah, "Have a common origin in which the fall of the Kingdom of Judah was more fully described than in the historical books of the canon."[3]To this writer, it appears that the principal reason for including this chapter from a source independent of Jeremiah was for the specific purpose of demonstrating historically the fulfillment of his marvelous prophecies. It has also been suggested that another reason could reside in the note of hope injected into the final verses regarding the restoration of Jehoiachin to his royal status under the house-arrest of Judah's last king, but as an honored guest at the table of the king of Babylon. The captives might have received that dramatic change in the status of their former king as a good omen related to the end of their captivity and their return to Judah.
There are five things treated in this chapter: (1) Jerusalem falls, and Zedekiah is captured (Jeremiah 52:1-16); (2) the Temple is despoiled (Jeremiah 52:17-23); (3) Zedekiah's advisors were executed (Jeremiah 52:24-27); (4) the three deportations of the Jews are related (Jeremiah 52:28-30); and (5) the record of Jehoiachin's kind treatment by the new king of Babylon (Jeremiah 52:31-34).
Jeremiah 52:1-16THE FALL OF AND THE CAPTURE OF IT AND "Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. And he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, according to all that Jehoiachim had done. For through the anger of Jehovah did it come to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, until he cast them out from his presence. And Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon came, and all his army, against Jerusalem, and encamped against it; and they built forts against it round about. So the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah.
In the fourth month, in the ninth day of the month, the famine was sore in the city, so that there was no bread for the people of the land. Then a breach was made in the city, and all the men of war fled, and went forth out of the city by night by way of the gate between the two walls, which was by the king's garden (now the Chaldeans were against the city round about); and they went toward Arabah.
But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after the king, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho; and all his army was scattered from him. Then they took the king, and carried him up unto the king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath; and he gave judgment upon him. And the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes: he slew also all the princes of Judah in Riblah. And he put out the eyes of Zedekiah; and the king of Babylon bound him in fetters, and carried him to Babylon, and put him in prison till the day of his death. Now in the fifth month, in the tenth day of the month, which was the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadrezzar, king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, who stood before the king of Babylon. And he burned the house of Jehovah, and the king's house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, even every great house, burned he with fire.
And all the army of the Chaldeans that were with the captain of the guard, brake down all the walls of Jerusalem round about. Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive of the poorest of the people, and the residue of the people that were left in the city, and those that fell away, that fell to the king of Babylon.
But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and husbandmen.""Through the anger of Jehovah it came to pass ..." (Jeremiah 52:3). Some have complained that this makes it appear that the anger of Jehovah caused Judah's rebellion; whereas, on the other hand, it was the result of it. Such complaints fail to notice the meaning of "through the anger of Jehovah," which does not mean "because of his anger," but is a reference to the fact that through (during) the anger of Jehovah, as revealed by the prophet Jeremiah, and in spite of his repeated warnings against it, they went right on stubbornly in their rebellion.
Practically all of this passage, although somewhat abbreviated, is found in Jeremiah 39:1-9. See comments there. The instructions of Nebuchadnezzar for Jeremiah's safety (Jeremiah 39:11 f) are omitted here.
"In prison till the day of his death ..." (Jeremiah 52:11 b). This note regarding Zedekiah's imprisonment till death is found "nowhere else in the Bible."[4]"The nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar ..." (Jeremiah 52:12). This same occasion is called "the eighteenth year" of Nebuchadnezzar in Jeremiah 52:29. One mode or reckoning counted the year of accession to the throne, and the other did not. There is no contradiction.[5]Verse 17
THE TEMPLE WAS LOOTED AND TOTALLY "The pillars of brass that were in the house of Jehovah, and the bases and the brazen sea that were in the house of Jehovah, did the Chaldeans break in pieces, and carried all the brass of them to Babylon. The pots also, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the basins and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass wherewith they ministered took they away. And the cups, and the firepans, and the basins, and the pots, and the candlesticks, and the spoons, and the bowls - that which was of gold, in gold, and that which was of silver, in silver, - the captain of the guard took away. The two pillars, the one sea, and the twelve brazen bulls that were under the bases, which king Solomon had made for the house of Jehovah - the brass of all these vessels was without weight. And as for the pillars, the height of one pillar was eighteen cubits; and a line of twelve cubits did compass it; and the thickness thereof was four fingers: it was hollow. And a capital of brass was upon it; and the height of one capital was five cubits, with network and pomegranates upon the capital round about, all of brass: and the second pillar also had like unto these, and pomegranates.
And there were ninety and six pomegranates on the sides; all the pomegranates were a hundred upon the network round about.""That which was of gold, in gold ... of silver, in silver" (Jeremiah 52:19). This means that all the vessels made of silver or gold were melted down and carried away as precious metal.
"The brass ... was without weight ..." (Jeremiah 52:20). It was simply too heavy, and there was too much of it to be weighed. There were no scales in that day adequate for such a task as weighing many tons of brass.
The significance of this paragraph is seen in the light of Jeremiah's words in Jeremiah 27:16-22. In that passage, Jeremiah specifically named many of the things mentioned here, stating that they would all indeed be carried to Babylon. Practically everything in this chapter has the utility of listing the events that fulfilled Jeremiah's prophecies to the letter.
"Ornaments of the brazen pillars (Jeremiah 52:23) are listed nowhere else in the Old Testament."[6]Verse 24
'S "And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the threshold: and out of the city he took an officer that was set over the men of war; and seven of them that saw the king's face, that were found in the city; and the scribe of the captain of the host, who mustered the people of the land; and threescore men of the people of the land, that were found in the midst of the city. And Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them, and brought them to the king of Babylon to Riblah. And the king of Babylon smote them, and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was carried away captive out of his land."This paragraph deals with the execution of the priests, that is, the false priests who had pressured Zedekiah into rebellion against Babylon, threatening death to Jeremiah who opposed their views. Those wicked priests dominate this list. The high priest, his deputy, and the three keepers of the threshold in the temple were included.
The other important officers mentioned here were presumed to have been responsible either for urging or approving the king's rebellious behavior.
"The people of the land ..." (Jeremiah 52:25). By the fact of their being in the midst of the city, probably in some of those "great houses' "they burned, suggests that these were the wealthy aristocrats who had sided with the king in his rebellion. If that was not the case, these were executed merely as reprisals against Jerusalem.
"The king of Babylon smote them, and put them to death ..." (Jeremiah 52:27). This indicates that the men mentioned here were first beaten without mercy, and then executed. Such was Babylonian "justice."
Verse 28
THREE OF JEWS TO BABYLON"This is the people whom Nebuchadrezzar carried away captive: in the seventh year, three thousand Jews and three and twenty; in the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar he carried away captive from Jerusalem eight hundred thirty and two persons; in the three and twentieth year of Nebuchadrezzar Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive of the Jews seven hundred forty and five persons: all the persons were four thousand and six hundred."Green dated the three deportations mentioned here as having happened in 597 B.C., 587 B.C., and 582 B.C.[7] Cawley and Millard dated them in "597 B.C., 586 B.C., and in 581 B.C."[8]The astounding thing about these numbers is that some 40,000 or more returned to Judah after the seventy year exile ended; and according to Josephus they left many times that number in Babylon. Were all those Jews, some seventy years later, descended from the relatively small number recorded here? Cawley and Millard, as well as other scholars, suppose that, "Only men who were heads of families"[9] were counted in this enumeration.
Besides that, many of the Jews scattered throughout Palestine by the military action would have, after the war, found their way to Babylon, where they could again be united with their people. Remember that Jerusalem had been effectively wiped out as a suitable place to live. There can hardly be any doubt that, "The total number of the exiles was far higher"[10] than the totals given here.
There is also another explanation of the low numbers of exiles mentioned here, an explanation sanctioned both by Keil and by Dummelow. It concerns the term "seventh" year of Nebuchadrezzar. Robinson and Dummelow both believed that this word is "seventeenth," not "seventh," requiring the understanding that those deportations on the seventeenth and eighteenth years in succession actually refer to the single deportation dated in 587/586 B.C. For technical reasons for this understanding of "seventh," see comments of those scholars.[11] Of course, Hyatt and other liberal scholars would like to keep the number at "seventh" because it poses a "contradiction" with "the ten thousand" deportees mentioned in 2 Kings 24:14.[12]It never fails to amaze us that radical critics will receive any kind of an "emendation" that favors their purpose; they nevertheless refuse to receive any "emendation" that would relieve an apparent contradiction. Feinberg commented on this.[13]In view of these things, we favor the emendation that would totally relieve all of the apparent contradictions relative to the number of Jewish exiles. The only objection to this change is that it would speak of a deportation a year before Jerusalem fell; but that is very likely to have happened to all of those people who heeded Jeremiah and defected tothe Babylonian forces prior to the fall of the city. In any case, Keil has very ably defended this emendation.[14] He explained the necessity for changing "seventh" to seventeenth, saying, "It settles all the difficulties and enables us to account for the small number sent to Babylon after the fall of Jerusalem."[15]Verse 31
WAS TREATED KINDLY"And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, in the live and twentieth day of the month, that Evil-merodach king of Babylon, in the first year of his reign, lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah, and brought him forth out of prison; and he spake kindly to him, and set his throne above the thrones of the kings that were with him in Babylon, and changed his prison garments. And Jehoiachin did eat bread before him continually all the days of his life: and for his allowance, there was a continual allowance given him by the king of Babylon, every day a portion until the day of his death, all the days of his life.""Lifted up the head of Jehoiachin ..." (Jeremiah 52:31). This strange expression has a double meaning; but here it had the more favorable of the two. It will be remembered that Pharaoh "lifted up the head of the butler" (Genesis 40:13) and also "lifted up the head of the baker" (Genesis 40:19); but it meant that he promoted the butler and hanged the baker! The same words are frequently used with different meanings in the Bible.
There is a glimpse here of the life-style of Babylonian kings. The kings which they had conquered were actually seated on thrones in the Babylonian king's dining room, no doubt as part of the flattering display of his power; but Jehoiachin did not enjoy that status for 37 years! This passage speaks of his release from prison, of his restoration to royal status, and of his receiving a throne even above those of other monarchs conquered by Babylon. When did all this happen? Dummelow gave this year as 561 B.C.[16]This historical appendix cites literally dozens of fulfillments of Jeremiah's prophecies; but the prophecy that more than all others appealed to the Jewish mind, namely the end of their exile and their restoration to Judah had not taken place yet; but, to the person who added this chapter, it might have seemed to be a good omen heralding the fulfillment of that prophecy also that the new king of Babylon so favorably changed the status of Jehoiachin, the last king of the House of David. This shows that this chapter was added at some considerable time after the prophet Jeremiah must be presumed to have died. It does not mean that any other portion of Jeremiah may be late-dated.
What is the message of this chapter? John Bright in the Anchor Bible stated it this way, "The Divine Word both has been fulfilled - and will be fulfilled!"[17] Amen!
Jeremiah 52:1-27. General remarks: From verse 1 through verse 27 this chapter is a duplicate of the history in 2 Kings 24:18 to 2 Kings 25:21. Since those verses have been commented upon in their proper place I shall not take up the Hpace to repeat them here; they are in volume 2 of this and the reader is requested to see that place.
Jeremiah 52:28-30. This paragraph gives some historical details that are left out of the book of 2 Kings. We know the third stage of the great captivity took place at the end of Zedekiah's ll-year reign. At that time the king of Babylon took most of the citizens away with him, yet he left some remaining in Palestine. \
Jeremiah 52:31. Captivity of Jehoiachin. The taking of this king off the throne in Jerusalem marked the “ 2nd captivity” (2 Kings 24:10-16), and the things about to be related here are dated from that event, In the meantime Nebuchadnezzar had died and his son Evil-merodach came to the throne. Frequentiy a new ruler will celebrate bis first year in office by some special act and favor. Brought him forth out of prison. Although Jehoiachin had been permitted to live after being deposed, he was made a prisoner in the land of Babylon until Evil-merodach released him,
Jeremiah 52:32. Set his throne does not mean that he was permitted to act as king. It means he was treated with more courtesy and distinction than other kings in captivity.
Jeremiah 52:33. Prison garments were replaced by those worn by free men in civilian life. Since eating with another meant so much in ancient times, thiB dining with the king of Babylon meant much for Jehoiachin.
Jeremiah 52:34. Jehoiachin not only dined with the king, but was given a daily serving out of the provisions that had been prepared for the Babylonian king. We are not given the information as to the cause of this special friendship between this captive and bis master, a favor he enjoyed to the end of his life.