JEREMIAH 4:5 TO JEREMIAH 6:30. A new paragraph should begin with Jeremiah 4:5, introducing a new section of the prophecies, which deals with the judgment of Judah, its causes and its instrument. This section is probably somewhat later than Jeremiah 2:1 to Jeremiah 4:4; it amplifies the vision of the... [ Continue Reading ]
JEREMIAH 3:19 TO JEREMIAH 4:4. A DIALOGUE OF YAHWEH'S GRACE. This directly continues Jeremiah 3:5, the I of Jeremiah 3:19 being emphatically contrasted with the thou of Jeremiah 3:5. Yahweh expresses His desire (Jeremiah 3:19 _mg._) to give Judah, though a daughter, a son's portion in the best of la... [ Continue Reading ]
THE ENEMY'S APPROACH. Warning is given by the horn, and guidance, to the refugees fleeing to Jerusalem, by the standard; they are bidden to bring (their families) into safety (not flee for safety). The lion-like foe draws near to destroy, and the courage (Hebrew heart, Jeremiah 4:9) of Judah's leade... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PROPHET'S GRIEF for his country finds characteristic expression: My bowels! my bowels! Let me writhe! The walls of my heart! My heart moaneth within me! (Driver). His soul hears (_mg._ with LXX) the battle, and identifies itself in sympathy with his people, whose habitation (tents and tent- curt... [ Continue Reading ]
THE VISION OF DESOLATION (Jeremiah 4:23) most impressively describes the Divine visitation of Judah. The earth becomes like the chaos before creation (_mg._) under a sky that has lost its lamps; the very mountains have no longer stability; the denizens of earth and air are gone; the garden-land is w... [ Continue Reading ]