Jeremiah 12:1. See summary at commencement of section. Pe. points out that this passage is very important in religious history, since it is probably the first expression we have in Hebrew literature of the problem, Why do the wicked prosper? Habakkuk, who also deals with it (Jeremiah 1:13 ff.), is l... [ Continue Reading ]
_Righteous art thou_ God's justice is established as the result of every enquiry into His ways. Jeremiah, while admitting this, yet asks how it can be reconciled with (i) the prosperity of the wicked, (ii) his own adversity. _plead_ See on Jeremiah 2:9; Jeremiah 2:29. _the wicked_ in this case the... [ Continue Reading ]
_planted_ The same metaphor is used of the whole nation, 2 Samuel 7:10. The figure of a tree is worked out in the verse. They have been placed in security and have prospered throughout life. We may compare Isaiah 40:24 for the same figure applied in that case to the overthrow of those who are the ob... [ Continue Reading ]
The second half of the _v_. presents some difficulty. Jeremiah's personal enemies have not yet been definitely mentioned, nor, if we take Co."s view and place this passage (see on Jeremiah 11:18-23) earlier, have they been even hinted at. If, on the other hand, it refers to the wicked generally, we... [ Continue Reading ]
This _v_., while suiting Jeremiah's style, is quite out of harmony with the context. See further on Jeremiah 12:13. _He shall not see our latter end_ He will predecease us, not we him, as he pretends. But the LXX, assuming the pronoun to refer to Jehovah, and transposing two consonants in the last... [ Continue Reading ]
_pride_ mg. _swelling_, but the text agrees better with Zechariah 11:3 ("the pride of Jordan is spoiled"). The luxuriant vegetation or jungle is meant, the haunt of lions. Cp. Jeremiah 49:19; Jeremiah 50:44.... [ Continue Reading ]
The Divine answer. God does not solve the difficulty, but warns the prophet that he will need still more patience in the future.... [ Continue Reading ]
_even they have cried aloud after thee_) Co. omits this clause, as it otherwise appears that the danger consisted of secret, not open attack. Gi. (_Metrik_) makes the whole _v_. to be an addition in which the metre is not clear.... [ Continue Reading ]
Jeremiah 12:7-17. Devastation of Judah to be wrought by hostile neighbours, who shall be punished by exile unless they submit to the God of Israel Jehovah in pathetic language deplores the necessity of permitting the devastation of His land. This section has no connexion with the preceding or subs... [ Continue Reading ]
_mine house_ shewn by the parallelism of the clauses to mean, not the Temple, but the nation itself; so in Hosea 8:1; Hosea 9:15.... [ Continue Reading ]
_as a lion_ The open hostility of the people towards the Lord is likened by Him to the angry roar and fierce attack of a lion ranging the forest. He therefore withdraws and leaves it as some savage beast to the solitude that it has made for itself.... [ Continue Reading ]
_bird of prey? are the birds of prey, etc_.] The change of one consonant (reading _ki_for _li_) would enable us to unite the two questions into one, and read (without "unto me") _bird of prey, that the birds of prey are, etc_. For the figure see introd. note, and for the method of expressing mingled... [ Continue Reading ]
_shepherds_ See on Jeremiah 6:3. _vineyard_ For this figure cp. Isaiah 5:1 ff. _have trodden my portion under foot_ The figure is that of the destruction of vineyards by wandering hordes and their flocks.... [ Continue Reading ]
_unto me_ lit. _upon me_, i.e. to my sorrow. Dr. quotes the parallel in Genesis 48:7. _layeth it to heart_ i.e. has taken warning in time.... [ Continue Reading ]
_bare heights_ See on ch. Jeremiah 3:2.... [ Continue Reading ]
The _v_., at least in its present context, is obscure. The subject is either (_a_) the spoilers, whose disasters, however, belong not to this but to the following paragraph, or (_b_) Judah, in which case the expressions are unsuited to the previous description of their attitude. Co. suggests that it... [ Continue Reading ]
_and will pluck up … from among them_ This clause, occurring in a passage otherwise dealing solely with foreign nations, is suspiciously like a gloss. Gi. for this and metrical reasons omits the clause, omitting also "which I have caused … to inherit.... [ Continue Reading ]
See introd. summary to the section.... [ Continue Reading ]
_to swear by my name_ See on ch. Jeremiah 4:2.... [ Continue Reading ]