In the prophecies contained in Jer. 2–6, we have, probably, the records of Jeremiah’s earlier ministrations during the comparatively uneventful years of Josiah’s reign. The great object of the prophet’s mission was to urge upon the people the necessity of making use of that final opportunity of repe... [ Continue Reading ]
MOREOVER - literally, And. Notice the connection between Jeremiah’s call and first prophecy.... [ Continue Reading ]
Up to this time Jeremiah had lived at Anathoth, he is now to make Jerusalem the scene of his ministrations. I REMEMBER ... - Or, I have remembered for thee the grace “of thy youth, the love of thine espousals,” thy going “after me in the wilderness” in an unsown land. Jeremiah contrasts the present... [ Continue Reading ]
Render: “Israel” is an offering consecrated to Yahweh, His firstfruits of increase. The firstfruits were God’s consecrated property, His portion of the whole harvest. Pagan, i. e., unconsecrated, nations must not meddle with Israel, because it is the nation consecrated to God. If they do, they will... [ Continue Reading ]
Modern researches have shown that this description applies only to limited portions of the route of the Israelites through the Sinaitic peninsula.... [ Continue Reading ]
A PLENTIFUL COUNTRY - literally, “a land of the Carmel,” a Carmel land (see 1 Kings 18:19, note; Isaiah 29:17, note).... [ Continue Reading ]
The guilt of this idolatry is ascribed to the four ruling classes: (a) The accusation brought against the priests is indifference. (b) “They that handle the law” belonged also to the priestly class Deuteronomy 33:10. Their offence was that “they knew not God.” Compare Micah 3:11. (c) The third cl... [ Continue Reading ]
PLEAD - The word used by the plaintiff setting forth his accusation in a law-court (see Job 33:13 note). WITH YOU - The present generation, who by joining in Manasseh’s apostasy have openly violated Yahweh’s covenant. The fathers made the nation what it now is, the children will receive it such as... [ Continue Reading ]
Kedar signifies the whole East, and the isles of Chittim (Isaiah 23:12 note) the West. If then you traverse all lands from west to east, it will be impossible to find any nation guilty of such apostasy as that committed by Israel.... [ Continue Reading ]
A NATION - A Gentile nation, in strong antithesis to people, the appellation of Israel. THEIR GLORY - Though the worship of the one true God is a nation’s greatest glory, yet it is irksome because it puts a constraint on human passions. THAT WHICH DOTH NOT PROFIT - Israel had exchanged the prosper... [ Continue Reading ]
BE ASTONISHED - The King James Version uses this word as equivalent “to be stupefied.” DESOLATE - Or, “be dry.” In horror at Israel’s conduct the heavens shrivel and dry up.... [ Continue Reading ]
The pagan are guilty of but one sin - idolatry; the covenant-people commit two - they abandon the true God; they serve idols. FOUNTAIN - Not a spring or natural fountain, but a tank or reservoir dug in the ground (see Jeremiah 6:7), and chiefly intended for storing living waters, i. e., those of sp... [ Continue Reading ]
It was Israel’s glory to be Yahweh’s servant Jeremiah 30:10, and slaves born in the house were more prized than those bought with money as being more faithful Genesis 14:14. Cannot Yahweh guard His own household? How happens it that a member of so powerful a family is spoiled? In the next verse the... [ Continue Reading ]
UPON HIM - Rather, against him. Israel has run away from his master’s house, but only to find himself exposed to the beasts of prey in the wilderness. THEY MADE HIS LAND WASTE - The prophet points to the actual results of Israel’s until the multiplication of wild beasts rendered human life unsafe 2... [ Continue Reading ]
Noph, i. e., Napata, a town situated in the extreme south of Egypt. Some take it to be Memphis (see Isaiah 19:13 note). TAHAPANES - Daphne Pelusii, a bordertown toward Palestine. HAVE BROKEN THE CROWN OF THY HEAD - literally, shall depasture the crown of thy head; i. e., make it bald; baldness was... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WAY - Either, the journey through the wilderness, or the way of holiness.... [ Continue Reading ]
SIHOR - The Nile. To lean upon Egypt was a violation of the principles of theocracy. The two rivers are the two empires, and to drink their waters is to adopt their principles and religion. Compare also Isaiah 8:6.... [ Continue Reading ]
CORRECT THEE - Or, “chastise thee.” Alliances with foreign powers shall bring trouble and not safety.... [ Continue Reading ]
TRANSGRESS - Rather, as in marg. If the “yoke” and “bands” refer to the slavery in Egypt from which Yahweh freed Israel, the sense is - “For of old time I Yahweh broke thy yoke, I burst thy bands,” not that thou mightest be free to do thy own will, but that thou mightest serve me: “and thou saidst,... [ Continue Reading ]
A NOBLE VINE - Properly, a Sorek vine (see Isaiah 5:2), which produced a red wine Proverbs 23:31, and had a lasting reputation Genesis 49:11. A RIGHT SEED - literally, “a seed of truth,” i. e., true, genuine seed, not mixed with weeds, nor with seed of an inferior quality. Compare Matthew 13:24. HO... [ Continue Reading ]
NITRE - Or, natron, a mineral alkali, found in the Nile valley, where it effloresces upon the rocks and surfaces of the dykes, and in old time was carefully collected, and used to make lye for washing (see Proverbs 25:20). SOPE - A vegetable alkali, now called “potash,” because obtained from the as... [ Continue Reading ]
In their defense of themselves (compare Jeremiah 2:35), the people probably appealed to the maintenance of the daily sacrifice, and the Mosaic ritual: and even more confidently perhaps to Josiah’s splendid restoration of the temple, and to the suppression of the open worship of Baal. All such pleas... [ Continue Reading ]
A WILD DONKEY USED TO THE WILDERNESS - The type of an untamed and reckless nature. SNUFFETH UP THE WIND - The wind brings with it the scent of the male. Israel does not wait until temptation comes of itself, but looks out for any and every incentive to idolatry. OCCASION ... MONTH - i. e., the pai... [ Continue Reading ]
God the true husband exhorts Israel not to run barefoot, and with parched throat, like a shameless adulteress, after strangers. THERE IS NO HOPE - i. e., It is in vain.... [ Continue Reading ]
“Stone” being feminine in Hebrew is here represented as the mother. ARISE, AND SAVE US - Whether it be idolatry or infidelity, it satisfies only in tranquil and prosperous times. No sooner does trouble come, than the deep conviction of the existence of a God, which is the witness for Him in our hea... [ Continue Reading ]
A question of bitter irony. Things are made for some use. Now is the time for thy deities to prove themselves real by being useful. When every city has its special deity, surely among so many there might be found one able to help his worshippers. O JUDAH - Hereto the argument had been addressed to... [ Continue Reading ]
YOUR OWN SWORD HATH DETOURED YOUR PROPHETS - An allusion probably to Manasseh 2 Kings 21:16. Death was the usual fate of the true prophet Nehemiah 9:26; Matthew 23:37.... [ Continue Reading ]
Or, “O generation” that ye are! An exclamation Of indignation at their hardened resistance to God. A LAND OF DARKNESS - This word is written in Hebrew with two accents, as being a compound, signifying not merely darkness, but the darkness of Yahweh, i. e., very great darkness. WE ARE LORDS - Other... [ Continue Reading ]
A bride treasures all her life the girdle, which first indicated that she was a married woman, just as brides now treasure the wedding ring; but Israel, Yahweh’s bride Jeremiah 2:2, cherishes no fond memorials of past affection.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHY TRIMMEST THOU THY WAY - literally, “Why makest thou thy way good,” a phrase used here of the pains taken by the Jews to learn the idolatries of foreign nations. THE WICKED ONES ... - Or, “therefore thou hast taught” thy ways wickednesses.”... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE NOT FOUND IT ... - Rather, thou didst not find them breaking into thy house. The meaning is, that these poor innocents had committed no crime: they were not thieves caught in the act, whom the Law permitted men to slay Exodus 22:2, and therefore Israel in killing them was guilty of murder. Th... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE I AM INNOCENT - Rather, But “I am innocent,” or, “I am acquitted.” Those blood-stains cannot be upon my skirts, because now, in king Josiah’s days, the idolatry of Manasseh has been put away. SHALL TURN FROM ME - Or, has turned away “from me.” PLEAD - Or, enter into judgment.... [ Continue Reading ]
TO CHANGE THY WAY - The rival parties at Jerusalem looked one to Assyria, the other to Egypt, for safety. As one or other for the time prevailed, the nation “changed its way,” sending its embassies now eastward to Nineveh, now westward to Memphis. THOU ALSO ... - literally, also of Egypt “shalt tho... [ Continue Reading ]
FROM HIM - From it, from this Egypt, which though fem. as a land, yet as a people may be used as a masc. (compare Jeremiah 46:8). Now that Nineveh is trembling before the armies of Cyaxares and Nabopalassar, thou hastenest to Egypt, hoping to rest upon her strength: but thou shalt retrace thy steps,... [ Continue Reading ]