JEREMIAH'S SECOND PROPHECY (2:1-3:5) The prophet expostulates with Israel because of their unfaithfulness to Jehovah. 1-13. Under the figure of the marriage relation Jehovah reminds the people of His past favours, and charges them with faithlessness to their first love, as shown by their idolatry.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE ARABIAN] the Bedouin freebooters. As they are eager to despoil a passing caravan, so is Israel eager for the worship of false gods. THE KINDNESS OF THY YOUTH, etc.] Israel's earliest devotion to Jehovah at Sinai (Exodus 24:8).... [ Continue Reading ]
FIRSTFRUITS OF.. INCREASE] i.e. the consecrated part. ALL THAT DEVOUR, etc.] The priest and his family alone were to eat of the first fruits (Leviticus 22:10; Leviticus 22:16). If any unhallowed person took of them, he trespassed or 'offended.' In like manner if heathen nations meddle with Israel (t... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, THOU HAST SPOKEN, etc.] RM 'Thou hast spoken _thus,_ but hast done evil things.' AS THOU COULDEST] RV 'and hast had thy way.' THE PROPHET SETS FORTH THE SIN OF THE NATION AND POINTS OUT THE INEVITABLE RESULT (REIGN OF JOSIAH, AND PROBABLY BEFORE THE REFORMS OF THAT KING: CP. JEREMIAH 3:6)... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SHADOW OF DEATH] RV 'deep darkness,' as referring to a region where the supply of the necessaries of life was so precarious that the fear of death was always present.... [ Continue Reading ]
The priests, the pastors (i.e. rulers) and the prophets were all alike in sympathy with the degraded worship of Jehovah, at the high places, mingled as it was with the worship of the Baalim. The priests were more concerned with gain than with purity of worship; and the prophetic guilds had also beco... [ Continue Reading ]
PLEAD] 'argue,' or 'contend.'... [ Continue Reading ]
CHITTIM] probably Citium in Cyprus. KEDAR] As Chittim represented the parts to the westward of Palestine, so did Kedar (the NW. of Arabia) those to the Oast.... [ Continue Reading ]
None of the nations have forsaken their ancestral worship, false though it be. Israel has forsaken her ancient religion, though true.... [ Continue Reading ]
Grod's blessing, under the figure of fresh water as supplied by a spring or rivulet, is contrasted with the vanity of serving idols, which is as devoid of profit as is a cracked reservoir (dug to collect rain water) for that which it is intended to supply. 14-35. Not only by her idolatry, but by he... [ Continue Reading ]
_Is_ ISRAEL, etc.] The meaning here probably is, HOW is it that Israel, the people of God, has become a slave to neighbouring powers? Jeremiah 2:17 gives the answer.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE YOUNG LIONS, etc.] the enemies of Israel.... [ Continue Reading ]
NOPH] probably Memphis, the capital of northern (lower) Egypt. TAHAPANES] the classic Daphnæ, an Egyptian fortress on the E. frontier of Lower Egypt. It is again mentioned (Jeremiah 43:7) as the future scene of the acknowledgment of Nebuchadnezzar's supremacy over Egypt. The sense of the v. is, Egyp... [ Continue Reading ]
EGYPT] Some of Judah's politicians desired an alliance with Egypt; others with Assyria, or rather with Babylonia, Assyria's successor in the command of the East. SIHOR] here the Nile; so in Isaiah 23:3. ASSYRIA] The Assyrian power had passed to Babylonia, but the name had been familiar for generatio... [ Continue Reading ]
See Intro, respecting worship in 'high places,' simultaneously with that of Jehovah, which they thought a lawful combination. I HAVE BROKEN.. _and_ BURST, etc.] RM 'thou hast broken,' etc., i.e. thou hast cast off allegiance to Me, thy Maker. TRANSGRESS] RV'serve.' WHEN] RV 'for.' WANDEREST] RV. 'd... [ Continue Reading ]
A NOBLE VINE] a 'SOREK' vine, the word probably indicating the darkpurple colour of the fruit. STRANGE VINE] cp. Isaiah 5:2; Isaiah 5:24.... [ Continue Reading ]
NITRE] RV 'lye,'i.e. natron, or carbonate of soda.... [ Continue Reading ]
BAALIM] the Heb. plural of 'Baal':': cp. 'cherubim,' 'seraphim.' The Baalim were the images of the local Baals under the form of a bull at the various shrines. THE VALLEY] Most likely Hinnom (S. of Jerusalem), which was defiled by Josiah in order that the impure rites (viz. the worship of Moloch = B... [ Continue Reading ]
AT HER PLEASURE] RV 'in her desire.'... [ Continue Reading ]
WITHHOLD, etc.] pursue not thy reckless wanton quest with parched throat and worn-out sandal.... [ Continue Reading ]
YOUR PROPHETS] Such as Isaiah (said to have been sawn asunder) and Zechariah son of Jehoiada (2 Chronicles 24:20), and those whom Jezebel (1 Kings 18:13) or Manasseh (2 Kings 21:16) slew: cp. Matthew 23:29.... [ Continue Reading ]
A WILDERNESS] i.e. fruitless, useless. WE ARE LORDS] RV'we are broken loose'; we are our own masters.... [ Continue Reading ]
Why art thou so careful in thy devotion to strange gods? In so doing thou hast made wicked ways to be a second nature to thee (or, thou hast taught the wicked women thy ways).... [ Continue Reading ]
POOR INNOCENTS] RV 'the innocent poor.' BY SECRET SEARCH] RV 'at the place of breaking in.' The allusion is to the law (Exodus 22:2) by which it was permissible to slay a thief caught in the act of breaking into a house. But those 'innocent poor' had committed no such crime, yet their blood had bee... [ Continue Reading ]
PLEAD] RV 'enter into judgement.'... [ Continue Reading ]
ASHAMED OF EGYPT] literally fulfilled when the Egyptians in the reign of Zedekiah were expected to raise the siege of Jerusalem, but failed to do so: cp. Jeremiah 37:5. ASHAMED OF ASSYRIA] A conspicuous instance was in the reign of Ahaz (2 Chronicles 28:21).... [ Continue Reading ]
THINE HANDS UPON THINE HEAD] clasped in disgrace. JEREMIAH 3:1. THAT LAND] an allusion to the law (Deuteronomy 24:1) that under such circumstances the reunion of husband and wife would pollute the land. YET RETURN AGAIN, etc.] RM 'and _thinhest thou_ to return again.'... [ Continue Reading ]