XL. (1) THE WORD THAT CAME TO JEREMIAH FROM THE LORD. — It is noticeable that this introduction is not followed by any specific utterance of prophecy until we come to Jeremiah 42:7. It is a natural conclusion that it stands as a kind of heading to the section of the collected prophecies subsequent... [ Continue Reading ]
GO BACK ALSO TO GEDALIAH THE SON OF AHIKAM. — The captain of the guard seems to have felt, on second thoughts, possibly after hearing the prophet’s unrecorded answer, that he had not taken sufficient precaution for Jeremiah’s safety, and therefore consigns him once more to the care of his friend and... [ Continue Reading ]
TO MIZPAH. — The name, which signifies “watch- tower” (Genesis 31:49), was naturally not uncommon. Of the six or seven cities that were so called, that which comes before us here was Mizpah of Benjamin (Joshua 18:25), prominent in the history of Samuel and Saul (1 Samuel 7:5; 1 Samuel 10:17), not fa... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW WHEN ALL THE CAPTAINS OF THE FORCES. — A new section of the history begins, ending with the murder of Gedaliah and its sequel. in Jeremiah 41:18. The commanders of the armies that had fought against the invader in the open country found it hopeless to continue the struggle after the capture of J... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN THEY CAME TO GEDALIAH. — Of the captains thus named, Ishmael, “of the seed royal” (we have no date for determining his precise position in the line of successors) (Jeremiah 41:1), is prominent in the history of the next chapter, Johanan (the Hebrew form of Joannes or John) in that of Jeremiah 4... [ Continue Reading ]
FEAR NOT TO SERVE THE CHALDEANS... — Gedaliah, acting as Satrap of the province, assures them that, though they had fought against the conquerors, there would be a full amnesty, and that they might therefore banish all fears of being maltreated. He will remain at his post, and they may return to the... [ Continue Reading ]
GATHER YE WINE, AND SUMMER FRUITS. — The words show that the application took place in the autumn. The captains and their followers were invited to help themselves freely from the fields and vineyards and olive-yards, the owners of which had been carried off to Babylon, so as to relieve their immedi... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN ALL THE JEWS THAT WERE IN MOAB... — It lay in the nature of things that many of the dwellers in Judæa fled before the march of the Chaldæan armies, and took refuge in the neighbouring regions. In Ruth 1:2; 1 Samuel 22:3; Isaiah 16:4, we find analogous instances of fugitives from Judah finding s... [ Continue Reading ]
DOST THOU CERTAINLY KNOW THAT BAALIS... — The king of the Ammonites so named appears from Jeremiah 27:3 to have been in alliance with Zedekiah; and Ishmael, as belonging to the royal house of Judah, seems to have been still plotting with him against the authority of the Chaldæans. Open resistance be... [ Continue Reading ]