[813] Comp. Jer. xxiii. 6: Jehovah-Tsidkenu.
[814] Ezek. xvii. 12-14.
[815] Ezek. xvii. 1-6.
[816] Jer. xxxiv. 8-11.
[817] Jer. xxxiv. 19. Comp. Gen. xv. 17.
[818] This is strikingly shown by his piteous remark to them in Jer. xxxviii. 5.
[819] He first sent two of Jeremiah's friends, Elasah and Gemariah, the son of Shaphan.
[820] Some critics have doubted the authenticity of Jer. li., lii.
[821] 2 Chron. xxxvi. 14-21; Stanley, ii. 528; Milman, i. 394.
[822] Shaphan's other sons, Gemariah, Ahikam, Elasah, and his grandson Gedaliah, were friends of Jeremiah.
[823] Ezek. viii. 17. The allusion seems to be to a custom like that of the Parsees, who hold a branch of tamarisk or pomegranate twigs (called _barsom_) before their mouths when they adore the sacred fire. Strabo, xv. 732; Spiegel, _Zendavesta_, ii., p. lxviii; _Eran. Alterthumsk._, iii. 571 (Orelli, _ad loc._). Lightfoot explains it, "add fuel to their wrath."
[824] Ezek. xvi. 15-34.
[825] Jer. vii. 4, 21-28, viii. 8, xxiii. 31-33, xxxi. 33, 34.
[826] Jer. iii. 15, 16.
[827] Jer. xxvii. 3.
[828] Herod., ii. 161.
[829] Psammis, the son of Necho, only reigned six years; Hophrah (B.C. 594) was his son.
[830] The LXX. calls him "the false prophet."
[831] Jer. xxvii. 1-8, 12-18. On vv. 16-22 see the LXX.
[832] Here (Jer. xxviii. 11, and in xxxiv. 1, xxxix. 5) the name is written "Nebuchadnezzar"; everywhere else in Jeremiah it is "Nebuchadrezzar."
[833] Part of his dispute with Jeremiah turned on the recovery or non-recovery of the Temple vessels. Zedekiah is said to have given a set of silver vessels to replace the old ones (Baruch i. 8).
[834] Jer. xxix. 21-23.
[835] Jer. xxiii. 9-32.
[836] Jer. xxviii. 13-16, xxiii. 28.
[837] Jer. xxiii. 29.
[838] Ezek. xiii. 1-23.
[839] Ezek. xvii. 25.
[840] Josephus rightly attributes the unfortunate career of Zedekiah to the weakness with which he listened to evil counsellors, and to the insolent multitude.
[841] 2 Chron. xxxvi. 13; Jer. lii. 3.
[842] Ezek. xvii. 15, 16, 18, 19.
[843] Ezek. xvii. 7-10.
[844] Jer. xlvi. 17.
[845] Another form of belomancy is still commonly practised among the Arabs. Three arrows are placed in a vessel: on one of them is written, "My God permits me"; on another, "My God forbids me"; the third is blank. They are then shaken, and the decision is guided by the one which falls out first. Comp. Homer, _Iliad_, iii. 316; _Speaker's Commentary_, _ad loc._
[846] Ezek. xxi. 28-32.
[847] An allusion to the restoration of Jeconiah or his descendants, and to the far-off Messiah, meek and lowly.
[848] Ezek. iv. 1-3.
[849] Jer. xxxvii. 3.
[850] Ezek. vii. 16.
[851] Jer. xxi. 1-10, xxxvii. 1-17. Josephus says that Pharaoh was defeated (_Antt._, X. vii. 3). Jeremiah merely says that he and his army returned to their own land.