6 Then came the word of the LORD to the pro-
34+ 21»
phet Jeremiah, ſaying, mt 7 Thus faith the LORD, the God of Iſrael, Thus N ſhall ye fay to the king of Judah that ſent you unto eb me, to enquire of meh, Behold Pharaoh's Army 'N which 1s come forth to help you, ſhall return to E- FR gypt into their own land 7. We þ The word Enquire let 1s know that Zedekiah did not ſend to 'Y the Prophet only to pray tor him, but | to enquire of God what NI iflue would be of this future contingency ; It may be more de- tg firous to know that, than that Jeremiah ſhould intercede with Ne God for them, iThe Prophet tells them from God that the Kivg of Egypt's Army ſhould do them no ſervice; Ir is expounded, Exek. 17. 17. He ſhould not make for bim in the war, by caſting up Mounts, and building Forts, to cut off many Perfons. Probably the Egyptian Army upon the fight of the flrength of the Chalde- ans, and the weak and impotent ſtate of the Jews, were difcou-
raged, and would not adventure to fight them, but by and by returned to their own Land.
8 And the Chaldeans ſhall come again, and fight againft this city, and take it, and burn it with fire.
9 Thus ſaith the LORD, deceive not your -þ + 14es, ſelves, ſaying, The Chaldeans ſhall ſurely depart Souls trom us, for they ſhall not depart.
10 For though ye had ſmitten the whole army of
the Chaldeans, that fight againſt you, and there re-
mained | br wounded men among them - yer ould ; 14.1,
they riſe up every man 11 his tent, and burn this city thruſt
with fire k&. through. k The {ubſtance of the Anſwer returned by the Prophet tothe
King is this. That whereas they plexfed themſelves with Fancies
that the Babylonian Army now withdrawn to meet with the Army
of the Egyptians would return po more to the Siege ; it was a
Dream. He afſures them from God they ſhould return, beſjege
the City and take it, and burn it, and cherefore they did bur de-
ceive themſelves to think otherwiſe;tho'they were gone, yet it was
but for a very fhort time. He farther afſures them,that the poten- Os
cy or impntency of the Chalderns was inconfiderable ; for it their ED
whole Army were mace up of wounded mn, or if they could pre- nw;
vail ſofar as to wound all their Souldiers, or thruſt them through,
(as tae word 1s tranſlated, chap, 5r. 4.) yet they ſhould do the 9M Work. RY
+ Heb.
aſcend.
mm the
+ Heb.
-
T4 a lye.
4 Chap. RXRX VII
made 10
j| Or, 9 £ [ou _ thence in the midlt of the People /. rom
midft of the ſoften,
falſhood or away to the Chaldeanso : But he hearkned not unto
, q |
ork. When God is reſolved up5n an Effect, the Inſtruments
—— little to be regarded. I is not the Arm of Fleſh, buc the Power of God which is in that caſe alone to be conſidered.
11 And it came to paſs, that when the Army of the Chaldeans was - broken up from Jeruſalem for fear of Pharaoh's Army, :
12 Then Jeremiah went forth ont of Jeruſalem to go into the Land of Benjamin, || to ſeparate himſelf
[ PILM, The Word we tranſlate ſeparate ſignifieth to divide, or make ſlippery, which hath made Interpreters vary 10 the Expoſition of it. Burt the general uſe of ir, eſpecially in Pihel, (the conjugation n which 1s here uſed) being to fignifie a diwi dizz or ſeparating ; and the Jatter fgnification being ſecondary, it ſzemeth moſt reaſonably here tranſlated to ſeparate, or to with- draw: Feremiah had no farther Revelation from God, which he has under an Obligation to communicate ; and knowing the City would ſuddenly be taken, and that he could be no farther uſe- ful to the People, taking Advantage of the withdrawing of the Chaldean Army, reſolves to provide for himſelf, deſigning to go to his own Country, to Anathoth, which was 1n the Land of Ben- jamin ; and becauſe he was a noted Perſon, who might probably be ſtopt (as be was) if known, he attempts to flip out in the crowd of People that were going out ; this ſeemethco me the moſt probable lence.
13 And when he was in the Gate of Benjamin m2 a Captain of the Ward w.# there, whoſe Name was Irijah, the Son of Shelemiah, the Son of Hananiah z, and he took Jeremiah the Prophet, ſaying, Thou
falleſt away to the Chaldeans.
m The Gate of Benjimin was ſome Gate that looked toward the Inheritance of that Tribe : Or where thoſe uſed to go out who went that way ; we read of it, chap. 38. 7. n This Man was a Captain ofthe Guard that was ſet to watch at the Gates, to keep People from going out, or at leaſt ſome Perſons; for it ſhould feem by Feremiah's endeavour to go out in the Crowd, they ſuf. fered many to go our, as is uſual in Sieges, when Victuals grow ſcarce ;and though the Chaldeans were at preſent gone, yet they were not out of tear of their coming back. This Captain appre- hends Feremiah, as one who was about to deſert the City, and fall off to the Challeans, That Hananiah the Grandfather of ,
FEREMIAH
S:ege of the City > What needed Z-1:hi2h to have asked this, to whom God by this Prophet had ſo often revealed his Will in this cale? Wicked Men are always more curious to know. than care- ful to believe, obſerve, and obey the Will of God. / Bur God leJiom or never lpexketh good unto them, F-remizth tells him cere was, but it was a ſail word, wit. That God would certainly deliver him into the hand or power of the King of Bubzlon,
18 Moreover, Jeremiah ſaid unto King Zedekiah What have I offended againft thee,or againſt thy Ser- vants, or againſt this people, that ye have pur in priſon t ? |
t That is, what have I done worthy of Bonds? T have faithfully heretofore revealed to you the Mind and Will of God ; it this
nath offended you, I am not co be blamed ; I could not bur exe- cute God's Commands.
_ I9 Where arenow your Prophets, which Prophe- ted unto you, ſaying, The King of Babyloi ſhall nor come againſt you, nor again{t this Land « ?