The Pulpit Commentary — Jeremiah — Volume 1 — Section 12

forms the burden of the prophet's dis• showed itself in burning incense to "other oottrscs. Shall break forth; literally, shall ?.or!~," an~ bowiu/f ~own to their images. open; i.e. let loose by opening ( comp. the Barned mcense 1e, however, too narrow uee of tho same verb in Isa. xiv. 17, liter- a sense. The root-meaning of the verb is ally, "loosoth,not his prisoners homewards;" to be fragrant, and the causative conju- nntl Amos viii. 5, literally, "that wo may gations will strictly mean only "to make a open," i.e. "bring forth wheat"). There is, sweet odour," whether by the offering of however, some difficulty in explaining the incense or by burnt offerings (comp. ch,xi, 12; choice of this expression. We might indeed 2 Kings xxiii. 8, where a. causative conju- eu ppose that the caldron had a lid, and that gation is used in the same wide sense here the removal or foiling off of this lid is the postulated; also Pa. !xvi. 15 and Isa. i. 13, "opening" referred to by the phrase. where the word usually rendered " i nccnse" Ver. 15.-I will oall; literally, I am seems rather to mean" a sweet smoke"). The calling; i.e. I am about to call. The ki.ng- prophet says, " o[ other gods" (not "of falso dolD8 of the north; alluding possibly to the gods"), out of consideration for the ignor- varied origin of the population of Assyria ance of his hearers, to whom Baal and and' Babylonia. But more probably it is Moloch really were as gods; in fact;, that simply a 1mggestivo phrase for the wide expressive word ('elll) which Isaiah uses extent of the hostile empire referred to ten times to express the unreality of the (comp. eh. xxv ..9). They shall set every one other so-called gods, occurs only once, a.n<l hie throne, etc. The kings or the generals, then not in quite the same sense (see eh. representing "e.11 the families," etc., shall xiv, 14) in Jeremiah. But the prophet's set up the high seat of power and judicial own strict monotheism is proved by such authority o.t the broad space within the gate passages as eh. ii. 27 a ; viii. 19 b ; xvi. 20. of the city, which.constituted the Oriental Ver. 17.-Gird up thy loins, as an Orien- forum (comp. Gen. :u:iii 10; Josh. :u:. 4; tal does before making any kind of physi- Job xxix. 7; :u:xi. 21). Thither the be- cal exertion, whether walking (Exod. xii. 11; sieged would have to come to surrender 2 Kings iv. 29), running (1 King3 x.iii. 46), themselves (2 Kings xxiv. 12) and to hear or fighting (Job xii. 21). Be not dismayed. their fate. A similar prediction is made with A want of confidence on Jeremiah's pa.rt regard to Nebuchadnezznr (oh. xliii. 9, 10). will issue in hie utter discomfiture by his It is true the seat of authority is there said enemies. " Dismay" in Hebrew has a two- to be placed at the en trance of the palace, fold reference, subjective (" dismo.y ") and but this was in fact another place where jns- objective (" ruin," "discomfiture"). Both tice wo.s wont to be administered ( eh. xxii. 2, references can he illustrated from this verse. 3). J erome's view, adopted by Rosenmiiller (Comp. the command and-ver. 18-promiee and N o.gelsbaoh, that "to set one's seo.t" to Jeremiah with the command and promise means •• to besiege " is against usage, and to Ezekiel-iii. 8, 9.) does not e.ocord with the opening words of Ver. 18.-Brasen wa.lls. The plural is ver. 16. There is, however, an element of used instead of a collective term for the truth in it. The judgment executed minis- whole circle of fortifications. In the parallel terially by the northern kings or generals passage ( oh. xv. 20) the singular occurs; the began with. the siege of Jerusalem and the same alternation of plnral and singular as other cities, and hence the words with which in 2 Kings xxv. 10; 1 Kings iii. I. The the prophet continues. And against all the combination of figures strikingly expresses walls, etc. We should have expected some- the invincibility of one whose strength is in thing like " and shall set themselves in hie God. The kings of ludah. Why the array against," eto. (oomp. Isa.. xxii. 7 b); plural? Most reply, because Jeremiah see, however, lo.at note. would have to do with successive sovereigns. Ver. 16.-I will utter my judgmenta; or, I But this meaning would havo been just as tDill hold a oourt of jU/ltice upon them; liter- well conveyed by the singular: "the king ally, Twill speak judgments with them. The of Judah," without any name being added- expression is peculiar to Jeremiah (oomp. eh. would mean the king who from time to time iv. 12; xii, I ; :n:xix. 6; Iii. 9), nnd includes happened to be reigning. "Kings of both the examination of the a.coused, and Judah" in Jeremiah seems to have a special the judicial sentence (see eh. xxxix. 5; lii. 9). meaning, and to include all the members of All their wickedness, eto. Their, " wicked- the royal family, who formed o. numerous ness," ia. their .. infidelit7 '° J ehovoh, and powerful ol!IS.s (see on oh. xvii. 20).  THE BOOK OF 'l'HE PROPHET JEREMIAH. [ell. I. 1-19,