The Pulpit Commentary — Jeremiah — Volume 1 — Section 149

of infirmity (sc-e Isa. !iii. 3, 4), but the con- it with reference to J ereminh's inner expe- text clearly limits it he,ro to bodily trouble. rience. There are, we must remember, two Ver. 8.-Be thou instructed; rather, Let selves in the prophet (comp. Isa.. xxi. 6), thyself be corrected (Authorized Version e.nd the higher prophetic self hero e.ddresses misses the sense, a Yery important one, of tho lower or human self, and calls upon it the conjugation, which is Nifal tok1·ativttm no longer to withhold the divinely com- (comp. Ps. ii. 10; Isa. liii. 12). The phrase municated burden, All classes, as the is equivalent to" receive correction" (eh. ii. sequel announces, are to she.re in the dread 30; Y. 3), and means to accept the warning calamity. Upon the children abroad; liter- oonveyed in the Divine chastisement. Lest ally, upon the ohild in the street (comp. my soul, etc.; rather, lest my soul be rent fmm Zech. viii. 5). The"assembly of young men. thee (Authorized Version renders the same It is a social e.ssembly which is mea.ut (comp. verb in Ezek. xxilL 17, "be alienatfild "). eh. xv. 17, "the assembly of the laughers"). Vers. 9-15.-It is an all but complete Ver. 12.-She.ll be turned; i.e. transferred. judgment which Jehove.h foreshows. Un- Their fields and wives. Wives are regarded willing a.s the people a.re to hear it, the a.s a property, as in Exod. xx. 17 (comp. disclosure must be made. Dent. v. 21). Ver. 9.-They shall throughly glean, eto. Ver.13.-Given to covetoumeaa; litere.lly, "Israel" has alree.dy been reduced to e. gaineth gain; but the word here rendered •·remnant; " the ten tJ:ibes have lost their " gain" implies that it is unrighteous gain independence, and Judah alone reme.ins (the root means "to· tear"). Unjust go.in (eh. v. 15). Even Judah she.II undergo a and murder are repeatedly singled out in severe sifting process, which is likened to the Old Teste.ment as representative sins a gleaning (comp. Isa. xxiv. 1_3; Obad. 5; (comp. Ezek. x:x.xiii. 31; Ps. cxix. 36; Isa. eh. xlix. 9). The prospect lS dark, but i. 15 ; eh. ii. 34 ; and see my note on Isa. believers in God's promises would remember lvii. 17). There is e. special reason for the that a few grapes were o.lways left after the selection of "covetousness"· here. Le.nd was gathering (comp. Isa.. xvii. 6). Turn back the object of a high-born Jew's e.mbition, thine hand. If the text is correct, the o.nd expulsion from his land.was his appro- speaker here addresses the leader of the prie.te punishment (comp. Isa. v. 8, 9). gleaners. Keil thinks this change of con- Ver. H,.-They have healed, etc. The full struction is to emphe.size the certainty of force of the verb is, "they. have busied the predicted destruction. But it is much themselves a.bout healing" (so eh. viii. 11 ; more natural (and in perfect harmony with li. 9). Of the daughter. Our tre.nslators many other similAJ" phenomena of the re- evidently had before them a text which ceived text) to suppose, with Hitzig, that the omitted these words, in accordance with me.ny letter represented in the Authorized Version Hebrew manuscripts and the Septuagint; by " thine" has arisen by a mistaken repe- Van der Hooght's text, however, contains tition of the first letter of the following word, them, as e.lso does the po.rallel pass!lge (oh. and (the verbo.l form being the same for the viii. 11). Slightly; or, lightly; Septungint, infinitive and the imperative) to render /EouBtvoiiVT«. Baying, Peace, peaoe. Alwe.ys turning again the hand. In this case ~he the burden of the mere professiono.l prophets, clause will be dependent on the precedmg who, as one of a higher order-the bold, un- statement a.a to the" gleaning" of Judah. compromising Micah-fittingly chuacterizes Into the baskets; rather, unto the shoots. The them, "bite with their teeth, and cry, Pce.ce;" gleaners will do their work wHh a stern i.e. dre.w fle.ttering pictures of the stato and thoroughness, laying ihe lie.nd of destruction prospects of their country, in order to " line again and again upon the vine-shoots. their own pockets" (Micah iii. 5). Ver. 10.-Their ear is uncircumoised; Ver. 15.-Weretheyashamedt ThoAutho- covered as it were with a foreskin, which rized Version certainly meets the require- prevents the prophetic mess11ge from find- ments of the oontext; there seems to be ing- admitte.nce. Elsewhero it is the heart an implied interrogation. Most, however, (Lev. xxvi. 41; Ezek. xliv. 7), or the lips render, "'fhey are brought to sh!lme;" in (Exod. vi. 12) which are said to be "circum- which case it seems best to take the vorb as cised ; " a pasaage in Stephen's speech ap- a perfect of prophetic oortitude, equivalent plies the epithet both to the heart and to to " they she.ll surely be brought to shame." the ea.re (Acts vii. 51). When; rather, becaU11s. Nay, they were not Ver. 11.-Therefore I am full; rather, But at all ashamed; rather, nevsrthele6B tlisy feel I am full. I will pour it out. The text has no shams (i.e. at present). They she.11 be "pour it out." The sudden tre.nsition to cast down; rather, they shall stumble. the imperative is certainly he.rsh, nnd ex- Vers.16-21.-Without heartyrepentnnco, cuses tbe conjectural emendation which under- there is no hopo of esco.pe. But hitherto lies the rendering of the Authorized Version. Ju<lnh hlls rojected all admonitions. What If we retain iho impemti vo, wo must explain o.vnilcth more ceremonial punctuality?  en. v1. 1-30.] THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH. 147