The Pulpit Commentary — Jeremiah — Volume 1 — Section 150

Ver. 16.-Stand ye in the ways; literally, thy God?" (Micah vi .. 8; comp. k,. i. 11 ; station yourselves on (or, by) roads, i.e. at the Amoe v. 21-24; Hos. VI. 6; Micah vi. 6-8). meeting-point of different roads. There (as All these passages must bo read in tb.e li"'ht the followh1g words state) the Jews are to of the prophets' circumstances. A pur~ly make inquiry a.a to the old pe.ths. An- formal, petrified religion compelled them to tiquity gives a presumption of rightness; attack the existing priesthood, and 11 holy the o.noiente were nee.rer to the days when indignation cannot stop to measure its lan- God spoke with man ; they had the guide.nee guage. Incense from Sheba; frankincense of God's two mighty "shepherds" (Isa. from south-west Arabia. This was required )xiii. 11); they knew, for better than we, for the holy incense (Exod. xxx. 34), and as who "a.re but of yesterday, and know no- an addition to the minkhah, or "meal offer- thing" (Job viii 9), the way of happiness. ing." Sweet cane. The "sweet ea.lam us" For though there a.re me.ny pretended of Exod. xxx. 23, which wa.s imported from " we.ye," there is but " one way " ( eh. xxxii. India. It was an ingredient in the holy 39) which has Jehova.h's blessing (Pa. xxv. anointing oil (Exod., loo. cit. ). Not to be 8, 9), confounded with the sugar-cane. Ver. 17.-Also I set; rather, and I kept Ver. 21.-I will lay Btumbling-blooks, etc. raising up (the frequentative perfect). Of the regenerate Israel of the future it is Watohmen; i.e. prophets (Ezek. iii. 17, and prophesied (Isa... liv. 15) that his enemies po.rt of Isa.. lii. 8 ; lvi. 10). Hearken, eto. shall "fall upon him [or,'byreason ofhi.m']." Probably the words of Jehovah. Standing Of the unregenerate Israel of the present, on their high we.tch-tower (Ho.b. ii. 1), the that he shall "fall" (i.e. come to ruin) upon prophets scrutinize the horizon for the first the "stumbling-blocks" presented, not with- appearance of danger, and give warning of out God's appointment, by the terrible it by (metaphorioo.lly) blowing o. trumpet northern invader. (so Amoe iii, 6). Vers. 22-30.-The enemy described; the Ver. 18.-Therefore hear, eto. Remon- terror consequent on bis arrival; a rumoured strance being useless, the sentence upon declaration of the moral cu.nse of the judg- Israel can no longer be dele.yed,o.nd Jehovah ment. summons the nations of the earth as wit- Ver. 22.-From the north oountry (so nesses ( cornp. Mioa.h i. 2 ; Isa... :niii. S ; oh. i. 14 (see note); iv. 6). Shall be raised; Pa. xlix. 1). 0 oongregation, what is among rather, shall be aroused. The sides of the earth; them. The po.seo.ge is obscure. " Congrega- ro.ther, " the recesses (i.e. furthest parts) of tion" co.n only refer to the foreign no.tions the eo.rth" (so oh. xxxv. 32; Isa. xiv. 13). mentioned in the first clause; for Israel could Ver. 23.-Spear; rather,ja~elin (or, lance). not be co.lied upon to hear the judgment They are oruel. The cruelty of the Aesyrians "upon this people" (ver. 19). There is, and Babylonians seems to have spread however, no other passage in which the word general dismay. N,1hum calls Nineveh ho.a this reference. The words rendered "the oity of bloodshed" (iii. I); Hnbaklruk "who.t is among them," or "what (shall styles the Ohnldeans "bitter and vehement, hnppen) in them," seem unno.tumlly laoonic, terrible and dreadful" (i. 6, 7). Tho cus- and not as weighty as one would expeot after toms brought out into view in the monu- the solemn introduction. If correct, they meuts justify this most amply, though must of course refer to the Isroelites. Dut Professor Rawlinson thinks we cannot cnll Gmre conjecturo that the text is corrupt the Assyrians (with whom the Babylonians lies near at hand. The lea.et alteration which mny of course be coupled) no.turally hard- will remove the diffioulties of the pa.seage is hearted. "The Assyrian listens to tlio tho.t presupposed by tho rende.-ing of Aquila onemy who asks for quarter; ho prel'ors (11ot Symmnchu~, as St. Jerome snys; see making prisoners to slnying; ho is very Field's ' Hexo.plo. ') and J. D. Miohnelis, terrible in the battle o.nd the assault, but " the testimony which is agninst them." orterwo.rds ho forgives o.n,1 spares"(' A11cient Ver. 19.-The fruit of their thoughts. l\Ionarohies,' i. 243). Their voice roareth. Tho.t punishment is the ripe fruit of sin, is The horrid roo.r of the o.dvanci11g hosts the doctrine of the Old (Isa. iii. 10 ; Pa. seems to hnve greo.tly struck the Jew~ !viii. 11, margin) as well as of the New Tes- ( comp, Isa.. v. 30; xvii. 12, 13). tament (J as. i. 15). Ver. 24.-We have heard the fame thereof, Ver. 20.-To what purpose . . . inoense Tho prophot idontifies himself (comp., for from Sheba. 1 Thie is the answer to an i.m- tho snme phenomenon, eh. iv. 19-21; x. pliod objection on the part of the J ewe, that ID, 20) with his people, and expresses the they have faithfully fulfilled their cere- geneml fooling of anxiety nnd puin. Tile monio.l obligations. "To obey is better thnn phraseology of the closing liues remiuds us s:1crifico" (I 8nm. xv. 22); "And what doth of Is,i. xiii. 7, B. the Lord require of thee, but to do juijtly, Ver. 25.-Go not forth into the field. Tho a.nd to love mercy, 1111d to walk humbly with "duuf;hter of Zion" (i.e. the pcr~onific po-  148 THE llOOK OF THE PROPHET JERE!IIIAH. [cu. vr. 1-30.