The Pulpit Commentary — Jeremiah — Volume 1 — Section 187

formula is that of the Septnngint, i! «1,i,vos temple at Jerusnlem? Tho latter view is K«l ,.,, «lli,vos : i.e. from the most remote stron~ly confirmed by Judg. xviii. 31, "All antiquity to the most distant future. tho time tho.t the house of God in Shiloh Vers. 8-15.-The formalism of Jewish existed" (A~thorized Version is misleading), religion exposed. The lesson of Shiloh. and Judg. XLX. 18, where the Levite travel- Ver. S.-Lying words; such as those ling to llfount Ephro.im says, "I om going quoted in ver. 4. to the house of Jehovah." It is no doubt Ver. 9.-Will ye steal, eto.? rnther, strange o.t first eight the.t so little informCL• What! stealing, murdering, eto.? The con- tion is given us as to this central sanctuary struction is formed by a series uf infinitives, of the true religion; but are there not other preceded by nn interrogative expressing omissions (especially in the history of the extreme surprise, equivalent to " Is this judges), which are equally stro.nge o.s long your way of life--a course of theft, and as we look upon the Old Teato.ment o.s so forth?" primarily an historical document? We do Ver. 10.-And oome, etc.; rather, and know something, however, and more tho.u is then ye come, etc. We are delivered to do, generally suspected; for when the right etc.; rather, we ha"e escaped, in order to do, translation is restored in J udg. xviii. 31, it etc. To make the concluding words of the follows, from a comparison of this and the verse a part of the speech seems ho.rdly fair to preceding verse, that the temple of Shiloh the Jews, who would certainly not proclnim was destroyed simultaneously with the that they had made their escape from the captivity of the northern tribes. The im- threatened judgment with the object of pression produced by this emphatic on• prosecuting abominable acts. Snch a view, nouncement of Jeremiah is revealed to us moreover, greatly weakens the force of the by a later pe.ssage in his book (see oh. emphatic "We h&.ve escaped." "In order xxvi.). to do," etc., are the words of the prophet, Ver. 13.-Rising up early o.nd speaking; who thus lays baro tho secret intentions of i.e. speaking zealously ond continually (so these formal worshippers. ver. 25; eh. xxv. 4 ; xxvi. 5; xxix. 19). It \'er.11.-Evenlhaveseenit; understand, is nn expression peculiar to J eremio.h. " and I will therefore destroy the house Ver. 14.-To Shiloh. Shiloh and the which gives shelter to evil-doers." temple of Shiloh o.re interchCLuged, precisely Ver. 12.-But go ye now unto my plaoe os Jerusalem and the temple of Jerusalem which was in Shiloh. Jeremiah attacks this (eh. xx vi. 9 ; Micah iii. 12). false coufidence in the temple of Jerusalem, Ver. 15.-1 will oe.st you out of my sight; by pointing to the destruction of o.n earlier viz. into a foreign lo.nd (see Deut. x.xi.x. 28). sanctuary, of which very little is known, The land of Israel wo.s in a special sense indeed only so much as to give on edge to "Jehovah's land" (Hos. ix. 3; Lev. xxv. our desire for more. It is certain, from 23). Ephraim ; here used for the northern Josh. xviii. land l Sam. iv. 3, that the tnber- tribes cullectively, as Isa, vii. 2; Hos. iv. nacle and the ark found a resting-place o.t 17; v. 9 ; xii. l. Shiloh (an Ephraimitish town to the north Vera. rn-20.-The hypocrisy of the of Bethel), nearly the whole of the period of worship of Jehovah proved; its punish- the jndges, or more exactly between the ment. latter days of Joshne. (Josh. xviii. 1) and Ver. 16.-Pra.y not thou for this people. the death of Eli (l Sam. iv. 3). Manifestly, Abraho.m prayed for Sodom (Gen. xv iii. 23- then, there must he.ve been some sort of 32); Moses aud Sorouel for Isre.el (Exod. " house," i.e. temple, o.t Shiloh; a mere xxxii. 11-14; xvii.11; Numb. xiv.13-20; tent would not have been sufficient for so Ps. cvi. 23; l Sam. vii. 9, 10; xii. 17, 18, long a period. This presumption is con- 23); and Jeremiah would fain perform the firmed by the language of Jeremiah, o.nd by same pious duty to his people. We hn\'o a tl,e expressions of the narrative books. 'l'he specimen of his iuterccsHion in eh. xiv. 19- fate which the prophet is bidden to announce 2~ (comp. eh. xviii. 20), followed imme- for the existing temple is analogous to th"t dintely by CL rejection of his prnyer, pamllel which fell upon "Jehove.h's place in Shiloh." in thought to the present passoge. Vorb11l The la tier was, therefore, not merely a depor- parallels ore eh. xi. 14; xiv. 11. Cry; i.e. tation of the ark, such o.a is referred to in cry for help (see on eh. xiv. 12); parallel l Sam. v. And when the no.rro.tor of the with "proyer," as eh. xi. 14; Ps. xvii. l; times of Samuel speaks of Eli as "sitting lxi. l. Ly the door-post of the temple of Jehovah " Ver. 17.-In the streets. A climox. There (1 Sam. i. \J), is it more natural to suppose is no sense of shCLme left. that I.he word " temple" is here o.pplied to Ver. 18.-The children ..• the fathers the tabernacle, or that thero was really e. . . . the women. All a.gee were represented l,ouse, however rude, as sacred in the eyes in this idolatrous act, thus justifying the of the faithful as was o.fterwarde the splendid sweeping ch11.racter of the judgmeut 1111 en, VII. 1-3!.] 'l'IlE IlOOK OF TllE PROPHET JEREMIAlI. 185