The Pulpit Commentary — Jeremiah — Volume 1 — Section 271

inheritance. "Tiod" should mihcr be tribe. comp. also, "Aud the children of Iernel The tweh-e 1ribes hnd au iuner unity, ns dwelt in their tents, as aforetime" (2 Kings contrasted with other peoples; comp. Ps. xiii. 5). My oords ... my cm-tains. The h:xiv. 2 and Isa. lxiii. 17 ("tribes''). "cords" arc those wliich, by being fastened Vers. 17-22.-This pass~go connects lo poles aud stakes, koep the tcut steady; itself immediately with eh. ix., where the the "curtains," of course, are the covering inrnsion of Judah and the dispersion of its of the tent (comp. Isa. !iv. 2). inhabitants have been foretold. Hero, after Ver. 21.-The pastors; i.e. the civil au- describing dramatically the departure of thorities (see on eh. ii. 8). They shall not the latter int-0 e.xile, the prophet reports a prosper; rather, they have not prospered; or, distinct revelation of the same fact, so that better still, they hai,e 11ot actecl wisely, the this can no longer be assumed to be mere notion of prospering being rather suggested imaginative rhetoric. The Jewish people is than expressed (Ll.tc same word is used in then int-roduccd, lamenting her sad fate, but Isa. Iii. 13). expressing resignation. Ver. 22.-Behold, . . . is oome; rather, Ver. 17.-Gatherupthywares. "Wares" Ha,·k I tidinys I Behold, it cometh I :The should rather , be bundle. There is no tidings are that the foe is at hand, advancing allusion to trafficking. 0 inhabitant of the with a great commotion, with clashing fortress; rather, thou that dwellest besieged. spca.rs, pra.ncing horses, and all the hubbub Ver. 18.-I will sling out; a forcible of II grea.t nrmy. A den of dragons; 1·ather, image, to express the violence of the expul- of jaclcals (ns eh. ix. 11). sion; comp. Isa. xxii. 17, 18 (ver. 17 needs Vers. 23-25.-These verses confirm the correcting). At this once; rather, at this view taken above, of the spenker of this time (comp. eh. xvi. 21). Inv:ision wos uo whole section. Jeremiah and the people, novelty to the Jews, but had hitherto merely each is, in a sense, the speaker; but here produced loss of goods rather than of personal the prophetic faith seems to run rather in liberty. Th.at they m.o.y :find it so; better, advance of that of his fellow-countrymen. that they may feel it. Others supply as the They form, however, a fitting sequel to the subject" Jehovah," comparing Ps. xxxii. 6, chnrges brought against the people in eh. ix. "In a time of finding" (Authorized Versiou, The spenker admits thathe(either the people "When thou mayest be found"). J ereminb of Judah personified, or Jeremiah as a repre- himself says, "Ye shall seek me, and shall sentative of its beet portion) fully deserves find, when ye shall search for me with all chastisement for having attempted to go his = your heart" (ob. xxix. 13 Deut. iv. 29). own way (comp. Isa. lvii. 17). He has now Still, these passages are hardly quite parallel, attained an insight into the truth that mo.u's as the object of the verb can be easily sup- duty is simply to walk in the path which plied from the connection. The Vulgate God has marked out for him. He only asks apparently reads the text with different that J chovah would chastise him with judg- vowels, for it renders ut inveniantar; the ment, or, more clearly, according to what ill Septuagint has "that thy stroke may be just. "The contrast is between punishment found." inflicted in anger, the object of which is to Ver. 19.-It is rather doubtful (as in the cause pain to the criminal, and that inflicted parallel passage, eh. iv. 19-21) whetbe1· the ns a duty of justice, nnd of which the object speaker here is the prophet, or "the daugh- is tho criminal's reformation " (Payne ter of my people," who, in eh. vi. 26, is Smith). The fear expressed, however, is called UJ)On to "make most bitter lamenta- not exactly lest thou bring me to nothing, tion." Of course, the prophet cannot dis- which is too strong for the Hebrew, but lest sociat.e himself from his people; and we thou malce me small. hrael was secured may therefore, perhaps, consider both refer- against annihilation by the promise of ences united. Hurt; literally, breach; e. Jehovah, but feared he might possibly sur- term so used for political calamities. A vive only as the shadow of his former self. grief; rather, my grief; but "grief" is Ver. 25.-This verse is repeated, .with meant to include both physical and mental slight differences, in Pa. lxxix. 6, 7. The sufferings (literally, my sickness). fault of the heathen is. that they exceeded Ver. 20.-My tabernacle; rather, my tent. their commission (Iso.. x. 6, 7; xlvii. 6; It is very striking how present to the mindH Zech. i. 15), and aimed o.t destroying, ins tend of the Israelites was the consciousness of of merely punishing, J chovah's erring people. their pBBtoral origin. Hence the cry, "To His habitation; rather, his pasture (comp. your tents, 0 Israel" (1 Kings xii. 16); oh. xii. 10), CH. x. 1-25.] THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH. 271