The Pulpit Commentary — Jeremiah — Volume 1 — Section 294

EXPOSITION. 17). 4. Second sto.ge of the conspiracy: the OHAPTER XI. plot of the men of Ano.U1oth (eh. xi. 18-23). The BUperscription in ver. 1 evidently be• 5. Third stage; the plot in the prophet's longs to the three chu.pters xi.-xiii., though own fo.mily(ch.xi.1-6). N11egelsbo.ch, how- eh. xi. and xii. o.re more closely connected ever, with violence to exegesis, continues with cl\oh other tht1.n with eh. xiii. To which thus (assuming the homogeneousness of eh. period the group of prophecies belongs- xii.1-6 o.nd 7-17): 6. Isro.el's conspiruoy whether to the reign of J osio.h, or of J ehoi11,- punished by o. conspiro.oy of the neighbour- ltim, or of Jehoiu.ohin, or to vurious periods, ing peoples o.go.iust Isro.ol (eh. xii. 7-13). is o. rno.tter of dispute. It conto.ins ut o.uy 7. Rcmovl\l of l\ll m1tithcscs by the fino.l r11te one p11ssage (eh. xii. 7-17) which wus union of o.ll in the Lord (oh. xii. H-17). almost certo.inly put in by a lutor editor. The opening versos of this clmptcr give It i3 doubtless Jcremfah's work, but seems us (o.s wo ho.ve aeon ulrcl\dy in the general out of place here (see below, on this pas- Introduction) o most vivid i<lct\ of the ucti- s11ge). Nuegelsbuch's 1mulysis of eh. xi., xii., vity of Jorcminh in propo.gtlting <> know- is striking. The fundo.menlnl iclet\ of the ledge of tho Deuteronomio Tiiriih (i.e. the entire discourse ho assumes to be tho anti- Divine " directions " with regard to the thesis of covonant and conspimcy, o.ml pro- regulation of lifo ). It may even be inferred ceeds thus: 1. A reminder of tho renowal from vcr. 6 thC1t he made Cl missionary cir- of the oovenant between Jehovah and the cuit in Judnh, with the view of influencing people h\tely made under Josinh (oh. xi. the masses. It woe, in foot, only tho "elders" 1-8). 2. First stage of the conspiro.cy; ull of the different towns who ho.d to.ken po.rt in Israel, instead of keeping the covenant with the solemn ceremony described in 2 Kingii Jehovo.h, conspires o.gninst him (oh. xi. 9- xxiii. "Tho words of this covenant" ho.d 13). 3. The punishment of the conspiracy is been ratified by the no.tiona.l represeu tn- an irreversible, severe jndgment (eh. xi, H- tives: but it required o. prophetic cntbu- 284 THB BOOK OF 'l'HE PROPHET JEllEMlA.11. [011. xI. 1-23.