The Pulpit Commentary — Jeremiah — Volume 1 — Section 353

EXPOSITION. there. They are blaok unto the ground. OHAPTEB XIV. "To be black," in Hebrew, i,s "to be dressed in mourning" (eo e.g. Pa. xxxv. 14, "I This chapter must be read in connection bowed down in black'.'), Here we must ";th the following one, They describe understand the same verb which is expressed chiefly Jercmiah's twofold attempt at inter- in the psalm, "They bowed down in mourn- cession (see vers. 7-9 and 19-22)-a. tender ing attire to the ground." " Black," how- nnd appealiag attempt indeed. The terrible ever, is not to be taken literally; it menas sufferings of the people duriag a drought rather "aqua.lid, unwashed" (of garments). Ver. 3.-Their nobles-i.e. the upper went to the prophet's heart. He even classes of Judah and Jerusalem-have sent ventured, when repelled tile first time, to their little ones; rather, their mean·onea; i.e. intercede anew, on the ground of the cove• their servants, or perhe.ps (as Naegelsboeh nant, hut in vain. On receiviag (eh. xv. and Payne Smith) simply, "the common people ; " it wo.s not o matter concel'ning the 2-9) a revelation of the bitter fate in store rich a.Ione. To the pits;- i.e. to the cisterns. for his people, he bursts out into a heart- Covered their heads; a sign of tho deepest rending complaint that his own destiny mourning (2 Sam. xv. 30; xix. 4; Eeth. vi. should throw hiin into such a whirlpool of 12). strife. His Lord at once corrects and con• Ver. 4.-The ground is oha_pt. • Perliaps; soles him (eh. .xv. 10-21). There are but it is more .obvious to render, is dismayed, according to the usual meaning of the word. doubts, however, about the connection of Words which properly belong to human these latter verses.-The date of the drought beings a.re often, by a "poetic fallooy," ap- is not stated; but as the panishment of plied to ine.nimate objects (RB in ver. 2). In Judah is described as future, and no refer- the ee.rth; rather, in the land. ence is made to the captivity of Jehoiachin, Ver. 5.-Even the animals starve. Yea, the hind also. The hind, contrary to that we shall probably be right in setting it intense natural affection for which she wo.s duriag the reign of Jehoiakim. famous among the ancients, 11bo.ndons her Ver. 1.-The dearth j rather, (he drought, young. or, more literally, tlui drooghts, the plural Ver. 6-The wild asses . . . in the high being used to indicate the length of time places; rather, on the bare heights. "The the drought lasted. wild aseee," eaye e. traveller cited by Rosen- Ver. 2.-The tensea in the following mlillcr," a.re especie.lly fond of treeless mouu- description should be perfects and presents ; taias." Like dragons ; render rather, like the Authorized Version, by its inconsistency, jackals (as eh. ix. 11; x. 22). The ullueion destroys the uaity of the picture. The is to the way jackals hold their head ae they 1;:.~ea thereof ; i.e. the people assembled howl. We are told that even tbe keen eyes oa. xiv. 1-22.] 'l'HE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH. 355