The Pulpit Commentary — Jeremiah — Volume 1 — Section 411

EXPOSITION. with Egypt entered into by Jehoiakim after OHAFTER XVII. his revolt from Nobuohadnezw1· (see Ewald, Vere. 1-18 are closely connected with 'History of Israel,' iv. 261). The emphasi3 the preceding chapter, We have just been on the deceitfulness of the heart, in ver. !J, pointed to the striking contrast between the ie readily intelligible in this connection; it conduct of the heathen and that of the reminds us of the woe pronounced by Isaiah backsliding men of Judah. The inspired against those who " seek deep to hido their orator's indignation swells DB he thinks counsel from Jehovah" (xxix. 15), and which of the inveterateness and indelibleness of undoubtedly refers to a projected Egyptian J udllh's sin (vers. 1--4 are, however, omitted alliance. in the Septuagint). Then he passes to a Ver. 1.-Tho sin of J'udah, eto. "Juda.h's subject immediately suggested by the policy sin" is not merely their tendency to sin, but of the court, viz. the true source of safety in their sinful practices-their idolatry. 'l'llis is said to be graven upon the ta.ble of their dangerous times. Trust in man brings a heart, for it is no mere form, but c!lrricd on curse;· trust in Jehovah a blessing (vers. 5- with passionate earnestness, and as indeliblo 13). Froin this portion of the prophecy we as if engraved with an iron pen. How un- can venture to fix the do.to of tile whole. like, however, is this record to that of which Ver. 11 is, in fact, a shorter form of the tho same expression is used in Job xi.x. 241 Wiih the point of a diamond; or, irn·th a point denunciation in eh. xxii. 13-19, which is of adamant (h!lrder than flint, as Ezok. iii. clireotly ncldrossed to Jehoiakim; and the !J says). Fragmenta of adamant, says Pliny most natural view of vers. 5-10 is to regard (' Hist. Nat.,' xxxvii. 15), nro sought out by th<'IU as !I warning against the ncgol iations ongnwcrs uml cncloscu in il'on; they easily  HG THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH. [cu. xvu. l-2i. ---------------------------------- overcome every hnrdn<>ss. Upon the horns text, and whether we should not read, with of your a.lta.rs. First of all, wha.t alt~rs ore Ewalu, "without price for thy sins" (os in referred to ? Those erected for the worship the parallel passago, eh. xv. 13). of i,lols or !he two in the temple of Jehornh, Ver.4.-(Comp.ch. xv. 14.) Even thyself; which had been defiled by idolatry? And liternlly, even with. thyself, i.e. ,vith thy barn "°h: is the sin of Judah said to be engraved life (if the text, "hich is here evidently 11pon the horns of the nltars? Probablv rather out of order, is correot). Shalt dis- bc~snse the "horns," i.e. the projections at continue. The word involves un l\llusion to the four upper comers (Exod. xxviii. 2) were the Law in Exod. xxiii. 11 l\nd (cspecinlly) smeared with the blood of the victims. The Deut. xv. 2 (see the Hebrew). 'fbo latter direction in Exod. xxix. 12 and Lev. iv. 7 was passage suggests a correction of the difficult doubtless not peculiar to the ritu&.l of the "even with thyself," just preceding, iato Law. "thy hand." Thus we get for the opening Yer. 2.-Whilst their children remember, of this verse, "And thou shalt let loose thy etc. The connection of this with the prc- ho.nd" (i.e. as Authorized Version, "shalt "eding verse is rather obscure. Probably it discontinue"). . fa intended as an exemplification of the" sin Ycrs. 5-11.-In the higher gnomic or of Judah," the in-.cternteness of which is proverbial style. Goel and roan, flesh and shown by their thoughts spontaneously turn- spirit, are nl\tural antitheses (comp. Iso.. xxxi. ing to the al tars and symbols of the false 3; Ps. lvi. 4). 'l'he prayer of the believer gous whenever they a.re near a leafy tree or is, "Be thou (0 Jehovah) their arm every a high hill (probably "under the green morning ; " not Egypt, not Assyria, not trees" is the right reading; comp. 1 Kings any " arm of flesh." xiv. 23; so Targum ). To make "their sons" Ver. 6.-Like the heath in the desert; aa the accusative (with Hitzig and Keil), ren- forlorn as some well-known desert plant. dering, "As they remember their children, But which plant? St. Jerome explains," Et [ernn so they remember their altars],'' seems erit quasi myrice [' tame.risk '], q ure Hebra.ice unnatural; why should "children" and dicitur Aroer (?) sive, at interpretatus est "altars" be associated in idea? Groves;. Syrus, lignum infructuosum." The versions rather, idols of .Asht!rah, the Canaanitish agree in supposing the comparison to be to goddess. a plant; and a very similar word in Arabic Ver. 3.-0 my mounts.in in the :field; a (ghargar) means the mountain juniper; still more obscure passage. The question 'l'ristrnm, the dwarf juniper. Most, however, is whether "my mountain in the field" is a take the word to be an adjective equivalent ~ncative or an accusative dependent on "I to "destitute." Dr. Thomson tells a story of ,nil give." If the former, then the phrase a poor destitute woman he found in the will mean Jerusalem (comp. "rock of the desert (comp. eh. xlviii. 6-the form tht:re is plain," eh. xxi. 13). This, however, does not Aroer, here it is 'ai·'iir; Ps. cii. 18). Shall suit with the second half of the verse (" tLy not sea; i.e. shall not perceive, or feel any high places," etc.), and still less with ver. 4, evil consequences (comp. Isa. xliv. 16, "I which eridently refers to the people ·of have seen the fire," equivalent to" Ifeel the Judah. Added to this, if Jerusalem were flame"). A sa.lt land; i.e. one entirely bar- here addressed we should certainly expect ren (comp. Deut. xxix. 23). feminine suffixes. It remains to take "my Ver. 8.-Shall not see; ro.ther, shall not mountain," etc., a.s an accusative. It /ea1·-this is the re11,Cling of the Hebrew text, describes, not Jerusalem, but Mount Zion as and of the Septuagint, Peehito, and Vulgo.te. the site of the temple, the mountain of the The Authorized Version represents that of house of Jehovah (Isa. ii 3; Zech. viii. 3; the margin, which is conformecl to ver. 6, but Ps. xxiv. 3). Render, therefore, my mO"Untain is against the po.rnllelisms. in the .field will I give. The prophet mag- Vers. 9, 10.-The crooked devices of the nifies Zion into a mountain with o widely human heart, whioh is charnctei·izecl as extended prospect (comp. ver.12 and eh. xxi. deceitful above all things (or, as Delitzsch, 13). Thy substance and all thy treasures; 'Diblical Psychology,' English trn.nslation, i.e. those of the people. The part of the p. 340, "proud;" litoro.lly, uneven or rugged; Terse which begins here is almost the samo comp. Isa. x!. 4; Hub_ ii. 4, Hebrew; Pa. as eh. xv. 13 (see note). And thy high cxxxi. 2, Hebrew), and desperately wioked, places for sin. Keil explains, Jehovah de- or rather, desperately 6.io/, (see eh. xv. 18, clares that he will, on account of the sinful where it is explained by the words, "which praclices upon them, deliver up the high rofuseth to be healed"). '!'ho Septuagint plnces throngLout the )11.nd. Gesenius, "He reads this verse differently, "The hel\rt is will deli vtJr up the high places with the sin deep o.bove all things, o.ml it is a mnn." attaching to them;" Hitzig, " . . . as a sin Ver. 11.-As the partridge . . . hatoheth oiT•Ting." There is a question, however, them not; rather, a, lhs pa1·!ridge sittelh 011 wl1 ! her there i, not a corrn pt ion in the er,gs u:hic~ it halh 11ot laid; o. prn1'crbh1l cu. xvu. 1-27.] 'l'IIE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH. 417