The Pulpit Commentary — Jeremiah — Volume 1 — Section 438

obscure. Litemlly we must, H would seem, "Stand ye in the ways," Jeremiah cried at render, Doth the mow of Lebanon fail from an earlier period, "ancl see, ancl ask for the rock of the /fold ( or poesihly, cease to flow tho old paths, which is the goocl way " from the· rocl, unto Iha field) f Thie is ( eh. vi. 16). These "olcl" or "ancient" expla.ined us pointing a contrast to the paths were ideally "their ways," the ways infidelity ·of Gocl'e people. " The snow appointecl for the Jews to walk in. To never lea.ves the summit of Lebanon; the walk in paths; rather, in tracks, footpaths waters which take their rise therein never leacling np and clown ancl often ending in dry up; but my people have forgotten tho nothing; or, in other terms, in a way not law of their being, the source of their oast up (Isa. xl. 3, 4, gi <cs a. graphic picture prosperity." The rendering of the first of the operation of" casting up a. wa.y "). clause ie, however, gramma.tically dubious Ver. 16.-The effect of thi·s is to make (there is no example of this construction of tho land of the tramgreseors an object of 'azabh), ,a.nd all the old versions point to (or horror and astonishment (eo render rather at least favour) a. reading, Shaddai (the than desolate). Almighty) instead of siidai (the fielcl). Ver. 17.-As with nn east wind. Tho If we keep the text, we must explain "tho east was a. stormy wincl (Ps. xl viii. 7; Job rock of .the field" on the analogy of " my xxvii. 21). I will show them the back; as mounta.in in the field" (eh. x.vii. 3), as they have done to Jehovah (eh. ii. 27; meaning "the rock which commands a. xxxii. 33). wide prospect over the open lowland Vera. 18-23.-A fresh conspiracy (comp. country," i.e. Mount Lebo.non. The cold eh. xi. 18), called forth by the preceding flowing waters; i.e. the numerous" streams discourse; J eremiah's prnyer. from Lebanon," referrecl to in Cant. jv. 15. Ver. 18.-The law-or rather, direction, That oome from another pls.oe ; i.e. whose instruction, which was a. epecinl function of sources are foreign. But a.s this does not the priests -(Deut. xx.xiii. 10; x.vii. 9-11) suit the connection, it ie better to ta.ke the --:-shll.ll not perish from the priest. The Jews Hebrew word (ziirim), usually rendered were but obeying the Deuterouomic Law " foreign," in the sense of "pressing or (on which Jeremiah, ns we have seen, lo.i,l hmrying along," with Ewalcl, Gmf, and so much stress) in 11Jluding to the priests. vii·tually Henderson. It thus becomes Unhttppily, the priests in Jeremia.h's timo descriptive of thlise streams "ae·contrncted (oh. ii. 26); l\S in Isaio.h's (Isa. xxviii. 'i), within narrow channels while descending were forgetful of their high mission. Nor through the gorges a.nd defiles of the rooks." conilsel from· the wise. Tho wise men Comp. " like an oupreeeing etrcnm," Isn. formed a.n importa.nt orclcr in Jewish socioty, !ix. 19 (a. cognate verb). Be forsaken. The the importance of which in the Divine Hebrew text has "bo plucked up" (i.e. education of Isro.el ha.snot been sufficiently destroyed?); but as this ie unsuitable, we recognized. It wa.s theii- custom to bit in must tra.11epose two letters (as in not a few publio plucee, genemlly iu the cho.mberecl other cases), nncl render, di-g up. So recess iu the city gate, nncl give auvice on Geseniue, Graf, Keil, Delitzsch, a11d Payno questions of moral practice to those who Smith. a.pplied for it. Ilut thero wore wise men Ver. 15.-DeoaUBe my people hath for- nnd wise men. Some a.ppeCL:r to have gotten me; mther, Surely, etc.; or better "mockeu" at tho ea.rnest prellching of the still, Yet surely. It is not uncommon for a prophets (hence the eolemu rebukes in the p11rticle of a.ssevoration to a.cquire a contrnet- Book of Proverbs). others to h"ve ae it wero ing fo1·ce from the oontoxt; ace e.g. eh. iii. prepared the wo.y for the la.tter by ,, moro 20; Isa. !iii. 4; nncl, still more complcloly or lees distinot recognition of tho religious plirallel, Isa. ii. 6; eh. ix. l, where Authorized foundation of morality, and of these wo :Version, with eubst11ntia.l correctness, hns have ample monuments in tho qanonica.1 "nevertheless." .Israel "forgot" Jchova.h (ns Prove!'be. 'l'horo ma.y nl.o ho.ve been other eh. ii. 32); no doubt ho was responsible for aha.dos llnd varictios of wise mon, for thoir so doing, but still it wa.s not "of ma.lice chnra.cterietio wns not o. faculty of intuition, preponse."' To vanity ; i.e. to tho unreal but rather of refiectivcly o.pplyiug fuu,la.- 1clol-gods. And thoy have oaUBed them to rucutC\I morn! principles. Ono highly stumble ; viz. the idol-gods ; these aro esteemed bmnch of " wisdom" wouhl, of responsible (for they have a rea.l existence course, be political, and this would ho tho in the· consciousness of their worshippers) most lia.ble to perversion. It is of such for this interruption of Israel's spiritual that Ieo.iah, like Jeremio.h, says thut "the progress (comp. 2 Chron. xxviii. 2<1). In wisdom of their wise men shall perish" their ways from tho anoiont paths. ".From," (x.xix. H). Nor the word from tho prophet. however, is interpol11teci by tho Authorizccl "'l'hc woru" is C\ general tel'm fo,· prophesy, \' crdion; the Hebrew pla.ccs '' lho ll:tcient ing. Of course, tho spc'akcrs te1ko uo p.1ths" in 111,pu;iliun to "their WL\ys." nccount of the a,\ vanco in prophecy from  4H trtIE DOOK 01•' 'l'ilE l'ROPHE'I' J.inllEMIAH. Coit. xv11t. 1-28. ---------------------------------- the time, nt any rnte, of Amos. They are of, ot_c. (see .~s. Ix.iii. 10); 11 phr11Se nkln to ~atisfied with the lower order of prophets that m Isa. Im. 12. Tho sword is personified. (" false prophets," ns the Septuagint calls Let their men be put to doath • another them); but still they are afraid of Jeremiah, personification, for the Hebrew h~e "slniu much as Balak was afraid of Balaam, when of Death "-pestilence is referred to, as eh. that soothsayer was blessing Israel (Numb. xv. 2. xxiii. 25). Smite him with the tongue; i.e. Ver. 23.-Let them be overthi:own before by slanderous accusations. The same figure thee; i.e. count them as those who have as in eh. ix. 3, 8. been brought to ruin. Thie explanation Vers.19, 20.-Them that oontend with me. seems required by the parallelism, the Shall evil, etc.? Compare the phraseology companion clause meaning "do not realml of Ps. xxxv.1-12 (either Jeremiah imitated t~eir sin. f!,S cancelle<l." 'rhe ruin may Le this psalm or vice versa); and for another either spmtual or temporal; the parallelism point of cont.act with this psalm, see on eh. favours the former (comp. ver. 14; Hos. xxiii. 12. They have digged a pit, etc. xiv. 10, where" fall" should be "stumble"). Comp. Ps. !vii. 6. To speak good for them, Deal thus with them. "Thus" is inter- 8oe Jeremia.h's intercessiolll! in eh. xiv. polated by the Authorized Version;" deal" 7-9, 19-22. should rather be deal terribly ("deal" is Ver. 21.-Pour out their blood by the constantly used in a pregne.Dt sense; see on foroe, etc. ; rather, spill them into the hands oh. xiv. 7).