The Pulpit Commentary — Jeremiah — Volume 1 — Section 555

rcnsonable to expect similar phcnomoua in 20). Jcremiah's declaration ran so entirely the Dook of J cremiah. counter to the prejudices of his hearcn that To eslimate the circumstances of the he may well have been accused of both prophecy aright, wo muet remember that these sins, or crimes. Troe, Isaiah and Amos bad already predicted the destruction in Jehoiakim's reign a Chaldean invasion of J eruso.lem (Isa. v. 5, 6; vi. II; Amos ii. was the danger by wliich all minds wore 4, 5; vi. 1, 2); but it may !Jave been constantly preoccupied. contended that the timely repentance of Ver. 2.-Jeremiah is to take liis stand in Judah unrler Hezekiah ancl Josiah harl the court of the Lord's hou~e; i.e. the outer effectually cancelled the threatt'ned doom, court, where the people assemblecl (comp. and though Isa. !xiv. 10, 11 evidently refers eh. ,cix. 14), and preach unto all the cities to a time later than Josiah, and represents of Judah; i.e. to the pilgrims who had come the ruin of Jerusalem as practically certain, from the provincial towns (comp. eh. xi. 12). it would seem that the prophetic hook (Isa. His discourse is not to be u.n eloquent xl.-lxvi.) to which this belongs (to say the appeal to the feelings, but a strict and least) was not generally known. peremptory announcement; be is to diminish Ver. 9.-Were gathered against; rather, (or, subtract) not a word (comp. Deut. iv. 2; assembled them.8elves unto; i.e. constituted xii. 32; Rev. xxii. 19). themselves into o. legal qiihiil, or assembly Ver. 3.-That I may repent; literally, (see on ver. 17). and I will repent; the illca or object is Ver. 10.-The princes. The term will dei·ived from the coutcxt. (On tho Divine include the members of the various branches 1·epentance, see note on eh. xviii. 8.) of the royal family, who acted as judges Vera. 4-6.-The contents of the dis- (see on eh. xxi. 12), and the "ciders," or course (see especially on eh. vii. 12-15). heads of families (see ver. 17). Without 'fhe priests and the prophets interfere, the presence of the former, Jeremiah could arrest Jeremiah, aud accuse him of a capita.I only have had a mock-trial. Came up, etc. crime. It would appear that soma at least (see on eh. xxii. 1). Of the Lord's house; of the "false prophets" were priests; thus better simply, of the Lord. The gate is the Pashur, we are told, was a priest (eh. xx. 6). so.me which is referred at eh. xx. 2. Vers ..7-11.-To all devout Jews this pre- Ver. 11.-This man is wcrthy to die; liter- diction of the destruction of the temple ally, o. sentence of death (belongs) to this must have been startling; but to those who man. placed their confidence in the mere exist- Vers. 12-15.-Jeremiah's defence. He is ence of a consecrated building (eh. vii. 4), it conscious that he has not spoken uncom- was like a blow aimed at their very lifo. missioned, o.ud leaves the result. He urges Desides, were not the majority oftbe prophets the people to omendment of life, while tbero of Jehovah of entirely another woy of think- is time, antl wo.ms them tho.t bis own un- ing? Did they not promise peace? And merited death will bring o. curse upon them- what could justify Jeremiah in announcing selves. not merely wo.r, but the downfall of the Vera. 16-19.-Tho truth makes an im- Di vino lmbitntion itself? Hence no sooner pression upon the prioces 11nd the people, had the prophet concluded his discourse, who declare Jeremiah to be o. true prophet, than ho was o.rrested, accused, 11nd con- nnd therefore innocent. doumcd to death. Ver. 17.-•The elders of the land 11dd their Ver. 8.-Had made an end of speaking. voice in fo.vour of Jeremiah, not, however, They allowed Jeremiah to finish his dis- ,,ithout first of nil consulting tl1e peoplo COUl'se (of which we hove here only the whose representatives they nre. The whole briefest summal'y), either from a lingering verse is thoroughly teohnicul in its phrase- reverence for his person and o.ffico, or to ology. The word ( qiihii[) rendered "as- obtain fuller materials for an accuso.tion sembly" is the traditional legal term for (comp. the trial of Stephen, Acts vi. 12-14). the "congregation or Israel " (Deut. xxxi. All the people. The " people" o.ppeor to 30); comp. ver. 9, where tbo verb is tho hove been olwoys under some coustraint. corresponding one to qahiil. 'l'hus, with all As long as the pl'iests and prophets were the faults of the government of J ndah, alono, thoy dominated the nnoilicial classes, which Jeremiah himself reveo.ls to us, it but wheu the priuccs appeared (ver, 11), wos very fe.r removed from tho Oriental the new iufluonce provccl superior. In despotisms of our dny. The "ehlcrs" aro ver. 16 princes ond people together go slill on importnnt clement in tho soci11l llYcr to the side of Jeremiah. Thou she.It system, and form o. link with tliat o,ulier surely die. Death wos the !ego.I penalty period in which the fomily wo.s tho kading both for blosphcmy (Lev. xxiv. 16) and power in the socio.I orgo.nizutioo, Originally for prcsuming to prophesy without ho.ving tl,e term denoted, strictly and in tile fnll received I\ prophetio reYclntion (Dout. xvi ii, seusc, heods of fomilies; they have their GS! THE DUOK OF 'l'llE PROPHET JEREMIAII. [c11. x.xv1. 1-2.J.