The Pulpit Commentary — Jeremiah — Volume 1 — Section 577

the messengers in ver. 3 a.re therefore not Vere. 15-23.-Jeremie.h's denunoie.tion to be regarded e.e Zedekie.h'e companions of two lee.ding false prophets e.t Ba.bylon, in the journey mentioned in oh. Ii. 59. with e. digression r,n the fate of Zedekie.h e.nd Jerusalem. Some eminent critics main- Ver. 1.-The residue of the elder,; i.e. tain that vers. 16-20 a.re an interpolation, the surviving elders. Some may, perhaps, e.nd this view is certainly supported by the he.ve died from nature.I co.uses, some by omission of these verses in the Septnagin t. violence, some from grief. It must also in fairness be admitted that Ver. 2.-The queen; rather, t:he queen- the natural connection of ver. 15 is with mother (see on eh. xiii. 18). The eunuehs, ver. 21, not with ver. 16. But it does not the princes of J'udah e.nd J' erusalem. A follow that vers. 16-20 a.re an arbitrary ine.rgiual gloss appears to have intruded interpolation. 'fhey may be regarded either iteeli into the text, for there is no other e.e a digression in the original letter, or po.see.go in which the " eunuchs," or (as the e.s inserted by e.n after-thought when the word may equally well be rendered, with substance of the letter we.s brought into its the margin), "chamberlains," a.re called present form. "princes of Judah." Ver. 16.-Know that thus eaith the Lord; Ver. 7.-Seek the peace of the oity, etc. rather, Surely thus saith the Lord. Interest yourselves in the "peace" or Ver. 17.-I will send upon them, etc.; welfa.re of the city, whether Babylon or alluding to eh. xxiv. 10. Vile figs; liter- any other place where ye may be in exile, ally, figs ezci!ing a shudder. The figure and pre.y for its welfare, for your own well- involves an e.llusion to eh. xxiv. 2, 3. being is inseparable from it. Ver. 19.-But ye would not hear. The Ver. 8.-Let not your prophets and your prophet, by e. very natural illusion, falls out diviners, etc. It seems as if the Be.by Ionian of the style of letter-writer into that of the "Jewry" were e. copy of the.t e.t home. It prophet. For the moment he fancies him- had not only its " princes " e.nd its '' elders," self addressing e.n audience of his country- but its "prophets" and its "diviners," who men (comp. eh. xxv. 3, 4, 7, 8). as encouraged the so.me fe.lse hupee those in Ver. 21.-Zedeki.a.h. The no.me is inte- Judah (comp. eh. xxvii. 9; xxviiL 2). Your resting; it shows the.t this prophet belonged dreams whioh ye oaused to be dreamed; or, to e. family which took plea.sure in the which ye cause yourselves t-0 dream (comp. thought of Jehovah and his righteousness. eh. xxvii. 9). Doubtless, too, he did so himself: but he Ver. 10.-Seventy yea.re (see on eh. xxv. under-estimated the demands of that right- 11). At Babylon; rather, for Babylon. A eOU$ness, which extended lo the bee.rt e.e long period, such as seventy yea.re, is ap- well e.s to the outward conduct. pointed for Babylon "to enjoy" the fruits Ver. 22.-A ouree; i.e. e. formula. of curs- of her ambition; when this is over (comp. ing (comp. lee.. lxv. 15). There is here e. Gen. xv. 13-16), God will pe.y heed to his play upon words, such e.s the Biblical people. Visit you. To "visit" frequently writers delighted in, partly with the view he.s the sense of " taking notice of," or of assisting the memory. "A curso" is in "paying heed to'' (e.g. oh. xxiii. 2). My Hebrew keliilah, e.nd "to roast" is kiiliih. good word. "Word," equivalent to "pro- Roasted in the fire. "Casting into the mise;" the allusion ie to oh. xxiv. 6. midst of a burning fiery furnace " we.a e. Ver. 11.-For I know the thought1 1 etc.; common punishment both among the As- i.e. though seventy years must pe.es over syria.us and the Babylonians, see e.g. 'Re- you in exile, yet do not apprehend the.t I cords of the Past,' vol. ix. p. 56; and comp. have forgotten you, for I know full well De.n. iii. what my purpose is towards you-a purpose Ver. 23.-An important and melancholy of restoring to you" peace" and prosperity. addition to our knowledge of these false An expeoted end ; rather, a future and a prophets. They were not only misleading hope; i.e. a hopeful future (comp. eh. xxxi. prophets, but immoral men in their private 17, "There is a hope for thy future"). cape.cities. Villany; re.ther,Jolly, ns the word That unexpeotant a.po.thy which is the is always rendered elsewhere. The phrase terrible e.coompaniment of so much worldly "to commit folly in Israel" is nl we.ys sorrow we.a not to be e.n ingredient in the ( except Josh. vii. 15) used of sins of un- lot of the J ewe. ohnstity. Ver. 12.-And ye shall go and pray unto Vera. 24-32. -A threatening oracle me. " Go," that is, to the fle.oes "where a.go.inst the false prophet Shemaiah. Great prayer is wont to be me.de.' The cle.use excitement had been co.used o.mong the so- seems to refer to common prayer for a ce.Jled prophets in Babylon by the emphe.tio common object. Comp. striking passages language of Jerembh. Accordingly one of in Solomon's prayer (1 Kings viii. 48), e.nd them, named Shomaiah, wrote letters to the in Deuteronomy (iv. 29, 30). Jews at home, e.nd especio.lly to o. high G88 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH. [oa. xux. 1-32.