The Pulpit Commentary — Jeremiah — Volume 1 — Section 578

official called Zephaniah (see on ver. 26) to following words, we must remember tho.t the pnt a atop to Jeremiah'e bold agitation. outer court of the temple was a. favourite Zephaniah, however, was not the man for place for vrophetio teaching ( comp. eh. vii. whom Shemaiah took him, and read the letter 2; xxvi. 2). For every man that is mad, and to the intended victim. Upon this, Jeremiah me.keth himself e. prophet; i.e. to keep e.n received a special revelation, announcing eye upon •• madmen " and prophetizere. dire punishment to Shemaialt and his The term "mad" is used in e. disparaging family (according to the principle of the sense (e.s 2 Kings ix. 11; comp. Hos. ix. 7), Divine government described in Exod. with regard to tbe apparently senseless :u. 5). beho.viour of those who were overpowered Ver. 24.-To Shemaiah; or, of, concerning by the spirit of propheoy. In earlier times, ( as the same preposition is rendered in vers. no doubt, the phenomena. of prophecy were 16, 21, 31). The oracle itself speaks of more violently opposed to everyday life than Shemaiah in the third person (vers. 31, 32). in J eremie.h's time; but such symbolic o.cts The Authorized Version, however, can be o.s 11ppee.ring in public with e. yoke upon defended bv its accordance with ver. 25. his neck would e.t least excuse the applica- The Nehela.m.ite. This is evidently a patro- tion of the epithet e,•eu to Jeremiah. It is nymic, but whether of the family or the more than probo.hle, however, that it was locality of the bearer cannot be decided. not so much the abnormal actions as the The analogy of " J eremie.h of Anathoth " contents of Jeremie.h's prophecies which (ver. 27), however, favours the view that it stirred up such vehement opposition ; ob- iB local serve how in the next verse only the sound Ver. 26.-In the stead of lehoiada the of these descriptive nouns is retained priest. Some (Grotius, Hitzig, Graf) think (" which me.keth himself e. prophet"). It that this J ehoiada wu the famous'high priest was the me.king prophecy e. reality which of that name, who is said to have "appointed disturbed the men of routine, e.nd Shemo.iah o.ffi.cers over the house of the Lord" (2 Kings well knew. this when he made this appeal xi 18; 2 Chron. xxiii 18). It is true that to Zephe.niah. There was no harm in Zephanie.h was not literally the successor being nominally a "prophet," but to "make," of Jehoie.da.. but he we.e so in the ee.me or rather, "show one's self e.s e. prophet," to metaphorical sense in which the scribes be e.n energetic prophet, e. prophetizer (if are said hy our Lord to "sit in Moses' seat" the word may be invented),-this w11s worm- (Matt. xxiii. 2). It is safer, however, to wood to those who cried. "Peace, peace," suppose that another J ehoiada. is meant, of when there was no peace. In prison, e.nd in whom we have no further information. It the stocks; rather, in the stocks (see on eh. is not se.id that either J ehoiada or Zephaniah xx. 2) and in the collar. The meaning was high priest, and as the special object of seems to be that Jeremiah was subjected to the elevation of the latter is said to be the both forms of punishment at once. supervision of the temple police, it is more Ver. 27.-Reproved; i.e. threatened with probable that Jehoiada e.nd he were succes- punishment. sively " second priests," or, to use a ph re.ee Ver. 28.-For therefore, etc.; i.e. the oon- which ~eems to be synonymous, "deputy sequence of Jeremiah's not having been governors in the house of the Lord" (eh. xx. kept within hounds by authority is that he 1). The pa.sse.ge may thus without violence has even ventured, in his fanatical zeal, to be harmonized with eh. Iii. 24 ; 2 Kings trouble the exiles in Baby Ion. Thie cap- xxv. 18, where Seraie.h is called "the chief tivity is long; rather, It (ill) long; a more priest" and Zephe.niah "the second priest." forcible expression. It is possible that J ehoie.da. had been fa- Ver. 29.-And Zepho.nie.h the priest, cto. vourable to the better class of prophets. In This should rather be printed as a paren- this ce.se there will ba a delicate hint to thetical remark. Zephe.nie.h that God had hi.a own purpose Vere. 30-32.-Then oame the word of in promoting him to honour, viz. that the Lord, etc. A fresh introduction of the unruly prophets like Jeremio.h might be Divine oracle was rendered nrceeee.ry by held in with e. tighter hand (Ewald). That the long description of Zephe.niah's letters. ye should be officers ; rather, thal there The reason for Shemaioh's punishment, ahould be officers. Zephe.nie.h himself was however, is stated here e. little differently. e.n ••officer" or "deputy" (see above); but Of course, it was equally contrary to the he was also "chief in the house of the will of God to deliver a Co.lee prophecy o.nd Lord," e.nd had the appointment of inferior to stir up persecution against his true "officers," whose duty it was to preserve prophet. Taught rebellion (see on eh. xxviil. order in the temple. To understand the 16). uu, xxu. 1-32.] THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH. 569