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THE
PULPIT COMMENTARY,
EDITED BY THE
VERY REV. H. D. M. SPENCE, D.D,,
DEAN OF GLOUCESTER; AND BY THE
REV. JOSEPH S. EXELL, M.A.
WITH
INTRODUCTIONS
BY THE
VBm. AECHDEACON F. W. FAEEAE, D.D., F.E.S.— EIGHT EEV. H. COTTEEHL, D.D., F.E.S.E.— VBET EEV. PEtNCIPAL J. TULLOCH, D.D.— EEV. CANON G. EAWUNSQH. M.A.-.EEV. A. PLTJMMEE, M.A., D.D.
FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY Nbw Yoke akd Tobonto.
THE
PULPIT COMMENTARY,
EDITED BT THE
REV. CANON H. D. M. SPENCE, M.A.,
VIOAB AMa BDIUIi DEAN OF R. TAHOBAM, AXD EXAJflSiaia ^mAVt.^r^ XO TBE U>BD BUHOP or «U>00B8TEB AID BBISIOIi;
ijn> BT THE
REV. JOSEPH S. EXELL, MX
JEEEMIAH.
By rev. T. K. CHEYNE, M.A.,
HOTOB OF TBESimia, ASV LATE FEUiOW OF BAUJOL OOUiiaE, OZIOEIK
l^omtUtfts Bt rev. W. F. ADENEY, M.A.
f^omUfes bs Farious ^utjbots:
EBV. D. TOUNG, BA. B V. S. OONWAT, BA
KEY. J. WAITE, BJk. BEY. A. F. MUIB, lUL
VOL. II.
FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY New Yoek and Toronto.
36^r/3 6
THE
BOOK OF THE PEOPHET JEREMIAH.
EXPOSITION.
OHAFTEB XXX.
This and the thiee next chapters form a kind of book in themselves, which contrasts admirably with oh. zxriL — xxis. In the latter Jeremiah aimed at casting down the delusive hope that the time of trial would eoon be over and the captives restored; here be assumes that all are aware of the sad reality, and concentrates himself on the happier topioe of comfort ana encourage- ment. Oh. zxz. and xzxi. shine out among all Jeremiah's prophecies; there is a com- bination of softness and vigour which, even from a purely literary point of view, is most attractive. Strictly speaking, they ought to form but one chapter; they represent (as ver. 4 states) the revelation from Jehovah " concerning Israel and concerning Judah." It is, indeed, most touching, this yearning of the inspired prophet tor the reunion of the two branches of the nation (comp. ch. iii. 1 — iy. 2), A "union in spirit" was not enough for him; there must be a visible drawing together, to prove to all men that, as Ood is one, so his people is one. God's love is imperishable, and his election of Israel cannot be reversed. The very extent of Israel's misery ia a pledge that her God will not leave her to herself too long. And how is the restoration of Israel to be conceived 7 Surely nothing less than a new covenant will satisfy the conditions of the problem — a new covenant written in the heart. Some- thing akin to this encouraging prophecy may be traced here and there in earlier
JEBBMIAH — II.
chapters (see eh. iii 14 — 19; xvi. 14, 15;
xxiii. 3 — 8 ; but here the prophet is entirely absorbed in that glorious future which could alone save him from utter despondency.
Ver. 2. — Write thee all the words ... in a hook. The form of expression leaves it doubtful whether a sumuiary of all Jere- miah's previous discouroes is intended, or merely of the promises concerning Israel and Judah which he had just received. There are, no doubt, numerous allusions to preceding chapters, but ver. 5 seems rather to favour the latter view. The word rendered " book " will equally suit a short discourse like the present (comp. ch. 11, 60) and a large collection of prophecies as in ch. xxxvi. 2. Observe, the discourse was to be written down at once, without having been delivered orally ; it was to be laid up as a pledge that God would interpose for Ids people (comp. Isa. XXX. 8 ; Hab. ii. 2, 3).
Vers. 5 — 11. — The great judgment of Israel's deliverance. It is nothing less than the "day of Jehovah" which the prophet sees m spirit — a day whiith ia " great" (ver. 7 ; comp. Joel ii. 11 ; Zeph. i, 14) and terrible (vers. 5, 6; comp. Amos v. 18, 20; Isa. xili. 6 ; Joel ii. 1, 11) for Israel, a day of " trouble" (ver. 7), but for his enemies of destruction.
Ver. 5. — ^A voice of trembling; rather, a lound of trenibling, a sound causing men to tremble; doubtless it is "the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war" (ch. iv. 19). Of fear, and not of peace; rather, there u fear, and no pea/ie. " Peace," as usual, means the harmony of a well-orJered, secure, and peaceful community. Literally, it is whole- ness ; its opposite is " breaking," i.e. outward ruin and inward anguish.
Ver. 6. — Whether a man doth travail with child. Great, indeed, must be the terror when no adequate figure suggests itself but
THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEEBMIAH. [oh.
1—24.
that of a woman in her panga (comp. oh. Ti. 24; ziii. 21; xxii. 23; Isa. xiii. 8). All faces are tTirned into paleness. So Joel (ii. 6) and Nahum (ii. 10), "All faces wilhdraw their colour." For "paleness" the Septuagint has "jaundice " — a possible meaning of the Hebrew; comp. xAwpis, "pale, bilious-look- ing" in medical writings, but properly *' greenish-yellow," like the Jaebiew noun.
Ver. 7.— That day; i.e. "the day of Jehovah," the day of the great judgment upon the world, of which the fall of Babylon is regarded as the openin>i; scene. It is even the time of Jacob's trouble; rather, and a time of diitress shaU it be (even) to Jacob.
Ver. 8. — His yoke. Not that imposed by the enemy (as Isa. z. 22 and xiv. 25 might snggest), but that suffered by Jacob. This is clear from the last clause of the verse.
Ver. 9. — David their king ; viz. the "righteous Branch " or "Plant" of ch. xxiiiS.