Vers. 10, 11. — ^Therefore fear thou not, my servant Jacob, etc. These two verses, omitted in the Septuagint, are among the passages which Hitzig (carrying out an idea of Movers) attributes to the editorial band of the author (a pious Jew of the Captivity, according to him) of Isa. xl. — Ixvi., and it cannot be denied that the tone and phrase- ology of ver. 10 is more akin to that of Isa. zl. — ^Ixvi than to those of the greater part of Jeremiah. Graf, in controverting Hitzig's view, points out, however, that the expres- sions referred to by Hitzig as " Deutero- Isaianic," are also found in other books besides the latter part of Isaiah, and that, on the other hand, " the expressions of ver. 11 are all as foreign to Isa. zl. — Ixvi. as they •re current in Jeremiah." As for the ex- pression, "my servant Jacob" (which only occnrs again in Jeremiah in the duplicate of this passage, ch. xlvi. 27, 28, and which is specially characteristic of the second part of Uaiah), it is worth noticing that it is found once in the Book of Ezeklel (xxxvU. 25), whioh, on Hitzig's theory, was written before the so-called Second Isaiah. It still remains for the student to consider whether these two verses are not an insertion by some later hand (without attempting to discover whose that hand was). That the proplietic writings have received additions from editors and scribes is a fact which cannot reasonably be gainsaid, supported as it is by the phenomena of the historical books. It would be very natural for a pious Jew in the Captivity, not wholly devoid himself of the spirit of pro- phecy, to encourage his people, in the Name of the Lord, wifii this glowing word of promise.
Ver. 11. — In measure; rather, according to what if Jutt; i.e. not capriciously, to satisfy • feeling of revenge such as the
untaught mind is apt to ascribe to God (see on ch. X. 24). And wiU not, etc. ; Tather,/or I cannot.
Vers. 12 — 17. — ^Miserable indeed is the condition of Israel I No wonder ; for its sins were great. And yet, just because it is so forlorn, Jehovah will interpose for its relief.
Ver. 12. — For thus saith, etc. If the two preceding verses are a later insertion, we must render, But surely (more strictly, surely, but particles of asseveration easily acquire an adversative force from the context). Bright, indeed, is the prospect for Judah, "out surely " Ills present condition is very much the reverse; comp. Isa. ix. 1 (Authorized Version, " nevertheless "). Thy bruise is in- curable, etc. One of Jeremiah's characteristic repetitions (see ch. x. 19; ziv. 17; xv. 18). That thou mayest be bound up. This ren- dering follows the accents. But the mixture of figures is very incongruous. It is much better to connect the words a little differently and to render, for thy sore thou hast no medi- cines (nor any) plaster.
Ver. 14. — All thy lovers J f.e. the peoples confederate with thee (as ch. xxii. 20).
Ver. 16. — Therefore; i.e. because of the extremity of thy need. Comp. Isa. x. 23, 24, "The Lord Jehovah Sab&oth shall make a consumption. . . . Therefore be not afraid of Assyria ; '' and Isa. xxz. 17, 18, "At the rebuke of five shall ye flee. . . . And therefore will Jehovah wait, that he may be gracious unto you."
Ver. 17. — ^Bestore health ; rather, amly a bandage. They called thee an Outcast. Jeho- vah, speaiing after the manner of men, cannot bear to hear his enemies, as they pass along, scornfully denominating the holy city an Outcast
Vers. 18 — 22. — A picture of the regenerate commonwealth of Israel.
Ver. 18. — Upon her own heap; rather, upon her own mound, the teU or eminence on which an Eastern town was built (comp. Josh. xi. 13, where "in their strength" should rather be "on their own mound"). ShaU remain ; rather, shall be inhabited.
Ver. 19. — (Comp. this verse with ch. xxxiii. 11.) Out of them; t.e. out of city and palace. They shall not be few ; rather, not be diminished. They shall not he small; rather, not be lightly regarded.
Ver. 20. — Their children; rather, Aii children ; i.e. the " children of Israel."
Ver. 21. — The futuie rulers of Israel shall be of the native stock, not foreign tyrants. Their nobles; rather, his noble one, a synonym for "his ruler," i.e. the (earthly) king of Israel. It is remarkable that no reference is made here to the Messiah, who, in fact, is not as conspicuous a figure in the prophecies of Jeremiah as in those of Isaiah. And yet even in Isaiah there is one
CH. XXX. 1—24.] THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH.
striking prophecy in which the inspired seer uses language not (in the hands of a literalist) Teoouoilable with the prospect of the personal Messiah. The Messiah appears, as it were, in a lightning flash, and then disappears for a time. The prophecy of Isaiah referred to is Isa. zxzii. 1, 2 (comp. oh. xxxiii. 17), in which the prospect of a truly God-fearing king, with princes of the same hiigh character, entirely occupies the mind of the writer. " Nothing indicates that the Messiah is in- tended; king and princes are placed quite on a level, in aooordanoe with the actual state of things under the so-called mon- archy." And I will cause him to draw near. It is doubtful whether Israel or Israel's ruler is referred to. A priestly relation (such as " drawing near " implies, see Humb. zvi. 5) might be predicated of either, at any rate in the regenerate form of the Israelitish commonwealth ; but it is more natural to suppose the ruler to be here in- dicated, for it is scarcely descriptive enough to lay that he shall twlong to the chosen
people. Who is this that engaged his heart ; rather, that pledgefh his heart (or, cottroge) ; i.e. that ventureth. The rejuption of the old line of Davidic kings might well raise the thouo;ht that the intimate relation between Jehovah and his earthly representa- tive for Israel, promisKd of old to David (2 Sam. vii.), could no longer be hoped for. But with this renewed promise the kings of the new Davidic line may veuture to "draw near ; " otherwise^who is he that ven- tureth t
Yet. 22. — This verse is omitted in the Septuagiut, and (unless the existence of later insertions is denied altogetlier) is all bnt certainly due to a later hand (comp. oh. vii. 23). Comp. on vers. 10, 11.
Vers. 23, 24. — These verses occur in a form evidently more original in oh. xxiii. 19, 20. In all probability they were first inserted from memory in the margin, and then incorporated into the text at a time subsequent (how long subsequent we cannot say) to Jeremiah.
H0MILETI08.