L The need of God's servant. Ver. 2 tells us that Jeremiah was at this time shut up in prison. His confinement was not so severe as that which he had suffered in his former prison; but yet there was very much in his present circumstances to make him need the sustaining grace of God. The story of his imprisonments is full of inte- rest, but it has to be gathered here a little and there a little from different parts of his prophecies. These have been compiled on a principle which it is impossible to discover. Events of early date are placed in later chapters, and those of later date in early chapters. The chronological confusion is complete. Hence it is the task of every student of these prophecies to disentangle this confusion so far as it may be done. In saying this, nothing is charged against the inspiration and authority of the book. That remains intact ; but our reverence for what is so evidently of God in the book does not hinder tliat we should note and regret the disorderly way in which some human hands — whose wa know not — have put together its various parts. Tracing out, however, the history of these imprisonments, it would seem that they were brought about somewhat as follows. Jeremiah had clearly foreseen and foretold that the ungodliness of the people would bring down the Divine chastisements. Moreover, he discerned and declared with equal clearness that the instrument of Gud's wrath would be the rapidly rising empire of Babylon. He saw how everything yielded to the might of her armies ; that no power, not even that of Egypt, could withstand her assault. But all this was by no means so clearly seen by those to whom Jeremiah was sent. They did not believe in the nearness of God's judgments, and were not a little angry with the taithful prophet for denouncing them. But Jeremiah saw also that, certain as was the approach of these judgments, they probably would be mitigated if, instead of exasperating the armies of Babylon by useless resistance, they submitted themselves and acknowledged her •upremacy (cf. ch. xxvii.). But the same spirit in the nobles and princes of Judah and in the people generally, which made them refuse to listen to him when he told of God's judgments coming upon them, made them impatient of his oft-repeated counsels to do now the best thing under the circumstances — bow to the Babylonian storm, and so, though they could not save all, yet save some of their cherished posses- sions. But at length it became evident that Babylon did mean to assail them. Instead, however, of adopting either of the two better methods — of humbling themselves before God and imploring his protection, or of conciliating the Babylonian king, they formed alliance with Egypt (ch. xxxvii.), notwithstaniUng Jeremiah's solemn assurance of the uselessness of such alliance. But in the ninth year of Zedekiah the Chaldean army besieged Jerusalem. Jeremiah (ch. xxxiv. 2) plainly tells the king how hopeless aU resistance is. Under the alarm of this siege, the wealthy Jews released their poorer brethren, of whom, contrary to God's Law, they had made bond slaves (ch. xxxiv.). But the Egyptian army coming to their aid (ch. xxxvii. 5), the Chaldeani idised the siege. Thinking now that all cause for fear was gone, the Jewish leaders quickly went back to their old ways, and, though indignantly denounced by Jeremiah (oh. xxxiv.), enslaved their brethren again. But he bad taken advantage of the withdrawal of the Babylonian forces to quit the city. It was no place for him. His purpose, however, was prevented. Foes not a few, to whom his fidelity had been hateful, now seized on him on the pretence that he was about to desert to the
OH. XXIII. 1—44.] THE BOOK OP THE PROPHET JEREMIAH. 67