Ver. 7. — They will present their supplica- tion; literally, their tupplication will fall (as margin). The phrase seems to be sug- gested by the gesture of a suppliant. Hence humility is one idea ; but success is entirely another. That which lights down before one's eyes cannot be disregarded. Hence, in ch. xxxvii. 20 and xlii. 2, tke Authorized Version renders, "be Mcepted." Tbb is.
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THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH, [oh. xxxvl 1— 32
at any rate, a better rendering than that quoted above, which is both weak In itself and obscures the cnnnection. And will return; rather, so that they return. "Ke- turning,"t.e. repentance, is necessary, because their " evil ways " have provoki d Jehovah to "great anger and fury;" but is only possible by the Divine I'elp (comp. Acta v. 31, "To give repentance unto Israel"). Hence prayer is the iirst duty.
Ver. 9. — In the fifth year of Jehoiakim. It is remarkable that the 8eptuagint has here the eighth year; and Josephus, too, relates that Jehoi»kim paid tribute to Nebu- chadnezzar in his eighih year. This latter statement seems to tally with the notices in 2 Kings xxiv. The vassaLige of Je- hoiakim ia there said to have lasted three years ; this followed the rebellion ; while the siege of Jerusalem was reserved for the short reign of Jehoiachin. Now, as this siege must have been the punishment of Jehoiakim's rebellion, and as the reign of the latter king lasted eleven years, we are brought to the same date as that given by Josephus for the commencement of the vassalage, viz. the eighth year. It is to this year, then, that 2 Kings xxiv. 1 refers when it says, " In his days Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant ; " and also the narrative before as in the statement th:it " they pro- claimed a fast before Jehovuh to all the people in Jerusalem, and to all the people thiit came from the cities of Judah unto Jerusalem." What otht i event would have produced such a concourie of worshippers ? The battle of Carcbemisli (which took place in the fourth year of Jehoiukim)? But it was by no means clear as yet that .the con- sequences of this would be disastrous for Judah. Carchemish was too far off for the people of Judah to show such serious alarm (similarly Gratz, ' Monatsschrift,' etc., vol. xxiii. p. 300). If so, Jeremiah kept his prophecy by him for several years, till the right moment came. The ninth month. As this is a winter month (see ver. 22), Jere- miah evidently reckons by the B.ibvlonian calendar, the ninth month of which, Kisiluv (Hebrew, Chisleu), began from the new moon of December.
Ver. 10. — The ohamber (see on ch. xxxv. 4) of Oemariah . . . the scribe. Gemariah was favourably disposed to Jeremiah (ver. 25); he was probably the brother of Jeremiah's friend, Ahikam (ch. xxvi. 21). He was one of the royal secretaries, and reckoned among the " princes " (see ver. 12). In the higher eonrt. "Higher" equi- valent to "inner." The new gate (see on ch. XX. 2).
Ver. 12. — He went down (see on oh. ixvL 10). Sat there. In deliberaticm on
the affairs of the state. Elishama the BOiibe. Gemariah, then, had a colleague. So in Solomon's cabinet (if the word may be used) there were two soferim, or secretaries, one perhaps for the civil and one for the military business (1 Kings iv. 3; comp. ch. lii._25) Elnathan. Mentioned already, ch. ixvi. 22.
Ver. 14.— Jehudi ... the son of Cushi. A genealogy which contains a history. Jehudi is not a true proper name, any more than Gadi (" a Gadite "), the quasi-name of the father of Menahem (2 Kings xv. 14), or than Oushi, the quasl-name of Jehudi's great-grandfather. Cushi himself was, doubtless, an Ethiopian, and probably (like Ebed-meleoh, ch. xxxviii. 7) a eunuch, or at least chamberlain; his son and grandson were both woruhippera of Jehovah (as their names indicate), but were not qualified to become Jewish citizens. The Egyptian was nut, indeed, to be abhorred, but not until the third generation could his descendants be admitted into " the congregation " (Deut. xxiii. 8). Egypt and Ethiopia were historic- ally connected (see Lenormant's 'Ancient History,' index to vol. i.). For the name of "Jehudi," comp. " Jehudith," daughter ot Beeri the Hittite (Gen. xxvL 34).
Ver. 15. — Sit down now. The princes evidently recognize Baruch as belonging to B family of distinction (see on ver. 4) ; and from vers. 19, 25 we may infer that they were favourably inclined both to Baruch and to his master (comp. ch xxvi.).
Ver. 16. — They were afraid both one ana other ; rather, they Sumed thudderingly ont to another. Such an announcement as Jeremiah's at such a serious crisis startled them by its boldness. We may infer that the prophet had for some time, by Divine command, kept his sombre anticipations in the background. We will surely tell the king; rather, we have to tell the king. Friendly feeling would have prompted tliem to hush up the affair (see ch. xxvii. 20, 21), but duty forbade.
Ver. 17. — How didst thou write all these words at his mouth % Two questions seem to be combined here — " How didst thou write all these words?" and "Didst thou write it all at his mouth 7 " Baruch's answer is good for both.
Ver. 18. — He pronounced, etc.; rather, He kept dictating . . . while I wrote with ink, etc. The tiddition of the last clause suggests (and was, perhaps, intended to do so) that Baruch's function was simply mechanical.
Ver. 20. — Into the eonrt; i.t. into tb« inner court, in which the royal apartments were apparently aitnated (comp. 1 Kings vii. 8).
Ver. 21.— Which stood biside the king; literally, . . . above the king. The standing
CH. xxxVL 1— 32.J THE BOOK OP THE PROPHET JEREMIAH.
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ooortien, of ootuse, rose above the king; comp. Isk. Ti. 2, " Seraphim stood above him."
Ver. 22. — In the winter-house ; i.e. that part of the royal palace Q>eih, honse, may also be rendered apartment) which was arranged for a winter habitation (comp. Amos iii. 15). According to Dr. Thomson ('The Land and the Book,' p. 309), the more airy part of a house is called " summer- house," and the more sheltered room " winter- house." The ninth month, in which the events now being related took place, corre- gponded appiOximately to our December. It was, therefiire, the cold and rainy season ; December is a stormy month in Palestine. A lire on the hearth ; rather, in the chafing- dish (or, brazier). It was a vessel with live coals placed in the centre of the room, still used in the East in cold weather.