Ver. 23. — Three or four leaves; rather, columng or cmnpartments. " Leaves " would imply that it was B book out of wliich Jehudi read, whereas it was a roll (m'gillah never has any other meaning). But " books " were not yet known, nor would a knife have been necessary to separate the pages. He out it. The subject may be either the king or Jehudi (at the bidding of the king). The term implies that the action of cutting was repeated several times ; but we are not to suppose that each successive portion was cut off as it was read. The indignation of the hearer translated itself into the repeated mutilation of the roll, until all the roll was (oast into the fire and) consumed. With
the penknife ; literally, with fh« $arS)e', knife. On the hearth; vsAheT, in the chafing- dinh (or, brazier).
Ver. 24. — Yet they were not afraid. Un- like Josiah (2 Kings xxii. 11), and even Ahab (1 Kings, xxi. 27). Nor any of hii seryants; t.e. the courtiers, aa opposed to the " princes."
Ver. 26. — The son of Hammeleoh ; rather, a royal prince (we should render similarly in oh. xxxviii. 6; 1 Kings xxii. 26 ; 2 Kings xi. 1, 2 ; Zepb. i. 8). We have seen already that the number of such royal princes was very large (see on ch. xvii. 9) ; any one, in fact, who had a king among his ancestors was a " royal prince." The Lord hid them ; i.e. saved them from discovery.
Vers. 27 — 32. — Punishment denoanoed against Jehoiakim, and second writing o' the former prophecy.
Ver. 29. — Thou shalt say to Jehoiakim , rather, concerning Jehoiakim. Intercourse between Jehoiakim and the prophet was broken off by the preceding scene. The speech begins in tbe oratio directa, but soon passes into the obliqua. Cause co cease . . . man and beast. A foreible description of the completeness of the devastation.
Ver. 30. — He shall have none co sit, etc. Substantially a repetition of the prophecy in oh. xxii. 18, 19 (comp. 30).
Ver. 31. — I will bring upon them, eto. (comp. ch. XXXV. 17 ; xix. 15).
Ver. 32. — Many like words. Thus Je. hoiakim gained nothing by ttia tin (comp Introduction).
H0MILETIC8.
Vers. 1—4. — The writing of the roll. I. Who were engaged in the wbitino of THE ROLL? 1. Ood. (1) The thoughts of the propheoies to be recorded Were inspired by God. " Pro|ihecy " means " inspired utterance." Jeremiah was to write " the words that I have spoken unto thee." We should seek in the Bible chiefly, not the scribe's letters (grammatical study), nor the prophet's words (historical theology), but God's thoughts (spiritual truth). (2) God commanded the writing of the roll (ver. 2). The Bible is given to us by (Jod. It is his will that the sayings of ancient prophets and apostles should be the lamp for all ages. Therefore (o) he will bless the right reading of the Bible, and (6) he will call us to account for the use we make of it. 2. Jeremiah. God does not speak to mankind by a direct and audible voice as with the thunder-tones of Sinai. He speaks through an instrument — a man, a prophet. And this prophet is plainly not just a mechanical mouthpiece to the Divine voice. His personality counts for something. His style, mode of thought, experience, general knowledge, spiritual condition, etc., all mould his utterances of inspired truth. Jeremiah's prophecies are characteristic of Jeremiah. 3. Baruch. The scribe has neither the genius to conceire the thought, nor the oratorical and literary gifts to clothe it in language. He is a simple amanuensis. Yet his work is important. For some reason not expressed, possibly like St. Paul on account of bodily weakness, Jeremiah did not write out his prophecies with his own hand. Thus work was found for Baruch. God finds ofSces Borresponding to all varieties of gifts. But the less gifted are too often ambitious to per- form the more honoured tasks of greater men, or, failing in these, they are often reluctant to fulfil their more lowly calling.
106 THE BOOK OP THn PROPHET .EEEMlAtl. [oh. ixxvL 1— 32
n. Wht was the roll written ? This roll was not to contain a new composition, ft was to be only a writing of utterances which had already been made public. Why, then, was it written? 1. That the prophecies might be preserved. Truth is eternaL A truth once discovered should he cherished as a lasting possession. It may be lost, but it can never decay. " The Word of the Lord endiireth for ever ; " therefore the record of it should be preserved as of permanent value. 2. That the prophecies might reach a larger audience. The roll could be frequently perused and by various readers. Hevelation is not for the few initiated ; it is for all who need its light. 3. That the prophecies might be reread to those who had already heard them. The use of them was not expended when they were first spoken. We are too ready to be attracted by mere novelty. The latest books and the latest ideas are run after to the neglect of greater thoughts and greater works of older date. But truth is more important than novelty. And old truths need to be repeated, because (1) they may have been received with inattention at the first hearing ; (2) they may be better understood or newly applicable under fresh circumstances, and after the hearer has gained larger powers of insight by his growing experience ; (3) they may be so profound as to be practically inexhaustible, or so eternally fresh and inspiring as to be always useful ; (4) they fail of their end till they affect our conduct, and must be repeated " line upon hue " while men fail to do what they know. 4. That the prophecies might he studied carefully and compared together. So we should study the Bible, searching the Scriptures and comparing parts together, as we can only do when the whole lies written before us.