This chapter is very confused as it stands. To restore order it is absolutely necessary to suppose that some passages (viz. vers. 1, 2, and vers. 4 — 13) have been inserted by afterlhougbts. It is important to notice that the latter of these passages is omitted in the Septuagiut. We need not go so ha as to excise them altogether, but we must at any rate enclose them in par. niheses. The chapter then becomes a nariative of the solemn session held by thi Bn'iy miian officers in the " middle gate," and the charge which they gave to Gedaliuh to take Jere- miah under his protection. Vers. 1, 2 appear to be taken from 2 Kings XXT. 1 — 4 (= ch. lii. 4—7); vers. 4—10 to be shortened from 2 Kings xxv. 4 — 12 (= ch. lii. 7-16). It is difficult to believe that Jeremiah himself made these insertions, not merely because they interrupt the sense, but because they involve several liistoiical difficulties. According to oh. xxxviii. 28, Jeremiah " abode in the court of the watch till the day that Jerusalem was taken;" but the prima facie meaning of our ven. 13, 14 is that Nebuzar-adan sent to liberate Jeremiah, and yet, according to 2 Kings xxv 8 (=cli. lii. 12), this officer did not arrive at Jerusalem till a month after its capture. Another difficulty is that, according to ver. 14, Jeremiah was set free by order of Nebnzar-aclan, whereas ch. xl. 1—5 states distinctly that Jeremiah had been taken in fetters to Bamah, where he was liberated by Nebuzar-adan himself. Even if there should be some reasonable way of harmonizing theie various state- ments (see especially below on ver. 14), yet is it likely that Jeremiah himself used such inconsistent language? Still, the notice in vers. 1], 12 U in itself not im- probable, and the spelling " Nebuchad- rezzar" separates it from the rest of the passage (vers. 4 — 13) ; it it possible, therefore, that, in spite of its omission in the Septuagint (which wrongly retains vers. 1, 2), they are the work of Jeremiah.
Ver. 3— And all the prinoes, etc. ; rather, That all the princes, etc. (see on oh xxzviii.
28). The fMt mentioned in thii Teiae ii not recorded in 2 Kings xxv.; ch. Hi.;
and its preciaeness is a cnniiiderable pledge of its accuracy. The prinoes are four in number, and two of tliem have nffinial titles attached. Nergal-sharezer is the Hebraized form of Nirgal sarra-ujur, i.e. "Nirgal (or Nerf!;al), protect (or perliaps, has created) the king " — the name, as often, is a prayer. Samgar-nebo is probably a modification of Suiiigir-nabu, "Be gracious, Nebo;" but it has not yet been found in the inscriptions. Sarsechim has the appearance of being corrupt ; the first part, however, may, perliaps, be the Baljv Ionian for "king" ("prince" in Hebrew). Eab-sarifl has a mean i n g in Hebrew— " chief of the eunuchs ; " but the analogies of " Bab-mag " and " Bab- sliakeli" suggest that it is merely the Hebraized form of aome Assyrian title. In auy case, it would be better to render " the Bab saris," and to attach it closely to tlie preceliiig name, Sarsechim beiag himself the official called Bab-saris (see, however, ver. 13). Eab-mag. This was " one of tlie highest titles in the state" (G. Smith) The etymology of the latter half of the phrase is uncertain; for the connection of "mag" with "Magi" is a mistake which has been exposed by Dr. Schrader, in his work, *Die Keilin»chriften und das Alte Testament ' (of which a translation is an- nounced). Tlie native form of the name may be rubu emga (Schrader) or ru6» mdlthe (Friedr. Delitzseh), and the whole title will mean "high priest" or "chief of the sorcerers " (comp. Delitzseh, " The Hebrew Language viewed in the Light ol Assyrian Besearch," Lond., 1883, p. 14). " The Bab-mag " would be more accurate, and the title ought to be attached to the prcCiUing name, Nergal-sharezer. As a matter of fact, a Nirgal-sarra-u^ur, who held the office of rubu emga, is mentioned in the cuneiform inscriptions, and we may plausibly conjecture that he is the per- son here mentioned among the "princes." He was afterwards raised to tlie throne by the eoDspiratom who murdered Evil-mero- daeh, the eon of Nebuchadnezzar (he is bi tter known as Neriglissar). It is singular th..t two Nergal-sharezers should be here mentioned; possibly the first mention is due to a mistake. The names are hardly recognizable in the Septuagint. The "princes" took up their station in the middle gate. The » breath " spoken of in ver. 2 enabled the Babylonians to occnpy the whole of the lower city to the north- east of Zion. The " middle gate " probably separated these two parts of Jerusalem, and
CH. XXXIX. 1—18.] THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH.
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those who were posted there commanded the temple and the citadel.
Ver. 4. — Here begins the second paren- thesis, to be read apart from the principal, though shorter, narrative (see introiiuction to chapter). Observe elsewhere in the Book of Jeremiah events known from other sources are only briefly referred to (comp. ch. xxlx. 2 ; xxxii. 1 — 5 ; xxxiv. 1, 7 ; xxxv. U ; xxxvii. 5); see 2 Kings zxv. 4 — 12.
Ver. 9. — ITebnzar-adan ; t'.e. Nabu-zira- iddina, " Nebo gave a seed."
Ver. 13. — Nebushasban. The name occnra in a list of proper names, under the form Nabn-fizibanni, " Nebo, rescue me I " It ig remarkable that a different name is given to the Bab-saris in ver. B; and the con- jecture is not unreasonable that Sarsechim is a corruption of the latter part of the name Nebuahasban. In ver. 3 the Septua- ii;iiit has .Yaliusachar instead of Sarsechim (other copies read Nabusarseehim).
Ver. 14. — Gedaliah, whose father had already befriended the prophet on a serious occasion (ch. xxvi. 24), and who, according to ch. zL 6, had been appointed (though
himself a Jew) Babylonian " governor ovei the cities of Judah," is directed to carry him (Jeremiah) home, or rather, into the house ; obviously some house close by is meant — either Gedaliah's temporary dwelling or the royal palace. This statement conflicts (see introduction) with that in ch. xl. 1 — 5, but only as to the time when Jeremiah was liberated. The latter narrative being more explicit, deserves the preference. Thus Jeremiah dwelt among the people ; il.«. could go in and out at his pleasure.
Vers. 15 — 18. — ^A prophecy to Bbed- melech is here introduced, which, though uttered previously (see ch. xxxviii.), could not have been mentioned before without breaking the sequence of eTents. For came, we might render had come.
Ver. 16. — Go and speak, Ebed-melech must be supposed to come into the court of the watch, so that Jeremiah might com- municate with him.
Ver. 18. — For a prey unto thee. The same remarkable phraie in oh. zxL 9 ; xxxviii a.
HOMILETICS Vers. 1, 2.— (See homily on ch. lii. 4 — 7.)
Vers. 4 — 7. — (See homily on ch. lit 8 — 11.)
Vers. 8— 10.— (See homily on ch. lii. 8—16.)