ye

Israel (q), saith the LORD: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say. 16. Their quiver is as an open sepulchre, they are all mighty men. 17. And they shall eat up (r) thine harvest, and thy bread, which thy sons and thy daughters should eat they shall eat up thy flocks and thine herds: they shall eat up thy vines and thy fig trees: they shall impoverish thy fenced cities wherein thou trustedst, with the sword. 18. Nevertheless in those days, saith the LORD, I will not make a full end with you. 19. And it shall come to pass when shall say, "Wherefore doeth the LORD our God all these things unto us?" then shalt thou (s) answer them, "Like as ye have forsaken me, and served strange gods in your land; so shall ye serve strangers in a land that is not yours." 20. Declare this in the house of Jacob, and publish it in Judah, saying, 21. "Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding, which have eyes and see not, which have ears and hear not: 22. Fear ye not me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea, by a perpetual decree that it cannot pass it; and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though the roar, yet can they not pass over it? 23. But

WS.

(4) v. 15. "O house of Israel," meaning the This expression was applied to the two ibes, the kingdom of Judah, after the ten ibes, the kingdom of Israel, ceased to be a ngdom.

(7) v. 17. "Eat up, &c." one of the denunations for disobedience. Deut. xxviii. 33. 51. v. 19. "Thou," i. e. " Jeremiah," or infinitely," they shall be answered."

(v. 24. "The former and the latter," the ins with them were periodical; at nearly the me times every year; the former, just after wing, to make the seed take root; the latter, 1st before harvest, to fill the ears. Dr. Lowth. (u) v. 24. "He," or "that."

66

(x) v. 31. Love, &c." this is not the only assage in which the folly of wishing for false prophecies rather than true is imputed to them. tisa charge against them, Is. xxx. 10. ante 612.

"this people hath a revolting and a rebel"lious heart; they are revolted and gone. "24. Neither say they in their hearts, ""Let us now fear the LORD our God, "that giveth rain, both the former and "the latter (t), in his season: he (u) re"serveth unto us the appointed weeks of "the harvest. 25. Your iniquities have "turned away these things, and your sins "have withholden good things from you. "26. For among my people are found "wicked men: they lay wait as he that "setteth snares; they set a trap, they "catch men. 27. As a cage is full of "birds, so are their houses full of deceit : "therefore they are become great, and "waxen rich. 28. They are waxen fat, "they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds "of the wicked: they judge not the "" cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet "they prosper; and the right of the needy "do they not judge. 29. Shall I not "visit for these things? saith the LORD: "shall not my soul be avenged on such a "nation as this? 30. A wonderful and "horrible thing is committed in the land;

31. The prophets prophesy falsely, and "the priests bear rule by their means; "and my people love (x) to have it so: "and what will ye do (y) in the end there" of?"

CHAP. XXII. (z)

The house

HUS saith the LORD, "Go down to the house of the king of Ju

that they "say to the seers, see "not, and to the prophets prophesy not unto us, right things; "speak unto us smooth things, prophesy de❝ceits."

(y) v. 31. "What will ye do" i. e. probably "how will you be able to bear the heavy judg "ment this must bring upon you."

(2) A solemn warning to Jehoiakim, king of Judah, probably in the early part of his reign. In the third year of his reign, 606 years before Christ, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jerusalem, and besieged it, and the Lord gave Jehoiakim into his hand, and Jehoiakim became his servant three years. See Dan. i. 1. 2.-2 Kings xxiv. I.; and this warning seems to have preceded that event. The date commonly ascribed to it, is 609 years before Christ, the year Jehoiakim was made king.

dah (a), and speak there this word. "2. And say, "Hear the word of the LORD, "O king of Judah, that sittest upon the "throne of David, thou, and thy servants, "and thy people that enter in by these 66 gates; 3. Thus saith the LORD, Exe"cute ye judgment and righteousness, and "deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the "oppressor: and do no wrong, do no vio"lence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor "the widow, neither shed innocent blood "in this place. 4. For if ye do this thing "indeed, then shall there enter in by the "gates of this house, kings sitting upon "the throne of David, riding in chariots, "and on horses, he, and his servants, and "his people. 5. But if ye will not hear "these words, I swear by my self, saith "the LORD, that this house shall become

a desolation. 6. For thus saith the LORD "unto the king's house of Judah, "Thou "art Gilead (b) unto me, and the head of "Lebanon: yet surely I will make thee a "wilderness, and cities which are not inha"bited. 7. And I will prepare destroyers "against thee, every one with his weapons, "and they shall cut down thy choice ce

dars (c), and cast them into the fire. 8. And many nations shall pass by this city, and they shall say, every man to his "neighbour, "Wherefore hath the LORD

done thus unto this great city?" 9. Then

they shall answer, "Because they have "forsaken the covenant of the LORD their "God, and worshipped other gods, and "served them." 10. Weep ye not for the "dead, neither bemoan him, but weep sore

(a) v. 1. "The king of Judah," i.e." Je"hoiakim, the son of Josiah."

(b) v.6. "Gilead," and "the head of Le"banon," figurative, intimating the delight he was disposed to take in the King's house or family, from the delight these places were calculated to inspire.

(c) v. 7. "Thy choice cedars," i. e. "thy "princes, thy chief men."

(d) v. 1o." Goeth," rather " is gone;" referring to Shallum, mentioned in verse 11.

peo

(e) v. 11. "Shallum," called "Jehoahaz "2 Kings xxiii. 30. 31. and 2 Chron. xxxvi. 1.2." He was a younger son of Josiah, but the ple made him king before Jehoiakim: Pharaoh Necho king of Egypt put him down, and car ried him to Egypt, where he died. 2 Kings xxiii. 31. 33. 34. and 2 Chron. xxxvi. 1. 3. 4.

"for him that goeth (d) away: for he shall "return no more, nor see his native coun

try. II. For thus saith the LORD touch"ing Shallum (e), the son of Josiah king "of Judah, which reigned in stead of "Josiah his father, which went forth out of "this place; "He shall not return thither 66 any more: 12. But he shall die in the "place whither they have led him captive, " and shall see this land no more." 13.W "unto him that buildeth (ƒ) his house by "unrighteousness, and his chamber i "wrong; that useth his neighbours serv "without wages, and giveth him not fa "his work: 14. That saith, "I will bak "me a wide house, and large chamber, "and cutteth him out windows, and i "ceiled with cedar, and painted with ver "million." 15. Shalt thou reign because "thou closest thy self in cedar? did not "thy father (g) eat and drink (b), and do

judgment and justice, and then it u "well with him? 16. He judged the "cause of the poor and needy, their s "well with him: was not this to know me? "saith the LORD. 17. But thine eyes and "thine heart are not but for thy covetous 66 ness, and for to shed innocent blood, and "for oppression, and for violence, to do it. "18. Therefore thus saith the LORD co "cerning Jehoiakim the son of Josiah "king of Judah, «They shall not lament "for him, saying, "Ah my brother, or ah "sister (i): they shall not lament for him, "saying, ah Lord, or ah his glory. 19. He "shall be buried with the burial of a

es of Jerusalem." 20. Go up () to banon, and cry and lift up thy voice Bashan, and cry from the passages: all thy lovers (m) are destroyed. 21,I ike unto thee in thy prosperity, but thou dst," I will not hear:" this hath been thy inner from thy youth, that thou obeyst not my voice. 22. The wind shall up all thy pastures, and thy lovers shall into captivity, surely then shalt thou ashamed and confounded for all thy ckedness. 23. O inhabitant of Lenon (n), that makest thy nest in the dars, how gracious (o) shalt thou be hen pangs come upon thee, the pain as a woman in travail? 24. As I live ith the LORD, though Coniah (p) the n of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the gnet upon my right hand, yet would I luck thee thence; 25. And I will give ee into the hand of them that seek thy fe, and into the hand of them whose face ou fearest, even into the hand of Neuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into he hand of the Chaldeans. 26. And I will cast thee out, and thy mother that bare thee, into another country, where ye were not born, and there shall ye die. 27. But to the land whereunto they desire

rost." And accordingly Josephus relates, t Nebuchadnezzar slew him, after he had ned 11 years, and caused his body to be : from the top of the walls of Jerusalem, vouchsafed him no sepulchre. Joseph. tiq. B. 10. c. 7.

1) v. 20. "Go up, &c." sarcastically, scend your highest mountains, and look for help from your allies, it will not come." An mation too, that they would be in such Ficulties as would make them look anxiously aid.

"the

(m) v. 20. 22. “Thy lovers," i. e. ations who are friendly towards you: who have given you assistance:" referring proly to Egypt, the king of which had put oiakim upon the throne. 2 Kings xxiii. 34. ese passages may also be considered as foreing a great diminution of the Egyptian ver before the completion of the Babylonish tivity: we find accordingly, after the reign Jehoiakim, that "the king of Egypt came not again any more out of his land: for the king of Babylon had taken from the river of Egypt" (the Nile) "unto the river Euphrates all that pertained to the king of Egypt." Kings xxiv. 7.

"to return, thither shall they not return. "28. Is this man Coniah a despised broken "idol? is he a vessel wherein is no plea"sure? wherefore are they cast out, he "and his seed, and are cast into a land "which they know not? 29. O earth, "earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD. "30. Thus saith the LORD, "Write ye this "man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days for no man of his seed "shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of "David, and ruling any more in Judah." CHAP. XXXV. (q)

:

THE word which came unto Jeremiah

from the LORD, in the days of Jehoiakim(r) the son of Josiah king of Judah, saying, 2. "Go unto the house of the Re"chabites, and speak unto them, and bring "them into the house of the LORD, into "one of the chambers, and give them wine "to drink." 3. Then I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, the son of Habaziniah, and his brethren, and all his sons, and the whole house of the Rechabites. 4. And

I brought them into the house of the LORD, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan, the son of Igdaliah, a man of God, which was by the chamber of the princes (s), which

(n) v. 23. "Inhabitant of Lebanon, &c." a figurative expression for "the Jews" in the height of their pride.

(o) v. 23. "Gracious," or "humble," in a temper how different from that mentioned in verse 21 ?

(p) v. 24. 28. "Coniah," also called Jeconiah and Jehoiachin; he succeeded his father Jehoiakim, and reigned three months; and then Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon carried him to Babylon, and made his uncle Zedekiah king. He did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, and continued in captivity at Babylon 37 years. 2 Kings xxiv. 8. 9. 17.-xxv. 27. -2 Chron. xxvi. 9. 10.

(q) From the example of the Rechabites in obeying the injunctions of their forefather, God takes occasion to denounce vengeance upon the Jews for their disobedience to his commandments.

(r) v. 1. "Of Jehoiakim," in the 3d year of whose reign the Babylonish captivity commenced. The date ascribed to this chapter is the 2d year of his reign, 607 years before Christ.

(s) v. 4. "Princes," or "great man of the "sanhedrin." Lightf. 1063.

66

7.

was above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, the keeper of the door. 5. And I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites, pots full of wine, and cups and I said unto them, "Drink ye "wine." 6. But they said "We will "drink no wine: for Jonadab (t) the son of "Rechab our father (t) commanded us, "saying, "Ye shall drink no wine, "neither ye, nor your sons for ever. Neither shall ye build house, nor sow "seed, nor plant vineyard, nor have any; "but all your days ye shall dwell in tents, "that ye may live many days in the land "where ye be strangers." 8. Thus (u) "have we obeyed the voice of Jonadab "the son of Rechab our father, in all "that he hath charged us, to drink no "wine all our days, we, our wives, our 66 sons, nor our daughters; 9. Nor to "build houses for us to dwell in; neither "have we vineyard, nor field, nor seed.

10. But we have dwelt in tents, and "have obeyed, and done according to all ❝ that Jonadab our father commanded us. "II. But it came to pass when Nebu"chadrezzar king of Babylon came up "into the land, that we said, "Come, and "let us go to Jerusalem for fear of the "army of the Chaldeans, and for fear of "the army of the Syrians; so we dwell "at Jerusalem." 12. Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying, 13. "Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the "God of Israel, " Go, and tell the men of "Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, "will ye not receive instruction to hearken "to my words? saith the LORD. 14. The "words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, "that he commanded his sons not to drink

ye shall

given to

you and to your fathers;" but ye have "not inclined your ear, nor hearkened "unto me. 16. Because the sons of J "nadab, the son of Rechab, have per"formed the commandment of their "father, which he commanded them, but "this people hath not hearkened unto me; "17. Therefore thus saith the LORD God "of hosts, the God of Israel, "Behold, "I will bring upon Judah and upon all the "inhabitants of Jerusalem, all the evil () "that I have pronounced against them: "because I have spoken unto them, but "they have not heard, and I have called

unto them, but they have not answered.” 18. And Jeremiah said unto the house of the Rechabites, "Thus saith the LORD of "hosts, the God of Israel, "Because ye "have obeyed the commandment of Jona "dab your father, and kept all his precepts, " and done according unto all that he hath "commanded you :" 19. Therefore thus "saith the LORD of hosts, the God of "Israel, "Jonadab the son of Rechab shall "not want a man tɔ stand before me for ❝ ever (a)."

CHAP. XXXVI. (b)

AND it came to pass in the fourth

(t) v. 6. "Father," rather " forefather," "Jehonadab the son of Rechab," probably the person here intended, is mentioned 2 Kings x. 15.; and the transaction there stated occurred near 290 years before Jehoiakim's reign.

(u).8." Thus," or "and," "accordingly."

(x) v. 14. "Rising early," a figurative expression to denote extraordinary pains.

(y) v. 15. "Return, &c." many of the warnings God gave them occur in Isaiah, and the book of Jeremiah abounds with them.

(x) v.17. "All the evil,&c." i.e. "that they

"should be invaded, and carried into captivity See ante 602, Is. v. 26. and Jer. v. 15 to 13. ante 646-7.

(a) v. 19. "For ever,” i e. « for a long "time, for many generations." (b) A merciful attempt by God to reclaim

the king and the people.

(c) v. 1. Fourth year." In the third year of Jehoiakim, Nebuchadnezzer king of Babylon, came up against Jerusalem, and besieged it, and the Lord gave Jehoiakim into h hand. Dan. i. 1. 2. Nebuchadnezzar bour Jehoiakim in fetters, to carry him to Babyle

king of Judah, that this word came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, 2. "Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee against (d) Israel, and against (d) Judah, and against (d) all the nations, from the day I spake unto thee, from the days of Josiah even unto this day. 3. It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil (e) which I purpose to do unto them; that they may "return every man from his evil way, that "I may forgive their iniquity and their "sin." 4. Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah; and Baruch wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the LORD, which he had spoken unto him, upon a roll of a book. 5. And Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, "I am shut up, I cannot go into the house "of the LORD: 6. Therefore go thou "and read in the roll which thou hast "written from my mouth, the words of "the LORD in the ears of the people in "the LORD's house upon the fasting day: "and also thou shalt read them in the ears "of all Judah, that come out of their cities. "7. It may be they will present their sup"plication before the LORD, and will "return every one from his evil way; for "great is the anger and the fury that the "LORD hath pronounced against this "people." 8. And Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading in the book the words of the LORD in the LORD's house. 9. And it came to pass in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, in the ninth month, that they proclaimed a fast

2 Chron. xxxvi. 7. It does not appear, however, that he carried him thither, but Jehoiakim became his servant three years, and then he rebelled against him. 2 Kings xxiv. 1. This commission therefore to Jeremiah and Baruch, and the reading of the roll, was probably after the people had suffered the horrors of a siege, and after Jehoiakim had felt the power of his adversary, but after Nebuchadnezzer had released him. Before Christ 605.

(d) v. 2. "Against," or "concerning." (e) v.3. "All the evil,&c." See ante 646-7, Jer. v. 15.—and see Jer. vii. 31 to 34.-viii. 1 to 3.

before the LORD to all the people in Jerusalem, and to all the people that came from the cities of Judah unto Jerusalem. 10. Then read Baruch in the book, the words of Jeremiah, in the house of the LORD, in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe, in the higher court, at the entry of the new gate of the LORD's house, in the ears of all the people. 11. When Michaiah the fon of Gemariah the fon of Shaphan had heard out of the book all the words of the LORD, 12. Then he went down into the king's house, into the scribes chamber, and lo, all the princes sat there, even Elishama the scribe, and Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, and Elnathan the son of Achbor, and and Gemariah the son of Shaphan, and Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the princes. 13. Then Michaiah declared unto them all the words that he had heard when Baruch read the book in the ears

of the people. 14. Therefore all the princes sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, unto Baruch, saying, "Take in thine hand. "the roll wherein thou hast read in the "ears of the people, and come." So Baruch the son of Neriah took the roll in his hand, and came unto them. 15. And they said unto him, "Sit down now, and "read it in our ears." So Baruch read it in their ears. 15. Now it came to pass when they had heard all the words, they were afraid both one and other, and said unto Baruch, "We will surely tell the king of "all these words." 17. And they asked Baruch, saying, "Tell us now, How didst "thou write all these words at his mouth?

and 13 to 17.-ix. 11.-xi. 11 to 23.-xiii. 13. 14. 24.-xv. I to 9.-xvi. 1 to 14.-xvii. I to 4.-xviii. 11. 16. 17.-xix. 3 to 9.-xxv. 8 to 11. &c. In the preceding year, part of God's denunciations against the Jews began to be fulfilled. Nebuchadnezzar had besieged Jerusalem, and made Jehoiakim prisoner, and car. ried away to Babylon part of the vessels of the house of God, and many of the children of the king's seed and of the princes, amongst whom was Daniel the prophet. See Dan. i. 1 to 6. but "all the evil" God had threatened had by no means been accomplished.