Jeremiah]

12 Then shall the cities of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem go, and cry unto the gods unto whom they offer incense: but they shall not save them at all in the time of their trouble.

13 For according to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars to that shameful thing, even altars to burn incense unto Baal.

14 Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble.

15 What hath my beloved to do in mine house, seeing she hath wrought lewdness with many, and the holy flesh is passed from thee? when thou doest evil then thou rejoicest.

16 The LORD called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken.

17 For the LORD of hosts, that planted thee, hath pronounced evil against thee, for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done against them

CHAP. XI.

[pleads with God. selves to provoke me to anger in offering incense unto Baal.

18 And the LORD hath given me knowledge of it, and I know it: then thou shewedst me their doings.

19 But I was like a lamb or an ox that is brought to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised devices against me, saying, Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered.

20 But, O LORD of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I revealed my cause.

21 Therefore thus saith the LORD of the men of Anathoth, that seek thy life, saying, Prophesy not in the name of the LORD, that thou die not by our hand:

22 Therefore thus saith the LORD

of hosts, Behold, I will punish them: the young men shall die by the sword; their sons and their daughters shall die by famine.

23 And there shall be no remnant of them: for I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth, even the year of their visitation. (L)

(L) God's covenant with Israel, and their violation of it.This is considered as the commencement of a new series of predictions continued to the end of the following chapter. Several verses, however, in this chapter, seem to have a reference to the preceding. In answer to the attempt to soften down the offence of Judah, the covenant made with Israel is brought forward, with the curse annexed to its violation; and they are charged with a conspiracy to depose the God of Israel, and to set up

pagan idols upon his throne; and so aggravated is this offence considered in the sight of God, that the Prophet is even forbidden to pray for them, and the Lord expresses his determination not to hear them in praying for themselves.

Ver. 15. What hath my beloved to do in mine house, seeing she, &c.-Blayney," Whilst she practiseth wickedness?". -And the holy flesh is passed from thee.-When Israel was redeemed from Egypt, he was holiness;" i. e. dedicated to the Lord;" chap. ii. 3; but by the practice of sin, the nation was no more holy: by "holy flesh," however, many understand the sacrifices, which had grown into disuse, and so were" passed away." But Dr. Blayney and others render this interrogatively, "Shall (vows and) holy flesh be allowed to come from thee?" Ver. 16. A green olive tree.-Compare Psalm lii. 8;

The latter part of the chapter discloses a plot against the Prophet's life by the men of Anathoth, among whom he lived, and who had attempted to suppress his labours, charging him, at the peril of his life, no more to prophecy in the name of the Lord. Against these he predicts their utter extirpation by the Chaldean army.

Isa. xvii. 6.—xxiv. 13. With the noise of a great tumult; i. e. the shont of the Chaldean army.

Ter. 18. And the Lord, &c.-Blayney, "Jehovah also acquainted me, and I knew; then didst thou shew me their proceedings." This is understood to refer to a secret plot against the prophet's life, by the men of Anathoth. See verses 19, 21, 23, and compare chap. i. 1.

Ver. 19. Like a lamb, or an ox-Blayney," Like a tame lamb," who quotes the authority of the ancient versions, particularly the LXX.

God righteous]

CHAP. XII.

RIGHTEOUS art thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?

2 Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root: they grow, yea, they bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins.

3 But thou, O LORD, knowest me; thou hast seen me, and tried mine heart toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.

4 How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of every field wither, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein? the beasts are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He shall not see our last end.

5 If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?

6 For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt treacherously with thee; yea, they have called a multitude after thee: believe them not, though they speak fair words unto thee.

7 I have forsaken mine house, I have left mine heritage; I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies.

8 Mine heritage is unto me as a lion

[in all his judgments.

in the forest; it crieth out against me: therefore have I hated it.

9 Mine heritage is unto me as a speckled bird, the birds round about are against her; come ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, come to devour.

10 Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.

11 They have made it desolate, and being desolate, it mourneth unto me the whole land is made desolate, because no man layeth it to heart.

12 The spoilers are come upon all high places through the wilderness: for the sword of the LORD shall devour from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land: no flesh shall have peace.

13 They have sown wheat, but shall reap thorns: they have put themselves to pain, but shall not profit: and they shall be ashamed of your revenues because of the fierce anger of the LORD.

14 Thus saith the LORD against all mine evil neighbours, that touch the inheritance which I have caused my people Israel to inherit; Behold, I will pluck them out of their land, and pluck out the house of Judah from among them.

15 And it shall come to pass, after that I have plucked them out I will return, and have compassion on them; and will bring them again, every man to his heritage, and every man to his land.

CHAP. XII. Ver. 1. Let me talk- Marg. "Let me reason the case with thee."

Ver.3. Towards thee-Heb. "With thee." Ver. 4. He shall not see, &c.-that is, " he shall never live to see his predictions accomplished;" alluding, probably, to their design to murder him.

Ver. 5. The swelling of Jordan-refers to its periodical overflowing of its banks; at which time, not only was the adjacent country overflowed, but the wild beasts, which harboured on its banks, were driven into the interior of the country, which made this a striking emblem of an invading army. See hap. xlix. 19.

Ver 6. They have called a multitude after theeArg. "They cried after thee fully," or londly. See Ov. xxvii.14.-Fair words: Heb. "Good things."

Ver. 7. The dearly beloved of my soul. -Omit dearly, there is no word for it in the text. See Marg. Ver. 8. It cryeth out- Heb. "Giveth out its voice;" i. e. roareth; sheweth hostility and rage against God; and thereby made him its enemy.

Ver. 9. A speckled bird.— The original term signifies striped, or spotted. and, according to Bochart, is applied to beasts and serpents, as well as birds. The term appears to us to mean, a bird of strange feathers, exciting all the birds of the air to peck at her. Blayney takes it for a species of eagle, or falcon, variegated, perhaps, or spotted.-Come, or cause them to come, to devour.

Ver. 10. My pleasunt portion-Heb. "Portion of desire."

Emblems of the girdle,]

2 So I got a girdle, according to the word of the LORD, and put it on my loins.

3 And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying,

4 Take the girdle that thou hast got, which is upon thy loins, and arise, go to Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole of the rock.

5 So I went, and hid it by Euphrates, as the LORD commanded me. 6 And it came to pass after many days, that the LORD said unto me, Arise, go to Euphrates, and take the

CHAP. XII.

[and bottles of wine.

girdle from thence, which I commanded thee to hide there.

7 Then I went to Euphrates, and digged, and took the girdle from the place where I had hid it: and, behold, the girdle was marred, it was profitable for nothing.

8 Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

9 Thus saith the LORD, After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.

10 This evil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is good for nothing.

11 For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel, and the whole house of Judah, saith the LORD; that they might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear.

12 Therefore thou shalt speak unto them this word; Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Every bottle shall be

(M) The Prophet pleads with God respecting the prosperity of the wicked.-Good men in all ages have been perplexed at the inequalities of Providence, which were the more mysterious under a dispensation which held out temporal rewards to virtue, and a less distinct reference to those of a future state. In our remarks on the 73d Psalm, we have considered this temptation as it affected Asaph, with whom Jeremiah seems to have accorded in his feelings. The latter is given however to expect, and cautioned to prepare for, trials greater than he had yet experienced. He had been with the men of Anathoth, who were his neighbours and equals; but he would have to contend with the chiefs and rulers of his nation, far more powerful adversaries than he had yet met with; and even with his own kindred, who had dealt treacherously

with him under the mask of friendship and of kindness.

Ver. 7. The Lord again denounces judgments against his apostate people by means of the Chaldeans. In the issue, however, Israel should be rescued, and their enemies requited: a threatening which implies, not only to the then neighbouring nations, but to all who unjustly oppress his people in their distress. A father may justly frown upon and chastise his children; but if his servants take advantage of their being under the parent's displeasure, to taunt over, or impose upon them, they must expect to be called to account for it. We fear that several nations of Europe, as well. as Asia, will yet have to account for their conduct toward the Jews in former ages, and this consideration should be an inducement even to us, to shew kindness to the seed of Abraham.

CHAP. XIII. Ver. 1. Thus saith the Lord-the first eight verses of this chapter are prose narrative, the rest metrical.

Ver. 12. Do we not certainly know? - By this

question it should seem, that the people affected to understand this message as the intimation of a plen, tiful vintage, instead of a terrible slaughter.

filled with wine: and they shall say unto thee, Do we not certainly know that every bottle shall be filled with wine?

13 Then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings that sit upon David's throne, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness.

14 And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the LORD: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them.

15 Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud for the LORD hath spoken.

16 Give glory to the LORD your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains; and, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness.

17 But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the LORD's flock is carried away captive.

18 Say unto the king and to the queen, Humble yourselves, sit down: for your principalities shall come down, even the crown of your glory.

19 The cities of the south shall be shut up, and none shall open them: Judah shall be carried away captive

[explained.

all of it, it shall be wholly carried away captive.

20 Lift up your eyes, and behold them that come from the north: where is the flock that was given thee, thy beautiful flock?

21 What wilt thou say when he shall punish thee? for thou hast taught them to be captains, and as chief over thee: shall not sorrows take thee, as a woman in travail ?

22 And if thou say in thine heart, Wherefore come these things upon me? For the greatness of thine iniquity are thy skirts discovered, and thy heels made bare.

23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin? or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.

24 Therefore will I scatter them as the stubble that passeth away by the wind of the wilderness.

25 This is thy lot, the portion of thy measures from me, saith the LORD; because thou hast forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood.

26 Therefore will I uiscover thy skirts upon thy face, that thy shame may appear.

27 I have seen thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy whoredom, and thine abominations on the hills in the fields. Woe unto thee, O Jerusalem! Wilt thou not be made clean? when shall it once be? (N)

CHAP. XIII. (N) The symbolic predictions of the girdle and bottles of wine. This chapter, which

begins the 2d part of these prophecies, contains an entire prophecy of itself. The symbol of the linen girdle left to rot for a

Ver. 13. With drunkenness-not of wine, but infatuation. See Isa. xxix. 9, 10.

Ver. 14. One against another Heb. "A man against his brother." But destroy them-Heb. "From destroying them."

Ver. 18. Your principalities - Marg. "Headtires;" Blayney, "The diadem of your glory." This Dr. B. supposes to have been addressed to Jehoiakim and his queen. See chap. xii. 18.

Ver. 19. The cities of the south-that is, of Judea, Chaldea being on the north.

Ver. 21. Punish thee-Heb. " Visit upon thee." -Captains-Blayney, "Rulers in chief over thee." Thy heels made bare - like the meanest slaves, or captives. Blayney, "The

Ver. 23. Can the Ethiopian

THE word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning the dearth. 2 Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish; they are black unto the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem gone up.

is

3 And their nobles have sent their little ones to the waters: they came to the pits, and found no water; they returned with their vessels empty; they were ashamed and confounded, and covered their heads.

4 Because the ground is chapt, for there was no rain in the earth, the plowmen were ashamed, they covered their heads.

5 Yea, the hind also calved in the field, and forsook it, because there was

no grass.

6 And the wild asses did stand in the high places, they snuffed up the wind like dragons; their eyes did fail, because there was no grass.

7 O LORD, though our iniquities testify against us, do thou it for thy

[dearth predicted.

name's sake: for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against thee.

8 O the hope of Israel, the saviour thereof in time of trouble, why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the land, and as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night?

9 Why shouldest thou be as a man astonied, as a mighty man that cannot save? yet thou, O LORD, art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name; leave us not.

10 Thus saith the LORD unto this people, Thus have they loved to wànder, they have not refrained their feet, therefore the LORD doth not accept them; he will now remember their iniquity, and visit their sins.

11 Then said the LORD unto me, Pray not for this people for their good.

12 When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and an oblation, I will not ac◄ cept them but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.

course of time, was the type of the manner in which the glory of the Jews should be marred during the course of their long captivity. The scene of hiding the girdle (which is supposed to have been transacted in a vision, see chap. xxv. 15, &c.) being laid near the Euphrates, intimated that the scene of the nation's distress should be Chaldea, which that river waters. The learned Bochart however remarks that the word river is not here (as usually) connected with Euphrates; he therefore thinks that the town Euphrata (or Bethlehem) is here intended, which was but a short distance from Jerusalem. This was built on the side of a hill, and the ancients maintain that Jesus Christ was born in a rocky cave under the hill. (See Calmet's Dictionary.) What if this Ephod were hid in the very cave where Christ was

born? It was in his humble and obscure birth that the Lord stained the pride of al! human glory. (See ver. 9.)

The next three verses, by another emblem, a number of earthen bottles of wine, (see ch, xix. 1.) often used to represent the judgments of God, are designed to shew the sanguinary nature of the calamities threatened by the invasion of the Chaldean army, which would inevitably extend to all ranks and classes of society. In ver. 15, the Prophet addresses, to the heads of the nation, a most earnest and affectionate exhortation to repentance and humility; but this being not attended to, the former threatenings are repeated, with a pointed declaration of the guilty cause of all their misfortunes, even their barefaced idolatry and immorality.

CHAP. XIV. Ver. 1. Concerning the dearth.Dr. Blayney connects these words with the next verse thus: "Because of the drought Judah mourneth.

Ver. 2. They are black unto the ground-Blayney, "They are in deep mourning for the land." By the gates, we may understand the magistrates, &c. who assembled there, who were greatly dejected, and, perhaps, many of them clothed in sackcloth.

Ver. 7. Do thou it - Blayney, "Do thou act;" which the original fully warrants. Ver. 8. As a stranger, &c. — that is, as one who takes no interest in the fate of the country. Ver. 9. As a man astonied—that is, confounded. We are called by thy name-Marg," Thy name is called upon us:" either version is correct. Ver. 11. Pray not.-Compare chap. vii. 16.