_The word which came unto Jeremiah from the Lord, when Nebuchadnezzar, &c., fought against Jerusalem_ The siege was begun in the ninth year of Zedekiah, the tenth month and tenth day of the month, which answers to the latter end of our December. See Jeremiah 52:4. Blaney thinks the prophet received... [ Continue Reading ]
_Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and thou shalt not escape_, &c. This prophecy, which threatened the king in particular, as well as the city and nation in general, so much displeased Zedekiah that he shut up Jeremiah in prison. See notes on Jeremiah 32:2, where th... [ Continue Reading ]
_When the king of Babylon fought against Lachish and against Azekah_ See 2 Kings 18:13; 2 Kings 19:8. These two cities were not far from Jerusalem, and had been fortified by Rehoboam, for the defence of his kingdom, 2 Chronicles 11:9. _After that Zedekiah had made a covenant with the people to procl... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now when all the princes, &c., heard_ This verse is better translated by Blaney and others thus, _And all the princes hearkened_, or, _consented, and all the people who entered into covenant to let every one his bondman, and every one his bond-woman go free, and not to exact service of them any mor... [ Continue Reading ]
_I made a covenant with your fathers, saying, At the end of seven years_ This is the literal translation of מקצ שׁבע שׁנים; but the import of the phrase is, _in the course of the seventh year;_ or, _within the term of seven years_, as Dr. Waterland renders it. “The seventh year was the year of relea... [ Continue Reading ]
_And ye were now turned_ That is, reformed in this particular; _and had done right in my sight_ In proclaiming liberty to your servants. _And ye had made a covenant before me_ Had entered into solemn engagements in my presence and temple to that purpose. This was probably such a covenant as Josiah a... [ Continue Reading ]
_When they cut the calf in twain, and passed between the parts_ In order to ratify the covenant, they killed a calf, or young bullock, which they cut in two, and placing the two parts at some distance from each other, they passed between them; signifying by this rite that they consented to be served... [ Continue Reading ]
_The princes of Judah, &c._, (see Jeremiah 29:2,) _the eunuchs_ The officers belonging to the court; _the priests and all the people which passed between the parts of the calf_ Assenting to the solemn and awful imprecation, Let us in like manner be cut in pieces if we do not perform what we now prom... [ Continue Reading ]