_HE EXHORTETH TO REPENTANCE WITH PROMISES AND THREATS. THE JUDGMENT OF SHALLUM, OF JEHOIAKIM, AND OF CONIAH._ _Before Christ 598._ THE prophesy which follows to ch. Jeremiah 23:9 was evidently delivered in the reign of Jehoiakim; for it speaks of his immediate predecessor as already gone into cap... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SAITH THE LORD— This happened long before what is mentioned in the preceding chapter.... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT ENTER IN BY THESE GATES— That is to say, the gates of the palace. The king was evidently at the gate of his palace, with his principal officers, when Jeremiah presented himself before him.... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU ART GILEAD, &C.— _Thou art to me as Gilead; thou art as the head of Lebanon; yet surely,_ &c. That is, "though thou art most precious in my sight, though as valuable for riches and plenty as the fat pastures of Gilead, and thy buildings as stately as the tall cedars of Lebanon; yet, unless thy... [ Continue Reading ]
WEEP YE NOT FOR THE DEAD— "Weep not for Josiah, for he is buried in peace, and taken away from the evil to come; but rather lament his successor Jehoahaz (who is here called _Shallum_), whom Pharaoh Necho hath carried captive into Egypt, whence he shall never return." It is not easy to conjecture wh... [ Continue Reading ]
WOE UNTO HIM THAT BUILDETH, &C.— The prophet proceeds to denounce God's judgments against Jehoiakim, who had built himself a stately palace in those calamitous times, and took no care to pay the wages of his workmen, but supported his own luxury by oppressing those who were to live by their labour.... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALT THOU REIGN, BECAUSE THOU CLOSEST THYSELF IN CEDAR?— _Because thou frettest thyself in cedar?_ מתחרה _methachareh_ from חרה _charah,_ to _fret_ and _grieve,_ signifies one that is a prey to the uneasy passions of discontent and remorse. The question, therefore, is somewhat of a sarcastic nature... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SHALL NOT LAMENT FOR HIM, &C.— The prophet here repeats part of the funeral song, which the public mourners used to sing at funerals; indicating, that neither Jehoiakim nor his queen or family should be buried with those solemn lamentations, with which the memory of his predecessors, particular... [ Continue Reading ]
AND CRY FROM THE PASSAGES— _And cry to the passengers._ Houbigant.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WIND SHALL EAT UP ALL THY PASTORS— "All thy pastors shall find themselves mere wind and smoke; they flattered themselves with succours which they shall not find." By _pastors_ he means _princes, kings,_ and great men. Hosea makes use of the same manner of speaking, ch. Jeremiah 12:1. _Ephraim fe... [ Continue Reading ]
O INHABITANT OF LEBANON, &C.— The prophet apostrophizes Jerusalem, under the idea of a bird building her nest on the topmost cedars of Lebanon, on account of the sumptuousness of her palaces, and the advantage of her situation. Instead of _how gracious shalt thou be,_ Houbigant and many others have... [ Continue Reading ]
THOUGH CONIAH, &C.— Houbigant reads _Jeconiah_ instead of _Coniah,_ See the note on Jeremiah 22:11. The expression _though he were the signet,_ &c. is proverbial, and signifies, "Though he were most dear and valuable to me, yet would I not spare him, on account of his iniquity." See Haggai 2:23. The... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREUNTO THEY DESIRE— _To which they have set their hearts,_ or _souls, to return._... [ Continue Reading ]
IS THIS MAN CONIAH A DESPISED BROKEN IDOL?— _Potsherd?_ Houbigant, who renders the latter clause, _that they have cast out him and his seed into a land,_ &c. "Would any one have thought that this man, who was invested with royal dignity, should be rendered no better than a broken image of royalty, a... [ Continue Reading ]
O EARTH, &C.— See ch. Jeremiah 7:4.... [ Continue Reading ]
WRITE YE THIS MAN CHILDLESS—— I cannot agree with the generality of commentators, who suppose that God hereby declares it as a thing certain, and as it were orders it to be inserted among the public acts of his government, that Jeconiah should die absolutely childless. Other parts of Scripture posit... [ Continue Reading ]