_THE EGYPTIANS HAVING RAISED THE SIEGE OF THE CHALDEANS, KING ZEDEKIAH SENDETH TO JEREMIAH TO PRAY FOR THE PEOPLE. JEREMIAH PROPHESIETH THE CHALDEANS' CERTAIN RETURN AND VICTORY: HE IS TAKEN FOR A FUGITIVE, BEATEN AND PUT IN PRISON: HE ASSURETH ZEDEKIAH OF THE CAPTIVITY. INTREATING FOR HIS LIBERTY,... [ Continue Reading ]
MADE KING— Zedekiah was but a tributary king, having taken an oath of homage to the king of Babylon. He was not so bad as many of his predecessors, though he was feeble, irresolute, and had but little credit and little religion.... [ Continue Reading ]
PHARAOH'S ARMY WAS COME FORTH— Zedekiah, contrary to the oath that he had taken to Nebuchadnezzar, made an alliance with the king of Egypt, and contracted with him for assistance against the king of Babylon; accordingly the king of Egypt sent an army to his relief, which obliged the Chaldeans to rai... [ Continue Reading ]
TO SEPARATE HIMSELF, &C.— _That he might have there a possession for himself with the people._ Houbigant; who understands this with the Chaldee as relating to the possession of Anathoth, which Jeremiah had purchased by the command of God. Others read it variously thus: _To withdraw himself from amon... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU FALLEST AWAY TO THE CHALDEANS— The ground of this accusation was, the prophet's having foretold that the Chaldeans should take the city, and exhorted the Jews to submit to them.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE THE PRINCES, &C.— _And the princes,_ &c. _FOR THEY HAD MADE THAT THE PRISON_— There is nothing extraordinary in making the dwelling-house of a great man a prison, according to either the ancient or modern manners of the east. See Genesis 39:20. Even in the royal palace itself we find there... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN JEREMIAH WAS ENTERED, &C.— _But Jeremiah was brought into a deep and secret dungeon._ Houbigant. From comparing this place with ch. Jeremiah 38:6 it seems likely that _the dungeon_ was a deep pit, sunk perpendicularly like a well, in the middle of the open court or quadrangle, around which the... [ Continue Reading ]
WHERE ARE NOW YOUR PROPHETS— _"Where are now your false prophets?_ The event surely demonstrates how much they have deceived you. The siege is again renewed, and the city in imminent danger of being taken." Jeremiah does not abate any of his zeal and spirit on account of the confinement and persecut... [ Continue Reading ]
A PIECE OF BREAD OUT OF THE BAKERS' STREET— Though among the easterns an oven was designed only to serve a single family, and to bake for them no more than the bread of one day, in ancient times;—a circumstance which ought to be recollected in order to enter into the force of Leviticus 26:26 and whi... [ Continue Reading ]