CHAP. XLIII. V.1,2. (Marg. Ref.) Azariah. (2.) Lalled Jezaniah. (xlii.1.)—Proud men. * Who refused to * obey alinighty God, when his command crossed their in- ‘clinations.” (Lowth.) (Notes, xiil. .15—17. Ex. v. 2. ix. 19—-16.
Dan. iv. 34—97. v. 18—24.)—Hath not Spoken. ‘The constant method of hypocrites and infidels, ‘who pretend that they are not satisfied of the truth of ‘* divine revelation; when the true cause of their unbelief ‘* is, that God’s commands contradict their own lusts and ‘appetites.’ (Lowth,) (Note, Matt. xvi. 1—4.) eV. ‘They would not ‘directly accuse Jeremiah ;— ‘but they laid the blame on Baruch.’ (Lowth.)\—The princes had ay made up their minds, at all events, ‘to go into‘Egypt; and therefore they were decidedly averse to jerenah: ‘counsel, because proudly attached to their own will and wisdom; and doubtless they were also exasperated by-his severe language and awful warnings.
They ‘were, however, unwilling to allow, that they acted in direct ‘defiance of ‘God's authority; they pretended therefore, ‘and poe ‘persuaded themselves, that Jeremiah was influenced iby Baruch to oppose:their projects, that they might fall into the hands of the Chaldeans. ~ Their suspicions of Baruch were: doubtless ill-grounded; for he was a very pious man,
-”
JEREMIAH.
B. C. 588.
Lorp : thus came they. even to ° Tah-°,"%, reper
40 oIs. - 4 panhes. | Hanes. Ba. aeK.
8 @ Then ? came the word of thepm “asus: Lorp unto Jeremiah in Tahpanes, say- *"""* ing,
5 Take ‘great stones in thine hand, a x8i.1, &e. xvii and hide them in the clay ‘in the brick- &«. i. 63, ‘kiln, which 7s at the entry of Pharaoh’s 3 house in Tahpanhes, in the sight of the. } men of Judah 3 ; . Rev. xviii. 2},
10 And say unto them, Thus saith the’ xi stan a: Lorp of hosts, the God of Israel; Be-sitis. xiv. 6— hold, *I will send and take Nebuchad- 2. sxx. te”
= mee 18— e “ t . 'e n.' ry et. rezzar the king of Babylon, t my Servant, ¥- 11%. 7
_and will set his throne upon these stones xvi. At 48. Is,
Matt, xxii. 7. u i Kings xx. 19,
that I have hid ; and he shall spread “ his
royal pavilion over them. xxvil baa Q
11 And when he cometh, *he-shall xix. toca smite the land of. Egypt; and deliver Sic OY & Ysuch as are for death to death ; and such y See on xv. 9.—
a de ae xliv. 13. Job xx. as are for captivity to captivity : and such +29, Bz. ve as are for the sword to the sword. ~
12 And I will kindle a fire Zin thez xvi. es. atvii.
77 1 & li. 44, houses of the gods of Egypt; and he Fy x, @. shall burn them, and carry them away
e
1S. Zeph. ii. ti,
xivi. 1. Ez. xe. xl. 10.
the land of Egypt, as ashepherd © puttethy bs.te. 19, 19. on his garment; andhe shall go forth i "ak.’te.'f from thence in peace. toe Romy xii
13 He shall break also the *images of vi ico itt t Bethshemesh, that 7s in the land of* Heb. statues, or Egypt; °and the houses of the gods of? Ob the houses of the Egyptians shall he burn with fire. eee
C See on 12,
Xix. J. XX. ge captives ; and he shall * array himself with , 32P2 Ys,
and a steady friend to his people: but Jeremiah’s character was so established; he had so long shewn a patient disinterested love to his nation, and so many of his predictions had already been fulfilled; that their accusation of him was as foolish as it was malicious. His late preference of a lot among them, to the favour of the king and princes of Babylon, was alone a sufficient confutation of the slander. (Note, xl. 6.)—Puét us, &c. ‘* Put us to death, or carry us, &c.”
That is, * Put some to death, and lead the rest captive to ©
‘ Babylon.’
Le ae he , soldiers seem to have compelled the people in general, as well as Jeremiah and Baruch, to accompany them into Egypt. ‘This aggravated their impiety and rebellion; as they carried away those into that idolatrous country, (which fad always proved treacherous to Israel,) who had returned from other nations out of affection to the, land of Judah, When they arrived in Egypt, they repaired immediately to Tahpanhes, the royal city, (9,) where, it is probable, they were favourably received by Pharaoh. (Marg. Ref. i) 8—13. The Jews had sheltered themselves in Egypt, to be out of the reach of the Chaldeans: but they were no gooner arrived there, than the prophet was instructed to
(Marg. Ref.) Johanan and the captains and
Br C. 587. : CHAP. XLIV.
God, by his prophet, expostulates with the
JFews,in Egypt, for persisting in idolatry, afterallthat they had heard, suffered,and
witnessed, 1—10. He denounces their destruction, 11—14. The Jews impiously avow their purpose of cleaving to
their idols, and ascrile their miseries to
the neglect of them, 15—19. The prophet shews the falsehood of their plea ;
and, in the name of God, predicts their
utter ruin, 2O—28; and, for a sign,
that also of the king of Egypt, 29, 30.
axil, 3—1¢/—\ETE word that came to Jeremiah *con- ¢, Sawer Nereats all the Jews, which dwell in
é
inform them, that Nebuchadnezzar would pursue them, and place his pavilion, or display his magnificence, very near the palace of Pharaoh, so that he would not be able to protect them.—This prediction was attended by a sign, of which some of the Jews were made witnesses, that it might be the more noticed. (Nofes, xiii. 1—11. xvi. 1—g. Xvill. 1—10. xix.) It was also predicted, that Nebuchadnezzar would destroy great numbers of the Egyptians, and take many prisoners; that he would add Egypt to his dominions, and possess himself of the spoil of it, with the utmost speed ; and as much ease, asa shepherd puts on his garment.—(‘ This ‘ shews the prodigious ease with which all the power and
« riches of a kingdom are carried away ; when God appoints
‘the revolution.’ Rollin.) (Note, Ez. xxix. 17—20.)— Then he would return to his own Jand in peace, none daring to resist him : and he would burn their temples and idols, to which the Egyptians were attached beyond other nations, and which. tempted the Jews also to idolatry. (Notes, xlvi. 13 —
26. 2 Sam. v. 21. Is. xix. 1. xlvi..1, 2. Bz. xxix. 1—13.) Especially that he would break the images of Beth-shemesh, (The house of the sun,) in the land of Egypt; (Nore, Is. xix. 18 ;) for there was a city of that name in the land of Judah, (Josh. xv. 10.) ° -.
Brick-kiln. (g.) ‘ Bricks were the chief materials used in “ the most stately buildings:—-so there was constant occasion ¢ for such a brick-kiln near Pharaoh’s palace.—The courts < of great kings were almost equal toa city, for extent, in ‘ancient times.’ (Lowth.)
PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS.
th ; Pride is the great root of infidelity; and proud men scorn subjection to any superior ; they prefer their own wisdom to the revealed word of God; they resent warning, counsel, and reproof; they set up their own will in opposition to divine authority, and justify themselves in the most flagrant enormities. When such men have resolved not to be ruled by the scriptures, they deny the’ divine original of them, notwith- Standing the manifold demonstrations with which they are authenticated : they give credit to any absurdity, which seems to countenance infidelity ; they impute the basest conduct to the most blameless and excellent characters ; and the most unexceptionable actions to the vilest motives. But they express most enmity against faithful ministers, whom they treat as decéivers, and charge with malevolence, and with being
CHAPTER &XLIV.
«B.C. 587. the land of Egypt, which dwell at ® Mige > S92 aivi. 14.
lv. 2. Ez. dol, and at ‘Tahpanhes, and at “ Noph, ¢ sinicy ue sx., and in the country of ° Pathros, saying, aii. sla aa:
2 Thus saith the Lorn of hosts, the Ee xxKs 13,18.
7 © Gen. ° 14,
God of Israel: ‘ Ye have seen all the evil Pathrushn.ts.xi . « EZ. XXX, r)
that I have brought upon Jerusalein, and ji
a £ See on xxxix. 1
upon all the cities of Judah; and, be- 58—#x. xix. hold, this day they are a desolation, and Jesh .xxiii. 3. no man dwelleth therein ; eet es 3 Because "of their wickedness which 77'537,"S%: they have committed to provoke me to Isvitt aie. a : 12. Ixiv. 10, 12.
anger, in that they went to burn incense, Lim. v. 18. Mic.
A m1. 12,
and to serve other ‘gods, whom they knews i. 7-19. iv. not, neither they, ye, nor your fathers. ie. 4s xis A Howbeit “I sent unto you all my *%,% ;4,»+i ser in : ws _ 9. Bara ix G11. Neh. ix. $$. Lam. i. 8. iv.13. Bz. viii. 17, 18. 1x. 9. Xx. @5-—31. Dan. ix. 5—a, Zech. vit. 12, 13. i Deut. xi.i. 6. xxix. 26. Xxx. 17. Vil. 18. 25, XXV. 3, 4. XXVI. 5. XXIKe
19. XXXii, $3. XXxVv. 17. 2 Chr. axxvi. 15. Zech. vii. 7.
XRX. 14.
enemies to mankind. When thus bent an disobedience, they employ their ability, influence, or authority, in carrying: others along with them in their rebellious courses: and the -prospect of success or carnal security easily leads them into the most powerful temptations.— But vengeance pursues the obstinate rebel : while no banishment or distance from external advamages, can exclude the people of God from his pré-sence, and the comfort of communion with him.—When he ' employs, ambitious men to scourge guilty nations, they have easy and speedy success in their destructive expeditions : but he will especially punish those, whodeceive, and ensnare his people, or tempt them to rebellion against him.
| NOTES.