Jeremiah 41:1--44:30
seventh month <02320 07637> [the seventh month.]
This was the month {Tisri,} answering to the new moon of September, the seventh of the sacred, but the first of the civil year; on the third day of which the Jews keep a fast, in commemoration of the death of Gedaliah, to which the prophet Zechariah refers, ch. 8:19; 39:2; 52:6. 2 Ki 25:3, 8, 25. Zec 7:5; 8:19.
Ishmael <03458> [Ishmael.]
Elishama <0476> [Elishama.]
member ........... Zedekiah's <02233 04428> [of the.]
member <02233> [seed.]
eating <0398> [they did.]
killed <05221> [and smote.]
king <04428> [whom.]
murdered <04191> [after.]
arrived ................................ present <0935> [came.]
Shechem <07927> [Shechem.]
Shiloh <07887> [Shiloh.]
Samaria <08111> [Samaria.]
beards <02206> [their beards.]
All these were signs of deep mourning; which, though forbidden on funeral occasions, were customary, and perhaps counted allowable, on seasons of public calamity, and this mourning was probably on account of the destruction of Jerusalem.
temple <01004> [to the.]
cry <01058> [weeping, etc. Heb. in going and weeping.]
slaughtered <07819> [slew.]
kill ............................... kill <04191> [Slay.]
hidden <04301> [treasures.]
These "treasures hid in the field" were doubtless laid up in subterranean pits, similar to the {mattamores} in Barbary, in which, Dr. Shaw informs us, they deposit the grain when winnowed; two or three hundred of them being sometimes together, and the smallest holding four hundred bushels. The same mode of keeping corn prevails in Syria and the Holy Land.
cistern <0953> [the pit.]
This was probably a large reservoir for receiving rain water, which Asa had caused to be made in the midst of the city, in case of a siege.
<03027 01436> [because of Gedaliah. or, near Gedaliah. Heb. by the hand, or the side of Gedaliah. was it.]
<06440> [for fear.]
people ................. rest .... people <07611 05971> [all the.]
royal <04428> [even.]
Nebuzaradan <05018> [whom.]
son ..... son ................. Ammonites <01121> [to the.]
Johanan <03110> [Johanan.]
fight <03898> [to fight.]
large <07227> [the great.]
people <05971> [that when.]
They appear to have been weary of the tyranny of Ishmael, and glad of an opportunity to abandon him.
escape <04422> [escaped.]
eight <0582 08083> [eight men.]
soldiers <01397> [even.]
<03643> [Chimham.]
<03212> [to go.]
As Johanan and the other princes had taken a decided part against Ishmael, they had no sufficient reason to fear that the Chaldeans would revenge on them the murder of Gedaliah; but perhaps Johanan was unwilling to be superseded in the command which he had rightly assumed, and so used his influence to induce the whole company to take refuge in Egypt; and their old attachment to the Egyptians rendered them more ready to concur in this ruinous measure.
were afraid ... what .... might do <03372> [for they.]
Ishmael <06440 03458> [because.]
king <04428> [whom.]
officers ............... people <08269 05971> [all the.]
Jezaniah <03153> [Jezaniah.]
[Jaazaniah.]
every class <06996> [from.]
went <05066> [came.]
grant <05307 06440> [be accepted before thee. Heb. fall before thee.]
pray <06419> [and pray.]
left out <07604> [left.]
Jeremiah <03414> [Jeremiah.]
The princes seem to have wholly neglected Jeremiah, till on this occasion they wanted his sanction to their purpose of going to Egypt. In order to induce him to favour them, they applied to him with one consent, in the most respectful and plausible manner: they used language to prepossess him with a favourable opinion of them, and to move his compassion; and, in words expressing great humility, they entreated his prayers in their behalf, and that he would enquire of the Lord what he would have them to do. The prophet readily acquiesced; and doubted not but that he should receive an answer from God, which he would unreservedly declare to them; and they called the Lord to witness that they would implicitly follow his directions.
pray <06419> [I will pray.]
as <01697> [whatsoever.]
anything <04513> [I will keep.]
Lord .... true ............... Lord <03068 0571> [The Lord be.]
do <06213> [if we.]
<02896> [it be good.]
well <03190> [that it.]
At this time he was waiting for a revelation from God in answer to the enquiries of the people; who probably thus delayed to make known his will, in order to shew them that Jeremiah did not speak of his own mind, but when and as he was directed. The delay was also suited to give time for consideration, and to retard their rash project; and, as it would render them impatient, it tended to detect their hypocrisy, and to shew more clearly their determined rebellion against God.
Johanan <03110> [Johanan.]
said ..... sent .................... says <0559 07971> [unto.]
stay <03427> [abide.]
build <01129> [then.]
sorrow <05162> [for I.]
afraid .......... fear ..... afraid <03372 03373> [afraid.]
save <03467> [for I.]
go <0935> [we will go.]
hear <08085> [nor hear.]
so determined <07760> [If.]
If ye are determined to go into Egypt, the evils which ye dreaded by staying in your own land shall overtake and destroy you there; "and there shall ye die." God turned the policy of the wicked to their own destruction; for while they thought themselves safe in Egypt, there Nebuchadnezzar destroyed both them and the Egyptians.
wars <02719> [that the sword.]
follow <01692> [follow close. Heb. cleave. there ye.]
<0582> [it be with all the men. Heb. all the men be. they shall.]
survive <08300> [none.]
wrath <0639> [As mine.]
The people had witnessed the tremendous effects of the wrath of God, in the siege and destruction of Jerusalem; and had they not been past feeling, this denunciation must have made their ears tingle, and appalled their very souls.
cursed <0423> [ye shall be.]
see <07200> [and ye shall see.]
go <0935> [Go.]
God knew, that such was their miserable propensity to idolatry, that they would adopt the idolatrous worship of Egypt. Add to which, their going thither for protection was in effect refusing to submit to the king of Babylon, to whom God had decreed the rule of Judah and the neighbouring kingdoms.
sure <03045> [know.]
warn ..... now <05749 03117> [admonished you. Heb. testified against you.]
fatal <08582> [For ye.]
God made known to the prophet their dissimulation; which he shunned not to declare to them.
fatal <05315 08582> [dissembled in your hearts. Heb. have used deceit against your souls.]
Pray <06419> [Pray.]
day <03117> [I have.]
obey <08085> [but.]
sure <03045> [know.]
place <04725> [in the.]
go ... live <0935 01481> [to go and to sojourn. or, to go to sojourn.]
finished <03615> [had made.]
things <01697> [all the words.]
Azariah <05838> [Azariah.]
[Jezaniah. Johanan.]
arrogant <02086> [all the.]
telling <01696> [Thou speakest.]
They had no other colour for their rebellion than flatly to deny that God had spoken what the prophet had declared, 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 the commands of God contradict their lusts and appetites.
Baruch <01263> [Baruch.]
wants ... hand ....... so that ... will <05414 04616> [to deliver.]
obey <08085> [obeyed.]
stay <03427> [to dwell.]
Instead <03947> [took.]
royal <04428> [the king's.]
off <05315> [every.]
Jeremiah <03414> [Jeremiah.]
went ............. came <0935> [So.]
Tahpanhes <08471> [Tahpanhes.]
[Tahapanhes.]
[Hanes.]
[Tehaphnehes.]
large <01419> [great.]
pavement <04404> [in the brick-kiln.]
<07971> [I will send.]
servant <05650> [my servant.]
royal tent <08237> [his royal.]
attack <05221> [he shall smite.]
die of disease ... die of disease <04194> [such as are for death.]
temples <01004> [in the.]
clean like ...... lice <05844> [array.]
clean like ...... lice <05844> [putteth.]
sacred pillars <04676> [images. Heb. statues, or standing images. Beth-shemesh. or, the house of the sun.]
temples <01004> [and the.]
spoke <01697> [Cir. A.M. 3433. B.C. 571. The word.]
Dahler supposes this discourse to have been delivered in the seventeenth or eighteenth year after the taking of Jerusalem.
Judeans <03064> [concerning.]
Migdol <04024> [Migdol.]
Tahpanhes <08471> [Tahpanhes.]
{Tahpanhes,} rendered [Taphne] and [Taphnai] by the LXX., is no doubt the [Daphnai] of Herodotus, a royal city of Lower Egypt, situated, according to the Itinerary of Antoninus, sixteen miles south from Pelusium, from which it was called Daphn‘ Pelusic‘. Forster says that there is now a place situated in the vicinity of Pelusium called Safnas, which may be a vestige of the ancient name. It appears to have been the very first town in Egypt, in the road from Palestine, that afforded tolerable accommodation for the fugitives. It was at this place that, according to Jerome and several of the ancients, tradition says the faithful Jeremiah was stoned to death by these rebellious wretches, for whose welfare he had watched, prayed, and suffered every kind of indignity and hardship.
[Tehaphnehes. Noph.]
southern <06624> [Pathros.]
[Pathrusim.]
seen <07200> [Ye have.]
ruins <02723> [a desolation.]
wickedness <07451> [of their.]
gods <0430> [gods.]
sent ............. warning <07971> [I sent.]
disgusting <08441> [this.]
people ........ listen <08085> [they.]
sacrificing <06999> [burn.]
anger <02534> [my fury.]
ruins <02723> [wasted.]
yourselves <05315> [against.]
<03772> [to cut.]
child <05768> [child.]
Judah <03063> [Judah. Heb. the midst of Judah. to leave.]
angry <03707> [ye provoke.]
destroyed <03772> [that ye might cut.]
curses <07045> [a curse.]
forgotten <07911> [ye forgotten.]
wicked ..................... by ........ wives by <07451> [wickedness. Heb. wickedness, or punishments, etc. the wickedness of your.]
shown ... contrition <01792> [are not.]
shown ... contrition <01792> [humbled. Heb. contrite.]
revered <03372> [neither.]
determined <07760> [I will.]
see <03947> [I will take.]
every class <06996> [from the.]
curse <0423> [and they shall be.]
remnant <07611> [So.]
It is evident from ver. 28, that some Jews were to escape the general destruction in Egypt, and to return into their own country, though but a few; and the same thing is implied in the latter clause of this verse. But the former part excludes from the number of those who should escape every individual of those who are properly termed "the remnant of Judah;" those who had willingly and rebelliously "set their faces to go into the land of Egypt to dwell there," on a presumption that they knew better than God how to consult their own restoration. The few, then, who were destined to escape, were to be such as had come into the land of Egypt with Johanan by compulsion, or had previously fled thither, or in some other less offensive manner, and chanced to be there when the storm burst upon them.
come <0935> [which are.]
escape ........................... fugitives <06412 06405> [shall escape.]
<05375> [which they.]
long <05315 05375> [have a desire. Heb. lift up there soul. for none.]
wives ............ wives .............. people <0582 0802 05971> [all the.]
listen <08085> [we.]
vowed <01697> [whatsoever.]
Queen ... Heaven <08064 04446> [queen of heaven. or, frame of heaven.]
As the Sun was worshipped, not only under the name of {baal shamayim,} "Lord of heaven," but also by that of {Molech,} or King; it is likely also that the Moon was adored as {melecheth hashshamayim,} "the Queen of heaven." So the Orphic hymn addressed to the Moon begins [Klythi thea BASILEIA,] Hear, goddess Queen. And Homer, in his Hymn to the Moon, addresses her, [Chaire, anassa, thea] All hail, Queen, goddess. In Epiphanius, we find some women of Arabia, towards the end of the fourth century, had set up another queen of heaven, the Virgin Mary, too well known since under that name and character, whom they likewise worshipped as a goddess, by holding stated assemblies every year to her honour, and by offering a cake of bread in her name; whence these heretics were called Collyridians, from the Greek [kollyris,] a cake.
do .................................... did <06213> [as we.]
ancestors <01> [our fathers.]
towns <05892> [in the cities.]
plenty <07646> [then.]
food <03899> [victuals. Heb. bread.]
have been .......... wars <02637> [we have.]
sacrifice <06999> [we burned.]
But <01107> [without.]
husbands <0582> [men. or, husbands.]
streets <02351> [and in.]
Lord <03068> [did.]
could <03201> [could.]
land <0776> [your land.]
sacrificed <06999> [ye have burned.]
followed <01980> [nor walked.]
statutes <02708> [nor in his statutes.]
decrees <05715> [nor in his testimonies.]
disaster <07451> [therefore.]
Listen <08085> [Hear.]
Judah <03063> [all Judah.]
women <0802> [Ye and.]
carry out ..................... Carry ... out <06213> [We will.]
fulfill <06965> [ye will.]
swear <07650> [I have sworn.]
name .................... name <08034> [that my name.]
Lord ................... Lord ................................................. Lord God <03068 0136 03069> [The Lord God.]
see <08245> [will watch.]
<08552> [shall be.]
<04962> [a small.]
know <03045> [shall know.]
[mine, or theirs. Heb. from me or them.]
<0226> [a sign.]
threats <01697> [my words.]
hand .......................... handed <05414> [I will.]
hand .......................... handed <05414> [as I.]
