destine way. Such was the evil they did or devised || against him. But see how great the good was which he had done for them: Remember, he says, that I stood before thee to speak good for them-That is, in the execution of my prophetical office, I always interposed, with my prayers, in their behalf, to avert those judgments which, by thy command, I denounced against them. Therefore deliver up their children, &c.-Since they are thus incorrigible, I shall not any more intercede for them, but let those calamities of famine and sword, with which thou hast threatened them, overtake them. Let a cry be heard from their houses, &c.-When they are unex earthen vessel. pectedly assaulted by a troop of their enemies, that CHAPTER XIX. In this chapter, (1,) Under the type of breaking a potter's vessel, Jeremiah, in the presence of the elders, priests, and people, foreshows the ruin and desolation of Judah and Jerusalem, for their sins, 1-13. (2,) He repeats the like denunciations in the court of the temple, 14, 15. B. 605. B. C. 605. A. M. 3399. THUS saith the LORD, Go and get || place, the which whosoever heareth, A. M. 3399. a potter's earthen bottle, and take his ears shall tingle. of the ancients of the people, and of the ancients of the priests; 4 Because they have forsaken me, and have estranged this place, and have burned incense in it unto other gods, whom neither they nor their fathers have known, nor the kings of Judah, and have filled this place with the blood of innocents; 5 They have built also the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt-offerings unto Baal, which I commanded not, nor spake it, neither came it into my mind: a Joshua xv. 8; 2 Kings xxiii. 10; Chapter vii. 31. Heb. d Deut. xxviii. 20.; Isa. lxv. 11; Chap. ii. 13, 17, 19; xv. 6; the sun gate.- b Chap. xvii. 20.- 1 Sam. iii. 11; 2 Kings|| xvii. 13.—2 Kings xxi. 16; Chap. ii. 34. Chap. vii. 31, xxi. 12. 32; xxxii. 35.- Lev. xviii. 21. NOTES ON CHAPTER XIX. others, the potters' gate; the potters' field being near Verses 1, 2. Go and get a potter's earthen bottle—the temple: see Zech. xi. 13. The meaning of this emblem is fully explained in Verses 3-5. Say, Hear, &c., O kings of Judahthe subsequent verses; and indeed the whole chapter See note on chap. xvii. 20. Behold, I will bring requires little more comment than a reference to the evil upon this place-That is, upon Judah and Jerupassages in the margin. And take of the ancients salem, so surprising and so dreadful that whosoever of the people-Or, take with thee some of the an-heareth, his ears shall tingle-The very report of it cients, &c. By these, men of reputation and eminence shall astonish the hearers. Because they have esare meant, probably such as were members of the||tranged this place-From me, should be supplied to Sanhedrim. And of the ancients of the priests—make the sense clearer; the meaning, it seems, beThe heads of the four and twenty courses: see 1 | ing that, by their worshipping other gods, and comChron. xxiv. 4. Such were the most proper to be witnesses of those things which the prophet was about to say and do. And go unto the valley of the son of Hinnom—A most noted valley, to the east of Jerusalem; which is by the entry of the east gate-By which men entered into the temple; from whence they had a prospect of the valley of Hinnom, which lay south-east of the temple, Josh. xv. 8. The Hebrew is ww, the gate Harsith, which some interpret, the dung gate, mentioned Neh. ii. 13; || mitting all sorts of crimes, they had caused God not Judah's desolation A. M. 3399. JEREMIAH. 6 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that this place shall no more be called Tophet, nor hThe valley of the son of Hinnom, but The valley of Slaughter. 7 And I will make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in this place; and I will cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies, and by the hands of them that seek their lives: and their carcasses will I give to be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth. 8 And I will make this city desolate, and a hissing: every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished and hiss because of all the plagues thereof. 9 And I will cause them to eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters, and they shall eat every one the flesh of his friend in the siege and straitness wherewith their enemies, and they that seek their lives, shall straiten them. || n is predicted. 10 Then shalt thou break the bottle in the sight of the men that go with thee, A. M. 3399 11 And shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Even so will I break this people and this city, as one breaketh a potter's vessel, that cannot 2 be made whole again : and they shall bury them in Tophet, till there be no place to bury. 12 Thus will I do unto this place, saith the LORD, and to the inhabitants thereof, and even make this city as Tophet: 13 And the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the kings of Judah, shall be defiled as the place of Tophet, because of all the houses upon whose roofs they have burned incense unto all the host of heaven, and have poured out drink-offerings unto other gods. 14 Then came Jeremiah from Tophet, whither the LORD had sent him to prophesy; and he stood in the court of the LORD's house; and said to all the people, 34; and Isa. xxx. 33. They have built also, rather, &c.-This was intended to be a symbolical reprethey have even built the high places of Baal-For || sentation of the ruin threatened against them, used in the same sin is here expressed which was mentioned order to strike the beholders more powerfully than in the latter part of the foregoing verse, and the co- mere words could do. Of such symbolical actions pulative particle, vau, is sometimes used by way of as these there are several instances in the Scriptures. explication; to burn their sons with fire unto Baal- Thus saith the Lord, Even so will I break this From this, as well as from some other places, it is people-That is, as Jeremiah breaketh the bottle: plain that they slew and burned human victims to That cannot be made whole again-That is, the Baal as well as to Moloch, if these two names ruin of Jerusalem shall be an utter ruin: no hand were not promiscuously given, as some suppose they can repair it but his that broke it; and if they return were, to one and the same idol. Which I command- to him, though he has torn, he will heal. In fact, ed not, &c.—It seems from this that there were not Jerusalem was so utterly destroyed by the Chaldewanting some who maintained that human sacrifices ans that there was little left standing of it. So that were pleasing to God. after their captivity they were obliged to build a new city in the place of the former. And they shall bury them in Tophet--These words are omitted by the LXX.; till there be no place to bury-Till there is no room to bury more; for the meaning is, that the whole valley of Tophet should be so filled with dead bodies, that there should be no room to lay any more there; by which is expressed the greatness of the slaughter. And even make this city as Tophet-A place of slaughter. And the houses of Jerusalem shall be defiled as Tophet-Namely, polluted with dead bodies. Because of the houses upon whose roofs they have burned incense-The houses of the Jews were built with flat roofs, Deut. xxii. 8, and there they dedicated altars to the host of heaven, where they could have a full view of them. Verses 6-9. Therefore, behold, the days comeAnd are at no great distance; that this place shall no more be called Tophet, &c.-In Joshua's time it was called The valley of the son of Hinnom; in after ages, it had the name of Tophet, from the noise of drums and tabrets sounding there while children were burning. Here it is foretold that it should have a new name and be called, The valley of Slaughter. See note on chap. vii. 32, 33. I will make void the counsel, &c., in this place-They shed innocent || blood in this place, and in this place God would discomfit them, and cause their blood to be shed by the hands of the Chaldeans. And I will cause them to eat the flesh of their sons and daughters-A terrible judgment threatened by Moses, Deut. xxviii. 53; and actually fulfilled in the siege of Jerusalem. See Lam. iv. 10. Verses 14, 15. He stood in the court of the Lord's house-The great court, called the outer court, Ezek. Verses 10-13. Then shalt thou break the bottle, || xlvi. 21, supposed to be the same with the new court, Jeremiah smitten CHAPTER XX. by Pashur. 15 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, || that I have pronounced against it, A. M. 3399. the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring because they have hardened their upon this city and upon all her towns all the evil necks, that they might not hear my words. A. M. 3399. u B. C. 605. mentioned 2 Chron. xx. 5, as having been built since || nounced against it—As if he had said, Flatter not Solomon's time. And said to all the people-Con- yourselves with a conceit that God will be better to firming, and probably repeating to them, who had you than his word. Whatever you may suppose to not heard it, what he had said to the ancients in the the contrary, the execution of the divine threatenvalley of Tophet. Thus saith the Lord of hosts- ing will fully answer the prediction, and the former Who is well able to make his words good; I will will be found, by experience, to be as terrible as the bring upon this city, and upon all her towns-All the latter represents it to be; because they have hardencities of Judah and Benjamin are meant which ac-ed their necks-And would not bend them to the knowledged Jerusalem for their metropolis, and were || yoke of God's commands; and would not hear his subordinate to her. All the evil that I have pro-|| words-Would not heed and yield obedience to them. CHAPTER XX. We have in this chapter, which is a continuation of the foregoing, (1,) An account of Jeremiah's being beaten and imprisoned by Pashur, captain of the temple; against whom, on his release, he pronounces a terrible sentence, and also against his friends, foretelling their being carried away captives with all Judah unto Babylon, where Pashur, and all that belonged to him, should die in exile, 1–6. (2,) The prophet complains of the mockery of his enemies, and their malicious attempts to hurt him; but professes his trust, that God would still defeat their purposes and avenge his wrongs; and celebrates his deliverance with a song of praise, 7-13. (3,) He bitterly laments his being born to a life of so much sorrow and disquietude, 14-18. A. M. 3399. B. C. 605. NOW Pashur the son of Immer || Jeremiah prophesied these things. A. M. 339 the priest, who was also chief 2 Then Pashur smote Jeremiah governor in the house of the LORD, heard that the prophet and put him in the stocks that a 1 Chron. xxiv. 14. NOTES ON CHAPTER XX. that, if the course of Immer was at that time upon Verse 1. Pashur the son of Immer-Pashur was duty, Pashur was at the same time the acting ruler or not the immediate son of Immer, but of Melchiah,|| as is expressly mentioned 1 Chronicles ix. 12, and hereafter, chapter xxi. 1. Immer was one of his predecessors, and head of the sixteenth sacerdotal class, 1 Chron. xxiv. 14. Pashur was not highpriest, as some of the ancients have thought, but only captain, or overseer of the temple. In this capacity he had power to arrest and put in prison the false prophets, and those who caused any disturbance in the temple. This matter is further explained, by Blaney, thus: "The priests being distributed, by David, into twenty-four courses, under as many heads of families, and each of these courses officiating by turns in the temple service; the heads of each course were governors of the sanctuary; or, according to our translation, of the house of God. The meaning then will be, that these heads of the courses had not only the chief ordering of the service of the sanctuary, but were invested also with authority, at least within the precincts of the temple, to maintain peace and good order there. These persons I consider as being the same with those who in the New Testament are styled apxiɛpeis, chief priests, being next in dignity and power to the high-priest. Pashur, it seems, was the head of the course of Immer. Sol commander in the temple. And this I conceive to be implied in the words here used,711, implying his authority to command, and 7p5, that he was then in the exercise of it; and by virtue of that authority he took upon him to punish Jeremiah as a disturber of the peace. I have given this officer, or magistrate," (namely, in his translation,) "the military title of commanding officer, because it was usual to consider the temple as a kind of garrison, held by high-priests under military subordination. And for this reason, no doubt, we find him called by the name of spaτnyos T8 LEр8, captain of the temple, Acts iv. 1, and v. 24, 26. In Luke xxii. 52, captains, ¿parŋyoi, are spoken of, in the plural number; which may perhaps be thus accounted for. As on the great festivals, not only the priests of the ordinary course, but the whole body of priests, were called upon to assist in the sacrifices; so on account of the multitudes that flocked to the temple at these times, the guards were also necessarily doubled, and, of course, a greater number of captains were on constant duty; and many, if not all these, came to assist in apprehending Jesus, as on a service which might be esteemed hazardous, on account of the number of his disciples." Verse 2. Then Pashur smote Jeremiah, &c.—He Jeremiah predicts B. C. 605. B. C. 605. A. M. 3399. were in the high gate of Benjamin, || precious things thereof, and all the A. M. 3399. which was by the house of the LORD. treasures of the kings of Judah will 3 And it came to pass on the morrow, that I give into the hand of their enemies, which Pashur brought forth Jeremiah out of the shall spoil them, and take them, and carry them stocks. Then said Jeremiah unto him, The to Babylon. LORD hath not called thy name Pashur, but 'Magor-missabib. 4 For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will make thee a terror to thyself, and to all thy friends and they shall fall by the sword of their enemies, and thine eyes shall behold it: and I will give all Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall carry them captive into Babylon, and shall slay them with the sword. 5 Moreover I will deliver all the strength of this city, and all the labours thereof, and all the 1 That is, fear round about, Psa. xxxi. 13; Verse 10; Chap. vi. 25; xlvi. 5; xlix. 29.-b 2 Kings xx. 17; xxiv. 12-16; xxv. 13, &c.; Chap. iii. 24. : 6 And thou, Pashur, and all that dwell in thy house, shall go into captivity: and thou shalt come to Babylon, and there thou shalt die, and shalt be buried there, thou, and all thy friends, to whom thou hast © prophesied lies. thought, no doubt, that Jeremiah's speaking so plain- their fine buildings, or whatever its artificers had ly of the overthrow of Jerusalem, and of the mise-erected with labour and cost; and all the precious ries which should befall it, deserved that he should be things thereof-Whatever was valuable in the eyes arrested and put in confinement, to prevent his of the greatest persons among them ; will I give into speaking thus freely and accordingly he treats him the hands of their enemies--The Babylonians shall as they treated, or rather, ought to have treated, the spoil and make a prey of them all. false prophets. And put him in the stocks—The Verse 7. O Lord, thou hast deceived me, &c.— word, here translated the stocks, is rendered This is a very harsh and improper translation of the the prison by Houbigant, and the house of correc- prophet's words, no n'л, which properly and tion by Blaney. It occurs twice besides, namely, literally signify, Thou hast persuaded me, and I chap. xxix. 26, and 2 Chron. xvi. 10, in both which was persuaded. Some, to make the sense more places it is rendered simply a prison, and is men- clear, supply a few words, and make the whole sentioned as a punishment due to, or inflicted on, one tence stand thus; O Lord, thou hast persuaded me to who assumed the character of a prophet, without a carry thy commands to thy people, and I was perproper call, or was presumed to have behaved un-suaded: thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailbecomingly as such. The word which properly || ed-That is, "It was sore against my will, that I signifies the stocks, is 75: see Job xiii. 27, and xxxiii.|| 11. It is very natural to understand here that Pashur, having caused Jeremiah to be beaten, or scourged, ordered him into confinement afterward; from whence he released him the next day. undertook the prophetic office, which I would gladly have declined, chap. i. 6. But thy commands and inspiration did, in a manner, constrain me to it." The occasion of the words was this: "The prophet had met with a large share of ill usage, from an ungrateVerses 3-5. Jeremiah said, The Lord hath not ful people, in return for the faithful discharge of his called-Rather, doth not call thy name Pashur; but prophetic office. Under these his calamitous circumMagor-missabib-That is, Terror on every side, or, stances he looks up to God, and appeals to him, the Terror to all around, as the name is explained in searcher of hearts, as his witness, that it was not the next verse. God's giving him this name, signi- through any ambition of his own that he had enterfies his changing the circumstances or condition of ed upon that invidious office; nor had he taken upon the person so named, agreeably to the meaning of him, of his own accord, to reprove his countrymen: the name given him, or that he would render him such but he had done all in pure obedience to the divine as he called him. So when God called Abram by the command. He would gladly have declined the office, new name of Abraham, he assigns the reason, "For but God would not suffer him: wherefore, hereupon a father of many nations have I made thee," Gen. he says, speaking to the Almighty, Thou hast perxvii. 5. I will deliver all the strength of this city-suaded me, &c. The passage carries in it a lively All its wealth, the word on, here used, being fre- idea of the prophet's great modesty, and profound quently translated treasures: see Prov. xv. 6; Ezek. humility, in not affecting high things or shining xxii. 25. It may also include whatever strengthened offices; but submitting, however, to the burden of and defended it, especially the men of war; and all them, in obedience to the will of God." See Waterthe tabours thereof-Or, all the workmanship there-land's Script. Vind., part iii. page 84. of; that is, all the fruit of the people's labours; all Verses 8, 9. For since I spake, I cried out, I cried 3 10 For I heard the defaming of many, fear on every side. Report, say they, and we will report it. All my familiars watched for my halting, saying, Peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him. Job xxxii. 18, 19; Psa. xxxix. 3.-h Job xxxii. 18; Acts xviii. 5. Psalm xxxi. 13.-3 Heb. every man of my peace. *Job xix. 19; Psa. xli. 9; lv. 13, 14; Luke xi. 53, 54. The prophet praises God. B. C. 605. pre 11 But the LORD is with me as a A. M. 3399. mighty terrible one: therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not m vail; they shall be greatly ashamed; for they shall not prosper: their "everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten. 12 But, O LORD of hosts, that triest the righteous, and seest the reins and the heart, P let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I opened my cause. 13 Sing unto the LORD, praise ye the LORD: for he hath delivered the soul of the poor from the hand of evil-doers. violence and spoil-Or, rather, as Houbigant ren- prophet, exciting one another to accuse him of beders it, For since I spake, and cried against ini- ing in the interest of the Babylonians against his quity, and denounced desolation, the word of the country. Blaney joins this clause with the preLord, &c.-Blaney's translation is nearly to the ceding, thus: Report ye terror all around, and we same sense: For as often as I speak, whether I cry will report it: all my familiar friends watch for out against injustice or proclaim devastation, the my halting; perhaps, say they, he may be drawn word of Jehovah is turned against me into matter aside, so that we may prevail against him, and we of reproach and derision continually. The prophet may take our revenge of him. But, &c.-The promeans that, upon account of declaring what God phet, having given vent to his painful apprehensions had revealed to him, he was reckoned an enemy to in the preceding gloomy reflections, begins here to his country, and a false prophet. Then I said- rise above his fears, and to encourage himself in his Namely, within myself, for he did not speak this to God. The Lord is with me-Is on my side, to take any one; I will not make mention of him—Or, of it, my part against my enemies, and to defend me from namely, the word of God, or the message God had their malicious designs upon me; as a mighty and appointed him to deliver; nor speak any more in|| terrible one-Mighty to defend, support, and save his name I resolved no more to declare what God || me, and terrible to confound and avenge me of them! had revealed to me concerning the calamities which The Lord had said to him, when he first undertook he was about to bring on Judah and Jerusalem. But the prophetic office, (chap. i. 8,) Be not afraid of his word was in my heart as a burning fire-It their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee. This glowed inwardly, and must have vent: I found my-promise he now recollects, and confiding in the self so pressed in spirit, felt such a burning ardour within my breast, such an immediate and powerful impulse of the prophetic spirit constraining me to speak, that I could no more be easy without executing God's commands, than if a burning fire had been shut up in my bones. The conviction of his own mind that he ought to speak, his zeal for the glory of God, his indignation at the sins of the people, and his compassion for their souls, would not suffer him to rest, or allow him to forbear declaring God's message. Verses 10, 11. For I heard the defaming of many -The slanderous, injurious reports that were raised concerning me; fear on every side-Hebrew, magor-missabib; as if he had said, The name given to Pashur would have suited me; fear, or cause for fear, was on every side of me. These words are found verbatim in the original, (Psa. xxxi. 13,) where the sense of them seems to be exactly the same as here, namely, from the slanderous reports raised upon him, he had reason to apprehend some evil design against his life, as well from treacherous friends as from open enemies. Report, say they, &c.-This seems to be spoken of the enemies of the power, love, and faithfulness of God to make it good, he concludes that though he had many enemies who pursued after his life, he should be protected, and they should fail of accomplishing their wicked purpose. Therefore my persecutors shall stumble—In their ways of violence, and not prevail against me. They shall be greatly ashamed-Of what they have done, or shall be brought to shame for it. Their everlasting confusion-That is, their ignominy and disgrace; shall never be forgotten-They shall not forget it themselves, but it shall be to them a constant and lasting vexation whenever they think of it; and others shall not forget it, but it shall leave upon them an indelible reproach. Verses 12, 13. But, O Lord, that triest the righteous- -That triest their faith and patience, in order to the farther purification of their souls, and the increase of these and all their other graces; or, who takest cognizance of them, and of every cause in which they are interested; and who dost not judge in their favour with partiality, but searchest the reins and the heart; let me see thy vengeance on them-See note on chap. xi. 20. For unto thee have I opened my cause-As to a just judge, who wilt not |