1Und das Wort Jehovas geschah zu mir also: 2Geh und rufe vor den Ohren Jerusalems und sprich: So spricht Jehova: Ich habe dir gedacht die Zuneigung deiner Jugend, die Liebe deines Brautstandes, dein Wandeln hinter mir her in der Wüste, im unbesäten Lande. 3Israel war heilig dem Jehova, der Erstling seines Ertrags; alle, die es verzehren wollten, verschuldeten sich: Unglück kam über sie, spricht Jehova. 4Höret das Wort Jehovas, Haus Jakob und alle Geschlechter des Hauses Israel! 5So spricht Jehova: Was haben eure Väter Unrechtes an mir gefunden, daß sie sich von mir entfernt haben und der Nichtigkeit nachgegangen und nichtig geworden sind? 6Und sie sprachen nicht: Wo ist Jehova, der uns aus dem Lande Ägypten heraufgeführt hat, der uns leitete in der Wüste, in dem Lande der Steppen und der Gruben, in dem Lande der Dürre und des Todesschattens, in dem Lande, durch welches niemand zieht, und wo kein Mensch wohnt? 7Und ich brachte euch in ein Land der Fruchtgefilde , um seine Frucht und seinen Ertrag zu essen; und ihr kamet hin und verunreinigtet mein Land, und mein Erbteil habt ihr zum Greuel gemacht. 8Die Priester sprachen nicht: Wo ist Jehova? Und die das Gesetz handhabten, kannten mich nicht, und die Hirten fielen von mir ab; und die Propheten weissagten durch den Baal und sind denen nachgegangen, welche nichts nützen. 9Darum werde ich weiter mit euch rechten, spricht Jehova; und mit euren Kindeskindern werde ich rechten. 10Denn gehet hinüber zu den Inseln der Kittäer und sehet, und sendet nach Kedar und merket wohl auf; und sehet, ob dergleichen geschehen ist! 11Hat irgend eine Nation die Götter vertauscht? und doch sind sie nicht Götter ; aber mein Volk hat seine Herrlichkeit vertauscht gegen das, was nichts nützt. 12Entsetzet euch darüber, ihr Himmel, und schaudert, starret sehr! spricht Jehova. 13Denn zweifach Böses hat mein Volk begangen: Mich, den Born lebendigen Wassers, haben sie verlassen, um sich Cisternen auszuhauen, geborstene Cisternen, die kein Wasser halten. 14Ist Israel ein Knecht, oder ist er ein Hausgeborener? Warum ist er zur Beute geworden? 15Junge Löwen haben wider ihn gebrüllt, ließen ihre Stimme hören, und haben sein Land zur Wüste gemacht; seine Städte sind verbrannt worden, so daß niemand darin wohnt. 16Auch die Söhne von Noph und Tachpanches weideten dir den Scheitel ab. 17Ist es nicht dein Verlassen Jehovas, deines Gottes, zur Zeit, da er dich auf dem Wege führte, welches dir dieses bewirkt? 18Und nun, was hast du mit dem Wege nach Ägypten zu schaffen, um die Wasser des Sichor zu trinken? und was hast du mit dem Wege nach Assyrien zu schaffen, um die Wasser des Stromes zu trinken? 19Deine Bosheit züchtigt dich und deine Abtrünnigkeiten strafen dich; so erkenne und sieh, daß es schlimm und bitter ist, daß du Jehova, deinen Gott, verlässest, und daß meine Furcht nicht bei dir ist, spricht der Herr, Jehova der Heerscharen. 20Denn vor alters hast du dein Joch zerbrochen, deine Bande zerrissen, und hast gesagt: Ich will nicht dienen! sondern auf jedem hohen Hügel und unter jedem grünen Baume gabst du dich preis als Hure. 21Und ich hatte dich gepflanzt als Edelrebe, lauter echtes Gewächs ; und wie hast du dich mir verwandelt in entartete Ranken eines fremden Weinstocks! 22Ja, wenn du dich mit Natron wüschest und viel Laugensalz nähmest: schmutzig bleibt deine Ungerechtigkeit vor mir, spricht der Herr, Jehova. 23Wie sprichst du: Ich habe mich nicht verunreinigt, ich bin den Baalim nicht nachgegangen? Sieh deinen Weg im Tale, erkenne, was du getan hast, du flinke Kamelin, die rechts und links umherläuft ! 24Eine Wildeselin, die Wüste gewohnt, in ihrer Lustbegierde schnappt sie nach Luft; ihre Brunst, wer wird sie hemmen? Alle, die sie suchen, brauchen sich nicht abzumüden: in ihrem Monat werden sie sie finden. 25Bewahre deinen Fuß vor dem Barfußgehen und deine Kehle vor dem Durste! Aber du sprichst: Es ist umsonst, nein! denn ich liebe die Fremden, und ihnen gehe ich nach. 26Wie ein Dieb beschämt ist, wenn er ertappt wird, also ist beschämt worden das Haus Israel, sie, ihre Könige, ihre Fürsten und ihre Priester und ihre Propheten, 27die zum Holze sprechen: Du bist mein Vater, und zum Steine: Du hast mich geboren; denn sie haben mir den Rücken zugekehrt und nicht das Angesicht. Aber zur Zeit ihres Unglücks sprechen sie: Stehe auf und rette uns! 28Wo sind nun deine Götter, die du dir gemacht hast? Mögen sie aufstehen, ob sie dich retten können zur Zeit deines Unglücks! Denn so zahlreich wie deine Städte sind deine Götter geworden, Juda. 29Warum rechtet ihr mit mir? Allesamt seid ihr von mir abgefallen, spricht Jehova. 30Vergeblich habe ich eure Kinder geschlagen, sie haben keine Zucht angenommen; euer Schwert hat eure Propheten gefressen wie ein verderbender Löwe. 31O Geschlecht, das ihr seid, merket das Wort Jehovas! Bin ich für Israel eine Wüste gewesen, oder ein Land tiefer Finsternis? Warum spricht mein Volk: Wir schweifen umher, wir kommen nicht mehr zu dir? 32Vergißt auch eine Jungfrau ihres Schmuckes, eine Braut ihres Gürtels? aber mein Volk hat meiner vergessen Tage ohne Zahl. 33Wie schön richtest du deinen Weg ein, um Liebe zu suchen! Darum hast du auch an Übeltaten deine Wege gewöhnt. 34Ja, an den Säumen deiner Kleider findet sich das Blut unschuldiger Armer; und nicht beim Einbruch hast du sie betroffen , sondern wegen all jener Dinge hast du es getan. 35Und du sagst : Ich bin unschuldig, ja, sein Zorn hat sich von mir abgewandt. Siehe, ich werde Gericht an dir üben, weil du sagst: Ich habe nicht gesündigt. 36Was läufst du so sehr, um deinen Weg zu ändern? Auch wegen Ägyptens wirst du beschämt werden, wie du wegen Assyriens beschämt worden bist; 37auch von diesen wirst du weggehen mit deinen Händen auf deinem Haupte. Denn Jehova verwirft die, auf welche du vertraust, und es wird dir mit ihnen nicht gelingen.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 2 EXPOSTULATION WITH THE JEWS, REMINDING THEM OF THEIR FORMER DEVOTEDNESS, AND GOD'S CONSEQUENT FAVOR, AND A DENUNCIATION OF GOD'S COMING JUDGMENTS FOR THEIR IDOLATRY. (Jer. 2:1-37)
cry--proclaim.
Jerusalem--the headquarters and center of their idolatry; therefore addressed first.
thee--rather, "I remember in regard to thee" [HENDERSON]; "for thee" [MAURER].
kindness of thy youth--not so much Israel's kindness towards God, as the kindness which Israel experienced from God in their early history (compare
Ιεζ. 16:8,
Ιεζ. 16:22,
Ιεζ. 16:60;
Ιεζ. 23:3,
Ιεζ. 23:8,
Ιεζ. 23:19;
Ωσ. 2:15). For Israel from the first showed perversity rather than kindness towards God (compare
Έξ. 14:11-
Έξ. 14:12;
Έξ. 15:24;
Έξ. 32:1-
Έξ. 32:7, &c.). The greater were God's favors to them from the first, the fouler was their ingratitude in forsaking Him (
Ιερ. 2:3,
Ιερ. 2:5, &c.).
espousals--the intervals between Israel's betrothal to God at the exodus from Egypt, and the formal execution of the marriage contract at Sinai. EWALD takes the "kindness" and "love" to be Israel's towards God at first (
Έξ. 19:8;
Έξ. 24:3;
Έξ. 35:20-
Έξ. 35:29;
Έξ. 36:5;
Ιησ. 24:16-
Ιησ. 24:17). But compare
Δευτ. 32:16-
Δευτ. 32:17;
Ιεζ. 16:5-
Ιεζ. 16:6,
Ιεζ. 16:15,
Ιεζ. 16:22 ("days of thy youth") implies that the love here meant was on God's side, not Israel's.
thou wentest after me in . . . wilderness--the next act of God's love, His leading them in the desert without needing any strange god, such as they since worshipped, to help Him (
Δευτ. 2:7;
Δευτ. 32:12).
Ιερ. 2:6 shows it is God's "leading" of them, not their following after God in the wilderness, which is implied.
3 holiness unto the Lord--that is, was consecrated to the service of Jehovah (
Έξ. 19:5-
Έξ. 19:6). They thus answered to the motto on their high priest's breastplate, "Holiness to the Lord" (
Δευτ. 7:6;
Δευτ. 14:2,
Δευτ. 14:21).
first-fruits of his increase--that is, of Jehovah's produce. As the first-fruits of the whole produce of the land were devoted to God (
Έξ. 23:19;
Αρ. 18:12-
Αρ. 18:13), so Israel was devoted to Him as the first-fruit and representative nation among all nations. So the spiritual Israel (
Ιακ. 1:18;
Αποκ. 14:4).
devour--carrying on the image of first-fruits which were eaten before the Lord by the priests as the Lord's representatives; all who ate (injured) Jehovah's first-fruits (Israel), contracted guilt: for example, Amalek, the Amorites, &c., were extirpated for their guilt towards Israel.
shall come--rather, "came."
4 Jacob . . . Israel--the whole nation.
families--(See on
Ιερ. 1:15). Hear God's word not only collectively, but individually (
Ζαχ. 12:12-
Ζαχ. 12:14).
5 iniquity--wrong done to them (
Ησ. 5:4;
Μιχ. 6:3; compare
Δευτ. 32:4).
walked after vanity--contrasted with "walkest after me in the wilderness" (
Ιερ. 2:2): then I was their guide in the barren desert; now they take idols as their guides.
vanity . . . vain--An idol is not only vain (impotent and empty), but vanity itself. Its worshippers acquire its character, becoming vain as it is (
Δευτ. 7:26;
Ψαλ. 115:8). A people's character never rises above that of its gods, which are its "better nature" [BACON] (
2Βασ. 17:15;
Ιων. 2:8).
6 Neither said they, Where, &c.--The very words which God uses (
Ησ. 63:9,
Ησ. 63:11,
Ησ. 63:13), when, as it were, reminding Himself of His former acts of love to Israel as a ground for interposing in their behalf again. When they would not say, Where is Jehovah, &c., God Himself at last said it for them (compare see on
Ιερ. 2:2).
deserts . . . pits--The desert between Mount Sinai and Palestine abounds in chasms and pits, in which beasts of burden often sink down to the knees. "Shadow of death" refers to the darkness of the caverns amidst the rocky precipices (
Δευτ. 8:15;
Δευτ. 32:10).
7 plentiful--literally, "a land of Carmel," or "well-cultivated land": a garden land, in contrast to the "land of deserts" (
Ιερ. 2:6).
defiled--by idolatries (
Κρ. 2:10-
Κρ. 2:17;
Ψαλ. 78:58-
Ψαλ. 78:59;
Ψαλ. 106:38).
you . . . ye--change to the second person from the third, "they" (
Ιερ. 2:6), in order to bring home the guilt to the living generation.
8 The three leading classes, whose very office under the theocracy was to lead the people to God, disowned Him in the same language as the nation at large, "Where is the Lord?" (See
Ιερ. 2:6).
priests--whose office it was to expound the law (
Μαλ. 2:6-
Μαλ. 2:7).
handle--are occupied with the law as the subject of their profession.
pastors--civil, not religious: princes (
Ιερ. 3:15), whose duty it was to tend their people.
prophets--who should have reclaimed the people from their apostasy, encouraged them in it by pretended oracles from Baal, the Phśnician false god.
by Baal--in his name and by his authority (compare
Ιερ. 11:21).
walked after things . . . not profit--answering to, "walked after vanity," that is, idols (
Ιερ. 2:5; compare
Ιερ. 2:11;
Αββ. 2:18).
9 yet plead--namely, by inflicting still further judgments on you.
children's children--Three manuscripts and JEROME omit "children's"; they seem to have thought it unsuitable to read "children's children," when "children" had not preceded. But it is designedly so written, to intimate that the final judgment on the nation would be suspended for many generations [HORSLEY]. (Compare
Ιεζ. 20:35-
Ιεζ. 20:36;
Μιχ. 6:2).
10 pass over the isles--rather, "cross over to the isles."
Chittim . . . Kedar--that is, the heathen nations, west and east. Go where you will, you cannot find an instance of any heathen nation forsaking their own for other gods. Israel alone does this. Yet the heathen gods are false gods; whereas Israel, in forsaking Me for other gods, forsake their "glory" for unprofitable idols.
Chittim--Cyprus, colonized by Phśnicians, who built in it the city of Citium, the modern Chitti. Then the term came to be applied to all maritime coasts of the Mediterranean, especially Greece (
Αρ. 24:24;
Ησ. 23:1;
Δαν. 11:30).
Kedar--descended from Ishmael; the Bedouins and Arabs, east of Palestine.
11 glory--Jehovah, the glory of Israel (
Ψαλ. 106:20;
Ρωμ. 1:23). The Shekinah, or cloud resting on the sanctuary, was the symbol of "the glory of the Lord" (
1Βασ. 8:11; compare
Ρωμ. 9:4). The golden calf was intended as an image of the true God (compare
Έξ. 32:4-
Έξ. 32:5), yet it is called an "idol" (
Πράξ. 7:41). It (like Roman Catholic images) was a violation of the second commandment, as the heathen multiplying of gods is a violation of the first.
not profit-- (
Ιερ. 2:8).
12 Impassioned personification (
Ησ. 1:2).
horribly afraid--rather, be horrified."
be . . . very desolate--rather, "be exceedingly aghast" at the monstrous spectacle. Literally, "to be dried up," or "devastated," (places devastated have such an unsightly look) [MAURER].
13 two evils--not merely one evil, like the idolaters who know no better; besides simple idolatry, My people add the sin of forsaking the true God whom they have known; the heathen, though having the sin of idolatry, are free from the further sin of changing the true God for idols (
Ιερ. 2:11).
forsaken me--The Hebrew collocation brings out the only living God into more prominent contrast with idol nonentities. "Me they have forsaken, the Fountain," &c. (
Ιερ. 17:13;
Ψαλ. 36:9;
Ιωάν. 4:14).
broken cisterns--tanks for rain water, common in the East, where wells are scarce. The tanks not only cannot give forth an ever-flowing fresh supply as fountains can, but cannot even retain the water poured into them; the stonework within being broken, the earth drinks up the collected water. So, in general, all earthly, compared with heavenly, means of satisfying man's highest wants (
Ησ. 55:1-
Ησ. 55:2; compare
Λουκ. 12:33).
14 is he a homeborn slave--No. "Israel is Jehovah's son, even His first-born" (
Έξ. 4:22).
Ιερ. 2:16,
Ιερ. 2:18,
Ιερ. 2:36, and the absence of any express contrast of the two parts of the nation are against EICHORN'S view, that the prophet proposes to Judah, as yet spared, the case of Israel (the ten tribes) which had been carried away by Assyria as a warning of what they might expect if they should still put their trust in Egypt. "Were Israel's ten tribes of meaner birth than Judah? Certainly not. If, then, the former fell before Assyria, what can Judah hope from Egypt against Assyria? . . . Israel" is rather here the whole of the remnant still left in their own land, that is, Judah. "How comes it to pass that the nation which once was under God's special protection (
Ιερ. 2:3) is now left at the mercy of the foe as a worthless slave?" The prophet sees this event as if present, though it was still future to Judah (
Ιερ. 2:19).
15 lions--the Babylonian princes (
Ιερ. 4:7; compare
Άμ. 3:4). The disaster from the Babylonians in the fourth year of Jehoiakim's reign, and again three years later when, relying on Egypt, he revolted from Nebuchadnezzar, is here referred to (
Ιερ. 46:2;
2Βασ. 24:1-2).
16 Noph . . . Tahapanes--Memphis, capital of Lower Egypt, on the west bank of the Nile, near the pyramids of Gizeh, opposite the site of modern Cairo. Daphne, on the Tanitic branch of the Nile, near Pelusium, on the frontier of Egypt towards Palestine.
Ησ. 30:4 contracts it, Hanes. These two cities, one the capital, the other that with which the Jews came most in contact, stand for the whole of Egypt. Tahapanes takes its name from a goddess, Tphnet [CHAMPOLLION]. Memphis is from Man-nofri, "the abode of good men"; written in Hebrew, Moph (
Ωσ. 9:6), or Noph. The reference is to the coming invasion of Judah by Pharaoh-necho of Egypt, on his return from the Euphrates, when he deposed Jehoahaz and levied a heavy tribute on the land (
2Βασ. 23:33-35). Josiah's death in battle with the same Pharaoh is probably included (
2Βασ. 23:29-30).
have broken--rather, shall feed down the crown, &c., that is, affect with the greatest ignominy, such as baldness was regarded in the East (
Ιερ. 48:37;
2Βασ. 2:23). Instead of "also," translate, "even" the Egyptians, in whom thou dost trust, shall miserably disappoint thy expectation [MAURER]. Jehoiakim was twice leagued with them (
2Βασ. 23:34-35): when he received the crown from them, and when he revolted from Nebuchadnezzar (
2Βασ. 24:1-2,
2Βασ. 24:7). The Chaldeans, having become masters of Asia, threatened Egypt. Judea, situated between the contending powers, was thus exposed to the inroads of the one or other of the hostile armies; and unfortunately, except in Josiah's reign, took side with Egypt, contrary to God's warnings.
17 Literally, "Has not thy forsaking the Lord . . . procured this (calamity) to thee?" So the Septuagint: the Masoretic accents make "this" the subject of the verb, leaving the object to be understood. "Has not this procured (it, that is, the impending calamity) unto thee, that hast forsaken?" &c. (
Ιερ. 4:18).
led-- (
Δευτ. 32:10).
the way--The article expresses the right way, the way of the Lord: namely, the moral training which they enjoyed in the Mosaic covenant.
18 now--used in a reasoning sense, not of time.
the way of Egypt--What hast thou to do with the way, that is, with going down to Egypt; or what . . . with going to Assyria?
drink . . . waters--that is, to seek reinvigorating aid from them; so
Ιερ. 2:13,
Ιερ. 2:36; compare "waters," meaning numerous forces (
Ησ. 8:7).
Sihor--that is, the black river, in Greek, Melas ("black"), the Nile: so called from the black deposit or soil it leaves after the inundation (
Ησ. 23:3). The Septuagint identifies it with Gihon, one of the rivers of Paradise.
the river--Euphrates, called by pre-eminence, the river; figurative for the Assyrian power. In 625 B.C., the seventeenth year of Josiah, and the fourth of Jeremiah's office, the kingdom of Assyria fell before Babylon, therefore Assyria is here put for Babylon its successor: so in
2Βασ. 23:29;
Θρ. 5:6. There was doubtless a league between Judea and Assyria (that is, Babylon), which caused Josiah to march against Pharaoh-necho of Egypt when that king went against Babylon: the evil consequences of this league are foretold in this verse and
Ιερ. 2:36.
19 correct . . . reprove--rather, in the severer sense, "chastise . . . punish" [MAURER].
backslidings--"apostasies"; plural, to express the number and variety of their defections. The very confederacies they entered into were the occasion of their overthrow (
Παρ. 1:31;
Ησ. 3:9;
Ωσ. 5:5).
know . . . see--imperative for futures: Thou shalt know and see to thy cost.
my fear--rather, "the fear of Me."
20 I--the Hebrew should be pointed as the second person feminine, a form common in Jeremiah: "Thou hast broken," &c. So the Septuagint, and the sense requires it.
thy yoke . . . bands--the yoke and bands which I laid on thee, My laws (
Ιερ. 5:5).
transgress--so the Keri, and many manuscripts read. But the Septuagint and most authorities read, "I will not serve," that is, obey. The sense of English Version is, "I broke thy yoke (in Egypt)," &c., "and (at that time) thou saidst, I will not transgress; whereas thou hast (since then) wandered (from Me)" (
Έξ. 19:8).
hill . . . green tree--the scene of idolatries (
Δευτ. 12:2;
Ησ. 57:5,
Ησ. 57:7).
wanderest--rather, "thou hast bowed down thyself" (for the act of adultery: figurative of shameless idolatry,
Έξ. 34:15-
Έξ. 34:16; compare
Ιώβ 31:10).
21 The same image as in
Δευτ. 32:32;
Ψαλ. 80:8-
Ψαλ. 80:9;
Ησ. 5:1, &c.
unto me--with respect to Me.
22 nitre--not what is now so called, namely, saltpeter; but the natron of Egypt, a mineral alkali, an incrustation at the bottom of the lakes, after the summer heat has evaporated the water: used for washing (compare
Ιώβ 9:30;
Παρ. 25:20).
soap--potash, the carbonate of which is obtained impure from burning different plants, especially the kali of Egypt and Arabia. Mixed with oil it was used for washing.
marked--deeply ingrained, indelibly marked; the Hebrew, catham, being equivalent to cathab. Others translate, "is treasured up," from the Arabic. MAURER from a Syriac root, "is polluted."
23 (
Παρ. 30:12).
Baalim--plural, to express manifold excellency: compare Elohim.
see--consider.
the valley--namely, of Hinnom, or Tophet, south and east of Jerusalem: rendered infamous by the human sacrifices to Moloch in it (compare
Ιερ. 19:2,
Ιερ. 19:6,
Ιερ. 19:13-
Ιερ. 19:14;
Ιερ. 32:35; see on
Ησ. 30:33).
thou art--omit. The substantive that follows in this verse (and also that in
Ιερ. 2:24) is in apposition with the preceding "thou."
dromedary--rather, a "young she-camel."
traversing--literally, "enfolding"; making its ways complicated by wandering hither and thither, lusting after the male. Compare as to the Jews' spiritual lust,
Ωσ. 2:6-
Ωσ. 2:7.
24 (
Ιερ. 14:6;
Ιώβ 39:5). "A wild ass," agreeing with "thou" (
Ιερ. 2:23).
at her pleasure--rather, "in her ardor," namely, in pursuit of a male, sniffing the wind to ascertain where one is to be found [MAURER].
occasion--either from a Hebrew root, "to meet"; "her meeting (with the male for sexual intercourse), who can avert it?" Or better from an Arabic root: "her heat (sexual impulse), who can allay it?" [MAURER].
all they--whichever of the males desire her company [HORSLEY].
will not weary themselves--have no need to weary themselves in searching for her.
her month--in the season of the year when her sexual impulse is strongest, she puts herself in the way of the males, so that they have no difficulty in finding her.
25 Withhold, &c.--that is, abstain from incontinence; figuratively for idolatry [HOUBIGANT].
unshod, &c.--do not run so violently in pursuing lovers, as to wear out thy shoes: do not "thirst" so incontinently after sexual intercourse. HITZIG thinks the reference is to penances performed barefoot to idols, and the thirst occasioned by loud and continued invocations to them.
no hope-- (
Ιερ. 18:12;
Ησ. 57:10). "It is hopeless," that is, I am desperately resolved to go on in my own course.
strangers--that is, laying aside the metaphor, "strange gods" (
Ιερ. 3:13;
Δευτ. 32:16).
26 is ashamed--is put to shame.
thief-- (
Ιωάν. 10:1).
Israel--that is, Judah (
Ιερ. 2:28).
27 Thou art my father--(Contrast
Ιερ. 3:4;
Ησ. 64:8).
in . . . trouble they will say--namely, to God (
Ψαλ. 78:34;
Ησ. 26:16). Trouble often brings men to their senses (
Λουκ. 15:16-
Λουκ. 15:18).
28 But--God sends them to the gods for whom they forsook Him, to see if they can help them (
Δευτ. 32:37-
Δευτ. 32:38;
Κρ. 10:14).
according to the number of thy cities--Besides national deities, each city had its tutelary god (
Ιερ. 11:13).
29 plead with me--that is, contend with Me for afflicting you (
Ιερ. 2:23,
Ιερ. 2:35).
30 (
Ιερ. 5:3;
Ιερ. 6:29;
Ησ. 1:5;
Ησ. 9:13).
your children--that is, your people, you.
your . . . sword . . . devoured . . . prophets-- (
2Χρ. 36:16;
Νεεμ. 9:26;
Ματθ. 23:29,
Ματθ. 23:31).
31 The Hebrew collocation is, "O, the generation, ye," that is, "O ye who now live." The generation needed only to be named, to call its degeneracy to view, so palpable was it.
wilderness--in which all the necessaries of life are wanting. On the contrary, Jehovah was a never-failing source of supply for all Israel's wants in the wilderness, and afterwards in Canaan.
darkness--literally, "darkness of Jehovah," the strongest Hebrew term for "darkness; the densest darkness"; compare "land of the shadow of death" (
Ιερ. 2:6).
We are lords--that is, We are our own masters. We will worship what gods we like (
Ψαλ. 12:4;
Ψαλ. 82:6). But it is better to translate from a different Hebrew root: "We ramble at large," without restraint pursuing our idolatrous lusts.
32 Oriental women greatly pride themselves on their ornaments (compare
Ησ. 61:10).
attire--girdles for the breast.
forgotten me-- (
Ιερ. 13:25;
Ωσ. 8:14).
33 Why trimmest--MAURER translates, "How skilfully thou dost prepare thy way," &c. But see
2Βασ. 9:30. "Trimmest" best suits the image of one decking herself as a harlot.
way--course of life.
therefore--accordingly. Or else, "nay, thou hast even," &c.
also . . . wicked ones--even the wicked harlots, that is, (laying aside the metaphor) even the Gentiles who are wicked, thou teachest to be still more so [GROTIUS].
34 Also--not only art thou polluted with idolatry, but also with the guilt of shedding innocent blood [MAURER]. ROSENMULLER not so well translates, "even in thy skirts," &c.; that is, there is no part of thee (not even thy skirts) that is not stained with innocent blood (
Ιερ. 19:4;
2Βασ. 21:16;
Ψαλ. 106:38). See as to innocent blood shed, not as here in honor of idols, but of prophets for having reproved them (
Ιερ. 2:30;
Ιερ. 26:20-
Ιερ. 26:23).
souls--that is, persons.
search--I did not need to "search deep" to find proof of thy guilt; for it was "upon all these" thy skirts. Not in deep caverns didst thou perpetrate these atrocities, but openly in the vale of Hinnom and within the precincts of the temple.
35 (
Ιερ. 2:23,
Ιερ. 2:29).
36 gaddest--runnest to and fro, now seeking help from Assyria (
2Χρ. 28:16-21), now from Egypt (
Ιερ. 37:7-
Ιερ. 37:8;
Ησ. 30:3).
37 him--Egypt.
hands upon . . . head--expressive of mourning (
2Σαμ. 13:19).
in them--in those stays in which thou trustest.
Contrary to all precedent in the case of adultery, Jehovah offers a return to Judah, the spiritual adulteress (
Ιερ. 3:1-
Ιερ. 3:5). A new portion of the book, ending with the sixth chapter. Judah worse than Israel; yet both shall be restored in the last days (Jer. 3:6-25).