1.
O ye children of Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in Beth-haccerem: for evil appeareth out of the north, and great destruction.
children = sons.
Benjamin. Put by Figure of speech Synecdoche (of the Part), for the whole of Judah, on account of their close connection with the Gibeathites (Judges 19:16 . Hosea 9:9 ; Hosea 10:9 ).
flee out. In Jeremiah 4:6 it was "flee to". Now Jerusalem itself is to be taken.
blow . . . Tekoa. Figure of speech Paronomasia ( App-6 ), for emphasis. Hebrew. bithko'ah . . . tik'u.
Tekoa. Now Khan Teku'a, five miles south of Bethlehem, ten from Jerusalem.
a sign of Are = a fire-signal.
Beth-haccerem = house of the vineyards. Not identified. Conder suggests such a house at 'Ain Karim.
evil. Hebrew. ra'a'. App-44 .
north. Because the armies from Assyria entered the land from the north. See note on Jeremiah 3:12 .
destruction = fracture, or damage, as in Jeremiah 6:14 .
2.
I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman.
daughter. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), for the helpless inhabitants.
woman. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 28:56 ). App-92 .
3.
The shepherds with their flocks shall come unto her; they shall pitch their tents against her round about; they shall feed every one in his place.
shepherds: i.e. the Chaldean armies. See Jeremiah 3:15 ,
4.
Prepare ye war against her; arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe unto us! for the day goeth away, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out.
Prepare, &c. = Prosecute a holy war.
at noon. In the heat of the day, when most are resting. Compare Jeremiah 15:8 . Song of Solomon 1:7 . Isaiah 32:2 . See 2 Samuel 4:5 .
Woe unto us, &c. See note on Jeremiah 15:8 .
5.
Arise, and let us go by night, and let us destroy her palaces.
6.
For thus hath the LORD of hosts said, Hew ye down trees, and cast a mount against Jerusalem: this is the city to be visited; she is wholly oppression in the midst of her.
the LORD of hosts = Jehovah Zebbaioth, the first of thirtynine occurrences of this title in Jeremiah (Jeremiah 6:6 , Jeremiah 6:9 ; Jeremiah 8:3 ; Jeremiah 9:7 , Jeremiah 9:17 ; Jeremiah 10:16 ; Jeremiah 11:17 , Jeremiah 11:20 , Jeremiah 11:22 ; Jeremiah 19:11 ; Jeremiah 20:12 ; Jeremiah 23:15 , &c.)
cast a mount = pour out: i.e. the earth from baskets to make a mount.
7.
As a fountain casteth out her waters, so she casteth out her wickedness: violence and spoil is heard in her; before me continually is grief and wounds.
fountain. Hebrew. bor = a well, bored or hewn out. Compare 2 Samuel 23:15 , 2 Samuel 23:16 . 1 Chronicles 11:17 . See note on Genesis 21:19 .
8.
Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee; lest I make thee desolate, a land not inhabited.
My soul = I myself. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13 .
9.
Thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall throughly glean the remnant of Israel as a vine: turn back thine hand as a grapegatherer into the baskets.
as a vine. Here, and in Jeremiah 8:13 , one Codex (Harley, 5720, B. M., Lond.) reads, "on the vine".
10.
To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it.
give warning = testify.
ear is uncircumcised. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 6:12 , Exodus 6:30 . Leviticus 26:41 ). Figure of speech Catachresis ( App-6 ). An ear not brought into the covenant.
a reproach. Note the fate of Jehovah's word in the down-grade of Jeremiah's days. in Jeremiah 6:10 a reproach; in Jeremiah 8:9 , rejected; in Jeremiah 17:15 , scoffed at; in Jeremiah 23:36 , perverted.
they. So the Mugah Codex quoted in the Massorah. But other codices, with three early printed editions, read "and they".
11.
Therefore I am full of the fury of the LORD; I am weary with holding in: I will pour it out upon the children abroad, and upon the assembly of young men together: for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with him that is full of days.
children = a young child. Hebrew. 'ul.
12.
And their houses shall be turned unto others, with their fields and wives together: for I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD.
turned unto others. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 28:30 ).
saith the LORD = [is] Jehovah's oracle.
13.
For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.
covetousness. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 18:21 ). App-92 .
14.
They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.
hurt. Same word as "destruction" (Jeremiah 6:1 ).
of the daughter. Some codices, with four early printed editions, read these words in the text.
Peace, peace. Figure of speech Epizeuxis ( App-6 ), for emphasis. See note on Isaiah 26:3 .
15.
Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.
could they = knew they how to.
16.
Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.
Stand ye, &c. A gracious appeal to avoid the threatened calamity, as in Jeremiah 2:2 .
old paths. Compare Jeremiah 18:15 .
good = right.
find rest. Compare Matthew 11:29 , Matthew 11:30 ; where a like invitation and promise is given to those who will "learn". Following likewise on a preceding threatening of judgment. Compare Deuteronomy 28:65 .
your souls = yourselves (emphatic). Hebrew. nephesh.
17.
Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.
Hearken = Give ye heed. Some codices, with two early printed editions, read "And (therefore) give ye heed".
18.
Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them.
congregation = assembly (in its civil aspect). Hebrew. 'edah, a technical Pentateuchal word. First occurrence in Exodus 12:3 , Exodus 12:6 , Exodus 12:19 , Exodus 12:47 . Used technically of Israel, fifteen times in Exodus; twelve in Leviticus; eighty-three times in Numbers. Found in the prophets only here; Jeremiah 30:20 ; and Hosea 7:12 (reference to Pentateuch) App-92 .
19.
Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it.
evil = calamity. Hebrew. ra'a'.
My law. Reference to Pentateuch. Note that "words" and "law" are put alternatively.
20.
To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me.
incense = frankincense. Put by Figure of speech Synecdoche (of the Part), App-6 , ror the whole incense of which it was an ingredient.
Sheba. In the south of Arabia.
not acceptable. Compare Isaiah 1:11-15 .
21.
Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will lay stumblingblocks before this people, and the fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them; the neighbour and his friend shall perish.
tower = watchtower; or, an assayer.
try = assay (as an assayer of metals).
way. Some codices read "heart".
22.
Thus saith the LORD, Behold, a people cometh from the north country, and a great nation shall be raised from the sides of the earth.
the sides, &c. Idiom for a great distance.
23.
They shall lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses, set in array as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion.
roareth = will roar. Compare Isaiah 5:29 , Isaiah 5:30 . Compare Isaiah 5:29-30 .
men. Hebrew. 'ish . App-14
24.
We have heard the fame thereof: our hands wax feeble: anguish hath taken hold of us, and pain, as of a woman in travail.
25.
Go not forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy and fear is on every side.
fear is on every side = terror is round about. Compare Jeremiah 20:3 , Jeremiah 20:10 ; Jeremiah 46:5 ; Jeremiah 49:29 . Lamentations 2:22 .
26.
O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation: for the spoiler shall suddenly come upon us.
and. Some codices, with five early printed editions, omit this "and".
27.
I have set thee for a tower and a fortress among my people, that thou mayest know and try their way.
28.
They are all grievous revolters, walking with slanders: they are brass and iron; they are all corrupters.
brass and iron. Not silver and gold. Compare Ezekiel 22:18 .
29.
The bellows are burned, the lead is consumed of the fire; the founder melteth in vain: for the wicked are not plucked away.
founder melteth = refiner refineth.
30.
Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the LORD hath rejected them.
Reprobate . . . rejected. Note the Figure of speech Paronomasia ( App-6) . Hebrew. nim'as . . . ma'as: i.e. rejected (silver) . . . rejected (them). Compare Isaiah 1:22 .Ezekiel 22:18 .