Commentary on Jeremiah Part 7 (No, F024vii)

Chapter 25

The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah, in the fourth year of Jehoi'akim the son of Josi'ah, king of Judah (that was the first year of Nebuchadrez'zar king of Babylon), ²which Jeremiah the prophet spoke to all the people of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem: ³"For twenty-three years, from the thirteenth year of Josi'ah the son of Amon, king of Judah, to this day, the word of the LORD has come to me, and I have spoken persistently to you, but you have not listened. ⁴You have neither listened nor inclined your ears to hear, although the LORD persistently sent to you all his servants the prophets, ⁵saying, 'Turn now, every one of you, from his evil way and wrong doings, and dwell upon the land which the LORD has given to you and your fathers from of old and for ever; ⁶do not go after other gods to serve and worship them, or provoke me to anger with the work of your hands. Then I will do you no harm.' ⁷Yet you have not listened to me, says the LORD, that you might provoke me to anger with the work of your hands to your own harm. ⁸"Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts: Because you have not obeyed my words, ⁹behold, I will send for all the tribes of the north, says the LORD, and for Nebuchadrez'zar the king of Babylon, my servant, and I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants, and against all these nations round about; I will utterly destroy them, and make them a horror, a hissing, and an everlasting reproach. ¹⁰Moreover, I will banish from them the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the grinding of the millstones and the light of the lamp. ¹¹This whole land shall become a ruin and a waste, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. ¹²Then after seventy years are completed, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chalde'ans, for their iniquity, says the LORD, making the land an everlasting waste. ¹³I will bring upon that land all the words which I have uttered against it, everything written in this book, which Jeremiah prophesied against all the nations. ¹⁴For many nations and great kings shall make slaves even of them; and I will recompense them according to their deeds and the work of their hands." ¹⁵Thus the LORD, the God of Israel, said to me: "Take from my hand this cup of the wine of wrath, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it. ¹⁶They shall drink and stagger and be crazed because of the sword which I am sending among them." ¹⁷So I took the cup from the LORD's hand, and made all the nations to whom the Lord sent me drink it: ¹⁸Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, its kings and princes, to make them a desolation and a waste, a hissing and a curse, as at this day; ¹⁹Pharaoh king of Egypt, his servants, his princes, all his people, ²⁰and all the foreign folk among them; all the kings of the land of Uz and all the kings of the land of the Philistines (Ash'kelon, Gaza, Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod); ²¹Edom, Moab, and the sons of Ammon; ²²all the kings of Tyre, all the kings of Sidon, and the kings of the coastland across the sea; ²³Dedan, Tema, Buz, and all who cut the corners of their hair; ²⁴all the kings of Arabia and all the kings of the mixed tribes that dwell in the desert; ²⁵all the kings of Zimri, all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of Media; ²⁶all the kings of the north, far and near, one after another, and all the kingdoms of the world which are on the face of the earth. And after them the king of Babylon shall drink. ²⁷"Then you shall say to them, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Drink, be drunk and vomit, fall and rise no more, because of the sword which I am sending among you.' ²⁸"And if they refuse to accept the cup from your hand to drink, then you shall say to them, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts: You must drink! ²⁹For behold, I begin to work evil at the city which is called by my name, and shall you go unpunished? You shall not go unpunished, for I am summoning a sword against all the inhabitants of the earth, says the LORD of hosts.' ³⁰"You, therefore, shall prophesy against them all these words, and say to them: 'The LORD will roar from on high, and from his holy habitation utter his voice; he will roar mightily against his fold, and shout, like those who tread grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth. ³¹The clamor will resound to the ends of the earth, for the LORD has an indictment against the nations; he is entering into judgment with all flesh, and the wicked he will put to the sword, says the LORD.' ³²"Thus says the LORD of hosts: Behold, evil is going forth from nation to nation, and a great tempest is stirring from the farthest parts of the earth! ³³"And those slain by the LORD on that day shall extend from one end of the earth to the other. They shall not be lamented, or gathered, or buried; they shall be dung on the surface of the ground. ³⁴"Wail, you shepherds, and cry, and roll in ashes, you lords of the flock, for the days of your slaughter and dispersion have come, and you shall fall like choice rams. ³⁵No refuge will remain for the shepherds, nor escape for the lords of the flock. ³⁶Hark, the cry of the shepherds, and the wail of the lords of the flock! For the LORD is despoiling their pasture, ³⁷and the peaceful folds are devastated, because of the fierce anger of the LORD. ³⁸Like a lion he has left his covert, for their land has become a waste because of the sword of the oppressor, and because of his fierce anger."

Intent of Chapter 25

Babylon as God's Instrument of Punishment.

25:1-3 The message was given in the first year of Nebuchadrezzar (as God's Agent Nebuchadnezzar) which was the year of His joint reign with his father in 605 BCE from the Battle of Carchemish. It was from this time that Daniel was sent to Babylon with the other noble hostages for training in the Babylonian structure. This was the commencement of the time frame of the Babylonian Beast of Daniel chapter 2 (F027ii) to continue on to the Last Days and the Return of the Messiah (##282E; 141E; 141E_2; F066v).

From this text we see that Jeremiah began preaching twenty three years previously, from the Thirteenth year of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah, in 628 BCE, and this text was written after the Battle of Carchemish in 605 BCE. His record of prophecies conclude in this year (36:1-4) and were handed to Baruch for transcription and to be read in the House of the Lord by Baruch (36:5ff) as by this time Jeremiah had been banned from the Temple. How else would Judah treat one of the greatest prophets of God? They had already flogged him and put him in stocks and he still would not stop exposing them. After all they sawed Isaiah in half. They put Uriah the prophet to the sword as we will see. They also stoned Zedekiah. Why wouldn't they go on to kill Messiah and many of the Apostles and the church as Isaiah prophesied (see F044vii). Jeremiah's prophecies and those of the other prophets were never understood by Judah, the latter churches, or the modern academics. They were not simply concerned with the foes from the North under the Chaldeans. The Latter Prophets concerned all the disasters to the Return of the Messiah in the last days as foretold by Daniel and also Jeremiah and Isaiah (4:15-27; Dan. Ch. 12; Isa. Chs. 65-66 (F027xii, xiii; F043)).

“The message of Jeremiah is first to Jerusalem, to Judah and then to Israel generally. The message is again taken up (here) in Jeremiah.

25:4-6. This message is repeated in Jer. 35:15. But the difference there is that there is a small remnant, the Rechabites, who followed the commandments of their father and of God. These were rewarded. This concept is also repeated in the sons of Zadok, who approximate the loyal minority of the elect in the Last Days [see Ezekiel F026x, xi, xii] This concept formed the basis of the Qumran community and the Dead Sea Scrolls.

The comment that the Lord has sent His prophets rising early does not mean that the Lord gets up early. It means that the Lord sends His servants with sufficient time to do the job for repentance. But they did not listen then (Jer. 25:7ff.) and they will not listen now (Isa. 26:15-18).

The message is repeated in Jeremiah 26:3-6.”

Warning of the Last Days (No. 044)

They thus have to be sent into captivity each time they sin until finally they are placed under Messiah and the Host because they learn nothing.

Judah is punished and ultimately the real destroyer, the Babylonian Beast of Daniel Ch. 2 is utterly destroyed by Messiah at the end of the Six Empires of the Beast (F027ii, xi, xii and xiii). None of this faithless generation will see the restoration after the seventy years (v. 12; comp. Num. 14:20-24).

25:15-38 The Cup of Wrath

25:15-29 The vision originally introduced the now separated section of oracles against the nations (see Chs. 46-51; comp. 1:5). Each nation, due to its transgressions (Am. 1:3-3:2) must suffer God's wrath.

vv. 27-29 continues the Cup of God's Wrath given to Jeremiah in v. 16). The cup is a symbol of God's judgment and here it is equated with a sword (cf. v. 29). It is placed by God in the hands of Jeremiah from the beginning (8:14; Isa. 51:17; Ps. 11:6 (F024)).

25:17-26 This text is important in that it specifies the nations throughout the world that God will bring to destruction over the period of the process that ends in v. 26 with the destruction of the Babylonian system in its entirety (from Daniel).

Jeremiah says the destruction begins at Jerusalem and Judah, from that day (vv. 17-18). Then to Egypt and all of its people and the foreigners that dwell among them. All the kings of the land of Uz, and the Lands of the Philistines (Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, Ashdod); Edom, Moab and the sons of Ammon, The kings of Tyre and all the kings of Sidon. It includes the kings of the coastlands across the sea; Dedan, Tema, Buz, and all who cut the corners of their hair (see Bullinger’s n. to v 23). All the kings of Arabia and all the mixed tribes that dwell in the desert. All the kings of Zimri, Elam and all the kings of Media. God calls all the kings of the north; far and near. They are called one after another and all the kingdoms of the world which are on the face of the earth. And after them the king of Babylon shall drink. These are the last wars of the Last Days The entire Middle East and North Africa including the Medes and the Persians or Iranians (see ##294; 141C; 141D; 141E; 141E_2. This sequence is taken up by Ezekiel as the The Prophecy of Pharaoh's Broken Arms in the sequence from 605 BCE to 525 BCE (No. 036) (F026viii). It then, combined with the prophecies in Daniel, proceeded to the wars of the Last Days (No. 036_2). The final part of the wars is the final war of Armageddon and the Vials of the Wrath of God (No. 141E). The last to be destroyed is the final Beast of Babylon of the Ten Toes (Dan. 2:41-44 with its religious system (#141F).

25:26 Babylon is written in the Hebrew text as Sheshach. The practice of cypher in which the letters are substituted in reverse order of the Hebrew Alphabet is called “atbash” (see 51:1, 41 n. OARSV n.)

25:30-31 The Judgment is described in traditional or conventional terms: e.g. roaring

(Am. 1:2; Ps. 46:6); vintage (Isa. 16:9-10; 63:1-3); courtroom (12:1); sword (12:12).

25:32-33 The destruction of the distant foes (6:22) will be from one end of the earth to the other (heavy casualties 8:2; 16:4). Those slain by the Lord on that day shall not be lamented and shall be scattered as dung on the ground. This is in accord with God's Law as given in Numbers 35:33 where the earth can only be cleansed of the blood shed in it by the blood of those that shed it.

25:34-38 The rulers or shepherds as Lords of the Flock are confused and desperate. This confusion will continue and get worse right up to the Last Days (Deut. 28:28).

25:37-38: Messiah (the Lord) is despoiling the pastures of the Shepherds and finally will destroy the entire Babylonian system including in Judah and Israel and the religions of the Sun and Mystery Cults. None will be left alive, throughout the world (F066v).

The LXX in chapter 25 has only the first 13 verses of the text here in the MT and then the verses for the MT in 34-39 are in 49:34-39. As usual the Intent of the chapters is listed with the MT sequence. The MT text for verses 25:34-38 appear to be added here.

English Translation of the Greek Septuagint Bible.

Brenton, Sir Lancelot C. L.. (1851)

Chapter 25 ^25:1 THE WORD THAT CAME TO JEREMIAS concerning all the people of Juda in the fourth year of Joakim, son of Josias, king of Juda; ² which he spoke to all the people of Juda, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, ³ In the thirteenth year of Josias, son of Amos, king of Juda, even until this day for three and twenty years, I have both spoken to you, rising early and speaking, ⁴ and I sent to you my servants the prophets, sending them early; (but ye hearkened not, and listened not with your ears;) saying, ⁵ Turn ye every one from his evil way, and from your evil practices, and ye shall dwell in the land which I gave to you and your fathers, of old and for ever. ⁶ Go ye not after strange gods, to serve them, and to worship them, that ye provoke me not by the works of your hands, to do you hurt. ⁷ But ye hearkened not to me. ⁸ Therefore thus saith the Lord; Since ye believed not my words, ⁹ behold I will send and take a family from the north, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants of it, and against all the nations round about it, and I will make them utterly waste, and make them a desolation, and a hissing, and an everlasting reproach. ¹⁰ And I will destroy from among them the voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the scent of ointment, and the light of a candle. ¹¹ And all the land shall be a desolation; and they shall serve among the Gentiles seventy years. ¹² And when the seventy years are fulfilled, I will take vengeance on that nation, and will make them a perpetual desolation. ¹³ And I will bring upon that land all my words which I have spoken against it, even all things that are written in this book.

³⁴ THE PROPHECIES OF JEREMIAS AGAINST THE NATIONS OF ÆLAM. ³⁵ Thus saith the Lord, The bow of Ælam is broken, even the chief of their power. ³⁶ And I will bring upon Ælam the four winds from the four corners of heaven, and I will disperse them toward all these winds; and there shall be no nation to which they shall not come—even the outcasts of Ælam. ³⁷ And I will put them in fear before their enemies that seek their life; and I will bring evils upon them according to my great anger; and I will send forth my sword after them, until I have utterly destroyed them. ³⁸ And I will set my throne in Ælam, and will send forth thence king and rulers. ³⁹ But it shall come to pass at the end of days, that I will turn the captivity of Ælam, saith the Lord.

Chapter 26

In the beginning of the reign of Jehoi'akim the son of Josi'ah, king of Judah, this word came from the LORD, ²"Thus says the LORD: Stand in the court of the LORD's house, and speak to all the cities of Judah which come to worship in the house of the LORD all the words that I command you to speak to them; do not hold back a word. ³It may be they will listen, and every one turn from his evil way, that I may repent of the evil which I intend to do to them because of their evil doings. ⁴You shall say to them, 'Thus says the LORD: If you will not listen to me, to walk in my law which I have set before you, ⁵and to heed the words of my servants the prophets whom I send to you urgently, though you have not heeded, ⁶then I will make this house like Shiloh, and I will make this city a curse for all the nations of the earth.'" ⁷The priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the LORD. ⁸And when Jeremiah had finished speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak to all the people, then the priests and the prophets and all the people laid hold of him, saying, "You shall die! ⁹Why have you prophesied in the name of the LORD, saying, 'This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate, without inhabitant'?" And all the people gathered about Jeremiah in the house of the LORD. ¹⁰When the princes of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king's house to the house of the LORD and took their seat in the entry of the New Gate of the house of the LORD. ¹¹Then the priests and the prophets said to the princes and to all the people, "This man deserves the sentence of death, because he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears." ¹²Then Jeremiah spoke to all the princes and all the people, saying, "The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and this city all the words you have heard. ¹³Now therefore amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the LORD your God, and the LORD will repent of the evil which he has pronounced against you. ¹⁴But as for me, behold, I am in your hands. Do with me as seems good and right to you. ¹⁵Only know for certain that if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood upon yourselves and upon this city and its inhabitants, for in truth the LORD sent me to you to speak all these words in your ears." ¹⁶Then the princes and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, "This man does not deserve the sentence of death, for he has spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God." ¹⁷And certain of the elders of the land arose and spoke to all the assembled people, saying, ¹⁸"Micah of Mo'resheth prophesied in the days of Hezeki'ah king of Judah, and said to all the people of Judah: 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, Zion shall be plowed as a field; Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins, and the mountain of the house a wooded height.' ¹⁹Did Hezeki'ah king of Judah and all Judah put him to death? Did he not fear the LORD and entreat the favor of the LORD, and did not the LORD repent of the evil which he had pronounced against them? But we are about to bring great evil upon ourselves." ²⁰There was another man who prophesied in the name of the LORD, Uri'ah the son of Shemai'ah from Kir'iath-je'arim. He prophesied against this city and against this land in words like those of Jeremiah. ²¹And when King Jehoi'akim, with all his warriors and all the princes, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death; but when Uri'ah heard of it, he was afraid and fled and escaped to Egypt. ²²Then King Jehoi'akim sent to Egypt certain men, Elna'than the son of Achbor and others with him, ²³and they fetched Uri'ah from Egypt and brought him to King Jehoi'akim, who slew him with the sword and cast his dead body into the burial place of the common people. ²⁴But the hand of Ahi'kam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah so that he was not given over to the people to be put to death.

Intent of Chapter 26

26:1-35:19 Events and Prophecies Concerning the Restoration.

26:1-24 The Temple Sermon

26:1-6 Jeremiah was sent to the Temple at the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah to address the people in the Court of the Lord's House. This was probably at the Feast of Tabernacles of 609 BCE. It is considered, by some scholars, that the text is Baruch's summation, and contains elements of Ch. 7 and other sayings of Jeremiah (4:1-2; 18:7-11; 36:3). vv. 3-6 “Shiloh (or Seilun) was where the Lord set His name at first (see Deut. 12:5,11 etc.; cf. 1Sam. 4:4) and which the Lord destroyed because of its wickedness (Jer. 7:12). The message here is to the elect also, in that if the Lord would not spare His house, what is the end of the nation itself? Note also the concept of being spared by repentance from early warning. This emphasises the importance of timely work by God's servants.”

The Warning of the Last Days (No.044)

26:7-19 Jeremiah's arrest and release.

Jeremiah frequently criticised the Temple priests and prophets at the command of God (see 2:8; 5:30-31; 6:13-14). The priests and prophets both saw that they would suffer greatly from the Temple’s destruction. They arrested Jeremiah and the royal officials assembled to hear the case. It was Jeremiah's dignified defence that won his release, with the judges making their decision on the precedent set by Hezekiah (716-687 BCE), regarding the prophet Micah.

New gate is perhaps the Benjamin gate to the north of the Temple (20:2; 2Kgs. 15:35. See also the Avenging of Innocent blood (Gen. 4:10; 2Sam. 21:1-14; 1Kgs. Ch. 2).

26:20-24 Martyrdom of Uriah

Some scholars think that Baruch added this story to illustrate Jeremiah's personal danger and fortunate official support (Ahikam 2Kgs. 22:12,14). As Egypt's vassal (2Kgs. 23:34-35), Jehoiakim had no difficulty arresting Uriah (Elnathan, 36:12, 25). Some scholars consider his execution was deemed to be unusual in the annals of Israelite prophetism (see 2Chron. 24:20-22; Matt. 23:29-31 see OARSV n.). Perhaps that might have been so until they sawed Isaiah in half and then went on killing Uriah, Zechariah, and the other prophets to John and the Messiah and then the apostles and the church (#122C) F044vii. There is nothing unusual for Israel and Judah in killing the prophets of God, and they will face them in the Millennium after the First Resurrection (No. 143A), under Messiah, when they will keep God's Laws or die.

The text of Chapter 26 of the LXX is actually in the MT of Chapter 46. Ch 26:13 regarding the coming of Nebuchadrezzar is at 46:13. The texts do not significantly differ in contexts.

English Translation of the Greek Septuagint Bible.

Brenton, Sir Lancelot C. L.. (1851)

Chapter 26 ^26:1 In the beginning of the reign of king Sedekias, there came this word concerning Ælam. ² FOR EGYPT, AGAINST THE POWER OF PHARAO NECHAO KING OF EGYPT, who was by the river Euphrates in Charmis, whom Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon smote in the fourth year of Joakim king of Juda. ³ Take up arms and spears, and draw nigh to battle; ⁴ and harness the horses: mount, ye horsemen, and stand ready in your helmets; advance the spears, and put on your breast-plates. ⁵ Why do they fear, and turn back? even because their mighty men shall be slain: they have utterly fled, and being hemmed in they have not rallied, saith the Lord. ⁶ Let not the swift flee, and let not the mighty man escape to the north: the forces at Euphrates are become feeble, and they have fallen. ⁷ Who is this that shall come up as a river, and as rivers roll their waves? ⁸ The waters of Egypt shall come up like a river: and he said, I will go up, and will cover the earth, and will destroy the dwellers in it. ⁹ Mount ye the horses, prepare the chariots; go forth, ye warriors of the Ethiopians, and Libyans armed with shields; and mount, ye Lydians, bend the bow. ¹⁰ And that day shall be to the Lord our God a day of vengeance, to take vengeance on his enemies: and the sword of the Lord shall devour, and be glutted, and be drunken with their blood: for the Lord has a sacrifice from the land of the north at the river Euphrates. ¹¹ Go up to Galaad, and take balm for the virgin daughter of Egypt: in vain hast thou multiplied thy medicines; there is no help in thee. ¹² The nations have heard thy voice, and the land has been filled with thy cry: for the warriors have fainted fighting one against another, and both are fallen together.

¹³ THE WORDS WHICH THE LORD SPOKE by Jeremias, concerning the coming of the king of Babylon to smite the land of Egypt. ¹⁴ Proclaim it at Magdol, and declare it at Memphis: say ye, Stand up, and prepare; for the sword has devoured thy yew-tree. ¹⁵ Wherefore has Apis fled from thee? thy choice calf has not remained; for the Lord has utterly weakened him. ¹⁶ And thy multitude has fainted and fallen; and each one said to his neighbour, Let us arise, and return into our country to our people, from the Grecian sword. ¹⁷ Call ye the name of Pharao Nechao king of Egypt, Saon esbeie moed. ¹⁸ As I live, saith the Lord God, he shall come as Itabyrion among the mountains, and as Carmel that is on the sea. ¹⁹ O daughter of Egypt dwelling at home, prepare thee stuff for removing: for Memphis shall be utterly desolate, and shall be called Woe, because there are no inhabitants in it. ²⁰ Egypt is a fair heifer, but destruction from the north is come upon her. ²¹ Also her hired soldiers in the midst of her are as fatted calves fed in her; for they also have turned, and fled with one accord: they stood not, for the day of destruction was come upon them, and the time of their retribution. ²² Their voice is as that of a hissing serpent, for they go upon the sand; they shall come upon Egypt with axes, as men that cut wood. ²³ They shall cut down her forest, saith the Lord, for their number cannot at all be conjectured, for it exceeds the locust in multitude, and they are innumerable. ²⁴ The daughter of Egypt is confounded; she is delivered into the hands of a people from the north. ²⁵ Behold, I will avenge Ammon her son upon Pharao, and upon them that trust in him. ²⁶ ²⁷ But fear not thou, my servant Jacob, neither be thou alarmed, Israel: for, behold, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and be at ease, and sleep, and there shall be no one to trouble him. ²⁸ Fear not thou, my servant Jacob, saith the Lord; for I am with thee: she that was without fear and in luxury, has been delivered up: for I will make a full end of every nation among whom I have thrust thee forth; but I will not cause thee to fail: yet will I chastise thee in the way of judgment, and will not hold thee entirely guiltless.

Chapter 27

In the beginning of the reign of Zedeki'ah the son of Josi'ah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD. ²Thus the LORD said to me: "Make yourself thongs and yoke-bars, and put them on your neck. ³Send word to the king of Edom, the king of Moab, the king of the sons of Ammon, the king of Tyre, and the king of Sidon by the hand of the envoys who have come to Jerusalem to Zedeki'ah king of Judah. ⁴Give them this charge for their masters: 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: This is what you shall say to your masters: ⁵"It is I who by my great power and my outstretched arm have made the earth, with the men and animals that are on the earth, and I give it to whomever it seems right to me. ⁶Now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnez'zar, the king of Babylon, my servant, and I have given him also the beasts of the field to serve him. ⁷All the nations shall serve him and his son and his grandson, until the time of his own land comes; then many nations and great kings shall make him their slave. ⁸"'"But if any nation or kingdom will not serve this Nebuchadnez'zar king of Babylon, and put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I will punish that nation with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence, says the LORD, until I have consumed it by his hand. ⁹So do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreamers, your soothsayers, or your sorcerers, who are saying to you, 'You shall not serve the king of Babylon.' ¹⁰For it is a lie which they are prophesying to you, with the result that you will be removed far from your land, and I will drive you out, and you will perish. ¹¹But any nation which will bring its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will leave on its own land, to till it and dwell there, says the LORD."'" ¹²To Zedeki'ah king of Judah I spoke in like manner: "Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, and live. ¹³Why will you and your people die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence, as the LORD has spoken concerning any nation which will not serve the king of Babylon? ¹⁴Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are saying to you, 'You shall not serve the king of Babylon,' for it is a lie which they are prophesying to you. ¹⁵I have not sent them, says the LORD, but they are prophesying falsely in my name, with the result that I will drive you out and you will perish, you and the prophets who are prophesying to you." ¹⁶Then I spoke to the priests and to all this people, saying, "Thus says the LORD: Do not listen to the words of your prophets who are prophesying to you, saying, 'Behold, the vessels of the LORD's house will now shortly be brought back from Babylon,' for it is a lie which they are prophesying to you. ¹⁷Do not listen to them; serve the king of Babylon and live. Why should this city become a desolation? ¹⁸If they are prophets, and if the word of the LORD is with them, then let them intercede with the LORD of hosts, that the vessels which are left in the house of the LORD, in the house of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem may not go to Babylon. ¹⁹For thus says the LORD of hosts concerning the pillars, the sea, the stands, and the rest of the vessels which are left in this city, ²⁰which Nebuchadnez'zar king of Babylon did not take away, when he took into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon Jeconi'ah the son of Jehoi'akim, king of Judah, and all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem--²¹thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning the vessels which are left in the house of the LORD, in the house of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem: ²²They shall be carried to Babylon and remain there until the day when I give attention to them, says the LORD. Then I will bring them back and restore them to this place."

Intent of Chapter 27

27:1-28:17 Yoke of the King of Babylon

27:1-11 God placed Judah and her neighbours under the yoke of the king of Babylon because of their sin and refusal to keep His Law. And that has continued on right to the Last Days (21:1-10; 32:3-5). Thus their plans for rebellion were against God's will. The conspiracy was caused by a revolt in the Babylonian Army in December 595 - January 594 BCE and the ascension of Psammetichus II (594 BCE) in Egypt. Perhaps responding to Jeremiah's warning, Zedekiah did not carry out the rebellion and so Judah was spared during Nebuchadrezzar's campaign in punishment later that year. The form as God's Agent “Nebuchadnezzar” appears in Jer. Chs. 27-29; whereas elsewhere Nebuchadrezzar appears. The Babylonian form is Nabu-kudurru-ussur.

27:12-15 Jeremiah repeats his warning to Zedekiah, as God has not sent the prophets who are advising Zedekiah (14:14), and they are unreliable.

27:16-22 Here Jeremiah cautions the priests and the people against believing the baseless assurances of these prophets not sent by God that the Temple booty taken in 597 BCE would be soon returned. Instead they should pray that what they still have will not be taken to Babylon (see Jer. 52:17; 2Kgs. 25:13).

The LXX text of Chapter 27 is in the MT of Chapter 50.

This text refers to the Last Days after the Restoration of Israel and the destruction of the Babylonian system outlined in Daniel Chapter 2 and the restoration under Messiah at Daniel Chapter 12 (F027xii, xiii).

English Translation of the Greek Septuagint Bible.

Brenton, Sir Lancelot C. L.. (1851)

Chapter 27 ^27:1 THE WORD OF THE LORD WHICH HE SPOKE AGAINST BABYLON. ² Proclaim ye among the Gentiles, and cause the tidings to be heard, and suppress them not: say ye, Babylon is taken, Belus is confounded; the fearless, the luxurious Maerodach is delivered up. ³ For a nation has come up against her from the north, he shall utterly ravage her land, and there shall be none to dwell in it, neither man nor beast. ⁴ In those days, and at that time, the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Juda together; they shall proceed, weeping as they go, seeking the Lord their God. ⁵ They shall ask the way till they come to Sion, for that way shall they set their face; and they shall come and flee for refuge to the Lord their God; for the everlasting covenant shall not be forgotten. ⁶ My people have been lost sheep: their shepherds thrust them out, they caused them to wander on the mountains: they went from mountain to hill, they forgot their resting-place. ⁷ All that found them consumed them: their enemies said, Let us not leave them alone, because they have sinned against the Lord: he that gathered their fathers had a pasture of righteousness. ⁸ Flee ye out of the midst of Babylon, and from the land of the Chaldeans, and go forth, and be as serpents before sleep. ⁹ For, behold, I stir up against Babylon the gatherings of nations out of the land of the north; and they shall set themselves in array against her: thence shall she be taken, as the dart of an expert warrior shall not return empty. ¹⁰ And Chaldea shall be a spoil: all that spoil her shall be satisfied. ¹¹ Because ye rejoiced, and boasted, while plundering mine heritage; because ye exulted as calves in the grass, and pushed with the horn as bulls. ¹² Your mother is greatly ashamed; your mother that bore you for prosperity is confounded: she is the last of the nations, desolate, ¹³ by reason of the Lord’s anger: it shall not be inhabited, but it shall be all a desolation; and every one that passes through Babylon shall scowl, and they shall hiss at all her plague. ¹⁴ Set yourselves in array against Babylon round about, all ye that bend the bow; shoot at her, spare not your arrows, ¹⁵ and prevail against her: her hands are weakened, her bulwarks are fallen, and her wall is broken down: for it is vengeance from God: take vengeance upon her; as she has done, do to her. ¹⁶ Utterly destroy seed out of Babylon, and him that holds a sickle in time of harvest: for fear of the Grecian sword, they shall return every one to his people, and every one shall flee to his own land. ¹⁷ Israel is a wandering sheep; the lions have driven him out: the king of Assyria first devoured him, and afterward this king of Babylon has gnawed his bones. ¹⁸ Therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will take vengeance on the king of Babylon, and upon his land, as I took vengeance on the king of Assyria. ¹⁹ And I will restore Israel to his pasture, and he shall feed on Carmel and on mount Ephraim and in Galaad, and his soul shall be satisfied. ²⁰ In those days, and at that time, they shall seek for the iniquity of Israel, and there shall be none; and for the sins of Juda, and they shall not be found: for I will be merciful to them that are left ²¹ on the land, saith the Lord. Go up against it roughly, and against them that dwell on it: avenge, O sword, and destroy utterly, saith the Lord, and do according to all that I command thee. ²² A sound of war, and great destruction in the land of the Chaldeans! ²³ How is the hammer of the whole earth broken and crushed! How is Babylon become a desolation among the nations! ²⁴ They shall come upon thee, and thou shalt not know it, Babylon, that thou wilt even be taken captive: thou art found and taken, because thou didst resist the Lord. ²⁵ The Lord has opened his treasury, and brought forth the weapons of his anger: for the Lord God has a work in the land of the Chaldeans. ²⁶ For her times are come: open ye her storehouses: search her as a cave, and utterly destroy her: let there be no remnant of her. ²⁷ Dry ye up all her fruits, and let them go down to the slaughter: woe to them! for their day is come, and the time of their retribution. ²⁸ A voice of men fleeing and escaping from the land of Babylon, to declare to Sion the vengeance that comes from the Lord our God. ²⁹ Summon many against Babylon, even every one that bends the bow: camp against her round about; let no one of her people escape: render to her according to her works; according to all that she has done, do to her: for she has resisted the Lord, the Holy God of Israel. ³⁰ Therefore shall her young men fall in the streets, and all her warriors shall be cast down, saith the Lord. ³¹ Behold, I am against thee the haughty one, saith the Lord: for thy day is come, and the time of thy retribution. ³² And thy pride shall fail, and fall, and there shall be no one to set it up again: and I will kindle a fire in her forest, and it shall devour all things round about her. ³³ Thus saith the Lord; The children of Israel and the children of Juda have been oppressed: all they that have taken them captive have oppressed them together; for they would not let them go. ³⁴ But their Redeemer is strong; the Lord Almighty is his name: he will enter into judgment with his adversaries, that he may destroy the earth; ³⁵ and he will sharpen a sword against the Chaldeans, and against the inhabitants of Babylon, and upon her nobles and upon her wise men; ³⁶ a sword upon her warriors, and they shall be weakened: a sword upon their horses, and upon their chariots: ³⁷ a sword upon their warriors and upon the mixed people in the midst of her; and they shall be as women: a sword upon the treasures, and they shall be scattered upon her water, ³⁸ and they shall be ashamed: for it is a land of graven images; and in the islands, where they boasted. ³⁹ Therefore shall idols dwell in the islands, and the young of monsters shall dwell in it: it shall not be inhabited any more for ever. ⁴⁰ As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities bordering upon them, saith the Lord: no man shall dwell there, and no son of man shall sojourn there. ⁴¹ Behold, a people comes from the north, and a great nation, and many kings shall be stirred up from the end of the earth; holding bow and dagger: ⁴² the people is fierce, and will have no mercy: their voices shall sound as the sea, they shall ride upon horses, prepared for war, like fire, against thee, O daughter of Babylon. ⁴³ The king of Babylon heard the sound of them, and his hands were enfeebled: anguish overcame him, pangs as of a woman in travail. ⁴⁴ Behold, he shall come up as a lion from Jordan to Gaethan; for I will speedily drive them from her, and I will set all the youths against her: for who is like me? and who will resist me? and who is this shepherd who will stand before me? ⁴⁵ Therefore hear ye the counsel of the Lord, which he has taken against Babylon; and his devices, which he has devised upon the Chaldeans inhabiting it: surely lambs of their flock shall be destroyed: surely pasture shall be cut off from them. ⁴⁶ For at the sound of the taking of Babylon the earth shall quake, and a cry shall be heard among the nations.

Chapter 28

In that same year, at the beginning of the reign of Zedeki'ah king of Judah, in the fifth month of the fourth year, Hanani'ah the son of Azzur, the prophet from Gibeon, spoke to me in the house of the LORD, in the presence of the priests and all the people, saying, ²"Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. ³Within two years I will bring back to this place all the vessels of the LORD's house, which Nebuchadnez'zar king of Babylon took away from this place and carried to Babylon. ⁴I will also bring back to this place Jeconi'ah the son of Jehoi'akim, king of Judah, and all the exiles from Judah who went to Babylon, says the LORD, for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon." ⁵Then the prophet Jeremiah spoke to Hanani'ah the prophet in the presence of the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of the LORD; ⁶and the prophet Jeremiah said, "Amen! May the LORD do so; may the LORD make the words which you have prophesied come true, and bring back to this place from Babylon the vessels of the house of the LORD, and all the exiles. ⁷Yet hear now this word which I speak in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people. ⁸The prophets who preceded you and me from ancient times prophesied war, famine, and pestilence against many countries and great kingdoms. ⁹As for the prophet who prophesies peace, when the word of that prophet comes to pass, then it will be known that the LORD has truly sent the prophet." ¹⁰Then the prophet Hanani'ah took the yoke-bars from the neck of Jeremiah the prophet, and broke them. ¹¹And Hanani'ah spoke in the presence of all the people, saying, "Thus says the LORD: Even so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnez'zar king of Babylon from the neck of all the nations within two years." But Jeremiah the prophet went his way. ¹²Sometime after the prophet Hanani'ah had broken the yoke-bars from off the neck of Jeremiah the prophet, the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: ¹³"Go, tell Hanani'ah, 'Thus says the LORD: You have broken wooden bars, but I will make in their place bars of iron. ¹⁴For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: I have put upon the neck of all these nations an iron yoke of servitude to Nebuchadnez'zar king of Babylon, and they shall serve him, for I have given to him even the beasts of the field.'" ¹⁵And Jeremiah the prophet said to the prophet Hanani'ah, "Listen, Hanani'ah, the LORD has not sent you, and you have made this people trust in a lie. ¹⁶Therefore thus says the LORD: 'Behold, I will remove you from the face of the earth. This very year you shall die, because you have uttered rebellion against the LORD.'" ¹⁷In that same year, in the seventh month, the prophet Hanani'ah died.

Intent of Chapter 28

28:1-17 Jeremiah and Hananiah

In the fifth month (Jul/Aug) of the Fourth year, early in the reign of Zedekiah, Hananiah the son of Azzur, the prophet from Gibeon, spoke to Jeremiah in the presence of the priests and all the people saying “Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel.: I have broken the yoke of the King of Babylon. Within two years I will bring back to to this place all the vessels of the Lord's House which Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon took away from this place and carried to Babylon. I will also bring back to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim. King of Judah, and all the exiles from Judah who went to Babylon, saith the Lord, For I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.”

This was false prophecy and Jeremiah initially said “Amen. May the Lord do so; may the Lord make the words which you have prophesied come true, and bring back to this place from Babylon, the vessels of the House of the Lord, and all the exiles.”

He then reminded Hananiah that the prophets that preceded them from ancient times had prophesied war famine and pestilence against many countries and great kingdoms (v. 8), as for the prophet who prophecies peace, when then the word of that prophet comes to pass, then will it be known that the Lord has truly sent that prophet.

28:10-11 Not deterred by Jeremiah's gentle rebuke, after the open refutation of God's prophecy through Jeremiah, Hananiah took the yoke bars God commanded Jeremiah to make and carry to the Temple (27:2-7) and to give the message to the envoys of the Kings of Edom, Moab and the sons of Ammon, of Tyre and Sidon in front of Zedekiah king of Judah.

Jeremiah some time later received another directive from God. Hananiah was to be told that he had broken wooden bars but God would replace them with bars of iron; For thus says the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel. I have put upon the neck of all these nations an iron yoke of servitude to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and they shall serve him for I have given to him even the beasts of the field.”

28:15-16 Jeremiah then pronounces the punishment for a false prophet that presumes to speak contrary to a prophet of God and one also

given the powers of Jeremiah. God had not sent Hananiah and he was told so and that he had made the people trust in a lie. That very same year he was to die because he had uttered rebellion against the Lord. Thus appointed prophets have a very narrow road to travel.

If they fail to do what God tells them they will, at the very least, be replaced, and probably killed.

If they are not sent and make pronouncements contrary to a prophet who is sent, they will be killed also. If anyone slanders or defames, or attempts to kill a living prophet of God on a mission they will also be killed as an example. Examples of the prohibition are common, as with Samuel in Israel (1Sam. 16:4-5), Elijah (2Kgs. 1:9-15); Elisha (2Kgs. 2:23-24) and also in the Last Days with the last prophets (Jer. 2:15-27 (F024) and Rev. 11:3ff (F066iii) and 19:17-20:6 (F066v). Elijah will be sent forward in time with Enoch and anyone trying to kill these prophets of the Last Days will be killed in the same manner (Mal 4:5).

Chapter 28 in the LXX is in the Later MT actually Ch. 51.

English Translation of the Greek Septuagint Bible.

Brenton, Sir Lancelot C. L.. (1851)

Chapter 28 ^28:1 Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I stir up against Babylon, and against the Chaldeans dwelling therein, a deadly burning wind. ² And I will send forth against Babylon spoilers, and they shall spoil her, and shall ravage her land. Woe to Babylon round about her in the day of her affliction. ³ Let the archer bend his bow, and him that has armour put it on: and spare ye not her young men, but destroy ye all her host. ⁴ And slain men shall fall in the land of the Chaldeans, and men pierced through shall fall without it. ⁵ For Israel and Juda have not been forsaken of their God, of the Lord Almighty; whereas their land was filled with iniquity against the holy things of Israel. ⁶ Flee ye out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every one his soul: and be not overthrown in her iniquity; for it is the time of her retribution from the Lord; he is rendering to her a recompence. ⁷ Babylon has been a golden cup in the Lord’s hand, causing all the earth to be drunken: the nations have drunk of her wine; therefore they were shaken. ⁸ And Babylon is fallen suddenly, and is broken to pieces: lament for her; take balm for her deadly wound, if by any means she may be healed. ⁹ We tried to heal Babylon, but she was not healed: let us forsake her, and depart every one to his own country: for her judgment has reached to the heaven, it has mounted up to the stars. ¹⁰ The Lord has brought forth his judgment: come, and let us declare in Sion the works of the Lord our God. ¹¹ Prepare the arrows; fill the quivers: the Lord has stirred up the spirit of the king of the Medes: for his wrath is against Babylon, to destroy it utterly; for it is the Lord’s vengeance, it is the vengeance of his people. ¹² Lift up a standard on the walls of Babylon, prepare the quivers, rouse the guards, prepare the weapons: for the Lord has taken the work in hand, and will execute what he has spoken against the inhabitants of Babylon, ¹³ dwelling on many waters, and amidst the abundance of her treasures; thine end is come verily into thy bowels. ¹⁴ For the Lord has sworn by his arm, saying,I will fill thee with men as with locusts; and they that come down shall cry against thee. ¹⁵ The Lord made the earth by his power, preparing the world by his wisdom, by his understanding he stretched out the heaven. ¹⁶ At his voice he makes a sound of water in the heaven, and brings up clouds from the extremity of the earth; he makes lightnings for rain, and brings light out of his treasures. ¹⁷ Every man has completely lost understanding; every goldsmith is confounded because of his graven images: for they have cast false gods, there is no breath in them. ¹⁸ They are vain works, objects of scorn; in the time of their visitation they shall perish. ¹⁹ Not such is Jacob’s portion; for he that formed all things, he is his inheritance; the Lord is his name. ²⁰ Thou scatterest for me the weapons of war: and I will scatter nations by thee, and will destroy kings by means of thee. ²¹ And by thee I will scatter the horse and his rider; and by thee I will scatter chariots and them that ride in them. ²² And by thee I will scatter youth and maid; and by thee I will scatter man and woman. ²³ And by thee I will scatter the shepherd and his flock; and by thee I will scatter the husbandman and his husbandry; and by thee I will scatter leaders and the captains. ²⁴ And I will recompense to Babylon and to all the Chaldeans that dwell there all their mischiefs that they have done to Sion before your eyes, saith the Lord. ²⁵ Behold, I am against thee, the ruined mountain, that destroys the whole earth; and I will stretch out mine hand upon thee, and will roll thee down upon the rocks, and will make thee as a burnt mountain. ²⁶ And they shall not take from thee a stone for a corner, nor a stone for a foundation: for thou shalt be a desolation for ever, saith the Lord. ²⁷ Lift up a standard in the land, sound the trumpet among the nations, consecrate the nations against her, raise up kings against her by me, and that for the people of Achanaz; set against her engines of war; bring up against her horses as a multitude of locusts. ²⁸ Bring up nations against her, even the king of the Medes and of the whole earth, his rulers, and all his captains. ²⁹ The earth has quaked and been troubled, because the purpose of the Lord has risen up against Babylon, to make the land of Babylon a desolation, and uninhabitable. ³⁰ The warrior of Babylon has failed to fight; they shall sit there in the siege; their power is broken; they are become like women; her tabernacles have been set on fire; her bars are broken. ³¹ One shall rush, running to meet another runner, and one shall go with tidings to meet another with tidings, to bring tidings to the king of Babylon, that his city is taken. ³² At the end of his passages they were taken, and his cisterns they have burnt with fire, and his warriors are going forth. ³³ For thus saith the Lord, The houses of the king of Babylon shall be threshed as a floor in the season; yet a little while, and her harvest shall come. ³⁴ He has devoured me, he has torn me asunder, airy darkness has come upon me; Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon has swallowed me up, as a dragon has he filled his belly with my delicacies. ³⁵ My troubles and my distresses have driven me out into Babylon, shall she that dwells in Sion say; and my blood shall be upon the Chaldeans dwelling there, shall Jerusalem say. ³⁶ Therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will judge thine adversary, and I will execute vengeance for thee; and I will waste her sea, and dry up her fountain. ³⁷ And Babylon shall be a desolation, and shall not be inhabited. ³⁸ For they rose up together as lions, and as lions’ whelps. ³⁹ In their heat I will give them a draught, and make them drunk, that they may be stupified, and sleep an everlasting sleep, and not awake, saith the Lord. ⁴⁰ And bring thou them down as lambs to the slaughter, and rams with kids. ⁴¹ How has the boast of all the earth been taken and caught in a snare! how has Babylon become a desolation among the nations! ⁴² The sea has come up upon Babylon with the sound of its waves, and she is covered. ⁴³ Her cities are become like a dry and trackless land; not so much as one man shall dwell in it, neither shall a son of man lodge in it. ⁴⁴ And I will take vengeance on Babylon, and bring forth out of her mouth what she has swallowed down, and the nations shall no more be gathered to her: ⁴⁵ ⁴⁶ ⁴⁷ ⁴⁸ ⁴⁹ and in Babylon the slain men of all the earth shall fall. ⁵⁰ Go forth of the land, ye that escape, and stay not; ye that are afar off, remember the Lord, and let Jerusalem come into your mind. ⁵¹ We are ashamed, because we have heard our reproach; disgrace has covered our face; aliens are come into our sanctuary, even into the house of the Lord. ⁵² Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will take vengeance upon her graven images: and slain men shall fall in all her land. ⁵³ For though Babylon should go up as the heaven, and though she should strengthen her walls with her power, from me shall come they that shall destroy her, saith the Lord. ⁵⁴ A sound of a cry in Babylon, and great destruction in the land of the Chaldeans: ⁵⁵ for the Lord has utterly destroyed Babylon, and cut off from her the great voice sounding as many waters: he has consigned her voice to destruction. ⁵⁶ For distress has come upon Babylon, her warriors are taken, their bows are useless: for God recompenses them. ⁵⁷ The Lord recompenses, and will make her leaders and her wise men and her captains completely drunk, saith the King, the Lord Almighty is his name. ⁵⁸ Thus saith the Lord, The wall of Babylon was made broad, but it shall be completely broken down, and her high gates shall be burnt with fire; and the peoples shall not labour in vain, nor the nations fail in their rule.

⁵⁹ THE WORD WHICH THE LORD COMMANDED THE PROPHET JEREMIAS to say to Saraeas son of Nerias, son of Maasaeas, when he went from Sedekias king of Juda to Babylon, in the fourth year of his reign. And Saraeas was over the bounties. ⁶⁰ And Jeremias wrote in a book all the evils which should come upon Babylon, even all these words that are written against Babylon. ⁶¹ And Jeremias said to Saraeas, When thou art come to Babylon, and shalt see and read all these words; ⁶² then thou shalt say, O Lord God, thou hast spoken against this place, to destroy it, and that there should be none to dwell in it, neither man nor beast; for it shall be a desolation for ever. ⁶³ And it shall come to pass, when thou shalt cease from reading this book, that thou shalt bind a stone upon it, and cast it into the midst of Euphrates; ⁶⁴ and shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and not rise, because of the evils which I bring upon it.

*****

Bullinger’s Notes on Chs. 25-28 (for KJV)

Chapter 25

Verse 1

Jeremiah's Sixteenth Prophecy (see book comments for Jeremiah).

to. Hebrew "upon". Some codices, with two early printed editions, Septuagint, and Vulgate, read "unto".

all the People = the People at large.

the fourth year of Jehoiakim. An important date, being the first year of Nebuchadnezzar. See App-83 and App-86 .

the first year, &c. See App-86 .

Nebuchadrezzar. Compare Jeremiah 21:2 .

Babylon. Assyria not mentioned, for it had already fallen.

Verse 2

Jeremiah the prophet spake. This is the first occurrence of the expression. We find "said" later; and "prophet" in Jeremiah 1:5 ; Jeremiah 20:2 ; Jeremiah 28:5 , Jeremiah 28:6 , Jeremiah 28:10 , Jeremiah 28:11 , Jeremiah 28:12 , Jeremiah 28:12 , Jeremiah 28:15 ; Jeremiah 29:1 , Jeremiah 29:29 ; Jeremiah 32:2 ; Jeremiah 36:8 , &c, Jeremiah 34:6 ; Jeremiah 45:1 .

spake. In Ch. Jeremiah 36:2 he is told to "write", because "Israel" (being dispersed), could not be spoken to, as Judah was here.

Verse 3

thirteenth year of Josiah. Compare Jeremiah 1:2 .

the three and twentieth year: i.e. of Jeremiah's prophesying: 18 years under Josiah + 3 months under Jehoahaz + 4 years under Jehoiakim.

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .

rising early and speaking. See note on Jeremiah 7:13 .

Verse 5

evil = calamity. Hebrew. ra'a. App-44 .

in the land = on the soil. Hebrew. 'adamah.

for ever and ever = from age to age. This must be read with "given", and refers to God's counsel. See note on Isaiah 44:7 ("ancient").

Verse 6

do you no hurt = bring no calamity upon you.

hurt. Hebrew. ra'a'. App-44 . Compare Jeremiah 25:5 .

Verse 7

saith the LORD = [is] Jehovah's oracle.

provoke Me to anger, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 32:21 ).

Verse 8

the LORD of hosts. See note on Jeremiah 6:6 , and 1 Samuel 1:3 .

Verse 9

My servant. Compare Isaiah 45:1 .

and. Note the Figure of speech Polysyndeton. App-6 .

astonishment. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 28:37 ). Compare Jeremiah 25:18 .

perpetual = age-abiding. Put by Figure of speech Synecdoche (of the Whole), for a long time.

Verse 10

I will take from them. Quoted in Revelation 18:23 . Compare Jeremiah 7:34 ; Jeremiah 16:9 ; Jeremiah 33:11 .

candle = lamp.

Verse 11

and. Some codices, with three early printed editions, Syriac, and Vulgate, read this "and" in the text.

seventy years. From 496 to 426. See the special note on 2 Chronicles 36:21 .

Verse 12

when. No necessary sequence with Jeremiah 25:11 .Jeremiah 25:12; Jeremiah 25:12 commences a fresh paragraph about the seventy years.

punish = visit upon, exactly seventy years later.

iniquity. Hebrew. 'avah. App-44 .

it. Hebrew masculine = the People rather than the land.

Verse 14

of them: i.e. of the Chaldeans.

Verse 15

the LORD God of Israel. See note on Jeremiah 11:3 .

wine. Hebrew. yayin. App-27 .

Verse 16

be moved = reel to and fro.

because of the sword, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 26:25 , Leviticus 26:33 ). App-92 .

Verse 18

Jerusalem. Comes first (Compare Jeremiah 25:29 ), because of 1 Peter 4:17 . Amos 3:2 .

and. So some codices, with five early printed editions, Aramaean, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate. Others omit this "and".

as it is this day. Probably added by Jeremiah when this prophecy had been fulfilled.

Verse 20

mingled people. Hebrew. 'ereb. Compare Jeremiah 50:37 . Ezekiel 30:5 .Daniel 2:43 .Ezra 9:2 .Psalms 106:35 . In the inscription of Sennacherib (Bellino's Cylinder, line 13) the Urbi are joined with the Arameans (nomad tribes west of the Euphrates). Sennacherib says that Hezekiah had some " Urbi" soldiers with him in Jerusalem.

Uz. Job's country near Idumea (Lamentations 4:2 .)

Philistines, &c. Compare Jeremiah 47:0 .

Ashkelon. Now 'Askalan. Azzah. Hebrew ' Azz ah = Gaza.

Ekron. Now ' Aki r.

Ashdod. Now 'Esdud.

Verse 21

children = sons.

Verse 22

and the kings. So in the Mugah Codex (quoted in the Massorah) ; but other codices, with one early printed edition, read "and all the kings".

isles = coast-land, or maritime country.

are. Supply "is", referring to coast-land.

Verse 23

Dedan. On the borders of Edom (Jeremiah 49:8 . Ezekiel 25:13 ).

Tema, and Buz. The country of Elihu. See Job 32:2 and note on p. 666.

that are in the utmost corners = all with their hair clipped at the corners.

Verse 26

the world. Hebrew. 'erez (with Art.), the earth.

the earth = the ground, or soil. Hebrew. 'adamah (with Art.)

Sheshach. The Massorah explains that this word is "Babel", being a cypher by which the last letter of the alphabet is put for the first, and the next to the last for the second, &c., by which Sh. Sh. Ch. becomes B. B. L. "Babel" (CompareJeremiah 51:41; Jeremiah 51:41 , where both words are used). There is another example in Jeremiah 51:1 . See note there. Four classes of nations are to drink of this cup of the fury of Jehovah Elohim of Israel (Jeremiah 25:15 ): (1) Jerusalem and Judah (Jeremiah 25:18 ); (2) Egypt, &c. (Jeremiah 25:19 ); (3) the mingled nations (verses: 20-22); and (4) the more distant nations (vv- 23-25). Daniel fills in these "times of the Gentiles", which are not within the scope of Jeremiah and Ezekiel. But the point here is that the final judgment of the nations is yet future: when "Great Babylon" comes into remembrance, it will "drink after them". Compare Jeremiah 49:12 . For this, "Sheshach" must be rebuilt and restored.

the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel. See note on Jeremiah 7:3 .

Verse 29

which is called by My name = upon which My name is called.

unpunished = held guiltless. Compare 1 Peter 4:17 . Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 20:7 ; Exodus 34:7 . Numbers 14:18 ).

the earth. Hebrew. ha'arez. Same word as "the world" in Jeremiah 25:26 .

Verse 30

roar. Compare Jeremiah 25:38 , "as a lion".

holy. See Exodus 3:5 .

upon His habitation = against His fold.

the grapes = the winepress. Compare Isaiah 63:1-6 .

Verse 31

plead with = judge.

wicked = lawless. Hebrew. rasha'. App-44 .

Verse 32

coasts = sides: i.e. uttermost parts. earth. Hebrew. 'arez. Compare Jeremiah 25:29 .

Verse 33

the slain. By the sword. Compare Isaiah 66:16 .

Verse 34

shepherds = rulers (of all kinds). Compare Jeremiah 2:8 ; Jeremiah 6:3 . All three had miserable ends: Jehoiakim (Jeremiah 22:18 ; Jeremiah 36:30 ); Jehoiachin, taken to Babylon; and Zedekiah, after his eyes were put out.

principals = strong ones.

of your dispersions: or, when ye are dispersed. So in the Mugah Codex (quoted in the Massorah), with three early printed editions.

pleasant = precious (i.e. fair, but fragile).

Verse 37

peaceable habitations = pastures of peace.

cut down = silenced.

Verse 38

as the lion. Figure of speech Simile ( App-6 ). Compare Jeremiah 25:30 .

the fierceness of the oppressor. Some codices, with one early printed edition, Aramaean, and Septuagint, read "the (Septuagint "great") sword of oppressors". Compare Jeremiah 46:16 ; Jeremiah 50:16 .

Chapter 26

Verse 1

Jeremiah's Seventeenth Prophecy (see book comments for Jeremiah).

In the beginning: i.e. before the siege, in the third year of Jehoiakim. See note on Jeremiah 27:1 .

The first edition of the Prophets (Naples, 1485-6), the first edition of the entire Hebrew Bible (Soncino 1488), and the second edition (Naples, 1491-3), introduce the word hazi = half, here, to indicate that the second half of Jeremiah commences here.

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .

Verse 2

in the court. This was Jeremiah's most public utterance. Compare Jeremiah 7:2 .

cities. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Subject), for their inhabitants.

diminish not a word. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 4:2 ; Deuteronomy 12:32 ). App-92 . The importance of this is seen from the note on Jeremiah 26:18 .

Verse 3

every man. Hebrew. 'ish.

evil. Hebrew. ra'a'.

repent Me. Figure of speech Anthropopatheia. App-6 .

Verse 4

If ye will not hearken. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 26:14 .Deuteronomy 28:15; Deuteronomy 28:15 ). App-92 .

My law. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 20:0 ).

Verse 5

both = even. Some codices, with one early printed edition, Aramaean, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, omit this "even".

rising up early, &c. See note on Jeremiah 7:13 .

Verse 6

Shiloh. See note on Jeremiah 7:12 .

a curse. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), for the subject of cursing. Compare Jeremiah 29:22 .

Verse 8

unto. One school of Massorites ( App-30 ) reads "concerning".

Thou shalt surely die. This was in accordance with Deuteronomy 18:20 , as they would not believe that Jehovah could send such a message. A reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 2:17 ). App-92 . Jeremiah's danger was very real. Compare Jeremiah 26:20-24 .

Verse 9

all. Put by Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Genus), for most of the People.

Verse 10

new gate. The Targum takes this to be the east gate.

house. Some codices, with Aramaean, Syriac, and Vulgate, read this word "house" in the text.

Verse 11

This man is worthy to die = Death's judgment is for this man: "judgment" being put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of the Cause), for the effect of it: viz. the sentence of death (idiomatically rendered in Authorized Version.) Compare John 3:19 , where krisis is put for the act or process of judging. See App-85 .

man. Hebrew. 'ish. App-14 .

as = according as.

Verse 13

obey = listen to.

God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 .

Verse 15

innocent blood. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 19:10 , Deuteronomy 19:13 ). App-92 . Compare Matthew 27:4 , Matthew 27:25 .Luke 23:13-15 . See App-85 .

Verse 16

Then said the princes, &c. In favour of Jeremiah. Note the Structure, p. 1053.

This man, &c. See App-85 .

man. Hebrew. 'ish. App-14 .

Verse 17

certain = men. Plural of 'enosh. App-14 . Some better acquainted with affairs than others.

Verse 18

Micah. The prophet whose book is called after his name. Contemporary with Hosea and Amos in Israel, and with Isaiah in Judah. See App-77 .

the LORD of hosts. See note on Jeremiah 6:6 . 1 Samuel 1:3 .

Zion shall be plowed, &c. See note on Micah 3:12 . A prophecy which was wholly fulfilled as to the Jewish Zion (south of Moriah), but not as to the traditional Zion, south-west of Jerusalem. See App-68 .

Verse 19

the LORD. Hebrew 'eth Jehovah = Jehovah Himself.

besought the LORD = appeased the face of Jehovah. Figures of speech Pleonasm and Anthropopatheia.

repented Him. Figure of speech Anthropopatheia. App-6 . Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 32:14 ). App-92 .

souls. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13 .

Verse 20

And = But. Said in reply to the friends of Jeremiah by his adversaries. See the Structure above.

Urijah. This incident is not recorded in the historical books, but it illustrates Jeremiah 26:5 .

Kirjath-jearim. Now 'Khan 'Erma, or Kuriet el 'Enab, four miles west of the hill overlooking Beth-shemesh, and about twelve miles from Jerusalem.

Verse 21

the king sought, &c. One of eleven rulers offended with God's messengers. See note on Exodus 10:28 .

Verse 22

Elnathan. See Jeremiah 26:22 ; Jeremiah 36:12 , Jeremiah 36:25 .

Verse 23

slew him with the sword. Compare Hebrews 11:37 .

common People. Hebrew sons of the people.

Verse 24

Ahikam. The father of Gedaliah, who, when appointed governor by Nebuchadnezzar, stood as the friend of Jeremiah. For a son of Ahikam also befriending Jeremiah, See Jeremiah 40:6 .

Shaphan. See note on 2 Kings 22:3 . See Jeremiah 36:10 for another son; Jeremiah 29:3 for another son. Also befriending Jeremiah.

Chapter 27

Verse 1

Jeremiah's Eighteenth Prophecy (see book comments for Jeremiah).

Given in reign of Jehoiakim to Jeremiah. Declared, after thirteen years, in fourth year of Zedekiah: i.e. in 485. Compare Jeremiah 26:12 .Jeremiah 27:0 and Jeremiah 28:0 were written by Jeremiah, or at his dictation. Compare "me", Jeremiah 27:2 ; Jeremiah 28:1 . Some codices, with Syriac, read "Zedekiah", as in Jeremiah 26:3 and Jeremiah 26:12 .

In the beginning. The Massorah ( App-30 ) notes the fact that this expression occurs three times at the commencement of a verse (Genesis 1:1 .Genesis 26:1 ; Genesis 27:1 ).

came. At the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim; but it referred to a future time, as shown in Jeremiah 27:12 .

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .

Verse 2

put them, &c. This was literally done, as a prophetic symbol; and at that time prophetic of what was to happen in the reign of Zedekiah, eleven years later.

Verse 3

and. Note the Figure of speech Polysyndeton to emphasize each respectively.

which come = that are coming. Part. Poel, as in Genesis 37:19 ; Genesis 41:29 , Genesis 41:35 .Genesis 4:16 ; Genesis 6:22 ; Gen 7:32 ; Genesis 9:25 ; Genesis 16:14 ; Genesis 23:5 , Genesis 23:7 ; Genesis 31:27 , Genesis 31:31 , Genesis 31:38 ; Genesis 32:7 ; Jeremiah 33:5 , Jeremiah 33:14 , &c. This was to take place eleven years later.

unto Zedekiah. Then and there we have the fulfilment of this prophecy.

Verse 4

the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel. See note on Jeremiah 7:3 .

God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 .

Verse 5

I have made, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 1:1 ). App-92 .

the ground. Hebrew the face of the ground. Figure of speech Pleonasm. App-6 . Some codices read "the face of all the ground".

ground = earth.

great power . . . outstretched arm. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 6:6 . Deuteronomy 4:34 ; Deuteronomy 5:15 ; Deuteronomy 7:19 ; Deuteronomy 9:29 ; Deuteronomy 11:2 ; Deuteronomy 26:8 ).

Verse 6

Nebuchadnezzar. Some codices spell it "Nebuchadrezzar".

My servant. Compare Jeremiah 25:9 . See Daniel 2:37 , Daniel 2:38 .

Verse 7

him, and his son, and his son's son: i.e. Evil Merodach, Nergelissar, and Nabonidus, in whose seventeenth year Babylon was taken by Cyrus. App-67 .

the very time = the appointed end.

great kings: i.e. the kings of Persia and Media (Daniel 2:39 ).

Verse 8

the same = him.

saith the LORD = [is] Jehovah's oracle.

sword . . . famine . . . pestilence. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 26:25 , Leviticus 26:26 . Deuteronomy 28:21-24 ). App-92 .

and. Note the Figure of speech Polysyndeton. App-6 .

Verse 9

diviners, &c. These were their heathen guides.

enchanters = observers of the clouds.

sorcerers. These were mediums and necromancers.

Verse 12

I spake: i.e. thirteen years after this prophecy came to him. See note on Jeremiah 27:1 .

to Zedekiah. It is not stated whether he ever addressed the two other kings. Jehoahaz and Zedekiah were the sons of Hamutal; Jehoiakim was the son of the proud Zebudah (2 Kings 23:36 ). Compare Jeremiah 13:18 .

Verse 13

Why . . . ? Figure of speech Asterismos.

by. Some codices, with Aramaean, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "and by", thus completing the Figure of speech Polysyndeton. Compare Jeremiah 27:8 .

as = according as.

Verse 16

to the priests. Probably in the Temple. Compare Jeremiah 28:1 .

Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos.

the vessels: which were taken away by Nebuchadnezzar in the reigns of Jehoiakim and Jeconiah (2 Kings 24:13 . 2Ch 36:7 , 2 Chronicles 36:10 . Daniel 1:2 ).

Verse 17

wherefore . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6 .

Verse 18

Be = exists; or, he and remain. Hebrew. yesh. Compare Jeremiah 31:6 , Jeremiah 31:16 , Jeremiah 31:17 , and see notes on Proverbs 8:21 ; Proverbs 18:24 .

the LORD of hosts = Jehovah Zebaoth. See note on Jer 6:6 . 1 Samuel 1:3 .

at. Some codices, with three early printed editions, omit this "at".

Verse 19

remain. Probably because they were too heavy and cumbrous.

city. So the reading of Ben-Asher; but Ben-Naphtali reads "land". These were the two rival critics of the Hebrew text in the tenth century A.D. who furnished the vowel-points. Ben-Asher's work was done at Tiberias in 827 "from the destruction of Jerusalem", and is now at Aleppo. Of Ben- Naphtali nothing is known beyond official lists which have come down to us.

Verse 20

Jeconiah. Compare Jeremiah 24:1 .

Verse 21

in. Some codices, with three early printed editions, read this "in" in the text.

Verse 22

then will I bring them up. Fulfilled by Cyrus (Ezra 1:7 ; Ezra 5:13 , Ezra 5:14 ).

Chapter 28

Verse 1

the same year. As Jeremiah 27:12 , when Jeremiah spoke to Zedekiah; not Jeremiah 27:1 , when he received the message which was to be delivered. The same year in which Jeremiah had counseled Zedekiah not to hearken to the false prophets (Jeremiah 27:14 ).

Hananiah. A false prophet. Compare Jeremiah 27:12 , Jeremiah 27:14 .

Gibeon. A city of the priests (Joshua 21:17 ). Hananiah was therefore probably a priest as Jeremiah was.

in the house. Compare Jeremiah 26:2 .

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah.

Verse 2

the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel. See note on Jeremiah 7:3 .

I have broken. This was proved to be a false promise.

Verse 3

two full years. Hebrew two years in days [measured in] days: i.e. complete years. Compare Genesis 41:1 . a Samaritan Pentateuch Jeremiah 13:23 . Not years of days (a day for a year).

Nebuchadnezzar. See note on Jeremiah 27:6 .

Verse 4

captives. Hebrew captivity. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Subject), for the people in captivity.

saith the LORD = [is] Jehovah's oracle.

Verse 5

Jeremiah. Spelled here, and in this chapter only (except Jeremiah 27:1 .Ezra 1:1 .Daniel 9:2; Daniel 9:2 ), in an abbreviated form, " Yirmeyah" instead of " Yirmeyahu ", as elsewhere. This may be to bring the true prophet into stronger contrast with the false " Hananeyah".

Verse 6

Amen. Interpreted in the words which follow.

words. Some codices, with three early printed editions, Aramaean, and Septuagint, read "word" (singular)

Verse 8

evil = calamity. Hebrew. ra'a'. Some codices, with one early printed edition, read "famine". Compare Jeremiah 27:8 , and Jeremiah 29:17 .

Verse 9

shall come to pass. Accusative case to the test laid down in Deuteronomy 18:21 , Deuteronomy 18:22 (reference to Pentateuch) App-92 .

Verse 10

the yoke. See Jeremiah 27:2 . Made of wood (Jeremiah 28:13 ).

from off. So that Jeremiah was still wearing it (Jeremiah 27:2 ).

Verse 11

went his way. Having no further word from Jehovah.

Verse 12

Jeremiah's Nineteenth Prophecy (see book comments for Jeremiah).

Then = And. Evidently shortly after this.

Verse 13

for = instead of.

yokes of iron. These are never used. No stronger symbol could have been given.

Verse 14

I have put, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 28:48 , the same words).

Verse 15

not sent thee. The test applied (Deuteronomy 18:21 , Deuteronomy 18:22 ).

trust = confide.

Verse 16

the earth = the ground, or soil.

die. According to Deuteronomy 18:20 . Reference to Pentateuch

taught = spoken. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 13:5 ). App-92 .

rebellion, &c. Zedekiah had taken an oath of allegiance to Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kings 24:17 . 2 Chronicles 36:13 .Ezekiel 17:15 , Ezekiel 17:18 ). So it was a double rebellion.

Verse 17

seventh month: i.e. two months after, instead of "two years" (Jeremiah 28:3 ).

PO Box 369, WODEN ACT 2606, AUSTRALIA