Jeremias

Jeremias 17:1

Ver. 1. The. Grabe (de Vit. p. 8.) observes that the four first verses were omitted in the Sept. by some careless transcriber, long before the days of Origen, who restored them from the Heb. and the other Gr. versions. On such occasions his work was very useful; but the marks being soon neglected, great confusion ensued. S. Jer. Kennicott, Dis. ii. --- Grabe has restored these verses in his edition. H. --- Eusebius (Dem. x.) and Theodoret acknowledged them; and Nobilius found the first verse thus expressed in many copies, (C.) as it is in Grabe: "The sin of Juda is expressed in writing with a finger nail of adamant, cleaving to the breast of," &c. H. --- Altars, to appear more conspicuously to the latest times. This excited God's indignation. C. --- These figurative expressions shew the inveterate malice of the people. W.

Jeremias 17:3

Ver. 3. Sin of idolatry. C. xv. 13.

Jeremias 17:4

Ver. 4. Be left. Prot. "discontinue from thine," &c. H. --- The land shall have its sabbaths, which thou wouldst not allow. Chal. Ex. xxii. 11. Lev. xxvi. 34.

Jeremias 17:5

Ver. 5. Thus. Sept. continue from the last chapter, "cursed," &c. H. --- Sedecias had formed alliances with several princes, instead of turning to the Lord. C.

xxvii. and xxxvii. C. --- Our chief dependence must be on God, not on human policy. W.

Jeremias 17:6

Ver. 6. Tamaric. A barren shrub, that grows in the driest parts of the wilderness.

Ch. --- Harhar denotes some sort (H.) of "useless wood." Sym. See C. xlviii. 6.

Isai. xvii. 2. --- Salt, like the environs of Sodom, the fruits of which were bad.

Jeremias 17:8

Ver. 8. Fruit. See Ps. i. 3. Pindar, Nem. viii. How different from the wicked! C.

Jeremias 17:9

Ver. 9. Perverse. Sept. "deep." --- Unsearchable. Sept. "man, who shall know him?" H. --- God alone can search the heart by his own power. He enables saints to do it by the light of glory, or of prophecy; as Eliseus and S. Peter knew secret transactions. W.

Jeremias 17:11

Ver. 11. Partridge. Heb. kore, (H.) may mean the "coucou." The kra lays many eggs, all of which she does not hatch. C. --- Prot. " As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not,"

&c. H. --- It is rare that all produce birds; so the unjust do not succeed (C.) in the end. H.

Jeremias 17:12

Ver. 12. Throne. The temple. We may also read "O high," &c. C. xiv. 21.

Jeremias 17:13

Ver. 13. Earth, where alone their portion shall be, (Apoc. iii. 5,) or they shall be forgotten. It is a proverbial expression, like that of Catullus: Dixit: sed mulier cupido quod dixit amanti

In vento et rapidâ scribere oportet aquâ.

--- Living, which never fail, unlike those of the wicked. C. ii. 13.

Jeremias 17:15

Ver. 15. Come. We have several instances of such impious sarcasms. Isa.

xxviii. 10. and xxxiv.

13. Amos ii. 12. Mic. ii. 6. C. --- We fear not the Chaldees. M.

Jeremias 17:16

Ver. 16. Troubled. Heb. "in haste to be a pastor after thee." Chal. "I delay not, at thy command, to announce thy truths to them." C. i. 6. Jeremias was aware of the dangers attending his office, yet not dismayed. --- Day: approbation, (1 Cor.

iv. 3.) or advantages of the world. C. --- Of man.

Heb. also, "of the wretched:" anush. I wished rather for the people's welfare, (H.) and sought not their ruin. Chal. Theodor.

Jeremias 17:18

Ver. 18. Let them be confounded, &c. Such expressions as these in the writings of the prophets, are not to be understood as imprecations proceeding from malice or desire of revenge, but as prophetic predictions of evils that were about to fall upon impenitent sinners, and approbations of the ways of the divine justice. Ch. --- The prophet has already prevented this objection. v.

16. H.

Jeremias 17:19

Ver. 19. Gate of the palace, or that by which the kings entered the temple, on the west. The time when this admonition was given is not ascertained.

Jeremias 17:21

Ver. 21. Souls. Those who broke the sabbath were to die. Ex. xxx. 15. Num. xv.

32. ---

Burdens, or servile work. C. --- The Jews trifle in deciding what is a burden.

Orig. prin. iv. 2. ---

Sabbath often denotes the observance of the whole law. W.

Jeremias 17:25

Ver. 25. David. I will observe my covenant. 2 K. vii. 12. --- Horses: in prosperity, (M.) provided this law, as well as all the rest, be observed. H. --- Such temporal rewards were commonly proposed under the law, as spiritual ones are now. W.

Jeremias 17:26

Ver. 26. Sacrifices. Heb. mincha, (H.) "offerings" of flour, wine, &c. C.

Jeremias 17:27

Ver. 27. Fire, by means of Nabuzardan. M. --- The city shall be entirely destroyed. C.