Page images
PDF
EPUB

mentioned in the Old Testament. In the New, the Gospels offer the instance of John the Baptist, whose case was similar to that of Jeremiah, the object being evidently to prevent his communications to the people. His death in prison, although ordered by Herod, was a circumstance which that king had neither contemplated nor desired. The Gospels also mention imprisonment for debt, of which we shall have due occasion to speak, only at present observing that it was not a punishment for having contracted debt, but a measure to compel payment, as is expressly declared in the passages where it is mentioned. The other cases of imprisonment which occur in the Acts of the Apostles, are nearly all foreign instances-being cases in which the Romans imprisoned the Apostles. It is therefore the more remarkable that not one of these instances offers any new principle:-the Apostles were detained in prison till their respective cases could be inquired into and finally determined. In the single case of the imprisonment of Peter by Herod, we see also a case of confinement not as itself a punishment, but as a detention for ulterior punishment, Herod intending after Easter to bring him forth unto the people.' (Acts xii. 4).-It therefore seems that the conclusions stated at the head of this note are correctly drawn from the facts recorded in Scripture: and we have dwelt on the subject in order to shew the light in which imprisonment was regarded by the Hebrews without at present inquiring into the causes which rendered them, in common with other Oriental nations, indisposed to use confinement as a final punishment for any crime.

[ocr errors]

7. The Ethiopian, one of the eunuchs which was in the king's house.'-From this it seems that black eunuchs were employed in the courts of the Hebrew kings, as they still are in those of the Eastern sovereigns. They are brought young, as slaves, from Africa, and, having been made eunuchs, are brought up in the religion of those to whom they are sold, and of which they are in general very

zealous professors. As they come from a great distance, and many of them die from the effects of that cruelty which gives them their peculiar character, black eunuchs are regarded as costly luxuries, which appear only in the establishments of princes and great personages. Their employment is about the king's female establishment, which they guard, serve, and superintend; and, except the monarch himself, they are the only individuals, not of the female sex, who ever have access to the presence of the women. They are usually in considerable numbers in the royal harams, and their situations are various. Some of them enjoy household offices of much trust and responsibility, and possess great influence from the peculiar advantages which they enjoy of access to the sovereign's presence in his more private and relaxed hours. Their chief is a very important personage; and the reader of those old Arabian stories which relate to the caliphs of Baghdad is aware that, after the monarch himself and his grand vizier, no person is so frequently or so conspicuously mentioned as the chief of the black eunuchs. Ebed-melech was probably one of the superior eunuchs; and the influence he possessed with the king appears very clearly from the present narration. See the note and cut under Esther iv. 4.

14. The third entry.'-The word rendered 'third' may, as in the margin, be rendered 'principal' or 'chief.' And the other word (Niņ mabo) is a general word, denoting not merely a gate but an avenue, entrance, or any kind of approach to a palace. Here it is generally supposed to point out the communication between Mount Zion and Mount Moriah, which was formed by Solomon, and which the queen of Sheba regarded with great admiration. It was by this way that the kings went from the palace to the temple. Probably Zedekiah called Jeremiah to a private apartment over one of the gates in this line of approach.

CHAPTER XXXIX.

1 Jerusalem is taken. 4 Zedekiah is made blind, and sent to Babylon. 8 The city ruined, 9 the people captivated. 11 Nebuchadnezzar's charge for the good usage of Jeremiah. 15 God's promise to Ebedmelech.

In the 'ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, came Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon and all his army against Jerusalem, and they besieged it.

2 And in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth day of the month, the city was broken up.

3 And all the princes of the king of Babylon came in, and sat in the middle gate, even Nergal-sharezer, Samgar-nebo, Sarsechim, Rab-saris, Nergal-sharezer, Rab-mag, with all the residue of the princes of the king of Babylon.

4 And it came to pass, that when Zedekiah the king of Judah saw them, and all the men of war, then they fled, and went forth out| of the city by night, by the way of the king's

1 2 Kings 25. 1. Chap. 52. 4.

3 Heb. with two brazen chains, or, fetters.

garden, by the gate betwixt the two walls: and he went out the way of the plain.

5 But the Chaldeans' army pursued after them, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho and when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he gave judgment upon him.

6 Then the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah in Riblah before his eyes: also the king of Babylon slew all the nobles of Judah.

7 Moreover he put out Zedekiah's eyes, and bound him with chains, to carry him to Babylon.

8 ¶ And the Chaldeans burned the king's house, and the houses of the people, with fire, and brake down the walls of Jerusalem.

9 Then Nebuzar-adan the 'captain of the guard carried away captive into Babylon the remnant of the people that remained in the city, and those that fell away, that fell to him, with the rest of the people that remained.

Heb. spake with him judgments. 4 Or, chief marshal.

5 Heb. chief of the executioners, or, slaughtermen. And so verses 10, 11, &c.

10 But Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard left of the poor of the people, which had nothing, in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time.

11 Now Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon gave charge concerning Jeremiah to Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard, saying,

12 Take him, and look well to him, and do him no harm; but do unto him even as he shall say unto thee.

13 So Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard sent, and Nebushasban, Rab-saris, and Nergal-sharezer, Rab-mag, and all the king of Babylon's princes ;

14 Even they sent, and took Jeremiah out of the court of the prison, and committed him unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of

6 Heb, in that day.

Shaphan, that he should carry him home: so he dwelt among the people.

15 Now the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, while he was shut up in the court of the prison, saying,

16 Go and speak to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring my words upon this city for evil, and not for good; and they shall be accomplished in that day before thee.

17 But I will deliver thee in that day, saith the LORD: and thou shalt not be given into the hand of the men of whom thou art afraid.

18 For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword, but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee: because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the LORD.

[blocks in formation]

Verse 3. The middle gate.'-This might be more definitely rendered the centre gate,' which would better express its supposed situation, which was probably in the heart of the city leading from the lower to the upper town. It would seem that the Babylonians, having taken the town by the north wall, hastened on to gain possession of this gate, the importance of which is indicated by the fact that Zedekiah fled from Mount Zion as soon as it had been won by the Babylonians. Some of the Rabbins make it to have been one of the temple gates; but this does not appear very likely under all the circumstances and indications.

4. Went forth out of the city by night.-Josephus says the city was taken in the middle of the night. Favoured by the darkness, the king escaped by the way here indicated, and which cannot be clearly understood, from the want of more distinct information than we possess concerning the plan of the ancient Jerusalem." The best idea we can ourselves form is this:-It is reasonable to suppose that the king and his family were staying in the

citadel of Zion, in the south-west part of the mount of that name, and in the valley below which the king's gardens are usually placed. Between the two walls,' probably means between the wall of the citadel and the parallel portion of the city wall, which together formed on two sides a double wall around the citadel. We may therefore infer that the king went out of the citadel, between the two walls, and passed from the exterior wall by the way which led to the gardens, and which was perhaps a private subterraneous passage. The Jews, indeed, have a fable, that there was a subterraneous way extending from the king's abode to Jericho, and that by this Zedekiah endeavoured to escape; in which, say they, he would doubtless have succeeded, had not God prepared a hind, which, being pressed by pursuers from the Chaldæan army, fled for refuge in the cave in which this passage terminated. The king and his party were coming out at that moment, and were seized by the exulting Chaldæans who had entered in pursuit of the hind,

CHAPTER XL.

1 Jeremiah, being set free by Nebuzar-adan, goeth_to Gedaliah. 7 The dispersed Jews repair unto him. 13 Johanan revealing Ishmael's conspiracy is not believed.

THE word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, after that Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard had let him go from Ramah, when he had taken him being bound in 'chains among all that were carried away captive of Jerusalem and Judah, which were carried away captive unto Babylon.

1 Or, manacles.

2 And the captain of the guard took Jeremiah, and said unto him, The LORD thy God hath pronounced this evil upon this place.

3 Now the LORD hath brought it, and done according as he hath said: because ye have sinned against the LORD, and have not obeyed his voice, therefore this thing is come upon you.

4 And now, behold, I loose thee this day from the chains which were upon thine hand. If it seem good unto thee to come with me into Babylon, come; and I will look well unto thee: but if it seem ill unto thee to 2 Heb. I will set mine eye upon thee.

415

come with me into Babylon, forbear: behold, all the land is before thee: whither it seemeth good and convenient for thee to go, thither go. 5 Now while he was not yet gone back, he said, Go back also to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon hath made governor over the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people or go wheresoever it seemeth convenient unto thee to go. So the captain of the guard gave him victuals and a reward, and let him go.

:

6 Then went Jeremiah unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah; and dwelt with him among the people that were left in the land.

7 ¶ Now when all the captains of the forces which were in the fields, even they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam governor in the land, and had committed unto him men, and women, and children, and of the of the land, of them that were not carried away captive to Babylon;

poor

8 Then they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, and the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah the son of a Maachathite, they and their men.

9 And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan sware unto them and to their men, saying, Fear not to serve the Chaldeans: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.

10 As for me, behold, I will dwell at

3 Heb. to stand before.

Mizpah, 'to serve the Chaldeans, which will come unto us: but ye, gather ye wine, and summer fruits, and oil, and put them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities that ye have taken.

11 Likewise when all the Jews that were in Moab, and among the Ammonites, and in Edom, and that were in all the countries, heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant of Judah, and that he had set over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan;

12 Even all the Jews returned out of all places whither they were driven, and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah, unto Mizpah, and gathered wine and summer fruits very much.

13 Moreover Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were in the fields, came to Gedaliah to Mizpah,

14 And said unto him, Dost thou certainly know that Baalis the king of the Ammonites hath sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah *to slay thee? But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam believed them not.

15 Then Johanan the son of Kareah spake to Gedaliah in Mizpah secretly, saying, Let me go, I pray thee, and I will slay Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and no man shall know it wherefore should he slay thee, that all the Jews which are gathered unto thee should be scattered, and the remnant in Judah perish?

16 But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said unto Johanan the son of Kareah, Thou shalt not do this thing: for thou speakest falsely of Ishmael.

4 Heb. to strike thee in soul.

CHAP. XL.- -The brief and sad history in this and the following chapter is too clearly told to require elucidation or remark. The only difficulty is to assign an adequate motive for the odious conduct of Ishmael. But as we learn, from ch. xli. 1, that he was of the royal family, it is probable that his first movement arose from jealousy at the promotion of a person not of that family to be the governor of the land. He probably thought that he had himself a better claim to that distinction than Gedaliah; and perhaps calculated that, were that person put out of the way, he might find means to establish himself in his place. That nothing of the kind followed, may be owing to having been led by circumstances to go further than he intended. The slaughter of the Chaldeans perhaps arose from their attempt to defend or avenge Gedaliah; but this additional atrocity was one which it could not be expected that the king of Babylon would overlook or fail to avenge; and hence he seems to have had no remaining object but to do all the mischief in his power. After all, 416

it appears likely that Ishmael was no other than the tool of the king of Ammon. He may have encouraged Ishmael in such expectations and feelings as we have stated, while his own object may well have been to prevent, by the murder of Gedaliah, that restoration of the remnant of the Hebrews to a condition of comparative prosperity and comfort, which the wise and prudent conduct of this generous and unsuspecting man seemed calculated to ensure. The ancient enmity of the Ammonites to the Hebrews, as well as the jealousy of adjoining states, may sufficiently account for any aversion with which they may have regarded the prospect of restored comfort to their ruined neighbours. We learn also, from v. 11, that many Jews, who had during the troubles retired to dwell among the Ammonites, returned home when they heard of the prospect of peace and safety under Gedaliah; and it is very possible that the loss of these refugees proved a very disagreeable circumstance to king Baalis and his people.

CHAPTER XLI.

1 Ishmael, treacherously killing Gedaliah and others, purposeth with the residue to flee unto the Ammonites. 11 Johanan recovereth the captives, and mindeth to flee into Egypt.

Now it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah the son of Elishama, of the seed royal, and the princes of the king, even ten men with him, came unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah; and there they did eat bread together in Mizpah.

2 Then arose Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and the ten men that were with him, and smote Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan with the sword, and slew him, whom the king of Babylon had made governor over the land.

3 Ishmael also slew all the Jews that were with him, even with Gedaliah, at Mizpah, and the Chaldeans that were found there, and the men of war.

4 And it came to pass the second day after he had slain Gedaliah, and no man knew it,

5 That there came certain from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, even fourscore men, having their beards shaven, and their clothes rent, and having cut themselves, with offerings and incense in their hand, to bring them to the house of the LORD.

6 And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah went forth from Mizpah to meet them, 'weeping all along as he went: and it came to pass, as he met them, he said unto them, Come to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam.

7 And it was so, when they came into the midst of the city, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah slew them, and cast them into the midst of the pit, he, and the men that were with him.

8 But ten men were found among them that said unto Ishmael, Slay us not: for we have treasures in the field, of wheat, and of barley, and of oil, and of honey. So he forbare, and slew them not among their brethren.

9 Now the pit wherein Ishmael had cast all the dead bodies of the men, whom he had slain because of Gedaliah, was it which Asa 1 Heb. in going and weeping.

2

2 Or, near Gedaliah.

[blocks in formation]

the king had made for fear of Baasha king of Israel and Ishmael the son of Nethaniah filled it with them that were slain.

10 Then Ishmael carried away captive all the residue of the people that were in Mizpah, even the king's daughters, and all the people that remained in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had committed to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam: and Ishmael the son of Nethaniah carried them away captive, and departed to go over to the Ammonites.

11 But when Johanan the son of Kareal, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, heard of all the evil that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done,

12 Then they took all the men, and went to fight with Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and found him by the great waters that are in Gibeon.

13 Now it came to pass, that when all the people which were with Ishmael saw Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, then they were glad.

14 So all the people that Ishmael had carried away captive from Mizpah cast about and returned, and went unto Johanan the son of Kareah.

15 But Ishmael the son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men, and went to the Ammonites.

16 Then took Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, all the remnant of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, from Mizpah, after that he had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, even mighty men of war, and the women, and the children, and the eunuchs, whom he had brought again from Gibeon:

17 And they departed, and dwelt in the habitation of Chimham, which is by Bethlehem, to go to enter into Egypt,

18 Because of the Chaldeans: for they were afraid of them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon made governor in the land.

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small]
[blocks in formation]

which they dug and covered over so very dexterously that none but those who made them could find them out, or even discover that the earth had been moved.' (Commentaire Littéral.) This correctly describes a still-existing practice in the East; and it still often happens, in time of war, that people are spared, and receive favourable treatment from the soldiers, on making known their 'treasures hid in the field.'

17. The habitation of Chimham.'-The aged Barzillai had a son called Chimham, for whom David undertook to provide (see 2 Sam. xix. 37; 1 Kings ii. 7); and the Targum, followed by most commentators, concludes that the king made him a grant of this spot, to which he gave his own name. As it was near Bethlehem, it might perhaps have been part of David's private patrimony.

CHAPTER XLII.

1 Johanan desireth Jeremiah to enquire of God, promising obedience to his will. 7 Jeremiah assureth him of safety in Judea, 13 and destruction in Egypt. 19 He reproveth their hypocrisy, in requiring of the Lord that which they meant not to follow.

THEN all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least even unto the greatest, came near,

2 And said unto Jeremiah the prophet, 'Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee, and pray for us unto the LORD thy God, even for all this remnant; (for we are left but a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us :)

3 That the LORD thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do.

4 Then Jeremiah the prophet_said unto them, I have heard you; behold, I will pray unto the LORD your God according to your words; and it shall come to pass, that whatsoever thing the LORD shall answer you, I will declare it unto you; I will keep nothing back from you.

5 Then they said to Jeremiah, The LORD be a true and faithful witness between us, if we do not even according to all things for the which the LORD thy God shall send thee

to us.

6 Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God, to whom we send thee; that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of the LORD our God.

7 ¶ And it came to pass after ten days, that the word of the LORD came unto Jere

miah.

8 Then called he Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces which 1 Or, let our supplication fall before thee.

were with him, and all the people from the least even to the greatest,

9 And said unto them, Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, unto whom ye sent me to present your supplication before him;

10 If ye will still abide in this land, then will I build you, and not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up for I repent me of the evil that I have done unto

you.

11 Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be not afraid of him, saith the LORD: for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand.

12 And I will shew mercies unto you, that he may have mercy upon you, and cause you to return to your own land.

13 But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, neither obey the voice of the LORD your God,

14 Saying, No; but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor have hunger of bread; and there will we dwell:

15 And now therefore hear the word of the LORD, ye remnant of Judah, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; If ye wholly set your faces to enter into Egypt, and go to sojourn there;

16 Then it shall come to pass, that the sword, which ye feared, shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine, whereof ye were afraid, 'shall follow close after you there in Egypt; and there ye shall die.

17 So shall it be with all the men that set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there; they shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: and none of them shall remain or escape from the evil that I will bring upon them.

18 For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the

2 Heb. shall cleave after you.

8 Heb. So shall all the men be.

« PreviousContinue »