of the poor they settle not. 29. Should I not visit for this, is Yahveh's oracle, or should not my soul take vengeance on a nation like this?-30. A terrible and horrible thing has happened in the land: 31. The prophets prophesy deceitfully! and the priests rule on their side, and my people love it so! But what will you do when the end comes?

VI. 1. Flee out of the midst of Jerusalem, ye children of Benjamin! And at Tekoah blow the alarm-trumpet! And on Beth-hakkerem raise the high signal! For from the north ruin breaks in, and mighty irruption. 2. The comely one

Ver.

orphan to obtain its rights, which yet according to universally acknowledged law was to them the condition of success. 29 like ver. 9. Ver. 30 f. Brief final saying, putting a seal on the whole threatening discourse. Ver. 31 points to the chief authors of this dreadful state. The prophets prophesy falsely in a direction opposed to God's will, and the priests rule (777, rule, here guide and govern) on their side as their agents. See an example, xxix. 24-26. What will you do in the end thereof (suff. neuter), which will necessarily be judgment? How will you then be saved? See Isa. x. 3.

CHAPTER VI.

.שאו משאת בתקוע תקעו בני בנימין

Ver. 1. Observe the three cases of alliterative word - play, The Benjamites, who dwelt of old along with the Judæans at Jerusalem (Josh. xv. 8, 63, xviii. 16; Judg. i. 21; 1 Chron. ix. 3, 7 ff.), are called on to flee from the city, partly because the poetical style of prophecy is fond of individualizing (cf. the following Tekoah, Beth-hakkerem), partly and especially because they are the prophet's countrymen (i. 1). Tekoah, home of the prophet Amos, now Tekua, south-south-east of Bethlehem, lying high, hence suited for communicating signals. Beth-hakkerem, vineyard-house, vineyard, only again Neh. iii. 14. Jerome still knew it as a place also lying on a hill between Jerusalem and Tekoah. Very probably it is the commanding "Hill of the Franks" to the north and near Tekoah. By the high signal, which is to be raised, is perhaps to be understood not a mere flag, but a smoke and fire signal, cf. Judg. xx. 38, 40. These signs are to direct the crowds of fugitives and country people to the south, as the invasion comes from the north. , see on iv. 6. Ver. 2. m, not meadow, but fem. adj. for N from 8, often in Canticles, hence perhaps belonging to the phraseology of love lovely, charm

there, the delicate one-the daughter of Zion I root out. 3. Shepherds come to her with their flocks, they pitch their tents against her round about, they graze every one his portion. 4. "Consecrate a war against her! Up! Let us advance at noon! Alas for us, that already the day declines, that the evening shadows lengthen! 5. Up! Let us advance in the night, and destroy her palaces!"

6. For

thus has Yahvel of hosts said: Hew ye down her timber, and throw up a mound against Jerusalem. This is the city which is visited; she is full of oppression within. 7. As a cistern keeps its water cool, so she keeps her wickedness fresh; outrage and violence are heard in her; wounds and weals are

ing. y, Pual part., made delicate, luxurious, synonymous with May. П as in Hos. iv. 5 f. Ver. 3 would suit nomadic hordes very well, but may be understood generally of princes with their armies which pitch their tents (like shepherds) and graze the land, i.e. make it bare by wasting and plundering (Num. xxii. 4). 7, properly, his hand, his side, then his place, Num. ii. 17; Deut. xxiii. 13. Ver. 4. The enemy says

p, sanctify, consecrate a war = prepare for it, because it began with sacrifices and other solemnities. These enemies are full of indefatigable ardour. At hot noon they begin the advance, are sorry when evening falls before they have reached the goal, but still are not restrained by it from their destroying work; in the night they undertake the attack. Compare how Habakkuk, Jeremiah's contemporary, pictures the rapidity of the Babylonian troops in similar terms, Hab. i. 6-11. Ver. 6. This work they execute with barbarous energy. God has given it them in charge. y л, a proceeding forbidden by the humane law, Deut. xx. 19 f., according to which passage ny "her timber," for yy. The Assyrian and Babylonian armies were notorious for destroying woods (Hab. ii. 17). Not seldom their rulers boast of this outrage in their inscriptions. In this passage the hewn timber is to be used in strengthening the wall (cf. xxxii. 24) that is thrown up partly as a defence during the besieging of the city, but especially in order to reach the level of the city walls, and so be able to attack; cf. 2 Sam. xx. 15; Hab. i. 10. She is full of oppression; literally, "her entiretyoppression is in her midst." pwy and p recall Lev. v. 23, which passage was in the prophet's thoughts (Näg.). Ver. 7.

Hiph., to keep ,(קר and adjective ,מְקֵרָה קוֹר after the noun) קרר

cool, fresh (LXX), not "to spring;" for a cistern has not spring

ever before my face. 8. Receive correction, O Jerusalem, lest my soul sever itself from thee, lest I make thee a desolation, a land uninhabited.

9. Thus has Yahveh of hosts said: Verily men will glean on the remnant of Israel as on a vine; turn again thy hand like a vine-dresser to the shoots. 10. To whom shall I

Behold, their ear is

speak and testify, that they may hear? uncircumcised, that they cannot hear. Behold, the word of Yahveh has become a scorn to them, they delight not in it. 11. But I am full of the fury of Yahveh, I am weary of holding it in. Pour out upon the child in the street and upon the circle of young men together; for even the husband shall be taken with the wife, the old man with him that is full of days. 12. And their houses shall be turned to others, fields and wives together; for I stretch out my hand against the inhabitants of the land, is Yahveh's oracle. 13. For from the least to the greatest among them they all overreach, and from the prophet to the priest they are all deceivers.

water (see on ii. 13). The Keri, perhaps (?), is to be rejected. The figure says plainly: the city is like a walled cistern, since it constantly keeps wickedness fresh in its cool walls.Sn, here wound in consequence of ill-treatment, cf. 1 Kings xxii. 34. Ver. 8. yp (imperfect only, perfect yp), to loose oneself, fall out (cf. Arabic waka'a, to fall), to be separate, estranged, as in Ezek. xxiii. 17 f Ver. 9. y, to make a gleaning (inf. abs.). Already only a remnant of Israel (observe the name) is left; even it is still visited judicially, as a vinedresser after gleaning again turns his hand to the tendrils of the vine in order to gather any single grapes that may be left. In the prophet is addressed, he replies in ver. 10; he is the medium of the judgment according to i. 10, v. 14, vi. 11. By omitting the suffix in 77 (Hitzig, Graf, Cheyne) the passage is spoilt. bobo, not baskets (LXX), an inappropriate figure, but the slim tendrils of the vine, cf. Isa. xviii. 5, . Ver. 10. Used of uncircumcised ears here only and Acts vii. 51; of the heart, Jer. iv. 4, ix. 25. Their ears are covered with a foreskin, i.e. closed to the prophet's testimony by their impure heart. Ver. 11a. The seer himself is so filled with the fire of the divine anger, that he can no longer keep it to himself. On this complaint he receives the divine command: Pour out, etc., i.e. on all alike, for captivity awaits all. Here, too, the prophet

14. And they patch the rent of my people slightly, saying, "Peace, peace!" when yet there is no peace. 15. Although they were put to shame, because they committed abomination, they were not at all ashamed, nor were they conscious of dishonour. Therefore shall they fall among them that fall; at the time when I visit them, they shall stumble, Yahveh has said.

16. Thus said Yahveh: Stand ye in the way and see, and ask after the paths of ancient days, which yet is the way of salvation, and walk therein, and you shall find rest to your souls. Then they said: "We will not so walk." 17. And I appointed watchmen over you: Hearken to the sound of the trumpet and they said: "We will not hearken." Therefore hear, ye nations, and observe for thyself, O congrega

18.

is the channel of judgment. Ver. 14= viii. 11; cf. xxiii. 17;
Ezek. xiii. 10, 16, in the wake of Micah iii. 5.— is wanting in
the ancient versions and many Hebrew MSS. It would have
to be explained as in iv. 11: Daughter of my people, gen.
appos., which is my people. They are like frivolous physicians,
who heal a break or hurt superficially, the hurt remaining.
Ver. 15. n, they were insensible to reproach, so hardened
and shameless are they; viii. 11 has Niphal for this. Therefore
nothing is left to the Lord but to destroy them utterly. For
o'p, perf., which would be somewhat strange, Ewald reads
DP, after LXX, as in ix. 15 and often. Ver. 16. They are to
take up such a position as to be able to see and compare the
different ways (life with and without God), and also to take into
account the experiences of the past as far back as primitive days.
by man perhaps implies no commendation (differently xviii.
15), but there was a way pleasing and a way displeasing to
God from of old. (from y, to withdraw; cf. the Arabic
meaning "to turn back "), rest, resting-place; cf. Matt. xi. 29.
LXX inaccurately ἁγνισμόν.
tasis and apodosis, Ges. § 130. 2; Eng. § 127. Ver. 17. Climax.
Since they did not know and take the right way of themselves,
God set watchers over them, who were to deter them from the
evil way by the warning cry of the trumpet; even to these
loud sounds they were deaf. The prophets are often called
"scouts" in the above sense; they discern approaching evil.
Пp, this grammatical form carries us back to the moment
when God decided on this measure; it is not purely narrative,
as in xxxvii. 15. Ver. 18. Difficult and variously emended.

-imperatives in pro לכו ... ומצאו

19. Hear, O earth, behold I

tion that belongs to them. bring ruin upon this people, the fruit of their thoughts, because they hearkened not to my words; and my law-this they despised. 20. What use to me is the incense coming from Sheba, and the costly sweet cane from a far land? Your burnt offerings are displeasing, and your sacrifices delight me not. 21. Therefore thus says Yahveh: Behold, I lay stumbling-blocks before this people, over which fathers and sons shall stumble together, inhabitant and neighbour shall perish.

22. Thus said Yahveh: Behold, a people comes from the north, and a mighty nation stirs itself up from the ends of the earth. 23. They carry bow and spear; it is cruel, and they have no pity, their roar thunders like the sea, and they career on horses, armed like a man for battle against thee, O daughter of Zion. 24. "We heard its fame, our hands are slack, anguish has seized us, pangs like a travailing woman."

to=עדה

As it stands, it is most simply understood to the effect, that along with the heathen, the congregation, the present generation, the body of hearers is addressed "which is among them," which belongs to that people rebellious of old. ns, nota accus. Sense: I mean you who reckon yourselves of them. receive the testimony (in which case would need to be read)," which goes forth about you," is tame. Ver. 20. According to this passage and Isa. lx. 6, the Israelites procured incense from Sheba, in south-west Arabia (Herzog, xii. 487); perhaps from the same place the "sweet cane," calamus, from which fragrant cane the sacred oil was prepared, Ex. xxx. 23. That incense-offerings were not in Jeremiah's eyes an unwarranted innovation, is shown by xvii. 26 (cf. Lev. ii. 1), according to which passage they are part of the normal cultus. Ver. 21.7, Kethib without Vav to be preferred. is best joined to this clause. Ver. 22. n, the corners of the earth, its most secret, because most remote places. According to Ezek. xxxviii. 6, 15, xxxix. 2, Gog dwells (certainly

יחדו

a somewhat different phrase), which would suggest the Scythians. Cf. however, xxxi. 8. Ver. 23. Cf. iv. 29, v. 16, on the equipment of this nation of horsemen, and also Hab. i. 8. The whole nation resembles a warrior ready for conflict. Ver. 24 describes the impression which the mere report of its attack will make. Sn, from Micah iv. 9. The comparison with such a woman

E