B.C. 610. and by this alternation would more speedily decay. After many days, he was commanded to take it out of the place where it was concealed, and display it before the people. He found it utterly spoiled. The girdle, being an ornamental part of oriental dress, was chosen as the symbol of the glory of the Jews, and its decay became, therefore, the image of the destruction of their prosperity. Thus saith the Lord; after this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem." Further, by the figure of bottles filled with wine, either chosen as a proverbial expression of plenty, or as a reproof of their debauchery, he was commanded to foreshow the excess of their approaching misery.

Followed by a famine.

not to marry.

66

These indications of divine displeasure were followed by a grievous famine, described with even fearful accuracy, yet in language truly poetical. "Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish; they are black unto the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up. And their nobles have sent their little ones to the waters: they came to the pits, and found no water; they returned with the vessels empty: they were ashamed and confounded, and covered their heads. Because the ground is chapt, for there was no rain in the earth, the ploughmen were ashamed; they covered their heads. Yea, the hind also calved in the field, and forsook it, because there was no grass. And the wild asses did stand in the high places, they snuffed up the wind like dragons; their eyes did fail, because Commanded there was no grass. About this time also, Jeremiah received the command that he should not marry, which seems, in this instance, to have been to him a merciful prohibition, while it was a signal to his countrymen that this terrible dearth, under which they languished, was but the beginning of sorrows. "Thou shalt not take thee a wife, neither shalt thou have sons and daughters in this place. For thus saith the Lord concerning the sons, and concerning the daughters, that are born in this place, and concerning their mothers that bare them, and concerning their fathers that begat them in this land; they shall die of grievous deaths; they shall not be lamented, neither shall they be buried; but they shall be as dung upon the face of the earth: and they shall be consumed by the sword, and by famine; and their carcases shall be meat for the fowls of heaven, and for the beasts of the earth." The repetitions in the opening of this prediction, which sound so unnecessary to an English ear, are consistent with the genius of Hebrew poetry, which should be judged by its own character, and not condemned because of the apparent langour of reiteration in a mere prose translation. The painful circumstances which demanded this relinquishment of conjugal charity, are further enforced by a strict injunction, that no one should bemoan or lament the dead-a prohibition the more striking because of the loud and public mourning which characterized oriental nations, and the Jews among others: but the reason was as affecting as it was apparent, the impending calamities of the

i

Jews would be so multiplied as to leave neither time, nor oppor- в.c. 610. tunity, nor inclination, for such external tokens of sorrow-even when their greatest men fell—so common would affliction become, and so nearly would it touch every individual. "Both the great and the small shall die in this land: they shall not be buried, neither shall men lament for them." On the same principle, all festivity and hilarity are forbidden to the prophet. Those who rejoiced, were insensible of their danger; but he, the messenger of evil tidings, before whom futurity was unveiled in all its appalling features, could have little inclination to join in assemblies of mirth; indeed they were absolutely proscribed, so far as related to himself. The reason for this privation is also given; "For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will cause to cease out of this place in your eyes, and in your days, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride."

Jehoahaz.

broken

These predictions and others, contained in the first seventeen Shallum, or chapters of this prophet, were delivered in the reign of Josiah, king of Judah; those which immediately follow, it has been thought, were given in the reign of his successor, Shallum, as he is called by Jeremiah and in the Chronicles, but the name by which he is better known is Jehoahaz. Josiah having died in battle against the king of Egypt, Archbishop Usher thinks he was chosen by the people in haste, lest Pharaoh-necho should surprise them before they had made their election; but that they first changed his name, considering that of Shallum unfortunate, the only king of Israel of that name having been slain in the first month of his reign. Jehoahaz reigned, however, no more than three months, when he was deposed by the Egyptian conqueror. In this short space, some important predictions were communicated by the prophet. They also opened with a type. He was commanded to go down to the potter's house, Type-a and watch the process of his work. As the prophet looked on, one vessel. of the clay vessels became broken before he had completed it, and he re-moulded it. Jeremiah was instructed to employ this image in explaining to the house of Israel the absolute sovereignty of God over them; at whose entire and exclusive disposal they were as clay in the hands of the potter; and further, that the breaking of the vessel, and the formation of another of the same clay, was a signal of the rejection of the Jews, because of their iniquities, and the substitution of another people for them. To render the figure the more impressive, and to give it due publicity, he was commanded to take an earthen vessel, and having assembled the priests, elders, and people in the valley of Hinnom, to declare the impending destruction of the nation, and to dash the vessel in pieces, as a sign thereof, before their faces. Having discharged this commission, he returned to the temple, to confirm yet more publicly what he had just predicted. It appears that a new plot had been

Pashur's violence.

Pharaoh

necho and

In

B.C. 610. formed against his life; and this renewed testimony against the vices of his countrymen, together with the unwelcome repetition of their danger, added fiercer fury to their displeasure, and furnished occasion to Pashur, the governor of the temple, to gratify his malice, by striking the prophet and confining him in the stocks. an evil hour he obeyed the impulse of his passions! When he came the next day to release the persecuted seer, he received the fearful tidings that he should witness the death of all his dearest friends by the sword; that he should go himself into captivity with all his family, never more to return; that he should die in Babylon, and be buried there-in token of which he was named, by Jeremiah, Magor-missabib-a terror round about; "For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will make thee a terror to thyself, and to all thy friends." Pharao-necho, now returning from his successful expedition Jebikim. against Carchemish, imposed a tribute upon the Jews, and deposed Jehoahaz, placing upon the throne Eliakim, his brother, whose name he changed to Jehoiakim; and taking with him the dispossessed monarch into Egypt. Early in the reign of the new sovereign, Jeremiah took occasion to exhort his countrymen and their nobles to repentance, and to remind them of the alternative. These admonitions had no influence over the youthful monarch or his degenerate court. The prophet then proceeded to declare, that the lot of the dethroned prince, his brother, was more to be lamented than that of his ancestors, who had been carried to the grave, or even of his father, who died almost in battle; for that his captivity should end only with his life, and that he should see his native land no more. Jehoahaz accordingly died in Egypt. Jehoiakim himself was threatened for his oppression, luxury, and unbelief, with an unlamented death; and the sentence was extended beyond him to his successor, Jehoiachin, called by the prophet also Jeconiah, or Coniah, (a word of the same signification, and Hebrew names were all significant,) whose captivity by the Chaldeans was foretold. It was also further declared, that no prince of his family should inherit the throne; a series of solemn and severe predictions which is closed by the impassioned appeal " O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord!"

Jeremiah,

66

It was about this time that the occurrence took place to which allusion has been made in the Historical Chapter including the captivity of Judah, in speaking of the character of MICAH. JereDanger of miah, declaring these unwelcome truths publicly in the temple, was seized, and by the priests and time-serving prophets sentenced to die. Happily their power did not reach so far as to an execution of their decision, otherwise the prophet had undoubtedly perished at this time. But it was necessary to consult the princes of the empire; who, after patiently and impartially listening to the accusation, and to the various circumstances upon which it was founded, agreed with the people that the sentence was unjust and unmerited,

and revoked it accordingly. This righteous decision was further B.C. 610. confirmed by some of the elders, who explained to the assembly that Micah had prophesied distinctly to the same purport. The indignation of Jehoiakim was, however, roused; and as it was not prudent, in his situation, and in defiance of such a just and public determination, to wreak it upon Jeremiah, he selected another victim, and persecuted Urijah, the son of Shemaiah, of Kirjathjearim, whose predictions accorded with those of Jeremiah, and who fled into Egypt upon the first intimation of his danger. Thither the implacable malice and the political influence of the Jewish monarch reached him; and, lest these should fail, by a ruffian stratagem, not unknown to modern times, he sent a chosen band to surprise the seer in his retreat, and to bring him by force from his foreign asylum into the royal presence, where he was basely slain. In the midst of tumults and factions, and at the moment when this outrage upon justice and honour was committed, Jeremiah found a friend in Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whose powerful influence protected him alike from popular and princely fury.

Nebuchad

several

Before the fourth year of the reign of Jehoiakim, the prophet had Predictions foretold the subjugation of other nations besides Judah to the respecting power of the Chaldeans, and the astonishing victories of Nebuchadnezzar. nezzar. These predictions are contained in that portion of the book bearing his name, which comprises the 46th chapter up to the 49th, both inclusive, and is directed against the Egyptians, (a plain proof that they were not subdued before Nebuchadnezzar came to the throne of Babylon, as we have intimated in his life,) also against the Philistines, Tyrians, Phoenicians, Edomites, Ammonites, Moab- Against ites; against Damascus, Kedar, Hazor, and other states and cities. nations. The auxiliaries of this devoted empire are described by their characteristic warlike qualities, while their defeat is distinctly foretold and the pride of Egypt itself is represented under the fine image of the overflow of its own Nile.-"Who is this that cometh up as a flood, whose waters are moved as the rivers? Egypt riseth up like a flood, and his waters are moved like the rivers; and he saith, I will go up, and will cover the earth; I will destroy the city, and the inhabitants thereof. Come up, ye horses, and rage, ye chariots; and let the mighty men come forth; the Ethiopians and the Libyans, that handle the shield; and the Lydians, that handle and bend the bow. For this is the day of the Lord God of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiate and made drunk with their blood: for the Lord of hosts hath a sacrifice in the north country" (plainly the Chaldeans were to be conquerors of this people, and the instruments of divine indignation) “by the river Euphrates."

It was in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, that the event so long B.C. 606. threatened, so clearly predicted, and so pathetically described, com

Jerusalem plundered.

B.C. 606. menced, and Nebuchadnezzar besieged and plundered Jerusalem, taking away with him Daniel and his companions, but generously giving liberty to the monarch whom he had in his power: the reign of Jehoiakim was extended three years further; but nothing could open the eyes or soften the heart of this infatuated prince. The forbearance exercised towards him produced no reformation in his conduct; and the important predictions and admonitions by the mouth of Jeremiah, with which this short interval was crowded, served but to exasperate him whom they might have saved. To render permanent the prophecies that had been delivered from the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah, up to this period, the fourth of Jehoiakim, Jeremiah was instructed to commit them to writing; but not merely to answer the end of perpetuity, important as it was; the intention was, also, that they should be before the eyes of the sovereign and his people constantly; and the only reason assigned is so benevolent and so characteristic of all that is revealed of Deity in the Scriptures, that we cannot withhold it. 'It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every man from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin." The predictions were accordingly dictated by Jeremiah to Baruch. It seems that the prophet was at this time in prison; yet, anxious that the benefit should not be withheld from the people, he commissioned Baruch to take the earliest and fittest opportunity of giving them publicity, by reading them to his countrymen at their first solemn convocation. On the day of expiation, in the fifth year of Jehoiakim, this injunction was carried into effect-the roll was publicly read; tidings of this circumstance were carried instantly to court, and Baruch was summoned before the assembled princes, to read the book a second time. His illustrious audience appears to have been much struck and affected by those awful admonitions; and they thought it behoved them to lay the whole before the king. At the same time, aware of the cruel disposition of Jehoiakim, and rightly judging that he would be deeply incensed, they took the precaution of commanding the prophet and his amanuensis to conceal themselves, and then presented themselves with the important writing before the monarch, who was sitting in the winter palace, with a fire burning before him. commanded Jehudi to read the writing; but had scarcely patience to listen to three or four columns of it, when he cut it with a penknife, and notwithstanding the entreaties of Elnathan, Delaiah, and Gemariah, consumed it in the fire. It is mentioned, as an instance of the general insensibility of those who surrounded the rash prince, that they appeared to be totally unaffected by this bold and atrocious act. At the same time, orders were issued for the apprehension of Jeremiah and Baruch; but they were already concealed, and so effectually, that they escaped the present danger. After this occurRe-written. rence, the prophet was enjoined to take another roll yet larger,

The roll publicly read.

Burnt by
Jehoiakim.