C  j  1-5. Idolatry.
    k  6,7. Yehovah the true God.
     l  8. Stupidity of Idolaters.
   j  9. Idolatry.
    k  10-13. Yehovah the true God.
     l  14-16. Stupidity of Idolaters.

518-500 B.C.

10) 1: Hear you all the word which Yehovah speaks to you, O house of Israel: (see 2:4)
 2: "Thus says Yehovah, 'Learn not the way of the nations (see Lev.18:3; 20:23), and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the nations are dismayed at them.
 3: For the statutes (or ordinances) of the peoples are a breath: for it [is only] a tree which one cuts out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.
 4: They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
 5: They are stiff as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be carried, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.' "

 6: Forasmuch as there is none like unto You (see Ex.15:11), O Yehovah; You are great, and Your name is great in might. (see Ps.20:1)
 7: Who would not revere You, O King of nations? (Words quoted in the "Song of Moses and the Lamb", Rev.15:3,4) for to You does it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto You.

 8: But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a doctrine of vanities.

 9: Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish (= established. See 1 Kings 10:22), and gold from Uphaz (= Ophir= abundance. See 1 Kings 9:28; 10:11), the work of the workman, and of the hands of the founder: blue and purple is their clothing: they are all the work of cunning men.

 10: But Yehovah is the true Elohim, He is the living Elohim (both words plural, referring to the triune God), and an everlasting King (= King of the ages, or, eternity): at His wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide His indignation.
 11: Thus shall you all say to them, "The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens. (this verse is in Chaldee, to serve as a confession of their faith in their exile)
 12: He has made the earth by His power, He has established the inhabitable world by His wisdom, and has stretched out the heavens by his understanding.
 13: When He utters His voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and He causes the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; He makes lightnings with rain, and brings forth the wind (ruach) out of His treasures.

 14: Every human is brutish in his knowledge: every founder is put to shame by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath (ruach) in them.
 15: They are vanity (the common appelative for idols), and the work of mockeries: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.
 16: The Portion of Jacob (see Num.18:20. Deut.32:9. Not Israel, because the natural seed is spoken of as in Deut.32:9. See en.32:28; 43:6; 45:26,28) is not like them: for He is the Framer of all things; and Israel is the rod of His inheritance: Yehovah Sabaioth is His name."

 17: Gather in your bundles (for that is all they would be able to take with them) out of the land, O inhabitress (put fpr "the daughter of Zion") of the fortress. (put for Jerusalem)
 18: For thus says Yehovah, Behold, I will sling out the inhabitants of the land at this once (fig., put for all that is signified by it. Cp. Isa.22:17,18), and will distress them, that they may discover the truth of it."
 19: Woe is me for my hurt! (Zion now speaks in view of the comming deportation; or, Jeremiah voices the calamity) my wound is grievous: but I said, "Truly this is a grief (or, my affliction), but I must bear it."
 20: My tent (or, dwelling) is spoiled, and all my cords are broken: my sons are gone forth of me, and they are not: there is none to stretch forth my tent any more, and to set up my curtains.
 21: For the shepherds (or, rulers) are become brutish (this points to Jehoiakim's reign), and have not sought Yehovah Himself: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered.
 22: Behold, the voice of the rumour is come, and a great commotion out of the north country (cp. 1:15; 5:15; 6:22, &c.), to make the cities of Judah desolate, and a den of jackals.
 23: O Yehovah, I know that the way of man belongs not to himself: nor in man that walks to establish his steps.
 24: O Yehovah, correct me, but in judgment; not in Your anger, lest You bring me to nothing.
 25: Pour out Your fury upon the nations that know You not, and upon the families (some codices read "kingdoms") that call not on Your name (= You, emphatic. See Ps. 20:1): for they have eaten up Jacob, and devoured him, and consumed him, and have made his habitation desolate.

H  Q  11:1-14. Against the People.
    R  11:15-17. The beloved People threatened.
   Q  11:18 - 12:6. Against the men of Anathoth.
    R  12:7-17. The beloved People threatened.

Q  m  1-8-. Covenant disobeyed.
    n  -8. Threatening.
   m  9,10. Covenant broken.
    n  11-17. Threatening.
Jeremiah's 7th Prophecy.

11) 1: The word (sing., indicating this as a special prophecy) that came to Jeremiah from Yehovah, saying, 

 2: “Hear you all the words of this covenant (pl. indicating the many utterances of "this covenant". The old covenant of Exodus had been specially renewed by Judah in Jeremiah's day, under Josiah, in his 18th year, 2 Kings 23:1-3), and speak to the men of Judah (emphasised by the repitition), and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem; 

 3: And you say to them, ‘Thus says Yehovah Elohim of Israel (still used of Judah as representing the whole nation. See 1 Kings 12:17); Cursed be the man that obeys not the words of this covenant, (see Deut.26:26)

 4: Which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace (see Deut.4:20), saying, ‘Hear (= listen or attend to) My voice (see Ex.15:26), and do them (i.e. "the words" of v.3), according to all which I command you: so shall you all be My People, and I will be your God: (see 26:3-12)

 5: That I may perform the oath which I have sworn to your fathers (see Deut.7:12), to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day.’ ” Then answered I, and said, “So be it, O Yehovah”. (see Deut.27:15-26)

 6: Then Yehovah said to me, “Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah (cp. 2:28, and 11:13), and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Hear you all the words of this covenant, and do them. 

 7: For I earnestly protested to your fathers in the day that I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even to this day, rising early and protesting (see 7:13), saying, ‘Obey My voice.’ 

 8: Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked every one in the stubornes of their evil heart: 

therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do; but they did them not.’ ” 

 9: And Yehovah said to me, “A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 

 10: They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, which refused to hear My words; and they are gone after other gods to serve them: the house of Israel (see 2:4) and the house of Judah (see 3:18) have broken My covenant which I made with their fathers. 

 11: Therefore thus says Yehovah, Behold, I will bring tumolt (or, trouble) upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry to Me, I will not listenen to them. 

 12: Then shall the cities of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem go, and cry to the gods to whom they offer incense (see Deut.32:37,38): but they shall not save them at all in the time of their trouble. 

 13: For according to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have you all set up altars to that shameful thing (fig., put for the idol which was the cause of the shame), even altars to burn incense to Baal. 

 14: Therefore do not pray you for this people (see Ex.32:10. Cp. 7:16; 14:11), neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry to Me in their time of trouble. 

 15: What has My beloved to do in My house, seeing she has wrought lewdness with many, and the holy flesh takes away from you [your wickedness]? (i.e. the sacrifices. Cp. 7:21. Hag.2:12. Or, "removes your evil" [i.e. calamity]) when you do evil, then you rejoice. (i.e. if such false worship remove your calamity, then you may rejoice; but this was impossible)

 16: Yehovah called your name, A green olive tree (the symbol of Israel's religious privileges. See judg.9:8-12), fair, and of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult He has kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken. 

 17: For Yehovah Sabaioth, that planted you, has pronounced trouble against you, for the tumolt of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have wrought against themselves to provoke Me to anger in offering incense to Baal.” 

11:18 - 12:6. Prophecies against the men of Anathoth.
(Alternation).
Q  o  11:18-20. The prophet. Prayer.
    p  11:21-23. Yehovah's answer. Threatening.
   o  12:1-4. The prophet. Pleading.
    p  12:5,6. Yehovah's answer. Threatening. 

 18: And Yehovah gave me knowledge of it (Jeremiah a type of Messiah), and I knew it: then you shewed me their doings. 

 19: But I was like a lamb (again like a type of Messiah) or an ox that is brought to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised devices against me, saying, “Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof (Heb. "the dish in his food". Fig., for the food in his dish), and let us cut him off from the land of the living (Jeremiah a type of Christ. See Isa.53:8. Sometimes by a way of contrast), that his name may be no more remembered.” 

 20: But, O Yehovah Sabaioth, that judgest righteously, that tries the reins and the heart (cp. 11:20; 17:10; 20:12. Ps.7:9; 26:2), let me see Your vengeance on them: for unto You have I revealed my cause. 

 21: Therefore thus says Yehovah concerning the [mighty] men of Anathoth, that are seeking your soul, saying, “Prophesy not in the name of Yehovah, that you die not by our hands:” 

 22: Therefore thus says Yehovah Sabaioth, “Behold, I will visit upon them: the young men shall die by the sword; their sons and their daughters shall die by famine: 

 23: And there shall be no remnant of them: for I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth, even the year of their visitation.” 

12) 1: Righteous are You, O Yehovah, when I plead with You: yet let me talk with you of Your judgments: Why does the way of the lawless prosper? why are all they happy that deal very treacherously? (Heb. are traitors of treachery = are utter traitors)

 2: You have planted them, yes, they have taken root: they grow, yes, they bring forth fruit: You are near in their mouth (Anathoth was a city of priests. Mouth put for the words uttered by it), and far from their kidneys. (fig., put for the affections)

 3: But You, O Yehovah, know me: You have seen me, and tried my heart toward You: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and seperate (or, devote) them for the day of slaughter. 

 4: How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of every field wither, for the lawlessness of them that dwell therein? the beasts are consumed, and the birds; because they said, “He shall not see our last end.” 

 5: If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein you confided, they wearied you, then how will you do in the swelling of Jordan? (eb. pride. Fig., put for proud beasts in the undergrowth on the banks of the Jordan. See 49:19; 50:44, and cp. Job 41:34)

 6: For even your brethren, and the house of your father, even they have dealt treacherously with you; yes, they have called loudly a multitude after you: believe them not, though they speak fair words to you. 

7-17. The beloved Peopled threatened.
(Division).
R  S¹  7-13. The beloved People. Themselves.
   S²  14-17. The beloved People. Their enemies.

 7: I have forsaken My house, I have left My heritage; I have given the dearly beloved of My soul (= I Myself. Very emphatic) into the hand of her enemies. 

 8: My heritage is become to Me as a lion in the forest; it cries out against Me: therefore have I hated it. 

 9: My heritage is to Me as a bird of prey, the birds round about are against her; come you all, assemble all the beasts of the field, come to devour. 

 10: Many pastors (used of rulers. See 2:8; 3:15) have destroyed My vineyard, they have trodden My portion (one codex reads "My possession") under foot, they have made my pleasant portion (eb. = desired portion) a desolate wilderness. 

 11: They have made it desolate, and being desolate it mourns to Me; the whole land is made desolate, because no man lays it to heart. 

 12: The spoilers are come upon all eminent places through the wilderness: for the sword of Yehovah shall devour from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land: no flesh shall have peace. 

 13: They have sown wheat, but shall reap thorns: they have put themselves to pain, but shall not profit: and they shall be ashamed of your revenues because of the fierce anger of Yehovah. 

 14: Thus says Yehovah against all My evil neighbours (Egypt, Edom, Philistia, Ammon, and Moab), that touch the inheritance which I have caused My People Israel to inherit (see Ex.32:13); Behold, I will pluck them out of their land, and pluck out the house of Judah from among them. 

 15: And it shall come to pass, after that I have plucked them out I will return, and have compassion on them, and will bring them again, every man to his heritage, and every man to his land. 

 16: And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of My People, to swear by My name, Yehovah lives; according as they taught My People to swear by Baal; then shall they be rebuilt in the midst of My People. (see Num.13:22)

 17: But if they will not listen, I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation, [is] Yehovah's oracle.” 

13:1 - 17:18. Symbols.
(Alternation).
G  T  13:1-27. Symbolical. Girdle. Bottles.
    U  14:1 - 15:21. Literal. Drought.
   T  16:1-21. Symbolical. No wife.
    U  17:1-18. Literal. Sin of Judah.

13:1-27. Symbols. Girdle. Bottles.
(Division).
T  V¹  1-11. The Girdle.
   V²  12-14. The Bottles.
   V³  15-27. The Signification.

1-11. The Girdle.
(Introversion and Alternation).
V¹  W  1-7-. The Girdle caused to cleave. Symbol.
     X  q  -7-. Girdle marred.               "
         r  -7. Girdle useless.              "
     X  q  8,9. People marred.    Signification.
         r  10. People useless.         "
   W  11. The People caused to cleave.  "

13) 1: Thus says Yehovah to me, “Go and get you a linen girdle (soft girdles, made of silk or linen, still worn by upper classes. Cp. Ezek.16:10. Some embroidered, Dan.10:5. ev.1:13; 15:6), and put it upon your loins, and put it not in water.” (so that the cause of its marring be not mistaken)

 2: So I bought a girdle according to the word of Yehovah, and put it on my loins. 

Jeremiah's 8th Prophecy.

 3: And the word of Yehovah came to me the second time, saying, 

 4: “Take the girdle that you have bought, which is upon your loins, and arise, go to Euphrates (on the road to Babylon, this river would be first met with Carchemish, then held by the Egyptians, 46:2), and hide it there in a hole of the rock.” 

 5: So I went, and hid it by Euphrates, according as Yehovah commanded me. 

 6: And it came to pass after many days, that Yehovah said to me, “Arise, go to Euphrates, and take the girdle from that place, which I commanded you to hide there.” 

 7: Then I went to Euphrates, and digged, and took the girdle from the place where I had hid it: 

and, behold, the girdle was marred, 

and it was profitable for nothing. 

Jeremiah's 9th Prophecy

 8: Then the word of Yehovah came to me, saying, 

 9: “Thus says Yehovah, After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah (see Lev.26:19), and the great pride of Jerusalem. 

 10: This evil People, which refuse to hear My words, which walk in the stubborness of their heart (= mind), and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is good for nothing. 

 11: For as the girdle cleaves to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave to Me the whole house of Israel (see 2:4) and the whole house of Judah (see 3:18), [is] Yehovah's oracle; that they might be to Me for a People (see Ex.19:5), and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear. 

12-14. The Bottles.
(Division).
V²  Y¹  12. Symbol. Bottles filled.
    Y²  13,14. Signification. People filled.

 12: Therefore you shall speak to them this word; ‘Thus says Yehovah Elohim of Israel, Every bottle (= an earthware jar: not leathern or shin bottles) shall be filled with wine:’ and they shall say to you, ‘Do we not certainly know that every bottle shall be filled with wine?’ 

 13: Then shall you say to them, ‘Thus says Yehovah, Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings that sit upon David's throne, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness. 

 14: And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, [is] Yehovah's oracle: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them.’ ” 

15-27. The Signification.
(Division).
V³  Z¹  15-20. Pride.
    Z²  21-27. Punishment.

15-20. Pride.
(Alternation).
Z¹  s  15-17-. Exhortation.
     t  -17. Yehovah's flock.
    s  18,19. Exhortation.
     t  20. Yehovah's flock.

497 or 480 B.C.

 15: Hear you all, and give ear; be not proud: for Yehovah has spoken. (Yehovah's words, not Jeremiah's)

 16: Give glory to Yehovah your Elohim, before He cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while you all look for light, He turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness. 

 17: But if you all will not hear it, my soul (= me, emphatic) shall weep in secret places for your pride; and my eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, (cp. Matt.26:38. Luke 19:41)

because Yehovah's flock is carried away captive. 

 18: Say to the king and to the queen (this was Jehoiachin, and the queen-mother. See 2 Kings 24:12,15. Jehoiachin was only 18, so that the queen-dowager would hold a position of some influence, 490, or, 489 B.C.), ‘Humble yourselves, sit down: for your head-gear shall come down, even the crown of your glory. 

 19: The cities (some codices read "eyes") of the Negeb shall be shut up (see Ps.126:4. Cp. Gen.12:9; 13:3), and none shall open them: Judah shall be carried away captive all of it, it shall be wholly carried away captive. 

 20: Lift up your eyes, and behold them that come from the north (see 1:13; 3:12; 6:1, &c.): where is the flock that was given you, your beautiful flock? 

21-27. Punishment.
(Alternation).
Z²  u  21-. Question. “What...?”
     v  -21. Answer. Reason.
    u  22-. Question. “Why...?”
     v  -22-27. Answer. Reason.

 21: What will you say when He shall punish you? 

for you have taught them to be captains, and as chief over you: shall not sorrows take you, as a woman in travail? 

 22: And if you say in your mind, ‘Why come these things upon me?’ 

For the greatness of your iniquity are your skirts discovered, and your heels made bare. 

 23: Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may you all also do good, that are schooled (or, trained) to do evil. 

 24: Therefore will I scatter them as the stubble (not crushed straw) that passes away by the wind (ruach) of the wilderness. 

 25: This is your lot, the portion of your measures from Me, [is] Yehovah's oracle; because you have forgotten Me, and confided in falsehood. 

 26: Therefore will I discover your skirts upon your face, that your shame may appear. 

 27: I have seen your adulteries, and your neighings, the lewdness of your whoredom (think spiritually here also = false worship to idols), and your abominations on the hills in the fields. Woe to you, O Jerusalem! will you not be made clean? how long before iy yet be?”