Westminster Annotations, Jeremiah · Chapter 44 – Chapter 45
CHAP. XLIIII.
Vers. 1. THe word that came, &c.] See Chap. 1. 2, 4.
which dwell at Migdol] A strong Citie, or Fort, in the territory of Bethshemesh. Exod. 14. 2. so were the rest here mentioned: but no hold so strong, that can secure against Gods hand.
at Tahpanhes] Of this see Chap. 43. 7.
at Noph] Of this Isa. 19. 13. Ezek. 30. 13.
in the Countrey of Pathros] Another region of Egypt, that had its name from one of Mizraims posteritie. Gen. 10. 14. of which Isai. 11. 11. Ezek. 29. 14. & 30. 14.
V. 2. they are a desolation] Or, desolate. Chap. 27. 17.
no man dwelleth therein] Chap. 4. 7, 29.
V. 3. to provoke me to anger] Chap. 7. 18.
they went to burn incense, &c.] Chap. 19. 4.
V. 4. rising early and sending] Went from me, and left me, to go after strange gods, and serve them. Chap. 7. 25. & 25. 3. & 26. 5. & 29. 19. & 32. 33.
V. 6. my fury and mine anger was poured forth] He mindeth them of Gods judgements on Judah and Jerusalem for their idolatry, Chap. 42. 18. to make them by their example the more wary. So Nehem. 13. 18. Chap. 7. 12. Dan. 5. 22, 23. Zech. 1. 5, 6.
as at this day] Or, at this day appeareth. Chap. 25. 18.
V. 7. commit ye this great evill against your souls] Num. 16. 38. Chap. 7. 19.
out of Judah] Heb. out of the midst of. Chap. 51. 6.
V. 8. with the works of your hands] With your idols. Chap. 25. 6, 7.
be a curse] Chap. 42. 18.
V. 9. Have ye forgotten the wickednesse] Heb. wickednesses: or, punishments: as Gen. 4. 13.
of the kings of Judah, &c.] He mentioneth the rather their Kings and Queens; to shew, that, considering how the greatest had smarted, the meaner sort had no reason to look to escape, if they committed the like wichednesse. So Nehem. 13. 26, 27.
V. 10. They are not humbled] Heb. contrite. Isai. 57. 15.
V. 11. I will set my face against you for evill] God would set his face against them, purposely to destroy them: Chap. 21. 10. Amos 9. 4. as they had set their faces, to go into Egypt purposely against his expresse command to the contrary. Chap. 42. 15. vers. 12. See Levit. 20. 5. Psal. 34. 16.
V. 12. the remnant of Judah] Those all that are in Egypt; Vers. 12. some few onelyonly excepted. Vers. 14. 28.
have set their faces to go into the land of Egypt] That have fixed their resolutions to go into Egypt; or, are of set purpose already gone thither. Chap. 42. 15. so excepting those, that were carryed thither against their wils, as Jeremiah, Baruch, and some others. Chap. 43. 6.
and fall] Or, die. Psal. 63. 10.
consumed by the sword, &c.] Chap. 42. 17.
from the least even unto the greatest] Chap. 42. 1, 8.
they shall be an execration] Vers. 8.
V. 13. I will punish] Heb. visit. Chap. 11. 22. & 12. 21.
them that dwell in the land of Egypt] Those Jewes. Vers. 1.
punished Jerusalem] Heb. visited. Vers. 6.
V. 14. to the which they have a desire to return] Or, set their mind on. Heb. lift up their soul. Chap. 22. 27. Hos. 4. 8.
but such as shall escape] Or, save some, that shall escape. which shall be a very few. Vers. 28.
V. 15. answered Jeremiah, saying] By some of their women. See vers. 19.
V. 16. we will not hearken unto thee] Chap. 6. 16, 17.
V. 17. we will certainly do] Heb. doing do. Chap. 22. 4.
whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth] Whatsoever we have resolved upon, and by solemn vow bound our selves to. Vers. 25. Jud. 11. 36.
unto the Queen of heaven] Or, frame of heaven. See Chap. 7. 18. Not unlike the popish Idolatry in the worship of the Virgin Mary, whom they call the Queen of heaven.
for then had we plenty of victuals] Heb. bread. 1 King. 4. 22. Nehem. 5. 18. Ezek. 16. 49. The usuall argument of Idolaters and superstitious persons; esteeming religion by their belly; and ascribing Gods works of dearth and plenty, sicknesse and health unto their idols, and their service or neglect of them. Isa. 48. 5.
and saw no evill] Or, felt. or, indured. as Chap. 5. 12. & 42. 14.
V. 19. when we burnt incense, &c.] Chap. 7. 18.
to worship her] Heb. to make her an idol.
without our men] Or, husbands. as Gen. 3. 16. They deemed their husbands approbation of what they did, to be warrant sufficient for them to do it.
V. 21. did not the LORD remember them] He remembred them, after they were past and gone; 2 King. 23. 26. when yee thought he had forgotten them. Hos. 7. 2.
came it not into his mind] Heb. ascended upon his heart. Chap. 19. 5.
V. 22. the LORD could no longer bear] 2 Chron. 36. 16.
your land a desolation] Vers. 2.
and a curse] Chap. 26. 6.
as at this day] Vers. 6.
V. 23. you have burnt incense] To idols. vers. 19.
as at this day] Vers. 22.
V. 25. have both spoken with your mouths, and fulfilled with your hand] Committed a double evill; in making wicked vowes, and in making them good. vers. 17.
We will surely perform our vowes] doing do vers. 12.
ye will surely accomplish] Heb. establishing establish.
surely perform] Heb. doing do.
V. 26. that dwell] Or, abide. Chap. 42. 10.
my name shall no more be named in the mouth of any, &c.] I will destroy them all; that my name may not be mentioned by those who have so horribly profaned it. God choosing rather not to have his name mentioned at all, nor to have any service at all done him, then to have either done by such. Psal. 50. 16. Ezek. 20. 39. Mal. 1. 9, 10. Luk. 6. 46. See Chap. 3. 2. & 5. 2.
V. 27. I will watch over them for evill] As one that lyeth in wait, to do a man a shrewd turn. Psal. 56. 6. Chap. 1. 12. & 20. 10. & 21. 10. & 31. 28. & 39. 16.
V. 28. a small number that escape the sword] Heb. men of number; such as may soon be numbred; as Deut. 4. 27. Isai. 10, 19. Thus God hath yet a perpetuall care of his, though never so few, wheresoever scattered: Ezek. 11. 16. and in his due time will bring them back. Isai. 27. 13.
all the remnant] Vers. 14.
whose words shall stand] Shall be fulfilled and made good. Vers. 29. Psal. 33. 11.
mine or theirs] Heb. from me, or from them.
V. 29. I will punish] Or, visit. vers. 13.
my words shall surely stand] Heb. standing stand. vers. 28.
V. 30. I will give Pharaoh-bophra] He pointeth to the means whereby this judgement should be effected: at least, foretelleth,
what should fore-go it, and make way for it, to give the more assurance of it.
into the hand] Or, power. Chap. 34. 20, 21.
of his enemies] Of Amasis, and those that conspired with him against Hophra, or Apries; as some out of Herodotus, lib. 2. Or, of Nebuchadnezzar, and his forces; who having subdued the Moabites and Ammonites, invaded Egypt, slew their king, spoiled the countrey, and carried those Jewes away to Babylon; as others from Josephus Antiq. lib. 7. cap. 11. Chap. 46. 13, 26. Ezek. 28. 19. & 30. 10, 11.
into the hand] Or, power. as before.
that seek his life] Heb. soul. Chap. 34. 20.
I gave Ze…ekiah] Chap. 39. 5.
that sought his life] Heb. soul. as before.
CHAP. XLV.
Vers. 1. BAruch] The Prophets Scribe. Chap. 36. 4, 26.
when he had written these words] Not those next before mentioned; but those formerly by God appointed to be gathered together and written in one volume. Chap. 36. 4, 18.
V. 3. The LORD hath added griefe to my sorrow] Exercised me with grief upon grief. Psal. 69. 27. Spoken by him in likelihood, in regard of further trouble, which he feared would befall him by occasion of that employment. See Chap. 36. 19, 26.
I fainted in my sighing] Psal. 6. 6.
I find no rest] I am. 1. 3.
V. 4 that which I have built will I break down, &c.] God is minded, not to spare his own peculiar plantations; such as were Jerusalem and the Jewish State. Psal. 80. 8-15. Isai. 5. 6-8. & 37. 26.
this whole land] Whereof thou art but one, and one of the smallest and meanest, limme.
V. 5. seekest thou great things] Honour and credit; or a prosperous and peacealde estate; doest thou desire and require to stand and live quietly at thine ease, when all is going to wrack and ruine?
I will bring evill upon all flesh] Upon this whole Nation. vers. 4. Chap. 12. 12. Or upon all the nations in the world. Chap. 25. 15, 31. See Chap. 32. 27.
thy life will I give unto thee for a prey] Suffice thee it well may, that thou escapest with thy life. Heb. soul. See Chap. 21. 9. & 39. 18.
in all places whither thou goest] I will secure thee, whatsoever shall become of thee, and whithersoever thou shalt be hurried. Ezek. 11. 16.