Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Jeremiah · Chapter 38
CHAP. XXXVIII.
Ver. 1. THen Shephatiah] Here was aliud ex alio malum, one affliction on the neck of another. Matters mend with us as ſowr Ale doth in ſummer, ſaid Biſhop Ridley once, when he was priſoner. Poor Jeremy might well have ſaid ſo, if ever any, as appeareth by this Chapter, where we find him in a worſe hole then was that of Jonathan: but his extremity was Gods opportunity.
Shephathiah the ſon of Mattan, and Gedaliah, &c.] Theſe four Princes here named to their eternal infamy, were no ſmall men, as appeareth in that the King was not he that could do any thing againſt them, ver. 5. The grandees of the world are greateſt enemies (uſually) to the truth. Little they had to ſay againſt his doctrines; they quarrel with his affection, as a perturber of the publike place, ver. 4. Ahab charged the like crime upon Elias: the Jews upon Chriſt, and afterwards upon Paul: the Heathen perſecutors upon the primitive Chriſtians: the hereticks ſtill upon the Orthodox, that they were ſeditious, Antimonarchical, &c.
Ver. 2. Thus ſaith the Lord, He that remaineth in the City] This is the ſef-ſame truth which he had preached before, and for the which he ſuffered. See chap. 21.9. He is conſtant to his principles: and although it be commonly ſaid and ſeen that He who receives a curteſy ſells his liberty, yet it was not ſo with this holy Prophet. He had received ſome enlargement, and care was taken by the King that a piece or a roll of bread ſhould be brought him daily to the priſon out of the bakers-ſtreet: but that ſtoppeth not his mouth.
Ver. 3. Thus ſaith the Lord] And as long as the Lord ſaith ſo, I muſt ſay ſo too, whatever come of it, chap. 1.
Ver. 4. For thus he weakeneth the hands of the men of war] Thus out of canal policy is piety impugned: So 1 Kings 12.27. Joh. 11.48. See on ver. 1.
Ver. 5. Then Zedekiah the King ſaid, Behold he is in your hand] O nihili Regem, qui ne verbulo quidem cruentis viris obluctatur! O King of clouts, ſaith One, who knowing the Prophets innocency and theſe Princes bloodthirſtineſſe, durſt not ſay a word for him, or againſt them! This inconſtancy of his, and impotency of ſpirit proceeded meerly from diffidence and diſtruſt in God.
Ver. 6. Then took they Jeremiah] Whom the King had now (againſt his conſcience, as afterwards Pilate dealt by Jeſus) either through fear, or favour, betrayed unto his deadly enemies: and ſo he was in a pittiful plight, in a forlorn condition. But Jeremiah De profundit, out of the deep called upon God (whom he found far more facile then theſe Princes did Zedekiah) Thou dreweſt near, ſaith he, in the day when I called upon thee, Thou ſaideſt fear not, Lam. 3.57. I called upon thy name O Lord, out of the low dungeon.
And they let down Jeremiah with cords] With a murtherous intent there to make an end of him privily, ut ibi praefocatus moreretur; ille vero uſque ad collum merſus ibi manebat, ſaith Joſephus; that he might there pine and periſh: but God graciouſly prevented it.
And in the dungeon there was no water but mire] A typical hell it was, worſe then Joſephs pit, Gen. 37. or Hemans lake, Pſal. 88.6. or any priſon that ever Brown the Sect maſter ever came into, who uſed to boaſt that he had been committed to two and thirty priſons: and in ſome of them he could not ſee his hand at noon-day.Fullers Church-hiſt. p. 168. He dyed at length in Northampton jayle, Anno 1630. whereto he was ſent for ſtriking the Conſtable requiring rudely the payment of a rate.
So Jeremiah ſunk in the mire] Up to the neck, ſaith Joſephus: and ſo became a type of Chriſt, Pſal. 69.2.
Ver. 7. Now when Ebedmelech the Ethiopian] But a Proſelyte, and a Religious Prince; a ſtranger, but (as that good Samaritan in the Goſpel) more merciful then any of the Jewiſh Nation, who gloried in their priviledges: See Rom. 2.26, 27.
One of the Eunuches] And Eunuches, ſay the Rabbines, are ordinarily more cruel then other men: but ſo was not this Cuſhite. Piety is the fountain of all vertues whatſoever.
Which was in the Kings houſe] As Obadiah was in Ahabs, Nehemiah in Artaxerxes's, ſome good people in Herods, Luk. 8.3. and Nero's, Philip. 4 22. Cromwel and Cranmer in Henry the eighths.
The King then ſitting in the gate of Benjamin] Sitting in judgement, where Jeremyes enemies had once apprehended him for a fugitive, but durſt not try it out with him, though Ebedmelech there treated with the King for him in the preſence of ſome of them, as it is probable.
Ver. 8. Ebedmelech] Not more the Kings ſervant (ſo his name ſignifieth) then Gods. Joſeph of Arimathaea was ſuch another, who went boldly to Pilate and begged the body of Jeſus. Faith quelleth and killeth diſtruſtful fear.
Ver. 9. My Lord the King, theſe men have done evil] What a brave man was this to oppoſe ſo many Princes, and ſo potent, that the King himſelf durſt not diſpleaſe them? It was Gods holy Spirit that put this mettle into him, and gave him the freedom of ſpeech, Pſal. 119.46.
And he is like to dye for hunger in the place where he is] Or, who would have dyed for hunger in the place where he was.
For there is no more bread in the City] Cum panum annona ſit pauca & parca. What need he to be doubly murthered?
Ver. 10. Then the King commended Ebedmelech] A ſweet providence of God, thus to incline the heart of this effeminate, cruel, inconſtant and impious King, to harken to the motion, and to give order for the Prophets deliverance from that deſperate and deadly danger. A good encouragement alſo to men to appear in a good cauſe and to act vigorouſly for God, notwithſtanding they are alone, and have to encounter with divers difficulties.
Take from hence thirty men with thee] Four or fewer might have done it: but perhaps the Princes with their forces might have endeavoured to hinder them, but that they ſaw them ſo ſtrong.
Ver. 11. So Ebedmelech took the men with him, and went] The labour of love that this Ethiopian performed to the man of God, is particularly and even parcel-wiſe deſcribed, for his eternal commendation, and all mens imitation.
Ver. 12. But now theſe caſt-clouts] Hence ſome gather that the Prophet was put into this loathſome hole naked, or very ill clad at leaſt. The Fathers allegorize this ſtory to ſet forth the vocation of the Gentiles, and the rejection of the Jews.
Ver. 13. So they drew up Jeremiah with cords] And God was not unrighteous to forget this their work and labour of love, Heb 6.10. Jer. 39.17, 18.
And Jeremiah remained in the Court of the priſon] Manacled and fettered, as ſome gather from chap. 40.4.
R. David Vatabl.Ver. 14. Then Zedekiah —took Jeremiah into the third entry] Which was right over againſt the Kings houſe: this wretched King was ſo overawed by his Counſellors, that he durſt not adviſe with Gods Prophet in their preſence, or with their privity.
Ver. 15. If I declare it unto thee] It is for the ſins of a people, that an hypocrite raigneth over them, Job 34.30. Such a one was Zedekiah: and the Prophet here freely reproveth him for his hypocriſie.
And if I give thee counſel, wilt thou not hearken?] Or, And though I adviſe thee, thou wilt not hearken to me. Thou art ſet, and haſt made thy concluſion aforehand.
Ver. 16. So the King Zedekiah ſware ſecretly unto Jeremiah] But what credit was to be given to his oath who was notoriouſly known to be a perjured perſon, as having broken his oath of fidelity to Nebuchadnezzar?
As the Lord liveth that made us this ſoul] Hence the truth of that aſſertion is cleared up unto us, that mens ſouls drop not down from heaven, nor are propagated by their parents, but are created by God, and infuſed into their bodyes.
I will not put thee to death, neither will I, &c.] The former part of the Prophets condition he ſweareth to perform, but ſaith nothing to the latter, as having no ſuch liking to it. So many come, now-adayes, to hear: who reſolve to practiſe only ſo far as they ſee good.
Ver. 17. If thou wilt aſſuredly go forth] Jeremy was ſemper idem, one and the ſame ſtill: no changeling at all, but a faithful and conſtant Preacher of Gods Word.
Ver. 18. But if thou wilt not go forth] See chap. 32.39. Thus Zedekiah hath it both wayes, that it may abide by him: but he was uncounſelable, and irreclaimable.
Ver. 19. Then Zedekiah ſaid unto Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews] Thus hypocrites will at one time or other detect themſelves: as Zedekiah here plainly declareth that he more feared the loſſe of his life, honour, wealth, &c. then of Gods favour and Kingdom: ſo do the moſt amongſt us: Pilate feared how Caeſar would take it, if he ſhould looſe Jeſus. Herod laid hold on Peter, after he had killed James, that he might pleaſe the people. The Phariſees could not beleeve becauſe they received glory from men. This generous King cannot endure to think that his own fugitives ſhould flout him: but to be ruled by God and his holy Prophet adviſing him for the beſt, he cannot yeeld. Thus ſtill vain men are niggardly of their reputation, and prodigal of their ſouls. Do we not ſee them run willfully into the field, into the grave, into hell? and all leſt it ſhould be ſaid they have as much fear as wit.
Ver. 20. They ſhall not deliver thee] This the good Prophet ſpeaketh from the mouth of the Lord, to cure him of that cauſeleſs fear, and to bring him to a better obedience: but it was paſt time of day with him to be wrought upon by any thing that could be ſpoken, though never ſo well.
So it ſhall be well unto thee, and thy ſoul ſhall live] This is alſo the voyce of the Goſpel, and the reſult of all the Promiſes.
Ver. 21. But if thou refuſe to go forth] Promiſes and threatenings make an excellent mixture: the tartneſſe of the one giveth us better to taſte the ſweetneſſe of the other.
Ver. 22. And behold all the women that are left] Theſe ſhall mock thee and make ſongs of thee, exagitantes regem ſocordiſſimum, for a ſimple and ſorry man, who hath undone them all together with himſelf, by liſtening to flatterers, and falſe Prophets.
—Thy feet are ſunk in the mire] In the mire of miſery, where the Prophets unworthy uſage in the miry dungeon is hinted, and the King twitted with it, as ſome hold. Some again think that Zedekiah in his flight did run into ſome quagmire where he was taken.
And they are turned away backward] Thy flatterers have now left thee in the lurch.
Ver. 23. So ſhall they bring out all thy wives and thy children] Or, thy women (whether wives or Concubines, that crew of wanton creatures) and thy ſons: for his daughters were left behind, chap. 41.10. and 43.6. If therefore thou haſt any care of thoſe that are, or ought to be moſt dear unto thee, be ruled by me.
And thou ſhalt cauſe this City to be burnt with fire] Heb. Thou ſhalt burn this City: Quicquid delirant reges, plectuntur Achivi.
Ver. 24. Let no man know of theſe words] Thus he who feareth not God,Muliebriter deprecatur Rex incredulus fidelem. feareth his own ſervants and Counſellours.
And thou ſhalt not dye] The crafty King would ſeem to be ſollicitous of the Prophets ſafety; but mainly intendeth his own.
Ver. 25 But if the Princes hear] In ſuch fear flood he of his Princes, and might truely ſay, as the Aſſyrian once did, Are not my Princes altogether Kings? Eſay. 10.8. or as the Emperour of Germany did, I am King of Kings, meaning that the Princes of his Empire would do what they lifted, for all him. Zedekiah was only an image of a King.
Ver. 26. Then ſhalt thou ſay unto them, I preſented my ſupplication] This was to tell part of the truth only (which might lawfully be done) and not to tell an officious, or at leaſt an oblique lye, as ſome would make it to be.
Ver. 27. So they left off speaking with him] Indigni utique qui ultra monerentur. In una impietate ſolum ſtabiles.The Princes were far worſe then the King: who yet himſelf was none of the beſt. They therefore were ſlain by the Babylonian Princes, when the Kings life was preſerved, though with the loſſe of his eyes, which yet might be a means to open the eyes of his mind.
Ver. 28. So Jeremiah abode in the court of the priſon] Which now God had made to him a ſanctuary of ſafety, and a very Bethlehem or houſe of bread. God can eaſily turn a priſon into a Paradiſe, and brown-bread and water into manchet and wine, as he did to the Martyrs: One of them dated his letter thus, From the delectable orchard of the Leonine priſon.