Jeremiah
Verse 1. And Phassur, the violent priest. Calmet. 20:1.—People, who might come to the entry of the prison.
EXPLANATIONS
Jeremiah 38
Historical chapter commentary
Jeremiah
Verse 2. Safe. Hebrew “a booty.” Calmet. 21:9.—Septuagint “like a thing found.” Calmet.—The Hebrew idiom implies that he shall most surely live. Voluntary offerings prevent eternal misery. Worthington.
Jeremiah
Verse 5. Lawful. This is a compliment, or Sedecias complains indirectly that they had only left him the name of king. He grieved at the treatment of the prophet. Calmet.
Jeremiah
Verse 6. Mire, up to the neck; so that he would soon have been smothered. Jos. Ant. x. 10.
Jeremiah
Verse 7. Eunuch. Officer over 30. verse 10. Bible.—He was afterwards rewarded. Calmet. 39:15. Calmet.—God moves some to pity the distressed, till he recompense their patience. Worthington.
Jeremiah
Verse 9. City. It was useless, therefore, to add the torment of the dungeon, since he must soon have perished. Calmet.
Jeremiah
Verse 12. Arms. He was probably naked. Sanctius.
Jeremiah
Verse 14. Third, or officers of the guard’s gate, leading from the palace to the temple. 4 Kennicott. 11:19. Calmet.—Hebrew hashelishi; ( Bible.) the third denotes also an officer of the army.
Jeremiah
Verse 17. King. He was at Reblatha. Though an usurper, he had claims upon Sedecias, whom he had appointed ruler, on his swearing to be faithful and to pay tribute. The prophet’s advice was just. Calmet.—Even conditional prophecies are certain, and the king would have been treated differently if he had complied. But on his refusal, great misery ensued. Worthington.
Jeremiah
Verse 19. Jews. Traitors, whom Sedecias had perhaps treated ill. Calmet.
Jeremiah
Verse 22. Say. At parting, bewailing thy blindness, which has entailed misery upon all. Bible.—Of peace. That is, thy false friends, promising thee peace and happiness, and by their evil counsels involving thee in misery. Challoner.—Mire. He alludes to his own treatment, ( Calmet.) which he had received from these false counsellors or princes. verse 4. Bible.
Jeremiah
Verse 26. There. This he had actually done. Calmet. 37:19. He perhaps renewed the petition, at this interview, to satisfy the king. Bible.—We may conceal the truth, but must never speak what is false. Calmet.—“In a matter, says Puffendorf, which I am not obliged to declare to another, if I cannot with safety conceal the whole, I may fairly discover no more than a part.” Who can require a privy counsellor to reveal the king’s secret? Yet Paine accuses the prophet of duplicity! Watson.