Historical chapter commentary
Verse 1. Magdal, the third station of the Israelites, (Exodus 14:2) or another “tower” twelve miles from Pelusium. Calmet. 46:14.—Memphis, the capital of Nome, near the western banks of the Nile, and famous for its pyramids, which are standing, though the town be no more. Calmet. 46:19.—Phatures; perhaps in higher Egypt. Jeremias might go or send to these cities, this his last prediction, ( Calmet.) to reclaim his countrymen from idolatry. Bible.
Verse 2. Inhabitant: or the number is exceedingly small. Calmet.—All the Jews had retired. Bible.—It would be well if people would reflect, how those who have given way to heresy and infidelity have been treated. Worthington.
Verse 6. Forth, drop by drop. Calmet. 42:18. I have repeatedly warned them by punishments. Bible.
Verse 8. Gods. Their blindness and malice was inconceivable. They attribute their past miseries to the neglect of worshipping the moon! verse 18. They may be compared to a mixture of iron and brass, which is put through the crucible in vain. Calmet. 6:29. Ezekiel 22:18.
Verse 11. Face, to punish grievously. Ezekiel 4:3 and 20:35. Calmet.—All did not perish, but the far greatest part. verse 14. 28. Worthington.
Verse 14. Desire and expectation. Calmet. 22:27. They meant to return as soon as the Chaldees had left the country: but their hose were vain. The enemy would fall upon Egypt, after he had taken Tyre and the neighbouring provinces; and those who had not abandoned that country in time, would perish. verse 12. 26. Calmet.
Verse 17. The queen of heaven; the moon, which they worshipped under this name, ( Challoner.) as also under that of the Celestial Venus, (Theod.) Diana, and Isis. It seems the Jews had engaged by vow (verse 27) to restore her worship. Calmet.—The women more particularly adored the moon: yet all were guilty. Calmet. 7:18 and 4 Kennicott. 23:5. Worthington.
Verse 18. Famine. They think nothing of the transgression of the law, and so forth verse 23. Could obduracy and blindness go greater lengths? 1 Maccabees 1:12.
Verse 19. Worship. Hebrew “to represent.” The cakes had a crescent on them. Calmet. See Hesychius in σεληναι.—Husbands. The women are most zealous. But all partook of this idolatry. Calmet. 7:18. Calmet.
Verse 21. Heart, or mind to punish you for idolatry. Sacrifices could be offered to the Lord only in his temple. Bible.
Verse 26. Liveth. They swore by his name as by that of idols. God could not abide such company. Calmet.—Not one of these obstinate Jews shall be spared. verse 14. Others, like Jeremias, the Septuagint and the holy family, no doubt called upon the Lord in the land of Egypt. Bible.
Verse 30. Enemies. Herodotus (ii. 161. 169.) informs us that Apries reigned fortunately twenty-five years, when he lost many of his men fighting against the Cyreneans, and was dethroned by Amasis, and strangled by his subjects. Usher ( A. 3433) suspects that Amasis was assisted and confirmed by Nabuchodonosor, and he might this fulfill the prophecies. Calmet. 43:11. and so forth Ezekiel 29. and so forth Josephus (Ant. x. 11.) and Berosus (c. Ap. i.) assert, that Nabuchodonosor defeated and slew the king of Egypt, though Herodotus is silent on this subject, his account being communicated by the Egyptian priests, and full of fables. Calmet.