Annotations upon the Holy Bible. Vol. II wherein the sacred text is inserted, and various readings annex'd, together with the parallel scriptures, the more difficult terms in each verse are explained, seeming contradictions reconciled, questions and doubts resolved, and the whole text opened : being a continuation of Mr. Pool's work by certain judicious and learned divines.

CHAP. XXIX.

1 NOW these are the words of the letter, that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of the elders, which were car∣ried away captives, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchad∣nezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon a.

2 After that Jeconiah the king, and the queen, and ‖ the eunuchs, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, and the carpenters, and the smiths were departed from Jerusalem b.

3 By the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, whom Zede∣kiah king of Judah sent unto Babylon to Nebu∣chadnezzar king of Babylon, saying c.

4 Thus saith the LORD of hosts the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusa∣lem to Babylon d.

5 Build ye houses, and dwell in them, and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them.

6 Take ye wives, and beget sons and daugh∣ters, and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters, that ye may be increased there, and not diminished e.

7 And seek the peace of the city, whither I have caused you to be carried away captives f, and pray unto the LORD for it g, for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace h.

8 ¶ For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Let not your prophets, and your diviners that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed i.

9 For they prophesie † falsly unto you in my name; I have not sent them, saith the LORD.

10 ¶ For thus saith the LORD, that after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon, I will visit you, and perform my good word to∣wards you, in causing you to return to this place k.

11 For I know the thoughts that I think to∣wards you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an † expected end l.

12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you m.

13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart n.

14 And I will be found of you, saith the LORD, and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places, whither I have driven you, saith the LORD, and I will bring you a∣gain into the place, whence I caused you to be car∣ried away captive w.

15 ¶ Because ye have said, The LORD hath raised us up prophets in Babylon x.

16 Know, that thus saith the LORD, of the king that sitteth upon the throne of David y, and of all the people that dwell in this city, and of your brethren that are not gone forth with you into captivity.

17 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold I will send upon them the sword, the famine and the pestilence, and will make them like vile figs that cannot be eaten, they are so evil.

18 And I will persecute them with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be removed to all the kingdoms of the earth, † to be a curse, and an astonishment, and an hissing, and a re∣proach among all the Nations whither I have driven them z.

19 Because they have not hearkned to my words, saith the LORD a, which I sent unto them by my servants the prophets, rising up ear∣ly, and sending them b, but ye would not hear saith the LORD c.

20 ¶ Hear ye therefore the word of the LORD, all ye of the captivity whom I have sent from Jerusalem to Babylon d.

21 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, of Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and of Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, which prophesie a lye unto you in my name, Behold I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and he shall slay them before your eyes e.

22 And of them shall be taken up a curse by all the captivity of Judah, which are in Baby∣lon, saying, The LORD make thee like Zedekiah, and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon rosted in the fire f.

23 Because they have committed villany in Israel g, and have committed adultery with their neighbours wives h, and have spoken lying words in my name, which I have not commanded them i, even I know, and am a witness, saith the LORD k.

24 ¶ Thus shalt thou also speak to Shemaiah the ‖ Nehelamite, saying l.

25 Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts the God of Israel, saying, Because thou hast sent letters in thy name to all the people that are at Jerusa∣lem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, and to all the priests, saying,

26 The LORD hath made thee priest m in the stead of Jehoiada the priest n, that ye should be officers in the house of the LORD, for every man that is mad, o and maketh himself a pro∣phet, that thou shouldst put him in prison, and in the stocks p.

27 Now therefore, why hast thou not repro∣ved Jeremiah of Anathoth, which maketh him∣self a prophet to you q.

28 For therefore he sent unto us in Babylon, saying, This captivity is long, build ye houses, and dwell in them, and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them r.

29 And Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet s.

30 Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying,

31 Send to all them of the captivity, saying, Thus saith the LORD, concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite, because that Shemaiah hath prophe∣sied unto you, and I sent him not, and he caused you to trust in a lie t.

32 Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite, and his seed u: he shall not have a man to dwell among this people w, neither shall he behold the good that I will do for my people, saith the LORD x, because he hath taught rebellion against the LORD y.

Notes

• a

  There were two carryings into the captivity of Babylon, the latter about 11 or 12 years after the former, the first was in the time of Iehojachin, of which we read in 2 Kings 24.14. When the princes, and all the mighty men of valour, even ten thousand cap∣tives, and all the craftsmen and smiths were carried away, as we read there, amongst whom were some Priests and Prophets.
• 2 Kings 24.12. &c.
• ‖

  Or, Chamber∣lains.
• b

  After this Captivity.
• c

  Zedekiah the King of Iudah having some occasion to send two messengers, named Elasa and Gemariah to Babylon, whether to carry his tribute money, or upon what other errand is not expressed. Ieremiah knowing that as there were some false Pro∣phets at Ierusalem, who fed people with hopes of a speedy re∣turn, so there were some with them in Babylon, who did the like, (two of which he afterwards in this Chapter reflecteth up∣on) writeth the following letter, and sends it by these two mes∣sengers, to quiet the peoples minds, and to help to compose their spirits, disturb'd by these false Prophets, and raised up to vain and idle hopes for which there was no ground at all.
• d

  So as this Letter was not wrote from himself advising them charitably, but he had commission from God, by whom he mindeth them, as the principal efficient cause they were order∣ed to be carried away, though their own sins were the merito∣rious cause▪ and Nebuchadnezzar with his Captains and Souldiers were the instrumental cause.
• ver. 28.
• e

  That is, be not uneasie in your minds, not resolving what to do, through the prophesies of the false Prophets, that tell you the Captivity shall be but two years, or at least very short▪ But do all things which you would do, if Babylon were to be your fixed habitation, (as it is like to be for seventy years, say the Prophets, what they please) Marry, and give, and take in Marriage, do whatsoever it becometh prudent men to do, who would accommodate themselves in a place, where they are like to abide, and preserve their Families, that they might not be utterly extinguished. The words must not be understood as a precept, obliging all in the Captivity to do every of these things, which it may be they were not all able to do, but as a counsel and advice not to forbear any thing of this nature, which they would do, if they did fully believe they were to abide in a place seventy years.
• f

  That is, seek to God for it, or rather, live peaceably in it, and by all lawful means seek the welfare of it, do not raise any tumults or seditions, nor take part with those that do.
• g

  And while your Captivity lasts do you pray for it, (from whence those who think that Christ hath added new moral precepts, and reckon this precept of praying for enemies as one, may under∣stand, that praying for enemies was but a branch of that love to our Neighbour, which God required under the Old Testa∣ment) for it was lawful for them to pray against Babylon at other times, Psal. 137.8. Ier. 51.35. but when God hath put a yoke upon our necks, we must patiently wait until he takes it off. The Lawyers say that Protection requireth Allegiance to Go∣vernours; This Text lets us know also that it requireth our prayers for them; though they be Conquerours and Tyrants.
• h

  For God having by his providence cast us under their power, our peace dependeth upon theirs.
• chap. 14.14. and 23.21. and 27.15.
• i

  The Lord knows that you have a company of false Pro∣phets, that tell you other things, and promise you a sudden re∣turn out of your Captivity, pretending to know it by Revela∣tion from God, or by divination, &c. or to have it discovered to them in dreams. It is the will of God that you should not hearken to them, for they do but deceive you, and ye are ac∣cessary to your own ruine, they see you are pleased to hear such stories, and that causeth them to dream, as chap. 5.31. The prophets prophesie falsly, and the priests bear rule by their means, and my people love to have it so, thus Isa. 30.10. They said to the seers, see not, and to the prophets, prophesie not to us right things, speak un∣to us smooth things, prophesie deceits. False teachers and guides of peoples souls are the greatest plague can befal a Nation, people from them expecting to hear the mind of God, and for the most part, people are accessary to their own ruine, in them it can indeed hardly be imagined, what other temptation, per∣sons whose office it is to reveal the mind of God, should have to do otherwise, but the humouring and pleasing of a corrupt people, who through their fondness of their lusts are not pa∣tient of sound Doctrine, so as though the Church of God hath in all Ages been troubled with dreamers, yet it is a wicked people that causeth them to dream.
• †

  Heb. in a li••▪
• k

  From this Text appears that the seventy years Captivity were to be accounted from the first carrying into Captivity in the time of Iehojachin, so that eleven years of it were elapsed, before Z••d••kiah was carried away. Whatever, saith the Pro∣phet, these dreamers tell you, you must abide 70 years in Baby∣lon accounted from your first going thither, it is therefore your Wisdom to acquiesce in the Will of God, and to compose your selves, and to incourage you, the Lord by me assureth you that after those seventy years shall be expired, a•• he hath now visit∣ed you with evil, so he will visit you for good, and fulfil the promise he hath made to you, and you shall return again to Ier••salem: we have the fulfilling of this recorded in 2 Chron. 36.21.22. Ezra 1.1. The promise was before, chap. 25.12. and 27.22. Daniel understood it from the words of this Prophecy, Dan. 9.2. which put him upon prayer, at the ex∣piration of that time.
• †

  Heb. end and expectation.
• l

  This deliverance will not depend upon your Merits, but upon my own Mercy▪ and kind thoughts and purposes I have for the seed of Abraham my servant and I am resolved in my own thoughts what to do. I intend not the blotting out of the name of Isr••e•• from the Earth▪ but to give such an end to their trou∣ble as themselves expect and desire, though not so soon as they may expect it, being deceived by their Prophets. There shall be an end of your Captivity in my time, and that is after you shall have fulfilled seventy years in that Captivity.
• Dan. 9.3. &c.
• m

  I will not onely give you a tempora•• Salvation and delive∣rance, and bring you into your own land, but you shall go thi∣ther with new hearts, you shall worship Idols no more, but you shall worship me, and be serious and diligent in your addresses and applications to me, and I will listen to you in those appli∣cations.
• Lev. 26.40. Deut. 30.1.
• n

  That is, sincerely; as Psal. 119.2.
• Deut. 4.7. Psal. 32.6. & 46.2. Isa. 55.6.
• chap. 23.3.
• w

  This verse containeth no more than was said before, one∣ly it is repeated in a little different phrase, for the further con∣firmation of their Faith, and the promise is a little inlarged. God saith he will be found of them; that is, he will answer them. It is expressed in this notion to correspond with the term seek∣ing, by which prayer is expressed, and to let us know, that those that will have Gods favour must find it; which implyeth a seeking, and inquiry after it. The promise which before men∣tioned onely their return from Babylon, is inlarged, and made here to extend to all places whither they were driven, for though the body of the people were carried to Babylon, yet it is more than probable, that many of them shifted for themselves into other Countries, and were in Exile, but not in Captivity. Cyrus his Proclamation, 2 Chron. 36.22, 23. extended to his whole Empire.
• x

  The Prophet here turneth his speech to some wicked Iewes▪ that were in Babylon, or in Iudea, and more believed some false Prophets, who told them of a much quicker return, th••n Ieremy telling them the truth from the mouth of God.
• y

  The word know is, as some think, needlesly supplied, for the following Particle might be as well translated, for, or because, or therefo••e. By the King he meaneth Zedekiah, whom he chuseth to express under the notion of him that sitteth upon the throne of David to take away the vain hopes which the Iews conceived from the promises which God had made to David and to his seed.
• chap. 24.10.
• chap. 24.8:
• Deut. 28.25. chap. 15.4. & 34.17.
• †

  Heb. for a curse.
• chap. 42.1••.
• z

  These verses contain no more then the threatning which we have had more then once before, he had compared them to vile Figs, chap. 24.8. and ver. 9. and 10. there threatned them with being made a reproach, a proverb, a taunt, and a curse; and consuming them with the sword, famine, and Pestilence, the same thing before delivered by word of mouth to those in Iudea, is here repeated in a letter to that part of the Iews in Babylon, to take them off from giving credit to their false Prophets whither in Iudaea or in Babylon, who deluded them with the pro∣mises of a speedy return. Believe it (saith the Prophet) you shall be so far from returning whatever your idle Prophets tell you, that your Brethren that are here shall be brought to you or de∣stroyed with the sword, the ••amine, and the Pestilence, or scattered into other Kingdoms, where they shall be made, a curse and an astonishment, and an hissing and a reproach.
• a

  A contempt of the word of the Lord was the cause of this peoples ruine, and will be the cause of ruine to any people. See chap. 7.25. and 11.7, 8. and 17.23.
• chap. 25.4▪ & 32.33.
• b

  Lest they should say that they onely disobeyed the Prophets▪ God mindeth them, that in not hearkning to them, they did not hearken to him. The same thing Christ saith of the Gospel Ministers, Luk. 10.16. The not believing, or not obeying, what Ministers teach not in a due discharge of their office revealing the Will of God, is no contempt of God, but of them who for that cause deserve to be contemned, but supposing that what Ministers deliver be the Mind and Will of God revealed in holy Writ and but a true explication, and application of that, not to hearken to God, and not to hearken to them is the same thing.
• c

  Ye wilfully refused to believe them, speaking the Truth to you in my name, and to obey those monitions they gave you by my direction. All this was a not hearing God.
• d

  Those phrases I have sent, and I have driven, &c. are dili∣gently to be observed by us. There is no evil in Cities or Na∣tions which is an evil of punishment, but whoever be the instru∣ments to bring it, God is the Author of it. These phrases also signified to those Iews, that God was likeliest to know best how long they should stay there because he sent them thither.
• e

  Of these two persons we read no more in Holy Writ; that they pretended to be Prophets, that they abused the name of God, pretending to reveal his Will, when as what they said was not the Will of God, but a falshood, we learn out of this verse, and that they were both of them burnt by the King of Babylon we find in ver. 22. what the falshoods they published were, is not expressed, but it is most probable they were some of those that pretended that God had revealed to them, that within two years, or a short time, the Captives carried away with Iehoiakim should return out of Babylon. God here tells those that were of the Captivity, that those two Wretches should themselves be carried unto the Captivity of Babylon, and there slain.
• See Gen. 4••••20.
• f

  As false Teachers are of the highest sort of Transgressors, speaking lies in the name and under pretence of the Authority of the God of Truth: So God in his providence ordinarily makes them the greatest examples of his vengeance. God threatneth to bring them to an end that should turn into a pro∣verb, that when men had a mind to curse others, wishing them the greatest evils, they should pray to God to make them like Ahab and Zedekiah, whom the King of Babylon burnt, or roasted in the fire, the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth both, Levit. 2.14. and roasting signifieth only to burn by degrees, which probably was the specifical punishment of these two false Prophets, for we learn from the instance of the three children, Dan. 3.19. That the consuming of persons slowly in a fiery Furnace, was a kind of punishment in use amongst the Chaldaeans.
• chap. 23.14.
• g

  The reason here given must not be understood as the rea∣son of the King of Babylon's punishment of them, but why God gave them up into his hands, because they had committed vil∣lany or folly in Israel.
• h

  Which is expounded ••y the next words, they had committed adultery with their neighbours wives. All sin is folly, and so called in Scripture, uncleanness particularly, Gen. 34.7. here it is called villany, to denote the hainousness of it, especially in those whose office it was to teach others that they ought not to do it, Rom. 2.22. Falshood in discharge of a trust is ordinarily attended with debauchery of life, nor indeed can it be reasonably imagined, that those who, to humour men, have debauched their Consciences, and declared things as the will of God, which they know are not so, should be more true and honest in their conversation towards men.
• i

  The second crime of these false prophets was, what gave them their deno∣mination, teaching people what God never bid them speak.
• k

  Now this saith the Lord I know, and am a witness to, their adulteries are in secret, but I am a witness to them; the poor people do not know that they teach them lies, but I know it. God will deal with men not according to what men like them∣selves know of them, and can prove against them but accord∣ing to what he knowes, and can witness against them.
• ‖

  Or, the dream∣er.
• l

  We have no guidance from any other Scripture, to teach us who this Shemaiah was, but it is very pro••a••le ••hat he was one of those who at this time were in the Captivity of B••bylon, and so came to the knowledge o•• Ieremi••hs Letter mentioned in the beginning of the Chapter, and wrote what followeth to Zephaniah, the Son of Maa••e••ah the Priest, and the rest of the Priests, to have Ieremiah punished; but why he is called the Nehelamite is not so evident, for that the word is derived from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a dreamer, is not very probable, ••e read 〈◊〉〈◊〉 no such place in Iudea as Nehelam or Halem, but we cannot imagine ••hat the names of all the Towns in Iudah are to be found in Scrip∣ture, he is thrice in this Chapter called the Nehelamite; so as it is probable that there was such a place as Nehelam, from whence he was.
• m

  That is High Priest, as some have thought, but it appears from 2 Kings 25.18. that Se••aiah was at this time the High Priest, and this Zephaniah was the second Priest, as he is there stiled; as also chap. 52.24. nor must any think; that the Ie∣hoiada here meant was the immediate predecessor of Zephaniah, for besides that Iehoiada was High Priest, which Zephaniah ne∣ver was; there were near 200 years betwixt the death of Ie∣hoiada, and this time, in the stead therefore here signifieth, that thou shouldst be like the good High Priest Iehoiada, unless some other Iehoiada was meant, who was turned out, and this Ze∣phaniah put in his room.
• 2 Kings 9.11. Acts 26.24.
• o

  That thou mightest have a care of Religion, and particularly take care of persons, who being mad or phrenetick make themselves Prophets.
• chap. 20.2.
• p

  The Priests had a power to restrain such persons by imprisoning them, or putting them in the stocks, by which most agree a particular punishment is expressed, but for the nature and way of it, it is not deter∣mined; those who in so incertain a thing, have a mind to read what hath been said, may find it both in Mr. Pool's Synopsis Cri∣ticorum, and the English Annotations upon this verse, but the Learned Author of them reciting what Authors have said, con∣cludes it at last not with any certainty to be determined.
• q

  He means it of an active real reproof, as appears by what went before, he would have had Ieremiah imprisoned, or put to that punishment which they called the stocks, the nature of which we cannot determine, concluding him to be but a mad man, and one who was not made a Prophet by any immedi∣ate mission from God, but had only made himself a Prophet.
• r

  The matter of fact was true, as appeared ver. 5.6. but it was false that this was the effect of phr••••zy, or that he spake this of his own head, without commission from God, for he wro•••• nothing of this nature, but by order from God, as appeareth from ver. 4. where he began his Letter with; T••us saith t•••• Lord of hosts, the God of Israel.
• s

  It is incertain whether Z••p••aniah did this out of kindness to Ieremiah, for we read he was sent to Ieremiah upon messages, chap. 21.1. and 37.3. from the King, or because he would not apprehend him, before he heard him, and let h••m kn••w that he did nothing against him, but upon information, &c.
• t

  This is the great mischief of false Teachers, they are the causes of peoples trusting in lies, and from hence the sins of false Prophets are ordinarily aggravated.
• u

  Punishments of this life ordinarily are extended to the Children of sinful Parents, for the Parents sake, who are pu∣nished in their Children, being Res parentum, a considerable part of their Parents goods and portion.
• w

  He and his whole posterity shall be rooted out;
• x

  And neither he nor they shall live to the time of my peoples return from the Captivity of Babylon.
• y

  Because by the falshoods which he hath taught, he hath been an instrument to make people disobey the commands of God, we had the same clause, chap. 28.16. such a kind of threatning we find Amos 7.17. denounced by that Prophet against Amaziah the priest of Bethel, forbidding him to prophe∣sie at Bethel, because it was the Kings Court and Chappel. To obstruct the Revelation of Gods will to people, or to publish what is contrary to it, to seduce people from believing it, or yielding obedience, are both crimes that have been, and will be of fatal consequence to them, and their Families, who are so hardy as to incur the guilt of them.