IX. DUPLICATE SECTIONS IN JEREMIAH. THERE is no prophetic book in which the writer repeats himself so freely as the Book of Jeremiah. Only the most striking instances are given below. Compare also chap. 6. 13-15 with 8. 10-12; chap. 11. 20 with 20. 12; chap. 30. 10, 11 with 46. 27, 28; chap. 24. 8-10 with 29. 17-19 ; chap. 23. 19, 20 with 30. 23, 24. In all these passages the slips, oversights, or textual corruptions, are of the most minute description—a fact which gives some encouragement after the numerous instances to the contrary which we have met with in other books. Attention need be called only to two points in the extracts below: (i) there is the remarkable variation in gender between 'He shall be called' and 'She (i. e. Jerusalem) shall be called' (23. 6 and 33. 16). May it not possibly Of course the text ? (וזה שמו אשר יקראו for וזה אשר יקרא לה) be a slip as it stands is capable of a satisfactory interpretation, for the city may naturally be named after her Deliverer; but the other alternative is possible also. (ii) The prophecy which is aimed at Edom in chap. 49 is directed against Babylon in chap. 50. Such adaptation is frequent elsewhere on a small scale. See e. g. Amos 1 and 2. 12 Jer. 10. 12-16. Jer. 51. 15-19. He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding hath he stretched 16 out the heavens: when he uttereth his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain, and bringeth forth the wind out 17 of his treasuries. Every man is He hath made the earth by his 15 power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding hath he stretched 13 out the heavens: when he uttereth his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain, and bringeth forth the wind out 14 of his treasuries. Every man is become brutish and is without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them. 15 They are vanity, a work of delusion in the time of their 16 visitation they shall perish. The portion of Jacob is not like these; for he is the former of all things; and [Israel] is the tribe of his inheritance: the LORD of hosts is his name. become brutish and is without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them. 18 They are vanity, a work of delusion in the time of their visitation they shall perish. The portion of Jacob is not like these; for he is the former of all things; and . is the tribe of his inheritance: the LORD of hosts is his name. 19 19 Jer. 49. 19-21. Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the pride of Jordan against the strong habitation: but I will suddenly make him run away from her; and whoso is chosen, him will I appoint over her for who is like me? and who will appoint me a time? and who is the shepherd that 20 will stand before me? Therefore hear ye the counsel of the LORD, that he hath taken against Edom; and his purposes, that he hath purposed against the inhabitants of Teman: Surely they shall drag them away, even the little ones of the flock; surely he shall make their habitation 21 desolate with them. At the noise of their fall the earth trembleth; there is a cry, [the noise whereof] is heard in the Red Sea. 14 Jer. 33. 14-16. Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will upraise [that good word which I have spoken concerning the house of Israel and concerning the house 15 of Judah. In those days, and at that time, will I cause to grow up] unto David a Branch of righteousness; and [he] shall execute judgement and 16 righteousness in the land. In those days Judah shall be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is whereby she shall be called, The LORD is our righteousness. 44 of Israel out of the north country, and from all the countries whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers. Jer. 50. 44-46. : Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the pride of Jordan against the strong habitation : but I will suddenly make them run away from her; and whoso is chosen, him will I appoint over her for who is like me? and who will appoint me a time? and who is the shepherd that 45 will stand before me? Therefore hear ye the counsel of the LORD, that he hath taken against Babylon; and his purposes, that he hath purposed against the land of the Chaldeans: Surely they shall drag them away, even the little ones of the flock; surely he shall make their habitation 46 desolate with them. At the noise of the taking of Babylon the earth trembleth, and the cry is heard among the nations. X. JEREMIAH AND THE OTHER SCRIPTURES. IN 1837 a monograph on this subject was published by Augustus Küper, entitled Jeremias librorum sacrorum interpres atque vindex; and the subject certainly deserves a special treatise. To give anything like a notice of the minute relationship between Jeremiah and the Pentateuch (notably Deut.), Psalms and Prophets, would extend this section far beyond its proper limits. All that can be done here is to call attention to the most notable points of relationship between this writer and the other books. The question of original authorship is not discussed. Jer. 48. 45, 46. Num. 21. 27-29. 27 [Wherefore they that speak in proverbs say, 45 For a fire is gone [forth] out of 28 Heshbon, [And] a flame from the midst of And hath devoured the corner of And the crown of the head of the 46 Woe unto thee, O Moab ! The people of Chemosh is undone : For thy sons are taken away captive, And thy daughters into captivity. Jer. 48. 29-36. 29 We have heard of the pride of Moab, that he is very proud; his loftiness, and his pride, and his arrogancy, and the haughti30 ness of his heart. [I know his wrath, saith the LORD, that it is nought;] his boastings have 31 wrought nothing. Therefore will I howl for Moab; yea, I will cry out for all Moab: for the men of Kir-heres shall they mourn. 32 With more than the weeping of Jazer will I weep for thee, O vine of Sibmah: thy branches passed over the sea, they reached even to the sea of Jazer: upon thy summer fruits and upon thy vintage the spoiler is fallen. Come ye to Heshbon, The lords of the high places of 29 Woe unto thee, O Moab ! Thou art undone, O people of He hath given his sons as And his daughters into captivity. Isa. 16. 6-11. 6 We have heard of the pride of Moab, that he is very proud; even of his arrogancy, and his pride, and his wrath; his boast 7 ings are nought. Therefore shall Moab howl for Moab, every one shall howl: for the rasincakes of Kir-hareseth shall ye 8 mourn, utterly stricken. For the fields of Heshbon languish, and the vine of Sibmah; the lords of the nations have broken down the choice plants thereof; they reached even unto Jazer, they wandered into the wilder Isa. 16. 6-II. (Continued.) ness; her branches were spread abroad, they passed over the sea. 9 Therefore I will weep with the weeping of Jazer for the vine of Sibmah I will water thee with my tears, O Heshbon, and Elealeh : for upon thy summer fruits and upon thy harvest the battle shout 10 is fallen. And gladness is taken away, and joy out of the fruitful field; and in the vineyards there shall be no singing, neither joyful noise: no treader shall tread out wine in the presses: I have made the vintage shout to cease. Jer. 50. 39, 40. 40 As when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbour cities thereof, saith the LORD; so shall no man dwell there, neither shall any son of man sojourn therein. Isa. 13. 19-22. (Continued.) the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall shepherds make their flocks to lie down there.] 21 But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and ostriches shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there. 22 And wolves shall cry in their castles, and jackals in the pleasant palaces. Seeing that Jeremiah exhibits such a familiar acquaintance with the First Division of the Book of Isaiah, the question rises whether we can trace any relationship between his writings and the Second Division. For this purpose Jer. 10. 3-5 may be compared with Isa. 40. 18, &c., and 44. 11, &c., also compare Jer. 11. 19 with Isa. 53. 7; Jer. 32. 40 with Isa. 55. 3; Jer. 31. 2 with Isa. 63. 14; Jer. 33. 3 with Isa. 48. 6. Jeremiah is either himself a Psalmist or else a free quoter from the Psalms. Thus we have : 6 Ps. 79. 6, 7. 6 Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that know thee not, And upon the kingdoms that call not upon thy name. 7 For they have devoured Jacob, And laid waste his habitation. So also Jer. 15. 15: For thy sake I have suffered reproach'; compare Ps. 35. 7. Jer. 18. 20: They have digged a pit for my soul'; compare Ps. 35. 7. Jer. 51. 58: The people shall labour in vain, and the folk in the fire; and they shall be weary'; compare Hab. 2. 13. |