II. Chron. xxxvi. 12.

Jeremiah xx.

2.

CHAPTER VIII.

WE learn from the Biblical narratives that Zedekiah humbled not himself before Jeremiah; it becomes then evident that Jeremiah was a representative of the Elamite Great King.

Jeremiah was thundering his anathemas against the Jewish king; and the priestly writers inform us that Zedekiah "put him in the stocks, that were in the high gate of Benjamin." We must view this as a subtle combination in their design to degrade Jeremiah, and obscure his high position. It is more than probable that Jeremiah was the general-in-chief of Nebuchadnezzar's forces, and certainly a prince of the house

of Elam.

We must bear in mind that the Pharaoh Apries of the Cushite house of David (ie. Hirhor) was now supreme in Egypt; it follows that the chief of the royal Ramesside

Elamite family was out of power; he would be a powerful and distinguished personage, and the conspicuous rival of the reigning Cushite Pharaoh.

It has by no means been clearly defined who the prophets, of the priestly writers, represented'; but as we find them invariably associated with the party in opposition, might we not surmise that they were the leaders of the opposition party.

I have ventured to conjecture that the prophet Isaiah was the deposed Elamite Pharaoh known to us as Usargon. He was clearly the leader of the opposition, and there are grounds for supposing that he eventually succeeded to the throne of Elam.

We now find Jeremiah in a similar position, and I shall point out that he succeeded Apries as the Pharaoh of Egypt. This is practically confirmed, for we find that Zedekiah opens negociations with him when Jerusalem is besieged, and inquires if Nebuchadnezzar cannot be induced to raise the siege. Jeremiah tells him that the only policy he can adopt is to give up the town, and says: "He that abideth in this city

Jeremiah

I

Jeremiah xxxvii. 11.

shall die by the sword but he that goeth
out, and falleth to the Chaldeans that
besiege you, he shall live." This is clearly
the ultimatum of the Great Elamite King.
We can conclude that when Zedekiah defied
the
power of Elam he placed himself under
the protection of the Cushite Pharaoh
Apries, his chief; so that we are not sur-
prised to find that the Pharaoh's forces
appear on the scene and raise the siege :
"And it came to pass, that when the army
of the Chaldeans [Elamites] was broken up
from Jerusalem for fear of the Pharaoh's
army, then Jeremiah went forth out of Jeru-
salem to go into the land of Benjamin."
This skilfully leads us to infer that Jeremiah
and Zedekiah were of the same race and
party, and subtly obscures the two belli-
gerents. Might we not, under the circum-
stances, surmise that instead of Jeremiah
going "into the land of Benjamin," he
withdrew the Elamite forces "into the land
of Babylon"? It is more than probable
that the Cushite Pharaoh Apries followed
up his victory, and expelled the Elamite
troops from Western Asia?

xxxviii. 17.

The Elamite forces some few years after again appear on the scene, led by Jeremiah, which certainly indicates that the Cushites were dominant. Jerusalem is closely beseiged and fresh negotiations take place. "Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah; if Jeremiah thou wilt go forth unto the King of Babylon, thy soul shall live, but if thou wilt not go forth, then shall this city be given into the hands of the Chaldeans. And Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me. But Jeremiah said, they shall

not deliver thee."

I present this record as one of the finest combinations in the Biblical plot; it is framed with a subtle alliance with truth, and still conveys an absolutely false impression.

Let me remind the reader that it is the design of the writers to obscure the great Cushite and Elamite races which have been rivals for empire since we were first introduced to them. But when we find it recorded that Zedekiah, the King of the

Jews, says he is afraid of the Jews, we become absolutely confounded. A moment's reflection will enable us to detect the craft of the record.

Zedekiah had rebelled against the Great King, and was now flying the Cushite Jewish flag; he was, therefore, naturally afraid of the Elamite Jews of the tribe of Judah; this is abundantly manifest, for Jeremiah assures him that the Elamite Jews will not revolt. The two rival races are therefore vividly before us. Let us tear the bandages from our eyes, and calmly view the situation. We shall then detect who are the two rival powers; and that it is not a conflict alone between Zedekiah, the petty king of Judea, and Jeremiah, the petty king of Israel, but the old, old struggle for supremacy in the empire between the Hamitic and Semitic races.

The Pharaoh Apries, now reigning in Egypt, represents the ancient line of Cushite kings of the house of Abraham; and Nebuchadnezzar personates the ancient line of the house of Chedorlaomer, or perhaps Menes. The siege of Jerusalem only dis