Bible Commentaries

all. Put by Figure of speech Synecdoche (of the Whole), App-6, for the greater part, not all without exception.

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4.

God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4.

men. Plural of "enosh. App-14.

Baruch. A man of noble family (Jeremiah 32:12) suspected here. The reason may be found in Jeremiah 45:1-5.

whither, &c. Compare Jeremiah 40:12.

men. Hebrew, plural of geber. App-14.

children = young children.

person = soul. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13.

Gedaliah. See note on Jeremiah 41:1.

Tahpanhes. An Egyptian fortress on the eastern or Syrian frontier of Lower Egypt (Compare Jeremiah 2:16), where the Pharaoh had his palace. See Jeremiah 43:9. Now Tell Defenneh; where Petrie discovered (in 1886) a ruin called Kasr el Bint Yehudi = the palace of the daughter of Judah, assigned doubtless to the daughters of king Zedekiah. See Jeremiah 43:6, above; and Jeremiah 41:10. See App-87.

The Thirty-Eighth Prophecy of Jeremiah (see book comments for Jeremiah).

Then = And. The Structure shows that a new member commences here.

the brickkiln = the brick pavement before the royal palace. Laid bare in 1886 by Flinders Petrie. See note on 2 Samuel 12:31. There could be no "brickkiln "close to the entrance of the palace. But such a platform is seen to-day outside all great, and most small, houses in Egypt. It is called mastaba, and is kept clean, and swept. Often made of beaten clay, edged with bricks. For this particular brickwork pavement, see App-87. See note on Jeremiah 43:7.

the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel. See note on Jeremiah 7:3. The longer title is used to show the solemnity of the utterance.

Nebuchadrezzar . . . will set, &c. This was fulfilled to the letter. Josephus records it (Ant. x. 9, 10), but Egyptian history is naturally silent. It took place five years after his destruction of Jerusalem.

such as are, &c. See note on 2 Samuel 12:31.

as = according as.

images = standing images, or obelisks. Probably Asherim. See App-42.

Beth-shemesh. Hebrew = House (or Temple) of the Sun; Greek, "Heliopolis"; Egyptian, "On"; about ten miles northeast of Cairo.

that is in the land of Egypt. This is to distinguish it from the Beth-shemesh of Joshua 15:10. Judges 1:33. 1 Samuel 6:9, 1 Samuel 6:19. See note on Isaiah 19:19; and App-81.