The prophet foretells that Sedecias shall fall into the hands of Nabuchodonosor: God’s sentence upon the princes and people that had broken his covenant.
King Sedecias shal fal into the handes of Nabuchodonosor, and Ierusalem shal be burned: 8. because he hath broken the couenant, of releasing Iewes from bondage, 14. in the seuenth yeare; and contrarie to particular promise of obseruing that law.
1The word that came to Jeremias from the Lord, when Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon, and all his army, and all the kingdoms of the earth, that were under the power of his hand, and all the people fought against Jerusalem and against all the cities thereof, saying:Parola detta a Geremia dal Signore, quando Nabucodonosor re di Babilonia, e tutto il suo esercito, e tutti i reami della terra, che erano sotto il dominio di lui, facevan guerra a Gerusalemme, e a tutte le sue città:THE word that was made to Ieremie from our Lord, when Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon, and al his armie, and al the kingdoms of the earth that were vnder the power of his hand, & al the peoples made warre against Ierusalem & against al the cities thereof, saying:Verbum quod factum est ad Jeremiam a Domino quando Nabuchodonosor rex Babylonis, et omnis exercitus ejus, universaque regna terræ quæ erant sub potestate manus ejus, et omnes populi, bellabant contra Jerusalem, et contra omnes urbes ejus, dicens: 2Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel: Go, and speak to Sedecias king of Juda, and say to him: Thus saith the Lord: Behold I will deliver this city into the hands of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire.Queste cose dice il Signore Dio d'Israele: Va, e parla a Sedecia re di Giuda, e digli: Queste cose dice il Signore: Ecco, che io darò questa città in potere del re di Babilonia, il quale la incendierà.Thus saith our Lord the God of Israel: Goe, & speake to Sedecias the king of Iuda: & thou shalt say to him: Thus saith our Lord: Behold I wil deliuer this citie into the handes of the king of Babylon, & he shal burne it with fire.Hæc dicit Dominus Deus Israël: Vade, et loquere ad Sedeciam regem Juda, et dices ad eum: Hæc dicit Dominus: Ecce ego tradam civitatem hanc in manus regis Babylonis, et succendet eam igni: 3And thou shalt not escape out of his hand: but thou shalt surely be taken, and thou shalt be delivered into his hand: and thy eyes shall see the eyes of the king of Babylon, and his mouth shall speak with thy mouth, and thou shalt go to Babylon.E tu non fuggirai dalle sue mani; ma infallibilmente sarai preso, e dato in mano a lui: e gli occhi tuoi vedranno gli occhi del re di Babilonia, e parlerai con lui faccia a faccia, ed entrerai in Babilonia.And thou shalt not escape out of his hand: but by taking thou shalt be taken, & thoushalt be deliuered into his hand: and thine eies shal see the eyes of the king of Babylon, and his mouth shal speake with thy mouth, and thou shalt enter into Babylon.et tu non effugies de manu ejus, sed comprehensione capieris, et in manu ejus traderis: et oculi tui oculos regis Babylonis videbunt, et os ejus cum ore tuo loquetur, et Babylonem introibis. 4Yet hear the word of the Lord, O Sedecias king of Juda: Thus saith the Lord to thee: Thou shalt not die by the sword.Contuttociò ascolta la Parola del Signore, o Sedecja re di Giuda: queste cose dice a te il Signore: Tu non morrai di spada,But yet heare the word of our Lord ô Sedecias king of Iuda: Thus saith our Lord to thee: Thou shalt not dye by the sword,Attamen audi verbum Domini, Sedecia, rex Juda: Hæc dicit Dominus ad te: Non morieris in gladio,
5But thou shalt die in peace, and according to the burnings of thy fathers, the former kings that were before thee, so shall they burn thee: and they shall mourn for thee, saying: Alas, Lord: for I have spoken the word, saith the Lord.Ma morrai in pace, e come furono bruciati i padri tuoi, i re passati, che furono avanti a te, così bruceranno te; e meneran duolo per te. dicendo: Ahi signore: imperocché io ho pronunziato così, dice il Signore.but thou shalt dye in peace, and according to the burninges of thy fathers the former kinges that haue bene before thee, so shal they burne thee: and, Alas Lord, shal they mourne for thee: because I haue spoken the word, saith our Lord.sed in pace morieris: et secundum combustiones patrum tuorum, regum priorum qui fuerunt ante te, sic comburent te: et: Væ domine, plangent te: quia verbum ego locutus sum, dicit Dominus. 6And Jeremias the prophet spoke all these words to Sedecias the king of Juda in Jerusalem.E Geremia profeta disse a Sedecia re di Giuda tutte queste parole in Gerusalemme.And Ieremie the prophet spake al these wordes to Sedecias the king of Iuda in Ierusalem.Et locutus est Jeremias propheta ad Sedeciam regem Juda universa verba hæc in Jerusalem. 7And the army of the king of Babylon fought against Jerusalem, and against all the cities of Juda that were left, against Lachis, and against Azecha: for these remained of the cities of Juda, fenced cities.E l'esercito del re di Babilonia stringeva Gerusalemme, e tutte le città di Giuda, che vi restavano, Lachis, e Azecha: imperocché delle città di Giuda restavano queste due città fortificate.And the armie of the king of Babylon fought against Ierusalem, and against al the cities of Iuda, that were remayning, against Lachis, and against Azecha: for these remained of the cities of Iuda, fensed cities.Et exercitus regis Babylonis pugnabat contra Jerusalem, et contra omnes civitates Juda quæ reliquæ erant, contra Lachis et contra Azecha: hæ enim supererant de civitatibus Juda, urbes munitæ. 8The word that came to Jeremias from the Lord, after that king Sedecias had made a covenant with all the people in Jerusalem making a proclamation:Parola detta a Geremia dal Signore dopo che il re Sedecia fece il patto con tutto il popolo in Gerusalemme, facendo sapere,The word that was made to Ieremie from our Lord, after that king Sedecias made a couenant with al the people in Ierusalem, proclayming:Verbum quod factum est ad Jeremiam a Domino, postquam percussit rex Sedecias fœdus cum omni populo in Jerusalem, prædicans
9That every man should let his manservant, and every man his maidservant, being a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, go free: and that they should not lord it over them, to wit, over the Jews their brethren.Che ognuno dovesse rimandar liberi il suo servo Ebreo, e la sua serva Ebrea; e che nissuno dovesse aver dominio sopra di essi come Ebrei, e fratelli suoi.That euerie one should dismisse his seruant, & euerie one his handmayd the Hebrew man and the Hebrew woman free: and that they should not haue dominion ouer them, that is, on a Iewe and his brother.ut dimitteret unusquisque servum suum et unusquisque ancillam suam, Hebræum et Hebræam, liberos, et nequaquam dominarentur eis, id est, in Judæo et fratre suo. 10And all the princes, and all the people who entered into the covenant, heard that every man should let his manservant, and every man his maidservant go free, and should no more have dominion over them: and they obeyed, and let them go free.Tutti i principi adunque, e il popolo tutto, che avean fatto il patto di rimandar liberi ognuno il proprio servo, e la propria serva, e di non più trattarli da servi, furono ubbidienti, e dieder loro la libertà.Al the princes therefore heard, and al the people which, had made the couenant, that euerie man should dismisse his seruant, and euerie man his handmaide free, and should no more haue dominion ouer them: they heard therefore, and dismissed them.Audierunt ergo omnes principes et universus populus qui inierant pactum ut dimitteret unusquisque servum suum et unusquisque ancillam suam liberos, et ultra non dominarentur eis: audierunt igitur, et dimiserunt. 11But afterwards they turned: and brought back again their servants and their handmaids, whom they had let go free, and brought them into subjection as menservants and maidservants.Ma poi cambiaron parere, e si ripigliaron per forza i servi, e le serve messi in libertà, e li rimisero sotto il giogo.And they turned afterwards: and drew their seruants and their handmaids back againe, whom they had dismist free, and brought them into subiection as men seruants, and wemen seruantes.Et conversi sunt deinceps: et retraxerunt servos et ancillas suas quos dimiserant liberos, et subjugaverunt in famulos et famulas. 12And the word of the Lord came to Jeremias from the Lord, saying:E il Signore parlò a Geremia, dicendo:And the word of our Lord was made to Ieremie from our Lord, saying:Et factum est verbum Domini ad Jeremiam a Domino, dicens:
13Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel: I made a covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, saying:Queste cose dice il Signore, il Dio d'Israele: Io feci un'alleanza co' padri vostri nel di, in cui li trassi dalla terra d'Egitto, dalla casa di schiavitù, e dissi:Thus saith our Lord the God of Israel: I made a couenant with your fathers in the day, that I brought them out of the Land of Aegypt, from the house of bondage, saying:Hæc dicit Dominus Deus Israël: Ego percussi fœdus cum patribus vestris in die qua eduxi eos de terra Ægypti, de domo servitutis, dicens: 14At the end of seven years, let ye go every man his brother being a Hebrew, who hath been sold to thee, so he shall serve thee six years: and thou shalt let him go free from thee: and your fathers did not hearken to me, nor did they incline their ear.Compiuti, che siano i sette anni, licenzierà ognuno il suo fratello Ebreo, che gli è stato venduto; ed egli ti servirà per sei anni, e lo rimanderai libero. Ma non mi ascoltarono i padri vostri, né furon docili alle mie parole.When seuen yeares shal be accomplished, let euerie man dismisse his brother an Hebrew, that was sold to him, and he shal serue thee six yeares: and thou shalt dismisse him free from thee: and your fathers haue not heard me, nor inclined their eare.Cum completi fuerint septem anni, dimittat unusquisque fratrem suum Hebræum, qui venditus est ei: et serviet tibi sex annis, et dimittes eum a te liberum: et non audierunt patres vestri me, nec inclinaverunt aurem suam. 15And you turned to day, and did that which was right in my eyes, in proclaiming liberty every one to his brother: and you made a covenant in my sight, in the house upon which my name is invocated.Ma voi oggi vi siete rivolti (a me), ed avete fatto quello, che è giusto negli occhi miei, dichiarando, che desse ognuno la libertà al suo amico: e avete fatto questa risoluzione dinanzi a me nella casa, che porta il mio nome.And you were conuerted this day, & did that which is right in myne eies, that you proclaymed libertie euerie one to his freind: and you made a couenant in my sight, in the house, wherein my name is inuocated vpon it.Et conversi estis vos hodie, et fecistis quod rectum est in oculis meis, ut prædicaretis libertatem unusquisque ad amicum suum: et inistis pactum in conspectu meo, in domo in qua invocatum est nomen meum super eam: 16And you are fallen back, and have defiled my name: and you have brought back again every man his manservant, and every man his maidservant, whom you had let go free, and set at liberty: and you have brought them into subjection to be your servants and handmaids.E poi vi siete ripentiti, e avete fatto uno sfregio al mio nome: e avete ripreso ognuno il suo servo, e la sua serva rimandati da voi, perchè fosser liberi, e padroni di se: e gli avete rimessi sotto il giogo facendoli servi, e serve.And you are returned, and haue defiled my name: and you haue brought backe againe euerie man his seruant, and euerie man his handmayde, whom you had dismist to be free, and of their owne iurisdiction: and you haue brought them into subiection to be your seruants and handmaydes.et reversi estis, et commaculastis nomen meum, et reduxistis unusquisque servum suum et unusquisque ancillam suam quos dimiseratis ut essent liberi et suæ potestatis, et subjugastis eos ut sint vobis servi et ancillæ.
17Therefore thus saith the Lord: You have not hearkened to me, in proclaiming liberty every man to his brother and every man to his friend: behold I proclaim a liberty for you, saith the Lord, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine: and I will cause you to be removed to all the kingdoms of the earth.Per questo così parla il Signore: Voi non avete ascoltato me, e non avete promulgata la libertà ognuno pel suo fratello, e pel suo amico: ecco, che io promulgo per voi la libertà (dice il Signore) per andare incontro alla spada, alla peste, e alla fame: e vi manderò spersi per tutti i regni della terra.Therefore thus saith our Lord: You haue not heard me, to proclaime libertie euerie man to his brother, and euerie one to his freind: behold I proclaime vnto you libertie, saith our Lord, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to famine: and I wil geue you into commotion to al the kingdoms of the earth.Propterea hæc dicit Dominus: Vos non audistis me, ut prædicaretis libertatem unusquisque fratri suo et unusquisque amico suo: ecce ego prædico vobis libertatem, ait Dominus, ad gladium, ad pestem, et ad famem, et dabo vos in commotionem cunctis regnis terræ. 18And I will give the men that have transgressed my covenant, and have not performed the words of the covenant which they agreed to in my presence, when they cut the calf in two and passed between the parts thereof:E coloro, che han violata la mia alleanza, e non hanno osservate le parole del patto concordato da essi alla mia presenza, gli farò come quel vitello, ch'ei divisero in due parti, passando essi per mezzo alle parti divise:And I wil geue the men, that transgresse my couenant, and haue not obserued the wordes of the couenant, wherevnto they consented in my sight, the calfe which they did cut into two partes, and passed betwen the diuisions thereof.Et dabo viros qui prævaricantur fœdus meum, et non observaverunt verba fœderis quibus assensi sunt in conspectu meo, vitulum quem conciderunt in duas partes, et transierunt inter divisiones ejus, 19The princes of Juda, and the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, and the priests, and all the people of the land that passed between the parts of the calf:(Dico) i principi di Giuda, e i principi di Gerusalemme, e gli eunuchi, ed i sacerdoti, e tutto il popolo di questa terra, che son passati per mezzo alle parti divise del vitello,The princes of Iuda and the princes of Ierusalem, the eunuches, and the priestes, and al the people of the land that passed betwene the diuisions of the calfe.principes Juda et principes Jerusalem, eunuchi et sacerdotes, et omnis populus terræ, qui transierunt inter divisiones vituli: 20And I will give them into the hands of their enemies, and into the hands of them that seek their life: and their dead bodies shall be for meat to the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the earth.E darogli in potere de' lor nemici, e in potere di que', che cercano la loro morte; e i loro cadaveri saran pasto degli uccelli dell'aria, e delle bestie della terra.And I wil geue them into the handes of their enemies, and into the handes of them that seeke their life: & their carcasse shal be for meate to the foules of the ayre, and to the beastes of the earth.et dabo eos in manus inimicorum suorum, et in manus quærentium animam eorum, et erit morticinum eorum in escam volatilibus cæli et bestiis terræ.
21And Sedecias the king of Juda, and his princes, I will give into the hands of their enemies, and into the hands of them that seek their lives, and into the hands of the armies of the king of Babylon, which are gone from you.E Sedecia re di Giuda, e i suoi principi darò in balia de' loro nemici in balia di que', che cercano la loro morte, e in balia degli eserciti del re di Babilonia, i quali si sono ritirati da voi.And Sedecias the king of Iuda, and his princes I wil geue into the handes of their enemies, & into the handes of them that seeke their liues, and into the handes of the armies of the king of Babylon, which are retired from you.Et Sedeciam regem Juda, et principes ejus, dabo in manus inimicorum suorum, et in manus quærentium animas eorum, et in manus exercituum regis Babylonis, qui recesserunt a vobis. 22Behold I will command, saith the Lord, and I will bring them again to this city, and they shall fight against it, and take it, and burn it with fire: and I will make the cities of Juda a desolation, without an inhabitant.Ecco, che io do i miei ordini, dice il Signore, e li ricondurrò a questa città, e la combatteranno, e la espugneranno, e la incendieranno: e le città di Giuda ridurrò in solitudine, talmente che non vi resti abitatore.Behold I command, saith our Lord, and I wil bring them againe into this citie, and they shal fight against it, and take it, and burne it with fire: and the cities of Iuda I wil geue into desolation, because there is not an inhabiter.Ecce ego præcipio, dicit Dominus, et reducam eos in civitatem hanc, et præliabuntur adversus eam, et capient eam, et incendent igni: et civitates Juda dabo in solitudinem, eo quod non sit habitator.
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Year of the World 3414, Year before Christ 590.
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Worthington
Go to, yet shall not see Babylon, (Ezechiel 12:13.) his eyes being put out, Jeremias 32:4. (Calmet) See 4 Kings 25:7. (Worthington)
Watson
Paine objects this as a false prophecy, though it was verified so terribly. Daniel, etc., would not neglect to bury the king. (Watson)
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Challoner
Peace. That is, by a natural death. (Challoner)
Sanctius
Burn thee, like Asa; (2 Paralipomenon 16:14.; Calmet) or aromatical spices were only burnt over their dead bodies, which were also embalmed. (Sanctius; Vatable, etc.)
Calmet
Tostat says that Sedecias was intoxicated, for sport, (Habacuc 2:15.) and died of grief in prison, Jeremias 52:11. (Calmet)
Watson
The king of Babylon would probably not refuse him a decent burial. (Watson, Let. vi.)
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Lachis, near Hebron. Detachments were sent to different places.
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Calmet
Brethren. The sabbatical year happened in the 9th of Sedecias, when the Chaldeans approaching, caused him to shew some signs of religion. But when they departed to meet the Egyptians, the people repented of what they had done well. (Calmet)
Worthington
Such a relapse offends God more than the former sins, as our Saviour shews by a parable, Matthew xviii. (Worthington)
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Calmet
End, or commencement. (Glass.; Gram. 3:6.) (Exodus 21:2., Deuteronomy 15:12., and Luke 2:21.) (Calmet)
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Haydock
And set. Hebrew, "to their own soul," to do as they pleased. (Haydock)
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For you. I acknowledge you no longer as my servant. I will let loose the sword, etc., against you.
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Eunuchs, chief officers. One was at the head of the army, 4 Kings 25:19.
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Worthington
Command. He did not approve of their cruelty, but used them as scourges. (Worthington)
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Die in peace.... That is, by a natural death.
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See ch. 32. v. 4. & 4. Reg. 25. v. 7.
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Recidiuation into sinnes after remission, offendeth God more then the former sinnes, as ou• Sauiour teacheth by a parable. Ma. 18.
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Concordance Exo. 21.
Concordance Deut. 15.
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God was not the cause of the Babylonians crueltie, but permitted and directed the same to punish the Iewes.
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Tertullian † AD 220 Five Books in Reply to Marcion 3
To deeds iniquitous against their slaves,
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1. The word that came to Jeremias from the Lord, when Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon, and all his army, and all the kingdoms of the earth that were under the power of his hand, and all the peoples were fighting against Jerusalem, and against all the cities thereof, saying: 2. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel: Go, and speak to Sedecias king of Juda: and thou shalt say to him: Thus saith the Lord: Behold I will deliver this city into the hands of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire. 3. And thou shalt not escape out of his hand: but shalt surely be taken, and delivered into his hand: and thy eyes shall see the eyes of the king of Babylon, and his mouth shall speak with thy mouth, and thou shalt go to Babylon. 4. Yet hear the word of the Lord, O Sedecias king of Juda: Thus saith the Lord unto thee: Thou shalt not die by the sword, 5. but thou shalt die in peace: and according to the burnings of thy fathers, the former kings that were before thee, so shall they burn thee: and woe, O Lord, shall they bewail thee: because I have spoken the word, saith the Lord. 6. And Jeremias the prophet spoke all these words to Sedecias king of Juda in Jerusalem. 7. And the army of the king of Babylon was fighting against Jerusalem, and against all the cities of Juda that remained, against Lachis, and against Azecha: for these remained of the cities of Juda, fortified cities. 8. The word that came to Jeremias from the Lord, after king Sedecias had made a covenant with all the people in Jerusalem, proclaiming: 9. that every man should let his manservant, and every man his maidservant, Hebrew and Hebrewess, go free: and that none should have dominion over them, that is, over a Jew and his brother. 10. And all the princes and all the people heard, who had entered into the covenant that every man should let his manservant, and every man his maidservant go free, and that none should have dominion over them: and they heard, and let them go. 11. And they turned afterwards: and brought back their servants and their handmaids, whom they had let go free, and brought them into subjection for servants and handmaids. 12. And the word of the Lord came to Jeremias from the Lord, saying: 13. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel: I made a covenant with your fathers, in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, saying: 14. When seven years are completed, let every man release his brother, a Hebrew, who hath been sold to him, and shall have served thee six years; and thou shalt let him go free from thee: and your fathers hearkened not to me, nor inclined their ear. 15. And you turned today, and did that which is right in my eyes, in proclaiming liberty every man to his friend: and you made a covenant in my sight, in the house upon which my name is called upon it. 16. And you turned back, and profaned my name: and brought back every man his servant, and every man his handmaid, whom you had let go free and at their own disposal: and you brought them into subjection to be your servants and handmaids. 17. Therefore thus saith the Lord: You have not hearkened to me, in proclaiming liberty every man to his brother, and every man to his friend: behold I proclaim liberty to you, saith the Lord, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine: and I will make you to be tossed about to all the kingdoms of the earth. 18. And I will give the men that have transgressed my covenant, and have not kept the words of the covenant which they agreed to in my sight, the calf which they cut in two and passed between the divisions thereof: 19. the princes of Juda and the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs and the priests, and all the people of the land, who passed between the divisions of the calf: 20. and I will give them into the hands of their enemies, and into the hands of them that seek their lives: and their carcasses shall be meat for the fowls of the air, and for the beasts of the earth. 21. And Sedecias king of Juda, and his princes, I will give into the hands of their enemies, and into the hands of them that seek their lives, and into the hands of the armies of the king of Babylon, who are departed from you. 22. Behold I command, saith the Lord, and I will bring them back to this city, and they shall fight against it, and take it, and burn it with fire: and the cities of Juda I will make a desolation, because there shall be no inhabitant. 1. When Nabuchodonosor. — This first siege of Jerusalem appears to have taken place in the eighth year of Sedecias, for in the ninth year Nabuchodonosor returned, and continued it until the eleventh year of Sedecias, when he took it, Jerem. xxxix, 1, and cap. lii, 4; therefore the eighth year of Nabuchodonosor was the seventh year of liberty and remission, as is evident from vers. 9 and 14. You will say: The first year of Sedecias was the fourth year of the hebdomad of sabbatical years, as I said cap. xxviii, 1; therefore the seventh year, or sabbatical year, was the fourth year of the reign of Sedecias, not the eighth. I answer: This is true according to the correct and legitimate reckoning, or according to the style of the old Calendar, but not of the new: for because these seventh years had been neglected and not observed for many lustres and perhaps centuries; hence Sedecias here recalling them, began them from the beginning of his reign, especially with the pressing necessity of impending captivity, as I shall say vers. 14.
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5. In peace,—not by violent, but by natural death; otherwise he who died in captivity did not die in peace. According to the burnings of thy fathers, etc., they shall burn thee.—Thus the Gentiles burned the bodies of their dead, as Virgil relates of Miseno in book VI of the Aeneid. The Jews did the same to Saul, I Kings xxxi, 12, and to Zedekiah here, as the words of the text signify. Secondly and better, others translate from the Hebrew, they shall burn for thee, namely aromatics. Thus Hugo, Lyra, Vatablus, Isidore and Castro: for it is evident from II Paralipomenon cap. xvi, 14, and cap. xxi, 19, that aromatics were accustomed to be placed upon and burned with the bodies of kings. Certainly the aromatics signified that the king's life had been praiseworthy, and that all had been refreshed by the odor of his grateful fame. Thus now flowers and garlands are given to virgins and doctors when dead, and are placed upon their sepulchers. And according to this sense our Interpreter seems to be explained, as if to say, "They shall burn thee," that is, upon thee; that is, they shall suffice for thee or for thee, says Maldonatus. Or thee: because thy body will also be touched by fire in the burning of aromatics, and as it were be burned, and by this very fact will be reckoned burned, because aromatics were burned upon his funeral pyre. Thus the Spanish, says Sanchez, say, they ate the dead when they ate from the funeral banquet of the dead. For David, Solomon, and other dead kings are not read to have been burned, but buried: thus the Hebrews and Latins. Thus on the other hand King Asa, II Paralipomenon xvi, 14, is said to have been buried, but first placed on a bed with aromatics and ointments, which "they burned upon him with excessive ambition." Where Rabbi Kimchi and other Hebrews relate that not only aromatics, but also beds, garments and other furnishings were burned according to custom, lest they be used by anyone who was not of royal descent. The same was noted by Jerome Magius, lib. III Miscellan. cap. xi. The Jews seem in this matter to have imitated the Gentiles, who threw aromatics, arms, garments and most precious things onto the funeral pyre of the deceased, as Suetonius writes that soldiers did for Caesar. Be it that the Jews, on account of faith and hope in the resurrection, burned only aromatics and furnishings, not bodies. Hear Plutarch concerning Cato the Younger at the funeral of his brother Caepio: "When he had learned that his brother was dead, he seemed to bear it more heavily than befits a philosopher. For not only with laments and beating of the breast, but with immoderate funeral expense and exquisite vapors and precious garments did he cremate the body." And Tacitus, lib. III Annal., concerning the funeral of Germanicus: "And when they crossed the colonies, the people in mourning, the knights in their formal dress, according to the resources of the place, burned garments, odors, and other funeral solemnities." From the same custom Herodotus, lib. III, relates that Periander, to please his dead wife, burned the garments of all the women of Corinth. Cicero, lib. II De Legib., calls this throwing of odors onto the pyre "sumptuous sprinkling," and asserts it was prohibited by the law of the Twelve Tables. Pliny, lib. XII, cap. xviii: "Experts," he says, "assure us that Arabia does not produce in annual yield as much odor as Nero burned on the last day of his Poppaea." Valerius Maximus, libro V, cap. I: "Caesar also took care that the head (of Pompey) be cremated with very many and most precious odors." Cynthia in Propertius, lib. IV: Why did not nard smell in my flames? Statius, lib. II Sylv., concerning the pyre of Glaucia: Why should I recount the funeral rites and gifts lavished on the flames? and the funeral burning with mournful luxury? What pyre grew for thee perpetually sad with its heap? What Cilician flowers, what gifts of Indian grass, etc. Likewise concerning the parrot of Melior: Assyrian cinnabar is burned with amomum, and with Sicilian saffron: nor weary with idle age does the phoenix, more fortunate, climb the fragrant fires. Likewise in the Epicedium of Piletus Ursus: The flame exhausted the fragrant Sabaeans, and the harvests of Cilicia, and cinnamon taken from the Pharaonic bird, and juices flowing from Assyrian grass. Alas, Lord, they shall mourn thee.—Kings and princes mourning said, אדון adon, that is, alas, Lord: but mourning private persons said, הוי אח hoi ach, alas, brother, or alas, sister, as is evident IV Kings cap. iii, vers. 10. Although indeed kings on account of equal royal dignity called each other brothers, as Sanchez rightly proves here; nevertheless at the funeral of kings there were scarcely kings present who would mourn them and call them brothers. Furthermore, the Hebrews describe the formula of lamentation for Zedekiah thus in their chronology, which they themselves call Seder Olam, that is, Series, or History of the age: "Zedekiah perished, and concerning him they instituted this lamentation: Alas! because King Zedekiah is dead, drinking the dregs of all ages," that is, paying the penalty for the sins of former ages: for he himself was the last king of Judah. Thus Genebrardus explains it there. funeral of kings there were scarcely kings present who would mourn them and call them brothers. 8. King Zedekiah made a covenant,—between himself and his people and God, promising that they would worship God and keep His law. He mentions before all others the law of remission in the seventh year, both because that year was at hand; and because it pertained more to the matter. For they were freeing slaves according to the law, so that they themselves would not fall into servitude to the Chaldeans. Preaching,—announcing by the voice of a herald.
34:14
14. When seven years shall be completed. — "Completed," that is, begun to be completed: for in the seventh year beginning or certainly running its course, and not yet completed, servants were to be sent away free; whence the Septuagint translates: "When six years shall be completed." Thus in Luke ii, 21, it is said: "After the days of eight were completed that the child should be circumcised," that is, when the days are completed, and the eighth day appointed for circumcision has been reached.
34:15
15. That you should proclaim liberty each one to his friend (that is, his neighbor) — that is, to his neighbors, namely to Hebrew servants and handmaids: for the Gentiles did not enjoy this law and liberty. Thus Pagninus, Vatablus and others, who accordingly translate: That he should proclaim liberty each one to his brother; others, to his neighbor, namely to the masters, as if to say, Yesterday they exhorted one another mutually to the manumission of servants according to God's law.
34:16
16. You have profaned my name, — you have brought dishonor upon it, violating my law and covenant, as if it were a vile thing and subject to change and violation at your pleasure. Excellently St. Bernard in the Sentences: "Before God neither leprous obedience nor canine patience avails. That they should be free and in their own power. — Hebrew: You sent them away to their own soul, that is, to their own soul, that is, to liberty, you left them and restored them.
34:17
17. I proclaim liberty to you. — He speaks ironically, as if to say, You have sent servants free to their liberty, but you have revoked and violated it; therefore I will manumit you, so that you shall no longer be my servants, and shall be free, not that you may go where you wish; but abandoning you and exposing you to enemies, I will permit you to go to the sword, pestilence and famine, and that these, as if new masters and lords of yours, may freely rage against you. Thus St. Thomas; see chapter xv, 2. Secondly, R. David explains it, as if to say, I proclaim to you, that is, against you, liberty to enemies, that they may subject you to servitude. Thirdly, Maldonatus: I proclaim liberty, that is, servitude and captivity, so that it is an antiphrasis. But the first sense is plain and genuine. Into commotion. — Hebrew and Septuagint, into dispersion, so that you wander, unstable, fearful and trembling like Cain, shall be scattered throughout the whole world like fugitives. Thus Theodoret, Lyra, Hugo, Maldonatus. Otherwise Vatablus and Dionysius, as if to say, That all may be moved, either by fear or by compassion, seeing your calamity. Otherwise others, as if to say, "Into commotion," namely of the head, that is, into derision.
34:18
18. The calf which they cut in pieces. — This can be understood in two ways. First, "I will give men, etc., a calf," that is, as a calf, so that, just as this calf was divided, so they themselves shall be divided and scattered through various kingdoms. Thus Maldonatus. Sanchez adds, as if to say, I will give you the calf which you cut in pieces, that is, I will make you appear in that form in which the calf was cut and torn apart. You shall be subjected to the enemy's knife, and shall be widely scattered through the various spaces of kingdoms. It is evident from verse 20. Secondly and more aptly, so that the calf refers to "they did not observe," and by the calf is understood the covenant made with God, and confirmed by the slaying of the calf, both here and in Exodus chapter xxiv, 5, so that it is a metonymy and catachresis. Thus St. Thomas, Lyra, Dionysius. Whence Vatablus translates, the calf cut in two parts. Note here with Theodoret, St. Thomas and others, the ancient custom both of the Hebrews and of other nations of sanctifying covenants through a victim, namely a calf: for by slaying it and dividing it into two parts, and passing through the middle, they imprecated upon themselves death and similar dissection, if they should violate the covenant. On which matter I have said more at Genesis xv, 10, and Exodus xxiv, 8. And I will give, — I will give, I say. And it shall be a carcass, — that is, a slain body: otherwise a carcass properly is a body which has died without violence, spontaneously and naturally.
34:22
22. I command — the Chaldeans, that they return to the siege: "I command," that is, I permit, ordain, direct, that they return to the destruction of Jerusalem. For the Hebrew צוה tsava signifies every ordinance and providence of God, whether imperative, ordinative, or permissive. Thus God here commanded, that is, first, ordained all things, for example, by favoring the affairs of the Chaldeans, giving them an easy and swift victory against the Egyptians, by which encouraged they would return to the siege of Jerusalem; secondly, he impelled them to return, giving them an instinct to conquer Jerusalem and to exercise vengeance upon the Jews; thirdly, he permitted the return and victory of the Chaldeans; fourthly, notwithstanding, not hindering, not impeding, not diverting them elsewhere. Thus God is said to have commanded the ravens to feed Elijah, commanded, that is, ordained and gave them an instinct to bring bread to Elijah. Thus God is said to have commanded, that is, directly permitted, the curse of Shimei, and ordained it for the punishment of David's adultery. With a similar and equally just antithesis St. Chrysostom said, homily 2 on John: "It is ridiculous that we wish our servants to be always occupied in our affairs, but we ourselves wish to render no service to God, especially since all our service contributes nothing to him." And Seneca, book I On Benefits, chapter 1: "We do not give benefits, but cast them away: no one is held as a debtor of them. We alone of all are idle toward God: therefore we live badly, because we are always thinking only of God, when we ought to fear him."
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
34:1
Quia Judaei adeo obstinati erant quod nec terrebantur tristibus, nec flectebantur laetis, decenter ejus comminationem et consolationem, et tertio contradictionem audientium ostendit: et primo in transgressione sententiae; secundo in destructione Scripturae, cap. 36: et factum est in anno quarto Joakim filii Josiae regis Juda; tertio in persecutione prophetae, cap. 37: et regnavit rex Sedecias filius Josiae pro Jechonia filio Joakim. Circa primum duo. Primo convincuntur de transgressione, facto; secundo, exemplo, 35 cap.: verbum quod factum est ad Jeremiam a domino. Ostendit autem eos transgressores ex hoc quod etiam pactum quod ipsi cum Deo fecerant de liberatione servorum secundum legem, non servaverunt. Dividitur autem in partes duas. Primo ponitur quoddam alleviamentum malorum post foederis pactionem, secundo ponitur comminatio post pacti initi transgressionem, ibi, verbum quod factum est ad Jeremiam a domino. Circa primum duo. Primo ponit prophetiae titulum, in quo describit tempus: quando Nabuchodonosor. Supra 1: ecce ego congregabo omnes cognitiones regnorum Aquilonis, ait dominus; et venient et ponent unusquisque solium suum in introitu portarum Jerusalem, et cetera. Secundo ponit prophetale verbum: haec dicit dominus: et facit tria.
34:2
Primo ponit comminationem pro culpis praeteritis quantum ad destructionem civitatis; ecce ego tradam civitatem hanc in manus regis Babylonis, et succendet eam igni. Psalm. 73: incenderunt igni sanctuarium tuum, in terra polluerunt tabernaculum nominis tui. Et quantum ad captivitatem regis: et tu non effugies, Thren. 2: non fuit in diebus furoris domini qui effugeret, et relinqueretur.
34:4
Secundo ponit pro pacto inito remunerationem: attamen audi (...) non morieris. Hoc quidem non fuit impletum, quia in pacto non mansit, fuitque confusione mortuus quoniam medicinam laxativam in convivio acceperat. Habac. 2: vae qui potum dat amico suo, miscens fel suum, et inebrians ut aspiciat nuditatem ejus. Et tamen quantum ad hoc potest dici impletum quod non fuit hostili gladio interfectus. Supra 22: non plangent eum, vae, frater, et vae, soror. Non concrepabunt ei, vae, domine, et vae, inclyte.
34:5
Tertio tangit imminentem tribulationem, ut promissio sit acceptior: quia verbum hoc ego locutus sum. Habac. 1: ipse super omnem munitionem ridebit, et comportabit aggerem, et capiet eam.
34:8
Hic ponitur comminatio post pacti transgressionem: et primo ponitur pacti transgressio; secundo contra transgredientes comminatio ibi, et factum est verbum ad Jeremiam a domino. Circa primum tria. Primo ponitur pactio: postquam percussit rex Sedecias foedus, et etiam postquam fregit, ut dimitteret unusquisque, secundum legem. Exod. 21: si emeris servum Hebraeum, sex annis serviet tibi; in septimo egredietur liber gratis. Et Levit. 25, prohibetur quod retineant de fratribus suis ut servos, neque opprimant per potentiam in servitute famulorum; sed quasi mercenarii, et coloni sint.
34:10
Secundo ponitur pacti ad tempus observatio: audierunt igitur, et dimiserunt. Psal. 105: cito fecerunt, obliti sunt operum ejus, et non sustinuerunt consilium ejus.
34:11
Tertio ponitur pacti transgressio: et conversi sunt deinceps. Oseae 7: reversi sunt ut essent absque jugo, facti sunt quasi arcus dolosus.
34:13
Hic comminatur contra transgredientes. Et primo ponit culpam patrum, ponens pactionem: ego percussi foedus. Supra 31: non secundum pactum quod pepigi cum patribus vestris in die qua apprehendi manum eorum ut educerem eos de terra Aegypti, pactum quod irritum fecerunt et cetera. Et transgressionem: et non audierunt.
34:14
Supra 11: non audierunt, nec inclinaverunt aurem suam, sed abierunt in pravitate cordis sui mali. Et culpam filiorum, ponens pactionem: et conversi, a transgressione patrum, in domo, in templo. Isa. 64: domus sanctificationis nostrae, et gloriae nostrae, ubi laudaverunt te patres nostri, et cetera.
34:16
34:17
Secundo comminatur poenam: propterea haec dicit dominus: et circa hoc duo. Primo ponit comminationem communiter quantum ad omnes, praedicens occisionem: ecce ego praedico libertatem, ut libere occidamini. Supra 15: qui ad gladium, ad gladium; qui ad famem, ad famem; et qui ad captivitatem, ad captivitatem.
34:18
Et reliquiarum servitutem: et dabo viros (...) vitulum; idest, quod pactum per divisionem vituli firmaverunt sacrificando Deo. Unde inolevit iste usus loquendi: percutere, vel ferire foedus. Thren. 1: dedit me dominus in manu de qua non potero effugere.
34:20
Praedicit etiam devorationem cadaverum: et erit morticinum eorum in escam volatilibus caeli. Ps. 73: posuerunt morticina servorum tuorum escas volatilibus caeli, carnes sanctorum tuorum bestiis terrae.
34:21
Et quantum ad principes specialiter: et Sedeciam regem Juda, et principes ejus. Deut. 28: ducet te dominus, et regem tuum quem constitues super te, in gentem quam ignoras tu, et patres tui. Qui recesserunt a vobis, aut alieni habebantur.
34:22
Infra 37: secundo ponit expletionis ordinem: ecce ego praecipio. Supra 12: dederunt portionem meam desiderabilem in desertum solitudinis, posuerunt eam in dissipationem, luxitque super me.
34:5
a sheet or shroud, bound with bands (cf. for Lazarus: Iob. 11, 44), and perfumed with the addition of aromas (cf. the burial of Jesus «sicut mos est Iudaeis sepelire» (Io. 19, 40) or burning them over and around it (Jer. 34, 5). The funeral transport was carried out by the friends of the dead and was preceded, accompanied and followed by the recitation of biblical passages and by lamentations. …
34:7
… Hezekiah, in 702, the Assyrian king Sennacherib besieged it (2 Kings 14:19; 2 Chron. 32:9; cf. Mic. 1:13) and from there sent messengers to Jerusalem to demand its surrender (2 Kings 18:17; 19:18; Isa. 36:2; 37:8). A century later Nebuchadnezzar besieged L. (Jer. 34:7) and took it in 589-588 B.C. After the Babylonian exile L. was again inhabited by Jews (Neh. 11:30).
34:8
… In the Bible only once is a general manumission of slaves described, but it was immediately followed by the far from generous claim to reclaim the right of property, as soon as the danger of the capture of Jerusalem seemed averted (Jer. 34:8-22).
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Douay 1609-10), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.