Lange Commentary - Jeremiah 44:15

Lange Commentary - Jeremiah 44:15 - 44:19

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Lange Commentary - Jeremiah 44:15 - 44:19

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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:

b. The Replication of the People

Jer_44:15-19

¹⁵Then all the men which knew that their wives had burned incense unto other gods, and all the women that stood by a [there in the] great multitude [assembly], even all the people that dwelt in the land of Egypt, in Pathros answered Jeremiah , 16 saying, As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the ¹⁷Lord, we will not hearken unto thee. But we will certainly do whatsoever thing [word] goeth forth [has gone forth] out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw ¹⁸no evil. But since we left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have been consumed¹⁹by the sword and by the famine. And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings unto her, without our men?

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

From the purport of this passage it is manifest that the people had come together to celebrate a festival in honor of the queen of heaven, and to perform the vows they had made. The assembly consisted principally of women. Hence they were the chief speakers. They now declare to the prophet that they will not obey his words (Jer_44:16), but perform their vows, and make their offerings to the queen of heaven, as they had also done at home. It was then well with them (Jer_44:17), only since they neglected her worship, has it gone badly with them (Jer_44:18). In addition, they (the women) had devoted themselves to the service of this goddess only with the concurrence of their husbands.

Jer_44:15. Then all … saying. The assembly consisted (1) of men, who well knew that their wives offered incense to other gods (comp. rems. on Jer_44:3); (2) of women, who were a great multitude. From the circumstance that the “great assembly” is designated as consisting of women, it has been rightly concluded that they formed the majority, which explains the emphasis laid on the women in Jer_44:24-25.—The Jewish women thus appear to have come together from all parts of Egypt to a festival of the queen of heaven, which was held in a place of upper Egypt (Pathros), not more particularly designated, in order there to perform their vows made to this goddess. The men seem to have been both those who lived in the neighborhood and those who had come from a distance as husbands of a part of the women mentioned. The assembly consisted (3) of representatives of all the people, who were settled in Egypt, among whom we must suppose individuals, who were neither husbands nor wives—In Pathros accordingly designates the place of meeting, and is not to be connected with lived but with answered. The prophet had endeavored by his discourse, Jer_44:2-14, to hinder the observance of this idolatrous festival, but was not successful.

Jer_44:16-19. As for the word … without our men.—We will not hearken. Comp. Jer_7:16.—The expression whatsoever word has gone forth out of our mouth indicates vows that had been made (comp. Num_30:3; Num_30:13; Num_32:24; Jdg_11:36). On the queen of heaven comp. rems. on Jer_7:18—And when we burned. According to the apodosis this ought properly to be in the feminine instead of the masculine, as in Jer_44:15 ( î÷èøåֹú ). The masculine form has not only a general justification, as being the chief form, and frequently occurring for the feminine (comp. Naegelsb. Gr., § 60, 5, 4), but also a special, since the speakers had in view the entire number who took part in the offering. According to Num_30:7 sqq., the women were responsible for the observance of their vows only when approved by their husbands (or fathers, comp. Jer_44:4). Hence they now declare, that in consequence of having obtained the concurrence of their husbands they are at any rate free from all personal responsibility. On cakes comp. rems. on Jer_7:18. It is evident from the latter passage, that this cult was not first adopted in Egypt, but imported from home.

Footnotes:

Jer_44:16.— äַãָּáָø is to be regarded as accusative of restriction. Not generally, but only with respect to this particular word, do they declare that they will not obey the prophet. Comp. Naegelsb. Gr., § 70, f.

Jer_44:17.— èåáéí felices. Comp. Isa_3:10, and Delitzsch ad loc.

Jer_44:18.—On the form úַּîְðåּ , which is found only in the root úָּîַí , comp. Olsh., S. 483, f.

Jer_44:19.— ìäòöéáä . The Hiph. here only. The Piel only in Job_10:8 decidedly in the meaning of “to form, shape.” Compare further òֶöֶá , òֲöַáִּéí (Jer_22:28), so the meaning of the Hiph. in this place cannot be other than “to form, copy,” with reference to the moon-shaped form of the cakes. Comp. rems. on Jer_7:18. The circumstance that the ä is written without Mappik (which however is found in some MSS.) does not stand in the way of this. (Comp. Olsh., § 96, e; Isa_21:2; Isa_23:17-18). [We must then render: make her cakes to copy her.—S. R. A.]