[Expositor's Bible Commentary 01] • Jeremiah, Lamentations by Tremper Longman, III -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Cover Title Page Copyright Page Contents Contributors Preface Abbreviations Jeremiah Introduction I. Prologue: Jeremiah’s Divine Calling and Commission (1:1–19)

A. Superscription and Historical Background (1:1–3) B. Jeremiah’s Calling and Appointing (1:4–10) C. Two Oracles of Judgment (1:11–16) D. Jeremiah’s Divine Commissioning (1:17–19)

II. Oracles, Anecdotes, Prophetic Prayers, and Laments (2:1–20:18)

A. Israel Has Abandoned the Lord, Her Husband (2:1–37)

1. Israel’s Historical Defection: From Honeymoon to Apostasy (2:1–8) 2. The Lord Builds His Case against His People (2:9–13) 3. Israel’s Humiliation before Her Enemies and False Friends (2:14–19) 4. Yahweh’s Adulterous Bride (2:20–25) 5. The Destructive Fruit of Idolatry (2:26–30) 6. Self-Deceived Israel Pursues Idolatry, Immorality, and Injustice (2:31–35) 7. The Foreign Allegiance Will Fail (2:36–37)

B. A Call to Return to the Lord (3:1–4:4)

1. Can Divorced Israel Return to Her Divine Husband? (3:1–5) 2. Apostate Israel and Her Treacherous Sister Judah (3:6–11) 3. A Message to Northern Israel (3:12–18) 4. The Lord’s Desires for His People (3:19–20) 5. A Sound of Repentance Is Heard (3:21–25) 6. Return and Be Blessed—or Be Judged (4:1–4)

C. Disaster Is Coming from the North (4:5–31)

1. The Destroyer Is Coming (4:5–9) 2. Jeremiah’s Exclamation (4:10) 3. The Winds of Judgment Are Blowing (4:11–18) 4. Jeremiah’s Broken Heart and the Lord’s Anguish (4:19–22) 5. The Reversal of Creation (4:23–26) 6. The Land Will Be Ruined and Maiden Zion Will Mourn (4:27–31)

D. No Forgiveness for This People (5:1–31)

1. Looking—in Vain—for One Righteous Man in Jerusalem (5:1–5) 2. God’s Indictment of His People (5:6–11) 3. Living in Denial Will Fail (5:12–14) 4. The Devouring Sword Is Coming (5:15–17) 5. A Witness Nation Even under Judgment (5:18–19) 6. Have They No Fear of God? (5:20–29) 7. Prophets and Priests Are Corrupt! (5:30–31)

E. Destruction Is at the Door (6:1–30)

1. A People under Siege (6:1–5) 2. Divine Orders to the Attackers (6:6–9) 3. Will Anyone Listen? (6:10–15) 4. Refusal to Repent Makes Judgment Unavoidable (6:16–23) 5. Time to Wail and Mourn (6:24–26) 6. The Prophet Is a Refiner (6:27–30)

F. Hypocritical Religion and Its Dire Consequences (7:1–8:3)

1. Hypocritical Religion Denounced (7:1–11) 2. God Judged Before and He’ll Judge Again (7:12–15) 3. Jeremiah, Do Not Intercede! (7:16–20) 4. I Still Don’t Want Your Sacrifices (7:21–26) 5. This People Won’t Listen (7:27–29) 6. As You Have Slaughtered You Will Be Slaughtered (7:30–8:3)

G. No Hope for a Sinful People (8:4–20)

1. Incorrigible Fools Who Are Wise in Their Own Eyes (8:4–12) 2. A Time for Hopelessness (8:13–20)

H. A Time for Tears (8:21–9:26[25])

1. The Divine/Prophetic Grief Is Unbearable (8:21–9:3[9:2]) 2. Deceit and Sin Must Be Punished (9:4[3]–10[9]) 3. Time to Weep and Wail (9:11[10]–22[21]) 4. Glory Only in the Lord! (9:23[22]–24[23]) 5. Uncircumcised in Flesh and in Heart (9:25[24]–26[25])

I. The Folly of Idols and the Majesty of the Lord (10:1–16)

1. The Idols Are Nothing (10:1–5) 2. No One Is Like Yahweh (10:6–11) 3. The Power of Israel’s God and the Powerlessness of the Idols (10:12–16)

J. Jeremiah and the Lord Interact (10:17–25)

1. Terrible Pain because of Coming Judgment (10:17–22) 2. A Prayer for Judgment (10:23–25)

K. The Prophet and the Lord Are Betrayed, but Judgment Will Come on the Wicked (11:1–12:17)

1. Covenant Breaking and Conspiracy in God’s House, and a Threat on the Prophet’s Life (11:1–23)

a. A call to keep the covenant (11:1–8) b. A conspiracy to break the covenant (11:9–13) c. Do not pray; disaster must come (11:14–17) d. A threat on Jeremiah’s life (11:18–23)

2. Jeremiah’s Complaint and the Lord’s Response (12:1–6) 3. Betrayal and Judgment (12:7–13) 4. Judgment and Restoration for the Wicked Nations (12:14–17)

L. Symbolic Actions, Calls to Repent, and Words of Judgment (13:1–17)

1. Jeremiah and the Linen Waistband (13:1–11) 2. Wineskins Filled with Judgment (13:12–14) 3. A Plea to Repent before the Darkness Falls (13:15–17) 4. The Impending Humiliation of the King, Queen Mother, and People of Judah (13:18–27)

M. The Devastating Drought and God’s Refusal to Hear Pleas for Mercy (14:1–22)

1. The Drought (14:1–6) 2. A Plea for Mercy Rejected by the Lord (14:7–10) 3. The Lord’s Interaction with Jeremiah concerning the Futility of Prayer and the Sin of the False Prophets (14:11–16) 4. An Oracle of Tears for the Slain, and One More Plea for Mercy (14:17–22)

N. The Unavoidability of Frightful Judgment and Jeremiah’s Agonizing Struggle (15:1–21)

1. It’s Too Late! Devastating Judgments Are Coming, and No One Can Stop Them (15:1–9) 2. Laments and Promises: A Dialogue between the Lord and His Prophet (15:10–21)

a. Hopelessness and hope (15:10–11) b. Another oracle of judgment (15:12–14) c. Jeremiah struggles with his calling (15:15–18) d. A promise of restoration and deliverance (15:19–21)

O. Divine Constraints on Jeremiah in Light of the Coming Judgment (16:1–21)

1. Do Not Marry, Mourn, or Feast (16:1–9) 2. An Oracle of Explanation (16:10–13) 3. A Great (Future) Regathering because of a Great Scattering, Aided by the (Present) Hunting out of Sinners (16:14–18) 4. Jeremiah’s Confession: The Nations Will One Day Acknowledge the Lord (16:19–21)

P. A Sinful, Cursed People and a Cry from the Prophet’s Heart (17:1–18)

1. Judah’s Sin Is Undeniable, Her Judgment Unavoidable (17:1–4) 2. The Cursed Man, the Blessed Man, and the Sinful Heart (17:5–11) 3. Jeremiah’s Praise, Confession, and Prayer (17:12–18)

Q. A Call to Obey the Sabbath, with a Glorious Promise and a Terrible Threat (17:19–27) R. The Divine Potter, the Destruction of Jerusalem, and the Persecution and Pleas of Jeremiah (18:1–20:18)

1. Lessons from the Potter’s House: Yahweh’s Dealings with the Nations and with Israel and Judah (18:1–12) 2. Judgment Must Come (18:13–17) 3. Persecution and Imprecations (18:18–23) 4. Jerusalem Will Be Smashed to Bits like a Piece of Shattered Pottery (19:1–15) 5. Jeremiah under Extreme Pressure, in Physical Stocks and in Spiritual Anguish (20:1–18)

a. Jeremiah and Pashhur (20:1–6) b. Jeremiah and the Lord: the last lament (20:7–18)

III. Dated Oracles and Anecdotes Leading up to the Destruction of Jerusalem (21:1–39:18)

A. Words to the Godless Kings of Judah and the Promise of a Righteous Branch (21:1–23:8)

1. A Message for Zedekiah and Judah: The Lord Will Fight against You (21:1–10) 2. A Word to the Royal House of Judah (21:11–14) 3. A Second Word to the Royal House of Judah (22:1–9) 4. A Word concerning Shallum, Son of Josiah (22:10–12) 5. A Word to Jehoiakim, Son of Josiah (22:13–23) 6. A Word to Jehoiachin, Son of Jehoiakim (22:24–30) 7. The Sinful Shepherds, the Righteous Branch, and the Regathering of God’s People (23:1–8)

B. A Word to the Prophets (23:9–40)

1. The Sin of the False Prophets and Their Judgment (23:9–22) 2. Yahweh Is Not Some Local Deity (23:23–24) 3. Judgment for the Empty Dreamers (23:25–32) 4. The Maśśaʾ (Oracle/Burden) of the Lord (23:33–40)

C. Good Figs and Bad Figs (24:1–10) D. Nebuchadnezzar, the Seventy Years of Exile, and Judgment on the Nations (25:1–38)

1. Seventy Years of Exile and Then Judgment on Babylon (25:1–14) 2. The Cup of Wrath for the Nations (25:15–38)

E. Confrontations over the True Prophetic Word (26:1–29:32)

1. Jeremiah at the Temple (26:1–24)

a. Turn from your evil ways or be judged like Shiloh (26:1–6) b. “Jeremiah, you must die!” (26:7–9) c. The official discussion and Jeremiah’s deliverance (26:10–24)

2. Submit to Nebuchadnezzar’s Yoke (27:1–22)

a. A message for the foreign kings (27:1–11) b. A message to Zedekiah (27:12–15) c. A message to the priests and the people (27:16–22)

3. Jeremiah and Hananiah (28:1–17)

a. Hananiah’s false word of encouragement (28:1–4) b. Jeremiah sets the record straight (28:5–9) c. Hananiah breaks the yoke (28:10–11) d. Jeremiah’s word to Hananiah (28:12–16) e. Hananiah’s death (28:17)

4. Jeremiah’s Letter(s) to the Exiles (29:1–32)

a. Words of instruction and comfort to the exiles (29:1–14) b. Judgment will come on those in the land of Judah (29:15–20) c. A rebuke to Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah (29:21–23) d. Issues between Jeremiah and Shemaiah (29:24–32)

F. The Book of Consolation (30:1–33:26)

1. Comfort, Restoration, and a New Covenant (30:1–31:40)

a. Superscription: Days of restoration are coming (30:1–3) b. Great trouble, greater deliverance, and glorious restoration for Jacob (30:4–11) c. Healing for Judah’s (incurable) wounds (30:12–17) d. Jacob’s miraculous restoration as the Lord’s covenantal people (30:18–31:1) e. The Lord will regather and restore his people (31:2–14) f. Words of comfort to God’s precious child (31:15–20) g. Time to come back home (31:21–26) h. Reestablished in the land (31:27–30) i. A new covenant (31:31–34) j. The Lord’s irrevocable commitment to preserve Israel (31:35–37) k. Jerusalem’s final rebuilding (31:38–40)

2. Buy the Field! (32:1–44)

a. Historical background (32:1–2) b. The reason for Jeremiah’s confinement (32:3–5) c. The purchase of Hanamel’s field (32:6–12) d. Jeremiah’s instructions to Baruch (32:13–15) e. Jeremiah’s prayer and question to the Lord (32:16–25) f. The Lord’s answer to Jeremiah (32:26–44)

3. A Final Word of Consolation and Healing (33:1–26)

a. Terrible judgment is coming (33:1–5) b. God will restore and heal (33:6–13) c. The righteous Branch and the righteous city (33:14–16) d. Promises of perpetuity to David and the Levites (33:17–22) e. A promise of perpetuity to the two chosen families (33:23–26)

G. Another Covenant Broken with the Releasing and Retaking of the Hebrew Slaves (34:1–22)

1. Historical Background (34:1–7) 2. A Covenant of Manumission Made and Broken, with Dreadful Consequences (34:8–22)

H. Jeremiah and the Recabites (35:1–19)

1. A Call to Invite the Recabites (35:1–2) 2. The Obedience of the Recabites (35:3–11) 3. The Disobedience of God’s People and the Resulting Judgment (35:12–17) 4. A Promise to the Recabites (35:18–19)

I. Jehoiakim Burns the Prophetic Scroll (36:1–32)

1. The Lord Commands, Jeremiah Dictates, and Baruch Writes (36:1–9) 2. Baruch Reads the Scroll, First at the Temple, then to Jehoiakim’s Officials (36:10–19) 3. Jehoiakim Burns the Scroll and Hunts Jeremiah and Baruch (36:20–26) 4. Jeremiah Rewrites the Scroll, Sealing Jehoiakim’s Judgment (36:27–32)

J. Zedekiah’s Struggles and Jeremiah’s Words and Trials: From Dungeon to Prison to the Pit to Confinement (37:1–38:28)

1. Zedekiah Inquires of Jeremiah (37:1–5) 2. Jeremiah’s Word to Zedekiah (37:6–10) 3. Jeremiah Accused of Deserting (37:11–15) 4. From the Dungeon to the Courtyard of the Guard; Further Interaction between Jeremiah and Zedekiah (37:16–21) 5. Jeremiah Thrown into the Pit (38:1–6) 6. Rescued from the Pit by Ebed-Melech (38:7–13) 7. Jeremiah’s Last Words to Zedekiah (38:14–28)

K. The Fall of Jerusalem and a Word of Grace (39:1–18)

1. The Fall of Jerusalem and Zedekiah’s Tragic End (39:1–10) 2. The Release of Jeremiah (39:11–14) 3. A Gracious Word for Ebed-Melech (39:15–18)

IV. Historical Anecdotes and Prophetic Oracles after Jerusalem’s Fall, and a Message for Baruch (40:1–45:5)

A. Jeremiah, Released Again, Settles with Gedaliah (40:1–6) B. God-Fearing Gedaliah and the Blessed Remnant (40:7–12) C. Ishmael’s Insidious Assassination Plot (40:13–16) D. Ishmael’s Spree of Assassination, Murder, and Oppression (41:1–10) E. Johanan Defeats Ishmael and Plans an Escape to Egypt (41:11–18) F. The Remnant’s Disobedient Flight to Egypt and Jeremiah’s Oracles of Judgment (42:1–44:30)

1. Johanan and His Men Inquire of Jeremiah: Should We Go to Egypt? (42:1–22) 2. A Word Scorned, the Forced Flight to Egypt, and Another Oracle of Judgment (43:1–13) 3. Jeremiah Confronts the Recalcitrant Idolaters (44:1–30)

a. “Your idolatry will destroy you!” (44:1–14) b. “We will keep our vows to the Queen of Heaven” (44:15–19) c. “Keep your vows and suffer the consequences” (44:20–28) d. The sign of coming judgment (44:29–30)

G. A Word to Baruch (45:1–5)

V. Oracles against the Nations (46:1–51:64)

A. Superscription (46:1) B. Oracles against Egypt, the Philistines, Moab, Ammon, Edom, Damascus, Kedar and Hazor, and Elam (46:2–49:39)

1. The Oracle against Egypt (46:2–26)

a. Egypt’s defeat at Carchemish (46:2–12) b. Nebuchadnezzar’s invasion of Egypt (46:13–26)

2. A Word of Comfort to Jacob (46:27–28) 3. The Oracle against the Philistines (47:1–7) 4. The Oracle against Moab (48:1–47) 5. The Oracle against Ammon (49:1–6) 6. The Oracle against Edom (49:7–22) 7. The Oracle against Damascus (49:23–27) 8. The Oracle against Kedar and Hazor (49:28–33) 9. The Oracle against Elam (49:34–39)

C. Babylon Will Fall, Never to Rise Again! The Oracle against Babylon (50:1–51:64)

1. The Announcement of Babylon’s Fall (50:1–3) 2. A Word of Comfort to the Judean Exiles (50:4–7) 3. A Call to the Exiles to Flee and to the Invading Armies to Attack (50:8–16) 4. The Lord’s Intervention for His Scattered Flock (50:17–20) 5. The Divine Summons to Attack and Destroy Great and Mighty Babylon (50:21–46) 6. Babylon’s Fall is Israel’s Redemption (51:1–10) 7. Attack and Destroy the Proud Idolaters (51:11–19) 8. The Lord’s War Club (51:20–24) 9. The Nations Will Bring Babylon Down (51:25–33) 10. Israel’s Plea and the Lord’s Decisive Response (51:34–44) 11. Time to Flee! (51:45–50) 12. Babylon Will Be Destroyed because of Israel’s Disgrace (51:51–58) 13. Seraiah Commissioned to Deliver the Message in Babylon (51:59–64)

VI. Historical Epilogue (52:1–34)

A. Zedekiah’s Reign, Rebellion, and Tragic End (52:1–11) B. The Fall of Jerusalem (52:12–16) C. The Sacking of the Temple (52:17–23) D. The Execution of Judah’s Leaders and the Deportation of Her People (52:24–30) E. The Restoration of Jehoiachin (52:31–34)

Lamentations Introduction I. Lady Zion’s Pain and Plea (1:1–22)

A. The Description of Lady Zion (1:1–11)

1. Description of the Desolation (1:1–7) 2. Description of the Cause and Effect (1:8–11)

B. Lady Zion’s Plea (1:12–22)

1. Personal Testimony (1:12–17) 2. Personal Plea (1:18–22)

II. Zion’s Helplessness (2:1–22)

A. Lamenting What God Has Done (2:1–10)

1. To the Nation (2:1–5) 2. To the Temple (2:6–7) 3. To the City (2:8–9a) 4. To the People (2:9b–10)

B. The Lamenter’s Personal Reaction (2:11–12) C. Lamenter’s Admonition (2:13–17)

1. Desperate Need (2:13) 2. False Teaching Led to False Confidence and Hindered Repentance (2:14) 3. Yahweh Defamed by Onlookers and Enemies (2:15–16) 4. Yahweh Accomplished His Decree (2:17)

D. Appeal to Yahweh (2:18–22)

1. Heartfelt Grief (2:18–19) 2. Plea to Notice the Depth and Incongruity of Suffering (2:20–21) 3. Recognition That Yahweh Was the Immediate Cause of the Discipline (2:22)

III. Zion’s Hope in Spite of Despair (3:1–66)

A. The Repentant Believer Finds Hope in Yahweh’s Loyal Covenantal Love and Compassion (3:1–24)

1. Description of Yahweh’s Disciplines (3:1–18) 2. Affirmation of Yahweh’s Faithfulness (3:19–24)

B. Reflection on Yahweh’s Disciplines (3:25–39)

1. Yahweh’s Disciplines Produce Good (3:25–30) 2. Yahweh’s Disciplines Come with Hope (3:31–39)

C. The Repentant Believer Finds Forgiveness and Deliverance (3:40–66)

1. Confession and Repentance (3:40–48) 2. Appeal for Deliverance (3:49–66)

IV. Zion’s Downfall Remembered (4:1–22)

A. Lament over the Siege of Jerusalem (4:1–20)

1. Results (4:1–10) 2. Reasons (4:11–16) 3. Resignation (4:17–20)

B. Imprecation against Edom and Expression of Hope (4:21–22)

V. Zion’s Lamentation Prayer (5:1–22)

A. Invocation and Appeal (5:1) B. Lament (5:2–18)

1. Complaint Regarding Families (5:2–3) 2. Complaint Regarding Community (5:4–10) 3. Complaint Regarding Individuals (5:11–15) 4. Confession of Sin (5:16–18)

C. Confession of Confidence (5:19) D. Appeal for Deliverance (5:20–22)

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