Chapter commentary
Jeremiah Chapter 27
1
Jer 27:1-22.
繁體中文
English original
Jer 27:1-22.
THE FUTILITY OF RESISTING NEBUCHADNEZZAR ILLUSTRATED TO THE AMBASSADORS OF THE KINGS, DESIRING TO HAVE THE KING OF JUDAH CONFEDERATE WITH THEM, UNDER THE TYPE OF YOKES. JEREMIAH EXHORTS THEM AND ZEDEKIAH TO YIELD.
1. Jehoiakim--The prophecy that follows was according to this reading given in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, fifteen years before it was published in the reign of Zedekiah to whom it refers; it was thus long deposited in the prophet's bosom, in order that by it he might be supported under trials in his prophetic career in the interim [CALVIN]. But "Zedekiah" may be the true reading. So the Syriac and Arabic Versions.
Jer 27:3, 12; Jer 28:1,
confirm this; also, one of KENNICOTT'S manuscripts. The English Version reading may have originated from
Jer 26:1.
"Son of Josiah" applies to Zedekiah as truly as to "Jehoiakim" or "Eliakim." The fourth year may, in a general sense here, as in
Jer 28:1,
be called "the beginning of his reign," as it lasted eleven years
(2Ki 24:18).
It was not long after the fourth year of his reign that he rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar
(Jer 51:59; 52:3; 2Ki 24:20),
in violation of an oath before God
(2Ch 36:13).
2
Untitled
繁體中文
2. 繩索——用以將軛繫緊在頸上
（Jer 5:5）。
軛——原文作連在一對牛兩個頸軛兩端的木塊，用以將二軛相連。此處指軛本身。用複數，因他自己要戴一個，其餘的要交給使臣；
（Jer 27:3; 28:10, 12）
證明這次的象徵行動（不像其他場合，
Jer 25:15）
是實際行了出來（比較
Isa 20:2
等；Eze 12:3, 11, 18）。
English original
2. bonds--by which the yoke is made fast to the neck
(Jer 5:5).
yokes--literally, the carved piece of wood attached at both ends to the two yokes on the necks of a pair of oxen, so as to connect them. Here the yoke itself. The plural is used, as he was to wear one himself, and give the others to the ambassadors;
(Jer 27:3; 28:10, 12)
proves that the symbolical act was in this instance (though not in others,
Jer 25:15)
actually done (compare
Isa 20:2, &c.; Eze 12:3, 11, 18).
3
Untitled
繁體中文
3. 寄給以東王等——恰當的象徵，因為這些使臣來到耶路撒冷，正是為了商議如何脫去尼布甲尼撒的軛。據 ALEXANDRIA 的 CLEMENT 所引 PHERECYDES 的記載〔《雜集》567〕，西古提王 Idanthura 曾通知已渡過多瑙河的大流士他將率軍攻擊他，不是用書信，而是差人送去一隻老鼠、一隻青蛙、一隻鳥、一支箭和一把犁。耶利米所受的託付需要極大的信心，因為這必定同時激怒他的同胞與外邦使臣及其君王——在眾人皆對聯盟滿懷信心的時刻，這似乎是一種侮辱。
English original
3. And send them to the king of Edom, &c.--Appropriate symbol, as these ambassadors had come to Jerusalem to consult as to shaking off the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar. According to PHERECYDES in CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA [Miscellanies, 567], Idanthura, king of the Scythians, intimated to Darius, who had crossed the Danube, that he would lead an army against him, by sending him, instead of a letter, a mouse, a frog, a bird, an arrow, and a plough. The task assigned to Jeremiah required great faith, as it was sure to provoke alike his own countrymen and the foreign ambassadors and their kings, by a seeming insult, at the very time that all were full of confident hopes grounded on the confederacy.
5
Untitled
繁體中文
5. 神在此處如同在別處一樣，將教義與象徵相連——教義如同它的靈魂，沒有它便不僅冷淡輕浮，更是死的〔CALVIN〕。神提到祂至高的權能，是為了駁斥那些倚靠自己勢力之人的驕傲
(賽 45:12)。
給……我認為合適的人——
(詩 115:15, 16； 但 4:17, 25, 32)。
不是因他的功勞，而是出於我單獨的旨意〔ESTIUS〕。
English original
5. God here, as elsewhere, connects with the symbol doctrine, which is as it were its soul, without which it would be not only cold and frivolous, but even dead [CALVIN]. God's mention of His supreme power is in order to refute the pride of those who rely on their own power
(Isa 45:12).
given it unto whom it seemed meet unto me--
(Ps 115:15, 16; Da 4:17, 25, 32).
Not for his merits, but of My own sole good pleasure [ESTIUS].
6
Untitled
繁體中文
6. 田野的走獸——不僅是供運載迦勒底兵卒的馬匹、與拉運稽重的牛隻〔GROTIUS〕；也不僅是沙漠、山嶺與樹林這些野獸之所在，暗示他帝國版圖之無限廣闊〔ESTIUS〕；更是走獸本身憑神秘的自然本能而服從。這是對人的責備，因連走獸都承認神的旨意，人卻不肯承認（比較
Isa 1:3）。
正如走獸要順服基督——那位恢復人因首先的亞當所失去、治理萬物之權的恢復者（比較
Ge 1:28；2:19, 20； Ps 8:6-8），
走獸也照樣被派定順服尼布甲尼撒——他是世界權勢的代表，也是敵基督的預表；這普世的權柄被容讓歸他執掌，正要表明無一人配掌此權，「直等到那憑平權掌權的來到」
(Eze 21:27)。
English original
6. beasts of the field--not merely the horses to carry his Chaldean soldiers, and oxen to draw his provisions [GROTIUS]; not merely the deserts, mountains, and woods, the haunts of wild beasts, implying his unlimited extent of empire [ESTIUS]; but the beasts themselves by a mysterious instinct of nature. A reproof to men that they did not recognize God's will, which the very beasts acknowledged (compare
Isa 1:3).
As the beasts are to submit to Christ, the Restorer of the dominion over nature, lost by the first Adam (compare
Ge 1:28; 2:19, 20; Ps 8:6-8),
so they were appointed to submit to Nebuchadnezzar, the representative of the world power and prefigurer of Antichrist; this universal power was suffered to be held by him to show the unfitness of any to wield it "until He come whose right it is"
(Eze 21:27).
7
Untitled
繁體中文
7. 兒子……孫子——（2Ch 36:20）。尼布甲尼撒有四位繼承人——以未米羅達，他的兒子；尼甲沙利薛，尼布甲尼撒之女的丈夫；其子拉波索達秋；以及拿波尼度（與其子伯沙撒共同執政），為以未米羅達之子。但尼甲沙利薛和拉波索達秋並非直系男系，故預言所指的「他的兒子和孫子」仍然成立，而中間兩位則被省略。
他本國的時候——即其被征服或其受烈怒「追討」的時候（Jer 27:22；Jer 25:12；29:10；50:27；Da 5:26）。
使多國和大君王向他服役——使他作他們的僕人（Jer 25:14；Isa 13:22）。照樣，「他的日子」指他命定遭災之日（Job 18:20）。
English original
7. son . . . son's son--
(2Ch 36:20).
Nebuchadnezzar had four successors--Evil-merodach, his son; Neriglissar, husband of Nebuchadnezzar's daughter; his son, Labosodarchod; and Naboned (with whom his son, Belshazzar, was joint king), son of Evil-merodach. But Neriglissar and Labosodarchod were not in the direct male line; so that the prophecy held good to "his son and his son's son," and the intermediate two are omitted.
time of his land--that is, of its subjugation or its being "visited" in wrath
(Jer 27:22; Jer 25:12; 29:10; 50:27; Da 5:26).
serve themselves of him--make him their servant
(Jer 25:14; Isa 13:22).
So "his day" for the destined day of his calamity
(Job 18:20).
8
Untitled
繁體中文
8. 直到我藉他的手將他們滅盡——直到我藉著這些滅絕性的追討，使他們服在他的權下。
English original
8. until I have consumed them by his hand--until by these consuming visitations I have brought them under his power.
9
Untitled
繁體中文
9. 你們——特指猶太人，因為對其餘人的呼籲正是為他們而發。
占卜的——即觀兆者〔CALVIN〕，源於一個意為「眼」的詞根，即觀星者和以其他方式占卜未來的人；或源於另一意為「定時」的詞根，即擇日觀時者：為律法所禁止
(Le 19:26； De 18:10, 11, 14)。
English original
9. ye--the Jews especially, for whom the address to the rest was intended.
enchanters--augurs [CALVIN], from a root, the "eyes," that is, lookers at the stars and other means of taking omens of futurity; or another root, a "fixed time," observers of times: forbidden in the law
(Le 19:26; De 18:10, 11, 14).
10
Untitled
繁體中文
10. 使你們離開——表達將會導致的結果。他們藉占卜所聲稱要避免的事，正是因他們的占卜而臨到你們。與其反叛而被趕離此地，不如順服尼布甲尼撒、留在你們的地中。
English original
10. to remove you--expressing the event which would result. The very thing they profess by their enchantments to avert, they are by them bringing on you. Better to submit to Nebuchadnezzar, and remain in your land, than to rebel, and be removed from it.
11
Untitled
繁體中文
11. 服事……耕種——希伯來文同一字根兼表「服事」與「耕種」或「栽培」之意。你們服事巴比倫王，地就服事你們〔CALVIN〕。
English original
11. serve . . . till it--The same Hebrew root expresses "serve" and "till," or "cultivate." Serve ye the king of Babylon, and the land will serve you [CALVIN].
12
Untitled
繁體中文
12. 我也……說——譯作「我也……說了」云云。這是針對西底家的特別應用。
English original
12. I spake also--translate, "And I spake," &c. Special application of the subject to Zedekiah.
13
Untitled
繁體中文
13. 為何……死——因在受此警告之後仍抗拒尼布甲尼撒、奔向自己的毀滅
(Eze 18:31)。
English original
13. Why . . . die--by running on your own ruin in resisting Nebuchadnezzar after this warning
(Eze 18:31).
14
Untitled
繁體中文
14. 說謊——
(Jer 14:14)。
English original
14. lie--
(Jer 14:14).
15
Untitled
繁體中文
15. 奉我的名——魔鬼常常以神的名作為謊言的藉口
(Mt 4:6；7:22, 23； Jer 27:15-20，
是辨別假先知的試金石)。
English original
15. in my name--The devil often makes God's name the plea for lies
(Mt 4:6; 7:22, 23; Jer 27:15-20,
the test whereby to know false prophets).
16
Untitled
繁體中文
16. 那些「器皿」已在約雅斤年間被帶到巴比倫
(2Ki 24:13)；
此前也在約雅敬年間
(2Ch 36:5-7)。
English original
16. The "vessels" had been carried away to Babylon in the reign of Jeconiah
(2Ki 24:13);
also previously in that of Jehoiakim
(2Ch 36:5-7).
18
Untitled
繁體中文
18. 在耶路撒冷*——即在其他藏有此類器皿的房屋中，除了神的殿和王的宮殿之外。尼布甲尼撒手下護衛長尼布撒拉旦將一切都帶走了
(2Ki 25:13-17; 2Ch 36:18)。
那些較貴重的器皿先前在約雅敬和約雅斤年間已被帶走。
English original
18. at Jerusalem--that is, in other houses containing such vessels, besides the house of God and the king's palace. Nebuzara-dan, captain of the guard under Nebuchadnezzar, carried all away
(2Ki 25:13-17; 2Ch 36:18).
The more costly vessels had been previously removed in the reigns of Jehoiakim and Jeconiah.
19
Untitled
繁體中文
19.
(Jer 52:17, 20, 21)。
English original
19.
(Jer 52:17, 20, 21).
22
Untitled
繁體中文
22. 直到……我眷顧他們——在怒中藉古列眷顧
(Jer 32:5)。
從約雅斤年間首次擄人
(Jer 29:10；2Ch 36:21)
起，七十年期滿。
帶回——藉古列的手
(Ezr 1:7)。
藉亞達薛西
(Ezr 7:19)。
English original
22. until . . . I visit them--in wrath by Cyrus
(Jer 32:5).
In seventy years from the first carrying away of captives in Jehoiachin's reign
(Jer 29:10; 2Ch 36:21).
restore them--by the hand of Cyrus
(Ezr 1:7).
By Artaxerxes
(Ezr 7:19).
Jer 27:1-22.
抵抗尼布甲尼撒之徒勞，以軛為象徵，向希望猶大王與他們結盟的列王使臣說明；耶利米勸他們與西底家降服
1. 約雅敬——按此讀法，隨後的預言是在約雅敬第四年賜下的，比在西底家作王時（預言所指之王）發表早了十五年；因此這預言長久存在先知懷中，使他在這段期間的先知生涯中藉以在試煉中得著支持〔CALVIN〕。
但「西底家」可能才是正確的讀法。《敘利亞文》與《阿拉伯文譯本》如此。
Jer 27:3, 12； Jer 28:1
證實了這一點；KENNICOTT 的一份抄本也是如此。《英文譯本》的讀法可能源自
Jer 26:1。
「約西亞的兒子」對西底家的適用，與對「約雅敬」或「以利亞敬」同樣真實。這第四年可在大體的意義上，如
Jer 28:1
那樣，被稱為「他作王的開首」，因其作王共十一年
（2Ki 24:18）。
他作王第四年之後不久，便背叛了尼布甲尼撒
（Jer 51:59; 52:3； 2Ki 24:20），
違背了在神面前所起的誓
（2Ch 36:13）。