Kings xxv. was allowed to remain at the end of Jere

miah. (lii.)"

§ 219, c.

THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED.

A second and complete collection of these Prophecies was afterwards made, distinguished by the insertion of xxxix. 4—13, which is derived from a later recension of lii.; by the later recension of xxvii.-xxix. xxx. xxxi. xxxiii., which were then first added to the collection; and by numerous additions to the text, such as xlvi. 25, xlvii. 1, 1. 28. Nehemiah was the author of this collection, for xxxiii. 18, 23, refers to his time. 2 Macc. ii. 13, ascribes the collection of the Prophets to him, and the writer of the book of Chronicles-which Movers thinks was composed in his time—is actually acquainted with Jer. xxvii., with its present additions."

He, or the previous compiler, used Baruch's collection as the basis of his work, but separated the predictions against foreign nations from chap. xxv., placed them at the end, and added thereto chap. I. li. He then inserted the other prophecies in chronological order, and according to a certain similarity of their contents, so that, in his arrangement, the domestic prophecies were together, (i.-xlvi.,) and foreign prophecies came afterwards. (xlv. -li.) At the same time, he made a recension of the text. For this purpose, he made use of an old copy of the

• The opinion of Movers is still obscure to me. Sometimes he says this passage (lii.) is added to Jeremiah from the books of Kings, (p. 64;) sometimes (p. 47) he seems to regard the passage in Jeremiah as original.

See § 218, b, note b, p. 407.

It would be more consistent to maintain that chap. 1. and li. were also first added at this time. [?]

Comp. 2 Ch. xxxvi. 20, 21, with Jer. xxvii. 7, and xxv. 13, 14.

Jeremianic writings, free from additions, and took from other manuscripts sometimes different readings, and marginal notes likewise, and sometimes such additions. as 1. 45-48. He found others, but did not insert them.

The author of the Alexandrian recension, which is not much later than the masoretic, adhered to the unchronological arrangement of this compiler, but left the prophecies against foreign nations in their former place. In the recension of the text, he pursued a similar plan; he also adopted some later additions into the text, but rejected many, and, for the most part, adhered to the old text,

§ 219, d.

THE SAME SUBJECT CONCLUDED.

The above hypotheses are far less admissible than the results of the preceding critical inquiries. There is but a feeble argument for supposing that the books of Kings and the prophecies of Jeremiah were collected by the same compiler. The use made of the statement in the Talmud is arbitrary; there is but a feeble reason for assuming that the compiler of Jeremiah's prophecies did not take chap. lii. from a contemporary work. The above conjectures do not explain why the Seventy, who left the prophecies against foreign nations in their former place, transposed xxv. 15, sqq.; nor why, if they had the old edition before them, they followed the masoretic recension in its false arrangement of the domestic prophecies.

There are other hypotheses, but they are still more improbable."

Eichhorn ($540) supposes there was an old collection of Jeremiah's

§ 220.

LITERARY CHARACTER OF THE PROPHECIES OF JEREMIAH.

In Jeremiah's prophecies, the spirit of his time and the condition of his people are faithfully reflected. His humor is sad, melancholy, and depressed. His thoughts

oracles, written on separate sheets, or leaves, which was circulated in Ægypt, and another and later edition — enlarged in some parts that came into circulation in Babylon and Palestine. This hypothesis in an easy manner explains many variations from the Hebrew text; such, for example, as vii. 1, 2, xxv. 1, xxix. 1, xxv. 18, and others. But it does not account for the additions made in this version. The position of the oracles against foreign nations, considered as a whole, might have been changed by the caprice of some critic, who took occasion to make this change, from xxv. 13, and Ezek. xxv. sqq. This change would involve the omission of xxv. 14. The different arrangement of the separate chapters in this portion of the book might have been caused by an accidental confusion of the separate leaves on which it was written. But this whole hypothesis rests on the false supposition that the oracles were written on loose and separate sheets. And, besides, it is improbable for other reasons.

Bertholdt (p. 1457, sqq.) maintains that the book of Jeremiah originated out of three compilations, and two loose LEAVES. Chap. i.-xxiv. he calls Codex A. Chap. xlvi.-li. (in the Greek, xxv. 14-xxxii.) he supposes was compiled twice, a different arrangement being followed each time. These he calls Codex B. 1, and B. 2. Chap. xxvi.-xlvi., (with the omission of xxiii. 14—19.) and xxxix. 4—13, he calls Codex C. 1, but with these passages Codex C. 2. Chap. xxv. 15-38 (in Greek, xxxii.) he calls Codex D.; xxv. 1-13, with an amplification of verses 1-13, Codex E.; or the last two united, Codex F. In Palestine he supposes Codex A., F., C. 2, and B. 1, were united together in the order, A. F. C. 2, B. 1. And in Egypt Codex A., E., B. 2, D., C. 1, were united in their order. At the same time, abbreviations and omissions were allowed to be made.

But this hypothesis is too artificial, and is, in part, very improbable also. It divides chap. xxv., which makes a whole by itself. It is improbable that chap. xxvi.-xlv. ever constituted an independent collection, since there is no inscription to this portion, which lends it the appearance of probability. This theory does not show why both of the collections, independently of one another, should contain the supplementary chapter lii. For it is an arbitrary supposition to maintain that it was first added to the Greek Jeremiah, after a comparison had been made with the Hebrew text. Besides, too much stress is laid on the statement of Josephus, Ant. x. 5, 1.

have no great elevation, and only attempt short, single flights. But he is not destitute of noble and liberal ideas, as in the following passages:

"And when ye shall have multiplied, and have increased in the land,

Then shall ye no more speak of the ark of the covenant of Je

hovah,

Nor shall it come into your mind.

None shall remember it;

None shall care for it." (iii. 16.)

"Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel,

Add your burnt-offerings to your sacrifices,

And eat ye flesh.

For I spake not to your fathers, nor commanded them

Concerning burnt-offerings and sacrifices,

At the time when I brought them out of the land of Ægypt.

But this command gave I unto them :

"Hearken ...... to my voice,

And I will be your God,

And ye shall be my people;

And walk ye in all the ways which I command you,

That it may be well with you.""" (vii. 22, 23.)

"This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel:

I will put my law into their inward parts,

And upon their hearts will I write it......

And they shall teach no more

Every man his neighbor and every man his brother,

Saying, Know ye Jehovah;'

For they shall all know me,

From the least of them, even to the greatest of them, saith Jeho

vah." (xxxi. 31, sqq.)

But xxxiii. 18, differs from this :

"Neither from the priests and Levites

Shall a man fail before me,

To offer burnt-offerings, and to kindle meat-offerings,

And to perform sacrifice continually."

He does not lack deep feeling:

"For the wound of the daughter of my people is my heart

wounded;

I mourn; amazement hath taken hold of me;

Is there no balm in Gilead?

Is there no physician there?

Why, then, are not the wounds of my people healed?

O that my head were waters,

And mine eyes a fountain of tears,

That I might weep day and night

For the slain of the daughter of my people." (viii. 21, sqq.)

Other instances may be seen in xiii. 17, and xxxi. 20. His style is without uniformity or consistency in regard to expression and rhythm. It is unequal, frequently energetic and concise, especially in the first twelve chapters; but more frequently it is tedious, running out into flatness. It is full of repetitions, and fixed thoughts and expressions. But it is not without certain charms of its own. Jerome says of him, "As he is simple ...... and easy in his language, so is he the most profound in the majesty of his thoughts.

a

In language, he seems to be more rustic than Isaiah and Hosea, and some other prophets among the Hebrews, but in thought he is equal to them." The style, with its alternations, now rising to rhythm, then sinking to prose, is attractive. It is like the flickering of a flame which finds not sufficient fuel. Sometimes whole passages are repeated; sometimes images, thoughts, and

b

• Jerome, Com. in Jer. Procem. ad lib. iv. [Some writers deny this alleged rusticity. See in Carpzov, l. c. p. 159, sqq. Lowth, De sac. Poes. Heb. Prælect. xxi.]

Chap. viii. 10, sqq., (comp. vi. 13, sqq.,) ix. 8, (comp. v. 9,) xi. 12, sq., (comp. ii. 28,) xx. 12, (comp. ii. 20,) xxii. 4, (comp. xvii. 25,) xxiii. 7, sq., (comp. xvi. 14, sq.,) xxvi. 6, (comp. vii. 14,) xxx. 23, sq., (comp. xxiii. 19, sq.,) xxxiii. 25, sq., (comp. xxxi. 35, sq.,) xliii. 11, (comp. xv. 2,) xlvi. 28, (comp. xxx. 11.)