, in the other passages also
(vii. 24, ix. 13, xi. 8, xvi. 12, xviii. 12, and the passage under
consideration), easily perceive that the word has been borrowed. From a
comparison with the fundamental passage, it appears that it is the
intention of the Prophet to convey here the promise of an eternal
duration of the regained blessing, and to keep off the thought that
possibly the people might again, as formerly, fall from grace. Of him
who walks after the [Hebrew: wrirvt] of his heart, it is said in Deut.
xxix. 19 (20): "The Lord will not be willing to forgive him; for then
the anger of the Lord and His jealousy shall smoke against that man,
and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him,
and the Lord blots out his name from under heaven."]

[Pg 398]

CHAPTER XXIII. 1-8.

These verses form a portion only of a greater whole, to which, besides
the whole of chap. xxii., chap. xxiii. 9-40 also belongs. For these
verses contain a prophecy against the false prophets, and by the way
also, against the degenerated priesthood (comp. ver. 11); and this
prophecy easily unites itself with the preceding prophecy against the
kings, so as to form one prophecy against the corrupt leaders of the
people of God. But, for the exposition of the verses before us, it is
only the connection with chap. xxii. which is of importance, and that
so much so that, without carefully attending to it, they cannot at all
be thoroughly understood. For this reason, we shall confine ourselves
to bring it out more clearly.

The Prophet reproves and warns the kings of Judah, first, in general,
announcing to them the judgments of the Lord upon them and their
people,--the fulfilment of the threatenings, Deut. xxix. 22 ff.--if
they are to continue in their hitherto ungodly course, chap. xxii. 1-9.
In order to make a stronger impression, he then particularizes the
general threatening, showing how God's recompensing justice manifests
itself in the fate of the individual apostate kings. First, Jehoahaz is
brought forward, the son and the immediate successor of Josiah, whom
Pharaoh-Necho dethroned and carried with him to Egypt, vers. 10-12. The
declaration concerning him forms a commentary on the name Shallum,
_i.e._, the recompensed one, he whom the Lord recompenses according to
his deeds,--which name the Prophet gives to him instead of the
meaningless name Jehoahaz, _i.e._, God holds. His father, who met