In these chapters most of Jeremiah’s oracles against the foreign nations have been gathered together and placed at the end of his book. It chronicles Nebuchadnezzer’s incredible conquests. To show how sadly Egypt had fallen a poem attributed to Jeremiah is inserted with three primary images. The first image reveals that Apis, the bull, turned out to be nothing but a heifer. The second image shows that the powerful name of Pharaoh was nothing but an empty noise. The third subtle image is based upon the common knowledge that Pharaoh’s ideograph consisted in a serpent encircling a globe. Now this all powerful serpent turns out to be like a serpent gliding away, hissing as it flees. Nebuchadnezzer defeated Neco in 605 B.C. to gain undisputed control of Syria and Palestine. In 601 B.C. he advanced against Egypt and even entered the country, but finally had to withdraw to Syria. He carried out a thirteen year siege of Tyre which was only partially successful. Moab, one of Israel’s bitterest enemies was conquered by Nebuchadnezzar in his twenty-third year, 582 B.C., five years after the destruction of Jerusalem. Jeremiah attributes the fall of Moab to pride. The destroyer has fallen upon the vintage of its vines, which one time passed over the sea. The shouting now is no longer the shout of joy. Moab’s strength is lopped off, his arm is broken. Secondly, Moab is revealed as a self-satisfied, stagnant, and unprogressive nation, suffering the defects of its own security. Moab, from the beginning, had settled on his lees. The flatness of the lees infected the wine, and the whole deteriorated through resting back upon itself. It is felt by many that this powerful figure of Moab settled on his lees is original to Jeremiah. This insight has become a recognized maxim among men. In order to be one’s self one must constantly be in the course of becoming that which one is able to become. Aside from the faults of the nations, undoubtedly, Jeremiah recognized and admired the military genius of Nebuchadnezzar. All too well he understood the consequences for his small Hebrew community.
In these chapters most of Jeremiah’s oracles against the foreign nations have been gathered together and placed at the end of his book. It chronicles Nebuchadnezzer’s incredible conquests. To show how sadly Egypt had fallen a poem attributed to Jeremiah is inserted with three primary images. The first image reveals that Apis, the bull, turned out to be nothing but a heifer. The second image shows that the powerful name of Pharaoh was nothing but an empty noise. The third subtle image is based upon the common knowledge that Pharaoh’s ideograph consisted in a serpent encircling a globe. Now this all powerful serpent turns out to be like a serpent gliding away, hissing as it flees. Nebuchadnezzer defeated Neco in 605 B.C. to gain undisputed control of Syria and Palestine. In 601 B.C. he advanced against Egypt and even entered the country, but finally had to withdraw to Syria. He carried out a thirteen year siege of Tyre which was only partially successful. Moab, one of Israel’s bitterest enemies was conquered by Nebuchadnezzar in his twenty-third year, 582 B.C., five years after the destruction of Jerusalem. Jeremiah attributes the fall of Moab to pride. The destroyer has fallen upon the vintage of its vines, which one time passed over the sea. The shouting now is no longer the shout of joy. Moab’s strength is lopped off, his arm is broken. Secondly, Moab is revealed as a self-satisfied, stagnant, and unprogressive nation, suffering the defects of its own security. Moab, from the beginning, had settled on his lees. The flatness of the lees infected the wine, and the whole deteriorated through resting back upon itself. It is felt by many that this powerful figure of Moab settled on his lees is original to Jeremiah. This insight has become a recognized maxim among men. In order to be one’s self one must constantly be in the course of becoming that which one is able to become. Aside from the faults of the nations, undoubtedly, Jeremiah recognized and admired the military genius of Nebuchadnezzar. All too well he understood the consequences for his small Hebrew community.
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