Nor to your diviners] ”kymsq kosemeychem, from ”sq kasam, to presage or prognosticate. Persons who guessed at futurity by certain signs in the animate or inanimate creation.

Nor to your dreamers] ”kytmlj chalomotheychem, from ”lj chalam, to break in pieces; hence ”wlj chalom, a dream, because it consists of broken fragments. Dream-interpreters, who, from these broken shreds patch up a meaning by their own interpolations.

Nor to your enchanters] ”kynn[ oneneychem, from n[ anan, a cloud-cloud-mongers. Diviners by the flight, colour, density, rarity, and shape of clouds.

Nor to your sorcerers] ”kypk cashshapheychem, from Pk kashaph, to discover; the discoverers, the finders out of hidden things, stolen goods, &c. Persons also who use incantations, and either by spells or drugs pretend to find out mysteries, or produce supernatural effects. Every nation in the world had persons who pretended to find out hidden things, or foretell future events; and such were gladly encouraged by the ignorant multitude; and many of them were mere apes of the prophets of God.

Man knows that he is short-siphted, feels pain at the uncertainty of futurity, and wishes to have his doubts resolved by such persons as the above, to put an end to his uncertainty.

Jer. 27:1-11 Jeremiah is to prepare a sign that all the neighbourin countries would be made subject to the king of Babylon. God asserts his right to dispose of kingdoms as he pleases. Whatever any have of the good things of this world, it is what God sees fit to give; we shoul therefore be content. The things of this world are not the best things for the Lord often gives the largest share to bad men. Dominion is no founded in grace. Those who will not serve the God who made them, shal justly be made to serve their enemies that seek to ruin them. Jeremia urges them to prevent their destruction, by submission. A meek spirit by quiet submission to the hardest turns of providence, makes the bes of what is bad. Many persons may escape destroying providences, be submitting to humbling providences. It is better to take up a ligh cross in our way, than to pull a heavier on our own heads. The poor in spirit, the meek and humble, enjoy comfort, and avoid many miseries to which the high-spirited are exposed. It must, in all cases, be ou interest to obey God's will.

Jer. 27:12-18 Jeremiah persuades the king of Judah to surrender to the king of Babylon. Is it their wisdom to submit to the heavy iron yoke of a cruel tyrant, that they may secure their lives; and is it not muc more our wisdom to submit to the pleasant and easy yoke of our Lord an Master, Jesus Christ, that we may secure our souls? It were well i sinners would be afraid of the destruction threatened against all wh will not have Christ to reign over them. Why should they die the secon death, infinitely worse than that by sword and famine, when they ma submit and live? And those who encourage sinners to go on in sinfu ways, will perish with them.

Jer. 27:19-22 Jeremiah assures them that the brazen vessels should go after the golden ones. All shall be carried to Babylon. But he concludes with a gracious promise, that the time would come when the should be brought back. Though the return of the prosperity of the church does not come in our time, we must not despair, for it will com in God's time __________________________________________________________________

Original Hebrew