The National tribune., 1892-02-18
SUNDAY MEDITATION.

Practical Duties Taught by Study OF tho
International Sunday-schOOl Lesson APP
pointed for Feb. rs, 1892. Jer., 81; II-2l.
[Onc reading these notes should first carefully
siud2 the paragraph from the Holy Scriptures as
Indicated Gbovc.4
SUBJECTS: j. JEREMIAH PUT INTO Dun
GEov il. JEREMIAH GRANTED LIBERTY
OF THE COURT or THE Prison.
Preliminary
We notice several definitions which will
make clearer our exposition.
!. Gate of Benjamin. ". 10; 3S:G) We
remember Eastern cities were surrounded by
walls So IL was with Jerusalem. Three walls
cifcummurcd that city. The Gate Of Benjamin
was in the second wall. 1t was also called the
Gate q Euaraim. Ii gave egress from Jerusa-
lom 10 the territory of tho tribes of benjamin
and EphIam. Ii was at the termination OF a
principal lhOrorghlare OF the city. lt was
midway between tie Corner Gate and the First
tO!dl Gate. We find IL I'm the north west cor
ncr OF tho second wall II was a trile east OF
where the Damascus Gate is now IN the wall
around modern Jerusalem. (See XII, IL: 10;
Nch., u 81 800
Wo recall the fact Jeremiah's native place
was ADathoih, in tho tribe Of Benjamin, about
three miles north OF Jerusalem. Q:l.) IL is
evident tic prophet set out 10 retire 10 his
native town
2. Pat him in the prison. Tvs. -, l6, rs, 81;
3S:G 9, -. o. We notice a distinction be-
tween the dungeon and the court of the prison.
BY cabins" in 81: I6 We understand cells.
We can get from b: lib a good idea as 10 the
dungeon. The prison was 4" in the house OF
Jonathan the scribe" (37:l5)
Chardin (Sir John, French traveller and
writer, lGi3-l7l3) states that in the East there
were not prisons as separate buildings. Grim
lnal Judges, Governors, PrOv0sts Captains Of
Watches, etc, had in each case a dungeon with
cells constructed below the court, around which
the residence was built SO Blayney REV. DR..
Benjamin, the English IIebraist, d. 1901 wrote,
" IL seems likely that the dungeon was deep
pit, sunk perpeudicularly like a well, in the
open court around which the great houses were
built; and that in the sides Of il, near the bot
tom, were scOOped inches like the cabins OF
a ship, for separate Judgment OF tho unfor-
tunate persons who were let down there"
Horne (Thomas IT,, 1870 1862 states in his
introduction Vol. H. p. G5 referring TO East
ern punishments, In their prisons there was
usually a dungeon. or pit or cistern, az tho
word llIobrew) Dor is rendered in Zach, Q: IL
(the original is the same for dungeon in Jer.,
81: 10; 3s: CD, where 10 uuquestiOnably refers
10 prison, aud from this word we may conceive
the nature Of q dungeon, viz, that Of place in
which, indeed, there was no water, but in its
bottom deep mud; and. accordingly, we read
that Jeremiah who was cast into this worst
aud lowest part of the prison. sunk into The
mire." (3S:6) At his earnest prayer, Jere-
miah was ordered by Xedekiah TO be permitted
10 have the liberty Of the court. t37:2L) The
prophet had been, however, for many days"
". l6) in the very dungeon. Keepers Of
prisons in the East had full charge Of prison
ers, treating them as they pleased. The victim
was al the within Of the Keeper. As a cOnse-
quence prisoners who could do so escaped harsh
y,au Ivvya H. 49,
3. Bakers street ~. 2l.) Morier says ain
the Ispahan PERSIA bazaars one can walk two
or three miles under cover. The trades are
here collected IN separate bodies" Naturally
streets would become known by the respective
barriers.
4. We noticed how the chapters Of the prophe.
cies Of jeremiah are jumbed together. 1t
would be well to read chapter 81 between chap
teIs Sc aud 81.