people, or people without property, not merely in Jerusalem, but throughout the whole land. הארץ דּלּת = עם־הארץ דּלּת (2Ki 24:14). Instead of מדּלּת we have in Jeremiah מדּלּות: the plural used in an abstract sense, “the poverty,” i.e., the lower people, “the poor who had nothing” (Jer 39:10). Instead of the Chethîb לגבים from גּוּב, secuit, aravit, the Keri has ליגבים from יגב, in the same sense, after Jer 52:16.
Verses 13-17
The brazen vessels of the temple were broken in pieces, and the brass, and smaller vessels of brass, silver, and gold, were carried away. Compare Jer 52:17-23, where several other points are mentioned that have been passed over in the account before us. The pillars of brass (see 1Ki 7:15.), the stands (see 1Ki 7:27.), and the brazen sea (1Ki 7:23.), were broken in pieces, because it would have been difficult to carry these colossal things away without breaking them up. On the smaller vessels used in the worship (2Ki 25:14) see 1Ki 7:40. In Jer 52:18 המּזרקת are also mentioned. 2Ki 25:15 is abridged still more in contrast with Jer 52:19, and only המּחתּות and המּזרקות are mentioned, whereas in Jeremiah six different things are enumerated beside the candlesticks. כּסף...זהב אשׁר, “what was of gold, gold, what was of silver, silver, the captain of the guard took away,” is a comprehensive description of the objects carried away. To this there is appended a remark in 2Ki 25:16 concerning the quantity of the brass of the large vessels, which was so great that it could not be weighed; and in 2Ki 25:17 a supplementary notice respecting the artistic work of the two pillars of brass. וגו העמּוּדים is placed at the head absolutely: as for the pillars, etc., the brass of all these vessels was not to be weighed. In Jer 52:20, along with the brazen sea, the twelve brazen oxen under it are mentioned; and in the description of the pillars of brass (Jer 52:21.) there are several points alluded to which are omitted in our books, not only here, but also in 1Ki 7:16. For the fact itself see the explanation given there. The omission of the twelve oxen in so condensed an account as that contained in our text does not warrant the inference that these words in Jeremiah are a spurious addition made by a later copyist, since the assumption that Ahaz sent the brazen oxen to king Tiglath-pileser cannot be proved from 2Ki 16:17. Instead of אמּה שׁלשׁ we must read אמּת המשׁ, five cubits, according to Jer 52:22 and 1Ki 7:16. The על־השּׂבכה at the end of the verse is
