- but:
- It appears from this and several other passages, that the sabbatical year had been wholly neglected some centuries before the captivity; and the author of the second book of Chronicles ("So the kingª sentª°¹ Jehudiª to fetchª°¹ the roll:ª and he tookª° it out of Elishamaª the scribe'sª° chamber.ª¹ And Jehudiª readª° it in the earsª of the king,ª and in the earsª of all¹ the princesª which stoodª° besideª¹ the king.ª" {Jer 36:21}) assigns this as a reason for the captivity, "that the land might enjoy her sabbaths." Now, if we reckon the seventy years' captivity as a punishment for this neglect, it will follow that the law on this subject had been disregarded for about 490 years. "Since¹ the dayª that¹ your fathersª came forth¹ out²° of the landª¹ of Egyptª unto¹ this¹ dayª I have even sentª° unto¹ you¹ all¹ my servantsª the prophets,ª dailyª rising up earlyª° and sendingª° [them]: ... Yet they hearkenedª° not¹ unto¹ me, nor¹ inclinedª°¹ their ear,ª but hardenedª°¹ their neck:ª they did worseª° than their fathers.ª¹" {Jer 7:25-26} + "Yet they obeyedª° not,¹ nor¹ inclinedª°¹ their ear,ª but walked²°¹ every oneª in the imaginationª of their evilª heart:ª therefore I will bringª° upon¹ them¹ all¹ the wordsª of this¹ covenant,ª which¹ I commandedª° [them] to do;ª° but they didª° [them] not.¹ ... They are turned backª° to¹ the iniquitiesª of their forefathers,ªª which¹ refusedª° to hearª°¹ my words;ª and they¹ wentª° afterª otherª godsª to serveª° them: the houseª of Israelª and the houseª of Judahª have brokenª°¹ my covenantª which¹ I madeª° with¹ their fathers.ª" {Jer 11:8-10} + "For¹ the childrenª of Israelª and the childrenª of Judahª have¹ only¹ doneª° evilª beforeª me from their youth:ª¹ for¹ the childrenª of Israelª have only¹ provoked me to angerª°¹ with the workª of their hands,ª saithª° the LORD.ª" {Jer 32:30} + "And the LORDª saidª° unto¹ Samuel,ª Hearkenª° unto the voiceª of the peopleª in all¹ that¹ they sayª° unto¹ thee: for¹ they have not¹ rejectedª° thee, but¹ they have rejectedª° me, that I should not reignª°¹ over¹ them. ... According to all¹ the worksª which¹ they have doneª° since the dayª¹ that I brought them upª°¹ out of Egyptª¹ even unto¹ this¹ day,ª wherewith they have forsakenª° me, and servedª° otherª gods,ª so¹ doª° they¹ also¹ unto thee." {1Sm 8:7-8} + "Yet the LORDª testifiedª° against Israel,ª and against Judah,ª byª all¹ the prophets,ª [and by] all¹ the seers,ª saying,ª° Turnª° ye from your evil² ways,ª¹¹ and keepª° my commandmentsª [and] my statutes,ª according to all¹ the lawª which¹ I commandedª°¹ your fathers,ª and which¹ I sentª° to¹ you byª my servantsª the prophets.ª ... Notwithstanding they would not¹ hear,ª° but hardenedª°¹ their necks,ª like to the neckª of their fathers,ª that¹ did not¹ believeª° in the LORDª their God.ª" {2Kg 17:13-14} + "But they mockedª°¹ the messengersª of God,ª and despisedª° his words,ª and misusedª° his prophets,ª until¹ the wrathª of the LORDª aroseª° against his people,ª till¹ [there was] no¹ remedy.ª" {2Ch 36:16} + "Yet manyª yearsª didst thou forbearª°¹ them, and testifiedstª° against them by thy spiritª inª thy prophets:ª yet would they not¹ give ear:ª° therefore gavestª° thou them into the handª of the peopleª of the lands.ª" {Neh 9:30} + "Wilt thou judgeª° them, sonª of man,ª wilt thou judgeª° [them]? cause them to knowª°¹ the abominationsª of their fathers:ª" {Ezk 20:4} + "But they rebelledª° against me, and wouldª° not¹ hearkenª° unto¹ me: they did not¹ every manª cast awayª°¹ the abominationsª of their eyes,ª neither¹ did they forsakeª° the idolsª of Egypt:ª then I said,ª° I will pour outª° my furyª upon¹ them, to accomplishª° my angerª against them in the midstª of the landª of Egypt.ª" {Ezk 20:8} + "But they refusedª° to hearken,ª° and pulled¹ awayª²°° the shoulder,ª and stoppedª° their ears,ª that they should not hear.ª°¹ ... Yea, they madeª° their heartsª [as] an adamant stone,ª lest they should hearª°¹ the¹ law,ª and the wordsª which¹ the LORDª of hostsª hath sentª° in his spiritª byª the formerª prophets:ª therefore came¹ a greatª wrathª from¹¹ the LORDª of hosts.ª" {Zch 7:11-12}
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