The Song of Solomon : and the Lamentations of Jeremiah

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3o6 THE LAMENTATIONS OF JEREMIAH
taking it here in its secondary sense, as the punishment
of iniquity. The German word schuldy with its double
signification debt and guilt—has been suggested as a
happy rendering of the Hebrew original in both places
and perhaps this is the best that can be proposed.
The debt of the Jews is paid ; that of the Edomites has
yet to be exacted.
We are brought then to the conclusion that the
elegist here announces the extinction of the Jews' debt
of guilt. Accordingly they are told that God will no
more carry them away into captivity. This promise
has occasioned much perplexity to people concerned
for the literal exactness of Scripture. Some have tried
to get it applied to the time subsequent to the destruc-
tion of Jerusalem by the Romans, after which, it is
said, the Jews were never again removed from their
land. That is about the most extravagant instance of
all the subterfuges to which literalists are driven when
in a sore strait to save their theory. Certainly the Jews
have not been exiled again—not since the last time.
They could not be carried away from their land once
more, for the simple reason that they have never been
restored to it. Strictly speaking, it may be said indeed,
something of the kind occurred on the suppression of
the revolt under Bar-cochba in the second century of
the Christian era. But all theories apart, it is contrary
to the discovered facts of prophecy to ascribe to the
inspired messengers of God the purpose of supplying
exact predictions concerning the events of history in
far-distant ages. Their immediate message was for
their own day, although we have found that the lessons
it contains are suitable for all times. What consolation
would it be for the fugitives from the ravaging hosts
of Nebuchadnezzar to know that six hundred years
;