When Nebuchadnezzar dispatched his general Nebuzaradan to the capture
of Jerusalem, he gave him three instructions regarding the mild
treatment of Jeremiah: "Take him, and look well to him, and do him no
harm; but do unto him even as he shall say unto thee." At the same time
he enjoined him to use pitiless cruelty toward the rest of the people.
But the prophet desired to share the fate of his suffering brethren,
and when he saw a company of youths in the pillory, he put his own head
into it. Nebuzaradan would always withdraw him again. Thereafter if
Jeremiah saw a company of old men clapped in chains, he would join them
and share their ignominy, until Nebuzaradan released him. Finally,
Nebuzaradan said to Jeremiah: "Lo, thou art one of three things; either
thou are a prophesier of false things, or thou art a despiser of
suffering, or thou art a shedder of blood. A prophesier of false things
for since many a year hast thou been prophesying the downfall of this
city, and now, when thy prophecy has come true, thou sorrowest and
mournest. Or a despiser of suffering for I seek to do thee naught
harmful, and thou thyself pursuest what is harmful to thee, as thou to
say, 'I am indifferent to pain.' Or a shedder of blood for the king
has charged me to have a care of thee, and let no harm come upon thee,
but as thou insistest upon seeking evil for thyself, it must be that
the king may hear of thy misfortune, and put me to death." (40)
At first Jeremiah refused Nebuzaradan's offer to let him remain in
Palestine. He joined the march of the captives going to Babylon, along
the highways streaming with blood and strewn with corpses. When they
arrived at the borders of the Holy Land, they all, prophet and people,
broke out into loud wails, and Jeremiah said: "Yes, brethren and
countrymen, all this hath befallen you, because ye did not hearken unto
the words of my prophecy." (41) Jeremiah journeyed with them until they
came to the banks of the Euphrates. Then God spoke to the prophet:
"Jeremiah, if thou remainest here, I shall go with them, and if thou
goest with them, I shall remain here." Jeremiah replied: "Lord of the
world, if I go with them, what doth it avail them? Only if their King,
their Creator accompanies them, will it bestead them." (42)
When the captives saw Jeremiah make preparations to return to
Palestine, they began to weep and cry: "O Father Jeremiah, wilt thou,
too, abandon us?" "I call heaven and earth to witness," said the
prophet, "had you wept but once in Zion, ye had not been driven out."
(43)
Beset with terrors was the return journey for the prophet. Corpses lay
everywhere, and Jeremiah gathered up all the fingers that lay about; he
strained them to his heart, fondled them, kissed them, and wrapped them
in his mantle, saying sadly: "Did I not tell you, my children, did I
not say to you, 'Give glory to the Lord your God, before He cause
darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains'?" (44)
Dejected, oppressed by his grief, Jeremiah saw the fulfilment of his
prophecy against the coquettish maidens of Jerusalem, who had pursued
but the pleasures and enjoyments of the world. How often had the
prophet admonished them to do penance and lead a God-fearing life! In
vain; whenever he threatened them with the destruction of Jerusalem,
they said: "Why should we concern ourselves about it?" "A prince will
take me unto wife," said one, the other, "A prefect will marry me." And
at first it seemed the expectations of Jerusalem's fair daughters would
be realized, for the most aristocratic of the victorious Chaldeans were
charmed by the beauty of the women of Jerusalem, and offered them their
hand and their rank. But God sent disfiguring and repulsive diseases
upon the women, and the Babylonians cast them off, threw them violently
out of their chariots, and ruthlessly drove them over the prostrate
bodies. (45)