Matthew Poole and continuators on Jeremiah 31:15

15 ¶ Thus saith the LORD, A voice was heard in Ramah lamentation and bitter weeping: Rahel weeping for her children , refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not .

Interpreters are much divided in the sense of these words, whether they should referr to the slaughter of the Iews belonging to the ten Tribes, upon their being captivated by the Assyrians, or to the slaughter of the Iews, upon the siege and taking of the City by the King of Babylon, or to Herod's killing the infants in Bethlehem? Certain it is, the Evangelist Mat. 2.8. applyeth them unto the latter, but whether the Evangelists application of it be as a [illegible: 1 letter]iteral fulfillin[illegible: 1 letter] of the Prophesie, or by way of allusion, or no▪ is the question Those that think that it is primarily to be understood of the slaughter of the I[illegible: 1 letter]fants, urge 1. That M[illegible: 1 letter]tt[illegible: 2 letters]w chap. [illegible: 1 letter].18. so applyes it. 2. That womens mourning for children seems rather to be for the loss of infants, (as was there) then expressive of the mourning of all sorts of people, in a general de[illegible: 1 letter]olation. 3. That the place of the mourning seems to hi[illegible: 1 letter] i[illegible: 1 letter], for R[illegible: 1 letter]mah was near to B[illegible: 1 letter]t[illegible: 1 letter]l[illegible: 1 letter]hem, and contained under the Coals a[illegible: 1 letter]o[illegible: 1 letter]t Bet[illegible: 1 letter]lehem, mentioned by the Evangelist. 4. The words [illegible: 1 word] t[illegible: 1 letter]ey were not, they think make for them, for by being carried into captivity, they did not cease to be, though they ceased to be in that happy Estate they were in before. 5. Because the[illegible: 1 letter] think that this is here propounded as a sign of his coming▪ upon whose com[illegible: 1 letter]ng these promises of felicity to the I[illegible: 1 letter]ws should be fulfilled These reasons are not unans[illegible: 1 letter]era[illegible: 1 letter]le, for Matthew may apply it only by way of [illegible: 1 word] spe[illegible: 1 letter]k[illegible: 1 letter]ng of [illegible: 1 letter]uch a Providence, when such a thing should happen [illegible: 1 letter]s happened before, in which sense particular [illegible: 1 letter]exts of Scri[illegible: 2 letters]ure, are in Scripture often said to be fulfilled, though they had their fu[illegible: 1 letter]filling before. 2 Rachel here doth not signifie a single person, no, nor a particular Sex, but is brought in as a [illegible: 1 word] Parent lamenting the loss of her Offspring. 3. R[illegible: 1 letter]mah w[illegible: 2 letters] [illegible: 1 letter]n[illegible: 1 letter]eed near Bethlehem, but it was a City in the Tribe of Be[illegible: 1 letter]j[illegible: 1 letter]min, I[illegible: 1 letter]s 13.25. 1 Kings 15.17. Rachel was buried be[illegible: 2 letters]ixt [illegible: 1 word] and Bet[illegible: 1 letter]l[illegible: 1 letter]hem, Ge[illegible: 1 letter]. 25 19. 1 Sa[illegible: 1 letter]. 10.2. and it wa[illegible: 1 letter] a[illegible: 1 letter]so the place where Nebuza[illegible: 1 letter]ad[illegible: 1 letter]n, after he had taken Hieru[illegible: 1 letter]alem disposed of his Prisoners▪ a[illegible: 1 letter] we read chap. 40.1. 4 Though the greater part of the Iews were no[illegible: 1 letter] slain▪ but carried in[illegible: 1 letter]o captivit[illegible: 1 letter] ▪ yet doubtless many were slain▪ and those left al[illegible: 1 letter]ve were [illegible: 1 letter]ot as to her, being now carried out of Can[illegible: 1 letter]a[illegible: 1 letter] into a strange Land. 5 Although the promises in this Ch[illegible: 1 letter]pt[illegible: 1 letter]r made to the I[illegible: 1 letter]ws were more eminently and fully made good under the Kingdom of C[illegible: 1 letter]rist, yet it may be dou[illegible: 1 letter]ted whether an[illegible: 1 letter] of t[illegible: 2 letters]se prom[illegible: 2 letters]es w[illegible: 2 letters]e primarily▪ and s[illegible: 1 letter]lely fulfilled to them under the King[illegible: 1 letter]om of Christ, but literally, be[illegible: 1 letter]fore tha[illegible: 1 letter] tim[illegible: 1 letter] ▪ though more fully and largely then. In Rama therefore a voice was heard▪ that is in Canaan and particularly in Rama, where Nebuz[illegible: 1 letter]radan chap 40.1. disposed of the Prisoners he had taken setting some at liberty (as Ieremiah in particular) ordering others to d[illegible: 1 letter]ath▪ and carrying the rest away to Babylon, which caused a [illegible: 1 word] weeping and lamentation.

Rac[illegible: 1 letter]el is here brought in hav[illegible: 1 letter]ng been [illegible: 1 word] near that place, as if she were risen up from the Grave▪ and lam[illegible: 1 letter]n[illegible: 1 letter]ed the Iewish Nation wh[illegible: 1 letter]c[illegible: 1 letter] came ou[illegible: 1 letter] of her Lo[illegible: 2 letters] (for so B[illegible: 1 letter]njami[illegible: 1 letter] did, which was one of the two Tribes that ma[illegible: 1 letter]e the K[illegible: 1 letter]ngdom of Iuda[illegible: 1 letter] ) all the peop[illegible: 1 letter]e of which T[illegible: 1 letter]i[illegible: 1 letter]e are properl[illegible: 1 letter] en[illegible: 1 letter]ugh called her children, R[illegible: 1 letter]ch[illegible: 1 letter]l here s[illegible: 1 letter]gn[illegible: 1 letter]fi[illegible: 1 letter]th all [illegible: 1 span] women who descended from Rachel.

And like a pa[illegible: 2 letters]ionate woman she refu[illegible: 1 letter]ed all argumen[illegible: 1 letter]s of comfort, because [illegible: 1 letter]er children either were [illegible: 1 letter]ot a[illegible: 1 letter]solutely, being slain by the Pe[illegible: 2 letters]l[illegible: 1 letter]nce, the Famine and the S[illegible: 1 letter]ord of the K[illegible: 1 letter]ng of Babylon or were no longer [illegible: 1 letter]er children, being transplanted and removed into Babylon, So as I take this Text li[illegible: 1 letter]erally and primarily to refer to the lamentation upon the miseries the peo[illegible: 2 letters]e suffered, upon th[illegible: 1 letter] King o[illegible: 1 letter] Bab[illegible: 2 letters]ons taking the City; to which mourning Matthew alludeth▪ there being a lamentation like this▪ when Herod caused the infants of two years old to be slain in Beth[illegible: 1 letter]ehem, and in the Coast-about Bethlehem, of which Ramah was one.

Marginal references: Matth. [illegible: 1 letter].17, 13.