[761] Mr. G. Smith identifies Carchemish with Jerablûs.
[762] Cheyne, Jeremiah, p. 127.
[763] Comp. 2 Kings xxv. 20, 21. The old Hittite capital of Riblah was a convenient halting-place on the road between Babylon and Jerusalem. It was on the northernmost boundary of Palestine towards Damascus (Amos vi. 14).
[764] Jer. xxii. 10-12.
[765] 2 Chron. xxxvi. 3; 1 Esdras i. 36. The smallness of the tribute proves the impoverishment of the land. Sennacherib demanded from Hezekiah three hundred talents of silver, and thirty of gold; and Menahem paid one thousand talents of silver to Tiglath-Pileser.
[766] Not Jehoiakim, but Jehoiachin, as the sequel shows.
[767] Ezek. xix. 5-9. The allusions to Jehoiakim by Jeremiah are numerous, and all unfavourable (xxii. 13-19, xxvi. 20-23, xxxvi. 20-31, etc.)
[768] Josephus (Antt., X. v. 2) is very severe on this king. He says that "he was unjust in disposition, an evil-doer, neither pious towards God nor just towards men."
[769] Perhaps an allusion to a sort of fortified palace on Ophel.
[770] Hab. ii. 9-11.