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Jeremiah 25:23

23. Dedan, and Tema, and Buz, and all that are in the utmost corners,

23. Et Dedan et Thema et Buz, et cunctis terminatis in angulo (alii vertunt, atonsos coma, sicut etiam 9:Cap; sed illic de hac voce dixi quantum ferebat locus,)

 

I shall now only touch briefly on the extreme ones in a corner, or those bounded by a corner, who were almost unknown to the Jews on account of their distance.1 After having spoken of nations so very remote, that he might not by prolixity be tedious, he mentions all the extreme ones in a corner, that is, those who were bounded by the farthest limits. As to Dedan, Tema, and Buz, we know that these countries derived their names from their founders. Who Dedan was, we learn from Moses, and also who Tema and Buz were. (Genesis 25:3,15; 1 Chronicles 5:14.) Two of them were descendants of Abraham by Keturah.2 There is no need of saying more of these countries, for they are not known by us at this day, and we cannot learn from geographers the extent of any of these countries; for there was hardly a place at the time when heathen writers began their records, which had not long before changed its name. We however conclude that these were eastern countries. It follows --


1 See Note in vol. 1. p. 506.

2 This is not quite correct. Dedan -- there are two of this name mentioned, Genesis 10:7, and Genesis 25:3; the latter is probably meant here. Tema was one of Ishmael's race, Genesis 25:15. See also Job 6:19, and Isaiah 21:14. -- Buz was one of Nachor's posterity, Genesis 22:21; and of this family was Elihu, the most remarkable of Job's friends; he was a Buzite. Job 32:1-6. -- Ed.

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