‏ Jeremiah 10:25

24-25. Since I (my nation) must be corrected (justice requiring it because of the deep guilt of the nation), I do not deprecate all chastisement, but pray only for moderation in it (Jr 30:11; Psa 6:1; 38:1); and that the full tide of Thy fury may be poured out on the heathen invaders for their cruelty towards Thy people. Psa 79:6, 7, a psalm to be referred to the time of the captivity, its composer probably repeated this from Jeremiah. The imperative, "Pour out," is used instead of the future, expressing vividly the certainty of the prediction, and that the word of God itself effects its own declarations. Accordingly, the Jews were restored after correction; the Babylonians were utterly extinguished.

know thee ... call ... on thy name--Knowledge of God is the beginning of piety; calling on Him the fruit.

heathen ... Jacob--He reminds God of the distinction He has made between His people whom Jacob represents, and the heathen aliens. Correct us as Thy adopted sons, the seed of Jacob; destroy them as outcasts (Zec 1:14, 15, 21).

‏ Jeremiah 11

CHAPTER 11

Jr 11:1-23. Epitome of the Covenant Found in the Temple in Josiah's Reign. Judah's Revolt from It, and God's Consequent Wrath.

2. this covenant--alluding to the book of the law (De 31:26) found in the temple by Hilkiah the high priest, five years after Jeremiah's call to the prophetic office (2Ki 22:8-23:25).

Hear ye--Others besides Jeremiah were to promulgate God's will to the people; it was the duty of the priests to read the law to them (Mal 2:7).

3. (De 27:26; Ga 3:10).

4. in the day--that is, when. The Sinaitic covenant was made some time after the exodus, but the two events are so connected as to be viewed as one.

iron furnace--(De 4:20; 1Ki 8:51). "Furnace" expresses the searching ordeal; "iron," the long duration of it. The furnace was of earth, not of iron (Psa 12:6); a furnace, in heat and duration enough to melt even iron. God's deliverance of them from such an ordeal aggravates their present guilt.

do them--namely, the words of the covenant (Jr 11:3).

so, &c.--(Le 26:3, 12).

5. oath--(Psa 105:9, 10).

a land flowing with milk and honey--(See on Nu 14:8).

as it is this day--These are the concluding words of God to the Israelites when formerly brought out of Egypt, "Obey ... that I may at this time make good the promise I made to your fathers, to give," &c. [Maurer]. English Version makes the words apply to Jeremiah's time, "As ye know at this time, that God's promise has been fulfilled," namely, in Israel's acquisition of Canaan.

So be it--Hebrew, Amen. Taken from De 27:15-26. Jeremiah hereby solemnly concurs in the justice of the curses pronounced there (see Jr 11:3).

6. Jeremiah was to take a prophetic tour throughout Judah, to proclaim everywhere the denunciations in the book of the law found in the temple.

Hear ... do--(Ro 2:13; Jas 1:22).

7. rising early--(Jr 7:13).

8. imagination--rather, "stubbornness."

will bring--The words, "even unto this day" (Jr 11:7), confirm English Version rather than the rendering of Rosenmuller: "I brought upon them."

words--threats (Jr 11:3; De 27:15-26).

9. conspiracy--a deliberate combination against God and against Josiah's reformation. Their idolatry is not the result of a hasty impulse (Psa 83:5; Eze 22:25).

11. cry unto me--contrasted with "cry unto the gods," (Jr 11:12).

not hearken--(Psa 18:41; Pr 1:28; Is 1:15; Mi 3:4).

12. cry unto the gods ... not save--(De 32:37, 38). Compare this verse and beginning of Jr 11:13; Jr 2:28.

in the time of their trouble--that is, calamity (Jr 2:27).

13. shameful thing--Hebrew, "shame," namely, the idol, not merely shameful, but the essence of all that is shameful (Jr 3:24; Ho 9:10), which will bring shame and confusion on yourselves [Calvin].

14. There is a climax of guilt which admits of no further intercessory prayer (Ex 32:10, in the Chaldee version, "leave off praying"; Jr 7:16; 1Sa 16:1; 15:35; 1Jo 5:16). Our mind should be at one with God in all that He is doing, even in the rejection of the reprobate.

for their trouble--on account of their trouble. Other manuscripts read, "in the time of their trouble;" a gloss from Jr 11:12.

15. my beloved--My elect people, Judea; this aggravates their ingratitude (Jr 12:7).

lewdness with many--(Eze 16:25). Rather, "that great (or, manifold) enormity"; literally, "the enormity, the manifold"; namely, their idolatry, which made their worship of God in the temple a mockery (compare Jr 7:10; Eze 23:39) [Henderson].

holy flesh--(Hag 2:12-14; Tit 1:15), namely, the sacrifices, which, through the guilt of the Jews, were no longer holy, that is, acceptable to God. The sacrifices on which they relied will, therefore, no longer protect them. Judah is represented as a priest's wife, who, by adultery, has forfeited her share in the flesh of the sacrifices, and yet boasts of her prerogative at the very same time [Horsley].

when thou doest evil--literally, "when thy evil" (is at hand). Piscator translates, "When thy calamity is at hand (according to God's threats), thou gloriest" (against God, instead of humbling thyself). English Version is best (compare Pr 2:14).

16. called thy name--made thee.

olive--(Psa 52:8; Ro 11:17). The "olive" is chosen to represent the adoption of Judah by the free grace of God, as its oil is the image of richness (compare Psa 23:5; 104:15).

with ... noise of ... tumult--or, "at the noise," &c., namely, at the tumult of the invading army (Is 13:4) [Maurer]. Or, rather, "with the sound of a mighty voice," namely, that of God, that is, the thunder; thus there is no confusion of metaphors. The tree stricken with lightning has "fire kindled upon it, and the branches are broken," at one and the same time [Houbigant].

17. that planted thee--(Jr 2:21; Is 5:2).

against themselves--The sinner's sin is to his own hurt (see on Jr 7:19).

18-19. Jeremiah here digresses to notice the attempt on his life plotted by his townsmen of Anathoth. He had no suspicion of it, until Jehovah revealed it to him (Jr 12:6).

the Lord ... thou--The change of person from the third to the second accords with the excited feelings of the prophet.

then--when I was in peril of my life.

their doings--those of the men of Anathoth. His thus alluding to them, before he has mentioned their name, is due to his excitement.

20. triest ... heart--(Re 2:23).

revealed--committed my cause. Jeremiah's wish for vengeance was not personal but ministerial, and accorded with God's purpose revealed to him against the enemies alike of God and of His servant (Psa 37:34; 54:7; 112:8; 118:7).

21. Prophesy not--(Is 30:10; Am 2:12; Mi 2:6). If Jeremiah had not uttered his denunciatory predictions, they would not have plotted against him. None were more bitter than his own fellow townsmen. Compare the conduct of the Nazarites towards Jesus of Nazareth (Lu 4:24-29).

22. The retribution of their intended murder shall be in kind; just as in Messiah's case (Psa 69:8-28).

23. (Jr 23:12).

the year of ... visitation--The Septuagint translates, "in the year of their," &c., that is, at the time when I shall visit them in wrath. Jerome supports English Version. "Year" often means a determined time.

‏ Jeremiah 12

CHAPTER 12

Jr 12:1-17. Continuation of the Subject at the Close of the Eleventh Chapter.

He ventures to expostulate with Jehovah as to the prosperity of the wicked, who had plotted against his life (Jr 12:1-4); in reply he is told that he will have worse to endure, and that from his own relatives (Jr 12:5, 6). The heaviest judgments, however, would be inflicted on the faithless people (Jr 12:7-13); and then on the nations co-operating with the Chaldeans against Judah, with, however, a promise of mercy on repentance (Jr 12:14-17).

1. (Psa 51:4).

let me talk, &c.--only let me reason the case with Thee: inquire of Thee the causes why such wicked men as these plotters against my life prosper (compare Job 12:6; 21:7; Psa 37:1, 35; 73:3; Mal 3:15). It is right, when hard thoughts of God's providence suggest themselves, to fortify our minds by justifying God beforehand (as did Jeremiah), even before we hear the reasons of His dealings.

2. grow--literally, "go on," "progress." Thou givest them sure dwellings and increasing prosperity.

near in ... mouth ... far from ... reins--(Is 29:13; Mt 15:8). Hypocrites.

3. knowest me--(Psa 139:1).

tried ... heart--(Jr 11:20).

toward thee--rather, "with Thee," that is, entirely devoted to Thee; contrasted with the hypocrites (Jr 12:2), "near in ... mouth, and far from ... reins." This being so, how is it that I fare so ill, they so well?

pull ... out--containing the metaphor, from a "rooted tree" (Jr 12:2).

prepare--literally, "separate," or "set apart as devoted."

day of slaughter--(Jas 5:5).

4. land mourn--personification (Jr 14:2; 23:10).

for the wickedness--(Psa 107:34).

beasts--(Ho 4:3).

He shall not see our last end--Jehovah knows not what is about to happen to us (Jr 5:12) [Rosenmuller]. So the Septuagint. (Psa 10:11; Eze 8:12; 9:9). Rather, "The prophet (Jeremiah, to whom the whole context refers) shall not see our last end." We need not trouble ourselves about his boding predictions. We shall not be destroyed as he says (Jr 5:12, 13).

5. Jehovah's reply to Jeremiah's complaint.

horses--that is, horsemen: the argument a fortiori. A proverbial phrase. The injuries done thee by the men of Anathoth ("the footmen") are small compared with those which the men of Jerusalem ("the horsemen") are about to inflict on thee. If the former weary thee out, how wilt thou contend with the king, the court, and the priests at Jerusalem?

wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee--English Version thus fills up the sentence with the italicized words, to answer to the parallel clause in the first sentence of the verse. The parallelism is, however, sufficiently retained with a less ellipsis: "If (it is only) in a land of peace thou art confident" [Maurer].

swelling of Jordan--In harvest-time and earlier (April and May) it overflows its banks (Jos 3:15), and fills the valley called the Ghor. Or, "the pride of Jordan," namely, its wooded banks abounding in lions and other wild beasts (Jr 49:19; 50:44; Zec 11:3; compare 2Ki 6:2). Maundrell says that between the Sea of Tiberias and Lake Merom the banks are so wooded that the traveller cannot see the river at all without first passing through the woods. If in the champaign country (alone) thou art secure, how wilt thou do when thou fallest into the wooded haunts of wild beasts?

6. even thy brethren--as in Christ's case (Psa 69:8; Joh 1:11; 7:5; compare Jr 9:4; 11:19, 21; Mt 10:36). Godly faithfulness is sure to provoke the ungodly, even of one's own family.

called a multitude after thee--(Is 31:4). Jerome translates, "cry after thee with a loud (literally, 'full') voice."

believe ... not ... though ... speak fair--(Pr 26:25).

7. I have forsaken--Jehovah will forsake His temple and the people peculiarly His. The mention of God's close tie to them, as heretofore His, aggravates their ingratitude, and shows that their past spiritual privileges will not prevent God from punishing them.

beloved of my soul--image from a wife (Jr 11:15; Is 54:5).

8. is unto me--is become unto Me: behaves towards Me as a lion which roars against a man, so that he withdraws from the place where he hears it: so I withdrew from My people, once beloved, but now an object of abhorrence because of their rebellious cries against Me.

9. speckled bird--Many translate, "a ravenous beast, the hyena"; the corresponding Arabic word means hyena; so the Septuagint. But the Hebrew always elsewhere means "a bird of prey." The Hebrew for "speckled" is from a root "to color"; answering to the Jewish blending together with paganism the altogether diverse Mosaic ritual. The neighboring nations, birds of prey like herself (for she had sinfully assimilated herself to them), were ready to pounce upon her.

assemble ... beasts of ... field--The Chaldeans are told to gather the surrounding heathen peoples as allies against Judah (Is 56:9; Eze 34:5).

10. pastors--the Babylonian leaders (compare Jr 12:12; Jr 6:3).

my vineyard--(Is 5:1, 5).

trodden my portion--(Is 63:18).

11. mourneth unto me--that is, before Me. Eichorn translates, "by reason of Me," because I have given it to desolation (Jr 12:7).

because no man layeth it to heart--because none by repentance and prayer seek to deprecate God's wrath. Or, "yet none lays it to heart"; as in Jr 5:3 [Calvin].

12. high places--Before, He had threatened the plains; now, the hills.

wilderness--not an uninhabited desert, but high lands of pasturage, lying between Judea and Chaldea (Jr 4:11).

13. Description in detail of the devastation of the land (Mi 6:15).

they shall be ashamed of your--The change of persons, in passing from indirect to direct address, is frequent in the prophets. Equivalent to, "Ye shall be put to the shame of disappointment at the smallness of your produce."

14-17. Prophecy as to the surrounding nations, the Syrians, Ammonites, &c., who helped forward Judah's calamity: they shall share her fall; and, on their conversion, they shall share with her in the future restoration. This is a brief anticipation of the predictions in the forty-seventh, forty-eighth, and forty-ninth chapters.

touch--(Zec 2:8).

pluck them out ... pluck out ... Judah--(Compare end of Jr 12:16). During the thirteen years that the Babylonians besieged Tyre, Nebuchadnezzar, after subduing Coelo-Syria, brought Ammon, Moab, &c., and finally Egypt, into subjection [Josephus, Antiquities, 10:9.7]. On the restoration of these nations, they were to exchange places with the Jews. The latter were now in the midst of them, but on their restoration they were to be "in the midst of the Jews," that is, as proselytes to the true God (compare Mi 5:7; Zec 14:16). "Pluck them," namely, the Gentile nations: in a bad sense. "Pluck Judah": in a good sense; used to express the force which was needed to snatch Judah from the tyranny of those nations by whom they had been made captives, or to whom they had fled; otherwise they never would have let Judah go. Previously he had been forbidden to pray for the mass of the Jewish people. But here he speaks consolation to the elect remnant among them. Whatever the Jews might be, God keeps His covenant.

‏ Jeremiah 13:1

CHAPTER 13

Jr 13:1-27. Symbolical Prophecy (Jr 13:1-7).

Many of these figurative acts being either not possible, or not probable, or decorous, seem to have existed only in the mind of the prophet as part of his inward vision. [So Calvin]. The world he moved in was not the sensible, but the spiritual, world. Inward acts were, however, when it was possible and proper, materialized by outward performance, but not always, and necessarily so. The internal act made a naked statement more impressive and presented the subject when extending over long portions of space and time more concentrated. The interruption of Jeremiah's official duty by a journey of more than two hundred miles twice is not likely to have literally taken place.

1. put it upon thy loins, &c.--expressing the close intimacy wherewith Jehovah had joined Israel and Judah to Him (Jr 13:11).

linen--implying it was the inner garment next the skin, not the outer one.

put it not in water--signifying the moral filth of His people, like the literal filth of a garment worn constantly next the skin, without being washed (Jr 13:10). Grotius understands a garment not bleached, but left in its native roughness, just as Judah had no beauty, but was adopted by the sole grace of God (Eze 16:4-6). "Neither wast thou washed in water," &c.