Chapter XXXI
Ver. 1-10. Continuation of the Prophecy in Chap.
SO. As in that chapter the restoration of Judah, so in this the restoration of Israel's ten tribes is foretold. 1. At the same time—" In the latter days'! (ch. 30. 24). the God of —manifesting my £/)-ace to (Genesis 17.7; Matthew 22. 32;
Revelation 21. .3). ail . . . Israel—not the exiles of the south kingdom of Jutlali only, but also the north kingdom
Df the ten tribes; and not merely Isi'ael in general, but "all tiie families of Israel." Never yet fulfilled (Romans
11. 20). !4. Upon the grace manifested to Israel "in the wilderness" God grounds His argument for renewing His favours to them now in their exile ; because His covenant
is "everlasting" (v. 3), and changes not. The same argument occurs, Hosea 13. 5, 9, 10; 14. 4, 5, 8. Babylon is fitly compared to the " wilderness," as in both alike Israel was as a stranger far from his appointed "rest" or home, and Babylon is in Isaiah 40. 3 called a "desert" (cf. ch. 50. 12). I went to cause him to rvat—viz., in the pillar of cloud and fire, the symbol of (iod s presence, which went before Xsreal to arearc/t a rej/jMif-jytoot- (Nmubers 10.33; Isaiah 63.
Rachel, Mourning, ts Comforted JEREMIAH XXXI. Ephraim, Hepenling, is brought Ilomt again.
50. 4, 5). SMpplicatlons—(Cf. v. 16, 19 ; ch. 3. 21-2.5 ; Zechariah
Christ's sake, shall not be fruitless to thee, as was the case in thy giving birth to the "child of thy sorrow," Benjamin. Primarily, also, thy grief shall not be perpetual: the exiles shall return, and the land be inhabited again. [Calvin.] come again—(Hosea 1.11.) 17. hope In . . , end—all thy calamities shall have a prosperous issue. 18. Ephraim—representing the ten tribes, bemoaninghlmself—Tlie spirit of penitent supplication shall at last bo poured on Israel as the necessary forerunner of their restoration (Zechariah 12.10-14). Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised—In the first clause the chasti.seinenl
12.10.) Margin translates, "favours," as in Joshua 11.20; Ezra 9. 8; thus God's favours or compassions are put In opposition to tlie people's weeping; tlieir tears sliall be turni (.1 into joy. But English Version suits the parallelism best. I will cause ... to walk by . . . waters . . . straight way—(Isaiah 35.6-8; 43.19; 49.10, 11.) God will give them waters to satisfy their thirst as in the wilderness-journey from Egypt, So spiritually (Matthew 5. 6; John 7.37). Ephralm—the ten tribes no longer severed from Judah, but forming one people with it. my flrst-
boi-ii — (Exodus 4. 22; Hosea 11.1; Romans 9.4.) So the elect Church (2 Corinthians 6.18; James 1. 18). 10. The tidings of God's interposition in behalf of Israel will arrest the attention of even the uttermost Gentile nations,
it.self is meant; in the second the beneficial effect of it in teaching the penitent true wisdom, bullock unaccustomed to . . . yoke—A similar image occurs, Deuteronomy 32. 15. Cf. " stitt-necked,'' Acts 7. 51 ; Exodus' 32. 9, an image from refractory oxen. Before my chastisement
lie tliat scattered will gather—He wlio scattered knows where to find Israel; He who smote can also heal, keep —not only will gather, but keep safely to the end (John 13.
I needed the severe correction I received, as much as an untamed bullock needs the goad. Cf. Acts 9. 5, where the same figure is used of Saul whilst unconverted. Israel has had a longer chastisement than Judah, not having been restored even at the Jews' return from Babylon. Hereafter, at its restoration, it shall confess the sore discipline was all needed to "accustom" it to God's "easy yoke" (Matthew 11.29,30). turn thou me—by thy converting Spirit (Lanientations.5. 21). But why does F^phraira pray for conversion, seeing that he is already converted ? Because we are converted by progressive steps, and need the same power of God to carry forward, as to originate, our conversion (John 6.44, 65; cf. with Isaiah 27.3; 1 Peter
1; 17.11). slicplicrtl—(Isaiah 40.11; Ezekiel 34.12-14.) 11. ransomed . . . from . . , hand of . . . stronger— no etrengtli of the foe can prevent the Lord from delivering Jacob (Isaiah 49. 24, 25). 13. height of Zlon—(Ezekiel 17.
23.) flow—there shall be a conflux of worsliippers to the temple on Zion (Isaiah 2. 2; Micah4. 1). to the goodness of . . . Lord—(See t'. 14.) Beneficence, i.e., to the Lord as the source of all good things (Hosea 3. 5), to pray tc Him and praise Him, for these blessings of which He is the Fountain-liead. watered garden — (Isaiah 58. 11.) Not merely for a time, but continually full of holy comfort, not sorrow any more—referring to the Church triumphant, as well as literal Israel (Isaiah 35. 10; 6.5. 19; Revelation 21. 4). V.i. young . . . old—(Zechariah 8.4,5.) 14. my goodness (v. 15. Ramah—In Benjamin, east of the great nortliern road, two hours' journey from Jerusalem. Rachel, wlio all her life had pined for children (Genesis 30. 1), and who died with "sorrow" in giving birth to Benjamin (Genesis 3.5.18, l^. Margin; 1 Samuel 10. 2), and was buried at Ramah, near Bethlehem, is represented as raising her head from the tomb, and as breaking forth into "weeping" at seeing the whole land depopulated of lier sons, the Ephraimites. Ramah was the place where Nebu7.aradan collected all tlie Jews in chains, previous to tlieir removal to Babylon (ch. 40. 1). God therefoie c(>usoles her with the promise of their restoration. Matthew 2. 17, 18 quotes this as fulfilled in the massacre of the innocents under Herod. "A lesser and a greater event, of different times, may answer to the single sense of one passage of Scripture, until the prophecy is exhausted." [Bengel.] Besides the temporary reference to tlie exiles in Babylon, the Holy Spirit foreshadowed ultimately Messiah'.s exile In PIgypt, and the desolation caused in tlie neighbourhood of Rachel's tomb by Herod's massacre of the childi-en, whose mothers had "sons of sorrow" (Benoni), just as Rachel had. The return of Messiah (the representative of Israel) from Egypt, and the future restoration of Lsrael, botii the literal and the spiritual (including tlie innocents), at the Lord's second advent, arc anti typical of the restoration of Israel from Babylon, wliich is the ground of consolation held out here by Jeremiah. The clause, "They were not," i.e., were dead (Genesis 42. 13), does not apply so strictly to the exiles in Baby-
1. 5; Philippians 1. 6). 19. after that I was turned, I repented—Repentance in the full sense follows, not precedes, our being turned to God 6^ God (Zechariah 12. 10). The Jews' " looking to Him whom they pierced" shall I'e-
siilt in their "mourning for Hini." Repentance is the tear that flows from the eye of faith turned to Jesus. Himself gives it: we give it not of oiirselves, but must come to Him for it (Acts 5. 31). instructed—made to learn by chastisement. God's Spirit often works througli the corrections of His providence, smote upon . . . thigh—(Ezekiel 21. 12.) A token of indignant remorse, shame, and grief, because of his past sin. bear . . . reproach of . . . youth—"Because the calamities wliich I bore were the just punishment of my scandaloim wnntotmess.ngainst God in my youth;" alluding to the idols set up at Dan and Bethel immediately after that the ten tribes revolted from Judah. His sense of shame shows that he no longer deliglits in his sin. 30. Is Ephralm my dear son? &c, —The question implies that a negative answer was to be expected. Who would have thought that one so undutiful to His heavenly Father as Ephraim hail been should still be regarded by God as a "pleasant child?" Certainly he was not so in respect to his sin. But by virtue of God's "everlasting love"' (i'. 3) on Ephraim'a being " turned" to God, he was immediately welcomed as God's "dear son." This 20th verse sets forth God's readiness to welcome the penitent (v. 18, 19), anticipating his return with prevenient grace and love. Cf. Luke 15.20: " When he was yet a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion," &c. spake against—threatened him for Ills idolatry, remember—with favour and concern, as in Genesis 8.1; 30.22. l)owcls . . . troubled for him —(Deuteronomy 32. 36; Isaiah KS. 15; Hosea 11. 8) viz., with the yearnings of compassionate love. The "bowels" include the region of the heart, the seat of the aflections. 31. way-marks—piHar*' to mark the road for the returning exiles. Caravans set up pillars, or pointed heaps of stones, to mark the way through ilie desert against their return. So Israel is told by God to mark the way by which they went in leaving their country for exile; for by the same way they shall return, highway—(Isaiah
lon as it does to the history of Messiali and His people past, present, and future. .So the words, "There is hope In thine end," are to be fulfilled ultimately, when Rachel shall meet her murdered children at tlie resurrection, at the same time that literal Israel is to be restored. "Tliey were not," in Hebrew, Is singiUar; each was not: each mother at the Bethlehem massacre had but one child to lament, as the limitation of age in Herod's order, "two yeans and under," implies; this use of the singular distributively (the mothers weeping severally, each f<yr her own child), is a coincidence between the propliecy of the Bethlehem massacre and the event, tlie more remarkable as not being obvious: the .tingular, too, is appropriate as to Messiah in His I<;gyptlan exile, who w<is to be a leading object of Haclicrs lamentation. IG. thy work—thy parental weeping for thy children. [Rosenmui.i.eu.] Ihlne aUliction in the loss of thy children, murdered for
3.5.8, 10.) 33. go about—jjjz., after human lielps (ch. 2. 18,
2;^, .36). Why not return immediately to me? Maurbr translates, as in Song of Solomon ,5. 6, " How long wilt thou withdraw thyselff" Let thy past backslidings suflice thee now that a new era approaches. What God finds fault with in them is, that they looked hither and thither, leaning on contingencies, lii.stcad of jit once trusting the word of God, wh Ich promised their restoration. To assure tbem
Christ Is Promised, JEREMIAH XXXII. His Care over the CJiiirch.
Israel . . . Judah— The new covenant is made vrUa literal Israel and .Tudah, not with the sjnritual Israel, i. e., believers, except secondarily, and as grafted on the stock of Israel (Romans 11. 16-27). For the whole subject of chs.
of this, God promises to create a new thing in their land, A woman shall compass a man. Calvin explains this : Israel, who is feeble as a woman, shall be superior to the warlike Chaiieans; the captives shall reduce their captors to cap-
tivity. Hengstenberq makes the "woman" the Jewish Church, and the "man" Jehovah, her husband, whose love she will again seek (Hosea 2. 6, 7). Mauker, A woman Bhall protect (Deuteronomy 32. 10, Margin; Psalm 32. 10) a man, i. e., You need fear no foes in returning, for all things shall be so peaceful that a woman would be able to take man's part, and act as his protector. But the Christian fathers almost unanimously (Augustine, &c.) interpreted
30. and 31. is the restoration of the Hebrews (ch. 30. 4. 7, 10,
18; 31.7, 10, 11, 2:?, 24, 27, 36). With the " remnant according to the election of grace" in Israel, the new covenant ha.s already taken effect. But witli regard to the wliole nation,
its realization is reserved for the last days, to which Paul refers this prophecy in an al>ridged form (Romans 11.27). 32. Not . . . tile covenant that I made witli . . . fatSiei'g —The Old Testament covenant as contrasted with our gospel covenant (Hebrews 8.8-12; 10.16,17, where this prophecy is quoted to prove the abrogation of the law by the gospel), of which the distinguishing features are its securing by an adequate atonement the forgiveiiess of
it of the Virgin Mary compassing Christ in her womb. This view is favoured :—(1.) By the connection ; it gives a reason why the exiles should desire a return to their country,
viz., because Christ was conceived there. (2.) The word "created" implies a Divine power put forth in the crea-
sins, and by the inworking of effectual grace ensuring permanent obedience. An earnest of this is given par-
tion of a body in the Virgin's womb by the Holy Ghost
for the second Adam, such as was exerted in creating the
tially in the i>resent eclectic or elect Church gatliered out of Jews and Gentiles. But the promise here to Israel in the last days is national and universal, and eflected liy an extraordinary outpouring of the Spirit (?J. 33, 34; Ezekiel 11. 17-20), independent of any merit on their part (Ezekiel 36.25-32 ; 37.1-28 ; 39.29; Joel 2.23-28; Zecliariah
first Adam (Luke 1. ai; Hebrews 10.5). (3.) The phrase, "a ncic thing," something unprecedented; a man wliose
like had never existed before, at once God and man; a mother out of the ordinary course of nature, at once mother and virgin. An extraordinary mode of genera-
12. 10; 2 Corinthians 3. 1(.). took . . . by . . . hand—(Deuteronomy 1. 31 ; Hosea 1 1. 3.) although I was an Itusband —(Cf. ch. 3. 14 ; Hosea 2. 7, 8.) But LXX., Syriac and St. Paul (Hebrews 8. 9) translate, "I regarded them not;" and GeseNIUS, &c., justify this rendering of the Hebrew from the Arabic. The Hebrews regarded not God, so God regarded them not. 33. will be their God—(Ch. 32. 38.) 34. True, specially of Israel (Isaiah 54. 13); secondarily, true of believers (John 6. 45; 1 Corinthians 2. 10; 1 John 2. 20). forgive . . . iniquity . . . remember . . . no more—(ch.33.
tion; one conceived by the Holy Ghost without man.
(4.) The specification "In the land" (not "earth," as English Veisiou), viz., of Judah, where probably Christ was conceived, in Hebron (cf. Luke 1. 30, -11, 12. 44, with Jo.shua 21.11) or el.se in Nazareth, "in the territory" of
Israel, to whom v. 5,6,15,18,21 refer; His birth was at Bethlehem (Micah5. 2; Matthew 2. 5, 6). As tlie place of His nativity, and of His being reared (Matthew 2. 23), and of His preaching (Haggai 2. 7; Malachi 3. 1), are specified, so it is likel.v the Holy .Spirit designated the place of His being conceived. (5.) The Hebretu for "woman" implies an individual, as the Virgin Mary, rather than 'a collection
8; 50.20; Micah 7.18); applying peculiarly to Israel (Romans 11.27). Secondarily, all believers (Acts 10. 43). 35. divideth . . . sea when . . . waves . . . roar . . . Liord of liosts . . . name—quoted from Isaian 51. 15, the genuineness of which passage is thus established on Jeremiah's authority. 36. a nation—Israel's national polity has been broken up by the Romans. But their preservation as a distinct people amidst violent persecutions, thougli scattered among all nations for eighteen centu-
of persons. (G.) The restoration of Israel is grounded on God's covenant in Oirist, to whom, therefore, allusion is naturally made as tlie foundation of Israel's hope (cf. Isaiah 7. 14). Tlie Virgin Mary's conception of Messiah in the womb answers to tlie " Virgin of Israel" (therefore so
called, u 21). i. e., Israel and her sons at their final restora-
tion, receiving Jesus as Messiah (Zechariah 12. 10). (7.) The reference to the conception of the child Messiah accords with the mention of the massacre of "cliildren" refiTred to v. 15 (cf. Matthew 2. 17). (8.) The Hebrew for " man" is properly " mightij man," a term applied to Ood (Deuteronomy 10.17); and to Christ (Zechariah 13.7; cf. Psalin 45. 3; Isaiah 9. 6). [Calovius.] 23. Jerusalem again shall be the metropolis of the whole nation, the seat of "Justice" (Psalm 122. 5-8; I-saiah 1. 26), and of sacred worship ("holiness," Zechariah 8.3) on "Mount" Moriah. 84. .Tmlnli . . . cities . . . Uiisbandmen . . . they witU flocks—Two classes, citizens and countrymen, the latter divided into agriculturists and shepherds, all alike in
ries, unamalgamated, whereas all other peoples under such circumstances have become incorporated with the nations in which they have been dispersed, is a perpetual standing miracle (cf. ch. 33. 20; Psalm 148. 6; Isaiah 54. 9,
10). 3T. (Cf. 33. 22.) for aU that they have Aone—viz., all the sins. God will regard His own covenant promise, rather than their merits. 38. tower of Hananeel—the city shall extend beyond its former bounds (Nehemiah 3.
1; 12. 39; Zechariah 14. 10). gate of . . corner—(2 Kings
14. 13; 2 Chronicles 26. 9.) 39. measuring-line—(Ezekiel
40. 8 ; Zechariah 2. 1.) Gareb—from a Hebrew root, to so-ape; Syriac, leprosy; the locality outside of the city, where lepers were removed to. Goath—from a root, to toil, referring to the toilsome ascent there: outside of the city of David, towards the south-west, as Gareb was north-west. [JnNrtTS.] 40. valley of . . . dead—Tophet, where the bodies of malefactors were cast (Isaiah 30. 33), south of the city, fields . . . Kidron-so 2 Kings 23. 4. Fields in the suburbs reaching as far as Kidron, east of the city, horse gate—through it the king's horses were led forth for watering to the brook Kidron (2 Kings 11. 16; Nehemiah
security, though the latter were to be outside the protec-
tion of city walls. "Judah" here stands for the country, as distingu'shed from its cities. 85. The weary, sorrowful, and indigent state of Israel will prove no obstacle in the way of my helping them. 26. Tlie words of Jeremi.ah: Upon this (or By reason of this) announcement of a happy restoration, I aivaked from the prophetic dream vouchsafed to me (eh. 23. 25) with the s^veet Impression thereof remaining on my mind. ".Sleep" here means dream,&s
3. 28). for ever—The city shall not only be spacious, but both "holy to the Lord," i. e., freed from all pollutions, and everlasting (Joel 3. 17, 20; Revelation 21. 2, 10, 27).
in Psalm 90. 5. 27. He shows how a land so depopulated shall again be peopled. God will cause both men and
bea.it.i in it to increase to a multitude (Ezekiel 36.9-11; Ho.sea 2.23). 28. (Ch. 44.27.) The same God who, as it were (in human language), was on the watch for all means