Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition)
Promises to the Penitent. JEEEMIAH IV. God Calletn Israel hy His PromiM.
treichermis or faithless, also—herself also, Jike Israel. 9.
tion must be still future dsalah 11. 12, 13; Ezekiel 37. 1&-22; Hosea 1. 11). north—( F. 12.) land . . . given . . . Inheritance—(Amos U. Ip.) 19. The good land covcnantea to Abraham is to be restored to his seed. But the question arises. How shall this be done? put . . . among
It—some take this verse of Judah, to whom the end of i'.
8 refers. But v. 10 puts Judah in contrast to Israel in this verse. "Yet for all this," referring to the sad example of Israel; if u. 9 referred to ,7wdaA, "she" would have been written in r. 10, not" Judah." TranMate, "It (the putting. . . clilldx-en—the Greek for adoption means, lit., putting among the sons, the children— i. e., 'mj/ children. "How shall I receive thee back into my family, after thou hast so long forsaken me for idols?" The answer is, they would acknowledge Him as " Father," and no longer turn away from Him. God assumes the language of one wondering how so desperate apostates could be restored to His family and its privileges (cf. Ezekiel 37.3; Calvin makes it. How the race of Abraham can be propagated again, being as it were dead); yet as his purpose has decreed it so. He shows how it shall be eflected, viz., they shall receive from Him the spirit of adoption to cry, "My Father" (John 1. 12; Galatians 4. 6). The elect are "cliildreu" already in God's purpose; this is tlie ground of the subsequent realization of this relationship (Ephesians 1.
av, ay of Israel) had c-onie to pass through . . . whoredom; and (t. e.,for) she (Israel) had defiled, the land," &c. [MauEKR.] EnglishVersion, however, may be explained to I'efer to Israel.. lig Jilness—"infamy." [Ewald.] Maurek not so well takes it from Hebrew root, "voice," "fame." 10. yet—notwitlistanding the lesson given in Israel's case of the fatal results of apostasy, not . . . -whole Iiesil-t— The reformation in the eis;late,enth year of Josiah was not thorough on the part of the people, for at his death they relapsed into idolatry (2 Chronicles 34. 33; Hosea 7. 11). 11. justified herself—has been made to appear almost just (i. e., comparatively innocent) by the surpassing guilt of Judah, who adds hypocrisy and treacherj'- to her sin; and who had the exam]ile of Israel to warn her, but in vain (cf. EzekLel 16. 51 ; L'.'i. 11). more than—in comparison with. 1!J. Go—not actually; but turn and proclaim towards
5; Hebrews 2.13). pleasant land—(Ch. 11.5; Ezekiel 20. 6;"Daniel 11. 16, iWnrf/m.) heritage of . . . liosts—a heritage the most goodly of all nations [Macrer]; or a "heritage possessed by powerful hosts" (Deuteronomy 4.38; Amos 2.9). The rendering "splendours," instead of "hosts," is opposed by the fact that the Hebrew for "splendour" is not found In the plural. 20. Surely— Rather, husband lit., friend. 21. In harmony with the preceding promises of God, the penitential confessions of Isriel are heard, high places—The scene of their idolatries is the scene of their confessions. Cf. v. 23, in which they cast aside their trust in tliese idolatrous
Vie north (Media and ^.s.yj/nct, where the ten tribes were located by Tiglaf h-pileser and Shalmaneser, 2 Kings 15.
29; 17. 6; IS. 9, 11). Eeturii . . . toackslidiins— //rbr^-it;, Shubah, Meshubah, a, play on sounds. In order to e.xcite Jndah to godly jealousy (Romans 11. 14), Jehovali addresses the exiled ten tribes of Israel with a loving invitation, cause . . . anger to fall lit., I will not let fall my countenance (cf. Genesis 4. 5, 6; Job 29. 3), i. e., I will not cc/i:'(?JMe to frown on you. keep anger is to be supplied {Note, v. r>i. -13. Only aeknowledge—(Deuteronomy 30. 1,
3; Proverbs 28. 13.) scattered 'thy -ivaya, &c.—(Cli. 2.25.) Not merely the calves at Bethel, but the idols in every direction, were the oljjects of their worship (Ezekiel Ifi.
liig'n places. The publicjty of their penitence is also implied (cf. ch. 7. 29; 48.38). 32. Jehovah's renewed invitation (r. 12, 14) and their Ijjimediate response, heal—forgive (S Chronicles 30.18, 20; Hosea 14.4). nnto tliee— Rather, "in obedience to thee;" lit., for thee. [Ro.sENMUI.ler.] 33. multitude of mountains—i. e., the multitude of gods worshipped on them (cf. Psalm 121.1, 2, Margin). 34:. shame i. e., the idols, whose worship only covers us with shame (ch. 11. 13; Hosea 9. 10). So far from bringing us "salvation," they have cost us our cattle and even our children, whom we have sacrificed to. them. 35. (Ezra 9.7.) CHAPTER IV.
15, 24, 25). I*. I am matricd lit., I am Lcr-.l, i. e., husband to you (so eh. 31. 32; cf. Ilosea 2. 19, 20; Isaialt 54. 5). GeweNIUS, following the LXX. version of ch. 31. 32, and Paul's quotation of it, Hebrews 8. 9, <)"a)iita<e«, " I have rejected you;" so the corresponding Arabic, sinCL the idea of lordmay pass into that of ioo/riny rfoitn tz/wn, and .so ?'cjeciiny. But IjXX. in t/iis passage translate, "I will be Lord over you." And tlie "for" has much more force in English Version than in that of Geseniu.S. The Hebrew hardly admits the rendering though. [IIengstenberg.] take you one of a city—Though but one or two Israelites were in a (foreign) city, they shall not be forgotten; all Bhall be restored (Amos 9. 9). So, In the si)iritual Israel, God gathers one convert here, another there, Into His Churcli; not the least one Is lost (Matthew
Ver. 1-31. Continuation of Address to the Tk Tribes of Lsraei, (v. l, 2). The PROi-UE'r Turns aoai-N TO Judah, to whom he had Originally been Sent
(t). 3-Sl). 1. return . . . return—play on words. " If thou wouldest return to thy land (thou must first), return {by conversion and repentance) to me." not remove—no longer be an unsettled wanderer in a strange land. So Calu (Genesis 4. 12, 14). 3. And thou—Rather, " And (/'(carried on fromt). 1) tliou shalt swear, ' Jehovali liveth,' in truth,"
IS. 14; Romans 11. 5; cf. ch. 24. 40, 41). familja clan, or trilie. 15. pastors—not religious, but civil rulers, as Zerubbabel, Nehomiah (ch. 23. 4; 2. S). 10. they shall no more say—Tlie Jews shall no longer glory in the j)Ossession of t)u' arlc; it shall not be missed, so great Bhall be the blessings of the new dispensation. Tlie throne of the Lord, present Himself, shall eclipse and put out of mind the ark of I lie covenant and the mercy-seat between the cheruliim, God's former throne. The ark, containing
&c., i. e., if thou shalt worship Him (for we swear by the God whom we worship; cf. Deuteronomy (i. 13; 10.20; Isaiah 19. IS; Amos 8. 14) in sincerity, &c. and the nations — Rather, this is apodosis to the "if;" t/ieiishall tha nations bless themselves in (by) Him" (Isaiali tio. 10). Tha conversion of the nations will be the consequence of
(.he two tables of the law, disappeared at the Baliylouian captivity, and was not rrstored to the second temi)lo, implying that the symbolical "glory" was to be superseded by a "greater glory" (Ilaijgai 2.9). neither . . . visit It Rather, " neitiicr shall it be missed" (so in ch. 2-3. 4). done --Rather, "neither shall it (the ark) be made (i. e., be leBtored) any more." |Mauker.] 17. Jerusalem—/Ac ?()/if)?e
Israel's conversion (Psalm 102.13,15; Romans 11. 12, 15). 3. Transition to Judah. Supply mentally. All wlilch (the foregoing declaration as to Israel) applies to Juilah. and Jerusalem— (. e., and especially the men of Jerusalem, as being the most prominent in .Uulea. llrcalc . . , fallow ground— I. <>., Repent of your idolatry, and so be prepared to serve the Lord in truth (Uosea 111.12; Jlatthew 13.7). The unhumbled heart is like ground which may be improved, being let out to .us for that purpose, but which is as yet fallow, overgrown with weeds, its natural product. 4. Ueinovo your natural corrup Uon of heart (Deuteronomy 10. Iti; 30.6; Romans 2. "29; Colos.-iiaiis city, not merely the temple. As it has been the centre of llie //c6rc)(Mlicocracy, so it shall be the point of attraction to thewliole earth (Isaiah 2.2-4; Zechari.-ih 2.-10, 11;
14. l(i-21). throne of . . . Lord—The Shekinali, t liesyml)ol of God's peculiar nearness to Israel (Deuteionomy 1.7)
Mliall be surpassed l)y the antitype, God's own t hrone in Jerusalem (I'salm 2. 6, 8; Kzekiel 34. 2.'i, 21 ; Zechariuh 2. 5). Imagination—Rather, as Margin, " the obstinacy" or .sliihborniwss. IS. .Tiidali . . , Israel . . . together—Two distinct apostasies, that of Israel and that of Judali, were foretold (t). 8, lU). Tlie two have never been united since th« Babylonish captivity, tlierefore their joint restora5J0
2. 11). 5. cry, gatlier together Ratlnir, " cry full'/," i.e., loudly. The Jews arc warned to take measures against the lmi')ending t'haldean invasion (cf. cli. S. 14). G. Zloii —the standard toward Zion intimated tl)at the people of the surrounding country were to fly to it, as being the