Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition) (continued)
Tlte Rejection af the Jews. JEREMIAH XV. The Prophet Complaineth to Ood.
guish, or consternation. So LXX. 9. bom seven—(1 Samuel 2. 5.) Seven being the perfect number indicates full fruitfulness. languislieth—because not even one is left of all her sons (t). 8). sun is gone down while . . . yet Aay—fortune deserts her at the very height of her prosperity (Amos 8. 9). she . . . ashamed—the mothers {she being collective) are put to the shame of disappointed hopes through the loss of all their children. 10. (Ch. 20. 14; Job
(Daniel 9.8.) 21. ns—"the throne of thj' glory" may be the oliject i>f "abhor uof ("reject not"); or"Zion" (ti. 19). tUronc of tliy ^lory—Jerusalem, or, the temple, called God's "footstool" and "habitation" (1 Chronicles 2.S. 2; rsalm 1.32. ') 1. thy covenant—(Psalm 106. 45; Daniel 9. 19.) as. vanities—idols (Deuteronomy 32.21). rain — (Zech-
Rrlafi 10. 1, 2.) lieavens—viz., of themselves without God (Matthew 5. -15: Acts 1-1. 17); they are not the First Cause, and ouglit not to be deified, a.s they were by the heathen.
3. 1, &c.) Jeremiah seems to have been of a peculiarly sensitive temperament; yet the Holy Spirit enabled him to deliver his message at the certain cost of having hia sensitiveness wounded by the enmities of those whom his words offended, man of strife—exposed to strifes on the part of " the whole earth" (Psalm SO. 6). I have neither lent, &c.—proverbial for, " I have given no cause for strife against me." 11. Verily lit., S/iall it not be ? i. e., Surely it shall be. tliy remnant—the final isme of thy
disjunctive "or" favours Calvin's explanation: " Not even the heavens themselves can give rain, much less can the Idol vanities." Art not thou Ite—viz., Who canst give rain ?
CHAPTER XV.
1-21. GoD'9 Reply to Jeremiah's Intercessory Prayer. 1. Moses . . . Samuel — eminent in intercessions (Exodus 32. 11, 12; 1 Samueil 7.9; Psalm 99.6). be towartl—could not be favourably inclined toward them, out of my sight—God speaks as if the people were present before Him, along with Jeremiah. 2. death—deadly plague (ch. 18.21; 43.11; Ezekiel 5.2, 12; Zechariah U. 9). 3. appoint— (Leviticus 26. 16.) Itinds-of punishments. 4. cause ... to be removed—(Deuteronomy 28.25; Ezekiel 23. 46.) Rather,"! will givethem up to vexation," I life; thy life, which now seems to thee so sad, shall eventuate in prosperity. [Calvin.] They who think that they shall be tlie surviving remnant, whereas thou shalt perisli, shall themselves fall, whereas thou shalt remain and be favoured by the conquerors [Junius] (ch. 40.4,5;
39.11, 12). The Keri reads, "I will set tliee free (or as Mauker, 'I will establish thee') for good" (ch. 14.11; Ezra 8.22; Psalm 119.122). to entreat thee well—Hi., to meet thee; so "to be placable, nay, of their own accord to anticipate in meeting thee witli kindness." [Calvin.] I prefer this translation as according with the event (ch. 39.
cause them to wander so as nowhere to have repose [Calvin] (2 Chronicles 29.8, "trouble," Margin, "commotion"), because of Manasseh—he was now dead, but the efiects of his sins still remained.—How much evil one bad man can cause! The evil fruits remain even
11, 12; 40. 4, 5). Genesius, from cli. 7. 16; 27. 18; Job 21. 15, translates (not only will I relieve thee from the enemy's vexations, but) "I will make tliine enemy (that now vexeth thee) apply to thee with prayers" (ch. 38. 14 ; 42. 2-6). 13. steel — ratlier, brass or copper, whicli mixed with "iron" (by the Chalybes near the Euxine Pontus, far north of Palestine), formed tlie hardest metal, like our after he himself has received repentance and forgiveness. The people had followed his wicked example ever since; and it is implied that it was only through the long-suflering of God that the penal consequences had been suspended up to the present time (cf. 1 Kings 14. 16; 2 Kings 21. 11; 23. 26 ; 24. 3, i). 5. go aside . . . how thou doest — Who will turn aside (in passing by) to salute steel. Can the Jeivs, hardy like common iron though they be, break the still hardier Chaldees of the north (ch. 1. 14), who resemble the Chalybian iron hardened with copper? Certainly not. [Calvin.] Henderson translates, "Can one break iron, (even) the northern iron, and brass," on the ground that EnglishVersion makes ordinary m-o)i not so hard as brass. But it is not brass, but a particular mixture of ironand brass, whicli is represented as harder-than common iron, which was probably then of inferior texture, owing to ignorance of modern modes of preparation. 13. Tliy substance . . . gins—Judea's, not Jeremiah's, wltliout price—God casts his people away as a thing worth naught (Psalm 44, 12). So, on the contrary, Jehovah, when about to restore His people, says. He will give Egypt, &c., for their "ratisom" (Isaiah 43.3). even in all thy borders —joined with "Thy substance . . . treasures, as also witli "all thy sins," their sin and punishment being commensurate (ch. 17.3). 14. thee— Maurer supplies tfiem, viz., "thy treasures." Eichorn, needlessly, from Syriac and LXX., reads, "I will make thee to sei-ve thine enemies;" a reading doubtless interpolated from ch. 17. 4. lire—(Deuteronomy 32. 22.) 15. tlion knowest—viz., my case ;' what wi-ongs my adversaries have done me (ch. 12. 3). revenge me—{Note, ch. 11.20.) The prophet in this had regard to, not his own personal feelings of revenge, but the cause of God; he speaks by inspiration God's will against the ungodly. Contrast in this the law with the gospel (Luke 23.
(to wisli thee "peace"). 6. weary with repenting —(Hosea 13. 14; 11. 8.) I have so often repented of the evil that I threatened (ch. 26. 19; Exodus 32. 14; 1 -Chronicles
21. 15), and have spared them, without my forbearance moving them to repentance, that I will not again change my purpose (God speaking in condescension to human modes of tliouglit), but will take vengeance on them now. 7. fan — tribulation (from tribulum, a threshing instrument), which separates tlie chaff from the wheat{Matthew
3. 12). gates of tlie land—t. e., the extreme bounds of the laud througli wliich the entrance to and exit from it lie. Maurer translates, " I will fan," i.e., cast them forth "to the gates of the land" (Nahum 3. 13). "In the gates;" English Version draws the image from a man cleaning corn with a fan; he stands at the gate of the threshing-floor in the open air, to remove tlie wheat from the cliaff by means of the wind ; .so God threatens to remove Israel out of the bounds of the land [Houbigant.] 8. Their -widows—Sly people's (u. 7). have broughtprophetical past : I will bring, mother of the young men—" mother" is collective; after the " widows," he naturally mentions bereavement of their sons ("young men"), brought on the " mothers" by " the spoiler ;" it was owing to the number of men slain that the " widows" were so many. [Calvin.] Others take " mother," as in 2 Samuel 20. 19, of Jerusalem the metropolis; "I have brought on them, against the 'mother,' a young spoiler," viz., Nebuchadnezzar, sent by his father, Nabopolassar, to repulse the Egyptian invaders
34; Acts 7. 60). take me not away in thy loiig-sut TerIng — by thy long-suffering towards them, suffer them not meanwhile to take away my life, for thy sake I have suffered rebuke—the very words of the antitype, Jesus Christ (Psalm 69. 7, 22-28), which last cf. wil'li Jeremiah's prayer in the beginning of this verse. 16. cat—(Ezekiel 2.8; 3. 1,3; Revelation 10. 9, 10.) As soon as. thy words were found by me, I eagerly laid hold of and appropriated them. The Keri reads, " thy word." thy word . . . joy (Job 23.12; Psalm 119.72, 111; cf. Matthew 13.44.) called by tliy name— I am thine, thy minister. So the antitype, Jesus Christ (Exodus 2:3. 21). 17. My " rejoicing" (r>. 16) was not that of the profane mockers (Psalm 1.1; 26.4,5) at (easts. So far from having fellowship with these, he was expelled from society, ami made. to sit " alone," because of his faitlifiU prophecies, because of thy hand i. e,, thine 621
(2 Kings 2:5.29; 24. 1), and occupy Judea. But v. 7 shows the future, not the past, is referred to; and "widows" being literal, "mother" is probably 'so too. at noonday—the hottest part of the day, when military operations were usually suspended ; thus it means unexpectedly, answering to tlie parallel, "suddenly;" openly, as others explain
It, will ntrt suit tlie parallelism (cf. Psalm 91.6). it—English Version seems to understand by " it" the mother city, and by "him" tlie "spoiler;" thus "It" will be parallel to "city." Rather, " I will cause to fall upon Wiem(the " mothers" about to be bereft of their sons) suddenly anguish and terrors." tlie city—rather, from a root " heat," an-
Tue Jews' Utter Ruin Foreshown, JEREMIAH XVI. because they were worse than their Fathen,
Inspiration (Isaiali S. 11 ; Ezekiel 1. 3; 3. 14). filled me vrith iuaignatiou—So cli. 6. 11, " full of tlie fury of the Lord ;" 90 full was he of the subject (God's "indignation" against the ungodly) with which God had inspired hiin, as not to be able to contain liimself from expressing it. The same comparison by contrast between the effect of inspiration, and that of ivine, both tailing a man out of himself, ocno more to do with this people wliether in mourning or joyous feasts. 9. (Ch. 7. 34; 25. 10; I':zekiel 20. 13). 10. (Deuteronomy 29. 24; I Kings 9. 8, 9). 11. (Ch.5. 19; 13. 'Ji; 22. 8, 9). 13. ye—enipliatic: so far from avoiding your fathers' bad example, ye have done worse (ch. 7. 26; I Kings 14. 9). imagination—rather, slubbm-n perversity. that they may not hearken-rather, connected with "ye:" "ye have walljed . . . so as not to hearken tome." 13. sei-ve otiier gods—that which was tlieirsin in llieir own land was their punishment in exile. Retribulion in kind. They voluntarily forsook God for idols at home; they were not allowed to serve God, if they wished it, in captivity (Daniel 3. and 6). day and niglitirony. You may there serve idols, which ye are so mad after, even to satiety, and without intermission. It. Therefore—So severe shall be the Jews' bondage that their deliverance from it shall be a greater benefit than that out of Egypt. The consolation is incidental here ; the prominent thought is the severity of their punisliment, so great that their rescue from it will be greater than that from Egypt [CalVXNJ; so the context, u. 13, 17,18, proves (ch. 23. 7, 8; Isaiah
!urs, Acts 2. 13, 15,18. 18. (Ch. 30.15.) "Pain," viz., the perpetual persecution to which he was exposed, and his being left by God without consolation and "alone." Contrast his feeling here with that In v. 16, when he enjoyed t!ie full presence of God, and was inspired by His words. Therefore he utters words of his natural " infirmity" (so David, Psalm 77. 10) here; as before he spake under the liiglier spiritual nature given him. as a liar, auii as—ratlier, "as a deceiving (river) . . . waters that are not sure" (lasting); opposed to " living (perennial) waters" (Job 6. 15, Ac.). Streams tliat the thirsty traveller had calculated on being full in winter, but which disappoint him in his sorest need, having run dry in the heat of summer. Jeliovah liad promised Jei'emiah protection from liis enemies (ch. 1. 18, 19); his infirmity suggests that God had
4:3. 18). 15. tlie north—Chaldea. But whilst the return from Babylon is primarily meant, the return lierealter is tlie full and Hnal accomplishment contemplated, as " from all tlie lands" proves. "Jsraei " was not, save in a very limited sense, " gathered from all the lands " at the return from Babylon (ef. ch. 24. 6; 30.3; Z2. lr>, Notes). 16. send for—translate, " I will send many;" "I will give the commission to many " (2 Chronicles 17. 7). tishers . . . Imnters—successive invaders of Judea (Amos 4. 2; Habakkuk failed to do so. 19. God's reply to Jeremiah, return . . . bring . . . again—Jeremiah, by his Impatient language, liad left Iiis proper posture towards God ; Godsaith, "If thou wilt return (to thy former patient discharge of thy proplietic function) I will bring thee back" to thy former position: jn the Hebrew there is a play of words, '^return.. . turn again" {ch.^.i; 4.1). stand before me—minister aqceptably to me (Deuteronomy 10.8; 1 Kings 17,1; IS. 15). take . . . precions from . . . vile — image from metals: "If thou wilt separate what is precious in thee (tlie Divine graces imparted) from what is vile (thy natural corrup-
1. 14, 15). So "net" (Ezekiel 1'2. 13). As to "hunters," see Genesis 10.9; Micah7. 2; the Chaldees were famous in hunting, as the Egyptians, the otlier enemy of Judea, were in fishing. " Fisliers " expresses the ease of their victory over the Jews as that of the angler over fishes; " hunters," the keenness of their pursuit of them into every cave and nook. It is remarkable, the same image is used in a good sense of the Jews' restoration, implying that Just as their enemies were employed by God to take them in hand for destruction, so the same shall be employed for their restoration (Ezekiel 47. 9, 10). Sospiritually, those once enemies by nature (fixliennen many of them literally) were employed by God to be heralds of salvation, "catching men " tions, impatience, and hasty words), thou shalt be as my moatii :" my mouthpiece (Exodus 4. 1(3). return not tliou unto tUem—let not them lead you into their profane ways
(as Jeremiah had spoken irreverently, v. 18), but lead thou them to the ways of godliness (v. 16, 17). Ezekiel 22. 26 accords witli the other interpretation, which, however, does not so well suit the context, " If thou wilt separate from the promiscuous mass the better ones, and lead them to conversion by faitliful warnings," &c. 30, The promise of ch. 1. 18, 19, in almost the same words, but with the addition, adapted to the present attacks of Jeremiali's foraiidalde enemies, " I will deliver thee out of . . . wicked for life (Matthew 4. 19; Luke 5. 10; Acts 2. 41; 4. 4) ; cf. here ti. 19, "the Gentiles shall come unto thee" (2 Corinthians. . . redeem . . . terrible;" tlie repetition is in order to assure Jeremiah that God is tJie same now as when He first made the promise, in opposition to the propliet's irreverent accusation of unfaitlifulness {v. 18).
12.16). 17. (Ch. 32.19; Proverbs 5.21; 15.3.) their iniquity—the cause of God's judgments on them. 18. first. . . double—HoKSLBY translates, " I will recompense, Ac, once and again;" lit., the first tine repeated: alluding to the two captivities—the Babylonian and the Roman. Mauker, "I will recompense their former iniquities (those long ago committed by their fathers)and their (own) repeated sins" (v. 11,12). English Version gives a good sense, "First (before " I bring them again into their laud "),
CHAPTEE XVI.
Ver. 1-21. CoxTiNUATioN of the previous Prophecy.
jj. in tliis place — in Judea. The direction to remain single was (whether literally obeyed, or only in prophetic vision) to symbolize the coming calamities of the Jews (Ezckicl 21. 1,5-27) as so severe that tlie single state would be then (contrary lo the ordinary course of things) preferable to the married (of. I Corinthians 7. 8; 26. 29; Matthew 21.19; Luke 23.29). 4. grievous deaths — rather, dead/!/ tliseases (cli. 15. 2). not . . . lamented—so many Shall be the -sliiin (ch. 22. 18.) dung—(Psalm 83. 10.) 5. fEzekiel 24. 17, 22, 'A) house of mourning—(Mark 5. 38.) Margin, mourning-feust ; sucli feasts were usual at funerals. The Jleljrew means, in Amos 6. 7, the cry of joy at a banquet; lu'i e, and Lamentations 2. 19, the crj/ o/ sorrou). O. cni themselves—Indicating extravagant grief (ch. 41.5;
I will doubly (i. e., fully and amply, ch. 17. 18; Isaiah 40. 2) recompense," &c. carcasses—not sweet-smelling sacrificps acceptable to God, but " ca7-casses " of Tered to idols, an offensive odour to God ; human victims (cli. 19. 5; E/.ekiel
16. 20), and unclean animals (Isaiah 05. 4; 66. 17). JlAUitER explains it, " the carcasses " of tlie idols: their images void of sense and life. Cf. v. 19, 20. Leviticus 26. 30 favours this. 19, ao. The result of God's judgments on the Jews will be that both the Jews when restored, and the Gentiles who have witnessed those judgments, shall renounce idolatry for the worship of Jehovah. Fulfilled partly at the return from Baliylon, after which the Jews entirely renounced idols, and many proselytes were gathered In from the Gentiles, but not to lie realized in its fulness till the final restoration of Israel (Isaiah 2). ao. Indignant protest of Jeremiah against Idols, and they are no gods —(Ch. 2. 11; Isaiah 37. 19; Galatlans 4. 8.) "They" refers to the Idols. A man (a creature himself) making Ooti
47. 5), prohibited by the law (Leviticus 19. 28). bald—(Ch. 7.29; Isaiah 22. 12). 7. tear themselves—rather, "break bread," viz., that eaten at the funeral-feast (Deuteronomy
26. 14; Job 42. U; Ezekiel 24. 17; Hosea 9. 4). "Bread" Is to be supplied, as Lamentations 4.4; cf. "take" (food) (Genesis 42. 33). give . . . cup of consolation . . . for
Is a contradict Ion in terms. Vulgate takes "they" thus: "Shall m.an make f/oftv, though men themselves are not gods?" iJl. Tlierefore—In order that all may be turned from Idols lo Jeliovah, He will now give awful proof of His Divine power In the Judgments lie will iiilllet. this onco—If the punlslimeuts 1 have heretofore Inflicted have. , . father—It was the Oriental custom for friends to send viands an<l wine (the "cup of consolation") to console relativ(>K in inournlng-feastH, e.g., children under the death of a "lather "or "mother." 8. house of feasting —Joyous: as distinguished from mourning-feasts, Have 523