Commentary on Jeremiah and Lamentations Volume 2 John Calvin
JOHN CALVIN
fed them forty years in the desert, he had bestowed on them many benefits. For with what victories favored he them? and then how often had he pitied them? God then ceased not from continuing his mercy to them from the time he had stretched forth his hand to them. And according to this view it is very appropriately said, that he had prolonged his mercy; for not only for one day or one year did he shew himself propitious to the Israelites, but he had exhibited himself the same for four hundred, five hundred, six hundred years. And thus also is best confuted that impiety and blasphemy of the people, that God had formerly appeared to them; ``Nay,'' he says, ``except thou suppressest most wickedly my benefits, thou must perceive that the benefits I conferred on thy fathers have been long extended to thee, and have been perpetual and manifold.'' 248
We now perceive the real meaning of the Prophet. Were any to prefer turning the preterite to the future, I would not object, ``Therefore will I prolong (or extend) towards thee my mercy.'' This sense would be suitable. But when the words are taken as they are, we see why the Prophet adds, that God's mercy had been prolonged, that is, that he might condemn the ingratitude of the Jews, because they did not rightly consider the benefits which had been bestowed on them for so many ages.
It follows ---
Jeremiah 31:4
4. Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry.
4. Adhuc aedificabo to, et aedificaberis, puella Israel: adhuc ornaberis tympanis tuis, et exibis in choros ludentium.
Jeremiah, in this verse, proceeds with the same subject, --- that though there would be the long time of seventy years, yet God would become the liberator of his Church. Length of time might have extinguished the faith of the people, as it is too commonly the case: for when nothing appears to us but the naked word, and when God repeats the same promises from day to day, we think it of no moment; and then when some evil has been prevailing, we think that all ways have been already closed up, so that God cannot bring a remedy; we thus measure his power by our own standard: and as he comes late to help us, because he suffers men to be long afflicted with disease or other evils, so we imagine that God will never come, when he suspends and delays his favor longer than we wish.
Hence the Prophet says here, I will yet build thee, and built shalt thou be, virgin of Israel; and then, thou shalt yet be adorned with thy tabrets Joy is here set in opposition to the grief with which the people were to be oppressed in exile, and in part had been already oppressed, for many had been driven into exile. But Jeremiah
248I find nothing satisfactory as to this verse, except the explanation here given, and it is that of the Targum. The first clause is the people's cavilling answer to what is declared in the foregoing verse. Jacob is the person introduced, as representing the people. He says, it is indeed true, — "At a remote period Jehovah appeared to me." Then the rejoinder to this is exactly suitable, — But with perpetual love have I loved thee, Therefore have I prolonged to thee mercy. Or, "extended to thee mercy," (see Psalm 109:12,) or, "continued to thee mercy," or, according to Blayney, "lengthened out mercy to thee." Now there is a consistency in the whole passage, according to this view, and also in what follows, "I will again build thee," etc. — Ed.