Commentary on Jeremiah and Lamentations Volume 2 John Calvin (continued)
JOHN CALVIN
even that God would forgive his people, because he had once chosen them.
But still when I narrowly weigh everything, I think the meaning of the Prophet to be different. I therefore separate the two clauses, ``From the time I spake with him,'' and, ``Remembering I will yet remember him;'' for the sentence is harsh, when we say, ``From the time I spake with him,'' and then add, ``I will yet remember him.''
But the exposition, the most suitable in my opinion, is this, ``From the time I spake with him,'' (for {}בmeans with) that is, I desisted not continually to exhort him to repentance, and yet I effected nothing; notwithstanding I will still remember him; that is, ``Though I have found this people very perverse, and though they have long given many proofs of their obstinacy, for I have spoken to them for a long time, nevertheless I will still remember them.'' For the people deserved eternal ruin who had been so often warned; but God declares that he would still be propitious to them, though he had spoken to them for a time, that is, a long time; for he had not ceased for a long space of time to exhort that people by his Prophets, but with no success.
So then I read the words, ``From the time I spake with him,'' separately from what follows, and connect them with the former clauses, ``Is he a precious son? Is he a child of delight?'' For he complains that they had been rebellious and untameable, not only from the time he had only once addressed them and sought to do them good, but for several ages. He therefore declares that the people themselves had no hope, because they had been intractable for a long time. He yet adds, though it was so, Remembering I will still remember him 266
And he enhances the benefit of this reconciliation, and says, Therefore sounded have my bowels for him, 267 pitying I will pity him Here God ascribes to himself human feelings; for the bowels are moved and make a noise under immoderate grief; and we sigh and groan deeply, when we are pressed down by great sorrow. So also when God expresses the feelings of a tender father, he says that his bowels made a noise, because he wished to receive his people again into favor. This, indeed, does not properly belong to God; but as he could not otherwise express the greatness of his love towards us, he thus speaks in condescension to our capacities. It follows ---
Jeremiah 31:21
21. Set thee up waymarks, make thee high heaps: set thine heart toward the highway, even the way which thou wentest: turn again, O virgin of Israel, turn again to these thy cities.
21. Statue tibi titulos, pone tibi acervos, adjice (vel, applica) cor tuum ad semitam, ad viam per quam ambulasti; revertere virgo Israel, revertere ad urbes tuas
266This verse has been variously explained. The two questions are taken by Calvin and by others as strong negatives: but this is not always the ease; both {{הand {}אםare often taken as strong affirmatives. See Jeremiah 3:6; 1 Samuel 2:27; Ezekiel 20:30; Amos 6:2. This sense is what the context requires; for this verse is an answer to penitent Ephraim. Neither the Sept., nor the Vulg., nor the Syr., nor the Targ. retain the interrogatory form: but they retain the meaning, if the questions be taken affirmatively, not otherwise. The next words I render thus, --- For since my words are in him, Remembering I will still remember him. This is according to the Sept., and the general drift of the Targ. The Syr. gives another meaning, --- For at the time when I speak against him, Remembering I still remember him. There are no other versions which come so near to the original. --- Ed.
267The word for "sounded," means to tumultuate, to be agitated, to be greatly moved or disturbed. It is rendered by the Vulg., "are troubled — conturbata;" by the Syr. and Targ., "are moved." It may be rendered "trouble" here. See Isaiah 16:1 l, where the action of the bowels is compared to the harp, not surely to its sound, but to the vibration of its cords. See also Isaiah 63:15, and Cant. v. 4. — Ed.
JEREMIAH AND LAMENTATIONS
istas.
He describes what mercy would do, even that God would at length restore the captives and bring them back from exile to their own country. There was however mention made previously of his favor, that we may know that the people were restored for no other reason but because God had mercy on them. The Prophet then having pointed out the fountain of redemption, passes on now to the external effect, by which God proved that he was reconciled to his people. Hence he says, set up for thee titles
We must first understand why the Prophet speaks thus. When the Jews were led away into Chaldea, they thought that a return was closed up against them. Having then given up every concern for their country, they dwelt among foreign nations, as though they were dead to the land of Canaan. They knew that they had forfeited that land; but they did not understand what had been so often said to them by the Prophets, that their punishment was to be temporary. As they had before disregarded all threatenings, so when God began to fulminate against them, despair overwhelmed their minds, so that they did not wish to hear anything about a return.
As then they thought that they were never to return to their own country, they had forgotten the way. As when one moves to another place where he intends to dwell all his life, he only seeks to know the way thither, but does not observe the accommodations on the road, in order to use them again, nor does he take notice which way he goes, whether he turns here to the right and there to the left; it is enough for him to reach the place to which he is going; so also it was with the Jews; they had made up their minds to remain in perpetual exile, they were not therefore solicitous about the road, so as to remember their journey. Therefore the Prophet says now, Set up for thee titles, or inscriptions; for those who travel anywhere, if they mean to return, know that such an inn was commodious, and also that there was so much distance between this town or city and that village, and in like manner, that the road was straight or turned more to one side than another. When therefore they think of a return, they attend to such things as these.
It is for this purpose that the Prophet says, Set up for thee titles, that is, that thou mayest assist thy memory, as travelers are wont to do, who intend to return by the same way. Set up then for thee titles, and raise up for thee heaps, or stones, which we call in our language monioyes; as though he had said, ``Thou indeed hast hitherto thought that the way has been closed up against thee, so that thou art to return no more: but God will stretch forth his hand and restore thee to thy former state.'' We hence see that the similitude is taken from the common practice of men, but employed for this end, that the Jews might not despair of their restoration as they had previously don. 268
He then says, Apply thy heart --- he now explains himself --- apply thy heart to the 268Raise up for thyself heaps, Fix for thyself pillars. Instead of {{ציניםmany copies read {}ציוניםsee 2
Kings 23:17; Ezekiel 39:15. That {}תמרוריםcannot mean ``bitternesses,'' as rendered by the Vulg. and the Targ., is evident from the verb that precedes it, which means to place, to set, to fix. {}תמרis the palm-tree; the word then means palm-tree pillars, or pillars straight and high as the palm-tree. The remainder of the verse is as follows, --- Set thy heart on the highway, The way thou didst go; Return, O virgin of Israel, return, To thy cities ascend. The word for ``highway'' means a raised road, a road prepared for travelling. The ``virgin'' here signifies one that is of an age to be married. When Israel repented, they were in a fit state to be united to God, as their husband. The last line is rendered according to the proposed emendation of Houbigant and approved by Horsley, {}עלהinstead of, {}אלהwhich seems to have no meaning. --- Ed