Commentary on Jeremiah and Lamentations Volume 2 John Calvin (continued)
JOHN CALVIN
the Prophet made a distinction between husbandmen and keepers of sheep; but this seems to me unsuitable; for I doubt not but that he means that husbandmen with their flocks and herds would be secure, having no fear of the inroads of enemies, but living in the land under the care and protection of God, without apprehending anything adverse or hostile to them. The meaning is, that the restoration of the Church would be such, that its state would not be worse than in former ages, and that it would be in a peaceable and quiet condition, so that the inhabitants of the villages and country places would not be less secure than those in cities. 272
Now, were any one to ask, when was this fulfilled? We must bear in mind what has been said elsewhere, --- that the Prophets, when speaking of the restoration of the Church, included the whole kingdom of Christ from the beginning to the end. And in this our divines go astray, so that by confining these promises to some particular time, they are compelled to fly to allegories; and thus they wrest, and even pervert all the prophecies. But the Prophets, as it has been said, include the whole progress of Christ's kingdom when they speak of the future redemption of the people. The people began to do well when they returned to their own country; but soon after distresses came as Daniel had predicted. It was, therefore, necessary for them to look for the coming of Christ. We now taste of these benefits of God as long as we are in the world. We hence see that these prophecies are not accomplished in one day, or in one year, no, not even in one age, but ought to be understood as referring to the beginning and the end of Christ's kingdom. It follows, ---
Jeremiah 31:25
25. For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul.
25. Quia irrigabo (vel, inebriabo) animam sitientem, et Omnem animam quae deficit implebo.
By this verse he removes every doubt, lest any one should reject what he had promised as to the restoration of the people, because the Jews and the Israelites were at the time as dead men. He therefore says, I will water the thirsty soul; some render it ``the weary soul;'' but {,}נפש{ }עיפהnupesh oiphe, is often taken metaphorically for a thirsty soul. So in Psalm 143:6, it is said, ``I am as a dry land;'' weariness cannot be suitably applied to land; and in Isaiah 29:8, we have these words, ``As one dreaming he thinks that he eats; afterwards, when awake, his soul is empty: and as one who thinks that he drinks,'' etc. The Prophet employs there the same word, because there is hardly ever weariness without thirst; we contract thirst by weariness. Then the soul is said to be {,}עיפהoiphe, by a metaphor, not weary, but on the contrary thirsty; and the 272Blaney renders the verse, thus, — And Judah shall dwell in it and all his cities, Husbandmen together, and they shall go about with flocks. Like Calvin he takes "cities" for citizens; but still there is an inappropriateness in the words. I regard the word "land" as understood before "Judah," — And dwell in it, the land of Judah, And in all his cities together, Shall husbandmen; and they shall remove with their flocks. See Jeremiah 33:12,13, where the meaning of what is here said is made more evident "Remove," that is, from place to place, as the word means, for the purpose of feeding their flocks. This betokened a state of liberty and of security. — Ed.