Commentary on Jeremiah Volume 1 John Calvin
COMMENTARY ON JEREMIAH
there and make no difference between men known or unknown. He shews in the last place, that all this happened through mere obstinacy; for they had cast aside every regard for God, though he had given them his law, and sent the prophets as its faithful interpreters, so that they understood what God approved and what was just and right. The reason then why they went astray was, that they closed their ears to God's word, and suffered not themselves to be ruled by it, but became wholly unteachable. Let us go on ---
Jeremiah 3:14
14. Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:
14. Revertimini filii rebelles, dieit Jehova, quoniam ego maritus vester (vel, dominatus sum in vobis, ut alii vertunt; alii, taedio affectus sum in vobis; dicemus postea de hoc verbo,) et assumam vos, unum e civitate, et duos e familia (vel, cognatione, vel, tribu,) et addueam vos in Sion.
Jeremiah repeats the same thing in other words; but God by so many words shews clearer how ready he would be to grant pardon, provided the Israelites really repented. It would have been enough for God to testify once, that he would be reconcilable, but seeing that they were slow and hard to believe, he proceeds in the same strain. It is a wonderful forbearance and kindness that God, finding his favor neglected, and as it were rejected through the sloth of men, should yet persevere, and invite them again and again. What man would thus patiently bear the loathing of his favor and kindness? But we see that God does not immediately reject the tardy and the slothful, but adds new stimulants that he might at length move them, though this may seem more than necessary. How great is our torpidity? Were not God daily to urge us, how little attention would any of us give to his admonitions?
It is, therefore, no wonder that he, pardoning our tardiness, should again and again invite us to repentance; which we find is done continually in the Church.
This, then, is the reason why the Prophet now repeats the same thing, Return, now, ye rebellious children; for he had said before, ``Return, thou rebellious Israel.''
He then adds, For I am a husband to you Some regard {}בעלbol, in the sense of being wearied, when found as here, {}בעלתי{ }בכםbolti beke*m, ``I have been wearied by you:'' but this meaning does not comport with this passage. 84 More correctly, then, have others rendered the words, ``I am lord to you: ``but this lord is not to be taken indefinitely as in Latin, for it properly means a husband, who is a lord to his wife. God, then, no doubt, continues the same comparison, that of a marriage, which has already been often mentioned; for he charges the Israelites with adultery, because they had departed from him. Hence it is that he says, I am your husband*
He had previously said, ``Though a person, when he repudiates his wife, and she be married to another, will never again be reconciled to her; yet I am ready to forgive your perfidy and wantonness: only observe chastity hereafter, and I will deal kindly with you.'' Similar is this passage, ``I am your husband,'' though I have repudiated
84Nor is there an instance of such a meaning. Literally it is, "For I have been married with (or to) thee." When this verb is followed by {,{כas in Jeremiah 31:32, this is its meaning; but when followed by ,{}לas in 1 Chronicles 4:22, it means to rule, to exercise dominion. The Vulgate is, ``For I am thy husband.'' The Targum gives the meaning, ``For I have chosen you.'' The Septuagint went astray, ``For I will rule over you.'' --- Ed