Commentary on Jeremiah Volume 1 John Calvin (continued)
COMMENTARY ON JEREMIAH
lieving than in the chosen people of God.'' This does not shew but that he afterwards continued a long time in the discharge of his office; for the prophets, inflamed with zeal for God, often threatened the people with utter ruin, and afterwards performed their charge and tried whether they, of whom they seemed to despair, were healable.
He says that besiegers would come from a far country. Some render {,}נצריםnetserim, keepers; and they think that Jeremiah alludes to Nebuchadnezzar, because his captains would come to destroy Jerusalem and to demolish the cities of Judah. But I prefer to render the word ``besiegers.'' Though some think that {,}נצרnetser, sometimes means to destroy or lay waste; yet the other meaning seems more suitable, as it appears evident from the next verse. To render it keepers, seems to be frigid; though this is what is done almost by all. I render it ``besiegers,'' --- Come then shall besiegers; for {,}נצרnetser, means not only to keep, but also to shut up in a strait place. Come, he says, shall besiegers from a far country. He used these expressions, that the people might not promise themselves impunity, as it has been before stated, through the forbearance of God: for when God deferred his vengeance, they thought themselves relieved from all fear. Hence he says, that though the enemy was not as yet present, though they did not as yet hear the sound of the coming enemy, God at the same time did not threaten them in vain; for he would in an instant send for those from a distant land, who would execute his vengeance.
What follows, they shall send forth their voice against the cities of Judah, is added, in order that the Jews might know that they could by no hindrances prevent God from bringing quickly the Chaldeans to terrify their cities by their sound. What he indeed means is the shout by which soldiers rouse one another to fight: but as this is commonly done as a sign of victory, he intimates that it was all over with the Jews; for the soldiers had as it were already uttered their triumphant shoutings. 113 It follows ---
Jeremiah 4:17
17. As keepers of a field, are they against her round about; because she hath been rebellious against me, saith the Lord.
17. Sicuti custodes (est aliud nomen quam prius {),}שמריםagri erunt super eam in circuitu; quia me exacerbarit, dicit Jehova.
He intimates here that there would be no escape to the Jews when God brought the Chaldeans, for every egress, all the ways, would be closed up, so that they could not migrate to another land. It is the same as though he had said, that such a calamity was nigh them that they could not escape it by exile, it is indeed a sad thing when men flee away naked as from the fire, and seek a place among strangers, and live there in misery and want; but the Prophet declares here, that so grievous was the punishment prepared for the Jews, that it would not indeed be possible for them to save themselves by expatriation and flight, for God would close up every avenue, and would as it were set guards to prevent any to depart.
113To make this verse consistent with the context, I render it as follows, — Mention ye the nations, (and say,) "Behold them!" Repeat at Jerusalem, "The watchers are coming from a distant land, And shall raise against the cities of Judah their voice." It is not improbable that {{עלhere means ``over,'' and that the ``voice'' means a triumphant shout, as Calvin seems to have thought. Then we may give this rendering, --- And shall raise over the cities of Judah their shout. --- Ed.