Commentary on Jeremiah Volume 1 John Calvin
JOHN CALVIN
the blood of thine only-begotten Son. --- Amen.
Lecture Seventeenth
Jeremiah 4:23-26
23. I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.
23. Vidi terram, et ecce vasta et deformis, et coelos, et nulla lux eorum:
24. I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly.
24. Vidi montes, et ecce contremiscentes (contremiscebant), et omnes colles movebantur:
25. I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled.
25. Vidi, et ecce nullus homo, et omnes aves coelorum evolaverant:
26. I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the Lord, and by his fierce anger.
26. Vidi, et ecce regio foecunda (vel, carmelus) desertum, et omnes urbes ejus destructae a facie Jehovae, et a facie excandescentiae irae ejus.
The Prophet in this passage enlarges in a language highly metaphorical on the terror of God's vengeance, that he might rouse the Jews, who were stupid and careless: nor is the repetition in vain, when he says four times, that he looked. He might have spoken of the earth, heaven, men, and fertile places in one sentence: but it is the same as though he had turned his eyes to four different quarters, and said, that wherever he looked, there appeared to him dreadful tokens of God's wrath, and which threatened the Jews with utter ruin. Nor is it a wonder that the Prophet is so vehement; for we know that men would have heedlessly received all threatenings, except they were violently roused. And this mode of teaching ought to be well known to us; for all in any degree acquainted with the writings of the prophets, must know that they especially pursued this course, in order to rouse hypocrites, and the despisers of God, who, with a stiff neck and a hardened heart, were not moved by any apprehension of punishment. But this passage is remarkable above most others: we ought therefore to consider the import of the Prophet's words.
He says first, that he looked on the earth, and that it was {,}תהוteu, and {,}בהו beu. He employs the very words which Moses adopted in his history of the creation; for before any order was introduced, he says that the earth was {,}תהוteu, and {,}בהוbeu, that is, waste and unformed chaos; and it had no beauty pleasing to the eye. 119 It is the same as though He had said, that the order, which had been so 119These two words are viewed as synonymous by some, and the versions render them often by the same terms. As to the first, {,{תהוthere can be no doubt as to its meaning, for it occurs about twenty times, and in all these places the idea of emptiness is chiefly conveyed: hence it is most commonly rendered in our version, vain, vanity, in vain, nought, etc., 1 Samuel 12:21; Isaiah 40:17; Isaiah 45:18; Isaiah 49:4. It is improperly rendered ``without form,`` in Genesis 1:2, and ``confusion'' in Isaiah 34:11. When applied to the earth, as in Genesis 1:2, it imports emptiness, as it was then unfurnished either with productions or with any inhabitants. This appears evident from Isaiah 45:18, ``He created it not in vain,`` rather, ``not empty did he create it --- {}תהו-{`` }בראה{;'' }לאhe formed it to be inhabited,`` or more literally, ``for a habitation he formed it.'' As to the other word, ,{}בווit only occurs three times, Genesis 1:2; Isaiah 34:11; and here. As the former evidently means emptiness, this may be taken to mean confusion or chaos, according to Symmachus, ``{συγκεχυμένη}, --- confused.'' Then the right rendering here would be, --- 23. I looked on the land, And behold emptiness and confusion; And towards the heavens, And they were without their light. It is not the earth, but the land of Judea is what is meant. The whole passage being so striking, shall be here given, --- 24. I looked at the mountains, And, behold, they were shaking, And all the hills made quick motions: 25. I looked, and, behold, there was no man; And every bird of heaven had fled away: 26. I looked, and, behold, Carmel a desert; And all its cities had been demolished By the presence of Jehovah, By the indignation of his wrath. The