Commentary on Jeremiah Volume 1 John Calvin
COMMENTARY ON JEREMIAH
9. An avis picta (vel, tineta, aut, colorata) hrereditas mea mihi? an avis in circuitu super earn? Venite, colligite vos (alii transitive acdipiunt, congregate omnes bestias, sed subaudiendum est, congregate vos) omnes bestiae agri (hoc est, onmes bestiae agrestes) venite ad devorandum ipsam.
The beginning of this verse is variously explained, Some think that a kind of bird is here meant, which has various colors, one variegated, which excites all other birds against itself; but this is without meaning. Others are of the opinion, and the greater part too, that birds tinged with blood were against his heritage. They hence thus explain the words, ``Is a bird, tinged,'' that is; with blood, ``my heritage,'' that is, about my heritage; ``is there a bird around it? They consider both clauses to be of the same meaning; and hence they think that the same thing is repeated in different words, that birds were flying against the Jews, like those which are drawn by the smell of carcases, and which come in great numbers, that each may have a part; and then, wild beasts follow them. But I approve of neither of these explanations; nor indeed have they even the appearance of being correct.
I therefore think that the people are now compared to foreign birds, as they were before to lions; as though he had said, --- ``I had chosen this people for myself, that they might be my friends, as birds which are wont to be gathered into their own cages, as sheep into their own folds, and as oxen, and other animals which are tamed, keep within their own enclosures. So when I gathered this people, I thought that they would be to me like domesticated sheep; but now they are like speckled birds; that is, like wild birds, or birds of the wood.'' For I have no doubt but that by a speckled or colored bird is to be understood a strange bird, which by its novel appearance excites the attention of men. Is then a variegated bird, or a bird of the wood, become mine heritage? Questions, we know, were often used by the Hebrews; and the Prophet here simply affirms the fact; and as God had said before, that his heritage was become like a lion in the forest, so he adds now, that his heritage was like a speckled bird. A question has much more power and force than a simple declaration; for God assumes here the character of one in astonishment, --- ``What does this mean, that my heritage should become to me like some bird from the wood, or a foreign bird?'' He then adds, All birds then shall be around and all beasts of the field 320
We now see how fitly the words of the Prophet run; God had complained that his heritage was like a lion in the forest, and also like a wild and foreign bird; and now he says, Then all birds wiIl fly to the prey and all the beasts of the field; as though he had said, --- ``Since they have dared to act thus wantonly, and have dared to assail my servants like wild beasts, and have also become wild birds which cannot be tamed, I will shew what they will gain by their ferocity; for I will now send for all the birds of 320The most literal rendering of the verse is as follows, — 9. Is not my heritage to me a stripped bird of prey? Is there not a bird of prey around against it? Come, assemble, every beast of the field; Hasten ye to devour. The versions and the Targum all differ, and are wholly unsatisfactory. Some, as Venema, agreeably with our version, retain not the questionary form in the two first lines, and render them thus, — A stripped bird of prey is my heritage to me; A bird of prey is around against it. The meaning is the same; but the {{הbefore ``bird of prey,'' or rapacious bird, seems to favor the interrogation. The ,{}צבועstripped or speckled, is a participle, and not the name of a ravenous bird,'' as Blayney thinks, is evident from its location, for it follows the word ,{}עיטa rapacious bird: it would have otherwise preceded it. The Vulgate renders it ``discolored --- diversely colored,'' and the Syriac is the same. --- Ed