Commentary on Jeremiah Volume 1 John Calvin
JOHN CALVIN
adds ---
Jeremiah 17:26
26. And they shall come from the cities of Judah, and from the places about Jerusalem, and from the land of Benjamin, and from the plain, and from the mountains, and from the south, bringing burnt offerings, and sacrifices, and meat offerings, and incense, and bringing sacrifices of praise, unto the house of the LORD.
26. Et venient ex urbibus Jehudah, et ex circuitibus (hoc est, ex toto circuitu)
Jerusalem, et ex terra Benjamin, et ex planitie, et ex monte (hoc est, ex montibus, vel, regionibus montanis,) et a meridie, afferentes holocaustum, sacrificium, et oblationem {}מנחהet thus, et afferentes confessionem (vel, laudem,) in domum Jehovae.
Here he mentions the second part of the blessing; for the whole people would be preserved safe in the possession of their kingdom and priesthood, as in both the favor of God appeared; for both the king and the priest were types of Christ. For as by the priesthood they knew that God was propitious to them, they being reconciled to him by sacrifices, and as by the kingdom they knew that God was the protector and guardian of their safety, so these two things constituted a real and complete happiness. Hence the Prophet, having mentioned one of these things, now proceeds to the other, ---
They shall come from the cities of Judah ad from the whole circuit of Jerusalem, and from the land of Benjamin, and from other places, to offer sacrifices in the Temple. Sacrifices of themselves could not indeed serve the people; but Jeremiah assumed this principle, --- that reconciliation was not in vain promised to the people by the sacrifices; for sins were really atoned, and Godas it were came forth to gather a people for himself. It was the same as though God said, that he would by all means be gracious to them, if only they observed the Sabbath, that is, if they with a pure heart devoted themselves to his service. The country, as I have said, was in a great measure laid waste; but the Prophet, after having spoken of the city, now adds, that all Judea would become inhabited, for from thence they would ascend to the Temple to offer sacrifices. After having mentioned the whole circuit, he names the land of Benjamin, the half tribe of whom, as it is well known, had continued in the faith, and had not separated from the family of David; indeed a part of the city was in the tribe of Benjamin.
He afterwards adds, the plain and the mountains, as though he had said, God's worshippers would come from all the neighboring region to celebrate the feasts and to offer sacrifices as usual.
At last he mentions burnt-offering, sacrifice, and oblation, {,}מנחהmeneche; the three principal offerings. But Jeremiah wished to shew briefiy that God would cause religion to flourish and prevail among them as before. But after having spoken of the external worship, he then refers to the end, They shall bring, he says, confession, or praise, {,}תודהtude, into the Temple. 447 Here by one word Jeremiah includes the 447It is more consistent with the rest of the passage to regard this word as meaning "sacrifice of praise," or thanksgiving, or confession. There were sacrifices of this kind especially prescribed; see Leviticus 7:12-15, and the word is often taken in this sense, without the word "sacrifice" being connected with it. Offerings according to the Law are the things which are here mentioned: and the same verb "bring," precedes {{תודהas in the previous instances, when ``burnt-offering, sacrifice,'' etc., are named. The Septuagint, as in many other instances, give only a verbal translation, ``praise;'' ``oblation,'' is the Vulgate;