Commentary on Jeremiah Volume 1 John Calvin (continued)
JOHN CALVIN
he shows that they were wholly to perish, so as no more to rise again. We indeed know that sometimes those who are most grievously afflicted retain some remnants of strength, and are at length restored to their former vigor; but the Prophet shews that the approaching calamity would be wholly irremediable. It is no objection to say, that God a. fterwards restored the people, and that the city and the temple were rebuilt, for all this was nothing to the ungodly men of that age, as their memory wholly perished. A curse and God's vengeance remained on the heads of those who thus continued obstinate in their wickedness; and hence those who returned from exile are said in Psalm 102:19, to have been a people created again, as though they rose up as new men, ``A people, who shall be created, shall praise the Lord.''
He then says, Buried shall they be, in Tophet, for there will be no place elsewhere 477 They had chosen that place at a time when they thought that they had some evidence of God's favor, and a cause for joy; but he declares that that place would be filled with dead bodies, for they would flee in great numbers into the city, which afterwards would become so full of dead bodies that no room for burial could be found except in Topher. It follows ---
Jeremiah 19:12
12. Thus will I do unto this place, saith the LORD, and to the inhabitants thereof, and even make this city as Tophet:
12. Sic faciam loco huic, dicit Jehova, et incolis ejus; et ad ponendum (et ponam) urbem hanc sicut Thopheth.
As he had said before that the valley would be the place of slaughter, that thence it might take its name, so now he declares the same as to the city; ``As then Tophet shall be the valley of slaughter, so shall Jerusalem be.'' 478 They were no doubt kindled into rage (as we shall see in the next chapter) on hearing this prophecy; but yet God purposed, however irreclaimable and refractory they were, to let them know what was approaching, and though they did not believe the words of the Prophet, God touched and even deeply wounded their consciences, so that before the event came they were miserable. For the same purpose he adds ---
Jeremiah 19:13
13. And the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the kings of Judah, shall be defiled as the place of Tophet, because of all the houses upon whose roofs they have burned incense unto all the host of heaven, and have poured out drink offerings unto other gods.
13. Et erunt domus Hierusalem et domus regum Jehudah, sicut locus Thopheth immundae; ad omnes domos in quibus suffitum fecerunt super tecta eorum universae militiae coelorum, et libarunt libamen diis alienis.
He describes, as I have said, more at large what he had briefly expressed, for he had spoken of the city; but as the belief of that was difficult, he now enumerates
477This is evidently the meaning, and not that given in our version. See note in vol. 1, p. 415. — Ed.
478The ellipsis in the last clause is what often occurs in Hebrew; it may be supplied in our language by that, — "Thus will I do to this place, saith Jehovah, and to its inhabitants, and that to make this city like Tophet." The full sentence is, "and thus will I do to make," etc. — Ed.