JEREMIAH CHAPTER 19 Under the type of breaking a potter's vessel is
foreshown the desolation of the Jews for their sins committed in the
valley of Hinnom and elsewhere. Critics dispute the figure and fashion
of this BOTTLE; (see the English Annotations, and Mr. Pool's Latin
Synopsis;) but that is no... [ Continue Reading ]
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GO FORTH UNTO THE VALLEY OF THE SON OF HINNOM: we shall hereafter hear
why God commanded Jeremiah to go thither, rather than to another
place, to break this earthen pot. This valley was a place very near
unto Jerusalem, of which one Hinnom was owner in Joshua's time, JOSHUA
15:8, JOSHUA 18:1... [ Continue Reading ]
That is, a very great evil; it is a Hebrew way of expression, which we
also find 1 SAMUEL 3:11 2 KINGS 21:12. As a very great glaring light
affects our eyes, and blindeth them, so a very great sound affecteth
the ear, and makes it tingle, and for some time deaf. This God
commandeth the prophet to pr... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE THEY HAVE FORSAKEN ME; the laws, statutes, and ordinances
which God had given them, to direct them both in their religious
behaviour towards him, and in their civil conversations. HAVE
ESTRANGED THIS PLACE; either this city, or this temple, (which stood
very nigh to this valley,) or this par... [ Continue Reading ]
This and the following verse contain another great sin of this people,
with the punishment which God proportioneth to it. The sin in the
general was idolatry, but a most barbarous species of it, mentioned
also JEREMIAH 7:31, JEREMIAH 32:35, where it is said they made their
sons and their daughters p... [ Continue Reading ]
For this God, by his prophet, threateneth that this place, anciently,
in Joshua's time, called THE VALLEY OF THE SON OF HINNOM, and more
lately _Tophet_, from the noise of drums and tabrets there, whilst
children were burning, should have a new name, and be called THE
VALLEY OF SLAUGHTER, from the m... [ Continue Reading ]
In this place, amongst others, I will make void all the counsels that
the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem have taken to escape
my righteous judgments; I will frustrate all their little arts and
designs to avoid the dint of my judgments; I will cause them to fall
by the sword before the... [ Continue Reading ]
This is no more than we met with before, JEREMIAH 18:16, and shall
again meet with. Men's honour and reputation is ordinarily very dear
to them, it was especially to the Jews, who valued themselves much
upon the reputation their city and their temple had, and the security
they promised themselves fr... [ Continue Reading ]
These were the miserable effects or consequents of the famine with
which God had often before threatened them, the just fulfilling of
God's word threatened LEVITICUS 26:29 DEUTERONOMY 28:53, and the
accomplishment of which our prophet hath recorded, LAMENTATIONS 4:10.... [ Continue Reading ]
The earthen bottle, which, JEREMIAH 19:1, he was commanded to carry
with him into the valley of the son of Hinnom, (where he now was,) in
the sight of the ancients of the priests, and of the people, the men
who there were appointed to go with the prophet. This symbolical or
sacramental teaching by s... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD OF HOSTS; a name ordinarily given to God, here very properly,
to let them know that he said nothing with his lips but what he had
power by his hand to accomplish, being the Captain-general of all the
armies of his creatures. God, by ordering the prophet to carry no
other vessel but one of e... [ Continue Reading ]
That is, a place of slaughter and burials, or a base, ignominious
place, or where the noise of drums, and trumpets, and cryings, and
yellings shall be heard, as used to be in Tophet... [ Continue Reading ]
Under the Judaic law, persons and places were defiled by touching dead
bodies, or any unclean, filthy thing: God threateneth in this sense to
defile Tophet, as it was said before it should be filled with dead
bodies which should be buried or lie unburied there. He showeth that
the aforementioned jud... [ Continue Reading ]
Jeremiah had now despatched the errand upon which God had sent him to
Tophet; coming back by God's direction, he stands in the court, which
was common to all people, where the most might hear.... [ Continue Reading ]
He assureth the people from God that he would most certainly justify
all his words, and bring to pass all his threats against that city.
and that they must thank themselves for it, for hardening their heart,
so as all that he had said made no impression upon them, nor found any
place with them.... [ Continue Reading ]