The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, Ver. 1. _The word which came to Jeremiah._] To show the just punishment of the people for disobeying the precept concerning the Sabbath, Jer 17:27 and other of God's commandments. See Jeremiah 7:1 .... [ Continue Reading ]
Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. Ver. 2. Arise, and go down to the potter's house.] Whether the prophet was to go actually to the potter's house, or in vision only, it matters not. This we know, that our Saviour did actually wash his disciples'... [ Continue Reading ]
Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. Ver. 3. Then I went down to the potter's house.] _a_ God's commands must be obeyed without sciscitation. Jeremiah saw that verbal teaching without signs would not work upon his hearers; he is therefore ready to do... [ Continue Reading ]
And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make [it]. Ver. 4. _And the vessel which he made of clay was marred._] Or, The vessel which he was making miscarried, as clay in the potter's hand. “ _Non s... [ Continue Reading ]
Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, Ver. 5. _Then came the word of the Lord unto me._] See Jeremiah 18:1. To the visible word God always addeth the audible; as in the two sacraments.... [ Continue Reading ]
O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay [is] in the potter's hand, so [are] ye in mine hand, O house of Israel. Ver. 6. _O house of Israel, cannot I do with you._] Make you or mar you at my pleasure: have I not an absolute sovereignty over you, th... [ Continue Reading ]
Jeremiah 18:7 [At what] instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy [it]; Ver. 7. _At what instant I shall speak._] As God loveth to forewarn; and he therefore threateneth, that he may not punish, for he would be prevented.... [ Continue Reading ]
If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. Ver. 8. _Turn from their evil._] If I may see such work among them, as at Nineveh God did. Jon 3:10 He saw not their sackcloth and their ashes, but their repentance and wo... [ Continue Reading ]
_And [at what] instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant [it];_ Ver. 9. _And at what instant I shall speak._] All is done as God the great Induperator commandeth, whether it be for or against a nation, or a particular man only. Job 34:29 _ To build... [ Continue Reading ]
If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them. Ver. 10. _Then will I repent of the good._] I will take away mine own, and be gone; Hos 2:9 "curse their blessings," Mal 2:2 and "destroy them after that I have done them goo... [ Continue Reading ]
Now therefore go to, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you: return ye now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good. Ver. 11. _Behold, I frame evil aga... [ Continue Reading ]
And they said, There is no hope: but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart. Ver. 12. _And they said, There is no hope._] _a_ See the like desperate return, Jeremiah 2:25; Jeremiah 13:9. _Actum est: vel desperatum est: vel expectaratum est_ -... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore thus saith the LORD; Ask ye now among the heathen, who hath heard such things: the virgin of Israel hath done a very horrible thing. Ver. 13. _Therefore thus saith the Lord._] God himself seemeth here to wonder at the desperate obstinace of this people, as not to be matched again. Like as... [ Continue Reading ]
Will [a man] leave the snow of Lebanon [which cometh] from the rock of the field? [or] shall the cold flowing waters that come from another place be forsaken? Ver. 14. _Will a man leave the snow of Lebanon?_] See Jeremiah 2:13, which may stand for a commentary on this verse. The rocks of Lebanon we... [ Continue Reading ]
Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways [from] the ancient paths, to walk in paths, [in] a way not cast up; Ver. 15. _Because my people hath forgotten me._] Not forsaken me only. Of all things God cannot abide to be... [ Continue Reading ]
To make their land desolate, [and] a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head. Ver. 16. _To make their land desolate._] Not intentionally so; but yet eventually. Idolatry is a land desolating sin.... [ Continue Reading ]
I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will shew them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity. Ver. 17. _I will scatter them._] Whirry and whirl them up and down, as chaff before the force of the enemy. _ I will skew them the back, and not the face._] This wa... [ Continue Reading ]
Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words. Ver. 18. _Then said they, Come, let us... [ Continue Reading ]
_Give heed to me, O LORD, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me._ Ver. 19. _Give heed to me, O Lord._] Though they will not, yet do thou, I beseech thee. This is ordinary with good men, when wearied out with the world's misusages, to turn them to God, and to seek help of him.... [ Continue Reading ]
Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them, [and] to turn away thy wrath from them. Ver. 20. _Shall evil be recompensed for good?_] _q.d., _ That is greatest disingenuity and unthankfulness. To render good for... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and pour out their [blood] by the force of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of their children, and [be] widows; and let their men be put to death; [let] their young men [be] slain by the sword in battle. Ver. 21. _Therefore deliver up the... [ Continue Reading ]
Let a cry be heard from their houses, when thou shalt bring a troop suddenly upon them: for they have digged a pit to take me, and hid snares for my feet. Ver. 22. _When thou shalt bring a troop._] The Vulgate rendereth it, _Latronem,_ a thief, or robber - viz., Nebuchadnezzar, that arch-thief, who... [ Continue Reading ]
Yet, LORD, thou knowest all their counsel against me to slay [me]: forgive not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from thy sight, but let them be overthrown before thee; deal [thus] with them in the time of thine anger. Ver. 23. _Yet, Lord, thou knowest all their counsel._] Though I know it... [ Continue Reading ]