The Prophet again exclaims in wonder, that an incredible thing had happened, which was like a prodigy; for at the first sight it seemed very unreasonable, that a people whom God had not only received into favor, but with whom he had made a perpetual covenant, should thus be forsaken by him. For thou... [ Continue Reading ]
He pursues the same subject, but in other words. He first says, that God _had without pardon destroyed all the habitations of Jacob_; some read, “all the beauty (or the ornament) of Jacob.” But the other rendering is more suitable, that he had destroyed all the _habitations _of Jacob; and then that... [ Continue Reading ]
Jeremiah expresses the same thing in various ways; but all that he says tends to shew that it was an evidence of God’s extreme vengeance, when the people, the city, and the Temple, were destroyed. But it ought to be observed, that God is here represented as the author of that calamity: the Prophet w... [ Continue Reading ]
He employs now another metaphor, that God, who was wont to defend his people, now took up arms against them; for stating a part for the whole, he includes in the _bow _every other weapon. When, therefore, he says that God had bent his bow, it is the same as though he said that he was fully armed. Th... [ Continue Reading ]
These words might seem superfluous, since the Prophet has often repeated, that God was become an enemy to his own people; but we shall hereafter see, that though they were extremely afflicted, they yet did not rightly consider whence their calamity arose. As, then, they had become so stupified by th... [ Continue Reading ]
Then he says first, that _his tabernacle had been overthrown by God_. They who render it “cottage” extenuate too much what is spoken of; nor does the Prophet simply compare the sanctuary of God to a cottage. Then I take tabernacle in a good sense. With regard to the verb חמם, _chemes_, as it means t... [ Continue Reading ]
He proceeds with the same subject, and adopts similar words. He says first, that God had _abominated his altar_; (152) an expression not strictly proper, but the Prophet could not otherwise fully shew to the Jews what they deserved; for had he only spoken of the city, of the lands, of the palaces, o... [ Continue Reading ]
The verb to _think_, has more force than what is commonly assigned to it; for it would be very flat to say, that God _thought to destroy_; but to think here means to resolve or to decree. (153) This is one thing. And then we must bear in mind the contrast between this and those false imaginations, b... [ Continue Reading ]
He again relates in other words what he had said, that the walls of Jerusalem had fallen. But he now speaks of the gates and says, that they had _sunk into the ground_, or had become fixed in the ground; for it may be explained in both ways; as though he had said, that the gates had been no hindranc... [ Continue Reading ]
The Prophet here strikingly represents the grievousness of the people’s calamity, when he says, that _the elders_, as in hopeless despair, were lying _on the ground_, that they _cast dust on their heads_, that they were _clad in sackcloth_, as it was usually done in very grievous sorrow, and that th... [ Continue Reading ]
The Prophet himself now speaks, and says that his _eyes were consumed with tears_, while weeping on account of the calamities of the people: even in the deepest grief tears at length dry up; but when there is no end of weeping, the sorrow, which as it were never ripens, must necessarily be very bitt... [ Continue Reading ]
There is either a personification in the words of the Prophet, or he speaks now of another party, for he cannot refer now to children sucking their mothers’ breasts, for they could not have expressly said, _Where is corn and wine? _and the use of wine is not allowed to infants. Then the words of the... [ Continue Reading ]
When we wish to alleviate grief, we are wont to bring examples which have some likeness to the case before us. For when any one seeks to comfort one in illness, he will say, “Thou art not the first nor the last, thou hast many like thee; why shouldest thou so much torment thyself; for this is a cond... [ Continue Reading ]
Here the Prophet condemns the Jews for that wantonness by which they had, as it were, designedly destroyed themselves, as though they had willfully drunk sweet poison. They had been inebriated with those fallacies which we have seen, when impostors promised them a prosperous condition; for we have s... [ Continue Reading ]
The Prophet here reminds the Jews of the miseries by which they had been already in an extreme measure afflicted, so that these words seem redundant and somewhat unkind; for unseasonable is reproof when one lies down, as it were, worn out with evils. As this was the condition of the people, the Prop... [ Continue Reading ]
Here, also, the Prophet introduces enemies as insolently exulting over the miseries of the people. He first says, that they had opened the mouth, even that they might loudly upbraid them; for he is not said to open the mouth who only speaks, but who insolently and freely utters his calumnies. God is... [ Continue Reading ]
Had the Prophet related only the boastings of enemies, the people would have probably become more hardened in their sorrow. But now, on the other hand, he assumes a different character. After having represented how insolently the enemies conducted themselves, he now says, _Jehovah hath done what he... [ Continue Reading ]
He means not that their _heart _really _cried to God, _for there was no cry in their heart; but by this expression he sets forth the vehemence of their grief, as though he had said, that the heart of the people was oppressed with so much sorrow, that their feelings burst forth into crying; for cryin... [ Continue Reading ]
The Prophet now explains himself more clearly, and confirms what I have lately said, that he mentioned not the calamities of the people except for this end, that those who were almost stupid might begin to raise up their eyes to God, and also to examine their life, and willingly to condemn themselve... [ Continue Reading ]
Here, also, Jeremiah dictates words, or a form of prayer to the Jews. And this complaint availed to excite pity, that God had thus afflicted, not strangers, but the people whom he had adopted. Interpreters do, indeed, give another explanation, “See, Jehovah, To whom hast thou done this?” that is, Ha... [ Continue Reading ]
Here he relates in the person of the Church another calamity, that the young and the aged were lying prostrate in the streets; and he joins children to the old men, to shew that there was no difference as to age. Then he says that dead bodies were lying promiscuously in public places. He adds, that... [ Continue Reading ]
Here he uses a most appropriate metaphor, to show that the people had been brought to the narrowest straits; for he says that _terrors _had on every side surrounded them, as when a solemn assembly is called. They sounded the trumpets when a festival was at hand, that all might come up to the Temple.... [ Continue Reading ]