INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 31 This chapter is connected with the former, respects the same times, and is full of prophecies and promises of spiritual blessings; of the coming of Christ; of the multiplication of his people, and the increase of their joy; of the conversion of the Gentiles; of the coven... [ Continue Reading ]
AT THE SAME TIME, SAITH THE LORD,.... The time of the Messiah, the Gospel dispensation, the latter days; when the Jews shall consider the prophecies of the Old Testament, and observe how they have been fulfilled in Jesus; and shall reflect upon their disbelief and rejection of him; and shall turn un... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SAITH THE LORD, THE PEOPLE [WHICH WERE] LEFT OF THE SWORD,.... Which were not consumed by the sword of Pharaoh, who perished not through his cruel edicts, and by his sword, when drawn at the Red sea; nor by the sword of the Amalekites and Amorites; or of their own brethren, who sometimes, for t... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD HATH APPEARED OF OLD UNTO ME, [SAYING],.... Either to the prophet, bidding him say to the church what follows, so Jarchi: or to Christ, who was from eternity with the Father; lay in his bosom; between whom the council of peace was; with whom the covenant was made; and whom God loved before... [ Continue Reading ]
AGAIN, I WILL BUILD THEE, AND THOU SHALT BE BUILT, O VIRGIN OF ISRAEL,.... The same with "all the families of Israel", Jeremiah 31:1; who, when converted, will be espoused to Christ as a chaste virgin; have a sincere affection for him; unfeigned faith in him, and purely worship him; receiving the pu... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT YET PLANT VINES UPON THE MOUNTAINS OF SAMARIA,.... Mountains are proper places for vines, and which generally produce the best wine; but vines are not to be understood merely literally, or as only expressive of the outward peace, plenty, and prosperity of Samaria, with other places given... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THERE SHALL BE A DAY,.... The whole Gospel dispensation is "a day", made so by the bright rising of the sun of righteousness; here it seems to design some certain fixed period of time in that dispensation, when the light of the Gospel will break out most gloriously, and it will be a clear day; a... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THUS SAITH THE LORD, SING WITH GLADNESS FOR JACOB,.... For the restoration of Jacob, or the conversion of the Jews; which will be matter of joy to the Christians among the Gentiles; who seem to be here called upon to express their joy on that occasion, as they will; for it will be to them as lif... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, I WILL BRING THEM FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY,.... As from Babylon, at the end of the seventy years' captivity, which lay north of Judea; so, in the latter day, from those northern countries, as ours, where they now are in great numbers: AND GATHER THEM FROM THE COASTS OF THE EARTH; or "sides" o... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SHALL COME WITH WEEPING,.... For joy, as Kimchi and Ben Melech observe; of which there are instances, Genesis 29:11; so the Jews will come to Christ, and to the Gospel church, as well as into their own land, with joy that they have found the Messiah, and are brought under his government, and in... [ Continue Reading ]
HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD, O YE NATIONS,.... The Gentiles: who are called upon to hear the word of the Gospel; the word of peace, reconciliation, and salvation by Christ, sent among them by him, for the calling and conversion of them, that they might believe in him, and profess his name: AND DECLAR... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE LORD HATH REDEEMED JACOB,.... Not the patriarch Jacob singly and personally, though he no doubt was a redeemed one; nor his carnal posterity, at least not all of them, only a remnant among them, and especially not them only; but the Gentiles also, even all the elect of God, his church and pe... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE THEY SHALL COME AND SING IN THE HEIGHT OF ZION,.... The Targum is, "in the mountain of the house of the sanctuary, which is built on Zion;'' but though there be an allusion to the temple built on it, and which may be called the height of it; yet the church of Christ in Gospel times is me... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SHALL THE VIRGIN REJOICE IN THE DANCE, BOTH YOUNG MEN AND OLD TOGETHER,.... Not any particular virgin, but all virgins, as Kimchi interprets it. The Targum is, "then shall the congregation of Israel rejoice as in dances;'' it may very well be understood of the church of Christ, espoused to hi... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I WILL SATIATE THE SOUL OF THE PRIESTS WITH FATNESS,.... Meaning either the ministers of the Gospel, who should not only be liberally provided for as to their maintenance, which is too low a sense; but filled with spiritual good things, with the doctrines of the Gospel, and a comfortable experie... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SAITH THE LORD, A VOICE WAS HEARD IN RAMAH,.... Which signifies a high place; hence the Targum paraphrases it, "in the high place of the world;'' and so the Vulgate Latin version, "in a high place;'' but it is here the proper name of a place, of a city in the tribe of Benjamin, Joshua 18:25... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SAITH THE LORD, REFRAIN THY VOICE FROM WEEPING, AND THINE EYES FROM TEARS,.... Though sorrow on such an occasion may be lawfully indulged, yet it ought to be moderated; and attention should be given to those things which may serve to relieve under it, and especially when they come from the Lord... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THERE IS HOPE IN THINE END, SAITH THE LORD,.... Or, "hope for thy posterity" r; for their children that had been massacred, that these should rise again, and enjoy a blessed immortality, as the next clause seems to explain and confirm it: THAT THY CHILDREN SHALL COME AGAIN TO THEIR OWN BORDER:... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE SURELY HEARD EPHRAIM BEMOANING HIMSELF [THUS],.... Not Ephraim in person; though, as he was a very affectionate and tenderhearted man, as appears from 1 Chronicles 7:22; he is with like propriety introduced, as Rachel before; but Ephraim intends Israel, or the ten tribes, and even all the peo... [ Continue Reading ]
SURELY AFTER THAT I WAS TURNED I REPENTED,.... Ephraim's prayer was answered; as he prayed he might be turned, he was; and when he was turned, then he repented, not only of sin in general, but of such sins as he had been particularly guilty of; not only of the grosser actions of life, but of inward... [ Continue Reading ]
[IS] EPHRAIM MY DEAR SON?.... Questions put in this form, in the Hebrew language, usually more vehemently deny; and then the sense must be, Ephraim is not my dear son: and agreeably to this all the following clauses must be interpreted; which seems quite contrary to the scope and design of the conte... [ Continue Reading ]
SET THEE UP WAY MARKS, MAKE THEE HIGH HEAPS,.... Of stones, raised up as pillars, or like pyramids; or upright, as palm trees, which signification the word z has; to be marks and signs, to know the way again upon a return. The Targum is, "O congregation of Israel, remember the right works of thy fa... [ Continue Reading ]
HOW LONG WILT THOU GO ABOUT, O THOU BACKSLIDING DAUGHTER?.... From place to, place, from country to country, from one kingdom to another, as the Jews do to this day; and not return unto the Lord, and David their king, and to their own country? Or, "how long wilt thou be foolish" a? in backsliding fr... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS, THE GOD OF ISRAEL,.... The Governor of the whole world, the Lord of armies above and below; and yet has a peculiar regard to Israel, his spiritual Israel, whose covenant God and Father he is; and is to be believed in what he after says, the fulfilment of which may be de... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THERE SHALL DWELL IN JUDAH ITSELF, AND IN ALL THE CITIES THEREOF TOGETHER,.... In peace and unity, in great concord and harmony: HUSBANDMEN, AND THOSE [THAT] GO FORTH WITH FLOCKS; husbandmen and shepherds; meaning such not merely in a temporal sense, but in a spiritual one; ministers of the Gos... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR I HAVE SATIATED THE WEARY SOUL,.... As sinners are at first awakenings and convictions; when sin is made exceeding sinful and loathsome to them, and becomes an uneasiness, and they a burden to themselves on account of it; when they labour, till they are weary, to get food for their famishing sou... [ Continue Reading ]
UPON THIS I AWAKENED, AND BEHELD,.... When or after he beheld or had seen the vision and prophecy concerning the incarnation of Christ, and the glory and happiness of his church and people in the latter day, he awoke; for it seems the prophecy contained in this and the preceding chapter was delivere... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, THE DAYS COME, SAITH THE LORD,.... Or, "are coming" k; and will be here shortly: THAT I WILL SOW THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, AND THE HOUSE OF JUDAH, WITH THE SEED OF MAN, AND WITH THE SEED OF BEAST; that is, will multiply both man and beast, so that there shall be a great increase; whereas, throug... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS, [THAT] LIKE AS I HAVE WATCHED OVER THEM,.... In providence; looked upon them with an eye of vindictive justice; observed all their actions and motions; diligently attended to everything that passed, and took the first and most fitting opportunity: TO PLUCK UP, AND TO BREA... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THOSE DAYS THEY SHALL SAY NO MORE,.... The following proverb or byword; they should have no occasion to use it, nor should they choose to use it; since they would understand themselves, and the dispensations of Providence towards them, better than to use it: THE FATHERS HAVE EATEN A SOUR GRAPE,... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT EVERYONE SHALL DIE FOR HIS OWN INIQUITY,.... His own personal iniquity; and not a corporeal death only, but an eternal one, which is the just wages of sin. It seems to intimate, that, after the Babylonish captivity, no public calamity should come upon them for the sins of their fathers and their... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, THE DAYS COME, SAITH THE LORD,.... This refers to Gospel times, as is clear from the quotation and application by the apostle, Hebrews 8:8; and it is owned by a modern Jew l to belong to the times of the Messiah. It is introduced with a "behold", as a note of attention, pointing to something... [ Continue Reading ]
NOT ACCORDING TO THE COVENANT THAT I MADE WITH THEIR FATHERS,.... Meaning not Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; but the ancestors of the Jews that came out of Egypt, as appears by what follows. This was the covenant made at Sinai, which is here referred to; but the above covenant was not according to that;... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THIS [SHALL BE] THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL; AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAITH THE LORD,.... The several articles or branches of the covenant next follow, which show it to be different from the former: I WILL PUT MY LAW IN THEIR INWARD PARTS, AND WRITE IT IN THEIR HEARTS; not t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY SHALL TEACH NO MORE EVERY MAN HIS NEIGHBOUR, AND EVERY MAN HIS BROTHER,.... Which is not to be understood of the outward ministry of the word; in heaven indeed there will be no need of it, nor in the New Jerusalem state; but in every period of time before it. In the first times of the Gospe... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SAITH THE LORD, WHICH GIVETH THE SUN FOR A LIGHT BY DAY,.... As he did at first, and still continues it; and which is a wonderful gift of nature he bestows on men, unworthy of such a favour, Matthew 5:45; [AND] THE ORDINANCES OF THE MOON AND OF THE STARS FOR A LIGHT BY NIGHT; which have a sett... [ Continue Reading ]
IF THOSE ORDINANCES DEPART FROM BEFORE ME, SAITH THE LORD,.... Of the sun, moon, and stars; should these leave their proper course, and not perform their several functions, or do the service appointed for them; should they desert their master, or disobey his orders, turn away from him, and pay no re... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SAITH THE LORD, IF HEAVEN ABOVE CAN BE MEASURED,.... Either the space between the highest heavens and the earth; or the extent of the heavens, from one end of them to the other, which cannot be done by man; so the Targum, "as it is impossible that man should know the measure of the heavens abo... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, THE DAYS COME, SAITH THE LORD,.... The word come is not in the text; it is read, but not written. The vowel points are in the text, but not the letters; which those, who are against the antiquity of the points, would do well to consider; since the Jews never suffered any additions to the Bib... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE MEASURING LINE SHALL YET GO FORTH OVER AGAINST IT,.... Or, "before it" p; the gate proceeding right on from it; of the length of the measuring line, or reed; see Ezekiel 40:5; though some render it, "before him" q; before the Lord, under whose direction and powerful providence the work went... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE WHOLE VALLEY OF THE DEAD BODIES, AND OF THE ASHES,.... The Targum paraphrases it, "where the carcasses of the Assyrian army fell;'' Sennacherib's army, destroyed by an angel; and so Jarchi and Kimchi; which latter observes, that the word for "ashes" signifies "fat"; and so may describe the... [ Continue Reading ]