Jeremiah 1

THE words i. e. Sermons, or Prophesies, which he received from God, as being his mouth to declare them unto the people, and comprising all in the volume of this Book going under his Name, as the matter, and substance of it, see on Isa. 2.1. of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah As this serves to distinguish him from other Priests, so his being of Anathoth ranks him among the common Priests; not that High Priest mentioned, 2 King. 22.8. under whose Progeny Ieremiah is not named, 1 Chron. 6.13. Who, it is probable, would have been named being one of so much note, and who always lived at Ierusalem, not at Anathoth, which was a City three Miles from Ierusalem lotted out of the Tribe of Benjamin for the Priests, Iosh. 21.18. Of an ordinary Teacher he was made a Prophet, not so of the rest., of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin i. e. That part of Candan that sell to Benjamins share..

To whom the word of the LORD Either that Commission from God that did authorize him to his Prophetical work as it may probably be taken, Iohn 10.35. was actually given unto him verse 10. or, command of God as 'tis used, 1 Kings 12. 4. Or, rather the materials, of which his Prophesies were to consist, for the space of 41 years successively in Iudea, viz. from the 13th. year of Iosiah to the 11th. year of Zedekiah, besides the time that he prophesied in Egypt. see chap. 43. and 44. as Isa. 2.1. came in the days i. e. During the Reign, and corrupt state of Religion of Josiah the son of Amon Who corrupted again that Religion by those Idolatries, that his Father Manasses had in the latter part of his Reign so well reformed by rooting of them out, 2 Chron. 33.21, 22, 23. king of Judah, in the thirteenth year By which it appears that Ieremiah prophesied the last 18 years of Iosiahs Reign, for he reigned 31 years, 2 Kings 22.1. of his reign.

Viz. The word of the Lord, as verse 2. It came also in the days of Called at first by Iosiah Eliakim, 2 King. 23.34. Iehoahaz, and Iehojakin whereof the former reigned before him, 2 King. 23.31. the latter succeeded, 2 King. 24.8. are conceived not to be mentioned, because they reigned but each of them three months, and therefore not considerable, the Scripture often taking little notice of a small time, as of six months, compare 2 Sam. 5.5. with 1 King. 2.11. Jeho akim, the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah See ver. 2. of whom read 1 Chron. 3.15, 16. the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto i. e. The inhabitants of Ierusalem namely under Zedekiah, 2 Kings 25.11. during all which time, things standing in that state and condition, Ieremy Prophesied the carrying away of Jerusalem i. e. The inhabitants of Ierusalem namely under Zedekiah, 2 Kings 25.11. during all which time, things standing in that state and condition, Ieremy Prophesied captive Does not terminate the time of his Prophesies, for he Prophesied also both in Iudea, and in Egypt afterwards; but only relates to what he Prophesied while the City and Temple were standing, the rest seeming rather to be added, as a supplement, then to be reduced unto this general Title of his Prophesies. in the fifth month viz. Of that present year; for, though the year end not at the fifth month, yet it might end the year of Zedekiahs Reign, because he might begin his reign at the fifth month of the year..

Then i. e. When he was first called to his Office, or the Lord then began to speak unto me. the word of the LORD came unto me A change of the person, a thing very usual with the Prophets., saying,

¶ Before I formed thee in the belly i. e Wom I a. 46.3. having spoken before of the time o his call verse 4. he now speaks of the manner of it., I knew thee i. e. Approved, and appointed thee, as a fit Minister for this work ords of kno ledge among the Hebrews note affection, as has been formerly noted.; and before thou camest forth out of the womb, I sanctified Vi. not with saving grace, though that need not to be excluded but accordingly I prepared and ordained thee for this publick service, and thus with Paul Gal. 1.15. where both are expressed. See the like use of the word Isa. 13.3. he speaks thus to Iere iah, not to the other Prophets, because he stood in need of greater, and more direct encouragement then they, both in respect of the tenderness of his years, and also of those insuparable difficulties, which in those most degenerate, and corrupt times he must unavoidably encounter with, which might cause him to decline the work, verse 6. thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto Either with reference to place, to other nations besides the Jews, as appears chap. 43. and 46, and 47. &c. taking the Jews in among them, as chap. 25.17 18. and so may be taken for again t, as it is often expressed in those places and elsewhere; Or with reference to time, to people of all times, who may be instructed by this Book, or whose words are made use of, both by several Prophets of the Old Testament as Daniel, Ezekiel, Ne emiah, &c. and by our Saviour in the New, by Matthew chap. 2.17.18. By Pa l 2 Cor. 6.18. And by St. Iohn R v. 2.23. the Nations.

Then said I, Ah, An introductory inter ection making way for his excuse in a way of grief, and complaint, indeavouring with all reverence to clear himself of undertaking such a work rashly, it being properly the figh of one that has too great a weight upon his shoulders Lord GOD, Behold, I cannot speak Not dumb, as Zachary Luke 1.20, 22. nor stammering as Moses, Exod. 4.10, 14. but not with that becomming gravity, and commanding Majesty, as is suitable to a Prophet, he modestly excuseth himself, from a consideration of the weight of the work, and the tenderness of his age, as in the next expression.: for I am a child Either in years, and so not ripe, or apt for the declaring of great things, and that to Princes and Nobles. Or, 2. In experience, being altogether unskilful in such affairs, not having been used to Prophesie: and therefore in neither respect likely to be much regarded..

But the LORD said unto me, say not I am a child Do not plead excuses.; for thou shalt go This is Gods answer to Ieremiah in respect of his sense of his own inability; this may be by way of command, and then it is a check to his timerousness; thou shalt go, therefore draw not back, or, by way of promise, and then it is a satisfactory answer to his excuse, as both proceeded from a sense of his own insufficiency, q. d. fear not, I will make thee eloquent, and couragious. to all This relates, either to persons, or things, to all i e to all persons to whom I shall send thee, thou shalt baulk none, see Rev. 10.11. Or, upon so is the Hebrew and then it is thou shalt go upon all errands, and messages, that I shall send thee, see Isa. 55.11. and Act. 26.16. that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee, thou shalt speak.

Be not afraid of their faces Their fierce looks Ezek. 3.9. the indication of their enraged minds, Dan. 3.19. Neither when thou deliverest my message to them, nor when thou mayest be cited before them Matth. 10.18, 19. This is Gods answer to Ieremy's fears in respect of the persons he was to deal with, as the other was in respect of his own consciousness of insufficiency; and he mentions their faces, because the majestick countenance, of Princes, and Magistrates, is apt to strike a great awe and terror upon Children.: for I am with thee Ile not only send thee as other Kings do their Embassadors, but I will go with thee, this God promises to Moses, Exod. 3.12. and D ut. 31.6, 8. to deliver thee Here God promises his protection for encouragement., says the LORD.

Then the LORD put forth his hand God having before excited the Prophet to his work by command, and promise, does now in a vision establish and confirm him, either by the hand of an Angel, as Isa. 6.6, 7. Or, rather, by himself in some visible shape., and touched Heb. Came upon, as the word is used Iudg. 20.41. hereby enabling him to speak, or thou shalt be my mouth to deliver my words, partly to let Ieremy understand that they were God's words; and partly to intimate they should be effectual, and partly that he should never be without them, but continually supplied, see the like kind of phrase, chap. 5.14, and he adds Behold, q. d. attend to what I am about to say; or, look upon this outward sign, and let it assure thee of the thing signified. my mouth, and the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.

See, I have this day set thee over the nations, and over the kingdoms Having now received his Commission he is directed to whom he is to go, viz. to the greatest, not only single persons, but whole nations, as the Babylonians, Persians, and Egyptians, and exhorted to greatness of mind, as being sent as an Ambassador from God to deliver his messages without flattery, or cowardize; and that he might make that proud people sensible of their folly, that looked upon themselves above reproof, he gives unto his Prophet this large authority., to root out, and to pull down i. e. To Prophesie, that I will pull down, which I will as certainly effect, as if thou hadst done it thy self, for according to Scripture usage, the Prophets are said to do that, which they foretell to come to pass, Gen. 4.7. Ezek. 43.3. i. e. to pronounce destruction, hence God is said to slay them by the words of his mouth, Hos. 6.5. and so are all the following expressions to be understood., and to destroy, and to throw down, to build and to plant Metaphors taken from Architects, and Gardiners, either the former words relate to the Enemies of God, and the latter to his Friends. Or, rather to both conditionally if they repent, he will build them up, i. e. he will encrease their Families, and plant them, viz. settle them in the Land, chap. 24.6. If they do not he will root them up, and pull them down, &c. he will do the contrary: compare this with chap. 42.10. and 45.4. The reason why God useth so many words to the same purpose seems to be, partly to show how deeply all kind of wickedness and contempt of God had taken root, which possibly may be one reason why he placeth pulling down, and rooting up before building and planting, to show what a deal of rubbish there was to be removed, before he could reform, and repair his Church and State. Or, rather because the Prophet was to begin with these in his Prophesie, as appears by his second Visions ver. 11, 13. and partly to quicken the Prophets zeal against them..

¶ Moreover, the word of the LORD came This and the boiling C uldron ver. 13. is thought to be at the same time, and in the same Vision, when he was first appointed to his work. unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? and I said, I see a rod of an almond-tree Viz. That had leaves, and possibly blossoms on it, like Aarons, Numb. 17.8. for without leaves at least, 'tis possibly he had not so readily guessed of what kind it had been; this is a tree that blossoms early, and speedily, and hence has its name in Hebrew Soaked signifying watchful, forward, nimble, or quick, and so it may point at either Gods readiness to smite, ver. 12. which is described elsewhere by Summer fruit, Am s 8.1 2. or Israels ripeness to be smitten, as we have the like, Ezek. 7.10, 11. or both; this rod being like a portentous Comet, showing to Ieremiah the miseries that were at hand, as the death of Iosiah, which soon followed this Vision, 2 King. 23.29. and the taxing them by Pharaoh Neco, 2 King. 23.35. and presently after the breaking in of the Chaldees, yrians, Moab es, and Ammonites, 2 King. 24.2. and then the Babylonian Captivity, 2 King. 24.10. which happened in the eighth year of Iehojakim, 2 King. 24.12. when Nebucha nezzar took him with others, and carried them away about 23 years from hence, and about the 40th. year Ierusalem was taken, and the Temple burnt..

Then said the LORD unto me, thou hast well seen Or, thou hast seen and judged right; or, as the Hebrew, thou hast done well to see, i. e. in seeing so.: for I will hasten Word for word I will Almond-tree it; i. e. I will be upon them speedily in a short time, and suddainly, ere they are aware, or I will watch, and be ready to accomplish this in due time. my word i. e. My word of threatning against Iudah and its inhabitants. to perform it.

And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying, what seest thou? and I said, I see a seething pot After the smaller punishment from the Lord, follows this of the boiling pot, by which understand Iudea, and Ier salem, as may appear by the application, that they themselves make of it in a way of scorn and derision, Ezek. 11.37. some put the face of the pot for the pot it self; as the face of the cold, the face of his anger for Cold, and Anger it self, q. d. I see a pot coming, meaning the Babylonian Army flowing in upon them, like boiling, or scalding water, as some interpret it; but this seems not to be so congruous to the Vision; but rather thus the Babylonians should besiege, as a fire playes round the furna e, when it is to be made boil, so should these Chaldeans begirt it, as ver. 15. and reduce the inhabitants to most miserable extremities, with unspeakable cruelty, as if they were like flesh roasting by the fire, or boyling in a pot, as their sufferings are described, Mic. 3.3., and the face Or front of the pot, or furnace, the place where the fire was put in, or blowed up to make it boyl, as a pot, hanged in the form of a urnace, seems to be all but one and the same pot or vessel, the face of which may be easily conceived to stand toward the north, not the mouth of the pot; for that looks directly upward, unless we conceive it to be represented in the Vision leaning, of which conceit there is no need. thereof is towards the north Indicating from whence their misery should come, ver. 14. viz. from Chaldea which lay north from Ierusalem..

Then the LORD said Explained this Vision. unto me, Out of the north i. e. From Babylon a Metonymie of the subject, for though it lye East-ward, yet it is North from Ierusalem as lying 4 Degrees more from the Equinoctial. See ver. 13. an evil shall break forth It shall be withheld, or restrained no longer in my treasure I will let it out, viz. That evil of punishment represented by the fire. upon all the inhabitants of the land Though God gave almost all the then known World to the King of Babylon, yet here he understands the Land of Iudea, chap. 25.9..

For lo, I will call Or, I am upon calling, it is at hand, I am about to incline the Northern ountries to joyn together in this work, chap. 6.22. and 10.22. and 25.9, 26. all the families Or kindreds. viz. those diverse Countries, and Nations, that were under one Lord, as a chief Ruler is called the Father of his Countrey. of the kingdoms viz. The Babylonians, and their assistants, the Medes also being in Confederacy with them, whose Kings Daughter Nebuchadnezzar married of the north, says the LORD: and they shall come, and they shall set every one his throne Their Seats, Pavilions, or Tents shall be pitched, which shall be as so many thrones, where I will see my judgments executed by the Chaldeans, chap. 52.4. at the entring of the gates At the entring to the gates, or way leading to the gates, Iudg. 9.35. 2 King. 7, 3. chap. 43.9. which besiegers have a wayes a special regard to, that there be no going in, or coming out, Isa. 22.7. of Jerusalem, and against all the walls They shall begirt it round, noting the great multitude, power and courage of the Chaldeans. thereof round about, and against all the cities There were none of them should fare any better then Ierusalem. of Judah.

And I will utter my judgments Cause sentence to be passed according to my threatning, see chap. 39.5. Or I will place my bounty, and their unworthiness before them. Or I will upbraid them with their Ingratitude, Rebellion and breach of Covenant, &c. I will speak with them by thee Ieremiah, and others of my Prophets. against them touching all their wickedness, who have forsaken me Either noting the persons against whom, or rather the cause for which, because they have forsaken me; the same particle being so used, chap. 13.25. and elsewhere. Or their sins whereby, as it is also expressed chap. 16.11. and 22.9., and have burnt incense unto other gods i. e. Worshipped strange Gods a Synecdoche of the part for the whole., and worshipped the works of their own hands i. e. Their Idolatrous Images expressed here by a Periphrasis. Isa. 2.8..

¶ Thou therefore gird up thy loins By this expression God quickens, and hastens him upon his work, not to stand hesitating, but to be doing, prepare thy self; for it is a speech taken from the custom of their Countries, that wear long garments, and therefore they did gird them up about them, that they might not hinder them in any work, that required expedition, see the phrase and practise, Exod. 12.11. 2 King. 4, 29. and in many other Texts; it implies two things. 1. Speed and Dispatch. 2. Courage and Resolution: Iob 38.3., and arise Another expression to the same purpose to speed him about his work, the like chap. 13.4., and speak unto them all that I command thee Heb. Shall command thee.: be not dismayed at their faces Discover no fear, and conceal no message, See ver. 8., lest I confound thee Heb. Break thee in pieces, either lest thou prove confused, and shattered in thy notions, and unable to deliver thy message, lest I leave thee, and forsake thee. Or, lest I terrifie thee worse, then they are able to do, even to ruin thee, See Matth. 10.28. before them It seems to be spoken by way of aggravation, God would shame him, or destroy him even in their sight, to become their reproach. Or, think not to scape any more then Vriah, chap. 26.23..

For behold H b. For I, lo, q. d. for my part I will not fail to do what I have promised, to stand by thee., I have made thee this day a defenced city Heb. City of def nce impregnable, which the two following expressions do import it should be supported with, and an iron pillar Pillars, not of Wood, but of Iron. and brazen walls And encompassed with walls, not of Stone but of Brass, noting hereby both great uprightness, and also strength. against the whole land i. e. All its inhabitants in general, none to be spared, as he does particularly rank them in their several degrees in the following words, intimating hereby, that though men of all degrees should set themselves against him, yet God would support him against them all, and that he would carry him through his work, though his troubles and tryals would not be only great, but long, viz. passing through several Kings Reigns, therefore p ssibly said Kings here in the plural., agai st the kings of Judah; against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land.

And they shall fight Make united attempts upon thee. See Iudg. 20.11. against thee, but they shall not prevail They shall not be able by all their devices to shorten thy days, chap. 15.20. and 20.10.11. against thee: for I am with thee Here is the reason given of his safety, God will be his g ard. See verse 8. 2 Timothy 4.17, 18., says the LORD, to deliver thee.