1The time when Jeremiah prophesied. 4His calling and commission. 11His visions of an almond tree and a boiling pot, denoting God's speedy judgments against Judah. 17He is encouraged with a promise of God's assistance.
1THE 1words of 2Jeremiah the son of 3Hilkiah, of the 4priests that were in 5Anathoth in the land of Benjamin:
1 Other, the acts.
2 Hebr. Jirmejahu.
3 Hebr. Chilkijahu.
4 He is not called an high priest, as was the other Hilkiah, who found the book of the law, 2 Kings 22:8, and dwelt at Jerusalem.
5 See 1 Kings 2 on verse 26; 1 Chron. 6:60; Jer. 32:8.
2To whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiaha the son of Amon king of Judah, in the thirteenth year 6of his reign.
a 2 Kings 21:26; 22:1, etc.; 2 Chron. 34:1, etc.
6 Hebr. properly: of his reigning.
3It 7came also in the days of Jehoiakimb the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the end of the 8eleventh year of Zedekiahc the 9son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the carrying away of 10Jerusalem captive in the fifthd month.
7 Namely, the word of the Lord to Jeremiah from verse 2.
b 2 Kings 23:34; 2 Chron. 36:4.
8 From this it may be gathered that Jeremiah prophesied above 40 years in Judah, and after that yet some time in Egypt. See Jeremiah 43; 44.
c 2 Kings 24:17; 2 Chron. 36:10, etc. Jer. 52:1, etc.
9 See 1 Chron. 3:15, 16.
10 That is, the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
d 2 Kings 25:8.
4Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
5Before I formed thee in the 11belly I 12knew thee; and 13before thou camest forth out of the womb Ie14sanctified thee, and I 15ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
11 Or, mother’s womb; see Job 3 on verse 10.
12 See Exod. 33 on verse 12.
13 Compare Gal. 1:15.
e Gal. 1:15.
14 That is, I separated and ordained thee for this holy office. Compare Exod. 29:44; Rom. 1:1; Gal. 1:15.
15 Hebr. properly, gave.
6Then said I, Ah,f Lord GOD! behold, I 16cannot speak: for I am a 17child.
f Exodus 3; 4; Exod. 6:11, 29.
16 Or, know not to speak.
17 Or, young, youth, young man, and consequently very unfit for this business, and without any esteem. Of the Hebrew word see Gen. 22 on verse 5. It is also used of children and young men, placed over against the ancients, Isa. 3:5; 7:16; 13:18; 20:4.
7¶But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.
8Beg not afraid of 18their faces: for Iham 19with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD.
g Ezek. 3:9.
18 Of those to whom I send thee.
h Deut. 31:6, 8; Joshua 1:5.
19 Compare Gen. 21 on verse 22.
9Then the LORD put forth his hand, and 20touchedi my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, Ij have put 21my words in thy mouth.
20 Compare Isa. 6 on verse 7. This was a Divine token unto the prophet to confirm and strengthen him in his calling. Compare Ezek. 2 on verse 8.
i Isa. 6:6, 7.
j Jer. 5:14.
21 See Deut. 18 on verse 18. Also Jer. 5:14.
10See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, 22to rootk out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.
22 The meaning is: To announce them in My Name and to set lively before their eyes that I will do it; and I will surely accomplish and ratify thy words, which thou shalt thus speak unto them, for the punishment of the obstinate, and for the comfort of the penitent. Compare Jer. 5:14; 18:7, 8, etc.; Ezek. 24:5, 9, 10, etc.; John 20:23; 2 Cor. 10:4, 5. Compare further Ezek. 3 on verse 18; Ezek. 43 on verse 3.
k Jer. 18:7; 2 Cor. 10:4, 5.
11¶Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a 23rod of an almond tree.
23 Or, almond stick, almond twig.
12Then said the LORD unto me, Thou hast 24well seen: for I will 25hasten my word to perform it.
24 Hebr. well done or made good to see, or by seeing, seeing. Compare Deut. 5 on verse 28; Psalm 33 on verse 3.
25 As the almond tree buds and bears fruit early, quickly and hastily, as such I will be quick, diligent and ready to perform My word speedily upon the Jews. There is a word used in the Hebrew which we cannot so well imitate in our language, as if it should be said: I will be quick almond tree like, or, as the almond tree has its name from this, that he is awake to bear fruit early, thus will I, etc. Compare this vision with Amos 8:2.
13And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see a 26seething pot; and the 27face thereof is toward the north.
26 Hebr. a pot blown hard, blown on. Understand by this pot the city of Jerusalem and the land of the Jews (as Ezek. 11:3, 7; 24:4, etc.), wherein God would as it were seethe and boil the Jews in His wrath, by the fire of the Babylonians, whose country was situated northward away from Canaan.
27 Hebr. face from or toward the face of the north, or from toward the north. Meaning that this seething pot and fire signified the mischief which would come out of Chaldea from Syria.
14Then the LORD said unto me, Outl of the north an 28evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land.
l Jer. 4:6.
28 Of punishment.
15For, lo, Im will 29call all the families of the kingdoms 30of the north, saith the LORD; and they shall come, and they 31shalln set every one his throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all the walls thereof round about, and against all the cities of Judah.
m Jer. 5:15; 6:22; 10:22.
29 That is, I will by My Divine Providence ordain that they shall come, as by special command. Compare Jer. 25:9, and Jer. 25 on verse 29.
30 Hebr. toward the north, northward.
31 See Jer. 52:4, 5.
n Jer. 52:4, 5.
16And I will utter my judgments 32against them 33touching all their wickedness, who have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, and worshipped the 34works of their own hands.
32 Hebr. with them, that is, I will set before them My doom or sentence, concerning the punishments, which they have deserved by their wickedness. Compare Jer. 4:12; 39:5; 48:21; 49:12; 52:9.
33 Or, for, because of.
34 Understand the idolatrous images.
17¶Thou therefore 35gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I 36confound thee before them.
35 That is, prepare thyself to execute thy office and calling, vigilantly, readily and boldly. Compare Exod. 12 on verse 11.
36 That is, bruise, break in pieces or smite, that is, kill thee. It is the same Hebrew word that is used in the foregoing words in the signification of being astonished, dismayed, affrighted. See similar elegancy in the various use of a word in Jer. 12:14.
18For, behold, I have made thee this day ao37defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land.
o Jer. 6:27; 15:20.
37 Hebr. a city of defense, likewise a pillar of iron, walls of copper, that is, unto an unconquerable fort, which is expounded in the next verse. Compare Jer. 15:19, 20, 21.
19And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee.