1Under the type of a potter is shewed God's absolute power in disposing of nations. 11Judah is threatened with judgments for her unexampled revolt. 18Jeremiah prayeth against them that devised his death.
1THE word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
2Arise, and go down to 1the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.
1 Hebr. the maker.
3Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he 2wrought a work on the 3wheels.
2 Or, he did his work, he labored.
3 The Hebrew word is put in the dual number, because there are two wheels, which potters use in their labor, the lowermost, which is greater, and the uppermost, which is smaller, as some say that it is still in use in the eastern countries. Other, stools, forms.
4And the vessel that he 4made of clay was 5marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it 6again another vessel, as seemed 7good to the potter to make it.
4 Other, that he made, with his hands.
5 That is, as clay in the hand of the potter is wont sometimes to miscarry.
6 Hebr. he returned and made it another vessel.
7 That is, as it seemed good to him, or pleased him.
5Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
6O house of Israel, cannota I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, asb the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.
a Isa. 45:9; Rom. 9:20.
b Isa. 64:8.
7At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to 8pluck up,c and to pull down, and to destroy it;
8 As Jer. 1:10.
c Jer. 1:10.
8If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will 9repent of the 10evil that I thought to do unto 11them.
9 See Gen. 6 on verse 6. Also verse 10.
10 That is, mishap, misery, plagues. Also verse 11.
11 Unto that nation and kingdom.
9And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it;
10If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the 12good, wherewith I said I would benefit 13them.
12 That is, happiness, prosperity, blessing.
13 Unto that nation and kingdom.
11¶Now therefore go to, speak to the 14men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I 15frame 16evil against you, and devise a 17device against you: returnd ye now every one from his evil way, and 18make your ways and your doings good.
14 As Jer. 4:3; 17:25.
15 The Hebrew word is the same which above signified as a potter. As if the Lord said: I will prepare evil against thee and bake, etc.
16 As verse 8.
17 That is, I intend to bring evil upon you. Compare verse 18; 2 Sam. 14:14.
d 2 Kings 17:13; Jer. 7:3; 25:5; 26:13; 35:15.
18 See Jer. 7 on verse 3.
12And they said, 19Theree is no hope: but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the 20imagination of his evil heart.
19 See Jer. 2:25; 6:16.
e Jer. 2:25.
20 As Jer. 3:17.
13Therefore thus saith the LORD; Askf ye now among the heathen, who hath heard such things: the 21virgin of Israel hath done a very 22horrible thing.
f Jer. 2:10.
21 Compare Jer. 14:17.
22 Compare Jer. 5:30.
14Will a man leave the snow of Lebanon which cometh 23from the rock of the field? or shall the 24cold flowing waters that come from another place be forsaken?
23 That is, shall a man leave the pleasant cooling snow of Mount Lebanon (whereunto God compares Himself) for a dry, bare rock of the field (whereunto idols and idolatry are compared)?
24 That come down from other distant hilly places by secret passages underground, and are diverted by channels or pipes, and at last make or yield a very wholesome, cool and pleasant fountain in a city, or close to it, so that it would be folly to forsake these waters, and to seek elsewhere other water. Other, shall also the streams (namely, which are nigh at hand) be forsaken for strange or foreign, or terrible (as the word strange is also taken, Isa. 28:21) cold waters, which may be unknown, unhealthy and very hurtful? The meaning of this verse (which is diversely rendered) is, that the people of God did deal very foolishly, in forsaking the true God and the true worship of God, wherein consisted their salvation, and running to pagan idols and help, to their own destruction.
15Because my people hath forgotteng me, they have burned incense to 25vanity, and 26they have caused them to stumble in 27their ways from the 28ancienth paths, to walk in 29paths, in a way not 30cast up;
g Jer. 2:32; 3:21; 13:25.
25 To idols, as Jer. 14:22.
26 The false prophets have procured that the people, taking offence at the true worship of God, turned aside to idolatry. Compare Mal. 2:8.
27 Which were prescribed to them by God.
28 Hebr. paths of eternity, that is, antiquity, which are in former times taught by God, published by Moses and walked in by the godly patriarchs. Of this signification of the word olam see Jer. 2 on verse 20.
h Jer. 6:16.
29 Or, an untrodden way; if there be rocks and snow-covered mountains, whereof in the previous verse.
30 That is, not trodden, on which it is difficult and dangerous to walk.
1631To makei their land 32desolate, and a perpetual 33hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his 34head.
31 Or, making, etc. That is, causing thereby these punishments and bringing the same upon them, or, lest I, being thereby provoked to anger, make their land, etc. Compare Jer. 27:10, 15; Lam. 2:14; Micah 6:16, with the annotations
i Jer. 12:11; 19:8; 49:13; 50:13.
32 That is, matter of terror and astonishment. Other, desolation. Also Jer. 19:8; 25:9; 29:18, etc.
33 Or, whistlings, hissings, pipings of eternity; signs of reproach and shame. See 1 Kings 9 on verse 8; Jer. 19:8; 25:9, 18; 29:18, etc.
34 See 2 Kings 19 on verse 21.
17I will scatterj them 35as with an east windk before the enemy; I will shew them the 36back, and not the face, in the day of their 37calamity.
j Jer. 13:24.
35 That is, as if I were an east wind. Or, as an east wind; which was very strong and piercing in those countries. See Exod. 10 on verse 13; Job 27 on verse 21.
k Isa. 27:8; 29:6; Jer. 4:11, 12, 13.
36 That is, show myself averse and contrary to them, and not kind and favorable to them, as they likewise have done to Me. Hebr. I will see them the neck and not the face, which some understand thus, that God will look after them or pursue them, while they are fleeing. See Jer. 32:33.
37 Or, deadly mishap.
18¶Then said 38they, Come, and let us devise 39devices against Jeremiah; for thel40law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him 41with the tongue,m and let us not give heed to any of his words.
38 Unto whom Jeremiah had spoken all these things by command from God. See verse 11. Or, they have said, or, say.
39 That is, lay plots against him; devise devices to take away his life. Compare the manner of speech with verse 11.
l Mal. 2:7.
40 Or, doctrine. See Psalm 1 on verse 2. They imply that Jeremiah is a false prophet, because almost all who are in any account among the people of God, as priests, elders and other prophets, speak against him, of whom they notwithstanding believe that God’s Spirit does not forsake them, and that one ought to obey them. See Deut. 17:9, 10; Mal. 2:7, 8; John 7:48, 49.
41 Surprise him with false witnesses, and put him to death as a false prophet. Other, for the tongue’s sake, that is, for his grievous and intolerable prophecies.
m Jer. 9:8.
19Give heed to me, O LORD, and hearken to the voice of them 42that contend with me.
42 That is, of them who contend with me, of whom he complained about above, they that depart from him, Jer. 17:13.
2043Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged a pit for my 44soul. Remember that I stood before thee to speak 45good for them, and to turn away thy wrath from them.
43 Is this decent? The prophet implies: Have I deserved this by my faithfulness toward them?
44 That is, laid a plot to take away my life.
45 Or, for their good, that is, to pray for them; so that Thou had to command me to make no more intercessions on their behalf. See Jer. 7:16; 11:14; 14:11, etc.
21Therefore 46deliver up their children to the famine,n and 47pour out their blood by the 48force of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of their 49children, and be widows; and let their men be put 50to death; let their young men be slain 51by the sword in battle.
46 Compare this prayer with Psalm 69:22, etc.; 109:6, etc., and see the annotations there.
n Psalm 109:10.
47 Cause their strength to perish like water which is poured out; or, cause their blood to flow away, etc. Compare 2 Sam. 14:14; Psalm 22:14; 63:10; Ezek. 35:5.
48 Or, means of the sword. Hebr. hands of the sword. Also Job 5:20. See there.
49 Compare Jer. 15:7, 8.
50 Hebr. be the killed of death.
51 Hebr. the slain of the sword.
22Let a cry be heard from their houses, when thou shalt 52bring a 53troop suddenly upon them: for they have digged a 54pit to take me, and 55hid snares for my feet.
52 Or, shalt have brought.
53 A company of plundering and destroying soldiers, namely, the Babylonians.
54 Compare Psalm 7:15; 9:15; 35:7; 57:6, etc.
55 That is, laid snares secretly, to cause me to fall.
23Yet, LORD, thou knowest all their counsel against me 56to slay me: 57forgive not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin 58from thy sight, but 59let them be overthrown before thee; deal thus 60with them in the time of thine anger.
56 Tending to kill me.
57 Or, do not graciously cover their iniquity. Compare Psalm 65:3, with the annotation.
58 That it would not remain before Thee in remembrance and account, to be punished.
59 Hebr. let them be who are struck down, crashed down or thrust through; so that they, being brought to stumbling and falling, may consequently be thrown down.
60 Or, against them.