JEREMIAH CHAPTER 31 The restoration of Israel published, JEREMIAH 31:1. Rachel mourning is comforted, JEREMIAH 31:15. Ephraim repenting is brought home, JEREMIAH 31:18. Christ promised, JEREMIAH 31:22. His care over the church, JEREMIAH 31:27. His new covenant, JEREMIAH 31:31. The stability and enla... [ Continue Reading ]
God confirmeth the aforementioned promises, and his people's hope and faith in them, by minding them of what he had anciently done for this very people. Though God did, in the journey which the Israelites had from Egypt to Canaan, cut off many of them by the sword for their iniquities, some by the A... [ Continue Reading ]
The word SAYING being not in the original, hath given advantage to some to think that the first words are either the words of some of the people owning that the Lord indeed had of old appeared to and for them, but doubting whether the kindness of God still held toward them; or else complaining that... [ Continue Reading ]
As upon their being carried into captivity both their civil state and church, which either of them were as a building framed together, were broken and pulled down, and they were scattered here and there, like the stones of a building pulled down; so God's bringing them again together, and cementing... [ Continue Reading ]
Samaria was the metropolis of the ten tribes, called so from Shemer, who owned the hill: Omri king of Israel bought it, and built Samaria upon it. Mountains in many places are judged the most convenient places for vineyards, being free from shades, and most exposed to the sun. God promiseth them a l... [ Continue Reading ]
That MOUNT EPHRAIM was a part of the lot of the ten tribes is out of question. Whether by WATCHMEN be to be understood state sentinels set to give warning of dangers approaching, or _keepers of vineyards_, seemeth not much material. It is said they should call upon men to _go up to Zion_, that is, t... [ Continue Reading ]
This grave, authoritative preface, THUS SAITH THE LORD, seemeth to be prefixed to put the people of God out of fear of the accomplishment of the good things he had before promised and prophesied of. The verse in itself is either an exhortation to those amongst the Jews who feared God, or to the heat... [ Continue Reading ]
BY THE NORTH COUNTRY, is unquestionably meant Babylon, and the land of the Chaldeans, and those places which were northward of Jerusalem; and by the COASTS OF THE EARTH, all other parts into which any of the Jews had been driven. The meaning of this is, that nothing should hinder such from returning... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SHALL COME WITH WEEPING; some think that it had been better translated, _They went weeping_; for though the verb be the future tense in the Hebrew, yet that tense hath often the signification of the preterperfect tense; thus it answereth, PSALMS 126:5,6, _He that goeth forth weeping, bearing pr... [ Continue Reading ]
God willeth his promises of good to his people to be published and declared beforehand, and that not to them only, but to other people, that the hand of his providence, when he brings them to pass, may be more conspicuous, and it may be undeniably owned to be the work of God, being no more than what... [ Continue Reading ]
Because of the certainty of Divine prophecies and promises, things in them are often said to be already done which are not to be fulfilled of many years after. The sense is, God will as certainly do it as if he had already done it; for whether it be understood of a deliverance from Babylon, or of th... [ Continue Reading ]
The particular phrases in this verse must not be strained, nor do they need a particular explication, all signifying but one thing, viz. the happy and prosperous state the Jews should be in after their return from the captivity, both as to their religious and civil state. THE HEIGHT OF ZION may eith... [ Continue Reading ]
This verse containeth only a further variety of expressions, all signifying the same thing, viz. their happy state for some time after the captivity. We may understand the dancings here of all sorts of people, either of their religious rejoicing in their holy festivals, (for under the Old Testament... [ Continue Reading ]
By PRIESTS some understand the ministers of the gospel, whom God here promiseth liberally to provide for; or rather, by giving a success to their ministry, and letting them see the fruit of their labours, make to rejoice: in which metaphorical sense I should rather interpret it, applying it first to... [ Continue Reading ]
Interpreters are much divided in the sense of these words, whether they should refer to the slaughter of the Jews belonging to the ten tribes, upon their being captivated by the Assyrians, or to the slaughter of the Jews, upon the siege and taking of the city by the king of Babylon, or to Herod's ki... [ Continue Reading ]
OLBHeb; The prophet in this and the following verses is brought in as one appointed of God to quiet and comfort the Rachel before mentioned, calling to her to quiet herself, and not to mourn so excessively, for God would recompense her for her afflictions, which are here understood by the term WORK... [ Continue Reading ]
And again here, where, by END, is meant the end of the seventy years, and the words are but a repetition of the promise of the return of the Jews out of the captivity of Babylon, of which the prophet had often before assured them, and here only repeats it as an argument why they should not be immode... [ Continue Reading ]
The prophet in this verse showeth the change that should be wrought in the hearts of the Israelites preceding this turn out of their captivity. God had made an ancient promise to this people in their enemies hands, LEVITICUS 26:40, _If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fat... [ Continue Reading ]
We must consider that we are not in a history or a narration of things done, but in a prophecy foretelling what should come to pass. The prophet foretelleth that before this promised deliverance should come, the Israelites should be in another temper, that their uncircumcised hearts should be humble... [ Continue Reading ]
OLBHeb; Interpreters run into a very great variety in their explications of this text; that which seemeth to be the cause of it is, that, amongst the Hebrews, affirmative interrogations are notes of the vehement denial of the thing as to which the question is propounded, which leads some to interpre... [ Continue Reading ]
The latter part of this verse expounds the former. Thou shalt (saith God) return again to these cities which thou now leavest, therefore take good notice of the way thou seest, set up some marks by which thou mayst know it again; make thee pillars of some high heaps of stone in the way, which thou m... [ Continue Reading ]
OLBHeb; That the Jews are here meant by the BACKSLIDING DAUGHTER is out of question; but what _going about_ is here intended is not so plain. Some interpret it of their running after idols; some, of their seeking help from foreign nations, instead of applying themselves unto God; others, of their w... [ Continue Reading ]
OLBHeb; THUS SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS, THE GOD OF ISRAEL: these prophecies of the restoration of the Jews are very ordinarily prefaced with these two attributes of God; the one of which asserts his power to do the thing promised; for what cannot be done by the Lord of hosts? the other asserting his g... [ Continue Reading ]
This whole verse is but an expression of their peaceable state after their return; they should live innocently and peaceably. JEREMIAH 33:12.... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE here is of the same significancy with _I will_, as ordinarily in prophetical promises, which are the words of Him who calleth the things that are not as if they were, and would have his people look upon the things which he hath promised to do as certain as if they were already done. The words... [ Continue Reading ]
Either this revelation was made to Jeremiah in a dream, from whence he awaking, looked about him; and he was very well pleased with his sleep at that time, because of the gracious promises concerning Judah which the Lord had in that dream revealed to them. Or else in a vision, upon the sight and hea... [ Continue Reading ]
That is, I will exceedingly multiply them, both with men and with cattle: they are now laid waste, their men are destroyed, or gone into other lands, their profitable beasts are destroyed, and killed up; but it shall not be so always, I will again plant them, and there shall be as great plenty of ei... [ Continue Reading ]
Nothing can produce in God a change of counsels, purposes, and decrees, for he is not as man that he should lie or repent, he is the God that changeth not, but men's reformation may produce in him a change of providential dispensations. God is here set out as a man that is vindictive, and his vindic... [ Continue Reading ]
That is, We are punished for our fathers sins; which yet God may justly do; and none questioneth the justice of man in the case, depriving children of their patrimonial estates for their parents treasons; nor more than God threateneth in the second commandment, God indeed, EZEKIEL 18:2, seemeth disp... [ Continue Reading ]
But yet (saith God) you must not think that sinners shall escape my vengeance; but if men commit iniquity, they shall die; no man's teeth shall be set on edge but his only who hath eaten the sour grape.... [ Continue Reading ]
The apostle's application of this, HEBREWS 8:8, puts us out of doubt that this promise referred to the gospel times. It was not only made with the Jews, but all those who should be ingrafted into that olive; but it is said to be made with them, either as those two terms signify the whole church, wit... [ Continue Reading ]
Not in substance differing from it, but in circumstances vastly differing, as was showed before, and is further declared afterward. The covenant which God made with the Jews when they came out of the land of Egypt, was on God's part the law which he gave them, with the promises annexed to their obse... [ Continue Reading ]
WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL; that is, with those _Israelites indeed_, who shall be without _guile_, (as Christ saith of Nathanael, 1 THESSALONIANS 1:47) with those who are (as the apostle speaks, ROMANS 2:29. Jews inwardly, by the circumcision of the heart and Spirit, spoken of and promised by God, DEU... [ Continue Reading ]
This must not be so interpreted as if under the gospel there should be no more need of ministerial teaching, for Christ himself sent out his apostles to preach; nor yet as if there should be no more need of brotherly teachings, by instruction or conception; the contrary is commanded, COLOSSIANS 3:16... [ Continue Reading ]
OLBHeb; The word egd is here ill translated _divide_, which hath led some interpreters to think that God here hath a respect to his dividing the Red Sea, that the Israelites might pass over, which seemeth not at all here to be intended. The word indeed signifieth to divide, but it also signifieth t... [ Continue Reading ]
There are ordinances of worship, which are God's laws relating to his worship; and ordinances of justice, which are God's laws for the executing civil justice; and ordinances of nature, which are God's establishments for the working of natural causes in their order; these are those here spoken of, w... [ Continue Reading ]
That is, I will never cast off all the seed of Israel, (which promise the apostle, ROMANS 11:1,2, proveth to have been by God made good, notwithstanding the rejection of the great body of that people,) for none but God can either measure the heavens, or pierce to the centre of the earth.... [ Continue Reading ]
That is, it shall be built round, as largely as ever. We read of this TOWER OF HANANEEL, NEHEMIAH 3:1, NEHEMIAH 12:39 MALACHI 14:10; it was in the south, or rather the eastern part of the city. We read of the GATE OF THE CORNER, 2 KINGS 14:13 MALACHI 14:10; most agree that it is in the north-cast pa... [ Continue Reading ]
That is, it shall be built round about upon its old foundations: see NE 3. We are ignorant of the ancient situation of the city, so are the Jews themselves, therefore it is vain to pretend to an exact skill in these names of places; some say GAREB signifies a _scab_, and the _hill_ had its name from... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WHOLE VALLEY OF THE DEAD BODIES; a valley so called (as some think) from the multitude of Sennacherib's army slain there; or, (as others think,) from the bodies of malefactors put to death at Golgotha, (which was near,) cast or buried there. AND OF THE ASHES; so called (as is thought) from the a... [ Continue Reading ]