The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that [were] in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin: Ver. 1. _The words _ _ a_ _of Jeremiah._] Piscator rendereth it _Acta Ieremiae,_ The Acts of Jeremiah, as we say, "The Acts of the Apostles," which book also, saith one, might have been called... [ Continue Reading ]
To whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. Ver. 2. _Unto whom the word of the Lord came in the days of Josiah._] Woe be to the world because of the word! The Lord keepeth count what preachers he sendeth, what pains the... [ Continue Reading ]
It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month. Ver. 3. _It came also in the days of Jehoiakim._] Called at first Eliakim by his good... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,_ Ver. 4. _Then the word of the Lord came unto me._] The Lord is said to come to Baalam, Abimelech, Laban, &c.; but he never concredited his word to any but to his holy prophets, of whom it is said, as here, "The word of the Lord came to them.... [ Continue Reading ]
Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, [and] I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. Ver. 5. _Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee,_] viz., With a knowledge not intuitive only, but also approbative. _Verba notitiae... [ Continue Reading ]
Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I [am] a child. Ver. 6. _Then said I, Ah, Lord God!_] _Verbum angustiae._ The old Latin hath it A, A, A, whereby is noted, say some, a threefold defect - _scil.,_ of age, of knowledge, and of eloquence; but that is more subtle than solid. True... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 7. _Say not, I am a child._] Plead no excuses, cast no perils; never dispute, but despatch; never reason, but run, _a_ depending for direction an... [ Continue Reading ]
Be not afraid of their faces: for I [am] with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD. Ver. 8. _Be not afraid of their faces._] Look they never so big, as did Henry VIII upon Latimer and upon Lambert, who yet told him his own; as did Stephen Gardiner upon Dr Taylor, martyr, but had as good as he broug... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth._ Ver. 9. _Then the Lord put forth his hand and touched my mouth._] This was a very great favour and a sweet settlement to the hesitating prophet. The like visible sign for c... [ Continue Reading ]
See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant. Ver. 10. _See, I have this day set thee over nations,_] _scil., _ With authority to use the same liberty in reproving their sins that they... [ Continue Reading ]
_Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree._ Ver. 11. _Jeremiah, what seest thou?_] It was great kindness and familiarity thus to parley with him, and to call him by his name. _ And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree.... [ Continue Reading ]
Then said the LORD unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it. Ver. 12. _Thou hast well seen._] Heb., Thou hast done well to see, _i.e., _ so to see. _ For I will hasten my word._] Heb., _Amigdalaturns sum,_ I am watching upon the evil, to bring in the Chaldeans, as I ha... [ Continue Reading ]
And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see a seething pot; and the face thereof [is] toward the north. Ver. 13. _What seest thou?_] By these questions his attention is stirred up, that he may the better observe the matter of his preaching, whic... [ Continue Reading ]
Then the LORD said unto me, Out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land. Ver. 14. _Out of the north an evil shall break forth,_] _i.e., _ From Chaldea, which is north from Judea. Gregory moraliseth the text thus: Man's mind is this pot; that which from the north... [ Continue Reading ]
_For, lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north, saith the LORD; and they shall come, and they shall 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._ Ver. 15. _And set every o... [ Continue Reading ]
And I will utter my judgments against them touching all their wickedness, who have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands. Ver. 16. _And I will utter my judgments against them,_] _sc., _ By those northern princes. But first by thee, and Zep... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them. Ver. 17. _Thou therefore gird up thy loins,_] _q.d., _ Thou hast, I must needs say, a hard task of it. But hard or not hard, it must be done, _... [ Continue Reading ]
For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced 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. Ver. 18. _For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced... [ Continue Reading ]
And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I [am] with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee. Ver. 19. _They shall not prevail against me._] They shall not take thy crown from thee, no, nor thy precious life; for thou shalt survive them. So Luther died in his be... [ Continue Reading ]