We have said that the Ammonites were not only contiguous to the Moabites, but had also derived their origin from Lot, and were thus connected with them by blood. Their origin was indeed base and shameful, for they were, as it is well known, the offspring of incest. There was, however, the bond of fr... [ Continue Reading ]
God testifies here plainly that he would not suffer the Ammonites for ever to enjoy their unjust plunder. He says that _the days would come_, in order to sustain with hope the minds of his children: for the Prophet announced his prediction at a time when the Ammonites were in a state of security; an... [ Continue Reading ]
The Prophet now triumphs, as it were, over the land of Ammon, and, according to his accustomed manner, as we have before seen; for had the prophets spoken without metaphors, and simply narrated the things treated of by them, their words would have been frigid and inefficient, and would not have pene... [ Continue Reading ]
As the minds of men continually vacillate, because they do not sufficiently consider the infinite power of God, the Prophet, that he might remove all obstacles which might have rendered his prophecy doubtful, now declares that the Ammonites gloried in vain in their valleys. Some understand by valley... [ Continue Reading ]
Jeremiah at length concludes his prophecy, by saying, that God would dissipate that foolish confidence through which the Ammonites were filled with pride, _because he would bring a terror _on them. He sets up terror in opposition to that security in which the Ammonites lay torpid; for they were ineb... [ Continue Reading ]
He now says the same thing of the children of Ammon, as he said before of the Moabites, that some hope yet remained for them, for God would at length show mercy to that nation. But, as we have said, these promises were but adventitious, because God had chosen but one people to be a Father to them; a... [ Continue Reading ]
Here Jeremiah turns to Idumeans, who were most inveterate enemies to the chosen people, though their origin ought to have disposed them to show kindness to them, for they had descended from the same father, even Abraham. The Idumeans also gloried in their holy descent, and had circumcision in common... [ Continue Reading ]
The Prophet shews here how great was the pride of that nation, and sets it as it were before their eyes. _Flee_, he says; the language is abrupt, yet the meaning is not ambiguous. The meaning is, that when any one warned the Idumeans to flee, none of them would move; nay, they would remain fixed in... [ Continue Reading ]
Interpreters have not only obscured, but also perverted this verse, and only said what is to no purpose, and have gone far from the meaning of the Prophet. (37) How so? because it did not occur to them to compare this with a passage in Obadiah. Obadiah is the true interpreter; nay, our Prophet has b... [ Continue Reading ]
As to the beginning of the verse, the meaning of the Prophet is not obscure; for he means that such would be the destruction of the people of Edom, that they would be spoiled by enemies, that they would become wholly naked. But he speaks in the name of God: _Behold, I uncover Esau, and make open his... [ Continue Reading ]
With regard to the end of the verse, some give this explanation, “There will be none to say:” there is then a word to be understood, — “there will be none to say, _Leave thy orphans to me, I will nourish _or sustain _them_, or I will he a father to them; _and thy widows, let them hope _or trust _in... [ Continue Reading ]
He confirms the last verse, as I think, — that God’s vengeance awaited the whole seed of Esau, because it would be unreasonable to deal more severely with God’s people than with aliens, who had wholly shaken off the yoke. For I explain what is said here of the Church, _Those to whom it was not their... [ Continue Reading ]
Here the Prophet confirms what he had already prophesied respecting the Idumeans; but to remove every doubt, he says, that God had _sworn_; and he introduces God as the speaker, in order that his word might be emphatical. He then declares that God had made an oath respecting the destruction of Bozra... [ Continue Reading ]
The Prophet again shews that God would be the author of the calamity of which he speaks; for if things were viewed by men, no one could have thought that the Idumeans could in so short a time be destroyed. It was therefore necessary for the faithful to raise upwards their minds. And this the Prophet... [ Continue Reading ]
Interpreters for the most part give this exposition, that the people of Edom would be contemptible, because God had determined to cast them down from their dignity, which they for a time possessed: and then they connect the next verse, in which the reason for this is given, “Thy terror deceived thee... [ Continue Reading ]
Some render the first words thus, “Thine idol hath deceived thee;” and others, “Thy folly hath deceived thee.” The verb has, indeed, this meaning, though there is a different reading, for some put a point over the right side of the letter, and others on the left. But the most suitable meaning is thu... [ Continue Reading ]
Here again the Prophet confirms what he had said. We have before stated how necessary was such a repetition, because no one could have thought that destruction was so nigh the Idumeans. He did not then repeat what he had said, in order to explain more clearly what might have been otherwise obscure,... [ Continue Reading ]
He expresses more at large what he had briefly included in one word: he had said, that Edom would become a _waste_; but he now shews what sort of waste it would be, even such as that of _Sodom and Gomorrah, and other cities_; for God, as it is well known, destroyed the five cities against which he f... [ Continue Reading ]
The Prophet here confirms what he had said, that such would be the violence of the Chaldean army, that the Idumeans would not be able to resist it. He then says, that the Chaldeans would come like lions, who ascend in great fury when compelled to change the place of their habitation; for so I explai... [ Continue Reading ]
The Prophet proceeds with his subject respecting the Idumeans and their destruction; but he makes a preface in order to gain credit to his words. He then says that this was God’s _counsel _and his _thoughts_. He speaks after the manner of men; for he transfers to God what does not properly belong to... [ Continue Reading ]
The Prophet in many words dwells on the same thing, in itself sufficiently clear; but as it was not easy to convince the Jews of what had been already said of the destruction of the Idumeans, the Prophet continues the same subject. He then says that the _earth trembled at the sound of their fall _By... [ Continue Reading ]
He again speaks of the speedy coming of the Chaldeans, as though he had said, “When the state of that nation shall seem peaceable, when they rest secure in their own nest, then shall the Chaldeans suddenly come, or rather fly.” For he compares them to eagles, in order to show that it would be a very... [ Continue Reading ]
Jeremiah speaks here of the kingdom of Syria, which he means by _Damascus_, where the kings, as it is well known, resided. The Syrians had been from the beginning very hostile to the Israelites; and histories, well known, record that they had continual wars for many years. At length the kings of Isr... [ Continue Reading ]
The Prophet goes on with the same subject, for as the kingdom of Syria had flourished, and had been eminent in wealth and power, it was hardly credible that it could so soon be overthrown. This, then, is the reason why the Prophet, according to his usual manner, describes at large the ruin of that k... [ Continue Reading ]
Some think “my” to be redundant, and therefore render it “the city of joy;” (43) but they seem to be induced by no good reason; for they think it absurd that it should be called a city of joy to the Prophet, since he ought not to have regarded Damascus with any love or kindness. But the prophets, we... [ Continue Reading ]
Here the Prophet in a manner corrects himself, and declares, that though the ruin of Damascus would astonish all, yet it was certain; and so I explain the particle לכן,_lacen _ It is regarded by the Hebrews as a particle assigning a reason — therefore, for this cause. They then think that a reason i... [ Continue Reading ]
Here God himself speaks, and declares that he would be the author of the destruction of which Jeremiah prophesied. And he employs the similitude of fire, because there is nothing more violent or more dreadful than burning; for we know that the greatest cities are soon consumed and reduced to ashes w... [ Continue Reading ]
There is here another prophecy added respecting the Kedareans, who inhabited a part of Arabia. There is elsewhere mention made of them, and it is probable that they were neighbors to the Syrians and not far from Judea; for David complained (if he was the author of that psalm) that he dwelt among the... [ Continue Reading ]
The Prophet, in speaking of tents and curtains, had regard to the way of living adopted by that nation; for the Arabs, we know, dwelt in cabins and tents, as they do at this day, and they were also shepherds. They had no cultivated fields, but led their flocks through the deserts; and they had a gre... [ Continue Reading ]
Jeremiah continues here the same subject, but more clearly expresses what he had said, _Flee_, he says, _depart far away _What follows I read as a parenthesis, _Deep have they made to dwell, the inhabitants of Hazor _Then Jeremiah proceeds with his subject, _because consulted against you has Nebucha... [ Continue Reading ]
He confirms the last verse, repeating what he had already said, _Arise_, _ascend_; but he adds, _against a quiet nation _This was the _deep _dwelling of which he had spoken; for the Kedareans, as they thought themselves to be as it were in another world, were secure; and hence he says, _against a se... [ Continue Reading ]
It now follows, _1 will disperse them to every wind _Here Jeremiah predicts the scattering of that nation. It sometimes happens that a country is plundered by enemies, when yet the inhabitants, stripped of their goods, remain there and live in poverty. But together with poverty, Jeremiah declares th... [ Continue Reading ]
Here Jeremiah concludes his prophecy concerning the Kedareans; he says that their land would be deserted. The Prophets often make use of this way of speaking, that the land, deserted by its inhabitants, would become the habitation of dragons. And this is more grievous than when the land remains empt... [ Continue Reading ]
By Elam some interpreters understand Persia, and it is the most common opinion. I however think that the Elamites were not the same with the Persians; I should rather say that they were the Parthians, were it not that Luke, in Acts 2:9, makes them a distinct people from the Parthians. At the same ti... [ Continue Reading ]
Then God, in the first place, declares that he would _break the bow of Elam _The Parthians and other Orientals, we know, were very skillful archers; for every nation possesses its own peculiar excellency in connection with war. Some excel in the use of one kind of weapons, and others in the use of a... [ Continue Reading ]
He now adds that _four winds _would come, which would dissipate the whole people. God himself speaks, in order that the word might be more powerful and have more weight. _I will rouse up, _he says, _four winds _And we know that the air is in a moment put in motion whenever it pleases God; and when S... [ Continue Reading ]
This verse especially shews that the Elamites were of the number of those who had inhumanly raged against God’s people, for he did not without reason set forth the severity of his vengeance towards them. We must, then, bear in mind that the Elamites had been among the chief of God’s enemies, or at l... [ Continue Reading ]
He confirms what I have just referred to as to their consumption; but he at the same time adds, that God would be in such a way the avenger as though his tribunal was erected in that land. He threatens that he would _destroy the king and the princes_; and this, as I have explained, was the consumpti... [ Continue Reading ]
Here God mitigates the severity of the prediction, because he would at length gather some of the Elamites and restore them, so that they might again obtain some place or honor. He says not in the _end of days_, but after many days, _It shall be in course of time that I will restore the captivity of... [ Continue Reading ]