THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH _Chronological notes relative to the commencement of Jeremiah's prophesying_ -Year from the Creation, according to Archbishop Usher, 3375. -Year from the Deluge, according to the generally received Hebrew text, conferred withActs 7:4, 1719. -Fourth year of the _t... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Jeremiah 1:4. _THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME UNTO ME_] Then I first felt the inspiring influence of the Divine Spirit, not only revealing to me the subjects which he would have me to declare to the people, but also the _words_ which I should use in these declarations.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Jeremiah 1:5. _BEFORE I FORMED THEE_] I had destined thee to the prophetic office before thou wert born: I had formed my plan, and appointed thee to be my envoy to his people. St. Paul speaks of his own call to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles in similar terms, Galatians 1:15.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Jeremiah 1:6. _I CANNOT SPEAK_] Being very young, and wholly inexperienced, I am utterly incapable of conceiving aright, or of clothing these Divine subjects in suitable language. Those who are really _called of God_ to the sacred ministry are such as have been brought to a deep acquaintance w... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Jeremiah 1:7. _WHATSOEVER I COMMAND THEE_] It is my words and message, not thine own, that thou shalt deliver. I shall teach thee; therefore thy youth and inexperience can be no hinderance.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Jeremiah 1:8. _BE NOT AFRAID OF THEIR FACES_] That is, the _Jews_, whom he knew would persecute him because of the message which he brought. To be _fore_-warned is to be half armed. He knew what he was to expect from the disobedient and the rebellious, and must now be prepared to meet it.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Jeremiah 1:10. _I HAVE - SET THEE OVER THE NATIONS_] God represents his messengers the prophets as doing what he commanded them to declare _should be done_. In this sense they _rooted up, pulled down_, and _destroyed_ - declared God's judgments, they _builded up_ and _planted_ - declared the p... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Jeremiah 1:11. _A ROD OF AN ALMOND TREE._] שקד _shaked_, from שקד _shakad_, "to be ready," "to hasten," "to _watch_ for an opportunity to do a thing," to _awake_; because the almond tree is the _first_ to flower and bring forth fruit. _Pliny_ says, Floret prima omnium amygdala mense Januario;... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Jeremiah 1:12. _I WILL HASTEN MY WORD_] Here is a paronomasia. _What_ _dost thou see_? I see שקד _shaked_, "an almond," the _hastening_ tree: that which first _awakes. Thou hast well seen, for_ (שקד shoked) _I will hasten my word_. I will awake, or watch over my word for the first opportunity... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Jeremiah 1:13. _A SEETHING POT - TOWARD THE NORTH._] We find, from Ezekiel, Ezekiel 24:3, c., that a _boiling pot_ was an emblem of war, and the desolations it produces. Some have thought that by the seething pot _Judea_ is intended, _agitated_ by the invasion of the Chaldeans, whose land lay... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Jeremiah 1:14. _SHALL BREAK FORTH_] תפתח _tippathach, shall be opened_. The door shall be thrown abroad, that these calamities may pass out freely.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Jeremiah 1:15. _SHALL SET EVERY ONE HIS THRONE AT THE ENTERING OF THE_ _GATES_] As the gates of the cities were the ordinary places where justice was administered, so the enemies of Jerusalem are here represented as conquering the whole land, assuming the reins of government, and laying the wh... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Jeremiah 1:16. _I WILL UTTER MY JUDGMENTS_] God denounced his judgments: the conquest of their cities, and the destruction of the realm, were the facts to which these judgments referred; and these facts prove that the threatening was fulfilled. _WORSHIPPED THE WORKS OF THEIR OWN HANDS._] _Ido... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Jeremiah 1:17. _GIRD UP THY LOINS_] Take courage and be ready, lest I confound thee; take courage and be resolute, פן _pen_, lest by their opposition thou be terrified and confounded. God is often represented as _doing_ or _causing to be done_, what he only _permits_ or _suffers_ to be done. O... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Jeremiah 1:18. _I HAVE MADE THEE THIS DAY A DEFENCED CITY, AND AN IRON_ _PILLAR, AND, BRAZEN WALLS_] Though thou shalt be exposed to persecutions and various indignities, they shall not prevail against thee. To their attacks thou shalt be as an _impregnable_ _city_; as _unshaken_ as an _iron p... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Jeremiah 1:19. _THEY SHALL NOT PREVAIL AGAINST THEE_] Because I am determined to defend and support thee against all thy enemies. One of the ancients has said, Θεου θελοντος, και επι ῥιπος πλεῃ Σωζῃ· Thestius, apud Theophil. ad Autolyc. lib. ii. "God protecting thee, though thou wert at sea... [ Continue Reading ]