INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 17 This chapter is a further prophecy of the destruction of the Jews, with the causes of it, their sins, as their idolatry, which was notorious; of which their own consciences, their altars, and their children, were witnesses, Jeremiah 17:1 for which they are threatened wit... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SIN OF JUDAH IS WRITTEN WITH A PEN OF IRON,.... Or an iron tool, such as engravers use in working on hard matter: [AND] WITH THE POINT OF A DIAMOND; such as glaziers use in cutting their glass; though this is not the word used for a diamond in Exodus 28:18, this word is elsewhere translated an... [ Continue Reading ]
WHILST THEIR CHILDREN REMEMBER THEIR ALTARS,.... Which is a further proof of their long continuance in idolatrous practices, and a fresh witness against them; they trained up their children in them; who, when grown up, could not forget them, but imitated them, and went on in the same evil ways. Some... [ Continue Reading ]
O MY MOUNTAIN IN THE MIDST OF THE FIELD,.... Meaning either the temple, called the mountain of the house, and of the Lord's house, Micah 3:12, or else Jerusalem, which stood on a hill in the midst of a plain, surrounded with fruitful fields and gardens; or in the midst of a land like a field. The Ta... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THOU, EVEN THYSELF,.... Or, "thou, and in thee" l; that is, thou and those that are in thee, all the inhabitants of Jerusalem and Judea; or, "thou even through thyself" m; through thine own fault, by reason of thy sins and iniquities: SHALT DISCONTINUE FROM THINE HERITAGE THAT I GAVE THEE; be r... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SAITH THE LORD,.... Here begins a new discourse, or part of one; or, however, another cause or reason of the ruin and destruction of the Jews is suggested; namely, their trust in man, or confidence in the creature, which is resented and condemned: CURSED BE THE MAN THAT TRUSTETH IN MAN; as the... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR HE SHALL BE LIKE THE HEATH IN THE DESERT,.... The Vulgate Latin version renders it, "myrice": and so the Latin interpreter of the Targum; but the word that paraphrase makes use of according to R. Hai, mentioned by Kimchi, signifies something that is thorny without, and eatable within; but this i... [ Continue Reading ]
BLESSED IS THE MAN THAT TRUSTETH IN THE LORD,.... In the Word of the Lord, as the Targum, in Christ the essential Word of God; see Psalms 2:12 who have a spiritual knowledge of him, and so trust in him, Psalms 9:10 who have seen the vanity and emptiness of all other objects of trust, there being no... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR HE SHALL BE AS A TREE PLANTED BY THE WATERS,.... Not as a "heath or shrub", but as a "tree", a green olive tree, a palm tree, a cedar in Lebanon, a fruitful flourishing tree; and he is one that really is a tree of righteousness, that is filled with the fruits of righteousness; and not like one o... [ Continue Reading ]
THE HEART IS DECEITFUL ABOVE ALL THINGS,.... This is the source of the idolatry and creature confidence of the Jews, sins which were the cause of their ruin; and though what is here said is particularly applicable to their hearts, yet is in general true of the heart of every man; which is "deceitful... [ Continue Reading ]
I THE LORD SEARCH THE HEART,.... The inward parts of it, every room and corner in it; and know the thoughts of it; all its intents, purposes, designs, contrivances, and imaginations; all the secret motions of it, and the wickedness that is in it; so that this is an answer to the question in the prec... [ Continue Reading ]
AS THE PARTRIDGE SITTETH ON EGGS, AND HATCHETH THEM NOT,.... Here seems to be another sin pointed at, as the cause of the ruin of the Jews; as idolatry and trust in the creature before mentioned; so riches unjustly got, and these boasted of and trusted in; the folly of which is illustrated by the si... [ Continue Reading ]
A GLORIOUS HIGH THRONE FROM THE BEGINNING IS THE PLACE OF OUR SANCTUARY. The temple, which was a sanctified place, where the holy God dwelt, his holy worship was observed, and his holy people met together. Here, from the beginning of its erection, from the time of its dedication, the Lord took up hi... [ Continue Reading ]
O LORD, THE HOPE OF ISRAEL,.... Of all true Israelites; such as are regenerate persons, and true believers in him; Christ is the author and giver of that hope that is in them; the door of it unto them; the object on which it is exercised; the ground and foundation of it, or what gives encouragement... [ Continue Reading ]
HEAL ME, O LORD, AND I SHALL BE HEALED,.... These are the words of the prophet, sensible of his own sins and backslidings, and of the part which he himself had in these corrupt and declining times; and being conscious of his own impotency to cure himself; and being fully satisfied of the power of th... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, THEY SAY UNTO ME,.... Or, "they are saying unto me" y, continually; these were their daily flouts and jeers: WHERE [IS] THE WORD OF THE LORD? that thou hast so often talked of? thou hast for a long time threatened us with a siege, and famine, pestilence, and the sword, and captivity, but no... [ Continue Reading ]
AS FOR ME, I HAVE NOT HASTENED FROM [BEING] A PASTOR TO FOLLOW THEE,.... Though he had met with so much ill usage, and was hated by the people for bringing such messages to them, and was jeered and scoffed at because his prophecies were not accomplished; yet he had not been hasty, and solicitous, an... [ Continue Reading ]
BE NOT A TERROR UNTO ME,.... By deserting him, and leaving him in the hands of his enemies; or by denying him supports under their reproaches and persecution; or by withdrawing his gracious presence from him, than which nothing is more terrible to a good man; or by withholding the comfortable influe... [ Continue Reading ]
LET THEM BE CONFOUNDED THAT PERSECUTE ME,.... With words with reproaches, with scoffs and jeers, saying, "where is the word of the Lord?" Jeremiah 17:14; let such be ashamed that scoffingly put such a question, by seeing the accomplishment of it: BUT LET NOT ME BE CONFOUNDED; who have delivered it... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SAID THE LORD UNTO ME,.... Here begins a new sermon or discourse, concerning the sanctification of the sabbath, and a very proper place to begin a new chapter: GO AND STAND IN THE GATE OF THE CHILDREN OF THE PEOPLE; where there were great numbers of people passing and repassing; and whither th... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAY UNTO THEM, HEAR YE THE WORD OF THE LORD,.... Concerning the sanctification of the sabbath; for this was not of human, but of divine institution: YE KINGS OF JUDAH; which must be understood either, as Kimchi thinks, of the then present king and his sons, so called because they would reign af... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SAITH THE LORD, TAKE HEED TO YOURSELVES,.... That ye sin not against the Lord, by breaking the sabbath, and so bring wrath and ruin upon yourselves: or "to your souls" a; to the inward frame of them, that they be in disposition for the work of that day; and that they be wholly engaged therein,... [ Continue Reading ]
NEITHER CARRY FORTH A BURDEN OUT OF YOUR HOUSES ON THE SABBATH DAY,.... Not of dirt and soil only, as some restrain the sense; but of any ware or merchandise, in order to be sold in the city or elsewhere: NEITHER DO YE ANY WORK; any servile work, any kind of manufacture, either within doors or with... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THEY OBEYED NOT,.... Or, "heard not" c; so as to observe and do; that is, their fathers did not; this command was very early disobeyed, and more or less in all intervening times: NEITHER INCLINED THEIR EAR; or listened attentively to what was said to them; but if they heard at all, it was in a... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS,.... Or, "yet it shall come to pass" f; so it shall be, notwithstanding all former disobedience and rebellion: IF YE DILIGENTLY HEARKEN UNTO ME, SAITH THE LORD; or, "in hearing hear" g; hearken attentively, and readily obey the command given, before mentioned, so as TO BR... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SHALL THERE ENTER INTO THE GATES OF THIS CITY,.... In a very public and splendid manner: KINGS AND PRINCES, SITTING UPON THE THRONE OF DAVID; that is, kings, with the princes of the blood, or with their nobles, who shall be of the house and line of David; and in a continual succession shall si... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY SHALL COME FROM THE CITIES OF JUDAH,.... That is, men shall come from all parts of the land of Judea to the city of Jerusalem, and to the temple; especially at the times of their solemn feasts, three times a year, as the law directed: AND FROM THE PLACES ABOUT JERUSALEM; and from all the t... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT IF YE WILL NOT HEARKEN UNTO ME,.... With respect to this particular point, more especially: TO HALLOW THE SABBATH DAY; to keep it holy to the Lord in a religious way, in the exercise of the duties of religion, both public and private: AND NOT TO BEAR A BURDEN, EVEN ENTERING IN AT THE GATES OF... [ Continue Reading ]