Jeremiah 11:20

But, O LORD of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I revealed my cause. O LORD OF HOSTS, THAT JUDGEST RIGHTEOUSLY, THAT TRIEST THE REINS AND THE HEART - (, "All the churches shall know that I am He which searcheth the reins and hearts"). UNTO THEE HAVE I REVEALED MY CAUSE - committed my cause. Jeremiah's wish for vengeance, "Let me see thy vengeance upon them," was not personal, but ministerial, and accorded with God's purpose revealed to him against the enemies alike of God and of His servant (; ; ;...

Here the Prophet, after having found that the impiety of the people was so great that he was speaking to the deaf, turns his address to God: _O Jehovah of hosts, _he says, _who art a great Judge, who searchest the reins and the heart, may I see thy vengeance on them _The Prophet seems here inconsistent with himself;, for he had before declared that he was like a lamb or a calf, as though he had offered, as they say, his life a wining sacrifice; but here he seems like one made suddenly angry, and he prays for God’s vengeance. These things appear indeed to be very different; for if he had offered himself a victim, why did he not wait calmly for the event; why is he inflamed with so much displeasure? why does he thus imprecate on them the vengeance of God? But these things will well agree together, if we distinguish between private feeling and that pure and discreet zeal by which the meekne...

18-23 The prophet Jeremiah tells much concerning himself, the times he lived in being very troublesome. Those of his own city plotted how they might cause his death. They thought to end his days, but he outlived most of his enemies; they thought to blast his memory, but it lives to this day, and will be blessed while time lasts. God knows all the secret designs of his and his people's enemies, and can, when he pleases, make them known. God's justice is a terror to the wicked, but a comfort to the godly. When we are wronged, we have a God to commit our cause to, and it is our duty to commit it to him. We should also look well to our own spirits, that we are not overcome with evil, but that by patient continuance in praying for our enemies, and in kindness to them, we may overcome evil with good....

Verse Jeremiah 11:20. _LET ME SEE THY VENGEANCE ON THEM_] Rather, _I shall see_ (אראה ereh) _thy punishment indicted on them_....

EXPOSITION The superscription in Jeremiah 11:1 evidently belongs to the three chapters 11-13, though Jeremiah 11:1 and Jeremiah 12:1 are more closely connected with each other than with Jeremiah 13:1. To which period the group of prophecies belongs—whether to the reign of Josiah, or of Jehoiakim, or of Jehoiachin, or to various periods, is a matter of dispute. It contains at any rate one passage (Jeremiah 12:7) which was almost certainly put in by a later editor. It is doubtless Jeremiah's work, but seems out of place her

BUT, O LORD OF HOSTS, THAT JUDGEST RIGHTEOUSLY,.... This is the prophet's appeal to God, as the Judge of the whole earth, who will do right; he found there was no justice to be done him among men; he therefore has recourse to a righteous God, who he knew judged righteous judgment: THAT TRIEST THE REINS AND THE HEART; of all men; as of his own, so of his enemies; and which he mentions, not so much on his own account as theirs: LET ME SEE THY VENGEANCE ON THEM; which imprecation arose from a pure zeal for God, for his glory, and the honour of his justice; and not from private revenge; and so no ways inconsistent with the character of a good man; though some consider the words as a prediction of what would befall them, and he should live to see accomplished; and render them, "I shall see c." q and so the Targum, "I shall see the vengeance of thy judgment on them:'' FOR UNTO THEE HAVE I...

CHAPTER 11 The Broken Covenant and the Plot Against Jeremiah _ 1. The broken covenant (Jeremiah 11:1) _ 2. The plot revealed and Jehovah's answer (Jeremiah 11:18) Jeremiah 11:1. Jehovah had made a covenant with His people. He tells the prophet about it and the responsibility which was connected with that covenant. They were to obey His voice. Then should they be His people and He their God. And of this covenant it was written, “Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant.” The prophet answered the Lord: “So be it LORD” (Amen). Then he is commanded to proclaim this covenant and tell the people that they had broken the covenant. They had followed the evil exampl

THE ANATHOTH PLOT. The abrupt introduction of this account of the plot of the men of Anathoth against the life of the prophet might be explained by the supposition that his advocacy of the Deuteronomic Reformation (Jeremiah 11:1 ff.) would seem treachery to his kinsmen. For, as stated in the Introduction, they may have traced their descent from Abiathar, a priestly line now perpetually set aside in favour of the Zadokite priests of Jerusalem. If, however, Jeremiah's advocacy of Deuteronomy be not accepted as historic, then the Anathoth persecution will be a special instance of the general unpopularity of Jeremiah. Whether it was provoked by some particular utterance like that of Jesus in the synagogue of Nazareth we do not know. Jeremiah says that he was as unconscious of this plot as is a tame (gentle) lamb (_cf._...

TRIEST THE REINS AND THE HEART. Compare Jeremiah 11:20; Jeremiah 17:10; Jeremiah 20:12. Found elsewhere only in Psalms 7:9; Psalms 26:2. See App-85....

See summary at commencement of section, and for the date of Jeremiah 11:18 to Jeremiah 12:6 see introd. notes on the section. The abruptness with which the mention of the plots against Jeremiah is here introduced suggests either that some introductory words have fallen out, or, better (with Co.), that we should transpose these _vv_. with Jeremiah 12:1-6. In this way "it" and "their" of Jeremiah 11:18 will be explained by Jeremiah 12:6, and the Lord's warning in the latter _v_. will fit in with...