Jeremiah 11:4

Which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do them, according to all which I command you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God: IN THE DAY - i:e., when. The Sinaic covenant was some time after the exodus, but the two events are so connected as to be viewed as one. IRON FURNACE - (; ). "Furnace" expresses the searching ordeal; "iron," the long duration of it. The furnace was of earth, not of iron (); a furnace in heat and duration enough to melt even iron. God's deliverance of them from such an ordeal of hard bondage in Egypt aggravates their...

1-10 God never promised to bestow blessings on his rational creatures, while they persist in wilful disobedience. Pardon and acceptance are promised freely to all believers; but no man can be saved who does not obey the command of God to repent, to believe in Christ, to separate from sin and the world, to choose self-denial and newness of life. In general, men will hearken to those who speak of doctrines, promises, and privileges; but when duties are mentioned, they will not bend their ear....

FROM THE IRON FURNACE - Rather, out of “the iron furnace,” Egypt (see Deuteronomy 4:20). The constant reference to Deuteronomy shows how great had been the effect upon Jeremiah’s mind of the public recitation of the “Book of the covenant” found in the temple....

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

WHICH I COMMANDED YOUR FATHERS,.... To observe and keep: IN THE DAY THAT I BROUGHT THEM FORTH OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT: that is, quickly after, when they were in the wilderness, and before they came into the land of Canaan. The "day" seems to include the whole time from their coming out of Egypt, to their entrance into Canaan's land; it was in the first year of their coming out from thence that the law was given them on Mount Sinai, Exodus 19:1, and it was in the fortieth year, and when they were upon the borders of Canaan, that the covenant was made with them in the land of Moab, Deuteronomy 1:3: "from the iron furnace"; meaning Egypt, and their bondage and affliction in it, compared to an iron furnace for the grievousness of it, its long continuance, and the use of it to try and prove t

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 PROCLAMATION OF THE COVENANT. Jeremiah is commissioned to enforce solemnly (_cf._ Deuteronomy 27:26; Deuteronomy 29:9) on Judah and Jerusalem the covenant which Yahweh made at the time of the national deliverance from Egypt, as the condition of blessing. He solemnly accepts this commission, and is sent to the smaller cities, as well as to the streets of the capital, to declare the penalty of disobedience to this covenant, as shown by past history. Jeremiah 11:2. The verbs, hear ye, and speak should be emended to the singular, in view of Jeremiah 11:3....

IN THE DAY. See App-18. FROM THE IRON FURNACE. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 4:20). OBEY. Hear, with _Beth_ (= B). Listen or attend to. OBEY MY VOICE. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 15:26). App-92. THEM: i.e. "the words" of Jeremiah 11:3. I WILL BE YOUR GOD. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 26:3)....

_in the day, etc_.] Cp. Jeremiah 7:23. _the iron furnace_ The place where iron is smelted represents figuratively the scene of the affliction. See for the expression Deuteronomy 4:20; 1 Kings 8:51; and cp. Isaiah 48:10. _and do them_ probably introduced by mistake from Jeremiah 11:6....

CHAPTER NINE CONSPIRACIES AGAINST GOD AND HIS PROPHET Jeremiah 11:1 to Jeremiah 13:27 It is well nigh impossible to precisely date the discourses and activities contained in chapter 11-20. Naegelsbach feels that a date prior to the battle of Carchemish. should be assigned because of the lack of any reference to the Chaldeans. Most commentators, however, regard Jeremiah 13:18-27 as coming from the time of king Jehoiachin who reigned after the battle of Carchemish. One unit of this section, Jeremiah 14:1 to Jeremiah 17: