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COMMENTARIES 


ox 


THE  PROPHET  JEREMIAH 


AND 


THE  LAMENTATIONS. 


VOL.  V. 


THE  CALVIN  TRANSLATION  SOCIETY. 


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COMMENTARIES 


BOOK  OF  THE  PROPHET  JEREMIAH 


THE  LAMENTATIONS. 


BY  JOHNTALVIN. 


TRANSLATED  FROM  THE  LATIN,  AND  EDITED 

BY  THE  REV.  JOHN  OWEN, 

VrCAR    OP    THRUSSINGTON,    AND  KTRAL  DRAW,  IFTCFSTRR5RIB?- 


VOLUME    FIFTH. 


EDINBURGH:  ' 
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/vv'< 


COMMENTARIES 


ON 


THE  PROPHET  JEREMIAH. 

CHAPTER  XLYIIL 

1.  Against  Moab  thus  saith  the         1.   Contra  Moab,  sic  dicit  Jehova 

Lord  of  hosts,  the  God  of  Israel,  exercitimm,  Deus  Israel,  Vsd  super 

Woe  unto  Nebo !  for  it  is  spoiled ;  Nebo,  quia  in   vastitatem  redacta 

Kiriathaim     is     confounded     and  est  (vastata  est ;)  destructa  est  Ki- 

taken:    Misgab   is  confounded  and  riathaim ;  pudefacta  est  Misgab  et 

dismayed.  expavit  {vel,  anima  fracta  est.) 

This  prophecy  is  against  the  Moabites,  who,  though  they 
derived  their  origin  from  Lot,  and  were  of  the  same  blood 
with  the  Israelites,  had  yet  been  inimical  to  them.  This 
prophecy  would  be  uninteresting,  were  we  not  to  remember 
the  history  on  which  the  application  and  use  of  what  is  said 
depends.  We  have  said  that  the  Moabites,  as  the  father  of 
their  nation  was  Lot,  were  connected  by  blood  with  the 
Israelites ;  they  ought  then  to  have  retained  the  recollec- 
tion of  their  brotherhood,  and  to  have  dealt  kindly  with 
them ;  for  God  had  spared  them  when  the  people  of  Israel 
entered  into  the  land  of  Canaan.  The  Israelites,  we  know, 
passed  through  the  borders  of  Moab  without  doing  any  harm 
to  them,  because  it  was  God's  purpose,  from  a  regard  to  Lot, 
to  preserve  them  for  a  time.  But  this  people  never  ceased 
to  contrive  all  manner  of  plots  against  God's  people ;  and, 
as  we  shall  hereafter  see,  when  the  state  of  that  people  be- 
came embarrassed,  they  cruelly  exulted  over  them,  andbecame 
more  insolent  than  avowed  enemies.  Hence  God  prophesied 
against  them,  that  the  Israelites  might  know,  as  we  reminded 
you  yesterday,  that  their  miserable  condition  was  not  over- 


b  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXIX. 

looked  by  God,  and  that  though  he  chastised  them,  yet  some 
hope  of  mercy  remained,  as  he  undertook  their  cause  and 
would  be  their  defender.  It  was  then  no  small  comfort  which 
this  prophecy  brought  to  the  faithful ;  for  they  thus  knew 
that  God  was  still  their  father,  though  apparently  he  seemed 
to  be  severe  to  them.  We  now  perceive  the  design  of  what 
is  here  said. 

The  case  of  the  Moabites  was  different  from  that  of  the 
Egyptians,  for  the  Egyptians  were  wholly  aliens  to  the  chosen 
people ;  but  the  Moabites,  as  we  have  said,  were  related  to 
them.  They  were  therefore  wilful,  and  as  it  were  intestine 
enemies ;  and  nature  itself  ought  to  have  taught  them  to 
acknowledge  the  Israelites  as  their  brethren,  and  to  cultivate 
mutual  kindness.  This  cruelty  and  ingratitude  were  so 
hateful  to  God,  that  at  length  he  punished  them  most 
severely.  But  as  tlie  Moabites  remained  in  quietness  when 
Judea  was  laid  waste,  and  the  city  Jerusalem  destroyed, 
after  the  overthrow  of  the  kingdom  of  Israel,  and  the  banish- 
ment of  the  ten  tribes  to  distant  countries,  it  behoved  the 
faithful  to  exercise  patience,  which  could  not  have  been 
done  without  hope.  It  was  this  then  that  Jeremiah  had  in 
view,  even  to  sustain  the  minds  of  the  godly  with  the  ex- 
pectation of  God's  judgment,  which  he  here  denounces  on 
the  Moabites. 

He  says.  Against  Moah  ;i  and  then  it  follows,  Thus  saith 
Jehovah  of  hosts,  the  God  of  Israel.  By  the  first  term  he 
designates  the  immense  j^ower  of  God,  and  reminds  them 
that  God  is  tlie  judge  of  the  whole  world,  and  that  his  king- 
dom extends  over  all  nations  ;  but  by  the  second  expression 
he  bears  testimony  to  the  love  with  which  he  had  embraced 
the  children  of  Abraham,  because  he  had  been  pleased  to 
choose  them  as  his  peculiar  inheritance.  Woe,  he  says,  on 
Neho  ;^  which  was  a  city  in  the  land  of  Moab  ;  because  laid 
waste,  ashamed,  taken  is  Kiriathaim.    He  names  here,  as  we 

^  All  the  versions,  except  the  Si/riac,  which  Calvin  has  followed,  have 
"  to  Moab,"  and  connect  the  words  with  the  following,  that  is,  "  Jehovah 
says  thus  to  Moab."  The  best  version  is,  as  given  by  Blayney  and  Hen- 
derson, *'  concerning  Moab,  thus  saith,"  &c. — Ed. 

^  8ome  give  this  rendering,  "Alas!  no  Nebo;"  it  had  ceased  to  exist, 
and  the  reason  is  given,  "for  it  is  laid  waste." — Ed. 


CHAP.  XLVIII.  2.      COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  7 

see,  some  cities,  and  lie  will  name  more  as  he  proceeds. 
Ashamed  then  and  taken  is  Kiriaihaim ;  and  Misgah^  is 
ashamed  and  torn,  or  broken  in  mind.     It  follows, — 

2.  There  shall  be  no  more  praise         2.  Nulla  aniplius  gloriatio  Moab  in 

of  Moab ;  in  Heshbon  they  have  Chesbon ;     cogitaverunt    super    earn 

devised  evil  against  it ;  come,  and  malum,  Venite  et  excidamus  eam,  ne 

let  us  cut  it  off  from  being  a  na-  sit  gens ;  etiam  Madmen,  (alloquiiur 

tion :  also  thou  shalt  be  cut  down,  urbem  ipsam,)  excisa  es  (ad  verbiim,  in 

O  Madmen ;  the  sword  shall  pur-  solitudinem  redacta,  sed  metaphorice 

sue  thee.  accipitur  pro  interitu,  interiit   ergo 

Madmen ;)  post  t e  proficiscetur gladius. 

The  Prophet,  as  before,  does  not  speak  in  an  ordinary 
way,  but  declares  in  lofty  terras  what  God  had  committed 
to  him,  in  order  that  he  might  terrify  the  Moabites  ;  not  in- 
deed that  they  heard  his  threatenings,  but  it  was  necessary 
that  he  should  denounce  vengeance  in  this  vehement  man- 
ner, that  the  Jews  might  know  that  the  cruelty  and  pride 
of  the  Moabites,  hereafter  mentioned,  would  not  go  un- 
2:>unished. 

Hence  he  says.  No  more  shall  be  the  praise  or  the  boasting 
of  Moab  over  Heshbon.  We  may  learn  from  this  place  and 
from  others,  that  Heshbon  had  been  taken  from  the  Moabites; 
for  it  was  occupied  by  God's  people,  because  the  Moabites 
had  lost  it,  as  Moses  relates  in  Num.  xxi.  SO,  and  in  Deut. 
ii.  26,  &c.  But  (as  things  change)  when  the  Moabites  be- 
came strong,  they  took  away  this  city  from  the  Israelites. 
Hence  the  Prophet  says,  that  there  would  be  no  more  boast- 
ing that  they  possessed  that  city ;  for  he  adds.  They  have 
thought,  or  devised,  &c.  There  is  here  a  striking  allusion, 
for  p!3Si^n,  chesbon,  is  derived  from  Il^H,  chesheb,  to  devise 
or  to  consult,  as  though  it  were  a  place  of  consultation  or 
devisings.  The  Prophet  then  says,  that  as  to  Heshbon  they 
consulted  against  it,  H  v^  IH^n,  cheshbu  olie.  He  uses  the 
root  from  which  the  name  of  the  city  is  derived.  Heshbon, 
then,  hitherto  called  the  place  of  consultation,  was  to  have 
and  find  other  counsellors,  even  those  who  would  contrive 
ruin  for  it.  Gome  ye  ;  the  Prophet  refers  here  to  the  counsel 
taken  by  the  Chaldeans,  Come  ye,  and  let  us  cut  her  off  from 

1  Neither  the  Vulg.  nor  the  Syr.  gives  this  as  a  proper  name,  nor  is 
there  any  such  place  found  elsewhere.  Blayney  renders  it  "  the  high  for- 
tress," agreeably  with  the  Vulg.,  Syr.,  and  the  Targ. — Ed. 


8  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXIX. 

bemg  a  nation.  He  then  joins  another  city,  And  thou,  Mad- 
men,^ shalt  be  cut  off,  for  a  sword  shall  go  after  thee,  or  pur- 
sue thee,  as  though  the  city  itself  was  fleeing-  from  the  sword ; 
not  that  cities  move  from  one  place  to  another ;  but  when 
the  citizens  deliberate  how  they  may  drive  away  their  ene- 
mies and  resist  their  attacks, — when  they  seek  aid  here  and 
there, — when  they  set  up  their  own  remedies,  they  are  said 
to  flee.  But  the  Prophet  says,  "  Thou  shalt  gain  nothing 
by  fleeing,  for  the  sword  shall  pursue  thee/'     It  follows, — 

3.  A  \oice  of  crying  shall  be  from  3.  Vox  clamoris  (id  e^^,  sonora) 
Horonaim,  spoiling  and  great  de-  e  Choronaim,  vastitas  et  contritio 
struction.  magna. 

By  naming  many  cities,  he  shews  that  the  whole  land  was 
doomed  to  ruin,  so  that  no  corner  of  it  would  be  exempt 
from  destruction.  For  the  Moabites  might  have  sufl'ered 
some  loss  without  much  injury  had  they  been  moderately 
chastised ;  but  the  Prophet  shews  that  they  would  be  so 
reduced  by  the  power  of  Nebuchadnezzar,  that  ruin  would 
extend  to  every  part  of  the  land.  We  now  then  see  why 
this  catalogue  of  the  cities  is  given. 

By  the  voice  of  crying  he  means  howling,  a  loud  lamenta- 
tion, heard  far  and  wide.  He  says  that  the  voice  of  crying 
would  go  forth  from  Horonaim,  which  some  think  was  so 
called,  because  the  city  consisted  of  two  parts,  a  higher  and 
a  lower  part.  He  then  adds,  desolation  and  great  destruc- 
tion. He  thus  explains  himself,  for  the  citizens  of  Horo- 
naim would  in  vain  cry  out,  because  desolation  and  breaking 
or  destruction  would  constrain  them,  that  is,  make  them 
cry  out  so  as  to  howl  for  the  bitterness  of  their  grief  It 
follows, — 

4.  Moab  is  destroyed;  her  liltlc  4.  Afflicta est  Moab ;  audire  fece- 
ones  have  caused  a  cry  to  be  heard,     runt  clamorein  parvuli  ejus. 

'  None  of  the  versions  renders  this  a  proper  name,  but  as  a  participle 
from  the  verb  which  follows,  and  no  such  place  is  mentioned  else a\ here. 
They  must  have  read  HDID  instead  of  jDID.     Then  the  version  would  be, 

Even  silenced  thou  shalt  be  silenced, 

After  thee  shall  go  the  sword. 
To  be  silenced,  in  the  language  of  the  prophets,  is  to  be  subdued.  See 
Isaiah  xv.  1,  when  the  same  thing  is  said  of  Moab.  Tlie  word  silence 
forms  a  contrast  with  the  boasting  of  Moab  mentioned  at  the  beginning  of 
the  verse.  After  being  subdued  and  removed  elsewhere,  still  the  sword 
would  follow  Moab. — Ed.   ^ 


CHAP.  XLVIII.  5,  6.        COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  9 

Tlie  Prophet  speaks  again  generally  of  the  whole  country. 
It  is  said  that  the  land  of  Moab  was  afflicted;  not  that  it 
was  so  then  ;  but  to  make  certain  the  propliecy,  he  speaks 
of  the  event  as  having  already  taken  place  ;  for  the  prophets, 
as  it  is  well  known,  speaking  in  the  person  of  God,  relate 
tilings  as  yet  hidden,  as  though  they  had  been  completed. 
He  says  that  the  little  ones  of  Moab  so  cried  as  to  be  heard.i 
This  is  much  more  emphatic  than  if  he  had  said  that  men 
and  women  cried  out ;  for  children  do  not  soon  perceive 
what  is  going  on,  for  tlieir  understanding  is  not  great.  Men 
and  women  howl  when  threatenings  only  are  announced ; 
but  little  children  are  not  moved  but  by  present  evils,  and 
except  they  are  actually  beaten,  they  are  not  aifected ;  and 
then  they  hardly  distinguish  between  some  slight  evil  and 
death.  Hence,  when  the  Prophet  says  that  the  little  ones 
of  Moab  w^ere  heard  in  their  crying,  he  means  that  the  griev- 
ousness  of  its  calamity  would  be  extreme,  as  that  little 
children,  as  tliough  wise  before  their  time,  w^ould  perceive 
the  atrocious  cruelty  of  their  enemies.     It  follows, — 

5.  For  in  the  going  up  of  Luhith  5.  Quoniam  in  ascensu  Liihith 
continual  weeping  shall  go  up ;  for  cum  fletu  ascendet  fletus,  quia  in 
ill  the  going  down  of  Horonaim  the  descensuChoronaimhostesclamorem 
enemies  have  heard  a  cry  of  de-  contritionis  audierunt  (conjungi  de- 
struction.  bet  proasimus  versus,) 

6.  Flee,  save  yoiu*  Hves,  and  be  6,  Fugite,  eripite  animas  vestras ; 
like  the  heath  in  the  wilderness.  et  eritis  quasi  Aroer  (vel,  myrica)  in 

deserto. 

Here  Jeremiah  uses  another  figure,  that  the  weeping  w^ould 
be  everywhere  heard  in  the  ascent  to  Luhith.  It  is  probable, 
and  it  appears  from  the  Prophet's  w^ords,  that  this  city  w^as 
situated  on  a  high  place.  He  then  says,  that  men  would 
go  up  wdth  weeping  in  the  ascent  to  Luhith;  literally, /?^  (or 
wdth)  lueeping  shall  lueeping  ascend.  But  some  read  as  though 
it  were  WTitten  HD^,  heke,  weeping ;   nor  is  there  a  doubt 

'  Here  all  the  versions  and  the  Targum  differ.  The  Vulg.  only  has 
"  little  ones ;"  the  Syr.  has  "  her  poor ;"  the  t^ept.  take  "  Zoar"  to  be 
intended,  according  to  Isaiah  xv.  .5,  the  word  mi^l^  instead  of  rTillV^. 
The  passage  in  Isaiah  confirms  this  reading,  though  not  found  in  any 
copies.     Then  the  verse  would  read  thiLS, — 

Broken  is  Moab, 

They  made  the  cry  heard  at  Zoar. 
This  is  substantiallv  the  version  of  Venema.-^Ed. 


10  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXIX. 

but  tliat  the  verb  rO'Q^,  iole,  refers  to  a  person.  But  Jere- 
miah seems  to  have  mentioned  weeping  twice  in  order  to 
shew  that  men  would  not  only  weep  in  one  place,  but  during 
the  long  course  of  their  ascent,  as  though  he  had  said,  "  Tliey 
who  shall  be  near  the  city  shall  weep,  and  they  in  the  mid- 
dle of  tlieir  course,  and  those  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain  ;" 
that  is,  there  shall  be  weeping  in  every  place.  "We  now  then 
perceive  the  meaning  of  the  Proj)het. 

He  afterwards  says.  In  the  descent  to  Horonaim.  It  hence 
appears  that  this  city  was  situated  in  a  low  place  or  on  a 
plain  ;  and  therefore  I  know  not  why  they  say  that  one 
part  of  it  was  higher  than  the  other.  It  might  indeed  be 
that  it  had  a  hill  in  it ;  but  the  place  was  in  a  level  country, 
and  had  mountains  around  it,  as  we  learn  from  the  Prophet's 
words.  In  the  descent  to  Horonaim  the  enemies  shall  hear  a 
cry  of  distress.  By  saying  that  enemies  would  hear  a  cry,-^ 
he  means  that  the  citizens  of  Horonaim  and  their  neighbours 
would  become  frantic  through  grief.  For  fear  restrains 
weeping,  and  when  any  one  sees  an  enemy  near,  the  very 
sight  of  him  checks  him,  so  that  he  dares  not  openly  to  shew 
his  grief;  and  then  shame  also  restrains  tears  as  well  as 
sighings,  for  an  enemy  would  deride  our  weepings  in  our 
misery.  There  is  no  doubt  then,  but  that  the  Prophet  here 
amplifies  the  grievousness  of  their  sorrow,  when  he  says, 
that  though  the  citizens  of  Horonaim  had  enemies  before 
their  eyes,  they  would  yet  break  forth  with  weeping  and 
loud  crying,  and  that  the  reproach  and  derision  of  enemies 
would  not  restrain  them. 

Then  he  adds,  Flee,  save  :  this  is  the  crying  of  distress  ; 
for  miserable  men,  as  the  case  is  in  extreme  evils,  mutually 
exhort  one  another.  Flee,  save  your  lives.  He  then  compares 
them  to  a  tamarisk.     The  word  ^1)111?,  oruor,  designates  a 

"■  The  word  enemies  is  given  only  by  the  Vul(j.  ;  the  other  versions 
render  it  "  distress."     The  Hteral  rendering  of  the  verse  is, — 

For  in  the  ascent  to  Luhith, 

With  weeping  ascends  weeping; 

For  in  the  descent  to  Horonaim, 

The  distress  of  the  cry  of  ruin  have  tliey  heard. 
This  version  materially  corresponds  with  Isaiah  xv.  5.     AVeeping  ascend- 
ing with  weeping,  shews  that  all  wept  as  they  ascended.     "  The  distress 
of  the  cry"  is  a  Hebraism  for  distressing  cry. — Ed. 


CHAP.  XLVIII.  7.      COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  1 1 

country,  as  it  is  probable,  and  there  were  also  two  cities  of 
this  name.  However,  Hl?^!^,  or  or,  is  a  tamarisk,  as  we  have 
already  seen  in  chap.  xvii.  6.  Some  render  it,  "  a  tower  \" 
and  the  words  of  Isaiah  in  chap.  xvii.  2,  are  perverted  by 
some  to  maintain  another  meaning  ;  for  they  think  that 
nyi'l^,  oruor,  means  the  cot  of  shepherds  in  the  desert ;  but 
I  prefer  the  opinion  of  those  who  render  it  "  tamarisk,''  or 
juniper,  though  the  Prophet  seems  to  me  to  allude  to  the 
city  Aroer,  or  to  a  region  of  that  name,  but  I  rather  think 
to  the  city.  He  then  says,  And  ye  shall  he  as  a  tamarisk  in 
the  desert :  and  it  is  known  from  other  places  that  Aroer 
was  in  the  land  of  Moab. 

We  now  then  perceive  what  the  Prophet  means  :  that 
Moab  would  be  like  a  juniper  in  the  desert,  that  is,  a  barren 
tree,  which  never  grows  to  any  size  ;  and  then  it  is  dry,  be- 
cause it  is  not  cherished  by  any  rain,  nor  fed  by  any  moisture 
from  the  ground.  It  is  in  this  sense,  as  we  have  stated, 
that  our  Prophet  took  the  similitude  in  chap.  xvii.  5-8  : 
"  Blessed,''  he  says,  "  is  the  man  wdio  trusts  in  Jehovah,  for 
he  shall  be  like  a  tree  planted  near  waters :  cursed  is  the 
man  who  trusts  in  man,  and  who  makes  flesh  his  arm,  and 
withdraws  his  heart  from  Jehovah  ;  for  he  shall  be  as  the 
tamarisk  of  the  desert ;"  that  is,  he  shall  be  barren  and  dry, 
without  any  moisture  or  support.     It  now  follows : — 

7.  For  because  thou  hast  trusted         7.  Propterea  quod  fiducia  tua  fiiit 

in  thy  works,  and  in  thy  treasures,  in  operibus  tuis  {ad  verbum)  et  in 

thou  shall  also  be  taken ;  and  Che-  thesauris  tuis,  etiam  tu  capieris ;  et 

mosh  shall  go  forth  into  captivity  egredietur  Chamos  in  captivitatem, 

with  his  priests  and  his  princes  to-  sacerdotes  ejus  et  principes  ejus  si- 

gether.  mid. 

Jeremiah  assigns  here  the  reason  wdiy  God  would  take 
veno-eance  on  the  Moabites  ;  but  we  shall  hereafter  see  other 
reasons  why  God  had  been  so  much  displeased  with  them. 
Let  us  then  know  that  we  are  not  here  taught  avowedly  wdiy 
God  determined  to  lay  waste  and  destroy  the  land  of  Moab  ; 
for  there  is  here  but  one  reason  given,  while  there  were  others 
and  greater  ones,  even  because  they  had  wantonly  exulted 
over  the  miseries  of  the  Jews,  because  they  had  conspired 
against  them,  because  they  had  betrayed  them,  and  lastly, 
because  thev  had  as  it  were  carried  on  war  with  their  God. 


12  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXIX. 

But  here  Jeremiah  briefly  shews,  that  were  there  no  other 
reasons,  the  Moabites  deserved  that  God  should  pour  forth 
his  wrath  on  them  even  for  this,  because  they  trusted  in  their 
own  works  and  treasures.  By  works  some  understand  herds 
and  flocks  ;  and  in  this  sense  they  are  sometimes  taken,  and 
it  is  an  exposition  that  may  be  admitted.  We  may  however 
understand  by  "works''  fortifications,  especially  as  "trea- 
sures'' arc  added.  He  then  says,  that  the  Moabites  were 
such  that  it  was  just  that  God  should  be  roused  against 
them,  because  they  were  inebriated  with  false  confidence  in 
their  own  power,  and  because  they  had  many  treasures  : 
they  hence  thought  that  they  were  impregnable. 

The  Prophet  in  the  meantime  intimates,  that  the  Moab- 
ites greatly  deceived  themselves  in  thinking  that  they  were 
safe  against  God's  hand,  because  they  were  strongly  fortified, 
and  because  they  had  immense  treasures  laid  up.  Hence 
he  says  that  all  these  things  would  avail  nothing,  for  God 
would  destroy  the  whole  land. 

Even  thou,  he  says,  shalt  he  taken.  There  is  no  small 
emphasis  in  the  particle  DIl,  gam^  even  or  also  ;  for  the  Pro- 
phet exj)resses  what  would  now  take  place  ;  for  the  Moabites 
in  vain  trusted  in  their  treasures  and  power,  because  God 
would  notwithstanding  destroy  them,  and  his  hand  would 
penetrate  into  their  fortresses.  "  God  then  shall  find  thee 
out  equally  the  same,  as  though  thou  wert  exposed  to  all 
dangers."  They  who  abound  in  warlike  preparations,  fur- 
nished with  all  kinds  of  defences,  think  themselves  exempted 
from  the  common  lot  of  men :  hence  he  says,  Even  thou, 
equally  the  same  with  any  village  exposed  to  the  will  of 
enemies,  even  thou  shalt  be  taken  ;  and  go  forth  shall  Chemosh. 
Tliis  was  the  tutelar  God  of  the  land,  as  it  appears  from  the 
book  of  Judges  and  other  places,  and  even  from  what  Moses 
says,  (Judges  xi.  24;  1  Kings  xi.  7,  33;  Num.  xxi.  29.) 
As,  then,  the  Moabites  worshipped  this  idol,  they  thought 
themselves  safe  whatever  evil  might  bo  at  hand.  The  Pro- 
phet then  derides  this  confidence.  We  have  said  before, 
tliat  the  ungodly  in  part  set  up  their  own  earthly  poAver 
in  opposition  to  God,  and  in  part  imagined  that  they  were 
aided  by  their  idols.     Hence  the  prophets  exposed  tlicse 


CHAP.  XLVIII.  8,  9.       COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  13 

two  evils,  as  it  appears  also  from  the  present  passage :  the 
Prophet  had  said,  "  Because  thou  trustest  in  thy  fortresses 
and  treasures,  even  thou  shalt  be  taken  ;''  and  now  he  says, 
"  Because  thou  thinkest  Chemosh  to  be  a  sure  and  invin- 
cible defence,  it  shall  be  driven  into  exile  and  be  kept 
captive.''  This  he  said  in  reproach  to  the  idol.  He  adds, 
its  priests  and  its  princes,  even  those  princes,  who  seem  to 
lie  down  safely  under  its  shadow,  tliey  also  shall  be  driven 
into  exile. 

8.  And  the  spoiler  shall  come  8.  Et  veniet  vastator  ad  omnem 
upon  every  city,  and  no  city  shall  urbem,  neque  urbs  eripietur  ;  et 
escape  :  the  valley  also  shall  perish,  peribit  vallis,  et  perdetur  planities, 
and  the  plain  shall  be  destroyed,  as  quod  (id  est,  quemadmodum)  locu- 
the  Lofd  hath  spoken.  tus  est  Jehova. 

He  confirms  the  previous  verse;  nor  ought  he  to  be  deemed 
too  wordy,  for  this  prophecy  was  not  announced,  that  it 
might  cherish  the  hope  and  patience  of  the  faithful  only 
for  a  few  days ;  but  it  was  necessary  for  them  to  rest  de- 
pendent for  a  long  time  on  this  promise,  which  God  had 
given  them  many  years  before.  This,  then,  is  the  reason 
why  the  Prophet  confirms  at  large  a  truth  in  itself  suffi- 
ciently clear.  Come,  he  says,  shall  a  luaster  to  all  the  cities. 
It  now  appears  more  clearly  why  he  mentioned  some  of  the 
cities,  though,  as  we  shall  see,  they  were  many,  even  that 
the  Israelites  might  know  that  all  the  land  of  Moab  was  to 
be  given  up  to  desolation:  Nor  shall  a  city  escape,  for  de- 
stroyed shall  be  the  valley  and  the  plain,  as  Jehovah  has 
spoken.     It  follows, — 

9.  Give  wings  unto  Moab,  that  it  9.  Date  alara  ipsi  Moab,  quia 
may  flee  and  get  away :  for  the  cities  volando  volabit  ;  et  urbes  ejus  in 
thereof  shall  be  desolate,  without  vastationem  erunt,  ut  non  sit  qui 
any  to  dwell  therein.  habitet  in  ilHs. 

Here  is  a  bitter  derision  ;  for  it  was  necessary  not  only 
to  goad  the  Moabites,  but  also  to  jDierce  them  through,  be- 
cause they  were  inflated  with  so  much  pride,  and  also  because 
they  cruelly  raged  against  God's  people,  as  we  shall  more 
fully  see  hereafter.  When  the  Israelites  were  conquered, 
these  ungodly  men  cast  forth  their  taunts,  and  also  betrayed 
them  to  their  enemies.  Hence  the  Prophet  now  says,  Give 
ivings  to  Moab.     Though  the  word  V*"*!!C,  tsits,  properly  means 


14  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXIX. 

a  flower,  yet  it  means  here  a  wing,  put  for  wings  ;  as  though 
he  had  said,  that  the  Moabites  could  not  escape  destruction 
except  by  flying.  In  short,  as  they  had  not  only  so  proudly 
despised,  but  liad  also  persecuted  their  miserable  brethren, 
the  Prophet  says,  "  Come  shall  the  time  when  feet  for  run- 
ning or  for  flight  shall  not  be  sufficient  for  you,  your  enemies 
being  so  eager  in  pursuit ;  but  you  will  desire  to  have  wings.'" 
But,  as  we  shall  see,  he  will  presently  tell  us,  that  Moab  had 
been  quiet  and  settling  on  its  dregs. 

He  then  adds,  that  its  cities  would  he  a  waste,  so  as  to  have 
no  inhabitant.  He  mentions  the  reason  why  Moab  would 
need  wings,  even  because  there  would  be  no  refuge  for 
them,  for  wherever  it  would  betake  itself,  it  would  be  tjience 
driven  away  ;  for  the  enemy  would  take  all  the  cities,  so 
that  the  whole  people  would  be  under  the  necessity  of  re- 
moving elsewhere ;  he  intimates,  in  short,  that  there  would 
be  no  hope  for  life  to  the  Moabites,  except  by  flight,  and  that 
the  swiftest.     At  length  he  adds, — 

10.  Cursed  be  he  that  doeth  the         10.  Maledictus  qui  facit  opus  Je- 

work  of  the  Lord  deceitfully,  and  hovse  fraudulenter  (hoc  est,  non  bona 

cursed  be  he  that  keepeth  back  his  fide,)    et    maledictus   qui   prohibet 

sword  from  blood.  gladium  suum  a  sanguine. 

The  Prophet  here  encourages  the  Chaldeans  to  severity, 
so  as  to  make  no  end  until  they  destroyed  that  nation. 
We  have  said  that  the  prophets  assumed  different  charac- 
ters, so  that  what  they  said  might  be  more  impressive. 
The  Chaldeans  were  not  indeed  the  disciples  of  Jeremiah  ; 
nor  was  this  exhortation  intended  for  them,  but  that  the 
Israelites  might  know  that  what  they  heard  from  the  mouth 
of  Jeremiah  was  certain.  He  then  turns  to  address  the 
Chaldeans  ;  as  he  before  spoke  to  any  who  might  be  present, 
"  Give  wings  to  Moab  ;''  so  now  another  apostrophe  follows, 
Cursed,  &c., —  to  whom  does  he  speak?  to  the  Chaldeans; 
and  yet  the  Prophet  did  not  address  them  as  though  he 
could  eff'ect  anything ;  but,  as  I  have  said,  he  had  a  regard 
to  the  Jews. 

This  passage  has  been  very  absurdly  explained,  and  it  is 
commonly  quoted  as  though  the  Prophet  had  said,  that  spe- 
cial care  ought  to  be  taken  by  us,  not  to  omit  anything  of 


CHAP.  XLVIII.  11.       COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  15 

what  God  commands.  But  tliey  thus  misrepresent  the 
meaning.  We  ought  therefore  to  bear  in  mind  what  I  have 
already  said,  that  these  words  are  addressed  to  the  Chal- 
deans, as  though  he  had  said,  "  Spare  not,  but  shed  blood, 
and  let  no  humanity  move  you,  for  it  is  the  work  of  God  ; 
God  has  armed  you,  that  ye  might  fully  execute  his  judg- 
ment and  spare  no  blood  :  ye  shall  then  be  accursed,  except 
ye  execute  his  vengeance.''  It  is  not  indeed  a  common 
mode  of  speaking  ;  but  as  to  the  subject  and  the  meaning 
there  is  no  ambiguity.  It  is  the  same  thing  as  though  he 
had  said,  "Go  on  courageously,  and  boldly  execute  God's 
vengeance,  inasmuch  as  punishment  has  been  denounced  on 
them."  As  when  soldiers  idly  delay,  the  leader  when  pre- 
sent not  only  exhorts  them  but  also  urges  them  on  with 
reproofs  and  threatenings,  in  order  to  rouse  their  alacrity  ; 
so  the  Prophet  here  shews  that  God,  as  though  present  with 
the  Chaldeans,  would  chide  their  sloth,  "  Why  do  ye  give 
over?  cursed  is  every  one  who  will  not  shed  blood,  and  who 
will  not  destroy  them  from  the  least  to  the  greatest." 

But  the  whole  import  of  the  passage  is  found  in  the  ex- 
pression, that  the  destruction  of  that  ungodly  nation  was 
the  work  of  Jehovah  ;  as  if  he  had  said,  "  Though  the  Chal- 
deans shall  lay  waste  the  land  of  Moab,  and  shall  do  this, 
not  in  order  to  obey  God,  but  from  avarice  and  ambition, 
yet  it  will  be  the  work  of  God ;  for  God  has  hired  the  Chal- 
deans for  this  end,  that  they  might  destroy  the  Moabites, 
though  they  may  think  of  no  such  thing."     It  follows, — 

11.  Moab  hath  been  at  ease  from         11.  Tranquillus  fuit  Moab  a  pue- 

his  youth,  and  he  hath  settled  on  his  ritia  sua  (vel,  quietus  fuit  Moab,)  et 

lees,  and  hath  not  been  emptied  from  resedit  ipse  super  faeces  suas,  et  non 

vessel  to  vessel,  neither  hath  he  gone  mutatus  fuit  a  vase  in  vas,  et  in  cap- 

into  captivity  :  therefore  his  taste  tivitatem  non  profectus  (ant,  non 

remained  in  him,  and  his  scent  is  migravit;)proptereastetit  sapor  ejus 

not  changed.  in  eo,  et  odor  ejus  non  mutatus  est. 

Here  he  expresses  more  clearly  what  we  have  before  seen, 
that  Moab  in  vain  promised  to  himself  perpetual  impunity, 
because  he  had  for  a  long  time  been  prosperous.  Then  the 
Prophet  says  that  he  would  be  suddenly  destroyed,  when 
God  ascended  his  tribunal  to  execute  his  judgment. 

He  first  says,  that  he  had  been  quiet  from  his  childhood, 


16  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXIX. 

because  when  the  Israelites  had  been  often  harassed,  that 
nation  remained  untouched,  and  never  felt  any  disadvan- 
tage, as  though  fortified  on  all  sides  by  their  own  defences ; 
for  they  dwelt  in  part  amidst  mountains,  but  had  a  level 
country,  as  it  is  well  known,  beyond  Jordan.  It  was  a  land 
in  a  moderate  degree  fertile,  so  that  as  they  enjoyed  con- 
tinual peace,  they  collected  great  wealth.  But  it  was  very 
hard  for  the  Israelites,  when  God  afflicted  them  with  various 
calamities,  to  see  the  Moabites  secure  and  safe  from  all 
trouble  and  all  losses.  As,  then,  this  thought  might  have 
grievously  wounded  the  minds  of  the  faithful,  the  Prophet 
here  exhorts  them  not  to  envy  the  happiness  of  the  Moab- 
ites, because  God  would  at  length  stretch  forth  his  hand 
against  them,  according  to  what  was  done  by  David,  who 
also  exhorted  the  faithful  patiently  to  wait  for  the  day  of 
the  Lord,  when  they  saw  the  ungodly  enjoying  all  kinds  of 
pleasure,  and  meeting  with  success  according  to  their  wishes. 
(Ps.  xxxvii.  1,  7,  8.)  We  now  then  understand  the  object 
of  the  Propliet. 

He  compares  Moab  to  an  old  man,  who  had  passed  his 
whole  life  in  security,  without  any  losses,  without  any  grief 
or  sorrow.  Quiet,  then,  has  Moab  been,  or  quiet  from  his 
childhood,  even  from  the  time  he  became  a  nation.  For 
what  was  the  childhood  of  Moab  ?  even  from  the  time  they 
expelled  the  giants  and  other  inhabitants  and  dwelt  in  their 
land.  Tlien  success  ever  attended  them  ;  and  hence  he  says, 
that  they  settled  on  their  dregs,  so  that  they  underwent  no 
change.  Here  is  another  metaphor  :  as  wine  which  remains 
in  its  own  vessel,  and  is  never  changed  into  another,  retains 
its  taste,  its  strength,  and  its  savour ;  so  also  the  Prophet 
says  that  Moab  had  always  been  in  the  enjoyment  of  per- 
petual felicity,  like  wine  which  remains  on  its  own  dregs. 
For  the  dregs  preserve  the  wine,  as  it  is  well  known ;  for 
the  wine,  being  taken  off  from  its  dregs,  loses  in  part  its 
own  strength,  and  at  length  becomes  vapid  ;  but  wine,  being 
not  changed,  continues  in  its  own  strength. 

We  hence  see  how  apt  is  the  comparison,  wlien  the  Prophet 
says,  that  Moab  had  not  been  changed  from  vessel  to  vessel, 
but  had  settled  on  his  dregs.     And  he  explains  himself  with- 


CHAP.  XLVIII.  12.       COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  17 

out  a  figure  when  lie  adds,  that  lie  had  not  gone,  or  removed, 
irUo  captivity.  He  yet  intimates  that  this  perpetual  peace 
would  avail  the  Moabites  nothing,  because  as  the  Lord  had 
resolved  to  destroy  them,  he  would  cause  the  strength  of 
Moab  to  fail  and  all  his  wealth  to  be  reduced  to  nothing. 

PRAYER. 

Grant,  Almighty  God,  that  since  we  are  so  disposed  to  indulge 
sloth,  and  so  devoted  to  earthly  things,  that  we  easily  forget  our 
holy  calling  except  thou  dost  continually  stimulate  us, — O  grant 
that  the  afflictions  by  which  thou  triest  us,  may  effectually  rouse 
us,  so  that  leaving  the  world  we  may  strive  to  come  to  thee,  and 
devote  ourselves  wholly  to  thy  service  ;  and  that  we  may  so  carry 
on  the  warfare  under  the  various  afl^ctions  of  the  present  life, 
that  oiur  minds  and  all  our  thoughts  may  always  be  fixed  on  the 
hope  of  that  eternal  and  blessed  rest  which  thine  only-begotten 
Son  our  Lord  has  promised  as  having  been  prepared  for  us  in 
heaven. — Amen. 

Hectttte  (Bm  J^utttireti  anU  ^ebenttetfi. 

12.  Therefore,  behold,  the  days  12.  Propterea  ecce  dies  veniunt, 
come,  saith  the  Lord,  that  I  will  dicit  Jehova,  et  mittam  ei  abac- 
send  imto  him  wanderers,  that  shall  tores  qui  abigant  eura,  et  vasa  ejus 
cause  him  to  wander,  and  shall  empty  evacuent,  et  lagenas  eorum  disper- 
liis  vessels,  and  break  their  bottles.  gant. 

The  Proj^het  said  in  the  last  lecture  that  the  Moabites, 
as  long  as  they  lived  prosperously,  were  very  hardened,  as 
impunity  becomes  an  incentive  to  sin  ;  for  the  ungodly, 
while  God  spares  them,  think  that  they  shall  never  be  called 
to  an  account.  He  now  adds,  that  the  days  w^ould  come, 
in  which  God  would  suddenly  execute  vengeance  on  them. 
But  he  pursues  the  comparison  which  he  had  used ;  for  he 
had  said,  that  the  Moabites  were  like  wine  which  had  not 
been  poured  from  one  vessel  into  another ;  and  hence  they 
retained  their  own  odour,  that  is,  they  were  inebriated  with 
their  own  pleasures,  because  God  had  granted  them  peace 
and  quietness  for  a  long  time. 

Now,   the  Prophet,  on  the  other  hand,   says  that  God 

would  send  to  them  drivers,^  to  drive  them  away,  and  who 

^  "Incliners"  is  the  Sept.;  "strewers,"  the  Vulg.;  "plunderers,"  the 
Syr.  and  Targ.  The  verb  means  to  spread,  to  strew.  They  were  those 
who  turned  the  wine  vessels  in  order  to  empty  them.     Henderson  has 

VOL.  V.  B 


18  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXX. 

would  empty  their  vessels  and  scatter  their  bottles, — the  con- 
taining for  the  contained  ;  though  I  do  not  disapprove  of 
another  rendering,  "  and  destroy  their  bottles  )'  for  the  verb 
is  sometimes  taken  in  this  sense.  Properly  it  means  to 
scatter,  to  dissipate  ;  but  the  verb  T*^^  nuphets,  sometimes 
expresses  a  stronger  idea,  even  to  scatter  or  to  cast  forth  with 
violence,  so  as  to  break  what  is  thus  cast  fortli.  As  to  the 
real  meaning  there  is  not  much  diiFerence :  for  we  perceive 
what  was  God's  purpose,  that  he  would  send  to  the  Moabites 
enemies  to  drive  them  into  exile,  and  thus  to  deprive  them 
of  those  pleasures  in  which  they  had  so  long  indulged.  But 
this  was  not  said  for  the  sake  of  the  Moabites,  but  that  the 
Jews  might  know,  that  though  that  land  had  been  in  a  quiet 
state,  yet  it  would  not  escape  the  hand  of  God  ;  for  its  long 
continued  felicity  could  not  render  void  that  decree  of  God 
of  which  the  Prophet  had  spoken.     It  now  follows — 

13.  And  Moab  shall  be  ashamed  of  13.  Et  pudefiet  Moab  a  Cha- 
Chemosh,  as  the  house  of  Israel  was  mos,  sieuti  pudefacti  sunt  domus 
ashamed  of  Beth-el  their  confidence.        Israel  a  Bethel,  sua  fiducia. 

We  may  see  more  clearly  from  this  verse,  that  the  Pro- 
phet does  not  so  much  address  the  Moabites  as  his  own 
people  ;  for  he  was  not  a  teacher  to  the  Moabites  to  promote 
their  safety  ;  on  the  contrary,  he  intended  his  doctrine  for 
the  benefit  of  the  Jews,  as  in  the  present  instance. 

Ashamed,  he  says,  shall  Moah  he  of  his  idol :  for  we  have 
said  that  Chemosh  was  the  god  of  the  Moabites,  as  every 
nation  had  its  own  peculiar  god,  even  its  own  invention. 
Now,  the  comparison  made  here  shews  that  the  Prophet 
wished  to  exhort  the  people,  to  whom  he  was  appointed  a 
teacher,  to  repentance;  for  he  set  before  them  the  example 
of  the  ten  tribes.  And  we  know  that  at  the  time  Jeremiah 
announced  this  prophecy,  the  kingdom  of  Israel  was  de- 
stroyed. All  tlie  Israelites,  tlien,  had  been  driven  into  exile 
except  the  tribe  of  Judah  and  the  half  tribe  of  Benjamin. 
Now,  the  ten  tribes,  as  it  is  well  known,  had,  under  Jero- 
boam, departed  from  the  pure  worship  of  God,  and  had  built 
for  themselves  an  altar  in  Bethel.  Hence,  then,  the  Prophet 
now  says.  As  ashamed  were  the  Israelites  of  their  supersti- 

"  overturners ;"  but  Blayncy  has  the  best  word,  "  tiltcrs,"  who  should  tilt 
him.  — 11  d. 


CHAP.  XLVIII.  13.       COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  19 

tions,  which  they  liad  devised  for  themselves,  so  a  similar 
vengeance  of  Grod  awaited  the  people  of  Moab  ;  and  thus  he 
shews  to  the  Jews  what  it  is  to  trust  in  the  only  true  God. 
The  Jews  were  not,  indeed,  involved  in  so  gross  a  supersti- 
tion as  to  worship  idols,  at  least  j)ublicly  ;  but  Ezekiel  shews 
that  they  also  were  contaminated  with  this  kind  of  pollution, 
and  that  the  very  sanctuary  was  defiled  with  idols ;  and  at 
the  same  time  the  worship  of  God,  according  to  the  Law, 
continued  to  be  celebrated.  But  the  Jews  had  nothing  but 
the  external  form :  they  had,  indeed,  the  temple  and  the 
altar,  they  professed  to  worship  the  true  God,  but  in  the 
meantime  impiety  and  contempt  of  true  religion  prevailed 
among  them,  and  they  had  begun  to  involve  themselves  in 
many  ungodly  superstitions,  as  we  have  before  seen. 

What,  then,  does  Jeremiah  now  do  ?  He  sets  before  their 
eyes  the  ten  tribes  whom  God  had  destroyed,  though  the 
Israelites,  as  well  as  the  Jews,  had  descended  from  the  same 
father,  even  Abraham.  As,  then,  God  had  inflicted  so  heavy 
a  punishment  on  the  kingdom  of  Israel,  he  now  shews  to  the 
Jews,  that  the  punishment  of  the  Moabites  was  not  less  pro- 
bable ;  and  why  ?  because  tliey  have,  he  says,  their  idol. 
God  shews  that  this  was  a  most  atrocious  wickedness,  by 
which  the  Moabites  had  provoked  his  anger;  for  there  is 
nothing  less  intolerable  than  for  men  to  transfer  the  glory 
of  God  to  their  own  inventions,  to  statues,  to  logs  of  wood, 
to  stones,  or  to  idols  of  gold  and  silver.  We  now,  then,  un- 
derstand the  object  of  the  Prophet.      It  follows — 

14.  How  say  ye,  We  14.  Quomodo  dicitis,  Viri  (fortes)  nos,  et  viri 
are   mighty  and  strong     robusti  ad  praelium  ? 

men  for  the  war  ? 

15,  Moab  is  spoiled,  15.  Vastatus  est  Moab,  eivitates  ejus  excidit 
and  gone  up  out  of  her  {^alii  vertunt,  eivitates  ejus  evanueruut,  iit  sit 
cities,  and  his  chosen  mutatio  tiumeri;  alii,  incola  ascendit,  vel,  dis- 
young  men  are  gone  cessit  ab  urbibus  ejus,)  et  electio  juvenum  de- 
down  to  the  slaughter,  scendit  {hoc  est,  electi  juvenes ;  et  est  allusio  ad 
saith  the  King,  whose  nomen  V1J12,  nam,  CD'^DDl  dicuntur  apud  He- 
name  is  The  Lord  of  brceos  adolescentes,  qui  sunt  in  Jiore  cetatis,  sed 
hosts.  nomen  hoc  deducitur  a  IDl,  quod  est  eligere,  iinde 

est  eiiam  nomen  hoc  quo  utitur  Propheta  ;  elec- 
tio igitur  juvenum,  vel,  electi  juvenes,  descen- 
derunt)  ad  mactationeni,  dicit  Rex,  nomen  ejus 
Jehova  exercituum  {id  est,  cujus  nomen  est  Je- 
hova  exercituum.) 


20  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXX. 

The  Prophet  here  reproves  the  pride  of  the  Moabites, 
because  thev  trusted  in  tlieir  own  strenfyth,  and  derided  God 
and  what  the  Prophets  announced.  We  indeed  know  that 
ungodly  men,  when  all  things  prosper  with  them,  are  moved 
by  no  fear,  divest  themselves  of  every  feeling,  and  become 
so  sunk  in  indifference,  that  they  not  only  disdainfully  dis- 
regard the  true  God,  but  also  what  is  connected  with  moral 
obligation.  Such,  then,  was  the  confidence  which  prevailed 
among  the  Moabites.  Hence  the  Prophet  here  checks  this 
foolish  boasting. 

How  say  ye,  We  are  strong,  tue  are  warlike  men  ?  as  though 
lie  had  said,  "  These  boastings,  while  God  is  seriously  con- 
tending with  you,  are  all  empty,  and  will  avail  you  nothing : 
ye  think  yourselves  beyond  the  reach  of  danger,  because  ye 
possess  great  power,  and  are  surrounded  with  strong  de- 
fences ;  but  God  will  reduce  to  nothing  whatever  you  regard 
as  your  protection.''  Wasted,  then,  is  Moah.  He  sets  up 
this  threatening  in  opposition  to  their  arrogance.  He  indeed 
foretells  what  was  to  come,  but  speaks  of  it  as  a  thing  already 
fulfilled.  Wasted,  he  says,  Z5  Moah,  and  the  enemy  has  cut 
off  his  cities.  The  verb  H /!?,  ole,  is  to  be  taken  in  a  tran- 
sitive sense  ;  it  is  indeed  a  neuter  verb,  but  the  other  mean- 
ing is  more  suitable  to  this  place,  that  the  enemy  would  cut 
off  the  cities  of  <!lie  Moabites.  I  yet  allow  that  it  may  be 
explained  otherwise,  that  ,tlie  inhabitants  would  ascend  or 
depart  from  his  cities;  for  (1/1?,  ole,  metaphorically,  indeed, 
signifies  to  ascend,  and  to  flow  off,  or  to  go  away,  as  they 
say,  in  smoke  ;  and  if  an  anomaly  as  to  number,  common 
in  Hebrew,  be  approved,  the  sense  will  be,  "and  from  his 
cities  they  have  vanished.'' '     And  this  explanation  agrees 

*  There  is  no  agreement  in  the  Versions  and  Targ.,  as  to  these  words, 
nor  among  critics.     The  easiest  construction  is  presented  by  Blayney, — 

A  spoiler  of  Moab  and  of  her  cities  is  gone  up. 
The  next  clause  is  not  so  well  rendered  by  Blayney.     He  applies  it  to  the 
Chaldeans.     "  Moab"  is  spoken  of  in  this  chapter,  both  in  the  feminine 
and  in  the  masculine  gender.     In  our  language  the  neuter  would  be  the 
most  suitable,  it  and  its.     1  render  the  verse  thus, — 

15.  The  waster  of  Moab  and  of  its  cities  is  going  up, 

And  the  choice  of  its  youth  shall  descend  to  the  slaughter, 
Saith  the  King,  Jehovah  of  hosts  is  his  name. 
"  Going  uj)"  as  ascribed  to  the  conqueror,  and  "  descending"  to  the  con- 
quered.— Ed, 


CHAP.  XLVIII.  16.       COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  21 

well  with  what  follows,  and  his  young  men  have  descended  to 
the  slaughter;  that  is,  thej  who  seem  the  strongest  among 
them  shall  be  drawn  to  destruction,  or  shall  descend  to  the 
slausrhter.  But  as  the  event  seemed  difficult  to  be  believed, 
God  is  again  introduced.  Then  tlie  Prophet  says,  that  he 
did  not  speak  from  his  own  mind,  but  announced  what  God 
had  committed  to  him.  And  he  adds  his  title,  that  the 
Jews  might  be  more  attentive  to  the  consideration  of  God's 
power.  God,  he  says,  is  he  who  speaks,  the  King,  whose 
name  is  Jehovah  of  hosts.  He  sets  up  God's  name  in  oppo- 
sition to  the  warlike  preparations,  of  which  the  Moabites,  as 
we  have  seen,  boasted ;  as  though  he  had  said,  that  if  the 
Moabites  had  to  do  with  mortals,  they  might  indeed  have 
justly  gloried ;  but  as  they  had  a  contest  with  the  living 
God,  all  their  power  would  A^anish  away,  since  God  was  pre- 
pared to  execute  vengeance.      It  follows — 

16.  The  calamity  of  16.  Propinqua  est  calamitas  Moab  (T'X,  sig- 
Moab  is  near  to  come,  nificat  infortunium  et  calamitatem,  signijicat 
and  his  affliction  hasteth  etiam  interitum,  ideo  vertunt  quidam  propinqmis 
fast.  est  interitus)  ad  veniendum  (ut  veniat.)  et  malimi 

ejus  {id  est,  calamitas)  festinat  valde. 

Here  the  Prophet  expresses  something  more,  that  the 
vengeance  of  which  he  spoke  w^as  near  and  hastening.  It 
served  to  alleviate  the  sorrow  of  the  faithful,  when  they 
understood  that  the  Moabites  would  shortly  be  punished  ; 
for  it  was  a  grievous  and  bitter  trial,  when  God  severely 
chastened  his  own  children,  to  see  that  the  wicked  were  in 
the  meantime  spared.  As,  then,  he  deferred  his  judgments 
as  to  the  wicked,  that  delay  tended  to  drive  the  faithful  to 
despair,  at  least  they  could  not  bear  with  sufficient  patience 
the  scourges  of  God. 

This  is  the  reason  why  the  Prophet  now  says,  Kear  is  the 
destruction  of  the  Moabites,  and  their  calamity  hastens.  And 
though  God  did  for  some  time  yet  bear  w^ith  the  Moabites, 
so  that  they  remained  in  a  quiet  state,  and  revelled  in  their 
pleasures,  yet  this  prophecy  was  true ;  for  we  are  to  bear  in 
mind  that  truth,  which  ought  ever  to  be  remembered  as  to 
promises  and  threatenings,  that  a  thousand  years  are  as  one 
day  with  the  Lord :  and  hence  is  that  exhortation  given  by 
the  Prophet  Habakkuk,  "  If  the  prophecy  delays,  wait  for  it ; 


22  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXX. 

for  coming  it  will  come,  and  will  not  delay/'  (Hab.  ii.  3.) 
And  this  mode  of  speaking  occurs  often  in  the  prophets. 
When,  therefore,  God  denounces  punishment  on  the  wicked 
and  the  despisers  of  his  Law,  he  says,  "Behold,  your  day 
hastens,"  and  he  says  this,  that  they  might  be  awakened  and 
begin  to  fear  in  due  time. 

But  here,  as  I  have  reminded  you,  Jeremiah  had  a  regard 
to  his  own  people.  For  the  faithful  might  have  objected, 
and  said,  ''  What  can  this  be  ?  how  long  will  Grod  defer  the 
punishment  which  he  threatens  to  our  enemies  ?"  Hence  he 
says,  "  Strengthen  your  minds  for  a  little  while,  for  God  will 
presently  stretch  forth  his  hand  and  shew  that  he  is  a  defen- 
der who  cares  for  you  and  your  safety ;  for  he  will  set  him- 
self against  the  Moabites,  because  they  have  been  unfjiithful 
and  vexatious  to  you."  It  is,  then,  for  this  reason  that  he 
says.  Near  is  their  destruction,  and  their  vengeance  hastens. 

We  may  hence  learn  this  useful  doctrine,  that  whenever 
God  promises  anything,  we  ought  to  receive  it  as  a  present 
thing,  though  yet  hidden  and  even  remote.  There  is  no 
distance  which  ought  to  impede  our  faith  ;  but  we  ought  to 
regard  as  certain  whatever  God  promises,  and  as  though  it 
were  before  our  eyes  and  in  our  hand.  And  the  same  ought 
to  be  the  case  as  to  threatenings ;  whenever  God  denounces 
anything  hard  and  grievous,  it  ought  to  touch  and  move  us 
the  same  as  though  we  saw  his  hand  armed  with  a  sword, 
and  as  though  the  very  execution  of  his  vengeance  was  ex- 
hibited before  our  eyes.  For  we  know  what  the  Scripture 
teaches  us  elsewhere,  *'  When  the  wicked  shall  say.  Peace 
and  security,  destruction  comes  suddenly  on  them,  as  the 
pain  of  cliildbearing,  which  seizes  a  woman  when  she  thinks 
nothing  of  it."  (1  Thess.  v.  3.)  Let  us  then  learn  to  set 
God's  favour  ever  as  present,  and  also  all  punishments,  so 
that  we  may  really  fear  them.     It  follows — 

17.  All  ye  that  are  about  17.   Commovemini  illi  {id  est,  super  Moab) 

him,  bemoan  him ;  and  all  quicunque  estis  in  circuitu  ejus,  et  quicunque 

ye  that    know  his    name,  cognoscitis  nomen  ejus,  tlicite,  Quomodo  frac- 

say,    How   is    the    strong  tus  est  baculus  fortis  ?   virga  pulchritudinis 

staff  broken,  and  the  beau-  {vel,  excollentine,  nam  n"lXDn  signijicat  deco- 

tit'ul  rod  !  rwni  pidchritudine.) 

The   Prophet  seems    indeed  to  exhort  all  neighbours  to 


CHAP.  XLVIII.  18.      COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  23 

sympathy;  but  we  have  stated  for  what  purpose  he  did  this  ; 
for  it  was  not  his  object  to  shew  that  the  Moabites  deserved 
pity,  so  that  their  neighbours  ought  to  have  condoled  with 
them  in  their  calamities :  but  bv  this  fie^urative  mode  of 
speaking  he  exaggerated  the  grievousness  of  the  evils  which 
were  soon  to  happen  to  the  Moabites  ;  as  tliough  he  had  said, 
''This  judgment  of  God  will  be  so  dreadful  as  to  make  all  their 
neighbours  to  tremble ;  all  who  had  previously  known  tlie 
state  of  the  people  of  Moab,  will  be  smitten  with  such  terror 
as  will  make  them  to  groan  and  mourn  witli  them/'  In 
short,  the  Prophet  had  nothing  else  in  view  than  to  shew 
that  God's  vengeance  on  the  Moabites  would  not  be  less 
severe  and  dreadful  than  it  had  been  on  the  ten  tribes,  and 
what  it  would  be  on  the  tribe  of  Judah. 

Say  ye,  he  says,  how  is  the  staff  broken  ?  He  introduces 
here  all  their  neighbours  as  astonished  with  wonder  ;  for  the 
same  purpose  are  other  things  mentioned,  even  to  shew  that 
the  calamity  of  Moab  would  be  deemed  a  prodigy,  for  the 
people  thought  them  unassailable,  and  no  one  had  ever  dared 
to  attempt  anything  against  their  land.  This,  then,  was  the 
reason  why  the  Prophet  here  asks  as  one  astonished,  even 
in  the  person  of  all  nations.  How  has  it  happened  that  the 
staff  is  broken  ?  and  the  beautiful  rod  f-  These  are  meta- 
phorical words,  which  refer  to  the  royal  dignity  and  the  con- 
dition of  the  wdiole  people.      It  follows — 

18.  Thou  daughter  that  dost  in-  18.  Descende  e  gloria,  sede  in  siti 
habit  Dibon,  come  down  from  thy  habitatrix  filia  Dibon;  quia  vasta- 
glory,  and  sit  in  thirst;  for  the  tor  ]\Ioab  ascendit  contra  te,  de- 
spoiler  of  Moab  shall  come  upon  structor  munitionum  tuarum  {vel, 
thee,  and  he  shall  destroy  thy  strong  quia  vastatus  est  Moab,  et  supra  te 
holds.  ascendet,  &c.) 

Here  the  Prophet  turns  to  address  the  city  Dibon,  which 
was  renowned  among  that  people.  The  mode  of  speaking 
is  well  known ;  he  calls  the  people  of  the  city  the  daughter 
of  Dibon  ;    and  he  calls  the  daughter  an  inhabitant,  because 

'  The  literal  rendering  is, — 

How  has  the  rod  of  strength  been  broken, 
The  staff  of  honour  ? 
"  How"  is  by  what  means,  or  how  much :  the  first  seems  to  be  the  mean- 
ing here.     The  rod  and  the  staff  are  the  same — the  sceptre  an  ensign  of 
power  and  of  honour  or  glory. — Ed, 


24  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXX. 

the  Moabites,  as  it  lias  been  said,  ever  rested  in  safety  and 
quietness  in  their  own  habitations,  for  no  one  disturbed 
them.  It  is,  then,  the  same  as  tliough  he  had  said,  "  Ye 
who  have  hitherto  been  in  a  quiet  state,  descend  now  from 
your  glory,  and  dwell  in  thirst."^  By  thirst  he  means  the 
want  of  all  things.  Thirst  is  set  in  opposition  to  glory  ;  but 
it  is  more  than  if  the  Prophet  had  mentioned  disgrace  or 
poverty ;  for  there  are  many  who  are  otlierwise  oppressed 
by  want,  and  yet  find  fountains  or  streams ;  but  when 
there  is  no  drop  of  water  to  quench  thirst,  it  is  an  extreme 
misery. 

We  hence  see  that  the  Prophet  exaggerates  the  punish- 
ment of  the  Moabites,  when  he  says  that  the  citizens  of 
Dibon  would  sit  in  thirst,  because,  he  says,  ascended  against 
thee  has  the  luaster,^  and  the  destroyer  of  thy  fortresses.  We 
may  hence  conclude  that  the  city  was  on  all  sides  fortified, 
so  that  it  thouglit  its  defences  sufficient  to  keep  off  enemies. 
But  the  Prophet  derides  this  presumption,  because  the  Clial- 
deans  would  come  to  pull  do  war  and  destroy  all  these  strong- 
holds.    It  follow^s— 

19.   O  inhabitant  of  Aroer,  stand  19.   Super  viam  consiste  et  specu- 

by  the  way,  and  espy  ;  ask  him  that  lare    habitatrix  Aroer  ;    interroga 

fleeth,  and  her  that  escapeth,  aw(i  fugientem  et  earn  quje  elapsa  fuerit, 

say,  What  is  done  ?  die,  Quid  factum  est  (quid  accidit?) 

We  have  stated  elsewhere  why  the  prophets  in  describing 
calamities  spoke  in  so  elevated  a  style  ;  for  their  object  was 
not  to  seek  fame  or  the  praise  of  eloquence.  They  are  not 
these  rhetorical  ornaments  wdiich  the  propliets  used  ;  but 
they  necessarily  spoke  in  a  lofty  stjde  of  the  punishments 
which  aw^aited  the  ungodly,  because  such  was  the  hardness 
of  their  hearts  that  they  hesitated  not  to  despise  God's 
threatenings,  or  to  regard  them  as  fables.  That  God's 
threatenings  then  might  penetrate  into  the  hearts  of  men, 

1  The  verb  "  dwell"'  fiivours  the  idea  adopted  by  some,  that  SOV  means 
here  a  dry  or  thirsty  land. — Ed. 

^  n?V,  here,  as  in  ver.  15,  is  a  participle,  and  so  the  verb  which  follows. 
The  "  waster'  is  represented  q.%  then  on  his  way, — 

For  the  waster  of  Moab  is  ascending  against  thee, 
The  destroyer  of  thy  fortresses. — Ed. 


CHAP.XLVIII.19.      COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  25 

it  was  necessary  to  exaggerate  tliera  by  means  of  various 
comparisons,  as  it  is  done  here  and  in  many  places,  We 
ought  at  the  same  time  to  bear  in  mind  what  I  liave  said, 
that  the  Prophet  had  a  regard  to  his  own  people.  As  the 
Moabites  were  like  a  hid  treasure,  the  Jews  could  never 
have  thought  it  possible,  that  the  Chaldeans  would  at  length 
make  an  inroad  there  ;  but  the  Prophet  declares  that  the 
thing  was  so  certain,  as  though  it  was  seen  by  their  own 
eyes.  In  order  then  to  lead  the  Jews  to  the  very  scene 
itself,  the  judgments  of  God  are  here  not  only  described, 
but  as  it  were  painted. 

Stand,  he  says,  oa  the  luay,  and  look,  thou  inhabitant  of 
Aroer.  This  was  another  city  of  the  Moabites,  of  which 
mention  is  made  in  many  places  ;  and  then  he  mentions 
others,  as  we  shall  see.  Ask  him,  he  says,  who  fleeth  and 
her  luho  escapes.  He,  indeed,  changes  the  gender  of  the 
nouns  ;  but  when  he  mentions  many,  and  then  one  person, 
he  did  this  for  the  sake  of  amplifying ;  because,  on  the  one 
hand,  he  wished  to  shew  that  so  great  would  be  the  number 
of  exiles,  that  the  whole  land  would  become  empty  ;  and 
then,  on  the  other  hand,  when  he  says  that  this  and  that 
person  would  flee,  he  means  that  they  would  be  so  scattered 
that  they  would  not  go  in  troops  ;  but  as  it  is  usual  in  a 
disordered  state  of  things,  one  would  flee  on  this  side,  and 
another  on  the  other  side.  Ask  him  who  fleeth,  or  as  we 
may  render  the  words,  Ask  all  who  flee  ;  and  then,  ask  her 
who  escapes  ;  because  not  only  men,  but  also  women  would 
flee,  so  that  no  sex  w^ould  be  spared.  In  short,  he  intimates, 
that  those  who  dwelt  in  cities  well  fortified,  would  be  all 
anxiety  on  seeing  enemies  irresistibly  advancing  throuo-h 
every  part  of  the  country. 

20.  Moab  is  confounded ;  for   it         20.  Pudefactus  est    Moab,    quia 
is   broken   doAvn  :    howl   and   cry ;  contritus  est  ;  ululate  et    clamate 
tell  ye  it  in  Arnon,  that  Moab  is  et  annuntiate  in  Arnon,    quoniam 
spoiled,  vastatus  est  Moab  {vel,  quod  vasta- 

tus  est  Moab ;  ""D  enim  hie  explica- 
tive accipitur,  non  causaliter ;) 

21.  And  judgment  is  come  upon  21.  Etjudicium  perveniet  adter- 
the  plain  country  ;  upon  Holon,  ram  planam  (vel,  rectam,  hoc  est,  ad 
and  upon  Jahazah,  and  upon  Me-  ipsam  planiciem,)  ad  Holon  et  ad 
phaath,  Jazar  et  ad  Mephaath  ; 


26  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXX. 

22.  And  upon  Dibon,  and  upon  22.  Et  super  Dibon,  et  super 
Nebo,  and  upon  Beth-diblathaim,        Nebo,    et    super     Beth-diblathaim 

(domum  Diblathaim,  sed  est  nomen 
proprium  urbis ;) 

23.  And  upon   Kiriathaim,   and         23.  Et     ad    Cariathain,    et    ad 
upon  Beth-gamul,  and  upon  Beth-     Beth-gamoul,  et  ad  Beth-meon  ; 
meon, 

24.  And  upon  Kerioth,  and  upon  24.  Et  super  Chirioth,  et  super 
Bozrah,  and  upon  all  the  cities  of  Bozrah,  et  super  omnes  urbes 
the  land  of  Moab,  far  or  near.  terrse  Moab  remotas  et  propinquas. 

We  have  stated  why  the  Prophet  describes  so  fully  the 
ruin  of  the  Moabites,  and  dwells  so  long  on  a  subject  in  no 
way  obscure  ;  it  was  not  indeed  enough  merely  to  teacli  and 
to  shew  what  was  useful  to  be  known,  but  it  was  also  neces- 
sary to  add  goads,  that  the  Jews  might  attend  to  these  pro- 
phecies ;  nay,  it  was  necessary  to  drive  as  it  were  with  a 
hammer  into  their  minds  what  would  have  been  otherwise 
incredible ;  for  they  deemed  it  a  fable  that  the  Moabites 
could  thus  be  broken,  laid  waste,  and  reduced  to  nothing. 
The  Prophet  then  would  have  laboured  in  vain,  or  spoken 
ineffectually,  had  he  described  in  simple  and  plain  words 
what  we  here  read.  But  he  added  vehemence  to  his  words, 
as  though  he  would  drive  in  his  words  with  a  hammer  and 
fasten  them  in  the  minds  of  the  j^eople. 

He  then  says,  that  Moab  was  ashamed,  because  he  was 
smitten.  And  then  he  turns  again  to  address  their  neigh- 
bours, Howl,  cry,  and  declare  in  Aroer :  but  the  Prophet 
ironically  exhorted  others  to  howl  and  cry ;  for,  as  we  have 
said,  it  was  not  his  j^urpose  to  shew  that  they  deserved  pity 
who  had  been  the  most  cruel  enemies  to  God's  Church,  but 
to  shew  that  God's  vengeance  would  be  so  dreadful  as  to 
call  forth  cryings  and  bowlings  through  the  whole  neigh- 
bourhood. And  then  he  adds,  Declare  it  in  Aroer ;  and 
afterwards  he  names  many  cities  ;  as  though  he  liad  said, 
that  no  corner  of  the  land  w^ould  be  free  from  fear  and 
anxiety,  because  the  enemies,  after  having  made  an  in- 
road into  one  part,  would  turn  to  another,  so  as  to  make  no 
end  of  ravaging,  until  they  had  destroyed  the  whole  country 
and  all  the  people.  Of  these  cities  and  of  their  situation 
there  is  no  need  of  saying  much,  for  it  would  be  a  useless 
labour.     For  in  the  last  place,  the  Prophet  sufficiently  shews 


CHAP.  XLVIII.  25-27.       COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  27 

that  what  he  liad  in  view  was  what  I  have  stated  ;  for  he 
says,  on  all  the  cities  of  Moab,  remote  as  well  as  near  :  he 
intimates  that  no  part  of  the  land  would  be  exempted 
from  destruction  ;  for  the  enemies  having  begun  to  attack 
it,  would  not  cease  until  they  had  gone  through  every  part, 
and  desolation  had  spread  everywhere,  as  though  the  whole 
country  had  been  burnt  with  fire.      It  follows, — 

25.  The  horn  of  Moab  is  cut  off,  25.  Succisum  est  cornu  Moab, 
and  his  arm  is  broken,  saith  the  et  robor  ejus  confractum,  (licit  Je- 
Lord.  hova. 

By  another  metaphor  he  expresses  the  same  thing.  By 
horn  he  means  power,  as  all  who  are  in  any  measure  ac- 
quainted with  Scripture  well  know  that  by  this  word  is  set 
forth  power,  strength,  or  any  defence  for  the  protection  of  a 
nation.  He  then  says  that  the  horm  ofMoah  was  cut  off  ;  and 
he  adds  afterwards  as  an  explanation,  that  his  streyigth  was 
broken.  Hence  by  this  second  clause  we  understand  what 
the  Prophet  meant  when  he  said,  that  tlie  horn  of  Moab 
was  cut  off.  But  he  again  introduces  God  as  the  speaker, 
because  the  Moabites  thought  that  their  horn  could  not  be 
broken.  As  then  Jeremiah  would  not  have  obtained  credit, 
had  he  spoken  in  his  own  name,  he  again  brought  forward 
God  as  declaring  his  own  words.     It  now  follows, — 

26.  Make  ye  him  drunken;  for  26.  Inebriate  ipsura,  quia  adver- 
he  magnified  himself  against  the  sus  Jehovam  magnificatus  est,  et 
Lord  :  Moab  also  shall  wallow  in  complosit  Moab  in  vomitu  suo  (vei, 
his  vomit,  and  he  also  shall  be  in  involvit  se,)  et  ipse  quoque  in  de- 
derision,  risum  (vel,    in   ludibrium :  adjun- 

gamus  eiiam  alteruin  versum.) 

27.  For  was  not  Israel  a  derision  27.  Annon  in  risum  fuit  tibi  Is- 
unto  thee  ?  was  he  found  among  rael  ?  an  inter  fures  deprehensus 
thieves  ?  for  since  thou  spakest  of  fuit  ?  quia  ex  quo  sermo  tuus  de  eo 
him,  thou  skippedst  for  joy.                   fuit,  commovisti  te. 

Tlie  Prophet  now  addresses  the  Chaldeans,  who  were  to 
be  the  executioners  of  God's  venoreance  :  hence  he  savs. 
Make  him  drunk,  because  he  has  magnified  himself  against 
Jehovah,  that  is,  raised  himself  in  his  pride  against  God. 
Then  the  Prophet,  as  God's  herald,  encouraged  the  Chal- 
deans, fully  to  execute  God's  judgment,  who  had  been 
chosen  to  be  his  servants.  And  the  address  had  more 
force  in  it  when  the  Prophet  shewed  that  such  a  command 


28  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LEGT.  CLXXI. 

was  committed  to  him,  as  we  liave  seen  elsewhere  ;  for 
the  Prophets  shew^ed  how  efficacious  was  their  doctrine, 
when  they  besieged  and  stormed  cities,  when  they  gave 
orders  to  armies.  This  then  is  the  course  which  Jeremiah 
now^  follows,  when  as  God's  herald  he  summons  the  Chal- 
deans, and  commands  them  vigorously  to  perform  what  God 
approved  and  what  he  had  decreed,  even  to  inebriate  the 
Moabites  with  evils.     The  rest  to-morrow. 

PRAYER. 

Grant  Almighty  God,  that  we  may  learn,  not  only  to  consider  thy 
judgments  when  they  appear  before  our  eyes,  but  also  to  fear 
them  whenever  they  are  announced,  so  that  we  may  implore  thy 
mercy,  and  also  repent  of  our  sins  and  patiently  bear  thy  pater- 
nal chastisements,  and  never  murmur  when  thou  sparest  for  a 
time  the  ungodly,  but  wait  with  calm  and  resigned  minds  until 
the  time  comes  when  thou  wilt  execute  vengeance  on  them,  and 
Avhen  in  the  meantime  thou  wilt  gather  us  at  the  end  of  our  war- 
fare into  the  blessed  rest  above,  and  give  us  to  enjoy  that  in- 
heritance which  thou  hast  prepared  for  us  in  Heaven,  and  which 
has  been  obtained  for  us  by  the  blood  of  thine  only-begotten  Son 
our  Lord. — Amen. 


We  began  yesterday  to  explain  why  the  Prophet,  de- 
nouncing on  the  Moabites  the  punishment  they  had  deserved, 
directed  his  speech  to  the  Chaldeans,  even  that  his  prophecy 
might  have  greater  force  and  produce  greater  effect.  The 
metaphor  of  drunkenness  which  he  uses,  is  common  ;  for 
when  Scripture  intimates  that  an}^  are  made  miserable,  as 
they  say,  to  satiety,  or  more  than  what  can  be  well  borne, 
it  compares  them  to  those  Avho  are  made  drunk.  For  as  a 
drunken  man  loses  his  senses,  so  they  who  are  overwhelmed 
with  miseries,  are  almost  stunned  with  evils,  so  that  tlicy 
become  deprived  of  reason  and  judgment.  This  then  is  tho 
drunkenness  which  the  Prophet  now  mentions.  And  fol- 
lowing up  the  same  idea,  he  adds,  A  nd  Moah  is  rolled  in  his 
oiun  vomit.      Some  by  vomit  understand  intemperate  joy,  and 


CHAP.  XLVIII.  26,  27.      COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  29 

render  the  words  in  the  past  tense,  "  And  Moab  shouted 
in  his  own  vomit,''  that  is,  he  luxuriated  in  his  own 
abundance,  and  when  he  gorged  liimself  with  wine  and  with 
all  kinds  of  luxuries,  he  loudly  exulted  ;  and  therefore  he 
shall  he  also  a  reproach.  This  contrast  is  not  unsuitable, 
that  Moab  immediately  exulted  when  in  prosperity,  and 
that  therefore  God  would  shortly  punish  him,  so  as  to  make 
him  a  reproach  or  a  derision. 

But  I  follow  what  has  been  generally  approved,  that 
Moab  shall  be  rolled,  or  shall  clap  hands  even  in  his  own 
vomit :  so  that  by  vomit  the  Prophet  means  excessive  grief. 
For  the  drunkard  delights  in  drinking,  but  afterwards  by 
vomiting  he  suffers  the  punishment  of  his  intemperance, 
when  his  head,  his  stomach,  his  legs  and  other  members 
shake  and  tremble.  So  also,  it  is  no  unsuitable  comparison, 
when  the  Prophet  calls  sorrow,  arising  from  calamity, 
vomiting.  He  then  says,  that  when  Moah  shall  clap  his 
hands,  or  roll  himself-^  (for  the  word  is  variously  rendered) 
in  his  own  miseries,  he  shall  be  even  a  derision.  Why  he 
says,  that  he  would  be  a  derision,  we  may  learn  from  the 
next  verse,  for  he  says.  Has  not  Israel  been  a  derision  to 
thee  ? 

But  the  higher  cause  for  the  drunkenness  mentioned  here 

ought  to  be  observed,  even  because  Moab  exalted  himself 

against  God.     For  after  having  spoken  of  the  pride  through 

which  he  exulted  over  God,  lie  adds  an  explanation.  Has 

not  Israel  been  a  derision  to  thee  ?   See  then  how  the  Moabites 

acted  proudly  towards  God,  even  because  they  treated  his 

Church  reproachfully.     And   this  ought    especially  to  be 

noticed ;  for  God  intimates  by  these  words,  that  he  is  so 

^  The  word  has  no  other  meaning  than  that  of  smiting,  striking,  or 
clapping  the  hand.  A  drmikard  rejoices  by  clapping  his  hands,  even  in 
his  filth,  and  thus  makes  himself  an  object  of  ridicule  and  derision ;  or  he 
may  strike  his  hands  in  agony  :  but  it  is  by  the  first  he  renders  himself 
ridiculous,  the  thing  evidently  intended  here.  It  is  observed  justly  by 
BlaT/ney,  that  the  first  verb  in  the  verse  is  in  the  singular  number, 
used  for  the  plural ;  and  he  regarded  this  verb  to  be  the  same ;  and  his 
version  is, — 

And  clap  at  Moab  in  his  vomiting. 
The  objection  to  this  is,  the  verb  in  this  sense  is  not  used  without  a  pre- 
position after  it;  see  Lam.  ii.  15:  otherwise  this  would  suit  the  passage: 
it  was  suggested  by  Gataker. — Ed. 


so  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXXI. 

connected  with  the  faithful  as  to  regard  their  cause  as  his 
own,  as  it  is  said  elsewhere,  "  He  that  toucheth  you, 
toucheth  the  apple  of  my  eye."  (Zech.  ii.  8.)  God  then 
so  takes  the  faithful  under  his  own  protection,  that  w^hat- 
ever  injury  is  done  to  them,  he  counts  it  as  done  to  him. 
This  connection  is  well  expressed  by  the  Prophet,  when  he 
says,  "  The  Moabites  have  raised  themselves  against  God  ;'' 
and  at  the  same  time  he  shews  the  way  and  manner,  even 
because  they  exulted  over  the  Israelites.  Were  any  one  to 
object  and  say,  that  the  Moabites  injured  mortal  men  only 
and  not  God  ;  the  answer  has  already  been  given,  even  that 
God  has  so  adopted  his  Church  as  to  identify  himself  with 
it.  Let  us  then  know,  that  God,  when  he  sees  us  suffering 
anything  unjustly,  regards  the  wrong  as  done  to  himself. 
As  then  the  people  of  Israel  had  been  a  derision  to  the 
Moabites,  the  Prophet  threatens  them  with  a  similar  punish- 
ment for  their  pride. 

And  then  he  adds.  Has  he  been  found  among  thieves  ?  It 
is,  indeed,  certain,  that  the  people  of  Israel  deserved  very 
severe  scourges,  and  that  when  they  were  subjected  to  so 
many  adversities,  a  just  reward  was  rendered  to  them  for 
their  iniquities.  With  regard  to  God  this  is  certain  ;  but 
with  regard  to  the  Moabites,  the  people  of  Israel  were 
innocent ;  for  these  ungodly  men  could  not  object  anything 
to  the  Israelites,  for  they  were  altogether  like  them,  or  even 
worse.  God  then  compares  here  his  chosen  people  with 
aliens,  and  says  that  the  Israelites  were  not  thieves. 
Under  one  thing  he  comprehends  everything,  as  though  he 
had  said,  *'  Of  what  wickedness  have  the  Israelites  been 
guilty,  that  you  have  thus  become  so  enraged  against  them  ?" 
We  hence  see  what  the  words  of  the  Prophet  mean,  even 
that  the  Moabites  were  impelled  by  nothing  but  cruelty  and 
pride,  when  they  so  basely  raged  against  the  Israelites,  and 
so  disdainfully  oppressed  them  ;  for  as  I  have  already  said, 
there  was  no  cause  why  the  Moabites  should  have  been  so 
hostile  to  the  miserable  people.  Thus  their  crime  was 
doubled,  for  they  acted  proudly  towards  God's  people,  and 
they  acted  thus  without  a  cause ;  for  with  regard  to  them, 
God's  people  were  innocent. 


CHAP.  XLVIII.  28.        COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  31 

Bj  saying  that  they  were  moved,  or  excited  tvhenever  they 
spoke  of  the  Israelites,  he  intimates  that  they  were  carried 
away  by  malevolence,  so  as  to  wish  all  kinds  of  evil  to  the 
miserable,  and  then,  as  far  as  they  could,  to  lay  snares  for 
them.  As  then  they  thus  raged  furiously  against  the 
Israelites,  the  Prophet  includes  everything  of  this  kind  in 
the  word  "  moved,''  or  raised  an  uproar.^     It  follows — 

28.  O  ye  that  dwell  in  Moab,  28.  Deserite  urbes,  et  habit  ate  in 
leave  the  cities,  and  dwell  in  the  petra  {hoc  est,  in  rupibus)  habita- 
rock,  and  be  hke  the  dove  that  mak-  tores  Moab,  et  erunt  quasi  columba, 
eth  her  nest  in  the  sides  of  the  hole's  quae  nidulatiir  in  transgressionibus 
mouth.  (Jioc  est.)  trans  os  fissurse. 

Here  Jeremiah  denounces  exile  on  the  Moabites ;  as 
thouofh  he  had  said,  that  such  would  be  the  desolation  of 
their  land,  that  they  would  be  forced  as  wanderers  to  flee 
liere  and  there.  That  he  bids  them  to  leave  their  cities,  this 
is  not  done  in  the  same  w^ay  as  when  God  commands  his 
people  what  is  right ;  but  he  only  shews  that  he  was  armed 
with  the  sword  of  God,  not  only  to  speak  wnth  the  mouth, 
but  also  to  perform  what  he  foretells  ;  for  the  execution 
ought  not  to  be  separated  from  the  prophecies,  for  the  hand 
of  God  is  joined  with  his  mouth.  When,  therefore,  he 
announces  anything  by  his  servants,  the  fulfilment  also,  as 
it  has  been  stated,  is  included. 

This  is  the  import  of  the  words.  Leave  the  cities,  and  dwell 
among  the  rocks  ;  that  is,  Hide  yourselves  in  lurking-places, 
for  no  habitable  land  will  afford  you  rest,  or  be  a  convenient 
place  to  flee  to.  And  they  shall  he,  he  says,  like  a  dove  which 
makes  a  nest  in  remote  places  beyond  the  clefts  of  the  rocks, 
or  stones.  He  means  the  most  deserted  places.  It  is  the 
same  as  though  lie  had  said,  that  it  would  not  be  simply 
an  exile  that  God  would  allot  to  the  Moabites,  but  that  they 
would  be  taken  away  to  regions  unknown,  and  deserted  by 
men.     It  follows — 

29.  We  have  heard  the  29.  Audivimus  superbiam  Moab;  super- 
pride  of  Moab,  (he  is  ex-     bit  valde  fastum  ejus  (vel,  arrogantiam  ejus) 

*  The  Vulff.  and  the  Targ.  give  the  best  version  of  these  words, — 

Surely  for  the  abundance  of  thy  words  against  him,  thou  shalt  be 
quickly  removed,  or,  led  captive. 

Then,  in  the  following  verse,  Moab  is  bidden  to  quit  his  cities. — Ed. 


32  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXXI. 

ceeding  proudj)  his  loftiness,  et  superbiam  ejus  {nomen  est  etiam  ejiisdem 
and  his  arrogancy,  and  his  signijicationis,  et  ah  eadem  radice,  quemad- 
pride,  and  the  haughtiness  modum  si  quis  diceret  ferocitatem  et  feroci- 
of  his  heart.  am,  tantum  pronuntiatione  differunt  istoe 

voces)  et  altitudinem  cordis. 

Here  the  Prophet  intimates  by  anticipation,  that  how 
much  soever  the  Moabites  might  boast,  they  could  not,  by 
their  boastings  and  their  pride,  so  succeed  that  God  should 
not  appear  against  them  as  a  Judge.  We  have  said  already, 
that  as  the  Moabites  had  been  long  in  a  quiet  state,  what 
the  Prophet  denounced  on  them,  appeared  at  the  first 
hearing  as  incredible.  It  is  then  by  way  of  anticipation 
that  he  says,  that  the  Moabites  were  proud,  did  swell  with 
haughtiness,  and  breathed  much  arrogance,  that,  in  short, 
they  manifested  high  and  lofty  spirits.  When  the  Prophet 
says  all  this,  and  adds,  that  nothing  would  avail  them,  we 
see  that  he  meets  those  doubts  which  might  have  possessed 
weak  minds,  so  as  to  prevent  them  to  believe  his  prophecy. 

And  when  he  uses  the  words.  We  have  heard,  he  not  only 
means  by  report,  but  that  the  Moabites  loudly  boasted,  as 
it  is  usual  with  proud  men  ;  for  they  made,  so  to  speak,  a 
bellowing,  and  sought,  even  by  their  tongues  alone,  to  strike 
others  with  terror.  As  then  they  proclaimed  their  wealth 
and  their  power,  they  sought  in  a  manner  to  shake  the  very 
air,  so  that  all  might  tremble  at  their  voice  alone.  This 
seems  to  have  been  expressed  by  the  Prophet,  when  he  said, 
We  have  heard.  In  short,  Jeremiah  does  not  mean  that  the 
report  of  the  pride  of  Moab  had  spread  abroad,  as  rumours 
often  fly  respecting  the  haughtiness  and  boastings  of  men  ; 
but  he  intimates  that  the  Moabites  were  heralds  of  their 
own  power,  so  that  they  spoke  in  lofty  terms  of  their  own 
greatness,  and  thus  their  own  tongues  testified  of  their 
haughtiness  and  arrogance.^     And  hence  it  was  that  the 


*  Our  version  in  Isaiah  xvi.  6,  where  the  same  form  of  words  occurs,  is, 
"  We  have  heard  of,"  though  here  the  "  of"  is  dropped,  and  thus  the 
meaning  of  Calvin  is  conveyed,  which  is  favoured  by  the  early  versions. 
The  verse  may  be  thus  literally  rendered, — 

We  have  heard  the  arrogance  of  Moab  ; 
Very  arrogant  has  been  his  insolence  and  arrogance ; 
Yea,  his  arrogantness  and  the  loftiness  of  his  heart. 
The  word  for  '•  arrogance"  means  swelling ;  it  is  to  grow  big,  and  to  claim 


CHAP.  XLVIII.  SO.       COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  33 

Prophet  enlarged  on  their  jDride  ;  Moab  is  very  proud,  he 
says  ;  we  have  heard  his  haughtiness,  his  pride  and  his  arro- 
gance, (though  it  be  the  same  word,)  and  the  loftiness  of  his 
heart,  or,  as  we  may  say  in  Latin,  et  altos  spiritus,  and  his 
high  sprits.     It  now  follows — 

30.  I  know  his  wrath,  saith  the  30.  Ego  cognovi,  dicit  Jehova, 
Lord  ;  but  it  shall  not  he  so  ;  his  lies  insolentiam  ejus ;  et  mendacia  ejus 
shall  not  so  effect  it.  non  rectitudo  ;  non  sic  facient. 

This  verse  is  variously  explained,  at  least  the  second 
clause.  Some  render  it,  "  His  indignation,  and  not  what  is 
right ;  then  they  add  by  itself,  "  his  lies  -,"  and  lastly,  "  they 
have  not  done  rightly,''  or  as  others,  "  they  will  not  do  any- 
thing fixed,''  which  is  more  suitable,  and  comes  near  to  the 
rendering  which  I  have  given.  But  I  will  not  here  dis- 
cuss other  interpretations,  or  try  at  large  to  disprove  them, 
but  it  is  sufficient  for  us  to  understand  the  real  meaning  of 
the  Prophet. 

In  the  first  place,  God  is  here  introduced  as  saying,  I  know 
his  insolence.  The  pronoun  *'i^5,  ani,  is  emphatical,  for  in 
the  last  verse  the  Prophet  had  said,  that  the  boastings  of 
Moab  were  a  terror,  as  they  spoke  loudly  of  their  own  strength 
and  defences.  As  then  they  thus  with  open  mouths  sounded 
forth  their  own  praises,  they  filled  all  their  neighbours  with 
terror ;  hence  the  Prophet  said,  We  have  heard  the  pride  of 
Moab.  Now  God  also  on  his  part  gives  this  answer,  I  knoio, 
he  says,  his  insolence  ;  as  though  he  had  said,  ''  The  Moab- 
ites  do  not  thus  boast,  but  that  I  am  a  witness ;  all  these 
things  ascend  to  my  tribunal." 

He  afterwards  adds,  still  in  the  person  of  God,  Not  recti- 
tude are  his  lies.  By  the  word  "IHI^^,  ohertu,  which  some 
render,  "  his  indignation,"  the  Prophet  means,  I  think,  in- 
solence. It  signifies  properly  excess,  as  it  comes  from  "IM, 
oher,  to  pass  over,  The  noun  is  indeed  often  taken  to  ex- 
press indignation,  because  anger  keeps  within  no  limits,  but 
is,  as  Horace  says,  a  momentary  madness.^     But  on  account 

more  than  what  belongs  to  us.  Then  "  insolence"  signifies  to  rise  high,  so  as 
to  look  down  on  others  with  contempt.  Arrogance  is  first,  then  insolence  : 
and  in  the  last  line  the  two  are  inverted,  and  with  this  difference,  the 
disposition  is  denoted  in  the  last  line,  and  the  acting  in  the  former. — 
Ed. 

'  Ira  furor  breads  est. — Epist.  ii.  ad  Loll. 

VOL.  V.  C 


34  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXXI. 

of  what  the  passage  seems  to  require,  I  render  it  insolence, 
and  it  is  the  most  suitable  word.  And  God  having  declared 
that  the  insolence  of  Moab  was  seen  by  him,  mentions  also 
his  lies.  The  word  DH^,  badim,  means  branches  of  trees, 
and  sometimes  sons  or  children,  they  being  members  of  the 
community ;  and  hence  some  render  it  "  sons''  here,  as 
though  the  Prophet  had  said,  that  after  the  Moabites  had 
been  cut  oiF,  there  would  be  none  remaining  to  continue 
their  name  in  the  world.  As  then  there  was  to  be  no  pos- 
terity to  the  Moabites,  they  think  that  D^HD,  badim  here 
means  sons  or  children.  But  this  view  cannot  be  admitted, 
because  we  shall  hereafter  see  that  there  was  to  be  some 
residue  to  the  Moabites.  We  cannot  then  take  DHIl,  badim, 
but  as  referring  to  their  vain  boastings,  for  they  were  no- 
thing but  lies. 

But  we  must  consider  what  Jeremiah  says ;  the  word 
p,  ken,  means  right ;  and  I  take  the  two  words  as  being  in 
apposition,  "  His  lies  are  not  riglit ;"  that  is,  there  is  no 
stability  in  his  lies.  For  when  an  apposition  is  explained, 
one  of  the  words  is  turned  to  an  adjective,  or  a  preposition 
is  inserted :  Not  right  then  are  his  lies;  that  is,  in  his  lies 
there  is  no  rectitude,  or  in  his  lies  there  is  no  stability.  But 
the  rectitude  of  which  the  Prophet  now  speaks,  refers  not 
to  justice  or  equity,  but  to  stability ;  and  that  it  has  this 
meaning  may  be  gathered  from  other  places.  Then  he  says, 
that  the  boastings  w^hich  the  Moabites  indulged  in  were 
vain,  because  God  would  not  establish  what  they  thought, 
or  as  they  commonly  say,  what  they  presumed. 

And  then  he  adds  the  reason  ;  the  particle  p,  Jcen,  is  to 
be  taken  here  adverbially  ;  it  is  an  adverb  of  likeness,  "  so,'' 
or  thus,  they  shall  not  so  do  ;  that  is,  as  they  had  conceived 
in  their  minds.  It  is  a  confirmation  of  the  last  clause  ;  for 
why  was  there  to  be  no  stability  in  their  lies  ?  because  God 
would  break  down  the  Moabites,  so  that  their  counsels  would 
be  vain,  without  any  eiFect.  We  now  then  perceive  the 
meaning  of  the  words.  Isaiah,  in  chap.  xvi.  6,  uses  nearly 
the  same  expressions,  but  he  does  not  add  this  confirmation, 
that  they  would  not  be  able  to  do  what  they  intended.  He 
only  says,  "  there  shall  no  rectitude  be  in  their  boastings," 


CHAP.  XLVIII.  31.      COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  35 

V*li  p  k7,  la  ken  hediu,  having  previously  spoken  of  the 
loftiness  of  their  heart  and  of  their  ferocity  and  insolence ; 
for  he  mentions  the  third  word  with  the  other  two.^ 

Now  this  verse  may  be  accommodated  to  our  use  ;  when- 
ever the  ungodly  indulge  in  boasting,  and  insolently  arrogate 
all  things  to  themselves,  let  us  not  fear  and  tremble,  but 
bear  in  mind  what  the  Prophet  teaches  us  here,  whose  ad- 
monition is  very  necessary ;  for  he  shews  that  this  pride  is 
in  derision  with  God,  and  that  when  the  ungodly  fulminate 
in  a  terrible  manner,  there  will  be  no  effect  to  their  lies.  It 
follows,  — 

31.  Therefore  will  I  howl  for  Moab,        31.  Propterea  super  Moab  ulu- 

and  I  will  crj  out  for  all  Moab ;  mf^ie  labo,  et  ad  Moab  totum  (hoc  est, 

heart  shall  mourn  for  the  men  of  penitus  ad  totam  gentem)  clamabo, 

Kir-heres.  meditabor  ad  viros  urbis  testae. 

Some  think  the  last  word  to  be  a  proper  name,  though, 
according  to  etymology,  it  is  "  the  city  of  potsherd."'  They 
therefore  give  this  rendering,  "  the  strong  city.''  But  Isaiah 
calls  it  "  Kir-hareseth,"  rit^^lTl'^p ;  he  extends  the  word  by 
adding  a  syllable  to  it ;  but  the  word,  however,  is  the  same. 
Then  he  says,  /  luill  think  of  the  men  of  Kir-cheres.  The  word 
njin,  ege,  is  properly  to  complain,  to  whisper,  to  murmur ; 
and  hence  some  render  the  words  not  improperly,  "  I  will 
mutter  to  the  men  of  the  city  of  potsherd.''^ 

The  Prophet  does  not  relate  here  what  he  would  do,  as  I 
have  before  reminded  you ;  but  that  he  might  represent  to 
the  life  the  ruin  of  Moab,  he  mentions  their  howling,  crying, 

^  The  versions  and  the  Targ.  all  differ  as  to  this  verse.  The  Vulg.  is 
the  best ;  it  takes  DH^,  branches,  and  also  limbs,  in  a  metaphorical  sense, 
signifying  strength.     I  give  the  following  rendering, — 

30.  I  know,  saith  Jehovah,  his  excess,  {i.e.  of  pride;) 
But  not  so  liis  strength,  not  so  have  they  done. 

The  mixtiu-e  of  numbers,  singular  and  plural,  is  common  in  the  pro- 
phets— "his"  and  "they."  The  meaning  seems  to  be,  that  however  ex- 
cessive was  the  pride  and  insolence  of  Moab,  they  had  no  power  fuUy  to 
effect  their  purposes. — Ed. 

*  This  paragraph  has  been  transplanted  from  the  text. 

The  verbs  here  are  imperatives  in  the  Se2yt.  and  Syr.,  "  Howl  ye,"  &c. ; 
and  in  the  future  tense  in  the  Targ.,  "  they  shall  howl,"  &c.  The  Vulg. 
is  according  to  the  Hebrew.  The  last  verb  is  in  the  third  person,  "  He 
(Moab)  will  mourn  for  the  men  of  Kir-heres."  This  city  was  on  the  ex- 
tremity of  Moab  northward,  as  Jazer  was  on  its  extremity  southward. — 
Ed. 


36  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXXI. 

and  complaints.  He  then  says,  I  will  liowl,  cry  aloud,  and 
with  a  trembling  voice  complain,  as  those  who  are  grievously 
oppressed  with  evils ;  at  one  time  they  complain,  cry  aloud, 
and  howl,  and  at  another  they  mutter  inwardly,  grumble  and 
murmur.  Thus  the  Prophet  assumes  the  character  of  such 
persons,  in  order  that  he  might  more  fully  set  forth  the  ex- 
treme calamity  of  that  nation.  He  afterwards  comes  to 
particulars : — 

32.  0  vine  of  Sibniah,  I  32.  A  fletu  Jaezer  flebo  {vel,  a  planctu 
will  weep  for  thee  with  the  plangam)  tibi  {id  est,  super  te)  vitis  Sib- 
weeping  of  Jazer :  thy  plants  mah ;  propagines  tuae  penetrarunt  ultra  mare 
are  gone  over  the  sea,  they  (trajecerunt  mare,)  usque  ad  mare  Jaezer 
reach  even  to  the  sea  of  Jazer:  (hoc  est,  cives  Jaezer,  vel  propagines)  atti- 
the  spoiler  is  fallen  upon  thy  gerunt ;  super  sestivales  {vel,  sestivos)  fruc- 
summer-fruits,  and  upon  thy  tus  tuos  {vel,  messes  proprie,)  et  super 
vintage.  vindemias  tuas  irruit  vastator. 

Here  the  Prophet  shews  more  clearly  what  he  had  said 
generally  before,  that  Sibmah  would  weep  for  her  vines, 
after  having  wept  for  Jazer.  These  were  cities  in  the  land 
of  Moab,  as  it  appears  from  other  places.  Some  give  this 
rendering,  "  In  comparison  with  the  weeping''  or  mourning, 
&c. ;  and  ]D,  men,  as  it  is  well  known,  has  this  meaning ; 
but  as  ^,  beth,  "  in  weeping,''  is  adopted  by  Isaiah,  instead 
of  1^,  men,  there  is  no  doubt  but  that  the  Prophet  means  a 
continued  mourning,  when  he  says.  From  (or  with)  the  weep- 
ing of  Jazer  I  will  weep  for  thee,  vine  of  Sibmah  ;  that  is, 
there  will  be  no  end  to  weeping ;  for  after  the  Moabites  had 
mourned  for  the  destruction  of  the  city  Jazer,  a  new  cause 
of  weeping  would  arise,  for  other  cities  would  be  destroyed, 
and  especially  Sibmah. 

Now  the  region  of  Sibmah  was  very  fertile,  especially  on 
account  of  the  abundance  of  vines.  Then  the  Prophet  in- 
cludes the  whole  wealth  of  that  city  under  the  word  vine  ; 
nay,  he  designates  the  citizens  as  its  shoots  or  young  branches. 
I  will  weep,  he  says,  "  over  thee,  the  vine  of  the  vine-bearing 
region  of  Sibmah ;  for  thy  shoots,  that  is,  thy  w^ealth,  have 
passed  over  the  sea,  and  the  citizens  of  Jazer,  who  were  thy 
neighbours."  He  afterwards  repeats  respecting  the  city  of 
Jazer  what  he  had  said,  because  its  calamity  was  connected 
with  the  other,  and  was  the  same.     For  God  had  involved 


CHAP.  XLVIII.  S3.       COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  37 

these  two  cities  in  the  same  destruction.  Jazer  then  came 
even  to  the  sea.  Now  a  waster  rushed  in  :  Isaiah  has  shout- 
ing, niTl,  eidad,  Avhich  is  added  presently  here ;  but  the 
word  there  has  quite  a  different  meaning,  that  all  rejoicing 
would  cease.  The  word  here  is  Hl^,  shidad,  and  means  a 
waster  or  spoiler.  A  waster  then  has  fallen,  that  is,  has 
come  with  great  irresistible  force,  on  thy  vintages  and  har- 
vests ;  that  is,  that  he  may  scatter  and  consume  all  things.  It 
follows, — 

33.  And  joy  and  glad-  33.  Et  tolletur  laetitia  et  exultatio  ab  agro 

ness   is   taken    from   the  fertili  (neque  enim.  est  hie  propriuni  loci  no- 

plentiful  field,    and  from  men  ;  scio  quidem  montem  Carmelum  esse  cele- 

the  land  of  Moab ;  and  I  6rew,  sedhic  accipitur  appellative,  quia  agitur 

have  caused  wine  to  fail  de  regione  Moab ;   sicut  explicative  continuo 

from     the    wine-presses :  post  additur propriwm  nomen  regionis,)  a  terra 

none     shall     tread    with  Mo&h  (inquit  Propheta,)  etyin-am  etorculsiri- 

shouting ;   tlteir   shouting  bus  cessare  faciam  (loquitur  adhuc  in  persona 

shall  he  no  shouting.  I^^h)  non  calcabit  cum  cantico,  cantico,  non 

erit  canticum. 

He  pursues  the  same  metaphor  or  comparison ;  for  he  says 
that  all  places  would  be  laid  waste  and  desolate,  which  be- 
fore had  been  valuable  and  highly  regarded  on  account  of 
their  fruitfulness.  Cease  then  shall  all  rejoicing  from  the 
land  of  Moab,  however  fruitful  it  might  have  been.  And 
then  he  adds,  /  will  make  the  wine  to  cease  from  the  presses  ; 
that  is,  no  one  shall  press  the  grapes,  that  from  them  the  wine 
may  flow.  And  he  adds,  mTl  TTTl,  eidad,  eidad,  shouting, 
shouting,  for  there  will  he  no  shouting.  Some  render  ITTl, 
eidad,  "  signal,''  celeuma,  (vel  celeusma,)  a  Greek  word,  but 
used  also  in  Latin :  KeXev/xa  is  said  by  the  Greeks  to  be  the 
shouting  of  sailors,  especially  when  they  drive  to  the  shore ; 
they  then  rouse  one  another  in  rowing,  and  also  congratulate 
one  another,  because  they  are  nigh  to  land  ;  for  to  see  the 
harbour  is  a  cause  of  special  joy  to  sailors,  as  though  it  were 
a  restoration  to  life  and  safety.  But  this  word  Kskevfia  is 
applied  to  other  things,  as  it  may  be  said  that  reapers  sing 
a  celeusma  when  they  finish  their  work.  The  vine-dressers 
had  also  their  songs ;  and  they  were  sung  by  heathen  na- 
tions, as  Virgil  says.  "  Now  the  worn-out  vine-dresser  sings 
at  the  extreme  rows  of  vines."  ^  By  extreme  rows  or  ranks 
he  seems  to  mean  the  extreme  parts  of  the  vines  ;  for  ex- 
'  Jam  canit  extremos  effoetus  vinitor  antes.— (reor.  ii.  417. 


38  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXXI. 

treme  rows  (antes)  are  properly  prominences  or  overhanging 
stones.  Now  when  they  had  come  to  the  end,  they  sang  and 
congratulated  themselves  as  to  the  vintage.  It  was  then  a 
common  custom  among  all  nations. 

The  Prophet,  now  alluding  to  this,  says,  "  They  who  shall 
tread  in  the  winepress  shall  not  be  as  usual  joyful,  so  as  to 
have  their  shouting,  shouting,  Tl^H  ITTl,  eidad,  eidad." 
He  repeats  the  word,  because  men  greatly  exult  at  the  vint- 
age, and  are  excessive  in  their  rejoicings.  This  is  the  reason 
why  the  Prophet  mentions  the  word  twice.  He  then  adds, 
there  shall  he  no  shouting,  ITTl  X/,  la  eidad,  because  there 
would  be  no  vineyards.  Isaiah  uses  other  expressions,  but 
the  meaning  is  the  same.     It  now  follows, — 

34.  From  the  cry  of  Heslibon  6'^;e?^         34.    A  clamore    Hesebon   usque 

unto  Elealeh,  and  even  unto  Jaliaz,  ad  Elealeh,  ad  Jahaes  edent  (edi- 

have  they  uttered  their  voice,  from  denmt,  ad  verbum)  vocem  suam ;  a 

Zoar  even  unto   Horonaim,   as  an  Zoar  ad  Choronaim  vitida  triennis 

heifer  of  three  years  old :  for  the  (aut,  vitulam  triennem ;)  quia  etiam 

waters  also  of  Nimrim  shall  be  de-  aquse  Nimrim  in  vastationem  erunt 

solate.  (in  ariditatem  scilicet. ) 

He  continues  the  same  subject ;  and  by  many  and  various 
expressions  confirms  the  same  thing,  in  order  that  the 
faithful  might  know  that  the  destruction  of  the  Moabites 
was  really  foretold,  and  that  they  might  feel  more  assured 
that  God  announced  nothing  but  what  he  would  presently 
execute. 

At  the  cry  of  Heslibon  even  to  Elealeh  they  shall  send 
forth  their  voice.  He  means,  as  before,  that  there  would  be 
continued  cryings  and  bowlings  sounding  forth  from  every 
part,  and  spreading  through  every  region.  He  then  adds.  From 
Zoar  to  Horonaim.  We  must  bear  in  mind  the  situations 
of  these  cities  ;  but  we  may  suppose  that  the  Prophet  chose 
those  cities  which  were  opposite  to  each  other.  Then  from 
one  corner  to  the  other  continual  crying  would  be  heard, 
because  there  would  be  everywhere  desolation  and  ruin. 
And  then  he  comes  to  another  part,  from  one  city  oven  to 
another  there  would  be  a  similar  cry.  In  short,  he  shews 
that  no  part  in  the  whole  land  of  Moab  would  be  in  a  quiet 
state  and  free  from  miseries.     This  is  the  meaning. 

But  he  compares  the  whole  land  of  Moab,  or  the  city 


CHAP.  XLVIII.  Si.        COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  39 

Horonaim,  to  an  heifer  three  years  old,  on  account  of  its 
lasciviousness.  Some  restrict  the  comparison  to  the  city 
Horonaim,  for  they  read  the  words  in  apposition,  ''  to  Horo- 
naim,  an  heifer  three  years  old,''  putting  the  last  words  in 
the  accusative  case :  but  others  read  them  apart,  "  an 
heifer  three  years  old''  is  Moab.  And  I  prefer  this  con- 
struction, because  he  afterwards  adds  another  city,  even 
Nimrim.  As,  however,  it  is  a  matter  of  no  great  moment, 
I  will  not  contend  Avith  any  one  who  may  take  the  other 
view.  "Whether  then  it  be  one  city  or  the  whole  country, 
it  is  compared  to  an  heifer  three  years  old,  because  that 
nation  had  long  luxuriated  in  its  own  pleasures.  Now,  an 
heifer  three  years  old,  as  it  is  well  known,  frisks  and  leaps, 
because  it  knows  not  what  it  is  to  fear  the  yoke ;  and  then 
it  is  not  worn  out,  as  the  case  is  with  cows,  who  are  weak- 
ened by  having  often  brought  forth  young  ;  and  further,  the 
milk  that  is  taken  from  them  exhausts  their  strength.  But 
an  heifer  three  years  old  is  in  her  vigour  and  prime.  In 
short,  the  Prophet  intimates  that  the  Moabites  lived  well, 
and  as  it  were  unrestrained,  for  they  had  long  exulted  in 
their  abundance ;  and  as  they  had  plenty  of  wine  and 
bread,  they  gave  themselves  up  to  luxury.^ 

He  then  adds,  Surely  even  the  ivaters  of  NimrHm  shall  he 
a  desolation.  Some  think  Nimrim  to  have  been  a  city,  and 
it  is  elsewhere  called  Nimra.  Its  waters  are  also  mentioned 
by  Isaiah,  as  the  brooks  of  the  willows.  We  may  hence 
conclude  that  these  waters  were  perpetual  and  flowed  con- 
tinually. But  the  Prophet  speaks  metaphorically  as  before, 
for  the  meaning  is,  that  nothing  would  be  so  safe  in  the 
land  of  Moab  as  not  to  be  destroyed,  that  nothing  would 
be  so  fruitful  as  not  to  be  dried  up.  Then  by  the  waters 
of  Nimrim  he  means  the  abundance  which  was  in  the 
whole  country.  For  the  Chaldeans  did  not  dry  up  that 
river  or  those  lakes,  for  it  is  certainly  unknown  whether 
there  was  a  river  there  or  a  lake.     But  it  is  probable  that 

1  A  reason  more  suitable  to  the  passage  has  been  given  for  this  com- 
parison,— that  Moab  in  its  distress  is  compared  to  an  heifer  lowing  for 
want  of  pasture  and  especially  of  water,  for  it  follows  that  the  waters  of 
Nimrim  Avould  be  dried  up.     See  Isaiah  xv.  5,  6. — Ed. 


40  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXXI. 

there  was  there  abundance  of  waters,  which  were  not  dried 
up  by  the  coming  of  an  hostile  army  ;  but,  as  I  have  said, 
he  shews  by  these  figurative  expressions  that  the  whole 
land  of  Moab  would  be  laid  waste.      It  follows — 

35.  Moreover,  I  will  cause  to  cease  35.  Et  cessare  faciaru  (id  est  pro- 

in  Moab,  saith  the  Lord,  him  that  fligabo)    ex   Moab,   inquit  Jehova, 

offereth  in  the  liigh  places,  and  him  eum  qui  offert  in  excelso,  et  qui  ado- 

that  burneth  incense  to  his  gods.  let  (aut,  suffitum  facit)  diis  suis. 

In  this  verse  the  Prophet  expresses  what  he  had  before 
referred  to,  that  God  would  become  in  such  a  way  the 
avenger  of  the  pride  and  cruelty  of  the  Moabites  as  to 
punish  them  for  their  superstitions.  They  had  descended 
from  a  pious  father,  for  they  were  the  posterity  of  Lot ;  but 
they  had  renounced  the  worship  of  the  only  true  God,  and 
had  defiled  themselves  with  the  pollutions  of  heathens. 
Justly  then  does  God  declare  that  he  would  be  the  avenger 
of  idolatry,  while  executing  punishment  on  the  pride  and 
cruelty  of  the  Moabites. 

Now  this  passage,  as  innumerable  others,  clearly  shews 
that  idolatry  and  all  profanation  of  divine  worship,  cannot 
finally  escape  punishment.  God  may  indeed  for  a  time 
connive  at  it,  but  he  must  necessarily  at  last  appear  as  the 
vindicator  of  his  own  glory  in  punishing  superstitions.  But 
if  he  spared  not  the  Moabites,  to  whom  the  law  had  not 
been  given,  and  who  had  been  corrupted  through  many  long 
years,  how  shall  they  now  escape  unpunished,  to  whom  God's 
Word  is  daily  propounded,  and  in  whose  ears  it  sounds  ? 
Let  us  then  remember  that  superstitions  cannot  be  endured, 
for  God  will  at  length  vindicate  his  own  glory  with  regard 
to  these  abominations  ;  for  every  superstition  is  nothing  less 
than  a  profanation  of  God's  glory,  which  is  thus  transferred 
to  idols  and  vain  inventions. 

PRAYER. 

Grant,  Almighty  God,  that  since  thou  hast  once  deigned  to  receive 
us  under  thy  protection,  we  may  have  thee  as  our  defence  against 
our  enemies,  and  that  the  more  cruel  and  ferocious  they  become, 
and  that  the  more  heavily  thou  chastisest  them,  we  may  thus 
find  that  thou  carest  for  our  salvation,  and  flee  also  to  thee  with 


CHAP.  XLVIII.  36.      COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  41 

greater  confidence,  and  that  when  we  have  experienced  thy  mercy, 
we  may  more  readily  give  thee  continual  thanks,  through  Christ 
Jesus  our  Lord. — Amen. 


36.  Therefore  mine  36.  Propterea  cor  meum  propter  Moab  tan- 
heart  shall  sound  for  quam  tibise  resonabit,  et  cor  meum  ad  viros 
Moab  like  pipes,  and  Kir-cheres  (vel,  urbis  testacese,  iit  dictum  f nit) 
mine  heart  shall  sound  sieuli  tibise  resonabit,  quoniam  thesaurus  quern 
like  pipes  for  the  men  fecerunt,  periermit  (ad  verbum  est,  residuum 
of  Kir-heres :  because  fecit,  perierunt ;  sed  loquitur  de  thesauris  recon- 
the  riclies  that  he  hath  ditis,  quemadmodum  patet  ex  simili  loco  Isaice, 
gotten  are  perished.  capite  15.) 

Here  the  Prophet,  as  it  has  been  before  stated,  does  not 
mourn  the  calamity  of  the  people  of  Moab,  but  assumes  the 
character  of  others,  so  that  the  event  might  appear  more 
evident,  it  being  set  as  it  were  before  our  eyes ;  for  as  we 
have  said,  the  wealth  of  the  Moabites  w^as  so  great  at  that 
time,  that  it  dazzled  the  eyes  of  all.  It  was  then  difficult 
for  the  faithful  to  form  an  idea  of  this  vengeance  of  God, 
therefore  the  Prophet  transfers  to  himself  the  feelings  of 
others,  and  relates  w^hat  the  Moabites  would  do,  when  God 
had  so  grievously  afflicted  them. 

My  heart,  he  says,  shall  sound  like  pipes.  Some  think 
that  mournful  pipes  are  meant,  but  I  know  not  w^hether  or 
not  they  were  instruments  of  this  kind  ;  and  there  are  those 
who  think  that  tlD v/H,  chellim,  were  bag-pipes,  but  what 
is  too  refined  I  leave.  The  Prophet  simply  means  that  such 
would  be  the  trepidation,  that  the  hearts  of  the  Moabites 
would  make  a  noise  like  pipes.  He  repeats  the  same  thing  in 
different  words,  that  his  heart  would  make  a  noise,  or  sound, 
for  the  men  of  Kir-heres,  of  which  city  we  spoke  yesterday. 

He  now  adds,  for  the  residue  which  they  have  made,  or 
which  Moab  has  made,  for  the  verb  is  in  the  singular  num- 
ber ;  and  then,  they  have  perished,  where  also  there  is  a 
change  of  number ;  but  the  reference  is  to  the  word  "resi- 
due,'' n'ln^  iteret,  which  included  hidden  treasures,  as  we 


42  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXXII. 

have  stated.1  Whatever  then  the  Moabites  had  gained  for 
themselves,  and  whatever  they  thought  would  be  always 
safe,  the  Prophet  declares  that  it  would  perish.  Isaiah 
adds,  "  their  substance,"  tDHIpS,  2:)ekotem,  and  says,  that 
they  would  carry  it  to  the  willows,  that  is,  to  deserted  places ; 
as  though  he  had  said,  that  all  the  wealth  of  the  Moabites 
would  be  scattered,  as  though  it  were,  as  they  say,  a  thing 
forsaken.     It  now  follows — 

37.  For  every  head  shall  he  37.  Quia  omni  capiti  calvitium,  et 
bald,  and  every  beard  clipped :  omni  barbaj  rasura  {ad  verhuin  dimi- 
upon  all  the  hands  shall  he  cut-  nutio ;  V"13  significat  diminuere,  sed  hie 
tings,  and  upon  the  loins  sack-  accipitur  pro  rasura,)  et  super  omnes 
cloth.  manus    incisiones,    et    super    lumbos 

saccus. 

The  Prophet  describes  at  large  a  very  great  mourning. 
They  were  wont  in  great  sorrow  to  pull  off  their  hair,  to 
shave  their  beard,  and  to  put  on  sackcloth,  or  to  gird  it 
round  their  loins,  and  also  to  cut  their  hands  with  a  knife 
or  with  their  nails.  As  these  things  were  signs  of  grief, 
Jeremiah  puts  them  all  together,  in  order  to  shew  that  the 
calamity  of  Moab  would  not  be  common,  but  what  would 
cause  to  the  whole  people  extreme  lamentation.  They  shall 
make  bald,  he  says,  their  heads  /their  heard  they  shall  pull  off, 
or  shave  ;  for  the  word,  to  diminish,  may  signify  either. 
Then  he  adds,  the  incisions  in  the  hands  ;  they  shall  tear 
their  faces  and  their  hands  with  their  nails,  or  as  some  say, 
with  a  knife  or  a  razor.  As  to  sackcloth,  it  was  also  a  sign 
of  mourning.  It  is  indeed  certain  that  it  was  formerly  the 
practice  for  men,  as  though  it  was  innate  in  human  nature, 
in  great  calamities  to  spread  ashes  on  the  head  and  to  put 
on  sackloth.  But  he  has  added  other  excesses  which  are 
not  very  congenial  to  nature,  for  it  is  not  agreeable  to 
humanity  to  pull  oif  the  beard,  to  make  bald  the  head,  or 
to  tear  the  hands  and  the  face  with  the  nails.  These  things 
shew  excesses,  suitable  neither  to  men  nor  to  women, — not 

'  As  to  this  clause,  widely  different  are  all  the  versions ;  the  Targ.  gives 
the  general  sense.     The  word  mn''  is  evidently  plural,  the  1  being  want- 
ing.    "  Reserves,"  as  given  by  Blayney,  is  an  exact  rendering, — 
Because  the  reserves  he  had  made  have  perished. 

Connected  with  this  word  is  another  in  Isaiah  xv.  7,  which  means  "  de- 
posits ;"  both  signify  the  wealth  or  treasures  they  had  laid  up.—  Ed. 


CHAP.  XLVIII.  38.       COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  43 

to  women  on  the  ground  of  modesty,  nor  to  men  on  the 
ground  of  manliness  and  strength  of  mind. 

But  mankind  never  control  themselves,  and  whetlier  they 
mourn  or  rejoice,  they  are  ever  led  away  to  excesses,  observ- 
ing no  moderation.  There  was  also  another  evil  connected 
with  sackcloth  and  ashes  ;  for  when  it  was  God's  design  to 
lead  men  by  these  symbols  to  humble  themselves,  to  con- 
sider their  sins  and  to  flee  to  his  mercy,  they  were  diverted 
to  another  end,  even  that  he  who  mourned  might  appear 
miserable  to  others,  and  make  a  display  of  his  weeping  and 
tears.  In  short,  besides  excess,  there  was  also  this  common 
evil,  even  hypocrisy.  For  men  ever  turn  aside  to  what  is 
vain,  and  dissemble  in  all  things.  But  in  this  place  there 
is  no  reason  to  dispute  about  mourning,  for  the  Proi3het 
means  only  that  the  Moabites  would  become  most  miserable, 
exhibiting  all  the  symptoms  of  sorrow.     It  follows — 

38.    There  shall  he  Yo^         38.   Super  omnia  tecta  Moab,  et  in  compitis 

mentation  generally  upon  ejus  omnino  planctus  {hoc  est,  ubique ;  rh^  su- 

aUthehouse-topsofMoab,  mitur  adverUaliter,)  quoniam  confregi   Moab 

and  in  the  streets  thereof:  tanquam  vas  quod  non  est  in  pretio  {ad  ver- 

for  I  have  broken  Moab  hum,  non  desiderium  in  ipso,  tanquam  vas 

like  a  vessel  wherein  is  no  quod  conteimiitur,  quod  non  appetitur,)  dicit 

pleasure,  saith  the  Lord.  Jehova. 

The  Prophet  at  the  beginning  of  the  verse  continues  the 
same  subject,  that  the  Moabites  would  weep  and  lament 
throughout  all  their  houses  and  in  all  their  streets.  The 
reason  is  added  in  the  second  clause,  because  God  would 
bring  a  severe  judgment  on  that  nation. 

By  saying  that  there  would  be  lamentation  on  all  theroofs^ 
he  refers  to  what  was  customary  at  that  time,  for  they  had 
their  walks  on  the  roofs  or  tops  of  their  houses.  Then  he 
says,  that  the  Moabites,  in  order  to  be  more  seen  and  to 
excite  pity,  would  ascend  on  the  roofs,  and  cry,  howl,  and 
lament  there.  But  we  must  observe  what  is  added,  that  the 
calamity  would  come  from  God ;  for  it  would  not  have  been 
sufficient  to  foretell  adversity,  except  this  was  added,  that 
God  ascended  his  tribunal  to  execute  his  judgments  when 
he  thus  chastised  the  people.  He  also  compares  the  people 
of  Moab  to  a  despised  vessel,  in  order  to  make  a  distinction 
between  God's  children  and  aliens ;  for  God  does  also  chas- 


44  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXXII. 

tise  his  own  people  when  they  sin,  but  he  ceases  not  to  love 

them  and  to  regard  them  as  precious.     Now  he  says  that 

Moab  would  be  a  vessel  despised  and  rejected.^     It  now 

follows, — 

39.  They  shall   howl,   saying,  39.   Quomodo  contritus  est?  ulula- 

How  is  it  broken  down !  how  hath  bunt  {alii  vertunt,  ulularunt :)  quomodo 

Moab  turned  the  back  with  shame !  vertit  cervicem  Moab  ;  pudefactus  est ; 

so  shall  Moab  be  a  derision  and  a  et  fuit  Moab  in  derisum,  et  in  terrorem 

dismaying  to  all  them  about  him.  omnibus  qui  sunt  in  circuitu. 

The  Prophet  still  speaks  in  the  person  of  others,  and  ac- 
cording to  their  feelings  and  not  his  own.  He  then  says, 
that  howling,  they  would  say,  through  wonder.  How  is  it 
that  Moah  has  been  so  broken,  that  all  had  turned  their  backs, 
that  Moab  had  become  ashamed  ?  He  indirectly  intimates, 
that  though  no  one  could  then  know  God's  judgment,  which 
he  now  foretells,  yet  God  would  by  the  event  prove  that  he 
had  said  nothing  but  in  earnest.  This  wonder  then  was 
expressed  for  this  purpose,  that  the  Jews  might  know,  that 
though  the  calamity  of  Moab  would  fill  all  with  astonish- 
ment, and  make  them  cry  out  as  respecting  an  extraordinary 
thing,  "  What  can  this  mean  V  yet  the  fulfilment  of  his 
prophecy  would  be  certain. 

This  is  the  meaning  of  the  words  when  he  says.  Howling, 
they  will  cry  out.  How  has  Moab  been  broken  ?  and  how  has 
he  turned  his  neck,  or  as  they  say,  his  back  ?  Moab  is 
ashamed ;  and  then,  he  is  made  a  derision,  which  we  have 
observed  before.  He  adds,  a  terror,  though  some  read,  "  a 
bruising  ;''  but  more  suitable  is  fear  or  terror.  For  the  Pro- 
phet means,  that  Moab  would  be  to  others  a  derision,  and 
that  he  would  be  to  others  a  dread,  being  an  example  of 
God's  awful  judgment.^  And  he  says  that  he  would  be  a 
terror  to  all  around,  that  is,  to  the  whole  surrounding 
country,  as  well  as  a  laughter  and  a  derision.     It  follows, — 

^  All  the  versions  and  Targ.    read,  "  as  a  useless  vessel ;"   but  the 
Hebrew  is,  "  as  a  vessel  without  delight  in  it,"  i.e.,  as  a  vessel  which  has 
nothing  pleasing  or  agreeable  in  it. — Ed. 
'  The  literal  rendering  is  as  follows, — 
How  broken !  tliey  howled ; 
How  has  Moab  turned  the  back  ashamed  ! 
Thus  Moab  has  become  a  derision 
And  a  terror  to  all  around  him. 
The  past  tense  is  used  for  the  future. — Ed. 


CHAP.  XLVIII.  40,  4  I .       COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  45 

40.  For  thus  saith  the  Lord,  Be-  40.  Quia  sic  dicit  Jehova,  Ecce 
hold,  he  shall  fly  as  an  eagle,  and  tanquam  aquila  volabit,  et  expan- 
shall  spread  his  wings  over  Moab.        det  alas  suas  super  Moab. 

Here  again  lie  introduces  God's  name,  for  it  was  neces- 
sary to  confirm  an  incredible  prophecy  by  his  authority. 
"  Grod  is  he,''  he  says,  "  who  declares  that  enemies  will  come, 
who  will  fly  through  all  the  land  of  Moab."  He  now  com- 
pares the  Chaldeans  to  eagles ;  and!  there  is  here  a  name 
understood  which  is  not  expressed.  Fly  will  he  like  an 
eagle,  that  is,  the  king  of  Babylon  with  his  army. 

The  sum  of  what  is  said  then  is,  that  however  widely  ex- 
tended might  be  the  country  of  Moab,  yet  there  would  be 
no  corner  into  which  the  Chaldeans  would  not  penetrate, 
because  they  would  nearly  equal  the  eagles  in  swiftness. 
Hence  he  adds,  They  will  extend  their  wings,  not  to  cherish, 
as  eagles  spread  their  wings  over  their  young  ones  ;  but  by 
extension  he  means,  that  they  would  seize  on  all  the  land 
of  Moab  ;  so  that  hiding  places  would  be  sought  in  vain, 
because  the  Chaldeans  would  from  one  part  to  another  take 
possession  of  every  place,  however  remote  the  Moabites 
might  think  it  to  be,  and  however  they  might  hope  its  dis- 
tance would  render  it  safe.     He  afterwards  adds, — 

41.  Keriothistaken,  41.  Captse  sunt  urbes  {est  hie  etiam  mutatio 
and  the  strong  holds  numeri,  sed  dura  esset  translatio  adverhum,ideo 
are  surprised,  and  the  satis  est  sensum  tenere ;  captse  ergo  sunt  urbes, 
mighty  men's  hearts  in  hoc  est,  unaquaeque  urbs  capta  est,  delude,)  arces 
Moab  at  that  day  shall  (yel,  propugnacula)  comprehensa  sunt  {est  iterum 
be  as  the  heart  of  a  mutatio  numeri,)  et  fuit  cor  virorum  Moab  in  die 
woman  in  her  pangs.  ilia  tanquam  cor  mulieris  quae  angitur  {vel,  pre- 

mitur  anxietate.) 

I  have  already  reminded  you,  that  the  Prophet  is  not 
using  too  many  words  in  this  extended  discourse,  for  it  was 
necessary  to  confirm  at  large  what  all  w^ould  have  otherwise 
rejected.  He  then  says,  that  the  cities  of  Moab  were  taken, 
that  strongholds  were  seized.  He  mentions  these  things 
expressly,  because  the  country  of  Moab  thought  that  it  was 
defended  by  cities  and  strongholds  ;  and  they  thus  thought, 
"  Should  the  Chaldeans  come  and  make  an  irruption,  there 
are  many  cities  who  will  oppose  them  ;  they  will  then  have 
to  spend  much  time  in  overcoming  these  obstacles.  It  may 
then  so  happen,  that  being  broken  down  with  fatigue  they 


46  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXXII. 

will  return  to  their  own  country,  and  w^e  shall  recover  what 
we  may  have  lost/'  With  this  confidence  then  the  Moabites 
deceived  themselves,  when  they  looked  on  their  well  forti- 
fied cities  and  strongholds.  For  this  reason  the  Prophet 
now  says,  Taken  are  the  cities^  and  seized  on  are  the  strong- 
holds? 

There  was  another  thing  of  which  the  Moabites  boasted, 
that  they  possessed  military  valour  ;  and  yet  they  had  not 
of  late  made  a  trial  of  their  strength,  as  they  had  been  in- 
dulging themselves  in  sloth  and  pleasures.  But  as  they  had 
formerly  performed  deeds  worthy  of  being  remembered,  they 
despised,  as  I  have  said,  their  enemies,  arrogating  to  them- 
selves the  credit  of  great  valour.  The  Prophet,  on  the  other 
hand,  declares  that  their  courage  would  vanish  away :  The 
heart,  he  says,  of  the  men  of  Moah  shall  become  effeminate  in 
that  day,  softer  than  the  heart  of  a  woman,  when  oppressed 
with  evils.  It  might  have  appeared  a  complete  comparison, 
when  he  said  that  the  men  of  Moab  would  be  soft  and  effe- 
minate ;  but  he  wished  to  express  something  more,  and 
hence  he  added,  that  they  would  become  softer  than  women 
when  in  great  trouble.  And  by  these  words  he  intimates,  that 
it  is  in  God's  power  to  melt  the  hearts  of  men,  and  to  break 
down  their  fierceness,  so  that  they  who  were  like  lions  are 
made  like  does.  And  this  ought  to  be  carefully  noticed  ; 
because  courage  is  not  only  a  special  gift,  but  it  is  also 
necessary  that  God  should  daily  and  constantly  strengthen 
those  whom  he  has  once  made  brave  ;  otherwise  they  who 
are  courageous  above  others  will  soon  lose  their  valour.  It 
follows, — 

42.   And   Moab   shall    be   de-  42.  Et  contritus  est  (perditus,  exci- 

stroyed  from  being  a  people,  be-  siis)  Moab,  ut  non  sit  populus ;  quia 

cause  he  hath  magnified  himself  adversus  Jehovam  sesc  extulit  (magni- 

against  the  Lord.  fieatus  est,  ad  verbum. ) 

^  The  hteral  rendering  of  the  verse  is  as  follows,  the  nominative  case  to 
the  two  verbs  being  Moab,  taken  here  as  the  country, — 
41.  Taken  it  is, — the  cities ; 

And  the  strongholds, — it  is  seized : 
And  become  shall  the  heart  of  the  valiants  of  Moab, 
In  that  day,  like  the  heart  of  a  woman  in  distress. 
In  our  language  it  would  be,  "  as  to  its  cities,"  and,  "  as  to  its  strongs 
holds."— J^:d. 


CHAP.  XLVIIT.  43,44.      COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  47 

He  repeats  what  we  have  before  observed,  that  the  cala- 
mity of  Moab  would  be  a  just  reward  for  his  pride  and  indeed 
his  sacrilege.  The  Prophet  then  says  that  though  Grod's 
vengeance  might  seem  extremely  grievous,  yet  it  was  most 
just,,  because  the  Moabites  had  not  only  been  cruel  against 
their  neighbours,  but  also  reproachful  against  God.  Here, 
then,  he  condemns  them  first  for  cruelty,  and  then  for  their 
impious  pride,  because  they  exalted  themselves  against  God. 

But  we  must  bear  in  mind  the  reason  noticed  before ;  for 
the  Moabites  did  not  openly  boast  that  they  were  equal 
or  superior  to  God,  but  when  they  raised  their  crests  against 
God's  people,  they  became  contumelious  against  God  him- 
self, who  had  promised  to  be  the  protector  and  the  Father 
of  his  people.  As  then  the  Moabites  thus  despised  the  pro- 
tection and  promise  of  God,  they  are  here  justly  condemned 
by  the  Prophet,  that  they  exalted  themselves  against  God. 
And  this  ought  to  be  carefully  noticed,  so  that  we  may  not 
do  any  wrong  to  the  godly,  for  God  will  at  length  shew  that 
he  is  injured  in  their  persons.  And  then  also  no  common 
consolation  may  be  hence  derived,  that  all  who  molest  us 
are  carrying  on  war  against  God,  and  that  all  who  injure  us 
act  sacrilegiously  towards  him.  For  the  Prophet  has  before 
explained  how  the  Moabites  gloried  against  God,  even  be- 
cause they  regarded  the  children  of  Israel  with  derision. 
It  follows, — 

43.  Fear,  and  the  pit,  and  the  43.  Terror  et  fovea  et  laqueus 
snare,  shall  he  upon  thee,  0  inhabi-  super  te,  habitator  Moab,  dicit  Je- 
tant  of  Moab,  saith  the  Lord.  hova. 

44.  He  that  fleeth  from  the  fear  44.  Qui  fugerit  a  fade  terroris 
shall  fall  into  the  pit ;  and  he  that  incidet  in  foveam ;  et  qui  ascenderit 
getteth  up  out  of  the  pit  shall  be  e  fovea  laqueo  capietur ;  quoniam 
taken  in  the  snare  :  for  I  will  bring  adducam  super  earn,  super  Moab, 
upon  it,  even  upon  ]V[oab,  the  year  annum  visitationis  ipsorum,  dicit 
of  their  visitation,  saith  the  Lord.  Jehova. 

By  these  words  the  Prophet  shews,  that  though  the 
Moabites  should  adopt  many  means  of  escape,  yet  they 
should  be  taken,  for  God's  hand  would  everywhere  entrap 
them.  He  mentions  terror  first,  then  the  pit,  and  thirdly, 
the  snare^  that  is,  "  Thou  wilt  be  so  frightened  that  terror 

*  There  is  a  striking  alliteration  in  these  words,  fear,  pit,  snare  —pechedj 
pechety  peek. — fJd. 


48  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXXII. 

will  compel  thee  to  flee  ;  but  when  thou  fleest,  pits  will  be 
in  the  way  into  which  thou  wilt  fall :  but  if  thou  wilt  rise 
from  the  pit,  snares  will  surround  thee,  and  thou  wilt  be 
taken."  We  then  see  that  bv  these  similitudes  nothino-  else 
is  meant  but  God's  judgment,  which  impended  over  the 
Moabites,  so  that  it  could  by  no  means  be  averted  by  them  ; 
for  no  ways  could  be  found  out  by  which  they  could  escape, 
because  fear  would  force  them  to  flee,  and  would,  as  it  is 
usually  the  case,  deprive  them  of  mind  and  thought,  and 
thus  they  would  be  driven  here  and  there,  and  could  not 
move  from  any  place  without  meeting  with  a  pit,  and,  as  it 
has  been  said,  after  the  pit  there  would  be  the  snare. 

Now  all  this  has  not  been  expressed  without  reason,  be- 
cause we  know  with  how  many  flatteries  men  are  wont  to 
delude  themselves  when  God  summons  them  to  judgment ; 
for  they  immediately  look  around  here  and  there,  and  pro- 
mise themselves  impunity,  and  then  they  hope  for  light 
punishment,  as  though  they  were  at  peace  with  God.  But 
the  unbelieving  harden  themselves,  as  Isaiali  says,  as  though 
they  had  made  a  covenant  with  death  and  a  compact  with 
hell.  (Is.  xxviii.  15.)  As,  then,  the  wicked  set  up  security 
in  oj^position  to  God,  the  Prophet  here  shews  that  there  are 
many  ways  in  his  hand,  by  which  he  can  take  the  fugitives, 
and  those  who  seem  to  think  that  they  can  escape  through 
their  own  astuteness  ;  and  hence  he  said.  He  who  flees  from 
terror,  that  is,  from  present  danger,  shall  fall  into  the  pit, 
that  is,  when  the  Moabites  shall  now  think  themselves 
secure,  they  shall  meet  with  new  dangers,  and  new  deaths 
will  surround  tliem. 

But  we  must  notice  what  is  added  at  the  end  of  the  verse. 
Because  I  will  bring  on  Moah  the  year  of  their  visitation. 
Here  God  sustains  the  minds  of  the  godly,  that  they  might 
not  faint  on  account  of  long  delay.  As,  then,  the  faithful 
might  have  been  worn  out  with  weariness  while  God  pro- 
longed the  time  as  to  the  Moabites,  the  Prophet  says,  "  Come 
at  length  shall  the  year  of  their  visitation."  For  as  it  has 
been  stated  elsewhere,  by  this  mode  of  speaking  God  inti- 
mates that  though  he  for  a  time  passes  by  things  and  con- 
nives at  them,  he  will  at  length  shew  himself  to  be  the  judge 


CHAP.  XLVIII.  45.        COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  49 

of  the  world.     We   would  have  God  ever  to  act  in  haste  ; 

and  hence,  when  he  exhorts  us  to  patience,  all  our  feelings 

rebel.     This  happens,  because  we  do  not  consider  that  the 

fitness  of  times  is  determined  bj  his  will.     Hence  he  speaks 

now  of  the  year  of  visitation,  as  though  he  had  said,  "I  may 

for  a  time  appear  to  disregard  human  affairs  and  to  neglect 

my  own,  while  my  people  are  cruelly  oppressed  by  the  wicked ; 

but  the  time  of  visitation  will  come.''     For  by  this  word 

"  visitation,''  God  means  that  there  are  changes,  or,  as  they 

commonly  say,  revolutions,  which  are  fixed  and  certain.    "We 

now  then  understand  the  design  of  God,  when  he  says,  that 

he  would  bring  a  visitation  on  the  Moabites.     It  follows, — 

45.  They  that  fled  stood  under  the         45.  In  umbra  Hesbon   steterunt 

shadow  of  Heshbon,  because  of  the  a   fortitudine  {aut,  violentia)  fugi- 

force :    but  a  fire  shall  come  forth  entes ;    quia   ignis  egressus  est   ex 

out  of  Heshbon,  and  a  flame  from  the  Hesbon,  et  flamma  e  medio  Sion,  et 

midst  of  Sihon,  and  shall  devour  the  vorabit   angulura  Moab,   et  extre- 

corner  of  Moab,  andthecrownof  the  mitatem    et   verticem  filiorum   tu- 

head  of  the  tumultuous  ones.  multus. 

He  confirms  what  is  said  in  the  last  verse,  that  the 
Moabites  would  in  vain  resort  to  their  strongest  cities,  even 
Heshbon  and  Sihon  ;  because  a  flame  would  thence  break 
forth,  which  would  consume  the  whole  land.  We  hence  see 
that  God  took  away  from  the  Moabites  all  their  vain  confi- 
dences, and  shewed  that  no  defences  could  stand  against  his 
power,  when  once  he  rose  up  for  judgment. 

The  fleers,  he  says,  shall  stand  under  the  shadoiu  of  Hesh- 
bon, thinking  that  there  would  be  a  safe  refuge  in  that  city, 
and  in  others."^  But  the  particle  ^D,  K,  seems  not  to  me  to 
be  here  causal,  but  rather  an  afiSrmative,  or  even  an  adver- 
sative ;  but,  or  surely  a  fire  has  gone  forth  from  Heshbon,  and 
a  flame  from  Sihon.  The  Prophet,  I  doubt  not,  borrowed 
these  words  from  Moses,  for  he  says  in  Numbers  xxi.  28,  that 

*  The  word  "  strength"  is  here  omitted.  Calvin's  version  is,  "  Under 
the  shadow  of  Heshbon  stood  they  who  had  fled  fi-om  strength,"  or  vio- 
lence, ie.,  of  their  enemies.  Some  connect  it  with  "stood,"  the  fugitives 
"  stood  for  strength,"  or,  "  without  strength,"  wliich,  perhaps,  is  preferable : 
they  stood  under  the  shadow  or  protection  of  Heshbon,  and  obtained  no 
help ;  so  far  was  this  from  being  the  case,  that  from  Heshbon  woid.d  go 
forth  fire,  that  is,  "  the  spoiler,"  or,  destroyer,  before  often  mentioned. 
Then  ""^  would  have  its  usual  meaning,  for,  as  giving  a  reason  why  the 
fugitives  remained  without  strength  or  help,  under  the  protection  of 
Heshbon. — Ed. 

VOL.  V.  D 


50  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXXII. 

a  fire  had  gone  forth  from  Heshbon  ;  and  there  the  expres- 
sion is  given  as  an  old  proverb.  There  is  no  doubt  but  that 
enemies  had  triumphed  over  that  city  when  it  was  taken  ; 
for  that  w^hole  song  spoken  by  Moses  is  ironical,  and  in  say- 
ing that  fire  had  gone  forth,  he  referred  to  their  counsels, 
for  they  thought  that  city  sufficiently  strong  against  enemies. 
Now  tlie  Prophet  says,  that  what  had  been  formerly  said  of 
Heshbon  would  be  again  fulfilled,  that  it  would  be,  as  it 
were,  the  beginning  of  the  fire.  The  meaning  then,  as  I 
think,  is,  that  the  Moabites  indeed  thought,  that  they  would 
have  a  quiet  and  agreeable  shadow  under  the  protection  of 
the  city  Heshbon,  and  of  the  city  Sihon ;  but  what  was  to 
be  ?  even  that  these  two  cities  would  become,  as  it  were, 
the  beginnings  of  the  fire.  How,  or  in  what  way  ?  even 
because  the  probability  is,  that  there  those  counsels  were 
taken  which  provoked  the  Chaldeans.  We  indeed  know 
that  riches  and  power  always  produce  haughtiness  and  false 
confidence  in  men  ;  for  in  villages  and  small  towns  wars  are 
not  contrived ;  but  the  great  cities  gather  the  wood  and 
kindle  the  fire  ;  and  the  fire  afterwards  spreads  and  pervades 
the  whole  land.^ 

This,  then,  is  what  our  Prophet  means,  when  he  says, 
thsit  fire  went  forth  from  Heshbon,  even  contrary  to  the  ex- 
pectation of  the  people,  for  they  thought  that  were  all  things 
to  go  to  ruin,  there  yet  would  be  safety  for  them  in  that 
city  :  go  forth,  he  says,  shall  fire  from  the  city  Heshbon,  and  a 
flame  from  the  midst  of  Sihon,  and  it  shall  consume  the  corner 
of  Moab,  and  all  his  extremities;  for  by  ^P*^?,  kadkad,  he 
means  all  parts.  Extremity  is  elsewhere  taken  for  a  part ;  but 
he  does  not  mean  that  fire  would  come  to  all  parts  or  extreme 
corners,  only  as  it  were  to  touch  them  slightly  :  but  he  inti- 
mates that  the  whole  land  would  be  consumed  by  this  fire  ; 
it  would  thus  spread  itself  to  its  very  extremities.^ 

^  Most  give  a  different  explanation  of  this  fire,  that  it  designated  "  the 
spoiler"  that  was  to  come  on  Moab.  That  fire  has  often  this  meaning  is 
evident.     See  Judges  ix.  20. — Ed. 

"  The  last  clause  is  evidently  a  quotation  from  Numbers  xxiv.  17  :  it 
is  not  literally  the  same,  but  the  meaning  is  so.  It  is  "  corner"  here 
and  not  "  corners,"  as  in  Numbers ;  and  the  word  there  is  ")p">p,  and  not 
*^p1p  as  here,  only  there  are  some  copies  which  have  the  former  word 
here.     In  that  case,  the  passage  woukl  read  thus, — 


CHAP.  XLVIII.  45.      COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  51 

But  as  I  have  already  said,  the  Prophet  alludes  to  that 
old  saying  mentioned  by  Moses,  (Numbers  xxi.  27,  28.) 
Further,  there  is  no  doubt  but  that  Heshbon  and  Sihon 
wore  then  in  the  possession  of  that  nation  ;  for  they  had 
taken  away  many  cities  from  the  Israelites,  and  thus  the 
children  of  Israel  had  been  reduced  to  narrower  limits.  At 
length  the  tribe  of  Judah  alone  remained  after  the  over- 
throw of  the  kingdom  of  Israel.  When  they  were  driven 
into  Chaldea,  it  was  an  easy  thing  for  the  Moabites  to  make 
that  their  own  which  belonged  to  no  one.  Besides,  as  they 
had  helped  the  Chaldeans  and  betrayed  that  miserable 
people,  and  had  thus  acted  perfidiously  towards  their 
brethren,  a  reward  was  given  to  them.  But  when  at  length 
they  themselves  dreaded  the  power  of  the  Babylonian  mo- 
narchy, they  began  to  change  their  minds,  and  endeavoured 
to  obstruct  the  farther  progress  of  the  Chaldeans.  Hence 
then  a  war  was  contemplated,  and  the  occasion  was  given. 
He  then  speaks  of  Heshbon  and  Sihon  as  chief  cities  ;  and 
there  is  no  doubt  but  that  Sihon  derived  its  name  from  a 
king  who  ruled  there.  For  we  know  that  there  was  a  king 
bearing  this  name  ;  but  as  he  speaks  here  of  a  place,  it  is 
probable,  that  the  king's  name  was  given  to  the  city  in  order 
to  commemorate  it. 

He  at  length  adds,  that  this  fire  and  flame  would  devour 
the  top  of  the  head  of  the  sons  of  Saon,  or  tumult.  But  he 
calls  the  Moabites  tumultuous,  because  they  before  made  a 
great  noise,  and  were  dreaded  by  their  neighbours.  As 
then  all  their  neighbours  had  been  frightened,  in  a  manner, 
by  their  voice  alone,  he  calls  them  sons  of  tumult,  or  tumul- 
tuous men,  from  the  effect  produced.     It  follows — 

46.  Woe  be  unto  the e,  0  Moab !  44.  Vse  tibi  Moab!  periit  popu- 

the  people  of  Chemosh  perisheth :  lus  Chamos,  quia  tracti  sunt  (yel, 

for  thy  sons  are  taken  captives,  and  rapti)   fihi  tui  in  captivitatem,   et 

thy  (laughters  captives.  filise  tuge  in  exilium. 

And  it  shall  devour  the  comer  of  Moab, 
And  destroy  the  sons  (or  children)  of  tumult. 

T\'^  in  Numbers  is  probably  for  HKK^,  which  means  the  same  as  the  word 

here  used,  coming  firom  the  same  root,  and  properly  rendered  "  tumult." 
This  passage  is  omitted  in  the  Sept.  ;  the  Vidg.  renders  '^'p~'^p,  "  verti- 

cem,"  the  crown  or  top  of  the  head ;  but  the  Syr.  and  Targ.  drop  the 

metaphor,  and  render  it  "  chiefs"  or  nobles. — Ed. 


52  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.        LECT.  CLXXIT. 

Here  the  Prophet,  as  he  comes  to  the  end  of  his  prophecy, 
suddenly  exclaims,  Woe  to  thee  I  as  though  he  had  said, 
that  words  failed  him  to  express  the  grievousness  of  God's 
vengeance.  There  is  then  more  force  in  this  single  expres- 
sion, than  if  he  had  at  large  described  the  miseries  of  that 
nation.  He  then  adds,  The  people  of  Chemosh  have  perished. 
The  Prophet  again  intimates,  that  the  Moabites  vainly  con- 
fided in  their  idol,  Chemosh  ;  they  thought  that  there  would 
be  a  sure  safety  to  them  from  their  god,  who  was,  as  they 
commonly  say,  a  tutelar  god.  But  the  Prophet  says,  that 
their  superstition  would  avail  them  nothing,  for  they  and 
their  idol  would  perish  together.  He  exults  over  this 
fictitious  god,  that  on  the  other  hand  he  might  extol 
the  power  of  the  only  true  God.  For  there  is  here  an  im- 
plied contrast  between  the  God  of  Israel  and  Chemosh 
whom  the  Moabites  worshipped. 

He  then  adds,  Thy  sons  and  thy  daughters  shall  be  car- 
ried away  into  captivity.  The  Prophet  does  not  seem  here 
to  continue  the  same  subject ;  for  he  had  said  before  that 
ruin  or  destruction  was  coming  on  the  Moabites,  but  he  now 
mitigates  that  punishment,  and  speaks  only  of  exile.  But 
as  captivity  is  like  death,  as  it  abolishes  the  name  of  a  na- 
tion, he  speaks  correctly  and  suitably.  And  then  we  must 
observe,  that  God,  for  a  time,  so  executed  his  vengeance  on 
the  Moabites,  that  he  left  them  some  hope  as  to  the  future, 
according  to  what  follows  in  the  last  verse — 

47.  Yet  Avill  I  bring  again  the  47.    Et     reducam     captivitatem 

captivity    of    Moab    in   the    latter  Moab  in  fine  dierum  (hoc  est,  post 

days,  saith  the  Lord.     Thus  far  is  longum     tempus,)     dicit     Jehova. 

the  judgment  of  Moab.  Hactenus  judicium  Moab. 

Here,  as  we  see,  God  gives  place  to  his  mercy,  so  that  the 
Moabites  should  not  wholly  perish.  At  the  same  time, 
things  which  seem  to  be  contrary  agree  together,  even  that 
destruction  was  nigh  the  people  of  Moab,  and  yet  that  some 
would  remain  alive,  who  would  afterwards  renew  the  name 
of  the  nation,  as  it  was  God's  purpose  to  restore  the  Moabites 
to  their  former  state.  These  things,  as  I  have  said,  seem 
inconsistent,  and  yet  they  may  be  easily  reconciled ;  for  it 
was  God's  will  so  to  destroy  the  Moabites,  that  those  who 


CHAP.  XLVIir.  47.        COMMENTARIES  Oy  JEREMIAH.  53 

died  might  not  be  without  hope ;  and  then,  those  who  re- 
mained alive  were  not  deemed  to  be  among  the  living,  but 
in  exile  they  were  like  the  dead.  God,  indeed,  ever  sup- 
ported the  godly  with  hope,  even  when  they  were  driven 
into  Babylon  :  but  as  to  the  Moabites,  the  living  as  well  as 
the  dead,  had  no  hope.  Why,  then,  was  this  promise  given? 
not  for  the  sake  of  the  Moabites ;  but  that  the  Jews  might 
feel  assured  that  Grod  would  at  length  be  propitious  to  them  ; 
he  promises  pardon  to  the  Moabites  as  it  were  accidentally, 
so  to  speak,  and  thus  unavowedly  stretches  forth  his  hand 
to  them,  but  with  a  design  through  this  mercy  to  give  to 
the  Israelites  a  taste  of  his  paternal  favour.  What  remains 
we  must  reserve  for  the  lecture  to-morrow. 

PRAYER. 

Grant,  Almighty  God,  that  as  thou  wert  formerly  pleased  to  ex- 
tend thy  mercy  to  aliens,  who  were  wholly  estranged  from  thee, 
that  the  children  of  Abraham,  whom  thou  didst  adopt,  might 
hence  have  a  hope  of  deliverance,— O  grant,  that  we  may  also, 
at  this  day,  cast  our  eyes  on  the  many  proofs  of  thy  goodness, 
manifested  towards  the  ungodly  and  the  imworthy,  so  as  to  make 
an  application  for  oiu"  own  benefit,  and  never  to  doubt  but  that 
however  miserable  we  may  be,  thou  wilt  yet  be  ever  propitious 
to  us,  since  thou  hast  deigned  to  choose  us  for  thy  peculiar  people, 
and  hast  promised  to  be  ever  our  God  and  Father  in  Christ 
Jesus  our  Lord. — Amen. 


We  began  in  our  last  lecture  to  explain  what  the  Prophet 
has  said  of  the  restoration  of  Moab ;  and  we  said  that  some 
hope  of  mercy  to  the  unworthy  is  left  here.  For  though 
they  had  in  various  ways  provoked  the  wrath  of  God,  yet  he 
was  unwilling  wholly  to  destroy  them  ;  and  from  that  na- 
tion also  Christ,  the  Redeemer  of  the  world,  derived  his 
origin.  Here,  then,  we  have  a  memorable  instance  of  God's 
favour,  that  he  did  not  wholly  obliterate  that  nation,  which 
yet  had  deserved  extreme  punishment.  We  said  further,  that 
it  was,  as  it  were,  accidental  that  the  Prophet  promised  fa- 


-54  C0MME2ITARIES  OIJ  JEREMIAH.        LECT.  CLXXIII. 

vour  to  the  Moabites  ;  for  we  know  that  the  people  of  Israel 
were  then  a  people  distinct  from  other  nations.  God  then 
so  disposed  of  his  favour,  that  when  a  few  drops  came  to 
heathens,  it  was,  as  it  were,  adventitious.  For  it  was  not 
his  will  to  cast  indiscriminately  to  all  the  bread  which  he 
had  designed  for  his  own  children,  as  Christ  also  says,  that  it 
is  not  right  that  the  children's  bread  should  be  given  to  dogs. 
(Matt.  XV.  26.)  God,  however,  designed  to  shew  some  pre- 
ludes of  his  mercy  towards  alien  nations,  when  he  so  directed 
the  promises  of  salvation  to  his  chosen  people  as  not  wholly 
to  exclude  the  heathens,  as  we  have  an  example  here  in  the 
Moabites.  We  shall  hereafter  see  the  same  as  to  the  Am- 
monites.    Now  follows — 


CHAPTER  XLIX. 

1.    Concerning    the    Ammonites,  1.  Ad  filios   Amnion  :    Sic   dicit 

thus  saith  the  Lord,  Hath  Israel  no  Jehova,  An  filii  non  sunt  Israeli  ?  an 

sons  ?   hath  he  no  heir  ?  why  then  hseres  non  est  ei  ?  quare  haereditate 

doth  their  king  inherit  Gad,  and  his  possidet  rex  eorum  Gad  et  populus 

people  dwell  in  his  cities  ?  ejus  in  m'bibus  ejus  habitat  ? 

We  have  said  that  the  Ammonites  were  not  only  conti- 
guous 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  fraternity  between  them,  because  both  nations 
had  the  same  father.  God  had  spared  them  when  he  brought 
up  his  people  from  Egypt ;  for  in  remembrance  of  the  holy 
man  Lot,  he  would  have  both  peoples  to  remain  uninjured. 
But  ingratitude  doubled  their  crime,  for  these  impious  men 
ceased  not  in  various  ways  to  harass  the  children  of  Abra- 
ham. For  this  reason,  therefore,  does  Jeremiah  now  pro- 
phesy against  them. 

And  we  see  here,  again,  the  object  of  this  prophecy  and 
tlie  design  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  announcing  it,  even  that  the 
Israelites  might  know  that  they  were  not  so  com2)letely  cast 
away  by  God,  but  that  there  remained  some  remnants  of  his 
paternal  favour ;  for  if  the  Moabites  and  the  Ammonites  had 


CHAP.  XLIX.  1.        COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  55 

been  free  from  all  evils,  it  would  have  been  a  most  grievous 
trial ;  it  would  have  been  enough  to  overwhelm  weak  minds 
to  see  a  people  whom  God  had  adopted,  miserably  oppressed 
and  severely  chastised,  while  heathen  nations  were  remain- 
ing quiet  in  the  enjoyment  of  their  pleasures,  and  exulting 
also  over  the  calamities  of  others.  God,  then,  in  order  to 
mitigate  the  grief  and  sorrow  which  the  children  of  Israel 
derived  from  their  troubles  and  calamities,  shews  that  lie 
would  yet  shew  them  favour,  because  he  would  carry  on  war 
against  their  enemies,  and  become  the  avenger  of  all  the 
wrongs  whicli  they  had  suffered.  It  was  no  common  conso- 
lation for  the  Israelites  to  hear  that  they  w^ere  still  the 
objects  of  God's  care,  who,  nevertheless,  seemed  in  various 
ways  to  have  poured  forth  his  wrath  upon  them  in  a  full 
stream.  We  now,  then,  see  the  reason  why  Jeremiah  de- 
nounced destruction  on  the  Ammonites,  as  he  did  before  on 
the  Moabites. 

Then  he  says,  To  the  children  of  Amnion  :^  Are  there  no 
children  to  Israel  ?  Hath  he  no  heir  ?  It  was  a  trial  very 
grievous  to  tlie  miserable  Israelites  to  see  a  part  of  the  in- 
heritance promised  them  by  God  forcibly  taken  from  them 
by  the  Ammonites  ;  for  what  must  have  come  to  their  minds 
but  that  they  had  been  deceived  by  vain  promises  ?  But  it 
had  happened,  that  the  Ammonites  had  deprived  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  of  a  part  of  their  inheritance.  Hence  the 
Prophet  teaches  us  here,  that  though  God  connived  for  a 
time,  and  passed  by  this  robbery,  he  yet  would  not  suffer 
the  Ammonites  to  go  unpunished  for  having  taken  to  them- 
selves what  justly  belonged  to  others.  Hence  it  is  added. 
Why  doth  their  king  inherit  Oad  ?  . 

I  know  not  why  Jerome  rendered  tDD/^,  mellcam,  as 
though  it  were  the  name  of  an  idol,  as  the  word  is  found  in 
the  Prophet  Amos.^     But  it  is  evident  that  Jeremiah  speaks 

»  Literally  it  is,  "To  the  children  of  Amnion  thus  saith  Jehovah:"  so 
the  Sept.,  the  Vulg.,  and  the  Targ.  There  are  prophecies  concerning 
Amnion  in  Ezek.  xxi.  28-32;  xxv.  2-7;  Amos  i.  13-15;  and  in  Zeph.  ii. 
8-11.— ^f^. 

'  "  Milconi"  is  given  by  the  Sept.,  the  Vulg.,  and  the  Sjjr.;  hut  ''•  their 
king"  by  the  Targ.  In  Amos  i.  15,  the  Vulg.  and  Syr.  arc  the  same ; 
but  the  Sept.  have  "  kings,"  and  the  Targ.  is  the  same  as  here.     There 


56  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.         LECT.  CLXXIII. 

here  of  the  king,  for  immediately  after  he  adds,  his  people. 
Their  king,  then,  he  says,  inherits  Gad.  Gad  is  not  the 
name  of  a  place,  as  some  think,  but  Mount  Gilead,  which 
had  been  given  to  that  tribe.  Tlie  Projihet  says  that  they 
possessed  the  country  of  the  Gadites  ;  for  they  had  been 
ejected  from  their  portion,  and  the  children  of  Amnion  had 
occupied  what  had  been  given  by  God  to  them.  And  this 
is  confirmed  by  tlie  Prophet  Amos,  when  he  says,  "  For  three 
of  the  transgressions  of  the  children  of  Amnion,  and  for  four, 
I  will  not  be  propitious  to  them,  because  they  have  cut  off 
the  mountain  of  Gilead.''^  (Amos  i.  IS.)  He  speaks  there 
metaphorically,  because  God  had  fixed  the  limits  between 
the  tribe  of  Gad  and  the  children  of  Amnion,  so  that  both 
might  be  satisfied  with  their  own  inheritance.  But  the  chil- 
dren of  Amnion  had  broken  through  and  expelled  the  tribe 
of  Gad  from  the  cities  of  Mount  Gilead.  This,  then,  is  what 
now  our  Prophet  means,  even  that  they  had  taken  to  them- 
selves that  part  of  tlie  land  which  had  been  allotted  to  the 
children  of  Gad  ;  for  it  immediately  follows,  and  his  people 
dwell  in  his  cities,  even  in  the  cities  which  had  been  given 
by  lot  to  that  tribe ;  for  we  know  that  a  possession  beyond 
Jordan  had  been  given  to  the  children  of  Gad.  We  now, 
then,  perceive  the  meaning  of  the  words. 

God,  then,  shews  that  he  had  not  forgotten  his  covenant, 
though  he  had  for  a  time  suffered  the  Ammonites  to  invade 
the  inheritance  which  he  had  conferred  on  the  children  of 
Israel ;  yet  the  Gaddites  would  at  length  recover  what  had 
been  unjustly  taken  from  them.  For  it  was  a  robbery  not 
to  be  endured,  that  the  Ammonites  should  have  dared  to 
take  to  themselves  that  land,  which  was  not  the  property  of 
men,  but  rather  of  God  himself,  for  he  had  called  it  his  rest, 
because  he  would  have  his  peojile  to  dwell  there.     And 

was  a  king  of  Amnion,  Jer.  xxvii.  3  ;  and  there  is  one  passage  in  which 
tlie  possession  of  a  country  is  ascribed  to  a  lieathen  god,  to  Cheniosh,  see 
Judges  xi.  24.  But  "inheriting"  is  more  suitably  applied  to  a  king  than 
to  an  idol ;  and  the  contrast  in  the  next  verse  is  with  Israel  and  not  with 
God,  "  Israel  shall  be  heir,"  &c.  Most  probably,  then,  the  king  is  meant, 
and  not  the  idol. — Ed. 

The  quotation  is  not  literally  given,  but  the  meaning  of  the  passage. 
— Ed. 


CHAP.  XLIX.  2.       COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  67 

tliougli  God  inflicted  a  just  punisliment  on  the  Gaddites 
when  lie  expelled  them  from  their  inheritance,  yet  he  after- 
wards punished  the  children  of  Amnion,  as  he  is  wont  to 
chastise  his  own  children  by  the  hand  of  the  wicked,  and 
at  length  to  render  them  also  their  just  reward.  It  now 
follows — 

2.    Therefore,   behold,   the   days  2,    Propterea  ecce  dies  veniunt, 

come,  saith  the  Lord,  that  I  will  dicit  Jehova,  et  aiidire  faciam  {vely 

cause  an  alarm  of  war  to  be  heard  faciam    resonare)     super    Rabbath 

in  Rabbah  of  the  Ammonites;  and  filiorum  {yel,   super  filios)   Ammon 

it  shall  be  a  desolate  heap,  and  her  clangorem  prselii,  et  erit  in  acer\Tim 

daughters  shall  be  burnt  with  fire :  vastitatis,  et  filise  ejus  igne  combu- 

then  shall  Israel  be  heir  unto  them  rentur,  et  possidebit  Israel  posses- 

that  were  his  heirs,  saitli  the  Lord.  sores  suos,  dicit  Jehova. 

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 ;  and  then,  some  years  elapsed  while  that  people 
enjoyed  their  spoils.  He  therefore  holds  here  the  minds  of  the 
faithful  in  suspense,  that  they  might  learn  patiently  to  wait 
until  the  fixed  time  of  God's  vengeance  came.  For  this  rea- 
son, then,  he  says,  that  the  days  would  coine  when  God  would 
cause  the  trumpet  of  war  to  resound  in  Rabhah.  He  speaks 
as  of  a  thing  extraordinary,  for  the  Ammonites  thought,  as 
we  shall  see,  that  they  should  never  be  in  any  danger.  As, 
then,  they  proudly  trusted  in  their  own  strength,  the  Pro- 
phet speaks  here  of  the  trumpet  of  war  in  Rabbah,  which 
was  the  metropolis  of  the  whole  land.  Some  think  that  it 
was  Philadelphia,  a  name  given  to  it  by  Ptolemy.  Interpre- 
ters, however,  do  not  agree  ;  but  the  opinion  mostly  received 
is,  that  it  was  Philadelphia.  Now,  as  to  the  main  thing, 
there  is  no  doubt  but  that  it  was  then  the  chief  seat  of 
government,  and  the  capital  of  the  kingdom,  because  the 
Proj^het,  stating  a  part  for  the  whole,  includes  the  whole 
land  when  he  speaks  of  this  city. 

He  says  that  she  would  become  a  heap  of  desolation.  But 
this  was  then  wholly  incredible,  because  Rabbah  was  so  for- 
tified that  no  one  thought  that  it  could  be  destroyed.     But 


58  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.       LECT.  CLXXIII. 

the  Prophet  now  declares  that  the  whole  city  would  be  de- 
molished, so  that  neither  walls  nor  private  houses  would 
remain,  but  that  it  would  be  a  deformed  mass  of  ruins.  He 
adds,  her  daughters  shall  he  burned  with  fire.  Bj  daughters 
he  no  doubt  understands  towns  and  villages  ;  and  hence  is 
confirmed  what  I  have  said,  that  Rabbah  was  then  the  chief 
city  of  the  whole  land  of  Ammon.  At  the  end  of  the  verse 
he  says,  Israel  shall  possess  all  who  possess  them}  By  these 
words  Jeremiah  again  confirms  what  I  have  slightly  referred 
to,  that  the  calamity  of  the  Ammonites  would  be  a  testi- 
mony as  to  God's  paternal  kindness  towards  his  chosen 
people,  because  he  resolved  to  avenge  the  wrongs  done  to 
them.  As,  then,  God  undertook  the  cause  of  the  Israelites 
as  his  own,  he  sufficiently  manifested  the  favour  he  had  in- 
tended for  his  people,  and  for  no  other  reason,  but  because 
he  had  gratuitously  chosen  them. 

It  may  be  asked,  when  was  this  prophecy  fulfilled  ?  God, 
indeed,  under  David,  gave  some  indication  of  their  future 
subjection,  but  Israel  never  possessed  that  land.  Indeed, 
from  that  time  Ammon  had  not  been  brought  low  until  after 
the  overthrow  of  Israel.  It  then  follows  that  what  Jere- 
miah predicted  here,  was  not  fully  accomplished  except 
under  the  kingdom  of  Christ.  David  humbled  that  nation, 
because  he  had  received  a  great  indignity  from  the  king  of 
Ammon  ;  and  he  took  also  Rabbah,  as  it  is  evident  from 
sacred  history.  (2  Sam.  xii.  29,  &c. ;  1  Chron.  xx.  1,  2.) 
He  was  yet  satisfied  with  making  the  people  tributary. 
From  that  time  they  not  only  shook  off"  the  yoke,  but  exer- 
cised authoritv  within  the  borders  of  Israel ;  and  that  the 
Israelites  had  recovered  what  they  had  lost,  we  nowhere 
read.^  Then  Israel  began  to  possess  power  over  the  Ammo- 
nites when  the  kingdom  of  Christ  was  established  ;  by  which 
all  heathen  nations  wore  not  only  brought  into  subjection  and 
under  the  yoke,  but  all  unworthy  of  mercy  were  also  reduced 

'  Literally  it  is,  "And  Israel  shall  inherit  his  inheritors."  The  Ammon- 
ites claimed  to  be  the  heirs,  and  Israel  succeeded  them  as  the  right  heir. 
This  prophecy  was  fulfilled  as  recorded  in  1  Mace,  v,  0,  7,  28-36. — Ed. 

^  Except  in  1  Mace.  v.  6-8.  The  victories  of  the  Maccabees  were, 
no  doubt,  a  literal  accomplishment  of  this  prophecy.  See  verses  33,  34  ; 
where  the  sound  of  the  "  trumpets"  is  expressly  mentioned. — Ed. 


CHAP.  XLIX.  3.         COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  59 

to  nothing.  What  is  added  at  the  end  of  the  verse  is  not 
superfluous ;  for  the  Prophet  introduces  God  as  the  speaker, 
because  he  speaks  of  great  things,  and  of  which  it  was  diffi- 
cult to  be  fullj  convinced.     It  now  follows — 

3.  Howl,  0    Heshbon,  for  Ai  is         3.  Ulula  Chesbon,  quoniam  vas- 

spoiled :  cry,  ye  daughters  of  Rab-  tata   est    Hai ;    vociferamini    filiae 

bah,  gird  you  with  sackcloth ;    la-  Rabbath,  accingite  vos  saccis,  plan- 

ment,  and  run  to  and  fro  by  the  gite,  discurrite  per  sepes,  quoniam 

hedges :    for    their    king    shall   go  rex  eoriun  in  captivitatem  profectus 

into  captivity,  and  his  priests  and  est,  et  sacerdotes  ejus  et  principes 

his  princes  together.  cum  ipso. 

The  Prophet  now  triumphs,  as  it  were,  over  the  land  of 
Amnion,  and,  according  to  his  accustomed  manner,  as  we 
have  before  seen ;  for  had  the  prophets  spoken  without  me- 
taphors, and  simply  narrated  the  things  treated  of  by  them, 
their  words  would  have  been  frigid  and  inefficient,  and  would 
not  have  penetrated  into  the  hearts  of  men.  This,  then,  is 
the  reason  why  the  prophets  adopted  an  elevated  style,  and 
adorned  with  grandeur  their  prophecies  ;  for  they  never, 
like  rhetoricians,  affected  eloquence,  but  necessity  so  urged 
them,  that  they  represented  to  the  eyes  those  things  which 
they  could  not  otherwise  form  a  conception  of  in  their  minds. 
On  this  subject  we  have  spoken  often  already  ;  but  I  am 
again  constrained  briefly  to  touch  on  it,  because  those  who 
are  not  well  acquainted  with  Scripture,  and  do  not  under- 
stand the  design  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  may  think  that  words 
only  are  here  poured  forth.  But  when  we  duly  weigh  what 
I  have  said,  then  we  shall  readily  acknowledge  that  the 
Prophet  did  not,  without  reason,  enlarge  on  what  he  had 
previously  said. 

Howl,  thou  Heshhon,  he  says,  for  Ai  is  laid  waste.  These 
were  two  neighbouring  cities  :  hence  he  exhorts  Heshbon 
to  howl  on  seeing  the  overthrow  of  another  city.  He  then 
adds.  Cry,  or  cry  aloud,  ye  daughters  of  Rahbah.  He  again 
repeats  what  he  had  before  touched  upon  as  to  the  city 
Rabbah.  Gird  yourselves,  he  says,  with  sackcloth,  or  put  on 
sackcloth.  He  does  not  here  exhort  the  citizens  of  Rabbah 
to  repentance,  but  he  speaks  according  to  the  customs  of 
the  people,  as  it  has  been  stated  elsew^here.  Sackcloth  was, 
indeed,  a  symbol  of  penitence  ;  when  the  miserable  wished 


60  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.         LECT.  CLXXIII. 

humbly  to  flee  to  God's  mercy,  and  to  confess  their  sins, 
they  put  on  sackcloth.  But  the  unbelieving  imitated  the 
faithful  without  discretion  or  judgment.  Hence  it  was,  that 
they  scattered  ashes  on  their  heads,  that  without  any  reason 
they  put  on  sackcloth.  What  was  then  commonly  done  is 
now  mentioned  by  Jeremiah  ;  Put  on  sackcloth,  he  says,  la- 
ment and  run  here  and  there  by  the  fences. 

He  afterwards  adds  in  the  third  person,  for  gone  is  their 
king  into  caj^tivity.  He  expressed  this,  that  the  Israelites 
might  know,  that  though  that  kingdom  flourished  for  a 
time,  yet  the  day  of  which  the  Prophet  had  spoken  would 
come,  when  the  condition  of  the  Ammonites  would  be  no- 
thing better  than  that  of  the  Israelites  ;  whose  king,  as  it 
was  known,  had  been  driven  into  exile,  together  with  the 
priests  and  princes.  The  Prophet  now  denounces  the  same 
punishment  on  the  Ammonites,  that  not  only  their  king- 
would  be  driven  into  another  land,  as  a  captive,  but  also 
their  princes  and  their  priests.     It  follows — 

4.  Wherefore  gloriest  4.  Quidgloriarisreconditistuis?  defluxitpro- 
thou  in  the  valleys,  thy  funditas  tua  (ad  verbum,  vallis  tua  ;  sed  quo- 
flowing  valley,  O  back-  niam  pDV  significat  profundum  esse  ideo 
sliding  daughter?  that  D''pOy  sunt  profunditates ;  cur  ergo  glo- 
trusted  in  her  treasures,  riaris  in  tuis  profunditatibus  ?  sed  non  re- 
saying,  Who  shall  come  pugno  quin  transferamus,  quid  gloriaris  in 
unto  me  ?  vallibus  tuis  ?  defluvit  vallis  tua,  est  idem  no- 

men,)  filia  aversatrix,  qua?  confidit  in  rccondi- 
tis  suis  (in  thesauris  suis,)  Quis  veniet  ad  me  ? 

As  the  minds  of  men  continually  vacillate,  because  they  do 
not  sufficiently  consider  the  infinite  power  of  God,  the  Pro- 
phet, that  he  might  remove  all  obstacles  which  might  have 
rendered  his  prophecy  doubtful,  now  declares  that  the  Am- 
monites gloried  in  vain  in  their  valleys.  Some  understand 
by  valleys  a  fertile  land,  well  watered.  But  the  Prophet,  as 
I  think,  refers  rather  to  fortified  places.  He  then  says,  that 
they  in  vain  gloried  in  their  deep  valleys  ;  as  they  were  sur- 
rounded with  mountains,  so  they  thought  that  they  could 
not  be  approached.  He  derides  this  vain  confidence.  Why, 
he  says,  dost  thou  glory  in  thy  valleys,  or,  profundities  ?  Flown 
down  has  thy  valley.  By  saying,  that  the  valley,  or  depth, 
had  flown  down,  he  alludes  to  its  situation :  for  when  any 
one  considers  a  region  situated  among  mountains,  the  land 


CHAP.  XLIX.  4.         COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  61 

appears  as  flowing,  like  a  river  gliding  between  its  banks. 
It  is  then  a  striking  allusion  to  a  deep  place,  when  he  says 
that  the  valley  flowed  down?  It  was  the  same  as  though  he 
had  said,  "  Thy  depth  has  vanished,''  or,  "  It  shall  not  be  to 
thee  such  a  protection  as  thou  thinkesf  But  the  meaning 
is,  that  though  the  Ammonites,  confiding  in  their  defences, 
disregarded  all  attacks  of  enemies,  they  w^ould  yet  be  ex- 
posed to  plunder ;  for  their  mountains  and  valleys  would 
avail  them  nothing,  notwithstanding  the  opinion  they  en- 
tertained, that  they  were  so  fortified,  that  they  could  not  be 
assailed. 

He  calls  Ammon  a  rebellious,  or  a  backsliding  daughter, 
though  he  mentions  no  particulars.  But  Ezekiel  and  also 
Amos  and  Zephaniah,  tliese  three,  clearly  shew  why  God 
was  so  severe  towards  the  Ammonites,  (Ezekiel  xxv. ;  Amos 
i.  13;  Zeph.  ii.  9  ;)  it  was  because  they  had  uttered  blas- 
phemies against  Him  and  his  people,  exulted  over  the 
miseries  and  calamities  of  the  chosen  people,  and  plundered 
them  when  they  saw  them  overcome  by  their  enemies.  For 
these  reasons,  then,  our  Prophet  now  calls  them  a  rebellious 
people  :  they  had  proudly  exalted  themselves  against  God, 
and  exercised  cruel  tyranny  as  to  the  miserable  Israelites, 
who  were  yet,  as  it  has  been  stated,  connected  with  them 
by  blood. 

'  The  verb  means  to  flow  out,  and  to  flow  away,  to  waste.  The  lat- 
ter seems  to  be  the  meaning  here,  "  wasted  has  thy  valley."  (See  Lam. 
iv.  9.)  It  has  a  noun  after  it,  when  it  means  to  flow  out  in  the  sense  of 
abounding ;  but  when  used  intransitively,  it  means  to  flow  away  in  the 
sense  of  wasting, — 

Why  gloriest  thou  in  deep  valleys  ! 

Flown  away  has  thy  deep  valley, 

O  daughter,  who  hast  turned  aside, 

Who  hast  trusted  in  thy  treasures, 

Who  hast  said  in  thine  heart,  "Who  can  come  to  me?" 
The  participle  H^QIiJ^n,  "  who  hast  turned  aside,"  or  away,  is  rendered 
"  delicate,"  by  the  Vulg.,  and  "  beloved,"  by  the  Syr.,  and  the  idea  of 
impudence  or  folly,  is  conveyed  by  the  Sept.  and  Targ.  How  the  word 
could  be  so  rendered,  it  is  difficult  to  say.  The  verb  means  to  turn  to  or 
from.  Being  a  reduplicate  here,  it  means  to  turn  away  resolutely  ;  hence 
"  rebellious"  would  be  no  improper  rendering.  "  Her"  before  "  treasures," 
refers  to  "  daughter,"  but  in  our  language  "  thy"  reads  better,  as  adopted 
by  the  Vulg.  and  the  Syr.  There  is  an  addition  in  several  copies  of  the 
words,  "  Who  hast  said  in  thine  heart,"  and  all  the  versions  have  what 
corresponds  with  them. — Ed. 


62  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.        LECT.  CLXXIII. 

Who  trusts  in  her  secrecies,  or  hidden  places :  rendered  by 
some,  "  in  lier  treasures/'  But  as  ^VX,  atser,  means  to 
hide,  the  reference  is,  as  I  think,  to  strongholds  ;  for  the  Pro- 
phet in  the  next  words  explains  himself,  Who  can  come  to 
me  ?  It  ajDpears,  then,  that  the  Ammonites  thought  them- 
selves thus  secure,  because  they  were  not  exposed  to  their 
enemies,  but  protected  by  their  mountains,  as  though  they 
were  in  hiding  places.  This  boasting  sufficiently  shews  that 
they  did  not  so  much  trust  in  their  treasures  as  in  their 
hidden  places,  because  they  dwelt  in  recesses.  The  mean- 
ing is,'  that  though  the  Ammonites  gloried  that  they  were 
beyond  the  reach  of  danger,  yet  God  would  become  tlie 
avenger  of  the  cruelty  which  they  had  exercised  towards  their 
relations,  the  Israelites.     It  follows — 

5.  Behold,  I  will  bring  a  fear  upon  5.  Ecce  ego  adduco  super  te  ter- 

thee,  saith  the  Lord  God  of  hosts,  rorem,  dicitDominator,  Jehovaexer- 

from  all  those  that  be  about  thee  ;  cituum,  ab  omnibus  circuitibus  tuis, 

and  ye  shall   be  driven  out   every  et  expellemini,  quisque  coram  facie 

man  right  forth ;  and  none  shall  ga-  sua,  et  nullus  erit  qui  coUigat  dis- 

ther  up  him  that  wandereth.  persos. 

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  inebriated,  as  it  were,  with  their  pleasures.  And  then 
the  strongholds  by  which  they  thought  themselves  protected, 
so  hardened  their  hearts,  that  they  feared  no  danger.  God 
then  sets  up  this  terror  in  opposition  to  the  false  arrogance 
by  which  they  were  inflated  :  /  bring,  then,  a  terror  from  all 
ai'ound  thee.  And  this  was  not  without  reason  added,  for 
the  Ammonites  thought  that  they  could,  on  some  side, 
escape,  if  enemies  pressed  hard  on  them  ;  and  as  there 
were  many  outlets,  tlicy  thought  it  impossible  that  they 
should  fall  into  the  hands  of  enemies.  But  God  declares 
that  they  would  be  in  every  way  full  of  fear,  for  terror 
would  surround  and  besiege  them,  so  that  they  could  not 
escape. 

He  then  adds.  Ye  shallbe  driven  out,  every  one  to  his  face, 


CHAP.  XLIX.  6.         COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  63 

or,  before  his  face.  This  would  be  the  effect  of  terror,  be- 
cause God  would  deprive  them  of  all  thought ;  for  when  we 
flee  in  haste,  and  only  regard  any  opening  that  may  present 
itself,  it  is  evident  that  we  are  driven  by  terror.  As  we  say 
in  French,  II  court  devant  soi  ;  so  the  Prophet  says  here, 
Ye  shall  be  driven  out,  every  one  before  his  face,  that  is,  "ye 
shall  flee  wherever  a  place  may  be  open  to  you.''  He  shews 
that  they  would  be  so  full  of  fear,  that  they  would  not  con- 
sider which  would  be  the  best  way,  nor  think  of  a  safe 
retreat ;  they  would,  in  short,  think  of  nothing  but  of  flight. 
And  to  the  same  purpose  is  what  follows  :  There  will  he  none 
to  gather  the  dispersed  :  for  when  trembling  seizes  the  hearts 
of  the  multitude,  they  can  yet  be  recalled,  when  one  who 
has  more  courage  than  the  rest  encourages  them  to  stop,  as 
we  know  that  many  armies  have  been  in  this  way  saved  ;  for 
as  to  soldiers,  when  suddenly  seized  with  fear,  a  leader  has 
often  been  able  to  gather  them  again.  But  the  Prophet, 
when  he  says,  that  there  would  be  none  to  call  them  back 
from  flight,  intimates  their  destruction.  He  at  length  sub- 
joins— 

6.  And  afterward  I  will  bring  6.  Et  postea  reducam  captivita- 
again  the  captivity  of  tlie  children  tem  filioniin  Ammon,  dicit  Je- 
of  Ammon,  saith  the  Lord.  hova. 

He  now  says  the  same  thing  of  the  children  of  Ammon, 
as  he  said  before  of  the  Moabites,  that  some  hope  yet  re- 
mained for  them,  for  God  would  at  length  shew  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  ;  and  the  children  of  Abraham  must 
be  viewed  as  distinct  from  all  other  nations.  But  though 
God  built,  as  it  were,  a  wall  to  separate  his  people  from 
aliens,  it  was  yet  his  will  to  give  some  preludes  of  his  favour, 
and  of  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles.  The  Prophet,  then,  had 
here  a  regard  to  the  kingdom  of  Christ.  The  promise,  no 
doubt,  extended  itself  to  his  coming  ;  for  he  speaks  of  the 
calling  of  the  Gentiles,  which  God  deferred  until  he  mani- 
fested his  own  Son  to  the  world.  It  is  the  same  then,  as 
though  the  Prophet  had  said,  that  God's  mercy  would  at 
length  be  shewed  to  the  Ammonites  in  common  with  others  ; 


64  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXXIV. 

that  is,  when  God  would  gather  his  Church  from  the  whole 
world,  and  unite,  in  one  body,  those  who  were  before  scat- 
tered. Nor  is  there  a  doubt  but  that  the  Prophet,  speaking 
of  the  children  of  Amnion,  intended  to  shew  what  was  to  be 
manifested  through  all  parts  of  the  world.  And  so  it  is, 
that  on  our  calling  is  our  salvation  founded,  for  we  see  that 
the  gospel  has  not  been,  without  a  design,  proclaimed  to 
the  world  ;  but  as  God  had  determined  and  settled  this  from 
the  beginning,  so  we  see  that  Jeremiah  was  a  herald  of 
our  adoption.  This,  then,  is  the  import  of  what  is  said. 
He  afterwards  passes  over  to  the  children  of  Edom.  But  I 
cannot  now  proceed  farther. 

PRAYER. 

Grant,  Almiglity  God,  that  as  thou  didst  formerly  give  so  many 
proofs  how  great  and  singidar  was  thy  love  towards  the  chikiren 
of  Abraham,  whom  it  had  pleased  thee  to  choose  as  thy  people, — 
O  grant  that  we  at  this  day  may  also  enjoy  the  same  favour, 
since  we  have  been  admitted  into  a  participation  of  the  same 
union,  and  that  we  may  be  so  chastised  as  never  to  lose  the  hope 
of  thy  mercy,  but  that  we  may  so  taste  it  as  to  meditate  on  that 
celestial  kingdom,  which  has  been  obtained  for  us  by  the  blood 
of  thine  only-begotten  Son. — Amen. 


7.  Concerning  Edom,  thus  7.  Ad  Edom  (contra  Edom)  sic  dicit 

saith  the  Ijord  of  hosts.  Is  wis-  Jehova  exercituum.  An  non  ampHus  sapi- 

dom  no  more  in  Tenian?  is  entia  in  Theman?    periitne  consilium  ab 

counsel  perished  from  the  pru-  intelligcntibus  ?  computruit  (yel,  superva- 

dent?  is  their  wisdom  vanished?  cua  facta  est)  sapientia  ipsorum  ? 

Here  Jeremiah  turns  to  Idumeans,  who  were  most  in- 
veterate enemies  to  the  chosen  people,  though  their  origin 
ought  to  have  disposed  them  to  shew  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  with  the  Jews.  It  was  then  a  most 
impious  cruelty  that  the  Idumeans  entertained  such  bitter 
hatred  towards  their  own  blood.  Hence  our  Prophet  most 
severely  reproved  them,  as  also  did  Ezckicl  and  Obadiah. 
(Ezek.  XXV.  12-14;  Obad.  1,  8.) 


CHAP.  XLIX.  7.        COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  65 

He  says  first,  Is  there  not  wisdom  any  more  in  Teman  ? 
By  these  words  he  intimates,  tliat  though  the  Idumeans 
thought  themselves  safe  through  their  own  counsels,  because 
they  excelled  in  acuteness,  it  yet  would  avail  them  nothing, 
for  the  Lord  would  blind  them  and  deprive  them  of  a  sane 
mind  ;  for  what  is  put  here  interrogatively  is  declared  plainly 
by  Obadiah,  (verse  28,)  even  in  God's  name,  "  I  will  take 
away  wisdom  from  Teman,  and  there  shall  be  no  understand- 
ing in  Mount  Esau/'  But  as  Obadiah  had  preceded  Jere- 
miah, it  was  necessary  that  he  should  speak  of  this  as  of  a 
future  thing.  But  our  Prophet,  as  the  judgment  of  which 
Obadiah  was  a  witness  and  a  herald,  was  near  at  hand,  boldly 
exults  over  the  Idumeans,  and  laughs  at  their  reproach,  in- 
asmuch as  they  were  deprived  of  counsel  and  understanding 
when  they  had  most  need  of  them.  Teman,  no  doubt,  was 
the  name  of  a  mountain  or  of  a  region  ;  and  this  we  learn 
from  the  Prophet  Plabakkuk,  "  Grod  shall  come  from  Teman, 
and  the  holy  one  from  Mount  Paran.""  (Hab.  iii.  3.)  It 
was  also  a  chief  city,  as  we  learn  form  other  places  ;  and  our 
Propliet  sets  it  forth  as  the  seat  of  the  kingdom,  when  he 
says,  75  there  not  wisdom  in  Teman  ?  and  then.  Has  counsel 
perished  from  the  intelligent  ? 

I  wonder  that  interpreters,  skilful  in  the  language  and 
conversant  in  it,  should  render  the  last  word  "  sons,"  for  it 
is  unsuitable  to  the  place.^  The  word,  no  doubt,  is  derived 
from  J*li,  bun,  to  understand,  and  not  from  H^H,  bene,  to 
build,  whence  the  word,  D''^^,  benim,  sons,  comes.  For  how 
can  it  suit  this  passage  to  say,  Is  there  no  more  wisdom  in 
Teman  ^  Has  counsel  perished  from  the  children  .?  that  is,  as 
they  understand  it,  *'  from  the  children  of  Esau."  But  this 
is  frigid  and  forced ;  and  the  two  clauses  correspond  much 
better  when  read  thus,  "  Is  there  no  more  wisdom  in  Teman? 
has  counsel  perished  from  the  intelligent?"  that  is,  from 
those  who  have  hitherto  boasted  of  their  intelligence  and 
acuteness. 

^  So  the  Vulg.  and  the  Targ.,  while  the  Sept.  and  the  Syr.  have 
"  prudent,"  or  intelligent.  The  word  is  not  in  its  regular  form,  the  iod 
being  wanted,  and  the  mem  before  it  being  omitted,  which  is  not  un- 
common. Discerning  rather  than  "  prudent,"  or  "  intelligent,"  is  its  mean- 
ing.— Ed. 

VOL.  V.  E 


Q6  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.         LEGT.  CLXXIV. 

He  then  adds,  Rotten  has  become  their  wisdom.  The  verb 
niD,  sarech,  means  to  be  superfluous,  but  some  render  it 
here  to  be  putrid,  as  it  is  in  Niphal.  I  know  not  whether 
they  have  done  this,  because  tliey  did  not  know  another 
meaning  suitable  to  the  context ;  but  we  may  fitly  render  it 
thus,  that  their  wisdom  had  become  superfluous,  that  is,  use- 
less. We  may  also  adopt  another  meaning,  that  their  wisdom 
had  been  hitherto  overflowing,  that  is,  superabounded  ;  for 
they  had  such  wisdom,  so  as  not  only  to  act  wisely  for  them- 
selves, but  also  to  shew  to  others  what  was  right  and  useful. 
As  then  the  Idumeans  possessed  so  much  wisdom  as  to  direct 
others,  and  not  to  be  wise  only  for  themselves,  the  words 
would  read  well  were  they  rendered,  that  their  wisdom  had 
abounded.  But  in  that  case  the  words  would  be  ironical ; 
for  the  Prophet  seems  to  assign  a  reason  for  his  astonishment. 

I  give  then  this  explanation :  he  first  says,  Is  there  wis- 
dom no  more  in  Teman  ?  He  exclaims,  as  though  the  thing- 
was  very  strange,  "  How  can  this  be  !  is  the  very  fountain  of 
wisdom  exhausted  ?  Who  could  have  thought  that  a  city  so 
renowned  for  wisdom  would  become  so  fatuitous  as  not  to 
know  her  approaching  calamity,  so  as  to  meet  it,  and  apply 
in  time  the  remedy  T'  And  to  the  same  eflect  he  adds.  Has 
counsel  perished  from  the  intelligent  ?  At  length  he  sub- 
joins. Abounded  has  their  wisdom;  and  this  he  says,  in  order 
to  shew  a  reason  for  his  astonishment.^ 

But  we  must  notice  the  sameness  and  the  difl'erence  be- 
tween our  Prophet  and  Obadiah,  The  latter  foretold  the 
blindness  of  that  nation ;  but  our  Prophet,  as  though  he 

^  Some  maintain  that  the  first  clause  only  is  a  question,  for  there  is  no 
interrogatory  particle  prefixed  to  the  other  clauses, — 

Is  wisdom  no  longer  in  Teman  ? 

Perished  has  counsel  from  the  discerning, 

Vanished  has  their  wisdom. 
Neither  the  versions  nor  the  Targurn  put  the  two  hist  lines  as  questions ; 
nor  the  Sept.  and  the  Sp\  the  first.  The  verb  n")D  is  differently  rendered, 
— by  the  Sept.,  "departed;"  by  the  Vulg.,  "become  useless;"  by  the 
Syr.,  "  taken  away;"  by  the  Targ.,  "marred,"  or  corrupted.  The  verb 
means  to  spread,  to  stretch  out ;  and  spreading  here  is  in  the  sense  of 
dissipating  or  scattering,  and  the  verb  here  is  passive.  So  "  vanished" 
would  convey  the  meaning  The  first  line  is  a  question,  and  the  two 
following  contain  the  answer.  A  tautology  cannot  be  otherwise  avoided. 
—Ed. 


CHAP.  XLIX.  8.       COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  67 

wislied  to  rouse  from  tlieir  torpor  those  who  had  been  inat- 
tentive to  the  prophecy  of  Obadiah,  exclaims,  "  How  has 
wisdom  perished  from  Teman,  and  counsel  from  the  intelli- 
gent V  We  must  further  observe,  that  this  punishment  was 
by  God  inflicted  on  the  Idumeans,  because  they  had  applied 
all  their  thoughts  to  frauds  and  intrigues  ;  and  it  seldom 
happens,  but  that  they  who  excel  in  acuteness  become  very 
sharp  and  fraudulent.  As  then  men  are  thus  wont  to  abuse 
for  the  most  part  their  knowledge,  God  blinds  them,  and 
shews  that  men  cannot  of  themselves  be  wise,  but  as  far  as 
it  is  given  them  from  above.  As  I  have  already  said,  the 
Prophet  enlarges  on  this  judgment,  that  he  might  the  more 
effectually  rouse  the  minds  of  men.  For  had  the  Idumeans 
been  rustics,  such  as  dwell  among  mountains,  and  had  no 
report  prevailed  as  to  their  wisdom,  no  one  would  have  won- 
dered that  they  were  taken  and  subdued  ;  for  simple  and 
unwary  men  are  exposed  to  the  intrigues  of  their  enemies, 
and  cannot  escape  them.  But  the  Prophet,  in  order  to  set 
forth  this  judgment  of  God  as  wonderful,  says  that  their 
wisdom  had  been  as  it  were  overflowing,  that  is,  like  an 
abundant  treasure,  for  they  administered  counsel  to  others. 
As,  then,  the  Idumeans  so  much  excelled  in  intelligence, 
especially  those  who  dwelt  in  the  city  Teman,  the  Prophet 
shews  by  this  very  circumstance  that  their  blindness  pro- 
ceeded from  the  manifest  vengeance  of  God,  and  that  such 
a  change  did  not  happen  by  chance.     It  follows, — 

8.  Flee  ye,  turn  back,  dwell  deep,  8.  Fugite,  conversi  sunt,  profun- 

O  inhabitants  of  Dedan;  for  I  will  daverunthabitationemincolseDedan, 

bring  the   calamity  of  Esau  upon  quia  interitum  Esau  adduxi  super 

him,  the  time  that  I  will  visit  him.  ipsum  tempore  visitationis  ejus. 

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  ambi- 
guous. The  meaning  is,  that  when  any  one  warned  the 
Idumeans  to  flee,  none  of  them  would  move  ;  nay,  they  would 
remain  fixed  in  their  own  country,  for  they  thought  that 
they  would  have  there  a  perpetual  quietness.  The  citizens 
of  Dedan  have  made  deep  their  habitation.  He  names  an- 
other city  not  far  from  Teman.     He  then  adds,  in  God's 


68  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  OLXXIV. 

name,  But  I  will  bring  destruction  on  Esau  in  the  time  of  his 
visitation} 

We  now  understand  the  design  of  the  Propliet, — that  he 
wished  to  set  before  our  eyes  how  proudly  the  Idumeans 
trusted  in  their  defences,  as  they  never  could  be  persuaded 
to  flee.  The  Prophet  then,  as  God's  herald,  declares  that 
they  would  have  to  flee.  But  what  did  they  do?  They 
made  deep  their  habitation,  that  is,  they  would  remain  quiet 
in  their  own  country,  as  though  they  were  fixed  in  the  centre 
of  the  earth,  and  therefore  unassailable.  By  saying  then 
that  they  made  deep,  he  sets  forth  their  obstinacy,  so  that 
no  one  could  terrify  them,  though  he  announced  extreme 
dangers.  But  it  was  his  purpose  thus  to  strengthen  confi- 
dence in  his  prophecy,  because  the  greatest  part  of  the  faith- 
ful could  form  no  judgment  but  according  to  the  present 
aspect  of  tilings ;  and  the  Idumeans  proudly  laughed  at  all 
threatenings.  That  the  faithful  then  might  not  think  that 
the  Idumeans  would  be  safe,  he  afterwards  adds,  in  God's 
name,  "  Behold,  I  will  bring  ruin  on  Esau."  He  mentions 
their  father,  and  the  Idumeans,  we  know,  descended  from 
Esau  the  first-born  of  Isaac  ;  and  hence  they  were  of  the 
same  blood  with  the  Israelites.  But  the  Prophet,  by  bring- 
ing forward  the  name  of  a  reprobate  man,  intended,  no 
doubt,  to  renew  the  memory  of  a  curse,  for  Esau  had  been 
rejected,  and  his  younger  brother  Jacob  succeeded  in  his 
place.  Hence  the  Prophet,  that  he  might  gain  more  credit 
to  his  words,  brought  before  the  people  what  was  well  known 
to  them,  that  Esau  had  been  rejected  by  God  ;  for  on  the 
rejection  of  Esau  depended  their  gratuitous  election  and 
adoption. 

And  he  says  that  God  would  be  the  avenger  of  that  na- 
tion at  the  time  of  visitation  ;  for  as  I  have  before  reminded 
you,  what  we  have  read  was  not  immediately  fulfilled.  When, 
therefore,  the  Israelites  sufl'ered  extreme  calamities,  their 
hope  might  a  hundred  times  have  failed  them,  on  seeing  the 

*  The  versions  (except  the  Syr.  and  the  Targ.)  have  the  verbs  here  in 
the  imperative  mood ;  and  tliey  are  so  regarded  by  most  critics,  "  Flee  ye, 
turn  back,  dwell  deep,"  &c.  This  is  necessary  on  account  of  '^'^^  fo}\  which 
follows. — Ed. 


CHAP.  XLIX.  9.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  69 

Idumeans  remaining  still  as  it  were  asleep  in  their  pleasures, 
and  these  judgments  of  God  as  it  were  buried  ;  for  it  might 
have  come  to  their  minds  that  all  which  Jeremiah  had 
declared  had  passed  away  like  smoke.  Hence,  to  sustain 
their  hope  and  patience,  he  sets  before  them  here  the  time 
of  visitation  ;  as  though  he  had  said,  that  the  Idumeans 
also  would  have  their  turn,  after  God  had  patiently  borne 
with  their  impiety  and  spared  them  for  a  long  time.  But 
of  this  we  shall  hereafter  see.  Now,  as  I  have  shewn  else- 
where, the  words  which  remind  us  of  the  time  of  God's  visi- 
tations, ought  to  be  noticed,  that  we  may  not  by  hastening 
fall  headlong,  as  it  is  usually  the  case  ;  for  they  who  are  in 
a  hurry,  fall  at  the  first  step.  That  we  may  then  learn  to 
wait  for  the  ripened  time,  let  this  remain  fixed  in  our  minds, 
that  God  has  his  settled  seasons  of  visitations.  It  now 
follows — 

9.  If  grape-gatherers  come  tothee,  9.  Si  vindemiatores  venissent  con- 
would  they  not  leave  some  gleaning-  tra  te,  non  reliquissent  uvas  ?  si 
grapes  ?  if  thieves  by  night,  they  fures  in  nocte,  nonne  perdidissent 
will  destroy  till  they  have  enough.  quod  sufficeret  ipsis  ? 

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.^  How  so  ?  be- 
cause it  did  not  occur  to  them  to  compare  this  with  a  pas- 
sage in  Obadiah.  Obadiah  is  the  true  interpreter;  nay, 
our  Prophet  has  borrowed  what  we  read  here  from  him. 
For  there  a  question  is  asked,  "  If  thieves  were  to  come  to 
thee,  if  robbers  (m^,  shaddi,  is  added  there,  but  is  omitted 
by  Jeremiah) — if  robbers  by  night,  how  wouldest  thou  have 
been  reduced  to  nothing  V  But  in  the  first  place  the  ren- 
dering ought  to  be,  "  Had  thieves  come  to  thee,  how  wouldest 
thou  have  been  reduced  to  nothing  V  then  he  adds,  "  Would 
they  not  have  stolen  what  would  suffice  them?''  He  after- 
wards adds  the  second  clause,  "  If  the  grape-gatberers  had 
come  to  thee,  would  they  not  have  left  grapes  V  There  is 
now  then  no  ambiguity  in  the  Prophet's  words,  if  we  read 
them  interrogatively.      But  there  is  an  implied  contrast  be- 

^  The  interpreters  probably  referred  to  are  the  Sept.  and  the  Vulg., 
where  the  interrogative  form  is  not  used ;  not  so  the  Syr.  and  the  2'arg. 
—Ed. 


70  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.         LECT.  CLXXVI. 

tween  the  calamity  threatened  to  the  people  and  the  other 
devastations.  Were  a  thief  of  the  night  to  plunder  an- 
other's house,  he  would  depart,  loaded  with  his  prey,  and 
leave  something  behind  ;  for  in  all  plunder  some  things 
remain  :  so  also  as  to  grape-gatherers,  some  grapes  remain, 
wliicli  escape  the  gatherers. 

Then  the  Prophet  here  shews,  that  so  great  would  be 
the  destruction  of  that  nation,  that  it  would  exceed  all 
kinds  of  plundering  ;  for  when  one  strips  his  vines,  he  leaves 
some  grapes  ;  and  when  a  thief  enters  a  house,  he  does  not 
carry  all  things  away  with  him,  being  satisfied  with  his 
booty.  But  nothing,  he  says,  shall  be  left  remaining  with 
the  Idumeans.  We  hence  see  why  the  Prophet  brings  for- 
ward the  two  comparisons,  that  of  the  grape-gatherers  and 
of  the  thieves. 

We  must  at  the  sametime  observe,  that  when  God  de- 
nounces his  vengeance  on  the  Israelites,  he  often  adduces 
these  comparisons,  in  order  to  shew  that  nothing  would  be 
left  them,  "When  the  olives  are  shaken,  yet  some  fruit  re- 
mains on  the  top  of  the  trees  ;  but  thou  shalt  be  wholly 
emptied.''  As  God  had  said  these  things,  the  Israelites 
might  have  raised  an  objection  and  said,  "  What  is  our  con- 
dition, and  how  miserable  !  for  we  are  extremely  afflicted  ; 
though  God  afflicts  the  Idumeans,  yet  lie  deals  mildly  with 
tliem,  for  God's  wrath  is  less  inflamed  against  them  than 
ao^ainst  us."  Lest  then  the  faithful  should  be  thus  thrown 
into  despair,  our  Prophet  declares  that  the  Idumeans  would 
be  wholly  destroyed,  so  that  not  a  grape  would  be  left  them, 
nor  any  of  their  furniture,  for  their  enemies  would  lay  deso- 
late the  whole  land.  Now  follows  a  confirmation  of  this 
verse — 

10.  But  I  have  made  Esau  bare,  10.  Quia  ego  discooperio  Esau, 
I  have  uncovered  his  secret  places,  retego  abscondita  ejus,  et  occultari 
and  he  shall  not  be  able  to  hide  him-  non  poterit ;  vastsitum  est  semen 
self  his  seed  is  spoiled,  and  his  ejus  (out,  vastabitur)  et  fratres 
brethren,  and  his  neighbours,  and  ejus,  et  vicini,  et  non  ipse  {qnan- 
he  is  not.  quam  alii  vertiint,  ot  nemo  crit,  ct 

conteximt  proximum  versuni,) 

11.  Leave  thy  fatherless  children,  11.  Relinque  pupillos  tuos  ;  ego 
I  will  preserve  thc?n  alive ;  and  let  vivificabo  (hoc  est,  alam  ipsos ;)  et 
thy  widows  trust  in  me.  viduaj  tua;  in  me  spcrent. 


CHAP.  XLIX.  10,  11.       COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH,  7l 

As  to  the  beginning  of  the  verse,  the  meaning  of  the 
Prophet  is  not  obscure  ;  for  he  means  that  sucli  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  hidden  things.  By  hidden  things  he 
means  treasures,  as  it  is  evident  from  Obadiah.  He  then 
says  that  he  would  so  expose  the  Idumeans  to  plunder,  that 
there  would  be  no  hidden  thing  but  that  their  enemies 
would  seize  and  plunder  it.     This  is  the  meaning. 

He  then  confirms  what  I  have  said,  that  this  plundering 
would  not  be  like  grape-gathering,  or  theft,  or  common 
robbery,  because  God  would  altogether  empty  the  Idu- 
means of  all  that  they  had,  even  of  all  that  they  hid  in  the 
ground. 

With  regard  to  the  end  of  the  verse,  some  give  this  ex- 
i:)lanation,  ''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 
be  a  father  to  them  ;  a7id  thy  widows,  let  the^n  hope  or  trust 
in  me,  or  rest  on  me."  For  it  is  no  small  comfort  to  pa- 
rents, when  they  know  that  their  widows  would  have  one  to 
flee  to,  and  also  their  orphans.  When  one  dies  and  sees 
that  his  widow  is  destitute  of  every  help,  and  sees  that  his 
orphans  are  miserable  and  needy,  his  paternal  and  conjugal 
love  is  grievously  wounded.  For  is  it  more  bitter  than 
death  itself,  when  the  husband  cannot  provide  any  help  for 
his  widow,  when  he  cannot  provide  any  relief  for  his  orphans. 
Hence  some  interpreters  think  that  the  ruin  of  this  people 
is  in  this  way  exaggerated  ;  that  is,  because  no  one  would  be 
found  to  bring  comfort  to  parents,  and  to  take  as  it  were  the 
place  of  the  dead. 

But  the  meaning  would  not  be  unsuitable,  were  the  words 
deemed  ironical,  that  the  Prophet  spoke  in  the  person  of 
God,  Leave  to  me  thy  orphans,  I  will  nourish  them,  and  let 
thy  widoivs  rest  on  me,  or  trust  in  me  :  for  it  follows  after- 
wards, Behold,  they  to  whom  there  luas  no  judgment,  have 
drunk  of  the  cup,  &c.  The  passage  then  would  not  read 
amiss,  if  we  consider  that  God  taunts  the  Idumeans,  and 


72  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXXIV. 

ironically  declares  that  he  would  be  a  judge  against  them 
even  after  they  were  dead  ;  for  God's  vengeance,  we  know, 
reaches  to  the  third  and  the  fourth  generation.  As  then  he 
had  before  declared,  that  the  Idumeans  would  be  destroyed, 
their  seed,  their  brethren,  and  their  neighbours,  so  he  now 
confirms  the  same  thing, — "What!  dost  thou  expect  that 
I  should  be  a  father  or  a  protector  to  thy  orphans  ?  that  I 
should  bring  aid  to  thy  widow  ?  This  thou  expectest  in 
vain  from  me/' 

The  Prophet,  in  a  few  words,  very  sharply  goads  tlio 
minds  of  the  Idumeans,  when  God  thus  presents  himself, 
and  says  by  way  of  mockery,  that  he  would  be  a  protector 
to  their  orphans  and  widows  ;  for  they  had  indiscriminately 
vented  their  rage  on  orphans  and  women,  and  spared  neither 
sex  nor  age.  Then  God  shews  here  that  there  was  no  reason 
why  they  should  expect  any  comfort  as  to  their  children,  for 
he  would  be  their  avenger  to  the  third  and  the  fourth  genera- 
tion. And  forced,  no  doubt,  is  what  some  say ;  at  least  I 
do  not  see  how  the  words,  I  will  nourish  them,  can  comport 
with  the  rest  of  the  context  This  clause,  then,  I  apply  to 
God  himself,  because  his  vengeance  would  consume  tliem 
with  their  brethren,  their  neighbours  and  their  seed.  And 
the  irony  is  the  most  suitable  to  the  whole  passage  ;  that  is, 
that  God  meant  to  show,  that  lie  could  bring  no  help  to 
orphans  or  aid  to  widows,  since  they  had  been  so  cruel  both 
to  orphans  and  widows.^     Then  follows  a  confirmation — 

'  Neither  of  the  two  explanations  here  given  are  satisfactory,  though 
tlie  first  especially  has  been  adopted  by  many,  such  as  Henry  and  Scoit. 
It  is  difficult  to  know  the  meaning  of  the  Sept. ;  the  Vulg.  and  the  Syr. 
are  literally  our  version.  The  Targ.  goes  wide  astray,  representing  this 
verse  as  addressed  to  the  people  of  Israel,  of  whom  there  is  no  mention 
here.  Blayney  supposes  a  typographical  mistake,  joins  3Ty  to  the  pre- 
ceding verse,  and  puts  H  to  tlie  next  word,  and  gives  this  version, — 

And  there  is  nothing  of  him  left. 
n .     Shall  I  preserve  the  life  of  thy  fatherless  children  ? 

Or  shall  thy  widows  trust  in  me  ? 
The  questions  he  considers  as  strong  negatives.  The  simpler  view 
seems  to  be  this  :  in  the  preceding  verse  the  destruction  not  only  of  Esau, 
but  also  of  his  brethren  and  neighbours,  is  announced.  His  "seed" 
means  his  posterity,  the  nation,  and  he  was  was  not  to  he,  that  is,  as  a 
kingdom.  There  would  be  still  some  "  orphans"  and  "  wido;vs,"  and 
as  "  brethren"  and  "  neighbours"  would  be  destroyed  as  well  as  Esau  him- 
self, as  to  all  grown  up  people,  fonning  the  nation,  and  thus  orphans  and 


CHAP.  XLIX.  12.       COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  7S 

12.  For  thus  saith  the  Lord,  Be-  12.   Quia  sic  dicit  Jehova,  Ecce, 

hold,  they  whose  judgment  was  not  quibus  non  erat  judicium  (oid  ver- 

to  drink  of  the  cup  have  assuredly  bum,  quibus  non  judicium  ipsorum,) 

drunken;    and   art    thou   he   that  adbibendum  calicerabibendobibent; 

shall    altogether    go     unpunished  ?  — tu  vero   ipse   immunis  eris  ?  vel, 

thou  shalt  not  go  unpunished,  but  immunis  immunitatem  adipisceris  ? 

thou  shalt  surely  drink  of  it.  vel  tu,  vero  immunis  evades?)  non 

evades  immunis,  quia  bibendo  bibes. 

He  confirms  the  last  verse,  as  I  think, — that  God's  ven- 
geance 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  oif  tlie  yoke.  For  I  ex- 
plain what  is  said  here  of  the  Church,  Those  to  whom  it  was 
not  their  judgment  to  drink  the  cup  shall  surely  drink.  Some 
apply  this  to  neighbouring  nations  who  had  not  become  so 
wicked  as  the  Idumeans.  But  tliis  exposition  is  frigid,  and 
we  ought  always,  as  we  have  said  elsewhere,  to  have  regard 
to  the  design  of  the  Prophet.  What  then  was  his  object  but 
to  shew  to  the  faithful,  that  there  was  no  reason  for  them 
to  despond,  however  grievously  God  might  afflict  them,  be- 
cause tlie  punishment  which  he  would  inflict  on  the  Idu- 
means would  in  no  way  be  milder ;  for  we  know  that  we  are 
greatly  tempted  by  envy  when  we  see  that  the  state  of  the 
impious  and  the  reprobate  is  better  than  that  of  God's 
children.  And  it  was  for  this  purpose  that  the  thirt}^- 
seventh  Psalm  was  composed,  "  Envy  not  the  wicked,  nor 
let  their  prosperity  vex  thee,  because  they  shall  soon  perish." 
And  David  also,  in  Psalm  Ixxiii.  2,  .3,  confesses,  that  he  in  a 
manner  staggered  when  he  saw  the  wicked  luxuriating  in 
their  pleasures,  while  the  children  of  God  were  miserably 
treated.  Then  our  Prophet  in  this  place,  as  often  elsewhere, 
had  regard  to  the  faithful,  and  wished  to  sustain  them,  lest 
they  should  succumb  under  tlieir  burden,  wlien  God  afflicted 
them  as  well  as  the  Idumeans.  Hence  he  says,  when  speak- 
ing of  the  Idumeans,  Drinking  they  shall  drink  the  cup  whose 

widows  would  be  left  helpless,  God  was  pleased  to  give  the  promise  here 
stated : 

Leave  thy  orphans,  I  will  preserve  them, 
Thy  widows  also,  in  me  let  them  trust. 
The  last  verb  is  both  masculine  and  feminine,  and  refers  both  to  the  or- 
phans and  widows.    This  is  substantially  the  explanation  given  by  Venema, 
and  is  the  most  satisfactory. — Ed. 


74  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.        LEGT.  CLXXIV. 

judgment  was  not  to  drink,  and  shaltthou  be  exempted  ?  that 
is,  "  I  will  not  spare  my  people,  and  should  I  spare  aliens  ? 
this  cannot  be." 

We  then  see  that  it  was  a  fruitful  source  of  consolation  to 
the  faithful,  when  they  heard  that  the  wicked,  who  openly  and 
avowedly  disregarded  God,  could  not  escape  his  judgment. 

But  it  may  be  now  asked,  how  could  he  say  that  it  was 
not  the  judgment  of  the  Church  to  drink  of  the  cup  of  God's 
wrath  ?  He  speaks  comparatively,  and  this  answer  ought  to 
suffice  us.  It  is  certain  that  the  Israelites  deserved  all  the 
evils  which  they  suffered.  God  then  justly  chastised  them  ; 
he  did  not  act  without  reason  or  through  sudden  wrath,  but 
executed  what  he  had  previously  decreed.  It  was  then  God's 
judgment,  even  what  he  had  determined  and  fixed  ;  for  judg- 
ment here  is  to  be  taken  for  God's  decree,  by  which  he  ap- 
portions to  each  his  own  lot.  It  was  not  then  a  judgment 
to  the  Israelites  to  drink  of  the  cup,  when  one  compared 
them  to  the  Idumeans, — how  so  ?  Here  a  new  question  arises, 
for  the  Israelites  had  been  worse  than  all  others.  The  Idu- 
means had  departed  wholly  from  God;  all  light  had  become 
extinct  among  them  ;  and  then  the  law  had  not  been  given 
them  :  before  Jacob  went  down  to  Egypt,  who  was  to  be  from 
thence  delivered  according  to  the  prefixed  time  made  known 
to  Abraham,  they  dwelt  in  mountains  separated  from  the 
land  of  Canaan.  They  therefore  possessed  no  part  of  God's 
law,  except  that  they  had  the  empty  symbol  of  circumcision. 
But  the  Israelites,  on  whom  had  always  shone  the  doctrine 
of  the  law,  were  altogether  inexcusable.  Why  then  does  the 
Prophet  sa.y  that  there  was  no  judgment  to  them  ?  My  an- 
swer is,  that  the  reference  here  is  not  to  the  persons  of  men, 
but  on  the  contrary  to  the  grace  of  God,  through  which  he 
had  been  pleased  to  embrace  the  children  of  Israel.  As 
then  God  had  chosen  that  nation,  what  is  regarded  here 
is  special  adoption  ;  for  it  is  right  in  God  to  indulge  his 
children,  and  it  is  right  also  in  him  to  pardon  them  rather 
than  aliens.  When  any  one  is  offended  with  his  own  son, 
he  will  be  reconciled  to  him  ;  but  an  alien  will  not  find 
pardon. 

We  now  then  sec  that  the  Prophet  does  not  regard  what 


CHAP.  XLIX.  1 2.       COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  75 

the  people  had  deserved,  nor  consider  liow  detestable  had 
been  their  impiety,  and  of  what  grievous  punishment  they 
were  worthy  ;  but  on  the  contrary,  he  refers  to  that  grace  of 
God  through  which  he  had  chosen  the  seed  of  Jacob.  He 
had  indeed  previously  chosen  the  whole  seed  of  Abraham  ; 
but  the  rejection  of  Esau  followed,  so  that  Jacob  alone  re- 
mained as  the  seed.  Since  then  God  had  manifested  himself 
as  a  father  to  the  children  of  Jacob,  the  Prophet  says  that 
it  was  not  their  judgment  to  drink  of  the  cup,  because  it  was 
according  to  reason  and  common  sense  that  God  should  for- 
give them  rather  than  aliens,  whom  he  had  already  rejected, 
and  who  were  like  putrid  members  :  They^  then,  whose  judg- 
ment was  not  to  drink  the  cup,  drinking  shall  drink,  and  shall 
thou  escape  free  ?  The  meaning  is,  that  if  the  green  wood  is 
burnt,  what  will  become  of  the  dry  ?  as  Christ  said.  (Luke 
xxiii.  31.)  There  is  a  similar  consolation  mentioned  in 
1  Peter  iv.  17,  18,  where  those  afflictions  are  mentioned  to 
which  the  Church  of  God  is  now  exposed.  Now,  as  we  are 
tender  and  delicate,  and  the  minds  of  many  may  be  harassed, 
Peter  says,  that  if  God  be  so  severe  towards  his  own,  those 
of  his  own  household,  what  will  become  of  the  wicked  ?  what 
dreadful  vengeance  awaits  them  ? 

We  hence  perceive  the  drift  of  the  Prophet's  words,  and 
what  doctrine  may  be  hence  deduced,  even  that  when  we  see 
God's  judgment  beginning  at  God's  house,  as  the  Prophet 
elsewhere  says,  (chap.  xxv.  29,)  and  as  also  Peter  says ;  that 
is,  when  God  chastises  his  own  children,  and  seems  in  the 
meantime  to  pass  by  the  wicked,  we  ought  patiently  to  wait 
for  the  visitation  previously  mentioned  ;  and  this  ought 
always  to  be  remembered  by  us,  "  If  this  be  done  in  the 
green  tree,  what  will  be  done  in  the  dry  ?"  We  shall  not 
tlien  envy  the  wicked,  when  God  defers  and  does  not  imme- 
diately execute  his  judgment ;  for  the  punishments  inflicted 
by  God  on  his  servants  are  only  temporary  and  limited,  and 
intended  as  medicine,  inasmuch  as  all  w^e  suffer  are  helj)s  to 
our  salvation,  as  Paul  teaches  us.  (Rom.  viii.  28.)  As  then 
God  paternally  chastises  us,  let  us  not  shun  his  paternal 
hand  ;  nor  let  us  think  that  God  deals  more  kindly  with  the 
wicked  because  he  suspends  his  judgments,  for  at  lengtli 


76  COMMENTAKIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXXIV. 

they  will  be  hurried  into  their  own  ruin,  as  the  Prophet  says 
here. 

In  speaking  of  a  cup,  the  Propliet  uses  a  phrase  common 
in  Scripture,  for  the  Scripture  by  a  metaphor  calls  punish- 
ment inflicted  on  men  for  their  sins  a  cup  ;  because  God 
apportions  to  each  his  just  measure.  It  is  taken  then  as 
allowed,  that  calamities  are  not  by  chance,  but  proceed  from 
God's  hand,  as  though  he  gave  a  cup  to  drink.  Now  when 
he  afflicts  his  own,  they  are  constrained  to  drink  as  it  were 
his  wrath;  it  is  therefore  a  sour  and  a  bitter  cup.  But  the 
wicked  shall  hereafter  drink  poison.  Even  medicine,  though 
displeasing  to  the  taste  because  of  its  bitterness,  is  yet  whole- 
some ;  but  poison  kills  men,  though  its  taste  is  like  medi- 
cine. This  then  is  the  comparison  that  is  used  here  by 
Jeremiah ;  Drinking,  they  shall  drink  the  cup,  even  God's 
servants,  who  yet  ought  to  have  been  exempted  through  a 
singular  privilege,  even  because  God  had  chosen  them  to  be 
his  peculiar  people  ;  shalt  thou,  he  says,  be  exempted  from 
drinking  .?     He  addresses  all  aliens. 

We  have  before  seen  another  mode  of  speaking,  "  They 
shall  drink  to  the  dregs,''  as  though  he  had  said,  "  God  will 
not  only  give  thee  to  drink  a  bitter  cup,  but  its  bitterness  will 
kill  and  destroy  thee,  for  God  will  constrain  thee  to  drink 
the  very  dregs."  But  still  the  meaning  is  the  same,  though 
the  phrase  is  difl'erent.  He  then  asserts  that  the  Idumeans 
would  not  be  exempt  from  God's  judgment,  and  why?  be- 
cause God  does  not  sj^are  even  his  own  children.  Here  then 
is  suof(Tested  to  us  the  best  consolation  when  God  in  various 
ways  afllicts  us:  let  us  know  that  it  cannot  be  otherwise, 
but  that  it  is  a  prelude  to  the  last  judgment,  when  salvation 
shall  surelj^  be  our  portion,  for  God  purifies  us  now  by  tem- 
poral punishments,  that  we  may  be  then  free  from  final 
vengeance.  But  when  the  ungodly  are  secure,  let  us  know 
that  God's  judgment  is  indeed  hidden,  but  yet  certain,  and 
will  shortly  overtake  them  ;  for  when  they  say,  "■  Peace  and 
security,  then  sudden  destruction  will  come  upon  them." 
(1  Thess.  V.  3.) 

But  the  clock  strikes. 


CHAP.  XLIX.  1  3.       COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  77 

PRAYER. 

Grant,  Almighty  God,  that  as  thou  hast  not  only  in  thine  eternal 
counsel  adopted  us  as  thy  children,  but  hast  also  inscribed  on  our 
hearts  a  sure  sign  and  pledge  of  thy  paternal  favour  towards  us, 
— O  grant  that  we  may  accustom  ourselves  to  bear  thy  scourges, 
and  patiently  to  receive  them  without  murmuring  or  complain- 
ing, but  that  we  may  ever  look  forward  to  the  blessed  rest  and 
inheritance  above,  and  at  the  same  time  dread  the  punishment 
that  awaits  the  wicked,  and  that  we  may  thus  courageously  per- 
severe in  our  warfare,  until  thou  at  length  gatherest  us  into  that 
celestial  kingdom  which  thine  only-begotten  Son  has  procured 
for  us  by  his  own  blood. — Amen. 


Hectare  0m  ^nntivtti  anir  ^ebcntg^tfti^. 

13.  For  1  have  sworn  by  myself,  13.  Quia  per  me  ipsum  juravi, 
saith  the  Lord,  that  Bozrah  shall  dicit  Jehova,  quod  in  vastitatem,  in 
become  a  desolation,  a  reproach,  a  opprobrium,  in  desertum,  et  in  male- 
waste,  and  a  curse ;  and  all  the  dictionem  erit  Bosra ;  et  omnes  ur- 
cities  thereof  shall  be  perpetual  bes  ejus  ermit  in  vastitates  seculi  (id 
wastes.  est,  perpetuas.) 

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  Bozrah.  What  is  particular  is  put  for  what  is 
general ;  for  he  includes  the  whole  nation  under  the  name 
of  this  city.  Nor  does  he  simply  declare  that  the  Idumeans 
would  be  laid  waste  and  destroyed,  but  he  accumulates  words: 
Bozrah,  he  says,  shall  be  a  waste  /  secondly,  a  reproach  ; 
thirdly,  a  solitude,  or  desert ;  and  fourthly,  a  cwrse. 

What  the  Prophet  said  was  no  doubt  a  thing  difficult  to 
be  believed  ;  for  God  did  not  without  reason  bring  forth  his 
own  name.  For  as  he  would  have  us  to  use  it  seriously  and 
reverently,  so  he  does  not  interpose  so  precious  a  pledge 
except  under  the  greatest  necessity.    It  is  then  certain,  that 

*  It  is  better  to  render  it  as  in  the  Syr.,  "  astonishment ;"  then  "  re- 
proach" comes  after  it ;  and  the  next  word,  3"in,  is  proptrly  "  a  waste," 
and  in  the  plural  is  rendered  "  wastes"  at  the  end  of  the  verse.  There 
Avere  two  cities  called  Bozrah,  one  in  Moab,  chap,  xlviii.  24,  and  one  in 
Edom,  Isaiah  Ixiii.  1. — Ed. 


78  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXXV. 

there  was  a  weighty  reason  why  God  testified  by  an  oath 
what  we  read  here  of  the  destruction  of  the  people  of  Edoni. 
Now  I  have  said  that  what  Jercrniah  announced  was  hardly 
credible  ;  and  it  was  so,  because  there  was  no  cause  for  war  ; 
and  besides^  the  country  was  fortified  by  its  own  inclosures; 
for  the  Idumeans  thought,  as  it  seems,  that  they  were  im- 
pregnable. This,  then,  was  the  reason  why  God  interposed 
an  oath.  At  the  same  time  his  purpose  was,  as  I  have  be- 
fore reminded  you,  to  consult  the  benefit  of  the  faithful ;  for 
God  makes  an  oath  that  he  might  apply  a  remedy  to  the 
weakness  of  our  fViith  ;  for  as  we  almost  always  vacillate,  a 
simple  testimony,  without  being  sanctioned  by  an  oath, 
would  not  be  sufficient  for  us.  This  is  then  the  reason  for 
making  an  oath. 

God  is  said  to  swear  hy  himself,  because  there  is  none 
greater,  as  the  apostle  says,  by  whom  he  can  swear.  (Heb. 
vi.  13.)  Men  in  doubtful  and  hidden  things  flee  to  God, 
who  knows  the  heart,  who  is  himself  the  truth,  and  from 
whom  nothing  is  hid.  And  an  oath,  as  we  learn  from 
many  places  of  Scripture,  is  a  part  of  divine  worship.  As 
then  this  honour  peculiarly  belongs  to  him,  that  is,  that  we 
should  swear  by  his  name,  when  he  himself  swears,  he  can- 
not derive  authority  from  another,  which  may  confirm  his 
words  :  he  therefore  swears  by  himself  And  we  have  heard 
what  he  declares  by  Isaiah,  "  I  will  not  give  my  glory  to 
another.''  (Isaiah  xlii.  8.)  God  then  prescribes  to  us  tlie 
form  of  swearing,  when  he  swears  by  himself  God  is  said 
to  swear  sometimes  by  his  soul,  or  by  his  life,  and  he  ig 
said  sometimes  to  lift  up  his  hand.  These  expressions  aro 
not  strictly  proper,  but  transferred  to  God  from  men.  But 
the  mode  of  speaking  used  by  Jeremiah  ought  especially  to  be 
observed,  for  we  see  how  an  oath  is  to  be  rightly  made,  even 
when  it  is  made  by  an  appeal  to  God's  name,  for  he  is  alone 
the  fit  witness  and  judge  in  things  doubtful  and  hidden. 

There  is  therefore  under  the  Papacy  a  base  and  an  intoler- 
able idolatry,  for  the  Papists  swear  by  dead  saints.  This 
is  nothing  else  but  to  rob  God  of  his  right  ;  for  since  he 
alone,  as  it  has  been  stated,  is  the  truth,  so  he  alone  is  the 
fit  judge  when  things  are  hidden  and  cannot  be  ascertained 


CHAP.  XLIX.  13.       COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  79 

by  human  testimony.  And  we  ouglit  to  notice  the  words 
used  in  swearing,  that  is,  when  men  submit  to  God's  judg- 
ment, and  implore  him  as  a  judge.  Whosoever  then  swears 
by  the  saints,  it  is  the  same  thing  as  to  make  them  to 
occupy  the  place  of  God,  so  as  to  make  them  the  judges  of 
the  world,  and  to  ascribe  to  them  all  power.  "  God  is  a 
witness  to  my  soul,''  says  Paul,  (2  Cor.  i.  23  ;)  and  then 
we  have  such  words  as  these,  "  May  God  do  this  to  me  and 
add  that.''  (Ruth  i.  17  ;  1  Sam.  xiv.  44  ;  2  Sam.  iii.  35,  &c.) 
By  such  expressions,  as  I  have  said,  is  set  forth  the  autho- 
rity and  character  of  an  oath.  In  short,  we  must  bear  in 
mind,  that  when  necessity  constrains  us  to  swear,  God  is 
ever  the  sole  judge,  and  that  therefore  his  name  is  profaned 
when  we  swear  by  another. 

Now  what  it  is  to  be  a  reproach  and  a  curse ^  is  evident 
from  other  places,  even  when  any  one  is  set  as  it  were  in  a 
theatre,  that  he  might  be  an  example  of  disgrace,  or  when 
any  calamity  gives  an  occasion  for  execrations  and  maledic- 
tions, "  May  God  destroy  thee  as  he  destroyed  the  Idu- 
means  :"  this  is  to  be  a  curse,  as  we  have  elsewhere  seen. 

He  adds  cities,  and  thereby  intimates  that  this  desola- 
tion would  not  be  confined  to  one  part,  but  be  extended 
to  all  parts.  He  also  says  that  they  would  be  perpetual 
wastes  ;  and  thus  he  took  away  every  hope  of  restoration. 
When  he  prophesied  before  against  the  Moabites  and  the 
Ammonites,  he  mingled  some  consolation,  but  as  to  Edom, 
every  hope  is  cut  off.  The  nation,  no  doubt,  deserved  a 
heavier  vengeance,  for  it  had  a  nearer  connection  with  the 
Israelites — hence  its  cruelty  was  less  to  be  borne.  Besides, 
it  appears  that  it  exceeded  in  its  barbarity  all  other  nations  ; 
for  it  is  not  without  reason  said  in  the  Psalms,  "  Remember, 
0  Lord,  the  children  of  Edom,  who  said  in  the  day  of 
Jerusalem,  Let  it  be  erased,  let  it  be  wholly  erased  to  its 
foundation."  (Psalm  cxxxvii.  7.)  We  hence  learn  that  the 
Idumeans  raged  most  cruelly  against  their  own  blood :  and 
this  was  the  reason  why  God  declared  that  their  cUies 
would  become  perpetual  desolations  ;  for  the  word  D/ll^, 
oulam,  which  some  render  "  age,"  often  means  perpetuity. 
It  follows — 


80  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXXV. 

14.  I  have  heard  a  rumour  from  14.  Auditum  (hoc  est,  sermouem) 

the   Lord,   and   an   ambassador    is  audivimus  a  Jehova,  et  nuntius  ad 

sent  unto  the  heathen,  saying,  Ga-  gentes    missus    est,    Congregamini 

ther  ye  together,  and  come  against  (we/,  congregate  vos,)  et  venite  super 

her,  and  rise  up  to  the  battle.  earn,  surgite  ad  prselium. 

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  Idu- 
nieans  could  in  so  short  a  time  be  destroyed.  It  was  there- 
fore necessary  for  the  faithful  to  raise  upwards  their  minds. 
And  this  the  Prophet  had  in  view  when  lie  said  that  all 
this  would  be  from  God. 

But  most  forcible  are  his  w^ords  when  he  says,  We  have 
heard  a  hearing  ;  some  say,  "  a  report/'  but  improperly,  as 
I  think  ;  for  though  ill^l^t^,  shemuoe,  often  means  a  report 
or  rumour,  yet  here  it  ought  to  be  taken  for  a  proclamation, 
which  God  published  as  it  were  by  his  own  heralds.  For 
the  similitude  is  taken  from  men,  proclaiming  war  against 
their  enemies  by  a  solemn  rite.  Then  Jeremiah  says,  that 
a  voice  was  heard  sent  from  above,  because  it  was  God's 
purpose  publicly  and  openly  to  testify,  that  what  we  read 
here  of  the  destruction  of  Edom  would  take  place.  We 
now  then  understand  the  meaning  of  the  Prophet,  when  ho 
says,  A  hearing  have  we  heard  from  Jehovah. 

Then  follows  immediately  a  confirmation,  a  messenger,  or 
an  ambassador,  is  se^it  to  the  nations.  God,  indeed,  had  no 
messenger  or  herald  to  proclaim  war  against  the  Idumeans, 
or  to  rouse  up  the  Assyrians  and  Chaldeans  ;  but  the  Pro- 
phets usually  spoke  thus,  that  men,  being  led  to  the  very 
scene,  might  know  that  what  was  said  was  real,  and  would 
not  be  without  its  effect,  as  prophecies  were  as  so  many 
embassies.  And  according  to  this  view,  the  prophets,  as  we 
have  stated  elsewhere,  sometimes  besieged  and  stormed 
cities,  sometimes  sounded  the  trumpet,  even  for  this  pur- 
pose, to  shew  that  their  doctrine  was  linked  with  its  exe- 
cution, for  God  never  spoke  by  them  to  no  purpose  or  in 
vain.  The  Prophet  at  the  same  time  reminds  us  that  the 
Chaldeans  and  the  Assyrians  were  in  God's  hand,  so  that 
he  could  by  a  nod  or  a  hiss  rouse  them  to  war,  as  it  is  said 
elsewhere,  "  God  will  hiss  for  the  fly  of  Egypt."    (Is.  vii.  18.) 


CHAP.  XLIX.  1 5.      COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  81 

The  Propliet  then  means,  that  the  Chaldeans  and  the  Assy- 
rians would  be  ready  to  obey  God,  as  though  they  were 
hired  soldiers,  and  enlisted  under  his  banner. 

We  now  then  see  liow  forcible  was  this  mode  of  speak- 
ing; for  the  faithful  might  hence  learn,  that  it  was  in 
God's  power  to  perform  whatever  he  proclaimed  by  his  ser- 
vant, because  he  could  by  one  word  rouse,  draw,  arm,  and 
lead  to  war  the  Assyrians  and  the  Chaldeans,  as  he  also  says, 
Be  ye  assembled,  and  coine  against  her,  and  rise  up  to  battle. 
And  he  speaks  of  many  nations,  lest  any  one  should  think  that 
the  Idumeans  would  be  able  to  resist,  for  he  is  not  immedi- 
ately conquered  who  is  attacked  by  his  enemies.  But  the  Pro- 
phet meets  this  doubt,  and  says  that  there  would  be  many 
nations,  who,  with  their  united  strength,  would  come  against 
the  people  of  Edom,  so  that  they  would  have  no  power  to  resist. 
JN'early  the  same  words  are  found  in  Obadiah.  It  nowfollows — 

15.  For,  lo,  I  will  make  thee  15.  Quia  ecce  parvum  posui  te 
small  among  the  heathen,  and  de-  inter  gentes,  contemptum  inter  ho- 
spised  among  men.  mines. 

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,  the  pride  of  thy  heart,''  &c.  But  this 
passage  may  be  taken  otherwise, — that  God  derides  the 
pride  of  that  nation,  which  ought  to  have  restrained  itself, 
because  it  contended  against  nature,  when  it  wished  to 
elate  itself  so  much.  And  it  seems  to  me  that  this  is  the 
real  meaning  of  the  Prophet.  I  do  not,  indeed,  pronounce 
the  other  view  wrong,  yet  it  behoves  me  to  state  what  I  prefer. 
I  then  think  that  there  is  to  be  understood  here  an  implied 
comparison  between  the  Israelites  and  the  children  of  Edom, 
which  is  more  clearly  expressed  by  Malachi,  (chap.  i.  2,  3  ;) 
for  God  there  extols  his  kindness  towards  the  Israelites, 
because  he  gave  them  a  rich  and  fruitful  land,  and  sent 
away  the  posterity  of  Esau,  and  confined  them  within  rough 
mountains.  As  then  the  Idumeans,  ejected  from  so  pleasant 
and  desirable  an  inheritance  as  had  been  given  to  the  chil- 

VOL.  V.  F 


82  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXXV. 

dren  of  Abraham,  were  confined  as  it  were  to  rugged  moun- 
tains, the  Prophet  derides  their  pride,  because  they  tried  in 
a  way  contrary  and  repugnant  to  nature  to  elevate  them- 
selves :  /  made  thee,  he  says,  small  among  the  nations,  and 
contemptible  among  men.  And  we  know  that  less  easily  can 
that  pride  be  borne,  where  there  is  no  reason  for  boasting. 
When  any  one  obscure  from  the  lowest  rank  exalts  himself 
above  the  most  noble,  all  regard  him  with  contempt,  for  it 
is  a  monstrous  thing.  It  is  for  this  reason  that  the  Pro- 
phet now  says,  "  What  have  you,  0  Idumeans,  that  ye  are 
so  proud  !  What  do  you  possess  ?  what  is  your  glory  ?  for 
God  has  humbled  you.  It  is  then  the  same  as  though  a  fly 
wished  to  exceed  in  bulk  the  elephant." 

But  if  the  other  exposition  be  preferred,  the  meaning 
would  be  as  follows,  "  Behold,  I  will  make  thee  small  and 
contemptible  among  the  nations,  because  thou  hast  been 
very  proud."  But  I  have  stated  what  I  approve,  even  that 
God  here  brings  against  the  Idumeans  their  folly,  because 
they  ought  not  to  have  boasted  without  reason,  "  Behold," 
he  says  ;  he  shews,  as  by  the  finger,  how  mean  and  abject 
their  condition  was  ;  1  have  made  thee  small  among  the  na- 
tions, and  contemptible  among  m.en.  And,  doubtless,  were  it 
a  threatening,  it  would  not  have  been  sufficiently  forcible  ;  for 
the  Prophet  has  hitherto  been  thundering  against  the  Idu- 
means, and  he  goes  on  in  the  same  strain.  If  then  he  had 
now  put  in  what  we  read,  referring  to  their  smallness,  it 
would  have  been  frigid.  I  doubt  not,  then,  but  that  the 
Prophet  describes  the  state  of  that  nation,  such  as  it  had 
been  in  comparison  with  that  of  the  chosen  people,  and  even 
of  other  nations ;  for  though  they  were  rich,  had  always 
been  free  from  disturbance,  and  suffered  no  losses,  yet  they 
lived,  as  it  has  been  stated,  in  mountains  by  no  means  fer- 
tile.    It  now  follows — 

IG.  Thy  tcrribleness  hath-  15.  Superbia  cordis  tui,  terror  tuns, 
deceived  thee,  and  the  pride  of  decepit  te,  quae  liabitas  in  fissiiris  petrre 
thine  heart,  O  thou  that  dwell-  {vcl^  rupis,)  qure  occupas  altitudinem 
est  in  the  clefts  of  the  rock,  coWx^  {id  est,  coWmm.,  mutat'w  c&t  numeric 
that  boldest  the  lieight  of  the  sicM  etiam  in  yPD,  nam  signijicat  rvpeSy 
hill:  though  thou  shouldest  ^^/jtra/t  «M»?ero;)  quamvis  cxtollas  tan- 
make  thy  nest  as  high  as  the  quam  aquila  niduni  tuuni,  illinc  detra- 


CHAP.  XLIX.  16.       COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  83 

eagle,  I  will  bring  thee  down     ham  te  (descendere  faciam,  ad  verhum,') 
from  thence,  saith  the  Lord.         dicit  Jehova. 

Some  render  the  first  words  thus,  "  Thine  idol  hath  de- 
ceived thee  ;''  and  others,  "  Thy  folly  hath  deceived  thee." 
The  verb  has,  indeed,  this  meaning,  though  there  is  a  differ- 
ent reading,  for  some  put  a  point  over  the  right  side  of  the 
letter,  and  others  on  the  left.  But  the  most  suitable  mean- 
ing is  thus  conveyed,  Deceived  thee  has  thy  terro7\  the  pride 
of  thy  heart.  Those  who  render  the  first  word  "  idol,"  con- 
sider that  superstition  is  referred  to,  that  the  false  confidence 
which  the  Edomites  placed  in  their  idols  had  deceived  them. 
But  this  seems  to  be  a  forced  explanation.  Why  others 
have  rendered  the  word  "folly,''  I.  know  not.  The  word 
2:)roperly  means  terror.  The  verb  T*73,  pelets,  means  to  ter- 
rify, and  from  this  the  noun  is  derived.  And  when  the 
word  is  taken  for  an  idol,  it  is  so  metaphorically,  because 
idols  terrify  men,  or  because  a  terrible  end  awaits  their  wor- 
shippers. But  I  retain  the  proper  meaning  of  the  word. 
At  the  same  time  terror  here  is  to  be  taken  actively,  because 
the  Idumeans  were  a  terror  to  other  nations,  and  were  thus 
blinded  with  pride  on  account  of  their  conceit  as  to  their 
power. 

And  the  following  words  are  explanatory,  the  pride  of  thy 
heart ;  for  they  who  despise  others  fill  themselves  with  empty 
pride,  and  thus  elevate  their  own  hearts.  As  then  the 
Idumeans  had  gained  for  themselves  the  repute  of  being  a 
warlike  people,  the  terror  entertained  for  them  inflated 
their  own  hearts  with  pride  :  but  the  Prophet  says,  that  they 
were  deceived,  as  they  arrogated  to  themselves  too  much 
power.  At  the  same  time  he  continues  the  subject  which  I 
have  stated,  as  though  he  had  said,  "  How  comes  it,  that  as 
God  has  designed  thee  to  be  contemptible,  thou  takest 
to  thyself  such  authority  among  the  nations  ?  Thou  fight- 
est  against  nature,  for  thou  hast  hitherto  in  vain  terrified 
thy  neighbours  :  hence  it  is,  that  thou  art  swollen  with  pride  ; 
but  it  is  a  mere  delusion  ;  thou  art  greatly  mistaken,  and 
deceivest  thyself  in  thus  thinking  of  thy  strength,  since  thy 
condition  ought,  on  the  contrary,  to  make  thee  humble." 
We  now  see  how  well  the  whole  passage  runs,  and  how  aptly 


8i  COMxMENTARIES  PN  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXXV. 

the  words  agree  together.  He  then  says  that  it  was  a  fool- 
ish confidence,  by  which  the  people  of  Edom,  whom  God  had 
made  contemptible,  were  deceived. 

He  now  adds,  by  way  of  concession.  Thou  who  dwellest  in 
the  fissures  of  rocks,  and  occupiest  the  heights  of  mountains. 
In  these  words  the  Prophet  concedes  something  to  the  Idu- 
means  ;  but  he  afterwards  adds,  that  the  fortresses,  by  which 
they  thought  themselves  to  be  protected,  would  come  to  no- 
thing ;  though  thou  raisest  high  thy  nest  as  the  eagle,  thence 
will  7,  says  God,  draw  thee  down.  We  hence  see  that  the 
Prophet  concedes  to  the  Idumeans  some  reason  for  boasting 
on  account  of  their  mountains,  because  they  presented  on 
every  side  a  defence  against  enemies  ;  and  yet  he  shews 
that  all  this  would  be  useless  to  them  ;  for  he  says,  though 
thou  raisest  high  thy  nest  as  the  eagle,  that  is,  though  thou 
ascendest,  as  they  commonly  say,  above  the  very  clouds, 
thence  will  I  draw  thee  down. 

Now  this  passage  teaches  us  first,  that  all  who  trust  in  their 
own  earthly  defences  deceive  themselves  ;  and,  secondly,  that 
all  who  arrogate  to  themselves  more  than  what  is  just  and 
right,  contend,  as  it  were,  against  God,  and  that  it  cannot, 
therefore,  be  otherwise  but  that  God  will  lay  them  prostrate. 
We  arc  then  taught  by  this  doctrine  to  cultivate  humility. 
Humility  has  its  roots  fixed  deeply  within  ;  so  that  the  state 
of  those  who  willingly  submit  themselves,  becomes  firm  and 
permanent  ;  for  the  root,  which  appears  not  on  the  surface, 
sustains  the  tree.  So  also  that  humility,  which  is  not  known 
by  men,  is  our  real  and  solid  prop  and  support.  Whosoever 
takes  the  wing  and  flies,  and  seeks,  through  his  own  presump- 
tion, to  raise  up  himself,  provokes  God  as  it  were  designedly  : 
and  here  the  Prophet  shews  what  end  awaits  all  those  who 
thus  raise  themselves  on  liigh,  seeking  to  set  their  nest  on  a 
summit  like  the  eagle  ;  for  God  will  draw  them  down  and 
lay  them  prostrate,  as  lie  did  to  the  Idumeans.  It  now 
follows — 

17.  Also  Edom  shall  be  a  desola-         17.   Et  erit  Edom  in  vastitatem, 

tion :  every   one   that   goeth  by  it  quisquis  transierit  super  ipsam  ob- 

shall  be  astonished,  and  shall  hiss  at  stupescet,  et  sibilabit  super  cranes 

all  the  plagues  thereof.  plagas  ejus. 


CHAP.  XLIX.  18.       COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  85 

Here  again  the  Prophet  confirms  wliat  he  had  said.  We 
have  before  stated  how  necessary  was  such  a  repetition,  be- 
cause 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,  but  to  fix  more  fully  in  the  hearts 
of  the  faithful  what  appeared  incredible. 

He  then  says  that  Edom  would  become  a  tuaste  ;  and  then, 
that  every  one  passing  by  it  would  be  astonished  and  hiss  on 
account  of  all  her  wounds,  or  strokes.  Hissing  may  refer 
to  derision,  or  to  astonishment,  or,  at  least,  to  wonder : 
for  many  hiss,  or  shake  the  head  through  mockery  ;  and 
others  hiss  through  wonder,  when  any  unusual  thing  happens. 
And  as  he  had  said  before.  Whosoever  shall  jmss  through  it 
shall  be  astonished,  I  am  disposed  to  refer  this  also  to  what 
is  produced  by  wonder  or  amazement.  It  afterwards  fol- 
lows— 

18.  As  in  the  overthrow  of  So-  18.  Secundum  siibversionem  So- 
dom and  Gomorrah,  and  the  neigh-  donije  et  Gomorrae  et  vicinarmii 
hour  cities  thereof,  saith  the  Lord,  ejus,  dicit  Jehova,  non  habitabit 
no  man  shall  abide  there,  neither  ilhc  vir,  et  non  manebit  in  ea  fihus 
shall  a  son  of  man  dwell  in  it,  hominis. 

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  fulminated. 

^  And  hence  again  we  learn,  that  there  was  no  hope  left  for 
the  Idumeans  ;  as  though  the  Prophet  had  said,  that  their 
final  overthrow  was  inevitable,  because  God  would  have 
them  wholly  destroyed,  and  their  memory  obliterated.  It 
is  yet  probable  that  there  were  some  remnant  of  the  nation  ; 
but  this  was  not  inconsistent  with  this  prophecy,  because 
they  who  remained  alive  became  so  scattered,  that  they  never 
formed  one  people,  nor  had  any  name.  And  though  God 
might  have  chosen  some  from  that  nation,  yet  this  favour 
remained  hid,  and,  as  it  was  unknown  to  men,  it  can  hardly 
be  taken  to  the  account.  However  this  may  have  been,  we 
must  bear  in  mind  what  I  have  before  briefly  referred  to, — 


86  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXXV, 

that  the  Idumeans  were  so  accursed,  that  their  cahimitj  was 
much  severer  than  that  of  other  nations  ;  and  this  they  had 
deserved  by  their  unnatural  cruelty  and  many  contumelies 
towards  the  miserable  Israelites,  their  own  relatives.  This, 
then,  was  the  reason  why  Jeremiah  compared  the  land  to 
Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  and  the  other  cities;  no  man  shall 
dwell  there,  that  is,  the  country  shall  be  desolate. 

And  yet  it  appears,  from  history,  that  that  country  was 
afterwards  inhabited,  for  even  the  Romans  placed  there  a 
garrison.  But  the  Prophet,  as  I  have  already  said,  meant 
that  none  of  the  Idumeans  would  survive  to  possess  the  land, 
so  as  to  become  a  nation.  Though,  then,  other  inhabitants 
might  have  afterwards  possessed  the  land,  this  was  nothing 
to  the  Idumeans  ;  for  that  people  had  perished,  and  from 
that  time  no  restoration  followed :  this  was  sufficient  as  a 
fulfilment  of  this  prophecy.  Nay,  it  was  a  harder  thing, 
that  their  land  should  receive  aliens  and  strangers,  than  if 
it  had  been  left  desolate. 

But  we  must  also  bear  in  mind  the  common  mode  of 
speaking  adopted  by  the  Prophets ;  for  when  they  adduce 
Sodom  and  Gomorrah  as  examples,  they  speak  hyperboli- 
cally  ;  and  there  is  no  need  here  to  accumulate  passages  to 
prove  this  ;  for  they  who  are  in  any  tolerable  measure  ac- 
quainted with  Scripture,  must  know  that  whenever  mention 
is  made  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  all  pardon  and  alleviation 
of  punishment  are  excluded.  Isaiah,  extolling  God's  mercy 
towards  his  chosen  people,  says,  "  Had  not  God  left  us  a 
rery  small  seed,  we  must  have  been  as  Sodom  and  like  to 
Gomorrah.""  (Isaiah  i.  9.)  And  this  mode  of  speaking,  as  I 
have  said,  often  occurs  in  Scripture  ;  yea,  even  our  Prophet 
threatened  the  Israelites  with  the  destruction  of  Sodom 
and  Gomorrah,  (chap,  xxiii.  14.)  The  words,  no  doubt,  are 
used  hyperbolically  ;  for  God  had  not  fulminated  against 
other  lands  or  nations  and  sunk  them  in  the  deep,  as  he 
had  done  to  Sodom  and  Gomorrah.  But  in  comparisons 
all  parts  do  not  correspond. 

Now,  some  one  may  ask,  Why  does  God  thus  exceed  due 
limits  in  speaking  ?  To  this  I  answer,  that  it  is  not  done 
without  just  reason  and  necessity.     We  indeed    see   that 


CHAP.  XLIX.  19.         COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  87 

men  are  indifferent  to  God's  judgments ;  for  such  is  their 
sloth  and  insensibility,  that  they  disregard  as  a  light  thing, 
or  deem  as  nothing,  what  God  threatens.  As  then  men  are 
so  brutish,  being  unmoved  by  God's  threatenings,  it  is 
necessary  that  such  indifference  sliould  be  roused  and 
awakened.  He  therefore  sets  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  before 
their  eyes  ;  and  as  Jude  also  says,  there  an  example  of 
all  the  punishments  which  av/ait  the  reprobate  has  been 
exhibited.  (Jude  7.)  God  therefore  designed  to  repre- 
sent once  for  all,  as  in  a  mirror,  how  dreadful  will  be  his 
vengeance  on  all  the  wicked.  Since  it  is  so,  to  the  same  end 
is  this  threatening,  that  God  would  destroy  the  Idumeans 
and  all  like  them,  as  he  did  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  so  that 
none  would  survive,  though  aliens  might  come  and  succeed 
the  Idumeans  and  occupy  their  inheritance.  I  cannot  now 
finish  ;  we  shall  leave  the  other  comparison. 

PRAYER. 

Grant,  Almighty  God,  that  as  thou  hast  been  pleased  to  stretch 
forth  thine  hand  to  us,  we  may  be  raised  by  faith  above  the 
world,  and  learn  to  submit  to  thee  in  true  humility,  and  to  know 
how  miserable  must  be  our  condition  and  life,  except  we  wholly 
recumb  on  thee  alone,  so  that  we  may  be  made  partakers  of 
that  glory  which  thou  hast  purchased  for  us  in  Heaven,  and 
which  thine  only-begotten  Son,  our  Lord,  has  obtained  for  us. — ■ 
Amen. 

19.  Behold,  he  shall  come  up  like  19.  Ecce  tanquam  leo  ascendet 
a  lion  from  the  swelling  of  Jordan  ab  elevatione  Jurdanis  ad  taberna- 
against  the  habitation  of  the  strong :  culum  fortitudinis  ;  postquam  qui- 
but  I  Avill  suddenly  make  him  run  escere  fecero,  faciam  currere  ab  ea  ; 
away  from  her ;  aiid  who  is  a  chosen  et  quis  electus  super  eam  prseficiam  ? 
man,  that  I  may  appoint  over  her  ?  nam  quis  sicut  ego  ?  et  quis  contes- 
for  who  is  like  me  ?  and  who  will  ap-  tabitur  mecum  ?  et  quis  liic  pastor 
point  me  the  time  ?  and  who  is  that  qui  stet  coram  facie  mea  (yel,  con- 
shepherd  that  wiU  stand  before  me  ?  tra  faciem  meam.) 

The  Prophet  here  confirms  what  he  had  said,  that  such 
would  be  the  violence  of  the  Chaldean  army,  that  the  Idu- 
means would  not  be  able  to  resist  it.  He  then  says,  that 
the  Chaldeans  w^ould  come  like  lions,  who  ascend  in  great 


88  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.       LECT.  CLXXVI. 

fury  when  compelled  to  change  the  place  of  their  habitation  ; 
for  so  I  explain  what  is  said  of  the  elevation  of  Jordan. 
The  explanations  are  various  ;  but  the  one  I  approve  is, 
that  Jeremiah  compares  the  Chaldeans  to  lions,  who  every 
year,  or  at  least  when  there  was  a  great  inundation,  sought 
hiding-places  on  mountains  or  on  elevated  grounds,  because 
they  could  not  lie  down  on  the  plains.  The  elevation  of 
Jordan  is  then  to  be  taken  for  its  swelling,  that  is,  when  it 
overflowed.  We  learn  from  many  passages  that  the  lions 
lodged  around  Jordan.  As  then  they  dwelt  in  the  low 
plains,  when  the  river  swelled,  they  changed  the  place 
of  their  habitation.  But  this  could  not  be  without  their 
rage  being  excited  ;  for  we  know  how  savage  these  wild 
beasts  are.  Jeremiah  had  also  a  regard  to  the  situation  of 
Idumea,  which  was  more  elevated  than  Jordan  and  the 
country  around  it.  He  says  the  same  also,  in  the  next  chap- 
ter, of  the  Babylonians.  But  it  may  be  that  he  alluded  in 
this  place  to  what  was  common  among  the  Idumeans,  and 
this  is  probable. 

The  meaning  then  is,  as  I  think,  that  as  lions  ascended 
to  higher  grounds  when  Jordan  swelled  and  overflowed,  so 
the  Chaldeans  would  come  to  the  Idumeans,  and  invade  the 
country  like  furious  wild  beasts.  This  is  one  thing.  Then 
he  adds,  to  the  habitation  of  strength.  Jerome's  rendering  is, 
"  to  valiant  beauty ;"  the  word  is  so  explained  almost  every- 
where, but  it  is  to  be  taken  here  for  a  strong  dwelling.  He 
alludes  to  the  situation  of  that  land,  for  it  seemed  impreg- 
nable, because  it  was  surrounded,  as  it  has  appeared  else- 
where, by  mountains.  Tlie  situation  of  Babylon  was  different, 
it  being  surrounded  by  the  various  streams  of  the  Euphrates. 

What  follows  is  obscure,  when  I  shall  have  made  him  to 
rest,  I  will  make  him  to  run  from  her.  Some  explain  the 
particle  ^2D,  ki,  differently.  It  is  indeed  a  causative,  but  is 
often  taken,  as  it  is  well  known,  as  an  adverb  of  time.  But 
the  meaning  of  the  Prophet  is  ambiguous,  and  some  liave 
imagined  that  the  chosen  people  are  spoken  of,  as  though 
the  Prophet  meant,  that  when  the  Lord  gave  rest  to  his 
people,  lie  would  then  cause  them  to  flee  from  the  land  of 
Edom.     But  this  exposition  is  wholly  inadmissible ;  and  I 


CHAP.  XLIX.  19.       COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  89 

wonder  liow  they  came  to  make  sucli  a  mistake  ;  for  the 
Prophet,  I  have  no  doubt,  means  here  that  the  Idumeans 
had  a  long  time  been  at  ease,  but  that  a  sudden  calamity 
would  come  which  would  scatter  them  here  and  there,  and 
force  them  to  seek  safety  by  flight ;  and  this  is  the  best 
meaning  that  we  can  elicit :  When,  therefore,  /  shall  have 
made  her  to  rest,  or,  from  the  time  I  shall  have  made  her 
to  rest,  /  will  make  hwi  to  flee  from  her ;  as  though  he 
had  said,  "  I  have  hitherto  suffered  this  nation  to  rest  in  its 
abundance,  and  thus  to  remain  quiet  ;  but  I  will  suddenly 
disperse  the  inliabitants  here  and  there,  and  they  shall  see 
their  own  land  occupied  by  their  enemies."  In  short,  there 
is  here  a  comparison  between  two  conditions  ;  for  the  Idu- 
means had  long  remained  in  their  own  dregs,  for  there  was 
no  one  who  caused  them  any  trouble.  God  had  then  granted 
them  a  continual  quietness  ;  but  now  he  declares  that  he 
would  make  all  of  them  to  flee,  and  that  suddenly.  And  it 
was  necessary  that  this  should  be  distinctly  expressed,  that 
the  Idumeans  might  not  in  future  trust  in  their  tranquil 
state,  as  hypocrites  do,  who  usually  abuse  God's  indulgence, 
and  think,  when  he  bears  long  with  them,  that  they  have 
escaped  every  danger.  Lest  then  such  confidence  should 
deceive  the  Idumeans,  the  Prophet  says  tliat  they  would 
have  to  flee  after  having  been  long  in  a  state  of  tranquillity. 

The  words  may  at  the  same  time  be  explained  otherwise  ; 
for  '^T\,  rego,  means  to  rend,  to  cut,  to  break  )  and  it  may 
be  so  taken  here,  "  When  I  shall  have  made  a  rent  ;''  for 
the  Idumeans,  as  it  has  been  stated,  were  fortified  by  de- 
fences on  every  side.  God  now  intimates  that  he  would 
make  an  irruption,  which  he  compares  to  rending  ;  and  this 
explanation  is  not  unsuitable. 

It  afterwards  follows.  And  ivho  is  the  chosen  one,  that  I 
may  set  him  over  her  ?  God  now  summons  all  the  strong 
ones,  that  he  might  set  them  over  Idumea,  not  as  pastors  or 
such  as  might  care  for  the  welfare  of  the  land  and  provide 
for  its  safety,  but  such  as  would  oppress  it  with  tyrannical 
cruelty  :  Who  then  is  the  chosen  one  ?  At  the  same  time 
God  shews  that  all  men  of  war  are  in  his  hand  and  at  his 
disposal  ;  as  though  he  had  said,   "  If  the  Idumeans  think 


90  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.         LECT.  CLXXVI. 

that  they  surpass  all  others  in  courage  and  strength,  they 
are  greatly  mistaken  ;  for  I  ^YiIl  find  those  who  possess 
more  courage,  for  I  liave  ready  at  hand  chosen  men  to  set 
over  them  whenever  I  please,  who  will  easily  subdue  the 
Idumeans,  however  superior  they  may  think  themselves 
to  be  in  martial  valour."  Then  God  does  not  here  ask  a 
question  as  of  a  doubtful  matter,  Who  is  the  chosen  one,  that 
I  may  set  him  over  her  ?  but  he  shews  that  it  would  be  no 
difficult  thing  for  him  to  destroy  the  Idumeans,  because  he 
would  send  for  the  chosen  one  from  any  part  of  the  world 
he  pleased,  and  set  him  over  Idumea,  not  as  a  pastor,  as  I 
have  said,  but  as  a  cruel  tyrant. 

He  then  adds,  For  who  is  as  I  am  ?  He  confirms  the  last 
clause ;  for  God  extols  his  own  power,  which  is  wont  to  be 
desp)ised  by  the  unbelieving.  The  sentence  indeed  seems 
to  be  a  common  truth.  Who  is  as  I  am  ?  for  all  allow  this 
from  the  least  to  the  greatest.  The  Prophet  appears  then 
to  have  announced  something  trite  and  ordinary  by  saying, 
that  none  is  like  God  ;  for  even  the  worst  of  men  acknow- 
ledge this,  and  the  least  child  confesses  it,  and  it  is  the  dic- 
tate of  nature.  But  w^ere  any  one  duly  to  consider  how 
great  is  the  pride  of  men,  he  would  find  that  this  truth  is 
not  so  common  ;  for  there  is  hardly  one  in  a  hundred  who 
concedes  to  God  wdiat  justly  belongs  to  him.  For  when  lie 
comes  forth  either  to  promise  salvation  or  to  announce  pun- 
ishment, how  little  is  any  one  moved  ?  nay,  they  who  hold 
this  princij^le,  that  God  can  do  all  things,  are  yet  carried 
away,  when  the  least  hinderance  occurs,  to  vain  imagina- 
tions, and  at  length  become  wholly  lost.  When  any  one  is 
persuaded  that  God  ought  to  be  feared,  if  any  occasion  for 
a  false  confidence  be  presented,  what  he  had  at  first  enter- 
tained in  his  mind  will  be  choked,  and  then  wliolly  extin- 
guished. In  short,  if  we  carefully  consider  how  contemptibly 
men  think  of  God,  we  shall  understand  that  this  truth  is  not 
in  vain  often  repeated  in  Scripture,  that  God  has  none  like 
him.  For  when  any  one  dares  to  exalt  himself  against  God, 
he  immediately  strikes  all  with  terror  ;  and  yet  the  power 
of  God  is  regarded  as  nothing.  We  see  that  even  the  faith- 
ful themselves  deem  the  least  thing  stronger  than   God  ; 


CIIAP.XLIX.  19.       COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  91 

nay,  they  hesitate  not  to  set  up  flies  and  insects,  so  to  speak, 
in  opposition  to  God,  and  even  to  make  them  equal  to  him. 
This  is  indeed  very  shameful,  and  yet  it  is  what  has  usually 
prevailed  perpetually  in  all  ages. 

We  now, 'then,  understand  why  God  declares  here  as  a 
great  matter  and  as  it  were  incredible,  that  there  is  none 
like  him.  And  hence  also  we  learn  what  the  last  clause 
means,  when  it  is  asked,  Where  is  the  chosen  one  whom  I 
may  set  over  her  .?  for  he  follows  up  the  subject  by  saying, 
There  is  no  one  like  me.  By  these  words  he  shews  that  the 
whole  world  is  under  his  power. 

He  now  adds,  and  who  will  protest  against  me  '?  Some 
read,  ""Who  will  2:>rescribe  to  me  the  time  t'  But  they  who 
thus  render  the  words,  obscure  the  meaning  of  the  Prophet. 
The  Prophet,  I  doubt  not,  means,  that  there  is  no  one  who 
will  dare  to  dispute  with  God  ;  or  were  any  one  to  attempt 
this,  it  would  be  ridiculous,  because  God  could  with  one 
breath  dissipate  all  contentions  which  men  might  raise. 
Wlien  therefore  he  says.  Who  luill  i^rotest  against  me  ^  it  is 
the  same  as  though  he  said,  "  Who  will  make  himself  a 
party  against  me  V  as  it  is  commonly  said.  Who  then  will 
oppose  himself  to  me  ?  or,  Who  will  dare  to  contend  with 
me?  or,  Who  will  dare  to  dispute  in  judgment  with  me? 
I  have  therefore  given  this  rendering,  and  who  will  jyrotest 
against  me  ?  and  this  seems  clearly  to  express  the  meaning 
of  the  Prophet. 

He  afterwards  says,  a7id  who  is  this  pastor  that  stands 
before  my  face  ?  By  the  word  pastor^  he  alludes  to  the 
comparison  of  a  lion  ;  for  he  thus  compares  the  Idumeans 
to  sheep.  Though  they  were  very  ferocious,  yet  here  their 
weakness  is  referred  to.  As,  then,  a  sheep  cannot  defend 
itself  against  a  lion,  so  the  Prophet  shews  that  the  Idumeans 
would  not  possess  sufficient  courage  to  resist  tlie  attacks  of 
the  Chaldeans.  In  short,  the  Prophet  means,  that  though 
the  Idumeans  had  many  protectors,  yet  there  would  be  no 
one  able  to  stand  against  God  when  he  came  forth  armed 
to  destroy  that  nation.  The  sum  of  what  is  said  is,  that 
there  would  be  no  one,  by  riglit  or  by  strength,  equal  to 
God,  to  defend  the  Idumeans  ;  for  he  said  first,  Who  will 


92  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.CLXXVL 

protest  against  me  1  and  then,  What  shepherd  will  stand 
against  me  ?  We  now  perceive  the  meaning  of  the  Prophet, 
that  as  the  Idumeans  liad  to  carry  on  war  with  God,  it  could 
not  possibly  be  but  that  they  must  perish,  for  though  they 
might  get  aids  on  every  side,  yet  they  could  not,  either  by 
right  or  by  strength,  withstand  God.^     It  follows — 

20.  Therefore  hear  the  counsel  of  20.  Propterea  audite  consilium 
the  Lord  that  he  hath  taken  against  Jehov«3,  quod  consultavit  contra 
Edom,  and  his  purposes  that  he  hath  Edom,  et  cogitationes  ejus,  quas  co- 
purposed  against  the  inhabitants  of  gitavit  contra  habitatores  Theman  ; 
Teman  :  Surely  the  least  of  the  Si  non  minores  gregis  eos  dejecerint, 
flock  shall  draw  them  out ;  surely  si  non  perdiderint  super  eos  habita- 
he  shall  make  their  habitations  de-  cula  ipsorum  (vel,  si  non  perdant 
solate  with  them.  super  ipsos  habitacula  ipsorum.) 

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  pro- 
perly belong  to  his  nature  ;  for  God  does  not  deliberate  or 
consult,  but  has  once  for  all  decreed  before  the  creation  of 
the  world  what  he  will  do  ;  nor  does  he  toss  about  liis 
thoughts  in  all  directions,  as  men  do,  who  do  not  imme- 
diately see  what  is  right  or  what  ought  to  be  done.  Nothing 
of  this  kind  belongs  to  God.  But  this  way  of  speaking  is 
sufficiently  common,  when  what  strictly  applies  to  man  is 
transferred  to  God.  It  ought  at  tlie  same  time  to  be  ob- 
served, that  this  is  not  done  without  reason,  for  when  God 

^  This  verse  is  variously  rendered  in  the  versions  and  in  the  Targum, 
and  also  by  commentators.  The  following  rendering  I  deem  plain  and 
literal, — 

Behold,  as  a  lion  from  the  swelling  of  Jordan, 

Will  he  ascend  to  the  strong  habitation  ; 

For  suddenly  will  I  cause  him  to  run  from  it : 

And  he  who  is  chosen  will  I  appoint  over  her ; 

For  who  is  like  me  ?  and  who  can  meet  me  ? 

And  who  is  he,  the  shepherd,  who  can  stand  before  me  ? 
The  Avord  nyjli^,  as  in  Prov.  xii.  10,  is  "  suddenly,"  or  in  a  moment. 
"  Him"  is  the  lion,  and  "  from  it,"  the  swelling  of  Jordan.  "  Over  her"  is 
Edom.  "  Who  can  meet  me  ?"  that  is,  to  contend  with  me,  or  resist  me, 
according  to  the  Sept.  The  verb  is  iy\  though  Calvin  derived  it  from 
Tiy.  The  "shepherd"  is  mentioned,  because  of  the  "lion,"  whom  no 
shepherd  can  resist  when  he  attacks  the  flock.  God  speaks  of  himself  as 
identified  with  his  chosen  one. — Ed. 


CHAP.  XLIX.  20.       COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  93 

speaks  by  his  servants,  we  ever  raise  doubts,  "  Is  that  said 
in  earnest — can  it  be  changed — is  it  revocable  ?"  In  short, 
we  receive  what  is  light  and  frivolous,  and  immediately  give 
credit  to  it ;  but  when  God  declares  anything,  we  subject  it 
to  comments,  and  raise  up  a  hundred  disputes  on  every  sub- 
ject, "  Oh,  but  this  or  that  may  happen  ;  and  it  may  be 
that  God  does  not  speak  in  earnest."  As,  then,  men  never 
acquiesce  in  God's  word,  as  they  ought  to  do,  the  Prophets 
borrow  from  common  use  these  forms  of  speech,  that  God 
had  thus  thought,  that  he  had  thus  decreed. 

The  meanino:  is,  that  whatever  Jeremiah  had  hitherto 
predicted  of  the  Idumeans,  could  not  be  retracted,  for  it  was 
a  settled  decree,  so  fixed  as  though  God  had  thought  of  it 
for  a  hundred  or  thousand  years. 

He  now  adds,  the  inhabitants  of  Teman ;  by  whom  he 
means  the  Idumeans.  But  the  repetition  deserves  notice  : 
he  first  mentions  Edom,  and  then  the  inhabitants  of  Teman. 
And  Teman  and  Seir  are  sometimes  the  same.  If  not,  cast 
them  down,  &c. ;  the  verb  properly  means  to  draw,  and  to 
draw  in  reproach  and  contempt,  as  when  a  carcase  is  drawn 
through  the  mire.  Then  the  Prophet  means  here  a  throw- 
ing down,  accompanied  with  reproach.  And  he  says,  If  not, 
draiu  thein  forth  shall  the  least  of  the  flock.  He  speaks  here 
otherwise  than  before  ;  for  he  called  the  Chaldeans  chosen, 
and  extolled  their  strength,  that  he  might  strip  the  Idu- 
means of  their  vain  confidence  ;  but  he  now  proceeds  further 
and  says,  that  there  was  no  need  of  great  valour  to  put  that 
nation  to  flight,  because  even  the  least  could  lay  them  pros- 
trate on  the  ground,  and  also  draw  them  in  disgrace  through 
the  land.  Now,  though  the  manner  of  speaking  is  difi'ercnt, 
yet  the  meaning  remains  the  same,  even  that  God  would 
arm  the  Chaldeans  with  courage,  so  that  they  would  easily 
destroy  the  land  of  Edom  ;  and  then,  that  though  the  Chal- 
deans should  not,  according  to  the  estimation  of  men,  excel 
in  valour,  they  would  yet  be  superior  to  the  Idumeans,  be- 
cause victory  was  in  God's  hand,  and  he  could  work  by 
means  of  flies  as  well  as  by  men,  and  by  children  as  well  as 
by  giants. 

The  formula  of  swearing  is  adopted,  when  he  says,  If  not, 


9i  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.CLXXVI. 

draw  them,  &c.  It  is  an  elliptical  phrase,  as  it  lias  often  been 
observed  ;  such  an  obtestation  as  this  is  understood,  "  Be- 
lieve me  not  hereafter,''  or,  "  Regard  me  not  as  God/'  In 
short,  it  is  a  form  of  an  oath,  which  is  a  stronger  affirmation 
than  if  he  had  simply  said,  "  Draw  them  forth  shall  the 
least  of  the  flock." 

Some  render  the  last  clause,  "  If  not,  set  shall  they,"  &c. ; 
as  though  the  verb  came  from  tlDl^,  shum,  to  put,  to  set  ; 
but  it  is  from  D^t^,  shemem,  or  tD^'',  imem,  as  some  think, 
though  rather  D^^,  shemem.  The  Prophet,  I  have  no 
doubt,  means,  that  they  would  destroy,  or  lay  waste  over 
them  their  dwellings.     It  follows — 

21.  The  earth  is  moved  at  the  noise  21.  A  voce  rmn?e  ipsorum  con- 
of  their  fall  ;  at  the  cry,  the  noise  tremuit  terra ;  clamor  vocis  eorum 
thereof  was  heard  in  the  Ked  sea.  in  mari  rubro  auditus  est. 

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,  theProj^het  continues  the  same  subject.  He 
then  says  that  the  ea7^th  trembled  at  the  sound  of  their  fall. 
By  these  words  he  means  that  such  would  be  the  calamity, 
that  it  would,  terrify  all  neighbouring  countries  :  as  when  a 
great  mass  falls,  the  earth  shakes,  so  the  fall  of  the  Idu- 
means, who  had  long  gloried  in  their  wealth,  could  not  but 
strike  all  their  neighbours  with  terror.  Lest  the  Jews 
should  think  that  incredible  which  had  been  said,  the  Pro- 
phet says,  that  though  the  earth  should  tremble,  yet  God 
would  overthrow  that  nation. 

He  then  adds,  the  cry  of  their  voice  was  heard  at  the  Bed 
Sea}  This  sea,  called  now^  Red,  was  at  some  distance.  The 
word  P]*lD,  suph,  properly  signifies  weed}^  a  name  given  to  it 
on  account  of  the  bulrushes  it  produced  ;  but  tlie  sea  that 
is  meant,  is  what  is  now  called  the  Red  Sea.  I  have  said 
that  the  distance  between  these  places  was  considerable, 
and  what  the  Prophet  means  is,  that  so  gi'oat  and  so  dread- 
ful would  be  the  shaking  of  the  land  of  Edom,  tliat  its  noise 

'  The  literal  rendering  is, — 

The  cry — at  the  Red  Sea  was  heard  its  sound. 
It  is  an  instance  of  the  nominative  case  absolute. — Ed. 


CHAP.  XLIX.  22.        COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  95 

would  make  this  sea  to  tremble,  though  it  was  at  some  dis- 
tance.    It  follows — 

22.  Behold,  he  shall  come  up  and  fly  22.    Ecce  tanquam  aquila  as- 

as   the   eagle,  and  spread   his  wings  cendet,  et  volabit  et  expandet  alas 

over  Bozrah  :  and  at  that  da}'  shall  the  suas   super  Bosra,    et    erit    cor 

heart  of  the  mighty  men  of  Edom  be  fortium  Edom  die  illo  sicuti  cor 

as  the  heart  of  a  woman  in  her  pangs,  mulieris  anxise. 

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  tlie  Chaldeans  suddenly  come,  or  rather  fly/' 
For  he  compares  them  to  eagles,  in  order  to  shew  that  it 
would  be  a  very  quick  and  ruinous  expedition.  At  the 
time  this  prophecy  was  declared  by  the  Prophet,  no  one 
could  have  suspected  that  the  Chaldeans  would  become 
enemies  to  the  Idumeans,  for  they  were  on  the  best  terms 
with  each  other  ;  nay,  we  know  that  they  paid  every  atten- 
tion to  gain  the  favour  of  the  Chaldeans.  Hence  it  is  said 
in  the  Psalms,  "  Remember,  0  Lord,  the  children  of  Edom, 
who  said  in  the  day  of  Jerusalem,  Let  it  be  cut  down,  let  it 
be  cut  down/'  (Ps.  cxxxvii.  7.)  By  these  words  is  intimated 
the  impious  conspiracy  of  that  nation  with  the  Chaldeans. 
Nor  is  there  a  doubt  but  that  they  tried  by  all  means  to 
conciliate  the  Chaldeans  for  their  own  interest.  Hence  the 
Prophet  here  points  out  a  sudden  change,  when  he  says  that 
the  Chaldeans  would  be  like  eagles,  who  would  expand  their 
wings  over  Bozrah.  We  have  seen  elsewhere  that  this  was 
the  chief  city  of  that  nation. 

The  heart,  he  says,  of  the  valiant  men  of  Edom  shall  he 
like  the  heart  of  a  sorrowful  woman.  We  have  seen  how 
great  was  the  pride  of  the  Idumeans.  As  then  they  thought 
themselves  superior  in  valour  and  counsel,  and  all  other 
things,  the  Prophet  here  shews  that  the  heart  of  their 
valiant  men  would  become  effeminate  ;  for  it  cannot  be  but 
the  hearts  of  men  are  in  God's  hand.  God  then  is  alone  he 
who  can  sustain  and  animate  us  and  give  us  firmness ;  and 
he  also,  when  he  pleases,  can  debilitate  our  spirits  ;  and 
these  things  he  does  every  moment :  and  that  day  then  is 
not  expressed  without  reason  ;  for  God  does  not  only  im- 


96  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.       ^  LECT.  OLXXVI. 

part  to  every  one  of  us  what  valour  he  pleases,  but  also 
takes  away,  when  he  pleases,  the  courage  which  he  had 
given.  Hence  it  is,  that  the  hearts  of  the  brave  become 
cowardly,  and  also,  that  the  most  timid  become  sometimes 
bolder  than  lions,  even  wlien  it  pleases  God  either  to  weaken 
or  to  strengthen  the  hearts  of  men. 

But  it  ouglit  to  be  noticed,  that  no  hope  is  given  here  to 
the  Idumeans  as  to  any  remnant.  When  the  Pro23het  spoke 
before  of  other  nations,  he  gave  them  some  consohxtion  ; 
but  here  he  does  not  mitigate  God's  vengeance :  he  dooms 
the  Idumeans  to  final  ruin,  without  giving  them  any  hope  ; 
and  for  this  reason,  because  God  had  for  a  long  time  borne 
with  them,  and  they  had  most  wickedly  abused  his  forbear- 
ance. He  had  spared  them  from  the  time  the  children  of 
Israel  came  up  from  Egypt ;  and  when  they  denied  a  pas- 
sage to  them,  the  children  of  Israel  made  a  long  circuit  with 
great  inconvenience,  that  they  might  not  touch  their  land. 
It  w;\s  a  singular  favour  shewn  to  them.  And  had  they  had 
the  least  drop  of  humanity  in  them,  they  must  have  acknow- 
ledged such  a  kindness  ;  on  the  contrary,  they  had  ever 
cruelly  treated  their  own  brethren,  and  never  ceased  to  do 
so,  thouo'h  often  warned.  It  is  no  wonder  then  that  God 
should  now  give  them  up  to  ruin,  and  announce  predictions 
full  of  despair.  This  ought  to  be  carefully  observed,  so  that 
we  may  learn  not  to  make  light  of  God's  patience  when  he 
bears  long  with  us,  but  in  due  time  to  repent,  lest  when  he 
rises  for  judgment  he  should  utterly  destroy  us.  It  now 
follows — 

23.  Concerning  Damascus.     Ha-  .23.   Ad   Daniascum :    Pudefacta 

math   is   confounded,   and   Arpad ;  est  Chemath,  et  Arphad,  quia  ru- 

for  they  have   heard   evil   tidings:  morem  makim  audierunt,  hquefacti 

they    are    faint-hearted ;    there    is  sunt ;  in  mari  pavoris  ad  quiescen- 

sorrow   on    the   sea;   it  cannot  be  dum  non  potest  (//oc  cs^,  quod  quics- 

quiet.  cere  non  potest.) 

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  Israel  confederated  with  the  Syrians  for  the 


CHAP.  XLIX.  23.      COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  97 

purpose  of  attacking  their  brethren  the  Jews.  Hence  it 
was,  that  the  Syrians  caused  great  troubles  to  the  Jews, 
and  were  friends  to  the  Israelites  until  both  kingdoms  were 
subverted  by  the  Chaldeans.  It  is  hence  probable  that  this 
prophecy  was  announced  while  the  kingdom  was  yet  stand- 
ing, or  at  least  before  its  final  overtlirow ;  for  it  was  much 
weakened  before  it  was  wholly  cut  off,  as  it  has  been  stated 
elsewhere. 

It  was  necessary  to  make  this  preface,  in  order  that  wo 
might  know  the  design  of  God  in  proclaiming  this  prophecy 
against  the  Syrians,  even  because  they  had  been  from  the  be- 
ginning enemies  to  the  Israelites,  and  also,  because  they  had 
united  their  strength  with  them  for  the  purpose  of  oppress- 
ing the  Jews.  Tliey  had  therefore  always  been  like  the 
fans  of  the  Devil  in  the  work  of  consuming  the  church  of 
God.  God  then  shews  here  that  the  calamity  which  awaited 
them,  was  a  just  reward  for  the  impious  cruelty  which  they 
had  exercised  towards  the  chosen  people.  This  we  must 
bear  in  mind. 

He  now  says,  that  Hamaih  is  confounded  ;  this  is  consid- 
ered to  have  been  Antioch  in  Syria.  There  were  many  cele- 
brated cities  of  this  name  ;  but  Hamath  towards  Cilicia  was 
the  most  renowned.  He  then  saysHhat  the  city  Hamath, 
that  is,  Antioch,  was  ashamed  as  well  as  Arpad,  wliich  w\ts 
also  an  opulent  city.  He  adds,  because  they  heard  a  bad  re- 
port, or  an  adverse  rumour.  By  these  words  he  intimates 
that  the  kingdom  of  Syria  would  be  terrified  by  a  report 
only.  No  one  could  have  thought  such  a  thing,  for  wh.en 
they  had  united  themselves  with  the  Israelites,  they  thought 
that  they  had  power  enough  to  drive  away  their  enemies. 
As  then  they  supposed  themselves  to  be  thus  strong,  so  as 
to  be  beyond  danger,  the  Prophet  derides  their  confidence, 
and  says  that  they  would  be  so  terrified  by  mere  report,  that 
they  would  be  ashamed  as  though  conquered  by  enemies. 

He  then  adds,  that  they  would  be  melted  ;  for  y\J2,  mug, 
means  to  be  dissolved  or  melted.  But  there  is  here  a  dif- 
ferent reading ;  many  copies  have  n^KH  C^,  beim  dage, 
connected  with  this  ;  and  thev  who  read  thus  are  forced  to 
wrest  the  words  of  the  Prophet.     This  reading  literally  is, 

VOL.  V.  a 


98  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXXVI. 

"  They  are  ashamed  in  tlie  sea,  dread  to  rest/'  or,  make  to 
rest,  '*  it  cannot,"  or  could  not.  We  see  liow  harsh  is 
the  expression  ;  they,  liowever,  elicit  this  meaning,  that 
these  cities  would  be  dissolved,  as  he  who  sails  on  the  sea  and 
cannot  through  dread  make  his  heart  tranquil.  But,  as  I 
have  already  said,  the  woi-ds  of  the  Prophet  are  thus  per- 
verted. Now,  if  we  read  for  ^,  heth,  D,  caph,  which  denotes 
likeness,  the  meaning  would  be  very  suitable,  as  a  sea  of 
dread,  or  a  turbulent  sea  (a  noun  in  the  genitive  case  in- 
stead of  an  adjective,  a  common  thing  in  Scripture)  which 
cannot  rest  or  be  still.^ 

As  to  the  general  meaning  of  the  passage,  there  is  not 
much  difference  ;  for  the  Prophet  intends  to  shew  that  the 
Syrians  would  be  like  a  turbulent  sea,  which  is  tossed  hers 
and  there,  so  that  the  waves  conflict  together.  If  any  one 
prefers  to  refer  this  to  sailors,  the  meaning  would  be  still 
materially  the  same.  The  sum  of  what  is  said  then  is,  that 
as  the  Syrians  had  been  terrible  to  all,  so  they  would  be 
frightened  at  the  mere  report  of  war,  and  so  much  so  as  to 
melt  away  and  not  be  able  to  stand  their  ground,  like  the 
sea,  which,  when  a  tempest  rages,  has  no  rest,  but  is  driven 
in  all  directions.      He  afterwards  adds, — 

24.  J)amascus  is  waxed  feeble,  24.  Remissa  est  (vel,  debilitata) 
and  tumeth  herself  to  flee,  and  fear  Damascus ;  convertit  se  ad  fugam  ; 
hath  seized  on  her;  anguish  and  et  tremor  apprehendit  eam;  angus- 
sorrows  have  taken  her,  as  a  woman  tia  et  dolores  tenuerunt  eam  tan- 
in  travail.  quam  partm-ientem. 

As  the  clock  strikes,  I  will  not  proceed  further. 

PRAYER. 

Grant,  Almighty  God,  that  as  thou  settest  before  our  eyes  memo- 
rable judgments  which  ought  to  benefit  us  at  this  day,  so  that 
we  may  be  kept  imder  thy  yoke  and  under  the  fear  of  thy  law, — 

^  There  are  several  copies  in  which  the  3,  caph,  is  found,  and  it  is  evi- 
dently the  most  suitable  reading, — 

Confounded  is  Hamath  and  Arpad; 

For  an  evil  report  have  they  heard, — they  melt  away ; 

Like  the  sea  the  agitatitm,  the  quieting  none  can  effect. 
The  melting  away  was  through  fear.     They  were  moved  or  agitated,  and, 
like  the  sea,  they  could  not  rest  or  be  still.     Pfc^   may  be  often  rendered 
none  or  nothing. — Ed. 


CHAP.  XLIX.  24      COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  99 

O  grant,  tiiat  we  may  not  grow  hard  at  such  threatenings,  but 
anticipate  thy  -wrath,  and  so  submit  to  thee,  that  whatever  thou 
denouncest  on  the  ungodly  may  turn  to  our  comfort,  and  for  a 
cause  of  joy,  when  we  know  that  the  salvation  of  thy  church  is 
thus  promoted,  of  which  thou  hast  been  pleased  to  regard  and 
acknowledge  us  as  members  in  thy  Son  our  Lord. — Amen. 


24.  Damascus   is   waxed   feeble,  24.  Debilitata  est  Damascus ;  con- 

and  turneth  herself  to  flee,  and  fear  vertit  se  ad  fugam  {vel,  ad  fugien- 

hath   seized  on  her ;  anguish   and  dum ;)  terror  apprehendit  eam  ;  et 

sorrows  have  taken  her,  as  a  woman  angustia  et  dolores  tenuerunt  eam, 

in  travail.  sicut  parturientem. 

The  Prophet  goes  on  with  the  same  subject,  for  as  the 
kingdom  of  Syria  liad  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  kingdom  in  order  to  confirm  what  he  said. 

He  then  says,  relaxed^  or  weakened,  is  Damascus.  This 
verb,  indeed,  sometimes  means  to  cease  :  he  means  that  she 
was  broken  in  strength.  But  under  the  name  of  this  city, 
he  includes,  as  it  was  stated  yesterday,  the  whole  kingdom 
of  Syria,  which  was  celebrated  for  its  riches,  largeness,  and 
number  of  men.  She  turns,  he  says,  to  flight.  By  these 
words  he  intimates  that  no  safety  remained  for  the  Syrians 
except  by  fleeing  into  other  countries.  And  it  is  a  miser- 
able safety  when  men  cannot  otherwise  secure  it  than  by  a 
voluntary  exile.  He  adds  the  reason,  Tremhling  has  laid 
hold  on  her,  anguish  and  pangs  have  seized  her  as  a  woman 
in  travail.  Whenever  this  comparison  occurs  in  Scripture, 
some  sudden  and  unexpected  evil  is  intended.  The  Prophet 
then  no  doubt  means  that  the  ruin  of  Syria  would  be  sudden  ; 
and  he  says  this,  that  it  might  not  trust  in  its  own  power, 
and  that  others  might  not  think  her  to  be  beyond  danger, 
because  they  saw  that  it  was  fortified  by  the  number  of  its 
men,  and  by  the  abundance  of  all  other  things.  It  now 
follows, — 


100  COMMENTArvIES  ON  JEREMIAH.        LECT.  CLXXVII. 

25.  How  is  the  city  of  praise  not        25.  Quomodo  non  est  relictaurbs 
left,  the  city  of  my  joy !  laudis  ?  ci vitas  gaudii  mei  ? 

Some  think  ''  my"  to  be  redundant,  and  therefore  render 
it  "the  city  oT  joy /'^  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  know,  do  not  always  speak  according  to 
their  own  feelings,  but  assume  the  persons  of  others.  We 
might  then  fitly  read  the  words  as  they  are,  the  city  of  my 
joy!  Besides,  Jeremiah  very  cuttingly  exults  over  Damascus, 
when  ho.thus  expresses  his  wonder  at  its  destruction  :  "  How 
can  this  be,''  he  says,  "  that  the  city  of  praise,  that  is,  a  cele- 
brated city,  and  the  city  of  my  joy,  that  is,  a  spectacle  so 
noble  as  to  cause  joy  to  all, — how  can  it  be  that  this  city 
should  not  be  left,  that  is,  should  not  be  spared  ?  For  by 
"  left''  he  does  not  mean  forsaken  by  its  inhabitants,  or  re- 
duced to  solitude;  for  by  "left"  he  means  untouched  or 
safe.2 

But  we  must  ever  bear  in  mind  what  we  have  often  stated, 
that  tlie  prophets,  when  they  thus  speak  in  astonishment, 
do  not  adopt  an  elevated  style  as  rhetoricians  do,  to  shew 
their  eloquence,  but  have  always  a  regard  to  what  is  profit- 
able. It  was  necessary  powerfully  to  impress  the  minds 
of  men,  when  the  Prophet  spoke  of  the  ruin  of  so  great  a 
city.     Then  this  astonishment  includes  what  they  call  an 

'  So  the  versions,  (except  the  Sept.)  and  also  the  Targ.,  the  ''  iod  being 
regarded  as  paragogic.     So  Grotius. — Ed. 

*  The  Sifr.  rendered  it  "  spared ;"  the  Viilg.  has  left  out  the  negative 
710^  There  are  two  difficulties,  the  verb  3Ty  is  not  used  in  the  sense  of 
sparing,  though  G^a^^/cer  labours  to  shew  this;  then  the  connexion:  the 
next  verse  begins  with  a  "  therefore."  Take  the  verb  here  in  its  usual 
sense,  and  then  "  therefore"  will  have  its  force,  lie  asks,  Why  was  not 
this  city,  under  the  circumstances  previously  mentioned,  forsaken  or  aban- 
doned, notwithstanding  its  being  a  celebrated  and  a  joyous  city?  But  as  it 
was  not  forsaken,  "  therefore,"  he  says,  "  her  young  men  shall  fall  in  her 
streets,"  &c. 

Venema's  view  is  different;  his  version  is, — 

Why  not?  forsaken  has  been  the  city  of  praise, 
The  city  of  my  joy. 
That  is,  Why  should  not  Damascus  be  compelletl  to  flee,  since  Jerusalem 
had  been  forsaken,  the  city  of  praise  and  of  his  joy.     "  Therefore,"  in  this 
sense,  refers  to  the  slaughter  of  those  who  would  not  flee. — Ed. 


CHAP.  XLIX.  26.      COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  101 

anticipation ;  for  it  obviated  a  doubt  which  might  have  pre- 
vented credit  from  being  given  to  this  prophecy.  This  might 
have  immediately  occurred  to  every  one,  "  How  can  it  be 
that  Damascus  is  to  perish  ?"  Then  the  Prophet  anticipates 
this,  and  shews,  that  though  this  was  contrary  to  the  judg- 
ment commonly  formed,  yet,  as  the  Lord  had  so  decreed,  the 
destruction  of  that  city  was  certain.  We  now  tlien  perceive 
the  design  of  the  Prophet.     It  afterwards  follows, — 

26.  Therefore  her  26.  Propterea  cadent  electi   ejus  (aut,  robusti 

young  men  shall  fall  juvenes,  D'''T)n3,  enim  propria  sunt  electi,  sed  trans- 

in  her  streets,  and  all  fertur  hoc  nomen  ad  eos  qui  sunt  in  pleno  vigore 

the  men  of  war  shall  aut  flore  cetatis)  in  compitis  ejus ;  et  omnes  viri 

be  cut  off  in  that  day,  mill  tares  silebunt  (alii  vertunt,  excidentur,  ie  me- 

saith    the    Lord    of  taphm^ice  accipitur  illo  sensu  hoc  verbum)  in  die 

hosts.  illo,  inquit  Jehova  exercituum. 

Here  the  Prophet  in  a  manner  corrects  himself,  and  de- 
clares, that  though  the  ruin  of  Damascus  would  astonish  all, 
yet  it  was  certain  ;  and  so  I  explain  the  particle  ]^7,  lacen. 
It  is  regarded  by  the  Hebrews  as  a  particle  assigning  a  rea- 
son— therefore,  for  this  cause.  They  then  think  that  a  reason 
is  here  expressed  why  God  had  decreed  to  destroy  that  city, 
even  because  it  had  formerly  made  w^ar  with  the  Israelites, 
and  then  with  the  Jews,  and  thus  it  had  not  ceased  to  per- 
secute the  Church  of  God.  But  it  is  to  be  taken  here  in  a 
simpler  way,  as  an  affirmative,  according  to  its  meaning  in 
many  other  places.  The  Prophet  then  checks  here  the 
astonishment  which  he  had  expressed,  as  though  he  had 
said,  "  However  this  may  be,  yet  it  is  so  appointed  by  God, 
though  all  should  be  astonished  at  the  destruction  of  Da- 
mascus, yet  fall  shall  its  young  men,  &c.''  The  meaning  is, 
that  no  power  under  heaven  was  such  as  could  resist  God. 
Then  Damascus,  as  it  was  devoted  to  destruction,  could  not 
avoid  that  judgment,  though  it  was,  according  to  the  opinion 
of  men,  impregnable. 

And  this  passage  deserves  particular  notice,  for  when  hin- 
derances  occupy  our  minds,  and  are  presented  to  our  thoughts, 
we  ought  ever  to  set  up  this  as  our  shield,  "  Whatever  God 
has  appointed  must  be  fulfilled."  Though,  then,  heaven  and 
earth  may  seem  united  to  impede  the  celestial  decree,  let  us 
know  that  w^e  ought  to  acquiesce  in  God's  word,  and  this 


102  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.        LECT.  CLXXVII. 

particle  "yet,"  or  nevertheless,  }^7,  lacen,  ought  always 
to  be  remembered  by  us.  For  we  have  said  that  it  was 
Jeremiah's  purpose,  in  a  manner,  to  bring  into  subjec- 
tion whatever  men  might  plan  in  their  own  minds  ;  for  this 
alone  is  sufficient,  God  has  decreed  what  he  declares.  It 
follows, — 

27.  And  I  will  kindle  a  fire  in  the  27.  Et  accendam  ignem  in  muro 
wall  of  Damascus,  and  it  shall  con-  Damasci,  et  consumet  palatia  Ben- 
sume  the  palaces  of  Ben-hadad.  hadad. 

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  no- 
thing more  violent  or  more  dreadful  than  burning ;  for  we 
know  that  the  greatest  cities  are  soon  consumed  and  reduced 
to  ashes  when  fire  begins  to  blaze.  God  then  compares  the 
destruction  of  the  city  to  burning,  though  no  fire  was  applied 
to  destroy  the  w^alls  and  the  palaces  of  the  king ;  but  the 
Prophet  means  by  this  metaphor,  that  such  would  be  the 
destruction  of  the  city,  as  though  it  was  consumed  by  fire. 
He  at  the  same  time  reminds  the  faithful  of  God's  judgment, 
that  they  might  know  that  whatever  happened  to  the  Syri- 
ans proceeded  from  his  hand ;  because  such  calamities  would 
have  availed  but  little,  except  this  doctrine  was  also  added, 
that  just  punishments  are  inflicted  by  God  on  the  wicked- 
ness of  men. 

But  when  he  speaks  of  the  palaces  of  Ben-hadad,  he  briefly 
points  out  the  cause  why  God  would  deal  so  severely  with 
the  Syrians.  We  have  said  already  that  they  had  been 
always  hostile  to  God's  chosen  people.  They  first  tried  to 
overthrow  the  kingdom  of  Israel ;  afterwards  they  confeder- 
ated with  the  kings  of  Israel,  but  it  was  for  the  purpose  of 
overthrowing  the  kingdom  of  Judah  ;  and  many  were  the 
confederacies  for  this  end.  But  Ben-hadad,  as  we  read  in 
the  first  book  of  Kings,  grievously  distressed  the  Israelites. 
We  indeed  learn  from  the  history  of  those  times,  that  there 
were  many  kings  of  Syria  who  bore  this  name,  for  it  was 
a  common  name,  as  the  kings  of  Egypt  were  called  Pharaohs  ; 
and  other  kings  also  took  a  popular  name,  as  the  emperors 
of  Rome  called  themselves  Caesars.     But  we  read  that  the 


CHAP.  XLIX.  28.       COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  103 

last  Ben-hadad  was  the  son  of  Hazael,  who  was  also  the  king 
of  Syria  ;  and  as  I  have  said,  it  was  not  a  private  name.  Since, 
then,  sacred  history  clearly  shews  that  there  were  many  who 
were  called  Ben-hadad,  the  Prophet,  I  have  no  doubt,  refers 
to  tlie  first  who  began  to  disturb  and  harass  the  Israelites. 
He  then  points  out  the  cause  why  God  had  determined  to 
destroy  Damascus,  for  he  had  in  his  forbearance  borne  for  a 
long  time  with  the  Syrians.  But  when  he  saw  that  they 
did  not  repent,  but  on  the  contrary  added  sins  to  sins,  at 
length  ascending  his  tribunal,  he  says,  that  the  fire  which  he 
would  apply  to  the  walls  of  Damascus,  would  also  consume 
the  palaces  of  Ben-hadad,  that  is,  the  palaces  whence  so 
many  evils  had  proceeded,  and  so  much  cruelty,  by  which 
the  miserable  Church  had  been  distressed.  This  is  the 
meaning.     It  now  follows, — 

28.   Concerning  Kedar,  and  con-  28.  Ad   Kedar,  et  regna  Hazor, 

cerning  the  kingdoms  of  Hazor,  which  quae  percussit  Nabuchadrezar,   rex 

Nebuchadrezzar   king   of    Babylon  Babjlonis,  sic  dicit  Jehova,  Surgite, 

shall  smite,   thus   saith   the   Lord,  ascendite  adversus  Kedar,  et  perdite 

Arise  ye,  go  up  to  Kedar,  and  spoil  filios  Kedera  (vel,  orientis). 
the  men  of  the  east. 

There  is  here  another  prophecy  added  respecting  the  Ke- 
dareans,  who  inhabited  a  part  of  Arabia.  There  is  elsewhere 
mention  made  of  them,  and  it  is  probable  that  they  were 
neighbours  to  the  Syrians  and  not  far  from  Judea  ;  for  David 
complained  (if  he  was  the  author  of  that  psalm)  that  he  dwelt 
among  the  children  of  Kedar,  "Woe  to  me,  because  I  am 
compelled  to  dwell  in  Mesech  and  with  the  children  of  Kedar," 
(Psalm  cxx.  5.)  Whoever,  then,  composed  that  psalm,  it  is  a 
probable  conjecture  that  the  Kedareans,  though  not  contigu- 
ous to  Judea,  were  not  yet  far  distant ;  and  we  have  said  that 
they  w^ere  the  inhabitants  of  Arabia.  And  the  Prophet  adds, 
the  children  of  Kedem  ;  so  some  render  the  word,  as  though 
it  were  the  name  of  a  nation  ;  and  Moses  tells  us  that  Kedem 
was  one  of  the  sons  of  Ishmael.  It  may  be  that  for  this 
reason  Jeremiah  joined  this  people  to  the  Kedareans,  (Gen. 
XXV.  13-15.)  But  I  am,  however,  inclined  to  the  opinion, 
that  lie  mentions  here  the  children  of  the  East,  that  is,  with 
respect  to  Judea ;  not  that  they  were  nigh  the  Persians  or 


104  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.       LECT.  CLXXVII. 

other  oriental  nations,  but  he  only  points  out  a  land  to  the 
east  of  Judea. 

But  why  God  took  vengeance  on  that  people,  the  cause  is 
not  expressed.  It  may  yet  have  been  that  they  formerly 
had  much  injured  the  Israelites  ;  God  therefore  having  long 
spared  them  at  length  appeared  as  their  severe  judge.  And 
though  the  reason  was  unknown,  yet  it  did  good  to  the  Jews 
to  know,  that  God's  hand  was  extended  to  every  part  of  the 
world  to  execute  vengeance  ;  for  they  might  have  hence  con- 
cluded that  they  were  justly  punished,  because  they  had  re- 
helled  against  God  ;  for  we  know  that  a  servant  who  wilfully 
and  disdainfully  disobeys  his  master,  deserves  double  punish- 
ment. (Luke  xii.  47.)  When  tlie  Jews  then  saw  that  these 
barbarians,  who  were  like  wdld  beasts,  could  not  escape 
God's  vengeance,  they  might  have  thought  within  therii- 
selves  how  just  must  have  been  God's  judgments  executed 
on  them,  who  had  knowingly  and  wilfully  despised  him. 
This  then  was  one  of  the  benefits  to  be  derived  from  this 
prophecy. 

And  then,  as  we  have  elsewhere  said,  this  general  rule 
ought  to  be  borne  in  mind,  that  when  changes  happen  in 
the  world,  it  is  necessary,  as  men's  thoughts  and  feelings 
are  evanescent,  that  this  warning  should  be  given,  that  God 
so  rules  in  all  these  changes,  that  chance  has  no  place  in 
them.  For  when  calamities,  like  a  deluge,  spread  over  the 
whole  world,  then  we  think,  as  it  has  been  stated,  that  such 
a  confusion  happens  by  chance,  and  without  any  cause. 
For  when  God  afflicts  some  portion,  the  difference  may  lead 
us  to  some  reflection, — ^'  One  part  is  afflicted  and  another 
escapes  ;"  but  wlien  evils  overwhelm  the  whole  world,  then, 
there  being  no  difference,  we  think  that  all  things  are  in  a 
state  of  confusion,  nor  can  we  collect  our  thoughts  so  as  to 
know,  that  God  so  takes  vengeance  on  all,  that  he  yet  regu- 
lates his  judgments,  as  it  is  right,  according  to  his  infinite 
and  incomprehensible  wisdom  and  justice.  As  then  this 
adjustment  which  God  makes,  as  to  his  judgments,  is  not 
evident  to  the  mind  and  perception  of  men,  it  was  neces- 
sary, when  God  was  at  the  same  time  fulminating  through 
the  whole  world,   that  the  Jews  should  be  reminded  to  be 


CHAP.  XLIX.  28.       COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  105 

ever  attentive  to  the  operations  of  his  hand.  They  saw 
themselves  ruined,  they  saw  tlie  same  thing  happening  to 
the  Egyptians  and  to  all  other  contiguous  nations  ;  at  length 
Assyria  was  to  have  its  turn,  then  Chaldea,  and  afterwards 
the  Medians  and  Persians.  As  then  no  part  was  to  remain 
untouched,  wlio  would  not  have  thought  that  all  things  re- 
volved, as  it  were,  through  blind  and  uncertain  fate  ?  God, 
therefore,  did  not,  without  reason,  forewarn  tlie  faithful, 
lest  they  should  think,  that  in  so  great  vicissitudes  and  vio- 
lent changes,  all  things  were  indiscriminately  mixed  toge- 
ther, but  that  they  might  know  that  God,  from  heaven,  re- 
gulated and  overruled  all  these  confusions.  This  is  the 
reason  why  the  Prophets  so  particularly  spoke  of  the  cala- 
mities of  all  nations. 

Let  us  come  now  to  the  Kedareans:  To  Kedar,  he  says, 
and  the  kingdoms  of  Hazor.  These  kingdoms,  no  doubt,  in- 
cluded a  large  country,  for  it  is  hardly  credible  that  Hazor 
w^as  the  name  of  a  city  ;  for  who  would  have  said,  the  king- 
doms of  Hazor,  had  it  been  only  the  name  of  a  city  ?  It  is, 
indeed,  certain,  that  there  was  a  city  of  this  name,  as  it  is 
mentioned  bv  Joshua.  But  here  it  means  a  large  reoion, 
contiguous  to  the  Kedareans.  And  he  says  that  all  these 
nations  liad  been  smitten  by  Nebuchadnezzar,  because  these 
barbarous  men  were  probably  but  little  known  to  the  Jews. 
It  must  yet  be  observed,  that  they  had  not  been  as  yet 
smitten  by  Nebuchadnezzar,  that  is,  at  the  time  the  Prophet 
spoke  of  their  destruction.  But  Jeremiah  spoke  thus,  in 
order  to  confirm  his  prophecy,  as  though  he  had  said,  that 
what  many  disregarded,  and  even  treated  with  disdain,  was 
at  length  reallv  fulfilled.  For  when  he  threatened  ruin  to 
these  remote  nations,  it  is  probable  that  he  was  derided  by 
his  own  people  ;  and  hence  he  says,  that  he  had  not  spoken 
in  vain,  but  that  by  the  event  itself  his  vocation  was  proved, 
because  these  were  smitten  as  he  had  predicted. 

And  this  is  the  prophecy.  Arise  ye,  ascend  against  Kedar, 
and  destroy  the  children  of  the  East}  Here  tlie  Prophet 
speaks  of  the  Babylonians,  and  in  the  person  of  God,  as  his 

1  It  is  *'  Kedem"  in  the  Sept.,  and  "  East"  in  the  other  versions  and 
the  Targnm. — Ed.  \ 


106  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXXVII. 

herald.  And  we  have  said  that  God's  servants  commanded 
and  ordered  what  was  future  with  supreme  authority,  in 
order  to  gain  more  reverence  and  honour  to  their  words  or 
doctrine.  For  prophecies  were  despised  by  ungodly  men, 
and  they  insultingly  said,  that  they  were  only  words. 
Hence  the  servants  of  God,  to  shew  that  their  words  had 
accomplishment  connected  with  them,  assumed  the  person 
of  God.  Thus  they  boldly  commanded  the  greatest  kings, 
as  Jeremiah  does  here,  Arise  ye  ;  for  whom  does  he  here 
address  ?  the  king  of  Babylon,  that  greatest  of  monarchs, 
and  also  the  Assyrians  as  well  as  the  Chaldeans :  and  he 
commanded  them  to  arise  and  to  ascend,  as  though  he  had 
them  ready  for  his  service,  even  because  he  did  not  speak 
except  by  God's  command. 

And  such  mode  of  speaking  ouglit  to  be  especially  ob- 
served, that  we  may  learn  to  embrace  whatever  is  announced 
in  God's  name,  as  though  the  thing  itself  were  already  be- 
fore our  eyes,  and  that  we  may  also  know  that  the  power  of 
the  wliole  world,  is  in  such  a  way  under  God's  control,  that 
all  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth  are  ready  to  fulfil  his  word. 
When,  therefore,  God  himself  speaks,  we  ought  so  to  regard 
the  efficacy  of  his  word,  as  though  heaven  and  earth  were 
ready  to  obey  and  to  fulfil  what  he  has  commanded.  It 
follows, — 

29.  Their  tents  and  their  flocks         29.    Tentoria    ejus    (tabernacula 

shall  they  take   away :    they  shall  ejus)  et  greges  ejus  tollent,  et  cor- 

take  to  themselves   their   curtains,  tinas    ejus,    et    omnia    vasa    ejus, 

and  all  their  vessels,  and  their  ca-  et   camelos    ejus    sument    sibi,    et 

mels  ;  and  they  shall  cry  unto  them,  clamabunt  contra  eos,  Terror  undi- 

Fear  is  on  every  side.  que. 

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.  The}'  had  no  cultivated 
fields,  but  led  their  flocks  through  the  deserts  ;  and  they 
had  a  great  number  of  camels.  This  is  the  reason  why  the 
Prophet  mentions  tents,  curtains,  camels,  and  flocks,  while 
speaking  of  the  Kcdareans  ;  for  they  dwelt  not  in  a  fertile 
country,  they  possessed  no  arable  lands,  nor  had  they 
much  other  wealth,  neither  cities  nor  palaces.     The  sum  of 


CHAP.  XLIX.  30.       COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  107 

what  is  said  is,  that  tlie  Kedareans  were  doomed  to  destruc- 
tion, and  were  therefore  exposed  as  a  prey  to  their  enemies. 
But  as  this  was  difficult  to  be  believed,  he  adds.  They  shall 
cry  to  them,  Terror  on  every  side.  By  these  words  the  Pro- 
phet means,  that  tliere  would  be  so  much  dread,  that  all 
would  suffer  their  possessions  to  be  plundered,  not  daring  to 
make  any  resistance,  because  terror  on  every  side  would  lay 
hold  on  them.  They  who  read,  "  They  shall  call  them 
terror  on  every  side,''  think  tliat  this  is  said  metaphorically 
of  the  soldiers,  as  they  were  terrible.  Some  also  say,  "  The 
king  of  Babylon  sliall  call"  or  summon  "  terror  on  every  side 
against  them."  But  the  former  explanation  is  the  most 
probable,  that  when  enemies  called  or  cried  out,  Terror, 
terror,  as  conquerors,  they  would  overcome  them  by  their 
voice  alone.  This  is,  as  I  think,  the  real  meaning  of  the 
Prophet.      It  now  follows, — 

30.  Flee,  get  you  far  off,  d\vell         30.    Fiigite,   abite   procul    valde 

deep,  O   ye  inhabitants  of  Hazor,  (profundaverunt  ad  habitandura  in- 

saith  the  Lord ;  for  Nebuchadrez-  colse    Hasor,   dicit   Jehova) ;    quia 

zar  king  of  Babylon    hath   taken  consultavit  super  vos  Nabuchadne- 

eounsel  against  you,  and  hath  con-  zarrex  Babylonis  consihum,  et  cogi- 

ceived  a  purpose  against  you.  tavit  contra  vos  cogitationem. 

Jeremiah  continues  here  the  same  subject,  but  more  clearly 
expresses  what  he  had  said,  Flee,  he  says,  dei^art  far  away. 
What  follows  I  read  as  a  parenthesis.  Deep  have  they  made  to 
dwell,  the  i  ihabitants  of  Hazor.  Tlien  Jeremiah  proceeds  with 
his  subject,  because  consulted  against  you  has  Nebuchadnezzar, 
the  king  of  Babylon,  &c.  He  then  bids  them  to  flee  to  a 
distance,  because  Nebuchadnezzar  had  resolved  to  destroy 
them.  By  counsel  and  thought  or  purpose,  the  Prophet 
means  the  secret  means  by  which  he  subdued  tlie  people 
when  they  feared  no  such  thing.  As  then  these  shepherds 
lived  securely  on  their  mountains,  Nebuchadnezzar  prepared 
his  forces,  and  divided  them  ;  and  thus  were  these  taken  by 
his  counsel  and  craft  less  than  by  strength.  What  the  Pro- 
phet says  here  of  the  counsel  and  device  of  Nebuchadnezzar 
is  not  superfluous,  because  he  indirectly  touched  on  the  sloth 
of  that  nation,  who  exercised  no  vigilance  and  thought,  their 
desert  being  a  sufficient  cover  to  them.  As  then  they  thus 
lived  securely,   the  Prophet  here  reminds  them  that  they 


108  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.       LECT.  CLXXVII. 

would  have  to  do  witli  a  cunning  enemy,  who  would  contrive 
and  form  his  counsels  at  home,  and  then  would  execute  in 
due  time  what  he  had  long-  meditated. 

But  a  parenthesis  follows,  Deep  have  they  made  ;  to  make 
more  clear  the  sense,  an  adversative  particle  must  be  con- 
sidered as  understood,  Though  deep  have  they  made  to  dwell ; 
for  witliout  this  exception  the  prophecy  would  have  been  less 
credible.  For  Kedareans  were  on  every  side  fortified,  because 
no  one  envied  them,  as  they  Avere  not  only  frugal  men,  but 
also  barbarous  and  contented  with  an  austere  and  wretched 
living.  As  then  the}^  thought  themselves  thus  safe,  some 
one  might  have  raised  this  objection  and  said,  "  Why  dost 
thou  bid  them  to  flee  ?  wherefore  should  they  flee  ?  for  there 
is  no  one  so  foolish  as  to  attack  them.'"  So  also  the  Scythians 
laughed  at  Alexander  when  he  attacked  them.  ''  What  is 
your  object  ?  you  think  that  you  have  to  do  with  men  ; 
we  are  wild  beasts  :  and  then  if  you  seek  wealth  and  riches, 
you  will  not  find  them  with  us."  Such  then  was  the  state 
of  those  nations  mentioned  here.  When,  therefore,  the 
Prophet  bids  them  to  flee,  because  Nebuchadnezzar  would 
suddenh^  attack  them,  he  at  the  same  time  adds.  Though 
deep  have  they  made  to  dwell}  He  had  before  used  this  mode 
of  speaking  :  to  make  deep  to  dwell,  means  to  have  a  safe 
and  hidden  standing,  remote  from  all  danger.  Thoy  are  then 
said  to  be  deep  in  their  dwellings  who  dwell  in  fortified  cities, 
or  who  inhabit  deserts,  or  who  are  hid  in  some  poor  country, 
as  the  Kedareans  and  their  neighbours.  But  the  Prophet 
says,  that  this  would  not  prevent  the  Babylonians  from  in- 
vading their  land,  and  taking  possession  of  it.    It  follows, — 

31.  Arise,  get  you  up  unto  the  31.  Surgite,ascendite  contra  gen- 
wealthy  nation,  that  dwelleth  with-  tem  securam,  habitatorem  (eum  qui 
out  care,  saith  the  Lord,  which  have  habitat)  in  fidiicia,  dicit  Jehova  ; 
neither  gates  nor  bars,  lohkh  dwell  non  porta  nee  vectes  ei,  solus  ha- 
alone.  bitat. 

'  This  verb  is  deemed  by  most  to  be  in  the  imperative  mood,  like  the 
two  foregoing  verbs;  and  it  is  so  given  in  the  Sept.,  the  Vidg.,  and  the 
Targ.  In  the  Sx/r.  all  the  verbs  are  in  the  past  tense,  which  is  not  con- 
sistent with  the  context.     Blayneys  version  is, — 

Flee  ye,  move  of^'  apace, 

Retire  deep  for  to  dwell,  &c. 
The  meaning  is,  as  he  says,  that  they  should  go  into  deep  caverns  to  hide 
themselves  from  their  enemies.     See  Judges  vi.  2  ;  1  Sam.  xiii.  6. — Ed. 


CHAP.  XLIX.  31.        COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  109 

He  confirms  the  last  verse,  repeating  what  he  had  ah-eady 
said,  Arise,  ascend ;  but  he  adds,  against  a  quiet  nation. 
This  was  the  deej:)  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 
secure  nation.  The  word  V /^,  sheliu,  means  delicate,  as 
we  have  seen  elsewhere,  but  in  this  place  its  meaning  is 
secure.  For  though  there  might  be  no  joys  there,  it  is  yet 
said  to  be  a  secure  nation,  V/^  ^U,  gui  sheliu,  a  nation 
which  feared  nothing.  And  then  he  explains  himself,  a 
dweller  in  confidence,  one  without  fear  and  anxiety. 

And  he  gives  the  reason,  because  they  had  no  need  of  gates 
and  bars,  and  they  divelt  alone.  Some  interpreters  think 
that  the  pride  of  the  Kedareans  is  denoted,  because  they 
would  not  protect  themselves  in  the  usual  way,  and  regarded 
gates  and  bars  as  nothing.  But  the  Prophet's  meaning  is 
different,  that  as  they  were  barbarians  and  shepherds  and 
beyond  the  reach  of  envy,  they  thought  that  no  enemy 
would  ever  come  to  them.  For  what  are  the  causes  of  wars 
but  avarice  and  ambition  ?  and  who  would  wish  to  rule  over 
barbarous  nations  living  on  their  mountains  ?  and  then 
wealth  cannot  be  found  in  a  wild  uncultivated  country.  As 
then  the  Kedareans  were  such,  tlie  Prophet  says  that  they 
d2uelt  securely,  though  they  were  not  fortified  by  gates  and 
bars,  but  lived  alone.  He  then  says  that  they  lived  alone, 
not  because  they  thought  much  of  themselves  as  being  soli- 
tary, and  regarded  themselves  as  being  above  kings — for 
solitude  often  produces  pride  and  obstinacy  ;  but  the  mean- 
ing of  the  Prophet,  as  I  have  said,  is  quite  diflferent,  even 
because  the  Kedareans  thought  that  they  had  no  need  of 
friends  and  assistants,  because  they  depended  not  on  their 
neighbours  for  aid,  but  were  contented  with  their  own  deserts. 
And  at  the  same  time  they  did  not  think  that  any  enemy 
would  disturb  them,  as  there  was  no  cause  and  no  occasion. 

We  now  then  perceive  again  why  the  Prophet  says,  that 
they  made  deep  to  divell,  that  is,  that  they  had  their  dwell- 
ing deep,  even  because  poverty  and  the  absence  of  all  riches 
were  to  them  a  sort  of  safe  fortress  :  as  they  had  no  splen- 
dour and  no  dignity,  they  thought  themselves  exempt  from 


110  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.      LECT.  CLXXVIII. 

the  common  lot  of  other  men.  But  nevertheless  he  says 
that  the  Chaldeans  would  come  and  plunder  them  of  what 
they  had.     It  follows, — 

32.  And   their   camels   shall  be   a  32.  Et  erunt  cameli  eorum  in 

booty,  and    the    multitude    of    their  direptionem,    et    copia    pecorum 

cattle  a  spoil :  and  I  will  scatter  into  ipsorum   in   prsedam ;  et  disper- 

all   winds    them  that  are  in  the  ut-  gam  ens  ad  omnem  ventum,  extre- 

most  corners ;  and  I  will  brin;?  their  mos  anguli,  et  ab  omnibus  lateri- 

calamity  irom  all  sides  thereof,  saith  bus  ejus  adducam  perditionem  ip- 

the  Lord.  sorum,  dicit  Jehova. 

The  explanation  shall  be  given  to-morrow. 


PRAYER. 

Grant,  Almighty  God,  that  though  the  things  related  to  us  to-day 
from  thy  Prophets,  concerning  ancient  nations,  may  seem  as 
grown  out  of  use,  O  grant  that  we  may  however  be  seriously 
impressed  whenever  we  read  of  thy  judgments  as  executed  on 
any  paJ*  of  the  world,  so  that  we  may  learn  at  this  day  wholly 
to  submit  to  thee  and  flee  to  thy  mercy,  and  that  whatever  may 
happen  to  us,  we  may  never  doubt  but  that  thou  wilt  be  pro- 
pitious to  us,  if  we  seek  thee  with  a  sincere  heart,  and  with 
unfeigned  faith  in  Christ  Jesus,  our  Lord. — Amen. 


In  the  verse  we  read  yesterday,  Jeremiah  again  repeated 
that  the  Kedareans  would  be  so  plundered  by  their  enemies 
that  nothing  would  remain  for  them.  He  therefore  speaks 
again  of  camels  and  of  cattle  :  he  says  that  the  abundance 
of  cattle  and  tlie  camels  would  be  for  a  spoil  and  plunder. 
But  why  he  names  camels  and  cattle  rather  than  fields  and 
vineyards^  I  briefly  explained  yesterday.  For  when  a  fer- 
tile country  is  the  subject,  whether  abounding  in  corn  or  in 
vines,  the  Prophets  spoke  of  such  possessions  ;  but  when, 
as  now,  a  reference  is  made  to  a  country  abounding  in 
cattle  and  also  mountainous,  the  Prophet  speaks  only  of 
camels  and  of  cattle  ;  for  the  mode  of  living  in  that  nation, 
as  it  has  been  stated,  was  austere  and  hard,  and  almost 
below  the  condition  of  man.  When  food  for  their  cattle 
failed  them,  they  went  elsewhere,  and  carried  in  their  wag- 
gons all  their  furniture. 


CHAP.  XLIX.  82.        COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  Ill 

It  now  follows,  1  will  disperse  them  to  every  wind.  Here 
Jeremiah  predicts  tlie  scattering  of  that  nation.  It  some- 
times 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  that  there  would  be  no  ordinary  exile,  for  the  words 
are  emphatical,  /  will  scatter  them  to  every  luind.  There  is 
here  an  implied  contrast  between  that  people  and  chaff;  for  as 
the  chaff  is  carried  away  in  all  directions  by  blasts  of  wind, 
so  would  be,  as  Jeremiah  shews,  the  scattering  of  that 
people.  And  he  mentions  also  the  utmost  corners  n5<3  ''^*l!!^p» 
kotsutsi  pae.  Jerome  usually  renders  the  words,  "  shorn  of 
hair,''  but  very  improperly ;  for  there  is  no  reason  why  the 
other  people  mentioned  before  should  be  thus  called  ;  for 
in  chap.  vii.  and  xxv.  Jeremiah  did  not  speak  of  the  Kedar- 
eans,  and  yet  he  called  many  nations  HXS  ''^l^p  kotsutsi  2-cte. 
The  verb  V)^p  kotsets,  whence  this  word  comes,  means  to 
cut  off;  and  i\^^  pae,  signifies  the  extremity  of  anything.^ 
This  phrase  then  is  the  same  as  though  he  mentioned  those 
bordered  by  an  extremity  or  a  corner.  And  this  is  most 
suitable  to  this  passage  ;  for  it  was  not  probable  that  they 
who  dwelt  in  recesses  should  be  thus  scattered.  When  any 
wealthy  country  is  plundered  by  enemies,  they  flee  here  and 
there  in  all  directions ;  for  instance,  were  a  part  of  Italy 
laid  waste,  they  would  flee  to  those  parts  wdio  could  receive 
fugitives  ;  but  when  a  nation  dwells  in  an  extreme  corner, 
where  could  it  betake  itself,  when  routed  by  enemies  ?  The 
Prophet  therefore  enhances  the  misery  of  exile  when  he  says, 
that  people  at  the  extremities  would  become  fugitives,  so  as 
to  be  scattered  through  all  parts  of  the  world. 

He  adds,  and  from  all  its  sides  will  I  bring  their  destruc- 
tion. He  confirms  the  same  thing ;  for  when  an  evil  enters 
on  one  side,  neighbours  may  assist ;  but  when  calamity 
urges  on  every  side,  miserable  men  must  then  of  necessity  be 
scattered  ;  and  they  must  seek  some  distant  exile,  as  there 
is  no  part  that  can  shew  them  hospitality.  All  this  then 
refers  to  their  scattering.     It  afterwards  follows, — 

'  See  vol.  i.  p.  506.— ^c?. 


112  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.      LECT.  CLXXVIII. 

33.  And  Hazor  shall  be  a  dwell-  33.  Et  erit  Hazor  in  liabitationem 
ing  for  dragons,  and  a  desolation  draconum,  vastitas  usqne  in  perpe- 
for  ever  :  there  shall  no  man  abide  tuum  (in  seculum  ;)  non  habitabit 
there,  nor  any  son  of  man  dwell  in  illic  vir,  et  non  manebit  illic  {aut, 
it.  peregrinabitur  in  ea)  tilius  hominis. 

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 
liabitation  of  dragons.  And  this  is  more  grievous  than 
when  the  land  remains  empty ;  for  when  dragons  succeed 
men,  it  is  a  dreadful  thing.  Hence,  that  God's  judgment 
might  produce  more  impression  on  men's  feelings,  the  Pro- 
phets often  declare  that  a  deserted  place  would  become  tlie 
dwelling  of  dragons.  He  adds  what  imports  the  same  thing, 
A  waste  shall  it  he  for  an  age  :  but  CD/ll?,  oidani,  means 
perpetuity.  And  it  is  added.  Not  dwell  there  shall  a  man, 
nor  live  there  shall  a  son  of  man.  There  seems  indeed  to 
be  a  superfluity  of  words,  for  it  would  have  been  sufficient 
in  one  sentence  to  say,  that  the  land  would  be  deserted  and 
not  inhabited.  But  he  first  assigns  it  to  dragons  :  then  he 
adds  that  it  would  be  a  waste  or  solitude ;  and  lastly,  he 
says  that  no  one  would  dwell  there,  and  not  only  so,  but 
having  mentioned  man,  he  adds  the  son  of  man.  Some  in- 
deed think  that  by  man  the  nobles  are  referred  to,  and  that 
by  the  son  of  man,  or  Adam,  we  are  to  understand  the  com- 
mon people,  the  multitude.  But  as  we  have  said  elsewhere, 
this  is  too  refined.  It  is  a  repetition  which  increases  the 
efl'ect,  though  in  the  second  clause  he  speaks  more  generally 
and  expresses  the  thing  more  clearly,  as  though  lie  had  said, 
that  no  one  of  the  human  race  would  become  an  inhabitant 
of  that  land.-"-      It  now  follows, — 

34.  The  word  of  the  Lord  that  34.  Qui  fuit  sermo  Jehovje  ad 
came  to  Jeremiah  the  prophet  against  Jeremiam,  prophetam,  contra  Pjlani, 
Elfim,  in  the  beginning  of  the  reign  principio  rcgni  Zedccliia;,  regis  Je- 
of  Zedekiah  king  of  Judah,  saying,  hudah,  dicendo, 

35.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  35.  8ic  dicit  Jehova  exercituum. 

'  The  difference  in  the  two  clauses  is  properly  distinguished  by  Blayncy, 
in  his  version, — 

'I'here  shall  not  a  man  dwell  there, 

Nor  shall  a  son  of  man  sojourn  therein. — Ed. 


CHAP.  XLIX.  34-,  35.       COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  113 

Behold,  I   Tvill   break   the   bow   of    Ecce  ego  frango  arcum  Elam,  prin- 
Elam,  the  chief  of  their  might.  cipium  fortitudinis  ipsorum. 

Bj  Elam  some  interpreters  understand  Persia,  and  it  is 
the  most  common  opinion.  I  however  think  that  the  Elam- 
ites  were  not  the  same  with  the  Persians  ;  I  should  rather 
say  that  thej  were  the  Parthians,  were  it  not  that  Luke,  in 
Acts  ii.  9,  makes  them  a  distinct  people  from  the  Parthians. 
At  the  same  time  it  is  not  right,  as  it  seems  to  me,  to 
regard  the  Persians  as  generally  designated  by  Elam  ;  for 
the  Persians  w^ere  remote  from  the  Jews,  and  the  Jews  never 
received  any  injury  from  that  people.  There  was  therefore 
no  reason  why  the  Prophet  should  denounce  punishment  on 
them.  The  country  of  Elymais  was  known  as  bordering  on 
the  Modes,  and  contiguous  to  the  Persians.  But  that  people 
must  have  joined  the  Assyrians  and  Chaldeans  against  the 
Jews.  As  then  the  Babylonians  had  them  as  auxiliaries, 
it  was  God's  purpose  to  avenge  the  injury  done  to  his  people. 
Besides,  Pliny  also  speaks  of  Elamites  as  being  contiguous 
to  the  Nabatheans  ;  but  they  were  occupying,  as  it  were, 
the  middle  place  between  Persia  and  Judea.  They  w^ere 
indeed,  as  he  shews  elsewhere,  a  maritime  people  ;  for  he 
speaks  often  of  Elymais,  but  names  the  Elamites  only  once. 
However  this  may  have  been,  they  were  orientals  as  the 
Persians  were,  but  not  so  far  from  Judea  ;  and  as  they  were, 
at  it  has  been  said,  near  the  Medes,  the  probability  is  that 
they  joined  themselves  with  the  enemies  of  the  Church, 
when  Nebuchadnezzar  drew  with  him  the  vast  forces  which 
he  had  everywhere  gathered,  that  he  might  extend  his  do- 
minion far  and  wide  ;  for  w^e  shall  see  in  what  follows  that 
God  was  grievously  displeased  with  the  Elamites.^  We 
hence  conclude  that  they  were  very  hostile  to  the  chosen 
people,  whose  cause  God  here  undertakes. 

This  much  as  to  the  name :  when,  therefore,  Jeremiah 
speaks  here  of  the  Elamites,  let  us  know  that  a  particular 
nation  is  referred  to,  and  one  distinct  from  the  Persians,  and 

*  They  were  the  descendants  of  Elam  the  son  of  Shem,  Gen.  x.  22. 
They  were  a  powerful  kingdom  in  the  days  of  Abram,  Gen.  xiv.  1.    Isaiah 
speaks' of  them  as  hostile  to  the  people  of  Israel,  Isaiah  xxii.  6.     Shushan 
is  said  to  have  been  in  the  province  of  Elam,  Dan.  viii.  2. — Ed. 
VOL.  V.  H 


114  COiMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.       LECT.  CLXXVIII. 

then  that  this  nation  assisted  the  Chaldeans  in  oppressing 
the  Jews.  Let  us  now  see  wliat  the  Prophet  declares  re- 
specting them. 

He  says,  first,  that  this  word  came  to  him  in  the  beginning 
of  the  reign  of  Zedekiah.  Nebuchadnezzar,  then,  greatly 
harassed  the  Jews,  w^hile  yet  they  remained  in  their  ob- 
stinacy ;  and  it  is  probable  that  the  Elamites  formed  a  part 
of  the  Chaldean  army.  When,  therefore,  the  Jews  considered 
how  various  were  their  enemies,  and  wlien  they  did  not  ex- 
pect that  they  would  ever  be  punished,  it  was  a  trial  that 
must  have  greatly  distressed  the  minds  of  the  godly.  What 
Jeremiah  then  declared,  no  one  could  have  thought  of,  that 
is,  that  the  Elamites  would  not  escape  unpunisJied,  because 
they  so  furiously  attacked  the  chosen  people  under  the 
banner  of  King  Nebuchadnezzar.  This,  then,  was  the  reason 
why  the  Propliet  specified  the  time :  this  wordj  then,  came 
in  the  beginning  of  the  i^eign  of  Zedekiah. 

Then  God,  in  the  first  place,  dechires  tliat  lie  would  break 
the  bow  of  Elani.  The  Parthians  and  other  Orientals,  we 
know,  were  very  skilful  arcliers ;  for  every  nation  possesses 
its  own  peculiar  excellency  in  connexion  with  war.  Some 
excel  in  the  use  of  one  kind  of  weapons,  and  others  in  the 
use  of  another  kind.  Formerly  light  infantry  were  in  high 
repute  among  the  Italians ;  the  Gauls  excelled  in  mailed 
horsemen.  Though,  now,  all  things  are  changed,  yet  still 
every  nation  differs  as  to  its  peculiar  art  in  war.  Now 
historians  testify  that  the  Orientals  were  very  skilful  in  the 
use  of  the  bow  and  arrow.  It  is,  then,  no  wonder  that  the 
Prophet  speaks  of  the  boiv  of  this  people,  and  calls  it  the 
chief  part  of  their  strength,  as  they  excelled  in  this  sort  of 
fighting.  The  Parthians  were  indeed  much  dreaded  by  the 
Romans  ;  they  pretended  to  flee,  and  then  the}^  turned  back 
and  made  an  impetuous  attack  on  their  enemies.  They  had 
also  arrows  dipped  in  poison.  By  these  means  they  con- 
quered large  armies.  For  the  Romans  laid  by  their  darts 
and  fought  hand  in  hand,  and  carried  on  a  standing  fight,  so 
to  speak  ;  but  when  tlie  Parthians  kept  discharging  their 
arrows,  they  almost  always  fought  unsuccessfully  witli  them. 
I  refer  to  this,  that  we  may  know  that  the  bow  was  not  witli- 


CHAP.  XLIX.  36.       COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  115 

out  reason  called  the  chief  of  their  might,  for  it  was  bj  it 
that  they  were  superior  to  other  nations,  though  they  could 
not  fight  hand  in  hand  nor  with  drawn  swords.  It  after- 
wards follows — 

36.   And  upon  Elam  will  I  36.  Et  adducam  contra  Elam  quatuor 

bring  the  four  winds  from  the  ventos  a  quatuor  finibus  ecelorum,  et  dis- 

four  quarters  of  heaven,  and  pergam   eos  ad  omnes  ventos  istos  ;    et 

will  scatter  them    toward    all  non  erit  gens  ad  quem  non  veniat  quis- 

those  winds ;  and  there  shall  piam  profugus  (est  mutatio  numeri,  sed 

be  no  nation  Avhither  the  out-  qtice  sensum  non  obscurat,  quispiam  ex  iis 

casts  of  Elam  shall  not  come.  qui  expiilsi  fuerint)  ab  Elam. 

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  Scripture  extols  the  power  of  God,  it  does 
not  without  reason  refer  to  the  winds ;  for  it  is  not  a  small 
miracle  when  the  whole  world  is  on  a  sudden  put  in  motion. 
It  is  now  tranquil,  and  then  in  half  an  hour  the  winds  rise 
and  conflict  together  in  mid  air.  And  God  alludes  to  what 
is  usual  in  nature  :  as  then  he  suddenly  rouses  up  winds 
which  make,  as  it  were,  the  whole  world  to  shake  and 
tremble ;  so  he  says  he  would  raise  up  winds  from  the  four 
ends  of  the  world.  But  he  speaks  metaphorically  ;  by  winds 
he  understands  enemies,  who  would  on  all  sides  unite  their 
powers  to  oppress  the  Elamites.  /  will  bring,  he  says,  on 
Elam  the  four  luinds  from  the  four  quar^ters  of  the  world. 
By  the  last  words  he  expresses  more  clearly  what  I  have 
just  said,  that  God  alludes  to  that  formidable  power  which 
is  daily  presented  to  our  eyes  in  nature.  As,  then,  a  sudden 
change  disturbs  the  whole  earth  when  winds  arise,  so  God 
declares  that  he  would  rouse  up  four  winds  from  the  four 
quarters  of  the  heavens.  And  he  calls  them  the  quarters  of 
the  heavens  ;  for  though  the  winds  arise  from  the  earth,  yet 
their  blowing  is  not  perceived  until  they  ascend  into  mid  air: 
and  though  sometimes  they  seem  to  be  formed  above  the 
clouds,  they  yet  arise  from  the  earth ;  for  the  origin  of  the 
wind  is  cold  and  dry  exhalation. 

We  now  understand  the  reason  why  the  Prophet  speaks 


116  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.        LECT.  CLXXVIII. 

of  the  winds.  There  is  yet  no  doubt  but  that  he  denotes 
some  enemies  bj  the  four  winds ;  but  this  prophecy  was  not 
fulfilled  as  long  as  the  Persian  monarchy  ruled  and  flourished. 
It  is,  then,  probable  that  the  destruction  denounced  by  the 
Prophet  took  place  many  ages  after,  even  when  the  soldiers 
of  Alexander  contended  about  the  supremacy  ;  for  we  know 
how  grievously  distressed  were  all  the  Orientals  when  Alex- 
ander made  an  irruption  into  those  countries.  It  was,  in- 
deed, a  horrible  tempest.  But  as  he  enjoyed  the  empire  of 
the  east  but  for  a  short  time,  what  is  said  by  the  Prophet 
liere  was  not  then  fulfilled.  But  those  countries  were  after- 
w^ards  so  miserable,  torn  by  intestine  w^ars,  that  the  Prophet 
does  not  witliout  reason  compare  those  contrary  and  opposite 
movements  to  four  winds  ;  for  never  has  there  been  a  fiercer 
emulation  between  enemies,  and  each  of  them  had  strong 
armies.  Hence,  then,  it  was,  that  that  land  was  not  oppressed 
by  one  enemy,  but  exposed  to  various  and  almost  innumer- 
able calamities.  This  is  the  reason  that  leads  me  to  inter- 
pret this  prophecy  as  fulfilled  in  the  calamities  which  fol- 
lowed the  death  of  Alexander  the  Great. 

/  will  scatter  tliem^  he  says,  to  these  four  winds  ;  that  is, 
as  one  wind  breaks  out  at  one  time,  and  another  at  another 
time,  so  the  Elamites  shall  flee  here  and  there.  For  no  one 
ruled  long  peaceably  in  the  East,  till  almost  all  the  soldiers 
of  Alexander  were  consumed  by  mutual  slaughters.  Then 
Seleucus  obtained  Syria,  and  exercised  the  cruellest  tyranny. 
But,  as  I  have  said,  before  Seleucus  obtained  peace  and  secu- 
rity, tlie  whole  of  that  part  of  the  world  had  been  inundated 
with  blood.  This  is  the  reason  why  the  Prophet  says  that 
the  Elamites  would  be  scattered  to  these  four  winds. 

The  end  of  the  verse  remains  :  and  there  shall  he  no  nation 
to  which  some  of  tJie  fugitives  from  Flam  shall  not  come.  We 
cannot,  certainly,  shew  from  histories  when  this  was  fulfilled 
which  the  Prophet  now  says  ;  but  it  is  probable  that  that 
people  were  scattered  at  the  time  when  the  chiefs  contended 
about  the  supremacy,  that  is,  tliose  who  obtained  power 
under  Alexander.  At  the  same  time  there  would  be  nothing 
unreasonable  were  we  to  say  that  the  Prophet  spoke  hyper- 
bolically  ;  and  no  doubt  he  exceeds  due  limits  when  he  says 


CHAP.  XLIX  37.       COMMEJSTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  117 

"There  shall  be  no  nation  to  which  some  of  the  fugitives 
from  Ehim  shall  not  cojne.""  He  indeed  understands  all  the 
neighbouring  nations.  But  it  may  also  have  been  that  they 
did  not  flee  to  the  Asiatics,  but  rather  departed  towards  the 
Persian  sea  or  to  the  Indies.  We  have  already  stated  why  the 
servants  of  God  sometimes  introduced  hyperbolical  expres- 
sions into  their  teaching,  even  because  they  had  to  do  with 
men  who  were  slow  and  stupid,  who  would  not  hear  God 
when   speaking  in  a  simple  manner,  and  could  hardly  be 

moved  when  he  thundered.      It  now  follows — 

37.  For  I  wiU  cause  Elam  to  be  37.  EtexpavefaciamElam  coram 

dismayed  before  their  enemies,  and  hostibus  ipsorum,  et  coram  his  qui 

before  them  that  seek  their  hfe  ;  and  quserunt  animam  ipsorum  :  et  ad- 

I  wiU  bring  evil  upon  them,  even  my  ducam  super  eos  malum  excande- 

fierce  anger,  saith  the  Lord ;  and  I  scentise  irse  me?e,  dicit  Jehova ;  et 

will  send  the  sword  after  them,  till  I  emittam  post  eos  gladium  usque 

have  consumed  them.  dum  consumpsero  ipsos. 

This  verse  especially  sliews  that  the  Elamites  Avere  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  least  had  been  in  no  ordinaiy  w^ay  cruel,  delighting  in 
slaughters.  Hence  he  says,  /  will  dismay,  or  affright,  &c. 
The  verb  nnn,  chetat,  means  to  tear  in  pieces,  or  to  break  ; 
it  may  therefore  be  rendered,  "  I  will  break.''  They  who 
render  it  "  I  will  lay  prostrate,"  do  not  seem  to  know  the  dif- 
ference between  consternere,  to  lay  prostrate,  and  conster- 
nare,  to  dismay.  But  the  most  suitable  meaning  is,  that 
God  would  terrify  the  Elamites,  for  he  had  spoken  before  of 
their  flight  and  exile. 

He  then  mentions  the  cause  of  their  dread,  even  because 
God  would  dismav  them  and  frio^hten  them  before  their  ene- 
mies,  so  that  they  would  not  be  able  to  stand  before  them. 
By  these  words  he  intimates,  that  however  warlike  the  Ela- 
mites were,  they  yet  would  not  stand  their  ground  when 
it  seemed  good  to  God  to  render  to  them  their  reward,  for 
in  his  hand  are  the  hearts  of  men.  Though,  then,  the  Ela- 
mites were  brave,  yet  the  Prophet  declares  that  they  would 
be  so  faint-hearted  at  the  sight  of  enemies,  as  immediately  to 
flee  away,  even  because  God  would  terrify  them. 


118  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.       LECT.  CLXXVIIT. 

He  afterwards  adds,  /  will  send  the  sword  after  them.  He 
means  bj  this  clause  that  he  would  not  be  content  with  ter- 
rifying them,  but  that  when  they  began  to  flee,  lie  would 
take  them,  because  he  would  follow  them,  that  is,  urge  on 
their  enemies.  And  it  ought  ever  to  be  observed,  that  what 
proceeds  from  men  is  ascribed  to  God,  because  men,  however 
little  tliey  may  think  of  it,  yet  execute  his  purpose,  and  are 
not  only  the  proclaimers  of  his  wratli,  but  also  the  instru- 
ments of  it. 

But  he  mentions  the  evil  of  the  indignation  of  his  wrath} 
This  mode  of  speaking  seems  indeed  harsh  ;  but  we  have 
elsewhere  stated,  that  the  Prophets  did  not  without  reason 
join  together  these  words,  which  appear  somewhat  harsh. 
Now  wrath  does  not  in  a  strict  sense  belong  to  God,  for  no 
feelings  of  tliis  kind  appertain  to  him.  But  when  heat  of 
wrath  or  indignation  is  mentioned,  it  doubles  its  vehemence 
in  order  to  shake  oif  the  torpor  of  men,  wdio  would  otherwise, 
as  I  lately  said,  be  wholly  insensible  and  indifferent.  In 
short,  by  indignation  the  Prophet  means  no  other  thing  than 
that  vengeance  is  dreadful,  and  ought  to  astonish  all  mortals, 
so  that  they  ought  to  fall  down  immediately  as  it  were  life- 
less, as  soon  as  they  hear  that  God  is  displeased  with  them. 
In  the  meantime  he  shews  what  I  have  stated,  that  God  was 
grievously  offended  with  that  people  whom  he  threatens  with 
extreme  punishment,  for  he  says,  until  I  shall  have  consumed 
them.  We  see  what  I  have  said,  that  this  people  were  not 
slightly  chastised,  according  to  what  has  been  mentioned  of 
others  :  it  hence  follows  that  their  wickedness  had  been  very 
atrocious.  The  two  clauses  seem  however  to  be  inconsistent, 
— that  God  would  scatter  the  Elamites  through  all  nations, — 
and  that  he  would  consume  them,  for  dispersion  and  con- 
sumption widely  differ.  But  consumption  refers  to  the  body 
of  the  nation  or  to  its  name,  as  though  he  had  said,  that  no 
Elamites  would  survive,  because  they  would  be  merged  in 
other  nations,  and  disappear  like  chaff.     It  follows — 

'  "  The  indignation  of  his  \^Tath"  is  in  apposition  with  *•  evil."  So  tlie 
Vulg.^  the  Syr.,  and  the  Targ. 

And  I  will  bring  on  tliem  evil, 

The  burning  of  my  wrath,  saith  Jehovah. 
The  evil  was  the  eftect  of  God's  high  displeasure. — Ed. 


CHAP.XLIX.38,39.       COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  119 

38.  And  I  will  set  my  throne  in  Rlam,  38.  Et  statuam  solium  meum  in 
and  will  destroy  from  thence  the  king  Elam  ;  et  perdam  illinc  regem  et 
and  the  princes,  saith  the  Lord.  principes,  dicit  Jehova. 

He  confirms  what  I  have  just  referred  to  as  to  their  con- 
sumption ;  but  he  at  the  same  time  adds,  that  God  would 
be  in  such  a  wav  the  aveno-er  as  thouo-h  his  tribunal  wns 
erected  in  that  land.  He  threatens  that  he  would  destroy 
the  king  and  the  princes  ;  and  this,  as  I  have  explained,  was 
the  consumj^tion  ;  for  though  some  individuals  would  remain 
alive,  yet  the  name  of  the  people  would  not  survive,  the 
whole  race  as  such  would  become  extinct. 

But  these  words  ouo-ht  to  be  noticed — that  God  would 
erect  his  throne.  God  is  said  to  erect  his  throne  when  he 
rules  ;  but  his  kingdom  is  not  to  be  taken  always  in  a  good 
sense.  God  is  properly  said  to  rule  or  reign  among  the 
faithful,  whom  he  governs  by  his  Spirit.  So  God's  kingdom 
begins  and  has  its  origin  when  regeneration  takes  place. 
But  sometimes,  as  I  have  already  said,  God  is  said  to  reign 
in  the  midst  of  his  enemies,  as  we  have  seen  respecting  the 
Egyptians.  He  then  erected  his  throne  when  he  executed 
his  recorded  judgment  on  the  Elamites,  for  though  the  Ela- 
mites  were  blind,  yet  God's  power  was  made  really  evident, 
and  by  the  effect  he  proved  that  he  w^ns  the  King  of  that 
peoj)le  whose  wickedness  he  punished  with  so  much  severity. 
In  short,  as  God  is  said  to  be  silent,  to  sleej),  or  to  lie  down, 
when  he  does  not  execute  his  vengeance ;  so  in  this  place 
he  is  said  to  erect  his  throne  when  he  discharges  the  office 
of  a  Judge.     It  follows — 

39.  But  it  shall  come  to  pass  in  39.  Et  erit  in  posteritate  dierum 
the  latter  days,  that  I  will  bring  again  {hoc  est,  diebiis  sequentibus,  vcl  suc- 
the  captivity  of  Elam,  saith  the  cessu  dierum)  convertam  {vel,  redu- 
Lord.  cam)  captivitatemElam,dicit  Jehova. 

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  honour. 
He  says  not  in  the  end  of  days,  but  after  many  days,  It  shall 
he  in  course  of  time  that  I  will  restore  the  caj^tivity  of  Elam. 
If  it  be  asked  when  this  was  fulfilled,  doubtless  there  has 
not  been  a  restoration  of  that  nation  recorded  in  history. 
But  the  Prophet  no  doubt  gives  here  a  hope  to  the  Elamites, 


1 20  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  lECT.  CLXXIX. 

wliicli  he  gcave  before  to  other  nations,  even  that  they  should 
be  united  again  under  Christ  as  their  head.     Though  then 
the  Elamites  were   not   afterwards  known,   yet  they  have 
found  out  that  this  was  not  said  in  vain  ;  nor  does  the  Holy 
Spirit  without  reason  mention  them  by  the  mouth  of  Luke 
among  others  who  were  converted  to  Christ.     (Acts  ii.  9.) 
For  though  the  Elamites  were  almost  unknown,  yet  he  con- 
nects them  with  the  Modes  and  Parthians,   "  Parthians  and 
Modes  and  Elamites.''     This  then  was  the  time  of  which 
Jeremiah  had  prophesied,  when  he  said  that  the  Elamites 
would  again  be  gathered  together,  that  they  might  not  be 
perpetually  captives.     And  though  they  might  not  have  then 
returned  into  their  own  country,  yet  it  w^as  a  condition  far 
better  and  more  desirable  when  they  obtained  a  name  and 
a  place  in  the  Church  than  if  they  had  enjoyed  every  other 
blessino-  in  the  world.     And  we  know  that  it  is  said  of  Christ, 
that  God  would  gather  under  his  hand  all  things  scattered 
both  in  heaven  and  earth.    (Col.  i.  20.)     A  part  of  this  scat- 
tering  was  God's  vengeance  on  the  Elamites.      Gathered 
then  have  been  Elamites  with  others ;  and  thus  God  at  that 
time  stretched  forth  in  a  manner  his  hand  to  them  through 
Christ  the  Mediator,  and  opened  to  them  the  door  of  hope 
as  to  eternal  life. 

PRAYER. 

Grant,  Almighty  God,  that  as  thou  didst  favour  despairing  men 
Avith  some  consolation  when  justly  and  extremely  indignant  Avith 
them, — 0  grant  that  whenever  we  at  this  day  provoke  thy  wrath, 
we  may  at  the  same  time  taste  of  thy  paternal  mercy,  and  learn 
to  flee  to  thee,  and  to  put  our  hope  in  thine  only-begotten  Son, 
so  that  we  may  never  despond,  but  ever  look  forward  to  that 
gathering,  Avhose  beginning  is  now  seen,  and  whose  final  and 
complete  accomplishment  awaits  us  in  heaven,  through  the  same 
Christ  our  Lord. — Amen. 

CHAPTER  L. 
ILtcUnt  (3nt  ©unUrcU  ant>  Sc\3enti>=m'ttt!j. 

1.  The  word  that  the  Lord  spake  1.   Sermo  quern  loquutus  est  Je- 

against  Babylon,   and  against  the  hova  super  Babyloiie,  super  terra 

land  of  the  Chaldeans,  by  Jeremiah  Chaldreorum,  in  nianu  Jeremia)  pro- 

the  prophet.  phetie. 


CHAP.  L.  1.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  121 

Our  Propliet  has  been  liitherto  speaking  of  nciglibouring 
nations  who  had  cruelly  harassed  the  chosen  people ;  and  it 
was  some  consolation  when  the  children  of  Abraham  under- 
stood that  God  undertook  their  cause  and  would  be  the 
avenger  of  those  wrongs  which  they  had  suffered.  But  this 
of  itself  would  have  been  no  great  consolation,  yea,  it  might 
have  been  viewed  as  nothing  by  many,  while  there  was  no 
hope  of  restoration ;  for  it  would  have  been  but  a  small 
consolation  to  have  others  as  associates  in  misery.  If,  in- 
deed, Jeremiah  had  only  taught  that  none  of  the  nations 
who  had  troubled  God's  Church  would  escape  unpunished, 
the  Jews  might  have  raised  an  objection,  and  said,  that 
they  were  not  freed  from  their  own  calamities,  because  the 
monarchy  of  Babylon  still  flourished,  and  that  they  were 
buried  as  it  were  in  a  perpetual  grave.  It  was  therefore 
necessary  that  what  we  read  here  should  be  predicted.  And 
though  this  prophecy  is  given  last,  we  ought  to  notice  that 
the  Prophet  had  from  tlie  beginning  expressly  spoken,  as  we 
have  seen,  of  the  calamity  and  destruction  of  Babylon.  But 
this  prophecy  is  given  as  the  conclusion  of  the  book,  to  miti- 
gate the  sorrow  of  the  miserable  exiles ;  for  it  was  no  small 
relief  to  them  to  hear  that  the  tyranny  by  which  they  were 
oppressed,  and  under  which  they  did  live  as  it  were  a  life- 
less life,  would  not  be  perpetual  We  now  then  understand 
why  the  Propliet  spoke  of  the  Babylonians  and  of  their 
destruction. 

But  a  longer  preface  would  be  superfluous,  because  those 
acquainted  with  Scripture  well  know  that  the  Jews  were  at 
length  so  reduced  by  the  Babylonians  that  their  very  name 
seemed  to  have  been  obliterated.  As  then  they  were  reduced 
to  such  extremities,  it  is  no  wonder  that  the  Prophet  here 
affirms  that  the  Babylonians  would  be  at  length  punished, 
and  that  not  only  that  God  might  shew  himself  to  be  the 
avenger  of  wickedness,  but  also  that  the  miserable  exiles 
might  know  that  they  were  not  wholly  repudiated,  but  on 
the  contrary  that  God  had  a  care  for  their  salvation.  We 
now  perceive  the  design  of  this  prophecy. 

The  word  of  J ehovah,  he  says,  which  he  spoke  concerning 
Babylon^  concerning  the  land  of  the  Chaldeans,  by  the  hand  of 


122  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXXIX. 

Jeremiah  the  Prophet  He  testifies  in  his  usual  manner  that 
he  did  not  bring  forward  vvliat  he  himself  liad  invented,  but 
that  God  was  the  author  of  tliis  prophecy.  He  at  the  same 
time  declares  that  he  was  God's  minister ;  for  God  did  not 
descend  from  heaven  whenever  it  pleased  him  to  reveal  his 
favour  to  tlie  Jews,  but,  as  it  is  said  in  Deuteronomy,  he  was 
wont  to  speak  by  his  servants.  (Deut.  xviii.  18.)  In  short, 
Jeremiah  thus  recommends  the  things  he  was  about  to  say, 
that  the  Jews  might  reverently  receive  them,  not  as  the  fic- 
tions of  men,  but  as  oracles  from  heaven.     It  follows — 

2.  Declare  ye  among  the  nations,  2.  Nuntiate  in  gentibus,  audire  fa- 
and  publish,  and  set  up  a  standard  ;  cite  (Jioc  est,  promulgate,)  et  tollite 
publish,  and  conceal  not :  say,  Baby-  signum,  promulgate,  ne  taceatis  (ad 
Ion  is  taken,  Bel  is  confounded,  Me-  vcrbum,  ne  occultetis,)  dicite,  Capta 
rodach  is  broken  in  pieces ;  her  idols  est  Babylon,  pudefactus  est  Bel,  con- 
are  confounded,  her  images  are  bro-  tritus  est  Merodach,  pudefacta  sunt 
ken  in  pieces.  simulachra  ejus,  contrita  sunt  idola 

ejus. 

He  predicts  the  ruin  of  Babylon,  not  in  simple  words,  for 
nothing  seemed  then  more  unreasonable  than  to  announce 
the  things  which  God  at  length  proved  by  the  effect.  As 
Babylon  was  then  the  metropolis  of  the  East,  no  one  could 
have  thought  that  it  would  ever  be  possessed  by  a  foreign 
power.  No  one  could  have  thought  of  the  Persians,  for  they 
were  far  off.  As  to  the  Medes,  who  were  nearer,  they  were, 
as  we  know,  sunk  in  their  own  luxuries,  and  were  deemed 
but  half  men.  As  then  tliere  was  so  much  effeminacy  in  the 
Medes,  and  as  the  Persians  were  so  far  off  and  inclosed  in 
their  own  mountains,  Babylon  peaceably  enjoyed  the  empire 
of  the  whole  eastern  world.  This,  then,  is  the  reason  why 
the  Prophet  expresses  at  large  what  he  might  have  set  forth 
in  a  very  few  woids. 

Tell,  he  say.s,  among  the  nations,  publish,  raise  up  a  sign, 
and  again,  j^uhlisJi.  To  what  purpose  is  such  a  heap  of 
words  ?  even  that  the  faithful  might  learn  to  raise  up  their 
thoughts  above  the  world,  and  to  look  for  that  which  was 
then,  according  to  the  judgment  of  all,  incredible.  This 
confidence  shews  that  Jeremiah  did  not,  in  vain,  foretell 
what  he  states  ;  but  he  thundered  as  it  were  from  heaA^en, 
knowing  whence  lie  derived  this  prophecy.      And  his  pro- 


CHAP.  L.  2.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  123 

clamation  was  tliis,  Babylon  is  taken,  Bel  is  confounded, 
and  Merodach  is  broken.  I  know  not  why  some  think  that 
Merodach  was  an  idol  :  for  as  to  Bel,  we  know  that  the 
Babj'lonians  trusted  in  that  god,  or  rather  in  that  figment. 
But  the  Prophet  mentions  here  evidently  the  name  of  a 
king  well  known  to  the  Jews,  in  order  to  shew  that  Baby- 
lon, with  all  its  defences  and  its  wealth,  was  already  de- 
voted to  destruction  :  for  we  know  that  men  look  partly  to 
some  god,  and  partly  to  human  or  temporal  means.  So  the 
Babylonians  boasted  that  they  were  under  the  protection  of 
Bel,  and  dared  proudly  to  set  up  this  idol  in  opposition  to 
the  only  true  God,  as  the  unbelieving  do  ;  and  then  in  the 
second  place,  tliey  were  inebriated  with  confidence  in  their 
own  power:  and  hypocrisy  ever  rules  in  the  unbelieving,  so 
that  they  arrogate  to  themselves  much  more  than  what  they 
ascribe  to  their  idols.  It  is  then  the  same  thing  as  though 
he  had  said,  that  Babylon  was  taken,  that  Bel  was  con- 
founded, and  that  the  kingdom  was  broken,  or  broken  in 
pieces."^ 

The  name  Merodach,  as  I  have  said,  was  well  known  among 
the  Jews,  and  mention  is  made  of  a  father  and  of  a  son  of 
this  name,  by  Isaiah  and  in  sacred  history.  (Is.  xxxix.  1  ; 
2  Kings  XX.  12.)  It  is  no  wonder,  then,  that  the  Prophet 
should  name  this  king,  though  dead,  on  account  of  the 
esteem  in  which  he  was  held,  as  we  have  seen  in  the  case  of 
the  kingdom  of  Syria,  he  mentioned  Ben-hadad,  though  no 
one  supposes  that  he  was  then  alive  ;  but  as  Ben-hadad  dis- 
tinguished himself  above  other  kings  of  Syria,  the  Prophet 
introduced  liis  name.  For  the  same  reason,  in  my  opinion, 
he  names  Merodach  here. 

'  Most  consider  that  "  Merodach"  here  was  a  false  god  ;  first  probably 
a  king,  afterwards  deified.  As  "  confounded,"  or  put  to  shame,  is  applied 
to  Bel,  the  other  verb  DH,  should  be  rendered  "  dismayed"  or  terrified,  a 
meaning  which  it  often  has, — 

Taken  is  Babylon, 

Confounded  is  Bel, 

Terrified  is  iNIerodach ; 

Confounded  are  her  images, 

Terrified  are  her  idols. 
The  word  for  "i.nages"  means  labour,  and  refers  to  the  labour  and  pains 
taken  by  those  who  made  them  ;  and  the  word  for  *'  idols"  means  a  trunk 
or  log  of  wood  from  which  they  were  made. — Ed, 


124  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXXIX. 

The  sum  of  the  whole  is,  tliat  though  Babylon  thought 
itself  safe  and  secure  through  the  help  of  its  idol,  and  also 
through  its  wealth  and  warlike  power,  and  through  other 
defences,  yet  its  confidence  would  become  vain  and  empty, 
for  God  would  bring  to  shame  its  idol  and  destroy  its  king. 
He  again  returned  to  the  idols,  and  not  without  reason  ;  for 
lie  thus  called  the  attention  of  his  own  nation  to  the  only 
true  God,  and  also  reminded  them  how  detestable  was  the 
idolatry  which  then  prevailed  among  the  Chaldeans.  And 
it  was  necessary  to  set  this  doctrine  before  the  Jews,  and 
to  impress  it  on  them,  that  they  might  not  abandon  them- 
selves to  the  superstitions  of  heathens,  as  it  happened.  But 
the  Prophet  designedly  spoke  of  images  and  idols,  that  the 
Jews  might  know  that  it  was  the  only  true  God  who  had 
adopted  them,  and  that  thus  they  might  acquiesce  in  his 
power,  and  know  that  those  were  only  vain  fictions  which 
were  much  made  of  through  the  whole  world  by  the  hea- 
thens and  unbelieving.     It  now  follows — 

3.   For  out   of  the  north   there         3.  Quoniam  ascendet  contra  earn 

cometli   up   a   nation   against   her,  gens  ab  aquilone,  qufc  ponet  terram 

Avhich  shall  make  her  land  desolate,  in  vastitatem,  et  (ut)  non  sit  habi- 

and  none  shall  dwell  therein :  they  tator  in   ea  ab   homine   usque   ad 

shall    remove,    they   shall    depart,  bestiam ;  fugerunt,  abierunt. 
both  mna  and  beast. 

Let  what  I  have  before  said  be  borne  in  mind,  that  the 
Prophet  makes  use  of  many  words  in  describing  the  ruin  of 
Babylon  ;  for  it  was  not  enough  to  predict  what  was  to  be  ; 
but  as  weak  minds  vacillated,  it  was  necessary  to  add  a  con- 
firmation. After  having  then  spoken  of  the  power  of  Baby- 
lon and  its  idols,  he  now  points  out  the  way  in  which  it  was 
to  be  destroyed — a  nation  would  come  from  the  north,  that 
is,  with  reference  to  Chaldea.  And  he  means  the  Modes 
and  Persians,  as  interpreters  commonly  think  ;  and  this  is 
probable,  because  he  afterwards  adds  that  the  Jews  would 
then  return.  As  then  Jeremiah  connects  these  two  things 
together,  the  destruction  of  Babylon  and  the  restora- 
tion of  God's  Church,  it  is  probable  that  he  refers  here  to 
the  Modes  and  Persians.  If,  at  the  same  time,  we  more 
narrowly  view  things,  there  is  no  doubt  but  that  this  pro- 


CHAP.  L.  3.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  125 

phecy  extends  further,  and  this  will  appear  more  evident  as 
we  proceed. 

He  simply  says  now  that  a  nation  would  come  from  the 
norths  which  would  turn  the  land  to  a  waste.  This  clause 
shews  that  this  prophecy  could  not  be  fitly  confined  to  the 
time  when  Babylon  was  taken  by  Cyrus  ;  for  we  know  that 
it  was  betrayed  by  two  Satraps  during  a  siege  ;  and  that  it 
was  at  a  time  when  a  feast  was  held,  as  though  there  was 
peace  and  security,  as  Daniel  testifies,  with  whom  heathen 
writers  agree.  Now  Xenophon  testifies  that  C3a'us  exer- 
cised great  forbearance  and  humanity,  and  that  he  used  his 
victory  w4th  such  moderation,  that  Bab^^lon  seemed  as 
though  it  had  not  been  taken.  It  had,  indeed,  changed 
masters,  but  such  was  the  change  that  the  citizens  readily 
submitted  to  it.  But  it  was  afterwards  more  hardly  dealt 
with,  when  Darius  recovered  it  by  the  aid  of  Zopyrus ;  for 
Babylon  had  revolted  from  the  Persians,  and  shook  off  the 
yoke.  Darius  having  in  vain  stormed  it,  at  length  recovered 
it  by  the  help  of  one  man  ;  for  Zopyrus,  having  cut  off  his 
nose,  and  mutilated  his  ears  and  his  face,  pretended,  in  this 
deformed  manner,  to  be  a  fugitive,  and  complained  of  the 
cruelty  and  barbarity  of  his  king,  with  whom  yet  he  was 
most  intimate.  The  city  was  soon  afterwards  taken  by 
treachery  in  the  night.  Then  about  four  thousand  of  the 
Persians  were  hung  in  the  middle  of  the  Forum,  nor  did 
Darius  spare  the  people.  The  Prophet  then  seems  to  in- 
clude this  second  destruction  when  he  predicted  that  the 
whole  land  would  be  made  desolate.  Nor  ought  this  to  be 
deemed  unreasonable,  for  the  Prophets  so  spoke  of  God's 
judgments,  that  they  extended  what  they  said  further  than 
to  the  commencement,  as  was  the  case  in  the  present 
instance. 

When,  therefore,  Babylon  was  taken  by  the  Persians,  it 
received  the  yoke  ;  and  she  which  ruled  over  all  other  na- 
tions, w^as  reduced  to  a  state  of  servitude.  For  the  Per- 
sians, as  it  is  well  known,  were  very  inhuman,  and  Isaiah 
describes  them  so  at  large.  In  the  meantime,  the  city,  as 
I  have  said,  retained  its  external  appearance.  The  citizens 
were  robbed  of  their  gold  and  silver,  and  of  their  precious 


126  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEKEMIAH.  LECT.  CLXXIX. 

things,  and  were  under  the  necessity  of  serving  strangers: 
this  was  bitter  to  them.  But  when  Darius  punished  their 
periidy  and  hung  so  many  of  the  chief  men,  about  four 
thousand,  and  also  shed  indiscriminately  the  blood  of  the 
people,  and  subjected  the  city  itself  to  the  plunder  of  his 
soldiers,  then  doubtless  what  the  Prophet  says  here  was 
more  fully  accomplished.  It  was  yet  God's  purpose  to  give 
only  a  prelude  of  his  vengeance,  wlien  lie  made  the  Baby- 
lonians subject  to  the  Modes  and  Persians.     It  now  follows — 

4.    In   those   days,   and  in   that         4.    Diebus   illis   et   tempore   illo 

time,  saith  the  Lord,  the  children  of  {sedT\)i  proprie  sigmficatcondictmn 

Israel   shall    come,    they   and    the  aut  prcejixum  tempiis,)  dicit  Jehova, 

children  of  Judah  together,  going  venient  tilii  Israel  ipsi,  et  filii  Jehu- 

and   weeping :    they  shall   go,  and  dah  simul,  eundo  et  flendo  venient, 

seek  the  Lord  their  God.  et  Jehovam  Deum  suuui  quaerent. 

The  Prophet  now  explains  more  clearly  the  purpose  of 
God,  that  in  punishing  so  severely  the  Chaldeans,  his  object 
was  to  provide  for  the  safety  of  his  Church.  For  had  Jere- 
miah spoken  only  of  vengeance,  the  Jews  might  have  still 
raised  an  objection  and  said,  "  It  will  not  profit  us  at  all, 
that  God  should  be  a  severe  judge  towards  our  enemies,  if 
we  are  to  remain  under  their  tyranny.''  Then  the  Propliet 
shews  that  the  destruction  of  Babylon  would  be  connected 
with  the  deliverance  of  the  chosen  people  ;  and  thus  he 
points  out,  as  it  were  by  the  finger,  the  reason  why  Babylon 
was  to  be  destroyed,  even  for  the  sake  of  the  chosen  people, 
so  that  the  miserable  exiles  may  take  courage,  and  not 
doubt  but  that  God  would  at  length  be  propitious,  as  Jere- 
miah had  testified  to  them,  having,  as  we  have  seen,  pre- 
fixed the  term  of  seventy  years.  He  was  derided  by  the 
Jews,  who  had  so  habituated  themselves  to  hardness  of 
heart,  that  they  counted  as  nothing,  or  at  least  regarded  as 
fables,  all  the  reproofs  and  threatenings  of  God,  and  also 
gave  heed,  as  we  have  seen,  to  the  flatteries  of  the  false 
prophets. 

Jeremiah  now  promises  that  God  would  be  their  liberator 
after  the  time  of  exile  had  passed,  of  which  he  had  spoken. 
Thus  we  perceive  the  design  of  this  passage,  in  which  the 
Prophet,  after  having  referred  to  the  destruction  of  Babylon, 
makes  a  sudden  transition,  and  refers  to  God's  mercy,  which 


CHAP.  L.  4.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAU.  127 

he  would  shew  to  the  Jews  after  tliey  had  suffered  a  just 
punishment :  In  those  days,  he  says,  aiicl  at  that  time — he 
adds  the  appointed  time,  that  the  Jews  might  not  doubt 
but  that  the  Chaldeans  would  be  subdued,  because  God  had 
appointed  them  to  destruction. 

lie  says,  Gome  shall  the  children  of  Israel,  they  and  the 
children  of  Judah  together  ;  and  he  says  this,  tliat  they 
might  still  suspend  their  desires.  He  commends  here  the 
greatness  of  God's  favour,  because  the  condition  of  the 
Church  would  be  better  after  the  exile  than  it  was  before. 
Tlie  ten  tribes,  as  we  know,  had  se2)arated  from  the  king- 
dom of  Judah  ;  and  that  separation  was  as  it  were  the  tear- 
ing asunder  of  the  body.  For  God  had  adopted  the  seed  of 
Abraham  for  tliis  end,  that  the}^  might  be  one  body  under 
one  head  ;  but  tliey  wilfully  made  a  defection,  so  that  both 
kingdoms  became  mutilated.  The  kingdom  of  Israel  be- 
came indeed  accursed,  for  it  had  separated  from  the  family 
of  David,  and  this  separation  was  in  a  manner  an  impious 
denial  of  God.  As  then  the  cliildren  of  Israel  had  alien- 
ated themselves  from  the  Church,  and  the  kinodom  of  the 
ten  tribes  had  become  spurious,  their  condition  was  doubt- 
less miserable  (though  the  Jews  as  w^ell  as  the  Israelites 
were  alike  inebriated  with  their  own  lusts). 

But  what  does  our  Prophet  now  say  ?  They  shall  return 
together,  the  children  of  Israel  and  the  children  of  Judah  ; 
that  is,  God  will  not  only  gather  the  dispersed,  but  will  also 
apply  such  a  remedy,  that  there  will  no  more  be  any  sepa- 
ration ;  but  that  on  the  contrary  a  brotherly  concord  will 
prevail  between  the  ten  tribes  and  the  tribe  of  Judah,  when 
God  sliall  restore  them  again  to  himself  We  now  then  per- 
ceive what  the  Prophet  had  in  view  :  there  is,  indeed,  heie 
an  implied  comparison  between  their  former  state  and  that 
which  they  could  yet  hardly  hope  for,  after  their  return 
from  exile  ;  for  there  is  nothing  better  than  brotlierly  con- 
cord, as  it  is  said  in  the  Psalms,  "  How  good  and  how  plea- 
sant it  is  for  brethren  to  dwell  together  in  unity.''  (Psalm 
cxxxiii.  1.)  For  the  kingdom  and  the  priesthood,  the 
pledges,  as  it  were,  of  the  people's  safety,  could  not  stand 
together,  without  the  union  of  the  Israelites  with  the  Jews. 


128  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXXIX. 

But  they  had  been  long  alienated  from  one  another,  so  that 
the  chief  favour  of  Grod  had  been  extinguished  by  this  sepa- 
ration. The  Prophet  says  now,  that  they  would  come  to- 
gether. 

And  he  adds,  Going  and  lueeping  they  shall  come.  This 
may  seem  contrary  to  what  is  said  in  the  Psalms,  "  Going 
they  shall  go,  and  weep  as  those  who  sow  ;  but  coming  they 
shall  come  with  joy,  carrying  their  handfuls."  (Psalm 
cxxvi.  6.)  The  Prophet  says  here,  that  they  shall  come  with 
tears.  How  can  these  two  things  be  consistent  ?  even  be- 
cause weeping  may  be  taken  for  that  which  flows  from  joy  or 
from  admiration  ;  for  we  know  that  tears  gush  out  not  only 
through  sorrow,  but  also  through  rejoicing ;  and  further, 
when  anything  unexpected  happens,  tears  will  flow  from  our 
eyes.  We  can  then  take  the  Prophet's  words  in  this  sense, 
that  they  would  come  weeping,  because  they  would  then 
find  God  merciful  to  them.  But  it  is  better  to  regard  sor- 
row as  simply  meant ;  and  the  two  things  may  be  thus  re- 
conciled,— that  the  Jews  would  come  with  joy,  and  also  with 
sorrow,  not  only  because  the  memory  of  their  exile  could 
not  be  immediately  obliterated  from  their  minds,  but  be- 
cause it  behoved  them  to  remember  their  sins  :  they  saw 
the  Temple  overthrown,  the  land  wasted — sights  sufiicient 
to  draw  tears  a  hundred  times  from  the  hardest.  On  one 
side  there  were  reasons  for  joy  ;  and  on  the  other,  reasons 
for  tears.  We  know  that  there  were  tears  shed  ;  for  the 
Prophet  Haggai  expressly  tells  us,  that  the  old  men,  who 
had  seen  the  former  Temple,  were  much  cast  down,  because 
there  was  then  no  such  glory  as  they  had  seen.    (Haggai  ii.) 

However  this  may  have  been,  the  Prophet  means,  that 
though  the  return  would  not  be  without  many  troubles,  yet 
the  Jews  would  come  ;  coming,  he  says,  they  shall  come,  tliat 
is,  going  they  shall  go,  and  weep,  as  it  is  said  in  the 
Psalms,  that  they  would  come  througli  desert  and  dry 
places.  (Psalm  Ixxxiv.  6.)  The  meaning  then  is,  that 
though  the  journey  would  be  hard  and  laborious,  yet  the 
Jews  would  return  with  alacrity  into  their  own  country,  so 
that  no  labours  would  so  fatigue  them  as  to  make  them  to 
desist  from  their  course. 


CHAP.  L.  5.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  129 

He  subjoins  the  main  thing,  that  they  would  come  to 
seek  their  God.  Their  change  of  j)iace  would  have  been 
useless,  had  they  not  come  animated  with  the  desire  of 
worshipping  God  ;  for  the  worship  had  ceased  during  the 
time  of  exile,  as  it  is  said  again  in  another  Psalm, 
"  How  shall  we  sing  songs  to  our  God  in  a  foreign  land  ?" 
(Psalm  cxxxvii.  4.)  Then  the  Prophet  here  reminds  them, 
that  God's  favour  would  be  real  and  complete,  because 
the  Jews  would  not  only  return  to  their  own  country,  so 
as  to  possess  it,  but  that  they  would  also  set  up  the  worship 
of  God,  and  dwell  as  it  were  under  his  protection.  It  fol- 
lows,— 

5.  They  shall  ask  the  way  5.  Sion  interrogabunt  viam  (Jioc  est,  in- 
to Zion,  -with  their  faces  terrogabunt  de  via)  versus  Sionem,  illuc 
thitherward,  saying,  Come,  facies  eorum :  Venite,  et  copulate  vos 
and  let  us  join  ourselves  to  Jehovse  foedere  perpetuo,  quod  oblivione 
the  Lord  in  a  perpetual  co-  non  delebitur  (suhaudiendum  est  relati- 
venant  that  shall  not  be  for-  vum  pronomen,  quod  omissum  est.) 
gotten. 

He  explains  himself  more  at  large,  that  they  would  ask 
those  they  met  the  way,  that  their  faces  would  be  tow^ards 
Sion,  that  they  would  also  exhort  one  another  to  seek  God 
and  join  themselves  to  him  by  a  perpetual  covenant.  The 
Prophet  includes  here  all  the  tribes,  and  says  that  the  Jews 
and  the  Israelites  would  not  only  return  into  their  own 
countr}^,  to  partake  of  the  produce  of  that  rich  and  fruitful 
land,  but  that  they  w^ould  also  render  to  God  the  worship 
due  to  him,  and  then  that  nothing  would  be  so  vexatious  to 
them  but  that  they  would  be  able  to  overcome  all  difficulties 
and  all  obstacles. 

He  says  first,  that  they  would  ask  the  way — a  proof  of  per- 
severance ;  that  they  would  ask  the  way  to  Sion,  that  is,  ask 
how  they  were  to  proceed  that  they  might  come  to  Sion. 
By  these  words,  the  Prophet,  as  I  have  just  said,  denotes 
Iheir  constancy  and  indefatigable  resolution,  as  though  he 
had  said,  that  though  they  journeyed  through  unknown 
lands,  yea,  through  many  devious  places,  they  would  yet  be 
in  no  way  disheartened  so  as  not  to  inquire  of  those  they 
met  with  until  they  came  to  Sion.  This  is  one  thing. 
Then  he  adds  to  the  same  purpose.  Thither  their  faces.  We 
indeed  know,  that  plans  are  often  changed  when  adverse 

VOL.  V.  I 


130  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXXIX. 

events  impede  us  ;  for  lie  wlio  undertakes  an  expedition, 
when  lie  sees  liis  course  very  difficult,  turns  back  again. 
But  the  Prophet  declares  here  that  there  would  be  no  change 
of  mind  that  would  cause  the  Jews  to  relinquish  their  pur- 
pose of  returning,  because  their  faces  would  be  towards  Sion, 
that  is,  they  would  turn  their  eyes  thither,  so  that  nothing 
would  be  able  to  turn  them  elsewhere.  There  is  added,  in 
the  third  place,  an  exhortation.  Come  ye  ;  and  they  shall  join 
themselves  to  Jehovah  their  God,  by  a  perpetual  covenant. 
Here  the  Prophet  first  shews,  that  the  Jews  would  be  so  en- 
couraged as  to  add  stimulants  to  one  another  ;  and  hence  it 
is  said,  Come  ye ;  and,  secondly,  he  adds,  they  shall  cleave 
(there  is  here  a  change  of  person)  to  Jehovah  by  a  perpetual 
covenant  which  shall  not  by  oblivion  be  obliterated} 

He  again  repeats  what  he  had  said,  that  the  exiles  would 
not  return  to  their  own  country,  that  they  might  there  only 
indulge  themselves,  but  he  mentions  another  end,  even  that 
they  might  join  themselves  to  God.  He  means,  in  short, 
that  God  would  do  for  them  something  better  and  more  ex- 
cellent than  to  allure  them  by  earthly  pleasures. 

But  we  must  notice  the  words,  they  shall  cleave  (so  it  is 
literally)  to  Jehovah  by  a  perpetual  covenant ;  for  there  is  an 
imj^lied  contrast  between  the  covenant  they  had  made  void 
and  the  new  covenant  which  God  would  make  with  them,  of 
which  Jeremiah  spoke  in  chapter  xxxi.  God's  covenant 
was,  indeed,  ever  inviolable  ;  for  God  did  not  promise  to  be 
the  God  of  Abraham  for  a  certain  term  of  years ;  but  the 
adoj^tion,  as  Paul  testifies,  remains  fixed,  and  can  never  be 

^  The  two  verbs  are  rendered  by  the  versions,  except  the  Syr.,  and  by 
the  Targ.,  in  the  future  tense,  "  They  shall  come  and  be  joined,"  &c.  ; 
and  one  MS.,  says  Blayney,  has  1t<2V  This  would  read  better.  Then  the 
verse  would  run  thus — 

To  Zion  will  Ihey  ask  the  way,  • 

Hither  their  faces; 

They  shall  come  and  be  joined  to  Jehovah, 

By  an  everlasting  covenant,  which  shall  not  be  forgotten. 
'•  Hither,"  and  not  "  thither,"  for  the  Prophet  was  at  Jerusalem  ;  and  so 
the  particle  means,  and  it  is  so  given  in  the  Sept.  and  Vulg.  The  last 
clause  requires  "  which"  in  our  translation,  thougii  not  in  Welsh,  for,  like 
the  Hebrew,  it  can  do  without  it — iiad  anqJiojir,  literally  the  Hebrew. 
AVhat  is  here  predicted  was  literally  accomplished,  as  recorded  by  Nche- 
miah,  (ix.  38  ;  x.  '>fd.)—^Kd. 


CHAP,  L.  5.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  131 

changed.  (Rom.  xi.  29.)  Then  on  God's  part  it  is  eternal. 
But  as  the  Jews  had  become  covenant-breakers,  that  cove- 
venant  is  called,  on  this  account,  weak  and  evanescent : 
and  for  this  reason  the  Prophet  said,  "  In  the  last  days  I 
will  make  a  covenant  with  you,  not  such  as  I  made  with 
your  fathers,  for  they  have  broken,  he  said,  tliat  covenant/' 
(Chapter  xxxi.  31,  32.)  Jeremiah  now  repeats  the  same  thing-, 
though  more  briefly,  that  the  Jews  would  return  to  favour 
with  God,  not  only  for  a  moment,  but  that  his  covenant 
might  continue  and  remain  valid;  and  the  way  by  which 
this  would  be  done  is  expressed  in  chapter  xxxi.,  even  be- 
cause God  would  inscribe  his  law  qu.  their  inward  parts,  and 
engrave  it  on  their  hearts.  For  it  is  not  in  man's  power  to 
continue  so  constant  as  that  God's  covenant  should  never 
fail ;  but  wliat  the  Prophet  omits  here  must  be  supplied 
from  the  former  passage,  that  when  the  Jews  returned, 
God's  covenant  would  again  become  so  valid  and  fixed,  that 
it  would  never  fail,  even  because  their  hearts  would  be  re- 
newed, so  tliat  they  would  be  faithful  to  God,  and  never 
become  apostates  any  more  like  their  fathers. 

He  then  adds,  This  covenant  shall  not  be  forgotten.  We 
hence  conclude,  that  the  perpetuity  of  which  he  speaks,  was 
founded  rather  on  the  mere  benevolence  of  God  than  on  the 
virtue  of  the  people.  He  calls  then  the  covenant  wdiich  God 
would  never  forget,  perpetual,  because  he  would  remember 
liis  mercy  towards  the  chosen  people  ;  and  though  they  were 
unworthy  to  receive  such  a  favour,  yet  he  would  continue 
perpetually  his  mercy  towards  them  to  the  coming  of  Christ ; 
for  the  passage  clearly  shews  that  this  prophecy  cannot  be 
otherwise  explained  than  of  Christ's  spiritual  kingdom.  The 
Jews  indeed  returned  to  their  own  country,  but  it  was  only 
a  small  number  ;  and  besides,  they  were  harassed  by  many 
troubles  ;  God  also  visited  their  land  with  sterility,  and  they 
were  lessened  by  various  slaughters  in  wars  :  how  then  came 
the  prophets  thus  to  extol  in  such  high  terms  the  favour  of 
God,  which  yet  did  not  appear  among  the  people  ?  even  be- 
cause they  included  the  kingdom  of  Christ  ;  for  whenever 
they  spoke  of  the  return  of  the  people,  they  ascended,  as  we 
have  said,  to  the  chief  deliverance.     I  do  not  yet  follow  our 


132  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXXX. 

interpreters,  who  explain  these  prophecies  concerning  the 
spiritual  kingdom  of  Christ  allegorically  ;  for  simply,  or  as 
they  say,  literally,  ought  these  words  to  be  taken, — that  God 
would  never  forget  his  covenant,  so  as  to  retain  the  Jews  in 
the  possession  of  the  land.  But  this  would  have  been  a 
very  small  thing,  had  not  Christ  come  forth,  in  whom  is 
founded  the  real  perpetuity  of  the  covenant,  because  God's 
covenant  cannot  be  separated  from  a  state  of  happiness  ;  for 
blessed  are  the  people,  as  the  Psalmist  says,  to  whom  God 
shews  himself  to  be  their  God.  (Ps.  cxliv.  15.)  Now,  then, 
as  the  Jews  were  so  miserable,  it  follows  that  God's  cove- 
nant did  not  openly  appear  or  was  not  conspicuous  ;  we 
must  therefore  come  necessarily  to  Christ,  as  we  have  else- 
where seen,  that  this  was  commonly  done  by  the  Prophets. 
The  Prophet  now  enters  on  a  new  argument, — 

6.  My  people  hath  been  lost  sheep;  6.    Grex    perditus  fuit   po- 

their  shepherds  have  caused  them  to  go  pulus    meus,    pastores    eorum 

astray,  they  have  turned  them  away  on  errare  fecerunt  ipsos,  per  raon- 

the   mountains :    they   have   gone  from  tes  abierunt,  a  monte  in  colleni 

mountain   to   hill,  they  have  forgotten  profecti  sunt,  obhti  sunt  accu- 

their  resting-place.  bitus  sui. 

As  the  clock  strikes,  I  must  stop  here. 

PRAYER. 

Grant,  Almighty  God,  that  we  may  not  be  inebriated  with  the 
sweetness  of  earthly  blessings  which  thou  bestowest  continually 
on  us,  but  learn  to  ascend  to  the  hope  of  celestial  life  and  eternal 
felicity,  and  in  the  meantime  have  such  a  taste  of  thy  blessings, 
that  we  may  know  that  thou  art  an  inexhaustible  fountain  of 
all  felicity,  so  that  we  may  cleave  to  thee  with  a  sincere  heart 
and  in  perfect  integrity,  until  we  shall  at  length  be  brought  to 
the  full  fruition  of  that  kingdom,  which  thine  only-begotten  Son 
has  procured  for  us  by  his  own  blood. — Amen. 


The  Prophet  in  the  sixth  verse  compares  God's  people  to 
lost  sheep  :  he  therefore  says,  that  the  Jews  wandered  on 
the  mountains  and  went  from  mountain  to  hill.     He  throws 


CHAP.  L.  7.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  1 33 

the  blame  on  the  shepherds,  by  whom  the  miserable  people 
had  been  led  astray.  Notwithstanding,  God  does  not  ex- 
tenuate the  fault  of  the  people ;  nor  did  he  accuse  the 
pastors  as  though  their  wickedness  and  perfidy  absolved  the 
people ;  but  on  the  contrary,  he  commends  the  greatness  of 
his  own  grace,  that  he  had  mercy  on  a  flock  that  was  lost 
and  without  hope. 

We  now  then  understand  the  design  of  the  Prophet  when 
he  thus  spoke  in  the  person  of  God,  My  people  have  become 
lost  sheep,  and  the  shepherds  have  seduced  them,  on  the  moun- 
tains have  they  made  them  to  go  astray,  from  'mountain  to 
hill  have  they  gone ;  and  he  says,  that  they  had  forgotten 
their  lying  down  ;^  for  when  there  is  no  fixed  station,  the 
sheep  have  no  place  to  rest.  Flocks,  we  know,  return  in  the 
evening  to  their  folds.  But  the  Prophet  says  that  the  Jews, 
when  scattered,  forgot  their  lying  down,  because  they  had 
no  settled  habitation.     It  afterwards  follows, — 

7.  All  that  found  them  have  de-  7.   Omnes  qui  invenerunt  eos  co- 

voured  them ;  and  their  adversaries  mederunt,  et  adversarii  eorum  dixe- 

said,  We  oflFend  not,  because  they  runt,  Non  peccamus,  quia  scelerati 

have  sinned  against  the  Lord,  the  fuerunt  contra  Jehovam ;  habitacu- 

habitation  of  justice  ;  even  the  Lord,  lum  justitife  et  expectatio  {vel,  spes) 

the  hope  of  their  fathers.  patrum  ipsonmi,  Jehova. 

Jeremiah  goes  on  with  the  same  subject ;  for  he  tells  us 
how  miserable  was  the  condition  of  the  people  until  God 
looked  on  them  to  relieve  them  from  their  evils.  And 
this  comparison,  as  I  have  before  said,  more  fully  sets 
forth  the  favour  of  God,  because  he  raised  up  his  people 
as  it  were  from  hell  at  a  time  when  they  were  reduced  to 
despair. 

He  says  first,  All  who  found  them  devoured  them  ;  that  is, 

^  I  render  the  verse  thus, — 

6.  Lost  sheep  have  become  my  people; 

Their  shepherds  have  caused  them  to  err, 
Having  tm^ned  them  here  and  there  on  the  mountains ; 
From  mountain  to  hill  have  they  gone  ; 
They  have  forgotten  their  resting-place. 
The  meaning  of  D''!231C:/'  is  given  by  the  Sept.  and  Vnlg.,  "  causing  them 
to  wander ;"  the  verb  2'^  is  to  turn  ;  being  here  a  reduplicate,  it  means  to 
turn  much,  or  again  and  again,  or  here  and  there  ;  and  this  is  confirmed 
by  what  follows — they  Avent,  through  the  teaching  of  their  pastors,  from 
"  mountain  to  hill,"  that  is,  from  one  form  of  idolatry  to  another;  and 
"  forgotten  their  resting-place,"  which  was  God..— Ed. 


134  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXXX. 

all  who  came  in  contact  with  them  thought  tliem  a  prey. 
He,  in  sliort,  means  that  they  were  plundered  by  all  who 
met  them  ;  and  then  that  enemies  were  so  far  from  sparing 
them  that  they  gloried  in  their  cruelty  towards  them.  Hence 
he  adds,  Their  enemies  said,  We  sin  not,  because  they  have 
acted  wickedly  against  Jehovah.  By  these  words  the  Pro- 
phet intimates,  that  their  enemies  indulged  in  greater  wan- 
tonness, because  they  tliought  that  what  they  did  would  not 
be  punished.  Almost  the  same  sentiment  is  found  in  Zecha- 
riah,  where  it  is  said,  "  All  who  devoured  them  sinned  not, 
and  they  who  devoured  them  said.  Blessed  be  the  Lord  who 
has  enriched  us."  (Zech.  xi.  5.)  But  we  must  more  closely 
consider  the  design  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  The  Prophet  indeed 
shews  that  the  Jews  w^ere  reduced  to  extremities,  so  that 
they  were  not  only  cruelly  treated  by  their  enemies,  but 
were  also  exposed  to  the  greatest  contempt.  He,  however, 
reminded  them  at  the  same  time  of  their  duty  to  repent, 
for  when  the  whole  world  condemned  them,  it  was  but  right 
that  God  should  call  them  to  an  account  for  their  sins.  As 
then  he  had  set  over  them  all  men  as  their  judges,  he  indi- 
rectly touched  and  goaded  their  consciences,  so  that  they 
might  know  that  they  had  to  do  with  God.  When  therefore 
Zechariah  said,  '^  All  who  devoured  thee  said.  Blessed  be 
the  Lord,''  he  meant,  that  the  sins  of  the  people  were  so 
manifest  to  all,  that  all  the  heathens  declared  that  they 
deserved  extreme  punishment  ;  for  by  the  words,  "  Blessed 
be  the  Lord  who  hath  enriched  us,"  he  intimated  that 
heathens,  in  spoiling  and  plundering  the  Jews,  would  be  so 
far  from  feeling  any  shame,  that  they  would  rather  glory  in 
being  enriched  with  prey  as  it  were  by  the  hand  of  God.  So 
also  in  this  place.  All  who  found  them  devoured  them,  and 
their  enemies  said,  We  sin  not, — and  why  ?  because  they  have 
acted  luickedly  against  Jehovah, 

In  short,  the  Prophet  means,  that  the  Jews  would  not  only 
be  exposed  to  the  rapacity,  avarice,  and  cruelty  of  enemies, 
but  also  to  the  greatest  contempt  and  reproach.  At  the 
same  time  he  exhorted  them  to  repent ;  for  if  they  were 
thus  condemned  by  the  judgment  of  the  whole  world,  it  was 
not  unreasonable  to  direct  their  thoughts  to  the  tribunal  of 


CHAP.  L.  7.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  135 

God.  Nor  was  it  a  strange  thing  that  the  unbelieving  re- 
ferred to  God,  for  it  is  what  we  commonly  meet  with  in  all 
the  prophets  ;  and  it  was  ever  a  principle  held  by  all  nations, 
that  there  is  some  supreme  Deity  ;  for  though  they  devised 
for  themselves  various  gods,  yet  they  all  believed  that  thero 
is  one  supreme  God.  So  the  name,  Jehovah,  was  known  in 
common  by  all  nations :  and  hence  the  Prophet  here  intro- 
duced the  Chaldeans  as  speaking,  that  the  Jews  had  acted 
wickedly  against  Jehovah  ;  not  indeed  that  they  ascribed  to 
God  his  honour,  but  because  this  opinion,  that  there  is  some 
God,  was  held  by  all  ;  and  this  God  they  all  indiscriminately 
worshipped  according  to  their  own  forms  of  religion,  but 
they  still  thought  that  they  worshipped  God. 

"What  follows,  interpreters  explain  as  though  the  Propliet 
in  the  person  of  enemies  intended  to  exaggerate  the  sin  of 
the  chosen  people ;  they  therefore  connect  the  words  thus, 
"  Tliey  have  been  wicked  against  Jehovah,  who  is  the  habi- 
tation of  justice,  and  has  always  been  the  hope  of  their 
fathers.''  If  we  take  this  meaning,  it  is  no  wonder  that 
their  sin  is  amplified,  because  the  Jews  had  forsaken  not 
some  unknown  God,  whose  favour  and  power  they  had  not 
experienced,  but  because  they  had  been  perfidious  against 
the  God  who  had  by  many  proofs  testified  his  paternal 
love  towards  them.  It  was  then  an  impiety  the  more  de- 
testable, because  they  had  thus  dared  to  forsake  the  only 
true  God. 

But  I  approve  of  a  different  meaning, — that  the  Prophet 
answers  by  God's  command,  that  their  enemies  deceived, 
themselves,  when  they  thus  confidently  trod  under  foot  the 
chosen  people,  and  thought  that  everything  was  lawful  for 
them.  The  Prophet,  I  doubt  not,  now  checks  the  wanton- 
ness of  which  he  speaks,  as  though  he  had  said,  "  Ye  think 
that  this  people  are  wholly  rejected  by  me,  and  hence  there 
are  no  limits  to  your  cruelty  ;  but  I  have  so  adopted  them, 
that  my  covenant  can  never  be  rendered  void.''  We  may 
better  understand  what  Jeremiah  means  by  a  similar 
example  :  when  Isaiah  answered  King  Hezckiah  that  God 
would  be  the  defender  of  the  city,  when  they  recited  to  him 
the  words  of  Sennacherib  or  of  Rabshakeh,  who  brought  his 


136  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXXX. 

orders,  (Isa.  xxxvil.  24,)  lie  said,  "  But  he  thinks  not  that  I 
have  founded  Sion/'^  That  answer  seems  to  me  to  be 
wholly  like  this  passage.  Sennacherib  said,  "  I  will  go  up 
and  take  the  city  and  the  temj^le  ;"  he,  in  short,  triumphed 
as  though  he  was  a  conqueror  ;  but  Grod,  on  the  other  hand, 
restrained  his  confidence  in  these  words,  "  But  that  impious 
and  proud  enemy  knows  not  that  I  have  created  Sion,  and 
have  been  from  the  beginning  its  maker:  can  I  then  now 
bring  upon  it  such  a  destruction  as  would  wholly  cut  oiF  the 
memory  of  it  ?  Many  cities  have  indeed  perished,  and  there 
is  no  place  so  illustrious  which  may  not  sometime  be  de- 
stroyed ;  but  the  condition  of  the  holy  city  (says  God)  is 
diiFerent.''  And  he  adds  the  reason,  Because  he  had  created 
it.  So  in  this  place,  Jehovah  is  the  habitation  of  justice  and 
the  hojye  of  their  fathers.  For  God's  enemies  almost  always 
form  their  judgment  according  to  the  present  state  of  things  ; 
for  in  prosperity  they  are  inflated  with  so  much  pride  that 
they  dare  insolently  to  utter  blasphemies  against  God.  For 
though  the  Chaldeans  had  spoken  thus,  that  they  sinned 
not,  because  the  Jews  had  been  wicked,  there  is  yet  no 
doubt  but  tliat  their  boasting  was  insulting  to  God,  as  it  is 
said  in  Is.  xxxvii.  22,  23,  "  The  virgin,  the  daughter  of  Zion, 
hath  despised  and  derided  thee,  and  drawn  out  the  tongue 
against  thee ;  me,  the  God  of  hosts,  he  says,  hath  he  de- 
spised.'' By  these  words  God  shews  that  he  was  derided  in 
the  person  of  his  Church.  For  this  reason,  then,  God  him- 
self now  comes  forth  and  declares  that  he  is  the  habitation 
of  justice  and  the  hope  of  his  chosen  people,  in  order  that 
the  Chaldeans  might  not  promise  themselves  prosperity  per- 
petually. 

We  hence  see  that  these  sentences  are  set  in  opposition 
one  to  another  rather  than  connected  together,  and  spoken 
in  the  person  of  the  ungodly.  The  Chaldeans  said,  "We  sin 
not,  because  tlicy  have  acted  wickedly  against  Jehovah  ;" 
then  tlie  Prophet  responds  and  shews  tliat  they  deceived 
themselves  if  they  thought  that  God's  covenant  was  abolished, 
because  he  for  a  time  chastised  his  people,  as  it  is  said  by 

1  Calvh,  in  his  exposition  of  Isa.  xxxvii.  2(J,  applies  Avhat  is  said  to  Sion, 
and  not  to  Sennacherib,  as  it  is  commonly  done. — Ed. 


CHAP.  L.  7.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  137 

Isaiah,  "  What  shall  the  messengers  of  the  nations  declare  V 
or,  "  What  shall  be  told  by  the  messengers  of  the  nations  ? 
that  God  hath  founded  Sion/'  (Isa.  xiv.  32.)  When  he 
spoke  of  the  deliverance  of  the  people  and  city,  he  added  this 
acclamation,  that  it  would  be  a  memorable  benefit,  the  report 
of  which  would  be  known  among  all  nations,  that  is,  that 
God  had  founded  Sion,  that  it  had  been  wonderfully  de- 
livered as  it  were  from  present  destruction. 

He  first  calls  God  the  habitation  of  justice  ;  and  he  alludes, 
as  I  think,  to  the  tabernacle ;  and  then  he  more  clearly  ex- 
presses himself,  that  God  was  the  hope  of  their  fathers.  The 
Jews  were  indeed  unworthy  of  being  protected  by  God  ;  but 
he  speaks  not  here  of  their  merits,  but,  on  the  contrary,  God 
himself  affirms  the  perpetuity  of  his  covenant,  and  the  con- 
stancy of  his  faithfulness,  in  opposition  to  the  ungodly.  For 
since  the  Chaldeans  had  already  possessed  the  greater  part 
of  the  country,  and  had  taken  all  the  cities  except  Jerusalem, 
they  thought  that  the  people  were  forsaken  by  their  God ;  and 
this  tended  to  cast  reproach  on  God  himself  Hence  he  de- 
clares here,  that  though  the  Jews  had  been  wicked,  yet  his 
covenant  was  so  far  from  being  extinct,  that  he  was  a  habi- 
tation,  that  is,  like  a  place  of  refuge.  And  he  calls  him  the 
habitation  of  justice,  that  is,  firm  or  faithful;  for  justice  is 
not  to  be  taken  here  in  its  proper  sense,  but,  as  in  many 
other  places  of  Scripture,  it  means  firmness  or  rectitude  ;  as 
though  he  had  said,  "  God  has  once  extended  his  wings  to 
cherish  his  people,  (as  it  is  said  elsewhere  ;)  he  will  there- 
fore be  always  a  sure  habitation.'' 

He  had  also  been  the  hope  of  their  fathers,  according 
to  what  is  said  by  Isaiah,  that  he  had  created  Sion  from  the 
beginning ;  but  he  renews  the  memory  of  his  covenant,  as 
though  he  had  said,  "  It  is  not  to-day  that  I  have  first  re- 
ceived this  people  into  favour,  but  I  made  a  covenant  with 
their  father  Abraham,  which  will  remain  fixed.''  So,  also, 
he  says  in  this  place,  that  he  was  the  liope  of  their  fathers, 
even  because  he  had  adopted  the  whole  race  of  Abraham, 
and  shewed  them  mercy  through  all  ages.  Then  the  Pro- 
phet indirectly  infers  that  it  would  not  be  possible  for  their 
enemies  perpetually  to  possess  power  over  them,  because 


138  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.   CLXXX. 

God,  after  having  chastened  his  people,  would  again  gather 
the  dispersed,  and  thus  heal  all  their  evils/ 

A  useful  doctrine  may  be  hence  gathered,  that  whenever 
the  Church  seems  to  be  so  oppressed  by  enemies  as  to  exclude 
any  hope  of  restoration,  this  ought  always  to  be  borne  in 
mind  by  us,  that  as  God  has  once  chosen  it,  it  cannot  be  but 
that  he  will  manifest  his  faithfulness  even  in  death  itself, 
and  raise  from  the  grave  those  who  seem  to  have  been 
already  reduced  to  ashes.  Let  this  passage,  then,  come  to 
our  minds,  when  the  calamities  of  the  Church  threaten  utter 
ruin,  and  nothing  but  despair  meets  us  ;  and  when  enemies 
insolently  arrogate  everything  to  themselves,  and  boastingly 
declare  that  we  are  accursed.  But  God  is  a  habitation  of 
justice,  and  was  the  liope  of  our  fathers  ;  let  us,  tlien,  recumb 
on  that  grace  which  he  has  once  promised,  when  he  deigned 
to  choose  us  for  himself,  and  to  adopt  us  as  his  peculiar 
people.     Such  is  the  import  of  the  passage.      It  follows, — 

8.  Picmove  -out  of  the  midst  of  8.  Fugite  e  medio  Babyloiiis,  et 

Babylon,   and  go  forth  out  of  the  e  Chaldaja  egredimini,  et  sitis  tan- 

land\)f  the  Chaldeans,  and  be  as  the  qiiani  hirci  ante  gregem. 
hc-goats  before  the  flocks. 

This  verse  confirms  the  exposition  which  I  have  given  ; 
for  God  does  not  now  reprove  his  people,  nor  does  he  con- 
demn their  sins ;  but  on  the  contrary,  he  exhorts  them  to 
entertain  good  hope,  though  they  were  overwhelmed  with 
extreme  miseries,  lie  then  pursues  the  same  subject  when 
lie  bids  them  to  flee  from  Babylon  and  to  go  forth  from  Chal- 
dea;  for  he  promises  deliverance  to  the  faithful,  and  at  the 
same  time  reminds  them  of  the  coming  ruin  of  the  Chaldean 
empire,  so  that  they  who  went  the  farthest  off  would  best 

^  The  most  approved  exposition  is  the  first,  which  makes  the  latter 
words  to  be  in  apposition  Avith  Jehovah,  as  given  in  the  Versions,  though 
tlie  last  clause  seems  to  be  a  separate  sentence, — 

Because  they  have  sinned  against  Jehovah, 

The  habitation  of  righteousness ; 

And  the  ho]!e  of  their  fathers  was  Jehovah. 
By  calling  Cod  the  habitation  of  righteousness,  what  is  implied  is,  as 
J.oiMh  suggests,  that  they  v/ould  not  have  been  banished,  had  they  not 
justly  deserved  to  be  so  treated,  God  being  the  seat  or  dv.elling-place  of 
justice  or  righteousness.  And  in  addition  to  this,  he  had  been  the  hope 
of  their  fathers.  8ce  ch.  xl.  3,  where  we  have  an  example  of  what  their 
enemies  alleged. —  J'Jd. 


CHAP.  L.  9.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  139 

consult  their  own  safety.  For  tlie  Prophet  intimates  that 
all  found  in  Chaldea  would  be  exposed  to  the  violence  of 
enemies  ;  hence  he  bids  them  to  flee  and  to  go  forth  quickly. 
But  as  I  have  before  said,  he  promises  a  free  exit  to  the 
Jews  ;  for  he  would  have  in  vain  exhorted  them  to  depart 
had  they  been  shut  up,  for  we  know  that  they  had  been  con- 
fined as  within  inclosures.  Had  they  then  been  thus  cap- 
tives, the  Prophet  would  have  sj^oken  in  mockery  by  saying 
to  them.  Flee  and  go  forth.  But  he  shews  that  their  capti- 
vity would  not  be  perpetual,  because  God  would  remove  all 
obstacles  and  open  a  way  for  the  miserable  exiles  to  return 
to  their  own  country. 

He  bids  them  to  be  as  he-goats  before  the  flocks  :  by  which 
he  means  that  they  were  to  hasten  w^ith  all  confidence.  For 
the  he-goats  possess  more  boldness  than  sheep,  and  they  go 
before  the  flock  because  no  fear  restrains  them.  So  God 
takes  away  every  fear  of  danger  from  the  Jews  when  he  bids 
them  to  be  as  he-goats  before  the  flock ;  as  though  lie  had 
said  that  they  were  no  more  to  fear,  lest  the  Chaldeans 
should  punish  them  for  avowing  their  wish  to  return  to  their 
own  country ;  for  it  was  a  capital  oflence  to  speak  of  their 
return  as  long  as  the  Chaldeans  ruled  over  the  Jews.  But 
God  now  promises  a  change,  for  he  would  dissipate  the 
terror  by  which  they  had  been  for  a  time  restrained.  It 
follows, — 

9.  For,  lo,  I  will  raise,  and  cause  9.   Quia  ecce  ego  excitn  (excitans, 

to  come  up  against  Jiabylon,  an  as-  ad  verbiim,  et  adducens)  et  adduce 

sembly  of  great  nations  from  the  super    Babjlonem   congregationem 

north  country :   and   tliey  shall  set  gentium   magnarum  e  terra   aqui- 

themselves    in    array    against    her;  lonis,  et    ordinabunt    contra    earn 

from   thence   she   shall   be    taken :  (acicm  scilicet.)  unde  capictiu* ;  sa- 

their  arrows  sJiall  be  as  of  a  mighty  gitta3  ejus  tanquam  fortis  pruden- 

expert  man ;  none  shall  return  in  ter  agentis ;  non  redibit  frustra. 
vain. 

Here,  again,  God  declares  that  enemies  would  come  and 
overthrow  the  monarchy  of  Babylon  ;  but  what  has  been 
before  referred  to  is  here  more  clearly  expressed.  For  he 
says,  first,  that  he  would  be  the  leader  of  that  war — that  the 
Persians  and  Modes  would  fight  under  his  authority.  /,  he 
says  (the  pronoun  OjK,  anki,  is  here  cmphatical,)  /  am  he, 
says  God,  who  rouse  and  bring,  and  then  he  adds,  an  assent- 


140  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXXX. 

hly  of  great  nations.  The  Chaldeans,  as  we  know,  had  de- 
voured many  kingdoms,  for  Babylon  had  subjugated  all  the 
neighbouring  nations.  Except,  then,  this  had  been  dis- 
tinctly expressed,  they  might  have  disregarded  the  prophetic 
threatenings.  But  Jeremiah  speaks  here  of  the  assembly  of 
great  nations,  lest  the  Clialdeans,  relying  on  their  power,  tlie 
largeness  of  the  monarchy,  and  the  multitude  of  their  men, 
should  promise  themselves  victory,  and  thus  lie  asleep  in 
their  indulgences.  God  then,  in  these  words,  shortly  inti- 
mates that  there  would  be  ready  at  hand  those  ^vho  in  num- 
ber and  power  w^ould  surpass  the  Chaldeans. 

He  afterwards  adds.  They  uill  set  in  order  against  her. 
Something  is  to  be  here  supplied — that  they  would  set  the 
battle  in  order.  Now,  by  this  expression,  the  Prophet  sets 
forth  the  boldness  of  the  Persians  and  Modes,  as  they  would 
be  immediately  ready  for  the  conflict ;  they  would  not  long 
consult,  but  quickly  advance  to  the  fight.  In  short,  he 
refers  to  the  quickness  and  boldness  of  the  Persians  and 
Modes,  w^ien  he  says.  They  shall  set  in  order  against  her ; 
for  they  who  distrust  their  own  strength,  take  convenient 
positions,  or  contrive  ambushes,  or  withdraw  for  a  time  until 
they  know  all  the  plans  of  their  enemies  ;  but  the  Prophet 
says  that  the  Persians  would  by  no  means  be  such,  because 
they  would  be  prepared  for  battle  at  the  first  onset,  and  have 
tbe  army  set  in  order  against  the  Babylonians. 

It  follows,  thence  taken  shall  he  Babylon.  The  word  tlDtJ^D, 
meshani,  means  from  that  place.  But  the  Prophet  intimates 
that  the  Persians  would  become  conquerors  by  one  battle 
only,  so  that  the  Chaldeans  would  no  more  dare  to  resist. 
We  indeed  know  that  those  once  put  to  flight,  do  often  pre- 
pare new  forces  and  renew  the  battle  ;  this  is  indeed  usually 
the  case,  and  it  seldom  happens  that  any  one  is  conquered  in 
one  battle.  But  the  Prophet  here  declares  that  Babylon 
would  be  taken  at  one  time  ;  as  soon,  he  says,  as  the  fight 
begins,  the  enemies  shall  not  only  overcome,  but  shall  by  one 
assault  take  Babylon,  so  as  to  make  it  captive. 

We  now,  then,  perceive  the  design  of  the  Prophet ;  but, 

doubtless,  tl.is  prophecy  was  a  derision  to  the  unbelieving, 

'  for  he  seemed  to  speak  of  a  thing  impossible :  thus  he  sang 


CHAP.  L.  9.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  141 

a  fable  to  tlie  deaf.  But  God,  however,  did  not  without 
reason  predict  that  Babylon  would  be  so  taken,  that  it  would, 
as  it  were,  in  one  moment  fall  into  the  hands  of  enemies. 
We  said,  indeed,  yesterday,  that  it  was  long  besieged  and 
taken  by  treachery  in  the  night ;  but  we  also  said  that  this 
prophecy  is  not  to  be  confined  to  one  period ;  for  Babylon 
was  often  taken.  It  was  taken  through  the  contrivance  of 
Zopyrus,  as  we  said  yesterday,  when  it  thought  itself  suffi- 
ciently strong  to  resist,  and  Darius  had  nearly  despaired. 
We  shall  therefore  find  nothing  inconsistent  in  this  prophecy, 
when  we  consider  how  great  and  how  supine  was  the  security 
of  that  people  even  at  the  time  when  they  were  suddenly 
overthrown. 

He  now  adds,  Its  arrows  as  of  a  valiant  man ;  some 
render  it,  "  as  of  a  bereaving  man,''  because  some  put  the 
point  on  the  right  side  and  some  on  the  left.  The  word  7^^, 
shecal,  means  to  act  prudently,  to  be  prosperous,  and  also 
to  be  bereaved.  But  I  agree  with  those  who  take  the  first 
sense,  for  it  immediately  follows,  it  shall  not  return  in  vain. 
Those  who  render  the  word  "bereaved/'  understand  thereby 
that  the  arrows  of  the  Persians  would  be  deadly  or  fatal. 
But  the  context  does  not  correspond,  for  an  explanation  is 
afterwards  given,  that  it  would  not  return  in  vain.  It  seems, 
then,  that  by  this  word  Jeremiah  denotes  their  dexterity,  as 
though  he  had  said  that  the  Persians  would  be  so  skilful  in 
throwing  arrows,  that  they  would  not  discharge  one  arrow 
in  vain  ;  as  those  who  are  well  exercised  in  that  art  always 
aim  directly  at  an  enemy,  and  never  shoot  their  arrows  here 
and  there  without  efiect.  So  then  the  Prophet  says  that  the 
arrows  of  the  Persians  would  be  those  of  men  shooting  skil- 
fully, who  know  how  to  take  a  right  aim.^  And  he  calls 
them  valiant  or  strong ;  for  it  is  not  enough  to  send  arrows 
straight  against  an  enemy,  except  there  be  also  nerve  and 
strength  to  shoot  them  ;  for  arrows  might  touch  one,  but 
not  penetrate  into  his  body,  or  hardly  hurt  his  skin.      But 

^  Their  arrows,  like  those  of  a  skilful  warrior. — Blayney.  In  the  next 
line  there  is  an  instance  of  N?  being  in  the  sense  of  nonet — "  None  shall 
return  empty,"  or  void;  e.e.,  without  effecting  its  purpose.  See  Isa.  Iv.  11. 
—Ed. 


142  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXXX. 

the  Prophet  refers  to  both  these  things — tliat  arrows  would 
be  hurled  with  sufficient  force  to  strike  and  w^ound  the 
Chaldeans — and  that  they  would  also  have  always  a  direct 
aim,  so  that  no  one  would  miss  its  object.  It  afterwards 
follows, — 

10.  And  Chaldea  shall  be  a  spoil :  10.  Et  erit  Chaldfca  in  prtedam  ; 
all  tliat  spoil  her  shall  be  satisfied,  quicunqiie  pradati  fuerint  ipsam, 
saith  the  Lord.  saturabuntur,  dicit  Jehova. 

Here  he  mentions  the  effect  of  the  victory,  that  he  might 
more  fully  confirm  what  he  had  said  ;  for  it  is  sometimes 
the  case,  that  they  who  are  conquered  flee  to  their  cities. 
The  country  is  indeed  laid  waste,  but  the  enemies  depart 
with  their  spoils.  But  the  Prophet  here  says,  that  the 
whole  of  Chaldea  would  be  plundered  :  he  further  adds, 
that  the  plunderers  would  be  satiated,  as  though  he  had  said, 
"  The  enemies  shall  not  only  seize  on  all  sides,  as  it  some- 
times happens,  on  what  may  fall  into  their  hands,  but  they 
shall  heap  together  all  the  treasures  of  Clialdea  until  they 
shall  be  satiated."'  He  means,  in  short,  that  Chaldea  would 
be  wholly  emptied  ;  for  these  two  things  ought  to  be  deemed 
as  set  in  opposition  the  one  to  the  other, — that  the  enemies 
would  be  filled  to  satiety,  and  that  the  Chaldeans  would  be 
reduced  to  poverty.  Then  the  satiety  of  which  the  Prophet 
speaks,  implies  that  the  Chaldeans  would  be  brouglit  to  ex- 
treme penury  and  want.     It  follows, — • 

11.  Because  ye  Avere  glad,  be-  11.  Certc  Isctati  estis  (?» /»fiO'o 
cause  ye  rejoiced,  0  ye  destroyers  quidem  tempore,  Isetabimini,)  et  ex- 
of  mine  heritage,  because  ye  are  ultabitis  quum  diripietis  ha}redita- 
grown  fat  as  tlie  heifer  at  grass,  tern  meam ;  multiplicabimini  {hoc 
and  bellow  as  bulls  ;  est,  augescctis)  tanquam  vitula  hcr- 

bai,  et  hinnietis  tanquam  equi  fortes: 

12.  Your  mother  shall  be  sore  12.  Pudefacta  est  mater  vestra 
confounded  ;  she  that  bare  you  shall  valde,  erubuit  genitrix  vestra ;  ecce 
be  ashamed :  behold,  the  hinder-  postremum  gentium,  descrtum,  vas- 
most  of  the  nations  shall  he  a  wil-     titas,  solitude. 

deriiess,  a  dry  land,  and  a  desert. 

God  shews  here,  that  though  the  Chaldeans  insolently 
exulted  for  a  time,  yet  their  joy  would  not  continue  ;  and  at 
the  same  time  he  points  out  the  cause  of  their  ruin,  even 
because  they  dealt  so  arrogantly  with  the  people  of  God. 
He  then  says  in  the  former  clause.  Ye  exulted  and  rejoiced 
in  plunderinr/  vnj  heritage ;  and  then  he  adds,  Ye  became 


CHAP.  L.  11,  12.      COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  143 

fat  (for  to  be  multiplied  means  here  to  become  fat)  as  a  heifer^ 
well  fed,  or  of  the  grass ;  for  some  think  that  the  word  is 
used  for  n^»5^1,  cleshae  ;  but  some  render  it,  "  herbified,''  or 
fed  on  grass  ;  while  others  derive  the  word  from  ^H,  dush, 
to  thresh  or  tread  out  corn.^  It  is  then  added,  Ye  neighed 
like  strong  horses,  or  ye  bellowed  like  bulls,  as  some  render 
the  words  ;  for  CT^i^,  abirim,  sometimes  mean  bulls,  and 
sometimes  strong  horses  ;  and  the  verb  /H^,  tzal,  means  to 
cry  aloud,  but  is  taken  sometimes  in  the  sense  of  neighing, 
as  we  have  seen  in  the  fifth  chapter,  "  Every  one  neigh- 
eth  on  his  neighbour's  wife  ;''  the  Prophet  said  so  in  con- 
demning the  people  for  their  lusts  ;  and  they  who  apply 
this  passage  to  bulls  are  obliged  to  change  the  meaning  of 
the  verb — for  bellowing,  and  not  neighing,  is  what  belongs 
to  bulls.2 

Now  it  was  necessary,  for  two  reasons,  for  the  Prophet 
to  speak  thus  ;  first,  it  was  hardly  credible,  that  the  Chal- 
deans, after  so  many  and  so  remarkable  victories,  could  be 
broken  down  and  laid  prostrate  by  new  enemies  ;  for  they 
liad  been  terrible  to  the  whole  world,  they  had  subdued  all 
their  neighbours,  they  had  extended  on  all  sides  their 
borders  ;  it  was  then  the  same  as  though  they  had  set  their 
nest  in  the  clouds.  Then  the  Prophet  says  here,  that 
though  they  exulted  and  gave  loose  reins  to  their  joy,  yet 
this  state  of  things  would  not  be  perpetual,  because  they 
should  at  length  be  brought  to  shame.  This  is  one  thing. 
And  the  second  reason  why  the  Prophet  spoke  thus  was, 
because  God  intended  that  it  should  be  testified  to  his  own 
people,  that  though  he  permitted  so  much  liberty  to  the 
Chaldeans,  he  had  not  yet  forgotten  liis  covenant ;  and  for 
this  reason  he  mentioned  the  word  heritage.  Though  then 
the  calamity  of  his  people  was  apparently  a  sort  of  repudia- 
tion, as  though  God  designed  to  have  nothing  more  to  do 

1  Several  copies  have  T]^l,  tbresliing.  Being  allowed  to  eat  at  plea- 
sure, the  threshing  heifer  became  fat  and  frisky.  It  is  so  ^  taken  by 
Blayney  and  Henderson,  though  not  countenanced  by  the  Versions  or  the 
Targ.—Ed. 

2  Jeremiah  having  twice  before  (chapters  viii.  16;  xlvii.  3)  used  the 
word  for  steeds  or  horses,  we  may  conclude  that  he  means  the  same  here. 
—Ed. 


144  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  LXXXI. 

witli  tliem,  yet  lie  says  that  they  were  his  own  heritage ; 
and  thus  he  shews,  that  God  would  give  a  specimen  of  his 
favour  towards  the  Jews,  by  thus  severely  chastising  the 
Chaldeans.  This  then  is  the  reason  why  he  says,  Ye  have 
rejoiced  in  plundering  my  heritage,  hut  your  mother  is 
ashamed.  He  expresses  here  more  than  if  he  had  said, 
''-  Ye  shall  at  length  lie  down  confounded  with  shame  ;" 
but  he  names  their  mother,  that  he  might  intimate  the  de- 
struction of  the  whole  of  that  monarchy,  which  had  been  so 
terrible  to  all  the  neighbouring  nations.^ 

PRAYER. 

Grant,  Almighty  God,  that  though  we  cease  not  daily  to  provoke 
thy  wrath  by  our  many  sins,  we  may  yet,  with  confidence,  flee 
to  thy  mercy,  and  that  though  thou  seemest  for  a  time  to  cast  us 
away,  we  may  not  yet  cast  away  hope,  founded  on  thy  eternal 
word,  but  that,  relying  on  that  Mediator  in  whom  we  always  find 
the  price  of  expiation,  we  may  not  hesitate  to  call  on  thee  as 
our  Father ;  and  may  we,  in  the  meantime,  find  thee  by  experi- 
ence to  be  such  towards  us,  so  that  we  may  cheerfully  look  for- 
ward to  that  celestial  inheritance,  which  has  been  obtained  for  us 
by  the  blood  of  thy  only-begotten  Son. — Amen. 


Hecture  6tte  i^uuUreti  ant>  0igi)ti)=first 

We  explained  yesterday  why  the  Prophet  denounced 
shame  and  reproach  on  the  Babylonians,  even  because  they 
had  arrogantly  exulted  over  the  children  of  God.  And  he 
says  that  Babylon  would  be  the  extremity  of  the  nations. 

'  The  connexion  of  these  two  verses  will  be  more  evident,  if  we  render 
••D  when,  as  proposed  by  Gataker,  and  not  surely,  as  by  Calvin,  nor  because, 
as  in  our  version, — 

11.  When  ye  shall  rejoice,  when  ye  shall  exult, 
Ye  plunderers  of  mine  heritage, 

When  ye  shall  skip  as  a  fed  heifer. 
And  neigh  like  steeds, 

12.  Ashamed  greatly  shall  he  your  mother, 
Confounded  shall  she  he  who  bare  you ; 
Behold,  the  last  of  the  nations  shall  she  he, 
A  desert,  a  dry  land,  and  a  wilderness. 

The  reference  seems  to  be  to  the  rejoicings  of  Babylon,  when  it  was  taken. 
—Ed. 


CHAP.  L.  ]3,  14.       COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  145 

The  Chaldeans  had  flourished  in  power  and  wealth,  and  pos- 
sessed the  empire  of  the  East.  It  was  then  an  extraordinary 
revolution  to  be  reduced  to  the  lowest  condition,  to  be,  as 
it  were,  the  dregs  of  all  the  nations.  And  to  the  same  pur- 
pose he  adds,  a  barren  land,  a  desert,  and  a  solitude.  It 
now  follows, — 

13.  Because  of  the  wTath  of  the  13.  Ab  indignatione  Jehovje 
Lord  it  shall  not  be  inhabited,  non  habitabitur  {hoc  est,  prse  indig- 
but  it  shall  be  AvhoUy  desolate :  natione,  aut,  propter  indignatio- 
every  one  that  goeth  by  Babylon  nem.)  et  erit  vastitas  tota  ;  quisquis 
shall  be  astonished,  and  hiss  at  all  transient  per  Babylonem  stupebit,  et 
her  plagues.  sibilabit  super  omnibus  plagis  ejus. 

Jeremiah  again  repeats  that  the  destruction  of  Babylon 
would  be  an  evidence  of  God's  vengeance,  because  the  Chal- 
deans had  unjustly  raged  against  the  Church.  But  the 
name  of  God  seems  also  to  have  been  designedly  mentioned, 
that  the  faithful  might  more  readily  receive  this  pro- 
phecy :  for  had  they  thought  that  what  Jeremiah  said  came 
from  man,  they  would  have  hardly  believed  his  words,  for 
what  he  said  exceeded  the  comprehension  of  men.  He  then 
mentioned  the  indignation  of  God,  that  the  faithful  might 
know  that  it  was  absurd  to  form  an  opinion  concerning  the 
ruin  of  Babylon  according  to  the  present  aspect  of  things, 
because  God  would  do  a  work  there  beyond  the  common 
course  of  things. 

He  then  says,  that  it  would  become  a  waste,  so  that  every 
one  passing  through  it  would  be  astonished,  and  yet  would 
not  pity  it.  This  way  of  sj)eaking  often  occurs  in  the  Pro- 
phets, when  they  wish  to  describe  a  waste  exceeding  what 
is  common.  In  the  meantime,  what  follows  ought  to  be 
noticed,  that  this  arrangement  would  excite  no  commisera- 
tion, but  rather  mockery,  which  the  Prophet  denotes  by  the 
the  word  hissing.     It  then  follows, — 

14.  Put  yourselves  in  array  14.  Ordinate  contra  Babel  per  cir- 
against  Babylon  round  about ;  all  cuitum ;  quicunque  tenditis  arcura 
ye  that  bend  the  boAv,  shoot  at  her,  projicite  (yel,  jaculamini)  super  earn, 
spare  no  arrows :  for  she  hath  sin-  (contra  earn,)  ne  parcatis  sagittse  ; 
ned  against  the  Lord.  quia  contra  Jehovam  scelerate  egit. 

The  Prophet  now  turns  to  address  the  Modes  and  Persians, 
and  instigates  them,  in  the  name  of  God,  to  destroy  Babylon. 
We  have  already  said,  why  the  Prophets  assume  authority 

VOL.  V.  K 


146  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.         LECT.  CLXXXI. 

over  all  nations,  even  that  tliey  might  shew  that  God's 
power  is  connected  with  his  word.  For  men  do  not  easily 
apprehend  the  efficacy  of  God's  word,  and  think  that  the 
air  is  to  no  purpose  beaten  by  an  empty  sound.  Hence  the 
Prophets  shew  that  God  has  his  hand  extended  whenever  he 
speaks,  so  that  nothing  is  announced  in  vain.  This  then  is 
the  reason  why  the  Prophet  now,  as  before,  commands  the 
Persians  and  Medes  strenuously  to  exert  themselves  in  at- 
tacking Babylon. 

He  says,  first,  Set  in  ordei%  that  is,  the  battle,  or  the  as- 
sault ;  set  in  order  against  Babylon ;  and  then,  around,  so 
that  no  escape  might  be  open  to  them.  He  adds,  All  ye 
who  bend  the  bow,  for  this  mode  of  fighting  was  common 
among  the  Medes  and  Persians,  as  it  appeared  elsewhere ; 
and  the  Orientals  still  follow  the  same  practice,  for  they 
throw  darts  at  their  enemy,  and  move  here  and  there,  for 
they  do  not  engage  in  pitched  battles.  He  afterwards  says, 
Throw  or  shoot  at  her,  spare  not  the  arrow  ;  the  singular  is 
here  used  for  the  plural.  He  adds  the  reason,  because  they 
have  acted  wickedly  against  God} 

Though  the  iniquity  of  Babylon  was  manifold,  there  is 
yet  no  doubt  but  that  God  here  undertakes  the  cause  of  his 
Church.  Then,  of  all  the  sins  of  the  Chaldeans,  the  chief 
was  this,  that  they  had  oppressed  the  Church  of  God  ;  for 
we  know  with  what  favour  God  regards  his  children,  so 
that  he  who  hurts  them  toucheth  the  apple  of  his  eye,  as 
he  testifies  elsewhere.  (Zech.  ii.  8.)  This  singular  effect  of 
love  Jeremiah  sets  forth  when  he  says,  that  the  Chaldeans 
had  acted  wickedly  against  Jehovah,  even  because  they  had 
tyrannically  oppressed  his  Church. 

Now  God  will  have  nothing,  as  it  were,  apart  from  his 
children  :  and  hence  we  learn  a  useful  doctrine, — that  the 
salvation  of  his  Church  is  so  precious  in  the  sight  of  God,  that 
he  regards  the  wronsf  done  to  the  faithful  as  done  to  himself. 
Thus  there  is  no  reason  why  we  should  torment  ourselves, 
when  the  ungodly  harass  us,  because  God  will  at  length 
really  shew  that  our  salvation  is  not  less  dear  to  him  than 
their  own  eyes  are  to  men.     It  afterwards  follows, — 

'  Or  literally,  "  Because  against  Jehovah  has  she  sinned." — Ed. 


CHAP.  L.  15.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  147 

15.     Shout    against    her    round         15.  Vociferamini  contra  earn  per 

about :  she  hath  given  her  hand  :  her  circuitum ;  dedit  manum  suam  ;  ce- 

foundations  are  fallen,  her  walls  are  ciderunt    fundamenta    ejus,    diruti 

thrown  down ;  for  it  is  the  vengeance  sunt  muri  ejus,  quia  ultio  JehovjB 

of  the  Lord  :  take  vengeance  upon  hsec ;  ultionem  sumite  de  ea ;  quem- 

her;  as  she  hath  done,  do  unto  her.  admodum  fecit,  facite  ei. 

Jeremiali  proceeds  in  exhorting  the  Persians  and  the 
Medes,  not  that  he  had  ever  spoken  to  them  ;  but  this  mode 
of  speaking,  as  it  has  been  said,  availed  to  confirm  the 
minds  of  the  godly,  so  that  thej  might  feel  assured,  that 
what  had  proceeded  from  the  mouth  of  Jeremiah  was  not 
vain.  Here,  then,  he  assumes  the  person  of  God  himself,  and 
with  authority  commands  the  Persians  and  the  Medes  as  to 
what  they  were  to  do.  He  says  again,  Ciy  aloud  against  her. 
By  crying  aloud  or  shouting,  he  means  the  cry  of  triumph 
which  soldiers  send  forth  when  a  city  is  taken,  or  rather,  as 
I  think,  the  encouraging  cries,  by  which  soldiers  rouse  one 
another  when  they  make  an  attack  ;  for  battles  are  never 
without  shoutings,  nor  the  storming  of  cities.  God  then 
bids  the  soldiers  to  animate  one  another  in  their  usual  way 
to  make  a  strenuous  effort.  Shout,  he  says,  and  then  adds, 
all  around. 

He  then  says.  She  hath  given  her  hand.  By  these  words 
he  intimates  that  Babylon  would  not  be  able  to  resist. 
Hands  are  wont  to  be  given  as  a  token  of  union  ;  but  he  is 
also  said  to  give  his  hand  who  confesses  himself  to  be  con- 
quered. In  this  sense  we  may  take  the  words  of  Jeremiah, 
that  Babylon  had  given  her  hand,  because  she  could  not  de- 
fend herself  against  the  Medes  and  Persians.  But  as  we 
know  that  the  city  was  taken  by  treachery,  in  this  manner 
also  was  fulfilled  what  Jeremiah  had  announced,  when  two 
Satraps,  in  order  to  revenge  private  wrongs,  sent  for  Cyrus: 
for  thus  it  happened  that  Babylon,  or  those  withi-h  it,  will- 
ingly stretched  forth  the  hands. 

It  is  added,  her  foundations  have  fallen,  and  her  walls 
have  been  overthrown  ;  not  that  Cyrus  attacked  the  city  with 
warlike  engines,  for  he  entered  in  by  the  fords  ;  but  still 
the  soldiers  readily  mounted  the  walls.  Jeremiah  then 
speaks  figuratively,  as  though  he  had  said,  that  the  Chal- 
deans were   mistaken    in   thinking  that  they  had   strong 


148  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.         LECT.  CLXXXI. 

fortresses,  because  the  walls  would  avail  them  nothing,  how- 
ever high  and  wide  they  were.  And  we  know  what  ancient 
historians  relate  of  these  walls  and  towers.  The  event  w^as 
almost  incredible  ;  for  no  one  could  have  thought  it  possible 
that  a  city  so  fortified  could  be  taken  by  assault.  But  the 
Prophet  derides  this  confidence,  and  declares  that  the  walls 
would  he  overthroiun,  together  with  their  foundationsA  But 
as  it  was  a  thinn:  difficult  to  be  believed,  he  aj^ain  adds  a 
confirmation,  that  it  would  be  the  vengeance  of  Jehovah  ;  as 
though  he  had  said,  that  the  destruction  of  Babylon  ought 
not  to  be  estimated  according  to  the  thoughts  of  men,  be- 
cause God  would  there  put  forth  his  wonderful  power.  In 
the  meantime,  he  animates  again  the  Persians  and  the 
Modes  to  take  vengeance,  and  to  render  to  the  Babylonians 
what  they  had  deserved.  The  Pro2)het  in  short  intimates 
that  the  Persians  and  the  Medes  would  be  armed  to  execute 
God's  vengeance  on  the  Babylonians. 

But  we  must  notice  the  last  clause.  Do  to  her  as  she  has 
done  to  others  ;  for  we  hence  learn,  what  we  have  also  ob- 
served elsewhere,  that  a  reward  is  rendered  to  every  one,  so 
that  they  who  have  been  cruel  to  others,  do  find  how  dread- 
ful is  God's  judgment.  God  does  not  always  execute  his 
judgment  by  men  ;  but  still  this  is  ever  true,  "  Woe  to  thee 
who  plunderest,  for  thou  shalt  be  plundered  ;"  and  also  this, 
"  Judgment  without  mercy  shall  be  to  him  who  hath  shewed 
no  mercy  ;"  and  still  further,  "  With  what  measure  any  one 
measures,  the  same  shall  be  rendered  to  him."  (Isa.  xxxiii. 
1  ;  James  ii.  13;  Matt.  vii.  2.)  Tliis  truth,  then,  remains 
fixed  and  unchangeable.  But  God  in  various  ways  renders 
to  the  ungodly  their  reward  ;  for  he  sometimes  punishes 
them  by  the  hand  of  man,  and  sometimes  he  suspends  his 
judgment.  Here  he  shews  that  the  Persians  and  the  Medes 
would  be  the  executioners  of  his  vengeance,  even  as  the 
Chaldeans  themselves  had  been  as  it  were  his  scourges  when 
he  chastised  Iiis  people  for  their  sins  ;  for  he  had  employed 
the  Clialdeans  in  carrying  on  war  against  the  Jews.  But 
God  has  many   ways  by  which  he  calls  each    one   to   an 

'  Rather  "  battlements"  or  ramparts,  as  {jiven  bv  the  Sept.  ;  for  it  is 
not  proper  to  say  that  "  foundations"  have  fallen.  — Ed. 


CHAP.  L.  16.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  149 

account.  Thus  at  length  he  punished  the  Chaldeans,  be- 
cause they  indulged  only  their  avarice  and  ambition  in 
oppressing  the  Jews  ;  for  it  was  not  their  purpose  to  punish 
the  Jews  as  they  deserved  ;  but  their  own  lust,  as  I  have 
just  said,  led  them  to  cruelty  and  slaughter.  It  was,  there- 
fore, but  just  that  thej^  should  in  their  turn  be  chastised  by 
God's  hand.     It  follows, — 

16.  Cut  off  the  sower  from  Baby-  16.  Excidite  seminantem  e  Baby- 
lon, and  him  that  handleth  the  sickle  lone,  et  qui  apprehendit  falcem 
in  the  time  of  harvest :  for  fear  of  tempore  messis ;  coram  gladio  op- 
the  oppressing  sword  they  shall  turn  primente,  quisque  ad  populum  suum 
every  one  to  his  people,  and  they  respiciet,  quisque  ad  terram  suam 
shall  flee  every  one  to  his  own  land,  fugiet. 

He  still  addresses  the  Modes  and  the  Persians,  and  bids  them 
cut  off  from  Babylon  both  the  sowers  and  the  reapers  ;  but 
by  stating  a  part  for  the  whole  he  includes  also  all  others. 
Husbandmen  in  a  manner  preserve  the  life  of  men,  as  other 
arts  and  occupations  are  not  capable  of  doing  so.  Were 
there  no  sowing  and  reaping,  all  would  of  necessity  perish. 
When,  therefore,  the  Prophet  bids  them  take  away  those 
who  sowed  and  reaped,  it  was  the  same  as  though  he  had 
said,  "  Strike  with  the  sword  and  kill  all  the  inhabitants, 
so  that  nothing  may  remain  but  the  land  reduced  to  soli- 
tude.'' He  then  commands  the  Chaldeans  to  be  slain,  so 
that  no  husbandmen  should  remain  to  sow  and  reap. 

This,  indeed,  was  not  fulfilled  by  Cyrus,  as  we  have  else- 
where seen.  But  what  I  then  reminded  you  of  ought  to  be 
borne  in  mind,  that  the  Prophet  extends  his  tlireatenings 
much  further,  for  Babylon  was  often  smitten  by  God's  hand, 
and  at  length  w^holly  destroyed.  The  assault  of  Cyrus  was 
a  prelude,  but  other  calamities  followed,  when  it  was  more 
severely  oppressed. 

He  adds.  From  the  face  of  the  oppressing  or  wasting 
sword  every  one  shall  flee  to  his  people  and  to  his  own  land. 
As  that  country  was  wealthy,  many  strangers  had  come 
there,  and  they  had  also  drawn  together  captives  from  all 
parts.  Thus  many  foreigners  no  doubt  dwelt  in  Chaldea 
when  the  empire  flourished.  There  were  there  many  hus- 
bandmen and  many  artificers.  The  Chaldeans  ruled,  and 
yet  many  were  content  with  small  means,  and  even  paltry  ; 


loO  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.         LECT.  CLXXXI. 

or  it  may  be  that  the  Chaldeans  compelled  conquered  na- 
tions to  do  servile  work  in  agriculture  and  in  works  of  art. 
The  Prophet  now  says,  that  in  the  revolution  which  was  to 
happen,  each  would  look  to  his  own  land  and  flee  there,  as 
there  could  be  no  delight  in  a  country  deserted  and  deso- 
late. Then/ro??2  the  face  of  the  02')pressing  sioord  shall  every 
one  look  to  his  own  j^^ople  and  to  his  own  land  ;  and  those 
who  before  pretended  to  be  wholly  devoted  to  the  Chaldeans, 
would  forsake  them  in  their  necessity,  because  nothing 
would  be  better  for  them  than  to  consult  their  own  safety. 
It  follows, — 

17.  Israel   is  a  scattered  17.  Grex  dispersus  (vel,  agnus  dispersus 

sheep  ;  the  lions  have  driven  aut  hredus  ;  ^5;^'  signijicat  interdum  gre- 

him  away:  first  the  king  of  gem,    interdum    etiam   signijicat  singulos 

Assyria  hath  devoured  him,  agnos,   vol  singiilas  oves ;  grex  ergo    dis- 

and  last  this  Nebuchadrezzar  persus  fait)  Israel ;  leones  expulerunt  emn ; 

king  of  Babylon  hath  broken  primus  voravit  eum   rex  Assyrite,    et   hie 

his  bones.  postremus  contrivit  ossa  ejus  Nabuchad- 

rezer  rex  Babylonis. 

Here  the  Prophet  more  clearly  shews  what  he  had  briefly 
referred  to,  even  that  God  was  thus  incensed  against  the 
Babylonians,  because  he  had  undertaken  the  cause  of  the 
people  whom  he  had  chosen.  Then  Jeremiah's  design  was 
to  sliew  to  the  faithful,  that  though  God  severely  cliastised 
them  for  a  time,  he  had  not  wdiolly  divested  himself  of  his 
paternal  regard  towards  them,  because  he  would  at  length 
make  it  openly  evident  that  they  to  whom  he  had  been  so 
rigid  were  dear  to  him.  He  then  mitigates  the  severity  of 
punisliment,  that  the  Jews  might  not  succumb  to  despair, 
but  call  upon  God  in  their  miseries,  and  hope  that  he,  after 
liaving  turned  them,  would  at  length  be  propitious  to  them. 

The  sum  of  what  is  said  is,  that  whatever  punishments 
God  inflicts  on  his  Church  are  temporary,  and  are  also  use- 
ful for  salvation,  being  remedies  to  prevent  them  from  perish- 
ing in  their  vices.  Let  us  then  learn  to  embrace  the  promises 
whenever  we  are  wounded  with  extreme  sorrow  under  the 
chastisements  of  God  :  let  us  learn,  I  say,  to  look  to  his 
mercy  ;  and  let  us  be  convinced  of  this,  that  though  signs 
of  his  wratli  may  appear  on  every  side,  yet  the  punishments 
we  sufl'er  arc  not  fatal,  but  on  the  contrary,  medicinal.  For 
this  reason,  the  Proplict  exhorted  the  faithful  of  his  time  to 


CHAP.  L.I  8.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  151 

be  patient,  by  shewing  that  God,  after  having  been  a  Judge, 
would  be  again  a  Fatlier  to  them. 

He  then  says  that  Israel  was  like  a  scattered  flock,  or  a 
straying  slieep,  which  is  the  same  thing.  He  expresses 
how  they  became  so,  the  first  who  devoured  them  was  the 
king  of  Assyria  ;  for  we  know  that  the  kingdom  of  Israel 
was  overthrown  by  the  Assyrians,  and  the  land  of  Judah 
was  also  very  much  pillaged  by  them  ;  a  small  portion  re- 
mained. Then  God  says,  that  the  peoj^le  had  been  con- 
sumed by  the  calamities  which  the  Assyrians  had  occa- 
sioned. But  he  compares  what  remained  to  bones,  as 
though  a  wild  beast  devoured  a  sheep,  and  left  only  the 
bones.  There  was  then  no  flesh  or  skin  in  Israel  after  the 
Assyrians  had  cruelly  treated  them,  and  that  often.  But 
as  the  kingdom  of  Judah  remained,  he  says  that  it  was  like 
bones ;  and  hence  he  adds,  and  this  last,  Nebuchadnezzar, 
the  king  of  Babylon,  hath  broken  his  bones,'^  that  is,  hath 
broken  in  pieces  and  devoured  the  bones  which  remained. 

We  now  perceive  the  meaning  of  the  Prophet.  Moreover, 
he  exaggerates  the  miseries  of  the  chosen  people,  that  he 
might  in  a  manner  open  a  w^ay  for  mercy.  God,  then, 
here  assumes  the  feeling  of  man,  wlio  is  touched  with  a  sad 
spectacle,  when  he  sees  a  miserable  and  harmless  sheep  de- 
voured, and  the  bones  cast  away,  and  then  sees  another  wild 
beast,  still  more  savage,  who  breaks  the  bones  with  his  teeth 
and  devours  them.  Since  God  then  thus  speaks,  there  is  no 
doubt  but  that  he  meant  to  express  with  what  tender  feel- 
ing he  regarded  his  chosen  people,  and  that  he  also  meant 
to  give  the  godly  the  hope  of  salvation.  It  afterwards 
follows, — 

18.  Therefore  thus  saith  the  Lord  18.  Propterea  sic  diclt  Jehova 
of  hosts,  the  God  of  Israel,  Behold,  exercituum,  Deus  Israel,  ecce  ego 
I  will  punish  the  kin;^  of  Bahylon  visito  super  regem  Babylonis,  et 
and  his  land,  as  I  have  punished  super  terram  ejus,  quemadmodum 
the  king  of  Assyria.  visita\T  regem  Assyrian. 

What  I  have  said  may  hence  with  more  certainty  be  in- 

»  Literally,  '•'  and  boned  him ;"  which  is  to  be  taken  in  a  privative 
sense,  "  and  unboned  him."  There  are  similar  words  in  Hebrew  :  to  neck 
is  to  break  the  neck.  (Ex.  xiii.  13.)  To  tail  is  to  cut  oflf  the  tail. 
(Josh.  x.  19.)  To  root  is  to  root  up.  (Ps.  lii.  5.)  The  Vulg.  here  is 
exossavit. — Ed. 


152  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.        LECT.  CLXXXI. 

ferred — that  the  similitude  which  God  employed  was  in- 
tended for  this  end,  that  having  assumed  the  person  of  one  in 
sorrow,  he  might  represent  as  it  were  to  their  eyes  his  sym- 
patliy.  He  then  shews  that  he  would  be  the  avenger  of  the 
cruelty  which  the  Chaldeans  had  practised,  as  he  had  already 
been  the  avenger  of  all  the  evils  which  the  Assyrians  had 
done  to  his  people. 

We  must  bear  in  mind  the  time — for  the  meaning  of  this 
passage  depends  on  history.  The  Assyrians  were  stronger 
than  the  Chaldeans  when  they  harassed  the  kingdom  of 
Israel :  for  we  know  that  in  the  time  of  Hezekiah  the  king 
of  Babylon  sent  to  him  to  seek  his  favour,  and  to  allure 
him  to  a  confederacy.  While  then  the  monarchy  of  Assyria 
was  formidable,  the  Assyrians  were  very  hostile  to  the 
Israelites  and  also  to  the  Jews  :  what  followed  ?  Nineveh 
was  overthrown,  and  Babylon  succeeded  in  its  place ;  and 
so  they  wlio  had  ruled  were  constrained  to  bear  the  yoke, 
and  thus  Babylon  made  the  Assyrians  captive  to  itself  God 
now  refers  to  this  judgment,  which  was  known  to  all.  The 
Assyrians  themselves  did  not  indeed  think  that  the  God  of 
Israel  was  the  avenger  of  his  people,  but  yet  it  was  so. 
Hence  God  here  declares  that  he  had  already  given  a  mani- 
fest proof  of  the  solicitude  which  he  had  for  the  wel- 
fare of  his  people  :  as  then  he  had  punished  Assyria,  so  he 
declares  that  he  would  take  veno^eance  on  the  Babvlonians. 
And  thus,  by  an  example,  he  confirms  what  might  have 
appeared  incredible.  For  who  could  have  thought  that 
that  monarchy  could  so  suddenly  fall  ?  And  yet  it  hap- 
pened beyond  what  any  could  have  anticipated.  God  here 
repeats  what  had  taken  place,  that  the  faithful  might  feel 
assured  that  the  judgment  which  the  Assyrians  had  ex- 
perienced, awaited  the  Babylonians.  This  is  the  plain 
meaning  of  the  Prophet.     It  follows, — 

19.  And  I  will  bring  Israel  again  10.     Et    reducam    Israelem    ad 

to  his  habitation,  and  lie  shall  feed  caulas  siias,  et  pascctur  in  (monte) 

on  Carmel  and  Bashan,  and  his  soul  Carmel  ct  Basan,  et  in  monte  Eph- 

sliall  be  satisfied  upon  mount  Eph-  raim  et  Gilead ;   satiabitur   anima 

raini  and  Gilead.  ejus. 

Jeremiah  pursues  here  the  same  subject,  and  sustains  the 


CHAP.  L.  19.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JERExMIAH.  153 

minds  of  the  faithful  in  their  miseries,  lest  they  should  wholly 
despond.  It  is  then  the  same  as  though  he  stretched  forth 
his  hand  to  the  shipwrecked,  or  gave  support  to  those  lying 
down  as  it  were  lifeless ;  for  exile  to  God's  children  was  not 
only  sad,  but  was  like  death,  because  they  perceived  the 
vengeance  of  God  as  though  they  had  been  wholly  repu- 
diated. It  was  therefore  necessary  to  give  them  some  con- 
solation, that  they  might  not  altogether  despair.  The  object, 
then,  of  our  Prophet  now^  is,  to  encourage  the  Jews  to  bear 
patiently  their  troubles,  and  not  to  think  the  stroke  inflicted 
on  them  to  be  fatal.  Hence  God  promises  a  restoration  to 
their  own  country,  which  would  be  an  evidence  of  pardon 
and  of  mercy ;  for  w^hen  God  gathered  his  people,  it  was 
the  same  as  though  he  had  openly  shewed  that  their  adop- 
tion remained  unchanged,  and  that  the  covenant  which 
seemed  for  a  time  to  fail  was  still  valid. 

We  now  then  see  why  Jeremiah  spoke  of  the  restoration 
of  the  people ;  and  then  he  adds,  to  their  own  folds,  or  to 
their  own  habitation.  This  mode  of  speaking,  we  know,  is 
found  everywhere  in  the  Prophets,  for  they  compare  God  to 
a  shepherd,  and  the  Church  to  a  flock  of  sheep.  This  simi- 
litude then  is  sufficiently  common,  nor  could  God  better  ex- 
press how  much  he  was  concerned  for  the  welfare  of  his 
people,  than  by  setting  himself  forth  as  their  shepherd,  and 
by  testifying  that  he  w^ould  take  care  of  his  flock.  But  as 
we  said  at  the  beginning  of  the  book,  Jeremiah  had  a  special 
reason  for  using  this  similitude,  because  he  was  from  a  town 
of  pastures,  and  had  been  from  his  childhood  among  shep- 
herds :  there  is  therefore  no  wonder  that  he  often  uses  ex- 
pressions to  which  he  had  been  accustomed  ;  for  education 
in  a  great  measure  forms  the  language  of  men.  Though 
then  the  Prophet  speaks  according  to  the  usual  phraseology 
of  Scripture,  there  is  yet  no  doubt  but  that  he  retained, 
as  it  has  been  said  elsewhere,  his  own  habitual  mode  of 
speaking. 

He  then  says,  that  after  the  people  had  been  gathered, 
they  would  inhabit  rich  and  fertile  mountains,  even  Garmel 
and  Bashan.  The  fruitfulness  of  these  mountains  is  spoken 
of  in  many  places,  but  it  is  not  necessary  to  quote  them. 


lol  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXXXI. 

The  meaning*  however  is,  that  God,  after  having  again 
gathered  his  chosen  people,  would  be  as  it  were  a  faithful 
shepherd  to  them,  so  that  they  might  feel  assured  that  there 
would  be  not  only  a  free  return  to  their  own  country,  but 
that  God  would  be  also  the  guardian  of  their  safety,  so  as 
ever  to  protect  them,  to  exercise  care  over  them,  to  defend 
them  against  their  enemies. 

But  that  God  might  more  fully  set  forth  his  kindness,  he 
adds,  and  satisfied  shall  he  his  soul.  Soul  here  is  to  be  taken 
for  desire,  as  in  many  other  places.  Now  the  former  doctrine 
ought  to  be  borne  in  mind,  tliat  God  is  never  so  angry  or 
displeased  with  his  Church  but  that  he  remembers  his  cove- 
nant. Then,  as  to  the  faithful,  after  they  have  undergone 
their  temporary  punishment,  God  at  length  stretches  forth 
his  hand  to  them  ;  nor  is  he  once  only  propitious  to  them, 
but  continues  his  mercy,  and  so  cherishes  them,  that  he  is 
not  less  solicitous  for  their  welfare  than  a  shepherd  is,  to 
whom  his  flock  is  not  less  dear  than  his  own  life,  so  that  he 
watches  in  the  night,  endures  cold  and  heat,  and  also  ex- 
poses himself  to  many  dangers  from  robbers  and  wild  beasts 
in  order  that  he  might  protect  his  flock.  But  the  Prophet 
points  out  as  by  the  finger  the  very  fountain  of  all  this  when 
he  adds, — 

20.  In  tliose  days,  and  in  that  time,         20.   In  diebiis  iliis  et  tempore 

saith  the  Lord,  the  iniquity  of  Israel  illo,  dicit  Jchova,  qujcretur  ini- 

sliall  be  sought  for,  and  tlierc  shall  be  quitas  Israel,  et  nulla  erit,  scelus 

none ;  and  the  sins  of  Judah,  and  they  Jehudah,  et  non  invenietur ;  quia 

shall  not  be  found ;    for  I  will  pardon  prnpitius  ero  his  quos  fecero  rc- 

them  whom  1  reserve.  siduos. 

As  I  have  already  said,  the  Prophet  now  shews  the  primary 
cause  why  God  purposed  to  deal  so  kindly  and  mercifully 
with  his  people,  even  because  he  would  remit  their  sins. 
And  doubtless  whatever  is  said  of  the  remission  of  sins  is 
cold  and  unmeaning,  except  we  be  first  convinced  that  God 
is  reconciled  and  propitious  to  us.  The  unbelieving  indeed 
seek  no  other  thing  than  to  be  relieved  from  tlieir  evils,  as 
the  sick  who  require  nothing  from  tlieir  physician  but  that 
he  should  immediately  remove  pain.  If  the  sick  man  thirsts, 
"  Take  away  thirst,''  he  will  say.  In  short,  they  regard  only 
the  symptom,  of  the  disease  they  do  not  say  a  word.     Such  is 


CHAP.  L.  20.  COMxMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  1.55 

the  case  with  the  iingoclly,  they  neglect  the  chief  thing,  that 
God  should  pardon  them  and  receive  them  into  favour.  Pro- 
vided they  are  exempted  from  punishment,  this  is  enough 
for  them.  But  as  to  the  faithful,  they  can  never  be  satisfied 
until  they  feel  assured  that  God  is  propitious  to  them.  In 
order,  then,  to  free  from  disquietude  and  all  misgivings 
the  minds  of  the  godly,  our  Prophet  says  that  God  would 
be  propitious,  so  that  he  would  bury  all  the  sins  of  Israel 
and  Judah,  so  that  they  might  no  more  be  remembered  or 
come  to  judgment. 

This  passage  is  remarkable,  and  from  it  we  especially  learn 
this  valuable  truth,  that  when  God  severely  chastises  us,  we 
ought  not  to  stop  at  the  punishment  and  seek  only  a  relief 
from  our  troubles,  but  on  the  contrary  we  ought  to  look  to 
the  very  cause  of  all  evils,  even  our  sins.  So  David,  in  many 
places,  when  he  seeks  from  God  a  relaxation  of  evil,  does 
not  only  say,  "  Lord,  deliver  me  from  mine  enemies  ;  Lord, 
restore  to  me  my  health  ;  Lord,  deliver  me  from  death  ;'' — 
he  does  not  simply  speak  thus,  but  he  earnestly  flees  to  God 
and  implores  his  mercy.  And  on  the  other  hand,  when  God 
promises  deliverance  from  punishment,  he  does  not  simply 
say,  "  I  will  restore  you  from  exile  or  captivity,  I  will  restore 
you  to  your  own  country  ;''  but  he  says,  "  I  will  forgive  you 
your  sins/'  For  when  the  disease  is  removed,  the  symptoms 
also  which  accompany  the  disease  disappear.  So  also  it 
happens  in  this  case,  for  when  God  shews  that  he  is  proj)i- 
tious  to  us,  we  are  then  freed  from  punishment,  that  is, 
what  we  have  for  a  time  suffered,  or  what  awaited  us, 
had  not  God  spared  us  according  to  his  infinite  mercy  and 
goodness.'^ 

1  The  idea  of  this  verse  is  rightly  given  in  these  words:  the  punislinient 
for  iniquity  and  sins  would  not  be  exacted,  because  God  would  pardon  the 
remnant ;  hence  they  appeared  not.  The  removal  of  punishment,  the  re- 
storation from  exile,  Avould  shew  that  iniquity  and  sins  no  longer  existed, 
God  having  fully  pardoned  them,  and  thus  obliterated  them. 

The  iniquity  of  Israel  was  false  worship,  the  worship  of  the  calves,  and 
the  sins  of  Judah  were  especially  idolatry  and  the  rejection  of  God's 
messages  by  his  prophets.  For  these  evils  more  particularly  they  were 
banished,  and  their  exile  proved  a  remedy  for  them,  as  they  never  after- 
wards fell  into  these  sins.- — Ed. 


156  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.        LECT.  CLXXXII. 

PRAYER. 

Grant,  Almighty  God,  that  since  thou  hast  been  so  merciful  to- 
wards thine  ancient  people,  and  however  grievously  thou  mightest 
have  been  offended,  yet  thou  didst  preserve  some  remnant  to 
whom  thou  gavest  tokens  of  thy  mercy, — O  grant  that  it  may 
please  thee  so  to  allure  us  also  at  this  day ;  and  however  we  may 
deserve  a  thousand  times  to  be  condemned  by  thee,  yet  deign  to 
receive  us  in  thine  only-begotten  Son,  and  through  him  shew 
thyself  reconciled  to  us  to  the  end  of  our  life ;  and  be  thou  our 
Father  in  death  itself,  so  that  we  may  live  and  die  to  thee,  and 
acknowledge  this  to  be  the  only  true  way  of  salvation,  until  we 
shall  at  length  enjoy  that  celestial  inheritance  which  has  been 
obtained  for  us  by  the  blood  of  the  same,  thine  only-begotten  Son. 
— Amen. 


In  the  last  lecture  we  began  to  explain  what  the  Prophet 
says,  that  when  Grod  redeemed  his  people  he  would  be  so 
propitious  as  to  blot  out  all  their  sins.  We  said  also  that  the 
Prophet  shews  that  the  people  had  for  just  reasons  been 
treated  with  severity.  Here  then  we  have  to  observe  the 
justice  of  God  in  all  his  judgments.  For  the  Prophet  reminds 
us  that  the  Jews  could  not  have  been  reconciled  to  God, 
except  they  acknowledged  that  they  had  been  justly  punished. 
And  hence  we  learn  also  a  useful  doctrine,  that  whenever 
God  smites  us  with  his  rods,  we  are  not  only  to  seek  that 
relief  may  be  given  us  from  external  evils  or  sorrow,  but  that 
God  may  also  forgive  us.  The  reason  also  is  to  be  observed, 
for  the  Prophet  teaches  us  that  there  would  be  no  iniquity 
because  God  would  be  propitious.  We  hence  learn  that 
there  were  also  just  reasons  why  God  chastised  liis  people, 
but  that  as  he  designed  to  forgive  their  sins  he  became  their 
deliverer.  Let  us  then  know  that  we  are  counted  just  before 
God,  not  because  he  sees  no  iniquities  in  us,  but  because  he 
freely  forgives  them.  It  is,  in  short,  the  only  true  way  of 
beins:  reconciled  to  God,  when  he  buries  as  it  were  our  sins 
so  as  never  to  call  them  to  judgment. 

Moreover,  that  this  ftivour  properly  belongs  to  the  kingdom 
of  Christ  may  be  gathered  from  the  thirty-first  chapter,  where 


CHAP.  L.  21.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  157 

the  Propliet,  having  spoken  of  the  new  covenant,  lays  down 
this  as  the  principal  thing,  "  I  will  pardon  their  iniquities,'' 
(ver.  34 ;)  and  he  uses  here  the  same  verb.  This  promise 
tlien  ought  not  to  be  confined  to  that  short  time  when  the 
people  returned  from  their  Babylonian  exile,  but  ought  on 
the  contrary  to  be  extended  to  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  for  it 
was  then  that  this  propliecy  was  fully  accomplished,  because 
our  sins  do  not  appear  before  God  when  he  is  reconciled  to  us. 
Yet  the  Prophet  intimates  that  this  favour  would  not  be 
general,  for  he  adds  that  God  would  be  propitious  only  to 
the  remnant ;  and  it  was  needful  to  express  this,  because  the 
faithful  after  their  return  might  have  otherwise  desponded, 
when  they  saw  that  a  few  only  of  the  people  were  restored. 
Had  their  restoration  been  indiscriminately  promised,  the 
faith  of  the  godly  might  have  faltered  on  seeing  that  almost 
the  whole  people  disregarded  the  favour  offered  to  them  ; 
for  a  part  only  of  the  tribe  of  Judah  availed  themselves  of 
the  kindness  of  Cyrus  and  Darius  ;  and  the  ten  tribes  chose 
rather  to  dwell  in  Chaldea  and  in  other  places.  And  it  was 
not  only  once  that  God  restricted  the  promise  given  here  ; 
for  it  is  said  by  Isaiah,  "  Were  thy  people  as  the  sand  of  the 
sea,  a  remnant  only  shall  be  saved.''  (Isa.  x.  21,  22.)  The 
people  gloried  in  their  number  and  boasted  of  what  had 
been  said  to  Abraham,  "  Number  if  thou  canst  the  stars  of 
heaven  and  the  sand  of  the  sea,  so  shall  thy  seed  be.  (Gen. 
XV.  5.)  God  then  shews  that  the  Jews  were  greatly  mis- 
taken when  they  thought  that  they  would  be  always  in  a 
safe  state.  Hence  the  Prophet  says  here  that  God  would 
not  be  propitious  inaiscrirainately  to  all,  but  to  those  whom 
he  would  make  the  remnant.  And  God  also  intimates  that 
it  was  to  be  ascribed  to  his  gratuitous  goodness  that  any 
remained  alive,  according  to  what  is  said  in  Isaiah  i.  9,  "  Ex- 
cept some  seed  had  been  left  to  us^  we  must  have  been  as 
Gomorrah,  and  like  to  Sodom,''  God  then  declares  here 
that  the  remnant  would  not  otherwise  be  saved  than  through 
his  gratuitous  mercy,  as  Paul  also  says,  that  the  Jews  were 
not  to  hope  for  salvation,  except  through  the  free  mercy  of 
God.  (Rom.  xi.  5.)  And  he  especially  noticed  this  passage 
and  similar  passages,  because  the  Jews  then  in  opposing  the 


158  COMMENTARIES  ON  JJJREMIAII.        LECT.  CLXXXII. 

Gospel  raised  tlic  objection,  that  tliey  were  the  seed  of 
Abraliam,  and  the  chosen  people  ;  but  Paul  gave  them  this 
answer,  that  it  was  not  a  new  thing  that  God  gathered  a 
small  remnant  from  his  people  ;  and  he  assigns  as  the  cause 
his  gratuitous  election.     It  now  follows, — 

21.   Go  up  against  the  land   of        21.   Super  terram  exasperantium 

Merathaim,    even    against   it,   and  ascende  super  earn  (scd  ahundat)  et 

against  the  inhabitants  of  Pekod  :  super  habitatorcs  visitationis  (et  ha- 

■\vaste  and  utterly  destroy  after  them,  bitatores  visitationis  ;)  occide  et  dis- 

saith  the  Lord,  and  do  according  to  perde  post  eos,  dicit  Jehova  ;  et  fac 

all  that  I  have  commanded  thee.  omnia  qua  prajcepi  tibi. 

The  Prophet  here  undertakes  the  office  of  a  herald,  and 
animates  the  Persians  and  the  Medes  to  make  war  with 
Babylon.  This  prophecy  indeed  never  came  to  these  nations, 
but  we  have  stated  wliy  the  Prophets  proclaimed  war  and 
addressed  at  one  time  heathen  nations,  at  another  time  the 
Jews — now  one  people,  then  another  ;  for  they  wished  to 
bring  the  faithful  to  the  very  scene  of  action,  and  connected 
the  accomplishment  with  their  predictions.  By  this  mode  of 
speaking,  the  Prophet  then  teaches  us,  that  he  did  not 
scatter  words  into  the  air,  but  that  the  power  of  God  was 
connected  with  the  word  which  he  spoke,  as  though  God 
had  expressly  commanded  the  Medes  and  the  Persians  to 
execute  his  vengeance  on  Babylon.  And  doubtless  Jere- 
miah did  not  thus  speak  according  to  his  own  thouglits,  nor 
did  he  thus  speak  in  the  person  of  man  ;  but  on  tlie  con- 
trary, he  introduced  God  as  tlie  speaker,  as  it  appears  from 
the  end  of  the  verse. 

lie  then  says,  Ascend  on  the  land  of  the  exasperating; 
others  read,  "  of  bitterness,"  but  improperly.  God  indeed 
calls  the  Chaldeans  rebellious,  for  though  they  were  for  a 
time  the  scourges  of  his  wrath,  they  yet  had  cruelly  treated 
many  nations,  being  impelled  only  by  their  own  pride  and 
avarice  ;  he  justly  calls  them  "  the  exasperating,''  and  then 
adds,  Slay  the  inhabitants  of  visitation.  Some  regard  HIpS, 
2)ekud,  as  a  proper  name ;  and  they  first  imagine  that  it 
was  a  town  of  some  note  in  Chaldca,  which  is  groundless  ; 
and  then  they  give  a  frigid  explanation  by  saying  tliat  it 
was  some  mean  and  obscure  place.  There  is  then  no  doubt 
but  that  the  Prophet  calls  the  Chaldeans  the  inhabitants  of 


CHAP.  L.  21.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  159 

visitation,  because  God's  vengeance  awaited  them,  nay,  it 
was  even  suspended  over  their  heads,  as  he  afterwards  de- 
clares. But  this  way  of  speaking  frequently  occurs  in  the 
Prophets.^ 

He  afterwards  adds,  and  destroy  after  or  behind  them. 
There  is  an  alliteration  in  the  words  DH'^'inX  CD^nn,  eclie- 
rem  acheriem  ;  and  he  means  that  the  slaughter  would  be 
extreme,  so  that  tlie  Medes  and  Persians  would  not  cease  to 
destroy  until  they  liad  extinguished  the  name  of  Babylon. 
Yet  we  know  that  this  was  not  done  by  Cyrus  and  Darius  ; 
for  as  we  have  already  stated  several  times,  the  city  was 
taken  by  fraud  and  treachery  in  the  night,  and  the  king 
and  the  princes  were  slain,  for  Darius,  or  rather  Cyrus,  spared 
the  rest  of  the  people  ;  for  though  Darius  had  the  name 
of  being  king,  yet  Cyrus  was  by  far  the  most  renowned,  as 
he  was  a  valiant  soldier,  and  only  on  account  of  his  fame 
accompanied  his  father-in-law  and  uncle.  As  then  the 
sword  did  not  destroy  all  the  Chaldeans  when  Babylon  was 
taken,  we  conclude  that  the  Prophets,  when  they  denounced 
slaughter  and  destruction  on  Babylon,  did  not  confine  what 
they  said  to  that  time,  but  included  also  other  slaughters  ; 
for  Babylon  was  often  taken.  It  revolted  from  the  Persians  ; 
and  when  it  was  recovered,  it  suffered  very  severe  punish- 
ment ;  for,  by  way  of  rejiroach,  those  who  were  first  in  power 

'  Merathaim  and  Pekod  are  appellatives,  and  not  proper  names,  in  the 
early  versions,  and  the  first  is  so  in  the  Targ.  and  rendered  "  rebellious  ;" 
but  by  the  Sept.  "bitterly;"  by  the  Vulg.  "rulers;"  and  by  the  Syr. 
" exasperating."  The  most  probable  derivation  of  the  word  is  from  mD, 
to  rebel,  with  a  dual  termination,  doubly  rebellious,  i.e.,  very  rebellious. 
As  to  "  Pekod,"  the  versions  give  it  the  idea  of  visiting  by  way  of  punish- 
ment :  "  Avenge  thou  with  the  sword,"  is  the  Sept.  ;  "  Visit  her  inhabi- 
tants," the  Vulg. ;  "  Assail  ye  her  and  her  inhabitants,"  the  Syr. ;  the 
Targ.  has  "  the  inhabitants  of  Pekod."  It  is  better  to  take  both  words 
as  appellatives: — 

21.  Against  the  land  of  the  most  rebellious,  against  her  ascend, 
And  to  the  inhabitants  of  visitation  ; 
Slay  and  utterly  destroy  their  posterity,  saith  Jehovah, 
And  do  according  to  all  that  I  have  commanded  thee. 

As  to  Babylon  being  "  rebellious,"  see  verses  24  and  33.  "  Inhabitants 
of  visitation"  were  such  as  were  to  be  visited,  i.e..,  with  judgment ;  see 
verse  31.  The  repetition,  "against  her,"  is  emphatical.  "Posterity," 
i.e.,  children,  or  young  men,  as  in  verse  30.     See  1  Kings  xvi.  3. — Ed. 


160  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.        LECT.  CLXXXII. 

and  authority  were  hung,  and  there  was  also  great  cruelty 
exercised  towards  men  and  women.  There  is  no  doubt  then 
but  that  the  Prophets,  in  speaking  of  the  destruction  of  Baby- 
lon, referred  to  God's  judgments  inflicted  at  various  times. 
However  this  may  have  been,  we  learn  that  though  God 
may  long  connive,  or  suspend  extreme  judgments,  yet  the 
ungodly  cannot  possibly  escape  his  hand,  though  they  may 
long  be  spared. 

He  then  adds.  Do  to  them  as  I  have  commanded  thee. 
This  prophetic  mode  of  speaking  ought  also  to  be  noticed  ; 
for  the  Modes  and  the  Persians  never  thought  that  they 
fouglit  under  the  authority  of  God  ;  why  then  is  the  word 
"  commanded''  used  ?  even  because  God  rules  by  his  secret 
power  ungodly  men,  and  leads  them  wheresoever  he  pleases, 
though  nothing  of  the  kind  is  ever  thought  of  by  them.  To 
explain  the  matter  more  fully,  we  must  observe  that  God 
commands  in  two  ways  ;  for  he  commands  the  faithful  when 
he  shews  to  them  what  is  right  and  what  they  ought  to  follow. 
Thus  daily  God  may  be  said  to  exercise  his  authority  or 
right  of  ruling,  when  he  exhorts  us  to  do  our  duty,  when  he 
sets  his  law  before  us.  And  it  is  the  proper  way  of  com- 
manding, or  of  exercising  autliority,  when  God  expresses 
wliat  he  would  have  us  to  do,  or  what  he  requires  from  us. 
But  God  commands  the  unbelieving  in  another  way ;  for 
thouQfh  he  does  not  declare  to  them  what  he  would  have 
them  to  do,  he  yet  draws  them,  willing  or  unwilling,  where- 
ever  he  pleases.  Thus,  by  his  secret  operation,  he  induced 
Cyrus  and  Darius  to  take  up  arms  against  Babylon. 

We  now  then  understand  what  the  Prophet  meant  by 
this  expression  ;  for  he  did  not  mean  that  Darius  and  Cyrus 
obeyed  God  from  the  heart,  because  they  knew  not  that  he 
was  the  leader  and  autlior  of  that  war ;  no  such  thing  ever 
entered  into  their  minds.  The  former  mode  of  command- 
ing, as  I  have  said,  is  peculiar  to  the  Church  ;  for  God  is 
pleased  to  bestow  on  us  a  peculiar  privilege  and  favour,  when 
he  shews  to  us  what  is  right,  and  prescribes  tlie  rule  of  life. 
But  yet  his  hidden  providence,  by  wliich  he  influences  the 
ungodly,  takes  the  j^lace  of  a  command,  as  it  is  said,  "  The 
king's  lieart  is  in  the  hand  of  God."  (Prov.  xxi.  1.)     But 


CHAP.  L.  22,  23.        COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  161 

Solomon  speaks  of  a  king  rather  than  of  common  men,  be- 
cause, if  there  be  any  liberty  among  mankind,  it  belongs  to 
kings,  for  they  seem  exempt  from  every  yoke  ;  and  Solo- 
mon declares  that  the  hearts  of  kings  are  ruled  by  God. 
Thougli  then  Darius  and  Cyrus  were  carried  away  by  their 
own  cupidity  when  they  made  war,  yet  God,  as  we  shall 
hereafter  see  more  clearly,  guided  their  hearts.  So  also  he 
is  said  to  command  the  heavens  and  the  earth — not  that  the 
heavens,  being  without  ears  and  reason,  hear  his  voice,  but 
because  God  powerfully  moves  and  influences  the  heavens;  for 
when  he  intends  to  punish  us,  he  commands  the  heaven  not 
to  rain.  This  command  of  God  the  heaven  executes,  and 
the  earth  also  obeys  God  ;  but  there  is  no  word  of  command 
given  to  them, — what  then  ?  it  is  God's  providence  which 
is  hid  from  us.     It  follows, — 

22.  A  sound  of  battle  is  in  the  22,  Vox  prselii  in  terra  et  con- 
land,  and  of  great  destruction.  tritio  magna. 

The  Prophet  continues  the  same  style  of  speaking,  for  he 
says  that  there  would  be  the  voice  or  the  sound  of  battle. 
Could  he  rouse  up  the  Modes  and  the  Persians  ?  not  indeed 
by  his  own  power,  but  here  he  exalts  the  efficacy  of  his  doc- 
trine ;  as  though  he  had  said,  tliat  the  vengeance  he  de- 
nounced on  the  Babylonians  would  be  in  readiness  when  the 
time  came,  as  Paul  says  that  the  ministers  of  the  gospel 
had  vengeance  ready  at  hand  for  all  those  who  despised  it. 
We  now  then  see  why  the  Prophet  mentions  the  word  battle, 
and  says  that  breaking,  or  ruin,  would  be  great  in  the  land. 
It  now  follows, — 

23.  How  is  the  hammer  of  the  23.  Quomodo  excisus  est  et  con- 
whole  earth  cut  asunder  and  bro-  tritus  malleus  universes  terrse  ?  quo- 
ken!  how  is  Babylon  become  a  de-  modo  redacta  est  (fuit)  in  vastitatem 
solation  among  the  nations  !  Babylon  inter  gentes  ? 

24.  I  have  laid  a  snare  for  thee,  24.  lllaqueavi  te,  atque  etiam 
and  thou  art  also  taken,  O  Baby-  (fe^  atque,  ideo,  Di,  ^/c^omYur /oco 
Ion,  and  thou  wast  not  aware  :  thou  rationalis  particulce,  ideo)  capta  es 
art  found,  and  also  caught,  because  Babylon,  et  tu  nescivisti ;  inventa 
thou  hast  striven  against  the  Lord,  es  atque  adeo  deprehensa,  quoniam 

contra  Jehovam  te  miscuisti  (Uti- 
gasti.) 

Here,  in  the  first  place,  Jeremiah  asks  in  astonishment 
how  it  happened  that  the  hammer  of  the  whole  earth  was 

VOL.  V.  L 


162  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.       LECT.  CLXXXII. 

broken,  wlieii  it  had  before  broken  all  nations.  God  after- 
wards gives  an  answer,  even  because  "  I  am  he  wlio  have 
taken  Babylon/'  The  question  availed  to  rouse  the  people 
to  a  greater  attention.  We  neglect  God's  judgments  or  are 
blind  to  them,  even  because  we  do  not  carefully  consider 
them ;  for  little  things  often  excite  us,  wdien  that  which 
God  works  in  an  unusual  manner  is  deemed  by  us  as  nothing. 
As  then  our  apatliy  as  to  the  works  of  God  is  so  great,  it  is 
necessary  to  stimulate  us.  And  this  is  what  is  done  now 
by  Jeremiah,  when  he  says  in  astonishment.  How .?  for  he 
intimates  that  to  cut  down  Bab^'lon  would  be  incredible,  for 
no  one  could  have  thought  that  that  monarchy  could  have 
ever  fallen  ;  for  it  had  arrived  to  the  highest  eminence,  and 
was  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  so  many  fortresses,  that  no 
danger  could  be  feared.  In  short,  all  thought  that  Babylon 
could  not  be  endangered  without  a  concussion  of  heaven  and 
earth. 

Then  the  Prophet  here  wonders  at  a  thing  unusual,  and 
says,  Hoiu  is  the  hammer  of  all  the  earth  broken  and  shattered 
to  pieces  ?^  and  then,  ffow  has  Babylon  become  a  waste 
among  the  nations  ?  for  it  had  subjugated  to  itself  not  only 
the  neighbouring  nations,  but  the  remotest  parts  of  the 
earth.  And  in  this  manner  he  animated  the  faithful  to  en- 
tertain hope,  lest  they  should  despond,  for  the  power  of  that 
monarchy  was  terrible. 

He  then  immediately  answers  in  the  person  of  God,  / 
have  ensnared  thee,  and  therefore  thou  Babylon  art  taken. 
Here  God  declares,  that  though  it  could  not  be  possible  that 
Babylon  and  its  empire  should  fall  through  human  means, 
yet  its  destruction  was  in  his  hand.     Thou,  he  says,  ar^ 

^  The  first  verb,  J/1J,  means  to  cast  ofF  as  well  as  to  cut  off;  the  break- 
ing is  expressed  by  the  following  verb.  According  to  order  often  found  in 
the  Prophets,  the  final  act,  casting  oft',  is  first  mentioned,  and  then  the 
previous  act,  the  breaking  of  it, — 

23.   IIow  has  tlie  hammer  of  all  the  earth 
Been  cast  off  and  broken  ! 

How  has  Babylon  become  a  wonder  among  nations ! 
"  A  wonder"  or  astonishment,  for  so  the  word  is  evidently  to  be  taken  here, 
according  to  the  Syr.,  though  rendered  "extinction"  by  the  Se2?t.,  and 
"  desert"  by  the   Viilff.   and    Tar(/.     Blayncy  and  Henderson  render  it 
"  astonishment." —  Ed. 


CHAP.  L.  25.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  163 

taken,  even  because  I  ensnared  thee  ;  as  though  he  had  said, 
that  the  Chaldeans  would  not  have  to  do  with  men,  because 
he  himself  would  carry  on  the  war  and  guide  and  direct  tlie 
Persians  and  tlie  ^tedes,  and  also  endue  them  with  power  : 
He  would,  in  short,  fight  liimself  until  he  had  overcome  the 
Babylonians. 

When  he  says,  thou  knewest  not,  he  not  only  reproves  the 
insensibility  of  that  people,  but  at  the  same  time  derides 
their  security,  as  though  he  had  said,  "  Thou  thinhest  thy- 
self beyond  the  reach  of  harm,  but  thou  wilt  find  that  no 
one  can  escape  my  hand.''  We  now  then  perceive  the  mean- 
ing of  the  Prophet.  It  is  indeed  true  that  the  unbelieving, 
when  God  punishes  them  for  their  wickedness,  do  not  ac- 
knowledge his  hand  ;  but  the  Prophet  means  another  thing, 
— that  thou  oh  Babvlon  trusted  in  its  streno-th  and  feared 
nothing,  it  would  yet  be  taken,  because  it  could  not  evade 
the  snares. 

He  adds,  Thoio  art  found  and  therefore  caught;  and  he 

states  the  reason,  because  she  had  contended  with  God.     We 

shall  presently  explain  how  Babylon  contended  or  litigated 

with  or  against  God,  even  because  God  had  taken  under  his 

protection  and  patronage  the  Israelites.     This,  then,  is  said 

with  reference  to  the  Church,  as  I  shall  presently  explain 

more  at  large.     It  must  be  here  briefly  observed,  that  God 

so  undertakes  the  cause  of  his  people,  as  though  he  himself 

were  injured,  according  to  what  he  promises  that  they  would 

be  to  him  as  the  apple  of  his  eye.     (Zech.  ii.  8.)     It  now 

follows, — 

25.  The   Lord   hath  opened  his         25.    Aperiiit  Jehova   thesaunim 

armoury,  and  hath  brought  forth  the  suum,   et    protuht   vasa    irae   sure, 

weapons  of  his  indignation :  for  this  quia    opus    hoc    Domini,    Jehovse 

is  the  Avork  of  the  Lord  God  of  hosts  exercituum,  est  in  terra  Chaldseo- 

in  the  land  of  the  Chaldeans.  rum. 

The  Prophet  here"  expresses  more  clearly  what  he  had 
touched  upon,  even  that  this  war  would  not  be  that  of  the 
Persians,  but  of  God  himself  He  tlien  says,  that  God  had 
opened  his  treasure,  even  because  he  has  various  and  mani- 
fold ways  and  means,  which  cannot  be  comprehended  by 
men,  when  he  resolves  to  destroy  the  ungodly.  That  mon- 
archy was  impregnable  according  to  the  judgment  of  men  ; 


164  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.         LECT.  CLXXXII. 

but  God  here  says  that  he  had  hidden  means  by  which  he 
would  lay  waste  Babylon  and  reduce  it  to  nothing.  Then 
what  is  by  a  similitude  called  the  treasure  of  God,  means 
such  a  way  as  surpasses  the  comprehension  of  men,  that  is, 
when  God  executes  his  judgments  in  a  way  hidden  and  un- 
expected. 

As,  then,  the  faithful  could  hardly  conceive  what  Jere- 
miah said,  he  raises  up  their  thoughts  to  God's  providence, 
which  ought  not  to  be  subjected  to  human  judgment ;  for  it 
is  absurd  in  men  to  judge  of  God's  power  according  to  the 
perceptions  of  the  flesh  :  it  is  the  same  as  though  they  at- 
tempted to  include  heaven  and  earth  in  the  hollow  of  their 
hand.  God  himself  says,  that  he  takes  heaven  and  earth 
in  the  hollow  of  his  hand.  When,  therefore,  men  seek  to 
comprehend  the  power  of  God,  it  is  like  a  fly  attempting  to 
devour  all  the  mountains.  Hence  the  Prophet  reproves  this 
presumption  to  which  we  are  all  by  nature  inclined,  even 
to  determine  according  to  the  comprehension  of  our  minds 
what  God  is  about  or  ought  to  do,  as  though  his  power  were 
not  infinite. 

This  is  the  reason  why  the  Prophet  says,  God  hath  opened 
his  treasury ;  and  then,  he  hath  thence  brought  forth  the 
instruments  of  his  wrath,  that  is,  from  his  treasury,  even  in 
a  way  and  manner  which  was  then  incomprehensible.^  And 
subjoined  is  the  reason.  Because  this  is  the  work  of  God  alone, 
the  God  of  hosts,  in  the  land  of  the  Chaldeans.^  Here  the 
Prophet  briefly  concludes,  intimating,  that  the  faithful  ouglit 
quietly  to  wait  until  what  he  taught  came  to  pass,  even  be- 
cause it  was  the  work  of  God.  And  there  is  nothing  more 
absurd  than  for  men  to  seek  to  measure  God's  power,  as  it 
has  been  said,  by  their  own  judgment.     It  follows, — but  I 

cannot  explain  the  verse  now. 

• 
*  "  Treasury"  licre  means  an  armoury  or  arsenal,  as  rendered  by  Blay- 
ney :  and  then  "  instruments '  signify  weapons,  drawn  from  the  armoury. 

2  Literally  it  is, — 

For  a  work — this  the  Lord  Jehovali  of  hosts  has 
In  the  land  of  the  Chaldeans.  — Ed. 


CHAP.  L.  23.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  165 

PRAYER. 

Grant,  Almighty  God,  that  since  thou  hast  been  pleased  to  set 
before  us  thy  judgments  on  the  unbelieving,  we  may  not  only 
fear  thee,  but  also  learn  to  cast  on  thee  the  hope  of  our  salva- 
tion, so  that  Tve  may  make  progress  in  the  truth,  that  we  may 
neither  be  insensible  as  to  thy  threatenings,  nor  tremble  in  our 
extreme  evils,  but  so  learn  to  raise  up  to  thee  our  eyes,  that  Ave 
may,  during  the  whole  course  of  our  hfe,  call  on  thee  through 
Christ  Jesus  our  Lord. — Amen. 


Eccture  (3nt  pMntixtti  antr  €?tgi&tg^tfjirt(. 

23.  Come  against  her  from  the         23.    Yenite    contra  earn   a   line, 

utmost  border,  open  her  storehouses;  aperite  apothecas  ejus,  calcate  earn 

cast  her  up  as  heaps,  and  destroy  her  tanquam  acervos,  et  disperdite  earn, 

utterly :  let  nothing  of  her  be  left.  ne  sint  ei  reliquise. 

The  Prophet  again  addresses  the  Persians  and  the  Medes, 
and  encourages  them  to  come  against  Babylon.  We  stated 
yesterday  that  the  prophets  are  wont  to  speak  with  autho- 
rity, because  they  sustained  the  person  of  God  ;  and  we 
mentioned  how  necessary  this  mode  of  speaking  was,  for  the 
world  does  not  acknowledge  that  Grod  speaks  effectually. 

Then  he  says  first,  Come  ye  against  her  /  and  then,  Open 
her  storehouses.  The  word  D^N^,  meabes,  means  a  corn- 
house  or  a  repository  of  any  kind  :  hence  some  render  it 
"  granaries."  But  it  seems  to  me  that  the  word  is  thus  too 
much  restricted,  for  the  Prophet  no  doubt  speaks  of  the 
treasures  of  Babylon.  ICow  storehouses,  (apothecas,)  the 
Greeks  call  those  repositories  which  contain  all  sorts  of 
things,  not  only  wine  and  oil,  but  goods  of  merchants,  and 
also  money.  "We  call  them  in  French,  Arrieres-houtiques, 
or,  magasins.  But  this  word  is  to  be  extended  to  wine,  to 
every  kind  of  fruit,  and  then  to  treasures,  and  also  to  arms  ; 
for  they  were  repositories  of  arms,  of  weapons  of  every  kind. 
It  is  the  same  as  thouo-h  Jeremiah  had  said,  that  nothinof 
would  be  so  hidden  among  the  Chaldeans  but  that  the  Medes 
and  the  Persians  would  find  it  out. 


1  It  is  added,  "  from  the  extremity,"  i.e.,  of  heaven,  according  to  a  paral- 
lel passage  in  Isa.  xiii.  5.  They  were  to  come  from  the  farthest  parts  of 
the  earth  then  known.— jEJc?. 


166  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.       LECT.  CLXXXTII. 

He  then  adds,  Tread  her  as  heaps.     The  word  ^''^"1^, 

oremim,  means  not  heaps  of  stones,  but  on  tlie  contrary,  of 

sheaves.     Then   he  intimates   that    the   Persians   and   the 

Modes  would  act  cruelly,  and  tread  them  as  corn  is  trodden 

on   the  floor.^     He   lastly  says,    Destroy  her   utterly,   that 

there  may  be  to  her  no  remnant     He  seems  indirectly  to 

set  this  in  contrast  with  what  God  joromised  always  to  his 

people,  that  there  would  be  some  remnant.     He  then  sa^^s 

that  nothing  would  remain   when  God  had  executed  his 

vengeance  on  the  Chaldeans.     The  sum  of  what  is  said  is, 

that  the  punishment  of  which  the  Prophet  speaks  would  be 

such  as  would  obliterate  the  very  name  of  the  Babylonian 

monarchy.     This,  as  we  said  yesterday  and  also  previously, 

was  not  completed  in   one  day.     But  when  the  Prophets 

speak  of  God's  judgments,   they  do   not  regard  only  the 

preludes,  but  their  words  extend  to  the  last  judgment  that 

awaits  all  the  reprobate.     It  now  follows, — 

27.  Slay  all  her  bullocks;  let  tlicm  27-   Occidite  omnesjuvencos  ejus; 

go  do^vn  to  the  slaughter :  woe  unto  descendant    ad    mactationem  :    vse 

them !  for  their  day  is  come,  the  illis !  quia  venit  dies  eorum,  tempus 

time  of  their  visitation.  visitationis  eorum. 

He  goes  on  with  the  same  subject  ;  he  bids  the  Persians 
and  the  Modes  to  slay  every  strong  man  in  Chaldea  ;  for  by 
bullocks  he  no  doubt  means  by  a  metaj^hor  all  those  who  ex- 
celled in  strength,  or  in  j^ower,  or  in  w^ealtli.  The  sum  of 
what  he  says  is,  that  the  vengeance  of  which  he  now  speaks, 
would  not  only  be  against  the  common  people,  but  also 
aofainst  the  highest  and  the  choicest  amono-  them.  He  iu- 
eludes  then  the  nobles  as  well  as  all  the  men  of  war  ;  for  he 
refers  not  only  to  strength  of  body,  but  also  to  power  and 
authority. 

Slay,  then,  he  says,  all  her  bullocks,  that  is,  whatever  is 
most  valued  in  Chaldea :  that  was  to  perish  when  the  day 
of  vengeance  came.'^     He  afterwards  says,  let  them  descend 

1  The  most  approved  rendering  is,  "  Cast  (or  throw)  her  up  as  heaps," 
?.<?.,  of  rubbish,  according  to  chap.  li.  37.  It  is  said  that  the  verb  here 
never  means  to  tread  under  foot,  "  Make  her,  of  a  goodly,  stately  city, 
nothing  but  heaps  of  earth,  stones,  and  rubbish."     Gataker. — Ed. 

'  The  Sept.  and  Sijr.  take  ''"ID  liere  as  signifying  fruit,  i.e.,  of  the 
■womb — children,  offspring;  and  what  is  said  in  Isa.  xiii.  IG- IS,  favours 
this  meaning,  as  well  as  what  is  said  in  verse  21  of  this  chapter,  if  we 


CHAP.  L.  28.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  167 

to  the  slaughter.  We  must  ever  bear  in  mind  what  I  have 
said,  that  the  Prophet  gave  orders  as  though  he  had  the 
Modes  and  the  Persians  under  his  own  hand  and  authority, 
because  the  whole  world  is  subject  to  God's  word.  He  says, 
Woe  to  them  !  for  their  day  is  come,  and  the  time  of  their 
visitation.  This  was  added,  because  the  faithful  might  liave 
disputed  with  themselves  and  said,  "  How  can  it  be  that 
Babylon  should  perish  so  quickly  V  For  God  seemed  to 
have  favoured  that  monarchy  for  a  long  time,  as  though  he 
intended  to  protect  it  perpetually.  Hence  the  Prophet 
speaks  here  of  the  time  of  visitation,  so  that  the  faithful 
might  not  doubt  respecting  this  prophecy,  because  God  had 
not  as  yet  put  forth  his  hand.  He  then  reminded  them  that 
God  has  his  fixed  times,  and  that  he  does  not  every  day 
visit  nations,  that  is,  that  he  does  not  execute  his  judgments 
every  moment,  but  at  the  time  which  lie  has  appointed. 
Whenever,  then,  the  ungodly  securely  exult  and  triumph, 
let  us  ever  remember  this  truth,  that  the  time  is  not  yet 
come  for  God  to  execute  his  judgment ;  how  so  ?  because 
there  is  a  fixed  time  of  visitation,  and  that  is  dependent  on 
God's  will.  Let  us  then  learn  to  bear  patiently  all  our  trials 
until  it  shall  please  God  to  shew  that  he  is  the  judge  of  the 
world.     It  follows, — 

28.  The  voice  of  them  that  flee  and  28.  Vox  fugientium  et  qui  eva- 

escape  out  of  the  land  of  Babylon,  to  serint  e  terra  Babylonis  ad  annun- 

declare  in  Zion  the  vengeance  of  the  tiandum  in  Sion  vindictam  Jehovae 

Lord  our  God,  the  vengeance  of  his  Dei  nostri,  vindictam  tempH  ejus, 
temple. 

The  Prophet  again  shews,  that  God  in  punishing  Babylon, 
would  give  a  sure  proof  of  his  favour  towards  his  Cliurch. 
For  this  prophecy  would  have  been  uninteresting  to  the 
faithful,  did  they  not  know  that  God  would  be  an  enemy  to 

render  Dn''")nx,  "  their  posterity."  The  Vulg.  and  the  Targ.  render  the 
word  here  "  valiants,"  expressing  the  meaning  of  "bullocks."  The  first 
version  is  the  most  suitable, — 

Slay  ye  all  her  fruit  (or  offspring  :) 

Let  them  descend  to  the  slaughter. 
It  is  descending  to  the  slaughter  that  led  critics  to  render  ''"IQ  bullocks, 
but  we  find  this  expression  unconnected  with  bullocks  in  chap,  xlviii.  15  ; 
Avhere  '■'  chosen  young  men"  are  said  to  "  descend  to  the  slaughter."  To 
descend  denotes  degradation,  and  to  ascend  dignity.  The  Targ.  has, 
'•■  Let  them  be  delivered  to  the  slau:j,hter." — Ed. 


168  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.       LECT.  CLXXXIII. 

that  great  monarchy,  because  he  had  undertaken  the  care  of 
their  safety.  Then  the  Prophet  often  calls  the  attention  of 
the  faithful  to  this  fact,  that  God's  vengeance  on  the  Baby- 
lonians would  be  to  them  a  sure  proof  of  God's  favour,  through 
which  he  had  once  embraced  them,  and  which  he  w^ould  con- 
tinue to  shew  to  them  to  the  end. 

This,  then,  was  the  design  of  the  Prophet,  when  he  said, 
The  voice  of  fleers  and  of  those  who  escape  from  the  land  of 
Babylon,  &c. ;  as  though  he  had  said,  "  Babylon  is  on  many 
accounts  worthy  of  destruction,  but  God  in  destroying  it  w^U 
have  a  regard  to  his  own  people,  and  will  effectually  shew 
that  he  is  the  Father  of  the  people  whom  he  has  adopted." 
Jeremiah  afterwards  exhorts  the  faithful  to  shew  their^grati- 
tude.  There  are  here,  then,  two  things ;  the  first  is,  that 
when  God  destroyed  Babylon,  the  people  would  hence  with 
certainty  perceive  how^  dear  they  were  to  God  ;  and  secondly, 
from  this  truth  flows  an  exhortation,  that  the  faithful  were 
not  to  be  mute  at  such  a  singular  benefit  of  God,  but  were 
to  proclaim  their  deliverance.  Hence  he  says.  The  voice  of 
fleers  and  of  those  who  escape  from  the  land  of  Babylon,  to 
announce  in  Sion,  &c.  By  saying  in  Sion,  lie  shews  for 
what  end  God  intended  to  gather  his  people,  even  that  he 
might  again  be  worsliipped  as  formerly  in  his  ow^n  Temple. 

He  adds,  to  announce  in  Sion  the  vengeance  of  our  God. 
The  vengeance  of  God  is  to  be  taken  here  in  an  active  sense, 
signifying  the  vengeance  wliich  God  would  execute.  The 
vengeance  of  the  Temple,  whicli  immediately  follows,  is  to 
be  taken  passively,  as  meaning  the  vengeance  by  whicli  God 
would  avenge  the  indignity  offered  to  the  Temple.  God  then 
takes  vengeance,  and  God's  Temple  is  defended  from  contempt 
and  reproach. 

We  now  then  see  the  meaning  of  this  passage.  Tlie  Pro- 
phet first  teaches  us,  that  God  would  have  a  regard  to  his 
people  in  so  rigidly  punishing  Babylon ;  and  secondly,  he 
adds  an  exhortation,  lest  the  faithful  should  be  unthankful 
to  God,  but  acknowledge  that  God,  for  the  sake  of  their  de- 
liverance had  undertaken  war  against  that  monarchy ;  and 
lastly,  he  shews  the  end,  even  that  the  people  who  had  been 
scattered,  as  it  is  said  in  Psalm  cxlvii.  2,  "  God  is  he  wlio 


CHAP.  L.  29.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  169 

gathers  the  dispersed  of  Israel,"  might  again  be  collected 
together.  As,  then,  the  Jews  were  as  a  mutilated  body  among 
the  Chaldeans,  the  Prophet  shews  that  that  monarchy  would 
be  dispersed,  in  order  that  the  faithful  might  again  be 
gathered,  and  that  all  might  worship  God  together  in  the 
Temple,  or  on  mount  Sion.     It  follows, — 

29.  Call  together  the  archers  against         29.  Convocate   contra  Babylo- 

Babylon:   all  ye  that  bend  the  bow,  nem   potentes,   oranes  qui  inten- 

camp  against  it  round  about ;  let  none  dunt    arcum  ;    obsidete    earn    in 

thereof  escape :    recompense  her  ac-  circuitu,  ne  sit  evasio ;  reddite  ei 

cording  to  her  ■work;  according  to  all  secundum  opus   suum,  secundum 

that  she  hath  done,  do  unto  her :   for  omnia  quje  fecit  facite  ei ;   quia 

she  hath  been  proud  against  the  Lord,  contra  Jehovam  superbe  egit,  con- 

against  the  Holy  One  of  Israel.  tra  sanctum  Israelis. 

The  Prophet  adopts  various  modes  of  speaking,  and  not 
without  reason,  because  he  had  to  thunder  rather  than  to 
speak  ;  and  then  as  he  spoke  of  a  thing  incredible,  there 
was  need  of  no  common  confirmation  ;  the  faithful  also,  al- 
most pining  away  in  their  miseries,  could  hardly  entertain 
any  hope.  This  is  the  reason  why  the  Prophet  dwells  so 
long  and  so  diffusely  on  a  subject  in  itself  not  obscure,  for 
there  was  not  only  need  of  amplifying,  but  also  of  great 
vehemence. 

Then,  as  though  he  had  many  heralds  ready  to  obey,  he 
says.  Call  together  the  mighty  against  Babylon.  Some  read 
"  many,''  but  the  word  D^^^,  rebim,  means  both  ;  and  I 
think  that  "  the  mighty"  or  strong  are  meant  here.  Why 
some  render  it  "  arrows''  I  know  not.  It  is,  indeed,  imme- 
diately added,  all  who  bend  the  bow,  H^p  ''^D^T/D,  cal- 
dereki  koshet.  But  the  word,  without  anything  added  to  it, 
never  means  an  arrow.  They  refer  to  a  'pls.ce  in  Gen.  xxi. 
20,  where  Ishmael  is  said  to  be  "  an  archer,"  H^l,  rebe  ;  but 
the  word  "  bo*w"  follow^s  it.  We  cannot  then  take  CIl*!, 
rebim,  here  but  as  signifying  many  or  the  mighty  ;  and  the 
latter  is  the  most  suitable  word.  Then  the  Prophet  bids  the 
strong  and  the  w^arlike  to  come  together,  and  then  he  men- 
tions them  specifically, — all  who  bend  the  boiu,  even  all  skilful 
archers.  For  the  Persians  excelled  in  this  art,  they  were 
archers  of  the  first  order.  It  was  indeed  a  practice  common 
among  eastern  nations,  but  the  Persians  surpassed  all  others. 


170  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.       LECT.  CLXXXIII. 

The  Prophet  then  points  them  out  when  he  bids  archers  to 
assemble.' 

He  adds,  encompass  or  besiege  her  around,  that  there  may 
he  no  escape.  This  also  was  a  thing  difficult  to  be  believed, 
for  Babylon  was  more  like  a  country  than  a  city.  Then  one 
could  have  hardly  tliought  that  it  could  have  been  besieged 
around  and  at  length  taken,  as  it  happened.  Therefore  the 
Prophet  here  testifies  that  what  exceeded  the  opinion  of  all 
would  take  place.  But  he  had  said  before  that  this  would 
be  the  work  of  God,  that  the  faithful  might  not  form  a  judg- 
ment according  to  their  own  measure,  for  nothing  is  more 
absurd,  as  it  has  been  said,  than  to  measure  the  joower  of 
God  by  our  own  understanding.  As  then  the  Prophet  had 
before  declared  that  the  siege  of  Babylon  would  be  the  work 
of  God,  he  bids  them  now,  with  more  confidence,  to  besiege 
it  around,  that  there  might  not  he  an  escape. 

It  is  then  added,  Render  to  her  according  to  her  wo7^k; 
according  to  tuhat  she  has  done,  do  to  her.  By  these  words 
the  Prophet  shews  that  the  vengeance  which  God  would 
execute  on  the  Chaldeans  would  be  just,  for  nothing  is  more 
equitable  than  to  render  to  one  what  he  had  done  to  others. 
"  With  what  measure  ye  mete  to  others,''  says  Christ,  "  it 
shall  be  rendered  to  you."  (Luke  vi.  S8.)  As,  then,  nature 
itself  teaches  us  that  that  punishment  is  most  just  which  is 
inflicted  on  the  cruel  themselves,  hence  the  Prophet  reminds 
us  here  that  God  would  be  a  just  avenger  in  his  extreme 
violence  against  the  Babylonians.  But  he  looks  farther,  for 
he  assumes  this  principle,  that  God  is  the  judge  of  the  world. 
Since  he  is  so,  it  follows  that  they  who  unjustly  oppress 
others  must  at  length  receive  their  own  reward  ;  as  also  Paul 
says,  that  tlie  judgment  of  God,  otherwise  obscure,  will  be 
made  evident,  when  he  shall  give  relief  and  rest  to  the  miser- 

'  The  early  versions  and  tlie  Targ.  render  D''3*1,  "  many  ;"  and  the 
rendering  of  tlie  Sept.  and  Vulg.  is  to  this  cftect, — 

Proclaim  ye  to  the  many  at  Babylon, 

To  all  who  bend  the  bow, — 

"  Encompass  her  around. 

Let  there  be  no  escape,"  &c. 
The  first  part  is  a  charge  like  what  we  ihid  in  the  second  verse :  and  the 
second  states  what  they  were  to  do.    "  Proclaim  ye  to,"  is  literally,  "  Make 
ye  to  hear," — "  Make  ye  the  many  at  Babylon  to  hear,"  &c. — Ed. 


CHAP.  L.  29.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  17 J 

able  who  are  now  unjustly  afflicted,  and  when  he  shall  ren- 
der their  reward  to  oppressors.  (2  Thess.  i.  6,  7.)  The 
Prophet  then  takes  occasion  of  confidence  from  this  truth  to 
animate  the  faithful  and  to  encourage  them  to  entertain 
hope.  How  so  ?  Since  God  is  the  judge  of  tlie  world,  the 
Jews  ought  to  have  considered  what  sort  of  people  the  Baby- 
lonians had  been  ;  nay,  they  had  already  sufficiently  expe- 
rienced how  cruel  and  barbarous  they  were.  As,  then,  the 
avarice  and  cruelty  of  the  Chaldeans  were  sufficiently  appa- 
rent, the  Prophet  here  reminds  them,  that  as  God  is  in 
heaven,  it  could  not  be  otherwise  but  that  he  would  shortly 
call  them  to  judgment,  for  otherwise  he  would  not  be  God. 
Surely  he  would  not  be  the  judge  of  the  world,  were  he  not 
to  regard  the  miserable  unjustly  oppressed,  and  bring  them 
help,  and  stretch  forth  his  hand  to  relieve  them  ;  and  were 
he  not  also,  on  the  other  hand,  to  punish  the  avaricious  and 
the  proud  and  the  cruel.  We  now  understand  the  meaning 
of  the  Prophet. 

He  adds,  in  the  last  place,  because  she  has  acted  proudly 
against  Jehovah,  against  the  Holy  One  of  Israel.  By  saying 
that  the  Babylonians  had  acted  proudly,  he  means  that  they 
had  not  only  been  injurious  to  men,  but  had  been  also  inso- 
lent towards  God  himself;  for  the  verb  here  used  denotes 
a  sin  different  from  that  which  happens  through  levity  or 
want  of  thought.  When  any  one  sins  inconsiderately,  he  is 
said  to  have  erred  ;  but  when  one  sins  knowingly,  it  is  a 
deliberate  wickedness,  and  he  is  said  to  be  proud  ;  and  this 
we  learn  from  Psalm  xix.  12  ;  for  David  there  sets  pride 
in  opposition  to  errors :  "  errors,''  he  says,  "  who  can  under- 
stand ?"  and  then  he  asks  God  to  cleanse  him  from  all  pride. 
David  indeed  had  not  designedly  raised  his  horns  against 
God,  but  he  yet  feared  lest  the  wantonness  of  the  flesh  should 
lead  him  to  pride.  When,  therefore,  the  Proi^het  now  says 
that  the  Chaldeans  had  acted  proudly  toivards  God,  it  is  the 
same  as  though  he  accused  them  of  sacrilegious  pride,  even 
that  they  designed  to  be  insolent  towards  God  himself,  and 
not  only  cruel  to  his  people. 

But  an  explanation  follows,  against  the  Holy  One  of  Israel. 
The  Babylonians  might  have  raised  an  objection,  and  said, 


1 72  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.       LECT.  CLXXXIII. 

that  it  was  not  their  purpose  to  act  proudly  towards  God. 
But  the  Prophet  here  brings  forward  the  word  Israel,  as 
though  he  had  said,  "  If  there  be  a  God  in  heaven,  our  reli- 
gion is  true  ;  then  God's  name  dwells  with  us.  Since,  then, 
the  Babylonians  have  basely  oppressed  the  people  whom  God 
has  chosen,  it  follows  that  they  have  been  sacrilegious  to- 
wards him.''  And  he  meant  the  same  thing  when  he  said 
before,  the  vengeance  of  Jehovah  our  God.  Why  did  he  add, 
our  God  ?  that  the  Jews  might  know  that  whatever  wrongs 
they  had  suffered,  they  reached  God  himself,  as  though  he 
were  hurt  in  his  ow^n  person.  So  also  in  this  place  the  Pro- 
phet takes  away  from  the  Babylonians  all  means  of  evasion 
when  he  says,  that  they  had  acted  proudly  towards  the  Holy 
One  of  Israel.  When,  therefore,  the  ungodly  seek  evasions 
and  say  that  they  do  not  contend  with  God,  their  pretences 
are  disproved,  when  they  carry  on  war  with  his  Church,  and 
fight  against  his  faithful  people,  whose  safety  he  has  under- 
taken to  defend.  For  God  cannot  be  otherwise  the  protector 
of  his  Church  than  by  setting  himself  up  as  a  shield  in  its 
defence  whenever  he  sees  his  people  unjustly  attacked  by 
the  reprobate.     It  follows, — 

30.  Therefore  shall  her  SO.  Propterea  cadcnt  electi  ejus  {vel^ 
young  men  fall  in  the  streets,  adolescentes,)inplateis  ejus,  et  omnesviri 
and  all  her  men  of  war  shall  militise  ejus  {hoc  est,  omncs  viri  bellicosi) 
be  cut  off  in  that  day,  saith  redigentur  ad  silentium  {alii  vertunt, 
the  Lord.  compescentur;  nam  DD1  significat  utrum- 

que)  in  die  illo,  dicit  Jehova. 

He  confirms  the  same  thing,  and  shews  that  the  destruction 
of  Babylon  would  be  such,  that  everything  valuable  would 
be  destroyed.  Fall,  he  says,  shall  her  strong  men  in  the 
streets ;  which  is  worse  than  if  he  had  said,  "  They  shall  fall 
in  battle.''  Babylon  was  so  taken  that  all  her  armed  men 
were  slain  in  the  middle  of  the  city.  Cyrus  indeed  spared, 
as  it  has  been  already  said,  the  common  people  ;  but  he 
slew  all  the  chief  men  and  the  armed  soldiers.  As  the 
Babylonians  were  taken  while  keeping  a  feast,  as  we  read  in 
Daniel,  hence  Jeremiah  mentions  the  streets.  He  after- 
wards adds, — 

31.  Behold,  lam  against  thee,  O  31.  Ecce  ego  contra  te,  superbe, 
thou  most  proud,  saith  the  Lord  God     dicit  Dominus  Jehova  exercituum. 


CHAP.  L.  32.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  l73 

of  hosts :  for  thy  day  is  come,  the     quia  venit  dies  tuus,  terapus  visita- 
time  that  I  will  visit  thee.  tionis  tuse. 

Jeremiah,  in  order  more  fully  to  confirm  what  he  had  said, 
again  introduces  God  as  the  speaker.  And  we  have  stated 
how  necessary  this  was,  because  lie  could  have  hardly 
gained  credit  otherwise  to  his  prophecy  ;  but  when  he  in- 
troduced God,  he  removed  every  doubt.  Behold,  he  says,  I 
am  against  thee,  0  proud  one.  He  again  calls  the  Baby- 
lonians proud,  even  because  they  had  not  been  led  to  war 
by  levity  or  folly,  or  vain  ambition,  but  because  they  had 
assailed  God  and  men  without  any  reverence  and  without 
any  regard  to  humanity. 

He  says  that  the  time  had  come,  because  the  faithful 
would  have  otherwise  interrupted  him  and  said,  "How  is 
this,  that  God  so  long  delays  V  That  they  might  then  sus- 
tain and  cherish  hope  until  the  time  which  God  had  pre- 
scribed for  his  vengeance,  he  says,  that  the  day  had  come, 
and  the  time  of  visitation.  "Whenever  this  mode  of  speaking- 
occurs,  let  us  know  that  all  the  natural  instincts  of  our 
flesh  are  checked  ;  for  there  is  no  one  of  us  who  does  not 
immediately  jump  to  take  vengeance  when  we  see  the  faith- 
ful oppressed,  when  we  see  many  unworthy  things  done  to 
our  brethren,  when  we  see  innocent  blood  shed,  and  the 
miserable  cruelly  treated  by  the  ungodly.  When,  therefore, 
all  these  instances  of  barbarity  happen,  none  of  us  can  con- 
tain himself;  hence  God  puts  on  us  a  bridle,  and  exhorts  us 
to  exercise  patience,  when  he  says,  that  the  time  of  visita- 
tion is  not  yet  completed. 

As  long  then  as  God  delays,  let  us  know  that  the  fit  time 

is  not  yet  come,  because  he  has  a  fixed  day  of  visitation, 

unknown  to  us.      It  follows, — 

32.   And   the  most  proud   shall         32.  Et  impinget  siiperbiis  et  ca- 

stmiible   and   fall,   and  none  shall  det,  et  nemo  qui  eum  erigat ;  et  ac- 

raise  him  up  ;  and  I  will  kindle  a  cendam  ignem  in  urbibus  ejus,  qui 

fire  in  his  cities,  and  it  shall  devour  consumet  omnia  quse  sunt  in  circuitu 

all  round  about  him.  (per  circuitus  ejus,  ad  verbum.) 

The  Prophet  continues  the  same  subject  :  as  then  he  had 

announced  in  God's  name  that  the  time  of  visitation  would 

come  when  God  would  rise  up  against  the  Chaldeans,  he 

now  adds,  stumble  shall  the  proud,  and  fall     The  verb  7k^D, 


1  74  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.      LECT.  CLXXXIII. 

cashel,  means  also  to  fall ;  but  as  it  is  added,  ^^y\,  vanu- 
phel,  and  fall,  it  ought  to  be  rendered  stumble  liere.  Stumble, 
then,  shall  the  proud,  and  fall — for  tlie  Prophet  denotes  a 
gradation.  Some  render  the  words,  ''  Fall  shall  tlie  proud 
and  tumble  down : "  but  more  suitable  is  the  rendering  I 
liave  given,  that  the  proud  would  stumble,  and  then  that 
he  would  fall.  And  no  one,  he  says,  shall  raise  him  up.  Bv 
these  words,  Grod  intimates,  that  though  Babylon  had  many 
nations  under  its  authority,  yet  there  would  be  no  help 
given  to  it,  when  the  time  of  visitation  came.  It  indeed 
often  happens  that  many  busy  themselves,  and  make  every 
effort  to  assist  the  wicked,  but  without  any  success.  When, 
therefore,  God  declares  that  there  would  be  no  one  to  raise 
up  Babylon  when  fallen,  the  meaning  is  not,  that  courage 
would  be  wanting  to  all,  but  that  the  efforts  of  all  would  be 
of  no  avail,  even  because  God,  when  Babylon  fell,  w^ould  be 
as'ainst  her,  so  that  were  the  whole  world  to  unite  for  her 
relief,  all  their  attempts  would  be  useless. 

And  for  the  same  purpose,  he  adds,  I  will  kindle  afire 
which  luill  consume  or  devour  all  his  cities.  God  calls 
slaughter,  by  a  metaphor,  fire  ;  for  slaughter,  like  fire,  raged 
so  as  to  consume  the  whole  monarchy — not  only  the  city, 
but  also  all  the  neighbouring  nations — for  the  war  reached 
even  to  Asia.  Cyrus,  as  it  is  well  known,  passed  over  the 
sea  and  depopulated  Phrygia.  In  short,  though  victory 
might  liave  been  mild,  yet  it  was  no  doubt  like  fire,  as  it 
devoured  all  the  neighbouring  nations.     It  follows, — 

33.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts ;  33.  Sic  dicit  Jehova  exercituum, 
the  children  of  Israel  and  the  chil-  Oppress!  fuerunt  filii  Israel  et  filii 
dren  of  Judah  were  oppressed  to-  Jehudah  pariter  ;  et  omnes  qui  cap- 
gethor  :  and  all  that  took  them  cap-  tivos  ceperunt  prsevaluerunt  contra 
tives  held  them  fast ;  they  refused  ipsos,  et  renuerunt  ipsos  diraittere. 
to  let  them  go.  34.    Iledemptor   (inquit)    eorum 

34.  Their  Redeemer  is  strong;  fortis,  Jehova  exercituum  nomeu 
the  Lord  of  hosts  is  his  name:  he  ejus;  litem  litigando  litigabit,  (^oc 
shall  throughly  plead  their  cause,  est,  disceptando  disceptabit  causam 
that  he  may  give  rest  to  the  land,  ipsorum,)  ut  terram  ipsam  reddat 
and  disquiet  the  inhabitants  of  Ba-  tranquillam,  (lU  alii  vertant,  sod  ego 
bylon.  potius    ita    interpretor,   ut   terram 

scindat,)  et  contremiscere  faciat  ha- 
bitatores  Babylonis. 

Our  Prophet  returns  again  to  his  former  subject — that 

God,  in  destroying  the  Babylonian  monarchy,  would  liave  a 


CHAR  L.  33,  34-.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  ]  7o 

regard  to  his  cliosen  people.  But  the  comparison  made 
here  is  very  important ;  for  in  the  first  place,  the  Prophet 
refers  to  an  occasion  of  diffidence  and  even  of  despair,  which 
might  have  closed  up  the  way  against  all  his  prophecies. 
For  this  objection  might  have  always  been  made,  "  We  are 
driven  into  exile,  we  are  in  a  far  country,  and  in  places  dis- 
tant from  one  another  ;  it  is  the  same  as  though  we  were  in 
another  world,  and  we  can  hardly  move  a  foot  without  our 
conquerors  being  enraged  against  us.''  Thus  the  Jews,  ac- 
cording to  the  aspect  of  things  at  that  time,  could  not  other- 
wise than  despair  of  returning  to  their  own  country.  This, 
then,  is  the  reason  why  the  Prophet  says  here,  by  way  of 
concession,  "  It  is,  indeed,  true  that  the  children  of  Judah 
and  the  children  of  Israel  are  oppressed  with  cruel  tyranny  :" 
as  when  we  wish  to  secure  faith,  we  state  wliat  seems  to 
be  opposed  to  us,  and  then  dissipate  it ;  so  now  the  Prophet 
does  in  this  place,  as  though  he  had  said,  "I  see  what  his 
own  mind  may  dictate  to  every  one,  even  that  the  children 
of  Judah,  as  well  as  the  children  of  Israel,  are  held  captive, 
and  shut  up  by  such  fastnesses  that  no  way  of  escape  is 
open  to  them.'' 

When  he  speaks  of  the  children  of  Israel  and  of  the 
children  of  Judah,  we  must  remember  that  the  ten  tribes 
had  been  led  into  exile,  and  also  that  the  whole  kingdom 
had  been  destroyed  ;  and  at  length,  after  a  considerable 
time,  the  Chaldeans  took  possession  also  of  the  kingdom  of 
Judah.  Hence  then  it  was,  that  both  the  Israelites  and  the 
Jew^s  became  subject  to  a  cruel  oppression.  He  therefore 
adds,  They  who  led  them  captive  have  prevailed,  or,  as  some 
render  the  last  word,  "  have  held  them  ;"  for  pIH,  cheseic, 
means  to  hold,  to  lay  hold  ;  but  tlie  Prophet  seems  to  mean 
another  thing,  even  that  their  conquerors  so  j^revailed  as 
securely  to  rule  over  them  ;  and  hence  it  is  added,  they 
have  refused  to  let  them  go  ;  and  we  learn  the  same  tiling 
from  the  next  verse,  in  which  the  strength  and  power  of 
God  is  set  in  opposition  to  the  power  of  their  enemies.  As 
far  as  things  appeared  to  men,  there  was  certainly  no  way 
of  deliverance  for  the  people.  The  Prophet  then  concedes 
what  might  have  taken  away  every  hope  from  them. 


176  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CXXXIII. 

But  he  immediately  after  removes  this  ground  of  despair, 
and  says,  Their  redeemer  is  strong.  He  then  sets  this 
strong,  pTPl,  chesek,  in  opposition  to  the  verb  used  before, 
"  prevailed"  or  ruled,  d  *lp'*Tnn,  echesiku  beeni,  ''  prevailed'' 
or  domineered  "  over  them,''  so  that  they  were  stronger. 
But  now,  on  the  other  hand,  he  calls  the  Redeemer  of  Israel 
strong  ;  for  were  you  only  to  consider,  he  seems  to  say,  how 
great  the  power  of  Babylon  is,  you  might  despond ;  but  can 
God,  in  the  meantime,  do  nothing  ?  Is  there  any  power  on 
earth  which  can  overrule  him  ?  Since  then  their  redeemer 
was  strong,  he  would  prove  superior  to  the  Chaldeans. 

He  afterwards  adds  what  is  of  the  same  import,  His  name 
is  Jehovah  of  hosts ;  that  is,  neither  Babylon  nor  all  other 
nations  have  so  much  power  as  can  resist  the  infinite  power 
of  God,  for  he  is  always  like  himself,  and  perfect ;  he  is  the 
God  of  hosts.  He  at  length  adds.  Their  strife  by  litigating 
he  will  litigate,  or,  by  pleading  he  will  plead  the  cause  of 
his  people,  even  so  as  to  cut  off  or  destroy  the  land.  The 
verb,  Vy^,  rego,  means  indeed  sometimes  to  rest,  and  so 
almost  all  give  this  rendering,  "  so  as  to  make  to  rest  the 
land  : "  but  as  I  take  "  land"  and  "  the  inhabitants  of  Baby- 
lon" to  be  the  same,  I  doubt  not  but  that  this  verb  is  to  be 
taken  here  in  its  proper  sense.  Then  it  is,  so  as  to  cut  off 
or  destroy  the  land,^  and  to  make  to  tremble  the  inhabitants  of 
Babylon.  He  then  speaks  of  the  Chaldeans  in  mentioning 
the  land,  and  afterwards  explains  himself  by  adding,  the 
inhabitants  of  Babylon. 

PRAYER. 

Grant,  Almighty  God,  that,  as  thou  hast  deigned  once  to  take  us 
under  thy  protection,  we  may  always  raise  up  our  eyes  to  thine 

'  The  versions,  except  the  Syr.  and  the  Targ.^  give  a  similar  meaning 
to  this  verb:  but  there  is  no  instance  of  the  verb  in  Hiphil  having  this 
meaning,  though  it  would  be  the  most  suitable  to  this  place.  At  the 
same  time  we  may  consider  the  land  of  Chaldea  to  be  meant,  if  we  regard 
the  stillness  or  quietness  as  referring  to  the  check  produced  by  God's  re- 
straining power, — 

80  as  to  render  the  land  still, 
And  to  terrify  the  inhabitants  of  Babylon. 
The  promise  is  to  make  the  land  quiet  so  as  not  to  oppose  the  return  of 
the  Jews,  and  for  the  same  purpose,  to  terrify  Babylon. — Ed. 


CHAP.  L.  35.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  1 77 

infinite  power,  and  that  when  we  see  all  things  not  only  con- 
founded, but  also  trodden  under  foot  by  the  world,  we  may  not 
yet  doubt  but  that  thy  power  is  sufficient  to  deliver  us,  so  that 
we  may  perpetually  call  on  thy  name,  and  with  firm  constancy 
so  fight  against  all  temptations,  that  we  may  at  length  enjoy  in 
thy  celestial  kingdom  the  fruit  of  our  victory,  through  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord. — Amen. 


35.  A  sword  is  upon  the  Chal-  35.   Gladius  super  Chaldseos,  et 

deans,  saith  the  Lord,  and  upon  the  super  habitatores  Babylonis,et  super 

inhabitantsof  Babylon,  and  upon  her  principes   ejus,   et   super   sapientes 

princes,  and  upon  her  wise  men.  ejus. 

The  Prophet  proceeds  with  the  same  subject,  and  em- 
ploys the  same  manner  of  speaking.  He  denounces  war  on 
the  Chaldeans  as  a  celestial  herald  ;  and  then  that  what  he 
says  might  have  more  force  and  power,  he  sets  the  Persians 
and  the  Modes  before  us  in  the  act  of  assailing  and  destroy- 
ing Babylon.  He  therefore  says  now  in  general,  A  sword 
on  the  Chaldeans ;  and,  secondly,  he  mentions  the  inhabi- 
tants of  Babylon,  for  that  city  was  the  seat  and  head  of 
the  kingdom,  as  it  is  well  known  ;  but  as  the  power  of  that 
monarchy  was  deemed  by  men  unassailable,  the  Prophet 
adds,  that  though  the  chief  men  excelled  in  counsel  and 
strength,  and  in  the  art  of  war,  yet  a  sword  would  be  upon 
them  ;  and  in  the  last  place,  that  though  Babylon  had  its 
diviners,  their  knowledge  would  yet  be  in  vain.  He,  indeed, 
uses  an  honourable  name,  yet  he  no  doubt  refers  to  astro- 
logers and  soothsayers,  and  other  kinds  of  prophets.  For 
we  know  that  the  whole  nation  was  given  to  many  supersti- 
tions ;  but  they  boasted  themselves  to  be  the  chief  of  all 
astrologers ;  and  hence  soothsayers,  who  practise  their  im- 
postures, are  called  Chaldeans,  and  it  was  formerly  a  common 
designation. 

Then  the  Prophet  means,  that  neither  power  nor  warlike 
skill,  nor  knowledge  of  any  kind,  would  be  a  defence  to  the 
Chaldeans,  nor  the  arts  in  which  they  gloried,  even  though 
they   thought  that  they  were    familiarly   acquainted  with 

VOL.  V.  M 


178  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.       LEOT.  CLXXXIV. 

God  ;  for  by  the  stars  tliey  were  wont  to  divine  whatever 
was  to  be.     It  follows, — 

30.  A  sword  is  upon  the  liars ;  30.  Gladius  super  divinos  ejus, 
and  they  shall  dote :  a  sword  IS  upon  et  infatuabuntur  ;  gladius  super 
her  mighty  men  ;  and  they  shall  be  fortes  ejus,  et  conterentur  (vel,  ex- 
dismayed.'  pavescent.) 

He  repeats  tlie  same  thing,  but  in  other  words  ;  and  in 
the  first  clause  he  mentions  diviners  whom  he  before  called 
wise  men  ;  and  lie  calls  them  now  by  their  true  and  proper 
name  ;  for  DH^,  hedim,  mean  mendacious  men  as  well  as 
falsehoods.  He  then  calls  those  now  impostors  to  whom  he 
conceded  before  the  name  of  wise  men.  But  when  he  called 
them  wise  men,  he  spoke  according  to  the  common  opinion, 
and  he  was  unwilling  to  contend  with  the  Chaldeans  as  to 
the  character  of  their  wisdom  :  he,  however,  at  the  same 
time  made  known  the  impositions  of  those  who  boasted  that 
they  had  a  familiar  intercourse  with  God  and.  angels,  whilst 
they  pronounced  by  the  stars  what  was  to  be.^  That  art  it- 
self is  indeed  worthy  of  praise,  were  men  to  preserve  mode- 
ration. But  as  the  curiosity  of  men  is  insatiable,  so  they 
wandered  here  and  there,  and  overleaped  all  limits,  and  thus 
perverted  the  whole  order  of  nature.  The  Chaldeans,  then, 
were  not  genuine,  but,  on  the  contrary,  spurious  astrologers. 

This  is  the  reason  why  the  Prophet  calls  them  now  liars  ; 
for  we  have  before  seen,  that  it  was  a  mere  imposition, 
when  the  Chaldeans  held  that  the  whole  life  of  man  is  sub- 
ject to  the  influence  of  the  stars.  Hence  he  exhorted  the 
faithful  to  fear  no  dangers  from  the  stars.  It  is  then  no 
wonder  that  the  Prophet  now  charges  all  the  diviners  with 
falsehoods,  who  yet  proudly  arrogated  to  themselves  the  name 
of  wise  men,  they  shall  he  infatuated,  he  says.  The  verb  /X^, 
ial,  means  indeed  to  begin,  but  in  Niphalii  means  to  become 
foolish,  or  to  be  infatuated.^ 

'  The  word  is  rendered  "diviners"  by  tlie  Vnlg.,  the  -S'yr.,  and  the 
Targ.  ;  it  is  left  out  by  the  Sept.  Some  derive  it  from  i02,  to  feign,  to 
devise,  to  invent,  the  X  being  left  out  in  Dn2  .  others  say  that  it  comes 
from  12,  alone,  solitary,  separate,  so  that  DHD  were  the  recluse,  retire- 
ment or  seclusion  being  often  the  habit  of  impostors.  It  is  connected, 
in  Isaiah  xliv.  25,  with  DVODp,  diviners,  prognosticators. — Ed. 

'^  Events  would  prove,  that  they  were  foolish  and  ignorant,  being  not 
able  to  foretell  the  ruin  of  their  own  nation,  notwithstanding  their  boast 
in  the  knowledge  of  futurity. — EJ. 


CHAP.  L.  37,  38.         COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAPI.  179 

Then  he  says,  TJte  swoi^d  shall  he  on  her  valiant  men  ; 
whom  before  he  called  chief  men  or  princes,  D'*^^,  sherim, 
he  now  calls  strong,  DH^)!,  geberhn,  or  those  who  excelled 
in  valour.  The  amount  of  the  whole  is, — that  whatever 
wisdom  Babylon  arrogated  to  itself  would  become  folly,  and 
that  the  valour  in  which  it  prided,  would  vanish  away.  For 
he  says,  that  they  would  he  hroken  in  pieces.  The  verb  T\T\T\, 
chetat,  means  to  be  broken,  but  as  we  have  elsewhere  seen, 
it  is  often  applied  to  the  mind,  and  then  it  means  to  dread, 
or  to  be  terrified.  He  then  says,  that  the  valiant  would  not 
be  able  to  stand  when  the  sword  was  upon  them,  for  they 
would  become,  as  it  were,  lifeless,  or,  at  least,  they  would 
become  so  effeminate  as  to  think  of  nothing  but  flight. 

37-  A  sword  is  upon         37.  Gladiiis  super  equos  ejus,  et  super  currus 

their  horses,  and  upon  ejus,  et  super  multitudinem  ejus  (aut,  vulgiis 

their  chariots,  and  upon  promiscuum ;    31^   signijicat    examen    aniina- 

all  the  mingled  people  Hum  sicnti  apum,  et  transfertur  etiam  ad  ho- 

that  are  in  the  midst  of  mines,  et  tunc   accipitur  pro   vulgo  ignobili ; 

her ;  and  they  shall  be-  super    midtitudinem    ergo,)    quae  est    in    me- 

come  as  women ;  a  sword  dio    ejus ;    erunt    in   raulieres   {hoc   est,   erunt 

is  upon  her  treasiu-es ;  similes   mulieribus ;)    gladius    super    thesauros 

and  they  shall  be  rob-  ejus,   et   spoliabuntur  (expositi   erunt  in  prae- 

bed.  dam.) 

The  Prophet,  indeed,  changes  the  gender  of  the  pronouns, 

and  seems  to  refer  to  the  king  ;  but  there  is  no  ambiguity 

in  the  meaning.    He  then  declares  that  the  horses  as  well  as 

the  chariots  would  perish  ;  for  the  sword  would  consume  all 

the  things  used  in  war.     And  at  the  beginning  he  generally 

declared  that  destruction  was  nigh  all  the  Chaldeans,  so  he 

repeats  the  same  now,  on  all  the  promiscuous  multitude^ 

which  is  in  the  midst  of  Babylon.     He  says  that  they  would 

be  without  courage,  for  the  Lord  would  dishearten  them  by 

terror,  as  it  will  be  hereafter  stated  again.     Then  he  joins, 

and  on  her  treasures,  and  they  shall  he  a  prey  to  enemies.    It 

follows, — 

38.  A   drought  is  upon  her  wa-  38.   Siccitas  super  aquas  ejus  et 

ters ;  and  they  shall  be  dried  up  :  arescent ;  quia  terra  sculptilium  est, 

for  it  is  the  land  of  graven  ima-  et  iis  idolis  {proprie,  in  terroribus, 

ges,  and  they  are  mad  upon  their  V(??,  terriculamentis)gloriantur  (w/, 

idols.  insaniunt.) 

Here  the  same  word  is  used  in  a  different  sense  :  he  had 
often  before  used  the  word  l^lH,  chereh,  "  sword ;"  but  now 


180  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.       LECT.  CLXXXIV. 

by  changing  only  a  point,  lie  uses  it  in  the  sense  of  waste, 
or  drought.^     But  as  he  mentions  waters,  the  Prophet,  no 
doubt,  means  drought ;  nor  was  it  without  reason  that  he 
mentioned  this,  because  the  Euphrates,  as  it  is  well  known, 
flowed  near  the  city,  and  it  was  also  divided  into  many 
streams,  so  that  there  were  many  islands,  as  it  were,  made 
by  the  skill  and  hand  of  men.     Thus  the  city  was  in  no  or- 
dinary way  fortified,  for  it  was  difficult  of  access,  being  on 
one  side  surrounded  by  so  large  a  river  :  it  had  also  trenches 
full  of  water,  and  it  had   many  channels.     But  Cyrus,   as 
Xenophon  relates,  when  attempting  to  take  the  city,  used 
the  same  contrivance,  and  imitated  those  who  had  fortified 
Babylon,  but  for  a  different  purpose  ;  for  he  diverted  the 
streams,  so  that  the  river  might  be  forded.     Thus,  then,  he 
dried  up  that  great  river,  which  was  like  a  sea ;  so  that 
Babylon  was  taken  with  no  great  trouble.      Cyrus,  indeed, 
entered  in  by  night,   and  unexpectedly  invaded  Babylon, 
while  they  were  securely  feasting,  and  celebrating  a  festival, 
as  we  find  in  the  book  of  Daniel.     However,  the  way  by 
which  Cyrus  contrived  to  take  the  city  was,  by  dividing  the 
Euphrates  into  many  streams.     Hence  it  was,  that  the  Pro- 
phet, in  order  that  the  Jews  might  see,  as  it  were,  with  their 
own  eyes,  spoke  nothing  without  reason,  having  not  only 
predicted   the  slaughter  and  destruction  of  the  city,   but 
shewed  also  the  very  way  in  which  it  Avas  done,  as  though 
the  event  had  been  portrayed  before  them. 

The  reason  is  added,  because  it  is  the  land  of  carvings,  or 
gravings.  God,  indeed,  took  vengeance  on  Babylon  for 
other  things,  as  it  has  before  appeared  ;  but  the  Prophet  here 
speaks  of  carvings,  that  the  Israelites  might  know  that  there 
is  no  certain  salvation  anywhere  else  except  in  the  one  true 
God,  who  had  revealed  himself  to  them.  Jeremiah,  in  short, 
means,  that  when  any  country  is  destitute  of  God's  help, 
though  it  may  excel  in  arms,  in  number,  in  wealth,  and  in 

'  It  is  so  rendered  by  the  Vulg.  and  the  Targ.,  omitted  by  the  Sept., 
and  rendered  "  sword"  by  the  Si/r.,  and  also  by  Blaynrii  and  Henderson. 
The  same  inconj^ruity  exists  as  to  the  treasures  ;  but  the  sword  here  means 
those  who  wielded  it,  the  soldiers  of  Cyrus :  they  spoiled  the  treasures, 
they  turned  the  streams  of  the  rivers. — Ed. 


CHAP.  L.  38.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  181 

wisdom,  yet  everything  under  licaven  is  of  no  avail  without 
the  blessing  and  favour  of  God.  He  has  spoken  of  princes 
and  of  wise  men,  and  he  has  named  chariots,  horses,  and 
treasures, — all  tliese  have  been  mentioned  for  the  purpose 
I  have  just  stated,  even  to  shew,  that  were  we  supplied  with 
all  that  may  seem  necessary  to  defend  us,  except  Grod  pro- 
tected us,  whatever  the  world  may  offer  would  be  all  in  vain  ; 
for  we  shall  at  length  find,  that  without  God  neither  arms, 
nor  chariots,  nor  wisdom  nor  counsel,  nor  any  other  helps, 
can  avail  us  anything. 

It  follows,  that  Chaldea  gloried  in  images.  The  word 
D^tt^X,  aimim,  means  terrors,  and  giants  are  called  by  this 
name  in  Deut.  ii.  10,  because  they  inspire  terror  by  their 
aspect.  But  this  name  is  no  doubt  applied  to  images,  because 
they  are  only  bugbears,  des  epovantaih,  as  we  say  in  French.^ 
As  then  they  are  mere  scarecrows,  which  only  frighten 
children,  they  are  called  D^^^X,  aimim.  And  he  says,  that 
they  gloried  in,  or  doted  on  them — for  7/11,  elal,  means 
both,  in  Hithjmel,  as  it  is  found  here.  It  means  to  boast  or 
to  elate  one's-self,  and  also  to  be  mad  or  to  dote.  Either 
sense  would  not  be  unsuitable  to  this  place  ;  for  the  unbe- 
lieving gloried  in  their  idols,  and  at  the  same  time  were  mad  : 
yet  the  first  meaning  seems  to  me  the  best,  that  they  glo- 
ried in  their  idols,  as  it  is  said  in  Psalm  xcvii.  7,  "  Let  tliem 
perish  who  trust  in  images  and  glory  in  them.'^  Though  the 
verb  there  is  indeed  difierent,  yet  the  meaning  is  the  same. 

It  was  not,  indeed,  without  reason,  that  the  Prophet  re- 
proaches the  Chaldeans,  that  they  gloried  in  their  idols, 
because  they  thereby  robbed  God  of  his  honour  ;  for  what  is 
ascribed  to  idols  is  taken  away  from  God.  He  intimates, 
in  short,  that  the  Chaldeans  would  be  justly  punislied  as 
guilty  of  sacrilege,  because  they  had  impiously  transferred 
the  glory  of  God  to  their  own  idols.  And  this  passage 
teaches  us,  that  when  God  is  purely  worshipped  among  us, 
and  when  true  religion  flourishes,  it  will  be  our  best  protec- 
tion. We  shall  then  be  more  impregnable  than  if  we  had  all 
the  power  and  wealth  of  the  world :  nothing  can  hurt  us,  if 

'■  That  the  Babylonians  had  large  idols  or  images,  which  were  of  terrific 
size,  is  evident  from  Dan.  iii.  ]. — JEd. 


18*2  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.        LEGT.  CLXXXIV. 

we  give  to  God  his  due  honour,  and  strive  to  worship  him  in 
sincerity  and  truth.      It  now  follows, — 

39.  Therefore  the  wild  beasts  of  39.  Propterea  habitabunt  aves 
thedesert,  with  the  wild  beasts  of  the  sylvestres  cum  bestiis  sylvestribus, 
islands,  sliall  dwell  there,  and  the  et  habitabunt  iilise  struthionuni ; 
owls  shall  dwell  therein  :  and  it  shall  nee  habitabitur  amplius  in  secu- 
be  no  more  inhabited  for  ever  ;  nei-  lum ;  non  erit  (inquam)  in  habi- 
ther  shall  it  be  dwelt  in  from  gene-  tationem  usque  ad  setatem  et  seta- 
ration  to  generation.  tern. 

I'he  birds  of  the  forest  with  the  beasts  of  the  forest,  are 
rendered  by  some,  "  the  satyrs  with  the  fairies  ;''  but  tD''''i*5, 
aiim,  as  well  as  C^'V,  tsiim,  are,  on  the  contrary,  birds  or 
beasts  of  the  forest.  Some  render  tlD^^i^,  aiim,  "  cats.''  I 
hold  no  controversy  as  to  these  words — let  there  be  a  free 
judgment  to  every  one  ;  but,  as  we  have  elsewhere  seen,  the 
Prophet  means  birds  and  beasts  of  the  forest,  rather  than 
satyrs  and  fairies.  Then  he  adds,  the  daughters  of  the  os- 
triches, rendered  by  some  ''  of  the  owls  ;"  but  about  this 
name  also  I  will  not  contend.  Some  then  render  n^y\  io7ie, 
"  owV  and  refinedly  explain  that  "  daughters"  are  men- 
tioned, because  these  birds  forsake  their  young,  when  they 
howl  through  want  or  famine  ;  but  this  is  fictitious.  I  then 
take  tlie  daughters  of  the  ostriches  or  of  the  owls,  according 
to  the  usual  manner  of  the  language,  to  mean  the  very  birds 
themselves.^ 

The  Prophets  usually  speak  thus,  when  they  give  no  hope. 
We  have  said  before,  that  Babylon  was  not  then  so  laid  waste, 
but  tliat  men  dwelt  there,  who  afterwards  lived  in  great 
luxury  ;  for  the  city,  under  Cyrus  and  his  son,  was  always 
populous  ;  and  then,  after  its  revolt,  it  was  again  inhabited  ; 
and  when  Alexander  subdued  Asia,  Babylon  was  full  of 
people,  and  flourished  in  luxury  and  wealth  ;  and  wlien  he 
died  tliere,  he  left  the  city  ver}^  opulent.  We  hence,  tlien, 
conclude,  that  what  Jeremiali  declares  here,  was  not  imme- 
diately fulfilled.  But  as  the  light  or  moderate  punishments 
wJiich  tlie  unbelieving  suffer  now  are  certain  preludes  of  final 

^  As  to  the  two  first  words,  the  versions  and  the  Tarff.  widely  differ. 
According  to  Jioc/iart,  the  first  word,  D''"'V,  means  "  wild  cats,"  and  the 
second,  D"'^X,  "jackals."  The  Viil<j.,  the  /V?//*.,  and  the  Targ.  render 
the  otlier  word,  njj;\  the  same,  "  the  ostrich  ;"  and  this  is  the  general 
opinion. — Ed. 


CHAP.  L.  40.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  183 

and  eternal  destruction  ;  so  the  Prophets,  when  speaking  of 

God's  vengeance,  ever  extend  what  they  say  to  the  last 

overthrow  ;   and   this  also  appears  more  clearly  from   the 

next  verse,  where  it  is  said, — 

40.  As  God  overthrew  Sodom  and         40.  Secundum  subversionem  Dei 

Gomorrah,  and  the  neighbour  cities  in  Sodomam  et  Gomorram  et  vici- 

thereof,  saith  the  Lord  ;  so  shall  no  nos  ejus,  dicit  Jehova,  non  habitabit 

man  abide  there,  neither  shall  any  ilHc   vir,   et   non  morabitur   in  ea 

son  of  man  dwell  therein.  filius  hominis. 

This  verse  confirms  and  explains  the  previous  verse.  But 
that  the  design  of  the  Prophet  may  be  more  evident,  we 
must  remember  what  Jude  in  his  epistle  (ver.  7)  says,  that 
the  destruction  of  Sodom  is  as  it  were  a  mirror  in  which  we 
behold  God's  vengeance  on  all  the  ungodly.  God  overthrew 
Sodom  ;  but  he  does  not  proceed  in  the  same  way  with  other 
lands  and  nations ;  yet  the  same  is  the  lot  of  all  the  unbe- 
lieving, of  the  despisers  of  God,  and  reprobates  ;  for  they  are 
exposed  to  his  vengeance,  which  they  cannot  escape,  though 
it  may  be  for  a  time  suspended.  When,  therefore,  the  Pro- 
phet says  now  that  Babylon  would  be  overthrown,  as  Sodom 
was  overthrown,  he  does  not  mean  that  this  would  be  after 
seventy  years,  when  taken  by  Cyrus  and  Darius,  nor  when 
retaken  after  its  revolt,  nor  when  taken  by  Alexander ;  for 
it  remained  a  long  time  after  this,  even  to  the  reign  of 
Augustus  Ciesar.  As,  then,  it  has  been  so,  it  follows  that 
our  Prophet  does  not  speak  of  its  first,  second,  or  third 
assault,  but  that  he  had  in  view  what  I  have  already  stated, 
— that  when  God  summons  the  wicked  to  judgment,  it  is  a 
certain  prelude  of  eternal  and  final  destruction.  Ilis  way 
with  the  godly  is  another;  for  though  God  may  sink  them 
down  to  the  grave,  nay,  to  the  centre  of  the  earth,  yet  hope 
is  still  left  them  ;  hence  their  death  is  never  like  the  de- 
struction of  Sodom.  And  to  the  same  purpose  is  what  we 
have  already  quoted  from  Isaiah,  "  Except  a  seed  had  been 
left  us,  we  should  have  been  as  Sodom,  and  like  to  Gomor- 
rah.'' (Isa.  i.  9.)  That  exception  shews  the  difference  be- 
tween God's  children  and  the  reprobate,  even  because  he 
often  delivers  them  from  ruin. 

We  now  then  understand  the  Prophet's  meaning  when  he 
says  that   Babylon  would  become  desolate  and  solitary,  so 


18i  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.       LECT.  CLXXXIV. 

that  no  one  would  diuell  there,  nor  reviain ;^  and  that /rom 
age  to  age,  or  from  generation  to  generation. 

Moreover,  we  learn  from  what  is  here  said,  that  the  un- 
believing are  overwhelmed  with  despair  even  under  the  least 
punishment,  because  they  see  nothing  but  the  vengeance  of 
God ;  for  though  God  does  not  immediately  slay  them,  yet 
the  least  puncture  denotes  what  impends  over  them  ;  nay, 
he  inflicts  a  deadly  wound  when  he  seems  only  to  touch 
them  lightly.  There  is  then  only  one  consolation,  which 
can  sustain  us  in  our  miseries,  even  to  know  that  we  are 
separated  from  the  Sodomites  through  the  mercy  of  God 
alone  ;  because  we  have  deserved  the  same  destruction,  and 
the  Lord  has  spared  us  according  to  his  infinite  goodness. 
This,  then,  is  the  meaning.     It  follows, — 

41.  Behold,  a  people  shall  come         41.  Ecce  popiilus  veniet  ab  aqui- 

from  the  north,  and  a  great  nation,  lone,  et  gens  magna,  et  reges  multi 

and  many  kings  shall  l)e  raised  up  (aut,  validi)  cxcitabuntur  a  lateribus 

from  the  coasts  of  the  earth.  terrse. 

The  Prophet  again  shoAvs  whence  destruction  was  to  come 
on  the  Babylonians.  He  does  not  indeed  mention  Cyrus, 
as  Isaiah  does  (chap.  xliv.  28  ;  xlv.  I),  nor  does  he  mention 
the  Persians ;  but  he  evidently  points  out  the  Medes,  when 
he  says  that  a  people  would  come  from  the  north.  He  adds, 
a  great  nation  and  many  or  powerful  Icings ;  and  lastly, 
from  the  sides  of  the  earth.  It  is  indeed  certain  that  the 
war  was  carried  on  under  the  banner  and  command  of 
Cyrus  and  Darius.  Cyrus  w^as  the  chief,  but  Darius,  on 
account  of  his  age,  was  deemed  the  king.  To  whom  then 
does  Jeremiah  refer,  when  he  says  many  kings,  if  we  so 
render  the  words  ?  even  to  the  satraps  or  princes,  of  whom 
a  great  number  Darius  brought  with  him;  for  Cyrus  came 
from  remote  mountains,  and  from  a  barbarous  nation  ;  but 
the  kingdom  of  Darius  was  very  wide.  There  is  then  no 
doubt  but  that  he  brought  with  him  many  kings,  who  yet 
obeyed  his  authority.  But  we  may  take  D'^^'l,  rehini,  in  tlie 
sense  of  being  strong.  However  this  may  be,  the  Prophet 
means  that  the  Chaldeans  would  liave  to  carry  on  war,  not 
witli  one  nation  or  one  king,  but  with  many  nations  and 

'  Hathcr  "  sojom-n,"  according  to  the  Scpl. — Ed. 


CIlAr.  L.  41.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  185 

with  many  kings,  or  certainly  with  mighty  kings.  Hence 
he  mentions  the  sides  of  the  earth,  by  which  phrase  he  re- 
minds us  that  the  array  would  come,  not  from  one  country 
but  from  remote  parts  ;  and  tliough  the  distance  might  be 
great,  yet  tlie  Prophet  says,  that  they  would  all  come 
together  to  attack  the  Chaldeans. 

We  now  see  that  what  afterwards  happened  is  represented 
as  in  a  picture,  in  order  that  the  event  itself  might  confirm 
the  Jews,  not  only  in  the  truth  announced  by  Jeremiah,  but 
also  in  the  whole  law  and  w^orship  of  God  ;  for  this  prophecy 
was  ratified  to  the  faithful  when  they  found  that  Jeremiah, 
a  faithful  interpreter  of  the  law,  had  thus  spoken.  And 
then  his  doctrine  availed  also  for  another  purpose,  even  that 
the  people  might  know  that  they  rebelled  against  God  when 
they  obstinately  resisted  the  holy  Prophet ;  for  we  know 
that  they  were  extremely  disobedient.  They  were  then 
proved,  by  what  happened,  to  have  been  guilty  of  having 
contended  with  God  in  their  pertinacious  wickedness  and 
contempt.  There  was  afterwards  given  them  a  sure  ground 
of  hope;  for  as  Jeremiah  liad  spoken  of  the  destruction  of 
Babylon,  so,  on  the  other  hand,  he  had  promised  a  return  to 
the  Jews.  They  had  then  reason  to  look  for  restoration, 
when  they  saw  fulfilled  what  Jeremiah  had  spoken. 

By  the  word  raised,  he  expresses  something  more  than 
by  the  word  come :  he  says  that  people  would  come,  and 
adds,  that  they  would  be  raised  iq:)  or  roused ;  he  intimates 
that  they  would  not  come  of  themselves,  but  by  the  hidden 
influence  of  God,  because  this  war  was  not  carried  on  merely 
by  men.  Cyrus  indeed,  led  by  insatiable  avarice  and  ambi- 
tion, was  guided  by  his  own  inclination  to  undertake  this 
war ;  and  he  made  no  end  of  his  cruelty,  until  he  at  length 
miserably  died,  for  he  never  ceased  to  shed  innocent  blood 
everywhere.  But  yet  the  Lord  made  use  of  these  kings  and 
nations  to  destroy  Babylon  :  they  were  in  reality  the  scourges 
of  God,  and  accordingly  he  says,  that  they  w^ere  roused  from 
the  sides  of  the  earth,  that  is,  from  the  most  distant  places. 

42.  They  shall  hold  the  bow  42.  Arcum  et  scutum  apprehendent, 

and  the  lance  :   they  are  cruel,  crudelis  ipse  {hoc  est,  omnes  erunt  cru- 

and  will  not  shew  mercy  :  their  deles,)  et  non  tangentur  misericordia  ; 

voice  shall  roar  like  the  sea,  and  vox  eorimi  tanquam  mare  sonabit  {vely 


186  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.       LECT.  CLXXXIV. 

they  shall  ride  upon  horses,  every  tumultuabitiir,)  et  super  equos  asceii- 

one  put  in  array,  like  a  man  to  the  dent ;  paratus  est  quisque  tanquam  vir 

battle,  against  thee,  O  daughter  (/itoc  csi,  parati  erunt)  ad  proelium  con- 

of  Babylon.  tra  te,  filia  Babylonis. 

Jeremiah  again  speaks  especially  of  armour,  to  intimate 
tliat  the  Babylonians  would  not  be  able  to  sustain  the  assault 
of  their  enemies.  He  then  says  that  they  would  be  armed 
with  the  hoiu  and  the  shield;^  and  adds,  that  they  would 
be  ci^uel.  It  is  certain  that  the  Persians  were  very  bloody ; 
for  it  was  a  barbarous  nation  ;  and  where  barbarity  rules, 
there  is  no  feeling  of  mercy.  Cyrus  indeed  wished  to  appear 
a  magnanimous  prince,  and  not  a  savage ;  but  it  is  suffi- 
ciently evident  that  he  was  very  cruel,  though  Xenophon  in 
his  Life  speaks  of  him  otherwise  ;  but  he  is  not  a  true  his- 
torian, for  he  tells  many  false  things  in  favour  of  Cyrus. 
But  when  any  one  reads  all  that  has  been  recorded,  he  will 
readily  find  out  that  Cyrus  was  a  barbarian,  who  delighted 
in  slauo'hter  and  carnai^'e. 

As  to  the  Medes,  they  were  given  to  luxuries,  and  were 
not  a  warlike  nation.  Darius,  however,  brought  with  him 
many  princes,  those  whom  he  had  overcome  in  uncultivated 
countries,  and  such  as  also  possessed  some  valour.  Though, 
then,  the  king  of  the  Medes  was  effeminate  as  well  as  his 
l)eople,  yet  he  had  with  him  many  warlike  men.  And  the 
same  thing  is  expressed  also  by  Isaiah  ;  and  you  ought  to 
compare  this  prophecy  with  that  of  Isaiah  (chap.  xiii.  17:) 
for  the  two  Prophets  wholly  agree,  though  Isaiah  was  dead 
when  Jeremiah  uttered  this  prophecy  and  wrote  it. 

He  says  that  their  voice  would  be  tumultuous  as  the  sea, 
or  would  sound  or  roar  as  the  sea,  when  moved  by  some 
violent  storm.  And  all  these  things  were  said,  that  the 
Babylonians  might  know  that  all  their  defences  would  be 
of  no  avail,  when  God  should  arm  the  Persians  and  the 
Medes  for  their  destruction.  For  had  that  war  been  carried 
on  only  by  men,  the  Chaldeans  would  have  never  thought 
that  their  enemies  would  be  victorious  ;  and  doubtless  they 
would  have  never  been  so,  had  not  the  Lord  roused  them 
and  determined  by  their  means  to  execute  vengeance  on  the 

'  Rather  "spear' or  lance;  so  the  Sej^t-  :^"d  >S[yr.,  though  the  Viilg. 
and  Targ.  have  "  shield." — Ed. 


CHAP.  L.  42.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  187 

Chaldeans.  He  says  tliat  tlicy  would  be  prepared  as  a  man 
for  war.  Interpreters  do  not  seem  to  me  to  understand  tlie 
meaning  of  the  Prophet ;  for  thougli  Jeremiah  uses  the 
word  "  prepared"  in  the  singular  number,  yet  he  speaks  of 
the  whole  people.  But  how  does  he  say  they  would  be  pre- 
pared ?  even  like  a  man.  Here  he  sets  forth  tlie  union  of 
the  whole  army,  for  they  would  all  come  to  battle,  like  one 
man  attacking  his  own  enemy.  It  is  indeed  difficult  for  the 
minds  of  all  to  be  so  directed  in  battle,  that  they  should 
unitedly  attack  an  enemy  and  fight  as  it  were  with  one  hand, 
and  that  they  should  not  look  on  one  another,  and  yet  make 
an  united  assault.  This,  then,  is  what  the  Prophet  means 
when  he  says,  that  they  would  be  prepared  against  the 
Chaldeans  as  one  7nan. 

He  then  adds,  against  thee,  daughter  of  Babylon.  He 
intimates  that  they  would  be  not  only  sufficiently  strong 
against  ordinary  enemies,  but  also  against  the  city  itself. 
For  had  not  this  been  added,  Babylon  would  have  ever  been 
considered  as  an  exception  ;  for  it  was  deemed  impregnable 
on  account  of  the  multitude  of  men,  the  height  and  breadth 
of  its  walls,  its  towers,  and  all  other  defences.  Now,  then, 
God  shews  that  though  Babylon  proudly  exulted  in  its 
forces,  and  thought  itself  exempt  from  every  danger,  yet  the 
Persians  and  the  Modes  would  possess  sufficient  power  by 
which  they  would  easily  overcome  it.  What  follows  I  cannot 
finish  to-day ;  it  is  therefore  better  to  stop  here. 


PRAYER. 

Grant,  Almighty  God,  that  since  thou  teachest  us  by  the  example  of 
the  ungodly  to  fear  thy  name,  we  may  learn  to  submit  oiu*  necks 
to  thy  word,  and  willingly,  and  as  it  becomes  us,  submissively  to 
receive  thy  yoke,  that  while  we  strive  to  glorify  thy  name,  being 
safe  under  thy  protection,  we  may  disregard  all  the  attacks  of 
our  enemies,  and  all  the  assaults  and  onsets  of  Satan,  who  is  the 
captain  of  all  our  enemies,  until  we  shall  at  length  enjoy  our 
victory  in  the  celestial  kingdom,  through  Christ  our  Lord. — 
Amen. 


188  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXXXV. 


43.  The  king  of  Babylon   hath  43.  Audivit  rex  Babylonis  famam 

heard  the  report  of  them,  and  his  ipsorum,  ct  dissolutaj   sunt  manus 

hands  waxed  feeble  :  anguisli  took  ejus ;  anxietas  apprehendit  {vel,  cor- 

hold   of  him,  and  pangs,   as  of  a  ripuit)  eum,  dolor  tanquam  partu- 

woman  in  travail.  rientem. 

The  Prophet  means  by  these  words,  that  as  soon  as  the 
report  of  war  reached  the  Chaldeans,  they  would  be  so  dis- 
heartened through  fear  as  to  become  like  a  conquered  people. 
As  they  had  subjected  to  themselves  many  nations,  they  had 
acquired  the  name  of  being  a  warlike  people  ;  but  the  Pro- 
phet delcares  here  that  they  would  have  no  courage,  and 
that  therefore  there  would  be  no  need  of  much  valour  to 
attack  them,  as  they  would  of  themselves  give  way  and  flee. 
The  sum  of  what  is  said  is,  that  the  Persians  and  the  Modes 
would  gain  the  victory  before  they  fought,  for  there  would 
be  no  need  of  an  attack,  as  their  enemies  would  flee  as  be- 
ing without  any  courage. 

The  Prophet  at  the  same  time  intimates  that  in  God's 
hand  are  the  hearts  of  men,  as  I  have  often  said,  so  that 
they  who  seem  to  excel  in  great  boldness,  melt  as  wax  in  a 
moment.  For  no  doubt  the  Chaldeans  were  not  wanting 
in  courage  to  fight  until  God  had  rendered  them  efl'eminate, 
so  that  they  took  to  flight  througli  fear  as  soon  as  they 
heard  the  report  respecting  their  enemies.  It  is,  indeed, 
ti'ue  that  this  was  not  immediately  the  case,  for  we  know 
that  they  had  long  sustained  a  siege,  and  that  Belshazzar 
was  slain  in  the  night,  wliile  they  were  securely  and  joy- 
fully feasting  as  in  the  greatest  quietness  and  peace  ;  but 
they  were  at  lengtli  taken,  so  that  they  had  neither  wisdom 
nor  confidence  ;  for  the  king  and  his  princes  were  slain,  and 
the  city  was  in  a  moment  taken,  as  though  all  the  men  were 
turned  into  logs  of  wood  or  into  statues  of  stone.  It  fol- 
lows,— 

44.  Behold,  he  shall  come  up  44.  Kcce  tanquam  Ico  ascendet  (as- 
like  a  lion  from  the  swelling  of  ccndens)  a  tuniore  .lordanis  (ab  altitu- 
Jordan  unto  the  habitation  of  dine,  i»t7,  clevatione,  proprir,  jINJ  ctiaui 
the  strong  :  but  I  uill  make  them  slr/ulfcft  mctophoricr  svpethiam)  ad 
suddenly  run  away  from  her  :  and  hajjitaculnm  forte,  (pumi  quiesccrc  fe- 


CHAP.  L.  44.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  189 

who  is  a  chosen  man,  that  I  may  cere,  {vel^  postquam  irruptionem  fece- 
appoint  over  her  ?  for  who  is  hke  ro,)  currere  faciam  eos  ab  ipsa ;  et 
me?  and  who  will  appoint  me  quis  electus  quern  super  earn  pra^fici  am? 
the  time?  and  who  is  that  shep-  quisenimsimilismei?etquiscontestabi- 
herd  that  will  stand  before  me  ?         tur  mecum  ?  et  quis  ille  pastor  qui  con- 

sistat  coram  me  (ueZ,  ad  faciem  meam)  ? 

We  have  explained  nearly  the  same  words  in  the  last 
chapter  ;  for  the  Prophet  not  only  used  the  same  similitude 
respecting  the  Idumeans,  but  also  added  all  the  words  which 
are  found  here  ;  nay,  the  Prophet  brings  forward  nothing 
new  to  the  end  of  the  chapter,  but  only  repeats  what  we 
have  seen  before. 

He  first  compares  either  Darius  or  Cyrus  to  a  lion,  who,  at 
the  overflowing  of  Jordan,  removes  to  another  place.     This 
passage,   like    the    former,   is   indeed   variously  explained. 
Some  read,    "for  the  pride  of  Jordan."     But  as  it  appears 
from  other  places  that  lions  had  their  dens  near  the  banks 
of  Jordan,  I  have  no  doubt  but  that  the  Prophet  here  com- 
pares Cyrus  to  a  lion,  forced  to  leave  his  own  lair  because  of 
the  iniuidation  of  that  river.     We  know  how  savage  a  beast 
is  the  lion  ;  but  when  he  is  forced  to  change  his  dwelling 
and  to  move  to  another  place,  his  fury  rages  the  more.     It 
is  the  same,  then,  as  though  he  had  said,  that  not  any  sort 
of  lion  would  attack  the  Babylonians,   but  a  lion  furious 
through    rage.      He   then   adds,    to   the   strong  habitation. 
When  he  spoke  of  the  Idumeans,  the  allusion  might  have 
been  to   their  country,  which  was   elevated,  and  they  had 
also  mountains  as    their  fortresses.     But  as  Babylon  was 
also  strongly  fortified,   and  nearly  impregnable  on  account 
of  the  various  streams  of  the  Euphrates,  what  the  Prophet 
says  is  also  suitable,  that  a  lion  would  come,  though  there 
were  hindrances  which  might  impede  his  course  ;  for  when 
a  lion  rambles,  being  not  hungry  nor  forced  by  any  neces- 
sity, he  can  turn  here  and  there  as  he  pleases ;  but  when 
raire  drives  and  constrains  him,   he  will  then  surmount  all 
obstacles.     So  also  the  Prophet  says,  that  how  confident 
soever  Babylon  might  be  in  its  fortresses,  yet  Cyrus  would 
break  through  them,   for  he  would  be  like  a  lion,  who,  at 
the  overflowing  of  Jordan,  removes  elsewhere,  as  he  can  no 
longer  find  his  wonted  dwelling. 


1 90  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.         LECT.  CLXXXV. 

We  now  perceive  the  meaning  of  the  words, — that  the 
Babylonians  would  have  to  do,  not  with  an  idle  but  a  ter- 
rible enemy,  and  with  one  who  would  surmount  all  obstacles, 
as  when  fury  excites  a  lion  when  necessity  drives  him  as  it 
were  headlong. 

What  follows  is  obscure.  Some  render  the  words  thus, 
"  When  I  shall  make  Israel  to  rest,  then  I  will  make  them 
to  flee  from  her.''  In  the  former  place  (chap.  xlix.  19),  we 
read  "  him,''  in  the  singular,  I^^^'IX,  aritsnu  ;  but  here  the 
Prophet  uses  the  plural  number,  "  them,"  CDl^^'IX,  aritsem  ; 
it  is  yet  certain  that  the  meaning  is  the  same.  Some,  at 
the  same  time,  apply  this  to  the  Jews,  that  God  would 
remove  them  from  Babylon,  purposing  to  give  them  rest, 
tliat  is,  by  dwelling  securely  in  their  own  country  ;  but  as 
there  is  no  mention  made  here  of  his  people,  this  view  is 
forced  and  far-fetched.  I  omit  other  explanations,  for  the 
meaning  of  the  Prophet  seems  to  me  to  be  simply  this. 
When  1  shall  make  an  irruption,  or,  after  I  shall  have 
made  them  rest,  /  will  make  them  to  flee.  He  speaks, 
as  I  think,  of  the  Chaldeans  ;  and  the  particle  ^!D,  ki,  is 
to  be  taken  as  an  adverb  of  time,  ivhen, -or  after.  It  is, 
indeed,  often  a  causative,  but  it  has  sometimes  this  mean- 
ing. 

Now,  these  two  clauses  may  be  thus  explained  :  When  I 
shall  make  an  irruption,  or,  when  I  shall  have  made  them 
rest ;  for  V^^,  rego,  means  both  to  break  and  to  rest.  It  is 
here  in  the  active  or  causative  conjugation,  in  Hiphil.  If, 
then,  we  read,  "  After  I  shall  have  made  them  to  rest,"  the 
sense  will  be  that  the  Babylonians  had  been  long  tranquil, 
as  there  was  no  one  who  infested  them  or  disturbed  their 
peace  ;  and  we  know  that  men  having  long  rested  in  their 
idleness  and  sloth,  become  almost  stupified,  so  that  they  are 
touched  with  no  fear.  God  then  shews  that  the  Babylo- 
nians were  greatly  mistaken,  if  they  thought  that  the  rest 
which  they  had  previously  enjoyed  would  be  perpetual ;  for 
he  would  make  them  to  flee  from  the  city,  though  they  had 
been  long  there  in  a  tranquil  state.  The  other  sense  is  by 
no  means  unsuitable,  "  When  I  shall  break,"  or  make  an 
irruption,  then  all  will  flee  away,  that  is,  leave  the  city,  whicli 


CHAP.  L.  44.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  191 

was  before  like  a  paradise.  There  is  still  no  doubt  but 
that  the  Prophet  here  denounces  on  the  Babylonians  a  sud- 
den overthrow,  which  would  drive  the  people  here  and  there 
in  all  directions.^ 

It  now  follows,  Who  is  the  chosen  one  whom  I  shall  set 
over  her  ?  God  here  in  a  manner  deliberates  as*to  the  per- 
son whom  he  should  make  the  leader  of  the  war  against  the 
Chaldeans  ;  and  by  these  words  he  intimates  that  there 
would  be  ready  for  him  the  best  general,  and  one  especially 
active  and  also  excelling  in  the  art  of  war.  And  we  know 
that  even  the  unwilling  are  made  to  serve  God,  when  he 
employs  the  ungodly  as  his  scourges.  In  short,  God  shews 
that  though  the  Babylonians  might  have  brave  leaders  and 
most  skilful  in  war,  there  yet  would  be  prepared  leaders,  to 
.whom  he  would  commit  the  office  of  taking  that  eity.  And 
thus  he  teaches  us  at  the  same  time  that  men  are  ruled  by 
his  hand,  so  that  he  chooses  them  according  to  his  will  and 
directs  them  to  any  w^ork  he  pleases,  Who  is  the  chosen  one, 
he  says,  whom  I  shall  set  over  her  ? 

And  he  adds,  and  who  is  like  me  ?  Here  the  Prophet 
shews  that  the  -Babylonians  in  vain  trusted  in  their  own 
defences  ;  for  after  having  tried  all  things,  they  w^ould  find 
that  whatever  was  set  up  against  God  and  his  invincible 
power,  would  be  mere  smoke.  This  sentence  often  occurs  ; 
and  however  common  it  may  appear,  yet,  if  we  examine 
ourselves,  we  shall  find  that  the  Holy  Spirit  does  not  so 
often  enforce  it  without  reason  ;  for  after  we  have  confessed 
that  none  is  equal  to  God  or  can  add  to  his  power, — as  soon 
as  any  trial  assails  us,  this  confession  vanishes,  and  we 
tremble  as  though  God  was  nothing,  and  had  no  power  to 
bring  us  help.  Diffidence,  then,  which  often  creeps  in  when 
we  are  in  difficulties  or  dangers,  sufficiently  shews  that  we 
do  not  attribute  to  God  the  praise  due  to  his  power.  He 
does  not  then  exclaim  here,  as  in  other  places,  without 
reason.  Who  is  like  me  ?  as  though  he  had  said,  that  the 
Babylonians  would  foolishly  seek  auxiliaries  here  and  there  ; 
for  wlien  they  had  made  the  utmost  exertions,  whatever 

>  See  note  on  chap.  xlix.  19,  pp.  87-92. — Ed. 


192  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.         LECT.CLXXXV. 

tliey  miglit  think  tlie  most  useful  would  all  vanish  away, 
so  that  thoy  would  be  destitute  of  all  remedies. 

He  adds,  And  who  will  protest  against  me  ?  Some  give 
this  frigid  version,  Who  will  prescribe  to  me  the  time  ? 
but  thej  wholly  pervert  the  meaning  of  the  Prophet  ;  for 
God  in  this  place  declares,  that  men  would  in  vain  contend 
or  litigate  with  him.  It  is  the  same  as  if  he  had  said, 
"  Though  all  men  were  to  rise  up  against  me,  yet  I  will  not 
allow  them  to  litigate  with  me  ;  and  this  they  would  also 
do  in  vain/'  In  short,  God  intimates  that  men  would  in 
vain  clamour  against  his  judgments,  for  he  would  neverthe- 
less perform  what  he  has  decreed.  He  does  not  yet  claim 
for  himself  that  absolute  power  about  which  the  sophists 
prattle,  while  they  separate  it  from  justice  ;  but  he  intimates 
that  the  causes  are  not  always  manifest  to  men  when  ho 
executes  his  judgments  ;  for  it  is  not  without  reason  that 
the  Scripture  testifies  that  God's  judgments  are  a  deep 
abyss ;  but  by  such  an  expression  it  is  not  meant  that  any- 
thing in  God's  judgments  is  confused  or  in  disorder, — what 
then  ?  even  that  God  works  in  an  extraordinary  manner, 
and  that  hence  his  judgments  are  sometimes  hidden  from 
men. 

Then  God  briefly  shews,  that  though  the  Babylonians  were 
to  dispute,  and  start  many  objections,  all  this  would  be  use- 
less, because  he  would  execute  what  he  had  decreed,  and 
that  without  debating. 

Let  us  then  learn  from  these  words,  that  when  God's 
works  have  the  appearance  of  being  unreasonable,  we  ought 
liumbly  to  admire  them,  and  never  to  judge  them  according 
to  our  computation  ;  for  God  is  not  to  be  judged  by  us. 
Therefore,  as  I  have  already  said,  we  are  then  only  wise, 
when  we  liumbly  adore  him  in  all  his  works,  without  dis2)ut- 
ing  with  him  ;  for  wlien  we  adduce  all  possible  things,  he 
will  close  our  mouth  with  one  word,  and  check  all  our  pre- 
sumption ;  nay,  he  will  ever  overcome  us  by  being  silent, 
for  his  justice  will  always  overthrow  whatever  may  come  to 
our  minds.  But  we  must  bear  in  mind  what  I  have  stated, 
that  God  never  so  acts  by  his  absolute  power  as  to  separate 
it  from  his  justice  ;  for  this  would  be  as  it  were  to  wound 


CHAP.  L.  45.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  193 

himself;  for  these  things  are  undivided,  his  power  and 
justice,  though  justice  often  docs  not  appear.  However  this 
maj  be,  his  sole  and  simple  will  is  to  us  the  rule  of  all 
justice. 

It  follows,  And  who  is  that  shepherd  who  will  stand  before 
me?  He  alludes  to  the  similitude  he  had  used,  for  he  com- 
pared himself  before  to  a  lion.  He  says  now,  ''  Since  I  shall 
go  against  Babylon  like  a  lion,  what  shepherd  will  dare  to 
oj^pose  me  ?"  We  see  that  there  is  to  be  understood  a  con- 
trast between  a  lion  and  a  shepherd  ;  for  God  would  be  like 
a  lion  to  destroy  Babylon  ;  hence,  by  pastor,  he  denotes  any 
adversary  w^ho  might  come  forth  to  defend  the  Chaldean 
flock.     It  follows, — 

45.  Therefore  hear  ye  the  counsel  of  45.  Propterea  audite  consili- 
tlie  Lord,  that  he  hath  taken  against  umJehovse  quod  considtavit  con- 
Babylon  ;  and  his  piu-poses,  that  he  hath  tra  Babylonem,  et  cogitationes 
piu-posed  against  the  land  of  the  Chal-  quas  cogitavit  contra  tcrram 
deans ;  Surely  the  least  of  the  flock  shall  Chaldseorum  ;  Si  non  traxerint 
draw  them  out ;  surely  he  shall  make  eos  parvuli  gregis ;  si  non  perdi- 
their  habitation  desolate  ■with  them.  derint  super  eos  habitaculum. 

The  Prophet  confirms  his  previous  doctrine,  and  uses  an 
oath,  for  he  had  already  spoken  sufficiently  at  large  of  the 
destruction  of  Babylon,  and  his  words  might  seem  otherwise 
superfluous,  because  the  subject  had  been  explained  with 
abundant  clearness.  But  he  introduces  God  here  as  making 
an  oath,  for  the  particles,  "  if  not,''  N?  DX,  am  la,  shew  the 
sentence  to  be  elliptical ;  and  we  know  that  this  form  of 
swearing  is  common  in  Scripture.  Then  God  swears,  that 
the  Babylonians  were  already  given  up  to  destruction,  so 
that  even  the  least  of  the  flock  would  be  superior  to  them. 

But  it  is  not  without  reason  that  the  Prophet  speaks 
here  of  the  counsel  of  God  and  of  his  thoughts;  for  we  know 
that  men  through  their  ow-n  vanity  are  held  suspended  or 
in  doubt,  so  that  they  do  not  firmly  acquiesce  in  God's  word, 
at  least  they  vacillate  so  as  to  have  no  stability  of  faith. 
As,  then,  men  think  in  themselves  that  possibly  a  thing- 
may  happen  otherwise  than  according  to  the  words  of  the 
prophets,  Jeremiah  does  here  meet  such  thoughts,  and  bids 
men  to  hear  the  counsel  of  God  and  his  thoughts.  It  is,  in- 
deed, a  mode  of  speaking  transferred  from  men,  when  ho 

VOL.  V.  u 


J9-i  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.         LECT.  CLXXXV. 

speaks  of  tlie  tlioughts  of  God;  for  we  know  that  God  does 
not  deliberate  on  what  lie  is  about  to  do,  as  the  case  is  with 
men.  But  this  manner  of  speaking  so  frequently  occurs, 
that  it  ought  to  be  familiar  to  us.  However  this  may  be, 
he  intimates  that  God  did  not  in  vain  announce  terror  when 
speaking  of  Babylon,  but  that  the  irrevocable  decree  was 
declared  which  God  had  formed.  Hence  he  says,  that  he 
had  already  taken  counsel,  so  that  men  need  not  deliberate 
any  more,  nor  call  into  question  his  fixed  decree,  nor  dispute 
concerning  his  thoughts.  There  is,  then,  no  reason  for  men 
to  revolve  things  in  themselves,  and  to  adopt  different  views; 
because  events  must  be,  he  says,  as  I  have  predicted ;  God 
then  has  commanded  me  to  announce  this  prophecy  as 
brought  forth  from  his  counsel,  wdiich  can  by  no  means  be 
changed.  This  is  the  reason  why  he  mentions  God's  counsel 
and  thoughts. 

He  adds,  If  they  shall  not  draw  them  fo7^th ;  some  read, 
"  cast  them  out.''  But  ^HD,  sacheb,  means  to  draw ;  and 
there  is  no  doubt  but  that  the  Prophet  denotes  by  this  verb 
contempt  and  reproach  ;  as  carcases  are  drawn  through  tlie 
mud,  or  a  dead  dog  is  drawn  and  cast  into  a  river ;  so  now, 
he  says,  Draw  forth  the  Babylonians  shall  the  least  of  the 
flock.  But  how  can  these  things  agree  together,  that  there 
was  to  be  the  choicest  leader,  and  that  yet  the  least  of  the 
flock  would  be  the  conquerors  ?  God  intimates,  that  though 
he  would  endow  Cyrus  with  warlike  valour,  yet  if  it  pleased 
him,  there  would  be  means  by  which  he  could  destroy  the 
Babylonians,  were  he  to  send  sheep  or  lambs  as  their  ene- 
mies. He  means,  in  a  word,  tliat  the  Babylonians  would  bo 
unwarlike,  when  God  deprived  them  of  their  courage. 

If  they  will  not  upset  over  them  their  tabernacle.  Some 
read  as  though  the  verb  were  tDltJ',  shuni,  "  If  they  will  not 
set,"  &c. ;  others  derive  tlie  word  from  Dti^\  ishem  ;  but  it 
comes  rather  from  D^t^,  sheniem ;  If,  then,  they  will  not 
upset  over  them  their  tabernacle,  that  is,  when  tlie  Baby- 
lonians shall  be  laid  prostrate,  even  tlieir  houses  shall  fall 
and  overwhelm  them.  In  short,  God  sets  forth  here  a  final 
ruin,  from  which  the  Babylonians  could  never  bo  restored  ; 
for  it  is  an  evidence  of  hopeless  despair,  when  houses  are 


CHAP.LI.  1.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  195 

upset,  so  that  their  masters  arc  buried  in  their  ruins.     It 
follows, — 

46.  At  the  noise  of  the  taking  of  46.  A  voce  captae  Babylonis  con- 
Babylon  the  earth  is  moved,  and  the  tremuit  terra,  et  clamor  in  gentibus, 
cry  is  heard  among  the  nations.  (yel,  per  gentes,)  auditus  est. 

This  is  to  anticipate  an  objection  ;  for  many  might  have 
said,  "  How  can  it  be,  that  Babylon  should  thus  fall,  on 
whose  monarchy  so  many  and  so  wide  countries  are  depen- 
dent?" As,  then,  such  an  event  appearing  so  unreasonable, 
might  occur  to  them,  the  Prophet  meets  the  objection,  and 
answers  by  way  of  anticipation,  that  though  the  earth  shook, 
yet  this  would  surely  take  place.  He  shews,  at  the  same 
time,  how  great  the  calamity  would  be,  for  it  would,  by  its 
noise,  make  the  whole  world  to  tremble  :  it  would  be  thus 
better  known  how  grievous  was  to  be  God's  vengeance  on 
the  Babylonians ;  for  it  was  not  to  be  without  the  shaking 
of  the  whole  earth.     Now  follows, — ■ 


CHAPTER  LI. 

1.  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  Behold,  I  1.  Sic  dicit  Jehova,  Ecce,  ego  ex- 
will  raise  up  against  Babylon,  and  citans  contra  Babylonem.  et  contra 
against  them  that  dwell  in  the  midst  habitatores  cordis  qui  insurgunt 
of  them  that  rise  up  against  me,  a  contra  me,  vcntum  corrumpentem 
destroying  wind.  (vel,  dissipantem.) 

He  proceeds  with  the  same  subject.  Jeremiah  seems,  in- 
deed, to  have  used  more  words  than  necessary  ;  but  we  have 
stated  the  reason  why  he  dwelt  at  large  on  a  matter  so  clear: 
His  object  was  not  only  to  teach,  for  this  he  might  have 
done  in  a  few  words,  and  have  thus  included  all  that  we 
have  hitherto  seen  and  shall  find  in  the  wdiole  of  this 
chai)ter;  but  as  it  was  an  event  hardly  credible,  it  was 
necessary  to  illustrate  the  prophecy  respecting  it  with  many 
figures,  and  to  inculcate  with  many  repetitions  what  had 
been  already  said,  and  also  to  confirm  by  many  reasons  what 
no  one  hardly  admitted. 

He  then  says,  Behold,  I  will,  &c.  God  is  made  the  speaker, 
that  the  word  might  have  more  force  and  power.  Behold, 
he  says,  I  will  raise  up  a  destroying  wind  against  the  Glial- 


196  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXXXV. 

deans.  Tlie  similitude  of  wind  is  very  appropriate,  for  God 
thus  briefly  reminded  tliem  how  easy  it  was  for  him  to  de- 
stroy the  whole  world  even  by  a  single  blast.  The  wind  is, 
indeed,  indirectly  set  in  opposition  to  instruments  of  war ; 
for  when  any  one  seeks  to  overcome  an  enemy,  he  collects 
many  and  strong  forces,  and  procures  auxiliaries  on  every 
side  ;  in  short,  he  will  not  dare  to  attempt  anything  without 
making  every  possible  preparation.  As,  then,  men  dare  not 
attack  their  enemies  without  making  strenuous  efforts,  God 
liere  extols  his  own  power,  because  it  is  enough  for  him  to 
raise  up  a  wind.  We  now,  then,  perceive  the  design  of  the 
similitude,  when  he  says,  that  he  would  raise  up  a  wind  that 
would  destroy  or  scatter  the  Chaldeans. 

In  the  following  words  there  is  an  obscurity  ;  literally, 
they  are,  the  inhabitants  of  the  heart ;  for  as  the  word  '''2.^'^, 
ishehi,  is  in  construction,  another  word  necessarily  follows 
it,  as  for  instance,  the  country  of  the  Chaldeans.  But  the 
relative  H,  He,  referring  to  Babylon,  ouglit  to  have  been 
put  down.  Yet  as  the  words  occur,  we  are  compelled 
to  read,  and  against  the  inhabitants  of  the  heart.  Some 
will  liave  the  relative,  ^^^5,  asher,  to  be  understood,  but 
that  is  harsh,  for  it  is  an  unnatural  mode  of  speaking. 
They,  however,  give  this  rendering  of  ^/  ^^X,  asher  leb, 
"  those  who  in  heart  rose  up  against  me."  But  what  if  we 
read  the  words  inhahitoMs  of  the  heart  metaphorically,  as 
meaning  those  who  gloried  in  their  own  wisdom  ?  for  the 
Babylonians,  as  it  is  well  known,  thought  other  men  dull  and 
foolish,  and  were  so  pleased  with  their  own  astuteness,  as 
though  they  were  fortified  by  inclosures  on  every  side.  They 
dwelt  then  in  their  owm  lieart,  that  is,  they  thought  them- 
selves well  fortified  around  through  their  own  wisdom.  In 
this  sense  the  Prophet  seems  to  call  the  Babylonians  the  in- 
habitants of  the  heart} 

'  The  Targ.  and  the  versions  widely  differ  from  one  another.  The 
cablnilistic  solution  is  very  frivolous,  by  \\hich  the  two  words  "^  and  ""Dp 
are  made  one,  and  made  to  signify  "  Chaldeans,"  accordingly  to  what  was 
called  "  Athbash,"  by  Avhich  aleph^  the  first  letter,  was  taken  for  tan,  the 
last  letter,  and  hcih^  the  second,  for  s)dn^  the  last  but  one;  and  soon 
through  the  whole  alphabet.  But  lUatjneij  and  others,  such  as  Gatakcr 
and    renema,  give  a  satisfactory  cxplajiation  of  the  words.     The  word 


CHAP.  LI.  2.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  197 

He  adds,  at  the  same  time,  that  they  rose  up  against  God, 
even  because  they  had  cruelly  treated  his  people,  and  nearly 
destroyed  them.  And  we  know  that  God  undertook  the 
cause  of  his  Church,  and  therefore  complained  that  war  was 
made  on  him  by  the  ungodly,  whenever  they  molested  the 
faithful.  It  is  also  at  the  same  time  generally  true,  that 
all  who  arrogate  to  themselves  wisdom  rise  up  against  God, 
because  they  rob  God  of  the  honour  due  to  him.  But  it 
ought  properly  to  be  referred  to  the  union  which  exists  be- 
tween God  and  his  Church,  when  he  charges  the  Chaldeans, 
that  they  rose  up  against  him.     It  follows, — 

2.  And  will  send  unto  2.  Et  mittam  contra  Babylonem  ventilato- 
Babylon  fanners,  that  shall  res,  qui  ventilent  ipsam  {ad  verbum,  et  venti- 
fan  her,  and  shall  empty  lahunt  ipsam,)  et  exinanient  terram  ejus  (yel, 
her  land :  for  in  the  day  spoliabunt ;  ppH  enim  significat  propric  ezi~ 
of  trouble  they  shall  be  nanire,evacuare,utmdgodicunt;  et  significat 
against  her  round  about.       etiam  spoliare  etprcedari ;  qui  ergo  exinanient 

terram  ;)    quia  erunt  contra  earn  in  circuitu 
in  die  mali  {Jioc  est,  in  die  adversa.) 

Here  he  explains  himself  more  clearly,  without  the  meta- 
phor he  had  used.  He  no  longer  uses  the  similitude  of  wind 
when  he  declares  that  he  would  send  fanners.  At  the  same 
time  some  take  CIKT,  zarim,  in  the  sense  of  aliens,  who 
would  banish  her  ;  but  tliis  would  be  harsh.  I  then  doubt 
not  but  that  the  Prophet  alludes  to  the  wind  before  men- 
tioned. He  does  not  indeed  continue  that  metaphor ;  but 
yet  what  he  says  corresponds  with  it.  Instead  of  wind  he 
now  mentions  fanners,  or  winnowers  ;  but  this  cannot  be  un- 
derstood except  of  enemies.  A  clearer  explanation  is  still 
found  in  the  word  empty,  after  having  said  that  the  Per- 
sians and  the  Modes  would  fan  or  winnow  Babylon.  He 
compares  her,  no  doubt,  to  chaff.  As  then  the  chaff,  when 
ventilated,  falls  on  the  ground,  so  he  says  a  similar  thing 
would  happen  to  the  Babylonians. 

But  he  adds,  And  shall  make  empty  her  land,  that  is,  the 
land  of  Babylon.     He  says  that  the  whole  country  would  be 

D7,  the  heart,  often  means  the  middle  of  anything,  as  "  the  heart  of 
heaven,"  in  Deut.  iv.  11  means  the  midst  of  heaven;  and  "  the  heart  of 
the  seas,"  in  Psalm  xlvi.  2,  means  the  midst  of  the  seas.  So  here,  "  the 
heart  of  my  adversaries,"  means  the  centre  of  the  comitry  of  his  adver- 
saries, i.e.,  Babylon, — 

Against  the  inhabitants  of  the  metropolis  of  my  adversaries. — Ed. 


198  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXXXV. 

SO  plundered,  that  nothing  would  be  left  remaining.  And 
he  confirms  this  declaration,  because  they  shall  he,  he  says, 
around  her.  Bj  this  expression  he  intimates  that  there 
would  be  no  escape  for  the  Chaldeans. 

It  often  happens  that  men  stealthily  escape,  when  pressed 
by  their  enemies ;  for  though  enemies  may  watch  all  pass- 
ages, yet  they  often  do  not  find  out  all  hiding-places.  But 
the  Prophet  says,  that  their  enemies  would  so  surround  them, 
that  the  Chaldeans  would  not  be  able  to  take  with  them 
anything  which  they  might  save  from  their  enemies'  hands. 
He  adds,  in  the  day  of  evil.  By  this  phrase  he  intimates 
again,  that  the  Chaldeans  were  already  devoted  by  God  to 
destruction.  It  is,  then,  the  same  thing  as  though  he  had 
said,  that  as  soon  as  her  enemies  came,  it  would  be  all  over 
with  Babylon  and  the  whole  nation,— how  so  ?  for  it  would 
be  the  day  of  her  utter  ruin.     It  follows, — 

3.  Against  him  that  bendeth  let         3.  Ad  tendentera  qui  tendit  arciim 

the  archer  bend  his  bow,  and  against  suum  (']TT'  est  hie  vox  supervacna, 

him  that  lifteth  himself  up  in  his  qui  tendit  j^^f^wr  arcum  suum.)  et  qui 

brigandine:    and  spare  ye  not  her  se  extollit  lorica  sua,  et  (copula  hie 

young  men ;  destroy  ye  utterly  all  ahundat ;)  ne  parcatis  electis  ejus, 

her  host.  interficite  omnem  exercitum  ejus. 

Interpreters  g\\Q  various  expositions  of  this  verse.  Some 
understand  a  soldier  of  light  armour  by  him  who  bends  the 
bow ;  and  by  him  who  elevates  himself  in  his  coat  of  mail, 
they  understand  a  heavy-armed  soldier.  There  is  also  an- 
other difference  ;  some  take  /X,  al,  for  N7,  la,  when  it  is  said 
71?ri''  7^\  veal  itol,  because  a  co2:)ulative  follows  ;  and  the 
words  seem  not  to  be  well  connected,  if  we  read  thus,  "  As  to 
liim  who  raises  himself  uj)  in  his  coat  of  mail,  and  spare  ye 
not,''  &c. ;  and  hence  they  take  negatively  the  particle  /J^,  al, 
instead  of  N/  la,  "  and  that  he  may  not  raise  up  himself 
in  his  coat  of  mail."  But  it  is  probable  that  the  copulative 
in  the  second  place  is  redundant.  Tlic  simple  meaning 
would  therefore  be.  As  to  him  who  bends  the  bow,  and  who 
raises  himself  up  in  his  coat  of  mail} 

^  It  is  singular  that  ?i^  is  omitted  in  the  Sej^t.  and  the  Si/r.,  and  re- 
tained in  its  negative  sense  in  tlie  Viilfj.  and  the  Targ.,  which  makes  no 
sense  consistently  with  tlie  context.  There  is  evidently  "IC'N  understood 
before  the  first  verb,  as  is  often  the  case  wIilmi  the  verb  is  in  the  future 
tense.     Then  the  literal  rendering  would  be  this, — 


CUAP.  LI.  4.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  199 

I  do  not,  indeed,  give  such  a  refined  interpretation  as  some 
do,  respecting  the  light  and  heavy  armed  soldiers.  I  doubt 
not,  then,  but  that  he  points  out  the  archers,  and  those  clad 
in  mail.  If,  however,  any  one  prefers  the  other  explanation, 
let  him  enjoy  his  own  opinion.  As  to  the  main  point,  it  is 
evident  that  the  Prophet  exhorts  the  Persians  and  the  Medes 
not  to  spare  the  young  men  among  the  Chaldeans,  but  to 
destroy  their  whole  army,  so  that  no  part  of  it  should  be  left 
remaining. 

PRAYER. 

Grant  Almighty  God,  that  since  thou  wert  formerly  so  solicitous 
respecting  the  salvation  of  thy  people  as  to  undertake  war,  for 
their  sake,  against  a  most  powerful  nation, —  O  grant,  that  Me 
also,  at  this  day,  may  know,  that  we  shall  be  safe  and  secure 
under  the  protection  of  thy  hand,  and  that  we  may  so  expe- 
rience thy  power,  that  there  maybe  to  us  a  just  reason  for  glory- 
ing in  thee,  and  that  oiu*  enemies  may  be  confounded,  in  order 
that  thy  glory  may  shine  forth  more  and  more,  and  that  the 
kingdom  of  thine  only-begotten  Son  may  also  be  thus  promoted. 
— Amen. 


Hectare  ^ne  JgtmBreti  anti  &i£^i)tvmxtih 

4.  Thus  the  slain  shall  fall  in  the  4.  Et  cadent  vulnerati  in  terra 
land  of  the  Chaldeans,  and  the^/  thai  ejus  (in  terra  Casdin)  et  transfixi 
are  thrust  through  in  her  streets.         (vel,  confossi)  in  compitis  ejus. 

He  proceeds  with  what  we  began  yesterday  to  explain, — 
that  the  time  was  nigh  when  God  would  take  vengeance  on 
the  Babylonians.  As,  then,  this  could  not  be  without  great 
destruction  in  a  city  so  very  populous,  and  as  it  could  not 
be  overthrown  except  calamity  extended  itself  through  the 
whole  country,  hence,  he  says,  that  though  Babylon  should 
prepare  great  and  pow^erful  armies,  it  would  yet  be  in  vain, 

At  him  who  bends  let  the  bender  bend  his  bow, 

And  at  him  who  glories  in  his  coat  of  mail ; 

And  spare  ye  not  her  chosen  men. 

Utterly  destroy  all  her  host.  . 

There  is  here  perfect  consistency.  They  who  take  ?5<  as  a  negative  say, 
that  the  first  part  is  addressed  to  the  Chaldeans,  and  the  second  to  their 
enemies  ;  but  this  would  be  strangely  abrupt. — Ed. 


200  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXXXVI. 

because  they  shall  fall,  he  says,  wounded  everywhe^^e  in  the 
land  ;  and  then  he  adds,  and  pierced  through  in  her  streets. 
By  these  words  lie  means,  that  the  Chaldeans  would  be  slain 
not  only  in  the  o])en  fields,  but  also  in  the  midst  of  the  city. 
He  afterwards  adds, — 

5.    For   Israel    hath    not  5.   Qiioniam  non  viduatus  est  Israel,  et 

been  forsaken,  nor  Judali  of  Jelmdah  a  Deo  siio,  a  Jehova  exercitmim ; 

Ills  God,  of  the  Lord  of  hosts  ;  qiiin  potiiis  (eadem  estparticula  ""D  causalis, 

though  their  land -svas  filled  quce  tamen  \nc  plus  a Uqtiid  ea^prim it,  ergo 

with   sin   against   the   Holy  quin  pot ms)  terra  ipsonnn  plena  est  peccato 

One  of  Israel.  propter  sanctum  Israel. 

The  Prophet  shews  here  the  cause  why  God  had  resolved 
to  treat  the  Babylonians  with  so  much  severity,  even  because 
he  would  be  the  avenger  of  his  own  jDoople.  He  also  obviates 
a  doubt  which  might  have  disturbed  weak  minds,  for  he 
seemed  to  have  forsaken  his  people  when  he  suffered  them 
to  be  driven  into  exile.  As  this  was  a  kind  of  repudiation, 
as  we  have  seen  elsewhere,  the  Prophet  says  now,  that  Israel 
had  not  been  wholly  widowed,  nor  Judah,  by  his  God;  as 
though  he  had  said,  that  the  Jew^s  and  tlie  Israelites  were 
indeed,  for  a  time,  like  widows,  but  this  was  not  to  be  per- 
petual. For,  as  we  have  said,  the  divorce  was  temporary, 
when  God  so  forsook  his  Temple  and  the  city,  that  the 
miserable  people  was  exposed  to  plunder.  As  long,  then,  as 
the  will  of  their  enemies  prevailed,  God  seemed  to  have  for- 
saken his  people.  It  is  of  this  widowhood  that  the  Prophet 
now  speaks  ;  but  he  yet  testifies  that  Israel  would  not  be 
wholly  widowed  by  Jehovah  his  God. 

He  indeed  alludes  to  that  spiritual  marriage,  of  which 
frequent  mention  is  made  ;  for  God  had,  from  the  beginning, 
united  the  Church  to  himself,  as  it  were,  by  a  marriage-bond  ; 
and  the  people,  as  it  is  well  known,  had  been  so  received  into 
covenant,  that  there  was  contracted,  as  it  were,  a  spiritual 
marriage.  Then  the  Prophet  now  says,  that  they  were  not 
widowed  ;  in  which  he  refers  to  the  hope  of  deliverance  ;  for 
it  could  not  have  been  denied  but  that  God  had  repudiated 
his  i")eople.  But  he  shews  that  their  chastisement  would 
not  be  perpetual,  because  God  would  at  length  reconcile  to 
himself  the  j^cople  from  whom  he  had  been  alienated,  and 


CHAP.  LI.  6.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  201 

would  restore  them  to  the  ancient  condition  and  honour  of 
a  wife.      He  speaks  of  both  kingdoms. 

Then  he  adds,  hy  Jehovah  of  hosts.  By  this  title  he  sets 
forth  the  power  of  God,  as  thougli  he  had  said,  that  as  God 
is  faithful  in  his  promises,  and  constantly  keeps  his  covenant, 
so  he  is  not  destitute  of  power,  so  as  not  to  be  able  to  save 
his  people  and  to  rescue  them,  when  it  pleases  him,  from 
death  itself  He  confirms  this  truth,  when  he  says, /or  the 
land  of  the  Chaldeans  is  filled  with  sin  on  account  of  the  Holy 
One  of  Israel,  as  though  he  had  said,  that  the  land  was 
abominable,  because  it  carried  on  war  against  God.  For 
Avhen  he  speaks  of  the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  he  shews  that 
God  had  such  a  care  for  his  people  that  he  was  prepared, 
when  the  suitable  time  came,  to  shew  himself  as  their 
avenger.  We  now^  perceive  what  the  Prophet  means  when 
he  says,  that  Chaldea  was  filled  with  sin,  even  because  it 
provoked  God  when  it  thought  that  the  wrong  was  done 
only  to  men.^     It  follows, — 

6.  Flee  out  of  the  midst  of  Baby-  6.  Fiigite  e  medio  Babylonis,  et 

Ion,  and  deliver  every  man  his  soiil :  servate  quisque  animam  suam,  (yel, 

be  not  cut  off  in  her  iniquity ;  for  eripite,)  ne  excidamini  (yel,  pereatis) 

this  is  the  time  of  the  Lord's  ven-  in  iniquitate  ejus ;  quia  tempus  hoc 

geance ;  he  will  render  unto  her  a  ultionis  Jehova,  merccdem  ipse  re- 

recompence.  pendet  ei. 

He  goes  on  with  the  same  subject,  but  illustrates  it  by 
various  figures ;  for  otherwise  he  would  not  have  penetrated 
into  the  hearts  of  the  godly.  Were  any  at  this  day  to  pre- 
dict the  destruction  of  Rome,  it  could  hardly  be  believed  ; 
and  yet  we  know  that  it  has  in  our  life  been  stormed,  and 
now  it  hangs  as  it  were  by  a  thread,  though  hitherto  it  has 
been  supported  and  fortified  by  the  greatest  forces.  But  the 
dignity  of  the  city  so  confounded  the  minds  of  men,  that  it 

'  The  explanation  of  the  last  clause  is,  according  to  the  Jewish  com- 
mentators, not  generally  taken.  The  "  land,"'  by  most  is  deemed  to  be 
the  land  of  Israel  and  Judah.  The  word  DS^'^<,  means  not  only  guilt,  but 
also  guilt's  penalty— judgment ;  and  this  seems  to  be  its  meaning  here, — 

For  not  widowed  is  Israel,  nor  Judah, 

By  his  God,  by  Jehovah  of  hosts ; 

Though  their  land  has  been  filled 

With  judgment  by  the  Holy  One  of  Israel. 
But  if  we  render  D  before  or  against,  then  the  last  line  would  be, — 
With  guilt  (or  sin)  before  the  Holy  One  of  Israel. — EcL 


202  COMMENTAllIES  ON  JEREAJIAII.         LECT.  CLXXXVI. 

was  hardly  credible  that  it  could  have  been  so  soon  sub- 
verted. How,  then,  was  it  possible  for  such  a  thing  to  have 
happened  at  that  time  ?  for  Babylon  was  the  mistress  of  the 
East.  The  Assyrians  had  previously  possessed  the  empire  ; 
but  thcjMiad  been  subdued,  and  had,  as  it  were,  been  brought 
under  the  yoke.  As,  then,  Babylon  now  flourished  in  power 
so  great  and  invincible,  Jeremiah  seemed  to  be  fabling  when 
he  spoke  of  its  approaching  destruction.  It  was  hence  ne- 
cessary that  what  he  said  should  be  confirmed,  as  it  is  now 
done.  And  so  he  now  turns  to  foreigners  and  guests,  and 
exhorts  them  to  flee  lest  they  should  perish  in  the  accursed 
city. 

Flee,  he  says,  from  the  midst  of  Babylon.  But  there  was 
then  no  safer  place  in  the  land  ;  for  had  all  the  regions  of 
the  world  been  shaken,  yet  Babylon  would  have  been  deemed 
beyond  any  danger.  But  he  says  that  all  guests  were  to  flee 
from  the  midst  of  it,  if  they  wished  to  save  their  lives.  Then 
he  adds,  lest  ye  perish  in  her  iniquity.  He  assigns  a  reason 
why  those  who  then  dwelt  in  Babylon  could  not  be  safe  ex- 
cept they  fled,  even  because  God  was  about  to  punish  the 
city  for  its  iniquities.  He  then  sets  the  iniquity  of  Babylon 
in  o];)position  to  the  multitude  of  its  men,  as  well  as  to  its 
wealth  and  defences,  and  other  means  of  strength.  Babylon 
was  populous ;  it  might  also  be  aided  by  many  auxiliaries  ; 
and  there  were  ready  at  hand  those  who  might  hire  their 
services.  As,  then,  there  was  nothing  wanting  to  that  city, 
the  Prophet  here  shews  that  wealth  and  abundance  of  people, 
and  all  other  helps  would  be  of  no  moment,  because  it  was 
God's  will  to  punish  her  iniquity.  This  is  the  reason  why 
Jeremiah  now  says,  lest  ye  perish  in  her  iniquity ;  that  is, 
"  do  not  mingle  with  those  ungodly  men  whom  God  has 
given  up  to  destruction.'" 

And  for  the  same  purpose  he  adds.  For  it  is  the  time  of 
the  venf/eance  of  Jehovah.  Here,  again,  he  obviates  an  ob- 
jection ;  for  as  God  had  suspended  his  judgment,  no  one 
thought  it  possible  that  a  fire  could  so  soon,  and,  as  it  were, 
in  a  moment  be  kindled  to  destroy  Babylon.  Then  the  Pro- 
phet says,  that  it  was  the  time;  by  which  he  intimates,  that 
though  God  does  not  immediately  execute  his  judgments. 


CHAP.  LI.  7.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEllEMIAII.  203 

yet  he  does  not  lie  down  as  it  were  idly,  so  as  to  forget  what 
he  has  to  do,  but  that  he  has  his  own  times.  And  this  doc- 
trine deserves  to  be  noticed,  because  through  our  intemperate 
zeal  we  make  much  ado,  except  God  brings  us  help  as  soon 
as  we  are  injured ;  but  if  he  delays  even  a  short  time,  we 
complain  and  think  that  he  has  forgotten  our  welfare.  And 
even  saints,  in  depositing  familiarly  their  cares  and  anxieties 
in  his  bosom,  speak  thus,  "Arise,  0  Lord,  why  sleepest  thou?" 
(Psalm  xliv.  23.)  As,  then,  we  are  by  nature  inclined  to 
impatience,  we  ought  to  observe  what  Scripture  so  often  in- 
culcates, even  this — that  God  has  his  certain  and  fixed  times 
for  punishing  the  wicked.  Hence  Jeremiah  now  teaches  us, 
that  the  time  of  God's  vengeance  was  come. 

He  then  adds,  A  reward  will  he  render  to  her  ;  as  though 
he  had  said,  that  though  Babylon  would  not  have  to  sufter 
punishment  immediately,  yet  she  would  not  escape  from 
God's  hand,  for  the  reward  which  God  would  render  her  was 
already  prepared.  And  this  doctrine  arises  from  a  general 
principle,  that  God  will  ever  render  to  every  one  his  just 
reward.     We  now,  then,  perceive  the  design  of  the  Prophet. 

We  have  said  that  the  words  were  addressed  to  the  strang- 
ers and  the  guests  w^ho  were  in  Chaldea,  or  in  the  city 
Babylon.  They  then  pervert  this  passage,  who  think  that 
the  faithful  are  here  exhorted  immediately  to  depart  from 
Babylon,  that  is,  to  withdraw  themselves  from  superstitions 
and  the  defilements  of  the  world  ;  for  the  Prophet  means  no 
such  thing.  A  passage  might,  however,  be  made  from  one 
truth  to  another.     It  now  follows, — 

7.  Babylon  liath  been  a  golden  cup  7.  Calix  aureus  Babylon  in  manu 

in  the  Lord's  hand,  that  made  all  the  Jehovse,  inebrians  totam  terram ;  e 

earth  drunken :  the  nations  have  drun-  vino  ejus  biberunt  gentes,  propterea 

ken  of  her  wine ;  therefore  the  nations  insanierunt  gentes. 
are  mad. 

Here  again  he  anticipates  an  objection  which  might  have 
been  made ;  for  we  know  that  the  kingdoms  of  the  world 
neither  rise  nor  stand,  except  through  the  will  of  God  ;  as, 
then,  the  Prophet  tlireatens  destruction  to  Babylon,  this  ob- 
jection was  ready  at  hand.  "How  comes  it,  then,  that  this 
city,  which  thou  say  est  is  accursed,  has  hitherto  so  greatly 


201'  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.        LECT.  CLXXXVI. 

flourished  ?  for  who  hath  honoured  Babylon  with  so  great 
dignity,  with  so  much  wealtli,  and  with  so  many  victories  ? 
for  it  has  not  by  chance  happened  that  this  monarchy  has 
been  elevated  so  high  ;  for  not  only  all  Assyria  has  been 
brought  under  its  yoke,  but  also  the  kingdom  of  Israel,  and 
the  kingdom  of  Judah  is  not  far  from  its  final  ruin/'  To 
this  the  Prophet  answers,  and  says,  that  Babylon  was  a  cup 
in  God's  hand  to  inebriate  the  earth  ;  as  though  he  had  said, 
that  God  was  by  no  means  inconsistent  with  himself  when 
he  employed  the  Babylonians  as  his  scourges,  and  when  he 
now  chastises  them  in  tlieir  turn.  And  he  shews  also,  that 
when  things  thus  revolve  in  the  world,  they  do  not  happen 
through  the  blind  force  of  chance,  but  through  the  secret 
judgments  of  God,  who  so  governs  the  world,  that  he  often 
exalts  even  the  ungodly  to  the  highest  power,  when  his  pur- 
pose is  to  execute  through  them  his  judgments. 

We  now,  then,  understand  the  design  of  this  passage ;  for 
otherwise  what  the  Prophet  says  might  seem  abruj^t.  Hav- 
ing said  that  the  time  of  God's  vengeance  had  already  come, 
he  now  adds,  A  golden  cup  is  in  God's  hand; — to  what  purpose 
was  this  added  ?  By  what  has  been  stated,  it  appears  evi- 
dent how  aptly  the  words  run,  how  sentences  which  seem  to 
be  wide  asunder  fitly  unite  together  ;  for  a  doubt  might  have 
crept  in  as  to  this,  how  could  it  be  that  God  should  thus 
bestow  his  benefits  on  this  city,  and  then  in  a  short  time 
destroy  it.  As,  then,  it  seems  unreasonable  that  God  should 
vary  in  his  doings,  as  though  he  was  not  consistent  with 
himself,  the  Prophet  on  the  other  hand  reminds  us,  that 
when  such  changes  happen,  God  does  in  no  degree  change 
his  purposes ;  for  he  so  regulates  the  government  of  the 
world,  that  those  whom  he  favours  with  remarkable  benefits, 
he  afterwards  destroys,  they  being  worthy  of  punishment  on 
account  of  their  ingratitude,  and  that  he  docs  not  without 
reason  or  cause  use  them  for  a  time  as  scourges  to  chastise 
the  wickedness  of  others.  And  it  is  for  this  reason,  as  I 
think,  that  he  calls  it  a  golden  cuj? ;  for  God  seemed  to  pour 
forth  liis  benefits  on  the  Babylonians  as  with  a  full  hand. 
When,  therefore,  the  splendour  of  thatcityandof  the  nionarchy 
was  so  great,  all  things  were  there  as  it  were  golden. 


OHAr.  LI.  7.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  205 

Then  he  says,  that  it  was  a  golden  cup,  but  in  the  hand  of 
God.  By  saying  that  it  was  in  God's  hand,  he  intimates 
that  the  Babylonians  were  not  under  the  government  of 
chance,  but  were  ruled  by  God  as  he  pleased,  and  also  that 
their  power,  though  very  great,  was  yet  under  the  restraint 
of  God,  so  that  they  did  nothing  but  by  his  permission,  and 
even  by  his  command. 

He  afterwards  adds  how  God  purposed  to  carry  this  cup 
in  his  hand,  a  cup  so  splendid  as  it  were  of  gold ;  his  will 
was  that  it  should  inebriate  the  whole  earth.  These  are  me- 
taphorical words ;  for  the  Prophet  speaks  here,  no  doubt,  of 
punishments  which  produce  a  kind  of  fury  or  madness.  When 
God  then  designed  to  take  vengeance  on  all  these  nations, 
he  inebriated  them  with  evils,  and  this  he  did  by  the  Baby- 
lonians. For  this  reason,  therefore,  Babylon  is  said  to  have 
been  the  golden  cup  which  God  extended  with  his  own  hand, 
and  gave  it  to  be  drunk  by  all  nations.  This  similitude  has 
also  been  used  elsewhere,  Avhen  Jeremiah  spoke  of  the  Idu- 
means,  "  All  drank  of  the  cup,  yea,  drank  of  it  to  the  dregs, 
so  that  they  were  inebriated,"  (chap.  xlix.  12.)  He  there 
also  called  the  terrible  punishment  that  was  coming  on  the 
Idumeans  the  cup  of  fury.  Thus,  then,  were  many  nations 
inebriated  by  the  Babylonians,  because  they  were  so  op- 
pressed, that  their  minds  were  infatuated,  as  it  were,  with 
troubles ;  for  we  know  that  men  are  stupified  with  adversi- 
ties, as  though  they  were  not  in  a  right  mind.  In  this  way 
Babylon  inebriated  many  nations,  because  it  so  oppressed 
them  that  they  w^ere  reduced  to  a  state  of  rage  or  madness ; 
for  they  were  not  in  a  composed  state  of  mind  wlien  they 
were  miserably  distressed.^ 

To  the  same  purpose  is  what  is  added  :  The  nations  luho 
drank  of  her  cup  became  mad.     Here  he  shews  that  the 

^  Some  render  the  last  word  "  reel,"  or  stagger,  and  perhaps  more  con- 
sistently with  the  comparison  of  drunkenness.  The  verb  in  Hithpael,  as 
here,  means  to  be  moved  violently,  either  through  rage  or  joy.  Aloved  or 
agitated  is  the  rendering  of  the  versions  and  the  Targum.  To  be  moved 
with  joy  is  to  exult  or  to  glory ;  and  so  Blayney  renders  it,  and  connects 
the  end  of  this  verse  with  the  following,  i.e.,  that  the  nations  gloried  be- 
cause of  the  fall  of  Babylon, — 

Therefore  shall  nations  glory,  [saying.] 

Babylon  is  suddenly  fallen,  &c. — Ed. 


206  COMMENTAKIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXXXVI. 

punishments  were  not  ordinarj,  by  whicli  divers  nations  were 
chastised  by  the  Babylonians,  but  such  as  deprived  them  of 
mind  and  judgment,  as  it  is  usually  the  case,  as  I  have  just 
said,  in  extreme  evils. 

Moreover,  this  passage  teaches  us,  that  when  the  wicked 
exercise  their  powxr  with  great  display,  yet  God  overrules 
all  their  violence,  though  not  apparently  ;  nay,  that  all  the 
wicked,  while  they  seem  to  assume  to  themselves  the  great- 
est license,  are  yet  guided,  as  it  were,  by  the  hand  of  God,  and 
that  when  they  oppress  their  neighbours,  it  is  done  through 
the  secret  providence  of  God,  who  tlius  inebriates  all  wlio 
deserve  to  be  punished.  At  the  same  time,  the  Prophet 
implies,  that  the  Babylonians  oppressed  so  many  nations 
neither  by  their  own  contrivance,  nor  by  their  own  strength  ; 
but  because  it  was  the  Lord's  will  that  they  should  be  in- 
ebriated :  otherwise  it  would  have  greatly  perplexed  the 
faithful  to  think  that  no  one  could  be  found  stronger  than 
the  Babylonians.  Hence  the  Prophet  in  effect  gives  this 
answer,  that  all  the  nations  could  not  have  been  overcome, 
had  not  the  Lord  given  them  to  drink  the  wine  of  fury  and 
madness.     It  follows, — 

8.  Babylon  is  suddenly  fallen  and  S.  Subito  cecidit  Babylon  et  con- 
destroyed  :  howl  for  her ;  take  bahu  fracta  est ;  ululate  super  earn  ;  tollite 
for  her  pain,  if  so  be  she  may  be  resinam(a/»',  balsamum)  ad  dolorem 
healed.  ejus,  si  forte  sanetur. 

The  Prophet  now  declares  that  the  fall  of  Babylon  would 
be  sudden,  that  the  faithful  might  understand  that  God 
could  accomplish  in  one  moment  what  he  had  decreed. 
For  when  the  prophets  spoke  of  God's  judgments,  the  people 
questioned  among  themselves,  how  could  that  be  which  sur- 
passed the  common  ideas  of  men.  That  men,  therefore, 
might  not  estimate  God's  power  according  to  their  own 
thoughts,  he  introduces  this  word,  suddenly  ;  as  though  he 
had  said,  that  God  had  no  need  of  warlike  forces  ;  for  though 
he  makes  no  preparations,  yet  he  can  subvert  every  power 
that  exists  in  the  world. 

lie  then  adds.  Howl  for  her  ;  and  this  is  said,  because  it 
could  not  be  but  that  many  nations  would  cither  bewail  the 
ruin  of  so  great  a  monarch,  or  be  astonished  at  her,  and  tlius 


CHAP.  LI.  9.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  207 

many  things  would  be  said.     He  then  says,  that  though  the 
wliole  world  were  to  howl  for  Babylon,  it  would  yet  fall  and  be 
suddenly  broken,  whenever  it  pleased  God.    And  he  says,  by 
way  of  irony.  Take  halm,  if  peradventure  it  can  he  healed. 
The   word  HV,  tsari,  is,   by  some,  rendered  halsain,  but  it 
means  rosin,  for  we  know  that  it  was  deemed  precious  in 
Judea ;  and  the  Prophet  no  doubt  accommodated  what  he 
said  to  what  was  commonly  known.      As  then  that  medica- 
ment was  in  common  use  among  the  Jews,  he  now  says, 
Take  rosin.      As  there  is  hardly  any  country  which  lias  not 
its  peculiar  remedies  ;  so  we  see  that  Jeremiah  refers  not  to 
what  was  usually  done  at  Babylon,  or  to  medicaments  used 
by  the  Chaldeans,  but  to  what  was  commonly  used  in  his 
own  country,  as  it  appears  from  other  places.     Now  rosin 
was  a  juice  which  flowed  from  trees,  and  it  was  a  thick  juice. 
The  best  rosin  which  we  now  use  is  from  the  terebinth  ;  but 
in  these  parts  tliey  have  what  proceeds  from  the  fir,  for  here 
the  terebinth  is  not  found.      But  Judea  had  a  most  valuable 
rosin,  as  we  learn  from  many  parts  of  Scripture.    And  under 
this  one  thing  is  included  everything.  Take  rosin  ;  as  though 
he  had  said,  "  Let  physicians  come  together  (otherwise  she 
will  perish)  from  every  place,   if  peradventure  she  can  he 
healed!'    This  is  said  ironically,  that  the  faithful  might  know 
that  the  diseases  of  Babylon  would  be  incurable. 

We  have  said  elsewhere,  that  Bab^^lon  was  not  wholly  de- 
molished when  taken  by  Cyrus,  and  that  the  people  were 
not  then  driven  away.  They  dwelt  there  as  usual,  though 
made  tributary,  as  they  were  afterwards,  under  the  dominion 
of  the  Persians.  Babylon  was  also  grievously  oppressed, 
when  punished  for  its  revolt,  until  what  Jeremiah  and  others 
prophesied  was  fulfilled.  Then  the  time  of  which  he  speaks 
ought  not  to  be  confined  to  one  calamity  only,  which  was 
only  a  prelude  to  others  still  greater.  He  afterwards 
adds, — 

9.    We     would      have  9.  Curavimus  Bab jlonem  (2c?em  es^  5 2«*rie in 

healed  Babylon,   but  she  verbum,  ^<^"l,  quod  signijicat  sanare  et  mederi, 

is  not  healed:  forsake  her,  quia  non  semper  est  in  medico  relevetur  ut 

and  let  us  go  every  one  ceger,  neo  semper  fceliciter  succedit,  ideo  dicit 

into  his  own  country  ;  for  Propheta,  medicati  sumus,  vel,  remedia  attuli- 

her  judgment  reacheth  un-  mus  ad  curandum  Babylonem,)  et  non  sanata 


208  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.        LECT.  CLXXXVI. 

to  heaven,  and  is  lifted  up     fuit ;  derelinquite  earn,  et  proficiscamiir  quis- 
even  to  the  skies.  que  in  terram  suam  ;  quia  pertigit  ad  ccelos 

judicium  ejus,  et  elevatum  est  usque  ad  nubes. 

The  Prophet  assumes  different  characters  ;  he  speaks 
here  in  tlie  person  of  those  who  of  tliemselves  brought  help 
to  the  Babylonians.  And  many,  no  doubt,  would  have 
been  ready  to  assist  them,  had  King  Belshazzar  wished  to 
accept  aid  ;  and  we  know  also,  that  the  city  had  a  large 
army.  He  compares,  then,  the  nations  subject  to  the  Baby- 
lonians, and  also  the  hired  and  foreign  soldiers,  to  physicians, 
as  though  he  had  said,  "  Babylon  has  been,  with  great  care, 
healed."'  As  when  a  great  prince  is  taken  ill,  he  sends  here 
and  there  for  tlie  best  and  most  skilful  physicians  ;  but 
when  the  disease  is  incurable,  they  all  strive  in  vain  to  save 
his  life  :  so  now  the  Prophet  speaks,  using  a  metaphor  ;  but 
he  speaks  in  the  person  of  those  who  either  had  set  to  hire 
their  services,  or  had  come  from  a  sense  of  duty  to  heal  Ba- 
bylon. "  See,''  they  said,  "  the  fault  is  not  with  us,  for  we 
have  faithfully  and  carefully  done  our  best  to  heal  her,  but 
she  has  not  been  healed." 

lie  then  adds,  Leave  Aer,  and  let  us  depart^  every  one  to 
his  own  land.  This  was  the  lano-uao^e  of  foreion  soldiers 
and  mercenaries.  When  they  saw  that  the  safety  of  the  city 
was  hopeless,  they  began  to  counsel  one  another,  "  What  do 
we  ?  Ought  we  not  rather  to  consult  our  own  safety  ?  for 
our  efforts  are  wholly  useless.  It  is  then  time  for  every 
one  to  return  to  his  own  country,  for  the  end  of  Babylon  is 
come.''  But  tlie  change  of  person  has  much  more  force  than 
if  the  Prophet  had  spoken  thus,  "  The  time  shall  come  when 
the  auxiliaries  shall  flee  away,  for  they  will  see  that  it  would 
be  all  in  vain  to  defend  her."  But  when  he  compares  them  to 
physicians,  this  similitude  more  fully  illustrates  the  case  ; 
and  then  when  he  speaks  in  tlieir  person,  this  renders  what 
is  said  still  more  emphatical. 

He  at  length  adds.  For  her  judgment  has  reached  to  the 
heavens,  and  has  been  elevated  to  the  clouds.  Jeremiali  could 
not  have  properly  addressed  wliat  he  said  to  the  unbelieving, 
if  you  explain  this  of  God  being  adverse  and  hostile  to  the 
Babylonians  ;  for  it  never  occurred  to  tlie  hired  soldiers,  that 


CHAP.  LI.  10.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  209 

Babylon  perished  through  the  just  judgment  of  God.    But  tlie 

Prophet,  according  to  a  usual  mode  of  speaking,  says,  Her 

judgment  (that  is,  her  destruction)  reached  to  the  heavens,  and 

has  been  elevated  to  the  clouds  ;  that  is,  no  aid  shall  be  found 

under  heaven,  which  can  deliver  Babylon, — how  so  ?  because 

it  will  be  the  same  as  though  destruction  came  from  heaven 

itself,  and  from  the  clouds.     For  when  danger  is  nigh  either 

from  behind  or  from  before  us,  we  can  turn  aside  either  to 

the  right  hand  or  to  the  left,  so  that  we  may  escape  the 

evils  which  men  may  bring  on  us  :    but  when  heaven  itself 

seems  to  threaten  our  heads,  then  an  escape  is  attempted  in 

vain.     This  then  is  the  reason  why  the  Prophet  says  that 

the  judgment  of  Babylon  had  reached  to  the  heavens  and 

had  been  elevated  to  the  clouds.^     It  follows, — 

10.  The  Lord  hath  brought  forth        10.  Eduxit  (i-e/,  protuHt ;  egredi 

our  righteousness  :  come,  and  let  us  fecit,  ad  verbum)  Jehova  justitias 

declare   in   Zion  the   work   of  the  nostras :  venite  et  narremus  in  Sion 

Lord  our  God.  opus  Jehovje,  Dei  nostri. 

The  Prophet  liere  addresses  the  faithful,  and  especially 
shews,  that  the  ruin  of  Babylon  would  be  a  sure  evidence  of 
God's  paternal  favour  towards  his  Church.  And  it  was  no 
common  consolation  to  the  faithful,  in  their  extreme  miseries, 
to  know,  that  so  dear  and  precious  to  God  was  their  salva- 
tion, that  he  would  by  no  means  spare  the  Babylonians,  w^hom 
the  whole  world  regarded  as  half  gods ;  for,  as  I  have  said, 
the  power  of  that  monarchy  filled  the  minds  of  men  with 
astonishment.  When  the  faithful,  then,  knew  that  the  Ba- 
bylonians were  to  perish,  because  they  had  oppressed  and 
cruelly  treated  them,  an  invaluable  consolation,  as  I  have 
said,  must  hence  have  been  conveyed  to  them.  The  Pro- 
phet then  reminds  us  here,  that  it  would  be  a  singular  testi- 
mony as  to  God's  favour  to  his  Church,  when  he  subverted 

'  Another  view  has  been  given  of  this  clause :  It  is  a  mode  of  speaking 
to  express  the  greatness  of  a  thing ;  see  Psahn  xxxvi.  5  ;  Ezra  ix.  6. 
The  judgment  or  punishment  of  Babylon  would  be  so  great,  that  it  might 
be  compared  to  what  may  reach  to  the  heavens,  and  to  the  ethereal  regions  ; 
for  such  is  the  meaning  of  the  last  word,  and  is  rendered  "  stars,"  by  the 
Sept., — 

For  to  the  heavens  has  reached  her  judgment, 
And  it  has  risen  up  to  the  ethereal  regions. 
By  "heavens,"  are  often  meant  the  skies. — Ed. 

VOL.  V.  0 


210  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXXXVI. 

Babylon,  and  he  also  exhorts  the  faithful  to  gratitude  :  for 
it  is  the  design  of  all  God's  benefits,  that  his  name  may  be 
celebrated  by  us,  according  to  what  David  says  :  "  What  shall 
I  render  to  the  Lord  for  all  the  benefits  which  he  has  be- 
stowed on  me  ?  The  cup  of  salvation  will  I  take  and  call  on 
the  name  of  the  Lord."    (Psalm  cxvi.  12,  13.) 

He  then  says,  first,  Brought  forth  hath  Jehovah  our  right- 
eousness. Here,  some  anxiously  toil  to  untie  a  knot,  where 
there  is  none;  for  fearing  lest  the  word,  righteousness,  should 
be  laid  hold  on  for  the  purpose  of  setting  up  merits,  they 
say  that  righteousness  is  the  remission  of  sins.  Then  they 
thus  explain  the  words  of  the  Proj^het, — "  God  has  at  length 
unfolded  his  mercy  towards  us,  and  it  is  our  righteousness 
when  all  our  iniquities  are  buried."  But  this  is  forced. 
"When  the  Prophet  sj^eaks  here  of  righteousnesses,  he  does  not 
mean  the  merits  by  which  the  Jews  were  to  obtain  what  had 
been  promised  to  them  ;  but  righteousnesses  he  calls  their 
good  cause  with  regard  to  the  Babylonians.  For  righteous- 
ness has  various  meanings  ;  and  when  a  comparison  is  made 
between  men,  God  is  said  to  bring  forth  our  righteousness, 
when  he  vindicates  our  integrity  from  the  calumnies  of  the 
wicked.  So  Jacob  said,  "  The  Lord  wdll  bring  forth  my 
righteousness  as  the  dawn."  (Gen.  xxx.  33.)  But  in  this 
sense  our  righteousness  has  a  reference  to  our  adversaries. 
So  whenever  David  asked  of  God  to  regard  his  righteousness, 
he  no  doubt  compared  himself  with  his  enemies.  And 
righteousness  here  is  to  be  taken  simply  with  reference  to 
the  Babylonians.  For  though  God  had  punished  the  Jews 
as  they  deserved,  yet  as  to  the  Babylonians  they  were  cruel 
tyrants  and  wicked  robbers.  The  cause,  then,  of  the  chosen 
people  was  just,  with  regard  to  them.  This  is  the  reason 
wliy  he  says,  that  God  brought  forth  their  righteousnesses. 
The  rest  to-morrow. 

PRAYER. 

Grant,  Almighty  God,  that  since  thou  didst  formerly  put  forth  thy 
wonderful  power,  to  help  thy  miserably  aftlicted  people, — 0  grant, 
tliat  at  this  day  the  same  power  may  be  put  forth  in  our  behalf, 
and  that  the  same  evidence  of  thy  grace  and  paternal  favour  may 


CHAP.  LI.  10.  COMMENTARIES  OX  JEREMIAH.  211 

be  shewn  to  us,  by  raising  up  thy  terrible  hand  to  destroy  all  the 
ungodly  who  cruelly  oppress  thine  innocent  people,  that  being 
delivered  by  thine  hand,  we  may  learn  ever  to  give  thanks  to 
thee,  in  the  name  of  thine  only-begotten  Son. — Amen. 


Hectare  ^ne  i^untireO  antu  ©igiji^^sebentift. 

We  began  yesterday  to  explain  the  words  of  the  Prophet, 
when  lie  says,  that  the  righteousnesses  of  the  people  had  been 
brought  to  light ;  and  we  said,  that  the  word  righteousnesses 
does  not  refer  to  God,  as  though  the  Jews  had  deserved  a 
reward,  but  is,  on  the  contrary,  to  be  understood  of  a  just 
cause  as  to  the  Chaldeans,  who,  being  impelled  by  avarice 
and  pride  alone,  had  made  war  against  the  Church,  and 
without  any  right,  had  tyrannically  oppressed  the  people. 
As  far,  then,  as  it  was  God's  will  to  defend  his  people,  it  was 
a  just  cause.  Nor  is  there  any  need  of  having  here  a  long 
dispute  respecting  this, — how  could  the  people  be  just,  wdio 
had,  by  so  many  iniquities,  provoked  the  wrath  of  God  ;  for, 
as  we  have  already  said,  he  does  not  treat  now  of  their  merits, 
but  of  a  right  which  depended  on  the  faithfulness  and  pro- 
tection of  God. 

The  Prophet  now  exhorts  the  faithful  to  gratitude ;  he 
would  have  them  at  the  same  time  to  rise  up  to  the  hope  of 
deliverance,  and  to  cherish  the  promises  which  he  had  given 
them,  when  he  says,  Come,  as  though  he  would  set  before 
their  eyes  the  gift  of  redemption.  He  also  shews  the  end, 
even  that  the  people  were  to  celebrate  the  grace  of  God,  as 
though  he  had  said,  that  the  people,  after  having  obtained 
mercy,  ought  to  have  this  in  view,  to  worship  God  again  in 
his  Temple  ;  as  though  he  had  said,  that  when  God  restored 
his  Church,  his  pure  and  true  worship  should,  at  the  same 
time,  be  restored  ;  for  the  design  of  his  grace  is  religion,  and 
not  the  honour  or  dignity  of  the  people.  This  is  the. reason 
why  he  says.  Come  and  let  us  declare  in  Sion  the  luork  of 
Jehovah  our  God.  Now,  when  Peter  treats  of  a  better  re- 
demption, he  says,  that  those  wlio  are  delivered  from  the 
kingdom  of  darkness  ought  to  set  forth  the  unspeakable 


212  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.       LECT.  CLXXXVII. 

praises  of  God.     (1  Pet.  ii.  9.)     We  must  then  understand, 

that  God  has  appeared  to  us  as  a  Redeemer,  in  the  person 

of  his  only-begotten  Son,  in  order  that  we  may  celebrate  his 

mercy,  which  we  have  experienced,  according  also  to  what 

is  said  in  the  song  of  Zacharias,  "  He  delivered  us  from  the 

liand  of  our  enemies,  that  we  may  all  our  life  worship  him 

in  holiness.''     (Luke  i.  74,  75.)     It  now  follows, — 

11.   Make  bright  the  arrows ;  ga-  11.    Polite   sagittas   (parate,   ad 

ther  together  the  shields :   the  Lord  verhum,)     implete    {vel,    perficite) 

hath  raised  up  the  spirit  of  the  kings  clypeos  ;    suscitat   Jehova   spiritum 

of  the    Medes :    for   his   device    is  regum  Mediae,  quia  super  Babylo- 

against  Babylon,  to  destroy  it ;  be-  nem   cogitatio   ejus   ad  perdendum 

cause  it  «s  the  vengeance  of  the  Lord,  earn,  quia  ultio  Jehovse  hsec,  ultio 

the  vengeance  of  his  temple.  Templi  ejus. 

These  words  might  have  been  addressed  to  the  Medes  as 
well  as  to  the  Babylonians.  If  the  latter  meaning  be  ap- 
proved, that  is,  that  the  Prophet  addresses  the  Babylonians, 
the  words  are  a  taunt,  as  though  he  had  said,  that  they  were 
to  no  purpose  spending  their  labours  in  preparing  their 
armies,  because  God  would  be  stronger  than  they,  and  that 
the  Medes  would  carry  on  war  under  his  banner  and  autho- 
I'ity.  Nor  would  what  I  have  also  stated,  be  unsuitable, 
that  is,  that  the  Prophet  bids  the  Medes  to  prepare  them- 
selves and  to  put  on  their  arms,  that  they  might  fight  cour- 
ageously against  the  Babylonians.^ 

He  now  adds  the  main  thing, — that  ihekings  of  the  Medes 

would  come  against  Babylon,  because  they  had  been  called 

from  above  ;  and  he  mentions  the  word  spirit,  that  he  might 

more  fully  express  that  men's  minds  are  ruled  and  turned 

by  the  secret  power  of  God,  and  also  that  whatever  power 

or  boldness  is  found  in  them,  proceeds  altogether  from  God  ; 

as  though  he  had  said,  that  God  would  so  prepare  the  Medes 

and  the  Persians,  that  he  would  not  only  strengthen  their 

arms,  hands,  and  feet,  for  the  war,  but  would  also  lead  them, 

and  overrule  their  passions — that  he  would,  in  short,  turn 

their  spirit  here  and  there,  according  to  his  will.     He  does 

1  The  second  clause  in  the  versions  and  the  Tory,  is,  "  Fill  the  qui- 
vers," i.e.y  with  arrows.  But  the  word  means  "  shields  :"  hence  some  ren- 
der the  verb  in  the  sense  of  filling  up  or  completing.  "  Complete  the 
shields,"  i.e.,  their  number,  or  rather,  more  consistently  with  sharpening 
or  polishing  the  arrows,  "  Fill  up,"  or  mend,  "  the  shields."  So  Venema 
and  Parkhurst. — Ed. 


CHAP.  LI.  11.         COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  213 

not  now  speak  of  the  wind,  as  before  ;  nor  does  he  point  out 
the  enemies  generally,  but  expressly  names  the  Medes.  For 
though  Cjaxares,  or  Darius,  as  he  is  called  by  Daniel,  was 
not  a  very  prudent  man,  nor  skilful  in  war,  yet,  as  he  was 
higher  in  dignity,  the  Proj^het  here  mentions  the  Medes 
rather  than  the  Persians.  Cyrus  excelled  in  celerity,  and 
was  also  a  man  of  singular  wariness,  activity,  and  boldness  : 
but  as  he  was  by  no  means  wealthy,  and  ruled  over  a  rustic 
nation,  and  the  limits  of  his  kingdom  were  confined,  the 
Proijhet  rightly  speaks  here  of  the  Medes  only,  whose  power 
far  exceeded  that  of  the  Persians. 

But  we  hence  learn,  that  Jeremiah  did  not  speak  as  a  man, 
but  was  the  instrument  of  the  Spirit  ;  for  it  was  an  indubi- 
table seal  to  his  prophecy,  that  he  predicted  an  event  a  long 
time  before  the  war  took  place.  Cyrus  was  not  yet  born, 
who  was  the  leader  in  this  war  :  nor  was  Darius  as  yet  born  ; 
for  seventy  years  elapsed  from  the  time  the  Prophet  spoke 
to  the  taking  of  Babylon.  We  then  see  that  this  passage  is 
a  sure  proof  of  his  faithfulness  and  authority. 

He  afterwards  adds,  that  God's  thought  respecting  Babylon 
was  to  destroy  her.  He  still  speaks  after  the  manner  of 
men,  and  at  the  same  time  obviates  an  objection  which  might 
have  disturbed  weak  minds,  because  Babylon  not  only  re- 
mained safe  and  secure  for  a  long  time,  but  also  received  an 
increase  of  power  and  dignity.  The  minds  then  of  the  godly 
might  have  desponded,  when  there  seemed  to  be  no  accom- 
plishment of  this  prophecy.  Hence  the  Prophet  calls  atten- 
tion to  the  thought  of  God,  as  though  he  had  said,  that 
though  God  did  not  immediately  put  forth  his  hand,  it  was 
yet  enough  for  the  faithful  to  know  what  he  had  decreed. 
In  short,  the  Prophet  reminded  them,  that  they  ought  to 
acquiesce  in  God's  decree,  though  his  work  was  yet  hid. 

And  he  again  confirms  the  Jews,  by  adding,  that  it  would 
be  his  vengeance,  even  that  of  God,  because  he  disregarded 
not  his  Temple.  By  these  words  he  intimates  that  the  wor- 
ship, according  to  the  law,  was  pleasing  to  God,  because  the 
Jews  became  a  distinct  people  from  heathen  nations,  when 
the  rule  as  to  religion  was  prescribed  to  them.  Then  the  Pro- 
phet intimates,   that  though  any  sort   of  religion  pleased 


214  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXXXVIL 

men,  there  is  yet  but  one  which  is  approved  by  God,  even 
that  which  he  himself  has  commanded.  The  case  being  so, 
we  may  conclude,  tliat  God  cannot  long  endure  his  worship 
to  be  scofted  at.  For  we  know  how  scornfully  and  proudly 
the  Chaldeans  spoke  of  the  Temple,  so  that  they  not  only 
uttered  blasphemies,  but  also  heaped  every  reproach  they 
could  think  of  on  the  Temple.  Since  that  religion  was 
founded  on  God's  word,  it  follows  that  it  could  not  be  but 
that  he  must  have  at  length  risen  and  vindicated  the  wrongs 
done  to  him  by  the  Chaldeans.  We  now  perceive  the  mean- 
ing of  the  Prophet,  when  he  says,  that  it  would  be  the  ven- 
geance of  God;  and  he  adds,  because  God  will  avenge  his 
temple.  He  confirms  the  Jews,  when  he  declares  tliat  God 
would  be  the  vindicator  of  his  own  worship  ;  and  he,  at  the 
same  time,  shews,  that  the  worship  according  to  the  law, 
which  had  been  taught  by  Moses,  was  the  only  worship  in 
the  world  which  God  approved.     It  afterwards  follows, — 

12.    Set   up   the    standard  upon  12.   Super  muros  Babylonis   tol- 

the   walls   of    Babylon,   make    the  lite    vexillum,   roborate   custodiam 

watch  strong,  set  up  the  watchmen,  {vel,  augete,)  parate  {vel,  statuitc, 

prepare    the    ambushes :     for     the  ^;o^iifs)  custodes,  disponite  insidias ; 

Lord  hath  both  devised  and   done  quia  etiam  cogitavit  Jehova.  etiam 

that  which  he  spake  against  the  in-  fecit  quod  loquutus  est  super  habi- 

habitants  of  Babylon.  tatores  Babylonis. 

These  words  seem  to  have  been  addressed  to  the  Chaldeans 
rather  than  to  the  Modes  or  the  Persians,  as  some  expound 
them  ;  for  this  is  favoured  by  the  context ;  for  as  he  bids 
them  first  to  raise  a  standard  on  the  walls,  so  he  adds,  In- 
crease the  watch,  which  refers  to  the  citizens  of  Babylon,  and 
then  he  says,  set  the  watchmen.  All  this  cannot  apply  to 
the  Persians  and  the  Modes,  but  must  be  referred  to  the 
besieged,  as  being  most  suitable  to  them.  I  do  not  then 
doubt  but  that  the  Prophet  here  treats,  with  a  taunt,  all  the 
efforts  the  Chaldeans  would  make  for  the  defence  of  their 
city.  For  not  only  they  who  attack  a  city  raise  a  standard, 
but  also  they  who  are  besieged,  and  this  as  a  sign  of  confi- 
dence, in  order  to  shew  that  they  possess  sufficient  courage 
to  check  their  enemies,  and  to  sustain  all  their  attacks.  It 
was  then  tlie  design  of  the  Prophet  to  shew,  that  however 
strenuously  the  Chaldeans  might  defend  themselves,  yet  all 


CHAP.  LI.  13.        COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  215 

their  exertions  would  be  in  vain,  because  God  would,  without 
labour,  destroy  the  city. 

Raise,  he  says,  the  banner  on  the  walls  of  Babylon,  and 
strengthen,  or  increase  the  watch  ;  and  afterwards,  set  watch- 
men, so  that  every  one  might  watch  with  more  care  than 
usual.  He  says  at  last,  set  in  order  the  amhushes.  "  When 
all  things  have  been  tried  by  you,  your  labour  will  be  with- 
out any  advantage,  for  the  Lord  hath  spoken."  When  the 
particle  QJ,  gam,  is  repeated,  it  ought  to  be  rendered  as  and 
so— for  as  the  Lord  hath  thought,  so  luill  he  do  tvhat  he  hath 
said,  &c.  He  says  again  that  God  had  thought,  lest  the 
faithful  should  imagine  that  He  heedlessly  casts  forth 
threatenings ;  for  this  thought  often  occurs  to  the  mind, 
that  God  terrifies  without  effecting  anything.  Hence  the 
Prophet,  that  he  might  more  fully  confirm  his  prophecy, 
says,  that  the  thing  had  been  meditated  upon  by  God ;  and 
w^e  said  yesterday  that  God  does  not  deliberate  w'ith  himself 
like  men  ;  but  as  we  cannot  otherwise  understand  the  cer- 
tainty and  unchangeableness  of  his  secret  counsel,  nor  form 
an  idea  of  the  validity  of  his  decrees,  the  word  thought  is 
mentioned.  The  Prophet,  in  short,  means,  that  he  brought 
forth  nothing  but  what  God  had  decreed.  For  words  are 
often  heedlessly  uttered,  and  the  reality  and  the  words  are 
not  always  connected  ;  but  Jeremiah  testifies  that  he  had 
taken  what  he  announced  from  the  hidden  and  immutable 
counsel  of  God.  Then  he  adds,  what  he  hath  sj^oken  or 
said ;  and  this  refers  to  his  doctrine  or  his  prediction.  It 
follows, — 

13.  O  thou  that  dwellest  upon  13.   Qupe  habitas  super  aquas  mul- 

many  waters,  abundant  in  trea-  las  (vch  maguas,)  quae  multa  es  in  the- 

sures,  thine  end  is  come,  and  the  sauris,  (id  est,  dives,  vel,  locuples)  venit 

measure  of  thy  covetousness.  tinis  tuus,  mensura  cupiditatis  tuae. 

The  word  ^1^3^,  shekenti,  is  to  be  taken  here  for  HJ^t;^, 
shekenet,  a  dw^eller ;  and  the  passage  is  more  clear  when  we 
take  it  as  the  title  of  Babylon.  And  he  says  that  she  was 
a  dweller  among  waters,  because  the  Euphrates  not  only 
flowed  by  the  city,  (and  we  know  that  it  was  a  very  large 
river,)  but  it  surrounded  it ;  and  it  was  indeed  divided  above 
Babylon  into  many  streams,  so  that  it  made  as  it  were  many 


216  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.       LECT.  CLXXXVII. 

islands,  and  thus  access  to  the  city  was  more  difficult.  This 
circumstance  served  not  only  for  a  defence  to  it,  but  also  for 
other  advantages.  For  these  streams  or  channels  were 
navigable ;  and  the  land  also  was  made  more  fertile  by  the 
irrigation  they  supplied.  Thus  these  streams  contributed 
to  its  wealth  as  well  as  to  its  defence  in  time  of  war.  And 
though  Babylon  was  deemed  on  this  account  impregnable, 
and  was  also  a  very  fertile  land,  yet  the  Prophet  says  here 
that  its  end  was  come. 

Now,  except  he  had  made  this  preface,  that  Babylon  was 
situated  among  the  rivers  or  many  waters,  and  that  it  was 
also  a  city  full  of  wealth,  all  this  might  have  seemed  a  hin- 
derance  to  prevent  God  from  executing  on  it  his  vengeance  ; 
for  this  objection  was  ready  at  hand,  "  How  can  Babylon  be 
taken,  which  is  seated  between  many  waters  ?  for  without 
great  force  and  number  of  soldiers  it  cannot  but  remain  in 
safety,  since  it  is  protected  by  so  many  rivers/'  Then 
another  objection  might  have  been  brought  forward,  that 
Babylon  was  an  opulent  city,  so  that  it  could  hire  auxiliaries 
on  every  side,  and  that  having  such  abundance  of  money,  it 
would  never  be  unprotected.  Hence  the  Prophet  here  men- 
tions these  two  things  ;  but  what  he  says  ought  to  be  taken 
adversatively,  as  if  he  said,  "  Though  thou  dwellest  among 
many  waters,  and  art  great  in  treasures,  that  is,  hast  large 
treasures,  yet  thine  end  is  come." 

He  adds,  the  measure  of  thy  cupidity.  Some  render  H^X, 
amet^  "  end,''  but  improperly ;  and  the  Prophet  has  not 
without  reason  introduced  the  word  H^X,  amet,  which  pro- 
perly means  a  cubit,  but  is  to  be  taken  here  for  measure. 
Jerome  renders  it  "a  foot,"  a  word  in  use  in  his  age.  But 
the  meaning  is  sufficiently  clear,  that  though  Babylon  had 
exhausted  all  the  wealth  of  the  world  as  an  insatiable  gulf, 
yet  the  measure  of  her  cupidity  would  come.  For  the  cupi- 
dity of  that  nation  was  unlimited,  but  God  at  length  brought 
it  to  an  end — not  that  they  were  amended,  but  that  God 
checked  their  coveting.  And  according  to  this  sense  the 
Prophet  says,  that  tliough  they  had  been  hitherto  devouring 
the  wealth  of  many  countries,  yet  the  measure  of  her  cupi- 
dity ivas  come,  even  because  the  Lord  would  take  away, 


CHAP.  LI.  14.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  217 

together  with  the  monarchy,  the  power  and  opportunity  of 
doing  wrong.  For  the  Chaldeans  were  able  to  act  licen- 
tiously, when  they  had  so  many  nations  subject  to  them  ; 
but  the  measure  of  their  cupidity  was  come,  when  God  in  a 
manner  cut  off  their  strength,  not  that  they  then  desisted, 
or  that  tlieir  rapacious  disposition  w^as  amended — for  they 
changed  not  their  nature  ;  but  cupidity  is  to  be  referred 
here  to  its  exercise,  even  because  their  power  was  then  taken 
from  them,  so  that  they  could  not  carry  on  tlieir  plunders 
as  they  had  used  to  do.     He  afterwards  adds, — 

14.  The  Lord  of  hosts  hath  14.  Juravit  Jehova  exercitimm  per  ani- 

sworn    bj   himself,    saying,  mam  suam,  Nisi  implevero  te  homine  sieut 

Siirely  I  will  fill  thee  with  locusta  {hoc  est,  hominibus  sicut  locustis, 

men,    as    with    caterpillars,  a.ut  bruchis,)  qui  canunt  super  te  ^^M,  {id 

and  they  shall  hft  up  a  shout  est,  canticum  vindemiale,  cujus  ante  facta 

against  thee.  fuit  mentio.) 

The  Prophet  more  fully  confirms  what  he  had  said  by 
introducing  God  as  making  an  oath  ;  and  it  is  the  most 
solemn  manner  of  confirmation  when  God  swears  by  his  own 
name.  But  he  speaks  of  God  in  the  language  of  men  when 
he  says  that  he  swears  by  his  own  soul;  for  it  is  a  kind  of 
protestation  when  men  swear  by  their  ow^n  souls,  as  though 
they  laid  down  or  pledged  their  own  life.  Whoever  then 
swears  by  his  own  soul,  means  that  as  his  own  life  is  dear  to 
him,  lie  thus  lays  it  down  as  a  pledge,  that  were  he  to  de- 
ceive by  perjury,  God  would  be  an  avenger  and  take  it  away. 
This  is  suitable  to  men,  not  to  God  ;  but  what  does  not  pro- 
perly belong  to  God  is  transferred  to  him  ;  nor  is  this  un- 
common, as  we  have  seen  in  other  places.  And  the  more 
familiar  is  the  manner  of  speaking  adopted  by  God,  the  more 
it  ought  to  touch  men  when  he  makes  himself  like  them, 
and  in  a  manner  assumes  their  person  as  though  he  lived  in 
the  midst  of  them. 

But  we  must  still  remember  why  the  Prophet  introduces 
God  as  making  an  oath,  even  that  all  doubtfulness  might  be 
removed,  and  that  more  credit  might  be  given  to  his  pro- 
phecy ;  for  it  not  only  proceeded  from  God,  but  was  also 
sealed  by  an  oath.  ///  shall  not  fill  Babylon,  he  says,  with 
men  as  with  locusts. 

The  multitude  of  enemies  is  here  opposed  to  the  mul- 


218  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.       LECT.  CLXXXVII. 

ti tilde  of  the  citizens,  which  was  very  large.  For  we  have 
said  elsewhere  tliat  Babylon  surpassed  all  other  cities,  nor 
was  it  less  populous  than  if  it  were  an  extensive  country. 
As  then  it  was  full  of  so  many  defenders,  it  might  have  been 
objected  and  said,  "  Whence  can  come  such  a  number  of 
enemies  as  can  be  sufficient  to  put  to  flight  the  inhabitants  ? 
for  were  a  large  army  to  enter,  it  would  yet  be  in  great 
danger  in  contending  with  so  vast  a  multitude."  But  the 
Prophet  compares  here  the  Persians  and  the  Modes  to 
locusts  ;  and  we  know  that  Cyrus  collected  from  various 
nations  a  very  large  army,  nay,  many  armies.  Fulfilled  then 
was  what  had  been  predicted  by  the  Propliet,  for  Cyrus 
made  up  his  forces  not  only  from  one  people,  but  he  brought 
with  him  almost  all  the  Medes,  and  also  led  many  troops 
from  other  barbarous  nations.  Hence  then  it  happened,  that 
what  had  been  said  by  Jeremiali  was  proved  by  the  event. 

He  also  adds,  that  they  would  be  victorious  ;  for  by  the 
vintage  song,  or  shout,  he  no  doubt  means  a  song  or  shout  of 
triumph.  But  this  song,  HINI,  eidad,  was  then  in  use  among 
the  Jews.  Then  as  they  did  after  vintage  sing  in  token  of 
joy,  so  also  conquerors,  exulting  after  victor}^  over  their 
enemies,  had  a  triumpliant  song.  And  the  Greek  transla- 
tors have  rendered  it  /ceXevafjua,  or  Kekev/jua,  which  is  proj^erly 
the  song  of  sailors ;  when  they  see  the  harbour  they  exult 
with  joy  and  sing,  because  they  have  been  delivered  from  the 
dangers  of  the  sea,  and  also  liave  completed  their  sailing, 
which  is  always  perilous,  and  have  come  to  the  harbour  where 
they  more  fully  enjoy  life,  where  they  have  pleasant  air, 
wholesome  water,  and  other  advantages.  But  the  simple 
meaning  of  the  Propliet  is,  that  when  the  Persians  and  the 
Medes  entered  Babylon,  they  would  become  immediately 
victorious,  so  that  they  would  exult  without  a  contest  and 
without  any  toil,  and  sing  a  song  of  triumph.  The  Prophet 
now  confirms  his  prophecy  in  another  way,  even  by  extolling 
the  power  of  God, — 

15.   He  hath  made  the  earth  by         15.   Qui  fecit  terrain    in   virtnte 
liis  power,  he  hath  established  the  sua,  qui  statuit  (alii  vertunt,  para- 
world    by    his   wisdom,   and    hath  vit)  orbem  in  sapientia  sun,  et  in 
siretched  out  the  heaven  by  his  un-  sua  intclligcntia  exlcndit  ca:Ios; 
dcrstandinir. 


CHAP.  LI.  15,  16.       COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  219 

16.   When  he  uttercth /i2s  voice,  16.    Ad   vocem    danclo    copiam 

there  is  a  multitude  of  waters  in  the  aquarum  in  coelis,  qui  attollit  (et 

heavens:    and  he  causeth  the  va-  attollit,   ad  verhum)  elevationes  a 

pours  to  ascend  from  the  ends  of  the  fine  {vel,  extremitate)  terrje ;    fiil- 

earth  :   he  maketh  lightnings  with  gura  in  pluviam  facit,  educit  ventum 

rain,  and  bringeth  forth  the  wind  de  thesauris  suis. 
out  of  his  treasures. 

The  Prophet  commends  here,  as  I  liave  already  said,  in 
high  terms,  the  power  of  God ;  but  we  must  bear  in  mind 
his  purpose,  for  abrupt  sentences  w^ould  be  otherwise  unin- 
teresting. His  object  was  to  encourage  the  Jews  to  enter- 
tain hope ;  for  they  were  not  to  judge  of  Babylon  according 
to  its  splendour,  which  dazzled  the  eyes  of  all ;  nor  were 
they  to  measure  by  their  own  notions  what  God  had  tes- 
tified. He  bids  the  faithful  to  raise  all  their  thoughts  above 
the  world,  and  to  behold  with  admiration  the  incomprehen- 
sible power  of  God,  that  they  might  not  doubt  but  that 
Babylon  would  at  length  be  trodden  under  foot ;  for  had 
they  fixed  their  eyes  on  that  monarchy,  they  could  have 
hardly  believed  the  words  of  prophecy  ;  for  the  Prophet 
spoke  of  things  which  could  not  be  comprehended  by  the 
human  mind. 

We  now  then  understand  why  the  Prophet  set  forth  the 
power  of  God,  even  that  the  faithful  might  learn  to  think 
of  something  subiimer  than  the  whole  world,  while  contem- 
plating the  destruction  of  Babylon,  for  that  would  not  be 
efiected  in  a  w^ay  usual  or  natural,  but  through  the  incredi- 
ble power  of  God.  The  same  words  are  also  found  in  the 
tenth  chapter  ;  and  the  five  verses  we  meet  with  here  were 
there  explained.  But  Jeremiah  had  then  a  different  object 
in  view,  for  he  addressed  the  Jewish  exiles,  and  bade  them 
firmly  to  persevere  in  the  worship  of  God  :  though  religion 
was  oppressed,  and  though  the  victorious  Chaldeans  proudly 
derided  God,  he  yet  bade  them  to  stand  firm  in  their  reli- 
gion, and  then  said,  ''  When  ye  come  to  Babylon,  say.  Cursed 
are  all  the  gods  wlio  made  not  the  heaven  and  the  earth.'' 
(Chap.  X.  II.)  And  there,  indeed,  he  used  a  foreign  lan- 
guage, and  taught  them  to  speak  in  the  Chaldee,  that  they 
might  more  plainly  profess  that  they  would  persevere  in  the 
worship  of  the  only  true  God.      He  afterwards  added  what 


220  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.      LECT.  CLXXXVII. 

he  now  repeats,  even  that  the  power  of  God  was  not  dimi- 
nished, though  he  had  chastised  for  a  time  his  own  people. 
But  now,  as  we  have  said,  he  speaks  in  sublime  terms  of  the 
power  of  God,  in  order  that  the  faithful  might  know  that 
what  the  judgment  of  the  flesh  held  as  impossible,  could 
easily  be  done  by  that  God  who  can  do  all  things. 

He  says  first.  He  who  made  the  ear^th.  He  does  not  men- 
tion God's  name  ;  but  the  expression  is  more  emphatical, 
when  he  says,  the  Maker  of  the  earth;  as  though  he  had  said, 
"  Who  can  be  found  to  be  the  creator  of  the  heaven  and  the 
earth  except  the  only  true  God?"  We  hence  see  more  force 
in  the  sentence  than  if  God's  name  had  been  expressed  ;  for 
he  thus  excluded  all  the  fictitious  gods,  who  had  been  de- 
vised by  the  heathens  ;  as  though  he  had  said,  "  The  only 
true  God  is  He  who  made  the  earth."  Then  he  says,  by  his 
•power.  He  speaks  of  God's  power  in  connexion  with  the 
earth,  as  it  is  probable,  on  account  of  its  stability. 

He  afterwards  adds.  Who  hath  constituted  the  world  by  his 
wisdom,  and  by  his  knowledge  extended  the  heavens.  The 
wisdom  of  God  is  visible  through  the  whole  world,  but  espe- 
cially in  the  heavens.  The  Prophet  indeed  speaks  briefly, 
but  he  leads  us  to  contemplate  God's  wonderful  work  in  its 
manifold  variety,  which  appears  above  and  below.  For 
though  it  may  seem  a  light  matter,  when  he  says,  that 
the  world  was  constituted  by  the  wisdom  of  God,  yet  were 
any  one  to  apply  his  mind  to  the  meditation  of  God's  wisdom 
in  the  abundance  of  all  fruits,  in  the  wealth  of  the  whole 
world,  in  the  sea,  (which  is  included  in  the  world,)  it  could 
not,  doubtless,  be,  but  that  he  must  be  a  thousand  times 
filled  with  wonder  and  admiration :  for  the  more  carefully 
we  attend  to  the  consideration  of  God's  works,  we  ourselves 
in  a  manner  vanish  into  nothing  ;  the  miracles  which  present 
themselves  on  every  side,  before  our  eyes,  overwhelm  us. 
As  to  the  heavens,  what  do  we  see  there  ?  an  innumerable 
multitude  of  stars  so  arranged,  as  thougli  an  army  were  set 
in  order  throughout  all  its  ranks  ;  and  then  the  wandering 
planets,  not  fixed,  having  each  its  own  course,  and  yet  ap- 
pearing among  the  stars.  Then  the  course  of  the  sun,  how 
much  admiration  ought  it  to  produce  in  us  ! — I  say,  not  in 


CHAP.lt.  15,  16.       COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  221 

tliose  only  who  understand  the  whole  system  of  astronomy, 
but  also  in  those  who  see  it  only  with  their  own  eyes  ;  for 
when  the  sun,  in  its  daily  course,  completes  so  great  and  so 
immense  a  distance,  they  who  are  not  amazed  at  such  a 
miracle  must  be  more  than  stupid  ;  and  then  the  sun,  as  it 
is  well  known,  has  its  own  course,  which  is  performed  every 
year,  and  never  passes  in  the  least  beyond  its  own  bound- 
aries ;  and  the  bulk  of  that  body  is  immense  (for,  as  it  is 
well  known,  it  far  exceeds  the  earth,)  and  yet  it  rolls  with 
great  celerity  and  at  the  same  time  in  such  order  as  though 
it  advanced  by  degrees  quietly.     Surely  it  is  a  wonderful 
specimen  of  God's  wisdom.     The  Prophet,  then,  though  he 
speaks  in  an  ordinary  way,  yet  supplies  the  godly  with  ma- 
terials of  thought,  so  that  they  might  apply  their  minds  to 
the  consideration  of  God's  works.     Some  explain  the  words, 
that  God  expands  the  heavens  whenever  they  are  covered 
with  clouds  ;  but  this  is  wholly  foreign  to  the  meaning  of 
the  Prophet ;  for  there  is  no  doubt  but  that  he  points  out  in 
this  verse  the  perpetual  order  of  nature,  as  in  the  next  verse 
he  speaks  of  those  changes  which  sometimes  happen. 

PRAYER. 

Grant,  Almighty  God,  that  since  thou  hast  deigned  once  to  receive 
us  under  thy  protection,  we  may  learn  to  recumb  on  the  power 
of  thy  hand,  and  that  as  so  many  terrors  on  every  side  meet  us 
through  the  assaults  and  cruelty  of  our  enemies,  we  may  yet  con- 
tinue firm,  and  persevere  in  calling  on  thy  name,  until  thou  ap- 
pearest  as  our  Redeemer,  not  only  once,  but  whenever  we  may 
need  thy  help,  until  thou  gatherest  us  at  length  into  that  blessed 
rest,  which  has  been  prepared  for  us  in  heaven,  through  Christ 
our  Lord. — Amen. 


In  our  last  Lecture,  we  stopped  where  the  Prophet  com- 
mends the  power  of  God,  as  manifested  in  his  ordinary 
works.  Having  previously  spoken  of  creation,  and  briefly 
shewn,  that  both  in  heaven  and  on  earth  there  are  many 
clear  evidences  of  God's  wonderful  wisdom  as  well  as  of  his 


222  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.        LECT.  CLXXXVIIL 

power,  he  now  comes  to  the  rains  and  winds.  We  have  fur- 
ther said,  that  there  is  a  difference  between  a  fixed  order  of 
nature  and  those  changes  which  are  daily  observed  ;  for 
were  the  appearance  of  the  lieavens  and  the  earth  always  the 
same,  God's  power  and  wisdom  could  not  appear  so  wonder- 
ful ;  but  when  the  heavens  are  covered  with  clouds,  when 
the  air  is  now  tranquil,  and  then  disturbed  by  winds,  when 
storms  suddenly  arise,  and  then  rains  follow,  God  thus  vividly 
sets  forth  his  manifold  wisdom  and  power. 

This,  then,  is  the  reason  why  the  Prophet,  after  having  briefly 
touched  on  what  we  have  seen,  adds,  as  evidences  of  God's 
power  and  wisdom,  those  things  which  appear  to  us  in  their 
various  changes.  He  then  says,  that  by  his  voice  alone  he 
gives  abundance  of  waters  in  the  heavens,  and  then  that  he 
raises  vapours  from  the  extremity  of  the  earth,  that  he  creates 
lightnings  and  the  rain,  which  yet  seem  to  be  contrary 
things.  At  last  he  says,  that  he  hi^ings  the  winds  out  of  his 
treasures.  Philosophers  indeed  mention  the  causes  of  these 
things,  but  we  ought  to  come  to  the  fountain  itself,  and  the 
original  cause,  even  this,  that  things  are  so  arranged  in  the 
world,  that  though  there  are  intermediate  and  subordinate 
causes,  yet  the  primary  cause  ever  appears  eminently,  even 
the  wisdom  and  power  of  God.  Winds  arise  from  the  earth, 
even  because  exhalations  proceed  from  it ;  but  exhalations, 
by  whom  are  they  created  ?  not  by  themselves  :  it  hence 
follows,  that  God  is  their  sole  author.  And  he  calls  hidden 
places  treasures  :  as  when  one  draws  out  this  or  that  from 
his  storehouse,  so  he  says  that  winds  come  forth  from  hidden 
places,  not  of  themselves,  but  through  God,  who  holds  them 
as  though  they  were  shut  up.  I  pass  by  these  things  by  only 
touching  on  them,  because  I  have  already  reminded  you  that 
we  have  before  explained,  in  the  tenth  chapter,  what  is  here 
literally  repeated.^     It  now  follows, — 

17,  Every  man  is  brutish  by  his  17.  Infiituatus  est  omnis  homo 
knowledge ;  every  founder  is  con-  a  scientia,  pudefactus  onniis  con- 
founded by  the  graven  image:  for  flator  a  sculptih  ;  quia  mendacium 
his  molten  image  is  falsehood,  and  est  fusile,  et  non  est  spirit  us  in 
there  is  no  breath  in  them.  ipsis. 

'  See  vol.  ii.  pp.  31-38.— AU 


CHAP.  LI.  1 7.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  223 

Tliis  verse  is  usually  explained,  as  thougli  the  Prophet 
pointed  out  how  men  glide  into  errors  and  fancies,  even  be- 
cause they  seek  to  be  wise  according  to  their  own  notions  ; 
and  Paul,  in  tlie  first  chapter  to  the  Romans,  assigns  it  as 
the  cause  of  idolatry,  that  men  become  vain  in  their  own 
wisdom,  because  they  follow  whatever  their  own  brains  sug- 
gest to  them.    This  doctrine  is  in  itself  true  and  useful ;  for 
men  have  devised  idols  for  themselves,  because  they  would 
not  reverently  receive  the  knowledge  of  God  offered  to  them, 
but  rather  believed  their   own   inventions  :    and  as   mere 
vanity   is   whatever   man   imagines   according  to  his   own 
thoughts,  it  is  no  wonder  that  those  who  presumptuously 
form  their  own  ideas  of  God,  become  wholly  foolish  and  in- 
fatuated.    But  it  is  evident  from  the  context,  that  the  Pro- 
phet means  here  another  thing,  even  that  the  artificers  who 
cast  or  forge  idols,  or  form  them  in  any  other  way,  are  wholly 
delirious  in  thinking  that  they  can,  by  their  own  art  and 
skill,  make  gods.    A  log  of  wood  lies  on  the  ground,  is  trodden 
under  foot  without  any  honour  ;  now  when  the  artificer  adds 
form  to  it,  the  log  begins  to  be  worshipped  as  a  god  ;  what 
madness  can  be  imao^ined  o-reater  than  this  ?     The  same  thin^ 
may  be  said  of  stones,  of  silver,  and  of  gold  ;  for  though  it 
may  be  a  precious  metal,  yet  no  divinity  is  ascribed  to  it, 
until  it  begins  to  put  on  a  certain  form.    Now  when  a  melter 
casts  an  idol,  how  can  a  lump  of  gold  or  silver  become  a  god  ? 
The  Prophet  then  upbraids  this  monstrous  madness,  when 
he  says,  that  men  are  in  their  knowledge  like  brute  beasts, 
that  is,  when  they  apply  their  skill  to  things  so  vain  and 
foolish.     But  he  mentions  the  same  thing  twice,  according 
to  the  common  usage  of  the  Hebrew  style ;  for  we  know 
that  the  same  thing  is  often  said  twice  for  confirmation  by 
the  prophets. 

After  then  having  said  that  men  are  infatuated  by  know- 
ledge, he  adds,  that  they  were  made  ashamed  by  the  graven 
image.  There  seems  to  be  an  impropriety  in  the  words  ; 
for  /D^,  ;pesal,  "graven,''  docs  not  well  agree  with  P]*llf, 
tsare2:>h,  "  the  caster,''  or  founder  ;  but  the  Prophet,  stating 
a  part  for  the  whole,  simply  means,  that  all  artificers  are 
foolish   and   delirious   in  thinking  that  tliey  can  by  their 


224  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.      LECT.  CLXXXVIII. 

own  hand  and  skill  cast  or  forge,  or  in  any  way  form  gods. 
And  to  prove  this  he  says,  that  there  is  no  spirit  or  breath 
in  them  ;  and  this  was  a  sufficient  proof;  for  we  know  that 
God  is  the  fountain  of  life,  and  hence  he  is  called  by  Moses 
"the  God  of  the  spirits  of  all  flesh/'  (Numb.  xvi.  22.) 
Whatever  life,  then,  is  diffused  through  all  creatures,  flows 
from  God  alone  as  the  only  true  fountain.  What,  then,  is 
less  like  divinity,  or  has  less  affinity  to  it,  than  a  lump  of 
gold  or  of  silver,  or  a  log  of  wood,  or  a  stone  ?  for  they 
have  no  life  nor  vigour.  Nothing  is  more  fading  than  man, 
yet  while  he  has  life  in  him,  he  possesses  something  divine ; 
but  a  dead  body,  what  has  it  that  is  like  God  ?  But  yet 
the  form  of  a  human  body  comes  nearer  to  God's  glory  than 
a  log  of  wood  or  a  stone  formed  in  the  shape  of  man.  It  is 
not,  then,  without  reason  that  the  Prophet  condemns  this 
madness  of  all  the  heathens,  that  they  worshipped  fictitious 
gods,  in  whom  yet  there  was  no  spirit.-^      It  follows, — 

18.  They  are  vanity,  the  work  of  18.  Vanitas  ipsi,  opus  illusio- 
crrors :  in  the  time  of  their  visita-  nimi,  tempore  visitationis  ipsorum 
tion  they  shall  perish.  peribmit. 

As  he  had  called  idols  a  lie,  so  now  in  the  same  sense 
he  declares  that  they  were  vanity,  even  because  they  were 
nothing  real,  but  vain  pomps,  or  phantoms,  or  masks  ;  and 
he  afterwards  expresses  himself  more  clearly  by  saying  that 
i\\ej  \w era  the  woi^k  of  illusions.  But  he  does  not  seem  to 
take  the  word  tZD^^ni^n,  totoim,  in  a  passive  but  in  an  ac- 
tive sense.  He  then  means  that  it  was  a  deceptive  work, 
which  was  a  snare  to  men  ;  as  though  he  had  said,  that  they 
were  the  work  of  imposture,  or  impostures. 

This  passage,  and  such  as  are  like  it,  ought  to  be  care- 
fully noticed  ;  because  the  Papists  seem  to  themselves  to 
find  a  way  to  escape  when  they  confess  their  images  are  not 
to  be  worshipped,  but  that  they  are  books  for  the  unlearned. 
They  who  are  moderate  in  their  views  have  recourse  to  this 
evasion.  This  was  once  suggested  by  Gregory,  but  very 
foolishly  ;  and  they  who  wish  to  appear  more  enlightened 
than  others  under  the  papacy  repeat  the  same  saying,  that 
images  ought  to  be  tolerated,  because  they  are  the  boolis  of 
1  See  note  in  vol.  ii.  p.  38. — AV. 


CHAP.  LI.  IS.        COMMENTARIES  ON  JEHEMIAII.  225 

the  ignorant.     But  what  does  the  Holy  Spirit,  on  the  other 
hand,   declare  here,  and  also  by  the  Prophet   Habakkuk  ? 
that  they  are  the  ivork  of  impostures,  even  mere  snares  or 
traps.     (Hab.  ii.  18.)      All,  then,  who  seek  instruction  from 
statues  or  pictures  gain  nothing,  but  become  entangled  in 
the  snares  of  Satan,  and  find  nothing  but  impostures.    And 
doubtless,  whatever  draws  us  away  from  the  contemplation 
of  the  only  true  God,  ought  justly  to  be  deemed  an  imposture 
or  a  deception  ;  for  who  by  the  sight  of  a  picture  or  a  statue 
can  form  a  right  idea  of  the  true  Grod  ?     Is  not  the  truth  re- 
specting him  thus  turned  into  falsehood  ?  and  is  not  his  glory 
thus  debased  ?     For  we  have  then  only  the  true  knowledge  of 
God,  when  we  regard  him  to  be  God  alone,  when  we  ascribe 
to  him  an  infinite  essence  which  fills  heaven  and  earth,  when 
we  acknowledge  him  to  be  a  spirit,  when,  in  short,  we  know 
that  he  alone,  properly   speaking,   exists,  and  that  heaven 
and  earth,  and  everything  they  contain,  exist  through  his 
power.     Can  a  stone  or  wood  teach  us  these  things  ?     No  ; 
but  on  the  contrary,  I  am  led  by  the  stone  to  imagine  that 
God  is  fixed  and  confined  to  a  certain  place.     And  then  the 
life  of  God,  does  it  appear  in  the  stone  or  in  the  wood  ?   Be- 
sides, what  likeness  has  a  body,  and  that  lifeless,  to  an  infi- 
nite spirit  ?  It  is,  then,  not  without  reason  that  he  complains, 
as  it  is  recorded  by  Isaiah,  that  he  is  thus  wholly  degraded : 
"  To  whom  have  ye  made  me  like  ?  for  I  contain  the  earth 
in  my  fist,  and  ye  confine  me  to  wood  or  stone."     (Isa.  xl. 
12,  18.)     If,  in  a  Avord,  the  minds  of  men  received  no  other 
error  from  idols  than  the  thought  that   God  is  corporeal, 
what  can  be  more  preposterous  1 

We  hence  see  that  the  Prophet  does  not  here  say  with- 
out cause,  that  all  idols  are  vanity,  and  the  work  of  impos- 
ture or  deception. 

He  lastly  adds,  that  all  fictitious  gods  would  perish  at  the 
time  of  visitation.  In  this  clause  he  exhorts  the  faithful  to 
patience,  and  in  a  manner  sustains  their  minds,  that  they 
might  not  despond  ;  for  it  was  not  a  small  trial  to  see  the 
monarchy  of  Babylon  flourishing,  when  yet  it  had  no  other 
protection  than  that  of  idols.  As,  then,  the  Babylonians 
thought  that  fictitious  gods  were  the  guardians    and  de- 

VOL.  V.  ^ 


226  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.    LECT.    CLXXXVIII. 

fenders  of  their  safety,  and  that  through  them  they  had  sub- 
dued all  their  neighbours,  they  became  thus  more  and  more 
addicted  to  their  superstitions,  the  reward  of  which  they 
rep,arded  all  their  wealth  and  power.  Inasmuch  as  the 
minds  of  the  godly  could  not  have  been  otherwise  than 
shaken  by  such  a  trial,  the  Prophet  here  supports  them,  and 
reminds  them  to  wait  for  the  time  of  visitation  wdien  the 
tlie  idols  were  to  perish.  However,  a  reference  may  be  in- 
tended to  the  Babylonians  as  well  as  to  the  idols,  when  he 
says,  TJiey  shall  ijeinsh  at  the  time  of  their  visitatioi},  that  is, 
when  the  Chaldeans  shall  be  visited.  But  it  is  probable 
that  the  time  of  visitation  refers  here  especially  to  idols,  be- 
cause the  Prophet  had  spoken  before  of  all  tlie  wicked  and 
reprobate.  However  this  may  be,  we  understand  that  his 
object  was  to  shew  that  however  prosperous  idolaters  might 
be  for  a  time,  yet  the  hand  of  God  was  to  be  patiently  borne 
until  the  suitable  time  came,  which  is  here  called  the  time  of 
visitation.  And  the  metaphor  refers  to  the  notions  of  men, 
for  we  think  that  God  dwells  idly  in  heaven  and  turns  away 
his  eyes  from  us,  while  he  spares  the  ungodly.  Hence  the 
Prophet  calls  the  judgment  of  God  a  visitation^  because  ho 
then  shews  really,  by  evident  proofs,  that  he  does  not  disre- 
gard the  affairs  of  men.     It  now  follows, — 

10.  The  portion  of  Jacob  is  not         ID.  Non  sicut  ipsi  (iJe/,  sicut  ipsa, 

like  them  ;  for  he  is  the  former  of  si  ad  idola  referimus)  portio  Jacob  ; 

all  things ;  and  Israel  is  the  rod  of  quia  fictor  omnium  ipse,  et  virga 

his  inlicritancc  :  the  Lord  of  hosts  ha?rcditatis  ejus,  Jehova  exercituuin 

is  his  name.  nomen  ejus. 

Had  the  Prophet  only  said  that  idols  were  mere  impos- 
tures and  mockeries,  it  would  have  been  indeed  something  ; 
but  this  part  of  his  teaching  would  have  been  cold  and  un- 
interesting, had  he  not,  on  the  other  hand,  proclaimed  the 
glory  of  the  one  and  only  true  God.  "VVe  ought,  indeed,  to 
know  that  idols  are  nothing,  that  men  are  most  foolishly 
deceived,  and  are  wholly  infatuated,  when  they  imagine  that 
there  is  in  them  some  divinity.  But  the  main  thing  is,  that 
the  true  God  himself  is  brought  before  us,  and  that  we  are 
taught  to  direct  all  our  thoughts  to  him.  This,  then,  is 
what  is  now  done  by  the  Prophet ;  for  after  having  exposed 


CHAP.  LI.  19.        COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  227 

the  follj  of  the  heathens  in  worshipping  idols,  and  having 
shewn  that  the  whole  is  nothing  but  deception  and  false- 
hood, he  now  says,  Not  as  they,  the  fictitious  gods,  is  the 
2yortion  of  Jacob  ;  that  is,  the  God  who  had  revealed  himself 
to  the  chosen  people  is  very  far  difi'erent  from  all  idols. 

And,  doubtless,  the  vanity  which  the  Prophet  before 
mentioned  cannot  be  adequately  understood,  except  the 
true  God  be  known.  For  though  some  of  the  ancient 
philosophers  ridiculed  the  grossest  errors  of  the  common 
people,  yet  they  had  nothing  fixed  or  certain  on  which  they 
could  rest,  like  him,  who,  when  asked,  "  What  was  God  t'  re- 
quested time  to  consider,  and  who  after  several  delays  con- 
fessed that  the  more  he  inquired  into  the  nature  of  God, 
the  more  absorbed  were  all  his  thoughts.  And  this  must 
necessarily  be  the  case  with  men  until  they  are  taught  what 
God  is,  which  can  never  be  done  until  he  himself  represents 
himself  and  his  glory  as  it  were  in  a  mirror. 

This  is  then  the  reason  why  the  Prophet,  while  setting 
the  only  true  God  in  opposition  to  idols  and  all  the  inven- 
tions of  mortals,  calls  him  the  portion  of  Jacob ,  because  the 
law  was  as  it  were  the  representation  of  the  glory  of  God. 
As  then  he  had  plainly  shewn  himself  there,  as  far  as  it 
was  needful  for  the  salvation  of  the  chosen  people,  the  Pro- 
phet, in  order  to  invite  men  to  the  true  knowledge  of  the 
true  God,  calls  him  the  portion  of  Jacob,  as  though  he  had 
set  the  law  as  a  mirror  before  their  eyes.  The  portion  of 
Jacob  then  is  God,  who  is  not  like  fictitious  gods  ;  how  so  ? 
because  he  is  the  framer  of  all  things.  It  is  indeed  by  a 
few  words  that  he  makes  the  distinction  between  the  only 
true  God  and  the  fictitious  gods  ;  but  in  this  brief  sentence 
he  includes  what  I  have  before  explained,  even  that  God  is 
the  fountain  of  life,  and  the  life  of  all,  and  then  that  his 
essence  is  spiritual  and  also  infinite  ;  for  as  he  has  created 
the  heaven  and  the  earth,  so  of  necessitv  he  sustains  both 
by  his  power. 

We  then  see  that  the  Prophet  speaks  briefly  but  not 
frigidly ;  and  from  this  passage  we  learn  a  useful  doctrine, 
even  that  God  cannot  be  comprehended  by  us  except  in  his 
works.     As  then  vain  men  weary  themselves  with  specula- 


228  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.      LECT.  CLXXXVIII. 

tions,  which  have  not  in  them,  so  to  speak,  any  practical 
knowledge,  it  is  no  wonder  that  they  run  headlong  into 
many  delirious  things.  Let  us  then  be  sober  in  this  re- 
spect, so  that  we  may  not  inquire  into  the  essence  of  God 
more  than  it  becomes  us.  When  therefore  we  seek  to  com- 
prehend what  God  is,  or  how  to  attain  the  knowledge  of 
him,  let  us  direct  all  our  thoughts,  and  eyes,  and  minds  to 
his  works. 

So  also  by  this  passage,  when  the  Prophet  calls  God  the 
worker  or  framer  of  all  things,  is  exposed  the  vanity  of  all 
superstitions  ;  and  how  ?  because  we  hence  learn  that  the 
power  which  made  not  the  heaven  and  the  earth,  is  vain 
and  worthless  ;  but  the  only  maker  of  heaven  and  earth  is 
God,  then  he  is  God  alone.  Since  he  is  the  only  true  God, 
it  follows  that  the  inventions  or  figments  of  men  are  alto- 
gether delirious,  and  are  therefore  the  artifices  and  impos- 
tures of  the  devil  to  deceive  mankind.  We  hence  see  that 
the  doctrine  of  the  Prophet  is  exclusive,  when  he  says  that 
God  is  the  maker  of  all  things ;  for  where  the  maker  of  all 
things  is  not  found,  there  certainly  no  divinity  can  be. 

He  adds,  the  rod  of  his  inheritance.  This  seems  to  refer 
to  God,  but  in  the  tenth  chapter  the  word  Israel  is  intro- 
duced ;  otherwise  these  five  verses  literally  agree,  but  in 
that  passage  the  Prophet  says  that  Israel  was  the  rod  of 
God's  inheritance.  Here  the  rod  means  a  measuring  pole  ; 
for  the  similitude  is  taken  from  lands  being  measured ;  for 
the  ancients  used  poles  of  certain  length  for  measuring. 
Hence  tlie  Hebrews  called  an  inheritance  the  rod  of  inheri- 
tance, because  it  was  what  had  been  measured  and  had  cer- 
tain limits :  as  when  one  possesses  a  field,  he  knows  how 
many  acres  it  contains,  it  having  been  measured.  But  both 
things  may  be  fitly  and  truly  said,  even  that  Israel  is  the 
rod  of  God's  inheritance,  and  also  that  God  himself  is  a  rod 
of  inheritance  ;  for  there  is  a  mutual  union.  For  as  God 
favours  us  with  this  honour,  to  make  us  his  inheritance,  and 
is  pleased  to  have  us  as  his  own,  so  also  he  offers  himself  to 
us  as  an  inheritance.  David  says  often,  "  The  Lord  is  my 
portion,"  and  "  Tlie  Lord  is  the  portion  of  mine  inlicritance," 
that  is,  my  licrcditary  portion.     So  in  this  place  the  mean- 


CHAP.  LI.  20-2o.       OOMMENTARIE?  ON  JEREMIAH.  229 

ing  would  not  be  unsuitable  were  we  to  apply  the  words  to 
God.  As,  however,  the  word  Israel  is  found  in  the  former 
place,  it  may  be  deemed  as  understood  here.^ 

He  says  at  last,  Jehovah  of  hosts  is  his  name.  Tlierc  is 
implied  a  contrast  here ;  for  he  does  not  honour  God  with 
this  character,  as  though  it  was  a  common  or  ordinary  name  ; 
but  he  claims  for  him  his  own  right,  and  thus  distinguishes 
him  from  all  idols.  By  saying,  then,  that  this  name  belongs 
only  to  the  true  God,  even  the  God  of  Israel,  he  intimates 
that  by  this  distinction  he  differs  from  all  idols,  and  that 
men  are  sacrilegious  when  they  transfer  any  power  to  idols, 
and  expect  safety  from  them,  and  flee  to  them.  As  then 
this  name  belongs  only  to  God,  it  follows  that  in  Him  dwells 
a  fulness  of  all  power  and  might.  Since  it  is  so,  then  wholly 
worthless  is  everything  that  the  world  has  ever  imagined 
respecting  the  number  and  multitude  of  gods.  It  now  fol- 
lows,— 

20.  Thou  art  my  battle-axe  and  20.  Malleus  tu  milii,  vasa  (vel, 
weapons  of  war :  for  with  thee  will  instrumenta)  proelii,  (aut,  beUica,) 
I  break  in  pieces  the  nations,  and  et  conteram  (vcl,  contrivi)  per  te 
with  thee  will  1  destroy  kingdoms ;  gentes,  et  perdam  (vel,  perdidi,  malo 

in  prceterito  tempore  accipere  utrun- 
que  verhum,  rationem  postea  dicam) 
per  te  regna ; 

21.  And  with  thee  will  I  break  in         21.  Et  contrivi  per  te  equum  et 
pieces  the  horse  and  his  rider ;  and     ascensorem  ejus,  et  contrivi  per  te 
with  thee  will  I  break  in  pieces  the     currum  et  ascensorem  ejus ; 
chariot  and  his  rider ; 

22.  With  thee  also  will  I  break  22.  Et  contrivi  per  te  virimi  et 
in  pieces  man  and  woman  ;  and  with  mulierem,  et  contrivi  per  te  senem 
thee  will  I  break  in  pieces  old  and  et  puerum,  et  contrivi  per  te  adoles- 
young ;  and  with  thee  will  I  break  in     centem  et  virginem ; 

pieces  the  young  man  and  the  maid ; 

23.  I  will  also  break  in  pieces  23.  Et  contrivi  per  te  pastorem 
withthee  the  shepherd  and  his  flock;  et  gregem  ejus,  et  contrivi  per  te 
and  with  thee  will  I  break  in  pieces  agricolam  et  jugum  ejus,  et  contrivi 
the   husbandman  and  his  yoke  of  per  te  duces  et  principes. 

oxen ;  and  with  thee  will  I  break  in 
pieces  captains  and  rulers. 

The  Prophet  here  obviates  the  doubts  of  many  ;  for  as  he 
had  spoken  of  the  destruction  of  Babylon,   it  might  have 

^  Though  the  Hebrew  here  is  exactly  the  same  as  in  ch.  x.,  except  that 
"Israel"  is  omitted  here,  yet  the  Vidg.,  the  >Sj/r.,  and  the  Targ.  give  ii 
different  version ;  but  in  the  Sept.  it  is  the  same.  But  many  copies  have 
'•  Israel"  here,  which  is  no  doubt  the  correct  reading. — Ed. 


2,S0  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.        LECT.  CLXXXVIII. 

been  readily  objected,  that  the  monarchy  which  was  fortified 
by  so  many  defences,  and  w^hich  had  subjugated  all  the 
neighbouring  nations,  w^as  impregnable.  Hence  the  Prophet 
here  shews  that  the  power  and  wealth  of  Babylon  were  no 
hinderances  that  God  should  not  destroy  it  whenever  he 
pleased ;  for  it  is  an  argument  derived  from  what  is  con- 
trary. We  have  before  seen  that  God  roots  up  what  he  has 
l^lanted,  (ch.  xlv.  4  ;)  and  then  we  have  seen  the  metaphor 
of  the  potter  and  his  vessels.  When  the  Prophet  went  down 
to  the  potter,  he  saw  a  vessel  formed  and  then  broken  at  the 
will  and  pleasure  of  the  potter  (ch.  xviii.  2-4.)  So  also  now 
God  shews  that  the  destruction  was  as  it  w^ere  in  his  hand, 
because  the  Chaldeans  had  not  raised  themselves  to  emi- 
nence through  their  own  power,  but  he  had  raised  them,  and 
employed  them  for  his  own  purpose.  In  short,  he  compares 
the  Babylonians  in  this  passage  to  a  formed  vessel,  and  he 
makes  himself  the  potter  :  "  I  am  he  who  has  raised  Baby- 
lon to  so  great  a  height ;  it  therefore  belongs  to  me  to  pull 
it  down  whensoever  it  pleases  me.''  We  now  understand  the 
design  of  this  passage,  though  the  Prophet  employs  different 
words. 

He  says  that  Babylon  was  a  hammer  and  weapons  of  war 
to  break  in  pieces  the  nations.  The  verb  Y^X  nuphets,  means 
to  break  in  pieces,  and  carelessly  to  scatter  here  and  there, 
and  also  violently  to  scatter.  He  says  then,  "  I  have  by  thee 
scattered  the  nations,  and  by  thee  have  destroyed  kingdoms.'' 
But  as  the  Chaldeans  had  enjoyed  so  many  victories  and  had 
subjugated  so  many  nations,  he  adds,  /  have  by  thee  broken 
in  ineces  the  horse  arid  his  rider,  the  chariot  and  its  rider  ; 
and  then,  /  have  broken  in  pieces  men  and  women,  old  men 
and  children,  the  young  men  and  the  maidens,  the  shep- 
herds and  also  their  flocks.  He  enumerates  here  almost 
all  kinds  of  men.  He  then  mentions  husbandmen  and 
yokes  of  oxen,  or  of  horses  ;  and  lastly,  he  mentions  captains 
and  rulers}     All  these  things  are  said  by  way  of  conces- 

'  Many  render  this  passage  in  the  future  tense,  according  to  all  the  Ver- 
sions and  the  Targ.,  and  consider  Cyrus  to  be  intended  by  the  "hammer;" 
but  they  render  *]3,  bij,  or  with  thee,  contrary  to  tlie  Targ.  and  the  Ver- 
sions, which  is  rendered  hi  thee,  i.e.,  Babylon;  m\([  for  thee  \x\  i\\G  ySyr. 
And  this  seems  to  be  the  view  most  consistent  with  the  vhole  passage, 


CHAP.  LI.  20-23.       COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  231 

sion  ;  but  yet  the  Prophet  reminds  us  tliat  uo  difficulty 
would  prevent  God  to  destroy  Babylon,  because  Babylon  in 
itself  was  nothing.  According  to  this  sense,  then,  it  is 
called  a  liammcr.  In  short,  the  Prophet  takes  away  the 
false  opinion  which  might  have  otherwise  disturbed  weak 
minds,  as  though  Babylon  was  wholly  invincible.  He  shews 
at  the  same  time  that  God  executed  his  judgments  on 
all  nations  by  means  of  Babylon.  Thus  the  faithful  might 
have  been  confirmed ;  for  otherwise  they  must  have  neces- 
sarily been  cast  down  when  they  regarded  the  formidable 
power  of  Babylon ;  but  when  they  heard  that  it  was  only  a 
liammer,  and  that  they  would  not  have  been  broken  in  pieces 
by  the  Babylonians  had  they  not  been  armed  from  above,  or 
rather  had  they  not  been  driven  on  by  a  celestial  power,  it 
then  appeared  that  the  calamity  which  the  Jews  had  suf- 
ferred  was  nothing  more  than  a  punishment  inflicted  by 
God's  hand.  When,  therefore,  they  heard  this,  it  was  no 
small  consolation  ;  it  kept  them  from  succumbing  under  their 
miseries,  and  from  being  swallowed  up  with  sorrow  and 
despair.     But  it  now  follows, — 

24.    And   I  will    render   unto         24.  Et  rependam  Babyloni  et  omni- 
Babylon,  and  to  all  the  iiihabi-     bus  habitatoribus  Chaldseai  omnia  mala 

especially  verse  24.  Babylon  was  the  "hammer"  which  God  had  em- 
ployed, (ch.  L.  23,)  but  he  would  hereafter  employ,  as  it  were,  a  hammer, 
or  a  scatterer,  in  Babylon  itself, — 

20.  A  scatterer  (or  a  hammer)  art  thou  to  rae, 
A  weapon  of  war ; 

But  I  will  scatter  in  thee  nations, 
And  destroy  in  thee  kingdoms ; 

21.  And  I  will  scatter  in  thee  the  horse  and  its  rider, 
And  1  will  scatter  in  thee  the  chariot  and  its  rider ; 

22.  And  1  will  scatter  in  thee  the  husband  and  the  wife, 
And  I  will  scatter  in  thee  the  old  and  the  child, 

And  I  wUl  scatter  in  thee  the  young  man  and  the  maid ; 

23.  And  I  will  scatter  in  thee  the  shepherd  and  his  flock, 
And  I  will  scatter  in  thee  the  ploughman  and  his  team, 
And  I  will  scatter  in  thee  the  governors  and  princes. 

Then  comes,  naturally,  a  summary  of  the  whole, — 

24.  And  I  will  render  to  Babylon 

And  to  all  the  inhabitants  of  Chaldea, 

All  the  evil  which  they  have  done  in  Sion, 

Before  yoiu*  eyes,  saith  Jehovah. 
Then  in  the  two  following  verses  Babylon  is  still  addressed. 

"  Scatter"  is  according  to  the  Sept.,  the  Syr.,  and  the  Targ.;  "dash 
against  one  another"  is  the  Vulg. — Ed, 


232  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.       LEOT.  CLXXXVIII. 

tants  of  Chaldea,  all  their  evil  ipsorumquje  intulerunt  in  Sion  (contra 
that  they  have  done  in  Zion  in  Sion,  quae  fecerunt  in  Sion,  acit;er6in>i,) 
your  sight,  saith  the  Lord.  in  ociilis  vestris,  {vel,  coram  oculis  ves- 

tris,)  dicit  Jehova. 

Tlic  Prophet,  after  having  reminded  the  Jews  that  all  that 
they  had  suffered  from  the  Babylonians  had  been  justly 
inflicted  on  account  of  their  sins,  and  that  God  had  been  the 
author  of  all  their  calamities,  now  subjoins,  /  will  render  to 
Babylon  and  to  the  Chaldeans  what  tliey  have  deserved.  It 
may,  however,  appear  strange  at  the  first  view,  that  God 
should  here  threaten  the  Babylonians ;  for  if  their  services 
depended  on  his  command,  they  seemed  doubtless  to  have 
deserved  praise  rather  than  punishment ;  nay,  we  know  what 
the  Holy  Spirit  declares  elsewhere,  "  I  gave  Egypt  as  a 
reward  to  my  servant  Nebuchadnezzar,  because  lie  has  faith- 
fully performed  my  work,''  (Ezek.  xxix.  20 ;)  for  Nebuchad- 
nezzar had  afllictcd  the  Jews,  therefore  he  obtained  this, 
says  Ezekiel,  as  his  reward.  It  seems  then  an  inconsistent 
thing  when  God  declares  that  the  Chaldeans  deserved  punish- 
ment because  they  had  afllicted  the  Jews.  But  both  declara- 
tions agree  well  together ;  for  when  God  declared  by  Ezekiel 
that  he  gave  Egjpt  as  a  reward  to  his  servant  Nebuchad- 
nezzar, he  had  a  regard  to  the  Jews  and  to  their  perverse- 
ness,  because  they  had  not  as  yet  been  sufficiently  humbled  ; 
nay,  they  thought  that  it  was  by  chance  that  they  had  been 
subdued  by  the  Babylonians.  God  then  declares  that  he 
had  executed  his  judgment  on  them  by  the  hand  of  Nebu- 
chadnezzar. It  was  afterwards  necessary  that  the  faithful 
should  be  raised  up  in  their  extreme  distress ;  and  this  was 
regarded  by  our  Prophet  when  he  said — Behold,  I  luill  render 
to  Babylon  and  to  the  Chaldeans  all  their  evils.  They  then 
obtained  Egypt  for  a  short  time,  but  afterwards  all  the  evils 
they  had  brought  on  other  nations  recoiled  on  their  own 
lieads. 

But  this  promise  was  in  a  peculiar  manner  given  to  the 
Church ;  for  though  the  vengeance  executed  on  the  Chal- 
deans was  just,  because  they  exercised  extreme  cruelty  to- 
wards all  nations  ;  yet  God,  having  a  care  for  his  own  Church, 
thus  undertook  its  cause  ;  therefore  he  speaks  not  here  gene- 
rally of  the  punishment  inflicted  on  the  Chaldeans  for  their 


CHAP.  LI.  25.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  2o3 

cruelty  ;  but  God,  as  I  have  said,  had  a  regard  to  his  owu 
Church.  Hence,  he  says,  I  will  render  to  the  Babylonians 
and  to  all  the  Chaldeans,  all  the  evil  which  they  had  done  in 
Sion.  We  now  see  that  this  punishment  had  a  special  re- 
ference to  the  chosen  people,  in  order  that  the  faithful  might 
know  that  they  had  been  so  chastised  by  God,  that  yet  the 
memory  of  his  covenant  had  never  failed,  and  that  thus  in 
the  midst  of  death  they  might  have  some  hope  of  salvation, 
and  that  they  might  feel  assured  that  God  would  at  length 
be  merciful ;  not  that  God  would  ever  restore  the  whole  body 
of  the  people  ;  but  this  promise,  as  it  has  been  elsewhere 
stated,  is  addressed  only  to  the  remnant.  Yet  fixed  remains 
the  truth,  that  God,  after  having  broken  in  pieces  the  Jews 
and  other  nations  by  means  of  one  nation,  would  yet  be  the 
avenger  of  his  Church,  because  he  could  never  forget  his 
covenant.  He  adds,  before  your  eyes,  that  the  faithful 
might  with  calmer  minds  wait  for  the  vengeance  of  which 
they  themselves  w^ould  be  eye-witnesses. 

PRAYER. 

Grant,  Almighty  God,  that  since  thou  hast  favoured  us  with  the  light 
of  thy  Gospel,  in  which  Ave  see  thy  glory,  and  into  which  we  may 
be  also  transformed,  except  prevented  by  our  unbelief, — O  grant, 
that  with  fixed  eyes  we  may  ever  study  that  knowledge  which 
once  for  all  has  been  made  knoAvn  to  us,  imtil  at  length,  having 
followed  the  way  there  set  before  us,  we  shall  come  to  the  fulness 
of  that  celestial  glory  wliich  has  been  obtained  for  us  by  the 
blood  of  thine  only-begotten  Son.  — Amen. 


ILectttre  ^m  J^untireti  antJ  C^igfitg^^ntntJ* 

25.  Behold,  I  am  against  thee,  O  25.  Ecce  ego  ad  te,  mons  per- 

destroying  mountain,  saith  the  Lord,  ditionis,  dicit  Jehova,  perdens  om- 

which  destroyest  all  the  earth :  and  I  nem  terram ;  et  extendam  manum 

wdll  stretch  out  mine  hand  upon  thee,  meam  super  te,  et  devolvam  te 

and  roll  thee    down  from  the  rocks,  e  rupibus,  et  ponam  te  in  montem 

and  will  make  thee  a  burnt  mountain,  combustionis. 

There  is  no  doubt  but  that  the  Prophet  speaks  of  Baby- 
lon. But  it  may  seem  strange  to  call  it  a  mountain,  w^hen 
that  city  was  situated  in  a  plain,  as  it  is  well  known ;  nay, 


234  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXXXIX. 

it  has  no  mountains  near  it.     It  was  a  plain,  so  that  streams 
might  be  drawn  here  and  there  in  any  direction.      Hence 
they  think  that  tlic  city  was  called  a  mountain  on  account 
of  tlie  heiglit  of  its  walls  and  also  its  great  buildings.     And 
this  is  probable,  as  though  the  Prophet  called  it  a  great 
mass ;  for  historians  tell  us  that  its  walls  were  very  high, 
about  two  hundred  feet,  and  a  foot  commonly  exceeded  three 
fingers.     Then  the  towers  were  very  high.     In  sliort,  Baby- 
lon was  a  prodigy  for  the  quantity  of  its  bricks,  for  the  walls 
were  not  built  with  squared  stones,  but  formed  of  bricks. 
Their  breadth  also  was  incredible;  for  chariots  drawn  by  four 
horses  could  go  along  without  touching  one  another.     Their 
breadth,  according  to  Strabo  and  also  Pliny,  was  fifty  feet. 
Then  this  metaphor  was  not  used  without  reason,  when  the 
Prophet,  regarding  in  one  respect  the  state  of  the  city,  called 
Babylon   a  mountain,  as  though  Ninus,  or  Semiramis,  or 
others,  had  contended  with  nature  itself     The  beginning  of 
Babylon  was  that  memorable  tower  mentioned  by  Moses,  but 
then  the  work  was  left  off.     (Gen.  xi.)     Afterwards,  either 
because  such  a  beginning   inflamed  the  desire  of  men,  or 
because  the  place  was  very  pleasant  and  fertile,  it  liappened 
that  a  city  of  great  size  was  built  there.     In  short,  it  was 
more  like  a  country  than  a  city ;  for,  as  Aristotle  says,  it 
was  not  so  much  a  city  as  a  country  or  a  province.     This 
much  as  to  the  word  mountain. 

Now  God  himself  declares  war  against  Babylon,  in  order 
that  more  credit  might  be  given  to  this  prophecy;  for  the 
Prophet  had  no  regard  to  the  Chaldeans,  but  to  his  own 
nation,  and  especially  to  the  remnant  of  the  godly.  The 
greater  part  derided  his  prophecy,  but  a  few  remained  who 
received  the  Prophet's  doctrine  with  becoming  reverence.  It 
was  then  his  object  to  consult  their  good  and  benefit ;  and, 
as  we  shall  see  at  the  end  of  this  chapter,  he  wished  to  lay 
up  this  treasure  with  them,  that  they  might  cherisli  the  liopc 
of  restoration  wliile  they  were  as  it  were  lost  in  exile.  God 
then  does  here  encourage  them,  and  declares  that  he  would 
be  an  enemy  to  the  Babylonians. 

Behold,  he  says,  /  am  against  thee,  0  mountain  of  'perdi- 
tion.    The  mountain  of  perdition  is  to  be  taken  in  an  active 


CHAP.  LI  25.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  235 

sense,  for  destroying  mountain,  as  also  a  clearer  explanation 
follows,  when  he  says  that  it  had  destroyed  cdl  the  earth. 
For  the  Babylonians,  as  it  is  well  known,  had  afflicted  all 
their  neighbours,  and  had  transferred  the  imperial  power  of 
the  Medes  to  their  own  city.  When  they  subdued  the 
Assyrians  they  extended  their  power  far  and  wide,  and  at 
length  advanced  to  Syria,  Judea,  and  Egypt.  Thus  it  hap- 
pened that  the  Babylonians  enjoyed  the  empire  of  the  east 
till  the  time  of  Cyrus  ;  and  theij  the  monarchy  was  possessed 
by  the  Persians.  But  our  Prophet  had  respect  to  the  former 
state  of  things ;  for  he  said  that  the  Chaldeans  had  been 
like  a  hammer,  which  God  had  employed  to  break  in  pieces 
all  the  nations  ;  and,  according  to  the  same  meaning,  he  now 
says  that  all  the  earth  had  been  destroyed  by  the  Baby- 
lonians. 

But  God  here  declares  that  he  would  be  their  judge,  be- 
cause he  would  extend  his  hand  over  Babylon,  and  roll  it 
down  from  the  rocks.  He  proceeds  still  with  the  same  meta- 
phor ;  for  as  he  called  Babylon  a  mountain  on  account  of 
its  great  buildings,  and  especially  on  account  of  its  high 
walls  and  lofty  towers,  so  now  he  adopts  the  same  kind  of 
language,  /  will  cast  thee  down,  or  rather  roll  thee,  from  the 
rocks,  and  make  thee  a  mountain  of  burning.  He  thus  inti- 
mates that  Babylon  would  become  a  heap  of  ashes,  though 
this  w^as  not  immediately  fulfilled  ;  for  as  w^e  have  said,  it 
was  so  taken  as  not  to  be  entirely  laid  waste.  For  in  the 
time  of  Alexander  the  Great,  many  years  after,  Babylon  was 
standing,  and  there  Alexander  died.  It  then  follows  that  it 
was  not  reduced  to  solitude  and  ashes  by  Darius  and  Cyrus, 
But  we  have  already  untied  this  knot,  that  is,  that  the  Prophet 
does  not  only  speak  of  one  vengeance  of  God,  but  includes 
others  which  followed.  For  Babylon  soon  after  revolted  and 
suffered  a  grievous  punishment  for  its  perfidy,  and  was  then 
treated  with  great  contempt.  Afterwards,  Seleucus  tried  in 
various  ways  to  destroy  it,  and  for  this  end  Seleucia  was 
built,  and  then  Ctesiphon  was  set  up  in  opposition  to  Baby- 
lon. Babylon  then  was  by  degrees  reduced  to  that  solitude  of 
w^iich  the  Prophet  here  speaks.  Pliny  says  that  in  his  time 
the  temple  of  Bel  was  there,  wdiom  they  thought  to  have 


236  COMMENTAKIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CLXXXIX. 

been  the  founder  of  the  city  ;  but  he  afterwards  adds  that 
the  other  parts  of  the  city  were  deserted.  If  Jerome,  as  he 
says,  visited  it,  we  ouglit  to  believe  what  he  had  seen  ;  and 
he  says  that  Babylon  was  a  small  ignoble  town,  and  ruins 
only  were  seen  there.  There  is,  then,  nothing  unreasonable 
in  this  prophecy,  for  it  ought  not  to  be  restricted  to  one 
calamity  only ;  for  God  ceased  not  in  various  ways  to  afflict 
Babylon  until  it  was  wholly  laid  waste,  according  to  what 
our  Prophet  testifies.  According  to  this  view,  then,  he  says 
that  Babylon  would  become  a  mountain  of  burning,  or  a 
burnt  mountain,^  for  ruins  only  would  remain  ;  and  in  the 
same  sense  he  immediately  adds, — 

26.  And  they   shall  not  take  of  26.   Et  non  tollent  ex  te  lapidt-m 

thee  a  stone  for  a  comer,  nor  a  stone  ad  angulum,  et  lapidem  ad  fuuda- 

for  foundations ;   but  thou  shalt  be  menta ;    quia   solitudines   perpetuse 

desolate  for  ever,  saith  the  Lord.  eris,  dicit  Jehova. 

He  confirms  the  former  verse,  that  when  Babylon  was  de- 
stroyed, there  would  be  no  hope  of  restoration.  It  often  hap- 
pens, that  those  cities  which  have  been  wholly  destroyed  are 
afterwards  built  up  again  ;  but  God  says  that  this  would  not 
be  the  case  with  Babylon,  for  it  was  given  over  to  perpetual 
destruction.  By  corner  and  foundations  he  understands  the 
strength  of  the  buildings.  He  then  says,  that  there  was  no 
hope  that  the  stones  would  be  again  fitted  together,  for  the 
building  of  the  city,  for  Babylon  would  become  a  perpetual 
waste  or  desolation. 

We  have,  indeed,  said,  that  the  walls  of  Babylon  were  not 
made  of  stones  but  of  bricks  :  but  the  Prophet  simply  speaks 
according  to  the  common  manner,  in  order  to  shew  that  its 
ruin  would  be  for  ever.^  We  have  also  said  elsewhere  that 
a  diifercnce  is  commonly  made  by  the  prophets  between  the 
people  of  God  and  the  reprobate,  that  God  promises  to  his 
Church  a  new  state  as  a  resurrection  from  death,  but  that 

^  Blayney  views  "  the  mountain"  difTorcntly,  as  a  metaphor  for  a  nation, 
or  a  prince,  rising  above  others  in  power:  and  "the  rocks"  he  considers 
to  be  the  strongholds  of  this  mountain. — Ed. 

'  Though  the  greatest  part  of  the  walls  and  towers  was  built  of  bricks, 
yet  there  were  stones  no  doubt  used.  Some  understaiul,  by  *'  stone,"  a 
king  or  a  prince,  and  consider  that  an  intimation  is  given  that  Babylon 
would  not  hereafter  have  a  king  of  its  own,  but  be  tributary. — Ed. 


CHAP.  LI.  27.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  2S7 

he  denounces  on  tlie  unbelieving  perpetual  desolation.  This 
course  is  now  followed  by  our  Prophet  when  he  says,  that 
the  desolations  there  would  he  for  ever,  because  there  is  no 
hope  of  pardon  or  of  mercy  to  the  unbelieving.  It  after- 
wards follows, — 

27.  Set  ye  up  a  standard  27.  Tollite  signum  in  terra,  elangite  tuba 

in  the  land,  blow  tlie  tnim-  in  gentibus,  sanctificate  {vcl,  prseparate)  super 

pet  among  the  nations,  pre-  earn  gentes,  congregate  contra  earn  regna  Ara- 

pare   the   nations  against  rath,  Minni,  et  Aschenaz,  pr^eficite  super  earn 

her,  call  together  against  ducem  {alii  putant  esse  nomen  proprium,  et 

her  the  kingdoms  of  Ara-  relinquunt  "1D2£3  sed  accipitiir  haud  dubie  pro 

rat,  Minni,  and  Ashchenaz ;  dace,)  educite  equum  tanquam  locustam  (vel, 

appoint  a  captain  against  bruchum)    horribilem     (vertit    Hieronymus, 

her;  cause  the   horses  to  aculeatum ;   alii  vertunt,  horripilantem ;   sed 

come  up  as  the  rough  ca-  vox  ilia  asperior  est,  et  tamen  proprie  signatur 

terpillars.  horror  ille,  dum  pili  exurgunt  ob  metum,  vel, 

ob  iracundiam.) 

The  Prophet  here  confirms  what  he  had  before  taught, 
even  that  Babylon,  however  j^roud  on  account  of  its  strong- 
holds, would  not  yet  escape  God's  hand.  Had  he  used  a 
simple  mode  of  speaking,  hardly  any  one  would  have  ven- 
tured to  look  for  what  the  Prophet  said.  It  was  then  neces- 
sary to  introduce  figurative  expressions,  of  which  we  have 
before  spoken.  Here,  then,  with  the  highest  authority,  he 
commands  the  nations  to  raise  up  war  against  Babylon. 

"VVe  must  observe,  as  I  have  before  reminded  you,  that  by 
such  modes  of  speaking,  the  effect  of  prophetic  doctrine  is 
set  forth.  For  the  unbelieving  deride  whatever  they  hear, 
because  the  voice  of  God  is  the  same  to  them  as  though  it 
were  a  sound  flowing  through  the  air.  Hence  the  Prophet 
shews  that  he  was  endued  with  the  power  of  God,  and  that 
the  hand  of  God  was  connected  with  his  mouth,  so  that  he 
fulfils  whatever  he  predicts.  Raise,  he  says,  a  standard. 
This  might  have  appeared  ludicrous,  for  we  know  that  the 
Prophet  was  despised,  not  only  at  Jerusalem,  but  also  in  his 
own  town  where  he  had  been  born  :  by  what  right,  then,  or 
on  what  ground  docs  he  now  boldly  command  all  nations, 
and  bid  the  banners  to  be  raised  ?  But  as  I  have  said,  he 
shews  that  a  false  judgment  would  be  formed  of  what  he 
said,  except  the  people  thought  that  God  himself  spoke. 

Sound  with  the  trumpet,  he  says,  among  all  nations,  and 
then,  sanctify  against  her  the  nations ;  and  further,  assem- 


238  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.       LECT.  CLXXXIX. 

ble,  literally,  "  make  to  hear/'  but  it  means,  in  Piel,  to  col- 
lect, to  assemble.  As  to  the  word  A7^arat,  it  may  be  taken 
for  Armenia.  I  know  not  why  some  have  taken  Minni  to 
be  the  lower  Armenia,  for  there  is  no  creditable  author  for 
such  an  opinion.  Nor  is  it  certain  what  country  the  Pro- 
phet designates  by  Ashclienaz.  But  it  is  evident  from  liis- 
tories,  that  the  great  army  wliich  Darius,  or  Cyrus  under 
the  authority  of  Darius,  led  with  him,  had  been  collected 
from  various  and  even  remote  nations.  For  he  brou2:ht  with 
him  the  Il3^rcanians  and  the  Armenians,  and  some  from 
many  unknown  places.  As,  then,  heathen  authors  declare 
that  this  army  was  collected  indiscriminately  from  many 
nations  and  almost  unknown,  it  is  nothing  strange  that  the 
Hebrew  names  are  at  this  day  unknown.  And  there  is  no 
doubt  but  that  the  Prophet  here  indirectly  intimates  some 
great  shaking  of  the  world,  as  though  he  had  said,  that  even 
barbarous  nations,  the  name  of  whom  hath  not  hitherto  been 
heard  of,  would  come  like  an  overwhelming  flood  to  destroy 
Babylon.  He  will  hereafter  speak  of  the  Modes  ;  but  here 
lie  treats  the  subject  in  a  different  way,  as  though  he  had 
said,  that  so  great  would  be  the  multitude  of  enemies,  that 
Babylon,  notwithstanding  its  largeness,  would  be  easily  over- 
tlirown.  We  now  perceive  the  Prophet's  design  as  to  these 
obscure  words. 

He  says  afterwards.  Set  up  a  leader  against  her.  This  is 
to  be  understood  of  Cyrus,  whose  vigour  was  especially  ap- 
parent in  that  war.  Nor  is  there  a  doubt  but  that  he  led 
liis  uncle  and  father-in-law  to  undertake  the  war.  For  those 
historians  fable,  who  say  that  Cyrus  was  cast  away  by 
his  grandfather,  and  that  he  was  brought  up  privately  by 
Astyages,  and  that  he  afterwards  made  war  with  his  grand- 
father. All  these  things  have  been  invented.  For  it  is  quite 
evident  that  Darius,  the  king  of  the  Modes,  was  the  chief 
in  that  war,  and  Daniel  is  our  best  witness  on  this  i:)oint. 
Heathen  writers  imagine  that  there  was  no  king  of  the 
Modes  except  under  the  authority  of  Cyrus.  But  Cyrus  did 
not  rule  until  after  the  death  of  his  father-in-law,  or  his 
uncle,  whose  daughter  he  had  married.  It  then  follows, 
that  he  was  the  general,  so   that  he  carried  on   the  war 


CHAP.  LI.  28.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  239 

under  the  authoritj^  of  Darius.  Cyrus  then  was,  as  it  were, 
the  hired  soldier  of  his  uncle  and  father-in-law,  but  at 
length  he  obtained  the  kingdom  of  the  Modes  and  the  whole 
empire  of  the  East.  Of  this  leader,  then,  I  understand  tliis 
passage,  when  the  Prophet  says.  Set  up  or  appoint  a  leader 
against  Babylon  -.^  and  he  adds.  Bring  forth,  or  make  to 
ascend,  the  horse  as  the  locust.  This  refers  to  their  number  ; 
as  though  he  had.  said,  Bring  forth  against  Babylon  horses 
without  number,  who  shall  be  as  locusts.  He  compares  them 
to  locusts,  not  for  strength  or  skill  in  war,  but  only  with  re- 
gard to  their  number.  But  as  the  locusts  are  frightful,  he 
applies  to  them  the  word  I^D,  samer,  "  dreadful,''  as  though 
he  had  said.  They  are,  indeed,  locusts  as  to  their  abundance, 
but  they  are  at  the  same  time  dreadful,  as  though  they  had 
on  them  frightful  hairs.     It  afterwards  follows, — 

28.  Prepare  against  her  the  nations,         28.  Praiparate  contra  earn   gen- 

with  the  kings  of  the  Medes,  the  cap-  tes,  regna    Medorum,   duces    ejus, 

tains  thereof,  and  all  the  rulers  there-  et  principes  ejus,  et  totam  terram 

of,  and  all  the  land  of  his  dominion,  ditionis  ejus. 

He  now  repeats  what  he  had  said  of  preparing  the  nations  ; 
but  he  mentions  them  first  generally,  and  then  he  comes  to 
sjDocify  them  particularly.  He  then  bids  the  nations  to  be 
sent  for,  and  then  he  shews  who  they  were,  even  the  king- 
doms of  the  Medes.^  There  was,  indeed,  but  one  kingdom, 
but  many  kings  were  subject  to  it.  Then,  on  account  of 
the  many  provinces  over  which  satraps  ruled,  and  also  on 
account  of  many  tributary  countries,  the  Prophet  was  not 
satisfied  to  use  the  singular  number,  but  calls  them  in  the 
plural  number,  the  kingdoms  of  the  Medes ;  for  that  mon- 
archy had.  extended  itself  far  and  wide,  so  that  many  kings 
were  subject  to  Darius. 


^  The  Versions  and  the  Tar^.  all  differ  as  to  tlie  word  "lD3t3,  rendered 
by  Calvin,  ''  leader."  It  is  translated  '•'  commander"  by  Blai/ney.  Fark- 
hurst  says  that  it  is  a  Chaldee  word,  from  DDD,  to  reduce  to  order,  and 
ID,  a  ruler.  Then  it  means  a  commanding  officer,  a  captain,  or  a  general. 
It  occurs  only  here  and  in  Nahimi  iii.  17. — Ed. 

2  The  Hebrew  is,  "  the  kings  of  Media ;"  but  the  Sept.  and  Syr.  have 
'•'  the  king  of  jMedia ;"  which  is  required  by  "  his  dominion"  at  the  end  of 
the  verse :  the  pronoun  affixed  to  "  captains"  and  "  rulers"  is  "  her,"  re- 
ferring to  Media. — Ed. 


240  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.       LECT.  OLXXXIX. 

And  it  tended,  in  no  small  degree,  to  shew  the  certainty 
of  this  prophecy,  that  Jeremiah  declared,  before  Cyrus  or 
even  Darius  was  born,  that  the  Modes  would  come.  But  we 
have  stated,  that  though  Cyrus,  being  singularly  active 
and  a  good  warrior,  carried  on  the  war,  yet  Darius  was  the 
first  in  authority.  Then  Babylon  obeyed  the  Medes  for  a 
time  ;  but  as  Darius  was  now  old,  Cyrus  succeeded  him  ; 
and  then  the  monarchy  was  transferred  to  Persia  ;  and  laws 
issued  thence  until  the  time  of  Alexander  the  Great,  who, 
together  with  his  catamite,  burnt  the  tower.  Nor  is  there  a 
doubt  but  that  many  memorable  transactions  were  deposited 
there.  But  Alexander  being  drunk,  seized  a  torch  and  burnt 
the  tower  ;  for  he  thought  that  the  memory  of  the  Oriental 
monarchy  could  thus  be  abolished. 

We  now  then  perceive  why  the  Prophet  expressly  men- 
tions here  the  Medes  ;  and  he  adds,  the  captains  and  princes. 
He  includes,  no  doubt,  under  these  names,  all  the  satraps 
and  kings.  At  length  he  adds,  the  whole  land  of  its  dominion, 
or  jurisdiction ;  and  by  this  word  he  designates  the  king- 
doms already  mentioned.     It  now  follows, — 

29.  And  the  land  shall  29.  Et  contremuit  terra,  et  doliiit  {simili- 

tremble   and   sorrow :   for  tudo  sitmpta  est  a  parturientihus,)  quia  sta- 

every  purpose  of  the  Lord  bilita  fuit    super   Babylon    cogitationes    (in 

shall  be  performed  against  plurali  numero  ponit  cutn  tamen  verb um  sit 

Babylon,  to  make  the  land  singulare,  hoc  est,  stabilitae  sunt  cogitationes) 

of   Babylon    a    desolation  Jehovaj  ad  ponendum  terram  Babylonis  in 

without  an  inhabitant.  solitudinem,  ita  ut  non  sit  habitator  (vel,  qui 

illic  habitet.) 

The  Prophet  no  doubt  endeavoured  to  remove  all  doubts 
from  the  minds  of  the  godly,  which  would  liave  otherwise 
weakened  confidence  in  his  doctrine.  It  might  have  occur- 
red to  the  minds  of  all,  tliat  the  whole  world  would  sooner 
come  to  nothing  than  that  Babylon  should  fall.  Though  it 
were  so,  says  the  Prophet,  that  the  whole  earth  trembled, 
yet  Babylon  will  be  destroyed.  Hence,  he  says.  Tremble 
shall  the  land  and  be  in  pain,  even  because  confirmed,  &c. 
There  is  here  a  striking  contrast  between  the  moving  of  the 
earth  and  the  stability  of  God's  purpose.  The  verb  means 
properly  to  rise,  but  it  is  taken  in  many  places  in  the  sense 
of  confirming  or  establishing,  and  necessarily  so  in  this  pas- 


CIIAF.  LI.  SO.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  241 

sage.  lie  then  says,  TreiMe  shall  the  land,^  even  he- 
cause  confirmed  shall  he  the  thoughts  of  God  respecting  Ba- 
hylon. 

But  he  mentions  thoughts  in  the  plural  number,  as  though 
lie  had  said,  that  whatever  God  had  appointed  and  decreed 
would  be  unchano-eable,  and  that  the  whole  earth  would 
sooner  be  shaken  than  that  the  truth  of  God  should  lose  its 
effect.  Then  this  verse  contains  nothing  else  but  a  confir- 
mation of  the  whole  prophecy.  But  the  Prophet  shews,  that 
if  even  all  the  hindrances  of  the  world  were  in  favour  of  the 
perpetuity  of  Babylon,  yet  what  God  had  decreed  respecting 
its  destruction,  would  be  fixed  and  unchangeable.  It  after- 
wards follows, — 

30.  The  mighty  men  of  Babylon  30.  Cessarunt  fortes  Babylonis  ad 
have  forborne  to  fight,  they  have  pugnandum  (/?oc  65?,  destiterunt  pug- 
remained  in  ^/lexV  holds  :  their  might  nare  fortes  Babylonis,)  sederunt  in 
hath  failed ;  they  became  as  women :  munitionibus,  deficit  {vel,  elanguit) 
they  have  burnt  her  dwelling-places ;  virtus  ipsorum,  fuerunt  in  mulieres, 
her  bars  are  broken.  accenderunt   habitacula   ejus,    con- 

fracti  sunt  vectes  ejus. 

The  Prophet  shews  here,  as  by  the  finger,  the  manner  of 
the  destruction  of  Babylon,  such  as  it  is  described  by  hea- 
then authors.  He  then  says,  that  the  valiant  men  of  Baby- 
lon, even  those  who  had  been  chosen  to  defend  the  city, 
ceased  to  fight  For  the  city  was  taken  rather  by  craft  than 
by  open  force  ;  for  after  a  long  siege,  Cyrus  was  laughed  to 
scorn  by  the  Babylonians  ;  then  they  securely  held  a  feast. 
In  the  meantime  two  eunuchs  of  Belshazzar  passed  over  to 
Cyrus  ;  for,  as  Xenophon  relates,  the  tyrant  had  slain  the 
son  of  one,  and  by  way  of  disgrace  castrated  the  other. 
Hence,  then,  it  was  that  they  revolted  from  him  ;  and  Cyrus 
was  instructed  by  them  how  he  could  take  the  city.  The 
fords  were  driedup,  when  Belshazzar  suspected  no  such  thing, 
and  in  the  night  he  heard  that  the  city  was  taken.  Daniel 
gives  a  clearer  description  ;  for  he  says  that  there  was  held 
a  stated  feast,  and  that  the  hand  of  a  writer  appeared  on  the 

I  The  "  earth"  here  is  evidently  the  land  of  Chaldea  or  Babylon, — 
And  tremble  shall  the  land  and  be  in  pain  ; 

For  confirmed  respecting  Babylon  shall  be  the  purposes  of  Jehovah, 
To  set  the  land  of  Babylon  a  waste, 
Without  an  inhabitant. — Ed. 
VOL.  V.  Q 


242  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.       LECT.  OLXXXIX. 

wall,  and  that  the  king,  being  frightened,  had  heard  from 
Daniel  that  the  end  of  liis  kingdom  was  near  at  hand,  and 
that  the  city  was  taken  that  very  night.  (Dan.  v.  25-30.) 
Hence  the  Prophet  says  now  that  the  valiant  men  desisted, 
so  that  they  did  not  fight.  He  indeed  speaks  of  what  w^as 
future,  but  'we  know  what  was  the  manner  of  the  prophets, 
for  they  related  what  was  to  come  as  though  it  had  already 
taken  place. 

He  afterwards  adds,  that  they  sat  down  in  their  fortresses, 
for  the  city  was  not  taken  by  storm — there  was  no  fighting  ; 
but  the  forces  passed  silently  through  the  fords,  and  the 
soldiers  entered  into  the  middle  of  tlie  city  ;  the  king  was 
slain  together  with  all  his  satraps,  and  then  all  parts  of  the 
city  were  taken  possession  of.  We  now,  then,  see  that  the 
Spirit  of  God  spoke  by  the  mouth  of  Jeremiah,  as  of  a  thing 
that  had  already  taken  place. 

He  then  adds,  that  their  valour  had  failed  or  languished, 
even  because  terror  stupified  them  when  they  heard  that  the 
city  was  taken.  So  also  true  became  what  is  added,  that 
they  became  women,  that  they  were  like  women  as  to  cour- 
age, for  no  one  dared  to  oppose  the  conquerors.  Fighting 
might  have  still  been  carried  on  by  so  large  a  multitude, 
yea,  they  might  have  engaged  with  their  enemies  in  hundred 
or  in  thousand  of  the  streets  of  the  city,  for  it  would  have 
been  easy  in  the  niglit  to  distress  them  :  but  the  Prophet 
says,  that  they  all  became  women  as  to  courage.  At  last, 
he  adds,  that  burnt  by  enemies  ivere  the  palaces,  and  that 
the  bars  of  the  gates  were  broken  ;  for  no  one  dared  to  sum- 
mon to  arms  after  it  was  heard  that  the  city  was  taken.  It 
follows, — 

.31.  One  post  shall  nm  to  meet  31.  Cursor  in  occiirsum  cursoris 
another,  and  one  messen<?er  to  cucurrit  {vel,  curret,  ad  verbum)  et 
meet  another,  to  shew  the  king  of  nuntius  in  occursum  nuntii  ad  nun- 
Babylon  that  his  city  is  taken  at  tiandum  regi  Bahylonis,  quod  capta 
one  end.  sit  urbs  ejus  ab  extremitate. 

This  also  was  fulfilled  according  to  the  testimony  of  liea- 

then  authors,  as  well  as  of  Daniel.    They  do  not  indeed  repeat 

these  words,  but  according  to  the  whole  tenor  of  history  we 

may  easily  conclude  that  messengers  ran  here  and  there,  for 

the  Babylonians  never  thought  that  the  enemy  could  so  sud- 


CHAP.  LI.  31.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  243 

denly  penetrate  into  the  city,  for  there  was  no  entrance. 
We  have  seen  how  high  the  walls  were,  for  there  were  no 
muskets  then,  and  the  walls  could  not  have  been  beaten 
down.  There  were  indeed  battering-rams  ;  but  what  was 
the  breadth  of  the  walls  ?  even  fifty  feet,  as  already  stated, 
so  that  four  horses  abreast  could  pass  without  coming  into 
contact.  There  w^as  then  no  battering-ram  that  could  throw 
down  walls  so  thick.  As  to  the  fords,  the  thing  seemed 
incredible ;  so  that  they  kept  a  feast  in  perfect  security. 
In  such  an  irruption,  what  our  Prophet  testifies  here  must 
have  necessarily  happened.  But  it  is  quite  evident  that  he 
was  the  instrument  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  for  Cyrus  was  not 
as  yet  born  when  this  prophecy  was  announced.  We  hence 
then  know,  that  the  holy  man  was  guided  from  above,  and 
that  what  he  said  was  not  produced  in  his  own  head,  but 
was  really  celestial ;  for  he  could  not  have  divined  any  such 
thing,  nor  was  it  through  probable  conjecture  that  he  was 
able  thus  to  speak  and  lead  the  Jews,  as  it  were,  into  the 
very  scene  itself. 

Nor  is  there  a  doubt  but  that  his  authority  was  afterwards 
confirmed  when  the  fathers  told  their  children,  "  So  have 
we  heard  from  the  mouth  of  the  Prophet  what  we  now 
see  with  our  eyes ;  and  yet  no  man  could  have  conjectured 
any  such  thing,  nor  have  discovered  it  by  reason  or  clear- 
sightedness :  hence  Jeremiah  must  have  necessarily  been 
taught  by  the  Spirit  of  God.''  This,  then,  is  the  reason 
why  God  designed  that  the  destruction  of  Babylon  should 
be,  as  we  see,  so  graphically  described. 

He  then  says,  A  runner  ran  to  meet  a  runner,  and  then, 
a  messenger  to  meet  a  messenger,  to  tell  the  king  of  Babylon 
that  his  city  was  taken  at  its  extremity?  Had  this  been  said 
of  a  small  city,  it  might  have  appeared  ridiculous :  why  are 
these  runners  ?  one  might  say.  But  it  has  been  sufficiently 
shewn,  that  so  extensive  was  that  city,  that  runners,  passing 
through  many  fields,  might  have  come  to  the  king,  and  convey 
the  news  that  the  city  was  taken  at  one  of  its  extremities. 

'  It  seems  to  have  been  taken  at  its  two  extremities :  hence  the  run- 
ners met  each  other  at  the  king's  palace,  from  both  ends  of  the  city,  and 
each  said,  that  it  was  taken  at  its  end. — Ed. 


2i4  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.       LECT.  CLXXXIX. 

And  heathen  writers  cannot  sufficiently  eulogize  the  con- 
trivance and  skill  of  Cyrus,  that  he  thus  took  possession  of 
so  great  a  city  ;  for  he  might  have  only  secured  one  half  of 
it,  and  Belshazzar  might  have  retained  the  other  half,  and 
might  have  hravely  contested  with  Cyrus  and  all  his  forces ; 
and  he  would  have  no  doubt  overcome  him,  had  it  not  been 
for  the  wonderful  and  unusual  expedition  of  Cyrus.  This 
haste,  then,  or  expedition  of  Cyrus,  is  what  the  Prophet  now 
sets  forth,  when  he  says  that  messengei^s  ran  to  the  king  to 
tell  him  that  the  city  was  taken.  He  now  adds,  respecting 
other  things,  what  no  one  could  have  divined, — 

32.  And  that  the  passag-es  are  stop-  32.    Et     vada     capta     sunt,    et 

ped,  and  the  reeds  they  have  burnt  stagna   exusta   sunt    igni,    et    viri 

Avith  fire,  and  the  men  of  war  are  af-  proelii    {^Iioc    est,   bellicosi)   conter- 

frighted.  riti  sunt. 

This  verse  most  clearly  proves  that  Jeremiah  was  God's 
herald,  and  that  his  language  was  under  the  guidance  of 
the  celestial  Spirit ;  for  lie  sets  forth  the  manner  in  which 
Babylon  was  taken,  as  though  he  had  witnessed  it  with  his 
own  eyes. 

He  says  that  the  fords  were  taken,  and  that  the  pools  were 
hurnt  loith  fire.  We  do  not  read  that  Cyrus  had  made  use 
of  fire  ;  and  some  render  pools,  reeds,  but  there  is  no  reason 
to  constrain  us  so  to  render  the  word  ;  for  the  Prophet 
speaks  metaphorically.  Their  object  was  to  give  a  literal 
rendering,  by  saying  that  reeds  were  burnt  ;  but  the  Pro- 
phet shews,  speaking  hyperbolically,  that  the  fords  of  the 
Euphrates  were  dried  up,  as  though  one  burned  wood  by  ap- 
plying fire  to  it.  This,  indeed,  is  not  suitable  to  water  ;  but 
he,  by  a  hyperbole,  expresses  more  fully  the  miracle  wliich 
might  have  otherwise  exceeded  human  comprehension.  He 
then  says,  that  the  fords  were  dried  up,  and  then  adds,  that 
the  pools  were  burnt.  The  same  thing  is  expressed  twice, 
but  in  a  different  way  ;  and  as  I  have  already  said,  he  states 
hyperbolically,  that  such  was  the  skill  of  Cyrus  and  his 
army,  tliat  he  made  dry  the  fords  and  the  pools,  as  though 
one  collected  a  large  heap  of  wood  and  consumed  it  with  fire.^ 
We  now  perceive  the  design  of  tlie  Prophet. 

'  Tlic  word  D'')01li<,  properly  pools,  is  probably  a  nietononiy  for  what 
they  grow,  even  reeds  or  bulrushes,  especially  as  the  same  word,  in  some- 


CHAP.  LI.  So.  COMMENTAKIES  UN  JEKEMIAII.  245 

He  afterwards  adds,  that  the  men  of  war  were  broken  in 
pieces.  For  though  the  fords  were  made  dry,  that  is,  the 
streams  which  were  drawn  from  the  Euplirates,  jet  the 
guards  of  tlie  city  might  have  still  kept  possession  of  a  part 
of  it,  and  have  manfully  resisted,  so  as  to  prevent  the  soldiers 
of  Cyrus  from  advancing  farther;  but  the  city  was  so  craftily 
taken,  that  the  Babylonians  were  so  terrified  as  not  to  dare 
to  raise  up  a  finger,  when  yet  they  might  have  defended  a 
part  of  the  city,  though  one  part  of  it  was  taken. 

PRAYER. 

Grant,  Almighty  God,  that  as  thou  didst  formerly  testify  thy 
favour  towards  thy  Church  by  not  sparing  the  greatest  of  mo- 
narchies,— O  grant  that  we  may  know  thee  at  this  day  to  be  the 
same  towards  all  thy  faithful  people  who  call  upon  thee  ;  and  as 
the  power  and  cruelty  of  our  enemies  are  so  great,  raise  thou  up 
thine  hand  against  them,  and  shew  that  thou  art  the  perpetual 
defender  of  thy  Chiu-ch,  so  that  we  may  have  reason  to  magnify 
thy  goodness  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord. — Amen. 

^tttuxt  iBm  ?§ttntitetJ  anU  ^inttitti). 

33.  For  thus  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,         33.   Quoniam  sic  dicit  Jehova 

the  God  of  Israel,  The  daughter  of  exercituum,     Deus    Israel,    fiha 

Babylon  is  like  a  threshing  floor  :  it  is  Babylonis  tanquam  area,  tempus 

time  to  thresh  her  :  yet  a  little  Avhile,  calcandre   ejus ;  adhuc  paidisper, 

and  the  time  of  her  harvest  shall  come,  et  veniet  messis  ci. 

By  this  similitude  the  Prophet  confirms  what  he  had  be- 
fore said,  even  that  God  would  be  the  avenger  of  his  Church, 
and  would  justly  punish  the  Babylonians,  but  at  the  suit- 
able time,  which  is  usually  called  in  Scripture  the  time  of 
visitation.  He  then  compares  Babylon  to  a  threshing-floor, 
not  indeed  in  the  sense  which  interpreters  have  imagined, 
but  because  the  threshino'-floor  onlv  serves  for  the  time  of 

what  another  form,  |D!IS,  clearly  means  a  reed.  See  Isaiah  ix.  14  ;  xix. 
15.  But  what  these  reeds  were,  authors  are  at  a  loss  to  know.  _  It  is  said 
in  the  thirtieth  verse,  that  they  "  burnt  her  habitations  ; '  may  it  not  have 
been,  that  they  were  such  as  were  made  of  reeds  ?  Then  the  whole  verse 
appears  intelligible  ;  the  passages  (that  is,  the  entrances  from  the  river, 
whose  streams  were  diverted)  were  seized  on,  and  such  houses  as  were  in 
part  built  of  reeds  were  set  on  lire ;  hence  the  men  were  frightened. — 
Ed. 


246  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CXC. 

harvest,  and  is  afterwards  closed  up  and  not  used.  Baby- 
lon, then,  had  been  for  a  long  time  like  a  thresh  ing-flooi;, 
because  there  had  been  no  treading  there,  that  is,  no  noise 
or  shouting.  But  God  declares  that  the  time  of  harvest 
would  come,  when  the  threshing-floor  would  be  used.  Oxen 
did  then  tread  the  corn  ;  for  the  corn  was  not  beaten  out 
with  flails,  as  with  us  and  in  most  places  in  France,  tliough 
the  inhabitants  of  Provence  still  use  the  treading.  In  Ju- 
dea  they  tread  out  the  corn  on  floors,  and  oxen  were  used 
for  the  purpose.  Now,  the  reason  for  the  similitude  seems 
evident ;  for  the  time  would  come  when  God  would  smite 
Babylon,  as  oxen  after  harvest  tread  out  with  their  feet  the 
corn  on  the  threshing-floor,  which  for  the  rest  of  the  year 
is  not  wanted,  but  remains  closed  up  and  quiet.  Hence  I 
have  said  that  what  we  have  before  seen  as  to  the  time  of 
visitation  is  confirmed  ;  for  it  was  strange  at  the  first  view 
to  promise  deliverance  to  the  Jews,  while  yet  Babylon  was 
increasing  more  and  more  and  extending  the  limits  of  its 
monarchy.  (Isa.  xxviii.  24-26.)  God  shews  in  that  pas- 
sage that  it  was  no  matter  of  wonder  if  he  did  not  daily 
exercise  his  judgments  in  an  equal  degree  ;  and  he  bids  us 
to  consider  how  husbandmen  act,  for  they  do  not  sow  at  the 
same  time  wheat  and  barley  and  other  kinds  of  grain  ;  nor 
do  they  always  plough,  or  always  reap,  but  wait  for  season- 
able times.  "  Since,  then,  husbandmen  arc  endowed  with 
so  much  care  and  foresight  as  I  have  taught  them,  why  may 
not  I  also  have  my  times  rightly  distributed,  so  that  there 
may  be  now  the  harvest,  and  then  the  treading  or  thresh- 
ing ?  and  should  I  not  at  one  time  sow  wheat,  and  at  another 
cumin  V  for  the  Prophet  adds  these  several  sorts.  The 
same  is  the  mode  of  reasoning  in  this  place,  though  tlie 
Prophet  sj^eaks  more  briefly. 

He  then  says  that  Babylon  would  be  like  a  thrcsliing- 
floor,  and  how  ?  because  it  had  been  as  a  place  closed  up 
and  wholly  quiet ;  for  God  had  spared  the  Clialdeans,  and, 
as  we  shall  hereafter  see,  they  had  been  so  inebriated  with 
pleasures  that  they  feared  no  danger. 

And  then  immediately  he  explains  himself, — it  is  time  to 
tread  or  thresh  Iter.     Then  Babylon  became  like  a  thresh- 


CHAP.  LI.  S3.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  24? 

ing-floor,  for  slio  had  not  been  trodden  or  threshed  for  a 
long  time,  as  the  threshing-floor  is  not  used  for  nine  or  ten 
months  through  the  wliole  year.  But  he  adds,  yet  a  little 
while,  and  come  luill  her  harvest. 

We  learn  from  this  and  other  passages  that  treading  or 
threshing  was  in  use  among  the  Jews  and  other  eastern 
nations  only  during  harvest.  In  other  places,  corn  is  often 
kept  in  the  ears  for  five  and  six  years.  Some  thresh  the 
corn  after  six,  or  eight,  or  nine  months,  as  it  suits  their  con- 
venience. But  there  are  many  countries  where  the  corn  is 
immediately  threshed  ;  it  is  not  stored  up,  but  is  immedi- 
ately conveyed  to  the  threshing-floor,  and  there  it  is  trod- 
den by  oxen  or  threshed  with  flails.  As  then  it  was  usual 
immediately  to  tread  the  corn,  hence  God  declares  that 
the  time  of  harvest  would  come  when  Babylon  would  be 
trodden,  as  the  threshing-floor  is  trodden  after  harvest. ■'• 

We  must  observe  that  a  little  while  is  not  to  be  under- 
stood according  to  the  notions  of  men  ;  for  though  God  sus- 
pends his  judgments,  he  yet  never  delays  beyond  the  time  ; 
on  the  contrary,  he  performs  his  work  with  all  due  celerity. 
The  Prophet  Haggai  says,  "  Yet  a  little  while,  and  I  will 
shake  the  heaven  and  the  earth.''  (Hag.  ii.  7.)  But  this 
was  not  fulfilled  till  many  years  after.  But  we  must  re- 
member what  is  in  Habakkuk, — ^'  If  the  vision  delays,  wait 
for  it,  for  it  will  come  and  will  not  be  slow.''  (Hab.  ii.  5.) 
He  says  that  prophecies  delay,  that  is,  according  to  the 
judgment  of  men,  who  make  too  much  haste,  and  are  even 
carried  away  headlong  by  their  own  desires.  But  God 
performs   his  work  with    sufficient   celerity,   provided   we 

1  By  identifying  the  time  of  threshing  and  the  time  of  harvest,  it  is  that 
we  can  see  the  meaning  of  this  verse.  Mention  is  first  made  of  threshing 
or  treading — the  punishment  prepared  for  Babylon  ;  then  it  is  said  that 
what  led  to  that— the  harvest,  would  shortly  come.  The  verb  "  come"  is 
to  be  understood  in  the  third  line,  it  being  given  only  in  the  last, — 

33.  For  thus  saith  Jehovah  of  hosts,  the  God  of  Israel, — 
Babylon  shall  he  like  a  threshing-floor  ; 
Come  shall  the  time  of  threshing  her  ; 
Yet  a  little  while,  and  come  to  her  shall  the  time  of  harvest. 

The  order  as  to  threshing  and  harvest  is  similar  to  what  is  often  found 
in  the  prophets, — the  last  tiling,  being  the  main  thing,  is  mentioned  first, 
and  then  what  precedes  or  leads  to  it. — Ed. 


248  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CXC. 

allow  him  to  arrange  the  times  according  to  his  own  will, 
as  it  is  just  and  right  for  us  to  do.  Whenever,  then,  the 
ungodly  enjoy  ease  and  securely  indulge  themselves,  let  this 
fact  come  to  our  own  minds,  that  the  threshing-floor  is  not 
alwavs  trodden,  but  that  the  time  of  harvest  will  come  when- 
ever  it  pleases  God.  This  is  tlie  use  we  ought  to  make  of 
what  is  here  said.     It  follows, — 

34.  Nebuchadnezzar  the  king  of  34.  Comedit    me,    contrivit   me 

Babylon  hath  devoured  me,  he  hath  Nabuchadnezer      rex     Babylonis  ; 

crashed  me,  he  hath  made  me  an  posuit  me  (locavit,  ad  verbum)  vas 

empty  vessel,  he  hath  swallowed  me  inane  ;  diglutivit  me  tanquam  draco, 

up  like  a  dragon,  he  hath  filled  his  implevit  ventrem  suum  dehciis  meis, 

belly  with  my  delicates,  he  hath  cast  ejecit  me. 
me  out. 

Here  is  mentioned  the  complaint  of  the  chosen  people, 
and  this  was  done  designedly  by  Jeremiah,  in  order  tliat 
the  Jews  might  feel  assured  that  their  miseries  were  not 
overlooked  by  God  ;  for  nothing  can  distress  us  so  much  as 
to  think  that  God  forgets  us  and  disregards  the  wrongs  done 
to  us  by  the  ungodly.  Hence  the  Prophet  here  sets  the 
Israelites  in  God's  presence,  that  they  might  be  convinced 
in  their  own  minds  that  they  were  not  disregarded  by  God, 
and  that  he  was  not  indifferent  to  the  unjust  and  cruel 
treatment  thev  received  from  their  enemies.  For  this  com- 
plaint  is  made,  as  though  they  expostulated  with  God  in 
his  presence. 

lie  then  says.  Devoured  me  and  broken  me  in  pieces  has 
Nebuchadnezzar,  the  king  of  Babylon.^  The  word,  to  eat, 
or  devour,  was  enough  ;  but  Jeremiah  wished  to  express 
something  more  atrocious  by  adding  the  word,  to  break  in 
pieces  p'  for  he  intimates  that  Babylon  had  not  been  like  a 
man  who  devours  meat  set  before  him,  but  that  she  had 
been  a  cruel  wild  beast,  who  breaks  in  pieces  the  very  bones. 

'  The  pronoun  after  the  verbs  in  this  verse  is  in  the  plural  number,  iw, 
according  to  the  present  Hebrew  text,  but  according  to  the  Kcri  and 
several  copies,  it  is  in  the  singular  number,  »ne.  The  authority  as  to 
MSS.  is  nearly  equal ;  only  the  latter  reading  is  favoured  by  the  versions 
and  the  Targ  ,  and  also  by  the  verse  which  follows. — Ed. 

'  The  common  meaning  of  the  verb  is,  violently  to  disturb,  but  it  is  evi- 
dently used  in  the  sense  of  breaking,  crushing,  or  breaking  in  pieces,  in 
Isa.  xx\  iii.  28  ;  and  this  is  the  most  suitable  sense  here,  as  it  follows  "  de- 
vouring."— AW. 


CHAP.  LI.  34;.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  249 

We  now,  then,  understand  the  design  of  the  Prophet ;  he 
amplifies  the  savageness  of  the  king  of  Babylon,  by  saying 
that  God's  people  had  not  only  been  devoured  by  him  as 
men  swallow  down  their  food,  but  that  they  had  also  been 
torn  in  pieces  by  his  teeth,  as  though  he  had  been  a  lion, 
or  a  bear,  or  some  other  wild  animal  ;  for  these  not  only  de- 
vour their  prey,  but  also  with  their  teeth  break  in  pieces 
whatever  is  harder  than  flesh,  such  as  bones. 

For  the  same  purpose  he  adds,  He  has  set  me  an  empty 
vessel,  that  is,  he  has  wholly  exhausted  mc,  as  when  one 
empties  a  flagon  or  a  cask.  Then  he  says,  he  has  swalloxued 
me  like  a  dragon}  It  is  a  comparison  difi'erent  from  the 
former,  but  yet  very  suitable  ;  for  dragons  are  those  who 
devour  a  whole  animal ;  and  this  is  what  the  Prophet 
means.  Though  these  comparisons  do  not  in  everything 
agree,  yet  as  to  the  main  thing  they  are  most  appropriate, 
even  to  shew  that  God  suftered  his  people  to  be  devoured, 
as  though  they  had  been  exposed  to  the  teeth  of  a  lion  or  a 
bear,  or  as  though  they  had  been  a  prey  to  a  dragon. 

He  adds,  Filled  has  he  his  belli/  with  my  delicacies,  that 
is,  whatever  delicate  thing  I  had,  he  has  consumed  it.  He 
then  says,  he  has  cast  off  the  remnant,  like  wolves  and  lions 
and  other  wild  beasts,  who,  when  they  have  more  prey  than 
what  suffices  them,  choose  what  is  most  savoury  ;  for  they 
choose  the  head  of  man  that  they  may  eat  the  brain  ;  they 
suck  the  blood,  but  leave  the  intestines  and  whatever  they 
do  not  like.  So  also  the  Prophet  says  here  of  the  miserable 
Jews,  that  they  had  been  so  devoured  that  the  enemy,  hav- 
ing been  satiated,  had  cast  off"  the  remainder.^ 

We  hence  learn  that  God's  people  had  been  so  exposed  to 
plunder,  that  the  conqueror  was  not  only  satisfied,  but  cast 
away  here  and  there  what  remained  ;  for  satiety,  as  it  is 
well  known,  produces  loathsomeness.  But  the  Prophet  refers 
to  the  condition  of  the  miserable  people  ;  for  their  wealth 

'  Or  a  sea-monster,  or  a  whale,  who  devours  smaller  fish  whole  and 
entire. — Ed. 

2  The  last  verb  is  left  out  by  the  Sept.,  rendered  '*cast  out,"'  by  tlie 
Viihj. ;  "  destroyed,"  by  the  Sp\  ;  "  made  to  emigrate,"  by  the  Tar^/. 
The  verb  properly  means  to  drive  out  or  away;  and  their  ejection  from 
the  land  is  what  is  meant. — Ed. 


250  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CXC. 

had  been  swallowed  up  by  the  Chaldeans,  but  their  house- 
hold furniture  was  plundered  by  the  neighbouring  nations  ; 
and  the  men  themselves  had  been  driven  into  exile,  so  that 
there  came  a  disgraceful  scattering.  They  were  then  scat- 
tered into  various  countries,  and  some  were  left  througli 
contempt  in  the  land  ;  thus  was  fulfilled  what  is  said  here, 
"  He  has  cast  me  out,''  even  because  these  wild  beasts,  the 
Chaldeans,  became  satiated  ;  meat  was  rejected  by  them,  be- 
cause they  could  not  consume  all  that  was  presented  to  them. 

By  these  figurative  terms,  as  it  has  been  stated,  is  set 
forth  the  extreme  calamity  of  the  people ;  and  the  Prophet 
no  doubt  intended  to  meet  such  thoughts  as  might  otherwise 
have  proved  very  harassing  to  the  Jews.  For  as  they  found 
no  end  to  their  evils,  they  might  have  thought  that  they 
had  been  so  cast  away  by  God  as  to  become  the  most  miser- 
able of  men.  This  is  the  reason  why  our  Prophet  antici- 
pates what  might  have  imbittered  the  minds  of  the  godly, 
and  even  driven  them  to  despair.  He  then  says,  that  not- 
withstanding all  the  things  which  had  happened,  yet  God 
had  not  forgotten  his  people  ;  for  all  these  things  were  done 
as  in  his  sight. 

With  regard  to  us,  were  God  not  only  to  double  the  cala- 
mities of  his  Church,  but  also  to  afflict  it  in  an  extreme  de- 
gree, yet  what  the  Prophet  says  here  ought  to  afford  us  aid, 
even  that  God's  chosen  people  were  formerly  so  consumed, 
that  the  remainder  was  cast  away  in  contempt ;  for  the  con- 
queror, though  insatiable,  could  not  yet  consume  all  that  he 
got  as  a  prey,  because  his  cupidity  could  not  contain  it. 
It  now  follows, — 

35.  The  violence  done  to  me  and  35.  Violentia  mea  (sed  passive 
to  my  flesh  be  upon  Babylon,  shall  accipitur,aliivertunt,ra.ipina.m,quod 
the  inhabitant  of  Zion  say  ;  and,  ide7n  est)  et  caro  mea  contra  Baliy- 
My  blood  upon  the  inhabitants  of  lonem,  dicet  (vel,  dicat)  habitatrix 
Chaldea,  shall  Jerusalem  say.  Sion,   sanguis  meus  contra  habita- 

tores  Chaldffije,  dicat  Jerusalem. 

3G.  Therefore  thus  saith  the  Lord,  3G.  Proptcrea  sic  dicit  Jehova, 
Behold,  I  will  plead  thy  cause,  and  Ecce  ego  litigans  litem  tuam  (hoc  esU 
take  vengeance  for  thee  :  and  I  will  disceptans  causam  tuam,  vel,  cogni- 
dry  up  her  sea,  and  make  lier  springs  tor  causje  tua},)  et  vindicans  vindic- 
(Iry.  tarn  tuam  ;  et  arcfaciam  marc  ejus, 

et  exsiccabo  fontem  ejus. 

Jeremiah  goes  on  with  the  same  subject ;  for,  after  hav- 


CHAP.  LI.  S5,  36.       COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  251 

ing  shewn  that  the  calamities  of  the  people  were  not  un- 
known to  God,  he  now,  in  an  indireot  way,  exhorts  the 
faithful  to  deposit  their  complaints  in  the  bosom  of  God, 
and  to  apply,  or  appeal  to  him,  as  their  defender.  The  de- 
sign, then,  of  the  Prophet  is,  (after  having  exj^lained  how 
grievously  the  Jews  had  been  afflicted,)  to  shew  them  that 
their  only  remedy  was,  to  j3ee  to  God,  and  to  plead  their 
cause  before  hira. 

And  this  passage  is  entitled  to  particular  notice,  so  that 
we  may  also  learn  in  extreme  evils,  when  all  things  seem 
hopeless,  to  discover  our  evils  to  God,  and  thus  to  unburden 
our  anxieties  in  his  bosom.  For  how  is  it,  that  sorrow  often 
overwhelms  us,  except  that  we  do  not  follow  what  God's  Spirit 
prescribes  to  us  ?  For  it  is  said  in  the  Psalms,  "  Roll  thy 
cares  into  God's  bosom,  and  he  will  sustain  thee,  and  will 
not  give  the  righteous  to  a  perpetual  change."  (Psalm  Iv. 
23.)  We  may,  then,  by  prayer,  unburden  ourselves,  and 
this  is  the  best  remedy :  but  we  murmur,  and  sometimes 
clamour,  or  at  least  we  bite  and  champ  the  bridle,  according 
to  a  common  proverb  ;  and,  in  the  meantime,  we  neglect 
the  chief  thing,  and  what  the  Prophet  teaches  us  here. 

We  ought,  then,  carefully  to  mark  the  design  of  what  is 
here  taught,  when  it  is  said,  7ny  violence  and  my  flesh  be 
upo7i  Babylon.  When  he  adds.  Say  xuill  (or  let)  the  daugh- 
ter of  Sion,  he  no  doubt  shews  that  the  faithful  have  al- 
ways this  consolation  in  their  extreme  calamities,  that  they 
can  expostulate  with  God  as  to  their  enemies  and  their 
cruelty.  Then  he  says,  my  plunder  or  violence;  some  ren- 
der it  "  the  plunder  of  me,"  which  is  harsh.  But  the  mean- 
ing of  the  Prophet  is  not  ambiguous,  for  it  follows  afterwards, 
my  flesh.  Then  violence  was  that  which  was  done  by  enemies. 
But  the  people  is  here  spoken  of  under  the  name  of  a  woman, 
according  to  what  is  commonly  done.  Let  the  inhabitress  of 
Sion  say,  My  plunder  and  my  flesh.  By  the  second  word  the 
Prophet  shews  sufficiently  plain  what  he  understood  by  plun- 
der. My  flesh,  he  says,  (even  that  which  the  Chaldeans 
had  devoured  and  consumed,)  be  on  Babylon.  This  is  of  the 
greatest  weight,  for  by  these  words  he  intimates,  that  though 
the  Chaldeans  thought  that  they  had  exercised  with  impunity 


252  COMMEl^TAUIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CXC. 

tlieir  cruelty  towards  the  Jews,  yet  their  innocent  blood  cried, 
and  was  opposed  to  •them  as  an  enemy. 

To  the  same  purpose  he  afterwards  adds,  Let  Jerusalem 
say,  My  blood  is  upon  the  Chaldeans. 

Then  follows  a  clearer  explanation,  when  God  promises 
that  he  would  be  the  avenger  of  his  chosen  people,  and  that 
whatever  the  Jews  had  suffered  would  be  rendered  to  Baby- 
lon :  Therefore  thus  saith  Jehovah,  Behold,  1  will  litigate  thy 
quarrel.  B}^  this  passage  we  are  taught  to  present  our  com- 
plaints to  God,  if  w^e  wisli  him  to  undertake  our  cause  ;  for 
when  we  are  silent,  he  will  in  his  turn  rest,  as  he  considers 
us  unworthy  of  being  helped.  But  if  we  cry  to  him,  he  will 
doubtless  hear  us.  Then  we  must  remember  the  order  of 
things,  for  the  Prophet  says  on  the  one  hand.  Let  Jerusalem 
cry,  let  the  daughter  of  Sion  say  ;  and  on  the  other  liand  he 
says.  Therefore  God  will  come  and  hear  the  cry  of  his 
people. 

He  says,  first,  Behold,  I  will  plead  thy  cause,  and  then,  1 
■tvill  vindicate  or  avenge  thy  vengeance.  These  arc  hard 
words  to  Latin  ears  ;  but  yet  they  contain  more  force  and 
power  than  if  we  were  to  follow  the  elegance  of  the  Latin 
tongue.  It  is  then  better  to  retain  the  genuine  terms  than 
to  study  neatness  too  much. 

In  short,  God  promises  to  be  the  defender  of  his  people, 
and  by  using  the  demonstrative  particle,  he  doubtless  re- 
moves every  doubt,  as  though  the  thing  was  now  present. 
AVe  know  that  more  than  seventy  years  had  elapsed  since 
God  had  spoken  thus  ;  for  as  it  has  been  already  stated,  it 
was  not  after  the  taking  of  the  city  that  Jeremiah  prophesied 
against  the  Chaldeans  :  but  though  God  suspended  his  judg- 
ment and  vengeance  for  seventy  years  after  the  destruction 
of  the  city,  yet  this  was  said,  Behold,  I,  as  though  he  brought 
the  faithful  to  witness  the  event ;  and  this  was  done  for  the 
sake  of  certainty. 

Now,  we  hence  learn,  that  though  God  humbles  his 
people,  and  suffers  them  even  to  be  ovcrwlielmed  with  ex- 
treme miseries,  he  will  at  length  become  the  avenger  of  all 
tlie  wrongs  which  they  may  have  endured  ;  for  what  has 
been  said  of  the  destruction  of  the  people  has  a  reference  to 


CHAP.  Ll.Oi.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  253 

US  ;  nay,  what  is  liere  said,  has  not  been  left  on  record  ex- 
cept for  our  benefit.  And  further,  let  us  learn,  as  I  have 
before  reminded  you,  to  prepare  our  minds  for  patience 
whenever  God  seems  to  forsake  us.  Let  us,  at  the  same 
time  exercise  ourselves  constantly  in  prayer,  and  God  will 
hear  our  groans  and  complaints,  and  regard  our  tears. 

It  is  afterwards  added,  /  will  make  dry  her  sea  ;  for  Baby- 
lon, as  it  has  been  already  stated,  was  surrounded  by  the 
streams  of  the  Euphrates  ;  and  there  was  no  easy  access  to 
it.  The  Prophet  then  compares  the  fortifications  of  Baby- 
lon to  a  sea  and  2l  fountain.  For  who  would  have  thought 
that  the  Euphrates  could  be  dried  up,  which  is  so  large  a 
river,  and  has  none  equal  to  it  in  all  Europe  ?  Even  the 
Danube  does  not  come  up  to  the  largeness  of  that  river. 
Who  then  would  have  thougl\t  it  possible  that  such  a  river 
could  be  made  dry,  which  was  like  a  sea,  and  its  fountain 
inexhaustible  ?  God  then  intimates  by  these  words,  that 
such  was  his  power,  that  all  obstacles  would  vanish  away, 
and  that  he  was  resolved  at  the  same  time  to  execute  his 
judgment  on  the  Babylonians.     It  afterwards  follows, — 

37.  And   Babylon  shall  become  heaps,  37.  Et    erit    Babylon    in 

a   dwelling-plaee    for    dragons,    an    asto-  acervos,  habitaculura  draco- 

nishment,  and  an  hissing,  without  an  in-  num,  stupor  et  sibilum,  abs- 

habitant,  que  habitatore. 

He  confirms  what  he  had  said,  that  when  God  raised  his 
hand  against  Babylon,  such  would  be  its  destruction,  that 
the  splendour,  which  before  astonished  all  nations,  would  be 
reduced  to  nothing.  Perish,  he  says,  shall  all  the  wealth 
of  Babylon — its  towers  and  its  walls  shall  fall,  and  its  people 
shall  disappear  ;  in  short,  it  shall  become  heaps  of  stones, 
as  he  said  before,  that  it  would  become  a  mountain  of  burn- 
ing. It  is  then  for  the  same  purpose  that  he  now  says  that 
it  would  become  heaps.  But  we  must  bear  in  mind  w^hat 
we  observed  yesterday,  that  it  would  become  such  heaps 
that  they  would  not  be  fit  for  corners,  that  they  could  not 
be  set  in  foundations  ;  for  the  ruins  would  be  wholly  useless 
as  to  any  new  building. 

He  says  that  it  would  become  an  astonishment  and  a 
hissing.     Moses  also  used  these  w^ords,  when  he  threatened 


254  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CXO. 

the  people  with  punishment,  in  case  they  transgressed  the 
law  of  God.  (Deut.  xxviii.  37.)  But  these  threatenings 
extend  to  all  the  ungodly,  and  the  despisers  of  God.  Then 
God  fulfilled  as  to  the  Babylonians  what  he  had  de- 
nounced by  Moses  on  all  the  despisers  of  his  law.  It  then 
follows, — 

38.  They  shall  roar  toge-  38.  Rugient  tanquam  leones,  rugient 
Iher  like  lions :  they  shall  yell  (est  quidem  alium  verbum  sed  ejusdem 
as  lions'  whelps.  sensus)  tanquam  catuli  leonnm. 

Here,  by  another  figure,  Jeremiah  expresses  what  he  had 
said  of  the  destruction  of  Babylon,  even  that  in  the  middle 
of  the  slaughter,  they  would  have  no  strengtli  to  resist :  they 
would,  at  the  same  time,  perish  amidst  great  confusion  ;  and 
thus  he  anticipates  what  might  have  been  advanced  against 
his  prophecy.  For  the  Babylonians  had  been  superior  to  all 
other  nations  ;  how  then  could  it  be,  that  a  powder  so  invin- 
cible should  perish  ?  Though  they  were  as  lions,  says  the 
Prophet,  yet  that  would  avail  nothing  ;  they  will  indeed 
roar,  but  roaring  will  be  of  no  service  to  them  ;  they  will  roar 
as  the  whelps  of  lions,  but  still  they  will  perish. 

"We  now,  then,  understand  the  object  of  this  comparison, 
even  that  the  superior  power  by  which  the  Babylonians  had 
terrified  all  men  would  avail  them  nothing,  for  nothing  would 
remain  for  them  in  their  calamity  except  roaring.^  It  fol- 
lows,— 

39.  In  their  heat  I  will  make  39.  In  calore  ipsormn  ponam 
their  feasts,  and  I  will  make  them  convivia  ipsorum,  et  inebriabo  eos, 
dnmken,  that  they  may  rejoice,  and  ut  exultent,  et  dormiant  somnum 
sleep  a  perpetual  sleep,  and  not  perpetuum,  et  non  expergiscantur, 
wake,  saith  the  Lord.  dicit  Jehova. 

1  Taking  this  verse  in  connexion  with  the  following,  Gataker  and  Lowth 
give  somewhat  another  view, — that  the  Babylonians  roared  like  lions  and 
shouted  with  exultation  before  the  city  was  taken.  It  is  said  by  Herodo- 
tus, that  "  they  ascended  the  walls,  and  capered,  and  loaded  Darius  and 
liis  army  with  reproaches."  They  roared  with  rage  at  their  enemies,  and 
excited  themselves  as  Avhclps  when  beginning  to  hunt  for  themselves,  full 
of  life  and  animation, — 

Together  as  young  lions  shall  they  roar. 

And  rouse  themselves  as  whelps  of  lionesses. 
There  is  a  1  Avanting  before  the  last  verb,  which  is  supi)licd  by  the  Vula., 
Si/r.,  and  the  Targ.  ;  and  it  is  rendered  necessary  by  the  tense  of  the 
verb. —  Ed. 


CHAP.  LI.  39.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  255 

Here,  also,  he  describes  tlie  manner  in  which  Babylon  was 
taken.    And  hence  we  learn,  that  the  Prophet  did  not  speak 
darkly  or  ambiguously,  but  so  shewed,  as  it  were  by  the  finger, 
the  judgment  of  God,  that  the  prophecy  might  be  known  by 
posterity,  in  order  tliat  they  might  understand  that  God's 
Spirit  had  revealed  these  things  by  the  mouth  of  the  Pro- 
phet :  for  no  mortal,  had  he  been  a  hundred  times  endowed 
with  the  spirit  of  divination,  could  ever  have  thus  clearly 
expressed  a  thing  unknown.    But  as  nothing  is  past  or  future 
with  God,  he  thus  plainly  spoke  of  the  destruction  of  Baby- 
lon by  his  Prophet,  that  posterity,  confirmed  by  the  event, 
might  acknowledge  him  to  have  been,  of  a  certainty,  the  in- 
strument of  the  Holy  Spirit.     And  Daniel  afterwards  sealed 
the  prophecy  of  Jeremiah,  when  he  historically  related  what 
had  taken  place  ;  nay,  God  extorted  from  heathen  writers  a 
confession,  so  that  they  became  witnesses  to  the  truth  of 
prophecy.     Though  Xenophon  was  not,  indeed,  by  design  a 
witness  to  Jeremiah,  yet  that  unprincipled  writer,  whose  ob- 
ject was  flattery,  did,  notwithstanding,  render  service  for  God, 
and  sealed,  by  a  public  testimony,  what  had  been  divinely 
predicted  by  Jeremiah. 

In  their  heat,  he  says,  /  luill  make  their  feasts,  that  is,  I 
will  make  them  hot  in  their  feasts ;  for  when  the  king  of 
Babylon  was  drunk,  he  was  slain,  together  with  his  princes 
and  counsellors.  I  will  inebriate  them  that  they  may  exult, 
that  is,  that  they  may  become  wanton.  This  refers  to  their 
sottishness,  for  they  thought  that  they  should  be  always 
safe,  and  ridiculed  Cyrus  for  suffering  so  many  hardships. 
For  he  lived  in  tents,  and  the  siege  had  been  now  long,  and 
there  was  no  want  in  the  city.  Thus,  then,  their  wanton- 
ness destroyed  them.  And  hence  the  Prophet  says  that 
God  would  make  them  hot,  that  they  might  become  wanton 
in  their  pleasures  ;  and  then,  that  they  might  sleep  a  j^er- 
petual  sleep,  that  is,  that  they  might  perish  in  their  luxuiy  -} 

'  "  In  their  heat,"  that  is,  as  it  appears,  of  rage,  while  they  were  roaring 
like  lions.  The  word  rendered  "  feasts"  by  Calvin  and  in  our  version, 
properly  means  drinking,  and  it  is  so  rendered  in  the  early  versions,  and 
more  suitably  here, — 

In  their  heat  I  will  set  for  them  their  drink, 

And  will  make  them  drunk,  that  they  may  leap  for  joy ; 


256  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LEOT.  CXC. 

though  they  had  despised  their  enemy,  yet  they  should  never 

awake ;  for  Babylon,  as  we  observed  yesterday,  might  have 

resisted  for  a  long  time,  but  it  was  at  once  taken.     The 

Babylonians  were   not   afterwards  allowed   to  have  arms. 

Cyrus,  indeed,  suffered  them  to  indulge  in  j^leasures,  but 

took  away  from  them  the  use  of  arms,  deprived  them  of  all 

authority,  so  that  they  lived  in  a  servile  state,  in  the  greatest 

degradation  :  and  then,  in  course  of  time,  they  became  more 

and  more  contemptible,  until  at  length  the  city  w^as  so  over- 

tlirown,  that  nothing  remained  but  a  few  cottages,  and  it 

became  a  mean  village.     We  hence  see  that  whatever  God 

had  predicted  by  his  servant  Jeremiah  was  at  length  fulfilled, 

but  at  the  appropriate  time, — at  the  time  of  treading  or 

threshing,  as  it  has  been  stated.     It  follows, — 

40.  I  will  bring  them  down  40.  Educam  (ad  verbum  est,  descen- 
like  lambs  to  the  slaughter,  like  dere  faciam)  eos  tanquam  agnos  ad  mac- 
rams  with  he-goats.  tationem,  tanquam  arietes  cum  hircis. 

This  is  a  comparison  different  from  the  former,  when  the 
Prophet  said  that  they  would  be  like  lions,  but  as  to  roaring 
only.  But  he  now  shews  how  easy  would  that  ruin  be  when 
it  should  please  God  to  destroy  the  Babylonians.  Then  as 
to  their  cry,  they  were  like  lions ;  but  as  to  the  facility  of 
their  destruction,  they  were  like  lambs  led  to  the  slaughter. 
God  does  not  mean  here  that  they  would  be  endued  with 
so  much  gentleness  as  to  give  themselves  up  to  a  voluntary 
death  ;  but  he  means,  that  however  strong  the  Babylonians 
might  have  previously  been,  and  however  they  might  have 
threatened  all  other  nations,  they  would  then  be  women  in 
courage,  and  be  led  to  the  slaughter  as  though  they  were 
lambs  or  rams. 

Tliis  is  a  comparison  which  occurs  often  in  the  proj^hets, 
for  sacrifices  were  then  daily  made  ;  and  then  the  prophets 
considered  the  destruction  of  the  ungodly  as  a  kind  of  sacri- 
fice ;  for  as  sacrifices  were  offered  under  the  Law  as  evidences 
of  piety  and  worship,  so  when  God  appears  as  a  judge  and 
takes  vengeance  on  the  reprobate,  it  is  tlie  same  as  though 

And  they  shall  sleep  a  perpetual  sleep, 
And  shall  not  awake,  saith  Jehovah. 
It  is  a  clear  allusion  to  the  feast  celebrated  in  liubvlon  the  very  night 
it  was  taken. — />(/. 


CHAP.  LI.  41.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  257 

he  erected  an  altar,  and  thus  exhibited  an  evidence  of  the 

worship  that  is  due  to  him ;  for  his  glory  and  worshi]:)  is 

honoured,  yea,  and  celebrated  by  such  sacrifices.     Then  the 

destiuction  of  all  the  ungodly,  as  we  have  said,  may  be  justly 

compared  to  sacrifices  ;  for  in  such  instances  the  glory  of 

God  shines  forth,  and  this  is  what  especially  belongs  to  his 

worship.     It  at  length  follows, — 

41.  How  is  Sheshach  taken!  and  41,  Quomodo  capta  est  Sesak,  et 
how  is  the  praise  of  the  whole  earth  comprehensa  laus  totius  terrse  ?  quo- 
surprised  !  how  is  Babylon  become  modo  facta  est  Babylon  in  vastita- 
an  astonislmient  among  the  nations !     tern  (vel,  in  stuporem)  inter  cunctas 

gentes  ? 

Here  the  wonder  expressed  by  the  Prophet  tended  to  con- 
firm what  he  had  said,  for  he  thus  dissipated  those  things 
which  usually  disturbed  the  minds  of  the  godly,  so  as  not  to 
give  full  credit  to  his  predictions.  There  is  indeed  no  doubt 
but  that  the  godly  thought  of  many  things  when  they  heard 
Jeremiah  thus  speaking  of  the  destruction  of  Babylon.  It 
ever  occurred  to  them,  "  How  can  this  be  T'  Hence  Jere- 
miah anticipated  such  thoughts,  and  assumed  himself  the 
character  of  one  filled  with  wonder — How  is  Sheshach  taken  ? 
as  though  he  had  said,  "  Though  the  whole  world  should  be 
astonished  at  the  destruction  of  Babylon,  yet  what  I  predict 
is  certain  ;  and  thus  shall  they  find  who  now  admit  not  the 
truth  of  what  I  say,  as  well  as  posterity.'' 

But  he  calls  Babylon  here  Sheshach,  as  in  chapter  xxv. 
Some  think  it  to  be  there  the  proper  name  of  a  man,  and 
others  regard  it  as  the  name  of  a  celebrated  city  in  Clialdea. 
But  we  see  that  what  they  assert  is  groundless  ;  for  this  pas- 
sage puts  an  end  to  all  controversy,  for  in  the  first  clause  he 
mentions  Slieshach,  and  in  the  second,  Babylon.  That  pas- 
sage also  in  chapter  xxv.  cannot  refer  to  anything  else  except 
to  Babylon  ;  for  the  Prophet  said,  "  Drink  shall  all  nations  of 
God's  cup  of  fury,  and  after  them  the  king  of  Sheshach,"  that 
is,  when  God  has  chastised  all  nations,  at  length  the  king 
of  Babylon  shall  have  his  turn.  But  in  this  place  the  Pro- 
phet clearly  shews  that  Sheshach  can  be  nothing  else  than 
Babylon.  The  name  is  indeed  formed  by  inverting  the 
alphabet.  Nor  is  this  a  new  notion  ;  for  they  had  this  retro- 
grading alphabet  in  the  time  of  Jerome.    They  put  H,  tau,  the 

VOL.  V.  R 


258  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CXCI. 

last  letter,  in  tlie  place  of  K,  aleph,  the  first ;  tlien  ^,  shin, 
for  1,  heih :  thus  we  see  how  they  formed  Sheshach.  The  ^, 
shin,  is  found  twice  in  the  word,  the  last  letter  but  one  being 
put  for  ^,  heth,  the  first  letter  but  one ;  and  then  D,  caph, 
is  put  in  the  place  of  /,  lamed,  according  to  the  order  of 
the  retrograde  alphabet.  There  is  no  good  reason  for  what 
some  say,  that  the  Prophet  spoke  thus  obscurely  for  the  sake 
of  the  Jews,  because  the  prophecy  was  disliked,  and  might 
have  created  dangers  to  them ;  for  why  did  he  mention 
Sheshach  and  then  Babylon  in  the  same  verse  ? 

Many  understand  this  passage  enigmatically ;  but  there 
is  no  doubt  but  that  that  alphabet  was  then,  as  we  have 
stated,  in  common  use,  as  we  have  Ziphras,  as  they  call  it, 
at  this  day.  In  the  meantime,  though  the  Prophet  was  not 
timid,  and  encouraged  his  own  people  to  confidence,  it  yet 
pleased  God  that  this  prophecy  should  in  a  manner  be  hidden, 
but  not  that  it  should  be  without  evidence  of  its  certainty, 
for  we  shall  see  in  the  last  verse  but  one  of  this  chapter  that 
he  commanded  the  volume  to  be  thrown  into  the  Euphrates, 
until  the  event  itself  manifested  the  power  of  God,  which  for 
a  long  time  remained  as  it  were  buried,  until  the  time  of 
visitation  came  of  which  he  had  spoken. 

PRAYER. 

Grant,  Almighty  God,  that  since  thou  art  pleased  at  this  day  to 
receive  us  for  thy  people,  we  may  enjoy  the  same  favour  to  the 
end,  and  be  sheltered  under  thy  wings  ;  and  though  we  deserve 
to  be  wholly  cast  away,  yet,  if  thou  chastisest  us  for  a  time,  deal 
with  us  with  moderate  severity,  and  chastise  us  in  judgment,  and 
not  with  extreme  rigour;  and  then,  after  darkness,  let  thy  serene 
face  appear,  until  Ave  shall  at  length  enjoy  that  full  light  to  which 
thou  invitest  us  daily  through  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord. — Amen. 


42.  The  sea  is  come  up  upon  42.  Ascendit  contra  Babylonera 
Babylon :  she  is  covered  with  the  mare,  multitudine  fluctuum  ejus 
multitude  of  the  waves  thereof.  cooperta  est  {vel,  obruta  ) 

The  Prophet  here  employs  a  comparison,  in  order  more 
fully  to  confirm  his  prophecy  respecting  the  destruction  of 


CHAP.  LI.  43.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  259 

Babylon ;  for,  as  it  was  incredible  that  it  could  be  subdued 
by  the  power  or  forces  of  men,  he  compares  the  calamity  by 
which  God  would  overwhelm  it  to  a  deluge.  He  then  says 
that  the  army  of  the  Persians  and  of  the  Medes  would  be 
like  the  sea,  for  it  would  irresistibly  ovei-flow ;  as  when  a 
storm  rises,  the  sea  swells,  so  he  says  the  Medes  and  the 
Persians  would  come  with  such  force,  that  Babylon  would  be 
overwhelmed  with  a  deluge  rather  than  with  the  forces  of 
men.  We  now  then  understand  the  Prophet's  meaning, 
when  he  says  that  Babylon  would  be  covered  with  waves 
when  the  Medes  and  the  Persians  came.     It  then  follows, — 

43.   Her  cities  are  a  de-         43.   Erunt  urbes  ejus  in  vastitatem,  terra 

solation,  a  dry  land,  and  a  deserti  et  siccitatis  {aut,  vastitatis)  terra ;  non 

wilderness,  a  land  wherein  transibit  per  earn  quisquam^  (omnis  homo,) 

no  man  dwelleth,  neither  et  non  habitabit   in   ilia  quisquam    (et  non 

doth  any  son  of  man  pass  transibit  in  ilia,  hoc  est,  per  iUam)  filius  ho- 

thereby.  minis. 

He  repeats  what  he  had  previously  said,  but  we  have  be- 
fore reminded  you  why  he  speaks  so  largely  on  a  subject  in 
itself  not  obscure.  For  he  might  have  comprehended  in  a 
few^  words  all  that  he  had  said  in  the  last  chapter  and  also  in 
this  ;  but  it  was  difficult  to  convince  men  of  what  he  taught 
—  it  was  therefore  necessary  to  dwell  at  large  on  the  subject. 

He  says  now  that  the  cities  of  Babylon,  that  is,  of  that 
monarchy,  would  become  a  desolation.  He  seems  to  have 
hitherto  directed  his  threatenings  against  the  city  itself ; 
but  now  he  declares  that  God's  vengeance  would  extend  to 
all  the  cities  under  the  power  of  the  Chaldean  nation  ;  and 
he  speaks  at  large  of  their  desolation,  for  he  says  that  it 
would  be  a  land  of  desert,  a  land  of  drought,  or  of  filthiness, 
so  that  no  one  would  diuell  in  it.  And  though  he  uses  the 
singular  number  and  repeats  it,  yet  he  refers  to  cities,  Pass 
through  it  shall  no  man,  dwell  in  it  shall  no  man."^     He  in- 

*  The  Sept.  and  the  Syr.  remove  the  incongruity  that  is  in  this  verse ; 
they  supply  D  before  the  "  land"  that  occurs  first,  and  omit  the  second 
"  land."    Then  the  verse  would  read  thus, — 

43.  Become  have  her  cities  a  desolation, 

Like  a  land  of  drought  and  a  wilderness ; 
Dwell  in  them  shall  no  man, 
And  pass  through  them  shall  no  son  of  man. 
The  second  "  land"  is  omitted  in  two  MSS. ;  and  one  has  «  in  her,"  in- 
stead of  «in  ihem."— Ed. 


260  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CXCI. 

deed  speaks  of  the  whole  land,  but  so  that  he  properly 
refers  to  the  cities,  as  though  he  had  said,  that  so  great 
would  be  the  destruction,  that  however  far  and  wide  the 
monarchy  of  Babylon  extended,  all  its  cities  would  be  cut 
off.     It  afterwards  follows, — 

44.  And  1  will  punish  Bel  in  Babylon,  44.  Et  visitabo  super  Bel  in 

and  I  wiU  bring  forth  out  of  his  mouth  Babylone,   et   extrahara    quod 

that  which  he  hath  swallowed  up  :  and  voravit  ab  ore  ejus;  etnoncon- 

the  nations  shall  not  flow  together  any  fluent  ad  ipsum  amplius  gentes ; 

more  unto  him ;  yea,  the  v/all  of  Baby-  etiam   murus  Babylonis    ceci- 

lon  shall  fall.  dit. 

God  again  declares  that  he  would  take  vengeance  on  the 
idols  of  Babylon  ;  not  that  God  is  properly  incensed  against 
idols,  for  they  are  nothing  but  things  made  by  men  ;  but 
that  he  might  shew  how  much  he  detests  all  superstitious 
and  idolatrous  worship.  But  he  speaks  of  Bel  as  though 
it  was  an  enemy  to  himself ;  yet  God  had  no  quarrel  with 
a  dead  figure,  void  of  reason  and  feeling  ;  and  such  a  con- 
test would  have  been  ridiculous.  God,  however,  thus  rises 
up  against  Bel  for  the  sake  of  men,  and  declares  that  it  was 
an  enemy  to  himself,  not  because  the  idol,  as  we  have  said, 
of  itself  deserved  any  punishment. 

But  we  hence  learn  how  detestable  was  that  corruption 
and  that  false  religion.  It  appears  evident  from  heatlien 
writers  that  Bel  was  the  supreme  god  of  the  Clialdean  na- 
tion ;  nay,  that  idol  was  worshipped  throughout  all  Assyria, 
as  all  testify  with  one  consent.  They  thouglit  that  there 
liad  been  a  king  skilful  in  the  knowledge  of  the  stars,  and 
hence  lie  was  placed  by  erring  men  among  the  gods.  But 
we  learn  from  the  prophets  that  this  was  a  very  ancient 
superstition  ;  and  it  is  hardly  probable  that  there  had  been 
any  king  of  this  name — for  otherwise  Isaiah  and  Jeremiah, 
when  predicting  the  ruin  of  this  idol,  would  not  have  been 
silent  on  the  subject.  That  common  opinion,  then,  docs 
not  appear  to  me  probable  ;  but  I  think  that  on  the  contrary 
tliis  name  was  given  to  the  idol  according  to  the  fancies  of 
men  ;  for  no  reason  can  be  found  why  heathen  nations  so 
named  their  false  gods.  It  is  indeed  certain  that  divine 
honour  was  given  to  mortals  by  the  Greeks  and  the  Romans, 
and  by  barbarous   nations.     But   the   worship  of  Bel  was 


CHAP.  LI.  44.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  261 

more  ancient  than  the  time  when  such  a  thing  was  done. 
And  in  such  veneration  was  that  idol  held,  that  from  it 
they  called  some  of  their  precious  stones.  They  consecrated 
the  eye-stone  to  the  god  of  the  Assyrians,  because  it  was  a 
gem  of  great  price.     {See  Plin.  lib.  xxxvii.  cap.  10.) 

Jeremiah,  then,  now  declares  that  Bel  would  be  exposed 
to  God's  vengeance,  not  that  God,  as  we  have  said,  was 
angry  with  that  statue,  but  he  intended  in  this  way  to 
testify  how  much  he  abominated  the  ungodly  worship  in 
which  the  Chaldeans  delighted.  Nor  did  he  so  much  regard 
the  Chaldeans  as  the  Jews  ;  for  I  have  often  reminded  you 
that  it  was  a  hard  trial,  which  might  have  easily  endan- 
gered the  faith  of  the  people,  to  think  that  the  Chaldeans 
had  not  obtained  so  many  and  so  remarkable  victories,  ex- 
cept God  had  favoured  them.  The  Jews  might  on  this 
account  have  had  some  doubts  respecting  the  temple  and 
the  law  itself  As  then  the  Babylonians  triumphed  when 
success  accompanied  them,  it  was  necessary  to  fortify  the 
minds  of  the  godly,  that  they  might  remain  firm,  though 
the  Babylonians  boasted  of  their  victories.  Lest  the  faith- 
ful should  succumb  under  their  trials,  the  prophets  supplied 
a  suitable  remedy,  which  is  done  here  by  Jeremiah.  God 
then  declares  that  he  would  visit  Bel ;  for  what  reason  and 
to  what  purpose  ?  that  the  Jews  might  be  convinced  that 
that  idol  could  do  nothing,  but  that  they  had  been  afflicted 
by  the  Babylonians  on  account  of  their  sins.  That  true 
religion,  then,  might  not  be  discredited,  God  testified  that 
he  would  some  time  not  only  take  vengeance  on  the 
Chaldeans  themselves,  but  also  on  their  idol,  which  they 
had  devised  for  themselves  ;  /  will  then  visit  Bel  in  Baby- 
lon. 

And  he  adds,  and  I  will  bring  or.  draw  out  of  his  mouth 
luhat  he  has  swallowed.  The  word  1? /D,  belo,  means  indeed 
what  is  devoured  ;  but  the  Prophet  refers  here  to  the  sacred 
oiFerings  by  which  Bel  was  honoured  until  that  time.  And 
there  is  no  doubt  but  that  many  nations  presented  gifts  to 
that  idol  for  the  sake  of  the  Chaldean  nation,  as  we  find 
that  gifts  were  brought  from  all  parts  of  the  world  to  Jupiter 
Capitolinus  when  the  Roman  empire  flourislied  ;  for  when 


262  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CXCI. 

the  Greeks,  the  Asiatics,  or  the  Egyptians,  wished  to  obtain 
some  favour,  they  sent  golden  crowns,  or  chandeliers,  or 
some  precious  vessels  ;  and  they  sought  it  as  the  highest 
privilege  to  dedicate  their  gifts  to  Jupiter  Capitolinus.  So, 
then,  there  is  no  doubt  but  that  many  nations  offered  their 
gifts  to  Bel,  when  they  wished  to  flatter  the  Chaldeans. 
And  hence  the  Prophet  declares  that  when  God  visited  that 
idol,  he  would  make  it  disgorge  what  it  had  before  swal- 
lowed. This  is  indeed  not  said  with  strict  propriety  ;  but 
the  Prophet  had  regard  to  the  Jews,  who  might  have 
doubted  whether  the  God  of  Israel  was  the  only  true  God, 
while  he  permitted  that  empty  image  to  be  honoured  with 
so  many  precious  offerings  ;  for  this  was  to  transfer  the 
honour  of  the  true  God  to  a  dead  figure.  Then  he  says,  / 
will  draw  out,  as  though  Bel  had  swallowed  what  had  been 
offered  to  it, — /  will  draw  out  from  its  mouth  what  it  has 
swallowed.  Though  tlie  language  is  not  strictly  correct, 
yet  we  see  that  it  was  needful,  so  it  might  not  disturb  the 
minds  of  the  Jews,  that  almost  all  nations  regarded  that  idol 
with  so  much  veneration. 

He  afterwards  expresses  his  meaning  more  clearly  by 
adding,  the  nations  shall  no  more  flow  together}  We  hence 
then  see  what  he  meant  by  the  voracity  of  Bel,  even  because 
there  was  a  resort  from  all  parts  to  this  temple,  for  the 
nations,  seeking  to  ingratiate  themselves  with  the  Baby- 
lonians, directed  their  attention  to  their  god.  We,  indeed, 
know  tliat  the  temple  of  Bel  remained  even  after  the  city 
was  conquered  ;  there  is  yet  no  doubt  but  that  the  predic- 
tions of  Jeremiah  and  of  Isaiah  have  been  accomplished. 
For  Isaiah  says,  ''Lie  prostrate  does  Bel,  Nebo  is  broken." 
(Isa.  xlvi.  1.)  He  names  some  other  god,  who  is  not  made 
known  by  heathen  writers ;  but  it  is  sufficiently  evident 
from  this  testimony  that  Bel  was  in  high  repute.  He  after- 
wards says  that  it  would  "  be  a  burden  to  the  beasts  even 
to  weariness.''  We  hence  learn  that  Bel  wa"S  carried  away, 
not  that  it  was  worshipped  by  the  Modes  and  the  Persians, 

^  "  The  long  processions  of  pilgrims,"  observes  Henderson,  "  moving 
slowly  along,  are  fitly  expressed  by  inj,  which  properly  signifies,  to  Jiow 
as  a  river." — Ed. 


CHAP.  LI.  44.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  263 

but  because  all  the  wealth  was  removed,  and  probably  that 
idol  was  made  of  gold. 

It  afterwards  follows,  Even  the  wall  of  Babylon  has  fallen. 
We  have  said  elsewhere  that  this  prophecy  ought  not  to  be 
restricted  to  the  first  overthrow  of  Babylon,  for  its  walls 
were  not  then  pulled  down  except  in  part,  where  the  army 
entered,  after  the  streams  of  the  Euphrates  had  been  di- 
verted. However,  the  ancient  splendour  of  the  city  still 
continued.  But  when  Babylon  was  recovered  by  Darius, 
the  son  of  Hystaspes,  then  the  walls  were  pulled  down  to 
their  foundations,  as  Herodotus  writes,  with  whom  other 
heathen  authors  agree.  For  Babylon  had  revolted  together 
with  tlie  Assyrians  when  the  Magi  obtained  the  govern- 
ment ;  but  when  Darius  recovered  the  kingdom,  he  pre- 
pared an  army  against  the  Assyrians  who  had  resorted  to 
Babylon  ;  and  their  barbarous  cruelty  is  narrated,  for  they 
strangled  all  the  women  that  they  might  not  consume  the 
provisions.  Each  one  was  allowed  to  keep  one  woman  as  a 
servant  to  prepare  food  and  to  serve  as  a  cook  ;  but  they 
spared  neither  matrons  nor  wives,  nor  their  own  daughters. 
For  a  time  the  Persians  were  stoutly  repulsed  by  them.  At 
length,  through  the  contrivance  of  Zopyrus,  Darius  entered 
the  city  ;  he  then  demolished  the  walls  and  the  gates,  and 
afterwards  Babylon  was  no  better  than  a  village.  Then 
also  he  hung  the  chief  men  of  the  city,  to  the  number  of 
three  or  four  thousand,  which  would  be  incredible  were  we 
not  to  consider  the  extent  of  the  city  ;  for  such  a  slaughter 
would  be  horrible  in  a  city  of  moderate  size,  even  were  men 
of  all  orders  put  to  death.  But  it  hence  appears  what  an 
atrocious  cruelty  it  must  have  been,  when  all  the  chief  men 
were  hung  or  fixed  to  crosses  ;  and  then  also  the  walls  were 
demolished,  though  they  were,  as  it  has  been  elsewhere 
stated,  of  incredible  height  and  width.  Their  width  was 
fifty  feet ;  Herodotus  names  fifty  cubits,  but  I  rather  think 
they  were  feet ;  and  yet  their  feet  were  longer  than  com- 
mon. 

As,  then,  Jeremiah  now  says,  that  the  wall  of  Babylon 
had  fallen,  there  is  no  doubt  but  his  prophecy  includes  this 
second  calamity,  which  happened  under  Darius ;  and  this 


264  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CXCI. 

confirms  what  I  have  referred  to  elsewhere.      It  now  fol- 
lows,— 

45.  My  people,  go  ye  out  of  the  45.    Exite  e  medio  ejus,  popule 

midst  of  her,  and  deliver  ye  every  mi,    et    servate    quisque    animam 

man  his  soul  from  the  fierce  anger  suam    ab    excandescentia    irse  Je- 

of  the  Lord.  hovse. 

Here  the  Prophet  exhorts  the  Israelites  to  flee  from  Chal- 
dea  and  Assyria.  Yet  this  exhortation  was  intended  for 
another  purpose,  to  encourage  them  in  the  hope  of  deliver- 
ance ;  for  it  was  hardly  credible  that  they  should  ever  have 
a  free  exit,  for  Babylon  was  to  them  like  a  sepulchre.  As 
then  lie  exhorts  them  as  to  their  deliverance,  he  intimates 
that  God  would  be  their  redeemer,  as  he  had  promised.  But 
he  shews  that  God's  vengeance  on  Babylon  would  be  dread- 
ful, when  he  says.  Flee  from  the  indignation  of  God's  wrath. 

We  must,  however,  observe,  that  the  faitliful  were  thus 
awakened,  lest,  being  inebriated  with  the  indulgences  of  the 
Chaldeans,  they  should  obstinately  remain  there,  when  God 
stretched  forth  his  hand  to  them;  for  we  know  what  happened 
when  liberty  to  return  was  given  to  the  Israelites — a  small 
portion  only  returned  ;  some  despised  the  great  favour  of 
God  ;  they  were  so  accustomed  to  their  habitations,  and 
were  so  fixed  there,  that  they  made  no  account  of  the 
Temple,  nor  of  the  land  promised  them  by  God.  The  Pro- 
phet, then,  that  he  might  withdraw  the  faithful  from  such 
indulgences,  says,  that  all  who,  in  their  torpor,  remained 
there,  would  be  miserable,  because  the  indignation  of  God 
would  kindle  against  that  city.  "We  now  perceive  the  object 
of  the  Prophet. 

It  appears,  indeed,  but  a  simple  exhortation  to  the  Jews 
to  remove,  that  they  might  not  be  polluted  with  the  filth 
of  Babylon,  but  another  end  is  also  to  be  regarded,  proposed 
by  the  lioly  Prophet.  This  exhortation,  then,  contains  in  it 
a  promise  of  return,  as  though  he  had  said,  that  they  were 
not  to  fear,  because  liberty  would  at  length  be  given  them, 
as  God  liad  promised.  In  the  meantime,  a  stimulant  is 
added  to  the  promise,  lest  the  Israelites  should  be  delighted 
witli  the  pleasures  of  Chaldea,  and  thus  despise  the  inheri- 
tance promised  them  by  God  ;  for  we  know  how  great  was 


CHAP.  LI.  46.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  265 

the  pleasantness  of  that  land,  and  how  great  was  the 
abundance  it  possessed  of  all  blessings ;  for  the  fruitful- 
ness  of  that  land  is  more  celebrated  than  that  of  all  other 
countries.  No  wonder,  then,  that  the  Prophet  so  strongly 
urged  the  Jews  to  return,  and  that  he  set  before  them  the 
vengeance  of  God  to  frighten  them  with  terror,  in  case  they 
slumbered  in  Chaldea.     And  he  afterwards  adds, — 

46.    And  lest  your  heart  faint,  46.  Et  ne  forte  mollescat  cor  ves- 

and   ye   fear   for  the  rumour  that  trum,  et  timeatis  in  rumore  {hoc  est, 

shall  be  heard  m  the  land ;  a  rumour  ob  rumorem)  qui  audietur  in  terra  ; 

shall  both  come  one  year,  and  after  veniet  in  anno  rumor,  et  postea  in 

that  in  another  year  shall  come  a  anno  (altero,  subaudiendum  est  anno 

rumour,  and  violence  in  the  land,  posteriore)  rumor,  et  violentia  in  ter- 

ruler  against  ruler.  ra,  et  dominator  super  dominatorem. 

Here  the  Prophet  in  due  time  anticipates  a  danger,  lest 
the  Jews  should  be  disturbed  in  their  minds,  when  they  saw 
those  dreadful  shakings  which  afterwards  happened  ;  for 
when  their  minds  were  raised  to  an  expectation  of  a  return, 
great  commotions  began  to  arise  in  Babylon.  Babylon,  as 
it  is  well  known,  was  for  a  long  time  besieged,  and,  as  is  usual 
in  w^ars,  every  day  brings  forth  something  new.  As,  then, 
God,  in  a  manner,  shook  the  whole  land,  it  could  not  be, 
especially  under  increasing  evils,  but  that  the  miserable 
exiles  should  become  faint,  being  in  constant  fear  ;  for  they 
were  exposed  to  the  wantonness  of  their  enemies.  Then  the 
Prophet  seasonably  meets  them  here,  and  shews  that  there 
was  no  cause  for  them  to  be  disturbed,  whatever  might 
happen. 

Come,  he  says,  and  rise  shall  various  rumours  ;  but  stand 
firm  in  your  minds.  Interpreters  confine  these  rumours  to 
the  first  year  of  Belshazzar  ;  but  I  know  not  whether  such  a 
view  is  correct.  I  consider  the  words  simply  intended  to 
strengthen  weak  minds,  lest  they  should  be  overwhelmed, 
or  at  least  vacillate,  through  trials,  when  they  heard  of 
grievous  commotions. 

But  there  is  a  doctrine  here  especially  useful ;  for  when 
God  designs  to  aid  his  Church,  he  suffers  the  world  to  be,  in 
a  manner,  thrown  into  confusion,  that  the  favour  of  redemp- 
tion may  appear  more  remarkable.  Unless,  then,  the  faithful 
were  to  have  some  knowledge  of  God's  mercy,  they  could  never 


266  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CXOT. 

endure  with  courageous  minds  the  trials  by  which  God 
proves  them,  and  while  Satan,  on  the  other  hand,  seeks  to 
upset  their  faith.  There  is  the  prelude  of  this  very  thing 
to  be  seen  in  the  ancient  people  :  God  had  promised  to  be 
their  redeemer  ;  when  the  day  drew  nigh,  war  suddenly 
arose,  and  tlie  Modes  and  the  Persians,  as  locusts,  covered 
the  whole  land.  We  know  what  various  evils  war  brings  with 
it.  There  is,  then,  no  doubt  but  that  the  children  of  God 
sustained  many  and  grievous  troubles,  especially  as  they 
were  exiles  there ;  they  must  have  suffered  want,  the}^  must 
have  been  harassed  in  various  ways.  Now,  as  the  event  of 
war  was  uncertain,  they  might  have  fainted  a  hundred  times, 
had  they  not  been  supported  by  this  prophecy.  But,  as  I 
have  said,  so  now  also  God  deals  with  his  Church  ;  for  when  a 
deliverer  appears,  all  things  seem  to  threaten  ruin  rather  than 
to  promise  a  joyful  and  happy  deliverance.  It  is  then  neces- 
sary, that  these  prophecies  should  come  to  our  minds,  and  that 
we  should  apply,  for  our  own  benefit,  what  happened  formerly 
to  our  fathers,  for  we  are  the  same  body.  There  is,  therefore, 
no  reason  for  us  at  this  day  to  wonder,  if  all  things  seem  to 
get  worse  and  worse,  when  yet  God  has  promised  that  the 
salvation  of  his  Church  will  ever  be  precious  to  him,  and 
that  he  w^ill  take  care  of  her  :  how  so  ?  because  it  is  said, 
Let  not  your  heart  he  faint,  fear  ye  not  when  rumours  arise, 
one  after  another ;  when  one  year  brings  tumults,  and  then 
another  year  brings  new  tumults,  yet  let  not  all  this  disturb 
your  minds.^ 

^  Some,  as  Blayney,  following  the  Syr.,  connect  this  verse  with  the 
preceding :  The  Jews  are  bidden  to  leave  Babylon,  that  they  might  escape 
the  wrath  of  God,  and  lest  their  hearts  should  faint  at  the  evil  rumours 
that  would  spread  there, — 

And  lest  your  heart  faint, 

And  ye  be  afraid  of  the  rumoiu-  rumoured  in  the  land,  — 
For  it  shall  come  in  one  year,  the  rumour,  &c. 
But  if  |D,  rendered  lest,  be  taken,  as  it  is  sometimes,  a  dissuasive  particle, 
then  the  rendering  would  be  as  follows, — 
And  let  not  your  heart  be  faint. 

Nor  be  ye  afraid  of  the  rumour  rumoured  in  the  land ; 
When  it  shall  come  in  one  year,  the  rumour, 
And  afterwards  in  a  year,  the  rumour. 
And  violence  shall  he  in  the  land,  ruler  against  ruler. 
The  reference  seems  to  be  to  the  commotions  in  Babylon  before  the  liber- 
ation of  the  Jews. — EJ. 


CHAP.  LI.  47.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  267 

And  Christ  seems  to  allude  to  these  words  of  the  Prophet, 
when  he  sajs,  "  Wars  shall  arise,  and  rumours  of  wars  :  be 
ye  not  troubled."  (Matt.  xxiv.  6.)  These  words  of  Christ 
sufficiently  warn  us  not  to  think  it  strange,  if  the  Church  at 
this  day  be  exposed  to  violent  waves,  and  be  tossed  as  by 
continual  storms  :  why  so  ?  because  it  is  right  and  just  that 
our  condition  should  be  like  that  of  the  fathers,  or  at  least 
approach  to  it.  "We  now,  then,  understand  the  design  of 
the  Prophet,  and  the  perpetual  use  that  ought  to  be  made  of 
what  is  here  taught. 

He  afterwards  adds.  Violence  in  the  land,  and  a  ruler  upon 

or  after  a  ruler.    This  refers  to  Cyrus,  who  succeeded  Darius, 

whom  some  call  Cyaxares.    They,  indeed,  as  it  is  well  known, 

both  ruled ;  but  Darius,  who  was  older,  had  the  honour  of 

being  the  supreme  king.     Afterwards  Cyrus,  when  Darius 

was  dead,  became  the  king  of  the  whole  monarchy.     And 

Darius  the  Mede  lived  only  one  year  after  Babylon  was  taken. 

But  I  doubt  not  but  that  the  Prophet  here  bids  the  Jews  to 

be  of  good  courage  and  of  a  cheerful  mind,  though  the  land 

should  often  change  its  masters ;  for  that  change,  however 

often,  could  take  away  nothing  from  God's  authority  and 

government.      It  afterwards  follows, — 

47.     Therefore,    behold,     the     days        47.  Propterea  ecce  dies  ve- 

come,   that   I   will  do   judgment    upon  niunt,  et  visitabo  super   simu- 

the    graven    images    of   Babylon ;    and  lachra  Babylonis ;  et  tola  terra 

her   whole    land    shall    be    confounded,  ejus  pudefiet,  et  oranes  occisi 

and  all  her  slain  shall  fall  in  the  midst  ejus  {vel,  interfecti)  cadent  in 

of  her.  medio  ejus. 

He  repeats  a  former  sentence,  that  God  would  visit  the 
idols  of  Babylon.  He  does  not  speak  noV  of  Bel  only,  but 
includes  all  the  false  gods.  We  have  already  said  why  God 
raised  his  hand  against  idols,  which  were  yet  mere  inven- 
tions of  no  account.  This  he  did  for  the  sake  of  men,  that 
the  Israelites  might  know  that  they  had  been  deceived  by 
the  wiles  of  Satan,  and  that  the  faithful  might  understand 
that  they  ought  not  to  ascribe  it  to  false  gods,  when  God  for 
a  time  spared  the  ungodly.  However  wanton,  then,  they 
might  be,  in  their  prosperity,  yet  when  they  perished  together 
with  their  idols,  the  faithful  would  then  learn  by  experience, 
that  idols  obtained  no  victory  for  their  worshippers. 


268  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CXCI. 

When,  therefore,  the  Prophet  now  says,  Behold,  the  days 
are  coming^  and  I  will  visit,  &c.,  he  no  doubt  intended  to 
support  the  minds  of  the  godly,  who  otherwise  would  have 
been  cast  down.  And  it  was  the  best  support,  patiently  to 
wait  for  the  time  of  visitation,  of  which  he  now  speaks ; 
/  will  visit,  he  says,  all  the  images  of  Babylon  ;  and  then  he 
adds,  Aer  whole  land  shall  be  ashamed.  He  speaks  of  the 
land,  because  the  dominion  of  that  monarchy  extended  far, 
so  that  it  was  difficult  to  travel  through  all  its  regions,  and 
enemies  could  hardly  have  access  to  them.  At  length  he 
adds,  all  her  slain  shall  fall  in  the  midst  of  her}  He  then 
speaks  first  of  the  country,  and  then  he  adds,  that  however 
fortified  the  city  might  be,  yet  its  walls  and  towers  would 
be  of  no  moment,  for  conquerors  would  march  through  her 
very  streets,  and  everywhere  kill  those  who  thought  them- 
selves hid  in  a  safe  place,  and  set,  as  it  were,  above  the 
clouds.     He  then  adds, — 

48.  Then  the  heaven  and  the  earth,  48.   Et  jubilabunt  contra  Baby- 

and  all  that  is  therein,  shall  sing  for  lonem  coeli  et  terra,  et  omnia  quae  in 

Babylon  :  for  the  spoilers  shall  come  eis  sunt ;  quia  ab  aquilone  veniet  illi 

unto  her  from  the  north,  saith  the  vastatores,    (est  mutatio    numeri,) 

Lord.  dicit  Jehova. 

That  he  might  more  fully  convince  the  Jews  of  the  truth 
of  all  that  he  has  hitherto  said  of  the  destruction  of  Baby- 
lon, he  declares  that  God  would  effect  it,  and  that  it  would 
be  applauded  by  all  the  elements.  Shout,  he  says,  shall 
heaven  and  earth  ;  which  is  a  kind  of  personification — for 
he  ascribes  knowledge  to  heaven  and  earth.  It  might,  in- 
deed, be  more  refinedly  explained,  that  angels  and  men  would 
shout  for  joy,  but  it  would  be  a  frigid  explanation  ;  and 
the  Prophet  removes  every  ambiguity,  by  adding,  and  all 
that  is  in  them  :  he  includes,  no  doubt,  the  stars,  men,  trees, 
fishes,  birds,  fields,  stones,  and  rivers.  And  the  expression 
is  very  emphatical  when  he  says,  that  all  created  things, 
though  without  reason  and  understanding,  would  yet  be  full 
of  joy,  so  that  they  would,  in  a  manner,  rejoice  and  sing 
praise.  If  such  would  be  the  feeling  in  dead  creatures,  when 
God  put  forth  his  hand  against  Babylon,  would  it  be  possible 

*  Rather, 

And  all  her  slain,  they  shall  fall  in  the  midst  of  licr. —  fid. 


CHAP.  LI.  48.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  269 

for  that  city  to  remain  safe,  which  was  so  hated  by  heaven 
and  earth,  and  which  was  accursed  by  birds  and  wild  beasts, 
by  trees,  and  everything  void  of  understanding  ! 

We  hence  see  that  the  Prophet  lieaps  together  all  kinds 
of  figures  and  modes  of  speaking,  in  order  to  confirm  weak 
minds,  so  that  they  might  confidently  look  forward  to  the 
destruction  of  Babylon.  He  at  the  same  time  intimates  that 
Babylon  was  hated  by  all  creatures,  because  it  had  reached 
to  the  highest  pitch  of  wickedness.  He  then  shews  the 
cause  by  the  effect,  as  though  he  had  said  that  Babylon  was 
hated  by  heaven  and  earth,  so  that  heaven  and  earth  seemed 
as  though  they  deemed  themselves  in  a  manner  polluted  by 
the  sight  of  that  city.  As  long,  then,  as  Babylon  stood, 
heaven  and  earth  sighed  :  but,  on  the  contrary,  when  God 
appeared  as  an  avenger,  then  heaven  and  earth,  and  all 
things  in  them,  would  shout  with  joy.  Could  it  then  be  that 
God,  the  judge  of  the  world,  would  always  connive  at  its 
sins  ?  If  heaven  and  earth  could  not  endure  it,  and  Babylon 
was  so  loathsome  to  all,  and  joy  would  arise  from  its  destruc- 
tion, could  God  possibly  allow  that  city,  filled  with  so  many 
sins,  and  detested  by  heaven  and  earth,  to  escape  with  im- 
l^unity  his  judgment  ? 

We  now,  then,  more  fully  understand  why  the  Prophet  says 
that  triumph  and  joy  would  be  in  heaven  and  earth,  and 
among  all  created  things. 

He  says,  because  ;  but  the  particle  ^D,  ki,  may  be  taken 
for  an  adverb  of  time  :  then  he  says,  when  from  the  north 
shall  come  wasters.  He  alludes  to  the  Modes,  for  the  Per- 
sians were  eastward.  But  as  the  Modes  were  nigher,  and 
also  their  monarch  far  wealthier,  the  Prophet  refers  espe- 
cially to  the  Medes  when  he  says  that  evil  would  come  from 
the  north.  For  the  Medes  were  north  of  Chaldea,  as  the 
Persians  were  eastward. 

PRAYER. 

Grant,  Almighty  God,  that  since  thou  not  only  testifiest  to  us  that 
thou  wilt  be  the  Redeemer  of  thy  Church,  into  which  thou  hast 
been  pleased  to  introduce  us,  but  hast  also  really  manifested 
thyself  to  us  in  thine  only-begotten  Son, — O  grant  that  we  may 


270  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CXCII. 

patiently  bear  all  the  contests  and  afflictions  by  which  thou 
now  pro  vest  our  faith,  and  that  we  may  perse  veringly  fight  under 
the  cross,  until,  having  gone  through  all  our  trials,  we  shall  at 
length  enjoy  eternal  glory,  when  we  shall  find  thee  to  be  our 
complete  Redeemer,  through  the  same  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord. — 
Amen. 


49.  As  Babylon  hath  caused         49.  Sicuti  Babylon  ut  caderent  (hoc 

the  slain  of  Israel  to  fall,  so  at  est,  fecit  ut  caderent,  subaudiendum  est 

Babylon  shall  fall  the  slain  of  aliqiiid,)  interfecti  Israelis,  sic  Babyloni 

all  the  earth.  cadent  interfecti  totius  terrse. 

The  words  literally  read  thus,  "As  Babylon,  that  they 
might  fall,  the  slain  of  Israel,  so  for  Babylon  they. shall  fall, 
the  slain  of  all  the  lands.''  Some,  omitting  the  7,  lamed, 
in  the  second  clause,  render  the  passage  thus,  "  As  the  slain 
of  Israel  have  fallen  through  Babylon,  so  by  Babylon  shall 
they  fall :"  and  others  render  the  last  like  the  first,  "  through 
Babylon.''  But  the  simpler  rendering  is  that  which  I  have 
given,  even  that  this  would  be  the  reward  which  God  would 
render  Babylon,  that  they  would  fall  everywhere  through  its 
whole  land,  as  it  had  slain  the  people  of  Israel.  For  the 
Prophet  no  doubt  had  this  in  view,  to  alleviate  the  sorrow  of 
the  godly  by  some  consolation  ;  and  the  ground  of  consola- 
tion was,  that  God  w^ould  be  the  avenger  of  all  the  evils 
which  the  Babylonians  had  brought  on  them.  For  it  is  a 
heavy  trial  when  we  think  that  we  are  disregarded  by  God, 
and  that  our  enemies  with  impunity  oppress  us  according  to 
their  own  will.  The  Prophet,  then,  testifies  that  God  would 
by  no  means  suffer  that  so  many  of  the  Israelites  should 
perish  unpunished,  for  he  would  at  length  render  to  the 
Babylonians  what  they  deserved,  even  that  they  who  de- 
stroyed others  should  in  their  turn  be  destroyed. 

We  may  now  easily  gather  what  the  Prophet  means,  "  As 
Babylon,"  he  says,  "  has  made  many  in  Israel  to  fall,  so  now 
the  Babylonians  themselves  shall  fall."  To  render  7,  lamed, 
by  "through,"  or,  on  account  of,  is  improper.  Then  he  says 
the  Babylonians  themselves  shall  fall,  the  slain  of  the  whole 


CHAP.  LI.  50.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  271 

land.  By  the  whole  land,  I  do  not  understand  the  whole 
world,  as  other  interpreters,  but  Chaldea  only.  Then  every- 
where in  Chaldea,  they  who  had  been  so  cruel  as  to  shed 
innocent  blood  everywhere  would  perish.^  And  though  that 
saying  is  generally  true.  Whoso  sheddeth  man's  blood  shall 
be  punished  ;  yet  the  word  is  especially  addressed  to  the 
Church.  God,  then,  avenges  all  slaughters,  because  he  can- 
not bear  his  own  image  to  be  violated,  which  he  has  im- 
pressed on  men.  But  as  he  has  a  paternal  care  for  his 
Church,  he  is  in  an  especial  manner  the  avenger  of  that 
cruelty  which  the  ungodly  exercise  towards  the  faithful. 

In  short,  the  Prophet  means,  that  though  God  may  suffer 
for  a  time  the  imgodly  to  rage  against  his  Church,  yet  he 
will  be  at  the  suitable  season  its  avenger,  so  that  they  shall 
everywhere  be  slain  who  have  been  thus  cruel. 

But  we  hence  learn  that  we  ought  by  no  means  to  despair 
when  God  allows  so  much  liberty  to  the  ungodly,  so  that 
they  slay  the  miserable  and  the  innocent,  for  the  same  thing 
happened  formerly  to  the  ancient  people.  It  was  the  Church 
of  God  in  which  the  Chaldeans  committed  that  carnage  of 
which  the  Prophet  speaks :  the  children  of  God  were  then 
slain  as  sheep.  If  the  same  thing  should  happen  to  us  at 
this  day,  there  would  be  no  reason  for  us  to  despond,  but  to 
wait  for  the  time  of  vengeance  of  which  the  Prophet  speaks 
here ;  for  experience  will  then  shew  how  precious  to  God  is 
the  life  of  all  the  godly.     It  now  follows, — 

50.  Ye  that  have  escaped  the  50.  Qui  evasistis  e^  gladio,  abite, 
sword,  go  away,  stand  not  still :  re-  ne  stetis ;  recordamini  e  longinquo 
member  the  Lord  afar  off,  and  let  Jehovae,  et  Jerusalem  ascendat  in 
Jerusalem  come  into  your  mind.  cor  vestrum. 

The  Prophet  again  bids  the  faithful  quickly  to  flee  from 
Chaldea;  but  he  says.  They  who  remain  from  the  sword.    He 

1  This  verse  may  be  deemed  as  the  shouting  song  at  the  fall  of  Baby- 
lon,— 

"  As  Babylon  made  to  fall  the  slain  of  Israel, 
So  for  Babylon  have  fallen  the  slain  of  all  the  land." 

It  is  said  before,  in  verse  47,  that  her  slain  should  fall  in  the  midst  of 
her  land.  "  For  Babylon"  means,  on  account  of  what  she  had  done.  But 
if  it  be  "  in  Babylon,"  as  in  the  Sept.,  the  meaning  is,  within  the  borders 
of  Babylon  ;  and  the  intimation  is,  that  there  would  be  none  led  captive, 
but  slain  in  the  land,  except  "  all "  be  taken,  as  is  often  the  case,  as  signi- 
fying a  large  number, — Ed. 


272  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CXCII. 

then  intimates  that  the  slaughter  would  be  such,  that  it 
would  include  many  of  God's  people,  and  that  they  would  be 
destroyed.  And  we  know  that  many  among  them  deserved 
such  a  sad  end  ;  but  the  Prophet  now  turns  to  address  those 
who  had  been  preserved  through  God's  special  favour.  He 
then  bids  them  to  depart  and  not  to  stand  still  or  stay. 

Now,  we  said  yesterday  what  was  the  object  of  this  exhor- 
tation, even  that  the  faithful  might  feel  assured  of  their  free 
return  to  their  own  country,  from  which,  nevertheless,  they 
thought  the}^  were  perpetually  excluded ;  for  they  had  wholly 
despaired  of  deliverance,  though  it  had  been  so  often  promised. 
This  exhortation,  then,  contains  a  promise  ;  and  in  the  mean- 
time the  Prophet  reminds  us,  that  though  God  inflicted  a 
temporary  punishment  on  the  chosen  people,  yet  his  ven- 
geance on  the  Babylonians  would  be  perpetual.  For  God 
not  only  tempers  his  rigour  towards  the  faithful  when  he 
chastises  them,  but  he  also  gives  them  a  hapi:>y  issue,  so  that 
all  their  afflictions  become  helps  to  their  salvation,  as  Paul 
also  teaches  us.  (Rom.  viii.  28.)  In  short,  the  punisliments 
inflicted  by  God  on  his  children  are  so  many  medicines  ;  for 
he  always  consults  their  safety  even  when  he  manifests 
tokens  of  his  wrath.  But  the  case  with  the  ungodly  is  dif- 
ferent ;  for  all  their  punishments  are  perpetual,  even  those 
which  seem  to  have  an  end.  How  so  ?  because  they  lead  to 
eternal  min.  This  is  what  the  Prophet  means  when  he  bids 
those  who  remained,  to  flee  from  Chaldea,  according  to  what 
we  observed  yesterday,  when  he  said.  Flee  ye  from  the  indig- 
nation of  God's  wrath.  There  is,  then,  an  implied  compari- 
son l)ctwcen  the  punishment  which  brings  ultimate  ruin  on 
the  reprobate,  and  the  temporary  punishment  inflicted  by 
God  on  his  children. 

He  bids  them  to  remember  Jehovah  from  afar.  Some 
apply  this  to  the  seventy  years,  but,  in  my  view,  in  a  sense 
too  restricted.  I  then  doubt  not  but  that  the  Prophet  bids 
them  to  entertain  hope  and  to  look  to  God,  however  far  they 
may  have  been  driven  from  him,  as  though  he  were  wliolly 
alienated  from  them.  Tlie  Israelites  had  then  been  driven 
into  distant  lands,  as  though  God  never  meant  to  restore 
them.     As,  then,  the  distance  was  so  great  between  Chaldea 


CHAP.  LI.  50.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  273 

and  Judea,  what  else  could  come  into  the  minds  of  the  miser- 
able exiles  but  that  God  was  far  removed  from  them,  so  that 
it  was  in  vain  for  them  to  seek  or  call  upon  him?  The 
Prophet  obviates  this  want  of  faith,  and  raises  their  confi- 
dence, so  that  they  might  not  cease  to  flee  to  God,  though 
they  had  been  driven  into  distant  lands :  Be,  then,  mindful 
of  Jehovah  from  afar. 

Then  he  adds.  Let  Jeimsalent  ascend  on  your  heart;  that 
is,  though  so  many  obstacles  may  intercept  your  faith,  yet 
think  of  Jerusalem.  The  condition  of  the  people  required 
that  they  should  be  thus  animated,  for  they  might  otherwise, 
as  it  has  been  said,  have  a  hundred  times  despaired,  and 
have  thus  become  torpid  in  their  calamities.  Then  the  Pro- 
phet testifies  that  an  access  to  God  was  open  to  them,  and 
that  though  they  were  removed  far,  he  yet  had  a  care  for 
them,  and  was  ready  to  bring  help  whenever  called  upon 
And  for  the  same  reason  he  bids  them  to  direct  their  minds 
to  Jerusalem,  so  as  to  prefer  the  Temple  of  God  to  all  the 
world,  and  never  to  rest  quiet  until  God  restored  them,  and 
liberty  were  given  them  of  worshipping  him  there. 

Now  this  passage  deserves  special  notice,  as  it  applies  to 
us  at  this  day ;  for  when  the  scattering  of  the  Church  takes 
place,  we  think  that  we  are  forsaken  by  God,  and  we  also 
conclude  that  he  is  far  away  from  us,  so  that  he  is  sought 
in  vain.     As,  then,  we  are  wont,  being  inclined  to  distrust, 
to  become  soon  torpid  in  our  calamities,  as  though  we  were 
very  remote  from  God,  and  as  though  he  did  not  turn  his 
eyes  to  look  on  our  miseries,  let  us  apply  to  ourselves  what 
is  here  said,  even  to  remember  Jehovah  from  afar  ;  that  is, 
when  we  seem  to  be   involved  in  extreme  miseries,  when 
God  hides  his  face  from  us  and  seems  to  be  afar  off;  in 
short,  when  we  think  ourselves  forsaken,  and  circumstances 
appear  as  proving  this,  we  ought  still  to  contend  with  all 
such  obstacles  until  our  faith  triumphs,  and  to  employ  our 
thoughts  in  remembering  God,  though  he  may  be  apparently 
alienated  from  us.     Let  us  also  learn  to  direct  our  minds  to 
the  Church  ;  for  however  miserable  our  condition  may  be, 
it  is  yet  better  than  the  happiness  which  the  ungodly  seek 
for  themselves  in  the  world.     When,  therefore,  we  see  the 

VOL.  V.  s 


274  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CXCII. 

uno-odly  flattering  themselves  as  to  their  possessions,  when 
we  see  them  pleased  and  delighted  as  though  God  were 
dealino*  indulgently  with  them,  let  tlien  Jei^iisalem  come  to 
our  minds,  that  is,  let  us  prefer  the  state  of  the  Church, 
which  may  be  yet  sad  and  deformed,  and  such  as  we  would 
shun,  were  we  to  follow  our  own  inclinations.  Let  then  the 
condition  of  the  Church  come  to  our  minds,  that  is,  let  us 
embrace  the  miseries  common  to  the  godly,  and  let  it  be 
more  pleasant  to  us  to  be  connected  with  the  children  of 
God  in  all  their  afflictions,  than  to  be  inebriated  with  the 
prosperity  of  those  who  only  delight  in  the  world,  and  are 
at  the  same  time  accursed  by  God.  This  is  the  improve- 
ment which  we  ought  to  make  of  what  is  here  taught.  It 
now  follows, — 

51.  We  are  confounded,  because  51.  Pudefacti  sumus,  quia  audi- 
we  have  heard  reproach :  sliame  hath  vhnus  opprobrium;  operuit  igno- 
covered  our  faces ;  for  strangers  are  minia  facies  nostras,  quia  venerunt 
come  into  the  sanctuaries  of  the  exlranei  in  sanctuaria  domus  Je- 
Lord's  house.  hovge. 

It  is  thought  that  these  words  were  spoken  by  the  Pro- 
phet to  the  faithful,  to  confirm  them  as  to  their  return. 
But  I  rather  think  that  they  were  spoken  by  way  of  anticipa- 
tion. They  who  think  that  they  were  spoken  as  a  formula 
to  the  Israelites,  that  they  might  with  more  alacrity  pre- 
pare themselves  for  their  return,  suppose  a  verb  understood, 
"  Say  ye,  we  are  confounded  (or  ashamed),  because  we  have 
heard  reproacli )'  even  that  sorrow  would  wound  the  minds 
of  the  faithful,  to  the  end  that  they  might  nevertheless  go 
through  all  their  difficulties.  But  as  I  have  said,  the  Pro- 
pliet  here  repeats  what  the  faithful  might  have  of  themselves 
conceived  in  their  own  minds ;  and  he  thus  speaks  by  way 
of  concession,  as  though  he  said,  "  I  know  that  you  have 
in  readiness  these  words,  'We  are  ashamed,  we  are  over- 
whelmed with  reproaches ;  strangers  have  entered  into  the 
sanctuary  of  God  :  since  the  temple  is  polluted  and  the 
city  overthrown,  what  any  more  remains  for  us  ?  and  doubt- 
less we  see  that  all  things  supply  reasons  for  despair.'" 

As,  then,  the  thoughts  of  the  flesh  suggested  to  the  faitli- 
ful  such  things  as  might  have  dejected  their  minds,  the  Pro- 
phet meets  them  and  recites  their  words.     He  then  says. 


CHAP.  LI.  51.         COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  27o 

as  in  their  person,  We  are  confounded,  because  we  have  heard 
reproach  ;  that  is,  because  we  have  been  harassed  by  the  re- 
proaches of  our  enemies.  For  there  is  no  doubt  but  that  the 
Chaldeans  heaped  many  reproaches  on  that  miserable  people  ; 
for  their  pride  and  their  cruelty  were  such  that  they  insulted 
the  Jews,  especially  as  their  religion  was  wholly  different. 
As,  then,  the  ears  of  the  people  were  often  annoyed  by 
reproaches,  the  Prophet  declares  here  that  they  had  some 
cause  according  to  the  flesh,  why  they  could  hardly  dare  to 
entertain  the  hope  of  a  return. 

To  the  same  purpose  is  what  he  adds.  Shame  hath  covered 
our  faces,  because  strangers  have  come  into  the  sanctuaries 
of  Jehovah.  For  it  was  the  chief  glory  of  the  chosen  people 
that  they  had  a  temple  where  they  did  not  in  vain  call 
upon  God ;  for  this  promise  was  like  an  invaluable  treasure, 
"  I  will  dwell  in  the  midst  of  you  ;  this  is  my  rest,  here  will 
I  dwelU'  (Ps.  cxxxii.  13,  14.)  As,  then,  God  was  pleased 
to  choose  for  himself  that  throne  and  habitation  in  the 
world,  it  was,  as  I  have  said,  the  principal  dignity  of  the 
people.  But  when  the  temple  was  overthrown,  what  more 
remained  for  them  ?  it  was  as  though  religion  was  wholly 
subverted,  and  as  though  God  also  had  left  them  and  moved 
elsewhere ;  in  short,  all  their  hope  of  divine  aid  and  of  sal- 
vation was  taken  away  from  them. 

We  now,  then,  understand  why  the  Prophet  speaks  thus 
according  to  the  common  thoughts  of  the  people,  even 
that  they  were  covered  with  shame,  because  strangers  had 
come  into  God's  sanctuaries;  for  that  habitation,  which 
God  had  chosen  for  himself,  was  polluted.  And  he  says 
"sanctuaries,''  in  the  plural  number,  because  the  temple 
had  many  departments,  as  the  tabernacle  had  ;  for  there 
was  the  vestibule  or  the  court  where  they  killed  the  vic- 
tims ;  and  then  there  was  the  holy  jjlace,  and  there  was  the 
holy  of  holies,  which  was  the  inner  sanctuary.  It  was  then 
on  this  account  that  he  said  that  the  sanctuaries  of  the 
house  of  God  were  possessed  by  strangers  ;  for  it  was  a  sad 
and  shameful  pollution  when  strangers  took  possession  of 
God's  temple,  where  even  the  common  people  were  not  ad- 
mitted ;  for  though  the  whole  of  the  people  were  consecrated 


276  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CXCII. 

to  God,  yet  none  but  tlie  priests  entered  tlic  temple.  It 
was  therefore  a  dreadful  profanation  of  the  temple,  when 
enemies  entered  it  by  force  and  for  the  sake  of  degrading 
it  What  then  remained  for  the  people,  except  despair  ? 
"  This  is  your  glory,''  said  Moses,  "  before  all  nations ;  for 
what  people  so  noble,  what  nation  so  illustrious,  as  to  have 
gods  so  near  to  it!"  (Deut.  iv.  6-8.)  When,  therefore, 
God  ceased  to  dwell  familiarly  with  the  Jews,  all  tlieir  glory 
fell,  and  they  Avere  overwhelmed  with  shame.  But  after 
the  Prophet  recited  these  complaints,  he  immediately  sub- 
joins a  consolation, — 

52.  Wherefore,  behold,  the  days  52.  Propterea  ecce  dies  veniunt, 

come,  saith  the  Lord,  that  I  will  do  dicitJehova,etvisitabo  super  sculpti- 

judgment  upon  her  graven  images  ;  Ha  ejus  ;  et  in  tola  terra  ejus  clama- 

and  through  all  her  land  the  wound-  bit  vulneratus  (yel,  occisus,  hoc  no- 

ed  shall  groan.  mew  bbrifjam  scepius  vidimus.) 

The  design  of  the  Prophet  is,  as  I  have  reminded  you, 
to  raise  up  the  minds  of  the  godly  that  they  might  not 
succumb  under  their  trials,  on  seeing  that  they  were  ex- 
posed to  shame  and  were  destitute  of  all  honours.  He  then 
says  that  the  time  would  come  when  God  would  take  ven- 
geance on  the  idols  of  Babylon.  And  thus  God  claims  for 
himself  that  power  which  seemed  then  to  have  almost  dis- 
appeared ;  for  the  temple  being  overthrown,  the  Babylonians 
seemed  in  a  manner  to  triumph  over  him,  as  God's  power 
in  the  temple  was  overcome.  Then  as  the  ruin  of  it,  as  we 
have  said,  seemed  to  have  extinguished  God's  power,  the 
Prophet  applies  a  remedy,  and  says  that  though  the  temple 
was  overthrown,  yet  God  remained  perfect  and  his  power 
unchangeable.  But  among  other  things  he  bids  the  faithful 
patiently  to  wait,  for  he  invites  their  attention  to  the  hope 
of  what  was  as  yet  hidden. 

We  now  see  how  these  tilings  agree,  and  why  the  Prophet 
uses  the  particle  "  therefore,"  \j7,  taken  :  Therefore,  behold, 
the  days  are  coming,  that  is,  though  ye  are  confounded,  yet 
God  will  give  you  a  reason  for  glorying,  so  that  ye  shall 
again  sing  joyfully  his  praises.  But  he  says,  "  tlie  days  will 
come  ;"  by  these  words  he  reminds  us  that  we  are  to  cherish 
the  hope  of  the  promises  until  God  completes  his  work  ;  and 


CHAP.  LI.  53.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  277 

thus  he  corrected  that  ardour  by  which  we  are  seized  in  the 
midst  of  our  afflictions,  for  we  wish  immediately  to  fly  away 
to  God.  Tlie  Prophet,  then,  here  exliorts  the  faithful  to 
sustain  courage  until  tlie  time  fixed  by  God  ;  and  so  he 
refers  them  to  God's  providence,  lest  they  assumed  too 
much  in  wishing  him  to  act  as  their  own  minds  led  them. 
Come  then  shall  the  days  when  1  shall  visit  the  graven 
images  of  Babylon ;  and  groan  or  cry,  &c. ;  for  the  word 
pii<,  ayiak,  means  to  cry.  Some  render  thus,  "  groan  shall 
the  wounded  )'  and  they  render  the  last  word  " wounded,"" 
because  they  think  it  improper  to  say  that  the  slain  cry  or 
groan.  But  the  Prophet  means  that  the  cry  in  that 
slaughter  would  be  great,  that  is,  that  while  the  Babylonians 
were  slain,  a  great  howling  would  be  everywhere.  It  fol- 
lows,— 

53.     Though     Babylon     should         53.  Si  ascendent  Babylon  in  ccelos, 

mount  up  to   heaven,  and  though  et  si  munierit  excelsum  fortitudinis 

she   should    fortify    the    height   of  suae  (yg^,  munierit  fortitudinem  suam 

her   strength,    yet   from   me    shall  in  excelso,  quod  mihi  magis  placet,) 

spoilers   come  imto  her,  saith  the  a  me  venient  vastatores  ei,  dicit  Je- 

Lord.  hova. 

The  Prophet  again  teaches  us,  that  however  impregnable 
Babylon  might  be,  there  was  yet  no  reason  to  fear  but  that 
God  would  be  its  judge  ;  for  it  is  by  no  means  right  to  mea- 
sure his  power  by  our  thoughts.  And  nothing  does  more 
hinder  or  prevent  us  from  embracing  the  promises  of  God, 
than  to  think  of  what  may  be  done  naturally,  or  of  what 
is  probable.  When,  therefore,  we  thus  consult  our  own 
thoughts,  we  exclude  the  power  of  God,  which  is  superior  to 
all  the  means  that  may  be  used. 

Hence  the  Prophet  says  here,  tliat  though  Babylon  as- 
cended above  the  heavens,  and  in  the  height  fortified  strength 
for  itself,  jet  from  me,  he  says,  shall  come  wasters  to  it^  There 
is  to  be  understood  here  a  contrast  between  God  and  men  ; 
for  if  there  be  a  contest  between  men,  they  fight  one  with 

^  The  idea  seems  to  be,  if  Babylon  ascended  the  heavens,  or  the  skies, 
and  fortified  there  a  high  place  for  her  strength,  yet  to  this  place  desola- 
tors  would  come, — 

Though  Babylon  mounted  the  skies, 

And  though  she  fortified  the  height  as  her  strength, 

From  me  would  come  to  her  destroyers,  saith  Jehovah. — Ed. 


278  COMMENTAEIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CXCII. 

another  ;  but  the  way  of  God  is  different,  for  he  can  thunder 
from  lieaven,  and  thus  lay  prostrate  the  highest  mountains. 
We  now,  then,  perceive  the  purpose  of  the  Propliet  by  say- 
ing, that  desolators  woukl  come  from  God  to  destroy  Babylon, 
were  it  to  ascend  above  the  clouds.     It  follows, — 

54.  A  sound  of  a  cry  cow  c#/i  from  54.  Vox  clamoris  e  Babylon o,  ct 
Babylon,  and  great  destruction  from  confractio  magna  e  terra  Chaldse- 
the  land  of  the  Chaldeans.  orum. 

Jeremiah  in  a  manner  exults  over  Babylon,  in  order  that 
the  faitliful,  having  had  all  obstacles  removed  or  surmounted, 
might  feel  assured  that  what  the  Prophet  had  predicted  of 
the  fall  of  Babylon  would  be  confirmed.  He  then  brings 
them  to  the  very  scene  itself,  when  he  says,  that  there  would 
be  the  voice  of  a  cry  from  Babylon,  and  that  there  would 
be  great  breaking  or  distress /ro77i  the  land  of  the  Chaldeans. 

We,  at  the  same  time,  may  render ^!3^,  shober,heYe  "crash- 
ing,'' so  that  it  may  correspond  with  the  previous  clause  :  he 
had  said.  The  voice  of  a  cry  from  Babylon  ;  now  he  says,  a 
crashing  from  the  land  of  the  Chaldeans.  They  call  that 
sound  crashing,  which  is  produced  by  some  great  shaking  ;  as 
when  a  great  mass  falls,  it  does  not  happen  witbout  a  great 
noise.  This,  then,  is  properly  what  the  Prophet  means. 
We  have  already  stated  why  he  used  these  words,  even  that 
the  faithful  might  have  before  their  eyes  the  event  itself, 
which  as  yet  was  incredible.     It  follows, — 

55.  Because  the  Lord  hatli  55.  Quia  perdens  Jehova  Babylonem  {hoc 

spoiled    Babylon,    and     de-  est  perdet,  aut  vastabit  proj^rie  est  11^)  et 

stroyed  out  of  her  the  great  perdet  {nunc  aliud  est  verhum)  ex  ea  vocem 

voice;  when  her  waves  do  roar  magnam  {vel,  magnificam  ;)   et  sonuenmt 

like  great  waters,  a  noise  of  fluctus  eorum  tanquam  aquse  magnae,  editus 

their  voice  is  uttered.  est  sonitus  vocis  eorum. 

The  reason  for  the  crashing  is  now  added,  even  because 
God  had  resolved  to  lay  waste  Babylon,  and  to  reduce  it  to 
nothinp'.  Jeremiah  ae'ain  calls  the  faithful  to  consider  the 
l)owcr  of  God.  He  then  says,  tliat  it  would  not  be  a  work 
done  by  men,  because  God  would  put  forth  his  great  power, 
which  cannot  be  comprehended  by  human  minds.  He  then 
sets  the  name  of  God  in  opposition  to  all  creatures,  as  though 
lie  liad  said,  that  what  exceeds  all  the  efforts  of  men,  would 
yet  be  easily  done  by  God.    He,  indeed,  represents  God  here 


CHAP.  LI.  00.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  279 

as  before  our  eyes,  and  says  that  Babylon  would  perish,  but 
that  it  was  God  who  would  lay  it  waste.  He  thus  sets  forth 
God  here  as  already  armed  for  the  purpose  of  cutting  off 
Babylon.  And  he  will  destroy  from  her  the  magnificent 
voice,  that  is,  her  immoderate  boasting. 

What  follows  is  explained  by  many  otherwise  than  I  can 
approve ;  for  they  say  that  the  waves  made  a  noise  among 
the  Babylonians  at  the  time  when  the  city  was  populous  ;  for 
where  there  is  a  great  concourse  of  men,  a  great  noise  is 
heard,  but  solitude  and  desolation  bring  silence.  They  thus, 
then,  explain  the  words  of  the  Proi^het,  that  though  now 
waves,  that  is,  noises,  resounded  in  Babylon  like  great  waters, 
and  the  sound  of  their  voice  went  forth,  yet  God  would  de- 
stroy their  great  or  magnificent  voice.  But  I  have  no 
doubt  but  that  what  the  Prophet  meant  by  their  great  voice, 
was  their  grandiloquent  boasting  in  which  the  Babylonians 
indulged  during  their  prosperity.  While,  then,  the  monarchy 
flourished,  they  spoke  as  from  the  height.  Their  silence  from 
fear  and  shame  would  follow,  as  the  Prophet  intimates,  when 
God  checked  that  proud  glorying. 

But  what  follows  I  take  in  a  different  sense  ;  for  I  apply 
it  to  the  Medes  and  the  Persians  :  and  so  there  is  a  relative 
without  an  antecedent — a  mode  of  speaking  not  unfrequent 
in  Hebrew.  He  then  expresses  the  manner  in  which  God 
would  destroy  or  abolish  the  grandiloquent  boasting  of  the 
Babylonians,  even  because  their  waves,  that  is,  of  the  Persians, 
woidd  make  a  noise  like  great  waters ;  that  is,  the  Persians, 
and  the  Medes  would  rush  on  them  like  impetuous  waves, 
and  thus  the  Babylonians  would  be  brought  to  silence  and 
reduced  to  desolation.^      When  they  were  at  peace,  and  no 

""  This  is  the  meaning  given  by  the  Targum.  Venema  and  Hoi^sley 
would  put  a  colon  or  a  period  after  13K, — 

55.  For  Jehovah  is  laying  waste  Babylon  and  destroying  her : 
From  her  comes  a  loud  voice  ! 
And  roar  do  their  waves  like  great  waters, 
Going  forth  is  the  tumult  of  their  voice. 
According  to  the  preceding  verse,  the  destruction  of  Babylon  is  represented 
as  then  taking  place, — 

54.  A  voice  of  howling  from  Babylon ! 

And  of  great  destruction  from  the  land  of  the  Chaldeans ! 
The  commotions  and  tumults,  arising  from  the  invasion  of  enemies,  seem 


280  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CXCII. 

enemy  disturbed  them,  they  then  gave  full  vent  to  their 
pride  ;  and  thus  vaunting  was  the  speech  of  Babylon  as  long 
as  it  flourished  ;  but  when  suddenly  the  enemies  made  an 
irruption,  then  Babylon  became  silent  or  mute  on  account 
of  the  frightful  sound  within  it.  We  hence  see  why  he 
compares  the  Persians  and  the  Modes  to  violent  waves 
which  would  break  and  put  an  end  to  that  sound  which 
was  before  heard  in  Babylon.     It  follows, — 

56.  Because  the  spoiler  is  come  56.  Quia  venit  super  earn,  super 

upon  her,  eve7i  upon  Babylon,  and  Babylonem,  vastator ;  et  deprehen- 

her  mighty  men  are  taken  ;  every  sus  est  fortis  ejus  (deprehensi  sunt, 

one  of  their  bows  is  broken :   for  vel,  capti,  fortes  ejus ;)    confractus 

the  Lord  God  of  recompences  shall  est  arcus  eorum,  quia  Deus  retribu- 

surely  requite.  tionum  Jehova  reddendo  redclet. 

He  confirms  the  former  verse  ;  for  as  the  thing  of  which 
he  speaks  was  difficult  to  be  believed,  he  sets  God  before 
them,  and  shews  that  he  would  be  the  author  of  that  war. 
He  now  continues  his  discourse  and  says,  that  desolators 
shall  come  against  Babylon.  He  had  ascribed  to  God  what 
he  now  transfers  to  the  Modes  and  the  Persians.  He  had 
said,  Jehovah  hath  desolated  or  wasted,  T\W  HH^,  shedad 
Jeve ;  he  says  now,  coming  is  a  desolato7%  ^1*12;^,  shudad. 
Who  is  he  ?  not  God,  but  Cyrus,  together  with  the  united 
army  of  the  Persians  and  the  Modes  ;  yea,  with  vast  forces 
assembled  from  many  nations.  Now  that  the  same  name  is 
given  to  God  and  to  the  Persians,  this  is  done  with  regard 
to  the  ministration.  Properly  speaking,  God  was  the  deso- 
lator  of  Babylon  ;  but  as  in  this  expedition  he  employed 
the  services  of  men,  and  made  the  Persians  and  the  Medes, 
as  it  were,  his  ministers,  and  the  executioners  of  his  judg- 
ment, the  name  whicli  properly  belongs  to  God  is  transferred 
to  the  ministers  whom  he  employed.  The  same  mode  of 
speaking  is  also  used  when  blessings  are  spoken  of  He  is 
said  to  have  raised  up  saviours  for  his  people,  while  yet  he 
himself  is  the  only  Saviour,  nor  can  any  mortal  assume  that 
name  without  sacrilege.     (Judges  iii.  15  ;  2  Kings  xiii.  5.) 

to  be  set  forth  in  verse  55  ;  and  the  beginning  of  the  following,  the  56th, 
ou;:;ht  to  be  rendered  in  the  present  tense,  the  first  verb  being  a  participle.— 
Ed. 


CHAP.  LI.  56.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JERExMIAH.  281 

For  Grod's  peculiar  glory  is  taken  away,  wlien  salvation  is 
sought  through  the  arm  of  men,  as  we  have  seen  in  chapter 
xvii.  But  though  God  is  the  only  author  of  salvation,  yet 
it  is  no  objection  to  this  truth,  that  he  employs  men  in 
effecting  his  purposes.  So  also  lie  converts  men,  illuminates 
their  minds  by  the  ministers  of  the  gospel,  and  also  delivers 
them  from  eternal  death.  (Luke  i.  17.)  Doubtless  were 
any  one  to  arrogate  to  himself  what  Christ  is  pleased  to 
concede  to  the  ministers  of  his  gospel,  he  could  by  no  means 
be  endured  ;  but  as  I  have  already  said,  we  must  bear  this 
in  mind,  that  though  God  acts  by  his  own  power  and  never 
borrows  anything  from  any  one,  nor  stands  in  need  of  any 
help,  yet  what  properly  belongs  to  him  is,  in  a  manner,  ap- 
plied to  men,  at  least  by  way  of  concession.  So  now,  then, 
the  Prophet  calls  God  the  desolator,  and  afterwards  he 
honours  with  the  same  title  the  Persians  and  the  Medes. 

lie  adds,  that  the  valiant  men  of  Babylon  were  taken,  ac- 
cording to  what  we  have  before  seen,  that  the  city  was  so 
taken  that  no  one  resisted.  Then  he  adds,  that  their  how 
was  broken.  Here  is  a  part  stated  for  the  whole  ;  for  under 
the  word  boiv  he  includes  all  kinds  of  armour.  But  as  bows 
were  used  at  a  distance,  and  as  enemies  were  driven  from 
the  walls  by  casting  arrows,  the  Prophet  says  that  there 
would  be  no  use  made  of  bows,  because  the  enemies  would 
shew  themselves  in  the  middle  of  the  city  before  the  watch- 
men saw  them,  as  we  know  that  such  was  really  the  case. 
We  now  perceive  why  the  Propliet  mentions  the  bow  ratlier 
than  swords  or  other  weapons. 

The  reason  follows.  Because  Jehovah  is  the  God  of  retribu- 
tions, and  recompensing  her  recompences,  that  is,  he  will  re- 
compense. The  Prophet  here  confirms  all  that  he  had  said, 
and  reasons  from  the  nature  or  character  of  God  himself 
As  then  the  fall  of  Babylon  would  hardly  be  believed  by  the 
faithful,  tlie  Prophet  does  not  ask  what  God  is  in  himself, 
but  declares  that  he  is  the  God  of  retributions,  as  though  he 
had  said,  that  it  belonged  to  God,  and  that  it  could  not  be 
separated  from  his  nature,  to  be  the  God  of  retributions, 
otherwise  his  judgment  would  be  nothing,  his  justice  would 
be  nothing.    For  if  the  reprobate  succeeded  with  impunity, 


282  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CXCIII. 

and  if  tlio  righteous  were  oppressed  without  any  aid,  would 
not  God  be  like  a  stock  of  wood  or  an  imaginar}^  thing? 
For  why  has  he  power,  except  that  he  may  exercise  justice? 
But  God  cannot  be  without  power. 

We  now,  then,  see  how  forcible  is  this  confirmation, 
with  which  the  Prophet  closes  his  discourse :  for  it  is  the 
same  as  if  he  had  said,  that  no  doubt  could  possibly  be  en- 
tertained as  to  the  fall  of  Babylon,  because  God  is  the  God 
of  retributions.  Either  there  is  no  God,  he  saj^s,  or  Babylon 
must  be  destroyed  ;  how  so  ?  for  if  there  be  a  God,  he  is  the 
God  of  retributions ;  if  he  is  the  God  of  retributions,  then 
recompensing  he  will  recompense.  Now^,  it  is  well  known 
how  wricked  Babylon  was,  and  in  what  various  ways  it  had 
provoked  the  wratli  of  God.  Then  it  was  impossible  for  it  to 
escape  liis  hand  unpunished,  since  it  had  in  so  many  ways 
sought  its  own  ruin. 

PRAYER. 

Grant,  Almighty  God,  that  when  thou  hidest  at  this  day  thy  face 
from  us,  the  miserable  despair  we  apprehend  may  not  overwhelm 
our  faith,  nor  obscure  our  view  of  thy  goodness  and  grace,  but 
that  in  the  thickest  darkness  thy  power  may  ever  appear  to  us, 
which  can  raise  us  above  the  world,  so  that  we  may  courageously 
fight  to  the  end,  and  never  doubt  but  that  thou  wilt  at  length  be 
the  defender  of  thy  Church,  which  now  seems  to  be  oppressed, 
until  we  shall  enjoy  our  perfect  happiness  in  heaven,  through 
Christ  our  Lord. — Amen. 


57.  And  I  will  make  drunk  her  57.  Et  inebriabo  priucipes  ejus 
princes,  and  her  wise  men,  her  cap-  ct  sapientes  ejus  ct  duces  ejus  et 
tains,  and  her  rulers,  and  her  mighty  prjcfectos  ejus  et  fortes  ejus  ;  et  dor- 
men  :  and  they  shall  sleep  a  perpe-  mient  somnum  perpetuum,  et  non 
tual  sleep,  and  not  wake,  saith  the  expergctient,  (hcit  rex,  cujus  nomen 
King,  whose  name  is  the  Lord  of  est  Jehova  cxcrcituum. 
liosts. 

Jeremiah  pursues  tlie  same  subject.  He  said  yesterday 
tliat  desolators  would  come  to  destroy  Babylon,  lie  now 
confirms  this  by  a  similitude;  and  God  himself  speaks,  / 


CHAP.  LI.  57.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  283 

will  inebriate  the  princes  and  captains  as  well  as  the  soldiers 
and  all  the  counsellors.  He  seems  here  to  allude  to  that 
feast  of  wliich  Daniel  speaks,  and  of  wliich  heathen  authors 
have  written.  (Dan.  v.  1.)  For  while  tlie  feast  was  celc- 
briited  by  the  Babylonians,  the  city  was  that  night  taken,  not 
only  through  the  contrivance  and  valour  of  Cyrus,  but  also 
through  the  treachery  of  those  who  had  revolted  from  Bel- 
shazzar.  As,  then,  they  w^ere  taken  while  at  the  feast,  and 
as  the  king  was  that  night  slain  together  with  his  satraps, 
God  seems  to  refer  to  this  event  when  he  declares,  that 
when  he  had  inebriated  them,  they  would  be  overtaken  with 
perpetual  sleep ;  for  death  immediately  followed  that  feasting. 
They  had  prolonged  their  feast  to  the  middle  of  the  night ; 
and  while  they  were  sitting  at  table,  a  tumult  arose  suddenly 
in  the  city,  and  the  king  heard  that  he  was  in  the  hand  of 
his  enemies.  As,  then,  feasting  and  death  followed  in  close 
succession,  it  is  a  striking  allusion  given  by  the  Prophet, 
when  God  threatens  the  Babylonians  with  perpetual  sleep, 
after  having  inebriated  them. 

But  he  mentions  here  the  rulers  and  the  captains,  as  well 
as  the  counsellors  and  the  luise  men.  We,  indeed,  know 
that  the  Babylonians  were  inflated  by  a  twofold  confidence, 
— they  thought  themselves  endued  with  consummate  wis- 
dom, and  also  that  they  possessed  warlike  valour.  This  is 
the  reason  why  the  Prophet  expresses  so  distinctly,  that  all 
the  captains  and  rulers  in  Babylon,  however  superior  in 
acuteness  and  prudence,  would  yet  be  overtaken  with  per- 
petual sleep  before  they  rose  from  their  table.  And  we 
must  observe  that  Jeremiah  had  many  years  thus  prophe- 
sied of  Babylon ;  and  hence  we  conclude  that  his  mind  as 
well  as  his  tongue  was  guided  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  for  he 
could  not  have  possibly  conjectured  what  would  be  after 
eighty  years  :  yet  so  long  a  time  intervened  between  the 
prediction  and  its  accomplisliment,  as  we  shall  presently  see. 
Moreover,  the  Prophet  uses  here  a  mode  of  speaking  which 
often  occurs  in  Scripture,  even  that  insensibility  is  a  kind  of 
drunkenness  by  which  God  dementates  men  through  his  hid- 
den judgment.  It  ought,  then,  to  be  noticed,  that  what- 
ever prudence  and  skill  there  is  in  the  world,  they  arc  in 


284  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CXCIII. 

such  a  way  the  gifts  of  God,  that  whenever  he  pleases  the 
wisest  are  blinded,  and,  like  the  drunken,  they  either  go 
astray  or  fall.  But  we  must  bear  in  mind  what  I  have 
already  said,  that  the  Prophet  alludes  to  that  very  history, 
for  there  was  then  an  immediate  transition  from  feasting  to 
death.     It  now  follows, — 

58.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,         68.   Sic  dicit  Jehova  exercituum, 

The  broad  walls  of  Babylon  shall  be  Murus  Babylonis  latitudinis  {hoc  est, 

utterly  broken,  and  her  high  gates  latus)    dissipando    dissipabitur,    et 

shall  be  burnt  with  fire  ;  and  the  portae  ejus  excelsaj  igne  comburen- 

people  shall  labour  in  vain,  and  the  tur,  et  laborabunt  populi  ad  nihi- 

folk  in  the  fire,  and  they  shall  be  lum,  et  gentes  in  igne,  et  fatigabun- 

weary.  tur. 

The  Prophet  again  introduces  God  as  the  speaker,  that 
what  he  said  might  obtain  more  attention  from  the  Jews  ; 
and  for  this  reason  he  subjoined  a  eulogy  to  the  last  verse, 
and  said  that  the  king  spoke,  whose  name  is  Jehovah  of 
hosts.  We  have  stated  elsewhere  what  is  the  design  of  such 
expressions,  even  that  men  may  rise  above  everything  seen 
in  the  world  when  God's  power  is  mentioned,  that  the}^  may 
not  try  to  contain  it  in  their  own  small  measure.  Then  the 
Prophet  now  again  repeats  the  name  of  God,  that  the  Jews 
might  receive  with  becoming  reverence  what  he  announced. 

And  what  he  says  is,  The  wall  of  Babylon,  however  luide 
it  may  be,  shall  yet  he  surely  demolished.  We  have  said  that 
the  walls  were  fifty  feet  wide,  and  the  feet  were  indeed  long, 
though  Herodotus,  as  I  liave  said,  mentions  cubits  and  not 
feet.  The  width,  indeed,  was  such  that  four  horses  abreast 
meeting,  could  pass,  there  being  space  enough  for  them.  It 
hence,  then,  appears,  that  their  thickness  was  so  great,  that 
tlie  Babylonians  confidently  disregarded  whatever  had  been 
predicted  by  the  Prophet ;  for  no  engines  of  war  could  have 
ever  beaten  down  walls  so  thick,  especially  as  they  were 
made  of  bricks  and  cemented  by  bitumen.  As,  then,  the 
material,  beside  the  thickness,  was  so  firm  and  strong,  this 
prophecy  was  incredible.  It  did  not  indeed  reach  the  Baby- 
lonians, but  the  Jews  themselves  regarded  as  a  fable  all  that 
they  had  heard  from  tlie  mouth  of  the  Prophet.  Yet  God 
did  not  in  vain  refer  to  width  of  the  wall,  in  order  that  the 


CHAP.  LI.  58.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  285 

faithful  might  feel  assured  that  the  walls  of  Babylon  could 
not  possibly  resist  him,  however  firm  they  might  be  in  their 
materials  and  thickness.  The  wall,  he  says,  shall  surely  be 
demolished. 

He  afterwards  mentions  the  gates,  which  Herodotus  says 
were  of  brass  when  Darius  took  them  away.  He,  indeed, 
means  the  doors,  but  the  Prophet  includes  the  framework 
as  well  as  the  brazen  doors.  He  then  says,  they  shall  he 
consumed  with  fire.  The  Babylonians  might  have  laughed 
at  this  threatening  of  Jeremiah,  for  brass  could  not  have 
been  consumed  with  fire,  even  if  enemies  had  been  permitted 
to  set  fire  to  them — for  brass  could  not  have  been  so  soon 
melted.  But  as  the  Prophet  had  predicted  this  by  God's 
command,  so  at  length  his  prophecy  was  verified  when  he 
was  dead,  because  it  was  proved  by  the  event  that  this  pro- 
ceeded from  God  ;  for  when  the  doors  were  removed,  the 
gates  themselves  were  demolished  ;  and  it  may  have  been 
that  Darius  put  fire  to  them,  that  he  might  the  sooner  de- 
stroy the  gates  and  the  towers,  which  were  very  high,  as 
well  as  the  walls. 

He  afterwards  adds,  Labour  shall  the  people  in  vain,  and 
the  nations  in  the  fire  ;  they  shall  be  wearied.  So  this  pas- 
sage is  commonly  explained,  as  though  the  Prophet  had 
said,  that  when  the  walls  of  Babylon  had  begun  to  burn, 
and  the  gates  to  be  consumed  with  fire,  there  would  be  no 
remedy,  though  the  Babylonians  might  greatly  weary  them- 
selves and  fatigue  themselves  in  attempting  to  quench  the 
fire.  But  this  exposition  seems  to  be  forced  and  unnatural. 
I  therefore  take  the  words,  though  future,  in  the  past  tense. 
And  as  the  walls  of  Babylon  had  not  been  erected  without 
great  labour,  and  a  vast  number  of  men  had  been  hired, 
some  to  bring  bitumen,  others  to  heap  up  the  earth,  and 
others  to  make  the  bricks,  the  Prophet  in  this  place  inti- 
mates that  all  this  labour  would  be  in  vain,  even  because  it 
was  spent  for  the  fire, — that  whatever  they  did  who  had 
been  either  hired  for  wages  or  forced  by  authority  to  erect 
the  walls,  was  labour  for  the  fire ;  that  is,  they  laboured 
that  their  work  might  eventually  be  consumed  by  fire.  This 
seems  to  me  to  be  the  real  meaning  of  the  Prophet.     He 


286  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CXCIII. 

then  says  that  the  people  had  laboured  in  vain^  or  for  nothing, 

and  why  ?  because  they   laboured  for  the  fire.     The  second 

clause  is  in  my  view  an  explanation  of  the  former. "^     It  now 

follows, — 

59.  The   word    which   Jeremiah         59.   Sermo  quern  prsecepit  Jere- 

the  prophet  commanded  Seraiah  the  mias  propheta  Seraise  fiho  Neriae, 

son  of  Neriah,  the  son  of  Maaseiah,  fiHi  Mahesije,    quum  profectus  est 

when  he  went  with  Zedekiah  the  pro  Zedechia  ( i>e/,  a  Zedechia,)  rege 

king  of  Judah  into  Babylon  in  the  Jehudah,  Babylonem,  anno  quarto 

fourth  year  of  his  reign.     And  this  regni  ipsius  ;  Seraiah  autem  prin- 

Seraiah  was  a  quiet  prince.  ceps  quietis. 

This  is  a  remarkable  sealing  of  the  whole  of  what  we  have 
hitherto  found  said  respecting  the  destruction  of  Babylon  ; 
for  the  Prophet  not  only  spoke  and  promulgated  what  the 
Spirit  of  God  liad  dictated,  but  also  put  it  down  in  a  book  ; 
and  not  contented  with  this,  he  delivered  the  book  to 
Seraiah  the  son  of  Neriah,  when  he  went  to  Babylon  by  the 
command  of  Zedekiah  the  king,  that  he  might  read  it  there, 
cast  it  into  the  Euphrates,  and  strengthen  himself  in  the 
hope  of  all  those  things  which  had  been  divinely  predicted. 

He  savs  first  that  he  commanded  Seraiah  what  he  was  to 
do,  even  to  read  the  volume  and  to  throw  it  into  the 
Euphrates,  as  we  shall  hereafter  see.  But  he  points  out  the 
time  and  mentions  the  disposition  of  Seraiah,  that  we  might 
not  think  it  strange  that  the  Prophet  dared  to  give  an 
authoritative  command  to  the  king's  messenger,  which 
a  man  of  another  character  would  have  refused.  As  to 
the  time,  it  was  the  fourth  year  of  the  reign  of  Zedekiah  ; 
seven  years  before  the  city  was  taken,  being  besieged  the 
ninth  year  and  taken  the  eleventh.  Then  seven  years  be- 
fore the  destruction  and  ruin  of  the  city,  Seraiah  was  sent 

The  1  before  1^^''  is  evidently  conversive,  and  may  be  rendered  so 
thatf  or  therefore, — 

Thus  saith  Jehovah  of  hosts, 

The  wall  of  Babylon,  the  broad  one, 

It  shall  be  utterly  hiid  in  ruins ; 

And  her  gates,  the  lofty  ones, 

They  shall  be  consumed  with  fire : 

So  that  peoples  had  laboured  for  vanity, 

And  nations  for  the  fire,  and  wearied  themselves. 

Several  MvSS.  have  DDH,  wall,  and  so  it  is  in  the  Sept.,  as  required  by 

"  broad,"  which  is  in  the  singular  number.     "  For  vanity"  is  for  a  vain 

object ;  and  "  for  the  tire"  means  for  what  was  to  be  consumed  by  fire. 

The  last  words  maybe  rendered  "  though  they  wearied  themselves." — Ed. 


CHAP.  LI.  o9.  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  287 

by  the  king  to  Babylon.  Tliere  is  no  doubt  but  that  the 
message  was  sent  to  pacify  the  king  of  Babylon,  who  had 
been  offended  with  the  fickleness  and  perfidy  of  King  Zede- 
kiah  ;  an  ambassador  was  then  sent  to  seek  pardon.  But 
what  the  Jews  say,  that  Zedekiah  went  to  Babylon,  is 
wholly  groundless  ;  and  we  know  that  Sederola,  whence 
they  have  taken  this,  is  full  of  all  kinds  of  fables  and  trifles  ; 
and  on  such  a  point  as  this,  sacred  history  w^ould  not  have 
been  silent,  for  it  was  a  thing  of  great  moment;  and  then 
the  particle  fli^,  at,  expresses  no  such  thing,  but  may  be 
rendered  in  this  sense,  that  the  messenger  was  sent /or,  or 
hy,  or  in  the  place  of  Zedekiah.  Let  us  then  be  satisfied 
w^ith  this  simple  and  obvious  explanation,  that  Seraiah  was 
the  king's  messenger  sent  to  remove  the  offences  taken  by 
the  Babylonians.^  And  this  happened  in  the  fourth  year  of 
Zedekiah. 

Now,  by  calling  Seraiah  a  prince  of  quietness,  I  doubt  not 
but  that  a  reference  is  made  to  his  gentleness  and  meek- 
ness ;  and  I  wonder  that  in  so  plain  a  thing  interpreters 
have  toiled  so  much.  One  renders  it,  even  the  Chaldean 
paraphrast,  "  the  prince  of  the  oblations,"  as  though  he  was 
set  over  to  examine  the  presents  offered  to  the  king.  Others 
imagine  that  he  was  a  facetious  man  who  amused  the  king 
in  his  fears  ;  and  others  think  that  he  was  called  "  prince  of 
quietness,'"  because  he  preserved  the  city  in  a  quiet  state. 
But  all  these  things  are  groimdless.^  No  other  view,  then, 
seems  to  me  right,  but  that  he  was  a  prince  of  a  quiet  dis- 
position. Therefore  the  word  "  quietness''  ought  not  to  be 
referred  to  any  office,  but  a  noun  in  the  genitive  case  used 

^  The  Vulg.  and  Syr.  have  "  with,"  but  the  Sept.  ard  Targ.  give  it 
the  meaning  of  "  from ;"  and  r\\^  has  often  the  meaning  of  JIND  ;  see  Gen. 
iv.  1  ;  xliv.  4 ;  l.  9,  29.     So  Gataker,  Venema,  and  Blayney. — Ed. 

2  The  variety  in  the  early  versions  is  remarkable ;  the  Sept.  and  the 
Targ.  have  "  the  prince  of  gifts"  or  presents ;  the  Vulg.,  "  the  prince  of 
prophecy;"  and  the  Syr.,  "the  prince  of  warfare."  A  similar  phrase  is 
found  in  1  Chron.  xxii.  9;  Solomon  is  said  to  be  "  a  man  of  rest,"  D'''fc? 
nmJD.  The  meaning  most  suitable  to  this  passage  is  that  of  Calvin  and 
of  our  version.  So  thought  Gataker;  but  Lowth  and  Farkhurst  regarded 
the  words  as  pointing  out  his  office  as  the  king's  chief  chamberlain,  ''  the 
prince  of  the  resting-place,"  or  chamber ;  but  the  objection  to  this  is,  that 
the  word  is  never  used  in  this  sense ;  it  means  not  the  rest  of  sleep,  but 
the  rest  of  peace  and  quietness.— -Erf.. 


288  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CXCIII. 

instead  of  an  adjective.  He  was,  then,  a  quiet  prince,  or  one 
of  a  placid  disposition.  And  this  commendation  was  not 
without  reason  added,  because  we  know  how  haughtily  the 
princes  rejected  everything  commanded  them  by  the  ser- 
vants of  God.  Seraiah  might  have  objected,  and  said  that 
he  was  sent  to  Babylon,  not  by  a  private  person,  and  one 
of  the  common  people,  but  by  the  king  himself.  He  might 
then  have  haughtily  reproved  the  Prophet  for  taking  too 
mucli  liberty  with  him,  "  Who  art  thou,  that  thou  darest  to 
command  me,  when  I  sustain  the  person  of  the  king  ?  and 
when  I  am  going  in  his  name  to  the  king  of  Babylon  ?  and 
then  thou  seekest  to  create  disturbances  by  ordering  me  to 
read  this  volume.  What  if  it  be  found  on  me  ?  what  if  some 
were  to  suspect  that  I  carry  such  a  thing  to  Babylon  ?  would 
I  not,  in  the  first  place,  carry  death  in  my  bosom  ?  and  would 
I  not,  in  the  second  place,  be  perfidious  to  my  king  ?  for  thus 
my  message  would  be  extremely  disliked." 

As  then  Seraiah  might  have  stated  all  these  things,  and 
have  rejected  the  command  which  Jeremiah  gave  liim,  his 
gentleness  is  expressly  mentioned,  even  that  he  was  a  meek 
man,  and  who  withheld  not  his  service — who,  in  short,  was 
ready  to  obey  God  and  his  servant.  What,  in  a  word,  is 
here  commended,  is  the  meekness  of  Seraiah,  that  he  re- 
ceived the  Prophet  with  so  much  readiness, — that  he  suffered 
himself  to  be  commanded  by  him,  and  that  he  also  hesitated 
not  to  execute  what  he  had  commanded,  when  yet  it  might 
have  been  a  capital  offence,  and  it  might  especially  have  been 
adverse  to  his  mission,  which  was  to  reconcile  the  king  of 
Babylon.  And  surely  it  is  an  example  worthy  of  being 
noticed,  that  Seraiah  was  not  deterred  by  danger  from  ren- 
dering immediate  obedience  to  the  Prophet's  command,  nor 
did  he  re^fard  himself  nor  the  office  committed  to  him,  so  as 
to  reject  the  Prophet,-  according  to  the  usual  conduct  of 
princes,  under  the  pretext  of  their  own  dignity ;  but  laying 
aside  his  own  honour  and  forgetting  all  his  greatness,  lie 
became  a  disciple  to  Jeremiah,  who  yet,  as  it  is  well  known, 
had  been  long  despised  by  the  people,  and  had  sometimes 
been  nearly  brought  to  death.  It  was,  then,  a  remarkable 
instance  of  virtue  in  Seraiah,  that  he  received  with  so  much 


CHAP.  LI.  6'0-6i.     COMiMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  289 

modesty  and  readiness  what  had  been  said  to  him  by  the 
Prophet,  and  that  he  obeyed  his  command,  to  the  evident 
danger  of  his  own  life.     It  now  follows, — 

60.  So  Jeremiah  wrote  in  a  book  60.  Et  scripsit  Jeremias  onme 
all  the  evil  that  should  come  upon  malum,  quod  venturum  erat  contra 
Babylon,  even  all  these  words  that  Babylonem  in  \ibro  uno,  omnes  ser- 
a7'e  written  against  Babylon.  mones  istos   scriptos  contra  Baby- 

lonem. 

6 1 .  And  Jeremiah  said  to  Seraiah,  6 1 .  Et  dixit  Jeremias  ipsi  Seraiie, 
When  thou  comest  to  Babylon,  and  Quum  ingressus  fueris  Babylonem, 
shalt  see,  and  shalt  read  all  these  et  conspexeris  eam,  tunc  leges  omnes 
words,  sermones  istos, 

62.  Then  shalt  thou  say,  0  Lord,  62.  Et  dices,  Jehova,  tu  loquutus 
thou  hast  spoken  against  this  place,  es  contra  locum  hunc,  ad  excidendimi 
to  cut  it  off,  that  none  shall  remain  ipsum,  ut  non  sit  in  eo  habitator, 
in  it,  neither  man  nor  beast,  but  that  ab  homine  ad  bestiam,  quia  vasta- 
it  shall  be  desolate  for  ever.  tiones  perpetuie  erit  (hoc  est,  erit  in 

vastationes  perpetuas,  vel  redigetur.) 

63.  And  it  shall  be,  when  thou  hast  63.  Et  erit  quum  fin  em  feceris 
made  anendofreading  this  book,  ^Aai  legendo  librum  hunc,  _  alligabis  ad 
thou  shalt  bind  a  stone  to  it,  and  cast  ipsum  lapidem,  et  projicies  in  medium 
it  into  the  midst  of  Euphrates :  Euphratem : 

64.  And  thou  shalt  say,  Thus  shall  64.  Et  dices,  Sic  mergetur  Baby- 
Babylon  sink,  and  shall  not  rise  from  Ion,  et  non  exurget  a  facie  mah  quod 
the  e^^l  that  I  will  bring  upon  her ;  ego  immitto  contra  eam,  et  volabunt 
and  they  shall  be  Aveary.  Thus  far  {aut,  fatigabunt.)  Hue  usque  ser- 
are  the  words  of  Jeremiah.  mones  Jeremise. 

Here  we  see,  on  one  hand,  what  courage  the  Prophet  had, 
who  dared  to  command  the  king's  messenger ;  for  though 
Seraiah  was  a  meek  man,  so  as  to  render  himself  submissive, 
yet  Jeremiah  exposed  himself  to  danger ;  for  he  might  have 
been  timid,  though  he  was  neither  proud  nor  arrogant ;  and 
thus,  as  men  are  wont  to  do  when  terrified,  he  might  have 
referred  to  the  king  what  he  liad  heard  from  the  Prophet. 
Then  Jeremiah  did  what  we  here  read,  not  without  danger ; 
and  hence  appears  his  firmness.  We  then  see  that  he  was 
endued  with  the  spirit  of  invincible  courage,  so  as  to  dis- 
charge his  office  freely  and  intrepidly. 

On  the  other  hand,  we  have  to  observe  not  only  the  meek- 
ness of  Seraiah,  but  also  his  piety,  together  with  his  modesty; 
for  except  he  had  in  him  a  strong  principle  of  religion,  he 
might  have  adduced  plausible  reasons  for  refusing.  As, 
then,  he  was  so  submissive,  and  dreaded  no  danger,  it  is 
evident  that  the  real  fear  of  God  was  vigorous  in  his  soul. 

And  these  things  ought  to  be  carefully  noticed  ;  for  who 
of  our  courtly  princes  can  be  found  at  this  day  who  will  close 

VOL.  V.  T 


290  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CXCIII. 

his  eyes  to  all  dangers,  and  resolutely  disregard  all  adverse 
events,  when  God  and  his  servants  are  to  be  obeyed  ?  And 
then  we  see  how  pusillanimous  are  those  who  profess  to  be 
God's  ambassadors,  and  claim  to  themselves  the  name  of 
Pastors.  As,  then,  teachers  dare  not  faithfully  to  perform 
their  office,  so  on  the  other  hand  courtly  princes  are  so  de- 
voted to  themselves  and  to  their  own  prudence,  that  they 
are  unwilling  to  undertake  duties  which  are  unpopular.  On 
this  account,  then,  this  passage,  with  all  its  circumstances, 
ought  to  be  carefully  noticed. 

Jeremiah,  then,  wrote  in  a  hook  all  the  evil  which  was  to 
come  on  Babylon^  even  all  those  words,  (he  refers  to  the  pro- 
phecies which  we  have  seen  ;)  and  Jeremiah  said  to  Seraiah,^ 
&c.  Here  the  boldness  of  Jeremiah  comes  to  view,  that  he 
hesitated  not  to  command  Seraiah  to  read  this  book  when 
he  came  to  Babylon  and  had  seen  it.  To  see  it,  is  not  men- 
tioned here  without  reason,  for  the  splendour  of  that  city 
might  have  astonished  Seraiah.  Then  the  Prophet  here 
seasonably  meets  the  difficulty,  and  bids  him  to  disregard 
the  height  of  the  walls  and  towers ;  and  that  however  Baby- 
lon might  dazzle  the  eyes  of  others,  yet  he  was  to  look  down, 
as  from  on  high,  on  all  that  pomp  and  pride:  When  thou 
enter  est  the  city,  and  hast  seen  it,  then  read  this  hook.  The 
verb  X'np,  kora,  means  to  call,  to  proclaim,  and  also  to  read. 
Then  Seraiah  must  have  read  this  book  by  himself;  nor  do 
I  doubt  but  that  the  words  ought  to  be  so  understood,  as  we 
shall  see.  It  was  not  then  necessary  for  Seraiah  to  have  a  pul- 
pit, or  in  a  public  way  to  read  the  book  to  an  assembled  people ; 
but  it  was  sufficient  to  read  it  privately  by  himself,  without 
any  witnesses;  and  this  may  be  gathered  from  the  context. 

And  thou  shalt  say,  Jehovah,  thou  hast  spoken  against  this 

place.     It  hence  appears  that  Seraiah  was  commanded  to 

read  the  book,  not  for  tlie  benefit  of  hearers,  for  they  would 

have  been  doubly  deaf  to  the  words  of  Seraiah.     And  it  is 

not  probable  that  the  Hebrew  language  was  then  familiar 

to  the  Chaldeans.     There   is  a  great  affinity,   as  it  is  well 

known,  in  the  languages,  but  there  is  also  some  diifercnce. 

1  That  the  connexion  may  appear  more  evident,  the  60th  verse  and 
the  first  sentence  in  the  Gist  ought  to  be  put  witliin  a  parenthesis;  for 
"  the  word  whicli  Jeremiah  commanded  Seraiah,"  mentioned  in  the  59th 
verse,  is  wliat  follows,  "  When  thou  comest  to  Babylon,"  &c. — Ed. 


CHAP.  LI.  60-64.      COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  291 

But  we  conclude,  from  this  passage,  that  the  reading  was  in  a 
chamber,  or  in  some  secret  place  ;  for  Seraiah  is  bidden  to 
fix  all  his  thoughts  on  God,  and  to  address  his  words  to  him. 
He  did  not  then  undertake  the  work  or  office  of  a  preacher, 
so  as  openly  to  proclaim  all  these  things  to  the  Babylonians. 
But  having  inspected  the  city,  he  was  to  read  the  book  by 
himself,  that  is,  what  had  been  written. 

And  this  also  deserves  to  be  noticed  ;  for  however  cour- 
ageous we  may  be,  yet  our  constancy  and  boldness  are  more 
apparent  when  we  have  to  do  with  men  than  when  we  are 
alone,  and  God  is  the  only  witness ;  for  when  no  one  sees  us, 
we  tremble ;  and  though  we  may  have  previously  appeared 
to  have  manly  courage,  yet  when  alone,  fear  lays  hold  on  us. 
There  is  hardly  one  in  a  hundred  who  is  so  bold  as  he  ought 
to  be  when  God  alone  is  witness.  But  shame  renders  us  cour- 
ageous and  constrains  us  to  be  firm,  and  the  vigour  which  is 
almost  extinct  in  private  is  roused  in  public.  As,  then,  am- 
bition almost  always  rules  in  men,  this  passage  ought  to  be 
carefully  noticed,  where  the  Prophet  commands  Seraiah  to 
deal  alone  with  God,  and,  though  no  mortal  was  present,  to 
strengthen  himself,  by  relying  on  the  certain  and  infallible 
fidelity  of  God  ;  Thou  shalt  then  say,  Jehovah,  &c.  And  it  is 
doubtless  a  real  experiment  of  faith,  when  we  consider  with- 
in ourselves  the  promises  of  God,  and  go  not  forth  before  the 
public  to  avow  our  firmness ;  for  when  any  one  in  silence  ac- 
knowledges God  to  be  true,  and  strengthens  himself  in  his 
promises,  and  so  disregards  the  false  judgments  of  all,  that 
were  he  alone  in  the  world,  he  would  not  yet  despond, — this 
is  a  true  and  real  trial  of  faith. 

Thou  shalt  then  say,  Jehovah,  thou  hast  spoken  against  this 
place.  The  design  of  the  words  was,  that  Seraiah  might 
feel  assured  that  God  was  true,  and  embrace  in  his  presence 
what  he  read,  and  not  doubt  but  that  the  word,  which  came 
from  God,  would,  in  due  time,  be  accomplished  :  how  so  ? 
because  God  is  true.  The  word  Jehovah,  then,  ought  to  be 
regarded  as  emphatical  ;  and  thou  shalt  say.  Thou,  Jehovah, 
hast  spoken  against  this  place ;  that  is,  neither  Jeremiah, 
nor  any  other  mortal,  is  the  author  of  this  prophecy ;  but 
thou,  0  Lord,  has  dictated  to  thy  servant  whatever  is  con- 
tained in  this  volume. 


292  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  CXCIII. 

To  destroy  it,  so  that  there  should  not  he  an  inhabitant  in 
it,  neither  man  nor  beast :  liow  so  ?  because  it  shall  be  reduced 
to  desolations,  or  the  particle  O,  Id,  may  be  taken  adversa- 
tively,  but  it  shall  be  reduced  to  perpetual  desolations} 

He  afterwards  adds,  And  when  thou  hast  made  an  end 
of  reading,  thou  shall  tie  a  stone  to  it  and  cast  it  into  the 
Euphrates,  and  shall  say,  Thus  sink  shall  Babylon.  Here  is 
added  an  external  symbol  to  confirm  tlie  faith  of  Seraiah. 
We  must  yet  bear  in  mind,  that  this  was  not  said  to  Seraiah 
for  his  own  sake  alone,  but  that  the  people  might  also  know, 
that  the  king's  messenger,  who  had  been  sent  for  the  sake 
of  conciliating,  was  also  the  messenger  of  God  and  of  the 
Prophet,  who  might  have  otherwise  been  despised  by  the 
people.  When,  therefore,  the  faithful  knew  this,  they  were 
in  no  ordinary  way  confirmed  in  the  truth  of  the  prophecy. 
Jeremiah,  then,  not  only  consulted  the  benefit  of  Seraiah 
alone,  but  that  of  all  the  godly ;  for  though  this  was  un- 
known for  a  long  time,  yet  the  messenger  afterwards  ac- 
knowledged that  this  command  had  been  given  him  by 
Jeremiah,  and  that  he  took  the  book  and  cast  it  into  the 
Euphrates.  This,  then,  was  given  as  a  confirmation  to  all 
the  godly. 

As  to  the  symbols  by  which  God  sealed  the  prophecies 
in  former  times,  we  have  spoken  elsewhere  ;  I  therefore  pass 
them  by  slightly  now  :  only  we  ought  to  bear  in  mind  this 
one  thing,  that  these  signs  were  only  temporary  sacraments  ; 
for  ordinary  sacraments  are  permanent,  as  the  holy  supper 
and  baptism.  But  the  sign  mentioned  here  was  temporary, 
and  referred,  as  they  say,  to  a  special  action  :  it  yet  had 
the  force  and  character  of  a  sacrament,  as  to  its  use,  the 
confirmation  of  this  prophecy.  Seraiah  was  then  bidden  to 
tie  a  stone  to  the  book,  and  then  to  cast  it  into  the  Euphrates : 
why  so?  that  the  volume  might  not  swim  on  the  surface  of 
the  water,  but  be  sunk  down  to  the  bottom  ;  and  the  ap- 
plication follows,  Thou  shall  say,  &c.  We  see  that  words 
ought  ever  to  be  connected  with  signs.  We  hence  conclude 
how  fatuous  the  Papists  arc,  who  practise  many  ceremonies, 

'  Literally  the  words  are, — 

For  desolations  of  perpetuity  shall  it  (or  she)  be. 
Babylon  is  sometimes  referred  to  as  masculine,  and  sometimes  as  femi- 
nine.—  Ed. 


CHAP.  LI.  60-64.        COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  293 

but  without  knowledge.  They  are,  indeed,  dead  and  empty 
things,  whatever  signs  men  may  devise  for  themselves,  ex- 
cept God's  word  be  added.  Thou  shall  then  say,  Thus  sink 
shall  Babylon,  and  shall  not  rise  from  the  evil  which  I  shall 
bring  upon  her.  In  sliort,  Seraiah  was  commanded,  as  the 
Prophet's  messenger,  to  predict  by  himself  concerning  the 
fall  of  Babylon  ;  but  it  was  for  the  sake  of  all  the  godly, 
who  were  afterwards  taught  what  had  been  done.^ 

The  conclusion  follows,  Thus  far  the  words  of  Jeremiah. 
We  have  said  that  the  prophets,  after  having  spoken  in  the 
Temple,  or  to  the  people,  afterwards  collected  brief  sum- 
maries, and  that  these  contained  the  princij^al  things  :  from 
these  the  prophetic  books  were  made  uj).  For  Jeremiah  did 
not  write  the  volume  as  we  have  it  at  this  day,  except  the 
chapters  ;  and  it  appears  evident  that  it  was  not  written  in 
the  order  in  which  he  spoke.  The  order  of  time  is  not,  then, 
everywhere  observed  ;  but  the  scribes  were  careful  in  this 
respect,  that  they  collected  the  summaries  affixed  to  the 
doors  of  the  Temple  ;  and  so  they  added  this  conclusion. 
Thus  far  the  words  of  Jeremiah.  But  this,  in  my  view,  is 
not  to  be  confined  to  the  prophecies  respecting  the  fall  of 
Babylon  ;  for  I  doubt  not  but  that  the  scribe  who  had  col- 
lected all  his  prophecies,  added  these  words,  that  he  had 
thus  far  transcribed  the  words  of  Jeremiah. 

We  hence  conclude  that  the  last  chapter  is  not  included  in 
the  prophetic  book  of  Jeremiah,  but  that  it  contains  history 
only  as  far  as  was  necessary  to  understand  what  is  here 
tauglit :  for  it  appears  evident  that  many  parts  of  the  pro- 
phecy could  not  be  understood  without  the  knowledge  of 
this  history.    As  to  the  book  of  Lamentations,  we  know  that 

^  Calvin  takes  no  notice  here  of  the  verb  which  closes  this  sentence, 
'I2V''1 ;  but  in  his  version  he  renders  it,  "  and  they  shall  fly,"  or  they  shall 
be  wearied.  Critics  know  not  what  to  make  of  it:  it  is  omitted  in  the 
Sept.,  and  rendered  by  the  Vnlff.,  '•  and  it  shall  be  dissolved  ;"  by  the  Si/r.f 
"  but  they  shall  be  thrown  down  ;"  and  by  the  Targ.,  '•'  and  they  shall 
fail."  It  is  left  out  in  no  MS.  Blayney,  following  the  Sept.,  omits  it. 
The  best  explanation  is  given  by  Junius  and  Tremelius,  '•'  though  they  may 
weary  themselves,"  that  is,  the  citizens  of  Babylon :  their  attempt  to  rise 
and  resist  their  enemies  would  be  ineffectual,  however  much  they  might 
toil  in  the  effort. 

The  emendator,  Houhigant,  proposes  to  read  the  word,  ISD''"!,  ''  and  they 
shall  come  to  an  end."  This  agrees  nearly  with  the  Targ.,  "  and  they  shall 
fa\\."—Ed. 


294  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH.  LECT.  OXCIII. 

it  was  a  work  distinct  from  the  prophecies  of  Jeremiah  : 
there  is,  then,  no  wonder  that  it  has  been  added,  Thus  far 
the  words  of  Jeremiah. 

PRAYER. 

Grant,  Almighty  God,  that  since  thou  hast  deigned  to  choose  us  for 
thy  people,  we  may  not  doubt  but  that  our  enemies  will  be  before 
thee  like  Babylon,  so  that  when  thou  hast  chastised  us,  thou  wilt 
at  length,  by  a  fatal  and  perpetual  destruction,  so  lay  them 
prostrate,  that  they  shall  rise  up  no  more ;  and  when  thou  hast 
killed  the  body,  manifest  thyself  as  our  deliverer,  until  we  shall 
at  length  be  gathered  into  that  celestial  kingdom  which  has 
been  prepared  for  us  by  thine  only-begotten  Son. — Amen. 


[The  last  chapter,  as  it  is  historical,  and  all  its  parts  have  been  elsewhere 
handled,  holy  Calvin  did  not  expound  in  his  Lectures,  that  he  might 
not  burden  the  hearers  with  superfluous  repetitions  :  however,  to  render 
the  book  complete,  we  here  add  it.] 


CHAPTER  LIL 

1.  Zedekiah  loas  one  and  twenty  1.  Viginti  et  unius  anni  erat  Se- 
years  old  when  he  began  to  reign  ;  dechias  quando  regnaAdt,  et  undecim 
and  he  reigned  eleven  years  in  Je-  annis  regnavit  in  Jerusalem,  et  no- 
rusalem :  and  his  mother's  name  was  men  matris  ejus  Hamutal  filia  Jere- 
Hamutai,  the  daughter  of  Jeremiah  mite  de  Libnah. 

of  Libnah. 

2.  And  he  did  that  which  was  2.  Et  fecit  malum  in  oculis  Je- 
evil  in  the  eyes  of  the  Lord,  accord-  hovse,  secundum  omnia  quae  fecerat 
ing  to  all  that  Jehoiakim  had  done.  Jehoiakim : 

3.  For  tlirough  the  anger  of  the  3.  Nempe  propter  furorem  Je- 
Lord  it  came  to  pass  in  Jerusalem  hovse  qui  fuit  contra  Jerusalem  et 
and  Judah,  till  he  had  cast  them  out  Jehudah,  donee  projiceret  eos  a  facie 
from  his  presence,  that  Zedekiah  sua,  rebellavit  Sedechias  contra  re- 
rebelled  against  the  king  of  Baby-  gem  Babylonis.^ 

Ion. 

4.  And  it  came  to  pass,  in  the  4.  Fuit  autem anno  nonoregni ejus, 
ninth  year  of  liis  reign,  in  the  tenth  mense  decimo,  decima  mensis,  venit 
month,  in  the  tenth  dai/  of  the  Nabuchadrezer  rex  Babylonis,  ipse 
month,  that  Nebuchadrezzar  king  of  et  universus  exercitus  ejus  adver- 
Babylon  came,  he  and  all  his  army,  sus  Jerusalem,  et  castrametati  sunt 

^  The  best  rendering  of  this  verse  is  by  Venenia^ — 

Therefore  the  height  of  the  wrath  of  Jehovah  (that  is,  the  extreme  \\Tath 
of  Jehovah)  was  on  Jerusalem  and  Judah,  until  he  cast  them  from  his  pre- 
sence :  and  Zedekiah  rebelled  against  the  king  of  Babylon. 

The  same  words,  in  2  Kings  xxiv.  20,  ought  to  be  rendered  in  the  same 
way. — Ed. 


CHAP.  LI  I. 


COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH. 


295 


against  Jerusalem,  and  pitched 
against  it,  and  built  forts  against  it 
round  about. 

5.  So  the  city  was  besieged  unto 
the  eleventh  year  of  king  Zedekiah. 

6.  And  in  the  fourth  month,  in 
the  ninth  day  of  the  month,  the  fa- 
mine was  sore  in  the  city,  so  that 
there  was  no  bread  for  the  people 
of  the  land. 

7.  Then  the  city  was  broken  up, 
and  all  the  men  of  war  fled,  and 
went  forth  out  of  the  city  by  night, 
by  the  way  of  the  gate  between  the 
two  walls,  which  was  by  the  king's 
garden;  (now  the  Chaldeans  were 
by  the  city  round  about ;)  and  they 
went  by  the  way  of  the  plain. 

8.  But  the  army  of  the  Chaldeans 
pursued  after  the  king,  and  over- 
took Zedekiah  in  the  plains  of  Je- 
richo ;  and  all  his  army  was  scat- 
tered from  him, 

9.  Then  they  took  the  king,  and 
carried  him  up  unto  the  king  of  Ba- 
bylon to  Riblah,  in  the  land  of  Ha- 
math  ;  where  he  gave  judgment  upon 
him. 

10.  And  the  king  of  Babylon  slew 
the  sons  of  Zedekiah  before  his 
eyes  :  he  slew  also  all  the  princes  of 
Judah  in  Riblah. 

11.  Then  he  put  out  the  eyes  of 
Zedekiah  ;  and  the  king  of  Babylon 
bound  him  in  chain«,  and  carried 
him  to  Babylon,  and  put  him  in 
prison  till  the  day  of  his  death. 

12.  Now,  in  the  fifth  month,  in 
the  tenth  day  of  the  month,  (which 
was  the  nineteenth  year  of  Ne- 
buchadrezzar king  of  Babylon,) 
came  Nebuzar-adan,  captain  of  the 
guard,  which  served  the  king  of  Ba- 
bylon, into  Jerusalem, 


contra  eam,  et  sedificaverunt  contra 
earn  munitionem  undique. 

5.  Venitque  civitas  in  obsidionem 
usque  ad  undecimum  annum  regis 
Sedechise. 

6.  Mense  quarto,  nona  mensis, 
invaluit  fames  in  urbe,  {adeo)  ut 
non  esset  panis  populo  terrse. 


7.  Et  dirupta  fuit  urbs,  et  omnes 
viri  bellatores  fugerunt,  exieruntque 
de  urbe  nocte  per  viam  portae  (^mcb 
erat)  inter  duos  muros,  qui  (erant) 
juxta  hortum  regis  (Chaldsei  autem 
erant  juxta  urbem  per  circuitum) 
abieruntque  per  viam  solitudinis. 

8.  Persecutus  vero  est  exercitus 
Chaldseorum  regem,  apprehende- 
runtque  Sedechiam  in  desertis  Je- 
richo :  quia  omnis  exercitus  ejus 
dispersus  est  ab  eo. 

9.  Comprehenderuntigitur  regem, 
et  duxerunt  eum  ad  regem  Babylo- 
nis  in  Riblatah,  in  terram  Chamath, 
qui  disceptavit  cum  eo  judiciis. 

10.  Et  jugulavit  rex  Babylonis 
filios  Sedechiae  in  oculis  ejus,  et 
etiam  omnes  principes  Jehudah  ju- 
gulavit in  Riblatah : 

11.  Oculos  autem  Sedechiae  ex- 
csecavit,  et  vinxit  catenis,  adducique 
fecit  eum  rex  Babylonis,  Babylonem, 
et  posuit  eum  in  domo  carceris'  us- 
que ad  diem  quo  mortuus  est. 

12.  Mense  autem  quinto,  decima 
mensis^  (is  annus  erat  decimus  no- 
nus  annus  regis  Nabuchadrezer  regis 
Babylonis)  venit  Nebuzaradan  prin- 
ceps  militum,  qui  stabat^  coram  rege 
Babylonis,  in  Jerusalem, 


*  Literally,  "  in  the  house  of  visitations,"  that  is,  of  punishments. — Ed. 

*  It  is  "  the  seventh"  in  2  Kings  xxv.  8.  This  discrepancy  is  accounted 
for  by  Blayney  and  others,  by  supposing  a  typographical  mistake  of  put- 
ting the  numeral  T,  seven^  for  "•,  ten,  or  vice  versa. — Ed. 

'  It  is  n^y,  "  served,"  in  2  Kings  xxv.  8  ;  but  the  meaning  is  the  same. 
To  stand  before  one  is  a  phrase  which  designates  the  office  of  one  who 
serves.  See  Luke  i.  29.  It  would  be  better,  in  rendering  this  part  of 
the  verse,  to  change  the  place  of  the  verb,  to  come, — "  Nebuzar-adan,  the 
prince  of  the  executioners,  who  stood  before  the  king  of  Babylon,  came  to 
Jerusalem." — Ed. 


296 


COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH. 


CHAP.  LII. 


13.  And  burnt  the  house  of  the 
Lord,  and  the  king's  house  ;  and  all 
the  houses  of  Jerusalem,  and  all  the 
houses  of  the  great  men,  burnt  he 
with  fire. 

14.  And  all  the  armv  of  the  Chal- 
deans, that  were  with  the  captain  of 
the  guard,  brake  down  all  the  walls 
of  Jerusalem  round  about. 

15.  Then  Nebuzar-adan,  the  cap- 
tain of  the  guard,  carried  away  captive 
certain  of  the  poor  of  the  people, 
and  the  residue  of  the  people  that  re- 
mained in  the  city,  and  those  that  fell 
away,  that  fell  to  the  king  of  Babylon, 
and  the  rest  of  the  multitude. 

16.  But  Nebuzar-adan,  the  cap- 
tain of  the  guard,  left  certain  of  the 
poor  of  the  land  for  vine-dressers, 
and  for  husbandmen. 

17.  Also  the  pillars  of  brass  that 
were  in  the  house  of  the  I^ord,  and 
the  bases,  and  the  brazen  sea  that 
was  in  the  house  of  the  Lord,  the 
Chaldeans  brake,  and  carried  all  the 
brass  of  them  to  Babylon. 

18.  The  caldrons  also,  and  the 
snuffers,  and  the  bowls,  and  the 
spoons,  and  all  the  vessels  of  brass 
where with-they  ministered,  took  they 
away. 

19.  And  the  basons,  and  the  fire- 
pans, and  the  bowls,  and  the  cal- 
drons, and  the  candlesticks,  and  the 
spoons,  and  the  cups ;  that  which 
teas  of  gold  in  gold,  and  that  which 


13.  Et  incendit  domum  Jehovte 
et  domum  regis,  at  que  cunctas  do- 
mos  Jerusalem,  et  omnem  domum 
magnam  combussit  igni:^ 

14.  Omnesque  muros  Jerusalem 
undique  destruxerunt  totus  exercitus 
Chaldaeorum,  qui  erat  cum  magistro 
militum. 

15.  De  pauperibus  autem  populi, 
et  de  reliquo  populo  qui  remanse- 
rant  in  urbe,  et  de  transfugis  qui 
transfugerunt  ad  regem  Babylonis, 
et  de  reliquiis  multitudinis  transmi- 
grare  fecit  Nebuzaradan  magister 
militum.  2 

16.  De  pauperibus  vero  terras 
reliquit  Nebuzaradan  magister  mi- 
litum vinitores  et  agricolas. 

17.  Et  columnas  sereas  qure  erant 
in  domo  Jehovfe,  et  bases  et  mare 
jcreum  quod  erat  in  domo  Jehovse 
confregerunt  Chaldsei,  et  detulerunt 
omne  ses  eorum  Babylonem. 

18.  Lebetes  quoque  et  scopas  et 
psalteria  et  pelves  et  cochlearia  et 
omnia  vasa  serea  quibus  ministra- 
bant,  tulerunt. 

19.  Et  hydrias  et  thuribula  et 
pelves  et  ollas  et  candelabra,  et 
mortariola  et  cyathos,  quoe  aurea, 
aurea,  et  qua3  argentea,  argentea,^ 
tulit  magister  militum. 


was  of  silver  in  silver,  took  the  cap- 
tain of  the  guard  away. 

»  The  literal  rendering  is,  "  even  every  great  house  burnt  he  with  fire." 
This  clause  qualifies  the  former  one. — Ed. 

^  Though  in  the  parallel  passages  in  chapter  xxxix.  9,  and  in  2  Kings 
XXV.  11,  the  words,  "  Some  of  the  poor  of  the  people,"  are  not  fomul,  yet 
the  Vulff.,  the  Si/r.,  and  the  Targ.,  retain  them  here,  and  they  are  found 
in  all  the  MSS,  except  one.  Some  of  the  poor  of  the  city  were  evidently 
left,  as  well  as  some  of  the  poor  of  the  land.  In  the  following  words, 
the  Vuhj.  for  the  most  part  is  followed,  which  is  not  correct  :  the 
words  should  be,  "ct  reliquum  populum,"  and,  "  etreliquias  multitudinis." 
And  the  last  words  should  be,  "  even  the  remnant  (or  remainder)  of  the 
multitude,"  that  is,  of  the  people  that  formerly  inhabited  the  city.  See 
chapter  xxxix.  9. — Ed. 

3  "Which  gold,  gold,  and  which  silver,  silver:"  "IC'N,  "which,"  re- 
peated, may  be  rendered  here,  "some;"  and  the  repetition  of"  gold,"  and 
of  "  silver,"  is  the  same  as  to  say,  that  some  of  the  vessels  were  pure  gold, 
and  that  some  were  pure  silver :  then  the  version  would  be  this,  "  some 
gold  of  gold,"  i.e.,  pure  gold,  "  and  some  silver  of  silver,"  i.e.,  pure  silver, 
there  being  no  mixture  in  either. — Ed. 


CHAP.  LII. 


COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH. 


297 


20.  The  two  pillars,  one  sea,  and 
twelve  brazen  bulls  that  were  under 
the  bases,  which  king  Solomon  had 
made  in  the  house  of  the  Lord  :  the 
brass  of  all  these  vessels  was  without 
weight. 

21.  And  concerniyig  the  pillars, 
the  heiglit  of  one  pillar  was  eighteen 
cubits ;  and  a  fillet  of  twelve  cubits 
did  compass  it;  and  the  thickness 
thereof  was  four  fingers ;  it  was  hol- 
low. 

22.  And  the  chapiter  of  brass  was 
upon  it ;  and  the  height  of  one  cha- 
piter was  five  cubits,  with  net-work 
and  pomegranates  upon  the  chapi- 
ters round  about,  all  of  brass  :  the 
second  pillar  also  and  the  pomegra- 
nates were  like  unto  these. 

23.  And  there  were  ninety  and 
six  pomegranates  on  a  side  ;  and  all 
the  pomegranates  upon  the  net- work 
were  an  hundred  round  about. 

24.  And  the  captain  of  the  guard 
took  Seraiah  the  chief  priest,  and 
Zephaniah  the  second  priest,  and 
the  three  keepers  of  the  door : 

25.  He  took  also  out  of  the  city 
an  eunuch,  which  had  the  charge  of 
the  men  of  war ;  and  seven  men  of 
them  that  were  near  the  king's  per- 
son, which  were  found  in  the  city ; 
and  the  principal  scribe  of  the  host, 
who  mustered  the  people  of  the  land ; 
and  threescore  men  of  the  people 
of  the  land,  that  were  found  in  the 
midst  of  the  city. 

26.  So  Nebuzar-adan,  the  captain 
of  the  guard,  took  them,  and  brought 
them  to  the  king  of  Babylon  to 
Riblah. 

27.  And  the  king  of  Babylon 
smote  them,  and  put  them  to  death 
in  Riblah,  in  the  land  of  Hamath. 
Thus  Judah  was  carried  away  cap- 
tive out  of  his  own  land. 

28.  This  is  the  people  whom  Ne- 
buchadrezzar carried  away  captive  : 
In  the  seventh  year  three  thousand 
Jews,  and  three  and  twenty  : 

29.  In  the  eighteenth  year  of 
Nebuchadrezzar  he  carried  away 
captive  from  Jerusalem  eight  hun- 
dred thirty  and  two  persons : 

30.  In  the  three  and  twentieth 
vear  of  Nebuchadrezzar,  Nebuzar- 


20.  Columnas  duas,  mare  ununi, 
et  boves  duodecim  aereos,  qui  erant 
sub  basibus  quas  fecerat  rex  Solomo 
in  domo  Jehovpe,  non  erat  pondus 
a}ris  eorum  omnium  {nempe)  vaso- 
rum  istorum. 

21.  Quod  ad  columnas,  octodecim 
cubitorum  erat  altitudo  columnse 
unius,  et  filum  duodecim  cubitorum 
circuibat  earn,  cujus  crassitudo  (qiice) 
erat  quatuor  digitorum;  (erat)  va- 
cua. 

22.  Capitellum  autem  quod  erat 
super  eam  sereum ;  altitudo  vero 
capitelli  unius,  quinque  cubitorum 
erat,  et  reticulum,  et  malogranata 
super  capitellum  per  circuitum,  om- 
nia aerea  et  simiUa  erant  columnse 
secundse  et  malogranata. 

23.  Fuerunt  autem  malogranata 
nonaginta  et  sex  ad  plagam  (imam) 
omnia  malogranata,  centum  super 
reticulum  per  circuitum. 

24.  Tulit  quoque  magister  mili- 
tum  Seraiah  sacerdotem  priraum,  et 
Sephaniah  sacerdotem  secundum,  et 
tres  custodes  liminis. 

25.  Et  de  urbe  tulit  eunuchum 
unum,  qui  erat  pra^positus  super 
viros  bellatores,  et  septem  viros  ex 
iis  qui  videbant  faciem  regis,  qui 
inventi  sunt  in  lu-be,  et  scribam 
principem  militise,  qui  colligebat  ad 
militiam  populura  terrge,  et  sexa- 
ginta  viros  de  populo  terrse,  qui 
inventi  sunt  in  medio  urbis. 

26.  Tulit,  inquam,  eos  Nebuzar- 
adan  magister  militum,  et  deduxit 
eos  ad  regem  Babylonis  in  Bibla- 
tha : 

27.  Et  percussit  eos  rex  Babylonis, 
et  interfecit  eos  in  Riblatha  in  terra 
Chamath  :  et  translatus  est  Jehudah 
de  terra  sua. 

28.  Iste  est  populus  quem  trans- 
ferre  fecit  Nabuchadrezer,  anno  sep- 
timo,  Judgeos  tria  millia  et  viginti 
tres. 

29.  Anno  decimo  octavo  Nabu- 
chadrezer transferre  fecit  de  Jeru- 
salem animas  octingentas  triginta 
duas. 

30.  Anno  tertio  et  vigesimo  Nabu- 
chadrezer, transferre  fecit  Nebuzar- 


298 


COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH. 


CHAP.  LII. 


adan,  the  captain  of  the  guard,  car- 
ried away  captive  of  the  Jews  seven 
hundred  forty  and  five  persons :  all 
the  persons  viere  four  thousand  and 
six  hundred. 

31.  And  it  came  to  pass,  in  the 
seven  and  thirtieth  year  of  the  cap- 
tivity of  Jehoiachin  king  of  Judah, 
in  the  twelfth  month,  in  the  five  and 
twentieth  duT/  of  the  month,  that 
Evil-merodach  king  of  Babylon,  in 
the  Jirst  year  of  his  reign,  lifted  up 
the  head  of  Jehoiachin  king  of  Ju- 
dah, and  brought  him  forth  out  of 
prison, 

32.  And  spake  kindly  unto  him, 
and  set  his  throne  above  the  throne 
of  the  kings  that  were  with  him  in 
Babylon, 

33.  And  changed  his  prison-gar- 
ments; and  he  did  continually  eat 
bread  before  him  all  the  days  of  his 
life. 

34.  And /or  his  diet,  there  was  a 
continual  diet  given  him  of  the  king 
of  Babylon,  every  day  a  portion, 
until  the  day  of  his  death,  all  the 
days  of  his  life. 


adan  magister  militum,  Judaeorum 
animas  septingentas  quadraginta 
quinque  ;  omnes  animae  quatuor 
millia  et  sexcentae.^ 

31.  Fuit  autem  tricesimo  septimo 
anno  transmigrationis  Jehoiakin 
regis  Jehudah,  duodecimo  mense, 
vicesima  quinta  mensis,  elevavit 
Evil-merodach  rex  Babylonis,  anno 
regni  sui,  caput  Jehoiakin  regis 
Jehudah,  et  eduxit  eum  de  domo 
carceris : 


32.  Loquutusque  est  eum  eo 
bona,  et  posuit  thronum  ejus  super 
thronum  regimi,  qui  erant  secum  in 
Babylone ; 

33.  Et  mutavit  vestimenta  car- 
ceris ejus,  et  comedebat  panem  co- 
ram eo  semper  omnibus  diebus  vitae 
suae. 

34.  Et  portio  ejus,  portio  per- 
petua  dabatur  ei  a  rege  Babylonis, 
per  singulos  dies  ejus,  usque  ad  diem 
quo  mortuus  est,  omnibus  diebus 
vitae  ejus. 


'  The  number  here  given  is  to  be  restricted  to  the  years  here  specified, 
that  is,  the  seventh,  the  eighteenth,  and  the  twenty -third  of  Nebuchadnez- 
zar's reign.  We  read  of  other  captivities  ;  that  is,  in  the  third  year  of 
Jehoiakim's  reign,  (Dan .  i.  1,)  which  was  the  Jirst  of  Nebuchadnezzar ;  and 
in  the  eighth  year  of  his  reign,  (2  Kings  xxiv.  12,)  when  Jehoiachin  was 
taken  prisoner,  and  with  him  not  less  than  ten  thousand  people,  (2  Kings 
xxiv.  14.) 

We  have  no  account  of  the  number  in  the  first  captivity,  when  Daniel 
was  taken  to  Babylon.  The  largest  number  was  in  the  eighth  year  of 
Nebuchadnezzar's  reign,  even  ten  thousand.  The  amount  of  three  cap- 
tivities mentioned  here,  the  last  of  which  must  have  been  after  the  murder 
of  Gedaliah,  h  four  thousand  six  hundred.  All  these  being  men,  and  of 
full  age,  there  must  have  been  many  women  and  children.  It  has  been 
thought  that  all,  taken  captive  all  these  times,  could  not  have  been  less 
than  fifty  thousand. — Ed. 


ILam  ^co. 


END  OF  LECTURES  ON  THE  PROPHECIES  OF  JEREMIAH. 


PRELECTIONS  OF  JOHN  CALVIN 


ON 


THE  LAMENTATIONS  OF  JEREMIAH. 


PREFACE. 

I  UNDERTAKE  now  to  explain  the  Lamentations  of  Jere- 
miah. We  must  inquire  when  the  Book  was  composed  by 
the  Prophet,  and  also  what  was  the  object  of  the  author. 
Grossly  mistaken  was  Jerome,  who  thought  that  it  is  the 
elegy  which  Jeremiah  composed  on  the  death  of  Josiah  ; 
for  we  see  nothing  here  that  is  suitable  to  that  event. 
There  is  indeed  mention  made  in  one  place  of  a  king,  but 
what  is  said  there  cannot  be  applied  to  Josiah ;  for  he  was 
never  driven  into  exile,  but  was  buried  at  Jerusalem  with 
his  fathers.  From  the  whole  contents  of  the  Book  we  may 
justly  conclude,  that  it  was  written  after  the  city  was  de- 
stroyed, and  the  people  led  into  exile. 

Some  think  that  Jeremiah,  before  this  calamity  happened, 
historically  described  it,  and  that  he  thus  prophesied  of  what 
was  future  and  yet  unknown.  But  this  is  by  no  micans  pro- 
bable ;  for  Jeremiah  here  sets  before  the  eyes  of  all,  those 
things  which  they  knew  as  facts  ;  and  we  shall  easily  discover 
that  his  manner  of  stating  things  is  wholly  different  from  that 
used  in  prophetic  writings.  There  is,  then,  no  doubt  but 
that  Jeremiah,  after  the  city  was  destroyed  and  the  Temple 
burnt,  bewailed  the  miserable  state  of  his  own  nation,  not 
after  the  manner  of  heathens,  but  that  he  might  shew  that 
even  in  so  disastrous  a  state  of  things  some  benefit  might  be 
derived  from  what  he  says.  And  this  is  what  ought  to  be 
especially  noticed;  for  except  we  bear  this  in  mind,  the 


SOO  PREFACE. 

Book  will  lose  its  peculiar  interest :  but  if  we  direct  our 
minds  to  that  desolation,  which  wliolly  dejected  not  only 
the  people  in  general,  but  also  the  Prophet  himself,  so  that 
he  lost  all  hope,  we  may  surely  hence  derive  no  small  benefit. 
It  is  an  easy  thing  to  extol  in  high  terms  the  favour  of  God 
in  prosperity,  and  also  to  exhort  those  who  have  reasons  to 
hope  well  to  entertain  confidence,  and  to  bring  forward  God's 
promises,  that  the  minds  of  the  godly  may  recumb  on  them  ; 
but  when  things  are  in  a  state  of  despair,  and  God  seems  to 
have  forsaken  his  Church,  since  prophecy  still  remains  in  its 
force,  and  God  appears  as  stretching  forth  his  hand  to  the 
miserable,  and  to  such  as  are  almost  in  a  hopeless  state,  we 
hence  derive  much  benefit,  and  this  is  the  chief  use  of  what 
is  taught  here.  But  we  see  that  Jeremiah,  when  the  king- 
dom had  fallen,  wdien  the  king  with  all  his  children  was 
exposed  to  extreme  disgrace,  when  in  short  the  covenant  of 
God  seemed  wholly  abolished,  still  continued  to  discharge 
his  office,  which  he  certainly  did  not  do  in  vain. 

When,  therefore,  he  understood  that  his  teaching  would 
not  be  without  fruit,  he  was  thus  induced  to  speak  first  of 
God's  judgments  ;  secondly,  to  exhort  the  people  to  repent- 
ance ;  thirdly,  to  encourage  them  to  hope  ;  and  lastly,  to  open 
the  door  for  prayer  to  God,  so  that  the  people  in  their  ex- 
tremities might  venture  to  flee  to  God's  mercy  ;  which  could 
not  have  been  done  without  faith. 

We  now  in  a  measure  understand  for  what  purpose  this 
Book  w^as  written  by  Jeremiah  :  his  object  was  to  shew 
that  though  nothing  in  the  land  appeared  but  desolation, 
and  the  Temple  being  destroyed,  the  Covenant  of  God  ap- 
peared as  made  void,  and  thus  all  hope  of  salvation  had  been 
cut  off,  yet  hope  still  remained,  provided  the  people  sought 
God  in  true  repentance  and  faith  ;  and  he  thus  proceeded 
in  the  course  of  his  calling,  and  made  it  evident  that  his 
doctrine  would  not  be  without  benefit. 

He  indeed  bewails,  as  I  have  said,  the  extreme  calamity 
of  his  people  ;  but  he  mingles  with  his  lamentations  the 
doctrine  of  repentance  and  faith  :  For,  on  the  one  hand,  he 
shews  that  the  people  suffered  a  just  punishment  for  the 
'many  iniquities,  of  which  they  could  not  have  been  healed ; 


CHAP.  I.  I.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  ^01 

and  then,  on  the  otlier  hand,  he  gives  them  some  intimations 
of  Grod's  mercy,  that  in  death  itself  the  Jews  might  seek  life, 
nay,  that  in  the  lowest  depths  they  might  know  that  God 
would  be  propitious  to  them.  He  at  length  by  his  own 
example  stimulates  them  to  pray  ;  but  prayer  is  founded  on 
faith.  It  then  follows,  that  Jeremiah,  when  the  people  had 
become  wholly  alienated  from  the  worship  of  God,  yet  spent 
his  labour  in  collecting  together  the  remnant.  Though, 
then,  the  whole  Church  was  not  only  in  the  greatest  dis- 
order, but  also  reduced  as  it  were  almost  to  nothing,  yet 
Jeremiah  constructed  some  sort  of  building  out  of  the  ruins. 
This  is  the  substance  of  this  Book. 

Tlie  Greek  Translators  call  this  Book  Gprivov^,  Lamenta- 
tions, and  very  properly,  as  also  the  Hebrews  call  it  Hl^^'p, 
kinut;  though  the  common  name  or  title  is  H^''^^,  aike,  from 
the  first  word  in  it.  But  when  they  wish  to  express  what 
the  Book  contains,  they  call  it  Hl^p,  kimit,  Lamentations. 

Let  us  now  proceed  to  the  words ;  for  what  I  have  now 
briefly  touched  upon,  can  be  more  fully  explained  as  wo 
go  on. 


CHAPTER    L 
Eectttte  jFtrist 

1.  How  doth  the  city  sit  solitary         1.   Quomodo  sedet  solitaria  civi- 

that  was  fiill  of  people !  liow  is  she  tas,  quae  abimdavit  populo  !  facta 

become  as  a  widow !  she  that  was  est    tanquam    vidua,    quae    magna 

great  among  the  nations,  and  prin-  fiiit  in  gentibiis !  quae  dominata  est 

cess  among  the  provinces,  how  '\^  in  provinciis,  redacta  est  ad  tribu- 

she  become  tributary  \  turn  ! 

The  Prophet  could  not  sufficiently  express  the  greatness 
of  the  calamity,  except  by  expressing  his  astonishment.  He 
then  assumes  the  person  of  one  who  on  seeing  something 
new  and  unexpected  is  filled  with  amazement.  It  was  in- 
deed a  thing  incredible  ;  for  as  it  was  a  place  chosen  for  God 
to  dwell  in,  and  as  the  city  Jerusalem  was  not  only  the 


S02  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.  I. 

royal  throne  of  God,  but  also  as  it  were  his  earthly  sanc- 
tuary, the  city  miglit  have  been  thought  exempted  from  all 
danger.  Since  it  had  been  said,  "  Here  is  my  rest  for  ever, 
here  will  I  dwell,''  (Ps.  cxxxii.  14,)  God  seemed  to  have 
raised  that  city  above  the  clouds,  and  to  have  rendered  it 
free  from  all  earthly  changes.  We  indeed  know  that  there 
is  nothing  fixed  and  certain  in  the  world,  and  that  the 
greatest  emj^ires  have  been  reduced  to  nothing ;  but  the 
state  of  Jerusalem  did  not  depend  on  human  protection, 
nor  on  the  extent  of  its  dominion,  nor  on  the  abundance  of 
men,  nor  on  any  other  defences  wliatever,  but  it  was  founded 
by  a  celestial  decree,  by  the  promise  of  God,  which  is  not 
subject  to  any  mutations.  When,  therefore,  the  city  fell, 
uprooted  from  its  foundations,  so  that  nothing  remained, 
when  the  Temple  was  disgracefully  plundered  and  then 
burnt  by  enemies,  and  further,  when  the  king  was  driven 
into  exile,  his  children  slain  in  his  presence,  and  also  the 
princes,  and  when  the  people  were  scattered  here  and  there, 
exposed  to  every  contumely  and  reproach,  was  it  not  a  hor- 
rible and  monstrous  thing  ? 

It  was  not,  then,  without  reason  that  the  Prophet  ex- 
claimed. How  !  for  no  one  could  have  ever  thought  that  such 
a  thing  would  have  happened  ;  and  then,  after  the  event, 
no  one  with  a  calm  mind  could  have  looked  on  such  a  spec- 
tacle, for  innumerable  temptations  must  have  come  to  their 
minds ;  and  this  thought  especially  must  have  upset  the 
faith  of  all — "  What  does  God  mean  ?  How  is  it  that  he 
has  promised  that  this  city  would  be  perjDctual  ?  and  now 
there  is  no  appearance  of  a  city,  and  no  hope  of  restoration 
in  future.''  As,  then,  this  so  sad  a  spectacle  might  not  only 
disturb  pious  minds,  but  also  upset  them  and  sink  them  in 
the  depths  of  despair,  the  Prophet  exclaims.  How  !  and  then 
says,  How  sits  the  city  solitary,  which  had  much  people ! 
Here,  by  a  comparison,  he  amplifies  the  indignity  of  the 
fact ;  for,  on  the  one  hand,  he  refers  to  the  flourishing  state 
of  Jerusalem  before  the  calamity,  and,  on  the  other  hand,  he 
shews  how  the  place  had  in  a  manner  been  turned  into  dark- 
ness. For  this  change,  as  I  have  said,  was  as  though  the 
sun  had  fallen  from  heaven  ;  for  the  sun  has  no  firmer  stand- 


CHAP.  I.  1.        COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  303 

ing  in  heaven  than  Jerusalem  had  on  earth,  since  its  preser- 
vation was  connected  with  the  eternal  truth  of  God.  He 
then  says  that  this  city  had  many  people,  but  that  now  it 
was  sitting  solitary.  The  verb  to  sit,  is  taken  in  Hebrew  in 
a  good  and  in  a  bad  sense.  Kings  are  said  to  sit  on  their 
thrones ;  but  to  sit  means  sometimes  to  lie  prostrate,  as  we 
have  before  seen  in  many  places.  Then  he  says  that  Jeru- 
salem was  lying  solitary,  because  it  was  desolate  and  for- 
saken, though  it  had  before  a  vast  number  of  people. 

He  adds.  How  is  she  becoine,  &c.  ;  for  the  word  how,  HD^'X, 
aike,  ought  to  be  repeated,  and  applied  to  both  clauses. 
HoWy  then,  is  she  become  as  a  widow,  who  was  great  among 
the  nations  P  He  says  that  Jerusalem  had  not  only  been 
full  of  citizens,  but  had  also  extended  its  power  through 
many  nations  ;  for  it  is  well  known  that  many  contiguous 
nations  were  tributaiy  to  it  under  David  and  Solomon.  And 
to  the  same  purpose  is  what  follows,  She  who  ruled  among 
provinces  is  become  tributary  !  that  is,  is  become  subject  to 
a  tribute.  This  phrase  is  taken  from  Deuteronomy  xxviii., 
for  the  prophets  were  wont  freely  to  borrow  expressions  from 
Moses,  that  chief  teacher  and  prophet,  as  we  shall  presently 
see  again. 

We  now  then  see  the  meaning  of  the  Prophet.  He  won- 
ders at  the  destruction  of  the  city  Jerusalem,  and  regarded 
it  as  a  prodigy,  which  not  only  disturbed  the  minds  of  men, 
but  in  a  manner  confounded  them.  And  by  this  mode  of 
speaking  he  shews  something  of  human  infirmity ;  for  they 
must  be  void  of  all  feeling  who  are  not  seized  with  amaze- 
ment at  such  a  mournful  sight.     The  Prophet  then  spoke 

1  The  word  is  not  repeated  in  the  early  Versions,  nor  by  Blayney  and 
Henderson.  The  word  T^y^,  means  properly,  "  Whence  thus  ?"  and  it 
may  be  rendered,  "  How  is  this  ?"  and  the  passage  would  be  more  em- 
phatic,— 

1.  How  is  this?  alone  sits  the  city,  that  was  full  of  people ! 
Like  a  widow  is  she  that  was  great  among  nations  ! 

A  princess  among  provinces  is  under  tribute ! 

2.  Weeping  she  weeps  in  the  night,  and  her  tear  on  her  cheek ! 
None  to  her  a  comforter  of  all  her  lovers ! 

All  her  friends  have  deceived  her,  they  are  become  her  enemies ! 
These  were  the  various  things  which  created  astonishment  in  the  Prophet. 
—Ed. 


504;  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.  I. 

not  only  according  to  his  own  feelings,  but  also  according  to 
those  of  all  others  ;  and  he  deplored  that  calamity  as  it  were 
in  the  person  of  all.  But  he  will  hereafter  apply  a  remedy 
to  this  astonishment.  For  wlien  we  thus  exaggerate  evils, 
we  at  the  same  time  sharpen  our  grief;  and  thus  it  happens 
that  we  at  length  become  overwhelmed  with  despair ;  and 
despair  kindles  rage,  so  that  men  clamour  against  God.  But 
the  Prophet  so  mourned,  and  was  in  sucli  a  way  amazed, 
that  he  did  not  yet  indulge  his  grief  nor  cherish  his  amaze- 
ment ;  but  as  we  shall  see,  he  restrained  himself,  lest  the 
excess  of  his  feelings  should  carry  him  beyond  due  bounds. 
It  then  follows, — 

2.  She  weepeth  sore  in  the  night,  2,    Plorando    ploravit    noctu,    et 

and  her  tears  are  on  her  cheeks;  lachrymae    ejus    super   genas   ejus, 

among  all  her  lovers  she  hath  none  non   est  ei  consolator   ex  omnibus 

to  comfort  her:  all  her  friends  have  amicis  ejus,  et  cmnes  socii  ejus  per- 

dealt  treacherously  with  her;  they  fide   egenmt   cum    ea,    fuerunt  illi 

are  become  her  enemie?.  inimici. 

Jeremiah  still  pursues  the  same  subject,  for  he  could  not 
have  spoken  briefly  and  in  a  few  words  of  things  so  bitter 
and  mournful ;  and  he  seems  to  have  felt  deeply  the  ruin  of 
his  ow^n  country.  And  when  we  wish  to  penetrate  into  the 
hearts  of  those  whose  sorrow  we  desire  to  alleviate,  it  is 
necessary  that  they  should  understand  that  we  sympathize 
Avith  them.  For  when  any  one  stronger  than  another  seeks 
to  mitigate  another's  grief,  he  will  be  disregarded  if  what  he 
adduces  seems  to  proceed  from  an  unfeeling  barbarity.  Had, 
then,  Jeremiah  spoken  as  it  were  in  contempt,  he  could 
have  hardly  hoped  for  any  fruit  from  his  teaching,  for  the 
Jews  would  have  thought  him  void  of  all  human  feelings. 
This,  then,  is  tlie  reason  why  he  bewails,  as  one  of  the  people, 
the  calamity  of  the  city.  He  did  not,  however,  dissemble 
in  any  degree  in  the  history  he  related ;  but  we  know  that 
God's  servants,  while  they  speak  in  earnest,  do  not  yet  forget 
prudence  ;  for  they  regard  in  this  respect  what  is  useful ; 
and  their  doctrine  ought  in  a  manner  to  be  so  regulated  as 
to  produce  effect  on  the  hearers. 

lie  then  says  that  the  weeping  of  Jerusalem  was  continual; 
for  he  says  first,  Weeping  she  wept,  and  then,  in  the  night ; 
by  which  words  he  means  that  there  was  no  intermission. 


CHAP.  I.  2.        COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  305 

For  the  night  is  given  us  for  rest,  and  God  intends  some  re- 
laxation to  men  by  the  intercliange  of  nights  and  days. 
When,  therefore,  the  Prophet  says  that  Jerusalem,  weeping, 
wept  in  the  night,  he  intimates  that  her  sorrow,  as  I  liave 
stated,  was  continual.  Then  he  adds,  her  tears  are  on  her 
cheeks.  Some  render  it  jaws,  but  improperly  ;  the  word 
^n  7,  lachi,  indeed  means  a  jaw,  but  it  is  to  be  taken  for 
cheeks,  or  cheek-bones.  Then  he  means  that  tears  were  so 
profuse  as  to  wet  the  whole  face.  It  is  possible  in  weeping 
to  restrain  tears  ;  but  when  they  flow  over  the  whole  face 
and  cover  the  cheeks,  it  is  an  evidence  of  great  mourning. 
This,  then,  is  the  reason  why  the  Prophet  says  that  tears 
were  on  her  cheeks  ;  for  he  wished  to  shew  that  tears  were 
profusely  shed. 

He  says  further.  She  has  no  comforter.  And  this  circum- 
stance ought  to  be  noticed,  for  nothing  is  more  seasonable 
in  grief  than  to  have  friends  near  us  to  shew  us  kindness,  to 
be  partakers  of  sorrow,  and  to  apply  the  consolations  which 
may  be  had.  But  when  no  one  feels  for  us  in  our  evils,  our 
sorrow  is  much  more  increased.  The  Prophet  tlien  says  that 
there  was  no  one  seeking  to  soothe  the  griefs  of  Jerusalem. 
He  adds,  of  all  thy  friends.  Had  Jerusalem  been  always 
forsaken,  she  could  have  borne  it  better  when  no  comforter 
was  present.  Per  we  see  that  miserable  men  are  not  thus 
soft  and  tender  when  very  grievous  calamities  happen  to 
them  ;  they  do  not  look  here  and  there  for  friends  to  come 
to  them,  and  why  ?  because  they  have  always  been  disre- 
garded. It  is,  then,  nothing  new  to  them,  even  in  the 
greatest  adversities,  to  have  no  one  to  shew  them  any  tokens 
of  kindness.  But  when  they  who  have  had  many  friends, 
and  thought  that  they  would  be  always  ready  to  bring  them 
aid — when  they  see  themselves  forsaken,  their  sorrow  be- 
comes much  more  grievous.  This,  then,  is  what  the  Prophet 
means  in  saying,  that  of  many  friends  there  were  none  to 
comfort  Jerusalem  in  her  miseries. 

There  is  not  yet  a  doubt  but  that  he  indirectly  reproved 
Jerusalem ;  and  by  ClHi^,  aehim,  he  understood  lovers,  as 
we  have  seen  in  other  places ;  for  as  they  thought  themselves 
safe  by  means  of  ungodly  treaties,  the  prophets  say  that  they 

VOL.  V.  u 


306  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.  I. 

were  like  harlots  who  everywhere  prostitute  themselves  and 
make  gain  by  their  lasciviousness,  and  allure  lovers  on  every 
side.  It  was,  therefore,  right  in  the  Propliet  to  remind  the 
Jews  in  this  place  of  that  wickedness,  even  that  tliey  had 
conciliated  at  one  time  the  Egyptians,  at  anotlier,  tlie  As- 
syrians, like  an  impudent  woman,  who  is  not  satisfied  with 
her  own  husband,  but  draws  lovers  from  all  quarters.  How- 
ever this  may  be,  he  no  doubt  understands  by  fynends  those 
who  confederated  with  them  ;  and  who  were  these  ?  even 
those  with  wliom  the  Jews  had  connected  themselves,  hav- 
ing disregarded  God  ;  for  they  had  been  sufficiently  warned 
by  the  prophets  not  to  form  connexions  with  the  heathens. 
But,  at  the  same  time,  Jeremiah  sets  forth  the  atrocity  of  the 
thing  by  saying  that  there  was  none  of  all  her  friends  a  com- 
forter to  Jerusalem,  because  all  her  friends  had  acted  per- 
fidiously.    It  follows, — 

3.  Judah  is  gone  into  cap-  3.   WigrdJwM  {tanquam  in  exilium)  3 e- 

livity  because  of  affliction,  and  hudah  prse  afflictione  et  prae  magnitudine 

because  of  great  servitude  ;  she  servitutis  ;  ipsa  sedet   in  gentibus,   (cid 

dwelleth    among   the  heathen,  verbum,  sedens  in  gentibus,)  non  invenit 

she  tindeth  no  rest :  all  her  per-  requiem,  (w^,  in  prcesetiti  tempore,  non 

secutors  overtook  her  between  invenit ;)  omnes  apprehensores  ejus  ap- 

the  straits.  prehenderunt  earn  inter  angustias. 

Interpreters  apply  this,  but  in  my  view  improperly,  to  the 
captivity  of  the  people  ;  on  the  contrary,  the  Prophet  means 
that  the  Jews  had  been  scattered  and  sought  refuges  when 
oppressed,  as  they  were  often,  by  the  tyranny  of  their  ene- 
mies, and  then  by  degrees  he  advances  to  their  exile  ;  for 
he  could  not  have  said  all  things  at  the  same  time.  Let, 
then,  the  order  in  which  lie  speaks  be  observed  :  before  he 
bewails  their  exile,  he  says  that  Judah  had  been  scattered; 
for  many,  fleeing  the  cruelty  of  enemies,  went  into  voluntary 
exile.  We  have  before  seen  that  many  concealed  themselves 
with  the  Moabites  ;  nor  is  there  a  doubt  but  that  many  went 
into  Egypt :  in  short,  there  was  no  country  in  which  some 
of  the  Jews  were  not  fugitives. 

The  real  meaning,  tlien,  of  the  Prophet  here  is,  that  the 
Jews  had  migrated,  that  is,  had  left  their  own  country  and 
fled  to  other  countries,  because  they  were  subjected  to  mi- 
series and  cruel  servitude. 


CHAP.  I.  o.        COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  S07 

Some  take  the  words  in  a  passive  sense,  even  that  Judah 
migrated,  because  they  had  inhumanly  oppressed  their  ser- 
vants. But  I  suspect  what  lias  led  them  astray,  they  thought 
that  exile  is  meant  here ;  and  then  one  mistake  produces 
another ;  for  it  would  have  been  absurd  to  say,  that  the 
Jews  had  migrated  into  exile  on  account  of  affliction,  and 
had  migrated  willingly ;  for  we  know  that  they  were  vio- 
lently driven  by  the  Chaldeans.  They  did  not,  then,  willingly 
migrate.  When  these  two  things  could  not  be  connected, 
they  thought  that  the  cruelty  of  the  Jews  is  what  is  referred 
to,  which  they  had  exercised  towards  their  own  brethren. 
But  the  migration  of  which  the  Prophet  speaks  is  improperly 
applied,  as  I  have  said,  to  the  captivity  ;  but  on  the  contrary, 
he  means  those  who  had  removed  into  diiferent  parts  of  the 
world,  because  this  was  more  tolerable  than  their  condition 
in  their  own  country.  And  we  hence  learn  how  severely 
they  had  been  harassed  by  the  Chaldeans,  for  they  had  wil- 
lingly fled  away,  though,  as  we  know,  exile  is  hard.  We 
then  conclude  that  it  was  a  barbarous  and  a  violent  oppres- 
sion, since  the  Prophet  says,  that  the  Jews  thus  went  into 
exile  of  their  own  accord,  and  sought  hiding-places  either 
in  Egypt  or  in  the  land  of  Moab,  or  among  other  neighbour- 
ing nations.^ 

1  Blayney  and  Horsley  agree  in  this  view ;  but  Gataker,  Henry,  and 
Henderson  take  the  previous  view,  that  is,  that  Judah  went  to  exile  on 
account  of  the  oppression  they  practised,  and  the  multiplied  servitude  they 
exacted,  especially  the  servitude  or  slavery  to  which  servants  were  sub- 
jected, as  recorded  in  Jer.  xxxiv.  "What  confirms  this  view  is  the  word 
"  Judah,"  which,  as  it  implies  the  greater  part,  could  not  be  applied  to 
the  comparatively  few  who  voluntarily  migrated. 

3.  Removed  is  Judah  for  oppression  and  for  much  senitude ; 
She  dwells  among  nations  without  finding  rest; 
All  her  pursuers  seized  her  in  the  straits. 
The   Targum  paraphrases  "  oppression"  by  mentioning  orphans  and 
widows,  and  "  servitude,"  by  referring  to  what  servants  were  subjected  to, 
as  related  in  Jer.  xxxiv.     These  were  sins  for  which  the  Jews  had  often 
been  threatened  with  banishment.     "  Pursuers"  rather  than  "  persecut- 
ors ;"  and  to  be  "  seized  in  (or,  between)  the  straits,"  is,  as  Lowth  says, 
a  metaphor  taken  from  hunters,  who  drive  the  game  to  narrow  places, 
from  which  there  is  no  escape. 

Houhigant  proposes  to  connect  "  oppression  and  servitude"  with  the  fol- 
lowing words,  and  not  with  the  preceding, — 

Removed  is  Judah ;  for  oppression  and  for  much  servitude, 
She  dwells  among  the  nations  without  finding  rest. —  Ed. 


308  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.  I. 

He  afterwards  adds  another  evil,  that  they  never  found 
rest ;  and  lastly,  that  they  had  been  taken  by  their  enemies 
between  straits,  so  that  no  escape  was  possible.  It  must 
have  been  a  sad  condition  for  the  people  to  live  in  a  foreign 
land ;  for  we  know  that  such  a  precarious  life  differs  but 
little  from  death  ;  and  there  were  no  contiguous  nations  by 
whom  the  Jews  were  not  hated.  When  they  then  fled  to 
such  people,  it  was  no  small  evil.  But  when  they  had  no- 
where a  quiet  abode,  the  indignity  was  still  greater,  and  this 
is  what  the  Prophet  now  refers  to.  But  when  we  flee  and 
tremblingly  turn  here  and  there,  it  is  one  of  the  greatest  of 
evils  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  enemies,  and  to  be  taken  by 
them  when  we  are  enclosed  as  it  were  between  two  walls,  or 
in  a  narrow  passage,  as  some  explain  the  word.    It  follows, — 

4.  The  ways  of  Zion  do  4.  Vise  Sion  lu^entes  a  non  venientibus 
mourn,  because  none  come  to  (^ad  verbuni;  quia  non  sint  qui  veniant) 
the  solemn  feasts:  all  her  ad  solennitatem ;  omnes  porta}  ejus  soli- 
gates  are  desolate ;  her  priests  tarise  (vastatae,  pDDItJ' ;)  sacerdotes  ejus 
sigh,  her  virgins  are  afflicted,  plorantes,  virgines  ejus  afflictse,  et  ipsa 
and  she  is  in  bitterness.  amaritudo  ei  (hoc  est,  ipsa  in  amaritudine, 

ut  vertit  Hieronymus.) 

Jeremiah  refers  here  to  another  cause  of  sorrow,  that  the 
worship  of  God  had  ceased,  it  having  been  interrupted ;  nay, 
it  seemed  to  have  become  extinct  for  ever.  He  then  says 
that  the  ways  of  Sion  mourned,  because  none  came  to  the 
feasts.  The  words  are  figurative,  for  we  know  that  feelings 
belong  not  to  ways  ;  but  the  Prophet  ascribes  feeling  to  what 
is  inanimate.  And  this  sort  of  personification  is  more  em- 
phatical  than  if  he  had  introduced  the  people  as  mourning. 
But  when  the  Jews  saw  that  God's  worship  had  fallen,  it 
was  more  grievous  than  to  find  themselves  bereaved  of  chil- 
dren or  of  wives,  or  plundered  of  all  their  goods ;  for  the 
more  precious  God's  worship  was  to  them,  and  the  more  re- 
ligion was  thought  of,  in  which  consisted  the  eternal  salva- 
tion of  their  souls,  the  more  severe  and  mournful  was  it  to 
see  the  Church  so  scattered,  that  God  could  no  longer  be 
worshipped  and  invoked. 

It  is  indeed  true  that  God's  worship  was  not  tied  to  cere- 
monies ;  for  Daniel  never  ceased  to  j^ray,  and  he  was  heard 
.  no  less  in  his  exile  than  if  he  came  to  the  sacrifices  with 


CHAP.  I.  4.        COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  309 

great  solemnity  to  make  an  offering  in  the  Temple.  This  is 
no  doubt  true ;  but  as  God  had  not  in  vain  instituted  these 
duties  and  rites  of  religion,  the  Prophet  exhibits  the  thing 
itself  by  its  symbols.  As,  then,  feasts  were  testimonies  of 
God's  grace,  it  was  the  same  as  though  the  Jews  were  called 
together  by  a  standard  being  lifted  up,  and  as  though  God 
appeared  in  the  midst  of  them.  Hence  the  Prophet,  refer- 
ring to  these  external  symbols,  shews  that  the  worship  of 
God  had  in  a  manner  ceased. 

Her  gates  are  solitary,  or  desolate  ;  her  priests  are  in 
mourning,  her  virgins  in  afflictions;  she  is  in  bitterness} 
Now  this  passage  reminds  us,  that  when  God  afflicts  his 
Church,  however  grievous  it  may  be  to  see  innocent  men 
slain,  blood  shed  promiscuously,  the  sexes,  men  and  women, 
killed  indiscriminately ;  and  though  it  be  a  sad  spectacle  to 
see  houses  robbed  and  plundered,  fields  laid  waste,  and  all 
things  in  a  confusion,  yet  when  all  these  things  are  compared 
with  the  abolition  of  God's  worship,  this  passage  reminds  us 
that  all  these  things  ought  to  appear  light  to  us.  Though 
David  greatly  deplored  his  condition,  because  he  was  banished 
from  the  Temple,  and  did  not  as  usual  lead  thither  the 
assembly,  when  he  was  not  the  only  one  ejected  from  the 
sanctuary  of  God ;  yet  when  the  sanctuary  itself  was  de- 
stroyed, together  with  the  altar,  when  there  were  no  sacri- 
fices, no  thanksgiving,  no  praises  ;  in  short,  no  prayer,  it  was 
surely  much  more  bitter. 

This  lamentation  of  the  Prophet  ought  then  to  be  carefully 
noticed,  when  he  says,  that  the  ways  of  Sion  mourned,  that 
no  one  went  up  to  the  feasts.  What  follows  I  pass  over  ;  I 
shall  hereafter  dwell  more  on  these  things  when  we  advance 
towards  the  end  of  the  narrative. 

5.  Her  adversaries  are  the  chief,  5.  Fuenint  inimici  ejus  in  caput; 

her  enemies  prosper  ;  for  the  Lord  hostes  ejus  fehciter  egerunt  (fuerunt 

hath  afflicted  her  for  the  multitude  in  pace,  'h^ ;)  quia  Jehova  afflixit 

of  her  transgressions :  her  children  earn   super    magnitudine    scelerum 

^  Participles  are  used  throughout  this  verse,  which  express  the  present 
state  of  things, — 

The  ways  of  Sion  are  mourning,  for  none  are  coming  to  the  feasts ; 
All  her  gates  are  made  desolate,  her  priests  are  sighing ; 
Her  virgins  are  afflicted,  and  she,  bitterness  is  to  her. — Ed. 


310  COMMENT AllIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.  I. 

are  gone  into  captivity  before  the     ejus;  parv^ili  ejus  profecti  sunt  in 
enemy.  "  exilium  coram  adversario. 

He  first  sa3^s  that  her  enemies  had  become  the  head  ;  and 
by  this  expression  he  doubtless  means  power ;  and  this  way 
of  speaking  he  borrowed  from  Moses,  for  these  are  his  words, 
"  Thou  slialt  be  the  head  and  not  the  tail,  in  a  high  place, 
not  obscure.''  (Deut.  xxviii.  13.)  He  then  says,  that  ene- 
mies were  the  head,  that  is,  ruled  over  them.  And  the 
opposite  of  that  is  to  be  understood,  even  that  they  had 
become  the  tail,  that  is,  were  under  the  feet  as  it  were  of 
their  enemies.  And  he  says  that  her  enemies  had  acted 
successfully,  even  because  Jehovah  had  afflicted  her.  He  here 
laments  after  the  common  practice,  as  ungodly  men  are  wont 
to  do ;  but  he  mixes  instruction  with  his  mourning,  and 
shews  that  God,  in  a  state  of  things  so  turbulent  and  con- 
fused, appeared  as  a  righteous  judge.  He  then  recalled  them 
to  the  consideration  of  God's  hand,  when  he  said  that  her 
enemies  had  acted  successfully,  because  God  had  afflicted  her. 
Jerome  renders  the  words,  "  because  Jehovah  hath  spoken." 
He  derives  the  verb  from  H^n,  ege,  which  means  to  speak  or 
to  meditate.  But  this  is  an  evident  mistake,  as  we  shall 
find  another  presently  in  this  very  chapter.  There  is  no 
doubt  but  that  the  Prophet  intimates  that  the  cause  of  all 
evils  was,  that  God  had  afflicted  her,  even  on  account  of  the 
greatness  of  her  impieties,  or  of  her  sins.  He  now  then 
beo'ins  to  shew  that  there  is  no  reason  why  the  Jews  should 
be  swallowed  up  with  grief  and  despair,  if  only  they  con- 
sidered whence  their  evils  proceeded.  He  thus  begins  to 
call  their  attention  to  God's  judgment.  This  indeed  of  itself 
would  not  have  been  sufiicient ;  but  he  afterwards  points 
out  a  fruitful  source  of  consolation.  But  wc  shall  see  these 
thing's  mentioned  in  their  due  order. 

o 

PRAYER, 

Grant,  Almighty  God,  that  as  the  deformity  of  thy  Church  at  this 
day  is  sufficient  to  dishearten  us  all,  we  may  learn  to  look  to 
thine  hand,  and  know  that  the  reward  of  our  sins  is  rendered 
to  us,  and  that  we  may  not  doubt  but  that  thou  wilt  be  our 
physician  to  heal  our  wound,  provided  we  flee  to  thy  mercy  ; 
and  do  thou  so  retain  us  in  the  assurance  of  thy  goodness  and 


CHAP.  I.  5.        COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  31 1 

paternal  care,  that  we  may  not  hesitate,  even  in  extreme  evils, 
to  call  on  thee  in  the  name  of  thine  only-begotten  Son,  until  we 
shall  find  by  experience  that  never  in  vain  are  the  prayers  of 
those,  who,  relying  on  thy  promises,  patiently  look  for  a  remedy 
from  thee  alone,  even  in  extreme  evils,  and  also  in  death  itself. 
— Amen. 


nocture  ^ecottl^. 

We  began  yesterday  to  explain  the  passage  where  the 
Prophet  says,  that  the  enemies  of  Jerusalem  had  become 
the  head  and  had  been  successful.  It  was  a  trial  which  must 
have  grievously  assailed  the  minds  of  the  faithful,  when  they 
saw  their  enemies  having  fortune,  as  they  commonly  say,  as 
it  were  in  their  own  hand  ;  for  it  appeared  as  though  God 
shewed  himself  favourable  to  them.  Hence  the  Prophet 
assigns  the  reason,  lest  the  faithful  should  fall  off  from  reli- 
gion and  the  fear  of  God,  and  says  that  the  whole  of  this 
proceeded  from  the  just  vengeance  of  God,  it  being  his  pur- 
pose to  afflict  his  own  Church ;  and  he  states  not  this  alone, 
but  adds,  on  account  of  the  greatness  of  her  iniquities.  For 
ungodly  men  sometimes  acknowledge  that  they  have  to  do 
with  God,  but  yet  they  murmur  and  think  that  God  is  un- 
just and  cruel.  Hence  the  Prophet  not  only  taught  the 
JeAvs  that  God  was  the  author  of  the  calamities  which  had 
happened,  but  at  the  same  time  reminded  them  that  they 
were  worthy  of  such  a  reward,  not  only  because  they  had 
transgressed,  but  because  they  had  added  sins  to  sins  ;  for 
this  is  w^hat  he  means  by  the  greatness  of  iniquities.  But 
he  will  presently  repeat  this  sentence  and  enlarge  upon  it : 
it  is  then  enough  now  to  state  his  object.  It  was  for  this 
cause,  then,  as  he  says,  that  her  little  ones  went  into  captivity 
before  the  adversary. 

It  was,  indeed,  an  indignity,  calculated  to  imbitter  the 
minds  of  the  faithful,  to  see  not  only  their  young  men  but 
also  infants  so  cruelly  treated.  For  men  always  think  that 
they  have  some  just  cause  to  contend  with  God,  and  espe- 
cially when  the  case  of  infants  is  brought  forward  ;  who, 
then,  is  not  disposed  to  say  that  God's  vengeance    exceeds 


312  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.  II. 

its  due  limits  ?  "  If  Ins  purpose  he"  say  they,  "  to  punish 
men  for  their  wickedness,  why  does  he  not  restrain  his  wrath 
as  to  the  innocent  ?  for  how  have  miserable  infants  sinned  V 
But  the  Prophet  here  cliecks  such  audacity,  and  says  that 
God  had  just  reasons  for  extending  his  vengeance  even  to 
the  little  ones.-"^     It  now  follows, — 

6.  And   from    the    daughter    of  6.  Et   egressus  est  a   filia    Sion 

Zioii  all  her  beauty  is  departed  :  her  omnis  decor  ejus  ;  fuerunt  principes 

princes  are  become  like  harts  t/iat  ejus  tanquamcervi  qui  non  inveni- 

find  no  pasture,  and  they  are  gone  unt  pascuum  ;  et  profecti  sunt  abs- 

without  strength  before  the  pursuer,  que  virtute  coram  persequutore. 

He  continues  the  same  subject.  He  says  here  that  the 
daughter  of  Sion  was  denuded  of  all  her  ornaments.  Now, 
we  know  what  was  the  honour  or  dignity  of  that  people  ; 
for  Moses,  in  order  to  set  forth  the  greatness  of  God's  grace, 
exclaims,  "  What  nation  so  illustrious  under  heaven  l"  (Deut. 
iv.  7.)  As,  then,  the  singular  gifts  of  God  had  been  con- 
ferred on  that  people,  it  was  a  very  sad  spectacle  to  see  that 
city,  which  once  possessed  the  highest  glory,  robbed  of  all 
its  honour  and  covered  with  disgrace,  as  we  shall  hereafter 
see.  He  then  says  that  all  her  glory  was  taken  away  from 
the  daughter  of  Sion. 

Now,  there  is  no  need  to  enumerate  all  the  kinds  of 
honour  or  glory  which  belonged  to  the  city  Jerusalem.  But 
it  may  be  said  first,  that  God  had  chosen  there  a  habita- 
tion for  himself;  and  then  a  sacerdotal  kingdom  was  there, 
— the  people  were  holy  to  God — they  were  his  heritage, — 
there  God  had  deposited  his  covenant, — he  deemed  all  the 
Jews  his  children,  and  his  will  was  that  they  should  in  re- 
turn count  him  as  their  Father.  As,  then,  they  had  been 
enriched  with  so  many  ornaments  and  so  superior,  it  is  no 
wonder  that  the  Prophet  deplored  the  state  of  the  city  when 
stripped  of  all  its  glory. 

'  5.  Become  have  her  oppressors  the  head, 

Her  enemies  have  prospered  ; 
For  Jchovali  has  afflicted  her 

For  the  number  of  her  transgressions  ; 
Her  cliildrcn  are  gone  into  captivity 

Before  the  face  of  the  oppressor. 

The  word  IV,  is  not  an  ''  adversary,"  but  an  oppressor,  one  who  straitens 
and  oppresses  another. — Ed. 


CHAP.  I.  7.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  313 

He  then  adds,  that  her  princes  were  like  famished  harts  : 
for  harts,  as  they  are  by  nature  swift,  when  pressed  by  want 
run  as  though  they  were  flying.  Since  then  the  swiftness 
of  that  animal  is  so  great,  the  Prophet  says  that  t]ie  princes, 
who  were  wont  to  walk  with  so  much  gravity  and  to  carry 
the  appearance  of  great  authority,  had  become  swift,  like 
harts  oppressed  with  hunger  ;  for  they  also  laboured  under 
the  want  of  everything.^  He  adds  that  at  length  they  went 
away,  that  is,  they  fled  before  their  pursuers  without  strength. 
He  intimates  by  these  words  that  they  dared  not  to  contend 
with  their  enemies,  but  that  they  were  so  frightened  that 
they  fled,  and  thus  proved  that  they  were  wholly  disheart- 
ened and  lifeless.     It  follows, — 

7.  Jerusalem  remembered  in  the  7.  Recordata  est  Jerusalem  die- 
days  of  her  affliction,  and  of  her  bus  afflictionis  suse  et  peniurife  suae, 
miseries,  all  her  pleasant  things  that  omnium  desiderabilium  suorum,quje 
she  had  in  the  days  of  old,  when  her  fuerunt  a  diebus  antiquis,  cum  ca- 
people  fell  into  the  hand  of  the  ene-  deret  populus  ejus  in  manu  hostis 
my,  and  none  did  help  her  :  the  ad-  et  nuUus  auxiliator  ei  ;  viderunt 
versaries  saw  her,  and  did  mock  at  hostes,  subsannarunt  {vel,  risenmt) 
her  sabbaths.  super  sabbatho  {vel,  cessatione)  ejus. 

He  confirms  the  former  verse  when  he  says,  that  Jerusa- 
lem remembered  her  desirable  things  when  she  was  afilicted 
by  God's  hand,  and  reduced  to  extreme  want.  And  he  in- 
timates by  these  words,  that  when  Jerusalem  was  in  its 
splendour,  it  did  not  sufficiently  consider  the  blessings  of 
God  ;  for  the  despisers  of  God  cram  themselves  with  what- 
ever flows  from  his  bounty,  and  yet  do  not  acknowledge 
him  ;  for  ingratitude  is  like  an  abyss  which  absorbs  all  the 
fulness  of  God's  blessings.  Then  the  Prophet  intimates 
that  when  Jerusalem  flourished  in  wealth  and  in  abundance 
of  all  things,  when  it  was  adorned  with  singular  gifts,  she 
became  as  it  were  inebriated,  and  never  considered  as  she 
ought  to  have  done,  the  benefits  which  God  had  bestowed 
on  her.  And  now,  when  she  was  reduced  to  want  and  sur- 
rounded with  extreme  miseries,  she  remembered  her  desir- 
able things,  even  the  glory  before  mentioned  ;  for  by  desir- 
able things  he  means  those  gifts  in  which  Jerusalem  excelled 

^  The  idea  here  is  somewhat  different ;  the  princes  are  compared  to 
harts  reduced  and  enfeebled  by  famine,  so  that  they  were  driven  by  their 
enemies  like  a  herd  of  tame  cattle.— ^o?. 


314  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.  II. 

as  long  as  God  manifested  himself  as  a  bountiful  Father 
towards  it. 

I  wonder  how  all  have  given  this  version,  "  Jerusalem 
remembered  the  days/'  &c.  Some  rightly  explain  the  pas- 
sage, but  all  agree  in  giving  a  wrong  version.  But  the 
meaning  is  sufficiently  evident,  Jerusalem  remembered  her 
desirable  things  in  the  days  of  her  affliction  and  of  her  want , 
or  of  her  groaning,  or  of  her  transmigration  ;  for  some  de- 
rive the  word  from  H*)*!,  rud,  which  means  to  complain,  or 
to  migrate.  Hence  they  render  it  "exile,''  or  migration. 
But  others  render  it  "  complaint."  Others,  again,  derive  it 
from  TlD,  mered,  which  sometimes  means  to  fail,  and  ren- 
der it  "  want,"  or  indigence.  Why  some  have  translated  it 
"  iniquities/'  I  know  not,  and  there  is  no  reason  for  such  a 
version.  I  do  not  approve  of  "  complaint  /'  exile  or  want 
is  the  best  word.^ 

The  days  of  affliction  he  more  clearly  expresses,  when  he 
says.  When  the  people  fell  into  the  hand  of  the  enemy,  and 
there  was  no  helper.  We  now  see  what  the  Prophet  means, 
even  that  Jerusalem  was  as  it  were  roused  from  her  lethargy 
when  God  afflicted  her.  For  as  tlie  drunken,  after  being 
satiated,  so  sleep  in  their  excess  that  they  know  and  feel 
nothing,  but  seem  half  dead  ;  so  prosperity  inebriated  Jeru- 
salem for  a  long  time  ;  but  being  at  lengtli  a-svakened,  she 
perceived  whence  she  had  fallen.  As  long,  then,  as  she 
stood  in  her  high  place  of  honour,  she  did  not  consider  God's 
iiKlulgence  towards  her  ;  but  after  she  was  stripped  of  all 
her  blessings,  and  became  deeply  afflicted,  she  tlien  remem- 
bered her  desirable  things,  that  is,  she  at  length  began  to 
perceive  what  she  had  lost,  because  she  had  fallen  from  tho 
grace  of  God. 

We   may  hence  gather  a  useful  doctrine  ;  for  wliat  tlic 

'  The  versions  and  the  Tarfj.  are  evidently  wrong  here,  and  are  not 
consistent  with  one  another.  There  is  no  meaning  except  2  be  considered 
as  understood  before  •'D^  "  days."  The  only  difference  among  critics  is 
about  the  meaning  of  TllD.  There  is  no  different  reading.  It  is  rendered 
"rejections — i^ft;<r^^v,"  by  the  Sept.,  "previirication"  by  the  F«7</.,  and 
"  punishment"  by  the  Syr.  Parkhurst  and  Jilai/nri/  derive  it  from  1")% 
to  come  down,  to  descend.  It  means  the  descendings  or  abasements  to 
which  Jerusalem  had  been  subjected,  and  has  the  same  meaning  in  chap, 
iii.  lU.     "  In  the  days  of  her  affliction  and  of  her  abasements."— ii^'i. 


CHAP.  I.  7.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  315 

Prophet  relates  of  Jerusalem  is  seen  almost  in  all  mankind  ; 
but  we  must  beware  lest   this  should  be  true  of  us.     For 
God  has  not  only  in  a  common  manner  dealt  liberally  hitherto 
with  us,  but  he  has  also  been  pleased  to  favour  us  with  evi- 
dences of  favour  even  more  than  paternal  ;  lie  has  separated 
us  from  the  unbelieving,  and  has  bestowed  on  us  many  of 
his  blessings.     Let  us  now,  then,  take  heed  lest  we  become 
stupid  while  God  deals  liberally  with  us  ;  but  on   the  con- 
trary, let  us  learn  to  appreciate  the  blessings  of  God,  and 
consider  the  end  for  which  they  have  been  given  us,  other- 
wise what  is  said  here  of  Jerusalem  will  happen  to  us ;  for 
being  too  late  awakened,  we  shall  know  that  we  were  happy 
when  God  shewed  himself  a  father  to  us.     We  see  the  same 
thing  exemplified  in  Adam  the  first  man  ;  for  though  God 
adorned  him   with   excellent  gifts,   yet  being  not   content 
with  his  lot,  he  wished  to  exalt  himself  beyond  due  limits  ; 
after  he  fell  and  was  reduced  to  extreme  want,  he  then  be- 
gan to  know  what  he  had  previously  been,   and  what  he 
had   become   through  his  Ml     (Gen.  i.  26,  27;  iii.  6,. 7-) 
But  as  this  testimony  of  the  Prophet  is  peculiarly  suitable 
to  the  Church,  let  us  know  that  we  are  warned  by  the  ex- 
ample of  Jerusalem  ;  so  that  when  God  shews  to  us   his 
bounty,  his  gifts  ought^  as  they  deserve,   to  be  valued,  lest 
when  too  late  we  shall  at  length  begin  to  acknowledge  how 
desirable  had  been  our  previous  condition.     Then,  in  a  word, 
Jeremiah  here  reproves  the  stupidity  of  the  people,  who  did 
not  know  how  desirable  was  their  state,  until  they  were  de- 
prived and  plundered  of  all  their  blessings.     He  also  says, 
from  the  days  of  old.     By  these  words  he  probably  intimates 
that  the  course  of  God's  kindness  had  been  perpetual ;  for 
God  had  not  for  a  short  time  been  bountiful  to  that  people, 
but  had  sliewed  them  favours  successively  and  continually. 

When  her  people  fell,  &c.  It  was  a  heavier  misery,  be- 
cause they  had  so  long  flourished.  It  is  added.  Seen  her 
have  enemies,  they  laughed  at  her  Sabbath,  or  at  her  cessa- 
tion, which  I  do  not  dislike.  But  they  who  render  it  "  lei- 
sure," or  idleness,  either  pervert  or  too  much  obscure  the 
meaning  of  the  Prophet.  In  the  word  "  cessation,"  there 
is  an  irony,  for  the  enemies  did  not  simj^ly  laugh  at  cessa- 


316  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.  II. 

tion,  but  (lid  so  in  mockery,  as  they  took  tliis  opportunity 
to  taunt  them  for  tlieir  religion.  We  know  that  the  Sab- 
baths of  the  Jews  were  always  hated  by  the  heathens  ;  and 
they  were  thereby  subjected  to  many  reproaches ;  for  by 
way  of  reproach  they  called  the  Jews  Sabbatharians.  And 
when  they  wished  ignominiously  to  traduce  the  whole  ser- 
vice of  God,  as  under  the  law,  they  named  it  "  Sabbaths." 
There  is,  then,  no  doubt  but  that  the  heathens  reproach- 
fully taunted  the  Jews  because  they  observed  the  Sabbath  ; 
"  See,  now  is  the  time  to  worship  God.''  And  we  also  see  that 
God  upbraided  the  Jews  in  a  similar  way  by  saying,  "  Until 
the  land  shall  enjoy  its  Sabbaths."  (Lev.  xxvi.  43.)  For 
when  the  Jews  had  the  opportunity  and  leisure  (when  no 
enemies  molested  them)  to  observe  the  worship  of  God,  they 
contemptuously  profaned  the  Sabbaths.  As,  then,  God's 
worship  had  been  so  disgracefully  neglected  by  them,  God 
said,  "  The  land  itself  shall  in  your  stead  keep  the  Sab- 
bath ;'  how  ?  it  shall  not  be  ploughed,  it  shall  not  bring 
fort^h  fruit.  (Lev.  xxvi.  34,  35.)  That  cessation  was  called 
by  God  Sabbath,  but  not  without  a  taunt  ;  for  he  cuttingly 
reproved  the  Jews  for  having  violated  the  Sabbaths,  as  was 
also  done  by  Jeremiah,  (chap.  xvii.  22,  27. y 

It  then  appears  to  me  probable  that  taunts  were  cast  by 
enemies  against  the  Jews,  that  they  might  now  have  a  long 
and  a  continual  Sabbath,  while  the  city  was  deserted  and 
no  one  dwelt  there.  For  it  would  have  been  cold  and  un- 
meaning to  say  that  the  enemies  laughed  at  the  cessation 
of  it.  The  Prophet  would  have  no  doubt  used  a  diiferent 
word,  if  his  purpose  had  been  to  point  out  the  blasphemy 

1  There  are  in  this  verse  four  lines,  while  there  are  only  three  in  all  the 
rest ;  but  there  is  no  ground  for  supposing  an  interpolation,  as  some  have 
thought ;  for  it  is  found  in  every  Hebrew  copy  and  in  the  versions,  and  the 
Targiim,.  As  to  the  last  word,  it  is  rendered  by  the  Scpt.y  "  habitation," 
or  according  to  the  Alexandrian  copy,  "  emigration  ;"  by  the  Viilg.  "  sab- 
baths ;"  and  by  the  Si/r.  "  sorrow."  The  word  is  nowhere  found  to 
signify  the  Sabbath.  It  is  cither  from  T]2^,  to  lead  captive,  as  Parkhurst 
thinks,  and  means  captivity,  emigration  ;  or  from  D^C^,  to  cease,  to  come 
to  an  end,  according  to  Blayney  and  Henderson,  and  may  be  rendered 
"  discontinuance,"  i.e.,  as  a  nation  or  a  state,  or  "  ruin."  But  the  former 
meaning  agreeing  with  the  Sept.  is  to  be  preferred, — 

When  fall  did  her  people,  and  she  had  no  helper, 

See  her  did  oppressors,  they  laughed  at  her  captivity. — Ed. 


CHAP.  I.  8.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  31 7 

of  enemies  as  to  God's  worship.     The  enemies  then  saw  and 

laughed  at  her  cessation  ;  but  this  cessation  they  called  by 

way  of  reproach  Sabbatharian.     It  follows, — 

8.  Jerusalem  hath  grievous-  8.  Peceatum  peccavit  Jerusalem  {hoc 
Ij  sinned;  therefore  she  is  re-  g^^  scelerateegit;)  proptereainraigratio- 
moved  :  all  that  honoured  her  nem  {vel,  commotionem)  facta  est  {hoc  est, 
despise  her,  because  they  have  reddita  fuit  instabilis ;)  omnes  qui  ho- 
seen  her  nakedness ;  yea,  she  nore  earn  persequebantur,  spreverunt 
sigheth,  and  turneth  Joack-  eam,  quia  viderunt  turpitudinem  {vel, 
ward.  fceditatem)  ejus ;  etiam  ipsa  geraens,  et 

con  versa  est  retrorsiun. 

Here  the  Prophet  expresses  more  clearly  and  strongly 

■what  he  had  briefly  referred  to,  even  that  all  the  evil  which 

the  Jews  suffered  proceeded  from  God's  vengeance,  and  that 

they  were  worthy  of  such  a  punishment,  because  they  had 

not  lightly  offended,  but  had  heaped  up  for  themselves  a 

dreadful  judgment,  since  they  had  in  all  manner  of  w-ays 

abandoned  themselves  to  impiety.     This  is  the  substance  of 

what  is  said.      We  hence  learn   that   the  Prophet  did  not 

compose  this  song  to  lament  the  calamity  of  his  own  country 

as  heathens  were  wont  to  do.     An  example  of  a  heathen 

lamentation  we  have  in  Virgil : — 

"  Come  is  the  great  day  and  the  unavoidable  time 
Of  Dardania  :  we  Trojans  have  been  ;  Ilium  has  been, 
And  the  great  glory  of  the  Teucrians  :  cruel  Jupiter  has  to  Argos 
Transferred  all  things :  the  Danai  rule  in  the  burnt  city."^ 

He  also  repeats  the  same  sentiment  in  other  words : — 

"  O  country !  O  Dium,  the  house  of  the  gods !  and  the  famous  for  war, 
The  camp  of  the  Dardanidans !  criiel  Jupiter  has  to  Argos 
Transferred  all  things."^ 

He  thus  mourns  the  destruction  of  Troy  ;  but  he  com- 
plains of  the  cruelty  of  God,  and  calls  him  cruel  Jupiter, 
because  he  was  himself  enraged,  and  yet  the  speaker  was 
Pantheus  the  priest  of  Apollo.  We  hence  see  how  the  un- 
believing, when  they  lament  their  own   calamities,  vomit 

J  "  Venit  summa  dies  et  ineluctabile  tempus 

Dardaniae  :  fuimus  Troes  ;  fuit  Ilium  et  ingens 
■  Gloria  Teucrorum  :  ferus  omnia  Jupiter  Argos 
'  Transtulit :  incensa  Danai  dominantur  in  urbe." 

Virg.  Mn.  2. 

^  "  O  patria !  O  divum  domus  Ilium !  et  inclyta  bello 
Moenia  Dardanidum !  ferus  omnia  Jupiter  Argos 

Transtulit." 

jEn.  2. 


318  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.  II. 

forth  blaspliemies  against  God,  for  they  are  exasperated  by 
sorrow.  Very  different  is  the  complaint  of  the  Prophet 
from  that  of  the  ungodly  ;  for  when  he  deplores  the  miseries 
of  his  people,  he  at  the  same  time  adds  that  God  is  a 
righteous  avenger.  He  does  not  then  accuse  God  of  cruelty 
or  of  too  much  rigour,  but  reminds  the  people  to  humble 
themselves  before  God  and  to  confess  that  they  justly  de- 
served all  their  evils. 

The  unbelieving  do  indeed  sometimes  mingle  some  words, 
by  which  they  seem  to  give  glory  to  God  ;  but  they  are 
evanescent,  for  they  soon  return  to  their  perverseness. 
They  are  sometimes  moderate,  "  If  thou  art  turned  by  any 
entreaties.''  In  that  case  they  expostulate  with  God,  as 
though  he  were  deaf  to  the  prayers  of  his  servants.  At 
length  they  break  out  into  open  blasphemies, — 

"  After  it  seemed  good  to  the  gods  to  subvert  the  affairs  of  Asia 
And  the  undeserved  nation  of  Priam."' 

They  regarded,  the  nation  which  had  been  cut  off  un- 
worthy of  such  a  punishment ;  they  called  it  an  undeserved 
nation.  Now,  then,  we  perceive  what  is  the  difference  be- 
tween the  unbelieving  and  the  children  of  God.  For  it  is 
common  to  all  to  mourn  in  adversities  ;  but  the  end  of  the 
mourning  of  the  unbelieving  is  perverseness,  which  at  length 
breaks  out  into  rage,  when  they  feel  their  evils,  and  they  do 
not  in  the  meantime  humble  themselves  before  God.  But 
the  faithful  do  not  harden  themselves  in  tlieir  mourning, 
but  reflect  on  themselves  and  examine  their  own  life,  and 
of  their  own  accord  prostrate  themselves  before  God,  and 
willingly  submit  to  the  sentence  of  condemnation,  and  con- 
fess that  God  is  just. 

We  hence  now  see  how  the  calamity  of  the  Church  ought 
to  be  lamented  by  us,  even  that  we  are  to  return  to  this 
principle,  that  God  is  a  just  avenger,  and  does  not  punish 
common  offences  only,  but  the  greatest  sins,  and  that  when 
he  reduces  us  to  extremities,  he  does  so  on  account  of  the 
greatness  of  our  sins,  as  also  Daniel  confessed.     For  it  was 

*  "  Postquam  res  Asifc,  Priamique  evert  ere  gentem 

Immeritam  visum  Superis." 

Virg.  yfJn.  3. 


CHAP.  I.  8.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  319 

not  in  few  words  tliat  lie  declared  that  the  people  were 
worthy  of  exile  and  of  the  punishment  which  they  suffered  ; 
but  he  accumulated  words,  '''  We  have  sinned,  we  have  acted 
impiously,  we  have  done  wickedly,  we  have  been  transgres- 
sors/' (Dan.  ix.  5.)  Nor  was  the  Prophet  satisfied  without 
this  enumeration,  for  he  saw  how  great  the  impiety  of  the 
people  had  been,  and  how  mad  had  been  their  obstinacy,  not 
for  a  few  years,  but  for  that  long  time,  during  which  they 
had  been  warned  by  the  prophets,  and  yet  they  repented 
not,  but  always  became  worse  and  worse.  Such,  then,  is 
the  mode  of  speaking  adopted  here. 

He  says  that  she  was  made  a  commotion,  that  is,  that  she 
was  removed  from  her  country.  There  seems  to  be  implied 
a  contrast  between  the  rest  which  had  been  promised  to 
the  Jews,  and  a  wandering  and  vagrant  exile  ;  for,  as  we 
have  seen,  the  Jews  had  not  only  been  banished,  but  they 
had  nowhere  a  quiet  dwelling ;  it  was  even  a  commotion. 
This  mav  at  the  same  time  be  referred  to  the  curse  of  the 
law,  because  they  were  to  be  for  a  commotion — for  even  the 
unbelieving  shook  their  heads  at  them.  But  the  word  H^l'^i, 
nide,  ought  properly  to  be  applied  to  their  exile,  when  the 
Jews  became  unfixed  and  vagrant.^  It  is  added,  that  she 
was  despised  and  treated  reproachfully  by  all  who  before 
esteemed  and  honoured  her.  This  also  did  not  a  little  in- 
crease the  grievousness  of  her  calamity  ;  she  had  been  repu- 
diated by  her  friends,  by  whom  she  had  before  been  valued 
and  honoured.  The  reason  is  mentioned,  because  they  saw 
he?'  nakedness.  But  the  word  properly  means  turpitude  or 
ignominy.  It  is  at  length  added,  that  she  even  groaned  and 
turned  hachward  ;  that  is,  that  she  was  so  oppressed  with 
grief,  that  there  was  no  hope  of  a  remedy  ;  for  to  turn  back- 
ward means  the  same  as  to  be  deprived  of  all  hope  of  resto- 
ration.^    It  now  follows, — 

'  "Fluctuation,"  by  the  Sept. ;  "  instable,"  by  the  Vulg. :  "  vagrant,"  or 
wandering,  by  the  Targ.  ;  and  "  horror,"  by  the  Syr.  The  verb  means 
to  remove ;  and  the  reference  here  is  evidently  to  banishment,  and  not 
to  uncleanness,  as  some  take  it,  because  the  noun  is  sometimes  so  taken, 
persons  being  removed  (rom  society  on  account  of  uncleanness. — £Jd. 

2  "  To  turn  back"  or  backward,  is  a  phrase  which  some  regard  as  ex- 
pressive of  shame,  as  those  who  feel  shame  recede  from  the  public  view 
and  hide  themselves. — Ed. 


320  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.  II. 

9.  Her  filthiness  is  in  her  skirts ;         9.  Ignominia  ejus  in  fimbriis  ejus, 

she  remembereth  not  her  last  end  ;  non  est  recordata  finis  sui  ;  et  de- 

therefore  she   came  down  M'onder-  scendit  mirabiliter,  nemo  consolator 

fully  :  she    had   no    comforter.     O  ei ;  vide,  Jehova,  afflictionem  meam. 

Lord,  behold  my  affliction ;  for  the  quia  magnitice  se  eftert  hostis  (ad 

enemy  hath  magnified  himself.  verbunij  magnificatus  est  hostis.) 

He  continues  here,  as  I  tliink,  the  same  subject ;  he  had 
said  at  the  end  of  the  last  verse  that  turpitude  or  baseness 
had  been  seen  at  Jerusalem ;  and  now  he  says  tliat  it  was 
on  the  very  fringes  or  skirts.  The  Prophet  seems  to  allude 
to  menstruous  women  who  hide  their  uncleanness  as  much 
as  they  can  ;  but  such  a  thing  is  of  no  avail,  as  nature  must 
have  its  course.  In  short,  the  Prophet  intimates  that  the 
Jews  had  become  filthy  in  no  common  degree,  being  so 
afflicted  that  their  uncleanness  appeared  on  their  skirts. 
This  seems  to  be  the  Prophet's  meaning.  Interpreters 
think  that  Jeremiah  speaks  of  the  sins  of  the  people,  but 
they  are  mistaken  ;  for  I  doubt  not  but  that  the  reference 
is  to  tlicir  punishment.  They  say  that  filthiness  was  on 
the  skirts,  because  the  people  had  shamelessly  prostituted 
themselves  to  all  kinds  of  wickedness,  and  tliat  they  remem- 
bered not  their  end,  because  they  had  become  altogether 
foolish,  according  to  what  is  said  in  the  song  of  Moses,  "  0 
that  they  were  wise,  and  would  foresee  their  end  !"  (Deut. 
XXX ii.  29.)  But  let  any  one  duly  consider  the  design  of 
the  Prophet,  and  he  will  readily  agree  with  me  that  he 
speaks  not  of  guilt,  but  on  the  contrary  of  punishment.^ 

The  Prophet  then  says  that  the  reproach  of  tlie  Jews  was 
on  their  skirts,  because  they  could  not  hide  their  disgrace. 
For  shame  often  makes  men  to  hide  their  evils  and  silently 
to  bear  tliem,  because  they  are  unwilling  to  expose  them- 
selves to  the  mockery  of  their  enemies.  But  the  Prophet 
says  that  the  miseries  of  the  people  could  not  be  kept  hid- 
den, but  that  they  appeared  to  all,  as  the  case  is  witli  women 
subject  to  an  overflow — it  issues  forth  to  the  extremities  of 
their  garments. 

And  wlien  he  says  that  she  remembered  not  her  end,  I  un- 
derstand this  to  mean,  that  the  Jews  were  so  overwhelmed 

'  "  She  carries  the  marks  of  hor  sins  in  the  greatness  of  her  punish- 
ment," is  Lowth's  remark,  which  seems  to  favour  this  view. — Kd. 


CHAP.  I.  10.      COMMENTAKIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  321 

with  despair,  that  they  did  not  raise  up  their  thoughts  to 
God's  promises ;  for  it  is  no  ordinary  source  of  comfort,  and 
what  even  common  sense  dictates  to  us,  to  take  breath  in 
extreme  evils,  and  to  extend  our  thoughts  farther,  for  misery 
will  not  always  oppress  us — some  change  for  the  better  will 
happen.  As  then  men  are  wont  thus  to  sustain  themselves 
in  adversities,  he  savs  that  the  Jews  remembered  not  their 
end ;  that  is,  they  were  so  demented  by  their  sorrow,  that 
they  became  stupified,  and  entertained  no  hope  as  to  the 
future.  In  short,  by  these  words,  he  denotes  extreme  de- 
spair ;  for  the  Jews  were  so  stupified  that  they  could  not 
raise  up  their  minds  to  any  hope. 

And  the  reason  is  expressed,  because  they  had  come  down 
wonderfully,  that  is,  because  they  had  been  cast  down  in  an 
extraordinary  manner.  A  noun  is  here  .put  instead  of  an 
adverb,  and  in  the  .masculine  gender,  D^K/S,  pelaim  ;  some- 
times we  have  HIK/S,  pelaut,  but  in  the  same  sense.  He 
then  says  that  the  Jews  had  sunk  as  it  were  miraculously  ; 
but  by  a  miracle  he  means  a  prodigy,  the  word  being  taken 
in  a  bad  sense ;  then  rairaculoiisly  has  Jerusalem  come  down. 
It  hence  followed  that  it  succumbed  under  its  miseries,  so 
that  it  could  not  turn  its  thoughts  to  any  hope,  nor  think 
of  another  end  ;  but  became  stupid  in  its  miseries,  as  men 
usually  become  desperate,  when  they  think  that  there  is  no 
deliverance  for  them.  He  repeats  what  he  had  said  before, 
that  there  was  no  comforter. 

These  things  ought  to  be  carefully  observed,  for  Satan  at 
this  day  uses  various  means  to  lead  us  to  despair.  In  order 
to  avert  us  from  all  confidence  in  the  grace  of  God,  he  sets 
before  us  extreme  calamities.  And  when  sorrow  lays  such 
hold  on  our  minds,  that  the  hope  of  grace  does  not  shine 
forth,  from  that  immoderate  sorrow  arises  impatience,  which 
may  drive  us  to  madness.  Hence  it  comes  that  we  murmur, 
and  then  clamour  against  God.  As,  then,  at  this  day  Satan 
supplies  materials  to  harass  our  minds,  that  we  may  succumb 
under  our  griefs,  let  us  bear  in  mind  what  the  Prophet  says, 
that  Jerusalem,  which  was  then  the  only  true  Church  of  God 
in  the  world,  was  overwhelmed  with  so  many  and  so  great 
evils,  that  she  remembered  not  her  end.     Tliis,  indeed,  ought 

VOL.  V.  X 


822  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.  II. 

to  be  understood  of  external  circumstances,  for  God  no  doubt 
sustained  the  minds  of  tlie  godly,  and  always  so  mitigated 
tlieir  grief  that  they  had  regard  to  their  end.  But  the  refer- 
ence is  to  the  people  in  general,  and  also  to  the  outward 
appearance  of  things,  when  the  Prophet  says  that  the  Jews 
remembered  not  their  end. 

He  now  encourages  them  to  pray,  and  suggests  words  to 
tliem,  for  he  speaks  as  in  the  person  of  all :  See,  Jehovah,  my 
affliction,  for  the  enemy  hath  highly  exalted  himself.  Though 
the  Prophet  here  represents  the  Church,  yet  he  exhorts  them 
no  doubt,  according  to  the  obligations  of  his  office,  to  enter- 
tain good  hope,  and  encourages  them  to  pray,  for  true  and 
earnest  prayer  cannot  be  offered  without  faith  ;  for  when  the 
taste  of  God's  grace  is  lost,  it  cannot  be  that  we  can  pray 
from  the  heart ;  and  through  the  promises  alone  it  is  that 
we  can  have  a  taste  of  God's  paternal  goodness.  There  is,  then, 
no  doubt  but  that  the  Prophet  here  promises  a  sure  deliver- 
ance to  the  Jews,  provided  they  turned  to  God,  and  believed 
and  were  fully  persuaded  that  he  would  be  their  deliverer. 

We  now,  then,  see  what  is  the  right  way  of  teaching,  even 
that  men  are  to  be  humbled,  and  that  their  just  condemna- 
tion is  to  be  set  before  them,  and  that  they  are  also  to  be 
encouraged  to  entertain  hope,  and  a  hand  is  to  be  stretched 
out  to  them,  that  they  may  pray  to  God,  and  not  hesitate  in 
extreme  evils  not  only  to  hope  for  but  even  to  request  aid 
from  him.  This  is  the  order  observed  by  the  Prophet ;  we 
must  learn  in  adversities  ever  to  come  down  to  ourselves, 
and  to  acknowledge  our  guilt ;  and  then  when  we  are  sunk 
deep,  we  must  learn  to  elevate  our  minds  by  faith,  that  thence 
prayer  may  arise  by  which  our  salvation  is  to  be  attained. 

One  thing  has  escaped  me ;  the  Prophet,  in  order  to  ob- 
tain favour,  says,  that  enemies  had  greatly  exalted  themselves. 
And  this  deserves  a  special  notice ;  for  what  seems  to  occa- 
sion despair  to  us,  ought,  on  the  contrary,  to  encourage  us 
to  entertain  good  hope,  that  is,  when  enemies  are  insolent 
and  carry  tliemselvcs  with  great  arrogance  and  insult  us. 
The  greater,  then,  is  their  pride  and  the  less  tolerable,  witli 
more  confidence  may  we  call  on  God,  for  the  Holy  Spirit  has 
not  in  vain  taught  us  this  truth,  that  God  will  be  propitious 


CHAP.  I.  10.         COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  323 

to  US  when  enemies  thus  greatlj  exalt  themselves,  that  is, 
when  they  become  beyond  measure  proud,  and  immoder- 
ately indulge  themselves  in  every  kind  of  contempt.  It 
follows, — 

10.   The  adversary  hath  spread        10.   Manum  suam  extendit  hostis 

out  his  hand  upon  all  her  pleasant  ad  omnia  desiderabilia  ejus ;   quia 

things :  for  she  hath  seen  that  the  vidit   gentcs   quum    ingressae    sunt 

heathen  entered  into  her  sanctuary,  sanctuarium  ipsius,  de  quibus  prsc- 

whom  thou  didst  command  that  they  ceperas,  ne  ingrederentur  in  congre- 

shoidd  not  enter  into  thy  congrega-  gationem   tibi   (hoc    est,    quaj   tibi 

tion.  sacrata  est.) 

The  Prophet  again  deplores  the  profanation  of  all  sacred 
things ;  and  this  complaint,  as  I  have  said,  proceeded  from 
the  bitterest  sorrow ;  for  though  it  was  a  sad  thing  for  the 
faithful,  to  lose  all  their  property,  to  wander  in  exile  and  to 
suffer  the  want  of  all  things,  yet  it  must  have  been  more 
grievous  to  them  to  see  the  Temple  polluted,  and  all  religion 
exposed  to  shame.  This  calamity,  then,  the  Prophet  again 
deplores,  when  he  says  that  enemies  had  stretched  forth  their 
hand  against  all  desirable  things.  Now,  by  desirable  things, 
he  does  not  mean  riches,  nor  anything  that  belongs  to  the 
condition  of  an  earthly  and  fading  life,  but  those  invaluable 
treasures  wdiich  God  had  deposited  w^ith  the  chosen  people. 
The  enemy,  then,  had  extended  his  hand  against  the  altar, 
against  the  table,  against  the  ark  of  the  covenant,  against 
all  the  sacred  vessels. 

Then  this  indignity  was  increased,  because  Jerusalem  saw 
the  heathens  entering  into  her  sanctuary ;  for  the  pronoun 
is  in  the  feminine  gender.  But  the  sanctuary  of  Jerusalem 
was  God's  Temple ;  for,  though  properly  speaking,  it  was 
alone  God's  sanctuary,  it  was  yet  at  the  same  time  the  sanc- 
tuary of  the  people,  because  God  had  not  caused  the  Temple 
to  be  built  for  his  own  benefit,  but  rather  for  the  benefit  of 
his  people.  What  God,  then,  had  consecrated  for  himself  is 
rightly  called  the  sanctuary  of  the  people.  He  still  increases 
the  indignity,  because  God  had  forbidden  theheatliens  to  enter 
the  sanctuary ;  but  they  had  violently  rushed  in  there.  They 
did  not,  however,  enter  for  tlie  sake  of  worshipping  God,  for 
it  was  his  command  to  keep  them  from  the  holy  assembly ; 
but  they  had  by  force  entered  for  the  purpose  of  violating 


324)  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.         LECT.  III. 

the  Temple,  and  also  of  abolisliing  the  whole  worship  of  God, 
and  of  exposing  religion  to  all  kinds  of  mockery.^ 

TRAYER. 

Grant,  Almighty  God,  that  as  at  this  day  we  see  thy  Church 
miserably  afflicted,  we  may  direct  our  eyes  so  as  to  see  our  own 
sins,  and  so  humble  ourselves  before  thy  throne,  that  we  may 
yet  cease  not  to  entertain  hope,  and  in  the  midst  of  death 
wait  for  life ;  and  may  this  confidence  open  oiu*  mouth,  that  we 
may  courageously  persevere  in  calling  on  thy  name,  through 
Christ  our  Lord. — Amen. 


l.ecture  ^ijtrU. 

11.  All  her  people  sigh,  they  11.  Totus  populus  ejus  gementes,  qure- 

seek  bread  ;    they  have    given  rentes  panem,  dederunt  desiderabilia  sua 

their  pleasant  things  for  meat  to  (Jioc  est,  quicquid  habebant  pretiosum) 

relieve  the  soul :   see,  O  Lord,  pro  cibo  ad  revocandum  animam :  vide, 

and  consider ;  for  I  am  become  Jehova,  et  aspice,  quia  facta  sum  vilis 

vile.  {aat,  contempta.) 

The  Prophet  here  complains  that  all  the  citizens  of  Jeru- 
salem were  constantly  groaning  through  want  and  famine. 
He  first  says,  that  all  were  sighing.  The  word  "  people"  is 
collective,  and  hence  he  uses  the  plural  number,  D'TliX^ 
nanechim.  Tlien  he  says  that  they  were  all  sighing ;  but  he 
expresses  also  the  reason,  because  they  were  seeking  bread. 
To  seek  bread  is  indeed  common  to  all ;  but  by  this  word  he 
intimates  extreme  want,  as  though  he  had  said,  that  they 
begged  their  bread.  He  then  compares  them  to  beggars, 
who  go  about  here  and  there  to  seek  bread. 

He  says  also,  that  they  gave  the  most  precious  things  for 
meat,  to  recover  the  soul.  Here  he  refers  more  clearly  to 
famine,  for  he  says  that  in  a  manner  they  suffered  want. 
Otlicrs  render  the  last  clause,  "  to  refresh  the  souV  wliich 

*  The  verse  may  be  thus  rendered,  — 

His  hand  has  the  oppressor  expanded  over  nil  her  desirable  things ; 
Indeed  she  saw  it :  nations  entered  her  sanctuary ; 
Though  thou  hast  commanded  this,  "  They  shall  not  come  to  thine 
assembly." 
«  The  desirable  things"  were  sacred  tliini^s,  and  mi^,dit  be  so  rendered. 
To  expand  the  hand  over  them  was  to  seize  them,  to  take  possession  oi 
them. — Ed. 


CHAP.  I.  12.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  325 

is  not  unsuitable.  But  the  Propliet  no  doubt  meant  to  de- 
note a  deficiency  as  to  the  support  of  life,  when  he  said,  that 
they  gave  whatever  precious  thing  they  had  to  restore  their 
souls,  as  it  were  from  death  to  life. 

A  prayer  follows,  See,  Jehovah,  and  look,  for  I  am  become 
vile.  We  said  yesterday,  that  the  complaints  which  hum- 
bled the  faithful,  and,  at  the  same  time,  raised  them  to  a 
good  hope,  and  also  opened  the  door  to  prayers,  were  dic- 
tated by  the  Spirit  of  God.  Otherwise,  when  men  indulge 
in  grief,  and  torment  themselves,  they  become  exasperated ; 
and  then  to  be  kindled  by  this  irritation  is  a  kind  of  mad- 
ness. The  Prophet,  therefore,  in  order  to  moderate  the  in- 
tensity of  sorrow,  and  the  raging  of  impatience,  recalls  again 
the  faithful  to  prayer.  And  when  Jerusalem  asks  God  to 
see  and  to  look,  there  is  an  emphasis  intended  in  using  the 
two  words ;  and  the  reason  given  does  also  more  fully  shew 
this,  because  she  had  become  vile  ;^  so  that  the  Church  set 
nothing  else  before  God,  to  turn  him  to  mercy,  but  her  own 
miseries.  She  did  not,  then,  bring  forward  her  own  services, 
but  only  deplored  her  own  miseries,  in  order  that  she  might 
obtain  the  favour  of  God.     It  follows, — 

12.  7s  it  nothing  to  you,  all  ye  12.  Non  ad  vos  omnes  qui  trans- 

that  pass  by?   behold,  and  see  if  itis  per  viam?    Aspicite  et  videte, 

there  be  any  sorrow  like  unto  my  an  sit  dolor  sicut  dolor  mens,  qui 

sorrow,   which    is    done   unto   me,  factus  est    mihi,  quia    afflixit    me 

wherewith  the  Lord  hath   afflicted  {vel,  dolore  aftecit)  Jehova  in  die 

me  in  the  day  of  his  fierce  anger.  excandescentise  ir^e  suse. 

The  beginning  of  the  verse  is  variously  explained.  Some 
read  it  interrogatively,  "  Is  it  nothing  to  you  who  pass  by 
the  way  V  Others  more  simply,  *'  I  see  that  I  am  not  cared 
for  by  you  ;  to  you  my  sorrow  is  notliing.''  Some  again  read 
thus,  "  Let  it  not  be  a  sorrow  to  you  ;''  and  others,  "  Let 
not  sorrow  be  upon  you,''  that  is,  let  not  what  I  have  hap- 
pen to  you  ;  so  that  it  is  a  prayer  expressive  of  benevolence. 

Wliat  I  prefer  is  the  interrogation.  Is  it  nothing  to  you  who 
pass  by  the  way  ?  for  the  letter  H,  Re,  the  note  of  a  question, 
is  often  omitted.  But  were  it  read  affirmatively,  the  mean- 
ing would  not  be  unsuitable  :  "  It  does  not  concern  you  who 

*  That  is,  she  was  treated  as  vile  or  worthless :  "  dishonoured"  is  the 
Sept.— Ed. 


32()  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.         LECT.  III. 

pass  by,"  as  though  Jerusalem,  in  its  lamentations,  felt 
grieved  that  all  those  who  passed  by  were  not  touched  either 
with  pity  or  with  sorrow.^ 

But  she  addressed  those  who  passed  by,  that  she  might 
more  fully  set  forth  the  greatness  of  her  calamity.  For  had 
she  directed  her  words  to  neighbours  alone,  there  would  not 
have  been  so  much  force  in  them  ;  but  when  she  spoke  to 
strangers,  she  thus  shewed  that  her  calamity  was  so  great, 
that  it  ought  to  have  roused  the  sympathy  of  men  from  the 
remotest  parts,  even  while  on  their  journey.  And  she  asks 
them  to  look  and  see.  The  order  is  inverted,  for  she  said 
before,  '*  Sec,  Jehovah,  and  look.''  Then  Jerusalem  asked 
God,  first  to  turn  his  eyes  to  see  her  calamities,  and  then 
attentively  to  notice  them  :  but  now  for  another  purpose  she 
says,  look  ye  and  see,  tliat  is,  consider  how  evident  is  my 
calamity,  wdiich  otherwise  might  have  been  in  a  measure 
hidden  from  you.  Look  ye,  she  says,  is  there  a  sorrow  like 
my  sorrow  t  she  adds,  which  is  come  to  7ne  :  some  render 
the  words  actively,  "  which  Jehovah  has  brought  on  me  ;" 
but  the  other  version  is  more  correct,  for  it  is  more  literal. 
Jerome's  rendering  is,  "  who  has  gleaned  me  /'  and  77U, 
olcd,  means  sometimes  to  glean,  nor  do  I  wish  to  reject  this 
interpretation.  But  what  follows  is  incorrectly  rendered, 
as  in  a  former  instance,  by  Jerome,  "  of  which  Jehovah  has 
spoken  :"  for  he  derived  the  verb,  as  before  stated,  from 
n^tl,  ege  ;  but  it  comes  from  n^\  ige,  as  it  is  evident  from 
the  letter  1,  vau,  being  inserted.  There  is  then  no  doubt 
but  tliat  the  Church  intimates  that  God  was  the  author  of 
that  sorrow  which  she  deplored. 

And  it  is  necessary  to  know  this,  lest  men  should  be 
carried  away  into  excesses  in  their  mourning,  as  it  frequently 
happens.  For  the  majesty  of  God  imposes  a  check,  when  wo 
l^erceive  that  we  have  to  do  with  him.  Simple  and  bare 
knowledge  of  this  is  not,  indeed,  sufficient,  for,  as  it  has  been 
said,  the  ungodly,  while  they  know  that  their  sorrows  pro- 
ceed from  God,  yet  murmur  against  him  :  but  it  is  nevcr- 

'  It  is  evidently  taken  as  v  by  the  Sept.,  the  Vulg.,  and  the  Targ.  ; 
but  as  a  negative  by  tlic  >S'?/r.,  and  the  sentence  is  taken  as  a  question: 
and  this  gives  the  best  meaning.—  Zirf.    ^ 


CHAP.  I.  13.        COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  327 

theless  the  beginning  of  patience  and  meekness  when  we 
have  a  regard  to  God.  It  was,  then,  for  this  reason  that 
Jerusalem  said  that  she  had  been  afflicted  by  God. 

And  it  is  added.  In  the  day  of  the  indignation  of  his  wrath. 
Here  the  Prophet  wished  to  express  the  grievousness  of 
God's  vengeance,  by  mentioning  the  indignation  of  wrath. 
Some  render  piH,  cherun,  "  fury;''  but  as  the  word  "  fury"  is 
too  harsh,  the  word  "  indignation,"  or  great  heat  {excande- 
scentia)  is  not  unsuitable.  We  must,  however,  bear  in  mind 
the  design  of  the  Prophet,  which  was  to  shew  that  God's 
vengeance  had  been  so  dreadful,  as  though  his  wrath  had  all 
been  on  a  flame  against  Jerusalem :  and  this  is  more  fully 
confirmed  in  the  following  verse, — 

13.  From  above  hath  he  13.  E  sublimi  misit  ignem  in  ossa  mea,  et 
sent  fire  into  mj  bones,  and  dominatus  est  in  ipso  {est  mutatio  numerU 
it  prevaileth against  them  :  refertur  quidem  ad  ossa,  sed  perinde  est  ac  si 
he  hath  spread  a  net  for  diceret,  dominatus  est  ignis  in  unoquoque  ossi- 
my  feet ;  he  hath  turned  um ;)  extendit  rete  suum  pedibus  meis,  con- 
me  back;  he  hath  made  me  vertet  me  retrorsum  ;  dedit  me  (reddidit  me, 
desolate  and  faint  all  the  vel,  posuit)  vastam  {vel,  desolatam)  toto  die 
day.  dolentem  {vel,  infirmam.) 

The  Prophet  proceeds  with  the  same  subject,  that  God's 
vengeance  had  raged  most  dreadfully  against  Jerusalem. 
But  employing  a  metaphor  she  says,  ihsit  fire  had  been  sent 
to  her  bones.  They  who  interpret  bones  of  fortified  places, 
weaken  the  meaning  of  the  Prophet.  I  take  bones  in  their 
proper  sense,  as  though  it  was  said,  that  God's  fire  had  pene- 
trated into  the  inmost  parts.  This  way  of  speaking  often 
occurs  in  Scripture.  By  bones  is  denoted  strength  or  valour. 
Hence  David  sometimes  deplored,  that  his  bones  were  vexed 
or  troubled.  (Psalm  vi.  2.)  And  Hezekiah  said  in  his  song 
"  As  a  lion  he  hath  broken  my  bones."  (Isa.  xxxviii.  13.) 
In  the  same  sense  the  Prophet  now  says,  ihsit  fire  had  been 
sent  by  God,  which  ruled  in  his  bones,  that  is,  which  not  only 
burnt  the  skin  and  the  flesh,  but  also  consumed  the  bones, 
nni,  rede,  means  also  to  take  away  or  to  receive :  but  as 
the  former  rendering  is  most  commonly  taken,  I  am  disposed 
to  follow  it — ihsit  fire  ruled  in  his  bones. 

There  is  another  similitude  added,  that  God  had  spread 
a  net  before  her  feet ;  and  thus  he  had  taken  away  every 
means  of  escape.     She  intimates  (for  it  is  Jerusalem  who 


328  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.  III. 

speaks)  that  she  had  been  ensnared  by  God's  judgments,  so 
that  she  was  bound  over  to  ruin,  as  though  she  had  fallen 
into  toils  or  snares.  It  is  stated  in  the  third  place,  that  she 
was  desolate  all  the  day,  so  that  she  sorrowed  perpetually. 
Bj  all  the  day  is  meant  continiiallv.  It  is  then  said,  that 
she  sorrowed  without  end,  beyond  measure,  because  she  liad 
been  turned  back  by  the  nets  of  God,  and  her  bones  had 
been  consumed  by  celestial  fire :  for  the  expression  from 
above,  Dl*1^^,  memerum,  is  emphatical,  for  the  Prophet  means 
that  it  was  no  common  or  human  burning ;  because  what  is 
ascribed  to  God  exceeds  what  is  human  or  earthly.  It  is, 
then,  as  though  he  had  said,  that  it  had  been  such  a  venge- 
ance as  betokened  the  dreadful  power  of  God  ;  for  it  was  the 
same  as  though  God  had  thundered  from  heaven.  We  now 
perceive  the  import  of  the  words.      It  follows, — 

14.  The  yoke  of  my  14.  Ligatum  est  (hie  vertit  Hieronymus, 
transgressions  is  bound  vigilavit,  nam  hallucinatus  est  in  puncto 
by  his  hand;  they  are  duntaxat  Ipt^J,  et  legendum  est  Ipti'J, 
wreathed,  and  come  up  quia  est  punctum  sinistrum,  quod  signi- 
upon  my  neck :  he  hath  ficat  ligare,  ligatum  est  igitur)  jugum  ini- 
made  my  strength  to  fall ;  quitatum  mearum  in  manu  ejus ;  implicitse 
the  Lord  hath  delivered  sunt  (vel,  perplexse,)  ascenderunt  super  collum 
me  into  their  hands,  /'roni  meum  ;  corruere  fecit  {vd,  debilitavit)  robur 
whom  I  am  not  able  to  meum;  dedit  me  Dominus  in  manus  eorum 
rise  up.  (est  in  regimine,  et  tamen  nulla  sequitur  ad' 

ditio,  quce  respondeat,  sed  apparct  aliquid 
esse  subaudiendum,  in  manus  erffo  hostium) 
ex  quibus  non  potero  surgere. 

Here,  again,  Jerusalem  confesses  that  God  had  been  justly 
displeased.  She  had  ascribed  to  God's  vengeance  the  evils 
which  she  suffered  ;  but  now  she  expresses  the  cause  of  that 
displeasure  or  wrath.  Hence  she  says,  that  the  yoke  of  her 
iniquities  had  been  bound  in  God's  hand.  Though  inter- 
preters explain  the  words,  yet  they  toucli  not  the  meaning 
of  the  Prophet ;  for  they  consider  not  that  there  is  a  con- 
tinued metaphor.  We  ought  then  to  bear  in  mind  the  two 
clauses, — that  God's  hand  hekl  the  yoke  tied,  and  also  that 
the  yoke  was  bound  around  the  neck  of  Jerusalem.  As 
when  a  husljandman,  after  having  tied  a  yoke  to  oxen,  holds 
a  rein,  and  folds  it  round  liis  hand,  so  that  tlie  oxen  not  only 
cannot  throw  ofl'tlie  yoke,  but  must  also  obey  the  hand  which 
holds  the  reins  ;  so  also  it  is  said,  that  the  yoke  of  iniquities 


CHAP.  I.  14.   COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.       329 

was  fastened  :  "  I  bear  the  yoke/'  she  says,  "  but  it  is  tied, 
and  SO  fastened,  that  it  cannot  be  shaken  off;  and  then, 
however  furious  I  may  be,  or  kick,  God  holds  the  tied  yoke 
by  his  own  hand  so  as  to  constrain  me  to  bear  it." 

We  now,  then,  see  the  design  and  import  of  the  Prophet's 
words,  that  God  was  justly  incensed  against  Jerusalem,  and 
had  justly  used  so  much  severity.  Expressed  at  the  same 
time  is  the  atrocity  of  the  punishment,  though  wholly  just; 
for,  on  tlie  one  hand,  Jerusalem  complains  that  a  yoke  was 
laid  on  her  neck,  tied  and  fastened,  and  also  that  it  was  tied 
by  the  hand  of  God,  as  though  she  had  said,  that  she  was 
under  such  a  constraint,  that  there  was  no  relaxation.  On 
the  one  hand,  then,  she  bewails  the  grievousness  of  her  ca- 
lamity ;  and  on  the  other,  she  confesses  that  she  fully  de- 
served what  she  suffered  ;  and  thus  she  accused  herself,  lest 
any  should  think  that  he  clamoured  against  God,  as  is  com- 
monly the  case  in  sorrow.^ 

It  is  added.  He  hath  made  to  fall,  or  weakened,  Sec. 
The  verb  7^D,  cashel,  in  Hiphil,  means,  as  it  is  well  known, 
to  stumble,  or  to  cause  to  stumble  or  fall.  He  hath,  then, 
weakened  iny  strength  ;  the  Lord  hath  given  me  up  into  the 
hand  of  my  enemies,  from  whom  I  shall  not  he  able  to  rise  ; 

'  All  the  versions  agree  in  rendering  TpJi'J  in  the  sense  of  watching ; 
and  when  they  agree,  there  is  a  strong  presumption  that  they  are  right. 
And  all  agree  as  to  ?V  being  a  preposition,  and  not  a  noun,  '•  yoke,"  except 
the  Vulg.,  which  hardly  gives  any  meaning.  The  Rabbins  have  invented 
a  new  meaning  for  the  verb,  which  it  has  in  no  other  place,  and  some  have 
followed  them.  It  is  rendered  impersonally  by  the  Sept.,  "  there  has  been 
watching,"  but  by  the  Vulg.,  "  he  hath  watched."  To  "  watch  over  trans- 
gressions," is  similar  to  "  watch  upon  (or  over)  the  evil,"  in  Dan.  ix.  14  ; 
it  is  to  watch  over  them  in  order  to  punish  them.  The  whole  verse  I  ren- 
der thus, — 

14.  He  hath  watched  over  my  transgressions,  by  liis  hand  they  are 
twined ; 
His  yoke  is  upon  my  neck,  he  hath  made  to  fail  my  strength ; 
Yea,  given  me  hath  the  Lord  into  the  hands  of  the  oppressor,  I 
cannot  stand. 
The  word  "  hands"  is  in  a  construct  form,  which  shews  that  there  is  a 
word  left  out.    "  1  cannot  stand,"  i.e.,  against  the  oppressor :  I  cannot  re- 
sist.    The  future  is  used  in  the  sense  of  the  present ;  literally  it  is,  "  I 
shall  not  be  able  to  stand,"  or  resist.     So  it  is  exactly  in  Welsh ;  it  is  the 
future,  but  understood  as  expressing  what  is  present. 

In  the  first  line,  "  his  hand"  is  connected  in  all  the  versions  with  "twined," 
or  wreathed  together. — Ed. 


330  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.         LECT.  III. 

that  is,  he  hath  so  subjugated  me,  and  so  laid  me  prostrate 
under  the  hands  of  my  enemies,  tliat  there  is  no  hope  of 
rising  again.  Were  any  one  to  ask,  "  Why  then  does  she 
pray,  and  again  will  pray  often  V  the  answer  is,  that  when 
she  says  here,  that  she  will  not  be  able  to  rise  again,  the  re- 
ference is  made  to  the  outward  state  of  things  :  in  the  mean- 
time, the  grace  of  God  is  not  taken  to  the  account :  and  this 
goes  beyond  all  human  means.  She  then  says,  that  accord- 
ing to  the  tlioughts  of  the  flesh,  she  had  no  hope,  because 
there  appeared  to  be  no  means  of  rising.  But  yet  she  did 
not  despair,  but  that  God  w^ould  at  length,  by  his  almighty 
power,  cause  her  to  rise  from  fatal  ruin.  And  this  is  a  mode 
of  speaking  that  ought  to  be  borne  in  mind  ;  for  hope  sees 
things  which  are  hidden.  But  at  the  same  time  the  faitliful 
speak  according  to  the  common  appearance  of  things,  and 
when  they  seem  to  despair,  they  regard  what  falls  under 
their  own  observation  and  judgment.  So  then  Jerusalem 
now  says  that  she  could  not  rise,  except  God  manifested  his 
extraordinary  power,  which  far  exceeds  all  human  means. 
It  follows, — 

15.  The  Lord  hath  trodden        15.  Calcavit  omnes  fortes  meos  Donii- 

under  foot  all  my  mighty  men  nus  in  medio  mei ;  vocavit  super  me  diem 

in  the  midst  of  me  ;   he  hath  (/toe  est,  edixit  statimi  diem,  alii  vertimt, 

called  an  assembly  against  me  congregationem  ;  et  1)/1D,  tarn  ccctinn  ip- 

to  crush  my  young  men :  the  sum  signijicat,  quam  condictuin  tempiis,) 

Lord  hath  trodden  the  virgin,  ad  conterendos  adolescentes   meos   (vel^ 

the  daughter  of  Judah,  as  in  a  electos ;)  torcular  calcavit  Adonai  super 

winepress.  virginem  {vel,  puellam,)  filiam  Jehudah. 

She  first  says,  that  all  her  valiant  men  had  been  trodden 
underfoot.  Now  we  know  how  much  the  Jews  trusted  in 
their  men  even  to  the  very  time  when  they  were  wholly 
subdued:  As  then  they  had  shewed  so  much  insolence  and 
pride  towards  the  prophets,  it  hence  became  a  cause  of 
greater  sorrow,  when  Jerusalem  lierself  saw  that  she  w^as 
destitute  of  every  protection,  and  that  her  valiant  men  were 
trodden  under  foot.  She  says,  in  the  midst  of  me.  And 
this  ought  to  be  observed  ;  for  if  tliey  had  fallen  on  the  field 
of  battle,  if  they  had  been  taken  in  the  fields  by  their  ene- 
mies, such  a  thing  would  not  have  been  so  grievous  :  but 
that  they  had  been  thus  laid  prostrate  in  the  very  bosom  of 


CHAP.  1.  15.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  331 

the  city,  was  indeed  a  token  of  vengeance  from  above.  We 
now  see  that  this  circumstance  was  not  superfluous,  that  all 
the  valiant  men  of  Jerusalem  were  laid  prostrate  in  the 
midst  of  her. 

It  is  then  said  that  it  was  the  fixed  time,  when  God  de- 
stroyed her  chosen  men,  or  her  youth.  Sliould  it  seem  pre- 
ferable to  take  n^*)D,  miiodj  as  meaning  a  congregation,  I 
do  not  object  ;  yet  I  do  not  approve  of  this  meaning,  for  it 
seems  forced.  It  agrees  better  with  the  context  to  regard 
it  as  the  fixed  time,  the  time  before  appointed  by  God  to 
destroy  all  the  strong  men.^ 

There  is  then  another  metaphor  used, — that  God  had 
trodden  the  winepress  as  to  the  daughter  of  Sion.  This  figure 
occurs  elsewhere,  as  in  Isa.  Ixiii.  1,  "Who  is  this  that 
cometh  from  Edom  ?  and  why  are  his  garments  red  ?"  For 
the  Prophet  wonders  how  God  could  come  forth  from  Edom, 
sprinkled  with  blood.  God  answers,  "  The  winepress  have 
I  trod  alone ;'  that  is,  because  he  had  avenged  the  wrongs 
done  to  his  people.  For  we  know  that  the  Idumeans  had 
always  been  incensed  against  the  miserable  Jews.  Then 
God,  in  order  to  shew  that  he  was  the  defender  of  his  Church, 
says  that  he  came  from  Edom,  and  was  sprinkled  and  even 
made  wet  with  blood.  As  when  any  one  is. red  with  wine 
after  having  toiled  in  the  winepress,  so  also  is  the  represen- 
tation in  this  place.  We  have  also  seen  in  Jer.  li.  33, 
that  Babylon  was  like  a  threshing-floor.  The  metaphor,  in- 
deed, is  different,  but  bears  a  likeness  to  the  present.  As, 
then,  God  is  said  to  tread,  or  to  thresh,  when  he  afflicts  any 
land,  so  he  is  said  to  tread  the  winepress,  as  here.^  It  fol- 
lows,— 

^  If  the  word  be  rendered  "  assembly,"  or  congregation,  the  meanmg  is, 
the  assembly  of  the  Chaldeans,  and  an  allusion,  as  Gataker  says,  is  made 
to  the  calling  of  the  people  to  their  feasts.  It  is  rendered  "  time"  by  the 
Sept.  and  the  Vulg.,  but  "assembly"  by  the  Syr.  To  call  against  or 
upon  one  a  fixed  time,  is  no  suitable  expression.  Our  version  is  no  doubt 
right;  and  with  it  agree  Blayney  and  Henderson. — Ed. 

"^  The  words  are  as  follows, — 

The  winepress  has  the  Lord  trodden  as  to  the  virgin,  the  daughter 
.    of  Judah. 

The  p  sometimes  means  "  as  to,"  or,  with  respect  to.  "  The  daughter 
of  Judah"  is  in  apposition  with  "  virgin." — Ed. 


382  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.         LECT.  III. 

16.  For  these  ^/^mgrs  I  weep:  16.  Propter  id  ego  plorans,  oculus 
mine  eye,  mine  eye  runneth  meus,  oculus  meus,  descendunt  aquae, 
down  with  water,  because  the  {hoc  est,  defluit  in  aquas,)  quia  re- 
comforter  that  shoidd  relieve  motus  est  a  me  consolator,  qui  animam 
my  soul  is  far  from  me ;  my  revocet,  {vel,  recreat  animam,  T\^t2 ;) 
children  are  desolate,  because  fiierunt  filii  mei  desolati,  quia  prsevaluit 
the  enemy  prevailed.  hostis. 

He  describes  at  large  the  calamities  of  Jerusalem.  But 
it  is  no  wonder  that  the  Prophet  thus  lengthened  his  dis- 
course ;  for  Ave  know  that  those  who  are  heavily  oppressed 
never  satisfy  themselves  with  mourning  and  lamentations. 
If,  indeed,  we  duly  consider  how  great  the  evils  were,  the 
Prophet  will  not  appear  to  us  wordy,  nor  will  his  prolixity 
be  wearisome  to  us.  For  when  any  one  compares  the  flourish- 
ing state  of  Jerusalem  with  that  desolate  ruin  which  the 
Prophet  laments,  it  will  surely  appear  to  him  that  no  words, 
however  many,  can  fully  express  what  it  really  was  ;  nay, 
though  the  expressions  may  seem  hyperbolical,  yet  they  do 
not  exceed  the  greatness  of  that  calamity.  This  point  is 
briefly  adverted  to,  lest  any  one  should  be  wearied  with  those 
various  modes  of  expression  which  the  Prophet  employs,  when 
yet  he  might  have  at  once  said  that  Jerusalem  was  destroyed. 

He  says,  For  this  will  I  weep.  He  throughout  sustains 
the  person  of  a  woman  ;  for  Jerusalem  herself  speaks,  and 
not  Jeremiah.  /,  she  says,  for  this  will  weep ;  mine  eye  ! 
mine  eye!  it  shall  descend  i^ito  waters.  Others  read,  "Waters 
will  descend  from  mine  eyes ;"  but  such  a  rendering  is  too 
loose.  I  do  not,  then,  doubt  but  that  Jerusalem  says  that 
her  ej^es  would  be  like  fountains  of  waters.  She  indeed 
speaks  in  the  singular  number,  and  repeats  the  words,  tnine 
eye  !  mine  eye  !  it  shall  descend,  or  flow  as  waters,  that  is, 
as  tliough  they  were  two  fountains,  because  alienated  from 
me,  or  far  from  me,  is  a  comforter,  to  revive  my  soul}  By 
these  words  she  intimates  that  she  was  fainting,  and  as  it 

*  Though  the  Sept.  and  Vulg.  do  not  repeat  the  "  eye,"  yet  the  Targ. 
has  "my  two  eyes,"  and  the  *S)/r.,  "mine  eyes."  The  repetition  is  in 
most  copies,  and  it  is  very  emphatical.  8ce  a  similar  instance  in  Jcr. 
iv.  9. 

16.  For  these  thmgs  I  weep:  mine  eye !  mine  eye!  it  brings  down 

water ; 
For  far  from  me  is  a  comforter,  a  restorer  of  my  life ; 
Become  desolate  are  my  sons,  for  the  enemy  has  prevailed. — Ed. 


CHAP.  r.  17.   COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.        Soo 

were  dying,  and  that  there  was  no  one  present  to  administer 
comfort,  so  that  her  soul  might  be  revived.  As  it  appeared 
before,  that  it  is  deemed  an  extreme  evil  when  there  is  no 
friend  to  do  the  duty  of  humanity  by  alleviating  sorrow  ;  so 
now  again  Jerusalem  repeats  the  same  complaint,  and  says 
that  all  her  sons  were  destroyed,  because  the  enemy  had  pre- 
vailed.    It  follows, — 

17.  Zion  spreadeth  forth  her         17.  Expandit  Sion  in  manibus  suis  (id 

hands,  and  there  is  none  to  com-  est,  manus  suas,  vel,  complosit  manibus 

fort  her;  the  Lord  hath  com-  suis,  alii  vertunt,  confregit,)  millus  con- 

manded  concerning  Jacob,  that  solator  ei ;  mandavit  Jehova  super  Jacob 

his  adversaries  should  be  round  per  circuitus  ejus  adversarios  ejus ;  facta 

about   him :    Jerusalem  is    as  est  Jerusalem    in  abominationem  inter 

a    menstruous   woman   among  ipsos  (vel,  tanquam  immunda,  vel,  men- 

them.  struata,  ill  J,  enim  vacatur  mulier  men- 

struata  apiid  Mosen.) 

The  Prophet  first  says  that  Jerusalem  had  expanded  her 
hands,  as  a  token  of  sorrow,  or  that  she  might  seek  friends 
from  every  side  ;  for  when  we  wish  to  move  men  to  pity,  we 
stretch  forth  our  arms.  I  wonder  how  it  came  to  the  minds 
of  some  to  say  that  Jerusalem  had  broken  bread  with  her 
hands.  This  is  extremely  puerile.  Some  have  rendered 
the  words,  that  she  had  broken  with  her  hands,  under- 
standing thereby  that  she  had  clapped  with  her  hands. 
It  is,  however,  a  harsh  mode  of  speaking.  I  retain  the 
most  suitable  sense,  that  Jerusalem  had  expanded  her 
hands.  The  word  ^"IS,  peresh,  means  also  to  disperse, 
or  scatter ;  but  the  Prophet  no  doubt  means  the  expansion 
of  the  hands,  as  though  Jerusalem  had  said  that  she  was 
like  a  woman  lamenting  her  calamities,  and  seeking  friends 
on  every  side  to  give  her  some  consolation.  And  we  may 
gather  the  meaning  of  the  Prophet  from  the  passage  itself, 
Sion,  it  is  said;  by  spreading  hands  calls  her  friends,  and  no 
one  is  a  comforter :  these  clauses  ought  to  be  read  together, 
that  is,  that  Sion  expanded  her  hands,  and  yet  no  one  re- 
sponded to  alleviate  her  sorrow  by  consolation. 

It  follows,  that  Jehovah  had  commanded  respecting  Jacob, 
that  through  his  circuits  adversaries  shoidd  afflict  him.  The 
Prophet  again  reminds  us  that  these  evils  did  not  happen 
through  men,  but  that  God  had  resolved  in  this  manner  to 
punish  the  obstinate  impiety  of  the  people.     Lest,  then,  the 


334  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.         LECT.  III. 

Jews  should  give  vent  to  their  sorrow,  and  ascribe  it  to  the 
Chaldeans,  as  it  was  commonly  done,  he  recalls  their  atten- 
tion to  God  himself,  and  says  that  the  Chaldeans,  howoA^er 
cruel  they  were,  yet  did  nothing  merely  through  their  own 
impulse,  but  through  God's  command.  He  adds,  through 
the  circuits,  that  the  Jews  might  know  that  there  was  no 
escape,  for  God  held  them  all  as  though  they  were  shut  up. 
For  we  can  in  various  ways  escape  from  the  hands  of  men  ; 
but  when  God  is  our  enemy,  we  in  vain  seek  hiding-places. 
The  Prophet  then  teaches  us  that  subterfuges  did  not  avail 
the  Jews,  because  God  on  every  side  kept  them  shut  up. 

He  says  at  length  that  Jerusalem  was  like  a  menstruous 
W07nan,  or  was  an  abomination  ;  for  T^1^,  iiede,  may  be  ren- 
dered uncleanness,  or  abomination,  and  is  often  a  noun  sub- 
stantive ;  and  I  am  disposed  so  to  render  it,  even  that  Jeru- 
salem was  regarded  as  filth,  as  though  the  Prophet  had  said 
that  there  was  no  humanity  or  moderation  in  the  enemies 
of  the  Jews,  because  they  were  not  counted  as  men,  but  as 
offscourinofs,  as  an  abominable  filth.^ 

Now,  if  such  a  thing  happened  to  the  ancient  Church,  let 
us  not  wonder  if  at  this  day  also  God  should  deal  with  us 
more  severely  than  we  wish.  It  is,  indeed,  a  very  bitter 
thing  to  see  the  Church  so  afflicted  as  to  have  the  ungodly 
exultinfr  over  its  calamities,  and  that  God's  children  should 
be  as  the  refuse  and  filth  of  the  world.  But  let  us  patiently 
bear  such  a  condition  ;  and  when  we  are  thus  contem2)tuously 
treated  by  our  enemies,  let  us  know  that  God  visits  us  with 
punishment,  and  that  the  wicked  do  notliing  except  through 
the  providence  of  God,  for  it  is  his  will  to  try  our  faith,  and 

'  The  same  word,  HU,  occurs  in  verse  8,  only  there  is  a  *•  in  it ;  and 
the  phrase  in  its  form  is  similar.  The  Versions,  except  the  Sj/r.,  nnd  also 
the  Tarf/.,  give  to  it  there  the  idea  of  wandering,  hut  here  of  imcleanness. 
There  seems  to  he  no  reason  for  this  change;  and  the  end  of  the  next 
verse  favours  the  idea  of  wandering:  Jerusalem  had  hecome  a  wanderer, 
or  a  fugitive,  among  her  oppressors, — 

17.  Expanded  hath  Sion  her  hands,  no  comforter  is  to  lier; 

Commanded  has  Jehovah  as  to  Jacob,  Let  tliose  around  him  he 

his  oppressors ; 
Become  has  Jerusalem  a  wanderer  among  them. 
The  word  13  is  a  fugitive,  a  wanderer,  and  as  Jerusalem  is  feminine, 
n  is  added,  a  feminine  termination.     "Jerusalem"  licre,  as  in  verse  8, 
means  its  citizens.—  AW. 


CHAP.  I.  18.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  S35 

thus  to  shew  himself  a  righteous  judge :  for  if  we  rightly 

consider  in  how  many  ways,  and  how  obstinately  we  have 

provoked  his  wrath,  we  shall  not  wonder  if  we  also  be  counted 

at  this  day  an  abomination  and  a  curse.      It  follows, — 

18.  The  Lord  is  righteous;  for  1  18.  Justus  ipse  Jehova,  quia  os 

have  rebelled  against  his  command-  ejus  exacerbavi :    Audite  agedum 

ment :  hear,  I  pray  you,  all  people,  omnes     populi,     videte     dolorem 

and  behold  my  sorrow ;  my  virgins  meum  ;    virgines   meai  et  adoles- 

and  my  young  men  are  gone  into  cap-  centes  mei  profecti  sunt  in  capti- 

tivity.  vitatem. 

Jerusalem  again  acknowledges,  and  more  clearly  ex- 
presses, that  she  suffered  a  just  punishment.  She  had 
before  confessed  that  her  enemies  were  cruel  through  God's 
command  ;  but  it  was  necessary  to  point  out  again  the  cause 
of  that  cruelty,  even  that  she  had  too  long  provoked  the 
wrath  of  God. 

She  says,  first,  that  God  was  just,  or  righteous,^  because  she 
had  provoked  his  mouth.  By  the  mouth  of  God  we  are  to 
understand  the  prophetic  doctrine,  as  it  is  well  known.  But 
the  phrase  is  emphatical,  for  when  the  word  of  God  was  pro- 
claimed by  the  mouth  of  prophets,  it  was  despised  as  an  empty 
sound.  As,  then,  prophetic  doctrine  has  not  its  own  majesty 
ascribed  to  it,  God  calls  whatever  his  servants  declare  his 
mouth.  This  mode  of  speaking  is  taken  from  Moses,  and 
often  occurs  in  his  writings.  Jehovah,  then,  is  just ;  how 
so  ?  because  I  have  provoked  his  mouth.  And  it  was  more 
grievous  and  less  excusable  to  provoke  the  mouth  of  God 
than  simply  to  offend  God.  The  ungodly  often  offend  God 
when  they  labour  under  ignorance ;  but  when  the  Lord  is 
pleased  to  open  his  mouth  to  recall  the  erring,  and  to  shew 
the  way  of  salvation,  and  then  men  rush  headlong,  as  it  were 
designedly,  into  sins,  it  is  certainly  a  mark  of  extreme  im- 
piety. We  hence  understand  why  the  Prophet  mentions  the 
mouth  of  God,  or  the  teaching  of  the  prophets,  even  to  ex- 
aggerate the  wickedness  of  Jerusalem,  which  had  so  obsti- 
nately disregarded  God  speaking  by  his  prophets. 

The  greatness  of  her  sorrow  is  again  deplored  ;  and  what 
follows  is  addressed  to  all  nations.  Hear,  I  pray,  all  ye  people; 

^  "  Righteous  he,  Jehovah :"  the  pronoun  is  used  instead  of  the  verb  /s, 
— a  common  thing  in  Hebrew. — Ed. 


336  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.  IV. 

see  my  sorrow.  And  what  was  the  reason  for  tins  great 
sorrow?  because,  she  says,  my  virgins  and  my  young  men 
have  been  driven  into  captivity.  This  might  seem  a  light 
thing ;  for  a  previous  account  has  been  given  of  other  cala- 
mities, which  were  far  more  severe ;  and  exile  in  itself  is 
but  a  moderate  punishment.  But  we  must  bear  in  mind 
what  we  have  before  stated,  that  the  Jews  dwelt  in  that 
land,  as  though  they  had  been  placed  there  by  the  hand  of 
God,  that  Jerusalem  was  to  be  a  perpetual  rest,  which  had 
been  granted  them  from  above  ;  in  short,  that  it  was  as  it 
were  a  pledge  of  the  eternal  inheritance.  When,  therefore, 
they  were  driven  mto  captivit}^,  it  was  the  same  as  though 
God  had  cast  them  down  from  heaven,  and  banished  them 
from  his  kingdom.  For  the  Jews  would  not  have  been  de- 
prived of  that  land,  had  not  God  rejected  them  and  shewed 
his  alienation  from  them.  It  was  then  the  same  as  repudia- 
tion. It  is  therefore  no  wonder  that  Jerusalem  so  much 
lamented  because  her  sons  and  her  daughters  were  driven 
into  exile. 

PRAYER. 

Grant,  Almighty  God,  that  as  thou  hast  hitherto  dealt  so  merci- 
fully with  us,  we  may  anticipate  thy  dreadful  judgment ;  and 
that  if  thou  shouldest  more  severely  chastise  us,  we  may  not  yet 
fail,  but  that  being  humbled  under  thy  mighty  hand,  we  may  flee 
to  thy  mercy  and  cherish  this  hope  in  our  hearts,  that  thou  wilt 
be  a  Father  to  us,  and  not  hesitate  to  call  continually  on  thee, 
until,  being  freed  from  all  evils,  we  shall  at  length  be  gathered 
into  thy  celestial  kingdom,  which  thine  only-begotten  Son  has 
procured  for  us  by  his  own  blood. — Amen. 


Hectare  JFourtii. 

19.  I  called  for  my  lovers,  19.  Clamavi  ad  amicos  meos,  ipsi  dece- 

biit  they  deceived  me  :   my  perunt  me  :  sacerdotes  mei  et  seniorcs  mei 

priests  and  mine  elders  gave  in  urbe  obierunt,  quia  quresierint  cibuni 

up   the    ghost   in   the   city,  sibi  et  rcfooillarunt  {ad  verbicm,  hoc  est,  ut 

while  they  sought  their  meat  refocillarent)  animam  suam  (ad  verbum, 

to  relieve  their  souls.  ut  redire  fiicerent,  qucmadmodum  Gallice 

dicimiis,  faire  revenir  le  coeur. ) 

Here  the  people  of  God   complain  in  the  person  of  a 
woman,  as  we  have  before  seen,  that  in  their  calamity  they 


CHAP.  I.  19.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  337 

were  left  destitute  of  every  comfort.  And  it  is  a  circum- 
stance which  increases  grief,  when  no  one  is  present  to  shew 
any  kindness  to  the  miserable  ;  for  it  is  no  small  alleviation 
of  sorrow,  when  friends  offer  their  kind  services,  and  as  far 
as  they  can,  endeavour  to  mitigate  the  severity  of  the  evil. 

The  Churcli  of  God  now  says,  that  she  was  so  forsaken 
by  friends  as  to  be  left  alone  to  pine  away  in  her  mourning 
and  sorrow.  There  may,  however,  be  here  an  allusion  to 
shameful  and  impure  connexions  ;  for  by  this  term,  friends, 
the  Spirit  often  points  out  the  Egyptians  as  well  as  others 
in  whom  the  Israelites  had  foolishly  trusted  ;  for  in  this 
manner,  we  know,  they  had  turned  aside  from  conjugal 
fidelity.  God  had  bound  them  to  himself,  that  they  might 
acquiesce  in  his  favour  alone  ;  and  so  to  acquiesce  was  their 
spiritual  chastity.  Rightly,  then,  does  Scripture  compare 
both  the  Egyptians  and  the  Assyrians  to  harlots,  whenever 
the  Israelites  sought  aid  from  them.  But  as  this  explana- 
tion seems  too  refined,  I  am  content  to  view  what  is  said 
simply  as  a  complaint,  that  the  people  of  God,  though  look- 
ing in  all  directions,  yet  could  find  no  comfort  in  the  world. 
/  cried,  she  said,  to  my  friends  ;  they  deceived  me. 

It  is  then  added,  3Iy  priests  and  mine  elders  expired  in 
the  city.  Had  they  been  slain  in  battle,  it  would  have  been 
no  wonder  ;  for  they  who  go  against  an  enemy,  go  as  it  were 
to  meet  death.  But  God's  people  here  deplore  a  more 
grievous  evil,  that  the  priests  died  in  the  city,  not  through 
the  enemies'  sword,  but  through  famine,  which  is  as  it  were 
the  extreme  of  evils.  It  is  then  said,  that  the  priests  as 
well  as  the  elders  perished  through  famine,  because  they 
could  not  find  food.  And  when  it  is  said  that  they  sought 
food  to  refresh  the  soul,  there  is  a  contrast  to  be  understood 
between  ordinary  food  and  a  remedy  for  the  famine  ;  for  we 
naturally  seek  food  whenever  we  feel  hungry  ;  but  the  Pro- 
phet refers  here  to  something  more  than  this,  even  that  the 
priests  and  the  elders  sought  food,  because  long  abstinence 
urged  them  ;  and  it  was  very  sad,  that  the  priests,  who 
excelled  in  honour,  and  also  the  elders,  were  thus  reduced 
to  want.  Had  such  a  thing  happened  to  the  common  people, 
it  would  not  have  been  so  wonderful ;  for  the  long  siege  of 

VOL.  V.  Y 


388  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.  IV. 

the  city  had  consumed  all  their  provisions.  But  when  the 
priests,  and  those  who  had  wealth,  were  thus  oppressed  with 
huno-er,  we  may  conclude  that  the  want  which  the  Prophet 
wished  to  describe  was  extreme.     It  follows, — 

20.  Behold,  O  Lord,  for  I  am  20.  Vide  Jehova,  quia  afflictio  mihi, 
in  distress ;  my  bowels  are  trou-  (vel,  angustia,)  viscera  mea  eontur- 
bled:  mine  heart  is  turned  within  bata  sunt  (alii,  contracta  ;)  eversum 
me ;  for  I  have  grievously  rebel-  est  cor  meum  inter  me,  quia  rebel- 
led :  abroad  the  sword  bereaveth,  lando  rebellavi  ;  foris  orbat  gladius, 
at  home  there  is  as  death.  domi  tanquam  mors. 

The  people  turn  again  to  pray  God :  and  what  has  been 
before  said  ought  to  be  remembered,  that  these  lamentations 
of  Jeremiah  differ  from  the  complaints  of  the  ungodly; 
because  the  faithful  first  acknowledge  that  they  are  justly 
chastised  by  God's  hand,  and  secondly,  they  trust  in  his 
mercy  and  implore  his  aid.  For  by  these  tw^o  marks  the 
Church  is  distinguished  from  the  unbelieving,  even  by  re- 
pentance and  faith.  To  sigh  and  to  mourn  in  adversities, 
and  to  lament  also  their  miseries,  are  common  to  both ;  but 
the  children  of  God  differ  greatly  from  the  ungodly,  because 
they  humble  themselves  under  his  mighty  hand,  and  confess 
that  they  deserve  to  suffer  punishment ;  and  further,  they 
cast  not  away  the  hope  of  salvation,  but  implore  his  mercy. 
Then  the  Prophet  introduces  again  the  people  as  praying 
God  to  look  on  them.  For  the  ungodly  pour  forth  their 
complaints  into  the  air  ;  and  when  at  any  time  nature  dic- 
tates to  them  that  they  ought  to  address  God,  yet  no  prayer 
arises  from  a  sincere  heart. 

There  is  no  doubt  but  that  the  Prophet  here  shewed  to 
the  faithful  how  they  were  to  lament  their  common  miseries, 
even  so  as  patiently  to  bear  the  chastisements  of  God,  and 
also  to  seek  deliverance  from  him,  though  they  had  provoked 
his  wrath.  For  when  w^e  see  that  we  are  pressed  down  by 
God's  hand,  we  do  not  murmur,  but  the  knowledge  of  our 
sins  humbles  us,  and  faith  moderates  our  mourning,  whicli 
would  otlicrwise  exceed  moderation.  And  when  we  thus 
humbly  flee  to  God,  we  in  a  manner  unburden  our  sorrows 
into  his  bosom,  as  it  is  said  in  the  Psalms,  "  Cast  (or  roll) 
on  God  thy  cares."     (Ps.  Iv.  22.) 

He  then  says  first,  See,  Jehovah,  for  affliction  is  to  me. 


CHAP.  I.  21.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  339 

He  then  expresses  the  manner  of  the  affliction,  because  his 

bowels  were  hounds  or   troubled.      The   word  is  from  H^n, 

chemer,    which   is    doubled.      Some   derive   it   from   ^IDPI, 

chemur,  an  ass,  and  so  render  it  "  bound,"  as  when  a  burden 

is  fastened  on  an  ass.     But  more  probable  is  the  opinion  of 

those  who  derive  the  word  from  mortar  or  cement,  for  as 

cement  is  made  by  mixing  water  with  lime  and  sand,  and 

stirring  them  together,  so  by  a  metaphor  the  bowels  are  said 

to  be  stirred  or  troubled;^  and  this  explanation  agrees  better 

with  what  follows — for  it  is  added,  7ny  heart  is  overturned. 

The  reason  is  given,  because  the  people  by  rebelling  had 

rebelled,  that  is,  had  been  very  rebellious  against  God.     "We 

have  said  that  the  complaints  of  the  godly  diiFer  from  those 

of  the  ungodly,  for  they  not  only   pray  to  God,  but  make 

also  a  sincere  confession,  so  as  to  make  it  evident  that  they 

are  justly  chastised  by  God's  hand.      At  the  beginning  of 

the  verse  the  faithful  prayed,  and  now  again  they  declare 

that  they  deserved  what  they  suffered,  because  they  had 

been  very  rebellious.     Then  Jeremiah  proceeds  with  what 

he  had  begun  to  say  respecting  the  grievousness  of  their 

punishment.  Abroad,  or  without,  he  says,  the  sword  bereaves, 

and  at  home  it  is  like  death  ;  that  is,  "  When  we  go  abroad, 

the  sword  meets  us ;  and  when  we  hide  ourselves  at  home, 

there  also  many  deaths  surround  us.''     He  uses  the  particle 

of  likeness,  as,  or  like  ;  as  though  he  had  said  that  nothing 

met  them  at  home  but  what  was  deadly.""^     It  now  follows, — 

21.  They  have  heard  that  I  sigh ;  21.  Audierunt  quod  suni  gemens, 
there  is  none  to  comfort  me  ;  all  (hoc  est,  quod  sim  in  luctu,)  nee 
mine  enemies  have  heard  of  my  quisquam  consolator  mihi ;  omnes 
trouble  ;  they  are  glad  that  thou  inimici  mei  audierunt  malum  meum, 
hast  done  it :  thou  wilt  bring  the  gavisi  sunt  quod  tu  feceris,  et  ad- 
day  that  thou  hast  called,  and  they  duxeris  diem,  quem  tu  vocasti ;  at- 
shall  be  like  unto  me.  qui  erunt  sicuti  ego. 

The  verb  ))^t2t^,  shemou,  is  put  down  twice,  but  at  the 
beginning  without  a  nominative  case:  hence  the  sentence  is 

1  "  Troubled,"  or  disquieted,  is  the  rendering  of  all  the  versions,  and  also 
of  the  Targ.  As  it  is  a  reduplicate,  the  verb  means  greatly  troubled  or 
greatly  disturbed,  or  violently  agitated. — Ed, 

2  The  rendering  of  the  Sejyt.  is, — 

Abroad  the  sword  has  bereaved  me,  as  death  at  home. 
To  the  same  purpose  is  the  Syr.  and  Arab.     Having  before  referred  to 
death  by  famine,  he  now  adds  the  devastation  of  the  sword. — Ed. 


340  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.  IV. 

defective,  until  in  the  second  clause  the  word  *'i''X,  aibi,  is 
expressed.  Jeremiah  evidently  says,  that  enemies  had  heai^d 
of  the  evils  under  which  the  people  laboured,  even  that  they 
were  sighing^  and  that  no  one  shewed  them  any  kindness  ; 
for  it  is  commonly  the  case  that  sympathy  is  manifested 
towards  the  miserable.  By  this  circumstance  he  amplifies 
the  grievousness  of  their  punishment,  there  being  no  one, 
as  before  said,  to  administer  any  consolation.  But  it  is  re- 
peated, that  enemies  had  heard ;  for  as  there  is  nothing 
more  bitter  than  reproaches,  we  seek  in  adversities  to  with- 
draw ourselves  in  a  manner  from  the  observation  of  men  ; 
but  our  evil  is  especially  doubled,  when  we  become  a  specta- 
cle to  enemies  ;  for  they  derive  joy  from  our  adversities,  and 
then  exult  over  us.  When,  therefore,  the  chosen  people  said, 
that  enemies  had  heard,  they  thus  shewed  that  nothing 
could  be  added  to  their  miseries  :  They  have  heard,  then, 
that  I  was  sighing  and  that  no  one  comforted  me.  Who  had 
heard?  all  mine  enemies  ;  and  they  have  rejoiced  that  thou 
hast  done  it. 

Jeremiah  seems  to  intimate,  that  their  enemies,  being 
fully  persuaded  that  God  was  displeased  with  his  people, 
did  on  this  account  more  freely  rejoice  ;  and  at  the  same  time 
they  believed  that  it  was  all  over  with  those  miserable  people 
with  whom  God  was  displeased.  But  I  know  not  whether 
this  view  is  well  grounded.  I  indeed  do  not  reject  it,  nor 
will  I  dispute  with  any  one  who  may  hold  that  the  enemies 
rejoiced,  because  they  thought  that  God  was  become  the 
enemy  of  that  people,  whom  he  had  before  chosen  and  also 
protected  :  nor  is  this  view  unsuitable  ;  for  the  reprobate 
then  fully  triumph  when  they  can  boast  that  God  is  adverse 
to  us.  But  when  no  such  thought  comes  to  their  minds,  they 
yet  cease  not  to  rejoice  when  they  see  that  we  arc  oppressed 
and  afflicted.  Though,  then,  they  may  not  think  of  God's 
hand,  yet  they  rejoice  that  it  is  done ;  that  is,  they  rejoice 
that  we  are  distressed,  though  they  understand  not  who  the 
author  is.  We  may  then  take  the  meaning  simply  to  be, 
that  the  enemies  of  the  Church  rejoiced  at  that  calamity, 
without  considering  who  the  author  of  it  was. 

But  why  is  it  expressed  that  God  had  done  it  ?  even  to 


CHAP.  I.  21.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  341 

shew  that  while  the  ungodly  think  that  fortune  is  unfavour- 
able to  us,  it  is  our  duty  to  cast  our  eyes  on  God,  for  we 
ought  not  to  judge  of  things  according  to  their  blindness. 
As,  then,  they  ascribe  not  to  Grod  the  glory  due  to  him  when 
they  do  not  acknowledge  him  as  judge,  it  ever  behoves  us 
to  see  by  the  eyes  of  faith  what  is  hid  from  the  natural  per- 
ceptions of  men,  even  that  nothing  happens  to  us  except 
through  the  righteous  judgment  of  God.  Though,  then, 
enemies  had  not  wisdom  to  know  how  it  was  that  the  Church 
was  afflicted,  yet  it  behoved  the  Church  itself  to  use  by 
means  of  faith  such  a  language  as  this,  that  God  had  done 
it ;  they  i^ejoiced  that  thou  hast  done  it. 

And  it  follows.  Thou  hast  brought  the  day  which  thou  hast 
called,  or  proclaimed ;  for  X^p,  kora,  has  sometimes  this  mean- 
ing.^ In  short,  the  faithful  now  confess  not  only  that  they 
were  afflicted  by  God's  hand,  but  also  that  what  the  prophets 
had  so  often  threatened,  and  what  had  been  despised,  was 
now  fulfilled.  For  we  have  seen  with  what  pertinacity  that 
people  rejected  the  threatenings  given  by  the  prophets :  God 
had  often  exhorted  them  to  repent,  and  also  had  proclaimed 
or  fixed  a  time  for  them,  but  without  effect.  Therefore  the 
faithful  now  reflect  on  what  had  not  been  sufficiently  known 
before,  even  that  the  day  was  brought  which  had  been  often 
proclaimed.  And  thus  they  confessed,  not  only  that  they 
were  worthy  of  punishment,  but  that  it  was  the  proper  time 
for  them  to  be  chastised,  as  they  had  not  repented  after 
having  been  so  often  warned. 

He  adds,  But  they  themselves  shall  he  as  I  am.  Here  the 
future  tense  may  be  considered  as  optative,  for  presently 
a  prayer  follows  which  confirms  this  view.  But  we  may 
also  take  the  meaning  to  be  simply  this, — that  the  faithful 

1  Our  version  is  wrong  in  rendering  this  clause  in  the  future  tense.  The 
reference  is  not  to  the  day  of  vengeance  to  the  Babylonians,  but  to  the  day 
of  vengeance  which  God  had  brought  on  his  own  people.  The  versions, 
except  the  ^yr.,  give  the  verb  in  the  past  tense. 

There  are  here  two  instances  of  ''JD  being  carried  on  to  the  next  clause, — 
21.  Heard  have  they  that  I  sigh,  that  I  have  no  comforter:  ^ 
All  mine  enemies  have  heard  of  my  evil;  they  have  rejoiced 
That  thou  hast  done  it,  that  thou  hast  brought  the  day  thou  hast  an- 
nounced ; 
But  they  shall  be  like  myself. — Ed. 


342  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.  IV. 

began  to  take  courage,  as  they  looked  forward  to  the  time 
when  God  would  render  to  the  wicked  according  to  their 
proud  and  disdainful  exultations.     It  follows, — 

22.  Let  all  their  wickedness  22.  Veniet  (aw^,  venial)  omnismalitia 

come  before  thee ;  and  do  unto  eorum  in  conspectum  tuum,  et  facias 

them  as  thou  hast  done  unto  me  illis,  quemadmodum  fecisti  mihi  super 

for  all  raj  transgressions :  for  my  omnibus   sceleribus   meis ;   quia  miilta 

sighs  are  many,  and  my  heart  is  suspiria  mea,  et  cor  meum  debile  (ve/, 

faint.  mcestura.) 

Here,  no  doubt,  the  faithful  regarded  as  a  part  of  their 
comfort  the  judgment  which  God  would  at  length  execute 
on  the  ungodly ;  and  there  is  no  doubt  but  that  this  kind 
of  imprecation  had  been  suggested  to  God's  children  by  the 
Holy  Spirit,  in  order  to  sustain  them  when  pressed  down  by 
heavy  troubles;  not  that  God  gave  them  thus  loose  reins  to 
desire  vengeance  on  their  enemies,  but  tliat  while  those 
perished  who  indulged  their  malice,  the  faithful  might  de- 
rive from  their  ruin  a  hope  of  deliverance  ;  for  the  vengeance 
of  God  on  the  reprobate  brings  with  it  a  token  of  paternal 
favour  towards  the  elect. 

And  that  we  may  better  understand  what  this  impreca- 
tion means,  we  must  first  bear  in  mind  that  we  cannot 
complain  of  enemies,  except  they  are  also  enemies  to  God. 
For  should  I  hurt  any  one,  and  should  he,  impelled  by  wrath, 
vex  me,  there  could  be  no  access  for  my  comj^laint  to  God, 
and  in  vain  could  I  seek  a  covering  from  this  example ; 
wliy  ?  because  wlienever  we  go  before  God,  it  is  necessary, 
as  I  have  said,  that  our  enemies  should  be  also  his  enemies. 
But,  secondly,  it  would  not  be  sufficient,  except  our  zeal 
were  also  pure ;  for  when  we  defend  our  own  private  cause, 
something  excessive  will  necessarily  be  in  our  prayers.  Let 
us,  then,  know  that  we  are  not  to  pronounce  an  imprecation 
on  our  enemies,  except,  first,  they  are  God's  enemies ;  and, 
secondly,  except  we  disregard  ourselves,  and  plead  not  our 
own  cause,  but,  on  the  contrary,  undertake  the  cause  of 
public  safety,  having  laid  aside  all  turbulent  feelings;  and 
especially,  except  our  fervour  arises  from  a  desire  to  glorify 
God.  With  these  qualifications,  then,  we  may  adopt  the 
form  of  prayer  given  us  here  by  the  Prophet.     But  as  this 


CHAP.  II.  1.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  343 

subject  has  been  explained  elsewhere,  and  often  and  very 
fully,  I  touch  on  it  here  but  briefly. 

He  then  says,  Let  all  their  wickedness  come  before  thee ; 
do  to  them  as  thou  hast  done  to  me.  Here,  again,  the  faith- 
ful take  upon  themselves  the  blame  for  all  the  evils  they 
were  sufl'ering ;  for  they  do  not  expostulate  with  God,  but 
pray  only  that  he  would  become  the  judge  of  the  whole 
world,  in  order  that  the  ungodly  might  also  at  length  have 
their  turn,  when  God  would  be  pacified  towards  his  children. 
But  they  afterwards  more  clearly  express  that  they  had  de- 
served all  that  they  had  suffered — -for  all  my  sins.  Then 
they  add,  because  my  sighs  are  many  and  my  heart  is  weak. 
We,  in  short,  see  that  the  faithful  lay  humbly  their  prayers 
before  God,  and  at  the  same  time  confess  that  what  they 
had  deserved  was  rendered  to  them,  only  they  set  before 
God  their  extreme  sorrow,  straits,  griefs,  tears,  and  sighs. 
Then  the  way  of  pacifying  God  is,  sincerely  to  confess  that 
we  are  justly  visited  by  his  judgment,  and  also  to  lie  down 
as  it  were  confounded,  and  at  the  same  time  to  venture  to 
look  up  to  him,  and  to  rely  on  his  mercy  with  confidence. 
Now  follows  the  second  elegy, — 


CHAPTER  II. 

1.    How  hath  the  Lord  covered  the  1.  Quomodo  obnubila^'it  in  h-- 

daughterofZion  with  a  cloud  in  his  anger,  acundia  suaDominusfiliam  Sion, 

and  cast  down  from  heaven  unto  the  projecitacoelointerraradecorem 

earth  the  beauty  of  Israel,  and  remem-  Israel,  et  non  recordatus  est  sca- 

bered  not  his  footstool  in  the  day  of  his  belli  pedum  suorum  in  die  ira- 

anger !  cundise ! 

The  Prophet  again  exclaims  in  wonder,  that  an  incredible 
thing  had  happened,  which  was  like  a  prodigy  ;  for  at  the 
first  sight  it  seemed  very  unreasonable,  that  a  people  whom 
God  had  not  only  received  into  favour,  but  with  whom  he 
had  made  a  perpetual  covenant,  should  thus  be  forsaken  by 
him.  For  though  men  were  a  hundred  times  perfidious,  yet 
God  never  changes,  but  remains  unchangeable  in  his  faith- 
fulness ;  and  we  know  that  his  covenant  was  not  made  to 
depend  on  the  merits  of  men.  "Whatsoever,  then,  the  people 
might  be,  yet  it  behoved  God  to  continue  in  his  purpose,  and 


344?  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.IV. 

not  to  annul  the  promise  made  to  Abraham.  Now,  when 
Jerusalem  was  reduced  to  desolation,  there  was  as  it  were 
an  abolition  of  God's  covenant.  There  is,  then,  no  wonder 
that  the  Prophet  liere  exclaims,  as  on  account  of  some  pro- 
digy, How  can  it  he  that  God  hath  clouded  or  darkened,  &c. 

We  must,  however,  observe  at  the  same  time,  that  the 
Prophet  did  not  mean  here  to  invalidate  the  fidelity  or  con- 
stancy of  God,  but  thus  to  rouse  the  attention  of  his  own 
nation,  who  had  become  torpid  in  their  sloth ;  for  though 
they  were  pressed  down  under  a  load  of  evils,  yet  they  had 
become  hardened  in  their  perverseness.  But  it  was  impos- 
sible that  any  one  should  really  call  on  God,  except  he  was 
humbled  in  mind,  and  brought  the  sacrifice  of  which  we  liave 
spoken,  even  a  humble  and  contrite  spirit.  (Ps.  li.  19.)  It 
was,  then,  the  Prophet's  object  to  soften  the  hardness  which 
he  knew  prevailed  in  almost  the  whole  people.  This  was 
the  reason  why  he  exclaimed,  in  a  kind  of  astonishment, 
How  has  God  clouded,  &g.^ 

Some  render  the  words,  "  How  has  God  raised  up,"  &c., 
which  may  be  allowed,  provided  it  be  not  taken  in  a  good 
sense,  for  it  is  said,  in  his  wrath  ;  but  in  this  case  the  words 
to  raise  up  and  to  cast  down  ought  to  be  read  conjointly  ; 
for  when  one  wishes  to  break  in  pieces  an  earthen  vessel,  he 
not  only  casts  it  on  the  ground,  but  he  raises  it  up,  that  it 
may  be  thrown  down  with  greater  force.  We  may,  tlien, 
take  this  meaning,  that  God,  in  order  that  he  might  with 

^  The  verb  here  is  in  the  future  tense,  and  the  clause  might  be  thus 
rendered, — 

Why  should  the  Lord  in  his  wrath  becloud  the  daughter  of  Sion  ? 
And  if  riQD''',  in  chap.  i.  1,  be  in  the  future  tense,  as  it  may  be,  that  clause 
may  be  rendered  in  the  same  way, — 

Why  should  sit  alone  the  city  that  luas  full  of  people  ? 
Then  follows  here,  as  in  the  former  instance,  a  description  of  what  had 
happened  to  Sion, — 

He  hath  cast  from  heaven  to  eartli  the  glory  of  Israel, 
And  not  remembered  his  footstool  in  the  day  of  his  wrath. 
At  the  same  time,  the  clauses  may  both  be  rendered  as  ])roposed  in  a 
note  on  chap.  i.  1,  and  the  tenses  of  the  verbs  be  preserved.  The  verb 
here  is  clearly  in  the  future  tense,  and  the  verb  in  the  former  instance  may 
be  so;  and  the  future  in  Hebrew  is  often  to  be  taken  as  the  present,  as 
the  case  is  in  Welsh. 

How  this!  in  his  wrath  becloud  does  the  Lord  the  daughter  of  Sion! 
—Ed. 


CHAP.  II.  1 .       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  345 

greater  violence  break  in  pieces  his  people,  had  raised  them 
up,  not  to  honour  them,  but  in  order  to  dash  tliem  more 
violently  on  the  ground.  However,  as  this  sense  seems  per- 
haps too  refined,  I  am  content  with  the  first  explanation, 
that  God  had  clouded  the  daughter  of  Sion  in  his  wrath ; 
and  then  follows  an  explanation,  that  he  had  cast  her  from 
heaven  to  the  earth.  So  then  God  covered  with  darkness 
his  people,  when  he  drew  them  down  from  the  high  dignity 
which  they  had  for  a  time  enjoyed.  He  had,  then,  cast  on 
the  earth  all  the  glory  of  Israel,  and  remembered  not  his 
footstool. 

The  Prophet  seems  here  indirectly  to  contend  w^ith  God, 
because  he  had  not  spared  his  own  sanctuary  ;  for  God,  as 
it  has  been  just  stated,  had  chosen  Mount  Sion  for  him- 
self, where  he  designed  to  be  prayed  to,  because  he  had 
placed  there  the  memorial  of  his  name.  As,  then,  he  had 
not  spared  his  ow^n  sanctuary,  it  did  not  appear  consistent 
with  his  constancy,  and  he  also  seemed  thus  to  have  disre- 
garded his  own  glory.  But  the  design  of  the  Prophet  is 
rather  to  shew  to  the  people  how  much  God's  wrath  had 
been  kindled,  when  he  spared  not  even  his  owm  sanctuary. 
For  he  takes  this  principle  as  granted,  that  God  is  never 
without  reason  angry,  and  never  exceeds  the  due  measure 
of  punishment.  As,  then,  God's  wrath  w^as  so  great  that  he 
destroyed  his  own  Temple,  it  was  a  token  of  dreadful  wrath ; 
and  what  was  the  cause  but  the  sins  of  men  ?  for  God,  as  I 
have  said,  always  preserves  moderation  in  his  judgments. 
He,  then,  could  not  have  better  expressed  to  the  people  the 
heinousness  of  their  sins,  than  by  laying  before  them  this 
fact,  that  God  remembered  not  his  footstool. 

And  the  Temple,  by  a  very  suitable  metaphor,  is  called 
the  footstool  of  God.  It  is,  indeed,  called  his  habitation ; 
for  in  Scripture  the  Temple  is  often  said  to  be  the  house  of 
God.  It  was  then  the  house,  the  habitation,  and  the  rest  of 
God.  But  as  men  are  ever  inclined  to  superstition,  in  order 
to  raise  up  their  thoughts  above  earthly  elements,  we  are  re- 
minded, on  the  other  hand,  in  Scripture,  that  the  Temple 
was  the  footstool  of  God.  So  in  the  Psalms,  "  Adore  ye  be- 
fore his  footstool,''  (Ps.  xcix.  5  ;)  and  again,  "  We  shall  adore 


346  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.       LECT.  IV. 

in  the  place  wliere  liis  feet  stand.''  (Ps.  cxxxii.  7.)  We, 
then,  see  that  the  two  expressions,  apparently  diiferent,  do 
yet  well  agree,  that  the  Temple  was  the  house  of  God  and 
his  habitation,  and  that  yet  it  was  only  his  footstool.  It 
was  the  house  of  God,  because  the  faithful  found  by  experi- 
ence that  he  was  there  present ;  as,  then,  God  gave  tokens 
of  his  presence,  the  Temple  was  rightly  called  the  house  of 
God,  his  rest  and  habitation.  But  that  the  faithful  might 
not  fix  their  minds  on  the  visible  sanctuary,  and  thus  by 
indulging  a  gross  imagination,  fall  into  superstition,  and 
put  an  idol  in  the  place  of  God,  the  Temple  was  called  the 
footstool  of  God.  For  as  it  w^as  a  footstool,  it  behoved  the 
faithful  to  rise  up  higher  and  to  know  that  God  was  really 
sought,  only  when  they  raised  their  thoughts  above  the 
world.  We  now  perceive  what  was  the  purpose  of  this  mode 
of  speaking. 

God  is  said  not  to  have  rememhered  his  Temple,  not  be- 
cause he  had  wholly  disregarded  it,  but  because  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  Temple  could  produce  no  other  opinion  in  men. 
All,  then,  who  saw  that  the  Temple  had  been  burnt  by  pro- 
fane hands,  and  pulled  down  after  it  had  been  plundered, 
thought  that  the  Temple  was  forsaken  by  God ;  and  so  also 
he  speaks  by  Ezekiel,  (chap.  x.  18.)  Then  this  oblivion,  or 
not  remembering,  refers  to  the  thoughts  of  men ;  for  how- 
ever God  may  have  remembered  the  TemjDle,  yet  he  seemed 
for  a  time  to  have  disregarded  it.  We  must,  at  the  same 
time,  bear  in  mind  what  I  have  said,  that  the  Prophet  here 
did  not  intend  to  dispute  with  God,  or  to  contend  with  him, 
but,  on  the  contrary,  to  shew  what  the  people  deserved  ;  for 
God  was  so  indignant  on  account  of  their  sins,  that  he  suf- 
fered his  own  Temple  to  be  profaned.  The  same  thing  also 
follows  respecting  the  kingdom, — 

2.  The  Lord  hath  swallowed  up  all  the         2.  Perdidit  Dominus,  non  pe- 

habitations  of  Jacob,  and  hath  not  pitied:  percit  (hoc  est,  non  parcendo, 

he  hath  thrown  down  in  his  wrath  the  absque  vcnia)  omnia  habitacula 

strong  holds  of  the  daughter  of  Judah  ;  Jacob ;  diruit  in  excandescentia 

he  hath  brought  ihem  down  to  the  ground :  sua  munitiones  filia?  Jehudah  ; 

he  hath  polluted  the  kingdom  and  the  detraxit  ad  tcrram :  profanavit 

princes  thereof.  regnum  ejus  et  principes  ejus. 

He  pursues  the  same  subject,  but  in  other  words.     He 


CHAP.  IT.  2.  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  347 

first  says,  that  God  had  without  pardon  destroyed  all  the 
habitations  of  Jacob  ;  some  read,  "  all  the  beauty  (or  the 
ornament)  of  Jacob.''  But  the  other  rendering  is  more 
suitable,  that  he  had  destroyed  all  the  habitations  of  Jacob  : 
and  then  that  he  had  demolished  in  his  indignation,  &c. 
The  word  is  derived  from  what  means  excess ;  but  we  know 
that  all  words  signifying  wrath  are  transferred  to  God,  but 
they  do  not  properly  belong  to  him.  God,  then,  in  his  violent 
wrath  had  demolished  all  fortresses,  and  cast  them  to  the 
ground;  and  afterwards,  that  he  hadiprofaned,  &c. 

This  profanation  of  the  kingdom,  and  of  the  princes,  cor- 
responds with  the  former  verse,  where  he  said  that  God  had 
not  remembered  his  footstool ;  for  we  know  that  the  king- 
dom w^as  sacerdotal  and  consecrated  to  God.  When,  there- 
fore, it  was  polluted,  it  follows  that  God  in  a  manner  ex- 
posed his  name  to  reproach,  because  the  mouth  of  all  the 
ungodly  was  thus  opened,  so  that  they  insolently  poured 
forth  their  slanders.  That  God,  then,  spared  not  the  king- 
dom nor  the  Temple,  it  hence  followed  that  his  wrath  against 
the  Jews  was  dreadful.  Now,  as  he  is  a  righteous  judge,  it 
follows,  that  such  was  the  greatness  of  the  sins  of  the  Jews, 
that  they  sustained  the  blame  for  this  extreme  sacrilege ; 
for  it  was  through  their  sins  that  God's  name  was  exposed 
to  reproach  both  as  to  the  Temple  and  the  kingdom. 

PRAYER. 

Grant,  Almighty  God,  that  as  thou  settest  before  us  at  this  day 
those  ancient  examples  by  which  we  perceive  with  what  heavy 
punishments  thou  didst  chastise  those  whom  thou  hadst  adopted, 
— O  grant,  that  we  may  learn  to  regard  thee,  and  carefully  to 
examine  our  whole  life,  and  duly  consider  how  indulgently  thou 
hast  preserved  us  to  this  day,  so  that  we  may  ever  patiently  bear 
thy  chastisements,  and  with  a  humble  and  sincere  heart  flee  to 
thy  mercy,  until  thou  be  pleased  to  raise  up  thy  Church  from 
that  miserable  state  in  which  it  now  lies,  and  so  to  restore  it, 
that  thy  name  may,  through  thine  only-begotten  Son,  be  glori- 
fied throughout  the  whole  world. — Amen. 


348  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.  V. 


3.  He  hath  cut  off  in  his  fierce  3.  Confregit  in  excandescentia  irse 
anger  all  the  horn  of  Israel :  he  hath  su?e  omne  cornu  Israelis :  retraxit 
drawn  back  his  right  hand  from  be-  (vel,  reclire  fecit)  retrorsuni  dexter- 
fore  the  enemy,  and  lieburned  against  am  suam  a  facie  inimici,  et  exarsit  in 
Jacob  like  a  flaming  fire,  whicJi  de-  Jacob  tanquam  ignis,  flamma  devo- 
voureth  round  about.  ravit  in  circuitu. 

Jeremiah  expresses  the  same  thing  in  various  ways ;  but 
all  that  he  says  tends  to  shew  that  it  was  an  OAddence  of 
God's  extreme  vengeance,  when  the  people,  the  city,  and  the 
Temple,  were  destroyed.  But  it  ought  to  be  observed,  that 
God  is  here  represented  as  the  author  of  that  calamity :  the 
Prophet  would  have  otherwise  lamented  in  vain  over  the 
iiain  of  his  own  country  ;  but  as  in  all  adversities  he  acknow- 
ledged the  hand  of  God,  he  afterwards  added,  that  God  had 
a  just  reason  wdiy  he  was  so  grievously  displeased  with  his 
own  people. 

He  then  says,  that  every  horn  had  been  broken  by  God. 
We  known  that  by  horn  is  meant  strength  as  well  as  excel- 
lency or  dignity  ;  and  I  am  disposed  to  include  both  here, 
though  the  word  breaking  seems  rather  to  refer  to  strength 
or  power.  But  the  whole  clause  must  be  noticed,  that  God 
had  broken  every  horn  of  Israel  in  the  indignation  of  his 
wrath.  The  Prophet  intimates  that  God  had  not  been  angry 
with  his  people  as  though  he  had  been  offended  by  slight 
transgressions,  but  that  the  measure  of  his  wrath  had  been 
unusual,  even  because  the  impiety  of  the  people  had  so  burst 
forth,  that  the  offence  given  to  God  could  not  have  been 
slight.  Then,  by  indignation  of  wrath  the  Prophet  does 
not  mean  an  excess,  as  though  God  had  through  a  violent 
impulse  rushed  forth  to  take  vengeance ;  but  he  rather  in- 
timates that  the  people  had  become  so  wicked,  that  it  did 
not  behove  God  to  punish  in  an  ordinary  way  an  impiety  so 
inveterate. 

He  then  adds,  that  God  had  withdjxtwn  his  right  hand 
from  before  the  enemy,  and  that  at  the  same  time  he  had 
burned  like  a  fire,  the  flame  of  which  had  devoured  all 
around.  Tlio  Prophet  here  refers  to  two  things ;  the  first 
is,  that  though  God  had  been  accustomed  to  help  his  pco^Dle, 


CHAP.  II.  o.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  349 

and  to  oppose  their  enemies,  as  they  had  experienced  his  aid 
in  the  greatest  dangers,  yet  now  his  people  were  forsaken 
and  left  destitute  of  all  hope.  The  first  clause,  then,  de- 
clares, that  God  would  not  be  the  deliverer  of  his  people  as 
formerly,  because  they  had  forsaken  him.  But  he  speaks 
figuratively,  that  God  had  draiun  hack  his  right  hand ;  and 
God's  right  hand  means  his  protection,  as  it  is  well  known. 
But  the  Prophet's  meaning  is  by  no  means  obscure,  even 
that  there  was  hereafter  no  hope  that  God  would  meet  the 
enemies  of  his  people,  and  thus  preserve  them  in  safety,  for 
he  had  drawn  back  his  hand.^^  But  there  is  a  second  thing 
added,  even  that  God's  hand  burned  like  fire.  Now  it  was  in 
itself  a  grievous  thing  that  the  .people  had  been  so  rejected 
by  God,  that  no  help  could  be  expected  from  him  ;  but  it  was 
still  a  harder  thing,  that  he  went  forth  armed  to  destroy  his 
people.  And  the  metaphor  of  fire  ought  to  be  noticed  ;  for 
had  he  said  that  God's  right  hand  was  against  his  people,  the 
expression  would  not  have  been  so  forcible ;  but  when  he  com- 
pared God's  right  hand  to  fire  which  burned,  and  whose  flame 
consumed  all  Israel,  it  was  a  much  more  dreadful  thino\2 

Moreover,  by  these  words  the  Israelites  were  reminded 
that  they  were  not  to  lament  their  calamities  in  an  ordinary 
way,  but  ought,  on  the  contrary,  to  have  seriously  considered 
the  cause  of  all  their  evils,  even  the  provoking  of  God's  wrath 
against  themselves ;  and  not  only  so,  but  that  God  was  angry 
with  them  in  an  unusual  degree,  and  yet  justly,  so  that  they 
had  no  reason  to  complain.     It  follows, — 

4.  He  hath  bent  his  bow  like  4.  Extendit  arcum  siium  tanquam 
an  enemy :  he  stood  with  his  right     inimicus,  stetit  dextera  ejus  tanquam 

1  Gataker,  Henry,  Blayney,  and  Henderson,  consider  "  the  right  hand" 
as  that  of  Israel — that  God  drew  back  or  restrained  the  right  hand  of 
Israel,  so  that  he  had  no  power  to  face  his  enemies.  But  Scott  agrees 
with  Calvin  ;  and  favourable  to  the  same  view  are  the  early  versions,  ex- 
cept the  Syr.,  for  they  render  the  pronoun,  "  his  own — suam:"  the  Targ. 
also  takes  the  same  view.  Had  the  word  been  "  hand,"  it  might  have 
been  apphed  to  Israel ;  but  it  is  "  the  right  hand,"  which  commonly  means 
protection,  or  rather  God's  power,  as  put  forth  to  defend  his  people  and  to 
resist  enemies.  This  is  farther  confirmed  by  what  is  said  in  the  following 
verse,  that  God  "  stood  with  his  right  hand  as  an  adversary."  See  Ps. 
bcxiv.  \\.—Ed. 

'  The  last  clause  may  be  literally  rendered  thus, — 

And  he  burned  in  Jacob  as  fire,  the  flame  devoured  around. — Ed. 


350  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.  V. 

hand  as  an  adversary,  and  slew  adversarius,  et  occidit  omnes  desider- 

all  that  were  pleasant  to  the  eye  abiles  aspectu  (oculo)  in  tabernaeulo 

in  the  tabernacle  of  the  daughter  filise   Sion  {vel,  in  tabernaculum  filise 

of  Zion :  he  poured  out  his  fury  Sion)  ;  etFudit  tanquam  igneni  iracun- 

like  fire,  diani  suam. 

He  employs  now  another  metaphor,  that  God,  who  was 
wont  to  defend  his  people,  now  took  up  arms  against  them  ; 
for  stating  a  part  for  the  whole,  he  includes  in  the  how  every 
other  weapon.  When,  therefore,  he  says  that  God  had  bent 
his  bow,  it  is  the  same  as  though  he  said  that  he  was  fully 
armed.  The  bow,  then,  as  we  have  before  seen,  means  every 
kind  of  weapon.  He  then  adds,  that  his  right  hand  stood  as 
an  adversary.  Here  he  more  plainly  describes  what  he  had 
before  touched  upon,  even  that  God  had  not  only  given  up 
liis  people  to  the  will  of  their  enemies,  but  that  he  himself 
had  held  up  a  banner  to  their  enemies,  and  went  before  them 
with  an  armed  hand.  Nor  is  there  a  doubt  but  that  by  the 
right  hand  of  God  he  means  all  their  enemies ;  for  it  was 
necessary  carefully  to  impress  this  fact  on  the  minds  of  the 
people,  that  the  war  had  not  been  brought  by  the  Chaldeans, 
but  that  God  had  resolved  thereby  to  punish  the  wickedness 
of  the  people,  and  especially  their  desperate  obstinacy,  for  he 
had  omitted  nothing  to  restore  the  people  to  the  right  way. 

Whenever,  then,  there  is  mention  made  here  of  God,  let 
us  know  that  the  people  are  reminded,  as  I  have  already 
said,  tliat  they  had  to  do  with  God,  lest  they  should  forget 
this,  or  think  that  it  was  adverse  fortune,  or  dream  of  some 
other  causes  of  evils,  as  men  are  wont  in  this  respect  to  be 
very  ingenious  in  deceiving  themselves.  And  we  shall  see 
this  more  clearly  hereafter,  where  it  is  said,  that  God  had 
thought  to  destroy  the  wall  of  Jerusalem  ;  but  this  thought 
was  the  same  as  his  decree.  Then  the  Prophet  explains 
there  more  fully  what  is  yet  here  substantially  found,  even 
that  God  was  brought  forward  thus  before  the  people,  that 
they  might  learn  to  humble  themselves  under  his  mighty 
hand.  Tlie  hand  of  God  was  not  indeed  visible,  but  the 
Prophet  sliews  that  the  Chaldeans  were  not  alone  to  be  re- 
garded, but  rather  that  tlie  hidden  hand  of  God,  by  which  they 
were  guided,  ought  to  have  been  seen  by  the  eyes  of  faith. 
It  was,  then,  this  hand  of  God  that  stood  against  tlie  people. 


CHAP.  II.  5.      COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  351 

It  tlien  follows,  He  slew  all  the  chosen  men  ;  some  read, 
"  all  things  desirable  ;''  but  it  seems  more  suitable  to  con- 
sider men  as  intended,  as  though  he  had  said,  that  the 
flower  of  the  people  perished  by  the  hand  of  God  in  the 
tabernacle  of  the  daughter  of  Sion ;  though  the  last  clause 
would  unite  better  with  the  end  of  the  verse,  that  on  the 
tabernacle  of  the  daughter  of  Sion  God  had  poured  forth  his 
wrath,  or  his  anger,  as  fire. 

He  repeats  the  metaphor  which  he  had  used  in  the  last 
verse ;  and  this  is  what  we  ought  carefully  to  notice  ;  for 
God  threatens  by  Isaiah  that  he  would  be  a  fire  to  devour 
his  enemies  :  "  The  light  of  Israel  shall  be  a  fire,  and  his 
Holy  One  a  flame  of  fire,  and  it  shall  devour  all  briers  and 
all  kinds  of  wood.''  (Isa.  x.  17.)  There  God  threatened  the 
Chaldeans,  as  though  he  had  said  that  his  vengeance  would 
be  dreadful,  when  as  a  patron  and  defender  of  his  people  he 
would  contend  with  the  Chaldeans.  He  there  calls  himself  the 
light  of  Israel  and  the  Holy  One  ;  and  hence  he  said  that  he 
would  be  a  fire  and  a  flame  as  to  the  Chaldeans.  But  what 
does  he  say  here  ?  even  that  God  had  poured  forth  his  wrath 
as  fire,  that  its  flame  had  devoured  all  around  whatever  was 
fair  to  be  seen  in  Israel.  We  hence  see  that  the  people  had 
provoked  against  themselves  the  vengeance  of  God,  which 
would  have  been  otherwise  poured  forth  on  their  enemies ; 
and  thus  the  sin  of  the  people  was  doubled.     It  follows, — 

5.  The  Lord  was  as  an  enemy :  he  hath  5.    Fuit   Dominus    tanquam 

swallowed  up  Israel,  he  hath  swallowed  hostis,perdiditIsraelem,perdidit 

up  all  her  palaces ;  he  hath  destroyed  omnia  palatia  ejus,  corrupit  mu- 

his   strong   holds,    and    hath  increased  nitiones    ejus,     auxit    in    filia 

in  the  daughter  of  Judah  mourning  and  Jehudah    fletuni   et  lamentati- 

lamentation.  onem. 

These  words  might  seem  superfluous,  since  the  Prophet 
has  often  repeated,  that  God  was  become  an  enemy  to  his 
own  people  ;  but  we  shall  hereafter  see,  that  though  they 
were  extremely  afflicted,  they  yet  did  not  rightly  consider 
whence  their  calamity  arose.  As,  then,  they  had  become  so 
stupified  by  their  evils,  that  they  did  not  turn  their  eyes  to 
God,  they  were  on  this  account  often  urged  and  stimulated, 
that  they  might  at  length  understand  by  their  evils  that 
God  was  a  judge.     Now,  as  it  was  difficult  to  convince  them 


352  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.  V. 

of  this  truth,  the  Prophet  did  not  think  it  enough  briefly 
to  touch  on  it,  but  found  it  necessary  to  dwell  on  it  at  large, 
so  that  tlie  people  might  at  length  be  roused  from  their 
insensibility. 

He  then  says  that  God  himself  tuas  to  them  as  an  eiiemy^ 
lest  the  Israelites  should  fix  their  eyes  on  the  Chaldeans, 
and  thus  think  that  they  liad  been  the  chief  movers  of  the 
war.  He  therefore  says,  that  they  had  undertaken  that  war 
through  the  secret  influence  of  God,  and  had  carried  it  on 
successfully,  because  God  endued  them  with  his  own  power. 
And  hence  the  faithful  ought  to  have  concluded,  that  no- 
thing could  have  been  more  grievous  than  to  have  God 
as  their  adversary ;  for  as  long  as  they  had  suifered  them- 
selves to  be  defended  by  the  hand  of  God,  they  were  victo- 
rious, we  know,  over  all  their  enemies,  so  that  they  could 
then  brave  all  dangers  with  impunity.  The  Prophet  now  re- 
minds them,  that  as  they  had  been  successful  and  prosperous 
under  the  defence  and  protection  of  Godj  so  now  they  were 
miserable,  for  no  other  reason  but  that  God  fought  against 
them.  But  we  ouo-ht  at  the  same  time  to  bear  in  mind  the 
truth,  which  we  have  noticed,  that  God  is  never  angry  with 
men  without  reason ;  and  since  he  was  especially  inclined 
to  shew  favour  to  his  people,  we  must  understand  that  he 
would  not  have  been  thus  indignant,  had  not  necessity  con- 
strained him. 

He  has  destroyed  Israel,  he  says  ;  Jie  has  destroyed  all  his 
palaces  ;  and  afterwards,  he  has  dissipated  or  demolished  all 
his  fortresses ;  and  finally,  he  has  increased  in  the  daughter 
of  Judah  mourning  and  lamentation;  rT'iXI  rT'^XH  tanie 
veanie,  words  derived  from  the  same  root,  but  joined  to- 
gether for  the  sake  of  amplifying,  not  only  in  this  place,  but 
also  in  the  twenty-ninth  chapter  of  Isaiah,  and  in  other 
places.  The  meaning  is,  that  God  had  not  put  an  end  to  his 
vengeance,  because  the  people  had  not  resolved  to  put  an 
end  to  their  obstinate  wickedness.     He  afterwards  adds, — 

G.  Andlie  hath  violently  taken  G.    Et  transtuht    (vel,  dissipavit,  vel 

away  his  tabernacle,  as  i/'i^  w(?rc  evertit)  tanqiiani  hortuni  tabernaculum 

o/ a  garden;  he  hath  destroyed  sumn  (a/Zi  i^ertant,  tabernaculum  suum 

in\H  places  of  the  assembly :  the  tanquam  hortum,)  perdidit  testimonimii 

Lord  hath  caused  the  solenm  suum,  oblitus  est  Jehova  in  Sion  conven- 


CHAP.  II.  6.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  S6S 

feasts  and  sabbaths  to  be  for-  tus  solennis  (vel,  sacrificii)  et  sabbathi,  et 

gotten  in  Zion,  and  hath  de-  repuUt  in  excandescentia  ir?e  suje(c? /uersce 

spised,  in  the  indignati(m  of  bis  quidem  sunt  voces,  sed  ego  non  adeu  scru- 

anger,  the  king  and  the  priest,  pulose  distinguo)  regem  et  sacerdotera. 

Then  he  says  first,  tliat  his  tabernacle  had  been  overthroivn 
by  God.  They  who  render  it  "  cottage''  extenuate  too  much 
what  is  spoken  of;  nor  does  the  Prophet  simply  compare  the 
sanctuary  of  God  to  a  cottage.  Then  I  take  tabernacle  in  a 
good  sense.  With  regard  to  the  verb  ^J^T],  ch ernes,  as  it 
means  to  migrate,  they  properly  render  it,  as  I  think,  who 
giv^e  this  version,  that  God  had  removed  his  tabernacle ;  nor 
do  I  disapprove  of  repeating  the  word  tabernacle.  God, 
then,  had  removed  his  tabernacle,  as  though  it  were  a  cot- 
tage in  a  garden.  Watchmen,  as  it  appears  from  the  first 
chapter  of  Isaiah,  had  then  cottages  in  their  gardens,  but 
only  for  a  time,  as  is  the  case  at  this  day  with  those  who 
watch  over  their  vineyards ;  they  have,  until  the  time  of 
vintage,  small  chests  in  which  they  conceal  themselves. 
The  Prophet  then  says,  that  though  God's  tabernacle  was 
honourable,  and  of  high  dignity,  it  was  yet  like  a  cottage 
in  a  garden.  It  is  not,  however,  a  simple  comparison,  as 
before  stated,  and  therefore  I  reject  the  opinion  of  those 
who  render  it  cottage,  for  it  is  not  suitable,  and  it  would 
be  unmeaning.  God,  then,  hath  removed  his  tabernacle  as  a 
garden,  that  is,  the  sanctuary  where  he  dwelt.  And  how 
did  he  remove  it  ?  even  as  a  garden-cottage.  And  as 
watchers  of  gardens  were  w^ont  to  construct  their  little  cots 
of  leaves  of  trees  and  slight  materials,  so  the  Prophet,  in 
order  to  increase  commiseration,  says,  that  the  sacred  ha- 
bitation of  God  was  like  a  cottage  in  a  garden,  because  it 
was  removed  from  one  place  to  another ;  and  thus  he  inti- 
mates that  God  regarded  as  nothing  what  he  had  previously 
adorned  with  singular  excellencies.^ 

'  The  word  "IDC^  is  rendered  by  the  versions  in  the  sense  of  13D,  "  his 
tabernacle;"  but  by  so  doing  they  make  it  tlie  same  in  eflect  ^vith  ITJ^ID, 
'■  his  place  of  meeting/'  in  the  following  clause.  The  verb  D^n  never 
means  Avhat  Calvin  says,  to  migrate  or  to  remove,  but  to  cast  off,  or  to 
throw  down,  that  is,  wiih  force  or  violence.  Then  "IC^,  a  fence  or  inclo- 
sure,  is  what  suits  the  verb, — 

6.   And  he  has  thrown  down  as  that  of  a  garden  his  inclosure, 
He  has  destroyed  his  assembhng-place ; 
VOL.  v.  Z 


So4!  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.  V. 

He  then  adds,  that  God  had  destroyed  Ms  testiw.ony.    By 
the  word  *T!?1D,  muod,  lie  means  the  same  throughout  ;  but 
some  confine  it  to  the  ark  of  the  covenant,  and  of  this  I  do 
not  disapprove.     We  must  yet  bear  in  mind  the  design  of 
the  Prophet,  which  was  to  shew  that  by  the  entire  ruin  of 
the  Temple  the  covenant  of  God  was  in  a  manner  abolished. 
It  is,  indeed,  certain,  that  God  had  not  forgotten  his  faith- 
fulness and  constancy,  but  this  abolition  of  his  covenant 
refers  to  what  appeared  to  men.     He  then  says,  that  tlie 
sanctuary  which  was,  as  it  were,   the  testimony  of  God's 
favour,  had  been  overthrown.    Now,  as  he  repeats  again  the 
word  I^ID,  miwd,  it  may  be  that  he  thus  refers  to  the  Taber- 
nacle, either  because  the  holy  assemblies  met  there,  or  be- 
cause it  had  been  solemnly  dedicated,  that  God  might  there 
hold  intercourse  with  his  people.     For  H^ID,  muod,  means 
a  fixed  time,  it  means  an  assembly,  it  means  a  festival,  and 
sometimes  it    means  a  sacrifice ;    and   all   these   significa- 
tions are  not  unsuitable :  yet  when  he  says  that  God  had 
destroyed  his  testimony,  I  apply  this  to  the  Tabernacle  itself, 
or,  if  it  seems  to  any  preferable,  to  the  ark  of  the  covenant  ; 
though  the  former  is  the  most  suitable,  because  it  was  a  place 
consecrated,  as  it  has  been  stated,  for  mutual  intercourse. 

He  afterwards  says,  that  God  had  forgotten  the  assembly, 
the  sacrifice,  or  the  tabernacle  ;  for  it  is  the  same  word  again, 
but  it  seems  not  to  be  taken  in  the  same  sense.  Then  I 
think  that  H^ID,  muod,  is  to  be  taken  here  for  the  assembly. 
As  he  had  previously  said,  that  the  place  where  the  holy 
assemblies  met  had  been  overthrown  or  destroyed,  so  now 
he  says,  that  God  had  no  care  for  all  those  assemblies,  as 
though  they  had  been  buried  in  perpetual  oblivion  ;  for  he 
mentions  also  the  Sabbath,  which  corresponds  with  the  sub- 
ject. God,  then,  had  forgotten  all  the  assemblies  as  well  as 
the  Sabbath.  There  is,  again,  as  to  this  last  word,  a  part 
stated  for  the  whole,  for  this  word  was  no  doubt  intended  to 

Forgotten  hath  Jehovah  in  Sion  the  assembly  and  the  Sabbath ; 

And  has  cast  off,  in  the  foaming  of  his  wralh,  the  king  and  the  priest. 
The  "inclosure,"  or  fence,  refers  to  the  courts  which   surrounded  the 
Temple ;  hence  the  place  where  the  people  assembled  was  destroyed.    God 
had  regarded  it  no  more  than  the  fence  of  a  connnon  garden.     There  is 
"  fence"  understood  after  3,  no  uncommon  thing  in  Hebrew. — Ed. 


CHAP.  rr.  7.   COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.        S55 

include  all  the  festivals.  The  meaning  of  the  passage  then  is, 
that  the  impiety  of  the  people  had  been  so  great,  that  Grod, 
having,  as  it  were,  forgotten  his  covenant,  had  inflicted  such 
a  dreadful  punishment,  that  religion,  for  a  time,  was  in  a 
manner  trodden  under  foot. 

He  says,  in  the  last  place,  that  the  king  and  the  priest 
had  been  rejected  by  God.  We  have  already  said,  that 
these  were  as  two  pledges  of  God's  paternal  favour  ;  for,  on 
the  one  hand,  he  who  reigned  from  the  posterity  of  David 
was  a  living  image  of  Christ  ;  and  on  the  other  hand, 
there  was  always  a  high-priest  from  the  posterity  of  Aaron 
to  reconcile  men  to  God.  It  was  then  the  same  as  though 
God  shewed  himself  in  every  way  propitious  to  the  chosen 
peoi^le.  Then  their  true  happiness  was  founded  on  the  king- 
dom  and  the  priesthood  ;  for  the  kingdom  was,  as  it  were, 
a  mark  of  God's  favour  for  their  defence,  and  the  priesthood 
was  to  them  the  means  by  which  reconciliation  with  God 
was  obtained.  When,  therefore,  God  wholly  disregarded 
the  king  and  the  priest,  it  became  hence  evident,  that  he  was 
greatly  displeased  with  his  people,  having  thus,  in  a  manner, 
obliterated  his  favours.      It  follows, — 

7.  The  Lord  hath  cast  off  7.  Abominatus  est  Dominus  altaresuum, 
his  altar;  he  hath  abhorred  repulit  (yel,  rejecit  procul  ab  animo  suo) 
his  sanctuary  :  he  hath  given  sanctuarium  suum,  tradidit  in  manum  hos- 
up  into  the  hand  of  the  ene-  tis  muros  palationim  ejus,  vocem  ediderunt 
ray  the  walls  of  her  palaces ;  in  domo  Jehovse  tanquam  in  die  sacri  con- 
they  have  made  a  noise  in  the  ventus  (ue?,  solennis;  iterum  ponitur  no- 
house  of  the  Lord,  as  in  the  men  lyiD,  tarnen  accipitur  velpro  conventu 
day  of  a  solemn  feast.  vel  pro  diefesto.) 

He  proceeds  with  the  same  subject,  and  adopts  similar 
words.  He  says  first,  that  God  had  abominated  his  altar ;^ 
an  expression  not  strictly  proper,  but  the  Prophet  could  not 
otherwise  fully  shew  to  the  Jews  what  they  deserved  ;  for 
had  he  only  spoken  of  the  city,  of  the  lands,  of  the  palaces, 
of  the  vineyards,  and,  in  short,  of  all  their  possessions,  it 
would  have  been  a  much  lighter  matter  ;  but  when  he  says 
that  God  had  counted  as  nothing  all  their  sacred  things, — 
the  altar,  the  Temple,  the  ark  of  the  covenant,  and  festive 
days, — when,  therefore,  he  says,  that  God  had  not  only  dis- 

'  Our  version,  "  cast  off,"  gives  the  real  meaning  of  the  verb. — Ed. 


856  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.  V. 

regarded,  but  had  also  cast  away  from  hira  these  things, 
which  yet  especially  availed  to  conciliate  his  favour,  the 
people  must  have  hence  perceived,  except  they  were  beyond 
measure  stupid,  how  grievously  they  had  provoked  God's 
wrath  asfainst  themselves ;  for  this  was  the  same  as  thouoh 
heaven  and  earth  were  blended  together.  Had  there  been 
an  upsetting  of  all  things,  had  the  sun  left  its  place  and  sunk 
into  darkness,  had  the  earth  heaved  upwards,  the  confusion 
would  have  hardly  been  more  dreadful,  than  when  God  put 
forth  thus  his  hand  against  the  sanctuary,  the  altar,  the 
festal  days,  and  all  their  sacred  things.  But  we  must  refer 
to  the  reason  why  this  was  done,  even  because  the  Temple 
had  been  long  polluted  by  the  iniquities  of  the  people,  and 
because  all  sacred  thino's  had  been  wickedlv  and  diss^race- 
fully  profaned.  We  now,  then,  understand  the  reason  why 
the  Prophet  enlarged  so  much  on  a  subject  in  itself  suffi- 
ciently plain. 

He  afterwards  adds,  He  hath  delivered  all  the  palaces,  &c.  ; 
as  though  he  had  said,  that  the  city  had  not  been  taken  by  the 
valour  of  enemies,  but  that  the  Chaldeans  had  fought  under 
the  authority  and  banner  of  God.  He,  in  short,  intimates 
that  the  Jews  had  miserably  perished,  because  they  perished 
through  their  own  fault ;  and  that  the  Chaldeans  had  proved 
victorious  in  battle,  and  had  taken  the  city,  not  through 
their  own  courage  or  skill,  but  because  God  had  resolved  to 
punish  that  ungodly  and  wicked  people. 

It  follows  in  the  last  place,  that  the  enemies  had  made  a 
noise  in  the  temple  of  God  as  in  the  day  of  solemnity.  Here 
also  the  Prophet  shews,  that  God  would  have  never  suffered 
the  enemies  insolently  to  exult  and  to  revel  in  the  very 
Temple,  had  not  the  Israelites  deserved  all  this  ;  for  the  in- 
solence of  their  enemies  was  not  unknown  to  God,  and  he 
might  have  easily  checked  it  if  he  pleased.  Why,  then,  did 
he  grant  so  much  license  to  these  profane  enemies  ?  even 
because  the  Jews  themselves  had  previously  polluted  the 
Temple,  so  that  lie  abhorred  all  their  solemn  assemblies,  as 
also  he  declares  by  Isaiah,  that  he  detested  their  festivals, 
Sabbaths,  and  new  moons.  (Isa.  i.  ]3,  14.)  But  it  was  a 
shocking  change,  when   enemies   entered   the  place  which 


CHAP.  II.  8.   COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.        357 

God  had  consecrated  for  himself,  and  there  insolently  boasted 
and  uttered  base  and  wicked  calumnies  ao'ainst  God  !  But 
the  sadder  the  spectacle,  the  more  detestable  appeared  the 
impiety  of  the  people,  which  had  been  the  cause  of  so  great 
evils.  For  "we  ouoht  ever  to  remember  what  I  have  often 
stated,  that  these  circumstances  were  noticed  by  the  Prophet, 
that  the  people  might  at  length  acknowledge  themselves 
guilty  as  to  all  these  evils,  which  they  would  have  otherwise 
ascribed  to  the  Chaldeans.  That,  then,  the  Chaldeans  pol- 
luted the  Temple,  that  they  trod  under  foot  all  sacred  things, 
all  this  the  Prophet  shews  was  to  be  ascribed  to  the  Jews 
themselves,  who  had,  through  their  own  conduct,  opened  the 
Temple  to  the  Chaldeans,  who  had  exposed  all  sacred  things 
to  their  will  and  pleasure.      It  follows, — 

8.  The  Lord  hath  purposed  to  de-         8.  Coj;itavit  Jehova  ut  perderet 

stroy  the  wall  ofthe  daughter  of  Zion;  murum  filiee  Sion,  extendit  lineani, 

he  hath  stretched  out  a  line,  he  hath  non  retraxit  manum  suam  a  dissi- 

not  -^vithdrawn  his  hand  from  de-  patione ;   itaque   luxit  antemurale, 

stroying*:    therefore    he   made   the  et  murus:  pariter  corruerunt  (yel, 

rampart   and  the   wall   to  lament:  eversi  sunt.) 
they  languished  together. 

The  verb  to  think,  has  more  force  than  what  is  commonly 
assigned  to  it ;  for  it  would  be  very  flat  to  say,  that  God 
thought  to  destroy  ;  but  to  think  here  means  to  resolve  or 
to  decree.-^  This  is  one  thing.  And  then  w^e  must  bear  in 
mind  the  contrast  between  this  and  those  false  imaginations, 
by  which  men  are  wont  to  be  drawn  away,  so  as  not  to  be- 
lieve that  God  is  present  in  adversities  as  well  as  prosperity. 
As,  therefore,  men  go  wilfully  astray  through  various  false 
thoughts,  and  thus  withdraw  themselves,  as  it  were,  design- 
edly from  God,  the  Prophet  says  here  that  the  walls  of  Je- 
rusalem had  not  fallen  by  chance,  but  had  been  overthrown 
through  a  divine  decree,  because  God  had  so  determined, 
according  to  what  we  have  seen  in  many  places  throughout 
the  book  of  Jeremiah  :  "  See,  these  are  the  thoughts  which 
God  has  thought  respecting  Jerusalem,  which  he  has  thought 
respecting  Babylon."    The  Prophet,  then,  in  these  instances, 

'  The  verb  is  often  used  in  this  secondary  sense,  to  purpose  or  resolve 
or  determine,  as  the  result  of  thinking.  The  Vul^.  and  the  Targ.  very 
improperly  retain  its  primary  meaning,  but  the  S^/r.  gives  that  of  resolv- 
ing or  determining. — ErJ. 


358  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.  V. 

taught  what  he  now  confirms  in  this  place,  tliat  when  tlie 
city  Jerusalem  was  destroyed,  it  was  not  what  happened  by 
chance  ;  but  because  Grod  had  brought  there  the  Chaldeans, 
and  emjDloyed  them  as  his  instruments  in  taking  and  de- 
stroying the  city  :  God^  then,  has  thought  to  destroy  the  wall 
of  the  daughter  of  Sion.  It  is,  indeed,  true,  that  the  Chal- 
deans had  actively  carried  on  the  war,  and  omitted  nothing 
as  to  military  skill,  in  order  to  take  the  city :  but  the  Pro- 
phet calls  here  the  attention  of  the  Jews  to  a  different 
thought,  so  that  they  might  acknowledge  that  they  suffered 
justly  for  their  sins,  and  that  God  was  the  chief  author  of 
that  war,  and  that  the  Chaldeans  were  to  be  viewed  as  hired 
soldiers. 

He  afterwards  adds,  that  God  had  extended  a  line  or  a 
rule,  as  it  is  usually  done  in  separating  buildings.^  And 
then  he  says,  He  hath  not  draiun  back  his  hand  from  scatter- 
ing ;  and  so  it  was,  that  the  ramparts  and  the  walls  mourned, 
and  fell  down  together.^  We  now  see  that  what  the  Prophet 
had  in  view  was  to  lead  the  Jews  fully  to  believe  that  the 
destruction  was  not  to  be  ascribed  to  the  Chaldeans,  but, 
on  the  contrary,  to  God.  Added  at  the  same  time  must  be 
another  part  of  what  is  here  taught,  that  God  would  not 
have  been  so  displeased  with  the  holy  city  which  he  had 
chosen,  had  not  the  people  extremely  provoked  him  witli 
their  sins.     It  now  follows, — 

9.  Her  gates  are  sunk  into  the  9.  Demersai  sunt  in  terra  portse 

ground  ;  he  hath  destroyed  and  bro-  ejus,  perdidit  et  confregit  veetes  ejus, 

ken   her  bars  ;  her   king   and  her  rex  ejus  et  principes  ejus  in  genti- 

princes  are  among  the  Gentiles :  the  bus  (vel,  ad  gentes ;)  nulla  lex,  etiani 

law  is  no  more ;  her  prophets  also  prophetje  non  reperiunt  visionem  a 

find  no  vision  from  the  Lord.  Jehova. 

He  again  relates  in  other  words  what  he  had  said,  that 

^  It  was  the  line  of  destruction  as  mentioned  in  Isa.  xxxiv.  11,  designed 
to  point  out  what  was  to  be  destroyed. —  Ed. 

'  The  verbs  ?m,  to  mourn,  and  PDK,  to  be  faint,  to  fail,  when  applied 
to  inanimate  things,  mean  to  be  desolate  and  to  decay.  This  clause  then 
ought  to  be  thus  rendered, — 

So  that  he  has  made  desolate  the  rampart  and  the  wall. 
They  are  become  wholly  decayed  together. 
The  connexion  shews  that  the  1  here  must  be  rendered,  '•  so  that ;"  and  as 
the  last  verb  has  the  last  letter  doubled,  the  word  "  wholly"  ought  to  be 
introduced. — Etl. 


CHAP.  II.  9.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  859 

the  walls  of  Jerusalem  had  fallen.  But  he  now  sj^eaks  of 
the  gates  and  says,  that  they  had  sunk  into  the  ground,  or 
had  become  fixed  in  the  ground ;  for  it  may  be  explained 
in  both  ways  ;  as  though  he  had  said,  that  the  gates  had 
been  no  hinderance  to  the  enemies  so  as  to  prevent  them  to 
enter  the  city.  He  tlius  derides  the  foolish  confidence  of 
the  people,  who  relied  on  their  defences  and  thought  the 
city  impregnable.  He  then  says  that  the  gates  had  sunk, 
or  had  become  fixed  in  the  ground. 

He  then  says  that  God  had  destroyed  and  broken  her 
bars;  for  no  doubt  the  gates  had  firm  and  strong  bars.  He 
tlien  says  that  neither  the  gates  nor  the  bars  were  found 
sufficient,  when  God  stretched  forth  his  hand  to  the  Chal- 
deans, to  lead  them  into  the  city.  He  afterwards  adds,  that 
both  the  king  and  the  princes  had  been  driven  into  exile  ; 
for  when  he  says,  among  the  nations,  or  to  the  nations,  he 
intimates  that  there  was  no  more  a  king,  for  he  and  the 
royal  seed  and  the  princes  were  gone  into  banishment.  The 
rest  I  defer  until  to-morrow. 

PRAYER. 

Grant,  Almighty  God,  that  since  so  many  tokens  of  thy  wrath  meet 
us  at  this  day,  we  may  without  delay  return  to  thee,  and  so  sub- 
mit to  thee  in  true  repentance,  as  to  strive  at  the  same  time  to 
be  reconciled  to  thee ;  and  as  a  Mediator  has  been  given  to  us 
to  lead  us  to  thee,— O  grant  that  we  may  by  a  true  faith  seek 
him,  and  follow  wherever  he  may  call  us,  that  having  been  puri- 
fied from  all  pollutions,  we  may  be  glorified  by  thee  our  Father, 
and  may  so  call  on  thee,  that  we  may  find  thy  grace  present  in 
all  our  evils. — Amen. 


Among  the  calamities  of  Jerusalem  which  the  Prophet 
deplores,  he  mentions  this  as  one,  that  there  was  no  law  or 
doctrine.  The  Chaldee  Paraphraser  thought  tliat  the  refer- 
ence is  to  punishment,  but  he  perverts  the  words  of  the 
Prophet.  There  follows  afterwards  an  amplification  ;  after 
having  said,  there  is  no  law,  he  adds,  her  prophets  also  have 


360  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.  VI. 

not  found  a  vision  from  Jehovah.     There  is  then  no  doubt 
but  that  the  Prophet  means  that  among  the  miseries  of  the 
people  tliis  was  the  greatest,  that  they  were  without  doc- 
trine or  teaching,  and  without  prophets.      The  word  Hliri, 
tu7-e,  is  indeed  used  often  by  way  of  excellency  to  designate 
the  law,  but  it  signifies  also  doctrine  or  instruction ;  and 
the  meaning  here  is  the  same,  as  though  the  Prophet  had 
said,  that  the  Jews  had  been  so  forsaken  by  God,  that  they 
found  no  consolation  in  their  evils.      This   may  be  better 
understood  by  a  similar  complaint  in  the  Psalms  :   "Our 
signs  we  see  not,  there  is  not  a  Prophet  any  more,  there  is 
no  more  any  one  who  understands.''      (Ps.  Ixxiv.  9.)      The 
faithful  there  say,  that  they  were  in  a  hopeless  state,  because 
God  shewed  them  no  signs  of  his  favour;  and  signs  were 
given  when  God  appeared  propitious  to  them.     Now,  as  God 
had  testified  that  there  would  be  always  faithful  teachers  to 
guide  the  people,  they  therefore  complained  that  there  was 
no  Prophet,  that  there  was  no  one  any  more  who  had  a 
vision.     And  so  in  this  place  the  Prophet  says,  that  there 
was  no  law,  and  that  the  prophets  were  without  a  vision, 
even  because  God,  as  though  wearied,  had  given  up  the  care 
of  the  people:  for  his  paternal  favour  could  not  have  been 
better  known  than  by  this  evidence,  that  he  sent  them  pro- 
phets ;  and  it  is  certain  that  all  propliecies  ceased  when  the 
people  were  driven  into  exile. 

A  long  time  after,  Daniel  began  to  exhort  the  faithful  to 
hope  for  a  return  ;  and  on  this  account  it  is  said  by  Isaiah, 
"  Comfort  ye,  comfort  ye  my  people,  will  our  God  say." 
(Isa.  xl.  ].)  There  Isaiah  indicates  that  there  would  be  a 
temporary  silence  ;  for  all  the  prophets  would  be  mute,  that 
the  people  might  lie  in  a  hopeless  state,  and  for  this  reason, 
because  they  had  long  abused  God's  patience,  and  had  dis- 
regarded that  singular  blessing,  when  God  manifested  by 
his  servants  that  he  was  solicitous  for  their  wcUbeing  and 
safety,  as  he  had  often  said,  that  he  rose  up  early  and  ex- 
tended his  liand  to  them  by  tlie  propliets.  As,  then,  the 
gift  of  prophecy  was  to  tlie  people  a  sure  pledge  not  only 
of  God's  favour,  but  also  of  the  solicitude  which  he  enter- 
tained for  them  ;  so  when  lie  withheld  prophets  from  the 


CHAP.  II.  10.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  361 

people,  he  departed  from  them,  having  forsaken  as  it  were 
his  station  among  them.^ 

"VYe  now  then  understand  what  the  Prophet  meant  by  sa}^- 
ing,  tliat  there  was  no  doctrine  any  more,  and  that  the  pro- 
phets of  Jerusalem /oi67icZ  no  vision  any  more /rom  Jehovah ; 
for  God,  after  his  word  had  been  long  profaned,  became 
silent,  and  deigned  not  for  a  time  to  open  his  sacred  mouth, 
because  lie  had  seen  that  he  had  been  treated  with  derision. 

Now  this  passage  teaches  us,  that  nothing  is  more  desir- 
able in  evils,  and  that  tliere  is  no  better  remedy,  than  to 
have  God's  promise,  that  he  will  at  length  be  merciful  to 
us.  For  when  any  promise  of  God  is  set  before  us,  it  is  like 
a  small  light  kindled  in  darkness.  Though  then  our  misery 
were  like  a  tliick  darkness,  yet  when  God  shews  some  token 
of  favour  by  his  promises,  that  ought  to  be  sufficient  to  give 
us  hope  and  joy.  On  the  other  hand,  when  no  promises  of 
God  occur  to  us,  it  is  a  sure  token  of  reprobation,  unless  that 
he  sometimes  thus  tries  us,  as  w^e  read  here.  But  the  faith- 
ful also  themselves,  when  they  perceive  no  evidence  of  God's 
paternal  favour  in  his  promises,  are  as  it  were  in  a  hopeless 
state,  and  sunk  in  the  lowest  depths.  Hence  it  is  then 
only  that  we  arise  from  death  to  life,  and  find  support  so  as 
not  to  be  overwhelmed  with  despair,  when  God  is  pleased 
to  speak  to  us.     It  now  follows, — 

10.  The  elders  of  the  daughter  of  10.  Sedent  ad  terram,  silent 
Zion  sit  upon  the  ground,  and  keep  senes  filise  Sion,  attollunt  pulve- 
silence  :  they  have  cast  up  dust  upon  rem  super  caput  suum.  accincti 
their  heads ;  they  have  girded  them-  sunt  saccis ;  demiserunt  (vel,  de- 
selves  Avith  sackcloth :  the  virgins  of  mittunt)  ad  terram  caput  suum 
Jerusalem  hang  down  their  heads  to  virgines  (aut,  puellfe)  Jerusa- 
the  ground.  lem. 

The  Prophet  here  strikingly  represents  the  grievousness 
of  the  people's  calamity,  when  he  says,  that  the  elders,  as  in 

^  "  No  law.''  Gataker  understood  this  to  refer  to  the  fact,  that  the  law 
\vritten  on  the  tables  of  stone,  deposited  in  the  temple,  was  lost,  having 
been  destroyed  by  the  Chaldeans.  Others  say,  "  no  law"  was  observed 
respecting  God's  worship,  the  temple  having  been  destroyed.  The  law, 
moral,  ceremonial  and  judicial,  was  given  to  Israel,  and  formed  the  condi- 
tion on  which  they  were  to  inherit  the  land.  When  banished,  because 
they  kept  not  the  law,  they  had  in  exile  as  it  were  no  law  ;  the  covenant 
respecting  the  land,  dependent  on  the  law,  was  during  the  exile  made  void 
or  suspended. — Ed. 


362  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LEUT.  VI. 

hopeless  despair,  were  lying  on  the  ground,  that  they  cast 
dust  on  their  heads,  that  they  were  clad  in  sackcloth,  as  it 
was  usually  done  in  very  grievous  sorrow,  and  that  the 
virgins  bent  their  heads  down  to  the  ground.  The  meaning 
is,  that  the  elders  knew  not  what  to  do,  and  led  others  to 
join  them  in  acts  of  fruitless  and  abject  lamentation.  We 
indeed  know  that  young  women  are  over-careful  as  to  their 
form  and  beauty,  and  indulge  themselves  in  pleasures  ;  and 
that  when  they  roll  themselves  -witli  their  face  and  hair  on 
the  ground,  it  is  a  token  of  extreme  mourning.  This  is 
what  the  Prophet  means. 

They  were  wont  indeed  to  put  on  sackcloth  as  a  token  of 
repentance,  and  to  cast  dust  on  their  heads  ;  but  their  minds 
were  often  so  confused,  that  they  only  thus  set  forth  their 
mourning  and  sorrow,  and  had  no  regard  to  God  ;  and  hypo- 
crites, when  they  put  on  sackcloth,  pretended  to  repent,  but 
it  was  a  false  pretence.  Now  in  this  place  the  Prophet  does 
not  mean  that  the  elders  by  adopting  these  rites  professed 
to  repent  and  humbly  to  solicit  pardon ;  but  refers  to  them 
only  as  tokens  of  sorrow  ;  as  though  he  had  said,  that  the 
elders  had  no  resources,  and  that  the  young  women  had  no 
hope  nor  joy.  For  the  elders  did  lie  down  on  the  ground, 
as  it  is  usual  with  those  who  have  no  remedy.  We  now 
understand  the  meaning  of  the  Prophet.^     It  follows, — 

11.  Mine  eyes  do  fail  with  tears,  my  11.  Defecerimt    in    laclirymis 

bowels  are  troubled,  my  liver  is  poured  oeuli  mei,  conturbata  sunt  viscera 

upon  the  earth,  for  the  destruction  of  mea,  effusum  est  ad  terram  jecur 

the  daughter  of  my  people  :  because  meum,  propter  contritionem  filise 

the  children  and  the  sucklings  swoon  populi  mei,  dum  evanuit  parvulus 

in  the  streets  of  the  city.  et  sugens  ubera  in  compitis  urbis. 

The  Prophet  himself  now  speaks,  and  says  that  his  eyes 
were  consumed  with  tears,  while  weeping  on  account  of  the 
calamities  of  the  people  :  even  in  the  deepest  grief  tears  at 
length  dry  up  ;  but  when  there  is  no  end  of  weeping,  the 
sorrow,  which  as  it  were  never  ripens,  must  necessarily  be 

1  The  verse  may  be  thus  rendered, — 
10.  They  sit  on  the  ground,  they  are  silent,  the  elders  of  tlie  daughter  of 
Sion ; 
They  have  cast  dust  on  their  head,  they  have  girded  on  sackcloth  ; 
They  have  bent  to  the  ground  their  head,  the  daughters  of  Jerusalem. 
—Ed. 


CHAP.  II.  11.        COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  ^6*3 

very  bitter.  Jeremiah  then  expresses  now  the  vehemence 
of  his  grief  wlien  he  says  that  his  eyes  failed  through  shed- 
ding tears.  He  said  in  chap,  ix.,  "  Who  will  give  me  eyes 
for  fountains  V  that  is,  who  will  make  my  eyes  to  turn  into 
fountains,  that  they  may  continually  flow  ?  and  this  he  said, 
because  he  saw  how  dreadful  a  vengeance  of  God  impended 
over  the  obstinate.  But  now,  when  he  sees  accomplished 
what  he  had  dreaded,  he  says,  that  his  eyes  were  consumed 
with  weeping. 

To  the  same  purpose  is  what  he  adds,  that  his  bowels 
were  disturbed.  It  is  the  same  verb  as  we  have  seen  be- 
fore, *)*^^^ton,  chemermeru  ;  which  some  render  "  bound,''  as 
we  also  said  then.  I  know  not  why  one  expositor  has 
changed  what  he  had  elsewhere  said  rightly  ;  he  puts  here, 
"  swollen  have  my  bowels/'  But  I  see  no  reason  why  the 
verb  should  be  taken  here  in  a  different  sense,  for  it  imme- 
diately follows,  my  liver  is  poured  forth  on  the  ground.  He 
may,  indeed,  have  included  other  parts  of  the  intestines  by 
stating  a  part  for  the  whole.  The  word  here  properly  means 
the  liver,  as  when  Solomon  says,  "  He  hath  pierced  my 
liver."  (Prov.  vii.  23.)  But  Jeremiah,  in  short,  shews  that 
all  his  faculties  were  so  seized  with  grief,  that  no  part  was 
exempt.  He  then  says  that  his  liver  was  poured  forth,  but 
in  the  same  sense  in  which  he  said  that  his  bowels  were  dis- 
turbed. They  are  indeed  hyperbolical  expressions ;  but  as 
to  the  meaning,  Jeremiah  simply  expresses  his  feelings  ; 
for  there  is  no  doubt  but  that  he  was  incredibly  anxious  and 
sorrowful  on  account  of  so  great  a  calamity  ;  for  he  not  only 
lamented  the  adversity  in  no  ordinary  way,  but  he  also  con- 
sidered how  wicked  was  that  obstinacy  in  which  the  people 
had  hardened  themselves  for  almost  fifty  years  ;  for  he  had 
spent  himself  in  vain,  not  for  a  short  time,  but  for  nearly 
fifty  years  he  never  ceased  to  speak  to  them.  He  then,  no 
doubt,  thought  within  himself  what  the  people  had  deserved, 
so  that  he  had  no  common  dread  of  God's  venq-eance.  This, 
then,  was  the  reason  why  he  said  that  his  bowels  were  dis- 
turbed and  his  liver  poured  forth.^ 

^  The  verbs  here  are  all  in  the  past   tense,  and  the  versions  so  render 
them.     Our  version  is  wrong,  as  well  as  that  of  Blaijney  and  HcndcrsoVf 


36-1  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAiMENTATIONS.  LECT.  VI. 

He,  however,  mentions  the  cause  of  his  sorrow,  even  the 
breach  or  destruction  of  the  daughter  of  his  people  ;  and  he 
mentions  one  tiling  in  particular,  because  the  little  one  and 
he  who  sucked  the  breasts  vanished  away  in  the  streets  of  the 
city  ;  for  so  I  render  tlie  verb  ^tO^,  otheph,  which  j^roperlj 
means  to  cover;  but  its  secondary  meaning  is  to  vanish 
away,  as  we  shall  again  presently  see.  It  was,  indeed,  a 
miserable  sight,  when  not  only  men  and  women  were  every- 
where slain,  but  when,  through  fiimine,  little  children  also 
fainted.  We,  indeed,  know  that  infants  move  our  pity, 
for  the  tears  of  a  child  in  hunger  penetrate  into  our  inmost 
souls.  When,  therefore,  little  children  and  those  who  hung  on 
their  mothers'  breasts,  cried  through  the  streets  of  the  city, 
it  must  have  touched  the  most  iron  hearts.  It  was  then 
not  without  reason  that  Jeremiah  referred  to  this  in  parti- 
cular, that  little  children  and  sucklings  vanished  away,  not 
in  a  deserted  and  barren  land,  but  in  the  very  streets  of  the 
city.     It  follows, — 

12.  They  say  to  their  12.  iSIatribiis  suis  dicunt,  Ubi  triticum  et. 
mothers,  Where  is  corn  vinum  ?  cum  cvanescmit  (in  evanescendo  ip- 
and  wine  ?  when  they  sos,  ad  verhum)  tanipiam  vuhieratiis  (ant, 
swooned  as  the  wounded  mortuus  ;  dum  evanescunt  ergo  tanqiiam  vui- 
in  the  streets  of  the  city,  nerati,  ant,  mortui ;  est  niuneri  enallage)  in 
when  their  soul  was  compitis  urbis  {iterum  repetit,)  et  cum  se 
poured  out  into  their  effundit  {vel,  effimditur)  anima  eorum  in  si- 
mother's  bosom.  num  matrum  ipsorum. 

There  is  either  a  personification  in  the  words  of  the  Pro- 
phet, or  he  speaks  now  of  another  party,  for  he  cannot  refer 
now  to  children  sucking  their  mothers'  breasts,  for  they 
could  not  have  expressly  said,  Where  is  corn  and  wine  ? 
and  the  use  of  wine  is  not  allowed  to  infants.  Then  the 
words  of  the  Prophets  extend  further,  for  not  infants,  but 
children  somewhat  grown  up,  could  have  thus  spoken.  And 
in  this  view  there  is  nothing  unreasonable  or  forced,  for  he 
spoke  of  little  children,  and  to  little  children  he  joined  in- 

in  rendering  thom  in  the  present  tense  ;  for  the  Prophet  is  describing  how 

he  felt  when  he  witnessed  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem, — 

1 1.  Consume  with  tears  did  my  eyes,  agitated  were  my  bowels, 

Poured  out  on  the  ground  was  my  liver,  for  the  breach  of  the  daughter 
of  my  people, 

When  faint  did  the  child  and  the  suckling  in  the  streets  of  the  city. 


CHAP.  II.  12.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  S66 

fants.^  And  now  he  refers  only  to  one  party,  even  that 
children,  who  could  now  speak,  complained  to  their  mothers 
that  there  was  no  bread  nor  wine,  that  is,  no  means  of  sup- 
port, no  food. 

If,  however,  any  one  prefers  a  personification,  I  do  not 
object ;  and  this  view  would  not  be  unsuitable,  that  even  in- 
fants by  their  silence  cried  for  food  ;  for  the  tears  of  children 
speak  more  efficaciously  than  when  one  gives  utterance  to 
words. 

However  this  may  be,  the  Prophet  intimates  that  such 
was  the  scarcity,  that  children  died  in  the  bosom  of  their 
motliers,  and  in  vain  souglit  food  and  cried  that  they  were 
without  support.  He  then  says  that  they  said  to  their 
mothers;'^  by  which  expression  he  means  that  their  com- 
plaints were  the  more  pitiable,  because  their  mothers  could 
afford  them  no  help.  And  we  know  how  tender  and  affec- 
tionate are  the  feelings  of  motliers,  for  a  mother  would  wil- 
lingly nourish  her  own  child,  not  only  with  her  own  milk, 
but  even,  if  possible,  with  her  life.  When,  therefore,  the 
Prophet  says  that  children  cried  to  their  mothers,  he  means 
to  represent  a  sad  spectacle,  and  which  ought  justly  to 
produce  horror  in  the  minds  of  all.  Where  is  bread  and 
wine  ?  he  says,  even  ivhen  they  vanished  aivay  (some  say 
*^  fainted,''  but  I  prefer,  as  I  have  said,  this  rendering)  as  a 
dead  man  in  the  streets  ;  and  further,  ivhen  they  poured  out, 
a  sadder  thing  still, — luhen  they  poured  out  their  souls  into 
the  bosom  of  their  mothers.     It  now  follows, — 

13.  What  thing  shall  I  take  to  13.  Quid   contestabor    tibi    {vel, 

witness  for  thee  ?  what  thing  shall  adducam  tibi  testes,  vel,  testificabor 

I  liken  to  thee,  O  daughter  of  Jeru-  tecum  ?)  quid  simile  tibi  faciam,  filia 

salem?  what  .shall  I  equal  to  thee,  Jerusalem  (dcZ,  cur?  nOpofg^itrans- 

*  That  young  children  and  infants  are  spoken  of,  is  evident  from  the 
end  of  the  verse  ;  the  one  died  in  the  streets,  and  the  other  in  the  mother's 
bosom.  The  question,  "  Where  is  corn,"  &c.,  is  to  be  understood  of  the 
children,  young  boys  and  girls. — Ed. 

*  To  correspond  with  the  former  verse,  the  versions  render  this,  "  They 
said  to  their  mothers."  The  verb  is,  indeed,  in  the  future  tense,  and  it 
might  be  rendered,  "  To  their  mothers  would  they  say  ;"  for  the  Hebrew 
future  may  be  thus  rendered, — 

12.  To  their  mothers  would  they  say,  "  Where  is  corn  and  wine?" 
When  they  fainted  as  one  wounded  in  the  streets  of  the  city, 
When  they  poured  out  their  life  into  the  bosom  of  their  mothers. — Ed. 


366  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.         LECT.  YI. 

that  I  may  comfort  thee,  O  virgin  ferri  iitroque  modo  ;)  quid  (vel,  cur) 
daughter  of  Zion?  for  thy  breach  sequabo  tibi  quicquam  (est  repetiiio, 
is  great  hke  the  sea ;  who  can  heal  sed  diverso  verbo)ui  te  consoler,  vir- 
thee  ?  go  filia  Sion  ?  quia  magna  sicut  mare 

contritio  tua  ;  quis  sanabit  te  ? 

When  we  wish  to  alleviate  grief,  we  are  wont  to  bring 
examples  which  have  some  likeness  to  the  case  before  us. 
For  when  any  one  seeks  to  comfort  one  in  illness,  he  will 
say,  "  Thou  art  not  the  first  nor  the  last,  thou  hast  many 
like  thee  ;  why  shouldest  thou  so  much  torment  thyself ;  for 
this  is  a  condition  almost  common  to  mortals/'  As,  then,  it 
is  an  ordinary  way  of  alleviating  grief  to  bring  forward  ex- 
amples, the  Prophet  says,  "  What  examples  shall  I  set  be- 
fore thee  ?  that  is,  why  or  to  what  purpose  should  I  mention 
to  thee  this  or  that  man  who  is  like  thee  ?  or.  What  then 
shall  I  call  thee  to  witness,  or  testify  to  thee  ?"  But  I  prefer 
this  rendering,  "  To  what  purpose  should  I  bring  witnesses 
to  thee,  who  may  say  that  they  have  seen  something  of  a 
like  kind  ?  for  these  things  will  avail  thee  nothing/'^ 

The  Prophet,  then,  means  that  comforts  commonly  ad- 
ministered to  those  in  misery,  would  be  of  no  benefit,  be- 
cause the  calamity  of  Jerusalem  exceeded  all  other  examples, 
as  though  he  had  said,  "  No  such  thing  had  ever  happened 
in  the  world  ;  God  had  never  before  thundered  so  tremen- 
dously against  any  people  ;  were  I,  then,  to  seek  to  bring 
examples  to  thee,  I  should  be  utterly  at  a  loss  ;  for  when  I 
compare  thee  with  others  in  misery,  I  find  that  thou  exceed- 
est  them  all/'  We  now,  then,  perceive  the  meaning  of  the 
Prophet :  he  wished  by  this  mode  of  speaking  to  exaggerate 
the  grievousness  of  Jerusalem's  calamity,  for  slie  had  been 
afflicted  in  a  manner  unusual  and  unheard  of  before  ;  as 
though  he  had  said  that  the  Jews  had  become  miserable  be- 
yond all  other  nations.  Why  then  should  I  bring  witnesses 
before  thee  ?  and  why  should  I  make  any  one  like  thee  ?  why 
should  I  make  other  miserable  jwojyle  equal  to  thee  ?  He 
adds  the  reason  or  the  end  (for  the  ),  vau,  here  ought  to  be 
so  rendered)  that  I  might  comfort  thee,  that  is,  after  the  usual 
manner  of  men. 

'  The  simpler  rendering  would  be,  "  What  shall  I  testify  (or  declare)  to 
thee  ?"     JSo  the  iSept.  ■•  or,  '•  What  shall  I  call  thee  to  witness  ?"'—  Ed. 


CHAP.  II.  14.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  367 

He  afterwards  adds,  because  great  as  the  sea  is  thy  breach 
or  breaking  ;  that  is,  "  Thy  calamity  is  the  deepest  abyss  : 
I  cannot  then  find  any  in  the  whole  world  whom  I  can  com- 
pare to  thee,  for  thy  calamity  exceeds  all  calamities  ;  nor 
is  there  anything  like  it  that  can  be  set  before  thee,  so  that 
thou  art  become  a  memorable  example  for  all  ages/' 

But  when  we  hear  the  Prophet  speaking  thus,  we  ought 
to  remember  that  we  have  succeeded  in  the  place  of  the 
ancient  people.  As,  then,  God  had  formerly  punished  with 
so  much  severity  the  sins  of  his  chosen  people,  w^e  ought  to 
beware  lest  we  in  the  present  day  provoke  him  to  an  ex- 
tremity by  our  perverseness,  for  he  remains  ever  like  him- 
self But  whenever  it  may  happen  that  we  are  severely 
afflicted  and  broken  down  by  his  hand,  let  us  still  know 
that  there  is  yet  some  comfort  remaining  for  us,  even  when 
sunk  down  in  the  lowest  depth.  The  Prophet,  indeed,  ex- 
aggerates in  this  place  the  evils  of  the  people  ;  but  he  had 
previously  begun  to  encourage  the  faithful  to  entertain 
hope ;  and  he  will  again  rei)eat  the  same  doctrine.  But 
it  was  necessary  for  the  Prophet  to  use  such  words  until 
those  who  were  as  yet  torpid  in  their  sins,  and  did  not  suffi- 
ciently consider  the  design  of  God's  vengeance,  were  really 
humbled.     He  adds, — 

14,  Thy  prophets  have         14.  Prophets  tiii  videnint  tibi  vanitatem 

seen  vain  and  foolish  things  et  insulsitatem  (vel,  insipidum,)  et  nonaperu- 

for  thee;  and   they  have  erunt  super  iniquitate  tua  (/^oc  es^,  non  revela- 

not   discovered  thine  ini-  runt  tibi,  aiit,  manifestarunt  iniquitatem  tu- 

quity,   to  turn  away  thy  am,)  ut  converterent  captivitatem  tuam  (alii 

captivity ;  but  have   seen  vertimt,  aversionem  tuam,  vel,  defectionem) 

for  thee  false  burdens,  and  et  viderunt  tibi  prophetias  vanitatis,  et  expul- 

causes  of  banishment.  siones. 

Here  the  Prophet  condemns  the  Jews  for  that  wanton- 
ness by  which  they  had,  as  it  were,  designedly  destroyed 
themselves,  as  though  they  had  wilfully  drunk  sweet  poison. 
They  had  been  inebriated  with  those  fallacies  which  we  have 
seen,  when  impostors  promised  them  a  prosperous  condi- 
tion ;  for  we  have  seen  that  false  prophets  often  boldly  de- 
clared that  whatever  Jeremiah  threatened  was  of  no  account. 
Since,  then,  the  Jews  were  inebriated  with  such  flatteries, 
and  disregarded  God's  judgment,  and  freely  indulged  them- 
selves in  their  vices,  the  effect  was,  that  God's  wrath  had 


3 08  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.       LECT.  VI. 

been  always  and  continually  kindled  by  them.  Now,  then, 
Jeremiah  reproves  them  for  such  wantonness,  even  because 
they  wilfully  sought  to  be  deceived,  and  with  avidity  cast 
themselves  into  snares,  by  seeking  for  themselves  flat- 
terers as  teachers.  Micah  also  reproves  tliem  for  the  same 
thing,  tliat  they  sought  prophets  who  promised  them  a 
fruitful  vintage  and  an  abundant  harvest.  (Mic.  ii.  10.) 
The  meaning  of  Jeremiah  is  the  same. 

He  says  tliat  prophets  had  prophesied,  or  had  seen  vanity 
for  them;  but  the  verb  refers  to  prophecies,  as  prophets  are 
called  seers.  He  then  says  that  the  prophets  had  seen  vanity 
and  insipidity}  This  availed  not  to  extenuate  the  fault  of 
the  people  ;  and  Jeremiah  does  not  here  flatter  the  people, 
as  though  they  had  perislied  through  the  fault  of  others  ;  and 
yet  this  was  a  common  excuse,  for  most,  when  tliey  had  been 
deceived,  complained  that  they  had  fallen  through  being  led 
astray,  and  also  that  they  had  not  been  sufficiently  cautious 
when  subtle  men  were  laying  snares  for  them.  But  the 
Prophet  here  condemns  the  Jews,  because  they  had  been 
deceived  by  false  prophets,  as  it  was  a  just  reward  for  their 
vainglory  and  ambition.  For  they  had  very  delicate  ears, 
and  free  reproofs  could  not  be  endured  by  them  ;  in  a  word, 
when  they  rejected  all  sound  doctrine,  the  devil  must  have 
necessarily  succeeded  in  the  place  of  God,  as  also  Paul  says, 
"that  those  were  justly  punished  who  were  blinded  by  God 
so  as  to  believe  a  lie,  because  they  received  not  the  truth." 
(2Thess.  ii.  11,  12.) 

We  now  perceive  the  design  of  the  Prophet :  he  says  that 
the  Jews  had  indeed  been  deceived  by  the  false  prophets ; 
but  this  had  happened  through  their  own  fault,  because  they 
had  not  submitted  to  obey  God,  because  they  had  rejected 
sound  doctrine,  because  they  had  been  rebellious  against 
all  his  counsels.     At  the  same  time,  not  only  their  crime 

'  So  it  means  -wlien  applied  to  eatables,  but  folly  or  absurdity  when 
applied  to  words.  It  comes  from  P2J,  to  fall,  iu  the  sense  of  decaying 
or  dc;^eucrating.  It  is  what  is  neither  wise  nor  true.  Hence  it  is  ren- 
dered "foolishness"  by  the  *S'e/?<.;  "foolish"  by  the  Vulg.;  and '-'without 
substance"  by  the  Tar(i., — 

Thy  prophets,  they  have  seen  vanity  and  folly. 
What  they  had  seen  were  both  "vain,"  useless,  and  "foolish,"  absiu-d. — 
Ed. 


CHAP.  II.  14.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  ;369 

seems  to  have  been  thus  exaggerated,  but  also  their  shame 
was  brought  before  them, — because  thej  had  dared  to  set 
up  these  impostors  against  Jeremiah  as  well  as  other  ser- 
vants of  God  ;  for  they  had  boasted  greatly  of  these  their 
false  prophets  whenever  they  sought  to  exult  against  God. 
How  great  was  this  presumption  !  "When  the  false  prophets 
liad  promised  them  security,  they  immediately  triumphed  in 
an  insolent  manner  over  Jeremiah,  as  though  they  were  victo- 
rious. As,  then,  their  wickedness  and  arrogance  had  been 
such  against  God,  the  Prophet  justly  retorts  upon  them, 
"  Behold  now  as  to  your  false  prophets  ;  for  when  they  lately 
promised  to  you  prosperity  of  every  kind,  I  was  inhumanly 
treated,  and  my  calling  was  disdainfully  repudiated  by  you  ; 
let  now  your  false  prophets  come  forward  :  be  wise  at  length 
through  your  evils,  and  acknowledge  what  it  is  to  have  acted 
so  haughtily  against  God  and  against  his  servants.''  We 
now  understand  why  the  Prophet  says,  "  They  have  seen 
for  you  vanity  and  insipidity." 

He  adds,  they  have  not  opened,  or  revealed,  &c.  The  pre- 
position /!?,  ol,  is  here  redundant ;  the  words  are,  "they  have 
not  revealed  upon  thine  iniquity.''  There  is,  indeed,  a  suit- 
ableness in  the  words  in  that  language,  that  they  had  not 
applied  their  revelations  to  the  iniquities  of  the  people,  for 
they  would  have  been  thus  restored  to  the  right  way,  and 
would  have  thus  obviated  the  vengeance  of  God. 

Now,  this  passage  ought  to  be  carefully  noticed  :  Jeremiah 
spake  of  the  fallacies  of  the  false  proj^hets,  which  he  said 
were  insipid :  he  now  expresses  how  they  had  deceived  the 
people,  even  because  they  disclosed  not  their  iniquities.  Let 
us  then  know  that  there  is  nothing  more  necessary  than  to 
be  warned,  that  being  conscious  of  our  iniquities  we  may 
repent.  And  this  was  the  chief  benefit  to  be  derived  from 
the  teaching  of  the  prophets.  For  the  other  part,  the  fore- 
telling of  future  things  would  have  had  but  little  effect  had 
not  the  prophets  preached  respecting  the  vengeance  of  God, — 
had  they  not  exhorted  the  peoi)le  to  repentance, — had  they 
not  bidden  them  by  faith  to  embrace  the  mercy  of  God. 
Then  Jeremiah  in  a  manner  detects  the  false  doctrines  of 
those  who  had  corrupted  the  prophetic  doctrine,  by  saying 

VOL.  V.  2  a 


Oii)  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.       LECT.  VI. 

that  they  had  not  disclosed  iniquities.  Let  us  then  learn  by 
this  mark  how  to  distinguish  between  the  faithful  servants 
of  God  and  impostors.  For  the  Lord  by  his  word  summons 
us  before  his  tribunal,  and  would  have  our  iniquities  dis- 
covered, that  we  may  loathe  ourselves,  and  thus  open  an 
entrance  for  mercy.  But  when  what  is  brought  before  us 
only  tickles  our  ears  and  feeds  our  curiosity,  and,  at  the 
same  time,  buries  all  our  iniquities,  let  us  then  know 
that  the  refined  things  which  vastly  please  men  are  insipid 
and  useless.  Let,  then,  the  doctrine  of  repentance  be  ap- 
proved by  us,  the  doctrine  which  leads  us  to  God's  tri- 
bunal, so  that  being  cast  down  in  ourselves  we  may  flee  to 
his  mercy. 

He  afterwards  adds,  that  they  might  turn  hack  thy  capti- 
vity ;  some  prefer,  "  thy  defection'' — and  this  meaning  is  not 
unsuitable ;  but  the  Prophet,  I  have  no  doubt,  refers  to 
punishment  rather  than  to  a  crime.  Then  the  captivity  of 
the  peoj^le  would  liave  been  reversed  had  the  people  in  time 
repented  ;  for  we  obviate  God's  wrath  by  repentance :  "  If  we 
judge  ourselves,"  says  Paul,  "  w^e  shall  not  be  judged." 
(1  Cor.  xi.  31.)  As,  then",  miserable  men  anticipate  God's 
judgment  when  they  become  judges  of  themselves,  the  Pro- 
phet does  not  without  reason  say  that  the  false  prophets  had 
not  disclosed  their  iniquities,  so  that  they  miglit  remain 
quiet  in  their  own  country,  and  never  be  driven  into  exile. 
How  so  ?  for  God  would  have  been  thus  pacified,  that  is,  had 
the  people  willingly  turned  to  him,  as  it  is  said  in  Isaiah, 
"And  be  converted,  and  I  should  heal  them."  (Isa.  vi.  10.) 
Conversion,  then,  is  said  there  to  lead  to  healing  ;  for  as  fire 
when  fuel  is  withdrawn  is  extinguished,  so  also  when  we 
cease  to  sin  fuel  is  not  supplied  to  God's  wrath.  We  now, 
then,  perceive  the  meaning  of  the  Proj^het ;  he,  in  short, 
intimates  that  people  had  been  destroyed  because  they 
sought  falsehoods,  while  the  false  prophets  vainly  flattered 
them ;  for  they  would  have  in  due  time  escaped  so  great 
evils,  had  the  prophets  boldly  exhorted  the  people  to  re- 
pentance.^ 

'  The  verb  rendered  *'  turn  back,"  moans  also  lo  tnm  away  or  «aside, 


CHAP.  II.  14.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  371 

He  then  adds,  And  they  satu  for  thee  prophecies  of  vanity 
and  expulsions.  Though  the  word  HXt^^,  nieshat,  is  often 
taken  in  a  bad  sense  for  a  burden,  that  is,  a  hard  prophecy 
which  shews  that  God's  vengeance  is  nigh,  yet  it  is  doubtful 
whether  the  Prophet  takes  it  now  in  this  sense,  since  he 
speaks  of  prophecies  which  gave  hope  of  impunity  to  the 
people ;  and  these  were  not  n*)XLJ^D,  meshaut,  that  is,  they 
were  not  grievous  and  dreadful  pro2:)hecies.  But  when  all 
things  are  well  considered,  it  will  be  evident  that  Jeremiah 
did  not  without  reason  adopt  this  word  ;  for  he  afterwards 
adds  an  explanation.  The  word  HK^D,  meshae,  is  indeed 
taken  sometimes  as  meaning  any  kind  of  jDrophecy,  but  it 
properly  means  what  is  comminatory.  But  now,  \vhat  does 
Jeremiah  say  ?  They  saw  for  thee  burdens  which  thou  hast 
escaped.  For  to  render  odious  the  doctrine  of  the  holy  man, 
they  called  whatever  he  taught,  according  to  a  proverbial 
saying,  a  burden.  Thus,  then,  they  created  a  prejudice 
against  the  holy  man  by  saying  that  all  his  prophecies  con- 
tained nothing  but  terror  and  trouble.  Now,  by  way  of  con- 
cession, the  Prophet  says,  "They  themselves  have  indeed 
been  prophets  to  you,  and  they  saw,  but  saw  at  length 
burdens.'' 

While,  then,  the  false  prophets  promised  impunity  to  the 
people,  they  were  flatterers,  and  no  burden  appeared,  that  is, 
no  trouble ;  but  these  prophecies  became  at  length  much 
more  grievous  than  all  the  threatenings  with  which  Jere- 
miah had  terrified  them  ;  and  corresponding  with  this  view^ 
is  what  immediately  follows,  expulsions.  For  the  Prophet, 
I  doubt  not,  shews  here  what  fruit  the  vain  flatteries  by 
which  the  people  had  chosen  to  be  deluded  had  produced : 
for  hence  it  happened,  that  they  had  been  expelled  from 
their  country  and  driven  into  exile.  For  if  the  reason  was 
asked,  why  the  people  had  been  deprived  of  their  own  in- 
heritance, the  obvious  answer  would  have  been  this,  because 
they  had  chosen  to  be  deceived,  because  they  had  hardened 

and  this  is  the  meaning  given  it  here  by  the  Syr.,  and  most  suitable  to 
the  passage, — 

And  they  discovered  not  thine  iniquity,  to  turn  aside  thy  captivity . 
That  is,  as  the  Syr.  expresses  it,  to  avert  it. — Ed. 


372  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.       LECT.  VII. 

themselves  in  obstinacy  by  means  of  falselioods  and  vain 
jn'omises.  Since,  then,  their  exile  was  the  fruit  of  false  doc- 
trine, Jeremiah  says  now  that  these  impostors  saw  burdens 
of  vanity,  but  which  at  length  brought  burdens  ;  and  then 
they  saw  CPin^,  meduchim,^  expulsions,  even  those  things 
which  had  been  the  causes  of  expulsion  or  exile. 

PRAYER. 

Grant,  Almighty  God,  that  though  thou  chastisest  us  as  we  de- 
serve, we  may  yet  never  have  the  light  of  truth  extinguished 
among  us,  but  may  ever  see,  even  in  darkness,  at  least  some 
sparks,  Avhich  may  enable  us  to  behold  thy  paternal  goodness 
and  mercy,  so  that  we  may  especially  be  humbled  under  thy 
mighty  hand,  and  that  being  really  prostrate  through  a  deep 
feeling  of  repentance,  we  may  raise  our  hopes  to  heaven,  and 
never  doubt  but  that  thou  wilt  at  length  be  reconciled  to  us 
when  we  seek  thee  in  thine  only-begotten  Son. — Amen. 


Hectare  ^e\jenti)» 

15.  All  that  pass  by  clap  thtir  1.5.  Plauserunt  super  te  manibus 

hands  at  thee;  they  hiss  and  wag  suis  (z'c? e*^, comploserunt  manus suas) 

their    head   at    the    daughter    of  omnes  transeuntes  per  viam,  sibila- 

Jerusalem,  saying,  Is  this  tlie  city  runt,  et  moverunt  caput  suum  super 

that   men   call   The   perfection  of  filia  Jerusalem,  An  hsec  urbs  de  qua 

beauty,    The    joy   of    the    whole  dixerunt,  perfecta  decore,  gaudium 

earth?  totius  terras  ? 

The  Prophet  here  reminds  the  Jews  of  the  miseries  by 
which  they  had  been  already  in  an  extreme  measure  afflic- 
ted, so  that  these  words  seem  redundant  and  somewhat 
unkind  ;  for  unseasonable  is  reproof  when  one  lies  down,  as 
it  were,  worn  out  with  evils.  As  this  was  the  condition  of 
the  people,  the  Prophet  ought  not  to  have  made  more 
bitter  their  grief.    But  we  have  already  referred  to  the  reason 

^  There  seems  to  be  a  mistake  in  this  word  of  a  1  for  aii  "I,  two  letters 
very  similar;  for  the  Targ.,  the  Syr.,  and  the  Arab.,  must  have  so  read 
the  word,  as  they  render  it  in  the  sense  of  what  is  deceptive,  fallacious,  or 
imaginary.  It  is  in  the  last  rendered  "phantasms."  The  word  occurs  in 
Jcr.  xxii.  14,  and  is  apjdied  to  chambers  through  which  air  or  wind  passed 
Irccly.  It  may  be  rendered  here  winds  or  airy  things.  ►Such  was  the 
character  of  their  prophecies.  This  is  far  more  suitable  to  the  passage 
than  expulsions  or  rejections,  as  given  by  the  /Sept.  and  Vulg. — 7v/. 


CHAP.  II.  15.        COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  373 

for  this,  even  because  the  Jews,  though  they  mourned  and 
were  extremely  sorrowful  in  their  calamities,  did  not  yet 
consider  whence  their  evils  came.  It  was  therefore  neces- 
sary that  they  should  be  more  and  more  awakened  ;  for  it 
is  but  of  little  profit  for  any  one  to  suifer  evils,  except 
he  has  regard  to  God's  judgment.  We  hence  perceive  the 
design  of  the  Prophet,  why  he  so  much  at  large  speaks 
of  the  miseries  winch  were  seen  by  all,  and  could  not  escape 
the  notice  of  the  Jews,  who  were  almost  overwhelmed  with 
them  ;  for  it  was  not  enough  for  them  to  feel  their  miseries, 
except  they  also  considered  the  cause  of  them. 

He  then  says.  All  who  have  passed  by  clapped  their  hands 
and  hissed  and  moved  the  head,  either  in  token  of  mockery, 
or  of  abhorrence,  which  is  more  probable.  He  then  says, 
that  they  moved  or  shook  the  head  at  the  daughter  of  Je- 
rusalem,^ Is  this  the  city  of  luhich  they  said,  It  is  perfect  in 
beauty,  and  the  joy  of  the  whole  earth  ?  I  know  not  why  some 
render  H  /  vD,  calilat,  a  crown  ;  it  comes,  as  it  is  well  known, 
from  /7^,  calal,  which  means  fulness,  or  anything  solid. 
He  then  says,  that  Jerusalem  had  been  p)erfect  in  beauty, 
because  God  had  adorned  it  with  singular  gifts ;  he  had 
especially  favoured  it  with  the  incomparable  honour  of  being 
called  by  his  name.  Hence  Jerusalem  was  in  a  manner  the 
earthly  palace  of  God,  that  is,  on  account  of  the  Temple  ; 
and  further,  it  was  there  that  the  doctrine  of  salvation  was 
to  be  found  ;  and  remarkable  was  this  promise,  "  From  Sion 
shall  go  forth  the  law,  and  the  word  of  God  from  Jerusalem.'' 
(Isa.  ii.  3.)  God  had  also  promised  to  Ezekiel,  that  this 
city  would  be  the  fountain  and  origin  of  salvation  to  the 
whole  world.  (Ezek.  xlvii.  1-12.)  As,  then,  Jerusalem  had 
been  adorned  with  so  remarkable  gifts,  the  Prophet  intro- 
duces here  strangers,  who  ask,  "  Could  it  be  that  a  city  so 
celebrated  for  beauty  had  become  a  desolation  ?" 

He  calls  it  also  the  joy  of  the  whole  earth  ;  for  God  had 
poured  there  his  gifts  so  liberally,  that  it  was  a  cause  of  joy 
to  all.     For  we  delight   in  beautiful  things  ;  and  wherever 

*  Jeremiah  relates  what  had  taken  place,  the  verbs  being  in  the  past 
tense.  Our  version  is  not  correct  in  rendering  the  verbs  in  the  present 
tense.     The  old  versions  follow  the  Hebrew. — Ed. 


374  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.  VII. 

God's  gifts  appear,  we  ought  to  have  our  hearts  filled  with 
joy.  Some  give  a  more  refined  explanation — that  Jerusalem 
had  been  the  joy  of  the  w^iole  earth,  because  men  have  no 
peace  except  God  be  propitious  to  them  ;  and  there  God 
had  deposited  the  testimony  and  pledge  of  his  favour :  and 
thus  Jerusalem  made  glad  the  whole  world,  because  it  in- 
vited all  nations  to  God.  This,  at  the  first  view,  is  plau- 
sible ;  but  it  seems  to  me  more  refined  than  solid.  I  am, 
therefore,  content  with  this  simple  view,  that  Jerusalem  was 
the  joy  of  the  whole  earth,  because  God  had  designed  that 
his  favour  should  appear  there,  which  might  justly  excite  the 
whole  world  to  rejoice.^     It  afterwards  follows, — 

16.  All  thine  enemies  have  opened         16.  Aperuerunt"^  super  te  os  suuiii 

their  mouth  against  thee  ;  they  hiss  cuncti  hostes  tui,  sibilarunt  et  fren- 

and  gnash  the  teeth  :  they  say,  We  duerunt  dente  {vel,  dentibus  ;)  dix- 

have   swalloAved  her  up :    certainly  erunt,  Devorabimus ;  utique  hie  dies 

this  is  the  day  that  we  looked  for  ;  quern  expectavimus  ;  invenimus,  vi- 

we  have  found,  we  have  seen  it.  dimus. 

Here,  also,  the  Prophet  introduces  enemies  as  insolently 
exulting  over  the  miseries  of  the  peoj^le.  He  first  says, 
that  they  had  ojyeJied  the  mouth,  even  that  they  might  loudly 
upbraid  them  ;  for  he  is  not  said  to  open  the  mouth  who 
only  speaks,  but  who  insolently  and  freely  utters  his  calum- 
nies. God  is,  indeed,  sometimes  said  emphatically  to  open 
his  mouth,  when  he  announces  something  that  deserves  spe- 
cial notice  ;  and  so  Matthew  says,  that  Christ  opened  his 
mouth  when  he  spoke  of  true  happiness.  (Matt.  v.  2.)  But 
in  this  place  and  in  others  the  enemy  is  said  to  open  his 
mouth,  who,  with  a  full  mouth,  so  to  speak,  taunts  him  whom 

^  Tlie  words  may  be  rendered,  "  the  joy  of  the  whole  land,"  i.e.,  the 
land  of  Israel ;  which  was  strictly  true. — Ed. 

"  This  verse  begins  with  D,  and  the  next  with  V  ;  thus  the  alphabetical 
order  is  deranged.  The  same  thing  occurs  in  the  two  next  chapters, 
though  in  the  first  chapter  the  usual  order  of  the  letters  is  preserved. 
Many  conjectures  have  been  made  on  the  subject,  but  no  satisfactory  rea- 
son has  been  assigned.  The  Tanj.  and  the  curly  versions,  except  the  S^r., 
follow  ill  the  three  places  the  present  text ;  only  the  Sept.,  very  strangely, 
pretix  the  letters  in  their  alphabetical  order,  and  yet  give  the  verses  as 
they  now  are.  When,  added  to  this,  we  find  the  meaning  favours  the 
present  arrangement,  we  cannot  but  conclude  that  it  was  the  original  one, 
though  the  reason  why  Jeremiah  changed,  as  to  these  two  letters,  even 
in  three  instances,  the  alphabetical  order,  cannot  now  be  discovered. — 
Ed. 


CHAP.  II.  16.       COMMENTARIES  UN  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  o75 

he  sees  worn  out  with  evils.  Hence,  he  refers  to  petu- 
lance or  insolence,  when  he  says,  that  enemies  had  opened 
their  mouth. 

He  then  adds,  that  they  had  hissed.  By  hissing  he  no 
doubt  means  scoffing  or  taunting  ;  for  it  immediately  fol- 
lows, that  they  had  gnashed  with  their  teeth,  as  though  he 
had  said,  that  enemies  not  only  blamed  and  condemned 
them,  but  had  also  given  tokens  of  extreme  hatred  ;  for  he 
who  gnashes  with  his  teeth  thus  shews  the  bitterness  of  his 
mind,  and  even  fury  ;  for  to  gnash  the  teeth  is  what  belongs 
to  a  wild  beast.  The  Prophet  then  says,  that  enemies  had 
not  only  harassed  the  people  with  taunts  and  scoffs,  but 
had  also  cruelly  and  even  furiously  treated  them.  Now 
we  know  that  to  men  of  ingenuous  minds,  such  a  treat- 
ment is  harder  than  death  itself:  for  it  is  deemed  by  many 
a  hard  thing  to  fall  in  battle — and  we  see  how  men  of  war 
expose  themselves  to  the  greatest  danger  ;  but  a  disgraceful 
death  is  far  more  bitter.  The  Prophet,  then,  no  doubt,  am- 
plifies the  miseries  of  the  people  by  this  circumstance,  that 
they  had  been  harassed  on  every  side  by  taunts.  And  he 
mentions  this  on  purpose,  because  reproofs  by  the  prophets 
had  not  been  received  by  them  ;  for  we  know  how  perversely 
the  Jews  had  rebelled  against  the  prophets,  when  they  re- 
proved them  in  God's  name.  As,  then,  they  would  not  have 
borne  the  paternal  reproofs  of  God,  they  were  thus  constrained 
to  bear  the  reproaches  of  enemies,  and  to  receive  the  just  re- 
ward of  their  pride  and  presumption.  Nor  is  there  a  doubt, 
as  I  have  said,  but  that  the  Prophet  related  reproaches  of 
this  kind,  and  the  scoffs  of  enemies,  that  the  people  might 
at  length  know  that  they  had  been  exposed  to  such  evils, 
because  they  had  proudly  rejected  the  reproofs  given  them 
by  the  prophets. 

He  says,  that  enemies  spoke  thus,  We  have  devoured; 
surely  this  is  the  day  which  we  have  expected ;  as  though  they 
triumphed  when  they  saw  that  they  got  the  victory,  and  that 
they  could  do  with  the  people  as  they  pleased.  And  as  I 
have  said,  this  in  itself  was  a  very  bitter  thing  to  the  people  ; 
but  when  the  Prophet  related,  as  in  the  person  of  the  ene- 
mies, what  was   already   sufficiently   known    to  them,   the 


.370  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.       LECT.  YII. 

people  ouglit  to  liave  called  to  mind  the  reason  why  they 

had  been  so  severely  afflicted  ;  and  this  is  what  the  Prophet 

clearly  sets  forth  in  the  next  verse ;  for  he  adds, — 

17.    The   Lord   hath   done   that  17.    Fecit    Jehova     quod    cogi- 

which  he  had  devised;  he  ha  I  h  fulfil-  taverat,  complevit  sermonem  suum 

led  his  Mord  that  he  had  commanded  quern    prajcepcrat    a.   diebus    anti- 

in  the  days  of  old :  he  hath  thrown  quis :    diruit    {vel,   evertit)   et   non 

down,  and  hath  not  pitied :  and  he  pepercit  ;    et   exhilaravit   super   te 

hath  caused  thine  enemy  to  rejoice  inimicum,  et  extulit  cornu  hostium 

over  thee ;  he  hath  set  up  the  horn  tuorum. 
of  thine  adversaries. 

Had  tlic  Prophet  related  only  the  boastings  of  enemies, 
the  people  would  have  probably  become  more  hardened  in 
their  sorrow.  But  now,  on  the  other  hand,  he  assumes  a 
different  character.  After  having  represented  how^  inso- 
lently the  enemies  conducted  themselves,  he  now  says,  Je- 
hovah hath  done  what  he  had  determined  ;  and  thus  from 
the  taunts  of  enemies  he  calls  the  attention  of  the  people  to 
the  judgment  of  God.  For  when  enemies  insult  us,  we  in- 
deed feel  hurt,  but  afterwards  grief  in  a  manner  blunts  our 
feelings.  Our  best  remedy  then  is,  not  to  have  our  thoughts 
fixed  on  the  insolence  of  men,  but  to  know  what  the  Scrip- 
ture often  reminds  us,  that  the  wicked  arc  the  scourges  of 
God  by  which  he  chastises  us.  This,  then,  is  the  subject 
which  the  Prophet  now  handles.  He  says  that  God  had 
done,  &c.  ;  as  though  he  had  said,  that  however  enemies 
might  exceed  moderation,  yet  if  the  people  attended  to  God 
there  was  a  just  cause  why  they  should  humble  themselves. 

He  says,  first,  that  Jehovah  had  done  what  he  had  deter- 
mined :  for  the  word  to  iliink  is  improperly  applied  to  God, 
but  vet  it  is  often  done,  as  we  have  before  seen.  He  then 
says,  that  he  \md fulfilled  the  word  which  he  had  formerly 
commanded  ;  for  had  the  Prophet  touched  only  on  the  secret 
counsel  of  God,  the  Jews  might  have  been  in  doubt  as  to 
what  it  was.  And  certainly,  as  our  minds  cannot  penetrate 
into  that  deep  abyss,  in  vain  would  he  have  spoken  of  the 
hidden  judgments  of  God.  It  was  therefore  necessary  to 
come  down  to  the  doctrine,  by  which  God,  as  far  as  it  is 
expedient,  manifests  to  us  what  would  otherwise  be  not  only 
hidden,  but  also  incompreliensiblc  ;  for  were  we  to  inquire 
into  God's  judgments,  we  should  sini<  into  the  deep.     But 


UHAP.  II.  17.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  377 

when  we  direct  our  minds  to  what  God  has  taught  us,  we  find 
that  he  reveals  to  us  whatever  is  necessary  to  be  known  ; 
and  tliough  even  by  his  word,  we  cannot  perfectly  know  his 
hidden  judgments,  yet  we  may  know  them  in  part,  and 
as  I  have  said,  as  far  as  it  is  expedient  for  us.  This,  then, 
is  the  reason  why  the  Prophet,  after  having  spoken  of  God's 
counsels  and  decrees,  adds  the  word. 

Let  us  then  hold  to  this  rule,  even  to  seek  from  the  Law 
and  the  Prophets,  and  the  Gospel,  whatever  we  desire  to 
know  respecting  the  secret  judgments  of  God  ;  for,  were  we 
to  turn  aside,  even  in  the  smallest  degree,  from  what  is 
taught  us,  the  immensity  of  God's  glory  would  immediately 
swallow  up  all  our  thoughts  ;  and  experience  sufficiently 
teaches  us,  that  nothing  is  more  dangerous  and  even  fatal 
than  to  allow  ourselves  more  liberty  in  this  respect  than 
what  behoves  us.  Let  us  then  learn  to  bridle  all  curiosity 
when  we  speak  of  God's  secret  judgments,  and  histantly  to 
direct  our  minds  to  the  word  itself,  that  they  may  be  in  a 
manner  inclosed  there.  Moreover,  the  Prophet  was  also 
able,  in  this  manner,  more  easily  to  check  whatever  the  Jews 
might  have  been  otherwise  ready  to  object  :  for  we  know 
that  they  were  always  wont  to  murmur,  and  that  as  soon  as 
the  prophets  spake,  they  brought  forward  many  exceptions, 
by  which  they  attempted  to  confute  their  doctrine. 

As,  then,  they  were  an  unteachable  people,  Jeremiah  did 
not  only  speak  of  God's  hidden  judgments,  of  which  some 
doubt  might  have  been  alleged  ;  but,  in  order  to  cut  off  every 
occasion  for  disputes  and  contentions,  he  mentioned  the  word 
itself ;  and  thus  he  held  the  Jews  as  it  were  convicted ;  for, 
as  it  is  said  by  Moses,  they  could  not  have  objected  and 
said,  "  Who  shall  ascend  into  heaven  ?  who  shall  descend 
into  the  deep  ?  who  shall  pass  over  the  sea  V  (Deut.  xxx. 
12-14  ;)  for  in  their  mouth  was  God's  word,  that  is,  God  had 
sufficiently  made  known  his  judgments,  so  that  they  could 
not  complain  of  obscurity.  We  now  then  perceive  another 
reason  why  the  Propliet  joined  the  word  to  God's  judgments 
and  decrees  or  counsel. 

But  he  says  that  this  word  had  been  published  from 
ancient  days ;  and  here  he  touches  on  the  untameable  obsti- 


S78  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.        LECT.   VII. 

nacy  of  the  peoj^le  ;  for  had  they  been  admonished  a  few 
days  or  a  short  time  before,  they  might  have  expostulated 
with  God  ;  and  there  might  have  been  some  specious  ap- 
pearance that  God  had  as  it  were  made  too  great  haste  in 
his  rigour.  But  as  propliets  had  been  sent,  one  after  another, 
and  as  he  had  not  ceased  for  many  years,  nay,  for  many  ages, 
to  exhort  them  to  repentance,  and  to  threaten  them  also  tliat 
they  might  repent,  hence  their  inveterate  impiety  more  fully 
betriiyed  itself.  Tliis  is  the  reason  why  the  Prophet  now 
mentions  the  ancient  days,  in  which  God  had  published  his 
word. 

He  at  length  adds,  he  hath  subverted  and  not  spared.  He 
does  not  here  charge  God  with  too  much  rigour,  but  rather 
he  reproves  the  Jews,  so  that  from  the  grievousness  of  their 
punishment  they  might  know  how  intolerable  had  been  their 
iniquity.  He  would  then  have  them  to  judge  of  their  sins 
by  their  punishment,  for  God  does  not  act  unjustly  towards 
men.  It  hence  follows,  that  when  we  are  severely  afflicted 
by  his  hand,  it  is  a  proof  that  we  have  been  very  wicked. 

He  then  concludes  that  it  was  God  who  had  exhilarated 
their  enemies,  and  raised  up  their  ho7'n}  By  these  words  he 
confirms  the  doctrine  on  which  I  have  already  touched,  that 
we  ought  to  turn  our  eyes  to  God,  when  men  are  insolent 
to  us  and  exult  over  our  miseries;  for  such  a  reproach  might 
otherwise  wholly  overwhelm  us.  But  when  we  consider  that 
we  are  chastised  by  God,  and  that  the  wicked,  however  petu- 
lantly they  may  treat  us,  are  yet  God's  scourges,  then  we 
resolve  with  calm  and  resigned  minds  to  bear  what  would 
otherwise  wear  us  out  by  its  acerbity.     It  follows, — 

18.  Their  heart  cried  unto  the         18.   Clamavit  cor  eorum  ad  Domi- 

Lord,  O  -svall  of  the  daughter  of  num  ;  Mure  filia)   Sion,  deducas  tan- 

Zion,  let  tears  run  down  like  a  quam  fluviuni  laclirymas  {vcl,  taiiquam 

river  day  and  night :  give  thyself  fluvius)  die  et  nocte ;  ne  des  requiem 

no  rest ;  let  not  the  apple  of  thine  tibi,  ne  sileat  {hue  est,  ne  quiescat) 

eye  cease.  pupilla  oculi  tui. 

He  means  not  that  their  heart  really  cried  to  God,  for 
there  was  no  cry  in  their  heart  ;  but  by  this  expression  lie 

^  Literally  it  is, — 

And  he  hath  made  to  rejoice  over  thee  the  enemy. 
He  hath  exalted  the  horn  of  thine  oppressors. — Kd, 


CHAP.  II.  18.       COMMENTAKIES  ON  THE  LAMEKTATIONS.  379 

sets  forth  the  vehemence  of  their  grief,  as  though  he  had 
said,  that  the  heart  of  the  people  was  oppressed  with  so 
much  sorrow,  tliat  their  feelings  burst  forth  into  crying  ; 
for  crying  arises  from  extreme  grief,  and  when  any  one  cries 
or  weeps,  he  has  no  control  over  himself  Silence  is  a  token 
of  patience  ;  but  when  grief  overcomes  one,  he,  as  though 
forgetting  himself,  necessarily  bursts  out  into  crying.  This 
is  the  reason  why  he  says  that  their  heart  cried  to  Jehovah. 

But  we  must  observe,  that  the  piety  of  the  people  is  not 
here  commended,  as  though  they  complained  of  their  evils 
to  God  in  sincerity  and  w^ith  an  honest  heart :  on  the  con- 
trary, the  Prophet  means  that  it  was  a  common  cry,  often 
uttered  even  by  the  reprobate ;  for  nature  in  a  manner 
teaches  this,  that  we  ought  to  flee  to  God  when  02)pressed 
by  evils  ;  and  even  those  wdio  have  no  fear  of  God  exclaim 
in  their  extreme  miseries,  "  God  be  merciful  to  us.''  And, 
as  I  have  said,  such  a  cry  does  not  flow  from  a  right  feeling 
or  from  the  true  fear  of  God,  but  from  the  strong  and  turbid 
impulse  of  nature :  and  thus  God  has  from  the  beginning- 
rendered  all  mortals  inexcusable.  So,  then,  now^  the  Pro- 
phet says,  that  the  Jews  cried  to  God,  or  that  their  heart 
cried  ;  not  that  they  looked  to  God  as  they  ought  to  have 
done,  or  that  they  deposited  with  him  their  sorrows  and  cast 
them  into  his  bosom,  as  the  Prophet  encourages  us  to  do  ; 
but  because  they  found  no  remedy  in  the  world — for  as  long 
as  men  find  any  comfort  or  help  in  the  world,  with  that  they 
are  satisfied.  Whence,  then,  was  this  crying  to  God  ?  even 
because  the  w^orld  oftered  them  nothing  in  which  they  could 
acquiesce  ;  for  it  is  indigenous,  as  it  were,  in  our  nature 
(that  is,  corrupt  nature)  to  look  around  here  and  there, 
when  any  evil  oppresses  us.  Now,  when  w^e  find,  as  I  have 
said,  anything  as  a  help,  even  an  empty  spectre,  to  that  w^e 
cleave,  and  never  raise  up  our  eyes  to  God.  But  wdien 
necessity  forces  us,  then  we  begin  to  cry  to  God.  Then  the 
Prophet  means  that  the  people  had  been  reduced  to  the 
greatest  straits,  when  he  says  that  their  heart  ci  led  to  God. 

He  afterwards  turns  to  the  luall  of  Jerusalem,  and  ascribes 
understanding  to  an  inanimate  thing.  0  wall  of  Jerusalem, 
he  says,  draw  down  tears  as  though  thou  wert  a  river ;  or. 


380  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.         LEGT.  VII. 

as  a  river  ;  for  both  meanings  may  be  admitted.  But  by 
stating  a  part  for  the  whole,  he  includes  under  the  word 
wall,  the  whole  city,  as  it  is  well  known.  And  yet  there  is 
still  a  personification,  for  neither  houses,  nor  walls,  nor  gates, 
nor  streets,  could  shed  tears  ;  but  Jeremiah  could  not,  except 
by  this  hyperbolical  language,  sufficiently  express  the  extent 
of  their  cry.  This  was  the  reason  why  he  addressed  the  very 
wall  of  the  city,  and  bade  it  to  shed  tears  like  a  river? 

There  seems  to  be  some  allusion  to  the  ruins  ;  for  the 
walls  of  the  city  had  been  broken  down  as  tliough  they  were 
melted.  And  then  the  Prophet  seems  to  allude  to  the  pre- 
vious hardness  of  the  people,  for  their  hearts  had  been  ex- 
tremely stupified.  As,  then,  they  never  had  been  flexible, 
whether  addressed  by  doctrine,  or  exhortations,  or  threaten- 
ings,  lie  now  by  implication  brings  forward  in  contrast  with 
them  the  walls  of  the  city,  as  though  he  had  said,  "  Hitherto 
no  one  of  God's  servants  could  draw  even  one  tear  from  your 
eyes,  so  great  was  your  hardness  ;  but  now  the  very  walls 
weep,  for  they  dissolve,  as  though  they  would  send  forth 
rivers  of  waters.  Therefore  the  very  stones  turn  to  tears, 
because  ye  have  hitherto  been  hardened  against  God  and 
all  prophetic  instruction.'' 

He  afterwards  adds.  Spare  not  thyself,  give  not  thyself  rest 
day  or  night,  and  let  not  the  daughter  of  thine  eye,  or  the 
pupil  of  thine  eye,  cease,  literally,  be  silent ;  but  to  be  silent 
is  metaphorically  taken  in  the  sense  of  ceasing  or  resting. 
He  intimates  that  there  would  be,  nay,  that  there  was  now, 
an  occasion  of  continual  lamentation  ;  and  hence  he  exhorted 
them  to  weep  day  and  night ;  as  though  he  had  said,  that 
sorrow  would  continue  without  intermission,  as  there  would 

'  The  meaniiif^  suggested  by  the  Vulgate  is  the  most  appropriate.  The 
words  may  be  rendered  thus, — 

Cried  has  their  heart  to  the  Lord, 

"  O  the  wall  of  the  daughter  of  8ion  !" — 

Bring  down  like  a  torrent  the  tear,  day  and  night ; 

Give  no  rest  to  thyself, 

Let  not  cease  the  daughter  of  thine  eye. 
Their  exclamation  was,  "  O  the  wall,"  &c.  Then  follow  the  words  of 
Jeremiah  to  the  end  of  the  chapter  ;  but  the  daughter  of  Sion,  not  the 
wall,  is  exhorted  to  weep  and  repent.  "  The  daughter  of  the  eye,"  may 
be  tiie  tear,  as  suggested  by  Blayney  and  approved  by  Horslcy ;  and  it 
would  bw'  more  suitable  here. — K'h 


CHAP.  II.  19.        COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  381 

be  no  relaxation  as  to  their  evils.  But  we  must  bear  in 
mind  what  we  have  before  said,  that  the  Prophet  did  not 
speak  thus  to  embitter  the  sorrow  of  the  people.  We  indeed 
know  that  the  minds  of  men  are  very  tender  and  delicate 
while  under  evils,  and  then  that  they  rush  headlong  into 
impatience ;  but  as  they  were  not  as  yet  led  to  true  repent- 
ance, he  sets  before  them  the  punishment  which  God  had 
inflicted,  that  they  might  thereby  be  turned  to  consider  their 
own  sins.      It  follows, — 

19.  Arise,  cry  out  in  the  nii^ht ;  19.  Surge,    Clama   node  principio 

in  the  beginning  of  the  watches  excubiaruni  (custodiarum,  ad  verbum^ 

pour  out   thine  heart  hke  Avater  sed  signijicat  vigiUos  nocturnas ;)  ef- 

before  the  face  of  the  Lord :  lift  funde  tanquam  aquas  cor  tuum  coram 

up  thy  hands  toward  him  for  the  facie  Domini ;  attolle  ad  ipsum  manus 

life  of  thy  young  children,  that  tuas  propter  animam  parvulorum  tuo- 

faiut  for  hunger  in  the  top  of  every  rum,  qui  deficiunt  fame  in  capite  om- 

street.            -^  nium  compitorura. 

The  Prophet  now  explains  himself  more  clearly,  and  con- 
firms what  I  have  lately  said,  that  he  mentioned  not  the 
calamities  of  the  people  except  for  this  end,  that  those  who 
were  almost  stupid  might  begin  to  raise  up  their  eyes  to 
God,  and  also  to  examine  their  life,  and  willingly  to  con- 
demn themselves,  that  thus  they  might  escape  from  the 
wrath  of  God. 

The  Prophet  then  bids  them  to  inse  and  to  cry.  Doubt- 
less they  had  been  by  force  constrained  by  their  enemies  to 
undertake  a  long  journey  :  why  then  does  he  bid  them  to 
rise,  w^ho  had  become  fugitives  from  their  ow^n  country,  and 
had  been  driven  away  like  sheep  ?  He  regards,  as  I  have 
said,  the  slothfulness  of  their  minds,  because  they  were  still 
lying  torpid  in  their  sins.  It  was  then  necessary  to  rouse 
them  from  this  insensibility  ;  and  this  is  what  the  Prophet 
had  in  view  by  saying,  Rise.^  And  then  he  bids  them  to 
cry  at  the  beginning  of  the  watches,  even  when  sleep  begins 
to  creep  on,  and  the  time  is  quieter ;  for  when  men  go  to 
bed,  then  sleep  comes  on,  and  that  is  the  main  rest.  But 
the  Prophet  bids  here  the  Jews  to  cry,  and  in  their  uneasi- 
ness to  utter  their  complaints  at  the  very  time  when  others 
take  their  rest.      Yet  he  did   not  wish  them  heedlessly  to 

^  The  simpler  meaning,  as  stated  by  Gataker,  is,  "Rise"  from  tliy  bed; 
for  she  is  exhorted  to  cry  in  the  night. — Ed. 


382  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.        LECT.  VII. 

pour  forth  into  the  air  their  waillngs,  but  bade  them  to 
present  their  prayers  to  God.  Then  as  to  the  circumstances 
of  that  time,  he  rej^eats  what  we  have  ah'eady  seen,  tliat  so 
great  was  their  mass  of  evils,  that  it  allowed  the  people  no 
relaxation  ;  in  short,  he  intimates  that  it  was  a  continual 
sorrow.  •• 

But,  as  I  have  said,  he  would  have  the  Jews  not  simply 
to  cry,  but  after  having  exhorted  them  to  pour  out  their 
hearts  like  waters,  he  adds,  before  the  face  of  Jehovah.  For 
the  unbelieving  make  themselves  almost  hoarse  by  crying, 
but  they  are  only  like  brute  beasts  ;  or  if  they  call  on  God's 
name,  they  do  this,  as  it  has  been  said,  through  a  rash  and 
indiscriminate  impulse.  Hence  the  Prophet  here  makes  a 
difference  between  the  elect  of  God  and  the  reprobate,  when 
he  bids  them  to  pour  forth  their  hearts  and  their  cries  before 
God,  so  as  to  seek  alleviation  from  him,  which  could  not 
have  been  done,  were  they  not  convinced  that  he  was  the 
author  of  all  their  calamities  ;  and  hence,  also,  arises  repen- 
tance, for  there  is  a  mutual  relation  between  God's  judg- 
ment and  men's  sins.  Whosoever,  then,  acknowledges  God 
as  a  judge,  is  at  the  same  time  compelled  to  examine  himself 
and  to  inquire  as  to  his  own  sins.  We  now  understand  the 
meaning  of  the  Prophet's  words. 

For  the  same  purpose  he  adds.  Raise  up  to  him  thy  hands. 
This  practice  of  itself  is,  indeed,  not  sufficient  ;  but  the 
Scripture  often  points  out  the  real  thing  by  external  signs. 
Then  the  elevation  of  the  hands,  in  this  place  and  others, 
means  the  same  thing  as  prayer  ;  and  it  has  been  usual  in 
all  ages  to  raise  up  the  hands  to  heaven,  and  the  expression 
often  occurs  in  the  Psalms,  (Ps.  xxviii.  2  ;  cxxxiv.  2 ;) 
and  when  Paul  bids  prayers  to  be  made  everywhere,  he  says, 
'^  I  would  have  men  to  raise  up  pure  hands  without  conten- 
tion." (1  Tim.  ii.  8.)  God  has  no  doubt  suggested  this 
practice  to  men,  that  they  may  first  go  beyond  the  whole 
world  when  they  seek  him  ;  and,  secondly,  that  they  may 
thus  stimulate  themselves  to  entertain  confidence,  and  also 
to  divest  themselves  of  all  earthly  desires  ;  for  except  this 
practice  wer'^  to  raise  up  our  minds,  (as  we  are  by  nature 
inclined  to  .^aperstition,)  every  one  would  seek  God  either 


CHAP.  II.  19.   COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.       383 

at  his  feet  or  by  his  side.  Then  God  has  planted  in  men 
this  feeling,  even  to  raise  upwards  their  hands,  in  order  that 
they  may  go,  as  I  have  said,  beyond  the  whole  world,  and 
that  having  thus  divested  themselves  of  all  vain  superstition, 
they  may  ascend  above  the  heavens.  This  custom,  I  allow, 
is  indeed  common  among  the  unbelieving  ;  and  thus  all  ex- 
cuse has  been  taken  away  from  them.  Though,  then,  the 
unbelieving  have  been  imbued  w^ith  gross  and  delirious  fan- 
tasies, so  as  to  connect  God  with  statues  and  pictures,  yet 
this  habit  of  raising  up  the  hands  to  heaven  ought  to  have 
been  sufficient  to  confute  all  their  erroneous  notions.  But 
it  would  not  be  enough  to  seek  God  beyond  this  world,  so 
that  no  superstition  should  possess  our  minds,  except  our 
minds  were  also  freed  from  all  worldly  desires.  For  we  are 
held  entangled  in  our  lusts,  and  then  we  seek  what  pleases 
the  flesh,  and  thus,  for  the  most  part,  men  strive  to  subject 
God  to  themselves.  Then  the  elevation  of  the  hands  does 
also  shew  that  we  are  to  deny  ourselves,  and  to  go  forth,  as 
it  were,  out  of  ourselves  whenever  we  call  on  God.  These 
are  briefly  the  things  which  may  be  said  of  the  use  of  this 
ceremony  or  practice. 

But  we  must  remember  what  I  have  referred  to,  that  the 
Prophet  designates  the  thing  itself  by  an  outward  sign,  when 
he  bids  them  to  raise  up  the  hands  to  God.  He  afterwards 
shews  the  necessity  of  this,  because  of  the  soul  of  thy  little 
ones,  who  faint  in  famine  ;^  but  the  ^,  beth,  is  redundant  here, 
— who,  then,  through  famine  faint  or  fail,  and  that  openly. 
For  it  might  have  happened  that  those  who  had  no  food 
pined  away  at  home,  and  thus  fainted  because  no  one  gave 
them  aid,  because  their  want  was  not  known.  But  w^hen 
infants  in  public  places  breathed  out  their  souls  through 
famine,  hence  was  evident  that  extreme  state  of  despair, 
which  the  Prophet  intended  here  to  set  forth  by  mentioning 
at  the  head  of  all  the  streets.     It  follow^s, — 

20.  Behold,  O  Lord,  and  consider  20.  A^ide,  Jehova,   et  aspice  cui 

to  whom  thou  hast  done  this.    Shall  feceris  sic ;    an  comedent  mulieres 

the  women  eat  their  fruit,  and  chil-  fructum  suum  {hoc  est,  foetus  suos,) 

dren  of  aspan  long  ?  shall  the  priest  parvulos  educationis  ?  an  occidetur 

'  Rather.  '•' who  fainted  through  famine;"  for  he  refers  to  what  had 
taken  place. — Ed. 


384?  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.        LECT.  VII. 

and  the  prophet  be  slain  in  the  sane-     in    sanetiiario   Domini    sacerdos  et 
tuary  of  the  Lord  ?  propheta  ? 

Here,  also,  Jeremiah  dictates  words,  or  a  form  of  prayer  to 
the  Jews.  And  this  complaint  availed  to  excite  pity,  that 
God  had  thus  afflicted,  not  strangers,  but  the  people  whom 
he  had  adopted.  Interpreters  do,  indeed,  give  another  ex- 
planation, "  See,  Jehovah,  To  whom  hast  thou  done  this  V 
that  is,  Has  any  people  been  ever  so  severely  afflicted  ?  But 
I  do  not  think  that  the  comparison  is  made  here,  which  they 
seek  to  make,  but  that  the  people  only  set  before  God  the 
covenant  which  he  had  made  with  their  fathers,  as  though 
they  said,  '*  0  Lord,  hadst  thou  thus  cruelly  raged  against 
strangers,  there  would  have  been  nothing  so  wonderful ;  but 
since  we  are  thine  heritage,  and  the  blessed  seed  of  Abraham, 
since  thou  hast  been  pleased  to  choose  us  as  thy  peculiar 
people,  what  can  this  mean,  that  thou  treatest  us  with  so 
much  severity  T' 

We  now,  then,  perceive  the  real  meaning  of  the  Prophet, 
when,  in  the  person  of  the  people,  he  speaks  thus,  See,  and 
look  on,  Jehovah,  to  whom  thou  hast  done  this  ;  for  thou  hast 
had  to  do  with  thy  children  :  not  that  the  Jews  could  al- 
lege any  worthiness  ;  but  the  gratuitous  election  of  God 
must  have  been  abundantly  sufficient  to  draw  forth  mercy. 
Nor  do  the  faithful  here  simply  ask  God  to  see,  but  they 
add  another  word,  Look  on.  By  the  two  words  they  more 
fully  express  the  indignity  of  what  had  happened,  as  though 
they  said,  that  it  was  like  a  prodigy  that  God's  people  should 
be  so  severely  afflicted,  who  had  been  chosen  by  him  :  see, 
then,  to  whoni  thou  hast  done  this. 

And  this  mode  of  praying  was  very  common,  as  we  find 
it  said  in  the  Psalms,  "  Pour  forth  thy  wrath  on  the  nations 
which  know  not  thee,  and  on  the  kingdoms  which  call  not 
on  thy  name.''  (Ps.  Ixxix.  6.)  And  a  similar  passage  we 
have  before  observed  in  our  Prophet.  (Jcr.  x.  25.)  The 
sum  of  what  is  said  is,  that  there  was  a  just  reason  why 
God  should  turn  to  mercy,  and  be  thus  reconciled  to  his 
people,  because  he  had  not  to  do  with  aliens,  but  with  his 
own  family,  whom  he  had  been  pleased  to  adopt.  But  the 
rest  I  shall  defer  until  to-morrow. 


CHAP.  II.  20.         COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  385 

PRAYER. 

Grant,  Almighty  God,  that  as  thy  Church  at  this  day  is  oppressed 
with  many  evils,  we  may  learn  to  raise  up  not  only  our  eyes  and 
our  hands  to  thee,  but  also  our  hearts,  and  that  we  may  so  fix 
our  attention  on  thee  as  to  look  for  salvation  from  thee  alone ; 
and  that  though  despair  may  overwhelm  us  on  earth,  yet  the  hope 
of  thy  goodness  may  ever  shine  on  us  from  heaven,  and  that, 
relying  on  the  Mediator  whom  thou  hast  given  us,  we  may  not 
hesitate  to  cry  continually  to  thee,  until  we  really  find  by  expe- 
rience that  our  prayers  have  not  been  in  vain,  when  thou,  pity- 
ing thy  Church,  hast  extended  thy  hand,  and  given  us  cause  to 
rejoice,  and  hast  turned  our  mourning  into  joy,  through  Christ 
our  Lord. — Amen. 


Hectare  ^igfytf)* 

We  explained  yesterday  the  complaint  of  the  Prophet, 
when  he  set  before  God  his  own  covenant.  For  it  might 
have  appeared  unreasonable  that  God  should  deal  with  so 
much  severity  with  the  Church  which  he  had  adopted. 
Hence  the  Prophet  said,  See,  Jehovah,  to  whom  thou  hast 
done  this.  He  now  mentions  some  things  calculated  to  pro- 
duce horror,  and  thus  to  obtain  pardon  from  God,  Should 
women  eat  their  ovm  fruit  I  that  is,  their  own  foetus,  the 
infants  of  nursings  1  This,  as  I  have  said,  was  a  horrible 
thing  :  for  we  see  that  mothers  often  forget  their  own  life  in 
their  concern  for  the  safety  of  their  infants.  That  a  child, 
then,  should  be  devoured  by  its  mother,  was  a  most  abomi- 
nable thing  ;  and  yet  we  know  that  it  was  done.  It  hence 
appears,  that  the  Israelites,  when  blinded  by  God,  had  fallen 
into  this  barbarity  :  for  it  happened  in  the  siege  of  Samaria, 
as  sacred  history  declares  ;  and  the  Prophet  now  mentions 
the  same  thing  as  having  taken  place  in  his  time,  and  he 
repeats  the  same  in  the  fourth  chapter.  And  Josephus  also 
says,  that  when  the  city  was  besieged  by  Titus,  the  state  of 
things  was  such,  that  mothers  agreed  to  eat  their  own  chil- 
dren, and  that  they  cast  lots  who  should  first  slay  their 
child,  and  that  they  stole  a  leg  or  an  arm  from  one  another. 
Though  it  was  so  inhuman  a  thing,  yet  the  Prophet  seeks  to 
turn  God  to  mercy  by  adducing  so  great  an  enormity.     He 

VOL.  v.  2  B 


386  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.       LECT.  VIII. 

then  says,  that  it  was  by  no  means  right,  that  mothers  should 
eat  their'  own  children,  the  children  of  nursings,  or  nurtur- 
ino^s.^ 

He  afterwards  adds,  Should  the  priest  and  the  prophet  he 
slain  in  the  sanctuary  of  the  Lord  ?  This  was  another  in- 
dignity, by  which  he  sought  to  lead  God  to  shew  mercy. 
We  indeed  know  that  tlie  priests  and  the  prophets  were 
deemed  sacred ;  and  in  the  Psalms,  where  Abraham,  Isaac, 
and  Jacob  are  referred  to,  God,  in  order  to  shew  how  much 
they  were  to  be  regarded,  says,  "  Touch  not  my  Christs,  and 
to  my  prophets  do  no  harm."  (Ps.  cv.  15.)  As,  then,  tlie 
priests  and  the  prophets  were  especially  under  the  protection 
of  God,  what  is  here  said  was  an  intolerable  atrocity.  But 
when  the  profanation  of  the  Temple  was  added,  it  was  still 
a  greater  prodigy.  Jeremiah  then  complains,  not  only  that 
the  priests  and  the  prophets  were  slain,  but  that  they  were 
slain  in  the  sanctuary.     It  now  follows, — 

21.  The  young  and  the  okl  lie  on  the  21.  Jacuenmt  in  terra  per  corn- 
ground  in  the  streets:  my  virgins  and  pita  puer  et  senex;  virgines  meae 
my  young  men  are  fallen  by  the  sword ;  et  adolescentes  mei  ceciderunt  gla- 
thou  hast  slain  them  in  the  day  of  thine  dio ;  occidisti  in  die  ira;  tuae ;  mac- 
anger;  thou  hastkilled,aw<^ not  pitied,  tasti  et  non  pepercisli. 

Here  he  relates  in  the  person  of  the  Church  another  cala- 
mity, that  the  young  and  the  aged  were  lying  prostrate  in 
the  streets;  and  he  joins  children  to  the  old  men,  to  shew 
that  there  was  no  difference  as  to  a^e.     Then  he  savs  that 

/ 

'  Educationnm.  Our  version  is  nearly  the  Vuhj.  It  is  paraphrased 
by  the  Sept.,  "  who  suck  the  breasts  ;"  and  the  Targ.  is,  "  who  are  clad 
in  silks."  Blayney  rightly  says,  that  HQD  is  the  open  palm  of  the  hand  ; 
and  he  gives  this  as  the  literal  rendering  of  the  words,  "  children  of  palms  ;" 
that  is,  children  of  sufficient  age  to  be  carried  about.  His  version  of  this 
line  is,  "  Little  ones  dandled  on  the  hands."  Ilorsley  approves  of  this 
meaning. 

The  previous  word,  DHD,  has  been  a  difficulty  to  most,  the  final  mem 
being  masculine.  "  Fruit,"  in  the  sense  of  offspring,  is  applied  to  men  as 
well  as  to  women.  We  may  take  the  final  mem  in  D"'t^3,  as  a  pronoun, 
"their  wives;"  the  same  are  meant  as  in  verse  18,  "  their  voice,"  ie., 
the  citizens  of  Jerusalem.  Thus  the  construction  Mill  be  quite  gram- 
matical. 

Should  their  own  wives  eat  their  oftspring, 

Infants  dandled  on  the  hands ! 

Should  they  be  killed  in  the  sanctuary  of  the  Ijord, 

The  priest  and  the  prophet ! 
It  is  the  language  of  humble  expostulation. — Ed. 


CHAP.  II.  22.        COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  387 

dead  bodies  were  lying  promiscuously  in  public  places.  He 
adds,  that  virgins  and  young  men  liad  fallen  hy  the  sword  ; 
by  which  he  confirms  the  previous  clause,  for  there  is  nothing 
new  said  here,  but  only  the  manner  is  shewn  by  which  they 
had  been  slain  ;  for  slain  by  the  sword  had  been  the  young 
men  and  young  women  without  any  distinction  ;  the  enemies 
at  the  same  time  had  not  spared  the  old,  while  they  killed 
the  very  flower  of  the  people. 

But  the  Prophet  at  the  same  time  shews  that  all  this  was 
to  be  ascribed  to  God,  not  that  the  Jews  might  expostulate 
with  him,  but  that  they  might  cease  vainly  to  lament  their 
calamities,  and  in  order  that  they  might  on  the  contrary 
turn  to  God.  Hence  he  does  not  say  that  the  young  and 
the  old  had  been  slain  by  the  enemies,  but  by  God  himself. 
But  it  was  difficult  to  convince  the  Jews  of  this,  for  they 
were  so  filled  with  rage  against  their  enemies,  that  they 
could  not  turn  their  thoughts  to  the  consideration  of  God's 
judgments.  This,  then,  is  the  reason  why  the  Prophet  makes 
God  the  author  of  all  their  calamities  ;  Thou,  he  says,  hast 
slain  in  the  day  of  thy  wrath  ;  thou  hast  killed  and  not  spared. 
And  though  the  peoples  seem  here  in  a  manner  to  contend 
Avith  God,  we  must  yet  bear  in  mind  the  design  of  the  Pro- 
phet, even  to  teach  the  people  to  look  to  God  himself,  so 
that  they  might  know  that  they  had  to  do  with  him.  For 
there  ought  to  be  a  passing  from  one  truth  to  another,  so 
that  men,  conscious  of  their  sins,  should  first  give  glory  to 
God,  and  then  humbly  deprecate  the  wrath  which  they  have 
deserved.     It  follows  at  length, — 

22.  Thou  hast  called,  as  in  a  soleiijn         22.  Vocasti  tanqnatn  ad  diem  fes- 

day,  my  terrors  round  about ;  so  that  turn  terrores  meos  undique,  et  non 

in  the  day  of  the  Lord's  anger  none  fuit  in  die   indignation  is  Jehovje 

escaped  nor  remained:  those  that  I  superstesacresiduus;  quosenutrivi 

have  swaddled  and  brought  up  hath  et  educavi,  hostis  meus  consumpsit 

mine  enemy  consumed.  cos  {sed  abundat  relativum.) 

Here  he  uses  a  most  appropriate  metaphor,  to  shew  that 
the  people  had  been  brought  to  the  narrowest  straits ;  for 
he  says  that  terrors  had  on  every  side  surrounded  them,  as 
when  a  solemn  assembly  is  called.  They  sounded  the  trum- 
pets when  a  festival  was  at  hand,  that  all  might  come  up  to 
the  Temple.     As,  then,  many  companies  were  wont  to  come 


388  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.       LECT.  VIII. 

to  Jerusalem  on  feast-days — for  when  the  trumpets  were 
sounded  all  were  called — so  the  Prophet  says  that  terrors 
had  been  sent  by  God  from  every  part  to  straiten  the  miser- 
able people  :  thou  hast,  then,  called  my  terrors  all  around, — 
how  ?  as  to  a  feast-day,  the  day  of  the  assembly  ;  for  1^1^; 
muod,  means  the  assembly  as  well  as  the  place  and  the 
appointed  time.^ 

But  we  must  ever  bear  in  mind  what  I  have  already  re- 
ferred to,  that  though  enemies  terrified  the  Jews,  yet  this 
was  to  be  ascribed  to  God,  so  that  everv  one  misrht  acknow- 
ledge  for  himself,  that  the  Chaldeans  had  not  come  by 
chance,  but  through  the  secret  impulse  of  God.  He  after- 
wards adds,  in  the  day  of  Jehovah's  wrath  (he  changes  the 
person)  there  was  none  alive,  or  remaining  ;  nay,  he  says  the 
enemy  has  consumed  those  whom  I  had  nursed  and  brought 
up.  Here  he  transfers  to  enemies  what  he  had  before  said 
was  done  by  God,  but  in  this  sense,  that  he  understood  God 
as  the  chief  author,  and  the  Chaldeans  as  the  ministers  of 
his  vengeance.     Now  follows, — 


CHAPTER  III 

1.  I  am  the  man  that  hath  seen  1.  Ego  vir  videns  afflictionem 
affliction  by  the  rod  of  his  wrath.  in  virga  indignationis  ejus. 

The  word  Hl^l^,  ohere,  properly  means  assault,  passing- 
over  limits  ;  but  what  is  peculiar  to  man  is  often  in  Scrip- 
ture ascribed  to  God.     Here  also  he  changes  the  person,  for 

'  The  verb  for  calling  or  summoning  is  in  the  future  tense,  and  must  be 
so,  to  preserve  the  alphubetical  character  of  the  elegy,  but  it  is  rendered  as 
in  the  past  tense  by  all  the  versions,  but  the  reason  why  does  not  appear. 
The  future  in  Hebrew  is  often  to  be  rendered  as  a  subjunctive,  potential, 
or  optative  :  so  here, — 

Shouldest  thou  summon,  as  on  a  festival  day, 

My  terrors  all  around! — 

And  there  was  not,  in  the  day  of  Jehovah's  wrath, 

A  fugitive  or  a  survivor; 

Whom  1  dandled  and  brought  up, 

My  enemy  has  consumed  them. 
The  first  two  lines  are  a  kind  of  expostulation  :  "My  terrors"  menu  my 
terrifiers,  according  to  the  T^?f^/.,the  abstract  for  the  concrete. — Ed. 


CHAP.  III.  I.       OOaiMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS,  389 

he  spoke  before  of  the  people  under  the  person  of  a  woman, 
as  it  is  often  done ;  but  now  the  Prophet  himself  comes 
before  us.  At  the  same  time  there  is  no  doubt  but  that  by 
liis  own  example  he  exhorted  all  others  to  lamentation, 
which  was  to  be  connected  with  true  repentance.  And  this 
chapter,  as  we  shall  see,  is  full  of  rich  instruction,  for  it  con- 
tains remarkable  sentiments  which  we  shall  consider  in  their 
proper  places. 

Some  think  that  this  Lamentation  was  written  by  Jere- 
miah when  he  was  cast  into  prison ;  but  this  opinion  seems 
not  probable  to  me  ;  and  the  contents  of  the  chapter  suffi- 
ciently shew  that  this  ode  was  composed  to  set  forth  the 
common  calamity  of  the  whole  people.  Jeremiah,  then,  does 
not  here  plead  his  own  private  cause,  but  shews  to  his  own 
nation  what  remedy  there  was  for  them  in  such  a  state  of 
despair,  even  to  have  an  immediate  recourse  to  God,  and  on 
the  one  hand  to  consider  their  sins,  and  on  the  other  to  look 
to  the  mercy  of  God,  so  that  they  might  entertain  hope,  and 
exercise  themselves  in  prayer.  All  these  things  we  shall  see 
in  their  due  order. 

The  Prophet  then  says  that  he  was  an  afflicted  man,  or  a 
man  who  saw  affliction.  This  mode  of  speaking,  we  know, 
is  common  in  Scripture — to  see  affliction — to  see  good  and 
evil — to  see  life  and  death.  He  then  says  that  he  had  eoo- 
j^erienced  many  afflictions,  and  not  only  so,  but  that  he  had 
been  given  up  as  it  were  to  miseries, — how?  by  the  rod  of 
his  fury.  He  does  not  mention  the  name  of  God,  but  Jere- 
miah speaks  of  him  as  of  one  well  known,  using  only  a  pro- 
noun. Now,  then,  at  the  very  beginning,  he  acknowledges 
that  whatever  he  suffered  had  been  inflicted  by  God's  hand. 
And  as  all  the  godly  ought  to  be  convinced  of  this,  that  God 
is  never  angry  without  just  reasons,  there  is  included  in  the 
word  wrath  a  brief  confession,  especially  when  it  is  added, 
by  the  rod,  or  staff.  In  short,  the  Prophet  says  that  he  was 
very  miserable,  and  he  also  expresses  the  cause,  for  he  had 
been  severely  chastised  by  an  angry  God. 

2.  He  hath  led  me,  and  broiig:ht  2.  Me  deduxit  et  proficisci  fecit 
nie  into  darkness,  but  not  into  light,      in  tenebras,  et  non  in  luceni. 

The  letters  of  the  alphabet  are  tripled  in  this  chapter,. 


S90  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.       LECT.  VIII. 

which  I  had  omitted  to  mention.  In  the  first  two  chapters 
each  verse  begins  with  the  successive  letters  of  the  alphabet, 
except  that  in  the  last  chapter  there  is  one  instance  of  in- 
version, for  Jeremiah  has  put  S,  p/ii,  before  1?,  oin ;  or  it 
may  be  that  the  order  has  been  changed  by  the  scribes  ;  but 
this  is  uncertain.  Here  then,  as  I  have  said,  each  letter  is 
thrice  repeated.  Then  the  first,  the  second,  and  the  third 
verse  begins  with  t<,  aleph;  and  the  fourth  begins  with  D, 
beth,  and  so  he  goes  on  to  the  end.' 

He  confirms  liere  the  last  verse,  for  he  shews  the  cause  or 
the  manner  of  his  afflictions,  for  he  had  been  led  into  dark- 
ness and  not  into  light.  Tliis  kind  of  contrast  has  not  the 
same  force  in  other  languages  as  it  has  in  Hebrew.  But 
when  the  Hebrews  said  that  they  were  in  darkness  and 
not  in  the  light,  they  amplified  that  obscurity,  as  though 
they  had  said  tliat  there  was  not  even  a  spark  of  light  in 
that  darkness,  it  being  so  thick  and  obscure.  This  is  what 
the  Prophet  now  means.  And  we  know  what  is  everywhere 
understood  in  Scripture  by  darkness,  even  every  kind  of 
lamentation  :  for  the  appearance  of  light  exhilarates  us,  yea, 
the  serenity  of  heaven  cheers  and  revives  the  minds  of  men. 
Then  darkness  signifies  all  sorts  of  adversities  and  the  sor- 
row which  proceeds  from  them.     He  afterwards  adds, — 

3.    Surely    against  .S.  Utique  contra  me  vertetur,  convertet  manum 

me  is  he  turned;  he  swam  qxwtidie  (vel,  toto  d\e,  qaanquam  in  duobus 

turneth       his       hand  verbis  videtur  futiirum  tempus  debere  resolvi  in 

against    me     all     the  prceteritum,  vel  saltern Projiheta  actum  contioiuwn 

day.  designai,  iit  sa^pe  fieri  solet.) 

Now  he  says  that  God  was  an  adversary  to  him  ;  for  this 

is  what  tlie  verb  ^^^,  isheb,  means,  he  is  turned  against  me. 

As  an  enemy,  when  intending  to  fight,  comes  to  meet  one 

'  The  verses  in  this  chapter  are  needlessly  multiplied.     It  would  have 
been  better  had  each  verse  contained  a  letter,  for  the  length  of  this  chap- 
ter is  the  same  with  the  two  foregoing ;  the  only  diHerence  is,  that  the  lines, 
or  alternate  lines,  begin  with  the  same  letter  three  times,  as  follows, — 
t<  I  am  the  man  who  hath  seen  affliction, 

Through  the  rod  of  his  indignation  ; 
J<  Me  hath  he  led  and  caused  to  walk 

In  darkness  and  not  in  light ; 
K  Surely  against  me  he  turns, 

Upset  me  does  his  hand  all  the  day. 
The  three  next  lines,  or  alternate  lines,  begin  with  3,  and  so  on  to  the 
end  of  the  alphabet. — Ed. 


CHAP.  III.  4.        COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  391 

from  the  opposite  side,  so  the  Prophet  says  of  God,  who  had 
become  an  enemy  to  him  ;  and  he  teaches  the  same  thing  in 
another  way  when  he  says  that  he  perceived  tliat  the  hand 
of  God  was  against  him  :  He  turns,,  he  says,  against  me  his 
hand  daihj,  or  all  the  day,  HDVn-/^,  cal-eium.  But  the 
Prophet  simply  means  constancy,  as  though  he  had  said  that 
there  was  no  truce,  no  cessation,  because  God  manifested  the 
rigour  of  his  vengeance  without  limit  or  end.  He  afterwards 
adds, — 

4.  My  flesh  and  my  4.  Senio  confecit  carnem  meam  (senescere 
skin  hath  he  made  old ;  he  fecit,  ad  verbum)  et  pellem  meam  {vel,  cutem  ;) 
hath  broken  my  bones.         confregit  ossa  mea. 

These,  as  it  evidently  appears,  are  metaphorical  words. 
Illness  often  makes  people  to  look  old,  for  from  pain  proceeds 
leanness  :  thus  the  skin  is  contracted,  and  the  wrinkles  of 
old  age  appear  even  in  youths.  As,  then,  sorrows  exhaust 
moisture  and  strength,  hence  he  is  said  to  grow  old  who 
pines  away  in  mourning.  This  is  what  the  Prophet  now 
means.  God,  he  says,  has  made  my  flesh  and  my  skin  to 
grow  old,  that  is,  he  hath  worn  me  out,  within  and  without, 
so  that  I  am  almost  wasted  away. 

He  then  adds,  He  hath  broken  my  bones.  This  seems  to 
be  hyperbolical ;  but  we  have  said  elsewhere  that  this  simile 
does  not  in  every  instance  express  the  greatness  of  the  sor- 
row which  the  faithful  feel  under  a  sense  of  God's  Avrath. 
Both  David  and  Hezekiah  spoke  in  this  way ;  nay,  Heze- 
kiah  compares  God  to  a  lion,  "  As  a  lion,''  he  says,  "  has 
he  broken  ray  bones."  (Isa.  xxxviii.  23.)  And  David  says 
at  one  time  that  his  bones  wasted  away,  at  another  that 
they  were  broken,  and  at  another  that  they  were  reduced  to 
ashes  ;  for  there  is  nothing  more  dreadful  than  to  feel  that 
God  is  angry  with  us.  The  Prophet,  then,  did  not  only 
regard  outward  calamities,  but  the  evidence  of  God's  ven- 
geance ;  for  the  people  could  see  nothing  else  in  their  dis- 
tresses except  that  God  was  their  enemy — and  this  was 
true ;  for  God  had  often  exhorted  them  to  repentance ;  but 
upon  those  whom  he  had  found  incurable,  he  at  length,  as  it 
was  just,  poured  forth  his  vengeance  to  the  uttermost.    This, 


392  COMMEl^TARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.       LECT.  VIII. 

then,  was  the  reason  why  the  Prophet  said,  that  God  had 
broken  his  hones.     He  then  adds, — 

5.  He  hath  builded  against  me,  and  5.  ^Edificavit  contra  me,  et  cir- 
compassed  me  with  gall  and  travail,     cumdedit  felle  et  molestia. 

Tlie  words,  as  translated,  may  seem  harsli,  yet  they  have 
no  common  beauty  in  Hebrew.  The  Prophet  says  he  was 
blocked  up  and  straitened  as  it  were  by  walls;  and  as  we 
shall  see,  he  repeats  this  comparison  three  times ;  in  other 
words,  indeed,  but  for  the  same  purpose. 

God,  he  says,  hath  built  against  me,  as,  when  we  wish  to 
besiege  any  one,  we  build  mounds,  so  that  there  may  be  no 
escape.  This,  then,  is  the  sort  of  building  of  which  the 
Prophet  now  speaks :  God,  he  says,  holds  me  confined  all 
around,  so  that  there  is  no  way  of  escape  open  to  me. 

He  then  gives  a  clearer  explanation,  that  he  was  sur- 
rounded by  galV-  or  poison  and  trouble.  He  mentions  poison 
first,  and  then,  without  a  figure,  he  shews  what  that  poison 
was,  even  that  he  was  afilicted  with  many  troubles.  He 
afterwards  adds, — 

6.  He  hath  set  me  in  dark  places,  6.  In  tenebris  jacere  me  fecit  tan- 
as they  that  he  dead  of  old.  quam  mortuos  seculi. 

Here  he  amplifies  what  he  had  before  said  of  poison  and 
trouble ;  he  says  that  he  was  placed  in  darkness,  not  that 
he  might  be  there  for  a  little  while,  but  remain  there  for  a 
long  time  ;  he  hath  made  me,  he  says,  to  dwell  in  darkness. 
But  the  comparison  which  follows  more  clearly  explains  the 
Prophet's  meaning,  as  the  dead  of  ages.  The  word  D/l^, 
oulam,  may  refer  to  future  or  past  time.  Some  say,  as  the 
dead  for  ever,  who  are  perpetually  dead.  But  the  Scripture 
elsewhere  calls  those  the  dead  of  ages  who  have  been  long 
buried,  and  have  decayed,  and  whose  memory  has  become 
nearly  extinct.  For  as  long  as  the  dead  body  retains  its 
form,  it  seems  more  like  a  living  being ;  but  when  it  is  re- 
duced to  ashes,  when  no  bone  apj)cars,  when  the  whole  skin 

'  The  Sept.,  the  Targ.,  and  the  Arab,  render  this  "  my  head;"  but  the 
Vula.  and  the  'S'yr.,  "gall."  It  occurs  again  in  verse  10,  and  is  rendered 
"  gall"  by  the  I'arcj.  and  all  the  versions.  He  was  •'  surrounded  with  gall," 
with  what  was  bitter  to  him,  and  "  with  faintness,"  with  what  made  him 
to  faint.    Hence,  in  the  next  verse,  he  represents  himself  as  being  like  the 


CHAP.  III.  7,  8.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  393 

and  nerves  and  blood  have  perished,  and  no  likeness  to  man 
remains,  there  can  then  be  no  hope  of  life.  The  Scripture 
then  calls  those  the  dead  of  ages,  who  have  wholly  decayed. 
So  also  in  this  place  the  Prophet  says,  that  he  dwelt  in 
darkness,  into  which  lie  had  been  cast  by  God's  hand,  and 
that  he  dwelt  tliere  as  though  he  had  been  long  dead,  and 
his  body  had  become  now  putrid. 

This  way  of  speaking  appears  indeed  hyperbolical ;  but 
we  must  always  remember  what  I  have  reminded  you  of,  that 
it  is  not  possible  sufficiently  to  set  forth  the  greatness  of 
that  sorrow  which  the  faithful  feel  when  terrified  by  the 
wrath  of  God.     He  then  adds, — 

7.  He  hath  hedged  me  about,  that  I  7.  Sepsit  me,  ut  non  egre- 
carinot  get  out ;  he  hath  made  my  cham  diar ;  aggravavit  compedem 
heavy.  memii. 

--  Here  he  says,  first,  that  he  was  held  shut  up ;  for  "IIJ, 
gidar,  is  to  enclose,  and  (11*1^1,  gidare,  means  a  fence  or  a 
mound,  or  an  enclosure  of  any  kind.  He  then  says,  that  he 
was  shut  up  as  it  were  by  a  fence,  so  that  he  could  not  go 
forth  ;  literally,  it  is,  and  I  shall  not  go  forth  ;  but  the  con- 
junction here  is  to  be  taken  as  denoting  the  end.  He  has 
shut  me  up,  he  says,  or  he  has  enclosed  me,  that  I  might  not 
get  out. 

It  then  follows.  He  hath  made  heavy  my  fetter.  His  mean- 
ing is,  that  he  was  not  only  bound  with  fetters,  but  so  bound 
that  he  could  not  raise  up  his  feet,  as  though  he  had  said, 
that  he  not  only  had  fetters,  but  that  they  were  so  heavy 
that  he  could  not  even  move  his  feet. 

8.  Also  when  I  cry  and  shout,  8.  Etiam  si  clamera  et  vociferer,  clausit 
he  shutteth  out  my  prayer.  precationem  meam  {vel,  preeationi  mese.) 

The  Prophet  describes  here  the  extremity  of  all  evils,  that 
it  availed  him  nothing  to  cry  and  to  pray.  And  yet  we 
know  that  we  are  called  to  do  this  in  all  our  miseries  :  "  The 
strongest  tower  is  the  name  of  the  Lord,  to  it  will  the  righ- 
teous flee  and  shall  be  safe.''  (Prov.  xviii.  10.)  Again, 
"  Whosoever  shall  call  on  the  name  of  the  Lord  shall  be 
saved."  (Joel  ii.  32.)  And  Scripture  is  full  of  testimonies 
of  this  kind  ;  that  is,  that  God  graciously  invites  all  the 
faithful  to  himself:  "  He  shall  call  upon  nie,  and  I  will  hear 


394  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.       LECT.  VIII. 

him/'  (Ps.  xci.  15.)  "In  the  day  when  I  call,  answer  me 
speedily."  (Ps.  cii.  2.)  "  Before  they  call,  I  will  answer." 
(Isa.  Ixv.  24.)  In  short,  there  is  no  need  to  collect  all  the 
passages ;  but  we  may  be  content  with  this  one  thing,  that 
when  God  claims  to  himself  this  prerogativ^e,  that  he  answers 
prayers,  he  intimates  that  it  is  what  cannot  be  separated 
from  his  eternal  essence  and  godhead  ;  that  is,  that  he  is 
ready  to  hear  prayer.  And  hence  the  Psalmist  concludes, 
"  To  thee  shall  all  flesh  come."  (Ps.  Ixv.  S.)  When,  there- 
fore, Jeremiah  complains  that  his  prayers  were  in  vain,  and 
without  any  fruit  or  eflect,  it  seems  strange  and  inconsistent. 
But  we  know  that  God  holds  the  faithful  in  suspense,  and 
so  hears  as  to  prove  and  try  their  patience,  sometimes  for  a 
long  time.  This  is  the  reason  why  he  defers  and  delays  his 
aid. 

It  is  no  wonder,  then,  that  God  did  not  hear  the  prayers 
of  his  servant,  that  is,  according  to  the  judgment  of  the  flesh. 
For  God  never  rejects  his  own,  nor  is  he  deaf  to  their  prayers 
and  their  sighs ;  but  the  faithful  often  speak  according  to 
wliat  the  flesh  judges.  As,  then,  the  Prophet  found  that  he 
obtained  nothing  by  prayer,  he  says  that  his  prayer  was  shut 
out,  or  that  the  door  was  closed  against  him,  so  that  his 
prayer  did  not  come  to  God. 

Now,  this  passage  is  worthy  of  special  notice ;  for  except 
God  immediately  meets  us,  we  become  languid,  and  not  only 
our  ardour  in  prayer  is  cooled  but  almost  extinguished.  Let 
us,  then,  bear  in  mind,  that  though  God  may  not  help  us 
soon,  yet  our  prayers  are  never  repudiated  by  him  ;  and 
since  we  see  that  the  holy  fathers  experienced  the  same 
thing,  let  us  not  wonder,  if  the  Lord  at  this  day  were  to  try 
our  faith  in  the  same  manner.  Let  us,  therefore,  persevere 
in  calling  on  Ilim  ;  and  should  there  be  a  longer  delay,  and 
our  complaint  be  that  we  are  not  heard,  yet  let  us  proceed 
in  the  same  course,  as  we  shall  see  the  Prophet  did.  It 
follows, — 

9.  lie  hath  enclosed  my  ways  with  9.  Sepivit  {idem  est  verbutn  quod 
liown  stone ;  he  hath  made  my  paths  ante  vidimus)  vias  meas  lapide  quad- 
crooked,  ralo,  semitas  meas  pervertit. 

Other  metaphors  arc  used.     Some  think  tliat  tlie  Prophet 


CHAP.  III.  9.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  395 

refers  to  the  siege  of  Jerusalem,  but  such  a  view  is  not  suit- 
able. The  metaphors  correspond  with  one  another,  though 
tliey  are  somewhat  different.  He  had  said  before,  that  he 
was  enclosed  by  God,  or  surrounded  as  with  a  mound  ;  and 
now  he  transfers  this  idea  to  his  ways.  When  the  life  of 
man  is  spoken  of,  it  is,  we  know,  compared  to  away.  Then 
the  Prophet  includes  under  this  word  all  the  doings  of  his 
life,  as  though  he  had  said,  that  all  his  plans  were  brought 
into  straits,  as  though  his  way  was  shut  up,  so  that  he  could 
not  proceed :  "  Were  I  to  proceed  in  any  direction,  an  ob- 
stacle is  set  before  me  ;  I  am  compelled  to  remain  as  it  were 
fixed."  So  the  Prophet  now  says,  his  ways  were  enclosed, 
because  God  allowed  none  of  his  counsels  or  his  purposes  to 
be  carried  into  effect. 

And  to  the  same  purpose  he  adds,  that  God  had  'perverted 
his  ways,  that  is,  that  he  had  confounded  all  his  doings,  and 
all  his  counsels. 

But  these  words  are  added,  with  a  squared  stone.  The 
verb  TU,  gizaz,  means  to  cut ;  hence  the  word  H^'TJI,  gizit, 
signifies  a  polished  stone,  or  one  trimmed  by  the  hammer. 
And  we  know  that  such  stones  are  more  durable  and  firmer 
than  other  stones.  For  when  unpolished  stones  are  used^ 
the  building  is  not  so  strong  as  when  the  stones  are  squared, 
as  they  fit  together  better.  Then  the  Prophet  intimates  that 
the  enclosures  were  such  that  he  could  by  no  means  break 
through  them,  as  they  could  not  be  broken.  He,  in  short, 
means  that  he  was  so  oppressed  by  God's  hand,  that  what- 
ever he  purposed  God  immediately  reversed  it.  We  now, 
then,  perceive  what  he  means  by  saying,  that  all  his  ways 
were  subverted  or  overturned  by  God.^  This  is  not  to  be 
understood  generally,  for  it  is  God  who  directs  our  ways. 
But  he  is  said  to  pervert  our  ways,  when  he  disconcerts  our 
counsels,  when  all  our  purposes  and  efforts  are  rendered 
void  ;  in  a  word,  when  God  as  it  were  meets  us  as  an  ad- 
versary, and  impedes  our  course  ;  it  is  then  that  he  is  said 

1  "Subverted"  is  the  Vulg.,  "obstructed"  the  i^ept.,  and  "rendered 
oblique"  the  Syr.  The  meaning  is,  "  turned  aside."  He  had  built  as  it 
were  a  wall  of  hewn  stones  across  his  way,  and  thus  he  turned  aside  his 
goings  or  his  paths,  so  that  he  was  constrained  to  take  some  other  course. 
—Ed. 


396  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.  IX. 

to  pervert  our  ways.  But  this  ought  not  to  be  understood 
as  though  God  blinded  men  unjustly,  or  as  though  he  led 
them  astray.  The  Prophet  only  means  that  he  could  find 
no  success  in  all  his  counsels,  in  all  his  efi'orts  and  doings, 
because  he  had  God  opposed  to  him.     Here  I  stop. 

PRAYER. 

Grant,  Almighty  God,  that  as  thou  didst  in  former  times  so  severely 
chastise  thy  people,  we  may  in  the  present  day  patiently  submit 
to  all  thy  scourges,  and  in  a  humble  and  meek  spirit  suffer  our- 
selves to  be  chastised  as  we  deserve;  and  that  we  may  not,  in 
the  meantime,  cease  to  call  on  thee,  and  that  however  slowly  thou 
mayest  seem  to  hear  our  prayers,  v/e  may  yet  persevere  contin- 
ually to  the  end,  until  at  length  we  shall  really  find  that  salvation 
is  not  in  vain  promised  to  all  those  who  in  sincerity  of  heart  call 
on  thee,  through  Christ  our  Lord. — Amen. 


ILcctuve  ilintih 

10.  He  was  unto  me  as  a  bear  lying  10.  Ursus  insidians  fuit  mihi 
in  wait,  and  as  a  Hon  in  secret  places.       (ipse  mihi,)  leo  in  latebris. 

Harsh  is  the  complaint  when  Jeremiah  compares  God  to 
a  bear  and  a  lion.  But  we  have  said  that  the  apprehension 
of  God's  wrath  so  terrified  the  faithful,  that  they  could  not 
sufficiently  express  the  atrocity  of  their  calamity ;  and  tlien 
borne  in  mind  must  also  be  what  w^e  have  stated,  that  they 
spoke  according  to  the  judgment  of  the  flesh  ;  for  tliey  did 
not  always  so  moderate  their  feelings,  but  that  something 
fell  from  them  worthy  of  blame.  We  ought  not,  then,  to 
make  as  a  rule  in  religion  all  the  complaints  of  holy  men, 
when  they  were  pressed  down  by  the  hand  of  God  ;  for  when 
their  minds  were  in  a  state  of  confusion,  they  uttered  much 
that  was  intemperate.  But  we  ought,  on  the  other  hand, 
to  acknowledge  how  great  must  be  our  weakness,  since  we 
see  that  even  the  strongest  have  thus  fallen,  when  God  ex- 
ercised severity  towards  them. 

Though,  then,  it  docs  not  seem  that  it  was  said  in  due 
honour,  that  God  did  lie  in  wait  as  bears  for  travellers,  or 
as  lions  in  their  dens  ;  yet,  if  we  consider  how  much  the 
faithful  dreaded   the   tokens  of  God's  wrath,  we  shall  not 


CHAP.  III.  11.         COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  397 

wonder  at  this  excess.  It  is  then  certain  that  the  Prophet 
brings  before  us  here  not  only  evidences  of  the  fear  of  God, 
of  religion  and  humility,  but  also  of  the  corrupt  feelings  of 
the  flesh ;  for  it  cannot  be,  but  that  the  infirmity  of  men 
will  betray  itself  in  extreme  evils.  He  adds,  what  is  of  the 
same  import, — 

11.  He  hath  turned  aside  my  11.  Vias  meas  pervertit  et  sci- 
wavs,  and  pulled  me  in  pieces  ;  he  dit  me  (ue^,  dissipavit,  w/,  laceravit.) 
hath  made  me  desolate.  posuit  me  vastatam  {vel,  quasi  vas- 

titatem.) 

In  this  verse  also  the  Prophet  shews  how  grievously  the 
faithful  are  disturbed  when  they  feel  that  God  is  adverse  to 
them.  But  he  uses  the  same  figure  as  yesterday,  though 
the  word  ^*1^D,  suiter,  is  different  :  what  he  used  yesterday 
was  nil?,  oue^  but  in  the  same  sense. 

He  then  says  that  his  ways  had  been  perverted;^  and 
for  this  reason,  because  he  had  been  disappointed  in  his 
purpose  ;  whatever  he  did  was  made  void,  because  God  by 
force  prevented  him.  When  we  undertake  to  do  anything, 
a  way  is  open  to  us  ;  but  when  there  is  no  success,  our  way 
is  said  to  be  perverted.  And  this  is  done  by  God,  who  has 
all  events,  prosperous  as  well  as  adverse,  in  his  own  hand. 
As,  then,  God  directs  our  ways  when  he  blesses  our  coun- 
sels and  our  actions  ;  so,  on  the  other  hand,  he  perverts 
them,  when  all  things  turn  out  unsuccessfully,  when  our  pur- 
pose is  not  done  and  events  do  not  answer  our  expectations. 

He  afterwards  adds,  He  hath  torn  me  or  broken  me.  The 
verb  n^S,  peshech,  means  properly  to  cut,  but  here  to  tear 
or  scatter.  It  follows  lastly,  he  hath  made  me  a  waste.  In 
this  expression  he  includes  the  other  two  things  ;  for  he 
who  is  reduced  to  desolation,  does  not  hold  on  his  way,  nor 
find  any  exit  ;  he  is  also  drawn  here  and  there,  as  though 
he  was  torn  into  several  parts.  "VVe  hence  see  that  the  Pro- 
phet here  complains  of  extreme  evils,  for  there  was  no  hope 
of  deliverance  left.     He  adds, — 

12.  He  hath  bent  his  bow,  and  12.  Extendit  (vel,  intendit)  ar- 
set  me  as  a  mark  for  the  arrow.  cum  suum,  et  statuit  me  quasi  sig- 

num  sagittaj. 

'  The  word,  having  the  last  letter  doubled,  means  to  turn  aside  again 
and  again,  '•  He  has  often  turned  aside  my  ways." — Erf. 


.'^OS  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.        LECT.  IX- 

Here  the  Prophet  introduces  another  metaphor,  that  God 
had  shot  liim  with  arrows,  as  he  was  made  a  mark  to  them. 
Jeremiali  has  elsewhere  often  used  the  word  t^IDD,  methera, 
for  a  prison  ;  but  here  it  means  a  mark  at  which  arrows  are 
levelled,  and  such  is  its  meaning  in  Job  xvi.  12,  where  there 
is  a  similar  complaint  made.  Tlie  meaning  is,  that  the 
people,  in  whose  name  Jeremiah  speaks,  had  been  like 
marks,  because  God  had  directed  against  them  all  his  ar- 
rows. It  is,  indeed,  a  fearful  thing  when  God  aims  at  us, 
that  he  may  discharge  his  darts  and  arrows  in  order  to  hit 
and  wound  us.  But  as  God  had  so  grievously  afflicted  his 
people,  that  he  seemed  to  have  poured  forth  all  his  ven- 
geance, the  Prophet  justly  complains  that  the  people  had 
been  like  marks  for  arrows. 

13.  He  hath  caused  the  arrows  13.  Incluxit  in  renes  nieos  filios 
of  his  quiver  to  enter  into  my  reins,     pharetrre  sufe  (id  est,  sagittas.) 

He  goes  on  with  the  same  metaphor  ;  he  said  in  the  last 
verse  that  God  had  levelled  his  bow  ;  he  now  adds,  that  his 
arrows  had  penetrated  into  his  reins,  that  is,  into  his  in- 
ward parts.  But  we  must  bear  in  mind  what  the  Prophet 
meant,  that  God  had  dealt  so  severely  with  the  people,  that 
no  part,  even  the  innermost,  was  sound  or  untouched,  for 
his  arrows  had  perforated  their  very  reins.  He  afterwards 
adds, — 

14,  I  was  a  derision  to  14.  Fui  risus  (veJ,  ludibrium)  toti  populo 
all  my  people,  and  their  meo,  pulsatio  (vel,  canticura,  quod  pulsatur 
song  all  the  day.  ab   organo  et  instritmento  musico)  quotidie 

(vel,  toto  die.) 

The  Prophet  again  complains  of  tlie  reproaches  to  which 
God  had  exposed  the  Jews.  We  have  said  that  of  all  evils 
the  most  grievous  is  reproach,  and  experience  teaches  us 
that  sorrow  is  greatly  embittered  when  scoffs  and  taunts  are 
added  to  it  ;  for  he  who  silently  bears  the  most  grievous 
sorrows,  becomes  broken  in  heart  when  he  finds  himself 
contumeliously  treated.  This,  then,  is  the  reason  why  the 
Propliet  again  amplifies  the  miseries  of  the  people,  because 
they  were  exposed  to  the  scoffs  of  all  men.  But  it  may 
seem  a  strange  thing  that  tlie  Jews  were  derided  by  their 
own  people.     Tliis  is  tlie  reason  why  some  think  that  the 


CHAP.  III.  15.  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  390 

Prophet  complains  of  his  own  private  evils,  and  that  he  does 
not  represent  the  whole  people  or  the  public  condition  of 
the  Church.  But  it  may  also  be  said  in  reply,  that  the 
Propliet  does  not  mean  that  the  people  were  derided  by 
themselves,  which  could  not  be  ;  but  it  is  the  same  as 
though  he  had  said,  that  their  state  was  so  disgraceful,  that 
while  they  looked  on  one  another,  they  had  a  reason  for 
taunting,  if  this  their  condition  was  allowed  to  continue. 

In  short,  the  Prophet  does  not  mean  what  was  actually 
done,  but  he  simply  complains  that  their  calamity  was  liable 
to  all  kinds  of  reproaches,  so  that  any  one  looking  on  Jeru- 
salem might  justly  deride  such  a  disgraceful  spectacle.  And 
it  was,  as  we  have  said,  a  most  equitable  reward,  for  they 
had  not  ceased  to  reproach  God.  Then  rendered  to  them 
was  what  they  had  deserved,  when  God  loaded  them  in 
turn  with  dishonour. 

He  afterwards  adds,  that  he  was  their  song,  that  is,  of 
derision  ;  for  it  is  a  confirmation  of  the  former  clause,  and 
the  same  complaint  is  also  found  in  Job.  He  says  that  he 
was  their  song  daily  or  all  the  day.  This  constancy,  as  it 
has  been  said,  proved  more  clearly  the  grievousness  of  the 
evil. 

1.5.   He  hath  filled  me  with  bit-         15.   Satiavit  me  amaritudinibus, 
terness,  he  hath  made  me  drunken     satm^avit  me  felle. 
with  wormwood. 

Some  render  the  last  word  "  wormwood,''  but  this  word 
seems  not  to  me  to  suit  the  passage,  for  though  wormwood 
is  bitter,  yet  it  is  a  wholesome  herb.  I  therefore  take  it  in 
this  and  like  places  for  poison  or  gall  ;  and  ^N1,  rash,  as  we 
shall  see,  is  joined  with  it.  To  satiate,  is  also  a  metaphor 
very  common.  Then  the  Prophet  means  that  he  was  full 
of  bitterness  and  gall ;  and  he  thus  had  regard  to  those 
calamities  from  which  so  much  sorrow  had  proceeded. 

We  hence  also  gather  that  tlie  faithful  were  not  free  from 
sorrow  in  their  evils,  for  bitterness  and  gall  sufficiently 
shew  that  their  minds  were  so  disturbed  that  they  did  not 
bear  their  troubles  with  sufficient  patience.  But  they 
struggled  with  their  own  infirmity,  and  their  example  is  set 
before  ns  that  we  may  not  despond  when   bitterness  and 


400  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.  IX. 

gall  lay  hold  on  our  minds  ;  for  since  the  same  thing  hap- 
pened to  the  best  servants  of  God,  let  lis  bear  in  mind  our 
own  infirmity,  and  at  the  same  time  flee  to  Grod.  The  un- 
believing nourish  their  bitterness,  for  they  do  not  unburden 
their  souls  into  the  bosom  of  God.  But  the  best  way  of 
comfort  is,  when  we  do  not  flatter  ourselves  in  our  bitter- 
ness and  grief,  but  seek  the  purifying  of  our  souls,  and 
in  a  manner  lay  them  open,  so  that  whatever  bitter  thing 
may  be  there,  God  may  take  it  away  and  so  feed  us,  as  it 
is  said  elsewhere,  with  the  sweetness  of  his  goodness.  He 
adds, — 

16.    He  hath  also  Lro-         16.  Confregit  (vel,  contrivit)  lapillo  denies 

ken  my  teeth  with  gravel-  nieos,  involvit  me  (foedavit  me,  alii  auiem,  vcr- 

stones,   he   hath    covered  savit)  in  pulvere. 
me  with  ashes. 

Many  renderings  are  given  of  these  words  :  there  is,  how- 
ever, no  over-statement  here  ;  for,  as  it  has  been  often  said, 
the  grief  of  tlie  people  under  such  a  mass  of  evils  could  not  be 
sufliciently  expressed.  The  Prophet,  no  doubt,  extended  here 
his  hand  to  the  weak,  who  would  have  otherwise  lain  down 
as  dead  ;  for  under  such  evils  the  ruin  of  the  whole  nation, 
the  fall  of  the  city,  and  the  destruction  of  the  temple,  it 
could  not  be  but  such  thoughts  as  these  must  have  occurred. 
Now,  as  to  any  one  unacquainted  with  such  a  trial,  he 
would  soon  succumb,  had  no  remedy  been  presented  to  him. 
The  Prophet  then  dictates  for  all  the  godly  such  complaints 
as  they  might,  so  to  speak,  pour  forth  confidently  and  freely 
into  the  bosom  of  God. 

We  hence  see  that  here  is  even  expressed  whatever  might 
occur  to  the  minds  of  God's  children,  so  that  they  might 
not  hesitate  in  their  straits  to  direct  their  prayers  to  God, 
and  freely  confess  whatever  they  suflercd  in  their  souls.  For 
shame  closes  up  the  door  of  access  ;  and  thus  it  happens 
that  we  make  a  clamour  as  though  God  were  far  aw^ay  from 
us ;  hence  impatience  breaks  out  almost  to  a  rage.  But 
when  an  access  to  God  is  opened  to  us,  and  we  dare  to  con- 
fess what  burdens  our  minds,  this,  as  I  have  said,  is  the 
best  w^ay  for  obtaining  relief  and  comfort.  We  must  then 
understand    the   design  of  the  Prophet,   that   he  suggests 


CUAP.  III.  17.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  401 

words  to  the  faithful,  that  they  might  freely  cast  their  cares 
and  sorrows  on  God,  and  thus  find  some  alleviation. 

For  this  reason,  he  says  that  his  teeth  had  been  broken 
by  a  little  stone  or  pebble/  The  same  expression,  if  I  mis- 
take not,  is  found  in  Job.  It  is  a  metaphor  taken  from 
those  who  press  stones  instead  of  bread  under  their  teeth  ; 
for  when  grit  lies  hid  in  bread,  it  hurts  the  teeth.  Then 
inward  and  hidden  griefs  are  said  to  be  like  small  stones, 
which  break  or  shatter  the  teeth.  For  the  Pro2)het  does 
not  speak  here  of  large  stones,  but  on  the  contrary  he 
speaks  of  pebbles  or  small  stones,  which  deceive  men,  for 
they  lie  hid  either  in  bread  or  in  meat,  or  in  any  other  kind 
of  food.  As,  then,  the  teeth  are  hurt  by  pressing  them,  so 
the  Prophet  says  that  his  sorrows  were  most  bitter,  as  that 
part,  as  it  is  well  known,  is  very  tender  ;  and  when  any  in- 
jury is  done  to  the  teeth,  the  pain  spreads  instantly  almost 
through  the  whole  body.  This  is  the  reason  why  he  says 
that  his  teeth  were  broken. 

Then  he  adds,  that  he  was  covered  with  dust,  or  that  he 
was  lying  down  or  dragged  along  in  the  dust.  The  expres- 
tion  is  taken  from  those  who  are  drawn  by  way  of  reproach 
along  the  ground,  as  a  carcase  is,  or  some  filthy  thing  which 
we  abhor.^  Thus  the  Prophet  complains  that  there  was 
nothing  short  of  extreme  evils.      He  adds, — 

17.  And  thou  hast  removed  my         17-  Et  remota  fuit  a  pace  anima 
soul  far  off  from  peace :    I  forgat     mea,  oblitus  sum  boni. 
prosperity. 

By  saying  that  his  soul  was  remote  from  peace ,  he  means 
that  no  good  remained  ;  for  by  peace,  as  it  is  well  known, 
the  Hebrews  understood  every  kind  of  prosperity.  And  he 
explains  himself  by  another  clause,  that  he  had  forgotten 

*  The  word  means  grit  or  gravel,  rendered  "  pebble"  by  the  Sept.^  and 
"stones"  by  the  Syr.  and  the  Targ.  It  is  rendered  "gravel"  in  Prov. 
XX.  17.  The  verb  only  occurs  here  and  in  Fs.  cxix. ;  and  to  wear  out,  is 
its  most  suitable  meaning, — 

And  he  hath  worn  out  with  grit  my  teeth. — Ed.  _ 

'  The  verb  rendered  "  covered,"  is  found  only  here,  and  is  translated 
"fed"  by  the  Sept.  and  Vulg.;  "tumbled"  or  laid  low,  by  the  Targ.; 
and  "  besprinkled,"  by  the  Syr.  As  he  had  said,  that  his  food  had  been 
as  it  were  grit,  he  coidd  not  have  said  that  he  was  fed  with  ashes.  There- 
fore the  arg.  or  the  Syr.  is  the  most  suitable,  that  God  had  laid  him  low 
in  ashes,  Tr  that  he  had  besprinkled  or  covered  him  with  ashes. — Ed 

VOL.  V.  2  0 


402  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.         LECT.  IX. 

every  good  ;  and  this  forgetfulness  ought  to  be  understood, 
SO  to  speak,  as  real  or  entire  ;  for  if  there  had  been  any 
reason  for  rejoicing,  it  would  not  have  been  forgotten  ;  for 
all  are  naturally  pleased  with  what  is  pleasant,  nay,  they 
with  avidity  seek  wliat  delights  them.  It  would  then  be 
contrary  to  nature  to  forget  things  good  and  pleasant  to  us. 
But  the  Propliet  means  here  a  privation.  Hence  the  for- 
getfulness of  which  he  speaks  is  nothing  else  but  alienation 
from  everything  good,  as  though  he  had  said  (as  the  previ- 
ous clause  shews)  that  he  was  far  removed  from  every  hope 
of  peace. 

But  the  expression  is  much  more  emphatical,  when  he 
says,  that  his  soul  was  far  removed  from  peace.  By  soul 
he  does  not  mean  himself  only,  (for  that  would  be  frigid,) 
but  he  understands  by  it  all  things  connected  with  him,  as 
though  lie  had  said,  "  Wherever  I  look  around  me,  I  find  no 
peace,  and  no  hope  appears  to  me.''  Hence  it  was,  that  all 
the  faculties  of  his  soul  were  far  removed  from  all  experi- 
ence of  good  things.     It  follows, — 

]8.  And  I  said,  My  strength  and  18.  Et  dixi,  Periit  fortitiido  mea, 
my  hope  is  perished  from  the  Lord,     et  spes  mea  a  Jehova. 

This  verse  shews  what  I  have  before  reminded  you  of, 
that  the  Prophet  does  not  here  speak  as  though  he  was 
divested  of  every  sin,  and  prescribed  a  perfect  rule  for 
prayer.  But,  on  the  contrary,  in  order  to  animate  the  faith- 
ful to  seek  God,  he  sets  before  them  here  an  instance  of 
infirmity  which  every  one  finds  true  as  to  himself  It  was 
yet  a  most  grievous  trial,  because  the  Prophet  almost  de- 
spaired ;  for  since  faith  is  the  mother  of  hope,  it  follows,  that 
when  any  one  is  overwhelmed  with  despair,  faith  is  extinct. 
Nevertheless  the  Prophet  makes  this  declaration,  Perished, 
he  says,  has  my  strength  and  my  hope  from  God} 

*  The  word  "strength"  is  rendered  "victory"  by  the  Sept.y  "end"  by 
the  Vuhj.,  "splendour"  by  the  Syr.,  and  "valour"  by  the  Targ.  It 
means  superiority,  excellency,  rather  than  strength, — 

And  I  said.  Perished  hath  my  excellency, 

And  my  expectation  from  Jehovah. 
Whatever  he  had  that  was  excellent  had  perished  ;  and  perished  also  liad 
every  good  he  expected  from  Jehovah.     The  meaning  is  not,  that  these 
things  pirished  from  Jehovah,  but  that  liis  excellency  and  his  expectation 
from  Jehovah  had  perished.  —  fCd. 


CHAP.  III.  18.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  403 

He  does  not  speak  through  some  inconsiderate  impulse, 
as  though  he  was  suddenly  carried  away,  as  many  things 
happen  to  us  which  we  have  had  no  thouglit  of;  but  he 
speaks  what  was,  as  it  were,  fixed  in  his  mind.  As  he 
said,  "  Perislied  has  my  hope  and  strength  from  Jehovah,'' 
it  is  evident  that  his  faith  was  not  slightly  shaken,  but  had 
wholly  failed  :  but  the  expression,  /  said,  renders  the  thing 
still  stronger  ;  for  it  means,  as  it  is  well  known,  a  settled 
conviction.  The  Prophet  was  then  fully  persuaded  that  he 
was  forsaken  by  God  ;  but  what  does  this  mean  ?  We  ought 
indeed  to  maintain  this,  that  faith  sometimes  is  so  stifled, 
that  even  the  children  of  God  think  that  they  are  lost,  and 
that  it  is  all  over  with  their  salvation.  Even  David  con- 
fesses the  same  thing  ;  for  it  was  an  evidence  of  despair, 
when  he  declared,  "  I  said  in  my  haste,  Yanity  is  every 
man.''  (Ps.  cxvi.  11.)  He  had  almost  failed,  and  he  was 
not  master  of  himself  when  he  was  thus  agitated.  There  is 
no  doubt  but  that  the  Prophet  also  expressly  reminded  the 
faithful  that  they  ought  not  to  despair,  though  despair  laid 
hold  on  their  minds,  or  though  the  devil  tempted  them  to 
despair,  but  that  they  ought  then  especially  to  struggle 
against  it.  This  is  indeed,  I  allow,  a  hard  and  perilous  con- 
test, but  the  faithful  ought  not  to  faint,  even  when  such  a 
thing  happens  to  them,  that  is,  when  it  seems  to  be  all  over 
with  them  and  no  hope  remains  ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  they 
ought  nevertheless  to  go  on  hoping,  and  that,  indeed,  as 
the  Scripture  says  elsewhere,  against  hope,  or  above  hope. 
(Rom.  iv.  18.) 

Let  us  then  learn  from  this  passage,  that  the  faithful  are 
not  free  from  despair,  for  it  enters  into  their  souls  ;  but  that 
there  is  yet  no  reason  why  they  should  indulge  despair  ;  on 
the  contrary,  they  ought  courageously  and  firmly  to  resist  it ; 
for  when  the  Prophet  said  this,  he  did  not  mean  that  he 
succumbed  to  this  trial,  as  though  he  had  embraced  what 
had  come  to  his  mind  ;  but  he  meant,  that  he  was  as  it  were 
overwhelmed  for  a  short  time.  Were  any  one  to  ask,  How 
can  it  be  that  hope  and  despair  should  reside  in  the  same 
man  ?  the  answer  is,  that  when  faith  is  weak,  that  part  of  the 
soul  is  empty,  which  admits  despair.    Now,  faith  is  sometimes 


404  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.  IX 

not  only  enfeebled,  but  is  also  nearly  stifled.  This,  indeed,  does 
not  happen  daily,  but  there  is  no  one  whom  God  deeply  ex- 
ercises with  temptations,  who  does  not  feel  that  his  faith  is 
almost  extinguished.  It  is  then  no  wonder,  that  despair 
then  prevails ;  but  it  is  for  a  moment.  In  the  meantime, 
the  remedy  is,  immediately  to  flee  to  God  and  to  complain 
of  this  misery,  so  that  he  may  succour  and  raise  up  those 
who  are  thus  fallen.      He  then  adds, — 

19.  Remembering  mine  19.  Recordari  (vel,  recordando,  alii,  re- 
affliction  and  my  misery,  the  cordare)  afflictionis  meas  et  sermiinse  mese 
wormwood  and  the  gall.  (alii  vertunt,  humiliationem,   alii,  pecca- 

tum ;  sed  nomen  ajffiictionis  vel  cerumnce 
nulius  convenit)  veneni  et  fellis  (iterum 
ponitur  HiV?  quod  vertunt  quidam,  absyn- 
tliium,  sed  potius  est  amaritzido  vel  veneri- 
um, veneni  ergo  et  fellis.) 

The  verb  may  be  considered  as  an  imperative  ;  it  is  an 
infinitive  mood,  but  it  is  often  taken  in  Hebrew  as  an  im- 
perative. Thus,  many  deem  it  a  prayer.  Remember  my 
affliction  and  iny  trouble,  the  gall  and  the  poison.  Tliis 
might  be  admitted  ;  but  what  others  teach  I  prefer :  that 
this  verse  depends  on  the  last.  For  the  Prophet  seems  here 
to  express  how  he  had  almost  fallen  away  from  hope,  so 
that  he  no  longer  found  strength  from  God,  even  because 
he  was  overwhelmed  with  evils ;  for  it  is  very  unreasonable 
to  think,  that  those  who  have  once  experienced  the  mercy 
of  God  should  cast  away  hope,  so  as  not  to  believe  that  they 
are  to  flee  to  God  any  more.  What  seems  then  by  no  means 
congruous  the  Prophet  here  in  a  manner  excuses,  and  shews 
that  it  was  not  strange  tliat  he  succumbed  under  extreme 
evils,  for  he  had  been  so  pressed  down  by  afflictions  and 
troubles,  that  his  soul  became  as  it  were  filled  with  poison 
and  gall.^ 

But  in  the  meantime,  he  shews  by  the  word  remember, 
how  such  a  trial  as  this,  when  it  comes,  lays  hold  on  our 
minds,  that  is,  when  we  think  too  much  of  our  evils.  For 
the  faithful  ought  to  hold  a  middle  course  in  their  afflictions, 

1  The  verb  "remember"  is  rendered  as  an  imperative  by  the  Targ., 
tlie  Vulg.,  and  the  Syr.;  and  it  is  so  rendered  by  Henderson.— Ed. 


CHAP.  III.  20.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  405 

lest  they  contract  a  torpor ;  for  as  hence  indifference  and 
stupidity  arise,  they  ought  to  rouse  themselves  to  a  due  con- 
sideration of  their  evils  ;  but  moderation  ought  to  be  ob- 
served, lest  sorrow  sliould  swallow  us  up,  as  Paul  also  warns 
us  (2  Cor.  ii.  7.)  They  then  who  fix  their  minds  too  much 
on  the  remembrance  of  their  evils,  by  degrees  open  the  door 
to  Satan,  who  may  fill  their  hearts  and  all  their  thoughts  with 
despair.  The  Prophet  then  describes  here  the  fountain  of 
evils,  when  he  says,  that  he  remembered  his  affliction  and 
trouble;  and  suitable  to  this  is  what  immediately  follows, — 

20.  My  soul  hath  them  still  m  20.  Recordando  recordabitur,  et 
remembrance,  and  is  humbled  in  humiliabitur  in  me  (yel,  super  me) 
nie  anima  mea. 

The  Prophet  seems  in  other  words  to  confirm  what  he  had 
said,  even  that  the  memoiy  of  afilictions  overwhelmed  his 
soul.  For  the  soul  is  said  to  be  humbled  in  or  upon  man, 
when  he  lies  down  under  the  burden  of  despair.  It  is  the 
soul  that  raises  man  up,  and  as  it  were  revives  him  ;  but 
when  the  soul  is  cast  as  it  were  on  man,  it  is  a  most 
grievous  thing  ;  for  it  is  better  to  lie  down  a  dead  body  than 
to  have  this  additional  burden,  which  makes  the  case  still 
worse.  A  dead  body  might  indeed  lie  on  the  ground  with- 
out strength  and  motion,  but  it  may  still  retain  its  own 
place  ;  but  when  the  soul  is  thus  cast  down,  it  is  said  to 
press  down  man,  though  lifeless,  more  and  more.  This 
then  is  what  the  Prophet  means.  And  yet  he  says  that  he 
was  so  occupied  with  this  remembrance,  that  he  could  not 
thence  withdraw  his  mind. 

There  is  no  doubt  but  that  he  also  intended  here  to  con- 
fess his  own  infirmity,  and  that  of  all  the  faithful ;  and  the 
reason  of  this  we  have  already  explained.  Then  relying  on 
this  doctrine,  even  when  all  our  thoughts  press  us  down, 
and  not  only  lead  us  to  despair,  but  also  hurry  us  on  and 
cast  us  headlong  into  it,  let  us  learn  to  flee  even  then  to  God 
and  to  lay  before  him  all  our  complaints,  and  let  us  not  be 
ashamed,  because  we  see  that  this  mode  of  proceeding  is 
suggested  to  us  by  the  Holy  Spirit.      It  follows, — 

21.  This  I  recall  to  my  mind,  21.  Hoc  revocabo  ad  cor  meum, 
therefore  have  I  hope.  propterea  sperabo. 


406  COMMENTARIES  0:N  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.  IX. 

We  see  liere  what  I  liave  already  stated,  that  if  we  struggle 
against  temptations,  it  will  be  a  sure  remedy  to  us,  because 
our  faith  will  at  length  emerge  again,  and  gather  strength, 
yea,  it  will  in  a  manner  be  raised  up  from  the  lowest  depths. 
This  is  what  the  Prophet  now  shews :  I  will  recall  this,  he 
says,  to  my  heart,  and  therefore  will  I  hope.  How  can  de- 
spair produce  hope  from  itself?  This  would  be  contrary  to 
nature.  "Wliat  then  does  the  Prophet  mean  here,  and  what 
does  he  understand  by  the  pronoun  this,  HXT,  zat  ?  Even 
that  being  oppressed  with  evils,  he  was  almost  lost,  and  was 
also  nearly  persuaded  that  no  hope  of  good  anymore  remained. 
As  then  he  would  recall  this  to  mind,  he  says  that  he  would 
then  have  new  ground  of  hope,  that  is,  when  he  had  recourse 
to  God ;  for  all  who  devour  their  own  sorrows,  and  do  not 
look  to  God,  kindle  more  and  more  the  hidden  fire,  which  at 
length  suddenly  turns  to  fury.  Hence  it  comes  that  they 
clamour  against  God,  as  though  they  were  doubly  insane. 
But  he  who  is  conscious  of  his  own  infirmity,  and  directs 
his  prayer  to  God,  will  at  length  find  a  ground  of  hope. 

When  therefore  we  recall  to  mind  our  evils,  and  also  con- 
sider how  ready  we  are  to  despair,  and  how  apt  we  are  to 
succumb  under  it,  some  hope  will  then  arise  and  aid  us,  as 
the  Prophet  here  says.^ 

It  must  still  be  observed,  that  we  ought  to  take  heed  lest 
we  grow  torpid  in  our  evils ;  for  hence  it  happens  that  our 
minds  become  wholly  overwhelmed.  Wliosoever  then  would 
profit  by  his  evils,  should  consider  what  the  Prophet  says 
here  came  to  his  mind  :  for  he  at  lengtli  came  to  himself,  and 
surmounted  all   obstacles.     We  see  then   that   God  brings 

o 

/  The  pronoun  « this  "  is  by  most  referred  to  what  the  next  verse  con- 
tains ;  but  as  a  clause  intervenes,  this  can  hardly  be  the  meaning.  The 
verses  19,  20,  and  21,  I  render  thus,— 

19.  Remember  my  affliction  and  my  abasement, 
The  wormwood  and  the  gall. 

20.  Remembering  thou  wilt  remember  them, 
For  bowed  down  within  me  is  my  soul : 

21.  This  I  recall  to  my  mind; 
Therefore  will  I  hope. 

He  prays,  then  he  expresses  his  confidence  that  God  would  hear  his  prayer; 
and  "  this"  refers  to  the  assurance  he  felt  that  God  would  remember  hi.s 
afflicted  state,  and  on  this  ground  he  entertained  hope.  In  the  next  verse 
he  states  what  confirmed  this  hope.— y:.V;. 


CHAP.  III.  2S.  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  407 

light  out  of  darkness,  when  he  restores  his  faithful  people 
from  despair  to  a  good  hope ;  yea,  he  makes  infirmity  itself 
to  be  the  cause  of  hope.  For  whence  is  it  that  the  unbe- 
lieving cast  away  hope?  even  because  security  draws  them 
away  from  God;  but  a  sense  of  our  own  infirmity  draws  us 
even  close  to  him  ;  thus  hope,  contrary  to  nature,  and  through 
the  incomprehensible  and  wonderful  kindness  of  Grod,  arises 
from  despair.     It  follows, — 

22.  It  is  of  the  Lord's  mercies  22.  Clementise  Jehovse,  quod  non 
that  "Nve  are  not  consumed,  because  sumus  consumpti  (vel,  certe  non  sunt 
his  compassions  fail  not.  consumptoe,)    certe     non    defecerunt 

miserationes  ejus. 

The  first  clause  may  be  explained  in  two  ways  :  The  view 
commonly  taken  is,  that  it  ought  to  be  ascribed  to  God's 
mercy  that  the  faithful  have  not  been  often  consumed. 
Hence  a  very  useful  doctrine  is  elicited — that  God  succours 
his  own  people,  lest  they  should  wholly  perish.  But  if  we 
attend  to  the  context,  we  shall  see  that  another  sense  is 
more  suitable,  even  that  the  mercies  of  God  were  not  con- 
sumed, and  that  his  compassions  had  not  failed.  The  par- 
ticle O,  ki,  is  inserted,  but  ought  to  be  taken  as  an  afiirma- 
tive  only,  surely  the  mercies  of  God  are  not  consumed  ;^  and 
then, — surely  his  compassions  have  not  failed.  And  he 
afterwards  adds, — 

23.  TAey  are  new  every  morning :  23.  Novje  ad  singula  mane; 
great  is  thy  faithfulness.  magna  Veritas  tua. 

This  verse  confirms  what  I  have  said,  that  the  same  truth 
is  here  repeated  by  the  Prophet,  that  God's  mercies  were 
not  consumed,  nor  had  his  compassions  failed.  How  so  ? 
Because  they  were  new,  or  renewed,  every  day ;  but  he  puts 

^  So  the  Targ.  and  all  the  versions,  except  the  Vulg. ;  they  read  IDD. 
"  The  mercies  of  Jehovah"  is  the  nominative  case  absolute, — 

22.  The  mercies  of  Jehovah,  verily  they  have  no  end, 

For  his  compassions  never  fail. 

23.  Renewed  (are  they)  in  the  morning ; 

Great  is  thy  faithfulness. 
"  Renewed"  refers  to  "mercies,"  i.  e.,  blessings,  the  fruit  of  mercy;  and 
God's  mercies  have  no  end,  because  his  compassions  ever  continue.  "  In 
the  morning,"  that  is,  after  a  night  of  affliction.  If  the  rendering  be 
made  literal,  ''  in  the  mornings,"  the  meaning  is  the  same ;  they  follow  the 
previous  nights  of  trouble.  Blessings,  being  as  it  were  suspended  or 
withheld  during  the  night,  are  again  renewed  in  the  morning. — Ed. 


408  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.  X. 

morning,  and  that  in  the  plural  number.  I  am  surprised  at 
the  hour  striking  so  soon ;  I  hardly  think  that  I  have 
lectured  a  whole  hour. 

PRAYER. 

Grant,  Almighty  God,  that  as  there  are  none  of  us  who  have  not 
continually  to  contend  with  many  temptations,  and  as  such  is  our 
infirmity,  that  we  are  ready  to  succumb  under  them,  except  thou 
helpest  us, — O  grant,  that  we  may  be  sustained  by  thine  invin- 
cible power,  and  that  also,  when  thou  wouldest  humble  us,  we 
may  loathe  ourselves  on  account  of  our  sins,  and  thus  perse ver- 
ingly  contend,  until,  having  gained  the  victory,  we  shaU  give  thee 
the  glory  for  thy  perpetual  aid  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord. — Amen. 


ILecture  STetttJ. 

In  the  last  lecture  the  Prophet  said  that  the  mercies  of 
God  are  renewed  daily.  This  must  indeed  be  viewed  accord- 
ing to  the  apprehension  of  men,  for  to  God  belongs  no  change. 
But  the  mercies  of  God  seem  to  be  renewed  when  he  for  a 
time  hides  his  face,  and  again  becomes  reconciled  to  us. 
The  Prophet  mentions  morning  ;  and  he  alludes,  as  I  think, 
to  this  passage  in  the  Psalms — "  If  weeping  dwells  with  us 
in  the  evening,  yet  joy  will  return  in  the  morning.'"  (Ps. 
XXX.  5.)  He  then  means  that  God  hastens  to  succour  men 
in  misery. 

He  subjoins  the  word  truth,  because  a  sense  of  God's 
mercy  can  never  come  to  us  except  he  offers  it  to  us.  Were 
then  God  to  take  away  the  promise,  all  the  miserable  would 
inevitably  perish  ;  for  they  can  never  lay  hold  on  his  mercy 
except  through  his  word.  This,  then,  is  the  reason  why 
Scripture  so  often  connects  these  two  things  together,  even 
God's  mercy  and  his  faithfulness  in  fulfilling  his  promises. 
It  now  follows, — 

24.  The  Lord  is  my  portion,  saith  24.  Portio  mea  Jehovai,  dixit 
my  soul;  therefore  will  I  hope  in  him.      anima  mea;  ideo  sperabo  in  eo. 

The  Prophet  intimates  in  this  verse  that  we  cannot  stand 
firm  in  adversities,  except  we  be  content  with  God  alone  and 


CHAP.  III.  24.      COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  409 

his  favour  ;  for  as  soon  as  we  depart  from  him,  any  adversity 
that  may  happen  to  lis  will  cause  our  faith  to  fail.  It  is  then 
tlie  only  true  foundation  of  patience  and  hope  to  trust  in 
God  alone  ;  and  this  is  the  case  when  we  are  persuaded  that 
his  favour  is  sufficient  for  our  perfect  safety.  In  this  sense 
it  is  that  David  calls  God  liis  portion.  (Ps.  xvi.  5.)  But  there 
is  in  the  words  an  implied  contrast,  for  most  men  seek  their 
happiness  apart  from  God.  All  desire  to  be  happy,  but  as 
the  thoughts  of  men  wander  here  and  there,  there  is  nothing 
more  difficult  than  so  to  fix  all  our  hopes  in  God  so  as  to 
disregard  all  other  things. 

This  then  is  the  doctrine  which  the  Prophet  now  handles, 
when  he  says,  that  those  alone  could  hope,  that  is,  persevere 
in  hope  and  patience,  who  have  so  received  God  as  their 
portion  as  to  be  satisfied  with  him  alone,  and  to  seek  nothing 
else  besides  him.  But  he  speaks  emphatically,  that  his  soul 
had  thus  said.  Even  the  unbelieving  are  ashamed  to  deny 
what  we  have  stated,  that  the  whole  of  our  salvation  and 
happiness  is  found  in  God  alone.  Then  the  unbelieving  also 
confess  that  God  is  the  fountain  of  all  blessings,  and  that 
they  ought  to  acquiesce  in  him ;  but  with  the  mouth  only 
they  confess  this,  while  they  believe  nothing  less.  This  then 
is  the  reason  why  the  Prophet  ascribes  what  he  says  to  his 
soul,  as  though  he  had  said,  that  he  did  not  boast,  like 
hypocrites,  that  God  was  his  portion,  but  that  of  this  he  had 
a  thorough  conviction.  My  soul  has  said,  that  is,  I  am  fully 
convinced  that  God  is  my  portion ;  therefore  will  I  hope  in 
him.     We  now  understand  the  meaning  of  this  passage. 

It  remains  for  us  to  make  an  application  of  this  doctrine : 
That  we  may  not  then  fail  in  adversities,  let  us  bear  in  mind 
this  truth,  that  all  our  thoughts  will  ever  wander  and  go 
astray,  until  we  are  fully  persuaded  that  God  alone  is  suffi- 
cient for  us,  so  that  he  may  become  alone  our  heritage.  For 
all  who  are  not  satisfied  with  God  alone,  are  immediately 
seized  with  impatience,  whenever  famine  oppresses  them,  or 
sword  threatens  them,  or  any  other  grievous  calamity.  And 
for  this  reason  Paul  also  says,  "  If  God  be  for  us,  who  can  be 
against  us  ?  I  am  persuaded  that  neither  famine,  nor  na- 
kedness, nor  sword,  nor  death,  nor  life,  can  separate  me  from 


410  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.  IX. 

the  love  of  Grod,  which  is  in  Christ."  (Rom.  viii.  31,  35-39.) 
Then  Paul  lays  hold  of  the  paternal  favour  of  God  as  a 
ground  of  solid  confidence ;  for  the  words  in  Christ  suffi- 
ciently show  that  those  are  mistaken  interpreters  who  take 
this  love  passively,  as  though  he  had  said,  that  the  faithful 
would  never  cease  to  love  God,  though  he  exercised  them 
with  many  afflictions.  But  Paul  meant  that  the  faithful 
ought  so  to  fix  tlieir  minds  on  God  alone,  that  whatever 
might  happen,  they  would  not  yet  cease  to  glory  in  him. 
"Why  ?  because  God  is  their  life  in  death,  their  light  in 
darkness,  their  rest  in  war  and  tumult,  their  abundance  in 
penury  and  want.  It  is  in  the  same  sense  our  Prophet  now 
says,  when  he  intimates  that  none  hope  in  God  but  those 
who  build  on  his  paternal  favour  alone,  so  that  they  seek 
nothing  else  but  to  have  him  propitious  to  them.  It  after- 
wards follows, — 

25.  The  Lord  is  good  unto  them  25.  Bonus  Jehova  expectanti  ip- 
that  wait  for  him,  to  the  soul  that  sum,  (veU  speranti  in  eiun,)  animse 
seeketh  him.  quaerenti  ipsum. 

He  continues  the  same  subject :  he  however  adds  now 
something  to  it,  even  that  God  always  deals  mercifully  with 
his  servants,  who  recunib  on  him,  and  who  seek  him.  We 
hence  see  that  the  last  verse  is  confirmed,  where  he  said  that 
he  was  content  with  God  alone,  while  suiFering  all  kinds  of 
adversity  :  How  so  ?  for  God,  he  says,  is  good  to  those  who 
wait  for  him?  It  might  have  been  objected  and  said,  that 
adversities  produce  sorrow,  weariness,  sadness,  and  anguish, 
so  that  it  cannot  be  that  they  retain  hope  who  only  look  to 
God  alone ;  and  it  is  no  doubt  true  that,  when  all  confess 
that  they  hope  in  God,  they  afterwards  run  here  and  there ; 
and  tlie  consequence  is,  that  they  fail  in  their  adversities. 
As,  tlien,  this  might  have  been  objected  to  the  Prophet,  he 
gives  indirectly  this  answer,  that  God  is  good  to  those  who 
wait  for  him,  as  though  he  had  said,  that  the  confidence 
which  recumbs  on  God  alone  cannot  disappoint  us,  for  God 
will  at  length  shew  his  kindness  to  all  those  who  hope  in 
hini.     In  short,  the  Prophet  teaches  us  here,  that  the  bless- 

'  There  is  more  authority  for  the  word  for  "wait"  being  in  the  sin- 
gular than  in  the  phiral,  as  it  is  given  in  the  Sjr. — Ed. 


CHAP.  III.  25.     COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  41  J 

ings  of  God,  bv  which  he  exhilarates  his  own  children, 
cannot  be  separated  from  his  mercy  or  his  paternal  favour. 
Such  a  sentence  as  this,  "  Whatever  can  be  expected  is 
found  in  God,''  would  be  deemed  frigid  by  many  ;  for  they 
might  object  and  say,  as  before  stated,  that  they  were  at  the 
same  time  miserable.  Hence  the  Prophet  reminds  us  here 
that  God's  blessings  flow  to  us  from  his  favour  as  from  a 
fountain,  as  though  he  liad  said,  "  As  a  perennial  fountain 
sends  forth  water,  so  also  God's  goodness  manifests  and 
extends  itself." 

We  now,  then,  understand  the  Prophet's  meaning.  He 
had  indeed  said,  that  we  ought  to  acquiesce  in  God  alone  ; 
but  now  he  adds,  by  way  of  favour,  regarding  the  infirmity 
of  men,  that  God  is  kind  and  bountiful  to  all  those  who  hope 
in  him.  The  sum  of  what  he  states  is,  as  I  have  said,  that 
God's  goodness  brings  forth  its  own  fruits,  and  that  the  faith- 
ful find  by  experience,  that  nothing  is  better  than  to  have 
all  their  thoughts  fixed  on  God  alone.  God's  goodness,  then, 
ought  to  be  understood,  so  to  speak,  as  actual,  even  what  is 
really  enjoyed.  As,  then,  God  deals  bountifully  with  all 
w^ho  hope  in  him,  it  follows  that  they  cannot  be  disappointed, 
while  they  are  satisfied  with  him  alone,  and  thus  patiently 
submit  to  all  adversities.  In  short,  the  Prophet  teaches 
here  what  the  Scripture  often  declares,  that  hope  maketh 
not  ashamed.    (Rom.  v.  5.) 

But  the  second  clause  must  be  noticed  :  for  the  Prophet 
defines  what  it  is  to  hope  in  God,  when  he  says  that  he  is 
good  to  the  soul  that  seeks  him.  Many  indeed  imagine  hope 
to  be  I  know  not  what — a  dead  speculation  ;  and  hypocrites, 
when  God  spares  them,  go  on  securely  and  exult,  but  their 
confidence  is  mere  ebriety,  very  difierent  from  hope.  We 
must  then  remember  what  the  Prophet  says  here,  that  they 
alone  hope  in  God  who  from  the  heart  seek  him,  that  is, 
who  acknowledge  how  greatly  they  need  the  mercy  of  God, 
who  go  directly  to  him  whenever  any  temptation  harasses 
them,  and  who,  when  any  danger  threatens  them,  flee  to  his 
aid,  and  thus  prove  that  they  really  hope  in  God.  It  now 
follows, — 

26.  It   is  good  that  a        2G.  Bonura  et  expectabit  et  silebit  ad  sa- 


412  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.  X. 

man  should  both  hope  and  lutem  Jehovae  {ad  verbum ;  vertunt  tamen 
quietly  wait  for  the  salva-  quidam,  bonus  sperabit  et  silebit  ad  salutem 
tion  of  the  Lord.  Jehovae ;  sed  potius  in  neutro  genere  accipio 

vocem,  DID,  sicut  in  proximo  versti  qui  seque- 
tur,  Bonum  viro,  et  ca3tera.) 

It  is,  indeed,  an  abrupt  phrase  when  he  says,  Good  and  he 
will  luait ;  for  these  words  are  without  a  subject  ;  but  as  it 
is  a  general  statement,  there  is  no  ambiguity.  The  Prophet 
means  that  it  is  good  to  hope  and  to  he  silent  as  to  the  salva- 
tion of  God.  Then  the  verbs  in  the  future  tense  ought  to 
be  rendered  as  subjunctives,  as  though  it  was  said,  ''  It  is 
good  when  any  one  hopes  in  the  salvation  of  Jehovah,  and 
is  silent,  that  is,  bears  patiently  all  his  troubles  until  God 
succours  him.''^ 

But  the  Prophet  here  reminds  us,  that  we  are  by  no  means 
to  require  that  God  should  always  appear  to  us,  and  that 
his  paternal  favour  should  always  shine  forth  on  our  life. 
This  is,  indeed,  a  condition  sought  for  by  all ;  for  the  flesh 
inclines  us  to  this,  and  hence  we  shun  adversities.  We, 
then,  naturally  desire  God's  favour  to  be  manifested  to  us  ; 
how  ?  in  reality,  so  that  all  things  may  go  on  prosperously, 
that  no  trouble  may  touch  us,  that  we  may  be  tormented  by 
no  anxiety,  that  no  danger  may  be  suspended  over  us,  that 
no  calamity  may  threaten  us :  these  things,  as  I  have  said, 
we  all  naturally  seek  and  desire.  But  in  such  a  case  faith 
would  be  extinguished,  as  Paul  tells  us  in  his  Epistle  to  the 
Romans,  "  For  w^e  hope  not,''  he  says,  ''  for  what  appears, 
but  we  hope  for  what  is  hidden."  (Rom.  viii.  24,  25.)  It  is 
necessary  in  this  world  that  the  faithful  should,  as  to  out- 
ward things,  be  miserable,  at  one  time  exposed  to  want,  at 
another  subject  to  various  dangers — at  one  time  exposed  to 
reproaches  and  calumnies,  at  another  harassed  by  losses  : 

'  It  may  be  thus  rendered, — 

Good  it  is  when  he  hopes  and  waits  quietly 

For  the  salvation  of  Jehovah. 
The  1  may  often  be  rendered  when.     This  verse,  the  preceding",  and  fol- 
lowing, begin  with  "  good,"  which  renders  the  passage  very  striking, — 

25.  Good  is  Jehovah  to  him  who  waits  for  him. 
To  the  soul  who  seeks  him  : 

26.  Good  it  is  when  he  hopes  and  waits  quietly 
For  the  salvation  of  Jehovah  : 

27.  Good  it  is  for  man 

That  he  bears  the  yoke  in  his  youth. — Ed. 


CHAP.  III.  26.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  413 

why  SO  ?  because  there  would  be  no  occasion  for  exercising 
hope,  were  our  salvation  complete.  This  is  the  very  thing 
which  the  Prophet  now  teaches  us,  when  he  declares  that  it  is 
good  for  us  to  learn  in  silence  to  wait  for  the  salvation  of  God. 

But  to  express  more  clearly  his  mind,  he  first  says,  He  will 
wait,  or  hope.  He  teaches  the  need  of  patience,  as  also  the 
Apostle  does,  in  Heb.  x.  36  ;  for  otherwise  there  can  be  no 
faith.  It  hence  appears,  that  where  there  is  no  patience, 
there  is  not  even  a  spark  of  faith  in  the  heart  of  man  ;  how 
so  ?  because  this  is  our  happiness,  to  wait  or  to  hope  ;  and 
we  hope  for  what  is  hidden.  But  in  the  second  clause  he 
explains  himself  still  more  clearly  by  saying,  and  will  he 
silent.  To  be  silent  means  often  in  Scripture  to  rest,  to 
be  still  ;  and  here  it  signifies  no  other  thing  than  to  bear 
the  troubles  allotted  to  us,  with  a  calm  and  resigned  mind. 
He  is  then  said  to  be  silent  to  God,  who  remains  quiet  even 
when  afflictions  supply  occasion  for  clamouring ;  and  hence 
this  quietness  is  opposed  to  violent  feelings  ;  for  when  some 
trouble  presses  on  us,  we  become  turbulent,  and  are  carried 
away  by  our  fury,  at  one  time  we  quarrel  with  God,  at 
another  we  pour  forth  various  complaints.  The  same  thing 
also  happens,  when  we  see  some  danger,  for  we  tremble,  and 
then  we  seek  remedies  here  and  there,  and  that  with  great 
eagerness.  But  he  who  patiently  bears  his  troubles,  or  who 
recumbs  on  God  when  dangers  surround  him,  is  said  to  be 
silent  or  to  rest  quietly  ;  and  hence  the  words  of  Isaiah, 
"  In  hope  and  silence  f  for  he  there  exhorts  the  faithful  to 
patience,  and  shews  where  strength  is,  even  when  w^e  trust 
in  God,  so  as  willingly  to  submit  to  his  will,  and  to  be  ready 
to  bear  his  chastisements,  and  then  when  we  doubt  not  but 
that  he  will  be  ready  to  bring  us  help  Avhen  we  are  in  dan- 
ger.    (Isa.  XXX.  15.) 

We  now  perceive  what  the  Prophet  means  when  he  says, 
that  it  is  good  if  we  wait  and  he  silent  as  to  the  salvation  of 
God  ;  even  because  our  happiness  is  hid,  and  we  are  also  like 
the  dead,  as  Paul  says,  and  our  life  is  hid  in  Christ.  (Col. 
iii.  3.)  As  then  it  is  so,  we  must  necessarily  be  silent  as  to 
God's  salvation,  and  cherish  hope  within,  though  surrounded 
with  many  miseries.     It  follows, — 


414  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.  X. 

27.  It  is  good  for  a  man  that  he  27.  Bonum  viro,  si  tulerit  jugum 
bear  the  yoke  in  his  youth.  in  pueritia  sua. 

This  verse  admits  of  two  meanings  ;  for  the  word  yoke 
may  be  explained  as  signifying  teaching,  or  the  scourges  of 
God.  We,  indeed,  undertake  or  bear  in  two  ways  the  yoke 
of  God,  even  when  we  are  taught  to  receive  his  doctrine, 
or  when  we  are  resigned  when  he  chastises  us,  when  we 
are  not  obstreperous,  but  willingly  submit  to  his  correc- 
tions. As  then  some  take  the  word  /)^,  out,  for  the  yoke 
of  instruction,  and  others  for  the  yoke  of  cliastisement,  two 
explanations,  as  I  have  said,  are  given  ;  and  both  are  ad- 
missible. It  is  indeed  truly  said,  that  it  is  good  for  man 
to  be  accustomed  from  his  youth  to  God's  corrections  ;  but 
Jeremiah  seems  rather  to  speak  of  that  obedience  generally, 
which  the  faithful  render  to  God  when  they  submit  to  his 
will.  It  is  then  our  true  happiness  when  we  acknowledge 
that  we  are  not  our  own,  and  allow  God,  by  his  sovereign 
power,  to  rule  us  as  he  pleases.  But  we  ought  to  begin  with 
the  law  of  God.  Hence,  then,  it  is,  that  we  are  said  to  bear 
the  yoke  of  God,  when  we  relinquish  our  own  judgment,  and 
become  wise  through  God's  word,  when,  with  our  affections 
surrendered  and  subdued,,  we  hear  what  God  commands  us, 
and  receive  what  he  commands.  This,  then,  is  what  Je- 
remiah means  by  bearing  the  yoke. 

And  he  says,  in  youth.  For  they  who  have  lived  unre- 
strained throughout  their  life,  can  hardly  bear  to  be  brought 
into  any  order.  We  indeed  know,  that  the  aged  are  less 
tractable  than  the  young ;  nay,  whether  we  refer  to  the  arts 
or  to  the  liberal  sciences,  the  youthful  age  is  the  most  flex- 
ible. The  aged  are  also  much  slower ;  and  added  to  tliis 
is  another  evil,  they  are  very  obstinate,  and  will  hardly 
bear  to  be  taught  the  first  rudiments,  being  imbued  with  a 
false  notion,  as  though  they  must  have  lived  long  in  vain. 
As,  then,  the  disposition  in  the  old  is  not  easily  changed, 
the  Prophet  says  that  it  is  good  for  us  to  be  formed  from 
childhood  to  bear  the  yoke.  And  this  is  also  seen  in  brute 
animals  ;  when  a  horse  is  allowed  full  liberty  in  the  fields, 
and  not  in  due  time  tamed,  he  will  hardly  ever  bear  the  curb, 
he  will  be  always  refractory.     The  oxen,  also,  will  never  be 


CHAP.  III.  28.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  41 5 

brought  to  bear  tlie  yoke,  if  they  be  put  under  it  in  the  sixth 
or  eighth  year.  The  same  is  found  to  be  the  case  with  men. 
Jeremiah,  then,  does  not  say,  without  reason,  that  it  is  good 
for  every  one  to  be  trained  from  his  youth  in  the  service  of 
God  ;  and  thus  he  exhorts  children  and  vouth  not  to  wait 
for  old  age,  as  it  is  usually  the  case.  For  it  has  been  a 
common  evil,  in  all  ages,  for  children  and  youth  to  leave  the 
study  of  wisdom  to  the  old:  "  Oh !  it  will  be  time  enough  for 
me  to  be  wise,  when  I  arrive  at  a  middle  age  ;  but  some 
liberty  must  be  given  to  childhood  and  youthful  days.''  And 
for  this  reason,  Solomon  exhorts  all  not  to  wait  for  old  age, 
but  duly  to  learn  to  fear  God  in  childhood.  So  also  our 
Prophet  declares  that  it  is  good  for  one  to  bear  the  yoke  in 
his  childhood.     It  then  follows, — 

28.  He  sitteth  alone,  and  keepeth         28.  Sedebit  seorsum  {vel,  solus) 
silence,  because  he   hath  borne   it     et  sUebit,  quia  tulit  super  se. 
upon  him. 

Here  he  shews  the  fruit  of  teachableness ;  for  when  God 
deals  severely  with  his  children,  they  yet  do  not  rebel,  but 
even  then  they  willingly  submit  to  his  authority.  For  whence 
comes  it  that  so  much  impatience  rages  in  men,  except 
that  they  know  not  what  it  is  to  obey  God,  to  prepare  them- 
selves to  bear  the  yoke  ?  so,  then,  men  become  furious  like 
wild  beasts,  never  tamed,  therefore  the  Prophet  now  says, 
"  Whosoever  is  thus  habituated  to  the  yoke  of  God,  will  also 
be  silent  in  extreme  evils,  and  remain  quiet."'  We  now  per- 
ceive what  I  have  just  said,  that  the  fruit  of  docility  and 
obedience  is  set  forth  in  this  verse. 

But  when  he  says  that  those  who  are  thus  trained  to  obey 
God  will  sit  ajmrt,  he  expresses  most  fitly  the  strength  and 
character  of  patience.  For  they  for  the  most  part  who  wish 
to  appear  magnanimous  make  a  great  display,  and  think 
that  their  valour  is  nothing  except  they  appear  as  on  a 
theatre  ;  they  allow  themselves  at  the  same  time  an  un- 
bridled liberty  when  they  are  alone ;  for  they  who  seem  the 
most  valorous,  except  God's  fear  and  true  religion  prevail  in 
their  souls,  rage  against  God  and  champ  the  bridle  in  adver- 
sities, though  they  may  not  make  a  clamour  before  men,  for, 
as  I  have  already  said,  they  regard  display.     But  here  a  very 


416  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.  X. 

different  account  is  given  of  patience,  even  that  we  are  to 
sit  alone  and  be  silent,  that  is,  even  were  no  one  present  as 
a  witness,  whose  presence  might  make  us  ashamed ;  were 
we  even  then  to  sit,  and  to  submit  with  calm  minds  to  God, 
and  to  take  his  yoke,  we  should  thus  prove  our  patience. 
This  verse  then  distinguishes  between  the  simplicity  of  the 
godly  and  that  vain  display  in  which  they  delight  who  seek 
to  obtain  the  praise  of  courage,  patience,  and  perseverance, 
from  the  world  ;  for  these  also  sit  and  speak  words  as  from 
heaven,  and  as  though  they  had  put  off  the  flesh.  He  who 
has  lost  a  son  will  say,  that  he  had  begotten  a  mortal :  he 
who  is  stripped  of  all  his  goods  will  say,  "  All  my  things  I 
carry  with  me.''  Thus  magnanimously  do  ungodly  men 
speak,  so  that  they  seem  to  surpass  in  fortitude  and  firm- 
ness all  the  children  of  God.  But  when  they  give  utterance 
to  these  swelling  words,  what  they  regard  is  the  opinion 
which  men  may  form  of  them.  But  the  faithful,  what  do 
they  do  ?  They  sit  apart,  that  is,  though  they  might  shame- 
lessly clamour  against  God,  yet  they  are  quiet  and  submit  to 
his  will.   We  now  understand  what  is  meant  by  sitting  apart. 

Then  he  says,  because  he  will  carry  it  on  himself.  Some 
take  7tDi,  nuthel,  in  a  transitive  sense,  "  he  will  cast  it 
upon  him.''  But  this  is  a  forced  rendering.  It  would  be  a 
simpler  meaning,  were  we  to.  say,  because  he  will  carry  or 
raise  it  on  himself.  The  verb  7Dh,  nuthel,  means  not  onl}^ 
to  carry,  but  also  elevate  or  raise  up.  When,  therefore,  the 
Prophet  says,  that  it  is  an  example  of  real  patience  when 
we  carry  it  on  ourselves,  he  means  that  we  succumb  not 
under  our  adversities,  nor  are  overwhelmed  by  them  ;  for  it 
is  patience  when  it  is  not  grievous  to  us  to  undergo  any 
burdens  which  God  may  lay  on  us ;  and  on  this  account  we 
are  said  to  regard  his  yoke  as  not  grievous — how  so  ?  be- 
cause it  is  pleasant  to  us.  As,  then,  meekness  thus  extenu- 
ates the  heaviness  of  the  burden,  which  would  otherwise 
overwhelm  us,  the  Prophet  says  that  those  who  raise  up  on 
themselves  all  their  troubles  sit  apaH. 

I  do  not,  however,  know  whether  this  passage  has  been 
corrupted  ;  for  the  expression  seems  not  to  me  natural. 
Were  we  to  read  TO,  olu,  his  yoke,  it  would  be  more  appro- 


CHAP.  IN.  29.        COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  41  7 

priate,  and  a  reason  would  be  given  for  what  goes  before, 
that  the  faithful  sit  apart  and  are  silent  before  God,  because 
they  bear  his  yoke  ;  for  the  pronoun  may  be  referred  to  God 
as  well  as  to  man.  But  this  is  only  a  conjecture.^  It  fol- 
lows,— 

29.  He  putteth  his  mouth  in  the  29.  Ponet  in  piilvere  os  siiuni,  si 
dust,  if  so  be  there  may  be  hope.         forte  sit  spes. 

He  continues  the  same  subject ;  for  he  describes  to  us 
men  so  subdued  to  obedience  that  they  are  ready  to  bear 
whatever  God  may  lay  on  them.  He  then  says  that  the 
sitting  and  the  silence  of  which  he  spoke,  so  far  prevailed, 
that  the  children  of  God,  though  in  extreme  evils,  did  not 
yet  cease  to  persevere  in  their  obedience.  For  it  sometimes 
happens  that  those  who  have  made  some  progress  in  the 
fear  of  God,  give  proof  of  their  obedience  and  patience  in 
some  small  trial  ;  but  when  they  are  greatly  tried,  then 
breaks  forth  the  impatience  which  they  had  previously 
checked.  Then  the  Prophet  teaches  us  here,  that  the  chil- 
dren of  God  do  not  sufficiently  prove  their  patience,  when 
they  bear  with  a  calm  mind  a  moderate  correction,  excejH 
they  proceed  to  a  higher  degree  of  perseverance,  so  as  to 
remain  quiet  and  resigned  even  when  the  state  of  things 
appears  hopeless. 

By  saying  that  the  faithful  j^ut  their  month  in  the  dust,  he 
means  that  they  lie  down  humbly  before  God  and  confess 
themselves  to  be  as  dead.  The  import  of  what  is  said  is 
tliis  :  In  time  of  extreme  affliction  the  wise  will  put  his 
mouth  in  the  dust,  while  seeing  things  in  such  confusion 
that  all  his  thoughts  vanish  away  on  account  of  the  atrocity 
of  evils;  and  thus  he  intimates  that  the  wise  would  have 
nothing  to  say.  To  put  the  mouth,  then,  in  the  dust  is  to 
become  mute,  as  though  he  had  said,  that  the  faithful  shut 
their  mouth,  when  they  do  not  murmur  against  God  nor 
abandon  themselves  to  complaints,  when  they  do  not  expos- 
tulate that  injury  is  done  them,  nor  allege  what  the  unbe- 

^  It  is  so  found  in  the  %r.  ;  but  it  conies  to  the  same  thing,  if  the  verb 
be  taken  passively,  in  Niphal,—''  liecause  it  (the  yoke  mentioned  before) 
has  been  laid  on  him."  Blaynpy's  version  is,  "  When  it  is  laid  on  him." 
—  AV/. 

VOL.  V.  2  D 


418  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.  X. 

lieving  usually  do  when  God  deals  severely  with  tliem.  In 
short,  to  put  the  mouth  in  the  dust,  means  to  bring  no  com- 
plaints, and  so  to  check  ourselves  that  no  clamorous  words 
proceed  from  our  movith.  Thus  another  phrase  is  used  to 
set  forth  the  silence  mentioned  before. 

And  that  the  Prophet  here  speaks  of  extreme  trials,  may 
be  easily  gathered  from  the  next  clause.  If  so  he  that  there 
is  hope ;  not  that  the  faithful  doubt  whether  God  would 
give  them  hope,  for  they  have  no  doubt  but  that  God,  who 
shines  in  darkness  itself  by  his  word,  would  at  length  by.  the 
ciFect  prove  that  he  is  not  unfaithful.  But  the  particle  vIX, 
auli,  as  it  is  well  known,  expresses  what  is  difficult ;  for 
when  anything  appears  to  be  incredible,  the  Hebrews  say, 
If  it  may  he.  But  here,  as  I  have  said,  it  does  not  intimate 
a  doubt ;  for  when  the  mind  of  a  godly  man  fluctuates  or 
doubts,  how  is  it  that  he  puts  his  mouth  in  the  dust  ?  but 
the  Prophet  shews  that  those  who  are  taught  to  obey  God, 
persevere  even  in  extreme  trials,  so  that  while  nothing  but 
despair  appears,  they  yet  lie  down  humbly  before  God,  and 
patiently  wait  until  some  hope  shines  forth.  And  here  hope 
is  to  be  taken  for  the  ground  or  occasion  of  hope.^  It  after- 
wards follows, — 

30.  He  giveth  his  cheek  to  him  that         30.  Dabit  perciitienti  niaxil- 
smiteth  him  :  he  is  filled  full  with  re-     lam,  saturabitur  opprobriis. 
proach. 

Here  he  mentions  another  fruit  of  patience,  that  the  faith- 
ful, even  when  injuries  are  done  to  them  by  the  wicked, 
would  yet  be  calm  and  resigned.  For  there  are  many  who 
submit  to  God  when  they  perceive  his  hand  ;  as,  for  instance, 
when  any  one  is  afflicted  with  a  disease,  he  knows  that  it  is 
a  chastisement  that  proceeds  from  God  ;  when  pestilence 
happens,  or  famine,  from  the  inclemency  of  the  weather,  the 
hand   of  God   appears  to  them  ;  and  many  then   conduct 

^  To  lay  the  mouth  in  the  dust,  is  a  token  of  entire  submission.  Agree- 
ably with  this,  the  following  Avords  may  be  considered  as  spoken  by  the 
individual, — 

He  will  lay  in  the  dust  his  mouth  (and  say)  — 
"  It  may  be  tlierc  is  hope." 
It  is  better  to  render  the  verbs  here  as  they  are,  in  the  future  tense,  as  all 
the  versions  do  ;  for  he  describes  what  is  usually  the  character  of  the  godly 
under  severe  trials.  —  ICd. 


CHAP.  III.  SI.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  419 

themselves  in  a  suitable  manner  :  but  when  an  enemy 
meets  one,  and  when  injured,  he  instantly  says,  "  I  have 
now  nothing  to  do  with  God,  but  tliat  wicked  enemy  treats 
me  disgracefully." 

It  is  then  for  this  reason  that  the  Prophet  shews  that  the 
patience  of  the  godly  ought  to  extend  to  injuries  of  this 
kind  ;  and  hence  he  says,  He  will  give  the  cheek  to  the  smiter, 
and  will  he  filled  with  reproaches.^  There  are  two  kinds  of 
injuries  ;  for  the  wicked  either  treat  us  with  violence,  or 
assail  us  with  rej^roaches  ;  and  reproach  is  the  bitterest  of 
all  things,  and  inflicts  a  most  grievous  wound  on  all  ingenu- 
ous minds.  The  Proj^het,  then,  here  declares  that  the  chil- 
dren of  God  ought  meekly  to  suffer  when  they  are  violently 
assailed,  and  not  only  so,  but  when  they  are  dealt  with  re- 
proachfully by  the  wncked.  This,  then,  he  says  of  patience. 
Now  follows  another  confirmation, — 

31.  For  the  Lord  will  not  cast  off  31.  Quia  nonrespuet  (w?,  rejiciet) 
for  ever.  in  perpetuum  Dominus. 

It  is  certain  that  there  will  be  no  patience,  except  there 
be  hope,  as  it  has  already  appeared.  As,  then,  patience 
cherishes  hope,  so  hope  is  the  foundation  of  patience  ;  and 
hence  consolation  is,  according  to  Paul,  connected  with 
patience.  (Rom.  xv.  4.)  And  this  is  the  doctrine  which 
the  Prophet  now  handles, — that  the  faithful  bear  the  yoke 
with  meek  and  calm  minds,  because  they  believe  that  God 
will  at  length  be  propitious  to  them :  hence  also  arises 
patience ;  for  the  faithful  are  persuaded  that  all  adversities 
are  temporary,  and  that  there  will  be  a  hapi:)y  end,  because 
God  w^ill  at  length  be  reconciled  to  them,  though  he  gives 
them  new  evidences  of  his  wrath.^     The  rest  to-morrow. 

^  That  is,  he  will  suffer  himself  to  be  filled  with  reproaches ;  he  will 
submit  to  all  reproaches. — Ed, 

*  This  verse  is  connected  with  the  25th  :  "  Good  is  Jehovah  to  him  who 
waits  for  him  ;"  and  the  reason  is  given  here,  "  For  not  reject  perpetually 
(or,  for  ever)  will  the  Lord."  "For,"  as  assigning  a  reason,  is  here  re- 
peated three  times,  in  this  verse  and  in  the  two  following  verses ;  and  they 
seem  aU  to  be  reasons  given  for  the  truth  contained  in  the  2oth  verse, — 

31.  For  not  reject  perpetually 

Will  the  Lord  : 

32,  For  though  he  afflicts,  yet  he  will  shew  compassion 

According  to  the  multitude  of  his  mercies  : 


420  OOMMENTARCES  OX  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.  XI. 


PRAYER. 

Grant,  Almighty  God,  that  as  it  is  expedient  for  us  to  be  daily 
chastised  by  thy  hand,  we  may  willingly  submit  to  thee,  and  not 
doubt  but  that  thou  wilt  be  faithful,  and  not  prove  us  with  too 
much  rigour,  but  that  thou  wilt  consider  our  weakness,  so  that 
we  may  thus  calmly  bear  all  thy  chastisements,  until  we  shall  at 
length  enjoy  that  perfect  blessedness,  which  is  now  hid  to  us 
under  hope,  and  as  it  were  sealed,  until  Christ  thy  Son  shall 
reveal  it  at  his  coming. — Anion. 


32.  But  though  he  cause  grief,  yet  32.  Quia  si  dolore  atfecerit,  etiam 
will  he  have  compassion  according  miserebitur  secundum  multitudinem 
to  the  multitude  of  his  mercies.  clementiarum  suarum. 

We  saw  in  the  last  Lecture  that  the  best  and  the  only  true 
remedy  for  sorrows  is,  when  the  faithful  are  convinced  that 
they  are  chastised  only  by  the  paternal  hand  of  God,  and 
that  the  end  of  all  their  evils  will  be  blessed.  Now  this  they 
cannot  of  themselves  assume  ;  but  God  comes  to  their  aid, 
and  declares  that  he  will  not  be  angry  for  ever  with  his  chil- 
dren. For  this  promise  extends  generally  to  the  whole 
Church,  "  For  a  moment  I  afflicted  thee,  in  the  time  of  mine 
indignation,  but  with  perpetual  mercies  will  I  follow  thee," 
(Isa.  liv.  7,  8  :)  and  again,  "  I  will  visit  their  iniquities  with 
a  rod,  yet  my  mercy  I  will  not  take  awa}^  from  them."  (Ps. 
Lxxxix.  So,  34.)  When  therefore  the  faithful  feel  assured  that 
their  punishment  is  only  for  a  time,  then  they  lay  hold  on 
hope,  and  thus  receive  invaluable  comfort  in  all  their  evils. 

Jeremiah  now  pursues  the  same  subject,  even  that  God 
will  shew  coinpassion  according  to  the  multitude  of  his  me?'- 
cies,  though  he  causes  sorrozv  to  wen.  This  may  indeed  be 
generally  explained  as  to  all  mankind  ;  but  as  we  have  said, 
God  has  promised  this  to  his  own  Church.     All  miseries, 

33,  For  he  does  not  depress  from  his  heart. 
Nor  afflict  the  children  of  men. 
All  these  particulars  explain  and  elucidate  the  truth,  that  God  is  good. 
*'  From  his  heart,"  docs  not  mean  "  wilUngly,"  but  at  his  will,  that  is,  arbi- 
trarily, without  reason,  but  when  constrained  bv  man's  wickechiess.  —  Jul. 


CHAP.  III.   32.        COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  421 

regarded  in  themselves,  are  tokens  of  the  wrath  and  curse  of 
Grod  ;  but  as  all  things  turn  out  for  good  and  for  salvation 
to  the  children  of  God,  when  they  embrace  this  truth,  that 
God,  as  the  Prophet  Habakkuk  says,  remembers  mercy  in 
wrath,  (Hab.  iii.  2,)  so  they  restrain  themselves  and  do  not 
despond,  nor  are  they  overwhelmed  with  despair.  We  now 
then  understand  the  Prophet's  object  in  saying,  that  tliough 
God  afflicts  he  yet  remembers  mercy. 

But  we  must  at  the  same  time  bear  in  mind  what  I  have 
before  shewed,  that  the  faithful  are  exposed  to  various  evils, 
because  it  is  profitable  for  them  to  be  chastised  by  God's 
hand.  Hence  appears  the  necessity  of  this  doctrine,  for 
were  we  exempt  from  all  adversities,  this  admonition  would 
be  superfluous.  But  as  it  cannot  be  but  that  God  will  smite 
us  with  his  rods,  not  only  because  w^e  deserve  to  be  smitten, 
but  also  because  it  is  expedient,  it  is  necessary  to  flee  to 
this  consolation  which  is  offered  to  us,  even  tliat  God  having 
afflicted  us  with  grief  will  again  shew  us  compassion,  even 
according  to  the  multitude  of  his  mercies.  He  confirms  the 
truth  of  what  he  alleges  by  a  reference  to  the  very  nature  of 
God  himself.  Hence,  that  the  faithful  might  not  debate 
with  themselves  whether  God  would  be  propitious  to  them, 
after  having  inflicted  on  them  a  temporary  punishment,  the 
Prophet  comes  to  their  aid,  and  sets  before  them  the  mercy 
of  God,  or  rather  mercies,  in  the  plural  number  ;  as  though 
he  had  said,  that  it  could  not  be  that  God  should  deny  him- 
self, and  that  therefore  he  would  be  always  merciful  to  his 
people  ;  for  otherwise  his  mercy  would  be  obliterated,  yea, 
that  mercy  which  is  inseparable  from  his  eternal  essence  and 
divinitv. 

And  lience,  when  God  is  pleased  briefly  to  shew  what  he 
is,  he  sets  forth  his  mercy  and  patience  ;  for  except  his  good- 
ness and  mercy  meet  us,  wlien  we  come  to  him,  dread  would 
immediately  absorb  all  our  thoughts ;  but  when  God  comesi 
forth  as  if  clothed  and  adorned  with  mercy,  we  may  then 
entertain  hope  of  salvation ;  and  though  conscious  of  evil, 
yet  while  we  recumb  on  God's  mercy,  we  shall  never  lose  the 
hope  of  salvation.  We  now  apprehend  the  Prophet's  mean- 
ing.    It  follows, — 


422  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.       LECT.  XT. 

33.  For  he  doth  not  afflict  will-         33.  Quia    non    affligit   ex   corde 
ingly,  nor  grieve  the  children  of  men.     suo,  et  dolore  afficit  tihos  viri. 

This  is  aiiotlicr  confirmation  of  the  same  truth,  that  God 
tal^es  no  delif>'ht  in  tlie  evils  or  miseries  of  men.  It  is  in- 
deed  a  strong  mode  of  speaking  which  the  Proj^het  adopts, 
but  very  suitable.  God,  we  know,  puts  on,  as  it  were,  our 
form  or  manner,  for  he  cannot  be  comprehended  in  his  in- 
conceivable Q'lorv  bv  human  minds.  Hence  it  is  that  lie 
transfers  to  himself  what  properly  can  only  apply  to  men. 
God  surely  never  acts  unwillingly  nor  feignedly  :  how  then 
is  that  suitable  which  Jeremiah  declares, — that  God  does 
not  afflict  from  his  heart  t  But  God,  as  already  said,  does 
here  assume  the  character  of  man  ;  for  tliough  he  afflicts  us 
with  sorrow  as  he  pleases,  yet  true  it  is  that  he  delights  not 
in  the  miseries  of  men  ;  for  if  a  father  desires  to  benefit  his 
own  children,  and  deals  kindly  with  them,  what  ought  we 
to  think  of  our  heavenly  Father  ?  "  Ye,"  says  Christ,  "  who 
are  evil,  know  how  to  do  good  to  your  children,''  (Matt,  vii, 
11  ;)  what  then  are  we  to  expect  from  the  very  fountain  of 
goodness?  As,  then,  parents  are  not  willingly  angry  Avitli 
their  children,  nor  handle  tliem  roughh^,  there  is  no  doubt 
but  that  God  never  punishes  men  except  when  he  is  con- 
strained. There  is,  as  I  have  said,  an  impropriety  in  the 
expression,  but  it  is  enough  to  know,  that  God  derives  no 
pleasure  from  the  miseries  of  men,  as  profane  men  say,  who 
utter  sucli  blasphemies  as  these,  that  we  arc  like  balls  with 
v.diich  God  plays,  and  that  we  are  exposed  to  many  evils, 
because  God  wishes  to  have,  as  it  were,  a  pleasant  and  de- 
lectable spectacle  in  looking  on  the  innumerable  afflictions, 
and  at  length  on  the  death  of  men. 

That  such  thoughts,  then,  might  not  tempt  us  to  unbelief, 
the  Prophet  here  puts  a  check  on  us,  and  declares  that  God 
does  not  afflict  from  his  heart,  that  is,  willingly,  as  though 
he  delighted  in  the  evils  of  men,  as  a  judge,  who,  when  he 
ascends  his  throne  and  condemns  the  guilty  to  deatli,  docs 
not  do  this  from  his  heart,  because  he-wishes  all  to  be  inno- 
cont,  and  thus  to  have  a  reason  for  acquitting  them ;  but 
yet  he  willingly  condemns  the  guilty,  because  this  is  his 
duty.     So  also  God,  when  he  adopts  severity  towards  men, 


OUAP.  111.  34-36.       COMMEIJTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.        423 

he  indeed  does  so  willingly,  because  he  is  the  judge  of  the 
v.'orld ;  but  he  does  not  do  so  from  the  heart,  because  he 
wishes  all  to  be  innocent — for  far  away  from  him  is  all  fierce- 
ness and  ciuelty  ;  and  as  he  regards  men  witli  paternal  love, 
so  also  he  Avould  have  them  to  be  saved,  were  they  not  as  it 
were  by  force  to  drive  him  to  rigour.  And  this  feeling  he 
also  expresses  in  Isaiah,  "  Ah  !  I  v,  ill  take  consolation  from 
mine  adversaries."  (Isa.  i-  24.)  He  calls  tlum  adversaries 
who  so  often  provoked  him  by  their  obstinacy ;  yet  lie  was 
led  unwillingly  to  punish  their  sins,  and  hence  he  employed 
a  particle  expressive  of  grief,  and  exclaimed  Ah  !  as  a  father 
who  wishes  his  son  to  be  innocent,  and  yet  is  compelled  to 
be  severe  with  him. 

But  however  true  this  doctrine  may  be,  taken  generally, 
there  is  yet  no  doubt  but  that  the  Prophet  here  addresses 
only  the  faithful ;  and  doubtless  this  privilege  peculiarly 
belongs  to  God's  children,  as  it  has  been  shewn  before.  It 
follows, — 

34.  To  crush  under  bis  feet  all  34.  Ad  conterenduni  sub  pcdibus 
tlie  prisoners  of  tbe  earth,  suis  omnes  vinctos  ten-fo, 

35.  To  turn  aside  the  right  of  a  35.  Ad  pervertendum  (ad  decHn- 
man  before  the  face  of  the  most  andum)  judicium  viri  coram  con- 
High,  spectu  excclsi, 

3G.  To  subvert  a  man  in  his  cause,  ,  36.  Ad  i)ervertendum  hominem 
the  Lord  approveth  not.  in  hte  sua,  Dominus  non  videt  {vel, 

non  vidit.) 

Many  interpreters  think  that  these  three  verses  are  con- 
nected with  the  previous  doctrine,  and  shew  the  connexion 
thus, — that  God  does  not  see,  that  is,  does  not  know  what 
it  is  to  pervert  the  good  cause  of  a  man,  and  to  oppress  the 
innocent  ;  and,  doubtless,  God  is  said  not  to  know  what 
iniquity  is,  because  he  abhors  all  evil  ;  for  what  is  the  nature 
of  God  but  the  perfection  of  justice  ?  It  may  then  be  truly 
said,  that  God  knows  not  what  it  is  to  turn  man  aside  in 
judgment.    Others  take  not  to  see,  as  meaning,  not  to  approve. 

If  we  subscribe  to  the  opinion  of  those  who  say  that  in- 
justice is  contrary  to  the  nature  of  God,  there  is  here  an 
exhortation  to  patience  ;  as  though  the  Prophet  had  said 
that  afflictions  ought  to  be  borne  with  resignation,  because 
the  Jews  had  fully  deserved  them.  For  the  liberty  taken 
to  complain  arises  from  this,  that  men  imagine  that  they 


424  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.       LECT.  XI 

are  witliout  fault ;  but  he  who  is  convicted  dares  not  thus 
to  rise  up  against  God  ;  for  the  chief  thing  in  humility  is  the 
acknowledgment  of  sin.  This,  then,  is  one  meaning.  But 
they  who  give  this  explanation,  that  God  does  not  approve 
of  those  who  pervert  judgment,  think  that  there  is  here  a. 
ground  of  consolation,  because  God  would  at  length  succour 
the  miserable  who  were  unjustly  oppressed.  And  doubtless 
it  avails  not  a  little  to  encourage  patience  when  we  are  per- 
suaded that  God  will  be  an  avenger,  so  that  he  will  at  length 
help  us,  after  having  for  a  time  suffere<l  us  to  be  severely 
treated. 

But  these  expositions  seem  to  me  to  be  too  remote ;  w^e  may 
give  a  corrector  explanation  by  supposing  a  concession  to  be 
made,  as  though  the  Prophet  had  said,  "  It  is  indeed  true 
that  the  wicked  take  much  license,  for  they  imagine  that 
God  is  blind  to  all  evil  deeds.''  For  this  madness  is  often 
ascribed  to  the  ungodly,  that  they  think  that  they  can  sin 
with  impunity,  because  God,  as  they  suppose,  cares  not  for 
the  affairs  of  men.  They  then  imagine  that  God  is  asleep, 
and  in  a  manner  dead,  and  hence  thev  break  out  into  all 
kinds  of  wickedness.  And  for  this  reason  it  was  that  Bavid 
so  vehemently  rebuked  them :  "  He  who  has  formed  the  ear, 
will  he  not  hear  ?  He  who  has  created  the  heaven,  will  he 
not  see?''  (Ps.  xciv.  9.)  This  explanation  also  I  cannot 
approve  of,  it  being  forced  and  not  obvious. 

I  therefore  think  that  the  reference  is  to  the  impious 
words  of  those  who  complain  that  God  is  not  moved  by  any 
compassion.  For  tliis  thought  almost  lays  hold  on  us  when 
pressed  down  by  adversities, — that  God  has  forgotten  us, 
that  he  is  either  asleej)  or  lies  down  inactive.  In  short, 
there  is  nothins:  more  difficult  to  be  assured  of  than  this 
truth,  that  God  governs  the  world  by  his  counsel,  and  that 
nothing  happens  without  a  design.  This  is  indeed  what 
almost  all  confess;  but  when  a  trial  comes,  this  doctrine 
vanishes,  and  every  one  is  carried  away  by  some  perverted 
and  erroneous  thoughts,  even  that  all  things  roll  round  for- 
tuitously through  blind  fate,  that  men  are  not  the  objects 
of  God's  care.  Nor  is  there  a  doubt  but  that  in  Jeremiah's 
time  words  of  this  kind  were  flying  about ;  and  it  appears 


CHAP.  111.34-36.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.       425 

evident  from  the  context  that  those  Jews  were  reproved  wlio 
thought  that  their  miseries  were  disregarded  by  God,  and 
lience  they  chimoured  ;  for  men  are  necessarily  carried  away 
into  a  furious  state  of  mind,  wlien  they  do  not  believe  that 
they  have  to  do  with  God. 

The  Propliot,  then,  refers  to  such  impious  words,  or  if  they 
dared  not  to  express  in  language  what  they  thought,  he  re- 
fers to  what  was  believed  almost  by  all, — that  the  wicked 
perverted  the  judgment  of  man,  that  they  turned  aside  a  r)ian 
in  his  cause,  that  they  tore  under  their  feet  all  the  hound  of 
the  earth  /  that  is,  that  all  those  things  were  done  by  the 
connivance  of  God.  The  plain  meaning,  then,  is,  that  judg- 
ment is  perverted  before  the  face  of  the  Most  High, — that 
the  bound  of  the  earth,  such  as  are  helpless,  are  despised, 
trodden  under  foot  by  the  wicked, — that  a  man  in  his  cause 
is  unjustly  dealt  with,  and  that  all  this  is  done  because  God 
does  not  see^  We  now,  then,  perceive  what  the  Prophet  means. 

'  The  order  is  here  reversed.  It  is  a  eommon  thing  in  Scripture  to 
state  first  the  chief  thing,  the  chief  good  or  evil.  Here  the  greatest  evil 
is  mentioned  first,  the  tearing  under  foot  of  such  as  were  already  bound, 
or  imprisoned;  then  the  sparing  of  the  guilty ;  and  tliirdly,  the  withholding 
of  justice  to  the  righteous.  To  turn  aside  or  divert  judgment,  is  not  to 
punish  the  guilty;  and  to  wrong  a  person  in  his  cause,  is  to  deny  his  right. 
By  '•  the  bound,"  or  "  prisoners  of  the  earth,"  or  land,  Blayney  understands 
persons  imprisoned  for  debt,  who  were  obliged  to  work  as  slaves  until  they 
satisfied  their  creditors.  See  Matt,  xviii.  30-34.  Cruelty  to  such  is  re- 
ferred to  in  Isa.  Iviii.  3. — Ed. 

-  The  Tarcj.  and  the  versions  differ  as  to  the  import  of  this  clause.  The 
verb  to  see,  has  been  taken  to  mean  three  things, — to  know,  to  approve, 
and  to  regard  or  to  notice.  The  Vulgate  takes  the  first,  our  version  the 
second,  and  Calvin  the  third.  The  context  seems  to  favour  the  last  mean- 
ing, especially  the  following  verses. 

There  is  a  difficulty  as  to  the  antecedent  to  the  pronoun  "  his,"  befcnre 
"  feet."  It  seems  to  refer  to  "  man"  in  the  last  verse ;  for  the  words  are, 
'•the  sons  (or  children)  of  man,"  not  of  '^'  men,"  The  verb  rrX"),  when 
followed  by  ?,  means  to  look  on,  at,  or  simply  to  see.  Ps.  Ixiv.  5.  Then 
tiie  literal  rendering  of  the  passage  would  be  as  follows, — 
On  the  tearing  under  his  feet 

Of  all  the  bound  of  the  land, — 
On  the  diverting  of  a  man's  judgment. 
In  the  presence  of  the  most  High, — 
On  the  wronging  of  a  person  in  his  cause 
The  Lord  doth  not  look. 
Or  if  the  '•'  on"  be  dropped,  the  last  line  may  be,. 

The  Lord  doth  not  see. 
This  is  manifestly  the  saying  of  mibelieving  men,  or  of  those  weak  in  faith, 
as  piDved  by  the  ne.x.t  verse,  when  rightly  rendered. — Ed. 


426  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.       LECT.  XI. 

But  whence  came  such  madness  ?  even  because  the  Jews, 
as  I  have  said,  would  not  humble  themselves  under  the 
mighty  hand  of  God ;  for  liypocrisy  had  so  blinded  tJicm, 
tliat  tliey  proudly  clamoured  against  God,  thinking  that 
they  were  chastised  with  unjust  severity.  As  then,  they 
thus  flattered  themselves  in  their  sins,  this  expostulation 
arose  which  the  Prophet  mentions,  that  man's  judgment  vvas 
perverted,  tliat  the  innocent  failed  in  a  good  cause,  tliat  tlie 
miserable  were  trodden  under  foot ;  and  wdience  all  this  ? 
because  God  did  not  sec,  or  did  not  regard  these  tilings. 
Now  follows  the  reproof  of  this  delirious  impiety, — 

37.  Who  2s  he  that  saith,  and  it  37.  Quis  iste,  dixit;  fuit,  Deus 
Cometh  to  pass,  when  the  Lord  com-     non  prsecepit  ? 

mandeth  it  not  ? 

38.  Out  of  the  mouth  of  the  most  38.  Ex  ore  Excelsi  non  egredietur 
High  proceedeth  not  evil  and  good?     malum  et  bonum    {vel,   qnasi  non 

egrediatur  malum  et  bonum  ex  ore 
Excelsi  ?) 

The  Prophet,  after  having  mentioned  the  blasphemy  which 
prevailed  everywhere  at  that  time,  strongly  condemns  so 
gross  a  stupidity.  Who  is  this  t  he  says.  He  checks  such 
madness  by  a  sharp  rebuke — for  the  question  implies  an 
astonishment,  as  though  the  Prophet  had  said,  tliat  it  was 
like  a  prodigy  to  find  men  who  imagined  that  God  was  con- 
tent with  his  own  leisure,  and  exercised  no  care  over  the 
world ;  for  this  w^as  to  annihilate  him  altogether.  God  is 
not  a  dead  being,  he  is  not  a  spectre ;  wliat  then  ?  God  is 
the  judge  of  the  world.  Wc  hence  see  that  it  was  a  mon- 
strous thing,  when  men  entertained  the  notion  that  God  is. 
idle  or  forgetful,  that  he  gives  up  the  world  to  chance.  This 
is  the  reason  why  the  Prophet  asks  as  of  a  thing  absurd  and 
extremely  disgraceful.  Who  is  this?  he  says;  could  it  be 
that  men  should  give  themselves  up  to  such  a  degree  of 
madness?  for  when  they  said,  that  anything  could  happen 
without  God's  command,  it  was  the  same  as  if  they  denied 
liis  power ;  for  what  is  God  without  his  judgment  ? 

The  other  verse  may  be  explained  in  two  ways ;  but  as 
to  the  meaning,  there  is  but  little  difference.  It  may,  then, 
be  read  as  a  question,  "  Cannot  good  and  evil  proceed  from 
the  mouth  of  the  most  High?"  or  it  may  be  rendered  thus, 


V 


CHAP.  Ill  37,  SS.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.      427 

"  As  though  good  and  evil  should  not  proceed  from  the  mouth 
of  God."     As  to  the  substance  of  what  is  said,  we  see  that 
there  is  no  need  of  disputing,  for  the  Prophet  confirms  what 
he  had  said,  that  men  are  to  be  abhorred  who  imagine  God 
to  be  as  it  were  dead,  and  thus  rob  him  of  his  power  and  of 
his  office  as  a  judge.     And,  doubtless,  except  we  hold  this! 
trutli,  no  true  religion  can  exist  in  us  ;  for  except  all  thel  y 
savino-s  and  doins^s  of  men  come  to  an  account  before  the 
tribunal  of  God,  and  also  their  motives  and  thoughts,  there 
will  be  first  no  faith,  and,  secondly,  there  Avill  be  no  integ-i 
rity,  and  all  prayer  to  God  will  be  extinguished.      For  if  we 
believe  that  God  does  not  regard  what  is  done  in  the  world, 
who  will  trust  in  him  ?  and  who  will  seek  help  from  him  ? 
besides,  who  will  hesitate  to  abandon  himself  to  cruelty,  or 
frauds,  or  plunder?     Extinguished,   then,  is  every  sense  of/ 
religion  by  this  impious  opinion,  that  God  spends  his  time' 
leisurely  in  heaven,  and  attends  not  to  human  afiairs.     This 
is  the  reason  why  tlie  Prophet  is  so  indignant  against  those 
who  said,  that  anything  could  be  done  without  the  command 
of  God. 

Let  us  now  see  how  God  commands  what  is  wrongly  and 
foolishly  done  by  men.  Surely  he  does  not  command  the 
ungodly  to  do  what  is  wicked,  for  he  would  thus  render  them 
excusable ;  for  where  God's  authority  interposes,  there  no 
blame  can  be.  But  God  is  said  to  command  whatever  he  has 
decreed,  according  to  his  hidden  counsel.  There  are,  then, 
two  kinds  of  commands ;  one  belongs  to  doctrine,  and  the  \ 
other  to  the  hidden  judgments  of  God.  The  command  of 
doctrine,  so  to  speak,  is  an  evident  approbation  wdiich  ac- 
quits men  ;  for  when  one  obeys  God,  it  is  enough  that  he 
has  God  as  his  authority,  though  he  were  condemned  by  a 
hundred  worlds.  Let  us,  then,  learn  to  be  attentive  to  tlie 
commands  of  doctrine,  by  which  we  ought  to  regulate  our 
life,  for  they  make  up  the  only  true  rule,  from  which  it  is 
not  right  to  depart.  But  God  is  said  to  command  according 
to  his  secret  decrees  what  he  does  not  approve,  as  far  as  men 
are  concerned.  So  Shimei  had  a  command  to  curse,  and  yet 
he  was  not  exempt  from  blame  ;  for  it  was  not  his  purpose 
to  obey  God ;  nay,  he  thought  that  he  had  offended  God  no 


428  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.  XI. 

less  than  David.  (2  Sam.  xvi.  5,  6.)  Then  this  distinction 
ought  to  be  understood,  tliat  some  things  are  commanded  by 
God,  not  that  men  may  have  it  as  a  rule  of  action,  but  when 
God  executes  his  secret  judgments  by  wnys  unknown  to  us. 
Thus,  then,  ought  this  passage  to  be  understood,  even  that 
nothing  is  carried  on  without  God's  command,  that  is,  with- 
out his  decree,  and,  as  they  say,  without  his  ordination. 

It  hence  appears,  that  those  things  which  seem  contingent, 
are  yet  ruled  by  the  certain  providence  of  God,  so  that  no- 
thing is  done  at  random.  And  what  philosophers  call  acci- 
dent, or  contingent,  (evhe'^ofxevov,)  is  necessary  as  to  God  ; 
for  God  decreed  before  the  world  was  made  whatever  he  was 
to  do  ;  so  that  there  is  nothing  now  done  in  the  world  which 
is  not  directed  by  his  counsel.  And  true  is  that  saying  in 
the  Psalms,  that  our  God  is  in  heaven,  and  doeth  whatsoever 
he  pleaseth,  (Ps.  cxv.  3  ;)  but  this  would  not  be  true,  were 
not  all  things  dependent  on  God's  counsel.  "We  hence  see 
that  nothing  is  contingent,  for  everything  that  takes  place 
flows  from  the  eternal  and  immutable  counsel  of  God.  It  is 
indeed  true,  that  those  things  wliich  take  place  in  this  or 
that  manner,  are  properly  and  naturally  called  contingencies, 
but  what  is  naturally  contingent,  is  necessary,  as  far  as  it  is 
directed  by  God  ;  nay,  what  is  carried  on  by  the  counsel  and 
will  of  men  is  necessary.  Philosophers  think  that  all  tilings 
are  contingent  {evSe^ofjueva,)  and  why  ?  because  the  will  of 
man  may  turn  either  way.  They,  then,  conclude,  that  what- 
ever men  do  is  contingent,  because  he  who  wills  may  change 
his  win.  These  things  are  true,  when  we  consider  the  will 
of  man  in  itself,  and  the  exercise  of  it ;  but  when  we  raise 
our  eyes  to  the  secret  providence  of  God,  who  turns  and 
directs  the  counsels  of  men  according  to  his  own  will,  it  is 
certain  tliat  how  much  soever  men  may  change  in  their  pur- 
poses, yet  God  never  changes. 

Let  us  then  hold  this  doctrine,  that  nothing  is  done  ex- 
cept by  God's  command  and  ordination,  and,  with  the  Holy 
Spirit,  regard  with  abhorrence  tliose  profane  men  who  ima- 
gine that  God  sits  idly  as  it  were  on  his  watch-tower  and 
takes  no  notice  of  what  is  done  in  the  world,  and  that 
human  atfairs  change  at  random,  and  that  men  turn  and 


CHAP.  111.36-38.     COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.         429 

change  independently  on  any  higher  power.  Nothing  is 
more  diabolical  than  this  delirious  impiety  ;  for  as  I  have 
said,  it  extinguishes  all  the  acts  and  duties  of  religion  ;  for 
there  will  be  no  faith,  no  prayer,  no  patience,  in  short,  no 
religion,  except  we  believe  and  know  that  God  exercises 
such  care  over  the  world,  of  which  he  is  the  Creator,  that 
nothing  happens  except  through  his  certain  and  unchange- 
able decree. 

Kow  they  who  object  and  say  that  God  is  thus  made  the 
author  of  evils,  may  be  easily  refuted  ;  for  nothing  is  more 
preposterous  than  to  measure  the  incomprehensible  judg- 
ment of  God  by  our  contracted  minds.  The  Scripture  cries 
aloud  that  the  judgments  of  God  are  a  great  deep  ;  it  ex- 
horts us  to  reverence  and  sobriety,  and  Paul  does  not  in 
vain  exclaim  that  the  ways  of  God  are  unsearchable.  (Rom. 
xi.  S3.)  As,  then,  God's  judgments  in  tlieir  height  far  sur- 
pass all  our  thoughts,  we  ought  to  beware  of  audacious  pre- 
sumption and  curiosity  ;  for  the  more  audacious  a  man  be- 
comes, the  farther  God  withdraws  from  him.  This,  then, 
is  our  wisdom,  to  embrace  only  what  the  Scripture  teaches. 
Now,  when  it  teaches  us  that  nothing  is  done  except  through 
the  will  of  God,  it  does  not  speak  indiscriminately,  as  though 
God  approved  of  murders,  and  thefts,  and  sorceries,  and 
adulteries ;  what  then  ?  even  that  God  by  his  just  and 
righteous  counsel  so  orders  all  things,  that  he  still  wills  not 
iniquity  and  abhors  all  injustice.  When,  therefore,  adul- 
teries, and  murders,  and  plunders  are  committed,  God  ap- 
plies, as  it  were,  a  bridle  to  all  those  things,  and  how  much 
soever  the  most  wicked  may  indulge  themselves  in  their 
vices,  he  still  rules  them  ;  this  they  themselves  acknow- 
ledge ;  but  for  what  end  does  he  rule  them  ?  even  that  he 
may  punish  sins  with  sins,  as  Paul  teaches  us,  for  he  says 
that  God  gives  up  to  a  reprobate  mind  those  who  deserve 
such  a  punishment,  that  he  gives  them  up  to  disgraceful 
lusts,  that  he  blinds  more  and  more  the  despisers  of  his 
word.  (Rom.  i.  28  ;  2  Thess.  ii.  10.)  And  then  God  has 
various  w^ays,  and  those  innumerable  and  unknown  to  us. 

Let  us  then  learn  not  to  subject  God  to  our  judgment,  but 
adore  his  judgments,  though  they  surpass  our  comprehen- 


430  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.         LECT.  XI. 

J     sioii  ;  and  since  the  cause   of  them  is  hid  from  us,   our 
highest  wisdom  is  modesty  and  sobriety. 

Thus  we  see  that  God  is  not  the  author  of  evils,  though 
nothing  happens  but  by  his  nod  and  through  his  will, — for 
far  different  is  his  design  from  that  of  wicked  men.  Then 
absurd  would  it  be  to  implicate  him  as  an  associate  in  the 
same  crime,  when  a  murderer,  or  a  thief,  or  an  adulterer  is 
condemned, — and  why  ?  because  God  has  no  participation 
in  thefts  and  adulteries  ;  but  the  vices  of  men  are  in  a  way 
wonderful  and  incompreliensible  as  his  judgments.  In  a 
word,  as  far  as  the  heavens  are  from  the  earth,  so  great  is 
the  difference  between  the  works  of  God  and  the  deeds  of 
men,  for  the  ends,  as  I  have  said,  are  altogether  different.^ 

The  Prophet  says  that  from  the  mouth  of  the  most  High 
l^oceed  good  and  evil.  By  "  mouth''  he  means  his  decree. 
God  indeed  does  not  always  declare  that  he  is  a  judge  ;  he 
has  often  executed  punishment  on  the  wicked,  as  it  were,  in 
silence  ;  for  there  w^cre  no  proi:)hets  among  the  heathens 
to  proclaim  the  judgments  he  brought  on  them.  But 
though  God  does  not  always  speak  when  he  punishes  the 
wickedness  of  men,  it  is  yet  said  that  good  and  evil  proceed 
from  his  mouth  ;  because  ho  allots  to  men  their  punishment 
as  it  seems  good  to  him  ;  and  then  he  spares  others  or  bears 
with  them  for  a  time.     It  follows, — 

'  The  construction  of  these  two  verses  is  variously  given.  The  verb 
rendered,  "  It  was,"  or,  "  It  came  to  pass,"  if  in  the  third  person,  is  femi- 
nine, while  it  is  usually  and  probably  always  masculine,  when  it  has  this 
meaninj^.  It  may  be  taken  to  be  here  in  the  second  person.  The  literal 
rendering  of  the  verse  then  would  be, — 

Who-he-saying  (z.e..  Who  is  he  who  says,) 

That  thou  art  Lord,  ordering  not,  {i.e.,  who  dost  not  order,  or  com- 
mand.) 

Then  the  following  verse  contains  a  continuation  of  what  the  objector 
said, — 

From  the  mouth  of  the  Highest 
Cometh  not  the  evil  and  the  good. 

The  answer  of  the  Prophet  is  in  the  39th  verse,  in  which  he  intimates 
that  God  orders  evil  as  a  punishment  for  sin. 

The  objector's  declaration,  that  God  as  a  Lord  or  Sovereign  does  not 
command  or  order  events,  and  for  this  reason,  because  both  evil  and  good 
cannot  come  from  him,  is  a  proof  that  nut  to  see  in  verse  30,  is  not  to  re- 
'    gard  or  notice  tlie  affairs  of  men. — Ed. 


CHAP.  III.  39.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  431 

39.  Wherefore  dofh  a  living  man         39.  Cur  molestia  sc  afficit  homo 
complain,  a  man  for  the  punishment     vivens  ?  vir  super  peccato  suo  ? 
of  his  sins  ? 

Some  explain  tlie  verb  piXH^  itaunen,  by  giving  it  tlie 
sense  of  lying,  "  Why  should  man  lie  ?"  others,  "  Why  should 
man  murmur  V  But  I  see  not  what  sense  there  can  be  in 
rendcrino'  it  Ivino:  or  murmurins'.  Others  translate  thus, 
"  Why  shovdd  man  harden  himself  V  but  it  is  a  mere  con- 
jecture. Now,  this  verb  sometimes  means  to  weary  one's 
self,  in  Hithpael.  So  in  the  eleventh  chapter  of  Numbers, 
"  The  people  murmured,''  as  some  render  the  words  ;  but  I 
think  differently  ;  nor  is  there  a  doubt  but  that  Moses 
meant  that  the  peo2)le  were  wearied,  so  that  they  in  a  man- 
ner pined  away  ;  and  this  meaning  is  the  most  suitable  here. 
For  the  Prophet  had  before  rebuked  those  who  imagined 
that  God,  having  relinquished  the  care  of  the  world,  led  an 
inactive  and  easy  life  in  heaven  ;  but  now,  in  order  to  rouse 
the  minds  of  all,  he  points  out  the  remedy  for  this  madness, 
even  that  men  should  not  willingly  weary  themselves  in 
their  sins,  but  acknowledge  that  their  wickedness  is  shewn 
to  them  whenever  any  adversity  comes  upon  them.  And 
surely  men  would  not  be  so  infatuated  as  to  exclude  God 
from  the  government  of  the  world,  were  they  to  know  them- 
selves and  seriously  to  call  to  mind  their  own  deeds  and 
words  ;  for  God  would  soon  exhibit  to  them  sure  and  noto- 
rious examples  of  his  judgment.  Whence  then  comes  it, 
that  we  are  so  dull  and  stupid  in  considering  the  works  of 
God  ?  nay,  that  we  think  that  God  is  like  a  spectre  or  an 
idol  ?  even  because  we  rot  in  our  sins  and  contract  a  volun- 
tary dulness ;  for  we  champ  the  bit,  according  to  the  old 
proverb. 

We  now,  then,  perceive  why  the  Prophet  joins  this  sen- 
tence. Why  does  a  living  man  weary  himself  P   and  a  man 

1  "  Murmur"  is  the  Sept.  and  the  Vulg.  The  word  only  occurs  here 
and  in  Num.  xi.  1  ;  and  "  complain"  is  the  most  suitable  rendering  in 
both  places, — 

39.  Why  complain  should  man, 
Any  man  alive,  for  his  sin  ? 
That  is,  on  account  of  suffering  for  liis  sin.     Thus  God  is  justified  in 
nnlaining  or  commanding  evil  as  well  as  good,  that  is,  the  evil  of  punish- 
ment.— Ed. 


432  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.  XII. 

in  his  siTis  ?  for  as  long  as  men  thus  remain  in  their  own 
dregs,  they  will  never  acknowledge  God  as  the  judge  of 
the  world,  and  thus  they  always  go  astray  through  their 
own  perverse  imaginations.  If,  then,  we  wish  to  dissipate 
all  the  mists  which  prevent  us  from  seeing  God's  providence, 
(that  is,  by  the  eyes  of  faith,)  let  every  one  be  his  own  wit- 
ness and  the  judge  of  his  owm  life,  and  carefully  examine 
himself;  it  will  then  immediately  occur  to  us,  that  God  is 
not  without  reason  angry  with  us,  and  that  we  are  afflicted 
with  so  many  adversities,  because  our  sins  will  come  forth 
before  us.  We  here  see  the  cause  of  that  madness  which 
makes  men  to  exclude  God's  providence  from  human  affairs, 
even  because  they  look  not  on  themselves,  but  torment 
themselves  without  any  benefit  and  become  wearied  in  their 
sins,  and  do  not  raise  up  their  eyes  to  God.  The  rest,  con- 
nected with  our  subject,  I  must  defer  till  to-morrow. 

PRAYER. 

Grant,  Almighty  God,  that  as  we  are  at  this  day  tossed  here  and 
there  hy  so  many  troubles,  and  ahnost  all  things  in  the  world 
are  in  confusion,  so  that  wherever  we  turn  our  eyes,  nothing  but 
thick  darkness  meets  us, — O  grant  that  we  may  learn  to  sur- 
mount all  obstacles,  and  to  raise  our  eyes  by  faith  above  the 
world,  so  that  we  may  acknowledge  that  governed  by  thy  Avon- 
derful  counsel  is  everything  that  seems  to  us  to  happen  by 
chance,  in  order  that  we  may  seek  thee,  and  know  that  help  will 
be  ready  for  us  through  thy  mercy  a\  hencver  we  humbly  seek 
the  pardon  of  our  sins,  through  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord. — Amen. 


40.  Let  us  search  and  try  our  40.  Pcrcontemur  (scrutcmur)  vi- 
ways,  and  turn  again  to  the  Lord.        as  nostras,   et  inquiramus,  et  con- 

vcrtamur  ad  Jehovam. 

The  Prophet  now  shews  more  clearly  what  the  reproof 
meant  which  we  shortly  explained  yesterday  :  he  said  that 
men  act  absurdly  while  they  weary  themselves  in  their  sins  ; 
he  now  adds  that  they  would  do  rightly  if  they  inquired 
into   their  own    life,   and   faithfully    examined    themselves. 


CHAP.  Ill   41.        COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  433 

For  hence  is  trouble  and  weariness,  when  men  feel  and  de- 
plore their  outvvard  evils,  but  consider  not  the  cause,  that  is, 
when  they  consider  not  that  they  are  justly  chastised  by 
God's  hand.  Then  the  examination  now  mentioned  is  set 
in  opposition  to  the  torpor  and  weariness  with  which  men 
in  vain  torment  themselves,  and  in  which  they  pine  away,  be- 
cause they  reflect  not  on  their  vices.  Hence  it  is  that  they 
attain  nothing  but  weariness — and  that  is  a  sorrow  to  death, 
as  Paul  says  ;  but  sorrow  to  life  proceeds  from  the  self-exam- 
ination to  which  the  Prophet  now  invites  and  exhorts  us. 

He  then  says  that  the  only  true  remedy  in  adversities  is 
when  men  carefully  examine  themselves,  and  consider  what 
they  deserve.^  He  also  mentions  conversion  ;  for  they  who 
are  really  touched  with  the  fear  of  God  do  not  stop  at  this 
examination,  but  rise  higher  ;  for  as  God  calls  them  back 
to  the  right  way,  when  they  acknowledge  that  they  have 
departed  from  him,  they  flee  to  his  mercy,  loathe  them- 
selves on  account  of  their  vices,  and  seek  after  newness  of 
life.  Thus  our  Prophet  prescribes  to  us  a  certain  order, — 
that  we  are  to  examine  our  whole  life,  and  that,  being  influ- 
enced by  the  fear  of  God,  we  are  to  return  to  him  ;  for  while 
he  treats  us  with  severity,  he  still  kindly  invites  us  by  ever 
oflering  to  sinners  a  free  pardon.      He  afterwards  adds, — 

41.  Let  us  lift  up  our  heart  with  41.  Tollamus  corda  nostra  cum 
our  hands  unto  God  in  the  heavens,     manibus  ad  Deum  in  cceUs. 

To  conversion  he  joins  prayer ;  for  we  cannot  be  recon- 
ciled to  God  except  he  buries  our  sins ;  nor  can  repentance 
and  faith  be  separated.  Moreover,  to  taste  of  God's  mercy 
opens  to  us  the  door  of  prayer.  And  this  ought  to  be  care- 
fully noticed,  because  the  imbelieving  seem  at  times  to  be 
very  busy  in  seeking  to  return  to  God's  favour,  but  they 
only  attend  to  the  outward  change  of  life  ;  and  at  the  same 
time  they  are  not  anxious  about  pardon,  but  go  boldly  be- 
fore God,  as  though  they  w^ere  not  exposed  to  his  judgment. 

And  we  see  under  the  Papacy  that  while  they  make  long 
sermons  on  repentance,  they  hardly  ever  make  any  account 

'  The  words  literally  rendered  are  very  expressive, — 

Let  us  uncover  our  ways,  and  search. 
The  cover  was  first  to  be  stripped  off,  and  then  was  a  search  to  be 
made  as  to  the  character  of  theh:  ways. — Ed. 

VOL.  V.  2  E 


434  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.         LECT.  XII. 

of  faith,  as  though  repentance  without  faith  were  a  restora- 
tion from  death  to  life. 

Hence  I  said  that  we  ought  to  notice  the  mode  of  teach- 
ing wliicli  our  Prophet  adopts:  he  begins  with  self-examina- 
tion, then  he  requires  conversion  ;  but  lie  does  not  separate 
it  from  faith.  For  wlien  he  exhorts  us  to  pray,  it  is  the 
same  thing  as  though  he  had  set  before  us  the  judgment  of 
God,  and  had  also  taught  us  that  we  cannot  escape  death 
except  God  be  propitious  to  us.  How  then  is  pardon  to  be 
obtained  ?  by  prayer :  and  prayer,  as  it  is  well  known, 
must  be  always  founded  on  faith. 

By  telling  us  to  raise  up  our  hearts  to  God  together  with 
our  hands,  lie  bids  us  to  banish  all  hypocrisy  from  our 
prayers.  For  all  without  a  difference  raise  up  their  hands 
to  God  ;  and  nature  itself,  when  we  are  pressed  down  with 
evils,  leads  us  to  seek  God.  But  the  greater  part  stifle  this 
feeling  of  nature.  When  affliction  comes,  it  is  a  common 
thing  with  all  to  raise  up  their  hands  to  heaven,  though  no 
one  should  bid  them  to  do  so  ;  but  still  their  hearts  remain 
fixed  on  the  earth,  and  they  come  not  to  God.  And  the 
greater  part  of  men  are  included  in  tliat  class  mentioned  by 
Isaiah,  "  This  people  come  to  me  with  their  tongue,  but  their 
\j  heart  is  far  away."  (Isci.  xxix.  13.)  As,  then,  men  deal  thus 
formally  with  God,  and  present  a  naked  ceremon}^  as  thougli 
God  had  changed  and  suffered  his  eyes  to  be  covered,  the  Pro- 
phet bids  all  dissimulation  to  cease  from  prayer  ;  Let  us  raise 
up  hands,  he  says,  to  God,  and  also  hearts.  Joel  speaks  some- 
what differently,  when  he  says,  "Rend  your  hearts  and  not 
your  garments,"  (Joel  ii.  13;)  for  he  seems  to  exclude  the 
outward  rite,  because  men,  wishing  to  shew  that  they  were 
guilty  before  God,  rent  their  garments.  Joel  says  that  this 
was  superfluous  and  useless  ;  and  doubtless  the  rite  itself  was 
not  so  very  necessary.  But  as  prayers,  when  they  are 
earnest,  move  the  hands,  our  Prophet  refers  to  that  practice 
as  useful.  At  the  same  time  he  teaches  us  that  the  chief 
thing  ought  not  to  be  omitted,  even  to  raise  up  the  hearts 
to  God  :  Let  us,  then,  he  says,  raise  u})  our  hearts  together 
with  our  hands  to  God;  and  he  adds,  to  God  who  is  in 
heaven  :  for  it  is  necessary  that  men  should  rise  up  above 


CHAP.  III.  42,       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  435 

the  world,  and  to  go  out  of  themselves,  so  to  speak,  in  order 

to  come  to  God. 

We  now  then  understand  the  meaning  of  the  Prophet, — 

that  those  who  repent  from  the  heart  ought  not  to  go  before 

God,  as  though  they  were  not  guilty  before  his  tribunal,  but 

that  on  the  contrary  they  ought  to  be  penitent  and  humble, 

so  that  they  may  obtain  pardon.      He  afterwards  shews  that 

the  right  way  of  praying  is,  when  we  not  only  perform  the 

outward  ceremonies,  but  when  w^e  open  our  hearts  and  raise 

them  up  as  it  were  to  heaven  itself     It  is,  then,  the  riglit 

way  of  praying,  when  the  inward  feeling  corresponds  with 

the  external  posture.     It  follows, — 

42.  We  have  transgressed,  and  have        42.  Nos  peccavimus  et  rebcUes 
rebelled:    thou  hast  not  pardoned.  fiiimus ;  tu  non  pepercisti. 

The  faithful  do  not  here  expostulate  with  God,  but  on 
the  contrary  acknowledge  that  God's  severity  was  just. 
That  God  then  had  dealt  with  them  severely,  they  ascribe 
to  their  own  sins.      This  is  the  substance  of  what  is  said. 

We  hence  learn  that  an  ingenuous  confession  ever  ac- 
companies repentance,  as  also  Paul  teaches  us,  (2  Cor.  vii. 
11.)  For  when  a  sinner  is  either  secure  or  tries  to  cover  his 
wickedness,  and  flatters  himself,  as  we  see  but  a  few  who 
willingly  humble  themselves  before  God,  he  contracts  the 
hardness  of  obstinacy.  For  this  reason  the  Prophet  requires 
confession  ;  nay,  he  suggests  here  the  words  suitable  to  be 
used,  when  we  desire  to  obtain  pardon  from  God.  We  have 
done  wickedly,  he  says,  and  have  been  rebellious.  The  pro- 
noun, we,  is  here  emphatical,  as  though  the  faithful  had 
taken  on  themselves  the  blame  of  all  the  evils,  which  the 
greater  part  ever  sought  to  disown. i 

Here  then  the  Prophet  shews  that  there  is  no  other  way 
of  being  reconciled  to  God,  than  by  confessing  ourselves  to 
be  the  authors  of  all  our  evils  ;  and  he  also  teaches  us,  that 
it  is  an  evidence  of  true  repentance,  when  we  do  not  allege 
vain  pretences  as  it  is  commonly  done,  nor  flatter  ourselves, 
but  confess  that  we  are  guilty.     He  now  shews  that  guilt 

'  To  give  the  proper  emphasis  to  the  pronoun,  the  version  ought  to  be 
as  follows, — 

We,  transgressed  have  we,  and  rebelled. — Ed. 


436  COMMENTARIES  OISI  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.  XII. 

ought  by  no  means  to  be  extenuated,  so  tliat  our  confession 
may  be  real  and  complete  :  but  in  tliis  respect  the  worhl 
trifle  with  God.  Tlie  most  wicked  are,  indeed,  ashamed  to 
deny  that  tliey  are  sinners  ;  but  as  they  are  forced  to  make 
some  kind  of  confession,  this  tliey  do  lightly  ;  and  it  seems 
an  extorted  confession,  and  is  therefore  jejune,  or  at  least  not 
complete.  But  the  Prophet  here  shews  that  they  who  seek 
to  be  reconciled  to  God,  ought  not  only  in  words  to  acknow- 
ledge and  confess  their  guilt,  but  also  ingenuously  to  open 
their  licarts.  Hence  he  connects  pervei'seness  with  sin,  as 
though  he  had  said,  "  We  have  not  sinned  simply  or  in  one 
way,  but  we  have  exasperated  God  himself;  and  by  sinning 
in  many  ways  and  constantly,  we  have  provoked  him 
against  us.''  He  says,  in  short,  that  there  is  then  an  access 
open  to  us  to  obtain  favour,  when  we  do  not  murmur 
against  God  nor  contend  with  him  as  though  he  had  dealt 
severely  with  us,  but  when  we  confess  that  he  lias  been  hard 
and  rigid  with  us,  because  he  had  a  reason  to  be  so  on 
account  of  our  sins  and  wickedness.     He  adds, — 

43.  Thou  hast  covered  with  anger,  43.  Obtexisti  in  ira,  et  perseqiui- 
and  persecuted  us :  thou  hast  slain,  tus  es  nos ;  occidisti  et  non  peper- 
thou  hast  not  pitied.  cisti. 

At  the  first  view,  this  complaint  may  seem  to  proceed 
from  a  bitter  heart ;  for  here  the  ftiithful  complain  that 
they  had  been  slain,  and  then  that  God  had  executed  his 
judgment  as  it  were  in  darkness,  without  any  indulgence  ; 
and  the  next  verse  confirms  the  same  thini]:.  But  it  is  a 
simple  acknowledgment  of  God's  righteous  vengeance  ;  for 
in  their  extreme  calamities  the  faithful  could  not  declare 
that  God  dealt  mercifully  with  them,  for  they  had  been  sub- 
jected to  extreme  rigour,  as  we  have  before  seen.  Had 
they  said  that  they  had  been  leniently  chastised,  it  would 
have  been  very  strange,  for  the  temple  had  been  burnt,  the 
city  had  been  demolished,  the  kingdom  had  been  over- 
thrown, the  people  for  tlie  most  part  had  been  driven  into 
exile,  the  remainder  had  been  scattered,  the  covenant  of 
God  had  been  in  a  manner  abolished  ;  for  it  could  not  have 
been  thought  otherwise  according  to  the  judgment  of  tlie 
flesh.     Had,  then,  the  exiles  in  Chaldea  said  that  God  liad 


CHAP.  III.  4o.        COMMENTARIES  OJN   THE  LAMENTATIONS.  437 

smitten  them  leniently,  would  not  such  an  extenuation  have 
appeared  very  strange  ?  and  had  also  the  Prophet  spoken  in 
the  same  strain  ?  For  the  causes  of  sorrow  were  almost 
innumerable  :  every  one  had  been  robbed  of  his  goods  ;  then 
there  were  many  widows,  many  orplians  ;  but  the  chief 
causes  of  sorrow  were  the  burning  of  the  temple  and  the 
ruin  of  the  kingdom.  No  wonder,  then,  that  the  faitliful  set 
forth  here  their  aggravated  evils :  but  yet  they  seek  out  no 
other  cause  than  their  own  sins. 

Hence  they  say  now,  that  God  had  covered  them  over  in 
wrath.  It  is  a  most  suitable  metaphor ;  as  though  he  had 
said,  that  God  had  executed  his  vengeance  in  thick  dark- 
ness. For  an  object  presented  to  the  eye  produces 
sympathy,  and  we  are  easily  inclined  to  mercy  when  a  sad 
spectacle  is  presented  to  us.  Hence  it  is,  that  even  the 
most  savage  enemies  are  sometimes  softened,  for  they  are 
led  by  their  eyes  to  acts  of  humanity.  The  Prophet,  then, 
in  order  to  set  forth  the  horrible  vengeance  of  God,  says 
that  there  had  been  a  covering  introduced,  so  that  God  had 
punished  the  wicked  people  in  an  implacable  manner.  But 
as  I  have  said,  he  does  not  charp-e  God  with  crueltv,  thoucih 
he  says  that  he  had  covered  them  over  in  wrath} 

He  then  says.  Thou  hast  pursued  us  and  killed  us,  and  hast 
not  spared.  They  intimate,  in  short,  that  God  had  been  a 
severe  judge  ;  but  they  at  the  same  time  turned  to  them- 
selves and  sought  there  the  cause,  even  that  they  might  not, 
by  their  own  hardness,  j^i'ovoke  God  against  themselves,  as 
hypocrites  are  wont  to  do.  And  the  consciousness  of  evil 
leads  us  also  to  repentance ;  for  whence  is  it  that  men  grow 
torpid  in  their  sins,  except  that  they  flatter  themselves  ? 
When,  therefore,  God  suspends  his  judgments,  or  when  he 
moderates  them,  and  does  not  punish  men  as  they  deserve, 

1  To  "  cover"  is  the  idea  g;iven  to  the  verb  by  the  Sept.,  the  Vu/(j ,  the 
Syr.,  and  the  Targ. ;  but  Bl.amiey  and  some  others  take  it  in  the  sense  of 
fencing  iu,  enclosing,  in  aUusion  to  the  practice  of  hunters ;  and  the  next 
verb,  which  means  to  pursue,  to  chase,  favours  this  meaning, — 
Thou  hast  in  wrath  enclosed  and  chased  us, 
Thou  hast  slain  and  not  spared. 
Then  the  same  verb  begins  the  next  verse, — 

Thou  hast  enclosed  thyself  in  a  cloud, 

That  prayer  might  not  pass  tlirough. —  Ed. 


438  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.       LEOT.  XII. 

then,  if  there  be  any  repentance,  it  is  yet  frigid,  and  soon 

vanishes.      This,  then,  is  the  reason  why  God  inflicts  deadly 

strokes,  because  we  feel  not  his  hand  except  the  stroke  be 

as  it  were  deadly.     As,  then,  simple  chastisement  is  not 

sufficient  to  lead  us  to  repentance,  the  Prophet  introduces 

the  faithful  as  speaking  thus,  "  Behold,  thou  hast  in  wrath 

covered  us  over,  so  as  not  to  look  on  us,'"  so  that  there  might 

be  no  opportunity  for  mercy,  that  is,   that  they  might  be 

the  judges  of  themselves,  and  conclude  from  the  atrocity  of 

their  punishment  how  grievously  they  must  liave  provoked 

the  wrath  of  God.     It  follows  in  the  same  sense, — 

44.  Thou  hast  covered  thyself  with  a  cloud,  44.  Obtexisti  in  nube 
that  our  prayer  should  not  pass  through.  tibi,  ne  transiret  precatio. 

The  Prophet  confirms  the  same  thing,  but  the  words  are 
diiferent.  He  again  repeats  the  word  to  cover  ;  but,  that 
the  metaphor  might  be  clearer  and  more  fully  explained,  he 
says,  luith  a  cloud.  He  simply  intimates,  that  a  cloud  inter- 
posed, that  God  might  more  unrestrainedly  punish  the  Jews, 
as  they  had  deserved.  Isaiah  speaks  somewhat  otherwise, 
but  for  the  same  purpose  :  "  The  liand  of  God,"  he  says, 
'•  is  not  shortened,  nor  are  his  ears  more  deaf;  but  your  sins 
have  interposed  a  distance  between  you  and  God.''  (Isa. 
lix.  1,  2.)  There  is  no  doubt  but  that  Isaiah  meant  the 
same  thing  as  our  Prophet,  even  that  God's  nature  never 
changes  ;  and,  therefore,  that  when  he  seems  to  rage  against 
his  people,  the  cause  ought  to  be  ascribed  to  their  sins,  be- 
cause God  ever  remains  like  himself  We  know  what  is  said 
in  the  Psalms,  "  Thou  art  God  who  hearest  prayer."  (Psalm 
Ixv.  o.)  God,  then,  is  always  ready  to  hear  his  people,  and 
he  also  possesses  power  sufficient  to  help  them  ;  but  the 
distance  arises  from  our  sins.  And  so  the  Prophet  now  says 
that  a  cloud  interposed. 

Nearly  the  same  sentence  is  found  in  the  third  chapter, 
as  we  have  seen  ;  for  there  the  Prophet  said,  in  the  name 
of  tlie  whole  people,  that  they  had  become  separated  from 
God,  but  that  it  was  a  separation,  not  because  God  had 
changed  his  purpose,  but  because  the  people  had,  in  a  man- 
ner, rejected  his  favour.  Thou  hast,  then,  he  says,  covered 
thyself  with  a  cloud,  that   is,   thou  hast  made   for  thyself 


CUAP.  III.  4:5,  46.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.      439 

a  covering,  that  prayer  may  not  ^;a55  through.  Tliis  seems, 
indeed,  very  strange,  because  Grod  advances  to  meet  all  the 
miserable,  and  promises  to  hear  their  prayers  :  what,  then, 
can  this  mean,  that  a  cloud  interposed  that  prayer  might 
not  go  through  to  him  ?  even  that  the  Jews  did  not  pray 
aright,  and  that  they  had  closed  up  against  themselves  every 
access  by  which  God  could  admit  them.  In  short,  the  faith- 
ful do  not  here  contend  with  God,  as  though  they  had  been 
deceived  by  his  promises,  but  confess  that  they  were  un- 
worthy to  pray  to  God,  and  they  also  acknowledge  that  they 
did  not  pray  aright.^  And  according  to  this  sense  they  say, 
that  they  were  hindered,  as  though  a  cloud  interposed,  so 
that  their  prayer  could  not  ascend  to  God.     It  follows, — 

45.  Thou  hast  made  us  as  the  45.  Quisquilias  et  rejectionem 
offscouring  and  refuse  in  the  midst  posuisti  nos  in  medio  populo- 
of  the  people.  rum. 

They  say  here  that  they  were  exposed  to  reproach,  so  as 
to  become,  as  it  were,  the  sweejDings  of  the  world.  Some 
render  ^HD,  sachi,  "  refuse ;"  some  by  other  words ;  and 
some  "  filth.'"  But  the  word  properly  means  sweepings  or 
scrapings,  called  by  the  Greeks  Trept^lrrnjLara.  Paul  says, 
that  he  and  his  associates  were  the  offscouring  {irepi'^fxaTa) 
of  the  world.  (I  Cor.  iv.  13.)  He  means  that  they  were 
despised  as  offscourings  or  scrapings.  The  word  is  derived 
from  sweepi]ig.  Whatever,  then,  is  cleaned  off  by  sweeping 
or  scouring,  that  is,  the  filth  of  the  house  or  the  floor,  is 
called  ^HD,  sachi.  What  the  Prophet  had  in  view  is  not  ob- 
scure ;  for  he  means  that  the  degradation  of  the  peo23le  was 
not  hidden,  but  open  to  all  nations,  as  though  God  had 
erected  a  theatre  in  Judea,  and  there  exhibited  a  remark- 
able and  an  unusual  example  of  his  vengeance.  To  the 
same  purpose  is  wdiat  he  adds, — 

46.  All  our  enemies  have  opened  46.  Aperuerimt  super  nos  os  suum 
their  mouths  against  us.  omiies  inimici  nostri. 

He  repeats  what  he  had  said,  that  the  people  were  an 
offscouring,  or  scrapings,  or  sweepings,   and  also  a  refuse. 

*  There  are  circumstances,  no  doubt,  according  to  God's  word,  under 
which  God  does  not  hear  praver  :  and  this  seems  to  have  been  an  instance 
of  this  kind.— ^'./. 


440  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.         LECT.  XII. 

The  last  word  is,  indeed,  in  the  infinitive  mood,  DIX^,  ruaus, 
hut  it  is  to  be  taken  as  a  noun.  They  had  become  all  this, 
because  they  had  as  many  enemies  as  neighbours  ;  for  we 
know  that  tlie  Jews  were  hated  by  all  the  neighbouring 
nations.  They  had  become,  tlien,  a  refuse  and  filth  among 
all  people,  for  with  an  open  mouth  tliey  spoke  furiously 
against  them.  For  the  open  mouth  means  that  they  spoke 
insolently,  and  took  the  liberty  of  cursing  them  all,  as  it 
has  been  stated  elsewhere.  Now  it  was  the  bitterest  thing 
to  the  miserable  people,  when  they  found  that  the  reproaches 
and  taunts  of  enemies  were  added  to  their  calamities:  for 
we  know  how  grievously  does  reproach  wound  those  who  are 
already  afflicted. 

47.  Fear  and  a  snare  is  coine  47.  Pavor  et  fovea  fuit  nobis, 
upon  us,  desolation  and  destruc-  destructio  (alii  vertunt,  dcceptio,) 
tion.  ct  contritio. 

The  Prophet  largely  dwells  on  the  grievousness  of  tlio 
calamity  wliich  had  happened.  He  compares  liere  tljo 
anxieties  into  which  the  people  had  been  brought,  to  a  pit- 
fall and  dread.  There  is  a  striking  alliteration  in  the  words 
nnS  and  nnS,  ^jec/i^^  and  peeked.  But  the  meaning  is, 
tliat  the  people  liad  been  reduced  to  such  straits,  that  thei'e 
was  no  outlet  for  them  ;  as  tlie  case  is  with  us,  when  we  are 
filled  with  dread,  and  look  here  and  there,  and  see  nothing 
but  pitfalls  on  every  side ;  then  we  are  at  our  wits'  end.  Such 
then  was  the  state  of  the  people,  as  Jeremiah  shews  :  filled 
with  dread,  they  sought  refuge,  but  saw  pitfalls  on  every  side. 

He  afterwards  mentions  desolation  or  destruction,  and 
sorrow.  It  is  probably  a  mistake  in  Jerome's  version,  where 
the  first  word  is  rendered  "prophesying.''  Some  think  that 
he  was  led  astray  by  the  letter  D',  shin,  which  he  seems  to 
have  read  with  a  point  on  the  left  side  ;  and  he  took  the 
word  as  coming  from  Nt^J,  niisha.  But  another  conjecture 
seems  more  correct,  that  the  transcribers  have  committed  a 
mistake ;  for  what  I  have  said  is  most  appropriate  to  the 
passage,  even  that  the  people  were  overwhelmed  with  all 
kinds  of  evils,  because  there  was  nothing  to  be  seen  but 
desolation  and  sorrow,  or  bruising,  or  breach,  ^'2'^,  shaher. 
It  now  follows, — 


CHAP.  III.  48,  49.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.       441 

48.  Mine  eye  runneth  clown  48.  Rivi  (hoc  est,  tanquam  rivi) 
with  rivers  of  water  for  the  de-  aquarimi  descendit  oculus  raeus 
struction  of  the  daughter  of  my  super  contritione  (vel,  afflictione,  est 
people.  idem  nomen  "13^^)  tilii  populi  niei. 

Interpreters  give  different  explanations  of  the  beginning 
of  this  verse  :  some  render  it  thus,  "  My  eye  comes  down 
unto  rivers  of  waters  •"  others,  "  My  eye  flows  down  unto  rivers 
of  waters,''  or,  "  rivers  of  waters  flow  down/'  But  as  I  have 
explained  elsewhere,  the  Prophet  rather  means,  that  lus  eye 
came  down  like  rivers  ;  and  to  come  down,  or  to  descend,  is  a 
metaphor  for  flowing  down  ;  for  water,  as  it  is  well  known, 
descends  when  it  flows.  And  there  is  a  change  of  number 
when  he  says,  "  My  eye  descends  ;"  there  is  also  under- 
stood the  particle  of  comparison,  D,  caph}  The  meaning 
is,  that  his  eyes  descended  or  flowed  down  as  rivers.  The 
last  word  properly  signifies  divisions,  but  he  means  that 
many  streams  flowed  down,  as  though  they  were  so  many 
rivers. 

For  the  bruising,  or  the  breach,  of  my  people  :  the  Prophet 
speaks  here  in  his  own  person,  though  there  is  no  doubt  but 
that  he  exhorts  all  others  to  join  him  in  his  sorrow.  For 
the  faithful  would  not  have  prayed  to  God  with  sufficient 
ardour,  had  they  not  been  dreadfully  broken  and  confounded  ; 
had  not  the  calamity  deeply  afl'ected  them,  as  it  ought  to 
have  done,  there  would  have  been  no  serious  attention  to 
prayer.  This  is  the  reason  why  the  Prophet  here  mentions 
liis  own  weepings,  and  groanings,  and  tears,  even  that  lie 
might  rouse  himself  to  prayer,  and  lead  others  also.  It 
follows, — 

49.  Mine  eye  triekleth  down,  49.  Oculus  meus  defluxit,  et  non 
and  eeaseth  not,  without  any  inter-  quievit  a  non  interraissionibus  {hoc 
mission.  est,  ut  non   sint  intermissiones,  vel, 

ut  nulla  sit  requies.) 

He  repeats  the  same  in  other  words, — that  his  eyes  flowed 
down  with  tears.  He  still  retains  the  singular  number,  but 
this  is  common  in  Hebrew.     He  then  says,  that  his  eye  with- 

'  Let  the  verb  have  a  causative  sense,  to  cause  to  descend,  to  brhig 
down,  and  there  will  be  no  difficulty  in  the  clause ;  so  the  ISept.  and  the 
Vulg.,- 

Streams  of  water  does  mine  eyes  bring  down 

For  the  breach  of  the  daughter  of  my  people. — Kd. 


442  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.        LECT.  XII. 

out  end  flowed  down,  so  that  there  luas  no  rest.     But  it  after- 
wards follows, — 

50.  Till  the  Lord  look  down,  and  50.  Donee  aspiciat  et  videat  Je- 
behold  from  heaven.  hova  e  coelis. 

The  Prophet  here  makes  a  distinction  between  his  weep- 
ing and  that  blind  sorrow  by  which  the  unbelieving  are 
affected  and  violently  agitated  :  they  have  no  regard  to  God. 
Then  the  Prophet  says  here  that  he  not  only  wept,  but  that 
he  also  prayed  and  waited  for  God  to  put  an  end  to  evils. 
As  I  have  already  said,  the  unbelieving  grieve  abundantly 
in  adversities,  nay,  they  abandon  themselves  to  sorrow  ;  but 
they  turn  away  wholly  from  God,  and  are  like  wild  beasts. 
Then  the  Prophet  points  out  the  right  way  to  mourn :  our 
eyes  must  flow  down  to  weariness  and  without  rest,  but  at 
the  same  time  we  must  wait  until  God  be  proj^itious  to  us. 
Therefore  this  verse  connects  well  with  the  former,^  until  Je- 
hovahlookdown  and  seefroviheaven;  for  otherwise  tears  would 
draw  us  to  despair,  and  despair  would  become  the  cause  of 
fury  ;  for  we  see  that  the  ungodly  murmur  against  God. 

Thus,  then,  ought  we  to  weep,  in  order  that  we  may  at 
the  same  time  cherish  hope  while  we  wait  for  God  to  look 
down  on  us  and  to  see  our  miseries  from  heaven.  The  word 
heaven  is^  not  added  uselessly,  because  men  in  their  evils, 
when  they  seek  God,  are  filled  with  terror,  for  they  do  not 
think  that  they  can  ascend  to  him  :  hence,  then,  it  is,  that 
they  despond,  for  they  imagine  that  God  is  too  remote  from 
them.  The  Proj^het  therefore  anticipates  here  this  false 
notion,  and  says  that  we  ought  nevertheless  to  wait  until 
God  looks  down  from  heaven  ;  which  corresponds  with  what 
is  said  in  the  Psalms  :  that  God  is  high  and  yet  has  respect 
to  low  things.  (Ps.  cxiii.  4-6.)  Though,  then,  the  majesty 
of  God  is  elevated  above  all  the  heavens,  yet  this  does  not 
prevent  liim  familiarly  to  regard  wdiat  is  low  and  despised 
in  the  world.     At  length  it  follows, — 

1  The  connexion  of  this  verse  with  the  preceding  will  be  more  evident 
from  the  followin*^  version, — 

49.  Mine  eye  hath  ponred  down,  and  it  will  not  cease, 

With  any  intermissions, 

50.  Until  Jehovah  look  down 

And  see  from  heaven. 
To  "  see"  here,  as  in  verse  30,  means  to  regard,  so  as  to  interfere  in  the 


CHiNP.  III.  51.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  443 

51.  Mine  eye  aftccteth  mine  .51.  Oculus  meus  dolore  afficit  animam 
heart,  because  of  all  the  daugh-  meam  propter  omnes  tilias  urbis  mese  (yel, 
ters  of  my  city.  pro  omnibus  filiabus  iu:bis  mese.) 

He  had  said,  that  his  eye  flowed  down,  and  then,  that  it 
was  like  a  fountain,  from  which  many  streams  or  rivers 
flowed :  he  now  adopts  another  mode  of  speaking,  that  his 
eyes  grieved  his  soul ;  and  it  is  a  sign  of  the  greatest  sorrow 
when  he  who  weeps  seeks  some  relief,  and  is  at  the  same 
time  overpowered  by  that  external  feeling.  For  many  in- 
dulge in  grief  and  inflame  themselves  ;  then  the  soul  of  man 
is  like  a  fan  to  rouse  the  burning.  But  when  we  weep  and 
our  eyes  shed  tears,  and  when  the  mind  in  a  manner  ex- 
hausts itself,  it  is  a  proof  of  the  greatest  grief  And  this 
great  grief  Jeremiah  wished  to  express  by  saying,  that  his 
eye  troubled  or  grieved  his  so  id. 

The  latter  part  is  explained  in  two  ways  :  some  render 
thus,  "  Because  of  all  the  daughters  of  my  city.''  But 
though  this  meaning  is  generally  taken,  I  yet  prefer  the 
opinion  of  those  who  render  the  words  thus,  "  More  than  all 
the  daughters  of  my  city  :"  for  ]^,  men,  denotes  a  compari- 
son, as  it  is  also  a  causative.  He  says,  then,  that  he  was 
given  to  grief  more  than  all  the  young  women.  As  the 
female  sex,  a^s  it  is  well  known,  are  more  tender  and  softer 
than  men,  the  Prophet  amplifies  his  lamentation  by  this 
comparison,  that  in  weeping  he  exceeded  all  the  young- 
women  of  the  city,  so  that  he  had  almost  forgotten  his  man- 
hood. Had  he  said,  the  daughters  of  the  people,  it  might 
be  explained  as  before,  as  referring  either  to  the  cities,  or 
to  the  whole  people,  that  is,  the  whole  community.  But 
when  he  mentions  all  the  daughters  of  his  city,  I  cannot 
otherwise  take  the  passage  but  as  setting  forth  a  comparison, 
that  is,  that  he  could  not  moderate  his  grief,  but  was  so 
seized  with  it  as  women  are,  and  also  young  girls,  whose 
hearts,  as  it  has  been  already  said,  are  still  more  tender.^ 
The  rest  to-morrow. 

affairs  of  men.     "  With  any,"  &c.,  literally,  "  With  no,"  &c.     But  the 
English  language  will  not  admit  of  the  two  negatives,  though  the  Welsh 

1  The  versions  and  the  Targ.  give  the  first  meaning,  "  because  of  the 
daughters  of  my  city ;"  and  the  last  words,  "  of  my  city,"  seem  to  favour 


414  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.        LECT.  XIII. 

PRAYER. 

Grant,  Almighty  God,  that  as  thou  hast  hitherto  spared  us,  we  may 
not  grow  torpid  in  our  vices,  and  that  since  thou  hast  already 
hegun  to  deal  more  severely  with  thy  Church,  we  may  be 
awakened  by  thy  chastisements,  and  so  humble  ourselves  under 
thy  mighty  hand,  as  yet  not  to  doubt  but  that  thou  wilt  be  pro- 
pitious to  us,  and  that  we  may  so  loathe  ourselves  on  account  of 
our  sins,  as  still  to  be  fully  persuaded  that,  provided  we  wait  for 
thee,  thou  wilt  at  length  be  merciful  to  us,  so  as  to  afford  us  new 
reasons  for  joy  and  gratitude,  through  Christ  Jesv.s  our  Lord. — 
Amen. 

Hectare  ^Tijirteetttij* 

52.  Mine  enemies  chased  me  52.  Venando  venati  sunt  me  tanquam 
sore,  Hke  a  bird,  without  cause,     passerem   {vel,   avem)  inimici  mei  sine 

causa. 

We  shall  see  to  the  end  of  the  chapter  the  various  com- 
plaints, bj  which  the  Prophet  deplored  the  miseries  of  his 
own  nation,  that  he  mio^ht  at  leno^th  obtain  the  mercv  of 
God.  He  takes  here  the  comparison  of  a  bird  or  a  sparrow. 
He  says  that  the  Chaldeans  had  been  like  fowlers,  and  the 
Jews  like  sparrows  :  and  we  know  that  there  is  neither 
prudence  nor  courage  in  birds.  He,  then,  means  that  the 
Jews  had  been  destitute  of  all  help,  having  been  exposed  as 
a  prey  to  their  enemies,  who  were  like  fowlers. 

And  he  seems  to  allude  to  the  words  of  Solomon,  when 
he  says,  that  without  a  cause  is  the  net  spread  for  birds 
(Prov.  i.  17  ;)  and  he  means  that  innocent  men  are  circum- 
vented by  the  wicked,  when  they  spread  for  them  their 
snares  as  it  were  on  every  side,  while  they  are  like  the 
birds,  who  have  no  prudence  to  avoid  them. 

We  now,  then,  understand  the  drift  of  what  the  Prophet 
says  :  he  amplifies  the  indignity  of  their  calamity  by  this 
comparison, — that  the  Chaldeans  at  their  pleasure  ])lundcrcd 
the  miserable  people,  who  were  not  able  to  resist  them,  who 
were  indeed  without  any  power  to  defend  themselves.^  It 
follows, — 

it;  for  had  women  as  a  sex  been  intended,  they  would  not  have  been  thus 
designated.  —  Ed. 

^  The  words  literally  arc, — 

Hunting  hunted  me  lik(?  a  bird 

Have  mine  enemies  without  a  cause. — Ed. 


CIIAP.III.  53,  54.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.        445 

5.3.  They  have  cut  off  my  life  53.  Succiderunt  (ve^^c»^2M5,  constrinx- 
in  the  dungeon,  and  cast  a  stone  erunt)  in  puteo  vitam  meam,  et  projece- 
upon  me.  runt  lapidem  super  me. 

He  now  employs  otlier  comparisons.  Some  improperly 
confine  this  to  Jeremiah  himself,  as  though  he  explained 
liere  before  God  the  wrongs  done  to  himself:  but  there  is  no 
doubt  but  that  he  undertakes  the  cause  of  the  whole  j^eople ; 
and  his  object  was  to  encourage  by  his  own  example  the 
faithful  to  lament  their  state  so  that  they  might  obtain 
pardon  from  God. 

He  then  compares  himself  to  a  man  half-dead,  cast  into  a 

pit,  and  there  left  for  lost.     Then  some  improperly  interpret 

the  words,  "  they  cast  stones  ;''  for  stoning  was  not  in  the 

mind  of  the   Propliet  ;  but  having  said  that  he  was  fast 

bound  in  a  pit  or  dungeon,  he  adds  that  a  stone  was  laid 

over  him,  that  he  might  not  come  forth,  as  we  know  was  the 

case  with  Daniel.     (Dan.  vi.  16,  17.)     Daniel  was  cast  into 

the  den  of  lions,  and  then  a  stone  was  put  on  the  mouth  of 

the  den.     So  also  the  Prophet  says,  that  he  was  bound  fast 

in  the  pit,  and  not  only  that,  but  that  a  stone  was  laid  over 

him,  that  there  might  be  no  hope  of  coming  out ;  and  thus 

the  pit  was  like  a  grave.     Here,  then,  he  means  that  he  was 

reduced  to  the  last  extremity,  because  he  had  not  only  been 

taken  by  his  enemies,  but  had  also  been  cast  into  a  pit. 

And,  as  it  is  well  known,  it  is  a  metaphorical  expression  or 

a  similitude.     He  adds, — 

54.  Waters  flowed  over  mine  54.  Inundaverunt  {ad  verbum,  alii,  as- 
head  ;  then  I  said,  I  am  cut  cenderunt)  aquse  super  caput  meum  ; 
off.  dixi,  succisus  sum. 

He  now  adds  a  third  comparison, — that  he  had  been  over- 
whelmed, as  it  were,  with  a  flood  of  evils.  This  similitude 
occurs  often  in  Scripture,  especially  in  the  Psalms ;  for  when 
David  wished  to  set  forth  his  despair,  he  said  that  he  was 
sunk  in  deep  waters.  (Ps,  Ixix.  15,  16.)  So  also  in  this 
place  the  Prophet  complains,  that  waters  had  flowed  over 
his  head,  so  that  he  thought  himself  lost.  Though,  indeed, 
this  was  the  saying  of  a  man  in  a  hopeless  state,  it  is  yet 
evident  from  the  context  that  the  Prophet  was  firm  in  the 
hope  of  God's  mercy.  But  he  speaks  according  to  the  judg- 
ment of  the  flesh  ;  and  we  know  that  the  faitliful  are  as  it 


446  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.       LECT.XIII. 

were  divided  ;  for  as  they  have  not  put  off  the  flesh,  tliey 
must  necessarily  be  acquainted  with  adversities,  be  stormed 
bv  fear  and  feel  anxieties  ;  in  short,  when  death  hanofs  over 
them,  they  must  in  a  manner  be  exposed  to  fear.  In  the 
meantime,  faith  in  their  hearts  obtains  the  victory,  so  that 
they  do  not  succumb  under  terrors,  or  cares,  or  anxieties. 

When,  therefore,  the  Prophet  says  that  in  his  own  judg- 
ment he  was  lost,  he  does  not  mean  that  his  faith  was  so 
extinguished  that  he  ceased  to  pray  to  God;  for  in  the  next 
verse  he  shews  that  he  persevered  in  prayer.  How,  then, 
did  he  say  or  believe  that  he  was  lost  ?  even,  as  I  have 
already  said,  according  to  human  judgment.  And  we  often 
see  that  the  faithful  complain  that  they  are  forsaken,  that 
God  is  asleep  in  heaven,  that  he  has  turned  away  from  them. 
All  these  things  are  to  be  referred  to  the  perception  of  the 
flesh.  While,  then,  the  faithful  cast  their  eyes  on  dangers, 
when  death  comes,  they  not  only  tremble,  but  fear  greatly 
and  faint  also.  In  the  meantime,  as  I  have  said,  they 
struggle  by  faith  against  all  these  temptations.  So,  then,  is 
this  passage  to  be  understood, — that  the  Prophet  believed 
that  he  was  lost,  that  is,  as  far  as  he  could  judge  by  the 
aspect  of  things  at  that  time,  for  no  hope  appeared  then  to 
the  Church.  But  we  yet  see  that  the  Prophet  did  not  in- 
dulge himself  in  this  despair  ;   for  he  immediately  adds, — 

55.  I  called  upon  thy  name,  O  55  Invocavi  nomen  tuum,  Jehova, 
Lord,  out  of  the  low  dungeon.  e  puteo  profunditatum. 

We  certainly  see  that  the  Prophet  had  an  inward  conflict, 
which  also  all  the  faithful  experience,  for  the  spirit  fights 
against  the  flesh,  as  Paul  teaches  us.  (Gal.  v.  17.)  Though, 
then,  he  on  the  one  hand  apprehended  death,  he  yet  ceased 
not  to  flee  to  God  ;  for  faith  strengthened  his  mind  so  that 
lie  did  not  succumb,  but  on  the  contrary  he  firmly  rejected 
the  temptation  presented  to  him.  Though,  then,  he  was, 
according  to  the  flesh,  persuaded  as  to  his  own  ruin,  he,  on 
the  other  hand,  called  on  the  name  of  God  ;  for  the  fjiithful 
do  not  measure  the  power  and  grace  of  God  by  their  own 
thoughts,  but  give  glory  to  God  by  recumbing  on  him  oven 
in  the  greatest  extremities. 

And  this  passage  ought  to  be  carefully  noticed  ;  for  wlien 


CHAP.  III.  56.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  447 

Satan  cannot  in  any  other  way  turn  us  aside  from  prayer, 
he  alleges  our  weakness ;  "  What  meanest  thou,  miserable 
being  ?  will  God  hear  thee  ?  for  what  canst  thou  do  ?  thou 
tremblest,  thou  art  anxious,  nay,  thou  despairest ;  and  yet 
thou  thinkest  that  God  will  be  propitious  to  thee.''  When- 
ever, therefore,  Satan  tries  to  shut  the  door  against  us  so  as 
to  prevent  us  to  pray,  let  this  example  of  the  Prophet  come 
to  our  minds ;  for  he,  though  he  thought  himself  lost,  did 
not  yet  cast  aside  the  confidence  he  entertained  as  to  God's 
help  and  aid.  For  whence  arose  his  perseverance,  except 
that  he  in  a  manner  rebuked  himself  when  he  found  himself 
so  overwhelmed,  and  as  it  were  dead.  These  two  states  of 
mind  are  seen  in  this  short  prayer  of  David,  "  My  God,  my 
God,  why  hast  tliou  forsaken  me?"  (Ps.  xxii.  ].)  For  when 
he  addressed  God,  and  called  him  his  God,  we  see  his  rare 
.and  extraordinary  faith  ;  and  when  he  complains  that  he  was 
forsaken,  we  see  how,  through  the  infirmity  of  the  flesh,  he 
thought  that  it  was  all  over  with  him  as  to  his  salvation. 
Such  a  conflict,  then,  is  described  here ;  but  faith  overcame 
and  gained  the  victory,  for  the  Prophet  ceased  not  to  cry  to 
God,  even  from  the  pit  of  depths — from  the  pit,  that  is,  from 
death  itself. 

And  this  also  ought  to  be  carefully  observed ;  for  when 
God  bears  us  on  his  wings,  or  Avhen  he  carries  us  in  his 
bosom,  it  is  easy  to  pray ;  but  when  we  seem  to  be  cast  into 
the  deepest  gulfs,  if  we  thence  cry  to  him,  it  is  a  real  and 
certain  proof  of  faith  and  hope.  As  such  passages  often 
occur  in  the  Psalms,  they  may  be  compared  together;  but  I 
touch  but  slightly  on  the  subject,  for  it  is  not  my  object  to 
heap  together  all  the  quotations  which  are  appropriate ;  it 
is  enough  to  j^resent  the  real  meaning  of  the  ProjDhet.  It 
follows, — 

56.  Thou  hast  heard  56.  Vocem  nieam  audisti ;  iie  occultes  (vel, 
my  voice :  hide  not  thine  occhidas)  aurem  tuam  ad  respirationem  meam 
ear  at  my  breathing,  at  (vertunt,  ad  clamorem  meum)  et  ad  precitionem 
my  cry.  meam  (sed  prius  nomen  accipio  potius  pro  ge~ 

mitii  vel  clamor e.) 

When  the  Prophet  says  that  God  heard,  it  is  the  same  as 
though  he  said,  that  he  had  so  prayed  that  God  became  a 
witness  of  his  earnestness  and  solicitude;   for  many  boast 


448  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.       LECT.  XIII. 

in  high  terms  of  their  earnestness  and  fervour  and  constancy 
in  prayer,  but  their  boastings  are  all  empty  and  vain.  But 
the  Prophet  summons  God' as  a  witness  of  his  crying,  as 
thougli  he  had  said  that  he  was  not  so  overwhelmed  by  his 
adversity,  but  that  he  always  fled  to  God. 

He  then  says,  Close  not,  &c. ;  it  is  properly,  "  hide  not  \' 
but  as  this  is  not  quite  suitable  to  ears,  I  am  disposed  to 
give  this  version.  Close  not  thine  ear  to  my  cry.  The  verb 
n^l  ruch,  means  to  dilate,  to  respire  ;  hence  almost  all  ren- 
der the  noun  here,  "  breathing  -,"  but  what  follows  cannot 
admit  of  this  sense,  to  my  prayer  or  cry.  I  have  no  doubt 
but  that  these  two  words  mean  crying ;  for  in  groaning  the 
spirit  of  man  dilates  itself,  and  the  soul,  compressed  by  grief, 
expands.  But  when  we  cast  our  cares  and  troubles  into  the 
bosom  of  God,  then  the  spirit  forcibly  emerges.  This,  then, 
is  what  the  Prophet  means,  when  he  asks  God  not  to  close 
his  ear  to  his  dilation  or  groaning,  and  to  his  cry}  It 
follows, — 

.57.  Thou  drewest  near  in  the  day  57.  Appropinqiiasti  in  die  in  quo 
that  I  called  upon  thee  :  thou  saidst,  clamavi  ad  te  {vel,  invocavi  te,)  dix- 
Fear  not.  isti,  Ne  timeas. 

Here  the  Prophet  tells  us  that  he  had  experienced  the 
goodness  of  God,  because  he  had  not  suifered  a  repulse  when 
he  prayed.  And  this  doctrine  is  especially  useful  to  us,  that 
is,  to  call  to  mind  that  we  had  not  in  time  past  prayed  in 
vain.  For  we  may  hence  feel  assured,  that  as  God  ever  con- 
tinues like  himself,  he  will  be  ever  ready  to  helj)  us  when- 
ever we  implore  his  protection.  This,  then,  is  the  reason 
why  the  Prophet  declares  here  that  he  had  experienced  the 
readiness  of  God  to  hear  prayer :  Thou  didst  come  nigh,  he 
says,  in  the  day  when  I  called  on  thee ;  thou  didst  say,  Fear 
not.     And  this  approach  or  coming  nigh  refers  to  what  was 

'  Materially  correct,  no  doubt,  is  this  explanation.  We  may  give  this 
version, — 

My  voice  hast  thou  heard,  deafen  not  thy  ear 
.  To  my  sighing,  to  my  cry. 
The  verb  uPV  means  to  veil,  and  hence  to  hide.  To  veil  the  eye  is,  not 
to  look  at  what  is  set  before  it;  and  to  veil  the  ear  is,  to  render  it  deaf  to 
what  is  said.  The  Prophet  says  that  God  had  heard  his  voice,  for  he  had 
prayed ;  but  he  further  asks  God  not  to  turn  a  deaf  ear  to  his  sighing,  or 
sobbing,  as  given  by  tiie  Tu/r/.,  and  to  his  cry, — E(^. 


CHAP.  III.  58,  59.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.       449 

real  or  actually  done,  that  God  had  stretched  forth  his  hand 
and  helped  his  servants.  Since,  then,  they  had  been  con- 
firmed by  such  evidences,  they  had  the  privilege  of  ever 
fleeing  to  God.  God,  indeed,  supplies  us  with  reasons  for 
hope,  when  he  once  and  again  aids  us ;  and  it  is  the  same 
as  thou2-h  he  testified  that  he  will  ever  be  the  same  as  we 

o 

have  once  and  again  found  him  to  be. 

He  then  adds  an  explanation,  Thou  didst  say,  Fear  not. 
He  does  not  mean  that  God  had  spoken  ;  but,  as  I  have  said, 
he  thus  sets  forth  the  fact,  that  he  had  not  sought  God  in 
vain,  for  he  had  relieved  him.  Though  God  may  not  speak, 
yet  when  we  find  that  our  prayers  are  heard  by  him,  it  is 
the  same  as  though  he  raised  us  up  and  removed  from  us 
every  fear.  The  sum  of  what  is  said  is,  that  God  had  been 
propitious  to  his  servants  whenever  they  cried  to  him.  It 
now  follows, — 

58.  O  Lord,  thou  hast  pleaded  58.  Disceptasti,  Domine,  discep- 
the  causes  of  my  soul;  thou  hast  tationesanim8eme£e,redemistivitam 
redeemed  my  life.  meam. 

For  the  same  purpose  he  now  says,  that  God  had  been  his 
judge  to  undertake  his  cause,  and  not  only  once,  for  he  had 
contended  for  him  as  though  he  had  been  his  perpetual  ad- 
vocate. The  meaning  is,  that  the  Prophet  (who  yet  speaks 
in  the  name  of  all  the  faithful)  had  found  God  a  defender 
and  a  helper,  not  only  in  one  instance,  but  whenever  he  had 
been  in  trouble ;  for  he  uses  the  plural  number,  and  says, 
Thou  hast  pleaded  the  pleadings  of  my  soul. 

He  adds.  Thou  hast  redeemed  my  life.  It  is  the  way  of 
God's  pleading  when  he  delivers  us  as  it  were  from  death. 
Friends  do,  indeed,  sometimes  anxiously  exert  themselves, 
interposing  for  our  defence,  but  they  do  not  always  succeed. 
But  God  is  such  a  pleader  of  our  cause,  that  he  is  also  a  de- 
liverer, for  our  safety  is  in  his  hand.     It  follows, — 

59.  O  Lord,  thou  hast  seen  59.  Vidisti,  Jehova,  oppressionera  (sub- 
my  wrong ;  judge  thou  my  versionem ;  alii  vertunt,  iniquitatem)  me- 
cause.  am;  judica  judicium  meum. 

The  word  TlHIl?,  outti,  is  rendered  by  some  "  iniquity,'' 
but  in  an  ironical  sense,  as  though  the  Prophet  had  said, 
"  Thou,  God,  knowest  whether  I  have  offended."     But  the 

VOL.  V.  2  F 


450  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.       LECT.  XIII. 

word  is  to  be  taken  passively ;  the  verb  T)))^,  out,  means  to 
subvert,  as  we  have  elsewhere  seen,  even  in  this  chapter. 
Then,  by  his  subversion,  he  means  oppression,  even  when 
his  adversaries  unworthily  trod  him  under  their  feet.  And 
hence  he  asks  God  at  the  same  time  to  judge  his  judgment, 
that  is,  to  undertake  his  cause,  and  to  appear  as  his  defender, 
as  he  had  formerly  done ;  for  he  saw  his  subversion,  that  is, 
he  saw  tliat  he  was  unjustly  cast  down  and  laid  prostrate  by 
the  wicked.     It  follows, — 

GO.  Thou  hast  seen  all  their  \ei\-  60.  A^idisti  omnes  iiltiones  ipso- 
geance,  and  all  their  imaginations  rum,  omnes  cogitationes  eonun  eon- 
against  me  :  tra  me. 

This  mode  of  speaking  was  often  used  by  the  saints,  be- 
cause God,  when  it  pleased  him  to  look  on  their  miseries, 
was  ever  ready  to  bring  them  help.  Nor  were  they  words 
without  meaning,  when  the  faithful  said,  0  Lord,  thou  hast 
seen ;  for  they  said  this  for  their  own  sake,  that  they  might 
shake  off  all  unbelief  For  as  soon  as  any  trial  assails  us, 
we  imagine  that  God  is  turned  away  from  us ;  and  thus  our 
flesh  tempts  us  to  despair.  It  is  hence  necessary  that  the 
faithful  should  in  this  respect  struggle  with  themselves  and 
feel  assured  that  God  has  seen  them.  Though,  then,  human 
reason  may  say,  that  God  does  not  see,  but  neglect  and  dis- 
regard his  people,  yet  on  the  other  hand,  this  doctrine  ought 
to  sustain  them,  it  bein*  certain  that  God  does  see  them. 
This  is  the  reason  why  David  so  often  uses  this  mode  of 
expression. 

Thou,  Jehovah,  he  says,  hast  seen  all  their  vengeances.  By 
vengeances  liere  he  means  acts  of  violence,  according  to  what 
we  find  in  Ps.  viii.  2,  where  God  is  said  "  to  put  to  flight  the 
enemy  and  the  avenger.''  By  the  avenger  there  he  simply 
means,  not  such  as  retaliate  wrongs,  but  cruel  and  violent 
men.  So  also,  in  this  place,  by  vengeances,  he  means  all 
kinds  of  cruelty,  as  also  by  thoughts  he  means  wicked  coun- 
sels, by  which  the  ungodly  sought  to  oppress  the  miserable 
and  the  innocent.     He  again  repeats  the  same  thing, — 

Gl.  Thou  hast  heard  tlieir  re-  Gl.  Autlivisti  probra  ipsorum, 
proach,  O  Lord,  and  all  their  ima-  Jehova,  omnes  cogitationes  eorum 
ginations  against  me;  contra  mc. 


CHAP.  III.  61,  62.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.       451 

We  see  that  this  is  a  repetition,  but  for  vengeances  he  now 
mentions  reproaches.  And  in  this  way  he  sought  again  to 
turn  God  to  mercy  ;  for  when  he  brings  no  aid,  he  seems  to 
close  his  eyes  and  to  render  his  ears  deaf;  but  when  he  at- 
tends to  our  evils,  he  then  soon  brings  help.  The  Prophet, 
then,  having  said  that  God  saw,  now  refers  to  hearing :  he 
had  heard  their  rejyroaches.  Adopting  a  language  not 
strictly  proper,  he  adds,  that  he  had  heard  their  thoughts ; 
though  he  speaks  not  only  of  their  secret  counsels,  but  also 
of  all  the  wicked  conspiracies  by  which  his  enemies  had  con- 
trived to  ruin  liim.^     He  adds, — 

62.  The  lips  of  those  that  62.  Labia  (vel,  sermones,  aut,  Hnguas) 
rose  up  against  me,  and  their  insurgentium  contra  me,  et  sermones 
device  against  me  all  the  day.       eoriiai  contra  me  tota  die  (vel,  quotidie.) 

Instead  of  thoughts,  he  now  mentions  lips,  or  words.  The 
verb  r\yn,  ege,  means  to  meditate,  when  no  voice  is  uttered  ; 
but  as  the  noun  is  connected  here  with  lips,  there  is  no 
doubt  but  that  the  Prophet  refers  to  words,  rather  than  to 
hidden  meditations.^  He  then  savs,  that  such  were  the 
conspiracies,  that  they  did  not  conceal  what  they  had  in 
their  hearts,  but  publicly  avowed  their  wicked  purposes. 
Now  this  insolence  must  have  moved  God  to  aid  his  people, 
so  unjustly  oppressed. 

He  adds,  every  day,  or  daily.  This  circumstance  also 
must  have  availed  to  obtain  favour,  so  that  God  might  the 
sooner  aid  his  people.  For  had  the  ungodly  made  violent 
assaults,  and  soon  given  over,  it  would  have  been  easy  to 
persevere  in  so  short  a  trial,  as  when  a  storm  soon  passes 
by ;  but  when  they  went  on  perseveringly  in  their  machiua- 

1  There  is  no  necessity,  as  some  have  supposed,  of  making  *•?  in  the  for- 
mer verse,  and  vy  in  this  verse,  the  same.  The  difference  is  occasioned 
by  the  verbs  "  thou  hast  seen,"  and,  "  thou  hast  heard."  God  had  seen 
the  thouglits  or  purposes  effected  "  against"  him ;  and  he  had  heard  the 
])urposes  formed  "  concerning"  hira.  He  refers  first  to  the  purposes  car- 
ried into  effect,  and  then,  as  it  is  common  in  the  prophets,  he  refers  to  the 
purposes  previously  formed  respecting  him. — Ed. 

2  The  best  word  is  muttering, — 

The  lips  of  my  adversaries. 

And  their  muttering  concerning  me  all  the  day. 
It  is  vy  here,  as  in  the  previous  verse,  "  concerning  me,"  not  "  against 
mQ."—Ed. 


452  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.       LECT.  XIII. 

tions,  it  was  very  hard  to  bear  the  trial.  And  hence  we 
derive  a  ground  of  hope,  supplied  to  us  by  what  the  Holy 
Spirit  suggests  to  us  here,  that  God  will  be  merciful  to  us 
on  seeing  the  pertinacity  of  our  enemies.     He  then  adds, — 

63.  Behold  their  sitting  down,  63.  Sessionem  eorimi  et  surrectionem 
and  their  rising  up ;  I  am  their  eorum  aspice ;  ego  canticura  eorum 
music.  (^velj  pulsatio,  ut  alii  vertunt.) 

The  Prophet  repeats  still  the  same  thing,  only  in  other 
words.  He  had  spoken  of  the  lyings  in  wait,  and  the  con- 
spiracies and  the  speeches  of  his  enemies  ;  he  now  adds,  that 
nothing  was  hid  from  God.  By  sitting  and  rising,  he  means 
all  the  actions  of  life,  as  when  David  says,  "  Thou  knowest 
my  sitting  and  my  rising,"  (Ps.  cxxxix.  2  ;)  that  is,  whether 
1  rest  or  walk,  all  my  actions  are  known  to  thee.  By  rising, 
then,  the  Prophet  denotes  here,  as  David  did,  all  the  move- 
ments or  doings  of  men  ;  and  by  sitting,  he  means  their  quiet 
counsels ;  for  men  either  deliberate  and  prepare  for  work 
while  they  sit,  or  rise,  and  thus  move  and  act. 

He  means,  in  short,  that  whether  his  enemies  consulted 
silently  and  quietly,  or  attempted  to  do  this  or  that,  nothing 
was  unknown  to  God.  Now,  as  God  takes  such  notice  of 
the  counsels  and  all  the  actions  of  men,  it  cannot  be  but  that 
he  restrains  and  checks  tlie  wicked  ;  for  God's  knowledge  is 
always  connected  with  his  office  as  a  judge.  We  hence  see 
how  the  Prophet  strengthens  himself,  as  we  have  lately 
stated,  and  thus  gathers  a  reason  for  confidence  ;  for  the 
wicked  counsels  of  his  enemies  and  their  works  were  not 
hid  from  God. 

He  adds,  1  am  become  a  song.  He  again  sets  before  God 
his  reproach,  cast  upon  him  by  the  ungodly.  For  that  in- 
dignity also  availed  much  to  lead  God  not  to  suffer  his 
people  to  be  unworthily  treated.     It  now  follows, — 

64.  Render  unto  them  a  recompense,  64.  Repende  illis  mercedem, 
O  Lord,  according  to  the  work  of  their  Jehova,  secundum  oi)iis  manuum 
hands,  suarum. 

He  adds  here  a  conclusion  ;  for  he  has  hitherto  been  re- 
lating, as  I  have  said,  the  evils  which  he  suftcrcd,  and  also 
the  reproaches  and  unjust   oppressions,  in   order   that   he 


CHAP.  III.  65.     COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  453 

might  have  God  propitious  to  him ;  for  this  is  the  way  of 
conciliating  favour  when  we  are  wrongfully  dealt  with  ;  for 
it  cannot  be  but  that  God  will  sustain  our  cause.  He  in- 
deed testifies  that  he  is  ready  to  help  the  miserable ;  it  is 
his  own  peculiar  work  to  deliver  captives  from  prison,  to 
illuminate  the  blind,  to  succour  the  miserable  and  the  op- 
pressed. This  is  the  reason,  then,  why  the  Prophet  now 
confidently  asks  God  to  render  to  his  enemies  their  reward, 
according  to  the  work  of  their  hands. 

Were  any  one  to  object,  and  say,  that  another  rule  is 
prescribed  to  us,  even  to  pray  for  our  enemies,  even  when 
they  oppress  us ;  the  answer  is  this,  that  the  faithful,  when 
they  prayed  thus,  did  not  bring  any  violent  feelings  of  their 
own,  but  pure  zeal,  and  rightly  formed ;  for  the  Prophet 
here  did  not  pray  for  evil  indiscriminately  on  all,  but  on  the 
reprobate,  who  were  perpetually  the  enemies  of  God  and  of 
his  Church.  He  might  then  with  sincerity  of  heart  have 
asked  God  to  render  to  them  their  just  reward.  And  when- 
ever the  saints  broke  forth  thus  against  their  enemies,  and 
asked  God  to  become  an  avenger,  this  principle  must  be 
ever  borne  in  mind,  that  thev  did  not  induk-e  their  own 
wishes,  but  were  so  guided  by  the  Holy  Spirit — that  mode- 
ration was  connected  with  that  fervid  zeal  to  which  I  have 
referred.  The  Prophet,  then,  as  he  speaks  here  of  the  Chal- 
deans, confidently  asked  God  to  destroy  them,  as  we  shall 
again  presently  see.  We  find  also  in  the  Psalms  the  same 
imprecations,  especially  on  Babylon, — "  Happy  he  who  shall 
render  to  thee  what  thou  hast  brought  on  us,  who  shall  dash 
thy  children  against  a  stone."  (Ps.cxxxvii.8,  9.)  It  follows, — 

Qo.  Give  them  sorrow  (So.  Des  illis  iuipedimentum  cordis,  {alii^ 
of  heart,  thy  curse  unto  obstinationera.)  maledictionem  tuam  illis  {yel^ 
them.  maledictio  tua  illis.) 

He  expresses  what  the  vengeance  was  to  be,  even  that 
God  would  give  them  up  to  a  reprobate  mind ;  for  by 
n^'H^-^^,  meganet'leb,  he  no  doubt  meant  the  blindness  of 
the  heart,  and  at  the  same  time  included  stupidity,  as  though 
he  had  said,  "0  Lord,  so  oppress  them  with  evils,  that  they 
may  become  stupified."    For  it  is  an  extremity  of  evil,  when 


454  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.       LECT.  XIII. 

we  are  so  overpowered  as  not  to  be  as  it  were  ourselves,  and 
when  our  evils  do  not  drive  us  to  prayer.^ 

We  now  tlicn  perceive  wliat  the  Prophet  meant  by  ashing 
God  to  give  to  liis  enemies  the  impediment  of  heart,  even 
that  lie  might  take  away  a  sound  mind,  and  smite  them  with 
blindness  and  madness,  as  it  is  said  elsewhere. — I  run  on 
quickly,  that  I  may  finish,  lest  the  hour  should  prevent  us. 
The  last  verse  of  this  triple  alphabet  follows, — 

GO.  Persecute  and        06.  Persequere  in  ira  et  perde  eos  e  sub  coelis 

destroy  them  in  an-  Jehovaj  (quidam  in  vocativo  casu  legunt,  Jehova ; 

j?er  from  under  the  sed  quia  non  ponitur  WD^,  sed  in  constriictionc 

heavens  of  the  Lord.  "^D^,  ideo  retineo  proj)rietatem,) 

He  first  asks  God  to  persecute  them  in  wrath,  that  is,  to  be 
implacable  to  them  ;  for  persecution  is,  when  God  not  onl}^ 
chastises  the  wicked  for  a  short  time,  but  when  he  adds  evils 
to  evils,  and  accumulates  them  until  they  perish.  He  then 
adds,  and  prays  God  to  destroy  them  from  under  the  lieavens 
of  Jehovah.  This  phrase  is  emphatical ;  and  they  extenuate 
the  weightiness  of  the  sentence,  who  thus  render  it,  "  that 
God  himself  would  destroy  the  ungodly  from  the  earth.''  For 
the  Prophet  does  not  without  a  design  mention  the  heavens  of 
Jehovah,  as  though  he  had  said,  that  though  God  is  hidden 
from  us  while  we  sojourn  in  the  world,  he  yet  dwells  in  heaven, 
for  heaven  is  often  called  the  throne  of  God, — "  The  heaven 
is  my  throne.''  (Is.  Ixvi.  1.)  "0  God,  who  dwellest  in  the 
sanctuary."  (Ps.  xxii.  4  ;  Ixxvii.  14.)  By  God's  sanctuary  is 
often  meant  heaven.  For  this  reason,  then,  the  Prophet 
asked  here  that  the  ungodly  should  be  destroyed  from  under 
the  heaven  of  Jehovah,  that  is,  that  their  destruction  might 
testify  that  he  sits  in  heaven,  and  is  the  judge  of  the  world, 
and  that  things  are  not  in  such  a  confusion,  but  that  the 
ungodly  must  at  length  render  an  account  before  the  celes- 
tial judge,  whom  they  have  yet  long  neglected.  This  is  the 
end  of  the  chapter. 


»  The  ^vord  mean^  "covering,  as  rendered  by  the  Sept.;  the  Syr.  has 
"sorrow,"  and  the  Vuh/.  " shield,"  which  has  no  meaning.  Whilt  is  no 
doubt  meant  is  liardness  or  blindness — 

Give  tlicm  blindness  of  heart : 
Thv  curse  ho  to  them. —  Kd. 


CHAP.  IV.  1.        COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  455 

PRAYER. 

Grant,  Almighty  God,  that  as  at  this  day  ungodly  men  and  wholly 
reprobate  so  arrogantly  rise  up  against  thy  Church,  we  may 
learn  to  flee  to  thee,  and  to  hide  ourselves  under  the  shadow  of 
thy  wings,  and  fully  to  hope  for  thy  salvation ;  and  that  however 
distiu-bed  the  state  of  things  may  be,  we  may  yet  never  doubt 
but  that  thou  wilt  be  propitious  to  us,  since  we  have  so  often 
found  thee  to  be  our  deliverer ;  and  that  we  may  thus  persevere 
in  confidence  of  thy  grace  and  mercy,  and  be  also  roused  by  tliis 
incentive  to  pray  to  thee,  until  having  gone  through  all  oui 
miseries,  we  shall  at  length  enjoy  that  blessed  rest  which  thou 
hast  promised  to  us  through  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord. — Amen. 


CHAPTER  IV. 
iLfCture  iFourtecttti). 

1.  How  is  the  gold  become  dim!  1.  Quomodoobscuratumcstaurum! 

how  is  the  most  fine  gold  changed !  mutatum  est  aurum  bonura !  effusi 

the    stones    of   the    sanctuary    are  sunt  {vel,  projecti)  lapides  sanctuarii 

poured  out  in  the  top  of  every  street,  in  capite  omnium  platearum. 

Here  Jeremiahj  following  the  order  of  the  aljohabet  the 
fourth  time,i  deplores  the  ruin  of  the  city,  and  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  priesthood  and  of  the  kingdom.  For  thej  are- 
mistaken  who  think  that  the  death  of  Josiah  is  here  la- 
mented ;  for  there  are  here  many  things,  which  we  shall  see 
as  we  i3roceed,  which  do  not  suit  that  event.  There  is  no 
douht  but  that  this  mournful  song  refers  to  the  destruction 
of  the  Temple  and  city ;  but  when  Josiah  was  killed,  the 
enemy  had  not  come  to  the  city,  and  the  stones  of  the 
Temple  were  not  then  cast  forth  into  the  streets  and  the 
public  roads.  There  are  also  other  things  which  we  shall 
see,  which  did  not  then  happen.  It  follows  then  that  here 
is  described  the  terrible  vengeance  of  God,  which  we  have 
had  already  to  consider. 

He  begins  by  expressing  his  astonishment:  How  obscured 
is  the  gold  I  and  the  2:>recious  gold  !  for  ODD,  catam,  is  pro- 
perly the  best  gold,  though  the  word  good,  iltOll,  ethuh,  is 
added  to  it.     We  may  hence  conclude  that  it  generally  de- 

*  Here,  as  in  the  two  first  chapters,  the  verses  only  begin  alphabeti- 
cally, but  instead  of  ha\dng  three  or  six  lines,  they  have  only  two  or  four. 
—  Ed. 


456  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.       LECT.  XIV. 

notes  gold  only.  lie  mentions,  then,  gold  twice,  but  they 
are  two  different  words  in  Hebrew,  ^2111,  zaeb,  and  CPD, 
catmn}  Now  he  sj^eaks  figuratively  in  the  former  part  of 
the  verse ;  but  there  is  no  doubt  but  that  by  the  gold,  and 
the  finest  gold,  as  it  is  rendered,  he  means  the  splendour  of 
the  Temple ;  for  God  had  designed  the  Temple  to  be  built, 
as  it  is  well  known,  in  a  very  magnificent  manner.  Hence 
he  calls  what  was  ornamental  in  the  Temple  gold. 

He  then  speaks  without  a  figure,  and  says,  that  the  stones 
were  throiun  here  and  there  in  all  directions.  Some,  indeed, 
think  that  these  words  refer  to  the  sacred  vessels,  of  whicli 
there  was  a  large  quantity,  we  know,  in  the  Temple,  But 
this  opinion  is  not  probable,  for  the  Prophet  does  not  com- 
plain that  the  gold  was  taken  away,  but  that  it  was  obscured, 
and  changed.  It  is  then,  no  doubt,  a  metaphorical  exj^res- 
sion.  But  he  afterwards  explains  himself  when  he  says  that 
the  stones  of  the  sanctuary  were  cast  forth  here  and  there 
along  all  the  streets.  It  was  indeed  a  sad  spectacle  ;  for 
God  had  consecrated  that  temple  to  himself,  that  he  might 
dwell  in  it.  When  therefore  the  stones  of  the  sanctuary 
were  thus  disgracefully  scattered,  it  must  have  grievously 
wounded  the  minds  of  all  the  godly  ;  for  they  saw  that  God's 
name  was  thus  exposed  to  reproaches.  Nor  is  there  a  doubt 
but  that  the  Chaldeans  vomited  forth  many  reproaches 
against  God  when  they  thus  scattered  the  stones  of  the 
temple.  It  hence  appears,  that  the  Prophet  did  not  without 
reason  exclaim.  How  has  this  happened  !  for  such  a  sight 
must  have  justly  astonished  all  the  godly,  seeing  as  they  did 
the  degradation  of  the  temple  connected  with  a  reproach  to 
God  himself     It  follows, — 

2.  The  precious  sons  of  Zion,  2.  Filii  Sion  pretiosi  («/u  ■ye?*^Mn^,  in- 
comparable to  fine  gold,  how  cljtos)  comparati auro  (a/ii  l;crf^t7^^,amicti 
are  they  esteemed  as  earthen  auro,  quod  mihi  magis  placet,)  quomodo 
pitchers,  the  work  of  the  hands  reputati  sunt  in  lagenas  testaceas  (testie, 
of  the  potter!  ad  verhnm)  opus  manuum  figuli? 

^  This  chapter,  like  the  two  first  chapters,  begins  with  the  word  n3''X, 
"  How  this!"  and  the  verbs  are  in  the  future  tense,  used  for  the  present. — 
How  is  this !  tarnished  is  gold, 

Clianged  is  fine  gold,  the  best : 
Cast  forth  are  the  sucred  stones 
At  the  head  of  every  street. — Ed. 


CHAP.  IV.  2.        COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  457 

The  Prophet   comes  now  to  the  people,  though  he  does 
not  include  the  whole  people,  but  brings  forward  those  who 
were  renowned,  and  excelled  in  honour  and  dignity.      He 
then  says,  that  they  were  become  like  earthen  vessels  and 
the  luorh  of  the  potter's  hands,  which  is  very  fitly  added. 
Then  by  the  sons  ofSion,  whom  he  calls  precious  or  glorious, 
he  means  the   chief  men   and   the  king's   counsellors  and 
those  who  were  most  eminent.     And  he  seems  to  allude  to 
that  prophecy  which  we  before  explained :  for  he  had  said 
that  the  people  were  like  earthen  vessels  ;  and  he  went  into 
the  house  of  the  potter,  that  he  might  see  what  was  made 
there.     When    the   potter    made   a   vessel  which  did    not 
please  him,  he  remodelled  it,  and  then  it  assumed  another 
form  ;  then  God  declared  that  the  people  were  in  his  hand 
and  at  his  will,  as  the  clay  was  in  the  hand  of  the  potter. 
(Jer.  xviii.  2;  xix.  11.)     When  he  now  says,  that  the  chief 
men  were  stripped  of  all  dignity,  and  reduced  to  another 
form,  so  as  to  become  like  earthen  vessels,  he  no  doubt  sets 
forth  by  this  change  the  judgment  of  God,  which  the  Jews 
had  for  a  time  disregarded. 

And  we  must  bear  in  mind  the  Prophet's  object :  he 
described  the  ruin  of  the  Temple  and  city,  that  he  might 
remind  the  people  of  the  punishment  which  had  at  length 
been  inflicted  ;  for  we  know  that  the  people  had  not  only 
been  deaf,  but  had  also  scoffed  at  and  derided  all  prophecies 
and  threatenings.  As,  then,  they  had  not  believed  the 
doctrine  of  Jeremiah,  he  now  shews  that  what  he  had  pre- 
dicted was  really  fulfilled,  and  that  the  people  were  finding 
to  their  cost  that  God  did  not  trifle  with  them  when  he  had 
so  often  threatened  what  at  length  happened.  And  hence 
we  may  conclude,  that  there  was  tlien  a  superfluous  splen- 
dour in  garments,  for  we  read  that  they  had  been  clad  or 
clothed  in  gold ;  surely  it  was  a  display  too  sumptuous. 
There  is,  however,  no  wonder,  for  we  know  that  Orientals 
are  far  too  much  given  to  such  trumperies. 

Now,  if  the  other  reading,  that  the  sons  ofSion  had  been  he- 
fore  compared  to  gold^  be  more  approved,  the  passage  must  be 

1  The  value,  and  not  the  appearance,  is  evidently  meant :  the  "  sons  of 
Sion"  were  "  precious,"  as  here  expressly  stated.     In  this  respect  they  had 


458  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.  XIV, 

extended  to  all  their  dignity  and  to  all  those  gifts  by  whicli 
they  had  been  favoured  and  had  become  illustrious.  I 
have  ah'eady  reminded  you,  that  the  work  of  the  potter  s 
hands  is  here  to  be  taken  for  the  vessels  or  the  earthen 
•flagons  ;  but  it  was  the  Prophet's  object  to  enlarge  on 
that  reproach,  which  had  been  before  incredible.  It  fol- 
lows,— 

3.  Even  the  sea-monsters   draw  3.  Etiam  serpenteseduciint  mam- 
out  the  breast,  they  give  suck  to  mam,  lactant  eatulos  suos ;  filia  po- 
their  young  ones  :  the  daughter  of  puli  mei  ad  crudelem  tanquam  lUula? 
my  people  is  become  cruel,  like  the  {vel,  struthiones)  in  deserto. 
ostriches  in  the  wilderness. 

This  verse  is  harshly  explained  by  many,  for  they  think  that 
the  daughter  of  the  people  is  called  cruel,  because  she  acted 
towards  her  children  as  serpents  do  to  their  young  ones. 
But  this  meaning  is  not  suitable,  for  the  word  HD,  heth,  is 
well  known  to  be  feminine.  He  says  that  the  daughter  of 
the  people  had  come  to  a  savage  or  cruel  one,  the  latter  word 
is  masculine.  Then  the  Projihet  seems  to  mean  that  the 
whelps  (such  is  the  word)  of  serpents  are  more  kindly  dealt 
with  than  the  Jews.  Serpents  are  void  of  all  humanity,  yet 
they  nourish  their  brood  and  give  them  the  breast.  Hence 
the  Prophet  by  this  comparison  amplifies  the  miseries  of  the 
people,  that  their  condition  was  worse  than  that  of  serpents, 
for  the  tender  brood  are  nourished  by  their  mothers  ;  but 
the  people  were  without  any  help,  so  that  they  in  vain  im- 
plored the  protection  of  their  mother  and  of  others.  We 
now  see  the  real  meaning  of  the  Prophet. 

The  particle  D^,  gam,  is  emphatical  ;  for  had  he  spoken  of 
animals,  such  as  are  careful  to  nourish  their  young,  it  would 
not  have  been  so  wonderful ;  but  so  great  seems  to  be  the 
savageness  and  barbarity  of  serj^ents,  that  they  might  be 
expected  to  cast  away  their  brood.  Now  he  says  that  even 
serpents  draw  out  the  breast.  The  Jews  say  that  the 
breasts  of  serpents  are  covered  with  scales,  as  though  they 

been  of  the  same  estimate  with  gold  ;  but  now  Ihey  were  as  worthless  as 
potter's  vessels  :  they  were  so  esteemed  and  treated, — 
The  sons  of  Sion  were  precious, 
Of  worth  equal  to  pure  gold  ; 
ilow  is  this!  they  have  been  deemed  as  cartlien  vessels, 
The  work  of  the  hands  of  the  potter —  Ed. 


CHAP.  IV.  3.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  459 

were  hidden ;  but  tins  is  one  of  their  figments.  It  is  a 
common  phrase,  taken  from  a  common  practice  ;  for  a 
woman  draws  out  the  breast  when  she  gives  suck  to  her  in- 
fant ;  so  serpents  are  said  to  draw  out  the  breast  when  they 
give  suck  to  their  wlielps  ;  for  DHl-H,  gurim,  are  the  whelps 
of  lions  or  of  bears  ;  but  in  this  place  the  word  is  applied  to 
serpents.  The  daughter,  then,  of  my  people  has  come  to  the 
cruel  one,  for  the  people  had  to  do  with  nothing  but  cruelty, 
there  being  no  one  to  bring  them  help  or  to  succour  them  in 
their  miseries.  He,  then,  does  not  accuse  the  people  of 
cruelty,  that  they  did  not  nourish  their  children,  but  on 
the  contrary  he  means  that  they  were  given  up  to  cruel 
enemies.^ 

As  the  ostriches,  or  the  owls,  he  says,  in  the  wilderness. 
If  we  understand  the  ostrich  to  be  intended,  we  know  that 
bird  to  be  very  stupid  ;  for  as  soon  as  she  lays  an  Qgg,  she 
forgets  and  leaves  it.  The  comparison,  then,  would  be 
suitable,  were  the  daughter  of  the  people  said  to  be  cruel, 
because  she  neglected  her  children  ;  but  the  Prophet,  as  I 
think,  means,  on  the  contrary,  that  the  Jews  were  so  desti- 
tute of  every  help,  as  though  they  were  banished  into  soli- 
tary places  beyond  the  sight  of  men  ;  for  birds  in  solitude  in 
vain  seek  the  help  of  others.  As,  then,  the  ostrich  or  the 
owl  has  in  the  desert  no  one  to  bring  it  help,  and  is  without 
its  own  mother,  so  the  Prophet  intimates  that  there  was  no 
one  to  stretch  forth  a  hand  to  the  distressed  people  to  re- 
lieve their  extreme  miseries.     It  follows, — 

4,  The   tongue   of    the   sucking  4.    Adhcesit   lingua   Lnctanlis   ad 

child   cleaveth  to   the  roof  of  his  palatum  ejus  in  siti ;  parvuli  petier- 

mouth   for  thirst :  the  young  chil-  unt  panem,  dividens  nemo  illis  {hoc 

dren  ask  bread,  and  no  man  break-  est,  nemo  est  qui  illis  dividat,  id  est, 

eth  it  unto  them.  porrigat.) 

1  The  reference  here  is  to  the  conduct  of  mothers,  called  here  '-the 
daughter  of  my  people,"  as  it  appears  evident  from  the  following  verse,— 
Even  dragons  have  drawn  out  the  breast, 

They  have  suckled  their  young  ones  : 
The  daughter  of  my  people  has  been  for  cruelty 
Like  the  ostriches  in  the  desert. 
It  is  said  that  the  ostrich  lays  her  eggs  and  forsakes  them.     See  Job 
xxxix.  15.     The  verb,  to  be,  is  understood,  as  the  case  often  is,  but  it 
must  ever  be  in  the  same  tense  as  the  verb  or  verbs  connected  with  the 
sentence. — Ed. 


460  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.       LECT.  XIV. 

He  says  that  sucking  children  were  so  thirsty,  that  the 
tongue  was  as  it  were  fixed  to  the  palate  ;  and  it  was  a 
dreadful  thing  ;  for  mothers  would  willingly  pour  forth  their 
own  blood  to  feed  their  infants.  Wlien,  therefore,  the 
tongue  of  a  child  clave  to  his  mouth,  it  seemed  to  be  in  a 
manner  beyond  nature.  Among  other  calamities,  then,  the 
Prophet  names  this,  that  infants  pined  away  with  thirst, 
and  also  that  childf^en  sought  bread  in  vain.  He  speaks  not 
in  the  latter  instance  of  sucklings,  but  of  children  three  or 
four  years  old.  Then  he  says  that  they  sought  or  asked  for 
bread,  but  that  there  was  no  one  to  give.^ 

He  describes  here  the  famine  of  the  city,  of  which  he  had 
predicted,  when  he  declared  that  it  would  be  better  with  the 
slain  than  with  the  people  remaining  alive,  for  a  harder  con- 
flict with  famine  and  want  would  await  the  living.  But 
this  was  not  believed.  Now,  then,  the  Prophet  upbraids 
the  Jews  with  their  former  perverseness.  He  afterwards 
adds, — 

5.  They  that   did  feed  deli-        5,  Qui  comedebant  ad   delicias   (hoc 

cately     are     desolate     in    the  est,  in  deYiciis,  ad  verbiim,n^:iV^h,)  per- 

streets :  they  that  tuere  brought  ierunt  in  plateis  ;  qui  educati  fuerant  in 

up    m  scarlet   embrace   dung-  coccino    (ad   coccinum,)   amplexi    sunt 

hiUs.  stercora. 

Here  he  goes  on  farther,  and  says,  that  they  had  perished 
with  famine  who  had  been  accustomed  to  the  most  delicate 
food.  He  had  said  generally  that  infants  found  nothing  in 
their  mothers'  breasts,  but  pined  away  wdth  thirst,  and  also 
that  children  died  through  want  of  bread.  But  he  now 
amplifies  this  calamity  by  saying,  that  this  not  only  hap- 
pened to  the  children  of  the  common  people,  but  also  to 
those  who  had  been  brought  up  delicately,  and  had  been 
clothed  in  scarlet  and  purple. 

Then  he  says  that  they  perished  in  the  streets,  and  also 
that  they  embraced  the  dunghills,  because  they  had  no  place 

^  The  verbs  here  are  in  the  past  tense,  and  not  in  the  present,  as  in  our 
version, — 

Cleave  did  the  tongue  of  the  suckling 

'J'o  his  palate  through  thirst ; 
Chiklrcn  asked  bread, 

A  breaker,  none  was  to  them. — Ed. 


CHAP.  IV.  6.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  461 

to  lie  down,  or  because  thej  souglit  food,  as  famished  men 
do,  on  dunghills.^  It  seems  to  be  a  hyperbolical  expres- 
sion ;  but  if  we  consider  what  the  Prophet  has  already  nar- 
rated and  will  again  repeat,  it  ought  not  to  appear  incredi- 
ble, that  those  who  had  been  accustomed  to  delicacies  em- 
braced dunghills  ;  for  mothers  cooked  their  own  children 
and  devoured  them  as  beef  or  mutton.  There  is  no  doubt 
but  that  the  siege,  of  which  we  have  before  read,  drove  the 
people  to  acts  too  degrading  to  be  spoken  of,  especially  when 
they  had  become  blinded  through  so  great  a  pertinacity,  and 
had  altogether  hardened  themselves  in  their  madness  against 
God.     It  follows, — 

6.  For  the  punishment  of  6.  Et  major  fait  poena  filise  populi  mei 
the  iniquity  of  the  daughter  poena  Sodomae  (ad  verbum  est,  iniquitas 
of  ray  people  is  greater  than  fllise  populi  mei  peccato  vel  scelere  Sodomse ; 
the  punishment  of  the  sin  of  sed  statim  dicam  cur  de  poena  exponam 
Sodom,  that  was  overthrown  potius  qudm  de  ipso  scelere,)  quse  eversa 
as  in  a  moment,  and  no  hands  fuit  tanquam  momento  ;  non  manserunt  in 
stayed  on  her.  ea  plagee  (alii  vertunt,  et  non  castrametatse 

sunt  manus ;  sed  postea  etiam  dicam  cur 
mihi  magis  placeat  ilia  versio.) 

The  Prophet  says  first,  that  the  punishment  of  his  people 
was  heavier  than  that  of  Sodom.  If  any  one  prefers  the 
other  version,  I  will  not  contend,  for  it  is  not  unsuitable  ; 
and  hence  also  a  most  useful  doctrine  may  be  drawn,  that 
we  are  to  judge  of  the  grievousness  of  our  sins  by  the  great- 
ness of  our  punishment  ;  for  God  never  exceeds  what  is 
just  when  he  takes  vengeance  on  the  sins  of  men.  Then  his 
severity  shews  how  grievously  men  have  sinned.  Thus, 
Jeremiah  may  have  reasoned  from  the  effect  to  the  cause, 
and  declared  that  the  people  had  been  more  wicked  than 
the  Sodomites.  Nor  is  this  unreasonable  ;  for  if  the  Jews 
had  not  fallen  into  that    great  wickedness  of  which   the 

1  The  dunghills  were  collections  of  cow-dung  and  other  things  heaped 
together  for  fuel  instead  of  wood.  They  had  been  brought  up  "  on 
scarlet,"  i.e.,  on  scarlet  couches,  they  were  now  glad  to  lie  down  anywhere, 
even  on  dunghills,  and  hence  they  are  said  to  have  embraced  them,  as 
though  they  had  a  love  for  them, — 

They  who  had  fed  on  delicacies 

Perished  in  the  streets  ;  '  ' 

They  who  had  been  brought  up  on  scarlet 
Embraced  the  dunghills. — Ed. 


462  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.        LECT.  XIV. 

Sodomites  were  guilty,  yet  the  Prophets  everywhere  charged 
them  as  men  who  not  only  equalled  but  also  surj)assed  the 
Sodomites,  especially  Ezekiel,  (chap.  xvi.  46,  47.)  Isaiah 
also  called  them  the  people  of  Gomorrha,  and  the  king's 
counsellors  and  judges,  the  princes  of  Sodom,  (Isa.  i.  9,  10.) 
This  mode  of  speaking  is  then  common  in  the  Prophets,  and 
the  meaning  is  not  unsuitable. 

But  as  he  dwells  only  on  the  grievousness  of  their  punish- 
ment, the  other  explanation  seems  more  simple  ;  for  I 
regard  not  what  is  plausible,  but  accept  the  true  meaning. 
Let  us  then  repeat  the  Prophet's  words:  greater  is  the punish- 
r/ient  of  my  people,  &G.  The  word  pi?,  oun,  means  punish- 
ment as  well  as  iniquity ;  this  is  certain,  beyond  dispute. 
Now  nXtOn,  chethat,  means  also  both  sin  and  punishment. 
It  is  hence  applied  to  expiations  ;  the  sacrifice  for  sin  is 
called  il^^ton,  chethat.  As  to  the  words,  then,  they  desig- 
nate punishment  as  well  as  sin,  the  cause  of  it.  But  the 
reason  which  follows  leads  me  to  consider  punishment  as 
intended,  for  he  says  that  Sodom  tuas  overthroivn  as  in  a 
Tnoment.  Here,  doubtless,  w^e  see  that  the  sins  of  the  Jews 
are  not  compared  to  the  sins  of  the  Sodomites,  but  their 
destruction  only  :  God  had  overthrown  Sodom,  as  afterwards 
he  overthrew  Jerusalem  ;  but  the  ruin  of  Sodom  was  milder, 
for  it  perished  in  a  moment — for  wdien  God  had  dreadfully 
thundered,  the  Sodomites  and  their  neighbouring  citizens 
were  immediately  destroyed ;  and  we  know  that  the  shorter 
tlie  punishment,  the  more  tolerable  it  is.  As  the  Prophet 
here  compares  the  momeiitary  destruction  of  Sodom  with  the 
prolonged  ruin  of  the  city  and  slaugliter  of  the  people,  wo 
see  that  what  is  spoken  of  is  not  sin,  but  on  the  contrary 
God's  judgment. 

There  is  yet  no  doubt  but  that  the  Prophet  summoned  the 
Jews  to  God's  tribunal,  that  they  might  know  that  they 
deserved  such  a  vengeance,  and  that  they  might  perceive 
that  they  were  worse  than  the  Sodomites.  For  it  was  not 
the  Prophet's  object  to  expostulate  with  God,  or  to  cliargo 
him  with  having  been  too  rigid  in  destroying  the  city  of 
Jerusalem.  As,  then,  the  Prophet  does  not  charge  God 
cither  with  injustice  or  with  cruelty,  it  is  certain  that  punish- 


CHAP.  IV.  6.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  463 

meiit  is  what  is  here  set  forth,  in  order  that  the  people 
might  know  what  they  deserved.i 

But  the  words  declare  nothing^  more  than  that  God's  ven- 
geance  had  been  severer  towards  the  Jews  than  towards 
the  Sodomites.  How  so  ?  it  is  evident  from  this  reason, 
because  Sodom  was  consumed  as  in  a  moment ;  and  then  it 
is  added,  and  strokes  remained  not  on  her.  The  word  T',  id, 
as  it  is  well  known,  means  hand,  a  place,  but  sometimes, 
metaphorically,  a  stroke.  Interpreters  vary  here,  but  I  shall 
not  recite  the  opinions  of  all,  nor  is  it  needful.  Those  who 
seem  to  come  nearest  to  the  words  of  the  Prophet,  render 
them  thus,  "  and  hands  (or  forces)  have  not  encamped  against 
lier.''  But  this  is  a  forced  and  far-fetched  meaning..  It 
would  run  better,  "have  not  remained."  The  verb  /IH, 
chul,  means  sometimes  to  Oncamp,  and  sometimes  to  remain, 
to  settle.  Then  the  most  appropriate  meaning  would  be, 
that  strokes  settled  not  on  the  Sodomites,  while  the  Jews  pined 
away  in  their  manifold  evils.^  For  they  did  not  immediately 
perish  like  the  Sodomites ;  but  when  God  saw  them  so  obsti- 
nate in  their  wickedness,  he  destroyed  some  by  famine,  some 
by  pestilence,  and  some  by  the  sword ;  and  then  the  city 
was  not  immediately  demolished  altogether,  as  it  often  hap- 
pens when  enemies  make  a  slaughter  and  kill  men,  women, 
and  children  ;  but  this  people  were  not  so  destroyed.  Many 
of  them  were  driven  into  exile,  and  some  of  the  common 
people  were  left  to  inhabit  the  ruined  cities,  for  there  was  a 
dreadful  desolation.  The  king  himself,  as  it  has  before 
appeared,  w^as  removed  to  Babylon,  but  his  eyes  had  pre- 
viously been  pulled  out,  and  his  children  slain  in  his 
presence. 

We  hence  see  that  the  destruction  of  the  city  was  like  a 
slow  consumption;  and  that  thus  strokes  remained  there  as 


^  The  early  versions  and  the  Targ.  render  the  words  "  iniquity,"  and 
"sin;"  but  modern  critics  agree  with  Calvin.  Penalty  and  punishment 
might  be  suitably  adopted. —  Ed. 

^  The  clause  might  be  rendered, — 

And  not  wearied  against  (or,  over)  her  were  hands. 
This  is  substantially  the  Sept.  and  the  /Syr.     Grotius  says  that  tlie  mean- 
ing is,  that  Sodom  was  destroyed  not  by  humm  means,  that  is,  not  by  a 
siege,  as  Jerusalem  had  been. — Ed. 


46i  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.       LECT.  XIV. 

it  were  fixed,  which  did  not  happen  to  Sodom ;  for  Sodom 
suddenly  perished  when  God  thundered  against  it ;  but  tlie 
hand  of  God  did  not  depart  from  the  Jews,  and  the  strokes 
or  smitino-s,  as  I  have  said,  were  fixed  on  them  and  continued. 
It  follows, — 

7.  Her  Nazarites  were  purer  than  7.  Candidiores  Nazarfei  ejus  nive, 
snow,  they  were  whiter  than  milk,  {vel,  puriores,)  candidiores  lacte,  ru- 
they  were  more  ruddy  in  body  than  bicundi  fuenint  corpore  suo  (neque 
rubies,  their  polishing  was  of  sap-  enim  hoc  potest  accipi  de  ossibus) 
phire :  supra  lapillos   preciosos,   sapphirus 

excisio  ipsorum : 

8.  Their  visage  is  blacker  than  a  8 .  Obtenebrata  est  prse  caliginc 
coal;  they  are  not  known  in  the  forma  ipsorum,  non  agniti  fuerunt 
streets :  their  skin  cleaveth  to  their  in  plateis ;  adhfesit  cutis  eorum  ossi 
bones ;  it  is  withered,  it  is  become  ipsorum,  {hoc  est,  ossibus ;)  exaruit, 
like  a  stick.  ftiit  tanquam  lignum. 

Here  the  Prophet  speaks  of  Nazarites,  by  whom  we  know 
the  worship  of  God  was  lionoured  ;  for  they,  wlio  M^ere  not 
content  with  the  common  observance  of  the  Law,  consecrated 
themselves  to  God,  that  by  their  example  they  might  stimu- 
late others.  It  was  then  a  singular  zeal  in  a  few  to  conse- 
crate themselves,  so  as  to  become  Nazarites,  or  separated. 
What  this  custom  was  may  be  known  from  the  sixtli  chapter 
of  Numbers.  For  God,  who  has  always  repudiated  all  ficti- 
tious forms  of  worship,  prescribed  to  the  Nazarites  what  he 
approved  in  every  particular.  Hence  Moses  carefully  men- 
tioned all  those  things  which  were  to  be  observed  by  the 
Nazarites. 

As  to  the  present  passage,  it  is  enough  to  say,  that  the 
Nazarites  were  peculiarly  devoted  to  God's  service  during 
the  time  of  their  separation,  for  it  was  only  a  temporary 
service. 

Then  the  Prophet  brings  them  forward,  that  it  might 
hence  be  evident  how  sad  was  the  change,  which  he  never 
could  have  made  the  Jews  to  believe.  He  says  tliat  the 
Nazarites  were  purer  than  snow,  and  whiter  than  milk,  and 
also  ruddier  than  precious  stones,  so  that  they  might  be  com- 
pared to  saj)phire  ;  for,  by  saying  sapphire  was  their  cutting, 
he  means  that  they  were  like  sapphires  well  polished.  Now 
we  know  that  the  Nazarites  abstained  from  wine  and  strong 
drink :  hence  abstinence  might  have  lessened  somewhat  of 
their  ruddiness.     For  he  who  is  accustomed  to  drink  wine, 


CHAP.  IV.  7,8.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  465 

if  he  abstains  for  a  time,  is  ajDt  to  grow  pale ;  lie  will  then 
lose  almost  all  his  colour,  at  least  he  will  not  be  so  ruddy  ; 
nor  will  there  appear  in  his  face  and  in  his  members  so  much 
vigour  as  when  he  took  his  ordinary  support.  Jeremiali,  in 
short,  teaches  us  that  the  blessing  of  God  was  conspicuous 
in  the  Nazarites,  for  he  wonderfully  supported  them  while 
they  were  for  a  time  abstinents. 

Now,  on  the  contrary,  he  says  that  the  Nazarites  we7^e 
become  withered,  that  their  skin  clave  to  their  bones,  that,  in 
short,  they  were  so  deformed  that  they  could  not  be  known, 
not  only  in  obscure  corners,  but  even  in  the  open  street,  in 
the  middle  of  the  market-place.  We  hence  learn  that  as 
the  favour  of  God  had  before  appeared  as  to  the  Nazarites, 
so  now  also  his  vengeance  might  be  certainly  known,  because 
they  had  fallen  off  from  their  vigour,  and  were  reduced  to  a 
dearradino^  deformitv.^ 

The  Prophet  at  the  same  time  shews  that  worship  accord- 
ing to  the  law  had  in  a  manner  deteriorated  on  account  of 
the  vices  of  the  people  ;  and  this  is  the  design  of  the  whole, 
as  I  reminded  you  at  the  beginning.  For  there  is  no  doubt 
but  that  he  wished  to  rouse  the  Jews,  that  they  might  at 
length  raise  up  their  eyes  to  God  ;  for  they  had  long  grown 

I  As  to  these  two  verses  there  is  much  disagreement  in  the  early  ver- 
sions and  the  Tai-g. ;  that  of  the  Se2)t.  cumts  nearest  to  the  original. 
Thej  may  be  thus  rendered, — 

7.  Clearer  were  her  Nazarites  than  snow, 

They  were  whiter  tban  milk ; 
Ruddier  were  they  in  body  than  rubies, 
Sapphire  ivas  their  polish  (or  smoothness :) 

8.  Darker  than  the  dusk  became  their  appearance, 

They  were  not  known  in  the  streets : 
Cleave  did  their  skin  to  their  bones, 

Dried  up,  it  became  like  a  stick. 
"Rubies,"  rendered  "pearls,"  hy  Bochart;  '-loadstones,"  or  magnets, 
by  Parkhurst ;  "  red  corals,"  by  Gesenius.  They  were  no  doubt  precious 
stones  of  reddish  appearance.  The  "  sapphire"  is  mentioned  for  its  smooth- 
ness, as  it  appears  from  the  contrast  at  the  end  of  the  eighth  verse,  where  it 
is  said  that  their  skin  had  become  like  a  dried  "  stick,"  whose  rind  is 
shrivelled.  "Dusk"  is  rendered  "soot"  by  the  Sept.,  and  "coals"  by  the 
Vulg.  and  tlie  Sw.  '\)n^  is  the  dusk,  or  the  daAvn :  but  the  river  Nile 
is  also  thus  called  on  account  of  its  muddy  and  dusky  waters.  See  Jer.  ii. 
18.  This  being  the  case,  may  it  not  be  so  taken  here?  The  character 
of  the  passage  favours  this,  "  snow,"  "  milk,"  &c.  Then  the  line  would 
be, — 

Darker  than  Sihor  (or,  the  Nile)  became  their  appearance. — Ed. 

VOL.  V.  2  G 


466  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.        LECT.  XIV. 

torpid  in  tlieir  vices,  and  had  been  even  inflated  with  dia- 
bolical pride  ;  hence  was  their  inveterate  obstinacy.  As 
long  as  the  Temple  stood,  they  thought  that  they  satisfied 
God  by  the  sacrifices  they  oiFered.  When  the  Prophet  now 
tells  them  that  the  stones  of  the  Temple  were  thrown  down, 
it  lience  follows  that  the  Temple  was  profaned  :  whence  this 
profanation  ?  from  the  wickedness  of  the  people.  The  Chal- 
deans, indeed,  thought  that  they  brought  a  great  reproach 
on  God  when  they  demolished  the  Temple ;  but,  as  long 
pollution  had  preceded,  our  Prophet  now  represents  to  the 
Jews  their  sins  as  in  a  mirror  or  a  living  form  ;  for  they  had 
polluted  the  Temple  before  the  Chaldeans.  So  also  he  shews 
that  the  worship  according  to  the  law  was  no  longer  pleas- 
ing to  God,  for  they  had  mocked  him  with  empty  spectres ; 
for  it  was  only  a  vain  display  when  there  was  no  integrity 
within.  The  Prophet  then  shews  to  them  what  he  could 
before  by  no  means  have  persuaded  them  to  believe,  that 
God  was  in  no  way  pleased  with  the  external  worship  of  the 
Jews,  while  they  were  audaciously  violating  the  whole  law. 
It  afterwards  follows, — 

9.  They  that  he  slain  with  the  sword  9.  Meliores  fuerunt  occisi 
are  better  than  they  that  he  slain  with  gladio  quam  occisi  fame ;  flux- 
hunger  :  for  these  pine  away,  stricken  erunt  transfossi  a  fructibus 
through  for  want  o/"the  fruits  of  the  field,  agri. 

The  beginning  of  the  verse  is  without  any  difficulty  ;  for 
the  Prophet  says  that  it  happened  better  to  those  who  im- 
mediately perished  by  the  sword  than  to  others  who  had  to 
struggle  with  famine,  according  to  what  he  had  lately  said, 
that  the  punishment  of  Sodom  was  more  tolerable,  because  it 
was  suddenly  executed.  Sudden  death  is  the  easiest.  And 
the  Prophet,  when  complaining  that  the  ungodly  prospered, 
so  that  the  faithful  sometimes  envied  them,  says  that  they 
die  as  it  were  in  a  moment,  and  are  taken  away  from  the 
world  ;  but  he  says  that  the  faithful  are  held,  as  it  were, 
captive  by  the  snares  of  death,  and  protract  life  in  perpetual 
languor.  For  this  reason  the  Prophet  now  says  that  the 
punishment  of  death  would  have  been  light  to  the  Jews. 
And  yet  wc  know  that  a  violent  death  is  regarded  by  us 
with  horror.  For  he  who  dies  on  his  bed  is  said  to  yield  to 
liis  fate,  as  he  seems  to  pay  what  he  owes  to  nature ;  but 


CHAP.  IV.  9.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  467 

he  who  is  slain  by  the  sword  is  violently  snatched  away, 
and,  as  it  were,  contrary  to  nature.  Violent  death,  then,  is 
always  horrible.  But  the  comparison  used  by  the  Prophet 
amplifies  the  atrocity  of  their  punishment,  because  it  would 
have  been  more  desirable  to  have  been  killed  at  once  than 
to  remain  alive  to  struggle  with  famine. 

And  he  expresses  himself  more  clearly  by  saying  that 
they  pined  away^  having  been  pierced  through  by  the  fruits 
of  the  earth.  There  is  here  some  obscurity,  but  by  the  fruits 
of  the  earth  we  are  no  doubt  to  understand  all  kinds  of  food. 
Some  consider  that  "  defect,''  or  failure,  is  to  be  understood. 
But  the  Prophet  speaks  much  more  emphatically,  even  that 
all  the  productions  of  the  earth  took  vengeance  on  this 
wicked  people,  by  refusing  the  usual  supply.  The  earth  is 
the  servant  of  God's  bounty  and  kindness ;  for  it  is  the 
same  as  though  he  with  his  hand  extended  food  to  us,  when 
the  earth  opens  its  bowels  ;  so  also  the  productions  of  the 
earth  are  evidences  of  God's  paternal  love  towards  us.  Now, 
when  the  fruits  of  the  earth  withdraw  themselves  from  us, 
they  are  as  it  were  the  weapons  to  execute  God's  vengeance. 
So,  then,  the  Prophet  means  that  the  Jews  had  hQQw  pierced 
through  by  the  fruits  of  the  earth,  and  thus  had  pined  away  ; 
as  though  he  had  said,  that  they  had  not  been  pierced  by 
the  sword,  but  had  been  wounded  by  famine,  for  the  pro- 
ductions of  the  earth  became,  as  it  were,  swords,  while  yet 
they  sustain,  as  we  have  said,  the  life  of  men.^ 

prayp:r. 

Grant,  Almighty  God,  that  as  thou  shcwest  by  thy  Prophet  that, 
after  having  long  borne  with  thine  ancient  people,  thy  wrath  at 
length  did  so  far  burn  as  to  render  that  judgment  above  all  others 
remarkable, — O  grant  that  we  may  not  at  this  day,  by  our  obsti- 
nacy or  by  our  sloth,  provoke  thy  wrath,  but  be  attentive  to  thy 
threatenings,   yea,  and  obey  thy  paternal  invitations,  and  so 

^  Ilouhigant  and  Blayney  have  given  the  following  version  of  this  clause, 
which  has  been  approved  by  Horstey, — 

For  those  (the  former)  departed,  having  been  cut  off 
Before  the  fruits  of  the  field. 
That  is,  they  had  been  cut  off  before  the  fruits  of  the  field  failed,  which 
occasioned  the  famine.     This  rendering  is  more  satisfactory  than  oiu*  ver- 
sion or  that  of  Calvin. — Ed. 


468  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.  XV. 

willingly  devote  ourselves  to  thy  service,  that  as  thou  hast 
hitherto  favoured  us  with  thy  blessings,  so  thou  mayest  perpe- 
tuate them,  until  we  shall  at  length  enjoy  the  fulness  of  all  good 
things  in  thy  celestial  Idngdom,  through  Christ  our  l^ord. — 
Amen. 


Hectttve  JFiiUty^ih 

10.  The  hands  of  the  pitiful  10.  Manus  mulienim  misericor- 
women  have  sodden  their  own  chil-  dium  coxerunt  foetus  suos,  fuerunt 
dren:  they  were  their  meat  in  the  in  alimenta  ipsis  in  contritione  filiai 
destruction  of  the  daughter  of  my  populi  mei. 

people. 

Here  Jeremiah  refers  to  that  disoTaceful  and  abominable 
deed  mentioned  yesterday  ;  for  it  was  not  only  a  barbarity, 
but  a  beastly  savageness,  when  mothers  boiled  their  own 
children.  That  it  was  done  is  evident  from  other  writers  ; 
but  the  Prophet  is  to  us  a  sufficient  witness,  who  had  seen 
it  witli  his  own  eyes.  He  then  says  that  the  mothers  were 
merciful,  that  no  one  might  think  that  they  were  divested 
of  every  natural  feeling  ;  but  he  meant  thus  to  set  forth 
the  blindness  which  proceeds  from  God's  dreadful  vengeance. 
He  does  not,  then,  praise  the  mothers  for  their  clemency, 
as  though  they  felt  as  they  ought  to  have  done  for  their 
offspring  ;  but  he  intimates  that  though  they  would  have 
been  otherwise  humane,  the}^  were  yet  seized  with  unusual 
madness,  so  that  they  boiled  their  own  children,  even  their 
own  bowels.  "We  now,  then,  perceive  the  meaning  of  the 
word  merciful,  as  applied  to  the  mothers  by  the  Prophet. 
It  is  not  then  to  be  deemed  as  a  praise  to  them,  as  though 
they  had  a  maternal  love  for  their  children  ;  but  his  object 
was  to  set  forth  that  monstrous  act,  which  would  not  have 
sufficiently  touched  their  minds,  had  he  not  testified  that 
the  mothers  of  whom  he  speaks  were  not  so  brutal  as  not 
to  have  gladly  given  food  to  their  children  ;  but  that  they 
were  supernaturally  blinded  by  furious  madness.  It  fol- 
lows,— 

11.  The  Lord  hath  accomplished  11.  Complevit  (vel,  perfecit)  Je- 
his  fury ;  he  hath  poured  out  his  hova  iracundiam  suam,  etiudit  ex- 
fierce  anger,  and  hath  kindled  a  fire  candescentiam  ira>  sujc  et  accendit 
in  Zion,  and  it  hath  devoured  the  ignem  in  Sion,  qui  voravit  funda- 
I'oundiitions  thereof.  menta  ejus. 


CHAP.  IV.  1  ]  .       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  469 

He  at  length  concludes  that  nothing  was  wanting  to  com- 
plete the  extreme  vengeance  of  God  ;  for  had  the  Jews  been 
chastised  in  an  ordinary  way,  they  would  have  still  exten- 
uated their  sins,  as  we  know  that  they  "were  not  easily  led 
to  repentance.  Hence  the  Prophet,  to  shew  that  their 
oifenccs  had  not  been  slight,  but  that  they  had  been  ex- 
tremely wicked  before  God,  says  that  the  whole  of  God's 
wrath  had  been  executed  :  Jehovah  has  completed  his  wrath. 
The  expression  is  indeed  harsh  to  Latin  ears  ;  but  the 
meaning  is,  that  he  had  executed  his  extreme  judgment. 

He  afterwards  adds,  He  has  poured  forth  the  indignation 
of  his  wrath.  God  is  indeed  content  with  moderate  punish- 
ment, provided  men  be  awakened  from  their  torpor;  but 
when  he  pours  forth  his  wratli,  there  is  no  hope  of  repent- 
ance. It  is  then  a  sign  of  final  despair  when  God's  vengeance 
overflows  like  a  deluge.  But  when  Jeremiah  thus  speaks, 
he  does  not  contend  with  God,  but  rather  reminds  the  Jews 
of  what  they  deserved,  as  it  was  stated  yesterday.  There  is, 
then,  no  doubt  but  that  he  argues,  from  the  grievousness  of 
their  punishment,  that  there  was  no  reason  for  the  Jews 
to  flatter  themselves  any  longer,  since  God  had  dealt  so 
severely  with  them. 

He  then,  in  other  words,  points  out  the  same  thing,  that 
God  had  kindled  a  fire  which  devoured  or  consumed  the  very 
foundations.  Fire  is  wont  rather  to  take  hold  on  the  roofs 
of  houses,  or,  when  it  creeps  farther,  it  does  not  proceed  be- 
3"ond  the  surface.  It  is  a  very  rare  thing  for  it  to  penetrate 
into  the  foundations.  Let  us  at  the  same  time  know  that 
the  Prophet  speaks  metaphoricall}'  of  the  destruction  of  the 
city,  for  it  was  such  as  left  nothing  remaining.  For  when 
some  ruins  remain,  there  is  some  intimation  of  a  future 
restoration  ;  at  least  the  minds  of  beholders  are  inclined 
to  hope  that  what  has  fallen  is  to  be  restored  ;  but  when 
the  buildings  are  not  only  pulled  down,  but  also  demolished 
from  their  foundations,  then  the  destruction  seems  to  be 
without  any  hope  of  restoration.  And  this  is  what  the  Pro- 
phet means  when  he  says,  that  the  fire  had  consumed,  not 
only  what  was  above  ground,  but  the  very  foundations  of 
Jerusalem.     It  follows, — 


470  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.         LECT.  XV. 

12.  The  kings  of  the  earth,  and  all  12.  Non  crediderunt  (yel,  non 
the  inhabitants  of  the  world,  would  credidissent)  reges  terrte,  neqiie  om- 
not  have  believed  that  the  adversary  nes  incolse  orbis,  quod  ingressus  es- 
and  the  enemy  should  have  entered  set  adversarius  et  iniraicus  in  portas 
into  the  gates  of  Jerusalem.  Jerusalem. 

He  confirms  the  same  thing ;  for  when  a  thing  incredible 
happens,  either  we  are  extremely  stupid,  or  we  must  be 
moved  and  affected.  The  Prophet,  then,  now  says  that  the 
destruction  of  the  city  of  Jerusalem  had  been  incredible, 
because  God  had  defended  it  by  his  power  ;  it  was  also  so 
fortified  that  no  one  believed  that  it  could  be  taken,  and 
the  grandeur  of  the  city  was  known  everywhere. 

He  then  says  that  Jerusalem  had  been  taken  and  over- 
thrown, wliich  no  one  of  the  heathens,  neither  their  kings 
nor  their  people,  had  thought  possible.  It  then  follows  that 
the  city  had  been  destroyed  by  God's  hand  rather  than  by 
the  power  of  enemies.  Nebuchadnezzar  had  indeed  brought 
a  strong  army,  but  the  city  was  so  well  fortified  that  they 
thought  that  all  attempts  would  be  in  vain.  That  the  city, 
then,  was  taken  and  demolished,  could  not  have  been 
ascribed  to  human  forces,  but  to  a  power  hidden  from  the 
eyes  of  men.  It  then  follows  that  it  was  God's  work,  and 
indeed  singular.  We  now,  then,  understand  the  design  of 
the  Prophet  in  saying  that  it  was  not  believed  by  kings  nor 
people  that  enemies  could  storm  Jerusalem.  And  in  con- 
tinuation he  adds, — 

13.  For  the  sins  of  her  prophets,  13.  Propter  peccatum  propheta- 
a7?<Ztheiniquitiesof  her  priests,  that  rum  ejus,  iniquitatem  sacerdolum 
have  shed  the  blood  of  the  just  in  ejus,  qui  fuderunt  in  medio  ejus  san- 
the  midst  of  her.  guinem  justorum.  ^ 

The  Prophet,  as  in  a  matter  fully  proved,  rebukes  the 
Jews,  that  he  might,  as  it  was  necessary,  bring  down  their 
pride.  Had  he  at  first  condemned  the  wickedness  of  tho 
prophets  and  the  priests,  no  credit  would  have  been  given 
to  his  word.  But  after  he  had  set  before  them  what  we 
have  observed,  and  especially  after  he  had  shewn  that  the 
ruin  of  the  city  was  a  kind  of  prodigy,  what  he  now  adds 
must  have  been  certainly  inferred,  even  that  the  Jews  had 
in  so  many  ways  and  with  such  pertinacity  provoked  God, 
that  it  became  necessary  that  tlicy  should  be  wholly  de- 
stroyed, as  it  iiappened. 


CHAP.  IV.  13.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  471 

But  he  points  out  here  the  sins  by  which  God's  wrath  had 
been  kindled  against  the  people.  He  then  says  that  the 
fountain  or  the  origin  was  in  the  prophets  and  priests. 
Now,  we  have  elsewhere  explained  that  the  fault  was  not 
removed  from  the  people  when  the  prophets  and  the  priests 
were  thus  condemned.  Indeed,  the  common  people  readily 
exonerate  themselves  when  they  can  plead  ignorance,  or  say 
that  they  have  been  deceived  by  their  teachers  and  leaders. 
But  when  Jeremiah  imputes  the  chief  part  of  the  evils  to 
the  prophets  and  priests,  he  does  not,  as  I  have  said,  devolve 
on  them  the  fault  of  the  people,  but  intimates  that  their 
physicians  had  been  as  it  were  impostors.  For  when  the 
people  corrupted  themselves,  the  prophets  were  sent  for  this 
end,  to  apply  a  remedy  to  their  evils,  and  so  also  were  the 
priests :  for  we  know  that  it  was  a  duty  enjoined  on  them 
to  retain  the  people  in  true  religion  and  in  the  worship  of 
God.  In  short,  Jeremiah  shews  that  the  people  had  been 
ruined,  because  corruption  had  begun  with  the  prophets  and 
the  priests  ;  or,  which  is  the  same  thing,  that  the  sins  of 
the  people  had  proved  fatal,  because  their  heads  or  chiefs 
were  diseased;  because,  he  says,  of  the  sin  of  the  prophets, 
and  the  iniquity  of  the  priests,  &c. 

He  mentions  one  kind  of  sins,  that  they  shed  the  blood  of 
the  righteous  in  the  midst  of  Jerusalem.  They  had  no  doubt 
led  the  people  astray  in  other  things,  for  they  flattered  their 
vices,  and  gave  loose  reins  to  licentiousness ;  but  the  Pro- 
phet here  fixed  on  one  particular  sin,  the  most  grievous  ;  for 
they  had  not  only,  by  their  errors  and  false  doctrines  and 
flatteries,  led  away  the  people  from  the  fear  of  God,  but  had 
also  obstinately  defended  their  impiety,  and  by  force  and 
cruelty  repressed  their  faithful  teachers,  and  put  to  death 
the  witnesses  of  God ;  for  by  the  righteous  or  just  he  no 
doubt  means  the  prophets.  For  what  Jerome  and  others 
say,  that  blood  had  been  shed  because  false  teachers  draw 
souls  to  perdition,  is  frivolous  and  wholly  foreign  to  what 
Jeremiah  had  in  view ;  for  the  word  righteous  cannot  be 
applied  to  those  miserable  men  who  were  ensnared  to  their 
own  ruin.  Then  Jeremiah,  after  having  denounced  the  sin 
of  the  prophets  and  the  iniquity  of  the  priests,  mentions  the 


472  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.         LECT.  XV. 

savage  cruelty,  wliicli  was  as  it  were  the  summit  of  all  their 
vices.  Though,  then,  thej  had  in  various  ways  provoked 
God,  yet  this  was  tlieir  extreme  wickedness,  that  they  exer- 
cised so  great  a  cruelty  against  God's  servants,  that  they 
constrained  as  it  were  the  Holy  Spirit  to  be  silent.  For 
wjien  the  despisers  of  God  w^ent  so  far  as  to  give  themselves 
up  to  shed  innocent  blood,  it  was  a  proof  of  a  diabolical 
obstinacy.  We  now,  then,  understand  what  the  Prophet  had 
here  in  view. 

Now  this  passage  teaches  us,  that  Satan  has  from  the 
beginning  polluted  the  sanctuary  of  God  by  means  even  of 
sacred  names :  for  the  prophetic  office  was  honourable — so 
also  was  the  sacerdotal.  God  had  established  among  his 
people  the  priesthood,  which  w^as  as  it  were  a  living  image 
of  Christ  :  there  was  then  nothing  more  excellent  than  the 
priesthood  under  the  Law,  if  we  regard  the  institution  of  God. 
It  was  also  a  singular  blessing  that  God  promised  that  his 
people  should  never  be  without  prophets.  As,  then,  pro-"< 
phets  and  priests  were  two  eyes  as  it  were  in  the  Church, 
the  devil  turned  them  to  every  kind  of  profanation.  This 
example  then  reminds  us  how  much  we  ought  to  watch,  lest 
empty  titles  deceive  us,  which  are  nothing  but  masks  or 
spectres.  When  we  hear  the  name  of  Church  and  of  pastors, 
we  ought  reverently  to  regard  the  office  as  well  as  the  order 
which  has  proceeded  from  God,  provided  we  are  not  content 
with  naked  titles,  but  examine  whether  the  reality  also  cor- 
responds. Thus  we  see  that  the  whole  world  has  for  many 
ages  degenerated  from  ti'ue  religion  ;  under  wliat  pretext  ? 
even  this, — that  those  who  led  astray  miserable  soj.ds,  boasted 
that  they  were  the  vicars  of  Christ,  the  successors  of  the 
apostles,  so  that  they  still  arrogantly  boast  of  these  titles, 
and  are  inflated  with  them.  But  we  see  what  happened  in 
the  time  of  Jeremiah. 

We  have  had  before  similar  passages  ;  but  this  ought  to 
be  carefully  noticed,  for  it  says,  that  prophets  and  priests 
had  destroyed  the  very  Church  of  God.  It  was,  indeed,  a 
very  grievous  trial,  and  therefore  a  powerful  instrument,  as 
it  were,  for  subverting  the  faith  of  the  simple,  when  they 
saw  that  the  very  prophets  and  priests  were  the  cause  of 


CHAP.  IV.  14.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  473 

ruin  ;  but  it  behoved  the  faithful  constantly  to  persevere  in 
their  obedience  to  the  law.  And  we  ouglit  at  the  same  time 
to  remember  what  I  have  said,  that  the  Prophet  enhances 
the  wickedness  of  the  people,  because  the  priests  and  the 
prophets  themselves  had  been  infected  with  impiety  and 
contempt  of  God,  and  not  only  so,  but  they  had  exercised 
tyrannical  cruelty  towards  the  servants  of  God.    It  follows, — 

14.  They  have  wandered  as  14.  Errarunt  c?eci  (suhaudienda  est 
blind  men  in  the  streets,  they  iiota  similitudinis,  sicut)  in  plateis,  pol- 
have  polluted  themselves  with  luti  sunt  in  sanguine,  quianon  potuerunt 
blood,  so  that  men  could  not  quincontingerentvestesipsorum(2^;t/f(7o, 
touch  their  garments.  nee  sine  ratione^  quia  alice  versiones  nul/o 

niodo  conveniunt,  ut  nunc  videhimus.) 

They  who  simply  read,  that  the  blind  had  wandered, 
deduce  this  meaning*,  that  the  blind  were  polluted  in  the 
streets,  even  because  there  was  filth  everywhere.  Thev, 
indeed,  come  near  to  the  meaning  of  the  Prophet,  but  they 
do  not  clearly  explain  what  he  intended.  I  regard  it  there- 
fore beyond  dispute,  that  the  people  are  here  compared  to 
the  blind,  but  it  does  not  yet  appear  for  what  purpose.  But 
my  opinion  is  this,  that  the  whole  city  was  so  full  of  defile- 
ments, that  they  could  not  avoid  uncleanness ;  for  a  blind 
man  would  touch  a  carcase,  he  would  touch  an  unclean  beast, 
he  would  touch  a  man  infected  with  some  disease ;  how  so  ? 
because  he  could  not  see  to  distinguish  between  a  dead  and 
a  living  man,  between  the  clean  and  unclean.  Our  Prophet 
now  compares  the  people  to  the  blind,  and  why  ?  because 
wherever  they  went,  uncleanness  met  them,  so  that  their 
eyes  were  in  a  manner  dazzled  by  thick  darkness.  For  when 
pestilence  does  not  spread  everywhere,  we  can  avoid  an  un- 
clean place ;  but  when  there  is  no  corner  where  there  is  not 
a  dead  corpse  or  some  sickness,  we  must  pass  on  anyhow, 
having  no  choice  to  make, — and  why  ?  because  uncleanness 
surrounds  us  everywhere.  So,  then,  the  Prophet  says  that 
the  citizens  of  Jerusalem  were  everywhere  polluted,  as  though 
they  were  blind. 

Now  follows  the  reason,  which  has  not  been  understood  by 
interpreters,  They  luere  polluted,  he  says,  with  blood,  because 
they  coidd  not  but  touch  their  garments.  They  all  give  this 
version,  "  They  could  not  touch  their  garments  :"  and  as 


474  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.        LECT.  XV. 

there  is  much  obscurity  and  almost  absurdity  in  this  render- 
ing, they  say  that  the  meaning  is  that  they  were  to  avoid  to 
touch  their  garments,  because  the  law  forbade  them  to  touch 
the  unclean.  But  the  Prophet  meant  another  thing.  The 
words  are  literally  thus,  "  They  could  not,  they  will  touch 
their  garments,''  that  is,  they  will  inevitably  touch  their 
garments.  But  the  particle  which  I  have  mentioned  is  to 
be  understood,  and  the  passage  will  read  thus,  They  could 
not  hut  touch  thei?'  garments ;  and  we  know  that  the  lan- 
guage will  bear  this.  And  as  this  is  consistent  with  the  sub- 
ject which  the  Prophet  handles,  every  one,  judging  rightly, 
will  readily  receive  what  I  have  stated.  The  moaning  then 
is,  that  they  wandered  as  the  blind,  and  were  polluted  in  all 
the  streets  of  the  city,  because  they  could  not  escape  unclean- 
ness,  which  met  them  everywhere  ;  that  is,  because  the  city, 
as  I  have  said,  was  full  of  so  many  pollutions,  that  they 
could  not  turn  either  here  or  there  and  avoid  uncleanncss.^ 

'  This  clause  has  been  variously  explained.  The  whole  passage  from  the 
12th  verse  to  the  16th  inclusive,  ought  to  be  considered.  The  taking  of 
Jerusalem  is  said  to  have  been  incredible,  even  to  heathens.  Then  the 
Prophet,  in  verse  13,  tells  the  cause — "  the  sins  of  the  prophets  and  the 
iniquities  of  the  priests ;"  and  in  the  14th,  15th,  and  KJth,  he  describes 
their  shame  and  their  punishment  at  the  siege,  when  the  people  found  out 
by  experience  that  they  had  been  deceived  by  them,-^ 

13.  For  the  sins  of  her  prophets, 

For  the  iniquities  of  her  priests, 
Who  had  shed  in  the  midst  of  her 
The  blood  of  the  righteous, — 

14.  They  wandered  frantic  in  the  streets, 

They  were  (or,  had  been)  polluted  witli  blood  ; 
Inasmuch  as  they  could  not 
But  touch  their  garments, 

15.  "  Depart  ye,  uncleanness,"  they  cried  to  them, 

"  Depart,  depart,  touch  not :" 
When  they  fled,  yea,  became  fugitives, 

They  said  among  the  heathens, 
"  They  shall  no  more  dwell  tJiere  ; 
IG.  The  face  of  Jehovah,  their  portion, 
Shall  no  more  look  on  them ; 
The  face  of  their  priests  they  regard  not, 
To  their  elders  they  shew  no  favour." 
The  last  five  lines  contain  what  the  heathens  said,  when  they  obstncd 
that  the  prophets  and  the  priests  were  pnmoimced  unclean  by  the  peo])le, 
and  were  ordered  to  depart.     They  had  shed  blood,  and  were  thus  polluted, 
or  in  their  frenzy  they  touched  the  slain  and  became  thus  polluted.     'I'heir 
retribution  was  just,  and  rendered  to  them  by  their  own  people,  whom 
they  had  led  astray  :  for  instead  of  attending  to  the  true  prophets,  they 


CHAP.  IV.  I  5.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  475 

As  to  the  words,  polluted  with  blood,  they  refer  to  the 
ceremonial  law.  There  were  indeed  various  kinds  of  pollu- 
tions, but  this  was  the  chief.  He  accommodates  his  expres- 
sions to  his  own  age,  and  follows  what  was  prescribed  bj  the 
law.  He,  however,  alludes  to  the  sins  designated  by  blood. 
We,  in  short,  see  that  the  whole  of  Jerusalem  was  so  polluted 
with  defilements,  that  no  one  could  go  forth  without  falling 
on  some  uncleanness.  A  confirmation  follows,  which  also 
interpreters  have  not  understood, — 

15.  They  cried  unto  them,  De-  15.  Discedite,  poUutus,  clamavit 

part  ye  ;  it  is  unclean ;  depart,  de-  illis ;    discedite,   discedite,    ne    ac- 

part,  touch  not :  when  they  fled  away  cedatis  :  quia  evolarunt   (aid,   fes- 

and  wandered,  they  said  among  the  tinarunt,)  etiam  errarunt,  dixerunt 

heathen,   They  shall   no  more   so-  in  gentibus,  Non  adjicient  ad  habi- 

journ  there.  tandum. 

The  Prophet  confirms  the  former  verse,  as  I  have  said, 
even  that  no  part  of  the  city  was  free  from  filth,  because 
they  cried  everywhere,  "  Depart,  depart — unclean  I"  That 
what  is  said  may  be  more  evident  to  us,  we  must  notice  that 
the  Prophet  alludes  (which  also  has  not  been  perceived)  to 
Lev.  xiii.  45.  For  it  is  said  there  of  the  lepers,  whose  dis- 
ease was  incurable,  that  they  were  to  go  with  rent  garments, 
with  a  bare  head,  with  covered  lips,  and  cry,  "  Unclean,  un- 
clean," Kip**  XtotO  N^tO,  thema,  thema,  ikora.  God,  then, 
would  have  the  leprous  to  be  driven  from  the  assembly  ; 
and  hence  came  into  use  the  exclamation,  Unclean,  unclean, 
K^D,  XtolO,  thema,  thema.  But  here  the  Prophet  says,  "  De- 
part, depart — unclean  V — XDD  I'lID  111D,  suru,  sum,  thema  ; 
which  is  substantially  the  same  as  commanded  in  the  law. 
Now  the  Prophet  speaks  metaphorically  when  he  says,  that 
the  city  was  infected  with  uncleanness,  as  though  lepers  were 
everywhere.  We  hence  see  how  all  these  things  agree  to- 
gether, "  They  cried.  Depart  ye — unclean ;  depart  ye,  de- 
part \'  that  is,  no  one  can  move  a  foot  from  his  house,  or  go 
forth  in  public,  but  some  uncleanness  will  appear  to  him,  so 
that  it  might  be  rightly  exclaimed,  Unclean,  depart  ye,  de- 
paH. 

killed  them,  and  flattered  the  people  with  falsehoods,  and  encouraged  them 
in  their  idolatry  and  vices  ;  and  thus  brought  on  the  ruin  of  a  city  deemed 
impregnable. — Ed. 


476        COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.    LE'JT.  XV. 

The  Propliet,  after  liaving  thus  spoken,  DejMvt  ye,  come 
not  nigh,  says,  they  have  fled.  It  is  a  striking  allusion  to  the 
exile  of  the  people,  as  though  he  had  said,  tliat  they  were 
driven  afar  off  by  their  defilements.  As  then  they  were 
removed  to  a  distant  land,  he  says  that  this  happened 
through  their  own  fault  ;  how  so  ?  because  they  could  no 
longer  endure  these  defilements  of  their  sins  ;  they  had  so 
contaminated  the  holy  city,  tliat  it  was  foetid  through  their 
filth.  As,  then,  the  city  Jerusalem  was  so  polluted,  the  citi- 
zens, he  says,  at  length  fled  away :  and  thus  exile  proceeded 
from  themselves,  that  is,  the  cause  of  exile  was  their  filth, 
because  they  contaminated  the  city.  They  have  fled,  he  says, 
and  have  also  wandered;  that  is,  so  great  was  their  haste, 
that  they  kept  not  the  right  way,  but  turned  here  and  there, 
as  they  usually  do  who  hasten  witli  trembling.  For  when 
any  one  travels,  and  his  mind  composed,  lie  attends  to  the 
road  that  he  may  not  go  astray  ;  but  he  who  trembles,  or 
is  filled  with  fear,  forgets  the  way,  and  wanders  from  the 
right  course.  So,  then,  our  Prophet  now  says,  that  the 
Jews  fled  and  also  wandered;  for  he  uses  the  particle  CDJl, 
gam,  also  ;  tliey  also  wandered,  he  says,  even  through  that 
trepidation  by  which  they  were  smitten. 

Th^ey  have  said  among  the  nations.  They  shall  not  return 
to  dwell ;  that  is,  they  are  scattered  and  driven  among  vari- 
ous nations  without  hope  of  returning. 

We  now  see  what  the  Prophet  meant  to  shew,  even  that 

tlie  Jews  had  no  reason  to  complain  of  their  exile,  because 

they  had  so  infected  the  holy  city  with  their  vices,  that  they 

were  hence  driven  by  their  own  filtli  ;  this  is  one  thing  : 

and,  then,  that  so  great  was  the  mass  of  their  evils,  that  they 

were  seized  witli  fear  ;  and  thus  they  did  not  keep  on  the 

light  wn}^,  but  turned  into  devious  patlis  and  met  darkness ; 

and,  in  tlie  last  place,  he  adds,  as  a  continuation  of  what  he 

liad  said,  that  there  was  no  hope  of  a  return. 

16.  The  anf^er  of  the  Lord  hath  KJ.  Fades   Jehovsc   divisit  (yel,, 

divided  them ;  he  will  no  more  ro-  dissipavit)  cos;  noii  adjiciet  ad  re- 

j,^ard  them:  thej  respected  not  the  spiciendum  eos ;  faciein  sacerdotum 

persons  of  the  priests,  they  favoured  non  reveriti  sunt  {vel,  honore  ptrse- 

not  the  elders.  qimti.)  etsenum  non  fuerunt  miserti. 

He  explains  himself  by  saying,  that  they  had  been  scat- 


CHAP.  IV.  16.        COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  477 

tered  from  the  face  of  Jeliovali.  He  had  said,  that  they  had 
fled  into  foreign  lands,  and  that  they  believed  their  exile  to  be 
perpetual ;  he  now  assigns  the  reason  that  God  had  thus 
banished  them.  But  he  had  promised  by  Moses,  that  though 
they  were  dispersed  through  the  four  quarters  of  the  world, 
he  would  yet  be  propitious  to  them,  so  as  to  gather  them 
when  dispersed,  as  it  is  said  in  the  Psalms,  "  He  will  gather 
the  dispersed  of  Israel.''  (Deut.  xxx.  4 ;  Ps.  cxlvii.  2.) 
And  we  know  that  the  time  of  exile  had  been  prefixed  ;  for 
the  Prophet  had  often  testified  that  God  would  at  length 
become  a  deliverer  to  his  people,  so  as  to  stretch  forth  again 
his  hand,  and  draw  them  forth  from  Chaldea  as  he  did  from 
Egypt :  how  then  does  he  say,  that  they  had  been  scattered 
from  the  face  of  Jehovah,  and  then,  that  they  had  been  so 
rejected,  that  he  would  not  favour  them  hereafter  with  liis 
paternal  countenance  ?  the  obvious  answer  is  this,  that  the 
Prophet  here  regards  only  the  extremely  dispersed  state  of 
the  people.  For  though  the  promise  of  God  as  to  their 
return  was  certain  and  clear,  yet,  when  any  one  cast  his  eyes 
on  the  state  of  things  at  that  time,  he  could  have  hoped  no 
such  thing  ;  for  the  desolation,  the  ground  of  despair,  was 
immense  :  no  name  had  remained  for  the  people,  the  priest- 
hood had  been  extinguished,  the  royal  dignity  had  been  de- 
graded, the  city  also  and  the  Temple  had  been  completely 
overthrown.  As,  then,  there  was  nothing  remaining  as  to 
the  nation  and  the  place,  and  also  as  to  God's  worship,  how 
could  they  do  otherwise  than  despond  ? 

Then  the  Prophet,  viewing  the  desolation,  says,  that  no- 
thing else  could  be  concluded,  but  that  the  Jews  would  be 
perpetually  exiles,  and  that  all  the  ways  were  closed  up,  to 
prevent  them  to  return  to  their  country,  and  also  that  the 
eyes  of  God  were  shut,  so  as  never  to  look  on  them.  We 
now,  then,  perceive  what  he  means  by  saying,  that  they 
were  scattered  from  the  face  of  Jehovah,  so  that  he  should 
no  longer  look  on  them.  And  this  mode  of  speaking  is  often 
found  in  Scripture ;  for,  on  the  one  hand,  it  sets  before  us 
the  wrath  of  God,  which  brings  death  ;  and  then  on  the 
other,  it  sustains  us,  or  when  we  are  fallen  it  raises  us  up,  by 
setting  before  us  the  favour  of  God  even  in  death  itself. 


478  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  LECT.  XV. 

The  Propliet,  then,  considers  now  no  other  thing  than  the 
dreadful  calamity  which  was  sufficient  to  sink  the  minds  of 
all  into  the  lowest  abyss  of  despair. 

He  then  adds,  that  they  respected  not  the  face  of  the  priests, 
and  shelved  no  pity  to  the  elders.  Some  think  that  the  reason 
is  given  why  God  had  so  severely  punished  the  people,  even 
because  they  had  despised  the  aged  and  the  priests  ;  but  this 
is  a  forced  view.  I,  then,  have  no  doubt  but  that  the  Prophet 
here  intimates,  that  the  Jews  had  been  treated  reproach- 
fully, so  that  there  had  been  no  account  made  of  the  aged, 
and  no  respect  shewn  to  the  priests.  It  is,  indeed,  true, 
that  Daniel  was  held  in  great  repute  ;  but  he  speaks  here  of 
the  priests  who  had  impiously  despised  all  sound  doctrine  ; 
and  he  speaks  of  the  aged  who  were  in  authority  when  the 
kingdom  was  yet  standing.  He  then  says  that  they  had 
been,  as  it  were,  trodden  under  feet.  He  hence  concludes, 
tliat  all  hope  of  restoration  was  taken  away  from  the  Jews, 
if  they  only  considered  their  extreme  calamity.  He  after- 
wards adds, — 

17.  As  for  us,  our  eyes  17.  Adhuc  nobis  (hoc  est,  quum  adhuc  sta- 
as  yet  failed  for  our  vain  remus ;  sic  interpretor ;  quidam  exponunt, 
help:  in  our  watching  we  nobis  expectantibus,  scd  male,  meo  judicio  ; 
have  watched  for  a  nation  quum  ergo  adhuc  staremus,)  defecerunt  oculi 
that  could  not  save  us.  nostri  ad  auxiUum  nostrum  vanimi ;  in  expec- 

tatione  nostra  expectavimus  {vel,  in  specula- 
tione  nostra  respeximus)  ad  gentem  qua;  non 
servaret. 

Here  the  Prophet  charges  the  people  with  another  crime, 
that  neglecting  God,  and  even  despising  his  favour,  they  had 
always  attached  themselves  to  vain  and  false  hopes.  And 
this  was  a  sacrilege  not  to  be  endured,  because  tliey  thus 
robbed  God  of  his  rights :  and  what  does  he  demand  more 
than  that  we  should  depend  on  him,  and  that  our  minds 
should  acquiesce  in  him  alone  ?  When,  therefore,  salvation 
is  expected  from  others  rather  tlian  from  God  alone,  he  is, 
in  a  manner,  reduced  to  nothing.  The  Prophet,  then,  accuses 
the  Jews  of  this  great  sacrilege,  that  they  never  betook 
themselves  to  God,  nor  had  any  hope  in  him,  but  on  the 
contrary  wandered  here  and  there  for  help. 

As  yet  for  us,  he  says,  that  is,  while  we  were  yet  stand- 


CHAP.  IV.  17.      COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  479 

ing}  And  this  circumstance  deserves  to  be  noticed ;  for 
after  tlie  Jews  had  been  overthrown,  tliey  at  length  began 
to  know  how  tliej  had  been  previously  deceived,  when  they 
placed  confidence  in  the  Egyptians.  Prosperity  inebriates 
men,  so  that  they  take  delight  in  their  own  vanities :  and 
while  we  seem  to  ourselves  to  stand,  or  while  we  remain 
alive,  God  is  disregarded,  and  we  seek  help  here  and  there, 
and  think  our  safety  beyond  all  danger.  The  Prophet  then 
says,  that  the  Jews  had  been  inebriated  with  false  confidence, 
so  that  they  disregarded  God,  and  in  the  meantime  fled  to 
the  Egyptians.  When,  he  says,  we  were  standing,  our  eyes 
failed,  &c.  We  have  before  seen  what  this  phrase  means  : 
the  eyes  are  said  to  fail,  when  with  unwearied  perseverance 
we  pursue  a  hope  to  the  last,  as  it  is  said  in  the  Psalms, 
"  Our  eyes  have  failed  for  the  living  God,''  (Ps.  Ixix.  S  ;)  that 
is,  We  have  persevered,  and  though  many  trials  may  have 
wearied  us,  yet  we  have  been  constant  in  our  hope  in  God.  So 
now  the  Prophet  says,  that  the  eyes  of  the  people  hsid  failed  ; 
but  lie  adds,  for  a  vain  help,  or  a  help  of  vanity,  by  which 
term  he  designates  the  Egyptians :  and  there  is  an  implied 
contrast  between  empty  and  fallacious  help  and  the  help  of 
God,  which  the  people  rejected  when  they  preferred  the 
Egyptians.  Our  eyes,  he  ss,ys,  failed,  that  is,  we  were  un- 
wearied in  hoping  vainly,  for  we  always  thought  that  the 
Egyptians  would  be  a  sufiicient  defence  to  us.  This  is  one 
thing. 

He  afterwards  adds,  In  our  looking  out,  we  looked  out  to  a 
nation  which  could  not  save  us.  He  repeats  the  same  thing 
in  other  words.  Some  consider  a  relative  to  be  understood, 
"  In  our  expectation  with  which  we  have  expected,''  &c. ;  but 
it  seems  not  necessary.  I,  then,  so  connect  the  words  of  the 
Prophet,  that  the  meaning  is,  that  the  Jews  always  turned 
their  eyes  to  Egypt,  as  long  as  they  stood  as  a  state  and  king- 

^  The  tnie  reading  is  no  doubt  13"'ny ;  and  Blayney  thinks  that  there  is 
a  1  wanting  before  the  next  verb,  as  it  is  found  in  other  instances  ;  1  Kings 
i.  14,  22  ;  Job  i.  16,  17,  18,     It  is  supplied  in  the  Sept.,  Syr.,  and  Vulg. 
Yet  we  were,  and  fail  did  our  eyes 

As  to  our  assistance ; 
In  vain  by  looking  out  did  we  look  out 
To  a  nation  that  could  not  save. 
The  Syr.  connect  "  in  vain,"  more  properly,  with  the  third  line. — Ed. 


4S0  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.        LECT.  XVI. 

dom ;  and  thus  they  wilfully  deceived  themselves,  because 
they  took  delight  in  their  own  vanity.  The  other  clause 
which  follows  has  the  same  meaning,  In  our  expectation  we 
expected  a  nation,  &c ;  and  this  clause  is  added  as  an  expla- 
nation ;  for  the  Prophet  explains  how  their  eyes  failed  for  a 
vain  hope,  or  for  a  vain  lielp,  even  because  the  people  did 
not  look  to  God,  but  only  to  the  Egyptians. 

Now  the  words,  to  look  out  and  looking  out,  are  not  un- 
suitable, for  they  refer  to  those  vain  imaginations  to  which 
the  unbelieving  give  heed  ;  for  God  called  them,  but  turning 
away  from  him  they  transferred  their  liope  to  the  Egyptians. 
It  was,  then,  their  own  looking  out  or  speculation,  when, 
through  a  foolish  conceit,  they  imagined  that  safety  would 
be  secured  to  them  by  the  Egyptians. 

He  says  that  they  were  a  nation  which  could  not  save;  and 
there  is  no  doubt  but  that  the  Prophet  here  puts  them  in 
mind  of  the  many  warnings  which  had  not  been  received  by 
the  Jews,  for  God  had  tried  to  call  them  back  from  that 
ruinous  confidence,  but  without  any  success;  for  we  know 
how  much  the  Prophets  laboured  in  this  respect,  but  they 
were  never  believed  until  at  length  experience  proved  how 
vain  was  the  help  of  Egypt,  as  God  had  testified  by  his 
servants. 

PRAYER. 

Grant,  Almighty  God,  that  as  we  are  beset  on  every  side  with  so 
many  allurements,  and  as  Satan  ceases  not  to  draw  us  here  and 
there  by  vain  flatteries, — O  grant  that  we  may  recumb  on  thee 
alone,  even  on  thy  power,  and,  in  short,  on  thy  word,  nor  doubt 
but  thou  wilt  be  our  deliverer,  whatever  may  happen,  and  that 
we  may  always  so  seek  thee  in  our  straits,  and  so  acquiesce  in 
the  faithfulness  of  thy  promises,  that  we  may  calmly  sustain  all 
the  assaults  of  afflictions,  until  thou  at  length  gathercst  us  into 
that  blessed  rest  which  is  prepared  for  us  in  heaven  by  Christ 
our  Lord. — Amen. 


18.  They  hunt  our  steps,  that  18.  Vcnati  sunt  gressus  nostros  ne  ani- 

we  cannot  go  in  our  streets :  our  bularcmus  in  conipitis  nostris ;  appropin- 

endisnear,  our  days  are  fulfilled;  quavit   finis   noster,   impleti   sunt   dies 

for  our  end  is  come.  noslri,  certe  vcnit  finis  noster. 


CHAP.  IV.  19.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  481 

Many  apply  this  verse  to  the  Egyptians,  that  they  insidi- 
ously enticed  the  Jews  to  flee  to  them  in  their  difliculties. 
It  is  indeed,  true,  that  the  Jews  had  been  deceived  by  their 
false  promises ;  and,  as  a  harlot  drav/s  to  lierself  young  men 
by  wicked  arts,  so  also  the  Jews  had  been  captivated  by  the 
enticements  of  the  Egyptians.  But  the  meaning  of  the  Pro- 
phet seems  to  be  different,  even  this, — that  the  Chaldeans 
followed  the  Jews  as  hunters,  so  that  they  observed  their 
footsteps ;  and  I  connect  together  the  two  verses,  for  it  im- 
mediately follows, — 

19.   Our  persecutors  are  swifter         19.  Velociores  fuerunt  persequu- 

than  the  eagles  of  the  heaven  :  they  tores  nostri  aquilis  coelorum ;  super 

pursued  us  upon  the  mountains,  they  montes  insequuti  sunt  nos,  in  deserto 

laid  wait  for  us  in  the  wilderness.  insidiati  sunt  nobis. 

Here,  then,  the  Prophet  means,  that  the  Jews  were  so 
straitened,  that  there  was  no  escape  for  them,  because  their 
steps  were  observed  by  their  enemies,  and  also  because  the 
Chaldeans  had  recourse  to  the  greatest  celerity,  that  they 
might  take  them. 

He  then,  says,  first,  that  their  enemies  were  like  hunte?'S, 
for  the  Jews  could  not  go  even  through  the  streets  of  their 
own  city.  We  know  that  they  were  reduced  to  the  greatest 
straits ;  but  how  hard  the  siege  was  is  better  expressed  by 
this  similitude,  even  that  they  dared  not  walk  through  the 
city ;  for  there  is  an  implied  comparison,  as  though  he  had 
said,  "  We  had  no  liberty  in  the  very  city,  much  less  were 
we  allowed  to  go  out  and  ramble  through  the  open  fields.'' 
He,  in  the  second  place,  adds  what  corresponds  with  the  first 
clause,  Approach  did  our  end,  fulfilled  were  our  days  ;  surely 
come  did  our  end}  He  concludes,  that  no  hope  remained 
since  their  enemies  were  thus  oppressing  them.  He,  then, 
infers  that  the  end  was  at  hand,  bv  which  he  means  final 
ruin  or  destruction  ;  and  he  adds,  that  the  days  were  fidfilled, 

•  He  describes  throughout  what  had  taken  place.  Our  version  is  not 
right  in  giving  the  verbs  in  the  present  tense.  "  For"  is  better  than 
"  surely"  before  '-'  come." 

They  hunted  our  footsteps, 

That  we  could  not  walk  in  our  streets : 
Near  was  our  end :  fulfilled  were  our  days, 
For  come  had  oiu*  end. 
Then  he  describes  what  happened  when  the  city  was  taken. — Ed. 

VOL.  V,  2  H 


482  COMMENTARIES  ON  TUE  LAMENTATIOKS.         LECT.  XVI. 

where  he  seems  to  compare  the  state  of  Jerusalem  with  tlie 
life  of  man  ;  for  he  is  said  to  have  fulfilled  his  day  who  leaves 
the  world — for  a  certain  time  for  our  sojourn  has  been  pre- 
fixed :  God,  when  it  pleases  him,  calls  us  to  himself.  Hence, 
our  time  is  then  fulfilled,  as  our  course  is  said  to  be  finished ; 
for,  as  the  life  of  man  is  compared  in  Scripture  to  a  race,  so 
death  is  like  the  goal.  So  now,  speaking  of  the  city,  the 
Prophet  says  that  its  time  was  fulfilled,  for  it  was  not  God's 
will  that  it  should  remain  any  longer.  In  the  third  place, 
he  says,  tliat  the  end  had  come.  He  said  before,  that  it  was 
nigh,  but  he  says  now,  that  it  had  come.  He,  in  short,  shews 
that  God,  having  long  spared  the  Jews,  when  he  saw  that 
they  made  no  end  of  sinning,  at  length  had  recourse  to 
rigour,  for  they  had  shamefully  abused  his  forbearance ;  for 
he  had  long  suspended  his  judgment,  and  had  often  tried 
whether  they  were  healable.  The  Prophet,  then,  reproves 
now  their  obstinacy,  when  he  says  that  their  end  had  come, 
and  that  their  time  was  fulfilled. 

He  afterwards,  for  the  same  purpose,  adds,  that  swiftei' 
than  eagles  had  been  their  persecutors  or  pursuers.  The  Pro- 
phet, no  doubt,  continues  the  same  subject.  As,  then,  he 
had  made  the  Chaldeans  to  be  like  hunters,  so  he  says  now, 
that  in  flying  they  exceeded  the  eagles.  It  is,  indeed,  a 
liypcrbolical  expression,  but  the  Prophet  could  not  otherwise 
express  the  incredible  celerity  with  which  the  Chaldeans 
hastened  in  pursuing  the  Jews.  Nor  is  there  a  doubt  but 
that  he  indirectly  derided  tlie  security  of  the  foolish  people; 
for  w^e  know,  that  whenever  the  prophets  threatened  them, 
this  false  opinion  ever  prevailed,  that  the  Chaldeans  would 
not  come,  because  they  were  far  away,  the  journey  was  long 
and  difiicult,  there  were  many  hindcrances.  The  Prophet, 
then,  now  taunts  them  for  this  confidence,  by  which  they 
had  been  deceived,  when  he  says,  that  swifter  than  the  eagles 
of  the  heavens  were  their  enemies. 

He  mentions  the  ways  they  adopted,  Through  the  moun- 
tains they  pursued,  and  laid  in  wait  in  the  desert.  He 
means  that  every  way  of  escape  was  closed  up.  For  when 
enemies  come,  many  hide  themselves  on  mountains  and  thus 
escape ;  and  others,  betaking  themselves  to  the  desert,  find 


CHAP.  IV.  20.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  483 

there  some  hiding-places.  But  the  Prophet  says  that  such 
was  the  velocity  of  the  Chaldeans,  that  the  Jews  in  vain 
looked  to  tlie  mountains  or  to  deserts,  for  snares  were  every- 
where prepared,  and  they  were  present  everywhere  to  pursue 
them.  Thus  he  confirms  what  he  had  said,  that  the  time 
was  fulfilled,  for  the  Lord  kept  them  shut  up  on  every  side. 
Now,  though  the  Prophet  speaks  here  of  the  ruin  of  the 
city,  3^et  we  may  gather  a  useful  doctrine  :  When  the  hand 
of  God  is  against  us,  wc  in  vain  look  around  in  all  directions, 
for  there  will  be  no  safety  for  us  on  mountains,  nor  will  so- 
litude protect  us  in  the  desert.  As,  then,  we  see  that  the 
Jews  were  closed  up  by  God's  hand,  so  when  we  contend 
with  him,  we  in  vain  turn  our  eyes  here  and  there ;  for, 
however  we  may  for  a  time  entertain  good  hopes,  yet  God 
will  surely  at  last  disappoint  us.     It  follows, — 

20.  The  breath  of  our  nostrils,  the  20.    Spiritus    nariuni    nostrarum 

anointed  of  the  Lord,  was  taken  in  Chrisius  Jehovse  captiis  est  laqueis 

their  pits,  of  whom  we  said,  Under  ipsorum ;  de  quo  diximus,  In  umbra 

his  shadow  we  shall  hve  among  the  ejus  vivemus  inter  gentes. 
heathen. 

This  verso,  as  I  have  said  elsewhere,  has  been  ignorantly 
applied  to  Josiah,  who  fell  in  battle  long  before  the  fall  of 
the  city.  The  royal  dignity  continued  after  his  death  ;  he 
was  himself  buried  in  the  grave  of  his  fathers ;  and  though 
the  enemy  was  victorious,  yet  he  did  not  come  to  the  city. 
It  is  then  absurd  to  apply  to  that  king  what  is  here  properly 
said  of  Zedekiah,  the  last  king ;  for  though  he  was  wholly 
unlike  Josiah,  yet  he  was  one  of  David's  posterity,  and  a  type 
of  Christ. 

As  it  was,  then,  God's  will  that  the  posterity  of  David 
should  represent  Christ,  Zedekiah  is  here  rightly  called  the 
Christ  of  Jehovah,  by  which  term  Scripture  designates  all 
kings,  and  even  Saul ;  and  though  his  kingdom  was  tem- 
porary, and  soon  decayed,  yet  he  is  called  "  the  Anointed 
of  Jehovah;"  and  doubtless  the  anointing,  which  he  received 
by  the  hand  of  Samuel,  was  not  altogether  in  vain.  But 
David  is  properly  called  tlie  Anointed  of  Jehovah,  together 
with  his  posterity.  Hence  he  often  used  these  words,  "  Look 
on  thy  Christ."  (Ps.  Ixxxiv.  10.)  And  when  Hannah  in 
her  song  spoke  of  the  Christ  of  Jehovah,  she  had  no  doubt 


484  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.       LECT.  XVI. 

a  regard  to  this  idea.  (1  Sam.  ii.  10.)  And,  at  lengtli,  our 
Lord  was  called  the  Christ  of  the  Lord,  for  so  Simeon  called 
him.     (Luke  ii.  26.) 

Now,  then,  we  perceive  that  this  passage  cannot  be  under- 
stood except  of  king  Zedekiah.  It  ought  at  the  same  time 
to  be  added,  that  he  is  called  the  Christ  of  Jehovah,  because 
his  crown  was  not  as  yet  cast  down,  but  he  still  bore  that 
diadem  by  which  he  had  been  adorned  b}'  God.  As,  then, 
the  throne  of  David  still  remained,  Zedekiah,  however 
unworthy  he  was  of  that  honour,  was  yet  the  Christ  of 
Jehovah,  as  Manasseh  was,  and  others  who  were  wholly 
degenerated. 

The  Prophet,  however,  seems  to  ascribe  to  Zedekiah  far 
more  than  he  deserved,  when  he  calls  him  the  life  of  the 
people.  But  this  difficulty  may  be  easily  removed ;  the 
man  himself  is  not  regarded  according  to  his  merits,  but  as 
he  was  called  by  God,  and  endued  with  that  high  and  sin- 
gular honour ;  for  we  know  that  what  is  here  said  extended 
to  all  the  posterity  of  David, — "  I  have  made  him  the  first- 
begotten  among  all  the  kings  of  the  earth/'  (Ps.  Ixxxix.  27.) 
For  though  the  kings  of  the  earth  obtained  not  their  autho- 
rity, except  as  they  were  established  by  God's  decree,  yet 
the  king  from  David's  posterity  was  first-begotten  among 
them  all.  Li  short,  it  \^as  a  sacerdotal,  and  even  a  sacred 
kingdom,  because  God  had  peculiarly  dedicated  that  throne 
to  himself  This  ^peculiarity  ought  then  to  be  borne  in  mind, 
that  we  may  not  look  on  the  individual  in  himself 

Then  the  passage  runs  consistently,  when  he  says,  that 
the  Messiah,  or  the  anointed  of  Jehovah,  had  been  taken  in 
snares  ;  for  we  know  that  lie  was  taken  ;  and  this  is  consis- 
tent with  history.  He  had  fled  by  a  hidden  way  into  the 
desert,  and  he  thought  that  he  had  escaped  from  the  hands 
of  his  enemies  ;  but  he  was  soon  seized,  and  brought  to  king 
Nebuchadnezzar.  As,  then,  he  had  unexpectedly  fallen  into 
the  hands  of  his  enemies,  rightly  does  the  Prophet  say 
metaphorically,  that  he  was  taken  in  their  snares. 

He  calls  him  the  sjmnt  of  the  nostrils  of  the  people,  because 
the  people  without  their  king  was  like  a  mutilated  and  an 
imperfect  body.     For  God  made  David  king,  and  also  his 


CHAP.  IV.  20.  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  485 

posterity,  for  this  end,  that  the  life  of  the  people  might  in  a 
manner  reside  in  him.  As  far,  then,  as  David  was  the  head 
of  the  people,  and  so  constituted  by  God,  he  was  even  their 
life.  The  same  was  the  case  with  all  his  posterity,  as  long 
as  the  succession  continued  ;  for  the  favour  of  God  was  not 
extinguished  until  all  liberty  vanished,  when  the  city  was 
destroyed,  and  even  the  name  of  the  people  was  as  it  were 
abolished.! 

But  we  must  observe  what  we  have  before  said,  that  these 
high  terms  in  which  the  posterity  of  David  were  spoken  of, 
properly  belong  to  Christ  only ;  for  David  was  not  the  life 
of  the  people,  except  as  he  was  the  type  of  Christ,  and  re- 
presented his  person.  Then  what  is  said  was  not  really 
found  in  the  posterity  of  David,  but  only  typically.  Hence 
the  truth,  tlie  reality,  is  to  be  sought  in  no  other  but  in 
Christ.  And  we  hence  learn  that  the  Church  is  dead,  and 
is  like  a  maimed  body,  when  separated  from  its  head.  If, 
then,  we  desire  to  live  before  God,  we  must  come  to  Christ, 
who  is  really  the  spirit  or  the  breath  of  our  nostrils  ;  for  as 
man  that  is  dead  does  no  longer  breathe,  so  also  we  are  said 
to  be  dead  when  separated  from  Christ.  On  the  other 
hand,  as  long  as  there  is  between  him  and  us  a  sacred  union, 
though  our  life  is  hid,  and  we  die,  yet  we  live  in  him,  and 
though  we  are  dead  to  the  world,  yet  our  life  is  in  heaven, 
as  also  Paul  and  Peter  call  us  thither.  (Col.  iii.  3,  4  ;  2  Pet. 
iii.  16.)  In  short,  Jeremiah  means  that  the  favour  of  God 
was  as  it  were  extinguished  when  the  king  was  taken  away, 
because  the  happiness  of  the  people  depended  on  the  king, 
and  the  royal  dignity  was  as  it  were  a  sure  pledge  of  the 
grace  and  favour  of  God  ;  hence  the  blessing  of  God  ceased, 
when  the  king  was  taken  away  from  the  Jews. 

It  follows  at  length,  Of  whom  we  have  said,  Under  thy 
shadow  we  shall  live  among  the  nations.  The  Prophet  shews 
that  the  Jews  in  vain  hoped  for  anything  any  more  as  to 
their  restoration ;  for  the  origin  of  all  blessing  was  from  the 
king.  God  had  bereaved  them  of  their  king ;  it  then  fol- 
lows that  they  were  in  a  hopeless  state.     But  the  Prophet 

'  A  kingdom  cannot  exist  without  a  king.  Hence  the  king  may  be  said 
to  be  the  breath  or  the  life  of  the  body  politic. — E<L 


486  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.         LECT.  XVI. 

that  he  might  more  clearly  express  this,  says,  that  the  people 
thought  that  they  would  be  safe,  provided  the  kingdom  re- 
mained,— We  shall  live,  they  said,  even  among  the  nations 
under  the  shadow  of  our  king ;  that  is,  "  Though  we  may  be 
driven  to  foreign  nations,  yet  the  king  will  be  able  to  gather 
us,  and  his  shadow  will  extend  far  and  wide  to  keep  us  safe.'' 
So  the  Jews  believed,  but  falsely,  because  by  their  defection 
they  had  cast  away  the  yoke  of  Christ  and  of  God,  as  it  is 
said  in  Ps.  ii.  3.  As  then  they  had  shaken  off  the  heavenly 
yoke,  they  in  vain  trusted  in  the  shadow  of  an  earthly  king, 
and  were  wholly  unworthy  of  the  guardianship  and  protec- 
tion of  God.^     It  afterwards  follows, — 

21.  Rejoice,  and  be  glad,  O  daughter  21.    Gaude    et    Isetare,    filia 

of  Edom,  that  dwellest  in  the  land  of  Edom,  qu?e  habitas  in  terra  Uts 

Uz:    the   cup  also  shall  pass  through  (yv,  ad  verhum;)  etiam  super 

unto  thee ;  thou  shalt  be  drunken,  and  te  transibit  calix,  inebriaberis  et 

shalt  make  thyself  naked.  nudaberis. 

The  Prophet  in  this  verse  intimates  that  the  Jews  were 
exposed  to  the  reproaches  and  taunts  of  all  their  enemies, 
but  he  immediately  moderates  their  sorrow,  by  adding  a 
consolation  ;  and  it  was  a  sorrow  that  in  itself  must  have 
been  very  bitter ;  for  we  know  that  nothing  is  harder  to 
bear,  in  a  state  of  misery,  than  the  petulant  insults  of  ene- 
mies ;  these  wound  us  more  than  all  other  evils  which  we 
may  suffer.  The  Propliet  then  intimates,  that  the  Jews  had 
been  so  reduced,  that  all  the  ungodly  and  malevolent  were 
able,  witli  impunity,  to  exult  over  them,  and  to  taunt  them 
with  their  troubles.  This  is  done  in  the  former  clause  ;  but 
as  it  was  a  prophecy,  or  rather  a  denunciation,  extremely 
bitter,  he  mitigates  the  atrocity  of  the  evil,  when  he  says 
that  their  enemies  would  have  soon  in  their  turn  to  undergo 
punishment. 

Some  explain  the  wliole  verse  as  spoken  ironically,  as 
though   the   Prophet  had  said  tauntingly, — "  Go   now,  ye 

^  The  last  clause  ought  to  be  thus  rendered, — 
Under  whose  shadow,  we  sold, 
We  shall  live  among  the  nations. 
The  St/v.  in  some  measure  imitates  the  original,  but  neither  the  ^ept.  nor 
the  Vnlg.     The  "^t^*^?  is  not  governed  by  "  we  said."     It  can  be  rendered 
literally  in  Welsh. — Kd. 


CHAP.  IV.  2i.    COMMENT.\RTES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  48? 

Itlumeans,  and  rejoice ;  but  your  joy  shall  be  evanescent/'^ 
But  I  rather  think  that  he  refers  to  the  very  summit  of 
extreme  misery,  because  the  Jews  had  been  thus  exposed 
to  tlie  taunts  of  their  enemies ;  but  he  afterwards  adds 
some  alleviation,  because  all  their  enemies  would  at  length 
be  punished.  There  is,  in  Mic.  vii.  8,  a  similar  mode  of 
speaking,  though  there  is  no  mention  made  there  of  Edom  ; 
for  there  the  Prophet  speaks  generally  to  all  those  who 
envied  the  people,  and  were  their  adversaries  :  he  compares 
the  people,  according  to  wliat  was  usual,  to  a  woman  ;  and 
we  know  that  in  that  sex  there  is  much  more  jealousy  than 
in  men  ;  and  then,  when  there  is  a  grudge,  they  fiercely 
urge  their  pleas,  that  they  may  have  an  occasion  to  speak 
evil  of  others.  Therefore  the  Church,  after  having  acknow- 
ledged that  she  had  been  deservedlv  chastised,  adds,  "  Re- 
joice  not  over  me,  mine  enemy."  But  I  have  already  fully 
explained  the  Propliet's  meaning, — that  the  Church  calls 
all  her  enemies  an  enemv,  or  an  inimical  woman,  as  thoup'h 
there  had  been  some  quarrel  or  jealousy  between  women. 
Hence  she  says,  "  Though  I  have  fallen,  yet  rejoice  thou 
not,  my  enemy ;  though  I  lie  in  darkness,  yet  the  Lord  will 
be  my  light :  though  then  my  enemy  has  rejoiced,  yet  my 
eyes  shall  see  when  she  shall  be  trodden  down.''  (Mic. 
vii.  8,  10.)  The  Prophet  no  doubt  meant  there  to  mitigate 
the  sorrow  of  the  godly,  who  saw  that  they  w^ere  insolently 
taunted  by  all  their  neighbours.  He  then  shews  the  neces- 
sity of  a  patient  endurance  for  a  time  ;  for  Grod  would  at 
length  stretch  out  his  hand,  and  render  to  enemies  the 
reward  of  their  barbarity. 

But  why  in  this  place  mention  is  made  of  Edom,  rather 
than  of  other  nations,  is  not  evident.  The  Jews  were,  in- 
deed, surrounded  on  every  side  with  enemies,  for  they  had 
as  many  enemies  as  neighbours.  But  the  Idumeans,  above 
others,  had  manifested  hostility  to  the  chosen  people.  And 
the  indignity  was  the  greater,  because  they  had  descended 
from  the  same  father,  for  Isaac  was  their  common  father ; 
and  they  derived  their  origin  from  two  brothers,  Esau  and 

^  This  is  the  senss  that  is  commonly  taken  :  Gataker,  Lowth,  Scott,  and 
Bfai/Hfij/,  roganl  the  expression  as  ironical. — Ed. 


488  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.        LECT.  XVL 

Jacob.  As,  then,  the  Idumeans  were  related  to  the  Jews, 
their  cruelty  was  less  tolerable  ;  for  they  thus  forgot  their  own 
race,  and  raged  against  their  brethren  and  relatives.  Hence 
it  is  said  in  Ps.  cxxxvii.  7,  "  Remember,  0  Lord,  the  children 
of  Edom,  who  said,  in  the  day  of  Jerusalem,  Down  with  it, 
down  with  it,  to  the  very  foundation/'  The  Prophet,  then, 
after  having  imprecated  God's  vengeance  on  all  the  ungodly, 
mentioned  especially  the  Idumeans ;  and  why  ?  because 
they  indulged  their  cruelty  above  all  others  ;  for  they  were 
standard-bearers,  as  it  were,  to  enemies,  and  were  like  fixns, 
by  which  tlie  fire  was  more  kindled  ;  for  this  address  was 
no  doubt  made  to  the  Chaldeans,  "  Make  bare,  make  bare ; 
spare  not ;  let  not  a  stone  remain  on  a  stone.''  (Ps.  cxxxvii.  7.) 
As,  then,  the  Idumeans  had  behaved  most  cruelly  towards 
their  own  relatives,  the  Prophet  complains  of  them,  and  asks 
God  to  render  to  them  what  they  deserved. 

So  now  in  this  place  our  Prophet  says,  Be  glad  and  re- 
joice, thou  daughter  of  Edom.,  who  dwellest  vi  the  land  of  Uz, 
By  this  clause,  as  I  have  already  said,  Jeremiah  intimates 
that  the  Jews  were  exposed  to  the  taunts  of  their  enemies, 
because  the  Idumeans  could  now  insult  them  with  security. 
But  he  immediately  adds,  also  :  here  he  begins  a  new  sub- 
ject, and  this  is  intimated  by  the  particle  D^,  gam.  To  thee 
also  shall  pass  the  cup.  He  employs  a  common  metaplior  ; 
for  adversity  is  denoted  in  Scripture  by  the  word  cup  ;  for 
God,  according  to  his  will,  gives  to  drink  to  each  as  much 
as  he  pleases.  As  when  a  master  of  a  family  distributes 
drink  to  his  children  and  servants  ;  so  also  God,  in  a  man- 
ner, extends  his  cup  to  every  one  whom  he  chastises  ;  nor 
does  he  allow  any  one  either  to  reject  the  cup  offered,  or 
to  throw  away  the  wine,  but  he  constrains  him  to  drink 
and  to  exhaust  to  the  very  dregs  as  much  as  he  gives  to 
each  to  drink.  Hence  it  is  for  this  reason  that  the  Prophet 
says  now  that  the  cup  would  pass  over  to  the  Idumeans ; 
for  we  know  that,  shortly  after,  they  were  subdued  by 
the  Chaldeans,  with  whom  they  had  before  been  united. 
But  when  they  had  by  their  perfidy  f^xllen  off  from  their 
treaty,  they  were  in  their  turn  punished.  As,  then,  the 
agreement  they  had  made  with  the  Chaldeans  did  not  con- 


CHAP.IV.22.        COMMENTARIES 'on  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  489 

tinue,  the  Prophet  says,  that  to  them  also  the  cup  would 
pass  over. 

He  adds,  Thou  shalt  be  inebriated  and  made  naked.  God 
is  wont  thus  to  distinguish  between  liis  own  children  and 
aliens  or  the  reprobate  ;  for  he  indeed  gives  a  bitter  po- 
tion to  his  own  children  to  drink,  but  it  is  as  much  as  they 
are  able  to  drink  ;  but  he  altogether  chokes  others,  because 
he  constrains  them,  as  it  has  been  already  said,  to  drink  to 
the  very  dregs.  So,  then,  the  Prophet  now  compares  the  ex- 
treme miseries  which  the  Idumeans  suffered  to  drunkenness  ; 
and  to  the  same  purpose  are  the  words  which  follow,  Thou 
shalt  be  made  naked.  For  he  thus  intimates,  that  they  would 
be  so  confounded  with  the  atrocity  of  their  evils,  as  to  have 
no  care  for  decency,  and  to  be  dead  to  all  shame  :  as  a 
drunken  man,  who  is  overpowered  by  wine,  disregards  him- 
self, and  falls  and  exposes  himself  as  Noah  did  ;  so  also  the 
Prophet  says,  that  so  great  would  be  the  calamities  of  Edom, 
that  the  people,  exposed  to  every  reproach,  would  afford 
occasion  to  all  around  them  for  taunts.  As  when  a  sot  lies 
down  in  the  mire,  casts  away  his  garments,  and  makes  an 
exposure  of  himself,  it  is  a  spectacle  both  sad  and  shameful ; 
so  the  Propliet  says,  that  the  Idumeans  would  be  like  the 
drunken,  because  they  would  lie  down  in  their  reproach. 
It  follows, — 

22.  The  pimislmient  of  thine  ini-  22.   Completa  est  iniquitas   tua, 

quity  is  accomplished,  0  daughter  filia  Sion;  non  adjiciet  ad  te  in  exi- 

of  Zion  ;  he  will  no  more  carry  thee  Hum  trahendam  ;  visitavit  iniquita- 

away  into  captivity :    he  will  visit  tem  filise  Edom,  et  discooperuit  super 

thine  iniquity,  O  daughter  of  Edom  ;  peccatum   tuum    (Jwc  est,   nudavit 

he  will  discover  thy  sins.  peccatum  tuum.) 

This  verse,  in  my  judgment,  is  incorrectly  explained  ;  and 
the  Jews  have  toiled  much,  for  there  seems  to  be  a  kind  of 
inconsistency,  since  it  is  certain  that  they  were  afterwards 
scattered  into  exile,  not  only  once,  but  several  times.  Hence 
they  interpret  this  place  of  the  second  dispersion  by  Titus, 
under  the  authority  of  his  father  Vespasian.  They  then 
say  that  the  iniquity  of  the  people  was  then  completed,  for 
after  that  exile  no  change  has  followed.  Otherwise  they  do 
not  think  that  this  prediction  of  the  Prophet  accords  with 
the  reality  or  the  event ;  for,  as  I  have  said,  they  have  been 


490  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.        LECT.  XVI. 

driven  into  all  lands.  They  had  been,  indeed,  before  fugi- 
tives, as  Moses  had  declared  concerning  them.  For  we  know 
that  Jews  dwelt  in  Greece  and  in  Macedonia  ;  we  know  that 
many  of  the  cities  of  Italy  were  full  of  this  people,  until  by 
the  edict  of  Claudius  Cesar  they  were  expelled  from  Italy  ; 
for  he  thought  tliat  Italy  was  infected  by  them,  and  he  drove 
them  afar  oif,  as  though  they  wxre  contagious.  But  the 
Jews  lay  hold  on  these  refinements  to  no  purpose ;  for  the 
Propliet  simply  meant  to  say,  that  such  would  be  the  punish- 
ment of  the  people,  that  it  would  not  be  necessary  then  to 
repeat  it. 

Wlien,  therefore,  he  says  that  their  iniquity,  or  the  punish- 
ment of  their  iniquity,  was  completed,  he  intimates  that 
God  had  dealt  so  severely  with  them,  that  there  was  no- 
thing short  of  extreme  rigour :  and  this  mode  of  speaking 
occurs  elsewhere.  To  the  same  purpose  is  what  immediately 
follows  :  The  enemy,  or  God,  which  is  the  same,  will  no 
more  add  to  draw  thee  into  exile,— why  ?  for  what  need  was 
there  of  a  second  exile  when  the  whole  land  had  been  re- 
duced to  solitude  ?  since  also  the  poor  who  had  been  left  in 
the  land  had  at  length  gone  into  Egypt,  whence  they  were 
brought  again  into  Chaldea  ;  but  they  were,  at  the  time, 
fugitives  from  the  Holy  Land.  Then  the  Prophet  means, 
that  God's  judgment  was,  in  all  its  parts,  completed,  that 
nothing  short  of  extreme  calamity  had  happened  to  the  Jews. 

It  afterwards  follows  in  the  second  clause.  He  will  visit, 
whicli  is,  indeed,  in  the  past  tense,  he  hath  visited,  but  he 
speaks  of  wdiat  was  future.  According  to  the  usual  manner 
of  the  prophets,  in  order  to  confirm  the  prediction,  he  speaks 
of  the  event  as  already  past.  He  has  visited  the  iniquity  of 
the  daughter  of  Edom, ;  so  that  thy  wickedness  has  been  un- 
covered. The  meaning  will  be  clearer  if  we  add  the  particles 
of  comparison,  "  As  thy  punishment,  daughter  of  Sion,  lias 
been  completed  ;  so  thine  iniquity,  daugliter  of  Edom,  shall 
be  visited  \'  or  if  we  render  the  words  thus,  by  way  of  con- 
cession, "  The  punishment  of  thine  iniquity,  daughter  of 
Sion,  has  indeed  been  completed  ;  but  thy  sin,  daughter  of 
Edom,  shall  be  uncovered."^ 

'  The  word  "  iniquity"  is  usod  in  tliif?  verse  in  two  senses.     This  wq 


CHAP.  IV.  22.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  491 

We,  in  short,  sec  that  the  reason  is  explained  why  the  Pro- 
phet, in  the  last  verse,  alleviated,  with  comfort,  the  sorrow 
of  the  peoj^le,  tliat  tliough  tlie  Jews  were  very  miserable,  it 
would  yet  be  nothing  better  with  Edom,  when  the  time  of 
visitation  came.  And  in  saying  that  the  punishment  of  ini- 
quity was  completed,  he  refers  not  to  their  sin,  but  says  that 
they  had  been  thus  chastised,  as  it  seemed  good  to  God  to 
execute  all  his  rigour  towards  them  ;  and  nearly  the  same 
manner  of  speaking  is  found  in  the  fortieth  chapter  of  Isaiah. 
Then  the  Prophet  does  not  deny  but  that  the  Jews  might 
at  a  future  time  become  exiles  ;  but  he  says  that  tlieir  trans- 
migration now  was  complete,  so  that  it  was  not  necessary  that 
Nebuchadnezzar  should  again  denude  the  land  of  its  inha- 
bitants :  this  had  been  done,  as  it  were,  by  a  sudden  whirl- 
wind ;  for  by  one  sweep  they  had  been  snatched  away.  The 
land,  indeed,  was  before  made  desolate,  but  when  Nebuchad- 
nezzar took  possession  of  the  city,  he  only  left  behind  the 
dregs  of  the  people.  And  he  did  this  on  purpose  that  he 
might  have  there  some  people  as  tributaries.  Then  that 
transmigration  was  complete. 

But  the  Prophet  means  not  here,  that  God  would  not 
afterwards  banish  and  scatter  the  Jews  as  they  deserved. 
There  is  then  no  inconsistency,  that  the  Jews  afterwards  be- 
came fugitives  and  wanderers  througli  the  whole  world,  and 
that  yet  the  enemy  would  not  again  draw  them  into  captivity, 
for  he  speaks  here  only  of  the  Chaldeans  :  and  this  was  said, 

discover  by  the  two  verbs  which  are  used.  To  complete  "  iniquity"  can 
here  mean  no  other  thing  than  to  complete  the  punishment  due  to  it ; 
and  that  punishment  was  exile,  as  the  following  words  shew.  But  to 
"  visit"  iniquity  clearly  means  to  punish  it. — 

22.   Completed  has  been  thine  iniquity,  daughter  of  Sion; 

He  will  not  again  remove  thee : 
He  has  visited  thine  iniquity,  daughter  of  Edom  : 

Having  been  removed  for  thy  sins, 
07\ — He  has  removed  thee  for  thy  sins. 
Though  all  the  early  versions  and  the  Tare/,  agree  in  rendering  the  last 
verb  in  the  sense  of  discovering  or  uncovering,  yet  the  other  meaning, 
which  it  often  has,  and  even  in  the  second  line  of  this  verse,  is  more  suit- 
able to  this  place.  Removal  or  migration  had  been  the  punishment  of  the 
Jews :  the  same  was  to  be  the  punishment  of  Edom.  In  this  sense  is  the 
word  rendered  by  Blayney  and  Henderson.  The  past  time  in  the  latter 
clause  is  evidently  used  f(ir  the  future,  according  to  the  usual  manner  of 
the  Prophets,  "He  will  visit,"  &c.,  '•'  he  will  remove,  &c.—  Ec?. 


492  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.       LECT.  XVII. 

because  Jeremiah  wished  to  compare  the  Jews  with  the  Idu- 
means,  and  to  shew,  that  though  the  Idumeans  insolently 
exulted  over  them,  yet  their  own  calamity  was  nigh,  which 
would  wholly  overwhelm  them,  as  the  case  had  previously 
been  with  the  Jews.  There  is  no  time  now  to  begin  with  the 
prayer  of  Jeremiah  :  I  must  therefore  defer  it  till  the  next 
Lecture. 

PRAYER. 

Grant,  Almighty  God,  that  as  thou  seest  that  at  this  day  the 
mouths  not  only  of  our  enemies,  but  of  thine  also,  are  open  to 
speak  evil, — O  grant,  that  no  occasion  may  be  given  them, 
especially  as  their  slanders  are  cast  on  thy  holy  name ;  but 
restrain  thou  their  insolence,  and  so  spare  us,  that  though  we 
deserve  to  be  chastised,  thou  mayest  yet  have  regard  for  thme 
own  glory,  and  thus  gather  us  under  Christ  our  head,  and  restore 
thy  scattered  Church,  until  we  shall  at  length  be  all  gathered 
into  that  celestial  kingdom,  which  thine  only-begotten  Son  our 
Lord  has  procured  for  us  by  his  own  blood. — Amen. 


CHAPTER  V. 
ILectttre  Sebenteenti^. 

1.  Remember,  O  Lord,  what  1.  Memento  (recordare,)  Jehova,  quid  sit 
is  come  upon  us:  consider,  and  nobis  (hoc  est,  quomodo  nobiscum  agatur,) 
behold  our  reproach.  aspice  et  vide  opprobrium  nostrum. 

Tins  prayer  ouglit  to  be  read  as  unconnected  with  the 
Lamentations,  for  the  initial  letters  of  the  verses  are  not 
written  according  to  the  order  of  the  Alphabet :  yet  it  is  a 
complaint  rather  than  a  prayer  ;  for  Jeremiah  mentions 
those  things  which  had  happened  to  the  people  in  their  ex- 
treme calamity  in  order  to  turn  God  to  compassion  and 
mercy. 

He  says  first,  Remember  what  has  happened  to  us  ;  and 
then  in  the  second  part  he  explains  himself.  Look  and  see 
our  reproach.  Now  the  words,  though  brief  and  concise, 
yet  contain  a  useful  doctrine — that  God  is  pleased  to  bring 
help  to  the  miserable  when  their  evils  come  to  an  account 
before  him,  especially  when  they  are  unjustly  oppressed.     It 


CHAR  V.  1.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  493 

is,  indeed,  certain  that  nothing  is  unknown  to  God,  but  this 
mode  of  speaking  is  according  to  the  perceptions  of  men  ;  for 
we  think  that  God  disregards  our  miseries,  or  we  imagine  that 
his  back  is  turned  to  us  when  he  does  not  immediately  suc- 
cour us.  But  as  I  have  said,  he  is  simply  to  be  asked  to 
look  on  our  evils,  for  we  know  what  he  testifies  of  himself ; 
so  tliat  as  he  claims  to  himself  the  office  of  helping  the 
miserable  and  the  unjustly  oppressed,  we  ought  to  acquiesce 
in  this  consolation,  that  as  soon  as  he  is  pleased  to  look  on 
the  evils  we  suffer,  aid  is  at  the  same  time  prepared  for  us. 

There  is  mention  especially  made  of  reproach,  that  the 
indignity  might  move  God  the  more  :  for  it  was  for  this  end 
that  he  took  the  people  under  his  protection,  that  they 
might  be  for  his  glory  and  honour,  as  Moses  says.  As, 
then,  it  was  God's  will  that  the  riches  of  his  glory  should 
appear  in  that  people,  nothing  could  have  been  more  incon- 
sistent than  that  instead  of  glory  they  should  have  nothing 
but  disgrace  and  rej^roach.  This,  then,  is  the  reason  why 
the  Prophet  makes  a  special  mention  of  the  reproach  of  the 
people.     It  follows, — 

2.  Our  inheritance  is  turned  to  2.  Hsereditas  nostra  devoluta  est 
strangers,  our  houses  to  aliens.  ad  exteros,  domus  nostra  ad  alienos. 

A  catalogue  of  many  calamities  is  now  given  by  the 
Prophet,  and  as  I  have  reminded  you,  for  this  end,  that  he 
may  obtain  God's  favour  for  himself  and  for  the  whole 
people.  It  was  by  no  means  a  reasonable  thing,  that  the 
inheritance  of  the  elect  people  should  be  given  to  aliens  ;  for 
we  know  that  the  land  had  been  promised  to  Abraham  four 
hundred  years  before  his  children  possessed  it ;  we  know 
that  this  promise  had  been  often  repeated,  "  This  land 
shall  be  to  you  for  an  inheritance/'  For  though  God  sus- 
tained all  nations,  yet  he  was  pleased  to  take  a  peculiar 
care  of  his  people.  In  short,  no  land  has  ever  been  given 
to  men  in  so  singular  a  way  as  the  land  of  Canaan  to  the 
posterity  of  Abraham.  As,  then,  this  inheritance  had  been 
for  so  many  ages  possessed  by  the  chosen  people,  Jeremiah 
does  not  without  reason  complain  that  it  was  turned  over  to 
aliens. 

In  the  second  clause  he  repeats  tlic  same  thing ;  but  he 


494  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.       LECT.  XVII. 

shews  that  the  Jews  had  not  only  been  robbed  of  their 
liekls,  but  had  been  cast  out  of  their  houses,  a  more  grievous 
and  disgraceful  thing.  For  it  sometimes  happens,  that 
when  one  loses  his  farm,  his  fields,  and  vhieyards,  his  house 
remains  to  him  untouched  ;  but  the  Prophet  here  amplifies 
the  misery  of  his  own  nation,  that  they  were  not  only  de- 
prived of  their  fields  and  possessions,  but  that  they  were  also 
ejected  from  their  owm  houses,  and  others  had  possession 
of  them.  For  it  is  a  sight  deemed  affecting  even  among 
heathens,  when  one  unworthy  of  any  honour  succeeds  in  the 
place  of  another  eminent  in  wealth  and  dignity.  Well 
known  are  these  words, — 

O  house  of  Ancus !  how  ruled  by  an  unequal  master  !^ 

As  Tarquinius  had  succeeded  and  taken  possession  of  the 
kingdom,  the  heathen  poet  upbraidingly  said  that  the  house 
of  Ancus  had  passed  over  to  those  who  were  at  first  exiles 
and  fugitives,  but  afterwards  became  proud  and  cruel 
tyrants.  So  also  in  this  place  Jeremiah  says  that  aliens 
dwelt  in  the  houses  of  the  people.     It  follows, — 

3.  We  are  orphans  and  father-         3.  Pupilli   fuimus  absque    patrc 
less,  our  mothers  are  as  widows.  (non  patre,)  matres  nostra)  tanquam 

viduae. 

Here  the  Prophet  not  only  speaks  in  the  person  of  the 
whole  people,  but  utters  also  the  groans  and  complaints  of 
each  ;  for  this  could  not  have  been  suitable  to  the  whole 
Cliurch,  as  he  speaks  of  fathers  and  mothers.  We  hence 
see  that  this  verse  does  not  apply  to  the  whole  body,  but  to 
individual  members,  though  every  one  of  the  people  might 
have  said  that  widows  and  orphans  were  everywhere  seen. 

Now,  this  usually  happens  when  a  nation  is  consumed 
either  by  pestilence  or  by  war  ;  for  in  one  battle  all  do  not 
so  fall  that  a  whole  country  becomes  full  of  orphans.  But 
the  Prophet  sets  forth  here  the  orphanage  and  widowhood 
occasioned  through  the  continued  vengeance  of  God,  for  he 
had  not  ceased  to  afl[lict  the  people  until  by  degrees  they 
were  exhausted.     It  was,   indeed,   a  sad   spectacle  to   see 

'  O  domus  Anci !  quaui  dispari  domino  dominaris ! 


CHAP.  V.  4.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  495 

among  tlie  chosen   people    so   many  widows,   and   also   so 

many  children  deprived  of  tlieir  fathers.     It  follows, — 

4.  We  have  drunken  our  4.  Aquas  nostras  pecunia  bibimus,  ligna 
water  for  money  ;  our  wood  nostra  pretio  veniunt  (non  veneunt,  nam 
is  sold  unto  us.  inUlUgit  Uyna  aiferri,  ant  venire  in  illurmn 

manus  non  sine  pretio.) 

The  Prophet  here  relates,  that  the  people  were  denuded, 
that  they  laboured  under  the  want  of  water  and  of  wood. 
He  does  not  say  that  they  were  only  deprived  of  corn  and 
wine,  he  does  not  comj^lain  that  any  of  their  luxuries  were 
lessened  ;  but  lie  mentions  water  and  wood,  the  common 
things  of  life  ;  for  the  use  of  water,  as  it  is  said,  is  common 
to  all ;  no  one  is  so  poor,  if  he  dwells  not  in  a  land  wholly 
dry,  but  that  he  has  water  enough  to  drink.  For  if  there 
be  no  fountains,  there  are  at  least  rivers,  there  are  wells  ; 
nor  do  men  perish  through  thirst,  except  in  deserts  and  in 
places  uninhabitable.  As,  then,  water  might  be  had  every- 
where, tlie  Prophet  here  sets  forth  the  extreme  misery  of 
the  peo23le,  for  water  was  even  sold  to  them.  In  stony  and 
high  places  water  is  sold  ;  but  this  is  a  very  rare  thing. 
The  Prophet  here  means  that  the  people  were  not  only  de- 
prived of  their  wealth,  but  reduced  to  such  a  state  of  want 
that  they  had  no  water  without  buying  it. 

At  the  same  time  he  seems  to  express  something  worse 
when  he  says.  Our  luater  we  drink  for  money,  and  our 
wood  is  brought  to  us  for  a  price.  It  is  not  strange  that 
wood  should  be  bought  ;  but  the  Prophet  means  that  water 
was  sold  to  the  Jews  which  had  been  their  own,  and  that 
they  were  also  compelled  to  buy  wood  which  had  been  tlieir 
own.  Thus  the  possessive  pronouns  are  to  be  considered  as 
emphatical.  Then  lie  says,  "  Our  own  waters  we  drink/'  &c.^ 
He  calls  them  the  waters  of  the  people,  which  by  right  they 
might  have  claimed  as  their  own  ;  and  he  also  calls  the 
wood  the  same;   it  was  that  to  which  the  people  had  a 


»  To  express  this  meaning,  Avhleh  is  probably  the  true  one,  the  words 
ought  to  be  thus  rendered, — 

4.  Our  own  water,  for  money  have  we  drunk  it; 
Our  own  wood,  for  a  price  it  comes  to  us. 
Grotius  says  that  in  the  land  of  Canaan  the  forests  were  free  to  all  to  get 
wood  from.     When  in  exile  the  Jews  had  to  buy  wood. — Ed. 


496  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.     LECT.  XVII. 

legitimate  right.     He  then  says  that  all  things  had  been  so 

tiiken  away  by  their  enemies,  that  they  were  forced  to  buy, 

not  only  the  wine  wliich  had  been  taken  from  their  cellars, 

and  the  corn  wliich  had  been  taken  from  their  granaries, 

but  also  the  water  and  the  wood. 

But  were  any  one  disposed  to  take  the  words  more  simply, 

the  complaint  would  not  be  unsuitable, — that  the  people, 

who  before  had  abundance  of  wine  and  all   other  things, 

were  constrained  to  buy  everything,  even  water  and  wood. 

For  it  is  a  grievous  change  when  any  one,  who  could  once 

cut  wood  of  his  own,  and  gather  his  own  wine  and  corn,  is 

not  able  to  get  even  a  drop  of  water  without  buying  it. 

This  is  a  sad  change.      So  this  passage  may  be  understood. 

It  follows, — 

5.  Our  necks  are  under  5.  Super  colla  nostra  (w^,  cervicibus  nos- 
persecution  :  we  labour,  and  tris)  persecutionem  passi  sumus ;  laboravi- 
have  no  rest.  mus,  non  requies  nobis. 

Here  he  says  that  the  people  were  oppressed  with  a 
grievous  bondage.  It  is,  indeed,  a  metaphorical  expression 
when  he  says,  that  people  suffered  'persecution  on  their 
necks.  Enemies  may  sometimes  be  troublesome  to  us,  either 
before  our  face,  or  behind  our  backs,  or  by  our  sides ;  but 
when  they  so  domineer  as  to  ride  on  our  necks,  in  this  kind 
of  insult  there  is  extreme  degradation.  Hence  the  Prophet 
here  complains  of  the  servile  and  even  disgraceful  oppres- 
sion of  the  people  when  he  says,  that  the  Jews  suffered  i^er- 
secution  on  their  necks. 

The  meaning  is,  that  the  enemies  so  domineered  at  their 
pleasure,  that  the  Jews  dared  not  to  raise  uj:)  their  heads. 
They  were,  indeed,  worthy  of  this  reward — for  we  know  that 
they  had  an  iron  neck  ;  for  when  Grod  would  have  them  to 
bear  his  yoke,  they  were  wholly  unbending  ;  nay,  they  were 
like  untameablc  wild  beasts.  As,  then,  their  hardness  had 
been  so  great,  God  rendered  to  them  a  just  reward  for  their 
pride  and  obstinacy,  when  their  enemies  laid  such  a  burden 
on  their  necks. ^ 


*  Not  one  of  the  versions  or  the  Targ.,  though  they  all  diiler,  gives  a 
satisfactory  rendering  of  this  clause.  Some  take,  "  on  our  neck  we  have 
been  pursued,"  as  meaning,  We  have  been  closely  pursued.     So  Gataker. 


CHAP.  V,  6.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  497 

But  the  Prophet  sets  forth  here  this  indi'gnitv,  that  he 
might  turn  God  to  mercy ;  that  is,  that  tlie  Chaldeans  thus 
op23ressed  as  they  pleased  the  chosen  people. 

He  adds,  that  they  laboured  and  had  no  rest  He  inti- 
mates by  these  words  that  there  were  no  limits  nor  end  to 
their  miseries  and  troubles  ;  for  the  phrase  in  Hebrew  is,  We 
have  laboured  and  there  was  no  rest.  It  often  happens  that 
when  one  is  pressed  down  with  evils  for  a  short  time,  a  re- 
laxation comes.  But  the  Proj^het  says  that  there  was  no  end 
to  the  miseries  of  the  people.  Then  to  labour  without  rest 
is  the  same  as  to  be  pressed  down  with  incessant  afflictions, 
from  which  there  is  no  outlet.  Their  obstinacy  was  worthy 
also  of  this  reward,  for  they  had  fought  against  God,  not  for 
a  few  montlis  or  years  only,  but  for  many  years.  We  know 
how  long  the  Prophet  called  them  w'ithout  any  success. 
Here,  however,  he  seeks  favour  with  God,  by  saying  that  the 
people  were  miserable  without  limits  or  end. 

6.  We  have  given  the  hand  to  the  6.  ^gyptiis  dedimus  ma- 
Egyptians,  and  to  the  Assyrians,  to  be  num,  Assyriis,  ut  satureraur 
satisfied  with  bread.  panibus. 

He  speaks  here  of  the  mendicity  of  the  people,  that  they 
sought  bread  from  every  quarter.  To  give  the  hand,  is  ex- 
plained in  three  ways :  some  say  that  it  means  humbly  to 
ask  ;  others,  to  make  an  agreement  ;  and  others,  to  extend 
it  in  token  of  misei'y,  as  he  who  cannot  ask  for  help,  inti- 
mates his  wants  by  extending  his  hand.  But  the  Prophet 
seems  simply  to  mean  that  the  people  were  so  distressed  by 
w^ant,  that  they  begged  bread.  I  then  take  the  expression, 
to  give  the  hand,  as  meaning  that  they  asked  bread,  as 
beggars  usually  do. 

Others,  as  Lowth  and  Henderson,  regarding  bv  a  noun,  signifying  a  yoke, 
give  a  construction  of  this  kind,  "  With  the  yoke  on  our  neck  we  have 
been  pursued"  or  persecuted,  according  to  the  words  of  Moses  in  Deut. 
xxviii.  48.     The  former  seems  the  best, — 

On  our  neck  (closely)  have  we  been  pursued. 

We  laboured  and  had  no  rest. 
Then  comes  in  what  they  did  when  thus  pursued  by  their  enemies, — 

To  Egypt  gave  we  the  hand. 

To  Assyria,  to  be  satisfied  with  bread. 
To  give  the  hand,  in  this  case,  was  to  put  it  forth  as  suppliants  to  ask  help. 
This  seems  to  refer  to  a  time  previous  to  their  exile. — Ed. 
VOL.  V.  2  I 


498  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.       LECT.  XVII. 

ne  now  says  that  tliey  gave  or  extended  the  hand  both  to 
the  Egyptians  and  to  the  Assyrians,  which  was  a  most 
unworthy  and  disgraceful  thing  ;  for  the  Egyptians  had  been 
their  most  troublesome  enemies,  and  the  Assyrians  after- 
wards followed  their  example.  At  that  time,  indeed,  the 
Egyptians  pretended  to  be  the  friends  of  the  chosen  people, 
and  made  a  treaty  with  them ;  but  the  Jews  were  held  in 
contempt  by  them  as  they  deserved,  for  tliey  had  prostituted 
as  it  were  themselves  like  harlots.  As,  then,  they  had  been 
despised  by  the  Egyptians,  it  was  a  disgrace  and  reproach 
the  most  bitter,  when  they  were  compelled  to  beg  bread  in 
Egypt,  and  then  in  Assyria  ;  for  this  might  have  been  turned 
to  the  bitterest  taunts. 

We  now,  then,  perceive  the  meaning  of  the  Prophet;  even 
this  reward  also  God  justly  rendered  to  them.  He  had  pro- 
mised them  a  fruitful  land,  in  which  he  was  ready  to  support 
them  to  the  full.  How  often  is  mention  made  by  Moses  of 
corn,  wine,  and  oil ;  and  why  ?  in  order  that  God  might  shew 
that  that  land  exceeded  every  otlicr  in  fertility.  It  was, 
then,  an  evidence  of  an  extreme  curse  when  the  people  were 
compelled  to  beg  bread  here  and  there,  while  yet  the  abun- 
dance of  all  things  ought  to  have  been  sufficient  to  supply 
even  aliens,  "  Thou  shalt  lend  to  others,  but  thou  shalt  not 
borrow."  (Deut.  xv.  6.)  They  then  who  ouglit  to  have  fed 
others  by  their  i)lenty,  were  so  reduced  that  their  want  forced 
them  to  undergo  this  disgrace,  to  beg  broad  of  the  Egyptians 
and  Assyrians.     It  follows, — 

7.  Our  fathers  have  sinned,  7.  Patres  nostri  peccanint,  non  sunt 
and  are  not ;  and  we  have  borne  (non  ipsi,  ad  verhum,)  nos  vero  iniquita- 
their  miquities.  tern  eorum  portavimus. 

The  Prophet  seems  here  to  contend  with  God,  and  to  utter 
that  blasphemy  mentioned  by  Ezckiel.  For  when  God 
severely  chastised  the  people,  that  proverb  was  commonly 
used  by  them,  "  Our  fathers  did  eat  a  sour  grape,  and  our 
teeth  are  blunted."  (Ezek.  xviii.  2.)  Thus  they  intimated 
tliat  they  were  unjustly  and  cruelly  treated,  because  they 
suffered  the  punishment  of  others,  when  they  themselves  were 
innocent.  So  the  Prophet  seems  to  quarrel  with  God  when 
he  says  that  the  fathers  who  sinned  were  no  more  ;  but  as 


CHAP.  V.  7.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  499 

we  shall  presently  see,  the  Prophet  confesses  also  the  sins 
of  those  who  were  yet  alive.  As,  then,  an  ingenuous  con- 
fession is  made  by  tlie  Propliet,  he  no  doubt  abstained  here 
from  tliat  blasphemy  which  is  so  severely  reproved  by  Eze- 
kiel.  Jeremiah  had  nothing  farther  from  his  purpose  than 
to  free  the  people  from  all  blame,  as  though  God  had  dealt 
cruelly  with  them,  according  to  what  is  said  by  a  heathen 
poet, — 

"For  the  sins  of  the  fathers  thou  undeservedly  sufferest,  O  Roman  !"^ 

Another  says, — 

"  Enough  already  by  our  blood 
Have  we  suffered  for  the  perjuries  of  Laomedonian  Troy."' 

They  mean  that  the  people  of  tlieir  age  were  wholly  inno- 
cent, and  seek  in  Asia  and  beyond  the  sea  the  cause  of 
evils,  as  though  they  never  had  a  sin  at  Rome.  But  the 
meaning  of  Jeremiah  was  not  this,  but  he  simply  intended 
to  say  that  the  people  who  had  been  long  rebellious  against 
God  were  already  dead,  and  that  it  was  therefore  a  suitable 
time  for  God  to  regard  the  miseries  of  their  posterity.  The 
faithful,  then,  do  not  allege  here  their  own  innocency  before 
God,  as  though  they  were  blameless  ;  but  only  mention  that 
their  fathers  underwent  a  just  punishment,  for  that  whole 
generation  had  perished.  Daniel  speaks  more  fully  when  he 
says,  "  We  have  sinned,  and  our  fathers,  and  our  kings." 
(Dan.  ix.  8.)  He  involved  in  the  same  condemnation  both 
the  fathers  and  their  children. 

But  our  Prophet's  object  was  different,  even  to  turn  God 
to  mercy,  as  it  has  been  stated ;  and  to  attain  this  object  he 
says,  "  0  Lord,  thou  indeed  hast  hitherto  executed  just 
punishment,  because  our  fathers  had  very  long  abused  thy 
goodness  and  forbearance ;  but  now  the  time  is  come  for 
thee  to  try  and  prove  whether  we  are  like  our  fathers :  as, 
then,  they  have  perished  as  they  deserved,  receive  us  now 
into  favour.''  We  hence  see  that  thus  no  quarrel  or  conten- 
tion is  carried  on  with  God,  but  only  that  the  miserable 

^  Horace,  Od.  vi.  1, — 

'•  Delicta  majorum  immeritus  lues,  Romane." 
^  Virgil,  Georg.,  lib.  i., — 

"  Satis  jampridem  sanguine  nostro 
Laomedontejo  luimus  perjuria  Troiaj." 


500  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.       LECT.  XVII. 

exiles  ask  God  to  look  on  tliem,  since  their  fathers  wlio  had 
provoked  God  and  had  exj)erienced  his  dreadful  vengeance, 
were  already  dead.^ 

And  when  he  saj^s  that  the  S07is  hore  the  iniquity  of  the 
fathers,  though  it  be  a  strong  expression,  yet  its  meaning  is 
not  as  though  God  had  without  reason  punished  their  chil- 
dren and  not  their  fathers ;  for  unalterable  is  that  declara- 
tion, "  The  son  shall  not  bear  the  iniquity  of  the  father,  nor 
the  father  the  iniquity  of  the  son  ;  but  the  soul  that  sinneth 
it  shall  die.''  (Ezek.  xviii.  20.)  It  may  yet  be  said  that 
children  are  loaded  with  the  sins  of  their  fathers,  because 
God,  as  he  declares  by  Moses,  extends  his  vengeance  to  the 
third  and  fourth  generation.  (Exod.  xx.  5.)  And  he  says 
also  in  another  place,  "  I  will  return  into  the  bosom  of  chil- 
dren the  iniquity  of  their  fathers.''  (Jer.  xxxii.  18.)  God 
then  continued  his  vengeance  to  their  posterit}''.  But  yet 
there  is  no  doubt  but  that  the  children  who  had  been  so 
severely  punislied,  bore  also  the  punishment  of 'their  own 
iniquity,  for  they  deserved  a  hundred  deaths.  But  these 
two  things  well  agree  together,  that  God  returns  the  iniquity 
of  the  fathers  into  the  bosom  of  their  children,  and  yet  that 
the  children  are  chastised  for  their  own  sins. 

8.  Servants  have  ruled  over  8.  Servi  dominati  sunt  nobis  ;  eripiens 
us :  there  is  none  that  doth  de-  nemo  ex  manibus  ipsorum  (hoc  est,  nemo 
hver  us  out  of  their  hand.  est  qui  nos  eripiat  e  manibus  ipsorum.) 

Another  circumstance  aggravated  the  calamity  of  the 
people,  that  they  came  under  the  power  of  servants,  which 
is  more  degrading  than  when  the  rich  and  the  eminent  in 
wealth  and  power  make  us  their  servants.  For  it  is  no 
shame  to  serve  a  king,  or  at  least  a  man  who  possesses  some 
eminence  ;  for  that  servitude  which  is  not  apparently  de- 
grading is  deemed  tolerable.  But  when  we  become  the  ser- 
vants of  servants,  it  is  a  most  afflicting  degradation,  and 
most  grievously  wounds  our  minds. 

It  is,  then,   for  this  indignity  that  Jeremiah  now  expos- 

'  The  words  may  be  thus  rendered, — 

Our  fathers,  they  sinned  and  are  not ; 
We,  their  iniquities  have  we  borne. 
To  bear  iniquities,  is  here  evidently  to  bear  their  penalty.     So  when  Christ 
is  said  to  bear  our  sins,  the  same  thing  is  meant. — Ed. 


CHAP.  V.  9.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  501 

tulateSj  and  says  that  servants  ruled  over  them.  There  is, 
indeed,  no  doubt  but  that  they  were  driven  into  exile  by 
some  of  the  lowest ;  for  the  Chaldeans  thouglit  it  right  to 
exercise  towards  them  every  kind  of  cruelty.  But  it  was 
yet  a  very  mournful  thing  for  God's  children  to  be  the  slaves 
of  servants  ;  for  they  were  before  a  sacerdotal  kingdom,  and 
God  had  so  taken  them  under  his  protection,  that  their  con- 
dition was  better  and  more  desirable  than  that  of  any  other 
kingdom.  As,  then,  they  had  been  robbed  of  their  liberty, 
and  not  only  so,  but  also  made  subject  to  servants,  the 
change  was  sad  in  the  extreme.^  Therefore  the  Prophet 
sought  another  occasion  to  plead  for  mercy,  when  he  said 
that  they  were  ruled  by  servants.     It  now  follows, — 

9.  We  gat  oiir  bread         9.  In  anima  nostra  (alii  vertunt,  in  periculo 

\iii\ithe peril  of  oxvcYwQS,  vitse  nostrse,  vel,  cum  periculo)  adduximus  ad 

because  of  the  sword  of  panem  nostrum  ob  siccitatem  deserti  (alii  ver~ 

the  wilderness.  tunt,  a  facie  gladii,  in  deserto.) 

The  word  ^iTl,  chereb,  means  drought  as  well  as  sword. 
As  the  Prophet  is  speaking  of  famine  and  the  desert,  I  have 
no  doubt  but  that  dryness  or  drought  is  what  the  word  means 
here  ;  and  I  wonder  that  the  word  sword  had  occurred  to 
any  ;  they  could  not  have  regarded  the  context. 

He  then  says  that  the  people  sought  bread  with  the  soul, 
that  is,  at  the  hazard  of  their  own  life.  If  danger  be  pre- 
ferred, I  do  not  object.  But  as  he  simply  says,  ^vith  the  soul, 
he  seems  to  express  this,  that  for  food  they  hazarded  their 
own  life.  Food,  indeed,  is  the  support  of  life,  for  why  is 
bread  sought  but  for  sustaining  life  ?  But  the  hungry  so 
rush  headlong  to  procure  food,  that  they  expose  themselves 
to  thousand  dangers,  and  they  also  weary  themselves  with 
many  labours  ;  and  this  is  to  seek  bread  with  their  soul, 
that  is,  when  men  not  only  anxiously  labour  to  procure  food, 
but  pour  forth  as  it  were  their  own  blood,  as  when  one  un- 
dertakes a  long  journey  to  get  some  support,  he  is  almost 
lifeless  when  he  reaches  the  distant  hospital.  As,  then,  the 
Jews  nowhere  found  food,  the  Prophet  says  that  they  sought 
bread  with  their  life,  that  is,  at  the  hazard  of  life.  This  is 
the  view  I  prefer. 

1  SeeNeh.  v.  15.— Ed. 


502  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.       LECT.  XVII. 

He  then  adds,  For  the  dryness  of  the  wilderness.  What 
has  the  sword  to  do  with  wilderness  ?  We  see  that  this  is 
W'hoUy  unsuitable  ;  there  was  then  no  reason  why  interpre- 
ters sliould  pervert  this  word.  But  what  he  calls  the  dry- 
ness of  the  wilderness  Avas  the  want  by  which  the  people 
were  distressed,  as  though  they  were  in  the  wilderness.  This 
is  said  by  way  of  comparison, — that  on  account  of  the  dry- 
ness of  the  desert,  that  is,  on  account  of  sterility,  they  were 
under  the  necessity  of  exposing  their  life  to  death,  only  that 
they  might  anywhere  find  bread.^ 

It  may  also  be,  that  the  Prophet  meant,  that  they  were 
fugitives,  and  thus  went  in  hunger  through  woods  and  forest, 
when  they  dared  not  to  go  forth  into  the  open  country  lest 
the  enemy  should  meet  them.  But  what  I  have  said  is 
most  suitable,  that  is,  that  they  were  so  famished  as  though 
they  were  in  a  vast  desert,  and  far  away  from  every  hospital, 
so  that  bread  could  nowhere  be  found.  We  now,  then,  per- 
ceive the  meaning  of  the  Prophet.     He  adds, — 

10,  Our  skin  was  black  like  an  10.  Pelles  nostrse  quasi  clibanus 
oven,  because  of  the  terrible  fa-  nigredinem  contraxerunt  ob  exus- 
mine.  tiones  fauiis. 

Some  read,  "  for  tremors ;"  literally,  "  from  the  face  of 
tremors."  Jerome  renders  it,  "  tempests :''  but  the  word 
"burnings''  is  the  most  suitable;  for  he  says  that  their 
shins  were  darkened,  and  he  compares  them  to  an  oven. 
This  metaphor  often  occurs  in  Scripture,  "  Though  ye  have 
been  as  among  pots  in  the  smoke,  and  deformed  by  black- 
ness, yet  your  wings  shall  shine.''  (Ps.  Ixviii.  14.)  God 
says  that  his  people  had  contracted  blackness,  as  though 
they  had  touched  smoky  pots,  because  they  had  been  burnt 
as  it  were  l)y  many  afflictions  ;  for  when  we  pine  away  in 
our  evils,  filthincss  itself  deforms  us.  But  here  he  compares 
to  an  oven  (which  is  the  same  thing)  their  skins  or  skin. 
He  then  says  that  the  skin  of  every  one  was  so  wrinkled 

'  The  versions  and  the  Targ.  render  the  word,  "  sword ;"  and  so  do 
Gataker,  Blayncy^  and  Henderson.  And  by  "the  sword  of  the  desert'' 
are  to  be  understood  freebooters  wlio  carried  swords  and  made  incursions 
from  desert  phiccs. 

At  tlic  risk  of  our  Hfe  we  got  our  bread, 
On  account  of  the  sword  of  the  desert. — Ed. 


CHAP.  V.  J  i.       COMMENTARIKS  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  503 

and  darkened  by  blackness,  that  it  was  like  an  oven  wliicli 
is  black  through  constant  fire  and  smoke.  The  Prophet,  or 
whoever  was  the  author  of  the  119th  Psalm,  uses  another 
comparison,  that  he  was  like  a  bottle  or  a  bladder,  con- 
tracted by  the  smoke,  and  had  wrinkles  together  with 
blackness.! 

The  meaning  is,  that  there  was  a  degrading  deformity  in 
the  people,  for  they  were  so  famished  that  no  moisture  re- 
mained in  them  ;  and  when  moisture  fails,  then  paleness 
and  decay  follow  ;  and  then  from  paleness  a  greater  defor- 
mity and  blackness,  of  which  the  Prophet  now  speaks. 
Hence  I  haA^e  said,  that  the  word  "burnings''  is  the  most 
proper.  For,  if  we  say  tempests  or  storms,  a  tempest  does 
not  certainly  darken  the  skin  ;  and  if  we  render  it  tremors 
or  tremblings,  this  would  be  far  remote  ;  but  if  we  adopt 
the  word  hiiimings,  the  whole  passage  will  appear  consistent  ; 
and  we  know,  that  as  food  as  it  were  irrigates  the  life  of 
man,  so  famine  burns  it  up,  as  Scripture  speaks  also  else- 
where.    It  follows, — 

11.  They  ravished  the  women  in  11.    MuliLres    in    Sion    affliclse 

Zion,  and  the  maids  in  the  cities  of  fiierunt,  virgines  in  urbibus  Jehu- 
Judah.  dah. 

He  mentions  here  another  kind  of  reproach,  that  women 
had  been  ravished  in  Jerusalem,  and  in  other  cities.^  God 
liad  commanded  chastity  to  bo  observed  among  his  people. 
"When,  therefore,  virgins  and  women  were  thus  defiled,  it 
was  a  thing  extremely  disgraceful.  But  tlie  Prophet  men- 
tioned this  also,  in   order  that  God  might  at  length  shew 

'  The  word  msyPT,  occurs  in  Ps.  xi.  fi,  and  in  the  singular  number  in 
Ps.  cxix.  53.  The  versions  and  the  Targ.  render  it  differently  in  the 
three  places,  for  it  is  not  found  anywhere  else.  In  Ps.  cxix.  53,  it  is  ren- 
dered "  horror"  in  our  version,  and  this  meaning  suits  the  passage  in 
Ps.  xi.  6,  and  also  this  passage, — 

Our  skins,  like  an  oven  they  became  black, 
Because  of  the  horrors  of  famine  (or,  horrible  famine.) 
The  word  for  "  skins"  is  in  the  plural  number  according  to  several  copies, 
and  the  verb  requires  it  to  be  so. — Bd. 

2  There  is  here  a  delicate  word  for  a  disgraceful  act.  The  words  lite- 
rally are, — 

Women  in  Sion  they  humbled  (or,  were  humbled,) 
And  virgins  in  the  cities  of  Judah. 
It  is  "  humbled"  by  the  Sept.  and   Vidg.     "  And"  before  "  virgins,"  is 
supplied  by  the  Vulr/.  and  Syr. — Ed. 


504  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.       LECT.  XVII. 

himself  propitious  to  his  people  after  having  been  entreated. 
(Deut.  xxii.  21-24.) 

And  he  mentioned  Sion  rather  than  Jerusalem, — it  was 
indeed  to  state  a  part  for  the  whole  ;  but  that  place,  we 
know,  had  been  chosen  by  God  that  his  name  might  be  there 
worshipped.  Sion,  then,  was  a  holy  place  above  any  other ; 
it  was,  in  a  word,  the  earthly  dwelling  of  God.  As,  then, 
God  had  there  his  palace,  that  he  might  dwell  in  the  midst 
of  his  people,  it  was  a  disgraceful  sight  in  the  extreme  to 
see  women  ravished  there,  for  the  temple  of  God  was  thus 
violated.  It  was  not  only  a  thing  disgraceful  to  the  people, 
that  women  were  thus  ravished,  but  it  was  a  filthy  profana- 
tion of  God's  worship,  and  therefore  sacrilegious.  We  now 
see  the  design  of  the  Prophet.  He  mentions  also  the  cities 
of  Judah,  but  with  reference  to  the  same  thing.  It  fol- 
lows,— 

12.  Princes  are  hanged  up  12.  Principes  nianu  sua  fuerunt  sus- 
by  their  hand  :  the  faces  of  pensi,  facies  senum  non  fuerunt  in  honore 
elders  were  not  honoured.  (non  fuerunt  honorataj,  ad  verbum.) 

The  beginning  of  the  verse  may  be  explained  in  two  ways. 
All  render  thus,  "  The  princes  have  been  slain  by  their 
hand,''  that  is,  of  their  enemies.  But  I  wonder  how  it  never 
occurred  to  them,  that  it  was  far  more  grievous,  that  they 
were  slain  by  their  own  hand.  I  certainly  do  not  doubt  but 
that  the  Prophet  says  here,  that  some  of  the  princes  had 
laid  violent  hands  on  themselves.  For  it  would  be  a  frigid 
expression,  that  the  princes  were  hung  by  the  hand  of 
enemies ;  but  if  we  read,  that  the  princes  were  hung  by 
their  own  hand,  this  would  be  far  more  atrocious,  as  we  have 
before  seen  that  even  women,  excelling  in  humanity,  de- 
voured their  own  offspring.  So  he  says  now  that  princes 
were  hung,  not  by  enemies,  for  it  was  a  common  thing  for 
the  conquered  to  be  slain  by  their  enemies,  and  be  also  hung 
by  way  of  reproach  ;  but  the  Prophet,  as  it  appears  to  me, 
meant  to  express  something  more  atrocious,  even  that  the 
miserable  princes  were  constrained  to  lay  violent  hands  on 
themselves.! 

*  The  most  obvious  meaning  of  the  words  is,  that  princes  were  hung  or 
suspended  by  the  liand,  and  nut  by  the  neck.     Such  a  punishment  is  not 


CHAP.  V.  13.       COiMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  505 

He  adds,  that  the  faces  of  the  aged  were  not  honoured; 
which  is  also  a  thing  not  natural ;  for  we  know  that  some 
honour  is  always  rendered  to  old  age,  and  that  time  of  life 
is  commonly  regarded  with  reverence.  When,  therefore,  no 
respect  is  shewn  to  the  aged,  the  greatest  barbarity  must 
necessarily  prevail.  It  is  the  same,  then,  as  though  the 
Prophet  had  said  that  the  people  had  been  so  disgracefully 
treated,  that  their  enemies  had  not  even  spared  the  aged. 
We  also  now  understand  why  he  adds  this,  for  it  would  liave 
otherwise  appeared  incredible,  that  the  princes  hung  them- 
selves by  their  own  hand.  But  he  here  intimates  that  there 
was  no  escape  for  them,  except  they  in  despair  sought  death 
for  themselves,  because  all  humanity  had  disappeared.  It 
follows, — 

13.  They  took  the  young  men  to  13.  Adoleseentes  ad  molam  sump- 
grind,  and  the  children  fell  under  serunt,  et  pueri  in  ligno  ceciderunt 
the  wood.  (ue/,  impegerunt.) 

I  cannot  proceed  farther  now. 


PRAYER. 

Grant,  Almighty  God,  that  since  thou  hast  once  stretched  forth 
thy  hand  to  consecrate  us  a  people  to  thyself,— O  grant,  that 
thy  paternal  favour  may  perpetually  shine  on  us,  and  that  we 
may,  on  the  other  hand,  strive  always  to  glorify  thy  name,  so 
that  having  once  embraced  us  thou  mayest  continue  thy  good- 
ness, until  we  shall  at  length  enjoy  the  fulness  of  all  blessings  in 
thy  celestial  kingdom,  which  has  been  obtained  for  us  by  the 
blood  of  thine  only-begotten  Son. — Amen. 


The  Prophet  now  says,  that  young  men  had  been  delivered 
to  the  mill,  or  to  the  grinding-house ;  and  we  know  that  of 
all  servile  works  this  was  the  lowest ;  for  as  they  used  asses 
to  grind,  so  also  they  used  slaves.     The  meaning  is,  that  the 

recorded  as  having  been  then  practised ;  but  it  may  have  been  a  barbarity 
resorted  to  by  the  Chaldeans.  This  seems  to  be  the  meaning  conveyed 
by  the  versions  and  the  Targ.^ — 

Princes  were  by  their  hand  hung  up, 

The  persons  of  the  aged  were  not  honoured. — Ed. 


506  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.       LECT.  XVIII. 

Jews  were  sliamefullj  treated,  and  were  reduced  to  tlie  most 
abject  condition.  I  know  not  liow  came  Jerome  to  give  this 
version,  that  tliey  were  basely  used  for  lust;  for  jPltO,  thechen, 
means  to  grind  or  to  tear.  He  thought  that  it  means  here 
something  base,  which  could  not  be  named,  as  though  the 
enemies  had  shamefully  abused  the  young  men  ;  but  we 
may  gather  from  the  second  clause  of  the  verse  that  such  an 
idea  does  not  accord  with  the  passage. 

He  then  says  tliat  young  men  wxre  compelled  to  grind, 
and  that  hoys  stumhled  under  the  wood.  He  means  that 
boys  were  loaded  with  wood,  as  drudges  were  wont  to  be  ; 
and  it  was  a  vile  work.  As,  then,  he  said  previously,  that 
the  young  men  were  employed  in  grinding,  so  now  he  says 
that  boys  succumbed  under  the  wood,  because  they  carried 
burdens  on  their  shoulders  too  heavy  for  them,  which  they 
were  not  able  to  bear.  We  now,  then,  a2:)prehcnd  what  the 
Prophet  means.     It  follows, — 

14.  The  elders  have  ceased  from  14.  Senes  cessarunt  e  porta,  ado- 
the  gate,  the  young  men  from  their  lescentes  a  pulsatione  sua  {vel,  can- 
music.  ticis  rausicis.) 

Here  the  Prophet  briefly  shews  that  the  city  was  reduced 
to  ruins,  so  that  nothing  but  desolation  could  be  seen  there. 
For  when  cities  are  inhabited,  judges  sit  at  the  gate  and 
young  men  exercise  themselves  in  lawful  joursuits ;  but 
he  says  that  there  were  no  judgments ;  for  at  that  time, 
as  it  is  well  known,  tlioy  were  wont  to  administer  justice 
and  to  hold  assemblies  at  the  gates  of  cities.  It  was  then 
the  same  as  though  all  civil  order  had  been  abolished. 

Then  he  adds,  the  young  men  had  ceased  from  their  own 
heating  or  musical  songs.  The  meaning  is,  that  there  was 
so  great  a  desolation  in  the  city,  that  it  was  no  more  a  city. 
For  men  cannot  dwell  together  without  laws  and  without 
courts  of  justice.  Where  courts  of  justice  arc  closed  up, 
where  laws  are  mute,  where  no  equity  is  administered, 
there  barbarity  prevails,  which  is  worse  than  solitude  ;  and 
where  there  are  no  assemblies  for  legitimate  amusements, 
life  becomes  brutal,  for  we  know  that  man  is  a  sociable 
being.  By  these  words,  then,  the  Prophet  shews  that  a 
dreadful  desolation   appeared  in  the  city  after  the  i^eople 


CHAP.  V.  15,  16.     COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  507 

had  gone  into  exile.  And  among  the  Chaldeans,  and  in 
Assyria,  they  had  not  their  own  judges  nor  any  form  of 
government,  for  they  were  dispersed  and  scattered,  and  that 
designedly,  that  they  might  not  unite  together  any  more  ;  for 
it  was  the  purpose  of  the  Chaldeans  to  obliterate  by  degrees 
the  very  name  of  the  people  ;  and  hence  they  were  not  there 
formed  into  a  community.  So  justly  does  the  Prophet  de- 
plore tlieir  desolation  even  in  exile.      It  follows, — 

15.  The  joy  of  our  heart  is  15.  Cessavit  gaudium  cordis nos- 
ceased ;  oiir  dance  is  turned  into  tri,  versus  est  in  luctum  chorus  nos- 
mourning.  ter  (sic  enim  vertunt  IJ^HD  h^^h.) 

Pie  pursues  the  same  subject,  but  he  seems  more  clearly 
to  explain  what  he  had  briefly  stated  in  the  preceding  verse, 
when  he  says  that  all  joy  of  the  heart  had  ceased,  and  that 
all  tlie  dances  were  turned  into  mourning}  We  know  that 
life  is  more  bitter  than  death  when  men  are  in  constant 
mourning  ;  and  truly  where  there  is  no  hilarity,  that  state 
of  life  is  w^orse  than  death.  And  this  is  what  the  Prophet 
now  means  by  saying  that  all  joy  had  ceased,  and  that  all 
dances  were  converted  into  mourning. 

16.  The  croAvn  is  fallen /rom  our         16.  Cecidit  corona  capitis  nostri ; 
head :  woe  unto  us,  that  we  have    vse  nunc  nobis,  quia  peccavimus. 
sinned ! 

By  the  crown  of  the  head  he  no  doubt  understands  all 
those  ornaments  by  which  that  people  had  been  adorned. 
They  had  a  kingdom  and  a  priesthood,  .which  were  like  two 
luminaries  or  two  precious  jewels  ;  they  had  also  other 
things  by  which  the  Lord  had  adorned  them.  As,  then, 
they  were  endued  with  such  excellent  things,  they  are  said 
to  have  borne  a  crown  on  their  head.  But  a  crown  was 
not  only  taken  for  a  diadem, — it  was  also  a  symbol  of  joy 
and  of  honour  ;  for  not  only  kings  then  wore  crowns,  but 
men  were  crowned  at  weddings  and  feasts,  at  games  also, 
and  theatres.  The  Proj^het,  in  a  word,  complains,  that 
though  many  ornaments  did  belong  to  the  people,  yet  now 

^  The  words  ought  rather  to  be  thus  rendered, — 

Turned  into  mourning  was  our  piping. 
The  word  does  not  mean  dancing,  but  playing  on  some  fistuhir  instru- 
ment. — Ed. 


508  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.       LECT.  XVIII. 

they  were  denuded  of  them  all :  The  crown,  he  says,  has 
fallen  from  our  heacV 

He  then  exclaims,  Woe  to  us  now,  for  we  have  sinned  I 
Here  he  sets  fortli  an  extreme  misery,  and  at  the  same  time 
shews  that  all  hope  of  restoration  was  taken  away.  He, 
however,  mentions  the  cause,  because  they  had  done  wickedly. 
By  saying  tliis  he  did  not  intend  to  exasperate  their  sorrow, 
so  that  they  who  were  thus  afflicted  miglit  murmur  against 
God  ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  his  object  was  to  humble  the 
afflicted,  so  that  they  might  perceive  that  they  were  justly 
punished.  It  is  the  same  as  though  he  had  summoned 
them  as  guilty  before  the  tribunal  of  God,  and  pronounced 
in  one  word  that  they  justly  suffered  or  sustained  so  grievous 
a  punishment;  for  a  just  God  is  an  avenger  of  wickedness. 

We  hence  conclude,  that  when  he  said  ^^esterday  that  the 
fathers  who  had  sinned  were  dead,  and  their  iniquity  was 
borne  by  their  children,  he  did  not  so  sj^eak  as  to  exempt 
the  living  from  all  blame  ;  for  here  he  condemns  them  and 
includes  liimself  in  the  number.  But  I  explained  yesterday 
the  meaning  of  that  verse ;  and  here  the  Prophet  ingenu- 
ously confesses  that  the  people  were  justly  punislied,  be- 
cause they  had  by  their  sins  provoked  the  wrath  of  God. 
And  this  doctrine  ought  to  be  carefully  observed  ;  because 
when  we  are  pressed  down  by  adversities,  Satan  will  excite 
us  to  sorrow,  and  at  the  same  time  hurry  us  on  to  rage, 
except  this  doctrine  comes  to  our  minds,  that  we  have  to 
do  with  God,  who  is  a  righteous  Judge.  For  the  knowledge 
of  our  sins  will  tame  our  pride  and  also  check  all  those 
clamorous  complaints,  which  the  unbelieving  are  wont  to 
utter  when  they  rise  up  against  God.  Our  evils,  then, 
ought  to  lead  us  to  consider  God's  judgment  and  to  confess 
our  sins  ;  and  tliis  was  the  end  vvhicli  our  Prophet  had  in 
view.     It  follows, — 

17.  For  this  our  heart  17.  Propterea  debilc  est  cor  nostrum  ;  su- 
is  faint ;  for  these  things  per  hoc  {id  est,  propter  hanc  causam)  obtcne- 
our  eyes  are  dim.  brati  sunt  oculi  nostri. 

^  The  words  are, — 

Fallen  has  the  crown  of  our  head. 
Then  the  "  woe"  in  the  next  line  is  only  declarative, — 

Woe  is  now  to  us,  because  we  have  sinned. 
The  particle  "now"  is  omitted  in  our  version. — Ed. 


CHAP.  V.  18.         COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  509 

He  connects  sorrow  here  with  the  acknowledgment  of 
sin,  that  the  people  under  the  pressure  and  agony  of  sor- 
row might  apply  their  minds  so  as  to  consider  their  own 
sins.  At  the  same  time  the  Prophet,  no  doubt,  includes 
liere  all  that  we  have  already  observed,  as  though  he  had 
said  that  the  people  were  not  without  reason  wearied  with 
sorrow,  for  they  had  ample  and  manifold  reasons  for  their 
grief 

For  this  reason,  he  says,  that  is,  we  do  not  exceed  a  due 
measure  in  our  sorrow,  for  our  afflictions  are  not  ordinary, 
so  that  our  grief  cannot  be  moderate ;  but  as  we  are  come 
to  an  extremity,  it  cannot  then  be  but  our  minds  should  be 
overwhelmed  with  sorrow.  As,  then,  the  curse  of  God  ap- 
peared, everywhere,  he  says  that  this  was  the  cause  of  the 
fainting  heart;  and  he  says  also.  Therefore  luere  our  eyes 
darkened.  This  is  a  common  metaphor,  that  the  eyes  be- 
come dim  through  sorrow ;  for  the  senses  through  sorrow 
are  blunted.  Hence  it  is  that  the  sight  of  the  eyes  is  in- 
jured ;  and  David  especially  makes  use  of  this  mode  of 
speaking.  Our  Propliet  then  says  that  the  eyes  were  dark- 
ened, because  their  grief  was,  as  it  were,  deadly.  It  fol- 
lows,— 

18.  Because  of  the  mountain  of  IS.  Propter  montem  Sion  qui  in 
Zion,  which  is  desolate,  the  foxes  vastitatera  redactus  est,  vulpes  ince- 
v.alk  upon  it.  dunt  in  eo. 

Though  he  had  in  general  included  all  kinds  of  evils,  he 
yet  mentions  now  the  principal  cause  of  sorrow,  that  mount 
Sion  had  lost  its  beauty  and  its  excellency.  For  that  place 
had  been  chosen  by  God,  as  though  he  had  descended  there 
from  heaven,  that  he  might  dwell  there  ;  and  we  know  also 
that  its  beauty  is  spoken  of  in  high  terms.  For  there  the 
face  of  God  shone  forth,  as  Moses  and  the  Prophets  often 
speak.  It  was  then  an  extremely  sad  change,  that  as  God 
had  dwelt  in  mount  Sion,  foxes  should  lodge  there  as  in  a 
deserted  cave.  For  on  mount  Sion  was  the  tabernacle  or 
the  sanctuary  ;  and  God  says  that  it  was  the  tabernacle  of 
meeting,  HI^ID,  muod,  because  there  he  wished  to  hold  inter- 
course with  his  people.  As,  then,  that  place  included  God 
and  his  Church,  it  was,  as  I  have  said,  a  dreadful  and  mon- 


510  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.       LECT.  XVIII. 

strous  tiling,  that  it  had  become  so  desolate,  that  foxes  suc- 
ceeded in  the  place  of  God  and  the  faithful.  It  was  not, 
then,  without  reason  that  Jeremiah,  after  having  spoken  of 
so  many  and  so  bitter  calamities,  mentioned  this  as  the 
chief,  that  mount  Sion  luas  reduced  to  desolation,  so  that  foxes 
ran  there  hither  and  thither ?■ 

For  as  it  is  the  principal  thing,  and  as  it  were  the  chief 
of  all  blessings,  to  be  counted  God's  peoj^le,  and  to  have  a 
familiar  access  to  him,  so  in  adversities  nothing  is  so  sad  as 
to  be  deprived  of  God's  presence.  When  David  testified  his 
gratitude  to  God,  because  he  had  been  enriched  by  every 
kind  of  blessing,  he  added  this,  "  I  shall  dwell  in  the  house 
of  God/'  (Ps.  xxiii.  6.)  For  though  he  had  spoken  of 
wealth  and  riches  and  of  the  abundance  of  all  things,  yet  he 
saw  that  his  chief  happiness  was  to  call  on  God  together 
with  the  faithful,  and  to  be  deemed  one  of  liis  people.  So, 
also,  on  the  other  hand,  the  Prophet  here  shews  that  nothing 
can  be  sadder  to  the  godly  than  when  God  leaves  his  dwel- 
ling and  makes  it  desolate,  in  order  to  terrify  all  who  may 
see  it. 

This  had  been  predicted  to  them  by  Jeremiah  himself,  as 
\fQ,  have  seen  in  the  seventh  chapter  of  his  prophecies,  "  Go 
ye  to  Shiloh,"  he  said,  where  the  ark  of  the  covenant  had 
long  been  ;  though  that  place  had  been  a  long  time  the 
habitation  of  God,  yet  it  was  afterwards  rejected  Avith  great 
disdain.     Jeremiah  then  declared  to  the  Jews,  while  they 

'  Some  connect  this  verse  with  the  foregoing,  as  a  special  reason  why 
their  eyes  were  darkened, — 

17.  For  this  become  faint  did  our  heart ; 
For  these  things  darkened  were  our  eyes, 

18.  Yea,  for  momit  Sion,  which  is  desolate  ; 
Foxes  have  walked  through  it. 

"This"  was  the  "woe"  which  sin  had  brought;  and  "these  things" 
were  the  various  things  w  hich  he  had  previously  stated,  but  tlie  desolation 
of  mount  Sion  was  the  chief  cause  of  sorrow.  . 

Others  take  this  verse  by  itself,  as  it  is  done  by  the  Sept.,  where  ?)3  is 
rendered  "  on,"  and  ^  for  "it^N,  is  translated  "  because," — 
On  mount  Sion,  because  it  has  become  desolate, 
Foxes  have  walked  in  (or  through)  it. 
Tfpybe  rendered  concerning,  or,  as  lo,  or,  with  regard  to,  the  best 
construction  would  be  the  following, — 

As  to  mount  Sion,  which  has  become  desolate, 
Foxes  have  walked  in  it  (or,  traversed  it.) — Kd. 


CHAP.  V.  19.        COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  511 

were  yet  in  safety,  that  such  would  be  the  condition  of  Jeru- 
salem ;  but  his  prophecy  was  not  believed.  He  now,  then, 
confirms,  by  the  event,  what  he  had  predicted  by  God's 
command,  when  he  says  that  mount  Sion  was  become  the 
den  of  foxes.     It  follows, — 

19.  Thou,  0  Lord,  remainest  for  19.  Tu  Jehova  perpetuo  sedebis, 
ever ;  thy  throne  from  generation  to  solium  tuura  in  setatem  et  jetatem 
generation.  {id  est,  omnibus  seculis.) 

The  Prophet  here  raises  up  his  eyes  to  God,  and,  by  his 
example,  he  encourages  all  the  godly,  that  they  might  not 
cease,  notwithstanding  their  extreme  calamities,  to  look  to 
God,  as  we  find  in  the  hundred  and  second  Psalm,  where  the 
Psalmist  speaks  of  the  destruction  of  the  city  of  Jerusalem. 
Indeed  the  subject  of  that  psalm  is  similar  to  that  of  this 
chapter  ;  nor  is  there  a  doubt  but  that  it  was  composed  when 
the  people,  as  it  clearly  appears,  were  in  exile  in  Babylon. 
There  the  Psalmist,  after  having  spoken  of  the  ruin  of  the 
city,  and  calamities  of  the  peoi^le,  says,  that  the  heavens 
were  growing  old  and  wasting  as  it  were  with  rottenness, 
together  with  the  whole  world ;  but  he  afterwards  adds, 
"  But  thou,  0  Lord,  remainest  perpetually.""  (Ps.  cii.  27-29.) 
At  the  same  time  he  speaks  more  clearly  than  Jeremiah", 
for  he  applies  his  doctrine  to  the  consolation  of  the  Church, 
"  Children's  children,''  he  says,  "  shall  inhabit  it."  Hence, 
from  the  perpetuity  and  immutability  of  God,  he  infers  the 
perpetuity  of  the  Church.  This  is  not  done  by  Jeremiah, 
though  it  is  implied  ;  and  for  this  reason,  no  doubt,  he  ex- 
claims, that  God  dwells  for  ever,  and  that  his  throne  remains 
fixed  in  all  ages,  or  through  all  ages. 

For  when  we  fix  our  eyes  on  present  things,  we  must 
necessarily  vacillate,  as  there  is  nothing  permanent  in  the 
world ;  and  when  adversities  bring  a  cloud  over  our  eyes, 
then  faith  in  a  manner  vanishes,  at  least  we  are  troubled 
and  stand  amazed.  Now  the  remedy  is,  to  raise  up  our  eyes 
to  God,  for  however  confounded  things  may  be  in  the  world, 
yet  he  remains  always  the  same.  His  truth  may  indeed  be 
hidden  from  us,  yet  it  remains  in  him.  In  short,  were  the 
world  to  change  and  perish  a  hundred  times,  nothing  could 
ever  affect  the  immutability  of  God.     There  is,  then,  no 


512  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.       LECT.  XVIII. 

doubt  but  that  the  Prophet  wished  to  take  courage  and  to 
raise  himself  up  to  a  firm  hope,  when  he  exclaimed,  "  Tliou, 
0  God,  remainest  for  ever."  By  the  word  sitting  or  remain- 
ing, he  doubtless  meant  that  the  world  is  governed  by  God. 
We  know  that  God  has  no  body,  but  the  word  sitting  is  to 
be  taken  metaphorically,  for  He  is  no  God  except  he  be  the 
judge  of  the  world. 

This,  also,  he  expresses  more  clearly,  when  he  says,  that 
God's  throne  remains  through  all  ages.  The  throne  of  God 
designates  the  government  of  the  world.  But  if  God  be  the 
judge  of  the  world,  then  he  doeth  nothing,  or  suffereth  no- 
thing to  be  done,  but  according  to  his  supreme  wisdom  and 
justice."^  "We  hence  see,  that  inasmuch  as  the  state  of  pre- 
sent things,  as  thick  darkness,  took  away  all  distinction,  the 
Prophet  raises  up  his  eyes  to  God  and  acknowledges  him  as 
remaining  the  same  perpetually,  though  things  in  the  world 
continually  change.  Then  the  throne  of  God  is  set  in  oppo- 
sition to  chance  or  uncertain  changes  whicli  ungodly  men 
dream  of;  for  when  they  see  things  in  great  confusion  in 
the  world,  tliey  say  that  it  is  the  wheel  of  fortune,  they  say 
that  all  things  happen  through  blind  fate.  Then  the  Pro- 
phet, that  he  might  not  be  cast  down  with  the  unbelieving, 
refers  to  the  throne  of  God,  and  strengthens  himself  in  this 
doctrine  of  true  religion, — that  God  nevertheless  sits  on  this 
throne,  though  things  arc  tlius  confounded,  though  all  things 
fluctuate ;  yea,  even  though  storms  and  tempests  mingle  as 
it  were  heaven  and  earth  together,  yet  God  sits  on  his  throne 
amidst  all  such  disturbances.  However  turbulent,  then,  all 
the  elements  may  be,  this  derogates  nothing  from  the  righ- 
teous and  perpetual  judgment  of  God.  This  is  the  meaning 
of  the  words ;  and  hence  fruit  and  benefit  may  be  easily 
gathered.     It  follows, — 

20.  Wherefore  dost  thou  forget  20.  Ut  quid  in  perpetuura  oblivisee- 
us  for  ever,  and  forsake  us  so  long  ris  nostri,  deseres  nos  in  prolractionem 
time  ?  {velf  longitudinem)  dierum  ? 

^  The  words  literally  arc, — 

Thou  Jehovah  for  ever  sittest, 
Thy  tlirone  is  from  generation  to  generation. 
Sitting  is  the  posture  of  a  judge,  and  the  reference  here  is  to  Jehovah,  not 
as  to  his  essence  or  existence,  but  as  to  his  judicial  oflice. — Ed. 


CHAP.  V.  20.       COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  513 

He  seems,  indeed,  here  to  expostulate  with  God ;  but  the 
faithful,  even  when  they  patiently  bear  their  evils,  and  sub- 
mit to  God's  scourges,  do  yet  familiarly  deposit  their  com- 
plaints in  his  bosom,  and  thus  unburden  themselves.  We 
see  that  David  prayed,  and  no  doubt  by  the  real  impulse  of 
the  Spirit,  and  at  the  same  time  expostulated,  "  Why  dost 
thou  forget  me  perpetually?''  (Ps.  xiii.  1.)  Nor  is  there  a 
doubt  but  that  the  Prophet  took  this  complaint  from  David. 
Let  us,  then,  know,  that  though  the  faithful  sometimes  take 
this  liberty  of  expostulating  with  God,  they  yet  do  not  put 
off  reverence,  modesty,  submission,  or  humility.  For  w^hen 
the  Prophet  thus  inquired  why  God  should  for  ever  forget 
his  people  and  forsake  them,  he  no  doubt  relied  on  his  own 
prophecies,  which  he  knew  had  proceeded  from  God,  and 
thus  he  deferred  his  hope  until  the  end  of  the  seventy  years, 
for  that  time  had  been  prefixed  by  God.  But  it  was  accord- 
ing to  human  judgment  that  he  complained  in  his  own  per- 
son, and  in  that  of  the  faithful,  that  the  affliction  was  long ; 
nor  is  there  a  doubt  but  that  he  dictated  this  form  of  prayer 
to  the  faithful,  that  it  might  be  retained  after  his  death. 
He,  then,  formed  this  prayer,  not  only  according  to  his  own 
feeling,  and  for  the  direction  to  those  of  his  own  age ;  but 
his  purpose  was  to  supply  the  faithful  with  a  prayer  after 
his  own  death,  so  that  they  might  flee  to  the  mercy  of  God. 
We  now,  then,  perceive  how  complaints  of  this  kind  ought 
to  be  understood,  when  the  prophets  asked,  "  How  long  V 
as  though  they  stimulated  God  to  hasten  the  time ;  for  it 
cannot  be,  when  we  are  pressed  down  by  many  evils,  but 
that  we  wish  help  to  be  accelerated  ;  for  faith  does  not  wholly 
strip  us  of  all  cares  and  anxieties.  But  w^hen  we  thus  pray, 
let  us  remember  that  our  times  are  at  the  will  and  in  the 
hand  of  God,  and  that  we  ought  not  to  hasten  too  much. 
It  is,  then,  lawful  for  us  on  the  one  hand  to  ask  God  to 
hasten  ;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  we  ought  to  check  our  im- 
patience and  wait  until  the  suitable  time  comes.  Both  these 
things  the  Prophet  no  doubt  joined  together  when  he  said, 
Why  shouldest  thou  perpetually  forget  us  and  forsake  usV 

1  Why  shouldest  thou  to  the  end  forget  us — 
Forsake  us  for  the  length  of  our  days  ? 
VOL.  v.  2  K 


514  COMMENTARIES  ON  TUB  LAMENTATIONS.      LECT.  XVIII. 

• 

We  yet  see  that  he  judged  according  to  the  evils  then 
endured  ;  and  doubtless  he  believed  that  Grod  had  not  for- 
saken his  own  people  nor  forgotten  them,  as  no  oblivion  can 
liappen  to  him.  But,  as  I  have  already  said,  the  Prophet 
mentioned  these  complaints  through  human  infirmity,  not 
that  men  might  indulge  themselves  in  their  own  thoughts, 
but  that  they  might  ascend  by  degrees  to  God  and  overcome 
all  these  temptations.     It  follows, — 

2L  Turn  thou  us  unto  thee,  21.  Converte  nos,  Jehova,  ad  te,  et  con- 
O  Lord,  anthve  shall  be  turned ;  vertimur  ;  innova  (vel,  instaura)  dies 
renew  our  days  as  of  old.  nostros  sicuti  olim  (vel,  ab  initio.) 

The  Prophet  shews,  in  this  verse,  that  the  remedy  is  in 
God's  hand  whenever  he  is  pleased  to  succour  his  people. 
He,  then,  exalts  here  the  power  of  God,  as  though  he  had 
said,  that  God  is  not  without  powder,  but  that  he  can,  when- 
ever he  pleases,  help  his  people.  This  is  not,  indeed,  a  suffi- 
cient ground  for  confidence,  yet  it  is  the  beginning  of  hope ; 
for  whence  is  it  that  despair  weakens  us,  so  that  we  cannot 
call  on  God  ?  because  we  think  that  it  is  all  over  with  us  ; 
and  whence  is  this?  because  we  impiously  confine  the  power 
of  God  ;  nay,  we  in  a  manner,  through  our  unbelief,  repel  his 
power,  which  would  otherwise  be  exerted  in  our  behalf.  As, 
then,  we  thus  close  the  door  against  God,  when  we  extenuate 
his  power,  and  think  that  our  evils  will  prevail ;  it  is,  there- 
fore, as  I  have  said,  the  beginning  of  hope  to  believe  that 
all  the  issues  of  death  are  in  God's  hand,  and  that  were  we 
a  hundred  times  swallowed  up,  yet  he,  by  stretching  forth 
his  hand  to  us,  can  become  the  author  of  salvation  to  us  at 
any  moment. 

This  is  now  the  argument  which  the  Prophet  handles, 
when  he  says,  Tarn  us,  0  Jehovah,  and  we  shall  be  turned  ; 
that  is,  "  If  thou,  0  Jehovah,  be  pleased  to  gather  us,  sal- 
vation is  already  certain  to  us."     And  he  does  not  speak 

"  To  the  end,"  or  perijetually,  and  "  the  length  of  our  days,"  are  the  same. 
The  length  of  days,  as  it  appears  from  Ps.  xxiii.  0,  moans  the  extent  of 
the  present  life ;  the  phrase  is  there  used  as  synonymous  with  all  the  days 
of  one's  life.  Might  not  the  l*rophet  here  refer  to  the  life  of  those  then 
living?  As  to  restoration  after  seventy  years,  he  could  have  had  no  doubt. 
He  seems  to  have  pleaded  for  the  restoration  of  the  generation  then  living. 
-Ed. 


CHAP.  V.  21.   COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.        515 

here  of  repentance.  There  is,  indeed,  a  twofold  turning  or 
conversion  of  men  to  God,  and  a  twofold  turning  of  God  to 
men.  There  is  an  inward  turning  when  God  regenerates 
us  by  his  own  Sj^irit ;  and  turning  with  respect  to  us  is  said 
to  be  the  feeling  of  true  religion,  when,  after  having  been 
alienated  from  him,  we  return  to  the  right  way  and  to  a 
right  mind.  There  is  also  an  exterior  turning  as  to  God, 
that  is,  when  he  so  receives  men  into  favour,  that  his  pater- 
nal favour  becomes  apparent ;  but  the  interior  turning  of 
men  to  God  takes  place  when  they  recover  life  and  joy. 

Of  this  second  turning,  then,  does  the  Prophet  now  speak, 
Turn  us,  0  Jehovah,  and  we  shall  he  turned;  that  is.  If  thou, 
Jehovah,  lookest  on  us,  our  condition  will  immediately  be- 
come prosperous,  for  in  thy  hand  there  is  a  sure  salvation 
for  us.''  As,  then,  the  Jews  were  at  that  time  like  the  dead, 
the  Prophet  says,  that  if  it  pleased  God  to  gather  them,  they 
could  in  a  moment,  as  they  say,  have  been  restored,  as  it  is 
said  also  in  the  Psalms,  "  Thou  takest  away  life,  and  all 
things  change ;  send  forth  thy  Spirit,  and  renevv^  the  face  of 
the  earth.''  (Ps.  civ.  29,  SO.)  As,  then,  God  renews  the 
face  of  the  earth  and  restores  it  by  only  looking  at  it,  hence 
now  the  Prophet  says,  that  the  Jews,  though  they  had  been 
destroyed,  could  yet  be  immediately  restored,  if  it  were  the 
will  of  God  to  receive  them  into  favour.^ 

He  adds.  Renew  our  days  as  of  old.  This  is  an  explana- 
tion of  the  former  clause :  the  renewing  of  d?vys  was  resto- 
ration to  their  former  state.  God  had  been  for  many  ages 
the  deliverer  of  his  people  ;  under  David  had  been  their 
greatest  happiness  ;  under  Solomon  also  they  had  greatly 
flourished  ;  but  from  the  time  when  God  had  redeemed  his 
people,  he  had  given,  as  we  know,  many  and  constant  proofs 
of  his  favour  and  mercy.  As,  then,  God's  goodness  had,  by 
so  many  evidences  been  made  conspicuous,  the  Prophet  now 

^  "  The  meaning  of  this  sentence  is,"  says  Grotius,  "  Restore  us  to  thy 
favour,  that  we  may  be  restored  to  our  ancient  state."  This  being  evi- 
dently the  meaning,  the  rendering  ought  to  be  this, — 

Restore  us,  O  Jehovah,  to  thyself,  that  we  may  be  restored. 
And  as  Calvin,  as  well  as  Grotius,  says,  the  following  line  is  a  confirma- 
tion,— 

Renew  our  days  as  of  old. — Ed. 


516  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.     LECT.  XVIII. 

says,  Renew  our  days  as  formerly,  that  is,  "  Restore  us  to 
that  happiness,  which  was  formerly  a  testimony  of  thy  pa- 
ternal favour  towards  thy  people.''  We  now  then  perceive 
the  meaning  of  the  Propliet. 

But  it  ouglit  to  be  noticed,  that  he  grounds  his  hope  on 
the  ancient  benefits  of  God  ;  for  as  God  had  formerly  re- 
deemed his  people,  had  often  helped  the  miserable,  had 
poured  forth  on  their  posterity  fulness  of  blessings,  hence 
the  Prophet  encourages  himself  to  entertain  good  hope,  and 
suggests  also  to  others  the  same  ground  of  confidence.  We 
see  that  this  was  done  often  by  David ;  for  whenever  he 
mentions  ancient  testimonies  of  God's  favour  towards  his 
people,  he  hence  gathered,  that  God  would  extend  the  same 
goodness  and  kindness  to  posterity.     It  follows, — 

22.  But  thou  hast  utterly  rejected  22.  Nisi  (vel,  sed,  vel,  quod  si) 
us  ;  thou  art  very  wroth  against  rejiciendo  rejecisti  nos,  excanduisti 
us.  contra  nos  valde. 

The  two  words  lID^^  *''D,  hi  am,  are  differently  explained  : 
some  render  them,  "  but  if,"  or  "  certainly  if,"  and  thus 
separate  the  verse  into  two  parts,  "  Surely  if  thou  hast  re- 
jected us,  thou  art  very  angry  -,"  but  this  is  a  forced  mean- 
ing, not  intended,  as  I  think,  by  the  Prophet.  And  these 
seem  to  have  been  compelled  by  necessity  to  pervert  the 
Prophet's  words ;  because  it  appears  hard  simply  to  declare 
that  the  people  had  been  wholly  rejected  by  God.  As,  then, 
this  harshness  offended  them,  they  contrived  this  comment, 
"  If  thou  hast  rejected  us,  thou  art  very  angry."  But  as  I 
have  said,  this  exposition  I  do  not  approve  of,  because  it  is 
a  very  forced  one  ;  and  the  greater  part  of  interpreters  fol- 
low what  I  stated  in  the  first  place,  for  they  take  1ID>^  ^D, 
ki  am,  adversatively.  The  two  particles  are  often  connected 
together,  and  rendered,  "  though,"  or  although, — "  Though 
thou  hast  rejected  us :"  and  hence  the  last  verse  has  been 
repeated. 

For  the  Jews  labour  under  this  superstition,  that  when  a 
book  ends  with  a  liard  and  severe  sentence,  or  one  contain- 
ing a  dreadful  threatening,  grating  to  the  ears,  in  order  to 
avoid  the  sad  omen,  they  repeat  the  last  verse  but  one.  So 
they  do  at  the  end  of  Iscxiah,  and  at  the  end  of  Malachi. 


CHAP.  V.  22.        COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  517 

As  Isaiah  says,  "It  shall  be  a  horror  (or  abomination)  to 
all  flesh  '"  they  therefore  repeat  the  previous  verse.  So  in 
Malachi  ;  as  he  says,  "  Lest  I  come  and  smite  the  earth 
with  a  curse — DlH,  cherem"  they  think  that  as  he  pro- 
nounces there  an  anathema,  it  is  a  sort  of  charm  that  may 
absorb  this  curse,  to  have  the  previous  verse  repeated 
after  it.  There  is,  then,  no  doubt  but  that  they  took  this 
passage  in  the  same  sense,  "  Though  thou  hast  rejected 
us,''  &c. 

If  this  explanation  be  approved,  we  must  hold  that  the 
Proi^het  here  exceeded  due  limits,  as  also  the  faithful,  in 
their  prayers,  do  not  always  so  restrain  themselves,  but  that 
some  heat  bubbles  up  ;  for  we  see  how  David,  in  the  Psalms, 
too  often  shewed  this  kind  of  feeling  ;  and  it  is  hence  evi- 
dent, that  his  mind  was  not  always  sufficiently  calm.  We 
must  then  say,  that  the  Prophet  was  impelled  by  a  turbu- 
lent feeling  \Yhen  he  uttered  these  words. 

But  DJ<  ""ID,  ki  am,  may  also  be  rendered,  "  Unless,''  or 
except :  and  it  is  singular  that  no  one  has  perceived  this, 
though  it  be  not  an  unsuitable  meaning,  "  Except  it  may 
be  thou  rejecting  hast  rejected  us,  and  hast  become  very 
angry  with  us,"  or  above  measure  angry  ;  for  *l^?^  HI?,  od 
mad,  in  Hebrew,  means  the  same  as  above  measure  (su- 
pra  modum)  in  Latin.  Though  the  Prophet  seems  to  speak 
doubtingly,  by  laying  down  this  condition,  there  is  yet  no 
doubt  but  that  he  struggled  against  all  unbelief,  when  he 
said,  Except  it  may  he  ;  for  he  reasons  from  what  is  impos- 
sible, "  Turn  thou  us  to  thee  and  we  shall  be  turned,  renew 
our  days  as  formerly  ;  excejjt  it  may  he  thou  hast  rejected 
us :"  but  this  was  impossible.  Then,  as  I  have  said,  the 
Prophet  here  strengthens  himself  by  setting  up  a  shield 
against  all  the  assaults  of  temptations  when  he  says,  Except 
it  may  he  thou  hast  rejected  us} 

1  The  particles,  Dti  "•::,  seem  to  have  the  meaning  of  "  except,"  as  m 
Gen.  xxxii.  26,  «*  except  thou  bless  me."  But  the  exposition  is  too  re- 
fined. The  usual  meaning  of  the  particles  is,  hut  in  truth,  for  surely,  when 
indeed.  See  1  Sam.  xxi  5 ;  Prov.  xxiii.  18 ;  Ex.  xxii.  23.  They  are 
rendered  here,  "  for,"  by  the  Sept.,  Syr.,  and  Arab.  ;  "  but,"  by  the 
Vidg.,  and  "  although,"  by  the  Targ.  The  version  of  Blayney  and  Hen- 
derson is,  "  For  surely."     The  Prophet  assigns  a  reason  for  his  petition 


5]  8  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE  LAMENTATIONS.     LECT.  XVIII. 

But  it  cannot  be  that  God  will  reject  his  people,  and  be 
so  angry  with  them,  as  never  to  be  reconciled.  We  hence 
see  that  the  Prophet  does  not  simply  set  down  the  condition, 
as  though  he  said,  "  0  God,  if  tliou  art  to  be  perpetually 
angry  with  us,  and  wilt  never  be  reconciled,  it  is  then  all 
over  with  our  salvation  ;  but  if  thou  wilt  be  reconciled  to 
us,  we  shall  then  entertain  good  hope/'  No,  the  Prophet 
did  not  thus  keep  his  own  mind  and  the  minds  of  others  in 
suspense,  but  had  a  sure  confidence  as  to  God's  favour  ;  for 
it  cannot  be  that  God  will  ever  forsake  those  whom  he  has 
chosen,  as  Paul  also  shews  in  the  eleventh  chapter  of  the 
Epistle  to  the  Romans. 

As  it  has  so  seemed  good  to  the  brethren,  I  will  begin  to- 
morrow the  explanation  of  Ezekiel. 

PRAYER. 

Grant,  Almighty  God,  that  as  thou  didst  formerly  execute  judg- 
ments so  severe  on  thy  people, — O  grant,  that  these  chastise- 
ments may  at  this  day  teach  us  to  fear  thy  name,  and  also  keep 
us  in  watchfulness  and  humility,  and  that  we  may  so  strive  to 
pursue  the  course  of  our  calling,  that  we  may  find  that  thou  art 
always  our  leader,  that  thy  hand  is  stretched  forth  to  us,  that 
thy  aid  is  ever  ready  for  us,  until,  being  at  length  gathered  into 
thy  celestial  kingdom,  we  shall  enjoy  that  eternal  life,  which 
thine  only-begotten  Son  has  obtained  for  us  by  his  own  blood. — 
Amen. 

in  the  preceding  verse ;  as  though  he  had  said,  "  I  ask  for  restoration  to 
thy  favour  and  to  our  land,  because  thou  hast  clearly  manifested  thy  rejec- 
tion of  us,  and  thy  displeasure  towards  us." 

For  surely  rejecting  thou  hast  rejected  us, 
Thou  hast  been  wroth  with  us  exceedingly, 
or,  more  literally, 

Thou  hast  foamed  against  us  exceedingly. 
The  first  line  here  corresponds  with  the  latter  part  of  the  previous  verse, 
"  Restore  us  to  our  land,  and  renew  the  ancient  days," — "  Thou  hast 
wholly  rejected  us."  He  speaks  of  things  as  they  were  then.  Then  the 
last  line  in  this  verse  bears  a  relation  to  the  first  part  of  the  preceding 
verse,  "  Restore  us  to  thy  favour," — "  Thou  hast  been  exceedingly  dis- 
pleased with  us."  Thus,  for  displeasure  lie  asked  favour,  and  for  repudi- 
ation, a  restoration. — Ed. 


PRAISE  TO  GOD. 


A  TRANSLATION 


OF 


CALYIFS  VERSION  OF  JEREMIAH. 

CHAPTERS  XLVIII.-LII. 


CHAPTER  XLVIII. 

1  Concerning  Moab : 

Thus  saith  Jehovah  of  hosts,  the  God  of  Israel, — 
Woe  upon  Nebo !  for  it  is  laid  v/asto, 
Ashamed,  taken  is  Kiriathaini ; 
Ashamed  is  Misgab  and  dismayed. 

2  No  more  shall  be  the  boasting  of  Moab  over  Heshbon ; 
They  have  consulted  an  evil  against  her, — 

"  Come  and  let  us  cut  her  off  from  being  a  nation." 
Also  Madmen,  thou  shalt  be  cut  off, 
After  thee  shall  go  the  sword. 

3  The  sound  of  a  cry  from  Horonaim  ! 
A  waste  and  great  destruction  ! 

4  Distressed  is  Moab  ; 

A  cry  have  her  little  ones  made  to  be  heard. 

5  For  in  the  ascent  to  Luhith, 

With  weeping  shall  ascend  weeping ; 

For  in  the  descent  to  Horonaim, 

The  enemies  a  cry  of  distress  shall  hear  : 

6  Flee  ye,  save  your  lives ; 

And  ye  shall  be  as  the  juniper  in  the  desert. 

7  Therefore,  because  thy  confidence 
Was  in  thy  works  and  in  thy  treasures,. 
Even  thou  shalt  be  taken  : 

And  go  forth  shall  Chemosh  into  captivity. 
His  priests  and  his  princes  together. 

8  And  come  shall  a  waster  to  every  city, 
Nor  shall  a  city  escape ; 

Perish  also  shall  the  valley. 
And  destroyed  shall  be  the  plain, 
As  Jehovah  hath  spoken. 

9  Give  wings  to  Moab, 
For  flying  she  shall  fly, 


520  NEW  TRANSLATION  OF  JEREMIAH.     CHAF.  XLVIII.  10-25. 

And  her  cities  shall  be  a  waste, 

That  there  will  be  none  to  inhabit  them. 

10  Cursed  is  he  who  doetli  the  work  of  Jehovah  deceitfully, 
And  cursed  is  he  who  restrains  his  sword  from  blood. 

1 1  Quiet  has  been  Moab  from  his  childhood, 
And  hath  settled  on  his  dregs, 

And  hath  not  been  changed  from  vessel  to  vessel, 
And  to  captivity  he  hath  not  gone  : 
Therefore  remained  has  his  flavour  in  him, 
And  his  odour  was  not  chantjed. 
1  2  Therefore,  behold,  the  days  are  coming,  saith  Jehovah, 
That  I  will  send  to  him  drivers, 
Who  will  drive  him  out ; 
And  his  vessels  will  they  empty. 
And  his  bottles  will  they  scatter: 

13  And  ashamed  will  be  Moab  of  Chemosh, 

As  ashamed  was  the  house  of  Israel  of  Beth-el, 
The  object  of  their  confidence. 

14  How  say  ye,  "  We  are  valiant,  and  men  strong  for  war :" 

15  Wasted  is  JMoab,  and  from  his  cities  they  have  vanished, 
And  his  young  men  have  descended  to  the  slaughter, 
Saith  the  King,  Jehovah  of  hosts  is  his  name. 

16  Nigh  is  the  destruction  of  Moab  to  come. 
And  her  calamity  greatly  hastens. 

Be  ye  moved  for  him  all  who  are  around  him. 

And  all  ye  who  know  his  name,  say, — 

"  How  has  the  strong  stafi"  been  broken,  the  beautiful  rod !" 

17  Come  down  from  glory,  and  dwell  in  thirst. 
Thou  inhabitant,  the  daughter  of  Dibon  ! 

18  For  the  waster  of  Moab  comes  up  against  thee, 
The  destroyer  of  thy  fortresses. 

19  On  the  way  stand  and  look, 
Thou  inhabitant  of  Aroer. 

Ask  the  fugitive,  and  her  who  has  escaped, 
"  Say,  what  hath  happened  ?" 

20  Ashamed  is  Moab,  for  he  is  broken. 
Howl  ye,  and  cry  out, 

And  procliiim  in  Anion  that  ^loab  is  laid  waste. 

21  Judgment  also  shall  come  on  the  plain  country. 
On  Holon,  and  on  Jahazah,  and  on  Mephaath, 

22  And  on  Dibon,  and  on  Nebo,  and  on  Bcth-diblathaini, 

23  And  on  Kiriathaim,  and  on  Beth-gamul,  and  on  Beth-meon, 

24  And  on  Kerioth,  and  on  Bozrah, 

And  on  all  the  cities  of  the  land  of  Moab,  far  and  near. 

25  Cut  off  is  the  horn  of  Moab, 

And  his  strength  is  broken,  saith  Jehovah. 


CHAP.  XLVIII.  26-37.  NEW  TRANSLATION  OF  JEREMIAH.  521 

26  Make  him  drunk,  for  against  Jehovah  hath  he  magnified  him- 

self; 
And  roll  himself  shall  Moab  in  his  own  vomit; 
And  he  also  shall  be  a  derision ; 

27  For  has  not  Israel  been  a  derision  to  thee? 
Has  he  been  found  among  thieves  ? 

For  since  thou  hast  spoken  of  him,  thou  hast  been  excited. 

28  Leave  the  cities,  and  dwell  in  the  rock, 
Ye  inhabitants  of  Moab  : 

And  they  shall  be  as  a  dove, 
Which  makes  a  nest  in  the  passages, 
Beyond  the  mouth  of  the  cleft. 

29  Heard  have  we  of  the  pride  of  Moab ; 
Very  proud  is  his  haughtiness. 

And  his  pride,  and  the  loftiness  of  his  heart. 

30  I  know,  saith  Jehovah,  his  insolence, 

And  his  lies  are  not  stable,  they  shall  not  do  so. 

31  Therefore  for  Moab  will  I  howl. 
And  to  all  Moab  will  I  cry  aloud ; 

I  will  mutter  to  the  men  of  the  city  of  potsherd. 

32  With  the  weeping  of  Jazer 

Will  I  weep  for  thee,  vine  of  Sibraah  : 
Thy  shoots  have  passed  over  the  sea. 
Even  to  the  sea  came  Jazer: 
On  thy  summer-fruits  and  on  thy  vintages 
Has  fallen  a  waster. 

33  And  taken  away  shall  be  joy  and  exultation. 
From  the  fruitful  field,  from  the  land  of  Moab ; 
And  the  wine  from  the  presses  will  I  make  to  cease : 
He  will  not  tread  with  shouting,  shouting, 

There  will  not  be  shouting. 

34  At  the  cry  of  Heshbon,  to  Elealeh,  to  Jahaz, 
Will  they  send  forth  their  voice, 

From  Zoar  to  Horonaim  ; 

An  heifer  three  years  old  is  Moah; 

Verily  even  the  waters  of  Nimrira  shall  be  dried  up. 

35  And  I  will  cause  to  cease  from  Moab,  saith  Jehovah, 
Him  who  oflfers  on  the  high  place, 

And  who  burns  incense  to  his  gods. 

36  Therefore  my  heart  for  Moab 
Shall  make  a  sound  like  pipes, 

And  my  heart  for  the  men  of  the  city  of  potsherd 

Like  pipes  shall  make  a  sound  ; 

For  the  treasures  he  had  made  have  perished. 

37  For  on  every  head  shall  be  baldness, 


522  NEW  TRANSLATION  OF  JEREMIAH.         CHAR  XLIX.  1. 

And  to  every  beard,  a  shaving, 

And  on  all  hands,  incisions,  and  on  loins,  sackcloth. 

38  On  all  the  roofs  of  Moab, 

And  in  all  her  streets,  shall  be  mourning  altogether ; 

For  I  will  break  Moab  like  a  vessel 

In  which  there  is  no  pleasure,  saith  Jehovah. 

39  How  Moab  is  broken  !  they  will  howl ; 
How  has  he  turned  his  back !  he  is  ashamed  : 
Yea,  Moab  is  become  a  derision, 

And  a  terror  to  all  around. 

40  For  thus  saith  Jehovah, — 
Behold,  as  an  eagle  will  he  fly, 
And  extend  his  wings  over  Moab  : 

41  Taken  are  the  cities,  the  strongholds  are  seized, 

And  the  heart  of  the  men  of  Moab  shall  be  in  that  day 
As  the  heart  of  a  woman  in  distress. 

42  And  broken  shall  Moab  be,  so  as  not  to  be  a  people, 
Because  against  Jehovah  hath  he  exalted  himself. 

43  Terror,  and  the  pit,  and  the  snare,  shall  be  on  thee. 
Inhabitant  of  Moab,  saith  Jehovah  : 

44  He  who  flies  from  terror  shall  fall  into  the  pit, 

And  he  who  ascends  from  the  pit  shall  be  taken  in  the  snare ; 
For  I  will  bring  upon  her,  upon  Moab, 
The  year  of  their  visitation,  saith  Jehovah. 
4.'>  Under  the  shadow  of  Heshbon  shall  they  stand, 
Who  from  violence  shall  flee  : 
But  fire  shall  go  forth  from  Heshbon, 
And  a  flame  from  the  midst  of  Sihon  ; 
And  it  shall  consume  the  corner  of  Moab, 
And  the  extremities  of  the  sons  of  tumult. 

46  Woe  to  thee,  Moab  ! 

Perished  have  the  people  of  Chemosh  ! 

For  driven  have  been  thy  sons  into  captivity, 

And  thy  daughters  into  exile. 

47  But  I  will  restore  the  captivity  of  Moab 
In  the  latter  days,  saith  Jehovah. 

Thus  far  the  judgment  of  Moab. 


CHAPTER  XLIX. 

Concerning  the  children  of  Amnion  : 
Thus  saith  Jehovah, — 
Hath  Israel  no  children  ?  hath  he  no  heir 
AVhy  doth  their  king  inherit  Gad, 
And  his  people  dwell  in  its  cities? 


CHAP.  XLIX.  2-12.      NEW  TRANSLATION  OF  JEREMIAH. 

2  Therefore,  behold,  the  days  are  coming,  saith  Jehovah, 
That  I  will  cause  to  be  heard  the  trumpet  of  war 

At  Kabbah,  of  the  children  of  Ammon  ; 

And  she  shall  be  a  heap  of  desolation, 

And  her  daughters  shall  be  burned  with  fire, 

And  possess  his  possessors  shall  Israel,  saith  Jehovah. 

3  Howl  thou,  Heshbon,  for  laid  waste  is  Ai  ; 
Cry  aloud,  ye  daughters  of  Kabbah. 

Gird  on  sackcloth,  lament. 

Run  here  and  there  by  the  fences ; 

For  their  king,  into  captivity  is  he  gone, 

And  his  priests  and  his  princes  with  hira. 

4  Why  gloriest  thou  in  thy  deep  valleys  ? 
Flown  down  has  thy  valley,  rebellious  daughter ! 
Who  trusted  in  her  hidden  places. 

Saying,  Who  can  come  to  me  ? 

5  Behold,  I  will  bring  on  thee  terror,  saith  the  Lord, 
Jehovah  of  hosts,  from  all  around  thee ; 

And  ye  shall  be  driven  out,  each  one  before  him, 
And  there  will  be  none  to  gather  the  dispersed. 
G  But  I  w^ill  afterwards  restore 

The  captivity  of  the  children  of  Ammon,  saith  Jehovah. 

7  Concerning  Edom  : 

Thus  saith  Jehovah  of  hosts, — 
Is  there  not  wisdom  any  more  in  Teman  ? 
Has  counsel  perished  from  the  intelligent  ? 
Overjflowing  has  been  their  wisdom  ! 

8  Flee,  ye  inhabitants  of  Dedan, 

Who  have  turned  and  made  deep  your  dwelling; 
For  the  ruin  of  Esau  will  I  brintj  on  him. 
At  the  time  of  his  visitation. 

9  If  vintagers  had  come  to  thee. 
Would  they  not  have  left  some  grapes  ? 

If  thieves  in  the  night,  would  they  not  have  destroyed 

What  would  suffice  them  ? 
10  But  I  will  uncover  Esau, 

I  will  disclose  his  hidden  things, 

So  that  he  cannot  be  concealed : 

Plundered  shall  be  his  seed. 

And  his  brethren  and  his  neighbours  ; 

And  he  shall  be  no  more. 
]  1    Leave  thy  orphans,  I  wqll  nourish  them ; 

And  thy  widows,  let  them  trust  in  me. 
1  2  For  thus  saith  Jehovah, — 

Behold,  those  to  whom  it  was  not  their  judgment 


524  NEW  TRANSLATION  OF  JEREMIAH.       CHAP.  XLIX.  1^-22. 

To  drink  the  cup,  shall  surely  drink, 
And  shalt  thou  be  exempted  ? 
Thou  shalt  not  be  exempted, 
For  drinking  thou  shalt  drink  ii. 

13  For  I  have  by  myself  sworn,  saith  Jehovah, 
That  a  waste,  a  reproach,  a  desert, 

And  a  curse,  shall  Bozrah  become ; 

And  all  her  cities  shall  be  perpetual  wastes. 

14  A  hearing  have  we  heard  from  Jehovah, 

And  a  messenger  to  the  nations  has  been  sent, — 
"  Be  ye  gathered  and  come  against  her. 
And  rise  ye  up  to  the  battle." 

15  For  behold,  small  made  I  thee  among  the  nations, 
Contemptible  among  men  : 

1 6  Deceived  thee  has  thy  terror,  the  pride  of  thine  heart ; 
Thou  who  dwellest  in  the  fissures  of  rocks, 

Who  occupiest  the  heights  of  mountains  : 
Though  thou  raisest  high,  as  an  eagle,  thy  nest, 
Thence  will  I  draw  thee  down,  saith  Jehovah. 

17  And  Edom  shall  become  a  waste; 

Every  one  passing  by  her  shall  be  astonished, 
And  shall  hiss  on  account  of  all  her  strokes. 

18  As  in  the  overthrow  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah 
And  of  their  neighbouring  cities,  saith  Jehovah, 
Dwell  there  shall  no  man, 

Nor  shall  a  son  of  man  abide  there. 

19  Behold,  as  a  lion  from  the  swelling  of  Jordan, 
Will  he  ascend  to  the  habitation  of  strength  : 
After  having  made  him  to  rest, 

I  will  make  him  flee  from  her ; 

And  who  is  the  chosen  one  whom  I  shall  set  over  her  ? 

For  who  is  as  I  am  ? 

And  who  will  protest  against  me  ? 

And  who  is  the  shepherd  that  before  me  will  stand  ? 

20  Therefore,  hear  ye  the  counsel  of  Jehovah, 
Which  he  hath  counselled  against  Edom, 
And  his  thoughts  which  he  hath  thought 
Against  the  inhabitants  of  Teman  ; 

Surely  draw  them  forth  shall  the  least  of  the  flock. 
Surely  destroyed  over  them  shall  be  their  dwellings. 

21  At  the  sound  of  their  fall,  tremble  shall  the  earth. 
The  cry  of  their  voice  shall  at  the  Red  Sea  be  heard. 

22  Behold,  as  an  eagle  will  he  ascend  and  fly, 
And  will  spread  his  wings  over  Bozrah; 

And  the  heart  of  the  valiant  men  of  Edom  in  that  day 
Shall  be  like  the  heart  of  a  sorrowful  woman. 


CHAP.  XLIX.  23-34.       NEW  TRANSLATION  OF  JEREMIAH.  5^5 

23  Concerning  Damascus : 
Ashamed  is  Hamath  and  Arpad ; 

Because  they  heard  a  bad  report,  they  melt  away. 
Like  a  turbulent  sea  which  cannot  rest. 

24  Weakened  is  Damascus,  she  turns  to  flight. 
Terror  hath  laid  hold  on  iier. 

Anguish  and  pangs  have  seized  her, 
As  a  woman  in  travail. 

25  How  is  not  forsaken  the  city  of  praise — 
The  city  of  my  joy  ? 

26*       Yet  fall  shall  her  young  men  in  her  streets, 
And  all  the  men  of  war  shall  be  cut  off 
In  that  day,  saith  Jehovah  of  Hosts. 

27  For  I  will  kindle  a  fire  in  the  wall  of  Damascus, 
And  it  shall  consume  the  palaces  of  Ben-hadad. 

28  Concerning  Kedar,  and  the  kingdoms  of  Hazor,  which  Nebu- 
chadnezzar, the  king  of  Babylon,  had  smitten  : 

Thus  saith  Jehovah, — 

Arise  ye,  ascend  against  Kedar, 

And  destroy  the  children  of  the  east. 

29  Their  tents  and  their  flocks  shall  they  take  away. 
And  their  curtains  and  all  their  vessels ; 

Their  camels  also  shall  they  take  to  themselves. 

And  they  shall  cry  to  them,  "  Terror  is  on  every  side.'* 

30  Flee  ye,  depart  far  away, 

(Though  deep  have  they  made  to  dwell 

The  inhabitants  of  Hazor,  saith  Jehovah ;) 

For  consulted  against  you  hath  Nebuchadnezzar, 

The  king  of  Babylon,  a  counsel. 

And  he  hath  purposed  against  you  a  purpose. 

31  Arise  ye,  ascend  against  a  secure  nation. 
That  dwelleth  in  confidence,  saith  Jehovah  ; 

It  hath  neither  gates  nor  bars,  it  dwelleth  alone. 

32  And  their  camels  shall  became  a  prey, 

And  the  abundance  of  their  cattle  a  plunder ; 

And  I  will  scatter  them  to  every  wind, 

£/ven  the  utmost  corners  ; 

And  from  all  the  sides  thereof 

Will  I  bring  their  destruction,  saith  Jehovah. 

33  And  Hazor  shall  be  the  habitation  of  dragons, 
A  perpetual  desolation  ; 

Dwell  there  shall  no  man, 

Nor  shall  a  son  of  man  abide  in  her. 

3i  The  word  which  came  to  Jeremiah,  the  prophet,  against 
Elam,  at  the  beginning  of  the  reign  of  Zedekiah,  the  king 
of  Judah,  saying  : 


526  NEW  TRANSLATION  OF  JEREMIAH.        CHAP.  L.  1-7. 

35  Thus  saith  Jehovah  of  hosts, — 
Behold,  I  will  break  the  bow  of  Elam, 
The  chief  part  of  tbeir  strength  ; 

36  And  I  will  bring  against  Elam  four  winds 
From  the  four  quarters  of  the  heavens ; 
And  I  will  scatter  them  to  these  four  winds, 
And  there  shall  not  be  a  nation 

To  which  some  fugitives  from  Elam  shall  not  come. 

37  For  I  will  terrify  Elam  before  their  enemies. 
And  before  those  who  seek  their  life  ; 

And  I  will  bring  on  them  the  evil 

Of  the  indignation  of  my  wrath,  saith  Jehovah  ; 

And  I  will  send  after  them  the  sword 

Until  I  shall  have  consumed  them  ; 

38  And  I  will  erect  my  throne  in  Elam, 

And  destroy  thence  the  king  and  the  princes,  saith  Jehovah. 

39  But  it  shall  be  in  the  latter  days 

That  I  will  restore  the  captivity  of  Elam,  saith  Jehovah. 

CHAPTER  L. 

1  The  word  which  Jehovah  spoke  concerning  Babylon,  con- 
cerning the  land  of  the  Chaldeans,  by  Jeremiah  the  prophet : 

2  Tell  ye  among  the  nations,  proclaim, 

Raise  up  also  a  banner,  proclaim,  conceal  not ; 
Say  ye,  "  Taken  is  Babylon, 
Confounded  is  Bel,  broken  is  Merodach, 
Confounded  are  her  images,  broken  are  her  idols." 

3  For  ascend  against  her  shall  a  nation  from  the  north, 
Which  will  turn  her  land  to  a  waste. 

So  that  there  will  be  no  dweller  in  it,  man  or  beast  ; 
They  have  fled,  they  have  departed. 

4  In  those  days  and  at  that  time,  saith  Jehovali, 
Come  shall  the  children  of  Israel 

And  the  children  of  Judah  together  ; 

Going  and  weeping  they  shall  come, 

And  Jehovah  their  God  will  they  seek. 
.0        To  Sion  will  they  ask  the  vvay,  hither  their  faces, — 

"  Come  ye  and  let  us  join  ourselves  to  Jehovah, 

By  a  perpetual  covenant,  not  to  be  forgotten." 
G        A  lost  sheep  have  been  my  people  ; 

Their  pastors  have  made  them  to  wander  ; 

On  the  mountains  they  strayed. 

From  mountain  to  hill  they  went, 

They  forgot  the  place  of  their  lying  down. 
7       All  who  found  them  devoured  them, 

And  their  adversaries  said,  "  We  sin  not, 

Because  they  have  sinned  against  Jehovah, 


CHAP.  L.  8-17.   NEW  TRANSLATION  OF  JEREMIAH.  527 

The  habitation  of  justice, 

And  the  hope  of  their  fathers,  even  Jehovah." 

8  Flee  ye  from  the  midst  of  Babylon, 
And  from  Chaldea  go  forth, 

And  be  as  he -goats  before  the  flock. 

9  For,  behold,  I  will  rouse  and  bring  against  Babylon, 
An  assembly  of  great  nations  from  the  land  of  the  north, 
And  they  shall  set  in  order  against  her  ; 

Thence  taken  will  she  be ; 

Their  arrows,  like  those  of  a  skilful  valiant  man, 

They  shall  not  return  in  vain. 
1 0  And  Chaldea  shall  be  a  prey, 

And  all  who  plunder  her  shall  be  satiated,  saith  Jehovah. 
]  1    Surely  ye  rejoiced  and  exulted 

When  ye  plundered  mine  heritage ; 

Ye  became  fat  as  a  heifer  well  fed. 

And  neighed  like  strong  horses. 

12  Ashamed  greatly  shall  be  your  mother. 
Blush  shall  she  who  bare  you  ; 
Behold,  the  last  of  nations  shall  she  he, 
A  desert,  a  waste,  a  solitude  ! 

13  Because  of  the  indignation  of  Jehovah 
She  shall  not  be  inhabited, 

And  shall  be  an  entire  waste  ; 

All  who  pass  by  Babylon  shall  be  astonished, 

And  shall  hiss  for  all  her  strokes. 

1 4  Set  in  order  against  Babylon  around  ; 
All  ye  who  bend  the  bow. 

Shoot  at  her,  spare  not  the  arrows, 
For  acjainst  Jehovah  hath  she  sinned. 

1 5  Cry  ye  aloud  against  her  around  ; 
She  hath  given  her  hand, 
Fallen  have  her  foundations. 
Demolished  have  been  her  walls. 
Because  it  is  the  vengeance  of  Jehovah  ; 
Vengeance  take  ye  on  her ;  as  she  has  done,  do  to  her, 

1 6  Cut  off"  the  sower  from  Babylon, 

And  him  who  handles  the  sickle  in  the  time  of  harvest : 
From  the  face  of  the  wasting  sword 
Every  one  shall  look  to  his  own  people. 
Every  one  to  his  own  land  shall  flee. 

1 7  A  scattered  flock  hath  Israel  been. 
Lions  have  driven  him  out ; 

The  first  who  devoured  him  was  the  king  of  Assyria, 

And  this  last  hath  broken  his  bones, 

Even  Nebuchadnezzar,  the  king  of  Babylon. 


528  NEW  TRANSLATION  OF  JEREMIAH.      CHAP.  L.  18-30. 

18  Therefore  thus  saith  Jehovah  of  hosts,  the  God  of  Israel, — 
Behold,  I  will  visit  the  king  of  Babylon  and  his  land, 

As  I  visited  the  king  of  Assyria  : 

1 9  And  I  will  restore  Israel  to  his  folds, 
And  he  shall  feed  on  Carinel  and  Bashan, 
And  on  mount  Ephraim  and  Gilead  ; 
And  satisfied  shall  be  his  soul. 

20  In  those  days  and  at  that  time,  saith  Jehovah, 

Sought  will  be  the  iniquity  of  Israel,  and  there  will  be  none  ; 
And  the  sin  of  Judah,  and  it  shall  not  be  found  : 
For  I  will  pardon  those  whom  I  shall  reserve. 

21  On  the  land  of  the  exasperating  ascend, 
And  against  the  inhabitants  of  visitation, 
Slay  and  destroy  after  them,  saith  Jehovah  ; 
And  do  all  that  I  have  commanded  thee. 

22  A  sound  of  battle  in  the  land  and  a  great  ruin  ! 
28  How  has  the  hammer  of  the  whole  earth 

Been  cut  off  and  broken  in  pieces  ! 

How  has  Babylon  become  a  waste  among  the  nations  ! 

24  I  set  a  snare  for  thee,  therefore  taken  wert  thou, 
Babylon,  though  thou  knevvest  not : 

Thou  wert  found,  and  hence  taken, 
Because  against  Jehovah  thou  didst  contend. 

25  Opened  hath  Jehovah  his  treasure. 

And  brought  forth  the  instruments  of  his  wrath  ; 

For  this  is  the  work  of  the  Lord,  the  Jehovah  of  hosts, 

In  the  land  of  the  Chaldeans. 

26  Come  ye  against  her  from  the  extremity. 
Open  her  repositories,  tread  her  as  heaps. 

Destroy  her  wholly,  that  there  may  be  to  her  no  remnant. 

27  Slay  all  her  bullocks, 

Let  them  descend  to  the  slaughter  : 
Woe  to  them,  for  their  day  is  come, 
The  time  of  their  visitation. 

28  The  voice  of  those  who  flee  and  escape 
From  the  land  of  Babylon  ! 

To  announce  in  Sion  the  vengeance  of  Jehovah  our  God, 
The  vengeance  of  his  temple. 

29  Summon  against  Babylon  the  mighty. 
All  who  bend  the  bow  ; 

Besiege  her  around,  that  there  may  be  no  escape  ; 
Render  to  her  according  to  her  work, 
According  to  all  she  has  done,  do  ye  to  her  ; 
For  against  Jehovah  has  she  acted  proudly, 
Against  the  Holy  One  of  Israel. 

30  Therefore  fall  shall  her  young  men  in  her  streets. 


CHAP.  L.  3  J -42.   NEW  TRANSLATION  OF  JEREMIAU.  529 

And  all  her  men  of  war  shall  be  destroyed 
In  that  day,  saith  Jehovah. 

3 1  Behold,  I  am  against  thee,  the  proud  one, 
Saith  the  Lord,  the  Jehovah  of  hosts  ; 

For  come  is  thy  day,  the  time  of  thy  visitation. 

32  And  stumble  shall  the  proud  and  fall, 
And  there  will  be  no  one  to  raise  him  up ; 
And  I  will  kindle  a  fire  in  his  cities, 
And  it  shall  consume  all  round  him. 

33  Thus  saith  Jehovah  of  hosts, — 
Oppressed  have  been  the  children  of  Israel 
And  the  children  of  Judah  together ; 

And  all  who  led  them  captives  have  prevailed  against  them, 
They  have  refused  to  let  them  go. 

34  Their  Redeemer  is  strong, 
Jehovah  of  hosts  is  his  name, 
Their  cause  pleading  he  will  plead. 
So  as  to  destroy  the  land, 

And  to  make  to  tremble  the  inhabitants  of  Babylon. 

35  A  sword  on  the  Chaldeans,  saith  Jehovah  ! 
And  on  all  the  inhabitants  of  Babylon  ! 
And  on  all  her  princes  and  on  her  wise  men  ! 

36  A  sword  on  her  diviners  !  and  they  shall  become  foolish  ; 
A  sword  on  her  valiant  men !  and  they  shall  be  terrified  ; 

37  A  a  word  on  her  horses  !  and  on  her  chariots  ! 
And  on  her  multitude,  in  the  midst  of  her  ! 
They  shall  be  as  women ; 

A  sword  on  her  treasures  !  and  they  shall  be  plundered  ; 

38  A  drought  on  her  waters  !  and  they  shall  be  dried  up  : 
For  it  is  the  land  of  carved  images, 

And  in  idols  they  glory. 

39  Therefore  dwell  there  shall  wild  birds  with  wild  beasts, 
And  dwell  there  shall  the  daughters  of  ostriches ; 
And  it  shall  not  be  inhabited  any  more  for  ever ; 

It  shall  not  be  an  habitation  to  all  generations. 

40  As  in  God's  overthrow  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah, 
And  of  their  neighbouring  cities,  saith  Jehovah, 
Dwell  there  shall  no  man, 

Nor  shall  a  son  of  man  abide  there. 

41  Behold,  a  people  cometh  from  the  north, 
Even  a  great  nation  and  many  kings 
Shall  be  roused  from  the  sides  of  the  earth. 

42  On  the  bow  and  the  shield  shall  they  lay  hold, 
Cruel  shall  they  be,  and  will  shew  no  mercy  ; 
Their  voice  like  the  sea  shall  roar. 

And  on  horses  shall  they  ride, 
VOL.  V.  2  L 


530  NEW  TRANSLATION  OF  JEREMIAH.       CHAP.  LI.  1-7. 

Prepared  as  a  man  for  battle 
Against  thee,  daughter  of  Babylon. 

43  Heard  has  the  king  of  Babylon  a  report  of  them, 
And  feeble  became  his  hands  ; 

Anxiety  laid  hold  on  him, 

And  anguish,  like  a  woman  in  travail. 

44  Behold,  as  alien  from  the  swelling  of  Jordan 
Will  he  ascend  to  the  strong  habitation  : 
After  having  made  him  to  rest, 

I  will  make  him  flee  from  her  ; 

And  who  is  the  chosen  one  whom  I  shall  set  over  her  ? 

For  who  is  as  I  am  ? 

And  who  will  protest  against  me  ? 

And  who  is  the  shepherd  that  before  me  will  stand  ? 

45  Therefore  hear  ye  the  counsel  of  Jehovah, 
Which  he  hath  counselled  against  Babylon  ; 
And  his  thoughts  which  he  has  thought 
Against  the  land  of  the  Chaldeans  : 

Surely  draw  them  forth  shall  the  least  of  the  flock, 
Surely  destroyed  over  them  shall  be  their  dwellings. 

46  At  the  sound  of  Babylon  being  taken,  tremble  shall  the  earth, 
And  a  cry  among  the  nations  shall  be  heard. 

CHAPTER  LI. 

1  Thus  saith  Jehovah, — 

Behold,  I  will  raise  a  destroying  wind  against  Babylon, 
And  against  boasters  of  wisdom,  my  adversaries  ; 

2  And  I  will  send  against  Babylon  winnowers, 
And  they  shall  winnow  her  and  empty  her  land ; 

For  they  shall  be  against  her  around  in  the  day  of  evil. 

3  As  to  him  who  bends  the  bow. 

And  him  who  raises  himself  up  in  his  coat  of  mail, — 
Spare  ye  not  her  young  men. 
Destroy  all  her  army. 

4  And  fall  shall  they  wounded,  in  her  land, 
And  pierced  through  in  her  streets. 

5  For  not  widowed  is  Israel,  nor  Judah 
By  his  God,  by  Jehovah  of  hosts  : 
But  rather  their  land  is  filled  with  sin 
On  account  of  the  Holy  One  of  Israel. 

Q  Flee  ye  from  the  midst  of  Babylon, 

And  save  ye,  every  one  his  life, 

Lest  ye  perish  in  her  iniquity  ; 

For  it  is  the  time  of  Jehovah's  vengeance, 

A  reward  will  he  render  to  her. 
7  A  golden  cup  has  Babylon  been 


CHAP.  LI  8-19.   NEW  TRANSLATION  OF  JEREMIAH.  531 

In  Jehovah's  hand,  inebriating  the  whole  earth ; 
From  her  wine  have  the  nations  drunk, 
Therefore  Iiave  the  nations  become  mad. 

8  Suddenly  has  Babylon  fallen,  and  is  broken  ; 
Howl  ye  for  her,  take  rosin  for  her  wound, 
It  may  be  that  she  can  be  healed  ! 

9  We  have  tried  to  heal  Babylon, 
But  she  was  not  healed  ; 
Leave  her,  and  let  us  depart, 
Every  one  to  his  own  land ; 

For  to  the  heavens  has  reached  her  judgment 
And  has  risen  up  to  the  clouds. 

1 0  Brought  forth  has  Jehovah  our  righteousness  ; 
Come  ye  and  let  us  declare  in  Sion 

The  work  of  Jehovah  our  God. 

1 1  Polish  the  arrows,  prepare  the  shields, 

Rouse  will  Jehovah  the  spirit  of  the  kings  of  Media  ; 

For  as  to  Babylon  his  thought  is  to  destroy  her. 

For  it  is  Jehovah's  vengeance,  the  vengeance  of  his  temple. 

12  On  the  walls  of  Babylon  raise  the  standard, 
Increase  the  watch,  set  the  watchmen, 

Set  in  order  the  ambushes  : 

For  as  Jehovah  has  thought,  so  will  he  do 

AVhat  he  hath  spoken  concerning  the  inhabitants  of  Babylon. 

13  Thou  that  dwellest  among  great  waters. 
Who  aboundest  in  treasures. 

Come  is  thine  end,  the  measure  of  thy  cupidity. 

1  4  Sworn  hath  Jehovah  by  himself, — 

Surely  I  will  fill  thee  with  men  as  with  locusts, 

Who  w411  shout  over  thee  with  the  vintage-shouting, — 

15  {Even)  he  who  made  the  earth  by  his  power, 
Who  hath  constituted  the  world  by  his  wisdom, 
And  by  his  knowledge  extended  the  heavens, 

16  At  whose  voice  there  is  abundance  of  waters  in  the  heavens. 
Who  raises  vapours  from  the  extremity  of  the  earth, 

Who  makes  the  lightnings  and  the  rain, 
And  brings  out  the  wind  from  his  treasures. 

17  Infatuated  is  every  man  become  by  his  knowledge, 

Put  to  shame  shall  be  every  founder  by  the  graven  image, 

For  a  lie  is  the  molten  image. 

And  there  is  no  breath  in  them  : 
IS   Vanity  are  they,  the  work  of  illusions  ; 

At  the  time  of  their  visitation  they  shall  perish. 
10  Not  like  these  is  the  portion  of  Jacob  ; 

For  the  former  of  all  things  is  He, 

And  the  rod  of  his  inheritance  is  Israel ; 

Jehovah  of  hosts  is  his  name. 


532  NEW  TRANSLATION  OF  JEREMIAH.       CHAP.  LI.  20-29. 

20  A  hammer  hast  thou  been  to  me,  weapons  of  war ; 
And  by  thee  have  I  broken  nations  in  pieces, 
And  by  thee  destroyed  kingdoms : 

21  Yea,  by  thee  have  I  broken  in  pieces 
The  horses  and  their  riders, 

And  by  thee  have  I  broken  in  pieces 
The  chariots  and  their  riders,^ 

22  And  by  thee  have  I  broken  in  pieces 
Men  and  women, 

And  by  thee  have*!  broken  in  pieces 
Old  men  and  children. 
And  by  thee  have  T  broken  in  pieces 
Young  men  and  maidens, 

23  And  by  thee  have  I  broken  in  pieces 
The  shepherds  and  their  flocks. 
And  by  thee  have  I  broken  in  pieces 
Tlie  husbandmen  and  their  yokes  of  oxen, 
And  by  thee  have  I  broken  in  pieces 
The  captains  and  the  rulers. 

24  But  I  will  render  to  Babylon 

And  to  all  the  inhabitants  of  Chaldea, 
All  the  evils  which  they  have  done  in  Sion, 
Before  your  eyes,  saith  Jehovah. 

25  Behold,  I  am  against  thee, 

O  destroying  mountain,  saith  Jehovah, 
Which  destroyest  all  the  earth  ; 
And  I  will  extend  my  hand  over  thee, 
And  will  roll  thee  down  from  the  rocks, 
And  will  make  thee  a  burnt  mountain  : 
2G  And  they  shall  not  take  of  thee  a  stone  for  a  corner, 
Nor  a  stone  for  foundations  ; 
For  perpetual  wastes  shalt  thou  be,  saith  Jehovah. 

27  Raise  a  banner  in  the  land, 

Sound  a  trumpet  among  the  nations. 

Prepare  the  nations  against  her. 

Assemble  against  her  the  kingdoms  of  Ararat, 

Of  Minni  and  of  Ashkenaz  ; 

Set  up  against  her  a  leader. 

Bring  forth  the  horse  as  the  horrible  locust  ; 

28  Prepare  against  her  the  nations, 

The  kings  of  Media,  her  captains  and  her  princes, 
And  all  the  land  of  its  dominion. 

29  And  tremble  shall  the  land  and  be  in  pain, 

^  As  Calvin  in  his  commentary  puts  all  the  following  nouns  in  the  plural 
number,  (though  in  Hebrew  they  are  all  in  the  singular  number,)  to  ren- 
der the  whole  consistent,  the  nouns  in  these  lines  have  been  put  also  in 
the  plural  number. — Ed. 


CHAP.  LI.  30-41.       NEW  TRANSLATION  OF  JEREMIAH.  533 

For  confirmed  as  to  Babylon  shall  be  the  thoughts  of  Jehovah, 
To  set  the  land  of  Babylon  a  waste. 
So  as  to  have  no  inhabitant. 

30  Ceased  have  the  valiant  men  of  Babylon  to  fight, 
They  sat  down  in  their  fortresses  ; 

Fail  did  their  valour,  they  became  women, 
Burnt  were  her  dwellings,  broken  her  bars. 

31  A  runner  to  meet  a  runner  ran, 

And  a  messenger  to  meet  a  messenger. 
To  announce  to  the  king  of  Babylon 
That  taken  was  the  city  at  its  extremity ; 

32  And  the  fords  were  taken, 

And  the  pools  were  burnt  with  fire. 

And  the  men  of  war  were  broken  in  pieces. 

33  For  thus  saith  Jehovah  of  hosts,  the  God  of  Israel, — 
The  daughter  of  Babylon  shall  he  like  a  threshing-floor, 
{Come  will)  the  time  of  treading  her  ; 

Yet  a  little  while  and  come  will  her  harvest. 

34  Devoured  me,  broken  me  in  pieces, 

Hath  Nebuchadnezzar,  the  king  of  Babylon  ; 

He  hath  set  me  an  empty  vessel. 

He  hath  svral lowed  me  like  a  dragon. 

He  hath  filled  his  belly  with  my  delicacies, 

He  hath  cast  me  off. 

35  My  plunder  and  my  flesh  be  on  Babylon, 
Shall  the  inhabitant  of  Sion  say  ; 

My  blood  be  on  the  inhabitants  of  Chaldea, 
Shall  Jerusalem  say. 

36  Therefore  thus  saith  Jehovah, — 
Behold,  I  will  plead  thy  cause, 
And  avenge  thy  vengeance. 
For  I  will  make  dry  her  sea, 
And  will  dry  up  her  fountain : 

37  And  Babylon  shall  become  heaps 
An  habitation  of  dragons, 

A  wonder  and  a  hissing,  without  an  inhabitant. 

38  They  will  roar  as  lions, 

They  will  roar  as  whelps  of  lions. 

39  In  their  heat  will  I  make  their  feasts, 

And  make  them  drunk,  that  they  may  exult 
And  sleep  a  perpetual  sleep, 
And  not  awake,  saith  Jehovah. 

40  I  will  brino^  them  as  lambs  to  the  slaughter, 


o 


As  rams  and  he-goats 


o' 


41   How  has  Sheshach  been  taken  ! 


534  NEW  TRANSLATION  OF  JEREMIAH.       CHAP.  LI.  42-54 

And  captured,  the  praise  of  the  whole  land  ! 
How  has  Babylon  become  a  waste  among  nations ! 

42  Come  up  over  Babylon  has  the  sea, 

With  the  multitude  of  its  waves  is  she  covered. 

43  Her  cities  shall  be  a  waste, 

And  a  land  of  desert,  and  a  land  of  drought. 

Pass  through  it  shall  no  man. 

And  dwell  in  it  shall  no  son  of  man. 

44  And  I  will  visit  Bel  in  Babylon  ; 

And  I  will  draw  what  he  hath  swallowed  out  of  his  moutli : 
And  flow  to  him  together  shall  nations  no  more: 
Even  the  wall  of  Babylon  hath  fallen. 

45  Go  out  from  the  midst  of  her,  my  people, 
And  save  ye,  every  one  his  life, 

From  the  indignation  of  Jehovah's  wrath. 

46  And  let  not  faint  be  your  heart, 

And  fear  ye  not  the  rumour  heard  in  the  land  ; 

Come  in  one  year  shall  a  rumour. 

And  afterwards  in  another  year,  a  rumour ; 

And  violence  shall  he  in  the  land. 

And  a  ruler  after  a  ruler. 

47  Therefore,  behold,  the  days  are  coming. 
That  I  will  visit  the  images  of  Babylon  ; 
And  her  whole  land  shall  be  ashamed, 

And  all  her  slain,  they  shall  fall  in  the  midst  of  her. 

48  And  rejoice  over  Babylon  shall  heaven  and  earth. 
And  all  the  things  that  are  in  them  ; 

When  from  the  north  shall  come  to  her 
Destroyers,  saith  Jehovah. 

49  As  Babylon  made  to  fall  the  slain  of  Israel, 

So  for  Babylon  they  shall  fall,  the  slain  of  all  the  land. 

50  Ye  who  have  escaped  from  the  sword. 
Depart,  stand  not  still ; 

From  afar  remember  Jehovah, 

And  let  Jerusalem  come  to  your  minds. 

51  We  are  ashamed,  because  we  have  heard  reproach  ; 
Shame  hath  covered  our  faces,  because  strangers  came 
Into  the  sanctuaries  of  the  house  of  Jehovah. 

52  Therefore,  behold,  the  days  are  coming,  saith  Jehovah, 
That  I  wi!]  visit  her  graven  images. 

And  in  the  whole  land  groan  shall  the  wounded. 

53  Though  Babylon  ascended  into  heaven, 

And  though  in  the  height  she  fortified  her  strength, 
From  me  would  come  to  her  wasters,  saith  Jehovah. 

54  The  voice  of  a  cry  from  Babylon  ! 

And  a  great  crashing  from  the  land  of  the  Chaldeans  ! 


CHAP.  LIT.  1-3.       NEW  TRANSLATION  OF  JEREMIAH.  585 

55  For  Jehovah  will  lay  waste  Babylon, 

And  will  destroy  from  her  the  voice  of  boasting  : 
And  sound  shall  their  waves  like  great  waters, 
Sent  forth  shall  be  the  sound  of  their  voice. 

56  For  come  to  her,  to  Babylon,  is  a  waster, 
And  taken  are  her  valiant  men, 
Broken  is  their  bow  ; 

For  the  God  of  retributions  is  Jehovah, 
Recompensing  he  will  recompense. 
.57  And  I  will  inebriate  her  princes  and  her  wise  men. 
And  her  captains,  and  her  rulers,  and  her  valiant  men  ; 
And  they  shall  sleep  a  perpetual  sleep, 
And  shall  not  awake,  saith  the  King, 
Whose  name  is  Jehovah  of  hosts. 

58  Thus  saith  Jehovah  of  hosts, — 
The  wall  of  Babylon,  though  wide, 
Shall  yet  surely  be  demolished  ; 
And  her  gates,  though  high, 
Shall  yet  be  consumed  with  fire  : 

Thus  laboured  have  the  people  for  nothing, 

And  the  nations  for  the  fire,  and  wearied  themselves. 

59  The  word  which  Jeremiah  the  prophet  commanded  Seraiah, 
the  son  of  Neraiah^  the  son  of  Maaseiah,  when  he  went  for 
Zedekiah,  the  king  of  Judah,  to  Babylon,  in  the  fourth  year  of 

GO  his  reign  ;  and  Seraiah  was  a  quiet  prince  :  and  Jeremiah  wrote 
in  a  book  all  the  evil  that  should  come  on  Babylon,  even  all 

Gl  these  words  which  had  been  written  against  Babylon  ;  and 
Jeremiah  said  to  Seraiah, — 

"  When  thou  comest  to  Babylon  and  hast  seen  it,  then  read 

62  all  these  words,  and  say, — '  O  Jehovah,  thou  hast  spoken 
against  this  place,  to  destroy  it,  so  that  there  should  be  no 
inhabitant  in  it,  neither  man  nor  beast,  but  that  it  shall  be- 

G3  come  perpetual  desolations.'  And  it  shall  be,  when  thou  hast 
made  an  end  of  reading  this  book,  that  thou  shalt  tie  a  stone 

G4  to  it,  and  cast  it  into  the  midst  of  the  Euphrates,  and  shalt 
say, — '  Thus  sink  shall  Babylon,  and  shall  not  rise  from  the 
evil  which  I  shall  bring  on  her,  though  they  may  weary  them- 
selves.' " 

Thus  far  the  words  of  Jeremiah. 


CHAPTER  LII. 

Twenty-one  years  old  was  Zedekiah  when  he  began  to  reign, 
and  eleven  years  reigned  he  in  Jerusalem  ;  and  the  name  of 
his  mother  was  Hamutal,  the  daughter  of  Jeremiah  of  Libnah. 
And  he  did  evil  in  the  sight  of  Jehovah,  according  to  all  the 
things  which  Jehoiakim  had  done  :    and   on  account  of  the 


536  NEW  TRANSLATION  OF  JEREMIAH.       CIIAF.  LII.  4-19. 

intlignation  of  Jehovah  against  Jerusalem  and  Judah,  until  he 
cast  them  away  from  his  presence,  Zedekiah  rebelled  against 
the  king  of  Babylon. 

4  And  it  was  in  the  ninth  year  of  his  reign,  in  the  tenth  month, 
in  the  tenth  of  the  month,  that  Nebuchadnezzar,  the  king  of 
Babylon,  came,  he  and  all  his  army,  against  Jerusalem,  and 
encamped  against  it,  and  built  against  it  a  fortress  on  every 

5  side.     And  the  city  was  besieged  till  the  eleventh  year  of  Ze- 
C  dekiah.     In  the  fourth  month,  on  the  ninth  of  the  month,  the 

famine  prevailed  in  the  city,  so  that  there  vvas  no  bread  for 

7  the  people  of  the  land  :  and  the  city  was  broken  in  upon,  and 
all  the  men  of  war  fled,  and  went  out  of  the  city  by  night,  by 
the  way  of  the  gate,  between  two  walls,  which  were  near  the 
king's  garden  ;  (and  the  Chaldeans  were  near  the  city  around  :) 

8  and  they  wont  out  by  the  way  of  the  desert.  And  the  army 
of  the  Chaldeans  pursued  the  king,  and  they  took  Zedekiah  in 
the  deserts  of  Jericho  ;  for  all  his  army  were  scattered  from 

9  him.  They  then  took  the  king,  and  brought  him  to  the  king 
of  Babylon  in  Riblah,  to  the  land  of  llamath  ;  who  pronounced 
judgment  upon  him. 

10  And  the  king  of  Babylon  slew  the  sons  of  Zedekiah  before 
his  eyes  ;  and  all  the  princes  of  Judah  he  also  slew  in  Riblah: 
but  he  blinded  the  eyes  of   Zedekiah,  and   bound   him  with 

1 1  chains  ;  and  the  king  of  Babylon  brought  him  to  Babylon, 
and  put  him  in  prison  till  the  day  in  which  he  died. 

1  2  Now,  in  the  fifth  month,  in  the  tenth  day  of  the  month, 
(that  year  was  the  nineteenth  year  of  Nebuchadnezzar,  the 
king  of  Babylon,)  Nebuzar-adan,  the  prince  of  the  soldiers,  who 

13  stood  before  the  king  of  Babylon,  came  into  Jerusalem,  and 
burnt  the  house  of  Jehovah  and  the  house  of  the  king,  and  all  the 
houses  of  Jerusalem,  even  every  great  house  he  burnt  with  fire: 

I'l  and  all  the  walls  of  Jerusalem  around  they  destroyed,  even  the 
whole  army  of  the  Chaldeans,  which  was  with  the  prince  of 

15  the  soldiers.  And  some  of  the  poor  of  the  people  and  the 
rest  of  the  people  who  had  remained  in  the  city,  and  the  fugi- 
tives who  had  fled  over  to  the  king  of  Babylon,  and  the  re- 
mainder of  the  multitude,   Nebuzar-adan,  the  prince  of   the 

IG  soldiers,  led  away  captive.  But  some  of  the  poor  of  the  land, 
Nebuzar-adan,  the  prince  of  the  soldiers,  left  to  be  vinedressers 
and  husbandmen. 

17  And  the  brass  pillars  which  were  in  the  house  of  Jehovah, 
and  the  bases,  and  the  brazen  sea  which  was  in  the  house  of 
Jehovah,  the  Chaldeans  broke  in  pieces,  and  carried  away  all 

18  their  brass  to  Babylon.  The  pots  also,  and  the  shovels  and 
the  snuffers  and  the  basons  and  the  spoons,  and  all  the  vessels 

19  of  brass,  with  which  tlicy  ministered,  they  took  away.  And 
the  dishes  and  the  pans  and  the  basons  and  the  pots  and  the 
candlesticks  and  the  spoons  and  the  bowls,  some  of  which  were 
all  of  gold  and  some  were  all  of  silver,  the  prince  of  the  soldiers 


CHAP.  LII.  20-34.   NEW  translation  of  JEREMIAH.        537 

20  took  away.  The  two  pillars,  the  one  sea,  and  the  twelve 
oxen  of  brass,  which  were  under  the  bases  which  Solomon  had 
made  in  the  house  of  Jehovah,  there  was  no  weight  as  to  the 

21  brass  of  all  these  vessels.  As  to  the  pillars,  the  height  of  each 
pillar  was  eighteen  cubits,  and  a  thread  of  twelve  cubits  sur- 
rounded it,  and  its  thickness  was  four  fingers ;  it  was  hollow. 

22  And  the  chapiter  which  was  over  it  was  brass,  and  the  height  of 
one  chapiter  was  five  cubits,  and  net-work  and  pomegranates 
were  on  the  chapiter  around  ;  all  these  were  of  brass  ;  and  like 

23  these  were  the  second  pillar  and  the  pomegranates.  And 
there  were  pomegranates,  ninety-six  on  one  side ;  all  the 
pomegranates  on  the  net-work  around  were  one  hundred. 

24  The  prince  of  the  soldiers  took  away  also  Seraiah,  the  chief 
priest,  and  Zephaniah,  the  second  priest,  and  the  three  keepers 

25  of  the  door :  and  from  the  city  he  took  away  one  eunuch,  who 
had  been  set  over  the  men  of  war,  and  seven  men  of  those  who 
attended  the  king,  who  were  found  in  the  city,  and  a  scribe, 
the  chief  of  the  army,  who  gathered  to  the  army  the  people  of 

20  the  land,  and  sixty  men  of  the  people  of  the  land,  who  were 
found  in  the  midst  of  the  city.  And  Nebuzar-adan,  the  prince 
of  the  soldiers,  took  them  away  and  brought  them  to  the  king 

27  of  Babylon  in  Riblah :  and  the  king  of  Babylon  smote  them 
and  slew  them  in  Riblah,  in  the  land  of  Hamath  ;  and  he 
removed  Judah  from  his  own  land. 

28  These  are  the  people  whom  Nebuchadnezzar  carried  away 
captive  :    in   the  seventh  year,  three   thousand  and  twenty- 

29  three  Jews ;  in  the  eighteenth  of  Nebuchadnezzar,  he  carried 
away  captive  from  Jerusalem  eight  hundred   and  thirty-two 

30  souls;  in  the  three-and -twentieth  year  of  Nebuchadnezzar, 
Nebuzar-adan,  the  prince  of  the  soldiers,  carried  away  Jews, 
seven  hundred  and  forty-five  souls ; — all  the  souls  were  four 
thousand  and  six  hundred. 

31  And  it  came  to  pass  in  the  thirty-seventh  year  of  Jehoia- 
chin,  the  king  of  Judah,  in  the  twelfth  month,  on  the  twenty- 
fifth  of  the  month,  that  Evil-merodach,  the  king  of  Babylon,  in 
the  first  year  of  his  reign,  lifted  up  the  head  of  Jehoiachin,  the 

32  king  of  Judah,  and  brought  him  forth  from  prison  ;  and  he 
spake  kindly  to  him,  and  set  his  throne  above  the  thrones  of  the 

33  kings,  who  were  with  him  in  Babylon  ;  and  he  changed  his 
prison  garments,  and  ate  bread  before  him  always,  all  the  days 

34  of  his  life.  And  his  portion,  a  perpetual  portion  was  given 
him  by  the  king  of  Babylon  every  day,  until  the  day  he  died, 
all  the  days  of  his  life. 


PRAISE  TO  GOD. 


A   TRANSLATION 


OF 


CALVIFS  YERSION  OF  THE  LAMENTATIOiNS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

1  Flow  sits  solitary  the  city 

Which  abounded  in  people  ! 
How  is  she  become  as  a  widow, 

Who  was  great  among  the  nations ! 
She  who  ruled  among  provinces 

Is  become  tributary  ! 

2  Weeping  she  has  wept  in  the  night, 

And  her  tears  are  on  her  cheeks  ; 
She  has  no  comforter 

Among  all  her  lovers  ; 
All  her  friends  have  dealt  falsely  with  her, 

They  are  become  her  enemies. 

3  Migrated  hath  Judah  because  of  oppression, 

And  because  of  much  servitude  ; 
She  dwelleth  among  the  nations, 

She  finds  no  rest ; 
All  who  pursued  her 

Have  taken  her  between  the  straits. 

4  The  ways  of  Sion  mourn, 

For  they  come  not  to  the  festivals ; 
All  her  gates  are  desolate, 

Her  priests  are  sighing  ; 
Her  virgins  are  afflicted, 

And  she  is  in  bitterness  ! 

5  Her  adversaries  have  become  the  head, 

Her  enemies  have  prospered  ; 
Because  Jehovah  hath  afflicted  her 

For  the  greatness  of  her  iuitjuities  : 
Her  little  ones  have  gone  into  exile 

Before  the  adversary; 
a  And  departed  from  the  daughter  of  Sion 

Has  all  her  glory  ; 
Her  j)rinces  have  become  like  harts, 

Wiio  cannot  find  pasture  ; 


CHAP.  I.  7-13.    NEW  TRANSLATION  OF  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  539 

And  they  have  gone  without  strength 
Before  their  pursuer. 

7  Remember  did  Jerusalem, 

In  the  days  of  her  affliction  and  want, 
All  her  desirable  things, 

Which  were  from  ancient  days  ; 
When  fall  did  her  people  into  the  hand  of  the  enemy, 

And  she  had  no  helper : 
Seen  her  have  enemies. 

They  laughed  at  her  Sabbath. 

8  A  sin  hath  Jerusalem  sinned, 

Therefore  she  is  become  a  wanderer ; 
All  who  honoured  her  have  despised  her. 

Because  they  have  seen  her  nakedness ; 
She  even  groaned, 

And  turned  backward  : 
.9   Her  shame  is  in  her  skirts  ; 

She  remembered  not  her  end  ; 
Therefore  she  came  down  wonderfully, 

She  hath  no  comforter  : 
See,  Jehovah,  my  affliction, 

For  magnified  himself  hath  the  enemy. 

10  His  hand  did  the  enemy  stretch  out 

To  all  her  desirable  things  ; 
For  she  saw  the  heathens. 

When  they  entered- her  sanctuary, 
Respecting  whom  thou  hast  commanded, 

They  shall  not  come  to  thy  congregation. 

1 1  All  her  people  are  sighing, 

They  are  seeking  bread ; 
They  have  given  their  desirable  things 

For  food,  to  restore  life  : 
See,  Jehovah,  and  look, 

For  I  am  vile. 

12  Is  it  nothing  to  all  of  you 

Who  pass  by  the  way  ? 
Look  and  see,  if  there  be  a  sorrow 

Like  the  sorrow  that  is  come  to  me ; 
For  afflicted  me  hath  Jehovah, 

In  the  day  of  the  indignation  of  his  wrath. 
1 .3   From  on  high  hath  he  sent  fire  into  my  bones, 

And  it  hath  prevailed  over  them  : 
He  hath  spread  his  net  for  my  feet. 

He  hath  turned  nie  backward  ; 
He  hath  made  me  desolate, 

Sorrowing  all  the  day. 


540     NEW  TRANSLATION  OF  THE  LAMENTATIONS.    CHAP.  I.  14-21, 

14  Tied  is  the  yoke  of  mine  iniquities  by  his  hand, 

They  are  twined  together  : 
They  have  come  up  on  my  neck, 

He  hath  weakened  my  strength  : 
Given  me  up  hath  the  Lord, 

Into  the  hand  of  my  enemies, 

From  whom  I  shall  not  be  able  to  rise. 

15  Trodden  under  foot  all  my  valiant  men 

Hath  the  Lord  in  the  midst  of  me  : 
He  hath  brought  on  me  the  fixed  time 

To  destroy  my  young  men  ; 
The  winepress  hath  the  Lord  trodden, 

As  to  the  virgin,  the  daughter  of  Judah. 

16  For  this  I  weep;  mine  eye  !  mine  eye  ! 

Waters  flow  down ; 
For  removed  far  from  me  is  a  comforter, 

Who  might  revive  my  soul ; 
My  children  are  become  desolate. 

For  prevailed  has  the  enemy. 

17  Expand  did  Sion  her  hands, 

She  had  no  comforters- 
Given  a  charge  had  Jehovah  as  to  Jacob, 

To  his  adversaries  all  around  him  ; 
Become  is  Jerusalem 

An  abomination  among  them. 

1 8  Righteous  is  Jehovah, 

For  his  mouth  have  I  provoked. 

Hear,  I  pray,  all  ye  people, 

And  behold  my  sorrow  : 
My  virgins  and  my  young  men. 

They  are  gone  into  captivity. 
L9   I  called  to  my  friends, 

They  deceived  me  ; 
My  priests  and  my  elders. 

In  the  city  they  expired, 
AVhile  they  were  seeking  food  for  themselves, 

To  revive  their  soul. 

20  See,  Jehovah,  for  I  am  distressed, 

My  bowels  are  troubled  ; 
Overwhelmed  is  my  heart  within  me, 

For  rebelling  I  have  rebelled  : 
Without  bereaves  the  sword, 

Within  it  is  as  death, 

21  They  have  heard  that  I  mourn. 

That  I  have  no  comforter ; 


CHAP.  II.  1-6.       NEW  TRANSLATION  OF  THE  LAMENTATIONS.      541 

All  mine  enemies  bave  heard  of  my  evil ; 

They  rejoice  that  thou  hast  done  it, 
And  brought  the  day  thou  bast  announced  : 

But  they  shall  be  as  I  am, 
22  Let  all  their  wickedness 

Come  into  thy  presence ; 
And  do  to  them  as  thou  hast  done 

To  me  for  all  my  sins ; 
For  my  sighings  are  many, 

And  my  heart  is  weak. 

CHAPTER  II. 

1  How  hath  the  Lord  clouded  in  his  wrath 

The  daughter  of  Sion  ! 
He  hath  cast  down  from  heaven  to  the  earth 

The  glory  of  Israel ; 
And  hath  not  remembered  his  footstool 

In  the  day  of  his  wrath ! 

2  Destroyed  hath  the  Lord,  and  spared  not, 

All  the  habitations  of  Jacob  ; 
He  hath  demolished  in  his  indignation 

The  fortresses  of  the  daughter  of  Judah ; 
He  hath  cast  them  to  the  ground,  he  hath  profaned 

Her  kingdom  and  her  princes. 

3  He  hath  broken  in  the  indignation  of  his  wrath 

Every  horn  of  Israel ; 
He  hath  withdrawn  his  right  hand 

From  before  the  enemy ; 
And  he  burned  like  fire  in  Jacob, 

The  flame  devoured  all  around. 

4  Bent  hath  he  his  bow  as  an  enemy, 

Stand  did  his  right  hand  as  an  adversary. 
And  he  slew  all  the  delights  of  the  eye 

In  the  tabernacle  of  the  daughter  of  Sion 
He  hath  poured  forth 

As  fire,  his  wrath. 

5  The  Lord  hath  been  like  an  enemy, 

He  hath  destroyed  Israel  ; 
He  hath  destroyed  all  his  palaces. 

He  hath  demolished  his  fortresses  ; 
He  hath  increased  in  the  daughter  of  Judah 

Mourning  and  lamentation  : 
G  And  he  hath  removed  as  a  garden 

His  tabernacle ; 

He  hath  destroyed  his  testimony ; 
Forgotten  hath  Jehovah  in  Sion 

The  assembly  and  the  Sabbath  ; 


5-i2       l^EW  TRANSLATION  OF  THE  LAMENTATIONS.    CHAP.  IL  7-14. 

He  hath  rejected,  in  the  indignation  of  his  wrath, 
The  king  and  the  priest : 

7  Abhorred  hath  Jehovah  his  altar, 

He  Iiath  cast  off  his  sanctuary  ; 
Given  up  hath  he  into  tlie  hand  of  the  enemy 

The  walls  of  her  palaces  : 
A  noise  they  made  in  the  house  of  Jeliovah, 

As  on  the  day  of  the  assembly. 

8  Resolve  did  Jehovah  to  destroy  the  wall 

Of  the  daughter  of  Sion  ; 
He  extended  a  line, 

He  drew  not  back  his  hand  from  scattering  ; 
Therefore  mourned  hath  the  rampart  and  the  wall, 

They  have  fallen  together. 

9  Sunk  have  her  gates  in  the  ground  ; 

He  hath  destroyed  and  broken  her  bars  ; 
Her  king  and  her  princes, 

They  are  among  the  heathens  ; 
There  is  no  law,  her  prophets, 

They  find  no  vision  from  Jehovah  : 
10  They  sit  on  the  ground,  they  are  silent, 

The  elders  of  the  daughter  of  Sion  ; 
They  cast  dust  on  their  head, 

They  gird  themselves  with  sackcloth  ; 
Bend  to  the  ground  their  head 

Do  the  virgins  of  Jerusalem. 


'to' 


]  1   Consume  with  tears  did  mine  eyes, 

Troubled  were  my  bowels  ; 
Poured  forth  on  the  ground  was  my  liver, 

For  the  breach  of  the  daughter  of  my  people ; 
When  the  child  and  the  suckling 

Vanished  away  in  the  streets  of  the  city. 

1 2  To  their  mothers  they  say, — 

"  Where  is  corn  and  wine  V 
While  they  vanish  away,  as  a  dying  man, 

In  the  streets  of  the  city. 
And  while  they  pour  out  their  souls 

Into  the  bosom  of  their  mothers 

13  What  can  I  testify  to  thee  ?  What  can  I  compare  to  thee, 

O  daughter  of  Jerusalem  ? 
AVhat  can  I  liken  to  thee,  to  comfort  thee, 

O  virgin,  the  daughter  of  Sion  ? 
For  great  as  the  sea  is  thy  breach, 

Who  can  heal  thee  ? 
1  !•  Thy  prophets  have  seen  for  thee 

Vanity  and  insipidity. 


CHAP.  11.  15-21.    2fEW  TllANSLATION  OF  THE  LAMENTATIONS.     543 

And  they  disclosed  not  thine  iniquity, 

That  tliey  might  reverse  thy  captivity ; 
And  they  saw  for  thee 

Prophecies  of  vanity  and  expulsions. 
15  They  clapped  at  thee  their  hands, 

All  who  passed  by  on  the  road  ; 
They  hissed  and  moved  their  head 

At  the  daughter  of  Jerusalem, — 
"  Is  this  the  city  of  which  they  said. 

Perfect  in  beauty,  the  joy  of  all  the  earth  ?" 
IG  Opened  at  thee  their  mouth 

Have  all  thine  enemies  ; 
They  hissed  and  gnashed  the  teeth, 

They  said,  "  We  shall  devour  her, 
Surely  the  day  which  we  expected 

We  have  found,  we  have  seen.'' 

1 7  Jehovah  hath  done  what  he  had  purposed ; 

He  hath  fulfilled  his  word. 
Which  he  had  commanded  from  days  of  old ; 

He  hath  overthrown  and  not  spared; 
And  he  hath  made  to  rejoice  over  thee  the  enemy. 

He  hath  raised  up  the  horn  of  thine  adversaries. 

1 8  Cry  out  did  their  heart  to  the  Lord  : 

O  wall  of  the  daughter  of  Siou, 
Make  tears  to  flow  down 

As  a  river,  day  and  night; 
Giv^e  thyself  no  rest. 

Let  not  the  pupil  of  thine  eye  cease. 
1 .9  Rise,  cry  aloud  in  the  night. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  watches ; 
Pour  out  like  waters 

Thy  heart  before  the  Lord ; 
Raise  up  to  him  thy  hands 

For  the  life  of  thy  little  ones, 
AVho  faint  through  famine 

At  the  head  of  all  the  streets. 

20  See,  Jehovah,  and  look. 

To  whom  thou  hast  done  this : 
Should  women  eat  their  own  fruit, 

Infants  while  nursed  ! 
Should  they  be  slain  in  the  Lord's  sanctuary, 

The  priest  and  the  prophet ! 

21  Lie  on  the  ground  in  the  streets 

Did  boys  and  old  men  ; 
My  virgins  and  my  young  men, 

They  fell  by  the  sword  : 
Thou  hast  killed  in  the  day  of  thy  wrath, 

Thou  hast  slaughtered  and  not  spared. 


544      NEW  TRANSLATION  OF  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  CHAP.  III.  1-19. 

22  Thou  hast  summoneii,  as  on  a  festive  day. 
My  terrors  all  around ; 
And  in  the  day  of  the  indignation  of  Jehovah, 

There  was  none  surviving  or  remaining ; 
Whom  I  nursed  and  brought  up, 
The  enemy  consumed  them. 


CHAPTER  III. 

1  I  am  a  man  who  hath  seen  afiiiction 

Through  the  rod  of  his  indignation  : 

2  Me  hath  he  led  and  made  to  go 

Into  darkness,  and  not  into  light. 

3  Surely  against  me  is  he  turned, 

He  turns  his  hand  daily. 

4  To  grow  old  hath  he  made  my  flesh  and  my  skin, 

He  hath  broken  my  bones. 

5  He  hath  builded  against  me. 

And  surrounded  me  with  gall  and  trouble. 
G  In  darkness  hath  he  made  me  to  lie 
As  the  dead  for  ever. 

7  He  hath  shut  me  up,  that  I  cannot  go  forth, 

He  hath  made  heavy  my  fetter. 

8  Even  when  I  cried,  and  cried  aloud, 

He  shut  out  my  prayer. 

9  He  hath  enclosed  my  ways  with  hewn  stones, 

My  paths  hath  he  perverted. 

10  A  bear  lying  in  wait  hath  he  been  to  me, 

A  lion  in  his  den. 

1 1  My  ways  hath  he  perverted,  and  he  hath  torn  me, 

He  hath  made  me  a  waste. 

12  He  hath  bent  his  bow,  and  made  me 

As  a  mark  for  the  arrow. 

13  He  hath  made  to  enter  into  my  reins 

The  sons  of  his  quiver. 

14  I  became  a  derision  to  all  my  people, 

Their  song  all  the  day. 
1.5  He  hath  satiated  me  with  bitterness, 

He  hath  filled  me  with  gall. 
]  G  He  hath  broken  with  pebbles  my  teeth, 

He  hath  covered  me  with  dust, 
17   And  far  removed  from  peace  is  my  soul ; 

I  have  forgotten  good. 
1  8  And  I  said,  "  Perished  hath  my  strcngtii 

And  my  hope  from  Jehovah ;" 
10  When  I  remember  my  affliction  and  my  trouble, 

The  poison  and  the  gall : 


CHAP.  III.  20-42.  NEW  TRANSLATION  OF  THE  LAMENTATIONS.    545 

20  Remembering  remember  does  my  soul. 

And  it  is  humbled  witbin  me  : 

21  This  will  I  recall  to  my  mind, 

Therefore  will  I  hope. 

22  The  mercies  of  Jehovah  !  surely  they  are  not  consumed  ; 

Surely  failed  not  have  his  compassions ; 

23  Renewed  are  they  in  the  morning  ; 

Great  is  thy  faithfulness. 

24  My  portion  is  Jehovah,  said  my  soul, 

Therefore  will  I  hope  in  him. 

25  Good  is  Jehovah  to  him  who  waits  for  him, 

To  the  soul  that  seeks  him ; 

26  Good  it  is  to  hope  and  to  be  silent, 

As  to  the  salvation  of  Jehovah  ; 

27  Good  it  is  for  a  man 

To  bear  the  yoke  in  his  j'^outh  : 

28  He  will  sit  apart,  and  be  silent, 

For  he  will  raise  it  on  himself; 

29  He  will  put  in  the  dust  his  mouth, 

If  so  be  that  there  is  hope  ; 
SO  He  will  give  to  the  smiter  his  cheek, 
He  will  be  filled  with  reproaches. 

31  For  not  cast  away  for  ever 

Will  the  Lord; 

32  For  though  he  causes  grief,  he  will  yet  show  compassion, 

According  to  the  multitude  of  his  mercies; 
S3  For  he  does  not  from  his  heart  afflict, 

Nor  cause  grief  to  the  children  of  men. 

84  When  one  tears  under  his  feet 
All  the  bound  of  the  earth, — 

35  When  he  perverts  man's  judgment 

Before  the  face  of  the  Most  High, — 

36  When  he  turns  a  man  aside  in  his  cause, — 

,  The  Lord  does  not  regard. 

37  Who  is  this  that  says,  "  It  was, 

And  God  has  not  commanded  ?" 

38  From  the  mouth  of  the  Most  Hio:h 

Can  not  good  and  evil  proceed  ? 

39  Why  should  he  weary  himself,  a  living  man, 

And  a  man  in  his  sins? 

40  Let  us  examine  our  ways,  and  search. 

And  turn  to  Jehovah ; 

41  Let  us  lift  up  our  hearts  with  our  hands 

To  God  in  the  heavens. 

42  We  have  sinned,  and  have  been  rebellious. 

Thou  hast  not  spared  ; 
VOL.  V.  2  M 


546    NEW  TRANSLATION  OF  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  CHAP.  III.  43-66. 

43  Thou  hast  covered  us  over  in  wrath,  and  pursued  us, 

Thou  hast  slain  and  not  spared. 

44  Thou  hast  covered  thyself  with  a  cloud, 

So  that  prayer  cannot  pass  through. 

45  An  oflscouring  and  a  refuse  hast  thou  made  us 

In  the  midst  of  the  nations ; 

46  Opened  at  us  their  mouth 

Have  all  our  enemies  ; 

47  Fear  and  the  pit  have  come  to  us. 

Desolation  and  a  breach. 

48  Rivers  of  waters  mine  eye  brings  down, 

For  the  breach  of  the  daughter  of  my  people  : 

49  Mine  eye  flows  down  and  rests  not ; 

There  will  be  no  intermissions, 

50  Until  Jehovah  looks  down, 

And  beholds  from  heaven. 

51  Mine  eye  grieves  my  soul, 

Because  of  all  the  daughters  of  my  city. 

52  Hunting  they  have  hunted  me  as  a  sparrow, 

AVho  are  mine  enemies  without  cause  ; 

53  They  have  made  fast  in  a  pit  my  life, 

And  cast  a  stone  over  me ; 

54  Flowed  have  waters  over  my  head; 

I  said,  I  am  cut  off. 

35  I  called  on  thy  name,  Jehovah, 
From  the  deepest  pit  : 

56  My  voice  hast  thou  heard ;  close  not  thine  ear 

To  my  groaning,  to  my  cry. 

57  Thou  didst  draw  nigh  in  the  day  I  cried  to  thee. 

Thou  didst  say,  "  Fear  not  :" 

58  Thou  hast,  O  Lord,  pleaded  the  causes  of  my  soul. 

Thou  hast  redeemed  my  life. 

59  Thou  hast  seen,  O  Jehovah,  my  oppression  ; 

Defend  my  cause. 

60  Thou  hast  seen  all  their  vengeances, 

All  their  counsels  against  me. 

61  Thou  hast  heard,  O  Jehovah,  their  reproaches, 

All  their  counsels  against  me, — 

62  The  speeches  of  those  who  rose  against  me. 

And  their  words  against  me  daily. 

63  Look  on  their  sitting  down  and  their  rising  up  ; 

I  am  their  sons:. 

64  Render  to  them  their  reward,  O  Jehov«ih, 

According  to  the  work  of  their  hands. 
G5   Give  them  blindness  of  heart; 

Thy  curse  be  on  tliem. 
66  Pursue  them  in  wrath,  and  destroy  them 

From  under  the  heavens  of  Jehovah, 


CHAP.  IV.  MO.      NEW  TRANSLATION  OF  THE  LAMENTATIONS.    547 


CHAPTER  IV. 

1  How  obscured  is  the  gold  ! 

How  changed  is  the  fine  gold ! 
Cast  forth  have  been  the  stones  of  the  sanctuary 
At  the  head  of  all  the  streets ! 

2  The  precious  sons  of  Sion, 

Clothed  in  gold, 
How  they  are  counted  as  earthen  pitchers, 
The  work  of  the  potter's  hands  ! 

3  Even  serpents  draw  out  the  breast. 

They  suckle  their  young  ones  : 
The  daughter  of  my  people  was  cruel. 
Like  the  ostriches  in  the  desert. 

4  Cleave  did  the  tongue  of  the  suckling 

To  the  roof  of  his  mouth  for  thirst ; 
The  little  ones  asked  bread, 
No  one  divided  to  them. 

5  They  who  fed  on  delicacies 

Perished  in  the  streets; 
They  who  had  been  brought  up  in  scarlet 
Embraced  the  dunghills  : 

6  And  the  punishment  of  the  daughter  of  my  people 

Has  been  greater  than  the  punishment  of  Sodom, 
Which  was  overthrown  as  in  a  moment, 
And  no  strokes  remained  on  her. 

7  Purer  were  her  Nazarites  than  snow, 

"Whiter  than  milk ; 
They  were  ruddy  in  their  body, 
Above  precious  stones; 
Sapphire  was  their  polish  : 

8  Darker  than  darkness  became  their  form, 

They  were  not  known  in  the  streets ; 
Cleave  did  their  skin  to  their  bones, 
It  became  dry  as  wood. 

9  Better  were  the  slain  with  the  sword 

Than  the  slain  with  famine  : 
They  pined  away,  having  been  pierced  through 

By  the  fruits  of  the  field. 
10  The  hands  of  compassionate  mothers 

Boiled  their  own  offspring  ; 
They  became  food  for  them. 

At  the  destruction  of  the  daughter  of  my  people. 


548    NEW  TRANSLATION  OF  THE  LAMENTATIONS.  CHAP.  IV.  1  1-21. 

11  Fulfilled  lias  Jehovah  his  wrath; 

He  poured  forth  the  indignation  of  his  wrath ; 
And  he  kindled  a  fire  in  Sion, 
Which  devoured  her  foundations. 

12  They  could  not  have  believed,  the  kings  of  the  earth, 

Nor  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  world, 
That  enter  would  the  adversary  and  the  enemy 
Into  the  gates  of  Jerusalem. 

13  For  the  sin  of  her  prophets. 

The  iniquities  of  her  priests, 
Who  shed  in  the  midst  of  her 
The  blood  of  the  righteous, — 

14  They  wandered  blind  in  the  streets, 

They  were  polluted  with  blood ; 
Because  they  could  not 
But  touch  their  garments. 

15  Depart  ye,  "  Unclean,"  they  cried  to  them. 

Depart,  depart,  come  not  near  : 
Because  they  fled,  and  also  wandered, 
They  said  among  the  Gentiles, 
"  They  shall  not  return  to  dwell  ; 

1 6  The  face  of  Jehovah  hath  divided  them. 

He  will  no  more  regard  them." 
The  face  of  the  priests  they  respected  not, 
And  to  the  elders  they  shewed  no  mercy. 

17  While  we  were  yet  standing,  our  eyes  failed. 

As  to  our  vain  help ; 
In  our  looking  out  we  looked  out 
To  a  nation  that  could  not  save  us. 

1 8  They  hunted  our  steps, 

So  that  we  could  not  walk  in  our  streets  ; 
Draw  near  did  our  end,  fulfilled  were  our  days, 

Surely  come  did  our  end. 
1  J)  Swifter  were  our  pursuers 

Than  the  eagles  of  heaven  ; 
On  the  mountains  they  followed  us. 

They  lay  in  wait  for  us  in  the  desert. 

20  The  spirit  of  our  nostrils,  the  anointed  of  Jehovah, 

Was  taken  in  their  snares  ; 
Of  whom  we  said,  "  Under  his  shadow 
We  shall  live  among  the  nations." 

21  Rejoice  and  be  glad,  thou  daughter  of  Edom, 

Who  dwellest  in  the  land  of  Uz  ! 
To  thee  also  shall  the  cup  pass  over. 

Thou  shalt  be  inebriated  and  made  naked. 


CHAP.  V.  1-19.      NEW  TRANSLATION  OP  THE  LAMENTATIONS.      549 

22  Completed  is  thy  punishment,  0  (laughter  of  Sion, 
He  will  no  more  deliver  thee  into  exile  ; 
He  will  visit  thine  iniquity,  O  daughter  of  Edom, 
And  will  uncover  thy  sin. 

CHAPTER  V. 

1  Remember,  0  Jehovah,  what  has  come  to  us ; 

Look,  and  see  our  reproach  : 

2  Our  heritage  is  turned  over  to  foreigners. 

Our  houses  to  aliens. 

3  Orphans  are  we  become,  without  a  father ; 

Our  mothers  are  as  widows. 

4  Our  own  water,  for  money  we  drink  ; 

Our  own  wood,  for  a  price  it  comes  to  us. 

5  On  our  necks  have  we  suffered  persecution  ; 

We  have  laboured,  and  had  no  rest. 

6  To  the  Egyptians  we  extended  the  hand. 

To  the  Assyrians,  to  be  satisfied  with  bread. 

7  Our  fathers  sinned,  and  are  not  ; 

And  we  their  iniquities  have  borne. 

8  Servants  have  ruled  over  us  ; 

None  delivered  from  their  hands. 

9  AVith  our  life  have  we  procured  our  bread. 

Because  of  the  drought  of  the  desert. 

10  Our  skins  are  like  an  oven  black, 

Because  of  the  burnings  of  famine. 

11  Women  in  Sion  have  been  ravished, 

Virgins  in  the  cities  of  Judah. 

12  Princes  by  their  own  hand  were  hung, 

The  faces  of  elders  were  not  honoured. 

13  Young  men  they  took  to  grind, 

And  boys  under  the  wood  fell. 

14  Elders  ceased  from  the  gate, 

Young  men  from  their  music. 
16  Ceased  has  the  joy  of  our  heart, 

Turned  into  mourning  has  our  dance. 

16  Fallen  has  the  crown  of  our  head  ; 

AVoe  now  to  us,  for  we  have  sinned  ! 

17  Therefore  faint  is  our  heart  ; 

For  this  darkened  are  our  eyes, 

1 8  Even  for  mount  Sion,  which  is  desolate  ; 

Foxes  pass  through  it. 

1 9  Thou  Jehovah  for  ever  sittest, 

Thy  throne  is  through  all  ages. 


550     NEW  TRANSLATION  OF  THE  LAME2^TATI0NS.     CHAP.  V.  20-22. 

20  Why  shouldest  thou  perpetually  forget  us, 

And  forsake  us  for  ever  ? 

21  Turn  us,  Jehovah,  to  thee,  and  we  shall  be  turned  ; 

Kcnew  our  days  as  of  old  ; 

22  Except  thou  hast  wholly  rejected  us, 

And  hast  become  very  angry  with  us. 


PRAISE  TO  GOD. 


END  OF  THE  NEW  TRANSLATION. 


INDEX 


OF  HEBREW  WORDS  EXPLAINED. 


Vol.    Page 

Vol.    Page 

Vol.    Page 

on^ns*  V.  143 

ijn:«  K^:s  ii.  291 

CD't-linn     i.  331,  333, 

CDIX    ii.  291 

D''K^:x  iv.  549 

493 

D^anN    V.  305 
••inN     i.  263; 

noni^DH  '\y:i^  iv.  476 

inn   i.  355 ; 

P1D5<     i.  440; 

ii.   115 

iii.  310; 

ii.  44 

nin"'n     i.  278 

iv.  327; 

fl«     i.  239; 

^J^<^  CD^n  v.  97 

V.  418 

ii.   341  ; 

n^2  iv.  429 

|1X     i.  223 

iii.  302 

nD2  iv.   92; 

PX    ii.  369 

"•SN   ii.  276; 

V.  9 
rn     1.  446 

"1im    ii.   160 

iv.  192 

"•nns    ii.  200,  201 

1VS    V.  62 

yb    V.  261 

nnn5<  iii.  432, 433 

nms  iv.    447 

nD2  iv.   200 

PX,  \S     i.  269 

CDVnt^    V.   190 

p  iv.   106 

••r^    V.  340 

TIN*    ii.  280 

n:3  V.  65 

C-'J^    V.  182     . 

PD-IN  iv.  36 

CDynrc'^:2  ii.  378 

n3''N*    V.  301,  303 

V2l^i^     i.  270 

"IDDn    ii.  141 

CD^S    V.   181 

■IB^K     i.  243,  484  ; 

h:!2     i.  178 
^n^i;2     i.   178; 

tr''K   ii.  291; 

ii.  319; 

iii.  247 

iv.  106,  200, 

HK     i.  144,  175, 

239; 

iv.  129 

263,  265  ; 

V.   196 

nyn  ii.  39 
n^iya    i.  504 

ii.  120; 

ns  ii.  6; 

iii.  339 ; 

V.  287 

yvn  iii.  105 

.     iv.  190 
PX  ii.  6,179; 

D''nmn  ns  iii.  83 

nnV3,  -ivn  ii.  298 

D^anS  iii.  278 

p3pn    ii.  432,444 

iii.  382,451; 

OnS     i.   134; 

^:1t^•K-ln  i.  379 

iv.  204,  352, 

iii.  426 

nnn  ii.  89 

577; 

Itrn    ii.  149 

V.    198 
nPK  iii.   155,  443, 

3   ii.  231,  413: 

nn  V.  458 

iv.   107 

448; 

Sn  ii.  148 

PN:i    ii.  133,  164, 

,      iv.  498,  537. 
••PK     i.  198 

riDSn  iii.  400 

165 
PS:i  iv.  79 

"lt^3     i.   322 

novn-i'Ni.  208 

ni2     i.   169,  277 

CD'2^    ii.  206 

DK     i.  366; 

mn     i.   170 

nnj  iv.  114 

iii.  86 

CDHJn     i.  460 

Onaj     i.   285; 

«7  Di<    V.  193 

niinn  v.  34. 178 

iv.  476; 

pOK  iv.  599 
njlOS     i.  408,  462 

inn    i.  236 
nipnn  ii.  265 

,        V.   179 

nvii  iv.  570 

"I1DX  iii.  119 

n  iv.   106 

nnij  m:  v.  393 

IDS  iv.  234 

]M    V.  65 

CD'-li     i.  407,  507 

DDK  iv.  234; 

•nU     i.  322;. 

D^31  D^U  iii.  261 

vijcr^ii  V.  109 

V.   216 

iv.  376 

552 


INDEX  OF  HEBREW  WORDS. 


Vol. 

Page 

nnj,  rn  v. 

395 

^n  iii. 

69,77 

"113  iv. 

51 

ani:  V. 

459 

Djn  K^Jl  i. 

412; 

ii. 

434 

^^JJ  iv. 

325 

OJ     i. 

98,  142, 

289,  429, 

438; 

ii. 

197; 

iii. 

261; 

iv. 

57,  104, 

453,  595; 

V. 

,  12,  215, 

458 

yii  iii. 

308 

nsT  iv. 
:i^1    ii. 

nm  ii. 

onm  ii. 

-in  i. 

K^n  v. 

noT  i. 

Tl^Dn  i. 

nv^^i  ii. 

n  ii. 

••yi    i. 

TiT     i. 

\£m  iii. 

iv. 

^^yi  ii. 
nsK^n  v. 

}C>T  iv. 


118 

352 

202 

203 

134,  409 

143 

442 

315 

231 

269 

344 

461 

420; 

368 

208 

143 


n    V.  325 
Dn?OSn  iii.  72 
-IIDNH  iv.  376 
hin    ii.  40 
mn    V.   35,  310, 
326,  451 
ni^2:n  iii.  415 
•n^Iin     i.  207 
''n''i5jn  iii.  421 

nr  sin  iv.  44, 74  ■ 
D^ipnnn  v.  176 

nvjnn  iv.  376 
C3nnnx  CDinnv.  159 
niDH  V.  455 

TIM  iii.  289; 

V.   37,  218 

n:vr]  iv.  590 


Vol.    Page 
CD13n     i.  313 
1^5.1     i.  464; 
iv.  53,  543 
DmSn  iii.  434 

hhn    V.   181 

\)Dn   ii.  36; 

iv.  599 

n^n  iv.  412 
^::n  ii.  312; 

iv.  301,  513 
TO^BH    ii.  272 

r\:z>n  iv.  147 

Cjyhv  CD^I^ri  iii.  64 
ID^n  iv.  52 
TlDpn  iv.  250 
D''itJ'5<in  ii.  87 

n:3in  iv.  589 

Din  iv.   122 
Vnn  iii.  286 

nnn   ii.  339 

brT'-i'SI  V.  198 
)1}2V  QiSI  iii.  172 
CDnxt^^jn-DNI  iii.  60 

CDJI  iii.  339; 

iv.   348 

ISn^l  iv.  510 

m''  i6)    ii.   233 

nijn  i6)   i.  199 

DC^-HDIJI  i.  442 

i>2i1    V.  174  : 

ansr  v.  197 

ni<T    V.   406 

nnt  V.  456 

pT     i.  271 
VIT  iii.  236 

n^r    ii.  198 

jpr  i.  333 

mr    ii.  262 

hn    V.  463 
prn  iii.   170 

prn  V.  175, 176 

XDH    ii.  237 
nSDn    V.  462 
i»M  iv.  597 
'•i'n    ii.  48 
Tll^n    ii.  48 

^^n  iii.  296; 
iv.  61 


Vol. 

chhn  v. 
Don  V. 

"IDH    V. 

i-iDnron  v. 

^non  iv. 

non    i. 

fan    i. 

pn  ii. 

D^n  ii. 

npn  iv. 

nnn  v. 

nnnn  iii. 

iv. 

inn    i. 

iii. 

V. 

Din  iv. 
Din   ii. 

n''Din  ii. 

C'ln    ii. 

iK^n  V. 
nn   i. 

iii. 

nnn  v. 


Page 
41 
353 
339 
363 
192 
70 

327,  330 
13 
13 
598 
501 
255; 
9,  529 
239; 
302; 
327 
149 
432 
432 

432,  435 
7 

62; 
72 
117,  179 


nnt}  iv.  430 
inD  iv.  236 
nniD  iii.  224 
t<1p"'5<DL:K»Dv.475 


ti^iS^  i. 

nnt^''  ii. 
ni"'  V. 

PJI^  iv. 

nnn"'  ii. 

Pin*"  iii. 

n^L'^n*'  ii. 

P""  iv. 

n^""  iv. 

n:'   iii. 

niD^  ii. 

1D^  iii. 

iv. 

IIV^  i. 

n^y  v. 
n:y^  v. 

nDV  ii. 
NV^  iv. 

11^  i. 

^yc^^   v. 

|y3D'^  i. 

u^::'"'  iv. 


122,  403 

20 

326 

568 

136 

271 

173,  176 

180 

590 

106  ■ 

304 

363 

352; 

97 

350 

10 

182 

441 

148 

135 

196 

270 

285 


INDEX  OF  HEBREW  WORDS. 


553 


Vol.    Page 
CD^^    V.   194 
•^^'<  iii.  71 
pisn"*    V.  431 

mn^  V.  41 

3    ii.  6,178,413 
IK't^D     i.   162; 
iv.  263 
^3D  iv.  38 
^22    ii.   lU 
niD     i.  386 
□••il^,  p3  i.  386 

^tn3  iv.  589 
tJ'nS     i.  278 
^3     i.  109,  247  ; 
ii.  6, 144, 221; 
iii.  126,  212, 

384; 
iv.  107,  376, 
501,  598; 
v.  49,88,190, 
269,  407 
D«  '•D     i.  365  ; 
iii.  81 
-10  "-D     i.  227 
V:2  ""D     i.  227 
TlT-D     i.  350 
p-py  ''D  iii.  457 
-IDD  iv.  382 

ijD  iv.  240 

ntj'p  ''^■n-i'D  V.  169 
avn-^3  V.  391 

nb     i.  240,  275 

^h^  iii.  123 
dWd    v.  373 


1.  275; 
V.  373 
V.  34 

yjD    ii.  44 
DID    ii.  143 


P 


i'Cj': 


ans 


ii.  407  ; 
V.  173,  329 
V.  455,  456 


h    ii.  37,  231 ; 

iii.  105,  137  ; 

iv.  293 

Vh    v.  198 

li6   iv.  543 

TIVX  i6    ii.  369 


Vol.    Page 

''n"'isnn  i<^  ii.  370 
vnn  p  xi^  V.  35 
1^  n)r]>  i6  iv.  355 

IDiih     i.  152 

]nn  uij  ii.  405 

nn^  iv.  252 

arh  iv.  282 
ly^nn^  iv.  54 

naiD^J    ii.  218 
^b    ii.  263 

nin-'i?   i.  278 

i?    i.  69; 

iv.  570 

ph    i.  256; 

iv.  32; 

V.  101,276 

n^PD?     i.  386 

V^:h    ii.  215 

DDTlltTQii'  ii.  378 

n^vb     i.  485; 
iii.  164 
np7  iii.  202,  203 


i?' 


D3N0  V. 

D1XD  V. 

TND  ii. 

^rT-^^DO  i. 

IVDD  i. 

ni^JD  iv. 
pD  iv. 
-nJJD    V. 
imD     i. 

D'^nno  V. 
ynD  iv. 

DHD     i. 

DDDHD  iii. 

J1D    V. 

iriD     i. 

^ID     i. 

1D10    _i. 

ii. 

iii. 

iv. 

nilDID  iii. 

nyio  iv. 

V. 

niD    ii. 


165 

440 

21 

446 

355 

325 

575 

453 

475 

372 

576 

441 

16 

97 

271 

604 

407; 

384; 

352; 

198,  316 

352 

592; 

331,  354 

179 


Vol. 

D'^DPnO  iii. 
«-lt3D  V. 
niK'"'D  iii. 
2«30  iv. 
i6D  ii. 
ni6D  iii. 
nDrhD    i. 

nJpr2 

DnDD 

P 


IV. 


V. 
V, 

ii. 

V. 

i. 

ii. 

iv. 

3DD  iii. 

n"'nDD  iii. 

DVO  iv. 

bv^  iii. 
pt^SlD    ii. 

pniD  iv. 

ni-lD    V. 

D11D    ii. 

nnn  ii. 
HDID     i. 

t^K^D  iii. 
nxti'D  iv. 
riNB^D     i. 

V. 

x;:i^o  iii. 

n2^D     i. 

^tJ'D  iii. 

DK^O    V. 

DDK^D     i. 

ii. 

^y-TlD    ii. 

miJDD  iv. 


Page 
425 
398 
71 
568 
135 

427 

229 

543 

55 

328 

369; 

36,  443 

459 

220,  388 ; 

260,  462 

55 

19 

39 

238 

361 

595 

314 

360 

306 

304 

205,  216 

447 

314; 

371 

453 

165 

237,  444 

140 

254,  264 

62 

201 

96 


«:  iv. 

D^mw  V. 

mn''  DW  iii. 
J*«:  iii. 

h2^    ii. 

nbj  iii. 

mj  V. 

C'Ni:)    ii. 

d:   ii. 

iv. 

nn    i. 

Dm    ii. 


600 
324 
203 
169 

169,  357 

449 

334 

403,  404 

259; 

96 

409 

260; 


554 


INDEX  OF  HEBREW  WORDS. 


Vol. 
Dm  iv. 

ntj^n:  iv. 
nm  iii. 
ntoj  ii. 

^D:    v. 

^DJ    ii. 

iii. 

m^3  V. 

id:   ii. 

^yj   i. 

73J  iii. 
iv. 

f*Si    V. 

t>'3:    ii. 

iv. 

n:*'j    i. 

Dnvj   i. 

npj  iii. 

iv. 

t<1pJ  iii. 

t<tJ>J     i. 

iii. 

V. 

r\^:  iii. 

s^tJ^:  ii. 
pn:  ii. 
i^n:  ii. 

33D  iv. 

1)0  ii. 

P)1D  V. 

niD  i. 

I-IID  V. 

DniD  i. 

"i-no    i. 

V. 

nno  iv. 

V. 

"•no  V. 

D^n^D  iv. 

ni^^D  iv. 

-lOD    V. 

"IDD  iv. 

DnSD  iv. 

D''DnD  iii. 

iv. 

D^-lD  no  i. 


Page 
489 
597 
72 
35 
416 
136; 
217 
319 
39 
31 
64; 
374 

18,  230 
378; 
118 
225 
224 
288; 
23 
287 

314,384; 
216; 
440 
216 
178 
126 
153 

114 

287 

94 

112,  332 

475 

112 

297; 

397 

398; 

194 

439 

398 

184,  232 

239 

325 

337 

415; 

296 

356 


Vol.     Page 

•nny  iii.  260 
n^2V  i.  244 
lai;    i.  107; 

iii.   152; 

iv.  282 

imaj;  V.  33 

IV  iv.   138 
my     i.  344 

h)V    V.  414 

D^iy    ii.  413; 

iii.  254; 

V.  79,  112 

py    ii.  229 ; 

iii.  288; 

V.  462 

niiy  iii.  361 

liy    ii.  265 

niy    V.  450 

Tiniy    V.  449 

2]V    ii.  136 

n'fV  iv.  610 

nV^I  '•TV  ii.  330 

P)Dy    V.  364 

HD^y  iv.  118 

"I'ly    ii.  265 

hv  iv.  231,  352; 

V.  369 

nnvnn  nan  bv  ii.  203 
rhv  V.  20 

V.  416 


lb 

bbv 


HDV    i.  107; 

ii.  167; 

iii.  367; 

iv.  13 


1.  267 

V.  326 

i.  65 

i.  495 

\)DV  iv.  615 

m»y  iv.  610 

njy    ii.  210; 
V.  397 
D''J:y,pj;  iii.  361 

nnvy.ivy  i.  459 

"llVy  iv.   350 
3pV     i.  464 
my  iii.  271 ; 
iv.  44 

*l"iy  iv.  575 

D''D"iy    V.  166 

l]nV    ii.  347; 

V.  10,  11 

f^ny    ii.  414 

ntry    ii.  208 

niC^y  iii.  105 


Vol.    Page 
P^V    i.  319; 
iii.  69,  105 

nxs     i.  506 
yjD    ii.  272; 
iii.  380 

ma  iv.  79 
p3  iii.   123,  300 

nns,  inti  v.  440 

S^S  iv.   170,  186 
niS^D,  D^K^a  V.  321 
□"•ui'S  iv.  539 
D'-D^i^Q  iv.  559 


?DS 


V.  83 

i.  62 

V.  223 

IpQ    ii.  254 

DDIpD    V.  42 

D"1D    ii.  308 

niD"IS   iv.  612 

tnS      i.  250 

v.  333 

nfiJ'S  iii.  19; 

v.  397 

DNDD     i.  355 


br\)i  ii. 

V. 

niV  ii. 

n:;  i. 

D-'^V  V. 

S*  ii. 

nioi'V  ii. 

n:v  iv. 

nyv  iv. 

mv  i. 

n^;  i. 

V. 

P)"!^  V. 


198; 

143 

298 

215 

182 

13 

179 

179 

575 

39,  600 

249 

455; 

207 

223 


Iplp    V.  50 

trrp  iii.  86 

mp    ii.  212 

b)p     i.  249 

Dip  iv.  247 

niJ''p    V.  301 

ncnn~)''p  v.  35 

bbp,  rkp  iii.  448 

n^p    ii.  429; 

iv.  224 


INDEX  OF  HEBREW  WORDS. 


555 


VoL 

Page 

Vol 

Page 

VoL 

Page 

DDp 

iii. 

361 

D'-vcn  _i. 

303; 

yiDC  iv. 

284; 

n^invp  Yp  i. 

506; 

iv. 

51 

V. 

339 

V. 

111 

m''JK^  iii. 

237 

xip 

ii. 

357; 

PXB^  iii. 

292; 

-^V^     i. 

308; 

iv. 

348; 

bi^li^    ii. 

590 

ii. 

406 

V. 

290, 

341 

250 

DnytJ'  iii. 

442 

r\p 

iv. 

348 

p^<£^'  iv. 

605 

miy^^  ii. 

406 

i^p 

i. 

138 

nnxt:^  iii. 

273 

DD^r  iv. 

36 

ntJ'  iii. 

246 

Ip^     i. 

40 

"•n^«-i 

ii. 

199 

"13K^     V. 

278,  440 

-iptJ'     i. 

461; 

E^K"l 

i. 

441, 

481; 

ITC^   V. 

37,  280 

ii. 

40; 

iii. 

164; 

mc^    V. 

69. 

iii. 

409 

V. 

399 

2)^     i. 

165,  423 ; 

"ICJ'  iii. 

19 

nt^«-i 

ii. 

184 

V. 

194 

na^  iii. 

415 

n:iti'K-i 

ii. 

325 

D"1C>    V. 

94 

Dn^i'    V. 

179 

nai 

V. 

169 

ni2J^     i. 

303 

niK^  iv. 

262 

m 

iv. 

598' 

p-lIC^     i. 

112,  113 

bn  ii. 

D^ai 

iii. 

261, 

357; 

nntj^  iii. 
b:^^  ii. 

86 

35 

V. 

169, 

184 

52 

vin    i. 

236 

pn-i 

iv. 

595 

V. 

141 

min  ii. 

388 

V3"i 

V. 

89,  190 

DDIJ^     i. 

402 

i^Din    i. 

163 

m-i 

i. 

136; 

"•nJ3K^     i. 

369; 

D''3i:nn  iv. 

72 

V. 

327 

D^i'tJ'  iii. 

215 

nnn    i. 

432 

im 

i. 

135 

169 

n^Dn    i. 

322 

nn 

i. 

135 

vh^  V. 

109 

ni;n  iv. 

501 

V. 

314 

n\^  ii. 

143 

"lyn  iv. 

346 

nn 

iv. 

88 

n^^  ii. 

445 

iK^yn  ui. 

81 

nn 

iii. 

97 

nv)^^  ii. 

53; 

D''vnvn  v. 

224 

,      ^^ 

iii. 

105 

V. 

80 

Pin    ii. 

441 

i)>Dn,  i»r 

I  i. 

464, 

465 

DOB^     i. 

91,454; 

EJ'Sn     i. 

82 

Dl 

iv. 

122 

iii. 

255; 

nan  _i. 

412; 

ny-i 

ii. 

229; 

V. 

94,  194 

ii. 

442 

iii. 

395 

HDOC^  iv. 

529 

y\^r\    i. 

198 

nin 

iv. 

633 

'OD^J'     i. 

305 

inn  ii. 

35 

INDEX 


OP  PASSAGES  QUOTED  OR  EXPLAINED. 


GENESIS. 

Chap. 

Ver.   Vol. 

Page 

Chap. 

Ver.  Vol. 

Page 

Chap. 

Ver.  Vol. 

Page 

XX. 

8   ii. 

383 

iv. 

6-8     i. 

233 

XXX. 

12-14  V. 

377 

Chap. 

Ver.   Vol. 

Page 

10   ii. 

381 

V. 

276 

15-19  iii. 

267 

i. 

9    i. 

295 

11    ii. 

382 

312 

313 

22   ii. 

301 

12   ii. 

381 

15   ii. 

378 

xxxii. 

8,9   ii. 

195 

26,  27  V. 

315 

18    i. 

372 

29  iii. 

233 

15  iii. 

113 

iii. 

6,7    V. 

315 

24   ii. 

241 

V. 

9    ii. 

315 

iv. 

97 

iv. 

9,13    ii. 

315 

xxi. 

2  iv. 

281 

14   ii. 

381 

29    V. 

320 

vi. 

3  iv. 

351 

xxxi. 

13    ii. 

381 

22,  23  i. 

372 

30    i. 

96 

viii. 

17    ii. 

301 

xxxii. 

32  iii. 

393 

33  iii. 

181 

32    i. 

486 

ix. 

6  iv. 

473 

xxxiii. 

3    ii. 

79 

iv. 

181 

ii. 

248 

1,7    ii. 

301 

xxxiv. 

7    ii. 

315 

X. 

12  iii. 

233 

xii. 

3     i. 

95 

14    i. 

105 

xi. 

32    i. 

482 

7  iv. 

19 

xii. 

4,  5  iv. 

200 

JOSHUA. 

XV. 

6  iv. 

265 

26  iv. 

64 

V. 

157 

LEVITICUS. 

xiii. 

3    i. 

311 

vii. 

19  'ii. 

177 

13  iv. 

19 

iii. 

373 

xxiii. 

11    ii. 

378 

xvii. 

1    ii. 

392 

xiii. 

45    V. 

475 

XV. 

6    V. 

498 

2    ii. 

430 

xix. 

10     i. 

325 

16,17  iv. 

281 

10    i. 

205 

13  ui. 

95 

xvii. 

6  iv. 

527 

T 

xviii. 

20,21  ii. 

210 

16    i. 

357 

12  iii. 

14 

Juuuj::;s. 

xxii. 

2    i. 

413 

465 

16  iv. 

494 

280 

17  iv. 

39 

; 

23,  25  iv. 

61 

xviii. 

18  iii. 

372 

iii. 

15    V. 

18    i. 

95 

XX. 

10    i. 

153 

iv. 

527 

vi. 

36-40  iv. 

661 

1  Ck 

XXV. 

3, 15  iii. 

275 

xxi. 

1    ii. 

309 

V. 

122 

xi. 

24    V. 

12 

1  Ck/* 

13, 16  V. 

103 

xxii. 

24   ii. 

79 

xxii. 

22    i. 

153 

XX. 

32    ii. 

126 

27  iii. 

64 

xxvi. 

19    i. 

159 

21-24  V. 

504 

xxvi. 

4    i. 

95 

ii. 

203 

xxiv. 

16  iv. 

172 

iv. 

266 

30    i. 

411 

21     i. 

325 

RUTH. 

xxviii. 

14  iv. 

266 

34,  35  V. 

316 

xxvii. 

15,16  ii. 

74 

XXX. 

33    V. 

210 

43    V. 

316 

26   ii. 

121 

i. 

17    V. 

79 

xliii. 

14  iv. 

492 

iii. 

156 

xlvii. 

9  iv. 

83 

xxviii. 

13    V. 

310 

NUMBERS. 

30  iv. 

61 

1  SAMUEL. 

37  iii. 

236 

EXODUS. 

xiv. 

18   ii. 

]75 

iv. 

251 

ii. 

6   ii. 

414 

400 

58  iii. 

156 

iii. 

150 

iii. 

8    ii. 

79 

427 

66,67  iv. 

418 

iv. 

122 

12  iv. 

561 

xviii. 

21  iv. 

163 

xxix. 

4     i. 

211 

7    ii. 

246 

21  iv. 

297 

xix. 

11,16  i. 

415 

iii. 

228 

10    V. 

484 

xi. 

3  iv. 

297 

xxi. 

27    V. 

51 

18    i. 

485 

xiv. 

44    V. 

79 

xiii. 

5    ii. 

79 

28    V. 

49 

25  iii. 

407 

XV. 

22    i. 

396 

XV. 

7    ii. 

164 

29    V. 

12 

29  iii. 

183 

411 

xvii. 

15  iii. 

144 

30    V. 

7 

XXX. 

1,2,3  iii. 

439 

ii 

102 

XX. 

6     i. 

ii. 

109 
315 

4  iv. 

70 

206 

iii. 

328 
312 

V. 

600 

DEUTERONOMY. 

V. 

477 

35   ii. 

96 

6  iii. 

93 

12    i. 

233 

xvi. 

1    ii. 

96 

/ 

iv. 

171 

ii. 

26    V. 

7 

iii. 

181 

7    i. 

268 

TNDEX  OF  SCRIPTURE  PASSAGES. 


557 


2  SAMUEL. 

PSALMS. 

Chap. 

Ver.  Vol. 

Page 

Chap. 

Ver.   Vol. 

Page 

Ixxviii. 

67,68  iv. 

76 

CXV. 

1    iv. 

240 

Chap.      Ver.   Vol. 

Page 

Chap. 

Ver.   Vol. 

Page 

Ixxix. 

2,3     i. 

416 

3    V. 

428 

iii.      35    V. 

79 

ii. 

3    V. 

486 

ii. 

304 

8     i. 

294 

vii.  12, 13  iv. 

266 

7  iii. 

139 

iv. 

275 

cxvi. 

12,13    V. 

210 

14,15  ii. 

61 

v. 

5    i. 

273 

6    ii. 

65 

16  iv. 

18 

236 

viii. 

2    V. 

450 

iii. 

108 

604 

xii.       29    V. 

58 

XV. 

1,2    ii. 

247 

V. 

384 

cxviii. 

18    ii. 

61 

xvi.     5, 6    V. 

428 

xvi. 

5    V. 

409 

9  iv. 

240 

cxix. 

10-16  iii. 

233 

xix.  31,37  iv. 

476 

xviii. 

26  iii. 

209 

Ixxx. 

8  iv. 

220 

T' 

3,125  iv. 

48 

iv. 

327 

Ixxxi. 

10  iv. 

85 

103    ii. 

284 

xix. 

11    ii. 

284 

Ixxxii. 

6  iii. 

355 

cxx. 

5    V. 

103 

1  KINGS. 

12    V, 

171 

Ixxxiv. 

6  iv. 

73 

cxxiii. 

1,  2  iv. 

293 

xxii. 

1      V. 

447 

V. 

128 

cxxv. 

2  iii. 

71 

ix.         7  iii. 

236 

4    V. 

454 

9, 10    V. 

483 

cxxvi. 

1,4  iv. 

99 

xi.  7,33    V. 

12 

xxiii. 

4  iv. 

491 

Ixxxv. 

5  iii. 

311 

6  iv. 

72 

40  iii. 

278 

6    V. 

510 

Ixxxvi, 

.  5, 15  iii. 

290 

cxxix. 

6    ii. 

348 

xii.  29-31  iv. 

64 

6,7  iv. 

88 

Ixxxvii. 

1    ii. 

49 

cxxx. 

4  iv. 

219 

xxi.      23  iv. 

358 

xxiv. 

1    ii. 

327 

iv. 

150 

328 

xxvi. 

9    ii. 

280 

229 

cxxxii. 

7    ii. 

241 

xxvii. 

3  iv. 

491 

3,4    ii. 

158 

11  iv. 

252 

2  KINGS. 

xxviii. 

2    V. 

382 

6  iv. 

150 

13,14    V. 

275 

XXX. 

5     i. 

174 

Ixxxix. 

3  iv. 

252 

14     i. 

254 

ix.       11  iii. 

454 

ii. 

427 

26  iv. 

76 

334 

34  iv. 

358 

xxxii. 

2     i. 

425 

27  iu. 

139 

383 

X.       15  iv. 

304 

6  iii. 

437 

V. 

484 

iii. 

290 

xiii.         5    V. 

280 

XXXV. 

4-6    ii. 

279 

33,34    ii. 

61 

302 

XX.       12    V. 

123 

xxxvii. 

1,7,8    V. 

16 

236 

iv. 

356 

xxiv.        7  iv. 

573 

6  iii. 

39 

V. 

420 

cxxxiv. 

2    V. 

382 

XXV.         7  iii. 

120 

xxxviii 

12  iv. 

404 

36-38     i. 

254 

cxxxvii. 

4  iv. 

81 

22  iii. 

346 

xl. 

7  iv. 

325 

450 

V. 

129 

14,  15  iv. 

404 

iii. 

83 

7    ii. 

153 

xii. 

9  iii. 

36 

119 

V. ' 

79,95 

1  CHRONICLES. 

xliv. 

2    ii. 

106 

V. 

394 

488 

3     i. 

80 

37  iv. 

40 

8,9   V. 

453 

V.       14  iii. 

275 

23    v. 

203 

]44  ( 

cxxxviii 

.       8    ii. 

360 

XX.     1,2    V. 

58 

1. 

12     i. 

346 

460 

cxxxix. 

2    V. 

452 

L4,23    ii. 

388 

xciv. 

8    ii. 

453 

7-12  iii. 

188 

Ii. 

15  iv. 

38 

iv. 

46 

cxlii. 

5  iii 

301 

2  CHRONICLES. 

Iii. 

8    ii. 

104 

cii. 

2    V. 

394 

cxliii. 

6  iv. 

65 

Iv. 

22    V. 

338 

19     i. 

385 

cxliv. 

15  iv. 

48 

xii.         2  iii. 

278 

23    V. 

251 

ii. 

448 

208 

XV.        7  iv. 

92 

Iviii. 

6     i. 

446 

iii. 

186 

V. 

132 

xvi.       14  iv. 

277 

Ux. 

11  iv. 

473 

26-28  iv. 

144 

cxlv. 

18    ii. 

218 

xxxiii.       12    ii. 

256 

12  iii. 

24 

27-29    V. 

511 

cxlvii. 

2  iii. 

438 

xxxvi.         6  iii. 

120 

Ixv. 

3    V. 

394 

ciii. 

8    ii. 

175 

iv. 

206 

16  iv. 

268 

Ixviii. 

14    V. 

502 

400 

V. 

477 

Ixix. 

3    V. 

9    ii. 

479 
114 

civ. 

4    ii. 

427 
38 

10    i. 

602 

NEHEMIAH. 

10  iii. 

154 

6    ii. 

35 

12    ii. 

287 

29,30    V. 

515 

PROVERBS. 

iv.       17  iv. 

20 

1 

[5,16    V. 

445 

31  iv. 

240 

xiii.        3  iii. 

272 

22, 23     i. 

486 

cv. 

15    V. 

386 

i. 

7     i. 

434 

ii. 

112 

cvi. 

4    ii. 

429 

498 

iii. 

160 

cvii. 

43     i. 

478 

17    V. 

444 

JOB. 

165 

ex. 

4  iii. 

311 

vii. 

23    V. 

363 

Ixxii. 

10  iii. 

274 

cxi. 

10     i. 

434 

ix. 

10     i. 

434 

i.         1  iii. 

272 

Ixxiii. 

2,3    V. 

73 

498 

xvi. 

1    ii. 

67 

xxi.       13    ii. 

303 

4    ii. 

303 

cxiii. 

4-6    V. 

442 

14  iv. 

279 

xxxviii.      11     i. 

296 

Ixxvii. 

14    V. 

454 

7    ii. 

396 

xviii. 

10    V. 

393 

558 


INDEX  OF  SCRIPTURE  PASSAGES. 


ECCLESIASTES. 

Chap. 

Ver.   VoL 

Page 

Chap.      Ver.   Vol. 

Page 

Chap.      Ver.  Vol. 

Pago 

xxviii. 

15     i. 

245 

Ixvi.        3     i. 

392 

vi.        9    iv. 

64 

Chap. 

Ver. 

Vol. 

Page 

iii. 

117 

24    v. 

517 

ix.        7    ii. 

418 

ix. 

2,3 

ii. 

118 

19  iv. 

294 

xi.        1    iv. 

76 

24-26    V. 

246 

xiv.        9    ii. 

285 

xxix. 

13    V. 

434 

LAMENTATIONS. 

ISAIAH. 

14     i. 

433 

ii. 

418 

iii.  37,38    i. 

55 

JOEL. 

L 

3 

i. 

428 

15     i. 

376 

iv.       10  iv. 

422 

6 

i. 

132 

XXX. 

2  iv. 

494 

20  iv. 

42 

ii.    1,2    i. 

207 

9 

i. 

241 

15     i. 

121 

237 

V. 

183 

ii. 

215 

13    V. 

434 

9,10 

V. 

462 

V. 

413 

EZEKIEL. 

15    i. 

207 

10 

iv. 

151 

21  iv. 

181 

28  iv. 

137 

12-15 

i. 

372 

216 

ii.        8   ii. 

284 

32    V. 

393 

13' 

ii. 

377 

33    ii. 

442 

iii.     1, 3    ii. 

284 

380 

xxxi. 

1    ii. 

354 

viii.         6  iv. 

151 

14 

i. 

348 

iv. 

494 

xiv.         9  iii. 

26 

AMOS. 

24 

i. 

323 

3    ii. 

343 

14    ii. 

248 

359 

xxxii. 

15     i. 

239 

xvi.  46, 47  V. 

462 

i.      13    V. 

56 

ii. 

100 

xxxiii. 

1      V. 

148 

48    i. 

171 

vi.         2  iv. 

426 

iv. 

29 

xxxvii. 

22,23  V. 

136 

xviii.  2,20  iv. 

172 

6    ii. 

263 

V. 

423  : 

xxxviii. 

23    V. 

391 

V. 

498 

iv. 

89 

ii. 

3. 

iv. 

136 

xxxix. 

1      V. 

123 

20    ii. 

256 

ix.       11  iv. 

259 

V. 

373 

xl. 

1      V. 

360 

316 

356 

21 

iii. 

189 

2   ii. 

326 

V. 

500 

iii. 

9 

i. 

104 

iv. 

490 

25   ii. 

285 

V. 

2 

iii. 

227 

3  iv.54,73 

iii. 

208 

OBADIAH. 

3 

iii. 

129 

13  iii. 

182 

iv. 

248 

6 

ii. 

245 

21  iii. 

227 

XX.  21,  25  i. 

292 

8    V. 

64 

1-7 

iv. 

569 

xlv. 

7  iii. 

429 

xxi.  26,27  iii. 

127 

16  iii. 

282 

26 

i. 

55 
275 

iv. 
9    ii. 

438 
398 

iv. 

15 

259 

vii. 

18 

i. 

55 

19  iv. 

288 

350 

JONAH. 

viii. ! 

12,16 

i. 

253 

22    ii. 

17 

XXV.  12-14  v. 

64 

ii. 

2U4 

xlvii. 

13    ii. 

215 

xxix.  14, 15  iv. 

602 

i.         3  iii. 

34 

ix. 

13 

i 

259 
480 

xlviii. 

3,5    ii. 
10   ii. 

17 
63 

20    V. 
xxxiv.       23  iv. 

232 
251 

iii.        3     i. 

37 

X. 

7 

iv. 

615 

iv. 

24 

xxxvi.       22  iv. 

239 

17 

V. 

351 

1. 

1-  i. 

153 

27  iv. 

217 

MICAH. 

21,22 

V. 

157 

ii. 

162 

xlvii.  1-12    V. 

373 

22 

iii. 

133 

liv. 

7,8    V. 

420 

xlviii.       35  iii. 

144 

i.        3  iii. 

221 

iv. 

68 

13  iv. 

134 

ii.         6  iii. 

37 

23 

iv. 

22 

Iv. 

6  iii. 

176 

11     i. 

213 

30 

i. 

32 

9  iii. 

431 

DANIEL. 

338 

xi. 

1 

iv. 

43 

11     i. 

50 

ii. 

228 

259 

iv. 

51 

i.      17   ii. 

8 

iii.       12  iii. 

332 

5 

ii. 

160 

Ivii. 

8    ii. 

432 

ii.       28  iii. 

355 

iv. 

354 

xiii. 

17 

i. 

351 

10    i. 

123 

V.            1      V. 

283 

vi.         1    ii. 

436 

iii. 

61 

ii. 

46 

vi.  16,17  V. 

445 

iv. 

353 

x-vii. 

6 

i. 

241 

404 

22  iv. 

380 

4     i. 

100 

xix. 

1 

iv. 

519 

Iviii. 

9  iii. 

437 

ix.    4, 5    ii. 

209 

7     i. 

346 

xxii. 

12,13 

ii. 

308 

lix. 

1,2    V. 

438 

v. 

319 

vii.     5, 6     i. 

464 

iii. 

255 

12    i. 

104 

8    V. 

499 

8    V. 

487 

iv. 

359 

Ix. 

15    ii. 

164 

19  iv. 

139 

14 

iii. 

99 

Ixiii. 

4  iv. 

50 

xxiv. 

13 

i. 

241 

Ixv. 

1    ii. 

283 

HOSEA. 

xxvi, 

.      21 

iii. 

221 

24    V. 

394 

HABAKKUE 

,. 

xxviii, 

.      10 

ii. 

80 

Ixvi. 

1  iii. 

290 

ii.  21,22  ii. 

203 

. 

12 

i. 

341 

V, 

454 

23  iv. 

74 

i.      12   ii. 

77 

INDEX  OF  SCRIPTURE  PASSAGES. 


559 


Chap. 

Ver.  Vol. 

Page 

Chap. 

Ver.  Vol 

.  Page 

Chap. 

Ver. 

Vol. 

Page 

Chap. 

Ver. 

Vol. 

Page 

i. 

12  iii. 

230 

xix. 

6   i. 

44 

xvi. 

33 

iv. 

21 

xi 

.  28 

ii. 

99 

iv. 

208 

395 

255 

29 

V. 

131 

ii. 

3  i. 

51 

xxii. 

32  ii. 

77 

xvii. 

5,11 

iii. 

145 

33 

V. 

429 

18  V. 

225 

xxiii. 

2  iii. 

79 

34 

iii. 

182 

20  ii. 

101 

35  ii. 

316 

xii. 

19 

iii. 

42 

iii. 

2  iv. 

107 

325 

ACTS 

^ 

xiii. 

1 

iii. 

356 

V. 

421 

xxvi. 

20  ii. 

283 

XV. 

3 

ii. 

114 

3  V. 

65 

62  iv. 

473 

vi. 

2-4 

iii. 

380 

4 

ii. 

356 

xxviii. 

20  iv. 

■356 

vii. 

6 
22 

iv. 
ii. 

131 

8 

iv. 

V. 

57 

419 

HAG GAL 

viii. 

26 

iv. 

.610 

xvi. 

25 

iv. 

334 

MARK. 

xiv. 

17 

i. 

300 

ii. 

7  V. 

247 

ii. 

27 

ix. 

29  ii. 

220 

245 

1  CORINTHIANS. 

X. 

9  i. 

44 

xvi. 

7 

iv. 

350 

ZECHARIAH 

395 

xvii. 

11 

iii. 

373 

i. 

19 

i. 

433 

xvi. 

7  iv. 

479 

28 

ii. 

27 

30 

iii. 

146 

i. 

3  iii. 

232 

iv. 

405 

iv. 

255 

ii. 

8  ii. 

151 

31 

i. 

498 

•y. 

146 

LUKE. 

ii. 

16 

iii. 

182 

163 

ROMANS. 

iv. 

8 

i. 

136 

"vii. 
xi. 

Q  iv 

72 
134 

i. 

16  iii. 

310 

11 

ii. 

49 

5  V. 

17  V. 

281 

i. 

21 

ii. 

38 

13 

V. 

439 

6  iv. 

148 

74,  75  V. 

212 

25 

ii. 

24 

vii. 

5 

ii. 

220 

xii. 

10  i. 

388 

ii. 

26  V. 

484 

40 

iv. 

336 

xiv. 

10  iv. 

147 

ix. 

64  ii. 
55  ii. 

279 
424 

28 

ii, 

V. 

228 
429 

ix. 

31 
16 

iv. 
i. 

229 
61 

427 

ii. 

16 

iv. 

334 

xi. 

19 

iii. 

373 

MALACHL 

X. 

16  i. 
iii. 

282 
244 

20 
27 

i. 
i. 

83 
328 

31 

iii. 

V. 

370 
370 

2,3  V. 
4,7  i. 

81 

33 

225 

376 

1  Ti  A 

23  iv. 

136 

29 

i. 

205 

xii. 

12 

iv. 

256 

i. 

30-35  iv. 

394 

iii. 

3,4 

iv. 

145 

xiii. 

5 

iv. 

457 

ii. 

xi. 

51  ii. 

316 

iv. 

18 

iv. 

263 

xiv. 

24,25 

i. 

468 

ii. 

325 

V. 

403 

38 

iii. 

176 

iii. 

xii. 

47  iii. 

267 

V. 

1 

i. 

342 

200 

iv. 

2  iv. 

194 

V. 

104 

iv. 

255 

40 

iii. 

179 

iv. 

136 

xiv. 

26,27  iv. 

132 

5 

V. 

411 

6  iii. 

310 

etc* 

xvi. 

22  iv. 

127 

vi. 

10 

iii. 

142 

V. 

618 

275 

vii. 

14 

i. 

329 

2  CORINTHIANS. 

xviii. 

13  i. 

384 

viii. 

7 

iv. 

131 

XX. 

38  iii. 

231 

20-25 

i. 

389 

i. 

11 

iii. 

43 

MATTHEW. 

xxiii. 

31  iii. 

267 

V. 

412 

20 

iii. 

136 

V. 

75 

28 

iii. 

24 

23 

V. 

79 

i. 

11  iii. 
25  iv. 

92 
76 

34  ii. 

250 

iv. 

93 

358 

ii. 

7 
15,16 

V. 

i. 

405 
36 

ii. 

18  iv. 

90 

V. 

75 

407 

vi. 

24  iv. 

132 

JOHN. 

272 

iii. 

34 

"vii. 

2  V. 

148 

29 

iv. 

76 

200 

viii. 

11  iv. 

127 

i. 

17  iv. 

140 

ix. 

3 

iii. 

393 

428 

X. 

28  iii. 

328 

ii. 

17  ii. 

114 

2-5 

ii. 

181 

iv. 

345 

xi. 

11  iv. 

137 

iii. 

20  i. 

311 

16 

ii. 

58 

17 

ii. 

286 

XV. 

13  ii. 

106 

iv. 

22  iv. 

526 

27 

iv. 

69 

iii. 

6 

ii. 

76 

iv. 

221 

24  i. 

395 

X. 

6 

iii. 

181 

iv. 

131 

26  V. 

54 

X. 

29  iv. 

491 

313 

141 

xvi. 

19  ii. 

252 

35  iii. 

335 

20 

ii. 

283 

13 

iv. 

128 

xvii. 

21  ii. 

220 

xiv. 

27  iv. 

21 

xi. 

5 

ii. 

330 

18 

iv. 

138 

iv. 

336 

xvi. 

8  i. 

468 

iv. 

22 

vii. 

9,10 

i. 

259 

xviii. 

18  ii. 

252 

ii. 

110 

5,7 

iv. 

69 

11 

V. 

435 

20  iv. 

356 

21  iv. 

92 

27 

iv. 

125 

X. 

5,6 

i.'; 

16,4a 

560 


INDEX  OF  SCRIPTURE  PASSAGES. 


Chap.      Ver.  Vol. 

Page 

Chap.      Ver.  Vol. 

Page 

Chap. 

Ver. 

Vol. 

Page 

Chap.      Ver.   Vol. 

Page 

X.    5, 6     i. 

283 

iii.     3,4    V. 

485 

ii. 

19 

ii. 

286 

ii.       13    V. 

148 

ii. 

185 

iv.         1  iv. 

283 

iii. 

16 

iii. 

183 

iii.         1     i. 

38 

252 

iv. 

2 

iii. 

403 

iv.       13    ii. 

57 

436 

V.       13  iv. 

38 

iii. 

199 

1  THESSALONIANS. 

16    ii. 

217 

xiii.        1   iv. 

227 

TITUS. 

17    u. 

249 

iv.       13  iv. 

277 

V.        3     i. 

250 

i. 

9 

iii. 

425 

GALATIANS. 

ii. 

449 
126 

iii. 

11 

iii. 

411 

1  PETER. 

i.        8  iii. 

19    ii. 

iii.       10    ii. 

23  iv. 

27 
297 
121 

82 

iii. 
iv. 

V. 

17    ii. 

118 

692 

22 

219 

PHILEMON. 
12  iv. 

283 

ii.         9    V. 

iv.       11     i. 

ii. 

17     i. 

212 

42 

435 

471 

iv.        9  iv. 

102 

iii. 

266 

285 

2  THESSALONIANS. 

HEBREWS. 

V.         6    ii. 

393 

EPHESIANS. 

i.         5  iii. 

286 

i. 

5 

iii. 

139 

6,7    V. 

171 

iv. 

9 

ii. 

381 

2  PETER. 

ii.      17    ii. 

330 

ii.         3  iii. 

279 

12 

i. 

468 

iv.      19     i. 

339 

10-12  iii. 

398 

ii. 

no 

ii.         1    ii. 

418 

vi.         1   iv. 
2  iv. 

312 
323 

V. 

368 
429 

vi. 

16 

iv. 
iv. 

354 
557 

iii.       16    V. 

485 

9  iv. 

283 

viii. 

8-12 

iv. 

125 

1  TIMOTHY. 

X. 

13 
16 

iv. 
iv. 

140 
125 

1  JOHN. 

PHILIPPIANS. 

ii.         8     V. 

382 

xi. 

36 
13 

V. 

iv. 

413 

83 

iv.        1  iii. 

318 

ii.       13  iv. 

212 

iii.         1    ii. 

371 

xii. 

8 

ii. 

62 

15  iv. 

356 

11 

iii. 

239 

iii.       15  iv. 

487 

iv.         8  iv. 

82 

iv. 

94 

JUDE. 

iv.         7  iv. 

255 

254 

101 

vi.       16  iv. 

405 

13-15 
15 

ii. 
i. 

389 
485 

7    V. 

87 
183 

COLOSSIANS 

2  TIMOTHY. 

ii.      16    ii. 

381 

JAMES. 

REVELATION. 

23    ii. 

443 

ii.        8  iv. 

334 

iii.     3,4    V. 

413 

9  iv. 

155 

i. 

17 

iii. 

337 

xiii.       10  iv. 

473 

GENERAL  INDEX 


TO  THE  COMMENTARIES  ON  JEREMIAH  AND  LAMENTATIONS. 


Abominations,  renounced  by  the  peni- 
tent, i.  197;  no  shame  felt  for  by 
the  Jews,  338  ;  set  up  even  in  the 
Temple,  410;  iv.  1.98, 

Abraham,  the  covenant  made  with,  iv. 
126. 

Abundance  of  peace,  promised  to  the 
restored  Jews,  iv.  227. 

Achan,  adjured  by  Joshua,  ii.  177. 

Adam,  fell  through  ambition,  v.  315. 

Adultery,  committed  by  the  Jews,  i. 
270;  iii.  449. 

Adulteries,  the,  of  Jerusalem,  ii.  198  ; 
the  land  full  of,  iii.  154;  committed 
by  the  Prophets,  iii.  161. 

Adversary,  an,  God  became  to  Zion, 
V.  350,  390. 

Aged,  the,  more  intractable  than  youth, 
V.  414. 

Ahikam,  saved  Jeremiah,  iii.  346. 

Alexander  the  Great,  wasted  the  East, 
V.  1 1 G ;  took  Babylon  and  died  there, 
iii.  258  ;  v.  235, 

Allegories,  resorted  to  by  the  fanciful, 
iv.  117. 

Almond  tree,  a  rod  of,  shewn  to  Jere- 
miah, i.  49. 

Altars,  the,  of  idols,  left  by  fathers  as 
memorials  to  their  children,  ii.  388. 

Amend,  to,  their  ways,  the  Jews  ex- 
horted, i.  361. 

Amendment,  a  blessing  on,  i.  365. 

Ammonites,  the,  a  prophecy  concern- 
ing, and  their  exile,  v.  54-62 ;  their 
restoration,  63. 

Anathoth,  Jeremiah's  birthplace,  i.  32 ; 
the  men  of,  threatened,  ii.  11  6. 

Ancients,  the,  of  the  people,  and  of  the 
priests,  taken  by  Jeremiah  to  the 
valley  of  Hinnom,  ii.  433. 

Animals  and  trees,  subject  to  God's 
vengeance,  i.  389;  suffer  God's  judg- 
ments, ii.  127. 

Anointed,  the,  of  the  Lord,  the  breath 
of  the  people's  nostrils,  v.  483. 

Antichrist,  assumes  high  titles,  iii.  130. 

Apollo,  an  oracle  of,  i.  90. 

VOL.  V. 


Arabia,  the  kings  of,  iii.  275. 
Arabian,  an,  the  Jews  like  to,  i.  157. 
Aristotle,  a  saying  of,  i.  90;  his  opinion 

on  free-will,  i.  329. 
Arlc,  the,  of  the  covenant,  forgotten 

through  greater  things,  i.  182. 
Artificer,  the,  images  the  work  of,  ii.  25. 
Ass,  an,  the  burial  of,  allotted  to  Je- 

hoiakim,  iii.  106. 
Asses,  the  wild,  oppressed  with  drought, 

ii.  208. 
Associates,  men  wish  to  be,  with  God 

in  their  salvation,  ii.  58. 
Assyria,  Israel  sought  the  aid  of,  i.  1 00, 

140,  147. 
Astonishment,  the,  of  Jeremiah,  at  the 

desolated  city,  v.  301. 
Astrology,   abused   by  the  Egyptians 

and  Chaldeans,  ii.  8;  judiciai-y,  false, 

10-12;  iv.  142. 
Atbash,  or  Athbash,  an  old  invention, 

iii.  278. 
Augustine,  his  answer  to  the  Pelagians, 

ii.  58;  his  view  of  the  effect  of  pi'ayer, 

250 ;  his  view  of  the  Spirit's  work, 

iv.  218. 
Author  of  evil,  God  is  not  the,  v.  429. 
Authority,  the,  of  God's  word,  superior 

to  that  of  kings  and  princes,  ii.  172, 

173. 

B 

Baal,  the  prophets  prophesied  by,i.  81 , 
84;  iii.  161;  incense  burnt  to,  ii.  93, 
103;  iv.  186. 

Baalim,  what  they  were,  i.  84,  115,483. 

Baalis,  the  king  of  the  Ammonites,  iv. 
455. 

Babylon,  threatened  with  punishment, 
iii,  256;  a  prophecy  against,  v.  121- 
288 ;  was  taken  by  the  Persians,  v. 
125;  the  wall  of,  immensely  large, 
234;  was  destroyed  by  degrees,  dur- 
ing several  ages,  iii.  258 ;  v.  1 59;  was 
retaken  after  a  revolt,  by  the  craft 
of  Zopyrus,  iii.  258;  v.  125,  263. 

Back,  shewn  to  the  people,  not  the  face, 
ii.  414  ;  the,  Israel  turned,  to  God, 
iv.  195. 

2  N 


562 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


Backsliding,  Israel  so  called,  i.  172; 
iv.  111;  the,  invited  to  return,  i.  177. 

Backslidings,  bring  their  own  reward, 
i.  103;  a  promise  to  heal,  192;  the, 
of  Jerusalem,  pei-petual,  423;  the, 
of  Judah,  many,  ii.  209. 

Balaam,  a  prophet  and  an  impostor, 
iii.  397. 

Balm,  expected  to  be  in  Gilead,  i.  455. 

Baptism,  without  repentance,  of  no 
avail,  i.  205;  is  nothing  without  the 
grace  it  signifies,  328,  508;  made  a 
cloak  to  join  God  with  the  devil, 
i.  329. 

Baruch,  the  evidences  of  the  field's 
pui'chase  given  to,  iv.  160;  bidden 
to  I'ead  the  roll  received  from  Jere- 
miah in  the  Lord's  house,  iv.  328  ; 
accused  by  Johanan  of  influencing 
Jeremiah,  504  ;  God's  word  to,  by 
Jeremiah,  564. 

Baskets,  two,  of  figs,  shewn  to  Jere- 
miah, iii.  219. 

Bel,  the  god  of  Babylon,  confounded, 
v.  122. 

Belie,  the  people  did,  the  Lord,  i.  278. 

Belshazzar,  the  last  king  of  Babylon, 
iii.  356  ;  was  feasting  when  the  city 
was  taken,  and  was  slain,  v.  188, 255. 

Beneficence,  the,  of  God,  toman,  i.  302. 

Ben-hadad,  the  palaces  of,  burnt,  v.  102. 

Beth-shemesh,the  images  of,  broken  by 
Nebuchadnezzar,  iv.  519. 

Bitter,  the  fruit  of  wickedness,  i.  226. 

Blessed,  the  man,  w^ho  trusts  in  God, 
ii.  349. 

Blind,  and  the  lame,  the  pregnant  and 
those  in  childbed,  were  to  be  restored 
fi'om  exile,  iv.  69. 

Blindness,  removed  only  by  God,  iv. 
103. 

Bonds  and  yokes,  sent  to  several  kings, 
iii.  348. 

Bones,  the,  of  the  kings  of  Judah,  &c., 
i.  418  ;  the,  of  Zion,  a  fire  sent  to, 
V.  327;  the,  of  the  people,  broken, 
391. 

Bottle,  the,  filled  with  wine,  interpret- 
ed, ii.  169;  the,  of  the  potter,  broken, 
explained,  447. 

Branch,  a  righteous,  raised  to  David, 
iii.  136;  iv.  249. 

Brass  and  iron,  the  people  were,  i.  356. 

Bread,  got  by  the  exiles,  at  the  peril 
of  their  life,  v.  501. 

Bridegroom,  the,  the  voice  of,  made  to 
cease,  i.  417;  ii.  312. 

Brothels,  the  Jews  made  their  hills,  i. 
156. 

Burden,  the,  of  the  Lc)id,  inquired  for, 


iii.  205;  forbidden  to  be  mentioned, 
211,  215. 
Burnt-offerings.     See  Offering. 


Cage,  a,  full  of  birds,  the  houses  of  the 
Jews  compared  to,  i.  304. 

Cakes,  made  for  the  queen  of  heaven, 
i.  385 ;  iv.  542,  548,  553. 

Calf,  a,  cut  in  twain,  in  making  a  cove- 
vant,  iv.  294. 

Call,  a,  to  ministry,  from  God,  i.  36; 
inward  and  outward,  ii.  225;  a  divine, 
proved  by  two  things,  iii.  178. 

Canaan,  a  pledge  of  heaven,  ii.  77. 

Candle,  the  light  of,  to  cease,  iii.  254. 

Caphtor,  the  country  of,  iv.  613. 

Captives,  the,  in  Babylon,  Jeremiah's 
letter  to,  iii.  412. 

Captivity,  restoration  from,  iv.  235. 

Carcases,  the,  of  the  people,  a  meat  for 
birds  and  beasts,  i.  494;  ii.  304;  the, 
of  abominable  things,  ii.  327. 

Carpenters,  taken  to  Babvlon,  iii.  219, 
414. 

Cedar,  a  house  ceiled  with,  iii.  97. 

Ceremonies,  papal,  human  inventions, 
i.  194. 

Chaff.     See  Wheat. 

Chaldeans,  destined  to  destroy  Jerusa- 
lem, i.  52;  iv.  186;  called  watchers, 
or  besiegers,  i.  223;  compared  to 
shepherds,  316;  described  as  terrible, 
349;  compared  to  serpents,  445;  the 
land  of,  to  be  desolate,  iii.  256;  re- 
compensed according  to  their  deeds, 
260 ;  threatened  with  the  swoi'd  on 
all  they  had,  v.  177-179. 

Chamber.s,  large,  built  by  Jehoiakim, 
iii.  97. 

Chapters,  the  order  of.  not  according  to 
time,  iii.  240;  v.  293. 

Chastisement,  prayed  to  be  in  modera- 
tion, ii.  59;  paternal  to  the  elect,  and 
punitive  to  the  repi'obate,  61. 

Cheek,  the,  to  give,  to  the  smiter,  a 
proof  of  patience,  v.  418. 

Cheeks,  Zion's  tears  on  her,  v.  304. 

Chemos,  and  its  priests,  exiled,  v.  1 1 ; 
Moab  made  ashamed  of,  1 8. 

Children,  the,  of  Jacob,  confessing  their 
own  sins  and  those  of  their  fathers, 
i.  195;  ii.  237;  in  vain  asking  for 
corn  and  wine  in  the  siege,  v.  364, 
459;  visited  for  their  fathers'  iniqui- 
ties, 498. 

("hittim,  the  isles  of,  i.  87. 

Church,  the,  fed  by  true  pastors,  i.  151 ; 
exposed   to  calamities,  ii.  38;    first 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


563 


visited  with  evils,  iii.  285;  iv.  33; 
corrected,  not  destroyed,  iv.  21 ;  the 
enemies  of,  punished,  33;  the  two 
marks  of,  repentance  and  faith,  v. 
338. 

Cicero,  quoted,  ii.  277,  307;  iii.  157; 
his  opinion  of  oratory,  iv.  89. . 

Circumcised,  the,  with  tlie  uncircum- 
cised,  threatened,  i.  503. 

Circumcision,  required,  i.  204;  is  no- 
thing without  the  inward,  328 ;  a 
sign  of  repentance  and  faith,  508. 

Cisterns,  broken,  chosen  by  Israel,  i. 
93,  94. 

City,  the,  of  Jerusalem,  threatened  with 
exile,  iii.  21;  threatened  with  pesti- 
lence, 58;  threatened  with  ruin,  65; 
was  to  become  a  wonder  to  all,  88  ; 
was  to  be  forgotten  and  forsaken, 
215;  was  to  be  rebuilt,  iv.  147;  its 
perpetuity,  151;  had  been  a  provo- 
cation to  God,  192  ;  was  given  up  to 
the  king  of  Babylon,  267;  became 
desolate  for  her  great  iniquities,  v. 
311;  when  desolate,  was  an  object 
of  scoffs  and  taunts,  372,  375,  398. 
iSee  Jerusalem. 

Cities,  resorted  to  by  the  Jews,  i.  441 ; 
the,  of  the  south,  closed  up  against 
the  Jews,  ii.  185. 

Cleansing,  promised  to  the  restored 
captives,  iv.  236. 

Cloak,  a,  baptism  made,  to  join  God 
with  the  devil,  i.  329. 

Commands,  the,  of  God,  of  two  kinds, 
V.  427. 

Compassions,  the,  of  the  Lord,  fail  not, 
V.  407. 

Complain,  to,  man  has  no  reason,  when 
punished  for  his  sins,  v.  431. 

Confession,  the,  of  sin,  required,  i.  174, 
177;  accompanies  repentance,  v.  435. 

Confidences,  human,  rejected  by  God, 
i.  150. 

Coniah,  his  judgment,  iii.  118-127. 

Conspiracy,  a,  formed  in  Judea,  ii.  85; 
formed  against  Jeremiah,  415. 

Contingency,  under  God's  control,  v. 
428. 

Controversy,  a,  God  had  with  all  na- 
tions, iii.  292. 

Conversion,  what  it  is,  iv.  103;  two- 
fold, v.  514. 

Co-operation  of  grace,  as  held  by  the 
Papists,  iv,  213. 

Correction,  unavailing  as  to  the  Jews, 
i.  31,  132;  not  received  by  them, 
256,  260,  406;  leads  to  repentance, 
iv.  97. 

Covenant,  the,  the  words  of,  ought  to 


be  heard,  ii.  69;  urged  on  the  Jews, 
79  ;  broken  by  Israel  and  Judah, 
86;  pleaded  by  the  Prophet,  242; 
forsaken  by  the  Jews,  iii.  88;  the, 
of  God,  never  fails,  iv.  58;  anew, 
made  with  Israel,  124  ;  the,  with 
Isi'ael,  as  unchangeable  as  the  course 
of  nature,  141;  an  everlasting,  214; 
the,  of  God  with  David,  never  to  be 
broken,  261  ;  a  perpetual,  the  re- 
stored captives  joined  in,  v.  129. 

Covetousness,  all  the  Jews  given  to,  i. 
334,  435. 

Crown,  the,  fallen  from  the  head,  v. 
507. 

Cup,  the,  of  consolation,  ii.  310;  the, 
of  God's  wrath,  to  be  given  to  all 
nations,  iii.  262-277;  could  not  be 
rejected,  283. 

Curse,  a,  to  all  who  disregarded  the 
covenant,  ii.  69,  74  ;  the  Jews  were 
to  be,  iii.  235,  266;  iv.  536. 

Cursed,  the  man,  who  trusts  in  man, 
ii.  342. 

Customs,  the,  of  the  heathens,  vain, 
ii.  13. 

Cyrus,  nephew  and  son-in-law  to 
Darius,  v.  159,  238;  his  character 
falsely  given  by  Xenophon,  186 ; 
collected  a  large  army  against  Baby- 
lon, 218;  took  the  city  in  the  night, 
283. 


D 

Damascus,  a  prophecy  concerning,  v. 
96-102. 

Dan,  a  voice  from,  i.  122. 

Dances,  used  religiously,  iv.  60. 

Darius,  the  king  of  the  Medes,  suc- 
ceeded by  Cyrus,  v.  240. 

Darkness,  gross,  threatened  to  the 
Jews,  ii.  177. 

Daughter,  the,  of  Zion,  cast  down  from 
heaven  to  the  earth,  v.  343. 

David,  the  house  of,  addressed,  iii.  66; 
a  promise  made  to  kings  on  the 
throne  of,  80  ;  a  righteous  Branch 
raised  to,  136  ;  iv.  249;  promised  as 
a  king  to  Israel,  iv,  13;  a  successor 
to,  never  to  fail,  257;  the  seed  of, 
to  be  multiplied  as  the  sand,  262. 

Day,  the,  the  covenant  of,  unbroken, 
so  that  with  Israel,  iv.  265. 

Dead,  the,  not  to  be  wept  for,  iii.  90. 

Dearth,  the,  the  word  concerning,  ii, 
202. 

Death,  preferred  to  life  by  the  miser- 
able Jews,  i.  121 ;  the  shadow  of, 
ii.  177. 


5t)4 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


Deceit,  held  fast,  i.  423;    pervading 

every  rank,  people,  priests,  and  pro- 
phets, 467  •,  the,  of  their  own  hearts, 

the    false    prophets   announced,    ii, 

226. 
Deceitful,  the  heart  is,  above  all  things, 

ii.  353. 
Decree,  the,  of   God,   irreversible,  i. 

263;  perpetual  as  to  the  sea,  294. 
Deeds,  the,  of  the  wicked,  surpassed 

by  the  Jews,  i.  305. 
Den,   a,  of  dragons,   Jerusalem   was 

doomed  to  be,  i.  476. 
Derision,  a,  God's  word  was  made,  iii. 

30;  a,  the  Jews  became,  iv.  536. 
Desolation,  the,  of  the  land  lamented, 

i.  235. 
Desolations,  threatened  to  the  Jews, 

iii.  251,  255. 
Destroyers,  prepared  for  Jerusalem, 

iii.  86. 
Devices,  formed  against  Jeremiah,  ii. 

109. 
Devil,  the,  erects   his   palace   in  the 

Church,  i.  46;  serves  God,  though 

unwillingly,  iii.  257;  foretells  future 

things,  how,  397,  398. 
Devise,  to,  gods,  a  madness,  ii.  335. 
Diamond,  a,  with  a  point  of,  Judah's 

sin  was  graven,  ii.  337. 
Difference,  the,  between  the  believing 

and  unbelieving  in  affliction,  v.  318, 

338 ;  between   God's  servants   and 

impostors,   370  ;  between    believers 

and  hypocrites,  409. 
Diminish,  to,  a  word,  Jeremiah  was 

forbidden,  iii.  305. 
Distress,  the,  of  the  people,  likened  to 

child-bearing,  iv.  8. 
Diviners,  dreamers,  sorcerers,  were  not 

to  be  hearkened  to,  iii.  360,  364,  423. 
Divorced,  the,  was  not  to  return  to  her 

former  husband,  i.  155. 
Doctrine,    the,     of    repentance,     not 

preached  by  false  teachers,  iv.  32. 
Dung,    the  slain    to    be    like,  on    the 

ground,  iii.  295. 
Dunghills,  embraced  by  the  delicate  at 

the  siege  of  Jerusalem,  v.  460. 

E 

Ear,  tlie  uncircumcised,  i.  327. 

Ears,  the  Jews  had,  without  hearing, 
i.  29.3. 

Earth,  the,  those  written  in,  who  de- 
part from  God,  ii.  363. 

Ebedmelech,  raised  Jeremiah  from  the 
dungeon,  iv.  393;  God's  favour  to, 
435. 


Edom,  a  prophecy  concerning,  v.  64- 
95;  the  daughter  of,  destined  to  re- 
ceive the  cup  of  wrath,  v.  486,  489. 

Egypt,  a  prophecy  against,  iv.  572. 

Egyptians,  the,  the  aid  of,  sought  to 
tiie  neglect  of  God,  i.  100,  140,  147; 
their  abuse  of  astrology,  ii.  8. 

Elam,  the  kings  of,  threatened,  iii. 
276;  a  prophecy  concerning,  and  its 
exile,  V.  112-118;  its  restoration, 
119. 

End,  a  full,  what  it  means,  i.  240,  275, 
285;  iv,  21,  605;  her  last,  not  re- 
membered by  Jerusalem,  v.  320. 

Enemv,  an,  God  became  to  Israel,  v. 
351". 

Enemies,  the,  of  Zion,  prosperous,  v. 
309. 

Ephraim,  from  the  mount  of,  a  cry  to 
come  to  Zion,  iv.  62 ;  was  God's 
first-born,  71  ;  bemoaning  himself, 
95;  a  dear  son,  105. 

Escape,  none,  from  God's  judgment,  ii. 
89. 

Espousals,  the  love  of,  i.  (J9. 

Ethiopian,  the,  cannot  change  his  skin, 
ii.  190. 

Euphrates,  Jeremiah  hid  his  girdle 
there,  ii,  160;  Pharaoh- necho  smit- 
ten there,  iv.  572;  was  divided  into 
various  streams  above  Babylon,  v. 
215. 

Events,  in  God's  hands,  ii.  56. 

Evil,  the  doing  of,  with  joy,  ii.  98 ; 
those  used  to,  cannot  do  good,  191 . 

Evil-doers,  the  hands  of,  strengthened 
by  false  prophets,  iii.  161. 

Evils,  two,  committed  by  God's  people, 
i.  92. 

Examples,  the,  of  the  fathers,  no  safe 
precedents,  i.  400, 

Exhortation  to  repentance,  iii,  241. 

Eyes,  the  Jews  had,  without  seeing,  i. 
295 ;  the,  of  God,  on  all  our  ways, 
ii.  324. 


Faith,  the  simplicity  of,  i.  169;  ever 
brings  peace,  342;  founded  on  the 
word,  413,  414;  the  confession  of, 
necessary,  ii.  32;  the  firmness  of, 
216;  rises  to  heaven  and  lies  low  in 
humility,  396;  sees  hidden  things, 
iv.  119;  ought  not  to  be  shaken,  were 
the  whole  world  in  confusion,  195; 
the  mother  of  hope,  v,  402;  emerges 
from  desjiair,  406. 

Fallow-ground,  what  it  means,  i.  202. 

Fame,  the,  of  the  Chaldeans,  its  effect 
on  the  people,  i.  352. 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


565 


Families,  the,  who  call  not  on  God,  to 

be  punished,  ii.  64. 
Fanned  into  exile,  Judah  was  to  be, 

ii.  262. 
Fanners,  sent  to  Babylon,  v,  197. 
Fasting,  not  in  itself  pleasing  to  God, 

i.  348;  ii.  219. 
Fastings,  the,  of  the  Papists,  gi-ounded 

on  false  doctrine,  ii.  220. 
Fat,  the  Jaws  were  become,  i.  305. 
Fatherless,  the,  oppressed  by  the  Jews, 

i.  305;  children,  to  be  left  to  God,  v. 

70. 
Fathers,  the  authority  of,  vainly  plead- 
ed, iv.  202. 
Fear,  the,  of  God,  put  in  the  heart,  iv. 

214. 
Fear  God,  the  Jews  did  not,  notwith- 
standing his  greatness,  i.  294;  nor 

for  his  bounty,  298. 
Fields,  to  be  bought  again  in  Judea, 
•     iv.  224. 
Figs,  baskets  of,  shewn  to  Jeremiah, 

iii.  219. 
Fig-trees  and  vines  destroyed  by  the 

Chaldeans,  i.  287. 
Fire,  God's  words  by  the  Prophet  made 

so,  i.  282. 
Fishers,  sent  to  fish  the  people,  iii.  323. 
Flock,  the,  of  Jehovah,  taken  captive, 

ii.  181,  186;  the  remnant  of,  to  be 

gathered,  iii.  128. 
Footmen,  the,  Jeremiah  was  wearied  in 

running  with,  ii,  130. 
Footstool,  the,  of  God,  the  Temple,  v. 

345. 
Forbearance,  the  time  of,  must  be  ac- 
counted for,  ii.  90. 
Forest,  the,  a  tree  for  images  cut  from, 

ii.  13;  the  city  so  called,  iii.  73. 
Forgiveness,  the,  of  sins,  promised  in 

the  new  covenant,  iv.  138. 
Forsake,  to,  God,  is  bitter,  i.  104;  to 

be  followed  by  shame,  ii.  363. 
Fountain,  the,  of  living  waters,  i.  92; 

ii.  304;  a,  of  tears,  Jeremiah  wished 

his  eyes  to  be,  i.  457. 
Fourscore  men,    fi-om  Shechem,  &c., 

slain  by  Ishmael,  iv.  461. 
Fowls,  the,  of  heaven,  the  dead  bodies 

to  be  meat  for,  iv.  297. 
Free-will,  opinion  of  Aristotle   on,  i. 

329;  what  it  is,  ii.  191;  as  held  by 

the  Papists,  iv.  46. 
Friendship,  the,  of  the  heathens,  called 

idolatry,  iv.  28. 

G 

Gall,  the  water  of,  i.  441,  481;  given 
to  the  people,  v.  392. 


Garden,  a  watered,  the  soul  of  the  re- 
stored captives  like  to,  iv.  80. 
Gate,  the,  of  the  city,  Jeremiah  was 
bidden  to  deliver  a  message  at,  ii. 
377. 

Gates,  the,  of  Jerusalem,  entrance  into, 
by  enemies,  incredible,  v.  470. 

Gedaliah,  made  governor  of  the  land, 
iv.  449;  Jeremiah  committed  to,  434; 
was  slain  by  Ishmael,  459. 

Gentiles,  the,  the  conversion  of,  ii.  329, 
332. 

Giddiness,  the  spirit  of,  in  the  ungodly, 
ii.  92. 

Gilead,  the  balm  of,  i.  455;  iv.  582; 
the  king's  house  compared  to,  iii. 
84. 

Girdle,  the  linen,  hid  by  Jeremiah,  ii. 
1  GO ;  a,  the  house  of  Israel  compared 
to,  ii.  167. 

Glory,  to,  not  in  wisdom,  might,  or 
riches,  i.  495  ;  to,  in  what  man  ought, 
496 ;  the  wicked  do,  in  doing  evil,  ii. 
23. 

God,  the  only  teacher  of  his  Church, 
i.  34,  43;  the  glory  of  Israel,  90;  the 
fountain  of  living  waters,  92;  ii. 
364;  ready  to  forgive  returning  Is- 
rael, i.  172;  none  like  him,  great  in 
might,  ii.  17;  is  true,  living  and  eter- 
nal, 26;  seeks  to  allure  men  by  pro- 
mises, 76;  a  righteous  judge,  113; 
searches  the  heart  and  tries  the 
reins,  353,  355;  iii.  39;  the  liope  of 
Israel,  ii.  362;  not  a  God  afar  off', 
iii.  185;  hears  those  who  seek  him, 
433-438;  human  feelings  ascribed  to, 
iv.  108;  a  God  to  his  people,  133, 
208 ;  rejoices  to  do  good  to  his 
people,  219;  his  faithfulness,  great, 
v.  407 ;  does  not  afflict  willingly, 
422. 

Gods,  no  nations  change  them,  i.  88; 
having  not  made  the  heavens,  they 
shall  perish,  ii.  29;  alien,  the  people 
walked  after,  88;  when  cried  to,  not 
able  to  save,  91;  wei'e  as  many  as 
the  cities  of  Judah,  93;  cannot  be 
made  by  man,  332, 

Gomorrah,     ^ee  Sodom. 

Governor,  the,  of  the  restored  Jews, 
from  themselves,  iv.  42. 

Grace,  the,  of  God,  not  tied  to  ranks 
or  titles,  i.  212;  surpasses  all  human 
means,  v.  330, 

Greatest,  the  least  to  the,  knowing 
God,  iv,  137. 

Gregory  the  pope,  his  opinion  of 
imiges,  ii.  23. 

Guide,  the,  of  youth,  God  is,  i,  160, 


566 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


H 

Hair,  the,  Jerusalem  bidden  to  cutoff, 
i.  408. 

Hananiah,  a  false  prophet,  iii.  385-400; 
imitated  by  the  Papists,  401;  his 
judgment,  407. 

HauaineeJ,  selling  hisfield  to  Jeremiah, 
iv.  159. 

Hands,  the,  to  raise  up,  a  posture  suit- 
able in  prayer,  v.  382,  433. 

Hardness,  the,  of  the  people,  i,  256. 

Harlots,  a  name  given  to  idolatei's,  i. 
110;  Judah's  children  assembled  in 
troops  in  the  houses  of,  268. 

Harvest,  the,  the  weeks  of,  i.  298;  the, 
had  passed  with  the  Jews,  453. 

Hazor,  a  prophecy  concerning,  v.  103- 
112. 

Head,  the,  the  hands  on,  what  it  means, 
i.  149. 

Healing,  the  people  were  without,  ii. 
236;  from  God  alone,  365. 

Heaps,  Jerusalem  was  to  be  made,  i. 
476. 

Hear,  to,  God's  word,  the  Jews  I'efused, 
i.  390,  400,  404,  481. 

Heart,  a  revolting  and  rebellious,  the 
Jews  had,  i.  297;  the,  tried  by  God, 
ii.  1 13;  the,  deceitful  above  all  things, 
353;  the  whole,  what  it  means,  iii. 
232;  one,  promised  to  Israel,  iv. 
210. 

Heath,  the,  the  man  is  like  to,  who  de- 
parts from  God,  ii.  343,  347. 

Heathens,  all  the,  owned  one  supx'eme 
Being,  i.  84. 

Heaven  and  earth,  God  fills,  iii.  185. 

Heavens,  the,  called  to  wonder  at  Is- 
rael's impiety,  i.  91. 

Help,  vain,  expected  from  Egypt,  v. 
478. 

Heritage,  his  own,  forsaken  by  God,  ii. 
135;  the,  of  God,  become  like  a  lion, 
137;  taken  away  from  Israel,  341. 

High  places,  built  for  Baal,  iv.  1 99. 

Hilkiah  found  the  book  of  the  law,  i, 
28. 

Hill,  high,  the  people  played  the  harlot 
on  every,  i.  107. 

Hinnom,  valley  of,  i.  411  ;  ii.  434;  iv. 
199. 

Hissing,  a,  the  Jews  were  to  become, 
iii.  2Jl,  266,  442. 

Holiness  to  the  Lord,  what  it  means, 
i.  72. 

Hope,  the,  of  Israel,  a  stranger  in  the 
land,  ii.  212  ;  none,  of  a  change  in 
Judah,  401,  404;  regards  what  is 
future,  iv.   91  ;   and  prayer,    com- 


bined, V.  411  •,  and  patience,  united, 
413. 

Horace,  quoted,  ii.  16  ;  iv.  123  ;  v. 
499. 

Horrible  thing,  a,  committed  in  the 
land,  i.  308  ;  as  done  by  the  virgin 
of  Israel,  ii.  406  ;  a,  seen  in  the 
prophets  of  Jerusalem,  iii.  161. 

Horses,  the  Chaldean,  swifter  than 
eagles,  i.  218;  fed,  the  Jews  com- 
pared to,  271. 

Hosts,  the,  of  heaven,  worshipped  by 
the  Jews,  i.  418. 

House,  a,  he  who  builds,  b}-  unrighte- 
ousness, is  accursed,  iii.  94. 

Houses,  the,  of  the  Jews,  threatened 
with  destruction,  i.  333;  ii,  450. 

Humble,  the,  only  call  really  on  God, 
V.  344. 

Huntei^s,  sent  to  hunt  the  people,  ii. 
323. 

Hurt,  the,  of  the  people,  healed  slightly, 
i.  336,  437. 

Husband,  God  is  to  his  people,  i.  178, 
324. 

Husbandmen,  with  their  flocks,  dwell- 
ing again  in  Judea,  iv.  116. 

Hypocrisy,  worse  than  apostasy,  i. 
"170. 

Hypocrites,  not  able  to  plead  igno- 
rance, i.  77  ;  after  being  chastised, 
cast  off  every  fear,  86  ;  seek  circui- 
tous courses  and  evasions,  198  ; 
lodge  vain  thoughts,  220  ;  boast  to 
be  God's  people,  and  reject  God's 
grace,  405  ;  murmur  against  God, 
when  chastised,  450  ;  claim  the 
pi'oinises  without  repentance  and 
faith,  451  ;  iii.  128  ;  allege  the  ex- 
amples of  fathers,  ii.  238  ;  reject 
mercy,  iii.  53. 


Idolaters,  brutish  and  foolish,  ii.  22. 

Illumination  by  the  Spirit,  leads  to 
repentance,  iii.  229-232. 

Images,  decked  with  silver,  fastened 
with  nails,  &c.,  ii.  15;  cannot  do 
good  or  evil,  1  6  ;  counted  books  for 
the  ignorant  by  the  Papists,  23  ; 
teachers  of  falsehood,  24 ;  vanity 
and  the  work  of  errors,  40. 

Imagination,  the,  of  the  evil  heart,!. 
183,  390,  481  ;  ii.  85,  165  ;  iii.  169. 

Impatience,  the  lot  of  those  who  are 
not  satisfied  with  God  alone,  v.  409. 

Impostors,  suffered  to  deceive  those 
who  wish  to  be  deceived,  i.  213. 

Imprecations,  when  proper,  v.  342, 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


t)67 


Incense,  burnt  by  the  Jews  to  foreign 
gods,  i.  57  ;  bui*nt  to  Baal,  ii.  93  ; 
bnrnt  to  the  hosts  of  heaven,  ii.  449. 

Indignation,  the,  of  God,  none  can 
abide,  ii.  26,  28. 

Ingratitude,  the,  of  the  Jews,  for  past 
mercies,  i.  76. 

Inheritance,  the,  of  the  Jews,  given  to 
strangei-s,  v.  493. 

Iniquities  prevent  blessings,  i.  300. 

Innocents,  the  blood  of,  found  on  the 
skirts  of  the  Jews,  i.  141. 

Iron,  the  northern  and  the  steel,  ii. 
274. 

Isaiali,  the  character  of  his  prophecy, 
i.  30. 

Ishmael,  treacherous  to  Gedaliah,  iv. 
449 ;  came  to  Mizpah  and  slew  hira, 
459  ;  slew  men  from  Shechem,  &.C., 
465  ;  saved  ten  for  the  sake  of  their 
treasures,  466 ;  intended  to  carry  the 
people  to  the  Ammonites,  469  ;  was 
overtaken  by  Johanan  atOibeon,  and 
overcome,  471  ;  fled  to  the  Ammon- 
ites, 473. 

Islands,  the,  change  not  their  gods, 
i.  89. 

Israel,  though  not  a  servant,  yet 
spoiled,  i.  95  ;  though  redeemed  by 
God,  yet  served  idols,  107  ;  sent  to 
his  gods  for  help,  129  ;  called  apos- 
tate, 1 64  ;  comparatively  better  than 
Judah,  103,  171  ;  invited  to  return, 
172  ;  made  to  inherit  the  land  by 
God,  ii.  150;  the  hope  of,  God,  212, 
362  ;  the  scatterer  of,  will  gather 
him,  iv.  77. 


Jacob,  the  portion  of,  not  like  idols,  ii. 
42  ;  consumed  by  heathens,  64  ;  a 
promise  of  a  return  to,  iv.  17,  602  ; 
the  tents  of,  to  be  restored,  35. 

Jehoiakim,  woe  pronounced  on,  for 
injustice,  iii.  94-98  ;  given  to  covet- 
ousness,  105  ;  the  death  of,  not  to 
be  lamented,  106  ;  destroyed  the 
roll  read  by  Baruch,  iv.  344  ;  the 
judgment  of,  352. 

J|ereraiah,  how  long  he  prophesiedi  and 
his  parentage,  i.  27-31 ;  Anathoth 
liis  birthplace,  32  ;  why  he  called 
himself  a  child,  31,  39  ;  refused  his 
office,  38  ;  what  he  was  sent  to  do, 
42-68;  condemns  all  ranks,  126; 
forbidden  to  pray  for  the  people,  i. 
383  ;  ii.  95,  217  ;  sought  vengeance 
on  bis  enemies,  ii.  113,  1 25,  278, 
374  ;    dealt  treacherously  with  by 


his  father's  house,  ii.  133;  bidden 
to  go  to  the   potter's    house,    391  ; 
put  in  prison  by   Pashur,  iii.   ]  3  ^ 
curse    his    birthday,   44-51  ;    taken 
prisoner   and   arraigned,    317-347  ; 
saved  by  Ahikam,   346  ;  bidden  to 
make  bands  and  yokes,   347  ;  im- 
prisoned by  Zedekiah  at  the  siege, 
iv.    152  ;     committed    to   Gedaliah 
at  Mizpah,  434-448;  taken  by  Jo- 
hanan to  Egypt,  508;  prophesied  of 
the  taking  of  Egypt  by  Nebuchad- 
nezzar, 511. 
Jerome,  his  fanciful  notion  about  Je- 
remiah, i.  31  ;  his  opinion  on  chap, 
xi.  15,  ii.  131  ;  mistaken  as  to  the 
Lamentations,  v.  299. 
Jerusalem,  reminded  of  God's  dealings 
in  the  wilderness,  i,  69 ;  the  promise 
of  all  nations  being  gathered  into  it, 
183;  found  in,  not  one  doing  judg- 
ment and  seeking  the  truth,  251  ; 
the  people  of,  continually  backslid- 
ing, 423  ;  would  have  remained  per- 
petually, had  it  obeyed  God's  voice, 
ii.  385  ;  was  to  be  destroyed  for  wor- 
shipping strange  gods  and  images, 
449  ;  iii.  88  ;  a  promise  to,  of  being 
rebuilt  on  its  own  heap,  iv.  35. 
Jews,  their  audacity  and  vain  glory, 
i.  57-64  ;  acknowledged   God,  and 
worshipped  idols,  115;  sent  to  their 
gods    for   aid,    130  ;    compai-ed    to 
adulterous  women,  1  39, 147  ;  openly 
slew  the  prophets,  142;  committed 
theft,  murder,  &c.,  and  yet  came  to 
the  temple,   370  ;    refused  to  hear 
God's   voice,   406;    iii.    241,   249; 
boasted  that  they  were  wise,  i.  430  ; 
made  continual  advances  in  wicked- 
ness, 461  ;  exhorted  not  to  go  after 
other  gods,  iii.  247  :  threatened  with 
exile,  251. 
Jonadab  the  Rechabite,  iv.  302. 
Johanan,   revealed   to   Gedaliah    the 
treachery  of  Ishmael,  iv.  455  ;  re- 
covered the  captives  from  Ishmael, 
475  ;    consulted   Jeremiah   on   the 
subject  of  going  to  Egypt,  477  ;  re- 
jected his  counsel,  and  went  there, 
503,  508. 
John  the  Baptist,  above  the  prophets, 
and    the    least   in   the  kingdom   of 
heaven,  iv.  137. 
Jordan.     Sec  Swelling. 
Josephus,  on  the  siege  of  Jerusalem 

by  Titus,  v.  385. 
Joshua  adjures  Achan,  ii.  1 77. 
Joy,  mourning  turned  to,  iv.  86. 
Judgments,  to  speak,  wiiat  it  means. 


568 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


i.  217  ;  reasons  for,  given,  ii.  313- 
318. 

Judiciary  astrology,  condemned,  ii. 
10-12. 

Just,  the,  the  blood  of,  shed  by  the 
prophets  and  priests,  v.  470. 

Justice,  not  done  by  Jewish  rulers,  iii. 
66-69  ;  the  foundation  of,  the  know- 
ledge of  God,  103. 

K 

Kedar,  i.  88  ;  a  prophecy  concerning, 
V.  103-112. 

Kinds,  four,  of  evils,  appointed  for 
Judah,  ii.  254. 

King,  the,  and  the  queen,  exhorted  to 
humility,  ii.  182  ;  the,  of  Judah  ex- 
horted to  do  justice,  iii.  74-80  ;  a, 
wisdom  and  probity  necessary  for, 
141. 

Kingdom,  a,  God  speaking  of,  to  pluck 
up,  &c.,  and  to  plant,  ii.  397  ;  the, 
of  David,  a  type  of  Christ's,  335  ; 
iii.  76  ;  the,  of  Christ,  spiritual,  iii. 
143;  the,  of  Christ,  begins  only  in 
us  here,  iv.  85. 

Kingdoms,  Jeremiah  set  over,  i.  42  •, 
into  all,  the  Jews  were  to  be  re- 
moved, ii.  255. 

Kings,  princes,  priests,  prophets,  and 
people,  all  provoked  God,  iv.  193. 

Know,  to,  the  Lord,  our  glory,  i.  496  ; 
to,  his  hand,  the  Lord  would  cause 
Isi'ael,  ii.  334. 

Knowledge,  true  pastors  feed  with,  i. 
181. 


Lament,  to,  the  miseries  of  the  people, 
Jeremiah  forbidden,  ii.  306;  the  dead, 
the  Jews  would  not,  308. 

Lamentation,  the  most  bitter,  threa- 
tened to  the  people,  i.  353;  a,  Jeru- 
salem bidden  to  take  np,  408  ;  a, 
taken  up  by  Jeremiah  for  the  moun- 
tains, &c.,  473;  bidden  to  be  taught 
by  women  to  their  neighbours,  491. 

Lamentations,  the,  Calvin's  Preface  to, 
V.  299, 

Land,  the,  polluted  by  idolatry,  i.  150; 
168;  the  whole,  given  for  a  prey, 
230;  the,  devoured  by  the  Chaldeans, 
287 ;  the,  being  desolate,  none  so  wise 
as  to  know  the  cause,  477;  the,  of 
(Jod,  defiled  by  the  people,  ii.  327  ; 
the,  made  a  perpetual  hissing,  413; 
tlie,  of  the  north,  restoration  from, 
iv.  69. 

Language,  strong,  needed  to  rou^e  the 


people,  i.  232;  the  Chaldean,  not  un- 
derstood by  the  Jews,  287  ;  a  verse 
written  in  the  Chaldean,  ii.  29 ;  the 
blasphemous,  which  was  used  by  im- 
pious men,  v.  423-425. 

Law,  the,  the  book  of,  found  by  Hilkiah, 
i.  27;  the,  they  that  handled,  did  not 
know  God,  81,  83;  the,  of  the  Lord, 
the  people  boasted  that  they  had, 
430;  the,  of  God,  set  befoi'e  them, 
yet  forgotten,  481;  the,  the  foi'sak- 
ing  of,  the  cause  of  all  evils,  482; 
the,  for  not  keeping,  they  were  ba- 
nished, ii.  313;  the,  of  God,  put  and 
written  in  the  heart,  iv.  130;  the, 
and  the  Gospel  contrasted,  140. 

Lebanon,  the  snow  of,  ii.  407 ;  the  head 
of,  what  it  means,  iii.  85;  Jerusalem 
compared  to,  117. 

Lees,  on  his,  Moab  settled,  v.  15. 

Leopard,  a,  would  watch  over  the  cities 
of  Judah,  i.  265;  the,  cannot  change 
his  spots,  ii.  190. 

Letter,  Jeremiah's,  to  the  captives  in 
Babylon,  iii.  412,  &c. 

Levites,  the  priests,  were  not  to  fail, 
iv.  256. 

Liberty,  ought  to  be  limited,  iv.  14  ; 
given  to  servants  in  Jerusalem  and 
Judea,  280  ;  afterwards  withdrawn, 
285-290  ;  proclaimed  to  the  sword, 
&c.,  291. 

Libyans,  dexterous  with  the  shield,  iv. 
580. 

Life,  the  rule  of,  iii.  312-315. 

Linen  girdle,  a,  Jeremiah  was  bidden 
to  take,  ii.  1 59. 

Lion,  like  a  devouring,  the  sword  of 
Judah  devoured  the  prophets,  i.  131 ; 
the,  from  the  thicket,  was  to  ascend 
to  lay  waste  the  land,  209 ;  a,  from 
the  forest,  was  to  slay  the  people  of 
Jerusalem,  265  ;  like  a,  in  the  forest, 
God's  heritage  had  become,  ii.  137  ; 
a,  God  became  to  his  people,  v.  396. 

Lions,  young,  roared  on  Israel,  i.  94. 

Live  does  Jeliovah,  what  it  imports,  i. 
255. 

Lodging-place,  a,  Jeremiah  wished  for, 
in  the  wilderness,  i.  458. 

Lords,  Israel  claimed  to  be,  i.  135. 

Love,  with  an  everlasting,  God  loved 
Israel,  iv.  56. 

Lovers,  the,  of  Judah,  despised  him,  i. 
246;  the,  of  the  people,  destroyed, 
iii.  110;  the,  of  Israel,  had  forgotten 
him,  iv.  27. 

Lovingkindncss,  judgment,  and  righ- 
teousness, the  Lord  delights  in,  i. 
496. 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


569 


L^diaus,  expert  with  the  bow,  iv. 


580. 


M 


Magor-missabib,  Pashur  so  called,  iii. 

17. 
Maid,  a,  never  forgets  her  ornaments, 

i.  138. 
Majesty,  the,  of  God,  makes  bold  his 

ministers,  i.  44. 
Make,  to,  flesh  our  arm,  a  cursed  thing, 

ii.  343. 
Manasseh,  his  wickedness,  ii.  255,  258. 
Mai'k,  a,  for  God's  arrow,  Israel  was 

made,  v.  397. 
Medes,  their  character,  v.  186;  the,  the 

coming  of,  against  Babylon,  239. 
Mediators,  Platonic  figment  about,  i. 

22 ;  ii.  95. 
Medicines,  healing,  Israel  had  not,  iv. 

26. 
Melt,  to,  the  people,  God  threatened,  i. 

469. 
Mercy,  promised  to  aliens,  ii.  1 54 ;  pro- 
mised to  those  who  would  learn  the 

ways  of  God's  people,  156. 
Mercies,  the,  of  the  Lord,  new  every 

morning,  v.  407 ;   the,  of  God,  the 

multitude  of,  420. 
Merodach,  a  Babylonian  idol,  broken, 

V.  122. 
Micah,  his  prophecy  referred  to,  iii. 

331. 
Mighty,  the,  forbidden  to  glory  in  their 

might,  i.  495. 
Millstones,  the  sound  of,  to  cease,  iii. 

254. 
Ministei-s,  sent  to  pull  down,  as  well  as 

to  build  up,  i.  46;  ought  to  be  cour- 
ageous, 64 ;    ought   to   be  received 

as  God  himself,  283,  284,  405;  ought 

to  give  no  offence  in  private  matters, 

ii.  270. 
Moab,  a  prophecy  against,  and  its  exile, 

V.  5-51;  its  restoration,  52. 
Moabites,  the,  and  the  Idumeans,  evil 

neighbours  to  God's  people,  ii.  151. 
Mockers,  Jeremiah  did  not  sit  among, 

ii.  287. 
Molech,  children  burnt  to,  iv.  1 99. 
Monks,  pretend  to  be  true  teachers,  i. 

309  ;  pi'op  up  the  Papacy,  310;  their 

shameful  boastings,  311  ;  excite  the 

feelings  by  exhibiting  the  cross,  488. 
Moses  and  Samuel,  would  not  be  heard 

for  the  people,  ii.  287. 
Mountain,  the,  of  Zion,  foxes  walked 

on,  v.  509. 
Mountains,  the  dark,  to  stumble  on,  ii. 

175. 


Mourning  turned  into  joy,  iv.  86. 
Mourning  women,  called  to  lament  the 

state  of  the  people,  i.  487. 
Mouth,  in  the,  of  the  people,  God  near, 

but  far  from  their  reins,  ii.  122. 


N 


Nation,  mighty  and  ancient,  the  Chal- 
dean, i.  285  ;  a,  spoken  against  and 
repents,  is  spared,  ii.  397. 

Nations,  the,  Jeremiah  a  prophet  to, 
i.  37;  God  the  king  of,  ii.  19;  all, 
made  to  drink  of  God's  cup  of  wrath, 
iii.  266;  God's  controversy  with,  292. 

Native  country,  theii',  the  exiles  were 
not  to  see,  iii.  90, 

Nazarites,  their  habits,  i.  409;  changed 
in  their  appearance  at  the  siege  of 
Jerusalem,  v.  464. 

Nebo,  woe  on,  v.  5. 

Nebuchadnezzar,  many  lands  given  to, 
iii.  354-358;  Jerusalem  given  to,  iv. 
1 86  ;  gave  a  charge  respecting  Jere- 
miah, 422;  destined  to  smite  l^gypt, 
585. 

Nebuzar-adan,  led  the  people  captive, 
iv.  429 ;  left  the  poor  in  the  land, 
431;  his  address  and  offer  to  Jere- 
miah, 440 ;  dismissed  him  with  a  re- 
ward, 445. 

Needy,  the,  the  right  of,  denied  by  the 
Jews,  i.  305. 

Neigh,  the  Jews  did,  after  their  neigh- 
bours' wives,  i.  271;  ii.  198. 

Neighbour,  a,  no  more  needed  to  be 
taught,  iv.  134. 

Neighbours,  and  brethren,  deceitful 
and  slanderous,  i.  463,  465  ;  the,  of 
the  Jews,  evil,  ii.  150. 

Net,  spread  by  God  for  Zion,  v,  327. 

Nitre,  could  not  cleanse  the  people  of 
Israel,  i.  113. 

Nobles,  the,  of  Judah,  sought  water  in 
vain,  ii.  204;  the,  of  the  restored 
Jews,  from  themselves,  iv.  42. 

No-god,  a,  the  people  swore  by,  i.  269. 

Noph,  the  sins  of,  i.  98. 

North,  the,  the  pot's  face  towards,  i. 
51 ;  the,  evil  was  to  come  from.  53, 
209,  314  ;  ii.  53;  the,  from  the  land 
of,  Judah  and  Israel  were  to  return, 
i.  188. 

O 
Oath,  the,  which  God  had  sworn  to  the 

fathers,  ii.  69,  77. 
Obedience  to   God's  voice,   the  chief 

thing,  i.  390,  395 ;  ii.  69,  80. 


570 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


Obey,  to,  God's  voice,  Israel  refused, 
i,  176,  481  ;  to,  his  voice,  God  com- 
manded the  people  from  the  begin- 
ning, ii.  80,  82  ;  to,  the  Jews  refused, 
as  to  the  Sabbath,  ii.  383. 

Offerings,  burnt,  not  of  themselves  ac- 
ceptable to  God,  i.  347;  ii.  217;  not 
commanded  on  coming  out  of  Egypt, 
i.  391 ;  burnt,  offered  to  Baal,  ii. 
437. 

Offscouring,  an,  the  exiles  made  by 
God,  v.  439. 

Oracle  of  Apollo,  1.  90. 

Ordinances,  the,  of  the  moon  and  stars, 
fixed,  iv.  141. 

Origen  and  Irenaeus,  quoted  by  Papists, 
ii.  112. 

Ornaments, maid  forgets  not  her,  i.  1 38. 


Papacy,  the,  supported  by  the  Monks, 
i.  310  ;  to  be  under,  better  than  li- 
centiousness, iii.  32. 

Papal  ceremonies,  human  inventions, 
i.  194- 

Papists,  the,  are  like  the  ancient  im- 
postors, i.  85  ;  given  to  all  sorts  of 
devotions,  110;  have  their  Baalim 
or  patrons  like  the  Jews,  115;  pray 
to  stocks  and  stones  like  the  Jews, 
128;  set  up  free-will,  220;  boast  of 
an  apostolical  throne,  382  ;  regard 
the  consent  of  Fathers  more  than 
the  word  of  God,  39G  ;  pretend  an- 
tiquity, 398  ;  believe  their  bishops, 
and  not  God's  word,  ii.  51  ;"  have 
many  gods  like  the  Jews,  94  ;  be- 
lieve in  the  intercession  of  the  dead, 
250  ;  absurdly  hold  that  the  Church 
cannot  err,  416  ;  are  all  schismatics, 
418  ;  make  their  own  devices  to  be 
oracles,  iii.  168  ;  deny  any  certainty 
to  Scripture,  171  ;  have  false  views 
of  repentance,  iv.  102  ;  fight  with  the 
same  weapons  with  idolatrous  Jews, 
544  ;  swear  by  dead  saints,  v.  78. 

Paramours,  the  Egyptians  and  Assy- 
rians were,  to  Israel,  i.  140,  141. 

Pardon,  only  to  the  penitent,  i.  273  ; 
not  to  the  Jews  without  correction, 
ii.  60. 

Partridge,  a,  not  hatching,  a  rich  man 
like  to,  ii.  357. 

Pasliur,  the  priest,  put  Jeremiah  in 
])rison,  iii.  13,  &c.  ;  was  threatened 
with  exile,  20. 

PasIiur,  the  son  of  Melchiah,  sent 
with  a  message  to  Jeremiah,  iii.  51- 
55, 


Pastor,  a,  Jeremiah  hastened  not  to 
be,  ii.  369. 

Pastors,  the,  of  Israel,  transgressed 
against  God,  i.  81  ;  the  promise  of, 
to  feed  the  people  with  knowledge, 
180,  181  ;  the,  of  Isi'ael,  were  be- 
come brutish  and  did  not  seek  God, 
ii.  50 ;  had  destroyed  God's  vine- 
yard, 141 ;  denounced  with  woe  for 
scattering  the  sheep,  iii.  128  ;  good, 
promised,  1 34  :  the  bad,  threatened 
with  ruin,  298-301. 

Patience,  proved  bv  extreme  evils,  v. 
417. 

Paths,  the  old,  to  be  sought,  i.  340  ;  the 
ancient,  forsaken  by  the  Jews,  ii. 
411. 

Peace,  promised  by  false  prophets,  i. 
336,  437  ;  iii.  169  ;  taken  away  from 
the  people,  ii.  306 ;  the  man  of, 
what  it  means,  iii.  36 ;  obtained 
only  through  Christ,  143  ;  the,  of 
Babylon,  to  be  sought  by  the  exiles, 
420. 

Pelagians,  the,  the  cavils  of,  ii.  58  : 
answered  by  Augustine,  ib. 

Pen,  a,  of  iron,  Judah's  sin  written 
with,  ii.  337. 

People,  the,  of  Judah,  foolish,  i.  233  ; 
the,  the  soitow  of,  like  that  of  a 
woman  in  travail,  249 ;  punished 
for  their  idolatry,  290  ;  compared  to 
snares,  302  ;  loved  to  be  deceived, 
308  ;  wei'e  like  reprobate  silver, 
360  ;  promised  a  name  .and  a  glox'y, 
but  would  not  hear,  ii.  167;  loved 
to  wander,  215  ;  justly  exposed  to 
the  delusions  of  impostors,  228 ; 
refused  to  hear  and  receive  instruc- 
tion, 383  ;  the,  the  daughter  of,  more 
cruel  than  sea-monsters  and  os- 
triches, V.  458. 

Persecutors,  the,  of  the  Jews,  swifter 
than  eagles,  v,  481. 

Persius,  quoted,  ii.  275. 

Persians,  the,  and  the  JMedes,  over- 
threw the  monarchy  of  Babylon,  v. 
139,  145-149;  the,  excelled  in  ar- 
chery, 1  69. 

Pharaoh,  made  to  drink  of  the  cup  of 
fury,  iii.  269. 

Pharuob-necho,  smitten  by  Nebuch- 
adnezisar  near  the  Euphrates,  iv. 
572. 

Pharaoh  liophra,  given  into  the  hand 
of  Nebuchadnezzar,  iv.  5(J1. 

Philistines,  the,  God's  word  against, 
iv.  609. 

Philosophers,  their  view  of  contingcur 
cies,  V.  428. 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


571 


Physician,  a,  looked  for  iu  Gilead,  i. 
455. 

Planted,  the  wicked  said  to  be,  by 
God,  ii.  122. 

Platonic  figment,  the,  about  mediators, 
i.  22  ;  ii.  95. 

Pliny,  quoted,  ii.  358  ;  v.  234,  261. 

Pollution,  everywhei-e  in  Jerusalem 
during  tlie  siege,  v.  473. 

Poor,  the,  and  the  rich,  wholly  wicked 
in  Jerusalem,  i.  162,  163. 

Pope,  the,  his  vain  boasting,  while  ne- 
glecting God's  word,  i.  44,  45 ;  fool- 
ishly exempts  himself  from  reproofs, 
iii.  80  ;  cannot  err  as  a  Pope,  159  ; 
his  tyranny  better  than  anarchy,  iv. 
15. 

Portion,  the,  of  God,  trodden  down  by 
pastors,  ii.  141  ;  the,  allotted  to  the 
people  for  their  sins,  ii.  194  ;  the, 
of  his  people,  the  Lord  is,  v.  408. 

Potter,  a,  tiie  house  of,  Jeremiah  bid- 
den to  go  to,  ii.  391  ;  a,  the  earthen 
bottle  of,  taken  by  Jeremiah,  ii. 
429;  broken  bottle  interpreted,  447. 

Prayer,  the  fruit  of  faith,  ii.  67  ;  iv. 
67  ;  V.  322,  434  ;  the,  of  the  Jews, 
not  heard,  ii,  89  ;  v.  393  ;  offered  to 
God  and  to  false  gods,  ii.  92  ;  an 
answer  to,  promised,  iv.  226  ;  inter- 
cepted by  an  intervening  cloud,  v. 
438  ;  to  God,  from  the  dungeon,  446. 

Precious,  the,  to  be  taken  from  the 
vile,  ii.  295. 

Preservation,  in  the  midst  of  evils, 
from  God  alone,  ii.  366. 

Pride,  the,  of  Judah,  ii,  164;  the,  of 
Moab,  V.  31. 

Priest,  the,  and  the  prophet,  dealing 
falsely,  i.  334,  435  ;  the,  and  the  pi'o- 
phet,  wandering  in  despair  through 
the  land,  ii.  233  ;  the,  the  law  should 
not  perish  from,  415, 

Priests,  against  the,  Jeremiah  was 
made  a  brazen  wall,  i.  65  ;  the,  had 
forsaken  the  Lord  and  turned  to 
idols,  81  ;  the,  the  shame  of,  made 
fully  evident,  125  ;  the,  bearing  rule 
by  means  of  the  prophets,  308,  309  ; 
the,  and  the  prophets,  threatened  to 
be  filled  with  drunkenness,  ii.  169, 
172. 

Princes,  in  the  courts  of,  hardly  any 
religion,  ii.  288. 

Profession,  the  pretence  and  boast  of 
hypocrites,  i.  200. 

Promise,  a,  to  those  who  kept  the 
Sabbath,  ii.  384,  388 

Promises  to  the  restored  Jews,  iv.  35- 

■  49,  53-87. 


Prophet,  the,  and  the  priest,  profane, 
iii.  157. 

Prophets  and  priests,  two  eyes  of  the 
Cliurch,  blinded  by  Satan,  v.  472. 

Prophets,  the  true,  ought  not  to  fear,  i. 
41 ;  bring  nothing  of  their  own,  42; 
had  two  feelings,  personal  and  offi- 
cial, 228;  ii.  181;  iii.  33;  were  called 
watchmen,  i.  340;  were  sent  con- 
tinually to  the  people  of  Israel,  400; 
ii.  80;  iii.  241;  iv.  316. 

Prophets,  the  false,  deceived  the  people, 
i.  2 1 3  ;  prophesied  falsehood  in  God's 
name,  308;  ii.  224;  iii.  189,  191; 
and  the  priests,  were  deceitful,  i. 
435;  declared  that  there  be  neither 
sword  nor  famine,  but  peace,  ii,  222; 
iii.  169;  were  threatened  with  the 
sword  and  famine,  ii.  227;  and  with 
exile,  iii,  23-25;  those  of  Jerusalem, 
a  horrible  thing  seen  in,  161;  were 
threatened  with  wormwood  and  gall, 
164;  forbidden  to  be  hearkened  to 
by  the  people,  166;  were  not  sent 
by  the  Lord,  176;  did  not  turn  the 
people  from  their  evil  ways,  180, 
183;  pretended  to  see  dreams,  189; 
prophesied  false  things,  371-330; 
discovered  not  the  people's  iniqui- 
ties, V,  369. 

Prosperity,  the  Jews  while  in,  refused 
to  hear  God,  iii.  112;  the,  of  the 
restored  captives,  iv.  238. 

Protection,  the,  of  others,  preferred 
by  the  Jews  to  that  of  God,  i.  147. 

Proud,  the  Jews  were,  ii.  175. 

Prudence  commended,  i.  40. 

Punishment,  the,  of  the  people,  the 
cause  of,  ii.  189,  194;  the,  of  the 
people,  according  to  their  doings, 
iii.  70-73;  the,  of  the  Jews,  tempo- 
rary, iv.  109. 


Q 

Queen,  the,  of  heaven,  cakes  made 
for,  i.  385;  iv.  542,  548,  553. 

Quintilian,  quoted,  ii.  106. 

Quiver,  the,  of  the  Chaldeans,  com- 
pared to  an  open  sepulchre,  i.  287. 

Quotations,  accommodated,  iv.  91. 


R 

Rabbins,  their  fancy  as  to  Jeremiah's 
father,  i.  32;  their  foolish  notion 
about  the  antiquity  of  the  temple, 
ii.  361;  their  fable  about  Hananiah, 
iii.  411. 


572 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


Racliel,  weeping  for  her  children,  iv. 
88. 

Rain,  withheld  for  sin,  i.  158;  the  gift 
of  God,  298;  and  showers,  ascribed 
to  God,  ii.  244. 

Ramah.     See  Rachel. 

Rebuke,  suffered  for  God's  sake,  ii. 
282. 

Rechabites,  the,  offered  wine  by  Jere- 
miah, iv.  302 ;  the,  a  promise  made 
to,  323. 

Recompense,  to,  sin  double,  what  it 
means,  ii.  325. 

Redeemer,  the,  of  Israel  and  Judah, 
strong,  V.  174. 

Redemption  from  exile,  greater  than 
that  from  Egypt,  ii.  320,  323;  iii. 
147. 

Refuse.     See  Offscouring. 

Reins,  the,  tried  by  God,  ii.  1 1 3. 

Religion,  the  beginning  of,  ii.  67. 

Remedy,  the  true,  rejected  by  Israel, 
i.  100. 

Remnant,  the,  of  Israel,  gleaned,  i. 
325;  the,  of  the  flock,  gathered,  iii. 
128. 

Repentance,  the  gift  of  God,  iii.  228, 
435;  when  true, i.  219;  iii.  310;  not 
the  cause  of  salvation  or  of  pardon, 
i.  220;  iii.  235;  and  faith,  united, 
iii.  336;  submits  to  chastisements, 
ii.  61  ;  requires  confession,  332 ; 
halved  by  the  Papists,  iii.  229;  ex- 
hortation to,  24 1 ;  the,  of  God,  what 
it  is,  311. 

Resignation,  under  punishment,  ii.  48; 
silent,  a  proof  of  patience,  v.  415. 

Restoration,  the,  of  the  Jews  from 
exile,  a  prelude  to  that  by  Christ,  i. 
186;  iii.  227;  wholly  from  God,  iii, 
229;  from  all  nations,  437;  iv.  203; 
to  their  own  land,  iv.  5,  17. 

Restraint,  necessary,  in  judging  of 
God's  dealings,  ii.  1 1 9. 

Revolters,  the  Jews  were,  i.  356. 

Rewai'd,  liow  given,  iv.  92. 

Rich,  the,  forbidden  to  glory  in  riches, 
i.  495. 

Righteousness,  the  Lord  our,  iii.  136; 
iv.  253;  the,  of  Christ,  what  it  is, 
iii.  143. 

Rising  up  early  and  sending,  i.  400; 
ii.  80;  iii.  241,  312,  443;  iv.  195, 
316. 

Roaring,  ascribed  to  God,  iii.  289. 

Rod  of  almond-tree  shewn  to  Jere- 
miah, i.  49. 

Roll,  the,  of  a  book,  taken  by  Jere- 
miah, iv.  324;  was  destroyed  by 
Jehoiakim,  344;  another,  was  writ- 


ten and  had  many  words  added,  35 1 , 

359. 
Roofs,  on  the,  the  Jews  burnt  incense 

to  Baal,  ii.  449. 
Root,  the  wicked  had  taken  and  grew, 

ii.  122. 


S 

Sabbath-day,  on  the,  the  people  were 
bidden  to  bear  no  burden,  ii.  377; 
the,  commanded  to  be  kept  holy, 
380. 

Sabbatharians,  the  Jews  so  called  by 
the  heathens,  v.  316. 

Sabbaths,  the,  ridiculed  by  the  hea- 
thens, V.  313;  the,  God  caused  to  be 
forgotten  in  Zion,  353. 

Sackcloth,  the  people  called  to  put  on, 
i.  210,  353;  sign  of  repentance,  353, 
354. 

Sacrifices,  not  of  themselves  accept- 
able to  God,  i.  346;  not  required  on 
coming  out  of  Egypt,  391. 

Samaria,  folly  seen  by  the  propliets 
of,  iii.  161;  vines  planted  on  the 
mountains  of,  after  the  I'cstoration, 
iv.  61. 

Saiietuary,  the,  a  glorious  high  throne, 
ii.  360;  the,  the  heathens  not  allowed 
to  enter,  v,  323;  his  own,  God  ab- 
horred, 355;  the,  the  priest  and  the 
prophet,  slain  in,  384;  the,  the  stones 
of,  cast  into  the  streets,  455. 

Satan,  sends  forth  angels  of  light,  i. 
85;  suggests  vain  comforts,  101;  is 
an  acute  disputant  and  a  sophist,  ii. 
329;  set  loose  to  deceive  the  wilfully 
disobedient,  iii.  177;  the  ministers 
of,  teach  in  God's  name,  190;  uses 
various  means  to  lead  men  to  de- 
spair, V.  321,  447. 

Satisfactions,  the,  of  the  Papists,  iv. 
93. 

Scattered,  Judah  threatened  to  be,  i. 
486;  the  pastors'  flocks  were  to  be, 
ii.  50;  the  people,  as  by  an  east  wind, 
413. 

Sea,  the,  under  God's  command,  iv. 
141. 

Seething-pot,  seen  by  Jeremiah,  i.  51. 

Seraiah,  brought  the  book  of  the  pro- 
phecies concerning  Babylon,  to  Baby- 
lon, and  cast  it  into  the  Euphrates, 
V.  289,  &c. 

Servants,  ruled  over  the  Jews,  v.  500. 

Seventy  years,  the,  of  the  captivity, 
iii.  255,  427, 

Shallum,  was  not  to  return  from  exile, 
iii.  91. 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


O/o 


Shame,  none  felt  by  the  Jews,  i.  338, 
438;  the  self- wise  threatened  \^ith, 
432. 
Sheba,  incense  from,  i.  346. 
Shedding,  the,  of  the  blood  of  the  just 

by  prophets  and  priests,  v.  47. 
Shemaiah,    the   Nehelamite,  iii.    450- 

456;  his  punishment,  457-460. 
Shepherds,  after  the  restoration,  dwell- 
ing in  Judea,  iv.  245. 
Sheshach,  the  cup  of  wrath  given  to, 

iii.  277. 
Shiloh,  the  fate  of,  threatened  to  the 
temple,   i.    377;  a   warning   to  the 
Jews,  iii.  84,  312. 
Showers,     withheld    on    account     of 

hardened  wickedness,  i.  158. 
Sibmah,  the  vine  of,  lamented,  v.  36. 
Sign,  external,  of  itself  nothing,  i.  328. 
tignet,  a,  Coniah  compared  to,  iii.  118. 
Signs,  the,  of  heaven,  not  to  be  dreaded, 

ii.  6. 
Sihor,  the  water  of,  i.  100. 
Sin,   the  servants  of,  no  servants  of 

righteousness,  i.  109. 
Skii'ts,  the,  discovered,  ii.  189,  197. 
Slippery,  the  way  made  so  to  the  Jews, 

iii.  160. 
Smiths,  the,  taken  to  Babylon,  iii.  219. 
Snow  of  Lebanon,  ii.  407. 
Soap,  could  not  cleanse  the  stains  of 

Israel,  i.  114. 
Sodom,  the  Jews  like  the  people  of, 
iii.  161 ;  the  sudden  ruin  of,  v.  461. 
Sons,  their,  and  daughters,  the  Jews 
sacrificed  to  Molech,  i.  411;  the,  and 
daughters,  in  Jerusalem,  given  up 
to  famine  and  the  sword,  ii.   301, 
302. 
Sophists,  the,  ascribe  absolute  power 

to  God  without  justice,  v.  192. 
Sorrow,  the,   of  Israel,  incurable,  iv. 
31;  alleviated  by  sympathy,  v.  304; 
the,  of  Zion,  greater  than  that  of 
any,  325. 
Soul,  the  weary,  satiated,  iv.  118. 
Sow,  to,  among  thorns,  what  it  means, 

i.  202,  203. 
Sowing,  the,  of  the  house  of  Israel,  iv. 

120. 
Spoiler,  a,  brought  to  Judah,  ii.  264. 
Stealing,  murder,  idolatry,  &c.,  com- 
bined with  attendance  at  the  temple, 
i.  370. 
Stocks,  in  the,  Jeremiah  was  put,  iii. 

13. 
Stone,  a,  and  a  stock,  prayed  to,  by 

Israel,  i.  126,  127. 
Stones  and  stocks,  to  commit  adultery 
with,  i.  158. 


Stork,  the,  and  the  turtle,  &c  ,  wiser 

than  God's  people,  i.  428. 
Strabo,  quoted,  v.  234. 
Strangers,  false  gods  so  called,  i.  176; 

Judah  doomed  to  serve,  290, 
Strangers,  orphans,  and  widows,  why 

so  often  mentioned,  i.  367;  iii.  78. 
Succession,   a,    of  prophets,   given  to 

Israel,  i.  400. 
Sucklings,  swooned  in  the  streets  of 
Jerusalem,   v.    362;   died   in   their 
mothers'  bosom,  364;  the  tongue  of, 
clave  to  the  roof  of  their  mouth, 
459. 
Summer,  the,  had  ended,  i.  453. 
Sun,  the  supreme  god  of  the  orientals, 
i.  387;  the,of  Jerusalem,  went  down 
at  mid-day,  ii.  266. 
Superstition   and   religion,   how   they 

differ,  i.  395. 
Superstitions,  caused  God   to   punish 
the   Jews,  i.    57;  deemed   by    God 
idolatrous,  156. 
Superstitious,  the,  know  no  shame,  i. 

163. 
Swear,  to,  what  it  means,  i.  200,  255; 

ii.  157. 
Swearing,  common  in  the  land,  iii.  1 54. 
Swelling,  the,  of  Jordan,  ii.  130;  v.  87. 
Sword,  the,   sent  after  the  people  in 
exile,  i.  487;  the,  and  famine,  and 
pestilence,  threatened,  ii.  145,  217; 
iii.  237 ;  the  slain  with,  better  than 
the  slain  with  famine,  v.  466. 
Symbols,    or    signs,    vain,    when    not 
founded  on  God's  word,  ii.  448;  iii. 
352. 
Sympathy  alleviates  sorrow,  v.  304. 

T 

Tahapanes,  the  sons  of,  i.  98. 

Tamarisk,  ii.  343,  347. 

Taunt,  a,  the  Jews  were  to  be,  iii.  235. 

Teeth,  the  children's,  set  on  edge,  iv. 
123. 

Teaching,  the  right  way  of,  v.  322. 

Tekoa,  i.  312. 

Temple,  the,  of  the  Lord,  the  boast  of 
the  Jews,  i.  361;  made  a  den  of 
thieves,  370;  the,  the  Jews  forbid- 
den to  enter,  ii.  98;  the  vessels  of, 
carried  to  Babylon,  iii.  381. 

Thoughts,  the,  of  peace,  God  had  to- 
wards the  captives,  iii.  430-435. 

Threaten ings,  when  not  feared,  God  is 
denied,  i.  279;  the,  of  God,  fulfilled 
in  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  v. 
376. 

Throne,  the,  of  God,  is  for  ever,  v.  51 1 . 


574 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


Tongue,  the,  of  the  people,  deceitful, 

i.  471 ;  tlie,  to  smite  with,  its  mean- 
ing, ii.  419, 
Tophet,   the    high    place   of,   i.    411; 

threatened  with  ruin,  436,  444. 
Toi'pidity,  the,  of  the  Jews,  i.  315. 
Treacherous,  Judah  so  called,  i.  1 G7, 

169,  170;  the  whole  people  said  to 

be,  458. 
Treacherously,  those  who  dealt,  were 

happy,    ii.     118,    122  ;    Jeremiah's 

father's  house  dealt,   with   him,  ii. 

133. 
Treachery,  the,  of  Israel,  i.  190;  the, 

of  Israel  and  Judah,  277. 
Treasures,  the,   of  Judah,    given  for 

spoil,  ii.  275,  339. 
Ti'ee,  every  green,  the  people  played 

the  harlot  under,  i.  110;  a,  planted 

by  waters,  the  blessed  man  is  like 

to,  ii.  351. 
Tribe,  the,  of  Benjamin,  bidden  to  flee 

from  Jerusalem,  i.  312. 
Tribes,  the  ten,  their  exile,  iv.  126. 
Troy,  its  ruin  ascribed  to  the  cruelty 

of  Jupiter,  v.  317. 
Trumperies,  magnified  by  hypocrites, 

i.  363. 
Tui'ning,  the,  of  sinners,  ascribed  to 

God,  iv.  99. 
Tyrus,  made  to  drink  the  cup  of  wrath, 

iii.  273. 


U 

Unbelieving,  the,  exasperated  by  cala- 
mities, V.  318. 

Uncircumcised  in  heart,  were  all  the 
house  of  Israel,  i.  504. 

Uncleanness,     ISee  Pollution. 

Understanding,  Judah  was  without,  i. 
234,  293. 

Union,  the,  of  Israel  and  Judah,  after 
their  exile,  i.  183;  how  to  be  formed, 
396;  falsely  boasted  of  by  Papists, 
iv.  65. 

Urijah,  what  happened  to,  related,  iii. 
339. 

Usury,  Jeremiah  neither  borrowed 
nor  lent  on,  ii.  269. 


Vallev,  the,  of  Hinnom,  i.  411;  iv. 

199;  to  the,  Jeremiah  bidden  to  go, 

ii.  430,  452. 
Vanity,   the    fathers   walked  after,   i. 

74  ;    the    graven    images    were,    ii. 

40  ;    the    people   burnt  incense   to, 

407. 


Vanities,  the  stock  the  doctrine  of,  ii. 
22  ;  the,  of  the  Gentiles,  245. 

Vengeance,  prayed  for  by  Jeremiah 
on  his  enemies,  ii.  113;  threatened 
to  the  Jews,  169. 

Vermilion,  a  house  painted  with,  iii. 
97. 

Vessels,  the,  of  the  temple  carried  to 
Babylon,  iii.  381. 

Victuals,  the  Jews  said  they  had  plenty 
of,  when  they  worshipped  idols,  iv. 
542. 

Vile,  the,  to  be  separated  from  the  pre- 
cious, ii.  295. 

Vine,  Israel  a  choice,  became  degene- 
rate, i.  Ill;  gleaned  as  a,  the  reu\- 
nant  of  Israel,  325, 

Vines  and  fig-trees,  destroyed  by  the 
Chaldeans,  i.  287. 

Virgil,  quoted,  iii.  323  ;  v.  317,  499. 

Virgins,  ravished  in  the  cities  of  Ju- 
dah, v.  503. 

Vision,  a  false,  by  the  false  prophets, 
ii.  224  ;  iii.  166  ;  none  from  the 
Lord  to  the  prophets  of  Zion,  iv. 
358. 

Visit,  to,  the  same  as  to  punish,  i.  272, 
307,  472. 

Visitation,  the  time  of,  i.  438  ;  the 
year  of,  iii.  160. 

Voice,  the,  of  mirth,  &c.,  made  to 
cease  in  Judah,  i.  417;  and  in  Je- 
rusalem, ii.  311;  iii.  254;  the,  of 
God,  the  Jews  refused  to  hear,  iii. 
112;  the,  of  joy,  among  the  restored 
captives,  iv.  241. 

W 

Wages,  to  retain,  is  accursed,  iii. 
94. 

Wailing,  the  voice  of,  heard  from  Zion, 
i.  489. 

War,  to  sanctify,  what  it  means,  i.  317. 

Watch,  God  did,  to  build  Israel,  iv. 
121. 

Water  sought  for  in  vain  by  the  nobles, 
ii.  204. 

Waves,  the,  of  the  sea,  under  God's 
control,  i.  294. 

Way,  the,  of  Jehovah,  not  known  by 
the  poor,  nor  the  rich,  i.  262-264  ; 
the  good,  to  be  sought,  340  ;  the, 
of  the  heathen,  to  be  avoided,  ii.  5,  6; 
the,  of  man  not  in  himself,  54 ;  tlie, 
of  life  and  death  set  before  the  be- 
sieged Jews,  iii.  62-64  ;  the,  of  the 
Jews  made  slippery,  160  ;  one,  pro- 
mised to  Israel,  iv.  210  ;  the  evil,  to 
return  from,  327,  331. 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


570 


Way-marks,  to  be  set  up  for  the  return 
of  captives,  iv.  1 09. 

Ways,  tlie,  of  Zion  mourning,  v.  308  ; 
our  exhortation  to  search  and  try, 
432. 

Wayfaring  man,  a,  the  God  of  Israel 
hke  to,  ii.  212. 

Weeping,  a  sign  of  misery,  not  of  re- 
pentance, i.  191  ;  for  mountains  and 
the  wilderness,  473  ;  the  captives 
would  return  with,  iv.  71  ;  incessant 
for  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  v. 
441. 

Wheat,  to  sow,  and  to  reap  thorns,  ii. 
146  ;  the,  what  is  the  chaff  to  ?  iii. 
195. 

Whirlwind,  a,  from  the  Lord,  iii.  173: 
God's  judgment  compared  to,  294; 
iv.  50. 

Wicked,  the  most,  deem  themselves 
innocent,  i.  144 ;  the,  the  way  of, 
prosperous,  ii.  118. 

Wickedness  brings  its  own  punish- 
ment, i.  103,  104  ;  made  the  land  to 
mourn,  ii.  127  ;  and  iniquity,  con- 
fessed, ii.  237  ;  found  in  God's  house, 
iii.  157. 

Widows,  oppressed  by  the  Jews,  i. 
365  ;  increased  through  war,  263  ; 
are  to  trust  in  God,  v.  70. 

Wilderness,  a,  God  had  not  been  to 
Israel,  i.  135. 

Wind,  dry,  not  to  fan  nor  to  cleanse, 
i.  215  ;  God's  word  so  regarded  by 
the  Jews,  280  ;  the,  brought  forth 
from  God's  treasure,  ii.  37 ;  pesti- 
lential, threatened  to  the  Jews,  iii. 
115. 

Wine,  bottle  filled  with,  interpreted, 
ii.  162  ;  not  drunk  by  the  Rechab- 
ites,  iv.  302 ;  much,  and  s\m:)mer- 
fruits,  gathered  by  the  poor  left  in 
the  land,  453. 

Wise,  the,  are  those  who  fear  God,  i. 
233  ;  the,  are  foi'bidden  to  glory  in 
their  wisdom,  495. 

Wives,  the,  of  the  Jews,  and  their 
fields,  given  to  others,  i.  333,  435. 

Woman,  a,  in  travail,  the  Jews  com- 
pared to,  i.  249,  352  ;  ii.  188  ;  iii. 
117;  a,  compassing  a  man,  iv. 
111. 

Women,  in  the  siege,  did  eat  their  own 
children,  v.  383  ;  the  pitiful,  boiled 
their  own  offspring,  468;  were  ra- 
vished in  Zion,  503. 

Word,  the,  of  God,  a  fire,  i.  284  ;  a 
reproach,  327  ;  iii.  30  ;  superior  to 
that  of  kings  and  pi-inces,  ii.  172, 
173;  a  burning  fire,  iii.  30;  ought 


to  be  spoken  faithfully,  195  ;  a  fire 
and  a  hammer,  198. 

Words,  lying,  the  Jews  trusted  in,  i. 
3G9  ;  the,  of  God,  eaten  by  Jere- 
miah, ii.  282;  the,  of  God,  perverted, 
iii.  211. 

Workman.     See  Artificer. 

Works,  the,  of  their  own  hands,  the 
Jews  worshipped,  i.  57  ;  iii.  249  ; 
their  own,  the  fruit  of,  given  to  each, 
ii.  356  ;  by  the,  of  their  hands,  the 
Jews  provoked  God,  iv.  189. 

World,  the,  established  by  wisdom,  ii. 
33. 

Wormwood,  the  people  fed  with,  i.  481 ; 
and  made  drunk  with,  v.  399. 

Wrath,  the,  of  God,  not  retained,  i. 
172,  174  ;  the  Jews  called  the  gene- 
ration of,  409 ;  at  the,  of  God,  the 
earth  trembles,  ii.  26,  28.     See  Cup. 

X 

Xenophon,  referred  to,  i.  90  ;  iii.  258  ; 
v.  186,  255. 


Years,  seventy,  of  the  captivity,  iii. 
255. 

Yoke,  the,  of  bondage,  broken  by  God 
for  Israel,  i.  107,  109  ;  the,  of  obe- 
dience, broken  by  the  people,  262, 
265 ;  and  bonds,  sent  to  many  kings, 
iii.  348  ;  the,  of  iron,  put  on  many 
nations,  iii.  405  ;  the,  of  Jacob,  pro- 
mised to  be  broken,  iv.  12;  the,  of 
sins,  fastened  to  the  neck  of  Zion,  v. 
328  ;  the,  to  bear,  in  youth,  good, 
414. 

Young,  men  and  women,  ought  not  to 
marry  without  their  parents'  con- 
sent, iii.  419. 

Youth,  the  reproach  of,  iv.  1 04  ;  Is- 
rael and  Judah  did  evil  from  their, 
189. 


Zeal,  pure,  how  to  be  distinguished, 
ii.  278,  279,  375,  376  ;  ought  to  be 
restrained,  iii.  42. 

Zedekiah,  made  king  by  Nebuchad- 
nezzar, iv.  361 ;  was  taken  by  the 
Chaldeans  and  brought  to  Riblah, 
425  ;  had  his  eyes  pulled  out,  and 
was  carried  in  chains  to  Babylon, 
428  ;  as  a  descendant  of  David,  was 
a  type  of  Christ,  v.  483-485. 

Zion,  the  voice  of  wailing  heard  from, 


576 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


i.  489  ;  loathed  by  God,  ii.  234 ;  in- 
vitation to,  by  watchmen  on  mount 
Ephraim,  iv.  62  ;  weeping  in  the 
night  without  a  comforter,  v.  304, 
320,  332 ;  her  tears  on  her  cheeks, 
304  ;  deceived  by  her  friends,  305, 
33G  ;  afflicted  for  many  transgres- 
sions, 309  ;  confessed  herself  vile, 
324  ;   the  sorrow  of,  greater  than 


that  of  any,  32.5  ;  confessed  God  to 
be  righteous,  335  :  God  became  an 
adversary  to,  350,  390 ;  the  pro- 
phets of,  said  vain  things,  367  ;  ex- 
horted to  lament  her  desolations, 
378-382  ;  the  punishment  of,  gi'eater 
than  that  of  Sodom,  461 ;  the  punish- 
ment of,  completed,  489. 


THE  END  OF  VOLUME  FIFTH. 


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