Jeremiah 18:31

The sovereign power of God is expressed under the simile of a potter working in his shop, and making and marring vessels at pleasure, Jeremiah 18:1; the application of which to God, and the house of Israel, is in Jeremiah 18:5; and is illustrated by his usual dealings with kingdoms and nations; for though he is a sovereign Being, yet he acts both in a kind and equitable way; and as the potter changes his work, so he changes the dispensations of his providence, of which two instances are given; the one is, that having threatened ruin to a nation, upon their repentance and good behaviour he revokes the threatening, Jeremiah 18:7; and the other is, that having made a declaration of good to a people, upon their sin and disobedience he recalls it, and punishes them for their wickedness, Jeremiah 18:9; then follows a prophecy of the destruction of the Jews in particular, in which they are exhorted to repentance to prevent it; their obstinacy is observed; their folly in departing from God, and worshipping idols, is exposed; and they are threatened with utter ruin, Jeremiah 18:11; the conspiracy and evil designs of the Jews against the prophet, their malice and ingratitude, are complained of by him, Jeremiah 18:18; his imprecations upon them, and prayers for their destruction, are delivered out in Jeremiah 18:21. Ver. 1. The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying.

This chapter continues the subject of the preceding in a beautiful vision represented at a distant period. God is introduced expressing his continual regard for Israel, and promising to restore them to their land and liberty, Jeremiah 31:1-5. Immediately heralds appear, proclaiming on Mount Ephraim the arrival of the great year of jubilee, and summoning the people to gather unto Zion, Jeremiah 31:6. Upon which God resumes the speech; and makes such gracious promises both of leading them tenderly by the way, and making them happy in their own land, that all the nations of the world are called upon to consider with deep attention this great salvation, Jeremiah 31:7-14. The scene is then diversified by a very happy invention. Rachel, the another of Joseph and Benjamin, is represented as risen from her tomb, in a city of Benjamin near Jerusalem, looking about for her children, and bitterly lamenting their fate, as none of them are to be seen in the land of their fathers, Jeremiah 31:15. But she is consoled with the assurance that they are not lost, and that they shall in due time be restored, Jeremiah 31:16, Jeremiah 31:17. To this another tender and beautiful scene immediately succeeds. Ephraim, (often put for the Ten tribes), comes in view. He laments his past errors, and expresses the most earnest desires of reconciliation; upon which God, as a tender parent, immediately forgives him, Jeremiah 31:18-20.

Pashur —compounded of two roots, meaning "largeness (and so 'security') on every side "; in antithesis to Magor-missabib, "terror round about " (Jeremiah 20:10; Jeremiah 6:25; 46:5; 49:29; Psalms 31:13). 4. terror … to all thy friends —who have believed thy false promises (Jeremiah 20:6). The sense must be in order to accord with "fear round about" (Jeremiah 20:3). I will bring terror on thee and on all thy friends, that terror arising from thyself, namely, thy false prophecies. Thou and thy prophecies will be seen, to the dismay both of thee and thy dupes, to have caused their ruin and thine. M AURER ' S translation is therefore not needed, "I will give up thee and all thy friends to terror." 5. strength —that is, resources. labours —fruits of labor, gain, wealth. 6. prophesied lies —namely, that God cannot possibly leave this land without prophets, priests, and teachers ("the wise") (Jeremiah 18:18; compare Jeremiah 5:31). 7. Jeremiah's complaint, not unlike that of Job, breathing somewhat of human infirmity in consequence of his imprisonment. Thou didst promise never to give me up to the will of mine enemies, and yet Thou hast done so. But Jeremiah misunderstood God's promise, which was not that he should have nothing to suffer, but that God would deliver him out of sufferings (Jeremiah 1:19).

See, for example, with virgin , Jeremiah 18:13 ; Jeremiah 31:4 ; Jeremiah 31:21 ; with virgin daughter , Isaiah 37:22 (“the virgin daughter of Zion hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head after thee”), Isaiah 47:1 , Jeremiah 14:17 ; Jeremiah 46:11 ; with daughter (alone) Isaiah 1:8 ; Isaiah 10:30 ; Isaiah 10:32 ; Isaiah 22:4 ; Isaiah 47:5 , Jeremiah 6:26 ; Jeremiah 9:1 , Micah 4:10 ; Micah 4:13 , Zephaniah 3:14 , Zechariah 9:9 (“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem”); and with the feminine indicated (in the Hebrew) by the termination, Isaiah 12:6 (see R.V. marg .), Isaiah 49:17 f., Isaiah 51:17-20 , Jeremiah 10:17 (see R.V. marg .), Jeremiah 22:23 (see ib. ). is fallen ] The tense is the prophetic past, describing the future as the prophet in imagination sees it, already accomplished. Cf. Amos 8:14 . is forsaken ] Rather, is cast down (R.V.), or lieth forsaken (R.V. marg. ), i.e. is abandoned , left to die where she had fallen: cf. Ezekiel 29:5 (R.V. “leave thee (thrown) into the wilderness”), Ezekiel 32:4 (“And I will leave thee forsaken upon the land, I will throw thee forth upon the face of the field”). Such an announcement as this, made in the height of the prosperity secured by Jeroboam II, would naturally be a startling one to those who heard it.

Amos 3:7 ); but the word rendered musing does not seem one that would be used very naturally of the Divine purpose. that maketh the morning darkness ] viz. suddenly blackening the clear sky with the dark masses of storm-cloud. In the thunderstorm, the Hebrews conceived Jehovah to be borne along within the clouds ( Psalm 18:9-13 ; cf. on ch. Amos 1:2 ): the picture of Jehovah darkening the heavens with the gathering storm thus leads on naturally to the clause which follows. and treadeth —or marcheth — upon the high places of the earth ] viz. in the thunder-cloud, as it sweeps along the hills. For the expression, comp. (of Israel) Deuteronomy 32:13 ; Isaiah 58:14 ; (of Jehovah) Micah 1:3 : also Job 9:8 (“who marcheth upon the high places of the sea”). Jehovah of hosts , is his name ] The title is expressive of majesty and omnipotence: see on Amos 3:13 . It stands in the same emphatic formula as here, Amos 5:27 (‘ God of hosts’); Isaiah 47:4 ; Isaiah 48:2 ; Isaiah 51:15 ; Isaiah 54:5 ; Jeremiah 10:16 (= Jeremiah 51:19 ), Jeremiah 31:35 , Jeremiah 32:18 , Jeremiah 46:18 , Jeremiah 48:15 , Jeremiah 50:34 , Jeremiah 51:57 .

Daniel 8:22 , ‘but not with his power.’ pluckt up ] The figure is that of a tree: it is common in Jeremiah, as Jeremiah 1:10 , Jeremiah 18:7 , Jeremiah 31:28 . and (it shall be) for others besides these ] besides Alexander’s generals,—with allusion to the independent petty dynasties which arose gradually in Cappadocia, Armenia, and other countries, during the century and a half that followed upon the death of Alexander (Jerome, von Leng., Bevan). From this point onwards the author confines himself to the kingdoms of the north and of the south, i.e. of the Seleucidae (in Syria), and of the Ptolemies (in Egypt),—these being the two dynasties which during the period that elapsed from the death of Alexander to the time of Antiochus Epiphanes, successively dominated Palestine.

XXXI. Should any one desire clearer testimonies, we offer the following to his consideration: from Moses, Leviticus 26:41–45; Deuteronomy 4:30, 31; Deuteronomy 30:1–6; and Deuteronomy 32:43. From the Psalms, Psalms 102:14–18, and Psalms 85:9, 10. From Isaiah, Isaiah 11:11, 12; Isaiah 19:24, 25; Isaiah 49:14, &c.; Isa. 62 throughout. From Jeremiah, Jeremiah 3:18, &c.; Jeremiah 31:1, and from ver. 31 to the end; Jeremiah 32:37, &c.; Jeremiah 33:24–26. From Ezekiel, Ezekiel 36:24, to the end; Ezek. 37 throughout, especially from ver. 15; Ezekiel 39:25, to the end. Add Hosea 3:5. All these promises are more sublime, than that the time can be assigned, in which they can be supposed to have been as yet fulfilled. From the New Testament, add Matthew 23:29; Luke 21:24; 2 Corinthians 3:16. The reader may please to see what we have said on this head in a particular book concerning the ten tribes of Israel, from chap. 9. to the end; where he will find most of those prophecies carefully, and at greater length explained.

Though Providence did work cross to his desire, yet it did not work cross to his good. Some heretics, not being able to repudiate the preaching and writing of Augustine, sought his destruction, waiting to trap him on the way he was to go. But by God's providence Augustine, missing his way, escaped the danger. Remedy (2). The second remedy against this device of Satan is, solemnly to consider, That the hand of God may be against a man, when the love and heart of God is much set upon a man. No man can conclude how the heart of God stands—by his hand in providential dealings. The hand of God was against Ephraim, and yet his love, his heart, was dearly set upon Ephraim: "I have surely heard Ephraim's moaning: 'You disciplined me like an unruly calf, and I have been disciplined. Restore me, and I will return, because you are the Lord my God. After I strayed, I repented; after I came to understand, I beat my breast. I was ashamed and humiliated because I bore the disgrace of my youth.' Is not Ephraim my dear son, the child in whom I delight? Though I often speak against him, I still remember him. Therefore my heart yearns for him; I have great compassion for him," declares the Lord." Jeremiah 31:18-20 ' (Jeremiah 31:18- 20).* God's providential hand may be with people, when his heart is set against them. God's providential hand was for a time with Saul, Haman, Asshur, and Jehu—and yet his heart was set against them. 'No man knows love or hatred by all that is before him' (Eccles. 9:1, 2)

Some heretics, not being able to repudiate the preaching and writing of Augustine, sought his destruction, waiting to trap him on the way he was to go. But by God's providence Augustine, missing his way, escaped the danger. Remedy (2). The second remedy against this device of Satan is, solemnly to consider, That the hand of God may be against a man, when the love and heart of God is much set upon a man. No man can conclude how the heart of God stands—by his hand in providential dealings. The hand of God was against Ephraim, and yet his love, his heart, was dearly set upon Ephraim: "I have surely heard Ephraim's moaning: 'You disciplined me like an unruly calf, and I have been disciplined. Restore me, and I will return, because you are the Lord my God. After I strayed, I repented; after I came to understand, I beat my breast. I was ashamed and humiliated because I bore the disgrace of my youth.' Is not Ephraim my dear son, the child in whom I delight? Though I often speak against him, I still remember him. Therefore my heart yearns for him; I have great compassion for him," declares the Lord." Jeremiah 31:18-20 ' (Jeremiah 31:18-20).* God's providential hand may be with people, when his heart is set against them. God's providential hand was for a time with Saul, Haman, Asshur, and Jehu—and yet his heart was set against them. 'No man knows love or hatred by all that is before him' (Eccles. 9:1, 2).

Though Providence did work cross to his desire, yet it did not work cross to his good. Some heretics, not being able to repudiate the preaching and writing of Augustine, sought his destruction, waiting to trap him on the way he was to go. But by God's providence Augustine, missing his way, escaped the danger. Remedy (2). The second remedy against this device of Satan is, solemnly to consider, That the hand of God may be against a man, when the love and heart of God is much set upon a man. No man can conclude how the heart of God stands—by his hand in providential dealings. The hand of God was against Ephraim, and yet his love, his heart, was dearly set upon Ephraim: "I have surely heard Ephraim's moaning: 'You disciplined me like an unruly calf, and I have been disciplined. Restore me, and I will return, because you are the Lord my God. After I strayed, I repented; after I came to understand, I beat my breast. I was ashamed and humiliated because I bore the disgrace of my youth.' Is not Ephraim my dear son, the child in whom I delight? Though I often speak against him, I still remember him. Therefore my heart yearns for him; I have great compassion for him," declares the Lord." Jeremiah 31:18-20 ' (Jeremiah 31:18-20).* God's providential hand may be with people, when his heart is set against them. God's providential hand was for a time with Saul, Haman, Asshur, and Jehu—and yet his heart was set against them. 'No man knows love or hatred by all that is before him' (Eccles. 9:1, 2)