18 And the LORD H3068 hath given me knowledge H3045 of it, and I know H3045 it: then thou shewedst H7200 me their doings. H4611
Will the men H1167 of Keilah H7084 deliver me up H5462 into his hand? H3027 will Saul H7586 come down, H3381 as thy servant H5650 hath heard? H8085 O LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel, H3478 I beseech thee, tell H5046 thy servant. H5650 And the LORD H3068 said, H559 He will come down. H3381 Then said H559 David, H1732 Will the men H1167 of Keilah H7084 deliver H5462 me and my men H582 into the hand H3027 of Saul? H7586 And the LORD H3068 said, H559 They will deliver thee up. H5462
And the man H376 of God H430 sent H7971 unto the king H4428 of Israel, H3478 saying, H559 Beware H8104 that thou pass H5674 not such H2088 a place; H4725 for thither the Syrians H758 are come down. H5185 And the king H4428 of Israel H3478 sent H7971 to the place H4725 which the man H376 of God H430 told H559 him and warned H2094 him of, and saved H8104 himself there, not once H259 nor twice. H8147
Therefore sent H7971 he thither horses, H5483 and chariots, H7393 and a great H3515 host: H2428 and they came H935 by night, H3915 and compassed H5362 the city H5892 about. H5362 And when the servant H8334 of the man H376 of God H430 was risen H6965 early, H7925 and gone forth, H3318 behold, an host H2428 compassed H5437 the city H5892 both with horses H5483 and chariots. H7393 And his servant H5288 said H559 unto him, Alas, H162 my master! H113 how shall we do? H6213 And he answered, H559 Fear H3372 not: for they that be with us are more H7227 than they that be with them. And Elisha H477 prayed, H6419 and said, H559 LORD, H3068 I pray thee, open H6491 his eyes, H5869 that he may see. H7200 And the LORD H3068 opened H6491 the eyes H5869 of the young man; H5288 and he saw: H7200 and, behold, the mountain H2022 was full H4390 of horses H5483 and chariots H7393 of fire H784 round about H5439 Elisha. H477 And when they came down H3381 to him, Elisha H477 prayed H6419 unto the LORD, H3068 and said, H559 Smite H5221 this people, H1471 I pray thee, with blindness. H5575 And he smote H5221 them with blindness H5575 according to the word H1697 of Elisha. H477 And Elisha H477 said H559 unto them, This is not the way, H1870 neither is this H2090 the city: H5892 follow H3212 H310 me, and I will bring H3212 you to the man H376 whom ye seek. H1245 But he led H3212 them to Samaria. H8111 And it came to pass, when they were come H935 into Samaria, H8111 that Elisha H477 said, H559 LORD, H3068 open H6491 the eyes H5869 of these men, that they may see. H7200 And the LORD H3068 opened H6491 their eyes, H5869 and they saw; H7200 and, behold, they were in the midst H8432 of Samaria. H8111
He said H559 furthermore unto me, Son H1121 of man, H120 seest H7200 thou what they do? H6213 even the great H1419 abominations H8441 that the house H1004 of Israel H3478 committeth H6213 here, that I should go far off H7368 from my sanctuary? H4720 but turn H7725 thee yet again, and thou shalt see H7200 greater H1419 abominations. H8441 And he brought H935 me to the door H6607 of the court; H2691 and when I looked, H7200 behold a H259 hole H2356 in the wall. H7023 Then said H559 he unto me, Son H1121 of man, H120 dig H2864 now in the wall: H7023 and when I had digged H2864 in the wall, H7023 behold a H259 door. H6607 And he said H559 unto me, Go in, H935 and behold H7200 the wicked H7451 abominations H8441 that they do H6213 here. So I went in H935 and saw; H7200 and behold every form H8403 of creeping things, H7431 and abominable H8263 beasts, H929 and all the idols H1544 of the house H1004 of Israel, H3478 pourtrayed H2707 upon the wall H7023 round about. H5439 And there stood H5975 before H6440 them seventy H7657 men H376 of the ancients H2205 of the house H1004 of Israel, H3478 and in the midst H8432 of them stood H5975 Jaazaniah H2970 the son H1121 of Shaphan, H8227 with every man H376 his censer H4730 in his hand; H3027 and a thick H6282 cloud H6051 of incense H7004 went up. H5927 Then said H559 he unto me, Son H1121 of man, H120 hast thou seen H7200 what the ancients H2205 of the house H1004 of Israel H3478 do H6213 in the dark, H2822 every man H376 in the chambers H2315 of his imagery? H4906 for they say, H559 The LORD H3068 seeth H7200 us not; the LORD H3068 hath forsaken H5800 the earth. H776 He said H559 also unto me, Turn H7725 thee yet again, and thou shalt see H7200 greater H1419 abominations H8441 that they do. H6213 Then he brought H935 me to the door H6607 of the gate H8179 of the LORD'S H3068 house H1004 which was toward the north; H6828 and, behold, there sat H3427 women H802 weeping H1058 for Tammuz. H8542 Then said H559 he unto me, Hast thou seen H7200 this, O son H1121 of man? H120 turn H7725 thee yet again, and thou shalt see H7200 greater H1419 abominations H8441 than these. And he brought H935 me into the inner H6442 court H2691 of the LORD'S H3068 house, H1004 and, behold, at the door H6607 of the temple H1964 of the LORD, H3068 between the porch H197 and the altar, H4196 were about five H2568 and twenty H6242 men, H376 with their backs H268 toward the temple H1964 of the LORD, H3068 and their faces H6440 toward the east; H6924 and they worshipped H7812 the sun H8121 toward the east. H6924 Then he said H559 unto me, Hast thou seen H7200 this, O son H1121 of man? H120 Is it a light thing H7043 to the house H1004 of Judah H3063 that they commit H6213 the abominations H8441 which they commit H6213 here? for they have filled H4390 the land H776 with violence, H2555 and have returned H7725 to provoke me to anger: H3707 and, lo, they put H7971 the branch H2156 to their nose. H639 Therefore will I also deal H6213 in fury: H2534 mine eye H5869 shall not spare, H2347 neither will I have pity: H2550 and though they cry H7121 in mine ears H241 with a loud H1419 voice, H6963 yet will I not hear H8085 them.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Jeremiah 11
Commentary on Jeremiah 11 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 11
Jer 11:1-23. Epitome of the Covenant Found in the Temple in Josiah's Reign. Judah's Revolt from It, and God's Consequent Wrath.
2. this covenant—alluding to the book of the law (De 31:26) found in the temple by Hilkiah the high priest, five years after Jeremiah's call to the prophetic office (2Ki 22:8-23:25).
Hear ye—Others besides Jeremiah were to promulgate God's will to the people; it was the duty of the priests to read the law to them (Mal 2:7).
3. (De 27:26; Ga 3:10).
4. in the day—that is, when. The Sinaitic covenant was made some time after the exodus, but the two events are so connected as to be viewed as one.
iron furnace—(De 4:20; 1Ki 8:51). "Furnace" expresses the searching ordeal; "iron," the long duration of it. The furnace was of earth, not of iron (Ps 12:6); a furnace, in heat and duration enough to melt even iron. God's deliverance of them from such an ordeal aggravates their present guilt.
do them—namely, the words of the covenant (Jer 11:3).
so, &c.—(Le 26:3, 12).
5. oath—(Ps 105:9, 10).
a land flowing with milk and honey—(See on Nu 14:8).
as it is this day—These are the concluding words of God to the Israelites when formerly brought out of Egypt, "Obey … that I may at this time make good the promise I made to your fathers, to give," &c. [Maurer]. English Version makes the words apply to Jeremiah's time, "As ye know at this time, that God's promise has been fulfilled," namely, in Israel's acquisition of Canaan.
So be it—Hebrew, Amen. Taken from De 27:15-26. Jeremiah hereby solemnly concurs in the justice of the curses pronounced there (see Jer 11:3).
6. Jeremiah was to take a prophetic tour throughout Judah, to proclaim everywhere the denunciations in the book of the law found in the temple.
Hear … do—(Ro 2:13; Jas 1:22).
7. rising early—(Jer 7:13).
8. imagination—rather, "stubbornness."
will bring—The words, "even unto this day" (Jer 11:7), confirm English Version rather than the rendering of Rosenmuller: "I brought upon them."
words—threats (Jer 11:3; De 27:15-26).
9. conspiracy—a deliberate combination against God and against Josiah's reformation. Their idolatry is not the result of a hasty impulse (Ps 83:5; Eze 22:25).
11. cry unto me—contrasted with "cry unto the gods," (Jer 11:12).
not hearken—(Ps 18:41; Pr 1:28; Isa 1:15; Mic 3:4).
12. cry unto the gods … not save—(De 32:37, 38). Compare this verse and beginning of Jer 11:13; Jer 2:28.
in the time of their trouble—that is, calamity (Jer 2:27).
13. shameful thing—Hebrew, "shame," namely, the idol, not merely shameful, but the essence of all that is shameful (Jer 3:24; Ho 9:10), which will bring shame and confusion on yourselves [Calvin].
14. There is a climax of guilt which admits of no further intercessory prayer (Ex 32:10, in the Chaldee version, "leave off praying"; Jer 7:16; 1Sa 16:1; 15:35; 1Jo 5:16). Our mind should be at one with God in all that He is doing, even in the rejection of the reprobate.
for their trouble—on account of their trouble. Other manuscripts read, "in the time of their trouble;" a gloss from Jer 11:12.
15. my beloved—My elect people, Judea; this aggravates their ingratitude (Jer 12:7).
lewdness with many—(Eze 16:25). Rather, "that great (or, manifold) enormity"; literally, "the enormity, the manifold"; namely, their idolatry, which made their worship of God in the temple a mockery (compare Jer 7:10; Eze 23:39) [Henderson].
holy flesh—(Hag 2:12-14; Tit 1:15), namely, the sacrifices, which, through the guilt of the Jews, were no longer holy, that is, acceptable to God. The sacrifices on which they relied will, therefore, no longer protect them. Judah is represented as a priest's wife, who, by adultery, has forfeited her share in the flesh of the sacrifices, and yet boasts of her prerogative at the very same time [Horsley].
when thou doest evil—literally, "when thy evil" (is at hand). Piscator translates, "When thy calamity is at hand (according to God's threats), thou gloriest" (against God, instead of humbling thyself). English Version is best (compare Pr 2:14).
16. called thy name—made thee.
olive—(Ps 52:8; Ro 11:17). The "olive" is chosen to represent the adoption of Judah by the free grace of God, as its oil is the image of richness (compare Ps 23:5; 104:15).
with … noise of … tumult—or, "at the noise," &c., namely, at the tumult of the invading army (Isa 13:4) [Maurer]. Or, rather, "with the sound of a mighty voice," namely, that of God, that is, the thunder; thus there is no confusion of metaphors. The tree stricken with lightning has "fire kindled upon it, and the branches are broken," at one and the same time [Houbigant].
17. that planted thee—(Jer 2:21; Isa 5:2).
against themselves—The sinner's sin is to his own hurt (see on Jer 7:19).
18, 19. Jeremiah here digresses to notice the attempt on his life plotted by his townsmen of Anathoth. He had no suspicion of it, until Jehovah revealed it to him (Jer 12:6).
the Lord … thou—The change of person from the third to the second accords with the excited feelings of the prophet.
then—when I was in peril of my life.
their doings—those of the men of Anathoth. His thus alluding to them, before he has mentioned their name, is due to his excitement.
19. lamb—literally, a "pet lamb," such as the Jews often had in their houses, for their children to play with; and the Arabs still have (2Sa 12:3). His own familiar friends had plotted against the prophet. The language is exactly the same as that applied to Messiah (Isa 53:7). Each prophet and patriarch exemplified in his own person some one feature or more in the manifold attributes and sufferings of the Messiah to come; just as the saints have done since His coming (Ga 2:20; Php 3:10; Col 1:24). This adapted both the more experimentally to testify of Christ.
devices—(Jer 18:18).
tree with … fruit—literally, "in its fruit" or "food," that is, when it is in fruit. Proverbial, to express the destruction of cause and effect together. The man is the tree; his teaching, the fruit. Let us destroy the prophet and his prophecies; namely, those threatening destruction to the nation, which offended them. Compare Mt 7:17, which also refers to prophets and their doctrines.
20. triest … heart—(Re 2:23).
revealed—committed my cause. Jeremiah's wish for vengeance was not personal but ministerial, and accorded with God's purpose revealed to him against the enemies alike of God and of His servant (Ps 37:34; 54:7; 112:8; 118:7).
21. Prophesy not—(Isa 30:10; Am 2:12; Mic 2:6). If Jeremiah had not uttered his denunciatory predictions, they would not have plotted against him. None were more bitter than his own fellow townsmen. Compare the conduct of the Nazarites towards Jesus of Nazareth (Lu 4:24-29).
22. The retribution of their intended murder shall be in kind; just as in Messiah's case (Ps 69:8-28).
23. (Jer 23:12).
the year of … visitation—The Septuagint translates, "in the year of their," &c., that is, at the time when I shall visit them in wrath. Jerome supports English Version. "Year" often means a determined time.