10 This evil H7451 people, H5971 which refuse H3987 to hear H8085 my words, H1697 which walk H1980 in the imagination H8307 of their heart, H3820 and walk H3212 after H310 other H312 gods, H430 to serve H5647 them, and to worship H7812 them, shall even be as this girdle, H232 which is good H6743 for nothing.
And the LORD H3068 God H430 of their fathers H1 sent H7971 to them by H3027 his messengers, H4397 rising up betimes, H7925 and sending; H7971 because he had compassion H2550 on his people, H5971 and on his dwelling place: H4583 But they mocked H3931 the messengers H4397 of God, H430 and despised H959 his words, H1697 and misused H8591 his prophets, H5030 until the wrath H2534 of the LORD H3068 arose H5927 against his people, H5971 till there was no remedy. H4832
For I earnestly H5749 protested H5749 unto your fathers H1 in the day H3117 that I brought them up H5927 out of the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 even unto this day, H3117 rising early H7925 and protesting, H5749 saying, H559 Obey H8085 my voice. H6963 Yet they obeyed H8085 not, nor inclined H5186 their ear, H241 but walked H3212 every one H376 in the imagination H8307 of their evil H7451 heart: H3820 therefore I will bring H935 upon them all the words H1697 of this covenant, H1285 which I commanded H6680 them to do; H6213 but they did H6213 them not.
At the end H7093 of seven H7651 years H8141 let ye go H7971 every man H376 his brother H251 an Hebrew, H5680 which hath been sold H4376 unto thee; and when he hath served H5647 thee six H8337 years, H8141 thou shalt let him go H7971 free H2670 from thee: but your fathers H1 hearkened H8085 not unto me, neither inclined H5186 their ear. H241 And ye were now H3117 turned, H7725 and had done H6213 right H3477 in my sight, H5869 in proclaiming H7121 liberty H1865 every man H376 to his neighbour; H7453 and ye had made H3772 a covenant H1285 before H6440 me in the house H1004 which is called H7121 by my name: H8034 But ye turned H7725 and polluted H2490 my name, H8034 and caused every man H376 his servant, H5650 and every man H376 his handmaid, H8198 whom ye had set H7971 at liberty H2670 at their pleasure, H5315 to return, H7725 and brought them into subjection, H3533 to be unto you for servants H5650 and for handmaids. H8198 Therefore thus saith H559 the LORD; H3068 Ye have not hearkened H8085 unto me, in proclaiming H7121 liberty, H1865 every one H376 to his brother, H251 and every man H376 to his neighbour: H7453 behold, I proclaim H7121 a liberty H1865 for you, saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 to the sword, H2719 to the pestilence, H1698 and to the famine; H7458 and I will make H5414 you to be removed H2189 H2113 into all the kingdoms H4467 of the earth. H776
This G5124 I say G3004 therefore, G3767 and G2532 testify G3143 in G1722 the Lord, G2962 that ye G5209 henceforth G3371 walk G4043 not G3371 as G2531 G2532 other G3062 Gentiles G1484 walk, G4043 in G1722 the vanity G3153 of their G846 mind, G3563 Having the understanding G1271 darkened, G4654 being G5607 alienated G526 from the life G2222 of God G2316 through G1223 the ignorance G52 that is G5607 in G1722 them, G846 because G1223 of the blindness G4457 of their G846 heart: G2588 Who G3748 being past feeling G524 have given G3860 themselves G1438 over G3860 unto lasciviousness, G766 to G1519 work G2039 all G3956 uncleanness G167 with G1722 greediness. G4124
From the thirteenth H7969 H6240 year H8141 of Josiah H2977 the son H1121 of Amon H526 king H4428 of Judah, H3063 even unto this day, H3117 that is the three H7969 and twentieth H6242 year, H8141 the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 hath come unto me, and I have spoken H1696 unto you, rising early H7925 and speaking; H1696 but ye have not hearkened. H8085 And the LORD H3068 hath sent H7971 unto you all his servants H5650 the prophets, H5030 rising early H7925 and sending H7971 them; but ye have not hearkened, H8085 nor inclined H5186 your ear H241 to hear. H8085 They said, H559 Turn ye again H7725 now every one H376 from his evil H7451 way, H1870 and from the evil H7455 of your doings, H4611 and dwell H3427 in the land H127 that the LORD H3068 hath given H5414 unto you and to your fathers H1 for H5704 ever H5769 and ever: H5769 And go H3212 not after H310 other H312 gods H430 to serve H5647 them, and to worship H7812 them, and provoke me not to anger H3707 with the works H4639 of your hands; H3027 and I will do you no hurt. H7489 Yet ye have not hearkened H8085 unto me, saith H5002 the LORD; H3068 that ye might provoke me to anger H3707 with the works H4639 of your hands H3027 to your own hurt. H7451
Then said H559 the LORD H3068 unto me, Though Moses H4872 and Samuel H8050 stood H5975 before H6440 me, yet my mind H5315 could not be toward this people: H5971 cast them out H7971 of my sight, H6440 and let them go forth. H3318 And it shall come to pass, if they say H559 unto thee, Whither shall we go forth? H3318 then thou shalt tell H559 them, Thus saith H559 the LORD; H3068 Such as are for death, H4194 to death; H4194 and such as are for the sword, H2719 to the sword; H2719 and such as are for the famine, H7458 to the famine; H7458 and such as are for the captivity, H7628 to the captivity. H7628 And I will appoint H6485 over them four H702 kinds, H4940 saith H5002 the LORD: H3068 the sword H2719 to slay, H2026 and the dogs H3611 to tear, H5498 and the fowls H5775 of the heaven, H8064 and the beasts H929 of the earth, H776 to devour H398 and destroy. H7843 And I will cause H5414 them to be removed H2189 H2113 into all kingdoms H4467 of the earth, H776 because H1558 of Manasseh H4519 the son H1121 of Hezekiah H3169 king H4428 of Judah, H3063 for that which he did H6213 in Jerusalem. H3389
But they hearkened H8085 not, nor inclined H5186 their ear, H241 but walked H3212 in the counsels H4156 and in the imagination H8307 of their evil H7451 heart, H3820 and went backward, H268 and not forward. H6440 Since the day H3117 that your fathers H1 came forth out H3318 of the land H776 of Egypt H4714 unto this day H3117 I have even sent H7971 unto you all my servants H5650 the prophets, H5030 daily H3117 rising up early H7925 and sending H7971 them: Yet they hearkened H8085 not unto me, nor inclined H5186 their ear, H241 but hardened H7185 their neck: H6203 they did worse H7489 than their fathers. H1 Therefore thou shalt speak H1696 all these words H1697 unto them; but they will not hearken H8085 to thee: thou shalt also call H7121 unto them; but they will not answer H6030 thee. But thou shalt say H559 unto them, This is a nation H1471 that obeyeth H8085 not the voice H6963 of the LORD H3068 their God, H430 nor receiveth H3947 correction: H4148 truth H530 is perished, H6 and is cut off H3772 from their mouth. H6310
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Jeremiah 13
Commentary on Jeremiah 13 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 13
Jer 13:1-27. Symbolical Prophecy (Jer 13:1-7).
Many of these figurative acts being either not possible, or not probable, or decorous, seem to have existed only in the mind of the prophet as part of his inward vision. [So Calvin]. The world he moved in was not the sensible, but the spiritual, world. Inward acts were, however, when it was possible and proper, materialized by outward performance, but not always, and necessarily so. The internal act made a naked statement more impressive and presented the subject when extending over long portions of space and time more concentrated. The interruption of Jeremiah's official duty by a journey of more than two hundred miles twice is not likely to have literally taken place.
1. put it upon thy loins, &c.—expressing the close intimacy wherewith Jehovah had joined Israel and Judah to Him (Jer 13:11).
linen—implying it was the inner garment next the skin, not the outer one.
put it not in water—signifying the moral filth of His people, like the literal filth of a garment worn constantly next the skin, without being washed (Jer 13:10). Grotius understands a garment not bleached, but left in its native roughness, just as Judah had no beauty, but was adopted by the sole grace of God (Eze 16:4-6). "Neither wast thou washed in water," &c.
4. Euphrates—In order to support the view that Jeremiah's act was outward, Henderson considers that the Hebrew Phrath here is Ephratha, the original name of Beth-lehem, six miles south of Jerusalem, a journey easy to be made by Jeremiah. The non-addition of the word "river," which usually precedes Phrath, when meaning Euphrates, favors this view. But I prefer English Version. The Euphrates is specified as being near Babylon, the Jews future place of exile.
hole—typical of the prisons in which the Jews were to be confined.
the rock—some well-known rock. A sterile region, such as was that to which the Jews were led away (compare Isa 7:19) [Grotius].
6. after many days—Time enough was given for the girdle to become unfit for use. So, in course of time, the Jews became corrupted by the heathen idolatries around, so as to cease to be witnesses of Jehovah; they must, therefore, be cast away as a "marred" or spoiled girdle.
9. (Le 26:19).
10. imagination—rather, "obstinacy."
11. (Jer 33:9; Ex 19:5).
glory—an ornament to glory in.
12. A new image.
Do we not … know … wine—The "bottles" are those used in the East, made of skins; our word "hogshead," originally "oxhide," alludes to the same custom. As they were used to hold water, milk, and other liquids, what the prophet said (namely, that they should be all filled with wine) was not, as the Jews' taunting reply implied, a truism even literally. The figurative sense which is what Jeremiah chiefly meant, they affected not to understand. As wine intoxicates, so God's wrath and judgments shall reduce them to that state of helpless distraction that they shall rush on to their own ruin (Jer 25:15; 49:12; Isa 51:17, 21, 22; 63:6).
13. upon David's throne—literally, who sit for David on his throne; implying the succession of the Davidic family (Jer 22:4).
all—indiscriminately of every rank.
14. dash—(Ps 2:9). As a potter's vessel (Re 2:27).
15. be not proud—Pride was the cause of their contumacy, as humility is the first step to obedience (Jer 13:17; Ps 10:4).
16. Give glory, &c.—Show by repentance and obedience to God, that you revere His majesty. So Joshua exhorted Achan to "give glory to God" by confessing his crime, thereby showing he revered the All-knowing God.
stumble—image from travellers stumbling into a fatal abyss when overtaken by nightfall (Isa 5:30; 59:9, 10; Am 8:9).
dark mountains—literally, "mountains of twilight" or "gloom," which cast such a gloomy shadow that the traveller stumbles against an opposing rock before he sees it (Joh 11:10; 12:35).
shadow of death—the densest gloom; death shade (Ps 44:19). Light and darkness are images of prosperity and adversity.
17. hear it—my exhortation.
in secret—as one mourning and humbling himself for their sin, not self-righteously condemning them (Php 3:18).
pride—(see on Jer 13:15; Job 33:17).
flock—(Jer 13:20), just as kings and leaders are called pastors.
18. king—Jehoiachin or Jeconiah.
queen—the queen mother who, as the king was not more than eighteen years old, held the chief power. Nehushta, daughter of Elnathan, carried away captive with Jehoiachin by Nebuchadnezzar (2Ki 24:8-15).
Humble yourselves—that is, Ye shall be humbled, or brought low (Jer 22:26; 28:2).
your principalities—rather, "your head ornament."
19. cities of the south—namely, south of Judea; farthest off from the enemy, who advanced from the north.
shut up—that is, deserted (Isa 24:10); so that none shall be left to open the gates to travellers and merchants again [Henderson]. Rather, shut up so closely by Nebuchadnezzar's forces, sent on before (2Ki 24:10, 11), that none shall be allowed by the enemy to get out (compare Jer 13:20).
wholly—literally, "fully"; completely.
20. from … north—Nebuchadnezzar and his hostile army (Jer 1:14; 6:22).
flock … given thee—Jeremiah, amazed at the depopulation caused by Nebuchadnezzar's forces, addresses Jerusalem (a noun of multitude, which accounts for the blending of plural and singular, Your eyes … thee … thy flock), and asks where is the population (Jer 13:17, "flock") which God had given her?
21. captains, and as chief—literally, "princes as to headship"; or "over thy head," namely, the Chaldeans. Rather, translate, "What wilt thou say when God will set them (the enemies, Jer 13:20) above thee, seeing that thou thyself hast accustomed them (to be) with thee as (thy) lovers in the highest place (literally, 'at thy head')? Thou canst not say God does thee wrong, seeing it was thou that gave occasion to His dealing so with thee, by so eagerly courting their intimacy." Compare Jer 2:18, 36; 2Ki 23:29, as to the league of Judah with Babylon, which led Josiah to march against Pharaoh-necho, when the latter was about to attack Babylon [Maurer].
sorrows—pains, throes.
22. if thou say—connecting this verse with "What wilt thou say" (Jer 13:21)?
skirts discovered—that is, are thrown up so as to expose the person (Jer 13:26; Isa 3:17; Na 3:5).
heels made bare—The sandal was fastened by a thong above the heel to the instep. The Hebrew, is, "are violently handled," or "torn off"; that is, thou art exposed to ignominy. Image from an adulteress.
23. Ethiopian—the Cushite of Abyssinia. Habit is second nature; as therefore it is morally impossible that the Jews can alter their inveterate habits of sin, nothing remains but the infliction of the extremest punishment, their expatriation (Jer 13:24).
24. (Ps 1:4).
by the wind—before the wind.
of the wilderness—where the wind has full sweep, not being broken by any obstacle.
25. portion of thy measures—the portion which I have measured out to thee (Job 20:29; Ps 11:6).
falsehood—(Jer 13:27), false gods and alliances with foreign idolaters.
26. discover … upon thy face—rather, "throw up thy skirts over thy face," or head; done by way of ignominy to captive women and to prostitutes (Na 3:5). The Jews' punishment should answer to their crime. As their sin had been perpetrated in the most public places, so God would expose them to the contempt of other nations most openly (La 1:8).
27. neighings—(Jer 5:8), image from the lust of horses; the lust after idols degrades to the level of the brute.
hills—where, as being nearer heaven, sacrifices were thought most acceptable to the gods.
wilt thou not … ? when—literally, "thou wilt not be made clean after how long a time yet." (So Jer 13:23). Jeremiah denies the moral possibility of one so long hardened in sin becoming soon cleansed. But see Jer 32:17; Lu 18:27.