20 Thus saith H559 the LORD; H3068 If ye can break H6565 my covenant H1285 of the day, H3117 and my covenant H1285 of the night, H3915 and that there should not be day H3119 and night H3915 in their season; H6256
He appointed H6213 the moon H3394 for seasons: H4150 the sun H8121 knoweth H3045 his going down. H3996 Thou makest H7896 darkness, H2822 and it is night: H3915 wherein all the beasts H2416 of the forest H3293 do creep H7430 forth. The young lions H3715 roar H7580 after their prey, H2964 and seek H1245 their meat H400 from God. H410 The sun H8121 ariseth, H2224 they gather themselves together, H622 and lay them down H7257 in their dens. H4585 Man H120 goeth forth H3318 unto his work H6467 and to his labour H5656 until the evening. H6153
For this is as the waters H4325 of Noah H5146 unto me: for as I have sworn H7650 that the waters H4325 of Noah H5146 should no more go over H5674 the earth; H776 so have I sworn H7650 that I would not be wroth H7107 with thee, nor rebuke H1605 thee. For the mountains H2022 shall depart, H4185 and the hills H1389 be removed; H4131 but my kindness H2617 shall not depart H4185 from thee, neither shall the covenant H1285 of my peace H7965 be removed, H4131 saith H559 the LORD H3068 that hath mercy H7355 on thee.
Thus saith H559 the LORD; H3068 If my covenant H1285 be not with day H3119 and night, H3915 and if I have not appointed H7760 the ordinances H2708 of heaven H8064 and earth; H776 Then H1571 will I cast away H3988 the seed H2233 of Jacob, H3290 and David H1732 my servant, H5650 so that I will not take H3947 any of his seed H2233 to be rulers H4910 over the seed H2233 of Abraham, H85 Isaac, H3446 and Jacob: H3290 for I will cause their captivity H7622 to return, H7725 H7725 and have mercy H7355 on them.
Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 which giveth H5414 the sun H8121 for a light H216 by day, H3119 and the ordinances H2708 of the moon H3394 and of the stars H3556 for a light H216 by night, H3915 which divideth H7280 the sea H3220 when the waves H1530 thereof roar; H1993 The LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 is his name: H8034 If those ordinances H2706 depart H4185 from before H6440 me, saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 then the seed H2233 of Israel H3478 also shall cease H7673 from being a nation H1471 before H6440 me for ever. H3117 Thus saith H559 the LORD; H3068 If heaven H8064 above H4605 can be measured, H4058 and the foundations H4146 of the earth H776 searched out H2713 beneath, H4295 I will also cast off H3988 all the seed H2233 of Israel H3478 for all that they have done, H6213 saith H5002 the LORD. H3068
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Jeremiah 33
Commentary on Jeremiah 33 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 33
Jer 33:1-26. Prophecy of the Restoration from Babylon, and of Messiah as King and Priest.
1. shut up—(Jer 32:2, 3; 2Ti 2:9). Though Jeremiah was shut up in bondage, the word of God was "not bound."
2. maker thereof—rather, "the doer of it," namely, that which Jeremiah is about to prophesy, the restoration of Israel, an act which is thought now impossible, but which the Almighty will effect.
formed it—namely, Jerusalem (Jer 32:44) [Calvin]. Rather, "that formed," that is, moulds His purpose into due shape for execution (Isa 37:26).
Lord … his name—(Ex 3:14, 15).
3. Call … I will answer—(Jer 29:12; Ps 91:15). Jeremiah, as the representative of the people of God, is urged by God to pray for that which God has determined to grant; namely, the restoration. God's promises are not to slacken, but to quicken the prayers of His people (Ps 132:13, 17; Isa 62:6, 7).
mighty things—Hebrew, "inaccessible things," that is, incredible, hard to man's understanding [Maurer], namely, the restoration of the Jews, an event despaired of. "Hidden," or "recondite" [Piscator].
thou knowest not—Yet God had revealed those things to Jeremiah, but the unbelief of the people in rejecting the grace of God had caused him to forget God's promise, as though the case of the people admitted of no remedy.
4. houses … thrown down by the mounts—namely, by the missiles cast from the besiegers' mounds (Jer 32:24); "and by the sword" follows properly, as, after missiles had prepared the way, the foe next advanced to close quarters "with the sword."
5. They—the Jews; the defenders of the "houses" (Jer 33:4), "come forward to fight with the Chaldeans," who burst into the city through the "thrown-down houses," but all the effect that they produce "is, to fill them (the houses) with" their own "dead bodies."
6. (Jer 30:17). The answer to Jeremiah's mournful question (Jer 8:22).
cure—literally, the long linen bandage employed in dressing wounds.
truth—that is, stability; I will bring forth for them abundant and permanent peace, that is, prosperity.
7. cause … to return—that is, reverse (Jer 33:11; Jer 32:44). The specification, both of "Judah" and "Israel," can only apply fully to the future restoration.
as at the first—(Isa 1:26).
8. cleanse—(Eze 36:25; Zec 13:1; Heb 9:13, 14). Alluding to the legal rites of purification.
all their iniquity … all their iniquities—both the principle of sin within, and its outward manifestations in acts. The repetition is in order that the Jews may consider how great is the grace of God in not merely pardoning (as to the punishment), but also cleansing them (as to the pollution of guilt); not merely one iniquity, but all (Mic 7:18).
9. it—the city.
a name … a praise—(Jer 13:11; Isa 62:7).
them—the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
they shall fear … for all the goodness—(Ps 130:4). The Gentiles shall be led to "fear" God by the proofs of His power displayed in behalf of the Jews; the ungodly among them shall "tremble" for fear of God's judgments on them; the penitent shall reverentially fear and be converted to Him (Ps 102:15; Isa 60:3).
10. ye say … desolate—(Jer 32:43).
11. (Jer 7:34; 16:9).
Praise the Lord, &c.—the words of Ps 136:1, which were actually used by the Jews at their restoration (Ezr 3:11).
sacrifice of praise—(Ps 107:22; 116:17). This shall continue when all other sacrifices shall be at an end.
12. habitation of shepherds … flocks—in contrast to Jer 33:10, "without man … inhabitant … without beast" (Jer 32:43; compare Jer 31:24; 50:19; Isa 65:10).
13. pass … under … hands of him that telleth them—Shepherds, in sending forth and bringing back their sheep to the folds, count them by striking each as it passes with a rod, implying the shepherd's provident care that not one should be lost (Le 27:32; Mic 7:14; compare Joh 10:28, 29; 17:12).
14. perform—"I will make to rise"; God's promise having for a time seemed to "lie" dead and abortive [Calvin].
15. Repeated from Jer 23:5.
the land—the Holy Land: Israel and Judah (Jer 23:6).
16. Jerusalem—In Jer 23:6, instead of this, it is "Israel." "The name" in the Hebrew has here to be supplied from that passage; and for "he" (Messiah, the antitypical "Israel"), the antecedent there (Isa 49:3), we have "she" here, that is, Jerusalem. She is called by the same name as Messiah, "The Lord Our Righteousness," by virtue of the mystical oneness between her (as the literal representative of the spiritual Church) and her Lord and Husband. Thus, whatever belongs to the Head belongs also to the members (Eph 5:30, 32). Hence, the Church is called "Christ" (Ro 16:7; 1Co 12:12). The Church hereby professes to draw all her righteousness from Christ (Isa 45:24, 25). It is for the sake of Jerusalem, literal and spiritual, that God the Father gives this name (Jehovah, Tsidkenu, "The Lord our Righteousness") to Christ.
17. The promises of perpetuity of the throne of David fulfilled in Messiah, the son of David (2Sa 7:16; 1Ki 2:4; Ps 89:4, 29, 36; compare Lu 1:32, 33).
18. Messiah's literal priesthood (Heb 7:17, 21, 24-28), and His followers' spiritual priesthood and sacrifices (Jer 33:11; Ro 12:1; 15:16; 1Pe 2:5, 9; Re 1:6), shall never cease, according to the covenant with Levi, broken by the priests, but fulfilled by Messiah (Nu 25:12, 13; Mal 2:4, 5, 8).
20. covenant of the day—that is, covenant with the day: answering to "covenant with David" (Jer 33:21, also Jer 33:25, "with day"; compare Jer 31:35, 36; Le 26:42; Ps 89:34, 37).
22. (Ge 15:5; 22:17). The blessing there promised belonged to all the tribes; here it is restricted to the family of David and the tribe of Levi, because it was on these that the welfare of the whole people rested. When the kingdom and priesthood flourish in the person of Messiah, the whole nation shall temporally and spiritually prosper.
24. this people—certain of the Jews, especially those who spoke with Jeremiah in the court of the prison (Jer 32:12; 38:1).
the two families—Judah and Israel.
before them—in their judgment. They suppose that I have utterly cast off Israel so as to he no more a nation. The expression, "My people," of itself, shows God has not cast off Israel for ever.
25. (Jer 31:35, 36; Ge 8:22; Ps 74:16, 17). I who have established the laws of nature am the same God who has made a covenant with the Church.
26. Isaac—(Ps 105:9; Am 7:9, 16).