1The wordsH1697 of JeremiahH3414 the sonH1121 of HilkiahH2518, of the priestsH3548 that were in AnathothH6068 in the landH776 of BenjaminH1144: 2To whom the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068 came in the daysH3117 of JosiahH2977 the sonH1121 of AmonH526 kingH4428 of JudahH3063, in the thirteenthH7969 H6240 yearH8141 of his reignH4427 . 3It came also in the daysH3117 of JehoiakimH3079 the sonH1121 of JosiahH2977 kingH4428 of JudahH3063, unto the endH8552 of the eleventhH6249 H6240 yearH8141 of ZedekiahH6667 the sonH1121 of JosiahH2977 kingH4428 of JudahH3063, unto the carrying awayH1540 of JerusalemH3389 captiveH1540 in the fifthH2549 monthH2320. 4Then the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068 came unto me, sayingH559, 5BeforeH2962 I formedH3335 thee in the bellyH990 I knewH3045 thee; and before thou camest forthH3318 out of the wombH7358 I sanctifiedH6942 thee, and I ordainedH5414 thee a prophetH5030 unto the nationsH1471. 6Then saidH559 I, AhH162, LordH136 GODH3069! behold, I cannotH3045 speakH1696 : for I am a childH5288. 7But the LORDH3068 saidH559 unto me, SayH559 not, I am a childH5288: for thou shalt goH3212 to all that I shall sendH7971 thee, and whatsoever I commandH6680 thee thou shalt speakH1696 . 8Be not afraidH3372 of their facesH6440: for I am with thee to deliverH5337 thee, saithH5002 the LORDH3068. 9Then the LORDH3068 put forthH7971 his handH3027, and touchedH5060 my mouthH6310. And the LORDH3068 saidH559 unto me, Behold, I have putH5414 my wordsH1697 in thy mouthH6310. 10SeeH7200, I have this dayH3117 setH6485 thee over the nationsH1471 and over the kingdomsH4467, to root outH5428, and to pull downH5422, and to destroyH6, and to throw downH2040, to buildH1129, and to plantH5193 . 11Moreover the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068 came unto me, sayingH559, JeremiahH3414, what seestH7200 thou? And I saidH559, I seeH7200 a rodH4731 of an almond treeH8247. 12Then saidH559 the LORDH3068 unto me, Thou hast wellH3190 seenH7200 : for I will hastenH8245 my wordH1697 to performH6213 it. 13And the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068 came unto me the second timeH8145, sayingH559, What seestH7200 thou? And I saidH559, I seeH7200 a seethingH5301 potH5518; and the faceH6440 thereof is towardH6440 the northH6828. 14Then the LORDH3068 saidH559 unto me, Out of the northH6828 an evilH7451 shall break forthH6605 upon all the inhabitantsH3427 of the landH776. 15For, lo, I will callH7121 all the familiesH4940 of the kingdomsH4467 of the northH6828, saithH5002 the LORDH3068; and they shall comeH935, and they shall setH5414 every oneH376 his throneH3678 at the enteringH6607 of the gatesH8179 of JerusalemH3389, and against all the wallsH2346 thereof round aboutH5439, and against all the citiesH5892 of JudahH3063. 16And I will utterH1696 my judgmentsH4941 against them touchingH5921 all their wickednessH7451, who have forsakenH5800 me, and have burned incenseH6999 unto otherH312 godsH430, and worshippedH7812 the worksH4639 of their own handsH3027. 17Thou therefore gird upH247 thy loinsH4975, and ariseH6965, and speakH1696 unto them all that I commandH6680 thee: be not dismayedH2865 at their facesH6440, lest I confoundH2865 thee beforeH6440 them. 18For, behold, IH589 have madeH5414 thee this dayH3117 a defencedH4013 cityH5892, and an ironH1270 pillarH5982, and brasenH5178 wallsH2346 against the whole landH776, against the kingsH4428 of JudahH3063, against the princesH8269 thereof, against the priestsH3548 thereof, and against the peopleH5971 of the landH776. 19And they shall fightH3898 against thee; but they shall not prevailH3201 against thee; for I am with thee, saithH5002 the LORDH3068, to deliverH5337 thee.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 (
Jer 1:1-
Jer 1:3, probably prefixed by Jeremiah, when he collected his prophecies and gave them to his countrymen to take with them to Babylon [MICHAELIS])
Anathoth--a town in Benjamin, twenty stadia, that is, two or three miles north of Jerusalem; now Anata (compare
Isa 10:30, and the context,
Isa 10:28-
Isa 10:32). One of the four cities allotted to the Kohathites in Benjamin (
Josh 21:18). Compare
1Kgs 2:26-27; a stigma was cast thenceforth on the whole sacerdotal family resident there; this may be alluded to in the words here, "the priests . . . in Anathoth." God chooses "the weak, base, and despised things . . . to confound the mighty."
2 Jehoiakim . . . Josiah . . . Zedekiah--Jehoahaz and Jehoiachin are omitted for they reigned only three months each. The first and last of the kings under whom each prophet prophesied are often thus specified in the general title. See on these kings, and Jeremiah's life, my Introduction.
thirteenth . . . of his reign-- (
Jer 25:3).
fifth month-- (
2Kgs 25:8).
4 Jeremiah's call to the prophetical office.
unto me--other manuscripts read "to him"; but English Version probably represents the true Hebrew text; this inscription was doubtless made by Jeremiah himself.
5 knew--approved of thee as My chosen instrument (
Exod 33:12,
Exod 33:17; compare
Isa 49:1,
Isa 49:5;
Rom 8:29).
sanctified--rather, "separated." The primary meaning is, "to set apart" from a common to a special use; hence arose the secondary sense, "to sanctify," ceremonially and morally. It is not here meant that Jehovah cleansed Jeremiah from original sin or regenerated him by His Spirit; but separated him to his peculiar prophetical office, including in its range, not merely the Hebrews, but also the nations hostile to them (Jer. 25:12-38; 27:1-21; 46:1-51:64), [HENDERSON]. Not the effect, but the predestination in Jehovah's secret counsel, is meant by the sanctification here (compare
Luke 1:15,
Luke 1:41;
Acts 15:18;
Gal 1:15;
Eph 1:11).
6 From the long duration of his office (
Jer 1:2-
Jer 1:3;
Jer 40:1, &c.;
Jer 43:8, &c.), it is supposed that he was at the time of his call under twenty-five years of age.
child--the same word is translated, "young man" (
2Sam 18:5). The reluctance often shown by inspired ministers of God (
Exod 4:10;
Exod 6:12,
Exod 6:30;
Jonah 1:3) to accept the call, shows that they did not assume the office under the impulse of self-deceiving fanaticism, as false prophets often did.
7 to all that--to all "to whom" [ROSENMULLER]. Rather, "to all against whom"; in a hostile sense (compare
Jer 1:8,
Jer 1:17-
Jer 1:19) [MAURER]. Such was the perversity of the rulers and people of Judea at that time, that whoever would desire to be a faithful prophet needed to arm himself with an intrepid mind; Jeremiah was naturally timid and sensitive; yet the Spirit moulded him to the necessary degree of courage without taking away his peculiar individuality.
8 (
Ezek 2:6;
Ezek 3:9).
I am with thee-- (
Exod 3:12;
Josh 1:5).
9 touched my mouth--a symbolical act in supernatural vision, implying that God would give him utterance, notwithstanding his inability to speak (
Jer 1:6). So Isaiah's lips were touched with a living coal (
Isa 6:7; compare
Ezek 2:8-
Ezek 2:10;
Dan 10:16).
10 set thee over--literally, "appointed thee to the oversight." He was to have his eye upon the nations, and to predict their destruction, or restoration, according as their conduct was bad or good. Prophets are said to do that which they foretell shall be done; for their word is God's word; and His word is His instrument whereby He doeth all things (
Gen 1:3;
Ps 33:6,
Ps 33:9). Word and deed are one thing with Him. What His prophet saith is as certain as if it were done. The prophet's own consciousness was absorbed into that of God; so closely united to God did he feel himself, that Jehovah's words and deeds are described as his. In
Jer 31:28, God is said to do what Jeremiah here is represented as doing (compare
Jer 18:7;
1Kgs 19:17;
Ezek 43:3).
root out-- (
Matt 15:13).
pull down--change of metaphor to architecture (
2Cor 10:4). There is a play on the similar sounds, lintbosh, linthotz, in the Hebrew for "root out . . . pull down."
build . . . plant--restore upon their repenting. His predictions were to be chiefly, and in the first instance, denunciatory; therefore the destruction of the nations is put first, and with a greater variety of terms than their restoration.
11 rod--shoot, or branch.
almond tree--literally, "the wakeful tree," because it awakes from the sleep of winter earlier than the other trees, flowering in January, and bearing fruit in March; symbol of God's early execution of His purpose;
Jer 1:12, "hasten My word" (compare
Amos 8:3).
12 hasten--rather, "I will be wakeful as to My word," &c.; alluding to
Jer 1:11, "the wakeful tree" [MAURER].
13 Another vision, signifying what is the "word" about to be "performed," and by what instrumentality.
seething--literally, "blown under"; so boiling by reason of the flame under it kept brisk by blowing. An Oriental symbol of a raging war.
toward--rather, "from the north." Literally, "from the face of the region situated towards the north" (compare
Jer 1:14-
Jer 1:15) [MAURER]. The pot in the north rested on one side, its mouth being about to pour forth its contents southwards, namely, on Judea. Babylon, though east of Judea, was regarded by the Hebrews as north, because they appropriated the term "east" to Arabia-Deserta, stretching from Palestine to the Euphrates; or rather [BOCHART], the reference here is not to the site, but to the route of the Babylonians; not being able to cross the desert, they must enter the Holy Land by the northern frontier, through Riblah in Hamath (
Jer 39:5;
Jer 52:9).
14 break forth--"shall disclose itself."
Out of the north-- (
Jer 4:6;
Jer 6:1,
Jer 6:22;
Jer 10:22;
Jer 25:9;
Ezek 26:7). The Chaldeans did not cast off the yoke of Assyria till several years after, under Nabopolassar, 625 B.C.; but long previously they had so increased as to threaten Assyria, which was now grown weak, and other neighboring peoples.
15 families--the tribes or clans composing the various kingdoms of Babylon; the specification of these aggravates the picture of calamity (
Jer 25:9).
throne at . . . gates--the usual place of administering justice. The conquering princes will set up their tribunal there (
Jer 39:3,
Jer 39:5;
Jer 52:9). Or the reference is to the military pavilion (
Jer 43:10) [MAURER].
16 utter--pronounce. The judicial sentences, pronounced against the Jews by the invading princes, would be virtually the "judgments of God" (
Isa 10:5).
works--idols.
17 gird . . . loins--resolutely prepare for thy appointed task. Metaphor from the flowing robes worn in the East, which have to be girt up with a girdle, so as not to incommode one, when undertaking any active work (
Job 38:3;
Luke 12:35;
1Pet 1:13).
dismayed . . . confound--the same Hebrew word; literally, "to break." Be not dismayed at their faces (before them), lest I make thee dismayed before their faces (before them), that is, "lest I should permit thee to be overcome by them" (compare
Jer 49:37).
18 defenced city, &c.--that is, I will give thee strength which no power of thine enemies shall overcome (
Jer 6:27;
Jer 15:20;
Isa 50:7;
Isa 54:17;
Luke 21:15;
Acts 6:10).
walls--plural, to express the abundant strength to be given him. DE ROSSI'S'S manuscripts read singular, "wall."
people of the land--the general masses, as distinguished from the princes and priests.
Probably in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah (
Jer 1:2; compare
Jer 3:6, "also . . . in . . . days of Josiah"). The warning not to rely as they did on Egypt (
Jer 2:18), was in accordance with Josiah's policy, who took part with Assyria and Babylon against Egypt (
2Kgs 23:29). Jeremiah, doubtless, supported the reformation begun by Josiah, in the previous year (the twelfth of his reign), and fully carried out in the eighteenth.