Jeremiah 30
DOYLYVer. 6. Ask ye now, and see whether a man &c.] All men seem to carry their concern in their looks, and discover such an uneasiness in their behaviour, under the apprehension of approaching evils, as women do when the time of their travail draweth near. Compare chap. vi. 24; and Nahum ii. 10. W. Lowth.
—I will cause him to draw near.] He shall have a near attendance upon me: for I will make him a priest to me as well as a king, according to that prophecy concerning the Messiah, Ps. cx. 4. This phrase of “coming,” or “drawing near to God,” is particularly applied to the office of the Priests and Levites, Numb. xvi. 5. W. Lowth.
—for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me? For who is there but the Messiah, that is so entirely devoted to my service? See Ps. xl. 8; John iv. 34; xiv. 31. W. Lowth.
Jeremiah 30:8
- — I will break his yoke from off thy neck.] Rather, “I will break his yoke from off his neck, and will burst his bonds;” for the yoke and the bonds of Jacob are spoken of; there being no other person spoken of in the sentence, nor is Jacob directly addressed till afterwards in ver. 10. Dr. Blayney.
Jeremiah 30:9
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— David their king.] That is, the Messiah, who is often called by the name of David in the Prophets, as the person in whom all the promises made to David were to be fulfilled. See Isa. lv. 3, 4; Ezek. xxxiv. 23; xxxvii. 24; Hos. iii. 5. W. Lowth.
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— though I make a full end of all nations — yet will I not make a full end of thee? We have here ocular proof of prophecy accomplished in an instance without a parallel. It was repeatedly foretold, both in the Old and New Testament, that, for the rejection and murder of their Messiah, the Jews should be dispersed into all countries; yet that they should not be swallowed up and lost among their conquerors, but should still subsist, to latest times, a distinct people. By Jeremiah God declared, “He would make an end of the nations,”
their oppressors, “But He would not make an end of them.” It cannot be said this prediction was written since the event: and certainly an occurrence more singular or improbable, could not have been predicted. In the course of human affairs, who hath heard such a thing? Yet, so it is. The mighty monarchies of Assyria, Persia, Greece, and Rome, are vanished like the shadows of the evening, or the phantoms of the night. Their places know them no more. Nothing remains of them but their names: whilst this little despised people, strangely secure, without a friend or protector, amidst the wreck of empires, oppressed, persecuted, harassed always, by edicts and executioners, by murders and massacres, hath outlived the very ruins of them all. “Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.” Behold then a sign and a wonder: the accomplishment of prophecy is a standing miracle. Contemplate the sight as it deserves; and be not faithless, but believing. Bp. Horne. See the note on Deut. xxx. 1.
— and will not leave thee altogether unpunished.] Some render this clause, “and will not utterly destroy thee.” This sense both suits very well with the present passage, and also agrees with the scope of those two texts in the Pentateuch, where we first find it, Exod. xxxiv. 7, and Numb. xiv. 15, much better than the common translation.
The sense, here given by our translators, agrees very well with the context of some other places, where the phrase is used: as particularly, chap. xxv. 29; xlix. 12; Nahum i. 3. W. Lowth.
Jeremiah 30:12
- Thy bruise is incurable.] Thy affliction, in regard of any human help, is utterly remediless. Bp. Hall.
The Jews’ return shall be gracious. Wrath shall fall on the wicked. Before CHRIST about 606. e Chap. 15. 16. f Exod. 23. 22. Isa. 41. 11. Or, little hill.
wounded thee with the wound of an enemy, with the chastisement of a cruel one, for the multitude of thine iniquity; because thy sins were increased.
Jeremiah 30:14
14.—with the wound of an enemy.] With such severity, that it looks like cruelty, and as if I had declared myself an utter enemy to thee. W. Lowth.
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Why criest thou for thine affliction? Why shouldst thou expostulate with me, as if I had dealt unjustly with thee? If thy condition seems desperate, it is due to thine own iniquities, which have still been increased with new aggravations of guilt. W. Lowth.
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Therefore, Rather, “yet surely,” or “afterwards.” See the note on chap. xvi. 14. W. Lowth, Dr. Blayney.
Jeremiah 30:17
17.—because they called thee an Outcast, &c.] Because they have insulted upon thy misery, and despised thee, as an outcast and forlorn people, saying, This is that goodly hill of Zion; once the pride, now the scorn of the world. Bp. Hall.
Jeremiah 30:18
18.—the city shall be builded upon her own heap, &c.] Or “Hill,” as in the margin, as that part of Jerusalem particularly was, which was called mount Zion. There was generally a castle or citadel in the middle of the ancient cities on a rising ground, for greater strength and security. See Josh. xi. 13. W. Lowth.
By “the city” Jerusalem is commonly understood, and by “the palace,” either the temple or the king’s house. Probably they are designed not for any particular city or palace, but for the cities and palaces of Jacob in general. Nouns in the singular number are often thus used. Dr. Blayney.
Jeremiah 30:21
21.—their nobles shall be of themselves.] Or, “his will also glorify them, and they shall not be small.
Jeremiah 30:24
24.—in the latter days] “The latter” or “last days” may signify in general the time to come: and so perhaps it is to be understood, Gen. xlix. 1; Deut. iv. 30; xxxi. 29: but it commonly signifies the times under the Gospel, as being the last dispensation, and such as should continue to the end of the world. W. Lowth.