Jeremiah 19
DortBy the token of a potters pot which the prophet is commanded to break in the valley of the son of Hinnom doth God by the prophet shew first to the civil and ecclesiastical ruler and after to all the people in the temple a most horrible desolation of Jerusalem for the abomination which they committed in that valley and consequently every where.
1. Thus saith the Lord go thy ways and but potter’s pot [Hebr. Pot pitcher or bottle of a former potsherd or earthen vessel that is a bottle made by a potter’s oth. A potter earthen bottle so that the word that signifieth the potsherd or earthen vessel is added to the word pot or bottle and the word former alone as elsewhere is used for a potter the matter agreeing in both renderings the word rendered her pot is in the Hebrew Bukbuk which signifieth a pitcher bottle or any drinking or water bottle having its name from a hollow emptiness or from emptying see below verse 7 what this earthen pot signifieth see verse 10,11] and take unto thee unto the eldest of the people and of the eldest of the priest [see below verse 10.]
2. And go forth unto the valley of the son of Hinnom [as above chapter 7.31 see 2Kings 23 on verse 10] which is before the door of the sun gate [so called according to the opinion of some because it was in the east of the court of the temple whereof below verse 14 see also Nehemiah 3:29 but others take rather that it was so called because it stood in the south towards the heat of the sun at noon day where the valley of the son of Hannom lay Hosea 15.8] and proclaim there the words that I shall speak unto thee:
3. And say hear the word of the Lord ye Kings of Judah [that is king of Judah with the princes and rulers as some do understand this compare below chapter 46.25 otherwise it may be also applied to the present king and his successors unto the Babylonian captivity] and the inhabitants of Jerusalem thus saith the Lord of hosts [see 1 Kings 18 on verse 15] the God of Israel behold I will bring evil [that is plague of misery mischief [upon this place at the which everyone that heareth it his ears shall tingle [see 2Kings 21 on verse 12 1Samuel 3.11]
4. Because they have forsaken me [compare Isaiah 65:11 above chapter 2.13,17 and 5.7,19 and 15.6, & 17.13] and have estranged this place [from me dedicating it to other Gods and filling it with such abomination that I own it no more to be mine] and have burn incense in it unto other God which have not known they nor their fathers nor the kings of Judah and have filled this place with the blood of the innocent [compare above chapter 7.6.]
5. For they have built the high places of Baal [a common surname of idols see Judges 2 on verse 11 which is here given also unto Moloch] to burn their sons with fire [see Leviticus 18 on verse 21] for burnt offerings unto Baal which I commanded not nor spake it neither came it into mine heart [see above chapter 7.31, 32.]
6. Therefore behold the days come saith the Lord that the place shall no more be called Tophet or the valley of the son of Hannom but the valley of the son of murder [compare above chapter 7.32.]
7. For I will frustrate [Hebr. Make empty or empty as a bottle is emptied so that there is no more liquor in it] the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem [whereby they think to escape the force of Babylonians]in this place [the meaning is I will make them quiet and destitute and void of counsel I will bring all their counsels and consultations to naught this seemeth to have respect to the pitcher or bottle whereof above verse 2 and below verse 10 having its name from emptying] and I will cause them to fall by the sword before the face of their enemies and by the hand of their enemies who seek their life see 2 Samuel 4 on verse 8 so below verse 9] and I will give their dead bodies [Hebr. Dead body as often for meat unto fowls of heaven and to the beats of the earth. [As above chapter 15.3 and 16.4.]
8. And I will make this city astonishment [see above chapter 18.16] and whistling whosoever passeth thereby shall be astonished and whistle at her plague
9. And I will cause them to eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters and they shall eat everyone the flesh of their neighbor in the siege and in the straightness wherewith their enemies and those that seek their soul shall straighten them [see Leviticus 26:28 Deuteronomy 28:53 Lamentations 4:10]
10. Yet shalt thou break the pitcher [whereof above verse 1] before the eyes of the men that were with thee [see above verse 1 they are the words of Jeremiah]
11. And shalt say unto them thus saith the Lord of host so will I break this people and this city like as one breaketh a potters vessel that can not be made whole [Hebr. Be healed cured] again they shall bury them in Tophet because there shall be no place else to bury [see above chapter 7.32.]
12. Thus will I do unto this place saith the Lord to the inhabitants thereof and that to make this city as Tophet [an unclean the horrible place see the verse and above chapter 7 on verse 32.]
13. And the houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the king of Judah shall be unclean as the places of Tophet with [oth. For or because of] all the houses upon whose roofs [because they were flat see Deuteronomy 22 on verse8 and below chapter 32.29]they have burnt incense unto the hosts of heaven [as above chapter 8.2] and have offered drink offerings unto strange gods[as above chapter 7.18]
14. Now when Jeremiah came from Topheth wither the Lord hath sent him from the prophesy he stood [or he set himself went or stayed] in the court of the Lords house [that is the temple in whose court the congregation assembled and met together] and said unto the people :
15. Thus saith the Lord of hosts the Gods of Israel behold I will bring upon this city and upon his cities [that are under her as the metropolis or chief city of Juda] all the evil[as above verse 3]that I have pronounced against it because they have hardened their neck [see above chapter 7.26] that that they might not hear [that is obey] my words.