Jeremiah 23
PATThe prophet having foretold in the former chapter the utter destruction of the Jewish kingdom and government: in this he foretells the restoration of both under the Messias, and then proceeds to reprove at large the evil arts of the false prophets, and other pretenders, to inspiration. to the militant state of the church, when it is always under apprehensions from the designs of its adversaries. (Compare xxxii. 37. xlvi. 28.Ezek. xxxiv.28. Micah iv. 4. Zeph. iii. 13. [The words may be properly explained to a spiritual sense; importing, that the Messias shall subdue all our spiritual enemies, and remove those impediments which hindered men from going on in a steady course of obedience. And to this sense of the words, Zacharias seems to allude in his hymn: (Luke i. 74, 75.) That we being safely, or securely, delivered from the hands of our enemies (for so the sense of the original runs), might sewc him in holiness and righteousness,] And this is his name, whereby he shall be called,Tnn Lord our righteousness.] He shall really be what the title imports: (seo the note on Isa. vii. 14.) he shall bo Jehovah, or the true God, and our righteousness, or the means of our justification. (Compare Isa. xlv. 24, 25. 1 Cor. i. 30.) The title of Jehovah is elsewhere given to the Messias by the prophets. (See Isa. xl. 10. xlviii. 17. Hos. i. 7. Zech. ii. 10, 11. Mai. iii. 1.)
Jeremiah 23:1
rrOE to the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture. Pastors comprehend both civil and ecclesiastical governors. (See the note on ii. 8.) This acceptation of the word agrees with the prophet’s complaint elsewhere; that their rulers, as well as their priests and prophets, were rather corrupters than reformers of the people’s manners. (See ii. 26. xxxii. 32.) And the Messias himself, whose coming is foretold, ver. 5. for the rectifying these disorders, was both a king and a priest.
Jeremiah 23:2
Tlierefore thus saith the Lord — against the pastors that feed my flock. That undertake the care of my people, though they do not faithfully execute their trust. Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them.] Instead of looking after them, you have suffered them to be dispersed; through your ill example they have gone astray to idolatry; and that with your other sins hath brought captivity, and a general dispersion upon them. Behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings.] See xxii. 22.
Jeremiah 23:3
And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries, &c. See ver. 8.
Jeremiah 23:4
And they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed. They shall live secure from enemies: (see ver. 6.) nor shall they be consumed by those dreadful judgments of sword, famine, and pestilence, which have of late destroyed so many of them. (See xvi. 4. xxxii. 37. and the note there.)
Jeremiah 23:5
Behold the days come,saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous branch. The Messias is often, called the Branch, to denote his descent from the stock of David. (See Isa. iv. 2. Zech. iii. 8. vi. 12. compare likewise Isa. xi.l.) And shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.] This character is elsewhere given of the kingdom of’Christ. (See Psal. lxxii. 2. Isa. xi. 5. xxxii. 1.) His laws being the most perfect rule of righteousness, and he himself the most impartial rewarder of every man according to his works, (Rev. xxii. 12.)
Jeremiah 23:6
In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely. This prophecy is in part fulfilled in all true believers, the mystical Israel, but will receive its utmost, completion when the Jewish nation shall be restored; a blessing foretold by most of the ancient prophets, (see the note on Isa. xi. 11.) who generally join Judah and Israel together, as equally sharers in the blessing, and no more two, but one kingdom. (See the note on iii. 18,) Judah shall dwell safely.] This denotes outward peace and freedom from the annoyance of enemies, in opposition
Jeremiah 23:7
Therefore behold the days come, saith the Lord, &c. This wonderful work of God’s in restoring the Jewish -nation after their dispersions all the world over, (together with the bringing in the fulness of the gentiles, which will be likewise brought to pass by this means, see the note on Isa. lxvi. 12.) will so far exceed the “miracles which he wrought in their deliverance out of Egypt, that this latter will not deserve to be compared or mentioned with the former. St. Paul calls this restoration of the Jews, Life from the dead, (Rom. xi. 15.) that is, as surprising a wonder, as if a dead body were restored to life again. Ver. §. Mme heart within me is broken because qf the prophets, &c] The prophet describes the terror and concern which was upon him, when he considered the horrible sin of the false prophets, in counterfeiting a Divine mission, and the dreadful consequences of such a practice, which increases the sins of the people, and aggravates their punishments. The prophets were sometimes struck with a terrible apprehension of those judgments which they denounced “against others. (See the note on xv. 18. Isa. xv.5. Habak.’ iii. 1G.) The Vulgar Latin interprets the first word of this verse, " Lanebyim, ad prophetas,” to the prophets: as if it were the title of the following prophecy.
Jeremiah 23:10
For the laud is full of adulterers, and because of stvearing the land mourneth. By swearing is chiefly here meant perjury. (Compare this verse with Hos. iv. 2,) The Hebrew* word signifies indifferently swearing or cursing: the Jewish forms of adjuration used in their courts of justice for the discovery of the truth, had usually an imprecation joined to them. So the words import, that men ventured to forswear themselves, and incur the imprecation implied in an oath, rather than discover the truth in the. case of theft, and such-like crimes, wherein they were called upon to be witnesses. (Compare Prov. xxix. 24.) This the. prophet saith is one of those crying sins for which God hath visited the taation with severe judgments. And the sins here mentioned, which did abound so much among the people, were in a great measure owing to the ill example of the priests and prophets. (See ver. 1L. 14, 15.) The pleasant places of the wilderness are dried tip.] See the note on xii. 4. And their course is evil, and their force is not right.] Or, And their violence is evil, as the margin Teads, and so the word is translated xxii. 17. Men abuse their power, to the wronging and oppressing their brethren, and add violence to the power they arc possessed of, for the compassing their wicked designs. If this be understood of the prophets and priests, to whom. this discourse is chiefly directed, (see ver. 9. 11.) it implies, that they make use of ill arts to establish the authority Ihey have gained over the people, which they do not employ for the bettering, but rather for the corrupting their manners. (Compare v. 13.)
Jeremiah 23:11
Yea, in my house have I found their wickedness. See the note on vii. 30.
Jeremiah 23:12
Therefore their way shall be to them as slippery ways in the darkness, &c. They shall fail and miscarry in all their designs, like men that stumble and fall in dark and slippery ways. (See Psal. xxxv. G.) For I ivill bring evil upon tliem, &c] See xi. 23.
Jeremiah 23:13
I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria — I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem a horrible thing, Sec. He compares the sins of the prophets of Samaria and Jerusalem together, and pronounces those of the latter to bo more enormous: because they pronounced their false prophecies in the name of the true God, and entitled him to all their impostures; the wickedness of their lives also reflected a dishonour upon his name and religion. (Compare iii. 11.) TJiey commit adultery.] Sec xxix. 23. And walk in lies.] Utter their own imaginations, and call them Divine visions. (See ver. 16.) Tliey strengthen also the hands of the evil-doers, &c] They confirm men in their evil doings, both by their own ill example, and by promising them peace and security. (See ver. 17. Ezek. xiii. 22.) They are all of them to me as Sodom, &c] See Deut. xxxii. 32. Isa. i. 10. Ezek. xvi. 46. 48.
Jeremiah 23:15
Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, &c. See the notes on viii. 14. ix. 15. For from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land.] The word hanupah is properly rendered profaneness; for the word haneph signifies a w r ickod or profane person, Job viii* 131 xiii. 1C. xv. 24. Isa. ix. 17. Though bur English translates the word a hypocrite in all those texts.
Jeremiah 23:16
They make you vain. Or rather, They deceive you; so Psal. lxii. 10. Our translation renders the word, Become not vain in robbery or oppression; but the sense is, Deceive not yourselves in robbery, or oppression, as if that would be any real advantage to you. Tliey speak a vision of their own heart, &c] See ver. 21.
Jeremiah 23:17
Theij say to them that despise me, The Lord liath said, Ye shall have peace. See the note on vi.*14.
Jeremiah 23:18
Who hath stood in the council of the Lord?. The word sod signifies both a secret, and the assembly to which the secret is committed, or where it is debated: the expression here alludes to the privy-counsellors of princes, as if the prophet had said, Who among these false prophets can pretend to have the secret counsels of the Almighty communicated to him? So when the apostle, alluding to Isa. xl. 13. saith, Who hath known the mindof the Lord? (1 Cor. ii. 10.) the context shews, that he desigus by that question to exclude only the carnal or natural man from being en-