Jeremiah 37

Jeremiah 37:1

Glean - Judah shalt be gleaned over and over, ’till there be a full end, none left. Turn back - As much as to say, they should not be content with one spoiling, but they should go back a second and a third time, to carry away both persons and spoil.

Jeremiah 37:2

Their ear - An uncircumcised ear, signifies the rejecting of instruction; an uncircumcised heart, an obstinate and rebellious will. They cannot - They had brought themselves under that incapacity by their obstinacy and wilfulness. A reproach - They laugh at it, and scorn it.

Jeremiah 37:3

I am full - I am, as it were, filled with the fire of God’s wrath, which I am forced to discharge myself of. Abroad - The streets being the places where children are wont to sport. The husband - One sex as well as the other, shall be a prey to the enemy. Full of days - Such as had filled up the number of their days, as were at the edge of the grave.

Jeremiah 37:5

Falsely - Heb. doing falsehood, as if that were their whole work, the proper sin of the priests and prophets, to deceive the people, and to flatter them by false visions.

Jeremiah 37:6

They have - This refers peculiarly to the prophets; making light of these threatenings, daubing over the misery and danger that was coming on the people, by persuading them, that it should not come, or if it did, it would be easily cured.

Jeremiah 37:7

Committed - Both by encouraging the people, and joining with them in their idolatries.

Jeremiah 37:8

Stand - He now turns his speech to the people, and gives them counsel; by a metaphor taken from travellers, that being in doubt of their way, stand still, and consider, whether the direction they have received from some false guide, be right or not.

Jeremiah 37:9

Trumpet - The voice of his prophet, intimating his loud crying upon the account of eminent danger.

Jeremiah 37:10

Nations - He calls upon the nations round about to be spectators of his severity against Judah. What - The greatness of their punishment, as the effect of the greatness of their sins.

Jeremiah 37:12

Sheba - A country in Arabia Faelix, to which country frankincense was peculiar. The sweet cane - The same that is mentioned as an ingredient in the holy oil, Exodus 30:23. To what purpose art thou at this trouble and charge to fetch these ingredients for thy incense.

Jeremiah 37:13

I will say - I will suffer such things to be laid in their way, as shall be the occasion of their destruction. The neighbour - Men of all sorts and conditions.

Jeremiah 37:14

Behold - God shall stir up the Chaldeans like a great storm. The sides - The uttermost parts of the Babylonian territories.

Jeremiah 37:16

We - The prophet personates the peoples affections.

Jeremiah 37:17

Go not forth - Expressing the great danger that there would be everywhere.

Jeremiah 37:18

Gird thee - The prophet calls upon them to mourn in the deepest manner.

Jeremiah 37:19

I have set thee - Here God speaks by way of encouragement to the prophet, and tells him, he had made him a fortified tower, that he might be safe, notwithstanding all the attempts against him. And try - As refiners do metals; hereby be is encouraged to reprove them more freely, God will give him prudence to see what is amiss, and undauntedness to oppose it.

Jeremiah 37:21

The bellows - The prophet prosecutes his metaphor taken from refining of metals, intimating, that the prophets had spent their breath to no purpose, and their strength was consumed by their labour. The lead - The judgments which were heavy, as lead upon them, are all wasted, and do no good. In vain - Let the artist use his greatest skill and industry, yet is it all in vain.