1Reden Jirmejahus Sohns Chilkijahus, von den Priestern, die in Anatot im Lande Binjamin waren, 2zu dem SEINE Rede geschah in den Tagen Joschijahus Sohns Amons, Königs von Jehuda, im dreizehnten Jahr seiner Königschaft, 3und geschah in den Tagen Jojakims Sohns Joschijahus, Königs von Jehuda, bis ganz wurde das elfte Jahr Zidkijahus Sohns Joschijahus, Königs von Jehuda: bis zur Verschleppung aus Jerusalem, in der fünften Mondneuung. 4SEINE Rede geschah zu mir, es sprach: 5Ehe ich dich bildete im Mutterleib, habe ich dich gekannt, ehe du aus dem Schoße fuhrst, habe ich dich geheiligt, als Künder den Weltstämmen habe ich dich gegeben. 6Ich sprach: Ach, mein Herr, DU, da, ich weiß nicht zu reden, ich bin ja ein Knabe. 7ER aber sprach zu mir: Sprich nimmer: Ich bin ein Knabe! Ja denn, allwohin ich dich schicke, wirst du gehen, allwas ich dir entbiete, wirst du reden. 8Fürchte dich nimmer vor jenen, denn ich bin mit dir, dich zu erretten. SEIN Erlauten ists. 9Dann schickte ER seine Hand aus, er ließ sie meinen Mund berühren, ER sprach zu mir: Da, ich gebe meine Reden in deinen Mund, 10sieh, ich verordne dich an diesem Tag über die Weltstämme, über die Königreiche, auszureuten, einzureißen, abzuschwenden, hinzuschleifen, zu bauen, zu pflanzen. 11SEINE Rede geschah zu mir, es sprach: Was siehst du, Jirmejahu? Ich sprach: Eine Rute vom Zeitigreg, der Mandel, sehe ich. 12ER sprach zu mir: Gut hast du gesehn, ja, zeitig rege ich mich über meiner Rede, sie zu tun. 13SEINE Rede geschah zu mir ein zweites Mal, es sprach: Was siehst du? Ich sprach: Einen Kessel sehe ich unterheizt, seine Vorderseite nordher voran. 14ER sprach zu mir: Von Norden her eröffnet sich das Böse über alle Insassen des Lands. 15Denn, wohlan, ich berufe nordher alle Königtumssippen, ist SEIN Erlauten, daß sie kommen, daß sie geben jedermann seinen Stuhl vor die Öffnung der Tore Jerusalems, und wider all seine Mauern rings und wider alle Städte Jehudas. 16Dann rede ich meine Gerichte an die, um all ihr Böses, daß sie mich verlassen haben, ließen aufrauchen anderen Göttern, warfen sich vor dem Gemächt ihrer Hände nieder. 17Du aber gürte deine Hüften, stelle dich hin, rede zu ihnen alles, was ich selbst dir entbiete, - sei nimmer bestürzt vor ihnen, sonst bestürze ich dich vor ihnen! 18Ich, wohlan, ich gebe dich heut zur Festungsstadt, zur eisernen Säule, zu ehernen Mauern wider all das Land, den Königen Jehudas, seinen Obern, seinen Priestern, dem Volke des Lands: 19sie werden gegen dich kämpfen und werden dich nicht übermögen, denn ich bin mit dir, ist SEIN Erlauten, dich zu erretten.
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
Is 10:30, and the context,
Is 10:28-
Is 10:32). One of the four cities allotted to the Kohathites in Benjamin (
Jos 21:18). Compare
1R 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-- (
2R 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 (
Ex 33:12,
Ex 33:17; compare
Is 49:1,
Is 49:5;
Rm 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
Lc 1:15,
Lc 1:41;
Hch 15:18;
Gá 1:15;
Ef 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" (
2S 18:5). The reluctance often shown by inspired ministers of God (
Ex 4:10;
Ex 6:12,
Ex 6:30;
Jon 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 (
Ez 2:6;
Ez 3:9).
I am with thee-- (
Ex 3:12;
Jos 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 (
Is 6:7; compare
Ez 2:8-
Ez 2:10;
Dn 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 (
Gn 1:3;
Sal 33:6,
Sal 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;
1R 19:17;
Ez 43:3).
root out-- (
Mt 15:13).
pull down--change of metaphor to architecture (
2Co 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
Am 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;
Ez 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" (
Is 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;
Lc 12:35;
1P 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;
Is 50:7;
Is 54:17;
Lc 21:15;
Hch 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 (
2R 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.