1.
At the same time, saith the LORD, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people.
At the same time: i.e. in the latter days (Jeremiah 30:24 ).
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .
God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 .
of = to.
all. Not Judah alone.
they shall be My People. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 26:12 ). App-92 . Compare Jeremiah 30:22 .
2.
Thus saith the LORD, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest.
when I went. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 3 .Numbers 10:33 .Deuteronomy 1:33; Deuteronomy 1:33 ). App-92 .
3.
The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
everlasting love. See notes on Isaiah 44:7 .
4.
Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry.
Again . . . again, &c. App-92 . Figure of speech Anaphora .
tabrets. See notes on Exodus 15:20 . 1 Samuel 10:5 .
5.
Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria: the planters shall plant, and shall eat them as common things.
vines = vineyards.
mountains. A special reading called Sevir ( App-34 ), reads "cities".
eat them as common things. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 19:23-25 .Deuteronomy 20:6 ; Deuteronomy 28:30 ). Compare Isaiah 62:9 . App-92 .
6.
For there shall be a day, that the watchmen upon the mount Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto the LORD our God.
there shall be = there is. Hebrew. yesh. See note on Proverbs 8:21 , and Proverbs 18:24 .
mount = hill country.
7.
For thus saith the LORD; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations: publish ye, praise ye, and say, O LORD, save thy people, the remnant of Israel.
Jacob. Note the frequent use of "Jacob" in these chapters, referring to the natural seed.
save Thy People. Compare the Hebrew Hosannah. See Psalms 118:25 , and see note on Matthew 21:9 .
8.
Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither.
Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos.
gather = gather out.
coasts = borders, or extremities.
company = an organized community.
thither = hither.
9.
They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.
rivers = streams. Hebrew nahal = a wady.
Ephraim is My firstborn. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 4:22 ). App-92 . "My firstborn" occurs nowhere else. Compare Psalms 89:27 . Ephraim is put by Figure of speech Synecdoche (of the Part), for all the ten tribes.
10.
Hear the word of the LORD, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock.
isles = coastlands, or maritime countries.
He that scattered, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 30:3 ).
11.
For the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he.
redeemed = liberated, or redeemed (by power). Hebrew. padah. See note on Exodus 13:13 .
ransomed = redeemed (by blood) and avenged. Hebrew. ga'al. See note on Exodus 6:6 .
stronger. See note on Psalms 35:10 .
12.
Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the LORD, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all.
flow together. Same word as in Jeremiah 51:44 .Isaiah 2:2 .Micah 4:1 .
wine. Hebrew. tirosh. App-27 .
soul. Hebrew. nephesh.
13.
Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.
14.
And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the LORD.
15.
Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not.
A voice was heard, &c. Quoted in Matthew 2:18 . Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 35:19 ). App-92 .
in Ramah = on the high place. Evidently a "high place" near Bethlehem. A common name in Palestine. The Targum and Vulg, read "in a high place".
Rahel = Rachel. The mother of Joseph and Benjamin (i.e. Ephraim); thus uniting the two kingdoms and the two peoples. Compare Jeremiah 31:9 .
children = sons.
because they were not. Now, another weeping, and other comfort given. Compare verses: Jeremiah 31:9 , Jeremiah 31:16 . Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 42:36 ). App-92 .
16.
Thus saith the LORD; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the LORD; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy.
shall be rewarded = there exists a reward. Hebrew. yesh. See note on Jeremiah 31:6 .
come again: i.e. in resurrection. Compare Jeremiah 31:15 .
17.
And there is hope in thine end, saith the LORD, that thy children shall come again to their own border.
there is = there exists. Hebrew. yesh . Compare Jeremiah 31:6 .
18.
I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the LORD my God.
I have surely heard, &c. Figure of speech Prolepsis.
hast chastised = didst chastise.
was chastised = I have been chastised.
turn Thou me = cause Thou me to return.
19.
Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth.
20.
Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the LORD.
child = a young child. Hebrew. yalad.
My bowels are troubled. Figure of speech Anthropopatheia. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 32:36 ). Compare Duke Jeremiah 15:20 .
21.
Set thee up waymarks, make thee high heaps: set thine heart toward the highway, even the way which thou wentest: turn again, O virgin of Israel, turn again to these thy cities.
Set thee up = Erect.
make thee = set up.
high heaps: i.e. finger posts.
22.
How long wilt thou go about, O thou backsliding daughter? for the LORD hath created a new thing in the earth, A woman shall compass a man.
go about: i.e. in order to elude by withdrawing. Elsewhere only in Song of Solomon 5:6 .
new thing. The interpretation must satisfy this condition.
in the earth = in the land. This is another condition.
A woman = A spouse: i.e. Israel shall turn and cleave to the Mighty One. See Genesis 1:27 ; Genesis 5:2 ; Genesis 6:19 ; Genesis 7:3 , Genesis 7:9 , Genesis 7:16 . Leviticus 3:1 , Leviticus 3:6 ; Leviticus 4:28 ; Leviticus 5:6 , &c. Here, the virgin of Israel.
compass = turn about [so as to return to and seek the favour of] the man. A "new thing"for a woman to become the suitor. See Jeremiah 31:14 and Deuteronomy 24:4 .Hosea 2:19 , &c. Hebrew. sabab, to turn about, used in Psalms 26:6 , "so will I compass Thine altar", not go round it, but keep close to it. Compare Psalms 7:7 . (Jonah 2:5 , "closed me round"). Instead of "going about", wandering (first line), the virgin of Israel will seek, and cleave close to the Mighty One, even Jehovah, as a girdle cleaves to a man.
a man = a mighty one. Hebrew. geber. App-14 .
23.
Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; As yet they shall use this speech in the land of Judah and in the cities thereof, when I shall bring again their captivity; The LORD bless thee, O habitation of justice, and mountain of holiness.
the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel. See note on Jeremiah 7:3 .
bring again. This cannot be spiritualized.
24.
And there shall dwell in Judah itself, and in all the cities thereof together, husbandmen, and they that go forth with flocks.
25.
For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul.
26.
Upon this I awaked, and beheld; and my sleep was sweet unto me.
27.
Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man, and with the seed of beast.
the house of Israel. See note on Jeremiah 2:4 .
the house of Judah. See note on Jeremiah 3:18 . Here we have the union of the two houses. Israel is always named first, for this was the name of the whole nation, which Judah was not.
man. Hebrew. 'adam. App-14 .
28.
And it shall come to pass, that like as I have watched over them, to pluck up, and to break down, and to throw down, and to destroy, and to afflict; so will I watch over them, to build, and to plant, saith the LORD.
watched. Compare Jeremiah 1:12 (same word).
and. Note the Figure of speech Polysyndeton ( App-6 ).
29.
In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children's teeth are set on edge.
set on edge. A proverb, mentioned here for the first time. Here restated, and corrected in Jeremiah 31:30 .
30.
But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.
iniquity. Hebrew. 'avah. App-44 .
31.
Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos. Quoted in Hebrews 8:8-12 ; Hebrews 10:16 , Hebrews 10:17 .
I will make. See Matthew 26:28 .
32.
Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
that I made. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 24:3-8 ). App-92 .
I took them by the hand, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 19:4 .Deuteronomy 1:31 ; Deuteronomy 32:11 , Deuteronomy 32:12 ). App-92 .
although I was an husband unto them. The Hebrew ba'al is a Homonym with two meanings: (1) to be lord, or master, hence to be a husband; (2) to disdain, or reject. If it be the latter here, the last clause will read, "and I rejected (or abhorred)them, declareth Jehovah". So the Syriac and other ancient interpreters. Moreover, it is quoted thus in Hebrews 8:9 , "and I regarded them not, saith the Lord".
33.
But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
the house of, &c. Some codices, with four early printed editions (one in margin), read "the sons of": i.e. of the whole nation.
in their hearts = on their hearts. Compare Ezekiel 11:19 ; Ezekiel 36:26 . Hebrews 10:16 .
and will be their God. Compare Jeremiah 24:7 ; Jeremiah 30:22 ; Jeremiah 32:38 .
34.
And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
every man. Hebrew. 'ish. App-14 .
they shall all know Me. See note on Jeremiah 9:24 .
know. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), for all the effects of knowing Jehovah.
35.
Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is his name:
giveth the sun, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 1:16 ).
ordinances = statutes. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 8:22 ). Compare Jeremiah 33:20 , Jeremiah 33:25 .
divideth = -stirreth up, or exciteth.
The LORD of Hosts. See note on Jeremiah 6:6 , and 1 Samuel 1:3 .
36.
If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the LORD, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever.
If those ordinances. So sure is the literal fulfilment of these prophecies concerning the literal restoration of Israel.
the seed. Note the Structure (on p. 1061).
for ever = all the days.
37.
Thus saith the LORD; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the LORD.
If heaven above, &c. Another asseveration as to the literal fulfilment of Israel's restoration.
38.
Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the city shall be built to the LORD from the tower of Hananeel unto the gate of the corner.
come. This word is not in the Hebrew text, "but it is in the margin, as well as in some codices, with three early printed editions, Aramaean, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, which read "Lo, days are coming".
the tower of Hananeel. On the north-east corner.
unto = as far as.
the gate of the corner. At the north-west. Compare 2 Kings 14:13 .
39.
And the measuring line shall yet go forth over against it upon the hill Gareb, and shall compass about to Goath.
upon = over. A special various reading called Sevir ( App-34 ), reads "as far as", with some codices, Aramaean, and Septuagint
Gareb . . . Goath. Not named elsewhere.
40.
And the whole valley of the dead bodies, and of the ashes, and all the fields unto the brook of Kidron, unto the corner of the horse gate toward the east, shall be holy unto the LORD; it shall not be plucked up, nor thrown down any more for ever.
fields. Hebrew text reads "dry places", but the margin, with some codices and seven early printed editions, Authorized Version and Revised Version, read "fields".
holy. See note on Exodus 3:6 .
for ever = for times age-abiding: for aye.