1.
Moreover the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah the second time, while he was yet shut up in the court of the prison, saying,
The Twenty-Fourth Prophecy of Jeremiah (see book comments for Jeremiah).
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .
the second time. See the Structure (see book comments for Jeremiah).
2.
Thus saith the LORD the maker thereof, the LORD that formed it, to establish it; the LORD is his name;
the Maker thereof = the doer thereof: i.e. the accomplisher of His word.
the LORD. This is not found in some codices, nor in the Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate.
the LORD is His name. The Massorah states that this expression occurs only four times (Exodus 15:3 .Exodus 33:2 .Amos 5:8 ; Amos 9:6 ). Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 15:3 ). App-92 .
3.
Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
mighty = inaccessible: i.e. too high for Jeremiah to know, apart from revelation.
4.
For thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, which are thrown down by the mounts, and by the sword;
the LORD, the God of Israel. See note on Jeremiah 11:3 . God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 .
thrown down, &c.: i.e. demolished to serve as a fence against the mounts and the sword.
5.
They come to fight with the Chaldeans, but it is fill them with the dead bodies of men, whom I have slain in mine anger and in my fury, and for all whose wickedness I have hid my face from this city.
They come: i.e. the demolished houses are coming to be used for defense, &c. For this sense of "come", see Mark 4:21 (Greek)
with. Some codices, with two early printed editions and Septuagint, read "against".
men = mankind. Hebrew. 'adam. App-14 .
wickedness = lawlessness. Hebrew. rasha'.
6.
Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth.
Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6 .
7.
And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to return, and will build them, as at the first.
captivity. As in Jeremiah 32:44 .
8.
And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me.
I will cleanse. This is the foundation of all the blessing.
iniquity. Singular. = the principles. Hebrew. 'avah. App-44 .
sinned . . . sinned. Hebrew. chata'. App-44 .
iniquities. Plural = the acts. Hebrew. 'avah. App-44 .
transgressed = rebelled. Hebrew. pasha'. App-44 .
9.
And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them: and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it.
them. The Severus Codex ( App-34 ) reads "it".
10.
Thus saith the LORD; Again there shall be heard in this place, which ye say shall be desolate without man and without beast, even in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, that are desolate, without man, and without inhabitant, and without beast,
ye say. Jeremiah had been saying this.
man. Hebrew. 'adam. App-14 .
cities. See the Structure, p. 1064.
11.
The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, saith the LORD.
The voice of joy, &c. Compare Jeremiah 7:34 ; Jeremiah 16:9 ; Jeremiah 25:10 .
the LORD of hosts = Jehovah (with ' eth) Zebaoth. See note on Jeremiah 6:6 , and 1 Samuel 1:3 .
mercy = lovingkindness, or grace. Not the same word as in Jeremiah 33:26 .
for ever = age-abiding. Therefore the fulfilment is still future.
them that shall bring. Implying a settled order of worship.
sacrifice of praise = thank-offering, or confession (of praise).
as at the first. Note the Structure, p. 1064.
saith the LORD = [is] Jehovah's Oracle.
12.
Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Again in this place, which is desolate without man and without beast, and in all the cities thereof, shall be an habitation of shepherds causing their flocks to lie down.
13.
In the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the vale, and in the cities of the south, and in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, shall the flocks pass again under the hands of him that telleth them, saith the LORD.
mountains = hill country.
14.
Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah.
15.
In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land.
the Branch of righteousness. Compare Jeremiah 23:5 .Isaiah 61:11 .
He shall execute, &c. As David is more than once said to have done. Some codices, with three early printed editions and Syriac, read: "And a King will reign, and prosper, And will execute", &c.
land. Hebrew. 'aretz = earth, or land.
16.
In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The LORD our righteousness.
this is the name, &c.: or, "this is that which shall be proclaimed to her [as her name]."
The LORD our righteousness. The term is here applied to the city, which has been applied to the king in Jeremiah 23:6 .
17.
For thus saith the LORD; David shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel;
man. Hebrew. 'ish . App-14 .
18.
Neither shall the priests the Levites want a man before me to offer burnt offerings, and to kindle meat offerings, and to do sacrifice continually.
the priests the Levites. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 17:9 , Numbers 25:10-13 ). App-92 .Malachi 2:5 .
19.
And the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, saying,
20.
Thus saith the LORD; If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season;
The Twenty-Fifth Prophecy of Jeremiah (see book comments for Jeremiah).
My covenant of the day, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 8:22 ). App-92 . Compare Jeremiah 31:35 .
21.
Then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant, that he should not have a son to reign upon his throne; and with the Levites the priests, my ministers.
My covenant . . . with David. Wholly unconditional. Compare 2 Samuel 7:12 , &c. Compare Psalms 89:3 , Psalms 89:4 , Psalms 89:20-37 , and Jer 132:11 , with Jeremiah 31:35-37 , and Jeremiah 33:17-26 .
22.
As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured: so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me.
the host of heaven. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 15:3 ; Genesis 22:17 ). Compare Jeremiah 31:37 . App-92 .
the sand of the sea. Reference to Pentateuch ( Gen 13:19 ).
23.
Moreover the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying,
24.
Considerest thou not what this people have spoken, saying, The two families which the LORD hath chosen, he hath even cast them off? thus they have despised my people, that they should be no more a nation before them.
25.
Thus saith the LORD; If my covenant be not with day and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth;
The Twenty-Sixth Prophecy of Jeremiah (see book comments for Jeremiah).
If My covenant, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 8:22 ).
26.
Then will I cast away the seed of Jacob, and David my servant, so that I will not take any of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: for I will cause their captivity to return, and have mercy on them.
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. See note on Genesis 50:24 .
mercy = compassion. Hebrew. raham. Not the same word as in Jeremiah 33:11 .