PREVIOUS CHAPTER - NEXT CHAPTER - HELP - GR VIDEOS - GR YOUTUBE - TWITTER - SD1 YOUTUBE CHAPTER 13 Jer 13:1-27. SYMBOLICAL PROPHECY (Jer 13:1-7). Many of these figurative acts being either not possible, or not probable, or decorous, seem to have existed only in the mind of the prophet as part of his inward vision. [So CALVIN]. The world he moved in was not the sensible, but the spiritual, world. Inward acts were, however, when it was possible and proper, materialized by outward performance, but not always, and necessarily so. The internal act made a naked statement more impressive and presented the subject when extending over long portions of space and time more concentrated. The interruption of Jeremiah's official duty by a journey of more than two hundred miles twice is not likely to have literally taken place.
1. put it upon thy loins, &c.--expressing the close intimacy
wherewith Jehovah had joined Israel and Judah to Him
(Jer 13:11).
4. Euphrates--In order to support the view that Jeremiah's act was
outward, HENDERSON considers that the Hebrew Phrath here is
Ephratha, the original name of Beth-lehem, six miles south of
Jerusalem, a journey easy to be made by Jeremiah. The non-addition of
the word "river," which usually precedes Phrath, when meaning
Euphrates, favors this view. But I prefer English Version. The
Euphrates is specified as being near Babylon, the Jews future place of
exile.
6. after many days--Time enough was given for the girdle to become unfit for use. So, in course of time, the Jews became corrupted by the heathen idolatries around, so as to cease to be witnesses of Jehovah; they must, therefore, be cast away as a "marred" or spoiled girdle. 9. (Le 26:19). 10. imagination--rather, "obstinacy."
11.
(Jer 33:9;
Ex 19:5).
12. A new image.
13. upon David's throne--literally, who sit
for David on his throne; implying the succession of the Davidic
family
(Jer 22:4).
14. dash-- (Ps 2:9). As a potter's vessel (Re 2:27). 15. be not proud--Pride was the cause of their contumacy, as humility is the first step to obedience (Jer 13:17; Ps 10:4).
16. Give glory, &c.--Show by repentance and obedience to God, that
you revere His majesty. So Joshua exhorted Achan to "give glory to God"
by confessing his crime, thereby showing he revered the All-knowing God.
17. hear it--my exhortation.
18. king--Jehoiachin or Jeconiah.
19. cities of the south--namely, south of Judea; farthest off from
the enemy, who advanced from the north.
20. from . . . north--Nebuchadnezzar and his hostile army
(Jer 1:14; 6:22).
21. captains, and as chief--literally, "princes as to headship";
or "over thy head," namely, the Chaldeans. Rather, translate, "What wilt
thou say when God will set them (the enemies,
Jer 13:20)
above thee, seeing that thou thyself hast accustomed them (to be) with
thee as (thy) lovers in the highest place (literally, 'at thy
head')? Thou canst not say God does thee wrong, seeing it was thou that
gave occasion to His dealing so with thee, by so eagerly courting their
intimacy." Compare
Jer 2:18, 36;
2Ki 23:29,
as to the league of Judah with Babylon, which led Josiah to march
against Pharaoh-necho, when the latter was about to attack Babylon
[MAURER].
22. if thou say--connecting this verse with "What wilt thou
say"
(Jer 13:21)?
23. Ethiopian--the Cushite of Abyssinia. Habit is second nature; as therefore it is morally impossible that the Jews can alter their inveterate habits of sin, nothing remains but the infliction of the extremest punishment, their expatriation (Jer 13:24).
24.
(Ps 1:4).
25. portion of thy measures--the portion which I have measured out
to thee
(Job 20:29;
Ps 11:6).
26. discover . . . upon thy face--rather, "throw up thy skirts over thy face," or head; done by way of ignominy to captive women and to prostitutes (Na 3:5). The Jews' punishment should answer to their crime. As their sin had been perpetrated in the most public places, so God would expose them to the contempt of other nations most openly (La 1:8).
27. neighings--
(Jer 5:8),
image from the lust of horses; the lust after idols degrades to the
level of the brute.
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