Westminster Annotations, Jeremiah · Chapter 10
CHAP. X.
Vers. 1. HEare ye the word which the LORD speaketh] No… I, but the Lord; Isai. 1. 2. 1 Cor. 7. 10. whatsoever ye think of it. Chap 51. 13.
V. 2. Learn not the way of the heathen] Their idolatries and superstitions. Lev. 18. 3. & 20. 23.
signs of heaven] The starres, set for signs of times and seasons. Gen. 1. 14. Or, the constellations and conjunctions of the starres and planets, from which their astrologers undertook to foretell of good and bad events. Isa. 47. 12, 13.
for the heathen are dismayed at them] Or, though, they be dismaied at them. as Gen. 8. 21. Psal. 23. 4.
V. 3. the customes of the people are vain] Heb. statutes, or, ordinances, are vanitie. that is, most vain. Vers 15. Their courses in these kinds are senselesse, frivolous and ridiculous.
one cutteth a tree out of the forest, &c.] Thus the Prophet simply and plainly setteth out their vile absurditie, to make it the more to be abhorred. So Isa. 40. 19, 20. & 44. 12-17.
(the work of the hands of the workman)] Or, for the work. Vers. 9. as Mal. 2. 5. for the carpenter, or carver, to work upon. Isa. 44. 13, 14.
with the ax] Isa. 44. 12.
V. 4. They deck it with silver and with gold] Isa. 40. 19. & 46. 6.
fasten it with nails and with hammers that it move not] Isa. 40. 19. & 41. 7. & 46. 7.
V. 5. They are upright as the palm-tree, &c.] Or, all firm, (without joynts. Exod. 25. 18, 31.) as a pillar. Cant. 3. 6. Their idols stand bolt upright, like a stock or a pillar; and can not move, or bend: or, stand upright, like a man that standeth up to speak; but are not able to utter ought. Psal. 115. 5. & 135. 16.
they must needs be born] Heb. carrying they are carried. Isa. 45. 20. & 46. 1, 7.
they cannot go] Psal. 115. 7.
they cannot do evil, &c.] Isa. 41. 23.
V. 6. there is none like unto thee] Psal. 86. 8, 10. & 89. 8.
thou art great] Psal. 145. 3.
V. 7. Who would not fear thee] Mal. 1. 14. Rev. 15. 4.
O king of nations] Psal. 47. 7.
for] Or, since. as Chap. 8. 14.
to thee doth it appertain] Or, it liketh thee. or, agreeth to thee. Gen. 34. 15, 22. to wit, Reverence and fear. Psal. 76. 7, 11. or, the kingdom. 1 Chron. 29. 11, 12. Psal. 103. 19. Matth. 6. 13.
forasmuch as among all the wise] Or for among, &c.
there is none like unto thee] Or, thou art great; for as much as none is like unto thee.
V. 8. they are altogether] Heb. in one. or, at once. as Prov. 28. 18.
brutish] Isa. 41. 29. Hab. 2. 18. Zech. 10. 2.
the stock is a doctrine of vanities] That which teacheth nothing but what is most vain: Vers. 3. and images then ill lay-mens books. Isa. 44. 10, 20. Vers. 14.
V. 9. Silver spread] Or, beaten out. Isa. 40. 19.
Tarshtsh] See Isa. 2. 16.
gold from Ʋphaz] Whence the finest gold came. Dan. 10. 5. To shew, that they spared no cost to bestow on their idols.
the work of the workman] Or, for the work. Vers. 3. for the goldsmith and founder to exercise their art and skill upon. Isa. 40. 19.
V. 10. the LORD is the true God] Heb. God of truth. Psal. 31. 5.
an everlasting king] Heb. King of eternitie. as Isa. 9. 6. Psal. 146. 10. 1 Tim. 6. 15, 16.
V. 11. The gods that have not made the heavens, &c.] This sentence alone is conceived in the Chaldee language, or the Syrian, which was most familiar with them, Dan. 2. 4. Ezra 4. 7. that they might have it ready at hand, among the Chaldeans, to stop their mouths with, when they should be enticing them to idolatry.
from under these heavens] From the places, where they abide, in any part of the world. Deut. 4. 32. Job 41. 11. Eccl. 2. 17. Vers. 15. Lam. 3. 66.
V. 12. He] The true God. Vers. 10.
hath made the earth, &c.] Gen. 1. 1, 6. Chap. 51. 15.
established the world] Psal. 93. 1.
stretched out the heavens] Isa. 42. 5. & 44. 24.
V. 13. When he uttereth his voice] When he maketh it to thunder. Job 37. 2-5. Psal. 18. 13. & 29. 3-10. & 68. 33.
there is a multitude of waters] Or, noise of waters. 1 King. 18. 41. Isa. 63. 15.
he causeth the vapours to ascend, &c.] Psal. 135. 7.
maketh lightnings with rain] Or, for rain. That cometh usually with it, having by rending the clouds made way for it. Job. 38. 25, 26.
V. 14. Every man is brutish in his knowledge] Or, by his knowledge. Or, is more brutish then to know. The more man thinketh of himself to do wisely, the more brutish he sheweth himself. Job 11. 12. Prov. 30. 2. Rom. 1. 22. Or, each one of these workmen, that exercise their skill in making idols, may well be ashamed of their skill and the work it produceth; considering how brutish and senselesse they shew themselves, in giving such honour to that, that is of no worth or use. Isa. 44. 9. 20. Vers. 8. Chap. 51. 17, 18.
every founder is confounded by the graven image] Psal. 97. 7.
V. 15. They are vanitie] Vers. 3.
the work of errours] Or, a most deceitfull work. Either proceeding from a most unsound and erroneous judgement: Rom. 1. 28. or, tending to nothing but deceit and leading into grosse errours. Vers. 8.
in the time of their visitation] Chap. 11. 23.
V. 16. The portion of Jacob] Chap. 51. 19. Gods people, having him for their portion and protection, who is all-sufficient, Gen. 17. 1. need neither to seek for succour and safetie to idols, nor to stand in awe of them. Psal. 16. 5. & 119. 57. & 142. 6.
the former of all things] Prov. 16. 4. & 26. 10.
Israel is the rod of his inheritance] Taken from the division of land; as by lot, and by cord; Psal. 16. 5, 6 so by rod. Psal. 74. 2. They are Gods possession; as he is theirs. Deut. 32. 9. Chap. 12. 7. Zech. 2. 12.
the LORD of hosts is his name] Isa. 48. 2. & 51. 15.
V. 17. Gather up thy wares out of the land] Or, to get them out of the land. Get all thou hast abroad, into the strong holds and defenced cities: as the manner is, when invasion is expected. Jud. 9. 51. Chap. 4. 5, 6. Or, Ye that are in Jerusalem, as strong as it is, get what ye can together, and flie out of the land. Chap. 6. 1. Ezek. 1…. 3. Matth. 24. 16, 18. Luk. 17. 31.
O inhabitant] Heb. inhabitresse. Chap. 21. 13.
V. 18. I will sling out the inhabitants of the land] I will, by the Chaldeans, cast them out of their own countrey into Babylon, as easily and readily, as a stone is cast out of a sling. 1 Sam. 25. 29. Chap. 16. 13.
at this once] Or, as at one cast, not making any long work of it, but slinging them all out at once. Chap. 16. 21.
that they may find it so] Finde as they deserve. Or, finde that to be true, which they will not now beleeve. Ezek 6. 10. & 33. 33.
V. 19. Wo is me] The wofull lamentation, that the people should make in their distresse. Vers. 18.
for my hurt] Heb. breach. Chap. 6. 14.
my wound is grievous] Heb. stroke. Chap. 30. 14.
this is a grief, and I must bear it] Or, that I must bear. as Chap. 14. 19. Mal. 1. 9. & 3. 1. Heb. will bear. This is that, which by my sinne I have brought upon my self, and will therefore patiently endure it. Mic. 7. 9. Or, I thought it but some slight fit of sicknesse, that I might easily overcome, and would away again: though I finde it now to be otherwise. Chap. 6. 14. & 8. 11.
V. 20. My tabernacle is spoiled] Isa. 33. 20. Chap. 4. 20.
they are not] Chap. 31. 15.
V. 21. the pastours] The governours and ministers. Isa. 56. 10, 11.
become brutish] Vers. 8. Psal. 9. 73. 22. & 92. 6.
all their flocks] The people committed to their charge. Chap. 13. 20. Zech. 13. 7.
a great commotion out of the north-countrey] Chap. 1. 15. & 5. 15. & 6 22.
a den of dragons] Chap. 9. 11.
V. 23. the way of man is not in himself] Though the Chaldeans be never so powerfull and cruell, yet it is not in their power to do what they list, but what thou givest way to; Prov. 16. 9. & 20. 24. Lam. 3. 37. who canst restrain them at thy pleasure, and turn them which way thou wilt. Prov. 21. 1. Isa. 37. 29. Some take it, as an acknowledgement of Gods hand, in sending Nebuchadnezzar in upon them, when he was marching on another way. Ezek. 21. 21.
V. 24. correct me] Psal. 6. 1. & 38. 1. Isa. 57. 16.
with judgement] With moderation, in measure. Isa. 27. 8. Chap. 30. 11. & 46. 18. according to what thou knowest me able to bear. 1 Cor. 10. 13. not so grievously as I deserve. Psal. 103. 10, 14.
lest thou bring me to nothing] Heb. diminish me. Ezek. 29. 15.
V. 25. Poure out thy fury, &c.] Psal. 79. 6.
upon the heathen, &c.] Let the fiercenesse of thy wrath be turned rather against them: and thy vengeance executed on those, that destroy thy people. Psal. 79. 10.
and devoured him] Or, they have even eaten him up. as Chap. 2. 30. & 3. 24.