Westminster Annotations, Jeremiah · Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII.
Ver. 1. VVRitten with a pen of iron] Job 19. 14.
with the point of a diamond] Heb. nail. or, claw. Dan. 4. 33. Chap. 12. 9.
upon the table of their heart] As 2 Cor. 3. 3. Their sinne is set so deep upon their souls, being written on their hearts, in stead of Gods law, Chap. 31. 33. that there is little hope left of working it out, Chap. 13. 23. Or, The guilt of it sticketh so fast to their consciences, that all they can do, will not be able to rase it out, but it standeth firme and fresh there, as upon record, Deut. 32. 34. Isa. 65. 6. Chap. 2. 22.
upon the horns of your altars] Or, their altars. the person is changed, as Chap. 16. 12. He alludeth to the bloud, that was sprinkled upon the horns of the altar, Lev. 4. 7. & 16 18. which in their sacrilegious sacrifices did not expiate, but pollute, Isa. 65. 3, 4. & 66. 17.
V. 2. Whilest their children remember their altars] Or, As they remember (Heb. according to the remembring of) their children, so remember they their altars. as Plal. 106. 4. Isa. 1. 7. While the children take after their parents, recording their courses, Chap. 7. 18. Or, they mind their idols as much as their children; being indeed dearer to them then their children, Chap. 7. 31, 32. and 19. 5.
their groves] Judg. 3. 7. Isa. 1. …9.
by the green trees] Or, with. as Gen. 32. 11. Exod. 35. 22▪ 1 Sam. 1. 24.
V. 3. O my mountain in the fiel…, I will give thy substance, &c.] Or, I will give my mountain with the field, and all thy substance &c. Or, O thou that dwellest in the mountain, come down into the field, or, valley. See Mic. 1. 6. As if he had said; Thou city Jerusalem, situate on a rising, part on an hill, and part on the plain, or lower ground, and ye people of Judah, that trust to the strong situation of your citie, Chap. 21. 13. I will give your citie up to the enemy, to lay it levell, Luk. 19. 44. Or, My mountain, to wit, Zion, Psal. 68. 15. & 133. 3. Or, the mountains of Judah, Isa. 65. 9. and all their high places and forts, together with the fields, and all their wealth, will I give up into the enemies hand, Chap. 9. 9. and 15. 13.
thy high places for sinne, throughout all thy borders] Or, for the sinne committed in all thy borders. Thine high places, either built to commit sinne; for idolatrous services, Chap. 7. 31. Or, to be destroyed for those sinnes, which in all coasts throughout the whole land have been committed, Chap. 16. 18.
V. 4. thou, even thy self] Or, and those that are in thee. Heb. in thy self. or, in thee. Or, and that for thy self. that is, for thy sinne.
shalt discontinue from thine heritage] Thou shalt cease from tilling and enjoying thy land. See Levit. 26. 34, 35.
I will cause thee to serve thine enemies] See Chap. 15. 14.
ye have kindled a fire in mine anger] Deut. 32. 22.
V. 5. Cursed be the man that trusteth in man] That which this people were very prone to; seeking over-much unto, and relying upon forain aids; and not depending upon God: which drew a curse upon them. Isa. 30. 1, 2. & 31. 1, 2.
maketh flesh his arm] Weak and corruptible creatures, 2 Chron. 32. 8. Isa. 51. 3. Heb. 5. 7.
V. 6. he shall be like the heath in the desert] Or, as some, a most bare and naked tree; either standing alone by it selfe on the wast; or having no gracefull furniture of fruit or leaf, Chap. 48. 6.
and shall not see when good cometh] Or, that seeth not. that is, enjoyeth not; hath no share in it. Job 9. 25. Psal. 34. 12. Chap. 29. 3….
shall inhabit] Or is situate in.
the parched places in the wildernesse] Such as can afford it no moisture, Deut. 29. 23.
in a salt land and not inhabited] Or, a salt ground without inhabitant. Job 39. 6. Psal. 107. 34. Where no man dwelleth for the unfruitfulnesse of the soil; Chap. 2. 6. or, where no man is to manure, or dresse it, Gen. 2. 5, 13. Chap. 2. 15. Luk. 13. 8.
V. 7. Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, &c.] Psal. 2. 12. & 34. 10. 125. 1. & 146. 5. Pro. 16. 20. Isa▪ 30. 18.
V. 8. he shall be as a tree planted by the waters] Psal. 1. 3. Job 8. 16. & 29. 19. Ezek. 19. 10. & 31. 4.
and shall not see when heat cometh] Or, doth not see. that is, feel; or receive any damage or annoyance by it, Chap. 42. 14. and 44. 17.
her leaf shall be green] Or, is, that is, continueth (as Dan. 1. 21.) green.
and shall not be carefull] Or, nor needeth to take thought. Matth. 6. 25.
in the yeer of drought] Or, restraint. Chap. 14. 1. to wit, of rain. Chap. 3. 3.
neither shall cease] Or, nor ceaseth from yeelding fruit.
V. 9. The heart is deceitfull above all things, &c.] As many fetches and shifts as mans wicked heart hath, to conceal, and colour its wickednesse with; yet can God search every nook and corner of it, and descrie thorough them, even mens inwardest intentions, Pro. 15. 11. Heb. 4. 12. and defeat all their devices, Psal. 94. 9,—11. Isa. 29. 15, 16.
desperately wicked] Chap. 18. 12.
who can know it] 1 Cor. 2. 11. Heb. hath known. or, doth know. as Chap. 2. 23.
V. 10. I the LORD search the heart] 1 Sam. 16. 7. Psal. 7. 9. Chap. 11. 20. & 20. 12. Rev. 2. 23.
to give every man according to his wayes] Psal. 62. 12. Rom. 2. 6. Rev. 22. 12.
V. 11. As the partridge sitteth on egs, and hatcheth them not] Or, gathereth young, which she hath not brought forth. Isa. 34. 15. Either sitteth on the egges of other fowls; which being hatched leave her, and follow their own damme: or, sitteth on egges, but hatcheth them not, being broken by some accident or other, before they can be hatched.
shall leave them in the mi…st of his dayes] Job 15. 22. & 22. 16. Psal. 49. 11▪ 14. & 55. 23. & 102. 24.
at his end shall be a …ool] Having laboured for the wind; taken much pains to no purpose. Psal. 39, 6. Eccl. 4. 8. and 5. 16. Luk. 12. 20.
V. 12. A glorious high throne] Chap. 3. 17. & 14. 21. This is spoken, either to inform the faithfull, what to trust to; not these fickle stayes, and fading follies, but to Gods might and help alone. Psal. 20. 2, 7. & 68. 28, 29. 1 Tim. 6. 17. Or, with a secret check, to expresse the vain confidence of those, that …elied upon the materiall Temple, as a fortresse impregnable, Chap. 7. 4. Ezek. 7. 20. Zeph. 3. 11.
duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page from the beginning] Heb. first.
V. 13. O LORD, the hope of Israel] Chap. 14. 8.
all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth] Psal. 73. 27. Isa. 1. 28. Or, let all that forsake thee be confounded; let them that depart from thee, be written in the earth. Or, let my chastisements be written on earth. Let those that withdraw themselves from thee, be registred, not in heaven, where the book of life is, Luk. 10. 20. Psal. 69. 28. Rev. 13. 8. and 17. 8. but on earth onelyonly, where all their hope is, Psal. 17. 14. Or, after an other reading, Let my Sermons and reproofs, whereby I have laboured to reclaim this revolting people, be entred here, to remain as upon record, for my justification, and their conviction, Job 19. 23, 24.
they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters] Chap. 2. 13.
V. 14. Heal me, O LORD,] Do thou vouchsafe to comfort and confirm me amidst those manifold troubles and dangers, which by reason of this mine office I am exposed unto, Chap. 15. 15, 17, 18. Vers. 17.
thou art my praise] He, in whose grace and aid alone I glory, Psal. 44. 8. Or, who ministrest matter of praise and thanks-giving to me, by thy mercies, Exod. 15. 2. Psal. 22. 2. & 109. 1.
V. 15. Where is the word of the LORD] They think, that what is threatned, will never come; because for a time it is respited, Isa. 5. 19. Amos 5. 18. 2 Pet. 3. 4.
V. 16. I have not hastened from being a pastour to follow thee, neither have I desired the wofull day] Heb. after thee. I pressed not upon this propheticall office, more then was meet for a teacher to do, such as I was before, being a priest, Chap. 1. 1, 6. well knowing how much trouble would thereby accrew to me, Chap. 15. 10, 18. & 20. 7, 8. Or, I was not forward, leaving mine ordinary pastorall charge, to put my self upon this extraordinarie employment: nor did I desire to be a messenger of such heavie tidings to my people; much lesse to have such evils inflicted upon them.
thou knowest: that which came out of my lips, was right before thee] That I have delivered nothing to them but thy truth; and that from a sincere heart: and that I have oft solicited thee in their behalf, Chap. 18. 20.
V. 17. Be not a terrour unto me, thou art my hope, &c.] Or, be thou my hope. Howsoever wicked men deal rigorously with me; yet let me have succour from thee, and finde shelter with thee. vers. 14. Chap. 15. 15.
in the day of evil] Chap. 16. 19.
V. 18. Let them be confounded that persecute me] Psal. 35. 4. and 40. 14. Chap. 15. 15.
destroy them with double destruction] Heb. break them with a double breach. Chap. 4. 20. & 16. 18. See Chap. 11. 20.
V. 19. stand in the gate of the children of the people] This seemeth to be the East-gate, or the Water-gate: the street whereof led up to the palace, 2 Chron. 29. 3, 4. & 32. 6. Nehem. 3. 26.
in all the gates of Jerusalem] Because they were places of greatest concourse, and of their usuall assemblies for civill affairs. 2 Sam. 19. 8. Ruth 4. 1, 2. Chap. 38. 7.
V. 20. Heare ye the word of the LORD] Chap. 22. 2.
ye kings of Judah] Princes and rulers. Chap. 19. 3. & 20. 5.
V. 21. take heed to your selves] Heb. souls. Deut. 4. 15. Josh. 23. 11.
bear no burden on the sabbath-day] Nehem. 13. 19.
V. 22. hallow ye the sabbath-day, as I commanded your fathers] Exod. 20. 8. & 23. 12. & 31. 13. Isa. 56. 2. Ezek. 20. 12.
V. 23. they obeyed not] Chap. 7. 24, 26. & 19. 15.
V. 24. if ye diligently hearken unto me] Heb. hearkning hearken. Exod. 15. 26. & 19. 5.
V. 25. Then shall there enter into the gates of this citie, &c.] Chap. 22. 4.
V. 26. from the land of Benjamin] Which continued firme to Judah, when the other Tribes fell from her, 1 King. 12. 21. 2 Chron. 11. 12. & 15. 2. 8, 9. and so did still, Chap. 6. 1. & 32. 44. & 33. 13.
and from the plain] Or, both from. as Chap. 6. 24. & 26. 5. Gen. 36. 24. Psal. 76. 6.
from the south] Or, heath, or, wast. The up-lands, or dry-lands; such as the Southern parts, being neerer the Sunne, usually are. Josh. 15. 19. Judg. 1. 15. Chap. 32. 44. Zech. 7. 7.
bringing sacrifices of praise] Heb. bringing praise: or, confession. Psal. 50. 14, 23. as sinne, for a sinne sacrifice, or sacrifice for sinne, Levit. 4 24. 2 Cor. 5. 21.
V. 27. even entring in at the gates of Jerusalem] Or, not passe in and out, by the gates of Jerusalem. as Isa. 28. 28. & 41. 28.
will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof] I will send warre in upon you, that with fire and sword shall wast all, Chap. 21. 14. & 49. 27. & 50. 32. See this fulfilled, 2 King. 28. 9. Chap. 52. 13.