Westminster Annotations, Jeremiah · Chapter 20 – Chapter 21
CHAP. XX.
Vers. 1. NOw Pashur] Or, Now when Pashur. See Chap. 21. 1.
the son of Immer] One of that course, the sixteenth in order, whereof he was the first head. 1 Chron. 24. 14.
who was also chief governour in the house of the LORD] The second; next under the High-Priest: Num. 3. 32. 2 King. 25. 18. Chap. 52. 24. for there were other rulers also under this second. 2 Chron. 35. 8. Chap. 35. 4.
V. 2. Then Pashur smote Jeremiah] Thus this Priest, as a prime instrument of Satan, first perpetrated that against Gods prophet, that neither King, nor Princes, nor people durst formerly attempt.
put him in the stocks that were] Or, prison that was. 2 Chron. 16. 10. Chap. 29. 26.
in the high▪ gate of Benjamin] The gate, not of the Temple, but of the Citie: called the High-gate, by way of distinction from the Tower, that looked also the same way. Chap. 37. 12. and 38. 7.
V. 3. that Pashur] Or, that when Pashur.
brought forth Jeremiah out of the stocks] Or▪ prison. Vers. 3.
Magor-missabib] That is, Fear round about. A term or form of speech, used commonly, in great and generall terrours, affrightments, dangers and distresses unavoidable. Psal. 31. 13. Chap. 6. 25. & 46. 5. & 49. 29. Lam. 2. 22.
V. 4. I will make thee a terrour to thy self, and to all thy friends] Or, I will expose thee to terrour, thee and all thy friends. For the particle may be redundant; as Chap. 40. 2. Either I will surround and environ thee and them with frights and fears. Or, I will inflict such things on thee, as shall affright not thy self alone, but all those that have any interest in thee. Psal. 31. 31.
thine eyes shall behold it] Chap. 16. 9. 1 Sam. 2. 33.
I will give all Judah into the hand] Or, power; as Psal. 22. 20. & 49. 15.
of the King of Babylon] Of Nebuchadnezzar. Chap. 25. 9.
he shall carry them captive into Babylon, and shall slay them with the sword▪] He shall enslave some, and slay others. Chap. 15. 2. and 39. 6, 9.
V. 5. all the strength of this Citie, and all the labours thereof] All the wealth gotten and gathered together by their industrie, the fruit of all their labours. Chap. 3. 24. & 5. 27.
all the treasures of the Kings of Judah] The wealth of King and Princes. Chap. 17. 20. & 19. 3. Or, gathered by many Kings successively. 2 King. 20. 17. Isai. 39. 6. Chap. 15. 13. & 17. 3.
will I give into the hand] Or, power. Vers. 4. Chap. 21. 7. 10.
of their enemies] The Chaldeans. Chap. 37. 10.
V. 6. thou and all thy friends, to whom thou hast prophesied lies] That have suffered themselves to be abused and deluded by thy false-prophesies. Chap. 14. 16.
V. 7. O LORD, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived] Or, thou hast inticed, perswaded. Gen. 9. 27. Prov. 24. 28. Ezek. 14. 9. and I have been inticed, or, perswaded by thee. Job 31. 9. Thou didst perswade me to undertake this office: which hath proved more troublesome then I expected. Chap. 1. 7. & 17. 16. Thus fits of impatiencie sometime overtake Gods Prophets, when they see no good successe of their Ministery. Exod. 5. 22, 23. Numb. 11. 11-15. See Chap. 11. 20. & 18. 18.
thou art stronger then I] Thou wast too strong for me. Heb. strong from me; as Isai. 65. 5. Psal. 18. 17. Thou prevailedst with me, and didst thrust me upon it, having no minde or lust of my self thereunto. Chap. 1. 6. & 17. 16.
I am in derision daily] Job. 12. 4. Lam. 3. 14.
V. 8. I cried] Or, proclaimed. Dan. 3. 4.
violence and spoil] Either, exercised among my people; which I reproved: Chap. 6. 7. Or, to be exercised upon them by the enemie, which I foretold and threatned. Chap. 6. 12. Vers. 5.
because] Or, therefore. Chap. 22. 22.
the word of the LORD was made a reproach unto me] Chap. 6. 10.
V. 9. Then I said] Or, Therefore said I. Chap. 29. 16. I so thought, or so resolved; as Psal. 14. 1. & 32. 5. & 39. 1.
I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name] Considering how evill successe I had with my ministery, I was sometime in the minde to give over prophesying.
his word was in mine heart as a burning fire] Psal. 39. 3.
I was weary with forbearing] I could have no rest in my soul, untill I had fallen again to my work, and returned to the execution of mine office. 1 Cor. 9. 17. See Chap. 6. 11.
I could not stay] Or, hold. Job 32. 18.
V. 10. I heard the defaming of many, fear on every side] Or, of many Magor-missabibs. Vers. 3. Of many such as this Pashur; or, of many suborned by him, consulting together, how to frame reports, and carry them to the rulers; if by faining and glossing, or by catching hold of ought that slipt from me, they might get somewhat against me. Chap. 18. 18. Matth. 22. 16, 17. Mark 12. 13, 14. Luke 11. 53, 54. & 20. 21.
Report, say they, and we will report it] Bring to us what ye can get from him; and we will acquaint the King, or the rulers with it. Isa. 29. 21. Chap. 26. 11.
all my familiars] Heb. every man of my peace. Chap. 38. 22. See Job 19. 19. Psal. 41. 9. & 55. 13.
watched for my halting] Psal. 35. 15. & 38. 16. They watched me, hoping to get somewhat that might by oversight slip me, whereby they might insnare me, and bring me into danger. Chap. 5. 16. Isa. 29 21. Luke 11. 53, 54.
V. 11. But] Or, Howbeit; or, Notwithstanding; as Chap. 35. 14.
the LORD is with me as a mighty terrible one] Yet he encourageth himself against all their projects and practises in assurance of Gods assistance. Chap. 1. 19. & 15. 20, 21.
my persecutours shall stumble] Be overthrown. Chap. 18. 23. Psal. 27. 2.
they shall not prevail] Chap. 1. 19.
they shall be greatly ashamed] Psal. 70. 2, 3. Chap. 17. 18.
everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten] Heb. ignominy of perpetuitie. Chap. 23. 40.
V. 12. But] Or, Yea.
that triest the righteous] Thou that triest and approvest of the righteous. Psal. 11. 5, 7. Chap. 11. 20. & 17. 10.
let me see] Or, I shall see. I beleeve, and am assured, that thou wilt right all my wrongs, and that I shall survive to see it. Psal. 59. 10.
unto thee have I opened my cause] Chap. 11. 20.
V. 13. Sing unto the LORD] He praiseth God in assured hope of future deliverance. Psal. 13. 6.
he hath delivered] Psal. 35. 10. & 109. 31.
the soul of the poor] Either the poor, simply; as Psal. 3. 2. Or, the poor in danger of losing his life; as Psal. 116. 8. That is, my poor soul; or, my poor self, as Psal. 89. 48. & 30. 3.
from the hand] Or, the power. Chap. 15. 21.
V. 14. Cursed be the day wherein I was born, &c.] See, what inconveniencies even the best fall into in the fight between the flesh and the spirit, untill God raise them up again, Job 3. 3. Chap. 15. 10.
V. 15. Making him very glad] Heb. by gladding gladding him; as Isai. 61. 10.
V. 16. Let that man be as the Cities which the LORD overthrew] Let him perish, as Sodome and Gomorrah did, 19. 25. Deut. 29. 23. Amos 4. 11.
and repented not] Without recovery; or revocation of his doom past upon them, Zeph. 2. 9.
let him heare the cry in the morning] Of men in danger of losing their lives, Chap. 18. 22.
the shouting at noon-tide] The noise of the Trumpet sounding an alarm: Or, of the enemy breaking in to surprize and destroy, Chap. 4. 19. & 49. 2. Zeph. 1. 16. Let him be in continuall terrour and trouble, Job 15. 21.
V. 17. Because he slew me not from the womb] So soon as I came out of it; so soon as I was born. Vers. 18. Job 3. 10. & 10. 19.
her womb to be alwayes great with me] That the fruit thereof had never seen light. Psal. 58. 8. Eccles. 6. 3.
V. 18. Wherefore came I forth out of the womb] Job 3. 20.
to see labour and sorrow] To sustain and suffer it. Chap. 5. 12. & 14. 13. Lam. 3. 1. Job 5. 6, 7.
CHAP. XXI.
Vers. 1. THe word which came, &c.] See Chap. 1. 2. & 2. 1. Chap. 21.
when king Zedekiah sent unto him] Not as Hezekiah to Isaiah, touched with remorse for his sinnes; 2 King. 19. 1. Isai. 37. 2. but as Pharaoh to Moses; for escape of the judgement feared. Exod. 9. 28. 2 Chron. 36. 12. Chap. 37. 3.
Pashur the sonne of Mel…hiah] Another from him mentioned Chap. 20. 1. for he was of the family of Immer; which was the sixteenth ranke: 1 Chron. 24. 14. this of Melchiahs; which was the fifth. 1 Chron. 24. 9.
Zephan…ah] Chap. 37. 3.
the sonne of Maaseiah] Of the race of Maaseiah; which made the twentieth course. 1 Chron. 24. 18.
V. 2. Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon maketh warre against us] Chap. 37. 7.
if so be] Or, whether it may be.
according to all his wondrous works] Psal. 44. 1.
he may go up from us] Or, depart: or, go away from us, Chap. 37. 5. as Chap. 4. 7, 13. 1 King. 15. 19.
V. 4. I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands] From your enemies upon your selves. Chap. 13. 14. Or, from doing them any dammage. Psal. 89. 41. So that your fighting against them shall be in vain. Chap. 32. 5.
I will assemble them] Heb. gather. 1 Chron. 13. 2.
V. 5. with an outstretched hand] Exod. 6. 6. Psal. 136. 12.
V. 6. into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar] Or, power. Chap▪ 20. 4, 5.
of those that seek their life] Heb. soul. Chap. 18. 20. & 34. 21.
he shall smite them with the edge of the sword] Heb. mouth of the sword. Deut. 13. 15. Luk. 21. 24.
he shall not spare them, neither have pitie] 2 Chron. 36. 17. Chap. 6. 23.
V. 8. I set before you] Heb. give. Deut. 30. 19.
the way of life] Of escape; by yeelding your selves to Nebuchadnezzar. Chap. 38. 17.
the way of death] Of destruction; by standing out against him. Chap. 27. 8.
V. 9. Hee that abideth in this Citie, shall dye, &c.] Chap. 38. 2.
his life shall be unto him for a prey] As delivered from imminent and eminent danger. Chap. 39. 28. & 45. 5.
V. 10. I have set my face against this Citie] Psal. 34. 16. Chap. 44. 11.
for evill, and not for good] Chap. 39. 16. & 44. 27.
it shall be given into the hand] Or, power. Vers. 3.
he shall burn it with fire] Chap. 38. 23. & 39. 8.
V. 11. touching the house of the King] Or, to the Kings house. to those of his family. as Josh. 24. 15.
V. 12. Execute judgement] Chap. 22. 3. Heb. Judge. Psal. 82. 3.
in the morning] The usuall time of judicature. Psal. 101. 8. Eccles. 10. 16. Do it timely and diligently.
lest my fury go out like fire, &c.] Chap. 4. 4. & 17. 24.
V. 13. I am against thee] Whom there is no withstanding, or standing out against. Psal. 76. 7.
O inhabitant of the valley, and rock of the plain] Heb. inhabitresse (Chap. 10. 17.) of the valley, and of the rock of the plain. Jerusalem, situate on a rising; built part on the hill, and part on the plain; and environed with hils. Psal 125. 2. Chap. 17. 3. Which strength of their situation they trusted too much to. See Chap. 46. 19.
who shall enter into our habitations] Chap. 49. 4.
V. 14. But] Or, And. as continued with the denunciation. I am against thee. Vers. 13.
I will punish you] Heb. visit upon you. Chap. 9. 25.
according to the fruit of your doings] Prov. 1. 31.
I will kindle a fire] Chap. 17. 27. & 50. 32.
in the forest thereof] In their houses, that stand as thick as trees in a forest: or, that are built with timber taken from the forest of Lebanon. Chap. 22. 7. Or, in their towns and Cities, that stood like so many tufts of trees in a forest. Chap. 19. 15.