Westminster Annotations, Jeremiah · Chapter 31
CHAP. XXXI.
Vers. 1. AT the same time] When the Messias cometh, before promised, Chap. 37. 21. in those latter dayes, Chap. 30. 24.
will I be the God of all the families of Israel] Not of Judah alone, but of all Israel; and all other called and joyned unto them, Chap. 3. 18. Ezek. 37. 19, 22. Hos. 1. 10. & 2. 24. Act. 2. 39. Rom. 11. 26.
V. 2. The people which were left of the sword] That escaped Pharaohs crueltie, Exod. 1. 14, 15. & 15. 9. or, that survived the execution done by the Levites, Exod. 32. 27, 28.
found grace in the wildernesse] Were reconciled unto me at Moses his entreatie, Exod. 33. 17. Deut. 9 19.
when I went to cause him to rest] Or, settle him. Isa. 51. 4. and 63. 14. When I conducted them, to bring them to a place of rest; to resting places in the wildernesse; and to a settled abode in the land of promise. Exod. 13. 22. Num. 10. 33. Deut. 1. 33. Psa. 75. 11.
V. 3. appeared of old] Heb. from afarre. Psal. 139. 2. Isa. 22. 11.
saying] Or, say they. as being the speech of Gods people complaining, that God had anciently shewed himself kind and gracious unto them: implying that now the case was altred: he did not, as formerly he had done, Psal. 22. 1,—6. & 44. 1,—12. Isa. 63.—15.
Yea, I have loved thee] Or, I do love thee. Gods answer; that his love and affection was still the same towards them, Mal. 1. 3 & 3. 6. Joh. 13. 1. Rom. 11. 29.
with an everlasting love] Heb. a love of perpetuitie. Isa. 54. 8.
with loving kindnesse have I drawn thee] Or, have I extended, or, will I extend loving kindnesse unto thee. Psal 109. 12.
V. 4. I will build thee] Isa. 44. 28.
O virgin of Israel] Chap. 18. 11.
thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets] Or, timbrels. Exod. 15. 20. Judg. 11. 34. Thou shalt have occasion of solemne rejoycing again, Isa. 30. 32.
V. 5. Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria] Which may be understood spiritually of the restauration of the Church by Christ: and yet of many also, who after the captivitie returned unto, and were seated again in those parts.
shall eat them as common things] After the time of sanctification expired, Lev. 19. 24, 25. Deut. 20. 6. See 1 Sam. 21. 5. Heb. profane them.
V. 6. the watchmen] The Ministers of the word. Isa. 62. 6.
shall cry] Shall invite all indifferently, to the embracing of the Gospel and salvation by Christ, Isa. 2. 3.
V. 7. shout] Heb. cry shrill. Isa. 12. 6.
among the chief] Heb. in the head. where most may hea…. Pro. 1. 21.
of the nations] Because they were also to come to Christ, Chap. 16. 19.
V. 8. I will bring them from the north countrey] From Babylon, Chap. 3. 18.
from the coasts of the earth] Heb. sides. Chap. 6. 22. & 25. 32.
From Assyria, Media, and other parts; whither they of the ten tribes had been transported, 2 King. 17. 6.
the blind and the lame] None refused for infirmities, Isa. 35. 5, 6. & 42. 16. Luk. 14. 21.
a great company shall return thither] Or, hither.
V. 9. They shall conte with weeping] Lamenting their sinnes. Vers. 18. Chap. 50. 4. Or, weeping for joy, Gen. 43. 30.
with supplications] Or, favours. Zech. 12. 10.
I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters, in a streight way] Or, an even way. Isa. 40. 3. & 63. 14. Where there shall be no impediment; nor want of necessaries: Isa. 40. 3, 4. & 41. 18. and 43. 19, 20. An allusion to a shepheard driving, and disposing of his sheep with the most conveniencie, Psal, 23. 1, 2.
Ephraim is my first-born] My dearly beloved; as is the firstborn to his father, Exod. 4. 22. Psal. 89. 27. Heb. 12. 23. Vers. 20.
V. 10. declare it in the isies] Or, countries. Isa. 66. 19.
as a shepherd doth his flock] Psal. 23. 1. & 80. 1. Ezek. 34. 11, - 13. Matth. 25. 32. Joh. 10. 11.
V. 11. the LORD hath redeemed Jacob] Or, rescued. Psal. 107. 2.
from the hand of him that was stronger then he] Of his overpowerfull enemies, Psal. 18. 17. Isa. 40. 10. Matth. 12. 29. Luk. 11. 21, 22. Col. 1. 13. Heb. 2. 14, 15.
V. 12. they shall come and sing in the height of Zion] In the Church of God; whereof the Temple situate on a top of mount Zion was a type, Isa. 2. 2.
shall flow together] Shall flock together, (as Isa. 2. 2. Psal. 34. 5. Chap. 51. 44.) and seek to God for these things; as in former times they had wont to do, Ezek. 36. 37. and for spirituall things, whereof these were types, much more.
to the goodnesse] Or, for the good things. as Gen. 24. 10. Isa. 1. 19. Vers. 14. See Hos. 3. 5.
of the LORD] That God shall give them: vers. 14. and which he is wont to bestow, Hos. 2. 8.
their soul shall be] Or, they shall be, as Psal. 22. 26. & 25. 13, 20. Vers. 14.
as a watered garden] Abounding with al plenty, Isa. 58. 11.
they shall not sorrow any more at all] Heb. adde to sorrow. Isa. 1. 5. 13.
V. 13. Then shall the virgin rejoyce, &c.] All sorts, sexes, and ages shall rejoyce and praise God together, Psal. 148. 12, 13.
and will comfort them] Isa. 51. 3. & 52. 9.
and make them rejoyce from their sorrow] Or, after. Isa. 38. 15.
V. 14. I will sattate the soul of the priests with fatnesse] With abundance of spirituall grace and comfort, Psal. 36. 8. See vers. 12.
my people shall be satisfied with my goodnesse] Or, good things. vers. 12.
V. 15. A voice was heard in Ramah] Matth. 2. 18.
bitter weeping] Heb. of bitternesse. Chap. 6. 26. Isa. 2 2. 4.
Rahel weeping for her children] Rachel, as the common mother of both people; (for Ephraim came of her sonne Joseph, Gen. 48. 5. and the tribe of Benjamin her younger sonne continued with Judah, 2 Chron. 11. 12.) is brought in, as out of her sepulchre, situate between Ramah and Bethlehem, in the confines of either tribe, Gen. 35. 19. 1 Sam. 10. 2. lamenting the losse of her children led into captivitie, as never likely to be delivered again. Applied in the Gospel to the lamentation made by the mothers of Bethlehem, for the losse of their young ones slain by Herod, Matth. 2. 18.
they were not] Gen. 42. 13, 36. Chap. 10. 20.
V. 16. thy work shall be rewarded] In lieu of thy travell past thou shalt have comfort; and thy children, though they seem not to be, shall in due time return again from their captivitie, Ezek. 37. 11, 12.
V. 17. there is hope] Job 8. 7. & 11. 18.
in thine end] Or, for thy posteritie. as Dan. 11. 4.
V. 18. I have surely heard] Heb. hearing heard. Exod. 22. 22.
Ephraim] The people of Israel in captivitie, Isa. 7. 2.
I was chastised] I was by thy chastisement taught my dutie: as Chap. 6. 8.
as a bullock] Or, I was as a bullock. to wit, before I was chastised.
unaccustomed to the yoke] Heb. not taught. Chap. 2. 24. Wanton; and not enduring the yoke. Hos. 10. 11.
turn thou me] They desire God to turn them; as not able to tur… without him; and to alter their present distressed estate, Psal. 80. 3, 7, 19. Lam. 5. 21.
V. 19. after that I was turned] Deut. 30. 2.
I was instructed] Or, knew my self. Psal. 9. 16. as Chap. 36. 19.
I smote upon my thigh] In token of remorse, shame and detestation of my former wicked wayes, Ezek. 21. 12.
I did bear the reproch of my youth] Of mine excesses committed in my younger dayes. Job 13. 26. Psal. 25. 7.
V. 20. Is Ephraim my deare sonne? is he a pleasant child?] Heb. a child of delights. as Isa. 5. 7. Is he so? no: for he hath done, what lay in him, to cause me to cast him off. Or rather, Is it Ephraim my dear sonne, the child I delight in, that bemoaneth himself in this manner? as 1 Sam. 24. 16.
since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still] Heb. remembring remember. Deut. 7. 18. Notwithstanding my sharp menaces of heavie judgements; yet I have him still in minde, and mine affection is still entire and tender towards him, Isa. 49. 15. vers. 3. 9.
my bowels are troubled for him] My bowels earn toward him; as a tender mothers towards her child, being in pain, danger or distresse, 1 King. 3. 26. Heb. sound for him. Isa. 63. 15. Hos. 11. 8.
I will surely have mercy upon him] Heb. having mercy have mercy.
V. 21. Set thee up way-marks] Heb. signs, monuments. 2 King. 23. 17. Ezek. 39. 19. For the better directing of them in the way homeward.
make thee high heapes] Or, pillars. Cant. 3. 6. Hos. 12. 14.
set thine heart toward the high-way, even the way which thou wentest] Think upon thy return unto thine own land, by going back again the same way, that thou wast led away out of it into Assyria & Chaldea, Chap. 50. 5.
O virgin of Israel] Vers. 4.
V. 22. How long wilt thou go about] Or, wilt thou withdraw thy self from me, (as Cant. 5. 6.) and runne a madding and gadding after idols and humane helps? Chap. 2. 18, 23, 36.
O thou back-sliding daughter] Chap. 3. 12.
the LORD hath created] Or, will create.
a new thing] A strange thing; such as the like hath not been heard or known.
in the earth] Or, on earth. Chap. 23. 5.
A woman shall compasse a man] Or, a mightie man. Isa. 22. 17. A prophecie of Christ. A woman, (Gal. 4. 4.) being a virgin, and so abiding, (Isa. 7. 14. Matth. 1. 18, 25.) shall in her womb inclose (Luk. 1. 31) a man: (that is, a male, a man child, Joh. 16. 21.) as the nut doth the kernell; not receiving ought from without, but conceiving and breeding of her self alone, by the power of the Almightie, from within. Matth. 1. 20. Luk. 1. 34. 35. Or of the Church. The Church of God, though like a weak and feeble woman, (Rev. 12. 1, 2.) shall beset and prevail against her spirituall enemies, though f…r power, like men of much might; Rom. 16. 20. I phes. 6. 10. 1 Joh. 4. 4. Rev. 5 4. & 12. 11.
V. 23. O habitation of justice] Or, just ones. as Chap. 50. 7. The citie shall have righteous inhabitants, Isa. 60. 21. and God shall in holy manner be served by holy persons in his Temple, 1 Pet. 2. 5. 9. 2 Pet. 3. 13.
mountain of holinesse] Or, holy mountain. Psal. 15. 1. Isa. 11. 9.
husbandmen, and they that go forth with flocks] Or, Shepherds. whose employments are for times of peace, Isa. 37. 30. Chap. 33. 12.
V. 25. I have satiated] Or, will satiate.
the wearie soul] Or, hungrie. or, thirstie. as Job 22. 7. or faint, or, fainting. as Isa. 29. 8. Psal. 107. 5, 9.
have replenished] Or, will replenish. With spirituall grace and comfort, as well as with joy and comforts of this life, Psal. 107. 9. Isa. 41 17, 18. & 43. 20. Matth. 5. 4, 6. & 11. 28.
V. 26. Ʋpon this I awaked] The Prophets own speech, relating the great comfort and refreshing, that he received, upon the consideration of these gracious promises of God, concerning his Church: as if after some tedious travell, or long watching, he had taken very comfortable rest, he had slept sweetly and safely, Psal. 3. 5. Pro. 3. 24.
and beheld] As a man opening his eyes, being awaked out of sleep, Zech. 4. 1. 2.
V. 27. I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man, and with the seed of beast] I will multiply and enrich them with people and cattel, Isa. 60. 22. Hos. 2. 23. Zech. 10. 8, 9. as grain multiplieth, sowen in some rich and fat soil, Gen. 26. 12. Matth. 13. 8.
V. 28. as I have watched over them] Chap. 44. 27.
to pluck up, and to break down] Chap. 10. 12. & 18. 7, 9.
to build and to plant] Chap. 24. 6.
V. 29. The fathers have eaten a sowre grape, and the childrens teeth are set on edge] A proverb, that wicked and prosane persons used; implying, that their fathers had committed a fault, and they their children, being faultlesse, sustained the penaltie, Ezek. 18. 2.
V. 30. every one shall die for his own iniquitie] God would deal more graciously, then formerly he had done, in receiving to mercy, and admitting into the covenant of grace, the issue of those that had been haters of him and idolaters time out of mind; not regarding what their ancestors formerly had been, Josh. 24. 2, 3. Chap. 16. 19. Or, he would make it plainly appear unto those, whom he should call under the Gospel, by convincing them of their sinfull condition; that it was their own sinne, which they had formerly suffered for. Ezek. 6. 9. & 7. 15. & 36. 31.
V. 31. the dayes come] At the coming of the Messias, in the time of the Gospel, Heb. 8. 8. & 10. 16.
that I will make] Heb. cut. Isa. 55. 3. Chap. 34. 8, 18.
a new covenant] New; not in regard of the substance of it; but in regard of the more clear, plain, plentifull, powerfull and generall promulgation and dispensation of it under the Kingdome of Christ: as 1 Joh. 2. 7, 8. Chap. 32. 40.
V. 32. which my covenant they brake] And so gave occasion of their owne divorce by their disobedience and disloialtie, Isa. 50. 1. Rom. 11. 20.
although I was an husband unto them] Or, albeit I was married to them Chap. 3. 14. Or, and should I have continued an husband unto them? as if he should say, I had no reason so to do; and therefore justly cast them off; and regarded not them, since that they set so light by me, and dealt disloially with me, Chap. 3. 20. Heb. 8. 9.
V. 33. the covenant that I will make] Heb. cut. vers. 31.
After those dayes] Or, these dayes. In the time spoken of, vers. 31.
I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts] In stead of tables of stone, I will write my law in their hearts, by the finger of my Spirit, Ezek. 11. 19. & 36. 26, 27. 2 Cor. 3. 3. Heb. 8. 10.
and will be their God, and they shall be my people] Chap. 24. 7. & 30. 2…. Ezek. 11. 20. & 36. 28.
V. 34. they shall teach no more] They shall not need so much labour and travail in teaching them; as formerly, with little or no fruit, Isa. 28. 9,-13. 2 Tim. 3. 7. because they shall all be so taught of God; and have such a plentifull measure of knowledge; that they may seem not to require the help of teachers; and to have it rather by inward inspiration then by outward instruction. Isa. 11. 9. & 54. 13. Joh. 6. 45. 1 Joh. 2. 20, 27.
every man his neighbour, and every man his brother] Chap. 23. 35.
from the least of them unto the greatest] See Chap. 6. 13.
for I will] Or, when I shall. as Gen. 4. 12.
forgive their iniquitie] Chap. 33. 8. Mic. 7. 18. Act. 10. 43.
V. 35. which gi…th the sunne for a light by day, &c.] Gen. 1. 16.
which divideth the sea] Isa. 51. 15. Job 26. 12.
when the waves thereof rore] Or, though they rore. as Psal. 23. 4.
the LORD of hosts is his name] Or, whose name is, &c. Chap. 10 16. and 32. 18.
V. 36. If, &c.] Isa. 54. 9. Chap. 33. 20.
those ordinances depart from before me, &c.] As the celestiall bodies cannot but continue that course that I have assigned them, for the illightning of these inferiour parts, so long as the world lasteth; Psal. 72. 5, 17. & 74. 16. & 89. 36, 37. & 104. 19. so shall my Church never fail, nor want the light of my word and spirit to direct it, Psal. 89. 4. & 119. 89,—91. Isa. 59. 21. Matth. 5. 18. & 16. 18. & 28. 20.
V. 7. If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath] Which are both impossible to be done; to wit, by any art or might of man, Chap. 33. 22.
for all that they have done] For all the sinnes, they have committed. Ezek. 36. 32.
V. 38 that the citie shall be built] Jerusalem, a type of the Church, shall be reedified from the one end to the other.
to the LORD] Or, for the Lord. That God may dwell therein, and there be worshipped, as in times past. vers. 40.
from the towre of Hananeel] Of which see Nehem. 3. 1. Zech. 14. 10. It seemeth to have been on the East-side of Jerusalem.
unto the gate of the corner] Of which 2 King. 14. 13. 2 Chron. 26. 9. Zech. 14. 10 and seemeth to have been about the Northeast corner of the citie.
V. 39. upon the hill Gareb] Supposed to stand on the Northside of the citie toward the East.
compasse about to Goath] Supposed to be the same with Golgotha, Matth. 27. 33. lying on the West-side toward the North.
V. 40. the who…e valley of the dead bodies] A valley, as some, neer to Golgotha; into which were cast the carcasses of persons there executed: as others, the valley of Rephaim, Josh. 15. 8. lying on the West-side of the citie.
and of the ashes] A place, as some, imployed for receipt of the ashes, that came of the sacrifices, …ev. 4. 12. & 6. 11. As others, the valley of Hinnom, on the South side of Jerusalem, Josh. 15. 8. so called of the ashes of those that were burnt there, Chap. 7. 31. and 19. 5.
all the fields] Divers fields on the South-side: as the Fullers field; Isa. 7. 3. and the Potters field, Matth. 27. 7. See Chap. 18. 2. and 19 2.
unto the brook of Kidron] On the East-side of the citie. 2 Sam. 15. 23. Joh. 18. 1.
unto the corner of the horse-gate] Of which, 2 King. 11. 16. Nehem. 3. 28.
shall be] Or, it shall be.
holy] Heb. holinesse. Chap. 2. 3.
unto the LORD] As his house, his sanctuarie, Isa. 52. 1. and 63. 18. Chap. 12. 10. Vers. 38.
it shall not be plucked up, nor thrown down any more for ever] Verified in the Church; which shall never be razed, Psal. 125. 1, 2. Matth. 16. 18.