Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 7 · Jeremiah · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
HAving spoken of the estate of the Jews, as most lamentable in the words Vers. 1, 2, 3.before-going, now he stirs up himself to lament, and sheweth the cause, their adulteries and deceitfulnesse, for which he upbraids them for such as know not God, because to know and not to do, is not to be wise, but foolish, as Chap. 4. 22. and vers. 4, 5, 6. are nothing else but a further amplifying of the same. For which he saith vers. 7. I will melt them, or try or examine, as a Vers. 7.Goldsmith trieth gold and silver in the fire, and then it will appear what it is; so the fire of Gods wrath burning against them, he meaneth, that their deceitfulnesse should be discovered, which now lay hid from men, and they should bear the shame of it, a Metaphor often used by the Prophets. For how should I deal with the daughter of my people? I will make any man judge, whether I can deal otherwise then thus with her.
Ʋpon the mountains I will take up a lamentation, and upon the fields. Having Vers. 10.sought to stirre up in them what sorrow he could for the evils to come upon them; now seeing that their stupidity was such that they would not be moved, he fals again to lamenting their mountains and fields, as intimating that they should be safe in no place from the fury of their enemies, whethersoever they should flee either into plain places or hilly.
I will feed them with wormwood, and give them water of gall. Calvin, With Vers. 15.bitternesse, because wormwood is an wholsom herb, although bitter, and wheresoever the like is spoken, it is an evil sense, something being meant that tends to the destruction rather then the preservation of the body, for which gall is joined to it, which is poison; so that he meaneth, whereas his fatherly indulgence hath been such towards them that he hath fed them with wheat, milk and honey now his affection should be so farre alienated from them, that he would make them eat and drink that which should be their destruction in the cruellest manner. See the like phrase Deuter. 19. 18. Chap. 32. 32. Hab. 2. 13.
Call for mourning women. The Prophet seeing the Jews most hard to be moved Vers. 17.to lament their own destruction to come, bids them call to them mourning women, that by their mournfull representing of the case of the dead, and the losse of the living hereby; and the sad condition of all men, who cannot live long, but must die also, and be pluckt from wives, children, and all that they have within a short time, and be carried into the Land of darkness, to become worms meat, being dispoiled of understanding, wit, reason and utterance, strength and beauty being in a short time turned to horrid anatomies, they might be moved to do that unto which he could by no means move them by his most pathetical representing of Gods destroying judgements unto them. And he speaketh thus to make them ashamed; as if he had said, If after thus much speaking, no sorrow can be stirred up in your hard and unbelieving hearts, go to such theatrical women, and see, if by them ye can be brought to sorrowing. For by shewing extream grief and acting cunningly the part of mourners, such women wrang tears commonly, yea wrang tears abundance from the eyes of all beholders. But he had in truth acted the part of an whole State perishing together in the most pathetical manner that he could, representing also the same in the most horrid manner, as present before their eyes, yet they lamented not, although the case were not anothers, but their own. His bidding them therefore to call for such women, is not serious but ironical, mocking at their vanity, in that they were moved commonly so much at a matter of nothing in comparison, and were not grieved at all, but rather laughed at all his incitements to sorrow, as if no such thing should ever happen unto them, as he would make them believe. Calvin will not have this a ground for the lawfulness of calling together mourners at funerals, but rather speaketh against this custom. I cannot but think it indifferent, although not to be grounded upon this, and that some may by such means be more affected with sorrow in seeing so sad a spectacle to think the more seriously upon their own mortality, and the rather to make themselves ready for the coming of their Lord, for which Solomon saith, It is better to go into the house of mourning then of feasting; and when Jacob was buried there was a great mourning made for him; and mourning for the dead is not forbidden to us, but immoderately, as 1 Thess. 5.those that are without hope.
Hear the word of the Lord, ye women with your ears hear. Having bidden Vers. 20.them before call for mourning women that might frame themselves to pretend great grief for hire, and act this part so cunningly, that the spectators might be moved to shed tears; now he enlargeth himself further, calling upon all women to mourn, and not the few Conductitiae before-spoken of only, the cause being common to women all over the Land. And he speaks to women rather then men here, because that by nature they were more apt to weep at calamities, and he had before begun to speak of them, and men had not been left untouche in the premisses. And he biddeth them hear and hear with their ears by a Pleonasme to stir them up the more to hearken, as to a matter of great moment, in regard of which they should rather neglect to attend to any thing else then to this.
And what is it, but that Death is come up into our windows? The Jews think Vers. 21.if their wals be strong, and their gates and doors fast shut and barr'd, that no enemy can come to hurt them, but they shall be utterly deceived, death shall be sent in by the highest windows, God that brings destruction can bring it any way, and they are but fools that think otherwise. Therefore mourn all tender-hearted women, as for that which shall certainly come, and teach your daughters to mourn, for the judgement shall extend to you all young and old, one another, yea and strong Palaces of the great ones shall defend them no more, then the cottages of the poor.
Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, &c. These words are to be taken Vers. 23.as cohering with those before vers. 21, 22. where death and becoming as dung after death is threatned to the wicked Jews. Now least any amongst them should bearing himself either upon his wisdom, riches or strength say, I care not what thou threatnest, I have wit enough, or wealth, or strength enough to save one, he admonisheth them here not to do so, for all these are but a deceitfull foundation, but to turn to the Lord and in him only so doing to be confident and comfortable, because to such the Lord will be ready to shew loving kindness and mercy, let men rage against them what they can, as Psal. 3.
I will punish all the uncircumcised with the circumcised, Hebr. The circumcised Vers. 25.in uncircumcision. Here the Prophet concludes with terrour to the Jews, if they had any hope yet notwithstanding all that was before-said, because they were the peculiar people of God, a circumcised Nation, having the sign of his covenant upon their flesh. It was, he saith, but circumcision in uncircumcision, and therefore should not profit them, the flesh, which was of least Jer. 4. 4.moment, circumcised, but the heart, the circumcision whereof is principally required, not. And therefore they must look to escape no better, who were of Judah then of Egypt, Ammon, Edom or Moab sometime confederates with Judah for which they are mentioned together. If it be said, Egypt and Edom were also circumcised in the flesh, why then is this distinction made, They are all uncircumcised, and Judah uncircumcised in heart? Answ. Although they were circumcised, yet the Jews challenged this for their peculiar priviledge, accounting themselves for it the only people in Gods favour in all the world, wherefore it is spoken by way of concession, Let your distinction passe for current, they are uncircumcised notwithstanding their circumcision, so are ye in Gods account, and ye and they without difference shall, when Gods judgements come pell mell, suffer together. See the like Rom. 2. 28, 29. and as it is with the uncircumcised in heart, so shall it be with the unbaptized in spirit, the outward Note. washing with water saves not if that be away.1 Pet. 3. 19.