Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 7 · Jeremiah · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
THou art just, O Lord, when I plead with thee yet let me talke with thee of thy Vers. 1.Judgments. Having complained of the men of Anathoth, Cha. 11. 20. Now because that for the present they were in a prosperous condition, notwithstanding their most treacherous dealing with him, and the sins wherein they lived, which he saith that the Lord had shewed him, and the terrible threatning of destroying judgments, therefore he first professing that he beleeved God to be just in his dealings towards all men, craveth leave to ask of the Lord the reason of this and such other like judgments, Why contrary to his threatnings and the deserts of their wickednesse, he dealt thus in the interim by them? For by his Judgments he meaneth his dealing in any kinde, either by prosperity or adversity, because all things are judiciously moderated by his providence, but why the wicked should prosper for a time and treacherous persons, thus seeming to have the better of Gods righteous servants, is a thing so deep and hidden, that man cannot see into it. For this Gods judgements are said to be a great deep, and Deep calleth to deep. Wherefore Jeremiah in all humility asketh leave to demand the reason of God, from whom he must learn it, that would be Psal. 36. 6. Psal. 42. 6.herein satisfied, and whilst he cannot yet hold firmly to this principle, that God is just in all his wayes, and righteous in all his works. Thus also Job 21. Ps. 73. Hab. 1. Iob, David and Habbakkuk make the same humble demand. For it had need to be resolved, because that for this seeming partiall dealing, some think that there is no God, some that he cares not for humane affairs, or if he doth, not for particulars, or not more for the faithful that daily serve him, then for the wicked that care not for the knowledge of his wayes, or walking therein, as Epictetus saith. Yet the very Heathen that were wiser then the rest, have alwayes acknowledged a divine providence moderating even in the prosperity of the wicked, as of Ruffinus, who by the favour of Theodosius Emperor being highly advanced, abused his favour to pride and ambition, in so much that he moved to have a match betwixt his daughter and Arcadius the Emperours Son, and prevailed so farre, that a day was set for it, and to proclaim him and Arcadius consortes imperii: but the same day he was cut in pieces by the souldiers. Before this was done, the Heathen complained grievously against the justice and providence of the gods: but being done, they saw, that so wicked a man was but lifted up to be cast down by the greater fall, and so all their murmuring ceased. Whereupon Claudian thus,Claudian.
Abstulit hunc tandem Ruffini poena tumultum,
Absolvit deos; jam non ad culmina rerum
Injustos crevisse queror; tolluntur in altum,
Ʋt lapsu gravior ruant.
So here, Thou hast planted them, thou art near in their mouth, but far from their Vers. 2.reines, that is, in word acknowledged by them, according to some: but by others better, by giving successe to what they speak, and do. For Ver. 4. They say he shall not see our last end, that is, he will never punish us with destruction, notwithstanding his terrible threatnings. But Pull them out, saith he, as sheep to the slaughter, intimating, that so it should soon be, and then the earth Vers. 3.and dumb creatures should suffer no longer by their means, as before their destruction is shewed, vers. 4. that they should do, and this is yielded as a reason, because that being so vile and wicked, and therefore threatned, they were nothing moved hereby, but as contemning it, said, That God should never Vers. 4.take revenge upon them, so as that they should be cut off, none being left, as is threatned Chap. 11. 23. For these words Vers. 3. Prepare them for the day of slaughter, the Hebrew is, Sanctifie them, being so spoken, because the wicked being destroyed are offered as it were in Sacrifice to Gods justice, and therefore the same word is used, that in setting beasts apart for Sacrifice. And withall by this similitude of sheep fatted to the slaughter, is intimated, the reason of Gods so favourable dealing with the wicked in present; he doth by them but as a Grasier by his sheep and oxen, feeds them fully and daintily, to fat them up against the day of slaughter: for to make them fit for Sacrifice, they must first be thus kept and made fat, sith lean Sacrifices were not accepted.
If thou hust runne with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, How canst Vers. 5.thou contend with the horses? Here the Lord answereth Jeremiah, complaining of the wickednesse and treachery of the men of his own Town Anathoth, and demanding of him why they were suffered yet in such a prosperous estate. And it is as if he had said (Oh Jeremiah) rouse up thy languishing spirits, art thou carried by the harsh dealing of the Anathothites with thee? how shalt thou bear the persecutions of the Jerosolymitans? for those are but as footmen in comparison, these through their multitudes, riches and greatnesse, as horsmen; those as a Land of peace in comparison of these, who may be likened to the swellings of Iordan, that overfloweth and drowneth all things farre off in the time of its overflowing the banks. For Ierusalem was notorious for persecuting and killing the Prophets, Anathoth and other small Cities, not, because Mat. 23. Lyra. Caldaeus. Vatabl.we read not of such outrages ever done there, so that Anathoth might well be counted a Land of peace in comparison of Ierusalem. Thus Lyra, Cald. Vatablus.
And the next words do further confirm this, For even thy brethren have dealt Vers. 6.treacherously with thee, and cried after thee. That is, the men of Anathoth threatning thee with death for prophesying against them, and by this their opposition and cruelty thou art wearied, as hath been said. And to their crying after him is added foreign signifying full, according to our phrase amain, or with full mouth, as if the men of any place being offended with one amongst them, should cry one to another Kill, kill him, as the Jews did afterwards against Christ, Crucifie, crucifie him. And if they speak goods words, believe them not, for their hearts are maliciously bent against thee, and if to make thee stay amongst them still, they should speak thee fair, it were but in dissimulation, that they might the better effect their purpose against thee. For other Expositions brought by Jerom, Theodoret, Rabanus, Hugo, Thomas Aquinas, Calvin, Hieron. Theod. Calvin.taking these words, as spoken to the Jews in general by the Lord, and by their brethren, compared to footmen, the Moabites, Ammonites and Edomites, who by warring against them had wearied them, and by horses the Caldees and swelling Iordan, because they should come in farre greater multitudes like a floud, as they are compared Chap. 4. 6, 7. Isa. 8. 7. 59. 19. Or by Isidor, taking it as spoken to Ieremiah by way of reproof thus, Thou canst not Isidor.see into the treachery of thy own Citizens, and wouldst thou know a reason of my doings? For these or any other, they may follow them that please; but I rest in the first.
Mine heritage is to me as a speckled Bird. From Vers. 7. the Lord declares to Vers. 9.Ieremiah, that although Iudea were his inheritance, and he hath hitherto greatly tendered it, although full of all manner of sinne, causing the Prophet to ask complainingly, why the wicked, such as they generally were, prospered so: yet it should no more be dear unto him, but as a Lion in a wood, crying out against him, vers. 8. and here as a speckled Bird, whereby Jerom, Hieron. Hugo. Th. Aquinas.Hugo and Thomas Aquinas, understand a Peacock, or Parriot, that a man keeps for his delight, some a night-Owl, which is white and hath spots; some the Jack-daw in Aesops Fables, because against hoth these the other birds come to beat them and peck them, as being envied by them for their different colour, some birds spotted with bloud. But forsomuch as the same inheritance is compared before to a Lion, and it is most probable, that another similitude to the same purpose added, taken from Fowls, must be of such a Fowl as is likest to a Lion; Calvin rather holds that a strange bird is meant, Calvin.that is, a bird of prey that cannot be cicurated, but flieth wildly about making a prey of the tame, as Kites and Hawks which are speckled, and slie one alone. For such was Iudea, that is, the Princes and mighty men thereof to the poorer sort, as is often complained. But I see no cause of going from the first expounding it of a Peacock; For both the words signifie a divers coloured Fowl, and such is the Peacock more then any other, and for the glorious tail proudest; and the Jews were notorious not only for cruelty, for which they are often compared to a Lion, but also for pride, for which they are here compared to a Peacock for their pride: see more Chap. 23. 9. 15. 18. And it is to be noted that he saith, My heritage is to me as a Lion, as a speckled Bird to me, denoting, that the cruelty, pride and contempt of the wicked against the Prophets of God, is against him, by reason of their near union unto him. So Note. Moses said, Your murmuring is not against me but against God, and the Lord to Samuel, They have not rejected thee, but me: and Christ to his Apostles, He that despiseth you despiseth me; and to Saul, Why persecutest thou me? And what shall be done to Gods heritage thus degenerating? The birds are against her round about, and come all ye beasts of the field to devour; wherein he continueth the Allegory, She is as a proud and contemptuous bird, and as a savage Lion, therefore this shall be her doom, the people of all Nations, as birds and beasts of prey shall come about her, as Lions, and Tygers, and Eagles against her alone, and so shall easily overcome and destroy her, and this was done when the Caldees came.
Many Pastours have destroyed my vineyard. Some by Pastors here understand Vers. 10.the Priests and wicked Prophets amongst the Jews, bringing destruction upon them by their sins. But others better, the Princes coming with Nebuchadnezzar, before also thus called Chap. 6. 3. For this agreeth best with the words before-going, wherein they are called beasts.
Being desolate it mourneth to me, Vulgar, Mourned upon me, and this is according Vers. 11.to the Hebrew, being expounded of their lamentable complaining against God, as dealing most cruelly by them, when they suffered such grievous things, by Lyra, Hugo, Vatablus, Caldee, &c. Calvin takes it to be Lyra. Raban. Calv.meant of the contrary disposition to that which they were now in, as following the former reading, now they rejoyced in evil doing, and could not be moved by any denouncing of judgement to repent, but then they mourned, and came humbly craving help of the Lord.
They have sown wheat, but shall reap thorns, they have put themselves to pain, Vers. 13.but reaped no profit, and they shall be ashamed of your revenues. Hebr. They have received for inheritance, but profited not. For the word is foreign and the Vulgar renders it so. Vatablus, They have been sick through travel and labour Vatablus.amongst you by instructing and admonishing, thus sowing wheat, as it were, but ye brought forth of this good seed nothing but thorns, that is, the cursed fruits of sinne and rebellion, so that their great pains profited you not, but they were even ashamed hereof. Thus he, understanding the Prophets s…nt amongst them from time to time. And the word foreign he deriveth from foreign to be sick, to make his Exposition the more probable, and who else can be said to sow wheat, but holy Prophets? And were not the Jews hereupon as thorns unto them, pricking and vexing them with contempt, derision, and evil entreating them? And might they not be ashamed to see no better fruit of all their care and pains, on the peoples part brought forth? And to shew that they are not the same that sow, and that bring forth fruit, he saith, They are Calvin. Hieror. Lyra. T. Aquinas.ashamed of your encrease or revenue. Yet Calvin and other Expositors reject this, and expound it of the wicked Jews, who are said to sow wheat, but to reap thorns, because according to their own opinion they sow good seed, whereof safety and preservation should come in time of danger, by their enemies, in making a league with the Aegyptians, providing arms and men, and strong places for defence: but it fell out clean contrary, the Caldees coming the product of all this was nothing but thorns, they had no more benefit Gen. 4.thereof, then a laborious Husbandman of his sowing good seed in his field, that yeeldeth thorns and thistles through Gods curse upon his labour, as it was threatned to Cain, that when he should sow the earth, it should bring forth thorns unto him. And whereas he addeth, They shall inherit but not profit, for thus the word may best be translated, it notably agreeth, the Jews had received Canaan for an inheritance by Gods singular gift, seating them there hitherto against the attempts of all enemies that sought to dispossesse them, but now this peculiar favour should benefit them no longer, but they should be left to the will of their enemies to be carried away captive. And whereas the change of the person is against this Exposition, They shall be ashamed of your revenue, the Vulgar and Junius also render it, Ye shall be ashamed; and Calvin because it is, They shall be ashamed, Hebr. saith, it is thus said per Enallagen, which is ordinary in Scripture, it being meant, Ye shall be ashamed; I cannot Isidor.see how that of Vatablus can so well stand, although agreed to by Isidor, because both before and after the wicked Jews, not the holy Prophets are threatned, and whether they prevail or no by their labours, it cannot be said, that they profit not, for their labours and reward are with the Lord, Isa. 49. 4. and they are not ashamed, when they prevail not to convert, but have the glory of true Prophets by the event answering to the judgements by them threatned. Wherefore I conclude, that when he saith, They shall be ashamed of your bringings forth, he changeth the person for nothing else, but to shew that they were the men of whom he spake, and whom he threatned all this while, that by thus coming home unto them, he might the more affect them.
Thus saith the Lord against all mine evil neighbours. Here the Lord after such Vers. 14.terrible threatnings, as go before against the Jews, to pull them out as sheep to the slaughter, that the elect amongst them might not be utterly discouraged, threatens revenge upon their evil neighbour-Nations, Ammonites, Moabites, &c. that had divers times oppressed them, and now rejoyced at Israels misery by the Assyrians, and would do the like out of their imbred hatred against the Jews at their sufferings by the Caldees. He threatens that for their malice and oppressions, whereby they had oppressed Israel, in favour of them, his peculiar people, they should be plucked out of their Lands, and to Pluck the house of Judah from amongst them, and to restore them in much compassion Vers. 15.to their own Land. For many of them most probably at sundry times being taken in warre, when the Jews were grown weak, were made slaves by them; but now the Lord promiseth to take a time to pluck them even by force out of their hands, intimating, that otherwise they would never let them go free. But withall, to magnifie his mercy the more towards all Nations, he also promiseth after the plucking out of them, that he will restore each people to their own inheritance again, provided that they turn to the Lord; to expresse which, he saith, If they shall swear, The Lord liveth] learning this of Vers. 16.the Jews, as the Jews had before learned of them to swear by Baal, whereby he fore-telleth their conversion under the Gospel, and not of neighbour-Nations only, but of all others throughout the world, these being specified, but the rest understood, because they were to the Jews unknown.
But on the contrary side he addeth, If they will not obey, I will utterly pluck Vers. 17.up and destroy that Nation. Fore-shewing hereby, that some of those amongst whom the Gospel should be preached, should a long time oppose it, as they did indeed, persecuting those that believed and sought the propagation of the faith, but it should turn to their own utter ruine, and so it shall of all particular persons that obey it not to repent and believe. For Jesus Christ is both a rock to build upon, and a rock to stumble at and break in pieces unbelievers. Thus all Expositours generally, but Theodoret who applieth both this and ver. 15, 16. to the Jews. But these are plainly distinguished from them by this, that it is said, If they should learn of his people to swear, &c. where swearing is put for all religious duties, as Chap. 4. 1.