Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 7 · Jeremiah · Chapter 14
CHAP. XIV.
THe word of the Lord that came to Ieremiah concerning the dearth or restraint, Vers. 1.That is, of rain causing dearth. It is uncertain in what Kings reign this was, and what dearth it was. Jerom and most Expositors conjecture, that the 2 Chron. 36.famine in Zedekiah his time is meant, when Nebuchadnezzar besieged the City Ierusalem in his eleventh year, and in the fourth monethmonth, it is said, There was a famine in the City. But the word [restraints] plainly sheweth, that it was a dearth through the restraint of rain coming sometime before that siege, and causing their scarcity then the sooner; and because it is said vers. 3. some were sent out for water and found none, which could not be done, when the enemy besieged them so straightly that none could go in or out. And the same is further confirmed vers. 4, 5, 6. where the Ploughmen which could not plow then, are said to have been ashamed, and the Hindes to have forsaken their calves for want of grasse, and the wilde Asses for the same want to have snuffed up the winde. Yet when such a famine by drought came in those Kings reigns, wherein Ieremiah prophesied, it is no where said in holy Scripture, but onelyonly it is here prophesied of, as that drought in Ahabs time by Elijah, that when it should come, secondary causes might not be so much looked at, as the wrath of 1 King. 17.God against sin causing it.
O Lord, do it for thy Names sake. That is, although our sins cty for judgements against us, do this great thing for us to save us from this famine and Vers. 7.sword threatned, although our sins call for them, and therefore we can plead nothing for any worthinesse in us, but for thy names sake, that it may have glory of saving us, whom thou hast taken to be thy peculiar people. And in thus praying he teacheth the people what they should say, if by any means they would be stirred up hereunto.
The Prophets tell them, Ye shall not see the sword. This Jeremiah relateth not Vers. 13.without great grief, that even Prophets coming in the name of the Lord wrought against him and his threatnings, to make the people despise them, and continue secure to their destruction. And he declareth both what he prayed and said further to the Lord, that the people might be the more affected with it, as acknowledging him to be most loving to them, and carefull of their good: but these false prophets that soothed them up in their sins, bold and presumptuous braggadochians, that they might not be seduced by them. And ver. 15, and 16. to move them the more he threatneth or rather telleth how the Lord threatned them and the people also that hearkned to them, that they Vers. 15.should die by the sword and famine, and lie without a burial, both they, their wives and their children, as they had all consented together to commit Idolatry, for so they are shewed to have done, Chap. 7. And if it shall seem Note. too great severity, that the people who were seduced by the deceitfulness of the false prophets should suffer such grievous things, it is to be conceived, that they were as willing to be made drunken by them with the errour of impunity, notwithstanding their sins, as they to make them drunken, so that the Lord doth but permit the wicked to their own choice, as they delight more in unrighteousness then in the truth, so leaving them to be drawn after it, and then as they are well-worthy, making them to partake in judgement with their seducers. The like to which is threatned, 2 Thes. 2. 11. and is daily done. A number of unsound and hypocritical hearted people meet with false prophets in many places, and being unstable in their faith, are soon carried away by every new blast of Doctrine, as by a new light, in comparison of which that they had before is nothing in their esteem. But let all such consider to what both they and their Prophets are tending, viz. to horrible destruction by Gods judgements that they may in time beware and repent.
Both the Priest and the Prophet go about into the Land that they know not. Heb. Vers. 18. Kimchi.Go about to a Land, and they shall not know] by Kimhi expounded thus, into Babylon, to which, because it was a very long way, they went not directly, but by many turnings and wayes about, and they are said not to know it, because they would not for any threatnings of this judgement believe it, till that it came upon them. By Vatablus thus, They go about to other Countreys, Vatablus.to which they fled to save themselves, not knowing that in the end they should be taken there, and carried to Babylon: or because the word foreign here used, signifieth also to make Merchandize, Gen. 34. 10. they were intent to their own profit, and went about prophesying of peace to please the people, to win their love the more, and consequently to procure from them the more liberality, till that upon the sudden they were taken by the enemy and carried, so many of them as escaped the sword and famine, into a Land which they knew not, not never saw before. By Calvin, They go about the Land, Calvin.seeking vainly means of safety and preservation from the danger at hand; and they know not, that is, will not know by all their warnings the destruction hanging over their heads, till they suffer it, and there is no escaping, it being just with God to dement them, and to take all right understanding from them, as they had infatuated and inebriated the people by their false prophesying of peace and safety. And herein I rest, because thus the words agree best to the former part of the verse, speaking of the destruction by famine in the City, and the sword in the field, whereinto these Priests and Prophets fleeing out of an opinion to escape the danger, they fell there contrary to their expectation, for which it is said, They knew not; and so by the Land here spoken of cannot be meant the Land of Caldea, but their own Land, the fields into which they fled to hide them, and then the particle foreign may be taken as redundant, they went about, or go about the Land seeking for hiding places, as was before-said, but their destruction by the sword comes upon them, and they shall not know it till it comes, for it shall be sudden.
Are there amongst the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain? From vers. 19. hitherto, the Prophet prayeth for the people, and in their name, although he were forbidden ver. 11. as he had done before after the like prohibition, Chap. 7. 16. and 11 24. whereby it appears, That the Lord never inhibits his Prophets from praying for his people, but to stimulate them the more unto it, for he loves to see a Moses standing up in the gap to oppose him in his judgements, or a Jacob that will earnestly wrestle with him, and not let him go. although he commands him to do it. And he prayeth according to their present necessity, as we may see by comparing her with vers. 1. in these words, In the drought] He pleadeth with the Lord from his unparallel'd power, no Idols, or heavens themselves can give rain, but God only; for he is said to give the early and the latter rain, the heavens being only his creatures by their influence, as secondary causes doing it, when he will, but not otherwise, when he in judgement will not that they shall produce any, as at this time, and in the dayes of Ahab. For which he concludes, Thou hast made all these] That is, as Expositors generally say, all the celestial bodies, by whose influence rain commonly cometh, as God hath appointed, although Calvin turneth it another way, by all these understanding all the judgements sent upon them. But I see no reason of his going from the common exposition herein, seeing it followeth so aptly upon the premisses, The heavens cannot do it without thee, and why can they not? because although from them rain commonly cometh, yet God made them and governs them at his own will, not suffering them to do it, but when he pleaseth, or by all these understand both the constellations and rain, or drought caused hereby, all which were last spoken of. Finally to move the Lord the more, he saith, thou art our Lord, and expectation is to thee, for this is a great motive, when our hope is not in any thing else, but in God alone, Psal. 20. 8. A thing to be thought upon by those that expect the changes of the Moon for the weather, expecting Note. then undoubtedly rain or fair weather, because it is so most commonly, and so observe the Lords providence the lesse to love and fear him, which we ought to do even when weather comes thus, according to the common account; for the heavens cause not rain by any virtue in themselves, but as God willeth or nilleth, even when signs of rain concur.