Matthew Poole and continuators on Jeremiah 14

1 THE word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning the dearth .

What dearth we are not told, nor when it happened; some think that it was in the time of the Siege of Hierusalem, others, that it was in the beginning of the Reign of Zedekiah but they iudge most probably, that think it was in the time of Jehoiakim, for we read chap. 36.9. of an extraordinary fast by him proclaimed, which many judge was upon this occasion: The Heb. phrase which is here used, signifying, The matter of the Restraints; gives interpreters some liberty to abound in their senses of this Text, but the following words make it evident, ver. 4, 5. that the Restraints here mentioned were Gods restraining of water from them, so that the dearth was occasioned from a great drought, which is elegantly described in the five next verses and deprecated, ver. 7, 8, 9. which make indeed, but a preface to the Revelation of the mind, and will of God in this Prophesie.

Marginal references: Heb. the word[illegible: 1 letter] of the dearths or restrain[illegible: 1 letter]s.

2 Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish, they are black unto the ground, and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up .

By Judah is meant the men, and women in the whole country of Judah. The gates is put for their Cities, or the men of their Cities languished, for want of moisture for themselves or their beasts. They are all in the habits of Mourners or their faces looked swarthy, and starvedly, for want of due and wholesome nourishment, and the cry of Hierusalem is gone up, either their cry unto God by their Prayers in his Temple, or their cry by the reason of their Misery and Grief is gone up to Heaven.

3 And their nobles have sent their little ones to the waters, they came to the pits and found no water, they returned with their vessels empty: they were ashamed and confounded, and covered their heads .

This scarcity of water, afflicted not mean persons onely, who have not so good means to supply their necessities as others; but their greatest Persons, so as they sent their little ones (it were better translated Servants for they are meant) to the places made to receive and retain Water, but finding no water in the pits, they came back again with their Vessels empty like men ashamed and confounded, and troubled upon the seeing their expectations frustrated.

4 Because the ground is chapt , for there was no rain in the earth, the plowmen were ashamed, they covered their heads .

The Heb. word signifieth more largely than chapt, broken, spoiled, turn'd into dust, as is usual in great droughts.

The word also which we translate Plowmen, doth not strictly signifie Plowmen, but Husbandmen, there having been no rain upon the Earth, it brought forth little or no grass for those that imployed themselves in breeding or feeding Cattel, and it was so hard, and so much wanted moisture, that they could not Plow nor Sow, but were like men ashamed and confounded, who knew not what to do.

5 Yea, the hind also calved in the field and forsook it, because there is no grass .

Hinds use not to get their food in Fields, but upon the mountains and in Wildernesses but the drought was such, that these wild Creatures came into the lower grounds nearer the Habitations of men, than they were wont, and there brought forth their young. The Hinds are loving Creatures, and as all Creatures by a natural instinct love their young, so the Hinds especially, but their moisture being dried up, they could not suckle them, but were forced to leave them running about here and there to seek grass to eat.

6 And the wild asses did stand in the high places, they snuffed up the wind like dragons : their eyes did fail because there was no grass h.

The wild Asses wanting water, got upon high places, where was the freest and coolest air, and sucked in the Wind, and this it is said they did like Dragons of whom Aristotle and Pliny report, that by reason of the great heat of their bodies, they ordinarily stand upon high places sucking in the cool Air, and they tell us those Creatures will live upon it for some time. The Prophet describing this great drought, tells us, the wild Asses did the like.

But for want of Grass their eyes were either almost sunk in their heads, they being almost starved, or else the phrase signifies the frustration of their expectation, which this phrase also sometimes signifies in Scripture, Psal. 69.3.

7 ¶ O LORD! though our iniquities testifie against us , do thou it for thy names sake : for our backslidings are many, we have sinned against thee .

The Prophet having described their misery, both in the cause of it, the drought for want of rain, and the effects of it, he applieth himself to that God, who he knew was he who alone could give the former and the latter rain; confessing that their sins and backslidings were very many, and testified against them, that they had deserved Gods severe scourge, and God was Righteous in what of this nature he had done against them. But [illegible: 1 letter]et saith he

do thou it ▪ that is, do thou what we desire, and what we stand in need of; give us rain.

Though not for our sake, we deserve no such kindness from thee, yet for thy names sake: thy word or promise, or rather hear for thine honour and glory sake. So Isa. 43.25. & 48.11. where God promiseth them to shew them kindness for his names sake, so as Ieremiahs Prayer is but a pleading of Gods promises, that he would fulfill his word.

For here signifies though, and might have been better so interpreted.

8 O the hope of Israel , the Saviour thereof in time of trouble , why shouldst thou be as a stranger in the land, and as a wayfaring man, that turneth aside to tarry for a night ?

That is the object of Israels hope, he in whom alone thy people Israel have been wont to hope, or he in whom alone Israel hath just reason to hope.

Thou who hast formerly been their Saviour in the times of their trouble, or who alone canst save them in such times of trouble, as thou hast now brought them into, see Psal. 9.9. & 46.1.

Why shouldst thou be as one that regardest thy ancient people no more then a Stranger, or a Traveller, who taketh no farther care for the place, or the house where he lodgeth, then for the short time that he is to stay or abide in it.

9 Why shouldst thou be as a man astonied ? as a mighty man that cannot save ? yet thou O LORD art in the midst of us , and we are called by thy name , leave us not .

The Hebrew word here used being [illegible: 1 letter]ound in no place of Holy Writ but this, hath given interpreters a liberty to translate it variously, sleepy, weak, astonished, frighted, like a man in such disorder through some great passions, that he is able to do nothing.

Like a man who in his own nature is strong and mighty enough, but through sickness or passion is so weakned, that he cannot put forth his strength for the succour and relief of his friends.

Yet (saith the Prophet) thou art in the middest of us, that is we have thy Temple to which thou hast promised thy special presence, or rather it is to be understood of the whole Land, according to what God had declared, Num. 5.3. and 35.34. Defile not the Land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I the Lord dwell among the Children of Israel.

That is, we are called the Lords People, and that not only by others amongst whom we have that repute, but by thy self. God often calleth this people in Scripture, his people, his portion.

Therefore he begs that God would not leave them, he means as to that special providence; by which he had formerly watched over them, and cared for them, and been a protection to them, nor as to his Ordinances, and his special gracious presence with them in his Temple.

Marginal references: Heb. thy name is called upon us.

10 Thus saith the LORD unto this people, Thus have they loved to wander , they have not refrained their feet , therefore the LORD doth not accept them , he will now remember their iniquity, and visit their sins .

Here beginneth that divine Revelation mentioned v. 1. as an answer to the Prophets complaint, and prayer in the nine first verses. The substance of which is, that for their manifold sins, he was resolved to punish them, and therefore would not be any more sollicited on their behalf.

They have gone aside out of the way of my precepts, and that out of principle of love and delight, they have been fond of their Idols.

And they have persisted in those deviations and sinful courses, notwithstanding all counsels, and arguments used with them to the contrary, nothing could keep their feet to the way of my testimonies.

Therefore though they pray and cry, and fast, God will not accept them.

But by his punishment of them for their sins, he will let them know that as he hath seen and taken notice of, so he hath not forgot what they have done.

Marginal references: Hos. 8.13. and 9.9.

11 Then said the LORD unto me . Pray not for this people for their good .

Twice before God had given the Prophet this charge, chap. 7.26. & 11.14. how it could consist with the piety of Ieremiah, after those charges to put up the Prayer we had in the beginning of this chapter, see the notes on chap. 11.14.

Marginal references: Exod. 32.10.

12 When they fast, I will not hear their cry ▪ and when they offer burnt-offering and an oblation, I will not accept them, c but I will consume them by the sword and by the famine, and by the pestilence .

The like threatning we have, Prov. 2.28. Isa. 1.15. chap. 11.11. Ezech. 8.18. Micah 3.4. Men may so long despise Gods calls, exhortations and counsels as their case may be desperate as to the prevention of temporal judgments by such Religious applications to God as ordinarily have their effect, to prevent and remove judgments, see chap. 15.1. Ezek. 14.14.20.

He threatneth to add to their Plague, three sore judgments, ordinarily accompanying one another both in Gods threatnings, chap. 29.17, 18, and 34.17. &c.

Marginal references: Isa. 58.1. Zech. 7.7, 13.; chap. 6.20. and 7.21, 22.; chap. 9.16.

13 Then said I Ah Lord GOD! Behold the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine, but I will give you assured peace in this place .

We have many complaints of this Prophet against False prophets that contradicted his Prophesies, chap. 4.10. & 23.9. and we shall hereafter meet with the names of some of them, corrupt Governments never want Prophets to their humour, though a bolder transgression can hardly be imagined, then for men to intitle God to their own imaginations and fancies, and we shall ver. 15. meet with the usual wages of such works.

Marginal references: Heb. Peace of truth.

14 Then the LORD said unto me. The prophets prophesie lies in my name , I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesie to you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.

They did not only prophesie falshoods, but lies, what they knew to be false, for they pretended, that God had revealed such things unto them, for admit the things they spake (as to men) but future contingencies, which might be true or false, yet it was a lye for them to pretend that God had told them any such things. The things were certainly false in themselves, being contrary to Gods revelation, but setting that aside for them to pretend God had revealed that to them which he had not revealed was a formed lye, God denieth that he ever commanded them to speak any such things, or sent them upon any such errands, they prophesied what came in their own foolish heads, and the deceits of their own hearts.

Marginal references: chap. 23.21. and 27.15. and 29.8, 9.

15 Therefore thus saith the LORD, concerning the prophets that prophesie in my name and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land, By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed .

It is a most dangerous thing for Ecclesiastical Ministers to deliver that to people as the will of God, which is not so: God here threatneth that these Prophets in testimony of the truth of the Word of God delivered by Ieremiah should dye by these very judgments, which they falsely prophesied to this people as from God an immunity from, vide chap. 6, 15. and 20.6. 1 Kings 22.25.

16 And the people to whom they prophesie, shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem, because of the famine, and the sword, and they shall have none to bury them, their wives, nor their sons nor their daughters; for I will pour their wickedness upon them .

The security promised by these false Prophets, shall be no excuse to the people for giving credit to them, the Prophets shall perish for prophesying falsly in my name, and the people that hearken to and believe what they say, and practise accordingly, shall perish for their light and vain credulity. As the sinful commands of superiours in things civil, will not free those from guilt that execute their commands: so the lies and false teachings of Ministers, will not excuse those that run into errour upon the credit of their words; both the one and the other owe their first homage and Allegiance to God, by whose word they ought to examine the precepts of the one, and the prophesyings of the other.

18 If I go forth into the field, then behold the slain with the sword, and if I enter into the city, then behold them that are sick with famine, yea both the prophet, and the priest go about into a land that they know not .

The Prophet is by God directed to speak still of the Calamities of this people as a thing past though yet to come, according to the usual stile of Prophetical writings, and to tell them that what soever their false Prophets told them, yet he so certainly knew the contrary, that he could even wish himself melted into tears for them, and had even already before his Eyes the doleful spectacle of their miseries. Some in the Field slain by the Enemies sword, others within the walls almost starved to death.

The word in the Hebrew [non-Latin text not transcribed] which we Translate go about, signifies so primarily, and in a second sense to Merchandise, because Merchants go about Countries to Trade, this hath made that variety of sense which the margents of our Bible have, but our translation is true enough and the sense seems to be, that Priests and Prophets, (though accounted sacred persons) should be made Captives also, and wander in a Land, wherein they were forreigners. This is thought to relate to the first Captivity in the time of Iehojakim, when the people of the best fashion were carried into Captivity.

Marginal references: Or, make merchandise against a land, and men acknowledge it not.

19 Hast thou utterly rejected Judah? hath thy soul loathed Zion ? why hast thou smitten us, and there is no healing for us ? we looked for peace, and there is no good, and for the time of healing, and behold trouble .

The Prophet again returns to God, expostulating with him, and humbly imploring mercy for his people, which lets us know that he did not understand Gods words to him, v[illegible: 1 letter]se 11. as an absolute prohibition of him to pray for this people. Zion was a place whose gates God loved, and Iudah was his pleasant portion. Lord saith the Prophet, is it possible thou shouldst loath a place which thou so much lovedst, or cast off a people which thou hast so much owned?

He acknowledgeth God to be he that had smitten them, and their condition without him to be helpless and hopeless.

And that all their hopes and expectations were frustrated.

Marginal references: chap. 8.15.

20 We acknowledge, O LORD, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers, for we have sinned against thee .

That is both we and our Fathers have sinned against thee, and have given thee a right to punish and destroy us, we desire not to cover or cloak our sin, we own and acknowledge it.

Marginal references: Psal. 106.6. Dan. 9.8.

21 Do not abhor us, for thy names sake , do not disgrace the throne of thy glory : remember, break not thy covenant with us .

The thing which the Prophet deprecateth is, the judgments come already, and further coming upon this people, the Famine, Sword and Pestilence, with the drought, under the sad consequents of which they at present laboured, but he prayes for the removal of these Judgments, and the prevention of such as were yet to come, in this phrase, Do not abhor us; noting to us, that the love of God to a people is the root of all good which they can expect, and his hatred or displeasure, the root of all the evil that can betide them. Here are diverse Arguments brought to back this Petition. 1. For thy names sake, that is thine honour and glory sake, an Argument often made use of in Holy Writ, in the Prayers of Gods people, Ios. 7.9. &c. and upon a very good Foundation, whether we consider Gods concern for his own glory, or the tenure of Gods promises, promising mercy for his own names sake.

He also argueth with God, from his former love and kindness to this people, which he had made the Throne of his Glory, the words are either to be understood of the Throne of the House of David, called the Lords Throne, 1 Chron. 29.23. or else the Temple and the Ark in it, the more special symbol of Gods presence; hence he is said to have dwelt betwixt the Cherubims, Psal. 80.1. so chap. 17.12. the Prophet saith, A glorious high Throne from the beginning is our Sanctuary. Lord, (saith the Prophet) we have deserved all the disgrace thou canst throw upon us, but do not thou disgrace the Throne of thine own Glory.

Remember, break not thy Covenant with us. Did not Ieremy then know that God could not break his Covenant? Ans. He did know it, but he also knew that it is our duty to pray to God to fulfil it, or possibly he would extend it a little further, and for Gods covenant sake made with the faithful in Israel, he would have obtained mercy for the whole body of the Nation.

22 Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain ? or can the Heavens give showrs? Art not thou he, O LORD our God? therefore we will wait upon thee, for thou hast made all these things .

The present Judgment under which they groaned, was a drought, which we had described in the six first Verses, the Prophet imploring God for the removal of it, argues from the impossibility of help in this case from any other way, none of the Idols of the Heathens, which he calls vain things, nothing in themselves, and of no use or profit to those that ran after them, could give Rain.

The Heavens indeed give it, but in the order of second causes, if God stoppeth those bottles they cannot run.

Lord art not thou able to do it (saith the Prophet) nay, art not thou he who alone is able to do it; (forsomuch the phrase doth import) The Scripture constantly giveth God the honour of giving Rain, Gen. 2.5. Deut. 28.12. 1 Kings 8.36. 2 Chron. 6.27. Iob 5.10. and 38.26, 28. Psalm 147.8. chap. 5.24. and 51.16. Ioel 2.23. Zech. 10.1. Matth. 5.45. Acts 14.17.

Therefore saith the Prophet, we thy people will wait upon thee by Prayer, and the payment of those homages thou requirest, for thou hast made all these things, that is, (say some) thou hast caused all these Judgments, or afflictive dispensations, or rather, thou hast made the Rain, last mentioned.

Marginal references: Psal. 135.7. Isa. 30.23. chap. 10.13.