Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying. Or the word of prophecy from before the Lord, as the Targum; and now follows the application of this sign to the thing signified, and the whole intention of it is opened. read more
Thus saith the Lord, after this manner ,.... As this girdle has been hid in Euphrates, and has been marred and rendered useless; so in like manner, and by such like means, will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem ; or their glory, or excellency F20 גאון "excellentiam", Calvin, Piscator. ; that which they gloried in, and were proud of; their city which was burnt, and their temple which was destroyed by the Chaldeans; their king, princes, and nobles, who were... read more
This evil people, which refuse to hear my words ,.... Sent by the prophets, to whom they turned a deaf ear; and though they pressed them, and importunately desired them to give them a hearing, they refused it; and this showed them to be a bad people, very degenerate and wicked; and which further appears by what follows: which walk in the imagination of their heart ; which was evil, stubborn, and rebellious, see Jeremiah 7:24 , and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship... read more
For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man ,.... Being girt tight unto him: so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel, and the whole house of Judah ; whom he chose above all people, and caused to approach unto him, and dwell in his courts; whom he favoured with his presence, and encouraged them to follow after him, and cleave to him in faith and affection, and with full purpose of heart; so that they were a people near unto him as a man's girdle is to his loins:... read more
Verse 9 As to the application of the Prophecy, the Prophet then distinctly describes it; but he sets forth with sufficient clearness the main point, when he says, Thus will I mar the stateliness ( altitudinem , the altitude or height) of Judah and the great stateliness of Jerusalem Other interpreters unanimously render the word, pride; but as גאון gaun, may be taken in two senses, it means here, I have no doubt, excellency, and this will appear more fully from what follows. (72) The word then... read more
Verse 10 The Prophet said, according to what we observed yesterday, that the people would be like the belt which he had hidden in a hole and found putrified: but now the cause is expressed why God had resolved to treat them with so much severity. He then says that he would be an avenger, because the Jews had refused to obey his voice, and preferred their own inventions in walking after the hardness, or the wickedness of their own heart We hence see that the cause of this calamity was, that the... read more
Verse 11 He confirms what we noticed yesterday, — that the Jews entertained a foolish confidence, and promised themselves perpetual happiness, because God had chosen them as his people. This indeed would have been a perpetual glory to them, had they not violated their pledged faith; but their defection rendered void God’s covenant as far as they were concerned: for though God never suffered his faithfulness to fail, however false and perfidious they were, yet the adoption from which they had... read more
The entire people of the Jews is like a good-for-nothing apron. read more
The spoiled girdle. I. GOD 'S PEOPLE ARE LIKE A GIRDLE TO GOD . 1. They are his peculiar property . The girdle is a private personal possession. It belongs solely to the wearer. When all ordinary property is taken from him he retains the clothes on his body. Even the bankrupt has a right to these. 2. They are near to God. This girdle—really an under-garment—is close to the person of the wearer. God does not simply hold his people as an absentee landlord holds his... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 13:1-11
Here is, I. A sign, the marring of a girdle, which the prophet had worn for some time, by hiding it in a hole of a rock near the river Euphrates. It was usual with the prophets to teach by signs, that a stupid unthinking people might be brought to consider, and believe, and be affected with what was thus set before them. 1. He was to wear a linen girdle for some time, Jer. 13:1, 2. Some think he wore it under his clothes, because it was linen, and it is said to cleave to his loins, Jer. 13:11.... read more