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John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 11:20

Verse 20 Here the Prophet, after having found that the impiety of the people was so great that he was speaking to the deaf, turns his address to God: O Jehovah of hosts, he says, who art a great Judge, who searchest the reins and the heart, may I see thy vengeance on them The Prophet seems here inconsistent with himself;, for he had before declared that he was like a lamb or a calf, as though he had offered, as they say, his life a wining sacrifice; but here he seems like one made suddenly... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 11:21

Verse 21 The Prophet here expressly denounces vengeance on his own people: for we have seen at the beginning of this book that he belonged to the town of Anathoth. Now it appears from this passage, that the holy man had not only to contend with the king and his courtiers, and the priests, who were at Jerusalem; but that when he betook himself to a corner to live quietly with his own people, he had even there no friend, but that all persecuted him as an enemy. We hence see how miserable was the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 11:1-23

1. A reminder of the renewal of the covenant between Jehovah and the people lately made under Josiah ( Jeremiah 11:1-8 ). 2. First stage of the conspiracy; all Israel, instead of keeping the covenant with Jehovah, conspires against him ( Jeremiah 11:9-13 ). 3. The punishment of the conspiracy is an irreversible, severe judgment ( Jeremiah 11:14 17). 4. Second stage of the conspiracy; the plot of the men of Anathoth ( Jeremiah 11:18-23 ). 5. Third stage; the plot... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 11:18

Here, as Naegelsbaeh puts it, begins the second stage of the "conspiracy." Hath given me knowledge , etc.; rather, gave me knowledge , and I knew it . Then ; i . e . when I was in utter unconsciousness. Jeremiah had no presentiment of the murderous purpose of his townsmen, till by some "special providence" it came to his knowledge. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 11:18-23

The conspiracy of Anathoth. This incident may afford us some lessens on the subject of persecution, in its occasion and character, the behavior of the persecuted and the righteous action of God in dealing with it. I. THE OCCASION OF THE CONSPIRACY ILLUSTRATES A COMMON CAUSE OF PERSECUTION . Jeremiah had been proclaiming unwelcome truths. He had exposed sin and threatened judgment. Such preaching was unpopular, and the men of Anathoth sought to stay it by force... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 11:18-23

Perils of prophesying. The conspiracy of which these verses speak seems to have been sudden as it was secret. It affected the mind of the prophet in a peculiarly painful way, as it was the men of his own district who were concerned in it—his friends, probably even kinsfolk, who locked upon him as their worst enemy. The crime was all the more heinous that the means taken to execute it were underhand. It is possible that they greeted him with expressions of kindness and hospitality, and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 11:18-23

The baffled plot. These verses are an episode. Like as the miracle of the healing of her who touched the hem of our Lord's garment was an episode in connection with the healing of the daughter of Jairus ( Mark 5:21 , etc.), so this account of the plot against Jeremiah's life comes in here, breaking the thread of his discourse, which is not renewed again till Jeremiah 12:7 . Scripture has many instances of similar plots contrived against the servants of the Lord; they are found in the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 11:18-23

The prophet in his own country. This passage describes a peculiar peril to Jeremiah, and a peculiar peril to those who conspired against him. I. A PECULIAR PERIL TO JEREMIAH . His life was full of perils—" perils from his own countrymen" in many ways, perils from the palace with its great men, from priests and false prophets, from every devotee of idolatry, from every one, in short, whose vices and iniquities he lashed with the scourge of his Heaven-inspired tongue. He would... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 11:19

Like a lamb or an ox ; rather, as a mild lamb ( as one of the old translations has it), equivalent to quasi agaus mansuetus (Vulgate). Jeremiah says that he was as unsuspicious as a tame lamb which has grown up with its master's family ( 2 Samuel 12:3 ). The Arabs use the very same adjective in a slightly different form as an epithet of such tame lambs. It is impossible to help thinking of that "Servant of Jehovah," of whom Jeremiah was a type, who is said, in prophetic vision, to... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 11:20

(Parallel passage, Jeremiah 20:12 .) Unto thee have I revealed my cause. This is the literal rendering, but a comparison of Psalms 22:8 and Proverbs 16:3 , suggests that the In meaning is Upon thee have I rolled my cause." This expression is certainly not only more forcible, but more appropriate than the other. Jeremiah's cause was not a secret which needed to be "revealed" to Jehovah, but a burden too heavy for so finely strung a nature to bear alone. Grammatically, the preferred... read more

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