Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah ,.... This is an answer to the prophet's prayer, and particularly to the latter part of it; showing the consistency of the destruction of the city with his purchase of a field, and with God's promise of fields and vineyards being purchased and possessed again; and how each of these would be brought about: saying ; as follows: read more
Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh ,.... Jehovah, the self-existent Being, that gives being to all creatures; and is particularly the God of all men, the Maker and Preserver of them, and that provides for them; who are called "flesh", to denote their weakness and corruption, how unworthy of the divine favour, and how unable to resist his will, or hinder the execution of his purposes: and which is introduced with a "behold", to excite attention, to take notice of what was said; to... read more
Therefore thus saith the Lord, behold, I will give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans ,.... As he had foretold by the prophet, and was just now going to be fulfilled. Here the Lord repeats and confirms the first of the two things which seemed contradictory; the destruction of the city by the Chaldeans, who were now besieging it, and into whose hands it would certainly come: and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon ; who was now before it with his army: and he shall... read more
And the Chaldeans, that fight against this city, shall come ,.... Or rather "shall enter", as Aquila renders it; for they were come to it already, and were fighting against it, battering the walls, and throwing in their arrows, and putting to the sword such as came out, or were within their reach: and set fire on this city ; as they did, Jeremiah 39:8 ; and burn it, with the houses, upon whose roofs they have offered incense unto Baal ; or "especially the houses" F7 ואת ... read more
For the children of Israel and the children of Judah ,.... The former are mentioned, as well as the latter, though they had been carried captive some years ago, to justify the dealings of God with them; and besides, there were some of the ten tribes that remained, and were mingled with the tribes of Judah and Benjamin: of all which it is said, that they have only done evil before me from their youth ; from their infancy, being conceived in sin, and shapen in iniquity; and so being... read more
For this city hath been tame as a provocation of mine anger and of my fury ,.... Or, "upon mine anger, and upon my fury this city was to me" F8 על אפי ועל חמתי "super naso meo, et super ira mea fuit mihi civitas haec", Montanus; "in furore meo, et in ira mea", Pagninus, Vatablus. ; that is, it was upon his heart, and in his mind and purpose, being provoked to anger and wrath by their sins, to have destroyed it long ago, though he had deferred it to this time; the inhabitants... read more
Because of all the evil of the children of Israel and of the children of Judah ,.... His anger and fury were because of their sins, and so his carrying them captive: which they have done to provoke me to anger ; which was done, as if they had done it on purpose to provoke him; and which was done, not by a few, but by them all; not by the lower people only, but by men of every rank and order; as follows: they, their kings, their princes, their priests, and their prophets ; that is,... read more
And they have turned unto me the back, and not the face ,.... When he reproved them for their sins; called them to repentance; instructed them in their duty; and warned them of the dangers they exposed themselves to; instead of turning the face to him, as scholars to their masters, and as subjects to their prince, to listen to what was said to them; they turned their backs or necks, the hinder part of them; expressive of contempt, and showing great rudeness and irreverence: though I... read more
But they set their abominations ,.... Their idols, which were abominable to the Lord, and ought to have been so to them: these they placed in the house (which is called by my name), to defile it ; in the temple; as by Ahaz, Manasseh, and others: see Jeremiah 7:30 . read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 32:26-44
We have here God's answer to Jeremiah's prayer, designed to quiet his mind and make him easy; and it is a full discovery of the purposes of God's wrath against the present generation and the purposes of his grace concerning the future generations. Jeremiah knew not how to sing both of mercy and judgment, but God here teaches to sing unto him of both. When we know not how to reconcile one word of God with another we may yet be sure that both are true, both are pure, both shall be made good, and... read more