Jeremiah 1:4-19

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 1:4-10

Here is, I. Jeremiah's early designation to the work and office of a prophet, which God gives him notice of as a reason for his early application to that business (Jer. 1:4, 5): The word of the Lord came to him, with a satisfying assurance to himself that it was the word of the Lord and not a delusion; and God told him, 1. That he had ordained him a prophet to the nations, or against the nations, the nation of the Jews in the first place, who are now reckoned among the nations because they had... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 1:11-19

Here, I. God gives Jeremiah, in vision, a view of the principal errand he was to go upon, which was to foretel the destruction of Judah and Jerusalem by the Chaldeans, for their sins, especially their idolatry. This was at first represented to him in away proper to make an impression upon him, that he might have it upon his heart in all his dealings with this people. 1. He intimates to him that the people were ripening apace for ruin and that ruin was hastening apace towards them. God, having... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 1:4

Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying. Not in the days of Jehoiakim, but in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah, Jeremiah 1:2 . The Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions read, "unto him". read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 1:5

Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee ,.... Not merely by his omniscience, so he knows all men before their conception and birth; but with such a knowledge as had special love and affection joined with it; in which sense the Lord knows them that are his, as he does not others, and predestinates them unto eternal life; and which is not only before their formation in the womb, but before the foundation of the world, even from all eternity. The forming of the human foetus is God's act,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 1:6

Then said I, Ah, Lord God! .... The word אהה , "Ah", or "Ahah", is used in distress and grief, as Kimchi observes; and is expressive of mourning and complaint, as Jarchi notes; and shows that the prophet was troubled and uneasy at his call, and would gladly have been excused on the following account: behold, I cannot speak ; or, "I know not how to speak" F18 לא ידעתי דבר "uescio loqui", V. L. Munster, Vatablus, Junius & Tremellius; "non novi loqui", Pagninus, Montanus. ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 1:7

But the Lord said unto me, say not, I am a child ,.... This excuse will not be admitted: for thou shall go to all that I shall send thee ; either to "every place", as the Targum paraphrases; or "to all persons to whom" he should be sent, as the Septuagint and Arabic versions render the words; or "to all things for which" he should send him, as the Syriac and Vulgate Latin versions. The sense is, that he should go everywhere, and to every person, and on every errand and message he should... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 1:8

Be not afraid of their faces ,.... Their stern looks, their frowning brows, and angry countenances, which would threaten him with destruction and death: for I am with thee, to deliver thee, saith the Lord ; out of their hands, when in the most imminent danger. The Targum paraphrases the words thus, "my Word shall be thine help to deliver thee:' which is true of Christ, the essential Word of God. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 1:9

Then the Lord put forth his hand ,.... Who, according to Kimchi, was the Angel that appeared to the prophet, and spoke in the name of the Lord to him, and is called by his name; but rather it was the Son of God, the true Jehovah, who appeared in a human form he assumed for the present, and put forth his hand: and touched my mouth ; just as one of the seraphim touched the mouth and lips of the Prophet Isaiah with a live coal from the altar, Isaiah 6:6 , by this symbol the prophet was... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 1:10

See, I have this day set thee over the nations, and over the kingdoms ,.... Not as a prince, but as a prophet over them, to prophesy things concerning them, whether good or evil, which should certainly come to pass as he predicted: to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down ; that is, to foretell that such a kingdom and nation should be rooted out, as a tree or plant that is plucked up by the roots; and that such an one should be pulled, and thrown down, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 1:11

Moreover, the word of the Lord came unto me ,.... At the same time as before: saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? The Septuagint version leaves out the word "Jeremiah": and I said, I see a rod of an almond tree ; a dry stick, without leaves or fruit upon it, and yet he knew it to be an almond tree stick; though some think it had leaves and fruit on it, by which it was known. The Targum is, "and I said, a king hastening to do evil I see;' meaning Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon,... read more

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