Jeremiah 14:9 Komentář

This chapter was penned upon occasion of a great drought, for want of rain. This judgment began in the latter end of Josiah's reign, but, as it should seem, continued in the beginning of Jehoiakim's: for less judgments are sent to give warning of greater coming, if not prevented by repentance. This calamity was mentioned several times before, but here, in this chapter, more fully. Here is, I. A melancholy description of it (Jer 14:1-6). II. A prayer to God to put an end to this calamity and to return in mercy to their land (Jer 14:7-9). III. A severe threatening that God would proceed in his controversy, because they proceeded in their iniquity (Jer 14:10-12). IV. The prophet's excusing the people, by laying the blame on their false prophets; and the doom passed both on the deceivers and the deceived (Jer 14:13-16). V. Directions given to the prophet, instead of interceding for them, to lament them; but his continuing notwithstanding to intercede for them (Jer 14:17-22).

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 14 This chapter contains prophecy of a drought, which produced a famine, Jer 14:1, and is described by the dismal effects of it; and general distress in the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem, Jer 14:2, even the nobles were affected with it, whose servants returned without water ashamed, when sent for it, Jer 14:3, the ploughmen could not use their plough, their ground was so hard, Jer 14:4 and the very beasts of the field suffered much, because there was no grass, Jer 14:5, upon this follows a prayer of the prophet to the Lord, that he would give rain for his name's sake; he confesses the sins of the people, that they were many, and against the Lord; and testified against them, that they deserved to be used as they were; and he addresses the Lord as the hope and Saviour of his people in time past, when it was a time of trouble with them; and expostulates with him, why he should be as a stranger and traveller, and like a mighty man astonished, that either had no regard to their land any more than a foreigner and a traveller; or no heart to help them, or exert his power, than a man at his wits' end, though he was among them, and they were called by his name; and therefore he begs he would not leave them, Jer 14:7, but he is told that it was for the sins of the people that all this was, which the Lord was determined to remember and visit; and therefore he is bid not to pray for them; if he did, it would not be regarded, nor the people's fasting and prayers also; for they should be consumed by the sword, famine, and pestilence, Jer 14:10, and though the prophet pleads, in excuse of the people, that the false prophets had deceived them; yet not only the vanity and falsehood of their prophecies are exposed, and they are threatened with destruction, but the people also, for hearkening unto them, Jer 14:13, wherefore the prophet, instead of putting up a prayer for them, has a lamentation dictated to him by the Lord, which he is ordered to express, Jer 14:17, and yet, notwithstanding this, he goes on to pray for them in a very pathetic manner; he expostulates with God, and pleads for help and healing; confesses the iniquities of the people; entreats the Lord, for the sake of his name, glory, and covenant, that he would not reject them and his petition; and observes, that the thing asked for (rain) was what none of the gods of the Heathens could give, or even the heavens themselves, only the Lord; and therefore determines to wait upon him for it, who made the heavens, the earth, and rain, Jer 14:19.

Why shouldest thou be as a man astonied,.... Astonished, and so surprised as not to know what to say or do; or "asleep", as the Septuagint; taking no notice of us, and being altogether unconcerned what becomes of us; or, as one "dumb" (i); that will give no answer to our prayers: as a mighty man that cannot save? who, though he is able to save, yet, through want of a heart or will, does not exert his power: yet thou, O Lord, art in the midst of us; having his residence and dwelling in the temple at Jerusalem; and therefore was not a stranger and foreigner among them; and this carries in it an entreaty and an argument that he would not in his providence conduct towards them in such manner as though he was: and we are called by thy name; the people of God, the Israel of God, and the like: leave us not; in our distress and trouble, but deliver us out of it. (i) "obmutefactus", Fosterus, Mercerus,

Again, the Scriptures speak of God as asleep when the psalmist says, “Arise! Why do you sleep, O Lord?” He does not say this to make us suspect that God sleeps. This would be the utmost madness. By the word sleep the psalm shows God’s patience and forbearance toward us. Another prophet has said, “You will not be like a person who sleeps, will you?” Do you not see that we need much help from our understanding and reason when we are searching into the treasure house of the divine Scriptures? If we listen to the words only, if we do not think but take the words as they come, not only will those absurdities follow, but many a conflict will be seen in what has been said.

(Verse 9) Why are you going to be like a tenant on the land, and like a traveler turning to stay? Why are you going to be like a wanderer, or like a strong man who cannot save? Septuagint: Why have you become like a stranger in the land, and like a foreigner turning to stay? Are you going to be like a sleeping man, and like a man who cannot save? The Jews understand this place thus: Why do you separate yourself from your people? And like a traveler seeking shelter for only one hour, you do not care about the quality of the lodging you use, but going on to other things, you do not save your people, and you abandon the once illustrious temple? But they believe that of the future dispensation of Christ it is said that he will be a stranger on earth, and, for a short time, will inhabit the earth as a guest, and, like a passing and robust man, having left Israel, will turn towards the multitude of nations; so that he may pass from place to place, from people to people, from Temple to Church. And what is said according to the Septuagint: Will you be like a sleeping man, and like a man who cannot save? He sets forth a likeness, not the truth of the thing, according to what is written: Arise, why do you sleep, O Lord (Psalm 43:23)? not that the Lord sleeps, of whom it is said: Neither will He sleep, nor slumber who keeps Israel (Psalm 121:4); but because it appears that He sleeps to those whom He forsakes. Moreover, it is not written in the following, a man sleeping who cannot save; but it is written as if it were a man, in both cases subject to human passions. But you are in us, Lord, and your name is invoked upon us, do not forsake us (or do not forget us). You, who are about to become like a stranger and traveler among the Jews, and a wandering man, and who abandon the old dwelling, dwell in us; and your name is invoked upon us (Prov. 31), so that we may be called Christians, therefore do not forsake us, and do not forget us, to whom the mouths of all the Prophets have sung about your future coming.

PROPHECIES ON THE OCCASION OF A DROUGHT SENT IN JUDGMENT ON JUDEA. (Jer. 14:1-22) Literally, "That which was the word of Jehovah to Jeremiah concerning the dearth" drought--literally, the "withholdings," namely, of rain (Deu 11:17; Ch2 7:13). This word should be used especially of the withholding of rain because rain is in those regions of all things the one chiefly needed (Jer 17:8, Margin).

astonied--like a "mighty man," at other times able to help (Isa 59:1), but now stunned by a sudden calamity so as to disappoint the hopes drawn from him. art in the midst of us-- (Exo 29:45-46; Lev 26:11-12). called by thy name-- (Dan 9:18-19) as Thine own peculiar people (Deu 9:29).

The pleader makes further appeal to God's almighty power. It is impossible that Jahveh can let Himself look like a man at his wit's end or a nerveless warrior, as He would seem to be if He should not give help to His people in their present need. Since the time of A. Schultens the ἁπ. λεγ. נדהם is rendered, after the Arab. dahama, to make an unforeseen attack, by stupefactus, attonitus, one who, by reason of a sudden mischance, has lost his presence of mind and is helpless. This is in keeping with the next comparison, that with a warrior who has no strength to help. The passage closes with an appeal to the relation of grace which Jahveh sustains towards His people. ואתּה comes in adversatively: yet art Thou in our midst, i.e., present to Thy people. Thy name is named upon us, i.e., Thou hast revealed Thyself to us in Thy being as God of salvation; see on Jer 7:10. אל־תּנּחנוּ, lit., lay us not down, i.e., let us not sink.