Jeremiah 6:30 Kommentar

In this chapter, as before, we have, I. A prophecy of the invading of the land of Judah and the besieging of Jerusalem by the Chaldean army (Jer 6:1-6), with the spoils they should make of the country (Jer 6:9) and the terror which all should be seized with on that occasion (Jer 6:22-26). II. An account of those sins of Judah and Jerusalem which provoked God to bring this desolating judgment upon them. Their oppression (Jer 6:7), their contempt of the word of God (Jer 6:10-12), their worldliness (Jer 6:13), the treachery of their prophets (Jer 6:14), their impudence in sin (Jer 6:15), their obstinacy against reproofs (Jer 6:18, Jer 6:19), which made their sacrifices unacceptable to him (Jer 6:20), and for which he gave them up to ruin (Jer 6:21), but tried them first (Jer 6:27) and then rejected them as irreclaimable (Jer 6:28-30). III. Good counsel given them in the midst of all this, but in vain (Jer 6:8, Jer 6:16, Jer 6:17).

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 6 This chapter is of the same argument with the former; and contains two things in it, the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians, and the causes of it, which are intermixedly handled in it; a lively description is made of the notice of the approach of the enemy by blowing of trumpets and firing of beacons, Jer 6:1, and of the siege of the city, by pitching tents around it, casting up a mount against it, and scaling its walls at noon and by night, Jer 6:2, and this destruction is illustrated by the simile of gleaning of grapes, Jer 6:9, and amplified by the universality of it, with respect to persons and things; it reaching to persons of every age, and in every state, as old men, young men, and children, husbands and wives, and to all sorts of possessions, houses and fields, Jer 6:11, a description is given of the instruments of it, the Chaldeans, Jer 6:22 and it is aggravated by the anxiety, distress, and sorrow, the Jews would be in on account of it, Jer 6:24, the causes of it are in general the great aboundings of sin and wickedness in the midst of them, illustrated by a fountain casting out its waters, Jer 6:6, in particular, their neglect and contempt of the word of the Lord, Jer 6:10, the sin of covetousness, which prevailed among all sorts of people, high and low, in civil or religious life, Jer 6:13, the unfaithfulness of the prophets to the people, declaring peace, when there was none, Jer 6:14, their impenitence and hardness, Jer 6:15, their disregard to all instructions and warnings, Jer 6:16, their rejection of the law, and the precepts of it, Jer 6:18, their hypocritical sacrifices, Jer 6:20, and the chapter is concluded with an address to the prophet, setting forth his character and office, and the end of it, Jer 6:27 and his testimony concerning the people, showing their obstinacy and stubbornness, illustrated by a simile of refining metal in a furnace without success, Jer 6:28.

Reprobate silver shall men call them,.... Or, "call ye them" (i), as the Targum; so the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and Arabic versions; by whom are meant the Jews, who thought themselves of some account, as silver; being the seed of Abraham, and having the law, the covenant and promises, and service of God; when those that tried them, as the prophets, found them to be nothing but dross; and therefore, if they must be called silver, they could call them no other than reprobate silver; or what is of no account and value; and which is confirmed by the following reason, which contains the judgment and conduct of him that cannot err: for the Lord hath rejected them; from being his people; and therefore cast them out of their own land, and caused them to go into captivity. (i) , "vocate eos": V. L. Pagninus. Next: Jeremiah Chapter 7

Jeremiah says, “I set watchmen over you. Hear the sound of the trumpet. They said, We will not listen. Therefore the Gentiles have heard, and they who feed the flocks in them.” It is therefore one and the same Father who planted the vineyard, who led forth the people, who sent the prophets, who sent his own Son and who gave the vineyard to those other husbandmen that render the fruits in their season.

Daniel said, “The saints of the most High shall receive the kingdom.” What shall we say concerning this? Have the children of Israel received the kingdom of the most High? God forbid. Or has that people come on the clouds of heaven? This has passed away from them. For Jeremiah said concerning them, “Call them rejected silver, for the Lord has rejected them.” Again he said, “He will not again regard them.” And Isaiah said concerning them, “Pass by! Pass by! Approach not the defiled.”

(Verse 27 and following) I have appointed you as a strong tester among my people, and you will know and prove their ways. All these leaders are turning away (or disobedient), walking deceitfully (or perversely). Bronze and iron are all corrupted, the bellows in the fire have failed (which the Greeks more significantly call a 'puffer'), the lead is consumed, the refiner has vainly blown (or the moneylender). For their wickedness is not consumed: call them reprobate silver, for the Lord has rejected them. The prophet is given as a strong proof to an unbelieving people, which is called Mabsar in Hebrew, which either means fortified, according to Aquila, or enclosed and surrounded, according to Symmachus and the Septuagint, like a very strong city, so that it fears no treachery from any people; and when you have proven and understood the way of a sinful people, then you will understand that silver mixed with copper cannot be purged in any way. For just as lead is mixed with metals that are adulterated and corrupted, so that the foreign material can be separated, and if perhaps it has not been purified, all the lead is consumed and reduced to nothing: in the same way, every discourse of teachings and prophetic speech perishes in those who scorn to listen (Psalm 57). Let us speak also about those who, like deaf asps, plug their ears so as not to hear the voices of those who enchant. For the mint worker and the metal smelter have labored in vain: their wickedness has not been consumed. Therefore, they are called not silver, but reprobate silver, because the Lord has rejected them. And the princes are those who turn away from the Lord, who walk perversely and deceitfully.

ZION'S FOES PREPARE WAR AGAINST HER: HER SINS ARE THE CAUSE. (Jer. 6:1-30) Benjamin--Jerusalem was situated in the tribe of Benjamin, which was here separated from that of Judah by the valley of Hinnom. Though it was inhabited partly by Benjamites, partly by men of Judah, he addresses the former as being his own countrymen. blow . . . trumpet . . . Tekoa--Tikehu, Tekoa form a play on sounds. The birthplace of Amos. Beth-haccerem--meaning in Hebrew, "vineyard-house." It and Tekoa were a few miles south of Jerusalem. As the enemy came from the north, the inhabitants of the surrounding country would naturally flee southwards. The fire-signal on the hills gave warning of danger approaching.

Reprobate--silver so full of alloy as to be utterly worthless (Isa 1:22). The Jews were fit only for rejection. The prophet stood at the gate of the temple in order that the multitudes from the country might hear him. His life was threatened, it appears from Jer 26:1-9, for this prophecy, denouncing the fate of Shiloh as about to befall the temple at Jerusalem. The prophecy given in detail here is summarily referred to there. After Josiah's death the nation relapsed into idolatry through Jehoiakim's bad influence; the worship of Jehovah was, however, combined with it (Jer 7:4, Jer 7:10). Next: Jeremiah Chapter 7

The final statement of the case: They call them (the whole people) rejected silver, i.e., they are recognised as such; for Jahveh has rejected them, has given over trying to make anything of them.