Lange Commentary - Jeremiah 32:16 - 32:25

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Lange Commentary - Jeremiah 32:16 - 32:25


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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:

2. A Prayer of Praise and Inquiry.

Jer_32:16-25

16Now when I had delivered the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of 17Neriah, I prayed unto the Lord, saying, Ah Lord God! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there Isaiah 18 nothing too hard for thee [hid from thee]: Thou shewest loving-kindness unto thousands, and recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them: the Great, the Mighty God, the Lord of hosts [Jehovah 19Zebaoth] is his name. Great in counsel, and mighty in work: for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men: to give every one according to his ways, 20and according to the fruit of his doings. Which [who] hast set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, even unto this day, and in Israel, and among other men; and 21hast made thee a name, as at this day; And hast brought forth thy people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs, and with wonders, and with a strong hand22and with a stretched out arm, and with great terror; And hast given them this land, which thou didst swear to their fathers to give them, a land flowing with milk 23and honey; And they came in, and possessed it; but they obeyed not thy voice, neither walked in thy law; they have done nothing of all that thou commandedst 24them to do: therefore thou hast caused all this evil to come upon them. Behold the mounts [ramparts], they are come unto the city to take it: and the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans, that fight against it, because of [ ïß in con sequence of] the sword and the famine and of the pestilence: and what thou hast 25spoken is come to pass; and, behold thou seest it. And thou hast said unto me, O Lord God, Buy thee the field for money, and take witnesses; for [and yet] the city is given into the hands of the Chaldeans.

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

The main thought of this prayer is praise of the omnipotence, justice and grace of God. It consists of three parts: 1. Jer_32:17-19; Jeremiah 2, Jer_32:20-23; Jeremiah 3, Jer_32:24-25. In the first part God’s omnipotence is shown from the creation (Jer_32:17), then His justice from His providence in history (Jer_32:18-19). In the second part God’s omnipotence is shown from His leading of the people of Israel, as it was especially glorified in the deliverance from Egyptian bondage (Jer_32:20-22), then His justice from the terrible calamity which has now come upon the disobedient nation (Jer_32:23). In the third part, which is least in extent, but the most important, a problem or unsolved riddle appears to be proposed. It is said that the Lord sees this calamity, and yet commands the prophet to buy the lot of ground (Jer_32:24). All however which has been previously said of the Lord’s omnipotence, especially “nothing is too hard for thee,” in union with that which must be extolled of the Lord’s grace towards Israel (Jer_32:21 sqq.), gives the key for the solution of that riddle.

Jer_32:16-19. Now when … fruit of his doings On Jer_32:17 comp. Jer_27:5; Deu_29:9.—Thou shewest loving-kindness, etc. Comp. Exo_20:6; Exo_34:7; Deu_5:10. For ìַֽàֲìָôִéí we find in Deu_7:9 ìְàֶìֶó ãִּåֹø . If we compare with this the phrase in the parallel clause ùִׁìֵùִׁéí , øִáֵּòִí (Exo_20:5; Exo_34:7; Num_14:18; Deu_5:9) which can only signify the off spring of the third and fourth generation, it is clear that the phrase in the text is taken in such a general signification that the idea of “thousands, belonging to the thousandth generation” is included.—And recompensest, etc. Comp. rems. on Jer_31:29-30.—The mighty God. Comp. Deu_10:17.—Jehovah Zebaoth. Comp. Jer_10:16; Jer_31:15, etc.—Great in counsel. etc. Comp. Isa_28:29; Psa_66:5.—To give every one, etc. Comp. Jer_17:10.

Jer_32:20-23. Who hast set … evil to come upon them. It is as though it were said, thou who in Egypt didst set in operation a wonder working power, which continues to operate until this day.—The antithesis of Israel and other men, as in Isa_43:4; Psa_73:5.—As at this day. Comp. Jer_25:18.—With signs. Comp. Deu_4:34; Deu_26:8.—Which thou didst swear. Comp (Gen_12:7; rems. on Jer_11:5.

Jer_32:24-25. Behold the ramparts … the Chaldeans. äñììåú are ramparts set up by the besiegers. Comp. Jer_33:4; Jer_6:6.—Given, etc. The Chaldeans are indeed still without the city, but according to the prophet’s idea this is as good as surrendered, and on the fall of the chief city naturally follows the exile and the impossibility of further cultivation of the soil.—In consequence of depends on given. Sword, famine and pestilence, bring the city into the hands of the enemies. Comp. Jer_14:16; Jer_25:16; Jer_25:27; Jer_38:9. The Lord sees the condition of the city and yet He commands the prophet to buy a field. The fact that the prayer closes with this paradox must be regarded as an expression of the most tormenting uncertainty and helplessness, if the prophet had not himself in the previous context accumulated the most ample material to dispel such doubts. This apparently unsatisfactory conclusion is thus in the highest degree skilful and elevated. He leaves it to the reader to find the solution of the problem, after giving him all the aid that he needs. The concluding sentence, and the city, etc., Jer_32:25 b, viewed as spoken by the prophet, appears at first sight a tautological repetition. We might therefore be tempted to take it as spoken by Jehovah; buy the field although the city, etc. But although is not suitable in the mouth of Jehovah, for whom, in fact, the apparent contradiction is non-existent. The sentence is then spoken by the prophet; but it is not co-ordinate with buy thee, but an exclamation, in which the main point in the apparent contradiction is expressly repeated from Jer_32:24. Comp. the translation and Textual Notes.

Footnotes:

Jer_32:17.— – éôìà ìà . Comp. Gen_18:14; Deu_17:8 : Zec_8:6; Naegelsb. Gr., § 75, 2, 4.

Jer_32:18.—Instead of çֵé÷ àֵì we find in Deu_7:10, ôðéí àì . Comp. besides Isa_65:6-7; Psa_79:12.

Jer_32:19.—The form òֲìִéìִéּäָ is found here only.

Jer_32:20.—The construction in the sentence ùׂîú àùׁø to äæä äéåí òã , is as in Jer_11:7. In both cases òã is to be regarded as depending on the idea latent in the verb of “stretching, lasting.” It is accordingly a constructio prægnans. Comp. Naegelsb. Gr., § 112, 7.

Jer_32:23.— åáúøåúê . The reading of the Chethibh which is úֹøåֹúֶêָ (Jer_38:22; comp. Naegelsb. Gr. § 44, 4, Anm.) is probably to be explained by a mere oversight of the å . Comp. rems. on Jer_17:23.

Jer_32:23.— åú÷øà . Hiphil here only. Comp. Deu_31:29.

Jer_32:25.— åäòéø . To obtain the meaning: although the city, as spoken by Jehovah, we should have to read ëִּé âַí . On the åְ comp. Ewald, § 341 a; Naegelsb. Gr., § 110, 4.