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But he makes here only a general statement, The Prophets who have been before, me and thee, and prophesied against many (or great) lands, and against great kingdoms, have prophesied of war, and of evil, and of pestilence The word רעה, roe, evil, is placed between two other kinds of evil; but it is to be taken here no doubt for famine, as it is evident from many other passages. (197) Then he adds, changing the number, “ any prophet spoke of peace, the event proved whether or not he was a true prophet. (198) Now, experience itself will shortly prove thee to be false, for after two years the people who are now in Babylon will be still there under oppression, and the condition of the residue will be nothing better, for those who now remain in the city and throughout all Judea shall be driven into exile as well as their brethren.”
(197) More than twenty MSS. read רעב, “” which may be considered as the true reading, though all the Versions favor the other.
It is rather difficult to render this verse. Calvin here repeats the word “” which perhaps would be the best construction. There is a ו before “” in the text, which connects it with “ been.” I would then render it as follows, —
8.The prophets, who have been before me and before thee from the beginning, and have prophesied concerning many lands and against mighty kingdoms, have prophesied of war, and of famine, and of pestilence.
There were prophets who did not prophesy “ many lands,” etc.; he refers not to these, but to those who had done this. — Ed.
(198) It is not the past but the future tense is used here, “ prophet, who shall prophesy of peace,” etc.; so the versions, except the Vulg. In the former verse Jeremiah speaks of what all the previous prophets had predicted, that is, of war, famine, and pestilence, as to various kingdoms, and Judah no doubt as forming a part of them. Now, in this verse he seems to say, that if a prophet should be found speaking a different language, contrary to that of all former prophets, the event alone, the fulfillment of his prophecy alone could prove him a true prophet. He intimates that as Hananiah said things contrary to all former prophets, he was not to be believed until what he said came to pass. The verse may be thus rendered, —
9.The prophet who shall prophesy (or who prophesies) of peace, when the word of that prophet shall come, he will be known as the prophet whom Jehovah hath sent in truth.
The first word, “ prophet,” is a nominative case absolute, many instances of which are found in Hebrew. — Ed.