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As the place, where the Prophet was born, was pastoral, he retained many expressions derived from his education; for God did not divest his servants of every natural endowment when he appointed them to teach his people. Hence the Prophet here speaks according to notions imbibed in his early age and childhood. The daughter of Sion, he says, is like a quiet maid, that is, one dwelling at leisure and enjoying herself; and yet she would be exposed to many indignities, for come shall shepherds, and around fix their tents; and the whole country would be subjected to plunder. But it is doubtful whether the Prophet says, that the daughter of Sion might be compared to a maid, tender and delicate, dwelling at ease and cheerful, or whether he means, that rest had been for a time granted to the people. There seems, indeed, to be no great difference, though there is some, between the two explanations.
If we take the verb, דמיתי, damiti, in the sense of comparing, as interpreters do, then it is the same as though the Prophet had said, “ seem to see in the state of Jerusalem the image of a tender and delicate maid.” Thus Jeremiah speaks in his own name. But the sentence may be more fitly applied to God, — that he had made the daughter of Sion quiet for a time, and had given her peace with her enemies, so that she lived at ease and cheerfully.
Though these two views differ, yet the subject itself is nearly the same. The Prophet, no doubt, condemns here the Jews for their extreme torpidity, inasmuch as they had wholly misapplied the quietness granted them by God. He then proves that they were very thoughtless and stupid in thinking that their tranquillity would be perpetual, for it was God’ favor, and only for a time. Hence he says, that the Jews were until that very day like a tender maid. For though the country of the ten tribes had been laid waste, and all had been driven away into exile, yet the kingdom of Judah continued safe. They had, indeed, been plundered by enemies, but in comparison with their brethren they had been very kindly treated. This, then, is the reason, why he says that they were like a maid delicate and tender. (163)
(163) Calvin, with our version, has followed the Vulgate and the Syriac in this verse. Both the Septuagint and the Targum are widely different. The former have, “ taken away shall be thy height, daughter of Sion;” the latter, “ and delicate, how hast thou corrupted thy ways? Therefore confounded is the assembly of Sion.” The Arabic is the same with the Septuagint, only it has “” instead of “” ( τοὕψος) Some have viewed the two first words as substantives, and have rendered the verse thus, —
To a pasture and a delightful habitation Have I likened the daughter of Sion.
Disposed to this view were Gataker and Lowth. But what Blayney has said is true, that whenever the verb here used has the sense of likeness, it is followed by a preposition. Besides, the two first words are not substantives but adjectives, as the form, especially of the last, clearly shews. The verb דמיתי has in various passages the sense of thinking, counting, esteeming, regarding; as the result of comparing things together. See Jud_20:5; Est_4:13; Psa_48:9. There is a passage in Eze_32:2, which is like the present, only the verb there is in Niphal; its literal rendering I consider to be the following: “ young lion of the nations art thou deemed,“ or, thought to be. The literal rendering of this verse is as follows, —
Home-resident and delicate,
Have I deemed the daughter of Sion.
She was so regarded by God. Not like other nations, migratory, she had a home allotted to her by God himself; and she was nursed and sustained with all tenderness, like a delicate person. But owing to her sins, foreigners, as stated in the next verse, would come and take possession of her house, and deprive her of her enjoyments. — Ed.