loving kindness--God's mercy is put in the first and highest place, because without it we should flee from God in fear and despair.
judgment ... righteousness--loving-kindness towards the godly; judgment towards the ungodly; righteousness the most perfect fairness in all cases [Grotius]. Faithfulness to His promises to preserve the godly, as well as stern execution of judgment on the ungodly, is included in "righteousness."
in the earth--contrary to the dogma of some philosophers, that God does not interfere in terrestrial concerns ([Psa 58:11]).
in these ... I delight--as well in doing them as in seeing them done by others ([Mi 6:8]; ).
25. with the uncircumcised--rather, "all that are circumcised in uncircumcision" [Henderson]. The Hebrew is an abstract term, not a concrete, as English Version translates, and as the pious "circumcised" is. The nations specified, Egypt, Judah, &c., were outwardly "circumcised," but in heart were "uncircumcised." The heathen nations were defiled, in spite of their literal circumcision, by idolatry. The Jews, with all their glorying in their spiritual privileges, were no better ([Jr 4:4]; [De 10:16]; ; [Ro 2:28], 29; [Col 2:11]). However, [Eze 31:18]; , may imply that the Egyptians were uncircumcised; and it is uncertain as to the other nations specified whether they were at that early time circumcised. Herodotus says the Egyptians were so; but others think this applies only to the priests and others having a sacred character, not to the mass of the nation; so English Version may be right ([Ro 2:28], 29).
26. Egypt--put first to degrade Judah, who, though in privileges above the Gentiles, by unfaithfulness sank below them. Egypt, too, was the power in which the Jews were so prone to trust, and by whose instigation they, as well as the other peoples specified, revolted from Babylon.
in the utmost corners--rather, "having the hair shaven (or clipped) in angles," that is, having the beard on the cheek narrowed or cut: a Canaanitish custom, forbidden to the Israelites ([Le 19:27]; ). The Arabs are hereby referred to (compare [Jr 25:23]; ), as the words in apposition show, "that dwell in the wilderness."
uncircumcised ... uncircumcised in the heart--The addition of "in the heart" in Israel's case marks its greater guilt in proportion to its greater privileges, as compared with the rest.
Chapter 10
Jr 10:1-25. Contrast between the Idols and Jehovah. The Prophet's Lamentation and Prayer
1. Israel--the Jews, the surviving representatives of the nation.
2. Eichorn thinks the reference here to be to some celestial portent which had appeared at that time, causing the Jews' dismay. Probably the reference is general, namely, to the Chaldeans, famed as astrologers, through contact with whom the Jews were likely to fall into the same superstition.
way--the precepts or ordinances ([Le 18:3]; [Ac 9:2]).
signs of heaven--The Gentiles did not acknowledge a Great First Cause: many thought events depended on the power of the stars, which some, as Plato, thought to be endued with spirit and reason. All heavenly phenomena, eclipses, comets, &c., are included.
one cutteth a tree, &c.--rather, "It (that which they busy themselves about: a sample of their 'customs') is a tree cut out of the forest" [Maurer].
4. fasten ... move not--that is, that it may stand upright without risk of falling, which the god (!) would do, if left to itself ([Is 41:7]).
5. upright--or, "They are of turned work, resembling a palm tree" [Maurer]. The point of comparison between the idol and the palm is in the pillar-like uprightness of the latter, it having no branches except at the top.
speak not--([Psa 115:5]).
cannot go--that is, walk ([Psa 115:7]; [Is 46:1], ).
neither ... do good--([Is 41:23]).
6. none--literally, "no particle of nothing": nothing whatever; the strongest possible denial ([Ex 15:11]; [Psa 86:8], ).
7. ([Re 15:4]).
to thee doth it appertain--to Thee it properly belongs, namely, that Thou shouldest be "feared" (taken out of the previous "fear Thee") (compare [Eze 21:27]). He alone is the becoming object of worship. To worship any other is unseemly and an infringement of His inalienable prerogative.
none--nothing whatever (see on [Jr 10:6]; [Psa 89:6]).
8. altogether--rather, "all alike" [Maurer]. Even the so-called "wise" men ([Jr 10:7]) of the Gentiles are on a level with the brutes and "foolish," namely, because they connive at the popular idolatry (compare [Ro 1:21-28]). Therefore, in Daniel and Revelation, the world power is represented under a bestial form. Man divests himself of his true humanity, and sinks to the level of the brute, when he severs his connection with God ([Psa 115:8]; [Jon 2:8]).
stock is a doctrine of vanities--The stock (put for the worship of all idols whatever, made out of a stock) speaks for itself that the whole theory of idolatry is vanity ([Is 44:9-11]). Castalio translates, "the very wood itself confuting the vanity" (of the idol).
9. Everything connected with idols is the result of human effort.
Silver spread--(See on [Is 30:22]; [Is 40:19]).
Tarshish--Tartessus, in Spain, famed for precious metals.
Uphaz--([Da 10:5]). As the Septuagint in the Syrian Hexapla in the Margin, Theodotus, the Syrian and Chaldee versions have "Ophir," Gesenius thinks "Uphaz" a colloquial corruption (one letter only being changed) for "Ophir." Ophir, in [Ge 10:29], is mentioned among Arabian countries. Perhaps Malacca is the country meant, the natives of which still call their gold mines Ophirs. Heeren thinks Ophir the general name for the rich countries of the south, on the Arabian, African, and Indian coasts; just as our term, East Indies.
cunning--skilful.
10. true God--literally, "God Jehovah is truth"; not merely true, that is, veracious, but truth in the reality of His essence, as opposed to the "vanity" or emptiness which all idols are ([Jr 10:3], [8, 15]; [2Ch 15:3]; [Psa 31:5]; [1Jo 5:20]).
living God--([Joh 5:26]; [1Ti 6:17]). He hath life in Himself which no creature has. All else "live in Him" ([Ac 17:28]). In contrast to dead idols.
everlasting--([Psa 10:16]). In contrast to the temporary existence of all other objects of worship.
11. This verse is in Chaldee, Jeremiah supplying his countrymen with a formula of reply to Chaldee idolaters in the tongue most intelligible to the latter. There may be also derision intended in imitating their barbarous dialect. Rosenmuller objects to this view, that not merely the words put in the mouths of the Israelites, but Jeremiah's own introductory words, "Thus shall ye say to them," are in Chaldee, and thinks it to be a marginal gloss. But it is found in all the oldest versions. It was an old Greek saying: "Whoever thinks himself a god besides the one God, let him make another world" ([Psa 96:5]).
shall perish--([Is 2:18]; [Zec 13:2]).
these heavens--the speaker pointing to them with his fingers.
12. Continuation of [Jr 10:10], after the interruption of the thread of the discourse in [Jr 10:11] ([Psa 136:5], ).
13. Literally, "At the voice of His giving forth," that is, when He thunders. ([Job 38:34]; [Psa 29:3-5]).
waters--([Ge 1:7])--above the firmament; heavy rains accompany thunder.
vapours ... ascend--([Psa 135:7]).
treasures--His stores.
14. in his knowledge--"is rendered brutish by his skill," namely, in idol-making ([Jr 10:8], ). Thus the parallel, "confounded by the graven image," corresponds (so [Jr 51:17]). Others not so well translate, "without knowledge," namely, of God (see [Is 42:17]; ; [Ho 4:6]).
15. errors--deceptions; from a Hebrew root, "to stutter"; then meaning "to mock."
their visitation they--When God shall punish the idol-worshippers (namely, by Cyrus), the idols themselves shall be destroyed [Rosenmuller] ([Jr 10:11]).