Until I visit him - Perhaps in mercy; it is certain Zedekiah was not put to death, only carried to Babylon, where some think he afterward found favour with the king of Babylon.
The money - The price of land was strangely fallen at this time, when the enemy was besieging the chief city of the country.
I took - It is probable, that upon such sales among the Jews, two instruments were made, the one sealed up, to be kept by the purchaser, the other open, to be shewed to the judges, and by them ratified.
Baruch - This Baruch (chap.46:4,26,) was a scribe, and an attendant upon Jeremiah. Witnesses - He made this purchase with all the usual formalities; he signed and sealed it before witnesses, and delivered it to Baruch to keep, in the presence of all the Jews.
Who hast set signs - Who didst wonders of justice in the land of Egypt, such as are remembered even to this day.
The mounts - Rather engines of war with which those nations used to batter walls, or to shoot great stones into places besieged.
Have set - Their idols.
One heart - I will give them union and concord, one mind and judgment. One way - They shall all worship me according, to the rule I have given them.
I will make - This promise manifestly relates to those Jews that should receive the Lord Jesus Christ, unless it be to be understood of a national conversion of the Jews, not yet effected.
The Lord - The maker thereof, of Jerusalem, or of these promises, his name is Jehovah; he hath a sufficiency in himself to make good his word.
They - The Jews sally out and fight with their enemies, but to no purpose, but to fill their houses with their own dead bodies, whom I will cause in my anger to be slain.
I will cure - The miserable disturbed state of a nation being compared to wounds and sickness, the restoring of it to a peaceable prosperous state is fitly called its health and cure. I will bring them again to a quiet and peaceable state in which they shall abide many days.
They shalt fear - And not only so but shall fear to engage against a nation so beloved and favoured by me.
Is desolate - That is, a great part of which is, and the other part shall soon be desolate.
Shall pass - So as to keep tally of them, as they were wont to do both morning and evening in those countries.
The branch - The kings they had hitherto had of the line of David, were most of them unrighteous men, but God promises that after the captivity, they should have a branch of David who would execute judgment and righteousness in the land, for the protection and government of those that feared him.
Saved - It is the opinion of some that a spiritual salvation and security is promised under these expressions, but by the most and best interpreters, a temporal salvation. This was typical of that spiritual and eternal salvation which is promised to the true Israel of God; as their rest in Canaan typified that rest which remaineth for the people of God. The Lord our righteousness - There is no such name any where given, either to the Jewish or Christian church, as the Lord our righteousness, but the full import of that name is spoken of Christ, Isa 45:23, which text is applied to Christ, Rom 14:11 Phil 2:10.
David - That is, apparently a promise relating to Christ, for David's line had failed long since, had it not been continued in Christ, whose kingdom is and shall be an everlasting kingdom.
A man - That is, a ministry to abide in the church to the end of the world, nor is it unusual for God in the Old Testament to express promises to be fulfilled under the gospel by expressions proper to the Old Testament.
My covenant - The same with the ordinances mentioned, chap.31:35. God's law established in the course of natural causes, by virtue of which the day and night, orderly succeed one another. The succession of the gospel ministry in the church of God to abide for ever, shall be as certain as the succession of darkness and light.
Of David - Christ is himself called David, whose seed and whose Levites are multiplied in the multiplying of Christians and of faithful ministers under the gospel, which are the things here promised.
The two families - The families of David and Aaron. Despised - Spoken scornfully of my people, as if they should never be a nation more, having rulers of themselves, and a ministry.
Ah Lord - The Jews in their chronology, give us the form of the lamentation thus. Alas! Zedekiah is dead, who drank the dregs of all ages: that is, who was punished for the sins of all former ages.
Behold - You shall perish by the sword, famine and pestilence, and those of you who escape them, shall be slaves, in many nations.
Cut the calf - It seems these Jews in their making of the solemn covenant with God about releasing their servants used this rite; they caused a calf, or heifer to be cut in pieces, and the parts to be laid in the temple, right over - against one another; then they recited this covenant, and passed between the parts of the heifer so cut; silently agreeing that God should cut them in pieces like that beast if they did not make their words good.
Behold - I will put into their hearts to return.
The word - This is another evidence that the prophecies of this book are not left us in that order wherein they were delivered; for those which we had in the two or three foregoing chapters being in the time of Zedekiah, must needs be ten or eleven years after this.
Rechabites - These Rechabites had their name from Rechab their father, descended from Hemath, a Kenite, who is also called Hobab, Judg 4:11, or Jethro the father in law of Moses.
Igdaliah - A prophet. The princes - The chamber were the princes were wont to meet.
Jonadab - Jonadab of whom we read, 2Kings 10:15, was the father, that is the progenitor of the Rechabites, at three hundred years distance.
That ye may live - Jonadab cautions his sons by a thrifty, sober, laborious life, to which they had been bred, in keeping flocks, to avoid any thing which might expose them to the envy or hatred of the people amongst whom they were come to sojourn.
Tents - Moveable habitations, which they could with little labour remove to feed their flocks.
For ever - For ever here signifies the ever of the Jewish state, or church.
A roll - Parchments, which anciently were their books. All the words - All the revelations he had from God for twenty - two years last past. God would have them recorded, that there might be a memorial of them, that so the truth of them might appear, when God should bring them to pass; the time of which now drew near.
Upon the fasting day - It was undoubtedly, because of the concourse of people which the prophet knew would that day be in the temple, that he chose that day, when some would be present from all parts of Judah.
Then read - Most likely out of some window, or balcony, the people being below, and hearing it.
He pronounced - This could not but add to the princes fear, they must needs conceive that without a special influence of God, it had been impossible, that Jeremiah should have called to mind all that he had spoken at several times in so many years.
The ninth month - Answered to part of our November and December.
He - The king not having patience to hear above three or four columns, or periods, cut it in pieces and burned it in the fire.
Elnathan - These princes seemed to have had a greater dread of God upon their hearts than the rest.
Hid them - God by his providence kept them both out of their hands; directing them to find such a place of recess as the kings messengers could not find out.
None to sit - That is, none that shall be king any considerable time. Jeconiah his son was set up, but kept his throne but three months.
And burn it - When God is resolved upon an effect, the instruments are little to be regarded. It is not the arm of flesh, but the power of God which is in that case to be considered.
Went forth - Jeremiah knowing the city would suddenly be taken, and that he could be no farther useful to the people, taking advantage of the withdrawing of the Chaldean army, resolves to go to his own country, to Anathoth, in the crowd of people that were going out.
Of Benjamin - The gate that looked toward the inheritance of that tribe.