Commentary on Jeremiah (In Jeremiam)

Here he sets forth the arguments for returning: first, drawn from the benefits promised to those who return; second, from the punishments he threatens against those who despise this; there, "For thus says the Lord," etc. Concerning the first, two things. First he teaches the manner of returning: "If you return" — from idols — "turn to me." Or: if you intend to return, be converted with your whole heart. Or: if you return from captivity, turn back by repenting. Isa. 21: "If you seek, seek; be converted, and come." Second, he shows the threefold fruit of conversion. First, of security: "If you take away the stumbling-blocks" — that is, the idols, in which you, as you proceed, both stumble yourself and provoke me to wrath — "you shall not be moved" — that is, from your homeland. Psalm 124: "Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Sion; he who dwells in Jerusalem shall not be moved forever." Second, the fruit of holiness in themselves: he swore, "The Lord lives" — namely, by the living God, and not by dead idols; "in truth" — on the part of the one swearing, that they swear truly and not falsely, or so as to deceive; "in judgment" — as to the cause for which the oath is sworn, that it be sworn not rashly, but only after due deliberation has gone before; "in justice" — as to the matter about which the oath is sworn, that it be just and lawful. Isa. 65: "He who swears on the earth shall swear by the God, Amen." Third, the extension of religion among the nations: and the Gentiles will bless the Lord, seeing his benefits in you. Psalm 65: "Bless, O Gentiles, our God."

Here he takes up the argument for their return, from the punishments: and first he threatens punishments, if they should be unwilling to return; second, he excludes false remedies, chapter 5: "go about the streets of Jerusalem." Concerning the first, two things. First he teaches the manner of returning, as to the fruit of good work: "novale" — land newly tilled; "novate," that is, remove the thorns of vices, so that clean fields may receive clean seed. Matthew 13: "another fell upon thorns, and the thorns grew up together and choked it." And as to the worship of divine religion, "be circumcised," that is, that you remove from your heart the rite of the gentiles. Deuteronomy 10: "circumcise the foreskin of your heart."

Second, he shows that danger is imminent: and first in general: "lest perhaps my indignation go forth like fire." Isaiah 1: "both shall be kindled together, and there will be none to quench it." Second, in particular: "announce in Judah and in Jerusalem." And concerning this he does three things. First he foretells the coming of the enemies; second, the hardship of the siege, at "the voice of one announcing"; third, the damage of destruction, at "I grieve in my belly."

Concerning the first, two things. First he describes the preparation of the citizens; second, the coming of the enemies, at "the lion has gone up from his den." Concerning the first, three things. First is set down the command to announce the preparation: "announce" — setting down the place: "in Judah," that is, in that tribe, "Jerusalem," which is the metropolis of the kingdom; the manner: openly, "sound the trumpet," so that all may hear; and steadfastly, "strongly." Isaiah 58: "cry out, do not cease: lift up your voice with strength." Second, the preparation is introduced: "gather yourselves together." Below, chapter 6: "take courage, sons of Benjamin, in the midst of Jerusalem, and in Tekoa sound the trumpet." Third, the reason is assigned: "for I bring evil from the North." Above, chapter 1: "from the North all evil shall be spread abroad."

Here he sets down the coming of the enemies: and first, as to their going forth from their own land; second, as to the progress of the way, there, "at that time"; third, as to the end of the way, there, "behold, he shall ascend like a cloud." Concerning the first, two things. First he describes the condition of the coming enemies as to strength: "a lion," namely Nebuchadnezzar, "from his den," from Babylon. Prov. 30: "the lion, strongest of beasts, will fear the encounter of none." Below, 50: "behold, like a lion he shall come up from the pride of the Jordan to the robust beauty." As to cruelty, "a plunderer of nations." Nahum 2: "the lion catches enough for his cubs, and has killed for his lionesses." As to his intention: "that he may make your land a solitude." Isa. 10: "his heart shall be for crushing, and for the destruction of not a few nations." And as to the execution of his intention, "your cities." Isa. 1: "your land is desolate, your cities are destroyed." Second, he sets down the stupor of the Jews; and first, commonly of all: "concerning this, gird yourselves with haircloth." Below, 6: "gird yourself with haircloth, and sprinkle yourself with ashes." Second, especially of the princes. "And it shall be in that day, says the Lord, the heart of the king shall perish, and the heart of the princes," namely so that they cannot find suitable counsel for resisting. Isa. 19: "the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it." Third, especially his own stupor: "and I said, alas." Saying, "peace shall be to you." Above, 3: "at that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord, and all nations shall be gathered to her in the name of the Lord, Jerusalem." Not attending that this is said as of the near time, and that as of what is far off in the time to come. Below, 8: "we waited for peace, and there was no good; a time of healing, and behold, dread."

Here he describes the coming as regards the progress of the way: it will be said, the coming, a burning wind, namely the army of the Chaldeans, which will burn up the whole land, is now on the roads that are in the desert, which is between Chaldea and Judea; as if to say: now the army has arrived at that place, not for winnowing — namely, that some might be taken captive, as when the grain and the chaff are purged — but you will all be taken captive. A full spirit, that is, a perfect indignation upon you, from these, namely the enemies, to me, that is, unto my honor. Isa. 30: his spirit, like an overflowing torrent reaching even to the middle of the neck, to bring the nations to nothing, et cetera. And he threatens that through them he will execute judgment: and now I — as if I can no longer restrain myself — but I will speak my judgments with them. Or: "now I" — I will speak words of consolation. Above, 1: I will speak my judgments with them concerning all the malice of those who have forsaken me, et cetera.

Here he describes the coming as to the end of the way: and concerning this he does three things. First, he describes the condition of the enemies as to their multitude: as a cloud, which covers the whole earth, it will ascend, on account of the site of the land. As to impetuousness, also as a tempest, with great tumult. Isa. 5: its wheels are like the rush of a tempest. And as to swiftness, his horses are swifter than eagles. Second, he sets down the effect of the coming, woe to us, from the person of the people. Isa. 1: as a city that is laid waste. Third, he concludes with the counsel of repentance, wash from malice. Isai. 1: wash yourselves, be clean, take away the evil of your thoughts from before my eyes.

Here he foretells the siege: and first, the report of the siege. "From Dan" — whose land was the first that the Chaldeans coming to Jerusalem encountered — "from mount Ephraim," which they found afterward, "an idol," that is, the enemies, whom they suffered on account of idolatry: in which is signified the order of the messengers following one another. And he specifies what was reported: "stir up the nations" — namely, the citizens in the midst of Jerusalem, preparing yourselves to resist; or the nations round about, that being terrified by your punishments they may be corrected; "behold, it has been heard" — frequently, through many messengers, and first through the prophets; "the watchers," namely the enemies who besiege; "a voice," the wailing of the army. Above, chapter 2: "the lions roared over him, they gave forth their voice." Secondly, he determines the manner of the besieging: "as watchers," besieging on every side without any resistance. Luke 19: "Thy enemies shall surround thee with a rampart, shall surround thee, and shall straiten thee on every side." Thirdly, he sets down the merit of the siege: "thy ways," that is, thy deeds; "the bone" — it reaches even unto the inward bones. Job 22: "because of thy exceeding great malice, and thy infinite iniquities," etc.

Here he foretells the destruction of the land: and first he foretells the destruction itself; second, the effect of the destruction, at the place, I beheld the earth, and behold it was empty and nothing.

Concerning the first, three things. First the prophet shows his compassion: I am pained in my belly, as to the affliction of feeling; the senses of the heart, as to the disturbance of the understanding. I will not be silent, weeping also outwardly. Lamentations 2: my eyes have failed for tears, my bowels are troubled. Second, he pursues the order of the destruction, setting down the joining of battle: for my soul has heard the sound of the trumpet, Zephaniah 1: a day of the trumpet and of the alarm. The devastation of the region: ruin upon ruin, because devastation upon siege, or one devastation upon another. Job 16: he has struck me down with wound upon wound, he has rushed upon me like a giant. The destruction of the city itself, as to the houses: suddenly the tents are laid waste, by which are signified the houses, the skins with which tents were covered. Below, 10: my tabernacle is laid waste, all my cords are broken. And as to the flight of the citizens: how long shall I see the fugitive? the army of the Chaldeans. Lamentations 1: they are gone away without strength, before the face of the one pursuing. Third, he assigns the reason for the devastation, namely the privation of due knowledge: for foolish, as to the knowledge of divine things; unwise, as to the experience of their sweetness; senseless, because without a heart, as to the choice of things to be done. Isaiah 5: therefore my people are led captive, because they had no knowledge. And as to the sagacity of deceit, they are wise — against which, Romans 16: I would have you wise in good, and simple in evil.

Here he shows the effect of the destruction: first in the region; second in the people, there, at the voice of the horseman, et cetera. Concerning the first, two things. First he foretells the future desolation generally, as to the plains: empty, of an inhabitant, nothing, deprived of fruits and of buildings, there was no light — as it seemed to the afflicted, to whom all things seem dark. Isa. 26: and the earth shall be left desolate, and the Lord will make men far away. And as to the mountainous places: I saw the mountains, and behold they were moved — hyperbolically, that if it were possible, even the mountains would be moved in so great a tribulation. Or by mountains: those dwelling in the mountains. Psal. 45: the mountains were troubled in his strength. And as to living things: I looked, and there was no man: and every bird of the heaven fled away, which indeed departs along with the inhabitant. Isa. 50: I came, and there was no man; I called, and there was none to hear. And especially as to the fertile regions, which ought to have been emptied less. I looked, and behold Carmel was deserted. Isa. 1: your land is desolate, your cities are destroyed. Second he confirms it through the sentence of the Lord: and first he sets down an admixture of mercy: thus says the Lord (...): I will not make a full end, namely that all should die, as he had said concerning the ten tribes. Isa. 9: a consummation and a shortening the Lord God of hosts will make in the midst of all the earth. Second he sets down the dominion of the sentence: it will mourn; the land: as if to say: it will be barren, just as a flourishing thing is said to laugh; or as if out of compassion, hyperbolically. Isa. 24: the earth mourned, and faded away, and was weakened: the world faded away, and the height of the people of the earth was weakened. Third, the firmness of the divine sentence: I have thought. Isa. 14: this is the counsel that I have thought concerning the whole earth, and this the hand stretched out over all the nations. The Lord of hosts has decreed; and who shall be able to weaken it?

Here he shows the effect of the destruction upon the people of the Jews. And first he sets down the fear, which is signified by the desertion of the cities: of the horseman, namely the Chaldean. Isaiah 21: "They fled from the face of the swords, from the face of the threatening sword, from the face of the drawn bow, from the face of grievous battle." And as to the dwelling in the mountains: "they have entered into the steep places." Below, 48: "Leave the cities, and dwell in the rock, you inhabitants of Moab, and be like the dove that nests in the highest mouth of the hole." Second, he sets down the frustration of hope from the idols: "But you, laid waste, what will you do? When you clothe yourself." In the likeness of a harlot who prepares herself that she may please her lovers, so they adorned the altars of idols that they might please them with stibium, that is, an ointment of a saffron color, with which women tint their eyebrows, as is said in 4 Kings 9, that: "Jezebel painted her eyes with stibium, and adorned her head," etc. Proverbs 7: "a woman met him in the attire of a harlot," etc. And from friends, especially the Egyptians, in whom they trusted: "They have despised." Lamentations 1: "all her friends have despised her." Third, he sets down the sorrow as in childbirth: "the voice of a woman in travail," who bears a son for the first time, and grieves more grievously. And as in the death of a son, among the dying. Psalm 47: "there were pains as of a woman in travail," etc.

It should be noted that circumcision is manifold: namely, of the mind, from evil thoughts. Leviticus 26: "until their uncircumcised mind is ashamed." Of the heart, from evil affections. Romans 2: "circumcision of the heart, in the spirit, not in the letter." Of the mouth, from evil speech. Exodus 6: "I am uncircumcised in lips." Of the ear, from detractions and evil words. Below, 6: "their ears are uncircumcised, and they cannot hear." Of the flesh, signifying circumcision from carnal desires. Genesis 17: "you shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, that it may be for a sign of the covenant between me and you."

Likewise it should be noted that the heart is washed: with the water of Baptism. Ezekiel 16: "I washed you with water, and cleansed your blood from you." With the tears of compunction. Psalm 6: "Every night I will wash my bed, with my tears I will water my couch." With the wine of divine love. Genesis 49: "He will wash his robe in wine, and his cloak in the blood of the grape." With the milk of the divine word. Canticle 5: "His eyes are like doves upon streams of water, which are washed with milk." With the ardor of correction. Isaiah 4: "if the Lord shall wash away the filth of the daughters of Sion, and shall wash the blood of Jerusalem out of the midst of it, by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning." With the blood of the Lord's passion. Apocalypse 7: "they washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."