Commentary on Jeremiah (In Jeremiam)

Here he excludes the second remedy in which they could have trusted, namely in the strength of the royal city, whose destruction he prophesies in this chapter: and concerning this he does two things. First is set down the preparation of the citizens, namely for resisting, "be strengthened," so as to indicate how they will exhort one another, as the enemies approach. Or he speaks it mockingly. "Sons of Benjamin," since Jerusalem was in the lot of that tribe as to its upper part; but as to its lower part, it was in the tribe of Judah. Joshua 15: "and it went up through the valley of the son of Ennon at the side of the Jebusite toward the south: this is Jerusalem." And "in Thecua sound the trumpet, and over Bethataram" — fortified places near Jerusalem. Above, chapter 4: "lift up a sign in Sion." Secondly he sets down the destruction of the city itself, there, "to the beautiful and delicate one I have likened the daughter of Sion." And first is set down the condition of the devastating enemies, under certain metaphors; secondly they are described openly and expressly, there, "thus says the Lord." Concerning the first, two things. First he describes the siege of the city; secondly the engagement, there, "sanctify war against her." Concerning the first, three things. First the beauty of the city is described: "beautiful," as to the comely buildings and the multitude of inhabitants; "delicate," as to the fertility of the land. Ezekiel 16: "you ate fine flour and honey and oil, and you became exceedingly beautiful." Secondly the siege is described: "shepherds shall come to her" — metaphorically, the princes of the Chaldeans, as if enticed by the abundance of pastures. Below, chapter 12: "many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden down my portion." "They have pitched," for the siege of the city. Thirdly the due ordering of the army is described: "he shall feed," that is, he shall govern, "under the hand" — power: for there were different princes for different troops.

Here the assault for capturing the city is set forth; and concerning this he sets down three things.

First, the command to engage: "Sanctify," that is, prepare; or, show it to be holy and just, as though undertaken by God's will. And this is the voice of the princes to the soldiers. Micah 3: "if anyone has not given something into the mouth, they sanctify battle against him."

Second, the desire of those engaging is set forth, which is shown in three things. In their mutual exhortation: "Arise" — the voice of the soldiers to one another — "let us go up," to attack, although it is situated on a mountain; and because they are not held back by the unsuitableness of the time, neither by the heat of the day, "at noon," nor by the dread of night, "at night"; and because they complain of the shortness of the time: "woe to us, for the day has declined," in which there was time fit for warring. "Longer": for the more the sun draws near to the zenith of the head, the longer the shadow becomes on the opposite side. Isaiah 10: "take courage, it is still day, that a stand may be made at Nob." But according to the Gloss, "woe to us" is said in the person of the people fearing the ambushes of night, because even at noon they could scarcely manage to resist.

Third, he shows the manner of the attack: "for thus says the Lord"; as if to say, we can fight securely, because it is the Lord's command: "cut down wood," to make siege engines; "cast up a mound" — which they had made for the defense of their own walls, destroying it; or, "cast up," raising earth into a heap to set up fortifications against the city. Habakkuk 1: "he himself will laugh at every fortification, and will heap up a mound, and will capture it."

Here he sets forth the cause of the siege from guilt: and concerning this there are three things. First, he sets forth the universality of malice: this is the city of visitation, as it were worthy of correction, all calumny, every manner of calumniating. Ps. 54: usury and deceit have not departed from her streets. Second, the hardening of the heart: as a cistern makes its water cold, and so preserves it as though unharmed by heat. Above, 2: they have dug for themselves broken cisterns, which are not able to hold water. Third, the continuity of sin. Iniquity. Isa. 59: wasting and destruction are in their ways: the way of peace they have not known, etc. Infirmity, as it were a punishment corresponding to the two aforesaid faults.

Here he shows the destruction: and concerning this, three things. First, he sets forth the counsel for avoiding the destruction; second, he sets forth the contempt of the counsel, there, "to whom shall I speak, and whom shall I call to witness, that he may hear?"; third, he threatens the judgment of destruction, there, "therefore I am full of the fury of the Lord." Concerning the first, two things. First, he sets forth the counsel. "Be instructed" — namely, as one chastised by the preceding scourges. Isa. 28: vexation alone shall give understanding to the hearing. Second, he sets forth the imminent danger in the loss of the divine love, "lest perhaps." Ezech. 16: my zeal shall be taken away in the devastation of the region. Psalm 106: he turned rivers into a desert, and the outlets of waters into thirst. And concerning the captivity of the nation: "thus says the Lord of hosts: even to the cluster it shall be gathered" — inclusively, because not even a cluster will be left. Metaphorically, by the vineyard, the Jews: Isa. 5: the vineyard of the Lord of Sabaoth is the house of Israel; by the clusters, the people; by the vintage, signifying the captivity. "O Chaldean, turn" preserves the metaphor, like a vintager, who places the gathered clusters in a vessel, which is called a cartallus, so as to carry them to the winepress. Thus you shall shut up the Jews in prison, and lead them into Babylon. Abdias: if grape-gatherers had come in to you, would they not at least have left you a cluster? Or, "even to the cluster," exclusively, because they will leave there the remnants of the people, namely the rustics and the lowly. "Turn"; and it signifies their return to their own land, which is shown, according to this, through the sign of the cartallus.

Here he shows the contempt for the counsel given: and first the prophet seeks a fit hearer of the counsel: To whom shall I speak, the fruitful words of the Lord, shall I testify, shall I adjure? In this he signifies the rarity [of such a hearer]. Isa. 28: Whom shall he teach knowledge, and whom shall he make to understand what is heard? Secondly he shows the fitness, since they were unwilling to hear: Behold, uncircumcised, as though full of gentile fables. Acts 7: Stiff-necked, and uncircumcised in heart and ears. And because they contemn even what has been heard: Behold, the word of the Lord has become to them a reproach. Below, 20: And the word of the Lord has become to me a reproach and a derision all the day.

Here he threatens them with the scourge of destruction: and first he shows them the zeal of justice: I am full of the fury of the Lord, that is, with the fire of zeal for the justice of the Lord. Num. 25: he was stirred by my zeal against them, that I myself should not destroy the sons of Israel in my zeal. Second, he gives to the enemies the command of destruction: pour out, O Chaldean, wrath, namely your own, abundantly, outside, in the streets and fields. Eccli. 36: stir up fury, and pour out wrath. The little one: let no age be spared. Third, he sets down the fulfillment of the command, both as to persons and as to possessions: for the man together with the woman, the wife. Thren., last chapter: our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our houses to foreigners.

Here he sets down the cause of the destruction: first, avarice; second, disobedience, at the place, "Thus says the Lord: Stand upon the ways, and see"; third, the abuse of sacred things, at the place, "To what purpose do you bring me frankincense from Sheba?" Concerning the first, three things. First he sets down the fault, setting down the zeal for avarice, in desiring: "all pursue avarice." Isa. 56: "all have turned aside to their own way, each one to his own avarice, from the greatest even to the last." Deceit, in obtaining: "and from the prophet even to the priest, all practice deceit." Ps. 37: "they meditated deceits all the day." And the manner of the deceitfulness, because by flattering; and "they healed"—that is, by excusing faults with words, and by shutting out punishments. Ezech. 13: "the prophets of Israel who prophesy to Jerusalem, and see for her a vision of peace: and there is no peace, says the Lord God." Second he sets down shamelessness, even amid punishments: "they were not ashamed"—by punishments, with a wholesome confusion, which would call forth repentance. Eccli. 4: "there is a confusion that brings sin, and there is a confusion that brings glory and grace." Third he threatens the punishment: "wherefore they shall fall"—the prophets themselves—"among those who are falling"—the common people—"they shall be overthrown"—by death, or by captivity, joined with them in the punishments, from whom they were not divided in their faults.

Here their disobedience is set forth: and first he sets forth the fault, namely the disobedience to the precept concerning the imitation of the saints, setting forth the precept: "Stand upon the ways," consider the diverse workings of the good and the evil, that you may see the progress and outcome of both. The ancient ones, which are worn by the footsteps of the saints. Lamentations 3: "let us search our ways, and seek, and return to the Lord." Or "upon the ways," the prophets. The fruit of the precept: "and you shall find refreshment." Psalm 65: "we have passed through fire and water, and you have led us into refreshment." Matthew 11: "learn from me, because I am meek and humble of heart, and you shall find rest for your souls." And the contempt of the precept: "and they said, We will not hear." And also as to the disobedience of the precept concerning obedience to prelates: "and I appointed watchmen," the prophets and princes, "the sound of the trumpet," their preaching. Ezekiel 3: "son of man, I have made you a watchman to the house of Israel, and you shall hear the word from my mouth, and you shall announce it to them from me." Secondly he threatens punishment, first stirring up the hearing: "therefore hear, you nations, and know, O congregation," of all the nations. Isaiah 1: "hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth." Secondly he threatens punishment: "behold I." Isaiah 3: "he shall eat the fruit of his own devices."

Here he sets down the abuse of sacred things, inasmuch as, polluted by sins, they presumed to offer sacrifices to God, which for this reason were not accepted: and concerning this there are two things. First, from the fact that they are not accepted, he designates their guilt. And as to the things that were offered on the altar of incense: "To what purpose is frankincense to me from Saba" — the region where frankincense grows — "cane, cinnamon," which was put into the incense, whose composition is found in Exod. 34 — "distant," namely India. Isa. 66: "he who remembers incense, as one who blesses an idol." And as to the altar of holocausts, "holocausts." Isa. 1: "I have not wanted holocausts of rams, and the fat of fatlings, and the blood of calves and lambs and goats." Second, he sets down the punishment. Therefore thus says the Lord. Isa. 3: "the people shall fall, man against man, and each one against his neighbor."

Here he clearly describes the enemies as they come: and first he describes the condition of the enemies; second, the incorrigibility of the people, at "I have given thee for a strong tester among my people." Concerning the first, three things. First he describes the enemies as a nation strong in multitude: a great nation, and in arms, the arrow, cruel — it is cruel like the sea, so that it terrifies both by voice and by intent: and they will mount upon horses, prepared like a man for battle. Below, 50: "behold, a people will come from the north, a great nation, and many kings will rise up from the ends of the earth. They will take up bow and shield: they are cruel, and without mercy." Second, he sets down, from the report, the fear of the Jews: "we have heard the report of it, our hands are grown feeble": for fear we can do nothing. Ps. 47: "there, pains as of a woman in labor." And the effect of fear: "go not forth." Deut. 32: "outside the sword will lay them waste, and within, terror." Third, he exhorts to the sorrow of penance: "daughter of my people, gird thyself with sackcloth." Above, 4: "over this gird yourselves with sackcloth, and wail: for the wrath of the fury of the Lord is not turned away from you."

Here he shows the incorrigibility of the people: and first he brings forward the testimony of the prophet, the assayer, so that, as it were by experiment, you may learn their hardness, since you are not able to bend them to the good. Proverbs 27: diligently know the countenance of thy cattle, and consider thy own flocks.

Second, he sets down the universal sin: all these princes are turning aside. "Brass and iron" — as if to say: they are not only unclean, but covered over with uncleanness, like iron; and brass is the uncleanness of silver. Or: iron on account of hardness, brass on account of impatience, because it is tremulous. Job 40: his bones are like pipes of brass, etc. Ps. 13: they are corrupted, and are become abominable in their pursuits.

Third, he sets down an example of incorrigibility: the bellows has failed. For silver mixed with lead is placed in the furnace, and as the silversmith blows, the dross is consumed and the silver is bettered, but the lead is diminished. But these, placed in the furnace of tribulation, consumed by evils as if by lead, are not corrected. "In vain" — a word of God — "the founder has smelted": God, or the preacher. Ecclesiasticus 2: gold and silver are tried in the fire, but acceptable men in the furnace of humiliation.

Fourth, he concludes the argument of reprobation: "reprobate silver." Lamentations, last chapter: but casting us off, thou hast repelled us; thou art exceedingly angry against us.

It should be noted that sin is called cold, because it extinguishes the warmth of love. Matthew 24: because iniquity has abounded, the charity of many shall grow cold. Because it freezes the moisture of devotion. Ecclesiasticus 43: the cold north wind blew, and crystal froze from the water. Because it retards the movement of good work. Proverbs 20: because of the cold the sluggard would not plow; therefore he shall beg in summer, and it shall not be given to him.

Likewise note, that there are certain ways: of the precepts. Psalm 118: I have run the way of thy commandments, when thou didst enlarge my heart. Of actions. Lamentations 3: let us scrutinize our ways, and search, and return to the Lord. Of the virtues. Proverbs 4: I will show thee the way of wisdom, and will lead thee through the paths of equity. Of teachers. The same, 3: her ways are beautiful ways, and all her paths are peaceable. Christ himself, John 14: I am the way, the truth, and the life.