Go, and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying: Thus saith the Lord: I have remembered thee, pitying thy soul, pitying thy youth, and the love of thy espousals, when thou followedst me in the desert, in a land that is not sown.

“I remember to you Were you to return to Me, I would desire to have mercy on you for I remember the loving kindness of your youth and the love of the nuptials of your wedding canopy, when I brought you into the wedding canopy, and this (כלולתיך) is an expression of bringing in. Your nuptials (Noces in O.F.). Now what was the loving kindness of your youth? Your following My messengers, Moses and Aaron, from an inhabited land to the desert without provisions for the way since you believed in Me.”

“Here begins the prophecy of Jeremiah himself, now established in the prophetic office; and it is divided into three parts. In the first he foretells the captivity to come; in the second he laments it now accomplished, in the Lamentations; in the third he brings in those now taken captive, unto punishment, in the book of Baruch. The first, into two. In the first he foretells the captivity by way of prophecy; in the second he narrates it by way of history, in chapter 53: a son of twenty-one years. The first, into two. In the first he prophesies to the people of the Jews; in the second to the various peoples of the nations, since he was established as a prophet to them also, as is clear from the preceding part; and this in chapter 46: the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet against the nations. The first, into two. In the first is set forth the prophecy to the people about to be led captive, before the captivity; in the second to the remnants of the captivity after the captivity, chapter 39: in the ninth year of Zedekiah, king of Judah. The first, into two. In the first is set forth the preaching of Jeremiah; in the second the contradiction of those who heard him, chapter 34: the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord. The first, into two. First he sets forth the threat; second, the consolation, chapter 30: this word, that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, et cetera. The first, into two. In the first he sets forth the true threat; second, he excludes the false consolation, in chapter 27: In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, king of Judah. The first, into two. In the first is set forth the threat to the people universally; in the second to the leaders specifically, chapter 20: and Pashhur, son of Immer the priest, who had been made ruler in the house of the Lord, heard Jeremiah prophesying these words. The first, into two. In the first he sets forth the threat; in the second the prophet, as it were sympathizing, interposes his own prayer, chapter 14: the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the matters of the drought. The first, into two. In the first he convicts the fault by judgment; in the second he calls back to penitence, chapter 3: it is commonly said, et cetera. The first, into two. In the first he assigns the reason for so great a condescension, namely that he does not inflict vengeance immediately after the fault, but proceeds by judgment, so as to call back; in the second he pursues the order of judgment, there: hear the word of the Lord, house of Jacob. Concerning the first, two things. First he takes the reason from the piety of God: cry out, proclaim openly, to Jerusalem, its inhabitant. And he sets down three things that move to piety. The first is the purity of age: thy youth, in which brides are loved more vehemently, when thou didst follow, when they were going out of Egypt. Hosea 2: and there she shall sing according to the days of her youth, and according to the days of her coming up out of the land of Egypt. The second is the memory of former love and charity, namely by which I espoused thee to myself in the giving of the law. Below, chapter 31: with an everlasting love have I loved thee, therefore having mercy I have drawn thee. The third is the obedience of deed: when thou didst follow me in the desert, in a land that is not sown; which cannot be sown. Hence thou wast not held back by the difficulty of the journey, although certain ones murmuring said, Numbers 20: thou hast brought us into this most wretched place, which cannot be sown, et cetera. Second, he takes the reason from the dignity of the people: hence first he sets forth the dignity of the people: holy, as it were dedicated to the worship of the Lord, and consecrated to the Lord. Firstfruits, because the Lord chose thee out of all peoples, as firstfruits out of the crops. Deuteronomy 7 and 32: but the Lord's portion is his people, Jacob the lot of his inheritance. Hosea 9: as the first fruit of the fig tree in its top, I saw their fathers. Second, he excludes the threat of the enemy: all that devour him: according to the law that is found in Leviticus 7, that it was lawful for the priests alone to eat the firstfruits. Psalm 13: who devour my people as the food of bread.”

“Go, and cry in the ears of Jerusalem,.... Of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the metropolis of Judea. The prophet seems now to have been at Anathoth, and therefore is bid to go from thence to Jerusalem, and there prophesy before the people in it, as the Targum paraphrases it: saying, thus saith the Lord, I remember thee; the Lord never forgets his people, though they sometimes think he does; it cannot be for they are engraven on the palms of his hands, yea, are set as a seal on his heart; nor does he forget his covenant with them, nor favours and blessings promised them: or, "I remember for thee"; or, "to thee" (w): things in thy favour, and which will be to thy advantage: the kindness of thy youth; either the lovingkindness of the Lord, which he had shown unto them; and the benefits, as the fruits thereof, which he had bestowed upon them in former times, when they were brought out of Egypt, and into the wilderness, which was the infancy both of their civil and church state; see Hos 11:1 and when they received many favours from the Lord, Jer 31:2 or the kindness of the people of Israel to the Lord, which was influenced and drawn forth by his love to them; though this can only be understood of some few of them, since the greater part tempted him, grieved, and provoked him: the love of thine espousals; for the covenant God made with that people, when he brought them out of Egypt, was in the form of a marriage contract; he became their husband, and they became his spouse and bride; and which is an aggravation of their violation of it, Jer 31:32 and this love, as before, may be understood either of the love of God to them, or of their love to him. The Targum interprets the former clause of the divine goodness to them, and this of their love to him, paraphrasing the whole thus, "I remember unto you the blessings of ancient days, and the love of your fathers, who believed in my word:'' when thou wentest after me; the Lord going before them in a pillar of cloud by day, and in a pillar of fire by night; even the angel of God's presence, who was their leader, guide, and preserver: in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown; where they passed through many difficulties, and lived upon the providence of God, which, in a wonderful manner, supported them with the necessaries of life, which otherwise they could not have had. The Targum is, "and they walked after my two messengers, after Moses and Aaron, in the wilderness forty years without food, in a land that was not sown.'' The whole of this may be applied to the case of God's people at first conversion, when they are as newly born babes, and become young men in Christ; at which time they are openly espoused to him, having been secretly betrothed in covenant before; but now, through the efficacy of the Spirit attending the word, they are made willing to give up themselves to the Lord, and are espoused to one husband, Christ, Co2 11:2 at which time also great kindness and love is expressed both by the Lord to them, by quickening them who before were dead; by bringing them out of a most miserable condition; by speaking comfortably to them; by manifesting and applying his pardoning grace; and by openly taking them into his family: and also by them to him again; for the grace of love is then implanted, which, as it is hearty and sincere, is very ardent and fervent; which shows itself by parting with and bearing all for Christ; and by a concern for his company and presence; and by a regard to his people, Gospel, ways, and worship; particularly by following him in his ordinances with great zeal, fervency, and constancy, even though attended with many difficulties and discouragements; and though the way may seem to flesh and blood very unpleasant and unpromising; all which is remembered by the Lord when forgotten by them; and when their love is become cold to him, he not only remembers them, and his love to them, which is always the same, but also their love to him. (w) "recordor tibi", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; so Schmidt, and some in Vatablus; which is preferred by Gussetius, Ebr. Comment. p. 228.”

“Espousals. He speaks ironically. (Theodoret) — Yet the Israelites at first shewed greater proofs of love than they did afterwards. It is true they often prevaricated, in the wilderness, Exodus xxxii. 1., and Amos v. 25., and Psalm lxxvii., &c. (Calmet) — The Lord declares his gratuitous love, and then upbraids his people. (Haydock) — He had caused them to multiply in Egypt, and gratuitously made choice of them. (Worthington)”