Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary Verse 1. Thus saith the Lord unto me] This discourse is supposed to have been delivered under the reign of Jeconiah, the son and successor of Jehoiakim, who came to the throne in the eighteenth year of his age; when the Chaldean generals had encamped near to Jerusalem, but did not besiege it in form till Nebuchadnezzar came up with the great body of the army. In these circumstances the prophet predicts the captivity; and, by a symbolical representation of a rotten girdle, shows the people their totally corrupt state; and by another of bottles filled with wine, shows the destruction and madness of their counsels, and the confusion that must ensue.
Go and get thee a linen girdle] This was either a vision, or God simply describes the thing in order that the prophet might use it in the way of illustration.
Put it not in water.] After having worn it, let it not be washed, that it may more properly represent the uncleanness of the Israelites; for they were represented by the girdle; for "as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel, and the whole house of Judah." And as a girdle is as well for ornament as use; God took them for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory, ver. 11.
Matthew Henry Commentary
- Jeremiah complains of the prosperity of the wicked. (Jer. 12:1-6) The heavy judgments to come upon the nation. (Jer. 12:7-13) Divine mercy to them, and even to the nations around. (Jer. 12:14-17)
Jer. 12:1-6 When we are most in the dark concerning God' dispensations, we must keep up right thoughts of God, believing that he never did the least wrong to any of his creatures. When we find it har to understand any of his dealings with us, or others, we must look to general truths as our first principles, and abide by them: the Lord is righteous. The God with whom we have to do, knows how our hearts ar toward him. He knows both the guile of the hypocrite and the sincerit of the upright. Divine judgments would pull the wicked out of their pasture as sheep for the slaughter. This fruitful land was turned int barrenness for the wickedness of those that dwelt therein. The Lor reproved the prophet. The opposition of the men of Anathoth was not s formidable as what he must expect from the rulers of Judah. Our grie that there should be so much evil is often mixed with peevishness of account of the trials it occasions us. And in this our favoured day and under our trifling difficulties, let us consider how we shoul behave, if called to sufferings like those of saints in former ages.
Jer. 12:7-13 God's people had been the dearly-beloved of his soul precious in his sight, but they acted so, that he gave them up to their enemies. Many professing churches become like speckled birds presenting a mixture of religion and the world, with its vain fashions pursuits, and pollutions. God's people are as men wondered at, as speckled bird; but this people had by their own folly made themselve so; and the beasts and birds are called to prey upon them. The whol land would be made desolate. But until the judgments were actuall inflicted, none of the people would lay the warning to heart. When God's hand is lifted up, and men will not see, they shall be made to feel. Silver and gold shall not profit in the day of the Lord's anger And the efforts of sinners to escape misery, without repentance an works answerable thereto, will end in confusion.
Jer. 12:14-17 The Lord would plead the cause of his people agains their evil neighbours. Yet he would afterwards show mercy to thos nations, when they should learn true religion. This seems to loo forward to the times when the fulness of the Gentiles shall come in Those who would have their lot with God's people, and a last end lik theirs, must learn their ways, and walk in them _________________________________________________
Original Hebrew כה3541 אמר559 יהוה3068 אלי413 הלוך1980 וקנית7069 לך אזור232 פשׁתים6593 ושׂמתו7760 על5921 מתניך4975 ובמים4325 לא3808 תבאהו׃935
