Albert Barnes Commentary Jeremiah 30
Albert Barnes Commentary
Jeremiah 30
Albert Barnes Commentary
Jeremiah 30
"The word that came to Jeremiah from Jehovah, saying," — Jeremiah 30:1 (ASV)
In Jeremiah 30–39, not all written at the same time, are gathered together whatever God had revealed to Jeremiah of a more positive message for the Jewish people. This subject is “the New Covenant.” In contrast with the scrolls of Jehoiakim and Zedekiah, here we have one containing the nation’s hope.
A considerable portion was written in the tenth year of Zedekiah, when famine and pestilence were prevalent in the city, its capture becoming more imminent daily, and the prophet himself was in prison. Yet even in this sad pressure of earthly troubles, Jeremiah could urge his countrymen to look courageously onward to the fulfillment of those hopes, which had so constantly in his darkest hours comforted the heart and strengthened the resolve of the Jew.
The scroll consists of three portions:
- “a triumphal hymn of Israel’s salvation,”Jeremiah 30–31;
- Jeremiah 32:0; and
- Jeremiah 33:0.
"Thus speaketh Jehovah, the God of Israel, saying, Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book." — Jeremiah 30:2 (ASV)
Write ... in a book - To be read and meditated upon by them in private. This makes it exceedingly probable that the date of these two chapters was also the 10th year of Zedekiah, immediately after the purchase of the field from Hanameel.
All the words - that is, the scroll was to be a summary of whatever hope and mercy had been contained in previous predictions.
"For thus saith Jehovah: We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace." — Jeremiah 30:5 (ASV)
Better, as in the margin. The prophet places his hearers in the center of Babylon and describes it as convulsed with terror as the armies of Cyrus draw near. The 'voice of trembling' is the war-cry of the advancing army: while 'fear and no peace' implies that even among the exiles, there is only alarm at the prospect of the city, where they had so long lived, being destroyed.
"Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob`s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it." — Jeremiah 30:7 (ASV)
That day - that is, the day of the capture of Babylon.
It is even the time of Jacob’s trouble - Rather, and it is a time of trouble to Jacob, that is, of anxiety to the Jews, because the customs of war were so brutal that they would be in danger when the enemy made their assault.
"And it shall come to pass in that day, saith Jehovah of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds; and strangers shall no more make him their bondman;" — Jeremiah 30:8 (ASV)
Bonds - See Jeremiah 27:2 note.
Shall no more serve themselves - i.e., shall no longer exact forced labor from him (Jeremiah 22:13).
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