John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 12:6

"For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt treacherously with thee; even they have cried aloud after thee: believe them not, though they speak fair words unto thee." — Jeremiah 12:6 (ASV)

Here God addresses His prophet, in order to confirm the whole of what we have observed. Jeremiah’s objective was, as we have said, to set forth the judgment of God; he therefore undertook the part of an accuser and showed how intolerable the impiety of the whole people was. He afterwards showed that he was a conqueror in the cause.

And now God Himself speaks: He first indeed reproves the people and condemns their insane presumption; and then He addresses the prophet himself, as though He had said, “You have faithfully pleaded My cause, and as your own people are all perfidious, there is no reason for you to doubt that I will be your defender.”

The prophet no doubt was commanded to preach and to write in God’s name; and yet he had regard to the people, who would have hardened themselves against his preaching, had he not more fully set forth the dreadful judgment of God.

Hence he says, Surely even thy brethren and the house of thy father, etc. It is an amplification when he says that not only the citizens of Jerusalem and the whole people had conspired against the prophet, but also his own relations and friends. Even thy brethren, he says, and the house of thy father, even these, etc.

We see how emphatically God speaks; and there is an implied comparison between the citizens of Anathoth and the rest of the Jews, for they did not deal with a brother and one of themselves with any more courtesy than those not related to him. He repeats for the third time, Even these have cried after thee; that is, “They have so inimically persecuted you, that even when you have yielded to their fury they were not pacified.”

For to cry after someone is clear evidence of settled hatred. For when an enemy stands his ground and offers resistance, it is no wonder that we assail him. But when an enemy turns his back, admits he is conquered, and declines fighting, it seems we are burning with a furious hatred if we follow him and draw him to fight against his will, even when he voluntarily avoids a contest. It was to set forth this blind fury that God said that they cried after Jeremiah.

He adds the word מלא, mela, which some render “with a full voice;” others, “in a troop,” or, “in a mass.” Either meaning may be accepted; I will not, therefore, dwell on the point, for it makes little difference whether we say that they followed the prophet with loud clamor, or that they in a troop conspired against him.

He afterwards adds, Even though they speak to thee good things, that is, though they pretend to be friends and profess peace, yet trust them not.

God intimates by these words that, though the citizens of Anathoth did not openly rage against Jeremiah, they were still full of perfidy. In short, He means that they were either wolves or foxes, for they fought against the prophet, now by fraud, then openly.

Thus, we see that God here condemns the people and shows His approval of what had been previously said by Jeremiah. He afterwards adds—