John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 14:13

"Then said I, Ah, Lord Jehovah! behold, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place." — Jeremiah 14:13 (ASV)

The Prophet no doubt relates what he had expressed in prayer to God, but he still has a reference to the people. He then prayed in the manner he now relates, but he makes public the prayers he offered by himself and without a witness, so that he might restore the Jews from their impiety.

Now, Jeremiah’s colloquy with God was very effective in touching the Jews, for as if they themselves had been present, he set before them what he had heard from God’s mouth. We now understand why he made known his secret prayers: it was not for the sake of boasting, but for the sake of doing good to the Jews. His object then was to seek their benefit when he declared to them what he had previously poured forth without any witness into the bosom of his God.

And I said, Ah, Lord Jehovah! He uses an expression of grief, Ah! and thus he shows what concern he felt for his people, being no less anxious about their ruin than about his own. It may also be an expression of astonishment, as though the Prophet was filled with surprise, “What can this be, O Lord?”

And doubtless an expression of astonishment is not unsuitable, so that the Jews might feel horrified together with him when they saw that they had been led astray by the false prophecies by which they had been deceived. He then says, “How is this, O Lord? For the prophets say to them, etc.”

Here the word ‘prophets’ is emphatic, as though he had said: ‘They are not thus mad willfully in promising themselves peace, contrary to your will, but these prophets who profess and boast of your name—these are the authors of this gross security; for they say, Ye shall not see the sword, famine shall not happen to you; nay, I will give you, etc.’ Here they assume the person of God, for it is not said, “God shall give you sure peace,” but “I will give you,” etc.

We therefore see that the Prophet here expresses his horror while he compares false prophecies with the oracle he had received from the mouth of God. The prophets, he declares, say, etc. They assumed an honorable title, one connected with the power and authority of God himself.

“Even the prophets then, who seem endowed with the authority of heaven and seem to have been sent by you as though they were angels—even these promise men peace, not in a common manner, but in a most imposing way, as though they had your authority and brought their fallacies from your mouth, I will give you.”

We now understand the Prophet’s purpose, for it was necessary to shake off from the Jews that false confidence with which the false prophets—who pretended to have been sent from above and boasted that they were God’s servants, the agents of the Holy Spirit—had intoxicated them.

Since it was necessary to take away from the Jews this confidence (the cause of their ruin, because they hardened themselves in contempt of God and despised all His threats), he therefore says, “What! The false prophets speak thus, I will give you sure peace in this place.”

We therefore learn that Jeremiah had an almost continual contest, for the fiercest antagonists immediately presented themselves whenever he threatened the people with exile, famine, or any other judgment of God. “What! Be secure, for God has chosen this place where He is worshiped. It cannot be that He will banish His Church from its quiet rest. There is no reason then to fear that He will ever allow this kingdom to perish or His Temple to be destroyed.”