John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 14:15-16

"Therefore thus saith Jehovah concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land: By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed. And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; and they shall have none to bury them-them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters: for I will pour their wickedness upon them." — Jeremiah 14:15-16 (ASV)

Jeremiah, after having declared to the false prophets that, since they had deceived the people by their flatteries, they would have to suffer the punishment they deserved, now turns his address to the people themselves. God might, however, have seemed to deal with them rather harshly, because He inflicted so severe a punishment on people who had been deceived. But the answer to this is evident, for it is certain that unless the world willingly sought falsehoods, the devil's power to deceive would not be so great.

Therefore, when people are led astray by impostures, it happens through their own fault, since they are more ready to embrace vanity than to submit to God and His word. And we must remember that saying of Paul, that all the reprobate are blinded and given up to a reprobate mind, because they willfully seek falsehood, and will not obey the truth (Romans 1:28).

And on this account God declares that He tries the hearts of people whenever false prophets appear; for everyone who truly fears God shall by no means be led away by the deceits of Satan and of impostors. Hence, whenever people are too credulous and readily embrace deceptions, it is certain that their hypocrisy is thus justly punished by God.

And it was well known to the Prophet that the Jews always wished for such prophets as soothed their ears and promised them an abundant harvest and a fruitful vintage (Micah 2:11). Since, then, they had itching ears, Satan was justly given liberty to deluge the whole land with falsehood; and so indeed it happened.

It is then no wonder that the Lord was so severe in chastising the people, for they had not been deceived except through their own fault. The same thing happens today. Though we are touched with pity when we see the ministers of Satan prevail in deceiving the common people, yet we must remember that a reward is rendered by heaven for the impiety of people, who either extinguish or smother the light of God as much as they can, and seek to plunge into darkness.

This then was the reason why God so severely punished the Jews, who had been deceived by false teachers: it was due to their previous impiety and ingratitude.

And for this reason also He adds at the end of the verse, I will pour forth upon them their wickedness. Some think that the word רעה, roe, may denote punishment as well as wickedness, just as עון, oun, also is taken for both. But the Prophet seems to give a reason why God had resolved to execute so dreadful a judgment on the Jews; and the reason was because they were worthy of such a reward. I am therefore inclined to render the word “wickedness,” as though he had said, “A dreadful calamity indeed awaits this people; but so that they may not complain of My severity, they shall receive the reward of their own wickedness.”

However this may be, the Prophet no doubt wished here to close the mouths of the Jews, so that they might not continue in their evasions, as though God treated them with too little kindness.

Hence, it then appears that God does not heedlessly execute His vengeance on the innocent, but that the teachers and the whole people, who approved of them, were involved in the same punishment.

And he says, They shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem by the famine and the sword, or “on account of” the famine and the sword. They shall then all of them—that is, their carcasses—be cast out, for their carcasses are evidently meant, as he immediately adds, and no one shall bury them. And he mentions their wives and children.

And these had no excuse for themselves, for we have seen in the seventh chapter that this charge was brought against them: that the children gathered wood, that the parents kindled the fire, and that the women kneaded the dough to make cakes for their idols.

The Prophet then intimates that no one would escape, because they were all implicated in the same wickedness, some more and some less, but to such an extent that the children were not to go unpunished because they followed their fathers, nor the wives because they followed the example of their husbands.