John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 15:11

"Jehovah said, Verily I will strengthen thee for good; verily I will cause the enemy to make supplication unto thee in the time of evil and in the time of affliction." — Jeremiah 15:11 (ASV)

God at the beginning of this verse no doubt indicates that He would be gracious to His servant and grant him what he asked. We then conclude that the Prophet’s prayer was heard; and from this it also becomes clear what I have stated: that the Prophet was not so carried away by the force of grief, but that he chiefly regarded the benefit of the people. God then was so gracious to his request that He said that it would be well with his remnant, that what remained would be blessed.

Interpreters differ regarding the second clause: some apply what is said to the people, I will make the enemy to meet thee in the time of evil, and in the time of trouble: And so they take this view: that God at the beginning of the verse answers the Prophet and indicates that his request was accepted, so that there would be a better and happier end than what appeared at that time. They think that God then turns His discourse to the people, “With regard to you, I will make the enemy to meet you in the day of affliction.” But this explanation seems forced.

I prefer to regard the whole verse as addressed to the Prophet. God promises first that his remnant would be prosperous; and by remnant he means the remaining time or the end of life, as though He had said, “I will at length have pity on you, so that the things which cause you the greatest grief shall turn into joy: your end then shall be more prosperous than you think.” Then the words which follow confirm the previous sentence, for the Prophet might have objected and said, “Then either the people shall be delivered from all trouble, or I shall not escape a part of the calamity.” To this God replies and says, “You and others must suffer many things, but I will make the enemy to meet thee; that is, I will make the enemy to be gracious to you, and even of his own accord to anticipate you.”

Interpreters differ still further respecting the verb הפגעתי epegoti; some regard it in a transitive sense, “To meet thee will I make the enemy;” others render the sentence thus, “I will meet the enemy for thee,” or, “I will cause the enemy to ask for thee.” The verb, פגע pego, means sometimes to meet, either in a good or bad sense; as when one goes as an enemy against another, he is said to meet him; or, when one offers help and shows kindness to another, he is said to meet him. But the word has another meaning, and signifies sometimes to ask, and so some take it here, “I will cause the enemy to ask for thee.” But this is far-fetched: God did not send messengers to pacify the Babylonians towards His servant Jeremiah. I prefer to render the words thus, “I will meet the enemy for thee,” or, “I will cause the enemy to meet thee;” that is, “I will pacify him by My secret influence, so that he will of himself spare you and treat you kindly.” And we know that it so happened; for Jeremiah was freed from his chains and was allowed his liberty, so that he was permitted to go wherever he wished. As then the enemies treated him with so much kindness, it appears evident that what God had before promised was fulfilled.

As to the main thing intended, there is no ambiguity in the words: God promised that the latter end of Jeremiah would be happy, and that though he was to suffer somewhat in the common calamity of the whole people, yet the enemy would treat him kindly, so that his condition would be better and more desirable than that of others.

But why did Jeremiah make this public? Why did he give this description? Why did he commit it to writing? It was so that the Jews might understand that those who harassed him, though he had done them no injury, dealt unjustly with him. They had indeed been provoked by him, but it was because of what his office required, for he could not deny obedience to God. Jeremiah then made public what God alone knew before, so that he might produce an impression on them, if any hope of repentance still remained.

The promise of God was also added for the same reason, for the Jews should have been terrified when they saw that such an end was promised by God to the Prophet. For what could have happened to them, except the curse of God to the uttermost? Thus, we see that in the complaint of the Prophet, and in the answer given by God, the salvation of the people was regarded; for the complaint contains a most severe reproof, and the answer of God threatens a most dreadful judgment to the rebellious people.