John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 25:34

"Wail, ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow [in ashes], ye principal of the flock; for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are fully come, and ye shall fall like a goodly vessel." — Jeremiah 25:34 (ASV)

I do not doubt that the Prophet now turns his discourse especially to his own nation, a point which interpreters have not observed, and therefore they have not understood the Prophet's meaning. He prophesied about God’s judgments so that the Jews might know that they looked for impunity in vain, as the Lord would not pardon the ignorant and those destitute of all true knowledge, who might have pretended their ignorance as an excuse. He also prophesied so that this comfort might support the minds of the godly: that the heathens, involved in the same guilt, would be subjected to the same judgment. And lastly, he prophesied so that, knowing the difference between themselves and other nations, they might flee to God’s mercy and be encouraged to repent by entertaining a hope of pardon. After having then treated this general subject, he now returns to the people over whom he was appointed a teacher. He might indeed have declared from a high position what was to take place throughout the whole earth, for the office of a herald which God had conferred on him was that extensive. He might then, by the virtue of his office, have denounced ruin on all nations; but he ought not to neglect his special care for the chosen people. And so I explain this passage, for he now again directs his discourse to the Jews.

Therefore he says, Howl, you pastors, and cry, etc. By pastors he means the king and his counselors, the priests and other rulers; and by the choice of the flock he seems to understand the rich, whose condition was better than that of the common people. Some, in a more refined manner, consider the choice of the flock to have been those void of knowledge, unlike the scribes and priests and the king’s counselors; but this view seems not to be well-founded. I therefore adopt what is more probable—that the choice of the flock were those who were rich and high in public esteem, and yet held no office of authority in the commonwealth or in the Church. However this may be, the Prophet shows that as soon as God began to put forth his hand to punish the Jews, there would be no ranks of men exempt from lamentation, for he would begin with the pastors and the choice of the flock.

He adds that their days were fulfilled. Here he indirectly condemns that wicked security which had for a long time hardened them, so that they despised all threats. For God had now for many years called on them and had sent His prophets one after another. When they saw the execution of judgment suspended over them, they considered it only as an empty threat, thinking, “Well, let the prophets continue to pronounce their terrors, if they will do so, but nothing will come of them.” Thus the ungodly turned God’s forbearance into an occasion for their obstinacy.

Since this evil was common among the Jews, the Prophet now says, by way of anticipation, that their days were fulfilled. For this contrast is to be understood: God had spared them, not because He had His eyes closed, or because He had not observed their wicked deeds, but because He wished to give them time to repent. But when He saw that their wickedness was incurable, He now says that their days were completed.

And he adds, to be killed or slain. I wonder that learned interpreters translate this as, “that they may slay one another.” There is no need to add anything, for the Prophet did not mean to express such a sentiment, nor to restrict what he denounces here on the Jews to internal or domestic wars; on the contrary, we know that they were slain by foreigners, even by the Chaldeans.

This sense then is strained and is also contradicted by history. It is added, and your dispersions also are fulfilled, or your breakings. The verb פוף, puts, means to scatter or to dissipate, and also to afflict, to tear; and the sense of tearing or breaking is what I prefer here.

And he adds, And you shall fall as a precious vessel. This simile appears not to be very appropriate, for why should he not rather compare them to an earthen vessel, which is of no value and easily broken? But his object was to point out the difference in their two conditions: that though God had honored them with unique privileges, yet all their excellency would not keep them safe, for it often happens that a vessel, however precious, is broken. And he speaks not of gold or silver vessels, but of fragile vessels, once in great esteem. So that he might then more grievously wound them, he says that they had until now been precious vessels, or a precious vessel (for he speaks of them all in the singular number), and that they were to be broken. Thus he confirms what I said on the last verse: that hypocrites in vain trusted in their present fortune, or in the superior blessings of God, for He could turn to shame whatever glory He had conferred on them.