John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 30:12

"For thus saith Jehovah, Thy hurt is incurable, and thy wound grievous." — Jeremiah 30:12 (ASV)

The Prophet's design should first be noted: he was contending with those impostors who offered the people hope of a return in a short time, while, as has been said, seventy years were to be expected. The Prophet then wished to show the people how foolishly they hoped for an end to their troubles in such a short time.

This point ought to be carefully observed, for it was not without reason that the Prophet elaborated on this point. Indeed, nothing is more difficult than to lead people to a serious acknowledgment of God’s judgment. When anything adverse happens, they are tender and sensitive regarding the evils they endure, but at the same time, they do not look to God and comfort themselves with vain imaginations.

It was therefore necessary for the Prophet to expound on his doctrine at length, because he saw that the Israelites promised themselves a return after two years, even though they had been warned by the Prophets that they were to bear God's scourge for seventy years.

This is the reason why the Prophet speaks here of the severity of their troubles—not because the Israelites were insensitive to them, but because they had been credulous and were still hoping for a return, thereby deceiving themselves with false comfort.

He therefore says that the breaking was grievous. Some offer this rendering: “Unhealable, or hopeless, is your bruising.” But אנוש, anush, is here a substantive, as it is followed by the preposition ל, lamed; nor can what the Prophet says be rendered otherwise than in this manner: “Grievousness is to your bruising,” or breaking. He afterwards adds that the wound was grievous—that is, difficult to be healed, for so I understand the passage.

But the end was to be hoped for. Yet the people were not to think it near; they were, on the contrary, to prepare themselves for patient waiting until the end prescribed by God had come.