John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 30:13

"There is none to plead thy cause, that thou mayest be bound up: thou hast no healing medicines." — Jeremiah 30:13 (ASV)

The Prophet speaks first plainly, then he illustrates the simple truth with a metaphor. He says that there was no one to undertake the cause of the people, as if he had said that they were destitute of all help.

This was, indeed, to some extent already evident, but so complacent was the people's security that they daily formed new hopes for themselves.

Then Jeremiah declared what had already partly happened and was still impending. In this way, he proved the folly of the people, who still flattered themselves while they were involved in evils almost without remedy.

“You see,” he says, “that there is no one to stretch out a hand to you, or who is ready to help you; and yet you think that you will soon be free. From where does this vain expectation come?”

He then comes to a metaphor: There is no one to apply medicine for thy healing. In one sentence, he includes the whole first chapter of Isaiah, who addresses the subject but explains his meaning more fully. There is, however, nothing obscure when the Prophet says that there was no one to heal the people's afflictions.

We must always keep in mind his purpose: that the people were too easily deceived when they hoped to return soon to their own country.

But from this we may gather a general truth: that people never understand the favor of God until they are subdued by many and severe rebukes. For they always shun God’s judgment, and then they become blind to their own sins and foolishly flatter themselves.

Furthermore, when they confess their sins only in words, they think they have done more than enough. They should therefore be urged to the practice and duty of repentance.