John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 37

The Prophet tells us here that after Jeconiah the king had been led into exile, the Jews had not repented on that account, though God had, as it were, forced them to return to Him. For it was so severe a chastisement that to become worse was an evidence of monstrous stupidity. Jeremiah, however, says that they were not reformed by that punishment, for Zedekiah, who had succeeded Jeconiah, rejected sound doctrine and did not obey the counsel of the Prophet.

But we must bear in mind the history of that time, so that we may understand the meaning of the Prophet. The Jews made Jeconiah king in his father's place, but in the third month, the army of the king of Babylon came. Then Jeconiah surrendered himself to them of his own accord.

Now the Prophet had said that there would be no legitimate successor to Jehoiakim, and this was fulfilled. For though his son was set on the throne, a three-month reign was so unimportant that it was deemed as nothing. And when Nebuchadnezzar saw that the people could hardly be kept in order without a king, he made Mattaniah king, whom he called Zedekiah.

And he immediately revolted to the Egyptians and made a treaty with them, so that he might shake off the yoke of the king of Babylon. Hence the Prophet says that though Zedekiah had been taught by the example of Jehoiakim and of his nephew Jeconiah, he still became no better. The Prophet does not simply blame his ingratitude.

It is indeed certain that he had been severely reproved by the Prophet for having acted perfidiously towards King Nebuchadnezzar, for he ought to have kept faith with him to the end. He feigned his own reason for revolting from him; no new cause had arisen. It was only so that he might be exempt from tribute, and also lest malicious people should object that he reigned by permission and was the slave of another king.

Therefore, when he saw that his reign would be exposed to many reproaches unless he revolted from the king of Babylon, he made a treaty with the Egyptians. This deserved reproof, but the Prophet speaks here generally of his obstinate wickedness and also that of the whole people.

King Zedekiah, he says, the son of Josiah, reigned instead of Coniah. Here the name Jeconiah is shortened, probably to degrade him, and we have seen that this has been the common opinion. He is then called Coniah by way of reproach, when his full name was actually Jeconiah. He says that Zedekiah was made king by Nebuchadnezzar; thus his perfidy and ingratitude became clear. It is added that he hearkened not to the word of Jehovah, nor his servants, nor his people. I have said that Zedekiah was condemned not simply because he did not obey the Prophet by keeping faith with King Nebuchadnezzar, but also because he retained the superstitions of his fathers, corrupted the true worship of God, and would not be recalled to the doctrine of the Law.

The disobedience mentioned here, then, extended to the whole Law of God, or to the two tables. For the Jews, along with their king, had then become degenerate. They did not worship God purely, but polluted themselves and the Temple with impious and filthy superstitions. They were also libidinous, avaricious, cruel, violent, and dishonest, and had thus cast off the whole teaching of the Law. And this was a proof of extraordinary blindness, since they had before their eyes the calamities of the city and the reproach to which their king had been subjected. For as we have already said, his sons had been slain in his presence, his own eyes had been pulled out, and he was bound with chains, after having been judged guilty of a capital offense. Such an example ought surely to have terrified Zedekiah and all the rest, so as to make them finally wise and to seek reconciliation with God. But the Prophet says that they did not hearken to the word of Jehovah.

He mentions the king, then his counselors, and in the third place, the whole people, as though he had said that this madness was found not only in the king, but also in his counselors and in the whole community, so that no one was excusable. He then begins with the head, even the king himself, and shows also that his counselors were no better, and afterwards adds the common people, in whom the fault seems to have been less; for we know that the lower orders go astray through lack of wisdom and ignorance. But the Prophet here shows that even the lowest of the people were disobedient to God.

We ought to notice especially the words that they hearkened not to the word of Jehovah which He had spoken by Jeremiah. For the Prophet intimates that though God did not appear from heaven, the fact that He spoke by His Prophets was sufficient to condemn the unbelieving. There was then no reason why the wicked should make evasions and say that it was not their purpose to reject God and His doctrine, but that they only refused deference to mortals and would not regard the words of men as heavenly oracles.

This evasion was of no avail to them, for God would have them hearken to His servants. Though He did not show Himself from heaven, nor address them in a visible form, it was still enough that He had once for all testified that after the promulgation of the Law, there would always be Prophets among the people, and had commanded that they be reverently listened to. Nor could the Jews avail themselves of the evasion commonly used by the ungodly: that they could not distinguish between true and false Prophets. For if they had examined the doctrine of Jeremiah, they would have found that it had certain marks by which they could have easily seen that it was altogether consistent with the Law. Thus, their rejection of the Prophet and his heavenly doctrine was a proof of their obstinacy and contempt, not of ignorance.

Jeremiah had briefly explained the state of the city and the land: although they had already been severely chastised by God’s scourges, they still remained obstinate in their wickedness. He now adds that messengers were sent to him by King Zedekiah, when danger arose from the Chaldeans. It is probable that this message came to Jeremiah when the siege was raised, or if the siege still continued, it was at a time when the Jews, no doubt, flattered themselves with the hope of receiving some aid, although they saw that the power of the king of Babylon was very great.

For although they hoped for some help from the Egyptians, they were still perplexed, and fear constrained the king to send messengers to the Prophet Jeremiah. But it appears from the answer that the Egyptians were already in arms and had also come out for the purpose of raising the siege and driving the Chaldeans from Judea.

Therefore, we see that the king was, to some extent, elated with vain confidence, since the Egyptians were coming with a strong army to assist him; and yet he was full of anxiety, as the ungodly must always be. While they seek to confirm themselves in a state of security, they are still tossed here and there, for God’s judgment is upon them.

They are fearful, though they try to shake off fear. Therefore, Zedekiah, though he thought that he would soon be freed from all danger, yet could not completely free himself from anxiety, and therefore sent to Jeremiah. For the ungodly are accustomed to seek God, but not sincerely; they wish to discharge the outward duty, but they bring neither faith nor repentance, by which alone access to God is opened.

But Jeremiah tells us that he was then at liberty, coming in and going out among the people. Perhaps he had been in prison, but after the rage of the king and of the people had cooled, he had been set free. It is therefore said that he was among the people, that is, set at liberty and at his own disposal, so that he could safely walk through the city; for “to come and to go” implies that he was free to follow his own business.

One who undertakes this or that concern as he pleases is said “to come and to go”; for people, we know, are not always engaged in the same thing, but do various things as necessity requires. Such, then, was Jeremiah’s condition; he enjoyed common liberty. It is then added that he was not yet cast into prison, as happened soon after.

It is further said that the army of Pharaoh had come out from Egypt to give aid to the Jews, and that in this way the siege was raised, because the Chaldeans went out to meet the Egyptians. At this time, then, Jeremiah received an answer from God. Therefore, it does not seem probable that the messengers were sent when the report of the enemy’s coming spread through the city, but rather when the city was relieved, for the condition of the people was still doubtful, as the liberty of the city and the land depended on the uncertain outcome of the war.

The Chaldeans had not yet come to an engagement with the Egyptians. A victory by Pharaoh would have offered the prospect of peace and safety to Zedekiah and the whole people; but if the Chaldeans won the battle, they saw that the greatest danger was at hand, for they would then be deprived of all assistance.

It was in this state of affairs that Zedekiah sent messengers to Jeremiah to solicit his prayers. Thus we see that hypocrites are driven by the fear of God—whom they still proudly despise—to seek His aid when forced to do so. Nor is this done so that they may appear to act this way before men, but because God brings them to such difficult situations that they cannot help but feel that they need His help.

Indeed, as I have said, they wish to obliterate every memory of God, and if they were able to do so, they would rob Him of all power and authority. But since they are forced, willingly or unwillingly, to acknowledge that God so reigns in heaven that the whole world is subject to His power, necessity compels them to pray formally and, in a way, to win His favor, or at least to try to do so.

But as I have already said, they should begin with repentance and faith. Hypocrites withdraw themselves as far as they can, both from the promises of God and from the duty of repentance. They seek God in such a way that they simultaneously shun Him.

We must also observe that Zedekiah felt himself so guilty that he could not pray himself. Therefore, being conscious of his own unworthiness, he placed the Prophet, so to speak, between himself and God, so that the Prophet might humbly intercede for him. This is also what the faithful often do, for they seek help from various sources so that they may be more readily heard by God; and they do this according to God’s command.

But there is a great difference between the godly and hypocrites. The true worshippers of God, as I have said, are not content with their own prayers but ask others to join them, while at the same time, they themselves pray to God. But hypocrites, what do they do? Since they think that access to God is forbidden them and know that they are unworthy of being heard by God, they substitute others in their place to pray for them. Thus they do not seek for themselves to know whether God will be propitious to them; and though they wish the whole world to pray for them, they still do not pray themselves.

Such, then, was the foolishness of Zedekiah, who asked the holy Prophet to pray to God for him, while he himself lay torpid in his own dregs. For he did not acknowledge that he was suffering a just punishment, nor did he resort to the true remedy: that is, to return to God’s favor, to embrace His mercy and the promises of salvation. He omitted all these principal things and only attended to what is, as they say, secondary.

Now, regarding the time, we should carefully note that it was when the Egyptians came to raise the siege. Thus, for a time, God permitted hypocrites to be deceived by a fortunate event. For the Jews then began to praise their own prudence in forming an alliance with the Egyptians, because that kingdom, as is well known, was powerful and populous, so that a large army could be raised. Therefore, when they saw that their treaty turned out beneficially for them, they, no doubt, took great credit for themselves, and thus their boldness increased.

But God, however, so touched their hearts that they continued in suspense and, by turns, greatly feared. For Zedekiah would not have sent to Jeremiah unless compelled by some great necessity. And yet, as has been said, success might have intoxicated him; but God made him anxious, so that he felt the Prophet’s prayer was needed.

Now the answer follows: Jeremiah says that the word of Jehovah came to him, and that he was to tell Zedekiah’s messengers that the Chaldeans would soon return. He then says, Behold, the army of Pharaoh, which has come out to deliver you, shall return to their own land; that is, they would be compelled to do so, with the Egyptians either being conquered in battle or struck with fear, and returning of their own accord to secure themselves in their own cities.

The Prophet says that no advantage could be expected from the Egyptians, for Pharaoh’s soldiers would return to their own land. Then he adds, and the Chaldeans shall return and fight against this city, until they take and burn it. This was a harsh answer, and Zedekiah was, no doubt, greatly exasperated at hearing the message, and also very angry with the Prophet, who thus dared to plainly threaten the city and the people with final ruin.

But here the Prophet disregarded the king’s pride, for it was necessary for him to obey God’s command; therefore, he boldly performed his office. At the same time, he touched King Zedekiah to the quick: say to the king who sent you to inquire of me, etc.

The word דרש (daresh) indeed means to ask in general, but the Prophet means here that Zedekiah was to inquire. Yet this was not said before, for Jeremiah only told us that messengers had been sent to ask him to pray for the safety of the king and the people.

But Scripture, we know, often omits one of two connected elements. We may easily conclude that the king had sent to Jeremiah not only to pray, but also to bring some favorable prophecy from the Lord. For why did he turn to him rather than to the chief priest or some others, except that he knew him to be the true Prophet of God?

So Zedekiah requested Jeremiah to pray, but he also tried to draw from him some favorable prophecy by which he might be relieved. Therefore, Jeremiah indirectly reproved him, because Zedekiah insincerely sent to him as though he were ready to hear whatever God might declare by the mouth of His servant— “He sent you to inquire of me; he is mistaken, for he will not get what he seeks; for thus says God, ‘The Egyptians shall avail you nothing, and the Chaldeans shall return and take and burn the city.’”

We now perceive that when hypocrites pretend to seek God in a roundabout way, they do not obtain what they wish. For God justly disappoints them, because they do not come to Him with sincere hearts and desires. They wish to transform God into their own nature and character, and they do not bend themselves to His service nor submit to His word.

Thus it happens that God will not answer their prayers. But the faithful, who seek God sincerely and from the heart, always find Him propitious; and though He may not hear them immediately, yet He truly shows that He cares for their safety.

Hypocrites, however, whose confidence God regards with disdain, deserve for that confidence to be empty and vain. This, then, is the reason why the Prophet gave such a harsh answer to Zedekiah and his messengers.

The Prophet confirms the former verse, and it was indeed necessary that this should be added. For though Zedekiah might not have freed himself from all anxiety and fear, he must still have been moved by that prophecy. Thus, he might have become more hardened in his stubbornness, as is the case with hypocrites, who, when they find they can gain nothing, become furious against God and run recklessly in their course. This might then have been the case with Zedekiah and also the Jews. Therefore, Jeremiah adds, by way of confirmation, Elate not your hearts, or, Deceive not yourselves; that is, on account of the report respecting the Egyptian army. Thus he told the Jews that they had no reason to expect any relief. And the reason is added: For if, he says, you had smitten the Chaldeans so that few remained, yet they would rise up every one from his tent, and burn this city.

The Prophet shows how foolishly and absurdly the Jews acted in casting their eyes on fortunate events and thus forming their opinions. He therefore exhorts them to cease relying on such a confidence as would deceive them. For he says that though they gained many battles and the war turned in their favor, yet they could not escape final ruin, for they had to do with God.

It was therefore the same thing as if he had said that they were not to judge their future state by their current situation, because God was at war with them. And therefore, if God had resolved to destroy them, though there were no enemy, He could still by one breath slay them all.

And for the same reason, he concludes that He could employ the Chaldeans. Though few in number remained, and even wounded, yet they would rise up from their tents, and set the buildings of Jerusalem on fire. This city, therefore, will be burned. Do not ask by whom or when: God will use the Chaldeans in this work, for He has so determined.

We may therefore conclude that the Jews had been for a time victorious, at least had successfully repelled their enemies in their attacks on the city. For the Prophet would not have said this had he not seen that the Jews entertained hope of deliverance on account of some success they had in the war.

He therefore says that all this was of no importance, for their city was to perish by fire. But the principle which I have mentioned must be kept in mind, for Jeremiah took it for granted that the destruction of the city Jerusalem was not to be effected by the forces of King Nebuchadnezzar, neither by the power or number of his army, nor by the courage of his soldiers, but by the judgment of God. Since it is so, he says, though few remained, and they wounded, even lying as half dead, yet they will rise up every one from his tent; that is, not together, nor in a regular order, nor under a banner, as soldiers are accustomed to do, but each one, though no comrade were near, though scattered here and there, would still rise up from his tent. He intimates, in short, that though the contest were only with shadows, they still could not escape that extreme vengeance which God had threatened. Therefore he says, they shall rise up every one from his tent, and burn this city.

Now he does not say that the Chaldeans would take possession of the city; he does not speak of the assault, but only of the burning. He therefore intimates that though the Chaldeans might have in themselves no power to hurt them, yet it was sufficient that they were armed by God for the purpose of setting fire to the houses, like women and children, who often burn whole cities and villages; for in this case, there is no need of courage or of any great skill. So then God declares that though the Chaldeans might not be prepared to fight, yet they were strong enough, indeed, even though they were lying down and half-dead after having been wounded. This is the meaning.

Prayer:

Grant, omnipotent God, that as You have been pleased kindly to invite us to Yourself, and set before us the reconciliation which is through Your only-begotten Son, — O grant, that we may not proceed in our wickedness so as to provoke You more and more against us, and to kindle the fire of Your vengeance on our own heads, but that we may so submit ourselves to You, as to flee in sincere repentance and true faith to Your mercy, that we may find You to be propitious to us, and that You may thus afford us reason to give glory to Your name, having shown mercy to us, through the same, Your only-begotten Son. — Amen.

Here Jeremiah tells us how, and on what occasion, he was cast into prison. He had said shortly before that he was in the middle of the people, or among them. But now he gives an account of the cruelty of the princes, who not only cast him into prison but even into a grave, for they put him, as we shall see, in a dungeon, so that it was a miracle he did not die there.

This was not done only once; for we shall later see, before the end of the chapter, that he was inhumanly treated, so much so that he was afraid to return to the same place, lest it should prove fatal to him.

He mentions the time when this was done: that is, when the Chaldean army went out to meet the Egyptians. He was then free to leave the city; no one before could have gone out, because the gates were closed, and the city was also surrounded by enemies. It was then, he says, that he went out, that he might go to the land of Benjamin, where, as has appeared elsewhere, he was born.

But he then adds that he was intercepted by the prefect of the ward in the gate of Benjamin. That gate had its name from its situation, for a part of Jerusalem belonged to the tribe of Benjamin; and hence it was not strange that the gate which led to the heritage of the tribe of Benjamin was so called. Jeremiah was then intercepted there by Irijah, the prefect of the ward, and not without a grievous charge: that he was escaping to the Chaldeans. The Prophet attempted to clear himself, but with no effect, for an opinion had prevailed that he was already in league with the enemies. He thus gained nothing by defending himself but was taken to the princes, the king’s counselors.

This passage teaches us that God’s servants cannot escape without being exposed to many slanders and false suspicions. Jeremiah might at the beginning have evaded this, and according to the perception of the flesh, his exemption or immunity might have been viewed as lawful, for there was now before his eyes the danger not only of losing his life but also of his name and reputation, which, to noble-minded and wise men, is of much more value.

Had Jeremiah then chosen to evade, he might have made this pretense: “I am indeed ready to offer my life as a sacrifice a hundred times, but what will it avail me if I am to be regarded as a revolter?” For he must have thus exposed the very name of God to many blasphemies. They might have said, “This is the Prophet who boasted that he had been sent from above, but he has now become perfidious and a traitor to his own country, and has tried to deliver up the city into the hands of enemies.” Jeremiah then might have shaken off this burden laid on him; but it was necessary for him to bear this reproach, with which he was falsely charged.

Faithful teachers ought indeed to remove, as far as they can, all slanders, and to restrain the wicked and malicious, so that they may not have the occasion to speak evil. However, when they have done all they can, they will still not exempt themselves from slander, for their words and deeds will be misconstrued.

Thus Jeremiah was loaded with false charges. Everyone had persuaded themselves that, because he had so greatly extolled the power of King Nebuchadnezzar, he had been hired by him for the purpose of depressing the people with fear. It may be that the violent among them willfully and knowingly made his situation appear worse to the ignorant, even by spreading false reports. Since this conviction about him then prevailed everywhere, he was apprehended as a revolter as he was leaving the city.

But he says that he intended to go into the land of Benjamin, so as to separate himself. The verb חלק, chelak, means to divide, to scatter, to dissipate; and hence some have given this meaning, that he went into the land of Benjamin in order to divide his heritage; but this seems harsh and forced.

They add, “In the midst of the people,” as though Jeremiah wished to make his land common and to give it to the people: but in this explanation there is nothing probable or suitable. I therefore do not doubt that Jeremiah sought this as a quiet place, as it is understood by most interpreters. He then went out towards the land of Benjamin, that he might separate himself; that is, that he might be secluded there in the midst of his people.

It is, indeed, a brief mode of speaking, but the meaning is not ambiguous—that he might be there, where he might separate himself from the people, as the places were distant from one another. For he was tired of the city, because he saw that he spent his labor in vain.

Some think that he was afraid of being cast into prison because he had just announced a command greatly disliked; but it is more probable that he was worn out with weariness because he saw that he made no impression on men so hard and refractory. Hence, then, he wished to withdraw from the presence of the whole people.

Then follows what we have already mentioned: that he was taken in the gate by the keeper Irijah, as though he were revolting to the Chaldeans. We have stated how this suspicion arose—namely, because he had faithfully proclaimed the commands of God.

Hence we see how God tried His servant when He thus constrained him to speak, so that his words became suspected. And from this we may also gather how thoroughly fixed that false opinion was in the minds of men, for Jeremiah was not heard in his own defense. He indeed said openly that he was not fleeing away; in fact, that this was a false charge. It is a lie, he says, I am not fleeing to the Chaldeans.

I have already reminded you that the verb נפל, nuphal, found here, means properly to fall, but it is to be taken here metaphorically, as signifying to fall away, or to incline to another side. You then fall away or incline to the Chaldeans, which was the same thing as to revolt.

We see that the Prophet was not charged with a common offense, for it would have been the gravest crime to forsake his own country and to go over to the enemies; it would have been better for him to die a hundred deaths.

But, as I have already said, the servants of God ought to be courageous enough to despise the slanders of the unprincipled. When it so pleases God, they should prepare themselves for patience whenever any reproach is to be undergone; let them only ensure their conscience is always clear before God and angels.

Let their integrity also confute all slanders, and let them disprove them too, if there are those who can bear to hear them. But if a defense is not always admitted, let them patiently bear this indignity.

We also ought to notice this: God’s servants, though ready to clear themselves of crimes ascribed to them and to defend their innocence at the peril of their lives, are yet often repelled and condemned unheard. This is indeed a great indignity; but since Jeremiah met with such treatment, it ought not to appear unendurable or new to us today.

Here Jeremiah continues the same narrative and shows how unjustly he was treated, for he found no equity from the princes any more than from the keeper of the prison. He was no doubt prepared to defend himself before them, and sufficient proof was ready at hand, but he would have been speaking to deaf ears. Here he shows by one word that the freedom to speak was denied him, for a furious madness seized them so that they would not hear him.

And here we may notice how much wrath is opposed to just and peaceful decisions; for if we wish to be fair and equitable judges, self-control is especially necessary. Therefore, when our minds are inflamed with anger or wrath, it is impossible for any uprightness or humanity to prevail. So Jeremiah complains that he was oppressed because the princes boiled with rage, so that they did not permit him to give the explanation he had prepared.

He then adds that they smote him. They no doubt ordered their servants to smite him, for it would have been more than strange if the princes themselves had risen up to strike the Prophet with their fists or to smite him with their hands. It is then probable that he was smitten by their orders and at their command.

This is the reason, if I am not mistaken, why some have given this rendering, “They caused him to be smitten.” But a person is often said to have killed a man if he has ordered him to be killed, even while he himself has not touched him with his finger. In the same way, Jeremiah was smitten by the princes because they had commanded him to be smitten.

And this passage also shows, as in a mirror, how miserable the condition of God’s servants would be if He were not to sustain them by the power of His Spirit. For here is a holy Prophet overwhelmed with unjust accusations and reproaches; the princes did not refrain from beatings, and at last he was thrown into a pit.

Whenever, then, such a thing happens to us, let us look to Jeremiah, and let us not find it distressing to follow the steps of the holy Prophet. Nor let us think it hard to endure the trials with which God was pleased to test him. They put him, he says, in the house, and then the word is changed to the prison, האסור easur, but it means the same thing. The text now describes what sort of prison it was.