John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 38:17

"Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: If thou wilt go forth unto the king of Babylon`s princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thy house." — Jeremiah 38:17 (ASV)

A question may be raised here: whether God had again commanded His prophet to repeat what he had so often spoken in vain. To this we cannot say anything certain, except that the probability is that the prophet did not open his mouth without being guided by the Holy Spirit. For though he had not received any new command, yet the Spirit of God influenced him and ruled his tongue as well as his heart.

We will indeed soon find that what was near at hand had been revealed to him—not what he had before, but it was added as a new confirmation of former doctrine. But this is only a probable conjecture; let then everyone take his own view of the question.

So that he might now gain credit for his answer, he prefaced it by saying that he did not speak except from God’s mouth. He had often declared this, having testified that what he said was made known to him by God. But it is not now known whether he had been commanded to repeat the same things; though it is certain that he did not make a wrong use of God’s name, nor did he, without authority, assert that it was God’s word. The Spirit, therefore, as I have said, was his guide and ruler, though we may grant that he did not receive any divine command.

He calls God, the God of hosts, and the God of Israel. By the first title he denotes the omnipotence of God, and by the second, the covenant which He had made with the Jews. He then set forth the immeasurable power of God so that he might make Zedekiah fear; for hypocrites, though they are constrained to dread God’s name, yet afterwards, in a manner, become hardened. It is therefore necessary to rouse them, as the Prophet did here.

He then touched on the impiety of Zedekiah, for he not only professed himself to be one of God’s elect people, but he was also the king and head; he ruled over the heritage of the Lord. And yet he did not believe any of the prophecies. There is therefore implied a reprobation when the Prophet says, the God of Israel.

A mitigation of punishment is added, provided Zedekiah willingly put his neck under the yoke. And it was no common mercy from God that he could still escape extreme punishment; for he was unworthy to be regarded by God, since for some years he had not heeded what he had heard from the mouth of Jeremiah—that he was to surrender himself, his people, and the city to the Chaldeans. He had refused; indeed, he had been refractory and obstinate against God.

We therefore see that he was unworthy of any alleviation; and yet God was still ready to forgive him, regarding his life, provided he went over, of his own accord, to the Chaldeans. And thus he was made more inexcusable, inasmuch as when he heard that God would be merciful if he submitted to due punishment, he was still unwilling to obey, as we will see later.

And thus we see that Jeremiah had not said without reason, “If I give you counsel, you will not hear nor obey me;” for the event proved this. This is one thing. Then he said, You shall live; and in the first place, he said, Your soul shall live; and then, This city shall not be burned, and you shall live; and he repeated the words, You shall live, you and your house. Now follows the threatening—