John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 43:8-10

"Then came the word of Jehovah unto Jeremiah in Tahpanhes, saying, Take great stones in thy hand, and hide them in mortar in the brickwork, which is at the entry of Pharaoh`s house in Tahpanhes, in the sight of the men of Judah; and say unto them, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will send and take Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will set his throne upon these stones that I have hid; and he shall spread his royal pavilion over them." — Jeremiah 43:8-10 (ASV)

This passage shows that the Prophet was by force drawn away with others, so that he became an exile in Egypt contrary to his own wishes; for he did not go there of his own accord, since we have seen how strictly he forbade them all to go down to Egypt. He was, however, compelled to go there, as though he had been bound with chains. He did not then go there intentionally, nor did he through despair follow those miserable men; for he would have preferred to die a hundred times through famine and want in the land of Judah rather than to have sought in this way the lengthening of his life. It then appears that he was driven there as it were by enemies.

But as nothing happens except through God’s purpose, so from this prophecy it appears that God ordered his servant’s going down, and that he was not so subjected to the will of the wicked, but that he was always guided by the hidden influence of God; for it was God’s will to have his herald even in the midst of Egypt, that he might declare to the Jews what was to be.

His doctrine, indeed, was not of any benefit to them; but it was God’s purpose to drive them as it were into madness, since their wickedness was wholly irreclaimable; for it is a harder thing for the wicked to hear God’s voice when he threatens vengeance, than to feel his hand.

When, therefore, the unbelieving avoid the word of God, they are still constrained, willing or unwilling, to hear what they willfully reject, even that God will be their judge. The Prophet then was sent, according to the hidden purpose of God, into Egypt, that he might there perform his usual vocation, continue to discharge his office, and there carry on his prophetic work.

But this prophecy was greatly disliked; for as the Jews had been already much exasperated, this threatening was still more calculated to kindle their fury. Jeremiah also created danger for himself from the Egyptians, for he not only threatened the Jews, but also the whole kingdom of Egypt. Thus we perceive how invincible his courage was, for he marched through certain deaths, and yet was terrified by no dangers, but performed the office entrusted to him by God.

Some think that he was on this account stoned by the Jews; but this is not probable. In fact, it may be gathered from other places that he died a natural death. However this may have been, his perseverance and firmness were wonderful, for he struggled to the end, and without weariness, with those wild beasts, whose savagery he had more than enough experienced.

Let us now see what this prophecy is: The word of Jehovah came to Jeremiah; The sum of it is that the Prophet was commanded not only to proclaim the vengeance of God, but also to confirm it by a visible symbol, as it was necessary to arouse unbelieving people. For so great was their stupidity, that unless God roused all their senses, they would never have paid attention; they were deaf.

Then the Lord set before their eyes what they were unwilling and refused to hear. For this reason the Prophet was commanded to add an outward sign to his prophecy, according to what we have stated in other places: signs were often connected with the doctrine on account of the slowness, or rather the stupidity of people.

He was then commanded to take great stones, and to hide them in the clay, or cement, in a brick-kiln,—that is, in a kiln where bricks were burned, or in a place where they were usually made, or where materials were taken to form them. This place was not far from the palace of the king in the city of Taphnees, as the Prophet expressly declares; in fact, he says that it was near the gate.

Since, then, this place was near the palace, the Prophet was commanded to hide the stones there, and in the sight of the Jews. This was the symbol.

Now, it is shown for what purpose God would have the stones to be fixed in the clay or cement; for if the stones were only rolled there with great labor by the Prophet, there would have been no instruction. We know that all signs are meaningless and without any importance without the word. It is God’s word, then, that in a way gives life to signs, and applies them for the benefit and instruction of people.

Therefore God’s command is added, that he was to speak to the Jews: Thou shalt say to them, Thus saith Jehovah. He brings in God as the speaker, so that the threatening might be more effectual, as it has been stated elsewhere. For if he had only related the words of God, he could not have thus arrested their attention, which was very slow. This, then, is the reason why he speaks in the person of God himself.

Behold, I, — the particle demonstrative and the pronoun are both emphatic, הנני, enni; Behold, I send, he says, to bring Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, my servant, and will set his throne on these stones.

We now understand the meaning of the whole matter: namely that these stones were thrown into the cement, so that God might build up a throne for Nebuchadnezzar. The time, indeed, for building the throne had not yet come; but God’s purpose was to lay the foundations, so that they might be hidden until the time arrived. The Prophet, then, built a throne for Nebuchadnezzar when he cast these stones into the place of the brick-kiln.

We must now examine each particular point in order. God says that he would send to bring Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon. This mission must not be understood otherwise than as referring to the secret providence of God; for he had no attendants by whom he might send for Nebuchadnezzar, but he called him, as it were, by his nod only.

Moreover, this way of speaking is borrowed from human behavior: when people wish anything to be done, they make known their purpose, and then, when they give orders, they issue their commands. This is what earthly kings do, because they can accomplish whatever comes to their minds by a nod only.

But God, who needs no external aids, is said to send when he executes his own purpose, and does so by his incomprehensible power. Furthermore, God indicates that when Nebuchadnezzar came, it would by no means be by chance, but to take vengeance on the perverse Jews, who hoped for a safe refuge in Egypt, when God had promised them a quiet habitation in the land of Judah, had they remained there.

Then God declares that he would be the leader of that march when Nebuchadnezzar came into Egypt, as though he had said that the war would be carried on under his banner. Nebuchadnezzar did not intentionally obey God, for ambition and pride led him to Egypt when he came. This was because the Egyptians had so often provoked him that he could no longer defer vengeance without dishonor to himself.

It was, then, for this reason he came, if we consider his objective. But God declares that he overruled the king as well as all the Babylonians, so that he would arm them when he pleased, bring them into Egypt, and by their means carry on war with the Egyptians.

For the same reason he calls him his servant; not that Nebuchadnezzar was worthy of so honorable a name, for, as we have said, he had no intention at all of serving God. But he is called God’s servant because he executed what God himself had decreed.

The Scripture sometimes calls even demons the servants of God; but strictly speaking, angels and the faithful are alone his servants. Kings and prophets are also, for a special reason, called God’s servants, to whom authority is committed to rule or to teach. But in this place, as in many other places, the Scripture calls those God’s servants whom he employs to accomplish his purpose, even when they themselves have no such design.

The Prophet, no doubt, also had the Jews in mind, so that they might know that this war was approved by God; for Nebuchadnezzar would not have come unless he had been brought there by God.

It then follows, and I will set his throne. This, also, is what God claims for himself, namely, the erecting of the throne of King Nebuchadnezzar before the palace of the king of Egypt. The king of Babylon, doubtless, thought that the war was carried on through his own efforts and valor, and the courage of his soldiers; moreover, he sacrificed to his own fortune, as heathens are accustomed to do. And hence it is said in Isaiah of the Assyrian:

“He will not think so” (Isaiah 10:7).

But God designed this to be declared to the Jews beforehand, that they might then know that the just reward of their obstinacy would be rendered to them, for they were to be taught, as we have said, for their good. But as they were already without excuse, it was God’s purpose to shame them more and more, so that they might know that a just punishment would be inflicted on them, because they had so obstinately rejected all the counsel of God.

I will, then, erect his throne on the stones which I have hidden. The Prophet here speaks irregularly, sometimes in God’s name, sometimes in his own; but this was not done without reason. We have stated why he introduced God as the speaker: it was so that he might make the Jews more attentive, for he knew that all his threatenings would be derided unless God’s majesty was set before them. But now he connects himself with God, as though he had said that he had nothing apart from God.

This is the reason why he said, upon the stones which I have hid. God had not hidden the stones, but the Prophet speaks, nevertheless, in the person of God. But, as I have already said, this connection shows that the prophetic word is so connected with the hand and power of God, that when the Prophet speaks, it ought to be considered the same, as though God openly thundered from heaven.

And this way of speaking ought to be carefully noticed, so that we may learn reverently to receive whatever faithful teachers declare in His name while performing the duties of their office. For they are not to be regarded as mere men, because otherwise whatever proceeds from them may be disregarded. Instead, we ought to receive the doctrine proclaimed by their mouth as though God himself had descended from heaven to speak to us.

He afterwards adds, and he shall extend his tabernacle or his tent; for שפריר, shepherir, is taken from a word which means beauty, and properly means here a royal tent. The Hebrews do not give this name to the tents of shepherds, but only to those tents which excel in magnificence and splendor, according to what we say in French, Le pavillon du Roy.