John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 49:10-11

"But I have made Esau bare, I have uncovered his secret places, and he shall not be able to hide himself: his seed is destroyed, and his brethren, and his neighbors; and he is not. Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; and let thy widows trust in me." — Jeremiah 49:10-11 (ASV)

Regarding the beginning of the verse, the Prophet's meaning is not obscure; for he means that the destruction of the people of Edom would be so severe that they would be plundered by enemies and become completely stripped. But he speaks in God's name: Behold, I uncover Esau, and make open his hidden things. By 'hidden things' he means treasures, as is evident from Obadiah. He then says that God would expose the Edomites to such plunder that their enemies would seize and plunder every hidden thing. This is the meaning.

He then confirms what I have said: that this plundering would not be like grape-gathering, theft, or common robbery, because God would completely empty the Edomites of all that they had, even of all that they hid in the ground.

Regarding the end of the verse, some give this explanation: "There will be none to say"—a phrase is then to be understood—"Leave thy orphans to me, I will nourish or sustain them, or I will be a father to them; and thy widows, let them hope or trust in me, or rest on me."

For it is no small comfort to parents when they know that their widows and orphans would have someone to turn to. When a man dies and sees that his widow is destitute of all help, and that his orphans are miserable and needy, his paternal and conjugal love is grievously wounded.

For it is more bitter than death itself when a husband cannot provide any help for his widow or any relief for his orphans. Hence, some interpreters think that the ruin of this people is exaggerated in this way: namely, that no one would be found to bring comfort to parents and, as it were, take the place of the dead.

But the meaning would not be unsuitable if the words were deemed ironical, with the Prophet speaking in God's person: Leave to me thy orphans, I will nourish them, and let thy widows rest on me, or trust in me: for it follows afterwards, Behold, they to whom there was no judgment, have drunk of the cup, etc.

The passage then would not be out of place if we consider that God taunts the Edomites and ironically declares that He would be a judge against them even after they were dead; for God’s vengeance, we know, reaches to the third and the fourth generation.

As He had declared before that the Edomites would be destroyed—their descendants, their brethren, and their neighbors—so He now confirms the same thing: “What! Do you expect that I should be a father or a protector to your orphans? That I should bring aid to your widow? This you expect in vain from me.”

The Prophet, in a few words, very sharply goads the minds of the Edomites when God thus presents Himself and says, by way of mockery, that He would be a protector to their orphans and widows. For they had indiscriminately vented their rage on orphans and women, and spared neither sex nor age.

Then God shows here that there was no reason why they should expect any comfort regarding their children, for He would be their avenger to the third and the fourth generation. And what some say is undoubtedly strained; at least I do not see how the words I will nourish them can fit with the rest of the context.

This clause, then, I apply to God Himself, because His vengeance would consume them along with their brethren, their neighbors, and their descendants. And the irony is most suitable for the whole passage; that is, God meant to show that He would bring no help to orphans or aid to widows, since they themselves had been so cruel to both orphans and widows.

Then follows a confirmation—