John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 50:19

"And I will bring Israel again to his pasture, and he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be satisfied upon the hills of Ephraim and in Gilead." — Jeremiah 50:19 (ASV)

Jeremiah here pursues the same subject and sustains the minds of the faithful in their miseries, lest they completely despair. It is, then, as if he stretched out his hand to the shipwrecked or gave support to those lying down as if lifeless. For exile to God’s children was not only sad but was like death, because they perceived God's vengeance as though they had been completely rejected.

It was therefore necessary to give them some consolation, so that they might not altogether despair. The purpose, then, of our Prophet now is to encourage the Jews to bear their troubles patiently and not to think that the blow inflicted on them was fatal. Therefore, God promises a restoration to their own country, which would be evidence of pardon and mercy. For when God gathered his people, it was as if he had openly shown that their adoption remained unchanged and that the covenant, which seemed for a time to fail, was still valid.

We now see, then, why Jeremiah spoke of the restoration of the people; and then he adds, to their own folds, or to their own habitation. This way of speaking, we know, is found everywhere in the Prophets, for they compare God to a shepherd and the Church to a flock of sheep. This comparison, then, is quite common, nor could God better express how much he was concerned for the welfare of his people than by presenting himself as their shepherd and by testifying that he would take care of his flock. But as we said at the beginning of the book, Jeremiah had a special reason for using this comparison, because he was from a town of pastures and had been from his childhood among shepherds. It is therefore no wonder that he often uses expressions to which he was accustomed, for education largely shapes people's language. Although the Prophet speaks according to the usual phrasing of Scripture, there is still no doubt that he retained, as has been said elsewhere, his own habitual way of speaking.

He then says that after the people had been gathered, they would inhabit rich and fertile mountains, even Carmel and Bashan. The fruitfulness of these mountains is spoken of in many places, but it is not necessary to quote them. The meaning, however, is that God, after having again gathered his chosen people, would be, as it were, a faithful shepherd to them, so that they might feel assured not only of a free return to their own country but also that God would be the guardian of their safety, so as to always protect them, to exercise care over them, and to defend them against their enemies.

But so that God might more fully show his kindness, he adds, and satisfied shall be his soul. Soul here is to be understood as desire, as in many other places.

Now, the former doctrine ought to be kept in mind: that God is never so angry or displeased with his Church but he always remembers his covenant. Then, concerning the faithful, after they have undergone their temporary punishment, God eventually stretches out his hand to them. Nor is he only propitious to them once, but he continues his mercy and so cherishes them that he is no less concerned for their welfare than a shepherd is, to whom his flock is no less dear than his own life, so that he watches in the night, endures cold and heat, and also exposes himself to many dangers from robbers and wild beasts in order to protect his flock. But the Prophet points out, as with a finger, the very source of all this when he adds—