John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 6:12

"And their houses shall be turned unto others, their fields and their wives together; for I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land, saith Jehovah." — Jeremiah 6:12 (ASV)

He mentions only one kind of vengeance: that the Jews would be deprived of their land, which they thought would always remain theirs in peace. For it had been said:

“This is my rest for ever, here will I dwell” (Psalms 132:14).

Because of this, they imagined they could not be driven out of it and entertained the thought that their dwelling in the land of Canaan was as certain as that of the sun and moon in the heavens. Since they deceived themselves with this foolish confidence, the Prophet says that a change would occur: God would transfer their houses to foreign nations.

He then mentions their fields and their wives. All this seemed incredible to the Jews, but it was necessary to pronounce such dreadful vengeance upon them, so that they might finally be awakened.

Then he adds the reason: For God will extend his hand.

The Prophet here condemns their obstinacy because it made God their enemy. It was as if he had said that they had no reason to think that their possession of the land would be undisturbed, because God was offended with them.

From where, indeed, did the possession of the land come to them, except from God’s undeserved favor? Now, if God was opposed to them, what hope remained for them?

Thus, we now see that the Prophet, at the end of the verse, mentions the cause so that the Jews might know that what he said about the transfer of their houses, lands, and wives to others was not incredible.