John Gill Commentary Jeremiah 15:11

"Jehovah said, Verily I will strengthen thee for good; verily I will cause the enemy to make supplication unto thee in the time of evil and in the time of affliction." — Jeremiah 15:11 (ASV)

The Lord said
In answer to the prophet's complaint: verily it shall be well with your remnant: not with the remnant of his people, or those that should escape the threatened calamities; but the sense is, that it should be well with him in his latter end; the remainder of his days should be comfortable or be spent in peace and prosperity; and so the Targum, "if your end shall not be for good." The words are in the form of an oath, as Kimchi and Ben Melech observe; and the meaning is, that if it is not well with you in your last days, then say I am unfaithful, and not true to my word. According to Donesh, cited by Jarchi, the word translated "remnant" has the signification of loosing; and he renders it, "if I loose you not for good" ^F13; which accordingly was done (Jeremiah 40:4), and this sense is confirmed by the note of the Masorites:

"verily I will cause the enemy to entreat you well"; or, "if I do not" for it is also in the form of an oath, as before, as Jarchi notes; and so it was, Nebuchadnezzar gave charge to Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, to look well to him, and do him no harm; who, when he loosed him, gave him his choice to go with him to Babylon, or continue in the land (Jeremiah 39:11Jeremiah 39:12) (40:4), or, "verily I will", or, "shall I not entreat the enemy for you?" ^F14 and make him gentle and humane, so that he shall use you kindly. Jarchi interprets this of Zedekiah and his courtiers seeking to Jeremiah, in the time of their distress, to pray for them (Jeremiah 37:2), and to which sense the Targum inclines, "if they shall not come and help you" in the time of evil, and in the time of affliction; when the city is taken, and the people carrying captive.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F13: (bwjl Ktwrv al Ma) "si non absolvero te in bonum", Schmidt. Vid. De Dieu in loc.
• F14: (Kb ytegph awl Ma) "sed faciam hostem occurrere tibi", Calvin: "annon intervenirem pro te apud inimicum?" Junius & Tremellius; "nisi interveniam pro te apud inimicum", Piscator.