John Gill Commentary Jeremiah 31:39

"And the measuring line shall go out further straight onward unto the hill Gareb, and shall turn about unto Goah." — Jeremiah 31:39 (ASV)

And the measuring line shall yet go forth over against it ,
&c.] Or, "before it" ^F16 ; the gate proceeding right on from it; of the length of the measuring line, or reed; see (Ezekiel 40:5) ; though some render it, "before him" ^F17 ; before the Lord, under whose direction and powerful providence the work went on; so the city gates and walls of the New Jerusalem are said to be measured with a reed, (Revelation 21:15) ; upon the hill Gareb ;
which signifies a "scab", so called, as is supposed, from scabby and leprous persons sent here to dwell, which was a "lazaretto" for them. Lightfoot, following Lyra, takes it to be the same with Mount Calvary: it was on the north side of the city, bending to the west; and, if the same with Calvary, it was on the west side. The Targum renders it,

``the hill which was near to Gareb:'' and shall compass about to Goath ;
so called perhaps from the difficulty of its ascent, it being a laborious work to go up to it, enough to make a man breathe. Lyra takes it to be Golgotha, which is not very likely; it seems to be at some distance from the former; since from that there was a round about, a compass fetched to this: it is supposed to lie on the west side of the city, towards the south. The Targum renders it the calves' pool, or the round pool; it is thought by some more likely to be the hill Josephus ^F18 speaks of, that hung over the valley of Siloam.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F16: (wdgn) "ante ipsam", Tigurine version, Gataker
• F17: "Coram eo", Pagninus, Montanus; "coram ipso", Calvin.
• F18: De Bello Jud. l. 5. c. 12. sect. 2.