Thomas Aquinas Commentary Jeremiah 7:29-34

"Cut off thy hair, [O Jerusalem], and cast it away, and take up a lamentation on the bare heights; for Jehovah hath rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath. For the children of Judah have done that which is evil in my sight, saith Jehovah: they have set their abominations in the house which is called by my name, to defile it. And they have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded not, neither came it into my mind. Therefore, behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that it shall no more be called Topheth, nor The valley of the son of Hinnom, but The valley of Slaughter: for they shall bury in Topheth, till there be no place [to bury]. And the dead bodies of this people shall be food for the birds of the heavens, and for the beasts of the earth; and none shall frighten them away. Then will I cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride; for the land shall become a waste." — Jeremiah 7:29-34 (ASV)

Here, he threatens them with punishment.

1. He prefigures it with a sign: cut off your hair. As in Ezekiel 5:2, you shall burn the third part of your hair with fire in the midst of the city, according to the fulfillment of the days of the siege; and you shall take a third part, and strike it with a sword round about; and a third part you shall scatter to the wind. He also says, The generation of his fury. I shall send him to a false nation, and against the people of my fury shall I commission him (Isaiah 10:6).

2. He explains his words:

   1. Resuming the sin of idolatry, he rebukes them from the holy place because they placed abominations—that is, idols—in the house, namely, the temple, in a public and open place.

      and they have built... which I have not commanded, as if to say, “I have not commanded such difficult things from them.” From this it becomes clear that they have also turned away from me. They have sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons; the flesh of their sons and their daughters they have offered to the graven images of Canaan (Psalms 105:37).

   2. He threatens them with punishment:

      • With the slaughter of their men.
      • With the scattering of their bodies, when he says, in that time, says the Lord, they shall cast out the bones of the king of Judah (Jeremiah 8:1).
      • With the driving out of the remnant, as it says, and they shall choose death rather than life (Jeremiah 8:3).

Concerning the first point—the slaughter—there are three details.

1. He gives the place of the slaughter: therefore, the days shall come, when they will be punished in the same place where they sinned.

   Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when this place shall no longer be called Tophet, and the valley of the sons of Hinnom, but the valley of slaughter (Jeremiah 19:6).

2. He excludes the duty of burial: and the dead of this people shall be as food for the birds of the air. Yet, some of them will be buried, either by those who remain or by the enemy, who are unable to bear the stench.

   They have given the bodies of your servants as food to the birds of the air, and the flesh of your saints to the beasts of the earth (Psalms 78:2).

3. He excludes all joy: and I shall make cease. All of this testifies to the magnitude of the slaughter. The joy of our heart has ceased; our dance is turned into sorrow (Lamentations 5:15).

Collations

• Note that God dwells (Jeremiah 7:3) with us in several ways:

  • Through the steadfastness of our faith: That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith (Ephesians 3:17).
  • Through the harmony of brotherly love: where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them (Matthew 18:20).
  • Through obedience to the commandments: if anyone love me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make a dwelling place with him (John 14:23).
  • Through the height of devout contemplation: I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens to me, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me (Revelation 3:20).

• Also note that he speaks of the temple (Jeremiah 7:4) according to multiple senses:

  • Historically: I shall worship in your holy temple, and confess your name (Psalms 138:2).
  • Allegorically, as the Church herself: the temple of God is holy, which temple you are (1 Corinthians 3:17).
  • Typologically, as the just man himself: do you not know that your bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit? (1 Corinthians 6:19).
  • Anagogically, as God himself: the Lord God almighty is its temple, and the lamb (Revelation 21:22).

• Also note that we ought to listen to the voice (Jeremiah 7:23) of the Lord in several ways:

  • By loving him with the love of charity, because he is our good: you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength (Deuteronomy 6:5).
  • By serving him with sacred worship, because he is the Lord: you shall worship the Lord your God, and him alone shall you serve (Deuteronomy 10:20), and Serve the Lord with fear (Psalms 2:11).
  • By walking after him in observance of his commandments, because he is our Father: you will call me ‘Father,’ and you will not cease to walk after me (Jeremiah 3:19).
  • By seeking him with right intention, because he is our end: seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth, because you have done his judgment (Zephaniah 2:3).
  • By worshiping him with proper honor, because he is our creator and our God: you shall worship the Lord your God (Matthew 4:10).