Bible Commentaries
Jeremiah 17

Verse 1

The. Grabe (de Vit. p. 8.) observes that the four first verses were omitted in the Septuagint by some careless transcriber, long before the days of Origen, who restored them from the Hebrew and the other Greek versions. On such occasions his work was very useful; but the marks being soon neglected, great confusion ensued. (St. Jerome) (Kennicott, Dis. ii.) --- Grabe has restored these verses in his edition. (Haydock) --- Eusebius (Dem. x.) and Theodoret acknowledged them; and Nobilius found the first verse thus expressed in many copies, (Calmet) as it is in Grabe: "The sin of Juda is expressed in writing with a finger nail of adamant, cleaving to the breast of," &c. (Haydock) --- Altars, to appear more conspicuously to the latest times. This excited God’s indignation. (Calmet) --- These figurative expressions shew the inveterate malice of the people. (Worthington)

Verse 3

Sin of idolatry, chap. xv. 13.

Verse 4

Be left. Protestants, "discontinue from thine," &c. (Haydock) --- The land shall have its sabbaths, which thou wouldst not allow. (Chaldean) (Exodus xxii. 11., and Leviticus xxvi. 34.)

Verse 5

Thus. Septuagint continue from the last chapter, "cursed," &c. (Haydock) --- Sedecias had formed alliances with several princes, instead of turning to the Lord, chap. xxvii., and xxxvii. (Calmet) --- Our chief dependence must be on God, not on human policy. (Worthington)

Verse 6

Tamaric. A barren shrub, that grows in the driest parts of the wilderness. (Challoner) --- Harhar denotes some sort (Haydock) of "useless wood." (Symmachus) See chap. xlviii. 6., and Isaias xvii. 2. --- Salt, like the environs of Sodom, the fruits of which were bad.

Verse 8

Fruit. See Psalm i. 3. (Pindar, Nem. viii.) How different from the wicked! (Calmet)

Verse 9

Perverse. Septuagint, "deep." --- Unsearchable. Septuagint, "man, who shall know him?" (Haydock) --- God alone can search the heart by his own power. He enables saints to do it by the light of glory, or of prophecy; as Eliseus and St. Peter knew secret transactions. (Worthington)

Verse 11

Partridge. Hebrew kore, (Haydock) may mean the "coucou." The kra lays many eggs, all of which she does not hatch. (Calmet) --- Protestants, "As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not," &c. (Haydock) --- It is rare that all produce birds; so the unjust do not succeed (Calmet) in the end. (Haydock)

Verse 12

Throne. The temple. We may also read "O high," &c., chap. xiv. 21.

Verse 13

Earth, where alone their portion shall be, (Apocalypse iii. 5,) or they shall be forgotten. It is a proverbial expression, like that of Catullus: Dixit: sed mulier cupido quod dixit amanti

In vento et rapida scribere oportet aqua.

--- Living, which never fail, unlike those of the wicked, chap. ii. 13.

Verse 15

Come. We have several instances of such impious sarcasms, Isaias xxviii. 10., and xxxiv. 13., Amos ii. 12., and Micheas ii. 6. (Calmet) --- We fear not the Chaldeans. (Menochius)

Verse 16

Troubled. Hebrew, "in haste to be a pastor after thee." Chaldean, "I delay not, at thy command, to announce thy truths to them," chap. i. 6. Jeremias was aware of the dangers attending his office, yet not dismayed. --- Day: approbation, (1 Corinthians iv. 3.) or advantages of the world. (Calmet) --- Of man. Hebrew also "of the wretched:" anush. I wished rather for the people’s welfare, (Haydock) and sought not their ruin. (Chaldean) (Theodoret)

Verse 18

Let them be confounded, &c. Such expressions as these in the writings of the prophets, are not to be understood as imprecations proceeding from malice or desire of revenge, but as prophetic predictions of evils that were about to fall upon impenitent sinners, and approbations of the ways of the divine justice. (Challoner) --- The prophet has already prevented this objection, ver. 16. (Haydock)

Verse 19

Gate of the palace, or that by which the kings entered the temple, on the west. The time when this admonition was given is not ascertained.

Verse 21

CHAPTER XVII.

Souls. Those who broke the sabbath were to die, Exodus xxx. 15., and Numbers xv. 32. --- Burdens, or servile work. (Calmet) --- The Jews trifle in deciding what is a burden. (Origen, prin. iv. 2.) --- Sabbath often denotes the observance of the whole law. (Worthington)

Verse 25

David. I will observe my covenant, 2 Kings vii. 12. --- Horses: in prosperity, (Menochius) provided this law, as well as all the rest, be observed. (Haydock) --- Such temporal rewards were commonly proposed under the law, as spiritual ones are now. (Worthington)

Verse 26

Sacrifices. Hebrew mincha, (Haydock) "offerings" of flour, wine, &c. (Calmet)

Verse 27

Fire, by means of Nabuzardan. (Menochius) --- The city shall be entirely destroyed. (Calmet)