TOTC Jeremiah & Lamentations (New Edition)

Hetty Lalleman

• Publisher: IVP
• Year: 2015
• Print ISBN:
  9781844746057
• eBook ISBN:
  9781783593057
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Biblical Commentary

Despite the themes of doom and destruction, the primary message of Jeremiah is one of the love and grace of a God who never gives up on those he has called to be his own. The prophet's life is characterized by suffering, but he points to a new beginning, a new covenant and a new hope, eventually made possible through the unique Suffering Servant. Lamentations powerfully expresses personal and national suffering. Yet, even in these utterances of desperate grief, there are glimpses of hope. Hetty Lalleman opens up these fascinating books for today's readers.

COMMENTARY

1. PROLOGUE AND BEGINNINGS (1:1–19)

A. Prologue (1:1–19)

i. A historical prophet (1:1–3)

Context

The superscription in Jeremiah 1:1–3 forms the introduction not only to the call of Jeremiah in the following passage, but to the whole book. Together with the end of the book, the appendix of Jeremiah 52 which gives the historical account of the fall of Jerusalem, this beginning forms an inclusio: the beginning and the end match. The opening words mention Jeremiah’s prophecy down to the fifth month of the eleventh year of Zedekiah … when the people of Jerusalem went into exile, and this event is also recorded at the end of the book.

Comment

1:1. The words of the prophet are not the only contents of the book, since it also records many events. The Hebrew word, here used in its plural form, may indicate words and deeds or events. The meaning of the name Jeremiah, which occurs more often in the Old Testament (cf. 35:3; 52:1, referring to individuals other than the prophet), is uncertain. Possibilities are either ‘Yahweh exalts’ or ‘Yahweh loosens (the womb?)’. Jeremiah’s father Hilkiah is not the same as the high priest in 2 Kings 22:4: the text would certainly have mentioned this if it were the case. TNIV reads one of the priests, which suggests that Jeremiah was himself a priest. However, the Hebrew reads (lit.) ‘from, out of the priests’, which means that he was from a priestly family. There is no indication in the book that Jeremiah actually served as a priest, which is one of the differences between Jeremiah and Ezekiel. In Ezekiel’s message, the language and concepts of a priest are obvious, and there is a great concern for the temple, holiness and sin, which is depicted as uncleanness. In the case of Jeremiah, his descent from a priestly family is apparent mainly because of his familiarity with the religious writings of Israel, in particular the Torah, and especially Deuteronomy. Anathoth is a village three miles north-east of Jerusalem. Jeremiah has obviously walked the distance frequently in his life. It has been suggested that his family descended from Abiathar, who descended from Eli in Shiloh. Abiathar was excluded from the priesthood in Jerusalem by Solomon, who banished him to his home in Anathoth (1 Kgs 2:26–27). The remote relationship with Eli and Shiloh may account for the fact that Jeremiah mentions Shiloh (7:12, 14; 26:6, 9) and Samuel (15:1).

2–3. Verse 2 links the word of the LORD to the words of Jeremiah in verse 1. It is not Jeremiah’s own words that are important, but that God commissions him to be his prophet (1:4–19). In verses 2–3 God’s intervention in human history is also clear. He is a God who acts in this world and this time. The thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah is 627 BC; the eleventh year of Zedekiah is 587 BC, the year in which Jerusalem fell into the hands of the Babylonians. In the fifth month, the people of Jerusalem were exiled, and in that month (August 587) the city and temple were ruined and burned down. Two names are omitted from the list of kings: namely Jehoahaz and Jehoiachin, probably because they each reigned for only three months. In the book of Jeremiah it is mainly Jehoiakim and Zedekiah who appear in the narrative sections, although the others are also mentioned (cf. Jer. 22).

Meaning

Both the opening verses and the closing chapter of the book of Jeremiah place the prophet in a clearly defined historical context. The God of the Old and New Testaments is not remote and distant; neither is he some sort of religious or philosophical idea in the minds of human beings. God acts in history. Furthermore, the historical beginning and ending of the book prove that Jeremiah is the ‘true prophet of the LORD’. The judgment and disaster he announces become a reality (Jer. 52). In his words we hear God’s word (see vv. 1–2). One of the criteria for evaluating if someone was a true prophet was whether or not his prophecy came true (Deut. 18:21–22). Jeremiah’s words came true, so he is to be respected as a prophet sent by God.

ii. A prophet commissioned (1:4–19)

Context

After the introductory words there is an account of the prophet’s calling, which confirms that God sent him. The events in verses 11–19 may not have happened immediately after Jeremiah’s initial calling, but they fit well in the context. They give a summary of the prophet’s message which will be addressed to other nations (cf. v. 5), and they indicate that his task will be a difficult one, but God will sustain him (vv. 8, 19).

Comment

4–5. God is the subject in these four phrases: I formed you; I knew you; I set you apart; I appointed you. God formed Jeremiah in his mother’s womb, just as he formed, created, Adam in Genesis 2:7 (the same Hebrew word). The idea of God knowing our beginnings is also evident in Psalm 139:13–16. For examples of God calling someone before birth, see the Servant’s call in Isaiah 49:1, 5, and also Galatians 1:15. In Jeremiah 1:5, however, God says he had a plan for Jeremiah’s life even before he was conceived. The verb ‘to know’ is more than just ‘knowing someone’. In the Old Testament, it indicates a relationship, especially a very close one (as in the case of husband and wife). God dedicated Jeremiah to be his prophet before his very beginnings. He now commissions him for a task already prepared for him long before. Jeremiah is to be a prophet to the nations, which means that he will have an international mission, although initially his words are definitely meant for his own people.

6. No wonder Jeremiah is frightened by the enormous task he is to carry out. He objects to his calling by protesting that he is too young. The Hebrew word can mean ‘child’, and it is also used of Samuel when he began his ministry as a prophet (1 Sam. 3:1; Samuel is another example of a prophet dedicated to God before he was born). We may assume that Jeremiah was in his adolescence at the time of his call, since he was not yet married (see Jer. 16). On account of his youth, he was not an experienced speaker and must have feared the opposition of adults for bringing such a heavyweight message at this young age.

7–8. God reassures Jeremiah, as he did Moses (Exod. 3:13–14; 4:1–17; cf. also Gideon in Judg. 6:14–16, and Isa. 6:5–7). He does not need to be experienced in speaking, because God will give him the right words to say. Jeremiah stands in the tradition of the true prophets of God (Deut. 18:18b), like Moses and Samuel. Moreover, he is not alone and can be assured of God’s presence. God will make sure that no-one will seriously harm the prophet, although this does not mean that he will not experience opposition, as is clear from later events. The promise given here is repeated in verse 19 and again in a difficult period of his life (see 15:20). The promise of God’s presence often occurs in the Old Testament (cf. Exod. 3:12; Josh. 1:5, 9; Judg. 6:16) and accompanies every follower of Christ on their mission to proclaim the gospel (Matt. 28:20).

9–10. Touching Jeremiah’s mouth is a tangible sign of God providing the prophet with the words and the capacity to speak in his name. Verse 10 affirms that the prophet is now installed as God’s servant. The message he is to bring has implications for the surrounding world and implies judgment and salvation, in that particular order. There will be more judgment than salvation to be proclaimed, indicated by four words implying destruction (uproot, tear down, destroy, overthrow). Yet after judgment, salvation will follow (build and plant). The expressions used here are repeated partly or in full in other passages, such as 12:17; 18:7–10; 31:28; 42:10; 45:4. In 29:5 building and planting, in the literal sense of the phrase, will take place in Babylon. It is via judgment in exile that there will be a new future for the people of God. The prophet’s words are powerful because they are God’s words.

11–12. What do you see, Jeremiah? The prophet ‘sees’ the branch of an almond tree and a boiling pot (v. 13). These are not necessarily visions. They may have been there in reality, and the prophet’s attention may have been drawn to them. There are similarities here with Amos (cf. Amos 7:7–8; 8:1–2; see Introduction, p. 57).

The message is visualized, as in the symbolic actions performed by the prophet (cf. 13:1–11; 16:1–13). First, Jeremiah sees an almond tree, which in Hebrew is related to a verb meaning ‘to wake up’ or ‘to watch’. The almond tree is the first to bud: it ‘wakes up’ early and heralds the beginning of spring. The association is made that in the same way God is watching to ensure that his word is fulfilled.

13–16. Secondly, Jeremiah sees a large cooking pot tilted away from the northern side, presumably spilling its boiling contents towards the south. In the same way, enemies will come from the north, which was the usual direction for nations approaching from the Assyrian-Babylonian regions. The enemy is not yet mentioned by name; there is a general reference to kings who put their thrones in the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem as a sign of their dominion over it (cf. 43:10; 49:38). The other nations will be used to execute God’s judgment, although they do not know it. The reason for judgment is that the people have forsaken their God and worshipped other gods, a recurring theme throughout the rest of the book (cf. 2; 7:9, where social injustice is also mentioned; and 10:1–16). The issue at stake is not that Israel did not serve God at all, but that they worshipped him alongside other gods like Baal, the Canaanite fertility god.

17–19. Again (see vv. 7, 8), Jeremiah is called to be brave and be ready to bring God’s message, despite resistance and opposition. God will make him strong and invincible (fortified city, iron pillar, bronze wall), even though everyone in the land, including all the important and influential people, will threaten and resist him. The words of verse 8 are repeated: for I am with you and will rescue you. This is the very word of God himself, a promise that is repeated in times of crisis when Jeremiah doubts his calling and ministry, and questions whether God is his help in the midst of trouble (Jer. 15:19–21).

Meaning

A comparison of Jeremiah’s calling with that of Isaiah (Isa. 6) and Ezekiel (Ezek. 1 – 3) shows that prophets do not speak their own words, but they are commissioned by God. This is an essential feature of Old Testament prophecy. However, God does not suppress the individuality of each prophet. They all have their own characteristics, which become clear in the accounts of their calling: Isaiah’s call indicates the importance of the holiness of God; Ezekiel’s call stresses the visionary character of his prophetic career (including much symbolism and emphasis on the distance between the holy God and human beings); and Jeremiah’s call highlights the very personal relationship between God and the prophet and offers a sort of programme for the rest of the book. Jeremiah’s mission will be not only to Judah and Jerusalem, but also to the surrounding nations (cf. 25:15–38; 46 – 51), and he will suffer a great deal of opposition. God’s promise to keep him safe is repeated in a time of crisis (see also 15:20–21). To sum up Jeremiah 1, we can say that all relevant issues of the prophet’s life and ministry to come are there in a nutshell. From chapter 1 onwards, the story develops and is finally rounded off with the fulfilment of the words of judgment spoken in God’s name.

2. CALLS TO REPENTANCE AND WORDS OF JUDGMENT (2 – 6)

A. A broken marriage (2:1–37)

i. Religious and political adultery (2:1–19)

Context

In the context of the previous chapter, Jeremiah 2:1 illustrates that Jeremiah is indeed appointed as the prophet who speaks the word of the Lord. Verse 1 introduces the words that follow, but it is difficult to identify where God’s words end. Chapters 2 – 6 as a whole are regarded as Jeremiah’s earliest prophecies during the reign of King Josiah, and they constitute part of the content of the first scroll read to King Jehoiakim in Jeremiah 36 (see Introduction, p. 24). The whole of chapter 2 deals with how the people are forsaking their God, either by worshipping idols or by making political treaties with other nations, instead of trusting in God alone.

Following the idyllic picture of love and marriage in 2:1–3, the people of Israel are accused of forsaking their ‘marriage vows’. This is conveyed in the form of a court hearing in verses 4–13. Verses 14–19 pose several questions, charging Israel with the sin of relying more on alliances with other nations than on God.

Verses 5c and 8c repeat the theme of following worthless idols, thus forming an inclusio around the words, Where is the LORD, in verses 6 and 8. These verses together form a chiasm (on the use of inclusio and chiasm see Introduction, p. 47):

A – following worthless idols (5c)

B – where is the LORD? (6)

B’ – where is the LORD? (8)

A’ – following worthless idols (8c)

The charges follow in verse 9, and the heavens are called as witnesses in verse 12.

Comment

2:1–3. The message is to be proclaimed in the capital of Judah, not in Jeremiah’s home town. The overall theme of what follows is that God’s people have forsaken him. The past is pictured as an ideal time (vv. 2–3). When God saved his people from slavery in Egypt, he led them through the desert and its dangers. They were completely dependent on God and, according to verse 3, completely committed to him, holy and separated from the other nations to be God’s special people (Exod. 19:4–6). Israel was God’s bride, and the covenant at Sinai was regarded as a ‘marriage’. However, the Old Testament is very clear that God does not have a partner and that worship of a female goddess is absolutely forbidden. The devotion in verse 2 is a translation of the word ḥesed, indicating faithfulness, loyalty and love, in the sense of God’s steadfast love for his people within the covenant, but also the love of God’s people towards one another. The use of ḥesed here fits with the idea of covenant, which is the main message of the prophetic speech: there has been a loyal relationship since Sinai, but Israel has broken it by being unfaithful to God, following other gods (vv. 11, 13) and relying on other nations more than on God (v. 18). Verse 3 refers to Israel as God’s firstfruits. The firstfruits of the harvest were dedicated to God (Exod. 23:19; Deut. 26). Those who devoured Israel (lit. ‘eat’) are the nations who attacked Israel during the wanderings in the desert (e.g. Amalek, Exod. 17:8–16). Those who ill-treated God’s special people were ill-treated by him.

4. Verses 4–13 present a ‘court case’ in which God addresses his people. Jacob and Israel are the usual names for the northern kingdom which was exiled in 722. In the context of this chapter, the prophet deals with the unfaithfulness of the whole covenant people from the beginning, including Judah in his own day (see v. 2, Jerusalem). The word ‘clan’ (TNIV) is a good translation of the Hebrew and indicates a unit of kinship larger than just one family, but smaller than a tribe. However, in this context we can read it as ‘tribes’.1

5–8. In this rhetorical question, the appalling truth of Israel’s apostasy is exposed. How can the people forsake a God who is holy and perfect? Compared to him, idols are worthless (cf. 10:15). The word idols is absent in Hebrew, so it could be translated ‘worthless things’, but idols are certainly the intended meaning. The result of worshipping worthless things is to become worthless yourself. The Hebrew word for ‘worthless’ (heḅel) plays an important role in the book of Ecclesiastes: it is vanity, a breath, a puff of air which is gone immediately – it is ‘nothing’. Lundbom (1999: 259) translates: ‘They went after The Nothing [Hebrew uses the singular form with a definite article], and became nothing.’ Idols do not provid...

Table of contents

• Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries
• Jeremiah and Lamentations
• CONTENTS
• GENERAL PREFACE
• AUTHOR’S PREFACE
• CHIEF ABBREVIATIONS
• SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHIES
• JEREMIAH
• ANALYSIS
• COMMENTARY
• 2. CALLS TO REPENTANCE AND WORDS OF JUDGMENT (2 – 6)
• 3. THE COVENANT BROKEN: JEREMIAH’S LAMENTS (7 – 20)
• 4. CONCERNING KINGS (21 – 22)
• 5. TRUE VERSUS FALSE PROPHECY (23 – 29)
• 6. THE BOOK OF COMFORT (30 – 33)
• 7. DEALINGS WITH ZEDEKIAH AND JEHOIAKIM (34 – 38)
• 8. THE FINAL DAYS (39 – 45)
• 9. ORACLES AGAINST THE NATIONS (46 – 51)
• 10. EPILOGUE (52:1–34)
• LAMENTATIONS
• ANALYSIS
• COMMENTARY
• 2. GOD IS LIKE AN ENEMY (2:1–22)
• 3. GLIMPSES OF HOPE (3:1–66)
• 4. ONGOING SUFFERING AND A SPARK OF RELIEF (4:1–22)
• 5. PLEASE, LORD, HELP! (5:1–22)
• Notes