This chapter is a continuation of prophecies of spiritual blessings on the church of Christ in Gospel times, of which the return of the Jews from captivity, and the benefits following on that, were types. The place where Jeremiah had this prophecy communicated to him, the prison, Jer.

Moreover the word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah the second time Not that this was precisely the second time that the word of the Lord came to the prophet, for it had come to him many more times than those; but this was the second time on the same occasion and subject; for the subject of this…

Thus saith the Lord, the Maker thereof The Syriac version is, “that made thee”; the prophet. The Septuagint and Arabic versions are, “the Maker of the earth”; see . Kimchi interprets it of Jerusalem; rather it is to be understood of the New Jerusalem, or church of God in Gospel times.

Call unto me, and I will answer thee This is spoken not to Jerusalem, and the inhabitants of it; but to the prophet, encouraging him to seek the Lord by prayer, promising an answer to him.

For thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel The destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans, which was now fulfilling, is here mentioned as a pledge of the accomplishment of spiritual blessings after spoken of; and to assure the prophet, that as he would with his own eyes see the fulfilment of the…

They come to fight with the Chaldeans Either the Jews out of the country, or their auxiliaries, their neighbours, to oblige them to break up the siege; but all to no purpose: or rather the Jews within; who, from the mounts erected, fight with the Chaldeans; or by sallying out upon them: but it is…

Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, &c.] That is, the church of God, the members of it, typified by Jerusalem; and it is to be understood of the healing of their spiritual maladies, the diseases of sin, through the blood of the Messiah, who should arise with healing in…

And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to return Mention being made of the return of the captivity of Israel, or the ten tribes, as well as that of Judah, shows that this prophecy does not relate to the return of the Jews from their seventy years’ captivity in Babylon;…

And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me Even by the blood of Christ, which cleanses from all sin, of heart, lip, and life, in allusion to the purifications under the law, ; see ; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and…

And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise, and an honour, &c.] That is, the church and people of God, being redeemed and rebuilt by Christ, and being cleansed from their sins in his blood, and all their iniquities forgiven for his sake, would be a cause of joy to themselves and others, and…

Thus saith the Lord, again there shall be heard in this place This is to be connected with the beginning of ; and what follows to be put in a parenthesis: which ye say shall be desolate without man and without beast: as in ; the destruction of it being now certain and inevitable; and by which such…

The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness Such is the voice of the Gospel to all sensible sinners; whose eyes are opened to see their lost estate; whose ears are opened to hear the joyful sound: whose hearts are opened to attend to the things spoken in it; who are humble and contrite, wounded and…

Thus saith the Lord of hosts Which phrase, or what is answerable to it, is often repeated, to give authority to what is said, and to command a belief of it: again, in this place which is desolate; which was said to be so, ; and indeed was so; and was near utter destruction, as to be without man and…

In the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the vale, and in the cities of the south Into which three parts the land of Judea was divided; (See Gill on Jer.

Behold, the days come, saith the Lord Or, “are coming” [[18]]; future times are respected; yet such as would quickly come; five or six hundred years more, and then would be fulfilled what is after promised.

In those days, and at that time In those very selfsame days before spoken of; in those days to come, and which were hastening on; in the fulness of time, agreed on between Jehovah and his Son; the appointed, fixed, determined time: will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; not…

In those days shall Judah be saved The elect of God among the Jews; and all such who are Jews inwardly, who truly believe in Christ, and confess his name, and praise him, and give him the glory or salvation.

For thus saith the Lord Confirming the above promise concerning the Messiah; giving a reason why his coming may be expected; and why the salvation, justification, and final perseverance of his church and people, are certain things, and to be depended upon: David shall never want a man to sit upon…

Neither shall the priests the Levites want a man before me, &c.] The Levitical priesthood has been abolished long ago; that was typical of Christ’s priesthood, and is succeeded by it; who is a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek; and who, having offered up himself a sacrifice here on…

And the word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah For the further explanation and confirmation of what is before said; and which came at the same time as the other; this being not a new prophecy, but an illustration of the former: saying; as follows:

Thus saith the Lord, if you can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night The same with the ordinances of the sun, moon, and stars, (Jer. 31:35, Jer.

Then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant, &c.] A type of the Messiah, with whom the covenant of grace is made, stands fast, and will never be broken; see (Ps. 89:3, Ps. 89:28, Ps.

As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured As the stars of heaven are innumerable, and the sand of the sea immeasurable: so will I multiply the seed of David my servant; the Messiah; the son and antitype of David; and who is often called by his name; and as the…

Moreover the word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah Upon the same subject, concerning the continuance of David’s seed; with a refutation of a calumny uttered against the Lord about the rejection of them: saying; as follows:

Considerest thou not what this people have spoken The words are directed to the prophet by an interrogation, if he had not considered in his mind what he heard the people say; not the Chaldeans, with whom the prophet was not; but the unbelieving Jews, either the profane part of them, who had a…

Thus saith the Lord In answer to the above calumny: if my covenant be not with day and night; that is, if it should not stand; if it should be broken; or there should be no longer a succession of day and night: and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth; concerning the course of…

Then will I cast away the seed of Jacob, and David my servant R. Jonah thinks that Jacob is put instead of Aaron, because of the two families of David and Aaron before mentioned; but in this latter part of the chapter no mention is made of priests at all; and by the “seed” is meant one and the…