Jeremiah 44

Jeremiah 44:3

So be it - God having ended his speech, the prophet saith, Amen, either asserting the truth of which God had said, or wishing that the people would do according to their covenant.

Jeremiah 44:6

Did them not - For this God threatens to bring upon them all his words of threatening, annexed to the covenant of the law.

Jeremiah 44:7

A conspiracy - All sorts of people have done alike, as if they had conspired together to break my law.

Jeremiah 44:9

I will not hearken - God will not hear them crying to him in their adversity, who refuse to hear him speaking to them in their prosperity.

Jeremiah 44:11

That shameful thing - Baal, called a shameful thing, because it was what they had reason to be ashamed of, and what would certainly bring them to shame and confusion. Baal - Signifies Lord, and was a common name given to more idols than one; the Phoenicians used the name Baal, the Chaldeans, Bell. Learned men say, that the Asians called the same idol Baal, whom those of Europe called Jupiter. It is not improbable, that the Heathens acknowledging one supreme being, worshipped him in several creatures; some mistaking the Sun, Moon, and Stars to be he, others, other things; these they called Baalim, Lords, as they called the principal god, Baal.

Jeremiah 44:13

My beloved - My people, saith God, though I was formerly their husband, yet have wrought lewdness with many, that is, committed idolatry with many idols, and now what have they to do more in my house? The holy flesh - Flesh of their sacrifices, being set before idols, as well as before God, became polluted, and was abomination to the Lord. Thou rejoicest - They were not only evil but gloried in their wickedness.

Jeremiah 44:14

Fair - The Lord fixed thee when he brought thee first into Canaan, in a flourishing condition, like a fair olive - tree, fit to bear goodly fruit. Broken - But thou hast so behaved thyself, that he who planted thee, is about to pluck thee up. God is about to kindle a fire which will burn thee up, and to break thy branches.

Jeremiah 44:16

Thou shewedst me - This may be understood with relation to that conspiracy which is mentioned in the following verses.

Jeremiah 44:17

Let us destroy - We have no other mention of this conspiracy, but it is plain both from this verse, and what follows, that the men of Anathoth (which was Jeremiah’s own town) were offended at his prophesying, and had conspired to kill him. Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof - Let us not only put an end to his prophesying, but to his life.

Jeremiah 44:23

Talk with thee - Not by way of accusing thee, but for my own satisfaction concerning thy judicial dispensations in the government of the world. Wherefore - I know thy ways are just and righteous, but they are dark; I cannot understand why thou doest this.

Jeremiah 44:24

Far - Thou art far from their inward parts, they neither fear thee, nor love thee.

Jeremiah 44:26

He - They were bold to say, neither the prophet nor any other should see their last end.

Jeremiah 44:27

If - If thou art not able to encounter lesser dangers, how wilt thou be able to overcome greater? I have greater dangers for thee to encounter than those at Anathoth; if thou art so disturbed with them, how wilt thou be able to grapple with those at Jerusalem. Jordan - Anathoth seems to be understood by the land of thy peace, that is, the land of thy friends wherein thou hadst a confidence: if thy enemies there tire thee, what wilt thou do in the swellings of Jordan? In a place in which thou art like to meet with greater troubles, like the swelling of Jordan (which in harvest used to overflow its banks).

Jeremiah 44:28

For even - The men of Anathoth, thine own town and country, and those of thy own family have conspired evil against thee secretly. A multitude - They have exposed thee to the rage of a multitude. Though - Tho’ therefore they give thee fair words, yet repose no confidence in them.

Jeremiah 44:29

My house - God by his house here understands the temple. Heritage - The whole body of the Israelites, whom God threatens to leave with respect to his special providence.

Jeremiah 44:30

As a lion - Those that were my sheep, are become like lions.