Chapter 17

1 The captivity of Judah for her sin. 5 Trust in man is cursed, 7 in God is blessed. 9 The deceitful heart cannot deceive God. 12 The salvation of God. 15 The prophet complaineth of the mockers of his prophecy. 19 He is sent to renew the covenant in hallowing the sabbath.

1. A pen of iron. A stylus, or graving tool (see Job 19:24).

A diamond. Heb. shamir, “emery,” “adamant,” or “flint.” This was not the diamond as we know it, but a sharp stone set in iron for engraving use. The word is rendered “adamant” in Eze. 3:9; Zech. 7:12. It is employed here to show that “the sin of Judah” was deeply and ineradicably stamped “upon the table of their heart” (see 2 Cor. 3:3).

Upon the horns. Most likely the horns of the altars of their idolatrous worship. For a description of the horns on the ancient altar see Ex. 27:2; 29:12.

2. Whilst their children remember. Brought up in an environment of idolatry, the children would be inclined to adopt the same wicked course.

Groves. Heb. Хasherim. Asherah was the name of a Canaanite goddess, worshiped with licentious rites, whose symbol was a tree or wooden post (see on Judges 3:7; see Vol. II, p. 39).

Green trees. While the Asherah was not a grove of trees, the shrine of this heathen goddess was generally connected with one, just as the “high hills” were associated with heathen altars (see Deut. 12:2, 3; Isa. 57:7).

O my mountain. The Hebrew of this phrase is obscure. Many of the ancient versions consider the phrase an adverbial modifier, simply indicating the place where the idolatries were carried on, namely, in the mountains. Compare the reading of the RSV.

Give thy substance. An allusion to the spoils that the invading Babylonians would take from Jerusalem, especially from the Temple (see 2 Kings 24:10–16).

4. Discontinue. Heb. shamat, “to let loose,” “to let drop,” or “to let fall,” indicating the surrender of Judah’s “heritage” to the Chaldeans, Since shamat also has the meaning of leaving the land untilled, or allowing it to “rest” (see Ex. 23:10, 11), the country of Judah, because of its coming captivity, would “rest,” and “enjoy her sabbaths” (see Lev. 26:32–34; 2 Chron. 36:21).

Fire. See Deut. 32:22.

5. Cursed. Realizing that much of the trouble experienced by his nation was caused by its alliances with Assyria and Egypt, which indicated a transference of their trust for safety and peace from the Lord to the “arm” of man, the prophet, with spirited abruptness, denounces those responsible for this deceptive confidence.

Be the man. The Hebrew word for “man” here is geber, “a young, vigorous man” (see on Ps. 34:8).

Trusteth in man. The Hebrew word for “man” here is Хadam, “man [in the generic sense],” that is, “a person,” “one belonging to the human race.” Here “man” signifies one who is merely a human being, thus aptly signifying that the nations upon whom the Israelites relied for help were after all but human, having the weaknesses common to all mankind. The prophet’s message has significance for our day. How easy it is for men to seek human sources of help and guidance rather than to rely upon what God has promised!

6. Heath. Heb. ФarФar, “shrub,” denoting probably the “juniper.” A forceful figure of desolation and barrenness. In such a forlorn, dreary condition, entirely apart from the blessings that might have been his, the man who trusts in humanity “shall not see when good cometh.”

Salt land. This striking figure would immediately call to mind the desolate shores of the Dead Sea, barren because of the salt content of the water and soil.

7. Blessed is the man. Here we have the opposite of “cursed be the man” in v. 5.

8. As a tree. Similar to the words of the psalmist (see on Ps. 1:3).

Shall not see. The LXX reads “shall not fear.” “Planted by the waters,” and consequently receiving plenty of moisture, this flourishing tree is not concerned by the coming of a “drought.” So it is with the righteous, who receive strength for every trial because of their trust in God.

9. Deceitful. Heb. Фaqob, from the root Фaqab, “to seize at the heel,” “to beguile.” Here is the disclosure of the tragic reason that leads unregenerate man to choose to be a barren “heath” (v. 6) in the desert of sin rather than to be a fruitful “tree planted by the waters” (v. 8) of redemptive life. That reason is man’s own unregenerate, sinful nature (see Job 15:14; Ps. 51:5; 58:3; Eccl. 9:3; Rom. 7:14–20; Eph. 2:3).

Desperately wicked. Literally, “incurable,” that is, without any ability to heal its own evil (see Jer. 13:23; Jer. 30:12, 13; Matt. 9:12, 13).

10. Reins. Literally, “kidneys,” as representative of the inner man, the hidden motives (see on Ps. 7:9). God will judge “every man according to his ways” (see Matt. 16:27; Rom. 14:12; 2 Cor. 5:10; Rev. 22:12). Not only will the judgment deal with a man’s deeds; it will also take into consideration the “fruit,” the influence, of man’s deeds upon others, both in life and in death.

11. As the partridge. The Hebrew of the first part of the verse is obscure. Some believe the passage refers to a belief of the Jews that the partridge added to her own eggs those stolen from other birds, and that when the young of these stolen eggs were hatched they left her. Perhaps Jeremiah employs this belief to illustrate the experience of the covetous man, whose greed causes him to pile up riches that are not truly his, and that sooner or later “make themselves wings” and disappear (see Prov. 23:5).

12. A glorious high throne. See on ch. 14:21.

14. Heal me. Compare chs. 3:22; 30:17; 33:6. The prophet knows the One who alone can heal his sinful heart (see Ps. 6:2; 30:2; 103:1–3).

Thou art my praise. See Deut. 10:21; Ps. 71:6.

15. Let it come. The ironical, mocking words of the unrepentant Israelites in response to Jeremiah’s forewarnings of judgments. It would seem that the people felt quite secure, and had no concept of their future troubles. This is another indication that this series of messages was early in the prophet’s ministry (see on chs. 14:1; 15:1; 16:2).

16. I have not hastened. Some have interpreted this declaration of Jeremiah as indicating that he had not been quick to leave his work as a shepherd to carry out God’s commission as a prophet (see Amos 7:14, 15), assuming that before his call he tended his flocks in Anathoth and “her suburbs” (see 1 Chron. 6:60). However, the Hebrew of this passage is somewhat obscure and may be otherwise understood. Another possible meaning is that Jeremiah had not withdrawn from following God as a spiritual shepherd. A third possible interpretation is that reflected in the RSV (see below under “Pastor”).

Pastor. Heb. roФeh, “shepherd.” Some believe that the word should be read raФah, “evil,” which is the reading of the Syriac and of the Greek translations of Aquila and Symmachus. Thus the RSV renders this clause, “I have not pressed thee to send evil.”

Neither have I desired. The prophet is protesting that because he had no desire to see “the woeful day” of divine judgment, which he predicted would come upon his people, he was not too eager to be God’s spokesman.

18. Be confounded. See on Ps. 35:4.

Double destruction. Literally, “double breaking” (see on ch. 16:18).

19. Thus said the Lord. Here we begin a new line of prophecies having no direct connection with what has gone before. This message was probably delivered sometime after the messages recorded in chs. 14 to 17:18, and probably sometime before the Temple Discourse (see on ch. 7:1; see also PK 411).

21. Thus saith the Lord. This and the following verses show that Sabbath desecration was carried on in Jerusalem, particularly in the city’s “gates” (see on Gen. 19:1; Joshua 8:29).

Burden. See a similar record of Sabbath-breaking in Neh. 13:15–22. These burdens may have included the grain, wine, fruits, fish, and other articles of trade that were brought into the city from the country by those coming to the Temple to worship. Also included were the wares of the city, which were sold on the holy day of rest. Thus the picture presented is that of a loose Sabbath observance, a practice most distasteful to God (see Isa. 56:2–6; cf. ch. 58:13, 14).

25. This city. It would be difficult to find any scripture that sets forth more certainly the high importance of Sabbath observance. Had the Jews been loyal to God’s law, and especially to the Sabbath commandment, unlimited blessings would have been theirs.

In chariots and on horses. Symbols of kingly pomp (1 Kings 4:26; Zech. 9:9, 10).

Remain for ever. On the glorious destiny that might have been Jerusalem’s see DA 577; cf. PK 46, 564, see also pp. 29, 30.

27. Not hearken. That the failure of the Israelites to observe the Sabbath did bring this tragic result is witnessed in 2 Kings 25:9.

Quenched. Not that the fire would burn without ceasing, but rather that the “fire” of God’s retributive justice could not be extinguished until it fully accomplished the divine purpose. Jerusalem was destroyed by fire both by the Babylonians, in 586 b.c., and by the Romans, in a.d. 70; and in both cases no human efforts were able to stop the conflagration until its appointed work of destruction was completed.

Ellen G. White comments

5    CW 34, 164; DA 414; FE 501; LS 323; MH 486; PK 329; TM 106, 313, 350, 367, 375, 380, 464, 480, 487, 494; 2T 130; 5T 195; 7T 178, 213; 8T 145, 162

5, 6 COL 201

5–8FE 172, 372, 441

5–10FE 223

7     MH 286

8     GC 602

9     CH 456; COL 159; PP 688; 1T 188, 482; 3T 253, 336; 5T 194, 332

9, 10    2T 512

10   3T 191; 5T 494

11   Ed 143

12   PP 34

13   3T 186, 464; 5T 371

13, 14  FE 172

19, 21, 22        PK 411

21–25GC 19

24, 25  DA 577; PK 411, 564

25   PK 46

27   PK 412