Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 1:9
Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.
9. touched ] caused it to touch. An outward symbol of the gift of eloquence, which was being then and there bestowed. The same part of the verb (with a causative force) is used in the corresponding passage of Isaiah (Isa 6:7). On the other hand, in Daniel (Dan 10:16), where the object was merely to restore the power of articulate speech, the verb is “touched,” not “caused to touch.” The nature of God’s dealing with Ezekiel was distinct from either of these (Eze 2:8).
I have put, etc.] Cp. Deu 18:18.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Touched – Made it touch. This was the symbol of the bestowal of divine grace and help, by which that want of eloquence, which the prophet had pleaded as a disqualification, was removed.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Jer 1:9
To whom the Word of the Lord came.
The Word of God
Words are often used in two ways–one specific, definite; the other general, figurative. Thus, when we use the word heart, we mean specifically that organ which pumps the blood throughout our being; on the other hand, we use it broadly as the seat of the affections and centre of highest being. So it is with the term word, Primarily, it stands for a written or spoken term composed of letters; then we enlarge its content and use it in the sense of a message, What word did our friend send? Then as the Psalmist used it, where the heavens have a word for us, a message. Then we go on until we come to find that any expression of God is called a Word of God. This is the use of word in the Bible. The Word of God is always an expression of Gods being.
I. There is a Word of God for us in nature. The very heavens have a Word of God for us. They tell us that an attribute of His is glory, majesty, far-reaching grandeur. Days and nights all speak of His glory and infinite resource. How many words of God come to us through Nature! How the writers of the Psalms saw it! How Jesus saw in Nature the Word of Gods care and watchfulness!
1. Thus honesty is a Word of God, written on all the face of Nature as an attribute. Nature tells us God is honest, true to Himself, to the laws He has made, to man. The foundation Principle of the physical universe is honesty. The stars swing true to their courses. Suns rise and set and do not deceive us. If we did not know this universe was run honestly, we would not dare enter a new day.
2. As we are reading, in these days, more and more deeply into Nature, we are hearing another great Word of God, namely, that God is a God of purpose. This is a great message. Many people think He is not a God of purpose, but that the universe is being run with no end in view. Nature is full of prophecy, life everywhere throbs with expectancy of greater being; God begins with the simplest and works towards the greatest, He starts with a cell of living matter, and ends with the wonderful human frame, He starts with a spark of life and ends with a spirit in His own image. The best lies before us, the golden age is yet to be. God has great destinies in view for the human soul.
II. There has been a distinctive Word of God spoken through prophets and statesmen who have been wrapped up in the progress of nations. We might see this in the history of any nation, of old or of today, but I will take Israel, because we are more familiar with its history and its prophets. One Word of God that came through Israel was justice. God was a just God. He was not like the gods of the Babylonians, fickle, full of whims, acting by impulse, but He was a God who weighed and considered; who looked at motives as well as deeds; who meted out rewards and punishments by desert. Another Word of God that came to Israel was that He was a shield and reward, a defender of His people. The Word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram, I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward. Ah, how well Israel learned that word in all her devious history! And how deeply impressed upon her was the word that God was a jealous God–jealous for the welfare of His people, a present help, a refuge, and a strength. Another word that came through Israel was that God was a patient, long-suffering God. The prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah were continually giving this Word of God. And every other nation through its people and prophets has some great Word of God to give to the world. For God is not dumb, and His prophets today are not deaf.
III. It is through life that God must speak His largest word, make the fullest revelation of His Being. It is life that speaks to life, heart that comforts heart. All the prophets of Israel saying that God is long-suffering will not move a man to see it so much as one soul here exhibiting the forbearance of God. Preachers may preach forever that God is love, and it will not have the force of one God-filled deed of love. So it is with all the attributes of God. They cannot be revealed in their great, Divine reality except as they are manifest in human life. So when the fulness of time had come God spoke to men through a human soul. Then was His true glory revealed, then His nature made manifest. It was when the word, the expression, the character of God became flesh and dwelt among us that we beheld His glory. Jesus is the living manifestation of the Word of God. Now I have seen Jesus I know God identifies Himself with men. For He has come into our humanity. I ask God what word He has for me in my sorrows and loneliness, and the answer comes to me in the life of Jesus that God is love. I see God living as love before me. I see His love going out to wretched men and women. I see Him serving as only love can serve. I see Him gathering to Himself outcasts and sinners, and recreating them in a new atmosphere of love. I see Him taking little children upon His knee and blessing them. I see Him suffering because He loved the world. What is the nature of God? In Jesus see how He is a Father. See how Jesus whole life was a living word speaking the Fatherhood of God. How does God treat sinful beings? Look how Jesus treated sinful women who came to Him, and see how God treats sinners. How does God feel over the sins of the world? See Jesus weeping over Jerusalem. Will God suffer to save men? See Jesus giving His rest, and strength, and life, that men may see to what ends God will go to save His children. Let us remember that it was because Jesus was one with the Father that He could be the medium of the Word of God. But when He said, I and the Father are one, He referred to a spiritual oneness. So wherever there is a soul today who is one with the Father, there you will find a living Word of God. There is a very striking scene in George Macdonalds Robert Falconer which shows how today a Word of God may come through life. Eric Ericson, a poor Scotch student, tramping on to Edinburgh, stops footsore and weary at the Boars Head, the inn kept by Letty Napier. After resting awhile, he starts to go on, although so footsore he can hardly walk. But Miss Letty makes him go up to a room and take off his shoes, and let her bathe his feet. He expostulates, for he has not a shilling in the world. But Miss Letty makes him stay three days and rest, while she ministers to him, and then starts him off to Edinburgh, a new man, and a couple of pieces in his pocket. Eric had been a sceptic, but as he walks with Robert he says, with the tears welling up in his eyes, If I only knew that God was as good as that woman, I should die content. Robert answers, But surely ye dinna think Gods nae as guid as she is? Surely Hes as guid as He can be. He is good, ye know. Eric answers, Oh, yes, they say so. And then they tell you something about Him that isnt good, and go on calling Him good all the same. But calling anybody good doesnt make him good, you know. Yes, poor Eric was right–calling Him good does not make Him good. But when Eric felt love in this godly woman it set him to thinking about the goodness in God. It was a living word from God straight to his heart. So, every time you do a deed of love, you are speaking a word of God. (F. Lynch.)
The call of Jeremiah
It is not to be expected that a superficial gaze will discern the special qualifications that attracted the Divine choice to Jeremiah. But that is no wonder. The instruments of the Divine purpose in all ages have not been such as man would have selected. There were several reasons why Jeremiah might have been passed over.
1. He was young. How young we do not know; but young enough for him to start back at the Divine proposal with the cry, Ah! Lord God! behold, I cannot speak; for I am a child. Without doubt, as a boy he had enjoyed peculiar advantages. God has often selected the young for posts of eminent service: Samuel and Timothy; Joseph and David; Daniel and John the Baptist.
2. He was naturally timid and sensitive. By nature he seemed cast in too delicate a mould to be able to combat the dangers and difficulties of his time. He reminds us of a denizen of the sea, accustomed to live within its shell, but suddenly deprived of its strong encasement, and thrown without covering on the sharp edges of the rocks. The bitter complaint of his afterlife was that his mother had brought him into a world of strife and contention. Many are moulded upon this type. They have the sensitiveness of a girl, and the nervous organism of a gazelle. They love the shallows, with their carpet of silver sand, rather than the strong billows that test a mans endurance. For them it is enough to run with footmen; they have no desire to contend with horses. Yet such, like Jeremiah, may play an heroic part on the worlds stage, if only they will let God lay down the iron of His might along the lines of their natural weakness. His strength is only made perfect in weakness. It is to those who have no might that He increaseth strength.
3. He specially shrank from the burden he was summoned to bear. His chosen theme would have been Gods mercy–the boundlessness of His compassion, the tenderness of His pity. But to be charged with a message of judgment; to announce the woeful day; to oppose every suggestion of heroic resistance; to charge home on the prophetic and the priestly orders, to each of which he belonged, and the anger of each of which he incurred, the crimes by which they were disgraced–this was the commission that was furthest from his choice (Jer 17:16).
4. He was conscious of his deficiency in speech. Like Moses, he could say, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since Thou hast spoken unto Thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. The best speakers for God are frequently they who are least gifted with human eloquence; for if that be richly present–the mighty power of moving men–there is an imminent peril of relying on it, and attributing the results to its magnetic spell. God cannot give His glory to another. He may not share His praise with man. He dare not expose His servants to the temptation of sacrificing to their own net or trusting their own ability. Do not, then, despair because of these apparent disqualifications. Notwithstanding all, the Word of the Lord shall come to thee; not for thy sake alone, but for those to whom thou shalt be sent. The one thing that God demands of thee is absolute consecration to His purpose, and willingness to go on any errand on which He may send thee. (F. B. Meyer, B. A.)
In the days of Josiah . . . also in the days of Jehoiakim.
Mutations of life
When one sea floweth, another ebbeth. When one star riseth, another setteth. When light is in Goshen, darkness is in Egypt. When Mordecai groweth into favour, Haman groweth out of favour. When Benjamin beginneth, Rachel endeth. Thus we are rising or setting, getting or spending, winning or losing, growing or fading, until we arrive at heaven or hell. (Henry Smith.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Then the Lord put forth his hand: God having before excited the prophet to his work by command and promise, doth now in a vision establish and confirm him, either by the hand of an angel, Isa 6:6,7, or rather, by himself in some visible shape.
Touched, Heb. came upon, as the word is used, Jdg 20:41, hereby enabling him to speak; or, Thou shalt be my mouth to deliver my words; partly, to let Jeremiah understand that they were Gods words; and partly, to intimate that they should be effectual; and partly, that he should never be without them, but continually supplied. See the like kind of phrase Jer 5:14. And he adds,
Behold; q.d. Attend to what I am about to say; or, Look upon this outward sign, and let it assure thee of the thing signified.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
9. touched my mouthasymbolical act in supernatural vision, implying that God would givehim utterance, notwithstanding his inability to speak(Jer 1:6). So Isaiah’s lips weretouched with a living coal (Isa 6:7;compare Eze 2:8; Eze 2:9;Eze 2:10; Dan 10:16).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Then the Lord put forth his hand,…. Who, according to Kimchi, was the Angel that appeared to the prophet, and spoke in the name of the Lord to him, and is called by his name; but rather it was the Son of God, the true Jehovah, who appeared in a human form he assumed for the present, and put forth his hand:
and touched my mouth; just as one of the seraphim touched the mouth and lips of the Prophet Isaiah with a live coal from the altar, Isa 6:6, by this symbol the prophet was inducted into his office; and it was suggested to him that his mouth was now sanctified to the Lord’s use and service; and that what he should speak should not be his own words, but the words of the Lord; and so the Targum paraphrases it,
“and the Lord sent the words of his prophecy, and ordered them in my mouth;”
to which agrees what follows:
and the Lord said unto me, behold, I have put my words in thy mouth; which was signified by the preceding symbol; wherefore he might with great freedom and boldness deliver them out to others.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The Consecration. – Jer 1:9. “ And Jahveh stretched forth His hand, and touched my mouth, and Jahveh said to me, Behold, I put my words into thy mouth. Jer 1:10 . Behold, I set thee this day over the nations, and over the kingdoms, to root up and to ruin, to destroy and to demolish, to build and to plant.” In order to assure him by overt act of His support, the Lord gives him a palpable pledge. He stretches out His hand and causes it to touch his mouth (cf. Isa 6:7); while, as explanation of this symbolical act, He adds: I have put my words in thy mouth. The hand is the instrument of making and doing; the touching of Jeremiah’s mouth by the hand of God is consequently an emblematical token that God frames in his mouth what he is to speak. It is a tangible pledge of , inspiratio , embodiment of that influence exercised on the human spirit, by means of which the holy men of God speak, being moved by the Holy Ghost, 2Pe 1:21 (Ngelsb.). The act is a real occurrence, taking place not indeed in the earthly, corporeal sphere, but experienced in spirit, and of the nature of ecstasy. By means of it God has consecrated him to be His prophet, and endowed him for the discharge of his duties; He may now entrust him with His commission to the peoples and kingdoms, and set him over them as His prophet who proclaims to them His word. The contents of this proclaiming are indicated in the following infinitive clauses. With the words of the Lord he is to destroy and to build up peoples and kingdoms. The word of God is a power that carries out His will, and accomplishes that whereto He sends it, Isa 55:10. Against this power nothing earthly can stand; it is a hammer that breaks rocks in pieces, Jer 23:29. What is here said of the word of Jahveh to be preached by Jeremiah is said of Jahveh Himself in Jer 31:28. Its power is to show itself in two ways, in destroying and in building up. The destroying is not set down as a mere preliminary, but is expressed by means of four different words, whereas the building is given only in two words, and these standing after the four; in order, doubtless, to indicate that the labours of Jeremiah should consist, in the first place and for the most part, in proclaiming judgment upon the nations. The assonant verbs and are joined to heighten the sense; for the same reason is added to , and in the antithesis is joined with .
(Note: The lxx have omitted a , and hence Hitz. infers the spuriousness of this word. But in the parallel passage, Jer 31:28, the lxx have rendered all the four words by the one ; and Hitz. does not then pronounce the other three spurious.)
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
Here Jeremiah speaks again of his calling, that his doctrine might not be despised, as though it proceeded from a private individual. He, therefore, testifies again, that he came not of himself, but was sent from above, and was invested with the authority of a prophet. For this purpose he says, that God’s words were put in his mouth.
This passage ought to be carefully observed; for Jeremiah briefly describes how a true call may be ascertained, when any one undertakes the office of a teacher in the Church: it is ascertained even by this when he brings nothing of his own, according to what Peter says in his first canonical epistle,
“
Let him who speaks, speak as the oracles of God,” (1Pe 4:11)
that is, let him not speak doubtingly, as though he introduced his own glosses; but let him boldly, and without hesitation, speak in the name of God. So also Jeremiah in this place, in order that he might demand to be heard, plainly declares that the words of God were put in his mouth. Let us, then, know, that whatever proceeds from the wit of man, ought to be disregarded; for God wills this honor to be conceded to him alone, as it was stated yesterday, to be heard in his own Church. It hence follows, that none ought to be acknowledged as God’s servants, that no prophets or teachers ought to be counted true and faithful, except those through whom God speaks, who invent nothing themselves, who teach not according to their own fancies, but faithfully deliver what God has committed to them.
A visible symbol was added, that there might be a stronger confirmation: but there is no reason to make this a general rule, as though it were necessary that the tongues of all teachers should be touched by the hand of God. There are here two things — the thing itself, and the external sign. As to the thing itself, a rule is prescribed to all God’s servants, that they bring not their own inventions, but simply deliver, as from hand to hand, what they have received from God. But it was a special thing as to Jeremiah, that God, by stretching out his hand, touched his mouth; it was, that he might openly shew that his mouth was consecrated to himself. It is therefore sufficient as to the ministers of the word, that their tongues be consecrated to God, so that they may not mix any of their own fictions with his pure doctrine. But it was God’s will, as to Jeremiah, to add also the visible signs of the thing itself, by extending his hand and touching his mouth.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(9) The Lord put forth his hand . . .The symbolic act seems to imply something like a waking vision, like that of Isaiah (Isa. 6:6), and the act itself reminds us of the live coal laid upon the prophets mouth, as there recorded. The hand of the Lord, as in Eze. 3:14; Eze. 8:1., and elsewhere, was the received symbol of the special influence of the Spirit of the Lord; and here, as in the case of Isaiah, the act implied the gift of new powers of thought and utterance. The words which a prophet speaks, like those which were to be spoken by the Apostles of Christ (Mat. 10:20), are not his own words, but those put into his heart by the Spirit of the Father. So the finger of God in Luk. 11:20 answers to the Spirit of God in Mat. 12:28.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
9. And touched my mouth A sign and symbol of inspiration, implying that God would reveal his power through Jeremiah’s utterances. But this symbolical act belongs not to the realm of sense, but to that of spirit. Other cases of touching the lips are those of Isa 6:6, symbolical of purification; and of Dan 10:16, symbolical of supernatural strengthening.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jer 1:9 Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.
Ver. 9. Then the Lord put forth his hand and touched my mouth. ] This was a very great favour and a sweet settlement to the hesitating prophet. The like visible sign for confirmation was given to Isaiah; Isa 6:7 to Ezekiel; Eze 2:8 ; Eze 3:2-3 and to John the divine; Rev 10:10 how much are we bound to God for his word and sacraments?
Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
hand . . . touched. Figure of speech Anthropopatheia. Compare Isaiah (Isa 6:6, Isa 6:7); Ezekiel (Eze 2:8, Eze 2:9); Daniel (Can. Jer 10:16).
I have put My words, &c. This is inspiration. See Deu 18:18. Compare Act 1:16. David’s “mouth”, but not David’s “words”.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
and touched: Exo 4:11, Exo 4:12, Isa 6:6, Isa 6:7, Isa 49:2, Isa 50:4, Luk 21:15
Behold: Jer 5:14, Exo 4:15, Exo 4:16, Isa 51:16, Eze 3:10, Mat 10:19, Luk 12:12
Reciprocal: Num 23:5 – General Deu 31:19 – put it in their 2Sa 14:3 – put the words Ezr 8:17 – I told them Eze 2:9 – an hand Dan 10:10 – an hand Dan 10:16 – touched Luk 1:64 – his mouth Joh 9:39 – For Act 15:7 – by my Rev 10:11 – Thou
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 1:9. The Lord sometimes resorts to literal actions, both by himself and through his servants, in bringing about certain results. This doubtless is for the effect of making a strong impression, In Jeremiah’s case his inspiration was indicated by the hand of the Lord being brought into contact with his mouth. The action would especially denote his inspiration when speaking to the people.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Jer 1:9-10. Then the Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth This appeared to the prophet to be done in his vision; whereby he was taught that the divine help should go along with him, that the gift of utterance should be bestowed upon him, and that he should be able to declare the divine commands in a proper spirit and manner: compare Isa 6:7; and Isa 51:16. Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth By the seeing of this symbolical action in his vision, and the hearing of these words, Jeremiah could not but be assured that he should be able to speak in the proper language of a prophet, or with words becoming his office, and that he should have that firmness and boldness given him which were necessary for the purpose. Jeremiah does not indeed equal Isaiah in eloquence of speech, but he seems to have been no way inferior to him in firmness of mind. See, I have this day set thee over the nations Namely, to speak to them in my name, for this is all that is meant here by being set over them. To root out and to pull down, &c. In the style of Scripture the prophets are said to do what they declare shall be done; and therefore Jeremiah is here said to root out, &c., because he was authorized to make known the purposes of God, and because the events here mentioned would follow in consequence of his prophecies. See Isa 6:9; and Bishop Newton on the Prophecies, vol. 1.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1:9 Then the LORD put forth his hand, and {k} touched my mouth. And the LORD said to me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.
(k) Which declares that God makes them meet and assures them, whom he calls to set forth his glory, giving them all means necessary for the same, Exo 4:12, Isa 6:7 .
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
By stretching out His hand and touching Jeremiah’s mouth, the Lord symbolized the transfer of His words to the prophet’s mouth (cf. Deu 18:18). He also explained the meaning of His act. This was a powerful way of visualizing that the Lord Himself would participate in all that Jeremiah would undertake (cf. Isa 6:6-7; Eze 3:1-3).
God uses ordinary people to accomplish His extraordinary work if they trust in Him in spite of their fears, obey Him in spite of their inexperience, and proclaim His Word in spite of their feelings of inadequacy. [Note: Charles H. Dyer, in The Old Testament Explorer, p. 591.]
"The word of God is a power that carries out His will, and accomplishes that whereto He sends it, Isa. Leviticus 10 ff. Against this power nothing earthly can stand; it is a hammer that breaks rocks in pieces, xxiii. 29." [Note: Keil, 1:42.]