Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 17:16
As for me, I have not hastened from [being] a pastor to follow thee: neither have I desired the woeful day; thou knowest: that which came out of my lips was [right] before thee.
16. I have not hastened from being a shepherd after thee ] The word “shepherd” is not used elsewhere of prophets. Moreover the whole expression is an awkward one. LXX, who seem to have read the Hebrew as it is vocalised in MT., render somewhat vaguely, as though puzzled. On the other hand Aquila and Syr., with much improvement to the parallelism, read (with different vowels) the (one) Hebrew word, rendered here “from being a shepherd,” because of evil, i.e. I have not pursued thee with persistent supplication to bring calamity on my foes (see ch. Jer 2:8, with note).
the woeful day ] LXX, as mg. the ( judgement) day of man.
thou knowest ] He appeals to God to confirm his protest and support his cause.
was before thy face ] was plainly to be seen by Thee.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 16. I have not hastened from being a pastor] Dr. Blayney translates thus: “But I have not been in haste to outrun thy guidance.” I was obliged to utter thy prediction; but I have not hastened the evil day. For the credit of my prophecy I have not desired the calamity to come speedily; I have rather pleaded for respite. I have followed thy steps, and proclaimed thy truth. I did not desire to be a prophet; but thou hast commanded, and I obeyed.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
I have not hastened from being a pastor to follow thee: that the words contain the prophets appeal to God upon some reproaches cast upon him by this wicked people, as if he had thrust himself into the prophetical office, is evident, and reasonably well agreed by interpreters; but they are divided about the sense of the word which yet always in Scripture signifies to make haste, or to urge, or press; the sense seemeth to be this: Lord! as I did not seek the office of a prophet, so when thou wert pleased to call me to it, I did not decline to be a pastor after thee.
Neither have I desired the woeful day; thou knowest; neither (saith he) have I desired to be a prophet of these sad tidings, those woeful miseries which thou hast made me thy messenger to foretell.
That which came out of my lips was right before thee; I have spoken nothing but what was right in thy sight, being what thou commandedst me to deliver as from thee, and so I know was right in thy sight.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
16. I have not refused Thy callof me to be a prophet (Jon 1:3),however painful to me it was to utter what would be sure to irritatethe hearers (Jer 1:4, c.).therefore Thou shouldest not forsake me (Jer15:15, c.).
to follow theeliterally,”after thee” as an under-pastor following Thee, the ChiefShepherd (Ecc 12:11; 1Pe 5:4).
neither . . . desiredIhave not wished for the day of calamity, though I foretell itas about to come on my countrymen; therefore they have no reason forpersecuting me.
thou knowestI appealto Thee for the truth of what I assert.
that which came out of mylipsmy words (De 23:23).
right beforetheerather, “was before Thee”; was known to Thee(Pr 5:21).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
As for me, I have not hastened from [being] a pastor to follow thee,…. Though he had met with so much ill usage, and was hated by the people for bringing such messages to them, and was jeered and scoffed at because his prophecies were not accomplished; yet he had not been hasty, and solicitous, and importunate with the Lord to dismiss him from his service; but was willing to continue in his office as a pastor or prophet, and to follow the Lord fully, and faithfully perform the work he had called him to, whatever difficulties and discouragements attended him, or reproaches were cast upon him. Some render the words, “I hastened not”, or “I have not urged”, or “pressed to be a pastor after thee” z; to which the sense of Kimchi agrees,
“I did not press myself, or was anxious about the matter, that I should be a shepherd after thee, or a prophet;”
he did not run before he was sent; he did not thrust himself into this office; he was not forward, but backward to it, as appears from Jer 1:6; a pastor of the Lord is an under shepherd; one that has his mission and commission from the Lord; who obeys him in all things; follows his directions; goes where and with what he sends him; and such an one was Jeremiah; though it was not what he sought after, and was pressing for; and this he says to take off the edge of the people’s resentment against him; to which agree the following words:
neither have I desired the woeful day, thou knowest; he foresaw that reproaches and calumnies would be cast upon him, and that bonds and afflictions would abide him wherever he went with his messages and prophecies; he knew it would be a woeful and miserable day to him, whenever he was sent as a prophet to this people; and that he should meet with nothing but sorrow, and trouble, and vexation of spirit; and therefore it could not be desirable to him, as a man, to be in such an office, or to be sent on such an errand; to be a messenger of such terrible things, and to denounce such woeful judgments; and much less did he desire the execution of them, even though he had prophesied of them; having not so much regard to his own honour and credit, as an affection to the people, and a compassionate concern for their welfare; and for all this he could appeal to the heart searching and rein trying God. The Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Syriac and Arabic versions, render it, “man’s day”; see 1Co 4:3; but the Targum paraphrases it agreeably to the sense given,
“and the evil day which thou shall bring upon them, I have not desired:”
that which came out of my lips was [right] before thee; as he could appeal to the omniscient God for the truth of the above, so for this, that he delivered nothing by way of prophecy but what he had from the Lord; and that he delivered out truly and faithfully whatever he had from him; and it was all done openly and publicly, and in his sight, with all sincerity and truth; see 2Co 2:17.
z “ego autem non festinavi ut essem pastor post te”, Calvin; “et me (quod attinet) non ursi [esse] pastor post te”, Noldius, p. 567.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The Prophet here implores God as his defender, having found his own nation so refractory, that they could in no way be brought to a right mind. There is yet no doubt but he intended to double their fear in thus testifying that he brought nothing of his own, but faithfully executed the command of God, that he did not presumptuously undertake the office of a teacher, but obeyed the call of God, as though he had said, that they (as we shall find in another place) did not resist a mortal man, but God himself. He therefore refers the matter to God, as though he had said, “Contend with God; for what have I to do with you, or you with me? For I do not plead my own cause, nor came I forth through any desire of my own; but as God has committed to me this office, it was necessary for me to obey. As then I am only the instrument of God, what will you at last gain after having quarrelled ever so much? No doubt God will shew that he is an adversary to you, and can ye conquer him?” We now understand the object of the Prophet.
But we have said elsewhere that the Prophet fled to God when he found no equity or rectitude in the world; yea, when all were deaf and so blinded that there was no hope of obtaining notice. When therefore men are thus perverted in their minds, we must necessarily have recourse to God. So the Prophet does now, as he had done before, leaving men he addresses his words to God; and this kind of apostrophe has more force than if he had charged them with perverseness.
But I, he says, I have not hastened. Here interpreters differ; for אוף, auts, means sometimes to hasten, and sometimes to be slow, two contrary things. It signifies also to be careful and to abominate or to dislike; and so some render it here, “I have not disliked, so as not to become a pastor;” for מן men, in Hebrew is often taken as a negative. Others give this version, “I have not been careful,” or anxious, “I have not cared to become a pastor.” But a meaning more suitable to the context may be given to the words, that the Prophet hastened not, for it follows, and I have not coveted. These two expressions, לא אצתי la atsati, hastened,” and, לא התאויתי la ethaviti, correspond the one with the other, I have not hastened,” and “I have not coveted;” and both is a denial of his temerity. Many indeed thrust themselves, as we shall see in the twenty-third chapter, without being called by God; they run of themselves, and are led astray by foolish imaginations.
The Prophet says first, that he had not hastened to be a pastor after God, literally; for many are ruled by ambition, which leads them to undertake more than what is right for them, and they do not regard what may please God. Hence the Prophet says in the first place, that he had not hastened, and then that he had not coveted, which is not different in meaning, but is a confirmation of the same thing. But let us first bear in mind that he thus proves the impiety of the people, for they fought against God himself the author of his call. How so? had he hastened, that is, had he through foolish zeal obtruded himself, the Jews might have justly contended with him, and might have done so with impunity; but as he had waited for the call of God, they had no ground to contend with him, and by opposing the servant of God, they discovered their own impiety. (183)
Jeremiah prescribes here a law for all prophets and teachers, and that is, that they are not to aspire to this office as many do, who, as we have already said, are guided by ambition. He then alone is to be deemed a lawful minister and prophet of God and a teacher in his church who is not led by the impulse of his own flesh, nor by inconsiderate zeal, but to whom God extends his hand, and who being called obeys. The beginning then is obedience, if we wish to become lawful teachers. This is one thing.
In the second place he shews, that those who are called to the office of teaching are not endued with a sovereign power, so that they can announce whatever pleases them, but that they are pastors for God. God indeed would have his prophets to take the lead, so as to point out the way to the rest of the people, and he thus honors them with no common dignity. He would have them to be heads or leaders, or ensign-bearers, but still he himself retains his own peculiar honor; hence no one ever so presides over God’s Church as to be the chief pastor, for God takes away nothing from himself by transferring the office of teaching to his ministers, but on the contrary he remains complete in his own authority. In short, he does not resign, as they say, his own right, but substitutcs those who teach in his own place, and in such a way as still to retain what peculiarly belongs to him. Hence these words ought to be carefully noticed, I have not hastened to become a pastor after thee, that is, that he might follow God. Whosoever then takes so much liberty as not to follow God, but is carried away by his own spirit, is to be repudiated, and deserves not to be reckoned among lawful pastors.
But this passage seems to militate against what is declared by Paul when he says, that he who desires the episcopate seeks an excellent work. (1Ti 3:1.) Paul does not there condemn, it is said, the desire, he only reminds us how difficult and arduous is the office of a bishop. To this we may readily answer, that Paul there does not speak of that foolish ardor by which many are inflamed, while they do not consider their own abilities, or rather their own weakness; but he says, that if any offers himself to God for the office of teaching, he is to think and duly to consider that it is no common work. He ought then rather to restrain himself, while bearing in mind how difficult it is to fulfill all the duties of a good bishop. But Jeremiah here refers to what we have seen in the first chapter, for he even dreaded the prophetic office, and confessed that he was not able to speak. As then he alleged his own stammering, he was very far from having any corrupt desire. There is then nothing inconsistent in the words, that Jeremiah did not desire the office of a pastor, and that whosoever desires the episcopate desires an excellent, work.
He now adds a confirmation, The day of grief, he says, have I not desired. Some think the verb to be passive, but I have rendered it with others as an active verb, yet some read, “And the day of affliction, or of sorrow, has not been wished for by me.” But there is, in reality, no difference. He confirms what he had said, for he saw clearly, when God chose him a Prophet, that he would be drawn into hard contests; “Why, he says, should I covet the prophetic office? It would have been an insane ambition.” He found out from the very beginning the consequence of undertaking the office, that he had to contend with the whole people, yea, with every one of them, “I knew how great would be their stubbornness, and how great also would be their cruelty; how then could I have wished of mine own accord to run into danger, and to throw mysdf into so many troubles and so many sorrows?” Jeremiah then shews from what he had apprehended as to the issue, that he had not, been led by any hasty desire.
If one objects and says, that many are notwithstanding led away by a foolish ambition to undergo dangers and troubles which they cannot but foresee. To this I answer, that the Prophet assumes the fact as it was, that not only known to him from the beginning was whatever he after-wards experienced, for he had well considered what the people were, but that he had been also constrained by God’s command to renounce his own will. Many hasten because they consider not the difficulties of the office, hardly one in a hundred at this day duly considers how difficult and arduous it is rightly to discharge the pastoral office. Hence many are led to undertake it as an easy duty, and of no great importance. Afterwards experience too late teaches them, that they have foolishly desired what was unknown to them. Some think that they possess great skill and activity, and also promise themselves great things on account of their own capacities, learning, and judgment; but they afterwards very soon find how scanty is a furniture, as they say, of this kind, for aptness for the work fails them at the very outset, and not in the middle of their course. Some also, while seeing that they are to have many and grievous contests, dread nothing and put on an iron front, as though they were born to fight. Others there are who, in desiring the office of teachers, are mercenaries. We indeed know that all God’s servants are miserable as to this world, and according to the perceptions of men, for they must carry on war against the prevailing dispositions of all, and thus displease men that they may please God; but mercenaries, who have no religion and adulterate God’s word, desire the office, and why? because they see that they can deal in a pleasing manner with men, for they will carefully avoid everything that may offend, But this was not the case with the Prophet; hence he assumes, as I have said, this fact, that he sincerely engaged in his office of teaching, and was not induced by any other motive than that of promoting the well-being of the people.
He say’s that he hastened not; how so? “I should have been,” he says, “altogether insane had I been led by an inconsiderate zeal, for I know that I should have to contend, and to contend not with one man only, but with the whole people, yea, with every one of them.” Hence he calls the warfare which awaits all true pastors, the day of sorrow, for if they please men they cannot be the servants of God. And of this fact he makes God a witness, Thou knowest. Men of wind profess boldly enough that they have nothing in view but to serve God, that they do not rashly enter on their course; but the Prophet here sets himself in God’s presence, and is not anxious to secure the approbation of men, being content with that of God alone. (184)
And then he adds, Before thy face has been whatever has proceeded from my lips. By these words he intimates, that he had not vainly spoken whatever came to his mind, but what he had received from God himself, and that before God was everything which had proceeded from his mouth. We hence learn, that it is not enough for one to have been once called, except he faithfully delivers what he has received from God himself, It now follows —
(183) It is singular how variously the early versions and the Targum have rendered the first half of this verse. Various, too, have been the opinions of critics. The first verb means to hasten, in a transitive, and in an intransitive sense, to urge, and to be urgent, forward, or hasty. It is used here evidently intransitively. Then the literal rendering seems to be this, —
But I have not been more forward than a pastor after thee, or following thee.
The meaning seems to be, that he did not exceed his commission; and this is confirmed by the latter part of the verse. The preposition מ has often the meaning of “more than,” or above.
The word “woeful” is the same with what is rendered “desperately wicked” in Jer 17:9. Its meaning is, to be bad beyond recovery; and when applied to day, it may be properly rendered “irretrievable.” I thus render the two lines, —
But I — I have not been forwarder than a pastor following thee, And the irretrievable day have I not desired.
This day was the day of exile which he had foretold. Then the words, “thou knowest,” stand connected with what follows. — Ed.
(184) The Targum connects “thou knowest” with what follows; and such is the version of Blayney, and more suitable it is to the passage, —
Thou knowest what has gone forth from my lips, Before thy face has it been.— Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(16) I have not hastened . . .The words of the English Version are somewhat obscure, and a better rendering would perhaps be, I have not been quick to withdraw from my work in following thee, as a shepherd and guide of the people. A possible meaning, adopted by some commentators, would be, I have not hastened from my work as a shepherd (in the literal sense) to follow thee, as presenting a parallel to the words of Amos (Amo. 7:14-15); and, though we cannot get beyond conjecture, it is quite possible that Jeremiah, in his youth, before the call of Jer. 1:4, may have been employed in the pasture grounds that belonged to Anathoth as a city of the priests (Num. 35:4; Jos. 21:4; Jos. 21:18; 1Ch. 6:60). It is to some extent in favour of this view, that throughout the book the work of the shepherd, when used figuratively, answers to the work of the ruler, and not to that of the prophet. What he means, if we keep the version given above, is that he had not been too slack in his obedience, but neither had he been over eager. He had no desire to see the woful day that would fulfil his predictions. What had come from his lips was just what he had been bidden to say and no more (Jer. 15:16-19), and thus he had spoken as in the sight of God. The interpolated word right mars rather than mends the meaning,
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
16. A pastor to follow thee Better, a shepherd after thee.
The woful day Literally, the day of mortal sickness: the day of judgment and calamity to the city and nation.
Was right before thee Omit the misleading word “right” inserted by the translators. The meaning is: I have spoken as in God’s presence. No higher claim could be set up by an ambassador of heaven. Did every Christian minister always have as realizing and vivid a sense of God’s presence as of the presence of his fellow men, it would elevate and purify the tone and spirit of his utterances as nothing else could.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jer 17:16. As for me, I have not hastened But I have not been in haste to outrun thy guidance, &c.] Houbigant translates it, As for me, I do not hasten it, but follow after thee; that is to say, obeying thy counsel and advice.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Jer 17:16 As for me, I have not hastened from [being] a pastor to follow thee: neither have I desired the woeful day; thou knowest: that which came out of my lips was [right] before thee.
Ver. 16. I have not hastened from being a pastor before thee. ] I have neither rashly taken up the work of the ministry, quo secundus abs te assam pastor, wherein I have been thine under shepherd, but was rightly called by thee thereunto, and have obeyed thy call; neither have I been over hasty to rid my hands of this so troublesome and thankless an employment. Latimer, in one of his sermons, speaking of a minister who gave this answer why he ceased preaching, Because he saw he did no good, but got the hatred of many: This, saith he, was a naughty, a very naughty answer.
Neither have I desired the woeful day.
“ An expectes ut Quintilianus ametur? ” – Juven.
Thou knowest it. ] See Jer 12:1 ; Jer 15:15 2Co 1:12 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
woeful. Same word as “desperately wicked” (in Jer 17:9) = incurable.
right. Omit.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
I have: Jer 1:4-10, Jer 20:9, Eze 3:14-19, Eze 33:7-9, Amo 7:14, Amo 7:15, Jam 1:19, Jam 3:1
to follow thee: Heb. after thee
neither: Jer 4:19, Jer 4:20, Jer 9:1, Jer 13:17, Jer 14:17-21, Jer 18:20, Rom 9:1-3
that: Act 20:20, Act 20:27, 2Co 1:12, 2Co 2:17
Reciprocal: Psa 59:10 – let Psa 131:1 – neither Pro 11:23 – desire Pro 12:20 – Deceit Pro 17:5 – and Isa 15:5 – My heart Jer 8:21 – the hurt Jer 15:15 – thou Jer 17:18 – the day Jer 20:7 – deceived Jer 28:6 – the Lord perform Jer 42:2 – and pray Dan 7:15 – was grieved Amo 5:10 – abhor Jon 4:5 – till Luk 19:41 – and wept Joh 3:27 – A man Rom 10:1 – my heart’s
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 17:16. Jeremiah insists before God that he was not guilty of their insinuations, but declares he had been a faithful pastor (spiritual feeder) of the people. Not desired the woeful day indicates he was not responsible for the day of woe about to come upon the country. He earnestly professes that what he had spoken to the people was the right teaching according to the will of the Lord.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
17:16 As for me, {p} I have not hastened from [being] a shepherd to follow thee: neither have I desired the woeful day; thou knowest: that which was uttered by my lips was [right] before thee.
(p) I am assured of my calling, and therefore know that the thing which you speak by me will come to pass, and that I speak not of any worldly affection.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Jeremiah vindicated himself by citing three things. He knew that the Lord understood that he was not eager to escape his calling (most of the time), he did not enjoy announcing judgment, and his messages had not come from his own mind but from the Lord (cf. 2Pe 1:21).