Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 28:14
For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; I have put a yoke of iron upon the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they shall serve him: and I have given him the beasts of the field also.
14. and they shall field also ] LXX (probably rightly) omit. The insertion may have been suggested by Jer 27:6, where see note.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
For notwithstanding all he had said, God was resolved to justify his word, and to bring them under subjection to Nebuchadnezzar, and to give all they had also into his power.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
14. I have putThough Hananiahand those like him were secondary instruments in bringing the ironyoke on Judea, God was the great First Cause (Jer27:4-7).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel,…. Under which titles he is often spoken of; and which he uses, when he delivered anything to his prophets to declare in his name to others:
I have put a yoke of iron upon the neck of all these nations: mentioned in Jer 27:3;
that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and they shall serve him; directly contrary to what Hananiah had prophesied,
Jer 28:11; that his yoke should be broke off from them; but instead of that, it should become heavier unto them, and they should be obliged to serve him, whether they would or not; and refusing to pay tribute to him, should be carried captive by him, as had been foretold:
and I have given him the beasts of the field also; as he had said he would, Jer 27:6; and which is repeated, to show that the whole would be punctually fulfilled; that not only those nations, the men, the inhabitants of them, would be delivered to him; but even the very cattle, and all that belonged to them.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
It would have been a vain spectacle, had Jeremiah brought only his iron band around his neck; but when he added an explanation of the symbol, he no doubt prevailed on many to believe his prophecy, and rendered those inexcusable who had hardened themselves in their wickedness. But it is worthy of being observed, that God replaced the wooden bands with iron bands; and he did this, because the whole people had through their foolish and wicked consent approved of the madness of that impostor, who had dared to profane that symbol, by which God had testified that he did not speak in vain, but seriously by the mouth of his servant.
A profitable doctrine may be hence elicited, — that the ungodly by barking against God gain nothing, except that they kindle more and more his wrath, and thus render double their own evils, like a dog, who being ensnared obstinately strives to extricate himself from the snare and to shake it off, and thus strangles himself. In like manner the ungodly, the more they resist God, the heavier judgment they procure for themselves. And, therefore, whenever God declares to us that he is offended with our sins, we ought to take heed, lest while we seek to break the wooden bands, he be preparing and forming for us iron bands. Our condition will ever become worse, unless we humbly deprecate God’s wrath as soon as it appears, and also patiently submit to his scourges when he chastises us for our offenses. We ought then to bear this in mind as to the wooden and iron bands.
He adds, Upon the neck of all these nations The Jews, as it has been stated, hoped that Nebuchadnezzar could be in a moment driven back beyond the Euphrates, and would be made to surrender other countries which he had occupied; and all the neighboring nations had conspired, and sent ambassadors here and there; and when the Amorites, the Moabites, and other nations gave encouragement to the Jews, they also in their turn animated others, so that they might all make an assault on the Babylonians. As, then, such a secret conspiracy gave courage to the Jews, this was the reason why the Prophet spoke of other nations. He says, And they shall serve him He had, indeed, already subdued all these countries; but the Prophet means, that the domination of the king of Babylon would continue, though Hananiah had said, that it would stand only for two years. Continuance, then, is set in opposition to a short time, as though the Prophet had said, “Let, indeed, the nations chafe and fret, but they shall abide under the yoke of King Nebuchadnezzar, and in vain shall they attempt to extricate themselves, for God has delivered them up to bondage.”
This servitude may at the same time be explained in another way; the condition of these nations was bearable, as long as Nebuchadnezzar ordered tribute to be paid; and when he sent his prefects, the object was no other than to retain possession; but when he found that they could not be otherwise subdued than by a harder servitude, he began to exercise great tyranny, though he had been before an endurable master. The same thing may be also said of the Jews; for we know that they had been tributaries to the king of Babylon; and as he had spared them, his humanity might have been deemed a sort of liberty; but when he found that a hard wood could not be split but by a hard wedge, he began more violently to oppress them. Then that servitude began which is now mentioned. The Jews, therefore, began then really to serve the king of Babylon, when he saw that they would not endure that bearable yoke which he had laid on them, but in their obstinacy and pride ever struggled against it.
The Prophet adds, The beast of the field have 1 also given him By these words he indirectly upbraids the Jews, as we have before reminded you, with their perverseness, because they perceived not that it was the righteous judgment of God, that Nebuchadnezzar imposed laws on them as a conqueror; for they would have been defended by a celestial aid, as it is said by Moses, had they not deprived themselves of it. (Deu 29:25.) As, then, they had long rejected the protection of God, hence it was that Nebuchadnezzar invaded their country and conquered them. As they now continued to bite and champ their bridle, the Prophet exposes their madness; for they did not humble themselves under the mighty hand of God, while wild beasts, void of reason and understanding, perceived that it happened through God’s secret and wonderful providence, that Nebuchadnezzar took possession of these lands. This, then, is the reason why the Prophet expressly mentioned wild beasts, as though he said, that the Jews were so refractory, that there was in them less reason, humility, and solicitude than in lions, bears, and animals of the like kind; for through the secret impulse of God the wild beasts submitted to the authority of King Nebuchadnezzar, while the Jews became more and more insolent. It was the highest madness not to acknowledge God’s judgment, while this was done by wild and savage animals. It follows, —
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(14) I have given him the beasts of the field also.On the significance of this addition see Note on Jer. 27:6.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Jer 28:14 For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; I have put a yoke of iron upon the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they shall serve him: and I have given him the beasts of the field also.
Ver. 14. For thus saith the Lord of hosts. ] Here were right words, not as Jer 28:2 , in labris nata, non in fibris, and therefore very forcible. Job 6:25
I have put a yoke of iron.
And have given him the beasts.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
I have put, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Deu 28:48, the same words).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
I have put: Jer 27:4, Jer 27:7, Jer 40:4, Deu 4:20, Deu 28:48, Isa 14:4-6
that they: Jer 25:9-26, Rev 17:12, Rev 17:13
and I: Jer 27:6, Jer 27:7, Dan 2:38
Reciprocal: 1Ki 12:11 – I will add 2Ch 10:11 – I will put Jer 36:28 – General Jer 37:13 – Thou Lam 1:14 – yoke Lam 5:5 – Our necks are under persecution Dan 2:37 – the God
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 28:14. The Lord here made his interpretation of tile action and prediction. It left the matter where it was before Hananiah intruded with his false prophecies of peace. The several nations then under the power of Nebuchadnezzar were still to serve him and he was to have control of their personal property.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
28:14 For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; I have put a {h} yoke of iron upon the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they shall serve him: and I have given him the {i} beasts of the field also.
(h) That is, a hard and cruel servitude.
(i) Signifying that all would be his as in Dan 2:38 .
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Jeremiah told Hananiah that Yahweh of Hosts, Israel’s God, said that all the surrounding nations would serve Nebuchadnezzar. The Babylonian king would even control the wild animals; his supremacy would be total. Nothing the people could do would divert this judgment (cf. Act 20:26-27). His yoke over them was as unbreakable as iron (cf. Jer 15:12).