Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 12:17
But if they will not obey, I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation, saith the LORD.
Verse 17. I will – destroy that nation] Several of them did not obey, and are destroyed. Of the Moabites, Ammonites, and Chaldeans, not one vestige remains. The sixteenth verse is supposed to be a promise of the conversion of the Gentiles. See Eph 2:13-22.
From the thirteenth verse to the end is a different discourse, and Dahler supposes it to have been delivered in the seventh or eighth year of the reign of Jehoiakim.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
But for those, whether they be Jews or Gentiles, that shall continue in their idolatrous and superstitious courses, that shall refuse the Messias, and continue in unbelief, and go on in courses of rebellion and disobedience, (saith God,) I will utterly destroy that people. Thus Isa 60:12, The nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
17. (Isa60:12).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But if they will not obey,…. Or “hear” k; the word of the Lord, and hearken to the ministers of the Gospel, and be subject to the ordinances of it; or as the Targum,
“will not receive instruction:”
I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation, saith the Lord: root it up from being a nation, strip it of all its privileges and enjoyments, and destroy it with an everlasting destruction; see
Zec 14:16.
k “audierint”, V. L. Pagninus, Montanus; “audient”, Cocceius.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
As he had shewn that there was a sure hope of salvation to his own people, when the Gentiles would embrace his mercy, so he now threatens the Gentiles with destruction in case they repented not; for he had promised to be merciful to the Gentiles conditionally, and said, — “If they learn the ways of my people, if they submit to my authority:” but now he says, if they will not hear, etc We hence see that God here threatens extreme vengeance to the Gentiles if they subjected not themselves to his yoke, so as to render obedience to him. His object, no doubt, was to terrify the Jews as well as the nations; for as the Gentiles could not with impunity despise God, though unknown to them, how inexcusable would the Jews be, who had from their infancy imbibed the true knowledge of the law, if, after the manner of the Gentiles, they were perverse and intractable?
We in short see that God, on one side, sweetly allured the Jews to render a wining obedience to his law, and, on the other, he threatened them; for as he could by no means bear with the perverseness of the Gentiles, much less could the Jews hope to escape punishment. This is the import of the passage. Now follows another prophecy —
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(17) I will utterly pluck up.In this, as in the preceding verse, there is an obvious reference to the prophets calling as described in Jer. 1:10, the self-same word being used as that which is there rendered root out. The adverb utterly answers to the usual Hebrew reduplication of emphasis.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
REFLECTIONS
READER let us learn from this chapter to form one sure and unerring maxim, concerning the providences of God, that however puzzling and unaccountable to us they may appear, the issue of them must invariably be, for the divine glory, and for the welfare of his people. Behold in this point of view, our faith will find frequent ca use indeed for exercise; but faith will also find a suited strength to lean upon during the time of exercise. Who should have thought the cruelty of Joseph’s brethren, would, in the divine direction of it, ultimately be made the means of so much good? Who would have conceived, that the crucifixion of Jesus, was in the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God? Such events speak, in a loud voice, to suspend our judgment on all the ways and works of God: and to wait to hear what the Lord will accomplish by all his providences going on throughout the earth.
Reader let us learn another sweet lesson from the perusal of this Chapter. I mean, that we study more, in silent and humble adoration, the ways and works of the Lord, both in the circumstances of our own lives, and the order of his Church. Jesus hath the government upon his shoulder. He is the King of nations, as well as King of Saints. His way is in the sea, and his paths in the great waters, and his footsteps are not known. But the end is sure. Think what wisdom that must be, which comprehends such an infinite variety of men and things, differently and oppositely pursued by them, but ordered by Him, to his glory, and the Church’s welfare! Precious Lord Jesus! grant both to Reader and Writer, grace to be always looking up to thee, and seeking thy wisdom to guide; thy power to protect; and thy love to bless, all the events which concern ourselves, and thy people. And while we both take confidence, and holy joy, that if thou art for us, who can be against us, may a sense of thine unerring wisdom, constrain us continually to exclaim, oh, the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God? How unsearchable are thy judgments, and thy ways past finding out!
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jer 12:17 But if they will not obey, I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation, saith the LORD.
Ver. 17. But if they will not obey. ] The tartness of the threatening maketh us best taste the sweetness of the promise, and a mixture of them serves to keep the heart in the best temper.
I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
obey = hearken.
saith the LORD = [is] Jehovah’s oracle. 7-13. The beloved People. Themselves. 14-17. The beloved People. Their enemies.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
if: Psa 2:8-12, Isa 60:12, Zec 14:16-19, Luk 19:27, 2Th 1:8, 1Pe 2:6-8
pluck: Jer 12:14-17, Jer 18:7, Jer 31:28, Eze 19:12, Dan 7:4-8, Dan 11:4
Reciprocal: 2Ch 7:20 – I pluck
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 12:17. Idolatry was the chief corruption of the nation and for which it had to go into captivity. It was cured of that evil and never had a “relapse” of it, But there were other matters of conduct required by the law and Israel is warned not to disregard them after their return from captivity. Should the nation again prove unfaith, ful it will not be let off with a “prison term of captivity, then be restored to its place as a nation. Instead, it will be utterly plucked up and destroyed. This threatening warning might well be regarded as a prophecy, for the nation was indeed overthrown by the Romans in 70 A.D. and has never regained its original place and extent among the nations of the world. There is much that may be said on this subject, both by way of comments and by citation to secular history, both ancient and present day, But this is not the most advisable place to go into it in full; I shall reserve that for comments on several passages in the book of Daniel.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
If they would not respond to the Lord positively, the Lord promised to destroy these nations again (cf. Jer 12:14; Zec 14:9; Zec 14:16-19).
"This passage gives us a rare glimpse into the consternation and anguish that evil causes God. The anguish is especially acute for him when his own people are responsible for it. In these verses the Lord expresses both love and hate for his people, emotions we usually consider mutually exclusive, at least for God. When the Lord opened himself up to his people in love, he also opened himself to the possibility of hurt." [Note: Kelley, p. 185.]