Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 15:17
I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of thy hand: for thou hast filled me with indignation.
17. because of thy hand ] Thy firm, compelling grasp. Cp. Isa 8:11; Eze 1:3; Eze 37:1.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Jer 15:17
I sat not in the assembly of the mockers.
Christians delight not in godless company
It is better and safer to ride alone than to have a thiefs company; and such is a wicked man, who will rob thee of precious time, if he do thee no more mischief. The Nazarites, who might drink no wine, were also forbidden to cut grapes whereof wine is made, so we must not only avoid sin, but also the causes and occasions thereof, among which is bad company. (J. Spencer.)
The difficulty of maintaining purity in evil company
That is a sound body that continues healthful in a pest house. It is a far greater wonder to see a saint maintain his purity among sinners, than it is to behold, a sinner becoming pure among saints. Christians are not always like fish, which retain their freshness in a salt sea; or like the rose, which preserves its sweetness among the most noisome weeds; or like the fire, which burns the hottest when the season is coldest. A good man was once heard to lament, that as often as he went into the company of the wicked he returned less a man from them than he was before he joined with them. The Lords people, by keeping evil company, are like persons who are much exposed to the sun, insensibly tanned. (T. Seeker.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced, some, and those the most, interpret these words as an argument the prophet useth with God to obtain his favour, because though the country was full of wicked men, such as scoffed at the denouncings of Gods judgments, yet he had no share with them; therefore he desires he might have no share with those wicked men, in whose company he had no delight, and in whose profane contempt of God he had no share: but the learned author of our English Annotations thinks (and that very probably, if we consider what follows) that the words should rather be translated thus, I sat not in the assemblies of those that made merry; intimating, that though he rejoiced in his heart when God gave him commission to be his prophet, yet God had all along filled his mouth with such dreadful messages to be delivered to his people, that his whole prophetical life had been to him a time of mourning and solitude, a time when he sat alone, mourning and weeping in secret for the wrath of God revealed to him against his people, and by him to be revealed unto the people.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
17. My “rejoicing”(Jer 15:16) was not that ofthe profane mockers (Psa 1:1;Psa 26:4; Psa 26:5)at feasts. So far from having fellowship with these, he was expelledfrom society, and made to sit “alone,” because of hisfaithful prophecies.
because of thy handthatis, Thine inspiration (Isa 8:11;Eze 1:3; Eze 3:14).
filled me with indignationSoJer 6:11, “full of thefury of the Lord”; so full was he of the subject (God’s”indignation” against the ungodly) with which God hadinspired him, as not to be able to contain himself from expressingit. The same comparison by contrast between the effect ofinspiration, and that of wine, both taking a man out ofhimself, occurs (Act 2:13;Act 2:15; Act 2:18).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced,…. With them, the mockers; or, “those that make merry” r; as the word is rendered in Jer 30:19, and so the Targum,
“those that sing;”
and dance and live jovially; with these the prophet did not associate himself; such levity being unsuitable to his character as a prophet, and to those grievous messages he was charged with; and though he had joy, it was of another kind; it was not carnal, but spiritual; not outward, but inward; and what arose from the word of the Lord, being found and eaten by him. Moreover, there were some things which he was obliged by his office to deliver, that were very distressing to him, and made him very melancholy; so that he shunned all company and diversion, which might have been lawfully enjoyed: for this is not to be understood of the assembly or council of the wicked governors of the nation, and much less of the refuse of the people, that mocked at the word of God, and scoffed at the prophets and people of God; but of Jeremiah’s friends and acquaintance, that met and made merry together; with whom he could not join, because of the sorrowful case in which he was, on account of the people he was sent unto:
I sat alone, because of thine hand; not because he was obliged to it, being deserted by men, but of choice; he withdrew from company, kept himself retired at home in his own house, there meditating upon the word of God, and mourning over the case of his people; and this he did, because the afflicting hand of God was upon him, or because the hand and spirit of prophecy was upon him, and he was charged to denounce very grievous things against the people; and because the hand of divine power and authority was over him, to which he ought to be subject, and was ready to obey:
for thou hast filled me with indignation; either with the indignation of the people against him, because of his prophecies; or with indignation against them, because of their sins; or with denunciations of wrath he was to deliver to them; and so the Targum,
“for thou hast filled me with a prophecy of cursing.”
r “ludentium”, V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Cocceius; “jocantium”, Vatablus; “hilaria agentium”, Gataker.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Here the Prophet more fully declares, that he was hated by the whole people because he pleased God. He indeed inveighs against the impiety of those who then bore rule; he does not here so much reprove the common people as the chief men, who exercised authority and administered justice; for when he speaks of the assembly of the ungodly, he no doubt refers to wicked rulers, as the word סוד, sud, which means a secret, means also a council. And David (or whosoever was the author of the sixty-ninth Psalm) says, not that he was a sport to the vulgar, but that he was derided by those who sat in the gate, (Psa 69:12) which means, that he was reproachfully treated by wicked judges, who possessed the chief authority. So also in this place, Jeremiah says, that he did not sit in the council of mockers It is not the same word as in the first Psalm; and סוד, sud, is sometimes taken in a good sense, but here in a bad sense; for Jeremiah speaks of the profane despisers of God, who ridiculed everything that was announced in the name of God. (148)
Now it was necessary for the holy man thus to exasperate these impious men, for they were in favor, credit, and authority with the people; and we know that they who were in power do in a manner dazzle the eyes of the vulgar with their splendor. As they then thus deceived the simple, the Prophet removed the mask, and exclaimed, that he did not sit in their council nor exulted with them. In denying that he was connected with them, he intimates what their conduct and manners were. He therefore shews, that whatever their dignity might be, they were still the impious despisers of God, and were only mockers. The same is the case with us at this day, we are under the necessity directly to expose those masked rulers, who are inflated with their own power and fascinate the people; for buffoons in tippling-houses and taverns do not so wantonly mock God as those courtiers, who, while consulting respecting the state of the whole earth, and deciding on the affairs of all kingdoms, seem as though they themselves possessed all the power of God; and we also know that they are profane mockers. Hardly any piety or reverence for God is to be found in the courts of princes; nay, especially at their councils, the devil reigns, as it were, without control. We are therefore constrained often to speak very strongly against such unprincipled men, who falsely assume the name of God, and by this pretense deceive the common people. By this necessity was Jeremiah constrained to declare, that he had not been in the assembly of such men.
He then adds, On account of thine hand (from the presence of thine hand) I sat apart, because with indignation hast thou filled me Here Jeremiah confesses that he had departed from the people; but he did so, because he could not have otherwise obeyed God. Some consider hand to mean prophecy, and others, a stroke; and so it is often taken metaphorically; but I am disposed to take it for command, “On account of thy hand;” that is, because I attended to what thou hast commanded, nor had I any other object but to obey thee. Hence, On account of thine hand, because I regarded thee and wished wholly to submit to thy will, I sat apart
This passage is especially deserving of notice; for the Prophet was at Jerusalem among the priests, and was one of them, as we found at the beginning of this book. Though then he was a priest, he was constrained to separate himself and to renounce all connection with his colleagues and brethren. As then this was the case with the holy Prophet, why do the Papists try to frighten us by objecting to us our separation, as though it were a most heinous crime? they call us apostates, because we have departed from their assemblies; truly if Jeremiah was an apostate, we need not be ashamed to follow his example, since he was approved by God, though he separated from the whole people, and also from the ungodly priests. Let us at this day openly and boldly confess that we have separated. There is then a separation between us, and one indeed irreconcilable; and accursed were we, if we sought an union with the Papists. We are therefore constrained plainly and openly to repudiate them, and to move heaven and earth rather than to agree with them. We see that there is a rule here prescribed to us by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of Jeremiah. To refute then the ealumnies of those who object to us our separation, this very passage is sufficient.
“
I sat apart,” and true it, was so; but no one can say this at this day; for the Lord has gathered to himself many teachers and many disciples. They then who now profess the gospel do not sit apart as Jeremiah. But though all had forsakert him, he yet hesitated not to separate himself from all. But were it necessary for every one of us to become separated and to live apart, were God to scatter each of us through all the regions of the world, so that no one were to strengthen and encourage another, yet we should still stand firm, under the conviction that we sat apart on account of God’s hand. Let the Papists then complain as they please, that we are proud, and that we disturb the peace of the whole world, provided we have this answer to give, — That we sit apart on account of God’s hand, because we seek to obey God and to follow his call: we can therefore boldly and safely despise and scorn all the reproaches with which they falsely load us.
He afterwards adds, For thou hast filled me with idignation (149) He confirms what he said in the last verse, — that he had eaten the word of God, that he had not been slightly moved, but had been inflamed with zeal for God: for we cannot really execute the commission given to us unless we be fined with indignation, that is, unless zeal for God burns inwardly, for the prophetic office requires such a fervor. He then adds —
(148) Gataker, and after him Blayney, consider the word, rendered “mockers” by Calvin and our version, as meaning “those who make merry;” and the word is so rendered in our version in Jer 30:19, and Jer 31:4. The Septuagint, the Vulgate, and the Targum, favor this rendering; the Syriac and the Arabic, have “mockers.” Then the next line is, —
Nor did I exult on account of thy hand.
So all the versions connect the words. The “hand” means, as Blayney says, the impulse of the prophetic spirit. See 1Kg 18:46; Eze 1:3. He did not inconsiderately rejoice on account of his office, because he was made a prophet. — Ed.
(149) “Because all the prophecies thou hast given me are minatory.” — Grotius.
The meaning may be, “Thou hast filled me with indignant messages.” — Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(17) In the assembly of the mockers.Rather, of the mirthful. The word, which is the same as that found in Isaac (= laughter), does not necessarily imply an evil or cynical mirth, like that of the scorner of Psa. 1:1. What is meant is, that from the time of his consecration to his office the prophets life had not been as the life of other men, but had been marked by a strange loneliness, filled with the consuming wrath of Jehovah against the evils that surrounded him. The hand of Jehovah is used here, as in Eze. 1:3; Eze. 3:22; Eze. 8:1, for the special overpowering consciousness of the fulness of inspiration.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
17. Assembly of the mockers Literally, laughers. Those that make merry. Though young when called, yet he had led not a frivolous but a serious life.
Because of thy hand Which had lifted him into the realm of prophetical vision.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jer 15:17 I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of thy hand: for thou hast filled me with indignation.
Ver. 17. I sat not in the assembly of the mockers. ] That scoffed and mocked at God’s messages and menaces. Or, I have not sat in the assembly of those that make merry; sed serius fui, spiransque compunctionem; I came not at feasts and merry meetings since I became a prophet.
I sat alone.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
mockers = merry-makers.
hand. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), for guidance.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
sat not: Psa 1:1, Psa 26:4, Psa 26:5, 2Co 6:17
sat alone: Jer 13:17, Lam 3:28, Eze 3:24, Eze 3:25, Dan 7:28
for: Jer 1:10, Jer 6:11, Jer 20:8, Jer 20:9
Reciprocal: Gen 49:6 – secret 2Ch 28:9 – because the Lord God Job 11:3 – mockest Psa 137:1 – the rivers Pro 18:1 – intermeddleth Isa 28:22 – be ye Jer 16:8 – General Lam 3:1 – the man Dan 7:15 – was grieved Mat 11:18 – John Eph 5:11 – no
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 15:17. Sat not . , . nor rejoiced is a significant remark. A person may be guilty of a wrong without being active in it.. Paul taught that God will judge those who are pleased with the evil conduct of others (Rom 1:32). Jeremiah would rather sit alone, be without any company, than be associated with evildoers.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Jer 15:17-18. I sat not in the assembly of the mockers Or, of those that make merry, as is elsewhere rendered: see Jer 30:19; Jer 31:4. Jeremiah soon found that the joy which he had conceived in being called to the prophetic office, and favoured with extraordinary communications from God, was turned into heaviness, God continually filling his mouth with dreadful messages, and his prophecies containing nothing but terrible denunciations of wrath against a sinful people. Hence his whole prophetical life was to him a time of sorrow and solitude, a time when he sat alone mourning and weeping, in secret, for the indignation of God, revealed to him against his people; nor rejoiced I did not, with the deriders and scorners of thy word, give a loose to joy and mirth at a time when thy severe judgments were denounced, and when the most dreadful calamities hung over the country. Because of thy hand Gods hand may be understood of his judgments, which, being denounced by the prophet, might be resembled to a hand stretched out, and just ready to strike; or else of the prophetical impulse which was strong upon Jeremiah, and, in a manner, forced him to be the messenger of evil tidings. Gods judgments, as they were represented to the prophets, often raised such dreadful ideas in their minds as affected them in an extraordinary manner, especially if their threatenings concerned their own country, or the church of God. Why is my pain perpetual, &c. These seem evidently to be the words of Jeremiah, complaining of the hard task which God had put upon him, continually filling his mouth with such bitter words of evil against the people as exposed him to their most implacable rage, so that his misery seemed like an incurable wound, attended with excruciating pain, for which there was no remedy but patience. Wilt thou be altogether to me as a liar, and waters that fail? No, I know thou wilt not. God is not a man that he should lie. The fountain of life will never be to his people as waters that fail. The sense is, Thou hast promised to be my defence against mine enemies; and wilt thou altogether deceive me? like little brooks, which are dried up in summer, when they are most wanted, and so disappoint the thirsty traveller: see Job 6:15. The prophet here sets down the perplexities he laboured under, by reason of the opposition he continually met with from ungodly men, in the execution of his office; just as the psalmist relates the misgivings of his mind when he was under great troubles and temptations. But then presently he checks such thoughts, calls to mind Gods gracious promises, and encourages himself to rely upon him. And the like encouragements are recorded in the following verses of this chapter. Lowth.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
15:17 I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone {q} because of thy hand: for thou hast filled me with indignation.
(q) I had nothing to do with the wicked contemners of your word, but lamented bitterly for your plagues: showing what the faithful should do when they see tokens of God’s anger.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Jeremiah had not spent much time with the people who disregarded God’s messages to repent. Rather, he felt indignation at their hard hearts and separated from them (cf. Psa 1:1; Psa 26:4-5). Their attitude repulsed him, and he felt under divine constraint to behave with integrity, in harmony with his preaching. Jeremiah felt that he had become a social leper (cf. Lev 13:46).
"Every true servant of God is likely to experience tensions of this kind, especially if, like Jeremiah, his foes are his relatives (cf. Mat 10:36)." [Note: Harrison, Jeremiah and . . ., p. 103.]