Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859 edition.


JEREMIAS - Chapter 21

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Jeremias xxi.

Notes & Commentary:

Ver. 1. Sent, after Nabuchodonosor had returned from Egypt. (The year of the world 3415.) This consultation should be placed after chap. xxxvii. (Calmet) --- Phassur, specified above, and chap. xxxviii. 1., (Calmet) or a different person. (St. Jerome) (Piscator) --- Sophonias, the second priest, (chap. xxxvii. 3., and lii. 24.) of the 24th class, (1 Paralipomenon xxiv. 18.) who was slain at Reblatha. (Calmet) --- Jeremias threatens the great ones to chap. xxix. and is persecuted. He spoke this when Nabuchodonosor invaded the country. (Worthington)

Ver. 4. City. The people shall turn their arms against each other; or rather the Chaldeans shall use their weapons to destroy them. (Calmet)

Ver. 6. Pestilence. Septuagint, "death;" the sword, and various diseases. (Haydock)

Ver. 7. To them. This was verified, chap. lii., and 4 Kings xxiv.

Ver. 8. Death; the former if they submit, the latter if they fight, ver. 9. (Calmet) --- God's grace is ever ready, that sinners may be converted. (Worthington)

Ver. 9. Spoil. He shall be happy to escape naked, chap. xxxviii. 3. (Calmet)

Ver. 13. Valley. He speaks to Jerusalem, confiding in the strength of her situation, upon rocks, surrounded with a deep valley. (Challoner) --- Literally, "valley, solid and in a plain." (Haydock) --- Isaias (xxii. 1.) styles it ironically, "the valley of vision." (Calmet) --- Jerusalem was situated on many rocks. (Josephus, Jewish Wars vi. 6.)

Ver. 14. Doings. Hebrew, "studies." So "Your studious pursuits" occurs, ver. 12, in many Hebrew manuscripts, though the printed copy have, "their;" and "spoiled" for apprised. (Kennicott) --- Forest, the temple, which is called Libanus, (Zacharias xi. 21.) and the houses built of cedar-wood, (4 Kings xxv. 9.; Calmet) particularly the royal palace of the forest, 3 Kings vii. (Haydock)

Bible Text & Cross-references:

The prophet's answer to the messengers of Sedecias, when Jerusalem was besieged.

1 The word that came to Jeremias from the Lord, when king Sedecias sent unto him Phassur, the son of Melchias, and Sophonias, the son of Maasias, the priest, saying:

2 Enquire of the Lord for us, for Nabuchodonosor, king of Babylon, maketh war against us: if so be, the Lord will deal with us according to all his wonderful works, that he may depart from us.




6 And I will strike the inhabitants of this city: men and beasts shall die of a great pestilence.

7 And, after this, saith the Lord, I will give Sedecias, the king of Juda, and his servants, and his people, and such as are left in this city from the pestilence, and the sword, and the famine, into the hand of Nabuchodonosor, the king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life, and he shall strike them with the edge of the sword, and he shall not be moved to pity, nor spare them, nor shew mercy on them.

8 And to this people thou shalt say: Thus saith the Lord: Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.

9 *He that shall abide in this city, shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that shall go out, and flee over to the Chaldeans, that besiege you, shall live, and his life shall be to him as a spoil.

10 For I have set my face against this city, for evil, and not for good, saith the Lord: it shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire.


12 O house of David, thus saith the Lord: *Judge ye judgement in the morning, and deliver him that is oppressed by violence out of the hand of the oppressor: lest my indignation go forth like a fire, and be kindled, and there be none to quench it, because of the evil of your ways.

13 Behold, I come to thee that dwelleth in a valley, upon a rock, above a plain, saith the Lord: and you say: Who shall strike us? and who shall enter into our houses?

14 But I will visit upon you according to the fruit of your doings, saith the Lord: and I will kindle a fire in the forests thereof: and it shall devour all things round about it.



9: Jeremias xxxviii. 2.

12: Jeremias xxii. 3.